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Spurs fans have been left wowed by Fabrizio Romano's report that Tottenham Hotspur are not settling for simply a deal to sell Giovani Lo Celso ahead of Friday's transfer deadline.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have endured a solid summer of business, clearing any deadwood out of Ange Postecoglou's squad and welcoming the likes of Dominic Solanke and, most recently, Wilson Odobert from Burnley. The two attacking additions should help to add much-needed depth to the current Spurs side, who will undoubtedly be in pursuit of Champions League qualification for the first time under their Australian boss.

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Ange Postecoglou could add a new midfielder to their ranks before the transfer cut-off.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 29, 2024

Their clear-out, meanwhile, is set to continue with the sale of Lo Celso. The midfielder looks set to finally complete a permanent move away from North London following previous loan spells at the likes of Villarreal. In the end, things never worked out for the Argentine at Spurs, no matter the manager. Clearly a talented midfielder given how he performed in Spain, Lo Celso will join a lengthy list of players begging the question of what might have been.

The Lilywhites are at least set to benefit from the deal, however. According to Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have reached an agreement to sell Lo Celso to Real Betis but have also secured a first priority deal to sign Johnny Cardoso from the Spanish outfit if they want to in the future. Not only that, Spurs will get a percentage on any future sale of the United States defensive midfielder even if they choose not to pursue him themselves.

Reacting to the news, podcaster Ben Bowman praised Spurs, stating "now that is ambition" in response to Romano's tweet. Although there's certainly complications in the deal, and it remains to be seen whether Cardoso one day becomes a Spurs player, those in North London have seemingly got themselves a win-win scenario.

If Cardoso progresses, then Spurs will automatically be at the front of the queue for his signature with a deal all but wrapped up already. If they decide against signing the American, then they will still benefit financially from Real Betis' sale.

Tottenham would be wise to revisit "solid" Cardoso

Whilst it looks as though Cardoso will remain a Real Betis player at this moment in time, he's a player that Spurs should certainly revisit in January or next summer, using their place in pole position to their advantage.

Just 22 years old, the defensive midfielder has earned plenty of plaudits, including from analyst Ben Mattinson, who described Cardoso as a "solid dueller" and "calm under pressure" in two traits that all high-level midfielders should have in abundance.

A midfield duo for the future of Archie Gray and Cardoso is a mouth-watering enough prospect for all Spurs fans, including Bowman it seems.

Arsenal and Everton paid tribute to late former striker Kevin Campbell ahead of their Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

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Campbell passed away in June aged 54Had successful career with Arsenal & EvertonClubs paid tribute with advertising boardFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Campbell, who started his career with a trophy-laden spell at Arsenal and went on to become an Everton legend, passed away in June this year at the age of 54 of multi-organ failure due to a heart infection, having suffered with illness since the start of the year.

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The Gunners and Toffees meet on Saturday for the first time since the passing of their former star and the clubs shared a billboard across from the stadium's main entrance.

"He's one of our own," the billboard read, with an image of Campbell in an Arsenal shirt, and another of him in Everton colours. Campbell's sister, Lorna, is attending the match, Arsenal said.

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Campbell joined Arsenal's youth system at the age of 15 and made his senior debut against Everton three years later. He helped fire Arsenal to the First Division title in 1991 when he was only 21 and then partnered Ian Wright up front as they went on to win the FA and League Cups the following year. In 1993-94, he scored 19 goals as the north London side reached the European Cup Winners' Cup final.

After spells at Nottingham Forest and Trabzonspor, he joined Everton on loan in March 1999 and had a huge impact on the Toffees' Premier League survival by scoring nine goals from eight games. He went on to make 160 appearances over his six-year spell at Goodison Park.

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Mikel Arteta's Arsenal head into Saturday's match looking to claim a win as they sit six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool. Everton, meanwhile, are five points clear of the relegation zone.

The 17-man squad will be trimmed to 13 ahead of the series opener

Deivarayan Muthu04-Jun-2021Trinidad & Tobago fast bowler Jayden Seales has bolted into West Indies’ provisional squad for the forthcoming two-match Test series against South Africa in St Lucia. The 19-year-old’s only first-class match so far was for West Indies A in New Zealand last December, and in all, he has played only ten professional games at senior level.Seales was particularly impressive in the Team Hamilton vs Team Blackwood four-day intra-squad game more recently, taking 4 for 40 in the second innings, including the wickets of Shai Hope and Darren Bravo. He had first made an impression in the Under-19 World Cup in South Africa last year, claiming ten wickets in six matches at an average of 18.30 and economy rate of 3.89. He went on to bag a CPL deal with the Trinbago Knight Riders, who have retained him ahead of the upcoming season.Hope, Roston Chase, and Kieran Powell were also rewarded with spots in the 17-member squad. The trio was not part of the squad for the recent home Test series against Sri Lanka. Jahmar Hamilton is the second wicketkeeper in the group behind Joshua Da Silva.Hope’s last first-class game was the Manchester Test in July 2020, but in the intra-squad fixture, he scored 106, the highest score of the match.Chase, who missed out on a West Indies central contract last month, sparkled both with ball and bat. After taking four wickets in the first innings for Team Hamilton, Chase closed out a three-wicket win with an unbeaten 45 off 50 balls in the second. Powell, who top-scored with 95 in that innings, too, earned a recall, after having played the last of his 40 Tests in Bangladesh in 2018. He replaced John Campbell who had managed only 68 runs in four innings at an average of 17 against Sri Lanka.Related

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Seales bolsters the seam attack that already includes regulars – Shannon Gabriel, Jason Holder and Kemar Roach, who is back from his stint with Surrey in county cricket. Roach brings with him strong form, having bagged a match haul of nine wickets in his most recent first-class game, at The Oval. As for Chemar Holder, he was unavailable for selection due to injury. Jomel Warrican will be assisted by Rakheem Cornwall and Chase in the spin attack.Marquino Mindley, who had recovered from Covid-19, will remain in St Lucia along with fellow seamers Keon Harding, Preston McSween and Nial Smith to “assist the Test squad with their preparations”, a Cricket West Indies media release said.The squad will be trimmed from 17 to 13 on June 7, three days before the tour opener at the Daren Sammy Stadium. The second – and final – Test of the series will be played at the same venue from June 18. This series will be the last in the inaugural cycle of the World Test Championship. West Indies are currently sixth on the table and their opponents South Africa are seventh.Squad: Kraigg Brathwaite (capt), Jermaine Blackwood (vice-capt), Nkrumah Bonner, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Rahkeem Cornwall, Joshua Da Silva, Shannon Gabriel, Jahmar Hamilton, Jason Holder, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Kyle Mayers, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Jayden Seales, Jomel Warrican

Marcus Rashford has been recalled to the Manchester United squad by manager Ruben Amorim for Monday's clash with Newcastle.

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Man Utd hosting Newcastle at Old TraffordRashford recalled to squadAmorim without Bruno Fernandes due to suspensionFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Rashford could be set for his first Premier League minutes since the start of December after seemingly being recalled by manager Amorim. The new United boss has left Rashford out of the team's last four matches but he does appear to be part of the squad for Monday's match with Newcastle. The club showed Rashford arriving for the game with the rest of the squad, kitting out in his club tracksuit and carrying a boot bag.

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Amorim is without some key players for the game as Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte are both suspended, while Mason Mount, Luke Shaw and Victor Lindelof are all injured, which may explain Rashford's return. The forward's future at United has become uncertain following Amorim's arrival and decision to leave him out of his most recent squads. The forward has reacted by claiming he's "ready for a new challenge" in a bombshell interview that suggested his time at the club was up. Monday's match is United's final game of 2024 and also their last one before the January transfer window opens.

DID YOU KNOW?

Rashford has made 15 Premier League appearances this season for Manchester United, scoring four times and grabbing an assist.

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Fans will have to wait and see if Rashford does feature against Newcastle as Manchester United aim to stop a run of three straight defeats. The team's next fixture is a daunting trip to league leaders Liverpool on Sunday in the Premier League.

Chelsea need to make headway under Enzo Maresca this season; if the Blues suffer a regression from last season's performances, the atmosphere could turn sour.

But rest assured, the Italian tactician has plenty of tactical intelligence and a slick and control-focused game that stems from his former tutor Pep Guardiola.

The scattergun approach to transfer dealings has been something of a mixed bag across the past few years, but the signing of Cole Palmer has been one of the finest pieces of business in Chelsea's history – is that fair to say?

Chelsea hit the jackpot with Cole Palmer

Palmer is as yet trophyless at Chelsea, but despite this, he's been an extraordinary addition to the side, a beacon of hope for supporters during a testing period in their club's storied history.

With 26 goals and 19 assists across just 50 appearances, the 22-year-old is fast establishing himself as one of football's foremost attacking players, hailed as "exceptionally talented" by presenter Gary Lineker.

Indeed, as per FBref, he currently ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for both goals and assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions and the top 5% for progressive passes per 90.

Signed from Manchester City for just £42.5m, Chelsea have paid a bargain fee for a talent who's on his way toward superstar status. However, he can't do it alone, and while the Blues have a rich and varied attacking line, there's one former star whose sale continues to be a rueful thing for the west Londoners.

His name is Kai Havertz.

Why Chelsea must rue selling Kai Havertz

When Chelsea sold Havertz to rivals Arsenal for a £65m fee last summer, many Premier League fans chuckled. Havertz is a player of unquestionable quality but he hadn't applied his dynamic and protean attacking threat with the desired consistency and fluency during his time at Chelsea.

That's evidenced through his strike record at Stamford Bridge, something that has been made all the most frustrating since hitting a rich vein of form under Mikel Arteta's wing last year and now sustaining his level, a crucial part of Arsenal's ongoing fight against Manchester City.

Chelsea signed Havertz from German side Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £71m in 2020, when he was only 21 years old. The Germany international scored the winning goal in Chelsea's Champions League final showdown against Man City, immortalising his name somewhat, but his overall contribution was patchy, his prolificness leaving things to be desired.

Bayer Leverkusen

150

46

31

0.51

Chelsea

139

32

12

0.32

Arsenal

54

16

8

0.44

Germany

52

19

15

0.65

He was significantly less clinical at Chelsea than he has been elsewhere. Moreover, the 25-year-old has scored two goals and claimed one assist across his opening three matches of the 2024/25 campaign with the Gunners, carrying over his form from the second half of last season.

That form came as he was placed into a focal role at number nine after spending the lion's share of his early days at the Emirates in central midfield, repurposed as a mobile attacking midfielder.

Chelsea have an overload of attacking options but Havertz is now starting to show the level that the Blyes paid so much money for four years ago, and it's frustrating to watch him bloom at a rival such as Arsenal – who are chasing down the Premier League title besides.

And anyway, had they nurtured him closer toward his full potential, Chelsea could have cashed in for a profit, rather than suffering a slight loss.

As per Football Transfers' player valuation model, Havertz's value has skyrocketed since his sale just one year ago, now bearing a market price of £80m.

Remarkably, Football Transfers' number crunch puts him above any player in Maresca's Chelsea squad – and that includes Palmer, who is valued at £47m right now but, of course, is only going to see that figure balloon further over the coming years.

It also puts him above Enzo Fernandez, who joined Chelsea for a whopping £107m fee back in January 2023 after winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, but has since seen a depreciation to his name, worth just £42m at present, failing to capture the prodigious performances that prompted Clearlake and Todd Boehly to pay the staggering sum for his services.

This all goes to show that Chelsea, perhaps, ceded their ownership of the player right before hitting the goldmine that Arsenal have found, sculpting him into an offensive force to be reckoned with.

Havertz, to hammer the point home, ranks among the top 8% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 16% for passes attempted, the top 18% for shot-creating actions, the top 14% for progressive passes and the top 7% for tackles per 90, so you can really see how technically sharp and tenacious he is across the park.

Christopher Nkunku was his ostensible replacement, with the versatile Frenchman welcomed from RB Leipzig last June in a £52m deal, and though he's positionally flexible, electric and prolific, injuries have blighted his stay in the English capital, having scored five goals from a paltry 19 matches in just over a year, starting only three times in the Premier League.

Praised for his "sensational" performances by Arteta, Havertz is truly a manager's dream, and though he failed to bring it all together at Chelsea, his skillset could have been perfect for Maresca, and watching him thrive for Arsenal is a bitter pill to swallow.

Chelsea nearly signed world star for £0, now he's worth more than Palmer

The Blues fumbled the bag with this one…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 9, 2024

Zak Crawley hits quickfire 48 but Kent fall away in tall chase

ECB Reporters' Network15-Jun-2021Somerset earned their first Vitality Blast win of the season at the third attempt with a 47-run success against Kent Spitfires at the Cooper Associates County Ground, Taunton.Having been 53 for 3, the hosts did well to post 204 for 7, Tom Abell leading the way with 68 off 33 balls and 20-year-old Lewis Goldsworthy making a career-best 48. Grant Stewart claimed 3 for 33.Despite an impressive 48 off 23 deliveries from Zak Crawley, Kent never looked likely to reach their target and were bowled out for 157 in the 18th over, Marchant de Lange finishing with 3 for 18.Tom Banton’s disappointing start to the Blast continued after Somerset had been invited to bat, the opener caught at deep square off Stewart for 9 with the score on 33 in the fourth over. Will Smeed followed in the next over and when James Hildreth was caught at long-off for 27 to give Joe Denly his only wicket, Somerset looked to be heading for their third below-par total in three Blast games.Abell had other ideas, reverse sweeping Qais Ahmad for successive fours in the ninth over before unleashing sixes off Ahmad and Darren Stevens as the scoring rate accelerated.With Goldsworthy lending excellent support, Abell moved to his second Blast fifty of the season off 26 balls, with five fours and two sixes. He claimed another maximum off Stewart over deep square before falling in the same over, having added 90 with Goldsworthy off 45 balls.Goldsworthy hit Fredrick Klaassen for a straight six before Stewart had him caught at deep cover. He had faced 29 balls and hit six fours.Kent’s reply got off to a bad start when the fourth ball saw Daniel Bell-Drummond caught at backward point off Craig Overton. Denly fell to Josh Davey with the score on 14, but Crawley collected two sixes off Overton in the fifth over and the Powerplay finished with the Spitfires 56 for 2.Goldsworthy’s left-arm spin was greeted with a four and a six by Crawley as he and Sam Billings brought up a fifty stand in 27 balls. But the latter fell to a catch at wide long-on in the same over.Legspinner Max Waller bowled Crawley in his first over and followed up by having Jack Leaning stumped as Kent reached halfway at 89 for 5. With Goldsworthy showing great maturity to recover from conceding ten off his first two overs, Somerset controlled the middle of the innings. The youngster had figures of 1 for 30 at the end of his four-over stint.Stevens, Stewart and Ahmad all fell cheaply and Jordan Cox’s battling 33 was nowhere near sufficient to prevent a convincing Somerset win.

Munsey century in vain as Kent have victory ripped from grasp by seventh-wicket stand

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2021Worcestershire 323 for 7 (Leach 88, Haynes 77) beat Kent 322 for 7 (Munsey 108, Finch 84) by three wicketsCaptain Joe Leach and Ed Barnard powered Worcestershire Rapids to a dramatic three-wicket victory with a record-breaking seventh-wicket stand against Kent Spitfires at New Road.George Munsey’s maiden List A century had enabled Kent to set a demanding 324 target and he and Harry Finch’s partnership of 184 was a Kent List A record for any wicket against Worcestershire.But Rapids opener Jack Haynes laid the foundations with a fine 77 and he received good support from Tom Fell before Leach’s late assault alongside excellent support from Barnard.Leach and Barnard came together at 184 for 6 in the 34th over and their stand of 134 in 15.2 overs was a new Worcestershire record for the seventh wicket in all List A cricket.Leach put the Spitfires into bat on a hybrid pitch and the move initially paid off.Spitfires captain Ollie Robinson (13) was caught at cover off Charlie Morris and Heino Khun (19) was run out by Jake Libby’s direct hit from mid on.Tawanda Muyeye (22) played back to spinner Josh Baker and was bowled but Scotland international Munsey and Harry Finch seized command for Kent.Finch was initially the more aggressive and reached his half century from 63 balls – 12 less than Munsey.Munsey, who had scored 96 against Durham in the opening One-Day Cup game, gradually upped the tempo and required only another 33 balls in moving fifty to three figures.Adam Finch broke the stand when he trapped his namesake lbw for 84 from 79 deliveries with one six and 10 fours working to leg.Munsey’s superb knock came to end on 108 and he also went lbw attempting a reverse sweep against Ed Barnard. His 113 balls innings contained two sixes and 14 fours.Darren Stevens hit a quickfire 23 and late order runs from Milnes and Marcus O’Riordan lifted the final total past 300.When Worcestershire launched their reply, Haynes drove Stevens for two boundaries and Dell collected three fours in a Milnes over.Dell, on 20, was caught at cover off Stevens but new batsman Fell and Haynes prospered.Fell reeled off a succession of impressive strokes and Haynes also looked in good touch although he had one left off on 23 to Henry Finch off Matt Quinn.He completed a 51 ball fifty and Haynes followed him to his half century from the next delivery, the 61st he had faced.The second wicket pair added 94 when Fell was caught behind off Grant Stewart for 57 with two sixes and six fours.Jake Libby, on 17, fell to a smart catch at backward point off Matt Quinn and Haynes top edged a catch to backward square leg off James Logan who played for Worcestershire Seconds earlier this season.Gareth Roderick and debutant Jacques Banton fell cheaply but then came the heroics from Leach and Barnard who finished unbeaten on 39 from 46 balls.

A recent update has emerged regarding Sean Dyche’s future as Everton manager just before another disappointing day at the office in the Premier League.

Dyche under pressure at Everton

The Blues had made a dreadful start to the season heading into Saturday’s trip to Aston Villa, losing all three of their opening matches in the competition. Despite threatening to be a great day for Dyche’s men, it ended up being another miserable occasion at Villa Park.

Goals from Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert before the half-hour mark gave Everton a dream start, but as was the case against Bournemouth in their last match, the Merseysiders once again unravelled. An Ollie Watkins double drew Villa level, before Jhon Duran sealed a dramatic turnaround with time running out, meaning the Blues are still without a point in the league in 2024/25 to date.

The result has seemingly cranked up the pressure further on Dyche, who may well be losing admirers by the week at Goodison Park, with supporters divided over whether he is the right man to take the team forward. Now, a fresh update has emerged when it comes to the Englishman’s future in charge at Everton, as he increasingly battles to save his job.

New update on Dyche's Everton future

According to The Boot Room‘s Graeme Bailey, Dyche has until next month to prove himself as the right man to take Everton forward, with “the next international break” seen as the pivotal point.

The report goes on to add that potential new owner John Textor “has insisted that he is not going to become involved in any major decisions until he has the keys for Goodison Park”, but he is “concerned” about the situation and is “not alone” in that respect.

This means there are four matches in which Dyche has to show vast improvements, three of which are in the Premier League. The other is an EFL Cup third-round clash with Southampton on Tuesday evening.

This seems like a fair situation regarding Dyche, who is receiving plenty of criticism for the performances and results on show of late. Granted, he did well to keep Everton in the Premier League last season, but things appear to be going in the wrong direction currently. With a move to a new stadium coming, it is vital that the Blues are in the top flight, so having the right manager in charge is essential.

Next weekend’s trip to Leicester City feels huge, with at least a draw needed to stop the rot, while the home clash with Crystal Palace also needs to see a positive outcome.

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Should Everton lose both of those games, as well as the visit of Newcastle United in early October, those high up at the club may feel that the time is right for a change. That being said, a couple of victories in those fixtures could save Dyche’s squad and suggest that his team have turned a much-needed corner.

Arsenal are reportedly plotting a move for Evan Ferguson despite the Brighton forward's poor form this season.

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Mikel Arteta looking for attacking reinforcementsFerguson is being monitored by the GunnersWest Ham are also eyeing a loan move for the strikerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to , Ferguson has attracted interest from Arsenal, Fulham and West Ham. Despite his modest record this season, the north London club views him as a potential asset under the right conditions. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is not keen on a significant January outlay but remains open to bolstering his squad with a quality addition if a favourable opportunity arises.

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The 20-year-old has started just two league matches this term and is currently sidelined with an ankle injury. Brighton are said to be undecided on whether to sanction a move for Ferguson, though indicates that West Ham have already made inquiries about a potential loan deal. Brighton, however, are believed to prefer including an obligation-to-buy clause if they decide to let him leave on loan. Ferguson has scored just one goal in 12 league appearances, with his solitary strike coming in Brighton’s 2-2 draw against Wolves in October. Danny Welbeck, Joao Pedro and summer signing Georginio Rutter have been favoured over Ferguson in Brighton’s attacking setup.

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Ferguson is not the only name on Arsenal’s radar. The club is also keeping tabs on RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Newcastle's Alexander Isak for potential summer signings. Arteta has reportedly demanded young, physical and dynamic players to strengthen his attacking options as the Gunners continue to maintain their push for the Premier League title.

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Currently, Liverpool hold a six-point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand. Arsenal know they cannot afford any missteps as they attempt to close the gap on the leaders. As Arteta's men prepare for a critical Premier League clash against Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, Ferguson may get a chance to remind suitors of his capabilities. While it remains uncertain if he will feature in the match due to his ankle injury, a strong showing could reignite interest and bolster his standing as a valuable transfer target.

Fast bowler underwent three surgeries in the New Zealand winter to deal with a mole on her left foot

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Aug-2021Lea Tahuhu, the New Zealand fast bowler, worked through potentially serious health issues to make it to the squad that is currently touring England. Tahuhu underwent three surgeries in the New Zealand winter to deal with a mole on her left foot that was in a pre-cancerous state, reported.Tahuhu had touched upon the situation in an Instagram post on July 27, and now, from Derby where she is with the New Zealand squad, she told : “It got me to some low places. It was such a shock, all of it.”Tahuhu had the mole on her foot removed, but was then told it could be cancerous. Biopsies revealed she had caught it in time, but she also had to deal with a wound in a tricky spot and have a skin graft.”It [the mole] had been there for 18 months. It looked fine to start with and then it started growing slightly bigger and changed colour,” Tahuhu said. “I had the mole taken off, and all went well at that point. There’s not a lot of skin on the top of your foot that you can actually pull together, so it was left a bit open.”While at the hospital to get the skin graft to cover this wound, Tahuhu and her wife and team-mate Amy Satterthwaite first heard that the situation could be more serious than expected. “That morning then changed drastically, because it’s not often you get words such as ‘melanoma’ and ‘skin cancer’ thrown at you, that you certainly weren’t expecting,” Tahuhu said. “I sat there like a stunned mullet.”Related

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Further testing revealed that the mole had been removed just in time, and the skin graft eventually followed, with skin transferred from her thigh to her foot. “What was supposed to be one local surgery and two weeks recovery, ended up being three surgeries and eight weeks later,” she says.The recovery process was mentally demanding, Tahuhu says, but she used the upcoming tour of England as motivation. “There were a few days where I thought, ‘How am I going to put ten times my body weight through my foot when I bowl? When at the moment I’ve just got a hole on the side of it.'”But then I thought, ‘No, I’m determined to get on that plane’, and I’m pretty diligent with what I have to get done to reach goals.”The tour of England includes three T20Is, starting on September 1, followed by five ODIs. Tahuhu is now focusing on building up to full match fitness ahead of these games. “It’s not as simple as being fit enough to run and to bowl again. It’s actually the stress you put on your body.”It’s all very scientific, and done in the background as to the loads you need to hit. And being monitored by GPS and making sure you’re hitting the right numbers, so nothing else in your body breaks down.”Tahuhu – and the New Zealand women’s team’s – last played in April this year, when New Zealand hosted Australia. In February Tahuhu had strained a hamstring, during England’s tour of New Zealand. She recovered in time to be selected for the home ODIs against Australia.