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Everton supporters will reserve judgment on the club's summer transfer activity until the closing of the window, and whilst manager Sean Dyche has bolstered the attacking ranks, a new centre-forward feels a necessity for the Goodison Park side.

Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma have been signed on loan, while striker Youssef Chermiti has joined the fold on a £15m deal, though at just 19 years of age, he is not quite ready to lead the line.

For a side that scored only 34 Premier League goals last season, the second-lowest in the division, it will be crucial to secure a new talisman, and whilst he is still unrefined, mooted Toffees target Hugo Ekitike might be the man for the job.

What's the latest on Hugo Ekitike to Everton?

According to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Everton are pursuing the Paris Saint-Germain forward and hope to beat the advances of AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt to his signature.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

While the Ligue 1 champions "haven't received any written offers yet", the Blues are hoping to advance negotiations, though will have to cough up €35m (£30m) for the 21-year-old's services.

How good is Hugo Ekitike?

The talented Frenchman signed for PSG from divisional rivals Reims for €35m (£30m) last summer, but he only posted four goals and assists during his first season for the affluent outfit, though he did only start 14 times.

Described as a "special, special player" by his former Reims boss Oscar Garcia, Ekitike did plunder ten goals and four assists from just 15 starting appearances in Ligue 1 the season prior, earning him his big-money move to PSG.

The £80k-per-week phenom did showcase his creativity, ball-playing skills and defensive work rate during his time in the French capital, ranking among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for assists, the top 2% for interceptions and the top 19% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

This precocious level of dynamism in his arsenal bodes very well for the path in which his career will take, and Ekitike could harness such qualities under Dyche's leadership at Everton, where he would be handed a starring role to rival the likes of the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the No. 1 spot at the spearhead of the system.

The knock-on effect such a statement of intent might have on his teammates would be immense too; Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana has been linked with a move to Manchester United of late, just one year on from his £33.5m transfer from Ligue 1 side Lille, and given Ekitike's style of play, it could convince him to stay.

Highlighting the 21-year-old's 'strength', 'tenacity' and 'determination', scout Jacek Kulig also described Onana as a "one-man army in midfield", and given that the bustling powerhouse recorded a solid average Sofascore rating of 6.92 for his relegation-threatened side last season, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles per game and succeeding with 59% of his ground duels.

The £100k-per-week machine also ranks among the top 7% of midfielders for aerial wins per 90, further emphasising the control he asserts on his midfield realm.

Observing Everton's signing of such an exciting and talented attacking star could convince Onana to remain on Merseyside, with his industrious nature in the middle providing Ekitike with a license to exhibit his creativity in its brightest light.

And given the PSG man's own efforts in threading the different elements of a striking skill set together, it might just be the signing to strengthen the resolve and fluidity of this Everton, and Dyche must ensure a swoop is successfully completed.

Transfer insider Dean Jones will be 'absolutely amazed' if Arsenal manage to seal a deal to bring in one of the finest talents in La Liga this window.

Is Ansu Fati leaving Barcelona for Arsenal?

According to La Vanguardia via Football London, both Arsenal and arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur have shown interest in offering Spain international Fati a route to the Premier League this summer.

Reports in Spain claim that Arsenal have taken a 'serious interest' in the £231k-a-week ace and have submitted a 'very serious' proposal to Barcelona; however, their advances are believed to have been rebuffed by both the player and his current employers.

Fati is content to stay at Barcelona for the duration of the upcoming campaign and La Blaugrana boss Xavi will respect his wishes despite speculation surrounding his future.

Earlier this year, Manchester City were keen on Fati and it was mooted that Barcelona would accept a bid in the region of £90 million for the 20-year-old in light of financial problems at the Catalan giants, as per Football Insider.

Last term, Fati made 51 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions, registering ten goals and four assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Another Spanish outlet has indicated that Barcelona received an offer of €60 million for Fati from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal; nevertheless, he has no intention of moving to the Middle East despite their football revolution taking shape.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has his 'doubts' over whether Arsenal could facilitate a move to bring Fati to the Emirates Stadium.

Jones stated: "I will be absolutely amazed if Ansu Fati ends up at the Emirates. He’s obviously got a lot of talent but his injury record and valuation brings about other concerns.

"I don’t think Arsenal are finished in the transfer market and I think that an attacking player is actually possible – but Fati? I still have these doubts."

What else could occur at Arsenal in the remaining stages of the window?

Arsenal look to be in good shape to mount a Premier League title challenge this term following the additions of Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz; however, Mikel Arteta may want to fine-tune his squad with one or two more signings before the end of the window, as per Transfermarkt.

According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are keen on sanctioning a deal for Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella and would be willing to include striker Folarin Balogun and defender Takehiro Tomiyasu in a swap deal to entice the Italy international to north London.

The Sun report that Kieran Tierney is wanted on loan by La Liga outfit Real Sociedad; however, Arsenal are only keen to let the Scotland international move for a fee of around £30 million.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has shared updates from Jorginho's agent Joao Santos speaking about his client's future at Arsenal on Twitter X, which read: "Jorginho’s agent João Santos: 'I’m sure, Jorginho will stay at Arsenal. He’s happy in England. Let’s move on'. 'I had some calls from Saudi and also Spanish clubs like him but he’s staying at Arsenal, it’s decided', told TMW."

Spinners Shreyas Gopal and K Gowtham wrapped up Karnataka’s second win of the season while Rinku Singh’s 136-ball 122 not out ended in vain for Uttar Pradesh

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Oct-2017Railways secured their second outright win of the season, routing Assam for 55 in their second innings and handing them an innings-and-184-run loss in Guwahati.Resuming on 41 for 7, Assam added only 14 runs to their score before being dismissed in 32.3 overs. Seamer Anureet Singh, who sparked the collapse, ended with 5 for 28 – his 15th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket. Deepak Bansal and Amit Mishra complemented him with two wickets each. Wicketkeeper Kunal Saikia was the only Assam player to reach double figures in their second innings.Legspinner Shreyas Gopal bagged a match haul of nine wickets, including four in the second innings, to wrap up Karnataka’s second outright win in two matches, against Hyderabad in Shimoga.Chasing 380, Hyderabad were bowled out for 320 with B Sandeep top scoring with 80. The overnight pair of opener Tanmay Agarwal and captain Ambati Rayudu had extended their stand to 53, before Agarwal was pinned lbw by offspinner K Gowtham. Allrounder Stuart Binny then claimed the key wicket of Rayudu for 31 to pin down the visitors to 117 for 4. Sandeep and Ashish Reddy then propped up the chase with fifties each before the spinners cleaned up the lower order. Gowtham took three wickets, and stretched his match haul to six. Hyderabad were ultimately dismissed in 109.4 overs.Karun Nair, who had struck 134 off 229 balls, was named Man of the Match in his first match of the Ranji Trophy season.Offspinner Chirag Khurana’s second six-wicket haul of the match trumped Rinku Singh’s 136-ball 122 not out – his maiden first-class hundred – and secured Maharashtra’s 31-run win over Uttar Pradesh in Lucknow.Resuming on 256 for 4, Maharashtra added 26 runs to their overnight score before declaring on 282 for 7, setting Uttar Pradesh a target of 324.The hosts lost Almas Shaukat and Himanshu Asnora early, and when captain Suresh Raina was dismissed for 5 by Khurana, Uttar Pradesh were 105 for 4. Akshdeep Nath and Rinku then put on 112 for the fifth wicket in 21.2 overs. The stand ended when Nath was dismissed for 79 off 123 balls. Left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar contributed 23 but his wicket triggered a collapse: Uttar Pradesh lost their last five wickets for 38 runs to be bowled out for 292.

Manchester United have undergone a major change in their goalkeeping department ahead of the new season. David De Gea has departed United following a 12-year spell, while Andre Onana has been recruited as his replacement.

The former Inter Milan ‘keeper joins the club along with Mason Mount, yet it appears as though Erik ten Hag isn’t finished with his transfer business, especially regarding outgoings.

Is Dean Henderson leaving Manchester United?

Henderson appears to be leaving Old Trafford this summer, with Nottingham Forest keen on signing him for a fee in the region of £20m.

The £100k-per-week Englishman however hasn’t made the move just yet, with injury issues preventing him from securing the switch.

He enjoyed a successful loan spell at Forest last season, and it is perhaps the best time to make the move away from United, having played just 29 matches for the senior side since making his debut in 2020.

He was even dubbed “terrible” by reporter Chris Philpotts previously and Ten Hag will be keen to get his high earnings off the wage bill, while bringing in someone younger as a replacement.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

With this in mind, the Red Devils have shown interest in Turkish ‘keeper Altay Bayindir, and they will be hoping to sign him before the transfer window shuts.

Who is Altay Bayindir?

According to Turkish outlet CNN Turk (via Sport Witness), United have ‘started official attempts’ to bring the player to the Premier League this summer.

The 25-year-old has a low release clause, which currently stands at just €6m (£5m) and this could allow Ten Hag the opportunity to bring in a decent backup option to Onana, while still having plenty of funds to fuel a few more transfers.

The five-cap Turkish international has been at current club Fenerbahce since 2019 and has kept 44 clean sheets across 143 matches, winning the Turkish Cup last season.

The shot-stopper conceded 31 goals last term for the Turkish side, the same total as Henderson, yet he played more matches (26 to 18) and he also had higher pass success rate in his own half (92% to 86%), conceded possession less often per game (8.6 to 13.7) and also kept more clean sheets (nine to six), demonstrating that he could be an ideal replacement for Henderson should he leave Manchester.

His impressive pass success rate in his own half could fit in well with Ten Hag’s tactical philosophy, as he likes to build attacks from the back and this will allow him to successful pass the ball accurately to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

The 6 foot 5 titan may not be the most exciting signing, yet with a solid number one in Onana, Bayindir would be providing some added competition for the Cameroonian across the whole season.

With a hectic schedule likely due to European commitments, the Turkish international may gain some action in the cup competitions.

With the player still to reach his prime, signing him for a fee of just £5m could turn into an excellent bargain a few years down the line.

The two batsmen have been brought in for the remainder of the ODI series after Danushka Gunathilaka was ruled out due to a shoulder injury and Upul Tharanga was suspended for two matches

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Aug-2017Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne have been called up to the Sri Lanka squad for the remaining ODIs against India in place of opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka and captain Upul Tharanga. Gunathilaka has been ruled out for 10 days due to a shoulder injury, while Tharanga has been given a two-match suspension by the ICC for Sri Lanka’s slow over rate in the second ODI against India in Pallekele. Chamara Kapugedera will lead the side in Tharanga’s absence.This will be the second time in three months that Tharanga has been penalised for an over-rates related offence. He also sat out two matches during the Champions Trophy, in early June. In Pallekele, match referee Andy Pycroft had found Sri Lanka to be three overs short of the required target, despite India having completed their chase with more than two overs remaining in the match.Gunathilaka, meanwhile, sustained his injury in the 33rd over of India’s innings, when he dived to his right from point, to stop an MS Dhoni stroke. He landed heavily on his elbow and keeled over in pain for about 30 seconds before eventually rising to his feet to continue fielding.Asanka Gurusinha, Sri Lanka’s cricket manager and a selector, said the selectors wanted to stick with Kapugedera, as he was already serving as Tharanga’s deputy in the series.”The main reason for appointing Kapu as the captain is because he was actually Upul’s deputy in the first two matches, and we wanted to stick with him, rather than bringing someone from outside,” Gurusinha said. “We wanted someone who can hold his place in the side as well. He’s also respected in the team.”Kapugedera has played 100 ODIs and averages 21.22 in the format with eight fifties. He has not captained Sri Lanka previously. In Pallekele, he made 40 at No. 7 adding 91 runs with Milinda Siriwardana. In the last five years, however, Kapugedera averages 11.83 over six ODI innings.Gunathilaka’s unavailability may open up an opportunity for Thirimanne, who last played an ODI for Sri Lanka in January 2016. Thirimanne has fulfilled the role of an opening batsman with some success in the past: he averages 38.94 after 19 innings.Neither Chandimal nor Thirimanne was part of Sri Lanka’s ODI squad against Zimbabwe last month, having lost form in the format before they were dropped. Chandimal had an excellent 2016 in ODIs, hitting six fifties and two hundreds in 13 innings. But a finger injury broke that spell of form, and he had been modest in 2017 – averaging 22.25 with a strike rate of 65.20 – before he found himself ousted from the squad. In Thirimanne’s case, his woeful Test form resulted in his omission. His ODI average was above 40 in 2015 and 2014.

As Tottenham Hotspur continue their search for a new centre-back, the Lilywhites could potentially have an opening to secure a bargain deal for AS Roma star, Roger Ibanez.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

Speculation has been rife in recent weeks that the north Londoners are in negotiations for both Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven in their quest to bolster the backline, although there has thus far been little movement with regard to either of those two deals.

As such, the aforementioned Ibanez could represent a dream alternative as far as Ange Postecoglou is concerned, with Italian outlet Roma Giallorossa reporting that the Premier League side are 'back in the running' for the Brazilian ace.

Having been linked with the 24-year-old earlier in the window, the report suggests that Spurs could now pounce on the Serie A side's apparent need to sell in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, with €25m (£21m) believed to be enough to get a deal over the line.

Should Tottenham sign Rodger Ibanez?

Having been touted around £34m and £42.5m for the signings of Van de Ven and Tapsoba, respectively, as per 90min – as well as a further £50m for Crystal Palace's Joachim Andersen – it would then make sense to snap up a player like Ibanez for a fraction of that cost in the near future.

With Tottenham currently on the lookout for a new central defender, there have been reports that the club have accepted an offer from Spartak Moscow for Davinson Sanchez, albeit with the Colombian international seemingly 'reluctant' to join the Russian outfit, as per BBC Sport.

The 27-year-old may be forced to accept his fate if another centre-back does arrive at N17 over the coming weeks, with the former Ajax man seemingly surplus to requirements after starting just eight league games last season, having also been booed by his own supporters amid the eventual defeat to AFC Bournemouth back in April.

With a fresh start needed, the signing of Ibanez could prove the final straw for Sanchez's time in north London, with the Roma rock – who has been lauded as "untouchable" in the past by manager Jose Mourinho – likely to prove something of an upgrade.

The difference in quality between the pair is showcased by the fact that while Sanchez averaged just two tackles and interceptions per game from his 18 league outings in 2022/23, his fellow South American gem averaged four tackles and interceptions per game from his 33 Serie A appearances, while also ranking in the top 3% in Europe's top five leagues among those in his position with regard to interceptions.

With Spurs having shipped 63 league goals last season – the sixth-worst defensive record in the division – it is easy to see why defensive reinforcements are on the agenda, with Ibanez evidently a figure who is something of an expert at regaining possession and sniffing out danger, as he also ranked fifth in Italy's top flight for balls recovered in 2022/23.

A further benefit of Ibanez's addition is the former Atalanta man's attacking threat as he also chipped in with three league goals for Mourinho's side last term, while the current Spurs man, by contrast, failed to get on the scoresheet, proving himself something of a liability at both ends of the pitch.

If the Lilywhites are to emerge as a better, more competitive outfit next season, then such signings could well be the way to go.

Somerset’s skipper Tom Abell has emerged from a troubled season with the bat and immediately the chances of escaping relegation seem a little brighter

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-20171:21

County Championship round-up: Amir completes Yorkshire demolition

Tom Abell led from the front as Somerset reached 234 for 4 before rain washed out the final session on the opening day of the Specsavers County Championship match with Surrey at Taunton.Having walked to the crease with his side in trouble at 46 for 3 after being invited to bat first, the young skipper played immaculately to be unbeaten on 88 at tea.Steve Davies was 68 not out against his former club, having added 138 for the fifth wicket with Abell. For both players it was a highest Championship score of a previously disappointing season.Surrey skipper Gareth Batty had exercised his right to field first, influenced no doubt by heavily overcast skies at the start of play.Marcus Trescothick’s first five scoring shots were boundaries as he and Eddie Byrom, making his home debut for Somerset, put together a stand of 43 in 11.2 overs. Stuart Meaker then took a hand, having Trescothick caught at second slip for 26 from an attempted drive, with only his second ball of the morning.Rikki Clarke quickly built on the breakthrough on his return to Surrey’s Championship side by striking twice with successive balls in the 15th over.Tom Abell has got some batting form together•Getty ImagesTim Rouse, like Byrom playing his first Championship match at Taunton, fell for a duck, caught behind off a slashing back-foot shot and the vastly more experienced James Hildreth was pinned lbw by the following delivery.Byrom was unfazed by the wickets falling at the other end and built his innings impressively, leaving the ball well early on and gradually producing a greater number of attacking strokes.The 20-year-old Zimbabwean left-hander was unbeaten on 38 at lunch, while Abell looked solid from the outset and had progressed to 18.Having added to his score with a swept four off Gareth Batty from the third ball after the interval, Byrom advanced to the next and was bowled.At 96 for 4, Surrey were well on top. But their seamers were not getting much out of a slow pitch, which had been used for the previous day’s NatWest Blast T20 clash between the teams.Abell and Davies batted with increasing confidence, both in desperate need of some form. Their highest Championship scores of the season going into the game were 71 not out and 59 respectively.For Abell, in particular, it was a test of nerve. The 23-year-old Somerset captain had been left out of the previous four-day game against Yorkshire at Scarborough, which his team won, after 11 single-figure scores in 14 Championship innings.You would never have known it, as Abell demonstrated rock solid defence from the start before unleashing a string of attractive shots to reach a half-century off 101 balls, with 9 fours.It was a landmark warmly applauded by home supporters, many of whom feel the added responsibility of captaincy was thrust upon the Taunton-born player too early in his career.Davies also had a point to prove against his former colleagues after making just one previous Championship half-century for Somerset in his first season with the club. He played timed the ball sweetly for a fluent 81-ball fifty, with four fours and a six over mid-wicket off Batty.The rain which began at tea time persisted and umpires Nick Cook and Nigel Cowley abandoned play for the day after a 5.20pm pitch inspection.

Celtic started off their week with a bang by officially confirming the signings of South Korean duo Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Hyun-jun Yang on permanent deals.

They have since announced the arrival of Polish centre-back Maik Nawrocki as their fifth addition of the summer transfer window, as those three have joined Marco Tilio and Odin Thiago Holm in committing their futures to the Scottish giants.

Where does Hyeok-kyu Kwon play?

Kwon is a defensive midfielder who has joined from Busan IPark to bolster Brendan Rodgers' options in the middle of the park ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

He is a ball-winning expert who specialises in breaking up opposition attacks with his ability to make vital interventions in midfield, which is backed up by his K League 2 form in 2023.

The 22-year-old talent made 1.9 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game across 19 appearances in the division prior to joining Celtic this week, whilst he also completed 86% of his attempted passes.

Meanwhile, Matt O'Riley and Callum McGregor topped the midfield charts for tackles (1.5) and interceptions (one) per Scottish Premiership match respectively last term. This suggests that Kwon could be an outstanding defensive option for Rodgers in that position.

The Northern Irish head coach could now land a dream partner for the South Korea U23 international by signing reported £13m transfer target Fabian Rieder to provide an attacking threat alongside the towering gem's steel.

How many goals did Fabian Rieder score last season?

The Switzerland international plundered nine goals in 43 matches for BSC Young Boys throughout the 2022/23 campaign and could thrive alongside a powerful enforcer like the 6 foot 3 Celtic tank.

Rieder also registered 11 assists from midfield and his impressive form came off the back of five goals and 11 assists in 42 outings during the previous season.

He was directly involved in 20 goals for Young Boys last term and could be a phenomenal attacking threat from a number eight position, given that Matt O'Riley led the way for Celtic with 15 goal involvements in the Premiership.

The Swiss maestro, who journalist Dean Jones claimed has "twinkle toes", also caught the eye at the U21 European Championship this summer as he averaged 2.3 key passes per game across four appearances.

No Hoops player, in any position, managed more than 2.1 chances created per outing last season, which suggests that the potential is there for Rieder to be a terrific creative threat for Rodgers if he is able to translate that form over to Scottish football.

The 21-year-old dynamo, who recorded an assist on the opening day of the 2023/24 Super League season last weekend, is a player with the ability to score and create goals on a regular basis and could be a game-changer for the Bhoys if they are able to bring him in this summer.

Having Kwon in a defensive-midfield role next to him could allow the left-footed whiz to thrive as it could allow the £13m-rated talent to focus on going forward to make an impact at the top end of the pitch.

The South Korean colossus could cover the back four with his ability to make tackles and interceptions consistently, which would then provide Rieder with the space and freedom to work his magic.

Chelsea are ready to make an offer of €40m (£35m) for Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki, having recently held talks with his representatives in London, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

Following Wesley Fofana's recent ACL injury, Mauricio Pochettino may be interested in signing a new defender, and Real Betis' Luiz Felipe has now emerged as a target, amid West Ham United's stalling talks with the Spanish club.

However, bringing in a new central midfielder is also of importance to the Blues, and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed they are still pursuing the Brighton & Hove Albion star, saying:

"There are conversations over around £70million as a guaranteed fee, plus add-ons. This is not enough to convince Brighton, so I think Chelsea will go there with a new verbal proposal and they will try to get this deal done this week."

While Caicedo could be brought in to play a defensive role, having predominantly featured in a deeper position throughout his career so far, Chelsea still remain keen on an attacking midfielder, and Flamengo's Matheus Franca is a potential option.

The Blues reportedly submitted an opening bid for the 19-year-old earlier this week, with Todd Boehly willing to pay the Brazilian club's €25m (£21m) asking price, though it is unclear whether any progress has been made towards securing his signature.

As such, the west Londoners could move on to other targets, and Football Transfers reports they are now ready to offer €40m (£35m) for Lyon midfielder Cherki, who can play in an advanced midfield role, and on both wings.

The Blues have recently held talks with the 19-year-old's representatives in London, but they may face competition for his signature from Tottenham, who have also been in discussions over a potential summer move.

Lyon are facing financial difficulties, and receiving a big transfer fee would ease their problems, so they may be open to a transfer this summer.

How good is Rayan Cherki?

The starlet was hailed as a "magnificent talent" by football scout Jacek Kulig last month, after an impressive performance for France U21s against Switzerland, scoring a goal and completing five of the six dribbles he attempted.

At club level, the youngster has been just as impressive, solidifying his place in the Lyon starting XI last season by making 34 league appearances, during which time he registered a total of ten goal contributions.

It is very impressive that the Frenchman has already made 102 first-team appearances for Lyon, and his performances last season indicate he may be ready to take the next step in his career.

With Christian Pulisic recently joining AC Milan, the Blues may be in need of a new option in attacking midfield, and the Lyon star could be a fantastic acquisition, considering his dribbling ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year.

Cherki has been quality for Lyon, particularly last season, and his first-team experience means he would immediately be able to challenge for a place in the Chelsea starting XI.

With the cricket board officially offering ‘temporary amnesty’ to players who do not fit their selection criteria, the likes of Gayle, Pollard and Narine could be back as early as next month

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jul-2017With West Indies in a race to qualify for the 2019 World Cup, their cricket board has offered “temporary amnesty” to the players who do not fit their selection criteria in order to have them available to play ODIs. This could pave way for the return of stars such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree as soon as next month when the team is scheduled for a tour of England, as had been earlier reported by ESPNcricinfo.Cricket West Indies (CWI) has had a stringent policy of picking only those players who are active in the domestic one-day tournament for 50-over internationals. But, with one eye on putting the best XI on the park, the board and the West Indies Players Association have called a truce.On September 30, the top-eight ranked teams as per the ICC will gain automatic qualification to the next World Cup. CWI chief executive Johnny Grave admitted to the possibility that West Indies – ranked ninth, 10 points below their closest rival – might not make the cut. Should that be the case, West Indies will then have to go through a 10-team qualifying tournament and unless they end up in the top two, they won’t make the showpiece event in England in 2019.”We recognise that it is highly unlikely that we will now automatically qualify for the 2019 World Cup, so whilst the qualifying tournament has yet to be confirmed by ICC, we may only have eight ODIs against England and New Zealand in the next six months to prepare,” Grave said. “It is crucial that we can have our best performing Windies players available for selection in these important games.”Grave also indicated that the CWI’s cricket committee was due to present their findings on player eligibility criteria by the end of July. These recommendations will then be put forward at the board of directors meeting in September. But in the meantime, “all CWI registered players will be available for selection” the press release said.Additionally, CWI is compiling a list of all male and female and age-group players in the system. “This will show commitment on the part of the players to be available for the format/s of the game they wish to play; a commitment to participate in the regional set-up and to honour the system to be in place by then,” board president Dave Cameron said. “We must be able to identify the full slate and categories of players we have in the West Indies.”