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Glasgow Rangers central midfielder Nicolas Raskin is one of the players whose future is up in the air now that the January transfer window is open for business.

It was reported last month that Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing the Belgium international ahead of the second half of the season.

At the time of that report, it was claimed that the Gers are likely to cash in on the central midfielder if a team comes in with an attractive offer for the former Standard Liege star.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not any club, Spurs or another side, are willing to put a bid on the table to snap him up this month.

Rangers eyeing move for Premiership star

Irrespective of whether or not Raskin remains at Ibrox or moves on before the end of the window, the Light Blues are reportedly in the market to add to their options in his position.

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According to The Scottish Sun, Danny Rohl is interested in signing Motherwell central midfielder Elliot Watt for Glasgow Rangers in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Gers are eyeing a possible swoop for the Scottish star to bolster their ranks in the middle of the park for the second half of the season and beyond.

It confirms that the Scottish Premiership giants are yet to make contact with Motherwell to discuss a deal for the 25-year-old ace, but they are keeping tabs on his situation.

The Scottish Sun adds that he penned a two-year contract with the club last summer, which means that he only has 18 months left to run on his deal and Rangers could look to take advantage of that to make their move now.

Why Rangers should sign Elliot Watt

The Light Blues must press ahead with a deal to sign Watt before the end of the January transfer window because he could be a big upgrade on Raskin in the middle of the park.

With the Belgian’s future at Ibrox in doubt, signing a midfielder who could come through the door as an instant upgrade on him could be a shrewd move by Rangers to mitigate the potential blow of losing Raskin further down the line.

Watt’s performances for Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership this season suggest that he can be that instant upgrade on the current Gers star, as he has been in phenomenal form at Fir Park.

The 25-year-old talent scored his third goal of the league campaign earlier this week in a 2-0 win against Celtic for Motherwell, as shown in the clip above, with a composed finish after Kasper Schmeichel’s mistake.

Watt was described as the “best midfielder in the league” this season by Rangers supporter and analyst Kai Watson, and his statistics in comparison to Raskin’s explain why he may hold that opinion.

25/26 Premiership

Watt

Raskin

Appearances

19

17

Pass accuracy

87%

87%

Goals

3

1

Key passes per game

1.4

1.4

Assists

2

3

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.5

2.7

Ball recoveries per game

8.2

4.1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Motherwell star offers a similar threat at the top end of the pitch, as a scorer and as a creator, but he has been more impressive at winning the ball back for his side.

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The English-born midfielder has shown that he can excel in and out of possession as a classy operator in the middle of the park, as he can win the ball back at an impressive rate, complete his passes efficiently, and carry a threat in the final third.

Watt is, therefore, an incredibly well-rounded midfielder who has the quality to offer even more to the team than Raskin, particularly when it comes to recovering the ball to create more attacks for his side.

The Motherwell star, whose 7.74 Sofascore rating leads the way in the entire Premiership, could also hit the ground running because he is a proven performer in the Scottish top-flight who would not need any time to adjust to the country or league.

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Therefore, he could be the perfect signing for Rangers this month as they look to bolster their squad for a title charge in the second half of the campaign.

Scorecard

	Kyle McCallan’s all-round performance put Ireland on track for a win © pacemakerpressintl.com

Ireland marched towards victory against United Arab Emirates on the third day of their Intercontinental Cup match, with the hosts tottering at 186 for 7 after conceding a 246-run lead on the first innings.Niall O’Brien, who made 137 on the second day, added a further 37 to his score as Ireland converted their overnight score of 366 for 7 to 474. UAE, who had dismissed Trent Johnston on the second day’s final delivery to end a 163-run stand, were yet again frustrated as Niall found company in Kyle McCallan.UAE were unable to dislodge McCallan during his 52, which included a 77-run eight-wicket partnership with Niall. Sameer Zia finally ended Niall’s innings on 174, and then dismissed Greg Thompson for 1. Last-man Dave Langford-Smith scored 15 in a 37-run stand with McCallan, before UAE captain Saqib Ali put an end to the misery.Saqib was UAE’s leading bowler, with figures of 3 for 84. He was not done for the day though, and came with a fighting 98 as he kept his team in the hunt to avoid an innings defeat.McCallan, coming in a first change, removed the openers Amjad Ali and Gayan Silva, while Johnston had Naeemuddin Aslam trapped leg-before as UAE stumbled to 64 for 3. Rashid Khan (17) put on a 44-run partnership with Saqib, but his wicket triggered a collapse; Alex Cusack scalped two as UAE lost four wickets for 19 runs.Saqib took control from then on, and got support from No. 9 Zahid Shah to take UAE to 186 for 7 at stumps, still trailing by 60. Saqib played an attacking knock; his 98 came off 137 deliveries, with 14 fours and two sixes.McCallan capped off a good day with a 3 for 65 to add to his unbeaten fifty, while Cusack’s seven overs went for only ten runs, and his two wickets jolted UAE at a crucial juncture.

Graeme Smith: “Australia are carrying all the expectations and we are happy to go under the radar” © AFP

Throughout the World Cup Graeme Smith has dealt with many questions about choking. It’s a reputation South Africa have earned over years of failing a few big tests, and none have been more famous than two World Cup matches. In 1999, the inability to get one run in four balls cost them a place in the final, and, in 2003, they fell one short of a spot in the Super Sixes at home.”Today, we demolished it,” Smith said of the choking tag after beating England in a must-win match last week. Yet, he must know that there is only way to bury the past: they must not finish the World Cup as second-best. For a start, they need to beat Australia in St Lucia on Wednesday.The scar of 1999 runs the deepest. Smith was nowhere near the dressing room then – he was there when they botched the chase against Sri Lanka in 2003 – but he must face up to it every time South Africa meet Australia in a match of consequence. It was the second question addressed to him at St Lucia today and Smith responded with outward calm.Was his team fed up with being asked that question? “Not really,” he said. “It doesn’t get mentioned within the setup that much.” He did admit that it came up during a recent team conference. “But even with the guys who were part of the game it’s not such a big issue as people are making it out to be.”The 1999 game was a game in history, an incredible game of cricket and obviously it was disappointing for the country, but it’s a game that you learn from and move forward.” Of course, it would have been lost on no one that there would be no better way of moving forward than getting past Australia in a World Cup semi-final.Smith is aware of the enormity of the task. Australia have not lost a World Cup match since May 23, 1999, and have looked like a team from a different planet in this event. Batsmen in all other sides have struggled at various times in the tournament, but Australia have not lost more than six wickets, and have never failed to score 300 when batting first. Smith was quick to grab the role of the underdog.”It must be said they haven’t looked like a team beaten,” he said. “They are carrying all the expectations and we are happy to go under the radar.” He did make it clear that unlike the rest of the world, which thinks South Africa’s best chance lies with Australia having an off day, his team is prepared to take on Australia at their best.

The funny thing is there is no tension yet. There is a unique confidence in the side that I haven’t seen for a while. We have peaked at the right time

“We’re not sitting back expecting them to play a bad game,” Smith said. “That’s not how we’re going into this. We’re going into this game looking to execute our plan and expecting to beat them. We’re hoping to beat the best Australian team, and we are mentally preparing for that.”A semi-final is a tough game, what’s happened before means nothing. The fact you are here, I guess, is the most important thing. The guys are focused and the funny thing is there is no tension yet. There is a unique confidence in the side that I haven’t seen for a while. We have peaked at the right time, the game against England gave us a large boost.”Smith also stood up for Jacques Kallis, whose approach has been criticised despite him being South Africa’s leading run-scorer with 480 runs at 96. “My feeling about Jacques is that he’s a world-class player, definitely a team player,” he said. “He plays to the way he assesses a team total on the day and not all the time can anyone get it right.”He’s won many games for South Africa as a batter. Over the last couple of months and maybe years, he has had a look at his one-day game, maybe with the game changing he’s had to reassess a few things, but he’s an integral part of our team and I’m sure he’s going to play a massive role in the semi-final.”Smith singled out Herschelle Gibbs as the man most likely to be able to hustle Australia. “He’s unpredictable, has shots all around the wicket and he’s played well throughout the tournament,” he said. “He looks very determined going into this.”You talk about ’99 and how many guys get a second chance. He’s looking forward to the opportunity, I really believe Herschelle is up there for Wednesday.” Smith would not admit it, but there was no getting away from 1999. In the most unflattering way, it defines South Africa.

‘For me and Monty a home debut is something totally new…I’ve just got to make sure my mind is fully focused’ © Getty Images

Somewhere beneath his poised and upright exterior, Alastair Cook claims to harbour a shred of nervousness. But as he and his fellow winter debutant, Monty Panesar, faced the media ahead of their anticipated home debuts on Thursday, the fear of failure was clearly not weighing too heavily on his mind.After hurtling into the national consciousness with a brilliant century on debut, Cook is inked in to bat at No. 3 when the first Test against Sri Lanka gets underway at Lord’s. North-West London in early May is a world away from the heat and hubbub of Nagpur, but for Cook all things are equal when he steps on a cricket field. He was allowing nothing to faze him.Not even the prospect of shifting from the opener’s slot to one-down, a position he has not played in regularly since his days as a club batsman for Maldon in Essex. “There’s not really any difference,” he shrugged. “The only difference is you put your feet up while the other lads go out straight away. It’s still the same game, and I’ll still go through the same things to make sure my game is right.””I always get a bit nervous every time I bat,” he insisted, although England’s fans have yet to witness any evidence to support this claim. This is a man who believes that international cricket is his birthright, and though his chance has come about because of Michael Vaughan’s injury, he is not about to be regarded as a stop-gap Test cricketer.”Obviously Vaughan is going to be captain when’s back, but if you keep scoring runs, then they can’t leave you out,” he grinned. “I was disappointed to miss the Test in Mumbai through illness, so I’m glad I’ve got another chance now to stake a claim and score a few runs to keep my place.””It’s a fantastic time to be involved, on the back of the Ashes while everyone’s interested in cricket,” Cook added. “For me and Monty a home debut is something totally new. We’ve not done this before, so it’s a good place to learn. But our main focus will come when we get out there to the middle. I’ve just got to make sure my mind is fully focused.”Panesar, for his part, was the more diffident character, although to be a rookie spinner in the earliest home Test in English history is not quite the same as being presented with perfect slow-bowling conditions in Nagpur or Mumbai. “I’m trying not to complicate things too much,” he said. “I’ve got a good rhythm this season, so I’ll be trying to get the ball in the right areas and keep things simple.”Matching up against the great Muttiah Muralitharan will be a daunting prospect for Panesar, but at least the pair have got one thing in common – neither has yet played a Test at Lords. Murali’s first appearance in England was his 16-wicket haul at The Oval in a one-off Test in 1998, while he missed the Lord’s match four years later with a shoulder injury.”He’s got so many variations, and as a world-class spinner, he’s someone you look up to,” said Panesar. “You just want to learn and observe.” Cook, on the other hand, displayed few concerns about his impending contest with Murali, having coped with the twin threat of Harbhajan and Kumble after arriving in Nagpur just 48 hours before his debut in March.”I’ve watched him on TV, so know what he does,” added Cook. “Obviously it’s a different perspective when you face him, but it gives you an idea, and I’ll be going up to people who’ve played him well and getting hints off them.” Naturally enough the man he replaced in India, Marcus Trescothick, who scored a century in his first encounter with Murali in 2000-01, will be the first man to whom he will turn for advice. “It’s not rocket science,” shrugged Cook.Cook’s performances in India have confirmed his ability to an admiring public, but most importantly, they have given the man himself a sense of belonging. “It gives you that inner belief,” he admitted. “It’s not so much the unknown of Test cricket any more. I know it’ll never be as smooth as that every time, but I know I’ve scored a hundred and I know I can do it again.”He’s had an early setback in this summer as well, recording a sixth-ball duck for England A against the Sri Lankans at Worcester last week, but his failure was hardly noticed, as the tourists were routed inside three days. “We did what we were told to do, and went out and thumped them,” he said unequivocally. “The wicket had a little bit in it for our bowlers and they did fantastically well. Hopefully that’s got their confidence down a bit, so we can exploit it this week.”Nothing, it seems, can get at Cook’s confidence at present. At the age of 21 years and 135 days, the world really is his oyster.

Chris Gayle: the fourth triple-centurion in Tests for West Indies © Getty Images

Chris Gayle was a satisfied man after scoring his first triple-hundred in Tests, and credited Sir Garry Sobers for assisting him with his technique and making this achievement possible. West Indies ended the day on 565 for 5, thanks primarily to Gayle’s 317.”You can’t complain after scoring 300 runs man. I’m really happy for that,” Gayle was quoted as saying in The Trinidad Express. “A lot of pressure was on me, having played two Test matches and not scoring any runs. In this one, I told myself I really had to dig deep and cash in on this wicket. I’ve been working hard with Sir Garry and it really paid off today.”Gayle’s 317 was the fourth-highest individual score in Tests by a West Indian. Elaborating further on Sobers’s help, Gayle said, “Basically, it’s all about balance and trying to get your momentum going. I’ve done a lot in the indoor nets, myself and Wavell [Hinds]. The three of us [Gayle, Hinds and Sobers] worked together. He taught me a lot of things and they paid off here and thanks to him.”Gayle also admitted that he had tried to correct his footwork prior to this match. “In the last two games, I was trying to move a lot,” he said. “What I tried to do in this game is try and be as still as possible. I tried to widen my stance a bit to feel a bit more balance out there.”However, his ten-and-half hour innings was brought to an end when he was caught at first slip off Monde Zondeki. “I was looking to hopefully come tomorrow and build on it or try to get as close as possible to 400 today, but I was really tired yesterday, having been on the field for two days and coming back in to bat just before lunch [on the third day]. It was very hectic to have to go out there and bat under those conditions and I really pulled myself together.”

Gavin Hamilton has been recalled to the Scotland squad. Hamilton last represented Scotland in the 1999 World Cup, and now he has served a mandatory four-year absence after playing one Test for England in 1999, he is eligible again for selection.The Scotland selectors today confirmed the 14-man squad for the ICC Six Nations Challenge Tournament in Dubai between February 29 and March 6. Scotland will join five other associate member countries, including the hosts United Arab Emirates, Namibia, Holland, USA and Canada. The winners will then take part in the ICC Champions Trophy, to be played in England in September 2004.”It’s an exciting time to be back involved with Scottish cricket," said Hamilton, who recently joined Durham from Yorkshire. "I hope I can push the team forward by playing my part in the Six Nations Challenge and ultimately qualify for the Champions Trophy at the end of the season."The tournament should also give me a chance to spend some time in the middle and ensure I’m on top form for Durham when the campaign begins in April.”Craig Wright, Scotland’s captain, was also pleased with Hamilton’s return to the squad. “It’s exciting for us to go into a tournament of this stature," he said. "It’s also great to see Gavin back in Scotland colours. His ability and experience can only assist us in our desire to win this competition. The guys have been training really well and showing some good form in practice.”Squad Craig Wright (capt), Ryan Watson, Douglas Lockhart,Greg Williamson, Dougie Brown, Gavin Hamilton, Jamie Kerr, Fraser Watts, James Brinkley, John Blain, Majid Haq, Gregor Maiden, Ian Stanger, Paul Hoffmann, Tony Judd, Peter Drinnen, Euan McIntyre.

Victorian Bushrangers left-arm fast bowler Mathew Inness fractured his right big toe in a freak accident at a Port Melbourne beach training session yesterday.”It happened in the last 30 seconds of a beach soccer game with Travis Birt accidentally kicking me right on the toe,” Inness said. “Obviously I’m extremely disappointed, but the upside is that I am hopeful of developing some form of protection for the toe and play in the ING Cup match against Tasmania on February 16”.Inness had several x-rays at the Prahran Sports & Medicine clinic after the incident, which confirmed a fracture and partial dislocation. Coach Mick O’Sullivan said the players had all but completed a 90 minute session at Port Melbourne before the mishap.Inness took 11 wickets last week to trigger Victoria’s victory in just three days against New South Wales.

Somerset answered their critics with an impressive batting performance against table-toppers Yorkshire at Bath when they scored a massive 553 for five declared.One performance that will be particularly pleasing to Somerset fans was the innings played by Matthew Wood who was making his debut. One aspect of criticism that has been levelled at the club recently has been its inability to produce batsmen, and the knock of 71 by the twenty-year-old from Exmouth, who has been on the second XI scene for three years, will help to quash the criticism.Responding to general criticism about the results so far this season, Chief Executive Peter Anderson said: “I’m only too aware that members and supporters are becoming very disappointed with the team’s performances on the field.”He went on to say that this was the third successive year that team selection had been disrupted by injuries to key players.”When you can’t field your best players, this affects the confidence of the rest of the team. It’s not our capability to play that has affected our results, it’s the lack of confidence,” said Anderson.Anderson pointed out that the club had signed fast bowler Richard Johnson from Middlesex in the winter to cover for the absence of Andy Caddick, but he had been injured. He added: “We kept Graham Rose, even though he is 36, because he is a class player and still useful as cover, but even he is injured.”

Everton cannot make the same mistake they did with Angers striker Mohamed-Ali Cho, who left Finch Farm back in January 2020 in search of a quicker pathway to regular top-flight first-team football – which he has since found.

It was, and remains, a warning shot to the club, that they need to give a chance to their exciting young talents, because otherwise, they will just become exciting young professional players at other rival clubs in the Premier League, or perhaps elsewhere in Europe.

However, one player that could follow on from Cho is 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Warrington, who currently is set to leave the club in the summer upon the expiration of his contract. however journalist Patrick Boyland has previously revealed that Everton want to extend his deal.

“Everton are talking to Warrington about a new contract because his current one expires at the end of the season,” said Boyland.

“He has made a lot of progress this season, has decent passing range and is strong in the tackle.”

Having made two goal contributions in nine appearances on loan at Tranmere Rovers, where he has been since January, the 19-year-old has established himself in the League Two club’s first team, who are aiming for promotion into the third tier this season.

He has shown plenty of energy to get up and down the pitch, making plenty of contributions in the final third already, as well as on average making over one tackle and one clearance per game.

With his energy and work ethic, he could become a similar type of player to Mateo Kovacic, who played under Everton boss Frank Lampard during their time at Chelsea together.

Indeed, the Everton website describes the teenager as the following: “A gifted all-round midfielder, he boasts impressive energy, and expansive passing range and eye for goal.”

Those are certainly traits that are synonymous with Kovacic, particularly when it comes to a passing point of view. It also bodes well for Warrington breaking into what is sometimes a lethargic midfield at Goodison Park.

If he does continue his rapid rate of development, he could replace midfield flop Andre Gomes, who has previously been labelled as “reckless” by Everton journalist David Prentice.

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The Portuguese 28-year-old has not justified his £112k per week wages this season at all, nor his £22.5m price tag, and having made just five Premier League starts and 12 appearances in the competition all season, it’s likely Lampard will look to move him on in the Summer.

In that scenario, Warrington would likely be presented an opportunity to impress in pre-season, and should he take it, he has the potential to go on and become a key midfielder for Everton.

In other news: £27.9m wasted: £70k-p/w liability who “drowned” at Everton rinsed Moshiri for 56 weeks

	Tom Moody (left) returns to the subcontinent, this time as a coach in the IPL © Cricinfo Ltd

Tom Moody, the former Australian allrounder who coached Sri Lanka, has been confirmed as coach of the Mohali franchise of the Indian Premier League (IPL).Moody is expected to be joined in the BCCI-backed tournament by fellow Australian John Buchanan, who is likely to coach the Kolkata-based team. reported that Buchanan will sign a three-year deal with the Kolkata franchise, which will have Sourav Ganguly in its team, within the next week. The stint will be Buchanan’s first serious coaching assignment since stepping down as Australia’s coach following the World Cup win in the West Indies last year.Greg Chappell, the former India coach, and Victoria’s Greg Shipperd are the other key contenders for coaching positions among the IPL franchises.The Mohali franchise also named Yuvraj Singh as the captain of its team. “We are pleased to choose Mohali as our centre ahead of all the other choices we had, as it is the best association (Punjab Cricket Association) and with excellent facilities,” Ness Wadia, a co-owner of the franchise, told the . “With Yuvraj as our captain and Moody as coach, I think everything has fallen into place for us.”Moody was sounded out last week as a candidate and was expected to take a call last Friday. He took over as coach of his native Western Australia after a successful two-year stint with Sri Lanka which ended after the World Cup in the West Indies last year.The franchise officials did not, however, reveal any further details on the team’s composition. The players’ auction is set to take place in Mumbai on Wednesday with a host of international players already signed up.Four local players have to be selected in the squad and IS Bindra, the president of the association, said a Ranji Trophy player would be given a $50,000 contract while an Under-22 player would be offered a minimum of $20,000. The tournament begins on April 18.