Category Uncategorized

Manchester United are in desperate need of investment during this summer transfer window if they are to avoid a repeat of the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League.

The Red Devils ended the year in a measly 15th place last time around, only picking up 42 points in their 38 league outings, highlighting the terrible season they endured.

Ruben Amorim was unable to transform the club’s fortunes during the second half of the campaign, evidently needing added investment from the hierarchy if he is to be successful at Old Trafford.

£62.5m has already been spent on Matheus Cunha, potentially being joined at the club by Bryan Mbeumo after a £70m deal was agreed for his services in recent days.

Such deals would see them spend over £120m in the early months of the window, but more signings are to be expected to help add further strength to the forward line.

The latest on United’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Juventus striker Dušan Vlahović continues to be linked with a move to United this summer, potentially being available for a bargain fee given his desire to leave the Serie A outfit.

The Serbian could be put on the market for just £15m, a deal that could be a bargain given his tally of 17 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions last campaign.

However, he’s not the only forward currently on Amorim’s radar this summer, with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko once again linked with a move, according to GIVEMESPORT.

Their latest report claims that the Slovenian international would be keen on a move to Old Trafford this summer, after Arsenal decided to pursue a move for other targets.

It also states that the 21-year-old has been closely monitored by the club’s hierarchy over the last couple of seasons, potentially costing a staggering £78m during the current window.

Why United’s £78m target would be a better signing than Watkins

Alongside the names previously mentioned, Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins has also been thrown into the mix as a potential addition for United this summer.

The England international has become a viable option after it was confirmed that Unai Emery’s side may want to part ways with the 29-year-old if his £60m asking price is met.

He could provide an experienced Premier League-proven option for Amorim this side, with the forward netting 16 league goals in England’s top-flight last season.

However, the major downside of a deal for Watkins would be his age, with the forward entering the back end of his professional career, potentially being unable to receive any sell-on value after securing a move for his signature.

Such reasons could see them make a move for Sesko as a result, handing the Red Devils a much younger option within the final third, with the Leipzig star eight years younger than his fellow target.

Age is one thing, but when comparing their respective figures from the 2024/25 campaign, the Slovenian has managed to better him in numerous key areas, further showcasing why the hierarchy should make the move for him this summer.

Sesko, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by talent scout Antonio Mango, posted a higher goal per shot on target rate last year, making the most of more chances that fell his way in front of goal, handing Amorim that clinical edge he’s greatly lacked.

Games played

33

38

Goals & assists

18

24

Shot on target accuracy

44%

43%

Goal per shot on target rate

0.4

0.3

Take-on success

52%

24%

Carries into final third

1.1

0.7

Shot-creating actions

1.9

1.8

Aerials won

59%

42%

The youngster also completed more of the take-ons he attempted throughout the recent season, having the all-round ability to create chances for himself rather than relying on teammates around him.

His dominance over the Villa star doesn’t end there, coming out on top in more aerial duels, subsequently offering the side the focal point needed to play off and improve their link-up play next campaign.

Whilst Sesko would cost £18m more than Watkins this summer, it’s evident that he has the tools to make an immediate impact whilst also having the chance to improve in the years ahead.

If he can continue to build on the excellent progress he’s made in the game, he would be a sensational signing, potentially playing a pivotal role in any future success achieved at Old Trafford during the Amorim era.

He's perfect for Mbeumo: Man Utd discussing move to sign £100m-rated CF

Manchester United could be about to land another star alongside a deal for Bryan Mbeumo.

2 ByEthan Lamb Jul 18, 2025

Manchester United have made ‘first formal contact’ over a move to sign a star who wants to move to Old Trafford rather than Barcelona.

Man Utd looking to upgrade on Hojlund and Onana

It is shaping up to be a frantic few months in the transfer window for the Red Devils, with a major squad overhaul potentially on the cards ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.

A plethora of players such as Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho have returned from loan spells and could be moved on permanently, whereas Matheus Cunha became United’s first summer signing.

More attacking additions are on the cards, with a replacement for Rasmus Hojlund being mentioned. The Denmark international has struggled for goals at Old Trafford and has been linked with a return to Serie A.

Related Huge Hojlund upgrade: Wilcox opens talks to sign "new Mbappe" for Man Utd

Ruben Amorim wants to sign a new centre-forward this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 15, 2025

In fact, Amorim has reportedly made it clear that Hojlund doesn’t feature in his long-term Man Utd plans, with the club looking to sell the forward on a permanent basis, although an initial loan offer which includes an obligation to buy may also be considered.

Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are just two strikers who United have spoken about to solve their number nine issues.

Meanwhile, someone who has been heavily linked to replace Andre Onana is World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez.

Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world right now, there have been recent claims that the Aston Villa star wants to make the move to Old Trafford over the coming months. Now, a promising development has emerged regarding Man Utd and Martinez.

Man Utd make first contact for Emiliano Martinez

According to reports abroad, relayed by Sport Witness, Man Utd have now made ‘first formal contact’ to sign Martinez from Aston Villa.

It is reported that the Red Devils have approached Martinez’s agent over a deal as they want to make him first choice at Old Trafford over Onana.

They back up reports that Martinez is keen to stay in England despite interest from Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, and Galatasaray, who have also been in touch. However, with Martinez willing to snub a move to Spain and Turkey, it is added that this ‘further paves the way’ for Martinez to join United.

On £150,000-a-week at Villa Park which works out at £7.8m per season, Martinez’s last trip to Old Trafford was extremely eventful.

The Argentine received a red card on the final day of the 24/25 season as Villa failed to to qualify for the Champions League, and despite no European football being on offer at Old Trafford for now, he seems to be keen on a move to Manchester.

Far removed from the days of Sir Alex Ferguson’s hairdryer treatment or Brian Clough’s no-nonsense approach, players have all the power in modern football.

Teams who hover around the bottom half of the Premier League have felt the full force of player power since the rise of the ‘big six’, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Matheus Cunha and Kalvin Phillips moving within the top flight for huge fees in recent years.

Leeds United have dealt with their fair share of star players leaving for pastures new, including Ballon d’Or candidate Raphinha and academy starlet Archie Gray.

Leeds' record departures

10. Chris Wood

Burnley – £14m

9. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Atletico Madrid – £14.5m

8. Luis Sinisterra

Bournemouth – £20m

7. Tyler Adams

Bournemouth – £23m

6. Crysencio Summerville

West Ham United – £25m

5. Rio Ferdinand

Manchester United – £30m

4. Archie Gray

Tottenham Hotspur – £40m

3. Georginio Rutter

Brighton – £40m

2. Kalvin Phillips

Manchester City – £42m

1. Raphinha

Barcelona – £50m

Despite Leeds’ status as a huge club with a rich history, some players are just destined for greater things, as Pascal Struijk revealed just how good Raphinha was right from the off at Elland Road: “I knew for sure that he would be able to play with a top team.

“You look at his goals and assists, which he did for us as well. When you go to a big team, it’s about how you react when you make a move like that and I always believed in his ability, I had no doubts.

“My first impression of him was, ‘this guy’s got quality’. Sometimes you have players and you see them on the pitch and you think, he’s got that bit extra. When you see him doing it in the Prem, the talent speaks for itself.”

The Brazilian left Yorkshire on good terms after scoring in the game that secured the Whites’ Premier League status for another year, but not everyone on the list above can say the same.

I was as good as Gerrard and Rooney at youth level, but only scored 3 goals for Leeds

Things didn’t really work out at Elland Road.

ByCharlie Smith Jun 5, 2025 Ferdinand: 'I was a nightmare to make Leeds sell me'

Rio Ferdinand was perhaps the most controversial transfer of his time, leaving Leeds to join arch-rivals Manchester United in 2002, going on to win six Premier League titles under Fergie as one of the greatest centre-backs of all time.

And while it may be of little surprise to the Elland Road faithful who have never forgiven the legendary England defender, he told talkSPORT this week that he refused to leave then-chairman Peter Ridsdale’s office, imploring Leeds not to haggle on their price.

That’s not to say Leeds were hard done by from a financial point of view however. Accounting for inflation, Ferdinand would be the second most expensive Premier League transfer of all time, coming in at around £200m in today’s terms.

Considering Southampton only received £75m for Van Dijk, widely regarded as the world’s best current centre-back, when he joined Liverpool in 2018, Ferdinand certainly cost the Red Devils a pretty penny.

However, his attitude towards his former employers only soured relations further after what was already a controversial move, taking advantage of the club’s financial difficulties as they plummeted to the third tier of English football.

Everton are leaving Goodison Park this weekend; David Moyes will lead the Toffees out to play against Southampton on Sunday afternoon, and it will be the final time the Men’s team play competitively at their historic stadium.

It’s fitting that Moyes should have returned in January to steer Everton through the final months of his long chapter, but it’s also apt that he should lead the club into a new era on the Bramley-Moore Dock.

Having steered the struggling side away from the Premier League’s relegation zone, Moyes has been handed the keys to the transfer chest by new owners, The Friedkin Group, ahead of the summer window.

But before we look at who’s been earmarked as the 2024/25 campaign draws a close, let’s first look at the overload of first-team stars set to depart when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

The players Everton might retain

Everton are expecting an exodus. Many contracted players will not survive the drive to a new home. Some, however, have played excellent seasons and should be offered new deals.

Idrissa Gueye might be 35, but he’s definitely one of them after his brilliant season in the centre, anchoring Everton’s midfield. A few weeks ago, Football Insider published a report that he is in talks over an extension.

1.

Idrissa Gueye

Everton

125

2.

Daniel Munoz

Palace

115

3.

Noussair Mazraoui

Man Utd

109

4.

Moises Caicedo

Chelsea

107

5.

Joao Gomes

Wolves

105

Elderly right-backs Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman might not earn reprieves, and that’s probably for the best. However, Michael Keane’s performance at Fulham last weekend, as he scored in the 3-1 win, suggested there’s more in the tank from him.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Abdoulaye Doucoure, who earn a combined wage of £230k per week, may also leave.

Right-sided loanees Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom have failed to cover themselves in glory this season, but Charly Alcaraz has shown much promise, with the Flamengo player’s permanent clause, worth £15m, sure to be activated.

Alcaraz, 22, has ebbed and flowed since arriving in January, but his talent is unquestionable, with one goal and three assists from just six Premier League starts, and the Toffees could benefit from having his attacking talent in their squad once again when next season kicks off.

He’s been a dynamic addition to the midfield, and now Moyes is looking to bring in another to fuse excitingly with the Argentine prospect.

Moyes lining up former favourite

It’s important that Everton retain a few valuable signatures and that several more are relinquished to make way for new talent. Doucoure, 32, is Everton’s highest earner and is no longer justifying the wage.

That’s why Moyes is determined to replace the Malian with a former favourite in Tomas Soucek, an instrumental part of the Scotsman’s success at West Ham United but at odds in the new system, led by Graham Potter.

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, for The Boot Room, Soucek has been told he can leave the London Stadium. Despite the Irons’ struggles, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a strong season, and it’s felt a £20m bid would convince West Ham to sell, with Leeds United also keen.

The reporter claims that five Premier League teams have opened talks with the Czechia international, including the Toffees and Leeds, ahead of the summer transfer window.

Why Tomas Soucek would be a shrewd signing

With Alcaraz providing a degree of attacking relief from attacking midfield areas, typically central or tilted to the left, Soucek could be an excellent partner when making those bursts into the danger area from the centre.

Soucek isn’t the most creative midfielder on the block, but he’s effective at what he does: providing a physical presence and a consistent attacking threat. He’s been called a “machine” by former West Ham correspondent Tom Clark

This season, the Czech Republic international has scored nine goals across 33 Premier League appearances this season, also providing two assists.

As you can see from the table below, Soucek certainly knows how to score a goal, with his consistent prolificness across the five years spent in East London seeing him nestle into fifth place on the Hammers’ all-time midfield scoring charts.

1.

Martin Peters

355

98

2.

Sir Trevor Booking

514

81

3.

Mark Noble

550

62

4.

Billy Bonds

645

49

5.

Tomas Soucek

240

41

Though he’d add an attacking dimension to Everton’s set-up, Soucek has plenty more in his locker. As per Sofascore, the £90k-per-week midfielder has also averaged 5.2 duels won per game, denoting a combative and industrious approach.

But the goalscoring is and always will be his flashiest metric. FBref have recorded that he ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goals scored, the top 4% for touches in the box and the top 1% for aerial battles won per 90.

The 6 foot 3 star might not be the slickest on the ball, which is why Potter wants rid of him, but that hardly matters when Moyes is at the Everton helm. Especially so when his contrasting ability could weave against Alcaraz’s to create something balanced and layered behind the frontline.

Alcaraz’s impressive assist record this season has been created through a consistent focus on his playmaking, not just relying on his passing but also his ability to win back possession and start transitional sequences. He’s made six big chances in the Premier League, one per start, averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

It’s perhaps exciting that Alcaraz has yet to really get going, either, and with a pre-season behind him and Soucek added to the mix, this could be a real treat for Everton fans next season.

Soucek, after all, featured more prominently than any other player for West Ham across the span of Moyes’ reign, with the manager’s trust in the rangy veteran something that could help advance his tactical implementation at Bramley-Moore next season.

This truly is a signing that Everton need to see over the line. Soucek would help spark a new level of goalscoring quality for Everton while concurrently upholding Moyes’ strong defensive values.

He’s tried and tested in the tactician’s system, and could help Alcaraz come into his own by using his physicality to allow the former Southampton man to thrive in possession.

Amazing Delap alternative: Everton in the race for "phenomenal" £40m star

Everton are looking to sign a new striker for David Moyes this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair May 15, 2025

Right throughout Todd Boehly’s reign as owner, Chelsea have not held back on signing elite young talents.

It has been a clear transfer strategy at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues looking to bring players to the club regarded as some of the hottest prospects in world football.

Perhaps the best example of this is Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, who will join Chelsea for £29m this summer. He was described as a “wonderkid” showing all the “signs of a top player” by football scout Antonio Mango. He is just one of the young talents the Blues have signed under Boehly’s ownership.

This summer, Chelsea could add Ajax defender Jorrel Hato to that list, if recent reports are to be believed.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Hato

It would be an excellent signing if Chelsea can bring Hato to Stamford Bridge this summer. According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the Blues are ‘seriously considering making a move’ for the Dutchman this summer, and have ‘longstanding’ interest in signing him.

However, they will face competition from two Premier League giants, with Sky Sports also suggesting that newly-crowned champions Liverpool, and Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal are also interested.

In reality, it is not hard to see why the West Londoners are so keen to bring Hato to the club. At just 19 years of age, he is a full international with the Netherlands and has played 108 times for Ajax already.

Described as a “magnificent talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hato has played 28 times in the Eredivisie this season, scoring twice and grabbing six assists. He has also captained the club three times, a superb achievement at 19.

Chelsea do not have a clear path to signing Hato, and will face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal if they are to do a deal.

However, if they are not able to sign the Dutchman, then an alternative may be hiding in plain sight in the academy.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Expand Collapse Chelsea's in-house Hato alternative

If the Blues can’t sign Hato himself, then why not promote their very own “Hato alternative” from the academy? At least, that is what football analyst Ben Mattinson has coined Chelsea’s young defender Ishe Samuels-Smith.

The West Londoners poached Samuels-Smith from Premier League rivals Everton, for a reported £4m two seasons ago. The highly-rated youngster has recently renewed his deal at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

At just 18 years of age, Samuels-Smith is yet to have any kind of first-team involvement on the pitch. Yet, he has featured on the bench three times this term under Enzo Maresca, which included two games in the Premier League back in February.

For the U21s, the youngster has had a key role to play. Skippering the side on five different occasions, Samuels-Smith has featured 23 times this term, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists from full back.

In fact, that is one of the standout features of his game. Just like Hato, the Manchester-born defender can play anywhere across the back line, even slotting in a right-back this term despite being left-footed. He has also played further forward as a wing-back.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the EFL Trophy this season for the Blues, as the stats on Sofascore reflect. In three games in the competition, he put in 3.7 tackles, made two interceptions and won two aerial duels per game.

Samuels-Smith stats in EFL Trophy 2025

Stat

Per 90

Total

Passes completed

46

138

Long balls completed

2.7

8

Key passes

1.3

4

Tackles

3.7

11

Interceptions

2

6

Aerial duels won

2

6

Stats from Sofascore

It surely does not seem like a first-team debut for Samuels-Smith can be too far away. The Blues academy skipper is clearly a talented player, putting in some excellent performances this term and showing great versatility.

If they miss out on signing Hato, then there might not be a better alternative to the Dutchman than their talented academy star.

Related He's their new Drinkwater: Maresca must axe £30m Chelsea flop this summer

Chelsea have certainly signed plenty of players in recent transfer windows, but one player is very reminiscent of the Blues’ worst-ever signing.

Posts ByBen Gray May 6, 2025

With no Premier League game this weekend, every Arsenal fan will have their eyes firmly on their Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint Germain next week.

However, while Mikel Arteta’s side have a real chance of doing something sensational on the continent, it would be impossible to describe their domestic form as anything other than disappointing.

The Gunners crashed out of the FA Cup and League Cup, and should Liverpool pick up even a point at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, they’ll be crowned champions with four games to spare.

While injuries have certainly played their part, poor performances have been just as big of a problem, with club captain Martin Odegaard’s drop in form emblematic of the season overall.

The Norwegian international may well get back to his mercurial best next year, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club may have already identified someone who’d be an upgrade, someone who’s won comparisons to the incredible Jude Bellingham.

Arsenal transfer news

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other incredible names Arsenal have been linked with in recent weeks, such as Raphinha.

The Barcelona superstar would reportedly be available for about £86m in the summer, and while that is a lot, it could be a fee worth paying as he’s already scored 30 goals and provided 23 assists in 49 games this year.

A cheaper player touted for a £43m move to the Emirates in recent days has been Andrey Santos.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Chelsea loanee is having a stellar campaign in France with Strasbourg, amassing 15 goal involvements in just 30 appearances from central and defensive midfield.

However, the most exciting name touted for a move to N5, and the one who could replace Odegaard is Désiré Doué.

Yes, according to reports from Spain, Arsenal are one of several Premier League sides interested in signing the Frenchman this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are keen on the talent.

However, Paris Saint-Germain are not planning on selling the teenage sensation unless a monster offer of around £86m is made.

It looks like it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Doué’s immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be a dream Odegaard replacement and has been compared to Bellingham.

How Doué compares to Odegaard and Bellingham

So, the first thing to say is that while Doué has spent more time on the wings this season, he has still made nine appearances as an attacking midfielder this term and has even been described as a “true 10” by respected analyst Ben Mattinson.

With that out the way, it’s worth examining this comparison to Bellingham and where it comes from before looking at how he stacks up against Odegaard.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the number one most similar midfielder to the PSG gem.

Progressive Passes

7.19

7.29

Goals

0.35

0.34

Assists

0.35

0.30

Goals per Shot

0.12

0.14

Goals per Shot on Target

0.30

0.39

Carries

45.4

43.2

Aerial Duels Won %

43.8%

46.9%

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, progressive passes, goals, assists, goals per shot and shot on target, carries and more, all per 90.

So, with his apparent statistical similarities to the Real Madrid star, how does the Angers-born ace compare to the Gunners’ captain?

Well, from a pure output perspective, he comes out miles ahead.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling just 2538 minutes, he’s scored 13 goals and provided 12 assists.

That means the “absolute genius,” as dubbed by Mattinson, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.84 games or every 101.52 minutes.

For his efforts this year, the Drammen-born star has scored just five goals and provided ten assists in 39 appearances, totalling 2982 minutes.

Therefore, the 26-year-old is averaging a goal involvement every 2.6 games or every 198.8 minutes, which is undeniably disappointing.

Ultimately, while he might cost a huge sum of money, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Doué this summer, as not only has he won comparisons to Bellingham, but he could be a younger, more exciting upgrade on Odegaard.

Arsenal in contact to sign mega Partey upgrade with a £1bn release clause

Thomas Partey could stay at Arsenal but they should seek a replacement.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 24, 2025

Former spinner sees parallels with his 2010 side that won the World T20 in the Caribbean

Vithushan Ehantharajah06-Jun-2024England’s World Cup begins in earnest on Saturday after Tuesday’s false start in Bridgetown. After rain prevented them from embarking on an awkward 10-over chase of 109 against Scotland, they return to Kensington Oval for another grudge match against Australia.This same fixture played out here in 2010 as the final of the World T20, which England won convincingly. A similar performance would kickstart the defending champions’ campaign.Graeme Swann was part of that squad as the team’s joint-leading wicket-taker, with 10 dismissals at 14.40. Naturally, the offspinner sees no reason why England cannot become the first team to win three T20 World Cups. The similarities between this group and the one that bagged England’s first ICC trophy 14 years ago are clear.”I’m excited because I see so many parallels between this team and our team [from 2010],” Swann says. “The ultra-aggressive top-order is the only way to play.”I think if you get the two ends of the spectrum right – the first six overs with the ball, the first six overs with the bat – you win more often than not. We’ve got world-class spinners to bowl in the middle period. I think we cover all bases. And if we believe in ourselves and play in a very aggressive manner, we can win it.”That aggression in 2010 was an anomaly given how the winning XI came together. A pre-tournament training camp in Abu Dhabi saw the first XI fall to an England Lions who chased down 158 with five wickets in hand. Openers Michael Lumb (55 off 35) and Craig Kieswetter (81 not out off 66) were the architects of the upset.Graeme Swann was at Lord’s Cricket Ground speaking on behalf of NOW Sport•Getty ImagesHead coach Andy Flower decided to draft both at the top of the order, discarding Jonathan Trott and Joe Denly after two more low-intensity displays against Pakistan in Dubai. The intensity of Lumb and Kieswetter (player of the final), followed by Kevin Pietersen (player of the series with 248 runs), gave England a dominant top three.”That team, if you remember, came together by accident,” Swann recalls. “The one-day team used to get picked by ‘if you were good at Test match cricket, you got a gig in the one-dayers’.”We played a warm-up game before in Abu Dhabi, and Lumb and Kieswetter smashed us all over the place. And Andy Flower saw our batting compared to theirs and said, ‘why don’t we just have those in our team?’ He got them in, and it was the best move ever. So thank you to South African schools cricket for giving us the best top three in the world at the time and won us the World Cup!”Swann credits Flower for being open-minded enough to make that last-minute switch. But he regrets that England’s success in 2010 came in isolation. The team soon regressed back to their old ways, flunking their next four World Cup campaigns across 50- and 20-overs alike, unlike the first stirrings of Eoin Morgan’s revolution in 2016.”We didn’t learn from that T20 World Cup,” Swann says. “I think that’s the biggest mistake we made as a nation – not realising how we won that World Cup was by being the most progressive and most attacking team. In the 50-over cricket, we stuck with formulas and only tried to get 234 to win 86% of games and whatever, and picked Test batsmen to get slow hundreds rather than, say, Jason Roy.”We didn’t move on as quickly as we should have done. We saw the change when Eoin Morgan was in charge, it was phenomenal.”Swann fears this England crop has gone backwards in its own way. The meek defence of their 2019 ODI title in 2023’s World Cup suggests some attacking intent has been lost.Jos Buttler endured a rough run at the 2023 World Cup•Associated Press”I think we need to get back to how it was under Morgy at first. Because the last World Cup, I thought we were very timid. We didn’t look to dominate games, there was very much a protect your wicket before you take a risky option [attitude], and it was never ‘take the aggressive option’ as we’ve seen in Bazball and Test cricket. I think that’s the way to win a T20 World Cup.”Regaining that liberation has been high on the agenda for Jos Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott. A line has clearly been drawn under the events of last winter.Buttler himself is at an intriguing juncture in his career. At the age of 33, he is undoubtedly the greatest limited-overs cricketer England has produced, yet captaincy has muddied the waters somewhat.He grew as a skipper throughout the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia, a role he had only taken up six months earlier after Morgan stepped down. Replacing such a talismanic leader was always going to be tricky, but Buttler looked to have made the difficult transition by lifting the trophy at the MCG.Now, he has the opportunity to join Daren Sammy as the only other captain to oversee two successful campaigns after the West Indian did so in 2012 and 2016. Swann believes success for the team will solidify Buttler’s standing as a modern great of English cricket.”You could say that, yeah,” Swann said, when asked if this was a legacy-defining tournament for Buttler. “You’d start arguing that he’s no spring chicken anymore, which sounds so weird for me to say, that Jos Buttler is coming into the back-end of his career, because I’m sure he’ll carry on playing in the IPL until he is crawling out to the middle, because he’s getting paid so handsomely.”He needs to win as a captain in this, just to keep himself satisfied and happy that he is the right man going forward. I hope to still see him [play for England] for a few years because I watched him in the IPL and he’s a joke. He’s still brilliant and still so dominant.Graeme Swann and James Anderson share a laugh in the nets during their playing days•Getty Images”As a player, he is phenomenal. You only need to look at his results and the fact he plays white-ball cricket now and no one bats an eyelid. When he played Test cricket, he was one of the keenest people to play Test cricket. People don’t get that about Jos. But he loved red-ball cricket and he adapted his game to do a job for England. But in white-ball cricket, he is undoubtedly one of the best in the world.”Whether, as a captain, he’s one of the best in the world, only time will tell. He had a very difficult act to follow in Eoin Morgan, who is the best one-day captain we’ve ever had. To totally change the mindset and outlook of the team to win that (2019) World Cup, it’s one of the greatest management efforts I’ve ever seen.”This England team, if they are aggressive enough, they can win the tournament for Jos.”Meanwhile, Swann has backed England’s decision to move on from James Anderson despite accepting that the 41-year-old quick is “fitter and leaner” than ever.The first Test of the summer at Lord’s on July 10 against West Indies will be Anderson’s last after the management group of Rob Key, Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes informed England’s leading wicket-taker that it was time to explore other options. Anderson moved to 700 Test dismissals on the recent tour of India, and had ambitions of making the 2025-26 Ashes tour, by which point he would be 43.Swann played 129 international matches alongside Anderson, including all but four of his 60 Test caps. The pair remain good friends – Swann is the godfather to Anderson’s eldest daughter – but Swann accepts that making the decision on Anderson’s behalf was the right call.”It’s like a dog eating his dinner. If you don’t take the bowl away, he’ll keep eating forever until he explodes!”I’m very happy that he’s got the chance to finish at Lord’s. Bookending his career with that five-for on debut here [against Zimbabwe in 2003], and the obvious five-for he’s going to get in his last Test, followed by the obvious cries of ‘Keep Jimmy!’ You can’t play forever, even though Jimmy is fitter and leaner than he has been.”He’s far more vain these days – he’s actually got some muscles and he’s trying to show them off. I don’t think you can play forever. And I think if you left it up to Jimmy, he would.”Related

Paul Collingwood: 'I don't think England should be scared of having the favourites tag'

Jos Buttler backs England to learn lessons from 50-over World Cup debacle

England bring back Manchester City psychologist for T20 World Cup

Rashid the spark for England before Buttler, Salt dismantle chase

From punter to protagonist – Phil Salt returns to Kensington Oval

Having worked with England Lions in recent years, Swann has faith in the next crop of fast bowlers. He cites Matthew Potts (Durham), Matt Fisher (Yorkshire), and Sam Cook (Essex) as three who could step up for the difficult task of filling the void left by Anderson and Stuart Broad, who retired at the end of last summer.”Potts and Fisher, I think, are the two in line. Sam Cook is a brilliant bowler. I think a lot of these guys would have been playing Test cricket for any other team in the world.”Whoever they get in to play has a massive opportunity to walk in there and make the position their own. I hope it’s not like David Moyes taking over from Fergie though, because that would be a nightmare for them.”Swann also urges the ECB to keep Anderson involved in the set-up as part of the coaching team and help ease the newcomers over the upcoming transitional period. Speaking from experience, Swann also hopes Anderson does not make the mistake he made after retiring in 2013 and drift off into a media career before returning as spin bowling coach for Trent Rockets in 2021, under Flower.”I hope there is a thought to get him involved as quickly as possible with our fast bowlers. Certainly, pay him enough to get him doing it, because he’s going to get big-money offers in the media and this and that. I think there has to be a way of keeping him involved.”It’s a massive regret of mine I spent all my time straying into the media and took almost 10 years to get back into the coaching side, and I realised how much I missed it. It’s everything to you as a player, and when you get back in you actually feel like you belong and you’re a part of it.”I know that will happen to Jimmy as well. He cannot stay at home. No one can live with Jimmy – he’s that miserable!”Stream all the live action from England vs Australia in the ICC T20 World Cup on Sky Sports with a NOW Sports Day or Month Membership. On demand highlights also available.

T20 record-breaker shows enduring class during big win for London Spirit

Matt Roller08-Aug-2022There’s one ball left in London Spirit’s innings and Kieron Pollard is on strike. It’s his 600th T20 game (like it or not, the Hundred counts) and there is an expectant buzz around Lord’s as Jos Buttler sets the field, while Fred Klaassen takes a deep breath at the top of his mark.Pollard turned 35 in May, shortly after his international retirement, and has been struggling for fitness and form. Since the start of the year, he’s averaging 25.92 and striking at 123.05 in T20 cricket, pedestrian numbers by his lofty standards. He was due to play the Blast for Surrey but managed only six games before he was ruled out through injury, and needed surgery on his knee to recover in time for the Hundred.There is a sense that Pollard’s star is waning, and he is no longer the gun fielder who used to prowl at long-on for Mumbai Indians in the IPL. During the finale of London Spirit’s opening game against Oval Invincibles, Danny Briggs chipped one over him at mid-off which he would have leapt over his head and plucked out of thin air in his heyday; earlier, he had shelled a relatively straightforward chance at point.Related

• Ian Bishop: Pollard has to reinvent his game

• Knee surgery rules Pollard out of rest of Surrey Blast campaign

• Kieron Pollard blows, Jordan Thompson four-for see London Spirit to second win

But reputations are hard earned, and Pollard retains the ability to put fear in bowlers and captains like few other batters. On Monday night, Buttler spends most of Pollard’s innings stood at straight mid-on, with a long-on and a long-off behind him in order to negate his ability to hit down the ground; instead, Pollard brings out the long handle and swings hard, racing to 28 off 10 balls as he muscles the ball into the leg side.The field that Buttler sets for the final ball is extraordinary, a modified version of one that MS Dhoni has often used against him in the IPL. Fields in the death overs of white-ball games almost always follow a pattern, with occasional changes depending on whether a batter scoops or hits down the ground, but Pollard’s aura, developed over the course of a 16-year short-form career, throws everything off.All five of Manchester Originals’ boundary-riders are stationed between square-ish midwicket and straight long-off, with nobody defending the short off-side boundary towards the Grandstand. Klaassen is going to bowl a yorker at the pads, and Pollard knows it. Klaassen knows that Pollard knows it, and Pollard knows that Klaassen knows. But only one of them has been here hundreds of times before.What follows is pure theatre. Pollard takes guard a foot outside leg stump, then jumps across to cover his off stump as Klaassen is running in. Just before he releases, he adjusts again, shifting into a power-hitting stance: his back foot is right in front of the stumps, deep in the crease, and his left foot is a foot outside his leg stump once again.Klaassen’s yorker is pretty much inch-perfect, sliding in towards leg stump from over the wicket, but Pollard has won the battle of wits. He swings cleanly with a straight bat, his back foot giving way towards the leg side like a ballroom dancer’s. Andre Russell thinks momentarily that he might be in the game at long-off, then watches the ball skew away into the small gap between the Pavilion and the Warner Stand as the crowd cheer.

“I never set out to play [600] games or to play this format for this period of time, but it’s something that came along and I’ve enjoyed it so far”

“Before that, he was bowling length deliveries,” Pollard explained two hours later, speaking to ESPNcricinfo. “When I hit him for six, next ball he went full and hit my pad. Knowing that [the leg side] was the big side, I just thought that was what they were going to do. They had the guys straight so I knew he was going to come into my pads: you want to put guys where you think the ball is going to go.”Sometimes you just work out what’s going to happen,” he said, with the knowing smile of the format’s most experienced player. “He was looking to go into my pads. He missed the yorker by just a little bit and for us at the back end, we just want the bowler to miss by that little bit and be in that good position to get a maximum.”Klaasen’s reaction told the story, hiding a muffled smile. If he missed his yorker at all, it was by a matter of centimetres. “If you don’t get your length quite right, he’ll hit you for six,” Phil Salt, Originals’ wicketkeeper, said. “It’s all well and good us having the plans there, but you need to execute.”All told, Spirit made 55 runs off 30 balls with Pollard at the crease; his own contribution was 34 not out off 11. In the chase, Originals knew they were up against it on a two-paced pitch and never got close: this was not just an exhibition of power-hitting at the death, it was a match-winning innings too.This was only the fourth innings Pollard has played at Lord’s in his career, but there was something similar in the first when he hit seven fours and seven sixes in 89 not out off 45 balls for Somerset a dozen years ago, landing one straight six onto the Pavilion roof. He has always been an incredible athlete but as his body slows down – “age is not good for us,” he said with a grin – he is embracing his status as an entertainer.”It’s an achievement in itself, 600 games in any format,” he said. “I’ve never set out to play this many games or to play this format for this period of time, but it’s something that came along and I’ve enjoyed it so far. Let’s see what happens as I go forward. I’ll continue to try and work hard and enjoy playing cricket with a smile on my face. As long as the body holds up, I’m going to see how long I can go.”The Hundred has rolled out the gimmicks this year in the form of virtual-reality avatars, Minions in the stands and, on Monday night, Harry Kane in the commentary box in London Spirit kit after flipping the coin at the toss. Pollard’s innings was a reminder to the ECB of a simple truth that should underpin their competition: artificial entertainment will never compete with the thrill of live sport.

Atapattu calls the youngster “positive, free and energised”, and Siriwardene expects her to do her job once she quits

Annesha Ghosh29-Feb-2020A Dilscoop for four in the penultimate over of a nervy chase against India in just her second international match made heads turn. A wily run-out in her delivery stride to dismiss South Africa’s Sune Luus for leaving the crease at the non-striker’s end became a talking point. Only a year into her international career, Sri Lanka’s spin-bowling allrounder Kavisha Dilhari had made quite the splash with her pluck, smarts and offspin darts – enough for Chamari Atapattu to identify her as one the “most positive, free and energised cricketers” she had “ever seen play for our nation”.”I feel she is like me; in my little age, I used to be like her – aggressive, wanting to do more, wanting to prove myself through my cricket,” Atapattu told ESPNcricinfo as she watched Dilhari go through a lengthy nets session at the Murdoch University Field in Perth last week. “That Dilscoop was one of the most audacious things I have seen a teen cricketer pull off.”I know she’s positive, but I didn’t expect her to Dilscoop a pacer with such ease. That was special, as were the wickets she took of the dangerous Harman [Harmanpreet Kaur] on that tour; I scored a hundred in that match, but it was Kavisha who turned the game in our favour with that over, that shot; she won my heart.”Atapattu is not the only Sri Lanka player to gush over Dilhari, now 19 and playing her second T20I World Cup.”I am going to retire [from international cricket] after this World Cup,” senior offspinning allrounder Shashikala Siriwardene said, “and I feel she is the one who will fulfill my role in the team. When I came into the side, my passion for the game and, of course, my skills, were quite similar to hers. She has the talent and tenacity to serve Sri Lanka cricket for a long period.”A native of Rathgama, the southern village close to Galle town, Dilhari’s journey from playing cricket for several years with just two pairs of training pants to being among the 20 centrally contracted players has demanded resilience from the young allrounder both on the field and off it.”When I was 14, my father bought me two sets of pants – really cheap ones – from Colombo, so I could start training,” Dilhari said. “But even then it ate considerably into the modest income he would earn from fishing. But he realised I must start early. He would see me grow eager by the day to get into a formal set-up every time I read some newspaper article on Inoka Ranaweera [the left-arm spinner] and her,” she adds, pointing coyly at her idol Siriwardene, who volunteered to play interpreter for this interview.

“She is one of the best young players in Sri Lanka, in the world and I trust her to be one of our bests of all time. I know her talent and potential, so I explained why it’s important to get her back into the side.”Chamari Atapattu on Kavisha Dilhari

“This is my second World Cup, and she [Siriwardene] will soon be gone, but I don’t think I would have been playing this tournament here in Australia had it not been for the support of seniors like her, the captain, and others who guided me through my recent injury layoff, the most difficult, testing phase of my career so far.”A beneficiary of the SLC inter-school structure and the charity organisation Foundation of Goodness, Dilhari started out as a right-arm medium-pacer but switched to bowling offspin on the advice of her school coach Mahesh Sandaruwan. The decision fast-tracked her graduation to the national level but played a part in an injury that grounded her for over seven months.”At an SLC Under-19 inter-school tournament in 2015-16, I took three-wicket hauls in the semi-finals and final for Devapathiraja College,” Dilhari recounted. “A coach in my school said SLC were looking for young spinners for the 2016 T20 World Cup in India and my offspin was key as I started getting noticed around that time.”A call-up for a national camp materialised that year, where “the exposure, and knowledge received on spin bowling and batting became pivotal”, by Dilhari’s own admission, towards her debut for Sri Lanka in a home ODI against Pakistan in March 2018. A year on from stepping on to the international arena, though, a problem emerged. A stress fracture.Unnoticed – and indiscernible – to some degree, remnants of her front-on, open-bowling pace action could have played a part in in the injury, which she sustained on the left of her back during a practice match against England at home in March last year. “I was just 17, so I thought my career as a spinner would take a blow if I couldn’t be part of the England series,” she said. “But my seniors made me see merit in the decision to just focus on regaining fitness without thinking of what is, at the end of the day, part and parcel of every athlete’s life.”Overcoming the disappointment of missing top-flight international cricket for a protracted period, Dilhari put her mind into recovering in time to thrust herself back onto the selectors’ radar. With help from team physio Tasneem Yusuf and head coach Harsha de Silva, she changed her action to a more side-on one, “a big step towards a comeback”. The four-team Asian Cricket Council Women’s Emerging Team’s Cup in October last year, where she finished as Sri Lanka’s leading wicket-taker, marked her return to competitive cricket. A month-and a half later, the South Asian Games Women’s Cricket Competition where Sri Lanka finished runners-up to Bangladesh, brought more game-time in a largely uncertain lead-up to the T20 World Cup squad announcement.”Just after her injury, she was struggling both as a bowler and batter. Her all-round performance fell because she didn’t get much time to practice,” Atapattu recalled. “But after the Emerging Cup, I spoke to her because a lot of the Sri Lankan management said she is not good.”But I told them that we have to back her; she is one of the best young players in Sri Lanka, in the world and I trust her to be one of our bests of all time. I know her talent and potential, so I explained why it’s important to get her back into the side.”Coach de Silva echoed Atapattu’s words after Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup opener last week. “Her recovery took longer than expected, but I think with her the strength is her consistency with the ball, the control that she has,” de Silva said after his side’s match against New Zealand where Dilhari picked up the wicket of veteran Suzie Bates. “She has the potential to become probably a good like a good all-round cricketer in the future.”An admirer of Nathan Lyon, Dilhari, who counts her Dilscoop moment among her favourite experiences in her nascent career so far, said her time away from the competitive circuit had taught her to embrace the uncertainties of international cricket.”I try to think back about my good performances when my morale is down,” sh said. “That’s what I did when I was out of the side for so long. The Dilscoop, that dismissal (of the non-striker backing up), the wickets, the injury – everything is part of my journey. My dream is to get the team into the top four rankings across formats. If I am able to do that, I know it will be all worthwhile and I would also be able to fulfil a major part of my other dream: to become one of the world’s best allrounders.”

The San Francisco Giants are hiring Tennessee Volunteers baseball coach Tony Vitello as the franchise's new manager, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan and Pete Thamel.

The 47-year-old Vitello is making history, as he is becoming the first coach to ever jump from the college level to MLB as a manager without any professional coaching experience.

The Giants confirmed the hire on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're thrilled to welcome Tony to the Giants family," Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said. "Tony is one of the brightest, most innovative, and most respected coaches in college baseball today. Throughout our search, Tony's leadership, competitiveness, and commitment to developing players stood out. His ability to build strong, cohesive teams and his passion for the game align perfectly with the values of our organization. We look forward to the energy and direction he will bring, along with the memories to be made, as we focus on the future of Giants baseball."

It's an outside-the-box hire for Buster Posey and the Giants, who in hiring Vitello are getting an elite college baseball coach. Vitello's teams at Tennessee have made five NCAA regionals, four super regionals, and three College World Series appearances. The program finally broke through in 2024 when they captured the national championship over Texas A&M.

Vitello will finish his career at Tennessee with a 341-131 record in seven seasons.

He will replace veteran MLB manager Bob Melvin, who was fired last month after two seasons.