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Chelsea are set to welcome two more new signings, with Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro poised to join Enzo Maresca’s side from Borussia Dortmund and Brighton respectively, but this £100m-plus double deal means that outgoings simply have to be sorted out sooner rather than later.

Related Chelsea offered £337k-per-week ex-Aston Villa star with decision made

They once came close to signing him.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 1, 2025

The Blues were given an almighty boost when their fourth total bid for Gittens was accepted by Dortmund, and the Englishman will now undergo a medical after Chelsea finally shook hands on a £55 million deal with the Bundesliga side.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

Chelsea will also add another new striker to their ranks after their £30 million move for Liam Delap, with Pedro sealing a switch to west London for an initial £55 million, which may rise to £60 million if certain add-ons are met (Fabrizio Romano).

The moves take BlueCo’s total outlay for the window to around £140 million at least, and they now face some pressure from UEFA after allegedly breaking their financial fair play rules.

Chelsea and Aston Villa are apparently facing UEFA FFP breaches, with clubs required to limit spending on wages and transfer fees to around 80 per cent of revenue. They’re also permitted a loss of around £77 million over three years, less than the PSR threshold of around £105 million in that same timeframe, and this has sparked additional pressure on Chelsea’s recruitment team to raise money.

Maresca’s side are set to be fined this week as they attempt to reach a settlement, according to the i paper, so Chelsea may need an influx of cash from player sales to help balance the books.

Europe’s financial regulations are generally tighter than England’s, and they’re under more pressure in that regard, as Chelsea’s £200m sale of the women’s team to a separate company, Blueco 22 Midco Ltd, has not been permitted as a viable source of revenue by UEFA for 24/25 – despite being allowed by the Premier League.

Christopher Nkunku pushing to leave Chelsea

Even when taking into account the financial side of things, this influx of new attackers has also left Maresca awashed with too many final-third options, so the squad needs to be balanced out with key exit deals.

According to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, £195,000-per-week Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku is a prime contender for the Stamford Bridge exit door, and the club will indeed be forced to sell players in the coming weeks.

The Frenchman bagged 14 goals in all competitions last season but ultimately failed to break into Maresca’s starting eleven on a regular-enough basis, and he’s been regularly linked with an exit since January.

Nkunku is “pushing” to leave Chelsea right now as he seeks to embark on the next chapter of his career, as per O’Rourke, and their Premier League rivals have been credited with interest.

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign Nkunku, according to some reports, while the reliable Ben Jacobs reported in May that Tottenham made an enquiry over the 27-year-old’s availability.

While Nkunku has struggled to fit into a highly competitive squad, he has largely chipped in when required, and the former RB Leipzig sensation’s current teammates rate him very highly.

“Yeah, he’s a top player, we all know his quality, how he is as a player,” said João Félix last season.

“We already saw him doing amazing things at Leipzig. And yeah, I like to play with him. I think we think the game kind of like the same way. So I think he already know what I’m going to do, and I know what he’s going to do. I think it’s pretty easy to play with him. I think we connect very well.”

There might still be over two months left of the summer transfer window, but Arsenal fans are starting to get a little nervous, and understandably so.

For example, Premier League title rivals Manchester City have already secured the mercurial Rayan Cherki, among other potential first-teamers, while Liverpool have smashed their transfer record to bring in the incredible Florian Wirtz.

Worse yet, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, who were diabolically poor this season, are battling to sign the free-scoring Bryan Mbeumo.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as reports have now linked Arsenal to a Premier League star who has been compared to the Brentford monster.

Arsenal ramping up pursuit of Premier League star

With Arsenal’s attack being their Achilles heel this season, the club have unsurprisingly been linked with a plethora of talented frontline players, including a handful from the Premier League, such as Ollie Watkins and Karou Mitoma.

Transfer Focus

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

The former was a surprise target for the Gunners in the winter window, and as he ended the campaign with a haul of 31 goal involvements in 54 games, it’s easy to understand why they might be interested in him again, especially at a price of around £40m.

However, the links to the Brighton & Hove Albion star are a little harder to understand, as while he did well enough this year, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists in 41 games, he didn’t do enough to justify the reported £80m price tag.

Moreover, similarly to the Aston Villa ace, it’s hard to draw too many parallels to the highly sought-after Mbeumo, which isn’t the case for the Gunners’ latest target: Mohammed Kudus.

Yes, according to a recent report from the Sun, Arsenal are one of a few English teams incredibly interested in signing the West Ham United star.

In fact, alongside Chelsea, the report has revealed that Arsenal have already held ‘exploratory talks’ over the player, who will have an £85m release clause active in his contract for clubs in the Premier League ten days from July 1st.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but due to Kudus’ immense talent and potential, it’s one Arsenal should be fighting for, especially as he’s won comparisons to Mbeumo.

How Kudus compares to Mbeumo

In this instance, the primary comparison to the Brentford star stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season and came to the conclusion that Mbeumo was the sixth most similar forward to Kudus in the competition.

Progressive Carries

3.40

3.43

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.24

0.20

Passes into the Final Third

1.60

1.66

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.52

0.50

Live Passes

29.1

30.7

Shot-Creating Actions

3.72

3.80

Tackles

1.32

1.29

Tackles Won

0.80

0.82

Successful Take-On %

44.2%

46.8%

The best way to understand how this conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked incredibly closely, such as non-penalty expected goals, progressive carries, passes into the final third, shot-creating actions and more, all per 90.

However, it’s not just the comparable statistics that make the two players so similar, as they are also both incredibly versatile.

For example, the Bees ace is more than capable of playing off the right, up top and even as a second striker when necessary, while the Hammers’ “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Gary Al-Smith, can play off either flank, up top and even in central and attacking midfield.

So, the former Ajax gem would provide Arteta with some of the same tactical flexibility that the Cameroon international looks set to provide Ruben Amorim or Thomas Frank.

Finally, while the 24-year-old dynamo didn’t enjoy his best campaign this year, he’s shown an ability to be as effective as the former Troyes gem.

For example, across his time in the Netherlands and then East London in the 23/24 season, the Ghanaian phenom was able to score 18 goals and provide ten assists in 48 appearances, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.71 games.

Ultimately, while it could cost them an arm and a leg, Arsenal would do well to sign Kudus this summer, as he’d provide them with another brilliant attacking option and be the perfect answer to whoever signs Mbeumo.

Arsenal willing to make "top drawer" £70m star one of their highest earners

The Gunners are willing to go all out…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 24, 2025

Glasgow Rangers head coach Russell Martin knows that he has an incredibly difficult job ahead of him, as the club have failed to win the Scottish Premiership title in each of the last four seasons.

The Light Blues also failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson, which means that the former Scotland international is tasked with bringing glory back to Ibrox.

Martin may have to do that whilst dealing with some of his key players moving on from the club, though, as multiple stars have been linked with exits from Glasgow.

Both Nicolas Raskin and Mohamed Diomande are reportedly being eyed up by teams in England this summer, which puts them at risk of being sold in the coming months.

This means that Martin could need to bring in new midfielders to lead the team forward, if Raskin and Diomande move on this summer, and the domestic market could be the way to go, as it has produced some terrific signings, such as Glen Kamara.

Rangers hit the jackpot with Glen Kamara

The Light Blues swooped to sign the central midfielder for £50k at the start of 2019, before his contract at Dundee expired that summer, in what turned out to be a bargain move by the club.

In fact, the £50k that the Scottish giants paid for the Finland international was later described as the “steal of the century” by former Rangers midfielder and Kamara’s teammate Scott Arfield.

The Gers hit the jackpot with the midfield maestro because they snapped him up from a Premiership team and he hit the ground running as a player who did not need time to adapt to the league.

Kamara went on to play 193 times in all competitions for the Scottish giants, winning the Premiership in the 2020/21 campaign, and his value soared during his time at Ibrox.

Glen Kamara’s market value at Rangers
Date	Market value
January 2019	Reported £50k move to Rangers
August 2019	£720k
February 2020	£1.3m
January 2021	£3.8m
May 2021	£5m
June 2022	£6.3m
March 2023	£5m
August 2023	Reported £5m move to Leeds
Valuations via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, his value had risen from £50k to £5m by the time he left to join Leeds in the summer of 2023, which shows that the Gers hit the jackpot with the Finnish star.

New Rangers boss Russell Martin could, now, land his own version of Kamara amid reported interest in a midfielder from another Premiership side.

Rangers eyeing deal for Premiership midfielder

According to SportsBoom, Rangers have ‘quietly explored’ what it would take to secure a deal to sign Motherwell central midfielder Lennon Miller in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that Celtic and the Gers are both keen on snapping up the Scotland international to bolster their options in the middleof the park ahead of next season.

Transfer Focus

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

It adds, however, that Premier League side Sunderland are preparing an offer of £10m to sign the 18-year-old talent, after they sold Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund this week.

The outlet claims that Celtic and Rangers have both been watching the teenage Premiership starlet, but the Black Cats are quietly confident that they can get a deal done for the Motherwell talent.

Martin and Kevin Thelwell must work hard to convince Miller to remain in Scotland and make the move to Ibrox, over joining Sunderland, as he could be the new manager’s own Kamara signing.

Why Lennon Miller could be Russell Martin's own Glen Kamara

The teenage talent would come in as a similar signing to Kamara as a player who has already proven himself as a central midfielder in the Premiership.

He has already racked up 76 first-team appearances for Motherwell by the age of 18 and showcased his quality on a regular basis in the top-flight, even producing an exceptional assist against Celtic in the clip below.

This means that the 18-year-old star could come in to hit the ground running at Ibrox, given his knowledge of the league, which was also the case for Kamara after he joined from Dundee.

Miller, who has been hailed as “ridiculous” by James McFadden, is also similar to the Finland international when it comes to the strength and athleticism that he provides out of possession.

Kamara won 59% of his duels and made 6.09 ball recoveries per 90 in the 2020/21 title-winning season, which shows that he was strong off the ball, and Miller displayed similar qualities in the 2024/25 campaign for his current club.

24/25 Premiership	Lennon Miller per 90	Percentile rank vs midfielders
Tackle success rate	68%	Top 28%
Duels won	5.84	Top 36%
Duel success rate	53%	Top 31%
Interceptions	1.38	Top 14%
Ball recoveries	6.52	Top 10%
Blocks	0.48	Top 28%
Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the Scotland international ranked incredibly highly among midfielders in the division in a host of key defensive metrics, including his duel success rate and ball recoveries per 90.

Like Kamara, Miller is a central midfielder who puts him about the park to win possession back for his side on a regular basis, but the Scottish ace also has the quality to provide goals and assists.

The £10m-rated dynamo ended the season with two goals, 12 ‘big chances’ created, and eight assists in the Premiership, whilst Kamara never managed more than four assists in a single league season.

This suggests that Miller could bring the physicality that the Finnish ace brought to Ibrox, but with more quality in possession in the final third to make an impact in front of goal.

Big Danilo upgrade: Martin lines up Rangers move to sign "complete" striker

Russell Martin is eyeing up a Rangers move for a striker who would be a big upgrade on Danilo.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jun 9, 2025

Therefore, Martin could land his own version of Kamara, but with the potential to be even better due to his ability on the ball, by winning the race to land the Premiership starlet this summer.

After missing out on Matt O’Riley last summer, Atalanta have now reportedly made contact over a deal to sign another Celtic midfielder in this summer’s transfer window.

Celtic lift Scottish Premiership

The favourites before the season even got underway and dominant winners by the time the final whistle was blown to end the campaign, Celtic finally got their hands on the Scottish Premiership title last weekend. Having sealed their victory at the end of April, the Bhoys were forced to wait until their 1-1 draw against St. Mirren last time out to lift their fourth-consecutive title in front of Celtic Park.

Brendan Rodgers, who will go down as one of the most successful managers in Celtic history, went as far as to claim that this season’s title win is the most satisfying of his career.

He told reporters: “This is certainly the most satisfying. When I came in here in the first season, obviously I’m getting to know everyone in the club and the feeling.

“But now, especially coming back the second time, I can really embrace it more and enjoy it and just see it obviously as well how the team have been performing.”

That same satisfaction may not carry into the summer transfer window, however, as clubs begin to eye their moves for some of Rodgers’ best players. And just like last summer in the case of O’Riley, Celtic may struggle to keep hold of their star men.

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A former Celtic star has revealed that he would love to play for the club again.

ByDan Emery May 21, 2025

One that will be interesting to watch is Nicolas Kuhn. The winger enjoyed an excellent campaign – scoring a stunning 21 goals and setting up another 15 in all competitions. Now, he’s reportedly on the radar of sides such as Leeds United ahead of the summer transfer window and could yet leave alongside one other key player.

Atalanta make first Engels move

According to Sport Italia, Atalanta have now made a concrete move to sign Arne Engels from Celtic this summer. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini is reportedly a fan of the midfielder and could now finally get a Celtic star one year on from missing out on O’Riley.

As much as the Bhoys are reluctant to sell Engels, too, it will be interesting to see just how far that stretches if the right offer comes in. Of course, if they ask Rodgers for his opinion on the matter, then he is likely to be keen to keep hold of one of his most important players.

When asked about the Belgian earlier this season, the Celtic boss told reporters: “I just think it’s about time with him. He’s really enjoying his time here. I’ve taken him out for some games just to let him see from the outside looking in and take that pressure away from him because it’s a big move and everything that comes with it.

“But he’s been excellent in training and he’s only going to get better and better. When he’s asked to step up in pressure moments, he delivers and that was an important first penalty for us. His ball in for the corner was absolutely great as well. So I’m really pleased with Arne.”

Bayer Leverkusen are interested in signing a Manchester United player as a replacement for outgoing hero Florian Wirtz this summer, according to a new transfer rumour.

Man Utd gearing up for busy summer

The Red Devils continue to be linked with new signings in the summer window, with the club reportedly readying a shock move for Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. The Italian could be a great signing at Old Trafford, having been such a key man for the Magpies.

United are also believed to be planning a late hijack of Tottenham’s move for Lille and England ace Angel Gomes, with the midfielder potentially sealing a return to the Premier League giants as a free agent.

Wolves star Matheus Cunha has been mentioned as a leading summer option for the Red Devils, too, and the attacker is still being linked with a switch to the club, possibly even alongside Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.

A new goalkeeper is also arguably important for United ahead of next season, with Andre Onana a hit-and-miss performer between the sticks, and Paris Saint-Germain star Gianluigi Donnarumma has been mentioned as a target. He has been magnificent this season, playing a big role in his side reaching the Champions League final.

Bayer Leverkusen want Man Utd player to replace Wirtz

According to a new update from The Sunday Mirror [via Man Utd News], Leverkusen are keen on signing Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho to replace Wirtz at the end of the season, with the German potentially departing for as much as £100m.

While Chelsea have an obligation to sign him for £25m this summer, it is claimed that the Blues aren’t interested in making his loan move permanent, paying a £5m penalty to take themselves out of the agreement after BBC reported his move there is in doubt.

The £100,000-a-week Sancho has been a big disappointment for United, hence their willingness to allow him to join Chelsea on loan last summer, so allowing him to leave for good makes complete sense.

It is simply a transfer that hasn’t worked out, with the 25-year-old clearly an extremely talented footballer, with Ian Wright calling him “amazing” and Blues manager Enzo Maresca sharing that sentiment: “Jadon is doing well. He needs to continue in the same way; work hard, every day. As I’ve said before, for sure he is going to help us. We really believe that he is a special player. But the only way for him to confirm that is by working hard every day and never be happy and always be ambitious. He needs to want more and more and more.”

Man Utd readying shock £85m offer to sign "excellent" Premier League rival

They could steal plenty of headlines…

ByTom Cunningham May 11, 2025

United should now be looking to cash in on Sancho, in a summer that could also see the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony move on, allowing Ruben Amorim to bring in the wingers that he feels can best suit his style of play moving forward.

Tottenham Hotspur are in contact with a former Bayern Munich boss to potentially replace under-pressure head coach Ange Postecoglou, according to reports, with the clock seemingly ticking on his stay in N17.

Tottenham likely to part ways with Ange Postecoglou

The prospect of Postecoglou’s departure from north London is gaining more and more traction.

Jamie O'Hara thrilled by "brilliant" new manager Tottenham could appoint

He’s got credentials.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 24, 2025

This week, The Telegraph reported that Tottenham could relieve Postecoglou of his duties, regardless of whether the Lilywhites end their 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

Even an historic night in Bilbao may not be enough to save the Australian, with Spurs on course for their worst ever Premier League season to date. They’re just one loss away from equalling their record for most defeats in a single domestic season, and it is highly likely Postecoglou is bestowed with that dismal record as champions elect, Liverpool, await them next at Anfield.

The 59-year-old has faced an uphill battle all season long, having lost a plethora of key players to injury for extended periods on a consistent basis, but 16th in the table is arguably still nowhere near good enough – even when factoring in their serious bad luck.

Attention is already turning to who could succeed Postecoglou, and there is no shortage of candidates linked to the potentially vacant role.

Mauricio Pochettino would privately love a return to Tottenham, according to reports, while the likes of Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth), Marco Silva (Fulham), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Thomas Frank (Brentford) and Scott Parker (Burnley) have all been linked recently.

Now, a new name in the form of ex-Croatia captain and former Bayern Munich head coach Niko Kovač has emerged as a managerial target.

Tottenham make contact with Borussia Dortmund boss Niko Kovač

The 53-year-old was appointed by Borussia Dortmund on an 18-month deal to replace the sacked Nuri Şahin, and he’s since done a solid job, as Kovac attempts to spearhead European qualification after a previously disappointing campaign for the Bundesliga heavyweights.

The tactician, who’s previously won a German title with Bayern and two German cups – one with the Bavarians and one at Eintracht Frankfurt – has now turned heads at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

According to newspaper Bild, via Sport Witness, Tottenham have made contact with Kovac, via an intermediary but not directly with the club, as chairman Daniel Levy casts his net to Europe in search of a new head coach.

Spurs are said to view him as a good fit due to his intense and aggressive style of play, but as things stand, he doesn’t have an interest in leaving Dortmund. If this stance changes, Kovac’s reputation as a true leader appears to be exactly what Tottenham are crying out for.

“He [Kovac] has experience, he was a very good player and was the captain of the Croatia national team,” said Bayern legend Lothar Matthäus.

“He has charisma, he has passion, he knows about football. He was a leader as a player and is showing this as a coach too.”

The 18-year-old broke new ground against South Africa, hitting Bangladesh’s fastest fifty in ODIs

Vishal Dikshit15-Oct-2025When Bangladesh middle-order batter Shorna Akter shovelled Nadine de Klerk over long-on in their last game, the dressing room stood up for raucous applause. They were riding high on watching her spell-binding sixes. Shorna herself would have been chuffed – her third six propelled Bangladesh towards a competitive total, it was her hardest hit of the night, and it took her closer to her maiden half-century.It would have hardly hit her – if she knew at all – that nobody else had even struck three sixes in an innings for Bangladesh in their 14-year ODI history of 81 games. And that wasn’t the only record the 18-year-old broke that night. In the next over, when she ran a second for the overthrow from wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta, Shorna also registered the fastest half-century for Bangladesh in ODI. She reached the milestone off 34 balls, breaking her captain Nigar Sultana’s record of 39 balls from the World Cup Qualifiers earlier this year.Shorna’s power-hitting against an experienced South Africa attack hit everyone watching like a draught of cold air in a warm room. Bangladesh had ambled along to 150 for 3 in 40 overs, at under four an over, after a cautious start from the openers. Even touching 200 at the time seemed like a slightly distant dream because of the lack of power-hitters in their line-up.Related

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• Can Bangladesh spring a surprise on heavyweights Australia?

That’s when Shorna entered, ahead of the more experienced Sobhana Mostary. On her second ball she confidently swept Nonkululeko Mlaba, one of the best bowlers of the tournament, for a four. On her eighth delivery, she danced down to attack Chloe Tryon, another left-arm spinner, to send the ball sailing over the fielder stationed at long-on for her first six. South Africa would have hardly recovered from that when she dispatched Tumi Sekhukhune over long-on too. Bangladesh were suddenly racing towards 200 with more than four overs to go. For a batter who had a high score of 29 not out before this, and an ODI strike rate of just 61 in 17 innings, this daredevilry was stunning.After all the dabs, nudges, gentle flicks and some boundary strokes that relied mostly on timing from Bangladesh for 40 overs, Shorna came out all guns blazing, with a high backlift and a flourishing swing of the bat, exhibiting much more striking power than her team-mates.”She came in with really good intent,” Tryon said of Shorna after that game. “We knew we had to play with her pace, try and get under the bat as much as we could and she has a beautiful swing. I’ve watched her over the years and just see the talent that she has. So, we just knew that we didn’t want to let her get away from us and I felt like she did. Yeah, I feel like we just could have got a better plan towards that. But yeah, she played a good innings and I’ll give that to her.”Shorna’s third six was hit the hardest and it went the longest – 77 meters – as the cameras zoomed in on the young face under the helmet with steely-eyed determination before she bowed for the .She first emerged on screens around the world in the inaugural Under-19 World Cup in 2023, when she was just 16. After growing up in Jamalpur, a small town about 170 kilometers north of Dhaka, she first featured in representative cricket in 2021 before playing in the domestic zonal tournament and then the Women’s Dhaka Premier League, the most high-profile domestic tournament for women in the country.Shorna does not change her approach when the chips are down•ICC/Getty ImagesSoon, she was picked for the Under-19 World Cup and finished as the top run-scorer for her team in South Africa with 153 runs and a strike rate of 157.73. She also hit six sixes, the joint second-most, only behind Shafali Verma’s seven. The selectors fast-tracked her for a senior T20I debut next month, in February 2023, and an ODI debut in July.Shorna then played 35 T20Is and 18 ODIs until this World Cup, all this while training for her big hits and waiting for a day like the South Africa game. Having spotted her penchant for hitting big shots in training, the message from her captain and management was to stick to her natural game and not change her approach, even if the chips were down when she went out to bat.”She’s a very capable player,” Sultana said of Shorna after the South Africa match. “I’ve spoken about her before – she’s a powerful hitter and can rotate the strike really well. She used her skills brilliantly today. The way she batted was quite incredible, and she really helped our side reach a good total.”In a team not known for many aerial hits that clear the ropes, and in a tournament that has seen more collapses than big totals, Shorna is the breath of fresh air nobody saw coming.

They need to do more damage with the new ball and be better at damage control with the old one

Sidharth Monga01-Jan-20241:34

Should India be worried about their pace-bowling depth?

It is common to hear and say that the BCCI has been making so much more money for so much longer than the next-richest board that it should put on the park a side that wins everything. The point has been reiterated in the aftermath of the loss in Centurion.It is a valid point. The riches of the board do undeniably provide India a competitive advantage. There is definitely a case to be made for the money to be spent better for a wider outreach, for there to be better preparation for certain events, but if you come down to the brass tacks, Test cricket is such a unique phenomenon in sport that your financial riches can only take you so far.You just can’t replicate the demands of Test cricket in any other format or at any other level. The conditions, the duration, the quality of competition, there is nothing outside actual Test cricket that can prepare you for it. And, as Rohit Sharma said, hosts are not always sporting enough to provide you tour games that simulate anything close to the conditions or the opposition that you face at a live game.Related

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Elgar and South Africa pacers flatten India inside three days

Stats – The shortest Test between South Africa and India

Look at the Centurion Test. Or even the last series in South Africa. India’s bowlers have just not been able to draw the same amount of seam movement or uneven bounce as South Africa’s bowlers. It is a function of the height of the bowlers and also the ability to bowl in the 140s kph consistently.Those pitches reward hit-the-deck bowlers more than kiss-the-surface ones. On hard, green surfaces with heavy moisture and indentations, as the match goes on, you have to let the ball sit into the surface, which a higher release helps you do. That’s why Prasidh Krishna was selected ahead of Mukesh Kumar, who comes with a much stronger body of work in first-class cricket.In the initial exchanges, India even bowled better lengths than South Africa did and also drew more out of the pitch. In the first 20 overs of the first two innings, India drew 36 false responses and South Africa 28. From overs 20.1 to 67.4 in the first two innings, South Africa drew 78 false responses to India’s 47.Once the effects of the new ball began to wear off, not only did South Africa bowl better areas, they drew more out of the pitch than not just India but than what they themselves did with the new ball. As the innings progressed, India lost out on the new-ball advantage, then the effects of the heavy roller disappeared, the indentations grew, and height became the clincher.India’s bowlers need to be more disciplined with the old ball•Getty ImagesNo amount of money can suddenly produce tall bowlers. In their history, India have had perhaps only two hit-the-deck bowlers for a considerable period of time: Javagal Srinath and Ishant Sharma. There is no tall bowler bowling in the 140s kph in domestic first-class cricket. The riches can be used for a wider outreach – and they should be – but those results begin to show in decades not in two years.Against bowlers with superior gifts for Centurion-like conditions, there is only so much any team with similar physical attributes as India’s squad could have done. Yet the beauty of the sport also lies in overcoming such disadvantages through better disciplines and preparation. We know the preparation hasn’t been great. What India can strive to do in Cape Town is exercise better disciplines for longer because the conditions are unlikely to change suddenly, and nor is a tall bowler going to emerge out of the blue.What India have in their control is not to bowl as wide as they did. Not only were they easier to leave, they also ended up giving away relatively less risky runs after the early exchanges. You just can’t concede 145 and 136 runs in two out of three consecutive sessions in such helpful conditions.If you exercise control and hang in for long enough, the element of luck also becomes critical. On the surface, it didn’t look like luck was on the Indian side. In the first 11 overs, they took the edge or beat the bat 26 times for just one wicket. When South Africa bowled the first time around they did so 17 times in 11.1 overs for three wickets.However, India’s batters did push away from their body more than Dean Elgar and Tony de Zorzi did. Nor did the angle from over the wicket help India’s bowlers. If the conditions remain similar, India’s new-ball bowlers will do well to move around the wicket immediately to the left-hand batters.It is crucial for India to move into the weaker or less-experienced batters by the time their natural handicap begins to show up. And once it does, they need to show much better control with the old ball and force mistakes out of the runs-deprived batters. More damage with the new ball and better damage control with the old ball is all India can hope for.

Though they are behind in the St George’s Park Test, the visitors are refusing to buckle under pressure

Firdose Moonda09-Apr-2022There’s that time in a St George’s Park Test when the score doesn’t matter. It’s usually after tea, when the band has started the endless rendition of “Stand by Me” that stays in spectators’ auditory memories for months, and the summer seems like it could last forever.In this Test, that time came in the 20 overs that Tamim Iqbal and Najmul Hossain Shanto entertained the mostly-Bangladesh-supporting crowd with a counter-attacking display against overpitched bowling from South African seamers. They drove with authority, swept with confidence and timed the ball as though it was choreographed to the ongoing soundtrack.It was an hour-and-a-half of pure cricketing bliss, which ended abruptly when Wiaan Mulder was given the ball in the 21st over. His fifth delivery angled in sharply and missed Tamim Iqbal’s attempted push and hit him on the pad as he fell over. Tamim was given out lbw, thought about reviewing and decided not to, to bring his 57-ball 47 to an end. In Mulder’s next over, he had Shanto in a similar fashion and three overs after that, also accounted for Mominul Haque, out lbw as he missed an inswinger.Mulder’s introduction looked a stroke of genius, though Vernon Philander had been calling it from the commentary box since the previous Test and with good reason. Though it is not especially warm, it grew more humid as the afternoon went on and the wind direction changed from coming off the land, to coming off the sea, enabling red-ball swing. Mulder is the one bowler in this attack who can these exploit conditions, and he has been under-utilised so far. He sent just four overs down in Durban, despite South Africa playing only two specialist seamers. Pre-match, Elgar said he would like to use Mulder more and in favourable circumstances, Mulder showed how useful he can be.That’s as much a reminder to Mulder himself as it is to his captain and the selectors, because his role in the team does not always appear that clear. In theory, he is a batting allrounder – and his distress at being dismissed for a duck in the first innings in Durban, when he sat in the dugout, alone, for about 20 minutes afterwards, indicates he takes that role seriously. But if South Africa are going to get the most out of him, especially in an attack with only four other bowlers, then he will have to be given more responsibility with the ball and he seems pretty okay with the idea. Mulder came to life during his six-over spell and even fielded with more energy than he had throughout the series, flinging himself around at slip and smiling every time he pulled off a good stop.But things were not always that jovial.Khaled Ahmed and Kyle Verryenne were involved in a fiery battle•AFP/Getty ImagesThe day started antagonistically when Bangladesh’s seamers showed some of the bite that must have been, at least in part, brought out by their new bowling coach Allan Donald. Khaled Ahmed thought he had Kyle Verreynne at the end of his first over, when he hit above the knee-roll, and Bangladesh reviewed. Replays showed it was a poor decision to send upstairs with the ball missing leg stump by a distance.Khaled was angry. So angry that three overs later, he hurled the ball back at Verreynne and hit him on the hand.”Throwing the ball back at the batter just happened and was a misdirected throw rather than something intended to hit the batter,” Jamie Siddons, Bangladesh’s bowling coach said. “That’s just normal fast bowlers getting frustrated after bowling 30 overs and not taking wickets.”Verreynne didn’t see it that way and got angry back. He held out his arms, shrugging in disdain, before advancing down the track to let Khaled know what he thought. Some of the other Bangladesh players had to get involved to separate them before the umpires intervened. On the sidelines, Elgar, who had told Bangladesh to harden up pre-match, seemed to find the whole thing rather amusing and made no effort to hide his giggles.From the Bangladesh changeroom, Donald made his way down to the side of the field, either to try and calm things down or to make a tactical recommendation. He was seen asking for a third slip to be put in, immediately after Mulder edged Ebadot Hossain wide of second slip in the previous over, and was visibly irritated that Bangladesh had not put one in place. They didn’t need it anyway because Khaled got his reward when he bowled Verreynne through the bat-pad gap and celebrated with a roar. Donald looked on approvingly. It’s likely he was as pleased about the wicket as he was with the aggression Khaled had shown all morning.Bangladesh have brought a talented group of quicks, who Maharaj described as “fast bowlers who are not slow,” and are willing to intimidate on this tour. For the second time in the series, there was a mid-pitch altercation after Ebaddot threw the ball back to Elgar in Durban. It was after that match that the conversation about the spirit of this series began. Bangladesh claimed South Africa were overstepping, South Africa denied it and went a step further, claiming the tough talk was moving in both directions. On the evidence of what we’ve seen on-field, that is indeed the case and as long as it’s not spilling over into abuse, it may not be a bad thing.It shows that Bangladesh have come prepared for the mental battle as well as the cricketing one, and that South Africa take them seriously on both fronts. “I had a chat with Russell (Domingo) and he mentioned that he told them if they want to compete they have to get a little bit tougher. We’ve seen that from this Bangladesh side,” Maharaj said. “They are tougher than what we are used to. Test cricket is hard and as Dean said if you are going to play, you need to front up. They are a lot harder and tougher.”Siddons, who is new to Bangladesh’s coaching staff, confirmed that there has been a concerted effort to get the team to play a more attacking brand of cricket and take the fight to the opposition. “We’re trying to instill a fight in our team, not necessarily with our voice but in the way they play the game. I think the players have taken that on board.”Everything from the way Khaled started to the day, to the way Tamim ended it confirms Siddons’ view and means that in the end, the score really does matter more than those 20 overs of fun in the middle suggested.

Manchester United are now accelerating their move to sign a Premier League star, who’s already been contacted about a move to Chelsea, according to reports.

Man Utd debt breaks $1bn after summer window

It’s not getting any easier for INEOS and Manchester United. After they splashed out over £150m in the summer transfer window, the club’s net debt has reportedly broken the $1bn barrier for the first time. This is despite INEOS taking several controversial cost-cutting measures and highlights just how important it is that United get back into the Champions League this season.

In the club’s first-quarter accounts, which were released on Thursday, their noncurrent borrowings were reported at £481 million ($644m). Add in the £105m from their revolving credit facility, however, and that takes their total borrowings to £268m and their total net debt has grown to £749m ($1.002bn).

Yet, the transfer rumours ahead of 2026 continue to arrive. Reports earlier this week even claimed that Man United have made contact in the race to sign Arda Guler from Real Madrid. The Turkish superstar is reportedly worth £88m, however, and would once again add to the club’s growing debt.

INEOS also continue to remain patient with Ruben Amorim, insisting that he’s the man to take the Red Devils back to Europe’s top table. It’s a delicate balance. United need reinforcements, Amorim needs to get the best out of his current squad, and debt must not reach new records.

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With that said, rather than a move for such expensive targets, United are reportedly looking to sign Sunderland star Noah Sadiki ahead of Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Man Utd accelerating move to sign Sadiki

According to Sky Sports’ Sacha Tavolieri, Man United are now accelerating their move to sign Sadiki after the Sunderland star received contact from Chelsea back in October.

The central midfielder also received contact from United at the beginning of the season in an attempt to get ahead of the chasing pack. As of right now, though, those at Old Trafford find themselves head-to-head against Chelsea in the race to secure the 20-year-old, who joined Sunderland for around £15m in the summer.

It’s easy to see why Sadiki has attracted such interest so soon after arriving in the Premier League. He’s played a pivotal part in Sunderland’s incredible start to the season and it’s the type of rise that their sporting director, Kristjaan Speakman saw coming in the summer.

He told the club’s website after signing the midfielder: “Noah’s enjoyed a great level of experience at a relatively young age, and alongside his drive to improve, this makes him an exciting addition to our squad.

“During his time at USG, he’s played in domestic and European competitions regularly, and the Premier League is a natural next step in his promising career.”

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