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Arsenal have attacking reinforcements in their sights and are willing to put one of their key targets in the top bracket of earners at the Emirates Stadium, per a report.

Arsenal's search for attacking reinforcements rumbles on

Truthfully, it is impossible to avoid the discussion of Arsenal adding attacking reinforcements this summer when it comes to assessing their scope to do transfer business.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres are the Gunners’ two main targets through the middle. However, with neither prospective deal near completion, other names will begin to be thrown into the hat as a consequence.

Speaking about what he would do in his old side’s situation, William Gallas has backed Arsenal to enter the race for Alexander Isak despite the Sweden international being a difficult star to sign this summer.

He stated: “Isak is perfect for Arsenal and they should be going all out to sign him. He would adapt instantly and give them the best chance of winning the title out of any player in the world, they don’t have time to let a striker adapt.

“Arsenal should go and break the bank for Isak. He is a 20-goal-a-season striker, and he would be surrounding himself with quality players.”

A bigger star than Zubimendi: Arsenal make approach to sign £50m midfielder

The midfield monster would be a game-changer for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 23, 2025

Boyhood Arsenal fan Ollie Watkins is wanted at the Emirates and would offer proven top-flight pedigree, even if he is firmly in the prime of his career. The race remains open to find out who will be Mikel Arteta’s new centre-forward come the end of the window.

Supporters will already be buckled up and ready to experience a chaotic few months in the market, though they could be in for a treat if recent reports are to be believed.

Arsenal willing to make Rodrygo one of their highest earners

According to TBR in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Andrea Berta is willing to make Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo one of their highest earners should he pitch up at the Emirates this summer.

Berta has engaged in ‘preliminary talks’ with his camp over recent weeks, and it is said that the La Liga giants could be open to offloading him for £70 million despite believing he is someone worth around the £100 million mark.

Rodrygo in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

52

Goals

14

Assists

11

Dubbed “top drawer” by former Chelsea star Joe Cole, there is a realisation among his entourage that he won’t be guaranteed a starting spot this campaign due to competition within the forward areas, which could lead to a departure as he would be allowed to operate in his favoured left wing berth.

Arsenal are looking to tie Bukayo Saka and William Saliba to new deals, though Rodrygo would be expected to hold parity with most of their top bracket, with a suggestion that he could even become the Gunners’ top earner.

Of course, that is all theoretical at this point, but it does show how serious Berta and company are about trying to pull of what would be one of the deals of the summer.

When it comes to great Tottenham Hotspur players of the last 15 years or so, you have plenty to choose from.

The likes of Harry Kane, Mousa Dembélé, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen might not have won anything at the club, but they more than made their mark on English football and the Premier League for the North Londoners.

One star from that era who was arguably one of the best players in the country at his peak was Dele Alli.

The Englishman was a tour de force at points, racking up 35 goal involvements in the 16/17 season, so fans should be excited about reports linking the team to a player who was compared to Dele in the past.

Tottenham transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other talented stars linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks and months, like Leroy Sané and Angel Gomes.

Transfer Focus

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

With his contract ending this month, the former would be a shrewd free signing, as in just 2376 minutes across 45 games this season, the Bayern Munich ace has scored 13 goals and provided six assists.

Interestingly, Gomes would also be a free addition to the North Londoners squad, and based on reports from earlier this week, they’ve already submitted a proposal to the Englishman, who has made four senior appearances for the Three Lions and 134 for LOSC Lille.

However, neither of these players have been compared to Dele in the past, unlike Jack Grealish.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Spurs are now interested in the Manchester City star.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have begun talks with the Englishman’s representatives as they ‘explore the possibility’ of bringing him to North London this summer.

The good news is that the report claims the player is, in fact, open to the idea of moving to N17 now that the club will be in the Champions League next year, but the bad news is that City would want an offer of up to £43m to let him go.

It would be a somewhat costly transfer to get done, but Grealish could be the sort of maverick player Ange Postecoglou needs in his attack next season, and the fact he was compared to Dele in the past is a great bonus.

Why Spurs might want Grealish

So, before we get to some of the other reasons why Spurs might want to sign Grealish this summer, let’s examine these comparisons to Dele, with the first coming from Lee Hendrie all the way back in 2018.

At the time, the young talent was just making a name for himself at Aston Villa, and Hendrie was seriously impressed with his ability to get “past players with ease” and was full of praise for “creative” abilities, which he claimed were similar to “the Dele Alli’s of the world.”

Just a couple of years later, Dean Smith was making the comparison between the Englishmen, claiming that the then-Villa gem shared the same goalscoring “star quality” that the former MK Dons gem had in the early years of his Tottenham career.

Aside from what players and pundits have said, both players have represented the Three Lions at major tournaments, and both, at one point in their careers, had that ability to make something happen out of absolutely nothing.

In fact, it’s the chance to resurrect this skill in the “unbelievable” City star, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, that is surely driving the Lilywhites’ interest in him.

Even though he played a bit-part role in the Cityzens’ campaign this season, he was still able to amass a decent tally of three goals and five assists in 1521 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 190.12 minutes, and his underlying numbers are even better.

For example, FBref places the 29-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, pass completion, shot-creating actions from live passes, progressive and total carrying distance, carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for goal-creating actions from defensive actions, fouls drawn, the top 8% for key passes and more.

Progressive Carries

7.71

Top 1%

Pass Completion

87.7%

Top 1%

SCA (Live-ball Passes)

4.69

Top 1%

Total Carrying Distance

335.61

Top 1%

Progressive Carrying Distance

200.53

Top 1%

Carries into the Penalty Area

4.61

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.08

Top 2%

Fouls Drawn

3.10

Top 2%

Passes Completed

44.33

Top 6%

Carries

43.91

Top 6%

Key Passes

2.60

Top 8%

Shot-Creating Actions

5.45

Top 8%

Shots Blocked

0.17

Top 9%

In short, while the Champions League winner’s raw output hasn’t been great for several years, his incredible underlying numbers indicate that he could flourish in the right system, which could be Postecoglou’s.

Ultimately, it would be something of a gamble, but in Grealish, Spurs could have themselves a genuine maverick who can make something out of nothing – akin to Dele in his prime.

Big Son upgrade: Spurs now eyeing "one of the best LW's in Europe"

Spurs are on the lookout for an upgrade on Heung-min Son.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 3, 2025

Arsenal have been in negotiations over signing an “exciting” player who reportedly prefers them to Premier League rivals Man United, and he also once agreed to join the Gunners before a move ultimately fell through.

Arsenal lay groundwork for summer transfers after disappointing 2024/2025

Manager Mikel Arteta and new sporting director Andrea Berta are looking ahead to the transfer window next month, which opens from June 1 to June 10 and then reopens from June 16 to September 1.

Arsenal and Liverpool ready to pay £50m for "quick" forward after PSG talks

The Gunners and Arne Slot’s side are contenders for his signature alongside France’s champions.

ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025

Many players are set to depart the Emirates Stadium, with Kieran Tierney agreeing a pre-contract with Celtic in the January window ahead of re-signing for them in July and Jorginho most recently shaking hands on a move to Flamengo in Brazil.

Liverpool (away)

May 11th

Newcastle United (home)

May 18th

Southampton (away)

May 25th

While Arsenal are currently in talks to extend Thomas Partey’s deal, as his contract is due to expire on June 30, there is no guarantee the Ghanaian agrees to fresh terms, and he may even have to take a pay-cut to remain in north London (ESPN).

Nuno Tavares, Fabio Vieira, Albert Lokonga and Oleksandr Zinchenko could also leave Arsenal, while uncertainty surrounds the long-term future of Leandro Trossard as the Belgium international’s contract is due to expire next year (BBC).

Taking all of this into account, Berta could orchestrate a serious summer overhaul during his debut window at the club, with a new second-choice goalkeeper also on their agenda considering Neto will return to Bournemouth after his loan spell.

A top target for Arsenal in that respect remains Espanyol shot-stopper Joan Garcia.

The Spaniard agreed personal terms over a move to N5 last summer, as per reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, but a transfer didn’t materialise. Garcia instead remained at his current club, and he’s enjoyed another impressive campaign between the sticks.

However, a move for Garcia is viewed by many as a very likely outcome, with previous reports from Spain indicating that Arsenal are still in contention to sign Garcia who prefers joining them over Ruben Amorim’s United (Sport).

Arsenal hold talks over signing Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia

According to BBC journalist Sami Mokbel, a development has occurred in their pursuit of the 23-year-old.

It is now believed that Arsenal have held talks over signing Garcia, who appears more and more likely to be David Raya’s understudy for next season.

Mokbel doesn’t give any further information about how these discussions went, or what it would take to lure the keeper to England, but he’s known to have an affordable release clause.

Garcia could leave Espanyol for as little as £21 million, but his clause could rise to around £25 million if Arsenal leave it late. £25m will reportedly be the cost of his clause during the final 15 days of the summer window (Sport), so it’s a deal Berta will want to get done fairly early if he wishes to avoid a needless extra outlay.

The young keeper is gaining a fearsome reputation abroad as Spain’s most promising player in that position, and Football Anaylst Ben Mattinson recently lavished praise on the Espanyol starlet.

“An uber-athletic keeper with dominant cross claiming, composure on the ball, standing at 6’3” tall, García is an exciting keeper ready for a step-up,” said Mattinson on X.

“García is a keeper who excels at claiming crosses as he shows real bravery to protect his area. There’s a sense of ownership of the box where he confidently collects the ball. 16.1% of crosses stopped puts him in the top 1% of GK’s.”

The next few weeks are vital for Enzo Maresca’s future as Chelsea manager, with the Blues having two huge chances for glory currently on their plate before the end of 2024/25.

They face a huge battle for a place in the top five of the Premier League, subsequently securing them Champions League football, whilst also having the chance to win the Europa Conference League.

It remains to be seen if the Italian will be in charge next season should he fail to achieve both of their goals, undoubtedly falling well below the expectations set upon his appointment.

Regardless of what Maresca is able to accomplish between now and the end of May, more signings are expected this summer, to help the side edge one step closer to battling for a title.

The hierarchy have wasted no time in targeting reinforcements, with one player already in the frame over a potential summer move to Stamford Bridge.

The latest on Chelsea’s hunt to land Dean Huijsen

Over the last couple of days, Chelsea have made huge progress in their pursuit of landing Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, but still face serious competition from elsewhere.

Real Madrid and fellow Premier League sides Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United have all been credited with interest in the 19-year-old who has a £50m release clause in his contract.

However, one report has claimed that the Blues have held multiple rounds of talks with the defender’s representatives over a potential deal to move to West London.

It remains to whether Huijsen would want a move to Maresca’s side, but the signs are all positive – especially considering his team are still open to negotiations with the club’s hierarchy.

Despite the interest in the Spaniard’s signature, the club already have their own superb talent who’s valued more than Huijsen – highlighting the excellent work the club have done in previous years.

The Chelsea star who’s worth even more than Huijsen

Chelsea have done tremendous work in the transfer market over recent years, getting themselves some bargains even though they’ve spent over £1.2b since 2022.

Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo have both cemented their places in the first-team, starring frequently this season, with the latter undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the division – as seen by his Team of the Year nomination.

However, despite the success with the additions, they’ve also managed to develop countless homegrown talents, numerous of which have played a key role in Maresca’s side.

Levi Colwill is just one of those academy players to make the step-up into the professional ranks, missing just three league games in 2024/25 – showcasing his importance to the side.

The 22-year-old has been the most consistent figure at the heart of the backline, going from strength to strength with increased minutes in West London.

When delving into his stats from the current season, it’s evident how impressive he’s been, more than deserving of his place in the England setup over the last couple of months.

Colwill, who’s been labelled “superb” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has managed a 90% pass accuracy in the Premier League, whilst also managing to win 2.6 aerial battles per 90 – having a huge impact at both ends of the pitch.

Levi Colwill’s stats for Chelsea in the PL (2024/25)
Statistics (per 90)	Tally
Games played	29
Goals & assists	2
Pass accuracy	90%
Dribble success	63%
Aerials won	2.6
Aerial success	61%
Tackles won	67%
Stats via FotMob

As a result of his performances to date, his market value has soared, now valued at £47m by Transfermarkt – a figure higher than that of Huijsen, who’s only valued at £36m.

Given his rise, the club should put more resources into developing young talent, reaping the rewards in the long-term, just as they have done with the 22-year-old.

However, that being said, a partnership of Colwill and Huijsen at the heart of the defence could set them up for future success down the line, given the pair’s tender ages.

Time's up: Maresca must axe 3/10 Chelsea dud who was even worse than Palmer

Chelsea’s 3/10 dud looks out of time after worse performance than Palmer

By
Connor Holden

Apr 18, 2025

West Ham managed a point against Bournemouth, having gone 1-0 down in the first half. Graham Potter’s side came out fighting in the second half, scoring in the 61st and 68th minute to take a 2-1 lead at the London Stadium.

However, Evanilson did manage to salvage a point for the Cherries, netting his second of the game to make it 2-2 in the 79th minute, with the points being shared.

Despite having more of the ball with 56% possession, West Ham only generated 0.65 xG in the match, creating one “big chance” and taking nine shots. In comparison, Andoni Iraola’s side generated 2.15 xG in the game, creating two “big chances” and taking 11 shots.

The second-half performance was much stronger by the Hammers, having seven of their nine shots in that second half, and it was the goalscorers, Niclas Füllkrug and Jarrod Bowen, who spurred the comeback.

Bowen's performance vs Bournemouth

Bowen scored the second goal, putting West Ham 2-1 up in the match. Whilst he started the game as a centre-forward, having a license to roam into both channels, Fullkrug’s introduction saw Bowen move to his natural right side, where he really began to come into his own.

The 28-year-old Hammers captain managed 52 touches in the game, taking four shots (only one on target) and completing two of his four dribble attempts. Bowen also won seven of his 15 ground duels in the game, working hard for his side, winning two tackles and making two interceptions.

Bowen’s goal was his ninth of the season, also providing seven assists in his 2,539 minutes played. But today’s game made one thing apparent, and it feels like West Ham could have one man who is even more undroppable than their captain at this point in time.

Why James Ward-Prowse is undroppable

James Ward-Prowse was recalled from his loan at the end of the January transfer window, having made just 10 appearances for Nottingham Forest. West Ham stated his return would offer “experience, depth and quality” to Potter’s side.

Minutes

90

Touches

73

Assists

1

Accurate Passes

53/60

Key Passes

2

Long Balls

5/8

Successful Dribbles

1/1

Ground Duels Won

2/3

Tackles

1

But his performance against Bournemouth proved exactly why he is more than extra depth and experience, as the midfielder controlled proceedings in the middle of the park, provided the assist for Fullkrug’s equaliser, and protected the Hammers back line, winning two of his three ground duels.

In recent weeks, Potter has shown faith in Ward-Prowse, quickly making him a regular starter in his side, giving the team a more progressive passer in the midfield, someone who can keep things ticking, but also a set-piece specialist, which can be an invaluable tool in the modern era of Premier League football.

Whilst Bowen is the club captain and top goalscorer, Ward-Prowse has shown his importance to the side, making them less predictable in their build-up, offering slightly more mobility in midfield (whilst it isn’t his biggest strength) and, of course, adding that set-piece threat.

Therefore, the former Southampton man should keep his place in the side and be considered undroppable by the manager heading into the final matches of the season.

Mumbai respond with the highest total in a losing cause, as both teams combine to smack the most sixes ever in a IPL match

Sampath Bandarupalli27-Mar-2024523 – Runs scored by Sunrisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians on Wednesday in Hyderabad. It is the highest match aggregate for any T20 match, surpassing the 517 runs between South Africa and West Indies in Centurion in 2023.38 – Number of sixes hit in Hyderabad – 18 by Sunrisers and 20 by Mumbai – the most in any T20 match. The previous highest was 37 sixes in a 2018 Afghanistan Premier League game between Balkh Legends and Kabul Zwanan in Sharjah, and a 2019 CPL match between St Kitts & Nevis Patriots and Jamaica Tallawahs.277 for 3 – Sunrisers’ total against Mumbai is the highest in the history of the IPL. They broke the record set by Royal Challengers Bangalore with 263 for 5 against Pune Warriors in 2013.3 – Men’s T20 totals higher than Sunrisers’ 277 against Mumbai. The highest is 314 for 3 by Nepal against Mongolia in the Asian Games last year, followed by Afghanistan’s 278 for 3 against Ireland in 2019 in Dehradun and Czech Republic’s 278 for 4 in the Continental Cup in 2019. The 277 by Sunrisers is also the second-highest T20 total on Indian soil, behind Afghanistan’s effort.ESPNcricinfo Ltd246 for 5 – Mumbai’s total in the chase is their highest and the joint-fifth highest for any team in the IPL. It is also the highest total for any team in a run-chase in the IPL and the highest in a losing cause in the league.0 – Previous instances of an SRH batter reaching fifty in less than 20 balls in the IPL. Travis Head set the record for the fastest fifty for the franchise, taking 18 balls to get to the landmark, only for Abhishek Sharma to break it less than four overs later, taking only 16 deliveries for his fifty. The previous fastest fifty for SRH was off 20 balls by David Warner (vs CSK in 2015 and vs KKR in 2017) and Moises Henriques (vs RCB in 2015).1 – Head and Abhishek became the first pair of batters to complete fifty in less than 20 balls for the same team in an IPL match.148 – Sunrisers’ total at the halfway stage is the highest for any team in the first ten overs of an IPL innings. Mumbai Indians’ 141 in the chase on Wednesday ranks second.14.4 – Overs needed for Sunrisers to reach the 200-run mark, the second-fastest by any team in the IPL. The previous fastest team 200 in the IPL was off 14.1 overs by Royal Challengers against Kings XI in a shortened game in 2016.66 – Runs conceded by Kwena Maphaka – the joint-third most by any bowler in an IPL innings. These are also the most by any bowler on IPL debut, surpassing the 62 by Michael Neser against Royal Challengers in 2013.81 – Sunrisers’ total in the powerplay, which is their highest-ever in the IPL, surpassing the 79 they scored against Kolkata Knight Riders in 2017. It is also the second-highest powerplay total against Mumbai, behind the 90 by Chennai Super Kings in 2015.18 – Sixes by Sunrisers in their innings – the most by them in an IPL match. Their previous highest was 15 sixes during their last game this season, against Knight Riders.

Also, who are Mumbai Indians’ first choice overseas players? Here’s ESPNcricinfo’s analysis of the puzzles teams face ahead of IPL 2022

Nagraj Gollapudi and Gaurav Sundararaman17-Mar-20228:52

Runorder: Who will take Deepak Chahar’s place at Chennai Super Kings?

Chennai Super Kings: How to plug the Deepak Chahar hole?
Defending champions Chennai Super Kings have lost their pace spearhead Deepak Chahar for a big chunk of the tournament, if not more. How do they ensure this does not affect the team’s balance? Since 2018, Chahar has been the most prolific powerplay bowler in the IPL, with 42 wickets in the phase. The next best is Trent Boult with 27 wickets. So it would be very difficult to find a replacement who could have a similar impact with the ball. Even so, it would still be better to look to strengthen the bowling as pitches are likely to favour the batters early in the tournament.One option is to have Robin Uthappa open the batting with Ruturaj Gaikwad while playing two overseas fast bowlers in Chris Jordan and Adam Milne. The other option is to bring in uncapped Indian fast bowler Rajvardhan Hangargekar and have Devon Conway opening with Gaikwad.Other than Hangargekar, who was part of India’s recent Under-19 World Cup win, Super Kings have a rich stable of Indian fast bowlers in Mukesh Choudhary, Tushar Deshpande, Simarjeet Singh and KM Asif.Royal Challengers Bangalore: Where does Virat Kohli bat?
Let’s start with the numbers. Virat Kohli’s powerplay strike rate in the IPL over the last three seasons is 130.16 – that is eighth-best among the 19 players who have played a minimum of 250 balls in that phase. He averages 37.40 in this period.Related

Punjab Kings boast batting muscle but bowling lacks international experience

Delhi Capitals have solid first XI but player availability a concern

IPL regulations: New man on strike if batters cross during catch

Faf du Plessis unveiled as RCB's captain for IPL 2022

Hales opts out of IPL 2022, KKR bring in Finch as replacement

In the middle overs in the last three years, Kohli strikes at 110.16, which is 23rd among 25 players who have played a minimum of 300 balls. Also, over the last two seasons, Kohli’s scoring rate against spin has been below par – just 105.35, though he averages 70. Read: he does not get out to spin, but he does not score quickly either. Among 20 batters who have played a minimum of 200 balls against spin in these seasons, Kohli is ranked 19th in terms of strike rate.So, the numbers point towards Kohli being better off as an opener, rather than coming lower down and potentially facing more spin post-powerplay. However, given Royal Challengers’ middle-order options, and taking into account Kohli’s No. 3 role with India, it might be feasible for the team to have him at one-down with Indian uncapped batter Anuj Rawat partnering new captain Faf du Plessis at the top. That could prove particularly beneficial early in the tournament in terms of spreading the experience around, with Glenn Maxwell joining at least a week late as he is getting married. If Kohli ends up opening with du Plessis, then Rawat is likely to be No. 3.David Willey is another potential opening option, with Kohli, Maxwell, Mahipal Lomror and Dinesh Karthik completing the middle order.Venkatesh Iyer: top of the order for KKR, finisher for India•BCCIKolkata Knight Riders: Should Venkatesh Iyer open, and who keeps wicket?
Venkatesh Iyer shot to fame with his fearless approach as an opener last IPL, when Kolkata Knight Riders reversed a horrendous start to the season to make the final. Since then Iyer has debuted for India in white-ball cricket, where he is being nurtured as a finisher. However, there is no obligation for the franchises to allow players to mirror their roles at the international level, so Knight Riders, you’d expect, will want Iyer to open. But that is only half the challenge resolved. Who will be Iyer’s opening partner? The answer to that could be linked to the second key question confronting the franchise: who keeps wicket?Knight Riders’ gameplan has seemingly been hit by the late pullout of Alex Hales, who was a prime contender for the opening slot. But there are other options: Englishman Sam Billings, who can both keep and float in the batting order, Saurashtra wicketkeeper-batter Sheldon Jackson, and Tamil Nadu batter B Indrajith who also keeps wicket.Or Knight Riders can make Hales’ replacement, Australia white-ball captain Aaron Finch, open with Iyer. That in turn would mean Jackson would bat in the middle order and keep wicket.Of course, Knight Riders’ squad also includes Ajinkya Rahane, who has vast experience opening in the IPL, and Sunil Narine. Ideally, though, they would want Narine following Andre Russell to provide batting depth.Do Mumbai Indians bank on Riley Meredith’s pace?•Getty ImagesMumbai Indians: Who takes the four overseas slots?
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians have a strong core, but a lot of their overseas players and uncapped Indians are new to the franchise. The first challenge for them is to pick their four overseas players. While Kieron Pollard and the big-hitting Tim David pick themselves, the other two slots are less clear-cut. Conditions are likely to favour batters and so, in Jofra Archer’s absence, Mumbai might want to strengthen their death bowling with the inclusion of Tymal Mills.The fourth slot should be a toss-up between the fast-bowling pair of Riley Meredith and Daniel Sams. Meredith’s pace could be a tempting option to start with, but Sams offers some batting depth with his robust hitting.As for the uncapped Indians likely to make the XI, as it stands Hyderabad youngster Tilak Varma is likely to start at No. 3 and Tamil Nadu allrounder Sanjay Yadav could be utilised as a floater, performing a similar role to Krunal Pandya over the last five seasons.Who’s going to fill Delhi Capitals’ Anrich-Nortje-sized hole?•BCCIDelhi Capitals: What if Anrich Nortje is out?
Anrich Nortje, the South Africa fast bowler, has been sidelined since the T20 World Cup in November 2021 due to a hip injury, and, as per Cricket South Africa, there is no definitive date of return yet. Nortje was arguably Capitals’ most impactful bowler – and second-highest wicket-taker – in the last two IPLs, which was enough for them to retain him. But their failure to pick a like-for-like back-up for Nortje at the auction could come back to haunt them. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman are the other two overseas fast bowlers in the squad, but neither has performed on the same level as Nortje in terms of striking ability upfront nor do they possess the same pace.The Indian left-arm fast-bowling pair of Chetan Sakariya and Khaleel Ahmed could be other options in Nortje’s place, with Capitals perhaps going in with only three overseas players.The other challenge Capitals face is the late arrival of Australia’s David Warner and Mitchell Marsh, who are set to miss at least the first two matches. They are expected to join Capitals’ squad around April 6; Capitals’ third game is on April 7. Their absence is bound to make Capitals’ batting thin, at least on paper. Till they are good to go, New Zealand wicketkeeper-batter Tim Seifert could open with Prithvi Shaw, while West Indies’ Rovman Powell could bat in the middle order.

Tall fast bowlers tend to struggle with pitching the ball up, but that doesn’t seem to be a problem for NZ’s debutant

Karthik Krishnaswamy in Wellington21-Feb-20202:17

Last couple of weeks have been surreal – Jamieson 

It helps to be six feet and eight inches tall. It can be the first step to a promising basketball career, and Kyle Jamieson could have gotten pretty far playing that sport – though he says his “jump height is not the greatest”. Having to choose between two sports in high school, when juggling them “just became quite full-on”, he chose cricket.Jamieson was more of a batsman growing up – his father Michael says batting outweighed bowling 60-40 in those days – and he’s already shown glimpses of his potential as a lower-order contributor, clattering 101 against an English attack that included James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Mark Wood in a tour game, and putting on an unbroken 76 with Ross Taylor for the ninth wicket, on his ODI debut.But he’s now a bowler first, a six-feet-eight-inches fast bowler. There are things a six-eight fast bowler can do that others cannot, and on Friday at the Basin Reserve, he did those things often. There were two balls, for instance, that climbed almost vertically at Ajinkya Rahane, lifting him off his feet. Rahane was batting on 10 when he got the first of them, and he rode the bounce as best as he could, played the ball as close to his body as he could, with the softest hands he could summon up, and kept the ball down despite only managing to meet it with his handle.The second came when Rahane was on 24. He’d already faced 71 balls by then, and had negotiated difficult conditions – it was green underfoot, grey overhead, and the wind blowing across the ground was frequently causing the trees lining the grass banks to judder violently – with utmost serenity. But this ball from Jamieson, springing up towards his neck, shook him out of his sure-footed ways, causing him to twist awkwardly in midair, with eyes off the ball and hands rising instinctively to protect his face.

“I think as a tall guy, naturally your length is further back, but over time you get used to trying to bring it a little bit fuller.”Kyle Jamieson

The ball hit his glove, or arm guard, or both, and ballooned over a desperately backtracking wicketkeeper and ran away for four.There was plenty of bounce to be extracted from this surface, and Jamieson was extracting every little drop. It was effortless bounce, reminiscent of Morne Morkel at his scariest, even if Jamieson isn’t nearly as quick.”I guess it just comes from a steeper angle,” Jamieson said at the end of the day’s play. “I guess not as quick as what some of the other guys are around the world, but I think still my short ball is a weapon, from the height that I can bowl it.”The ability to extract this sort of bounce had been Jamieson’s ticket to play this game. Neil Wagner, New Zealand’s one-of-a-kind short-ball specialist, was unavailable, and the team management could have picked either Jamieson or the more experienced Matt Henry in his stead. Henry, though, is a swing bowler much like Tim Southee and Trent Boult, and New Zealand wanted a third seamer with a point of difference.So here Jamieson was, providing that point of difference. Except that wasn’t all he did.Kyle Jamieson is pumped up after getting rid of Virat Kohli•Getty ImagesAt Test level, tall quicks who turn the pitch into a trampoline can often struggle for wickets despite routinely making batsmen look uncomfortable. They’re often told to try and pitch the ball fuller, so that they can threaten the stumps, or kiss the edges that they so often zip past, but to go away from your natural length, and to do it without losing your pace and venom, is difficult. Just ask Ishant Sharma. Or the aforementioned Morkel.On Test debut, Jamieson shifted his length forward and back effortlessly, without floating the ball up or losing his line, and he made it sound just as simple as he made it look.”Yeah, look, I guess with my height, I can afford to go a fraction fuller, especially out here as well, with the extra bounce,” he said. “I was trying to, I guess, make guys commit to play off the front foot. I think in my second spell, the first half of it, there was a lot of balls left on length, so it was just how do you commit them on the front foot, especially if it does swing or seam, then you’re a chance of bringing the edge in.”I think as a tall guy, naturally your length is further back, but over time you get used to trying to bring it a little bit fuller.”It was just one day’s work, of course, in near-perfect fast-bowling conditions, and that day was curtailed by rain. We can only really judge Jamieson the Test bowler when he’s built up a proper body of work, but as far as first impressions go, this was most encouraging.The best length a fast bowler – any bowler, really – can bowl is the shortest one that still draws the batsman forward. Jamieson hit that length time and again at the Basin, bowling from fairly wide on the crease, angling the ball into the right-hander, and every now and then getting it to straighten off the pitch.One such delivery in his first over beat both Cheteshwar Pujara’s outside edge and the top of off stump by what seemed like millimeters. Pujara did everything right while defending it, playing the angle, protecting his stumps, playing close to his body and not letting his hands get drawn towards the movement. He had to do everything right to survive it.Kyle Jamieson bowls on Test debut•AFPIn his third over, he bowled a similar delivery, only slightly fuller, and Pujara nicked it despite once again doing most things right.Not a bad first Test wicket, and the second was of a reasonably good player too. It was one of those Virat Kohli dismissals that leave you scratching your head, the thick edge while driving away from his body at a ball that’s nowhere near full enough, but it’s also the kind of dismissal that makes you wonder about all the times he middles drives just as far from his body and off just those lengths.It wasn’t the shot for the circumstances – 40 for 2, first day of a Test series in difficult conditions – but the ball also straightened off the seam, and had Jamieson’s extra bounce. Also consider what happened off the previous ball, a short one that made Kohli spring onto his toes to defend it.Push him back, then bring him forward, knowing there’s a chance he may not come as far forward as he should.There was a similar sequence of deliveries later on to Hanuma Vihari, and an edged drive fell just short of gully. Then, in his next over, Jamieson bowled one a fraction too full, and Vihari drove it back past him, holding his pose. Jamieson corrected his length beautifully next ball, pitching it on a fullish but not easily driveable length, and shifting his line outside off stump.Vihari’s set-up at the crease is built for driving down the ground and through midwicket, but not so much for the front-foot cover drive, because his head doesn’t really get over the ball when he plays the shot. He went for it anyway, perhaps still feeling the rush of the shot he’d played off the previous ball, and missed.Vihari survived through to drinks, but not the first ball after the mini-break. It was much like the ball that had dismissed Pujara, angling into the batsman, drawing him forward, straightening just enough. If Jamieson keeps bowling that length and that line, over after over and match after match, and gets a little bit of help every now and then from the conditions, he could have quite a career.

عاد النجم المصري السابق، محمد أبو تريكة، للحديث عن محمد صلاح وأزمته الحالية داخل أروقة ليفربول، بسبب التصريحات التي أدلى بها قبل أيام، ضد الإدارة والمدرب آرني سلوت.

كان محمد صلاح قد فاجأ الجميع بقنبلة مدوية، بعدما أدلى بتصريحات نارية، يوم السبت الماضي، هاجم خلالها إدارة ليفربول والمدير الفني، آرني سلوت، بسبب تهميشه في 3 مباريات متتالية.

وتم استبعاد محمد صلاح من مباراة ليفربول وإنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا نتيجة لذلك، قبل خوضه جلسة محادثات إيجابية مع سلوت، حيث عاد إلى الفريق وشارك كبديل في مباراة الأمس ضد برايتون.

وقال أبو تريكة في تصريحات عبر الاستوديو التحليلي لشبكة “بي إن سبورتس” القطرية: “على المستوى الشخصي، محمد صلاح سيعود، لا يزال لديه عامين في عقده (حتى يونيو 2027)، ويريد إكمالهما، المشكلة لديه عدم مشاركته والسبب وراء ذلك، هو ليس سيئًا، ولكن من حوله غير جيدين كذلك، يمكنه التفكير (لماذا يحدث ذلك معي فقط؟)، من المفترض أن يتحمل الفريق بأكمله النتائج السلبية، لماذا يتعين عليه تحملها بمفرده؟”.

وأضاف: “إذا كنت كمدرب تريد تغيير الفريق بعد النتائج السلبية، لماذا تقوم بتغييره هو فقط دون غيره؟ وعندما يتواجد على دكة البدلاء لا تدفع به، كذلك طريقة التعامل معه من على دكة البدلاء وطلب الإحماء منه دون أن يلعب، التعامل مع النجوم مختلف يا سلوت، إذا كنت ترغب في الدفع بنجمك الأول من الدكة، وطالما قام بعمل إحماء، فعليك مشاركته، هذا هو تعامل النجوم الذي لا تعرفه”.

وواصل: “كذلك، على سلوت الجلوس مع محمد صلاح إذا كنت ترغب في إبقائه على دكة البدلاء، عليك التحدث إليه وتخبره بتراجع مجهوده ومن ثم يتعين عليه كمدرب إراحته قليلًا، هذا الحوار لم يحدث، كذلك تصريحات محمد صلاح لا تتعلق بـ آرني سلوت، ولكن النادي كذلك، لأنك لا تتحدث عن أي لاعب، أنت تتحدث عن النجم الأول للفريق”.

اقرأ أيضًا | هل فاته الرهن العقاري؟.. بول ميرسون ينتقد سلوك محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وبرايتون

وأردف: “لقد منحته النصيحة، يمكن للناس أن تفهم، ولكن المدير الفني الذكي عليه ألا يتسبب في أن يصل نجمه الأول إلى مرحة الانفجار، عليه رؤية المشكلة قبل حدوثها ويضع حلًا لها كذلك، هذا هو سلوك المدربين الكبار، وليس آرني سلوت، هو لا يمتلك تلك المهارات كما قلت، لا يمكن مطالبته بها”.

واسترسل: “الأمر تم حله، محمد صلاح سعيد طالما لعب والفريق فاز، عليه الانضمام إلى منتخب مصر ولديه مزاج رائق وفي حالة تركيز من أجل التتويج بكأس أمم إفريقيا للمرة الثامنة، منتخب مصر لديه لاعب ضمن أفضل 5 أو 6 لاعبين في العالم حاليًا، يمتلك مجموعة جيدة كذلك من اللاعبين، عليه أن يأتي مركزًا مع المنتخب، نريد اللقب الثامن”.

وشدد: “إنها بطولة صعبة، صاحبة الأرض هي المغرب، رابع كأس العالم، تستطيع الدخول بـ3 فرق في البطولة، يمكنها اللعب بـ3 فرق وتحصد المراكز الأولى، كما قلت، مسألة محمد صلاح مع ليفربول في طريقها إلى الحل، هو يريد البقاء حتى نهاية عقده، هو سعيد في النادي، مشكلته عدم اللعب، أسرته سعيدة بتواجده في ذلك النادي، كان تعامل المُلاك قبل تلك المشكلة محترمًا نوعًا ما، هناك تقدير له ولتاريخه، المشكلة في سلوت، جعله يقول تلك التصريحات، وبعدها أصبحت مشكلة ناد وكبرياء، الأمر الآن أصبح هادئَا بعد مباراة ليفربول، لا تواجد عواصف، سيستعد للمشاركة في كأس الأمم الإفريقية، وبعدها من وجهة نظري سيعود للفريق ويكمل الموسم”. وأفاد: “هو شخصيًا يريد أن يتوج ببطولة مع المنتخب، أتمنى إحرازه لها، حتى إذا لم يفز، نحن نحاسبه على مجهوده، هو لا يبخل في ذلك، وفي الوقت نفسه لديه تاريخ مع المنتخب، قاده إلى كأس العالم مرتين بعد غياب 30 عامًا، كان سببًا رئيسيًا في أن يصعد منتخب مصر لكاس عالم”. واستأنف: “الجمهور يحب الزيادة، (ناس طماعة)، تاريخ مصر حافل بالإنجازات، ويُقال طالما محمد صلاح موجود، علينا وضع الضغوط عليه، وهو يستطيع تحملها، ولكن كما قلت، حتى لو لم يفز بالبطولة، سيظلل أفضل لاعب في تاريخ العرب حتى الآن، بالنظر إلى كل ما حققه، جميعها إنجازات كبرى، وأخيرًا مشكلته انتهت مع ليفربول، لا نريد إعادتها مرة أخرى”.

The England quick bowled two four-over spells before leaving the field at Lilac Hill

Tristan Lavalette13-Nov-2025England have received a major injury scare ahead of the Ashes after quick Mark Wood experienced stiffness in his left hamstring during their only warm-up match in Perth.Wood had bowled two four-over spells against the Lions at Lilac Hill in his first competitive match in nine months since surgery on his left knee. He left the field after his second four-over spell midway through the second session.Related

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“The plan for Mark Wood was for him to bowl eight overs today,” an ECB statement said. “He has some stiffness in his hamstring, which has kept him off the field for some time during the second session of the first day and will undergo a precautionary scan tomorrow.”He is expected to bowl again in two days’ time. It is unlikely he will return to the field today.”England have taken a cautious approach with Wood’s rehabilitation from the knee injury that he sustained at the Champions Trophy in February. He had initially hoped to feature in the final Test of their summer series against India, but a setback in training ended up ruling him out of the entire home season.Wood had bowled several lively deliveries on a relatively sedate surface, conditions far different to what is expected in the first Test at Optus Stadium. He is part of an all-out England pace attack against the Lions, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir not selected in the main XI.”That’s not ideal, but that’s part of being an extremely fast bowler,” Harry Brook said after the day’s play. “I haven’t seen him yet and spoken to him, so I don’t know his current situation. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.”There was further frustration for England’s pace attack with Brydon Carse unavailable on the first day of the warm-up match due to illness, prompting him to stay at the team’s hotel.Captain Ben Stokes had been the standout bowler, with four of the five wickets to fall before tea in an encouraging return in his first match since late July.The development comes just a day after Australia quick Josh Hazlewood was cleared of a hamstring injury. But fellow Ashes Test squad member Sean Abbott was withdrawn from the squad after scans on his left hamstring confirmed a moderate grade strain.