All posts by n8rngtd.top

India burst through the tiny opening left by a side that let its guard down on a supposedly dull pitch, and that was all down to their fine planning and execution

Sidharth Monga at the MCG28-Dec-2018Of all the good days this Indian team has had away from home, this must be one of the most pleasing ones. Virat Kohli often speaks about the importance of that one big session where they fail to resist the opposition’s momentum. It’s usually a time when they don’t fall to the conditions; they just fall. Brisbane 2014-15, Durban 2013-14 and Manchester 2014 come to mind. On the last Friday of 2018, in Melbourne, that team at the receiving end of that momentum was Australia, against the travelling Indians.India had begun the fourth day in Brisbane 26 runs behind with nine second-innings wickets in hand, with nothing in the pitch threatening a result. They had an accident at the nets before the start of play, some disquiet in the dressing room, and before they could recover they had effectively lost five wickets for 16 runs, setting up a four-day finish for Australia. In Durban, India won the toss on a flat track, underachieved in the first innings, had half an eye on the rain in the second, and lost an unlosable Test. In Manchester all India had to do was bat out two sessions on the third day, and then watch it rain for the next two, but they couldn’t.7:43

Laxman: Bumrah is the No. 1 bowler in the world

That’s the nature of collapses. You take your eye off for a second, give good attacks an opening, and they make you pay. Then you look back at those sessions and get frustrated. Now, how pleasing it will be in that Indian change-room to know that the opposition is looking back ruefully at that session and a half. Just look at the scenario on the third morning at the MCG.Everybody, except those who have batted on this pitch and had to put aside their natural stroke-play, had decried the track and was bracing for a draw. India’s scoring rate had been slow because of the pitch and some good bowling, which meant Australia had to possibly bat four sessions in their first innings to get close to safety, especially given some of the rain forecast for the final two days. And yet there they were, bowled out for 151 in a little over two sessions, unable to resist the momentum created by one of India’s most complete bowling performances outside home.This is a performance that had visible imprints from everybody, and not just those on the park. From analyst CKM Dhananjai to bowling coach Bharat Arun to those responsible for keeping these bowlers fit to captain Virat Kohli to the bowlers themselves to the fielders taking catches, this was a perfect storm that burst through the little opening Australia left by dropping their guard on what seemed to be a dreary pitch. Just the shots that they played early on, driving on the up without getting used to the pace of a track that made Cheteshwar Pujara score his slowest century, gave you the impression they were not treating this the way they did their innings in Adelaide and Perth.And India bowled with perfect plans. First it was Aaron Finch, who probably was out “planned Dhananjai caught Agarwal bowled Ishant”. This was a repeat of his dismissal in Dubai when he drove with hard hands to short mid-on. This plan had to have been discussed at the bowling meeting headed by Arun, and bought into by the rest. Kohli had Mayank Agarwal at the right spot. Ishant Sharma delivered inswinger after inswinger. Finch failed to keep it down. Agarwal dived to his left to pluck it inches off the ground. This was a dream team dismissal.Getty ImagesHaving hit Marcus Harris in the head with a bouncer on the second evening, Jasprit Bumrah chose to bounce him again. It was sharp, straight at him, and Harris decided he was not going to risk being hit again; it cost him his wicket. This was not a pitch doing tricks – yes it was more suited to India but not a 151 all out track by any imagination – but India just bowled perfectly to perfectly formed plans. The fields changed for every batsman, the lengths too. There was a blueprint for every wicket, and that blueprint was kept handy for reference. Shaun Marsh, for example, had a short-square leg where a few flicks off the hip went aerially.Almost by accident India realised the folly of not using left-arm spin against left-hand batsmen. Their own right-hand batsmen have struggled against offspin. And here they have a plethora of right-arm quicks to create nice rough outside the off stump of left-hand batsmen. Once Ravindra Jadeja finds the right pace to target that spot with, he will do it all day. No reverse-swept boundary from Usman Khawaja is going to wear him off that spot, not when India have batted first and piled on 443.And then there was the magic of Bumrah and Mohammed Shami. Bumrah is of course blessed with freakishly malleable forearms that give him both the pace and deception that Shoaib Akhtar and Lasith Malinga were blessed with. He has the cricketing brain to go with it; he must spend a lot of time watching the cricket because when India are batting first, he knows what lengths to bowl as soon as he comes out. If he has to bowl first, his second spell is always heaps better than his first. Here he was spot on with lengths, and when Shaun Marsh and Travis Head had a partnership, he produced a moment of absolute genius: a devilishly dipping slower delivery last ball before lunch. It was only his second slower ball this series, and add a tick to team work again – Rohit Sharma nudged him to bowl it.When the next partnership got going, for more than 17 overs, between Tim Paine and Pat Cummins, with the 60-over-old ball going soft, Shami came on to create something out of nothing. As a result of that near-perfect bowling display, India might just have insured themselves against the third-innings collapse and the expected rain on days four and five. If they can repeat with the ball in the second innings what they did in the first, India could treat themselves to the immensely satisfying sight of winning despite rain on what was termed as a dreary old track.

Twice in this tournament, not changing the way they have batted for the conditions, or state of the game, has cost them

Jarrod Kimber14-Jun-2019The West Indies’ first two was in the 17th over of the innings.Some of that is down to the fact that Chris Gayle is ancient, and they have replaced his hamstrings with biscuits. They are stiff, but they also crumble. But it’s also about the way the West Indies play. Since Javed Miandad hit the ball over short cover’s head and Dean Jones turned ODI batting into a 10,000-metre race, teams have used the two as a safe option to score quickly. But the West Indies’ newer style of batting is not as much about twos, or even running at all; it’s about the power. By the time their first two came today, they’d already scored several boundaries and a six.And it’s not that their style isn’t right – batsmen take a risk with twos for a low return. They’re playing an attacking shot, if not checked, and then hustling for a run that may not always be entirely there. If you are going to take a risk, you might as well take it when there is four or six runs on offer. It just wasn’t the right style for today.Watch on Hotstar (India only) – West Indies lose 5 for 24Since the last World Cup, West Indies score a two every 20.39 balls, third slowest. England leads the world with a two every 16.69 balls.But it isn’t just twos that the West Indies don’t bother with, they also score off fewer balls than most teams. Since April 2015, the West Indies have a dot ball percentage of 57. Only Afghanistan faces more dots. England is down at 49%, which means that on average the West Indies face 24 more dot balls than England each game.Not all of this matters if your players are waiting for the ball to be in their zones and hitting it out of the stadium. But today the pitch was not that conducive to swing through the line, and this is the biggest ground in the tournament. The smallest boundary here is 76 metres, the largest boundary at Taunton is 68 metres. It’s not that you can’t hit sixes here, but you can’t hit them consistently.Eoin Morgan had talked about this before the game. “The parameters of the ground here are a lot bigger than the West Indies.” He also mentioned the pitch may not be ideal for swinging through the line. That seemed like a warning to the West Indies players before the game, but they didn’t seem to listen. Gayle and Andre Russell both were caught on the boundary with hits that would have been sixes anywhere else in the tournament, and in most places in the world.It’s not that their attacking style isn’t right, but West Indies must adapt for different stadiums•Getty ImagesIf there is any pitch in England to bat in the more traditional ODI way, it’s the Rose Bowl. In the first ten overs they scored 41 runs, and had 41 dots. In the following ten, with the field out, they still managed 33 dots. Gayle hurts in that, but they don’t have many great strike rotaters. And in truth, they don’t have many traditional batsmen at all. They are not set up for this ground.Shai Hope is their only frontline batsman who has a well-rounded game suited to ODI cricket, and even he struggles with strike rotation. Of the 36 batsmen from the teams in this World Cup who’ve faced at least 1000 balls in the last couple of years, Shai Hope has the ninth worst dot ball percentage with 55%. There’s no reason for a player like Hope not to rotate the ball more; he’s the fourth worst boundary hitter in this World Cup. He’s physically fit and talented. He should be able to score regularly with no risk.On Friday, he batted at three and was followed by Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer. Both are incredible talents and ball strikers, but neither are strike rotaters. Pooran played a very mature innings, his best for the West Indies in his short career. At the other end, Hetmyer was scoring his boundaries by moving his front leg and heaving the ball even in the middle overs. They scored some twos, but they always appeared to be mis-hit boundaries rather than special placement.They didn’t look like they were playing the same ODI cricket as other teams in this tournament. And maybe that’s because they don’t play as much of it. India has four top-order batsmen with over 60 ODIs in the last four years. Jason Holder is West Indies’ only top seven player with over 60 matches, Shai Hope is at 58, and then Evin Lewis has played 37. Gayle has been largely unavailable. Hetmyer is still relatively new. And Pooran only made his debut earlier this year. And it’s not like these players have a lot of one day domestic cricket either.Obviously it’s not like ODI cricket is a foreign concept; they’re not like aliens trying to learn a new game. And a lot of their T20 strengths are now part of ODI cricket. But twice in this tournament, not changing the way they have batted for the conditions, or state of the game, has cost them. Against Australia they turned a near run-a-ball chase into a solid loss by over-attacking. And here they made a weak total on a pitch where Chris Woakes batted at three and made 40. They didn’t even get much of a bat against Pakistan; so the two times they have batted this tournament, they’ve failed.At six today was Andre Russell. Expecting him to look for twos when he’s borrowed his gran’s knees seems like a stretch. But also hoping for him to become a batsman when he has spent his entire life being a hitter is asking a lot. Not that he is in this side for plucky rearguard innings when the top order have failed either. He is made for T20 and death hitting.And in reality, this team is the same.The talent is there, but while they have the team to score 400, they might also not be for all conditions. If you look at their results, one win, one draw and two losses, you’d have to wonder if they are the right team for this tournament.Holder said, “There’s still a lot of cricket left to be played in this tournament”. But if they keep playing like today, it’ll be over sooner than they want.

ESPNcricinfo’s reporters pick the moments they remember from an action-packed Week 5 at the World Cup

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Jul-2019Getty Images

Favourite performance

Jonny Bairstow is an extraordinary, complex character – the only man alive who is capable of picking a fight with a shadow and winning it. So when he went to war with England’s “haters” on the eve of England’s must-win contest with India and found himself embroiled in a slanging match with Michael Vaughan as a result, you somehow knew what was coming next. A furious, yet intelligent, flush-faced hundred put the match out of India’s reach and stuck a metaphorical middle finger up at anyone who cared to take offence.
– Andrew MillerImad Wasim. An unfairly maligned cricketer – even his prime minister hates him – showed his worth with an innings of composure against Afghanistan.
– Karthik KrishnaswamyJonny Bairstow against India, especially the way he demolished Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav, the “pillars” of Indian bowling according to Virat Kohli. Having picked the brains of VVS Laxman at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, where he played for the first time, Bairstow dominated the spinners, and his success was based as much on power as intelligence, as he kept punishing the spinners to the shorter 59-metre boundary.
– Nagraj GollapudiImad Wasim’s innings v Afghanistan.
– Mohammad IsamJonny Bairstow dispelling the angst of a tetchy week with his maiden World Cup hundred was hugely impressive, as was Avishka Fernando’s innings against West Indies, adding a bit of batting sparkle to Sri Lanka’s surprisingly productive tournament.
– Alan GardnerAFP

Wow moment

Mohammed Shami to Shai Hope. A 24-carat wowzer of precision and beauty causing breathlessness. Seam up, cutting in through the gate clipping the top of off. En garde, ye batsmen, said Shami, this is what I can do. It was in only his second World Cup match. There will be more where that came from.
– Sharda UgraMiller: In a World Cup studded with stunning takes, Martin Guptill staked a claim for a podium place with a breathlessly brilliant one-handed catch at leg gully off Steven Smith. He was a mere 17 metres from the bat, yet launched himself high to his left to cling onto a stinging pull. Okay, he’d dropped two catches already, but fortunately Guptill didn’t have time to think about this one.Gardner: Virat Kohli missing out on a hundred yet again. England were ruing having dropped Rohit Sharma on 4 as India built steadily in their chase at Edgbaston, only for Kohli to throw them a bone when supremely well set by steering an innocuous Liam Plunkett delivery to backward point.Krishnaswamy: A great shot for three, from KL Rahul. A back-of-a-length ball from Mashrafe Mortaza, delivered at an annoying angle and rising to an annoying height, cramping him for room on the back foot. But he times the turn of his wrists perfectly, and the ball runs away between mid-on and midwicket, and it would have been four if it hadn’t been hit towards one of the longer boundaries at Edgbaston.Gollapudi: Mohammed Shami uprooting Shai Hope’s off stump with a nip backer. Describing the ball, Shami had a sweet smile, saying line and length are his strengths. The ball was seaming and cutting, and with variable bounce, he just needed to land it on the right spot. He did that on a straight seam. Hope lunged to play a drive, the ball cut through late, piercing that narrow divide between bat and pad to hit off stump. For one second you thought there was an inside edge, but it was clean bowled.Getty Images

Best contest

Gardner: England’s battle to get Jasprit Bumrah away in the last ten overs. Like trying to land a punch on a ghost.Ugra: Sri Lanka v West Indies because to use that unhumblebrag observation, ‘I wuz there.’ To watch the crowds stream in (we’ve sold kidneys months ago to buy the bloody tickets, let’s go) on a Monday morning for the first official dead rubber in CWC2019 between the two flakiest sides in the competition. By the end of the afternoon, the band was in full voice, Rihanna was in the house, and the West Indies nearly broke the record for the highest World Cup chase. The match could be the making of Nicholas Pooran. As the great Ian Bishop would say, ‘Remember the name.’Miller: When Pakistan are in one of those moods… cuffing at all comers like cornered tigers and playing with the purpose that comes when they feel the world is against them, Afghanistan are surely the last opponents they’d choose to face. A side that uses that exact same mindset to get the better of supposedly better prepared opponents, and with whom there is clearly no love lost, to judge by the mood in the stands. The obligation to play as favourites almost overwhelmed Pakistan, but that it didn’t quite, set the stage for an utter humdinger.Isam: Kohli v Jason HolderKrishnaswamy: Sri Lanka-West Indies. The deadest rubber, but who cares: this was a contest that showed context isn’t everything. If you love cricket, you shouldn’t need external reasons to watch it or enjoy it. It wouldn’t have “mattered” if Sri Lanka won or lost, but Angelo Mathews cared enough to risk life and limb and trundle in to bowl.Getty Images

Gripping phase of play

Gollapudi: Rishabh Pant hitting three successive fours in the over after Mustafizur Rahman had picked two wickets in three balls. Talk about snatching momentum.Krishnaswamy: Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli trusting their ability and just hanging in there against England, even while being frustrated by a sluggish pitch and disciplined bowling, knowing they could catch up later and keep India in the game.Miller: It left every England fan sick with worry, but there was something supreme about the middle overs of India’s run-chase at Edgbaston – a tournament on the line, nerves as taut as a high wire, two all-time great ODI batsmen in Rohit and Kohli pacing India’s response. England were obliged to beat the best to get their tournament back on track, and with gritted teeth and focused minds, they did so.Isam: Shakib Al Hasan bowling from the end with the shorter boundary against India at Edgbaston and conceding 41 off 10 overs. Gardner: The final stages of Pakistan’s chase against Afghanistan were stretched tight with nerves, Asghar Afghan’s failure to locate a miscue from Imad Wasim was the decisive moment.Getty Images

Surprise

Ugra: That Fabian Allen can bat. Again, the Chester-le-Street dead rubber full of incident. When Allen turned up and began burning up a supposedly imposing and unreachable target (for West Indian batting anyway), a Sri Lankan journalist walked past Andrew Fidel Fernando and me muttering darkly, “Bowler. That’s what Cricinfo player profile says he is – a bowler.”Isam: MS Dhoni v England.Krishnaswamy: New Zealand fading so much after their unbeaten start and ending up as the team everyone wants to meet in the semi-finals.Gollapudi: Virat Kohli failing to convert a solid start into a century against England. The king of chases has failed to make a ton in seven innings at this World Cup.Miller: The speed with which the pitch at Chester-le-Street, for the England-New Zealand game, suddenly gave up the ghost and became a claggy graveyard for strokemakers. From 190 for 1 in the 30th over, England lost 111 for 7 in their next 20 to give New Zealand an apparent glimmer. And yet, in scenes that might have constituted a surprise earlier in the tournament, England resisted the urge to hit their way out of trouble, choosing instead to bat through the overs and trust that New Zealand would find it just as hard.Gardner: New Zealand’s sudden dip in form – the tournament was set up nicely for them but three bad performances in a row does not augur well for their (likely) semi-final.Getty Images

Tactical masterstroke

Ugra: Angelo. Superman. Mathews. Telling his captain, let me handle this. Bowling his first ball in months. Months. Months. Taking the one wicket Sri Lanka needed to prevent egg-on-face, apocalypse-around-the-corner defeat. This was muscle memory showing off its stuff. This was ball of the century material, not the boring preparation, nets, training, overs upon overs. One ball in months gets the wicket it wants. Game over.Gardner: Angelo Mathews putting his hand up to bowl the 48th over against West Indies, before floating up an old-school sucker ball to Nicholas Pooran. Genius.Miller: Does it even count as a tactic if it has clearly been conjured up on the hoof, in a moment of “what could possibly go wrong” caution-to-the-wind flinging? Angelo Mathews hadn’t bowled a single over in ODIs since December 2017 – and not even turned his arm over in the nets for eight months. But there was nothing wrong with his muscle memory when, with a rampant Nicholas Pooran in his sights and a match to be won and lost, he ambled up for his first delivery in yonks and bagged the scalp that sealed the match.Krishnaswamy: England’s death bowling to India at Edgbaston. After Hardik Pandya tore into Chris Woakes for one over, they didn’t make a single mistake – setting their fields perfectly, bowling the perfect lines and lengths, never letting India attack the short boundary.Gollapudi: Shami exposing Eoin Morgan’s weakness against the short ball by pitching straight up a screaming, climbing short-pitched delivery, which the England captain played awkwardly to be caught easily.Getty Images

Facepalm moment

Gardner: Dhoni dying a slow death against England. His approach was almost as baffling as the idea India needed to protect their net run-rate with games against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to come.Miller: Gulbadin Naib’s crazy self-confidence in the crunch moment of Pakistan’s run-chase at Headingley. In a contest in which his spinners had gone at less than a run an over, and with 46 runs still needed from 30 balls, Afghanistan’s captain somehow thought his soft-focus seamers would be the means to close out the game. As ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball commentary noted: “Gulbadin decides to bowl. Don’t think that’s the wisest thing. He has spin options. One expensive over and Pakistan will have this.” Eighteen game-seizing runs later, the match had swung decisively.Gollapudi: Skirmishes in the stands between fans during the Afghanistan-Pakistan contest.Ugra: Not a good week for Shai Hope. The Dhoni stumping miss, with aeons of time to make up for the first fumble. With the batsman so far down the track that he could have been stumped twice. Had Dhoni been keeping, he would have had a cuppatea before stumping himself. Twice. That kind of time. That degree of facepalm.Krishnaswamy: Ross Taylor knowing he shouldn’t be running that second run against England, but he’s started running and can’t stop, so he keeps running, knowing what’s about to happen.

In the right corner, a team that meticulously plans and steadily impresses. In the left, one with raging mood swings and an inclination to blow one’s mind. Welcome to Sri Lanka v New Zealand

The preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Aug-2019Some teams are chartable. They are open to analysis. The spreadsheets make sense. The planning leads somewhere. Gains are built upon. Weaknesses are minimised. They may retain the capacity to surprise, but they are not, at their core, out to shock.New Zealand is one of these. They’ve arrived in Sri Lanka with a plan. Having studied England’s 3-0 Test series victory on the island last year, New Zealand have picked a squad that could push as many as three frontline fingerspinners into the playing XI in Galle. They also have a recent record that suggests they are one of the more reliable non-Asian teams in Asia, having defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the UAE last year, as well as having drawn a Test series in Sri Lanka on their most-recent visit, in 2012. There is plenty of experience in their batting order. And both Tim Southee and Trent Boult have delivered outstanding Test spells on the island.Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are an acid trip in cricketing form. Incremental progress? Ha ha. What is that? Consistent selection? Get out of here with that nonsense. They are either a garbage heap festering away in the afternoon sun, as was the case on their Test tour of Australia earlier this year when they were smashed 2-0, and sacked and dropped their captain, and lost their entire fast-bowling attack to injury. Or they are a rapturous weeks-long party, as was the case in South Africa just after, when one of their most unreliable batsmen produced possibly the greatest Test innings of all time, before they went on to become the first Asian team to clinch a Test series in South Africa, whilst their coach was looking over his back wondering whether he was himself going to be fired, and a new captain was handed what had seemed to be the most abject of losing hands.While Sri Lanka Cricket is now trying to find the legal means to rid itself of that coach – yes, the one who presided over one of their greatest series wins of all time in their most-recent Test outing – New Zealand have a coach in Gary Stead who has come up through their domestic system, has helped develop outstanding talent in Canterbury, and has begun to prove a worthy successor to Mike Hesson – another coach whose domestic experience in New Zealand proved valuable in his record-breaking run at the helm. Hathurusingha’s Sri Lankan-ness, meanwhile, has essentially now become a stick to beat him with, as the Sri Lanka sports minister and board officials round on him for the size of his salary, which is an indignity no foreign coach had ever been subjected to.Getty ImagesOn the captaincy front, Sri Lanka and New Zealand could in some ways be no further apart. Kane Williamson was groomed for leadership for years, and has been the unquestioned leader of the side since Brendon McCullum’s retirement in early 2016. Dimuth Karunaratne, however, has been catapulted into the leadership of the Test team, rocket-launched into the ODI captaincy despite not having played ODIs for four years leading up to May 2019, and so far has done a decent enough job on both fronts to retain the mantle. Sri Lanka’s is a captain who will understand that he could be disposed of as soon – and rapidly – as he arrived. In September last year, Angelo Mathews was ditched as ODI captain, then dumped from the team entirely. In February this year, Test captain Dinesh Chandimal suffered a near-identical fate.To even label New Zealand the straight man and Sri Lanka the joker is to do injustice to Sri Lanka’s raging mood swings. If these two sides were a comedic double act, Sri Lanka would dazzle on some evenings, the audience in stitches, tears spilling down their cheeks. On other nights, Sri Lanka would be in full-scale meltdown, setting the venue ablaze, sending paying customers to fiery graves. For this series, among their two best spinners (the players who will most define Tests in Sri Lanka) is an offspinner (Akila Dananjaya) who also bowls legbreaks and googlies, but over whom a cloud hangs right now because he’s just come back from an elbow-flexion related suspension. The other is a left-arm spinner (Lasith Embuldeniya) who has played all of two Tests, and only bowled nine overs in one of those before he fractured a finger and played no part in the remainder of that game.As both teams prepare for this series, they can be sure that the pitch in Galle will take substantial turn, and that the surface at the P Sara Oval for the second Test will give the seamers more bounce than virtually any other South Asian pitch. Beyond that, there is nothing about Sri Lanka’s cricket right now that can be seriously analysed or prophesised about.New Zealand are professional. They adapt better than arguably any team going around. Sri Lanka, meanwhile, are playing under an interim coach for the umpteenth time this decade. So, who can actually bloody work out what they will be like? It hurts your head to even try.

The last five years or so have been a roller coaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

Since Daniel Levy and Co decided to sack Mauricio Pochettino, the club haven’t been able to find another manager who’s been able to truly deliver.

For example, Ange Postecoglou delivered entertaining football but has made them incredibly easy to play against, while Antonio Conte and José Mourinho turned a club famous for their attacking philosophy into one of the country’s most boring teams to watch.

Yet, the least successful of the lot was Nuno Espírito Santo, who wasn’t even given half a season in the dugout but still managed to bring in a couple of good signings, including one now compared to a Premier League superstar.

Nuno's Spurs signings

So, before we get to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other players Nuno bought in during his time in the Spurs hot seat, starting with one that did not work out: Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian full-back joined the North Londoners from Barcelona in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £26m – a fee that reportedly stunned the Catalan board at the time, which perhaps makes how things panned out not that surprising.

In all, the São Paulo-born flop made 101 appearances for the club, in which he scored four goals, provided two assists and was often labelled a “liability” by those in the media like Jamie O’Hara, before being sold to AC Milan for about £13m in the summer of 2024.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

An altogether more successful acquisition made under Nuno’s watch was that of Cristian Romero, who joined the club on a loan with a £46.7m option to buy in early August 2021.

Since then, he has been one of the club’s co-vice captains and made 117 appearances, scoring seven goals and providing one assist.

However, he’s not been the only success story from that summer, as another of Nuno’s limited signings is now a key member of the squad and has even been compared to one of the biggest stars in the Premier League, who is worth around £101m.

Spurs' £101m superstar in the making

Given Nuno’s limited time at Spurs, only one other signing was made under him that could be described as a success: Pape Matar Sarr.

The North Londoners paid Ligue 1 side FC Metz about £15m for the midfield “monster,” as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, in the summer of 2021, and it would be fair to say he has since more than proved worth that initial investment.

For example, he’s already made 93 first-team appearances, scoring nine goals and providing six assists, which is seriously impressive for a 22-year-old central midfielder.

On top of this, he’s also been compared to Declan Rice, and while the Spurs faithful don’t like him, it’s a pretty flattering and encouraging comparison, one that stems from Fbref.

They compared players in similar positions in last season’s Premier League and concluded that the Englishman was the second most similar midfielder to the Senegalese ace in the entire competition.

The best way to see how this conclusion was reached is by looking at the underlying numbers in which they ranked closely, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, passes into the penalty area, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

However, while being statistically similar to one of the division’s leading midfielders is great in and of itself, it’s also encouraging regarding the Lilywhites ace’s future valuation.

For example, Transfermarkt currently values the Arsenal star at a whopping €110m, which, when converted, comes out to £101m, and if Sarr is so similar to him, why couldn’t his price tag reach the same heights in the future?

Ultimately, while he’s not quite on the level of the Englishman just yet, the talent is undeniably there, and with the right coaching, the sky’s the limit.

Spurs plotting £60m summer deal for "sensational" Van de Ven upgrade

Spurs could be about to land a star who’d massively bolster the defensive department.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 6, 2025

BlueCo have now decided to make one “special” ace a Chelsea player next season, with the club already triggering a clause in his contract.

Chelsea set for tough Champions League run as race heats up

Just four points separate seventh from third in the Premier League table, so Enzo Maresca’s side are involved in a tense battle to qualify for Europe’s most prestigious competition alongside Aston Villa, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest and Man City.

Chelsea hold internal talks over re-signing star who Mourinho sold for £17m

The ‘special one’ elected to part company.

3

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 23, 2025

Chelsea scraped the west London derby bragging rights at Fulham by the skin of their teeth on Easter Sunday, courtesy of a dramatic 93rd-minute strike from Pedro Neto, and their remaining fixtures are far from straight forward.

After hosting David Moyes’ rejuvenated Everton on Saturday, Chelsea face off against Liverpool, Newcastle and Man United in the space of a fortnight – with these crucial clashes set to make or break Maresca’s first season in charge as they also try to win the Europa Conference League.

Speaking to Premier League productions this week, pundit Alan Shearer sent a warning to Chelsea, claiming Maresca, without doubt, has the hardest run of games out of any Champions League qualification contending side.

“Looking at the fixtures, there’s no doubt in my mind that Chelsea have the toughest run-in,” said Shearer (via The Mirror).

“The league might be done for Liverpool. Obviously, Newcastle is a huge one. And that last game against Nottingham Forest, they could be playing for everything, who gets a Champions League place. So that for me is the toughest run-in.”

This set of fixtures has also been tipped to serve as an audition for £100,000-per-week winger Jadon Sancho, who is currently at Stamford Bridge on loan with an obligation to buy from Man United.

While Sancho’s stay is obligatory on paper, reports in the last few months have claimed that Chelsea can cancel the move by paying a penalty fee of £5 million.

Sancho is said to have already agreed terms on a permanent Chelsea move, but it appears the club do have an option not to make his stay indefinite.

Chelsea decide to keep Jadon Sancho after clause triggered

The £25 million obligation is dependent on Maresca’s side finishing above 15th, which is now mathematically guaranteed, and the clause has been triggered as a result.

That is according to CaughtOffside, who also share an update on Chelsea’s stance about using the £5 million fee to get out of buying the 25-year-old.

The outlet claims that Chelsea have decided to keep Sancho at Stamford Bridge next season, and have no plans to pay the penalty, as his form has improved in recent weeks and those within the club view him as a “smart investment”.

Blues insiders also think the £25 million will prove great value for money, and if they do decide to sell the Englishman in future, Sancho could end up being worth more than that.

Chelsea are “happy” to pay the full amount for Sancho, following Maresca’s claim that the ex-Borussia Dortmund starlet is a “special” player.

“As I’ve said before, for sure he is going to help us. We really believe that he is a special player,” said Maresca about Sancho.

“But the only way for him to confirm that is by working hard every day and never be happy and always be ambitious.”

Aston Villa have now held “exploratory talks” over a move for an “unbelievable” striker with a £64m release clause, according to Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol.

Villa set to bolster their attacking options

The summer transfer window is edging ever closer, and it is becoming apparent that Villa are keen to bolster their forward options, with a new attacking midfielder clearly of particular interest.

Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan is the main subject of the Villans’ desires, with sporting director Monchi recently travelling to Norway for talks over a deal, while they have also joined the race for Athletic Bilbao star Oihan Sacet, as Unai Emery is a big fan.

Not only is signing a new attacking midfielder on the agenda, but there may also be a desire to bring in a new striker, given that Emery is yet to replace Jhon Duran, who moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr near the end of the January transfer window.

He could be Tielemans 2.0: Aston Villa ready move for £50m "wizard"

Aston Villa are already thinking ahead to next season

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 21, 2025

Aston Villa are now stepping up their pursuit of a striker, having made contact over deals for multiple targets, including Fiorentina’s Moise Kean, submitting an enquiry over the possibility of signing the Italian forward earlier this month.

There has now been a new update on Villa’s striker pursuit from Solhekol, who took to X to say: “Four Premier League clubs, as well as Manchester United, want to sign Matheus Cunha this summer. Arsenal and Aston Villa are among the clubs who have held exploratory talks about signing him this year. Saudi Pro League clubs are now willing to trigger his £64m release clause.”

Emery’s side are making moves to sign Cunha, but there is a feeling that Manchester United could be best-placed to win the race for his signature, as the Brazilian is not put off by their current league position and “loves” the club.

"Unbelievable" Cunha could be top signing for Villa

Marcus Rashford has been given the nod at striker in recent weeks, bagging from the penalty spot in the 2-1 defeat at Manchester City last time out, but there is no guarantee the Manchester United loanee remains at Villa Park beyond the summer.

As such, Emery may be tasked with bringing in a new striker, and the Wolves star could be a top signing, having displayed his goalscoring abilities by netting 14 Premier League goals this season.

Given the level of the Brazil international’s performances, he was lauded as “unbelievable” by teammate Mario Lemina earlier this season, and at 25-years-old he is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park.

There may be a temptation to keep hold of Rashford this summer, but with Barcelona now interested in the England international, it could be difficult for Aston Villa to orchestrate a deal, and Cunha could be a fantastic alternative option.

Newcastle United are now showing strong interest in signing a Premier League player who Eddie Howe called “magnificent”, according to a report.

Magpies pushing for the Champions League

Newcastle are in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, while also ending their 70-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup earlier this season, which should make St. James’ Park an attractive destination for new signings this summer.

Howe’s side have performed very well, but the manager is looking to upgrade his squad in several areas this summer, including in midfield, having now joined the race for Manchester City’s James McAtee, who could be available for a fee of just £26m.

There is also a desire to strengthen in forward areas, with Ademola Lookman on the shortlist, while Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi could be brought in to bolster Howe’s centre-back options, having been keen on the Englishman for quite some time.

In-demand player would rather join Newcastle despite offer from Barcelona

The Magpies could land his signature…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 4, 2025

Another area in which Newcastle could look to strengthen is between the sticks, with Nick Pope now arguably in the twilight years of his career at 33-years-old, and they have their eye on an option from within the Premier League.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Newcastle are showing strong interest in signing Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who is in line to leave the Saints after their relegation to the Championship.

Ramsdale will be able to leave for just £25m following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and the goalkeeper is eager to remain in the Premier League, with West Ham United believed to be leading the race for his signature.

Pope’s injury setbacks mean the Magpies are looking to bring in a goalkeeper capable of competing for a starting spot, and the Southampton shot-stopper fits the bill, although the requirement to abide by financial fair play rules could hinder their chances of getting a deal over the line.

Ramsdale could be "magnificent" signing for Newcastle

The Saints have endured a torrid campaign in the Premier League, collecting just 11 points all season, but it is difficult to be too critical of their goalkeeper, given that he is ranked as the best-performing player in the squad.

Howe has also been left seriously impressed by the Englishman in the past, describing him as “magnificent” during their time working together at AFC Bournemouth.

Not only that, but the 26-year-old caught the eye during his time with Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta singling him out for praise after an impressive performance at Anfield, describing his goalkeeper as “fantastic”.

Pope has been a fantastic servant to Newcastle, but with the Englishman now in the latter stages of his career and out of contract in 2026, a long-term replacement could be required, and there are plenty of signs that Ramsdale may well be a solid option.

After claiming the Premier League title in his first season in charge, Arne Slot arguably faces his toughest test yet as Liverpool manager during the upcoming transfer window.

The Dutchman won the league with multiple games to spare, losing just three matches in the top flight to date – offering a seamless transition after taking the reins from Jürgen Klopp last summer.

However, despite the Reds’ success, key additions are needed in multiple areas of the first-team squad to help bolster the ranks and increase their chances of retaining their title in 2025/26.

It remains to be seen how much money will be handed his way by the club’s hierarchy, with countless names already touted with a move to Anfield in the coming months.

The foundations have already been laid for multiple transfers, with it only a matter of time before the manager lands his first summer addition on Merseyside.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new signings this summer

Defenders have been high up on the club’s shortlist as of late, with Milos Kerkez one of the many players on their list over the last couple of weeks – emerging at the very top if recent reports are to be believed.

It was confirmed earlier this week that the Hungarian was ‘likely’ to make the switch to the club, with Bournemouth demanding a £40m transfer fee to part ways with their left-back.

However, interest has also been shown in players on the opposite side of the pitch, with the club making a move for Monaco right-back Vanderson, according to GOAL.

The report states that the Reds have enquired to sign the Brazilian this summer, with the Ligue 1 outfit demanding a fee in the region of £25m to offload the 23-year-old star.

It also confirms that the staff behind the scenes hold the youngster in high regard, potentially being the perfect replacement for outgoing defender Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Why Liverpool’s £25m target is the perfect Frimpong alternative

Bayer Leverkusen full-back Jeremie Frimpong has emerged as Liverpool’s main target in such an area in recent times, undoubtedly being many supporters’ first choice this summer.

It has been reported in recent days that the Reds have already been plotting a move for the Dutch star, willing to pay his release clause, which is around the £35m mark.

The 24-year-old has been in stellar form in the Bundesliga over the last few months, registering four goals and five assists, helping the club once again secure a Champions League spot.

However, if they are unable to complete a deal for the Dutchman, they should pursue a move for Vanderson, with the Monaco star a superb option for the club going forward.

When comparing his stats to those of Frimpong, the Brazilian has outperformed him in numerous key areas, with his £25m asking price a potential bargain for Slot’s side.

The right-back, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one scout, has registered more progressive passes and completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted – highlighting the impressive nature he possesses with the ball at his feet.

He’s also won more tackles per 90 and made more interceptions per 90 – handing Slot with an added defensive option, but also a key star in attacking areas.

His talents don’t stop there, registering more shot-creating actions and winning more aerials than Frimpong – having the tools to be an excellent option should the club pursue a move for his signature.

£25m for such a player would be an absolute bargain in today’s market, offering a cheaper and possibly a better option than the Leverkusen star in their hunt to replace Alexander-Arnold.

It’s a huge task to replace such a player in the coming months, but Vanderson has showcased that he’s more than capable of filling the void – with Slot needing to make the Brazilian his main target.

Shades of Firmino: Liverpool lining up move for "sensational" PL talisman

Liverpool could be about to pursue a deal for a star who could become Arne Slot’s own Roberto Firmino.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 10, 2025

Throughout the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, Arne Slot has utilised a strong core of players to help his Liverpool side claim the Premier League title.

The Reds have to ensure that work is done over the summer to bolster the squad and ensure that he has enough depth to mount another charge for top spot.

It was unthinkable that the Dutchman would be able to achieve such a feat during his debut campaign at the helm, especially after taking over from fan favourite Jürgen Klopp.

However, next season presents a whole new prospect, going from the hunters to the hunted, with the former Feyenoord boss setting the bar as to what’s expected during his spell in charge.

With the transfer window now just around the corner, work has already commenced behind the scenes to hand the manager the best chance of retaining their crown.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new talent this summer

Left-back Milos Kerkez has been on their radar over the last couple of months, with the Hungarian enjoying a season to remember in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

It’s been confirmed in recent days that talks are progressing for the 21-year-old star who could be available for around the £45m mark during the off-season.

However, the defender isn’t the only player in England’s top-flight that’s caught the hierarchy’s attention, with Brighton’s Joao Pedro a target, according to Ben Jacobs.

The journalist confirmed that the Reds are big admirers of the 23-year-old forward after notching ten goals and six assists in just 27 games for the Seagulls.

He also stated that the Brazilian is seen as a potential replacement for Darwin Núñez, who’s been linked with a move away from Anfield, but any transfer could set them back around £60m.

Why Liverpool’s £60m target could be Slot’s next Mac Allister

Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has been a key component to Liverpool’s success this campaign, cementing his place at the heart of the side alongside Ryan Gravenberch.

The Argentinian international has featured in 35 of the 37 league outings to date, having a huge impact in attacking areas – as seen by his tally of five goals and five assists.

However, he’s also starred without the ball, winning 61% of the tackles he’s entered, along with 5.9 duels won per 90 – offering Slot the perfect box-to-box option in his midfield.

Such performances have led to calls for him to be included in the division’s Team of the Season, highlighting the impact he’s had in the Reds’ title triumph.

His £35m deal from Brighton in the summer of 2023 now appears to be a bargain, with Slot having the opportunity to replicate such a deal with Pedro this summer.

The Brazilian, who’s been labelled “ridiculous” by one analyst, has been a key reason in the success endured under Fabian Hürzeler this campaign, able to transfer such a skillset to Anfield.

His underlying stats highlight how impressive he’s been at the AMEX, registering 2.2 shots per 90, with one of which per game directed on target – handing the manager the added attacking presence he desires.

The Brazilian also managed to complete 75% of the passes he’s attempted, along with 1.4 chances created per 90, offering other attacking players around him the chance to thrive.

Pedro’s talents don’t stop there, completing 1.4 dribbles per 90 and winning 1.9 aerial duels per 90, with his all-round talents aiding the club in their quest to retain the title in 2025/26.

£60m may seem a hefty fee for the striker, but he’s already showcased that he’s capable of being a success in the Premier League – subsequently not needing to adapt to the demands it presents.

Should he get close to the levels produced by Mac Allister on Merseyside in recent months, it would be yet another super deal and one that could be a key factor in any future success.

Slot's own Firmino: Liverpool in talks for "monster" £84m Isak alternative

Liverpool could land a star who could replicate the talents of Roberto Firmino at Anfield.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 21, 2025