All posts by n8rngtd.top

The Todd Boehly regime has been littered with high-profile signings and marquee additions, but are Chelsea actually any closer to competing once again at the top of the domestic and European game?

The wait goes on for silverware to be claimed in the new Clearlake era, with the Blues’ only hope this season now resting in Conference League success, having gone two years without tasting Champions League football.

Even amid the at-times chaotic nature of the Roman Abramovich days, the west London side still remained a real force both in the Premier League and on the continent, a fact epitomised by their two Champions League triumphs.

In 2020/21, for instance, Thomas Tuchel – who only replaced Frank Lampard in January 2021 – steered the club to European glory just six months into his spell at Stamford Bridge. Less than a decade earlier, interim boss Roberto Di Matteo had achieved the same feat, at the end of another chaotic campaign for the club.

A central figure in that glorious 2012 triumph was, of course, Juan Mata, with the Spaniard having made an instant impact following his arrival from Valencia a year earlier.

How Juan Mata compares to Cole Palmer

Signed from Valencia on a £23.5m deal in August 2011, the diminutive playmaker was an integral part of Chelsea’s success that season, having chalked up a remarkable tally of 32 goals and assists in all competitions during his debut campaign.

Perhaps the key contribution that the then 23-year-old made that season was whipping in the corner which led to Didier Drogba’s crucial bullet header late in normal time, with that marking the 20th and final assist of the campaign for Mata.

A stunning first year at Chelsea was followed by an even more impactful second season in 2012/13, with the silky star registering a mammoth total of 50 goal involvements in 60 games in all competitions.

To put that into context, not even man of the moment, Cole Palmer, has hit such heights as yet, with the Englishman having reached 40 goals and assists last term, following his £40m switch from Manchester City.

As for the current campaign, the Englishman has slowed down after a dazzling start, with ‘just’ 14 goals and six assists to his name thus far, with the 22-year-old having failed to score since mid-January.

Palmer vs Mata – first season at Chelsea
Competition	Mata (2011/12)	Palmer (2023/24)
Premier League	19 G/A	33 G/A
FA Cup	8 G/A	3 G/A
EFL Cup	0	4 G/A
Champions League	5 G/A	N/A
Total	32 G/A	40 G/A
	Stats via Transfermarkt

In all, Palmer has registered 60 goal involvements in his first 78 games for the club, while Mata, meanwhile, registered 82 goal contributions across his first two campaigns at the club – albeit with that coming from 114 games.

As a creative left-footer with an eye for goal, Palmer – who has also showcased a similar free-kick prowess – has certainly shown shades of Mata to date, although Boehly and co might well be brewing another version of the now veteran Spaniard.

Chelsea's next Juan Mata

The common theme of the Boehly era has been the desire to scour the globe for the next big thing, a fact epitomised only recently with the surprise signing of reported Manchester United target, Geovany Quenda, from Sporting CP.

The £40m teenager will have to wait to feature for the Blues, however, as he is set to spend the 2025/26 campaign back in Lisbon, ahead of linking up with Enzo Maresca’s side next summer.

In the meantime, Chelsea’s squad will be bolstered by the belated arrivals of two other teenage talents in the form of Estevao Willian and Kendry Paez, with the pair set to join from Palmeiras and Independiente del Valle, respectively.

It is the latter man who perhaps could emerge as the second coming of Mata for the Blues, either in a central role or on the flanks, with the Ecuadorian sensation also a creative, “left-footed magician”, in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson.

Also described as “one of the most exciting talents in world football” by Jacek Kulig, Kendry – who turns 18 in May – has already caught the eye at senior level despite his youth, scoring and assisting 19 times in 70 games in his homeland.

Much like Mata – who is only 5 foot 7 – the 5 foot 9 sensation is small and slight in stature, but makes up for that with his creative spark and ability to “play a killer pass”, in the words of Mattinson, with it already looking like the Blues have a real gem on their hands.

Also capable of operating all across the midfield, much like Mata, the 17-year-old has also already made 17 senior appearances for his country, scoring twice, with that seemingly further evidence of just what a high-potential star he truly is.

In The Pipeline

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

Perhaps, while it is still early days, Kendry can emulate the likes of Mata in helping to steer the Stamford Bridge side to Champions League glory in the coming years.

Best signing since Hazard & Kante: Boehly struck gold on Chelsea's "genius"

Chelsea struck gold signing this “world-class” ace who’s their best signing since Hazard & Kante

By
Connor Holden

Mar 22, 2025

Sunrisers had 300 within their sights at the start but even 266 proved to be too big for Capitals

Karthik Krishnaswamy20-Apr-20241:56

What has given the Sunrisers batters so much freedom?

It would have been the highest total in the history of the IPL if it had happened last season, but on Saturday night in Delhi, 266 for 7 almost felt anticlimactic. That’s how far Sunrisers Hyderabad have moved the window of batting possibilities this season. It was the fourth-highest total in IPL history, but it was only the third-highest total achieved by Sunrisers in IPL 2024.At one point it had felt like they could have finished with so much more, with 300 looking like a frighteningly realistic prospect. Sunrisers had gone where no team in any competition had ever gone before in a T20 powerplay, with Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma raising a hair-raising six-over score of 125 for no loss. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, fortified by the relaxation of field restrictions, brought Sunrisers’ innings back to the earthly realm thereafter, but that awe-inspiring beginning would remain the defining passage of the match.Related

• When Head and Abhishek caused carnage at Kotla

• 125 in 6 overs: Head and Sunrisers shatter T20 powerplay records

• When Head stopped worrying and turned a corner

Delhi Capitals began their reply by racing to the joint second-highest powerplay score of IPL 2024, but it was 88 for 2. Jake Fraser-McGurk bettered Head’s 16-ball effort by one ball to bring up the season’s quickest half-century, but his dismissal in the seventh over effectively ended the contest. Capitals had suggested they might run Sunrisers close when they began their chase, but they slumped badly through its back half, against some excellent defensive bowling led by T Natarajan. In the end they were bowled out for a symbolic 199, with Rishabh Pant struggling for fluency before he was last man out for 44 off 35 balls.

A powerplay from another planet

The first over of the match went for 19, and ended up being the lowest-scoring over of Sunrisers’ powerplay.Head was batting on 84 off 26 balls at the six-over mark, and his opening partner was scoring significantly quicker than him: Abhishek was batting on 40 off 10 at that point.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The hitting was a relentless blur, and no line, length or style of bowling seemed to have any power to stop it. So true was the pitch at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, which was hosting its first game of the season, and so single-minded the two openers in their desire to hit every possible ball to the boundary. Of the 36 balls bowled in the powerplay – Capitals could have given themselves an ironic pat on the back for bowling no wides or no-balls in that time – 13 went for four and 11 for six.

Kuldeep, Axar intervene

Abhishek hit the first non-powerplay ball of the match for six too, stepping out to Kuldeep and going through his shot despite not reaching the pitch of the ball. This had happened in the fifth over too, off the same bowler, and it seemed to reiterate to Capitals’ bowlers that they were on a hiding to nothing.But sometimes a wicket can come out of nowhere, especially if the batters are going after everything, and this is what happened off the next ball, as a diving Axar intercepted an uppish drive at cover.Aiden Markram came in at No. 3 ahead of Heinrich Klaasen – who is more noted as a spin-hitter – and fell in the same over, slapping a not particularly good ball from Kuldeep – shortish and wide – straight to cover. But sometimes, even an ordinary ball from a wristspinner can behave oddly, sticking in the pitch slightly longer, or bouncing a little more than expected.Kuldeep’s value came to the fore again in his next over – after Klaasen hit him for a pair of sixes – when Head failed to get hold of a ball that wasn’t quite short enough to pull. He had put that length away easily in the powerplay, but there was a man back at long-on now and he was out for 89 off 32.Klaasen is a master at pulling not-quite-pullable lengths against the spinners, but on the day he was done in by an Axar skidder that beat his inside edge to bowl him. Sunrisers were a surreal 154 for 4 in 9.1 overs.

Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shahbaz apply the finish

Given how many runs they already had on the board, and given the time that remained in their innings, Sunrisers’ fifth-wicket pair could afford to bat in a relatively conservative way and make sure that Abdul Samad, a specialist death-overs hitter, wouldn’t be called upon too early. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed did this, putting on 67 off 47 balls.1:48

Moody: No risks in Sunrisers’ game

Shahbaz broke free at the finish, hitting Khaleel Ahmed for two sixes in the 19th over and taking two fours and a six off Mukesh Kumar in the 20th to finish unbeaten on 59 off 29 balls. It was the Bengal allrounder’s first fifty in the IPL.

A chase of two halves starring Fraser-McGurk and Pant

Prithvi Shaw hit Washington Sundar for 4, 4, 4, 4 off the first four balls of the chase in a battle of Impact Players. Then Washington had his revenge, looping up a delivery with plenty of overspin – the kind of ball that’s rarely seen in T20 cricket, but one delivered now with the hope of stemming the run-flow giving way to the desperation of somehow prising out a wicket – and getting him to miscue a lofted hit.That first over set the tone for Capitals’ powerplay. They also lost David Warner early, but they kept going hard, because they had to, and because Fraser-McGurk knows no other way. His smooth, unfettered golfer’s swing was in perfect rhythm on the day, and Washington – handed the unforgiving task of bowling two powerplay overs – was at the receiving end of 4, 4, 6, 4, 6, 6 in the third over. Abishek Porel then carved Pat Cummins through and over the off side with abandon in a 20-run fifth over, and Capitals were somehow keeping themselves in the game.Fraser-McGurk finally mis-hit one in the seventh over, off Mayank Markande, but despite that wicket Capitals’ win probability kept rising, with Porel crunching three fours and a six in the next over off Shahbaz. At that point, ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster gave them a 21.23% chance of victory, astonishing given the target they were chasing.But that was more or less that, as their run-scoring ground to a halt after Markande – who had a similar effect to Kuldeep, conceding runs but inducing just enough false shots with his wristspin – had Porel stumped in the ninth over.Thanks in part to skillful bowling from Natarajan, Cummins and Reddy – they varied their pace nicely while bowling into the pitch, and used the wide line outside off stump effectively to Pant in particular – and in part to the struggle for fluency that Tristan Stubbs and Pant endured on the day, Capitals went nowhere. From the start of the ninth over to the end of their innings, they scored just 68 runs in 67 balls. The match was long over as a contest when Natarajan took out three wickets in the 19th over to finish with figures of 4 for 19.

Darren Stevens is fulfilling a role he might never have envisaged – that of a specialist first-over bowler in Twenty20 – but the tactic has never entirely caught on

Tim Wigmore08-Aug-2017It is Cricket 101: the first over should be bowled by whoever has the most chance of getting a wicket in it. But Twenty20 inverts the sport’s conventions at every turn. And so, rather than starting the innings with a leading bowler, some teams are instead entrusting the opening over to a bowler regarded as the sixth or seventh best in the side, often an offspinner or medium-pacer.In this season’s NatWest T20 Blast, Darren Stevens has opened the bowling five times. His wobbly medium-pace in these overs has conceded, respectively: 6, 6, 6, 4 and 7 – a total of only 29 from 30 balls.And yet, however impressive these figures, on the past four occasions Stevens has not been asked to deliver another over after his frugal first. He has become a curious breed: a specialist opening bowler, excellent in the first over and yet not deemed deserving of overs thereafter.”It’s easier to bowl in the first over as the batsmen are more likely to have a look before they get set and play their shots,” Stevens says. “I am aiming for the top of off stump, trying to get wickets. I want a slip in place because I know I can swing and seam the new ball. I try and hit the seam, going in or away from the batsman which is easier when the ball’s harder and there’s a more pronounced seam.”In the nets Stevens practises specifically with a new white ball to hone his role. While he is bowling at a time of the innings ideally suited to his skills, his captain, Sam Northeast, is getting through the opening over on the cheap with a bowler not normally among his leading five.”That first over is a bit of a sighter almost,” Northeast says. “Stevo’s not someone who a batsman can use pace against to get off to a flyer. You’re going to have to hit Stevo if you want to get boundaries. That’s always a bit of a challenge when two batters are on nought to take a risk.”Even in the new batting age, relatively few are willing to take that risk – or at least seem to struggle to do so successfully – against Stevens or anyone else. Since 2012, the first over of the innings goes for an average of 5.92 across T20 cricket: comfortably the cheapest in the entire innings, even with the benefit of the fielding restrictions.

Kent are fortunate that they can employ as a spare bowler someone who stands top of their Championship averages

Using a bowler like Stevens in the opening over has another advantage. It is the one time in an innings when a bowling side can pre-plan to exploit a particular match-up, knowing that a certain batsman will be in and new to the crease, and they can bowl a type of bowler that he struggles against. “It’s about ‘this is probably the best match-up for this situation and at the same time we’re pinching an over’,” says Tom Moody, director of cricket for the Caribbean Premier League.Stevens concedes runs in the opening over in line with the overall average. But his opening overs are still a significant boon for Northeast, because of the possibilities they open up later in the innings. When he bowls the opening over it means that Kent do not have to bowl all their main five bowlers out, and have flexibility in case one is struggling.Using Stevens to open also saves quick bowlers to bowl at the end of the Powerplay, when batsmen are set and still have the benefits of the fielding restrictions.”Those are the times when the batters are in and they’re trying to get after you,” Northeast says. “Very rarely after that first over do they keep on having sighters.”Since 2012, the fifth and sixth overs of the innings go for 7.93 and 7.96 runs an overs: the highest of the entire innings until the last five, and so they are a time when frontline bowlers are particularly essential.Stevens this summer has shown the peculiar tactic at its best – but it does not always work out so well. Most obviously, there is the chance that the bowler, especially one not as wily as Stevens, could be smashed. Kent are fortunate that they can employ as a spare bowler someone who stands top of their Championship averages with 39 wickets at 18.51 and who has taken 398 first-class wickets in 21 years as a professional.But even if the extra bowler avoids punishment, using this device for the first over still involves a fundamental trade-off: more options for the fielding side later in the innings, at the expense of less likelihood of taking a wicket at the start. Indeed, even Stevens has yet to take a wicket in an opening over this summer.Tom Cooper has had success up front in the Big Bash•Getty ImagesDoes the tactic work? A few seasons ago, several counties slipped in an over of spin at the top of the innings. But it is still surprisingly rare – a non-frontline bowler only bowls the first over around 5% of the time, as per analysis from Joe Harris, of White Ball Analytics. His research shows that the average opening over delivered by a specialist bowler goes for 5.91 runs, and picks up 0.20 wickets.When bowled by a part-timer (identified as one who bowls an average of two overs an innings or fewer), the first over concedes 7.42, for the loss of only 0.13 wickets. Most non-specialists are far less effective than Stevens in bowling those introductory balls.The question is whether this reduced effectiveness in the opening over is worth it to enable increased flexibility. The answer will depend not just on the skill of the sixth bowler, but also upon the opening batsmen. A pair who begin relatively slowly are ideal to bowl a sixth bowler to; those who are particularly adept at attacking from the opening ball are more problematic. Tom Cooper’s part-time offspin was outstanding opening in the last Big Bash League – until he encountered Brendon McCullum, and the first over went for 14.Although the opening over of the innings remains the least expensive in T20, teams are becoming more aware of the need to target it. The run rate in the first over so far this year is 6.51 across all T20 cricket, compared to 5.96 last year. So for non-specialists, even bowling the first over is becoming no barrier to being attacked, especially as pinch-hitters – like Sunil Narine in the IPL, and Lewis Gregory and John Hastings in this year’s Blast – are enjoying a revival in T20.

As in all aspects of T20, perhaps the best answer is flexibility

As well as the opposition batsmen, bowling teams must consider whether opening with a non-specialist would dilute one of their greatest strengths, by denying a strike bowler the chance to bowl to a pair of batsmen who haven’t faced a ball.As Moody says: “Regardless either of the idea of trying to pinch an over, or a recognition that it’s a particularly good match-up, there are certain bowlers – Mitchell Starc or whoever – who are of a greater influence. They’re the most likely bowlers to be taking a wicket early and that’s your greatest value – wickets in the Powerplay.”As in all aspects of T20, perhaps the best answer is flexibility. If a non-frontline opening bowler is used in every game, batting teams can respond accordingly. But if used occasionally, with an ideal bowler in ideal conditions, it can prove extremely handy.Moody notes the attractiveness of bowling an offspinner to Chris Gayle in the opening over; England did something similar when they deployed Joe Root, who used to open regularly for Yorkshire in the T20 Blast, to Gayle in the World T20 final last year. It was actually the second over, but Gayle had yet to face a ball: Root’s first to him conceded a boundary, but his second was heaved into long-off’s hands. And consider the record of Angelo Mathews, a bowler similar in style to Stevens. Opening in T20 cricket, he has taken 11 wickets at 11.72 in the opening over, at a startling economy rate of just 4.6.There is no right answer about whether a team should bowl one of their weaker bowlers at the start of an innings. Like all T20 strategy, the decision is determined by a mixture of meticulous forward planning and instant in-game judgement. But any young T20 batsman who can bowl useful medium pace or spin would be well-advised to learn from Stevens: mastering the art of bowling the first over would boost their worth in the Blast and leagues around the world.

Santos superstar Neymar was sent off after being shown a second yellow card for a blatant handball as his side lost 1-0 to Botafogo on Sunday.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Neymar sent off for Santos
• Blatantly tries to score with hand
• Team go on to lose to Botafogo

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neymar was sent off in the 76th minute of the Brazilian Serie A game after punching the ball into the net from close range. The referee immediately disallowed the goal and showed the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star a second yellow card, much to the frustration of the home crowd. Santos went on to lose 1-0 in front of their own fans after Artur Victor Guimaraes scored a winner in the dying moments for Botafogo.

  X

Advertisement

• WATCH THE CLIP

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It looks set to be a season of struggle for Santos, who now sit 18th in the Brazilian Serie A table after 11 matches. Neymar has missed seven of those matches with injury and is yet to score or assist across the other four, with a suspension now set to limit his game time even further.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR?

  Neymar is still fighting for his international future after he was left out of Carlo Ancelotti's first Brazil squad. With a suspension for the red card coming, it will be a while longer until he can prove to the new national team boss he is in good enough shape for selection.

Liverpool are closing in on the Premier League title and will have some intriguing transfer priorities up their sleeve to build on an impressive campaign at Anfield.

What do Liverpool need to do this summer?

Arne Slot will likely be given considerable financial backing after his debut season at Anfield, but he has plenty of decisions to mull over between now and the summer window.

Addressing the elephant in the room, Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all out of contract. Speculation is mounting over the trio’s long-term futures on Merseyside and they remain the central priorities from an internal standpoint.

Evaluating the squad, Liverpool may need to seek out another striker amid Darwin Nunez’s frustration at the club. The Uruguay international had interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in January before he was blocked from entering talks over a mid-season exit.

Sparing no prisoners, Slot didn’t want to offload important stars in the middle of a Premier League title fight, though the summer may paint a different picture as he continues to shape the squad in his own image.

Arne Slot’s signings since becoming Liverpool manager
Federico Chiesa	£12.5 million
Giorgi Mamardashvili	£29 million (joins Liverpool next season)

Taking a minimalist approach on the transfer front so far, the Dutchman has successfully maximised the capability of a squad already rich in talent since his arrival. However, the onus will be on FSG to deliver some high-profile additions in light of the Reds’ consistency under his stewardship.

The AXA Training Centre is bound to see some new faces walk through the door in a few months’ time, and Slot has now told Liverpool one star he is willing to sacrifice with his replacement already said to be lined up.

Arne Slot tells Liverpool to sell Kostas Tsimikas and sign Milos Kerkez

According to TBR, Liverpool boss Slot wants to sell Kostas Tsimikas to bring in Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez, with the Cherries looking for a fee of £50 million before parting ways with the Hungary international.

AC Milan could also be a key player in negotiations. Not only are they keen on Kerkez, but they have emerged as contenders to sign Tsimikas should he be allowed to vacate the premises this summer.

£140k-p/w Liverpool star unhappy over being made to stay, FSG will sell him

Arne Slot didn’t want the star to leave mid-season with his side in the running for several trophies.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Mar 5, 2025

Labelled “fantastic” by journalist Ian Doyle, the latter has become a cult hero at Liverpool in his 110 appearances for the club, where he has registered 18 assists. Nevertheless, his existence as a peripheral figure was always likely to pave the way for a departure.

On the other hand, Kerkez has delivered two goals and four assists in 30 outings this season at Bournemouth. Maintaining a consistent level of performance, the 24-year-old has fashioned 24 chances and 21 successful crosses in the Premier League.

Antonee Robinson and Jorrel Hato make up two other names on Liverpool’s left-back shortlist, which is an indication they are set to go all out for a new name to challenge Andy Robertson for the starting slot at Anfield. If the Reds have designs on becoming the main force in English football, no sentiment can be shown in the pursuit of fresh blood.

Pep Guardiola's empire finally came crashing down – but which players were most responsible for the fall and which ones still did themselves proud?

It is one thing to get to the top, it is quite another to stay there. Manchester City remained at the summit of English football longer than any team in history, but the empire that Pep Guardiola built came crashing down in 2024-25, their fall as astonishing as it was unexpected. City looked hungry to lift a fifth-consecutive title when they won seven of their opening nine league games, but once they were beaten at Bournemouth for their first defeat in 11 months, the dominoes started to fall.

City lost six out of eight league games between November and December, effectively surrendering the title to Liverpool after their limp defeat at Anfield. They also struggled to adapt to the new Champions League format, nearly being eliminated from the league phase before being outclassed by old foes Real Madrid in the knockout play-offs, exiting the competition at their earliest stage in 12 years.

There was a serious risk of them even missing out on qualifying for next season's competition, but when push came to shove, City gritted their teeth and won seven of their final 10 games to finish third on 71 points, 20 fewer than last season and their worst showing in the Guardiola era. They did reach the FA Cup final but lost to Crystal Palace in an infuriating match that summed up their overall campaign.

GOAL rates all the players from a campaign no City fan will be keen to look back on…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  28Vitor Reis – N/A

  The teenage defender arrived amid the January spending spree for £30 million ($40m), but Reis' debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup was a baptism of fire and he was hauled off at half-time. He only started one more game against Plymouth Argyle, while his only appearance in the Premier League was an added-time cameo against Leicester City. He has a lot to learn.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  27Jahmai Simpson-Pusey – N/A

  The academy defender was drafted into the first team in October as a matter of urgency due to the injury crisis, with Guardiola simply referring to him as "the young lad". It was a brutal introduction for Simpson-Pusey as City lost three of the six games he played, only winning once -and that was against Salford City.

• Getty Images
  

  26Oscar Bobb – N/A

  The brightest player in pre-season looked to have a big year ahead of him, but Bobb fractured his leg in training before the opening weekend, meaning he missed eight months and only earned three brief appearances as a substitute when he returned.

• Getty Images
  

  25Rodri – N/A

  Rodri started the season late due to his injury in the Euro 2024 final and his campaign was all-but over after just three games when he tore his ACL against Arsenal – days after warning of the danger of playing too many games. Winning the Ballon d’Or – arriving at the ceremony on crutches – was some comfort and his irreplaceable status has only grown as City stumbled so badly in his absence.

Nottingham Forest are now keen on signing a “complete” forward after watching him in action recently, but there will be plenty of competition for his signature from rival Premier League clubs, according to a report.

Forest planning for the summer

Forest are enjoying a remarkable season in the Premier League, surpassing all expectations and pushing for Champions League qualification, which may mean their most important task this summer will be keeping hold of their best players.

However, new targets are also being identified, with Nuno Espirito Santo seemingly particularly keen on strengthening in the attacking third, given that a number of forwards have been linked with moves to the City Ground.

Contact has been made over a deal for Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto, while the Tricky Trees are also eyeing a move for AS Roma’s Tammy Abraham, who is currently on loan at AC Milan.

£25k-p/w Nottingham Forest star being targeted by PL rivals with Murillo

One of the Tricky Trees’ best-performing players this season is now being targeted by a fellow Premier League club.

By
Dominic Lund

Feb 13, 2025

Matheus Cunha was also heavily linked with Forest in the January transfer window, and the Wolverhampton Wanderers star is not the only Brazilian on the list of targets.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Nottingham Forest are now keen on signing Marseille forward Luis Henrique, who has put in some impressive displays in Ligue 1 this season.

In light of Henrique’s performances in France, he has been tipped to receive a Brazil call-up, and he could also be in line for a move to the Premier League, with a number of clubs believed to be queuing up.

Newcastle United and Everton are also credited with an interest in the forward, with all three clubs watching him in action in recent weeks, so there could be plenty of competition for his signature this summer.

Henrique impressing for Marseille

Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi is clearly very pleased with the Brazilian’s performances this season, having singled him out for praise earlier this month: “He is having a fantastic season. He shows us that he is a complete player, with or without the ball. In terms of finishing, he scores goals. He is young and has to be determined to keep improving. He is one of the most important players for OM.

As such, it may be difficult to prise the left-winger away from Marseille this summer, especially considering the French side are in a strong negotiating position, as he is under contract until the summer of 2028.

However, should the 23-year-old move to the City Ground, there is every indication he could be a fantastic signing, having amassed seven goals and four assists in Ligue 1 this term.

Nuno is not short on top-quality wide players, with Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga both enjoying impressive seasons.

However, if Forest qualify for Europe next season, they will need strength in depth, and Henrique’s performances for Marseille suggest he could be a solid addition to the squad.

As Stokes himself acknowledged, “3-2 sounds better than 3-1 or 4-1”, so another high-octane contest ought to be in prospect

Andrew Miller06-Mar-20242:39

Manjrekar: India should play two seamers, three spinners if it’s a typical pitch

Big picture: Bowing out on a high

One way or another, England will be ending their tour of India on a high, as they head to the foothills of the Himalayas for the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala – the first of the Bazball era in which Ben Stokes’ men are not in the running for at least a share of the series.It’s been a curiously fallow few days ahead of what, after two days in Ranchi, had looked like being the sharp end of this campaign. With their squad split between two bases in Bengaluru and Chandigarh, England have licked their wounds after their untimely unravelling in the fourth Test, where their tightest grip on any of the contests to date – including astonishing win in Hyderabad – was unpicked finger by finger in India’s most stirring display of supremacy yet.From Akash Deep’s first-day fireworks to Dhruv Jurel’s twin displays of big-match cojones, via the inevitable onset of India’s spin supremacy in the decisive third innings, England’s fabled self-belief endured its most relentless examination of the tour. In his post-match remarks, Stokes even conceded that competing on equal terms had been nigh on “impossible” – perhaps the most defeatist sentiment to have passed his lips in his captaincy tenure.Related

• England's hands-off ethos braces for challenge of dead-rubber syndrome

• 'I don't know much' – Rohit unsure if Dharamsala pitch will require three seamers or two

• Robinson makes way for Wood as England retain two spinners

• Just sit back and get ready to marvel at R Ashwin, for the 100th time

• Bairstow at 100 caps: A century of spirit and resilience

And so, it’s back to Base Camp for the Bazball philosophy, whatever that may entail. In some ways, the circumstances of the fifth Test should suit England’s no-consequences approach – a shot to nothing in a match that truly does count for little more than pride, against an India team that might conceivably lack some of its intensity now that their stupendous home record has been preserved for another series.That said, between the occasion of R Ashwin’s 100th Test, and the return to their ranks of the lethal Jasprit Bumrah, whose absence in Ranchi was arguably a major factor in England’s first-innings recovery, India will have all the weapons and incentive necessary to gun for a 4-1 series scoreline, the sort of margin witnessed on numerous past England tours, and which the visitors’ new approach had been designed to do away with.As Stokes himself acknowledged, “3-2 sounds better than 3-1 or 4-1″, so another high-octane contest ought to be in prospect – notwithstanding the stirrings of a stomach bug within the England camp that caused both Shoaib Bashir and Ollie Robinson to be quarantined in their hotel rather than risk them mingling with the rest of the team during their final practice session.No such concerns for India, who have grown into this series with poise and purpose, making light of the loss of Virat Kohli and latterly KL Rahul to forge an enviable spirit, studded with stars who look ready to carry the side into the coming years. The occasion of Ashwin’s 100th Test serves as a reminder of the enduring class that has underpinned their challenge, while Rohit Sharma’s authority as captain has arguably grown in the absence of his senior colleagues, not least in his gentle handling of the one anomaly in India’s otherwise settled line-up, Rajat Patidar.”I like to call him a talent player,” Rohit said of Patidar on the eve of the match. “He’s lost some opportunities here, but that happens when you’re in the early stage of your career, you’re nervous, you’re trying to think about so many things. That is where the team has to back the individual and make sure there’s no pressure internally on him.” Had they not already been warned off from taking credit for India’s success, England might even suggest there’s an element of their own continuity of selection at play there too.The series’ most thrilling subplot, however, has been the emergence of Yashasvi Jaiswal as India’s newest batting star. For all the confidence they carried into this series, England have not yet found an adequate response to the challenge he has thrown towards their emboldened style of play. His runs, and the manner in which he has made them, has truly been the difference between the teams. Another score of note for Jaiswal this week, and it will truly take something special to mitigate the gulf between the sides.2:03

Harmison: ‘Jonny has always had England’s best interests at heart’

Form guide

India WWWLW (last five Tests, most recent first)
England LLLWW

In the spotlight: Rajat Patidar and Jonny Bairstow

Is this the last-chance saloon for the most precarious selection in India’s ranks? Previous regimes might have seen enough of Rajat Patidar already, after six innings of increasingly diminishing returns – 32 runs in a passable maiden knock in Visakhapatnam, then 31 all told in the remainder, including a brace of second-innings ducks in Rajkot and Ranchi. His arrival at the crease has consistently offered England hope of exerting a hold on India’s innings. And yet, it wasn’t so long ago that Patidar was looking a class apart for India A against a strong England Lions XI, including with an astonishing 151 out of 227 in their unofficial Test in Ahmedabad, having rescued his team from a scoreline of 50 for 6. On that evidence, it’s a case of big-match nerves rather than any lack of Test class that has held him back so far, but he’ll need to reward the management’s faith soon.For the second time this winter, Jonny Bairstow is due to bring up a century in Dharamsala, though not of the strictly batting variety. As with his 100th ODI cap during the World Cup, Bairstow’s Test caps milestone will be a source of immense pride for one of the more emotionally-driven players of recent vintage, but it comes also with the nagging sense that he’s nearing the end of his England journey. For all the unfathomable determination he has shown to get back to fitness after his horrific leg injury in September 2022, Bairstow’s returns on this trip have been awkwardly unfulfilled – five scores between 25 and 38, and an overall average of 21.25 in eight innings, speak of a player whose fires still burn bright but whose physicality is letting him down. And while it’s reductive to suggest that he always saves his best for when the doubters are lined up against him, it’s a seductive notion too. With Harry Brook waiting in the wings for the English summer, can Bairstow find one last burst of furious brilliance to ensure his 100th Test won’t be his last? The beauty of his career is that you wouldn’t ever bet against it.3:07

Harmison: No surprise that Robinson is out

Team news: England make solitary change

Jasprit Bumrah will be welcomed back to lead India’s attack alongside Mohammad Siraj, and with Rohit Sharma dropping a sizeable hint that India would field three seamers for this contest, the big decision comes down to a call between Akash Deep and the extra spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Deep proved himself worthy of further honours with his three-wicket burst on the first morning of his debut in Ranchi, but Kuldeep’s wristspin was instrumental in unpicking England’s resistance when the surface was at its flattest in the back-end of the contest.India (possible): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Rajat Patidar, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 Sarfaraz Khan, 7 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Kuldeep Yadav / Akash Deep, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.Despite speculation that England would opt for three quicks on a more seam-friendly surface in Dharamsala, both Bashir and Tom Hartley have been retained for the fifth Test, in Bashir’s case despite nursing a Moeen Ali-style cut on his spinning finger, which is hardly surprising given his 70-over workload across the two innings in Ranchi comprised more than a fifth of his previous first-class career. Robinson endured a bleak time with the ball in the same Test, apparently after tweaking his back during his spirited half-century, and makes way for the return of England’s point-of-difference paceman Mark Wood. James Anderson, two wickets shy of 700 in Tests, will play his fourth match in a row at the age of 41.England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Jonny Bairstow, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Tom Hartley, 9 Mark Wood, 10 Shoaib Bashir, 11 James Anderson

Pitch and conditions: Home far from home for England?

There’s a distinct chill in the air at 5000ft altitude, which would count as handy preparation for the opening rounds of the County Championship, if any of England’s incumbents were likely to be made available. Either way, Dharamsala is a long way removed from the heat and dust of Ranchi or Rajkot – in the last fixture at this venue, some three weeks ago, all 36 wickets fell to seam as Delhi beat Himachal Pradesh by 76 runs in the Ranji Trophy. Nevertheless, Stokes expects the surface to be full of runs, but some barer patches on a full length have persuaded England to retain their frontline spin options.2:58

Manjrekar: ‘Other than cricket, Ashwin knows far beyond what’s outside his own sport’

Stats and trivia: Milestones galore in prospect

• Both R Ashwin and Jonny Bairstow are in line for their 100th Test appearances. Ashwin, who passed 500 Test wickets earlier in the series, is set to be the 14th Indian caps centurion, and Bairstow the 17th for England.
• Bairstow needs 26 runs to reach 6,000 in Tests, a mark also reached by 16 previous England players.
• Yashasvi Jaiswal is on course to set a new record for most runs by an Indian batter in a series against England. He begins the match on 655, level with Virat Kohli’s tally from the 2016-17 campaign.
• James Anderson is two wickets away from 700 Test wickets. Only Muthiah Muralidaran (800) and Shane Warne (708) have taken more.
• Stokes remains three short of 200 Test wickets, and on the cusp of being only the third allrounder after Garry Sobers and Jacques Kallis to complete the double of 6000 runs and 200 wickets. Though he has not bowled in any of his previous seven Test appearances, he is close to a return after knee surgery.
• Ravindra Jadeja is eight wickets away from becoming the seventh Indian to reach 300 Test wickets.

Quotes

“I just don’t know what Bazball means. I haven’t seen wild swinging from anyone. England have played better cricket than they were here last time. But I still don’t know what Bazball means.”

Rohit Sharma takes one last dig at England’s perceived style of play“I’ll be going out there, chewing my gum, puffing my chest out and trying to have a good time with the other ten blokes out there. Whatever the situation is, we’ll be going out there with smiles on our faces, like we have done in the whole series.”

Broadcast commentators confirm there was an issue during the DRS process after West Indies reviewed the on-field not-out decision

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Jul-2023A clarification has been issued regarding Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal in India’s first innings of the second Test in Port-of-Spain, with broadcast commentators saying during the tea analysis show that the correct decision was made by the TV umpire despite “a glitch” during the DRS process.India were 360 for 5 in the 104th over when Kemar Roach offered a ball wide outside off stump. Jadeja took the bait, driving away from his body, and turned around to see the wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva go up in immediate celebration. Jadeja was expressionless. And so was the on-field umpire Marais Erasmus.West Indies challenged the on-field decision of not out and DRS came into play, starting with the spin-vision replay, which showed bat and ball were close together. The TV umpire Michael Gough then asked for the assistance of UltraEdge.The replay that came up, however, seemed to be for a different shot that Jadeja played. The actual ball was wide outside off stump and Jadeja was playing away from his body. At the point where the ball passed the outside edge of his bat, his bat was quite visibly away from his pad. But in the replay where UltraEdge showed a clear spike, Jadeja’s bat was so close to front pad that his inside edge flicks it. Furthermore, the shot he was playing in the UltraEdge replay seemed to be a straight-bat shot. The actual shot that put Jadeja in trouble was more of an extra-cover drive.Umpire Gough was satisfied that there was an edge and asked the on-field umpire Erasmus to reverse his decision. Jadeja was dismissed for 61 off 152 balls and walked off without protest.Later on, while on air with Curtly Ambrose and Samuel Badree, Daren Ganga offered a clarification while speaking to visuals of the correct replay of the wicket delivery. “This is the actual replay and the ball part. There was no contact with bat on pad,” he said, while the replay was shown on the broadcast. “This is the correct UltraEdge. And the right decision was made in the end, that is the most important thing.”Just to clear that issue up and basically set the record straight, no fault of the umpires or the system, it’s just a glitch that took place.”

Captain Niki Prasad wants to make sure team “stays on top” after a dominant display in Malaysia where India cruised unbeaten to a second Women’s U-19 World Cup title

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Feb-2025″Coming at the start of the tournament, I think I mentioned one thing that we are here to dominate, we are here to make sure that India stays on top.”Those were the words of India captain Niki Prasad after she led India to a second consecutive Women’s Under-19 World Cup title in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday. And dominate is what India did throughout the tournament, winning all their games and not letting any team score more against them than the 113 for 8 that England made in the semi-finals.India had chased in four of the six games before the final, and they won all those matches comfortably, never losing more than two wickets. After South Africa won the toss and chose to bat in the title bout, India just replicated the template that served them so well through the competition, their spinners playing a pivotal role in getting the opposition out for 82.Related

• G Trisha excels with bat and ball as India become back-to-back Under-19 champions

India then chased down the target in 11.2 overs, with G Trisha – who also returned figures of 3 for 15 with the ball – scoring an unbeaten 44.”We are definitely going to create this legacy of winning ICC trophies, winning a lot of trophies for India,” Prasad said at the post-match presentation ceremony.Prasad had to put behind her the disappointment of not making the squad for the previous Under-19 World Cup, which India won under the captaincy of Shafali Verma in 2023, but she’s soaking it all in now.”I think I’m feeling really happy that I am right here standing, making sure that India stays on top. And it’s obviously a special moment that we’re playing the World Cup and doing this for India,” she said.India lost the toss and were asked to bowl. Prasad said India drew from their experience bowling first in most of their matches in the competition.”I think all of us just tried to stay calm and down-to-earth and just stick to doing what our job is,” she said.G Trisha poses with her medal after taking India to the Under-19 World Cup glory•Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“I think if we would have won the toss we would have definitely chosen batting but you know throughout the tournament we’ve been bowling well and we’ve been bowling first [more] so nevertheless we just wanted to go out there and show what we can do.”Trisha, who was named Player of the Match and Player of the Tournament, dedicated the latter award to her father, who was in the audience.”Because of him I started playing cricket. I don’t think without him I would have been here,” said Trisha, who was also part of the team in 2023.While she played in the middle order in 2023, Trisha was pushed up to open this time around, and she ended up topping the run charts with 309 runs from seven matches with an average of 77.25. No other batter reached the 200-run mark. Her strike rate of 147.14 was also the best in the tournament.Trisha, who said she idolises Mithali Raj, has been working on her power game in recent times and credited India’s batting coach Apoorva S Desaii for giving her role clarity before the competition.”So we’ve been working on [my power game] since a while. For this tournament our batting coach Apoorva sir he has kept telling ‘you are going to open the innings and make sure you’re ready for it’,” Trisha said.Apart from her heroics with the bat, Trisha also returned seven wickets from the six games she bowled in.Parunika Sisodia struck in her first over of the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup final•Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

India’s left-arm spin trio ‘like a family’

One of the major factors in India’s domination was their trio of left-arm spinners Vaishnavi Sharma, Aayushi Shukla and Parunika Sisodia, who were three of the four highest wicket-takers in the competition.While Vaishnavi topped the charts with 17 strikes, Shukla and Sisodia were not far behind with 14 and 10 wickets respectively.According to them, the three are close and have developed a great understanding between themselves.”I guess back in the room in the hotel, what all three we talk about is nothing related to our bowling,” Sisodia said after India’s win. “All our bowling just came and, you know, in the game coming on we just enjoyed ourselves.”We keep telling each other a little bit of, you know, what the batters are doing, helping each other [on the field].”At this point, I guess, we are just, you know, eye contacting and we are understanding each other now.”With all of them being left-arm spinners, is there competition or does this fact not affect them?”We are like the best friends,” Sisodia was quick to respond, with emphasis on the “best”. Vaishnavi, who was too overcome with emotion to speak a few minutes earlier was quick to interject: “We are like family actually. We all are family.”Asked about their plans for the future, Sisodia said: “I guess all of us… I mean, not just us [three] but the whole team, we all want to just go ahead and, you know, never look back from here.”Wicketkeeper and opener G Kamalini, who was animatedly photobombing the interview, then came in and summed up the feelings of the team in a line in Tamil: ” [We have lifted the World Cup].”