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Indians Pardeep Sahu and KK Jiyas are travelling with the squad as part of the support staff, tuning up the batsmen for the challenge posed by wristspinners

Sidharth Monga in Bristol31-May-2019Since Kuldeep Yadav’s debut, in June 2017, there have been 3658 balls of left-arm wristspin bowled in ODI cricket. Kuldeep has bowled 2298 – nearly 63% – of those. He has played 44 ODIs, five other left-arm wristspinners have 31 caps between them. None of them is in any first XI in this World Cup.Yuzvendra Chahal is a right-arm wristspinner unlike others. Most teams have come around to using wristspin in limited-overs cricket, but other wristspinners bowl much faster than Chahal, who goes slower and slower whenever put under pressure.Good as the duo are, the biggest challenge for teams is they get no practice against that kind of bowling. This is one thing batsmen keep telling their analysts, especially with Kuldeep. It is incredibly difficult to pick him when you are playing his kind of bowling straight in a match situation. No bowling machine can simulate what he does. Left-arm wristspinners as net bowlers are difficult to find as it is; the ones who turn up are not that great.Aside from Japsrit Bumrah – who is just as hard to replicate – the biggest threat for batsmen remains the left-arm wristspin, and to a lesser extent, Chahal’s slow legspin. England have tried the bowling machine Merlyn, but Australia have chosen a more human route. Travelling with them as official part of their support staff are two legspinners from India.

Inside Australia's plan to combat wristspin at #CWC19, feat. 'Kerala Maxwell' and an ex-IPL prohttps://t.co/GT332WvjGW pic.twitter.com/ePvJQEB5ak

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 1, 2019

One of them, the right-arm one, Pardeep Sahu, has played first-class cricket for Haryana and IPL for Kings XI Punjab and Rajasthan Royals. He struggled to get past Amit Mishra and Chahal in the Haryana team that often, and began to look elsewhere. The other, KK Jiyas, is a left-arm wristspinner from Kerala. He is a Glenn Maxwell-lookalike – his nickname back home is Kerala Maxwell – and has had observers do a double take on whether Maxwell has started bowled left-arm wristspin. He never got to play for Kerala.The common link between them is that they both trialled at Delhi Daredevils when S Sriram, the former India batsman and now Australia’s spin consultant, was with them. Jiyas was even bought by Daredevils at the 2015 auction, but never got to play in the first XI.Jiyas was first used in the nets by Australia during the ODI tour of India in 2017-18. Sahu was added to the group on Australia’s UAE tour in 2018-19. They are a bit of a recruitment coup for Australia, in that they are not just any club bowlers, but pretty decent legspinners that IPL sides considered recruiting.Sriram is arguably a bigger recruitment coup. He was one of the best batsmen of spin in his era. Australia got him into their set-up on an operational basis back in 2015, specifically to help their batsmen with spin. His work showed results on the 2016-17 tour of India when they came within one good innings of winning the Test series. Sriram was told of Jiyas by TA Sekar, who has also worked at Daredevils.”It’s easy to come up with ideas, anyone can come up with all these ideas but to actually get the Indian spinners to come and be with us, I love that,” coach Justin Langer said in the UAE last year. “I love that we had a plan and we executed, hopefully, we get some benefit out of it.”Clearly the batsmen were impressed enough with them to bring them to the World Cup. The two are staying with with the Australia team, they wear their training kit, and at the nets in Bristol they have been bowling more than even the bowlers in the squad.On Sunday, Sahu beat Steven Smith two times out of the first three balls he bowled. One of them had Smith walk past the legbreak. They have been giving the Australia batsmen quality practice to face both kinds of wristspin, and if they do manage to get the better of India’s threat, there will have been an Indian hand in it.

CA chief Kevin Roberts also lauded the work done by Tim Paine and Justin Langer in leading Australia onwards from the Newlands scandal

Daniel Brettig14-Sep-2019Australia’s selection panel is to be overhauled over the next six months, with the imminent retirement of Greg Chappell and the expiry of Trevor Hohns’ contract at the end of the home summer ushering a generational change to better reflect the Twenty20 era the game has now spent more than a decade in.Reshaping the way Australian teams are chosen is a key plank of the job for the new head of national teams Ben Oliver, who commenced his role at the outset of the Ashes series after a lengthy interim stint by Belinda Clark. Kevin Roberts, the Cricket Australia chief executive, has flagged it to be one of the first issues he and Oliver will address upon his return home from England, via a brief visit to Pakistan that is part of CA’s wider efforts to improve relationships with other boards.Nevertheless, there have already been plenty of moves afoot around the selection area, ever since ESPNcricinfo revealed that Chappell would exit at the end of the Ashes. Discussions have revolved around whether or not the current panel format should be retained or pared down to a single selection convener working with the national team coach Justin Langer and the state and Big Bash League coaches, and also the need for more contemporary voices, particularly relevant to T20. The likes of Cameron White and Michael Klinger have been raised as possible selectors, though there is also a view that selection, complete with an ever more comprehensive use of statistics and analytics, is a skill requiring more than playing experience.Cameron White had a distinguished career with Victoria•Getty Images”Certainly we need to take into account the sorts of experience that are required,” Roberts said. “If you look at the shape of the panel now, one of the things we’d like to have more of in the future is more experience in T20 games as an example. So rather than targeting an individual person, it’s really about determining what are the characteristics or capabilities we need among the panel and who are the people in Australian cricket who can fulfil those.”I think it’s knowledge of the T20 game, whether it be playing, coaching, and various other roles in the T20 game. So I probably wouldn’t describe it as generational change but I would absolutely say it is a matter of having a really deep knowledge of T20 cricket. A lot of Australians have been involved in the IPL and the BBL as well and some of those are young, some are not so young. Really it’s about the experience they’ve had as opposed to when they might’ve been born.A hallmark of Roberts’ tenure so far has been to repeatedly emphasise the need for deeper and better relationships between CA and the state associations, something he said needed also to be reflected in the way selection was done. “The main thing I would say is certain is that we need to deepen the links through the state system and domestic competitions and make sure that we’ve got the best possible view of all players who are in contention to play,” Roberts said.”What sort of form are they in, how’s their physical health, how’s their mental well-being. That’s a key consideration these days in all walks of life and the same certainly goes for players. One of the benefits of splitting the old role and having Ben Oliver playing the national teams role and Drew Ginn the high performance role working with the states is Drew can then work with the states and make sure we’ve got a very clear overview of the top X number of players, their position in terms of form, physical and mental well-being and everything else that contributes to how they’re going as a player. I’m really looking forward to that coming to fruition too.”

“I don’t think there’s another leader in Australian men’s cricket that could’ve done the job that Tim Paine has done over the last 18 months.”CA chief Kevin Roberts

Following the successful retention of the Ashes, the next major goals for Australian cricket are the women’s and men’s Twenty20 World Cups on home soil in 2020, while balancing a sustained bid to contest the first World Test Championship final in 2021. Roberts was rich in his praise for Langer and the Test captain Tim Paine, declaring that no other figure in Australian cricket could have led the team through the choppy waters of 2018 and into the success of this Ashes tour.”I don’t think there’s another leader in Australian men’s cricket that could’ve done the job that he’s done over the last 18 months,” Roberts said. “I also think he’s only been able to do that job because if you think about his challenges over the years he was almost out of the game for a number of years with a smashed finger. He gained some life experience during that time that’s really set him up to be the leader that he is and without that I’m not sure he could’ve done it the way that he has.”We’ve just been so happy with the way he’s led from the front and there’s no thought of succession planning at this stage. He’s got our support to continue leading from the front the way that he has done so far. We couldn’t be happier with the performance of Justin or Tim in terms of the cultural transformation of the men’s team and what that’s contributed to Australian cricket more broadly.”Most pointedly, the Australians have avoided run-ins with officialdom or opponents since the Newlands scandal, returning a clear rap sheet in terms of ICC code of conduct breaches for more than 18 months. “Look at the commitment they’ve made to make Australians proud, and also the commitment we’ve all made as an organisation,” Roberts said. “We’ve said before it’s a professional sport so the goal will always be to win and we shouldn’t hide from that.”The opposition should always know they’re in a contest when they play against Australian but at the same time the non-negotiable expectation we have of ourselves on and off the field is we compete with respect. And Justin has really led that strongly, a values-driven culture. Tim has complemented Justin brilliantly and led with real courage. They deserve huge credit. There’s been so many milestones in the way the men’s team has performed on the field, but the way they’ve done it as well.”If you look at the code of conduct charges, or the lack thereof, over the Australian summer, no code of conduct charges against the men’s team – first time in many many years and not surprisingly that saw a similar trend right across Australian cricket because of the role models the men are. The women’s team are obviously outstanding ambassadors for the game and for our country as well. It’s brilliant to know I can sleep soundly at night in the knowledge we’ve got a men’s team and a women’s team living the sort of values and behaviours that we aspire to as a sport.”As for the use of the Dukes ball in Sheffield Shield cricket, something that better equipped the likes of Marnus Labuschagne, Matthew Wade and Michael Neser for their selection on this tour, Roberts indicated that CA should maintain a habit of ensuring players are bred to be versatile. “I think if you ask Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Steven Smith they’d say it’s been tremendously successful, coming into this day Josh and Pat were averaging less than 20 and going for about two and a half runs an over and of course Steve has shot the lights out with the bat,” he said. “In all seriousness we need to keep preparing our players to play in different conditions overseas, whether it be the swinging ball or the spinning ball.”

Getting out of his comfort zone, thanks to R Ashwin, has helped the Punjab captain hit a rich vein of form in the Ranji Trophy

Shashank Kishore18-Jan-2020In June 2019, soon after a mediocre IPL campaign with Kings XI Punjab, Mandeep Singh dialled R Ashwin’s number, seeking opportunities to play competitive cricket instead of spending the summer idling away in Patiala. He was specifically looking to play long-form matches to prepare for the first-class season after Vikram Rathour, India’s current batting coach who was Mandeep’s mentor, had identified a number of issues to work on, like getting the habit of scoring hundreds back.Ashwin put Mandeep in touch with Take Solutions, the team he represents in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association League, and Mandeep was soon roped in as a professional for Swaraj, the company’s second XI. It’s a stint he looks back at with fondness as he sits on top of the Ranji Trophy run-scorers’ chart for 2019-20 (non-Plate), with Punjab placed third in Groups A and B combined at the halfway mark of the season.”Because of T20s, I tried to become a different player and lost my technique, I have to accept that,” Mandeep tells ESPNcricinfo. “I tried to make too many changes. Look, everyone wants to play in the IPL, so maybe I got caught into that, but I’m not one to shy away from my faults. In trying to change things, I felt I lost my base. So the idea was to get into an unfamiliar environment and strengthen it to get better.”It’s not as though Mandeep had a poor 2018-19 Ranji season. He made 602 runs at an average of 54.72 – “not enough with the kind of competition we have”. What the scorecards don’t tell you is that the 90 he made against Delhi at the Feroz Shah Kotla was on a rank turner where only one other batsman made a half-century, and the counter-attacking 89 against Kerala was on a greentop in Mohali. These two innings apart, there were several other occasions when he failed to kick on after getting set.

If I had to play, I had to make an impact, score runs like Mayank Agarwal did to get into the Indian team. While the India dream is still there, I no longer think about it

Seeking to get out of this habit was top of his mind when he reached Chennai.Mandeep’s training involved multiple stints at the nets daily in the heat and humidity. He played on red-soil pitches, dustbowls, seaming tracks, you name it. Then came the matches, and he made three hundreds in five outings, and left Chennai richer for the experience.”Vikram felt me simply playing white-ball cricket to build towards a red-ball season would be putting in quantity over quality,” Mandeep says. “He felt certain habits that I can get away with in white-ball cricket will not serve me well in the long format. It was during one of our discussions that he put forward the prospect of me trying to play elsewhere, out of my comfort zone, just to challenge myself.”I worked on my defensive technique. I used to jab at deliveries, throw my hands at wide deliveries. So the focus was to tighten my game, play with my head down, right on top of the ball, learn to use my feet better against spinners on dry turners, work on leaving the ball, trying to get on top of the bounce while pulling – basically a whole lot of things. Not being in the scheme of things for India A was largely one of the reasons why I needed to find an avenue to score runs instead of wasting a summer.”Mandeep’s most recent outing – last week – showed how the Chennai stint had helped. His fighting unbeaten 71 was the highlight for Punjab in an otherwise poor game, which they lost after having Kerala at 89 for 6 on the opening morning. On a raging turner, Jalaj Saxena ran through Punjab with 7 for 51 as Kerala won by 21 runs. Yet, for Mandeep, the game has become a personal favourite, because he hadn’t felt more challenged in recent times than in the first innings there.Playing in an unfamiliar environment has made him a better player, Mandeep Singh says•BCCI”Sometimes knocks like those give you more satisfaction than any hundred,” he says. “But we only look at hundreds when we look at stats. It’s really hard to quantify such knocks, you need to look beyond the scorecards. Hopefully my runs will be noticed. I think for me, it’s just maybe I’m enjoying my cricket more than ever before, because when you’re told you can’t play cricket again, you learn to take each day as it comes and derive happiness from small things that matter.”Being told he wouldn’t play cricket again is a reference to 2017, when he was diagnosed with a serious back problem. He was part of India’s T20I squad that played England early in the year, but didn’t get a chance. While he felt some pain, he initially didn’t bother too much.”I was in national contention, so when you’re in that situation, you tend to brush aside small problems, that is what I did,” he says. “But it got to a stage soon [just before the IPL finished] where I struggled to sleep, even turn from one side to another. Even walking would give me back pain.”We did an MRI and they told me there was nerve damage and my disc has bulged. They said the condition was a disc prolapse. Sometimes, the pain would spread to my legs. I flew to London and had a surgery, and I was out of action for eight months.”When he returned, he was diagnosed with a groin condition. “All in all, I lost a good 18 months of cricket. Honestly, it’s only now that I feel my rhythm is coming back,” he says. “I’m playing the way I used to. So when you face these kinds of situations where you’re told you can’t play, your career could be over, you don’t think of an India comeback. You learn to walk and take slow steps first.

As (Punjab) captain, I’m trying to set the right example. Communicating clearly with the team, like say someone isn’t part of the XI, I talk to them in advance. How you can contribute to the team even if you’re not in the XI, the intensity you have on the field

“That was the lowest point for me. Before the injury, I was in the Indian team. I was on a high. When I came back, I wasn’t picked for India A, Duleep Trophy, Deodhar Trophy. All I knew is I didn’t want to garner any sympathy. If I had to play, I had to make an impact, score runs like Mayank Agarwal did to get into the Indian team. While the India dream is still there, I no longer think about it. At the moment, the focus is to do well for Punjab and win the Ranji Trophy.”Punjab haven’t come close to the semi-finals since 2012-13, when they lost to Saurashtra in the final-four game in Rajkot. Then, Mandeep’s dismissal on the final day sparked an incredible collapse as Punjab lost eight wickets in a session. Mandeep says he shook off the frustration and hurt by punishing himself. He ran 15 kilometres back to the team hotel from the SCA Stadium, on the outskirts of Rajkot. That memory brings a chuckle now, but Mandeep still remembers the shot he played to get out, and is determined break the Ranji jinx.”How far we’ve come as a team makes me happy,” he says. “Shubman Gill is a (solid) player, Abhishek Sharma is as talented as they come. We’ve got myself, Gurkeerat Singh, Sandeep Sharma and Siddarth Kaul – the senior players. Most of the others are either into the first or second season. Anmolpreet Singh is in the India A mix. Young Anmol Malhotra has made vital contributions under pressure so far this season, so the youngsters are grabbing their chances slowly.”As captain, I’m trying to set the right example. Communicating clearly with the team, like say someone isn’t part of the XI, I talk to them in advance. How you can contribute to the team even if you’re not in the XI, the intensity you have on the field. Our coach Munish Bali has helped greatly on that front. He has taken the load off me.”We also have Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh] interacting with the team. On a couple of occasions, he flew down from Mumbai and came to our nets. He has taken special interest in Abhishek Sharma, to nurture him and ensure he becomes a superb allrounder. He is always a call away And these boys, when they hear words from a great player like him, automatically they get a lift. As of now, we are on the right track, hopefully we can stay there till the knockouts and beyond.”If that happens, and if he keeps scoring a lot of runs, Mandeep might have turned a corner in what has been an up-and-down ride over the years for a very talented batsman.

The home team is making the most of the allrounders they have with the T20 World Cup looming next year

Deivarayan Muthu04-Nov-2019New Zealand have plenty of problems at the top, but they have a problem of plenty when it comes to their lower middle-order. Colin de Grandhomme, Jimmy Neesham, Daryl Mitchell and Mitchell Santner are all part of their squad for the T20Is against England and three of them already have a reputation for being top finishers.With New Zealand 1-0 down in Wellington on Sunday, Neesham, who was playing his first T20I in more than two years, shellacked 42 off 22 balls to lift New Zealand from 121 for 5 in the 14th over to 176 for 8 in 20.Neesham’s hits were not only timely, but well thought out. The straight boundaries are unusually long at the Westpac Stadium while the square boundaries are much shorter. And Neesham, who turns out for Wellington in domestic cricket, used that to his advantage, scoring 30 of his 42 runs between backward square-leg and midwicket [eight runs at backward square, seven at forward square, and 15 at midwicket].Jimmy Neesham whips one into the leg side•Getty ImagesNeesham had walked in to bat when New Zealand had lost half of their side and needed an end-overs spark. And though his partner at the other end, Ross Taylor, couldn’t get the big shots away, he found fluency immediately, whipping Adil Rashid for a leg-side four. Two balls later, he whacked the legspinner to deep midwicket, and James Vince dropped the catch.He tightened up thereafter, which helped considering Sam Curran was mixing things up with his rapid yorkers and slower variations, but when the bowler erred in length, Neesham launched him over square leg for six.Saqib Mahmood, who was making his T20I debut, had four men posted on the leg-side boundary, but Neesham still cleared the ropes when he overpitched one. Momentum was now rapidly shifting in New Zealand’s favour and Neesham, having put in the work, began to take those extra liberties necessary to win T20 games, targeting England’s best death bowler. Chris Jordan too was cracked over midwicket, part of a series of five boundaries in the last five overs of the innings. Neesham was responsible for them all.Neesham had been chosen to tackle Super Over along with Martin Guptill, but was left out of the squad for New Zealand’s three T20Is in Sri Lanka. So he linked up with the Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2019, and although he produced a Man-of-the-Match performance in his first game against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, his form cooled off so much that he was dropped for the knockouts.Chris Woakes consoles Jimmy Neesham and Martin Guptill after England sealed a thrilling Super Over•Getty ImagesNeesham managed 75 runs in seven innings at a strike rate below 130 in the Caribbean, but reminded the world of his big-hitting abilities in his very first match of the home summer.”I want to play every game I can for New Zealand,” he told on the eve of the third T20I in Nelson. “I just ticked over 29 and I’m at the stage of my career where I feel like I’ve started to get things together,” he said. “When you try to hit at the death at T20 you don’t want to leave guys like Tim Southee and Mitch Santner to do the lion’s share of the work in the last two-three overs.”We talked about trying to bridge that gap. It was difficult to hit classical boundaries along the ground, on that ground, and it was just about picking a moment and a bowler to pull the trigger.”In the series opener in Christchurch, it was Mitchell who had stepped up as the finisher, crunching 30 off 17 balls. While there was a larger spotlight on his father John who works with the England rugby team as their defence coach, Mitchell laid into England’s slower-ball specialist Pat Brown to haul New Zealand past 150. It wasn’t enough for New Zealand, but there were signs that Mitchell could handle the pressure in the slog overs.Daryl Mitchell swings down the ground•AFPHe is used to that – both with bat and ball – at Northern Knights in the Super Smash but this was his first innings of note in four attempts in T20Is. He had broken into New Zealand’s squad last summer on the back of 323 runs at a strike rate of almost 140 in Knights’ run to the Super Smash final. Nobody had hit more sixes than his 19 in last season’s domestic T20 tournament.ALSO READ – Mitchell prepares to step out of his father’s shadowMitchell was also Knights’ go-to death bowler, along with Kyle Abbott, often tricking the opposition with his slower cutters and wide yorkers. His progress lends more all-round depth to New Zealand, who are already thinking about ways to exploit it with the T20 World Cup looming next year. The team management has pushed de Grandhomme up to No. 4 to give the hard-hitting allrounder more overs to influence the game even if it pushes Taylor, the more recognised batsman, down to No. 5.In the second T20I in Wellington, New Zealand had Southee batting at No. 9 and if they opt to pick an extra seamer in place of Ish Sodhi, allrounder Scott Kuggeleijn could slot in at No. 10. This depth seeps into the bowling line-up as well – other top T20 sides like Australia, Pakistan, or India don’t have as many two-in-one options in their ranks. Only the team that became two-time world champions in 2016 do.

With Kyle Walker heading for the exit door, Manchester City have reportedly joined the race to sign a Bundesliga talent who could solve Pep Guardiola’s right-back problem.

Walker set to leave Man City

After spending the second half of the current campaign on loan at Milan, reports have indicated that Walker is expected to leave the Etihad on a permanent basis this summer, even if the Serie A giants decide against triggering their buy option.

The former Man City captain will bow out alongside Kevin De Bruyne as an incredible era of success begins to come to an end under Pep Guardiola.

The veteran right-back will go down as one of the best in his position in Premier League history and earned the praise of Guardiola even as he headed for the exit door in January.

The City boss told reporters back in January when Walker asked to leave the club: “Two days ago Kyle asked to explore the options to play abroad.

“We cannot understand [what] the club did these years without Kyle. It’s impossible. He’s been our right-back, giving us something we didn’t have. But now in his mind, for many reasons, he would like to explore if he can go to another country to play his last years.”

After a sensational run, all good things must come to an end, and Manchester City must now turn their attention towards solving their right-back problem once and for all this summer.

Guardiola cannot afford to turn towards the likes of Matheus Nunes if he is to take his side back to the top of English football. Instead, he could have the chance to call on one particular Bundesliga talent.

Man City join race to sign Kiliann Sildillia

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City are now racing to sign Kiliann Sildillia from SC Freiburg alongside Premier League rivals Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Just 22 years old, the right-back is reportedly valued at around €16m (£14m) and is likely to be granted a departure from Freiburg when the summer transfer window swings open.

Dubbed a “complete full-back” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig when he was just 20 years old, Sildillia has only improved since then and has deservedly earned the interest of some of the Premier League’s best sides.

With a decision to make, Manchester City will be hoping that the young defender chooses to work with Guardiola like many have in the past and many will likely go on to do.

Arsenal have now joined the race for a Premier League forward who has “X-factor pace”, but they may have to pay at least £43m for his services, according to a report.

Gunners set sights on new winger

After progressing past Real Madrid last week, the Gunners have a golden opportunity to win the Champions League for the first time, but Mikel Arteta’s side have been hampered in their Premier League title pursuit by a number of injury issues.

Bukayo Saka’s long-term absence arguably hit the north Londoners the hardest, with the inexperienced Ethan Nwaneri being given the nod at right-wing while the talisman was sidelined, underlining the need for Arteta to bolster his wide options this summer despite Nwaneri’s clear potential.

Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams appears to be among the main targets, with a bid for the Spanish winger now being formulated, while talks have also been held over a deal for Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, who could be available for a fee of just £25m.

Arsenal hold initial talks to sign bargain striker with 176 career goals

Mikel Arteta’s side have reached out to another player.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 20, 2025

Williams has been a long-term target for Arteta, given the level of his performances for club and country, while Cherki has been in remarkable form for Lyon this season, amassing 12 goals and 18 assists in all competitions.

However, with neither player proven in England, Arsenal are also monitoring a winger who has performed very well in the Premier League this season, namely Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga, according to a report from Caught Offside.

Elanga has caught the eye for the Tricky Trees, meaning a whole host of Premier League clubs are also in the race for his signature, including Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and former employers Manchester United.

Forest haven’t put the winger up for sale, and they are considering offering him a contract extension, but there is a feeling they could be open to bids of at least €50m (£43m).

"Powerful" Elanga impressing for Europe-chasing Forest

Forest’s Champions League hopes have recently taken a hit, having lost their last two Premier League games, but they remain in a strong position to qualify for Europe next season, and the 22-year-old has been one of their most important players.

The Forest star has six goals and eight assists to his name in 32 Premier League outings, having predominantly featured at right-wing, although the Swede has often featured on the opposite side throughout his career, indicating he could push for Gabriel Martinelli’s starting spot.

The former Man United man has also impressed both Andy Reid and Jamie Redknapp this season, with the former particularly impressed by his “X-factor pace”.

Elanga’s displays for Forest indicate Man United made a mistake letting him leave, and with Arteta in need of more attacking depth next season, the Sweden international’s versatility could make him an ideal addition to the squad.

West Bromwich Albion take to the field for the final time in the 2024/25 campaign when they host Luton Town at the Hawthorns in the Championship this afternoon.

It is a game that does not mean a great deal for the Baggies, who are without a permanent manager and cannot get promoted or relegated, but they will still want to end the season on a high in front of their home fans.

James Morrison will take the team for the final time before the board decide on a long-term replacement for Tony Mowbray, and one manager who has been linked with the job is Russell Martin.

The pros and cons of Russell Martin

The former Scotland international would come in as a manager with plenty of experience in the English leagues, having managed MK Dons, Swansea, and Southampton.

Martin has also proven that he can get a team promoted from the Championship, as he won the play-offs with the Saints in the 2023/24 campaign, and that makes him an ideal candidate on paper for a West Brom team that should be aiming for promotion next term.

However, the English-born coach won just one of his 16 Premier League games, picking up five points, in charge of Southampton before being sacked with his side sat at the bottom of the table.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

This suggests that it may be a risk to go with Martin as a long-term appointment as there are concerns, given his record, about his suitability for the Premier League.

West Brom, however, have also been linked with an interest in Steve Cooper, who is also out of work at the moment, and he could be an even more exciting appointment than the ex-Saints boss.

Why Steve Cooper would be more exciting than Russell Martin

The English boss, who typically deploys a 4-2-3-1 system, could be even more exciting than a move for Martin because he has proven that he can compete above the relegation zone in the Premier League.

Cooper was sacked by Leicester City earlier this season with his side in 16th place, and they have since been relegated from the top-flight, which suggests that they may have made a hasty decision with that call.

The 45-year-old tactician, once dubbed “tremendous” by Sam Allardyce, also kept Nottingham Forest in the Premier League after winning promotion from the second tier with the Tricky Trees.

As you can see in the table above, Cooper has either finished in the play-offs in the Championship or left a team above the relegation zone in the Premier League in every season in his senior managerial career to date.

This suggests that the former Swansea boss, who won the U17 World Cup with England in 2017, would be perfectly suited to where the Baggies are as a club at this moment in time.

West Brom need a manager who can guide them to the play-offs, firstly, and then to safety in the Premier League, secondly, and Cooper has proven that he can do both of those things as a manager.

Whereas, Martin is yet to prove that he can keep a team in the top-flight, and that is why the English head coach could be an even more exciting hire for the Baggies this summer.

Big Cifuentes upgrade: West Brom keen admirers of 3-5-2 manager

West Bromwich Albion could opt to appoint this Marti Cifuentes’ upgrade over landing the Spaniard.

By
Kelan Sarson

Apr 28, 2025

If this season has proven anything, it’s that Arsenal desperately need attacking reinforcements.

With Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured and Mikel Merino in midfield, Mikel Arteta had just a single senior attacking player on his bench last night: Raheem Sterling.

This lack of options became increasingly apparent as the game went on, as for all his efforts, Leandro Trossard was painfully ineffective down the middle.

It’s not been a great campaign for the Belgian international this season, which makes recent reports linking the club to a potential hardly surprising.

Arsenal transfer news

Plenty of wingers have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some, like Nico Williams.

Transfer Focus

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

The Athletic Bilbao star has been a long-term target for the Gunners and, thanks to a release clause in his current contract, would be available for around £50m this summer.

A far more expensive option, however, could be AC Milan’s incredibly talented Rafael Leão.

The Portuguese international could be available for about £86m at the end of the season, and while that is an incredible sum of money, he might be worth it, as in just 47 appearances this year, he’s scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists.

However, given the club’s need to sign a game-changing striker this summer, they might want to spend a little less on a new left-winger, which is where Kingsley Coman comes in.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are all keen to sign the Bayern Munich star this summer.

The good news is that, due to his squad role at the Allianz Arena, the Frenchman should be available for the relatively reasonable price of around €40m, which is about £34m.

It might be complicated to get ahead of the other interested parties, but given Coman’s ability and experience, this is a transfer worth fighting for, especially as he could be an ideal Trossard upgrade.

How Coman compares to Trossard

So, with Coman primarily playing off the left, Trossard would be one of his main competitors for game time, but how does he stack up to the Belgian?

Well, from a pure output perspective, he comes out on top, as in just 1684 minutes of action, across 38 appearances, he’s scored seven goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 153.09 minutes.

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace has scored ten goals and provided eight assists in 315 minutes across 51 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 175.05 minutes.

How about when we take a look under the hood, then? Who comes out on top when we compare their underlying numbers?

Once again, the Frenchman, whom former Bayen Sporting Director Matthias Sammer once described as “one of the biggest talents in European football,” emerges victorious.

For example, he comes out miles ahead in almost every single relevant metric, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, crosses and passes into the penalty area, passes into the final third, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Finally, with a Champions League, 12 league titles, a Club World Cup and a mountain of domestic cups to his name, the former Juventus star would bring some much-needed title-winning experience to the Gunners’ squad.

Ultimately, while Trossard is a useful player, Coman is a clear upgrade in almost every respect and if Arsenal can sign him this summer, they should.

Hall of shame display: 4/10 Arsenal dud had his worst game all season v PSG

Arsenal suffered a 1-0 defeat in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final with PSG.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 30, 2025

Liverpool’s second-half collapse may have put a dampener on Sunday’s clash with Arsenal, although the Premier League champions had started the day in rampant mood, after racing into a two-goal lead at Anfield.

Two goals in the space of a minute from Cody Gakpo and Luiz Diaz came amid that first-half onslaught for the hosts, with the pair having now scored 18 and 17 goals, respectively, this season in all competitions.

With Mohamed Salah – who boasts 33 across all fronts – rounding off that frontline, the trio have been the standout figures in Arne Slot’s attacking unit in 2024/25, with no other player having reached double figures for goals thus far.

While there had been doubts over Diaz’s future at the club, more recent reports suggested that a new deal could be on the cards for the former Porto man. Salah, of course, has already put pen to paper on his long-awaited contract extension.

With Gakpo, meanwhile, tied down until 2028, the flanks look to be in a good place for the Merseysiders moving forward. That said, a new wideman could be on the cards this summer…

Liverpool's search for a forward

It is no secret that Liverpool’s priority ahead of next term is likely to be the addition of a new centre-forward, with Darwin Nunez looking set to depart after netting just seven times in total this season.

The primary target would appear to be Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, albeit with the £100m-rated Swede seemingly out of reach, the likes of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are also reportedly under consideration.

Away from the pursuit of a number nine, however, journalist Graeme Bailey has also reported that the Reds could be in the mix for Athletic Club sensation, Nico Williams, with the Spaniard seemingly ‘willing’ to move to England this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Bailey, it is Arsenal and Chelsea who are leading the race at present, although Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool have all made contact with the player’s representatives.

As reported elsewhere, the Euro 2024 winner would be able to depart if any suitor triggers his €58m (£49m) release clause, albeit with one potential sticking point likely to prove his wage demands. The Daily Mail – via GOAL – reported he would be looking to earn more than £400k-per-week, a figure close to what Virgil van Dijk will seemingly be taking home following the signing of his own extension.

Such a salary could prove a real stumbling block for Slot and co, although should a compromise be met, the 22-year-old would be a more than worthy addition to the Anfield ranks.

Why Liverpool could be targeting the next Gakpo

As noted above, Sunday’s stalemate with the Gunners saw Gakpo get on the scoresheet once again, with the 26-year-old nodding home from Andy Robertson’s whipped cross to notch his tenth Premier League goal of the campaign.

That marked the first time that the former PSV Eindhoven man has reached double figures for league goals for the club, after netting 15 times in the 18 months prior to that, following his £35m arrival in January 2023.

Prior to moving to Merseyside, the then-Manchester United target had been a real revelation in his homeland for PSV, having registered 55 goals and 49 assists in 149 games for the Eredivisie giants, offering a relentless threat down the left flank or in a central role.

Such quality had also been on show on the international scene, with Gakpo scoring in every group stage game at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, just a matter of months before moving to England.

In many ways, there would be a sense of Deja Vu if young Williams is to follow suit this summer, with the Bilbao wizard having also dazzled in his homeland, with 61 goals and assists in 166 senior games.

That includes a return of 11 goals and seven assists in all competitions this season, amid the Basque side’s surge to the Europa League semi-final, with it no surprise that he has been dubbed “one of the best wingers on the market” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Like Gakpo too, it is for his national team where Williams has perhaps made the bigger splash, having started in six of Spain’s seven games en route to glory last summer, while memorably netting in the showpiece success over England.

A natural right-footer who typically operates off the left flank, much like Gakpo, Williams also emulates his Liverpool counterpart due to his versatility, having also been just as comfortable operating on the opposite side in his career to date,

That flexibility should ensure that the in-demand speedster provides welcome competition and cover for the likes of Diaz, Gakpo and Salah on either flank, with the chance there for Williams to enjoy gradual progression in a Liverpool shirt – much like Gakpo has been afforded the time to do.

As this campaign has already showcased, Slot’s starting lineup looks strong and healthy – now it’s the time to really enhance the squad as a whole with exciting, high potential moves.

Better than Jota: Liverpool make contact to sign "world-class" £85m star

Liverpool have made contact to keep informed on a “world-class” star who is miles better than Diogo Jota.

2

By
Dan Emery

May 12, 2025

With Rasmus Hojlund continuing to struggle, Manchester United are now reportedly positioning themselves to sign an impressive 17-goal striker who would be an instant upgrade.

Hojlund up for sale this summer

Almost two years on from his £72m move from Atalanta, Hojlund is yet to burst into life in a Manchester United shirt. Even after paying such a price, the Red Devils would have been aware that any young striker would need time. By this stage, however, those around Old Trafford had hoped to see more from the Dane, who has struggled more than ever under Ruben Amorim.

26 goals in 94 appearances is a poor record for any striker, but for a £72m striker it’s undeniably disastrous. Now, according to recent reports, Amorim is ready to sanction Hojlund’s sale and find an instant replacement this summer.

This comes just days after the Europa League final, in which the 22-year-old was once again kept quiet as Tottenham Hotspur battled to a 1-0 victory. What will far from help his cause is how much more structured Manchester United looked following the introduction of Joshua Zirkzee.

Whilst Hojlund failed in his hold-up play approach, Zirkzee dropped deeper and instantly handed the likes of Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes a connection between midfield and attack. As much as the Dutchman has also struggled in Manchester this season, he has shown glimpses of the traits that Manchester United signed him for last summer.

In desperate need of an upgrade to end their goalscoring woes, the pending arrival of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers may not be the last time that Manchester United go in search of attacking talent this summer. As per recent reports, the Red Devils are also lining up another Premier League star.

Man Utd positioning themselves to sign Mateta

According to L’Equipe, Manchester United are now positioning themselves to sign Jean-Philippe Mateta from Crystal Palace this summer. The Frenchman is reportedly considering joining Amorim’s side in a bid to break into France’s World Cup squad next summer.

The forward has enjoyed another excellent season at Selhurst Park and will forever have his place in the club’s history after playing his part in their FA Cup win and their first-ever major trophy.

Man Utd ready move for one of the most sought after young talents in Italy

He’s a man in demand.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 22, 2025

The question will naturally be asked as to whether Mateta will be willing to ditch such success for a United side in turmoil, but Cunha’s reported move proves that those at Old Trafford still have the ability to attract top talents.

With 14 goals in the Premier League and 17 in all competitions, Mateta has found the back of the net more times than both Zirkzee and Hojlund combined. Described as “amazing” by Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner earlier this season, the Frenchman is someone that Manchester United should go all out for.