Batsman flew in from Miami the night before the CPL final and lifted the trophy on Tridents debut

Matt Roller17-Oct-2019The day before the Caribbean Premier League final, Barbados Tridents realised that the hamstring JP Duminy had tweaked in Qualifier 2 wasn’t going to heal in time to play.Phil Salt, the Sussex batsman on the fringes of the England squad, got a phone call from his agent while holidaying in Miami. “Can you get to the airport for 7 o’clock tonight?” Just over 24 hours later, Salt was celebrating his first major T20 trophy in the dressing room.”It’s been a belting week”, Salt told ESPNcricinfo from Tampa, the next stop on his North American holiday. “It had been on my radar from the day before, but I thought it was something like a ten per cent chance I’d be going.”I actually flew in with the owners – they’re based in Dallas – got there, had a night in the hotel, and met up with the boys in the morning. We had the team meeting at 2.00, the bus left at 2.30 and we were straight into the game.”For Salt, the occasion was made all the more special due to his link with Barbados. After growing up in North Wales, he moved to Barbados as a child for his formative years – he famously once ‘took’ Sir Garry Sobers’ Indian takeaway by mistake – and had grown up playing age-group cricket with plenty of his team-mates on Saturday night.”A lot of the boys are old friends so it was good to see them again… Roshon Primus, Justin Greaves. I’d come across Jason Holder – he was a few years older than me, but I always used to see him at Wanderers Cricket Club practice. And then Shai Hope was the year above me, but I used to play with him as well… it’s sort of the whole squad that in some way or another I’d had something to do with.”Salt’s kit was printed at the last minute – as evidenced by his name and number being printed in a different font and colour to the rest of the side – and he borrowed a bat off Raymon Reifer. To most it would be unsettling, but Salt shrugged it off: “I find it quite easy to roll with the punches and get on with it.”Phil Salt’s last-minute shirt had his name and number in the wrong font and colour•Randy Brooks – CPL T20 / GettyComing in at 43 for 1 in the sixth over, Salt found mid-on and mid-off off his first two balls, and was hit on the forearm by a Ben Laughlin slower-ball bouncer facing his third – but to the general disbelief of the whole ground, umpire Gregory Brathwaite raised his finger.”I couldn’t quite believe it. I was so far away from it! I was like – hang on a minute, I could really kick off here. But then I thought, you know what, there’s nothing I can do – I’ve just got to accept a poor decision and move on.”In the end, it mattered little: after Jonathan Carter’s late salvo and a disciplined bowling effort, the Tridents eased to a 27-run win, and Salt soon had his hands on the trophy.”The celebrations were great,” he said. “We had a good chat among the group. I came into it quite late, but talking to the guys over a couple of beers, they’d been through quite a lot – they’d struggled at the start of the comp, and hadn’t played their best cricket. But they came together as a team and built up that momentum – I felt lucky to be a part of it. It was one of the best days of my life.”Salt resumed his holiday after another day’s layover, and the T10 league is next on his agenda before a Big Bash League stint at the Adelaide Strikers. He was “pretty disappointed” to miss out on England’s T20I squad to go to New Zealand, having received his maiden call-up for the one-off game against Pakistan at the start of the summer, but is confident that he can press his case with a good winter.”When I got the call from [England selector] James Taylor, I thought he was going to tell me that I was in [the squad]. It’s a strong one that they’ve picked, and I’m sure they’ll do really well out there. He just said that I was really close but didn’t make it this time. Every game of cricket I play now, I’m just trying to do my best and perform.”

Used to bowling his overs at the start of his innings, Chahar knows he has to keep adding to his skills, and he is mentally ready to take on more in the death overs

Sidharth Monga in Mohali19-Sep-20191:58

I treat every match as my last – Chahar

“I only select the ball”

****

Fast bowlers are generally slightly eccentric, highly bullish and often outspoken. India’s have been plain and highly strung, with notable exceptions such as Sreesanth. Deepak Chahar is not plain. He can’t be accused of being low on confidence even though “medium-fast” describes him better than fast. In fact MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming recognised his speed as optimum swing pace – a euphemism for lack of express pace – and turned his career around by giving him a super specialist role of bowling out at the top of an innings.Chahar is now a serious contender for India’s T20 World Cup side as auditions began in earnest in Mohali with a bilateral T20 international against South Africa, one of about 25 India are expected to play before going into the big event. This is a new India in which only Jasprit Bumrah can take his place for certain in the bowling department. Even the two wristspinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, talk of the town until recently, find themselves on the outside because they can’t bat.India are not going to make any compromises, and if it is a super-specialist auditioning for the role he had better be excellent at what he is doing. Chahar is asked what if they get a ball that is refusing to swing. It happens to the best of them. Swing is mysterious. Not to Chahar. This is when he reveals that he selects the ball, which means that it is sure to swing for one over at least. After that if a batsman hits the ball out of shape, there are no guarantees.It says a lot about Dhoni’s contribution to Chahar’s development. Selecting a ball is often a role given to your best fast bowler; Chahar enjoys that confidence from Dhoni. He pays off by swinging more balls than anybody in the IPL, and by a comfortable margin. Bowlers such as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Trent Boult and Tim Southee swing about half as many balls as Chahar, that too in Chennai, where he believes swing goes to die. Over the last three IPL seasons, he has taken more Powerplay wickets than anyone.Watch cricket on ESPN+

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While Dhoni had given him a role where he could best use his skills, Chahar needed to develop a big heart for it because having only two fielders outside the circle can be tough. More so during your third over of the Powerplay when, if you haven’t taken wickets in the first two overs, the batsmen are looking to take advantage. But two fielders outside the circle has become a way of life for Chahar now.”When I sit down to plan now, I plan thinking I have only two fielders,” Chahar said after his analysis of 4-0-22-2 set up an easy chase for India. “My thinking has become such that when I am planning against a batsman, I automatically assume I have only two fielders outside. It has become a habit.”Deepak Chahar talks to MS Dhoni•BCCIBut in a tournament such as the World Cup, you can’t afford to be that one-dimensional. Teams have a year to figure Chahar out, and he will need to keep adding to his bowling, specially at the death. He showed some of that evolution in his last over.”Earlier I used to bowl out with the new ball, and people used to ask me why I don’t bowl at the death,” Chahar said. “I used to say death is easier to bowl. My brain had become so used to bowling with two fielders outside the circle that five seemed a luxury. If you have variations, you can use them at the death.”Chahar feels he is mentally ready to take on more at the death. He has developed the knuckle ball, and also bowls the slower bouncer.”I believe you can’t afford to be predictable at the death,” Chahar said. “If the batsman knows you will bowl only the yorker or normal slower one, then he can line you up. You have to have a slower bouncer, a knuckle ball, a slower ball, a yorker… If you have all that, the batsman is a little watchful. If you miss the length by a lot, then there is a chance you will get hit for a four or a six, but if you keep executing or miss it by a little bit, you can escape punishment.”This Mohali game was a good display of his range of skills. He swung it in the first over he bowled, but the swing soon disappeared. Still he got the wicket of Reeza Hendricks in his first spell of three overs. When he came back to bowl the 18th over, he had already planned what he was going to do. He said he spends the time fielding planning for his last over. He spends it studying the batsmen, jogging his memory to previous contests.Here Chahar had a set Temba Bavuma to bowl to, against whom he had recently played in the A series. He knew Bavuma is good at using the pace, and pulling and cutting, but not very good at hitting sixes down the ground. He also knew Bavuma had been frustrated by an excellent Navdeep Saini over. He knew the big shot was coming, and he slipped in the knuckle ball first up. It not only brought him his second wicket, but also showed captain Virat Kohli his range.Chahar has so far made all the right moves, but he says he plays every match as if it is his last because he knows of the stiff competition for spots. The World Cup is too distant a thought. Right now he is plotting how to bowl to the next batsman. And he has only two fielders outside the circle.

Four tons in five matches, including six fifties in seven innings…and counting. The 25-year-old Australia No. 3 reflects on his terrific run of form after his century in Sydney

Andrew McGlashan in Sydney03-Jan-2020There has been plenty of reflection lately on where Australian cricket has come in the last 12 months. In many ways, the story can be told through Marnus Labuschagne. A year ago, there was shock when he was recalled to bat No. 3 in the final Test against India at the SCG. Now it’s a shock if he doesn’t score runs there.David Warner may have been the headline figure from Australia’s batting summer with his unbeaten 335 in Adelaide, but Labuschagne has been, without doubt, the batting star. When he tucked Colin de Grandhomme off his pads for his eighth four it brought up his fourth century of the season.It has been a performance to put him in rare company. He joined a collection of Australia batsmen who have four hundreds in a season with only Ricky Ponting’s five in 2005-06 ahead of him.ALSO READ: Labuschagne ton, Smith fifty dent depleted New Zealand’s moraleWhile Labuschagne always had confidence in his ability, he admitted the success – which has really come in the last five months since the Ashes – would have been hard to take for real if put to him a year ago. “I probably wouldn’t have believed you, it has been a real amazing year and I definitely don’t take it for granted,” he said. “For me it’s about trying to ride the wave as long as I can, keep things quite level. It’s easy to get real up when you are going well, so it’s about making it an even keel.””I haven’t really had time to sit down and think about how the whole year has unfolded; it’s been pretty special. Last time this year, yes I was sitting here, and there were a lot of questions. I’m thankful for the opportunity, and scoring runs is always nice; I never take it for granted, though, because it can turn very quickly.”Rewind a year and for all the surprise at Labuschagne being at first drop he shaped up promisingly as he made 38 in the face of India’s mammoth total. He moved back down the order in the next Test, against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, and scored a maiden Test half-century, with his 81 helping secure a comfortable victory.Marnus Labuschagne celebrates his century•Getty ImagesWhat happened after that, which has led to this point in his career, has been well-documented with the stint at Glamorgan in county cricket helping hone his technique and then a dramatic jettisoning into the Test side when Steven Smith was concussed at Lord’s. When Smith returned, Labuschagne had already made himself a fixture but the only spot available became No. 3. He has now made it his own.When Australia Test captain Tim Paine was asked on the eve of the Test whether he believed things would pan out this way, he had said, “probably not this quickly.”Australia never found a stable batting order in the year-long absence of Smith and David Warner, then it took a while to get things right when they returned, but some of the foundations were put in place during that difficult period.ALSO READ: Smith earns his runs in Labuschagne’s summer”The reason he was picked, Greg Chappell in particular saw he had some talent in him,” Paine recalled. “JL (Justin Langer) has always been really big on character and the people we have in the team. While Marnus wasn’t scoring the runs, we thought he could in Shield cricket, he ticked every other box. There was an opportunity there over that year to blood some young players who we thought could be the future.”Marnus in particular, to go and play county cricket last year, pile on some runs, again he has worked his backside off. He deserves everything he is getting at the moment. The more time he spends with Smithy and Davey he seems to be getting better.”Labuschagne was unaware of the high-level support behind him, which initially helped him get a place on the trip to face Pakistan in the UAE. “Those conversations must be going on in the background because I didn’t know any of these, but you do need people in your corner as you push and try to come through,” he said. “It’s great to hear someone of that calibre had my back. At the end of the day there’s no other currency than runs. You can have a good technique but unless you are putting big scores on the board, eventually it doesn’t matter.”By stumps on the opening day in Sydney, Labuschagne’s Test average stood at 62.61. Smith’s was 62.84 as he hit his career mark in a hard-working innings. “I don’t think it’s even a comparison,” Labuschagne said. “For a person to perform over a summer – or a year – to comparing that to a guy who has been at the top of his game for eight years – that’s something that I aspire to.”

Nasty, brutish, usually short. And now No.3 in the ICC world rankings

Sidharth Monga27-Nov-2019If Test cricket is professional wrestling, Neil Wagner is an ECW guy. ECW was aggressive, it was extreme, it was chaotic, it was “hardcore”. Traditional rules and grammar don’t apply to hardcore wrestling. There are no disqualifications, it is not confined to a ring, foreign objects are allowed.Wagner doesn’t follow the tradition of fast bowling in Tests. His “top of off” is the batsman’s shoulder. His seam is all over the place. He looks for swing only for a little while. He bowls away from the stumps. He creates weird angles by going, say, extremely around the wicket to a left-handed batsman. “Caught others” is Wagner’s dominant mode of dismissal, whereas others look for bowleds and lbws and nicks to the keeper or the cordon. If you think you can patiently see him off, he just goes on and on to bowl extremely long spells. Sometimes they seem to be comprised of nothing but bouncers. He just doesn’t go away.Hardcore wrestling was ridiculed by mainstream promotions before they assimilated it as part of their shows for its shock value. Promotions such as ECW end up either being bought over by mainstream companies or remain extremely niche.Wagner was noticed by the mainstream about three years ago when he became only the 14th man, and the second-fastest among them, to take 100 Test wickets for New Zealand. He is no longer niche, though. Three years on, and he has steadfastly refused to die as a novelty act whose shock value has worn off. He is still bowling those long spells full of bouncers to help New Zealand find a way past their flat pitches.ESPNcricinfo LtdAnd now, at No. 3 in the latest ICC rankings, he is properly mainstream. With a wicket every 52 balls, he is in the top 20 strike rates of all time. Among those who have taken 150 wickets, only one New Zealand bowler has been quicker to a wicket than him: Sir Richard Hadlee. Wagner will soon become only the seventh New Zealand bowler to 200 wickets.But these are just mainstream stats. The real #WagnerStats, the ones that make him hardcore, are the length of his spells and the shortness of his deliveries. Wagner has bowled a staggering 34.62% of his deliveries in spells of seven overs or more, not counting those that were broken by session breaks or the end of a day’s play. Since Wagner made his debut, the only pace bowlers who come close to this number are typically gentler bowlers without the body of work that Wagner has. Colin de Grandhomme, Tim Murtagh, Darren Sammy and Hardik Pandya are a few.Among those closer to Wagner’s potency and a body of work (say 500 overs), Bhuvneshwar Kumar has bowled 25.57% of his deliveries in spells of seven overs or more; James Anderson, Kagiso Rabada and Ben Stokes just under 20.ESPNcricinfo LtdSince Wagner’s debut, Anderson has managed to bowl three more seven-or-more-over spells than Wagner’s 68, but Anderson has played a lot more Test cricket than Wagner, the first half of whose career was played only on flat unhelpful tracks. At first, he would to lose out to Doug Bracewell or Matt Henry or Adam Milne the moment there was some movement to be extracted, but soon his longevity and unusual mode of attack began to outweigh the utility of a traditional bowler with the new ball.If you want to see Wagner’s real utility, look at his spells of 10 overs or more. He has bowled 10 of this ilk. Only Anderson comes close with six. Imagine the luxury for a captain and fellow bowlers. The match is slipping away, the new ball is 20 overs away, you want control and perhaps a wicket or two and you want your two swing bowlers fresh for the new ball.Wagner turns up from overs 61 to 79, into the wind, for the wickets of Virat Kohli and Shikhar Dhawan for 26 runs in a tense chase by India in Auckland in 2013-14. On a spinner’s track, in an even more tense chase, how about an absolute nerveless 13-4-27-2 to help Aiaz Patel seal a historic four-run win in Abu Dhabi in 2018-19? Or 12-5-27-3 (two overs before tea) on the final evening to get rid of the stubborn Stokes and Chris Woakes and carry New Zealand a win at Auckland in 2017-18, despite two days lost to rain.ESPNcricinfo LtdLast week in Mount Maunganui, Wagner broke open the Test with a seven-over spell that brought him three of his five wickets. His bowling in this innings is a good example of what he does as a bowler. A wicket with a wide short ball, a wicket with a wide knuckle-ball full toss, another with a short ball into the ribs, before sealing the match with a full toss from the edge of the crease to a left-handed batsman, a swinging yorker that the batsman couldn’t lay a bat on. There is no pattern. Some of these might even look like fluke wickets, but you don’t reach 182 wickets at a strike rate of 52 by fluke. It is really difficult to prepare for Wagner because nobody bowls like him. He messes with batsmen’s balance and footwork.Over the years Wagner has upskilled himself – that knuckle-ball is an example, his improved wrist position after a stint at Lancashire is another – but the short ball remains the bedrock of his bowling. Since his debut, nobody has bowled more short balls or taken more wickets with it than Wagner has. He has to work harder than most. Kagiso Rabada gets a wicket every 22 short balls, Morne Morkel took only 19, but Wagner gets a wicket after bowling 30 short balls on an average. That is indicative of the gentle pace of the pitches that Wagner bowls on, but he has figured out that – especially in New Zealand, especially on the third day onwards – a full ball is worse than a good short ball. That his average with the short ball is better than Rabada or Morkel tells you of his control with his favourite weapon.Since 2014, only Lahiru Kumara has bowled a higher percentage of deliveries short or short of a length than Wagner’s 49.09 percent. Eighty-five of his 132 wickets in this period have come with these deliveries, a percentage nobody comes close to. Pat Cummins, with higher pace and more tools at his disposal, is a more complete bowler, but he too prefers the Wagner-type of length.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe only other bowlers that come close to this mode of operation are Wahab Riaz and Mark Wood, but it takes a toll on their bodies and increasingly both men are becoming shorter-formats-only bowlers. Mitchell Johnson and Morkel would also drag their lengths back from time to time, but neither them nor Cummins did so with the frequency that Wagner does.For the extra effort that is required, Wagner trains like a madman. described a typical Wagner pre-season training session thus: “He sprints 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m with just a minute’s rest in between. Four times. After a quick rest and refuel, it’s off to the gym for 90 minutes of further torture.”Wagner remains thankful he has had an international career, having failed during his South Africa days to get into a Titans side behind Dale Steyn, Andre Nel, the Morkel brothers and Alfonso Thomas. Mike Hesson, who was instrumental in bringing him to New Zealand, has a nice little story about how that came about. He was looking for a quick bowler for Otago, and was shown footage of Wagner giving it his all even though his side had all but lost. When Hesson offered him the job, Wagner said yes without discussing the money.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat principle still remains true. This year, the only non-first-class cricket that Wagner has played is five T20s. New Zealand is not in the financial health to compensate Test players the way India does Cheteshwar Pujara and Ishant Sharma, and nor do they play as much Test cricket as India. Is it any surprise that he puts everything into every Test spell as if everything depends on it?In the larger scheme of cricket, Wagner remains niche. At the most, he tends to be in the spotlight for five weeks or so a year. If there ever was a season for him to go fully mainstream, it is this: No. 2 New Zealand will be playing against the Nos. 1, 3 and 4 sides in the same summer. He has already taken a five-for against – and twice removed the captain of – the No. 3 side. By the time New Zealand go to Australia, the hosts will likely be No. 4. The big one will be the dominant Indian side touring New Zealand early next year.Wagner will be ready with his square leg and short leg slightly in front of square, and a fine leg and a leg gully (or two fine legs) waiting round the corner. The umpires will check his wickets for back-foot no-balls because he will exploit every angle he can. It will be extreme cricket. In the mainstream.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have now joined the race for a “top” player who legendary striker Didier Drogba is a huge fan of, but there could be competition for his signature from a number of rival Premier League clubs, according to a report.

Wolves' summer transfer plans

At one stage in the campaign, relegation from the Premier League was a very real threat, but Vitor Pereira has managed to steer Wolves clear of the bottom three, with the gap widening to 12 points after the 2-1 victory at Ipswich Town last time out.

The job may not be done mathematically, but Pereira can now start to look ahead to the summer transfer window, and the manager will be aiming to bring in players capable of helping his side push much further up the table next season.

Amid doubts over Matheus Cunha’s future, bringing in a new goal threat may be of key significance to Pereira, and a move for FC Twente attacking midfielder Sem Steijn is now being plotted, with the 23-year-old scoring a remarkable 27 goals this season.

£10m Wolves player who Pereira has praised now wants to leave Molineux

He could be on the way out.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 9, 2025

Not only could the Old Gold look to bolster their attacking options, but there are now suggestions they could bring in a new goalkeeper, with a report from Football Insider revealing they are now checking on Angers’ Yahia Fofana.

Fofana is said to be viewed as one of the best young goalkeepers in Europe, given his impressive performances in Ligue 1 this season, which have led to interest from a whole host of Premier League clubs, with Newcastle United and Brentford also keen.

Not only that, but former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is a big fan of the goalkeeper, having previously convinced him to play internationally for the Ivory Coast, rather than France, the country of his birth.

Despite the level of his performances this season, the 24-year-old could be available for the bargain fee of just £15m this summer, potentially making the goalkeeper an even more attractive option for Wolves.

Fofana lauded as a "top" goalkeeper

Drogba is not the only person who admires the Angers shot-stopper, with football scout Ben Mattinson singling him out for praise back in February.

Despite his side losing 1-0 against Paris Saint-Germain last time out, the 6 foot 4 colossus was one of the best players on the pitch, preventing 1.64 goals and making two big saves to keep his side in the game.

Jose Sa has received heavy criticism at times this season, with Jamie Carragher particularly scathing in his review of the 32-year-old’s performances, and Fofana’s displays in Ligue 1 indicate he could be a fantastic long-term replacement.

The word ‘legend’ is thrown around all too readily in the beautiful game, but that is a tag that should be bestowed upon a key figure of Manchester United’s modern era – Wayne Rooney.

Plucked from Everton as a bulldozing teenager, the England and United great went on to achieve remarkable success during a glittering 13-year stay at Old Trafford, claiming a whole gamut of silverware, alongside his record total of 253 goals in all competitions.

Right from the outset, following his debut hat-trick against Fenerbahce, ‘Wazza’ simply looked born to pull on that famous red jersey, having also put the ‘devil’ in Red Devils with his relentless, full-blooded approach.

Yes, there were low moments – including his public desire to leave in both 2010 and 2013 – but the highs were so much more memorable, be it that overhead kick in the Manchester Derby, or his long-range stunner away at West Ham United.

Part of the famed forward line, alongside Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo, that claimed Champions League glory in 2008, Rooney was simply a menace in his pomp, with the great Sir Alex Ferguson previously suggesting that he could have played “in any era”.

Not only that, but the ex-Everton man was also seemingly the man for any position, be it as a number ten, a centre-forward, a winger or – as was the case in his latter days – as a central midfielder.

Why Wayne Rooney moved into midfield

It’s fair to say that much of Rooney’s best work for United came at the top end of the pitch, with the versatile speedster memorably scoring 34 goals in all competitions during the 2009/10 campaign, while operating as a centre-forward.

As he himself later admitted, however, he “hated” playing as the lone number nine as he “wanted to get involved” in the game, having notably moved into a number ten berth following Robin van Persie’s arrival in 2012.

That duo notably combined on the day that clinched what remains United’s most recent league title, with Rooney picking out the Dutchman with a delightful lofted pass over the top. Van Persie, of course, did the rest.

Such a moment perhaps hinted at a future for the Englishman in a deeper role later in his career, with Louis van Gaal subsequently opting to deploy his skipper as a central midfielder during his time in charge.

Speaking in April 2016, Rooney then admitted that he was looking to emulate teammate Paul Scholes in that role:

Most memorably, Rooney started in a deep-lying berth in the 2016 FA Cup final, with the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel writing at the time that the 30-year-old ‘ran the show’ in that eventual 2-1 victory.

To have moved from operating in the final third to then pulling the strings in the centre of the park seemed like a natural progression for the now-retired star, with that scenario perhaps now repeating itself with regard to Bruno Fernandes.

Man Utd's "legend" could now be emulating Rooney

After the highs of that Wembley triumph at the end of Van Gaal’s tenure, Rooney – who played as a midfielder in England’s unsuccessful Euro 2016 campaign – saw his change in role prove short-lived amid Jose Mourinho’s arrival, with the Portuguese coach stating that his captain “will never be a number six” in his team.

Just a year later, ‘Wazza’ was on his way back to Everton after enduring a bit-part role in claiming Europa League and Carabao Cup success in 2016/17, before ultimately retiring in 2021 after spells with DC United and Derby County.

There is perhaps the view that it was a mistake for Rooney to have tried to change his game in the latter stages of his career, with analyst Michael Cox writing in 2017 that he ‘had not taken to that role because he does not have the mobility to play there’.

Touches

110

Pass accuracy

79%

Key passes

6

Shots on target

2

Shots off target

0

Big chances created

0

Successful dribbles

2/5

Duels won

7/17

Long balls completed

7/12

Possession lost

31x

Dribbled past

3x

Perhaps there may be a fear of Fernandes enduring similar difficulties, with the £300k-per-week talisman also not exactly the most defensively-minded figure to call upon. Indeed, against Nottingham Forest in midweek, he was dribbled past on three occasions and lost the ball 31 times.

Despite those concerns, the decision to move the 30-year-old into a deeper role – amid his previous work as a number ten – does look as if it could prove far more successful than Rooney’s own late career venture.

That was again evident against Forest as the Portuguese playmaker initially struggled when operating behind Joshua Zirkzee, before gaining greater control after a half-time reshuffle saw him slot in alongside Casemiro, as he went on to rack up six key passes in total.

The reported Real Madrid target has been in fine form as part of the midfield duo after netting against the likes of Arsenal, Leicester City and Real Sociedad, with Amorim describing him as the “perfect captain” amid criticism from treble-winning hero, Roy Keane.

Also described as a “legend” in his own right by his manager, Fernandes has previously hinted that he envisages his future as a number six, again mirroring Rooney in having plotted out the latter stages of his career.

The only concern will be whether the former Sporting CP man – like Rooney – has the physical capabilities to make himself a long-term fit in this role moving forward, with The Athletic’s Carl Anka previously noting that the ‘central midfielders in Amorim’s 3-4-3 are chosen for their athleticism and tackling qualities first and foremost’.

The plan is working at the moment, to an extent, considering Fernandes’ individual brilliance, but it does beg the question as to whether he can maintain this momentum in the centre of the park.

With the midfield maestro perhaps approaching legendary status himself, he must ensure that his United career does not peter out in the same way that Rooney’s did before him.

Best signing since Bruno: Man Utd prepare bid for "frightening" £60m star

Man Utd are already stepping up their summer transfer plans, according to the latest reports

ByRobbie Walls Apr 3, 2025

Mikel Arteta has been in the hot seat at Arsenal for over five years now, and it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say the club today is practically unrecognisable from the one he took over in December 2019.

He’s led the North Londoners from mid-table mediocrity into one fighting for Premier League titles and who have just smashed Real Madrid 3-0 in the Champions League.

While much of this incredible turnaround has been down to the Spaniard’s methods, tactics and philosophy, it has also been helped by his signings, like the club-record acquisition of Declan Rice.

The £105m man, who was utterly sublime against Real Madrid, has arguably been Arteta’s best signing since taking the job, but if recent reports are to be believed, he could be about to secure the services of another international star who’d be the best signing since the Englishman.

Arsenal transfer news

It’s no secret that Arsenal’s priority heading into the summer is to sign a new striker, and as things stand, one of the names most heavily touted for a move to the club is Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.

Transfer Focus

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

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The Swede is supposedly available for a fee as low as £58m, which may prove to be a bargain considering he’s scored 44 goals and provided 11 assists in 44 games this season, but he’s not the only target.

Another name constantly linked with the Gunners is RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, who could be available for around £67m.

The Slovenian hasn’t been as productive this season, racking up 25 goal involvements in 39 games, but is just 21 and playing in a top-five league.

However, there is another striker now supposedly high up on the Gunners’ wishlist, someone who’s an output machine and has plenty of experience in the toughest competitions: Lautaro Martinez.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, the Inter Milan forward is now one of the North Londoners’ top targets.

In fact, the report has claimed that Arteta and Co are ‘preparing an offer’ for the Argentine, an offer which could be as much as €150m, which is about £129m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Martinez’s immense ability, one well worth fighting for, especially as he’d be Arsenal’s best since Rice.

Why Martinez would be Arsenal's best signing since Rice

So, the first thing to say is that since Rice’s arrival was announced in July 2023, Arsenal have made other impressive additions to the squad, like David Raya and even Mikel Merino, but it would be fair to say that none have had quite the impact he has.

For example, he’s already made 94 appearances for the first team, scoring 14 goals, providing 18 assists, and helping transform the midfield as a six and then eight.

In short, removing him from the team would have a detrimental impact, so for a future signing to be the best since his arrival, they’d have to be pretty game-changing, which is just what Martinez would be.

The clearest example of why he’d have such an impact on the team is his utterly stupendous level of output from the last few seasons.

For example, since moving to Inter Milan in July 2018, the World Cup-winning monster has scored a staggering 148 goals and provided 49 assists in just 323 appearances, totalling 22597 minutes.

Martinez’s Inter record

Appearances

323

Starts

259

Minutes

22597′

Goals

148

Assists

49

Points per Game

2.08

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

Minutes per Goal Involvement

114.70′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means the 27-year-old, whom renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as “the best 9 in the world,” has averaged a goal involvement every 1.63 games, or every 114.70 minutes, for almost seven years.

Just imagine that level of consistent output leading the line for Gunners with Bukayo Saka to his right and Martin Odegaard behind him; he’d transform their attack.

Ultimately, while it would cost an extraordinary amount of money, Arsenal should do what they can to bring Martinez to the Emirates this summer, as he’d be their best signing since Rice.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025

As rumours continue to rumble on over Marc Guehi’s future, Crystal Palace have reportedly set their sights on signing a South American defender who has impressed club chiefs.

Crystal Palace targeting Guehi replacement

After earning the interest of Newcastle United before the Magpies were priced out of a move last summer, Guehi was always likely to receive plenty of attention just one year later. This time, however, it’s clubs of Liverpool’s calibre who are reportedly interested, as they look to reinforce Arne Slot’s backline by splashing out on the Palace star.

Such interest in Guehi should come as little shock either following the season that he has enjoyed. After a slow start in Oliver Glasner’s first full campaign in charge, Palace have rediscovered their best form since the turn of the year and recently booked their place in the last four of the FA Cup by thrashing Fulham 3-0.

That success often comes with consequences, however, and those in South London are seemingly already preparing for Guehi’s potential departure by turning their focus towards signing a replacement.

According to GiveMeSport, Crystal Palace are now plotting a move to sign Kevin Lomonaco from RB Bragantino this summer by potentially triggering his €20m (£17m) release clause.

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The 23-year-old Argentine defender has seemingly impressed those at Selhurst Park and could now be on his way to European football for the first time. On loan at Independiente this season, Lomonaco has played a key role, starting in all 11 of their Torneo Apertura games and helping them keep five clean sheets in that run.

Whilst there will still be some question marks over just how ready he is to step into the Premier League, clubs around English football have benefitted in the past from welcoming South American players of such calibre.

"Aggressive" Lomonaco could become Guehi heir

Whilst he wouldn’t steal instant headlines like other options might, Lomonaco is still one to watch if Guehi leaves Crystal Palace this summer – especially when priced at just £17m. Earning plenty of praise during his time at Independiente, who bought 75% of his rights last winter, PanoScout described Lomonaco as “aggressive in ground duels”, and a player who “won’t hesitate to tackle”.

With West Ham United and German club Wolfsburg also chasing the defender’s signature, those at Selhurst Park should make their move as soon as possible this summer.

The last thing that the South London club will want is to miss out on Lomonaco and then watch on as Guehi departs to join a club of Liverpool’s calibre in the coming months.

For the 12th time in the Premier League this season, Manchester United – now residing in 13th in the table – failed to score last time out, having played out a drab goalless draw with rivals Manchester City on Sunday afternoon.

With just seven games remaining in the league in 2024/25, United have currently scored just 37 goals, notably placing them behind 17th-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have scored 43 times to date.

As was evident at the weekend, there is a clear lack of confidence and ruthlessness in the attacking third for the Old Trafford side, a point emphasised by the fact that Bruno Fernandes currently leads the way with just eight league goals.

Ruben Amorim’s senior strikers – in the form of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – have netted just six times in the top-flight between them, a fact that has only heightened the need for a new number nine this summer.

Rumours are already rife regarding the potential targets who could solve United’s goalscoring woes, with Amorim seemingly keen on a reunion with Sporting CP sensation, Viktor Gyokeres, ahead of next season.

Latest on Man Utd's interest in Gyokeres

Amorim must be tearing his hair out at the limp nature of his forward line at Old Trafford, not least having witnessed the breathtaking brilliance of that man Gyokeres back in Lisbon.

Indeed, the towering Swede scored 66 goals in just 68 games while working under the Portuguese coach, with the 26-year-old proving vital in last season’s title triumph, having netted 43 times in all competitions.

Unsurprisingly, there have been suggestions that Amorim is ready to raid his former club for the signing of the ex-Coventry City striker, with reports in recent days claiming that a bid may have even been lodged by the United hierarchy.

That said, The Athletic’s David Ornstein has also outlined that Premier League rivals Arsenal are pursuing a move for the prolific marksman, with the Gunners said to be ‘developing a strong interest’ in landing the Sporting talisman.

As for the Red Devils, journalist Laurie Whitwell – also of the The Athletic – did previously claim that a pursuit of Gyokeres could be ‘unlikely’ due to his age and the player’s own desire for Champions League football, throwing into a doubt the prospect of a renewed association with Amorim.

That could leave the 40-year-old having to look elsewhere to find his next centre-forward project, while among his current ranks, he could be able to mould another attacking superstar at the Theatre of Dreams.

The Man Utd star who's worth even more than Gyokeres

As Amorim outlined following the Sunday stalemate, his side “need to improve in every aspect of the game”, having particularly highlighted the “final third” as a key point of concern.

That latest encounter saw the aforementioned Hojlund register just two touches in the opposition half – no, not penalty area – in the first half, a staggering statistic that represents the young Dane’s stark lack of impact.

On a day in which much of the United magic came from skipper, Bruno Fernandes, another “shining light” – as described by BBC pundit, Troy Deeney – was young Alejandro Garnacho, with the polarising Argentine at least attempting to make things happen for his side.

Garnacho stats vs Man City

Stat

Record

Minutes played

90

Touches

44

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

0

Shots

2 (blocked)

Crosses

0/1

Long balls

1/1

Successful dribbles

1/2

Total duels won

9/13

Possession lost

11x

Fouls won

3

Stats via Sofascore

The 20-year-old had come under fire for his ‘naive’ performance against Nottingham Forest in midweek – in the view of MEN journalist Samuel Luckhurst – although he looked lively throughout against City, having notably won an early foul just outside the area after racing in behind the visiting backline.

Even against Forest, while he did fire three shots off target, the former Atletico Madrid starlet looked like the only player – excluding Fernandes – capable of making something happen for his side in an attacking sense, with the likes of Zirkzee and Hojlund having been rather lifeless through the middle.

Of course, Garnacho – who was a target for Chelsea in January – is among those who United could cash in on this summer, but it would be a crying shame to sell a player who has shown so much promise over the last two years or so.

The star of an FA Youth Cup final and FA Cup final – having scored three goals across those two marquee games – the rampaging winger is still a young talent learning his trade, having perhaps even been overused amid the lack of other attacking alternatives.

Take Gyokeres, for instance, who at the age of 20 was merely operating in the Brighton youth ranks, having needed a string of loan spells and an eventual move to Coventry to ultimately find his feet at senior level.

Garnacho then should have ample time to reach his peak, with his sky high potential also highlighted by the fact that he is deemed to be worth around £83m, according to CIES Football Observatory, with Gyokeres, meanwhile, valued at ‘just’ £63m.

Transfer Focus

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

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Fans and pundits alike may be losing patience with Garnacho due to the fact he has scored just twice since Amorim took charge, yet as the derby showcased, he is still a player capable of getting bums of seats. That certainly can’t be said for most at Old Trafford…

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Posts 2 ByJoe Nuttall Apr 6, 2025

The Premier League title race may now be all but over, but the season is not lost for Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta’s side preparing for a mammoth tussle with holders Real Madrid in the Champions League in midweek.

Preparations for that mouthwatering meeting have been hampered by the loss of Gabriel to injury, however, with the Brazilian’s absence just the latest in a long line of setbacks for the north London side.

The top end of the pitch, in particular, has been ravaged in recent months, resulting in the bold move to deploy Mikel Merino in a centre-forward berth for the first time in his career – a decision that has since yielded five goals for the experienced Spaniard.

The Euro 2024 winner only served to enhance his growing ‘cult status’ after dropping back into his preferred midfield berth against Everton on Saturday afternoon, however, having won 14 duels and suffered a blow to the head amid a full-blooded display.

While the 28-year-old has provided a much-needed short-term solution as a makeshift centre-forward, that latest outing showcased that his future must lie in the midfield.

The question is, will there be room for him in the starting lineup moving forward?

How Arsenal's midfield could look next season

There may be a headache for Arteta as to who to select as part of his midfield trio for the long-term – we’ll come on to that – but what is set in stone is that Declan Rice will be at the heart of it.

Be it as a number six or as a number eight, the £105m man has become an invaluable presence for the Gunners since his arrival back in 2023, having notably contributed 13 goals and assists in all competitions this season.

That tally included his stunning curling effort in the 1-1 draw away at Old Trafford, with the Englishman developing a knack for making an impact in the final third – as evidenced by his surging run and assist while on international duty for the Three Lions.

With the 26-year-old a nailed-on starter, the role of Martin Odegaard – who started on the bench at Goodison – may be in doubt, albeit with it not too long ago that the Arsenal skipper was being described as “out of this world” by Rice himself.

The Norwegian playmaker, at his best, remains one of the most creative players in the division – as his tally of 18 goals and assists in the league showcased in 2023/24 – with it certainly not the time to write him off just yet.

With that in mind, the final midfield role could come down to either Merino or potential summer arrival, Martin Zubimendi – amid continued doubts over Thomas Partey’s future at the Emirates – albeit with there now another name to throw into the mix who could look to emulate Rice.

Why Arsenal may be brewing their next Declan Rice

The former West Ham United man has caught the eye over the last 18 months amid his burgeoning set-piece prowess, having produced another whipped, in-swinging corner in the early knockings against Everton, although it is his powerful runs from deep that remain the midfielder’s key strength.

Non-penalty goals

0.12

Top 27%

Assists

0.23

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

3.31

Top 18%

Pass completion

84.7%

Top 45%

Progressive passes

5.92

Top 25%

Progressive carries

2.68

Top 5%

Touches in attacking box

2.59

Top 12%

Tackles

1.90

Bottom 38%

Interceptions

0.81

Bottom 35%

Indeed, that is epitomised by the fact that Rice ranks in the top 5% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90, indicating his ability to drag the Gunners up the pitch with the ball at his feet.

That is a trait that, as Saturday showcased, looks to be shared by young Myles Lewis-Skelly, with the 18-year-old producing a magnificent carry from just outside his own box, before winning a free-kick on the edge of the opposition penalty area.

The manner in which the teenager powered his way through a sea of bodies was certainly reminiscent of his colleague and compatriot, with Rice himself having previously likened the Hale End graduate to Tottenham Hotspur icon, Mousa Dembele, due to his mix of strength and ball-carrying prowess.

Of course, Lewis-Skelly made the headlines on Merseyside for all the wrong reasons after giving away a penalty just after the break, albeit with it fair to say that the rising star was harshly penalised for his ‘foul’ on Jack Harrison. As Arteta stated post-match, it was “never a penalty”.

The fact remains that the “insane” talent – as described by analyst Ben Mattinson – had allowed Harrison to get the wrong side of him in the first place, a moment that perhaps served as a reminder that he isn’t actually a left-back by trade.

Lewis-Skelly has fended off the likes of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kieran Tierney and Riccardo Calafiori to make that spot his own, following his debut against Manchester City back in September, although it was actually in central midfield that he largely operated during his time in the youth ranks.

As Mattinson has stated, while Lewis-Skelly represents an ideal solution as an inverted full-back, in the “long-term” he will most likely slot in as a defensive midfielder or in a left eight role, having shown at academy level that he is an “aggressive dueller, ball-winner [and an] exceptional ball-carrier”.

It could be the case then that a midfield trio of Odegaard, Rice and Lewis-Skelly emerges as the leading option next season, with Saturday’s Merseyside moment having shown a mere glimpse of what the teenager can offer in midfield with his Rice-like quality.

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