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Salman Nizar was the hero for Kerala as they entered the Ranji Trophy semi-final only for the second time in their history. They got there having batted out the entire final day of an absorbing contest against Jammu & Kashmir that went into the last 30 minutes with all results possible.J&K needed four wickets, while Kerala simply needed to bat time to ensure a draw was enough since they’d taken a one-run lead. Nizar was unbeaten on 44 off 162 balls, Mohammed Azharuddeen 67 off 118 balls. The seventh-wicket pair batted out 42.4 overs to grind J&K’s attack to dust on the final day. Kerala are set to face Gujarat in the semi-final on February 17, while Mumbai will take on Vidarbha in the other semi-final.As important as Nizar’s second-innings rearguard was, it was his first-innings 112 that set the game up for Kerala, taking them from the brink to giving them the lead that eventually proved massive. Nizar marshalled the lower order, putting together 81 with No. 11 Basil Thampi to help steal the lead after J&K had Kerala tottering at 200 for 9 after they’d posted 280.Related

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Nizar’s unbeaten century underpinned Kerala’s fight, but Jalaj Saxena’s 67 was equally impactful. Saxena resurrected a floundering innings from 11 for 3 as J&K seamer Auqib Nabi, also the season’s second-highest wicket-takers, made the ball track on a greenish Pune deck. Saxena counter-attacked his way to a half-century, in which he drove, cut and pulled imperiously.Saxena’s dismissal had the potential to prove game-changing, but Nizar stood up, like he did in the must-win final league game last week against Bihar when he hit a century to swell their first-innings total.File photo: Salman Nizar and Sachin Baby played crucial knocks in the second innings•KCA

Kerala began the final day on 100 for 2, still needing 299 for victory. But it was clear from the beginning that they weren’t after the runs. Sachin Baby and Akshay Chandran put together 58, but batted together for 43 overs in the process to frustrate J&K in their victory march.The tide turned just before lunch as J&K’s spinners made massive inroads. Chandran was out caught at short leg by Shubham Khajuria. Soon after the break, they were fully in the ascendancy when they lost two wickets in two overs. Sahil Lotra, the offspinner, had Baby jab at one that turned and bounced, while Saxena was out looking to drive left-arm spinner Abid Mushtaq.Having hit him through the covers off the previous delivery, he looked to repeat the shot, but was lulled in superbly by Mushtaq as he dragged his length back and had Saxena edging to first slip. When Aditya Sarwate was out looking to hoick Mushtaq over the infield, it seemed the end was nigh.But Nizar and Azharddeen showed resilience and grit in stonewalling J&K’s attack for a better part of the last three hours to secure a draw.J&K would look back on their first innings lapse with the ball, especially when they allowed Kerala’s last pair to get away as a turning point. Despite that, they bounced back to post 399 for 9 in the second innings, thanks largely to captain Paras Dogra’s century. The 40-year-old, in his first season as J&K captain, hit his first century after a prolonged barren run of form – he hadn’t scored a single half-century prior to this game.Those efforts in the end were only a consolation in the end as J&K’s second entry into the knockouts in the last five years ended in a heartbreak. That they’re bowing out without having lost a single game this season will make their exit even tougher to digest.

Glasgow Rangers were not willing to sit on their hands and go again with the same squad or management team at Ibrox after ending the 2024/25 campaign without a single trophy.

The Light Blues appointed Russell Martin to be their new head coach and brought in 12 new recruits to bolster the Rangers playing squad for the current season.

It has not been an ideal start to the campaign, though, as they have failed to win any of their first four matches in the Scottish Premiership under their new manager.

Joe Rothwell is one of the new signings who has failed to hit the ground running, as he was subbed off at half-time in the 6-0 loss to Club Brugge and dropped down to the bench for the clash with Celtic on Sunday.

Joe Rothwell's early struggles at Rangers

The central midfielder was signed from Bournemouth on a permanent deal this summer with a view to him playing in the number six position in Martin’s 4-3-3 system.

At the age of 30, Rothwell is an experienced player who was signed to make an instant impact at Ibrox. He is not a young and promising player who needs time to develop and grow.

That is why his early struggles, compounded by being dropped for the Celtic game after starting the first three league matches, are a concern for the Scottish giants.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Rothwell needs to turn things around and show the supporters that he can impact and influence games in the number six role week-in-week-out, because, at the moment, he looks like a downgrade on John Lundstram, who left the club last year.

Rangers had a howler with John Lundstram

In a similar move to the one that brought Rothwell to Ibrox this year, Lundstram signed for the Gers on a free transfer from Sheffield United in the summer of 2021, and went on to enjoy a successful spell in Scotland.

Former Rangers defender Maurice Ross described the English midfielder as the “cornerstone” of the team and claimed that he “was strolling about the pitch like Graeme Souness” in 2022.

The former Blades ace went on to score 11 goals, including the one against Borussia Dortmund above, in 153 matches for the club in all competitions, per Transfemarkt.

Appearances

34

4

Long passes per game

5.6

1.3

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.5

2.0

Clearances per game

1.0

0.0

Duels won per game

3.8

2.5

Aerial duel success rate

55%

33%

As you can see in the table above, Lundstram produced more impressive performances in his last season at Rangers in the Premiership than Rothwell has managed in the current campaign.

Despite that, Philippe Clement allowed the English central midfielder to leave the club at the end of his contract in the summer of 2024, and signed Connor Barron on a free transfer from Aberdeen.

Ultimately, that decision has turned out to be a howler for Rangers and Clement because Martin has swooped to sign Rothwell 12 months later to replace Barron as a number six.

On top of that, Rothwell still appears to be a downgrade on Lundstram, which means that the Light Blues have yet to successfully replace the star who was once compared to Souness, despite them allowing him to leave for nothing last year.

Rangers could get Ibrox rocking by sacking Martin for "kamikaze" manager

Rangers could get the Ibrox crowd rocking again by sacking Russell Martin to appoint this head coach.

ByDan Emery Sep 2, 2025

Manchester United are heading into the final stretch of the summer transfer window brimming with optimism, for Ruben Amorim and the outfit’s transfer entourage have come together to pull off some exciting signings.

Last year’s lowly Premier League finish is a thing of the past, and with a new-look frontline consisting of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo out wide, plucked from divisional rivals, and fronted by Benjamin Sesko, 22, who joins from RB Leipzig with a weight of expectation, hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig for having “the potential to develop into a world-class striker.”

However, United may yet be in need of a few more signings besides. Amorim took the wheel of a sinking ship last season, and while things didn’t go to plan across the first chapter of the Portuguese tactician’s journey at the club, there’s hope that the storm has been weathered and the Red Devils can begin anew.

But in order to achieve his goals, Amorim is determined to get rid of a few more surplus first-teamers before the end of the month, maybe even signing another player or two as well.

Man Utd pushing for more signings

While Man United still have their work cut out in cashing in on some of the deadwood within the Old Trafford first team, there’s little question that the Red Devils have displayed great intent in the summer transfer market, and remain hungry for further signings.

PL Transfer Window 24/25 – Most Money Spent (so far)

Club

Arrivals

Expenditure

(1) Liverpool

6

£256m

(2) Chelsea

8

£241m

(3) Man Utd

4

£198m

(4) Arsenal

6

£193m

(5) Man City

6

£153m

Data via Transfermarkt

And the pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba suggests that the Red Devils plan to shuffle the midfield pack further over the coming weeks.

But, with the frontline secure, Caught Offside are reporting that Amorim has personally requested that INEOS advance a potential move for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has been excluded from Luis Enrique’s plans for the new season, expected to depart having entered the final year of his contract.

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United are joined by their pesky neighbours Manchester City in chasing the Italy international, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano, who is valued at a steep €50m (£43m); furthermore, his salary demands would be sure to place him among the club’s top earners.

Man United have, of course, already engaged with PSG for a big-money transfer in recent memory, signing Manuel Ugarte last summer.

And it’s with that deal in mind that caution should be considered when weighing up a move for PSG’s 6 foot 7 shot-stopper.

Why Man Utd shouldn't sign Donnarumma

Donnarumma played a vital role in winning everything on offer in Europe for PSG last season, but having been ferried toward the exit door, Man United spy an opportunity.

However, should they be making this move when INEOS’ new strategy appears to hold so much promise?

To be sure, Donnarumma is an exciting and established player, but PSG don’t want him, and perhaps that is telling, especially when peering back at the many misfires for Man United over the years.

And when considering that a move for Ugarte last summer hasn’t really gone to plan, a different track might be worthwhile here too. Indeed, the current bid for Baleba suggests that Ugarte’s place as the starting anchor in Amorim’s system is anything but secure.

The 24-year-old had some good moments in the Premier League last season, namely during a monstrous performance against Liverpool at Anfield, but there’s little question that he struggled to adapt to the rigours of English football.

However, he petered out toward the end of the campaign and struggled on the ball at times. Sure, the Uruguayan was crisp enough, completing around 88% of his passes in the league, but his average of 3.08 progressive passes per game, via FBref, left him ranked among the lowly bottom 18% of the division’s midfielders.

Not good enough, and indicative of a discordance between Ugarte’s tactical weaknesses and the way in which Amorim wants to play. The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell noted that the South American was prone to having a ‘nightmare in possession’ for the side last season.

In this regard, Donnarumma could bleakly mimic his former Paris-based teammate. The Italian is a staggering shot-stopper, so important in winning the quadruple at PSG under Luis Enrique’s wing last season.

However, Donnarumma is infallible, and on a reported £300k-per-week salary at the Parc des Princes, might Old Trafford be treading over the sheet-thin ice of recent years?

Though he has improved since those youthful days, Donnarumma remains a comparatively young goalkeeper and we have seen with Andre Onana the perils in signing a goalkeeper with such deficiencies, in spite of strong performances out on the continent.

It’s worth noting that Onana, for all his flaws, saved 68.9% of his shots faced in the Premier League last season; Donnarumma, however, averaged a 66.7% save percentage in Ligue 1, both sets of stats courtesy of FBref. The Italian is also barely much better when it comes to launching passes, ranking among the worst 30% of goalkeepers in Europe for launched pass success. Onana, conversely, ranks among the worst 15%.

Given that, as was the case with Ugarte, PSG have marked Donnarumma as expendable, casting him out of the project, United technical director Jason Wilcox will surely be wary of lightning striking twice, and United being stuck within this cyclical further still.

Whether Man United act on their interest and sign the prominent goalkeeper remains to be seen, but as with the likes of Raphael Varane, Casemiro and indeed Ugarte (among others), there is a lesson to be learned about signing high-profile players who other top teams are happy to shift.

Football commentator Matteo Bonetti has remarked in the past that Donnarumma boasts a skill set that is “beyond world-class”, but the reservations as to whether United would receive bang for their buck are definitely there, and perhaps it would be better to opt against such a signing.

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Related A better signing than Sesko: Man Utd to hold talks over landing £26m star

Manchester United are ready to make even more signings this summer.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 12, 2025

Manchester United are now in contact to sign an “expert striker”, who could join as part of an Alejandro Garnacho swap deal, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Garnacho's time at Old Trafford coming to an end

It is difficult to see a way back for Garnacho at Man United, after the winger was controversially pictured wearing an Aston Villa shirt with Marcus Rashford’s name on the back a little over a month ago.

Mark Goldbridge was left furious by the picture, suggesting the Argentina international was trying to engineer a move elsewhere, and there is certainly no shortage of interest in his services.

In fact, Villa recently made an approach for the 21-year-old, joining the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the race for his signature, and the forward is thought to have “heard good things” about playing under Unai Emery.

Vivell now persuading Amorim for Man Utd to sign £69m Gyokeres alternative

Man United scout Christopher Vivell has instructed Ruben Amorim to sanction a move for a striker.

1

By
Dominic Lund

Jul 23, 2025

However, in a report for GiveMeSport, Romano has revealed that United could try and get the winger off the books a different way, as they are now open to discussing the conditions of a swap deal involving Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.

The Red Devils have recently been approached over starting formal talks for Jackson, with the Blues open to sanctioning the striker’s departure, although the reported valuation of £100m could be off-putting.

A move to Old Trafford is considered a ‘good option’ for the Senegal international, but Ruben Amorim’s side are yet to decide whether he should be their main striker target, with the likes of Benjamin Sesko, Ollie Watkins and Dusan Vlahovic also on the shortlist.

"Expert striker" Jackson could be exciting signing for Man Utd

Of course, there are some doubts over the Chelsea forward, given that he is well-known to not be the most prolific finisher, underperforming his xG by a considerable margin over the past year.

However, the 24-year-old has still been a pretty reliable source of goals and assists ever since arriving at Stamford Bridge, while he also received high praise from former Crystal Palace winger Andros Townsend last season, after impressing against West Ham United.

Townsend said: “Even last season watching Nicolas Jackson, he had everything but the goals. He had the movement, he had the dribbling, he was getting into some great positions but he just wasn’t finishing them off.

“But, the goals he scored on the weekend were taken competently and confidently like an expert striker.”

It is also important that United get Garnacho off the books, with the Villa shirt stunt proving the winger has little interest in remaining at Old Trafford, and a swap deal could benefit all parties, considering the Blues have signed Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer.

Derby County have already shown they mean business this summer and are closing in on another signing to strengthen ahead of the Championship season, according to John Percy.

Derby County back themselves to make Championship statement

With six new arrivals through the door and John Eustace restoring the feel-good factor at Pride Park, there is every reason for Rams’ supporters to feel optimistic heading into the new campaign.

Captain Ebou Adams shares the sentiment that Derby County can make a ‘statement’ in the second-tier, claiming his side will allow themselves to dare to ‘dream’ as he feels the fans, manager and players are united in their vision to thrive.

Owen Beck has arrived from Liverpool on loan and Derby aren’t keen to stop there after lining up Coventry City’s Jake Bidwell as their latest target, with the Sky Blues open to selling the 32-year-old this summer.

Derby County agree £3m deal to sign "real leader" who Eustace knows well

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ByBrett Worthington Jul 23, 2025

The Rams also saw a £1 million bid turned down for Bristol City’s Zak Vyner. It remains to be seen whether his future at Ashton Gate is resolved, but their attempt to land his services illustrates that Derby are targeting reinforcements across all areas of their squad.

Now, a familiar face could be set to link up with Eustace again at Pride Park as their recruitment drive accelerates ahead of the competitive kick-off.

Derby County set to re-sign David Ozoh

Taking to social media platform X, reliable reporter Percy of The Telegraph has confirmed that Derby County are set to re-sign midfielder David Ozoh on loan from Crystal Palace, with confirmation expected later this week.

The 20-year-old made 12 appearances during a loan spell last term, but a hamstring injury alongside muscular problems limited his chances of earning further minutes.

Nevertheless, Eustace has previously labelled Ozoh a “fantastic player” back in February, signalling that he will have every chance to shine under his stewardship despite his stint being cut short last time out due to fitness issues.

All parties now appear to be close to a deal and his parent club seem to be happy with the arrangement, which will enable the Valencia-born man to develop away from the spotlight of Premier League football.

More importantly, Derby will inherit a talented youngster determined to prove a point while also shoring up their midfield at little financial cost.

“It is important to give players freedom – that’s what I believe in – and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player”

S Sudarshanan22-Jul-20240:38

Gambhir: ‘Our responsibility to have Bumrah fresh for important games’

India made significant gains during the two-and-a-half-year period where Rahul Dravid was their head coach, making the finals of a world event in each of the three formats and winning the T20 crown. Now the focus is on building on those gains and the man leading them forward will be Gautam Gambhir, their new head coach, who understands he has “big shoes to fill”.Speaking to reporters for the first time in his new role, Gambhir touched on the way he wants to work with India’s players and what they can expect from him. “It is very simple,” he said on Monday in Mumbai. “It is important to give players freedom – that’s what I believe in – and not have a relationship of a head coach and a player.”The best relationship is one built on trust. The most important thing is they’ll always have my backing. I don’t complicate too many things. I am taking over a very, very successful team – India are T20 world champions, have been runners-up in the World Test Championship and the 50-overs World Cup.”Related

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Gambhir’s tenure begins on July 27 with India’s white-ball tour of Sri Lanka. This is his first time as head coach of a team, although he has served as a mentor in the IPL, with both Lucknow Super Giants and the reigning champions Kolkata Knight Riders. In his playing days, he was an excellent opening batter with an international career that spanned 13 years and peaked with World Cup wins in 2007 and 2011.”My learning has been simple – it has been all about winning,” he said. “I don’t deviate from something. We are in a profession where there can be only one winner. We try and play fair, we try and play hard, and try and come back in a winning dressing room and a happy dressing room.”A happy dressing room is a winning dressing room. Ultimately it is the players’ team, the support staff is there to try and get the maximum out of their potential. Sometimes international cricket can be tough, it can be insecure as well because only 15 can be picked. It is the job of support staff to keep them happy.”For the tour of Sri Lanka, Gambhir will have Abhishek Nayar and Ryan ten Doeschate as assistant coaches and Sairaj Bahutule as the bowling coach. T Dilip, so far, is the only one to reprise his role from the previous regime. He will be the fielding coach. The other support staff members, Gambhir said, will be finalised after the Sri Lanka tour.

“For batters, if they can play consistently and if they are in good form, [they] might as well play all the games. With Rohit and Virat now not playing T20 cricket, they only have two formats to look after. So they are going to be available for most of the games”Gautam Gambhir

In the past, Gambhir has not been an advocate of players picking and choosing matches. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli both have been selected for the ODIs against Sri Lanka, with the former set to lead. This is one of only two ODI series India are slated to play ahead of the Champions Trophy early next year.Gambhir said that workload management is important for fast bowlers but batters need to play all games if they are fit and available.”Workload management for someone like Jasprit Bumrah is important,” Gambhir said. “For batters, if they can play consistently and if they are in good form, [they] might as well play all the games. With Rohit and Virat now not playing T20 cricket, they only have two formats to look after. So they are going to be available for most of the games.”For Bumrah, because he is one rare kind of a bowler who anyone would want [in their team], so it’s our responsibility to try and have him fresh for most of the important games. So, workload management for, not just Bumrah, but fast bowlers becomes very, very important.”

Tottenham Hotspur have Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze high on their list of attacking targets this summer, but Thomas Frank’s side have been told to consider one Chelsea star as a viable alternative to the England international.

Spurs’ serious interest in Eze isn’t exactly unfounded, with the former Arsenal academy man fresh off the back of another impressive campaign at Selhurst Park.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025

He spearheaded Oliver Glasner’s men to their first ever major trophy at the back end of 2024/2025, scoring the FA Cup final-winning goal which clinched an historic 1-0 victory over Premier League heavyweights Man City at Wembley, and Palace are poised to enter Europe next season as a result of his heroics.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

In total, Eze racked up an outstanding 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, and the attacker’s form surely cannot be ignored by the footballing elite for much longer.

His £100,000-per-week pay packet at Palace is affordable, and could well be attractive to chairman Daniel Levy, who won’t be too keen on breaking Tottenham’s carefully organised wage structure, which allows them to be among the top-flight’s lowest-spending ‘big six’ clubs in terms of salary.

The ex-QPR star’s contract also includes a £68 million release clause, with reports suggesting that Tottenham are prepared to meet this asking price for Eze as the 26-year-old himself also eyes a move to north London.

However, Tottenham face fresh competition from arch rivals Arsenal for Eze’s signature (talkSPORT), so they might not have it all their own way.

In the event a deal cannot be done for him, Levy will need alternatives, and Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku could be one of them.

The £195,000-per-week Frenchman does command a hefty wage, but his stellar form at RB Leipzig and versatility makes him an attractive possibility. Nkunku can also play almost anywhere across the attacking line, including Eze’s positions as a CAM and on the left.

Commanding a price tag of around £59 million, the 27-year-old still managed 14 goals in all competitions last term despite hardly starting, which shows just how impactful the player can be.

Tottenham told to sign Eberechi Eze alternative in Christopher Nkunku

Former Spurs midfielder Steffen Freund, speaking to Hochgepokart, has certainly endorsed a potential move.

Freund believes that Tottenham’s potential signing of Nkunku could help to unlock Mathys Tel too, with the pundit urging Levy and co to consider a deal.

“Tottenham need another attacking option. I’d look at Christopher Nkunku if I were them – he can make the difference,” said Freund.

“He can play in behind the striker and up front, he’s already at Chelsea. He did an outstanding job at RP Leipzig; he’s currently underperforming but there’s a great player in there. Mathys Tel is a good signing, he can play up front, and, on the wing, he’d link up well with Nkunku.”

According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs, Tottenham made an enquiry for Nkunku recently, so there has been concrete interest from N17 as well.

This could be one to keep an eye on, as competition is likely to heat up for Eze’s signature after his stellar season at Palace.

Tottenham Hotspur went into last weekend on something of an increasingly rare high.

For everything else that has gone wrong this season, the North Londoners had just secured their place in the Europa League Final, and therefore the chance to make this campaign a memorable one.

Unfortunately, the little positivity there among the crowd quickly disappeared as Ange Postecoglou oversaw yet another dismal showing in the Premier League, which ultimately ended in the club picking up their 20th league defeat in the competition.

Unsurprisingly, then, reports have continued to emerge linking the club with a host of new managers, including one who’s got Champions League experience and would be a massive upgrade on Postecoglou.

Tottenham's manager search

With the domestic campaign being as much of a disaster as it has this year, it’s hardly been a surprise that, in recent weeks anyway, there has been an avalanche of reports linking the club to a plethora of top managers, like Marco Silva and Simone Inzaghi.

Manager Focus

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Since taking charge of Fulham in 2021, the former has helped transform the Cottagers from a Championship side who’d come up and go straight back down on a regular basis into a comfortable mid-table side.

However, with little to no experience in managing a truly big club, the spotlight in North London could be a little too bright for the Portuguese coach.

In contrast, Inzaghi would be an incredible appointment down to his brilliant record with Lazio and Inter Milan, but due to the incredible work he’s done at the San Siro, it feels like hiring him is nothing more than a pipe dream.

So, this need to strike a balance between attainable and exciting might help explain the links to Roberto De Zerbi that have popped up in recent weeks.

For example, it was reported late last month that the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss is someone appreciated by many at Spurs, and then only last week, talkSPORT revealed that he’d be open to returning to the Premier League this summer.

It could be a complicated deal to get done, but one thing is certain: he’d be a significant upgrade on Postecoglou.

How De Zerbi compares to Postecoglou

So, if Spurs are able to convince the Italian coach that they’re the perfect club for him to take charge of ahead of next season, why would he do a better job than Postecoglou?

Well, the first thing to look at is their respective records in English football, as while the Australian has a marginally better one, it should be far greater given the size of Tottenham compared to Brighton and the nature of the latter constantly losing their biggest talents.

For example, the former Celtic manager has managed 98 games in England, of which his side has won 46, drawn 14 and lost 38, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.55 – a number seriously helped by the ten-game-winning streak from the start of last season.

Games (All Comps)

89

35

98

Wins

38

20

46

Draws

20

5

14

Losses

31

10

38

Points per Game

1.51

1.86

1.55

In contrast, the former Sassuolo boss managed to win 38 of his 89 games in charge of the Seagulls, drawing 20 and losing 31, which comes out to a points-per-game average of 1.51.

However, since moving to Marseille, the “genius” tactician, as dubbed by analyst Statman Dave, has overseen 20 wins, five losses and 10 defeats, which comes out to a far more impressive point-per-game average of 1.86.

Moreover, the fact he’s managed at a club as massive and intense as the French giants is another big plus; if he’s been able to cope with the pressures on the French Riviera, he’d be fine in North London – which hasn’t been the case for Postecoglou this year.

Finally, on top of doing well in France, the 45-year-old is often credited with being something of an innovator, with Pep Guardiola, of all people, describing him as “one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.”

Ultimately, it now feels like there is no future for Ange at Spurs, and while he might not be as big a name as some would like, De Zerbi is the perfect combination of gettable, exciting and capable of handling big clubs.

As well as Davies: 3/10 Spurs dud must be axed for the Europa League final

This Tottenham Hotspur player should be dropped for the Europa League final as well as Ben Davies.

ByDan Emery May 12, 2025

Plans for Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rebuild are already underway.

Having won just one of their last nine, Spurs are languishing 16th in the Premier League, thereby on course for their lowest finish since being relegated in 1977.

However, Ange Postecoglou’s team could, of course, salvage the campaign in a big way, preparing for the Europa League Final against Manchester United later this month, with both silverware and a place in next season’s Champions League on the line.

Of course, Champions League qualification would massively help their summer transfer plans, both financially and in terms of prestige, although, regardless of the outcome in Bilbao, this squad requires serious surgery, but do Tottenham already boast a more valuable attacker than their potential new signing?

Tottenham's search for attacking reinforcements

As previously reported by Danny Rust and Dean Jones of Give Me Sport, Tottenham are ‘planning to make an offer’ to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town this summer.

Having scored 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys this season, the 22-year-old is certainly a man in demand, with Wayne Veysey of Football Insider noting that Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest are amongst his potential suitors.

This is surely partly due to the fact that, as reported by Jacob Steinberg and Nick Ames of the Guardian, Delap has a £30m release clause, following Ipswich’s relegation, which looks a major bargain for a player Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels an “absolute beast”.

Thus, Delap appears as though he would be an excellent addition for Spurs, but do they already boast a better attacker?

Tottenham's most valuable attacker

When Brennan Johnson joined Tottenham from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £47m in September 2023, a few eyebrows were raised, but he has certainly proved his worth, as the table below outlines.

Brennan Johnson

17

7

24

Dominic Solanke

15

8

23

Son Heung-min

11

12

23

James Maddison

12

11

23

Dejan Kuluševski

10

11

21

Pedro Porro

4

9

13

Pape Matar Sarr

6

3

9

Richarlison

5

2

7

As the table shows, no Spurs player has been directly involved in more goals than Johnson, 11 of which have come in the Premier League, also contributing four en route to Bilbao in the Europa League.

Paul Taylor of The Athletic labels Johnson “electric”, while Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst, outlines how the Wales international quickly went from Tottenham’s ‘lightning rod’ to their most important, most prolific attacker.

Meantime, Liam Tharme of The Athletic documents how ghosting in at the back post to score with a first-time finish has become Johnson’s trademark goal, making him a pivotal figure in Postecoglou’s team.

These performances mean Johnson is now Tottenham’s most valuable attacker, as the table below outlines.

Brennan Johnson

£60m

Dominic Solanke

£44m

Son Heung-min

£26m

Mathys Tel

£48m

Richarlison

£22.5m

Wilson Odobert

£21m

Liam Delap

£31m

Based on these market values, Delap’s aforementioned £30m release clause actually offers pretty fair market value, but the £47m fee paid to secure Johnson’s services was, in retrospect, actually a bargain, considering his current value of £60m.

So, while Delap may be a great signing for Spurs, whatever they’re planning for the summer, they need to ensure this gets the best out of their already excelling attacker.

Paratici tells Spurs to hire £105k-per-week manager with Ange "set to leave"

The incoming ex-managing director has preference.

ByEmilio Galantini May 9, 2025

Spin-friendly pitches and toss wins have revived Pakistan’s home record, but concerns remain over the long-term consequences of the formula

Danyal Rasool16-Oct-2025Half of their home Tests. After going four years and 11 Tests at home without a win – the longest streak for the traditional top eight Test sides this century – Pakistan’s bar was set low: at least win the games where they won the toss and consequently enjoyed the best of batting conditions. It left them even more vulnerable when the coin landed the other way, but then again, they’d won four of 11 tosses in those Tests, losing two games and drawing the others.Pakistan’s decision to play on a used track in Multan a year to the day ago birthed the spin tracks that have become an identifiable feature of Test cricket in the country of late. It is an idea they pushed to its caricatured limit in a series against West Indies, where the surfaces deteriorated so much Pakistan captain Shan Masood called the conditions “too extreme”. But, whatever the criticism of Pakistan’s methods, there is no doubting their effectiveness: Pakistan have won each of the Tests where they called correctly at the toss, plus one against England after losing it. After 11 Tests without a win, four of the last five home Tests have ended in triumph.For all the defiance that Pakistan have outwardly projected about there being no good or bad ways to win Test matches, this was a tactic borne out of necessity than choice, and one that still provokes debate among the media and fans alike. Over the past week in Lahore, when Azhar Mahmood came to talk to the media, he had to fend off questions about whether Pakistan had given up on any hopes of winning away Test matches at all; they have lost their last five. Masood, meanwhile, was asked whether fast bowling would die off in the next generation with Pakistan stacking their line-up with spinners to exploit the turn on rapidly disintegrating surfaces. The fans have enjoyed the sugar hit of the wins, but like all sugar hits, also worried about the long-term consequences for the game’s health.Related

• Noman, Afridi set up rousing win for Pakistan

• Plot intact, result missing: South Africa's Test revival still a work in progress

• Masood's 20-wicket masterplan pays off as Pakistan learn to win differently

It all detracted from what happened in Lahore this week: Pakistan, who finished bottom of last year’s WTC, beat South Africa, who won the whole thing. And while they did so on a palpably spin-heavy wicket, it was by no means too far removed from Test strips prepared everywhere across the subcontinent these days.Though Pakistan’s 161-run second wicket stand before tea on the first day established a beachhead from which they kept South Africa at bay for the next three days, they could never quite deliver the landing blow they managed fairly quickly against England in Multan last year, or the West Indies in January. South Africa gritted their way to a first-innings response that kept them in touch, and their fourth innings outscored Pakistan’s third, the first time that has happened since Pakistan turned to spin tracks at home.That, partially, is down to South Africa being a better Test side than England, West Indies, or for that matter, Pakistan in most conditions. But at the same time, the Lahore wicket refused to open up to Noman Ali and Sajid Khan with the same alacrity as Multan and Pindi have over the past year. It required Shaheen Shah Afridi to break open the game for Pakistan in the fourth innings, initially to snap the burgeoning partnership between Tony de Zorzi and Ryan Rickelton, Pakistan’s bete noires in the first innings, on the fourth morning, and later to polish off the last three wickets with a reversing ball, coming around the wicket to the right-handers to bring the ball in late.Shaheen Shah Afridi played a key role in Pakistan’s win in the first Test•Getty ImagesFor South Africa, too, there was encouragement when they turned to the elite fast bowling of Kagiso Rabada, whose figures belied the menace he carried both with new ball and old. It took him just three balls into the Test to find swing into the right-hander Abdullah Shafique and get his first wicket, and he was far more dangerous than any of South Africa’s trio of finger spinners for the first two sessions. He repeatedly threatened early through Pakistan’s second innings, just missing out on snaring Babar Azam for a duck with HawkEye deemed a lovely middle-stump ball seaming away to be going too high. Later, he would get his man with a vicious nipbacker. Wiaan Mulder bowled just two and was never going to have the same impact, but Pakistan appear to want quality swing bowling to count for something in Tests at home.If anything, South Africa, perhaps spooked by what they saw in Multan in January, outflanked Pakistan in the spin department, feeling three outright fingerspinners. Pakistan, who have spent this time of Test drought gently finessing their home formula, went just with their trusty two of Noman and Sajid. Instead, they tried to manufacture a role for their historical strength – pace bowling combined with reverse swing – and fielded both Afridi and, for his first first-class game in two years – Hasan Ali.Masood called them Pakistan’s “best exponents of reverse swing” when the ball ages, which it does fairly quickly on the strips Pakistan prepare. While Hasan was a statistical footnote in this game, bowling ten wicketless overs across the two innings, Masood strongly hinted he would front up alongside Afridi in Pindi next week once more. Spinroads may be their bread and butter for now, but Gaddafi against South Africa perhaps also began to illuminate an eventual path to a more harmonious balance, a quiet transition from a home season whose success hinges on the flick of a copper disc on a patch of underwatered mud.