All posts by h716a5.icu

Mitchell Starc has the talent to take 300 Test wickets, but only if his fitness and workload can be properly managed across all three formats, according to Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann

ESPNcricinfo staff12-Jul-2016Mitchell Starc has the talent to take 300 Test wickets, but only if his fitness and workload can be properly managed across all three formats, according to Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann.Starc missed the second half of Australia’s Test summer and the World Twenty20 in India due to his recovery from ankle surgery, and made his international comeback in the recent one-day tri-series in the Caribbean. He is set to resume as Australia’s Test spearhead against Sri Lanka this month and Lehmann said juggling Starc through all forms of the game would continue to be key for Australia.”If he stays on the park, he could [take 300 wickets],” Lehmann told the . “He plays all formats – that is the hardest part for him, managing him through that is going to be our challenge as a coaching staff and selection panel, making sure high-priority Test tours, one-day tours, World Cups and all that, are going to be high on the agenda, and making sure he is fit and available for those.”He has had a big lay-off. For him to come back and then do what he did [in the West Indies], as always, he gets wickets … for us it was a pretty good tick-the-box exercise where he got through and looking forward to the next phase of Test cricket.”The Sri Lankan pitches will likely favour spin and reverse swing, and Starc’s ability to get the older ball moving could be important. Lehmann said Starc’s speed and swing would be key assets in Sri Lanka, a view shared by South African fast bowler Allan Donald, who is acting as Australia’s bowling coach for the Sri Lanka tour.”Starc’s the one, without a shadow of doubt,” Donald told . “He’s a 150 (kph) bowler, he’s done it in the World Cup and in Twenty20 cricket. I’ve seen him destroy top orders, middle orders, lower orders doing that same thing from both sides. That’s where he is at, and that’s why he is the leading fast bowler in the world right now.”Australia have a two-day intra-squad practice game in Sri Lanka this week, followed by a first-class tour game ahead of the opening Test in Pallekele, beginning on July 26.

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces

Shashank Kishore in Bangalore02-Jul-20163:05

‘Our goal is to go to WI and win a Test series’- Binny

Stuart Binny is looking at the tour of West Indies as an opportunity to prove himself as a utility player India could rely on, across different surfaces. The allrounder, who at 32 is the second-oldest member in the squad of 17 for the four-Test series, hopes to thrive on a specific role given to him by Anil Kumble, his one-time Karnataka captain and current India coach.”I see it as exciting times for me. I was part of the South Africa series which happened here but again, playing in India was difficult for me. But on an overseas tour, I’m looking to play the role assigned to me,” Binny, who has played six Tests over two years, said. “I will look to bat at No. 7 or 8, it depends on whether we play with the extra bowler or not. It also depends on the wicket. I may play as the third seamer or if the wicket has grass, then I may play as the fourth.”Basically, my role is to take some of the pressure off our fast bowlers by keeping one end tight. That’s basically my job when I bowl. Obviously with the bat, it is pretty much simple. Obviously to bat with guys who are set and try and take the team to scores that we want to put on the board. Also, for me to bat with the lower order is going to be crucial.”Binny can be used as a new-ball bowler too, like he was during the second Test against South Africa in Bangalore. On that occasion, India played two specialist quicks in Ishant Sharma and Varun Aaron. In Sri Lanka in August last year, Binny played a holding role to ease the burden on R Ashwin and the pace duo of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav at different stages.Questions over Binny’s effectiveness with the old ball have been raised time and again, and not without merit. But he isn’t sweating over that, and instead explained the need to stick to the methods that have brought him 183 wickets in the first-class and List A formats.”I have realised that the quicker I try to bowl, I tend to get less effective,” he explained. “When the ball is old, it is all about bowling areas and bowling one side of the wicket. I pretty much stick to my strength, which is bowling one side of the wicket, and bowl to a field that is only off side and stick to bowling there. I am not going to try to bowl quickly at that point of time. I think my main weapon is to swing the ball and if I can get that from the fourth stump getting away, then that’s my job.”One of the marked changes in Binny’s approach in recent times has been his fitness, something he was not known for in the past. He attributed much of the change to his inability to endure long spells on the field on sapping days. The Binny who trains at the nets these days is a leaner, sharper version of the one who made his first-class debut in 2003-04.”It was a choice that I had to make, especially if I wanted to play,” he said. “Being leaner and stronger helped my bowling. The reason I fit into teams is because I can bowl and not because of my batting. For me, bowling was crucial and I had to get fit for more opportunities and at a higher grade. It took me two years to get into the condition right now. You get IPL along the way and you do not get time to train because you travel. But that is no excuse. It is a lot of sacrifices but good ones.”I looked after my diet. That helped me 65-70%. It is about eating at the right time and five good meals. You need to balance and eat good protein. I did a lot of running in the first year. Now, Shankar Basu (Indian team’s trainer) has brought in power training in the last few months. That has helped a lot of guys to bowl well in the second, third spell. That is what training is about. All this has ensured I’m now able to be as effective in my second and third spells.”While Binny understands the team needs him to step up with the ball, his batting abilities have somewhat been understated. His tally of 194 runs in 10 Test innings doesn’t inspire much confidence, but there have been spikes in his graph. His half-century on Test debut that steered India to a draw from a tricky situation on the final day of the first Test against England two summers ago was one such effort. His 49 in the second innings of the final Test in Sri Lanka helped India extend their lead and eventually clinch a series win, their first in the country in 22 years.If it boils down to India playing five specialist bowlers, chances are Binny will be thrown into the deep end, a possibility he is ready for. “I have batted at No. 6 most of my career and the only thing I changed in international cricket was that I had fewer chances to score than when you play in a Ranji Trophy match,” he said. “You don’t really try to convert that. My approach is pretty much simple, I try and get myself in and then play the way I know to play.”I have never been asked to change my game, even when batting at No. 6. It’s also important that we score runs; just not hang around in Test cricket. I feel sometimes in Test cricket, it is a bit easier because they start to attack you a little more than the other formats. No. 6 is a crucial spot, it depends on the role. Sometimes I might have to play against the second new ball. That’s what I have been doing in the last week – to bat against the new ball.”Binny’s sense of comfort, when asked about his equation with Kumble, was evident. Equally evident was the confidence in his batting when he skipped down the pitch to loft Kumble’s gentle seam-ups over the makeshift sightscreen at the KSCA ‘B’ ground. “Anil has captained me in Ranji Trophy in fact” he said. “He pretty much knows my game inside out. What he has spoken about right now is not too much technical stuff.”I was 21 when I played my first Ranji Trophy match with Anil . He had just come back from a Test and he was tough. Thilak Naidu (the former Karnataka wicketkeeper) was all about jokes but Anil was about getting the job done. He is more relaxed now and we get more smiles now! He has been positive. He has told us to play aggressive cricket. For me, it works because he has seen me play and develop as a cricketer. You are never going to stop learning. I play Test cricket but that is not everything. He has pushed us to strive for higher things. Three days ago, it wasn’t about my Test hundred. He started making me believe that I can score a Test hundred.”

Glasgow Rangers are thought to be in talks to bring Aris Thessaloniki winger Luis Palma to Ibrox this summer.

What’s the latest Rangers transfer news involving Palma?

Palma has been linked with a move to Glasgow in recent weeks, with Rangers and Michael Beale looking to be aggressive in the transfer market, looking to get deals done early.

Reports suggested that The Gers have watched the player in action, with Palma impressing Ibrox chiefs. The 23-year-old is primarily a left-winger who can also play as a centre-forward or an attacking midfielder, and a move to Scotland could well be on the cards.

Journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos shared an update regarding Palma in the last 48 hours. He stated that Rangers are keen to sign Palma, however, there has been no official bid made as yet. The reporter added that talks are in progress, although many clubs are interested in the forward, with Aris wanting a €5m (£4.3m) fee.

Next target after Sterling?

The Light Blues are reportedly closing in on signing Kieran Dowell and Jack Butland for free, whereas Chelsea’s Dujon Sterling also looks set to move north for nothing over the coming months.

Rangers have been given the green light to sign the right-back, and after Sterling, Palma could be the club’s next main target. The Honduras international has enjoyed a successful season, scoring 13 times and registering eight assists in 35 games, turning out in a range of attacking positions.

Bolstering the final third looks set to be required for Beale ahead of his first full season in charge, especially as Alfredo Morelos will depart over the coming months, whereas Antonio Colak has also been linked with a move away.

However, Palma could be viewed as a direct replacement for Ryan Kent, with the 26-year-old set to become a free agent when his Ibrox deal expires at the end of the month.

Palma is three years Kent’s junior and has contributed to eight more goals in nine fewer appearances than the Englishman this season, and after Palma was linked with a move to Manchester United last month, Rangers could be targeting a possible hidden gem.

The CARICOM has reaffirmed its resolve to dissolve the WICB and said it would soon create another prime ministerial sub-committee that would have wider say on cricket in the Caribbean

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Jul-2016The CARICOM has reaffirmed its resolve to dissolve the West Indies Cricket Board and said it would soon create another prime ministerial sub-committee that would have wider say on cricket in the Caribbean. A CARICOM cricket review panel had made the recommendation to dissolve the WICB in November 2015, in a report that termed the board’s governance structure as “antiquated”, “obsolete” and “anachronistic”.”We will do everything possible to effect the decision,” Grenada prime minister Keith Mitchell told the at the end of the CARICOM Heads of Government conference, which concluded on July 6 in Guyana. “We’re looking at legal options on the basis that cricket is a public good run by a private institution.”The regional body also discounted the remarks of Gaston Browne, the Antigua and Barbuda prime minister, who had categorically rejected the idea of dissolving the WICB.Mitchell, who is the outgoing head of the CARICOM sub-committee on cricket that had backed the panel’s findings last year, said the opposition to WICB’s current governance structure was not his alone, but a collective one and, hence, Browne’s opposition did not carry much weightage.”[It is a] common position of the Heads, not individual positions, and we cannot operate on the basis of individual positions, it’s about the Heads,” Mitchell was quoted as having said by . “When I expressed my sentiments on cricket, it was about what the Heads said – the committee that we established jointly with the West Indies Cricket Board – and we agreed between the subcommittee and the West Indies Cricket Board to implement the recommendations.”So it was not a Keith Mitchell decision, it was not a Keith Mitchell activity, it was a committee set up by the West Indies Cricket Board and the Heads of Government.”The CARICOM cricket review panel was appointed by the Prime Ministerial Committee on the Governance of West Indies Cricket in the wake of the crisis that engulfed the board after the BCCI suspended bilateral ties and slapped $41.97 million as damages following West Indies’ decision to pull out midway through their India tour in 2014. Set up to review the governance and administrative structure of the WICB, the five-member panel, comprising V. Eudine Barriteau, Sir Dennis Byron, Dwain Gill, Deryck Murray and Warren Smith submitted a damning report.Apart from its comments on the current set-up, the panel strongly recommended the establishment of an interim board in place of the WICB. However, Dave Cameron, the WICB president, rejected the panel’s findings, saying they were not supported by facts.The WICB received further support from Browne, who broke ranks with CARICOM. Browne continued to remain defiant even this week. “That (recommendation to dissolve) is a recipe for chaos and confusion and we are totally opposed to any forced dissolution of the West Indies Cricket Board,” Browne told the .Regardless, the CARICOM heads have refused to give up their stance on WICB. According to Roosevelt Skerrit, the Dominica prime minister and chairman of CARICOM, an additional sub-committee on cricket with a much wider scope will be appointed soon. “There were two before; one on governance issues and one of the larger issues confronting cricket…this is a new committee on cricket mandated to examine all matters relating to the development of cricket, which is a very wide area of concentration.”

Sunderland defender Aji Alese is “back” in the squad for the Championship playoff semi-final second leg vs Luton Town tonight, according to journalist Scott Wilson.

When is the Championship playoff final?

The Black Cats secured a 2-1 victory over the Hatters in the first leg of the second-tier playoffs at the Stadium of Light last weekend and will be hoping to book their place in the final at Wembley with another win this evening. The playoff final takes place on Bank Holiday Weekend, Saturday May 27, with kick-off set for 16:45.

Alese, a 6 foot 4 colossus who first arrived in the northeast last summer, has made 23 appearances during his debut season, but he hasn’t featured since the 5-1 defeat to Stoke City back in March after sustaining a thigh injury.

Tony Mowbray’s centre-back was unsurprisingly missing from the squad for the most recent deciding fixture, though a promising update has now emerged which could see him play a part in what will be a vital 90 minutes for his side.

What's the Sunderland team news vs Luton?

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Wilson revealed that Alese is expected to stage his competitive comeback vs Luton at Kenilworth Road having returned to regular first-team training. He wrote:

“Aji Alese back in the #SAFC squad for tomorrow's play-off decider at Luton – and likely to be on the bench. Patrick Roberts and Alex Pritchard both "touch and go" though after their injury knocks at the weekend…”

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Alese is “scary” for how good he is at defending, and considering the high standard of his performances since putting pen to paper, Sunderland and Mowbray will definitely receive a boost should he be available for selection this evening.

The Black Cats ace, who currently pockets £5.7k-per-week, ranks in the 98th percentile for clearances and has won 20 of his tackles from 34 players challenged this season, as per FBRef, form which has seen him receive two man-of-the-match awards.

The Islington-born talent is also capable of contributing to his team’s efforts in the final third having scored one goal and provided the same number of assists since the start of the term, not to mention that he offers wonderful versatility having operated at centre-back, left-back and slightly higher up in left midfield in his opening campaign, so the chances of the red and whites picking up a positive result are only set to increase with the return of Alese.

According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, you 'can't rule out' Mauricio Pochettino taking charge as soon as possible.

What's the latest manager news involving Chelsea?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are set to formally appoint Pochettino 'by the end of this week', bringing their lengthy search for a new manager to a close.

The report states that Lampard will remain in post for the rest of this term before being replaced by the 51-year-old at the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

Similarly, The Athletic have also revealed that the Blues' search for a new boss looks likely to come to an end this week, giving everyone at Stamford Bridge some much needed stability following a torrid 2022/23.

Last weekend, Chelsea won their first match since early March, bringing an end to a nine-game winless run with a 3-1 triumph over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, courtesy of goals from Conor Gallagher, Benoit Badiashile and Joao Felix, as per BBC Sport.

Nevertheless, Chelsea remain 11th in the Premier League table and have a lot of collective groundwork to get through in the summer to get back among the elite of English football.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Sheth has signalled that he believes Lampard will take charge of the Blues' last four matches of the season, but did state that there is a chance Pochettino could come in now.

Sheth said: "I'm not sure. I think you'd have to ask Pochettino that question as well, simply because all the noises we were getting when he was being linked with Chelsea, being linked with Tottenham, being linked with Real Madrid was that he wanted to assess all of his options and make a fresh start in the summer.

"Could he come in now? You can't rule it out, but all the noises we're hearing is that Frank Lampard will be in charge of Chelsea until the end of the season."

What next for Chelsea?

With very little left to play for, Chelsea don't really need Pochettino to come in right away but as Dharmesh says, perhaps there could be a window of opportunity for him to come in and trial some things in the last couple of games. Never say never.

While their managerial situation is ongoing, Lampard will be charged with trying to ensure Chelsea finish this term in a strong fashion before the curtain is brought down on a frustrating time of things for all involved at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues still have some tough fixtures to come, with Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United being the four outstanding matches to complete.

To be honest, Chelsea don't have any real meaningful objectives to work towards between now and the end of 2022/23, seeing as they are well out of contention for continental qualification. However, pride is at stake and fringe players will also be looking to make a claim for a starting spot in 2023/24.

Winning over Bournemouth last Saturday will have instilled some confidence in Lampard's men and the 44-year-old will be keen to record a second consecutive victory when Chelsea take on Nottingham Forest this weekend.

Dwayne Smith used a green Kanpur pitch as his ally to return figures of 4 for 8, setting up Gujarat Lions’ six-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders

The Report by Nikhil Kalro19-May-2016
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsDwayne Smith’s career-best T20 figures set up what turned out to be a convincing win for Gujarat Lions•BCCIDwayne Smith used a green Kanpur pitch as his ally to return figures of 4 for 8, setting up Gujarat Lions’ six-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders. Lions restricted Knight Riders to 124, and then overhauled the target with 39 balls to spare. The win not only vaulted them to No. 2 on the points table, but also lifted their net run-rate from -0.747 to -0.479, intensifying the race for the playoffs.Knight Riders, sent in to bat, started solidly before Gautam Gambhir was involved in another run-out, in the fourth over. With Gambhir and Robin Uthappa stranded mid-pitch, Shadab Jakati, replacing Shivil Kaushik, fired an accurate throw at the striker’s end after an acrobatic stop at midwicket.Smith then extracted enough bounce and lateral movement to have Knight Riders’ batsmen poking outside off stump. Uthappa and Manish Pandey steered catches behind the wicket, while Piyush Chawla, promoted to No. 4 as a pinch hitter, was hustled by a skiddy delivery that crept past his tentative waft. A short delivery was helped along to third man by Shakib as Smith claimed his best T20 figures. Knight Riders were left reeling at 61 for 5 in the 12th over.Yusuf Pathan and Suryakumar Yadav then limited the damage through singles; an eight-over period after the Powerplay produced just 20 runs. Lions’ spinners asserted control until Yusuf got stuck in to Ravindra Jadeja to resuscitate Knight Riders’ innings with consecutive boundaries in the 15th over.Thereafter, boundary-scoring became gradually easier, with the next three overs producing 33. It could have been much more if not for Dhawal Kulkarni and Dwayne Bravo’s cunning variations that resulted in just eight off the last two overs as Lions subsided Knight Riders’ hopes of a 140-plus score.Lions approached the chase, it seemed, with an intent to improve their net run-rate to boost their playoffs chances. The batsmen came out playing exuberant strokes on a tricky surface to give Knight Riders a sniff.Smith under-edged a pull off the first ball of the chase as Uthappa eventually completed the catch on the third attempt. Brendon McCullum wasn’t deterred though, as he danced down the track to swat a length delivery over midwicket off his first delivery. In a bid to arrest the early momentum, Gambhir turned to Sunil Narine, and the move worked as he accounted for McCullum with a floater that swerved back in to trap him lbw.Dinesh Karthik chose attritional strokes with a straight bat but was bowled by an in-dipper from Morne Morkel that sneaked between bat and pad to clatter into the stumps. Suddenly, Lions were reduced to 38 for 3.Suresh Raina, returning from a short paternity leave, ensured Lions were in the hunt through his inside-out drives and flicks to steer the chase forward. He crossed 4000 IPL runs with a lofted cover drive off a good-length delivery from Morkel. Raina and Aaron Finch added 59 to put the game beyond Knight Riders’ reach.Their 36-ball stand was ended by a run-out when they collided into each other in the search for a third run to briefly lend some artificial excitement. With 28 required off 61 balls, Ravindra Jadeja helped Raina end the chase in a canter to ease Lions’ race for a playoffs berth.

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison was spotted sitting alone on the bench following their defeat on the south coast to Bournemouth on the weekend.

What was Jack Harrison seen doing?

Javi Gracia will be wanting to put Sunday behind him very quickly as Leeds suffered defeat away to one of their relegation rivals, Bournemouth.

Not only did Leeds taste defeat, but they were on the end of a 4-1 hammering as the Cherries secured the points to take them nine points clear of the Yorkshire side.

Leeds found themselves 2-0 down fairly early in the game but were offered a glimmer of hope when Patrick Bamford halved the deficit before half-time.

However, Bournemouth went on to secure the points with two further goals after the break which leaves the Whites now just one-point above the drop having played a game more than Leicester City and Everton.

Following the game, footage emerged of the £90k-per-week ace seen sitting alone on the bench still in his full strip after all the fans had vacated the stadium.

Having posted it on Twitter, the Leeds presenter questioned whether there was more to this than what may initially meet the eye:

"It might be nothing but been sent this by a Bournemouth fan. Why is Jack Harrison sitting alone in the dugout Ten mins after the stadium had emptied? Shouldn’t they all be in the dressing room? I am confused. Something isn't right," he said.

Has Harrison been good enough this season?

The Leeds winger has recently put pen to paper on a new deal which will see his future extended at Elland Road through until the summer of 2028.

It has been a fairly inconsistent campaign for the Englishman who has provided a solid return of four goals and seven assists in the Premier League (via Transfermarkt).

However, three of those goals and three of those assists have all come since the last week in February.

The other goal and a further three assists all came in the first three weeks of the campaign, too.

This has left a huge barren run through the majority of the campaign where the 26-year-old has not been providing the Whites with a contribution in front of goal.

Harrison was awarded with a mere 4/10 rating following the game on Sunday with journalist Graham Smyth saying:

"Tried to get up and down but couldn't do enough. Defending for the first was poor, albeit after a pitch-length sprint. Position asked a huge amount."

Harrison has registered two key passes, three clearances and a tackle during the game on the south coast, however, he was also dribbled past twice and lost possession 20 times (via SofaScore).

The video shows the winger is hurting, however, it is apparent there is no time for the Leeds players to be feeling sorry for themselves with Manchester City next up for the Whites.

Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to establish themselves as a true superpower after years of progression under Mauricio Pochettino, with Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte both enlisted to help bridge that gap further, with little success.

The Lilywhites now find themselves in an awkward position, with a caretaker manager in the dugout and no plan for the immediate future.

Of all the disarray of the past few years, one thing has always remained constant: Harry Kane's goals.

The English marksman is one of the league's greatest-ever goalscorers, with his tally of 206 just 54 shy of Alan Shearer's previously unbeatable record. However, amidst all the fine finishes and match-winning contributions, the 29-year-old is without a trophy.

Rumours continue to swirl about the future of the £200k-per-week marksman and where his career might conclude, leading to the potential exit of the one consistently good facet about this club of late.

One thing that would be particularly heartbreaking about such a departure, aside from losing a talent branded "world-class" by Conte, is that it would bring to a brutal end his fine partnership with Heung-min Son.

These two forwards hold the record for most goal contributions to one another, having surpassed the legendary Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard relationship.

However, just a quick browse in their academy gives credence to another who might be able to fill the shoes of their legendary frontman. Jude Soonsup-Bell could very well be the next great partner for the South Korean sensation.

Who is Jude Soonsup-Bell?

Having traded Chelsea for North London in January, already the 19-year-old will have endeared himself to the Spurs faithful as a deserter of one of their fiercest rivals.

However, the immense quality he boasts remains an even larger factor in their excitement regarding his future.

Across a stuttered season, littered with change for the teenager, the young forward has still managed four goals and two assists across various youth competitions.

However, last season for the Blues he recorded 13 goal contributions for their U23s which culminated in his debut for the first team.

This ability to both score and create is instantly resemblant to Kane's uncanny ability to do the same. Being able to drop deep and feed other attackers like Son has allowed the speedster to score 143 times for Spurs, with his teammate recording 63 assists during his tenure.

Not only this, but a relentless work rate is sure to endear himself to the likes of interim boss Cristian Stellini, who will likely seek his energy when organising a press.

Tottenham's youth coach Wayne Burnett even claimed, after one fine showing:

"We like Jude, he's a player that has qualities, he's a player that gives us something a little bit different, wants to run in behind but he works tirelessly as well and he showed that today."

With chairman Daniel Levy always one to save as much money as possible, and given the huge fee they would get for Kane's sale, the prospect that Soonsup-Bell could take his place must excite him.

He will hope more than most that the striker, should he be given his chance, can quickly establish another fine relationship with the mercurial Son.

Since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney took over at Wrexham two years ago, the club has just gone from strength to strength.

Plentiful amounts of money have been pumped into the Welsh side and they are now just one game away from that elusive promotion.

It has been over a decade since they were last in the Football League, but a victory over Boreham Wood on Saturday evening will mean at long last, they are back in the EFL.

At present, the Red Dragons sit on 107 points, a National League record, with Phil Parkinson having worked wonders with one of the finest squads you are ever likely to see at non-league level.

Not only do they possess former England and Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster, but League Two top scorer of 2020/21, Paul Mullin, is also at the club, while they paid the best part of £300k to lure Ollie Palmer from Wimbledon too.

This only feels like the beginning of their investment, however, particularly if they do secure a place in the fourth tier.

It even looks as though another former Premier League star could be on their way to the Racecourse Ground after Foster.

Who could sign for Wrexham this summer?

It's likely that the manager will have a number of targets in mind in order to improve the squad further ahead of next term, but one such player could be someone of Welsh origin, Hal Robson-Kanu.

The 33-year-old hasn't played since leaving West Bromwich Albion behind in 2021, but could be tempted out of retirement in order to join in the fun at Wrexham.

Indeed, taking to Instagram, the attacker commented on a post from co-owner, Reynolds, by saying: "I’ll come out of retirement and come and play for Wrexham next season. I’ll also give my salary to charity of the fans choosing…"

The statement is yet to be met with a response from the movie star, although there must be some element of excitement behind a potential swoop.

After all, this is a player with experience of playing and scoring at a major international tournament for his country, while Robson-Kanu also boasts 14 Premier League goals and 31 Championship strikes.

Mullin, Palmer and indeed Foster were remarkable signings, but this one, in terms of goalscoring ability might just top the lot.