Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has warned the Eagles they will be in “big trouble” if they lose captain Marc Guehi before making any further signings.
Eze to leave Crystal Palace for Arsenal
Despite winning the FA Cup and Community Shield, it has been a frustrating summer for those at Selhurst Park. Not much money has been spent, they have been demoted to the Europa Conference League from the Europa League and are now set to lose star attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.
Eze, who was not involved in the 1-0 Conference League first-leg play-off victory over Fredrikstad, is expected to complete a £60million move to Arsenal.
Talking about Eze’s absence on Thursday evening, Glasner said he revealed he received a phone call from Eze, who said he was not feeling well enough to play.
“I’m responsible for Crystal Palace and I think he won’t play for us again,” said Glasner when asked to confirm whether Eze was heading to the Emirates Stadium. “So I have to prepare the team for Nottingham (Forest, in the Premier League on Sunday) and for the second leg against Fredrikstad, and I’m planning without Eberechi.”
Walter Benitez
PSV Eindhoven
Free
Borna Sosa
Ajax
£3m
Quizzed as to whether Eze was feeling physically or mentally unwell, the Palace boss merely replied: “You have to ask him. Maybe in a few days (you can ask).”
As big a talent as Eze: Crystal Palace enter race to sign "magic" £40m star
Crystal Palace are on the hunt for a big-money Eze replacement.
ByJoe Nuttall Aug 21, 2025 Glasner makes Guehi claim amid Liverpool links
Meanwhile, Guehi, who did play against Fredrikstad, has been linked with a move to Liverpool before the deadline closes. However, talking after the first leg victory, Glasner said Palace would be in “big trouble” if they sold Guehi before replacing him.
Asked if he was referring to just the return trip to Fredrikstad or the whole season, Glasner continued.
Sunderland supporters are now strapped in for the 38-game ride of the brand-new Premier League season.
There will be many ups and downs to come on the unforgiving top-flight rollercoaster, but nothing can take away from the fact that Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats managed to comfortably cruise to a 3-0 opening day win over a dejected West Ham United side.
Wilson Isidor will be hopeful he can write himself into Sunderland folklore, too, by being the hero who fired home the goals to keep the Black Cats afloat in such a gruelling league.
Isidor's heroics for Sunderland
He has already proven himself to be a goalscoring favourite to the die-hard Wearside masses.
Indeed, the French striker would bag a respectable 13 goals last season across 46 Championship appearances, which included Isidor firing home the opening goal in Sunderland’s first leg clash against Coventry City in the playoff semi-finals.
He popped up with another memorable effort against Graham Potter’s visitors, as well, as his late effort secured the resounding three points.
However, it will be about maintaining this clinical edge across the full season to come, with Isidor also prone to a goal-shy appearance or two.
When examining that output in the second tier in more detail, it’s clear that the former Zenit St. Petersburg man can be wasteful, as seen in him squandering 20 big chances last season, as per Sofascore.
Sunderland's Wilson Isidor
If he is displaying the same carelessness in front of goal in the top-flight down the line, Le Bris’ men could well be in danger of suffering an instant relegation.
Therefore, it’s no great shock to see that the Black Cats are going after some fresh, clinical targets up top, which includes a major Isidor upgrade potentially joining the camp.
Sunderland could land major upgrade on Isidor
Isidor will already be worrying about competing with Marc Guiu as the young, Chelsea hotshot attempts to make a name for himself on Wearside on a season-long loan deal.
He would be even more anxiety-ridden about his chances at being Sunderland’s main marksman moving forward if AS Roma ace Artem Dovbyk were to join the building.
Indeed, as per reports from Italy earlier this week, Le Bris’ men and Leeds United are now locked into a battle to win the Ukrainian’s services, who is reportedly available for a fee around the £23m mark.
This feels as if it would be a steal, therefore, for a lavish Sunderland side unafraid to splash the cash, especially when you consider Dovbyk’s recent goalscoring exploits in both Serie A and La Liga.
Dovbyk – La Liga (23/24) + Serie A (24/25)
Stat
23/24
24/25
Games played
36
32
Goals scored
24
12
Assists
8
2
Big chances missed
22
11
Stats by Sofascore
While the 28-year-old did come up short last season in Serie A next to Isidor’s numbers, with one less strike to his name than his French counterpart, it’s his blistering form when he was on the books of Girona that will have really caught Sunderland’s attention.
Dovbyk would close off his breakout 2023/24 campaign in Spain with a deadly 24 strikes picked up from 36 clashes, coming in at an average of a strike every 109 minutes for the Catalonia-based outfit.
Isidor, on the contrary, doesn’t have such a glittering track record in the top divisions he’s called home – away from already breaking his Premier League duck – with zero goals in the senior ranks at AS Monaco, on top of only finding the back of the net a meagre four times, lining up for Zenit.
Amazingly, the 6-foot-2 forward’s ice-cold nature in front of goal has even seen him be dubbed as “similar to [Erling] Haaland” by ex-Serie A great Mario Balotelli, alongside being hailed as “elite” by journalist Zach Lowy.
Isidor had his own moments of magic for Sunderland as the Black Cats triumphantly returned to the big time.
But Le Bris will know he can’t turn down opportunities such as these to land a major upgrade on his number 18, as Dovbyk prepares to be the spark that guides the underdogs to a comfortable Premier League finish.
New Jack Clarke: Sunderland showing interest in "sensational" £26m star
Regis Le Bris could win himself his very own Jack Clarke if Sunderland snap up this £26m attacker.
West Ham United are looking to sign at least one new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window. Graham Potter’s options in the centre of the park currently include James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, and Tomas Soucek, amongst others.
Yet, that does not seem to be enough for the Hammers boss, who is now chasing a new man in midfield. One of the names they have been linked with is his former midfielder at Brighton, Yves Bissouma, according to reports.
However, with Tottenham Hotspur demanding just £17m, he is seen as a viable option for Juventus, which could make this a tough deal for West Ham to do.
There are other options, too, with the Hammers in talks to sign an alternative to Bissouma.
West Ham’s Bissouma alternative
It seems clear that Potter would love to recruit another midfielder this summer, with West Ham looking to climb up the table and build on last season’s 14th-place finish. If Bissouma is indeed unattainable, then they may well have identified a different option.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a recent report from Belgian news outlet Voetbalnieuws, via PUNCH Sports Extra, the Hammers are set to accelerate their plans to sign Club Brugge and Nigeria international midfielder Raphael Onyedika. He is said to be ‘their number one priority for midfield reinforcement’ this summer.
Indeed, this is not a deal where Brugge will stand in the player’s way, with the club said to be ‘open to a transfer’ in the coming weeks.
At the end of May, the midfielder was valued at £20m, and with the player ‘patiently awaiting the right offer’, the East Londoners could look to push for a deal.
Why Onyedika would be a good signing
With Onyedika 24 years of age, it feels like now could be a great time for West Ham to pounce on the Nigerian international and bring him to the Premier League. Described as an “outstanding” midfielder by Belgian coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, he has certainly built up a strong reputation.
Last season, he was a crucial player for Brugge in the heart of their midfield. Most often deployed as a defensive midfielder, the Hammers target played 52 games in all competitions, chipping in with two goals and two assists.
It will surely be a positive for the Hammers that Onyedika was such an important player in the Champions League, as his side reached the Last 16. He played 90 minutes against Aston Villa twice, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, against whom he even scored.
Perhaps the 24-year-old could become Potter’s new Bissouma. The Mali international saw great success under the now-Hammers boss on the South Coast with Brighton, playing 90 games under his tutelage, operating in the heart of his midfield.
Surely, the Englishman would love to have a player like Bissouma in his midfield again, especially after praising his “undoubted ability” after his move to North London.
If West Ham miss out on signing the Spurs star, then perhaps Onyedika could be an apt alternative.
A deep dive into the stats via FBref is telling. Using numbers from Bissouma’s last season at Brighton and Onyedika in 2024/25, there is evidence to suggest that the Brugge star could replicate the Malian’s role under Potter in a West Ham shirt.
Progression from midfield will not be an issue, with the Super League star averaging 4.65 progressive passes each game compared to Bissouma’s 3.91.
Off the ball, the ability to make those recovery runs that Spurs’ number eight excels at is certainly there. Per 90 minutes, Onyedika averaged 5.83 compared to Bissouma’s 6.85.
Passes into final third
4.87
3.11
Progressive passes
4.65
3.91
Tackles and interceptions
2.62
5.36
Ball recoveries
5.83
6.85
Carries into final third
1.07
1.66
For a fee of around £20m, this could be a dream move for Potter. If he is unsuccessful in signing Bissouma this season, then Onyedika seems to fit the required profile down to a tee, with his high-intensity work rate off the ball and progression in build-up.
West Ham are looking to sign a new midfielder, and they could do far worse than a player with age on his side and excellent numbers behind him.
Their new Paqueta: West Ham make approach to sign "complete" £30m star
West Ham United could stumble upon their next Lucas Paqueta by securing a deal for this £30m midfielder.
On the hunt to end their search for a striker at long last, Newcastle United are now reportedly battling to sign an impressive target who outscored Alexander Isak last season.
Newcastle's striker search goes on
It’s been a disappointing summer for Newcastle, but it’s especially been a woeful last seven days. Having missed out on Hugo Ekitike, it seemed as though the saving grace in that saga would be that Liverpool settled for the Frenchman rather than Isak on top. But the Swede has since dropped a bombshell on the Magpies.
Reports swiftly emerged earlier this week that the forward’s thigh injury was simply a smokescreen for his desire to leave St James’ Park this summer to spark what could be an almighty battle between the player and club as the transfer window progresses.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
Having his say on the matter, Eddie Howe told reporters: “Of course there are things going on behind the scenes. He will be aware, he’s in the news every day and I’m sure that’s not easy for anyone in that situation. Conversations that happen between Alex and the club or Alex and myself will stay private for obvious reasons.
“We do share a really good relationship with him. He’s been magnificent for us since he’s joined. He’s very popular in the dressing room. We’d love him to continue his journey at Newcastle.”
Isak’s desire to leave Newcastle isn’t even the latest of a long line of disappointing news this summer, however, with their pursuit to sign Yoane Wissa taking a major twist.
Now, with the Isak sage continuing and Wissa off the table for now, Newcastle have reportedly set their sights on a familiar face.
Newcastle battling for Mitrovic return
According to Caught Offside, Newcastle United are now battling to sign Aleksandar Mitrovic from Al-Hilal this summer, with those at the club warming to the idea of bringing him back. The experienced goalscorer, who still loves the Magpies despite his time at the club not ending in the way he would have dreamed, could put his St James’ Park failure behind him once and for all with a return this summer.
Appearances
72
Goals
17
Assists
10
Seven years on from leaving Newcastle, Mitrovic is far more well-rounded and even outscored Isak’s 27-goal haul last season with 28 of his own in all competitions and loves St James’ Park, once calling it his favourite away ground while at Fulham.
More prolific than Sesko: Newcastle targeting move for £87m "monster"
Newcastle are looking to bring in another striker or two this summer
ByRoss Kilvington Jul 27, 2025
It was during his time at Fulham that the Serbian earned the most praise, with manager Marco Silva going as far as to describe him as “phenomenal” in 2022. Now, at 30 years old, Mitrovic could return with a bang to St James’ Park to hand Howe an unexpected solution to his growing striker problems.
The IPL franchises have recommended a two-year ban on overseas players should they make themselves unavailable for the season after being bought at the auction without legitimate cause. They have also told the IPL to make it mandatory for overseas players to register for the mega auction and not just enter mini-auctions anticipating potentially large price tags. ESPNcricinfo has learned that virtually all ten franchises agreed on those two points during their meeting with the IPL on Wednesday.Many IPL teams have been hurt by overseas players pulling out on the eve of a new season citing personal reasons. They pointed out that such late pullouts have a detrimental effect on team performance because strategies are devised keeping these overseas names in mind and their sudden unavailability leaves the franchises scrambling to find replacements from a much shallower pool of international talent.The franchises told the IPL they could understand if the player’s board was pulling him out to honour an international commitment, or if he has suffered an injury, or has family commitments that render him incapable of joining the squad. They were happy to make these allowances so long as there was clarity at the time of the auction about the player’s availability during the IPL season.Related
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The problem the franchises are facing is that on several occasions, players who are bought at base price pull out post-auction. They even provided an example of a player’s manager telling a franchise his client could be available if he was paid more.The franchises also told the IPL that there were several instances of prominent overseas players skipping the mega auctions over the last two cycles (2018-24) but making themselves available for the mini-auctions in order to attract big bids. This tends to happen because of the short supply of high-quality talent in mini-auctions. At the last mega auction, in 2022, the highest bid for a player was INR 15.25 crore (USD 2.03 million approx), Ishan Kishan going to Mumbai Indians. At the most recent mini auction, there were two bids higher than that, for Mitchell Starc (INR 24.75 crore or USD 2.98 million approx) and Pat Cummins (INR 20.50 crore or USD 2.47 million approx).The franchises felt some of these players and their managers were attempting to game the system so it was essential for the IPL to put certain checks in place. The franchises said they understood if a new or upcoming overseas player registered for mini-auctions, but bigger names had to register for mega auctions. If they go unsold, then they could enter the mini-auction the following season.
Birmingham City excelled in League One when being a big fish in a small pond.
But, the Championship is full of some huge teams based off stature alone, with the likes of Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion and Norwich City all recently tasting the Premier League like the Blues once upon a time.
Birmingham City lift the League One title.
Throwing in the likes of a very ambitious Birmingham into the mix alongside Wrexham makes the division a fascinating one to predict already, with the Blues perhaps keen to add some experience to their squad this summer to handle the step-up in a similar fashion to when they relied upon the recently retired Lukas Jutkiewicz to get them out of trouble.
Jutkiewicz's legend status at St. Andrew's
The tag legend is thrown around an awful lot in the modern game, but it’s the perfect label to describe Jutkiewicz with when looking at his long spell at St Andrew’s.
After all, the much-loved Blues servant didn’t notch up a staggering 357 clashes for the West Midlands titans by chance, with 16 of those even coming about last season as he attempted to play his part in Chris Davies’ men storming to the title.
He would certainly do that when firing home two goals across those limited appearances, with these memorable efforts also bumping up his overall tally to 68.
Remarkably, 62 of those actually fell when Birmingham were regularly in the challenging Championship, meaning that know-how not being around the building anymore could hurt Davies and Co as they return to the unpredictable division.
But, they could win themselves an equally experienced head in attack very soon.
Birmingham could sign their new Jutkiewicz
The newly promoted side have already struck gold going down the seasoned route with Alfie May, considering the EFL journeyman bagged 16 league strikes on the way to the title being heroically lifted.
Therefore, they will hope this approach pays off again if they’re successful in landing new reported target Danny Ings, with the 32-year-old goal machine now searching for a new club to call his home after his West Ham United contract expired.
Wrexham and his former side Burnley, are also allegedly locked into the race to land the potent veteran, but Birmingham will aim to advance to the front of the queue to try and get the best out of an attacker who can terrorise Championship defences for fun on his day.
He hasn’t plied his trade in the EFL since the 2013/14 season, but Ings would manage to hammer home 21 strikes during the Clarets’ promotion success that campaign, before then going on to solidify himself as a composed finisher in the relentless Premier League.
Career games played
419
Premier League goals
72
Championship goals
27
League One goals
7
Therefore, he should be able to dust himself down and offer a threatening body up top for Birmingham next season, even if recent campaigns have seen the goals dry up due to recurring injury troubles.
After all, Jutkiewicz only started three times for Birmingham in league action during their relegation season down to League One, but still managed to chip in with three goals and an assist.
The resurgent Blues won’t complain if the “phenomenal” 32-year-old – as he was lauded previously by pundit Noel Whelan – does this exact same job for them, with his extensive background in the game also potentially of benefit to Jay Stansfield.
24/25
West Ham
15
1
2
23/24
West Ham
20
1
1
22/23
West Ham
17
2
2
22/23
Aston Villa
18
6
0
21/22
Aston Villa
30
7
6
20/21
Southampton
29
12
4
19/20
Southampton
38
22
2
18/19
Southampton
24
7
3
17/18
Liverpool
8
1
0
15/16
Liverpool
6
2
0
14/15
Burnley
35
11
4
With 240 top-flight appearances and three England caps under his belt across his varied career, this free transfer pick-up would really show Birmingham mean business entering back into the Championship as another very successful season is hopefully in the offing.
Birmingham could land a bigger talent than Adams by signing “clinical” ace
Birmingham City would really enhance their attacking options by signing this brand new star.
Everton are set for a summer of change as they move to Bramley-Moore Dock and now have a talented defender lined up who could arrive for an inexpensive fee, according to a report.
Everton set for an overhaul this summer
David Moyes has managed to take Everton to the relative comfort of bottom-half obscurity in the Premier League and has earned due adulation for the way he has carried himself despite members of his playing squad facing uncertain futures.
Several of his key stars, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Abdoulaye Doucoure, have yet to agree contract extensions, while Jack Harrison, Armando Broja and Orel Mangala are loanees that could be set for the exit door.
Everton manager David Moyes andBetoafter the match
Of course, there is plenty of talent embedded within his group at Finch Farm, but Moyes will be expected to carry out an overhaul as the Friedkin Group begin to make their mark on the blue half of Merseyside.
Making an early start on identifying targets, Everton are doing everything they can to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town as his £30 million relegation release clause continues to attract the attention of top-flight clubs.
Honing in on adding creativity to his midfield, Moyes is also pursuing Sheffield United star Gustavo Hamer in a deal that could be worth £15 million.
Premier League club set for talks to sign "underrated" £60m Tottenham player
He thinks they could be a perfect option to leave this summer.
ByEmilio Galantini May 8, 2025
The Toffees are set for an emotional few weeks as they bid farewell to Goodison Park. That said, the future could shine brightly over their new stadium should transfer funds be used wisely by those in charge.
Finding value for money will be key, and Everton are now reportedly well in the hunt to seal a bargain signing after carrying out a detailed scouting mission.
Everton look to sign Torino defender Jackson Tchatchoua
According to Tuttosport (via Cuore Toro), Everton have scouted Hellas Verona right-back Jackson Tchatchoua and are now looking to bring the 10-cap Cameroon international to English shores in the summer window.
Valued at around €8m (£6.7m), the 23-year-old has registered two goals and two assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season.
Successful crosses
23
Duels won
102
Chances created
33
Successful dribbles
18
Aerial duels won
28
Interceptions
12
Marseille are also in the hunt for his signature and have sent representatives to watch him in action, while Torino are also watching on with interest to see how the situation develops.
Ashley Young and Everton club captain Coleman are two vastly experienced operators in the full-back areas. Nevertheless, it appears that Tchatchoua may be a younger alternative to take over their role in the years to come.
Nathan Patterson hasn’t been a frequent starter this term, so it makes sense that an alternative has been identified to provide strength in depth as the Toffees prepare for life at their new stadium.
The Liverpool and Manchester City duopoly in the Premier League continues. Arne Slot has taken the title from Pep Guardiola, ending four years of dominance and doing so in his first season at the helm.
As all of a Liverpool persuasion will be aware, it’s gearing up to be a significant summer for the Anfield side, with sporting director Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards, FSG’s chief executive of football operations, planning for a wave of first-team investment.
Richard Hughes and Arne Slot
Last year, City enjoyed their record-breaking fourth Premier League title in succession, and most thought that they would retain their throne once more. Or, otherwise, fall against an Arsenal side that has been on the rise for several years now.
But it wasn’t to be. Liverpool, still bruised from Jurgen Klopp’s decision to step down from his long-held seat in the Anfield dugout, have been head-and-shoulders above their rivals since the early knockings.
Candidly, clinching the title has almost looked a formality since January, with the Darwin Nunez-inspired victory at Brentford lifting the Reds six points clear of second-place Arsenal, and with a game in hand at that.
But there’s been something missing. Nunez isn’t good enough and will be sold this summer, while various concerns relating to defence will call for change there too. However, Liverpool will jump on a new centre-midfielder if an opportunity presents itself.
The missing piece in Liverpool's midfield
In fairness, Liverpool’s midfield doesn’t need to undergo major surgery. Klopp’s dramatic rebuild of 2023 has proved a bona fide success, with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch starting the lion’s share of Liverpool’s Premier League fixtures and Wataru Endo earning cult status for his combative cameos.
Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Dominik Szoboszlai for Liverpool
Curtis Jones, 24, has also enjoyed the outstanding season of his career thus far, starting 17 league games and earning praise from his manager for his “complete” take on the midfield game.
It’s remarkable that these players have stepped up and delivered England’s prized trophy after FSG failed to convince Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi to leave the Basque Country and join this new project.
Liverpool opted against signing a different deep-lying midfielder and were met with frustration from supporters, derision from rivals. Gravenberch’s incredible rise from a previously middling role has been the core of Liverpool’s successful season.
Ryan Gravenberch in the Premier League
Stats (* per game)
23/24
24/25
Matches (starts)
26 (12)
34 (34)
Goals
1
0
Assists
0
4
Touches*
28.8
67.3
Pass completion
83%
89%
Key passes*
0.6
0.7
Dribbles*
0.9
1.0
Ball recoveries*
2.8
5.3
Tackles + interceptions*
1.5
3.6
Duels (won)*
2.8 (47%)
5.0 (58%)
Stats via Sofascore
Indeed, the owners’ decision has been vindicated now that Slot has sealed the club’s record-equalling 20th top-flight trophy.
There have been times when the engine room has looked a little tired of late, namely during costly defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
Arne Slot celebrates Liverpool's Premier League triumph
If the right player comes along, Liverpool will pounce, with one of the Premier League’s finest very much on Hughes’ radar.
Liverpool learn conditions for PL star
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool have learned that it will take a mammoth fee of £80m to convince Crystal Palace to part with Adam Wharton this summer.
Liverpool are keen admirers of the deep-lying playmaker, who has been a revelation since joining the Eagles from Blackburn Rovers in the Championship last year for a £18m fee.
The 21-year-old is also on Man United’s radar, but given that he fits the profile to jockey with Gravenberch for that number six spot, it might be the perfect move for Slot’s fluid system.
Why Adam Wharton is perfect for Slot
Liverpool’s current midfielders have cemented their legacies and then some, joining the illustrious names of old: Fabinho, Gini Wijnaldum, Jordan Henderson, Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso.
Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton
Wharton has the talent to add his name too, hailed as an “unbelievable talent” by BBC analyst Raj Chohan after his incredible start to life in Oliver Glasner’s Palace team last season.
This term, despite injuries, he has played a big part for his London-based side, actually earning praise from respected journalist Henry Winter for being a “passing machine” as Aston Villa were comprehensively defeated in the FA Cup semi-final, also hailing him as “the best player on the pitch.” Big-game quality, confirmed.
As per FBref, he actually ranks among the top 8% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for both progressive passes and ball recoveries, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 15% for assists per 90, perfectly illustrating his passing prowess and an athleticism that Slot seems to desire so greatly.
Wharton still has much to learn, but with such exciting ball-playing skills, he could take the shape of a former Liverpool star like Alonso, slotting into a similar role for the Reds’ flourishing coach.
Alonso might be one of the most esteemed managers at present, leading Bayer Leverkusen to an invincible domestic double last year and now the firm favourite to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, but he was once a superstar of a midfielder.
A Spanish maestro, Alonso starred across, winning the Champions League and FA Cup across five campaigns before walking that well-trodden path from Anfield to the Spanish capital, sold to Madrid in a £30m package back in 2009.
Xabi Alonso in action for Liverpool.
Gerrard once claimed that Alonso was his “favourite partner for club and country,” with the 43-year-old’s silky and cerebral approach to the midfield game something that opened up new lanes from which the robust Three Lions star could travel.
Wharton boasts a similarly high footballing IQ and could take the likes of Mac Allister and Gravenberch to the next level.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Adding Wharton to the fold would certainly serve to elevate Slot’s existing midfield options, with the young playmaker operating in a deep-set role to influence and advance fluency in a similar vein to a former Liverpool hero named Alonso.
Liverpool could sign their best forward since Salah in £87m "superstar"
This talented player is open to leaving his club this summer.
He made just 21 appearances in the IPL but, in one of those, he was the player that got Sunrisers Hyderabad their first and only IPL title
Matt Roller22-May-20255:23
There are messages on social media saying, can you make yourself available for the IPL for whoever is facing RCB?’
“It’s one of those things where if you know, you know,” says Ben Cutting, with the smile of a man who is a relative unknown at home but a cult hero for millions overseas. For all his success in domestic cricket, and his eight caps for Australia, Cutting knows that his cricketing career will be remembered for one night: May 29, 2016.It was the night that he silenced the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and brought Sunrisers Hyderabad their first – and still only – IPL title with one of the great all-round performances: 39 not out off 15 balls with the bat, then two vital wickets with the ball. “The time has flown,” he says. “Even at the time, I realised that was probably going to be the highlight of my career.”It was also the night that he ensured Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the IPL’s perennial underachievers, remained trophy-less. “For some reason, this year, social media has blown up far more,” Cutting says. “I think because the longer the years drag on and RCB still haven’t won, the more important that [night] becomes for the Hyderabadis.”That Cutting even played in the final was something of a surprise: he had made a solitary appearance across his first three IPL seasons, and Sunrisers coach Tom Moody made clear early on that he was back-up for Moises Henriques in 2016. It took quiet seasons under two international captains – Kane Williamson and Eoin Morgan – for him to win a chance in the middle order.Related
Cutting sends one flying over the roof
The Chinnaswamy becomes Cutting's slogging canvas
“I got my first [2016] opportunity in Mohali against Kings XI Punjab and performed well there: I finished the game with the bat with Yuvraj Singh,” Cutting recalls. “Unfortunately I got quite sick after that, so I missed two games. But as soon as I was well again, they got me back into the side and I obviously finished the season strongly with bat and ball.”After two knockout wins, Cutting arrived in Bengaluru feeling invincible. “I rocked up that night to Chinnaswamy on the team bus and I was so relaxed – which I really shouldn’t have been, looking back, given the stage that was set. Deep down, I knew that if I got an opportunity, I could hit the ball out of the park there… My mindset was 100% the catalyst for results.”Cutting’s 39 not out was his highest score of the 2016 season in the four matches he played•BCCICutting walked out to bat at 147 for 4 after 16 overs; after Yuvraj picked out extra cover and a mix-up with Naman Ojha, that was 158 for 6 seven balls later. But he single-handedly took Sunrisers to 208 by taking down his compatriot Shane Watson at the death, including one 117-metre six that cleared the roof of the stand at deep midwicket.”I knew that he was bowling close to 140 [kph] and some quick bowling like that on that sort of wicket was going to suit my game to a tee,” Cutting says. “I just wish it wasn’t against Watto! I love the bloke. He was a hero of mine coming through the ranks. I still feel guilty about seeing it unfold like that against someone that I looked up to – and still do – as a hero on the field.”I also knew that if I got in, the wicket was so true and the boundary is small enough that if I got enough of the cricket ball, it was going to travel. Chinnaswamy, especially that year, was very similar to the faster, bouncier wickets here in Australia – like the Gabba, like Perth – where ball comes onto bat, and the ball can fly. In most games, 200 wasn’t enough there.”It looked like it would not be enough that night, either: RCB were 112 for 0 after ten overs, with Virat Kohli playing second fiddle to Chris Gayle. But Cutting led the fightback with the ball: using the variations he had developed on the sidelines, he had Kohli dropped at short third, then had Gayle caught in the same spot off the following ball.Cutting picked up the two crucial wickets of Chris Gayle and KL Rahul•AFP”An over earlier, I’d missed my yorker and disappeared out of the park – as everyone did that night – so I started going wide and slow, on the wide line,” Cutting says. “It’s done to death now – everyone does it – but back in 2016, it wasn’t really a done thing. I’d played a lot against Gayle, and I knew if I could hang it out wide to him, he’d still try to drag me leg-side.”I had to set him up for that by bowling on-pace, and that night was probably one of the quicker games I bowled in: looking back at the gun, it was around 145 [kph]. It makes that change-up a lot more effective, particularly if you can get it right out wide and make them reach for it. David Warner [Sunrisers’ captain] was really good at giving freedom back to the bowler.”Cutting returned to bowl KL Rahul with an offcutter in his final over, finishing with 2 for 35 from his four overs as RCB’s chase fell apart. “One of the young fellas was running drinks with about an over to go and said, ‘If we win this, you’re going to be Man of the Match. It hadn’t crossed my mind until then, and it probably didn’t really sink in until after the game.”He still has his player-of-the-match trophy at home in Queensland, but another souvenir never left the ground. “I grabbed a stump, pulled it out of the ground, ran straight off the field and put it in my kitbag,” Cutting recalls. “Then I was straight back out there celebrating… When I got back to my bag, the IPL staff had gone through it and rifled it!”Sunrisers’ celebrations started in the changing rooms and continued deep into the night at the ITC hotel. “Looking back, I just wish I’d had more photos during the celebrations with the trophy,” Cutting says. “I’ve got one blurry one of myself and [assistant coach] Murali [Muthiah Muralidaran], but I really wish that I would’ve had more with that special trophy.”Despite Cutting’s performance, he found himself back on the bench for most of the following year. Across eight IPL seasons for five franchises, he made only 21 appearances in total. “I was never the first-string player, so my mindset was to cover every base for that one game that may or may not come, and make sure that I’m ready for it. That’s exactly how it played out [in 2016].”Shane Watson came in for the most punishment, Cutting taking him for 33 of his 39 runs•BCCICutting is now in the final stages of his playing career, rendered unable to bowl by a series of serious spinal injuries, and most recently spotted in the International Masters League. He is transitioning into a second career in real estate, and the name of the business he runs – Golconda Property Group – is a nod to an ancient fort on the outskirts of Hyderabad.”There’s certainly many people in Australia that I come across every week that will say something [about the name],” Cutting says. “I’ve got a development site nearby: the same bus driver drives past every day – I think he’s from Hyderabad – and always says g’day. For the general public, it’s just one of those things. It comes with the job, I guess, of playing freelance and being overseas.”The IPL dominates for two months in India, but time zones mean that it hardly makes a splash in Australia: on the east coast, 7.30pm IST fixtures start at midnight. “Those that follow cricket know full well what the IPL is all about,” Cutting says. “For everyone else, it’s life as usual because it’s footy season here: there’s three codes [AFL, rugby league and rugby union] to compete with.”Cutting himself will never forget that night in Bengaluru – not least with daily reminders on social media. “If I load up my private messages on Instagram now, there’ll be 150 every day saying, ‘Can you make yourself available for the IPL as a replacement player?’ for any team that’s coming up against RCB,” he says, laughing.”What was achieved that night… It’s essentially one of the biggest sporting events in the world. To play for Australia was always a lifetime goal of mine, and I’m still disappointed I didn’t get to play Test cricket. But that IPL final, for me, still ranks higher than everything else.”
How Qalandars used out-of-the-box T20 thinking to engage their core and engineer a turnaround
Umar Farooq15-Mar-2023From being one of the least successful sides to winning the league to becoming one of its stronger teams now, how have Lahore Qalandars’ fortunes turned around?
When I joined in the second year of this franchise, I looked around hoping to find players available to replace what wasn’t working. We had Azhar Ali as captain… that was the choice we had back then. It was new back then and nobody had an idea what was happening and how to handle this. And then we brought in Brendon McCullum as captain, and his thought process now has started to reflect in his coaching of England.Brendon did try to bring in that fearless element here, but to translate that any human being needs time. The biggest challenge in franchise cricket is that you have everything but time to understand and coach. There are players who land and play the next day like we had Sam Billings, who landed one morning and was playing the next day. So it takes time and we knew things were bad, we were criticised, but also knew we can’t do much about it mid-season. So we started the PDP (player development programme) and decided to make our own players.The biggest challenge is the selection in the draft, where you have to control your feelings, resist big, attractive properties, and focus on what are your requirements and team composition. We deliberately wanted to make the best bowling unit, where everyone else is after the best hitters. What is the counter to the best hitter? The best bowling. And what we have, nobody in the world has it.
“We had to tone down the temptation of big T20 names and invested our time in making a core largely based on getting reliable local players”
Qalandars were the poorest team in the first few years – how were those issues rectified?
You have four foreign players and you can’t play more than that. So the focus has always been on seven local players and we haven’t had a big pool available in our earlier seasons. Even now, there isn’t a big pool coming out of domestic cricket, so we have to develop our own through the PDP. It’s really hard to find the quality that is required at this level. You actually know those gaps and you have to search for the right player, bring them in, and get them ready for the role.There has been a temptation to go after big names, and we did get the best in the world, but over the years [we] learned that it doesn’t help if your local core isn’t as good. So we had to tone down the temptation of [going after] big T20 names and invested our time in making a core largely based on getting reliable local players.We took time when we were ridiculed a lot for losing in earlier seasons. But we were working behind the scenes. We were building our core quietly. We found Haris Rauf from these dusty grounds, we contributed to the growth of Shaheen [Shah Afridi] and made him captain, persisted with Fakhar Zaman through thick and thin, trusted David Wiese, let Mohammad Hafeez go and brought Sikandar Raza in. Rashid Khan became an integral part of the side, Zaman Khan is a new emerging talent, so overall we managed our core smartly. That’s the only difference from being the worst side to one of the best sides. Now we have a reliable core.How did you put the bowling attack together?
The idea was to recreate what Pakistan had in the ’90s. In our cricket, the impact of the two Ws [Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis] is never forgotten. People don’t want to forget the era. We can’t have them back, but we can make another one for people to see and enjoy. So I had the vision to see Shaheen as a left-arm pacer, Haris Rauf with his deadly pace, and then we were looking for a new-ball bowler and we found Zaman Khan. Does that remind you of something? That takes you back to the ’90s and that’s what I wanted to see. Six overs upfront and the remaining six in death, so this combination today is the most lethal in the world. One moment of brilliance from a batter can win you a game, but bowling units win you tournaments.People underrate Zaman and don’t really see him as a prospect. The kind of performance he gave last season, he was ignored and he returned to repeat it. His skill-set and the confidence he has make him probably Pakistan’s fourth automatic-choice fast bowler. After Shaheen, Haris, and Naseem Shah, he is the one that comes in the line. He has the control, has the variations, and a quality slinger action so I will be surprised if he doesn’t play for Pakistan very soon.
“We say, if you want to win, come compete with us; but then you have to hit six bowlers at ten an over. If you manage to hit 40 each off Shaheen, Rashid, Haris, David, Zaman and Sikandar, then you deserve to win”
You’ve seen Rashid Khan up close now for a while – what makes him so special?
We had a debate the other day, talking about what he has that others don’t. We agreed it is the pressure. If he is in any team, the kind of pressure he puts on the opponent makes a difference. His skills, the accuracy, and the level of control he has over his game. He has such control in his hands that he strikes at will. You feel nervous facing him because he brings that pressure and in four overs you don’t have a chance.So is it fair to say that Qalandars have gone from being a conventional T20 batting side to a bowling-oriented team and that has changed their fortunes?
What do we produce the best? Bowlers, right? I acted with the kind of bowlers we produce, to use that as leverage. This wasn’t built overnight. We made it and I am extremely proud to form this attack.In T20 thinking, you get wickets from the new ball and we have Shaheen, who is the best in the world and at the end, you have to defend the total. You need a death bowler and nobody is better than Haris Rauf. From two seasons, the way Zaman merged into this pack as a death bowler and even with the new ball, this composition is the best in the world. Then, in the middle overs, you have the privilege of Rashid and the kind of impact he brings to any side. This season, a masterstroke gift we found from the draft was Sikandar Raza. You look at our journey from Hafeez to Sikandar – isn’t it one of the best moves? It is.Related
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David [Wiese] – people don’t rate him much, they think of him as a retired cricketer who used to play for South Africa and possibly a bowler they think they can use his overs as an opportunity. But it’s an illusion. He has the highest number of five-wicket hauls in T20 cricket in the world. People look at him as a soft target and want to attack him, but he is very smart and uses variations depending on the situation. So, we say, if you want to win, come compete with us; but then you have to hit six bowlers at ten an over. If you manage to hit 40 each off Shaheen, Rashid, Haris, David, Zaman and Sikandar then you deserve to win. If any two bowlers go under 30 and others over [30] then the maximum you can get is 160 or 170.Last year, Multan Sultans looked invincible, only to lose in the final. You are looking unbeatable right now – how do you guard against a similar fate as Multan Sultans?
It depends on the environment. Sometimes emotions drive you and take you to the skies. When you are on a winning streak everyone is a winner, even a coach or a masseur, the support staff feels like a winner even if they are not on the field. We keep on reminding ourselves to resist the temptation inside, and that excitement needs to find a balance. You lose someday and you could get really down or with a good win your excitement gets out of control. These are the kind of things we talk about in the dressing room, to understand failure and winning and finding the right balance between them.There will be times when you lose. We lost against Karachi [Kings] and got into trouble against Quetta Gladiators, but when you learn to deal with the emotions then you’re less likely to have accidents in the field. So a few losses in the group stage came at the right time to bring us back, to make us realise that it’s not over yet.Qalandars is a vibrant sort of franchise – loud, colourful, in the limelight. Is that a distraction at all?
Problems start when there is too much talk about the game, and everyone’s throwing in their opinions, and a lot of elements that could take away your focus. We didn’t make a team with a random bunch of players coming from different backgrounds, we made an environment and a good environment can change a lot of things. Everyone is treated the same and everyone is given importance. We are Qalandars from the heart, which gives us stability and gives us the freedom to focus on the game rather than managing egos. This team is not dependent on any one player. It’s about composition, and every player has his own importance. There is no one superstar but everyone is a star.We know our limitations, we know our strengths, and in cricket that one moment always comes to you where things can go either way. You can lose on a given day and it’s not like you are invincible. For instance, it came on Sikandar Raza when he scored 71 when the team was reeling at 50 for 7, and he swung the game away and we ended up winning the game. He told us that when he went in he didn’t feel that there was any such pressure on him, when to the outside it would look like there was.Why did he feel that way? Because we have created an environment where you have to accept that in your mind that if you get out it’s okay, it’s not the end of the world. You can lose and your life doesn’t end there. We just tell them that you should enjoy the game, recall why they started playing cricket in their childhood and never forget that. At times, I see so many people get involved at different levels, they make it like war and families open up the praying mats and start praying. Suddenly it feels like you need help from the divine to play this game. It’s unnecessary pressure on you when you stop trusting your skills. All you have to do is enjoy the game and at the end of the day it’s a game and you compete with skill. So keep it simple it’s a game.Aqib Javed, second from right, sits with some of his bowlers – [L to R] Tahir Baig, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf and Zaman Khan•Lahore QalandarsIt’s a belief that Qalandars don’t believe in data – is that true?
I don’t know where this came from. We, in fact, at one stage had three data analysts including AR Srikkanth from KKR, one of the most renowned guys in the business. So we do use data support as well. It’s not something we boast about. It’s basically a support, available at all times for players if they want to take it. We believe in players’ skills, their abilities and developing leadership. We don’t believe in sending messages from outside the rope. There is Rashid, Wiese, Fakhar, Shaheen inside and we have faith in them, believing in their collective intelligence and knowledge. If they together can’t do it then they don’t deserve to be in.We as coaches developed them for every scenario they could face in and what to expect, what to do and how to respond. They are there because we trust them and if you don’t know what to do, then what the hell are you doing inside? We don’t confuse players with a lot of numbers, we train them to compete but every player has a different level of absorbing information. We have support available all the time and if you want it you can take it. We are not denying it but we are careful not to put too much pressure on them. You can easily scare the player off with it and could slow him down.So where and how do you use data?
It is the coach’s job to absorb the numbers and transform them into a language a player can easily understand. It works differently with every player; some players don’t have time to watch cricket and we have to feed them with information about the opponent. Some players go with instincts and adjust within the field after watching a few balls. But our primary success is that we have a support staff working all year. If you look at other teams, they have coaching staff going in and out moving from IPL to PSL to Hundred to T10, and the window is always shutting down and opening to join teams a few days before the event.We have a set support staff and our vision is to make competitive cricketers and back their skills so that they don’t have to look back in the dressing room when they don’t have ideas. We prepared them for being on the ground with all the support when you are outside the rope but when you are on the ground you should know what to do. It’s the preparation that speaks on the ground. Our job ends when players go inside the rope. That is when their job starts and we take a back seat.