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There’s no hiding from the fact that Manchester United fell by the wayside last season, but Ruben Amorim is intent on bringing Old Trafford back to the fore.

The Premier League giants were grounded, finishing 15th. Having also lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur, Amorim knows he has his work cut out, but with Matheus Cunha signed and conversations ongoing for the transfer of Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, there’s hope yet that a corner can be turned in the coming months.

However, it’s not only the frontline that needs repackaging. Indeed, the Red Devils are also hoping to make some changes in the central engine room.

The latest on Man Utd's midfield search

Manchester United need a midfielder, hopefully someone who can help to dynamise and widen the scope of Amorim’s ball-playing tactical vision.

Juventus’ Douglas Luiz has been placed on the radar, but after a disappointing season in Italy that led to only three Serie A starts, would he be the best pick?

Transfer Focus

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

Instead, United appear to be showing greater interest in Valencia star Javi Guerra, with reports from Italy claiming that the 22-year-old is actually close to joining United this summer.

A fee could be agreed for around €30m (£26m); this is an attractive figure, but it’s led to Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid also registering their interest.

United need to move quickly to get this one done.

What Javi Guerra would bring to Man Utd

While Christian Eriksen’s departure at the end of his contract takes away some experience from United’s ranks, last season’s travails have made it clear that some youthful exuberance would be a good thing for the progression of Amorim’s project.

Guerra would certainly offer that. His technical quality and trademark Spanish footballing IQ have led talent scout Jacek Kulig to liken him to Xabi Alonso, one of the finest playmakers of his generation.

More contemporarily, he’s perhaps cut from the same cloth as Martin Zubimendi, who has just signed for Arsenal in a deal worth £51m. In this way, United could land their own version of the distinguished Spain international, thus bridging the gap toward England’s leading pack.

Zubimendi is obviously the crisper and more refined player, with ex-Spain manager Luis de la Fuente even going as far as to name him one of the “best central midfielders in the world”.

Slightly more progressive and mobile, Guerra could add that robust number eight profile that the Red Devils so crave in the middle of the park. Guerra actually ranked among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 18% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

Hailed a “serious talent” by Statman Dave, Guerra might be young but he’s already proving himself capable against the best of them, one of only six U21 midfielders to have won over 50 tackles and take-ons each across Europe’s top five leagues last year, a list that also contains Jude Bellingham and Barcelona’s Pedri.

It’s a profile that United don’t quite have at present, especially now that Eriksen has gone. This could herald a new wave of quality through to this great football club, looking to get back on its feet after quite the rough patch.

Man Utd open talks to sign Weghorst 2.0 who was "like Cristiano Ronaldo"

Manchester United are still hunting for a new talisman for Ruben Amorim’s side this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 7, 2025

Justin Broad and Saif Zaib share six wickets as Worcestershire fall well short in steep chase

ECB Reporters Network04-Aug-2024Allrounder Justin Broad claimed two wickets in an over as Northamptonshire’s seamers ran through Worcestershire’s top order to set up a comprehensive 130-run victory in this Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash at Wantage Road, the hosts’ first win in this year’s tournament.Chasing 296 to win, Group A leaders Worcestershire slumped to 34 for 5, Broad finishing with three wickets and Jack White also bagging two wickets for 26 in a miserly, unbroken 10-over spell.Tom Taylor threatened a repeat performance of the List A century he scored against Worcestershire on this ground last summer as he smashed 57 off 49 balls (nine fours, two sixes) against his former Steelbacks team-mates. But his departure ended Worcestershire’s hopes, with Saif Zaib taking three wickets for 44, including two in one over as the visitors were bowled out with 11 overs to spare. Skipper Jake Libby finished unbeaten on 50, his third half-century in four innings in this year’s competition.Earlier Prithvi Shaw continued his love affair with the One-Day Cup, hitting a swashbuckling 72 off just 59 balls (10 fours, one six) his third consecutive half-century.George Bartlett (60) and Ricardo Vasconcelos (68) then shared a partnership of 107 in just over 21 overs which took Northamptonshire to 215 for 1 in the 40th over. But after such a positive start, both batters fell in the space of seven deliveries and the hosts would have been disappointed at not setting a steeper target. Fateh Singh meanwhile claimed career best List A figures of 3for 51.Shaw had got Northamptonshire off to a flier, taking leg-side boundaries off the first two balls of the match from Taylor. Strong on the drive and on the pull, he also hit Taylor over long-on for six and clubbed Hishaam Khan down the ground for four.Ethan Brookes put the brakes on Northamptonshire’s progress in a five-over spell which conceded just 14 runs, Vasconcelos in particular finding it hard to put him away.It was Khan though, who claimed the prize wicket of Shaw when the Indian international was caught behind attempting to hook. It was a first List A wicket for Khan, a graduate of the South Asian Cricket Academy.Bartlett soon found his fluency, driving Singh through cover and bringing up Northamptonshire’s 150 in the 27th over. He found runs all round the wicket, sweeping Tom Hinley fine for four and cutting Singh square for another boundary.Vasconcelos had managed just 33 off 66 balls but the drinks break sparked a change in his approach. He signalled renewed intent by immediately sweeping Singh for consecutive boundaries and brought up his 50 soon afterwards. Bartlett reached his half-century too with Northamptonshire in a strong position to attack the final 10.However, with Brookes building pressure in his second spell, Bartlett looked to manufacture a shot against Singh and was caught at backward point. Next over Libby turned to his own part-time offbreaks, accounting for Vasconcelos first ball, the batter playing on as he attempted to cut.Zaib tried to regain the momentum, scooping Brookes for four and swatting Singh over mid-on, but Northamptonshire lost three quick wickets after passing 250. First Singh bowled James Sales and had Zaib caught at point before Lewis McManus holed out at deep midwicket off Taylor. Gus Miller though finished the innings with a late blitz, pummelling Taylor down the ground for six.When Worcestershire batted, Ed Pollock swung White’s second delivery over deep midwicket for six before he was dropped at wide mid-on. White struck next ball though, dangerman Gareth Roderick caught low down at first slip by Shaw.Pollock was unable to capitalise on his early reprieve when he heaved at a White delivery which kept slightly low and was bowled. The visitors lost a third wicket in the ninth over when Rob Jones steered Ben Sanderson to Vasconcelos at short leg. Things went from bad to worse as Worcestershire were left reeling at 34 for 5 when Broad struck twice in four balls, nipping one back to trap Brookes lbw before Rehaan Edavalath was caught at first slip by Shaw.Libby hit a rare loose ball from White for four to take Worcestershire past 50 in the 18th over as Taylor put his foot down and a brief fightback began.Taylor opened his account with a handsome cover drive off Broad before smashing the all-rounder down the pitch for six and an even bigger maximum over deep midwicket off Miller, bringing up his 50 off 38 balls. He fell soon after the drinks break though, lbw to Zaib to leave the Rapids on 112 for 6.Singh swept Zaib for six and hit him straight for another maximum before he top edged to short fine leg off Freddie Heldreich. A double wicket from Zaib then accounted for Khan, who inside-edged onto his stumps, and Hinley who was caught in the deep. Finally Harry Darley was caught behind to give Broad his third wicket.

Ipswich Town find themselves back in the Championship next term and could now pounce for one of the EFL’s brightest stars in their hunt for promotion, according to a report.

Ipswich Town look to replace Liam Delap

There were some encouraging signs in the Tractor Boys’ Premier League showing last season. Still, ultimately, they didn’t produce enough and find themselves in the second-tier desperate for another bite of the top-flight cherry.

Liam Delap’s £30 million move from Ipswich to Chelsea has given Kieran McKenna plenty of leeway in his hunt for a new centre-forward. At the same time, he will have also been encouraged by George Hirst’s maiden goal for Scotland against Liechtenstein last week.

Atlanta striker Emmanuel Latte Lath emerged as an early contender to replace Delap at Portman Road. Despite only joining Atlanta United in January, he could now be set for a quickfire return to English football.

Addressing their striker hunt, Craig Finbow believes Ipswich could look to recruit two forwards this summer in an attempt to freshen up their frontline before the close of play.

He stated: “It could well be two strikers that they look to get in and that will be the intriguing part. What do we do, do we potentially go abroad, do we go down the lower leagues?

Ipswich Town’s forwards in 2024/25 – how did they all fare?

Liam Delap

Appearances – 40 Goals – 12

George Hirst

Appearances – 29 Goals – 5

Nathan Broadhead

Appearances – 21 Goals – 2

“We’ve done that before with varying levels of success. I’d be quite excited to go abroad and find a striker from there.”

The Tractor Boys could do with some inspiration in front of goal as they head back to familiar waters, and they are now reportedly lining up a move for a shining star who can score and create.

Ipswich Town join the race to sign Kwame Poku

According to Football League World, Ipswich are the latest club to show an interest in Peterborough United forward Kwame Poku. However, they are faced with stiff competition to try and land his services.

Birmingham City are keen admirers of the Ghana international upon their return to the second-tier, while Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers are also lurking in pursuit.

Ipswich hold talks to sign "fantastic" £35k-p/w maestro who McKenna loves

The Tractor Boys are in discussions to sign a midfielder.

ByDominic Lund Jun 9, 2025

Dubbed a “huge talent” by former Colchester United boss John McGreal, Poku shone on either flank for Posh in their unsuccessful bid to win promotion, registering 12 goals and 11 assists in 31 appearances across all competitions.

With his contract at an end, the 23-year-old could walk out of the door at the Weston Homes Stadium for a sizeable compensation package due to being under the age of 24.

Poku is also said to have attracted interest from abroad, so it is fair to say Ipswich may need to work their charm on this one if they have designs on bringing the versatile attacker to Portman Road.

Liverpool have opened talks over a deal for an attacking midfielder, who has now been told he can leave his club for a fee of just £19m this summer, according to a report.

Reds set sights on attacking midfielder

In recent days, the Reds’ pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong appears to have gained traction, with a move for the Dutchman, who is set to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, now edging closer after advanced talks were held.

However, Frimpong is not the only Leverkusen star who could be on his way to Anfield this summer, with Arne Slot also looking to bring in a new attacking midfielder, and talks have been opened over a deal for Florian Wirtz.

That said, the German will not be cheap, with a £126m price tag mooted, so FSG could also look at bringing in a low-cost alternative, and an approach has now been made over a different attacking midfielder, who could be available for a bargain fee.

Related A Salah-esque signing: Liverpool agree personal terms with "insane" target

Liverpool are ready to begin their summer shopping spree.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 13, 2025

According to a report from France (via The Boot Room), Liverpool have now opened talks over a deal for Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who has been informed he can leave the French club for a fee of just £19m this summer.

Cherki has just 12 months remaining on his Lyon contract, which means he is set to be allowed to leave for a very low price at the end of the season, and the Reds are now in discussions to bring the attacking midfielder to Anfield.

There may be competition for the Frenchman’s signature, however, with Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also making contact to ask about a potential deal.

"Wizard" Cherki draws comparisons to Lionel Messi

The 21-year-old has enjoyed an extraordinary season with Lyon, picking up 31 goal contributions in 43 appearances in all competitions, having particularly caught the eye with his displays in the Europa League.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Ligue 1

29

8

10

Europa League

12

4

8

Coupe de France

2

0

1

Such is the starlet’s ability, he has received very high praise from teammate Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who said: “He is the best natural talent I’ve ever seen. An absolute master, a wizard with the ball.”

“He is two-footed, has no fear, keeps going and going, can get past people with such ease, such finesse.”

Former Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas has even gone as far as likening the youngster to one of the greatest-ever players in the past, saying: “Cherki is comparable to (Lionel) Messi in terms of technical quality.”

A fee of just £19m could be an absolute steal for a player with the potential of Cherki, and a move to Anfield would surely be a very attractive proposition for the playmaker, given that Liverpool defied expectations to secure a record-equalling 20th league title this season.

This summer is massive for Arsenal football club in their attempts to finally end the two-decade wait for a Premier League title, with the transfer window providing them with a huge opportunity.

Numerous players will need to be sold and brought in to hand manager Mikel Arteta the best possible chance of being a success and completing the overhaul of the first team squad.

The Spaniard has done an excellent job in taking the side from mid-table struggling to title challenges in the five years he’s been in charge at the Emirates.

However, his side have finished second place in each of the last two seasons in England’s top flight, looking set to finish in the same position once again this season.

There’s no denying that key areas are in need of investment to take the side up a notch in 2025/26, with the hierarchy already laying the foundations for various moves in the summer window.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new midfielders this summer

The one midfielder whose name is on the lips of many supporters is that of Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi, who’s been a constant target for the Gunners in the last few months.

Arteta’s men tried to land him during the January transfer window, but ran out of time to complete a deal, subsequently needing to wait until the upcoming window to land their target.

It appears they’ve done just that, with new sporting director Andrea Berta confident that the 26-year-old will become his first addition after joining the club after Edu’s departure a couple of months ago.

However, despite the potential incomings, it was confirmed earlier this week that the club were planning on offering Thomas Partey a new deal with his current one set to expire at the end of the campaign.

Whilst the 31-year-old would be a solid squad option in 2025/26, he shouldn’t be a regular starter in Arteta’s side – needing to utilise one player ahead of him at the Emirates.

The Arsenal star who should be ahead of Partey in 2025/26

Declan Rice has been a key player for Arsenal over the last couple of months, single-handedly playing a vital role in their two-legged Champions League quarter-final triumph over defending champions Real Madrid.

His two free kicks in the first leg helped the Gunners boast a three-goal lead ahead of the second leg, whilst producing another Man of the Match showing to seal the deal for the club at the Bernabeu.

The 26-year-old now looks to be a bargain at £105m, but he needs to be partnered by other top-quality talents if they are to go one better and win the title for the first time in over 20 years.

The hierarchy may not need to spend any money on finding a perfect player to play alongside him in the form of Myles Lewis-Skelly, who’s mainly featured at left-back after breaking into the first team.

However, the 18-year-old is a central midfielder by trade, subsequently having the tools to star in such a position – with his stats from the current season backing up his versatility.

The teenager, who’s been labelled “sensational” by former Spurs star Jamie O’Hara, has completed 94% of the passes he’s attempted, at an average of 40 passes per 90 – handing added opportunities to those around him in the process.

He’s also completed 57% of the dribbles he’s attempted, whilst notching 1.3 touches per 90 in the opposition box, showcasing the impressive talents he has with the ball at his feet.

Games played

19

Goals & assists

1

Pass accuracy

94%

Passes completed per game

40

Dribbles completed

57%

Touches in opposition box

1.3

Tackles won

67%

Duels won

6.3

Lewis-Skelly’s impressive ability doesn’t end there, winning 67% of the tackles he’s entered, and coming out on top of 6.3 duels per 90 – not afraid to put himself about despite his tender age.

The youngster’s performances in 2024/25 have been nothing short of remarkable, having the ability to star in Arteta’s side for many years to come.

He’s already earning rave comparisons, notably similar in style to fellow Hale Ender Jack Wilshere. Like Lewis-Skelly, his ability to evade the press, manipulate the ball in tight areas and dribble, are certainly reminiscent.

However, he should be doing so at the heart of the side alongside Rice, with the boss needing to drop Partey out of the side and utilise him as a bench option with Lewis-Skelly needing a chance to star in midfield.

He'd make Rice unstoppable: Arsenal preparing bid for "world-class" star

Arsenal could be about to make a move for one player who would play a huge role under Mikel Arteta.

1 ByEthan Lamb Apr 26, 2025

The people that matter have seen Shubman Gill grow as a leader over the past two years. Now, he must prove them right

Sidharth Monga24-May-20257:44

Chopra: Gill as Test captain an ‘investment of faith’

When England came to India at the start of 2024, India were looking at the start of a transition. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and R Ashwin, all similarly aged, were not going to be around forever. The series started with a defeat, but India rallied to win 4-1. A young man, a promising batter averaging 31 after 20 Tests and playing for his spot in the side, rose to the occasion and scored two centuries.At the end of the series, coach Rahul Dravid told the selectors that he had seen leadership potential in Shubman Gill. Despite being at a sensitive point in his own career, Gill showed the willingness to be involved in planning, took interest in others’ games, and displayed an even temperament. They also saw that he cared for Test cricket. He had yet to captain Gujarat Titans (GT) even. He had not been a captain at the Under-19 level. He had led Punjab in the Ranji Trophy in only one match.In the year-and-a-half since, the selectors have noticed Gill grow as a leader. Working with the astute Ashish Nehra at GT, he has only become more confident and assertive.Related

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There’s never a perfect time for such a leadership change. In hindsight, the selectors should perhaps have appointed Gill as vice-captain during the Bangladesh Tests last year. He would have had an apprenticeship of two home series – New Zealand the other – before going to Australia where Rohit didn’t start because of the birth of his child. Then again, who could have predicted a downfall in Rohit so sharp that he would drop himself during the Australia tour?The one thing that could have been predicted was that Jasprit Bumrah as captain was a risk for Bumrah himself. Being captain requires him to play every Test, which ended up in a breakdown in Australia India don’t want to risk again. Bumrah the bowler is too valuable to be doing that.It could be argued that Gill should not have started his captaincy stint on such a tough tour, but the selectors have been clear about two things. The captain should come from the best XI. That eliminated Rohit. Nor did they want to look back for a stop-gap arrangement in KL Rahul and/or Kohli.Given Bumrah’s fitness issues, it came down to Gill and Rishabh Pant, two of India’s best Test batters in the last five years. It came down to a judgement call. Pant is coming back from a big accident. He has exceeded expectations by playing ten Tests in a row. But the selectors want to be careful with him. His own game is not in a great place either.ESPNcricinfo LtdThat’s an argument that can be made about Gill as well. He averages 35.05 after 32 Tests.This is where you have to trust the selectors beyond just numbers. They see potential and a high ceiling, which Gill has shown in ODIs. Scratch a little beyond the raw numbers, and you see the difficult conditions Gill has batted in. In Tests involving him, the overall average of all top-six batters has been 32.92. So he has been among the better batters in his time.This stage of Indian Test cricket is not too different to 2013, 2014 and 2015. Kohli took over the captaincy with pretty similar pedigree. He was 26, Gill is 25. He had played 29 Tests and averaged 39.46. He had had a horrible tour of England, which he needed to get over. He was an accomplished future ODI all-time great, Gill is an accomplished future ODI all-time great. Kohli had had two seasons as a full-time IPL captain at the time.Kohli had the support of the hype machine in Ravi Shastri, who shielded him when shielding was needed and propped him up when propping up was needed. Kohli’s best years as captain coincided with the Committee of Administrators running the BCCI, which reduced the need for politicking. He also had the blessings of MS Dhoni, who made the transition smooth. Gill will not have these luxuries.On the shoulders of Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant will rest the immediate future of India’s Test cricket•Associated PressKohli, though, had an uncertain start. He didn’t know if Dhoni, the full-time captain, would play or not. And then Dhoni retired mid-series in Australia. Gill has had a proper induction into the job. He was sounded out at some point during the IPL after which has had meetings with the selectors practically as the captain of the team. They see clarity of thought in what he wants for Indian cricket and how he intends to go about it.Now it is up to Gill to chart his own path. He has to decide whether India continue playing the bob-each-way cricket they played in Australia or if they revert to chasing 20 wickets as cheaply as possible. He has to decide whether he continues to bat at No. 3 or whether he takes the No. 4 position that has belonged to the best batter of the side for the best part of more than the last three decades. More importantly, he needs to score big runs, which nobody can do for him.Kohli scored four hundreds on that Australia tour in 2014-15, which established his authority as the captain. Gill can get help with captaincy, but he has to score his runs.These are challenging times, but these are also exciting times. Both for Indian cricket and Gill.

It’s a natural cycle for all teams except that the high number of injuries has made it more challenging for India

Sidharth Monga10-Jul-20232:18

Can India’s inexperienced quicks master the Caribbean challenge?

India’s pace attack on the Test tour of the West Indies carries a total experience of 88 Test wickets between them; Mohammed Siraj, the leader of the pack, has 52. The last time India played a whole Test series without a single fast bowler with 100 wickets was against West Indies in 2013-14 at home where fast bowling didn’t really matter that much.For a series in conditions where you need at least three fast bowlers, you need to go to the current coach Rahul Dravid’s playing days: the 2011 tour of the West Indies. All it has taken to get such a raw attack is for one bowler, Mohammed Shami, to be rested. India seem to have moved on from Ishant Sharma. We don’t know if, how much, or how effectively Jasprit Bumrah will play Test cricket. Umesh Yadav is either injured or dropped, but he is anyway on the wrong side of 35.This has not happened all of a sudden but this is the point where the realisation is right in the face: the great Indian Test team is in transition. Great as the spinners are, especially with their added contribution with the bat, India have had great spinners operating in tandem before. What really set this team apart from other Indian teams was the unprecedented availability of at least three fit, experienced and high-pace fast bowlers at any given point of time.Related

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India’s scarcely believable, freakish series win in Australia in 2020-21 seems to have spoilt the Indian fan, media and even the board. That’s probably why India’s defeat in the World Test Championship final – the final, mind you – was casually called a disaster or a debacle. India were up against the only team in Test history to feature four bowlers with 200 or more wickets, a side which could afford to rest one of them because of the impending Ashes. In conditions that favoured fast bowling so much that India didn’t even play R Ashwin.India might not have a title to show for it, but they have dominated Test cricket as much as is possible in an era where most international sides are equally professional. They have lost just three home Tests in ten years, won consecutive Test series in Australia, drawn one in England, and come agonisingly close to winning one in South Africa. They have made both of the WTC finals despite a freakish number of injuries since the start of that Australia tour in 2020-21.Expectations, though, need to be tempered now. Amid the euphoria of the World Cup win in 2011 and the bold assertion of the BCCI in cricket politics and economy, it was almost forgotten what a weak pace attack India had in 2011, which led to eight straight Test defeats in England and Australia. If not such drastic reversals, we should be prepared for at least a downturn of some degree from this team in transition.Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to make his Test debut in the Caribbean•ICC via Getty ImagesAnd don’t get swayed by their failure to qualify for the ODI World Cup, West Indies are a potent threat at home. They have beaten England in successive home series, drawn with Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but have been dominated by India and South Africa.West Indies’ pace attack has only got better since they lost to India in 2019. Kemar Roach is among the top-five wicket-takers for West Indies, Shannon Gabriel is headed towards the top ten, the allrounder Jason Holder averages under 30 with the ball, and Alzarri Joseph is nearing his prime.Although historically Rosseau and Port of Spain are not known to be so, if West Indies can somehow create surfaces that take India’s spinners out of the equation, don’t be surprised if the visitors are in trouble in the series.It is not just a bowling transition for India. The future of the team’s leadership, you would assume, depends on how the World Cup goes, which means the captain and the coach can’t quite formulate longer-term plans yet.The selectors, who have to maintain some sort of continuity, seem to have started playing their shots. They seem to be mindful they don’t want to be blooding two or three rookie batters all at the same time. That’s why Yashasvi Jaiswal is all set to replace Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3. Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane are closer to the end of their careers than the middle.This is a natural cycle for all teams except that the unexpectedly high number of injuries has made it more challenging for India. There are injuries and age in the bowling department, uncertainties around batters and captains, and the game-changing wicketkeeper is indefinitely out after his car crash at the turn of this year.The situation is not too different from when India went to the West Indies in 2011. They rested Zaheer Khan, and suddenly they had an inexperienced attack. The initial replacements either didn’t have express pace or lacked supreme fitness. It took about four years of rebuild and the introduction of a freakish generational talent in Bumrah for India to reach a level where they compete in almost all conditions in the world.There are two more important away tours at the end of this year (South Africa) and the next (Australia) on which hinge India’s chances of making it to the WTC final. India will have done extremely well if the expectations remain high by the end of this cycle.

He has made a name with his free-flowing batting, but his game has been built on the other bits, the ones that don’t get spoken about much

Karthik Krishnaswamy13-Jan-20223:29

Cullinan: Pant’s century the knock of the series

Ten members of India’s batting line-up scored 70 runs between them, off 275 balls. These ten included Virat Kohli, who faced 143 balls and scored 29.You could see why it was such a struggle, because it was never quite clear what halfway safe routes of run-scoring were available on this third-day track from which South Africa’s four-pronged pace attack was able to extract both movement and disconcerting bounce on a regular basis. Even Kohli, who had faced 201 balls in the first innings and scored 79, had only shown he could survive. Run-scoring was another matter entirely.On this track and against the same bowlers, the other member of India’s line-up scored an undefeated 100 off 139 balls. Rishabh Pant was batting on the same pitch and against the same bowlers, but it’s possible he was batting in a parallel universe.Related

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• Why did Rishabh Pant play that shot?

Pant’s control percentage eventually dropped to 83%, given the demands of batting with the tail and trying to manufacture boundaries with nearly every fielder in the deep, but until the time India lost their seventh wicket, he had faced 95 balls and played only eight false shots. He had shown this sort of control while breezing along at a strike rate of nearly 79.There are other cricketers, and there is Rishabh Pant.He’d come into this game with the spotlight trained on him following his dismissal for a duck in the second innings of the second Test in Johannesburg. Criticism of his charge-and-swipe at Kagiso Rabada had spanned a wide spectrum, and ESPNcricinfo had wondered if the shot had stemmed from Pant lacking confidence in his defensive game against an angle of attack – right-arm over – that has troubled him constantly over the last few months.Pant’s innings on Thursday featured no such lack of confidence. He’s incapable of looking anything but nonchalant, of course, but any hypothetical lack of trust in his defensive game also seemed to have vanished.Until the time India lost their seventh wicket, Pant had faced 95 balls and played only eight false shots•Gallo ImagesRoughly midway through his innings, the broadcasters showed a beehive plot of his responses to South Africa’s fast bowlers. He had defended most of the balls clustered in the zone around the top of off stump, left his fair share of deliveries outside off stump, and attacked most of the rest. Pant, of course, is never going to leave as many balls as Kohli has in this Test match, but what stood out was the clear demarcation between those zones, suggesting how well he was judging lines and lengths.This clarity of judgment and decision-making stood out right from the start of Pant’s innings. He didn’t chase at balls angling away from his reach, and avoided driving on the up, but he pounced on the short ball whenever it came.The first two boundaries he hit gave shape to his innings. Rabada was coming towards the end of a breathtaking morning spell, in which he’d dismissed Ajinkya Rahane with an unplayable delivery for the second time in the match. He delivered a good short ball to Pant, angling across him and climbing over his back shoulder; it’s never easy to control the pull from there, but Pant did so with a sort of swatting motion, hitting the ball well in front of square. Then Rabada bowled one that angled a touch too far across, and Pant climbed on top of the bounce and slapped the ball through cover point.

Pant is incapable of looking anything but nonchalant, of course, but any hypothetical lack of trust in his defensive game also seemed to have vanished

While Kohli’s first-innings knock was masterful in many ways, it wasn’t free-scoring, and Sanjay Manjrekar had observed that his run-scoring may have been curtailed by a lack of back-foot scoring options. No such criticism could be made of Pant’s innings.The early pull also made South Africa push deep square leg back, and this gave him a means of rotating strike whenever the bowlers erred marginally straight.Leg-side clips and nudges are a lifeblood for left-hand batters, of course, and Pant’s left-handedness perhaps gave him a small but significant advantage over his team-mates in this innings. The angles are entirely different, and bowlers are bound to err in line ever so slightly more often. Thirty-five of Pant’s runs came via singles, twos and threes on the leg side.The busyness was as responsible as the boundary-hitting for the early pace of Pant’s innings. He’d reached 36 off 41 and almost seen India through to lunch when South Africa became resigned to bringing on their left-arm spinner.Keshav Maharaj had three fielders on the leg-side boundary as soon as he came on, but it was only going to be a matter of time before Pant took them on. In the penultimate over before lunch, he stepped out, didn’t quite reach the pitch of the ball, and almost swung himself off his feet, but made sweet enough contact to clear long-on.Rishabh Pant celebrates his hundred•Getty ImagesSouth Africa persisted with Maharaj after lunch, and he got through two quiet overs before Pant got hold of him, clearing the boundary twice in succession with a one-handed sweep and a drive over mid-off.Pant was taking risks against Maharaj with India’s lead still far from match-winning, but they were calculated risks buttressed by the uniquely Pantian cricketing logic that has characterised all his best knocks – even in extreme cases such as in Chennai last year, when he decided that the best way to deal with Jack Leach’s turn and bounce out of the rough was to step out and try to hit him for sixes. Much of the criticism of Pant’s shot against Rabada in Johannesburg stemmed from the idea that that shot, at that stage of his innings, fell outside the scope of even Pantian logic.At the end of that Maharaj over, India were 151 for 4, effectively 164 for 4, and seemed to be on course to set a target upwards of 250. But a combination of South Africa’s bowling, India’s long tail, and at least two loose shots from the lower order ensured that wasn’t to be.Pant made sure they still set a challenging target, however, bringing out the party tricks that the transformed match situation demanded. A front-foot baseball swat off a short-of-length ball from Duanne Olivier, landing on the boundary cushion at wide long-on. A flailing slash that caused his bat to slip out of his hand and travel nearly as far as the ball did, in the opposite direction. An attempted reverse-sweep that left him flat on his backside. An overhead helicopter flick to retain the strike. A scampered double while running perpendicular to the pitch.These are the Pant moments that will live longest in the memory, and go on to characterise him as a batter and a personality. As they should. But he’s a wicketkeeper who’s scored Test hundreds in England, Australia and South Africa, and he has built that record primarily on the back of the other bits of his game, the bits that don’t get spoken about quite as much.

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Things are starting to go wrong for Chelsea this season.

Just a few weeks ago, Enzo Maresca’s side looked like one of the best teams in the Premier League and a serious rival to Arsenal.

However, with two losses and two draws in their last four games, it feels like the Blues have hit a wall, and a number of their summer signings are struggling to make an impact.

One player who has had a particularly poor start to life at Chelsea is Liam Delap, and if he’s not careful, he could be replaced by a hugely exciting striker set to join the squad ahead of next season.

Delap's 24/25 vs 25/26

He might be getting pelters this season, but when Chelsea paid £30m to sign Delap in the summer, it looked like a good move for the club.

After all, the former Manchester City gem was one of the only bright sparks in a dire Ipswich Town side and, in his first proper season of Premier League football, put in a good account of himself.

For example, while he wasn’t the most prolific forward around, his tally of 12 goals and two assists in 40 appearances, 37 of which came in the league, was impressive, and came out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.85 games.

However, his form, at least in terms of output, seems to have fallen off a cliff this season, with him scoring a single goal in 11 games so far.

Unfortunately, his underlying numbers have also dropped off massively this year.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.34

0.21

Progressive Carries

2.12

2.05

Key Passes

0.73

0.00

Passes into the Final Third

0.59

0.26

Shot-Creating Actions

2.15

0.52

Goal-Creating Actions

0.24

0.00

Tackles Won

0.28

0.00

Blocks

0.28

0.00

According to FBref, the Englishman is doing worse in the majority of relevant metrics this year, like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes, passes into the final third, shot- and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, and multiple defensive statistics, all per 90.

Add to this the fact that he has already suffered two significant injuries and been sent off, and it’s not hard to see a world in which Delap fails to make the grade at Chelsea.

Especially as the club already has another exciting youngster set to join the summer who’s coming for his place.

The Chelsea youngster coming for Delap

Chelsea have made a real habit of signing some of the most exciting young talents from around the world of football, be that Estevao or Geovany Quenda.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Another name that should be added to that list of incredible prospects, and someone fans will become far more familiar with next season, is Dastan Satpaev.

The Blues signed the sensational prospect from the Kazakhstani side Kairat Almaty in February of this year for a fee of around €4m, which is about £3.5m.

However, due to rules around foreign-born youngsters, the teenager has to wait until next season, when he’s 18, to join up with Maresca’s squad.

Forcing the young phenom to stay in his home country for another year or so looks like it has been hugely beneficial, though, as he’s had plenty of senior game-time and, by all accounts, has been unreal.

Appearances

29

Starts

21

Minutes

2081

Goals

15

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.75

Minutes per Goal Involvement

94.59′

For example, in 29 first-team appearances last season, totalling 2081 minutes, the dynamic game-changing forward scored 15 goals and provided seven assists.

In other words, the young striker averaged a goal involvement every 1.31 games, or every 94.59 minutes, which is a rate of return that should worry Delap.

As if that wasn’t enough, one Kazakh scout even told the press that in one campaign for Kairat’s under-17 side, the superstar in the making produced a frankly astounding tally of “54 goals with 50 assists in just 19 matches.”

Finally, on top of impressing at the junior level and in the domestic league, the future game-changer has also made 12 appearances in the Champions League this season, seven in the qualifying rounds and five in the competition proper, where he became the youngest goalscorer in its history.

Ultimately, Delap is a talented footballer, but he’s had a poor season so far, and if he doesn’t improve quickly, he could see himself replaced by Satpaev next year.

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