Tag Futebol

Newcastle United’s return to the Champions League this season was down to the brilliance of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy last term.

Between them, the trio registered 72 goal involvements in all competitions.

Behind them, however, it was Sandro Tonali who was running the show. The Italian was missed during his debut season, having served a ten-month ban for gambling offences, but he returned for 2024/25.

He will be crucial next season if Eddie Howe wishes to see his side progress into the knockout stages of Europe’s premier club competition.

Might the manager be aiming to sign someone who plays just like Tonali this month?

Newcastle offered chance to sign La Liga star

According to TEAMtalk, the Magpies have been offered the chance to sign Atlético Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher this summer, with the former Chelsea man said to be exploring a possible exit from his current side.

Transfer Focus

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

As per the report, Howe is a huge admirer of his talents, although no talks or negotiations have taken place as yet. Encouragement has been given to the Magpies, however, with the report outlining that the La Liga side are open to selling if they receive an offer in the region of €40m (£34m).

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest are the other English sides to which Gallagher has been offered, but surely the lure of Champions League football makes Newcastle the favourites.

If Howe does lure him to the northeast, Gallagher could become his next Tonali.

How Tonali compares to Gallagher

Tonali missed just two Premier League games last term, going on to register nine goal contributions in all competitions.

The midfielder showed his class in the heart of the midfield, winning 54% of his total duels while succeeding with 59% of his dribble attempts per game. He also recovered 4.9 balls and averaged 1.4 tackles per game for the Toon, emerging as a key factor in the club’s return to the Champions League.

Sandro Tonali’s Premier League stats last season
Goals	4
Big chances created	4
Accurate passes per game	34.9
Key passes per game	0.8
Tackles per game	1.4
Possession lost per game	8.9
Via Sofascore

According to FBref, Gallagher is the eighth-most comparable player to Tonali across Europe’s top five leagues.

Diving into more detail, the pair have even shared similar statistics across a range of metrics last season, most notably goals and assists (both six), shots per 90 (1.21 vs 1.20), goal-creating actions (eight vs nine), percentage of dribblers tackled (44.9% vs 49%) and touches in the attacking penalty area (38 vs 45) in their respective domestic leagues.

Gallagher did make 50 appearances for the Spanish side last season, but only 28 of these came in the starting XI.

Described by one analyst as a “pressing and transition monster”, Newcastle likely to see £34m bid accepted for “monster” CM, he’d be Tonali 2.0 – opinion he experience abroad might not have worked out as well as he would have hoped, but Gallagher would return to England a better player than when he left.

Should Howe wish to add another reliable player to his squad, he could do no worse than to bring the former Chelsea starlet back to England.

Tonali has proven his worth over the previous 12 months, and by signing Gallagher, Howe would have two players capable of dominating the midfield next season.

Elanga's new Gibbs-White: Newcastle leading race for £40m "magician"

Newcastle are hoping to make more signings after landing Anthony Elanga.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 12, 2025

Nottingham Forest are now “ready” to submit a new offer for a “fantastic” forward, who is keen on a move to the City Ground, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

Forest keen on new forward after securing Gibbs-White's future

In perhaps one of the most surprising twists of the summer transfer window, Morgan Gibbs-White has now committed his long-term future to Forest, signing a new contract which will keep him at the club for the next three years.

Gibbs-White had been expected to join Tottenham Hotspur, with the north Londoners controversially triggering the £60m release clause in his contract, but the attacking midfielder is now set to remain at the City Ground.

In a recent statement, the 25-year-old revealed that Evangelos Marinakis’ ambition was one of the main reasons he decided to extend his deal.

Consequently, Nuno Espirito Santo will no longer be faced with the difficult task of finding a replacement for the England international, but he remains keen on a new forward, and there has now been an update on Nottingham Forest’s pursuit of Bologna’s Dan Ndoye.

Taking to X, Romano has revealed that Forest “will bid again” for Ndoye, with a new proposal “ready”, having had their initial offer knocked back by the Italian club.

Nottingham Forest make contact to bring World Cup winner to the City Ground

The Tricky Trees want defensive reinforcements and have a World Cup winner in sight…

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 24, 2025

The Tricky Trees are “ready to push” for the 24-year-old starting next week, having already struck an agreement on personal terms, with the Bolgona star keen on a move to the City Ground.

However, Nuno’s side may have to stump up a lot of money to get a deal over the line, with Bologna set to hold out for around £39m, and there could be competition for his signature from Napoli.

"Fantastic" Ndoye could excel at the City Ground

With Anthony Elanga moving to Newcastle United, it is clear that Nuno will need to bring in a new right-winger this summer, and the Bologna forward could be an excellent replacement for the Sweden international.

Last season, the former FC Basel man proved himself as a reliable source of goals and assists in the Serie A, picking up eight goals and four assists in 30 matches, while he has also impressed at international level.

Indeed, the Swiss forward received high praise from manager Murat Yakin after impressing at Euro 2024, with the Switzerland boss saying: “His development is fantastic, I can see it day after day,”

“He’s young, I like having him in the team a lot with his unpredictability and his clear head.”

Gibbs-White committing his future to Forest came as welcome news, and it would be an added bonus if they were able to get a deal for Ndoye over the line too.

كشف حلمي طولان، المدير الفني لـ مننتخب مصر الثاني، عن اللاعبين البدلاء لمواجهة تونس وديًا، بعد قليل، ضمن الاستعدادات للمشاركة في بطولة كأس العرب.

وتقام مواجهة مصر وتونس على ملعب هيئة قناة السويس في الإسماعيلية، اليوم السبت، في مباراة ودية.

طالع | حلمي طولان يعلن تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني أمام تونس وديًا.. خماسي دفاعي

ويتولى حلمي طولان مسؤولية منتخب مصر الثاني، للمشاركة في كأس العرب، بعد رفض حسام حسن المدير الفني للمنتخب الأول، المشاركة، بسبب تعارض موعد البطولة مع كأس أمم إفريقيا.

ويشارك منتخب مصر في بطولة كأس العرب المقامة في قطر، في نسختها الثانية، التي تبدأ في 1 ديسمبر المقبل، وتختتم بالنهائي يوم 18 من الشهر ذاته.

ويلعب منتخب مصر مباراتين وديتين أمام تونس، واحدة اليوم، وأخرى في التاسع من شهر سبتمبر الجاري. بدلاء منتخب مصر اليوم أمام تونس

محمود جاد، مصطفى العش، أحمد هاني، علي الفيل، مصطفى سعد، يحيى زكريا، غنام محمد، حسام حسن، ميدو جابر، حسين الشحات، أحمد عاطف “قطة”، محمود عبد الحفيظ “زلاكة”.

Birmingham City are currently putting plans in place to attack the Championship after they were promoted as champions of League One with 111 points.

The Blues wrapped up their 111-point league title success with a 2-1 win against Cambridge United away from home on the final day of the season earlier this month.

Chris Davies and his staff, working alongside the owners, will now be working towards the goal of building a squad that can compete for promotion to the Premier League.

Ipswich Town, albeit they have been relegated from the top-flight this term, have already shown that it is possible to do back-to-back promotions from League One to the Premier League.

Davies may have to be incredibly ruthless with who he decides should and should not come along for the ride in the Championship, after his players helped him to an incredible season in League One.

One star whose suitability for the second tier is still in question is experienced centre-forward Alfie May, who has just enjoyed a fantastic year in the third tier.

Why Alfie May could be dropped as a starter

The 31-year-old attacker started 27 matches in League One in the 2024/25 campaign, but the step up to the Championship could see him reduced to a cameo role off the bench, or even in need of looking elsewhere for game time.

May turns 32 this summer and has not played a minute of Championship football in his career, playing in League Two or League One throughout his entire professional career to date.

The English centre-forward joined Birmingham from Charlton on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window last year and enjoyed an impressive debut season at St. Andrew’s.

Appearances

44

Goals

16

Big chances missed

13

Big chances created

7

Assists

8

Ground duel success rate

43%

Aerial duel success rate

10%

As you can see in the table above, May racked up 24 goals and assists combined in 44 appearances in League One, and scored more goals than he missed ‘big chances’, which shows that the forward was an effective finisher at the top end of the pitch.

However, his lack of strength in duels, particularly in the air, may be why Championship teams have not taken a chance on him in the past, and why Birmingham could drop him as a starter heading into next season.

The Blues could swoop to sign an upgrade on him in the upcoming summer transfer window, as they have been linked with an interest in an international forward.

Birmingham eyeing deal for Serie A striker

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Birmingham City are eyeing up a deal to sign Che Adams from Serie A side Torino ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

The Scotland international signed for the Italian club on a free transfer from Southampton last summer, and the Blues are now hoping to tempt him back to England.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to EFL Analysis, the journalist said: “I think Che Adams is one who’s on Birmingham’s list. He does tick the boxes. Obviously, he’s been there before. Knows the club. Obviously be very expensive in the Championship. We know that. So let’s see how that one goes. But yeah, they do want another striker.

“I’m not sure how much he wants to drop to Championship. I don’t really think he’s that keen on dropping to the Championship, but there are options there. If it’s a long-term thing for Birmingham, I do think that’s an option for him certainly.”

These comments from Bailey suggest that it will be a difficult deal to do for the striker, who is valued at £13m by FootballTransfers, for financial and footballing reasons.

However, it could be a fantastic signing for Davies and his staff if the club are able to thrash out a transfer that would bring Adams back for a second spell at Birmingham.

Why Che Adams would be an upgrade on Alfie May

The Blues could secure a big upgrade on the aforementioned Alfie May by signing the experienced centre-forward from Torino in the summer transfer window because of his proven quality at Championship level.

Adams has been there and done it in the second tier, including in a Birmingham City shirt, and has scored goals at an even higher level in the Premier League and in the Serie A.

The 28-year-old star, who manager Paolo Vanoli described as the “perfect player”, has scored nine goals in the Italian top-flight this season, and scored 25 times in the Premier League for Southampton earlier in his career.

These statistics show that Adams has already proven himself at a much higher level than the Championship, whilst May is yet to prove himself above League One.

The Torino striker has also proven his quality in the second tier in England in his last two seasons at that level with Southampton and with Birmingham back in the 2018/19 campaign.

Appearances

46

40

Starts

43

25

Goals

22

16

Big chances missed

11

11

Big chances created

6

7

Assists

4

4

As you can see in the table above, Adams proved that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis, without missing many ‘big chances’ in the Championship in those two seasons, scoring as many or more goals than May did in League One this term.

This shows that Adams has the potential to deliver even more quality in the second tier than May did in the third tier of English football, which is why he could come in as a big upgrade on the current Birmingham star.

The Torino ace has also won 36% of his aerial duels in the Serie A this term, and won 38% of them in the Championship for Southampton last season, which suggests that he could provide more physicality in the number nine role than May.

It is now down to the club to wrap up an “expensive” deal for the forward and for Davies and his staff to convince the forward to make the drop back down to the second tier with the hope that he buys into a long-term project.

Birmingham could seal a better signing than Darling in "exceptional" star

Birmingham could seal a better deal than landing Harry Darling’s signature by signing this other defensive colossus.

ByKelan Sarson May 23, 2025

Liverpool might have been crowned Premier League champions are a masterful exercise in consistency under Arne Slot’s wing this season.

It’s not yet May, but Anfield has etched number 20 onto the decorated trophy wall, restoring parity with Manchester United as the most successful club in the history of England’s top division.

1.

Liverpool

20

1=

Man United

20

3.

Arsenal

13

4.

Man City

10

5.

Everton

9

It’s a remarkable feat and one which has been celebrated in front of fans (unlike the pandemic-affected 2019/20 title), Sunday’s gold-sealing win over Tottenham Hotspur marked indelibly in the minds of Reds supporters all across the globe.

The earlyness of Liverpool’s triumph has been further illustrated by the perennial emergence of the transfer circus, with bemusing rumours usually appearing at this early stage.

Indeed, with the market still a way away, surprising rumours have emerged linking Liverpool with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer.

Surprise links to Chelsea's Cole Palmer

Just imagine, for one moment, Liverpool were to sign Palmer this summer. The England international burst emphatically onto the scene last year and fast-tracked his way to elite status.

According to Chelsea insider Simon Phillips, Liverpool have been keeping an eye on the 22-year-old recently as they weigh up a bid. While such a claim should be taken with a pinch of salt, Chelsea are facing the possibility of a second successive season without Champions League football, and Palmer may not fancy another term in the continental sphere’s second string.

A diamond among coals at Stamford Bridge, Palmer has been a revelation since joining from Manchester City in a £42.5m deal back in August 2023, crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year for 2023/24 after his stunning breakout year under Mauricio Pochettino.

However, he’s met the cold face of adversity this season, with 2025 proving most unkind to the up-and-comer so far.

Chelsea’s supreme attacking outlet has dried up like a pool in the desert over the past several months, the weekend’s action taking Palmer’s drought to 17 matches in all competitions, but last season’s success was no mere mirage.

This dynamic attacking midfielder is a joy to watch, still, even after such dreary individual results of late, boasting a considerable haul of 39 goals from 85 Chelsea matches, with 24 assists to boot.

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher even went as far as to claim the 22-year-old is the “best player in the Premier League” back in October, though most of a Liverpool persuasion would sternly refute that take.

That’s because Mohamed Salah still plies his trade on Merseyside, the club’s definitive jackpot signing through their most auspicious era in modern history.

Liverpool hit their biggest jackpot on Mo Salah

At this point, it’s not a bold opinion to determine Salah as one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League.

The Egypt superstar’s goal against Tottenham at the weekend, among all other things, sealed his undisputed spot in the division’s top-five scorers of all time, moving in front of Sergio Aguero.

1.

Alan Shearer

441

260

2.

Harry Kane

320

213

3.

Wayne Rooney

491

208

4.

Andy Cole

414

187

5.

Mohamed Salah

297

185

It’s not bad, it’s really not. Liverpool signed Salah from AS Roma in a £34m package back in July 2017. His reputation on English shores was that of a Chelsea reject, much like Kevin De Bruyne, in failing to prove his worth in west London.

Neither has done too badly since. Salah, all told, has scored 244 goals and laid on 113 assists across 397 appearances. That’s a contribution rate of 0.90 per game. Luis Suarez, for context, wrapped up his Liverpool career with goal involvements struck every 0.86 games.

This is the calibre of player we are talking about, not just “world-class” – as he has been described by rivals such as Roy Keane – who can do little but gawp at his output, his doggedness, but something beyond world-class, something eternal.

Liverpool might be curious about Palmer’s situation at Chelsea, but CIES Football Observatory record that the rangy ace boasts a transfer value of £116m, and would FSG be willing to fork out such a hefty sum?

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Has Palmer, having fallen off a proverbial cliff in recent months, actually proven over so many years his ability to maintain ridiculous levels – like Salah?

There’s no question that Salah is a hall-of-famer, potentially even taking one of the 11 exclusive seats that make up the greatest starting line-up in Premier League history. A contentious, insoluble debate, but one in which Salah’s case has legs aplenty.

The very fact that the 32-year-old took to X (formerly Twitter) and laid down the expectations after falling short last season bespeaks his peerless mentality, taking the heavy responsibility on his shoulders this year and marching Liverpool toward the prized title.

To think that FSG could have sold him when Saudi suitors came a-calling back in 2023. Salah was approached by Al-Ittihad after a disappointing Liverpool campaign in 2022/23, with the affluent outfit offering a jaw-dropping £150m payment to make the forward the Saudi Pro League’s figurehead.

Credit where credit’s due, Liverpool’s owners didn’t cave in to the financial temptation, instead recognising the unmatched talent Salah brings to the table.

Now that he’s renewed his deal, Salah may well boast a similar value, should the Gulf side turn up again, but it goes to show that this right-sided star is something special, something beyond even that of Palmer, who hasn’t yet scratched the surface of the almighty level Salah has reached over many years of Anfield service.

Salah might turn 33 this summer, but who can claim he’s not as sharp as ever? Slot’s design has reenergised the veteran, allowing him to focus less on defensive duties, on covering, typically, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and instead to maximise his focal presence.

He’s done that and more. Salah is greatness. He is Liverpool’s greatest triumph of an era laden with title wins, historic moments and a closely-knit connection between those on the field and those in the stands, on their sofas, in the bars.

Amazing Trent heir: Liverpool want "one of the best defenders in the world"

Liverpool’s star right-back is rumoured to be joining Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Apr 28, 2025

The 2024/25 season has been a phenomenal one for Arne Slot during his debut campaign in charge of Liverpool, taking over from Jürgen Klopp seamlessly.

The Dutchman looks set to claim the Premier League title at the first attempt, currently only losing twice in his 31 league outings – boasting an 11-point cushion over second-placed Arsenal.

He will undoubtedly be disappointed that they’ve been unable to add the Carabao Cup to the list of trophies secured this year, after losing 2-1 to Newcastle United in the final at Wembley.

However, his first season at Anfield has certainly given supporters reasons to be positive about the 46-year-old’s tenure on Merseyside, with 2025/26 an opportunity to build on the success achieved in recent months.

Any chance of further trophies in the coming years may have received a boost after the news that emerged out of the club over the last couple of days.

Mohamed Salah’s contract situation at Liverpool

Over the last few months, news regarding Mohamed Salah’s contract situation has been quiet, with many fearing the worst over his future at Liverpool.

His contract is set to expire at the end of the season, but it appears that he’s set to continue his journey at Anfield if the latest update from David Ornstein is to be believed.

The journalist confirmed that there’s been a breakthrough in talks, with the Egyptian set to sign a new contract until the summer of 2027 – taking his spell on Merseyside to a decade after joining in 2017.

His tally of 54 combined goals and assists in just 45 appearances this season is evidence of how crucial he’s been to Slot’s plans in 2024/25, undoubtedly the key to any further success next time around.

Whilst such news is certainly a huge positive for the fanbase, it could spell bad news for one other first-team member who may need to depart the side to gain regular minutes elsewhere.

The player who may be sold after Salah’s contract extension

Liverpool’s talent in the first-team is there for all to see, especially considering their record of just seven defeats across all competitions throughout the 2024/25 campaign.

Every player has played their part, whether that be like Salah in starring in the majority of outings, or Wataru Endo, who is usually the go-to man to come off the bench to see out a victory.

However, the limited opportunities for some players could see them depart the Reds in the near future to further their career and reach the potential they arrived at Anfield with.

Attacker Harvey Elliott joined the club back in 2019 from Fulham after paying a £4.3m compensation fee, with the hope he can progress and be a star for years to come.

Fast-forward six years since his move, the 22-year-old has racked up over 100 senior appearances at Anfield, but the majority of which have been off the substitutes bench.

2019/20

2

0

0

0

2021/22

6

4

0

0

2022/23

32

18

1

2

2023/24

34

11

3

6

2024/25

12

0

0

1

Total:

86

33

4

9

Elliott, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by journalist David Lynch, has failed to start a single league game in 2024/25, unable to dislodge Salah from his starting role in his natural right-wing position.

Despite his lack of action, he’s been touted with a move to fellow top-flight outfit Newcastle United, with Slot placing a £50m price tag on the talented youngster.

Given his lack of minutes, coupled with the Egyptian’s new deal at Anfield, the club could look to cash in on Elliott’s services – banking themselves a hefty profit on a fringe player.

There’s no doubt that the manager will want to strengthen his side during the summer, with any sale of the former Fulham ace massively aiding their hunt for reinforcements in the window.

It would be a risk to cash in on a player who has bags of time to develop further, but his lack of action is evidence that Slot doesn’t see him as a key player in his plans, potentially needing regular action to further his progress and allow the side to reach the next level in 2025/26.

Liverpool plot move for £40m CB who could be a bigger star than Van Dijk

Liverpool are set to pursue a move for a player who could become better than Virgil van Dijk.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 10, 2025

India’s last five wickets added just 31 runs, after a similar collapse in the first innings, to keep England in the hunt

Matt Roller23-Jun-2025

Josh Tongue took three wickets in one over•Getty Images

Josh Tongue was nonplussed by Ben Stokes’ “rabbit pie” celebration, but his demolition of India’s lower order has kept England’s hopes alive at Headingley. Tongue took 4 for 7 to wrap up the first innings and then struck three times in four balls on day four, living up to his nickname of “the mop”, given to him by his Nottinghamshire team-mate Ben Duckett after repeatedly cleaning up tailenders at county level.Tongue admitted before the third day’s play that he had been unaware why Stokes had celebrated his first-innings dismissal of Prasidh Krishna by mimicking eating until he saw a tweet by Stuart Broad which explained he was “eating rabbit pie”. He has twice knocked over India’s tail in Leeds to emerge with match figures of 7 for 158.England have repeatedly struggled to finish teams off under Stokes’ captaincy: since he took over three years ago, only Pakistan have a worse record when bowling for the last three wickets. In the reverse series 18 months ago, India’s lower order regularly frustrated England, with three eighth-wicket partnerships between 75 and 80.Related

Tongue sets England's eyes on prize with 350 more needed

Rahul content after giving himself 'the best chance to succeed'

Pant, Rahul tons set England 371 to win at Headingley

Rahul on the Headingley surface: 'Like a subcontinent wicket on day five'

But Tongue’s pace, height and beyond-perpendicular action have proved a lethal combination in Leeds, with India twice collapsing from positions of strength. He found himself on a hat-trick on Monday evening after Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Siraj were caught behind the wicket, and while Jasprit Bumrah kept his first ball out, he chopped his second onto middle stump.India’s Nos. 8-11 have managed just nine runs between them in the match, despite the selection of Thakur as a bowling allrounder. Thakur was the first of Tongue’s three victims in the second innings after nicking off to Stokes in the first, and has so far played a bit-part role in the match after bowling six wicketless overs for 38.”We felt like if we got to their lower order quickly, we could get through them,” Tongue said. “I don’t mind bowling at the tail: you’ve got a good opportunity to take wickets. All I tried to do was to hit the pitch hard. I felt like I got more out of the pitch when I did that; I thought when I went that tad fuller, it was nicer for the batters to get on the front foot and drive me.”

Tongue missed the whole of the 2024 summer through injury, and said that he was proud to have returned to Test cricket after a long period on the sidelines. England have long admired his ability to bowl at speeds approaching 90mph/145kph on a consistent basis, and to nip the ball in off the seam, and his success against the tail has relied on those qualities.He also joked that he would adopt Duckett’s nickname for him. “I’ve done it twice now, so I might have to start calling myself that [the mop],” Tongue said. “When they were batting, it flattened out, and it was quite hard work in the wind. We stuck to our task, trying to hit the pitch as hard as we could to get something out of it, and thankfully, we got the wickets.”KL Rahul, whose dismissal for 137 was the first wicket of a collapse of 6 for 33, said that India “wanted at least 40 or 50 runs more” than they managed. “I don’t look at it as the lower order being from a different squad: they’re still from our squad, they’re still trying their best,” he said. “Everyone’s putting in a lot of work in the nets, and sometimes it doesn’t happen.1:32

Draw off the table? – Tongue and Rahul on day five possibilties

“Before the series, the chat as a group was how could we get 350 and 400 runs every time we go out to bat? The positive is that we’ve been able to do that… Yes, there’s learnings, and a few of the batters, if they can come good, that 350 can become 450 and 500, and that’s ideally what a batting group would want. But we’ll take the runs that we’ve got in this innings.”The total lack of contribution from India’s tail was further laid bare by England’s partnerships of 49 (Harry Brook and Chris Woakes) and 55 (Woakes and Brydon Carse) for the seventh and eighth wickets in their first innings, both at better than a run a ball. Where England’s last five wickets added 189, India’s have managed to put on 24 and 31.Ollie Pope said on Sunday evening that England’s lower-order runs had struck a psychological blow. “[A lead of] 40 or 50, just from a mindset, might have given them a little bit more confidence, knowing that they’ve got that headstart almost; playing the game from an even playing field is quite important.”But more significantly, they ensured that the fourth-innings target did not grow out of control: instead, after Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley saw off the final half hour, England require 350 in 90 overs on the final day at a venue when four of the last six Tests have seen successful fourth-innings chases of 250 or more.

The former offspinner talks about his career, coaching, and how his England team would have fared against the Bazball side

Vithushan Ehantharajah23-Nov-2023It is coming up to ten years since Graeme Swann called time on a distinguished England career. Yet even with a CV that boasts three Ashes victories, including in Australia in 2010-11 (a success which led to England’s No. 1 Test ranking), a Test victory in India in 2012 and a T20 World Cup, there is one great regret.”I wish I got a hundred, that’s something that really annoys me,” he reveals. The highest score of “only” 85 against South Africa in December 2009 grates the offspinner who did manage four first-class centuries.”I look back now and think, ‘Why didn’t you just have that extra five minutes here and there in the nets?’ Why not listen to the little devil on your left shoulder rather than the one on your right that said, ‘Just bat through until tea’ rather than ‘Imagine hitting this bowler for six right now’? I always listened to that idiot.”I still dream about cricket. I take slip catches in my sleep. I’m always fielding or batting in my dreams – never bowling. Which probably tells me something – that I was a very frustrated batsman.”At this point, I offer a different perspective. Perhaps Swann does not think about bowling because, well, what more was there to achieve? In the land of the living, 255 Test dismissals put him seventh on England’s all-time list, second behind Derek Underwood’s 297 as the country’s most productive spinner, at an average of 29.96. Impressive numbers through performances that elevated him as one of the best fingerspinners of his era.Related

'In T20, I was looking to get a batsman out, not worrying about going for a four or six' (2018)

Flintoff, Swann take up mentor roles for England Lions

Major India Test venues set to miss out on England series

Moeen replacing Leach makes England stronger, claims Swann

“Yes, maybe,” replies Swann. “I get your point, 100%. You know, I’ve never really delved into the dream world. But now I do, and you’re absolutely right.”It was on the eve of the Ashes Boxing Day Test in 2013 that Swann called it quits after 60 Tests. A nerve issue in his right elbow, which had been under the knife earlier that year, meant he had lost the feeling in his fingers. With the urn gone after the three matches, he decided that was that.England eventually succumbed to a 5-0 whitewash, amplifying the sentiment Swann had deserted his team-mates. It was the only time he felt mischaracterised by the media. “But there’s no point holding grudges,” he says, phlegmatically, before joking: “And the one guy I’ve got a grudge against, one day I’ll push him in the sea.”That the third Test in Perth was his last game of cricket underlines the terminal nature of the injury. Nevertheless, stepping away altogether was tough. “You keep thinking – could I have waited? Could I have seen if my elbow got better? And then I’d see England playing again and get massive pangs of jealousy.”I’ll be honest, I still get it now. I think it’ll help when Jimmy Anderson breaks a hip or something by the time he goes. But seeing your mate still doing it and being on the outside, it is hard. It’s not enjoyable. I’d love to be a grey-haired, wily old spinner playing for England like him. I don’t think I could have kept my fitness up, to be fair.”That’s life. I was dealt an amazing hand for five years, if I bemoan the end of it, it’ll take away from how amazing those five years were.”

“Being able to get involved and hopefully do something for the good of the team and English cricket, it gets me out of bed with a skip in the morning”

England still have not got over Swann. Beyond the wickets was a level of control, particularly in the first half of matches, which allowed Andy Flower’s chart-topping team to operate with him as one of a four-man attack alongside three quicks.It is a balance England have not replicated since. Since Swann’s retirement, debuts have been handed to ten spinners – 12 if you broaden the criteria to include Will Jacks and Liam Livingstone, both selected in Pakistan last winter to pitch in with the slow-bowling load.Moeen Ali has come closest to stabilising an XI in the manner that Swann did, while Jack Leach has developed a similar attacking verve as the designated Bazball spinner. But it speaks of a lack of depth that Moeen reversed his retirement last summer when Leach was ruled out of the Ashes with a stress fracture. And with Moeen now back in Test retirement, options for the upcoming five-match series in India are looking light on the ground.Swann was integral to success in 2012-13, with 20 wickets at 24.75 as part of a dual-spin threat with Monty Panesar (17 at 26.82) to secure England’s first win in India since 1984-85. Now, as they look to repeat history against the No. 1 side in the world, he has a different part to play.The 44-year-old is currently out in the UAE with the England Lions, working with the eight spinners among the 20-man squad as an ECB spin consultant, a role he fulfilled last winter. This time around, there is an onus on ensuring potential bolters can deal with being thrust into the bright lights of a Test series in India.Swann appeals for Rahul Dravid’s wicket in his first over of Test cricket, Chennai, December 2008•Anthony Devlin/PA Photos/Getty ImagesLancashire left-arm spinner Tom Hartley and Sussex’s Jack Carson, an offspinner with Swann-like traits, could receive maiden Test call-ups. With the Lions due to tour alongside the Test series with red-ball matches against India A, others could play themselves into contention. Brendon McCullum and managing director Rob Key will drop in for a portion of the training camp to gauge what options there are before picking their squad for the series.Thus, players having such ready access to Swann is a boost. And high on the list of frequently asked questions is what Test cricket is actually like.”A lot of them are just worried about what it’s like in Test cricket; do you have to bowl magic balls or do anything different? You actually don’t – the pressure of Test cricket is felt by the batsmen, just as much, if not more than the bowler.”I was exactly the same back in the day. I thought you had to be absolutely better than you’ve ever been every time you bowl in Test cricket. You actually don’t. You have to be yourself and be very consistent. That’s probably what I try to get over the most – they’ve all got the balls in their locker to take wickets in Test cricket already.”Much of what Swann imparts is on the mental side. Performance director Mo Bobat noted how beneficial it had been for all players to tap into his tactical nous. It was a characteristic that was perhaps lost in his enthusiastic, at times class-clown persona, but was a vital part of the whole package, underpinning his skills, and a reason why he would often pick up wickets early in his spells. Notably in the first over on Test debut in Chennai back in December 2008 when he picked up both Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid.

“I still dream about cricket. I take slip catches in my sleep. I’m always fielding or batting in my dreams – never bowling. Which probably tells me something – that I was a very frustrated batsman”

“It comes with experience and age, which these lads haven’t got at the minute. But I definitely think as a bowler, you should know how to get a guy out as he’s walking to the crease, just by the way he holds his bat, the way his pads are on…”Pads?”Oh you can gauge so much. If his back knee is dirty, he’s a sweeper. If the bottom of his pads are loose, they tend to be light-footed and like going down the wicket. If they’ve got a very heavy grip, they’re more likely to be a bat-pad candidate. If they grip it very high up, they’re going to look to hit you over the top. Things like that.”You can pick up all these little clues before you’ve even bowled a ball. You don’t want to be giving him ten balls to work him out. If you’re trying to settle into a spell, you miss out on the best opportunity to get them out. You should have worked him out before he even gets to the crease.”All of this was developed over time. Beyond a solitary ODI cap in January 2000 in South Africa, where he irked head coach Duncan Fletcher enough to not feature again under his tenure, Swann’s introduction to Test cricket came at the age of 29.Made at Wantage Road, then refined at Trent Bridge after moving from Northamptonshire to Nottinghamshire, ability grew with maturity. While the county career arc of moving from a smaller county to a Test match ground is nothing out of the ordinary, Swann feels modern domestic spinners lack the opportunity and guidance he was afforded.On still missing playing cricket: “Seeing your mate [James Anderson] still doing it and being on the outside, it is hard. I don’t think I could have kept my fitness up”•Philip Brown/Getty Images”A lot of these spinners when they play [for England], they are 21-22. I was very lucky in the end the way my career panned out. By that stage you’ve got so much more knowledge and experience under your belt that it’s a lot easier to adapt.”I had brilliant captains. Growing up in Northampton on dust bowls, we always had attacking fields. Then Chris Read and Stephen Fleming at Notts just left me to do it myself, provided I could justify why I wanted fields for a positive reason.”I think that’s what Ben Stokes does and why he is getting so much out of Jack [Leach]. You do have to try and take wickets every ball, you can’t just be that guy who lands it on the spot and waits for a mistake.”Swann hopes Stokes’ influence will ensure more captains take a punt on their spinners, particularly earlier in the season when the convention is to leave them out. He also appreciates his job as a consultant means he must use his contact time with the young spinners wisely.That he is even coaching at all is a change of tack. “I didn’t ever think I’d enjoy coaching, or get as much out of it,” he says. He regards himself as a freelancer, balancing work with the ECB and Trent Rockets men under his former coach, Andy Flower, with commentary gigs.He expects news on whether he has made the cut to commentate on the Test tour of India will come at the last minute, which could eat into his availability for the Lions. But it is clear the pull of moulding the next generation of English cricketers – maybe even finding the next Graeme Swann – has a unique appeal. Even a sense of duty.

“As a bowler, you should know how to get a guy out as he’s walking to the crease, just by the way he holds his bat, the way his pads are on”

“I enjoy the commentary, it’s great. But like Rob Key said when he started doing the [ECB managing director] job, whatever you say on TV, it doesn’t actually affect anything. It’s just your opinion.”Being able to get involved and hopefully do something for the good of the team and English cricket, that’s a different feeling altogether. It gets me out of bed with a skip in the morning rather than dragging myself out, moping after the dog in the park.”Nothing gets close to playing, I can tell you that. But that happens; you play and experience the best years of your life and I was lucky to be in a very successful England team for a few years. When I look at it, I still think we’d beat any England team. Even the Bazball one – we’d beat them. I don’t mind going at five an over if I get five-fer, it’s like playing against Pakistan!”But you’re always chasing, you’re always trying to get that feeling back. If you’re born into cricket, and raised playing cricket, you just want to be involved. After a while, you’re itching to get back out there. And I’ve loved every minute of it so far.”

“Everyone was talking about my form, which I reiterated was not a thing I was worried about”

Matt Roller28-Oct-20214:00

Jayawardene: SL pace bowlers didn’t find right lengths

David Warner’s scores – 0, 2, 0, 1, 14 – in the month leading into the T20 World Cup and in Australia’s opening Super 12s game against South Africa made for grim reading – not that the man himself admitted to any concern.”I actually think people talking about my form is quite funny. I laugh at the matter,” he said on Wednesday. “I’ve played hardly any cricket. I had two games in the IPL and then warm-up games are warm-up games for a reason.”If Warner’s comments were bullish, he had a point: since the end of April, he had faced 29 balls at five different venues. In the spring, six innings had been enough for his IPL franchise, Sunrisers Hyderabad, to decide it was time to axe him as captain. Warner turned 35 the night before Australia’s second game at this tournament and the general consensus – despite a limited base of evidence – seemed to be that he was on the decline.Warner was clearly aware of the outside noise around his shortage of runs but has not let it affect it game – that much was clear from the third ball he faced in Australia’s cruise towards their 155-run target against Sri Lanka in Dubai. Rather than looking to play himself into form by soaking up balls, Warner recognised that the Powerplay was the best time to attack and seized upon his chance: he got down low to reverse-sweep Maheesh Theekshana, Sri Lanka’s fit-again mystery spinner, over short third, the first of ten boundaries in his innings of 65 off 42 balls.Related

No longer a hitting machine, David Warner is now the smart-cricket guy

David Warner turns to concrete pitches for batting rhythm

Warner hits form as Australia ease to two wins in two

“I got criticised when I got out to Ashwin in the practice game playing the same shot,” Warner said afterwards. “We know which bowlers are bowling what, we know where the fields are and we know how to try and apply pressure. If it comes off, it comes off.”When they’re coming over the wicket, they’ve obviously got their carrom ball to come straight down the line. For me, it’s actually a low-risk shot to go with the spin and because you’ve only got two [fielders] out to protect, you’ve got to back yourself. It’s a shot that I favour. You’ve got to apply pressure and that’s how I start my innings against spin.”Warner enjoyed several early strokes of luck – the sort that may spark his tournament into life after a long run without playing many games. At the end of Theekshana’s first over, he survived a brief mix-up running between the wickets with Aaron Finch; a leading edge off Dushmantha Chameera skewed up and over short cover; an inside-edge off Lahiru Kumara flew past short fine leg.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the US. Match highlights of Australia vs Sri Lanka is available here in English, and here in Hindi (US only).

But the moment that really made it seem as though Warner’s fortunes had turned came in the fifth over. Chameera dug a short ball in down the leg side and Warner mistimed his pull, getting glove through to Kusal Perera behind the stumps. The umpire was already raising his finger by the time the ball was on the floor, after a lapse in concentration and an inexplicable drop. “How did you miss that, Kusal Perera?” Russel Arnold sighed on commentary.From there, Warner was in his groove, pulling disdainfully through midwicket and running hard between the wickets when faced with a bigger leg-side boundary. Theekshana struggled with his lengths – his spell featured several drag-downs, evoking that of Varun Chakravarthy, a similar type of bowler, against Pakistan on Sunday night – and was punished accordingly, while Sri Lanka’s seamers were oddly reluctant to crank the pace up and found their slower balls crunched away disdainfully through the leg side.”Tonight, I had to obviously start fresh,” Warner said. “Everyone was talking about my form, which I reiterated was not a thing I was worried about. It was about going out there and starting well. That’s all we’re trying to do, apply pressure to the bowlers.”Crucially, Warner – alongside Aaron Finch, who raced to 37 off 23 balls – was able to get Australia off to a fast start in their chase. While Dasun Shanaka, Sri Lanka’s captain, would later reflect that they had been 20-25 runs short of par given the dew factor in a floodlit game, Australia knew that they would face a stern test against spin in the middle overs if they had started slowly. As a result – and partly thanks to the safety net of the extra batter they have brought into their line-up for this tournament – they attacked early, racing to 63 for 0 after the Powerplay and immediately removing any scoring pressure.””It was great to get out there in the middle and spend some time there, running between the wickets,” Warner said. “Little things like that just keep your mind ticking. Obviously in the last six to 12 months we haven’t played that much cricket so I haven’t been in those situations too often. It’s not so much about getting runs for myself, it’s about getting us off to a good start and we managed to do that.”Shutting the critics down? No, never. That’s the world of sport. When you ride the highs, you’ve got to ride the lows and you’ve got to stay confident, keep a smile on your face, and never let it get to you.”Warner had practised on polished concrete in the build-up to this game, reasoning that “when you’re practising on low wickets that aren’t great, it gets you into sticky positions in the games when you are on better wickets”. On a relatively flat Dubai pitch, there were glimpses of the power and timing that made him one of the world’s most destructive T20 batters for so many years.”It was shattering to see someone who did so much for a team be spat out like he was,” Shane Watson, his long-time team-mate, said on commentary, “but I’m so thrilled for him personally and for the Aussies as well.” If this turns out to have been the night he clicked back into gear, the rest of the country will echo those sentiments.

Bukayo Saka’s second-half penalty to seal three points against West Ham United in the Premier League saw him become a centurion. The winger has 100 direct goal involvements across 200 fixtures in England’s top flight.

One of the poster boys of English football, Arsenal’s talisman has suffered an injury-disrupted start to the campaign, but three goals across all competitions and a sumptuous strike for England on Thursday evening underscore his world-class credentials.

That left-footed strike is something we’ve seen before.

He’s the cream of the crop, but it has been a plentiful harvest for Hale End over the past few years, with more than a few elite prospects underlaying Mikel Arteta’s ever-improving senior set-up.

Having finished runners-up in the Premier League for three successive seasons, Arsenal know that they need to reward the brilliant fanbase with silverware this season. It has been five years, after all. But for all the exciting big-money signings, those Hale Enders continue to shine brightly.

Arsenal's most exciting Hale Enders

Saka is hardly the only homegrown star plying their trade at the Emirates right now. An initialo £60m fee was spent to bring the 27-year-old Eberechi Eze back home this summer after so many years away, and the former Crystal Palace man looks to have been an astute signing for a side challenging for the biggest prizes.

It’s not always Arsenal let homegrown talents slip through their fingers, though, with Ethan Nwaneri still going from strength to strength as he looks to nail down a place in Arteta’s wider and grander plans.

And how could we forget Myles Lewis-Skelly, who has played the left-back berth with such consummate ease since breaking into the first team last season.

The 19-year-old has already chalked up 46 senior showings for the Gunners, and he has made his first three caps for the Three Lions.

Powerful and talented on the ball, Lewis-Skelly’s versatility and confidence have already seen him rise to the fore and become a Premier League star. Youth coach Jack Wilshere has long marvelled at how he is “unplayable” when fit and firing on all cylinders, but the translation to life on the senior stage has probably surpassed even the retired Gunner’s expectations.

However, ‘MLS’ is naturally a central midfielder, and there’s no guarantee he will not find his way back into the engine room permanently in the coming years.

With this in mind, Arsenal may rue Edu’s decision to cash in on another academy graduate who has earned praise for his quality.

Edu cashed in on "England's future left-back"

Edu left Arsenal 11 months ago, and Andrea Berta’s start to life in his stead as the Emirates technical director has suggested that the right move was made.

It’s futile keeping track of all the up-and-coming hopefuls, but one who might come back to bite Edu and Arsenal is Lino Sousa, who flourished through his academy years in north London but was sold to Aston Villa for a small fee in January 2024.

Now 20 years old, the England U19 international, who is also eligible for Portugal, is a natural talent when out wide but showed an aptitude in learning to invert, something Lewis-Skelly has done with aplomb over the past months.

Yet to feature for Unai Emery’s Villans, Sousa has been steadily cutting his teeth, spending the latter half of the 2023/24 campaign out on loan in the Championship with Plymouth Argyle before heading out again to Bristol Rovers last term, where his success in the duel caught the eye.

Lino Sousa’s Loan Spells
Stats (* per game)	Plymouth (23/24)	Rovers (24/25)
Matches (starts)	8 (3)	25 (14)
Goals	0	0
Assists	0	2
Touches*	25.4	37.6
Pass completion	79%	76%
Key passes*	0.4	0.4
Dribbles*	0.8	0.4
Ball recoveries*	0.5	2.4
Tackles + interceptions*	0.6	1.8
Clearances*	1.0	2.0
Ground duels (won)*	1.5 (63%)	2.9 (69%)
Data via Sofascore

There’s certainly work still to be done, but the nuts and bolts of the talent’s skillset are there. Though he took a step down the ladder last season, the full-back demonstrated a raised level of confidence and quality regardless.

There’s no doubting Sousa’s potential. Still, there is an anticipation that he will pull it all together and make headway on the professional stage. Indeed, analyst Ben Mattinson has even gone as far as to suggest the teenager could be “England’s future left-back”.

Athletic, pacy and blessed with a mean crossing ability, Sousa has the talent to rise to the top, and it’s worth issuing a reminder that development in football is often a non-linear thing. Lewis-Skelly’s today might be Sousa’s tomorrow.

But Arteta lives in the now, even though the sharp-witted Spaniard keeps a side-eye on the future.

Whether the Londoners come to regret their decision to part ways with Sousa remains to be seen. He featured 53 times for the club’s respective development sides, after all, and notched eight goal contributions.

Aged 17, he was promoted to the Europa League matchday squad as Arsenal took on Swiss side FC Zurich in 2022, but the meteoric rise over the past three terms emphasises the ruthlessness needed and shown. Arsenal have eclipsed expectations, and with that comes some sacrifices.

Ultimately, Edu had his shortcomings, and Sousa was perhaps a victim of the realities of breaking onto the senior stage when informed he would be leaving his boyhood club, having failed to make a single appearance for the men’s team.

But given that Lewis-Skelly has been in such fine fettle and plays at the highest level, it’s not something Arteta and co are likely to lose much sleep over.

Not Dowman: Arteta has a Saka & Odegaard hybrid in "phenomenal" Arsenal ace

The outrageous talent is like Saka and Odegaard and could be Arteta’s next Arsenal superstar.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 11, 2025