Category Uncategorized

Newcastle United’s transfer activity is really starting to heat up.

As has been widely reported, the Magpies are close to signing Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest for a whopping £55m, a deal that truly kickstarts their business this summer.

The Swedish international scored six goals and registered 11 assists in the Premier League last season, meaning only Mohamed Salah and future teammate Jacob Murphy accumulated more of the latter.

The £55m fee means Elanga will become the second-most expensive signing in Newcastle’s history, behind only compatriot Alexander Isak.

Now though, could Eddie Howe convince a Premier League-proven striker, who is available as a free agent, to make the move to Tyneside?

Newcastle's search for a striker

It was confirmed on Monday that Callum Wilson had departed Newcastle, following the expiration of his contract.

The England international scored 49 goals in 130 appearances for the Magpies, 18 of which came during the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, as they finished fourth, but the 33 year old saw just 458 minutes of action last season, starting only two league fixtures due to injury issues, so will depart as a free agent.

Thus, to fill his spot in the squad, Luke Edwards of the Telegraph is reporting that Newcastle are ‘contemplating’ a move to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who himself is currently without a club, after leaving Everton.

Having missed out on Arsenal-bound Viktor Gyökeres, Mark Critchley and Laurie Whitwell of the Athletic believe that Calvert-Lewin is also a target for Manchester United, but the Red Devils will ‘only advance if they do not get any of their top targets’, so could Newcastle swoop in sooner?

Transfer Focus

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

How Dominic Calvert-Lewin would improve Newcastle

First and foremost, the 28-year-old has scored more Premier League goals against Newcastle than any other team, so signing him would, at the very least, prevent that tally from rising.

Clubs DCL has scored 3+ PL goals against
Clubs	Games	Goals
Newcastle	15	6
Crystal Palace	13	5
Burnley	11	4
Brighton	15	3
West Ham	12	3
Bournemouth	10	3
West Brom	4	3
Stats via Transfermarkt

More importantly, Calvert-Lewin could be an excellent fit for Newcastle.

The main question marks surrounding the England international pertain to his injury record, racking up just 1,613 minutes on the pitch this season due to a hamstring injury.

At Newcastle though, with Isak already there, Calvert-Lewin would not need to be an every-game starter, so his minutes could be managed, and, when fit and firing, he’s difficult to stop.

During the 2020/21 season, one of the best of his career, scout Jacek Kulig heralded him as a “monster.”

Meantime, Harshal Patel of Total Football Analysis has praised Calvert-Lewin’s ‘ability to hold up the ball’ and ‘intelligent movement’, with Patrick Boyland of the Athletic adding that he is an ‘elite-level striker’ in terms of ‘heading ability’, concluding there are few better in that regard than the ‘demon of the skies’.

So, should they sign Elanga and Calvert Lewin, could Newcastle become a crossing team that are impossible to stop?

Well, last season, the Magpies ranked 13th in the Premier League for completed crosses into the penalty area, according to FBref.com, but could Elanga change that?

Elanga Premier League statistics 2024/25
Statistics	Elanga	PL rank
Assists	11	3rd
Completed crosses	8	52nd
Shot-creating actions	102	30th
Goal-creating actions	18	6th
Big chances created	9	38th
Progressive carries	102	25th
Statistics courtesy of FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, Elanga ranked, generally, very highly for all creative metrics in the Premier League last season, so the Swede and Calvert-Lewin could work as an excellent attacking duo, similar to his partnership with Chris Wood at Forest.

Thus, given that they already have Isak, and that Calvert-Lewin is available for free, this appears to be a no-brainer, low-risk move for Newcastle, that could only prove to be a smart addition.

Newcastle likely to see £30m bid accepted to sign a Scalvini upgrade

Eddie Howe is keen to bolster his defence this summer at Newcastle United.

1

By
Ross Kilvington

Jul 7, 2025

Newcastle United have been in contact to sign a new striker who has been likened to Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres.

Eddie Howe addresses Alexander Isak’s Newcastle future

The Magpies’ pre-season fixtures began last weekend with a 4-0 victory over Carlisle United, however, on Saturday, Eddie Howe’s side fell to a 4-0 defeat to Scottish champions Celtic.

One man missing from the friendly at Celtic Park was Alexander Isak, amid speculation over interest from Liverpool and clubs in the Saudi Pro League.

As to be expected, Howe was quizzed on Isak’s exclusion from the squad and his future, to which he said:

Howe then added: “It’s difficult for me to give 100 per cent clarity on any player. Alex is happy at Newcastle, he loves the players, the staff, the team. I’m confident he’ll be here at the start of the season.”

Related Tonali 2.0: Newcastle now looking to sign £34m star after scouting mission

Newcastle United could repeat their Sandro Tonali magic by picking up another gem from Italy.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Jul 19, 2025

Even if Isak stays at St James’ Park, Newcastle and PIF are still on the search to bring in a new forward, amid interest in Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike. The Frenchman may well be on his way to Anfield with the Reds looking unlikely to sign Isak, and that has resulted in Newcastle moving on to another French attacking target.

Newcastle in contact over Kolo Muani move

According to Foot Mercato, Newcastle and Manchester United have both entered the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani.

The 26-year-old spent the second half of the 2024/25 season on loan at Juventus, and those at the Serie A giants are ‘doing everything to convince him that the Turin project is made for him’.

However, Newcastle and Man Utd have both initiated contact over a deal for Kolo Muani. At St James’ Park, the Magpies are ‘convinced that his well-rounded profile and international experience would make him a key part of the project’.

His speed, versatility, technical ability and intelligence are seeing him become a man in demand this summer, with the France international seemingly now a firm target for Newcastle.

Forwards Kolo Muani has been compared to

Club

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

Omar Marmoush

Man City

Lois Openda

RB Leipzig

Evanilson

Bournemouth

Marcus Rashford

Man Utd

As can be seen, Football Transfers have likened Kolo Muani to Arsenal target and Sporting CP star Gyokeres among other top centre-forwards, and the prospect of seeing the Frenchman alongside Isak next season is an exciting one.

He scored 10 goals and provided three assists for Juventus in just 22 matches earlier this year and a move to Newcastle appears to be one to watch.

Chloe Skelton’s five-wicket haul propelled Western Storm to victory at Radlett and dealt a severe blow to Sunrisers’ hopes of reaching the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy semi-finals.Off-spinner Skelton finished with 5 for 29 as the home side were rolled over for 150, having earlier played a valuable role with the bat in support of Amanda-Jade Wellington’s counter-attacking 45 not out that lifted Storm to a competitive total of 180.Sunrisers looked on course to chase that down through Cordelia Griffith (39) and Alice Macleod, with a season’s best of 48, only for Skelton to turn the contest back in the visitors’ favour.Storm’s success was only their fourth of this year’s competition and left Sunrisers needing to win their final fixture away to Southern Vipers to maintain their chances of advancing to the knockout stage.Having won the toss, Sunrisers inserted the visitors and immediately seized control of the game, although it took them until the ninth over to make inroads when Kate Coppack took a tumbling return catch off Sophia Smale’s leading edge.Emma Corney and skipper Sophie Luff made steady progress, guiding their side to 61 for 1 before the introduction of Sophie Munro, who yorked Corney for 29 in her first over and finished with 3 for 42, triggered a clatter of wickets.Luff was bowled leaving a slower delivery from Eva Gray that seamed back to hit her off stump and a miserly second spell from leg-spinner Jodi Grewcock yielded two wickets as Storm slumped to 115 for 8.However, their prospects were salvaged by the tail, with Skelton and then Ellie Anderson providing staunch support for Wellington’s spirited counter-attack to extend the innings by a valuable 65 runs.The Australian steered Munro to the point boundary to bring up Storm’s 150 and drilled her next ball over the top for six as she and Anderson frustrated the home side in a partnership of 41, the highest of the innings.Abtaha Maqsood eventually finished off proceedings in the 47th over, bowling Anderson with a flighted delivery to leave Wellington five short of her half-century – but having done enough to lift Storm morale.That received another boost at the start of Sunrisers’ reply when Anderson dismissed both openers cheaply, with Jo Gardner picking out the midwicket fielder before Grace Scrivens played around one and was bowled.When Skelton had Grewcock caught behind off her fourth delivery, the home side were wobbling at 44 for 3, but Griffith adopted a pugnacious approach, pummelling Anderson for successive off-side boundaries.In tandem with MacLeod, Griffith got Sunrisers back on track with a partnership of 46 from 58 balls and looked comfortably set on 39 when she swung Skelton into the hands of deep midwicket.But MacLeod took up the baton, hitting confidently over the infield and took the total past 100 by dispatching Wellington to the rope as well as taking successive leg-side boundaries off Smale.A half-century seemed to be MacLeod’s for the taking until she was thwarted by a stunning one-handed catch from Alex Griffiths at short cover – and that proved to be a turning point.Storm’s spinners pressed home their advantage, with Skelton capturing three of the last four wickets to complete the win with 10.3 overs to spare.

Crystal Palace have made an approach to sign a “powerful” £20m star alongside their talks for Ousmane Diomande, according to a recent report.

Crystal Palace receive Europa League boost as John Textor sells stake

Since Palace won the FA Cup back in May, there has been lots of talk about whether the Eagles would be able to play in the Europa League or not next season, given John Textor was a shareholder at Selhurst Park as well as at Lyon, who are also participating in the same competition next season.

Crystal Palace now in "negotiations" to sign "dominant" 21 y/o defender

Oliver Glasner has reportedly “approved” the signing.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 20, 2025

Palace’s chances of being in the competition have just received a major boost, as Textor has now sold his shares in Palace to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson. Textor had a 43 percent stake, but he has now sold all of that to Johnson in a deal worth more than £109 million.

Textor’s sale to Johnson needs the Premier League’s approval, but if all goes well, Palace supporters could now find themselves following their team in Europe next season. As well as being owner of the New York Jets, Johnson was also a former US ambassador to the UK, and his interest in the Premier League is not new, as he’s tried to buy a football club before now, holding interests in West Ham and Chelsea.

As Palace could now be set for a season in the Europa League, they can now turn their focus to summer transfers, and while they work on a deal for Diomande, they have another player on their radar.

Crystal Palace make approach to sign Andy Diouf

According to Alan Nixon, relayed by TBR Football, Crystal Palace have approached RC Lens over a deal to sign Andy Diouf, who they see as their next signing if they can wrap up a deal for Sporting defender Ousmane Diomande.

The report states that the Eagles are aware they could potentially lose midfielder Adam Wharton this summer, given his impressive performances last season in the Premier League, and they are now putting plans in place to have a replacement for the Englishman. It is stated that Lens are willing to sell Diouf this summer, as long as they receive a bid worth £20 million.

Diouf, who has been described as a “powerful ball-carrier” in the past, played 34 times in Ligue 1 last season, scoring one goal in the process. Diouf’s versatility will make him a very useful addition at Selhurst Park, as he can operate anywhere through the spine of midfield, as a number six, eight or ten.

Apps

67

Goals

2

Assists

2

A concrete move for Diouf will likely come once the Eagles have completed the transfer of Diomande. It’s been reported that Palace are in negotiations with Sporting CP over a deal to sign the defender, as he is seen as a replacement for Marc Guehi. It could cost Palace as much as £40 million to get a deal over the line for the Ivory Coast international.

Manchester United slumped to another defeat in the Premier League this season when they were beaten 4-3 by Brentford in a dramatic clash on Sunday.

The Red Devils have now lost 16 times in the top-flight this term and sit 15th in the table as it stands, winning just ten, and there is no denying that it has a dismal domestic campaign.

Ruben Amorim’s side could still win the Europa League and secure Champions League football for next season, but United will know that they need to improve their domestic form.

On the same day that Manchester United were thrashed by the Bees, Red Devils loanee Antony added another goal to his collection for Real Betis, with the stunner against Espanyol.

The Brazilian forward, who joined Real Betis on loan in the January transfer window, has now scored three goals in his last four appearances for the Spanish side, whilst his parent club continue to struggle.

Antony's impressive form on loan at Real Betis

The left-footed flop started the season with zero goals and zero assists in 12 appearances in the Premier League and the Europa League combined for Manchester United.

Antony, who produced three goals and two assists in 38 matches for the club in the 2023/24 campaign, was allowed to go out on loan in January because he had not performed well enough at the top end of the pitch over the previous 18 months.

Three goals and two assists in 50 games is not a good enough return for an attacking player who reportedly cost the club a fee of £86m from Ajax in the summer of 2022.

Perhaps the weight of that transfer fee has been too much for Antony to carry during his time at Old Trafford because his performances for Real Betis are those of a star who is playing with the weight off his shoulders.

Appearances

13

7

xG

2.66

0.76

Goals

4

3

Big chances created

8

4

Key passes per game

2.5

1.0

Assists

2

2

As you can see in the table above, the Brazil international has made an instant impact in Spain in both LaLiga and the Conference League with his exciting performances at the top end of the pitch.

He has been directly involved in 11 goals in 20 matches, with seven goals and four assists, in those two competitions, which shows that he has provided a huge threat in the final third from a right wing position.

Despite his impressive burst of performances for Real Betis in recent months, Manchester United could find a winger who is miles better than him by landing a player they have an active interest in.

Man Utd preparing bid for Premier League star

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are one of the clubs that are interested in a deal to sign Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The report claims that fellow Premier League sides Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool, and Arsenal are also eyeing up a possible swoop for the Cameroon international ahead of next season.

Transfer Focus

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

It states that Newcastle United are also keen on the Bees sensation but his club’s valuation of up to £65m is said to make it a difficult deal for the Magpies to do this summer.

The outlet does, however, reveal that Manchester United are preparing an opening offer to sign the forward from Brentford, although it remains to be seen how much that bid will be, and that they could sell the likes of Jadon Sancho and Antony to fund a deal.

INEOS and Amorim must push to win the race for his signature, amid competition from the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool, because he could come in as a forward who is miles better than Antony.

Why Manchester United sign Bryan Mbeumo

Whilst Antony has caught the eye with his goals and assists for Real Betis since January, the former Ajax star remains an unproven quantity in the Premier League.

As aforementioned, the £86m signing did not provide enough quality, through goals and assists, in the top-flight during his time with Manchester United before being sent out on loan at the start of this year.

Mbeumo, on the other hand, has shown that he has the ability and the consistency to make a big impact in the Premier League, which would make him miles better than Antony has been for the club at that level.

The Brentford star, who has scored 68 goals for the club in all competitions to date in his career, has been in sensational form for the Bees in the current campaign and could be a terrific addition to Amorim’s squad.

No Manchester United player has scored more than eight goals in the Premier League this season, and no Manchester United winger has scored more than seven goals in the division, which illustrates how desperate the Portuguese coach is for an influx of attacking talent in the summer transfer window.

Appearances

35

xG

10.82

Goals

18

Big chances created

16

xA

8.84

Assists

6

As you can see in the table above, the Brentford star has been in incredible form in the top-flight with a return of 24 goal involvements, and more than twice as many goals as any Red Devils star has managed.

Mbeumo, who was once described as “incredible” by reporter Dom Smith, has scored more goals this season than Antony has managed in his last four league campaigns combined (17) for Real Betis, Manchester United, and Ajax.

This suggests that the £65m-rated star would be miles better for United than Antony has been, or would be next season, because he carries a significantly greater goal threat and has already proven himself in the Premier League.

Therefore, INEOS must ensure that the bid they are reportedly preparing to make is enough to tempt the Bees into cashing in on their star forward, because he has the quality to be an exceptional addition to Amorim’s squad heading into the 2025/26 campaign and beyond.

He'll be amazing with Bruno: Man Utd agree personal terms to sign £53m star

Manchester United are closing in on a “special” star who would thrive alongside Bruno Fernandes.

2 ByDan Emery Apr 28, 2025

With Kevin De Bruyne set to leave Manchester City in the summer, it will be fascinating to see who Pep Guardiola’s side decides to sign as his replacement. It will not be at all easy to find someone to step into De Bruyne’s shoes. He has 107 goals and 177 assists in 415 games for the club.

However, someone has to do it, and perhaps they look in-house for the solution. In that case, the answer might be Phil Foden, who has excelled as a number ten for City when given the chance to play there. He has 24 goals and 16 assists in 51 appearances in that role.

If City are to make a signing to replace De Bruyne, then Florian Wirtz might be the player they look to sign.

The latest in City’s pursuit of Wirtz

If there is one player who City really seem to want as their De Bruyne replacement, it is Germany and Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Wirtz. According to a recent report from BILD, they are ‘keen to sign’ him along with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Yet again, it has been quite an extraordinary season for Wirtz in 2024/25. A key part of Leverkusen’s invincible season last term, he has continued that form this season and has once again shone for Xabi Alonso’s team.

In 40 games across all competitions this season, the 21-year-old has managed 15 goals and 13 assists. That includes 20 goal involvements in 26 Bundesliga appearances.

With that in mind, it might not be a surprise to learn that the Germany international is so highly valued by Transfermarkt. They believe the 21-year-old is worth an eye-watering £120m; he could cost City a pretty penny if they want to sign him this summer.

Incredibly, the reigning Premier League champions have someone worth even more than Wirtz, who has been a key part of their success in recent years.

The City player worth more than Wirtz

When you think of the crucial players for City in their 2022/23 treble-winning season, three names might spring to mind: De Bruyne, Rodri, or Erling Haaland. Well, the latter was arguably the key player in that famous season for the East Mancunians and has been deadly in front of goal during his City career.

Transfer Focus

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

In 138 appearances for the club so far, the City number nine has an extraordinary 120 goals, along with 20 assists, to take his goals and assists per game ratio above one. He simply cannot stop scoring for City.

The Norway international has been deadly throughout the three years he has spent at City so far. However, one season stands out. His most prolific campaign was his first in Sky Blue, the treble-winning campaign, where Haaland managed 52 goals and nine assists.

This term, the 24-year-old has been in imperious form, although not to the levels he has previously shown. Haaland has only managed 30 goals and four assists in 40 games this term. They are the standards Haaland has set himself.

The Citizens centre-forward has superb underlying numbers from the last 365 days, too, courtesy of FBref. For example, he averages 0.87 goals per game, which ranks him in the top 3% of strikers in Europe.

Goals

0.87

97th

Shots

3.79

92nd

Shots on target

1.97

99th

Goals per shot

0.19

72nd

Expected goals

0.88

99th

With that in mind, hearing Haaland’s value is £171.4m according to Transfermarkt might not be a surprise. He is over £50m higher in transfer value than Wirtz, which shows just how well Haaland has done for City.

In many ways, their number nine is the original Wirtz. That is to say, an exciting young talent signed from the Bundesliga, who took to the Premier League like a duck to water.

As Statman Dave said, the Norwegian is “extraordinary”.

He's like David Silva: Man City in talks for £100m De Bruyne replacement

Man City have held talks to sign one of the best players in Germany…

1 ByRoss Kilvington Apr 14, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is in the market for a potential new manager this summer, with Ange Postecoglou likely to leave after a disappointing season.

Ange Postecoglou facing Spurs exit regardless of Europa League

News sources across the British media, including Mirror journalist John Cross and The Telegraph’s Matt Law, have heard from their sources that Spurs could part company with Postecoglou, even if they win the Europa League.

Tottenham now "ready to sell" £50m-plus star and replace him with 24 y/o

Spurs are hatching a plan to reshape the squad.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 23, 2025

It would be quite a feat for the Australian to clinch Tottenham’s first piece of silverware in 17 years amid a campaign blighted by injuries, protests from supporters and potentially their worst ever Premier League season to date.

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

The Lilywhites face this year’s fairy-tale overachievers Bodo/Glimt in the Europa semi-finals, a side nobody expected to get this far, and Postecoglou’s men are the overwhelming favourites to reach this year’s final in Bilbao.

However, even in the event that Postecoglou keeps good on his promise by winning a major trophy during his second season in charge, something he confidently predicted right at the start of 2024/2025, Spurs’ torrid domestic form and lack of backing from fans could mean he still parts company.

Levy has the likes of Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, Fulham’s Marco Silva, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner and Brentford’s Thomas Frank on Spurs’ managerial shortlist to replace Postecoglou, according to reports,

Further abroad, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has previously shared news of Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi attracting admirers from within Spurs, but it will be very hard for Levy to prise the Nerazzurri boss away from Italy.

The dissatisfaction around N17 right now after this tepid campaign has caused tensions in the stands to reach boiling point, so Levy and ENIC are under real pressure to get this next appointment right, make smart investments into the squad and turn Tottenham’s fortunes around.

Tottenham now eyeing Burnley manager Scott Parker

As per The Mail and journalist Mike Keegan, a new name is now on Tottenham’s growing list of linked head coaches – Burnley boss Scott Parker.

The former Lilywhites and England midfielder amassed 63 appearances for Spurs during his playing days, and has since gone on to enjoy some successful stints during his managerial career – guiding both Fulham and Burnley to Premier League promotion.

Bar a failed stint at Jupiler Pro League side Club Brugge, the 44-year-old has showcased some promise in his early career as a tactician, and it is believed Tottenham are fans of Parker as a manager.

He’s also attracted praise from his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola branding him one of English football’s new “innovative” coaches back in 2021, while former Tottenham left-back Ryan Sessegnon called Parker a “top coach” when he was linked with the hot seat four years ago.

“He’s a top guy, top man and a top coach. He’s just an all-round great guy,” explained Sessegnon.

“He obviously has a philosophy of play and sticks to it and all the players are buying into that. Recently, it hasn’t been so good for them in terms of results, but I think the performances and effort is still there.”

Rangers have been hit with a massive injury blow to an “immense” player, following an update from interim manager Barry Ferguson.

Rangers hold Bilbao in spirited display

The Gers produced an impressive performance at Ibrox on Thursday evening, drawing 0-0 at home to Athletic Bilbao in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final tie.

Robin Propper was shown a red card with only 13 minutes played, giving Rangers a huge uphill battle, but they held on in the end, with Liam Kelly saving an Alex Berenguer penalty in the second half, leading to scenes of joy inside the stadium.

While Ferguson’s side still have a huge amount of work to do to make the semi-finals ahead of their daunting trip to Bilbao next week, they still have a fair chance of progressing.

However, one of the few negatives for Rangers on the night was a serious-looking injury to Dujon Sterling, with the 25-year-old stretchered off, leading to concerns about the length of his absence.

Ferguson confirms huge Rangers injury blow

Speaking to reporters on Friday (via Sky Sports), Ferguson confirmed that Rangers defender Sterling suffered a long-term injury against Bilbao, with his season definitely over:

“I just got a bit of bad news about Dujon – he’s going to be out long-term. He’s had a serious one. I’m devastated for him for a few reasons.

“He’s come in and been immense for me at the back. He’s had his injury issues and now we need to suffer another lengthy spell on the sidelines, which I’m devastated about. We’ll get around him, he’s a popular member of the dressing room and has been a big player for me.

“We just need to get him back fit as quickly as we can. I don’t know exactly [how long he will be out for] but I mean long-term. I’m no medical expert, but I’ve spoken to the doctor, he’ll go for surgery on Monday and we’ll just need to wait and see how that surgery goes.”

This is a cruel blow for Sterling, who has been a solid performer since arriving from Chelsea back in 2023, making 70 appearances for Rangers to date.

This season, the Englishman has made 20 appearances in the Scottish Premiership, while Andy Halliday has shown his appreciation for him, saying:

“I’m sure I’m sitting here along with a lot of other people thinking, ‘Where’s Dujon Sterling been all season?’. For me, his two performances since he’s come into the team have been nothing short of incredible.”

Rangers messed up selling "mountain" who is better than Propper

Rangers sold a player last year who is better than Robin Propper.

ByRoss Kilvington Apr 11, 2025

Hopefully, Sterling returns the same player as before when he does eventually return – and at 25, that should be the case – but he will be a big loss for Rangers as an effective squad player, especially in the Europa League.

It’s possible that Southee won’t be in New Zealand’s XI for the Mumbai Test, but the “team first” champion will accept it, as he always has

Alagappan Muthu30-Oct-2024Tim Southee had a crucial hand in New Zealand becoming the first team in 12 years to win a Test series against India in India. He took the catch that signalled that incredible achievement. The rare fast bowler who is good enough to field in the slips, he pulled off an absolute screamer to get rid of Usman Khawaja earlier this year in Christchurch; that ball barely rose up off the ground, but the little it did was enough.In Pune, Southee was stationed on the long-on boundary, which was a hot spot considering Ajaz Patel was spinning the ball into the left-hand batter Ravindra Jadeja. The ball was tossed up. The batter came down the track. The connection was sweet. But once again, in a display of a different kind of agility, Southee ran to his left, staying perfectly balanced even though there was only inches between his feet and the boundary rope; reached up, and out in front of him, as he decelerated; and the ball just nestled in there, safe and snug.New Zealand are in the position they are now – 2-0 up with one more to play – in part because Southee is really, really good at not letting things go. He gets frustrated when his efforts to that end don’t pan out. At training on Wednesday, he went for a pull shot and didn’t connect. As the net rippled behind him, he clutched the bat handle tighter and seemed to wring it.Related

• Ajaz Patel is back at the scene of his triumph

• Pune 2024 a window into New Zealand's future

• Kiwis can fly – this time, to where they've not been before

Six back-to-back Tests in the subcontinent is the kind of assignment that New Zealand have rarely had. The batters would be put through an examination. The bowlers would be tested on their endurance. Everybody knew they were second-favourites. Ajaz, even now, considers India to have the wood over them in playing on spin-friendly pitches, which is true, but is still a pretty self-aware thing to say after demonstrably beating them at their own game just a few days ago.In the build-up to this set of fixtures, there was an understanding that New Zealand might have to take an extreme measure and drop their captain. It isn’t unprecedented. New Zealand went through the entire 2016 T20 World Cup in India with their two premier fast bowlers warming the bench. They capped Will Somerville in 2018; he was 34, and into his 13th year as a first-class cricketer. Except, unlike those two instances, which nobody saw coming, there were conversations this time – both on the inside and out – about how Southee, the guy that doesn’t like to let go, might have to.When the squad for the Afghanistan Test, which got rained out, was announced in August, the head coach Gary Stead said: “While we’re going over with an open mind around conditions, there is an understanding that all our bowling options may be needed across the different Tests. Tim and I have discussed this, and the need during these overseas tours to balance the workloads of the pace bowlers, including himself, to ensure the team is best served.”Southee was the Test captain when that squad was announced. He was appointed in 2022, 14 years on from his international debut. He had never performed the role – even in a stand-in capacity – in red-ball cricket, and was chosen over someone who had. NZC’s decision to look past Tom Latham raised a few eyebrows. But it did serve to recognise a cricketer who had given them so much for so long. A fast bowler who has found ways to reinvent himself; who refused to believe there wasn’t a way for him to matter, even when he lost his pace, even when he lost his swing.Tim Southee isn’t likely to let one go, even in training•AFP/Getty ImagesSouthee produced one of the great displays of fast bowling on New Zealand’s last tour of India, a slow and low Kanpur pitch only adding to the sheen of every wicket he took. There were five wickets in the first innings – at the cost of just 2.49 runs per over – and three more in the second. He would have backed himself to do something similar this time around, but in Sri Lanka, it became clear that there was a problem. A 2-0 defeat where they gave up over 600 runs and then got bundled for 88 in reply forced a serious bit of introspection. Two days after that series, Southee stepped down. Stead was part of the discussion that led to this decision. He said they were “delicate”.New Zealand now had the option of balancing their bowling attack a bit better; have enough spinners to exploit pitches that favour them, and bring in quick bowlers who could take the surface out of play, like Will O’Rourke. But, as it turned out, the rain in Bengaluru made sure that conditions favoured fast bowling, too. Southee started the slide that led to 46 all out. And in Pune, he took the only wicket that didn’t go to the spinners. In Mumbai, his zen-ness may be tested again. Matt Henry was bowling full tilt in the nets. It’s likely that he will be back in the XI and someone will have to make way. It won’t be the two spinners; probably won’t be the 6’4″ point-of-difference fast bowler either.Southee’s contribution to this win, with his primary discipline, is three wickets. He was arguably more effective with the bat, helping New Zealand push their lead in the first Test to 350-plus, and pushing ever higher on the list of the most prolific six-hitters in the format’s history. But more than all that, he has done something that is not always straightforward. He put the team’s needs ahead at significant personal cost.”Captaining the Black Caps in a format that’s so special to me has been an absolute honour and a privilege,” Southee said. “I’ve always tried to put the team first throughout my career, and I believe this decision is the best for the team.”New Zealand are in the position they are now – dreaming of a 3-0 win over India in India – in part because one of their greatest ever players was okay letting go of something he loved.

The Karnataka allrounder on dealing with setbacks, conversations with Brian Lara, and much more

Shashank Kishore01-Feb-2023For most of his career, Shreyas Gopal has occupied a precarious place in the Karnataka side, the allrounder who makes way should the team decide to strengthen its bowling or lengthen its batting. But on Wednesday, that feeling wasn’t there, because Shreyas batted like a dream and brought up a superb century, his first in the Ranji Trophy since the 2017-18 season.It was his fifth overall in first-class cricket, and it helped Karnataka swell their lead to a mammoth 358 at stumps on the second day of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final against Uttarakhand in Bengaluru. Victory, and a berth in the semi-finals, seem a formality now.Related

• Saurashtra, Bengal, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh enter Ranji Trophy semi-finals

• Meet M Venkatesh, the shy rookie who lit up a Ranji quarter-final

• Hanuma Vihari bats left-handed, holds off Avesh Khan & Co despite fractured forearm

“It was good. Felt good,” Shreyas said with a big smile after the day’s play ended. “The nerves were there, I would be lying if I say it wasn’t there. Because I got out on 95 [against Rajasthan] and very weirdly I started panicking a little bit in the 40s because I got out on 48 in the Kerala game. Those nerves were there. I went back and when I was practising, some [age-group cricketers] were there, when I met them, they just told me – [brother], when you’re close to 90, try and push a little bit, [and hit out] (laughs).”For Shreyas, the knock couldn’t have come at a better time, especially because he’s hardly had a role to play with the ball this season. It can get to you as a player, perhaps more so if you’re a veteran of 74 first-class matches. To Shreyas’s credit, he’s kept his chin up and has delivered when called upon.Now 29, Shreyas has encountered every challenge a professional cricketer can face. He’s battled injuries, losses of form and crises of confidence. He has experienced the highs of winning the Ranji Trophy back-to-back, and picking up an IPL hat-trick including the wickets of AB de Villiers and Virat Kohli. He’s also endured the lows of missing out on Karnataka’s first XI and, earlier this year, rejection at the IPL auction.All said, it’s not like this season was going to be make or break, but he needed to compile the strong body of work the team management expects from senior players, especially because they’ve spoken about promoting young players and not being swayed by reputations – their decision to drop Karun Nair from the squad altogether this season being a case in point.Shreyas came in to bat on Wednesday with Karnataka 307 for 4, already ahead by 191. And he took the attack to the bowlers right from the outset. Particularly impressive was his use of feet against spin, alternating between imperious drives through the covers and forays out of his crease to hit against the turn through midwicket. His fluency made Manish Pandey, flamboyant at the best of times, look a tad mellow.Shreyas says he spent ‘hours together’ with Brian Lara at Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, trying to pick up insights into building big innings•BCCIAfter he brought up the hundred, it was as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Arms aloft, with a smile big enough to hurt his jaw, he walked off a satisfied man. Later, Shreyas didn’t mince words when asked about having to prove himself constantly as an allrounder. He spoke candidly about dealing with rejection and fighting through the low phases.”Sometimes you do feel a little bad when things don’t go your way or you’re not picked or anything on those lines,” he said. ‘You do feel bad, and it is very natural and it’s a human tendency to feel bad, to feel disappointed or to probably burst out. Everyone has their own way of dealing with it. It was hard but I am someone who has always tried to mask it to the best of my ability. I don’t try and show it. I have very selected two-three people who probably see that side a little bit. Other than that, I really try and mask it. That’s how I deal with it.”But when you come to the ground, when you’re with your team-mates and when you’re fighting for a trophy and for victories, that somewhere down the line fades a little bit. It does keep pinching you every now and then, but when you’re really in the moment, it fades away temporarily at least. So you’re really trying to win as many games as possible.”When I come out with the bat, I really want to make a difference. I want to make some hundreds, I want to make 150s, I want to probably score my first double-hundred. I get the ball; I want to take 10 wickets in a game. Why not? You’ve got to keep challenging yourself. You can’t really sulk about those things for too long. Because that’s only going to eat you up a lot more. My thought is, ‘you have to come up, pull your socks up, take it on the chin. Maybe you’re not just good enough at the moment, you need to double those performances, triple those performances, keep coming harder and harder and one day that door will open.’ That’s how I’ve looked at it.”Last year, Shreyas had the opportunity to learn some tricks of the trade from Brian Lara, who was mentor at Sunrisers Hyderabad. He gushes about those memories, but he’s also quick to point out the others who have helped him along the way as a batter.”There are a lot of coaches, to be honest, I’ll be doing a lot of wrong if I miss out on someone’s name,” he said. “I think in the last 7-8 months, I’ve been in touch with Brian Lara a lot. His inputs when I was in SRH were quite different to what some others told me. Obviously because I was in the same team and spent hours together, [I was] trying to eat his 400- and 500-run brain. Just trying to ask him, how he ever did that.”At 100, I am half-cooked and at 400 he still wanted to score a hundred more runs. So small things on how he batted and how he addressed situations. I am trying to add a couple of points here. I have come and discussed with a lot of other coaches on what their views are to that and try to adapt and see if that kind of paves another path in my batting, if I can make some more runs or be more effective as a batsman.”And then with my bowling, coming in and getting a few wickets would help the team and help my cause personally. There are a lot of conversations I’ve been having and there are a lot of batsmen whom I’ve been literally worshipping growing up and I go back to watch their videos. To understand what situation they were batting [in] and how they were handling them. I’ve played a lot of those situations in first-class and not international cricket. But the situation is very similar. So I try to adapt what they did and what these coaches told me.”