Category Uncategorized

Manchester United have been very busy this summer as Ruben Amorim goes about constructing a new-look Red Devils side ahead of the forthcoming Premier League season.

There will be a lot of excitement brewing about the attack the ex-Sporting boss will be able to field for the opening clash with Arsenal, as Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha look to fire in the goals for Amorim’s revitalised team to put the horrors of Rasmus Hojlund behind them.

Benjamin Sesko has also now been added to the mix for a jaw-dropping £73.7m, with the drawn-out deal seeing the Red Devils beat Newcastle United to his coveted signature.

Now, the focus will surely turn away from adding more attackers to the camp, as a £104m midfielder continues to be linked with a dramatic switch to Old Trafford.

Man United prepare to make bid for £104m star

Nobody can argue against the fact that United are attacking the transfer window with some intent.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, Amorim’s striker options could soon be enhanced even more by ex-Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin joining on a free transfer, notably sacking his agent in a bid to force through a move to Old Trafford.

On top of that, a move for Douglas Luiz to return to the Premier League after a golden Aston Villa stint could also be on, with United named as a keen party looking at the Brazilian midfielder.

However, their biggest statement signing of the chaotic window so far would come in the form of the Red Devils winning Carlos Baleba’s in-demand signature.

The Brighton and Hove Albion battler has been eyed up by a whole host of top-flight clubs so far this summer, but reports by Spanish outlet Marca indicate that United are now ready to make a bid for the Cameroonian this week.

Previously judged to be worth around the eye-watering £104m price range, it is stated that United believe they have the funds at hand to win the exciting 21-year-old, ahead of every other suitor locked into the race for his elusive signature.

How Baleba is shades of Carrick

Picking up such a promising gem from another Premier League side means this deal feels somewhat similar to when United snapped up Michael Carrick in 2006 from Tottenham Hotspur.

The rest ended up being history for Carrick at the Theatre of Dreams, as he cemented himself as a calm but tough presence in the midfield department during the club’s recent golden years, after waving goodbye to North London.

At the time, the £18m forked out to sign Carrick would have been deemed a pretty penny to pay.

However, he would certainly prove himself to be worth every bit of his price tag across his lengthy stay in Manchester, with a stunning five Premier League titles held aloft due, in part, to the defensive midfielder’s well-rounded brilliance centrally.

From 464 appearances for the Red Devils, Carrick chipped in with a reasonable 24 goals and 35 assists.

Across his entire Premier League career, though, Carrick would stick out as an assured performer with the ball at his feet – away from attempting shots galore – with a sublime 18,978 passes accurately completed across his illustrious playing days at the very top, as per the Premier League.

708 tackles were also won across the same period, with this universal ability to be both classy yet gritty even seeing Spanish legend Xavi herald him as a “complete player.”

Baleba has been displaying sprinkles of this same, versatile game from the centre of the park for the Seagulls for some time now, with a sweet strike such as the one above hammered home against West Ham United up his sleeve.

Yet, he is also keen to get stuck in for his team’s cause, away from just being a lively goalscoring presence, with Baleba now wanting to be the standout spark from the middle of the pitch that restores Amorim and Co. to their former glories, much like Carrick was under Sir Alex Ferguson’s unmatched reign.

Games played

34

Goals scored

3

Assists

1

Touches*

54.0

Accurate passes*

33.6 (88%)

Big chances created

3

Tackles*

2.3

Ball recoveries*

5.8

Total duels won*

5.9

The table above further reinforces Baleba’s similarities to the past United legend, with his ability to be both forward-thinking, with three big chances created last season in Premier League action, while also winning 5.9 duels per match, making him the perfect candidate to be Amorim’s very own Carrick.

Hailed as being a “powerhouse” for Fabian Hurzeler’s men by football content creator Ryan Adsett, he really could be United’s standout buy this summer over Sesko, Mbeumo, and Cunha, as the Red Devils attempt to become feared title-challengers once more.

Ideal Hojlund replacement: "Monster" CF wants to join Man Utd after Sesko

Manchester United could find a dream replacement for Rasmus Hojlund by signing this striker.

1 ByDan Emery Aug 11, 2025

Though Liverpool have strengthened well in the summer transfer window, Arne Slot likely needs more parts if he’s to lead his side to glory once again next season.

The Anfield side won the Premier League last season after Jurgen Klopp stepped down from his iconic post. No one thought this relatively unknown coach from Feyenoord could carry the weight of a legend’s departure, but Slot has proved himself the perfect man to lead this club, championing the virtues that are rooted so deep in the Merseyside soil.

And he’s been rewarded in the transfer market. FSG have smashed Liverpool’s transfer record to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m figure, which could rise to a British-record £116m.

Slot also has a new full-back pairing to work with, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez both impressing during Liverpool’s emotional pre-season outing against Preston North End.

However, Liverpool’s head coach may well feel that there’s still something missing in his rearguard, with the Merseysiders’ interest in a new centre-back well documented.

The latest on Liverpool's search for a defender

Back in May, Liverpool’s chiefs were working on a deal to sign Dean Huijsen, 20, after his spectacular breakout year with Bournemouth in the Premier League.

The problem was, most high-profile clubs across the continent wanted the Spain international, and that’s a list which included Real Madrid, who indeed won the race after activating his £50m release clause.

This in itself isn’t detrimental to the Liverpool cause, but now that Jarell Quansah has completed a £35m transfer to Bayer Leverkusen, it feels important that the Reds push ahead and sign a replacement.

Well, FSG have got one in mind all right.

According to reports relayed by The Mirror, Liverpool are preparing to launch a £40m bid for Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, looking to take advantage of the player’s contract situation, entering the final year of his deal at Selhurst Park.

Guehi is understood to favour a move to Anfield over Arsenal and Newcastle, though he wants assurances over his playing time.

Given that the England international, 25, is willing to run his contract down if push comes to shove, this could prove to be a delicate situation, with Slot no doubt wary about entering the forthcoming campaign with limited options in defence.

Why Liverpool want Marc Guehi

Guehi is a robust and reliable defender who has built himself up over a number of years at Crystal Palace, joining from Chelsea in a £18m deal four years ago.

His rounded technical qualities and deceptive aggression suggest he would be perfect for this high-flying Liverpool side, and given his two-footedness and leadership skills, he might even be the man to succeed Virgil van Dijk.

Van Dijk is one of the greatest defenders of his generation, instrumental in building Klopp’s dynasty at Liverpool. To replace him would be a daunting thought for any positional peer, but Guehi has what it takes, having been hailed as a “monster in defence” by reporter Bobby Manzi.

Guehi has spent several years honing his skills in the Premier League, and now he’s ready to take the leap to the highest level. Van Dijk did something similar.

However, one could actually say that Guehi is more accomplished than the Liverpool skipper was during his Southampton days. After all, Guehi captained the Eagles to their incredible FA Cup triumph, defeating Manchester City in the May final at Wembley.

But looking at their respective performances across the past term in the Premier League, it’s clear that Guehi still has a level or two to scale before he can claim to be in the same ballpark as Van Dijk.

Matches (starts)

34 (34)

37 (37)

Goals

3

3

Assists

2

1

Clean sheets

11

14

Touches*

64.9

90.4

Pass completion

84%

92%

Key passes*

0.5

0.3

Dribbles*

0.4

0.1

Ball recoveries*

4.3

3.1

Tackles + interceptions*

2.6

2.5

Clearances*

4.6

5.1

Duels (won)*

4.9 (59%)

4.7 (69%)

Errors made

2

4

But, no doubt, the seeds are there, and two seasons alongside the legend could prove to sharpen his tools to the keenest edge, allowing him to become a superstar on Merseyside.

The Palace man is technically sound and creative besides. Moreover, he would emulate Van Dijk in arriving from a divisional rival lower down the ladder, with the Netherlands captain joining Klopp’s cause from Southampton way back in January 2018 for a £75m fee – a world record for a defender at the time.

Guehi’s ball-playing game, actually, is almost underrated, for he is not jsut assured but remarkable in his passing and movement, making things happen as he coolly collects and picks out forward-running teammates, be that with a swept pass or by dribbling upfield and playing a tidy layoff.

As per FBref, the one-time Chelsea prospect ranked among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for through balls, illustrating that Van Dijk-esque quality that would prove so useful for Slot.

But pedantry matters for a mind as analytical as Michael Edwards’. Guehi has been described as “one of those versatile centre-backs who can play both sides equally as comfortably” by analyst Ben Mattinson, and his propensity for the left side only fuels the argument that he could be Slot’s new version of Van Dijk.

Van Dijk is irreplaceable, but in Guehi, Liverpool might just sign the closest thing to a successor possible. He’s dynamic, combative and commanding, embodying the qualities required of a superstar centre-half at Anfield.

Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m

Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

Khurram Shahzad has not fully recovered from the side injury he picked up during the Bangladesh series

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Sep-2024Pakistan have retained Shan Masood as their captain for the first match of their three-Test series against England, which begins in Multan on October 7. Aamer Jamal has found a place in their 15-member squad following his return from a back issue, while Khurram Shahzad, who took a six-wicket haul in the second Test against Bangladesh, misses out having failed to fully recover from an injury to his left side.Left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who didn’t feature in the Bangladesh series, returns to the side as a second frontline spin option alongside Abrar Ahmed.ESPNcricinfo LtdThere was some scrutiny around Masood’s position in the aftermath of the 2-0 home Test series defeat to Bangladesh earlier this month, but he retains the role for now, with Pakistan looking to overturn a run of poor results in the longest format. They have lost each of their last five Test matches, all with Masood in charge, and they are on a 10-match winless streak in home Tests.One piece of positive news for Pakistan is the return of the fast-bowling allrounder Jamal, their most impressive performer on their 2023-24 tour of Australia. Jamal has been dealing with lower-back issues over recent months, and didn’t take part in the series against Bangladesh. He has since returned to 50-overs action in the Champions Cup.This is counterbalanced, however, by the absence of Shahzad. He picked up the side injury during the second Test against Bangladesh, and was expected to be fit in time for the England series when a fracture was ruled out, but he hasn’t yet staged a complete recovery.Top-order batter Kamran Ghulam and fast bowler Mohammad Ali, who were part of the squad for the Bangladesh series, have been left out. A PCB release said both “remain firmly in the selectors’ plans. However, due to the selection policy’s emphasis on consistency and continuity, and the belief that 15 players are sufficient for a Test, they have been advised and encouraged to continue representing their teams in the Champions One-Day Cup and the President’s Cup, starting on 3 October, to ensure they stay match-ready through competitive cricket.”The players selected in the Test squad have been withdrawn from the Champions Cup playoffs to enable them to rest before the start of the England series. The squad will assemble in Multan on September 30, with their pre-series training camp starting on October 1.Pakistan squad for first Test against EnglandShan Masood (capt), Saud Shakeel (vice-capt), Aamer Jamal, Abdullah Shafique, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Huraira, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Naseem Shah, Noman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Sarfaraz Ahmed (wk), Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has now demanded the signing of a “world-class” £50m star, and there is confidence that a deal could be done, according to a report.

Man City keen on midfielder with Gundogan's future uncertain

Given his age, Ilkay Gundogan is now likely to be in the twilight years of his career, and having already left Man City once, there are now suggestions the midfielder could be closing in on a move to Galatasaray.

Gundogan seems keen to continue his career with the Turkish champions, and Galatasaray are well-placed to secure his signature, regardless of whether they are able to get a deal for Victor Osimhen over the line.

The German has, of course, been a fantastic servant to City, with Guardiola previously making it clear just how highly he rates the midfielder, describing him as “exceptional”.

However, the City legend was subjected to some criticism at times last season, and given the central midfielder’s age, it could be the right decision to move him on this summer.

Now, Guardiola appears to have set his sights on a potential replacement for Gundogan, with a report from Spain stating the Man City boss has now demanded the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, having been a long-term admirer.

The City manager has instructed the board to sign Camavinga as soon as possible, having identified him as a priority target, and there is confidence that a deal could be possible, should they submit a significant offer.

Related Pep's own Mbeumo: Man City accelerating move for £21.5m "monster"

Man City are looking to sign their next new addition in the coming days

Posts 1 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 12, 2025

Previous reports have revealed that it could take a bid of around £50m to tempt Madrid into a sale, although the report makes it clear that Xabi Alonso’s side have no plans to cash-in anytime soon.

"World-class" Camavinga could be statement signing for City

After falling way below their usual standards in the 2024-25 season, City are looking to re-establish themselves as the dominant force in the Premier League, and the 22-year-old could help them do exactly that.

Once lauded for his “world-class talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, the former Rennes man has since gone on to make 180 appearances for Real Madrid, where he has put in some impressive performances.

Of course, every player in a Guardiola system has to be adept with the ball at their feet, and the Frenchman fits the bill in that regard, placing in the 92nd percentile for his pass completion rate per 90 over the past year, while also impressive from a defensive standpoint.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

3.83 (98th percentile)

Interceptions

1.52 (88th percentile)

Clearances

2.31 (85th percentile)

Camavinga could be a statement signing for Man City this summer, and £50m seems like a reasonable fee, given the central midfielder’s ability, making this one to watch.

Rangers could still sell two Ibrox stars that new manager Russell Martin wants to build his team around, according to a new update.

Rangers officially seal Lyall Cameron deal

It promises to be a busy few months in the transfer window under new owners the 49ers Enterprises, who will also have their eyes on bolstering Leeds United’s squad ahead of their Premier League return as well as looking to return the Gers to Scottish Premiership glory.

In Glasgow, though, Rangers officially unveiled Lyall Cameron as their first addition of the summer on Tuesday, with the midfielder signing a pre-contract agreement back in February.

Talking in his first interview as a Gers player, Cameron said: “It is amazing to walk in the door today, it is a privilege really. I have been looking forward to it for a long time.

“It was a no brainer as soon as Rangers came in, I was desperate to be here. It is obviously a massive club and the history and everything about it is just amazing. Being from Scotland, I know what the club stands for, so I just wanted to jump at the chance.

“It is a new project, they are looking to build, improve and win leagues again and I really wanted to be a part of it. I want to come here, make an impression, do as well as possible and get this club back to where it belongs.”

More players are set to follow Cameron through the Ibrox door, and there have been strong links to Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons and Peterborough United’s Kwame Poku.

Rangers close in on signing "great athlete" who could be Ryan Kent 2.0

Rangers have had many excellent loan players throughout the years, Ryan Kent springs to mind, and they’ve reached an agreement to bring in another.

By
Ben Gray

Jun 18, 2025

However, with multiple additions on the cards, there may also be some Rangers stars heading for the exit door, and a worrying new update

Rangers could sell £50m stars Igamane and Raskin

According to a transfer update from Football Insider, Martin wants to build his Rangers side around stars Hamza Igamane and Nicolas Raskin. However, despite this, the 49ers could still cash in on the pair this summer.

It is claimed that ‘sources say Rangers are still susceptible to big offers for the duo despite their recent US-backed takeover but do not need to sell for below-market prices’.

Both Igamane and Raskin have been valued at £25m each recently, with the likes of Everton and West Ham keen on the former, whereas numerous clubs in Europe have their eye on Raskin.

Should clubs come in with £25m for the duo, it would smash the current record Ibrox departure which stands at just under £20m.

Rangers 5 most expensive sales of all time	To	Fee	Year
Calvin Bassey	Ajax	£19.6m	2022
Nathan Patterson	Everton	£11.5m	2022
Alan Hutton	Tottenham	£9m	2008
Giovanni van Bronckhorst	Arsenal	£8.5m	2001
Jean-Alain Boumsong	Newcastle	£8m	2005

It would give Rangers and the 49ers plenty more cash to play with, however, Martin may not be happy if the pair are sold given he wants to keep them in Glasgow.

Right throughout Todd Boehly’s reign as owner, Chelsea have not held back on signing elite young talents.

It has been a clear transfer strategy at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues looking to bring players to the club regarded as some of the hottest prospects in world football.

Perhaps the best example of this is Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, who will join Chelsea for £29m this summer. He was described as a “wonderkid” showing all the “signs of a top player” by football scout Antonio Mango. He is just one of the young talents the Blues have signed under Boehly’s ownership.

This summer, Chelsea could add Ajax defender Jorrel Hato to that list, if recent reports are to be believed.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Hato

It would be an excellent signing if Chelsea can bring Hato to Stamford Bridge this summer. According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the Blues are ‘seriously considering making a move’ for the Dutchman this summer, and have ‘longstanding’ interest in signing him.

However, they will face competition from two Premier League giants, with Sky Sports also suggesting that newly-crowned champions Liverpool, and Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal are also interested.

In reality, it is not hard to see why the West Londoners are so keen to bring Hato to the club. At just 19 years of age, he is a full international with the Netherlands and has played 108 times for Ajax already.

Described as a “magnificent talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hato has played 28 times in the Eredivisie this season, scoring twice and grabbing six assists. He has also captained the club three times, a superb achievement at 19.

Chelsea do not have a clear path to signing Hato, and will face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal if they are to do a deal.

However, if they are not able to sign the Dutchman, then an alternative may be hiding in plain sight in the academy.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Chelsea's in-house Hato alternative

If the Blues can’t sign Hato himself, then why not promote their very own “Hato alternative” from the academy? At least, that is what football analyst Ben Mattinson has coined Chelsea’s young defender Ishe Samuels-Smith.

The West Londoners poached Samuels-Smith from Premier League rivals Everton, for a reported £4m two seasons ago. The highly-rated youngster has recently renewed his deal at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

At just 18 years of age, Samuels-Smith is yet to have any kind of first-team involvement on the pitch. Yet, he has featured on the bench three times this term under Enzo Maresca, which included two games in the Premier League back in February.

For the U21s, the youngster has had a key role to play. Skippering the side on five different occasions, Samuels-Smith has featured 23 times this term, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists from full back.

In fact, that is one of the standout features of his game. Just like Hato, the Manchester-born defender can play anywhere across the back line, even slotting in a right-back this term despite being left-footed. He has also played further forward as a wing-back.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the EFL Trophy this season for the Blues, as the stats on Sofascore reflect. In three games in the competition, he put in 3.7 tackles, made two interceptions and won two aerial duels per game.

Passes completed

46

138

Long balls completed

2.7

8

Key passes

1.3

4

Tackles

3.7

11

Interceptions

2

6

Aerial duels won

2

6

It surely does not seem like a first-team debut for Samuels-Smith can be too far away. The Blues academy skipper is clearly a talented player, putting in some excellent performances this term and showing great versatility.

If they miss out on signing Hato, then there might not be a better alternative to the Dutchman than their talented academy star.

He's their new Drinkwater: Maresca must axe £30m Chelsea flop this summer

Chelsea have certainly signed plenty of players in recent transfer windows, but one player is very reminiscent of the Blues’ worst-ever signing.

ByBen Gray May 6, 2025

Aston Villa could win the race for an “incredible” £100m forward, whose club may now be willing to cash-in this summer, according to a report.

Villa's summer transfer plans

It was a valiant effort against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night, with Villa overturning a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 on the night, but the result wasn’t enough for Unai Emery’s side to progress to the Champions League semi-finals.

Having had their first taste of Champions League football in quite some time, however, Villa will be eager to have more special nights in Europe in the future, and they could go even deeper in the competition if they strengthen their squad this summer.

After selling Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr back in January, the Villans are keen on bringing in a new striker, and they are now ready to spend £75m on Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Aston Villa working to seal deal for £12.5m player keen on Villa Park move

The Villans are working on a move for a midfielder, who is interested in a move to Villa Park.

ByDominic Lund Apr 15, 2025

Not only are Emery’s side pursuing an out-and-out striker, but they are also keen to bolster their wide options, and they remain in a strong position to complete the permanent signing of Marcus Rashford.

According to a report from GiveMeSport, Aston Villa could also win the race for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with Pep Guardiola’s side giving indications they could be willing to cash-in on the Englishman this summer.

The 29-year-old joined City in a £100m deal back in August 2021, but he has fallen down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, which could open the door for a return to Villa Park.

However, there is widespread interest in Grealish’s signature, with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United also in the picture, while Serie A giants AC Milan headline the interest from abroad.

"Incredible" Grealish may need to leave City

The former Villa man probably has no regrets about joining Man City, given that he played a major role in their treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, but there are signs he may need to leave this summer for the good of his career.

Theo Walcott has particularly scrutinised the impact Guardiola’s coaching methods have had on the “incredible” winger’s ability to express himself on the pitch.

The Birmingham-born forward has amassed just two goal contributions in the Premier League this season, although he has impressed on some other key metrics over the past year, most notably ranking in the top 1% for progressive carries, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Progressive carries

8.08 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

88.1% (99th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.75 (86th percentile)

A move back to Villa Park could be exactly what Grealish needs to reignite his career, and Emery should definitely consider making a move, should he be available for a suitable fee.

The first ever bilateral series between the two teams will be played against the backdrop of severe criticism from one of South Africa’s top human rights organisations

Firdose Moonda17-Sep-2024South Africa play Afghanistan for the first time in a bilateral series against the backdrop of severe criticism from one of the country’s top human rights organisations, Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR). On Tuesday, LHR released a statement calling the three-match series a “tacit endorsement of the Taliban’s repressive regime”.Cricket South Africa (CSA) has chosen not to respond but earlier in the week, the South African Cricketers Association (SACA) issued a statement in support of Afghan women, which was echoed by ODI captain Temba Bavuma (who, incidentally, will miss the first ODI because of illness, with Aiden Markram taking the reins).Not for the first time, Bavuma finds himself in the awkward position of having to discuss off-field issues while preparing for on-field ones. It was in the UAE in 2021 that Bavuma fronted the media when Quinton de Kock opted to sit out a T20 World Cup match against West Indies rather than follow a CSA directive to take a knee in support of the Black Lives Matter campaign.Now, CSA’s only instruction is to focus preparations on ODI cricket with the Champions Trophy looming. But the backlash at home is fierce as LHR has accused them of undermining the country’s “own values and human rights obligations”, and SACA asked CSA to use its leverage to highlight the situation facing Afghan women, who are banned from public life. It is understood there are internal discussions on whether and how CSA can speak out for women, but no decisions have been made yet.Instead, the focus will shift to three matches that will be played in Sharjah this week, with conditions, team combinations and tactics up for discussion.Related

Cricketing nomads Afghanistan hurt by lack of dedicated home venue

SA reaffirms support for women's cricket ahead of Afghanistan series

South Africa add fresh faces for white-ball games against Afghanistan and Ireland

Who is more settled in Sharjah? The UAE is one of Afghanistan’s adopted homes, and they have played 25 ODIs in Sharjah, dating back to 2010. Their most recent matches in the format, against Ireland, were also there. Of those, they’ve won 16 and lost nine, mostly to Zimbabwe and Ireland. Mohammad Nabi has played in all those matches and is Afghanistan’s second-leading runs-scorer at the ground with 557 runs, including two fifties and also their highest wicket-taker at the venue with 35 at an average of 22.02.On the other hand, South Africa have played 12 ODIs in Sharjah and won 10, but have not been to the venue since 2013. None of the current squad were at the series against Pakistan 11 years ago and David Miller, who is not involved in this series as he competes in the CPL, is the only player from that time who is still nationally contracted. Batting in the spotlight: Beyond the top orderThough Afghanistan’s opening batter Ibrahim Zadran has been ruled out of the series with an ankle sprain, the presence of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, their first ODI centurion, still makes their top order a threat. Lungi Ngidi identified it as the area South Africa needed to target.”They seem to be very aggressive up front so the biggest thing for us is going to be to control the top end of their batting lineup,” Ngidi said, at a media engagement on Tuesday. “If you can take care of that and then make sure that you squeeze the lower half, it should be all right.”Afghanistan’s strength is arguably South Africa’s weakness as they navigate ODI cricket after de Kock’s retirement at the ODI World Cup last year. Bavuma, who entered that tournament in form but was then the only batter in the top six that did not score a century, has the opportunity to re-stake his claim as a leader in this format, when he’s back from his illness. Tony de Zorzi’s century against India in December has set him up for a long run in the format while Reeza Hendricks will also want to re-find form after a lean patch in the T20Is in the West Indies.South Africa will be wary of the threat posed by Rahmanullah Gurbaz at the top of the order•Getty ImagesHow do the attacks stack up? Variation is the best adjective to describe what both bowling line-ups look like with at least one left-arm seamer – Fazalhaq Farooqi and Fareed Ahmed for Afghanistan and Nandre Burger for South Africa – in either squad. Almost every member of the Afghan side can turn their arm over, which means they won’t be short of options, and Ngidi believes that’s where their advantage lies.”We know that their bowling is probably one of their strengths, so we’re going to have to make sure that whatever they get on the board, we can chase it down and that our batters don’t give them easy opportunities,” he said.South Africa will also know there is some inexperience especially among the young Afghan quicks – Bilal Sami and Naveed Zadran, who were part of their 2022 Under-19 World Cup squad – but will be more concerned with assessing the quality of their own seam-bowling allrounders. They have three in the squad for this series. Andile Phehlukwayo and Wiaan Mulder are well-known names who need to work on consistency while there could be a debut for Andile Simelane.Tristan Stubbs will be available for the ODIs, but South Africa will be without several other big names due to their participation in the ongoing CPL•AFP/Getty ImagesYoung spinners to look out forPerhaps the most exciting component of the series will be to watch the progression of the young spinners on either side. For Afghanistan, it’s the offspinner AM Ghazanfar, who played at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa and stunned New Zealand with three wickets upfront and is starting to find his feet in senior international cricket. He has two ODI caps to his name, both earned against Ireland in Sharjah in March, and is still searching for his first wicket.For South Africa, it’s the legspinner Nqabayomzi Peter, who was named the CSA’s domestic newcomer of the season and T20 challenge player of the season at the annual awards and who bowled his domestic team, the Lions, to victory in the T20 tournament. Peter made his international debut in West Indies and has limited experience in longer formats. To date, he only has six List A matches to his name and his seventh could well be an ODI.Who is missing? In a packed cricket calendar, there has to be some attention on those who sit out. Apart from Zadran, Afghanistan are also without Mujeeb Ur Rahman, who has a finger injury. Of their CPL players, South Africa will only have Tristan Stubbs available for the ODIs, with Miller, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi and Anrich Nortje all at the tournament. Heinrich Klaasen is dealing with a family matter, Kagiso Rabada is being rested and Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee are in a conditioning block, and are expected to return only by November.That means South Africa are providing plenty of opportunity for the next tier of players, and Afghanistan could see that as a chance to earn their first win over them. These teams have only met at World Cups and South Africa have always taken maximum points. They beat Afghanistan at the 2019 and 2023 ODI World Cup and the 2010, 2016 and 2024 T20 World Cups.

Ten days ago, two old masters added a special vignette apiece to their career highlights reels

Osman Samiuddin21-Dec-2022That ball. This pass.This pass came first in Doha, the ball a day later in Multan. If you’re into both sports, you probably don’t need the geographic locators to figure the ball in question was delivered by James Anderson and the pass by Lionel Messi, or that, yes, they have nothing in common and yet it’s impossible to dissociate the two; sat next to each other like strangers on a train, but on the same journey.At least I’ve found it impossible to not think of them together, the main reason being the slightly absurd geometry of both acts – aesthetically fulfilling geometry being the absolute bedrock of sport. On the surface, Anderson’s ball to Mohammad Rizwan doesn’t look as showy as other balls that day that dismissed Babar Azam, or Abdullah Shafique. Those were out, loud and proud bits of reverse, breaking back big enough to get the protractors out.The Anderson ball was subtler, far more ambiguous in intent, in what it did and how, and even now, slowed down, digested multiple times since, you’re really just guessing. Rizwan said it was like being bowled by a Dukes ball in England: upright seam on release like with a new ball, which, at 16 overs old, it could have been. Except this was dry, dusty Multan.In flight it teased old-ball reverse, swinging in towards the shiny side. And when it landed, it behaved like it had done so on a still-proud seam and broke away from the path it had teased. Anderson said it hit a crack, but honestly, given the conditions for fast bowling, it’s more like it hit a glitch in the matrix. Rizwan left no gap between bat and pad, there was barely a glimmer of his off stump as bat came down and still it nailed the top of off. Like pitching as merely the prequel to , hitting the top of off has never more grossly undersold the possibilities of a ball like this that hits the top of off.Similarly, a pass (no), an assist (no), a through ball (still no), none of it begins to capture what Messi did in the quarter-final against Netherlands. There was the universe as it was and then, in the 35th minute God said, let there be light, and then, unto Nahuel Molina did this message drop like a bomb.

Anderson said the ball to Rizwan hit a crack, but honestly, given the conditions, it’s more like it hit a glitch in the matrix

As Messi cut in from the right, scuttling diagonally towards the box, options looked limited. The Dutch defence, well drilled, had formed two compact lines of three, harrying away in front of him. The possible-is-still-something option was Marcos Acuna, the left-back, who was in space to his left. Ahead of Messi were Julian Alvarez and Molina. Both had defenders tight enough to them to warrant passes unlikely.He bluffed an early pass to Molina, running ahead to Messi’s right straight into the box. That drew some pace out of Nathan Ake, the defender hitherto in Messi’s face cutting down his vision and ambition like a big business acquisition of a start-up. It also bought Messi some breathing room.An opinion: through balls are hands down one of the best things about football, the absolute zenith of its geometric possibilities. The greatest ones hit you like plot twists, the ending you hadn’t seen coming – Andres Iniesta here or Xavi here. In most cases the passer has the luxury of the full view of play ahead of them – the pass is played having first been seen exactly where it needs to be played to.Here, the angle of Messi’s run meant he had cut off play over his right shoulder and that Molina’s run was taking place outside his line of vision. If you slow the close-in angle from front-on right down maybe you see Messi’s eyes dart to the right a couple of times as he’s running. Maybe. He’s definitely not turning his head to look and Ake is mostly obstructing that view. More, it’s just Messi’s sense that Molina is exactly where he should be, where he needs him to be, where he wants him to be. And then, having gained a bit on Ake, he flips the switch: a no-look through ball that totally reverses the direction of play, perfectly weighted, and which, at a stroke, has unemployed eight defenders (including the goalkeeper). Molina doesn’t have to break stride or sweat, or even really think, to do what he does. The finish is cute but it’s literally putting in the full stop at the end of a novel. This isn’t a plot twist, it’s the next great film you haven’t yet seen.Somehow, the most ordinary thing about it is the most extraordinary thing that most footballers can hope to do – the nutmegging of Ake for the pass itself.Nutmegged ‘im: Messi gets the ball through and past Nathan Ake•Antonin Thuillier/AFP/Getty ImagesNobody saw that pass coming, like nobody saw the Anderson ball coming. It was all going this way until it was going completely the other way. A glitch in the matrix? A twitch of genius more like. There wasn’t another ball like Anderson’s all series, as there wasn’t another pass like Messi’s. Several years removed from now, some of us are going to be saying there’s not been a whole lot like either before or after. These weren’t possibilities we didn’t know existed being created, these were entire realities being created in which this was the only possibility that could exist, a reality created by years of their lived, unique experience. And ultimately, they elevated everything around them, even (in time to come) bestowing a kind of honour upon the defeated. If it took to beat them…The other thing is the finality of it all. There are not going to be that many more times we’re going to see Anderson and Messi. Messi probably won’t play another World Cup, and next summer, an Ashes win at home might be the moment Anderson wakes up and decides that bowling 20 overs is not the funnest way to spend a day, that there is nothing left in the prospect of delivering those 20 overs to drive him. They grow older, grizzlier, yes, but also frailer, and all those things they could do in their sleep once are things that now put them to sleep from the exertion.It has been grand watching them in this late stage. Anderson, Grumpy Ole Anderson, has bowled as if unburdened by mood, an old dog delighting in old tricks; Messi, meanwhile, has been a salty delight, like he’s just learnt at the age of 35 that it’s fun to troll human beings. The impending sense that it’s all about to end has, of course, heightened these moments, making them feel even more exquisite and fragile and in need of cherishing. Sure, that also distorts them. There are other passes, other goals Messi has scored (his assist in the very next game, for one) other wickets Anderson has taken that, it could be argued, have been better.That’s fine, entirely reasonable.But that ball, this pass, was never only the geometry each traced in those instants. It was that in them were manifest all those moments that form our memories of everything the pair have done, a history of the geometry they have produced as well, inevitably, as the geometry of their history. The wild parabolas Anderson’s swing cut earlier, the mazy slices through half a side that felt like Messi’s homage to Maradona but were actually all him; the subtler, nibbling Anderson bits, a seam canted like so, a finger left like that, a little wobble, the cute, curved Messi finishes from the edge of the box into a far corner somewhere; the hairstyles (Messi’s had more fun with it than you might think at first); all blending together on this one long arc, each moment to the next to the next to the next to now, bowing to its end.

Syed Mustaq Ali game in Mumbai on Monday marked the India pacer’s return to competitive cricket after nearly eight years

Shashank Kishore11-Jan-2021There has been much anticipation around former India pacer Sreesanth’s comeback since September 2020, after his reduced, seven-year life ban in the IPL spot-fixing scandal of 2013 ended. There has been trepidation, too. Can he swing the ball like he once did? Will he have that magical wrist position that many only dreamed of? Will he land them on the seam like he did? At 37, does he still have the pace? What about his fitness?These are all fair questions, whose answers we will only know fully in a month or two, after the current domestic season, which has just started with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, finishes. But on the evidence of what you could see of Sreesanth upon his return to competitive cricket on Monday against Puducherry, a full seven-and-a-half years after he last played recognised cricket, you could tick at least four of those boxes.His pace was brisk, but the line a little off in his first over. He conceded two boundaries by bowling leg-stump half-volleys in trying to swing the ball late. As he returned for the second over, it could’ve been easy for him to correct himself. But Sreesanth likes a challenge still. He went wide of the crease, got the ball to angle in full, forced Fabid Ahmed to play forward but got the ball to move away just enough off the pitch to square him up and beat the outside edge to hit middle stump. Not banana swing, but it certainly rekindled memories of old.

His end figures of 1 for 29 off four overs won’t go down in history books as a record spell, but for him and those close to him, who have gone through all that they have over the years, this was the moment they’d been waiting for.

The pace was there, the swing very much visible. It was as if he’d been bowling elsewhere all these years in anticipation of this very day. Sreesanth celebrated the moment in his trademark manner, channeling his inner Usain Bolt, as his team-mates tried to catch up with him. And as they huddled around to ruffle his slightly grey hair, Sreesanth looked up to the heavens, quietly saying a prayer, wiping a tear off his eye and then smiling away on the way back to his run-up, hand on his heart.Much after his spell, Sreesanth was at mid-off, constantly speaking to his bowlers, offering them words of encouragement, giving them a pat on the back, and running up to his captain in between overs to discuss field positions. This was a Sreesanth switched on fully, minus the theatrics of old, but with determination writ large.Was he nervous? Unlikely, because his return was imminent. He had been training hard, shedding muscles to become lean and mean again. He even hired an NBA trainer to help condition himself during lockdown. From as early as June, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, he started training with Kerala’s Under-23 cricketers in Kochi. At no stage did the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) hide their desire of having him back.The BCCI had imposed a life ban on Sreesanth for his alleged role in the 2013 IPL corruption and spot-fixing scandal•PTI That faith and trust resonated in his body language; he didn’t look like he was a bowler playing to prove a point, but someone just looking to enjoy the experience of returning to the very ground he was banned from, the very city where he was picked up for questioning by the police all those years ago. He also entered the very dressing room where he soaked in the experience of his life on that heady night of April 2, 2011. He didn’t need more inspiration after that.Watching Sreesanth on the field can give you visceral thrill. Go back to that ball to Jacques Kallis at Durban. Or that spell at Johannesburg. Or his mid-pitch jig to irritate Andre Nel after slapping him – no pun intended – down the ground for six. With the ball, you know what he can do, but you also know the Sreesanth of old was often prone to self-destruction, a by-product of his hyperaggression. Either way, as a package, Sreesanth at his best was so sizzling that you couldn’t take your eyes off him when he had the ball in hand. So, you couldn’t help but tune in for this very thrill, a few hours after the Indian team had pulled off a great escape in Sydney, among their most memorable overseas finishes lately.The Sreesanth of old also brought with his bowling some quirky traits. The self-exhortations at the top of his run-up, the self-fist-pumps, as if to calm himself down after every ball, angry growls at batsmen, special celebration, the stares. But those looking for these traits saw a mellower version of the man, who, at 37, wants to be an elder brother for the rest of this Kerala squad. For that, there was a simpler matter of having to earn the respect of his squad through his on-field performances, and it didn’t take him long to strike.On his part, Sreesanth has repeatedly mentioned his desire to play for India again. India’s pace stocks are at an all-time high, and even he knows he is being optimistic to dream of that possibility. But it’s unlikely he would’ve thought of all that as he took the field. His end figures of 1 for 29 off four overs won’t go down in history books as a record spell, but for him and those close to him, who have gone through all that they have over the years, this was the moment they’d been waiting for.