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Next season looks set to be a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are coming off the back of a tough year in which they were still able to qualify for the Champions League and win the Conference League, and are now in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.

In other words, the expectations for next season’s Premier League campaign are more than a little high.

Fortunately, the board are doing their part to support the team in the transfer market, and after securing Joao Pedro, they appear to be targeting someone who could be their own Martin Zubimendi.

Chelsea target their own Zubimendi

It’s already been a jam-packed summer of deals for Chelsea.

Transfer Focus

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

Before they even left for the Club World Cup, the Blues had secured the services of young up-and-coming talents like Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr, as well as the exciting Liam Delap, who has already opened his account for the club out in the USA.

However, the most significant deal the Pensioners have sealed thus far has been for Pedro, who completed his £60m move from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week, after racking up a tally of 17 goal involvements in 30 appearances for the Seagulls last season.

Yet, while that might be a window’s worth of transfers for some clubs, the West Londoners are nowhere near done and now appear to be targeting a talented midfielder who could be their own Zubimendi.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Chelsea are intensely interested in Marc Casado.

The report goes a step further, revealing that the Blues have already submitted an offer worth around €40m for the 21-year-old, which is about £34m.

However, they are not the only ones to do so, as the story also states that Napoli, Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have made similar offers.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Casado’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be their own Zubimendi.

Why Casado could be Chelsea's Zubimendi

There are several reasons why Casado could be viewed as Chelsea’s own Zubimendi, and one of those relates to the transfer itself.

After all, like the soon-to-be Arsenal star, he too will be moving from a major side in La Liga to a London-based ‘big six’ side.

Moreover, they are both now Spanish internationals, with the 26-year-old now having 19 senior caps to his name, and the younger Barcelona gem already having two, despite being just 21 years old.

However, the comparison goes further than that, as, just like his older compatriot, the sought-after youngster is someone who can play in central midfield when needed, but he is far and away more comfortable and better suited to playing as an out-and-out defensive midfielder.

However, just because he can do some of the dirty work for his side does not mean he cannot help kickstart attacks, as, like the former Real Soicedad star, he is a brilliant passer and someone who ‘always wants to make the progressive passes,’ per Breaking the Lines.

You don’t just have to take their word for it, though, as you can see this part of his game in some of his impressive underlying numbers.

According to FBref, the midfield “animal,” as dubbed by teammate Bryan Zaragoza, sat in the top 3% of midfielders in La Liga last season for live-ball passes, the top 5% for passes attempted and completed, the top 6% for passes into the final third and more, all per 90.

Passes Completed (Short)

36.54

Top 2%

Passes Attempted (Short)

39.44

Top 2%

Tackles (Mid 3rd)

1.68

Top 2%

Touches (Mid 3rd)

58.10

Top 2%

Goals/Shot on Target

1.00

Top 3%

Live-ball Passes

74.30

Top 3%

Passes Completed

68.21

Top 5%

Passes Attempted

76.37

Top 5%

Passes into Final Third

7.71

Top 6%

Total Passing Distance

1046.09

Top 7%

Pass Completion %

89.3%

Top 10%

Ultimately, while he may not be a well-known quantity in England, Casado has demonstrated himself to be a talented defensive midfielder with an eye for a pass.

Therefore, Chelsea should consider bringing him to the Bridge this summer, as he could be their answer to Arsenal’s Zubimendi.

Imagine him & Pedro: Chelsea in talks to sign "frightening" Madueke upgrade

The incredible talent could be a star for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 2, 2025

Leeds United dropped down to the Championship earlier this year after three seasons in the Premier League and are now tasked with bouncing back at the first attempt.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in to lead the charge, having won two league titles at this level with Norwich, and was backed with a number of signings during the summer transfer window.

The Whites brought in the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Glen Kamara, and Sam Byram, among others, to bolster their squad and splashed the cash to improve their attack with the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea.

Appearances

11

Goals

Five

Chances created

Six

Pass accuracy

78%

Leeds reportedly paid more than £10m to sign the Dutch marksman from their Championship rivals and he has had a strong start to the campaign, as shown in the table above.

He has scored three more league goals than any of his teammates and his form comes off the back of an impressive return of 19 goals in 43 second division outings for the Swans during the 2022/23 season.

However, the window could have gone differently if the club had brought in one of the targets they reportedly had earlier in the summer – Sory Kaba.

Were Leeds interested in Sory Kaba?

Football League World reported that the Whites had been sending scouts to watch the FC Midtjylland number nine in action for Cardiff City on loan during the 2022/23 campaign.

The Telegraph's Mike McGrath claimed that fellow Championship side Watford were also keen on the centre-forward, who was available for a fee of £2m.

He eventually signed for Las Palmas in a deal that AS reported to be more than €2m (£1.7m), which suggests that the £2m price tag touted by McGrath was an accurate one.

Kaba attracted interest after a fairly prolific spell with Cardiff on loan last term as the towering striker produced eight goals and one assist in 17 Championship games for the Welsh outfit.

However, he only completed 54% of his attempted passes and made 0.6 key passes per game, with two 'big chances' created in total, as the Midtjylland loanee struggled to offer much in general play away from his goals.

His form for Cardiff came after a frustrating first half of the campaign with his parent club. Kaba scored four goals and provided five assists in 27 matches in all competitions, which included two goals in 16 league games in the Danish top-flight.

How many goals has Kaba scored for Las Palmas?

It has turned out that Leeds dodged a bullet with the 28-year-old flop as he has failed to score a single goal in seven league matches for the Spanish side this season and is now even worse than Georginio Rutter in front of goal.

His general play has been an issue for the attacker with Las Palmas this season as the goals have dried up, with zero for the club so far, and he has only made 0.6 key passes per outing and created zero 'big chances', as per Sofascore.

This shows that the experienced forward, who had scored 27 goals in 110 games in all competitions for Midtjylland, has offered very little in the way of creativity or build-up play for his team.

He has also struggled in front of goal with three 'big chances' missed and zero league goals from an xG of 1.13, which shows that the attacker has been wasteful with the opportunities that have fallen his way.

His poor form has earned him a dismal Sofascore rating of 6.50 and this is the 23rd-highest score within their squad, whilst it would also place him 23rd in the Leeds side.

How many goals has Rutter scored this season?

Rutter, on the other hand, has scored two goals in ten Championship games for Leeds as part of an attacking pairing with the aforementioned Piroe, who was signed from Swansea.

The French dynamo had failed to score in 11 Premier League matches for the club last season but has stepped up to offer a significant threat at the top end of the pitch in the second tier.

His goalscoring record is not prolific, yet, but his creativity has been outstanding from a number nine position. Rutter has created a whopping ten 'big chances' and made 2.6 key passes per game for his teammates this term, along with a pass completion rate of 69%.

The 21-year-old ace has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.18, which is the seventh-highest score within the squad, and this shows that he has stepped up to be a fantastic option for Farke.

Rutter's all-round play is far better than Kaba's in terms of the reliability in possession that he provides alongside his exceptional ability to split open the opposition's defence on a regular basis.

Should Leeds have signed Kaba?

Kaba's statistics for Cardiff last term and Las Palmas this season do not suggest that he would have been able to make the level of impact that the former Hoffenheim man has made on the pitch for Farke's side.

The Guinea international had a rich vein of scoring form with the Welsh team at Championship level but did not show enough in possession alongside his goals and those issues have resurfaced, without the goals to make up for it, in Spain.

Rutter may not be a prolific scorer, as shown by his two goals in ten league matches so far, but he is able to make up for his struggles in that area with his fantastic play on the ball in the build-up.

The 21-year-old maestro is an outstanding talent when it comes to creating chances on a regular basis and he has caught the eye alongside Piroe with a string of terrific displays for Leeds in the Championship.

Therefore, Farke and the club dodged a bullet by avoiding a deal to sign Kaba for £2m during the summer transfer window as his statistics suggest that it would have been a big blunder.

He is not a better option than Piroe or Rutter for one of the two central attacking positions in the manager's 4-2-3-1 system and fans should, therefore, be thankful that Leeds did not bring him in on a permanent basis.

The teenager has the talent and commercial appeal to become the face of the Catalan club but can he succeed where past prodigies failed?

In 2006, a young player out of the Barcelona academy signed a deal with adidas. The agreement, reportedly worth around $500,000 per year, felt like a hefty investment for a 19-year-old. After all, the player hadn't yet played a full season of professional football. By the end of the previous season, he had scored six goals and added three assists. He only had 11 top-flight starts to his name.

That deal, for that player, Lionel Messi, proved to be a bargain for Adidas. Now, 18 years later, another La Masia graduate has done the same thing. Lamine Yamal, another right-winger out of the Barcelona academy, penned a long-term agreement to be one of the faces of adidas' global football brand. He will be the only other player in the world to wear Messi's exact boots – adding a visual link to a spiritual connection that has been drawn between the two for some time.

And though it will lead to immense pressure on the teenager, it is an ideal arrangement for the Balugrana. Since Messi left, the Catalan club have lacked a central marketable star – a world class presence who can not only change a game but also sell shirts in spades. Yamal, the newly minted face of adidas, can be that player.

adidas partnership with Lamine Yamaladidas partnership with Lamine YamalThe adidas deal

Yamal's deal was announced in a very modern way. A brief video showed Yamal, sitting on his childhood bed, clad in all-adidas gear, smiling at the camera. The alarm clock next to him beeps, and shows the time "3:04" – a reference to the area code he grew up in. Yamal laces up Messi's boots, and is then shown running onto a football pitch. He throws up his signature celebration, before breaking out a series of tricks and flicks.

It's comparable to the ad Jude Bellingham, another young star, recently featured in for the famous brand. This was a well-thought-out thing, something meant not only to curate an image but also highlight a burgeoning talent.

The company explained their choice, too.

"Adidas is proud to confirm Lamine Yamal joining the adidas family as of today, wearing the X Crazyfast; perfectly suited to his agile and explosive style of play on the wing. Lamine grew up in Rocafonda, 40 minutes from his club’s training ground, and remains proud of his roots in the area," it said in a statement.

"The partnership announcement film that has been posted on adidasFootball channels in collaboration with Lamine celebrates his football journey and connection to the 304, Rocafonda’s area code," it added.

The exact terms of the deal have not been made public. But the video alone shows that this is a serious commitment to an exciting talent. And Yamal deserves it, too.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesThe search for Messi's successor

There is a prevailing sense that the Blaugrana have been searching for a player like Yamal for some time. The idea of a 'new Messi' has long haunted the halls of La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth academy. At times, it seems like an obsession.

He comes from a long-line of supposed Messi successors – most of which have been unequivocal failures. Bojan, Messi's contemporary at the club, burned out fast – and later admitted that the comparisons to the world's best left a serious mark on his mental health. Giovani Dos Santos and Riqui Puig received much the same treatment – and never delivered on the promise.

The closest thus far has been Ansu Fati. He seemed an ideal replacement. Fifteen years younger than Messi, but a similarly exciting player, he was given the No.10 shirt when the Argentine reluctantly left for PSG in 2021. But that, too, proved to be too much for the teenager, who, four knee surgeries later, is struggling to make the grade at Brighton.

GettyYamal up to the task?

Yamal, it would seem, is the closest thing the Blaugrana have developed to a viable replacement.

The positional similarities are here: Yamal is a left-footed right winger. The skills are, too. Yamal can beat a player with his dribbling prowess and find the bottom corner with an angled shot.

He also has just enough swagger about his game to wow the Barcelona faithful without overplaying in key areas.

The stats – five goals and four assists in all competitions – don't jump off the page. But superstardom stretches beyond numbers. It's about the intangible qualities. Yamal has them.

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GettyA godsend for boring Barcelona

It's something that the current Barca squad is missing all over the pitch. A cursory glance at the starting XI shows a number of very talented and likeable footballers – but no global megastars. The word 'Galactico' is only used in a different major sporting city in Spain.

Still, players of that same stratospheric talent are hard to come by. The Blaugrana have always had at least one. Messi and Neymar were there at the same time. Before them were Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Diego Maradona and Johan Cruyff.

This iteration of Barca – outside of burgeoning star Yamal – doesn't really have one. Robert Lewandowski will go down as a legend of the game. But his fame doesn't stretch beyond football; and he isn't one for massive ad campaigns, either. Pedri, Gavi and Frenkie de Jong are all midfield artists, but share the same issue.

Ronald Araujo, Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Jules Kounde and Ilkay Gundogan all have social media presences – almost all footballers do these days. Still, none of them are impactful enough to make waves beyond football fan communities. You'd struggle to find a kid on the streets of Catalonia aspiring to be a tidy French full-back.

It is ironic that this all comes just nine months removed from a season of immense success. Barca coasted their way to a first Spanish top flight title since 2019 last season, claiming La Liga by 10 points. But the manner in which they won didn't catch the eye. This was an excellent defensive team that only let in 20 goals all season. They scored 15 fewer than in the 2020-21 campaign, a season in which the Blaugrana finished third. Put more simply: this version of Barcelona is boring.

A look at security arrangements ahead of Karachi’s biggest cricket event in nearly a decade

Umar Farooq in Karachi24-Mar-2018After nine years with no cricket of comparable magnitude, Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, is gearing up to host the Pakistan Super League final. This is the second major venue after Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium to host a high-profile game in recent years, and it is considered a crucial step on the long road to reviving international cricket in the country.The final between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi will be played at the National Stadium and the entire route from the hotel to the stadium will be lined with guards from Pakistan’s paramilitary force, the Rangers, and the Sindh police. A full house (around 33,000) is expected, with tickets sold out hours after they were released. There is a three-tier security layer, heavily guarded by security forces. Deputy Inspector General Traffic Imran Yaqoob Minhas, while addressing a press conference, said a total of 8500 police personnel will be deployed around the stadium for the match.The landscape of the city has changed drastically over the last nine years and the law and order situation has improved significantly. Karachi still remains the venue of the last completed Test match in Pakistan, a few days before the 2009 terror attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in Lahore.Karachi is generally viewed as a more challenging city in terms of its law-and-order situation, and providing a complete security plan, what with the nearest hotel being at least 12 km from the National Stadium, is harder than it is in Lahore.The stadium is situated in the centre of the city, and all major routes from all four directions that connect with the stadium will be closed for the general public. The two biggest hospitals of the city, Agha Khan and Liaquat National, are located close to the stadium, but the roads leading to them will be open. A shuttle service will be in place to take fans from the parking area to the stadium gates. The flow of traffic is likely to be reduced, but a strict directive has been issued to follow the day’s plan to avoid congestion. The fact that the game will be held on Sunday will help.”It’s a big occasion for Karachi and the whole country,” said Rashid Latif, the former Pakistan wicketkeeper who is now team director at Karachi Kings. “I am very much thankful to the PCB for making this possible. This was a much-needed step because you cannot revive cricket by playing at one venue. It’s important to involve at least three or four cities to get this going. Otherwise, you cannot have a positive impact. Karachi is a huge city and I cannot explain in words how big this would be for us and for this country.”We have played a month in Dubai and Sharjah but we actually felt the intensity when cricket came to Lahore for the playoffs. We realised how people are hungry for cricket and how desperate they are to have cricket back in their stadiums. This is huge for fans; they are really passionate about the game and during isolation we have suffered a lot in world of cricket.”I think the security is somewhat overdone. I don’t want to be critical but I feel security should be given to the foreigners only, not to us. When we were in Lahore for playoffs, even local players and officials were restricted from going out freely. So this shouldn’t be the case because this will give off a bad impression among the overseas players.”The security protocols are being overseen by international security consultant Reg Dickason who has praised the “remarkably thorough” security arrangements for the final, saying they were “as good as I have seen in all my years”.The PCB plans to bring a major chunk of the next edition of the PSL to Pakistan, with at least three venues hosting more than 15 games in total. “We plan to have half of the PSL next year in Pakistan,” Najam Sethi, the PSL chairman, said on Friday. “But for that, we need four stadiums. As of now, we have Lahore, Karachi and Multan ready to host big matches, so now our focus is on preparing the stadiums of Rawalpindi and Peshawar. We’ve been working day and night to bring international cricket back to the country.”

The New Zealand legspinner talks about working his way back from a career-threatening back injury, training at the CSK academy, and his hopes for the coming year

Deivarayan Muthu05-Jul-2025″.” [My way is a unique way].New Zealand legspinner Adithya Ashok has Rajinikanth’s famous punchline from inked on his bowling arm. It’s a tribute to the actor, and to Adithya’s late grandfather, with whom he watched the movie.Last month, Adithya, now 22, reconnected with his friends and family in Vellore in north-east Tamil Nadu, where he was born and raised before his family moved to New Zealand when he was around four. He was in India to hone his skills at a two-week spin camp at the CSK academy in Chennai.”Last time I was here in India, my grandfather was a bit ill, and I was fortunate to spend the last while with him and we were having a meaningful conversation and the Rajini film was on at the time,” Adithya says. “Days after he passed away, I got this tattoo because it reminded me of a special moment we shared. It’s also a connection to my Tamil roots, to Vellore, and a popular Tamil icon and a global icon as well.”The phrase also fits as a description of Adithya’s unique path to winning a New Zealand central contract. He moved to Auckland as a child when his parents got the opportunity to emigrate to New Zealand. His mother worked as a nurse at the city hospital and his father, a cricketer-turned-radiographer, worked at the Starship Children’s Hospital.After rising through the ranks in school cricket, Adithya represented New Zealand in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup in South Africa, where he impressed with his ability to give the ball a rip.Related

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He was earmarked as a future Black Cap from then, but major back surgery forced him out of action for almost a year starting December 2023. During this period, something as simple as getting out of a car was difficult for him.”Honestly, it was a pretty scary time for me,” he recalls. “I’ve reflected on it over the last while and I think it has changed my attitude towards understanding myself as a person, and I’m grateful to be doing something like everyday chores. I feel blessed to have the support of New Zealand Cricket through all of it. They put me in touch with one of the best surgeons in the world. He was the surgeon who operated on [Jasprit] Bumrah, but I don’t think any other spinner has had this back surgery.”I also had the support of my team in Auckland, the physio, the S&C [strength and conditioning] coach, and my family and girlfriend during one of my hardest phases of life. It was a big 12-15 months, but it’s definitely something I wouldn’t trade for anything else because it gave me so much perspective on life.”After rehab and navigating through his loads on a “trial-and-error basis”, Adithya returned to action in late 2024 and played his part in Auckland’s run to the 50-overs Ford Trophy final, which they lost to Canterbury. After handsome contributions in the 20-overs Super Smash and the four-day Plunket Shield, he has worked his way back into the New Zealand A and New Zealand set-ups. In May this year, he claimed a fourth-innings five-for to spin New Zealand A to victory against Bangladesh A in the first Test in Sylhet.Adithya’s tattoo in Tamil reads “My way is a unique way”•Deivarayan Muthu/ESPNcricinfo”I think the Bangladesh tour was amazing,” he says. “Any chance you get to contribute towards a red-ball win is something that’s very close to my heart. I really enjoy playing red-ball cricket and I think just getting the opportunity to go and play somewhere foreign, have a few weeks trying to understand the conditions and then coming up with a plan to try and be effective and then for it to work, that’s the model.”I think that’s the part that I’m most happy with – having the opportunity to do that. And coming here to India is just another opportunity to do the same. In terms of trying to hit a new level, you’re always trying to push yourself to a higher standard, but I think I’ve just enjoyed the opportunity for the first time to go somewhere different, try and implement a plan, and for that plan to come away and have some success, I think it was cool.”In Chennai, Adithya tested his variations, which include the wrong’un and the square-seam slider, on various types of surfaces against local batters and New Zealand’s Rhys Mariu and Dale Phillips (brother of international Glenn), who were also part of the camp.”We don’t get the black soil, we don’t get the [same] red soil, we don’t get the clay [in New Zealand],” Adithya says. “Understanding that on red soil you don’t have to potentially bowl as much overspin as we do back home in New Zealand. Red soil is a bit more conducive, so you can afford to bowl a little bit faster, you can afford to use a little bit more of the sidespin, square-seam deliveries that you see all the Indian bowlers bowl so well with.Adithya took ten wickets at an economy of 4.9 from seven matches in the 2024-25 Ford Trophy•Joe Allison/Getty Images”Just getting accustomed to what that feels like in hand, even something as small as using the SG ball, something that I’ve never done before, so understanding what that feels like in my hands… Do I have to grip it a certain way to get the same result? We are kind of on a fact-finding mission.”Adithya credits former New Zealand spinners Tarun Nethula, his long-time mentor, and Paul Wiseman, the current New Zealand talent identification manager, for his progress.”Tarun and Paul have been massive for me in terms of my spin bowling, and [are] two people that I’ve admired and really gone to for advice or technical help or anything,” he says. “I needed to be stronger [after the back injury], so that was a big part of it.”But from a technical aspect, we were just trying to make sure that I was a little bit more aligned at the crease, trying to make sure that my approach to the crease is a little bit more direct, keeping my front arm in play for longer and trying to make sure I put as much as I can on the ball, keep imparting a lot of overspin, especially in white-ball cricket.”Any changes I need to make in order to put more sidespin on the ball or bowl a little bit faster – I think I’m very lucky to have those two in my corner to be able to be able to WhatsApp them at any point in the day. I know that when I wake up the next morning or come back from lunch, there will definitely be a message with a lot of knowledge and wisdom, which I’m very excited to read always.”During his “fact-finding mission” at the CSK academy, Adithya got to understand different soil types and how to bat and bowl on them•Super Kings AcademyAdithya is not part of New Zealand’s T20I squad for the upcoming tri-nation series against hosts Zimbabwe and South Africa but he is set for more opportunities during the upcoming season. There’s also a T20 World Cup in the horizon, but he isn’t looking too far ahead.”My priority now is to learn from Sri [Sriram Krishnamurthy, current head coach of the Super Kings academy and a former Wellington coach], stay where my feet are at the moment and experience this phase of the calendar in Chennai and Vellore,” he says. “Then there’s an A tour to South Africa and the domestic season with Auckland.”For now, I’m looking to soak up these experiences and invest into what I’m learning here, find new things, try to take some learnings away to South Africa with the A tour, learn more things there, enjoy the culture, and from there we’ll have a look at what the next little phase looks like.”Adithya’s top priority is to add to his three internationals for New Zealand and win games for them, but he also has ambitions of playing for CSK in the IPL in the future.”Ever since I moved to New Zealand, Auckland and New Zealand has been my home and I’d love to play for New Zealand as much as I can and win trophies for them. But I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a part of me that wants to connect with my heritage and local side that aligns with Chennai. That’s something that excites me, but the foremost thing is to represent New Zealand.”Adithya has travelled a long and winding road from Vellore to New Zealand and continues to tread his own path to becoming a Black Caps regular.

To those in his native Trinidad, who always regarded Adrian Barath’s advance into the West Indies Test team as a matter of when, rather than if, the opener’s delightful debut hundred would not have been surprising

Tony Cozier29-Nov-2009To those in his native Trinidad — Brian Lara most prominent among them — who always regarded Adrian Barath’s advance into the West Indies Test team as a matter of when, rather than if, the opener’s delightful debut hundred in Brisbane on Saturday would not have been surprising.Bryan Davis, the one-time Trinidad and Tobago and West Indies opener, and currently the cricket manager at the famous Queen’s Park Cricket Club in Port of Spain, tells the story of this tiny boy brought to the indoor nets by his father and friends who proceeded to pepper him to such an extent that he feared for his safety.Barath senior assured him that his son, even smaller than he is now at 19, could handle himself. It didn’t take long for Davis to agree. That 11-year-old’s progress since has been measured and true to expectations.At 16, he was into the Trinidad and Tobago first-class team and scoring hundreds in successive matches, against the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands in his first year.Last season, there was 192 against the Leewards and 132 for West Indies A against the touring England party, who had James Anderson, Steve Harmison, Ryan Sidebottom and Graeme Swann in their bowling arsenal.It might have been enough to gain him selection for the home and away Test series that followed but he had to wait for Bangladesh in the Caribbean, and wait some more again when, like the others chosen, he lost he chance of an earlier and less demanding initiation because of the West Indies Players Association’s (WIPA’s) contracts dispute with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).He came to wider international attention during Trinidad and Tobago’s stirring showing in the Champions League Twenty20 in India in October when, in his second match, he thumped four sixes in 63 off 41 balls off the Eagles, the South African team.The next step in the progression was the Test hundred, although it was a bit much to expect it on debut at an age even younger than the 20-year-old George Headley’s second-innings 176 against England at the Kensington Oval in 1930, a Test hundred and, at that, in a land down under where they are scarce for visiting batsmen.Fair enough but what would have strengthened Lara’s comparison with a young Sachin Tendulkar, publicly, boldly and honestly expressed when he took Barath to England to expose him to the culture of the game at Lord’s and other famous cricket venues in 2007, were the circumstances in which his Brisbane feat was fashioned.Even by recent West Indian standards, they could not have been more dire. The team had lived up to all the denigration heaped on it by the Australian media since its arrival.The captain, Chris Gayle, had jetted back to Jamaica to be with his ill mother and no one quite knew when he would be back, if at all. He did return, only to wrongly predict the toss of the coin, giving Australia the advantage of batting first. By then, it was known that Ramnaresh Sarwan, the key No.3 batsman with a double-hundred, three singles and an average of 76.2 in his seven Tests for the year, was enduring back spasms and would not be in the playing XI.By the time the first day was half through, Jerome Taylor, the only fast bowler with genuine Test experience and depended on to spearhead the attack, had done something to his hip that would restrict him to nine overs. It placed more responsibility on the untested rest and, dutifully as they tried, their efforts were blunted by determined Australian batting and typically faulty West Indies catching.When Ricky Ponting thankfully declared the innings at 480 for 8 just before tea on a second day of blazing 30 degrees heat, it left Barath and his teammates to initially aim for a total of 280 to avoid the follow-on.Four wickets in the space of three-quarters of an hour in the second session, Barath’s among them, rendered it mission impossible. Dogged resistance for more than four hours from Travis Dowlin, a 32-year-old journeyman provided with a belated, utterly unexpected chance at the highest level through the withdrawal four months earlier of disgruntled others, and a little flurry from the lower order couldn’t stave off the inevitable.Barath found himself returning to start the second innings in his first Test with the beleaguered Gayle after lunch yesterday, a deficit of 252 to be cleared to make the opposition bat again. A revival seemed to depend on Gayle and the reliable Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a pair of contrasting left-handers with 204 Tests, 14,000 runs and 31 hundreds between them.Instead, Gayle, whose general method is shot-a-ball, offered none at all and was soon lbw for the second time. Chanderpaul, for most of the past two years an immovable object, paddled a catch high off the bat to the fielder alongside the square-leg umpire. The No.10 would be out later to a similar shot but it was excusable for Kemar Roach. For Chanderpaul, it was completely out of character.Dowlin was sandwiched between them so that, by the end of the 17th over, the mismatch predicted by the Australian press was confirmed.At his age, Barath might well have been frozen into inactivity or else become careless and extravagant by the turn of events. Brendan Nash fell into the former category, Dwayne Bravo and Jerome Taylor, who hooked medium-paced long-hops precisely into long-leg’s lap, into the latter.

What would have strengthened Brian Lara’s comparison with a young Sachin Tendulkar, publicly, boldly and honestly expressed when he took Barath to England to expose him to the culture of the game at Lord’s and other famous cricket venues in 2007, were the circumstances in which his Brisbane feat was fashioned.

In contrast, Barath stoutly defended the good balls on a pitch behaving itself in spite of its mosaic of cracks and indulged his offside penchant whenever a boundary presented itself. The balance was clear in the 19 fours he stroked and the 102 balls of his 138 faced that he blocked.The innings was a gem and acknowledged as such by wise observers in the television commentary box, all of whom know the euphoria of a Test hundred, by his teammates in the West Indies, including those who managed to overcome their individual shame to rise in applause, and the 12,000 or so spectators who saw Barath off to a clearly heartfelt ovation.As was mentioned more than once, it was a performance that should be an inspiration to other young cricketers in the Caribbean.In this match, the bowling of Roach, 21, and in his third Test, caught the attention. Denesh Ramdin’s wicketkeeping and aggressive batting moved Ian Healy, a kindred spirit, into a prophecy that the vice-captain, still only 24, will be among the best in the game by the time he is through.Others wait in the wings, not least another Darren Bravo, the 20-year-old left-handed batsman, and the Nevisian Kieron Powell, another left-hander, aged 19. There is, however, a warning light for those responsible for such matters.The last West Indian to score a hundred on his debut Test was Dwayne Smith, against South Africa in Cape Town four years ago and every bit as spectacular as Barath’s. Significantly, he is now a Twenty20 gem for Sussex but no longer in the West Indies team.Given his background and the organisation of the game in Trinidad and Tobago that now produces batsmen as Barbados and Guyana once did, it is unlikely that Barath will suffer the same fate. But the WICB need to ensure that the structures are in place to harness the best of all the budding Baraths. Perhaps it could consult its affiliates in Port of Spain and Couva for guidance.

The pitch was as bare as any in the preceding matches in the tropical Caribbean and just as heartbreaking for the bowlers

Tony Cozier at Chester-le-Street15-May-2009It might be the Test match ground nearer to the north pole than any other, with the corresponding chill in the air, but the opening day of the Test between the teams at the Riverside Ground was the Antigua Recreation Ground, Kensington and Queen’s Park Oval all revisited.The pitch was as bare as any in the preceding matches in the tropical Caribbean and just as heartbreaking for the bowlers. There was no bounce, no pace, no movement and, consequently, no excitement.The batsmen, in this instance Alastair Cook and the eager Ravi Bopara, gathered their runs with no fuss, just as Andrew Strauss had done with his three consecutive first innings hundreds in Antigua, Barbados and Trinidad.Ironically, while Strauss went cheaply this time, Cook and Bopara advanced past their hundreds, Bopara joining the elite company of Herbert Sutcliffe, Denis Compton, Geoffrey Boycott and Graham Gooch as the fifth English player with three in a row.The slowness of the surface curbed their more adventurous strokes, except for one over when Bopara lofted Sulieman Benn for four, six and four to move to within two of his landmark. He then apparently recalled Kevin Pietersen’s extravagance in the Sabina Test back in February when he hit four, four, six, also off Benn, and went for the glory of a six next ball to raise his hundred, only to lob a catch to the keeper. Bopara bided his time and got there with a single a few balls later.Even England’s first day scores were almost identical to those in the Caribbean – 301 for 3 at both the ARG and Kensington; 258 for 2 at Queen’s Park; 302 for 2 here.To their credit, the West Indies bowlers were undeterred by this continuing unfairness and plugged away all day, supported by enthusiastic fielding. One chance was missed, a difficult leg-side deflection off Lionel Baker when Bopara was on 51. A few edges were found and passed but there was nothing for the bowlers.More like this and, just as Chris Gayle
has warned, they will all be trooping off to the IPL and other Twenty20 events where four overs is the extent of their allotment. The main point of Gayle’s controversial and widely discussed comments before the match was that, as far as he was concerned, there is now so much cricket that he soon has to make a choice as to what to give up.As one tournament has followed another -Test, ODIs, Stanford, IPL – he, and a few others in the West Indies team, haven’t had a reasonable break for two years now.Gayle himself has been increasingly sidelined by injuries. Not unexpectedly, he said his choice would be for the shortest form of the game which just happens to be the most lucrative.
That inevitably is a threat to what the administrators refer to as the “primacy of Test cricket”, but pitches that contribute to give such bland, uneven contests such as this and those recently in the Caribbean and elsewhere, do so equally.A 101 reasons were put forward for the few thousand spectators sprinkled around stands yesterday – the early scheduling, the cold, the sporting public’s interest in the climax of the football season (in this neck of the woods, especially Newcastle United’s fight to remain in the Premiership), the recession and so on.More days like this, without any drama or tension, and with batsmen indulging themselves, will ensure that crowds, and television viewers, diminish even further.

Liverpool’s interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has been confirmed by Fabrizio Romano and the whole gang of transfer reporters. While there is a long way to go, the chances of adding the Sweden star to Arne Slot’s ranks has become a more realistic thought.

With Newcastle pushing to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike, another top target at Anfield, we’re likely set for an interesting saga that could see the stars head in a number of different directions, if they move at all.

Whether Liverpool sign Ekitike or Isak this summer (if either of them, of course), remains to be seen at this stage, but there’s little question that Slot’s system would improve with such a frontman bagged to replace Darwin Nunez, who has been heavily linked with a move away, Napoli and Al Hilal both keen.

However, with Florian Wirtz already signed for a British-record £116m fee, a sale to go along with that of Nunez could help offset any financial imbalances.

And Luis Diaz fits the bill in that regard, with suitors hungry to secure the winger’s signature.

Why Liverpool could sell Luis Diaz

Liverpool owe much to Diaz’s performances over the past year, the versatile forward posting 17 goals and eight assists across all competitions, sometimes filling in at number nine as Nunez toiled.

Liverpool’s stance is that they will not be selling their Colombian forward, but then this is the same with Newcastle’s stance toward Isak’s future. Food for thought.

After seeing an opening bid reject, Bayern Munich, Sky Germany report, are planning to return with an improved offer for Diaz, who wants to leave Anfield, and if this falls into a ballpark Liverpool consider acceptable, things may well start to gather apace.

Diaz is a valued member of Liverpool’s squad, crucial in the Premier League triumph. However, aged 28 and with two years left on his deal, cashing in for the right place wouldn’t be the most egregious course of action for Hughes to take.

Indeed, given FSG’s position that they will only sell on their financial terms, the means to redirect the transfer cannon toward another marquee move for Slot might come to fruition.

Liverpool showing strong interest in superstar replacement

As per reports from Spain, Liverpool are showing ‘strong’ interest in Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, who might leave the Santiago Bernabeu this summer after falling down the pecking order in Xabi Alonso’s fledgling system.

Arsenal are also keen on the Brazil international and are probably considered favourites at this stage, having been reported to be leading the race earlier this month.

Valued at £78m, the 24-year-old Rodrygo’s signature would be a hard one to attain, but if Liverpool sell Diaz, they might just find the stars align for a staggering signing.

What Rodrygo would bring to Liverpool

Rodrygo might be coming off the back of a campaign that has left plenty to be desired, but he’s also one of the most talented wide forwards in the business, with his former teammate Luka Modric even calling him a “world-class superstar”.

However, Rodrygo longs for a role on the left, something that is proving impossible with Real Madrid, for Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both have priority in that regard.

With Los Blancos open to the player’s sale this summer, the chances of his switch to the Premier League grow stronger and stronger, and Liverpool must ensure it is they who win the race, should Diaz go.

Indeed, the £207k-per-week talent actually scored six goals and laid on six assists when playing on the left flank last season, even though he only made 12 of his 54 appearances from the position.

This makes the interesting comment that Rodrygo, four years Diaz’s junior, could actually prove to be an upgrade on a man who played so vital a part in Liverpool’s celebrations this year.

League Stats 24/25 – Rodrygo vs Luis Diaz
Stats (* per game)	Rodrygo	Diaz
Matches (starts)	30 (22)	36 (28)
Goals	6	13
Assists	5	5
Shots (on target)*	1.8 (0.7)	2.0 (0.8)
Big chances missed	1	11
Pass completion	91%	86%
Big chances created	5	8
Key passes*	1.6	1.6
Dribbles*	1.6	1.5
Tackles + interceptions*	1.1	1.3
Duels won*	3.8	3.8
Stats via Sofascore

The data above gives you an illustration of the calibre of forward that Rodrygo. Indeed, in spite of spending the lion’s share of the 2024/25 La Liga season out of position, he’s still managed to maintain a level to be admired.

Just imagine how high he could rise under Slot’s wing on the left flank of a super-charged Liverpool frontline.

Furthermore, Liverpool need not fret over losing some of their big-game firepower. Rodrygo is one for the grand stage, with his record in the Champions League quite the thing.

Diaz is defined by more than his winged feet and electric movements. The Colombia international is clever, intuitive, crisp. His passing, in particular, aligns with the measured take Slot has on build-up play, knowing when to be creative and when to promote steady progression.

All good stuff, but Real’s wantaway forward does it better. As per FBref, the Brazilian ranked among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues last season for pass completion and the top 12% for passes attempted per 90.

With Rodrygo playing a role of greater importance, entrusted by Slot to grow into the ‘superstar’ he has already been touted as, there’s every chance that Diaz’s prospective departure this summer could come to be a positive thing.

He’s been a wonderful part of Liverpool’s latest chapter, but Diaz could fetch a pretty penny this summer, and if that is redirected toward Rodrygo, who’s to say that the Premier League champions would be worse off?

Wirtz's dream CF: Hughes in talks to sign £63m "monster" for Liverpool

Isak and Ekitike aren’t the only high-level strikers Liverpool have their eye on.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jul 15, 2025

Glasgow Rangers could soon get the chance to bring a Champions League striker to Ibrox, with the forward in question open to the idea of a potential Gers move.

Rangers forwards Dessers and Igamane linked with Ibrox exits

Russell Martin is the man tasked by the 49ers Enterprises with bringing Scottish Premiership glory back to Ibrox, and the Gers are also looking to qualify for the Champions League, starting with next months qualifier against Greek side Panathinaikos.

However, Martin could be without some star attackers for the two-legged European clash at the end of July, with Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane both mooted to leave Glasgow this summer.

Rangers identify £6.5m forward who plays like Immobile to replace Igamane

Rangers’ recruitment team have identified a new striker to replace Hamza Igamane.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 27, 2025

Dessers could end up moving to Greece with AEK Athens after agreeing a £30,000-a-week contract, however, the two clubs are yet to shake hands on a fee with the Gers rejecting a £4.5m offer.

Meanwhile, Igamane has agreed personal terms with Ligue 1 side Lille over a Rangers exit, and like Dessers, there is still work to be done over reaching an agreement on a fee.

Should both depart, then reinforcements will be required in the final third ahead of the 2025/26 season, and by the looks of things, one man is keen on the idea of joining Lyall Cameron and Max Aarons through the Ibrox door.

Luuk de Jong “open” to Rangers move

According to reports from the Netherlands, relayed by The Daily Record, experienced striker Luuk de Jong would be “open” to a move to Rangers this summer.

The 34-year-old is on course to become a free agent when his PSV Eindhoven contract expires at the end of the month, and there is hesitation over new terms, with Ricardo Pepi set to be first-choice striker next season.

After three years with PSV, De Jong captained the Dutch side throughout the 24/25 season, including in the Champions League.

A Netherlands international, De Jong’s future is up in the air and Rangers are ‘touted as an interested party’, something he could be open to as he reaches the twilight years of his career.

PSV Eindhoven

338

186

FC Twente

121

59

Sevilla

94

19

Borussia Monchengladbach

45

8

Barcelona

29

7

The Doetinchem District Council

19

3

Newcastle United

12

0

Netherlands

39

8

As can be seen, De Jong, who stands at 6 foot 2, has scored goals in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany during his career, so he could be a shrewd addition who would provide plenty of experience for Martin.

Former Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman even labelled De Jong as “more dangerous than Neymar” for his threat in the air, and during his career, the striker has scored 113 headed goals.

“When there’s a cross coming in, Luuk is more dangerous than Neymar. He’s a different kind of forward to what we have, and I think all teams should have one like him.”

In a football landscape that is ever-changing, the sport is moving further away from its traditional roots. But while the construction of futuristic stadiums continues, there are still footballing colosseums of the past up and down England that have survived the torrents of time to remind matchday goers of where it all started.

Liverpool's historic home, Anfield, is one such example, and Football FanCast covers everything you need to know about the 139-year-old stadium. From its glorious history to its modern redevelopments and information on getting there, no stone is left unturned.

Anfield history

Having been built in 1884, Anfield was originally the home of Everton. In 1892, negotiations to purchase the land at Anfield from John Orrell escalated into a dispute between John Houlding and the Everton F.C. committee over how the club was run.

Events culminated in Everton's move across Stanley Park to their current home of Goodison Park. Houlding was left with an empty stadium, and decided to form a new club to occupy it. The new team was called Liverpool F.C. and Athletic Grounds Ltd, and the club's first match at Anfield was a friendly played in front of 200 people on 1st September 1892 against Rotherham Town. Liverpool won 7–1.

Anfield underwent several developments in the late 19th and early 20th century, which included the construction of a new main stand designed by Archibald Leitch in 1895, and a decade later, the construction of the famous Spion Kop. The ground remained more or less the same for the next two decades until the Kop was expanded in 1928. Once completed, it could hold about 30,000 fans, becoming the biggest of its kind, while a roof was revolutionary in its heyday.

In 1982, the famous Shankly Gates were erected, while a start was made to convert the stadium into an all-seater after the Hillsborough disaster. The next significant changes to the stadium were made in the 1990s, first with the rebuilding of the two-tiered Centenary Stand, then with the conversion of the Kop into an all-seater stand. Finally, 1998 saw the construction of a second tier on the Anfield Road Stand.

In the late 2000s, Liverpool contemplated moving away from Anfield to a larger and more modern stadium, and even obtained planning permission for a new 60,000-seater at nearby Stanley Park. However, insufficient funding delayed the plans, which were finally discarded in 2012 by the new owners of the club.

Instead, the ownership opted to redevelop and expand Anfield. It was a decision favoured by Liverpudlians since the illustrious four walls held the secrets to immeasurable success. Reds' fans have a special place in their heart for the stadium, and any relocation plans would have been vehemently protested.

From the murals on nearby houses, and the Shankly and Paisley gates that memorialise the club's two greatest fathers, to the famous Spion Kop and Anfield Road ends, there would be too much to leave behind for the club to relocate.

Anfield is a spiritual home for Kopites, and it inhabits a trophy cabinet holding 19 league titles, 6 European Cups, 8 FA Cups, 3 UEFA Cups, 4 UEFA Super Cups, 9 League Cups, and 1 Club World Cup.

Anfield capacity

With a current capacity of 54,074, Anfield's size fails to reflect the club's stature in world football. A much older build with limited room for expansion (because of its residential location) until recently, Liverpool's stadium is traditional. For many older fans who value sentimentality over the ultramodern, oval-shaped stadiums, Anfield keeps English football's roots unsullied.

Each stand's close proximity to the pitch is what makes the stadium unique, as the Kop's sound travels and struggles to leave the four walls. But when compared to other stadiums in the country, it only ranks as the seventh-largest, despite the club's history as one of Europe's most successful powerhouses.

But apart from Manchester United's Old Trafford, which was built in 1910, the other five stadiums above Anfield in seated capacity were built within the last 20 years, becoming modern testaments to how far football has developed across a century.

Wembley Stadium

90,000

2007

Old Trafford

74,031

1910

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

62,850

2019

London Stadium

62,500

2012

Emirates Stadium

60,704

2006

Etihad Stadium

55,097

2003

Anfield

54,074

1884

Main Stand & Anfield Road renovations

Once upon a time, walking up to Anfield alongside or through Stanley Park, matchday goers sometimes struggled to see the stadium behind the tree line. And when you did get a glimpse of the concrete cladding of the exterior of the stands, it didn’t look particularly impressive.

But this has now dramatically changed with the construction of two additional tiers above the Main Stand. These extra tiers have made this stand simply huge, having increased the capacity of it from 12,000 to 20,500, and increased the overall capacity of Anfield to over 54,000.

The next project looks to add further seating in the Anfield Road end, which is shared between home and away fans. With construction ongoing and expected to finish in 2024, the third phase of Anfield's long overdue redevelopment will see the Kop-facing stand increase in capacity by 7,000 seats, leapfrogging both the Emirates and Etihad Stadium to become the fifth-largest stadium in the country and fourth in the Premier League with an overall capacity of 61,000.

Anfield's renowned atmosphere

For as long as time, Anfield has been renowned for its atmosphere, particularly on European nights in the Champions League.

Gianluigi Buffon, Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Cristiano Ronaldo are among just some of the opposition managers and players to have flagged it as one of the hardest places to win because of its hostile and belittling atmosphere.

Rival supporters suggest it's a myth. However, the proof is in the pudding. The reaction of non-English fans when 'You'll Never Walk Alone' bellows through the stadium tells the story of even some of the continent's loudest fanbases being taken aback, while their 68-game unbeaten streak at home in the Premier League between 2017 and 2021 under Jurgen Klopp proves just how difficult a trip to Merseyside is.

Although that record no longer stands, Liverpool remain a force to be reckoned with when they play beneath the historic canopy of the Spion Kop.

For those in doubt over whether Anfield exercises a great matchday atmosphere, a quick watch of any of their famous Champions League comebacks will help to remedy any lingering uncertainty. It is not to pity other stadiums in the country, as English fans have proven they are some of the most passionate around. However, Anfield sets the benchmark.

How to get to Anfield By train

Liverpool Lime Street Railway Station is Liverpool's mainline station for regional and national journeys. It is two miles from Anfield and taxis are also available at the station. The average journey time of trains travelling between London and Liverpool is 2 hours and 35 minutes.

For those making the journey from the city's area, Merseyrail operates regular services across 67 stations throughout Merseyside. Passengers can get regular services into Liverpool from Ellesmere Port, Chester, West Kirby and New Brighton on the Wirral Line, and Southport, Ormskirk, Kirkby and Hunts Cross on the Northern Line. You can also take advantage of park and ride; a number of Merseyrail stations have car parks, which can be found here.

Another way to travel between the city centre and Anfield is via bus. On matchdays, there is an express service, and more details can be found here.

By car

Anfield is accessible from all major routes; the postcode is L4 0TH. However, it is warned that the stadium parking is limited, and since it is located in a built-up residential area, enforcement will be monitoring anyone parking in areas they shouldn't.

It is best to park in the city centre and use public transport to get directly to Anfield instead of trying to drive all the way.

How to get away tickets to Anfield

Just under 3,000 away fans can be housed in the Anfield Road stand at one end of the ground, although this allocation can be increased for domestic cup games.

Until the renovation is complete, views at the back of the stand can be restricted, with the upper tier overhanging the bottom, while standing supporters in front can create a field of vision more comparable to a letterbox.

Unlike a lot of clubs, Liverpool tickets are priced consistently across their Premier League campaign – as opposed to varying prices based on different category games like many sides do nowadays. Of course, some tickets are still cheaper than others, but that’s purely down to where you sit within the stadium. Premier League ticket prices are detailed below in the form of minimum and maximum prices:

£9 to £59

£9 to £44

£9 to £29.50

£9

The best way to get tickets for an away game is by keeping up to date with sales windows on your respective club's website.