All posts by h716a5.icu

Yorkshire fall narrowly short in chase of 215 on high-scoring night at Headingley

ECB Reporters Network05-Jul-2024Sam Hain’s stunning 98 off 48 balls set Birmingham Bears on their way to a fifth straight win in the Vitality Blast as they beat Yorkshire in a high-scoring thriller by four runs to take a significant step towards the quarter-finals.Hain crashed eight sixes in an innings more power than poise on an excellent Headingley surface as the Bears amassed 214 for 7.The North Group leaders then wrapped up a seventh win in nine matches, but not without drama. Dawid Malan opened with an excellent 54 and Donovan Ferreira blasted 66 off 32 balls with seven sixes. But George Garton brilliantly defended 11 off the last over and six off the last ball, the Vikings finishing on 210 for 5.Yorkshire lost their fifth match in nine and will see this as a missed opportunity given they needed 18 off the last two overs.Meanwhile, Hain’s fourth fifty of the ongoing campaign took him to the top of the Blast runs chart on 395.Bears captain and opener Alex Davies, who elected to bat, also contributed a brisk 43, though he later left the field with a finger injury sustained whilst keeping wicket.Hain was more powerful than he is known for and hit the majority of his sixes to the leg-side, though not exclusively to the short side over towards the Western Terrace. He left Yorkshire faced with what would have been a club record chase in this format.Vikings, who now have significant work to do for a top-four finish, made the perfect start as left-arm spinner Dan Moriarty bowled Ed Barnard with the fixture’s first ball.Birmingham’s innings kicked into life in the fourth over as Davies took the lion’s share of 24 off Matthew Revis. And after Davies was trapped lbw by a Jordan Thompson yorker – 79 for 3 in the eighth over – Hain, having come in at No. 4, took on the lead role in stunning fashion.Hain hit three leg-side sixes off seam in reaching his fifty off 34 balls on a true pitch with a fast outfield. By that stage, Bears were 141 for 4 in the 15th over.Hain looked nailed on for a second career T20 century as he went into the final over on 98. But he didn’t face another ball.In fact, he watched New Zealander Zak Foulkes whip his first ball as a Bear for six off Conor McKerr over fine leg and over the imposing Howard Stand into the neighbouring rugby ground.Seam bowling allrounder Foulkes continued his excellent start to his short-term overseas spell with the Bears when he had Adam Lyth caught behind with his third ball – 18 for 1 in the second. Davies took the catch but immediately left the field having taken a blow moments before.But, despite the wicket, Yorkshire started nicely thanks to classy Malan and inventive James Wharton. They shared 62 in six overs for the second wicket, the latter reverse sweeping a six off Dan Mousley’s spin in a rapid 29.Like Birmingham had been, Yorkshire were 98 for 3 after 10 overs, with left-arm spinner Danny Briggs having removed Wharton caught at deep midwicket and George Hill bowled.With those dismissals, Vikings’ task was getting tougher. Not that Malan agreed. He lofted Briggs over long-on for six and reached his second fifty of 2024 off 38 balls.He found a partner in ferocious South African Ferreira, and they shared 57 inside six overs for the third wicket before Malan slapped a Briggs full toss to deep midwicket – 155 for 4 in the 16th.But Yorkshire had plenty of batting left, not least Ferreira, who hit four sixes in a five-ball period off Jake Lintott’s spin and Foulkes’ seam. He reached his maiden county fifty off 26 balls.Yorkshire needed 18 off the last two overs, but Ferreira was caught at long-off against Mousley at the start of the penultimate – ultimately the key moment, leaving Vikings 197 for 5. Left-arm quick Garton then expertly closed things out, with Shan Masood failing to hit the final ball for six.

Libby ton in vain as Smith’s 130* sees Worcestershire fall by four wickets

ECB Reporters Network16-Aug-2024Warwickshire will visit Glamorgan in the Metro Bank One Day semi-finals on Sunday after a dazzling maiden List A century from Kai Smith powered them to four-wicket victory over Worcestershire at Edgbaston.Warwickshire were in deep trouble when, chasing 286, they hit 77 for 5, but Smith, whose previous List A best was 44, smashed an unbeaten 130 from 104 balls. A sixth-wicket stand of 181 in 163 balls between Smith and Will Rhodes (75) saw the Bears to 288 for 6 with six balls to spare.It was devastating turnaround for injury-ravaged Worcestershire who had totalled 286 for 9 thanks to a stylish century from Jake Libby. Already the national leading run-scorer in this year’s Metro Bank One Day Cup, the captain struck 112 from 115 balls to build on a platform set by Ed Pollock’s 54.Early wickets then put Worcestershire in command but 19-year-old Smith played with freedom, fluency and not a trace of nerves to book his side a semi-final in south Wales.Put in on a used pitch, Worcestershire openers Pollock and Gareth Roderick added 38 in ten overs before two wickets fell in five balls. Roderick was lbw to Rae and Rob Jones edged his second ball behind to reward Ed Barnard for an excellent opening spell.Pollock advanced to a 54-ball half-century against his former team-mates but added only four more before slicing a drive at Jake Lintott to point. Adam Hose, freed from Hundred duty, soon spliced Michael Booth to extra cover but Libby reached his sixth half-century of this year’s tournament (from 67 balls) and celebrated with six over mid-wicket off Barnard.Jake Libby hits through the off side•Getty ImagesThe captain received important support from Ethan Brookes and Tom Taylor in stands of 61 in ten overs and 28 in 18 as the pitch flattened out in the sunshine. Fateh Singh and Tom Hinley also cleared the ropes to lift Worcestershire to a strong total.They also started strongly with the ball, taking two wickets in the first five overs as Theo Wylie skied Harry Darley to mid off and Zen Malik off-stump was trimmed by an inswinger from Taylor.Barnard and Rhodes took the score to 50 before two big wickets fell in the 14th over. Barnard flicked Jack Home straight to midwicket. Three balls later, Michael Burgess was run out by a direct hit from Brookes.When Benjamin edged a cut at Brookes, Warwickshire were 77 for 5 but Rhodes and Smith were unfazed. While the former captain anchored the fightback, Smith raced to a maiden List A half-century and then onward to a scintillating ton off 89.The sixth-wicket pair had put their side in control by the time Rhodes was brilliantly caught by a sprawling Brookes from a skier. That left the Bears needing 29 from four overs and Smith and Lintott closed the game out nervelessly, Smith striking Taylor for six and four from successive balls to seal victory.

Chelsea are the champions of the world.

On Sunday, in an outcome simply no one saw coming, the Blues demolished Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 in the Club World Cup Final.

The game was all over by half-time, with Cole Palmer scoring two near-identical goals just eight minutes apart at MetLife Stadium, before João Pedro rubber-stamped the victory with an impudent dink over Gianluigi Donnarumma on the cusp of the interval.

So, a statement success stateside this summer for Enzo Maresca’s side but, in less than five weeks’ time, the Blues will begin their Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge, and you can bet your bottom dollar they’ll be busy in the transfer market between now and then.

Chelsea's search for a centre-forward

Already this summer, Chelsea have spent big on not one but two strikers.

Transfer Focus

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

First, Liam Delap arrived from Ipswich for a reported fee of £30m, with the Englishman scoring his first goal for the club against Espérance Sportive de Tunis during the group stages of the tournament.

However, by the end, he had been usurped in the pecking order by João Pedro, arriving from Brighton for £60m, on target twice against his former club Fluminense in the Club World Cup semi-finals, not a bad way to mark your full-debut, before netting in the final too.

Now though, according to a report by TBR Football, Chelsea are ‘in contact’ with the representatives of Benjamin Šeško, who is looking to move to the Premier League this summer, while Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester United are all mentioned as being interested too.

How Benjamin Šeško would improve Chelsea

Earlier this summer, the Slovenian’s most likely destination appeared to be Arsenal, but the Gunners are now ‘in the process of completing a deal’ to sign Viktor Gyökeres instead, as reported by David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana of The Athletic.

So, could Šeško, who is valued at around £78m, still end up in London, only now wearing blue and donning a Champions of the World patch on his chest?

Well, still only 22 years old, Šeško’s performances for Leipzig have certainly caught the eye.

Writer Andreas Andersen labels him “clinical”, praising his “incredible athleticism” and asserting he possesses “everything to become world-class”.

Meantime, Brandon Liss of Total Football Analysis believes that he is an ‘exciting young talent’ who boasts exceptional ‘pace and physicality’, while he’s also been labelled as “the new Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Now though, the question remains. Is he a bigger talent than Pedro? Let’s find out.

Appearances

31

27

Minutes

1,528

1,953

Goals

14

10

Assists

2

6

Shots

1.9

1.6

Shots on target %

62%

60.61%

Non-penalty goals

0.5

0.3

Chances created

0.7

1.3

Take-on success %

54.93%

38.16%

Touches

38.1

48.8

As the table outlines, Šeško is much more of a clinical finisher and a natural goal-scorer than Pedro, scoring more goals and mustering more shots, a higher proportion of which find the target.

In total, Šeško scored 21 times across all competitions last season, including four in the Champions League, while the most Pedro has ever enjoyed in a single campaign is 20, reaching that tally for Brighton in 2023/24.

So, despite having already signed Delap and Pedro, while Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu remain on their books, you wouldn’t put it past Chelsea to splurge their Club World Cup winners on Šeško, would you?

As good as Palmer: Chelsea may have found their new Drogba at the CWC

Chelsea were brilliant as they thrashed PSG to win the Club World Cup.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 14, 2025

The tournament will run from December 26 to February 2 and comprise 64 games – 32 men’s and women’s double-headers

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Sep-2024Defending champions Auckland Aces will face 2021-22 and 2022-23 winners Northern Districts in the opening fixture of the men’s Super Smash 2024-25 which begins on Boxing Day at Seddon Park in Hamilton. Earlier in the day, Northern Brave will take on Auckland Hearts at the same venue to kickstart the women’s Super Smash.The defending women’s champions Wellington Blaze will begin their hunt for a ninth Super Smash title when they face Northern Brave on New Year’s Day in Hamilton.Last year’s men’s finalists Canterbury Kings will begin their campaign on the second day of the competition in Alexandra against Otago Volts while last season’s women’s finalists Central Hinds will play their opening game against Otago Sparks on December 31.The tournament, which will run from December 26 to February 2 will be played across ten venues in New Zealand and comprise of 64 games – 32 men’s and women’s double-headers.For the first time in the combined history of the competition, the final will be played at a pre-determined venue. The Basin Reserve, in Wellington, will play host to both the men’s and women’s elimination final on February 1 followed by the two finals on Sunday, February 2.”The Super Smash keeps on growing in popularity and it’s really exciting to see it continue to be so accessible to kiwis across the country,” NZC CEO Scott Weenink said. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase our game to fans both new and old, while building the profiles of our domestic teams and our rising stars.”It’s fast becoming New Zealand’s favourite summer domestic competition, and with over 1.3 million kiwis tuning in on TV alone last year, we hope to see it reach new heights this summer.”The tournament will run in tandem with New Zealand men’s white-ball series against Sri Lanka which comprises of T20Is and ODIs and will run from December to January 11. The New Zealand women’s players are expected to be part of the entire tournament.

Leicester City have now held talks over the signing of a £30,000-a-week Leeds United player who could replace Mads Hermansen, according to a recent report.

Leicester could be set to lose goalkeeper as they eye a new midfielder

The Foxes are very much playing catch-up in the transfer market, as the time it took for them to decide to sack Ruud Van Nistelrooy and replace him with Marti Cifuentes means they are yet to make a signing in this transfer window.

Leicester City now want to sign 35-cap England star who may join for free

The Foxes could land an experienced midfield performer…

BySean Markus Clifford Jul 9, 2025

However, that could be about to change, as Leicester are among the teams interested in signing Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on a free transfer. The former Arsenal and Liverpool midfielder has agreed to cancel his contract at Besiktas and is now set for a return to England.

However, the Foxes are not the only team to be interested in a possible deal, as Burnley, Birmingham City, Ipswich Town, Sheffield United, Coventry City and Oxlade-Chamberlain’s former club Southampton are all keeping an eye on his situation.

Meanwhile, as the focus will be on incomings, the Foxes could be preparing for a big exit, as Ben Jacobs has revealed that West Ham are set to approach Leicester over signing goalkeeper Mads Hermansen.

It was reported at the end of June that the Hammers had set their sights on the shot-stopper, and now Jacobs believes a bid could be arriving soon, with Leicester looking to get a fair price, as he is under contract until 2028. His departure will likely mean Leicester will need to find a replacement, and they already have an idea who that could be.

Leicester hold talks over signing Illan Meslier from Leeds United

According to TBR Football, reporter Ben Jacobs has also revealed that Leicester City have held discussions over signing Illan Meslier from Leeds United.

Meslier is in the final year of his contract at Elland Road, and Jacobs believes he could be available for a transfer, given his recent form.

Jacobs told TBR Football: “Leicester at the same time are advancing on Asmir Begovic, who is available on a free transfer; they have discussed Illan Meslier at Leeds, who may be available because he didn’t finish strongly last season, so Leeds could be looking for a number one goalkeeper as well.”

Meslier, who earns a weekly wage of £30,000, cost the Yorkshire side £5 million back in October 2020, and given his contract situation, Leeds may be lucky to make any profit on the goalkeeper.

Apps

92

Goals conceded

69

Clean sheets

47

The Frenchman started every Championship fixture for Leeds up until their game against Luton Town in April, as his form took a dip and Daniel Farke decided to drop him, which meant he didn’t feature in the final seven games of the campaign.

Meslier remains a Leeds player and did feature in their game against Manchester United last weekend, but it remains to be seen if he is Farke’s number one choice heading into the new season.

Paul Collingwood says England have not given up hope of pulling off successful chase

Matt Roller17-Oct-2024Salman Agha pledged that Pakistan will put every effort into securing a first home Test win in “God knows how many years” after England lost two late wickets on the third evening in Multan. England need 261 more runs on a worn, re-used pitch to take a 2-0 series lead, while Pakistan require eight wickets to set up a decider in Rawalpindi.Pakistan ripped up their long-term plans after their innings loss in the first Test, making four changes and packing their side with spin options after opting to re-use the same strip for the second week in a row. Salman admitted that he was anticipating a difficult week after so much upheaval, but said he was impressed by his team-mates’ response.”To be honest, I was thinking, ‘It is going to be hard,'” Salman told Sky Sports. “There was a lot of changes – and big changes. But the way the team has gelled, and the way the new guys have come in and we’ve welcomed them [has been great]. They come in and they are chipping in.Related

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Pakistan savour the sweet, sweet taste of victory … as the sugar-crash can wait

Pakistan's pitch-perfect gamble exposes England's familiar batting flaw

“Look at Sajid [Khan]. He took seven wickets and scored important runs. And then you will see Noman Ali. He came and took wickets, and scored important runs. I think it’s very good for Pakistan cricket, the way they came and gelled in and contributed. That’s amazing.”England, meanwhile, face a tough chase in challenging conditions, and their assistant coach Paul Collingwood said that pulling off a win in pursuit of 297 would be an even greater achievement than their victory last week. “I think it would, under the circumstances and the conditions that we’ve been given,” he said.”The amazing thing is now there’s still hope, and there’s only hope because of the amazing things that these guys have done in the past… You look at that first Test in India [in Hyderabad], I don’t think anybody had given us any hope of going on to win that one, but someone like Ollie Pope goes out and makes a double [196]. They are capable of doing amazing things.”We’ve got to be realistic. It’s effectively the ninth day that wicket’s being played on tomorrow, and as we can see, it’s doing plenty for the spinners. There’s lots of cracks there… [But] we all know if you get on a roll and get a partnership going, anything can happen. It’d be one hell of a chase. It’s something that we’ll obviously relish and try to go for.”Pakistan have not won a home Test match since they beat South Africa in February 2021, with four draws and seven defeats since then, and have lost all six of their Tests in the last 12 months. Salman said that ending those streaks would be “very important” and that Pakistan would give everything on the fourth day.”It’s going to be massive, because we haven’t won a Test match at home for… I don’t know, God knows how many years now,” he said. “It’s going to be a very, very big thing for us. We will make sure we will put all the efforts there and make sure we win this game, because that’s very important for us.”

Everton’s start to their 2024/25 pre-season tour of the United States has already underlined the work David Moyes still has ahead.

A humbling 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth was a reminder of the squad’s fragility after another summer of major outgoings.

The arrivals of Mark Travers, Carlos Alcaraz, and £27m signing Thierno Barry signal a clear intent to refresh the squad, but Moyes has openly warned that patience will be needed – especially with Barry, who remains raw and unproven at Premier League level.

Adam Aznou is expected to become the fourth new face at Goodison Park after Everton reached an agreement with Bayern Munich, but the club remain active in their search for further attacking reinforcements.

Talks continue with Lyon over Malick Fofana, though interest in the Belgian winger is intense.

Meanwhile, alternative targets are being explored with a view to shaping a younger, more dynamic squad that fits Moyes’ evolving vision.

One name stands out, not just for his talent, but for the buzz surrounding his rise to prominence.

And he’s already being likened to a former Everton prodigy who once lit up Goodison Park.

The young starlet catching Everton's eye

Tyler Dibling is the 19-year-old forward drawing comparisons to a young Ross Barkley.

With 33 Premier League appearances for Southampton under his belt last season, scoring twice and assisting once, Dibling is already attracting significant attention.

According to reports, Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich have all monitored his progress, but it’s Everton who are now showing the strongest intent to bring him to Merseyside.

Dibling is under contract with Southampton until 2027, but with Saints braced for a new wave of offers, his future remains uncertain.

Transfer Focus

According to sources close to the club, via Liverpool Echo, Everton’s interest is genuine and growing.

The Toffees see him as an ideal long-term project, especially with multiple senior players, such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Ashley Young, all departing this summer after their contracts expired.

The teenage winger made his England U21 debut this year against Spain, underlining his rapid development.

But this is no overnight success. As a 16-year-old, Dibling famously scored a hat-trick against Newcastle U21s.

It was a moment that drew national attention and confirmed him as one of the country’s brightest attacking prospects.

Adam Asghar, Southampton’s former U21 coach, said: “He’s the most fearless player I’ve ever worked with, He’s totally unique to anything I’ve seen before.”

“He’s got raw physicality, pace and power, and is an unbelievable ball-carrier. He’s always impacting games. In a generation of football where it’s very much about limited touches and moving the ball quickly, Tyler can move it quickly by carrying the ball rather than passing it. That’s what makes him such a special talent.”

From Barkley to Dibling – the art of fearless ball-carrying

For Everton fans, talk of raw power, direct dribbling and unshakable confidence will bring back memories of a young Barkley.

At just 18, Barkley had already made his Premier League debut and was establishing himself as a central figure at Goodison Park.

By 19, he had become a regular in the England U21 side, and by 21 he had earned a senior call-up, and featured in the 2014 World Cup squad.

There was a sense of destiny about Barkley’s rise, fuelled by ability to glide past opponents, and knack for spectacular goals.

Dibling, like Barkley, is explosively built and thrives when carrying the ball through midfield and into the final third.

According to last season’s stats, he ranked in the 87th percentile for take-ons attempted (5.28 per 90 minutes), and in the 81st percentile for successful take-ons (2.16).

He’s a player who beats his marker, and forces defenders onto the back foot, exactly the kind of spark Everton have missed in recent years.

Despite his youth, Dibling’s defensive contributions also impress.

The same data reveals he sits in the 88th percentile for tackles in the midfield third (0.86 per 90), and remarkably in the 98th percentile for the percentage of dribblers tackled (61.5%).

These numbers reflect both his work ethic and his intelligence out of possession – qualities Barkley also demonstrated in his early Everton days before adopting a more attacking role.

What further sets Dibling apart is his ability to draw fouls.

He ranked in the 92nd percentile for fouls won (2.49 per 90), and 98th for penalties won (0.10) – figures that suggest a player constantly testing defenders and breaking defensive lines with his movement and balance.

While comparisons with Barkley are flattering, Dibling is carving out a unique identity. His game is grounded in progression through movement, pressing from the front, and efficient chance creation.

He’s also statistically aligned with players like Omari Hutchinson (Ipswich), Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Stephy Mavididi (Leicester), all wide forwards with an eye for space, unpredictability, and technical strength in one-on-one situations.

In a squad currently lacking consistent creative output, and with much of the burden previously falling on Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil, Dibling’s arrival would provide Moyes with a powerful new outlet.

The fact that he is English, grounded in Premier League football, and still years from his peak only strengthens his appeal.

Everton have made bold calls in the transfer market this summer. But if they can bring Dibling – valued at around £55m – to Goodison, it might just be the most exciting of them all.

Moyes' new Declan Rice: £42m star is pushing to sign for Everton

Everton are closing in on signing a new midfielder

1 ByRoss Kilvington Jul 29, 2025

Former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker Michael Owen has taken aim at a social media post comparing him with Wayne Rooney, insisting he was a better player at the age of 17.

Owen fumes over Rooney comparisonEx-Liverpool star runs through the statsBBC asked who was better at 17Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Owen and Rooney had similar beginnings en route to becoming Premier League legends, having both burst onto the scene as teenagers for Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton respectively. Owen made his league debut for Liverpool aged just 17, scoring in a narrow 2-1 defeat against Wimbledon in May 1997, whereas Rooney made his bow as a 16-year-old for Everton in August 2002. He would then go on to score his maiden league goal two months later in a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, then aged 17.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

And such is the similarity between Owen and Rooney that BBC's Match of the Day took to X to ask football supporters who was better at the age of 17. However, as fans quickly fired up social media to cast their vote, Owen himself was among the replies as the ex-Manchester United forward issued a strong tirade in defence of his record as a teenager.

WHAT OWEN SAID

Commenting on the BBC's post, Owen wrote: "At 17 I scored 18 PL goals (winning the Golden Boot), Wazza scored 6. At 18 I again scored 18 goals (again winning the Golden Boot and coming 4th in The Ballon d’Or), Wazza scored 9. In our opening 7 seasons, Wazza didn’t outscore me once (117 goals v 80). In which time I became the 2nd youngest Ballon d’Or winner ever. Injuries hindered me from then on while he sustained his level. Therefore, he’ll go down as a better player than me. But, at 17, please…"

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DID YOU KNOW?

The similarities between Owen and Rooney do not stop at club level, with both forwards having scored as a teenagers for England as well. After netting at the age of 17 years and 317 days old in a 2-1 win over Macedonia in September 2003, Rooney became England's then-youngest goalscorer – surpassing Owen's record after he netted against Romania aged 18 years and 190 days old in June 1998.

Nottingham Forest are set to hold talks with the agents of an “amazing” player this week, in order to try and hash out a deal, according to a report.

Forest looking to achieve "big things" next season

Forest continued their preparations for the new Premier League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Fiorentina on Tuesday evening, and Nikola Milenkovic was happy with the team’s performance.

Milenkovic said: “We played against a very good team, from Serie A, and drew so we can continue to bring our condition and be ready for the first game.”

The defender also added that new signings Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus have the ability to help the Tricky Trees have a successful 2025-26 campaign, saying: “They need also to adapt, it’s a change in the type of game from where they came,”

“I think they’re two very big players who can give us a big hand this season and help us to achieve big things.”

Nuno has strengthened his attack, following the departure of Anthony Elanga, while Jair Cunha has been brought in to bolster the backline, but the manager is yet to make any new additions to his midfield.

However, earlier this week, it was revealed that Nottingham Forest are leading the race for Juventus’ Douglas Luiz, with Edu driving the deal, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the midfielder.

According to a report from Italy (via The Daily Mail), Forest are set to hold talks with Luiz’s agents this week, in order to try and hash out a deal.

Nottingham Forest now on verge of signing £10m defender after making offer

The Tricky Trees are close to sealing an agreement for a full-back, a report has revealed.

ByDominic Lund Aug 5, 2025

Nuno’s side have the ‘priority’ in the race for the central midfielder’s signature, despite interest from rival Premier League clubs and a Saudi Pro League side.

The plan is to sign the Juventus maestro on an initial loan deal, which would include an obligation to buy for a fee of around £26m, although previous reports suggest the Italian club are keen to hold out for £35m.

Luiz could be "amazing" signing for Forest

Forest will once again be looking to challenge for a European spot next season, meaning it will be important for Nuno to bring in players with experience of doing exactly that, and the Brazilian was a real difference-maker for Aston Villa in the 2023-24 season.

Roy Keane lauded the former Aston Villa man as “amazing” during that campaign, with the Rio de Janeiro-born maestro collecting 14 goal contributions in the Premier League, while he is also a very impressive dribbler of the ball.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Successful take-ons

1.40 (95th percentile)

Progressive carries

2.15 (86th percentile)

Passes attempted

71.27 (91st percentile)

Shot-creating actions

3.98 (93rd percentile)

Luiz has failed to establish himself as a regular starter for Juventus since moving to Italy, making just 19 Serie A appearances last season, but his previous exploits in England suggest he could be a fantastic signing for Forest.

Former captain predicts a tightly fought series as two teams in transition go head to head

Andrew Miller30-Oct-2024Jason Holder, West Indies’ former captain, says that England’s third white-ball tour of the Caribbean in as many years is a “massive boost to their survival as an international team”, and goes a long way towards repaying the ECB’s debt to his team after they helped to save the finances of English cricket during the Covid summer of 2020.Holder, 32, led the West Indies squad that played three Tests behind closed doors in Manchester and Southampton at the height of the Covid outbreak in July 2020, enduring weeks of lockdown in bio-secure surroundings to help “keep the lights on”, in the words of the former ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison.It was a tour that helped to mitigate the ECB’s losses during the pandemic, which could have been upwards of £380 million had their entire summer schedule been cancelled. Each of those three Tests was worth approximately £20 million as they helped to fulfil the board’s £1.1 billion rights deal with Sky Sports.Speaking at the end of that tour, Holder had warned that the ECB would be obliged to reciprocate the favour to help out cricket’s “smaller countries” who lacked the financial clout to stage matches during a global lockdown. Now, four years on, he believes that England have been fulfilling their side of the bargain.Related

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'Unknown' Jafer Chohan grateful to SACA after England's leap of faith

“I think it’s a fair way of putting it,” Holder told ESPNcricinfo, ahead of an eight-match tour that will be shown on TNT Sports in the UK. “We’ve obviously had the English coming over for the last three years consecutively. And that has definitely boosted, not only our economy within the Caribbean, but it adds a massive boost to our survival in international cricket.”We rely heavily on series between England and India, our revenues tend to come from those two teams. It’s our biggest series within any calendar year, and, yeah, it’s one that really brings the fans down to the Caribbean and creates a really fun atmosphere.”So, it’s great to have them and to see the fans packing the stadiums as well. There’s always a good banter between the West Indian public and English public. So we’re thankful that we’ve been able to have them so many times in as many years. And long may it continue.”Despite the financial disparities between the two boards, the Caribbean has been a particularly tough destination for England teams in recent years. The Test team, famously, hasn’t won a series in the region since 2004, while the white-ball squads have lost each of their last three series: 3-2 in the T20Is in both 2022 and 2023, and 2-1 in their last ODI campaign in December last year.Jason Holder has been recuperating in the UK after injury and will be a studio pundit for England’s tour of the West Indies•Getty Images”I’m looking forward to the contest,” Holder said. “Both teams are in a transitionary phase, so it’s going to be keenly contested. England have obviously got a point to prove, and they’ll be trying a few different combinations to see what works. And likewise, with West Indies, we’ve got a lot of youngsters within our cohort, and it is important for them to just gain experience, gain confidence and gain knowledge. I think these series will go a long way to developing our base at a rapid rate.”The youngest player of the lot will be Jewel Andrew, West Indies’ 17-year-old rising star, who made his ODI debut in their most recent match against Sri Lanka in Kandy on Saturday. He has played only a handful of professional fixtures, but having impressed at the Under-19 World Cup, he has been fast-tracked into the international set-up on the back of a breakout first season in the Caribbean Premier League.”The first time I saw him was when I played against him, quite recently, in the CPL,” Holder said. “He definitely stood up. He looks a very easy-going player. He’s got time, and any top-order batter who shows signs of having time is promising.”It’s important for him to learn and work hard, but the sky’s the limit for him. He’s scored runs at the levels below, and he’s coming in with some confidence. We all remember when we first came into international cricket, when we had that freedom to express yourself. And the more he expresses himself and gains knowledge and confidence, that will put us in good stead in years to come.”We’ve never been short of talent,” Holder added. “It’s just a matter of harnessing the talent and making sure that we make full use of it. There’s no doubt that he’s one for the future, and I hope that West Indies put things in place to keep him in and around the system, and make sure he develops a steady rate so that we can utilise him in years to come.”Holder himself hasn’t been involved in West Indies’ white-ball set-up since pulling out of their T20 World Cup plans through injury in June, and will instead be a studio pundit for TNT in the UK throughout the eight-match tour.”I haven’t retired, that is still a long way off,” he said, with an eye on the next 50-over World Cup in 2027. “We’ve still got a few more series to play before then. So I’m just working myself back to full fitness, to get back on the field and be able to play at full capacity.”Looking back on the T20 World Cup, in which England’s Super Eights victory in St Lucia proved critical to West Indies’ hopes of reaching the last four, Holder acknowledged it had been a missed opportunity for a strong squad to do something special in front of their home fans. But, with players such as Evin Lewis – fresh from a comeback century in Sri Lanka – and Shimron Hetmyer set to face England in the coming campaign, he’s confident there will be other chances for this team to compete for global trophies in the coming years.Jewel Andrew, 17, could feature in the series after his ODI debut last week•CPL T20 via Getty Images”When you look at our overall performance, we probably feel a little bit disappointed that we fell short. But the beauty of this squad is it’s not too old. We’ve still got a quite young-ish side that can stay together for the next two years, to fight for another trophy in 2026. So I don’t think is all is lost. We need to understand our strengths and weaknesses, and just keep improving.”In the meantime, he anticipates another high-scoring showdown between two aggressive white-ball outfits, one in which the Caribbean’s notoriously fickle winds could once again play a big part in the tactical battle that unfolds.”It’s a really crucial point,” he said. “The wind factor has always been a massive contributing factor to whether teams bat or bowl in the Caribbean, because it plays a massive part in the actual game. It tends to sway your tactics a little bit, in the sense where you feel more comfortable chasing because by then you know you’ve got a big side and a small side, for hitting with and against the wind.”It’s always 50/50 in the Caribbean when it comes to that wind factor, because you can set up a team with left- and right-handers, and just continuously use your power throughout the entire innings.”Obviously, in one-day cricket, it’s a bit longer so it’s more strategic, where you have to actually build an innings. But when it comes to going hell for leather, it’s a matter of being as spot on as possible with the tactics, because the ball can travel in the Caribbean.”England, clearly, will be no strangers to the conditions after three bilateral tours plus the T20 World Cup in recent times, and Holder acknowledged that Antigua in particular will be something of a home from home, after four matches there in the past 12 months alone.”The English have been frequenting the Caribbean as much they possibly can. They’ve got a young side, but the majority of their senior players have been to the Caribbean multiple times, and they’ll be able to guide the younger players within this squad as to how to how to get around the conditions in the Caribbean.”Tune in to England’s tour of the West Indies, starting with the first ODI live on TNT Sports 1 from 5.30pm on 31st October. Sign up to TNT Sports and discovery+