Despite the loss, the West Indies captain reckoned there were a lot of positives to draw from the two-Test series

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Aug-20243:06

Brathwaite: ‘We needed a bigger first-innings score’

West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite reckoned that not taking the lead despite bowling South Africa out for 160 in the first innings of the second Test was a key reason behind his team’s 40-run loss in Providence.Electing to bat, the West Indies bowlers led by Shamar Joseph’s five-wicket haul had South Africa on the mat at 97 for 9. Dane Piedt and Nandre Burger then added a 63-run stand for the final wicket to take South Africa to 160. In reply West Indies were bowled out for 144, conceding a 16-run lead.While Brathwaite agreed that South Africa’s last-wicket stand was vital, but felt West Indies’ batting effort in the first innings was “just not big enough.”Related

Maharaj: 'I'll bowl the whole day if I have to'

Rabada, Maharaj seal win for South Africa against resilient West Indies

“Yeah, if you look at it, obviously it was quite big,” Brathwaite said on South Africa’s last-wicket stand on the opening day of the Test. “But bowling them out for 160, I was happy. That partnership for them was, was good. You know, it’s cricket where partnerships do happen. So, I won’t really stress on that too much.”But what I would say is our first innings total needed to be bigger. We needed to get a lead from it. I think that was very important. You can never complain about the bowlers’ effort to bowl them out for 160 but yeah, the batting effort in the first innings just wasn’t big enough. We had to fight back into the game. And, in the end, we fell short.”Despite losing the series 1-0 after the first Test ended in a draw, West Indies had a few positive takeaways from the two games. Shamar Joseph didn’t play the first Test but came back to rattle the South Africa top order with 5 for 33 in the first innings. Jayden Seales was West Indies’ highest wicket-taker with 12 which included 6 for 61 in the second innings in Providence while Jason Holder scored a half-century in the first innings. Brathwaite also singled out Alick Athanaze as someone who he sees scoring a “lot of Test hundreds”.Jayden Seales picked up his best figures in Test cricket in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images

“I think bowling-wise, you look at Shamar coming back in, not playing the first Test, and coming in bowling out South Africa on the first day. Jayden throughout the series, continued to keep coming despite the hot conditions. That was a positive,” Brathwaite said. “You see the two spinners, one of the first time two spinners played together in the Caribbean, and they did well, in particular this game where both of them were under three runs an over. That’s one thing we asked for, and that was great to see.”I think Alick, his innings was important to continue to keep learning as batters. Alick has a world of potential. I can see him scoring a lot of Test hundreds, but we just got to keep thinking about our game, finding ways to improve. Pretty pleased with the bowling effort throughout the series, and batting-wise, we scored above 200 in three of the innings. So it is just for us to aim to do it more consistently, and that’s always the task. We always hear about being consistent. And I think mentally it’s to find ways to be better.”While the prospect of Alzarri Joseph, Shamar Joseph and Seales in future Test matches serves as a delicious prospect, Brathwaite also pointed out that he is very excited about the batting unit.”As I said, the future is very bright for our fast bowling unit, and we’ve still got Kemar Roach, with loads of experience on it. You know, he still has a lot of Test matches left in him. So it’s very exciting,” Brathwaite said. “But I must say, I’m very excited about the batting unit. I really think the line-up we have, can do the job. And obviously, I’ve been asking for more Test matches. We had five on the back. And yes, we didn’t come out with guys averaging above 50. But I think once we learn from this, going forward will be easier, and obviously being mentally tough is most important in playing Test matches.”So, I am excited for the fast bowlers, but I really believe that this top five can do a good job for West Indies. So, we just got to keep believing.”

What a hectic transfer window it has been so far for Newcastle United. The Magpies have been embroiled in a crazy transfer saga with Liverpool surrounding Alexander Isak and Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike, which is yet to come to a conclusion.

Indeed, the exact makeup of Eddie Howe’s squad next season is still not clear, and with a few players out of the door, which will soon include Leeds-bound Sean Longstaff, he may have to rely on youngsters if signings are not made soon.

This has previously not been an issue for the Englishman, with Lewis Miley rising through the ranks to become an important player.

The Magpies seem set to add another young talent to their squad in the coming days.

Newcastle’s pursuit of young talent

Signing an exciting young player and thinking ahead to the future is something the Magpies have done before. Young Australian winger Garang Kuol joined the club in 2023 and has since gained experience on various loan spells.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, perhaps the North East giants are about to repeat the masterclass. They are said to have ‘won the race’ to sign South Korean talent Park Seung-soo, having agreed a deal for the youngster.

That is being reported by website Football Asian, who claim he will be in Newcastle this week to ‘complete a medical’ ahead of the move. What makes this acquisition so impressive for the Magpies is the fact that they beat off fierce competition to sign Park.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, French side Marseille, as well as RB Salzburg and FC Midtjylland, were all interested, but Newcastle won what was described as a ‘year-long pursuit’ of the winger.

Why Park would be a good signing

Despite being just 18 years of age, Park has clearly made a huge impression playing for his club, Suwon Bluewings, where he has become an important player. Korean football expert Ross Davis described him as an “exciting” talent, which Newcastle seem to agree with.

The teenager, who is an international for South Korea at under-20 level, has played 28 times in professional football so far. He has one goal and three assists, all of which came last year in the K League 2 for Suwon, the club whose academy he graduated from.

One of the biggest benefits of Park’s game is the fact that he can play on both the left and right flanks. That certainly gives Howe options if he chooses to integrate him into the squad straight away. It also makes him an attractive prospect for sides looking to bring him in on loan, if that is the route Newcastle choose to take.

Howe would surely be hoping that Park can have an impact on the first team just like Miley did. The 19-year-old, who is a boyhood Geordie, has struggled with injuries in recent months, but has still made an impactful start to his Newcastle career.

Miley, who is from Stanley, just south of St James’ Park, has played 46 games for Newcastle so far, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists. One of his standout moments was this magical assist for Isak against Chelsea last season.

It is that sort of magic that Howe would surely want Park to recreate in the long run. In many ways, the Magpies boss might want him to become the second coming of Miley, in the sense of a young player stepping up in the first team.

Well, if his numbers via Sofascore from the 2024 K League 2 are anything to go by, he has the ability. Not only did he contribute to an average of 0.5 goals each game, but he averaged 2.2 key passes and 5.4 successful dribbles per 90 minutes.

Minutes played

586

41.9

Goals and assists

4

0.5

Key passes

14

2.2

Dribbles completed

35

5.4

Tackles and interceptions

5

0.8

Expected goal involvements

4.34xGI

0.67xGI

Described as a “lanky dribbler” by Davis, and standing at over six feet, the physical tools might well be there in the long run for Park to succeed in the Premier League. It certainly seems like he has the technical ability to do so.

Howe would surely love to have another exciting young talent stepping up in the same way Miley did, who can be a huge benefit for Newcastle in the short and long term. Park certainly has the tools to do that.

Isak heir: Newcastle in talks to sign "exceptional" £40m Ekitike alternative

Newcastle are still on the hunt for a striker this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 17, 2025

Arsenal have all but sealed the signing of Viktor Gyokeres, and Mikel Arteta finally has the centre-forward he has craved.

This is a club on the up, has been for several years with Arteta at the helm. But things have perhaps gotten a little monotonous. The football has lost a sense of flair. A sense of X-factor. A sense of electricity.

But context is important, and must indeed be applied here. The Gunners were wracked by injuries across the 2024/25 campaign, and the highest level of fluency was always going to prove difficult to reach.

But even so, the lack of an out-and-out goalscorer was evident; had Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus achieved injury-free seasons, something still would have lacked in the Premier League. Enter, Gyokeres.

The Sweden striker is the subject of a £64m agreement between Arsenal and two-in-a-row Portuguese champions Sporting Lisbon. Across his two terms with the club, he has scored 97 goals and laid on 28 assists across 102 matches.

It’s a game-changing signing, and Arteta may be about to welcome more quality to his team.

What comes next for Arsenal

Gyokeres fixes what is ostensibly Arsenal’s biggest problem, but with the futures of left-sided forwards Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli unclear, technical director Andrea Berta may be set to oversee a few more exciting deals.

Arsenal are also looking for another creative midfielder, and are locked in talks with the camp of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. Xavi Simons has been of interest, but the RB Leipzig man looks likely to join Chelsea.

Simons’ versatility would have been a welcome asset for an Arsenal side in search of more dynamism and multi-faceted quality, but, in Eze, Arteta would land a sensation proven in the Premier League and having assumed a talismanic role for the Eagles last term, leading them to the FA Cup title.

Whether Eze or Simons joins the Emirates side remains to be seen, but a deal for either shouldn’t deter from the signing of an out-and-out winger.

Arsenal lining up new winger

As per Caught Offside’s Charles Watts, Arsenal are “looking at” a deal for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, though Liverpool are also expected to raise their interest if they sell Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich.

Though Los Blancos are open to selling Rodrygo, who has been informed of a reduced role in Xabi Alonso’s system, they will only part ways for a significant fee, with figures as high as £87m entering market discourse.

Watts stresses that the new deal for Ethan Nwaneri shouldn’t disrupt the pursuit of the Brazilian player.

What Rodrygo would bring to Arsenal

While Arsenal could do with some more creativity in the form of an up-and-coming talent like Simons, Martin Odegaard is set to lead the club once again.

The skipper might not have been at his best last term, but he’s still “one of the world’s best footballers”, as has been claimed by Benfica winger Andreas Schjelderup.

And with a “world-class” player such as Rodrygo out on the left, as has been said by his former teammate Luka Modric, there’s no telling how high the Real Madrid man could fly in an Arsenal shirt.

Rodrygo left plenty to be desired last season, but he’s surpassed 25 goal contributions across three campaigns now, surely underscoring his elite ability.

Furthermore, he only missed one big chance in La Liga last season, as per Sofascore, scoring six goals. What does this tell us? Well, it says that while he was under-par, the 24-year-old retained an impressive clinical edge to his performances, which could be enhanced in an Arsenal side desperate for a high-level winger to rival Bukayo Saka.

But with Saka, of course, one of the finest right wingers in world football, Rodrygo would need to move away from his regular role on that flank, and instead play off the left wing.

Luckily, this is exactly what he wishes to do, the right-footer having found the left side an elusive area, typically out of his reach due to Vinicius Junior taking precedence at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Right winger

31

8

5

Left winger

12

6

6

Centre-forward

10

0

0

Rodrygo’s prowess on the left is clear. He is far more prolific when placed in his natural role. Should Arsenal use him in the fitting way, there’s every chance that he would prove himself as a bigger talent than someone like Simons, who is on Arteta’s radar but perhaps isn’t needed when Odegaard is desperate to return to his finest form.

Moreover, the Dutchman scored 11 goals and provided eight assists across all competitions during the 2024/25 campaign, so even as he forged a highlight season in his career, Simons still wasn’t on par with Rodrygo, who had failed to spark his best football.

And though the 22-year-old is more of a playmaker than the fearsome Rodrygo, he routinely played out on the left wing, so it feels like the Gunners are instead prioritising the latter.

This is further reflected through the Bundesliga club’s asking price for their star man. Arsenal and Chelsea have both been quoted at £56m, suggesting that his signature doesn’t carry the same weight as Rodrygo’s.

But then we know this. We know how much of a statement signing this would be. With both Trossard and Martinelli flattering to deceive at stages last year, there’s little question that the Brazilian would spark frissons of excitement that Simons would perhaps not quite match.

Transfer Focus

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

It won’t be an easy one to pull off, but if Arsenal have the means, they must throw the kitchen sink at Rodrygo, reeling him over to take this exciting project to the next level.

Arsenal have the budget to sign £100m CF who's more exciting than Gyokeres

Arsenal are not finished yet in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2025

With 4.1 overs left and the light fading slowly, Prasidh Krishna beat India C’s defiance with three quick wickets to seal India A’s title triumph at the season-opening 2024-25 Duleep Trophy in Anantapur. Prasidh, playing his second straight first-class game after a long injury layoff, dismissed centurion B Sai Sudharsan, Baba Indrajith and Anshul Kamboj to secure victory.Sai Sudharsan, who had battled hard and defied the bowlers to make his fifth first-class century, fell for 111 when he was out attempting a scoop. In Prasidh’s next over, the 80th, he had the injured B Indrajith, who came out to bat only because a draw had seemed a possibility.But in trying to defend a short ball aimed at the ribs, Prasidh had Indrajith caught at leg slip, who had been specifically brought in for the short ball. And then, with a brand new ball taken at the first available opportunity in the 81st over, Prasidh bowled full and straight to dismiss Kamboj lbw to close out the game.Related

• Arshdeep Singh's career-best of 6 for 40 gives India D consolation win

While Prasidh did the late demolition job, it was young Uttar Pradesh seamer Aaqib Khan who did the early damage, nicking off Ruturaj Gaikwad with a superb outswinger, and then having Rajat Patidar bowled.Once those breakthroughs were achieved, Agarwal summoned his spinners on a final-day surface, which had begun to take turn, but not to the extent that made stroke-making impossible. Offspinner Tanush Kotian removed Ishan Kishan and first innings top-scorer Abhishek Porel, while his Mumbai team-mate Shams Mulani dismissed Manav Suthar to open up the possibility of victory.Until that point, it didn’t seem like India B would have the services of Indrajith, who had retired hurt on 34 in the first innings because of a hamstring injury. But with the possibility of a draw looming, he walked out to a packed close-in ring, but only lasted two deliveries. That strike turned a hopeful bunch boisterous as Prasidh and India A then picked up the final wicket after a tense few deliveries of playing and missing to seal the match.That India A were in a position to win outright was largely down to a superb back-to-the-wall century from Baroda’s Shashwat Rawat, who made 124 in the first innings to set up the game on the face of a batting collapse. Then in the second, he struck a half-century along with Riyan Parag to set up a declaration, which eventually helped them build scoreboard pressure on the final day.

This was Ireland’s first T20I win against South Africa and second overall against them in internationals

Firdose Moonda29-Sep-2024

Ireland beat South Africa for the first time in a T20I after posting their highest total against them and successfully defending it in Abu Dhabi. In the process, they became the first team to win a match batting first at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in the last eight T20Is at the venue.In what was a family affair, Ross Adair grabbed the early headlines when he scored a 57-ball hundred, his first in T20Is – and Ireland’s third century in the format – before his younger brother, Mark Adair, took 4 for 31 to seal the win.Ross set the tone when he shared Ireland’s second-highest opening stand in the format – 137 – with his captain Paul Stirling, who scored his first fifty in 21 T20Is. Their start meant Ireland were on track for a score above 200 but lost 6 for 43 in 32 balls to leave some runs unscored. Still, they asked South Africa to complete the highest successful chase in T20Is at this venue and they made a fist of it.Reeza Hendricks scored his second successive half-century Matthew Breetzke his first but Ireland struck often enough to ensure the required run rate got too big on South Africa’s middle order. They needed 108 off the last 10 overs, with nine wickets in hand, and 53 off the last five overs, with seven wickets in the bank, and that is when Mark Adair struck. He went around the wicket to Tristan Stubbs, who pushed at a wide ball and was caught behind. That sparked a collapse that saw South Africa lose 5 wickets for 25 to fall 11 runs short.Ross Adair rides his luckTake nothing away from Ross’ innings, which was an exhibition of all-round hitting, but he will know he should have been out not once, not twice, not three, not four but five times. He offered South Africa a first chance on 19, in the powerplay, when he was cramped by a Lizaad Williams short ball and miscued a pull to deep square leg. The catch was taken but Williams had overstepped and Adair batted on.Then, in the 14th over, immediately after Stirling was dismissed, Adair, on 78, hit Wiaan Mulder to Williams at deep backward point. Williams got both hands to it but palmed the ball over the boundary rope to send Adair into the 80s. Adair swung wildly at the next ball and hit it straight up but Ryan Rickleton couldn’t make enough ground to take the catch. And the ball after that, Adair was at the non-striker’s end when Harry Tector called him through for a single and then changed his mind. Patrick Kruger could have run Adair out but he missed his throw from extra cover. Adair had not quite had enough of danger and in the next over, on 90, he offered Kruger a return chance but it just went over him and Adair kept going. He brought up 100 off 57 balls and finished with nine sixes, the most by an Irish batter in the format.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

SA strangle Ireland in end oversIn the first match, South Africa gave away only six runs in the last two overs of the Ireland innings to leave them short of a par score; this time they gave away only 19 in the last three overs to keep Ireland under 200. Lungi Ngidi, who has been excellent on the tour, started the squeeze with an over of slower balls. That included a ball that completely foxed Neil Rock, who was far too early on his shot, and took out his middle stump. Ngidi finished with an analysis of 1 for 23 in four overs. Kruger bowled the 19th, which started with a run-out as Mark Adair was scrambling for a second run and was also peppered with pace-off. And Williams was given the last over by which time South Africa incurred an over-rate penalty and had to have an extra fielder in the ring. Still, he did not concede any boundaries as he stuck to yorker lengths.Humphreys belated birthday giftLeft-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys turned 22 on Saturday and celebrated with a trip to the Abu Dhabi Louvre but the real gift came 24 hours later when he took his first wicket of the series, and it was a big one. After conceding 26 runs in his first three overs, Humphreys was given the 14th over to finish and he made a big incision. With 66 needed off 39 balls balls, Aiden Markram premeditated a reverse-sweep but did not account for the change of pace from Humphreys. He sent the ball down quicker, it beat Markram and bowled him. Humphreys finished with 1 for 30 and left South Africa’s middle order with too much to do.Mark Adair magic After dismissing Stubbs, Mark Adair opened up South Africa’s middle order and then dismantled it in the 19th over. South Africa needed 23 runs off the last 12, and Mark Adair sent down a slower ball to Mulder, who hit straight up and Adair took it on himself to complete the catch. Two balls later, Breetzke tried to swat Mark Adair through the leg side but sent the ball straight to Harry Tector at long-on. Mark Adair closed out his over when Nqaba Peter hit him to extra cover, where Stirling took a diving catch to put Ireland in the pound seats. Graham Hume had 17 runs to defend off the last over and picked up two wickets in the process of doing that.

Manchester United are exploring deals to improve their squad during the summer transfer window, as they look to add to the signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers last month.

The Red Devils are reportedly confident that they will be able to complete a deal to sign Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

In the 2024/25 season, the Cameroon international delivered 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions, which suggests that he could add a huge threat to Ruben Amorim’s side next term.

Whilst the signings of Cunha and Mbeumo, if the latter goes through, show that United are looking for Premier League proven performers to help them kick on, the Red Devils are also looking further afield.

Man Utd eyeing up LaLiga ace

As well as wanting to improve their options at the top end of the pitch, by signing players who can score and assist goals, the club would like to improve their midfield.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Caught Offside, Manchester United are one of a number of teams in the race to sign Barcelona defensive midfielder Marc Casado this summer.

The report claims that Amorim’s side are interested in a deal to bring the Spaniard over to England, but they have not made contact with the LaLiga champions yet.

It reveals, however, that their Premier League rivals, Chelsea and Arsenal, have spoken to Barcelona to enquire about a potential swoop for the 21-year-old talent.

Caught Offside adds that it will take a fee of around £43m to tempt the Spanish giants into cashing in on the midfielder, despite him having an £86m release clause.

Man Utd could find their next Carrick

If United can get a deal over the line for the Barcelona star this summer, Amorim could unearth his own version of Michael Carrick in the middle of the park.

The former Red Devils star, who recently managed Middlesbrough, was a metronome in midfield for the club during his playing days with his fantastic ability to dictate play with his quality on the ball.

From the 2009/10 season onwards (from when the data became available), the England international completed 88% of his attempted passes in 272 games before the end of his career.

In Casado, United could find a young midfielder with similar qualities to Carrick. However, at the age of 21, he is still very raw and needs time to develop and hit his stride at senior level.

He made 23 appearances for Barcelona in their LaLiga title-winning season last term, leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail his “incredible” form, and showcased the kind of qualities that you would associate with the former United midfielder.

As you can see in the table above, he ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of possession-based metrics, with both his pass accuracy and progressive passing statistics pointing to his efficiency and effectiveness with the ball at his feet.

These statistics suggest that Casado could be moulded into a Carrick-esque figure for Amorim, as a deep-lying midfielder who can move the ball around and dictate games, whilst being progressive in doing so.

However, Casado only won 53% of his duels, including 28% of his aerial battles, and he may need to improve the physical side of his game to truly thrive in England.

This is why he may not be the finished article right away for Manchester United in the Premier League, but he does have the attributes to potentially develop into Amorim’s own Carrick in the future, or straight away if he can hit the ground running.

Amorim's own Haaland: Man Utd make "world-class" £60m CF their top target

Manchester United appear to be making moves for a new forward in the transfer market.

2

By
Ethan Lamb

Jul 11, 2025

Bowling coach on Old Course as Stokes doubts compound rawness of chosen seam attack

Matt Roller04-Oct-2024As England trained in Multan’s searing heat for the first time on Friday, their fast-bowling coach was fighting the cold over 4,000 miles away in Scotland. James Anderson is spending this week playing the historic Old Course at St. Andrews in a pro-am golf tournament, and his late arrival highlights the extent to which a new batch of England seamers are stepping into the unknown.When England last toured Pakistan, Anderson was instrumental in their 3-0 clean sweep. He played the first two Tests, taking eight wickets at 18.50 – including a ball to Mohammad Rizwan he described as “one of my best” – and doubled up as a fast-bowling coach to Mark Wood and, in particular, Ollie Robinson, who shared 17 wickets between them.But two years hence, they are all absent: Wood has an elbow injury, Robinson has fallen out of favour after one false dawn too many, and Anderson was ushered into retirement in July. Now, it is another step into the unknown for five seamers who have never played a first-class match in Pakistan: Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone and Chris Woakes.Related

Jeetan Patel: England's 'high-end toil' keeps them in contention in first Test

England wait on Stokes fitness ahead of first Pakistan Test

Masood has 'no complaints regarding unity' in the Pakistan side

Stokes on track for Pakistan tour comeback after hamstring tear

Stokes: Criticism of Pope reflects 'English culture towards sport'

That is only exacerbated by Anderson’s absence in the build-up to the series. England say that he has been in daily contact with their quicks while playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, but he will not arrive in Pakistan until the second day of the first Test and WhatsApp is no substitute for in-person coaching.With Ben Stokes emerging as a doubt for the first Test, Woakes is likely to play his first away Test in two-and-a-half years, and his first in Asia since 2016: a chance not only to lead the attack, but to rectify his notoriously thin record overseas. England’s other four fast bowlers have played a single overseas Test between them.Atkinson was rested from September’s white-ball series against Australia after picking up a thigh niggle in the final Test of the summer, but bowled in training on Friday. Carse, Potts and Stone all featured in the ODIs but they will be learning on the job in Pakistan, even if Stone did play one home game for Multan Sultans in February.James Anderson plays the Old Course at St Andrews during the Alfred Dunhill Cup•Getty ImagesStone’s own personal circumstances could play a role in selection during the series. He is due to get married next Saturday, having planned his wedding three years after his most recent appearance: if he plays in the first Test, he faces a rush home after the fifth day’s play to reach the ceremony, and already appears highly unlikely to play in the second.Multan is a place that demands quick adjustment, on and off the field. The temperature touched 40 degrees during England’s first training session on Friday, and while the team are staying in a luxury hotel overlooking a golf course, their presidential-level security means they will see little else of the city over the next two-and-a-half weeks.The ground has not staged a Test since England’s 26-run win two years ago, and the early signs are that there will be some live grass on the pitch. “It has a bit of a green tinge,” Zak Crawley said. “There are two days to go, so with this heat, it could easily turn and be very similar to the pitches last time. We’ll wait and see, but at the moment, it’s certainly a little bit green.”Crawley became the latest England player to reference comments that Shan Masood, Pakistan’s captain, made before their series against Bangladesh last month. Masood suggested his side were at their best “wherever there’s been help for the fast bowlers” but the preparation of a lively surface in Rawalpindi backfired, with back-to-back defeats.”Looking at this wicket – and hearing what Shan said in the media – I feel like it could be a bit more green and a bit more seam movement this time [than two years ago],” Crawley said. “We’ve got a really versatile bowling attack, with a bit of pace and also some skill… and in this heat, I think the spinners are always going to play a part.”[We’ve spoken] a little bit about reverse-swing… it should be easy with the sweat, but maybe not so much with that wicket. The square looks quite green. [Anderson] has not arrived yet but he’s an absolute master of that kind of thing. In these conditions, him and Robbo were a big reason we played well last time. He’ll be valuable when he comes out.”England’s fast-bowling attack has evolved at lightning speed in the last year, with Anderson and Stuart Broad moving on and a new batch of quicks replacing them with a focus on seam movement, rather than swing. The transition has been designed to help England compete more away from home: this series is the first real test for the next generation.

Birmingham City will be looking to join an exclusive club next season in attempting to seal the dramatic feat of back-to-back promotions.

Ipswich Town were the last triumphant outfit to manage back-to-back promotions from League One all the way up to the promised land of the Premier League, whilst the likes of Southampton, Norwich City, Manchester City, and Watford have all also achieved the same unthinkable goal, with Birmingham wanting to add their name to this unique list shortly.

The Blues’ whirlwind summer transfer activity to date will have done them no harm in trying to pull off such an inconceivable accomplishment, with the standout capture of Kyogo Furuhashi for £10m one deal that certainly demonstrates the Blues’ hunger to try and become Premier League-bound.

Kyogo's statement arrival to St. Andrew's

It has even been reported now that the ex-Celtic attacker turned down opportunities to go to higher-up sides to hop on board the enthralling St. Andrew’s rollercoaster.

He clearly believes in the project, and he will surely want to be remembered as the goalscoring hero that managed to push the Blues up to the Premier League very soon, having already garnered a reputation for being a deadly goal machine when bagging a mammoth 85 strikes on the books of the Hoops.

The buzz surrounding this Kyogo deal is very reminiscent of Jay Stansfield’s arrival on the scene last summer for an equally hefty fee of £15m with the former Fulham man dropping all the way down to League One – even as he knew full well he was held in high regard at Craven Cottage – to then becoming the decisive star that fired home a promotion-sealing 19 strikes.

Kyogo is on the same pedestal as Stansfield, therefore, in potentially going down as a season-altering purchase, but there is another transfer target on the Blues’ radar that might be seen as an even more daring coup than the much-talked-about attacking duo if a move is pulled off shortly.

The £14m star who'd be a bigger coup than Kyogo & Stansfield

Whilst both Kyogo and Stansfield have stunned supporters across their collective careers with their ice-cold ability to finish off chances under pressure, neither has been a success story at the very pinnacle of English football, with the first of those two names never actually competing in the Premier League.

Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Hwang Hee-chan has that on his side, fortunately, as Birmingham now attempt to land the South Korean forward for around the £14m mark, according to reports.

Before he saw his minutes at Molineux deplete under the fresh Wolves reign of Vitor Pereira, Hwang was seen as one of the more reliable attackers in the Old Gold squad, with his tally in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season coming in at a sturdy 12 goals.

Amazingly, that was the exact same amount Matheus Cunha managed that campaign in league action, before his form exploded into life even more to attract Manchester United’s interest.

Hwang’s G/A record by club

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RB Salzburg

126

45

29

Wolves

119

24

8

FC Liefering

31

13

8

RB Leipzig

28

3

4

Hamburg

21

2

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Whilst Hwang might well have hoped for a similar earth-shuddering move down the line himself, it’s more a sign of Birmingham’s ambition than it is an indicator of the South Korean settling for an underwhelming switch down a division, with a further 74 goals and assists coming his way in the Austrian top-flight across his well-travelled career to date.

This blistering spell for Salzburg even saw Erling Haaland, who led the line with Hwang in the Austrian Bundesliga, label the 29-year-old as “absolutely crazy” in the way he operates as a captivating forward presence.

Unfortunately for Kyogo, he has also suffered from some barren patches of form in front of goal away from his celebrated Celtic spell, with zero strikes coming his way during a brief Rennes stint.

Moreover, Stansfield only ever tasted the luxuries of the Premier League on occasion with Fulham, with Hwang more than ready to take the Championship by storm as a coup purchase, before then potentially settling back into the challenging division with confidence if the Blues have made their top-flight dreams come true.

Related Birmingham and Wagner keen to sign "great" 26 y/o and soon-to-be free agent

The Blues mean business.

Posts 2 ByTom Cunningham Jul 11, 2025

Ryan Mason currently has his West Bromwich Albion troops out at a pre-season camp in Austria ahead of the new Championship campaign getting underway next month.

A behind-closed-doors friendly match will take place between the Baggies and Dynamo Kyiv this coming Friday to officially get the second-tier side’s pre-season up and running, with Mason perhaps selecting brand-new £4.7m buy Aune Heggebo from the get-go to see what he’s made of in attack.

Mikey Johnston will also be linking up with the pre-season camp shortly, although this isn’t the planned-out route the ex-Celtic winger would have envisaged for himself this summer, as a move to Brazilian giants Flamengo, unfortunately, collapsed at the final hour.

The lowdown on Johnston's failed move to Flamengo

It was a deal that suddenly arrived from left field, but it had been reported that Johnston was going to move out to South America for a fee around the £5m region.

It’s stated that a move fell through – according to reports from Brazil – over concerns emerging over the Republic of Ireland international’s long-term availability fitness-wise, with Johnston prone to significant time out of the Baggies side through injury.

This will have come as a devastating blow to Johnston, considering it was rumoured that the 26-year-old was in line to earn a whopping £1.2m a year at his new Rio De Janeiro home, as opposed to banking £650k a year at the Hawthorns.

It remains to be seen whether the 5-foot-9 winger will be content with staying put at the Championship side after such an ordeal, with the potential loss of Johnston obviously hurting Mason and Co. after he fired home a promising three strikes in league action last season, even as West Brom’s promotion push fell to the wayside.

However, not all hope will be lost if Johnston does move on to another suitor down the line, especially if Mason can flex his past Tottenham Hotspur connections to land this rising North London talent to replace the outgoing Irishman.

Mason's dream Johnston replacement

West Brom has been a hotbed for some exciting, young talent from the Premier League in the not-so-distant past, with Romelu Lukaku once calling the Hawthorns his temporary sanctuary on loan away from parent side Chelsea.

Mikey Moore could be the next future star that gets his senior career up and running in style in the West Midlands, with reports last month speculating that the 17-year-old Spurs prodigy is being looked at by the new Baggies boss, having worked with the teenage sensation when coaching at the Premier League side.

He has already made a splash in the senior side at Thomas Frank’s men, with this sublime solo strike in Europa League action kickstarting his men’s career at Spurs, but he will be desperate for more long-standing first-team opportunities if a move to the Hawthorns is finalised.

Moore might well be ready to take over from Johnston down the left wing if given the chance to do so, with the 17-year-old’s main skills resting on his ability to play across a wide array of attacking positions – away from his blistering powers of picking up goals and assists for fun – including down the ex-Celtic man’s trusty left-hand side.

LW

18

4

6

AM

8

6

4

CF

7

11

4

RW

6

1

0

Indeed, when looking at the above table, it’s clear that Moore can shine all across the attacking positions. But, his preferred position does look to be on the left wing, with a stunning four goals and six assists coming his way here from 18 outings in the English capital.

Therefore, any gaping hole left behind by Johnston down the line could be effectively filled in by the “future superstar”, as he’s been referred to by football analyst Ben Mattinson previously.

After all, he has also been donned as “fearless” by Spurs teammate James Maddison recently, meaning he could take to the pressures of being one of West Brom’s main options here in his stride, with the troubling issue of Johnston wanting to move on resolved by this promising loan capture.

The new Brunt: West Brom eyeing EFL star with 119 Championship appearances

West Bromwich Albion could sign their next Chris Brunt by picking up this phenomenal EFL performer.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 7, 2025

Talk of transfers at Liverpool in recent days have centred around the addition of a new centre forward.

The two players in question are Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike, however, the Reds have found one deal rather more complex than the other.

Towards the beginning of the week, it was reported that the Anfield side had approached Newcastle United, issuing their willingness to put a £120m offer on the table for Isak.

It’s an astronomical sum of money, but the Toon have always said the same thing about the Swede; he’s not for sale.

While this was happening, Newcastle had actually been looking at doing a deal for Ekitike themselves, even registering a bid. Sadly for Eddie Howe’s men, they look set to miss out on the Frenchman.

That’s because Liverpool have come in with their own bid for the Frankfurt striker and there is now confidence that he will be heading to Merseyside. Once that deal is done, surely Richard Hughes and Co will chill out a bit? Apparently not.

Liverpool eyeing Real Madrid stars

While Ekitike is target number one right now, there have been links to Real Madrid winger Rodrygo in recent days.

Transfer Focus

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

Also a target for Arsenal this summer, reports earlier in the week suggested that Liverpool were set to send officials out to Madrid to discuss a deal for the Brazilian. Yet, with Ekitike now looking ever more likely to arrive, whether they sign another forward player remains to be seen.

In fact, according to reports in Spain, another Madrid star is on the club’s radar: Aurelien Tchouameni.

Liverpool have already tried to sign the holding midfielder once when he was still at Monaco but they could make a fresh attempt.

The report states that Arne Slot’s side are ‘back on the attack and preparing a big offer to secure his services’.

What Tchouameni could offer to Liverpool

Two years ago, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool underwent a midfield rebuild. Fabinho and Jordan Henderson had departed for Saudi Arabia and the injury-stricken Naby Keita and Thiago Alcantara also left Anfield behind.

As a result, three players came in: Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai.

Mac Allister has been by far the most consistent, working his way onto the nominees for the PFA Player of the Year award. For Gravenberch, the progress in Merseyside has been slower.

Under Klopp, he struggled to find a regular starting berth but Slot’s arrival has turned him into a midfield monster. The Dutchman repurposed his fellow countryman as more of a defensive-minded midfielder and he shone, notably winning the Premier League’s Young Player of the Year award for 2024/25.

Szoboszlai, on the other hand, has been criticised by Jamie Carragher for needing to score more goals. That might well explain why Florian Wirtz was signed this summer.

Yet, despite Gravenberch’s captivating campaign, he could well be replaced by Tchouameni, a player capable of emulating Fabinho at the base of Liverpool’s midfield.

Described as “one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet” by analyst Raj Chohan, the 25-year-old has been around the block for a while now, cementing himself in the Madrid team.

Last season, the Frenchman proved why he’s rated so highly, starting 31 of the 32 games he was available for in LaLiga and also starting ten of the 12 Champions League ties he was available for. You don’t play that many games for Madrid without being a good player.

Like Fabinho, he’s a tempo setter but he can also break up play fantastically well. Here’s what the data tells us.

Pass success %

92%

87%

Passes into final 3rd

5.89

5.58

Progressive passes

5.15

5.58

Tackles won

0.77

1.52

Interceptions

1.54

1.47

Blocks

1.14

1.08

Errors leading to a goal

0.03

0.04

Touches

77.7

77.2

Successful take-ons

0.33

0.39

Progressive carries

0.64

0.82

Analysing Fabinho at the peak of his powers, when Liverpool won the Premier League in 2019/20, the similarities with Tchouameni are clear to see.

While the Brazilian got through more tackles per 90 minutes, in other areas there isn’t much to split the duo whatsoever.

They complete a similar number of take-ons, have almost an identical touch count and have a similar skillset when it comes to various passing metrics.

For a defensive-minded midfielder, however, the ability to intercept play and block passing lanes is crucial. Those are two areas where Tchouameni and Fabinho in his prime are very alike.

Signing a new holding player this summer may not be the most pressing issue but if the Madrid sensation is on the market, this would be a wonderful opportunity for FSG to take.

Better than Isak & Ekitike: Liverpool make £142m "monster" a dream target

Liverpool have two primary candidates to bolster their forward line; Alexander Isak & Hugo Ekitike.

1 ByMatt Dawson Jul 17, 2025