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Celtic were dealt a big blow earlier this month when Nicolas Kuhn officially completed a move to Serie A side Como for a reported fee of £16.5m.

The German forward, 25, produced 13 goals and nine assists in the Scottish Premiership for Brendan Rodgers last season, which means that the club have lost a scorer and a creator of goals.

Kuhn’s exit has left a hole in the squad in the right wing position ahead of next season, but the Hoops also have a hole to fill on the left flank because Jota may be out until the start of next year with a knee injury.

According to the Daily Record, Celtic are set to push to sign Belgian forward Michel-Ange Balikwisha on a permanent deal to take up that place on the left wing.

The report claims that the club have been in talks with Royal Antwerp in recent weeks and that they are now hopeful that a deal can be struck for the 24-year-old attacker.

Why Balikwisha would be an exciting signing for Celtic

Balikwisha would come in as a like-for-like replacement for Jota as another right-footed left winger who likes to drift inside onto his favoured foot to score and create goals.

The 24-year-old talent has caught the eye with some impressive performances in the Pro League for Royal Antwerp, and his statistics suggest that he would be an exciting player for supporters to watch at Parkhead next season.

Balikwisha (Pro League)	23/24	24/25
Starts	27	12
xG	6.46	2.65
Goals	7	4
Big chances created	6	7
Key passes per game	1.5	1.6
Assists	5	3
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha is a winger who offers a threat in front of goal as a scorer, whilst also creating three chances every two games on average.

This shows that the Belgian sensation is constantly looking for that killer pass to provide his teammate with a high-quality chance to score, which means that fans could get excited when he gets the ball at his feet, knowing that the forward will be aiming to make something happen.

The Royal Antwerp star did miss 29 matches through injury last season, though, so there may be some concerns over whether he will be available week-in-week-out, but his form in Belgium suggests that the forward will be an exciting player when fit.

If Celtic are able to strike a deal for Balikwisha in the coming days, there is still a hole to be filled on the right flank after Kuhn’s departure and the club are reportedly keen on a winger who would be just as exciting as the Belgian whiz.

Celtic in the race to sign free agent forward

According to Football League World, Celtic are among a number of teams that are interested in a deal to sign Tyrhys Dolan on a free transfer this summer.

He has been a free agent since his contract with Blackburn Rovers expired at the end of last month, and there is a fairly long list of suitors aiming to sign him.

Transfer Focus

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

The report claims that Celtic, Rangers, Bristol City, and Espanyol are all among the contenders to secure a deal for the right-sided attacker in the coming days or weeks.

It adds that he has strong interest from several unnamed clubs in the English Championship and that he has had offers from teams overseas, alongside the four teams mentioned in this latest report.

This shows that there is plenty of competition for his signature and that the Hoops will need to move swiftly and convincingly to secure his signature ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Why Celtic should push to sign Tyrhys Dolan

The Scottish Premiership champions should push to win the race for Dolan’s services this summer because he would be a valuable signing who would be just as exciting as Balikwisha at Parkhead.

Despite the modern trend of inverted wingers cutting in onto their favoured foot, the English forward is a right-footed player who predominantly plays on the right wing, which means that he could fill the spot left by Kuhn’s exit in that position.

Dolan is a versatile player who is not limited to one position, though, as he has also started 18 or more career games as a left winger, a right winger, an attacking midfielder, and as a striker, showing that Rodgers would be able to call on him in a multitude of roles.

His durability is also something that may be attractive to Celtic. The 23-year-old star has not suffered a single significant injury in his career, to date, and has already racked up 210 first-team appearances for Blackburn, playing 44 of their 46 league games last season.

Dolan’s performances for Blackburn, in a midtable team that failed to make the play-offs in either campaign, also suggest that he would be an exciting player for supporters to watch in action in the Premiership.

Tyrhys Dolan (Championship)	23/24	24/25
Appearances	36	44
Touches per game	37.6	38.1
Goals	5	7
Conversion rate	15%	14%
Big chances created	7	7
Key passes	40	44
Assists	4	6
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 23-year-old talent has scored 12 goals and created 14 ‘big chances’ in the last two seasons in the Championship, and has been unfortunate to only register ten assists from those 14 ‘big chances’.

These numbers may not be mind-blowingly amazing, but they are impressive within the context of him playing for an average team in the Championship, because at Celtic he would be in a dominant team that puts him in more positions to shine in the final third.

Dolan, once praised as “outstanding” by former manager John Eustace, could thrive in a team that has won their domestic title in each of the last four seasons, in the same way that Balikwisha could do on the opposite flank.

He'd revive Yamada: Celtic in ongoing talks to sign "creative" £5m star

Celtic remain in talks to sign a star who could help to revive Shin Yamada as a regular goalscorer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 21, 2025

Both players have shown potential as both scorers and creators of goals from their respective wing positions, which is why both of them would be exciting signings if the club can pull them off.

Fenerbahce have confirmed the appointment of Domenico Tedesco as their new head coach after being linked with numerous high-profile names.

Fenerbahce set to announce new managerEx-Belgium coach Tedesco to take over Super Lig side find Mourinho replacementFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Fenerbahce's efforts to sign a suitable managerial replacement following the sacking of Mourinho have paid off, as the club confirmed an agreement to appoint Tedesco, who last managed the Belgium national team.

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The Yellow Canaries have been desperate to finalise and hire a new manager after the dismissal of Mourinho. The Portuguese legend was relieved of his duties after he failed to guide Fenerbahce to the league phase of the Champions League, losing the qualifying play-offs against Benfica. Since then, names such as Ange Postecoglou and Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness have floated around. Former Italy boss Luciano Spalletti and ex-AC Milan head coach Sergio Conceicao were linked, too.

DID YOU KNOW?

reports the 39-year-old has claimed that he will "make the team champions in the first year," before his appointment was later confirmed.

"Domenico Tedesco has been appointed as the head coach of our club's professional football team. He has agreed to a two-year contract with Gökhan Gönül, one of our former captains who has worn our striped jersey for many years," a statement from the club read.

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR FENERBAHCE?

It is likely that Tedesco will take over the reins before Fenerbahce's next game, which is slated to be played on Sunday, September 14, against Trabzonspor.

She will, however, consider the possibility of a loan deal for some or all of the 2025 season in order to play ‘Tier 1’ cricket

Matt Roller16-Aug-2024

“My intention is to stick around and commit to Yorkshire,” Lauren Winfield-Hill said•Getty Images

Lauren Winfield-Hill is in advanced talks to sign a long-term contract with Yorkshire but will consider going out on loan in 2025 in order to play ‘Tier 1′ cricket.Women’s domestic cricket in England and Wales is being revamped at the end of this season, moving from a regional structure to a county-based model. Yorkshire were not one of the eight teams awarded Tier 1 status and funding by the ECB and will play in the second division next year, but have been assured of promotion for 2026.It has left several Northern Diamonds players with a difficult decision to make between relocating to Durham (or another Tier 1 county) and staying in Leeds for another season. Hollie Armitage and Danielle Hazell, the Diamonds’ captain and coach, have both signed three-year deals with Durham but Winfield-Hill is set to commit her long-term future to Yorkshire.”My intention is to stick around and commit to Yorkshire,” Winfield-Hill said. “I haven’t officially signed a contract or anything, but that’s what I’m looking to do. What that looks like with loans or opportunities to play Tier 1 cricket is something that we’ll explore, but if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.Related

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“I’m pretty loyal… I’ve always been really keen to finish where I started and [Yorkshire] is a place that’s really close to my heart. It’s where my friends and family get to come and watch me… those sorts of things are massively important to me.”Winfield-Hill seriously considered a permanent move away but when the ECB confirmed that Yorkshire would only have to spend one year outside of the top tier, she decided to stay. “It made the decision a little bit easier. If it had been two years, it might’ve looked slightly different, but I’m not that old – I can hang on for a year or so.”But she will investigate the possibility of a loan deal for some or all of the 2025 season, which would enable her to play in the top tier of domestic cricket. “We’re just working through it all now,” she said. “There’s lots of things that are quite unknown with what Tier 2 and Tier 1 looks like, what the crossover is and all the rest of it.”I don’t really want a year of not playing top-flight cricket domestically in England but what that looks like, I’m unsure of now. That’s the truth. We’re trying to get the best of both worlds in terms of being around for Yorkshire stuff, developing that, and making sure that in 18 months or two years’ time, we’re ready to hit the ground running and compete in Tier 1.”But equally, from an individual point of view, it’s important that I’m still playing to the highest standard I can. Whatever that mix looks like is what we’ll try and pursue.”The final season of the regional structure will resume on August 26 after the conclusion of the Hundred, with Diamonds sitting second in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy’s table as the group stage nears its conclusion.The Blaze, who sit fifth, have signed Ireland allrounder Orla Prendergast for the rest of the season after Nadine de Klerk was ruled out through injury. “Orla is a great player with a proven List A record and the ability to slot straight into our group for the run-in,” their coach, Chris Guest, said.

Chelsea suffered a disappointing defeat in their second group match of the Club World Cup, going down 3-1 against Brazilian side Flamengo.

Enzo Maresca had led the Blues to an opening victory against LAFC, but the loss now means he will need to secure all three points against ES Tunis to qualify for the knockout round.

Given how big the prize fund is, going as far as possible is certainly within the club’s best interests.

The Stamford Bridge side have already signed Liam Delap from Ipswich Town for a fee of £30m, while deals for Estevao, Dario Essugo, Mamadou Sarr, and Kendry Paez have also gone through so far this summer.

Maresca won’t be stopping there, that much is certain. With a move for Hugo Ekitike high on the priority list, it is clear the Blues want to sign another centre-forward this summer.

They have also been linked with moves to sign Tyler Dibling, Murillo, and Mohamed Kudus in recent weeks as Maresca prepares to take Chelsea into the Champions League.

With so many potential transfer links, the manager will surely be looking to offload a player or two. Not only to free up space in the first-team squad, but also to balance the books.

Several names have been touted as departing the club, but could Noni Madueke be the most high-profile sale this summer?

What the future holds for Noni Madueke at Chelsea

Last season saw Madueke come of age at Chelsea. Across 43 appearances in all competitions, the English winger scored 11 goals and provided five assists for the Blues.

He helped them win the Conference League in the process, and this campaign surely gave him plenty of confidence heading into the Club World Cup.

According to The Telegraph, Arsenal are seemingly keen on making a move to sign the former PSV Eindhoven starlet this summer in a bid to improve their attacking options.

With Maresca continuing his heavy recruitment drive at Stamford Bridge, Madueke’s space in the starting XI is certainly not guaranteed heading into the 2024/25 campaign.

The report goes on to state that the winger is not up for sale, but should things change in the coming weeks, he could be obtainable in the transfer window.

Noni Madueke’s stats for Chelsea last season
Metric	Premier League	Conference League
Goals	7	3
Assists	3	1
Big chances created	6	0
Successful dribbles per game	1.4	1.6
Key passes per game	1.1	1
Via Sofascore

He would be a fine signing for any club in the top flight, as evidenced by his statistics when compared to peers across Europe’s top five leagues.

Not only did he rank in the top 1% for progressive carries (6.82) per 90, but the winger also ranked in the top 4% for touches in the opposition penalty area (8.15) per 90 and in the top 7% for total shots per 90 (3.54), proving just how big an impact he had at Chelsea.

Should an offer come in that is too good to turn down, Maresca will surely accept it. This could allow him to make a move for a player who is on his wish list of late.

Chelsea eyeing move for Lyon sensation

According to football.london, Chelsea are interested in signing Lyon starlet Malick Fofana this summer.

As per the report, the club have already initiated contact with the Ligue 1 side regarding a move.

Any deal for the Belgian international will likely cost around £45m, which shouldn’t pose too much of a problem for the Blues, that’s for sure.

Given how many players are set to make the move to Stamford Bridge, however, moving for a first-team star or two looks like the best bet, hence the interest in Madueke.

Swapping the current Chelsea winger for Fofana has the potential to be an excellent deal for all parties involved.

But just what would the 20-year-old bring to Chelsea next season?

Why Chelsea must sign Malick Fofana

Just a couple of months ago, football talent scout Jacek Kulig lavished praise on the young attacking talent, saying: “Malick Fofana – 17 G/A in around 2000 minutes for Lyon this season. 20 years of age.

“Still a bit inconsistent, but already showing flashes of his enormous potential.

“Big future ahead.”

If he continues on this recent upwards trajectory following a stunning breakthrough season with Lyon, then he could become one of the finest attacking talents on the continent.

With the Blues returning to the Champions League for the first time since the 2022/23 campaign, Fofana could be a dangerous weapon in their quest for glory. Especially taking his Europa League displays from last term into account.

Across ten games in the competition for Lyon, the young dynamo scored six goals while providing two assists.

In addition, when compared to his peers in Europe’s secondary competition, Fofana ranked in the top 1% for non-penalty goals (1.05), progressive carries (7.88) and touches in the opposition penalty area (8.23) per 90 last term.

Of course, this wasn’t in the Champions League, but performing as well as this at such a young age, what is stopping him from shining on the biggest stage?

Fofana is a right-footed winger who prefers to operate on the left so he can cut in on a regular basis. Last season, however, Fofana did play a couple of matches on the right flank, scoring twice in the process.

Could he, then, be an ideal replacement for Madueke should the English starlet move on from the club this summer? It would be interesting to see exactly what position Maresca would utilise Fofana in, especially as he does appear rather flexible.

Given Madueke still has a few years left on his contract, the Blues should be able to demand a decent fee for the player, who only joined in January 2023.

If his sale can free up space for Fofana coming in, a player who appears to have a brighter future, then it would be a shrewd piece of business. For now, Maresca will just be looking to see his team defeat ES Tunis in order to seal a place in the last-16 of the Club World Cup.

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Chelsea were beaten 3-1 by Flamengo in their second game of the Club World Cup.

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 21, 2025

Looking to make a statement by doing what Nottingham Forest failed to do, Leeds United have reportedly joined the race to sign a USA international.

Leeds' transfer plan after Bijol

After welcoming Jaka Bijol from Udinese, it looks as though Leeds’ summer business is far from over. Their focus following the defender is reportedly transfixed on signing fresh midfield reinforcements and one of the biggest names mentioned on that front has been Douglas Luiz. The Juventus midfielder is set to leave Turin this summer and could be on his way back to the Premier League courtesy of those at Elland Road.

He’s not the 49ers’ only option, however. Reports have also mentioned the likes of Habib Diarra – going as far as to suggest that the Whites have already submitted an offer to sign the Strasbourg captain this summer. The interest should come as no surprise as Leeds step into the Premier League either, given the partnership that he would form with Ao Tanaka.

Minutes

2,352

3,584

Progressive Carries

61

38

Tackles Won

13

58

Ball Recoveries

90

217

When compared it is, as if often the case, Tanaka who stands out but Diarra has plenty to offer in his own right and his ability to progress play whilst carrying possession would hide one of the few weaknesses that the Leeds star has.

Even if they secure a deal to sign Diarra, however, Leeds still may not be done with their summer business. The 49ers are seemingly looking to make a statement this summer and create a squad capable of first avoiding Premier League relegation, then so much more.

With that target in mind, the American owners have now reportedly joined the race to sign a UCL-level star ahead of Leeds’ top-flight rivals.

Leeds join Timothy Weah race

According to The Guardian’s Ed Aarons, the 49ers and Leeds have now joined the race to sign Timothy Weah from Juventus this summer after he rejected the chance to join rivals Nottingham Forest.

Romano: 49ers "in negotiations" to seal "complicated" £20m+ Leeds transfer

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The American international was left out of Juventus’ squad to face Manchester City in the Club World Cup on Thursday alongside Samuel Mbangula after the Italian giants reached an agreement with Forest, before Weah burst their bubble in ruthless fashion. Now, Leeds, Everton and Bournemouth have set their sights on signing the winger.

Dubbed “one of the most versatile players in world football” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, Weah was used as a forward and on both flanks for Juventus last season. Despite that, he’s now on the move – potentially leaving Leeds to take full advantage.

In one swoop, Leeds could deal Forest a frustrating blow and land someone who’d quickly become a key member of Daniel Farke’s squad at Elland Road.

Stood on the side of the pitch after Arsenal’s 1-0 win on Sunday, Mikel Arteta issued a rallying cry.

Hopefully the people upstairs do their job, he essentially pleaded, urging the Kroenke’s to put their money where their mouth is and give the Gunners the tools to finally win the Premier League again after 20 long years. It was rather telling.

Josh Kroenke, Stan’s son, does at least seem on board, acknowledging in his programme notes for the Newcastle game that “investment” will be made to improve the playing squad.

Time will tell, of course, but there’s a lot to do this summer. That includes signing a striker, a winger, a new back-up goalkeeper and a midfielder too.

Proceedings look set to begin with the arrival of Martin Zubimendi.

Why Arsenal are signing Martin Zubimendi

Back in January reports emerged that Arsenal were working on a deal to bring the Real Sociedad midfielder to the Emirates Stadium.

After signing Mikel Merino from La Real last summer, the relationship between the two is clearly civil and that’s shone through here.

Still, it’s a surprise that the Spaniard has chosen Arsenal as his next destination. After all, it was Premier League title winners, Liverpool, who fought so hard to bring him to England a year ago.

Zubimendi reportedly turned down the Reds’ advances and despite interest from Real Madrid too, the Gunners look set to win the race.

Transfer Focus

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

So, why are they signing him? Well, there’s two principal reasons; Thomas Partey and Jorginho are out of contract at the end of the season. The second is that Zubimendi is rather good at football and the third involves Declan Rice.

With Partey and Jorginho leaving it means Arsenal need a no.6 and in the Sociedad star, they will be signing one of the best in that position in the world.

In the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson, the Spaniard’s “ball temperament is better” than Partey’s, meaning that a combination of Zubimendi and Rice “could be special.”

The Spain international will never be someone to gallivant forward. He only ranks in the worst 14% of midfielders in LaLiga for shot-creating actions and the worst 44% for goals.

What he does do well is sit, dictate and evade the press. Zubimendi sits inside the top 20% in Spain’s top-flight for progressive passes, the best 9% for dribblers tackled and the best 13% for interceptions, rubber stamping his credentials to play at the base of Arsenal’s midfield.

As a consequence, it would free Rice up to play as an 8 on a more regular basis. As we saw during two Man of the Match displays against Real Madrid where he ran the show, he’s really rather good at that.

Yet, Arsenal did actually already have their own Zubimendi.

Arsenal’s very own Zubimendi is set to leave

This is due to be a summer of change in N5 with a batch of players hopefully set to be welcomed to the Emirates and another crop saying their farewells.

On Sunday, we saw Kieran Tierney given one final run out at Arsenal’s home stadium and it’s also likely to have been Jorginho’s final match in the club’s colours.

Indeed, having been brought on as a very late substitute and handed the captain’s armband, it looked like a goodbye from the Italian who is on the verge of moving to Brazil.

Jorginho’s £110k-per-week contract will soon expire and consequently, he has now “sealed” a deal to join Flamengo in time for the Club World Cup according to Fabrizio Romano.

The former Chelsea midfielder has enjoyed a great time of it at Arsenal. Initially the fanbase couldn’t get their heads around why they were signing him but he quickly proved everyone wrong. He’s one of the most consistent and reliable players we’ve seen at the Emirates during its near two decades of existence.

A tempo setter, few have been better in that regard over the last few years. Indeed, during 2022/23, only Rodri made more passes (2,831) in the Premier League than Jorginho (2,404) when compared to Moises Caicedo, Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes and Declan Rice.

1. Rodri

2,831

2. Jorginho

2,404

3. Moises Caicedo

2,130

4. Declan Rice

1,974

5. Bruno Guimaraes

1,578

6. Casemiro

1,353

At dictating play, Jorginho is one of the best we’ve seen in recent years in the English top-flight.

It’s for that reason that similarities to Zubimendi emerge. Described as an “elite tempo controller” by the aforementioned Mattinson he’s already suggested that the Spain star is a “deep-lying playmaker like Jorginho”.

As a result, there really does feel like there is no one better suited in Europe’s top leagues for replacing the qualities that the Champions League and Euros winner brought so successfully to Arsenal for a couple of years.

It’s reported that Zubimendi will cost around £51m to bring to England but that certainly feels like money well spent. Arsenal need a midfielder and they need someone to give Rice more freedom in attack. This is the signing that allows that to happen.

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The incredible international would get the Arsenal fans on their feet.

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has now dropped some early team news ahead of Bodo/Glimt, and he has hinted that a key player may not be available.

Europa League or bust for Ange

It was always going to be a daunting task travelling to Anfield to take on a Liverpool side that needed just one point to clinch the Premier League title, but it was yet another dismal performance from Tottenham on Sunday afternoon, suffering a crushing 5-1 defeat.

Courtesy of a third defeat on the spin, Spurs are 16th in the table with just four games left to play, but it appears as though Postecoglou’s job could be safe for the time being, given that his side are in a strong position to win the Europa League.

The Lilywhites picked up a rare clean sheet against Eintracht Frankfurt in the second leg of the quarter-final, advancing to the final four after a 1-0 victory in Germany, and on paper they have a kind route to the final in Bilbao.

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Postecoglou’s side are set to face Bodo/Glimt in the semi-final, with the Eliteserien champions becoming the first Norwegian side ever to reach the semi-finals of a European competition after defeating Lazio over two legs in dramatic fashion.

The Norwegian side defeated the Italians on penalties at the Stadio Olimpico, progressing to the semi-finals despite losing 3-1 on the night, so they will be confident they are capable of causing Tottenham problems.

As such, Postecoglou will be hoping to have Son Heung-min available for the crucial match, but the manager has now hinted the forward may not be available for the first leg, saying: “It’ll be touch and go for Thursday. He’ll try hard. If [he’s not ready] for the first game we think he’ll be ready for the second game.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s upcoming fixtures

Date

Bodo/Glimt (h)

May 1st

West Ham United (a)

May 4th

Bodo/Glimt (a)

May 8th

Crystal Palace (h)

May 11th

Aston Villa (a)

May 18th

"Incredible" Son would be big miss for Spurs

Tottenham may have seriously underperformed in the Premier League this season, but Son has continued to catch the eye with some of his performances, picking up seven goals and ten assists in 28 appearances.

The £190k-per-week forward has impressed throughout the Postecoglou era, with his manager previously lauding him as “incredible”, and he could be a big miss if he is unavailable for the crucial encounter against Bodo/Glimt.

That said, Spurs should have more than enough to progress past the Norwegians regardless, given the disparity between the Premier League and the Eliteserien.

There have been suggestions that Postecoglou is set to face the sack regardless of whether Tottenham win the Europa League, but if they come up short in the semi-final, it would surely be the end of the road for the Australian.

England’s greatest bowler avoids a fuss as Gus Atkinson takes over on centre stage

Andrew Miller10-Jul-2024They came to praise James Anderson. And to bury him. In their thousands, marching down the Wellington Road for one final curtain-call at the venue where it all began, 21 years earlier, and in the midst of an entirely different epoch.How many ways do you want to dice the differences between that Test match and this? Anderson’s debut, against Zimbabwe in 2003, came in a time before smartphones, before social media. Before Twenty20 cricket and the fragmentation of the international game. Before exactly 100 subsequent England Test debutants: two of whom had not even been born when he bowled his first ball (or, in Rehan Ahmed’s case, his first 1,658 balls), and the last two of whom (the day’s other main man, Gus Atkinson, included) were conferred before the start of play today.It was a time, too, before the onset of mawkish multi-media montages, such as the one voiced by Anderson’s first Test captain, Nasser Hussain. Entitled “Dear Jimmy”, it was pumped out over the big screens at Lord’s, moments before the national anthems, as the man to whom it was addressed chewed his bottom lip at the top of the pavilion steps, visibly yearning for his safe space out in the middle of the pitch.”You were there at our greatest and there at our lowest, so it’s time to thank you,” Hussain intoned, as snippets of an indomitable career danced out on a still-gloomy morning, in a bid to transform Lord’s into the sort of hub of sentimentality that Centre Court had been for Andy Murray only six days earlier. “Now and for ever, you are England cricket.” It’s perhaps not surprising, in the circumstances, that his personal contribution to the occasion could not come out on top.”I don’t particularly like fuss,” Anderson admitted in his pre-Test press conference, when explicitly asked how “awkward” he was about to find this week – the subtext of the exchange being that the answer could already be taken as read. With his family lined up on the northern-most wing of the pavilion, up popped another opportunity for Anderson’s Adam’s Apple to wobble as his daughters rang the five-minute bell. Needless to say, neither Lola nor Ruby had been around for his debut either.And so to the action itself. It was pretty, it was safe. It contained, within a tidy 10.4-3-26-1 analysis, echoes of Anderson’s greatness, in particular that economy of effort in his sparse, pared-down action. But not for the first time in recent months, there was a sense too of a lack of danger – a retreat from enterprise even, as he dragged his length back after a nine-run opening over and buzzed unthreateningly around the splices of Kraigg Brathwaite and Mikyle Louis, whose status as the first West Indian Test cricketer from the island of St Kitts marked a beginning of history, even as the end of history lined up against him.Related

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• England unveil succession plan as Atkinson emerges from the shadows

But that over in itself had been a weird old vibe. Whereas Edgbaston or Headingley would have been climbing the walls in anticipation of Anderson revving up his motor for one last push, the Lord’s response was almost a surfeit of reverence. Centre Court was channelled once more as pin-drop silence greeted his first ball, then a deflated exhale of commiseration as Louis fenced the third ball of his own Test career down through the gully for four, before blazing his fourth with contemptuous poise through the covers. Brathwaite’s advice before their entanglement had been to watch the ball closely, and “stay still”. His partner could scarcely have heeded him more acutely.It was, in fact, the most expensive first over of a Lord’s Test since 2006, and dimly reminiscent of Anderson’s own misleadingly profligate display three years before that, when Hussain had placed too much faith in the outswinger that had so impressed him at the 2003 World Cup, and forgot to offer him protection on the leg-side for a 17-run opening gambit.Anderson pulled it back then, as he did now – both figuratively and literally – leaking just two more runs in his next four overs, one of them to a jabbed inside-edge from Louis. But his response smacked of a familiar and involuntary reflex, honed by years of survival on the sort of unforgiving deck that Lord’s, self-evidently, has become in recent years.Each of Anderson’s 109 England team-mates, from Lord’s 2003 to Lord’s 2024•ESPNcricinfo LtdIn their final flourishing as a partnership, Anderson and Stuart Broad had gone out of their way to suppress that urge to avoid being driven. In the first iteration of Bazball, against New Zealand two summers ago, Anderson had grabbed two wickets in the space of his first 15 balls and had six slips in situ before half-an-hour of the match had elapsed.Now, he and Chris Woakes – another safe selection, even if last summer’s Ashes heroics arguably meant he ‘owned the shirt’, at least in home conditions – found themselves pootling around at 80mph/130kph, waiting for the Dukes’ fabled lacquer to disperse and generally conveying a rare sense of stasis for a team that had been in such a hurry to succeed over the past couple of years.In the wider circumstances, therefore, to suggest that Atkinson had somehow “stolen” Anderson’s thunder would be a misnomer. The baton, and the burden, seemed to be handed over with visible gratitude as Atkinson replaced him from the Pavilion End and struck two balls later with an injection of slippery pace that seemed to dislodge Brathwaite precisely because of the lull that had preceded it.It was notable, however, that Anderson had not been asked to perform a more ceremonial baton-passing in the team huddle prior to play. It might have been a bit on-the-nose for Atkinson to be anointed as Anderson’s actual successor through the handing-over of his Test cap. So he did the honours instead for Jamie Smith, the latest and last protégé of the man who had himself kept wicket for Anderson in that debut 21 years before. Alec Stewart not only bowed out of Test cricket that 2003 summer as another England forty-something, he is about to retire from cricket administration too, as the end of his mighty Surrey stint draws nigh.Anderson’s family – including daughters Lola and Ruby – ring the bell ahead of play alongside parents Michael and Catherine and wife Daniella•Getty ImagesLeaving aside the effortlessness of England’s dominance, however, other aspects of this first day contributed to the sense that Anderson’s exit is coming at the right time. There was the return of Ben Stokes as a bowler for starters, into the attack early for his first non-emergency spell in nigh on two years, serving up hooping outswingers that were almost unsubtle in their extravagance – not unlike Anderson Mk.1 in fact, especially when he flipped the shiny side and fired a fierce inducker past Louis’ hard-handed flash.And though the magnificence of his latter years cannot be diminished by a slight tailing-off of the past 12 months, there’s an oddity emerging in Anderson’s home-and-away record. Though he did finally pick off Jayden Seales to bring an end to West Indies’ innings, it was just the second wicket he had claimed in the course of his first three spells of a home innings since the start of 2023, at a cost of 316 runs apiece. And that other scalp hadn’t exactly been in keeping with the stash of worldies that his reputation has been built upon. It was, in fact, a wide long-hop in last summer’s Lord’s Test, that Marnus Labuschagne slapped carelessly to point.Overseas, incidentally, there’s been less concern about his returns. Across 11 innings away to New Zealand and India, Anderson had harvested 14 wickets at a perfectly serviceable average of 24.71, even if his strike rate (52.93) arguably indicates the sparseness with which he has been used.As the man himself admitted on Monday, he’s at peace with the reasoning as England’s thoughts turn – a touch presumptively but, on today’s evidence, with justification too – towards the 2025-26 Ashes. He’s probably at peace too with the fact that the beginning of his end is now over. The stage is perfectly set for England’s greatest bowler to bowl out without that fuss.

How the offspinner has maximised his skillset to stay in contention to make India’s World Cup squad

Alagappan Muthu05-Aug-2022Though he was playing his very first match in St Kitts, R Ashwin knew about the wind. He went around the wicket to right-hand batters, not to stifle them, or to entice their outside edge with the angle across them. He did it so that if they had to hit with the turn, they would be going against, well, nature.These are the kinds of little things that once made Ashwin the Mona Lisa of modern-day fingerspinners. Only there was a blemish in the picture. His batting. And, soon enough, that’s all anyone ever saw. The fact that he wasn’t a natural six-hitter.Between June 2017 and the start of last year’s T20 World Cup in November 2021, Ashwin played a grand total of one white-ball game for India. That is as emphatic as proof can be that two out of three formats of cricket are only willing to tolerate right-arm offbreak as a secondary skill.Ashwin needed to find a way to fit in. So a player who has hit Test centuries relying only on touch finally gave in and embraced the cross-bat stuff.”I’ve been playing the slog sweep for some time,” he told Star Sports Tamil in May. “I’ve been trusting the sweeps more regularly since the Chennai Test match [in February 2021, when he scored a century against England]. I feel that’s an important shot. I’m someone who times the ball well, so if I play the slog sweep I feel I can make the bowler bowl to my lengths. I’ve worked hard [on my batting]. I read the game well and I know the ebbs and flows of the game; I always back myself on that front. Unfortunately, I’m not so blessed with a lot of power. So, consciously I’ve worked on my batting and my technique.”T20 moves at vicious pace. It leaves people behind. Especially those with limitations. Ashwin had a big one. But he also had the will and the smarts to do something about it. That’s how a player who made his IPL debut in 2009 had his best year as a batter in 2022: facing over 100 balls for the first time, scoring a half-century for the first time, and hitting almost half his career tally (21) of IPL sixes in just one season (nine).A sizable part of that upswing is down to his hyper awareness of the conditions. A few months ago, Ashwin attempted to exploit the bounce and the small boundaries on offer at the DY Patil Stadium by crouching extra low in his stance all in effort to get under the ball and give it the required elevation. This week, in St Kitts, he knew enough about the place to realise he had an ally – the wind – which could help him be even more of a nuisance to the batter, and really, in T20s, that is all a bowler can hope for.R Ashwin batted at No. 3 three times in IPL 2022 and changed his stance a number of times•BCCIAshwin had seen this coming, way back in 2016, and has since then been doing everything he can to stay ahead of the curve. The result of that is now he knows he doesn’t have to be the guy who can run through a batting line-up. He can be just as effective by picking off the opposition’s best player, because that one wicket can turn the whole game around.April 18, 2022. Kolkata Knight Riders are bossing a chase of 218. Andre Russell walks in. The equation is 70 off 42. Ashwin has the ball. Only, he is doing something weird. He is bowing from wide of the crease. The ball is slanted into the batter and pitches on a length, pinning him to his crease and forcing him to play. And then it turns the wrong way and crashes into the stumps. Russell out for a duck. Ashwin sets off in celebration. Rajasthan Royals go on to win by seven runs.”I’d only begun working on that carrom ball yesterday, to get it to turn against the angle like that,” Ashwin told the broadcaster at the end of the game. “So being able to execute that in a match, it was a reaffirmation. It’s just an example of the battle that I always have with myself to keep getting better.”There are other instances too – dismissing Rajat Patidar in the second qualifier, which played a huge part in Royal Challengers Bangalore making only 27 runs off the last 33 balls of a playoff game – that all add up to a delightful little stat.Ashwin dismissed more right-hand batters (seven) than left-hand batters (five) in IPL 2022, defying the convention that spin is only effective when it turns away from the bat. In fact, in eight T20Is since his comeback to the Indian team last November, he has bowled 97 balls to right-hand batters and conceded only five boundaries. That’s a ratio of one in 19.4, which is a marked improvement on what it was at the time he was dropped (one in 7.6). The man has spent half his career railing against perception in sport. Now all he has to do is point to his numbers.Ashwin has always been willing to evolve. To do better; to be better. It’s the reason he is still in contention to make India’s T20 World Cup squad and while a big shiny trophy will certainly add weight to his commitment, it can still be appreciated without one.

Walt Weiss was named the manager of the Braves, the team announced Monday. Atlanta parted ways with Brian Snitker after a disappointing season in 2025, and it opted to promote from within when homing in on his replacement.

Weiss has been the Braves’ bench coach since 2018. He had a 14-year playing career that spanned from 1987 to 2000, and spent his final three seasons in Atlanta. A shortstop, Weiss was a starter at the All-Star Game in 1998 and had 1,207 hits in his career. He won the World Series in 1989 as a member of the Athletics, and also won it with the Braves as the bench coach in 2021.

He’s previously served as the manager of the Rockies, where he was at the helm from 2013 to ‘16. He had a winning percentage of .437 in Colorado, failing to make the postseason in any of his four seasons with the team.

Weiss is the 49th manager in Braves’ franchise history, and he’ll inherit a talented roster that he’s plenty familiar with. The team has made the postseason in seven of the last eight years, and is just four years removed from a World Series title.