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Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer plans include the signing of another new winger, as chairman Daniel Levy looks to back Thomas Frank this summer with more fresh faces in preparation for their journey back to the Champions League.

Tottenham preparing bid for £30m colossus wanted by Napoli, Milan and Inter

Spurs could scupper Antonio Conte in the race for his signature.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2025

Spurs, despite a torrid 2024/2025 domestically, where they lost a record-breaking 22 Premier League games, have suddenly found themselves among Europe’s most elite next term after their historic Europa League final triumph last month.

This has suddenly exacerbated the need for Levy and technical director Johan Lange to reinforce weaker areas of the squad.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Tottenham have already signed Mathys Tel in a £30 million permanent deal from Bayern Munich, whilst also sealing a £5 million agreement for Japanese sensation Kota Takai, but Frank may find himself in need of more wide attackers very soon.

Timo Werner’s return to parent club RB Leipzig, combined with Son Heung-min’s potential move to Saudi Arabia, could leave their new manager pretty short of quality wingers, even when taking into account Tel’s stay.

Man City outcast Jack Grealish, Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, Southampton sensation Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo are just some of the names to be linked with moves to N17 recently, with Frank also recommending Lazio winger Gustav Isaksen to the Spurs hierarchy.

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze also remains high on Tottenham’s radar, as per reports this week, but interest is also still firmly there when it comes to a possible swoop for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.

Tottenham plan bid for Mohammed Kudus after talks in the last week

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, writing for TBR, the Ghanaian is a serious option, and West Ham would be prepared to sell their star winger for a fee north of £60 million.

Tottenham have apparently held talks with Kudus in the last week, and Frank’s side are now thinking about making a bid for the ex-Ajax star after these discussions. His release clause is actually around £80 million, but given West Ham’s need to sell, they’ve reduced his asking price by a significant amount as they look to raise funds and reshape Graham Potter’s squad.

Chelsea are noted as contenders for Kudus too, but they’re yet to go back in with a bid after seeing their proposal for a player-exchange rejected earlier in the window.

The 24-year-old didn’t exactly hit the heights of his debut campaign in east London during his second season, but he still ranked as one of the best dribblers in the Premier League per 90, according to WhoScored.

Kudus can be a truly devastating player on his day, as echoed by his teammate, Aaron Cresswell, in 2024.

“I’ve just trained with him and you don’t want to go anywhere near him,” Cresswell told the Iron Cast.

“I’m up against him all the time and I’m like: ‘Mo, go on over to the left!’. He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet.

“I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming. You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”

Not every transfer has panned out the way they planned, but Chelsea have built themselves a brilliant squad over the last few years.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernández, Marc Cucurella and Joao Pedro wouldn’t look out of place in any other Premier League side.

Moreover, while it’s still early days, it looks like Enzo Maresca and Co have a genuine world-class superstar in the making with Estêvão.

The Brazilian has been incredible so far this season, so Chelsea fans should be delighted about reports linking them to someone who could end up being another Estêvão.

Chelsea target their next Estêvão

There has long been a lot of hype around Estêvão, so much so, in fact, that respected analyst Ben Mattinson labelled him a “future Ballon d’Or winner” a few months before Chelsea even signed him.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, there is still a long way to go until the teenager reaches that level, but he has already been sensational for the Blues this season.

For example, in 17 appearances, totalling 740 minutes, he has provided one assist and scored five goals, including a stunner against Barcelona on Tuesday night.

Therefore, it’s hardly a surprise that the club are now interested in another young star, Assan Ouédraogo, who could potentially emulate the Brazilian.

Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany, Chelsea are one of a few clubs keen on signing the RB Leipzig gem.

Alongside the West Londoners, Manchester United have been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old, whose contract runs until 2029.

Unfortunately, there is no release clause in that deal, so the fee needed to sign the German could end up being rather significant, as much as £50m according to further reports out of Germany in the last few months.

Even so, given Ouédraogo’s ability and potential, this is a transfer Chelsea should pursue, especially as he could be another Estêvão.

Why Ouédraogo could be another Estêvão for Chelsea

So, the first thing to point out is that, yes, the two youngsters primarily play in different positions.

Ouédraogo has spent this season playing as a central and attacking midfielder, while Estêvão has spent most of this year on the right.

However, while the pair do not necessarily operate in the same areas of the pitch, both are highly rated youngsters who seem destined to reach the top of the game.

For example, while Chelsea fans are more than familiar with the Brazilian’s exploits so far this season, they likely don’t know that the German has been even more productive.

In 12 first-team appearances, totalling 561 minutes, the Leipzig gem has scored three goals and provided four assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games, or every 80.14 minutes.

Moreover, the Mülheim an der Ruhr-born prospect has already made quite the impression at the international level.

After blitzing his way up through the various youth levels, he was handed his first senior cap for Germany earlier this month, and instead of just coming on and focusing on not making a mistake, he scored.

Finally, on top of already producing goal involvements for fun, the £22k-per-week gem has some unreal underlying numbers to back up exactly why content creator Neal Gardner has described him as a “powerhouse.”

Goals

0.48

Top 1%

Assists

0.48

Top 1%

Goals + Assists

0.97

Top 1%

Yellow Cards

0.00

Top 1%

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.31

Top 1%

Shots Total

2.90

Top 1%

Shots on Target

1.45

Top 1%

Goal-Creating Actions

1.13

Top 1%

Touches (Att Pen)

4.83

Top 1%

Successful Take-Ons

1.77

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.97

Top 1%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for goals, assists, shots on target, goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it’s still early in his career, it’s hard to disagree with Mattinson’s assessment that Ouédraogo is a “beast ready to be unleashed” and therefore capable of being another Estêvão for Chelsea.

Chelsea have already signed another exciting star who's "just like Estevao"

Chelsea have already signed another youngster who could become another Estevao for Enzo Maresca.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 26, 2025

Bayer Leverkusen's summer signing Jarell Quansah admits Jurgen Klopp gave him a boost of confidence while also helping him plan for his future.

• Jarell Quansah gets candid about his debut
• Says Jurgen Klopp's words helped calm his nerves
• Klopp also guided him on his future

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Quansah moved to BayArena this summer in a record-breaking deal for the 2023-24 Bundesliga champions, worth €35 million (£30m/$40m) plus more in add-ons. The 22-year-old got candid in a recent interview, where he talked about his Liverpool debut and the words he exchanged with former coach Jurgen Klopp.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-Liverpool player made 58 appearances for the Merseyside club, during which he scored three goals, won the 2024-25 Premier League title and also the 2024 League Cup trophy. But above all, it's his Liverpool debut that still gives him the chills. It was a match he says he won't forget, as the team made a comeback to win 2-1 against Newcastle after he came on for Joel Matip in the 77th minute. Before he came on, Klopp had a very simple message for the defender.

• WHAT QUANSAH SAID

  Talking to about what the coach told him ahead of his first senior appearance, he said: "I remember him coming up to me just before I came on and saying: "You're ready!" Hearing that from this legend in that moment was very comforting and gave me a lot of confidence. I was very happy he gave me that chance. We were 1-0 down and still won 2-1. Making my debut there was challenging.You can also lean on him sometimes. At the end of his last season, we talked together about what my future might look like. After that, I knew what I wanted."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR QUANSAH?

  Quansah made his debut for Leverkusen in their pre-season friendly against Bochum. There is still a possibility for the English defender to return to the Reds, as they have inserted a buy-back clause in his contract. But for now, the 22-year-old is focused on his life in Germany and working on his growth under head coach Erik Ten Hag.

Manchester United have made a start on their summer transfer business ahead of Ruben Amorim’s first full season in charge.

Matheus Cunha has become the first signing at Old Trafford from Wolves, with the Red Devils triggering the forward’s £62.5m release clause.

However, INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe aren’t stopping there when it comes to more additions, although they may have to raise funds through the sales of players ahead of the 2025/26 season.

Grok, the AI tool on X, has named Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Casemiro as stars who could be sold to raise funds, and it has also predicted five more signings Man Utd could make between now and the end of August.

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ByBarney Lane Feb 26, 2025

AI predicts 4 players Man Utd will sign this summer

1 Bryan Mbeumo Brentford (£60m)

After Cunha, Man Utd are looking to sign Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, with the pair potentially playing behind a striker at Old Trafford under Amorim.

Mbeumo scored 20 goals for the Bees last season, his best ever year in front goal, and the Red Devils have already made an offer worth an initial £45m.

However, AI feel as if that figure needs to worth an initial £60m, although reports elsewhere have claimed Brentford want around £70m to part ways with their star man.

2 Viktor Gyokeres Sporting CP (£80m)

Should Mbeumo arrive to partner Cunha behind a striker, Man Utd could look to replace current centre-forward Rasmus Hojlund for Viktor Gyokeres.

A player who Amorim knows well from his time at Sporting CP, Gyokeres has been a goalscoring machine in Portugal but now looks set to return to England.

Man Utd can’t offer the Sweden international European football, however, AI believe a transfer could still go through in the region of £80m, which is thought to be his release clause.

3 Jarrad Branthwaite Everton (Undisclosed)

At the back, Man Utd have been predicted to win the race to sign Everton central defender Jarrad Branthwaite.

Currently, Amorim has the likes of Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt, Ayden Heaven and Lisandro Martinez, but in his 3-4-3 system, there could be room for another, with Branthwaite a long-term target at Old Trafford.

Reports earlier in 2025 said a £50m offer was being prepared by Man Utd, however, AI don’t state a fee it would take to sign the England international.

4 Antoine Semenyo Bournemouth (£60m)

Finally, another Premier League attacker in Antoine Semenyo has been backed to make the move to Old Trafford.

The Bournemouth forward impressed playing on both the left and right under Andoni Iraola, scoring in both games against Man Utd in 24/25.

Games

3

Wins

2

Draws

1

Losses

0

Goals

2

AI state that Semenyo’s ‘speed, physicality, and goal-scoring ability’ make him a shrewd option to potentially replace the likes of Rashford, Sancho and Antony.

da dobrowin： While finishing second in the Premier League and reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League would constitute an unreal campaign for most clubs, it wasn’t for Arsenal.

da poker： Mikel Arteta’s side came into this season hopeful of finally getting over the line in a major competition, only to fall short yet again.

With that said, this year wasn’t a total write-off, as there have been some massive positives, notably the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The latter, in particular, now looks destined for stardom since cementing a starting spot in North London and earning three caps for the senior national side.

Yet, in an exciting development, recent reports are now linking Arsenal with another youngster who could be an even bigger talent.

Arsenal looking to sign new defender

While Arsenal have been linked to a host of established superstars who could come in and make an immediate impact on the first team this summer, several tremendously exciting prospects have also been touted for moves to the club in recent weeks, like Kenan Yildiz and Konstantinos Karetsas.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

The former could reportedly be available for an astounding £86m, and while that is a mind-blowing sum of money for a 20-year-old, he was able to score seven goals and provide five assists in just 35 Serie A appearances this year.

Karetsas, on the other hand, could cost a slightly more palatable £38m, although with him still being just 17 years old and only managing seven goal involvements in 39 games this year, that could still be too much.

Moreover, it would be hard to compare either youngster to Lewis-Skelly, unlike Jorrel Hato.

According to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Arsenal and Chelsea are incredibly interested in the Ajax gem.

In fact, the Italian claims that within the last week, the Gunners have been ‘calling’ the Dutch giants to learn more about the young defender.

Romano does not mention how much a potential deal might cost, but according to other reports from earlier this week, the Amsterdam outfit could ask for up to £42m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Hato’s immense ability and potential, it’s one Arsenal should fight for, especially as he might be a bigger talent than Lewis-Skelly.

How Hato compares to Lewis-Skelly

Okay, so the first thing to say is that nobody is disputing the fact that Lewis-Skelly is a simply phenomenal talent, who at this point looks destined to be a part of Arsenal’s first team for years to come and likely a regular starter for Arsenal as well.

However, at this point in time, it’s also not controversial, at least it shouldn’t be, to suggest that Hato is a bigger talent, and there are a few reasons why.

Firstly, while this season was the young Englishman’s breakthrough campaign, and he only became a regular fixture in the first team in the latter half of it, the Ajax star, who has “superstar potential,” according to U23 scout Antonio Mango, has been playing senior football for some time now.

He made his first team debut for the Amsterdam outfit back in February 2023, when he was still just 16 years old, and since then, he’s played 111 matches for the first team, in which he’s scored four goals and provided nine assists – he also made his senior national team debut at 17 years old, in November the same year.

Moreover, in another example of just how absurdly developed and highly-rated the Rotterdam-born talent is, he has started 102 of those 111 club games and even worn the captain’s armband multiple times.

Finally, on top of the experience and responsibility that the “exceptional” talent, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has over the Gunners’ gem, he also comes out on top when we compare the two teenagers’ underlying numbers.

Hato vs Lewis-Skelly

Statistics per 90

Hato

Lewis-Skelly

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.16

0.04

Non-Penalty G+As

0.28

0.07

Progressive Passes

4.17

4.67

Progressive Carries

1.42

2.43

Key Passes

0.63

0.53

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.80

0.66

Live Passes

52.4

43.4

Shot-Creating Actions

1.43

1.91

Goal-Creating Actions

0.45

0.00

Tackles

2.01

1.45

Blocks

1.22

0.26

Interceptions

0.76

0.46

Clearances

2.29

1.78

Ball Recoveries

4.51

3.49

Aerial Duels Won

1.77

0.72

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Domestic Season

For example, the 19-year-old does far better in metrics like actual and expected non-penalty goals, key passes and passes into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, tackles, blocks, interceptions, clearances, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Lewis-Skelly is a superstar in the making, and of that, there is no doubt, but as things stand, Hato looks to be even better.

Therefore, Arsenal should do all they can to sign the Dutch gem this summer, as he could be a world-class player a few years down the line.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 12, 2025

Everton have emerged as contenders to complete the signing of a Premier League champion, according to a fresh transfer update.

Forwards Everton could sign this summer

The Blues were relatively goal-shy last season, only scoring 42 goals in 38 league matches, highlighting the need for David Moyes to add attacking quality to his squad in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool winger Ben Doak continues to be mentioned as an eye-catching option for Everton, in a move that would cause plenty of controversy on Merseyside, with Moyes considering him a leading option to bring in ahead of next season. It remains to be seen if the Reds are willing to sell to their local rivals, though.

The Blues are also said to be willing to trigger the release clause of Villarreal forward Thierno Barry, paving the way for Dominic Calvert-Lewis to bring an end to his time at the club, as has been expected for some time now.

Meanwhile, Oguz Aydin is another reported target for Everton, with the Fenerbahce winger a player capable of bringing strong end product in the final third, following 10 goal contributions (seven goals and three assists) in the Turkisk Super Lig in 2024/25.

Everton eyeing shock move for Man City star

According to The Daily Mail, Everton are “monitoring” Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, as they eye a “shock” move for him this summer.

The £300,000-a-week ace is expected to leave the Etihad in the coming weeks and months, and the Blues have emerged as contenders to snap him up. While no talks have taken place yet, they are “aware” of his availability, although a loan move may be most likely, due to profit and sustainability rules surrounding his wages.

Grealish’s stock has dropped significantly over the past year or two, hence City being willing to sell him, but that’s not to say that he couldn’t shine for Everton, having been praised by Pep Guardiola last year.

“He was aggressive. I know in controlling the ball he is good, but he made four or five shots. This is what it is – he has to prove himself, but I am really pleased with the game he played.”

There has been a feeling that Grealish’s maverick style has been stunted at City, with the Englishman having to play a more refined role where risk-taking isn’t allowed, but he could flourish if let off his leash at Everton.

The fact that Moyes is a big admirer of the 29-year-old can also only bode well, with the Blues boss calling him the “best player in the Premier League” back in 2021, which speaks volumes.

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If he believes he can get the best out of Grealish, it is a move that Everton must try and make happen, with the Englishman capable of lighting up matches with his dribbling ability and entertainment value.

MatériaMais Notícias

da betsson： O Botafogo disparou na liderança do Campeonato Brasileiro, agora com 39 pontos, doze a mais do que o vice-líder, que é o rival Flamengo. Mas quantos pontos são necessários para um time ser campeão nacional? É o que o LANCE! mostra para você.

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da bet7： Ao início do campeonato, todos os times são considerados iguais, mas ao decorrer das rodadas cada time tem um aproveitamento diferente. Alguns se aproximam do título, enquanto outros se aproximam cada vez mais do temido rebaixamento. Historicamente, para levantar a taça de campeão da Série A a pontuação média fica em 77,8 pontos.

+ Confira a classificação atualizada e veja a tabela do Brasileirão

Analisando o Campeonato Brasileiro desde o inicio dos pontos corridos, para se ter 99% de chances de ser campeão, é necessário pelo menos 74 pontos, o que faz uma média de uma vitória e um empate a cada dois jogos.

+ Confira a tabela completa do Brasileirão 2023

Os 90 pontos que foram conquistados pelo Flamengo no Brasileirão de 2019 estipularam o novo recorde, sendo assim a maior pontuação atingida na era dos pontos corridos com 38 rodadas. Considerando toda a era dos pontos corridos, o Cruzeiro é o dono da maior pontuação da história, com 100 pontos conquistados em 2003, porém em 46 rodadas disputadas.

Para o rebaixamento, os 45 pontos são a garantia de se manter na Série A. A média de pontos tem sido 42.8 para se sustentar na primeira divisão.

Manchester City’s strong end to the season continues.

On Friday night, the Sky Blues beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0 at the Etihad with, who else, Kevin De Bruyne the only scorer.

Having now won four Premier League games on the spin, Pep Guardiola’s team now have second place well within their sights, widely expected to continue their winning streak on Saturday, considering they’ll be facing rock-bottom Southampton.

Despite this recent upturn in form, which includes reaching a third successive FA Cup Final, Guardiola still insists that this season has been a disaster, hence why he’s planning to spend big this summer, so could he go shopping within the league?

Manchester City's midfield target

The Blues are lining up a big-money move this summer with the likes of £100m-rated Morgan Gibbs-White now in their sights and Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz also a target.

That said, could it be another Premier League star who Pep and Co turn to?

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, according to a report in Spain, Manchester City ‘have submitted’ an offer of £55m to Tottenham Hotspur for the services of James Maddison, who they claim is viewed as the long-term ‘successor’ to the outgoing De Bruyne.

Maddison would surely add a touch of creativity and vision to Man City’s midfield, something that has been lacking throughout this season.

The 28-year-old England international joined Spurs from Leicester City for a reported fee of £40m two summers ago but, with Tottenham currently down in 16th, no European football next season could force them to sell key assets, unless they’re able to win the Europa League of course.

So, would Maddison be a good signing for Manchester City, and which recent move would this be reminiscent of?

How Maddison compares to Jack Grealish

Of course, the Sky Blues are no strangers to signing high-profile English international attacking midfielders from within the Premier League, breaking the then-British transfer record to secure the services of Jack Grealish for £100m in 2021.

Now coming towards the end of his fourth season at the Etihad, Grealish’s Man City career can be split into two distinct parts, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

39

50

36

31

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,520

Goals

6

5

3

3

Assists

4

11

3

5

As the numbers emphasise, during Grealish’s first two seasons in Manchester, he was a regular starter and key contributor, but this has certainly not been the case during this campaign or the last, starting only one Premier League fixture since Christmas.

So, would Maddison be able to replicate the form of great Grealish should he make the move to the Etihad?

Well, let’s compare the duo this season to help answer that question.

Appearances

31

45

Minutes

1,520

2,717

Goals

3

12

Assists

5

11

Goals – xG

+0.1

+4.2

Shots on target %

32.3%

46.6%

Pass completion %

87.7%

81.5%

Attempted take-ons

37

106

Take-on success %

37.8%

41.5%

Big chances created

3

8

Progressive carries

92

62

Progressive passes

71

221

Touches per 90

36

66

As the table highlights, Maddison’s statistics this season are almost universally more impressive than Grealish’s for every metric included.

He’s certainly a more progressive passer, while simply on goals and assists alone, the Spurs star – who is “unbelievable” in the eyes of Sky Sports pundit Darren Ambrose – has a lot more end product.

The one problem could be that Maddison’s season may actually be over.

Ange Postecoglou stated that he is “concerned” his star midfielder could require knee surgery, which would be a major blow because, as Jack Pitt-Brooke of the Athletic argues, he might just be Tottenham’s most-important player, given ‘how good he is at finding those pockets of space’.

Thus, any potential summer sale would be a massive blow for Spurs but, on the flip side, this would be a major coup for Man City.

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ByKelan Sarson May 4, 2025

Batting collapses are no longer an aberration for England’s Test team, but on Thursday they were out-Englanded, done in by seam and swing and perhaps their own emphasis on short-form cricket

George Dobell at Lord's25-May-20181:09

A few things had crept into my game – Cook

Some things never change at Lord’s: there’s the slope, the grand old pavilion, the unique hum of the crowd and, just around the corner, another England batting collapse.This one was pretty special. Even by their standards. The first-innings total was their lowest here having won the toss since 1955. And in losing their last five wickets for 16 runs (and their last six for 35), they revived memories of … well, just about every game they play these days.It keeps happening, doesn’t it? England keep getting bowled out cheaply and leaving their bowlers under pressure. The opening partnership is now, statistically speaking, the worst in England’s Test history (of pairs to have batted together a minimum of 10 times) and, after totals of 58 at Auckland, 180 in Sydney, 227 in Adelaide, 195 in Brisbane, 198 and 133 in Nottingham, 158 in Vizag and 101 in Centurion – to name but a few of many – we can hardly dismiss such a score as an aberration. And, these days, there’s no Moeen Ali – or even Chris Woakes – to bail them out.They will remain fragile, too, until they start giving Test cricket the respect it deserves. Sure, the ECB say all the right things about it being their top priority. And sure, everyone involved is keen to do well. But all the evidence – the scheduling, selection, the language – suggests otherwise. All that evidence suggests the white-ball game (and we presume The 100 is to be played with a white ball rather than a rainbow-
coloured decahedron) – offering more money and the chance to ‘engage’ a new audience, as it does – is the priority. That’s not necessarily a bad strategy, but let us not talk falsely and pretend that first-class cricket in England hasn’t been compromised in the race for a few dollars more.So, while we ask players to come into Tests without having played red-ball cricket for many months – Jos Buttler, for example, hasn’t played a first-class game since September and Ben Stokes hasn’t played one since returning from the IPL – and while others are expected to find their form on early-season pitches unsuited to grooming top-quality professionals, days like this will keep happening.But you know that already. We all know that already. It requires to actually act on that knowledge for anything to change.Let’s also give some credit to the Pakistan bowlers. They performed with skill and nous in harnessing the conditions expertly. It remains one of the wonders of cricket that, even shorn of their leading spinner and the chance to play much cricket in their home country, they keep producing fine cricketers who show up England – with their facilities, their salaries, their hubris – for the mediocre Test side they have become.The delivery that bowled Mark Stoneman, for example, (from the skilful Mohammad Abbas) moved up the slope to hit his off stump. Similarly, the ball (from the admirably persistent Faheem Ashraf) that bowled Jonny Bairstow held its line just enough to defeat his somewhat loose drive and take his off stump. And the ball that ended Alastair Cook’s fine innings was another that held its line just enough to defeat the outside edge. All three were victims of terrific bowling.Batting was not easy, either. History may well remember Joe Root’s decision to win the toss as a bit of a stinker – the pitch was green, conditions were overcast and Pakistan admitted they would have bowled first, anyway – but it may not have been quite as bad as it currently seems. His logic was that, after a tough couple of hours, conditions would ease and, with the pitch surprisingly dry under the covering of live grass, it may result in deliveries keeping low as the match progresses into a fourth or fifth day.Whether the match lasts that long remains to be seen. While Cook was keen not to throw his captain under the bus after play, he did admit there was “nip and swing” to deal with. He also reasoned that England were perhaps only 90 or 100 runs short of par and referenced a recent match, on a similar pitch, when he played for Essex against Worcestershire.Getty ImagesEngland are not completely out of this game yet. Pakistan’s batting is brittle, too.But these were classic English conditions. Conditions which most of these players should be familiar with and comfortable in. And conditions which Pakistan have come into and harnessed, to out-England England. It would be like England spinning Pakistan to defeat in the UAE or Lahore.Batsmen will receive good deliveries at the Test level, though. They have to be able to deal with them better than this. The ball that dismissed Dawid Malan, for example, was in a really good area – probing just outside off stump – but it moved little, if at all, and top-order batsmen have to find ways to negate such threats. Stoneman, too, might reflect that the delivery that dismissed him was the third that over to have left him up the slope. It should not have been quite the shock it seems to have been. Joe Root, tied down for 45 minutes in scoring just four, launched himself at a wide one too short for a drive and nicked to the keeper. “We’ve all played a bad shot,” as Cook put it. “He’s still a world-class player.”But perhaps it was the wicket of Buttler that best summed up England’s innings. There was a time when a specialist batsman might have been encouraged to leave the delivery outside off stump in conditions where the ball is swinging and when the team is in trouble.Not any more. The game has changed, we’re told. England have encouraged Buttler to “be positive” and, having accepted he doesn’t have much of a defence, feel that attack is his best method to deal with just about every circumstance. On his day and on true surfaces, it will come off and be spectacular. But there’s a reason why just about every successful Test batsman in history has had to possess a decent defence: and that reason is that, on days like this, it is the only percentage way to play. England’s thinking is too clever by half. The game hasn’t changed that much.Cook, at least, showed his side the way. The man who laid the platform for their win in India in 2012-13 and their win in Australia in 2010-11. The man who has scored more Test runs for this side than anyone in history, who equalled the record for the longest run of consecutive Tests in history. He’ll break it next week, too.He needed this innings. He had reached 40 only once in his 17 most recent Test innings and, in a richer playing age, would be far more uncomfortable in this side.But it is odd that it is Cook – with his record – who is the one that seems out of fashion. It is odd that it is Cook, with his patience and discipline, who seems out of step with modernity. Quite a few of his colleagues could learn plenty from his mindset and method.England may get away with it this week. But they need to confront the fact that their batting is flimsy and has been for some time. They’re doing something – whether it’s the coaching, or schedule, or approach – wrong.Pakistan were good, but are not the only team who have made England look mediocre. India did it. New Zealand did it. Bangladesh did it. And Australia did it brutally. And while there might, on occasions, have been some excuses – England have historically struggled with spin and pace and bounce – here they were undone by swing and seam. Conditions in which they are meant to excel. If they start to struggle at home, there really isn’t anywhere left to hide.

Niroshan Dickwella, meanwhile, thinks any target under 225 will be achievable

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle16-Aug-2019Any lead in excess of 200 could be a winning one for New Zealand on a wearing Galle pitch, Tom Latham has said. Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, meanwhile, feels any target below 225 could be chaseable.New Zealand are currently 177 runs ahead, with three second-innings wickets remaining, with BJ Watling and William Somerville unbeaten overnight. The second new ball is due in four overs.”I think anything above 200, we are not too far off from that,” Latham said after stumps on day three. “The important thing for us is to come back tomorrow morning and put up those partnerships like we did today. Like Tim Southee (who put on 54 with Watling for the seventh wicket), Will Somerville can help us build a partnership with BJ, who has been outstatanding today. Hopefully we can stitch that total to make as many as possible. We know how tough it can be in the fourth innings to chase down a score.”It’s a surface where when you get in, you can score, but sometimes things happen quickly in this part of the world. This wicket is no different. Through the three innings we have seen wickets lost in a hurry. Hopefully we can put pressure on the Sri Lankans and the wicket keeps deteriorating and the spinners will come into play.”The highest successful fourth-innings chase in Galle is 99 for 3, but that record may be slightly misleading – there haven’t been that many middling fourth-innings targets set at this venue, and teams have made nine 200-plus fourth-innings totals in draws and losses. What’s more, although there is substantial turn on this particular pitch, it is not yet unplayable, Dickwella said, having made 61 in the first innings and kept wickets for most of day three.”The wicket is turning but it is slow turn,” he said. “Slower than what we usually get in Galle. Even if we get a target of 225 or so, I think we can chase it down. Batting fourth will be tough on this wicket, no doubt, but we have a decent batting line-up. Those chasing stats are what teams have done in past. We’re a different team and this is a different opposition. We have to play according the situation. Our batters will do the job, I feel.”Key to New Zealand’s good position in the match was the 63 not out from Watling, who arrived at the crease with the score effectively 63 for 4, before putting up good partnerships with Henry Nicholls and Southee and a burgeoning one with Somerville.”It was a fantastic innings by Watling,” Latham said. “He is a guy who stands up when we need him. The tough situations bring the best out of him and it’s great to have him in our team.”