Xabi Alonso called Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal’s battle for Real Madrid’s right-back spot “healthy competition”.
Celtic have now received a reply after submitting an offer worth a total of £2.25m for a Premier League midfielder, according to a new transfer update that has emerged.
Rodgers in positive spirits at Celtic
The Hoops couldn’t have asked for a more ideal start to the season, winning their opening two Scottish Premiership matches, topping the table immediately.
Celtic won 2-0 at Aberdeen on Saturday, and speaking after the game, manager Brendan Rodgers couldn’t hide his happiness at both the performance and result.
“It was a really good performance. We controlled the game and dominated it. We had two outstanding goals and had other opportunities to make it even more comfortable, and their keeper also made some really good saves. Then, when we had to defend, we were really strong – our two centre-halves, and then even Auston coming into the game as well.
“So as a team I thought we were excellent, and then the context of the game – obviously it’s early in the season and playing Aberdeen in the first competitive game after the Scottish Cup and them beating us, we knew there was going to be something in it for them, but we played with a lot of quality and a lot of heart today, and that pleased me.’
It’s now a case of Celtic kicking on and strengthening their squad before the end of the summer transfer window, and a new update has emerged regarding one target.
Celtic recieve reply after bid submitted worth £2.25m
According to a new update from Hammers News, Celtic have seen an opening bid rejected by West Ham for midfielder Andy Irving.
The offer in question is thought to be worth £1.75m plus £500k in add-ons, with the Hammers instead demanding £3.5m for the Scotland international.
Irving, described as a ‘fan favourite’ in the report, could be an astute signing by Celtic this summer, having been lauded by West Ham manager Graham Potter for many key attributes.
“His spirit, application and training merited that start. I think the decision was clear for Andy because he’s trained really well and I think it’s important for the group to know that. I’m pleased with him.”
Despite this, Irving did only manage one Premier League start in the whole of last season, showing that he may not be considered a key part of West Ham’s plans heading into the new season.
Appearances
10
Starts
1
Minutes played
162
Goals
0
Assists
0
Pass completion rate
90%
Tackles per game
0.7
Clearances per game
0.5
Yellow cards
2
The 25-year-old could, therefore, like the idea of sealing a move to Celtic, not only in order to earn more minutes, but also to test himself in the Champions League.
With the 2026 World Cup looming next summer, the £5,000-a-week Irving will want to give himself the best chance as possible of making Scotland’s squad, assuming they qualify for the tournament.
Rodgers could axe Adam Idah by sealing Celtic move for "explosive" £6m star
Celtic can drop Adam Idah from the starting line-up with a move to sign this £6m-rated star.
1 ByDan Emery Aug 12, 2025
If he stays put with the Hammers, his international hopes could suffer more compared to if he is plying his trade as a regular in his homeland.
شهدت مباراة ريال مدريد وإسبانيول في بطولة الدوري الإسباني، على ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو”، مساء اليوم السبت، واقعة غريبة من الجماهير.
وحل إسبانيول ضيفًا على ريال مدريد بملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” في إطار مباريات الجولة الخامسة لبطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.
وبحسب ما ذكرت صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، بدأت جماهير إسبانيول في الهتاف ضد برشلونة بهتافات مسيئة، قبل بداية المباراة ضد ريال مدريد.
ولاحقًا انضمت جماهير فريق ريال مدريد لجماهير الخصم إسبانيول، في الهتاف ضد الغريم برشلونة، واستخدم كلاهما لفظ نابٍ في الهتاف.
وعندما انتهى الهتاف، بدأ جميع جماهير البرنابيو بالتصفيق، ومن المرجح أن يكون تم الإبلاغ عن هذه الهتافات لرابطة الليجا.
اقرأ أيضًا | كارفاخال: ما فعلته لا يليق بـ ريال مدريد.. وأعتذر للجماهير
وبحسب ما أوضح التقرير، هذه الهتافات المسيئة ضد برشلونة ستُدرج في الشكوى إلى مكتب المنافسة ومكافحة العنف بعد كل مباراة، وقد تؤدي إلى غرامة مالية على ريال مدريد.
وكان ريال مدريد قد حقق فوزًا على حساب إسبانيول بهدفين دون رد، ليرفع رصيده في صدارة الدوري الإسباني إلى 15 نقطة.
ويستعد برشلونة لمواجهة خيتافي غدًا الأحد، وذلك أيضًا ضمن مباريات الجولة الخامسة لبطولة الدوري الإسباني.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is personally leading the charge to sign a “powerful” player, with an offer now ready to be submitted, according to a report.
Berta taking hands-on role at the Emirates
Having laid the foundations, the Arsenal hierarchy believes now is the time for the team to start winning silverware, and Berta has a big role to play, with the Italian regarded as a master negotiator, capable of being involved in multiple deals at once.
The 53-year-old is taking a hands-on role at the Emirates Stadium, attending training sessions and press conferences, while also putting in work behind-the-scenes to secure agreements for the likes of Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard and Martin Zubimendi.
There have been some disagreements with Mikel Arteta, however, especially when it comes to which striker they should bring in, with Berta keen to sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, while the manager would prefer to sign RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Berta is simultaneously working on moves for both strikers, indicating a decision is yet to be made as to which striker is the preferred option, and the north Londoners are also keen to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch.
That is according to a report from Super Deporte (via Sport Witness), which states Berta is now leading the charge for Valencia defender Cristhian Mosquera, who has recently been identified as a key target by Arteta.
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ByMatt Dawson Jun 29, 2025
Such is Arsenal’s level of interest, they are now ready to submit an offer in the region of €20m – €25m (£17m – £21m) for Mosquera, with around €3m – €5m (£2.6m – £4.3m) of the higher amount based on bonuses relating to performance.
Berta is said to be key to the deal, with the sporting director retaining a long-term interest in the 21-year-old, having also targeted him during his time with Atlético Madrid.
"Powerful" Mosquera could be ideal centre-back signing
With any new centre-back signing unlikely to immediately take Gabriel or William Saliba’s spot in the starting XI, it would make sense to bring in a younger centre-back, capable of replacing one of the first-choice options on a long-term basis.
The Valencia star is showing very promising signs in La Liga, having now established himself as a key player, missing just one La Liga game last season, while the defender has also received high praise from former youth coach Miguel-Ángel Angulo.
Angulo said: “He’s characterised by a physical condition and good technical qualities, powerful in the air, and mature for his age.”
Having also received plaudits from Statman Dave, Mosquera is clearly an exciting young player, who could provide Arsenal with the depth to compete on all fronts next season, before going on to stake a claim for a regular starting spot.
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin on course to depart as a free agent, Everton are now reportedly keeping a close eye on an impressive striker who Erling Haaland believes is “incredibly talented”.
Calvert-Lewin set to leave Everton
After nine years at the club, Calvert-Lewin remains on course to leave at the end of his current contract this month. Everton confirmed that they are still in talks with his representatives, but a resolution at this stage does not seem likely. The Toffees, instead, must turn their focus towards replacing their forward or perhaps even finding the perfect upgrade.
Appearances
273
Goals
71
Assists
22
The 28-year-old’s best work undoubtedly came under Carlo Ancelotti, as is the case for most players, but he hasn’t been able to reach the same quality ever since. Without the Italian, the forward’s Everton career can be summed up by looking at a frustrating injury history which often stood in the way of a talented forward ever truly reaching his potential.
In need of a replacement, the Toffees have already been linked with moves for the likes of Hamza Igamane from Rangers and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Evan Ferguson. The latter would be a like-for-like replacement for Calvert-Lewin given his stature and ability to use that stature to his advantage whilst possessing an impressive technical ability.
In many ways, Ferguson would be a throwback to the player that Calvert-Lewin once was – a young, tall forward full of potential. The Irishman will be desperate to head down a more successful path, however, and getting his career back on track by joining David Moyes in Merseyside may be the perfect first step.
Alternatively, Everton could also turn their attention towards a Bundesliga talent who has already earned high praise from the likes of Haaland and would replace Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring prowess from the wing.
Everton keeping close eye on Nusa
As reported by Caught Offside, Everton are now keeping a close eye on Antonio Nusa. The RB Leipzig winger has shown glimpses of his talent since swapping Club Brugge for the German side and is now reportedly valued as high as €45m (£38m).
Whether Everton are in a position to pay that price is the big question. At 20 years old, there’s no doubt that Nusa has the potential to turn that price tag into a bargain deal in years to come.
The Leipzig star stole the headlines whilst on international duty with Norway recently when he scored a sensational goal against Italy and it’s not the first time that he’s impressed for his country.
Just last year, Nusa earned impressive praise from Haaland. The Norway forward and Manchester City star told reporters: “He’s exceptional. We need to be careful not to put too much pressure on him, even though he’s incredibly talented. His continued development is what matters most.”
Everton willing to pay large fee to sign star with over 100 PL appearances
The Toffees could turn to a familiar face…
BySean Markus Clifford Jun 13, 2025
The praise in Norway doesn’t get much higher than that. Simply put, Nusa is not someone that Everton should want to miss out on this summer.
Crystal Palace have now joined the hotly-contested race to sign a “brilliant” new striker on a free transfer this summer, according to a recent report.
Nketiah reaches 50 goals in Crystal Palace win over Wolves
The Eagles followed up their amazing 1-0 triumph over Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday with an impressive 4-2 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in their final home game of the season, reaching a club record 52 Premier League points.
Crystal Palace now plotting quick deal to sign "aggressive" £20m midfielder
The Eagles are now eyeing a move for an attacking midfielder.
ByDominic Lund May 20, 2025
Oliver Glasner decided to hand striker Eddie Nketiah a rare start, and it was a move that paid off as he netted twice in a five-minute window to help the South Londoners on their way to victory. It meant Tuesday night’s game was a special landmark for the 25-year-old, as he netted his 50th career goal. After the game, Nketiah revealed he wants to contribute more next season.
“It is nice to reach that landmark. I know I can do much better and help the team. It’s a nice way to end the last home game, and I want to contribute more next season.”
Nketiah joined the Eagles last summer having decided to leave Arsenal in search of regular football. His move to Selhurst Park probably hasn’t quite gone the way he expected, as he’s made just nine starts in the Premier League, scoring only three goals, perhaps understandably struggling to get ahead of Jean-Philippe Mateta in the pecking order.
Crystal Palace join Leeds in race to sign £140k-p/w star on free transfer
Nketiah will hope next season he can contribute more, but his chances of doing so could be dealt a further blow, as according to Football Insider, Crystal Palace have made contact with Jamie Vardy over a move to Selhurst Park.
Football Insider reports that contact has been made between the South Londoners and Vardy’s camp, as they try to get an understanding of whether he would want to move to Selhurst Park. The 38-year-old, who scored in his final game at the King Power Stadium as a Leicester City player on Sunday, is planning to continue playing at the highest level.
Palace don’t have a clear run at signing the Englishman, as it’s already been reported that Wolves are already plotting a move to sign the striker, while Leeds are also advancing on a deal, and Everton are said to be leading the race to sign Vardy.
Apps
342
Goals
145
Assists
50
The 38-year-old, who has been hailed as “brilliant” by Gary Lineker, has scored nine goals in 35 Premier League games this season, taking his total top flight tally to 145, a number any striker would kill to achieve in one of the top leagues in Europe.
It isn’t clear if Vardy would be interested in a move to Palace, but if the Eagles have any chance of signing the striker, they are going to have to pay around the £140,000 mark for wages, as that is what Vardy currently earns at Leicester.
Rangers supporters surely can’t wait for this miserable season to finally end.
On Wednesday night, Barry Ferguson’s side fought back from a goal down win 3-1 at Ibrox, with Cyriel Dessers scoring twice, before Nicolas Raskin made the points secure for Rangers late on.
Having also smashed Aberdeen 4-0 on Sunday, the Gers have secured back-to-back home wins for the first time since 2 February; they were without a win in seven successive matches at Ibrox beforehand.
The Light Blues will conclude the campaign against in-form Hibernian at Easter Road on Saturday lunchtime, but most Rangers supporters are more preoccupied with wondering who their next manager will be.
Well, could we find out very soon?
The latest on Davide Ancelotti to Rangers
Earlier this week, a report by Madrid-based outlet AS claimed that Davide Ancelotti is one of the front-runners to become the new Rangers manager.
Anthony Evans of the Daily Record noted that it has ‘taken us all by surprise’ that Ancelotti is the ‘leading contender’, even if Spanish football expert Guillem Balague believes he is ‘one of the most sought-after’ coaches in world football.
On Monday, it was confirmed that his father Carlo, will become the new Brazil manager, with Davide now hoping to pursue his own managerial career.
Nevertheless, it would surely be a major risk at this juncture for the new 49ers ownership group to appoint a 35-year-old with no prior experience of being a head coach, so here’s who they should hire, or should we say re-hire, instead.
Who should be the new Rangers manager?
According to a report by Mick Brown of Football Insider, Rangers are ‘set to step up their efforts’ to re-hire Steven Gerrard as manager, adding that the board are eager to appoint a new manager ‘quickly’ ahead of the transfer window opening and then pre-season.
Mike McGrath of the Telegraph has previously documented that Gerrard is on the 49ers ‘longlist’ of candidates, but could he now be at the front of the queue to secure an Ibrox return?
The 44-year-old has been out of work since being sacked by Al-Ettifaq in January, with John Duerden of the Guardian describing his time in the Saudi Pro League as ‘mostly underwhelming’, winning just 19 of 55 matches in charge of the Dammam-based outfit.
However, the Liverpool legend was significantly more successful during three and a bit years as Rangers boss, as the table below outlines. His reputation became “amazing” in the words of former England defender Glen Johnson and it’s not hard to see why.
2016/17
3rd
67
SF
SF
Did not qualify
2017/18
3rd
70
SF
SF
Qualifying round
2018/19
2nd
78
QF
SF
Group stage
2019/20
2nd
67*
QF
F
Last 16
2020/21
1st
102
QF
QF
Last 16
2021/22
Gerrard departed after 13 Premiership games.
*season curtailed due to Covid
Indeed, Gerrard led Rangers to their only Premiership title since 2011, going the entire league campaign undefeated, winning 32 of 38 matches.
Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout describes Gerrard’s tenure as “impressive” considering he took on a “very difficult” job, while Ewan Murray of the Guardian documents how he was ‘adored’ by the Rangers support, despite requiring three attempts to ultimately topple Celtic, historically preventing ten-in-a-row in 2021.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Rangers legend Ally McCoist believes Gerrard “would be welcome back”, adding that a return could be best for all involved.
So, having proved he can deliver silverware in the past, Gerrard is surely the perfect candidate to be re-appointed.
He'd kickstart Ancelotti era with a bang: Rangers in talks for first signing
Rangers could kickstart the Davide Ancelotti era with a bang by signing this star.
ByDan Emery May 14, 2025
Aston Villa are now in a three-way race to sign an “incredible” midfielder who is ready to leave his current club this summer, according to a report.
Villa stepping up midfielder pursuit
As we approach the summer transfer window, Villa seem to be particularly keen on adding a midfielder to their ranks, having submitted an offer for Rosenborg’s Sverre Nypan last week, and Fabrizio Romano has recently dropped a further update.
A deal for Nypan appears to be edging closer, but given that the Norwegian is just 18-years-old, Unai Emery may be keen on bringing in a central midfielder with a little more experience at the top level, and contact has been made over FC Barcelona’s Marc Casado.
Back in October, it was revealed that Emery had personally requested the signing of Athletic Club’s Oihan Sancet, with the manager being left “captivated” by the midfielder’s performances, which indicates the Spaniard is a big fan.
Now, there has been a new update on Aston Villa’s pursuit of Sancet, with a report from Spain revealing they are now in a three-way race for the 24-year-old, alongside Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
The Villans are said to be closely monitoring the Spanish midfielder’s development, and their presence in the Champions League should give them a good chance of winning the race for his signature.
The Pamplona-born maestro is ready to leave Athletic Club this summer, but a deal will not be cheap, with the La Liga side set to hold out for his release clause of €80m (£69m).
Aston Villa ready to spend £75m to sign star who has scored at Villa Park
He’s been in stellar form this season.
1 ByBarney Lane Apr 14, 2025 "Incredible" Sancet could be fantastic signing for Villa
The attacking midfielder has previously been lauded as “incredible” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he has been one of his side’s top performers in La Liga this season, having averaged a 6.97 match rating.
The Spain international has been particularly impressive in front of goal, having scored 16 goals in all competitions, including 15 in 23 La Liga games, which is a phenomenal record for a midfielder.
As a result, the Athletic star ranks in the top 2% for non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, while also ranking very highly on some other key metrics for midfielders.
Statistic
Average per 90
Non-penalty goals
0.64 (98th percentile)
Pass completion %
82.3% (86th percentile)
Progressive passes
5.78 (86th percentile)
Sancet could be a fantastic signing for Aston Villa this summer, and they should be well-placed to compete for his signature, should they manage to qualify for the Champions League once again.
Everything you need to know about the IPL auction and retention rules
Nagraj Gollapudi and Yash Jha30-Sep-20243:53
IPL auction 2025 retention rules: All the big questions answered
How many retentions have been allowed?
Franchises can retain up to six players from the 2024 squad – including a maximum of five capped players and a maximum of two uncapped Indian players – before the mega auction. This is the highest number of retentions ever allowed by the IPL and the main reason for doing so is to give franchises an opportunity to retain the core set of players.Is there a cap on the number of Indian or overseas players retained before the auction? For the first time, the IPL has imposed no nationality limit on capped players: all five capped retentions can be Indians or overseas exclusively, or a combination of Indians and overseas.Related
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Will there be a right-to-match (RTM) card option available? Yes, franchises are free to choose their combination of outright retentions and RTM cards to keep hold of up to six players from their 2024 roster. A franchise that retains no players will enter the mega auction with six RTM cards at their disposal; a franchise retaining all six players will have no RTM cards to use at the auction.The RTM card option was introduced at the mega auction ahead of IPL 2014. It was then retained for the next mega auction ahead of IPL 2018 but discarded before the 2022 season. A maximum of three RTM cards were allowed at mega auctions previously.While a few franchises had as many as eight RTM options on their wishlist, the rule has seen a significant modification which could play a massive role this time.What is the modified RTM rule? The RTM card allows the franchise to buy back a player who was part of their squad in the previous season by simply matching the price at which that player is sold at the auction. In previous mega auctions involving the RTM card, once a player was declared sold, the auctioneer asked the franchise the player belonged to the previous season whether they wished to buy him back; if they did, they secured the player for the amount of the final bid made in the auction.However at the upcoming auction, if the previous franchise wants to use the RTM card, the franchise that made the final bid will be given an additional opportunity to raise their bid. In case that happens, the original team would need to match that bid using the RTM card to secure the player.For example, say Venkatesh Iyer isn’t retained by Kolkata Knight Riders. Another team or teams including KKR are engaged in a bidding contest at the auction for Venkatesh, and the bidding stops at INR 6 crore with the winning bid not by KKR but another team – say Mumbai Indians. The auctioneer will check with Knight Riders if they want to use the RTM card. If they do, then Mumbai Indians will be given a one-time chance to raise the bid beyond the INR 6-crore mark. In case MI decide not to raise the bid, KKR can retain Iyer using the RTM option. However, if MI raise the bid, then KKR will need to match that raised bid using the RTM card to secure Iyer. If they decline, Iyer will go to MI.The Chennai Super Kings table at the IPL 2024 auction•BCCIWhat is the auction purse? The IPL has increased the auction purse to INR 120 crore, which is a 20% increase from the INR 100 crore that franchises had at the 2024 auction. The purse available at the last mega auction, in 2022, was INR 90 crore, to which increments of INR 5 crore were made every subsequent year.What are the retention slabs?The IPL has put in salary caps based on the number of retentions. In a marked shift from previous mega auctions, where every subsequent retention could come at a lesser price, franchises will now have to shell out larger amounts to go beyond three retentions.For the first three players retained, the salary cap will be INR 18 crore, INR 14 crore and INR 11 crore. The salary cap for the fourth retention will be INR 18 crore. The salary cap for the fifth retention will be INR 14 crore. Uncapped Indians will have a salary cap of INR 4 crore.So if a franchise retains five capped players before the auction, it will need to spend INR 75 crore – nearly two-thirds of its purse. For context, teams had to shell out just under 47% of their total purse to make the maximum permitted retentions (four) ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction.While the IPL has once again agreed to the wish of several franchises to retain the core group of players, it has posed them a two-part riddle: do you want to spend a massive chunk of purse to retain five players ahead of the auction? Or do you release the player(s) you want to retain into the auction where you can use the RTM card option, but remain vulnerable to bids going above the value at which you wanted to retain the player?Is it true that a former international player can fall in the uncapped category?Yes, the IPL has revived a rule it had scrapped after the 2021 season, which allowed capped Indian players who had retired or not played international cricket in the last five years to be categorised as uncapped players. This means five-time champions Chennai Super Kings can now retain MS Dhoni as an uncapped player. Not just Dhoni, this rule will allow several other India internationals who were part of the IPL in 2024 to be retained as uncapped players, including the likes of Piyush Chawla, Mohit Sharma and Sandeep Sharma among others.While CSK will tell you they are happy to pay any price to retain their former captain, a smarter business move would be for them to retain Dhoni at INR 4 crore, the salary cap IPL has put in place for uncapped retentions before the auction.What is the deadline to finalise retentions?October 31, 2024 is the deadline for teams to finalise their retentions ahead of the IPL 2025 auction.For the purposes of retention, any player who makes his international debut before October 31 will be considered capped. If a player is retained while uncapped, he will remain in the uncapped slab even if he plays an international match before the auction.1:19
Moody: Overseas players need to commit to the IPL ‘through thick and thin’
What is it that we hear about overseas players potentially facing bans for missing the IPL?Overseas players who make themselves unavailable for an IPL season after being signed at an auction without legitimate reasons will be penalised with two-year bans. As reported by ESPNcricinfo earlier, all ten IPL franchises had requested to act against late pullouts by overseas recruits during their meeting with the IPL governing council in July.Additionally, an overseas player who does not register for the mega auction will not be allowed to register for the subsequent mini auction, with exceptions only made in case of injuries and/or medical conditions confirmed by the player’s home board.And there’s a cap on how much overseas players can make at mini auctions?That’s right, the IPL has decided to impose a “maximum fee” for overseas players at mini auctions. Any overseas player’s auction fee at a mini auction will be the lower figure out of the highest retention price [INR 18 crore] and the highest auction price at the mega auction.For example, if the highest auction price at the mega auction for IPL 2025 is INR 20 crore, then the maximum fee allowed for an overseas player at the next mini auction will be INR 18 crore. But if the highest auction price at the mega auction is less than INR 18 crore – say, INR 16 crore – then the cap will be INR 16 crore.How does that affect bidding for overseas players at mini auctions? The auction process for the overseas player(s) will continue as normal until the player is sold, and the final auction amount will be deducted from the team’s auction purse. But the incremental amount over the “maximum fee” will be deposited with the BCCI.For example, let’s say franchises take an overseas player’s bid at the next mini auction beyond INR 16 or 18 crore, eventually stopping at INR 24 crore. The player’s fee in this case will be the “maximum fee” (as explained above) – so, either INR 16 crore or INR 18 crore. The incremental amount above that – in this case, INR 8 crore or INR 6 crore – will be deposited with BCCI and utilised towards players’ welfare.Can the franchises modify the prescribed retention amounts? Yes, franchises can pay more or less but that will impact the auction purse effectively. Both instances happened ahead of the mega auction in 2021. Punjab Kings retained two players: Mayank Agarwal and Arshdeep Singh, who then was uncapped. As per the IPL retention rules, if a franchise retained two players, INR 14 crore would be deducted for the first player, and for an uncapped player it was INR 4 crore. So even though PBKS eventually paid Mayank INR 12 crore and Arshdeep INR 4 crore, their purse going into the auction was 72 crore.In contrast, Delhi Capitals retained four players: Rishabh Pant (12 cr), Axar Patel (9 cr), Prithvi Shaw (7.5 cr) and Anrich Nortje (6.5 cr). The slabs set by the IPL in case of four capped retentions were: 16 cr, 12 cr, 8 cr and 6 cr. Though DC spent INR 39 crore overall, in the case of Nortje they had paid 2.5 crore more than the prescribed limit. Consequently, DC’s purse was deducted by INR 42.5 crore.Can players refuse to be retained?Players have the right to refuse to be retained in case they prefer the auction route.
Of those with 200 Test wickets, only Marshall, Garner and Ambrose have a better average than the Australia captain
Alex Malcolm02-Dec-2022Pat Cummins could hardly have delivered a better ball to reach 200 Test wickets. Wide of the crease, angling in with a wobbling seam towards the obdurate, indefatigable front-foot defence of West Indies captain Kraigg Brathwaite.That defence hadn’t been breached in 165 balls and Australia’s fab four of Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Nathan Lyon, with help from the emerging Cameron Green, had taken just one wicket in 54.1 overs.But Cummins did what Cummins has done so often. What he did to Joe Root in the 2019 Ashes. What he has done to the world’s best batters for 11 years. He landed the wobbling seam on the perfect length, and the ball nipped away a fraction, past the outside edge of Brathwaite’s bat and crashed into the top of off.”I’ll take that,” Cummins said at the end of the third day. “Top of off. I was happy.”It’s almost sorcery. An illusion from a handsome magician. You can’t see Brathwaite’s off stump behind the full face of his bat, yet the ball found a way around it. That’s why Cummins is so good. It’s why of all the Test greats with 200 wickets or more, only Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner, and Curtly Ambrose have a better average.Related
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Back to the future: the remaking of Steven Smith
Cummins' 200th wicket sets up Australia's dominance
“Incredible. It’s pretty crazy,” Cummins said. “There’s still plenty [of] guys I know who’ve taken 300, 400, 700, so comparing numbers doesn’t seem as significant as others. But I think [with] any milestone when I think of wickets, I kind of think of longevity and knowing I had a bit of time out of the game. It’s always a nice realisation.”It’s serendipitous that the West Indies greats are referenced in Cummins’ great achievement. Australia’s vaunted fab four have ascended to a level no other four-man Test attack in history has reached. They became the first specialist bowling quartet to play together in the same Test with 200-plus wickets each.And it was a case of getting the band back together and playing the same quality hits they have done over many years prior. Only the band hasn’t played together much in recent times. Cummins, Starc and Lyon have played in each of Australia’s last eight Tests together, but Hazlewood has only joined them in one. He missed the four matches of last summer’s Ashes series through a side injury, only to return for their first Test in Pakistan.Cummins laughed that his joints ached just watching England plunder 506 in a day on the same Rawalpindi pitch that tortured the Australians in March when they took two wickets in 172 overs between the four of them.Hazlewood was left out of the final two Tests of the series and the two Tests in Sri Lanka as Australia opted for two spinners.But here they slipped back in sync. Even though Hazlewood took only one wicket, his quality Test-match lines and lengths complemented the other three. He made the key breakthrough on the third morning, finding the outside edge of Tagenarine Chanderpaul after beating it repeatedly the previous night. It opened the door for Cummins to barge through on Brathwaite, while Starc – with the woes of the T20 World Cup behind him – showcased his tremendous red-ball skills, nipping a superb offcutter back through Kyle Mayers’ gate with a 57-over-old ball before swinging the second new ball sharply back into the right-handed duo of Jermaine Blackwood and Joshua da Silva to remove both men in quick succession.Cummins: The three other guys are three of my best mates. We all get along so well•Cricket Australia/Getty ImagesLyon played his part containing Jason Holder before removing him with a change of angle and clever field setting.”It’s great,” Cummins said, “The three other guys are three of my best mates. We all get along so well. It’s not just the time out in the middle. It’s the amount of dinners and nights in physio rooms kind of hanging out together. It’s a really special group we’ve got going. Just have so much confidence in each other even today just felt so relaxed the whole day. Just knowing once you’d finish your spell, someone’s going to step up.”The addition of Green is like adding a versatile guitarist to an already rounded four-piece band. He was hostile with the old ball pinning Nkrumah Bonner and Jason Holder on the helmet. Bonner had to be subbed out for concussion at which point Green turned his sights on the replacement Shamarh Brooks, getting rid of him with outswing at good pace.The pace trio, and their all-round addition, learnt from their mistakes on day two bowling a lot fuller and getting rewards by bringing the stumps into play. As a result, a score of 159 for 1 turned into 283 all out.”This wicket more so than others felt like that good length… it didn’t feel the slips were as [much] in play,” Cummins said. “So, it was something we spoke about trying to get a little bit fuller and get them driving.”Like all great bands, they stepped off stage before their encore. Cummins could have enforced the follow-on with West Indies 315 runs behind and six-and-a-half sessions remaining but admitted it was never an option.”Hopefully the pitch gets a little bit harder to bat on and it gives us bowlers a little bit of a break,” he said. “We’ll bat for a little bit into tomorrow and then we’ll kind of work back and hopefully leave us plenty of time to try and take the 10 wickets.”You always bowl better when you’re slightly fresher. Day five is normally harder than day three or four. Yeah, there’s really not too many instances where the follow-on is realistic.”