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It is fair to say that Manchester United have moved to address their quality issues at the top end of the pitch in the summer transfer window so far.

Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Benjamin Sesko have all been brought in to bolster Ruben Amorim’s options in the final third, with the hope that they will score the goals to push the Red Devils back into the Champions League.

Sesko scored 21 goals in all competitions for RB Leipzig in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, and will be hoping to carry that kind of goalscoring threat over to his time in England.

The Slovenia international made his second appearance in the Premier League on Sunday, but is still waiting for his first start in the red and black.

United also need to look at other areas of the pitch, though, and were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Carlos Baleba from Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Red Devils were reportedly keen to sign the defensive midfielder before Brighton made it clear that he would not be sold this summer, and they ended their pursuit.

What Baleba could have brought to Man Utd

Baleba will not be signing for United, if the latest reports are to be believed, this summer, but the interest is clearly there, and it will be interesting to see whether or not they go reignite it in January or next summer.

The left-footed star could have been an excellent addition to the squad for the current campaign, though, if they had managed to convince Brighton to part ways with him in the current window.

That is because the 21-year-old star is a proven Premier League performer who could have come in as an upgrade on Manuel Ugarte as the holding, or ‘defensive’, midfielder alongside Bruno Fernandes.

Baleba started 31 matches in the top-flight for Brighton in the 2024/25 campaign and made 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 55% of his duels, per Sofascore.

What makes the United target stand out, however, is that he has quality on the ball to go along with his combative play out of possession in the middle of the park.

Non-penalty goals

0.10

0.05

Shot-creating actions

2.23

1.56

Progressive passes

3.99

3.08

Progressive carries

1.45

0.81

Key passes

0.71

0.50

Passes into the final third

3.69

2.97

Passes into the penalty area

0.78

0.45

As you can see in the table above, Baleba offered more to his team in possession across a host of metrics in comparison to Ugarte in the Premier League last season, which is why he could have been an excellent addition to Amorim’s squad.

Whilst they will not be adding a defensive pillar to their midfield ranks, the Red Devils are reportedly interested in a star who could be an even better signing than Baleba.

£21m star wants to sign for Man Utd

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United target Royal Antwerp goalkeeper Senne Lammens wants to sign for the club before the end of the summer transfer window.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, as relayed by TEAMtalk, Romano said: “Manchester United remain focused on the opportunity to bring in a new goalkeeper before the end of the window. The player they want is Senne Lammens at Royal Antwerp.

Transfer Focus

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

“The player is keen on the move. Contacts took place again today, on Saturday, between United and Antwerp. The two clubs are talking. At the moment, [it is] not yet a done deal but [is] advancing as I told you as an exclusive story on Friday.

“The agreement with the player is OK. Club-to-club negotiations: they started at €17million plus €3m in add-ons to reach the package of €20m. Now, Antwerp are asking for something close to €25m for Lammens, so there is negotiation ongoing on the transfer fee, a negotiation on the numbers and the details of the deal. Conversations ongoing for Lammens to United.”

Romano further noted on X prior to United’s draw with Fulham that a fee was now close to being agreed.

Why Man Utd should sign Senne Lammens

Whilst Baleba would, as aforementioned, have been a solid addition to the squad as an upgrade on Ugarte, the Royal Antwerp star could be a transformational signing.

A goalkeeper is the last line of defence for a team and United, unfortunately, have not had an impressive operator in that position for many, many, years.

In the 2024/25 campaign, Andre Onana prevented 0.53 goals (xG) and made three errors that directly led to goals in 34 Premier League starts for the Red Devils, per Sofascore, which shows that he was not outstanding as a shot-stopper and made too many errors.

Lammens’ performances for Royal Antwerp in the Belgian Pro League suggest that he has the potential to come in as a monumental upgrade for United between the sticks, which could help to propel Amorim’s side to the next level.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig described his form as “simply phenomenal” and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you compare his shot-stopping to the best shot-stoppers in the Premier League from last season.

Senne Lammens (Pro League)

+15.57

Jordan Pickford (Premier League)

+6.15

Matz Sels (Premier League)

+4.55

Mark Travers (Premier League)

+4.48

Ederson (Premier League)

+4.46

Dean Henderson (Premier League)

+3.14

As you can see in the table above, Lammens prevented a staggering 15.57 xG with his shot-stopping exploits for Royal Antwerp last term, almost ten more goals prevented than any goalkeeper in the Premier League managed.

These statistics suggest that the 23-year-old colossus, who has prevented 1.19 goals in four league games this season, has the potential to be the best shot-stopper in the top-flight, if he can translate his form over to English football.

Whilst there is no guarantee that he will be able to adapt and deliver the same level of performances, it appears to be a gamble that is well worth taking for United given his unbelievable form for Royal Antwerp.

In theory, his shot-stopping has the potential to prevent United from conceding around 15 goals in comparison to Onana over a Premier League season, which could be a huge difference in points by turning defeats to draws, draws to wins with huge saves.

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This is why Lammens would be an even better signing than Baleba, if they can get him playing at his best at Old Trafford, because he could be a transformational addition to the team, rather than just a decent upgrade in one area of the pitch.

Liverpool may well be lining up an explosive late move for Alexander Isak in the ongoing transfer market but for Arne Slot and Co, further strengthening the forward line should not be the priority.

After all, despite adding Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong to their ranks, the Reds’ defence looks worse than it did last season.

Trent Alexander Arnold and Jarell Quansah have both left, Joe Gomez is injured and Ibou Konate could follow Trent to Real Madrid.

As a result, Slot has had to tinker with his backline during pre-season. The likes of Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch and young Trey Nyoni have all played in the centre of defence in recent matches.

With Liverpool dreaming of retaining their Premier League title this season, they need someone to partner Van Dijk.

Liverpool's search for a new centre-half

In the centre of defence, the Reds have had two main targets this summer.

They first looked at prising Dean Huijsen away from Bournemouth but they were left frustrated by Madrid yet again. The Spaniard only wanted Real and he headed back to his homeland.

Marc Guehi is another priority target for Liverpool and according to reports, they are set to step up their pursuit of the Crystal Palace captain after the Community Shield on Sunday.

Valued at £45m, they are due to hold talks with the Eagles about signing the centre-back before the September 1st deadline.

Transfer Focus

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

Yet, he’s not the only defender on the club’s radar. Indeed, according to Football Espana, Barcelona star Ronald Araujo has emerged as an option.

They reveal that Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs are also showing ‘serious interest’ in the 26-year-old. Manchester United are also said to hold ‘long-term interest’ in the Barca defender.

How Ronald Araujo compares to Marc Guehi

At just £45m, bringing Guehi to Anfield would be a brilliant piece of business. He’s 25, thus approaching his prime, he’s Premier League-proven and having captained Palace, he’s a natural leader.

Including the brilliant price on offer, there are very few cons to signing such a proven player in the remaining weeks of the window; he’d surely hit the ground running swiftly.

However, Araujo is a genuine elite defender and has shown as much for one of the greatest clubs in the land in recent years.

Described by legendary centre-back Carles Puyol as “one of the best defenders in the world”, Araujo could be a brilliant market opportunity for Liverpool.

He’s capable of playing in the middle of defence but also competently at right-back. After missing the first half of the 2024/25 campaign with a hamstring injury, the defender went on to play 24 times at centre-back and played a starring role at the back as Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Unlike Guehi, he’s playing at the very highest level and he’s more versatile too, having played seven times at right-back in the last two seasons.

So, what sets him apart?

Passes completed

79.3

43.3

Pass accuracy %

92%

84%

Key passes

0.48

0.47

Progressive passes

5.83

3.94

Progressive carries

0.71

0.65

Attempted take-ons

0.12

0.44

Tackles won

1.07

1.00

Interceptions

1.07

0.82

Aerial duels won

3.93

2.00

Over the last year, Araujo has showcased that he is an elite defender in a number of metrics. He ranks inside the best 2% of positionally similar players in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won per 90 minutes.

In the air, he’s evidently streets ahead of Guehi. His pass success rate of 92% betters Guehi and ensures that the Barca stalwart ranks within the best 12% of centre-backs in Europe for that metric.

A beast in the air, Araujo also possesses the ability to play out from the back, making him the perfect fit for Slot’s backline.

Cut from a similar cloth as Virgil van Dijk in terms of his physicality, if Konate does end up leaving for the Bernabeu, then there are very few better replacements around the continent.

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The pitch, predominantly packed with black soil, will have lower bounce compared to the first Test in Bengaluru

Nagraj Gollapudi21-Oct-2024A bald and slow turning pitch is in the making for the second India vs New Zealand Test, starting on Thursday in Pune. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the pitch, predominantly packed with black soil, will have lower bounce compared to the first Test in Bengaluru, and will be flatter and slower.Shaken by the Bengaluru setback, where India registered their lowest Test score at home – 46 all out in the first innings – Rohit Sharma’s team is under pressure to make it 2-1 in the three-match series to stay ahead in the race to make the World Test Championship final next June. The broad plan for the pitches in both Pune and Mumbai, where the final Test will be played from November 1, will be similar: more turn, thus allowing the Indian spinners to dominate.The one key difference between Pune and Mumbai, though, will be the bounce, due to the differences in the soil: black at Pune’s Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, and red at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.Related

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It was meant to be similar in Bengaluru too, but overcast conditions coupled with intermittent rains, leading into and on the first two days, made the pitch at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium favourable for seamers, which New Zealand’s fast men used to their advantage once Rohit elected to bat.But like in Bengaluru, in Pune, too, India will look to field at least three spinners, though the combination could be altered keeping in mind the amount of spin that can be extracted from the slow surface. On Sunday, in a curious move, the Indian selectors decided to add Washington Sundar as the 16th member of the squad, although the original squad had Axar Patel as a fourth spinner along with R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav, who played the first Test.This will only be the third Test played at Pune’s MCA stadium. The inaugural Test there was the first of the 2016-17 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which Australia had won by an emphatic 333-run margin, with the match getting over by tea on the third day, as left-arm spinner Steve O’Keefe starred with 12 wickets. The surface was abrasive, and the top soil was loose, with multiple small cracks peeling off on the first day itself. The pitch was rated poor by ICC match referee Chris Broad, as spinners accounted for 31 of the 40 wickets to fall. The next Test at the venue was in 2019, when Virat Kohli hit a double-century in an innings victory over South Africa.The pitch against New Zealand is expected to be virtually devoid of grass. It is understood that while the seam movement is likely to be minimal outside of the first hour after the toss, the dry surface will support reverse swing. With the slowness of the surface and the lack of support for fast men, the toss once again becomes vital, with teams likely to want to bat first.

Teenage spinner claims ten wickets on Notts debut but contest ends in high-scoring draw

ECB Reporters Network01-Sep-2024Surrey saw their romp towards a third consecutive Division One title lose a little momentum as they were forced to settle for a draw against relegation-threatened Nottinghamshire in the Vitality County Championship at Trent Bridge.On a day when their teenage off-spinner Farhan Ahmed’s 10-wicket match haul claimed a 159-year-old record set by no less a cricketing legend than WG Grace, the home side, who had been set a target of 298 to win from a minimum 48 overs when Surrey declared at 177 for nine in their second innings, were 121 without loss when the sides shook hands on a draw at 5pm, openers Haseeb Hameed and Ben Slater having each made half-centuries.The result means that Surrey’s lead of 35 points at the start of this round of matches, after winning seven of their previous eight matches, is cut to 24 thanks to Somerset’s victory over Durham at Taunton. Surrey and Somerset meet at Taunton next week.At the other end of the table, after Warwickshire and Worcestershire both won, the points taken for the draw – a merit worthy achievement after trailing by 120 on first innings – leaves Nottinghamshire 10 points ahead of Lancashire in the battle to avoid being relegated alongside Kent. All sides have three matches to come.Rory Burns made 71 to go with his first-innings 161 with Liam Patterson-White finishing with five for 94 before the declaration came, but the Nottinghamshire left-arm spinner’s achievement was again upstaged by his young team-mate Ahmed, with whom he shared all 53 overs of the Surrey second innings.Already in the record books on his Championship debut as the youngest player to bag five wickets or more in a first-class match in Britain, he achieved another mark of distinction, arguably even more prestigious, when he claimed Jordan Clark as his 10th wicket of the match.This enabled him to replace Grace as the youngest to take 10 or more wickets in a first-class match in Britain – in fact anywhere other than in South Asia.Grace returned the extraordinary match figures of 13 for 84 – on his first-class debut – for Gentlemen of the South against Players of the South at the Oval in June 1865, at the age of 16 years 340 days.With a match analysis of 10 for 247 at the age of 16 years and 192 days, Ahmed lowers the record by 148 days. He bowled a staggering 76.4 overs in the match, which may be a record in itself for a debut appearance.Surrey, who had missed out on a fourth first-innings batting point that seemed theirs for the taking, arguably made another mistake when they declared just shy of an hour after lunch.The timing meant Nottinghamshire would have to score at more than six runs per over to win the contest on a pitch that had yielded at barely three-and-a-half all game, with the Kookaburra ball reportedly hard to get away on a slow surface.Surrey were banking on England off-spinner Will Jacks, who had matched Ahmed by taking seven first-innings wickets, and leg-spinner Cam Steel to exploit the fourth-day pitch but Hameed and Slater were rarely troubled as neither could find a way through.Earlier, Surrey had advanced from 13 for one overnight to 104 for four by lunch, playing in light for that period so gloomy that bowling spin was the only option for Nottinghamshire skipper Hameed.A second-wicket stand worth 57 was broken by Patterson-White, who induced a miscue to short midwicket by Ryan Patel, following up by turning one sharply to bowl Will Jacks three balls later.Patterson-White had Burns dropped at square leg on 39, after which the Surrey captain’s stop-start dithering over a single into the offside off Ahmed saw new partner Ben Foakes run out by Hameed’s throw to keeper Kyle Verreynne.As the tempo increased after lunch, with Surrey now chasing runs for the declaration, Ahmed completed his 10 for the match by bowling Burns and having Clark caught behind in a botched scoop attempt.Patterson-White raised his five for the innings by having Sai Sudharsan caught at deep midwicket and bowling Conor McKerr and Tom Lawes, for his pains getting clubbed for two meaty sixes by Dan Worrall before Burns signalled the declaration.

Everton have enjoyed plenty of success when it comes to signing players from the EFL since 2004.

Tim Cahill was the first real star to move from the Championship to Everton that summer, before the likes of Joleon Lescott, Phil Jagielka, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Dwight McNeil have followed throughout the years.

It is a place where talented players can be signed for a reduced fee, especially if a club has just suffered relegation.

The transfer window is already weeks old and only Carlos Alcaraz has signed permanently. The Toffees faithful will be hoping David Moyes can change this sooner rather than later by welcoming in another player from the EFL.

Everton eyeing Championship starlet

A move for Villarreal striker Thierno Barry looks close to being sealed and this could act as a catalyst for more incomings.

Barry looks set to cost around £34.5m, but there is no doubt that he is exactly the type of signing Everton needs.

Now, according to Football Insider journalist Pete O’Rourke, a move for Ipswich Town starlet Omari Hutchinson could be next.

The journalist stated the player would love the chance to return to the Premier League, with the publication specifically name-checking the Toffees as one possible destination.

The Englishman has a release clause in his contract worth £35m and this is surely an enticing proposition for Moyes.

Considering the club’s success at poaching talented players from the Championship in recent years, this is a move the Toffees should be all over in the coming weeks.

With Iliman Ndiaye on one wing and Hutchinson in the middle, Everton could provide Barry with plenty of opportunities next term.

Why Omari Hutchinson could be Ndiaye 2.0 at Everton

Ndiaye was particularly impressive for the Toffees last term. Following his summer arrival from Marseille, the Senegal international scored 11 goals, including nine in the Premier League.

These efforts played a huge part in the club preserving their top-flight status, and he will be key for Moyes next season.

Hutchinson, who was hailed as “dazzling” by Statman Dave in 2024, is cut from a similar cloth and despite not being able to get on the ball as much during Ipswich dismal Premier League campaign, he did shine for England at the U21 European Championships this summer.

Goals

1

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.8

Big chances created

3

Successful dribbles per game

2

Shots per game

1.5

He scored in the final against Germany, which saw his country defend their title, and a move back to the Premier League now seems inevitable.

Interestingly enough, Hutchinson could perhaps become Ndiaye 2.0, as the Senegal star is his fourth-most comparable player according to FBref.

Last season, the pair registered similar statistics across a range of metrics, including shots (1.57 vs 1.3), shot-creating actions (2.82 vs 2.41) per 90 minutes, successful take-ons (51 vs 68), touches in the attacking penalty area (92 vs 83) and carries into the penalty area (37 vs 32), suggesting the pair offer plenty in the final third.

Ndiaye settled in nicely at the club last term, eventually ending it as their top scorer across all competitions.

Should Hutchinson swap East Anglia for Merseyside, there is every chance he could sparkle under the tutelage of Moyes next term.

It could turn into an excellent signing. That much is certain.

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Tottenham Hotspur and their transfer plans for the summer window are underway, starting with the permanent signing of Mathys Tel for £30 million, but they’re by no means finished with the Frenchman.

Spurs are poised for a crucial 2025/2026 campaign back in the Champions League, and new manager Thomas Frank is tasked with building off his predecessor’s Europa League triumph in Bilbao last month.

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Ange Postecoglou brought an end to the club’s 17-year wait for major silverware with their 1-0 victory over Man United, which subsequently confirmed Tottenham’s spot in Europe’s most prestigious competition for next season.

The significant financial windfall awarded to them thanks to Spurs’ Champions League qualification is set to play a “huge” role in their summer recruitment drive, and they no longer have to operate under a ‘sell to buy’ policy (Michael Bridge).

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Nevertheless, a rebuild is still anticipated, with Atlético Madrid eyeing up a move for star defender Cristian Romero and club legend Son Heung-min attracting serious interest from Saudi Arabia, amid credible reports 2024/2025 could have been his last at Tottenham.

There have been suggestions in the last few months that Tottenham could even sell Pedro Porro this summer, even if these claims were before their Europa League win, with the resurgence of Djed Spence playing a role here too.

Interestingly, football.london’s Alasdair Gold has recently revealed that Spence has a long-time admirer in new head coach Frank. Brentford held a long-standing interest in the Englishman, with bids even made for him in previous summers, so Spence could be a member of the squad who stands to seriously benefit from the Dane’s arrival.

If Spurs decide they can afford to sell Porro for a substantial fee after all, despite his excellent performances towards the back end of last season, they’ll still need a new right-back to come in and rotate with Spence, especially with their hectic European fixture calendar.

Tottenham willing to "invest heavily" on Vanderson signing

According to a report from UOL, Monaco defender Vanderson is firmly on the Lilywhites’ transfer shortlist.

The Brazil international is currently being chased by Barcelona, though, who’ve intensified talks with the Ligue 1 side, and progress has been made in negotiations to lure Vanderson to the Camp Nou.

They’re counting on the 23-year-old’s preference to join the Spanish champions, with Monaco seeking a fee north of £30 million to part company with their highly-rated wing-back. However, Frank’s side could pose a real threat and hijack their deal.

UOL state that Tottenham are still in the running to sign Vanderson, whilst willing to “invest heavily” in his signing. Monaco also have a major incentive to sell to Spurs instead. Spanish taxes mean Monaco would lose around 15 per cent of their final sale value, but a transfer to England would mean they take a far less substantial loss in that regard.

Taking this into account, the “perfectionist” defender could be one to watch at N17.

Vanderson is a well-balanced modern full-back who has established himself as a reliable defender at Monaco since his move there three years ago. According to The Mail, Brentford actually held talks over a deal for Vanderson in 2021, so he’s a player who Frank has admired for quite a while.

Manchester United are now stepping up their efforts to sign Fenerbahce youngster Yusuf Akcicek, who Jose Mourinho has likened to Raphael Varane.

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Christian Eriksen looks set to leave Old Trafford after the final game of the season on Sunday against Aston Villa. The Denmark international is out of contract, and it appears there are no signs of a renewal.

Meanwhile, fellow midfielder Casemiro has also been mentioned as a player who could be allowed to leave this summer. The Brazilian was heavily linked with a move away in January, but nothing materialised, and since then, he has become an important player for Amorim, especially in Europe. But his £350,000-a-week wages could be a reason why the Red Devils decide to move him on.

Surprisingly, Kobbie Mainoo’s future at Old Trafford has come into doubt in recent months, with reports even claiming that Amorim is ready to sell the young midfielder, whose current deal expires in 2027.

Changes are also needed in defence, where Jonny Evans will leave and so too could Victor Lindelof, while Lisandro Martinez continues to struggle with injuries.

Man Utd chiefs want to sign £21m Fenerbahce star

According to Turkish Football, Man United are ready to make a move and sign Yusuf Akcicek, a young centre-back who has thrived under Jose Mourinho this season.

The report claims that United now want to step up their efforts having scouted Akcicek closely during the Süper Lig season. Despite the fact the 19 year-old is under contract until 2028, Fener are open to the idea of selling Akcicek, but they will demand at least €25 million, which is roughly £21 million.

The teenager joined the Turkish giants from rivals Galatasaray’s academy in 2019, and has earned his place as a regular in matchday squads this season, with his manager even likening him to Real Madrid great and former Red Devil Varane.

It’s not just United who are interested in signing Akcicek, as Aston Villa are also believed to be interested in the youngster.

Apps

8

Starts

4

Touches per game

37.0

Passes per game (accuracy)

27.1 (93%)

Clean sheets

1

Interceptions per game

0.6

Tackles per game

1.1

Balls recovered per game

1.8

Clearances per game

2.8

Given the likes of Evans and Lindelof may leave United this summer, the Premier League side may see Akcicek as a player who can become their long-term replacement, and he could be brought in for a fairly reasonable price.

With their play-off hopes drifting away in the Championship, Blackburn Rovers have reportedly turned their attention towards the transfer window and signing a future star from the Premier League.

Blackburn suffer another play-off setback

Now as many as seven points adrift of the top six, Blackburn’s play-off hopes are all but over after a frustrating 2-2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday in a game that could have ended far worse. The Owls initially raced into a two-goal lead in the first-half courtesy of Yan Valery and Djeidi Gassama, only for Tyrhys Dolan and a late Yuki Ohashi strike to pull Blackburn level.

Deciding to focus on the positives of his side’s second-half comeback rather than how their play-off ambitions are drifting away, manager Valerien Ismael told reporters: “We showed a great mentality and we learned from the previous weeks. From two nil down to come back from behind we stopped the bleeding and we take more positives from negatives from that game.

“We said we have to stay calm, but that we had to stay on the front foot and be active and we have to be the first to score the next goal. We got the second. It is a little step but at the moment we take what we can get. We stop the bleeding first and it was a great second half.”

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Stephan Georgiou

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As much as the Blackburn boss will be glad to see his side’s run of five straight defeats come to an end, however, there’s no doubt that he’ll have one eye on welcoming certain improvements this summer in pursuit of the play-offs once again. And that could yet see those at Ewood Park turn their focus towards a Premier League youngster.

Blackburn racing to sign Adam Berry

Joining a hectic Championship race, Blackburn Rovers now want to hijack Stoke City’s deal to sign Adam Berry from Nottingham Forest this summer, according to TeamTalk. The 19-year-old is set to become a free agent at the end of the season when his current Forest deal expires and has also attracted interest from Norwich City to form a three-club race for his signature.

Initially a Manchester United academy product, the young winger has since impressed in Forest’s setup but looks destined to go in search of senior football in the coming months. Whether that comes at Blackburn remains to be seen, but it wouldn’t be the first time that Ewood Park played host to a young top flight talent.

It wasn’t so long ago that they were reaping the rewards of loaning Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott and Tyler Morton. Now though, they seemingly want to welcome a Premier League youngster on a permanent basis.

Compared to both Stoke and Norwich too, Blackburn should be in a position to offer the highest ambitions in their current state as they once again push to secure a place in the top six next season.

SL’s last-wicket stand of 78 to chase down 304, or an 18-year-old’s heroics? Which Test was better? Vote now!

ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The SA-SL 2019 Durban Test moves to the round of 16.The Perera miracle in Durban, 2019
Sri Lanka were enduring a tough time heading into this series. They were coming off a 2-0 pummeling in Australia, their captain had been sacked, and an inexperienced team, led by Dimuth Karunaratne, was put on the plane to South Africa. The perfect lead-up to a heroic comeback story?In what was a seesawing Test in Durban, Sri Lanka emerged victorious, chasing down 304 with one wicket to spare. They had lost their ninth wicket while still 78 runs off their target. Kusal Perera then scored 67 of them all by himself. Perera gave Sri Lanka an incredible finale on the fourth afternoon along with the No. 11 Vishwa Fernando, as they put on a record-breaking tenth-wicket stand to see their team home in a tense finish.At lunch on the day, Sri Lanka were 166 for 5, still 138 runs away from a win, after which Keshav Maharaj scythed through the Sri Lankan lower-middle order, leaving them at 226 for 9. That brought Fernando to the middle, and from the moment he got there, he was entirely focused on survival. He faced 22 balls before he got off the mark.It looked like victory was assured for South Africa, but as Fernando clung on at one end, Perera defended with unreal calm and even took several blows to his body on his way to the target. Batting for 309 minutes, he farmed the strike superbly, and picked his opportunities to attack and push the score forward. Along the way, he also made his career-best Test score of 153, sealing the famous win with a boundary.Debutant Cummins’ heroics in Johannesburg, 2011Trust Pat Cummins to do something heroic. But to do such a thing on his Test debut? As an 18-year-old?Australia had a lot to prove entering this Test. They had been bowled out for 47 in the first Test of the series in Cape Town, their lowest total in 109 years. They had lost that match before lunch on the third day.In seaming conditions at the Wanderers, Australia took a 30-run lead in reply to South Africa’s 266. Having been brought in as Ryan Harris’ replacement for the second Test in Johannesburg, Cummins came to Australia’s rescue in the second innings as he outbowled his more senior colleagues.He gave Australia a fighting chance of victory in a match that, 24 hours earlier, appeared to have slipped from their grasp after superb batting from Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers. Cummins was responsible for breaking the Amla-de Villiers stand, as he went on to bag six wickets to set up a target of 310 runs for his team.Openers Shane Watson and Phil Hughes failed to repeat their first-innings displays. They were both out to Vernon Philander as Australia were 19 for 2, but Ricky Ponting and Usman Khawaja brought down the home side’s advantage. Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn’s strikes, though, left Australia six down with another 95 runs to get.Brad Haddin and Mitchell Johnson then forged a partnership of 72 to erase the bulk of the deficit, but with his team eight down with 12 runs required, it was Cummins who kept his calm and scored two boundaries in the 15 balls he faced to seal the close win for Australia. It was the highest fourth-innings total at the Wanderers.

The big prize on the horizon is the ODI World Cup, but it’s only nine months until the next men’s T20 edition takes place in West Indies and the USA

Firdose Moonda and Andrew McGlashan28-Aug-20233:47

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Dewald BrevisYou probably already know this name but if you don’t, remember it: Dewald Brevis. Tipped to become South Africa’s next big batting thing since finishing as the leading run-scorer at the 2022 Under-19 World Cup, Brevis has had to wait 18 months to crack the senior side and has racked up a host of domestic accolades in the meantime. Apart from deals in the IPL, CPL and MLC, he was the 13th highest run-scorer in last season’s SA20 and the second-highest in the domestic T20 competition, where he smashed an incredible 162 from 57 balls against Knights – the fifth-highest score in the format ever. He is known for his audacious batting ability, fearless strokeplay and love for boundaries so expect some big shots if he gets to make his debut.Related

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Josh InglisAs is often the lot of the reserve wicketkeeper, Josh Inglis has carried a lot of drinks for Australia. It was something noted by George Bailey, the selection chair, when this squad was named. The three matches against South Africa will offer Inglis his best run of games since facing Sri Lanka in early 2022. Having initially been earmarked as a potential finisher around the time of the 2021 T20 World Cup, he impressed against Sri Lanka batting at No. 3 and No. 5. It seems likely he will again slot in higher up the order, with finishing duties left to the likes of Marcus Stoinis and Tim David. Inglis will want to take his opportunity, though, because Matthew Wade’s T20I is not as over as it appeared after last year’s World Cup and he is now with this squad as Glenn Maxwell’s replacement, although is not expected to keep wicket in the series.Matthew BreetzkeIt’s been a slow burn for top-order batter Matthew Breetzke, who has consistently been among the top domestic run-scorers but has not found a place in a national squad until now. In the 2021 CSA Provincial T20 Cup, he was the second leading run-scorer and went on to enjoy his most profitable summer the following year. In the 2022-23 season, he averaged just under 40 in List A cricket and close to 50 in T20s. He offers stability in the top three, safe hands behind the stumps and the experience of six years on the domestic scene and will hope he can use this series to start to establish him on the international stage.Dewald Brevis is one of the most talked-about young batters in South Africa•SA20Matt ShortAssuming David Warner reaches next year’s T20 World Cup as he has planned, there’s a spot vacant alongside him. The uncapped Matt Short, last year’s BBL player of the season after 458 runs and 11 wickets, is among the contenders and Steven Smith’s withdrawal from this series should ensure he gets an opportunity. It could be that he opens with Adelaide Strikers team-mate Travis Head in what may develop into a tussle for a World Cup spot. He is coming off the back of playing the Hundred for Northern Superchargers where he had a strike-rate of 166.66. Short’s offspin, which he has bowled in the powerplay, is another strong to his bow.Donovan Ferreira A surprise big-earner at the SA20 auction last year, Donovan Ferreira was picked up for R5.5 million (approx US$300,000) by Joburg Super Kings and was the fifth-highest purchase of the tournament. But the Chennai-backed squad knew what they were doing. Ferreira proved himself as a finisher with the bat in the previous two season’s domestic tournaments and has subsequently also earned IPL, CPL and Zim Afro T10 deals. In the last of those, he grabbed headlines when he hit five successive sixes in one match. With Quinton de Kock rested from the T20Is, he could take the gloves at least once, with Tristan Stubbs and Breetzke also likely to be given opportunity and should see this as a chance to be considered for next year’s T20 World Cup.Can Matt Short translate his BBL form onto the international stage?•Getty ImagesSpencer JohnsonFrom Australia’s perspective, no one is going to be watched more over the next few weeks than Spencer Johnson. At 27 he is starting to make up for lost time after a string of injuries; the speed of his elevation to the international stage is remarkable. The selectors have an eye on him as an option across all formats and he will now remain in South Africa for the ODIs due to Mitchell Starc’s groin injury. Given the condensed nature of the schedule he will likely play two of the three T20Is and then also be rotated through the 50-over matches.