The fast bowler has become a BBL sensation out of nowhere, and could soon turn out for Pakistan

Umar Farooq10-Jan-20203:09

‘If I had support, I’d have been playing for Pakistan now’ – Haris Rauf

Haris Rauf went to Australia with the hope of a Hobart Hurricanes contract, but has instead hit the jackpot with the Melbourne Stars, lighting up the Big Bash with his exhilarating fast bowling. He was originally signed up for only three games as cover for Dale Steyn, but he has been retained for the whole tournament following an injury to the English quick Pat Brown and is expected to confirm an extension for next season soon.Rauf, 26, was only discovered three years ago in open trials by the PSL franchise Lahore Qalandars in Gujranwala, but became hot property within two weeks of playing the Big Bash. He already has a five-wicket haul and a hat-trick, taking 13 wickets so far in just four games to make him the joint-second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. These performances in a highly competitive environment have instilled Rauf with the belief that he is close to fulfilling his dream of playing for his country.”It’s a completely different experience here,” Rauf told ESPNcricinfo. “The standard of cricket, the crowd and the atmosphere around make you truly absorbed in the game. Every moment in the field is enjoyable and the enthusiasm from the crowd really intensifies your passion. It is a really great time out here for me and I am making most out of it. I know I have proved my potential and my next goal is to play for Pakistan in the T20 World Cup, which is also in Australia.”I never really planned my future in cricket. I grew up playing with a tennis ball until 2017, and never thought that I could play for Pakistan. But this dream was given to me by Lahore Qalandars and Aaqib Javed’s persistence with me gave me direction. He has been a driving force for me. I had a feeling that a pure fast bowler bowling over 140kph can’t be ignored in Pakistan. I have the pace, the passion, and with all the development I started to believe that I can play top-level cricket.”ESPNcricinfo understands that Rauf was sent to Australia by Lahore Qalandars with the intention of attending trials with the Hurricanes, who wanted to have a look at him before signing a full season’s contract in November. During his stay he was linked with Glenorchy in Hobart, in Tasmania’s Premier League, and took 4 for 12 in a T20 game against Clarence including the wicket of the Australia and Hurricanes batsman D’Arcy Short.The Hurricanes didn’t pick him up, and Nick Cummins, the general manager, commercial and marketing, for the Melbourne BBL sides, called the Qalandars CEO Sameen Rana, offering Rauf a short-term opportunity when Steyn suffered a side strain.Haris Rauf is ecstatic after taking a wicket•Getty ImagesRauf shot to prominence alongside another fast bowler, Salman Irshad, when both were in the race for the third edition of the PSL. Rauf previously played for Western Suburbs Cricket Club in Sydney, where he was injured playing two-day cricket after bowling nearly 26 overs per day. Aaqib setHe was given a target by Aaqib, to add ten kilos to his 73kg frame in order to aid his development.”I was excited and was taking wickets and pushing myself hard,” Rauf said. “Fitness has been an issue because until 2017 I never really had any sense about it. Never thought about it because I had been playing tennis-ball cricket and never been disciplined with fitness and diet. I only started to hear about its importance when I signed with the Lahore Qalandars development program. In Pakistan when you grow up as an immature cricketer the word fitness is just an alien to you. You hear it, but you never really understood its significance.”But when I first came Australia with Qalandars, who linked me with a club, I saw the lifestyle around the sportsmen, how they train and how they enhance their performance. What are their routines and how they pull themselves together in the off-season to get ready for the active season. How they avoid injuries by getting fitter, so I learnt all this from here and the fitter you are, the more control you have of your game and performance.”Rauf missed PSL 3 and returned to Western Suburbs in 2018 with a promotion to the first grade and later earned a place in the Qalandars’ PSL side for the fourth edition of the tournament, his first major break. He took 11 wickets in 10 matches, with an economy rate of 7.41, including a match-winning 4 for 23 against the Karachi Kings.Rauf idolises Steyn and playing in his place was an “honour” for him. “I admire him a lot,” he said. “He has done great for his country, he is a tremendous fast bowler and is a perfect role model for any youngster who wants to become a fast bowler. With him around you have a lot to learn and sharing a dressing room with your hero is like a dream come true. If he isn’t playing it’s in a way a loss for me because I am not able to share the ball with him. His aggression is the thing I love about him. I obviously follow his work ethics, lifestyle and ability to control the line with outswingers.”

Their bowlers were also lacklustre in the first game as India conceded the biggest ODI stand against them ever

Vishal Dikshit in Mumbai15-Jan-20206:14

Star Sports Match Point: Laxman expects Kohli to bat at No. 3 in Rajkot

It is not often you see India being bowled out for a below-par total and then their full-strength bowling attack receiving such a thrashing in a home ODI. The combination of these two has placed India in a desperate situation of winning the remaining two games in the next four days against a full-strength Australia side that Virat Kohli called one of the top one-day sides in the world right now. A close loss for India would have asked a question here and there, but now they face several big ones as they look to quickly bounce back in the second ODI in Rajkot, else it will be their second straight ODI series loss to Australia at home. Here’s a look at the main areas India need to address quickly.Fix the batting orderKohli admitted after the match on Tuesday that he needed to “rethink” his batting position after he failed to make a substantial score at No. 4. His move to drop down a slot was to accommodate the three openers – Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul – but it meant tinkering with a line-up that wasn’t broken in the first place. Kohli has realised he probably needs to go back to his original No. 3, but how?Even without the hindsight advantage, it can be argued that India should have opened with Sharma and Rahul, and kept Dhawan out of the XI. Rahul has been in a much better form of late, whereas Dhawan has just returned to the international cricket after an injury. Dhawan struck an impressive 52 against Sri Lanka in the third T20I but after being dropped early on in the innings, and against Australia too, he was once nearly caught at third man, and then dropped at midwicket while eating up 51 dot balls in his 91-ball stay. The problem now, though, is that Dhawan should not be left out of the XI after top-scoring in the first ODI even if he had a scratchy start while playing his first ODI since August 2019.Virat Kohli reacts to his dismissal•AFPKohli said after the match they “didn’t have enough intent to take risks for those extra runs” and “didn’t take the game by the scruff of its neck”. The best way Kolhi can do that is by returning to No. 3 and pushing Rahul to No. 4. Before Dhawan got injured during the World Cup last year, India played Kohli at No. 3 and Rahul at No. 4, and doing that again in this series will give Kohli the chance of setting the tone of the innings early. Even if he gets out early, he will be followed by a batsman in top form.Now that Rishabh Pant has been ruled out of the second game, India can fix another problem with this blessing in disguise. They played only five bowlers in Mumbai and even though a sixth wouldn’t have made any difference there, a part-time bowler in Rajkot and Bengaluru – where pitches are expected to be flatter and the boundaries shorter – will be handy. They can now bring back Kedar Jadhav at No. 6 where he will add some experience which India missed severely on Tuesday.Bowlers need to bounce back quicklyIt is almost unimaginable that with Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav in the attack, India conceded the biggest ODI stand against them ever. Wankhede is Bumrah’s home ground in the IPL but he has just returned from injury and has looked somewhat rusty this year. Playing his first ODI in over six months, Bumrah, and even Shami, didn’t hit the lengths that would have troubled Aaron Finch and David Warner. They were initially too full and then overcompensated by going too short. Also, the familiarity with these conditions because of the IPL experience helped both batsmen to cash in as batting became easier under lights.Aaron Finch and David Warner embrace after bringing up the winning runs•AFP”Tonight was making the most of those overpitched deliveries and we got off to a good start,” Warner said after the match. About facing Bumrah, he said: “You’ve just got to watch real hard [for the change-ups]. If I’m to give any advice, and I take this as well, you’ve got to be nice and still.”India’s next hope was Yadav whose ODI form tapered off in the second half of 2019. He turned the ball, even beat Finch a few times, inducing two leading edges in his first over, but the batsman was more careful later, either going back to let the ball turn under his eyes or dancing down to get to the pitch of the ball. Twice he charged down the track – once against a legbreak and the second time against a googly – before the balls could turn to smash them for sixes with a straight bat. Warner also said Yadav has been bowling “slower” these days which could be helping batsmen in picking his variations.India’s bowlers will have very little margin of error with their lengths in the remaining games, and the fielding, which was at times sloppy on Tuesday, will have to better its standards too.India have been in a similar situation (down 1-0) in a three-match ODI series at home five times before this and have won four of those – against West Indies recently, Sri Lanka in 2017, New Zealand in 2017, and England way back in 1981-82. Kohli and Sharma were the captains in three of those, which will instil plenty of confidence in their team-mates to come charged up again in Rajkot.Kohli had even said a day before the first ODI that India-Australia contests were always “competitive” and not dominated by one side, “the margin is always 3-2 or 2-1”. The first game showed that Australia are dominating for now, and the pressure of bouncing back and keeping the series alive now rests with India.

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is personally attempting to seal a head-turning appointment at N17, with Spurs talks already held over his potential hire as the Lilywhites look to tempt him with a north London move.

Daniel Levy responds to protests in Tottenham statement

Levy and ENIC’s running of the club have attracted fierce protests, following a dismal Premier League campaign where Ange Postecoglou’s side lie 14th in the table after 15 top flight defeats – the highest number of losses of any side outside the bottom four.

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The fan group known as Change for Tottenham are planning another protest against Levy and the boardroom, and criticism has surrounded their on-field transfers as Spurs carry on the 17-year wait for a piece of major silverware.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

In response to critics, Levy addressed the club’s spending power, stating that Tottenham cannot spend what they do not have.

“I often read calls for us to spend more, given we are ranked as the ninth-richest club in the world,” said Levy (via The Guardian).

“However, a closer examination of today’s financial figures reveals that such spending must be sustainable in the long term and within our operating revenues. Our capacity to generate recurring revenues determines our spending power.

“We cannot spend what we do not have, and we will not compromise the financial stability of this club – indeed, our off-pitch revenues have significantly supplemented the lower football revenues this year, testament to our diversified income strategy.”

Amidst the widespread dissatisfaction with Levy among Spurs supporters, pressure is mounting on Postecoglou in the dugout, and calls for the Australian’s dismissal have been growing.

Postecoglou’s future at Tottenham is in “serious doubt” (The Athletic), and it is believed that Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola is Levy’s top managerial target to potentially replace the 59-year-old.

There could also be changes further upstairs, with ex-managing director Fabio Paratici reportedly attracting interest from Spurs as the Italian’s worldwide ban from football is due to end on June 30th.

Reports from Italy last week claimed that Tottenham are ready to make a “rich offer” to Paratici, with the former Juventus chief holding Levy talks. Now, an update on this has come to light from The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey.

Daniel Levy "working hard" to appoint Fabio Paratici at Tottenham

According to their information, Levy has indeed held negotiations with Paratici, which occurred last week, and it appears the Spurs chair is determined to seal his return to Hotspur Way ahead of AC Milan.

Bailey writes that Levy is “working hard” to re-appoint Paratici at Tottenham, and while the Rossoneri pose a real threar amid their hunt for a new director, this hasn’t deterred Spurs.

Levy has made a plea to Paratici during talks with the Italian, to come back and ‘finish what he started’.

The 52-year-old enjoyed a productive stint as Tottenham’s managing director before being forced to resign, having played a key role in signing the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Dejan Kulusevski, Yves Bissouma, Cristian Romero, Pedro Porro, Djed Spence, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr.

It is also believed that Paratici played a leading role in convincing Guglielmo Vicario to join Spurs, despite being banned at the time, and the official is still quite popular among sections of the fanbase.

In recent years, West Ham have been looking to increase their level of recruitment, aiming to improve their squad year upon year which has become even more possible since the big-money sale of Declan Rice.

The England midfielder was sold to Arsenal for a fee of around £105m, allowing the Hammers to invest plenty in the past two years.

In West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers, four of the ten have been signed since Rice left the club, £123.5m being spent in the 2023/24 campaign and spending a further £123.4m in the 2024/25 season.

Sebastien Haller

£42.7m

Maximilian Kilman

£40.6m

Mohammed Kudus

£36.8m

Lucas Paqueta

£36.7m

Gianluca Scamacca

£33m

Edson Alvarez

£32.5m

Felipe Anderson

£32.5m

Kurt Zouma

£29.9m

Nayef Aguerd

£29.9m

James Ward-Prowse

£29.7m

But away from this list of their top ten most expensive transfers, the Hammers have had some bargains over the years, including one of their best-ever players who ranks 29th in the club’s most expensive transfer fees.

Dimitri Payet's incredible spell at West Ham

West Ham made the signing of Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015, with the Frenchman joining the Hammers for a fee of around £10m, which would turn out to be an absolute bargain.

West Ham co-chairman, David Sullivan, labeled Payet a “world-class” player who would be worth triple what they paid had he been in his “prime”. It’s easy to see why.

For the Irons, Payet made 60 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and providing 22 assists in 4,981 minutes.

Capable of the magical and the extraordinary, his best moment was the extraordinary free-kick goal against Crystal Palace, a goal which finds itself on repeat to this day.

Unfortunately, Payet decided he wanted to return to France in 2017, heading back to Marseille for a fee of around £25m.

To this day, they arguably still lack that magic man, Jarrod Bowen aside, but they may well have the next Payet brewing at the London Stadium.

West Ham's "future icon" could be the next Payet

Bowen has been incredible since signing for West Ham from Hull, notably scoring the winner in the Conference League final, but he’s not the player in question here, it’s Mohammed Kudus.

Signed from Ajax in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, the 24-year-old forward joined for a fee of around £38m and has been a revelation since.

Indeed, Kudus has made 73 appearances for the club since arriving, scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists in his 5,718 minutes played. He may not have hit the dizzy heights of last term but he’s still a cracking player on his day.

Goals

0.37

0.12

Assists

0.17

0.12

xG

0.23

0.26

xAG

0.14

0.10

Progressive Carries

3.99

3.51

Progressive Passes

2.96

2.77

Shots Total

2.52

2.54

Key Passes

1.14

1.13

Shot-Creating Actions

3.52

3.68

Successful Take-Ons

3.93

3.16

When comparing the underlying metrics between Kudus’s first season at the club and this season (his second season) you can see how similar the metrics are. Despite this year being much tougher for the Hammers and the Ghana international struggling for output, the underlying metrics still look very strong, ranking highly for things like successful take-ons and shot-creating actions.

Described as a “future icon” of Ghanaian football by scout Jacek Kulig, he could also become this at West Ham, following in the steps of another magician in Payet. However, Kudus is already subject to plenty of interest from other clubs, and therefore, his decision to stay or leave could prove vital.

If Kudus decides to stay, he could go down as a legend over time, depending on the uplift of performances under Graham Potter.

However, if he does choose to leave, the fee that would be obtained would be very substantial, and it would be tough for Hammers fans to feel too aggrieved.

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West Ham have struck gold on their “game-changer” who is easily their best signing since Bowen.

ByConnor Holden Mar 31, 2025

Manchester City are preparing to travel across the city to face their bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Cityzens are currently fifth in the table and are fighting to secure a place in the Champions League for next season, to ensure that they do not drop down to the Europa League spots.

This clash with Ruben Amorim’s side is not only important within the context of the Premier League, though, as it will also be the final Manchester derby for Kevin de Bruyne.

The long-serving Belgian superstar announced on Friday that this will be his final season at The Etihad and he will be moving on from the club when his current contract expires in the summer.

De Bruyne will leave Manchester City a couple of months short of ten years since his £55m transfer to the club from Wolfsburg back in the summer of 2015.

The Belgium international’s exit will leave a big hole in Pep Guardiola’s squad because he has been a key player for the Premier League champions for so many years.

Why Kevin de Bruyne is a Manchester City legend

Since joining from Wolfsburg, De Bruyne has cultivated a reputation for being one of the most feared creators in the history of the English top-flight.

At the time of writing, the 33-year-old magician has racked up 118 assists in the Premier League – a tally that comes second only to Ryan Giggs (162) in the history of the league.

The experienced wizard has scored 106 goals and provided 174 assists in 413 appearances in all competitions for Manchester City to date, which shows that he has consistently contributed as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.

De Bruyne will leave the club having won six Premier League titles in ten seasons at The Etihad, heavily contributing to those successes with his immense quality at the top end of the pitch.

24/25

20

2

6

23/24

18

4

10

22/23

32

7

16

21/22

30

15

8

20/21

25

6

12

19/20

35

13

20

18/19

19

2

2

17/18

37

8

16

16/17

36

6

18

15/16

25

7

9

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea man has delivered a consistent stream of goals and assists when fit for the majority of his career at the club in the Premier League.

All of this contributes to why de Bruyne is a Manchester City legend, as he has been a top-class performer for a decade, but his powers are waning, as shown by his goal tally this season, and his value has plummeted as a result.

Kevin de Bruyne's current market value

At the time of writing (05/04/2025), the Belgian sensation’s current Transfermarkt valuation stands at just £23m, whilst he is also set to leave the club for £0 when his contract expires this summer.

His market value peaked at a whopping £128m in the summer of 2018 and has steadily declined in recent years, as the Premier League legend heads toward the end of his playing career.

His current market valuation of £23m places him 19th in the current Manchester City squad on value, behind the likes of Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, and Vitor Reis.

This illustrates his natural decline, as his performances and value have regressed with age, and that is why it feels like the right time for him to move on when his contract expires at the end of the season.

He is still fairly highly valued, at £23m, though, and there is one former Manchester City starlet – at the other end of his career – whose value has soared past the Belgian’s.

Morgan Rogers came up through the City academy, after being signed from West Brom in 2019, before being sold to Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £1.5m in the summer of 2023.

Morgan Rogers' soaring market value

Since leaving The Etihad on a permanent deal almost two years ago, the England international’s career has skyrocketed and he is now worth even more than de Bruyne.

After just six months at Boro, Aston Villa swooped in to sign the forward in a deal that could be worth up to £16m in the January window at the start of last year.

Rogers has since established himself as a big star for Unai Emery at Villa Park and earned recognition on the international stage, with three caps for England to date.

The 22-year-old talent has racked up 15 goals and 12 assists in 59 appearances in all competitions for the Villans, including three goals and three assists in ten outings in the Champions League.

Rogers, as illustrated above, has achieved a lot in a short time at Aston Villa, which is also backed up by his statistics as he has provided a consistent stream of goals and assists from an attacking midfield position.

The English star, who pundit Jamie Carragher previously described as “unstoppable”, has proven that he can perform in the Premier League and the Champions League, which suggests that he could have developed into a star at Manchester City if he had been given more opportunities to shine.

Unfortunately, the Cityzens decided to cash in on him for just £1.5m before he had the chance to showcase his quality at the top level, and his rise since then proves that they messed up with that call.

At the time of writing, Rogers is valued at a whopping £42.5m by Transfermarkt. This means that his value has soared by a staggering 2,733% from the £1.5m that City raked in for his services from Middlesbrough less than two years ago.

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This proves that Manchester City messed up when they decided to sell him because he is now worth £41m more and worth even more than de Bruyne, whilst delivering quality performances in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Chelsea have now identified an “incredible” midfielder as a potential summer transfer target, but there may be fierce competition for his signature, with a whole host of Premier League clubs keen, according to a report.

Blues stepping up summer transfer plans

While the Blues have long since been out of the Premier League title race, they are still on course to have a fairly successful season, with Friday’s 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur solidifying their place in the top four.

However, if Enzo Maresca’s side are to compete with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool next season, they may need to strengthen in a number of areas, with a striker believed to be of particular interest.

A £59m bid has been submitted for Real Madrid’s Endrick, while Napoli’s Victor Osimhen is also interested in a move to Stamford Bridge this summer, with a deal possible for a fee of around £68m.

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Central midfield hasn’t been a problem position this season, with Moises Caicedo receiving rave reports, but there have been suggestions Maresca could also look to strengthen his options in the engine room this summer.

According to a report from The Boot Room, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson, but there could be fierce competition for his signature, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool also keen.

Larsson’s impressive performances this season have put him in the Blues’ sights, with checks being conducted, and they are planning to watch him closely when he comes up against Tottenham in the Europa League next week.

Previous reports have suggested the Swedish midfielder is valued at £50m, but his stock could well rise if he continues to perform well between now and the end of the campaign.

"Incredible" Larsson could be excellent signing

Maresca is blessed with some quality options in the middle of the park, with Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez among Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League this season, but there are plenty of signs the Frankfurt midfielder could still be a solid addition.

Sport1-journalist Christopher Michel has lauded the 20-year-old as “incredible”, and he has proven himself as a major goalscoring threat for Frankfurt over the past year, ranking in the 92nd percentile for non-penalty goals per 90.

Perhaps in part due to his goalscoring ability, the Frankfurt star has been lauded as “very similar to Bellingham” by football scout Ben Mattinson, who has also praised him for his ability in possession of the ball.

Larsson could be an excellent signing for Chelsea, but given that they are already well-stocked in midfield, signing a top striker should be their top priority this summer.

Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an “excellent” goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Andre Onana this summer, according to a report.

Major concern over Onana's Man Utd performances

Onana was the subject of heavy criticism prior to Man United’s recent Europa League clash against Lyon, with Nemanja Matic launching a scathing attack on the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old didn’t exactly manage to silence the critics at the Groupama Stadium, making a late blunder to gift Rayan Cherki an equalising goal, which means there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

After the poor display against Lyon, Onana was dropped from the squad for the trip to St. James’ Park, but Altay Bayindir didn’t exactly stake a claim for a regular starting spot, with the Red Devils succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

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As such, Ruben Amorim is now looking to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and Man Utd have joined the race for Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, according to a report from The Boot Room.

Fofana’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brentford and Nottingham Forest also making checks in recent weeks.

Previous reports have detailed that the Angers shot-stopper could be available for just £15m this summer, so Amorim may not have to break the bank if he chooses to pursue a deal.

"Excellent" Fofana could be Onana upgrade

It is clear Amorim is losing faith with Onana, and it is little wonder, given that the Cameroonian’s latest blunder could be costly in United’s Europa League campaign, while Bayindir also failed to impress against Newcastle.

Fofana’s performances this season indicate he could be an upgrade for United between the sticks, having been lauded as “excellent” by members of the media after putting in a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Ivorian, and believes the £15m fee Angers are set to hold out for “could be a bargain”.

The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself at the highest level, but his performances this season indicate he could be capable of making the step-up to a top club, and his availability for a low fee is an added bonus for United.

Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winner as Liverpool defeated Leicester City on Sunday afternoon, which now means winning the Premier League title this month has fallen into Arne Slot’s hands.

Should Arsenal lose against Crystal Palace at the Emirates on Wednesday, Liverpool will be crowned. If not, Anfield will be charged with a frenzy next weekend, the Reds knowing victory over Tottenham Hotspur will seal the deal.

There was something poignant about Trent’s winner, the ecstasy of moving within an inch of the trophy tempered by the knowledge that the boyhood hero, the homegrown superstar, probably scored his final goal for Liverpool.

Trent is set to leave Liverpool

Liverpool fans were divided in opinion after Alexander-Arnold scored and celebrated with such undiluted emotion at the King Power Stadium.

The more optimistic among us suggested the vice-captain’s celebration bespoke a passion that will see him renew terms, devote the remainder of his prime years to his boyhood club.

But this doesn’t feel likely. Fabrizio Romano has already corroborated an overload of Spanish reports in recent months that the England international will indeed sign for Real Madrid this summer, and it would take a remarkable turn of events for that to change now.

Premier League

255

18

65

Champions League

60

2

13

FA Cup

13

1

3

Carabao Cup

10

0

6

Europa League

5

0

2

Club World Cup

2

0

1

Community Shield

2

1

0

CL Qualifying

2

0

1

UEFA Super Cup

1

0

0

Sadly, wishing for a thing doesn’t make it so, and all the pointers suggest that Liverpool’s number 66 is poised to leave when his contract expires in a few months.

One of those pointers is that FSG have already mapped out plans to sign a replacement. He’s been one of the Premier League’s standout full-backs this season.

Liverpool already chasing Trent replacement

As per Caught Offside, Liverpool have set Nottingham Forest’s Ola Aina in their sights as they prepare for life without Alexander-Arnold.

The Nigerian defender has been in fine fettle for high-flying Forest this season and is months away from the end of his £40k-per-week contract, and may well be tempted by a bumper pay rise with the soon-to-be champions.

With Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also lurking, Forest are piecing together a long-term offer to keep the 28-year-old at the club for the remainder of his prime years, but Anfield presents an enticing package indeed.

How Ola Aina compares to Alexander-Arnold

Nottingham Forest are sixth in the Premier League with just over one month of the 2024/25 campaign left to play. Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders, and Aina has been one of his most vital cogs.

Transfer Focus

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

The one-year deal that Aina was tethered to when he joined Forest in July 2023, after his contract with Italians Torino expired, rather candidly comments on the hesitance behind the signing.

Though he’s currently set for free agency this summer, the City Ground side have been confident that an extension could be secured. The minutiae of the potential transfer is unclear, but Liverpool’s pull is a powerful thing.

Such a rumour might feel somewhat deflating, but Aina really has been among the finest full-backs in Europe this season, so important as the Tricky Trees chase down unexpected Champions League qualification.

His ability is uncontestable. In fact, the experienced ace has been described as “the best right-back in the Premier League” this season by former Nigeria international Julius Aghahowa.

It’s hard to dispute it. Defensively, at the least, Aina has been a force to be reckoned with, keeping 11 clean sheets across 30 top-flight fixtures while recovering 5.3 balls, winning 4.2 duels and making 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore.

He’s not averse to attacking play either. Aina has scored twice this term, the first of which carried Trent-esque technique as West Ham United were flattened by the ranged missile.

Moreover, he’s averaging a dribble per game this year, which is working out to a 55% success rate. Not bad going. Alexander-Arnold, for example, succeeds with just 48% of his ball-carrying attempts.

What about Conor Bradley? Here we find the crux of the argument. The reasoning behind FSG launching a bid for a wide defender at the north end of their 20s who simply doesn’t bring more than a mite of playmaking prowess that Alexander-Arnold will take with him as he capers off to Madrid.

Bradley has so much potential, and with Slot pleased with the Northern Irishman’s progress, it would take quite the right-back to oust him over many years.

Instead, by signing Aina, a sort of balance could be struck, keeping the finely-worked equilibrium on Anfield’s pitch at a productive angle.

To clear the fogs, so to speak, let’s have at how Aina compares to Alexander-Arnold, and how they look when their Premier League metrics from the current campaign are collated.

There’s plenty to unpack here, but we’ll try and simplify it.

First and foremost, it might appear like Aina pales in comparison to Liverpool’s star man, but it’s important to remember that Forest operate without possession. In fact, Nuno’s system has bred the least amount of possession in the Premier League this year, remarkable given they currently lie within the Champions League qualification zone.

Alexander-Arnold creates far more than Aina and curiously makes more tackles, but the Forest star’s duel success, athleticism and ability to take on and beat his man shines a light on his skill and how that could be perfect to slot in to compete with Bradley.

The confluence of styles that Bradley and Aina would project down the right flank could give Slot the right blend to tackle the forthcoming campaign.

Aina wouldn’t replace Alexander-Arnold’s supreme creativity; Liverpool must sign a new attacking midfielder to compensate for the loss of his playmaking.

However, this would balance, dynamise, you name it, Liverpool’s defence, giving Slot what he needs to challenge at the top once again while allowing Bradley to jockey for a place with a contrasting, older profile.

He was as bad as Salah: Liverpool star proved why FSG must spend millions

This Liverpool flop who was as bad as Mo Salah proved that FSG must spend millions this summer.

ByDan Emery Apr 21, 2025

When people think of Tottenham Hotspur’s modern greats, there are a few names that always pop up, and understandably so.

The first will almost certainly be Harry Kane, followed by Gareth Bale and then perhaps Son Heung-min or Luka Modrić, but one player who doesn’t get enough recognition from outside the fanbase is Christian Eriksen.

The Dane may be in the twilight of his career at Manchester United today, but for the six and a half years he spent in North London, he was one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the Premier League.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports linking the club to one of the most exciting midfielders on the continent, who could not only be their new Eriksen but also a dream upgrade on the inconsistent James Maddison.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

With how poorly this season has gone for Spurs, the summer has to be a big one in terms of recruitment, and based on the last few weeks of reports, it certainly seems like it will, with Dean Huijsen being one of the latest stars touted for a move to N5.

Transfer Focus

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

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The Bournemouth star supposedly has a release clause worth £50m in his contract, and while that seems like a lot of money for a teenager, he’s already a regular starter for an upwardly mobile Premier League side and now has two senior caps for the Spanish national team.

Further up the pitch, the North Londoners are also reportedly keen on signing Sunderland’s incredibly exciting Jobe Bellingham.

The younger brother of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham would be available for around £20m, and considering he’s been compared to a young Dele Alli and has already amassed a tally of seven-goal involvements in 36 games this season, that could prove value for money in the long term.

However, Daniel Levy and Co will also be after a midfielder who’d be able to hit the ground running and make an instant impact next season, which helps explain their interest in Oihan Sancet.

According to recent reports from Spain, the Lilywhites are one of three Premier League sides keen on signing the Athletic Bilbao star, alongside Liverpool and Aston Villa.

Unfortunately, on top of having to contend with the competition, the North Londoners would have to stump up some serious cash to get their man, as he has a release clause in his current contract worth around €80m, which converts to about £69m.

It would be an incredibly costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but as he could be a dream Maddison upgrade and Spurs’ first genuinely great attacking midfielder since Eriksen, it’s one worth fighting for.

How Sancet compares to Maddison & Eriksen

So, before we get into the comparison between Sancet and Maddison, what makes the latter capable of being Tottenham’s next Eriksen?

Erisken’s Spurs career

Competition

Games

Goals

Assists

PL

226

51

65

UCL

29

5

7

UEL

22

5

5

League Cup

13

4

4

FA Cup

15

4

7

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Well, the first thing to say is that since the Dane left in January 2020, the North Londoners haven’t really replaced him, as even though the former Leicester City star has impressed here and there, he, nor has anyone else, been able to produce the consistent performances that the former Lilywhites star did.

This is where the Bilbao star could come in, as, since the start of the 22/23 campaign, he has scored 32 goals and provided 11 assists in 108 appearances, totalling just 7197 minutes, meaning he’s averaged a goal involvement every 2.51 games or every 167.37 minutes, primarily from attacking midfield.

Moreover, he also scored in the final of the Copa del Rey last season, a trophy the Basque side last won in the 1983/84 season, so it would be fair to say that he has the track record and CV to be viewed as a player capable of carrying on the mantle last held by Eriksen.

With that said, how does he stack up against the player he could replace in Ange Postecoglou’s midfield?

Well, when looking at their raw output from this season, it appears as if the Englishman comes out on top, as he’s managed to rack up a haul of 11 goals and nine assists to the Spaniard’s 16 goals and three assists, but when you take a look at how much they’ve played this season, the picture changes.

The Coventry-born star has made 42 appearances, totalling 2562 minutes, meaning he’s averaged a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 128.1 minutes, which is still impressive but pale in comparison to the Bilbao ace.

Sancet vs Maddison 24/25

Player

Sancet

Maddison

Appearances

29

42

Minutes

1782′

2562′

Goals

16

11

Assists

3

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.65

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvement

93.78′

128.1′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, the “box-crashing” game-changer, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has made 29 appearances, totalling 1782 minutes this season, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 1.52 games or every 93.78 minutes, which might be verging on world-class territory.

Ultimately, while Maddison is a useful player to have in the squad, he’s not been able to reach the heady height that Eriksen did in his pomp at Spurs, whereas Sancet is currently showing that he very much could.

So, Levy and Co should do all they can to sign the Spanish maestro this summer.

Related Spurs already have their very own Huijsen in monster 18-year-old defender

The incredibly exciting youngster will be a star for Spurs.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 11, 2025

Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for an “excellent” AC Milan player, who is set to leave the Italian club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest stepping up summer transfer plans

Forest should be well-positioned to bring in some top-quality players this summer, given that they have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions League, and Nuno is keen to bolster his options in a number of different areas.

The goalscoring burden has largely been on Chris Wood this season, and the Tricky Trees are eager to bring in a new striker to provide competition for the New Zealander, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin among the targets.

There appears to be a heavy focus on strengthening in attacking areas, with Marseille winger Luis Henrique also of interest, alongside Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, and there have been suggestions Jota Silva could be used as a makeweight in a deal for the Sweden international.

Contact made: Nottingham Forest make enquiry for £40m "one-man machine"

The Tricky Trees have now made a move for a midfielder, who is attracting widespread interest from across Europe.

ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

Bringing in attacking reinforcements may be of key significance to Nuno, but the manager could also look to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, with a report from Italy revealing Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.

Thiaw will be allowed to leave Milan this summer, and the Serie A side are set to hold out for around €25m to €30m (£22m – £26m), amid widespread interest in his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal also keen.

The asking price shouldn’t be a problem for any of the Premier League clubs, but Bayer Leverkusen’s interest could pose an issue, with the German club already making an approach for the 23-year-old.

"Excellent" Thiaw could be success at the City Ground

The German centre-back remained on the substitutes’ bench at the beginning of the campaign, but he has since gone on to establish himself as an important player for Milan, getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 Champions League victory against Real Madrid.

That was not the first time the 6 foot 4 colossus put in an impressive performance in the Champions League, having previously received high praise from former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi for a top display against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2023.

Sacchi said: “He played an excellent game. He often found himself in one-on-one situations and did not give up an inch to the opponent.”

It has not been the best of campaigns for Milan, with the Italian side sat ninth in the Serie A, but Thiaw’s exploits in Europe indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Forest, and a fee of £22m – £26m is very reasonable for a defender of his quality.