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Arsenal have spent big in transfer windows in the past, but this summer is starting to feel like something else entirely.

At the back, Andrea Berta and Co have signed Kepa Arizabalaga and are soon to sign Christian Mosquera.

In midfield, they’ve made a significant investment in the £60m Martin Zubimendi, are being linked with Eberechi Eze, and have completed the shrewd signing of Christian Norgaard.

Then, in attack, the club are set to land Noni Madueke for around £52m and, perhaps most exciting of all, look set to make the statement signing of Viktor Gyokeres, and if reports are to be believed, they are now looking at someone who’d help him perform even better at the Emirates.

Arsenal target perfect teammate for Gyokeres

There was no doubt in the minds of most fans that, coming into this summer, Arsenal had to go all out for a new striker.

Transfer Focus

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

Mikel Arteta and Co must have felt the same way, as their hunt for a number nine has been one of the biggest sagas of the window thus far.

However, once it was clear that Benjamin Sesko was being priced out of a move by RB Leipzig, the Gunners promptly turned their attention to Gyokeres.

Despite Sporting CP’s president talking a big game, it now looks like the North Londoners have got their man, for an initial price said to be just £55m.

The good news doesn’t stop there, though, as it now appears that Berta and Co are looking to sign another attacker, someone who could help the Swede perform even better at the Emirates.

At least, that is according to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs, who has revealed that Arsenal are keen on Anthony Gordon.

Jacobs claims that the Premier League runners-up hold a ‘genuine interest’ in the Newcastle United star, although they’d likely have to make a sale before making an offer for him.

Moreover, while there is no mention of how much he might cost in the story, reports from earlier this month claim that the Magpies could demand as much as £100m for the Englishman.

While it would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, Gordon would undoubtedly be a level-raiser for Arsenal’s left-hand side, and someone who could help Gyokeres be even more effective.

Why Gordon would make Gyokeres even better

While there are undoubtedly a range of reasons Gordon could help Gyokeres perform at an even higher level at Arsenal next season, the most important of the lot is down to his output.

After all, if the Swedish international isn’t being supplied a steady stream of chances to convert, he’s not going to rack up the goals.

Additionally, with 13 assists to his name last season, the former Coventry City ace is reasonably creative, but if the man to his left isn’t a reliable finisher, then he won’t see his assist tally soar either.

Fortunately, over the last couple of years, the Newcastle star has proven himself to be a real threat on the wing, both as a creator and a goalscorer.

For example, since the start of the 23/24 campaign, he’s scored 21 goals and provided 23 assists in 90 appearances, totalling 6815 minutes.

In other words, the Liverpool-born “nightmare,” as he described himself, has averaged a goal involvement every 2.04 games, or every 154.88 minutes across the last two years.

In contrast, Gabriel Martinelli, who he’d likely replace, has scored 18 goals and provided 11 assists in 95 games, totalling 6204 minutes in the same period, which works out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.27 games, or every 213.93 minutes.

Appearances

48

44

Minutes

3869′

2640′

Goals

12

8

Assists

16

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

138.17′

203.07′

Appearances

42

51

Minutes

2946′

3564′

Goals

9

10

Assists

7

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

184.12′

222.75′

Finally, in addition to his output, the former Everton gem also ranked in the top 15% of attacking midfielders and wingers for passes into the penalty area last season, according to FBref.

This is important because, by looking at the Swedish goal machine’s heatmap from last season, it’s evident that he likes to spend as much time in the penalty area as possible.

Therefore, to get the most out of him, his teammates need to get the ball to him in dangerous areas, which is something the Toon star could do based on that metric.

Ultimately, Gyokeres has the potential to be a game-changing signing for Arsenal, and Arteta and Co. could get even more out of him by pairing him up with Gordon.

As exciting as Gyokeres: £80m "superstar" now open to signing for Arsenal

The international monster would be a game-changing signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 15, 2025

After confirming the arrival of 18-year-old Diego Leon, Manchester United chiefs are now reportedly discussing the chance to sign an impressive defender who is wanted by “half of the Premier League”.

Man Utd confirm Diego Leon arrival

In their second signing of the summer following the earlier arrival of Matheus Cunha, Manchester United have officially unveiled new man Leon. The left-back, who only turned 18 in April, is likely one for the future but certainly one to watch as he progresses under Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford in the coming years.

Although the teenager won’t steal the same headlines as Cunha, his arrival could eventually prove to be just as important. With the South American confirmed too, Manchester United have officially continued their trend of welcoming young defenders in the last 12 months following Leny Yoro and Ayden Heaven last season.

It’s not just young players that are on United’s radar, however. The Red Devils are still chasing a deal to sign Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo with negotiations ongoing in pursuit of a deal worth over £60m this summer.

The winger is likely to cost around the same price as Cunha, who joined the club for £63m this summer, and would provide Amorim with yet another attacking upgrade.

Starts

38

29

Goals

20

15

Assists

7

6

Expected Goals

12.3

8.6

Last season’s numbers suggest that signing Mbeumo alongside Cunha would make it job done for Manchester United’s attacking rebuild, but they’re still reportedly targeting the likes of Victor Osimhen to truly round things off.

Meanwhile, those at Old Trafford are also reportedly discussing the chance to welcome a key defensive addition before the new Premier League season gets underway.

Man Utd discussing Bisseck deal

According to Caught Offside, Recruitment chiefs at Manchester United are now discussing signing Yann Bisseck from Inter Milan, but reportedly face competition from “half of the Premier League” for his signature. The central defender played his part as Inter reached the Champions League final last season and may yet bring that experience to English football.

Described as a “commanding” defender who is “dominant” in wide channels by analyst Ben Mattinson, Bisseck – like Mbeumo and Cunha – would hand Manchester United an instant upgrade on their current options.

Man Utd want midfield star who scores at exact same rate as Bruno Fernandes

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 5, 2025

The Red Devils have already surprised many by taking charge of the race to sign Mbeumo and could yet do the same in pursuit of the Inter defender. Despite interest from elsewhere in the Premier League, the Manchester United name may remain strong enough to lure another reinforcement to Old Trafford.

Everton are now close to signing a “strong” £34 million player after agreeing personal terms, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Everton set to turn to alternative targets after missing out on Tete

Signing a new right-back has become one of David Moyes’ priorities in this transfer window, as the club decided to let Ashley Young leave, following the expiration of his contract. Seamus Coleman has signed a new one-year deal to remain, but Moyes wants more competition in that area of the team and earmarked Fulham’s Kenny Tete as a target.

Everton considering shock move to sign £40k-p/w ace likened to Messi

The Toffees could cause a shock…

BySean Markus Clifford Jun 29, 2025

The Toffees were confident of landing the defender after discussing details over a contract, but instead, Tete decided to sign a new contract at Fulham and remain at Craven Cottage. The right-back has extended his stay until 2028 and believes Fulham is a “special club where he can develop”.

This news means Everton have to continue their search for a new right-back, and the BBC have reported that alternative targets for the Toffees could include Kyle Walker-Peters, who is a free agent after leaving Southampton, or Vladimir Coufal, who is also a free agent and knows Moyes well from their time at West Ham.

While they assess their options for a new right-back, the Premier League side appear to be closing in on their second signing of the summer.

Everton close to signing £34m Barry after agreeing personal terms

According to Romano, Everton are now close to signing striker Thierno Barry from Spanish side Villarreal.

The Italian states that the deal has advanced, as the Toffees and the player have now agreed personal terms; all that remains are the final details, and then this transfer is complete.

It’s been widely reported that Barry has a release clause worth £34 million, and Villarreal’s sporting director, Fernando Roig Nogueroles, has been clear that if the player is to leave, it will be for around that price.

He said: “We want the player, and if he were to leave, it would have to be, if not for the release clause, something very close to it. If not, he won’t leave.”

Apps

35

Starts

25

Goals

11

xG

12.41

Goals per game

0.3

Shots on target per game

0.7

Goal conversion

15%

Assists

4

xAG

1.95

Big chances created

7

The Toffees are said to be prepared to pay that sum of money but may look to pay in installments to reach that figure in total. The arrival of Barry, who has been dubbed a “strong physique”, has just got more important for Everton, as on Monday, Dominic Calvert-Lewin announced that he was leaving the club following the end of his contract, meaning options at the top end of the pitch have just become even lighter.

Barry’s expected arrival will likely see him become Moyes’ regular striker, as his physical presence and stature make him the perfect striker in a Moyes team.

Derbyshire 198 for 6 (Madsen 53, Stone 3-42) beat Nottinghamshire 102 (Dupavillon 3-15, Brown 3-17, Whiteley 3-23) by 96 runsDerbyshire Falcons celebrated a T20 victory over Notts Outlaws for the first time in nine years when they crushed their local rivals by 96 runs in the Vitality Blast North Group match at Derby.Superb batting from Wayne Madsen, who made 53 off 32 balls, and a destructive 46 off only 16 by Ross Whiteley lifted the Falcons from 76 for 4 after 10 overs to 198 for 6.Daryn Dupavillon then blew away the top order as Outlaws slumped to 36 for 4 and they never recovered as Whiteley followed up his batting fireworks by taking 3 for 23.Outlaws crumbled to 102 all out in 16.4 overs and have now lost their first four group games while Falcons recorded a second win.The game had started well for the visitors when Aneurin Donald skied the first ball he faced to deep square but David Llloyd got Falcons up and running by pulling Ollie Stone for six in the third over.New Zealander Cam Fletcher marked his debut with three off-side boundaries in Dillon Pennington’s second over before Lloyd dispatched Ben Lister for his second maximum. But Lloyd miscued a pull at Stone to midwicket and Fletcher edged behind to leave the Falcons on 47 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.That brought in Samit Patel who announced himself against his former club by whipping Lyndon James behind square for six but in the next over he pulled Calvin Harrison to Will Young at deep midwicket.Outlaws should have removed Brooke Guest on 9 in the 13th over but he was badly dropped at cover by Joe Clarke and the rest of the innings belonged to Madsen and Whiteley.Madsen drove Harrison for six and ramped Pennington for four on his way to a 29 ball 50 before he lifted James to long-off.That left the stage to Whiteley who demolished the bowling with a brutal exhibition of muscular strokeplay as 50 runs came off the last three overs. Stone was twice pulled for six and Lister received the same treatment in an over which cost 23 as Falcons took flight.Whiteley was caught at deep cover off the last ball but he had taken the game away from Outlaws who were facing a daunting chase.They needed their big guns to fire but Clarke was caught behind cutting at the first ball from Dupavillon and Alex Hales briefly threatened before becoming Dupavillon’s second victim. After dispatching the South African for two fours he miscued a big pull and was well caught at wide mid-on to put a big dent in Outlaws’ hopes.They were all but extinguished by the end of the powerplay with Young slicing Pat Brown to cover and Jack Haynes bowled making room to drive Dupavillon.Whiteley’s memorable evening continued when he pinned Tom Moores lbw with his first ball and then had Matt Montgomery caught at deep cover in his next over. Stone became Whiteley’s third victim when he drilled him to long-off and Falcons wrapped up a memorable victory with 20 balls to spare.

It seems like Chelsea will try and sign a new winger in the summer transfer window. With Jadon Sancho potentially returning to Manchester United, if they decide not to buy him permanently, they could well need reinforcements in wide areas.

Enzo Maresca’s current crop of wide men are certainly not uninspiring. Aside from Sancho, those permanently at the club include the likes of Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke.

Those two wingers have six and 11 goals to their names across all competitions, respectively, this season. In recent weeks, Tyrique George has broken through, and Cole Palmer now plays a more central role.

However, they could well look to sign an additional player in wide areas, and are seemingly plotting an ambitious move this summer.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a winger

Chelsea have been linked with a number of options should they try and sign a new winger this summer. One of those players is another Red Devils star, Alejandro Garnacho. News broke on Thursday, courtesy of talkSPORT’s Alex Crook, that Chelsea are ‘interested’ in the 20-year-old.

Transfer Focus

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

Alternatives are also seemingly being considered, as the Blues could well be set to target Real Madrid star Rodrygo, according to Caught Offside. The report suggests the West London outfit are ‘stepping up their pursuit’ of the Brazilian forward this summer.

According to the article, Chelsea are the side who ‘are currently leading the race’ to sign the Los Blancos superstar, but they are not the only team in the hunt.

Their Premier League rivals, Manchester City ‘are keeping a close eye on the situation’ and could also make a move. Whichever side win the race, Madrid could command a huge fee of £101m.

Why Rodrygo would be a good signing

Make no mistake about it, Chelsea would be signing a global superstar if they manage to bring Rodrygo to Stamford Bridge. Described as “terrifyingly good” by Sam Tighe, a football journalist and broadcaster, he has been fantastic for Madrid once again this term.

It has been a productive season again for the Brazilian this season. Across all competitions for the La Liga giants, he has found the back of the net 14 times and provided a further ten goals for his teammates in 51 games.

In fact, the 24-year-old’s underlying numbers from this season from Sofascore reinforce the fact that he has played well. For example, he has averaged 2.1 key passes and 2.1 successful dribbles in those 51 appearances this season.

Rodrygo’s key stats in 2024/25 season
Stat	Total	Per 90
Key passes	78	2.1
Big chances created	10	0.3
Dribbles completed	77	2.1
Tackles and interceptions	71	1.9
Expected goal involvements	12.12xGI	0.32xGI
Stats from Sofascore

If there is one competition that the winger thrives in, it is the Champions League. Rodrygo has a strong record in the competition, with 39 goals and assists in 64 games. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig rightly pointed out that he “loves the UCL”.

It is a competition that Chelsea are hoping to be in next term, and they will hope Rodrygo can turn up on the biggest stage again.

Should the West London side bring Rodrygo to the club, he could be the second coming of Diego Costa. Not in the sense of how he was as a player, of course, given the former Atletico Madrid star was a striker and Rodrygo is a winger.

Instead, the similarities between the two are the fact that they are both Brazil-born, high-profile La Liga stars, who were expensive, too. Sky Sports reported that the then-25-year-old striker cost Chelsea £32m, which in today’s money, according to The Transfer Index, would be £61.5m, a steep fee indeed.

Costa was sensational for the Blues. The Spain international, who has not yet retired but is currently without a club, scored 59 goals and registered 21 assists in 120 games.

Across three Premier League seasons, they won two titles, and Costa scored 20 league goals in both of those.

If Rodrygo can have anywhere near the impact at Chelsea that Costa managed, then it would be an excellent piece of business. Of course, the fee is expensive, but to acquire a player of his talent, you have to pay that kind of money.

Costa joined the Blues from La Liga and became a club legend, taking the West Londoners to astronomical heights. They will surely want Rodrygo to do the exact same thing if he moves to Stamford Bridge.

Could be another Sterling: Chelsea lead Arsenal in race for "superstar"

Chelsea are looking to add depth to their side this summer

By
Joe Nuttall

May 22, 2025

The Women’s FA Cup has just as much magic as its male equivalent, with the finale’s place at the end of the domestic calendar handing two teams the opportunity to finish the campaign on a high in front of a large capacity crowd.

That has only been heightened by the welcome rise in prominence within the women’s game of late, with the FA Cup final being held at Wembley Stadium since 2015.

While the national stadium has typically only been half full for such occasions in the past, the 2023 final between Chelsea and Manchester United saw over 77,000 witness the Blues secure a third straight triumph through Sam Kerr’s winner.

Large crowds like these are now the norm for showpiece women’s events, particularly at Wembley, with the FA Cup final and England internationals well in the habit of bringing in spectators en masse.

The 2024 final was further evidence of this, with United’s win over Tottenham Hotspur again drawing in over 75,000 supporters.

But who are the most successful clubs in the FA Cup’s history? Here is a look at the history of the competition and a detailed look at the most recent finals.

Women's FA Cup history timeline

1970: Following the lifting of a ban on women’s football, which had stood for nearly 50 years, the first FA Cup tournament is held by the Women’s Football Association (WFA). The National Sports Centre in Crystal Palace hosts the first final in 1971, won by Southampton Women’s FC.

1993: The Football Association takes administrative control of the competition, along with the rest of women’s football in England.

2015: The final is held at Wembley Stadium for the first time, as 30,000 spectators see Chelsea defeat Notts County 1-0.

2023: A world-record crowd attends a domestic cup final, nearly 12 months on from the Euro 2022 final at a sold-out Wembley.

2024/25 Women's FA Cup

The 2024/25 FA Cup takes place on Sunday, 18th May, one day after the men’s event. This year’s women’s final is between Chelsea and Manchester United, in what is a repeat of the 2023 final.

Chelsea are going for a treble after being crowned as unbeaten champions and having won the League Cup back in March, while holders United are defending their FA Cup crown, which was won through their 4-0 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur in May 2024.

It has been an exceptional first year in charge for Sonia Bompastor since replacing Emma Hayes, with the Blues’ only defeats this term coming in the Champions League to Manchester City and Barcelona.

Manchester United are looking to end the season on a high after having to settle for third following their 4-3 defeat to Arsenal on the final day of the WSL season.

Women’s FA Cup past winners

18 different clubs have won the Women’s FA Cup, with Arsenal being the record winners, having won it 14 times.

Southampton Women’s FC is the next-most successful club, winning eight times, most recently in 1981.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s record is only bettered by Doncaster Belles, who appeared in 11 out of 12 finals between 1983 and 1994, winning six times. However, the Blues can draw level with them in 2025.

Club

Times won

Last won

Arsenal

14

2016

Southampton Women’s FC

8

1981

Doncaster Belles

6

1994

Chelsea

5

2023

Manchester City

3

2020

Charlton Athletic

3

2005

Everton

2

2010

Fulham

2

2003

Millwall Lionesses

2

1997

Manchester United

1

2024

Birmingham City

1

2012

Norwich City

1

1986

AFC Wimbledon Women

1

1985 (as Friends of Fulham)

Howbury Grange

1

1984

Lowestoft Ladies

1

1982

St Helens

1

1980

Queen’s Park Rangers

1

1977

Fodens

1

1974

Previous FA Cup finals 12th May 2024: Manchester United 4-0 Tottenham Hotspur

Manchester United sealed their first FA Cup triumph against first-time finalists Tottenham Hotspur in 2024 in a comprehensive victory at Wembley.

Ella Toone got the ball rolling just before the end of the first period, with her long-range rocket adding to her catalogue of big-game goals.

The second half saw Spurs tire and crumble under the wave of United attacks, with Rachel Williams’ header and Lucia Garcia’s double seeing the Red Devils run out deserved winners.

Beth England came closest for the runners-up when her header smashed the bar, but there could be no complaints about the final result as United claimed their first major trophy.

14th May 2023: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United

Chelsea secured a league and cup double in 2023 after battling to a 1-0 victory over Manchester United. Marc Skinner’s side had most of the better chances, particularly in the first half when they had a goal ruled out for offside in the opening minute and forced Ann-Katrin Berger into a number of important saves.

Sam Kerr turned home Pernille Harder’s pinpoint cross in the second half, to which the Red Devils had no reply.

15th May 2022: Chelsea 3-2 Manchester City (aet)

The Blues edged a five-goal thriller against United’s closest rivals in 2022. Sam Kerr nodded Chelsea ahead before Lauren Hemp equalised just before half-time.

Erin Cuthbert’s screamer restored the Blues’ lead and had looked set to be the match-winner until Hayley Raso’s fine finish forced extra time.

Both sides had chances in the extra period, but Kerr took the crucial one in the 99th minute, with her deflected strike handing Chelsea another FA Cup.

5th December 2021: Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea

Postponed due to the pandemic, the 2021 finale took place nearly seven months later than usual. The date chosen for the final came a century after the FA’s ban on women’s football in 1921.

It was Chelsea who once again emerged victorious, as opponents Arsenal came up against an inspired Kerr, who scored twice after Fran Kirby’s early opener to seal a comfortable victory.

1st November 2020: Everton 1-3 Manchester City (aet)

Played in front of no fans during the pandemic-affected 2020/21 campaign, Man City won their third FA Cup in four seasons with an extra-time victory over Everton, who were in the first final in six years.

The 50th Women’s FA Cup final saw Sam Mewis’ header put Gareth Taylor’s team in front, before Valerie Gauvin’s equaliser from a corner took the sides to extra time.

Georgia Stanway’s poked finish left City with one hand on the cup, and she laid the ball on a plate for Janine Beckie to finally put the game to bed and secure a second successive cup triumph.

Wrexham are one of a host of EFL clubs interested in signing an “excellent” international player in the summer transfer window, according to a new claim.

Wrexham facing huge period in promotion battle

Phil Parkinson’s side find themselves right in the League One promotion mix heading into the final weeks of the season, as they look to make it an incredible three promotions in a row.

Wrexham have six games remaining in the league in 2024/25, and while they currently sit in second place behind runaway leaders Birmingham City, they only have a three-point advantage over third-place Wycombe Wanderers, who have a game in hand.

Next up for Parkinson’s men is the visit of Burton Albion on Saturday lunchtime, with their opponents languishing in 21st place and desperately battling to remain in League One for another season. A home win is a must, with Wycombe facing a trickier trip to Reading.

New signings will be needed for Wrexham this summer regardless of what league they are playing in next term, and a proven top-level player has now been linked with a move to The Racecourse Ground.

Wrexham want "excellent" Wales and Rangers star Tom Lawrence

According to an update from The Daily Mail, Wrexham are interested in signing Rangers midfielder Tom Lawrence on a free transfer this summer, with the 31-year-old born there before moving to Manchester United as an eight-year-old.

The League One outfit are far from alone in expressing a willingness to snap him up, however, with the likes of West Brom, Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers all mentioned, among others.

Lawrence would be an ambitious addition for Wrexham this summer, especially if they can get him for free, with his current Rangers deal expiring at the end of this season. At 31, he isn’t getting any younger, but he is still at a good age to come in and make an impact, having been lauded by David McAllum for his influence on young players at Ibrox.

“Tom was excellent around the group, sharing his experience, and we spoke before the game about that. That’s what some of these games are going to be about, when we get the odd occasion where a player, or two, drops down from the first-team squad to get important minutes.”

Tom Lawrence’s key career stats

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Derby County

185

37

25

Rangers

66

12

7

Ipswich Town

36

11

11

Blackburn Rovers

23

2

3

Yeovil Town

19

2

2

Cardiff City

14

0

1

Carlisle United

11

3

2

Rotherham United

6

1

1

Leicester City

4

0

0

Manchester United

1

0

0

Lawrence is a 23-cap Wales international, scoring three times for his country, so his pedigree is undeniable, and his versatility allows him to shine in central midfield, out wide and also as a centre forward.

Related Wrexham in League One: Latest standings, fixtures, results & key dates

FFC has all the latest Wrexham info as they seek promotion from League One, along with a look at the Red Dragons’ journey to where they are today.

Posts ByStephan Georgiou Oct 8, 2024

The Welshman has huge experience in the EFL too, as well as making a total of 66 appearances for one of Britain’s biggest clubs in Rangers, so the idea of Wrexham signing him is hugely exciting.

A maiden IPL contract has been followed by his first New Zealand call-up, but he doesn’t want to settle as a “one-dimensional player”

Abhimanyu Bose23-Dec-2024″If you told me this would happen a month ago, I probably wouldn’t believe it.”It has been that kind of a month for Bevon Jacobs. In late November, Jacobs was in for a surprise when he found out he was joining his compatriots Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner at Mumbai Indians for his first IPL gig. Just a month later, he has earned his first international call-up, for the upcoming home T20Is against Sri Lanka.Jacobs, 22, has just 12 List A and nine T20 games under his belt, and made his first-class debut only last month in the Plunket Shield. This handful of games were, however, enough for him to showcase his hard-hitting abilities.”It’s always something I’ve tried to aim for and, you know, it came a little bit quicker than I anticipated,” Jacobs said after the New Zealand squads were announced. “But, you know, I’ll grab the opportunity and I’m just going to be happy to be in that environment and try and learn heaps.”Related

• Jacobs gets maiden NZ call-up for Sri Lanka T20Is

• Who is Bevon Jacobs, MI's latest under-the-radar recruit?

• Santner named New Zealand's white-ball captain

He admitted it was “pretty full circle” that he found out about his international call-up while in Lincoln, where he was part of the rain-hit T20 warm-up against the touring Sri Lankans but didn’t get to bat. Jacobs had begun his cricketing journey, which he describes as “bit of left and right there and thereabout”, in Auckland before moving to Canterbury, where he made his List A and T20 debuts in 2023.After an impressive first season, Auckland signed him back, and he has already impressed with scores of 75, 79, 44 and 80 in his first four red-ball games.”Obviously growing up in Auckland, that was awesome, and age-group cricket, but I spent three good years down here [in Canterbury] and I really enjoyed it, and so to have it announced here, it’s not the worst situation ever,” he said.The IPL 2025 auction was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, so Jacobs only found out his fate the following morning New Zealand time, much to his disbelief. When he went to wake his father up to break the news, Jacobs senior woke up in a panic, thinking someone was trying to break in. “I was like, ‘no, no, I’ve just been picked up in the IPL’. So that was a pretty good laugh,” Jacobs had said at the time.Making the New Zealand squad, however, was a more emotional moment for his family.

“They were both pretty big surprises. IPL feels like such a slim chance but Black Caps is something that I’ve dreamed about since a kid. I think IPL was kind of a focus or like a goal maybe set a little bit later”Bevon Jacobs

“I called my dad first and he shed some tears over the phone. So that’s pretty special, something that we’ve been working hard together for many years,” Jacobs said. “He’s put a lot of sacrifice and effort into it, and the same with the rest of the fam. He was pretty happy and pretty proud, as were they all.”I’ve got a really nice support group, friends and family, but mum’s put a lot of time into it, dad’s put a lot of time into it, endless net sessions and hours and sometimes giving to cricket and giving up something that they might want to do outside of the game just so they could support me.”And scraping together everything, it’s not exactly a cheap sport. You put cost as well as time into it and so I think I’m really grateful for them to have backed me to get to this point and so hopefully I can make them proud.”So what was a bigger surprise for him – the IPL gig or getting called up to play for New Zealand?”That’s a tough one. They were both pretty big surprises,” Jacobs said. “IPL feels like such a slim chance but Black Caps is something that I’ve dreamed about since a kid. I think IPL was kind of a focus or like a goal maybe set a little bit later.”Black Caps has always been the dream so I think that’s probably the one that hit me the hardest. But, obviously, both really special and just glad to have the opportunity.”Trent Boult and Mitchell Santner will be Jacobs’ team-mates at Mumbai Indians too, in the IPL•AFP/Getty ImagesJacobs has a reputation for the big hits, and in his first Super Smash season, he was employed in a finisher’s role and hit 134 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 188.73. The only batter among those who faced at least 50 balls in the tournament to have scored quicker was Doug Bracewell (200.02).”I guess the job for me will probably just be to go out there and try and hit it as hard as I can and hopefully get some runs on the board, some quick runs for the team and if that’s the position I’m put in, then yeah I’ll give it my best shot.”But Jacobs has bigger ambitions than just being a power-hitter.”I don’t want to be a one-dimensional batter,” he said. “Obviously I like to bring that power game into the team but I think going for that longer-format stuff is definitely something I want to work towards and be recognised as going forward.”After an impressive start to his first-class career, Jacobs is averaging 41 from seven knocks with three half-centuries. He believes the direction Test cricket is headed in – with more attacking batting and higher strike rates – it does have space for his quick-scoring abilities, but he also wants to be able to put in the grind when needed.

“I think if I can rub shoulders with those guys, scratch their brains and just see how much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think there’s much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for me”Bevon Jacobs on joining the New Zealand change room

“I mean there’s obviously been some common trends with some extra power, some more creativity coming into the red-ball set-up,” he said. “I think it’s more just about how everyone goes at their own sort of way. And if that’s the way that I can bring an impact in that situation then that’s what I’ll try and do. But if it’s something a little bit more that I need to develop then I’ll work on that as well.”His long reach aside, Jacobs’ strength helps him hit a long ball, as he showcased during his stint in the Queensland T20 Max, in Australia, where he smashed 100 off 40 balls on the final day of the competition for South Brisbane against Toombull.But it was in Lincoln, Jacobs said, where he “fell in love” with the fitness side of the game.”I came down to Lincoln on a cricket scholarship and I got sorted with the strength and conditioning programme here and then I kind of just fell in love with that sort of side of the sport, getting in the gym, and it’s just something that I like to tick off pretty frequently.”Now, Jacobs is looking forward to soak in the “special” experience of rubbing shoulders with players he “grew up watching” and while scoring runs is on the agenda, his main focus is to grow as a cricketer.”I mean, obviously, you want runs on the board but I think it’s mainly just going to be a big learning experience. I think if I can rub shoulders with those guys, scratch their brains and just see how much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think there’s much I can learn from them and just try to make myself a better player, I think that’s going to be the biggest thing for me.”

Fast bowler back to Test cricket with a bang after proving he’s not out of road yet

Vithushan Ehantharajah12-Dec-2022On Sunday evening, Mark Wood sat in his room at the Ramada By Wyndnam Hotel in Multan worried.Pakistan had 157 left of a target of 355 going into day four of the second Test, five wickets in hand and a composed Saud Shakeel unbeaten on 54. The pitch was playing truer with every compression of the heavy roller, losing turn and bounce as the match wore on.The result was a coin-flip, though Wood feared Pakistan could have an edge. Not because of a distrust in his team-mates or his own skills. But, after 11 overs in the second innings up to that point, a reverse-swinging stunner to get Abdullah Shafique his one reward for them, he had never felt worse after a day’s play. As ever the spirit was willing, and given the nature of his work, the body understandably was sore. But the tank was precariously close to empty.Earlier that day, as the rest of the team left the field after 64 overs, boosted by Jack Leach’s late dismissal of Imam-ul-Haq, Wood paused his trudge a few feet from the boundary’s edge. There he met the physiotherapist who had brought a few bands and a medicine ball down with him. Wood ignored the apparatus and slumped to the floor. He was stretching out his hip, but who would have begrudged him a kip on the outfield at that point?Less than 24 hours later, he was sat on that same spot again, just to the right of the England dressing-room as you face it. He looked decidedly worse for wear. Like a man who had been bundled into a washing machine and tossed down a hill: dishevelled, battered and a little bit confused. And yet altogether better for it.”I’m absolutely shattered,” he answered, the words tumbling out of his mouth like shopping through a torn carrier bag. The question: With three vital wickets in the final throes of an anxious run-chase, how did it feel to be responsible for a historic series win in Pakistan? A fair response, all told.Mark Wood burst through Zahid Mahmood•Matthew Lewis/Getty ImagesHe had been on the field for all four days, sending down 32.5 overs of immense effort, backing up 2 for 40 in the first innings with 4 for 65 in the second. This was his first first-class match of any kind since injury once again struck – his elbow this time – during the first Test of the Caribbean tour way back in March.Following a couple of elbow surgeries, Wood’s competitive return came in the T20I series in Pakistan only a couple of months ago, then straight into a T20 World Cup before joining up with the Test squad for this series after a couple of weeks at home. That period back at Ashington was spent recovering from a hip injury sustained ahead of the knockout round of that tournament, meaning he arrived back in Pakistan without having bowled a red ball in anger. Even that moment took a while longer yet to come: he had to quarantine in his room at the Serena Hotel soon after arrival in Islamabad due to an illness brought from home. It was an issue unrelated to the virus that upended England’s preparations for the first Test.He missed the victory in Rawalpindi, but Liam Livingstone’s injury, coupled with Ollie Pope’s capability behind the stumps, provided a clean route back into the XI. From that point on, the next thing to figure out was how to use him effectively. Luckily, in Ben Stokes, Wood had a captain who knew him well.Recognising his Durham team-mate and long-time rouser-in-chief had been exclusively on a four-over diet for the past nine months, Stokes utilised his quick in exactly those amounts. Of his 13 spells in the match, five were of four overs (the most he bowled in a row). Each asked something different of him: straight pace at the start, reverse-swing on days two and three, and a two-over burst of short balls before lunch that removed Mohammed Nawaz (45) and then Saud Shakeel (94) in the space of six balls.That last bit was, ultimately, the game. Both left-handers looked at ease, dovetailing expertly for Pakistan’s sixth wicket as Nawaz played his shots and Shakeel stayed level. Wood steamed in from around the wicket and got both caught down the leg side.”What type of bowling does the batter not want to face at these times?” Stokes said, as he reflected on his decision to give Wood the opportunity to close out the session. “I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to be facing bowlers at 145, 150kph with 20 minutes left, even if I had faced as many balls as those two.”The message to Wood was clear: “Stokesy said to me, ‘make a difference, change the game’.” He obliged, turning a target of 65 to win with five wickets to spare into 64 with just three. Pakistan, deflated by the losses – not to mention the contentious nature of Pope’s catch off Shakeel – emerged from lunch with vengeance on their minds. That soon went the way of Zahid Mahmood’s off stump – flattened emphatically – as Wood picked up where he left off, this time on a fuller length to utilise what late movement was on offer.Related

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“That little burst there is why you want Mark Wood in your team and why you want high pace,” Stokes said, beaming at finally being able to call on him as full-time skipper, after his absence from the first eight games of his reign. “It’s so, so valuable to have out in these conditions, especially when you’ve got the skill of Robbo [Ollie Robinson] and Jimmy [James Anderson] at the other end.”Stokes is right. High pace clutters the mind – neither Shakeel nor Nawaz should have bitten at those deliveries going across their bodies. High pace also makes up for mistakes: the collapse of 5 for 38 instigated by Wood ensured England’s own slump of 5 for 19 on the morning of day three went unpunished.His accuracy was also worthy of praise, and what underlines that most is that Monday’s average pace was the slowest of the four days. It had descended from day one, when he averaged 93.4mph, to 87.7mph on day four. Not that you could tell, given the discomfort of those facing him, particularly when fending off deliveries angling for the armpit and, occasionally, head.”All game I got my bouncer a bit too off-side,” Wood said, recalling his similar barrages earlier in the match. “But in that spell, I got it right.”He was understandably emotional at the end of play. However much he believes in his body, bowling faster than any Englishman has before is a constant dalliance with trauma. Thus, each appearance comes with a sense of gratitude, never more so when it is a Test. Having missed 10 of England’s 14 so far this year, including the entirety of the home summer, this is as much a return to savour as it is a statement from Wood. He’s still here.”My body might let me down,” Wood said to Sky, sweat on his brow, cheeks somehow both ruddy with toil and pale with exhaustion. “But I want to keep coming back, I want to keep trying to play for England. There’ll be one day when my body gives up and I can’t do it anymore. But at the minute, I’ll try my best to just charge in when the team really wants me.”With 27 caps now to his name, and his Test average getting closer to being on the “right” side of 30, Wood’s six victims in the match mean he is now just 12 away from 100. There is more road to come. When he does eventually reach the end of it, even a stop-start career such as his has more to savour than most.The 50-over and T20 World Cup wins. The winning Ashes dismissal in the summer of 2015. That 5 for 41 in St Lucia at the start of 2019, when he first felt like he belonged at this level and when seasoned observers reckoned they’d rarely seen a faster spell from an England bowler. The damned tour of Australia last winter when he was one of the few to stand tall. Now this.Wood’s body will ache so much more on Tuesday than it did on Sunday or Monday. At least, though, he will be soothed by the knowledge that, in bowling England to their first series win in Pakistan for 22 years, he has secured himself, and his team-mates, a permanent place in cricketing folklore.

Also: what was the first Test series that didn’t involve either England or Australia?

Steven Lynch24-Nov-2020Of people who achieved the highest score and best bowling in the same Test, who played the most matches? asked Rajiv Radhakrishnan from England
That’s an interesting one, and it turns out the answer is an England captain: Michael Vaughan played in 82 Tests, but recorded his highest score (197) and his best bowling figures (two for 71) in the same one, against India at Trent Bridge in 2002. Those wickets included a much-replayed classic offbreak to bowl Sachin Tendulkar between bat and pad for 92.Two others, both from Pakistan, won more than 50 caps yet achieved their personal bests in the same match: Majid Khan (63 Tests) made 167 and took 4 for 45 against West Indies in Georgetown in 1976-77, while his frequent team-mate Wasim Raja (57 Tests) had 125 and 4 for 50 against India in Jalandhar in 1983-84.Another Pakistani from that same era leads the way in one-day internationals. Offspinner Tauseef Ahmed played 70 ODIs, yet recorded his highest score (27 not out) and best bowling figures (4 for 38) in the same one, against New Zealand in Sialkot in 1984-85. Once again there are two others who played more than 50 matches yet saved their bests for the same game: India’s Yusuf Pathan (57 ODIs), who scored 123 not out and took 3 for 49 against New Zealand in Bangalore in 2010-11, and the current South African seamer Andile Phehlukwayo, who has so far played 58 matches but scored 69 not out and took 4 for 22 against Pakistan in Durban in 2018-19.Worth a mention is England’s John Lever, who occupies 12th place on both lists: his best performances in 22 Tests were 53 and 7 for 46 against India in Delhi in 1976-77, on his debut – while his personal bests in 21 ODIs, 27 not out and 4 for 29, both came against Australia at Edgbaston in 1977. Thanks to Shiva Jayaraman from the ESPNcricinfo stats team for help with this one.Aaron Finch played for his eighth IPL team in 2020. Is this a record? asked Jared Harrison from Australia
Australia’s white-ball captain Aaron Finch moved to the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2020, and made 12 appearances for them. This followed one match for the Rajasthan Royals in 2010, eight for the Delhi Daredevils (2011-12), 14 for the Pune Warriors (2013), 13 for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (2014), three for the Mumbai Indians (2015), 26 for the Gujarat Lions (2016-17), and ten for the Kings XI Punjab in 2018.In fact Finch already held this record, as no one else has played for more than six IPL teams, a feat shared by overseas players Moises Henriques and Thisara Perera, and the Indians Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma and Yuvraj Singh.There were 1262 runs in the Ashes Test at Nottingham in 1997, but the highest individual score was Alec Stewart’s 87. Is this the highest aggregate without an individual century? asked Allan Draycott from England
That Test at Trent Bridge in 1997, which featured ten half-centuries but no individual hundred, turns out to be second on this particular list. On top is another England Test, against South Africa in Durban in 1927-28, which had a total of 1272 runs – and 13 half-centuries – but a highest individual score of 90, by Wally Hammond.Two other Tests had more than 1200 runs but no centuries: Australia vs West Indies in Melbourne in 1960-61 (1227 runs, highest score 92 by Bob Simpson), and England vs Australia at The Oval in 1993 (1225, highest 83 not out by Ian Healy).Ishan Kishan, who is yet to play an international match, made 516 runs this IPL for the Mumbai Indians•BCCIIshan Kishan scored more than 500 runs in the 2020 IPL. Is he the only player to reach this milestone without having played international cricket? asked Steve Rafferty from New Zealand
Ishan Kishan’s 516 runs for champions Mumbai Indians is a new record for an never-capped player in an IPL season. He also topped the 2020 six-hitters’ list, with 30. But there is one other man who managed more than 500: Kishan’s team-mate Suryakumar Yadav hit 512 runs for Mumbai in 2018, and he hasn’t been capped yet either.What was the first Test series that didn’t involve either England or Australia? asked Martin Chapman from England
Test cricket was over half a century old before there was a match that didn’t involve England or Australia. It came in 1931-32, when South Africa travelled to New Zealand after being hammered 5-0 in Australia. The 217th Test match of all started on February 27, 1932, in Christchurch: the South Africans cheered themselves up by winning it by an innings, and won the second Test in Wellington as well, to take the series 2-0. The next Tests not involving England or Australia were not until after the Second World War – in 1948-49, when West Indies toured India.Use our feedback form or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions