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The Capitals head coach says dropping Kyle Mayers early on was a big reason for their loss

Ashish Pant01-Apr-20231:25

Ponting: ‘I don’t think it was a 190-plus wicket’

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting reckoned that dropping Kyle Mayers early on, and the team’s lacklustre fielding in general, was a big reason behind their 50-run loss against Lucknow Super Giants.Mayers was on 14 off 15 balls when Khaleel Ahmed shelled a sitter at short third off Chetan Sakariya in the sixth over. The opener then flicked a switch and clubbed 59 off his next 23 balls. As a result, Super Giants amassed 193 for 6 despite being 30 for 1 after the powerplay. It was the fourth-highest total in Lucknow across all T20s.”To be totally honest, I think they got more runs than they probably should have,” Ponting said after the game. “I don’t think we helped ourselves in the field today. Our fielding after the first four overs was really sloppy.Related

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“A couple of chances went down, a few misfields. One of those chances that went down was Mayers’, who ended up going on a bit of a run after that, which put us behind the game a little bit.”The thing with giving chances in the IPL is you’re giving very good players a second opportunity. And he cashed in. For pretty much from that moment on, he hit everything in the middle. He attacked our spin, which he played really well. So that’s just a good lesson for us.”We know that we have to be really sharp in the field. You can’t afford to put chances down, and if you do, you have to expect that they’re going to make you pay. There are a few reasons why we lost the game, and we’ll address those and hopefully improve for our next game.”Mayers’ knock meant Capitals ended up conceding 163 in the last 14 overs. Another staggering statistic was that Super Giants hit 16 sixes and just five fours in their innings. Ponting suggested that the surface in Lucknow wasn’t one where 190-plus should have been scored.”I think we conceded 16 sixes in our bowling innings. That goes to show that we were a fair bit off with our execution with our bowling,” Ponting remarked. “Whenever you’re giving up 16 sixes, and there’s only five fours, which is quite remarkable. So, whenever you’re giving up that many, it’s going to be hard to drag yourself back into the game.”Looking at the wicket today, I didn’t think it was a 190-plus wicket. There was a lot of dew there. If anything, on that wicket, it was probably better for us batting second.Ponting was also effusive in praise of Mark Wood, who rocked Capitals’ batting unit, finishing with 5 for 14 from his four overs. The Capitals coach, however, suggested that the Englishman’s spell wasn’t totally unexpected.”He bowled the way we thought he would bowl,” Ponting said of Wood. “We know he will run in and bowl fast; we know he will run in and attack the stumps and use his bouncer. That’s what he did.””He got those couple of bowleds and used his bouncer really well. He’s a world-class fast bowler. As this tournament goes on, if he stays fit, you will see him bowl some really fast spells.”

Notts allrounder continues stellar form as batters flunk on “blameless pitch”

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2023

Brett Hutton struck three times in his opening spell•Getty Images

Brett Hutton claimed a five-wicket haul as Nottinghamshire took control on the opening day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.The hosts could post only 163 all out after winning the toss on a bright morning, Tom Kohler-Cadmore top-scoring with just 38 and Kasey Aldridge contributing 35. Hutton’s 5 for 34 and Matt Carter’s 3 for 43 did most of the damage for an accurate Notts attack.In reply, the visitors slipped to 105 for 4 on a seemingly blameless pitch, but opener Ben Slater’s unbeaten 67 saw them to 145 for 4 at the close, just 18 behind.With the sun shining brightly for most of the day, it was strange that 14 wickets should fall. Inability to post meaningful first-innings totals has been a long-standing problem for Somerset, and again there was a fragility about their top order as Hutton maintained an exemplary line and length from the Marcus Trescothick Pavilion End.Sean Dickson and George Bartlett were both dismissed shouldering arms to the experienced seamer; the former bowled for 1 and the latter leg before for 13 to a ball that nipped back. Sandwiched in between was the wicket of Tom Lammonby, who edged Hutton to first slip having made 24.From 48 for 3, Tom Abell and Kohler-Cadmore added 40 in positive style before the introduction of Carter’s offspin from the River End. With the first ball of his second over, he had Abell caught at slip, driving, for 19. Kohler-Cadmore looked strong through the off-side, producing some sweet drives and depositing Carter over long-off for six. By lunch, he had helped Somerset to 106 for 4.The afternoon session began disastrously for the home side as, with only four runs added, they lost first James Rew, caught at short leg off bat and pad to give Carter his second wicket and Kohler-Cadmore lbw to Dane Paterson, having faced 53 balls and hit four fours and a six.There was no way back from 110 for 6, despite the valiant efforts of Aldridge, who reverse-swept Carter for six and struck five fours. He quickly ran out of partners as Craig Overton edged Hutton into the slips where Carter’s left hand scooped the ball up for Joe Clarke to complete the catch.Hutton returned after an opening spell of 3 for 27 from eight overs to mop up the tail, bowling Matt Henry and having the advancing Aldridge caught behind. His wickets were largely the result of keeping the ball on the spot and taking advantage of batting errors.Somerset had been bowled out in just 48.1 overs and it looked like a well below par total in the conditions. Henry struck an early blow in the Notts’ reply by beating Haseeb Hameed’s defensive push and bowling him for a duck. By tea, the visitors had reached 23 for 1. Soon Slater and Matthew Montgomery were building confidently on that total under increasingly clear skies.They had put together a stand of 71 in 23 overs, with few alarms, when Montgomery, on 33, got an inside edge onto his leg off Aldridge and was powerless to prevent the ball rolling back onto his stumps.Slater edged Aldridge just short of wicketkeeper Rew and Somerset’s fightback continued when 19-year-old off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, making his first Championship appearance at the Cooper Associates County Ground, pinned Clarke lbw on the back foot for 12 to make it 94 for 3.Slater went to fifty off 104 balls before Henry struck another blow for Somerset with the total on 105, Lyndon James edging to Abell at first slip and departing for the second duck of the innings. But Steve Mullaney hit a six and two fours off a Bashir over as Notts regained some momentum before the close.Before the start of play, the teams lined up for a minute’s applause in memory of 19-year-old local club cricketer Barnaby Webber, who lost his life in the Nottingham stabbings earlier this month. Signed shirts from both counties were laid on the pitch at the toss and then presented to his mother, father and brother as tokens of support.

Australia have not played a women’s Test at the MCG since 1949. They will also host T20Is against England at Adelaide Oval and the SCG

Alex Malcolm26-Mar-2024Australia will host England in a four-day pink-ball women’s Ashes Test at the MCG in January to mark the 90-year anniversary of the first women’s Test series but the debate continues as to whether four-day or five-day cricket remains the best format for the women to play.Cricket Australia announced its schedule for the 2024-25 season on Tuesday with the multiformat women’s Ashes series to be held in January to cap off a home summer that includes a T20I series against New Zealand before the T20 World Cup in Bangladesh in September, and a three-match ODI series against India in December which will run concurrently with India’s men’s Test tour of Australia.CA has committed to playing the women’s Ashes at some major venues around the country after the previous two Ashes Tests were held at North Sydney Oval and Canberra. The single Test in the upcoming series will be the first women’s Test to be played at the MCG since 1948-49 and it will mark 90 years since the first women’s Test series between Australia and England in 1934-35.Related

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It will also be the first women’s international match at the MCG since the 2020 T20 World Cup final between Australia and India. There are also T20Is scheduled for Adelaide Oval and the SCG. The latter has not hosted a women’s international since the 2020 T20 World Cup semi-final. Both the MCG and SCG hosted WBBL matches last summer.Australia’s star allrounder Ellyse Perry was aware of the gravity of the fixture.”It’s an amazing opportunity for the team to play at such an iconic Australian cricket venue and in such a big occasion like an Ashes series,” Perry said. “I think we all saw that fixture and thought what an amazing opportunity and how much possibility that also carries in terms of what it could do for the game.”But there is still debate on whether women’s Tests should be four or five-day fixtures. The last Ashes Test played was a five-day game at Trent Bridge, which Australia won.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“My thoughts on that is that we probably need to do some more quantifiable work on what is most effective for the women’s game,” Perry said. “I’ve got a really small sample size of one five-day Test match. And we managed to get a result in that. So I suppose my bias skews towards that, having played a number of four-day games where we haven’t got results.”But it’s so contextual to the venue that you play at, your opposition as well and just various other conditions. But I think going forward, this is going to be a question that keeps popping up until we’re able to really ascertain what is most effective for women’s Test matches.”When pressed further on what that quantifiable work should be, Perry was pragmatic.”I think we’re probably going to have to play some more five-day games to figure that out. And what level that’s at I’m not sure,” Perry said.The four-day women’s Tests are played with 100 overs per day, which means the game is only 50 overs shorter in total than a traditional five-day Test with 90 overs per day.Peter Roach, CA’s head of scheduling, was strong in stating CA’s preference for four-day games.”There’s continual discussions on the right format for women’s Test cricket, and clearly we don’t have a great bank of recent history to draw upon because the women don’t play as many Tests as the men do,” he said. “We’re continually thinking about ways we can improve Test cricket but we’re really strongly of the view that four days is the right format.”We believe [the players] understand the logic and there’ll be some players that are supportive of that and there’ll be some players that have a different view and we understand that. The job is to try and find the right balance in everything we do and to try and get the right outcome for cricket and women’s cricket in this example and current and future players to make this a game that is really attractive and people love to watch and support.”Australia will host England in a day-night women’s Test at the MCG•Getty Images

Australia were very keen to continue playing Tests at the WACA ground after the success of the recent outing against South Africa. But Roach noted that the MCG pitch has had similar pace and bounce in men’s Test cricket in recent years and should be an equally good surface, while the opportunity to mark the 90-year anniversary of women’s Test cricket at the iconic venue was too good to pass up.Perry said Australia’s current players were well aware of the historical significance given their connection to past players. There was a 50-year anniversary of Australia’s 1973 women’s World Cup team held in Melbourne last year when Australia played West Indies while a number of ex-players and women’s cricket administrators were celebrated at the 2020 World Cup final.”It’s definitely something that as a team we’re really invested in, in terms of firstly recognising and also understanding the history of the game,” Perry said. “It was really lovely having everyone there at the Junction Oval during our series against the West Indies. We’ve got a lot of personal attachments to various players.”Marg Jennings, who was part of that [1973] team, was the first Australian selector that selected me in my first tour. So I think things like that are so important in terms of connection throughout women’s cricket.”The T20 World Cup final back in 2020, there were so many people connected to the women’s cricket family at that final who very much felt a part of it as well, just being there and taking it in. I know there’s some plans now that this fixture has been scheduled to do those things, especially celebrate the 90 years.”Australia Women fixtures for 2024-25 seasonT20I Series vs New Zealand
19 September: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (N)
22 September: Great Barrier Reef Arena, Mackay (N)
24 September: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (N)ODI Series vs India
5 December: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (D/N)
8 December: Allan Border Field, Brisbane (D)
11 December: WACA Ground, Perth (D/N)Women’s Ashes ODI Series vs England
12 January: North Sydney Oval, Sydney (D)
14 January: Junction Oval, Melbourne (D)
17 January: Bellerive Oval, Hobart (D)Women’s Ashes T20I Series vs England
20 January: SCG, Sydney (N)
23 January: Manuka Oval, Canberra (N)
25 January: Adelaide Oval, Adelaide (N)Women’s Ashes Test
30 January-2 February: MCG, Melbourne (D/N)

Gubbins also makes hundred but Hampshire’s pace of scoring means solitary bonus point

ECB Reporters Network21-Apr-2024

Fletcha Middleton made his maiden Championship century•Getty Images

Fletcha Middleton celebrated his maiden Vitality County Championship century but Hampshire and Warwickshire look likely to draw at Utilita Bowl.Homegrown Middleton, impressive in last season’s Metro Bank One Day Cup, amassed 116, having put on 213 runs for the second wicket with fellow centurion Nick Gubbins.An afternoon collapse saw Hampshire lose five middle-order wickets for 45, which put Warwickshire on course for a 90-run first-innings lead.Rob Yates – who now has 296 runs and 11 wickets this season – and opening partner Alex Davies reached 46 without loss by close – a lead of 136.Middleton’s father Tony had scored his maiden first-class century, against Kent, in this week 34 years ago – he would end that season with 1,238 runs for Hampshire. Fletcha will be hoping to replicate that.There were plenty of similarities. Kevan James and Simon Hinks were in attendance on both occasions; now commentator and match referee. But most notable was the steeliness about the innings.Tony’s would see him score 127 runs in 314 balls across just over six hours. Fletcha kept up the family tradition of crease occupation over quick scoring; his eventual 116 came in 329 balls in four minutes shy of seven hours.For large periods of the morning session the scoreboard seemed to be stuck. Only 10 runs were scored in the first half an hour, with 80 runs spread out before lunch. Middleton and Gubbins are hardly Bazball enthusiasts at the best of times but an idle pitch didn’t help.Gubbins followed up his two half-centuries against Lancashire last week with a 216-ball century – his 17th of his first-class career and his seventh since arriving at Hampshire two and a half years ago.After a session of nothingness, best summed up by a funky field of four midwickets, three covers, a man under the helmet on the offside and a slip, things came alive with stomachs full.Hampshire lost five wickets for 45 runs, in a 103 for six session.Gubbins fell shortly after lunch for 119 when he yorked himself to a Danny Briggs delivery which then spun out the footholds. A James Fuller experiment to try and boost the run-rate failed as he swished to short third for a nine-ball five.Amongst the drama, Middleton, a naturally shy man, looked relieved more than ecstatic to reach three figures with a cover drive, and almost needed coaxing into celebrating by proud captain James Vince.It was a fleeting happy moment for Hampshire before Vince was adjudged caught behind and Tom Prest edged Hassan Ali to second slip – no mean feat on a pitch offering next to no carry for the seamers.At this point the scorecard looked a curious mix of four single-figure scores and two centuries but Liam Dawson and Ben Brown made things look slightly better with a 41-run stand.However, Hampshire’s slowness meant they only picked up a single batting bonus point – inexplicable as Utilita Bowl pitches have been partly designed this season to boost that aspect which would underpin a hopeful title tilt. For comparison, Warwickshire reached their first batting point in 67.2 overs, Hampshire in 93.4.Yates then took over to have Middleton caught bat-pad, before Dawson and Ian Holland turned him to leg slip.The part-time spinner completed back-to-back four-wicket hauls when Kyle Abbott thumped to midwicket before Briggs wrapped things up when Ben Brown’s leading edge saw him exit for 49. Hampshire were bowled out for 365, before the visitors got through 15 overs to close unharmed.

Liverpool saw off neighbours Everton to make it a happy return to the Premier League, having missed last weekend’s action due to an early FA Cup exit, one week on from the March international break.

Candidly, the break came at the right time for Arne Slot’s side, whose imperious campaign suffered its most bruising blows in succession, a miserable week seeing Paris Saint-Germain advance in the Champions League before Newcastle United deservedly beat the Reds at Wembley to lift the Carabao Cup.

Slot, for all his brilliance, seems reluctant to enforce changes to his tried-and-tested starting line-up, but Liverpool have paid the price for such stubbornness after falling in each of the season’s competitive offshoots.

Victory against Everton was paramount. Anfield’s advantage at the top of the Premier League may be imperious at 12 points, but psychologically, recent setbacks required a bounce-back.

And bounce back Liverpool did. Curtis Jones, whose tactical dynamism seems to know no bounds, impressed in a moonlit right-back berth, but the biggest winner may well have been Diogo Jota, breaking his duck to expertly net the sole goal of the match, inching his team one step closer to the title.

Diogo Jota's performance vs Everton

It was a big night for Liverpool’s frontline, whose struggles since the turn of the calendar year have been scrutinised by pundits and online supporters alike.

Liverpool’s Frontline in 2025 (all comps)

#

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

Mohamed Salah

18 (18)

12

5

Cody Gakpo

14 (9)

5

1

Luis Diaz

19 (16)

1

3

Diogo Jota

15 (10)

3

1

Darwin Nunez

17 (4)

3

4

Federico Chiesa

5 (2)

2

1

Data via Transfermarkt

Jota needed that goal. He’d gone 11 matches without scoring across all competitions for Liverpool and was spiralling toward a bleak end to the season, but he struck gold at the perfect time, adding his name to an illustrious list of derby-day heroes.

Dissenters online felt Luis Diaz was in an offside position in the build-up, but given that he wasn’t interfering with play and made no attempt to meet the ball, the official green-lit Jota’s well-taken goal.

It was a timely reminder that Jota, in spite of his recent woes, is a deadly man to have in the final third. Indeed, it was only last season that Jamie Carragher proclaimed the Portuguese to be “the best finisher” Liverpool have had in the Premier League.

Obviously, we’ve been treated to ‘better’ strikers in Red, but in terms of pure ball-striking ability when in space in the danger area, Jota’s one of the best for sure.

His balletic skip past Tim Iroegbunam, the shimmy to second-guess Everton’s meaty central defenders, the finish. Simple yet sublime. Jordan Pickford dove to Jota’s right, but Pickford’s dive was wrong, for Liverpool’s centre-forward deftly placed the ball leftwards, into an empty net.

The 28-year-old will now look to build on his performance. Make no mistake, Jota has been well below par in recent months, last scoring a goal against Nottingham Forest in mid-January. His prolific Liverpool career has been punctuated by injuries, and this term has been no different, Wednesday’s clash marking only the tenth top-flight start of the season.

This is particularly damning when considering Darwin Nunez has also failed to nail down a berth, leaving Slot to devise alternate measures.

Well, Jota will want to build, but Slot must now seek to implement another outside-the-box strategy to avoid late-season burnout and keep things fresh.

Having showcased his adaptability by fielding Jones at right-back, Liverpool’s boss should now place another of his troops in a fresh position.

Liverpool flop should be unleashed in new role

Slot might have a preferred starting line-up, but Liverpool have hardly been rigid in their football this season, playing in a myriad of different ways to get the job done.

Jota of course will want to use the win over Everton as a launchpad for a purple patch over the next two months, steering Liverpool over the finish line, but there’s little question that he’s been out of sorts recently. In fact, he was rather off the boil in the opening half.

Player ratings courtesy of Sofascore.

That’s why Slot might want to unleash Federico Chiesa from a focal striking role over the coming weeks. Signed from Juventus last summer on a cut-price £12.5m deal, the versatile forward has endured a tough term in Liverpool.

Injuries have wrecked Chiesa’s development over the past several years. So impressive at Euro 2020 when Italy defeated England in the final to clinch gold, with a horrendous anterior cruciate ligament injury affecting the 27-year-old’s 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns.

The current campaign, a new chapter at Anfield, presented a clean slate for a talented player who has been described as a “wizard” by football media personality Roger Bennett, owing to his technical quality and fleet-footedness.

Moreover, the £150k-per-week star is a natural finisher, something that was perfectly illustrated by his late consolation goal at Wembley two weeks ago.

Chiesa was ostensibly brought in to cover Mohamed Salah at right wing, but given that he played the lion’s share of last season as Juventus’ striker, scoring nine goals and laying on three assists from 31 central appearances, Slot may well look to boldly drop Jota for a summer signing who is still waiting for their first Premier League start.

To be sure, he’s gifted enough to play a bigger role. As per FBref, Chiesa ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 8% for tackles made per 90.

Though Liverpool would need to craft the mother of all collapses to cede first place to Arsenal, Slot will demand maintained standards from his men, and Chiesa’s increased involvement might be the perfect way to achieve this.

Time is running out for the Italy international to widen the scope of his maiden campaign in English football, but there’s no doubt he’s shown flashes of exciting quality and allowing him to prove his worth over the next few weeks could make all the difference in his longer Liverpool career, even if that means returning Jota to the bench at some point soon.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 3, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is under serious pressure as uncertainty revolves around his future in north London, with chairman Daniel Levy shortlisting multiple candidates to replace the Australian if he departs N17.

Managers linked with Tottenham as Ange Postecoglou timeline shared

According to reports this week, in the event Postecoglou is in fact shown his P45, Spurs would be aiming to bring in a replacement before the first summer transfer window opens on June 1st (Pete O’Rourke).

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The Premier League confirmed that there will be two separate windows this year. One will be open from June 1st to June 10th, and the other from June 16th to September 1st – which allows clubs like Man City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Tottenham apparently aim to take advantage of the early window to sign players for their prospective new head coach (Pete O’Rourke), and it is believed that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva are their two “top candidates” – even if their clubs will battle to keep them.

Bournemouth owner Billy Foley is attempting to agree a new contract with Iraola to keep him out of Levy’s clutches, while Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan admitted this week that the west Londoners are extremely keen to keep hold of their high-performing manager Silva.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, admitted before Spurs’ clash with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League that he’s in the dark about his future.

“No – no idea,” said Postecoglou on whether he’ll be at Tottenham next season.

“We have a game tomorrow night, but it’s not something I need to think about. I’ve never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

“What is important is the game. That’s a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve. Anything other than that, particularly in terms of me, I don’t really have much thought process that thinks about my career or what I’m doing in that way.”

Tottenham are on course for their worst ever Premier League campaign to date, after losing 17 top-flight matches, and Postecoglou has attracted fierce criticism throughout 2024/2025 despite the injuries which have depleted his squad.

Tottenham planning to make approach for Brentford boss Thomas Frank

Now, as per TEAMtalk, an update has emerged on their links to Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane has apparently shot up Levy’s managerial target list, following news that Iraola is leaning more towards remaining at the Vitality Stadium for next season.

According to TT’s information, Tottenham will ask Frank about replacing Postecoglou if they decide to sack him, and it is also believed that the 51-year-old is ready for the next step in his managerial career after transforming the Bees into a solid Premier League outfit.

Interestingly, his contract also contains a release clause, akin to Iraola and Silva. The cost to bypass negotiations with Brentford and head straight to Frank stands at around £10 million, so Levy would still need to invest significantly in his capture.

That being said, Frank is highly-rated by his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola calling him “one of the best” managers around.

Over the years, Tottenham Hotspur have been known for being the home to numerous elite-level attackers who have made a name for themselves at the top of European football.

Harry Kane is undoubtedly the club’s best-ever goalscorer, registering 280 goals during his time in North London, breaking the record set by the infamous Jimmy Greaves.

He would depart to join Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, carrying on his superb form in front of goal, notching 78 efforts in his 86 outings for the Bundesliga outfit.

After his departure, Ange Postecoglou’s side have still managed to find the back of the net, scoring 60 times in their 32 Premier League matches in 2024/25 – the third most of any side in the division.

However, it hasn’t been enough to lead them out of the bottom half of the table, with the Aussie already targeting reinforcements to prevent such a situation from occurring next season.

Spurs’ hunt for new attackers this summer

Despite investment into the front line in recent seasons, Spurs are still in desperate need of added options to help provide the goods in the final third on a consistent basis.

Antoine Semenyo is the latest attacker touted with a move to North London in recent days, with the Bournemouth star just one player on their shortlist ahead of the upcoming window.

However, if they are to secure a deal for the 25-year-old’s signature, they will have to fork out £70m, with Andoni Iraola’s side reluctant to offload their talisman.

Matheus Cunha is just another name thrown into the mix, but like Semenyo, a potential club-record fee is needed to prise him away from Molineux in the coming months.

Such a high figure could lead the side back into the race for Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, with journalist Florian Plettenberg claiming the Lilywhites are still in contention to land the 19-year-old sensation.

However, Bundesliga sides Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig are also keen on a deal, which could cost any interested party just £35m after the Saints’ relegation.

The player who could be Spurs’ next Gareth Bale

Winger Gareth Bale will go down as one of Spurs’ best ever players after his impact during his time in the first team, starring for the Lilywhites on two separate occasions.

The Welsh international originally featured at left-back, before his hat-trick against Inter Milan in the Champions League catapulted him into a forward role – one that would change his career trajectory massively.

He registered 71 goals during his two stints in North London, with 26 of his efforts coming in the 2012/13 season, leading to his eventual £85m move to European giants Real Madrid.

12 years on from his big-money sale, the hierarchy could be about to land their new version of the superstar in the form of Dibling, with the youngster following on the same path of joining the club from Southampton.

However, his similarities stretch way beyond such a move, with his ability to glide past the opposition similar to that of Bale, having the potential to emulate the former Spurs fan-favourite.

When comparing the 19-year-old’s stats from the ongoing campaign to Bale’s final year on loan at the club, Dibling has managed to match or better his tallies in numerous key areas – showcasing how much of a superb addition he would be.

The Southampton star, who’s been labelled “outstanding” by Sky Sports’ Joel Thomlinson, may have been outscored by the Welshman, but has notched a higher take-on rate per 90, along with more carries per 90 – showcasing his relentless running into attacking areas.

How Tyler Dibling compares to Gareth Bale in the PL

Statistics (per 90)

Dibling (2024/25)

Bale (2020/21)

Games played

28

20

Goals & assists

2

11

Progressive carries

3.5

3

Carries into final third

2.5

2.1

Pass accuracy

81%

69%

Take-ons completed

2.6

2.3

Fouls won

2.5

0.9

Stats via FBref

He’s been a menace to countless backlines this season, winning 2.5 fouls per 90, whilst also completing 81% of his passes, with both of his subsequent tallies higher than those of Bale.

Whilst the teenager has a long way to go until he reaches the levels produced by the former Real Madrid star, the figures he’s produced this year are nothing short of sensational, having the platform to improve further in the years ahead.

His direct nature makes him a constant threat, but he just needs the final product to his game to allow him to break through and become the next elite talent in North London.

It’s vital that the hierarchy work tirelessly to win the race for his signature this summer, with Dibling having the tools to point Ange’s side in the right direction in 2025/26.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Apr 16, 2025

With promotion to the Premier League sealed, Burnley have reportedly already turned their attention towards the summer transfer window and the signature of a struggling Chelsea ace.

Burnley still fighting for Championship title

Promotion may be sealed for both Burnley and Leeds United but the Championship title is set to go down to the final day with the former desperately hoping for Daniel Farke’s side to slip up. As things stand, the Whites will win the title with 100 points on goal difference if both sides win on the final day of the season – representing the quality that both have shown throughout the majority of the campaign.

After being named the Manager of the Season, Burnley boss Scott Parker told reporters: “I’m really excited and proud of the achievement on an individual level, but of course, I couldn’t do this without a group of people and a group of staff that have supported and been the main driver all season.

“This is a group that has been on a journey this year, which has probably epitomised everything that a team may go through at times. I’ve witnessed the progression of this group as players and human beings to the point where they achieve success.

“We’ve worked hard as coaches, but you need a group of players that can engage. With the defensive record and everything else we have gone through this year, we’re well worthy of being promoted out of this division.”

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Away from their promotion party, meanwhile, the Clarets are already reportedly thinking about Premier League reinforcements, which could yet include a struggling midfielder who’s desperate for a move this summer.

Burnley keen to sign "fantastic" Dewsbury-Hall

According to TeamTalk, Burnley are eager to win the race to sign Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall this summer, who is free to leave Chelsea after just one season at the club. The former Leicester City star has struggled for game time since arriving at Stamford Bridge and now needs to summer switch if he is to get back to his best.

Whilst his preference is to play European football, Dewsbury-Hall may have little choice but to revive his career outside of the spotlight and under Parker at Burnley next season. It’s there that all parties would benefit if the £80,000-a-week ace returned to his talented best in the middle of the park.

Despite his struggle for game time, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has never had to question his midfielder’s work rate, telling reporters in March: “I am very happy for Kiernan. He is now much better compared to the start of the season, probably because he is understanding his role. He is working very well every day in training, even if he doesn’t get many minutes in the Premier League.

“It’s not easy to work every day with the same intention, but he is working fantastic. He showed how important he can be for us, and hopefully he can be even more important from now on.”

It will be fascinating to see whether Jadon Sancho will remain at Chelsea beyond this season. The England international is currently on loan at Stamford Bridge from Manchester United, and has a £25m buy obligation in his contract.

However, a recent report from the Mirror suggested the Blues will not activate the option and will instead send Sancho back to Old Trafford this summer. His record in West London is respectable, with four goals and ten assists in 39 games for the club this season. Eight of those goal involvements came in the Premier League.

If Chelsea decide not to keep Sancho beyond this season, they will be in the market for a new winger and could make a move for one former Premier League star.

Chelsea’s search to replace Sancho

One of the most interesting sagas in the summer transfer window will be that of Leroy Sane. The Bayern Munich star, formerly of Manchester City, could well be on the move again this summer, with a return to the English top flight on the cards.

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According to a report from Football Insider, Chelsea are thought to be ‘are intensifying their interest in the winger’ and could make a move for him this summer.

With a view to replacing Sancho, the German could be one of their primary targets.

However, they will not be alone in the race for Sane, who is out of contract next month. London rivals Arsenal are also interested in the 29-year-old, with the Gunners and Enzo Maresca’s Blues considered the ‘frontrunners’ this summer.

Why Sane would be a good signing

Should Chelsea sign Sane this summer, there is no doubt about the experience and quality he would bring to Stamford Bridge. The German international has had another impressive season, helping Bayern reclaim the Bundesliga title under his former teammate, Vincent Kompany.

In 44 appearances this season for the German giants, Sane has managed 13 goals and six assists across all competitions. 17 of those goal involvements have come in the Bundesliga, in just 29 appearances.

The former Schalke academy star is a consistent goalscorer, too. He has only ever gone four games this term without a top-flight goal or assist, although he managed just one goal and no assists in 13 Champions League games.

What a player Sane was during his first stint in England, for City. He managed 39 goals and 44 assists in 135 games. According to Statman Dave, the 29-year-old was “phenomenal” at his peak for City.

Well, his Premier League numbers speak for themselves. Not only did he help City to two top-flight titles during his three full seasons at the club, but he managed to score and assist 55 goals in 90 appearances in the competition.

Sane stats per PL season for City

Stat

2016/17

2017/28

2018/19

Games

26

32

31

Minutes

1787

2424

1867

Goals

5

10

10

Assists

4

15

11

Mins per G/A

198

96

88

Stats from Transfermarkt

Chelsea will surely be hoping Sane can replicate the impact Cole Palmer has had at Stamford Bridge. Of course, there are parallels between the two, given that they both played for the Citizens, although Palmer’s opportunities were few and far between at the Etihad Stadium.

He played just 41 times for Pep Guardiola’s side, and since his move to West London, has become “the best player in the Premier League”, which Jamie Carragher claimed back in October.

If Sane can somewhat replicate the England international’s 40 goals and 25 assists in 88 appearances in Blue, he will be a successful signing, to say the least.

Palmer has certainly been an excellent addition to the club, and Sane would surely hope to follow in his footsteps in that sense.

For what would be a free transfer, this seems like a deal Chelsea can’t miss out on. They would be signing a proven Premier League player who can still contribute at the highest level.

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Glasgow Rangers search for a new manager might well stretch into June as the Ibrox side are not any further forward after the end of the 2024/25 campaign last week.

The longer the club waits, the harder it will be for the new manager to integrate smoothly, thus wasting precious preparation time.

Celtic are on course to win yet another domestic treble, their sixth in the previous nine seasons. If the wrong man is appointed this summer, Brendan Rodgers will only continue to motor his side further and further away from Rangers.

Stats of the five previous permanent Rangers’ managers

Name

Days in post

Games

Points per game

Philippe Clement

497 days

86

2.09

Michael Beale

307 days

43

2.26

Giovanni van Bronckhorst

368

68

2.01

Steven Gerrard

1228

192

2.15

Pedro Caixinha

229

26

1.81

Via Transfermarkt

It is no exaggeration to say that this is perhaps the most important summer in the club’s recent history. Get the right manager in, and the Light Blues could enjoy their own Martin O’Neil or Ange Postecoglou, a force which stops the opposition juggernaut.

If not, the consequences could prove to be catastrophic, no doubt about that.

The latest on Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti

The two names that have been routinely linked to taking over the vacant role at Ibrox are Steven Gerrard and Davide Ancelotti.

Gerrard has plenty of history with the Gers. His first senior managerial role came in Glasgow, arriving in the summer of 2018 to try and restore the club to the summit of Scottish football.

His first two seasons saw plenty of progress, including three victories over Celtic, with a win at Parkhead for the first time since 2010, but no trophies were won.

The 2020/21 season changed all that. After some smart recruitment in the summer of 2020, signing players such as Kemar Roofe, Ianis Hagi, and Calvin Bassey, the Light Blues won their first Premiership title in a decade.

Not only that, they went through the league season undefeated, and it looked as though this was just the start of another era of dominance.

For Gerrard, however, a lack of backing in the transfer market ahead of the 2021/22 campaign saw him doubt his future at Ibrox. When Aston Villa came calling, he jumped ship to the riches of the Premier League.

Now, it looks as though the Englishman is ready for a return to the club where he began his managerial career. He knows the club inside out, that’s a certainty, but will a return be the right thing for Rangers?

Elsewhere, Ancelotti has been linked with a surprise move to the Gers to become their new head coach. It was then revealed that the Italian was going to join his dad, Carlo, as Brazil assistant in the run-up to the 2026 World Cup. This meant he was out of the running.

Recent news suggests that Ancelotti is set to make a name for himself as a manager this summer, which puts a move to Rangers back on.

He has worked with his father at clubs such as Madrid, Bayern Munich and Napoli over the years, but is he ready for the step-up to a managerial role?

There has been another name surprisingly, linked with a move to Ibrox. And he also has a previous history with the club…

Rangers considering move for Gennaro Gattuso

While all the talk has surrounded Gerrard and Ancelotti, names such as Russell Martin, Rob Edwards and Gary O’Neil have also been considered by the board for the role, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

One name stands out among the noise, however, and that is Gennaro Gattuso. Bailey mentions the Italian as a manager the club are also considering, but unlike the rest of those linked, Gattuso is currently in charge of a club.

Indeed, he could lead Hajduk Split to their first domestic title since 2005, although it will be a long shot after their collapse over the previous few weeks.

Reports state that he could leave the Croatian side, even if he somehow leads them to the title, which means he would be available this summer.

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Would Rangers take a chance on their former player? That much remains to be seen.

Gennaro Gattuso could be a perfect left-field choice for Rangers

The 2006 World Cup winner has managed nine clubs since hanging up his boots, winning the Coppa Italia with Napoli in 2020, which is his only trophy in management thus far.

Truth be told, he hasn’t been a major success at any of the clubs that he has taken over in the past. He spent nearly two years in charge of AC Milan between November 2017 and May 2019, but he failed to return them to the top of Serie A.

Utilising a 4-2-3-1 system throughout his career in the dugout, this could work well with the players he would have at his disposal should he surprisingly take the reins at Ibrox.

After his cup glory with Napoli five years ago, journalist Anthony Lopopolo lavished praise on the former midfielder, saying:

“Gattuso is one of the best men in football. He deserves the Coppa Italia and so much more. He’s had some odd jobs in his coaching career, and he’s faced a lot of criticism, but he’s a winner because he has principles.”

These sorts of qualities would work in Glasgow. He knows what it is to win, having led AC Milan to two Serie A titles and two Champions League trophies between 2003 and 2011.

He spent a single season at Rangers during 1997/98. Although they failed to win their tenth league title in a row, Gattuso’s early abilities were on show, and it was clear he would have an excellent career in the game.

It would be taking a big gamble in appointing Gattuso, but is it any bigger than making a move for Ancelotti?

The hot-headed coach may not be perfect, but the Light Blues need someone with that winning mentality. The former Italy international knows plenty about that. That’s for certain.

Whoever is appointed faces a busy summer transfer window indeed.

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