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Gulbadin Naib is the joker of a team that laughs a lot – despite their circumstances. He talks about how cricket offered him hope, like it did a lot of his team-mates

Sidharth Monga03-Jun-2019Afghanistan’s captain in this World Cup first came to know he was an Afghan at the age of about 11 years.You will remember him as the bodybuilder rookie in the documentary . It was filmed during the 2008 ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Jersey, a tournament Afghanistan won out of nowhere to kick-start their qualification process for the World T20 in 2010.Gulbadin Naib was 17 years old then. Eleven years later, you might have seen him celebrate getting Aaron Finch out in the team’s World Cup opener with a flex of his massive biceps – which don’t really show until he draws attention to them.Gulbadin has hardly aged at all. He continues to be the joker in the team – pro tip from Mohammad Shahzad: avoid sitting next to Gulbadin on long flights – despite having taken over in less than ideal circumstances. Asghar Afghan was sacked just before this World Cup, and Gulbadin promoted. Senior players such as Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi tweeted openly against the move, though that admittedly had more to do with the treatment meted out to Asghar than their lack of trust in Gulbadin. He and Nabi, in fact, are good friends and live in the same housing society in Kabul.ALSO READ: Rahmat, Naib, Rashid given leadership roles in Afghanistan revampIt must be difficult to come in as a leader at such a time but Gulbadin has ridden the ups and downs of Afghanistan cricket for almost as long as the others. He has probably faced the lows – or at least felt them and processed them – more than the others.As a kid in Peshawar, he didn’t know where he was from until he started studying about Afghanistan in school. When he did, he began reading up more, asking his parents more. He learned about the war but always wanted to go back and start doing what his family had been doing for generations: importing and exporting clothes and fabrics. They had been doing this even before Pakistan existed. Now they found themselves in Pakistan. His father had almost given up on the one thing he lived for: a return to his homeland.Cricket came later. “Pakistan were the kings of cricket from around 1995 to 2000,” Gulbadin remembers of his childhood. “Everywhere I went, everybody would be playing cricket. I also started playing with the tape ball then.”Gulbadin was told he was good by a teacher, and that he should pursue the game, but he never took it seriously. He didn’t even know there was an Afghanistan cricket team until they toured to play Grade 2 cricket in Peshawar in 2003. It really hit him only when a neighbour in Kacha Ghadi, the refugee camp in Peshawar where they lived a tough life, struggling for basic needs such as electricity, drinking water and sanitation, was selected for the Afghanistan Under-15 side. All they could ask the boy – full of disbelief as they did – was, “You will go to Dubai now?”

“People used to be scared of us. Not just people but players who were in the same hotels. They used to turn away. ‘They are from a terrorist nation'”

It was a ticket out of misery for people who had to choose between possible death back home and destitution as refugees in Peshawar. Now Gulbadin began to work harder for a cricket career. Going back to Afghanistan was not in the picture yet but getting out of Kacha Ghadi was everybody’s goal. His trip to Jersey was an eye opener. “People used to be scared of us,” he remembers. “Not just people but players who were in the same hotels. They used to turn away. ‘They are from a terrorist nation.'”Once they came to know us, though, they wouldn’t stop talking to us. ‘You guys are very sweet,’ they would say, and that the media has painted the wrong picture.”Cricket also paved their way back into the country. As the geopolitics of the region changed, as Afghanistan began to move away from Pakistan and towards India, the board demanded the players move back to their country. Gulbadin’s father got his wish. He now owns a shop in Kabul where he sells clothes.Gulbadin is aware and proud of his identity. He can make jokes about Pathans, but he also rates their natural ability higher. He narrates the story of Geoffrey Boycott at the tournament in Jersey, where he said in an interview that Jersey were favourites to win the league. A few days later there was another report quoting Boycott as saying Afghanistan were favourites. Boycott said that he had now seen Afghanistan and reckoned they were half there already.”You look at our history,” Gulbadin says. “We are a different people. If we decide to go for something, we don’t stop at anything. Even our fans, if they decide they have to meet us, they will find us.”He says Afghan Pathans are more special because of their resilience. Despite all the war and all the attempts of superpowers through history to rule over them because of their strategic location, no foreign power has ever succeeded in colonising them.”You see there will be a bomb blast in a market and within hours the shops will be back up. People have decided they will not leave their home again. Whatever it is, it is our country.”Somebody pinch me: Gulbadin alongside Jason Holder and Sarfaraz Ahmed at the World Cup captains’ day•IDI via Getty ImagesGulbadin’s two brothers live in Canada and France, but he will not give up on his country. He is not proud that while he can read and write Urdu, he can’t write Pashto, his language. He is happy his sons will grow up learning Pashto and as Afghans in Afghanistan. He doesn’t want to lose that identity.We met last year in Dehradun when Afghanistan were playing Bangladesh in a T20I series and were also preparing for their debut Test. Gulbadin is not a Test player, and he was looking forward to participating in a night tournament during Ramzan in Nangarhar. Then a bomb in the stands took away more than ten lives and ended the tournament there. “It was like we were losing everything we had,” Gulbadin says. “But then we had to pick ourselves up. We are the ones who can put a smile back on their faces.”Gulbadin travels – and it can’t be advisable – far and wide in his country, and has seen people who had nothing to do with cricket until 2010 now love the cricketers because they bring joy to the country. Nazir Khan, their “super fan”, over 70 years old, has seen cricket only for 10-15 years of his life. He still doesn’t understand the sport properly but he goes wherever he can afford to go to watch.Gulbadin remembers he once travelled to Dangam district in the Kunar province in north-east Afghanistan. It is an area where the Islamic State is powerful. People kept asking him why and how he went there, and told him he shouldn’t. “I said, I play cricket and I have nothing to do with politics and other things,” Gulbadin says. “And that’s where I realised how beautiful my country is. Why do we need to go to Switzerland when we have this?”ALSO READ: The stirring journey of a team of nomadsOnce, driving back from Khost to Kabul, he and Nabi pulled up in wilderness where there was nothing around for miles except about a dozen boys playing cricket. They went and played cricket with the boys, who stopped short of pinching themselves.Gulbadin finds himself pinching himself these days. “The career I have had, in-out, in-out, out even after performing, out when not performing obviously – I have seen a lot of struggle,” he says after Afghanistan’s defeat to Australia in the World Cup. “If somebody had told me I would become the Afghanistan captain, I would never have believed it. This is a matter of such pride. Even playing the World Cup is a big enough honour; being captain is something else.”How far that goofy boy has come, you might think, but Gulbadin says he hasn’t changed. “You won’t believe it, but sometimes I forget I am the captain,” he says. “There is no ego in the team. I keep laughing and having fun as before. Nor does any player feel that anything has changed with me becoming captain.”

Comfortable among the stars and in his own skin, the Maharashtra batsman has gained prominence in a short span of time, and is a regular in the India A set-up now

Shashank Kishore25-Sep-2019″Mahi , Andre Russell scoop paddle . Short fine leg deep square [Mahi , Andre Russell doesn’t play the scoop or the paddle. We could have removed the short fine-leg and put a deep square-leg instead].”That’s not Virat Kohli having one of his routine consultations with MS Dhoni. This was Ruturaj Gaikwad, a 21-year-old rookie top-order batsman, who did not feature in a single IPL 2019 game for Chennai Super Kings, asking his captain if he had erred by letting the Kolkata Knight Riders danger man off the hook. Each of Russell’s five fours and three sixes had come in the arc between long-off and deep square-leg, not one behind the wicket. Russell had rescued a floundering innings and remained unbeaten on 50.”Sharp cricket mind,” Dhoni told Gaikwad, who smiles as he narrates his conversation with his hero. ” plan , short fine top edge . involved [The plan was to bowl a little shorter, and the short fine-leg was for the top edge. Stay involved with the game like this].”That’s ‘Rutu’ for those who know him well, like Surendra Bhave, the former India batsman and Maharashtra coach. “A confident young man, who is comfortable carrying himself around the superstars,” Bhave tells ESPNcricinfo.But why are we talking about Gaikwad now, you might wonder. It’s because he has moved up the ranks to become an India A regular on the back of some impressive performances for Maharashtra in 2018-19. He was their leading run-getter in last year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy too, with 365 runs in eight innings at 45.62 and a strike rate of 90. While his Ranji Trophy numbers were slightly less impressive, the selectors clearly saw something in his game and decided he was primed for the step up.

I asked Mahi bhai this when I joined the CSK camp. ‘?’ He said: ‘ sign , shot [to get out] .’ You’re talented, keep scoring runs in domestic cricket

On his India A debut, however, Gaikwad was out for a golden duck, against England Lions in January 2019. It was to be, however, just a small blip in the course of a glorious summer. His scores for India A in List A cricket during the home series against Sri Lanka A and in the Caribbean against West Indies A read: 187*, 125*, 94, 84, 74, 3, 85, 20, 99. That’s 677 runs at an average of 112.83 and strike rate of 116.72. He did have three forgettable outings against South Africa A in Thiruvananthapuram after that, but Gaikwad isn’t ready to tinker with his reputation as an aggressive run-getter who likes to dominate bowling attacks. And that’s the confidence he wants to carry into this season’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, which started this week.Gaikwad is somewhat in the KL Rahul mode: a tall, lanky, right-hand opener. He might not be as stylish as the Karnataka opener, but Bhave says Gaikwad has a very simple game that is compact and suitable against all bowling. “I saw him first about four years ago, and I could immediately see there was an X-factor about him. I’d heard of him scoring a double-century in an Under-19 game where Maharashtra were 250 all out. And people were talking about him, so I took a look at him and have been impressed. He’s fit. He’s an outstanding fielder, bats at a very good clip. His mindset is that of a run-scorer. At times he has to curb his aggression, but some of his shots – just wow.”***Gaikwad is from a Pune-based family that has always valued academics highly. His father is a Defence Research Development Officer and his mother a teacher at a municipal school. None of his cousins, with whom he grew up in a large joint family, played sport. But, in 2003, watching Brendon McCullum scoop Australia’s fast bowlers at Nehru Stadium in Pune got him hooked to the sport. He was just six then. Soon enough, he was playing too. At 11, he joined the Vengsarkar Academy in Kondwa, a Pune suburb, and has been training there since.Initially a middle-order batsman, Gaikwad’s breakthrough season was 2014-15, when he was the second-highest run-scorer in the Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy. In the following season, he made 875 runs at 97.22, leading to a Ranji Trophy debut against – guess who? Yes, Dhoni’s Jharkhand, in New Delhi, a game he remembers fondly, even though he made just 15.”Mahi was Jharkhand’s mentor. I wanted to impress him, but suddenly got hit by a bouncer from Varun Aaron and fractured my finger,” Gaikwad remembers. “I wanted to come off, but Kedar Jadhav told me to carry on. After a point, I just couldn’t tolerate the pain, so tried to hit out and was caught. At the lunch break, Mahi came over to talk to me and signed my bat and wrote ‘get well soon’ on my plaster.”

Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect to get picked for India A so soon, but now that it has happened, I’m only learning to take the good with the bad and be balanced about things. I try to learn as much as I can from every session

Gaikwad is replaying the moment in his mind as he speaks. “In fact, I asked Mahi this when I joined the CSK camp. ‘ [Do you remember]?’ He said: ‘ sign , shot [to get out] [Of course. Not just the sign, but the shot too]. You’re talented, keep scoring runs in domestic cricket.'”Gaikwad was among the Super Kings’ last picks at the December auction at his base price of INR 20 lakh, something he wasn’t expecting. “After the first round for uncapped players, I switched off the TV and turned on my Playstation,” he says. “My number was 80-odd, and suddenly from 75 it jumped to 110. So I thought my chance was gone.”After some time, I started getting messages. That’s how I found out about my selection. My parents were out of town and returned later that night. It was only when a friend came home with a cake that they actually believed I had been picked.”***Gaikwad hasn’t modelled his game on anyone, but likes to pick out aspects from those he has watched and followed. He talks a lot to contemporaries Shreyas Iyer and Shubman Gill, with whom he’s spent some time at the India A set-up. He shares a good rapport with Ankit Bawne too. “We’re all close friends, we learn off each other,” he says. “The India A system is very competitive, but it’s a special place to be in because we learn from each other, even if we may directly or indirectly competing with each other.”Frankly speaking, I didn’t expect to get picked for India A so soon, but now that it has happened, I’m only learning to take the good with the bad and be balanced about things. I try to learn as much as I can from every session. Like, earlier this year, Stephen Fleming (Super Kings’ coach) told me: ‘don’t premeditate at the nets, just allow your instincts to take over, because match pressure is a different ball game.’ So from then on, I’ve tried to consciously cut out risks early and try and play out 10-15 balls.”What if there’s a bad ball? “Sehwag mantra, see-ball, hit-ball,” he laughs. “In fact, during the recent tour of West Indies, I tried to follow his of hitting a six to get to a century, but I was out caught for 99.”Gaikwad is witty and candid, and up for a laugh, even if the joke is on him. That, he says, is how he is. Not intense, but not too casual either. It is a philosophy he has followed from observing players and getting to spend time with them in the IPL and the India A set-ups. “Once I know I’m set, I know I can score quickly, I just want to dominate,” he continues. “There’s no fear. By dominating, I don’t mean playing rash shots. Rahul Dravid sir said, sometimes a good leave or a good forward defense can also show signs of a batsman’s domination. I haven’t spoken much to him one-on-one, but these words have stayed with me.”Gaikwad is aware that to be considered at the highest level, he needs to show consistency across formats. In List A cricket, he averages an impressive 53 across 41 innings. In first-class cricket, though, he’s managed just 38 in 15 matches.”In 20 first-class innings, only once or twice I’ve been out early. Mostly been getting 30 or 40, 70-80. The conversion isn’t there and I need to get better,” he agrees. “In one-dayers too, I have 15 fifties [he has 14], and have been out from 75-99 some 11 times. In first-class, if I’ve scored 70-odd in one innings, I’ve been out cheaply in the second innings. It’s not like I’m getting out on zero. I know if I iron out this and figure things out, I can get big 100s.”So, clearly, he’s one of the geeky sorts who remembers numbers. “Because it irritates me,” he says loudly. “I do all the hard work and then I get out when I know I’m capable of much more. Hopefully the coming season, I can correct this.”Bhave reckons Gaikwad could fulfil his potential if he sticks to the straight and narrow. “The best part about his batting is that it is simple. There’s no complication, no awkward back lifts, shoulder dipping and all that,” Bhave says. “If you look at all quality players, simplicity is their forte. He keeps it like that. Like to drive the ball, but has an equally good back-foot game, is a very good puller of the ball. At the international or A level you won’t get too many half-volleys to drive, so your back-foot game has to be good and he has that. I think he has a lot of upsides. The way he’s shown form at the India A level, we expect him to carry that for Maharashtra and hope he can pile on the runs. If he has a good season from here on, he’ll be right up there in contention.”

The defending champions’ middle order is largely untested and that might be crucial in the quarter-final

Sreshth Shah in Potchefstroom27-Jan-2020After 24 games across seven venues in nine days, the knockout phase of the Under-19 World Cup 2020 is upon us. Teams like Sri Lanka, England and Zimbabwe are already out of the running for the top honour, and on Tuesday, one of India and Australia will join that list.Both sides found themselves under pressure in their final group game, although the circumstances were vastly different. Australia needed a final-ball win over England to set up the quarterfinal date. In a sense, it was a knockout game – they would have been eliminated had they lost. India thwarted New Zealand in a rain-hit game to finish top of the table – not knockout-level stress, but they did want the top spot.ALSO READ: ‘The Secret’ and the success of Ravi BishnoiCan such a smooth ride through the group stage and never really having their backs to the wall actually harm India, though? That said, most of their players play either first-class or List A cricket for their states, so they are not strangers to the trials of balancing pressure and performance. And when New Zealand’s batsmen briefly put India on the back foot in that game, their spinners rose to the occasion, sharing seven wickets between them, to restore order.They have been clinical, high on intensity, and electric on the field. But only once have they had a chance to bat more than 25 overs in a game – only seven of them have batted at all so far, four of them for more than 50 balls – and leaves India’s middle order largely untested.ALSO READ: ‘Legspinners aren’t meant to be defensive’ – Tanveer SanghaThat’s perhaps where their pre-competition series against South Africa and the subsequent quadrangular series will play a key role. They have been in South Africa since mid-December, and the lessons from the games played in local conditions before the World Cup must have an effect. Priyam Garg, the captain, has struck four 50-plus scores in his last seven games in the country, Tilak Verma has hit four in his last five, wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel has three in his last four, while Siddhesh Veer, their finisher, has consistently ended innings well.India’s bowling also looks sorted, though they might want even more from their fast bowlers. They have been quick, with short deliveries whizzing past the ears and yorkers crushing into the base of middle stumps, but few of those wickets have been of top-order batsmen. In their games against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, only left-arm seamer Sushant Mishra – who hasn’t played since India’s tournament opener – has taken a wicket of a top-three batsman. While the pace of Kartik Tyagi and Akash Singh, who are expected to start, has been too much for the lower-order batsmen, they are still searching for a strike with the new ball (apart from against Japan).Tanveer Sangha is mobbed by his team-mates•ICC via GettyAs for Australia, their tournament has been up and down. Their two-wicket win over England was a reminder to the rest of the teams that Australia can bat till No. 10 at least. Against West Indies, a game they lost by three wickets, luck simply wasn’t on their side: two of their top-order batsmen were run-out at the non-striker’s end off the bowlers’ body.Tanveer Sangha, their legspinner, is joint-second on the list of highest wicket-takers for the tournament, while the rest of their bowlers, too, have struck at crucial points. Australia’s ability to take wickets across an innings did not make it easy for West Indies, and in their must-win game against England, Australia had reduced the opposition to 192 for 7 following a combined effort from their bowlers.The bottom line is that games such as these give us major pointers for the future, give us an idea of who will go on to greater things and who might not. A sizeable crowd is expected at Potchefstroom’s Senwes Park for the clash. Form makes India the favourites, but on this rare occasion, an Australian team won’t mind starting off as underdogs in a World Cup knockout fixture. Barring the Japan game – when they chased 42 – India haven’t batted second, and it might be in Australia’s best interest to bat first, post a total and see whether India can deal with scoreboard pressure.It was India who beat Australia in the final of the 2018 edition. Although no one from the current team featured then, payback will be very sweet if they manage to pull it off. If they can, they will also become team to beat in the tournament.

His average of 14.06 is the second-lowest average for a batsman with a Test century

Gaurav Sundararaman01-Dec-2019ESPNcricinfo Ltd 7 – The number of batsmen Test hundreds coming in at No. 8 or below against Australia. The previous instance was in 2017, when Wriddhiman Saha made 117 in Ranchi. 2006 – The last time a Pakistani scored a Test hundred at No. 8. Wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal made 113 against India in Karachi, a Test Pakistan won to take the series 1-0. Yasir is the ninth Pakistani to achieve this feat.ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 – Only one batsman – Jerome Taylor (12.96) has a lower average than Yasir Shah while scoring a Test century. Yasir’s average after the century stands at 14.06. 213 – Runs added by the last four Pakistan batsmen in the first innings in Adelaide. This is the second-highest for Pakistan in Australia. The best was in 2016 when the last four added 230 at the Gabba in Brisbane. 105 – Runs added by Babar Azam and Yasir, the best seventh-wicket stand for Pakistan against Australia. 87 – The ninth-wicket stand for Pakistan, their highest for that wicket in Australia. Overall, it’s the second-highest ninth-wicket stand against Australia. 89.33 – The average seventh-wicket stand for Pakistan in this series. This is the most they’ve averaged for any wicket in this series. Pakistan’s top five wickets average 18.77 runs while the bottom five average 40. 2015 – The last time Australia enforced the enforcingfollow-on in Tests, against West Indies in Hobart. They’ve not chosen to enforce the follow-on on five occasions since. Pakistan were last made to follow-on at Centurion against South Africa in 2013.

Nottingham Forest have now made contact to sign a £100k-per-week Premier League striker, who is ready to leave his club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest set to bring in successor to Chris Wood

Chris Wood’s goals have been of the utmost importance in Forest’s push for the Champions League this season, with the New Zealand international finding the back of the net 18 times in the Premier League.

However, given that the striker is now 33-years-old, the Tricky Trees have set their sights on a long-term successor, with Sporting CP’s Victor Gyokeres being identified as the ideal target back in March.

The Swedish forward is not the only option on the shortlist, however, with AFC Bournemouth star Evanilson also of interest as a cheaper alternative at £40m, while Gyokeres is expected to set suitors back around £50m – £58m.

Nottingham Forest very keen on signing £26m USA international this summer

The Tricky Trees have set their sights on a midfielder, who is now likely to leave his club this summer.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 8, 2025

Within the Premier League, Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha are among the strikers most widely linked with a move to the City Ground, but contact has now been made over a move for a different player.

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Nottingham Forest have now made an enquiry over the possibility of signing Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is ready to leave the Toffees at the end of the season.

Calvert-Lewin’s contract is set to expire this summer, which means he is set to be available on a free transfer, should he fail to put pen to paper on a new contract, although David Moyes is still hopeful about keeping hold of him.

A number of Premier League clubs are circling for the striker, with Manchester United, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur expressing an interest, while there are also a number of potential suitors from across Europe.

Question marks over signing of Calvert-Lewin

The 11-time England international has impressed for Everton at times, scoring a combined 29 Premier League goals across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 campaigns, and his availability on a free transfer makes him an attractive option.

Not only that, but the marksman has more recently been lauded as “fantastic” by reporter Adam Jones, and at 28-years-old he could still have a lot left to give in the Premier League.

However, there will be serious concerns about the £100k-per-week centre-forward’s record in front of goal over the past few seasons, having found the back of the net just three times in the Premier League this term.

Not only that, but Calvert-Lewin has a concerning injury record, regularly suffering with hamstring problems, so it may be best for Nottingham Forest to consider alternative options this summer.

With the clock ticking down towards the final ten minutes at Craven Cottage, it looked as if Chelsea were hurtling towards a grim 1-0 defeat to near neighbours Fulham.

However, the Champions League chasing outfit managed to conjure up a dramatic fightback instead to win the tight Premier League clash 2-1, which has now sent Enzo Maresca’s Blues up to fifth in the ever-changing league standings.

With the likes of Nicolas Jackson suffering from an off-day, Maresca and Co had to rely on the heroics of faces such as Pedro Neto over the misfiring striker to secure the golden win, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers winger scoring the game-clinching strike right at the death.

Neto's performance in numbers

Indeed, Neto stepped up to the mark valiantly when other Chelsea forwards decided to duck away from the spotlight, with Jackson only managing one meagre effort on goal before he was hooked off on the 73rd-minute mark.

Away from the Chelsea number 15’s uninspired showing, however, the Portuguese attacker would send the away masses packed into Craven Cottage into delirium when his fierce effort was smashed home past a startled Bernd Leno.

Away from this last-gasp moment of quality, the Blues number seven was constantly involved in play in a positive manner, with the 25-year-old firing two other efforts at the German’s net away from his 93rd-minute winner, alongside winning four ground duels when attempting to launch attack after attack.

Having also looked likely in the Ipswich Town draw in the league before this win on the road – with five key passes tallied up against Kieran McKenna’s challengers – Neto will pray he can nail down a starting spot down Chelsea’s left flank off the back of his further standout display against Marco Silva’s hosts.

He isn’t the only figure who could now be deemed as undroppable in the eyes of Maresca, considering one of Neto’s attacking teammates was equally as energetic and impactful in steering the Blues to their 16th league win of the entertaining campaign.

8/10 Chelsea star now as undroppable as Neto

Maresca will still feel irked that it took his team until the 83rd minute to turn the tie around with a number of his key first team personnel letting him down.

But, a major plus for the ex-Leicester City boss to cling onto will be the energy and drive shown by Tyrique George when he entered into the contest, with the homegrown Chelsea product only needing to amass four touches before he left a lasting impact on proceedings.

Fresh off scoring his first ever senior goal for his boyhood employers in the Europa Conference League, George would get his fading team back on level terms versus the Cottagers with a confident and assured finish trickling in after the ball was flicked it into the teenager’s path.

With Jackson’s wastefulness in front of goal well documented, alongside the ongoing struggles of Christopher Nkunku in West London, the answer for Maresca up top between now and the close of the season could be persisting with the Camden-born starlet.

Showing off his ability to be a livewire from the start when bagging one of Chelsea’s three goals in Poland in mid-April, George does look ready for more first-team opportunites moving forward, with his cameo against Fulham – which saw him complete 100% of his passes – resulting in a high 8/10 post-match rating being awarded to him by The Express’ Fraser Watson.

Bold calls such as these might see Chelsea sprint ahead to secure Champions League football, with Maresca needing everyone in his camp to be playing at their optimum to get over the line.

Jackson upgrade: Chelsea to make £59m bid for "one of the best strikers"

Chelsea are gearing up to sign a new centre-forward in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 19, 2025

Manchester United are now readying a £68 million bid to sign a player from Barcelona ahead of rivals Liverpool, according to a new report.

Man Utd's summer transfer plans taking shape

As the summer transfer window moves another week closer, the Red Devils are gearing up for what could be a very busy time for the hierarchy. United have the second leg of their Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao this week, and the hope is that they can keep their three-goal lead and seal their spot in the final.

Man Utd willing to table £13m offer to complete signing of "vital" 16 y/o

He would be one for the future for the Red Devils.

By
Henry Jackson

May 6, 2025

Winning the Europa League would be a huge boost for United and Ruben Amorim, as not only does it bring more money to the club, but it also means they are in the Champions League, and this could be so beneficial for bringing in top players in the summer.

Signing a new striker is high on the list, and while United are reportedly closing in on the signature of Matheus Cunha, the Red Devils are also planning to make a bid to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, with the forward valued at £65 million.

But as well as looking to add to their forward line, Amorim and United are also looking to strengthen their options at the back. It’s been reported that United have held talks over the signing of Jonathan Tah on a free transfer from Bayer Leverkusen. The defender’s contract is soon set to expire and has interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, and Barcelona.

Man Utd readying £68m bid to beat Liverpool in race for Barça ace

Tah is not the only defender on United’s radar, and if Barcelona do win the race for the German international, it could benefit the Red Devils a lot. That is because, according to a report from Spain, Man Utd and INEOS are willing to go all out and sign Ronald Araujo from the Spanish giants this summer.

The report states that United chiefs are ready to do what they can to bring Araujo to Old Trafford and are willing to offer € 80 million, which is roughly £68 million, to Barcelona to secure his signature. The Red Devils see the defender a key player for their defensive rebuild and hope this offer is enough to tempt Barca into selling.

Araujo, who has been dubbed an “athletic monster” by BBC analyst Raj Chohan, is seen by United as the leader to solidify their defence, which at times this season has been all over the place. United’s interest isn’t a new thing, but they hope an offer like this can convince Barca to sell, but can also see them beat Liverpool to Araujo’s signature, as they have also been linked with a move for the defender in recent weeks.

Barcelona have not ruled out selling Araujo this summer, and that has also raised interest from Bayern Munich, who are also fans of the Uruguay defender. The 26-year-old has struggled with a few injury problems this season, but when he’s been fit and available, Araujo has been a key player for Hansi Flick as they close in on the La Liga title and a possible Champions League final.

Therefore, this could make it even more difficult for United to secure Araujo’s signature, given he is highly thought of by Flick.

With one eye on Champions League qualification and the other on the summer transfer window, Newcastle United have reportedly set their sights on signing a future star.

Where Newcastle stand in Champions League race

The second-half of the current campaign has so far been one to remember for Newcastle, who even managed to end their long wait for a trophy by picking up the Carabao Cup in March. Now vying to finish a successful season by qualifying for Champions League football for the second time in three seasons, Eddie Howe’s side have their fate firmly in their own grasp as they head into the final four games.

With the top five all qualifying for the Champions League, Newcastle currently have a two-point buffer on Nottingham Forest, who have a game in hand to break back into the all important places. Even if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side win that game in hand, however, it would be Chelsea who drop out of the top five and not Newcastle, who would move down to fourth.

The importance of a place amongst Europe’s elite cannot be overstated either, especially for Newcastle. Those at St James’ Park have been forced to sit back and watch in the last two transfer windows, but Champions League qualification should mean that their spending can commence under their rich PIF ownership.

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Just who arrives if that is the case remains to be seen. Already, names such as Liam Delap and Ademola Lookman have been mentioned, but before the stars arrive it may well be a teenage sensation who emerges to commence Newcastle’s summer window.

Newcastle plotting move to sign James Wilson

According to The Chronicle, Newcastle now want to sign James Wilson from Hearts this summer after PIF stepped up their scouting mission in Scotland and the 18-year-old talent stood out. A player who already has a senior Scotland cap to his name, Wilson is certainly one to keep an eye on as Newcastle plot an impressive summer swoop.

At just 18 years old, the forward has already been making his mark in the Scottish Premiership too – scoring five goals in 20 games and even finding the back of the net once in the Europa Conference League. When given the chance, Wilson has simply enjoyed every moment of the spotlight.

Earning impressive praise as a result, former Hearts boss Neil Critchley told reporters when asked about Wilson’s Scotland debut: “It’s an unbelievable achievement. To be the youngest Scottish international player ever is an incredible achievement. It’s one him and his family should be extremely proud of.

“You could see the lift and the excitement it gave him. He’s come back here with a permanent smile on his face. We’ve actually allowed him into the senior dressing-room this week. Shanks [Lawrence Shankland] and Craigy [Craig Gordon] have let him in. I say that, it was more Goggsy the kit man who gave his blessing! So he’s in for the first time.”

A Bayern Munich star would be keen on a move to Chelsea this summer, rather than joining Newcastle United or Tottenham Hotspur, according to a report.

Blues set sights on new winger

With the summer transfer window edging ever closer, it is becoming apparent that the Blues are keen on bolstering their wide options, and AC Milan’s Rafael Leao is among their main targets, although the 25-year-old is unlikely to come cheap.

The west Londoners are the favourites to sign Leao, having held talks over a deal, but the Portugal international’s £148m release clause may be prohibitive, while there is also rival interest from Arsenal and Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

There are also potential options from within the Premier League, with Enzo Maresca’s side still keen on Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho, having remained in contact with the 20-year-old’s agents ahead of a potential summer swoop.

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In the aforementioned report, it is detailed that Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams make up the shortlist, but a new update has revealed that a Bayern Munich winger could also be in line to move to Stamford Bridge.

According to a report from Sky Sports in Germany, Chelsea are interested in signing Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane, and a move to west London would appeal to the German, who isn’t as keen on joining fellow suitors Tottenham Hotspur or Newcastle.

Sane is out of contract this summer, which means the winger is set to be available on a free transfer, but there could be competition for his signature, with the 29-year-old open to a move to Arsenal.

A move to La Liga also appeals to the Bayern star, whose current employers want him to make a final decision on his future by May 17th, the date of their final Bundesliga match.

"Outstanding" Sane could help take Blues to next level

The Blues remain in a strong position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, which means Maresca may be keen to bring in players with experience in Europe’s elite competition, and the forward certainly fits the bill in that regard.

The Germany international has 23 goals and 19 assists to his name in 73 Champions League appearances, while his attacking output in the Bundesliga has been impressive ever since arriving at Bayern.

Not only that, but the £244k-per-week forward also received high praise from Harry Kane in November 2023, with the England captain saying: “He has great pace and outstanding power. Leroy is probably our best player so far this season. He is fantastic.”

At 29-years-old, Sane is older than the players Chelsea usually sign, but should they qualify for the Champions League, it is important Maresca has a good blend of youth and experience, and his availability on a free transfer is an added bonus.

Everton are believed to be willing to pay £16.8m to complete the signing of a midfielder who possesses “enormous qualities” this summer.

Everton pushing to sign £30m Liam Delap

The Blues have been linked with various potential new signings of late, but Liam Delap is a name who has stood out as a particularly exciting option, as they look to bolster their attack ahead of next season.

It has been claimed that David Moyes has even held face-to-face talks with the Ipswich Town striker, who looks almost certain to leave Portman Road in the summer transfer window, following relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.

Delap has enjoyed a hugely impressive season, despite the demise of his own team, scoring 12 goals in 32 starts in the league, which is three more than any Everton player managed in the competition, with Iliman Ndiaye leading the way with nine strikes.

The 22-year-old stands out as a brilliant option for the Blues with a £30m release clause, considering he is a young striker who should only mature as the years pass, and he should be looked at as the leading choice to come in and lead the line at the club’s new Bramley Moore Dock stadium this summer.

Everton also ready to pay £16.8m for new midfielder

According to a new update from Africa Foot [via Sport Witness], Everton are ready to pay £16.8m to sign Lille midfielder Ngal’ayel Mukau this summer, having sent scouts to watch him in action in recent weeks.

He is actually valued at £12.6m by the Ligue 1 club, but the Blues are willing to bid higher to get their man, seeing him as another strong option alongside Delap.

Mukau may not be as well-known to Everton fans as Delap, due to him not playing in the Premier League, but he is an exciting young player in his own right.

The 20-year-old has scored twice in six Champions League starts this season, as well as averaging 1.5 tackles per game across 22 matches in Ligue 1 in 2024/25. Meanwhile, Lille head coach Bruno Genesio hasn’t held back in his praise of him, saying:

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“He’s an aggressive player, with a big volume of play, capable of recovering balls from the opponent’s feet. He’s also a forward-thinking player, who can get forward from the first touch and find verticality.”

Lille president Olivier Letang has also described him as a “very likeable lad” with “enormous qualities”, adding that “he burst onto the scene” and “we know his potential and his state of mind.”

Everton could do with fresh blood in the middle of the park, considering Abdoulaye Doucoure is leaving and Idrissa Gueye is now well into his 30s, and Mukau could be a great choice to add into Moyes’ squad.