The first, in Adelaide, was a win manufactured from a position where a draw was the only likely outcome, while the second was an against-the-odds scrap that ended with a world-record chase
ESPNcricinfo staff14-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The AUS-ENG 2006 Adelaide Test moves to the round of 16.
A win out of nowhere – Adelaide, 2006
The final day of the Adelaide Test of 2006-07 started with 1123 runs already scored, and only 17 wickets having fallen. The ESPNcricinfo report after the fourth day’s play was headlined “Draw beckons after Clarke hundred” – Michael Clarke was the fourth century-getter in the Test, after Paul Collingwood, Kevin Pietersen and Ricky Ponting.But within no time on the fifth morning, Shane Warne – who else? – had broken through, and broken through again, and 54 overs into the day, England were done for 129. Collingwood, who had scored 206 in the first innings, was 22 not out at the close, his runs coming in well over three hours.And Australia had a target: 168. In 36 overs. That meant an “asking rate” of 4.67.We didn’t know what Bazball was, but Australia had their own version of it at the time, and made a dash for it.Matthew Hayden’s 18 came off 17 balls. Ponting’s 49 off 65. Mike Hussey remained unbeaten on 61 off 66. And Clarke, slow by comparison, scored 21 not out in 39 balls. And it was done. Australia victors by six wickets, with 3.1 overs in the bag, having scored their 168 at a scoring rate of 5.11. A victory from… nothing, really.
The highest chase in Test history – St John’s, 2003
To start with, there was a tie – both teams stopping at 240 in their first innings. So it came down to a one-innings-a-side shootout. One which Australia appeared to have won when they scored 417, leaving West Indies upwards of two days to cross or crumble. Not to forget, it was the Test with the (in)famous Glenn McGrath-Ramnaresh Sarwan spat.Australia had a specific target: sweeping West Indies in a Test series in the West Indies. Never done before. West Indies also had a target: preventing aforementioned sweep. Australia’s target was closer, it seemed.Not to Brian Lara, not to Sarwan, and not to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.Lara fell for 60 on the fourth afternoon, and then it was a 123-run stand between Chanderpaul and Sarwan that took West Indies to 288. But, when Sarwan was gone for 105, and Ridley Jacobs fell for a first-ball duck, off successive Brett Lee deliveries, the die appeared to have been cast. Chanderpaul had no one really to partner him, and the target was still 130 away.But help was an unexpected source away. In fact, “help” might be the wrong word to use, since Chanderpaul was gone for 104 the final morning, and Australia were closing in, and it was left to Omari Banks, the first Test cricketer from the island of Anguilla to play Test cricket, to do the job, with Vasbert Drakes for company.They did. Banks scored 47 not out. Drakes scored 27 not out. And West Indies had pulled off the highest successful chase in Test history, still unsurpassed.
Abhimanyu Easwaran, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna all made compelling cases for selection
Vishal Dikshit26-Oct-202411:45
‘Bold move to pick two youngsters in Reddy and Harshit’
Abhimanyu Easwaran
The 29-year-old opening bat from Bengal has been part of India’s Test squads in the recent past after grinding it out in domestic cricket for over a decade. Abhimanyu Easwaran has the body of work to instil confidence in the team management – and himself – if he needs to open in the absence of Rohit Sharma in Perth or Adelaide early on in the five-match series. An old-school batter, Abhimanyu is already in Australia for two India A games and would have played 100 first-class games by the time the Test series starts.Abhimanyu Easwaran has scored a century in each of his last four first-class games•Hindustan Times via Getty ImagesHe has over 7600 first-class runs while averaging nearly 50, and his recent form probably helped him pip the likes of B Sai Sudharsan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devdutt Padikkal for the reserve opener’s slot. Abhimanyu has scored a century in each of his last four first-class games, against a variety of bowling attacks at that, starting with 157* and 116 in the Duleep Trophy followed by 191 against Mumbai in the Irani Cup before starting the Ranji Trophy season with a second-innings 127* against Uttar Pradesh. India will hope he can continue this streak into the ‘A’ series while facing the likes of Scott Boland, Michael Neser and Todd Murphy, Test cricketers all of them.
Washington Sundar
Back in the Test circuit after over three years, Washington Sundar proved in Pune that he deserved to brought into the Test XI from the Ranji Trophy.His stifling offbreaks, delivered from close to the stumps, fetched him seven wickets – of which six were bowled or lbw – in the first innings before he picked up another four in similar fashion in the second. It’ll be a surprise if he plays a Test in Australia ahead of Ravindra Jadeja or R Ashwin, but if either of them is unavailable, Washington will fit right in – and his batting will help him push his case.2:32
Will India play a spin-bowling allrounder at No. 8 in Australia?
He came into the Pune Test against New Zealand on the back of a 152 for Tamil Nadu from No. 3 – even if on a flat deck against an inexperienced and injury-hit Delhi attack – but his classy 62 at the Gabba on India’s previous tour of Australia and his unbeaten half-centuries against England at home in early 2021 are proof that he can do it against better bowling too.His height could fetch him extra bounce on the Australian tracks and his previous experience of playing there in 2021 bodes well for him, if India need an offspin-bowling allrounder.
Nitish Kumar Reddy
One of the key players for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their run to the IPL 2024 final earlier this year, the seam-bowling allrounder earned a T20I debut earlier this month against Bangladesh. Just 21, Nitish Kumar Reddy’s batting exploits in the middle order have been on show for a while now, first while rescuing SRH with blazing knocks in the IPL and then the 74 off 34 in the second T20I against Bangladesh, where he also picked up two wickets while opening the bowling.1:04
Will Nitish Kumar Reddy get into the playing XI?
His performances in the Duleep Trophy before the India debut didn’t inspire much confidence, though. Reddy bagged two ducks in five innings with a high score of 40 not out and picked up only two wickets across 48 overs.However, he has the ability to swing the ball both ways in the mid-130s, as he has shown for Andhra in the domestic circuit with a fairly new ball, being their top wicket-taker in the last Ranji Trophy season with 25 wickets at 18.76. That tally featured a five-for against Mumbai, including the wickets of Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer, and the India team management will hope he gets some overs under his belt in the ‘A’ series before the Tests.Called “awesome” by his SRH captain Pat Cummins, Reddy’s inclusion for Australia shows the faith the selectors have shown in a young allrounder over the established Shardul Thakur, who is back playing domestic cricket after an injury layoff and had contributed with seven wickets and a valuable knock of 67 in Brisbane in 2021.
Prasidh Krishna
Prasidh Krishna is also returning from injury but he got himself a Test berth, unlike Thakur, after proving his fitness with four first-class games at the start of this domestic season. Even though he returned unimpressive numbers in his two Tests in South Africa in 2023-24, leaking runs at more than 4.60 an over in his 28 overs for just two wickets, it’s his height that works in his favour. He can draw extra bounce, is accurate, and bowls with the sort of pace that India are hoping will come handy in Australia, especially if they need to change the combination – because of workload or injuries – in a long series.2:13
Manjrekar: Surprised Prasidh and not Dayal was selected
Prasidh is also with the India A squad for the two first-class games to be played in Mackay and Melbourne, and India will want him to stay fit. And also find some form. Since his comeback in September, he has picked up just seven wickets in as many innings across the Duleep Trophy, the Irani Cup and the eight overs he bowled in a Ranji Trophy game for Karnataka.
Harshit Rana
The least experienced of the 21 players – including the reserves – picked for the tour with just nine first-class matches, Harshit Rana is a tall and bustling fast bowler from Delhi who made his IPL debut, for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), before his senior domestic debut. Rana, too, featured in the Duleep Trophy at the start of the season and collected two four-fors while opening the bowling. He was KKR’s best fast bowler – with 19 wickets and an economy rate of 9.08 – in their victorious IPL 2024 campaign and would have been closely watched by Gautam Gambhir and Abhishek Nayar, who have both moved from the KKR dressing room to India’s.Harshit Rana is inexperienced, but has a lot of qualities that make him an exciting prospect•AFP/Getty ImagesWhile it was his variations and death-overs exploits that shone through in the IPL, Rana has also proven himself with the red ball in a fledgling career, and at times given the ball a good bash down the order. He bagged 21 wickets in five Ranji Trophy games in 2022-23, smashed an unbeaten 122 off 86 balls in the Duleep Trophy next year, and then toured South Africa with the India A side in 2023-24.Despite the lack of experience, it’s his promise that got 22-year-old a Test spot ahead of Mukesh Kumar and Navdeep Saini, who are in the reserves. He was called up for the T20Is against Zimbabwe and Bangladesh but is yet to make his international debut.Rana was part of the India Test squad for the New Zealand series initially as a reserve, before turning out for Delhi in the third round of the Ranji Trophy where he started with three early wickets against Assam on Saturday morning.
It’s the bromance of the year that no one could have predicted but President of the United States, Donald Trump, has issued another message, gushing in his praise for Cristiano Ronaldo. The pair met at the White House earlier this year at high-profile event involving world business leaders and Trump described CR7’s appearance at the event as a “real honour”, and POTUS has now revealed details of a recent phone call.
Trump/Ronaldo love-in
Trump and Ronaldo have developed a warm, mutually admiring public relationship, which began after the Portugal superstar expressed his desire to meet the president, calling him one of the "guys that can help to change the world". This wish was fulfilled last month when Ronaldo, as part of a Saudi delegation, attended a dinner at the White House and had a private meeting with the President. During the visit, Trump praised Ronaldo as "an extraordinary guy, not only as an athlete, but also as a person".
Trump even joked that the meeting earned him extra respect from his son, Barron, a huge Ronaldo fan. During the dinner, president Trump said: "You know, my son is a big fan of Ronaldo, wherever Ronaldo is here. And Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects his father a little bit more now, just the fact that I introduced you. So I just want to thank you both for being here. Really an honour."
The interaction appeared very positive, with the White House captioning footage of the two with "Two GOATs". Trump also presented Ronaldo with a gold key to the White House, an honor reserved for special guests. And now there’s been an update on a phone call between the pair.
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Trump: 'You don't get any better'
Posting on Truth Social, Trump said: "Cristiano Ronaldo, the GREAT soccer (football!) player, just called to thank me to thank for his tour this week of the White House and Oval Office. What an incredible guy he is, not only as an athlete, but as a person. You don't get any better!!!"
Ronaldo brushes off criticism
The 40-year-old superstar received criticism for some quarters for attending the dinner party at the White House, however, his sisters, Elma and Katia Aveiro defended their elder brother
On her Instagram story, Elma wrote: "Haven't these clowns realised yet that he doesn't give a damn about their opinions? This isn't for those who want it, it's for those who can handle it. They have nothing else to say, damn it."
Katia, on the other hand, posted a video where she said: "All it took was work, something many critics have only heard about. A visit to the White House, and that's it, an emotional nuclear explosion. Hypocrites. Such a huge hysteria has taken hold that it's frightening. It's as if Cristiano had announced the end of the world."
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All roads lead to the World Cup
Ronaldo is having an excellent season with Al-Nassr, showing remarkable consistency even at a veteran stage of his career. He’s bagged 10 goals in just nine appearances, and is among the league's top goalscorers. His performances show no signs of slowing down as he actively pursues the 1,000 career goal milestone and his next fixture for Al-Nassr is a club friendly against Al Wahda FC on December 10th. And CR7 has confirmed the World Cup will be his last major tournament for Portugal, so what chance is there of another meeting with Trump on the biggest stage of all – the World Cup final?
Speaking last month, Ronaldo said: "If you ask me, 'Cristiano, is it a dream to win the World Cup?' No, it’s not a dream. To win the World Cup, nothing will change my name in the history of football, I’m not going to lie. One thing that I’m sure of [is] that I will enjoy the moment. The moment is the most important thing that we have. We are not qualified already. Enjoy the moment."
Hansi Flick has outlined Barcelona’s transfer priorities for 2026, urging the club to reinforce three key positions as the squad’s shortcomings become impossible to ignore. The German coach has aligned with sporting director Deco on the need for a left-footed centre-back, a new winger and a long-term No.9, as Barca look to regain competitiveness after recent setbacks in La Liga and the Champions League.
Flick maps out Barca’s rebuild after warning signs
Barcelona’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League served as a painful reminder of the squad’s limitations. Flick’s team looked disjointed, stretched and far from the level needed to compete with Europe’s elite, the latest in a string of results that exposed long-standing structural issues. It intensified the mood inside the club, where injuries, tactical imbalance and a lack of specialist profiles have derailed momentum. With the Blaugrana sitting behind Real Madrid in La Liga and still needing nine points to secure direct qualification for the Champions League last 16, internal pressure has grown on the sporting leadership to act decisively.
Against this backdrop, Flick held talks with Deco and the committee responsible for squad planning. Together they agreed on three priority areas for next season: A left-footed centre-back, winger and centre-forward, according to .
Of these, the central defender is considered the most urgent. Inigo Martinez’s late departure last summer removed the squad’s only natural left-footed centre-back and forced Pau Cubarsi into uncomfortable adaptations. Flick considers the absence of that profile one of the biggest tactical handicaps this season, especially with the team unable to control the offside line or build from the back as effectively without Martinez.
Barca would like to address this already in January, but the club knows it is unlikely due to Financial Fair Play restrictions and a winter market that rarely offers specialist defenders of the required level. Still, the shortlist is clear: Goncalo Inacio, Jeison Murillo, Nico Schlotterbeck, Luis Benedetti and Marc Guehi – who becomes a free agent in June. The other areas will wait for summer, but Flick has made it clear that the spine of the squad needs strengthening if Barcelona are to compete again at the highest level.
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Why Flick sees three new signings as essential
This transfer plan underlines a broader truth about the Catalan giants' current project: Without structural reinforcements, the team cannot sustain the level required to challenge Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich or Premier League opposition. The centre-back situation is the most pressing, and both Flick and Deco agree that a natural left-footer is irreplaceable. Reports show Alessandro Bastoni and Schlotterbeck as the two ideal fits, with the Dortmund defender seen as more financially accessible due to a release clause of around €60 million. Bastoni would require complex negotiations with Inter.
But Barca’s issues extend beyond defence. With Robert Lewandowski in the final year of his contract, and due to turn 38, the club knows a new striker must arrive. Julian Alvarez is admired internally, though Manchester City and Atletico Madrid’s positions complicate any pursuit. Harry Kane’s €65 million release clause also makes him a realistic option, while the club continues to explore alternatives such as Serhou Guirassy and Etta Eyong.
A winger is also on the agenda, particularly a versatile profile who can play on both flanks. An option to buy Marcus Rashford for €30m exists should Manchester United make him available in the summer, but Barcelona will reassess his season before deciding.
Internal evaluations and financial realities
Barcelona’s leadership believes the dip in form from players expected to be key, such as Dani Olmo, Jules Kounde, Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal is partly due to an unbalanced squad and over-reliance on youngsters. The project’s success cannot depend solely on youth players handling elite demands every week.
Financial Fair Play continues to complicate the club’s flexibility, but president Joan Laporta and Deco view next summer as non-negotiable. Major investment is expected, with the board aware that delaying another season would risk falling even further behind Europe’s biggest clubs.
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A decisive summer awaits
The club's immediate focus remains on closing the gap in La Liga and securing Champions League progression, but much of the club’s planning has already shifted to 2026. Flick, Deco and Laporta are aligned on the need for three signings that reshape the defence, restore attacking threat and add depth in wide areas.
All eyes will now be on January’s possibilities, however slim, and the decisive summer window that follows. Barca know the stakes: without a bold rebuild, the project risks stagnation. With the right additions, however, Flick believes the team can return to Europe’s elite far sooner than expected.
India have dominated all of their 11 ODIs against Pakistan so far
Andrew Fidel Fernando04-Oct-2025Big pictureThe last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, India won. They tend to. If you are new to the women’s version of this “rivalry”, the headline is that however big the gap is between India and Pakistan’s men’s teams, it has tended to be bigger here. Pakistan have never beaten India in 11 ODIs. They haven’t got close. India have always won by at least 80 runs or five wickets.But the last time these teams met at an ODI World Cup, something else happened that seems of greater relevance to this moment. After the match (India’s win was by 107 runs, by the way), a group of India players were seen playing with and delighting in the six-month-old daughter of Bismah Maroof, Pakistan’s then-captain, who had the infant on her shoulder. It was an uncomplicated moment of shared humanity and joy, the women cooing to the baby and trying gently to draw from her a reaction, while her mother continued to comfort her. Whatever the politics surrounding Sunday’s match, it should not be forgotten that these are athletes who have enjoyed moments of connection, and treated each other with dignity, in the past.Both teams say they are focused on the cricket ahead of this match (there has been no confirmation whether the Indian team will shake hands with the Pakistan players, though), and on a purely cricketing front, Pakistan have a lot of work to do to make a match of this. Their first problem is their batting. They were bowled out for 129 by Bangladesh on Thursday. They do have batters in form – Sidra Amin and Muneeba Ali have been especially good over the last few months. But Pakistan batters don’t have a history of batting consistently against top-quality bowling, which is what India possess.Related
The little big hit! Bismah Maroof's daughter steals the show after intense India-Pakistan contest
Will India shake hands with Pakistan? 'No change in last week,' says Saikia
'Focus is only cricket' – India, Pakistan on mood ahead of the game
India, meanwhile, will be pleased with the start they have made in this tournament, though they will also hope their top order can fire. Against Sri Lanka, it was the lower-order batting of Amanjot Kaur and Deepti Sharma that lifted them to a winning total. Their bowling looked in good order in the defence too, with Sneh Rana, Shree Charani and Deepti finding frequent wickets through the middle overs. They also have the advantage of knowing this venue well – India played a tri-series in Colombo earlier this year.Form guideIndia WLWLW (last five ODIs, most recent first) Pakistan LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sneh Rana and Sidra AminOffspinner Sneh Rana took to the Khettarama surface almost immediately, taking 3 for 31 in her first ODI at the venue. In four matches since, she has built up quite the record at this ground, taking 15 wickets at an average of 14.00 here, becoming Player of the Tournament in that tri-series in May. She has also made a strong start to this World Cup, taking 2 for 32 against Sri Lanka, having also contributed 28 not out with the bat.The last time these two teams met at an ODI World Cup•PCBPakistan’s best chance of making a good score is for Sidra Amin to find some runs. Just in the last three weeks, she had hit 121 not out, 122 and a 50 not out against a good South Africa attack. She was bowled first ball on Thursday, but that was more down to the quality of Marufa Akter’s delivery than through any major failing of Amin. She is not the most aggressive batter around, but this year, she has been the rock that Pakistan build their innings around.Team newsIndia may not see a need to change their winning XI.India (probable): 1 Pratika Rawal, 2 Smriti Mandhana, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Deepti Sharma, 7 Richa Ghosh (wk), 8 Amanjot Kaur, 9 Sneh Rana, 10 Kranti Goud, 11 Shree CharaniPakistan will think about bringing Eyman Fatima into the side to strengthen their batting. Legspinner Syeda Aroob Shah may also be considered, as she offers some batting as well.Pakistan (probable): 1 Muneeba Ali, 2 Omaima Sohail, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Fatima Sana (capt), 7 Rameen Shamim, 8 Diana Baig, 9 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 10 Nashra Sandhu, 11 Sadia IqbalSidra Amin has been in great form but has struggled in Sri Lanka over the years•PCBPitch and conditionsIt looks like the northeast monsoon has hit Colombo; the city is starting to get day-long rains. Saturday’s match between Australia and Sri Lanka was rained out without the toss taking place (this could be a neat way to avoid the handshake question). In the match that did see some play, on Thursday, the seamers from both Pakistan and Bangladesh got movement in the air and off the surface. With the rain around, there is bound to be moisture in the square.Stats and trivia Although Pakistan’s top run-scorer this year, Amin has an awful record in Sri Lanka. Having played five innings on the island, she has a total of 24 runs here. Her duck on Thursday was her second in Sri Lanka. This has been the richest year for Rana, with 23 of her 52 ODI wickets having come in 2025. Although this stadium is their home for the World Cup, Pakistan women had never played an ODI at Khettarama before Thursday.Quotes”Deepti, Sneh Rana and Shree Charani are a very good combination, where there is a lot of experience also. There is youth as well. They’ve been playing together since the last three-four series, and the combination is really working well for us. Also, they all are very hardworking girls. Most games also, in my interactions with them, they want to improve. What they want to improve and how they want to improve are the questions around which these three are working around. They’re very hungry to go out there and give their best for the country.” “Support from our senior players is very important for me. They help me out when I make mistakes. Sidra Amin, Diana Baig, Aliya Riaz – they make sure we are tight-knit as a group, and any mistake that one of us makes, we do our best to cover it up or compensate for it. There is great team unity. As captain, it is a challenge leading a group at such a young age, but the support from my team makes it easy.”
Trinity Rodman has received a contract offer from DC Power of the Gainbridge Super League that reportedly exceeds what the Washington Spirit or the NWSL can match. The U.S. forward’s contract with the Spirit expires next month, and negotiations over an extension have stalled. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman has stressed her league will fight to keep the American star.
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Substantial contract offer
Multiple outlets report that Rodman’s representatives have spoken directly with Berman while also holding discussions with European clubs. According to , they are evaluating an offer from DC Power that exceeds what the Spirit can provide under the league’s salary cap. Negotiations have reached an impasse because NWSL teams are unable to match offers from clubs operating outside the cap structure.
Berman stressed in her NWSL Final presser on Thursday that the league hopes to retain the star forward.
"We want Trinity in the NWSL, and we will fight for her," she said.
Rodman has more than delivered during her time in NWSL, scoring 23 goals. The 23-year-old is also reportedly drawing interest from European clubs.
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Salary cap debate intensifies amid competition
The situation highlights a key structural difference between the two leagues. The Super League, sanctioned as a Division I competition and operated by the USL, does not use a salary cap or player draft, giving clubs full control over roster building and allowing all players to become free agents when their contracts expire.
That stands in contrast with the NWSL’s hard salary cap – set at $3.3 million per team for 2026 and not expected to reach $5 million until 2030 under the current CBA – which limits how much clubs can offer in contract negotiations. Berman defended the NWSL's use of a salary cap and pointed to the league's growth in its current number.
"The NWSL has raised the salary cap tremendously in the last four seasons, almost quadrupled in the last four years," she said.
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Rodman decision represents watershed moment
The outcome of Rodman’s contract negotiations is expected to influence future deals for top American players. In recent years, several high-profile U.S. players have moved abroad – including Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea, as well as Naomi Girma and Lindsey Horan – and Rodman now represents one of the most closely watched cases.
Unlike those players, Rodman has a domestic alternative capable of outbidding her current league. The Spirit and DC Power share facilities owned by D.C. United, and the Power also share ownership ties with the MLS club, creating an unusual scenario in which Rodman could remain in the same market while moving to a different league.
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Championship match outcome precedes decisive offseason
Rodman will first focus on leading the Washington Spirit in Saturday's NWSL Championship in San Jose before making any decisions about her future.
With nine games of the Premier League season now played, it’s difficult to predict just how Manchester City will do this year.
On the one hand, Erling Haaland remains a lean, mean goalscoring machine and could end up firing them to glory.
Yet, on the other hand, the rest of the attack are struggling to set up, and it’s starting to look like, for all his incredible ability, Bernardo Silva is starting to wind down somewhat.
Fortunately, Man City already have a player who could be the perfect long-term heir, and no, it’s not Phil Foden – it’s someone out on loan.
Man City's stars out on loan
As with most clubs of their size, Man City have several players out on loan this season, some who are very promising indeed, and some who are less so.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
For example, while Jack Grealish is an incredible player who helped the club win the treble, it seems incredibly unlikely that he will return from his spell with Everton, even if he’s already chalked up four assists and a goal in ten games.
Sverre Nypan, on the other hand, is someone that the club has very high hopes for, and while he’s not lit the world alight at Middlesbrough, he’s one to watch.
Nypan’s Rosenborg record
Appearances
70
Starts
55
Goals
14
Assists
11
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, despite still only being 18 years old, the Trondheim-born gem, whom respected analyst Ben Mattinson has described as an “all-phase midfielder with the ability to control the pace of the game,” was able to rack up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 70 games for Rosenborg before his move in the summer.
Another promising City youngster out on loan this season is Vitor Reis.
The Brazilian centre-back joined the Citizens in January, but was then sent to Girona in the summer to play more games and further develop, so he can hopefully compete for first-team minutes at the Etihad next season.
Described as a defensive “monster” by members of the Brazilian media, it might take some time before fans see his true potential, but it certainly feels like he’s going to be a star.
With that said, there is another unreal City talent out on loan this season, someone who could beat out Foden to become Bernardo’s long-term heir.
Man City's Bernardo's heir
Now, there are a few other City players out on loan this season, but when it comes to a seriously exciting prospect, there is just one more: Claudio Echeverri.
The Citizens paid River Plate around £12.5m to sign the young Argentine last January, and due to him being just 18 at the time, he spent the rest of the year in his home country.
In his final year with River Plate, the “future superstar,” as dubbed by Mattinson, managed to rack up an impressive tally of four goals and six assists.
Upon his arrival in Manchester towards the end of last season, the 19-year-old made just three appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, totalling 64 minutes, but did open his account against Al-Ain in the Club World Cup.
With it clear that he’s not quite ready to play regular first-team minutes in a title-chasing side, it was decided that the Resistencia-born maestro would be sent to Bayer Leverkusen on loan this season, where he has now made six appearances and already provided an assist.
With all that said, what’s most exciting is that, according to Mattinson, the youngster is currently looking like he could be the “ideal successor to Bernardo.”
One of the reasons for this is that, while he likes to play in attacking midfield, he has already spent some time out wide, and while his numbers aren’t exceptional, it’s still very impressive that he’s been able to impact senior games at such a young age.
Finally, like the Portuguese international, the Argentine’s “awareness of space and how to create is exceptional”, and he’s more than capable of making “off the ball runs” and “carrying the ball into space,” per Mattinson.
Ultimately, while it is still very early in his career, it looks like City have a future superstar in Echeverri, and someone who could eventually replace Bernardo.
Man City have "Rashford-like" 17-year-old star who can surpass Savinho
Manchester City have an unbelievable 17-year-old starlet who could soon surpass Savinho.
Former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy played a major role in stopping one ex-Spurs star from sealing what was a dream switch to Chelsea, with the player making a candid admission.
Tottenham post-Daniel Levy as problems remain at N17
It’s been three months since the Lewis family decided to force Levy into resigning as Lilywhites chairman, following a topsy-turvy 25-year stint in the role.
Levy was barely ever away from the headlines and attracted plenty of criticism, particularly towards the end of his tenure, when fans turned out in droves to protest both his and ENIC’s stewardship of the club.
"ENICOUT" banneroutside Spurs
His exit marked the end of the longest chairmanship in Premier League history, a tenure defined by extraordinary infrastructure development yet marred by agonising near-misses.
His business acumen transformed Tottenham into a financial powerhouse, culminating in the £1.2 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which opened in 2019 and revolutionised the club’s commercial capabilities.
World Football’s highest revenue-generating clubs — 2025
Value
Real Madrid
£1.2 billion
Man City
£727 million
PSG
£700 million
Man United
£668 million
Bayern Munich
£664 million
FC Barcelona
£659.5 million
Arsenal
£621.5 million
Liverpool
£620 million
Tottenham Hotspur
£533 million
Chelsea
£474 million
via Deloitte Money League
Under his stewardship, Spurs competed in Europe over in 18 of the past 20 seasons, establishing themselves among England’s elite despite chronic underinvestment in recruitment compared to their rivals.
The club’s net spend during Mauricio Pochettino’s first four years totalled just £29 million, while Tottenham infamously became the first Premier League side to complete an entire summer window without a single signing in 2018.
That cautious transfer approach became Levy’s defining characteristic, and it drew fierce criticism, alongside their barren trophy haul.
Tottenham reached the Champions League final under Pochettino in 2019, only to dismiss the Argentine four months later despite Spurs’ constant transfer budget restrictions.
Levy’s final season proved very turbulent, with Ange Postecoglou sacked shortly after delivering Europa League glory. Fans had grown tired of the constant managerial churn without meaningful silverware, despite Levy’s long list of appointments including serial winners José Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to manager who Levy was urged to hire before Frank
He’s on the verge of leaving his current club.
1
By
Emilio Galantini
Dec 2, 2025
Levy’s departure triggered a major restructuring, with former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham arriving and Thomas Frank replacing Postecoglou.
Peter Charrington assumed the newly-created non-executive chairman role to jump into Levy’s stead, though in a far less involved capacity, with co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange making up the new leadership team.
Levy, despite his unpopularity among much of the fanbase, undoubtedly left a mark on Spurs which will be remembered for decades to come.
Now, ex-Tottenham favourite Luka Modrić has revealed how the former chairman stopped him from joining London rivals Chelsea.
Luka Modrić reveals Daniel Levy blocked Tottenham transfer to Chelsea
Speaking on the Neuspjeh prvakashow, via ESPN, the now-AC Milan midfielder says that he was eager to join the west Londoners, but Levy told him there was ‘no chance’ that Modric would be allowed to go.
The Croatia legend, who went to enjoy a fantastic season at Tottenham right afterwards, then admitted that it eventually worked out for the best.
Modric is now the most decorated player in his country’s history after a glittering career at Real, with Levy eventually green-lighting his exit to the Bernabeu for £30 million in 2012.
The 40-year-old, who is incredibly still playing at an elite level, made over 150 appearances for Spurs, scoring 17 goals, and comes as one of the best signings of Levy’s tenure for just £16.5 million from Dinamo Zagreb.
In an ever more globalised game, and one obsessed with transfer activity, it’s easy to forget that there is perhaps even greater pleasure for supporters at seeing a homegrown talent emerge – not least at a club like Manchester United.
The modern, post-Sir Alex Ferguson era has been a rocky one, but arguably the brightest lights have emerged from Carrington, be it Marcus Rashford under Louis van Gaal, Scott McTominay under Jose Mourinho and Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo under Erik ten Hag.
The debate over whether it was right to move them on or not will continue to rage, but it is telling that three of that notable list of four are no longer part of the first-team ranks at Old Trafford, with Mainoo also now on the periphery under Ruben Amorim.
In an era of PSR and pure profit, academy sales have remarkably almost become incentivised, with the INEOS regime likely to be tempted to sell the 20-year-old sensation should his bit-part role continue.
For all the question marks over his suitability to Amorim’s system, it would be a crying shame if Mainoo were to depart in 2026 or beyond, with the 2024 FA Cup final hero surely deserving of a prime place as the centre-piece of the club’s long-term project.
The only saving grace, thankfully, is that the Stockport-born starlet isn’t the only rising star currently on the books – the Red Devils do at least have another talent on the conveyor belt to turn to.
Why Man Utd’s midfield could be completely overhauled in 2026
It is not hyperbole to suggest that there are question marks surrounding every senior midfielder in Amorim’s side right now, with drastic change likely to occur in that department, be it in January or next summer.
As already alluded too, Mainoo – in the short-term at least – looks destined to move on, amid talk of a loan move, with the ten-cap England international yet to even start a Premier League game this season.
The man he is directly competing with – as suggested by Amorim in the past – is Bruno Fernandes, albeit with the Portuguese genius’ own future up for debate, having come close to joining Saudi side Al Hilal over the summer.
At 31, the former Sporting CP certainly has plenty left in the tank, although he did hint that he will consider his situation again following next year’s World Cup, with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2027.
Speaking of expiring contracts, there has been little news regarding the future of Casemiro, with the resurgent Brazilian’s current deal coming to a climax in June.
Currently raking in a reported £350k-per-week, the 33-year-old would seemingly have to take a significant pay cut to stay put in Manchester, with United and Amorim in need of a long-term replacement regardless, considering his age.
Manuel Ugarte was meant to be that defensive-minded, ball-winning successor, although the Uruguayan – starter in just two league games in 2025/26 – is also running out of rope at Old Trafford, in what is his second season at the club.
Ugarte – PL Record
Stat (*per game)
24/25
25/26
Games (starts)
29 (22)
9 (2)
Goals
1
0
Assists
2
0
Big chances created
3
0
Key passes*
0.3
0.1
Pass accuracy*
89%
86%
Total duels won*
53%
59%
Balls recovered*
4.2
2.2
Dribbled past*
1.3
0.4
Possession lost*
6.2
3.4
Stats via Sofascore
Having been given a dressing down by Amorim in front of his teammates following the Europa League final – in which he played no part – the former Sporting man is getting no favouritism right now, far from it, having yet to convince he is of United quality.
The 24-year-old is the de facto third-choice midfielder at present, although that is not a status he has warranted, with club legend Gary Neville putting it best when describing him as “not good enough” after the Manchester derby.
In truth, an in-house replacement is needed, both this season and beyond.
Man Utd’s new Mainoo can replace Ugarte
Ten Hag has become a figure of ridicule for many, but it’s easy to forget the initial progress he had made in the United dugout, setting a sinking ship back on course again following that initial calamity at Brentford.
In February 2023, for instance, United reached their apex under the Dutchman, memorably seeing off Barcelona in the Europa League, while also securing a deserved 2-0 win over Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup final.
In the aftermath of that triumph, Ten Hag turned from short-term celebrations to long-term thinking, making a beeline for a 17-year-old Mainoo amid the jubilation, seemingly outlining that the teenager would have a part to play in such scenes later down the line.
While injury ensured it took until November 2023 for a first-team role to truly emerge – after making just three appearances in 2022/23 – Ten Hag’s faith in Mainoo was more than warranted, following his Man of the Match Premier League debut at Goodison.
Almost exactly two years on, and with Everton again the opponent, Amorim might well consider unleashing the next Mainoo-shaped figure into the midfield, in the form of Carrington sensation, Jack Fletcher.
The man who kept the club’s matchday academy record alive against Spurs, having been named on the bench in the absence of Mainoo, Fletcher – son of Darren and brother of fellow youth-team star, Tyler – is inching ever closer to a senior bow, with midfield evidently an area to address for Amorim.
Described as among the “best young players in England”, in the view of analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson, the left-footed Fletcher looks primed for a left-sided central midfield role, having also been trialled at left-back in recent times in the youth ranks.
In the view of Mattinson, the 18-year-old is “one of the most technical of the lot” in the academy set-up, with his elegance and athleticism also ensuring he has “everything you’d want” from a left-sided number eight.
An England youth international, the former Manchester City starlet has enjoyed a promising 2025/26 thus far with three goals and one assist from ten recorded games, as per Transfermarkt, notably netting in the EFL Trophy defeat to Barnsley, prior to seeing red.
Oakwell was previously the scene for the standout moment of his United journey to date, as the Englishman netted twice to claim a comeback 3-2 win in the same competition last season, including an outrageous, long-range half volley at the death.
Much like there was an appetite for transfers over the summer, there is a real desire among the United faithful to see the next Mainoo, the next McTominay emerge in the coming weeks and months.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
With Mainoo, unfortunately, on the fringes, and Ugarte simply not up to scratch, Fletcher might well be primed to sneak into the mix as a genuine challenger to Casemiro before too long.
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What must it be like to bowl fast in Tests for a non-Big Three nation? Just ask Asitha and Vishwa
Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Jun-2025If you are a seam bowler specialising in Tests, and hail from a non Big-Three nation, as Asitha Fernando and Vishwa Fernando do, you are charting one of the most difficult and least-rewarding courses in international cricket.Most difficult, because fast bowlers must put their own bodies on the altar of this sport in far more profound ways than batters, spinners, or even wicketkeepers. With every delivery there is the steaming in from dozens of metres away, the ridiculous force that goes through the front leg at the point of delivery, the shoulders, spines, obliques, groins, glutes, calves, feet, all being required to contribute some power to the occasion, and a follow-through that must be navigated safely. If any one of these sectors of your body is even slightly injured, it incapacitates a seam bowler more than similar injuries do for batters or spinners.Related
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Let’s take Lahiru Kumara as one example. He was the highest wicket-taker against Bangladesh in the away Test series last year, claiming 11 dismissals at an average of 12.63. The man had not played a single international since his last Test in early February, but had played most of a season of domestic cricket since then, and had been in good shape to make an impact on this home series against Bangladesh. But a week out, he busted a hamstring while fielding at training, and was ruled out of the series. He doesn’t get picked in many international white-ball XIs, so this injury will be taking a pretty serious playing opportunity out of his hands. And with a further 11 months before the next Sri Lanka Test is to be played, he has to show substantial willpower to stay in the game till then.(Side note: Lankan seam-bowling hamstrings in the last two decades have had artists’ temperaments. They are capable of jaw-dropping wonders like Dhammika Prasad’s spell on the fourth evening at Headingley, or Lasith Malinga’s rip-snorters. But if hamstrings had ears or lovers, Lankan fast bowling hamstrings are the type that would cut off their own appendages, or fall apart completely after a break up. They are sublime as part of a creative flow state, but absolutely never to be relied upon.)Asitha Fernando toiled hard on a surface not suited to his style•Sri Lanka CricketLeast-rewarding because, three league stints in a year (they don’t even really have to be the fancy leagues) will probably net you more money, for way less work. Plus, you know, the promotional dinners, and the parties. Non Big-Three Test cricket tends not to have a lot of parties. Why train your body to bowl 15-20 overs a day, when you can focus on being at peak performance for four?Matheesha Pathirana, as another example, is very likely the fastest bowler Sri Lanka has ever produced. But at this stage, seems unlikely to ever to play a Test. Chennai Super Kings’ scouts got to him before the Sri Lankan cricket system really had, and CSK have genuinely played a role in developing that talent, and have essentially called dibs. Not to put too fine a point on it, but if at the end of his career, Pathirana is remembered most for his IPL exploits, he will probably have earned more money by several orders of magnitude than he would if his career ends with Sri Lanka performances being the highlight.So pretty soon, it starts to feel like bowling 15-20 overs a day in Test cricket is like getting a several-year loan to buy a reliable Toyota for your family, only for some Crypto kid to pull up next to you at the colour-light in their fully paid-for Bugatti.Cricket slavishly follows the money now, rather than any other kind of value, and yet the likes of Asitha and Vishwa are still out here doing Test cricket justice by bringing everything they have to it. Asitha has bowling figures like 0 for 110, and 0 for 77 on his record, and yet somehow his work has never felt like “toil”. The word implies a physical limpness that Asitha has simply not allowed to enter his cricketing consciousness.Vishwa Fernando struck twice on the first day•Sri Lanka CricketHe may be a limited bowler in terms of height, pace, and skill, but to watch him operate in Tests is to watch naked and more-or-less relentless ambition. He took 2 for 43 on day one, on an SSC track not especially suited to his bowling (it was a bit slow for a seamer who tends to skid it on). He had had Anamul Haque dropped before he eventually took that wicket in his second over. Late in the day, he got one to pitch on a length, seam away, and hit the top of Nayeem Hasan’s off stump. He was pumped. But then he usually is.Vishwa, meanwhile, has always had the more laidback temperament. His mode of operation has been swing and seam, and he wiled his way through day one, less physically domineering than Asitha, but no less relentless, no less intense in the challenges he poses to batters. He moved it a little into the left-handers early on, but the seam movement had disappeared by the time a ball in the channel drew Najmul Hossain Shanto’s outside edge. Vishwa, a less-than-six-feet medium-pace bowler, will point to the bouncer he bowled the previous ball as a perfect set-up delivery to the wicket-taking one. You could doubt that explanation, but there’s no doubting figures of 2 for 35 off 16 overs – that economy rate being 2.18. There is almost no scorecard in the world in which those are not good figures.Sri Lankan Test seam bowling doesn’t necessarily have so rich a tradition, only three of their quicks (Chaminda Vaas, Malinga, and Suranga Lakmal) have ever taken more than 100 Test wickets. But as Test cricket appears to be winding down in several of its markets, it feels like Asitha and Vishwa are now partakers of a separate, global club of Test bowlers, who have trained their bodies to bowl 15-20 overs a day, and find themselves less valued than bowlers who send down only four.In this group, there are players such as Chris Martin, who took 233 Test wickets for New Zealand and was taking university courses (presumably to broaden job opportunities) well into his 30s, while sharing a dressing room with the likes of Brendon McCullum and Ross Taylor – each IPL millionaires. Others like Kemar Roach, owner of one of the most vicious inswingers in world cricket, has watched other careers take off into the T20 league stratosphere, while his remained moored to a middling West Indies Test side. Mohammad Abbas, Neil Wagner, Ebadot Hossain, Vernon Philander, Blessing Muzarabani – all these bowlers belong to this genre.Chris Martin leads a pack of Test fast bowlers who are valued lesser than T20 ones•Associated PressFor many in the non Big-Three sphere, it has begun to feel as if the publicity gained from “Saving Test Cricket” has become more profitable than the saving of Test cricket. This is why Bazball is able to equate the health of this format to scoring at between 4 and 4.5 per over, for example, while England has not hosted Bangladesh in the last 14 years, or Zimbabwe in more than 20 until the current summer. Australia have, in previous administrative eras, been hesitant tourists to South Asia. India’s modern top players play roughly half their Tests against the other Big Three teams. Jasprit Bumrah has played 59% of his 46 Tests against Australia and England.Still, what is happening at the SSC is Test cricket too, at least under current definitions. And increasingly Test cricket feels like a concept divorced from merit. Two of the three World Test Championship winners are sides with ailing Test programmes. Cricket has no serious will to fix that.The likes of Asitha and Vishwa will never have the chance to develop their Test-bowling skills as much as bowlers from nations that have stronger cricketing economies do. These are the margins of Test cricket that are most at-risk. If Asitha and Vishwa don’t make it, then who is going to inspire the next generation of Lankan red-ball bowlers?But at least in 2025, these two are still here, still putting their bodies through the seam-bowling rigours, and still taking important wickets. Test cricket is lucky to still have them.