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Ben Laughlin defended three off the last ball against Kieron Pollard as Adelaide Strikers made it to their first ever BBL final

The Report by Alex Malcolm02-Feb-2018
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsJake Weatherald sweeps the ball fine•Getty ImagesConfirmation of the BBL final’s host hung on one delivery. A swing and a miss from Kieron Pollard made Ben Laughlin a hero and delivered Adelaide Strikers their first BBL final berth, while the Melbourne Renegades were denied a chance at a title. Strikers will host Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday at Adelaide Oval, with both sides chasing their first BBL trophy.The game was on a knife’s edge all through the Renegades run chase. Laughlin was asked to keep the Renegades to 12 runs or less in the final over. He gave up 10 off the first five balls including a boundary from Pollard. With three to win off the final delivery Pollard missed a length ball in the slot and a bye wasn’t enough.Strikers’ tried and tested set-and-defend formula worked again. Travis Head cast aside his disappointment of being dropped from Australia’s T20 International side to play a match-winning hand. His unbeaten 85 was pivotal to the Strikers’ imposing total. Jake Weatherald provided superb support.Renegades had looked on track the whole way after a brisk start from Marcus Harris and Tim Ludeman. Tom Cooper and Kieron Pollard appeared set to finish the job but they couldn’t.Dashing DeanThe loss of Alex Carey at the top of the order seemed an impossible hole to fill. Jono Dean couldn’t provide the volume of runs that Carey had but he could provide something different. Carey had been a slow starter in the Powerplay and preferred to accelerate once set.Renegades had hoped to sneak in an over of Cooper’s offspin early to get the Strikers behind the eight-ball. Dean did not allow it. He smashed 13 from the first over and then hit Chris Tremain over the rope off the seventh ball of the innings. He holed out off the eighth. But the rapid start gave Weatherald and Head the chance to settle in. Weatherald was able to do as Carey had done. He was striking at less than run-a-ball, before launching Cooper in the 10th over. He scored 33 runs off his next 16 balls to take the pressure off Head. Their partnership of 104 looked set to blow the game apart.Holland a specialist fielderJon Holland took the catch to remove Weatherald. It was his only contribution for the night. He wasn’t used with the ball despite being selected as Renegades’ only specialist spinner, presumably because he wasn’t the right match-up for the two left-handers that batted deep into the innings. The rate slowed briefly as Colin Ingram and Jonathan Wells came and went. Ingram fell to a stunning one-hander from Tim Ludeman. But Head found a way to accelerate despite losing partners. He only hit one four and one six in the last five overs but ran eight twos to get the total up to 178.Bizarre PowerplayStrikers have buried opponents in the Powerplay when defending totals. But without Billy Stanlake, Renegades bolted out of the blocks in spite of making some bizarre decisions themselves. The top three of Marcus Harris, Matthew Short and Tom Cooper from the last few fixtures was abandoned. Cameron White, who batted at No. 3 with great success before leaving for international duty, opened with Harris and Ludeman batted one-down for the first time in the tournament, while Short was not selected. White holed out early. But Harris continued his fine form and Ludeman cut loose. The key moment came when Rashid Khan was forced to bowl an over in the Powerplay and Renegades took 12 runs from it. The Renegades Powerplay of 1 for 64 was their best in the tournament, and the Strikers’ worst.Nervous Lehmann, nerveless LaughlinHead and Rashid got their own back, removing Harris and Ludeman off consecutive overs. But Renegades needed just 87 runs from the last 60 balls with seven wickets in hand. Cooper and Dwayne Bravo reduced that to 52 from 36 with some cool and calculated batting. The game then appeared to slip through the Strikers’ fingers.Head turned boldly to the part-time legspin of Ingram. He forced a mistake from Bravo, who skied one to long-on, but Lehmann spilled the relatively simple chance running in. Bravo launched the next ball for six over cover. Laughlin removed Bravo and conceded just five runs in the 16th over. Head gambled with Ingram again to Pollard. Again, he forced a skied ball to long-on. Lehmann ran in glancing at midwicket, hoping someone would call him out of the catch. No call came. When he looked back up he realised he had over-run and it fell untouched.The next ball didn’t go for six, but Pollard launched Rashid over the longest boundary next over. The Renegades needed 20 runs from 12 balls with Pollard and Cooper set. But where Head had run twos on mis-hits during his batting innings, Pollard strolled ones. Michael Neser gave up just seven runs in the 19th over to give Laughlin a chance. Despite one incredible strike down the ground and some luck on the final ball, Laughlin held his nerve to get his side home.

No longer are India terrified travellers, but South Africa have home-ground advantage and a chance to avenge a horror 2015 tour. Either way, both teams are planning to have some fun in the coming months

Firdose Moonda in Cape Town04-Jan-20182:29

‘We have a score to settle with India’ – Du Plessis

When all the talk of settling scores, revenge pitches and bullying the bullies is done, let’s remember that cricket is just a game. A lucrative sport, a game that demands so much of its players, but still a game. It’s still supposed to be fun and both South Africa and India are planning on having some over the next few months.”We are looking at this phase as a time we will remember forever for the rest of our lives,” Virat Kohli said on India’s arrival in the country last Saturday. “We want to enjoy playing together. That has been the highlight of this team. The team spirit is the standout feature.”Kohli was not only referring to the next three weeks, when India play South Africa in three Tests, but the next 12 months. India tour three tough overseas destinations in 2018 – after South Africa, they visit England and then Australia – in a true test of their abilities away from home.No longer are they terrified travellers. India, a team with a diverse attack and a classy line-up, they play under a confident captain in Kohli, are motivated by a showboating coach and think they can take some names on the road. “We honestly feel we have the skillset. Now is the opportunity because of the average age of the group and the amount of cricket we are going to play together in the future. We are not putting pressure on ourselves that we have to win in every country,” Kohli said.South Africa have the opposite consideration. Their high-profile match-ups only last for the first three months of this year, hosting India and Australia at home. Instead, their challenge is to dominate at home, something they have not done against stronger sides in recent years. While India have never won a series in South Africa, they’ve kept the hosts on their toes. Though South Africa have a hat-trick of triumphs in Australia since readmission, they don’t have a single one at home.Given that the South African home calendar clears completely from April to July, when they go to Sri Lanka, and that next summer’s incoming tours will include Sri Lanka and Pakistan, the next three months of Test action are the most important of Ottis Gibson’s tenure and of the latter portion of many players’ careers.AFPHashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander are all over 30, and have all suggested the 2019 World Cup will be a swansong. So these next seven Tests could be important end notes on their impressive careers and they know it, even though du Plessis’ sees them as being together for longer.”The next two or three years are going to be very exciting for South African cricket. We are maturing a lot more – both the ODI team and Test team,” du Plessis said. “If you look at the names we have available this series, it’s a very strong team on paper. I’d like to look at it that for the next three years we can push really hard to get to No. 1 and to stay there for quite a bit.”I don’t know when the next Test series against India is, but it’s probably the last time all of us play against India and there’s no better way than playing a series in South Africa. We were disappointed the last time we went there and we’ve got a score to settle, so we’re excited for this series.”South Africa have not been able to put out a squad of this quality for more than two years, since they had their No.1 ranking ripped from them on raging turners in India in late 2015. That they can do it against the same team in vastly differing conditions not only gives them confidence of making up some ground in their quest for the summit, but also means the chances of a more competitive match-up are much higher. And that’s good news for the all those who want series’ between South Africa and India to become icon clashes.Though South Africa were sidelined from the big three in administrative terms, they still consider themselves part of a big four in Test terms and the new FTP all but confirms that. They want to continue to be regarded among the format’s elite, and this summer will go a long way to cementing that status. “It’s good that we can have some importance to this series. Big series are why you play. We don’t have an Ashes, so it’s good to see that India versus South Africa can start becoming a really big series,” du Plessis said. “There are some really high-class players that are going to bash it out over the next few weeks so that’s exciting.”All those players want to win, but they should also want something more. They may do well to remember the attitude Brendon McCullum endorsed during New Zealand’s 2015 World Cup campaign, which he called “the greatest time of our lives”.New Zealand’s cricketers captured their country’s imagination on their road to the final. They weren’t crowned champions at the end but they won the biggest prize: the hearts, the minds and the souls, because they played in the right spirit. Of course, they would not have become fan favourites if they hadn’t won at least a little but it was their manner, more than anything else, that became so celebrated. South Africa and India will want to achieve something similar and make memories over the next few months.

Newcastle United's strength in depth will be put to the test this season as Eddie Howe's side are set to compete across four competitions.

Who have Newcastle signed this summer?

The Magpies have bolstered their options, possibly to combat the extra games that the Champions League provides, by making three new first-team signings so far.

Tino Livramento, Sandro Tonali, and Harvey Barnes have all come through the door on permanent deals to bolster the head coach's roster, whilst Lewis Hall is reportedly poised to join on an initial loan from Chelsea.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

Journalist Craig Hope recently claimed that the club are also eyeing up a new central defender and that Torino star Perr Schuurs, who has been valued at €40m (£34m), is one of a number of players they are interested in.

How good is Perr Schuurs?

The 23-year-old titan is a solid centre-back who enjoyed a good season in the Serie A last term, which means that he could be a shrewd signing for Howe.

Schuurs averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.88 over 30 league games for Torino and won 55% of his duels on the ground as he displayed his strength in physical contests to win possession for his side.

As previously stated, depth will be important for Newcastle as they compete in two domestic cup competitions, the Premier League, and the Champions League.

This means that Howe needs to have players he can rely on if one of his first-choice options needs to be taken out of the side and Schuurs could arrive as an "outstanding" – as he was once described by journalist Josh Bunting – upgrade on Jamaal Lascelles.

The Magpies skipper is the current back-up to Fabian Schar and Sven Botman and struggled in his limited appearances as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.53 and lost 75% of his ground duels across seven Premier League outings.

This came after the ex-Nottingham Forest enforcer averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.73 and lost 57% of his ground battles over 26 top-flight matches during the 2021/22 campaign.

The 29-year-old dud's Sofascore ratings placed him 23rd out of 24 players within the squad last term and 16th during the previous season.

These statistics suggest that Schuurs would come in as a big upgrade on Lascelles in terms of the average level of his performances and his ability to come out on top in physical duels if he can translate his form from Italy over to England.

The Dutch colossus, who the aforementioned Bunting also once dubbed "dominant", could also provide more drive on the ball to push the team up the pitch.

Over the last 365 days, the Torino ace has completed 0.39 successful take-ons per 90, which places him in the top 17% of his positional peers among the top European leagues and competitions.

Lascelles, however, completed 0.04 per 90 during the 2021/22 Premier League campaign and ranked within the bottom 20% of centre-backs in the division.

This suggests that Schuurs could offer more in possession by taking on the opposition's press to gain yards and place his side in better positions to start attacks, which is another reason why he would come in as an upgrade on Lascelles to fill in for Botman or Schar when required.

Lancashire will be captained by Liam Livingstone when the 2018 season gets underway, after replacing Steven Croft

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2017Lancashire will be captained by Liam Livingstone when the 2018 season gets underway, after Steven Croft’s two-year tenure was brought to an end by the club.Livingstone, 24, is one of the most highly rated young batsmen in the country, and enjoyed a prolific season for Lancashire in 2017, averaging more than 50 in the County Championship with a match-winning double-hundred against Warwickshire at Old Trafford.In addition, he made his international debut in June, and though he did not take his initial opportunities with scores of 16 and 0 in two T20s against South Africa, he is widely regarded as one of the obvious contenders for a middle-order berth in all formats for England.After coming through the ranks at Lancashire, where he first played for the club aged 15, Livingstone stepped in as captain during the early part of the 2017 season when Croft was absent through injury.”Liam has been seen as a potential leader as he has developed through the Lancashire Cricket system,” Glen Chapple, Lancashire’s head coach, said. “He showed maturity in the role, without it affecting his form when he captained the side earlier in the season, and he commands the respect of the dressing room.””It is a huge honour to be named Lancashire captain,” said Livingstone. “I feel privileged, humbled, and most of all, hugely excited by this opportunity.”I thoroughly enjoyed captaining the side for a short period earlier this year and I can’t wait to lead the Red Rose out again. The vision for the club is incredibly exciting and we’ve got a very talented group of players in the changing room.”The news, however, came as less of a thrill to Croft, who himself stepped in as leader in 2015 when Tom Smith was injured, and led the club to both that year’s NatWest T20 title and promotion to the first division of the Championship.”Being Captain of one of the biggest cricket clubs in the world has been amazing,” said Croft. “It is something I wanted to continue to do, but I totally respect the decision that has been made.”Leading the Red Rose out onto the field for over 100 matches is something I have loved doing and will always cherish.”Next season I can fully concentrate on the playing side of my game which I’m really looking forward to. I wish Liam the very best of luck and I will always be here to support him and give my all for this great club.”Chapple paid tribute to his outgoing captain while unveiling his replacement. “In congratulating Liam on his appointment, I’d like to acknowledge Steven’s leadership as captain since 2015,” he said.”He has led the side with purpose and character over the last three years and will continue to play a key role as a senior player in the future.”

Glasgow Rangers have announced no changes to their Champions League squad ahead of the vital qualifier against PSV Eindhoven, with the winner progressing to the lucrative group stages.

This means that centre-back Ben Davies misses out once again, having failed to make the squad for the ties against Servette and his future now surely lies away from Ibrox.

Will Ben Davies leave Rangers?

At the start of August, The 4th Official gave a transfer update surrounding a few players, with Davies being told that he was free to secure a move away from the club.

The Englishman only arrived in Glasgow last summer, costing £4m from Liverpool, yet his time at the Gers hasn’t gone to plan.

His Premiership performances last term proved he was out of his depth as he ranked in a lowly 14th spot while also failing to rank in the top five for tackles and interceptions per game, failing to have a positive influence on the squad.

Read the latest Rangers transfer news HERE…

Teddy Bears boss Michael Beale should now spend the remainder of the transfer window trying to recoup some of he £4m fee spent on him in 2022 while also aiming to sign a direct replacement in the process.

Are Rangers interested in Zak Vyner?

According to Bristol Live, the Light Blues have recently shown interest in Zak Vyner as Beale looks to add at least another centre-back to his squad before the end of the window.

Championship side Southampton are also keen on landing the defender this summer, yet the lure of European football will surely favour the Gers in pursuit – with just 12 months left on his current contract at Bristol City, Beale should be aiming to land Vyner for a knockdown fee.

Although the Glasgow side have signed Leon Balogun and Dujon Sterling, the news that Davies could potentially be on his way out indicates that adding another centre-back to cope with the demands a hectic schedule is vital.

Vyner has prior experience of Scottish football, playing 18 times for Aberdeen during the 2019/20 campaign and although this isn’t exactly the best barometer of success, the 26-year-old will know what is expected of him North of the border.

His most impressive spell has come at City however, making 146 appearances for the Championship side across three and a half seasons, and he has begun the current 2023/24 season in excellent fashion.

Following his displays during the first two league ties, Vyner ranks second in the whole squad for overall Sofascore rating (7.1), while ranking first for accurate passes per game (45.5) and interceptions per game (1.5).

This shows he is already having a positive impact on the team and there is no doubt he could be a solid option for Beale to utilise.

He was lauded by his former manager Dean Holden following his first goal for City back in 2021, who said:

“Zak will score better goals, but he will always remember his first for us.

“I was right behind the shot and my only concern was that it might spin wide. I just wish there had been a crowd and his family here to see it.

“He deserved it because it was his first start for me in a new position and I thought his performance was outstanding.”

The next two weeks will hopefully see Beale bring in some more reinforcements at Ibrox, will Vyner be one of them? It would be a shrewd move if the titan did arrive, that’s for sure, as it could see the Ibrox giants finally move on from Davies.

Ashes hopeful Glenn Maxwell (with a remarkably sedate strike rate of 39) and Victoria captain Peter Handscomb were at the crease on 20 and 5 respectively

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2017
ScorecardAlex Doolan celebrates his double-century•Getty ImagesA second first-class double-century, which Alex Doolan turned into a career-best 247 not out, helped Tasmania set Victoria a target of 453 at the MCG. The defending champions were 2 for 67 having played out 24.5 overs at stumps, with play called off early due to bad light.Tasmania declared on 2 for 424 in their second innings and Doolan was the top story in the Sheffield Shield for much of the day, barring a few moments when burnt toast stopped play at Allan Border Field. He hit 30 fours and a six in a knock that spanned nearly 400 deliveries, adding to a strange path his career has taken since the 2016-17 season: Doolan has two double-hundreds in his last 20 innings, but also 16 scores of 25 or less. Tim Paine, who recently made a comeback to the Australian team, gave Doolan company, scoring 71 not out in a partnership worth 191.In the hopes of pulling off something similar, Ashes hopeful Glenn Maxwell (with a remarkably sedate strike rate of 39) and Victoria captain Peter Handscomb were at the crease on 20 and 5 respectively.

Everton have been linked with a summer move for Udinese striker Beto numerous times in recent weeks, and a fresh update has now emerged regarding his possible switch to England.

What's happening with Beto?

It has become abundantly clear that the Blues are crying out for attacking additions in the current transfer window, having looked light in that area of the pitch for far too long, not helped by Dominic Calvert-Lewin's ongoing injuries problems.

That was perfectly highlighted on Saturday afteroon, as Sean Dyche's side suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to Fulham in their opening Premier League game of the season. That's not to say that they didn't play well, however, and they were instead guilty of missing some huge chances, especially the struggling Neal Maupay.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

One player who has emerged as one of the favourites to join Everton before the end of the month is Beto, who has become a key man for Udinese, scoring 22 goals in 64 appearances for the Serie A side.

Now, another update has dropped regarding the Blues' potential move for the 25-year-old – one that suggests there is still plenty of life in the saga before the summer is out.

According to Il Messaggero Veneto [via Sport Witness], Everton are still "thinking" about making a move for Beto before deadline day arrives, seeing him as a strong option to bring in. Instead of signing him permanently though, the Merseysiders are thought to be considering a loan move for the Portuguese giant, with a viewing to signing him for good for £22m next summer.

In a separate update, Rai claim that there is "still time left" for the Blues to get a deal over the line for the Udinese marksman, although they they believe their valuation is less than what his club want for him, hinting that a permanent switch is the preferred outcome.

Is Beto good?

While Youssef Chermiti has already arrived at Goodison in recent times, bolstering Dyche's attacking options, more faces are needed to truly make a difference in the final third this season and beyond.

In Beto, Everton could have a tailor-made option to come in and be an immediate key player, possessing the physical attributes to be a real handful, having been compared to former Blues striker Romelu Lukaku in the past and standing at 6 foot 4. He has also been spoken of fondly to his face by legendary superstar striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

His aforementioned record for Udinese is an impressive one – a record of 21 goals in 61 Serie A games is strong, considering he is not playing for top club and is in one of Europe's toughest leagues – and a loan move could actually make the most sense, giving Everton a little more leeway if he ends up struggling in his first season at the club.

Either way, it is absolutely paramount that the Blues continue working hard on getting attacking business over the line as soon as possible, with Leeds United star Wilfried Gnonto another potential addition, as well as Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike.

Prashant Chopra’s 271 was the second-highest aggregate of runs scored by a batsman in a single day in the Ranji Trophy, and also equalled the highest individual score for Himachal Pradesh

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Oct-2017
Prashant Chopra’s 271 not out on the first day equalled the highest individual score for Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy•Shailesh BhatnagarPrashant Chopra pummelled Punjab’s attack on the opening day the Group D match in Dharamsala, ending the day unbeaten on 271 off 289 balls in Himachal Pradesh’s 459 for 2.Chopra’s knock is second on the list of most runs scored by a batsman in a single day in the tournament’s history, after Bhausaheb Nimbalkar’s tally of 277 (he went from 24 not out to 301 not out), in his famous knock of 443 not out. Chopra’s double-hundred also equalled Himachal Pradesh’s highest scorer in the Ranji Trophy, a record previously held by Rajeev Nayyar, against Jammu & Kashmir in 1999.Chopra surpassed his previous first-class best of 237 on Friday, hitting 37 fours and one six in his innings. The Himachal opener was involved in two large stands: 187 for the second wicket with Sumeet Verma and an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 264 with Paras Dogra (99 not out). Sandeep Sharma, who took the first wicket for Punjab in the third over of the day after Himachal opted to bat, was the most economical bowler with returns of 1 for 76 in 18 overs.Bengal’s top order, led by No. 3 Sudip Chatterjee, set up a strong base against Services in Delhi, ending the first day at 341 for 3. Chatterjee was unbeaten on 114 – his ninth first-class century – having helped Bengal capitalize on a solid start after being put in to bat.The Bengal openers, Abhishek Raman and Abhimanyu Easwaran, put on a stand of 97, with Easwaran going on to make 65 before he became the second batsman to be dismissed. Chatterjee and Bengal captain Manoj Tiwary then utilized that base and added 153 runs for the third wicket, before Tiwary fell for 69.Wriddhiman Saha and Chatterjee saw the side until close of play with 63-run partnership. Chatterjee struck 11 fours in his 182-ball stay at the crease.
Mohammad Kaif’s unbeaten 49 helped Chhattisgarh arrest a minor slump and reach 189 for 5 against Goa in Porvorim. Chhattisgarh lost a wicket in the first over after choosing to bat first, but stabilized through a 72-run second-wicket partnership between Rishabh Tiwari and Abhimanyu Chauhan. However, the side then went on to lose four wickets for 51 runs, and were floundering at 123 for 5 before Kaif and wicketkeeper Manoj Singh took them closer to 200. The pair added 66 runs for the sixth wicket in a little over 28 overs before bad light forced an early end to the day. Goa left-arm spinner Darshan Misal took two wickets, and also ran out Chauhan for 37.

Arsenal have rejected a bid from Monaco for Folarin Balogun and are refusing to compromise on their £50m valuation of the young striker, according to Sky Sports' Dharmesh Sheth.

Is Balogun leaving Arsenal?

Having enjoyed a prolific loan spell at Ligue 1 side Stade Reims last season, Balogun is now ready to find his new permanent home.

While the 22-year-old forward would undoubtedly relish the chance to be a starting striker for Arsenal, he will have to look elsewhere for regular minutes as he sits behind Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and new acquisition Kai Havertz in the pecking order.

His impressive campaign in France means that his value has skyrocketed from this time last season, with Arsenal having slapped an eye-watering £50m price tag on the United States international.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

A number of clubs have been circling the youngster including the likes of Inter, West Ham United and Crystal Palace, but it is Monaco that have seen a bid rejected according to Sheth.

Inter are expected to come back in for Balogun following Gianluca Scamacca's decision to choose Atalanta over the Nerazzurri, but Sheth suggests Arsenal are holding firm on their valuation of their centre-forward.

Speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), Sheth stated: "We're told that Monaco have bid for Folarin Balogun. It was a written offer and it has been rejected by Arsenal.

"Arsenal are not budging at the moment on their valuation of around £50m for Folarin Balogun. He's in the final two years of his contract, but he wants to make that move to get regular first-team football. What we do expect to happen now though is Inter Milan to really push to sign him.

"They were in for Lukaku but he started talking to Juventus, so they said 'thanks but no thanks'. They went in for Balogun again but couldn't agree a fee with Arsenal, so they switched their attention to Gianluca Scamacca. [They] thought they were going to get that deal done, Atalanta came in, they couldn't match the conditions that Atalanta were offering West Ham United, so as we have been mentioning Scamacca is now an Atalanta player.

"So, Inter Milan are refocusing their attention back on to Folarin Balogun. For this deal to be done though, it looks like Arsenal may just need to relax that £50m asking price."

The Gunners' steep asking price is making a deal between Arsenal and Balogun's suitors near impossible as few clubs are capable of splashing that kind of money on a fairly inexperienced young attacker.

Arsenal have reportedly told Balogun to find another club quickly, but as Sheth suggests, they may need to be willing to compromise on their large valuation before that can happen.

Has Balogun played for Arsenal?

Despite it being Balogun's first season of consistent first-team senior football, the two-cap United States forward took no time adjusting to life at the top.

Balogun managed 21 goals and three assists with Reims in Ligue 1 last season, having previously only featured in a limited capacity at Arsenal and Middlesbrough.

In fact, Balogun has only featured ten times for Arsenal's first team, only two of which came in the Premier League. The striker has scored twice for the Gunners, both goals coming in the Europa League during the 2020/21 season against Molde and Dundalk.

The fact that Balogun, who was hailed by Mikel Arteta as "special", only has one season of consistent top-flight football under his belt is perhaps one of the reasons clubs are reluctant to spend big on the forward.

West Ham United's Italian striker Gianluca Scamacca could leave the club this summer as, according to journalist Alex Crook, he will "keep pushing" for an exit after an offer from Inter Milan was rejected.

Is Gianluca Scamacca leaving West Ham United this summer?

It hasn't been the transfer window West Ham fans would've been dreaming of so far this summer.

Whilst the loss of club captain Declan Rice was something most people expected to happen, the apparent reluctance to spend any of the £105m they received for their star is more surprising.

It now looks like another big-name player will be following the England international out the door before anyone comes the other way, with Italy international Scamacca looking increasingly likely to return to Serie A, with Inter Milan seemingly intent on signing him.

Read the latest West Ham United transfer news HERE…

According to the Daily Mail, the Italian giants have made an offer worth £25m to the Conference League holders, which was turned down as they hold out for at least £30m.

The Hammers only signed the striker last summer in a deal worth £35m, so, understandably, they would want to recuperate as much of that initial outlay as they can, but with last year panning out so poorly for the player, he will continue to agitate for an exit, per journalist Alex Crook.

He explained the situation live on TalkSport, which was posted to their YouTube channel:

"It's a good few weeks since Declan Rice completed his British record £105m move to Arsenal, but still not a single player signed and actually more players looking to follow Declan Rice out the exit.

"Gianluca Scamacca – hasn't worked out for him at all – certainly is one of those. We know there was a bid of around about £17m from Inter Milan that was rejected instantly but he will keep pushing."

How good was Gianluca Scamacca last season?

It wasn't a great debut season for the former Sassuolo man last year, but a lot of that is down to terrible luck with injuries, as he missed a total of 23 games for the Hammers last year and spent 172 days on the sidelines since suffering an initial injury in mid-November.

That said, when he has donned the Claret and Blue, he has often flattered to deceive.

In the 16 Premier League games he has played for the east Londoners, he has scored only three times, provided no assists, maintained a poor passing accuracy of 66.9% and averaged a fairly mediocre match rating of 6.50, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are nothing to shout about and suggest that his poor return at the London Stadium can't just be chalked up to bad luck.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the 6 foot 5 titan's best statistics are that he sits in the top 13% for interceptions, the top 10% for tackles and the top 30% for total shots, all per 90.

None of those numbers paints the picture of a great striker and, worse still, he sits in the bottom 17% for non-penalty expected goals and expected assists, the bottom 11% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the bottom 6% for assists, also all per 90.

At the end of the day, his performances have certainly been limited by injury, but when he has had the opportunity to show what he can do, he has totally underperformed.

He also failed to produce for Italy last season, with former striker Christian Vieri telling Il Corriere della Sera (via West Ham Zone):

"He (Scamacca) is far behind, I thought he'd get regular playing time at West Ham.

"He must show something more and score more goals."

Ultimately, if the Irons can get the £30m they want and lose just £5m to get him off their books, it might be best for all parties involved and give Scamacca a chance to rebuild his career.