Royal Antwerp are now expecting Manchester United’s offer for their star man to arrive soon after already holding contacts over the weekend, according to a new report.
Man Utd chasing multiple striker targets
As the Red Devils finally complete their deal for Bryan Mbeumo, the Premier League side are already turning their attention to their next targets. But while United do plan to make more signings, it is expected that departures are needed before they can spend more money. Marcus Rashford is now close to joining Barcelona on an initial loan deal, and the hope is that Anthony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho soon follow.
He'd be lethal with Cunha: Man Utd hold talks to sign £100m centre-forward
Man Utd have held talks over a potential deal to sign a star who would be lethal with Matheus Cunha.
ByDan Emery Jul 21, 2025
Should they do so, United look set to try and sign a new striker this summer, as a lack of goals at the top end of the pitch cost the Premier League giants a lot last season.
In their search for a new striker, there are four names on United’s shortlist. One is Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford. Meanwhile, United have made contact with PSG over signing Randal Kolo Muani and have held talks with the agent of Nicolas Jackson over a move this summer. United have also now intensified their interest in signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.
As well as signing a new striker, United appear to be in the market for a new goalkeeper.
Club expecting Man Utd bid to arrive soon for £17m ace
According to Belgian outlet HLN.BE, via SimplyUTD, Royal Antwerp are now expecting Man United to submit a bid to sign Senne Lammens.
Senne Lammens in the Champions League for Royal Antwerp.
United’s interest in the 23-year-old is becoming increasingly concrete, and the Belgian side are open to selling their goalkeeper for a fee between £13–17 million. This comes after it was reported on Sunday by Fabrizio Romano that United had made contact to get an understanding of a deal to sign Lammens, who is on the list of options the Red Devils are considering.
The Belgian has been at Royal Antwerp since 2023, and last season he enjoyed a “superb season” according to scout Jacek Kulig, as he finished the campaign having kept seven clean sheets and conceded 32 goals in 30 Jupiler Pro League games. Lammens is under contract until 2027, but Antwerp are ready to cash in on their goalkeeper.
Apps
60
Goals conceded
82
Clean sheets
12
As well as United, both Leeds United and Sunderland are interested in signing Lammens this summer, but the opportunity to move to Old Trafford and potentially become United’s number one ahead of Andre Onana may be too good to turn down. Lammens’ potential arrival at United could either see him replace Onana or replace Altay Bayindir, who has also been linked with a move away.
Ireland were bowled out for just 132 inside 32 overs
Abhimanyu Bose02-Oct-2024South Africa 271 for 9 (Rickelton 91, Stubbs 79, Adair 4-50, Young 3-45) beat Ireland 132 (Dockrell 21, Williams 4-32, Fortuin 2-28, Ngidi 2-35) by 139 runs Career-best ODI scores from Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs respectively and career-best List A figures of 4-32 from Lizaad Williams helped South Africa crush Ireland by 139 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.Rickelton and Stubbs put on a 152-run partnership in the middle of two mini-collapses to help South Africa get to 271 before Williams’ three-for in an eight-over opening spell left Ireland five down inside 14 overs. Ireland eventually only got to 132.South Africa got off to a watchful start, with Rickelton doing a majority of the scoring early on. He cut Mark Adair through point for a boundary off the first ball of the match before hitting a couple of cover drives off Graham Hume and Adair.In between, Hume induced the outside edge from him but was dropped by wicketkeeper Stephen Doheny.But Adair got the breakthrough in the seventh over, when he changed tactics and banged one in short. Tony de Zorzi got a top edge as he looked to pull and was taken at deep backward square.Temba Bavuma was then given out lbw first ball as a length ball jagged in from outside off, but was reprieved as he reviewed and ball-tracking showed the ball going over middle stump.But it was short-lived relief for the South African captain, as Craig Young got another inducker to beat his defence and crash into the stumps.Two wickets in two overs became three in three as Adair ended his first spell by getting Rassie van der Dussen to edge to second slip.Once the first powerplay ended, spin came in and that led to more chances. Stubbs tried to reverse-sweep Andy Mcbrine but hit it straight to short third where Craig Young shelled a catch in the seventeenth over. One ball later, Rickelton lofted debutant legspinner Gavin Hoey down the ground and just cleared long-on, who was standing a few yards inside the ropes and had to track back.Hume came back into the attack in the 22nd over, and was launched over long-on by Stubbs as he brought up a half-century stand with Rickelton.Rickelton brought up his maiden ODI half-century off 74 balls in the 26th over and immediately put his foot down on the accelerator.Hoey bowled a couple of half-volleys and Rickelton first lofted him down the ground before slog-sweeping him over midwicket. When Hoey shortened his length, Rickelton adjusted to steer it past the wicketkeeper for a boundary in what was an 18-run over.Stubbs brought up a 62-run fifty in the next over, before Rickelton slapped Campher through backward point for another boundary to bring up the century stand. While the first fifty runs of their partnership took 73 balls, they took just 39 balls to get the next fifty.Stubbs then came down the ground to Craig Young for a six over long-on that brought up 150 for South Africa in the 30th over, before Hoey was swept behind square by Rickelton next over.Even as Stubbs hit McBrine and Adair for boundaries, that was the last one Rickelton hit. After facing ten balls without a boundary, Rickelton tried to go after a full and wide delivery from McBrine but ended up dragging the ball on, falling nine runs short of a maiden ODI century.File photo: Lizaad Williams ended with 4 for 32•ICC via Getty ImagesThat dismissal sparked another mini-collapse as Adair combined with Balbirnie for two wickets in his next two overs. Stubbs pulled the fast bowler to Balbirnie at short midwicket before Phehlukwayo was done in by a slower ball and ended up spooning it short cover.A slower ball brought about another wicket as Wiaan Mulder was early in his attempt to pull Young and holed out at deep midwicket.Young then had his third when Williams skied his pull to deep midwicket, as South Africa lost five wickets for 38 runs.Bjorn Fortuin took South Africa past 250 as he hit Young for two boundaries before pulling Hume to midwicket for a 34-ball 28. Ngidi then hit a four and a six to take South Africa to 271.Ngidi continued giving South Africa momentum when the chase began, as he got Paul Stirling to chop on.Balbirnie and Curtis Campher then rebuilt for Ireland, adding 35 runs including top-edged sixes from both batters, before Williams drew an inside edge from Balbirnie that hit the stumps.Harry Tector brought out two gorgeous drives, one through point and one down the ground, off consecutive balls from Williams before he was trapped in front next ball.Williams then got one to stop on Campher, who was early into a shot and ended up offering a simple catch to cover.Debutant Ottneil Baartman then had his maiden ODI wicket when he got one to jag in and go through Doheny’s defence. George Dockrell and Adair hung around before the latter got a feather edge off Ngidi in the 21st over.Four overs later, Dockrell chopped on off Mulder before Fortuin trapped Hoey in front next over to ensure all of South Africa’s bowlers got on the wickets column.Williams returned to complete his quota and bounced McBrine out in his final over before Fortuin had Hume caught at mid-off to wrap up the win.
Aston Villa have a lot of work to do before their Premier League season gets underway next month with a home tie against Newcastle United.
Several summer departures will likely take place, with Emiliano Martinez reportedly keen on a move to Manchester United, while Jacob Ramsey is attracting interest from Nottingham Forest. But, with their PSR concerns now a thing of the past, plenty of new signings could also arrive through the door soon.
Aston Villa manager UnaiEmery
In particular, some confidence-boosting attacking additions look to be a priority, particularly if Ollie Watkins ends up joining Martinez as another first-team face to have left the building.
Aston Villa considering move for £60m striker
Watkins does look to have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to who he could pick as his next club after Villa, with it being reported that Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are all keen on adding the England international to their respective sides.
Losing Watkins would be a notable blow, but Villa could begin to repair their depleted attack by adding reported target Alejandro Garnacho to their camp from the aforementioned Red Devils, alongside raiding Enzo Maresca’s men when going after a fresh centre-forward purchase.
An update from journalist Ben Jacobs via X indicates that Villa are in the running to land hot-and-cold Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson this summer, with Villa considering his name as they hunt down some more personnel up top.
It’s revealed that Chelsea won’t be pushing the ex-Villarreal attacker out the door – despite his hit-and-miss finishing ability – but they would consider bids if some are forthcoming, with Jackson reportedly available for around the £60m mark.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
How Jackson could be Villa's next Duran
It would be an almighty gamble on Villa’s end to splash out some significant bucks on such an inconsistent performer but there are similarities, not just in the way they arrived in the country, but in their play styles too.
Indeed, the Villans took a risk when they landed Jhon Duran for £18m back in January of 2023, only to be immediately vindicated when he became a clinical hero for Unai Emery and Co.
After all, Duran didn’t dive into the English game boasting the most mind-blowing numbers for Chicago Fire, with only eight goals coming his way from 28 appearances in the Windy City.
Yet, he instantly became a favourite in the West Midlands for his high-octane performances in attack, culminating in a huge chunk of his 20 goals for Villa coming last season when he bagged 12 strikes from just 29 outings.
Goals
7
3
Assists
0
0
Goal conversion percentage
23%
21%
Goal frequency (minutes)
89
79
Shots per game
1.6
2
Chelsea purchased Jackson for around the £32m mark in the same year the Colombian arrived in England, knowing plenty more could come from the 24-year-old in his new location, with Villa already on the receiving end of Jackson’s lethal bursts when he headed home this effort against them during his debut campaign in West London.
Indeed, Jackson fired home a promising 13 strikes in Spain before embarking on this daunting adventure with the Blues, and whilst there have been plenty of grumbles at Stamford Bridge over his wastefulness, he has shown in spells that he can be a deadly and impactful presence on his day, just as Duran has.
Amazingly, despite squandering a costly 43 big chances across his two top-flight seasons at Chelsea, Jackson does still have more strikes next to his name in the Premier League alone than Duran mustered up across his entire Villa Park stint, with 24 goals in 64 league clashes.
Despite that, there are stylistic similarities between the pair, as the numbers showcase.
Shots
3.08
4.27
Shots on target
1.38
1.93
Completed passes
12.3
16.2
Progressive passes
1.54
1.83
Shot-creating actions
2.97
2.54
Successful take-ons
0.73
0.42
Analysing the data, we get a sense that neither are particularly involved in the play in large spells, registering fewer than 20 passes per game.
Likewise, neither striker particularly grabs the ball and takes a player on, completing fewer than one dribble per 90 minutes. Crucially, they both possess the ability to play on the shoulder of the last man and have a gangly playstyle associated with their height. Duran is 6 foot 1, while Jackson is 6 foot 2.
Nicolas Jackson
The 24-year-old Jackson might well welcome a fresh opportunity at Villa, particularly when taking in Emery’s transformative powers that worked wonders on the likes of Marcus Rashford last season. He had experienced an equally challenging time at Manchester United before bouncing back well with the Villans, amassing a blistering four goals and six assists in claret and blue.
Moreover, it’s even clearer from the Spaniard’s track record with Duran that he could be the manager to get even more out of a scapegoated Jackson, with the Senegal international once being labelled as a “special” talent by journalist Rahman Osman.
Of course, this move might well backfire if the 24-year-old’s wasteful displays rear their ugly head once more in the West Midlands. But, much like with Duran, it feels like a shot in the dark worth taking.
Better than Ramsey: Aston Villa register interest in £40m "superstar"
Aston Villa could soon win an attacking superstar who is better than Jacob Ramsey.
Manchester United have now made an enquiry over signing a £34 million defender who is also wanted by Tottenham Hotspur and once rejected a move to Arsenal.
Man Utd eyeing defensive reinforcements this summer
It could be said that there are multiple positions United need to address this summer, with strengthening their forward line clearly a key agenda, given the arrival of Matheus Cunha and the expected arrival of Bryan Mbeumo. But as well as looking at the front of the team, Ruben Amorim is also mindful about his defence, and they are now looking at potential arrivals there.
Man Utd considering move to sign "incredible" Bayern Munich star for £25m
Amorim has identified a player he believes will transform his midfield and knows the Premier League well.
1 ByBrett Worthington Jun 9, 2025
At the end of last week, it was reported in Spain that INEOS were readying a £25 million bid to sign Vanderson from AS Monaco. The Brazilian is a right-back by trade, so he would likely be a player to compete for a starting spot in Amorim’s wing-back role. The 23-year-old finished last season with one goal and three assists in 29 Ligue 1 games, and that earned him a call-up to the Brazil squad in Carlo Ancelotti’s first games in charge.
As well as preparing a bid to sign Vanderson, reports have emerged that United have opened talks to sign Aymeric Laporte from Al-Nassr. The Frenchman is expected to leave Saudi Arabia this summer, and that has alerted United, who would be making a bold move given his time at Manchester City. Al-Nassr are looking to get around £23 million for Laporte.
Man Utd make enquiry to sign Evan Ndicka from Roma
Laporte is not the only centre-back on the radar of the Red Devils, as according to RMC Sport, Man United have now made an approach to sign Evan Ndicka from AS Roma, who once rejected a move to Arsenal, saying: “I’m not pretending that I don’t see the rumours. But I have respect in Rome and I respect them. I have three years remaining on my contract, we will see what happens later.”
Atalanta's Raoul Bellanova in action with AS Roma's EvanNdicka
Amorim is looking to strengthen his options in defence, and Ndicka is now a name that is under consideration by the Red Devils. However, they are not alone, as Tottenham have also made an approach to Roma over a possible deal, and they could hold an advantage over United, as they can offer the defender Champions League football.
Despite being under contract until 2028, Ndicka, who has been dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig, is allowed to leave Roma this summer, with them reportedly looking to get €40 million, which is roughly £34 million, for his services.
Apps
38
Starts
38
Assists
1
Touches per game
75.3
Balls recovered per game
3.5
Dribbled past per game
0.2
Clearances per game
3.8
Errors leading to goal
0
The 25-year-old, who has been capped six times for the Ivory Coast, joined the Italian team in July 2023 on a free transfer. During his time in Italy, Ndicka has been a consistent performer for Roma, playing in every league game during the 2024/25 campaign.
He started all 38 matches and helped Roma keep 16 clean sheets. United have seen Victor Lindelof depart Old Trafford, and with Lisandro Martínez still recovering from his long-term injury, Amorim may see Ndicka as a player who can provide not only competition but also improve their defensive organisation.
Even the best managers spend time out of the game, with some waiting for the right opportunity to reignite their careers, while others just want a break from the high-octane life of being a top-level boss.
Several high-profile managers who find themselves out of work could be options for clubs in the Premier League and across the continent to replace those under pressure.
All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)
How much each Premier League gaffer earns.
ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025
Here, Football FanCast takes a look at a selection of active managers who are out of work at the moment.
1 Massimiliano Allegri Last job: Juventus (May 2024)
The veteran Italian coach Massimiliano Allegri has a glittering CV. Not only has he won six Serie A titles across spells at Juventus and Milan, but the 57-year-old has won five Coppa Italia trophies, too.
A serial winner indeed, but Allegri left the Old Lady at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and is still without work, making him one of the standout options on this list.
2 Francesco Farioli Last job: Ajax (May 2025)
Francesco Farioli has been quietly making his name as an up-and-coming manager in recent years, with his early career already taking him to Turkey, France and the Netherlands.
His most recent spell at Ajax had the Dutch giants on the brink of an Eredivisie title, but a sensational collapse saw them win just one of their final five games to let PSV – who themselves had a commanding lead at one stage – off the hook.
Farioli resigned in the aftermath of their dramatic season conclusion despite qualifying for the Champions League.
3 Jurgen Klopp Last job: Liverpool (May 2024)
Red Bull's Global Head of Soccer JuergenKloppduring a press conference
Jurgen Klopp called time on his dazzling nine-year stay at Liverpool in 2024, leaving the club having restored them as champions of England in 2019/20 after earning their sixth European Cup a year earlier.
Klopp has since taken up a role at Red Bull, where he was appointed as global head of soccer at the start of 2025. Since then, he has been linked with the vacancy at Roma, who recently bid farewell to Claudio Ranieri.
However, Klopp had insisted that he had run out of energy upon his Liverpool exit, so perhaps he will take some time yet before deciding his next coaching role.
4 Julen Lopetegui Last job: West Ham United (Jan 2025)
West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui
Julen Lopetegui has been unemployed since being let go by West Ham United in early 2025, having been unable to improve the Hammers’ fortunes after replacing David Moyes at the London Stadium.
A Europa League winner with Sevilla, the Spaniard’s CV remains an impressive one, and had previously displayed his managerial prowess in the Premier League with Wolves, so perhaps a better match-up can bring the best out of the ex-Real Madrid and Spain boss.
5 Thiago Motta Last job: Juventus (Mar 2025)
New Juventus manager Thiago Motta
Thiago Motta announced himself in the managerial world by steering Bologna to an unlikely Champions League place in 2023/24. His success led him to joining Juventus, who had parted with Massimiliano Allegri.
However, his spell as Bianconeri boss was underwhelming, and was dismissed with their Champions League qualification hopes under threat, while their European campaign also had its struggles, exiting the play-off round to PSV.
Motta was sacked in March as results in Serie A continued to disappoint.
6 Marco Rose Last job: RB Leipzig (Mar 2025)
RB Leipzig coachMarcoRosebefore the match
Marco Rose has had a relatively chequered history when it comes to success in the dugout.
After enjoying league success at Red Bull Salzburg, Rose had mixed spells at Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, his most recent club.
His tenures saw a mixture of Champions League qualifications and mid-table finishes, with the 2024/25 campaign seeing RB Leipzig fail to get out of the league phase in the Champions League as well as a drop-off in form in the Bundesliga. As a result, he is looking for a fifth job in eight years.
7 Roger Schmidt Last job: Benfica (August 2024)
Roger Schmidt has been out of work since leaving Benfica in August 2024. Across two seasons with the Portuguese side, the German led the club to the league title in his maiden campaign, also winning the Portuguese Super Cup.
Benfica could only finish second behind Sporting CP last year, and after winning 7 points from 12 in the 2024/25 campaign, Schmidt departed the club.
He is no stranger to the pressures of managing a top side, also enjoying spells at PSV and Bayer Leverkusen, but it remains to be seen where he ends up next.
8 Gareth Southgate Last job: England (July 2024)
Gareth Southgate bowed out after eight years of service as England manager, having twice taken them to the brink of European glory.
The end of the European Championship campaign in the summer of 2024 brought about the end of his tenure, with Southgate calling time after securing two runners-up medals and a first World Cup semi-final since 1990.
Despite him being linked to vacancies at Manchester United and former club Crystal Palace in the recent past, he had originally claimed that he would take a year out after cutting ties with the national team. Does that mean his next role is around the corner?
England's 10 best managers of all time – ranked
How does Gareth Southgate rank among previous England bosses?
ByBen Browning Jul 17, 2024 9 Erik ten Hag Last job: Manchester United (October 2024)
Erik ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United having led them to a League Cup triumph in his first season and the FA Cup in his second, but it wasn’t good enough to save his job.
Premier League finishes of third and eighth proved to be what Ten Hag was judged on. Adding in the fact that the Old Trafford side ended bottom of their Champions League group in 2023/24, it was clear he couldn’t get the team playing to his desired style on a consistent basis.
Perhaps a spell at a club with less pressure will allow him to restore his reputation. Having said that, he was linked with the vacant role at Bayer Leverkusen in May, with Xabi Alonso recently departing the German Bundesliga club.
10 Edin Terzić Last job: Borussia Dortmund (June 2024)
Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic
Edin Terzić led Borussia Dortmund to a surprise appearance in the 2023/24 Champions League final. A 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid was perhaps expected, but it looked like it could usher in a new era for the German side.
Just a week later, Terzic left Dortmund after three seasons in charge across two separate spells. Still young in managerial terms, he could be an ideal candidate for any major job that opens up across Europe.
Everton are embarking on a new era under David Moyes and could now land themselves a summer transfer bargain once the window opens for business.
Everton look to make summer window mark
Survival has been achieved with flying colours by Everton and there is only one match now left at Goodison Park before supporters say goodbye to their home ahead of moving to Bramley Moore Dock.
Emotions are running high and there will be plenty of time for sentimental thoughts over the next few weeks, but fans will feel emboldened that the club are headed in the right direction under David Moyes.
Exciting times are on the horizon under The Friedkin Group and plenty of transfer movement is expected on Merseyside, with Inter Milan defender Yann Bisseck cited as an ambitious potential arrival.
Gustavo Hamer could also join the Toffees from Sheffield United if Moyes has his way, as the former Netherlands Under-20 international is viewed as an ideal creative midfield option by the man in charge.
Abdoulaye Doucoure heads up a lengthy list of players that could be set to leave Everton upon the expiry of their contract or loan deals, which could be the signal for a sea change to take place in the dressing room.
Everton make first contact in race to sign "talented" ex-Arsenal defender
He could complete a Premier League return.
ByTom Cunningham May 1, 2025
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young are among other potential departures on free transfers, leaving Moyes with some tough choices to make when considering the future look of his group.
While money is set to be available this summer, PSR regulations will keep clubs in check, meaning Everton could be forced to look for inexpensive pick-ups in certain positions to boost squad depth.
Spying an opportunity to land a bargain, the Toffees are now said to be in pole position to land one of England’s most trustworthy strikers.
Everton looking to seal move for Jamie Vardy
According to reports, Everton are looking to sign Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy once he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and are believed to be at the front of the race. Evaluating his profile, Moyes and TFG are said to value the former Three Lions international’s work ethic and capacity to deliver in pressure moments, citing him as someone who could be a leader in the short-term.
Jamie Vardy’s Premier League statistics – 2024/25
Shots
52
Shots on target
23
Chances created
19
Touches in opposition box
106
Goals
7
Assists
3
Becoming a shining light in a grim season for Leicester, the 38-year-old has been labelled “brilliant” by Gary Lineker and still retains a desire to offer something at the highest level.
Financially, Everton would be able to land the veteran on a free transfer, allowing room for manouvre to spend on other areas in need of surgery. Nevertheless, plenty of other clubs will also be in the hunt for £140,000 per week earner Vardy’s signature due to his potent nature, creating an intriguing few months ahead to see who will eventually land his services once the window opens.
Data collected from umpire-worn cameras will inform English attempts to win 2025-26 Ashes
Vithushan Ehantharajah16-May-2024News of James Anderson’s impending retirement was, in many ways, a starter pistol for England’s bid to reclaim the Ashes. Behind the scenes, however, that race had already begun.The ECB’s performance team are currently in the process of building a “What It Takes To Win” model for the 2025-26 tour to Australia. Its construction will be informed by the knowledge of coaches and players past and present, along with data accrued from previous visits. Once deemed robust enough, it will refine decisions around talent ID and provide selectors all the information required to select a squad capable of a first win Down Under since 2010-11. The aim, ultimately, is to “bring data to life”.Thanks to the ECB’s new iHawk technology, collecting that data has never been easier or more qualitative. Through cameras worn by umpires, each delivery is tracked to provide information such as seam movement, release height, pace and swing. An overlay highlighting the path of the ball is then produced, complete with the above information at the top left of the screen.Related
Anderson to retire after Lord's Test against West Indies
Stuart Broad: England face 'scary' lack of experience in James Anderson's absence
Key, McCullum, Stokes told Anderson: It's time to move on
Ben Stokes confirmed for Durham Championship return
Switch Hit: Oh Jimmy Jimmy
A soft launch in 2023 saw 200 matches and over 50,000 balls logged from more than 250 bowlers. Every domestic men’s and women’s match will be covered for the first time this season.There is already a healthy bank of information on the next crop of quicks with the Ashes in mind, outside the contracted Matthew Potts, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, and Josh Tongue, which will be pored over in the coming weeks. A longer-term project is currently in the works to determine the precise difference in behaviour between the Dukes and Kookaburra balls from gleanings during its use in the first two rounds of the County Championship, supplemented by findings when it returns in July and August.With the start of England men’s Test summer two months away, all this will be fed to the selection committee made up of captain Ben Stokes, head coach Brendon McCullum, managing director Rob Key and national selector Luke Wright. Whether for the series against West Indies or Sri Lanka, a scientific punt could be in the offing.”It’s a massive project just started now on what it will take to win the Ashes,” explains Stafford Murray, performance lead at the ECB with a background in analytics in squash and Olympic sports. “Data based, knowledge of coaches, players, current and ex. We’ll synthesise all that into a ‘What It Takes To Win’ model and then we’ll work back from that – what do we need, what type of player do we need, and then we can start delving into selection.”If we’re brave, which I know we will be, we’ll be selecting in series before the Ashes with the Ashes in mind,” says Murray, referencing the fact players best equipped to perform in all conditions will be considered. “It’s a blend and it’s an ongoing, iterative process, working towards a long-term goal. It’s a ‘performance backwards’ approach.”Deliveries are tracked to provide information on seam movement, release height, pace and swing•ECBPrimarily a business model, “performance backwards” is as it sounds; identifying a future goal and working out the route to that point in reverse. England employed it for the recent tour of India, which led to the selection Shoaib Bashir. The Somerset offspinner took 17 wickets across three Tests, having arrived with a first-class average of 67.00 from just six matches.”Shoaib is a really good example [of this],” explains Hannah Jowitt, the lead on the iHawk project as well as analyst and project specialist for the ECB’s pathway and disability programmes. After Stokes spotted Bashir bowling to Alastair Cook on a social media post by the County Championship account, the gears started turning.”One step before that, we analysed what was needed in India. Release height in India was really important. We got data from county cricket. That, combined with scouts’ insights, led to his selection for the UAE [Lions] camp. Coaches and selectors had physical eyes on him there. We got more iHawk data on him, more video [fed directly by Murray to a WhatsApp group featuring Key, McCullum, Stokes and Wright], which led to his selection for playing in India.”Essentially, iHawk is HawkEye “lite”. The full bells and whistles, which require between four and six cameras, are exclusive to international cricket due to, among other factors, cost.iHawk data influenced England’s selection of Shoaib Bashir in India•BCCISuch are the advances in the space of 12 months that the kit has been streamlined from a camera phone on a “necklace” and a 2kg waistband filled with the necessary hardware to a more secure harness with a GoPro and a mobile phone as a “mini-computer” in an umpire’s back pocket.Though not a real-time system, at its best, information is fed through into each analyst’s coding system and is also available in a central hub in the cloud within three or four balls, depending on Wi-Fi connections. With the help of Artificial Intelligence, that should soon be instantaneous.All counties have access to this hub, which offers a dashboard with a range of filters, including whether they are English-qualified. Pace bowlers can be arranged to see who, for instance, bowls the greater percentage of deliveries above a certain threshold.This season, one bowler, whom the ECB has kept anonymous due to binds on performance data and thus may or may not be English qualified, has delivered 12% above 88mph, with 3% in excess of 90mph. The catch is that they have had only 34 deliveries tracked at the time of writing.For batters, filters can be applied accordingly to show how they fair against “Test-quality deliveries”. The ECB has also devised an “impact metric” by using 2023’s data to devise a specific model to determine a batter’s quality beyond traditional statistics. Essentially, the impact their innings had on the outcome of the match, tied in with factors such as a ground’s scoring history, fielding data and even the weather to give as much context as possible. Zak Crawley’s presence in the Test team before his purple patch was ultimately along these lines – picked on Test potential because of the nature of his skills rather than domestic output.”By looking at the quality of the ball through iHawk, we can measure whether their shot or their ball had a positive or negative impact on the probability of that match,” Murray says. “They might have only got 23, but actually, if you look at his impact, it was greater than someone who scored 40.Anonymised iHawk data on bowler speeds•ECB”A lot of players, particularly in the Champo, both ends, ones that have really good traditional figures, might not have a massive impact. Ones that have bad traditional figures might have a huge impact. It’s a different way of looking at the data with better context.”Umpires, too, are benefiting from iHawk. Its accuracy and perspective from the umpire’s perspective are such that it is being used as a developmental aid.”It’s been a really good learning tool for us,” Surendiran Shanmugam, a member of the ECB’s professional umpires’ team, says. “To go back and look at your decisions, even though we are not being assessed with that, it helps us match what we see on the field and are my decisions still right based on these videos.”The technology’s limitations mean it is not being considered as a watered-down alternative for DRS. Nevertheless, umpires are picking up on emerging trends and even starting to use it to familiarise themselves with the idiosyncrasies of different cricketers. The latter is particularly important given the churn of overseas players in an English summer.”I hope we use it to go really proactive, especially with overseas players coming in and out a lot,” says Hamish Grant, professional umpires’ manager at the ECB. He cites the decision error rate in the Hundred last year, which was similar across the men’s and women’s competitions but for very different reasons.”In the men’s it was left-armers bowling really full and going across off stump, which we just never see. Normally it’s missing leg stump, but that type of bowling, there are a lot of bowlers doing that.”In the women’s game there was a lot of legspinners. We don’t have as many domestically, [but] we had a lot from the southern hemisphere coming over and that provided a really different challenge.”
No blood was spilt, no bones broken, no wickets taken. And still, the bowling was scarily good
Osman Samiuddin03-Jul-2022The over from hell began about half an hour before the close, the ground bathed in sunlight a shade of extreme troll: all day absent only to turn up when there’s barely an hour left. It was the 22nd over of an England innings that had begun nearly seven hours ago.Three breaks for rain meant Mohammed Shami was bowling his 11th consecutive over without undue strain. Shami is not the most famous Lala in cricket. But with his thinning hair and permanent air of a character who has accidentally strolled out from a Netflix series on the badlands of Uttar Pradesh, he is a very endearing one.The ten overs, split by rain into spells of one, two, four and three overs before this one had been both exemplary and an exemplar of Shami bowling. Only, somehow amplified. No water had crept onto the pitch but his balls were skimming off it as if off a body of water, and not clay and soil and grass.Related
Bumrah cameo and three-for make it India's day amid rain breaks
Classical Shami completes his evolution into champion bowler
Kohli: Shami among 'best three seamers in world at the moment'
Each delivery looked fuller and straighter and normally this would make them more hittable, but with Shami they aren’t anymore where they once were. There was swing, there was seam, there were times when those descriptions felt interchangeable. By a manual count, Shami beat both edges, or hit both edges 14 times in those ten overs.There was a ball from hell to poor Zak Crawley, the first after the first rain break. The caveat to Crawley’s summer of torment is that he has been the victim of some ferociously good balls, mostly from Trent Boult. As this one bent away from the angle into him, for once missing the edge, Crawley may have considered he was due that luck. Rishabh Pant got lucky too, his face almost rearranged by the late wobble.No wickets though because as much as Shami is known by the wickets he has taken – over 200 and counting, at a strike rate that is in the all-time top 10 – he is also known by the many wickets that he hasn’t taken, or rather, that he’s come within millimetres of taking. It is an odd reputation to acquire in this day and age when no claim is untested by data and over as long a career as of 60 Tests.It is the kind of thing you might hear about some forgotten bowler from the 1960s who never really made it or didn’t play long enough or who, if there had been greater accounting and less romanticism, it turned out wasn’t that unlucky after all. Plenty of numbers bear this out in Shami though.One of Shami’s more endearing traits is how lightly he wears his ill-luck, how little it seemingly takes from his energy.Jasprit Bumrah needs no luck to complement his genius but because life needs its own balance, Shami’s misfortune was credited to him. Crawley fell in the over after this ball from hell: bowled Bumrah, spooked Shami. Shami looked slightly more threatening; Bumrah had the three-fer.Shami’s efforts earned him the scalp of Jack Leach, a wicket fully deserved but a victim completely unworthy•PA Images via Getty ImagesBall one of the over from hell snaked in late, right through Joe Root’s attempted drive. It wasn’t the wrong ball to be driving at, it was the wrong bowler: this wasn’t New Zealand anymore. Ball two was straighter, shorter and bounced more than Root expected, hitting the bat handle sharply. In any other over, this would be the best ball. In this over, it would eventually be forgotten.Root lives off his late dabs and glides between third man and point. It is a release shot as well as a prolific one. Ball three was, in line and length, there to be late dabbed. It jagged back in so sharply Root was cut in half and beaten on the inside edge.By ball four, Root had been worked into a frenzy. He shuffled out to the ball, not necessarily for the purpose of scoring runs but more to kill the lbw he feared was coming. He did get struck on the pad, India did review it – Bumrah’s one mis-step as captain – but Root had calculated well. By coming out, the leg-before was gone.Ball five and more inswing. In a summer of Tim Southee, Boult and James Anderson, Shami’s inswing has already won; and he has been here only for one Test and has only bowled 13 overs before the third day. This one hit Root on the thigh pad, and invaluably, got him off strike.Root is the world’s best Test batter at the moment, but this was a weird, skittish innings. A hot take would be that it was too Bazball, trying to get bat on everything, attacking when caution made more sense. Three balls in a row from Shami – split by the last rain break – Root tried to drive balls that were very wide and full. Twice he hit air. Off the last, in no control, he edged over the cordon for four.Mohammed Shami knows it was a close shave against Joe Root•Getty ImagesA more considered view might see that the bowling, and Shami in particular, was so relentless that it drew Root into constant indiscretion. He shuffled, he walked out, he tried to manufacture shots and none of it worked. There was no getting away from this, not least because the breaks kept Shami and Bumrah fresh.Because he could or maybe because it was the plan, Shami beat Jonny Bairstow on the outside edge off the last ball of this over from hell. The recalibration of line, seam position and release was immediate and near-perfect. Over.No blood was spilt, no bones broken, no wickets taken. Scars though, not least upon this bold new world of England’s. What happens when the bowling is this good? Also, a microcosm of Shami’s career, all the near-misses and dropped catches, the close leaves and the missed reviews. Cricket is a game of infinitesimal margins, and rarely can that have been better articulated than it was through this over.Root fell the next over, bowled Mohammed Siraj, worked over Shami. Bairstow was millimetres from getting bowled in Shami’s next over and Jack Leach was dropped. Shami soon got Leach, a wicket fully deserved but a victim completely unworthy.
Zohran Mamdani may have won New York City’s mayoral election on Nov. 4, but it was not for a lack of trying on the part of … his city’s athletes?
After every mayoral election, New York publishes the recipients of write-in votes—often a motley crew of celebrities and politicans past and present. This election’s field was no exception.
Here, per Spencer Gustafson of WPIX-TV and Gary Phillips of the , are the athletes who received at least one write-in vote to become mayor of New York in Jan. 2026. The list includes the living and the dead, as well as representatives of three different sports.
ATHLETE
POSITION
TEAM/ORGANIZATION
NOTES
Pete Alonso
First baseman
New York Mets
Five-time All-Star
Carmelo Anthony
Forward
New York Knicks from 2011 to ’17
Six-time All-Star with Knicks
Saquon Barkley
Running back
New York Giants from 2018 to ’23
Two-time Pro Bowler with Giants
Jalen Brunson
Guard
New York Knicks
Two-time All-Star with Knicks
Jaxson Dart
Quarterback
New York Giants
1,556 passing yards in 10 games this season
Walt Frazier
Guard
New York Knicks from 1968 to ’77
Seven-time All-Star with Knicks
Lou Gehrig
First baseman
New York Yankees
Two-time American League MVP; died in 1941
Aaron Glenn
Coach
New York Jets
3-9 in 12 games this season
Josh Hart
Shooting guard and small forward
New York Knicks
11.8 points per game in 19 games this season
Derek Jeter
Shortstop
New York Yankees
14-time All-Star
Aaron Judge
Right fielder and designated hitter
New York Yankees
Three-time American League MVP
Sandy Koufax
Pitcher
Brooklyn Dodgers from 1955 to ’57
1963 National League MVP with Los Angeles Dodgers
Rob Manfred
Commissioner
Major League Baseball
Commissioner since 2015
Cam Schlittler
Pitcher
New York Yankees
4–3 with 2.96 ERA in 14 starts this season
Cam Skattebo
Running back
New York Giants
410 yards in eight games this season
Tom Thibodeau
Coach
New York Knicks from 2021 to ’25
2021 NBA Coach of the Year with Knicks
The list can be grouped with relative neatness into four brackets—the modern baseball figures (Alonso, Judge, Manfred, etc.), the faces of the Knicks’ 2020s renaissance (Brunson, Hart, Thibodeau, etc.), the football rookies (Dart, Skattebo, etc.), and the past greats (Anthony, Gehrig, etc.).
Mariners fans still grimacing at Judge’s MVP win over catcher Cal Raleigh must now ask themselves: would they trust the Big Dumper to run Seattle?
The WBBL match between Adelaide Strikers and Hobart Hurricanes was abandoned at Karen Rolton Oval after a cricket ball was accidentally rolled into the pitch by the heavy roller during the innings break creating an irreparable hole.The pitch was being rolled during the innings break, as per normal WBBL rules, when a ball from a nearby fielding warm-up went under the roller on the pitch and was rolled into the surface.The heaviness of the roller pressed the ball into the pitch and created a ball-shaped hole in the middle of the surface. Strikers released a statement on their Instagram explaining why the match was abandoned after the hole was created.”As a result, the pitch conditions were changed significantly,” the statement said. “After consultations between the match referee and the umpires, it was considered unreasonable to expect the Hurricanes to bat in conditions that were materially different than those the Strikers had experienced. Both team captains were consulted by the officials and were accepting of the decision.”Hurricanes, who had already qualified to host the final after winning seven of their first nine games, were preparing to chase Strikers’ total of 167 for 4 before the match was abandoned. Madeline Penna had made 63 not out off 51 for Strikers, batting through the innings to set up the total. Wickets were shared by Hurricanes bowlers.The abandonment was another blow to Strikers’ finals hopes as it is their third no result for the season. They now sit sixth with one game left against Sydney Sixers. They need to win that to be assured of a place in the finals.