An “excellent” Premier League forward is now open to joining Crystal Palace this summer, and talks have already been held over a potential deal, according to a report.
Palace set sights on new forward amid Arsenal's Eze pursuit
After scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final, Eberechi Eze was always going to attract interest this summer, and Palace may have a battle on their hands trying to keep hold of the attacking midfielder, given that he wants to move across the capital.
Arsenal are expected to make a formal bid for Eze soon, which could amount to £52m, £8m below the England international’s previous release clause of £60m, which has now expired.
Should the 27-year-old move on this summer, the Eagles will undoubtedly need to bring in a new attacker, capable of replicating Eze’s attacking numbers, with the London-born star proving himself as a reliable source of goals and assists last season.
Competition
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Premier League
34
8
8
FA Cup
5
4
1
EFL Cup
4
2
2
As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Crystal Palace are now considering a move for Chelsea’s Raheem Sterling, having already been informed about the winger’s situation at Stamford Bridge, with Fulham also holding talks.
West Ham United have also been offered the chance to sign Sterling, with the Blues looking to receive a fee of £20m, although the most likely scenario is the forward leaving on a loan deal.
Crucially, the 30-year-old is open to a move to Selhurst Park this summer, as he is looking to stay in London, having spent the 2024-25 campaign on loan at Arsenal.
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ByDominic Lund Aug 6, 2025 "Excellent" Sterling needs to leave Chelsea this summer
The winger clearly isn’t part of Enzo Maresca’s plans, and he failed to deliver on loan at Arsenal last season, featuring for just 496 minutes across the entire Premier League season, meaning the Chelsea ace clearly needs to move to a new club this summer.
At 30-years-old, the Englishman is by no means in the latter stages of his career, and he has proven himself as a top Premier League player in the past, picking up 131 goals and 86 assists in 339 appearances during his time with Manchester City.
Former manager Pep Guardiola has also previously singled the Jamaica-born winger out for praise saying: “For his confidence it will be massive, the first goal is brilliant, when Raheem executes without thinking he is excellent.”
As such, Sterling could be an exciting signing for the Eagles if he is able to reach his previous heights, but it is more important they keep hold of Eze, given the Palace star’s exploits last season.
تمكن فريق ليفربول من تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك خصمه فريق إيفرتون، في مباراتهما الجارية حاليًا في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، موسم 2025/26.
ويستضيف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة فريقي ليفربول وإيفرتون، في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي، ديربي ميرسيسايد.
ونجح ليفربول في تسجيل الهدف الثاني في شباك إيفرتون، في الدقيقة 30 من عمر الشوط الأول من مباراته الجارية في الوقت الحالي.
جاء الهدف عن طريق هوجو إيكتيكي، بعد تمريرة من ريان جرافنبيرخ، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى الفرنسي الذي تعامل مع كرته بشكل جيد ثم سددها في مرمى إيفرتون، ليهز شباك جوردان بيكفورد. هدف ليفربول الثاني أمام إيفرتون في الدوري الإنجليزي
As Everton’s summer transfer business begins to heat up, The Friedkin Group are reportedly expected to launch a £9m move to sign one particular midfield star.
Everton set to sign Thierno Barry
The first signing of the Hill Dickinson era is on his way, according to Fabrizio Romano. Replacing the departing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Thierno Barry is set to commence Everton’s summer business in style and hand David Moyes a striker who has certainly left many impressed whilst at Villarreal.
After scoring 19 goals in all competitions, Barry is ready to take the Premier League by storm and solve a striker problem that has been ongoing at Everton since Calvert-Lewin’s injury struggles began.
As one striker arrives, however, another has bid an emotional farewell. Taking to social media to confirm the news that he is leaving Everton after deciding against signing a new deal, Calvert-Lewin said: “After nine remarkable years I’ve made the incredibly difficult decision – together with my family – to begin a new chapter in my career.
“This isn’t something I chose lightly. Everton has been my home since I was 19 years old. It’s the place that saw potential in me, challenged me to grow and shaped me both as a footballer and as a man.
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ByTom Cunningham Jul 3, 2025
“I want to express my gratitude to all the managers and coaches I’ve worked with over the years and to my team-mates who have become life-long friends.”
The Toffees acted swiftly to replace the experienced striker and that could become quite the trend this summer amid reports that Friedkin are now expected to launch their move to sign the perfect Abdoulaye Doucoure heir.
Friedkin expected to launch Wilfred Ndidi move
According to former Manchester United and Blackburn Rovers scout Mick Brown, Friedkin are expected to launch a £9m move to sign Wilfred Ndidi from Leicester City this summer, triggering his release clause for Everton in the process.
The former scout told Football Insider: “Everton are considering signing Wilfred Ndidi. It’s a move I expect he will be open to as well, the chance to get straight back into the Premier League after getting relegated with Leicester. They’ve been keen on him for a while and he’s a very solid player.
“Everton have had scouts watching his performances and he’s been one of Leicester’s better players. It might prove difficult to get over the line because there are a lot of clubs who have been made aware of that release clause he’s got.
“But I expect them to make an attempt to bring him in ahead of these clubs. Either way, it looks like he’s definitely leaving Leicester.”
A Premier League veteran who is still more than capable in the top-flight, Ndidi represents the type of midfielder who would instantly replace the departed Doucoure at Everton.
The transfer window has been open for a week now, and Arsenal need to kick into gear.
There may be another, longer window in which to confirm deals after the Club World Cup, but Mikel Arteta and Co risk falling further behind their Premier League rivals should they waste any more time.
For example, Manchester City have already received the ‘here we go’ treatment for Rayan Aït-Nouri and worse than that, Liverpool look insistent on signing the incredibly exciting Florian Wirtz as soon as possible.
However, the good news is that recent reports have linked Arsenal with another sensationally creative talent who could be their answer to the German international.
Arsenal transfer news
Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth going over some of the other brilliantly talented players who have been linked with Arsenal in recent weeks and months, like Morgan Gibbs-White and Xavi Simons.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could cost the Gunners a whopping £100m, although, given his undeniable importance to Nottingham Forest, the fact he’s Premier League proven and his tally of seven goals and ten assists in 34 PL games, that fee is hardly surprising.
On the other hand, Simons would cost substantially less at £65m and has arguably had an even better campaign for RB Leipzig this year, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists in 33 appearances in all competitions.
Yet, there is another target who has now entered the picture, someone who’d be a better signing than both players above: Morgan Rogers.
Yes, according to a recent report from Charlie Gordon of the Express, Arsenal are now very interested in signing the Aston Villa star.
In fact, the report goes a step further, revealing that the North Londoners have already made contact over the English talent, although the Midlands club could demand a fee ‘well in excess of £70m.’
It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Rogers’ incredible ability and boundless potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be the perfect answer to Wirtz.
Why Rogers could be Arsenal's Wirtz
So, while it’s certainly a bold claim to suggest that Rogers could be Arsenal’s own Wirtz this summer and beyond, there are a few reasons why we feel more than comfortable making it.
Morgan Rogers
The first is that even though the German did have marginally better output this season, both players produced very similar numbers in this regard, and the Villa ace in a league UEFA ranks as the toughest in Europe – with the Bundesliga coming as the fourth hardest.
For example, the Bayer Leverkusen star scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.45 games.
Rogers vs Wirtz
Players
Rogers
Wirtz
Appearances
54
45
Goals
14
16
Assists
15
15
Goal Involvements per Match
0.53
0.68
All Stats via Transfermarkt
In comparison, the Villans’ creative “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, managed to score 14 goals and provide 15 assists in 54 appearances, which comes out to a still impressive but ever-so slightly worse average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games.
On top of their output, the pair are both 22 years old and while they can play in a number of positions – the “unstoppable” Claret and Blue gem, as dubbed by Jamie Carragher, being particularly adept at playing out wide – they are undoubtedly at their best as the most attacking midfielder in the team.
Finally, if these deals do go through, then both internationals would be moving to two of the favourites for the title next season and would almost certainly be doing so with the intention of revolutionising their respective sides’ creativity and attacking style.
Ultimately, while he’s not as big a name and has a lower price tag, Rogers looks like he could be Arsenal’s own Wirtz this summer and beyond, so Arteta and Co should do everything they can to bring him to the club as soon as possible.
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West Bromwich Albion supporters won’t have to wait too much longer to see who their beloved Baggies will play in the opening matches of the new Championship season.
Indeed, the always hotly anticipated fixture list will be released next week, with Ryan Mason hopeful that whatever selection of fixtures is thrust his side’s way, they can start the fresh second-tier campaign with a bang, instead of a whimper.
One figure that definitely won’t feature under Mason’s early tenure is Grady Diangana, with the Congolese forward reportedly edging ever closer to a Hawthorns departure, after failing to seal an extended contract this summer.
Diangana's current situation
Mason’s arrival on the scene might well have contributed to the former West Ham United man wanting to leave, knowing that the 33-year-old boss would want to stamp his mark onto proceedings from the get-go.
It is a sad severing of the ties, however, with Diangana once viewed as an electric menace donning Baggies blue and white in both the Premier League and in the EFL.
In total, the 27-year-old would collect an impressive combined tally of 48 goals and assists from 202 appearances in the West Midlands, with Diangana often having the Hawthorns masses in the palm of his hand when pulling off unbelievable finishes like the one above.
But, the output on Diangana’s end had begun to dry up – as seen in just four goals and three assists coming his way last season – with a reported reunion now on the cards for him to uproot to Valencia to link up with ex-Baggies boss Carlos Corberan to try and recapture his best.
Whilst Diangana looks forward to his possible moment in the sun in Spain, West Brom will no doubt be on the hunt for a replacement to bolster their options in attack.
West Brom's "fabulous" Diangana replacement
After all, the long-standing servant’s exit will be felt in terms of the personnel Mason can select from.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Jed Wallace is the only other recognisable right winger in the depleted Baggies camp currently in the wake of Diangana moving on, whilst the rookie manager has even fewer faces to call upon in the number ten spot – another position that the 27-year-old was comfortable playing in – with John Swift also heading out of the building on a free transfer.
Therefore, in hunting down an immediate fix to Diangana’s exit, West Brom will need to win themselves a versatile and flexible presence who can play all over the attacking positions.
Who could that be? Well, former Derby County captain Tom Lawrence is perhaps their man. It has been reported by TEAMtalk this week that West Brom are interested in landing the now free agent forward.
Away from his ability to be adaptable making him a worthwhile candidate to replace Diangana, the 31-year-old also boasts a vast collection of goals and assists in the Championship himself, with a mighty 50 goals and 40 assists tallied up from 264 career appearances in the second-tier.
Staggeringly, that’s 42 more goal contributions than the Valencia-linked star managed during his entire Hawthorns spell, albeit from 62 fewer clashes.
Lawrence in the Championship by position
Position played in
Games
Goals
Assists
LW
157
30
21
SS
57
9
9
CF
21
5
2
RW
16
2
7
AM
6
2
0
LM
3
2
1
Sourced by Transfermarkt
The similarities don’t just stop here either, with Lawrence also prone to scoring an audacious strike or two during his celebrated Derby stay, much like Diangana at his Baggies peak.
His expertise in this regard even saw ex-Rams boss Gary Rowett label the entertaining Welshman as “fabulous” when the pair were together at Pride Park, as West Brom now pray he can arrive on the scene this summer and roll back the years to fire Mason and Co. to promotion.
Pulling off such a feat would make the managerial newcomer an instant icon at the Hawthorns, with Lawrence also entering into the club’s hall-of-fame no doubt by securing a promotion success Diangana could never get over the line.
A Palmer repeat: West Brom's "outstanding" star wanted by PL club
West Bromwich Albion must avoid selling this outstanding star.
Arsenal have made an enquiry over the signing of a “spectacular” £85m forward who has been linked with an exit from his current club.
Gunners pursuing new forwards
With the Gunners once again falling short in their Premier League title pursuit, there is a feeling that a top striker could be the missing piece of the jigsaw, and they are now stepping up their pursuit of one of their key targets.
Talks have now been held over a deal for Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who could be a more attainable target than Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, with the Magpies very unlikely to be willing to strengthen a direct rival.
Signing a new striker may be the number one priority, but there is also a willingness to strengthen in wide areas this summer, with Mikel Arteta being left a little light on options at times this season, given that Bukayo Saka spent a long time on the treatment table.
Arsenal and Berta eye move for £68m star if Saliba is sold to Real Madrid
Real Madrid are interested in the Arsenal defender.
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Manchester United’s Antony has now emerged as a surprise target, with the north Londoners reportedly enquiring about the Brazilian, while they have also made an approach for Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.
That is according to a report from Spain, (via Caught Offside), which states Arsenal have enquired about the terms of a summer deal for the Brazilian, but they have discovered that he will not come cheap, with the Spanish side holding out for €100m (£85m).
Real Madrid'sRodrygolooks on
Madrid believe they will be able to hold out for a huge fee, given that there is widespread interest in the winger from the Premier League, with Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United also in the race for his signature.
The desire to sign the 24-year-old comes amid doubts over both Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, with the duo not performing at their best this season.
"Spectacular" Rodrygo could become "superstar" at Arsenal
Former Arsenal man Emmanuel Petit is clearly a big fan of the winger, having instructed the Gunners to make a move for him in the past, saying: “He could be an absolute superstar for Arsenal and I rate him very much. He scores goals, gives assists and gives great energy on the pitch.”
The Brazil international has also been lauded as “spectacular” by manager Carlo Ancelotti, and his attacking numbers for Madrid in La Liga over the past few seasons suggest he could make a real impact in Arteta’s side.
Season
Appearances
Goals
Assists
2022-23
34
9
9
2023-24
34
10
5
2024-25
30
6
6
The only doubt over the signing of the Madrid star will be the fact he has been on a goal drought in 2025, failing to record a goal contribution in his last 12 La Liga outings.
Rodrygo’s previous exploits indicate that he could still be a fantastic signing for Arsenal, but a fee of £85m is a little on the expensive side, given his current form.
Chelsea are now showing clear interest in signing a 20-goal South American striker this summer, and negotiations could intensify in the coming weeks, according to a report.
Jackson dismissed as Blues falter in top five push
Nicolas Jackson impressed in the early stages of the Premier League campaign, which means the 23-year-old has reached the 10-goal mark, but his performance in the important clash against Newcastle United on Sunday underlined the need to bring in a new striker.
In a game that could have huge ramifications on whether the Blues qualify for the Champions League, Jackson was sent off for an elbow on Sven Botman, leaving Enzo Maresca unhappy.
Speaking after the 2-0 defeat at St. James’ Park, Maresca said: “His season for us is finished. He is our nine, our striker, so we have to find a solution for the next games. Marc Guiu is our other striker, but he has been injured for three months.
“What you have to avoid is these kind of things, but it happened. Nico is now out for the season and hopefully he can learn for the future.”
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Jackson’s recent performance is unlikely to do the Senegalese forward in any favours this summer, given that the west Londoners were already thinking about bringing in a new striker, and a report from Spain has named Alaves’ Joaquin Panichelli as a target.
Chelsea are showing clear interest in signing Panichelli, given his impressive performances on loan at La Liga 2 side Mirandes this season, and talks could accelerate in the coming weeks, as there is growing interest in his signature.
Fellow BlueCo-owned club Strasbourg are also following the forward, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers, with his entourage of the belief that a move to one of Europe’s top clubs is imminent.
Chelsea’s upcoming fixtures
Date
Manchester United (h)
May 16th
Nottingham Forest (a)
May 25th
Real Betis (n)
May 28th
Panichelli catching the eye in Spain
The Argentine enjoyed a very impressive 2024-25 campaign on loan at Mirandes, picking up 20 league goals, the second-highest number in the division, while also providing two assists.
Of course, it must be noted that the South American is unproven in a major league, with his recent exploits coming in the second tier of Spanish football, but his performances last season indicate he could be able to make the step-up to the Premier League soon.
As such, Panichelli could be an interesting signing for the Blues, but they must make sure to bring in a more proven striker alongside the 22-year-old, and they should be in a strong position to attract a top-level forward if they finish in the top five.
There is no shortage of options for Chelsea, with Arsenal now concerned their London rivals will hijack their move for Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, while Maresca’s side are also ready to bid for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko.
Glasgow Rangers had to watch on as their city rivals were crowned champions of the Scottish Premiership for the fourth time in as many seasons.
The Light Blues, who were held to a 2-2 draw by St Mirren last time out, are a whopping 17 points adrift of first place with more matches left to play, which shows that they have not even made it a close race.
Rangers made the decision to part ways with Philippe Clement earlier this year and brought Barry Ferguson in on an interim basis until the end of the season.
The former Scotland international and ex-Rangers midfielder has only won three of his seven Premiership games in charge of the club to date, which does not suggest that he is the right man to take the job on a permanent basis this summer.
The Light Blues need a manager who can bring success back to Ibrox next season. A manager who can bring a league title back to Ibrox next season.
They need to find a head coach of Brendan Rodgers’ calibre. The Northern Irishman had proven himself to be a good manager in the Premier League before his move to Celtic, where he has been incredibly dominant.
Why Brendan Rodgers has been a big success in Scotland
Prior to his first spell at Parkhead, Rodgers earned promotion from the Championship with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign and finished 11th in his first top-flight season with the Welsh outfit.
That earned him a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2012, and he led the Reds to seventh, second, and sixth-placed finishes in the Premier League in his three full seasons in charge.
Rodgers joined Celtic for the 2016/17 campaign, winning the Premiership title in his two full seasons at the helm, before joining Leicester in early 2019.
The Northern Irishman enjoyed a largely successful time with the Foxes, winning the FA Cup in 2021, before his return to Celtic in the summer of 2023.
Season
Matches played
League position
22/23
28
19th
21/22
38
8th
20/21
38
5th
19/20
38
5th
18/19
10
9th
Stats via Transfermarkt
Since returning to Parkhead, Rodgers has claimed the Premiership title in the 2023/24 and 2024/25 campaigns, and has the chance to win the domestic treble by beating Aberdeen in the SFA Cup final this season.
This shows that he has been a huge success on the other side of Glasgow, and that may be down to, in part, because he arrived at Celtic off the back of several seasons of impressive performances as a manager in the Premier League.
Kevin Thelwell is set to join Rangers as their new sporting director this summer, after his contract with Everton expires, and he reportedly has a former Premier League manager in mind for the job.
Thelwell tells Rangers who would be a good appointment
According to Football Insider, Thelwell has told the 49ers, who are part of an ongoing takeover at Ibrox, that former Everton and Burnley head coach Sean Dyche would be a fantastic appointment for the club.
The report claims that Ferguson is not expected to be given the job on a permanent basis, after his interim spell comes to an end, and this means that the club will be in the market for a new head coach.
Everton managerSeanDychebefore the match
Football Insider reports that Thelwell is a big fan of Dyche, with whom he worked at Goodison Park, and he believes that the English boss has the mentality and character to thrive at Ibrox.
The outlet adds that the sporting director also believes that the manager’s direct, physical, style of play would go down well with the supporters in Glasgow.
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However, Football Insider does not reveal whether or not Dyche, who was relieved of his duties by Everton in January, would be open to a move to Ibrox this summer.
If the 53-year-old tactician is interested in joining the Light Blues, the 49ers could land their own version of Brendan Rodgers by bringing him to the club.
Why Rangers should appoint Sean Dyche
The experienced boss would arrive with similar credentials to the ones that Rodgers first arrived at Celtic with, as he has tasted promotion from the Championship and seasons of midtable finishes in the Premier League.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
Dyche has shown that he can get a team to win matches regularly to earn promotion, finishing second and first in the 2013/14 and 2015/16 Championship seasons respectively, but he can also set up a side to be resolute and tough to break down, to avoid relegation from the top-flight.
Sean Dyche’s Premier League career
Season
Matches played
League position
24/25
19
16th
23/24
37
15th
22/23
18
17th
21/22
30
18th
20/21
38
17th
19/20
38
10th
18/19
38
15th
17/18
38
7th
16/17
38
16th
14/15
38
19th
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Dyche has only been relegated from the Premier League in one of his full seasons in the top-flight, although he did leave Burnley on the edge of relegation with eight games left in the 2021/22 campaign.
The former Toffees head coach, therefore, knows how to create a good team spirit and a gritty mentality because he has led so many sides to safety throughout his time in the English top-flight.
Everton manager Sean Dyche
His mixture of experience coaching title-chasing teams and sides that wanted to avoid the drop suggests that he could be a great fit for Rangers, because he can use the former experience to compete for the title in the Premiership and the latter experience to produce hard-working, gritty, displays in big European matches.
Therefore, Dyche, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by Kieran Trippier, could follow in Rodgers’ footsteps as a proven Premier League coach who could arrive in Scotland to win major trophies in Glasgow, but this time at Rangers to end Celtic’s dominance in Scottish football.
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It is now down to Thelwell and the club to see if the former Burnley stalwart would be willing to take on the role, and if he is the best option available out of all of their targets.
Fulham have reached out and made contact over signing a former Real Madrid player, as Marco Silva’s side begin planning for next season.
Fulham competing for European qualification
Just seven points separate ninth from fourth in this hotly-contested Premier League race for Europe, and Fulham are still in with every chance of competing in the Conference League, Europa League or even the Champions League.
Club "moving" to sign "very important" Fulham star with unique offer planned
Marco Silva’s side could lose him.
ByEmilio Galantini Apr 3, 2025
While the latter competition is unlikely, Silva will be looking to end the season as strongly as possible to give Fulham the best chance to see their names in the Europa or Conference draws next season.
Tottenham are looking at Silva as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou, and if they decide he’s the right man for the job, then this could well be the 47-year-old’s final season at Craven Cottage.
Liverpool (home)
April 6th
Bournemouth (away)
April 14th
Chelsea (home)
April 20th
Southampton (away)
April 26th
Aston Villa (away)
May 3rd
The tactician will want to end his Fulham career on a high if he does decide to part company, and what better way than sealing a European qualification place? After they disappointingly crashed out of the FA Cup to Crystal Palace.
Unfortunately for Silva, some very tough tests await his side over this final stretch of the campaign, including Premier League title frontrunners Liverpool, this season’s surprise package Bournemouth and a crunch west London derby against Chelsea.
Qualifying for Europe will also go a long way to attracting the best players possible to Fulham this summer.
Andreas Pereira has been linked with a return to Brazil as well, so the Whites may also need to sign a quality new wide player to replace the former Man United winger.
Fulham make contact over signing Deportivo sensation Yeremay Hernandez
According to TEAMtalk this week, Deportibvo La Coruna sensation Yeremay Hernandez is on their radar. Hernandez’s excellent form for the La Liga 2 side this season has attracted interest from the likes of Chelsea, according to reports in Spain, but it is now believed that Fulham are ready to go toe-to-toe with their cross-town rivals.
The 22-year-old can play on either flank, bagging 11 goals and four assists from out wide, and he is seen by many as a young player with serious potential.
TT report that Fulham have made contact over signing Hernandez already, with the former Real Madrid academy gem also scouted by Arsenal and targeted by Brentford.
However, it is Fulham who’ve made a head start by instigating an approach, and it is believed they’re extremely keen on the £30 million Spaniard. Hernandez, it is claimed, would be seen as a “perfect” option for Silva, who wishes to reinforce his wide options a a top priority.
The slinger supreme casts an approving eye over Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana, two bowlers cast in his image
Andrew Fidel Fernando21-May-2024Lasith Malinga, not renowned for his exuberant joy, is a little bit giddy. Or at least the closest he gets to being giddy.He is reflecting on two young bowlers who modelled their actions on his own crazy roundarm bowling having made Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup squad. He’s been coaching Nuwan Thushara at Mumbai Indians over the past two months; Matheesha Pathirana he’d worked with before.”I can’t tell you how happy it makes me,” he says.And then… oh my… was that a giggle? From ?Related
The slingy arm action, as patented by Lasith Malinga
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“In the T20 format you are always talking about the yorker because that’s the ball that stops sixes from happening. To have two bowlers who can bowl yorkers like the two of them can in the same tournament? That’s crazy. That’s absolutely mad.”Since Malinga made the yorker his signature delivery at the very start of his career, it has long been thought that roundarm bowlers are especially suited to bowling the yorker.The theory goes like this: where conventional bowlers’ higher trajectories mean that if they miss the blockhole, batters can use the depth of the crease to get under the ball, roundarm bowlers and their lower trajectories have a much greater margin of error when bowling full.Right through Malinga’s own career, a low full toss was almost as good a ball for him as his pinpoint yorkers, though this was also because of the reverse swing he often generated at the death.Pathirana: deadly at the death•Matheesha Pathirana/AFP/Getty ImagesSo far this is playing out in Pathirana’s career as well. Since January 2022, his economy rate of 8.13 when bowling yorkers, full tosses or full deliveries is the third best among fast bowlers who have bowled a minimum of 300 deliveries. (Fazalhaq Farooqi and Jasprit Bumrah are Nos. 1 and 2.) Thushara’s economy of 9.57 isn’t quite up there with the best when going full, but it’s not terrible either.”It’s the first time in my life I’m seeing one country have resources like this,” Malinga said. I think [Sri Lanka’s] bowling line-up is the best in the world.”If he’s getting carried away here, it’s not difficult to understand why. No bowler had ever done what he did at the international level, and now two from the country are. Pakistan have Malinga-style bowlers too, Zaman Khan being chief among them. There may be more in the pipeline.”I saw that there was someone at Under-19 level that was bowling like this, as well as a young bowler from Jaffna who was the same. And I’m even getting scolded that too many bowlers like me are coming through,” Malinga laughs.”But if they have the talent to play well at this level, what can I do? I’m so happy if they come through. I’ll teach them everything I know about my art!” “Thushara needs on-field management” Of the two bowlers, Malinga says, Thushara is the most like him. “He swings the new ball into the left-hander, and swings it nicely away from the right-hander. He’s got a nice slower ball, which doesn’t quite have the dip mine did, but it’s good.Malinga: “I’m even getting scolded that too many bowlers like me are coming through!”•AFP”And in addition to that, he’s got a good yorker. Right now at training, he’s got good control of the wide yorker and the straight yorker.”Thushara has had a decent IPL, in a rough season for bowlers. In seven outings he has taken eight wickets and conceded runs at 9.88 an over. His start to his international career has been better – 11 wickets from eight games. In the last series he played, against Bangladesh, Thushara pulled off that classic Malinga feat – taking a hat-trick, as he collected figures of 5 for 20.”He’s a match-winning bowler, first of all,” Malinga says of Thushara, “But when he goes into the match, he sometimes gets a little confused about how to set his field. It could be because he hasn’t played enough at this level. He’s only played a handful of internationals.”Because of that, when the team is making plans for him, the captain has to be right there with him. The captain needs to know what types of balls he’s trying to bowl, so he can set the field according to that. Even if we as coaches tell him to bowl a certain way, if the captain is not there, it doesn’t work.”A player who doesn’t have a lot of experience is one that hasn’t built up a lot of confidence with his captain. If the captain is there in the meeting – if Wanindu Hasaranga is there, or the wicketkeeper Kusal Mendis is there – then they know what plans he’s made, where’s he’s going to bowl and what field he needs. If that happens, even with an inexperienced player, the captain and the wicketkeeper have the ability to adjust his fields.Thushara, second from left, in the game where he took a hat-trick, and four wickets in two overs. Malinga says the presence of Thushara and Pathirana in the line-up gives Sri Lanka the best bowling attack in the world•AFP/Getty Images”After the sixth over, you have to tell him to bowl three or four yorkers every over. What happens then is that you can’t hit sixes off those deliveries. If they are trying to get a wicket, the main weapon is the slower ball. He can bowl that at a wider line because that’s where the field is. The wicketkeeper, captain, and bowler need to all be on the same page about that.”He’s got the weapons. He’s got a perfect slower ball. He can bowl the slower yorker and the slower length ball, and I’ve helped him hone those. But he doesn’t have the experience yet to use them. If he can get a bit of guidance, he’s a deadly bowler. I’d definitely play him in this team, and give him two powerplay overs, and two at the death.”Pathirana’s “big heart” Where it’s Thushara’s higher arm action and higher wrist that allow him to get early swing, Pathirana’s arm comes around even lower than Malinga’s, making him better suited to the middle and late overs. This is exactly where Chennai Super Kings have used him across the last two seasons.His improved control – especially when bowling yorkers – and rapid pace (he has frequently breached 150kph this IPL) have made him one of the most penetrative death bowlers in the competition.”Matheesha, without any fears you can bring him in the last stages of an innings,” Malinga says.”Even through the middle overs, if we want to unsettle batters, if we want to bowl short balls, if we want to bowl fast yorkers in the middle in tandem with a spinner – that’s an opportunity too. He doesn’t bowl with the new ball much, so you can use him in the middle for wickets.The math works out: “If in the last four overs one of [Thushara and Pathirana] bowls eight yorkers and the other bowls eight more, that’s 16 balls you can’t hit for six,” Malinga says•Ashwini Bhatia/Associated Press”If you have Wanindu bowling from one side, and Matheesha from the other, both are wicket-taking bowlers. If Wanindu locks up one side, batters know they have to score against Matheesha. Then there’s a big chance of getting batters out”Pathirana was actually among the top wicket-takers in the IPL this year, having taken 13 wickets from six matches, He arrived at the tournament slightly late, and had his season cut short by a hamstring injury. Sri Lanka hope he’ll be fit to start the World Cup.”His biggest weapons are his pace and his yorker, and he had a bit of an injury and he dropped pace a bit, so we’ll have to see how he recovers from that,” Malinga says.”But the biggest thing I see with Matheesha is his big heart. He’s very positive in the match. Those aren’t things we can teach him. Those are things he’s got naturally. Even in the year he first came into the IPL, he didn’t have any fear, or any doubts.”If you tell him this is what we need at this time, he has the ability to do that. He’s got the ability to make a decision. He’s quite clear in his thinking.”Could we see him bowl the death overs in tandem with Thushara?”If you get him set with Nuwan Thushara – it’s the first time in my life that I would see two yorker bowlers like them operating together. If in the last four overs one of them bowls eight yorkers and the other bowls eight more, that’s 16 balls you can’t hit for six. That’s the first time I’ve seen potential like that in my life. I don’t know what the selectors will do.”