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Glasgow Rangers are now “hopeful” of signing a £75,000-a-week Leicester City player alongside midfielder Joe Rothwell, according to a recent Ibrox transfer report.

Rangers are close to signing Joe Rothwell from Bournemouth

It has been a busy time of late for the Gers, as they finally found their successor to Philippe Clement in the form of Russell Martin and have since added their first addition, with Max Aarons joining on loan from AFC Bournemouth.

Offer made: Rangers at risk of losing another "complete" star after Igamane

Russell Martin could be dealt a second blow…

5 ByTom Cunningham Jul 1, 2025

Martin and the Gers have now returned to the Cherries to complete another signing. According to Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, Rangers have agreed a deal with Bournemouth to sign Rothwell on a permanent basis, despite the fact the midfielder did have offers to move to La Liga.

It isn’t clear how much the Gers are willing to spend on the midfielder, but given he has entered the final year of his contract at Bournemouth, it is probably for a relatively low fee. The 30-year-old spent last season on loan at Leeds United, where he played 36 times in the Championship, as the Whites secured the title to seal promotion back to the Premier League.

Before his stint in Yorkshire, Rothwell spent the second half of the 2023/24 season on loan at Southampton, where he worked with Martin and helped the Saints to promotion to the Premier League. The pair are now set to work together once again, this time in Scotland.

Rangers "hopeful" of signing £75K-p/w Conor Coady

As the Gers close in on a deal for Rothwell, according to STV Sports presenter Raman Bhardwaj, Rangers remain “hopeful” they can get a deal agreed to sign Conor Coady from Leicester City.

It was reported a couple of days ago by the Daily Record that talks are ongoing between both Rangers and the Foxes over a deal for Coady. The England international is under contract at the King Power Stadium until 2026, but it isn’t clear how much Leicester are asking for to sell the defender, as they are not willing to let him leave for free.

As well as agreeing a deal with Leicester, the Gers have also got to agree personal terms with the former Everton and Wolves defender, as he reportedly earns £75,000 a week at the King Power Stadium.

Apps

22

Starts

19

Goals

1

Clean sheets

2

Interceptions per game

0.6

Tackles per game

0.6

Balls recovered per game

2.8

Ground duels won

0.7 (53%)

Aerial duels won

0.6 (37%)

Total duels won

1.3 (45%)

The Scottish giants do already have a few options at the heart of their defence, but given how far behind they were of Celtic last season, Martin obviously feels he needs more experience and leadership qualities in his defence.

Coady’s struggles at Leicester continued last season, as he only played 22 times in the Premier League, and a lot of those appearances came towards the back end of the season under Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has now left. A move to Scotland may make sense for Coady now, as he looks to continue playing at a high level as long as he can.

Looking to finally seal their second signing of the summer, INEOS have now reportedly submitted a “new” £60m+ offer for Manchester United to sign an attacking reinforcement who has been likened to Kevin De Bruyne.

INEOS keen to get Man Utd deals done by pre-season

Having already welcomed Matheus Cunha to get their summer plans off to the perfect start, Manchester United are now targeting a number of further much-needed reinforcements. And INEOS want things wrapped up fairly quickly ahead of the next campaign. According to Simon Stone of BBC Sport, Manchester United are trying to get their business done by the time that pre-season commences on 7 July.

He'd be unplayable with Cunha: Man Utd make enquiry to sign £50m "superstar"

Man United have wanted to sign this “superstar” forward for a while.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2025

That gives those at Old Trafford around two weeks to seal any further business and assemble a squad capable of instant improvement under Ruben Amorim next season. It, therefore, comes as little surprise to see the rumours already coming thick and fast as to who the Red Devils could welcome in the next fortnight.

One of the most prominent names on that front has been Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez. The Argentine shot-stopper could be among those shown the door in the Midlands as Villa attempt to comply with PSR rules and Manchester United are reportedly lying in wait.

A World Cup winner and one of the more experienced Premier League goalkeepers these days, there’s no doubt that Martinez would be an instant upgrade on Onana. But he’s not the only one who could arrive in the next two weeks after INEOS reportedly submitted a new bid to sign an impressive attacking reinforcement.

Man Utd submit "new" £60m+ Mbeumo offer

According to Fabrizio Romano, INEOS have submitted a “new” £60m+ offer to sign Bryan Mbeumo for Manchester United this summer. The player is reportedly prioritising a move to Old Trafford this summer and talks are ongoing with Brentford as all parties attempt to reach an agreement for his signature.

Alongside Cunha, Mbeumo could finally transform United’s attack, which often struggled when forced to rely on the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee last season.

Whilst both players were struggling for the Red Devils, Cunha and Mbeumo were thriving for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford with the latter particularly standing out – scoring 20 Premier League goals.

Mbeumo earned high praise as a result and has even been likened to Manchester City legend and recent Napoli signing De Bruyne by Football Transfers.

The Brentford star won’t come cheap but all signs point towards a player who would finally live up to the hype at Old Trafford.

Celtic appear set to conclude yet another very successful season in style.

On Wednesday night, despite the fact Brendan Rodgers made wholesale changes, the Hoops won 5-1 at Pittodrie, thanks to goals from Maik Nawrocki, Yang Hyun-jun, Luke McCowan, young striker Johnny Kenny and then Adam Idah.

Idah’s goal was his 20th of the campaign across all competitions and, given that Nicolas Kühn and Daizen Maeda had already reached this milestone, this is the first time since 1969/70 Celtic have had a trio of players register 20+ goals.

The Hoops will be presented with a record-equalling 55th Premiership trophy on Saturday, before seeking to complete a sixth treble in just nine seasons when they meet Aberdeen again in the Scottish Cup Final at Hampden a week later.

However, Rodgers is never satisfied, so he is targeting a new winger, in a deal reminiscent of, arguably, the best player he’s ever had across his two stints as Celtic manager.

Scott Sinclair's Celtic career in numbers

When Scott Sinclair arrived at Celtic from Aston Villa for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2016, his career was at a bit of a crossroads, looking to rediscover his best form, joining to link up with Rodgers, who’d previously been his manager at Swansea.

Well, few could’ve forecast how good the Englishman would prove to be, scoring 25 goals during his first season in Glasgow, named Celtic Player of the Year, both the Players’ and Supporters’ awards, PFA Players’ Player of the Year as well as SFWA Footballer of the Year, a clean-sweep of all the individual accolades.

In total, Sinclair scored 62 times in 167 appearances for Celtic, averaging a goal every 185 minutes, and he remains the highest-scoring player at the club under Rodgers across both his tenures as boss.

Scott Sinclair

148

60

Moussa Dembélé

94

51

James Forrest

207

45

Daizen Maeda

85

43

Callum McGregor

246

37

Leigh Griffiths

87

37

Kyōgo Furuhashi

82

31

Adam Idah

70

29

Odsonne Édouard

68

27

As the table outlines, Sinclair is still clear by quite some distance at the top of this ranking although, if Maeda continues to score at this season’s rate next time round, who knows, he could overtake the Englishman by Christmas.

Fast-forward to the present day, with Jota sidelined for up to nine months, Celtic are in the market for a new wide attacker this summer, so they could go into the market to land a replacement

Celtic could sign their new Sinclair

According to a report by Stephen McGowan of the Herald, Celtic are ‘monitoring’ winger Tyrhys Dolan, who is expected to leave EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers following the expiration of his contract, thereby becoming available for a ‘minimal compensation fee’.

Blackburn manager Valérien Ismaël was desperate to keep the 23-year-old at Ewood Park, labelling him an “important player”, adding that “he’s at a really good age… but [has] a lot of experience already”, however, Rovers were unable to convince Dolan to sign a new contract.

Elliott Jackson of the Lancashire Telegraph believes Dolan is “absolutely terrific”, while writer Kai Watson describes him as “quick” and a “direct… goal threat”, assertions that are supported by the table below.

Minutes

3,175

86th

Goals

7

42nd

Assists

6

18th

Shots

50

61st

Shots on target %

44%

20th

Shot-creating actions

99

41st

Goal-creating actions

17

7th

Attempted take-ons

152

7th

Progressive carries

94

27th

Carries into the final third

72

15th

As the table outlines, Dolan’s primary strength is his dribbling, with only six players registering more attempted take-ons, despite the fact he only featured in 77% of Blackburn’s total minutes.

Just like Sinclair, Dolan has shown plenty of promise at Championship level.

Before joining Celtic, Sinclair’s most productive campaign came during Swansea’s promotion season under Rodgers of 2010/11, scoring 27 times across all competitions, including a hat-trick in the play-off final victory over Reading at Wembley.

The duo share many of the same attributes: explosive pace, high-quality dribbling skills and an eye for goal.

Thus, if Celtic are able to get this deal over the line, especially considering Dolan is set to become a free agent on 1 July, they’d get their hands on a fantastic new wide attacker.

​​​​​​​

Not just Nawrocki: Exciting Celtic star just made himself unsellable

Maik Nawrocki was not the only rarely seen Celtic star who caught the eye against Aberdeen.

ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

Liverpool’s need for a striker this summer is there for all to see, with the Reds already plotting moves in such a department ahead of the summer transfer window.

Arne Slot’s side may have claimed the Premier League title in 2024/25, but improvements are still there to be made, especially if players were to depart Anfield during the off-season.

Current centre-forward options Darwin Núñez and Diogo Jota have both been linked with moves away from Merseyside this summer, with the manager needing to invest money in upgrades on the pair.

It’s unclear how much the hierarchy would demand to part ways with the current talismen, but given their combined tally of just 11 league goals, it’s unlikely they would stand in their way should an acceptable offer be presented.

Should such an event occur, it’s down to the staff behind the scenes to identify potential options for Slot, with numerous players already on their radar ahead of the window.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new attackers this summer

Countless players have been linked with a switch to Liverpool ahead of 2025/26, despite the window not yet being open – highlighting how much of an exciting proposition they really are.

The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Hugo Ekitiké are the main three who have been mentioned, but no progress has yet been made on any potential deals.

However, the same can’t be said for another target in the form of Julian Alvarez, that’s if the recent news broken by Argentine journalist Mathias Palacios is to be believed.

He claims that the Reds are keen on a move for the Atlético Madrid talisman in the coming months, with face-to-face meetings for his signature set to commence next week.

Palacios also confirms that Bayern Munich and Arsenal are interested in signing the former Manchester City talent, who’s registered a staggering 35 combined goals and assists in his 53 outings in 2024/25.

Unfortunately, it may take a considerable amount to prise him away from the Spanish capital with CIES Football Observatory suggesting the Argentine is worth £105m.

Why Liverpool’s latest target could be Salah 2.0

Mohamed Salah has been an unbelievable servant to Liverpool Football Club over the last eight years, even extending his stint on Merseyside to a decade after his latest contract extension.

The Egyptian has registered 244 goals and 113 assists in his 400 appearances at Anfield, a staggering record for a player who’s certainly cemented himself in club history.

He’s claimed three Golden Boot awards in the Premier League, and is set to add a fourth to his list after notching an incredible 28 goals in his 37 outings this season.

His £34m move from Roma back in the summer of 2017 will forever be remembered, certainly going down as a bargain and arguably one of their best ever transfers.

However, the board have the opportunity to replicate such a deal in the coming months with Alvarez, potentially following in his footsteps on Merseyside.

The pair both have a similar pattern in their careers, both featuring for other sides in England’s top flight before leaving to go elsewhere in Europe to further their respective profiles.

Salah, who failed to cut it at Chelsea, made a name for himself in Italy before joining the Reds, similarly to how Alvarez has developed after swapping Manchester City for Atlético Madrid.

The pair are now elite attacking talents, with the Argentinian forward having a season to remember, producing countless stats that would bolster Slot’s attack.

Alvarez, who’s been labelled “sensational” by Terry Flewers, has registered 1.4 shots on target per 90, along with a minute per goal ratio of 142 minutes in LaLiga – highlighting his clinical edge in the final third.

Julian Alvarez’s stats in LaLiga for Atlético (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

36

Goals & assists

20

Minutes per goal

142

Shots on target

1.4

Dribbles completed

57%

Chances created

1.5

Touches in opposition box

4.5

Stats via FotMob

However, he has also been able to create opportunities for his teammates, completing 57% of the dribbles he’s attempted and creating 1.5 chances per 90 – subsequently able to aid Salah in boosting his own numbers on Merseyside.

Should the former City talent get anywhere near close to the levels produced by the Egyptian over the years, it would be a phenomenal piece of business, adding a new dimension to Slot’s attack.

The prospect of the pair featuring together within the front line is certainly a scary one, with such a partnership strengthening their chances of retaining their crown in 2025/26.

Related Slot's next Mac Allister: Liverpool pursuing move for "ridiculous" £60m ace

Liverpool may land their next version of Alexis Mac Allister during the summer window.

Posts ByEthan Lamb May 22, 2025

Rangers are now considering a move for an “ultra-positive” manager as a replacement for interim boss Barry Ferguson this summer, according to a report from Sky Sports.

Gers' manager search heating up

There are just two Scottish Premiership fixtures remaining this season, and with the Gers sitting 17 points behind Celtic, it is evident their new manager will have a huge job on their hands trying to bridge the gap to their bitter rivals.

As such, it could be wise to bring in a manager with top-level experience, and an offer has now been submitted for Real Madrid coach Davide Ancelotti, son of Carlo, who has been a part of 12 trophy wins across spells with the Spanish side and Bayern Munich.

That said, it could be a risk to appoint the Italian, given that he has been an assistant throughout his career to date, and there are a number of other options on the shortlist, including former Southampton boss Russell Martin and Sheffield Wednesday’s Danny Rohl.

Related Their new Morelos: Rangers eyeing "top striker" who'd cost just £8,000

Rangers have their eyes on a talented young striker

Posts ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

Sky Sports have now dropped a new update on Rangers’ manager search, revealing the Scottish side are now considering a move for former Luton Town boss Rob Edwards, who has been out of work since leaving the Hatters by mutual consent in January.

CEO Patrick Stewart is eager to appoint a new manager as quickly as possible, with the squad set to return to pre-season training in June, and Edwards has now emerged as a target, but there are plenty of other options on the shortlist.

Steven Gerrard, who won the Scottish Premiership title during his previous stint at Ibrox, is also under consideration, alongside former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil.

"Ultra-positive" Edwards could be interesting appointment

The 42-year-old’s spell with Luton didn’t end the way he would’ve liked, leaving the club in January before their relegation from the Championship, but there are some signs he could be a good appointment for the Gers.

The young manager, who most often utilises a 3-4-2-1 formation, led Luton to a surprise promotion to the Premier League in the 2022-23 campaign, and he received high praise from ESPN football writer Mark Ogden during his time in the top flight.

Ogden described the manager as “ultra-positive”, while also adding: “It’s not just about tactics being a manager, it’s about managing relationships and also being a motivator. He’s been absolutely brilliant this season.”

Jamie Redknapp also praised the ex-Luton boss for the job he did in the Premier League, despite having a weak squad at his disposal.

Having been described as a “great man manager” by Derry City midfielder Sadou Diallo, Edwards deserves another chance in management, despite his struggles with Luton last season, but it would be a risk for Rangers to appoint him, given his recent failures.

India’s captain did not have the best start to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and will be desperate to put his best foot forward in Brisbane

Alagappan Muthu12-Dec-20241:27

Pujara: Rohit should continue to bat at No. 6

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is at a tipping point. Rohit Sharma’s career might be too. He has not had the best start to his tour, which has extended a prolonged form slump. There are other complications as well. He’s 37 and very recently his team exceeded a lot of expectations without having him in it. India’s regular captain is used to leaving a mark on things. But rarely like this.His first coach saw what most are able to see now when he was shadow practicing. Dinesh Lad was running late and like all bored kids who are suddenly given a surplus of time without an authority figure present, Rohit started fooling around with a bat. And that was that. That was enough.Cricket reduces its participants into numbers both big and small. But there are always those that are too big to capture on a scorecard. Upon arrival at Canberra airport, there was a group of fans waiting for him, chanting “Mumbai (king)! Rohit Sharma!” Upon his departures in the Adelaide Test, for single-digit scores, there has been derision and ridicule.Related

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India need a first-innings fix, and quickly

He doesn’t like being called gifted, but he is, and the greatest one he has as a batter is that he almost always looks good. Cold even. Like nothing fazes him. Even things that should. things that should. In India’s first match of the 2019 ODI World Cup, Kagiso Rabada came thundering in to target his ribs and he pulled him to the boundary like other people scratch their noses. Matter-of-factly. It itches, you scratch. Dude bowled short. He smashed.That shot heralded Rohit’s rise to never-before-seen levels. He became the first man to score five hundreds in the ICC’s 50-over showpiece. He didn’t go searching for that. He never goes searching for anything. Even during the worst phases of his career, where he would make mistakes that would strike down an innings in its prime, he was failing because he was doing too much, not because he didn’t know what to do. Now, averaging 11.83 since his last Test century in March 2024, it feels different.”It’s the line, I think the stump line has been troubling him a lot,” Cheteshwar Pujara said on ESPNcricinfo. “He is getting out lbw and bowled [six of his last ten dismissals] which is a bit of a concern for him.”Rohit’s work across Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and now Brisbane suggests he is working on his defence, with which he hasn’t been on good terms recently•Getty ImagesRohit arrived in Australia on the high of becoming a father again. The joy of that occasion might only be matched by the nervousness, the sleeplessness leading up to it. Then he jumped on a flight, flew straight down to Perth, and landed in the middle of the Test match of India’s dreams. Getting over the whiplash of all the emotions that he would have felt alone might have taken him time, forget acclimatising to a place where he averages 27.80 from eight matches. All this is to say the build-up to his return to the side in Adelaide wasn’t completely ideal. Then he had to go out there and face Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland with the pink ball, whose tendency to jag around a fair bit more than the red one might have forced him to give up his normal opener’s position; a tacit admission perhaps that having arrived late, and with his priorities justifiably elsewhere, he wasn’t yet up to the levels he wanted to be. Also, KL Rahul had done really well at the top.Rohit Sharma’s Test numbers since his last ton•ESPNcricinfo LtdMore than two weeks into his tour now, in Brisbane, Rohit looked a little more comfortable with his brief. He batted for almost an hour, where India paid particular attention to balls coming up at them from back of a length, sharpening both their defensive options and their offensive ones. The pitch at the Gabba is expected to provide its usual mix of pace and bounce. The new ball will once again be tricky. Will India stay with Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal or will there be a change?Rohit’s work across Perth, Canberra, Adelaide and now Brisbane suggests he is working on his defence, with which he hasn’t been on good terms recently. The demands placed on a batter, particularly by limited-overs cricket, which has grown quite intolerant of the old ways, reflected in Rohit himself as he turned himself from a slow-burn, daddy-hundred-maker to a flaming-hot powerplay belter, might be playing a part in his deterioration.1:52

How can India bounce back in Brisbane?

He unlearned a method that translated across all formats – being watchful, avoiding risk, gathering information about the pitch, the bowling, the match situation and then going all-out attack. Began practicing the exact opposite of it – being cavalier, diving headlong into risk, making judgment calls about the pitch and going all-out attack to upend the bowling and the match situation. Now he’s stuck trying to find middle ground, and since it’s Rohit, his failures too tend to leave a strong impression. Against New Zealand in October and November, he seemed to believe going hard at the ball, even though he was playing Test cricket, was the best way forward because the pitches didn’t really give him much margin for error. And yet there were players on the visiting side who were able to cope. Will Young and Tom Latham trusted they had what it took to play normally on those square turners.That is the place every batter wants to be at. With faith in their method. And maybe Rohit is starting to get back there. In a 45-minute session on Thursday morning, he left well, his triggers – that tiny bouncing of the knees as he sees the bowler about to deliver, followed by a small back-and-across movement – were well-timed and he was slowly getting in rhythm. At the very least, it was a far cry from the most poignant image he’s left so far on this tour: dragging himself off the field on Saturday night, darkness all around him.

Also: does Bruce Reid hold the record for most Test wickets without ever taking one in England?

Steven Lynch22-Nov-2022Going into the T20 World Cup final, Adil Rashid had played 91 matches, scored 91 runs and taken 91 wickets. Was this the highest such coincidence? asked Michael Clayton from England

That’s a good spot: before the World Cup final in Melbourne earlier this month, Adil Rashid had played 91 T20Is for England, and amassed 91 runs and 91 wickets. He rather spoiled things in the final by taking two wickets and not batting, so is now on 92-91-93.Rashid is easily the leader when it comes to these three figures being the same: next comes the Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana who, after his penultimate game in the year’s World Cup, had played 31 matches, scored 31 runs and taken 31 wickets. He didn’t bat or take a wicket in Sri Lanka’s last game, so is now on 32-31-31.The Kenyan seamer Elijah Otieno stood at 27-27-27 at one point, but has failed to register a run or a wicket in his last four T20Is, so currently stands at 31-27-27. And the Afghanistan seamer Shapoor Zadran had 25 runs and 25 wickets after 25 matches, and neatly collected a run and a wicket in his next game to make it 26-26-26. After his most recent T20I, in March 2020, Zadran stood at 36-27-37.How many batters have scored hundreds in both innings of a first-class match against James Anderson? asked Will Gubbins from England

Four men have scored a century in each innings in a Test match with James Anderson in the opposition: Peter Fulton for New Zealand in Auckland in 2012-13, Shai Hope for West Indies at Headingley in 2017, and the Australian pair of Steve Smith (at Edgbaston in 2019) and Usman Khawaja (in Sydney in 2021-22). Smith didn’t actually face Anderson in that match in 2019, as he limped off (and out of the series) after bowling only four overs.In addition to his 175 Test matches Anderson has also played 105 other first-class games so far, most of them for Lancashire, so I expected a few more cases. But there’s only one, and it happened earlier this year in Southampton, when the Hampshire left-hander Nick Gubbins scored 101 not out and 130. Anderson took three wickets in each innings, but Gubbins escaped his clutches.There have been eight other instances of an opposition player scoring two centuries in a match against Lancashire since Anderson made his debut in 2002 – but he wasn’t playing in any of those games. So that’s a feather in the batter’s cap… and another for our questioner, who turns out to be Nick Gubbins’ brother. As I’ve said before, it’s always nice to get a question from the horse’s mouth (or a close relative’s!), so if there are any other players out there who think they might have done something unique or unusual, please let me know.Apparently two events on the European golf tour in the last couple of years were won by the sons of Test cricketers. Who were they? asked Phillip Bacon from England

The two European (DP World) Tour golf winners with illustrious cricket-playing parents were Dean Burmester, who won the Tenerife Open in May 2021, and Sean Crocker, who came out on top by one stroke in the Hero Open on the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews in Scotland in July 2022. Burmester now represents South Africa, and Crocker the United States – but both of them were born in Zimbabwe, and their fathers, Mark Burmester and Gary Crocker, both appeared in Zimbabwe’s inaugural Test, against India in Harare in October 1992. Actually, they were the first two bowlers to take Test wickets for Zimbabwe: Burmester had Ravi Shastri caught, and later Crocker bowled WV Raman to make it 77 for 2.Litton Das (right) scored his half-century and took Bangladesh to 50 off the same delivery against India, one of only two instances of this happening in T20Is•Getty ImagesWhen Litton Das reached his half-century against India in the World Cup, the team score was just 54. Was this a record? asked Raquibul Ahmad from Bangladesh

During his onslaught in Adelaide, which put Bangladesh in a strong position in their T20 World Cup group game against India, Litton Das reached 51 with a six off his 21st ball, which took the team total to 54 (fellow opener Najmul Hossain Shanto had scored the other three).Given the proviso that we don’t have full details of all T20Is, the only performance that is known to shade Litton’s onslaught came from Vanuatu’s Patrick Matautaava, against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur in October 2019. Coming in at No. 3 in the first over, he hurtled to 50 out of 53 in 18 balls, with his fourth six; batting partner Joshua Rasu scored two singles, and there was also a wide. These are the only known instances in T20Is of an individual and the team reaching 50 off the same delivery.The nearest approach in a match involving Test-playing nations came when Australia’s Cameron Green reached 50 (from 19 balls) out of 58 for 1 against India in Hyderabad in September 2022.Does Bruce Reid hold the record for most Test wickets without ever taking one in England? asked Julien Benney from Australia

The beanpole left-arm seamer Bruce Reid took 113 Test wickets, but none of them came in England. The record at the time was held by his fellow Western Australian and near-contemporary Bruce Yardley (126). They have since been overtaken by another Australian, Stuart MacGill, none of whose 208 Test wickets came in England.The other bowlers to have taken 100 or more Test wickets without any in England are Dilruwan Perera of Sri Lanka (161), the Bangladesh pair of Taijul Islam (158) and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (135), the West Indian fast bowler Merv Dillon (131), the Indian spinners Pragyan Ojha (113) and Shivlal Yadav (102), and Nicky Boje of South Africa and Irfan Pathan of India (both 100).Looking briefly at other countries, Bangladesh’s leading wicket-taker Shakib Al Hasan has so far taken 225 in Tests without any in Australia (Taijul is next with 158). Subhash Gupte of India (149 Test wickets) and Pakistan’s Fazal Mahmood (139) never played a Test in Australia either. The England pair of Alec Bedser and Darren Gough took 236 and 229 Test wickets respectively without any in the West Indies; none of Pat Cummins’ current haul of 199 has come in the Caribbean either. Curtly Ambrose took 405 Test wickets, but none in India, where Dennis Lillee (355) and Fred Trueman (307) never played either.Shiva Jayaraman of ESPNcricinfo’s stats team helped with some of the above answers.Use our feedback form, or the Ask Steven Facebook page to ask your stats and trivia questions

Even the greatest of them start to decline in their mid-thirties, but Paine seems only to be improving

Daniel Brettig25-Dec-2020When Ian Healy recently tipped that Tim Paine might be capable of going on as Australia’s captain for “three more years”, he did not use those words lightly.Healy, alongside Australia’s other longest-term wicketkeepers Rod Marsh, Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin, were all subject to a trend so consistent that it seemed almost an immutable fact of being a custodian behind the stumps for the Test team. Immutable, that is, until Paine came along.No matter how talented or accomplished they were with the bat, whether a left-handed slugger like Marsh, a No. 7 counter-puncher like Healy or Haddin, or an otherworldly talent like Gilchrist, the advance of time and years would inevitably see the wicketkeeper’s supply of runs ebb away to a level that forced the selectors to start looking elsewhere.Marsh had been very much a gamechanger for Australian wicketkeepers, adding the genuine capability of scoring centuries to the repertoire of stumpers called up by Australia, after several generations of handy scorers who nonetheless might find themselves batting anywhere from Nos. 7 through 9 in the order behind an allrounder or two.But once he had scored the last of his centuries, against England in the Centenary Test in 1977, Marsh’s batting returns took a long, slow descent once he returned to establishment ranks after two years of World Series Cricket. His average of 34.30 from 47 Tests at the end of the MCG match dipped to 26.51 by the time of his 96th and final appearance at the SCG against Pakistan in 1984: an average of 19.48 in the remaining 49 Tests.Tim Paine overcame injury, took the hot seat, and found empathy•Getty ImagesFor Healy, the decline was more sudden but no less pronounced. When he fought his way to a fourth Test hundred, eclipsing Marsh’s mark, in the first Ashes Test of the 1988-99 series at the Gabba, he was averaging 29.90, the high-water mark of Heay’s career after 107 matches. His final 12 Tests, however, were a tale of woe: his total average slipped to 27.39 as he cobbled just 170 runs at 8.94. Over the same period, even Glenn McGrath managed to do better than Healy – 111 runs at 9.25 with a higher top score, 39 to Healy’s 36.Gilchrist has spoken frankly of his own struggles over the final portion of his own career, having soared so highly he merited comparisons with the greatest batsmen of any age, let alone other wicketkeepers. Perhaps his most famous innings was the 57-ball mauling of England for a century at the WACA in late 2006, but by that stage Gilchrist’s fade, from an admittedly incredible high point, was well underway.Related

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After 46 Tests, Gilchrist had been averaging a scarcely believable 61.06 with a strike rate of 83.62 and nine centuries. While Gilchrist would go on to make 17 hundreds in all, his consistency would drop away, and eventually his overall output would suffer too. By the time he retired in early 2008 during the final Test of the “Monkeygate” series against India in 2008, Gilchrist’s average was down to 47.6, even if his revolutionary strike rate had dipped only slightly. An average of 37.56 over Gilchrist’s final 50 Tests was still outstanding, but somewhat more human.This brings us to Haddin, who had two dips either side of an unforgettable 2013-14 Ashes series in Australia. Up until the end of the 2010-11 Ashes, Haddin managed to keep his average near enough to 40 over 32 matches, although he also maintained a record of generally making runs in his side’s bigger totals with at least one other centurion for the innings. However by late 2013, including time out of the side to be with his ill daughter, Mia, Haddin was back down to an average of 33.97.Adam Gilchrist struck the second fastest century in Test cricket, while in decline•Getty ImagesWhen the 2013-14 Ashes concluded, with Haddin having pummeled 493 runs at 61.62, he looked ready for a sustained renaissance. Instead, the late career fade resumed: Haddin’s final 12 Tests would reap just 259 runs at 15.23, seeing his overall record dip to 32.98 and like Healy and Marsh a somewhat unflattering portrait of his contributions for most of the time.Such background was written all over Healy’s comments when assessing how Paine was bucking this trend. “I’m expecting him to play for quite long because he started so late – and it looks like he’s in great shape physically and doing it well,” Healy told the . “He’s got a job to do so that will keep him interested, keep him motivated to get that Australian side on top again and in the hearts of Australians.”He’s led a massive cultural revolution, which has got to be draining, so I don’t have a problem if he does surprise me and finish before I reckon he will because he’s taken on so much, but I think he’s about to reap the rewards and enjoy it a lot more. I’ve got no problems saying three more years.”That revolution has been as true of Paine’s batting as the progress of his team. From moments during the 2019 Ashes when he looked to be over-matched as a batsman, and certainly too conservative, Paine has upped his tempo and his effectiveness: at a time when all of his forebears were trending down, he has compiled 342 runs at 42.75 and a strike rate of 52.29 in eight matches since the end of the Leeds Test in 2019. Healy and Haddin were two of the voices encouraging him to “bat like a wicketkeeper”, in other words, attack.A change in mindset and technique has helped Tim Paine’s batting reach another level•Getty Images”He tried to bat like Greg Chappell all the time,” Healy said. “The batting needs to be natural and free. Bad ball on the legs put it away, cut shot get it on. He was blocking bad balls last year and just surviving very much like a lot of the players did upfront in Adelaide. All I said to him was just put bad balls away, look for them and put them away. If it’s a clip to leg, clip it hard. If it’s a cut shot, go at it. Bat like a keeper and that’s what he’s done.”Add to this the fact that Paine is showing a level of enthusiasm and eagerness for improvement that can be hard to maintain the longer any player continues and there appears a sound formula for him to carry on. Paine’s most recent column outlined how Marnus Labuschagne had helped him tweak his batting technique during the Sheffield Shield games that preceded the India series, adjusting his bat pick-up position to sit closer to his back hip – more or less the same spot Steven Smith, Virat Kohli and Kane Williamson have it.”I’ve felt pretty good pretty much since I made the change during the South Australian Shield game,” Paine said. “So for me it’s been about just having more time to become accustomed to it and make it more second nature rather than having to think about it. I can certainly feel that’s happening now.”I’m someone who needs to write a bit of stuff down to remind myself, particularly when it comes to my batting, but I’ve found the last couple of weeks that little changes now I don’t have to think about, and when that’s the case I can just watch the ball. It’s been a good start to the series but it’s only one innings.”Paine, then, is proving to be a departure from history in plenty of ways. Not only as an Australian wicketkeeper captain, but as a Test match gloveman improving his batting when it would usually be on the slide. His next challenge will be to join Marsh, Healy, Gilchrist and Haddin as Test centurions.

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Boavista e Fluminense se enfrentam neste domingo (4), a partir das 16h (de Brasília), no Estádio Elcyr Resende de Mendonça, em Saquarema (RJ), em partida válida pela 6ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca.

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O jogo entre Boavista x disputado na Região dos Lagos terá transmissão ao vivo para todo Brasil na Band pela TV aberta, na Bandsports pela TV por assinatura e pelo Canal Goat no YouTube.

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Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
BOAVISTA X FLUMINENSE
Carioca – 6ª rodada

Data e horário: domingo, 4 de fevereiro de 2024, às 16h (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Elcyr Resende de Mendonça, em Saquarema (RJ)
Onde assistir: Band pela TV aberta, na Bandsports pela TV por assinatura e pelo Canal Goat no YouTube

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BOAVISTA
Kléver; Matheus Ludke, Wellington, Pablo Maldini e Alyson; Léo Costa, Crystopher e Ryan Guilherme; Matheus Alessandro, Cristian e Erick Flores. Técnico: Felipe Cândido

FLUMINENSE
Felipe Alves; Lucas Justen, Antônio Carlos, David Braz e Diogo Barbosa; Felipe Andrade, Daniel, Terans; Yony González, Isaac e Lelê. Técnico: Fernando Diniz.

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It’s fair to say that Arsenal are making this Champions League lark look rather straightforward, as Mikel Arteta’s depleted side breezed past Club Brugge on Wednesday night.

Even while forced to resort to deploying Christian Norgaard at centre-back, the Gunners still secured a fifth clean sheet from six outings in this year’s edition, having conceded just once to date.

David Raya, as ever, was almost impenetrable in the sticks away in Belgium, although the major talking point was the away side’s attacking flair, as summer signing Noni Madueke notched a brace in stunning fashion.

On the opposite flank too, Gabriel Martinelli maintained his rampant Champions League form with his fifth goal on what was just his third start in the competition in 2025/26, cutting in onto his right foot before unleashing an exquisite effort into the far corner.

The Brazilian is leading the charge in Europe, albeit while having scored just once back in Premier League action, yet to truly nail down that left-sided berth.

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While Martinelli has dazzled in midweek action, Leandro Trossard remains the go-to man domestically, netting four times – alongside providing three assists – in the Premier League.

It wasn’t too long ago that the 31-year-old Belgian looked destined to depart over the summer, however, while with his newly-signed deal still set to expire in 2027, he hardly represents a long-term solution.

Indeed, with Eberechi Eze also looking somewhat lost in that role in the defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, a new addition still appears to be on the agenda heading into 2026.

According to Caught Offside, one of the targets who is ‘most high up on Arsenal’s list’ is AC Milan sensation, Rafael Leao, with the Portugal international viewed as a ‘long-term target’ in attack.

The reports suggests that despite Viktor Gyokeres’ initial teething problems, there is no desire at the Emirates to sign another striker, with a more versatile figure, like Leao, being prioritised instead.

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While no price tag is mentioned in relation to the 26-year-old, it was reported by the same outlet last month that the Serie A side would be looking for a figure in the region of €85m (£75m), were they to cash in.

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Martinelli’s glorious effort in Brugge, to maintain his Champions League hot streak, has showcased just what he can do when at his best, having notably secured a valuable point against Manchester City earlier in the campaign.

There is a wow factor about the long-serving talent, although that nagging sense of inconsistency has yet to be shaken off, with the 24-year-old registering just a solitary goal involvement from 11 league appearances to date.

A true upgrade, unfortunately, is needed in that department, with Leao seemingly the perfect fit, with ex-Milan boss Stefano Pioli previously suggesting that he reminds him of an “early Thierry Henry”, due to his knack for drifting inside from his wide role.

Indeed, like Arsenal’s beloved Frenchman, there is an effortlessness to Leao’s game, with the former Lille man able to glide his way up the pitch in that left channel, while possessing the end product to boot.

While not quite at his scintillating best this season, the £75m man has still enjoyed a far superior record to Martinelli in league action, scoring five goals from his ten Serie A appearances, while chipping in with one assist.

Top-scoring LWs – 25/26*
Player	Goals
Luis Diaz	7
Yan Diomande	6
Said El Mala	6
Alberto Moleiro	6
Sofian Diop	6
Vini Jr.	6
Kenan Yildiz	5
Rafael Leao	5
Bradley Barcola…	5
*Europe’s top 5 leagues
Stats via Transfermarkt

That record, as per Sofascore, has also seen him create five ‘big chances’, while averaging 0.5 successful dribbles per game.

For comparison, Martinelli is yet to create a single ‘big chance’, while averaging just 0.2 for that latter metric in the Premier League.

Leao’s greater prowess when it comes to driving his side up the pitch is also seen in how he edges the Arsenal man with regard to both progressive carries (4.29 v 4.07) and successful take-ons (1.75 vs 1.36) per 90 across the last 365 days, as per FBref, ensuring he could represent an even more menacing attacking weapon for Arteta to wield.

In all, the Portuguese’s 272 games at San Siro have yielded 76 goals and 63 assists, as per Transfermart, while in the case of Martinelli, his 242 appearances in all competitions have seen him chip in with just 57 goals and 30 assists.

An Henry-esque talent, who is already proven in one of Europe’s top five leagues, Leao surely represents the left-wing upgrade that the Gunners have long been crying out for.

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