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Visitors recover from 1 for 2 to post 206 for 5 and maintain Trent Bridge winning run

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay07-Jun-2025

Adam Hose set Worcestershire on their way to victory•Getty Images

Worcestershire 206 for 5 (Hose 95, Kashif 51) beat Nottinghamshire 181 for 7 (Moores 39, Taylor 2-36) by 25 runsWorcestershire Rapids bounced back from a Friday night home defeat to North Group leaders Northamptonshire Steelbacks with a third consecutive Trent Bridge victory in the Vitality Blast, winning by a comfortable 25 runs.Adam Hose clocked up six sixes in a superb 51-ball 95 with Kashif Ali hitting 51 off 35 as the Rapids totalled a challenging 206 for 5 after being asked to bat first as the rain that had washed out the scheduled Blast Women’s game earlier thankfully disappeared.Tom Moores (39 off 27), Joe Clarke (31 off 24) and Liam Patterson-White (39 off 19) tried to keep the Outlaws in contention but Worcestershire’s bowlers served their team well by taking wickets at key moments, two each from Tom Taylor and Jacob Duffy, with Australian paceman Ben Dwarshius (1 for 23) outstanding at the death, conceding only 11 in his last two overs as the home side fell short at 181 for 7.Worcestershire’s total was all the more remarkable given they were 1 for 2 after seven balls as Brett D’Oliveira, stumbling out of his ground after keeping out a sharp delivery from Daniel Sams, was run out by the bowler, and Ed Pollock’s slog-sweep picked out deep backward square.Kashif’s aggression restored some order from a Rapids point of view but after hitting four fours and three sixes he perished for 51 at 74 for 3 in the 10th, skying one to long-on off legspinner Calvin Harrison.But Hose now took the initiative, clearing the ropes three times in going to 52 from 32, with Ethan Brookes backing him up with 32 from 19 before finding Sams on the midwicket boundary after the fourth-wicket pair had added 77 in 38 balls.With three more maximums, Hose advanced to within one blow of a third T20 hundred before he was leg before attempting to ramp Dillon Pennington in the last over but 18 off nine from Dwarshius took the Worcestershire total past 200 for the fourth time at Trent Bridge and the sixes tally to 11.The Outlaws chased down 227 here just over a week ago but were in trouble at 44 for 3 in the seventh. Lyndon James clubbed to mid-on in the opening over, Jack Haynes pulled sixes off Dwarshius and Duffy but skewed a slower ball from the latter to mid-off and Moises Henriques was easily stumped off former Nottinghamshire left-arm spinner Fateh Singh.Clarke’s attempt to kick-start a faltering effort brought him a second six as he slog-swept Singh but his attempt to clear extra cover saw him fall to a well-judged catch by D’Oliveira, Sams sliced to backward point and Moores fell to a similar shot, after which Patterson-White’s lusty blows proved not enough.

They are all but certain to play two spinners; the second spinner could be Washington to provide the batting depth

Sidharth Monga30-Jun-2025

Jasprit Bumrah is fit and available, but will he play?•Getty Images

Jasprit Bumrah is fit and available for the second Test against England, but India are not giving away whether he will play at Edgbaston, given he is likely to feature in only three of the five fixtures in the series.India are also all but certain to play two spinners at Edgbaston, given the patchy grass on the pitch, which is dry underneath. The second spinner, though, could be offspin allrounder Washington Sundar as India seem worried about batting depth.”Bumrah is ready to play,” India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said two days before the Edgbaston Test. “It’s how we manage these four Tests. So if we feel like there’s value in playing him in this Test, we’ll make that call at the very last minute. I’m talking about weather, how the pitch is going to play, are we better off holding him back for Lord’s and maybe Manchester or The Oval? So it’s all those factors, but you’ve seen him train yesterday, he trained a little bit today. It’s not like he’s not fit to play. It’s just trying to fit those puzzle pieces to get the most out of what we know we do have from him.”The weather forecasts in England are best not taken as gospel, but there is rain predicted on days one, four and five. There is a chance, given the flat nature of pitches in England of late, that the weather might not leave the teams enough time for a result. Keeping that in mind, India could be thinking of preserving Bumrah for later in the series.Related

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They also believe the dry nature of the pitch brings their slower bowlers into play. “It’s just which two we play,” ten Doeschate said. “And that goes back to juggling the batting depth. All three spinners are bowling very nicely. Washi is batting very nicely. So it’s just which combination do we go with? The allrounder-spinner or the out-and-out spinner? And obviously you have to play the bowling allrounder again.”So there are so many different variables. The wicket has got 11 mils [mm of grass] at the moment, 11 or 12, I can’t remember which of the two, but it’s quite grassy and patchy. It’s quite dry underneath, but there’s also rain forecast for Wednesday, so again trying to weigh up the two options of how we want to go attack-wise, but I’m pretty sure two spinners will play in this Test.”Washington Sundar could be the second spinner•AFP/Getty ImagesAt the start of the series, captain Shubman Gill had said he was prepared to play four tailenders to go for 20 wickets as cheaply as possible, but ten Doeschate seemed to suggest that was easier said than done. When asked how seriously they considered that option, given the struggles with team balance since the start of the Australia tour, ten Doeschate said: “We have [discussed playing four tailenders]. And when you’re 430 for 3, it’s absolutely fine, but when you’re 200 for 5, it’s a very different ball game.”So, in terms of managing the strategy there, we’re looking at each bowler individually, what we feel they can get wickets wise, and then it’s just trying to balance up and trying to calculate as best you can what the best chance of getting into the Test match, but you need 20 wickets. So the attacking part is obviously finding someone who can get wickets as well, and we are grappling with that. We don’t stop talking about that. We’re trying to figure it out.”Reddy ‘very close to getting a game’After Yashasvi Jaiswal dropped three catches at Headingley, India rejigged their slip cordon during their practice sessions in Birmingham. The first three slips were the same – Karun Nair, KL Rahul and Gill – but Sai Sudharsan and Nitish Kumar Reddy alternated at fourth slip and gully. Ten Doeschate said the change had nothing to do with Headingley but was about developing all-round fielders, freeing Jaiswal for short-leg practice. However, he did say Reddy was back in contention. Shardul Thakur, preferred to Reddy in Leeds, ended up bowling only 16 overs and didn’t contribute with the bat.Nitish Kumar Reddy has a chat with Morne Morkel•Getty Images”He’s [Reddy] very close to getting a game,” ten Doeschate said. “Obviously, he was fantastic in Australia, coming into the team and playing the way he did. We just felt that on balance, for the last game, we wanted to go with the bowling allrounder, which we thought Shardul was slightly ahead on the bowling front. We’re looking at ways of rejigging the puzzle here so we can get a batting allrounder in and obviously Nitish is our premium batting allrounder at the moment. So I would say he’s a very good chance to play this Test.”Not having a proper seam-bowling allrounder has been a headache for India, who have not had success juggling batting depth and bowling penetration. The unfortunate condition of Bumrah playing only three Tests due to workload management complicates the issue. When asked whether there was a temptation to play Bumrah at Edgbaston because 2-0 can be extremely difficult to come back from, ten Doeschate said: “It is, but we also feel we can go 1-1 or keep the score at 1-0 without Jasprit, and then again, that’s putting the eggs in the back end of the series. We’re going to need him at some stage as well. You have got to decide when you’re going to play your strongest suit.”And that’s what I was talking about the weather and all that, but we feel that whatever we put out there, we can compete in this Test match, and you know, we came pretty close without Jasprit in the second innings when he didn’t get any wickets, and you can’t win the Test series with just one bowler in any case, and the bowlers are very well aware they need to chip in with wickets. Sorry, I can’t give you a more firm answer, but we’ll work out in the next 48 or 24 hours how we’re going to manage Jasprit.”

Virat Kohli’s enduring love for Test cricket and his tireless efforts to champion the game’s oldest and most demanding format will be a defining part of his legacy, according to his India team-mate Cheteshwar Pujara.In a chat with ESPNcricinfo following Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket after a remarkable 14-year, 123-match career, Pujara reflected on the values Kohli brought to the longest format.”He paid a lot of attention to Test format in the era where all the youngsters were looking to play more of white-ball cricket,” Pujara said. “For Virat, the ultimate format of the game was Test cricket and for that, he worked really hard.”Related

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Pujara highlighted Kohli’s transformational influence on the Indian team’s fitness standards, especially after he took over as full-time captain in January 2015.”When he started leading the team from 2015 onwards, that’s the time when he brought in the fitness culture in the Indian team. All the teams were trying to work hard on their fitness, but in the Indian team, the fitness had to improve and that was the time when the shift did come in.”The number of fast bowlers who came into the Indian team at that time also had to work on their fitness. The entire team started working on the fitness and at the same time, Virat paid a lot of attention to the Test format and he wanted the team to be one of the best in the world.”3:48

Pujara: ‘Under Kohli’s captaincy, everyone started believing we can win overseas’

One of Kohli’s most defining qualities as captain, according to Pujara, was his relentless focus on taking 20 wickets to win Test matches, even if it meant having to play one less batter at times. Pujara himself had to miss out on a few instances, such as the first two Tests of the 2015 tour to Sri Lanka.”From the time he was in charge, he always wanted to take 20 wickets,” Pujara said. “So the intensity on the field was very important. And for each and every player to put in those suggestions to take those 20 wickets, it was important that everyone came together and then we started working towards the goal.”He wanted to create that environment and atmosphere on the field where the batters who are batting, they felt the pressure. They felt that we were hunting in the pack. We are on the field to pick wickets. We are not just trying to be there and wait for the moment to pick a wicket. We are there to pick wickets at any time.”2:33

Pujara: Kohli putting pressure on bowlers helped me a lot

Pujara pointed to the 2021 Lord’s Test against England as a vivid example of Kohli’s leadership and aggression. Before India went out to bowl on the final day, with time seemingly running out, Kohli delivered a rousing speech, urging his bowlers to give England “60 overs of hell”. The result was a dramatic 151-run victory that gave India a 1-0 lead in the series.”That was one of the best victories I have been part of,” Pujara said. “Because no one thought that India can win that Test match. It was a brave declaration on day five where only 55-60 overs were left and on a pitch which looked a flat pitch, where to bowl a team out was a big challenge.”Credit goes to the way everyone performed, the way bowlers bowled, the way Virat led the team, and even the way team management supported that call, because it was important to declare. There are times where you feel like it’s a flat pitch, there’s no point wasting our energy, but that was a brave call and we ended up winning that Test match.”Asked to pick his favourite Kohli innings, Pujara singled out the combative Perth century during the 2018-19 tour to Australia, where India won 2-1 to record their first-ever Test-series win Down Under.”Unfortunately, we ended up losing that Test match, but on a pitch like that, which was a fiery pitch where there was a lot of lateral movement, there was enough in the pitch to trouble the batters,” Pujara said. “But he came out aggressively, started playing those straight drives, those classic Kohli cover drives, and the way he played the pull shot, because there were times where he was troubled by the pull shot in the earlier games.”But after that he realised he had to pick the right length to play the pull and hook shot. He came out on top and he played that brilliant innings. It’s one of his favourite innings, which I’ve seen when I was playing with him.”

It was officially confirmed last week that Daniel Levy would be stepping down from his position as Tottenham Hotspur’s chairman, and it was met with mixed reactions.

Some wanted to point to the fact that Spurs were the most profitable ‘big six’ team in the Premier League during his tenure, which spanned over 24 years from March 2001 to the start of this month.

You only have to rewind a few months to the Europa League trophy that Spurs won, ending their 17-year wait for a major trophy, to find one of the highlights of Levy’s time as chairman.

Daniel Levy's expensive Spurs blunders

However, some supporters may point to some of his transfer business over the years as being less-than-impressive, perhaps contributing to the 17-year wait for a trophy.

Levy was not really different to any other chairman, owner, or sports director, in the sense that he made good and bad signings throughout his time at the club.

For example, he sanctioned a potential club-record level deal for Dominic Solanke last summer, signing the English striker in a move worth up to £65m. The 27-year-old marksman scored just nine goals from 10.97 xG in 27 appearances in the Premier League for Spurs last season, per Sofascore.

Solanke is, therefore, yet to show that he is worth a club-record fee for Tottenham, given his lack of quality in front of goal so far, but he is not the only Levy signing who falls into that category.

Richarlison was signed from Everton in the summer of 2022 in a deal that was worth up to £60m, and he has yet to live up to that price tag for the club.

How much Richarlison's market value has plummeted at Spurs

Levy made one of his biggest errors as the club’s chairman when he sanctioned that mammoth transfer for the Brazil international, because the striker’s market value has plummeted in the last three years.

Richarlison, who was once described as a “goalmouth monster” by Ange Postecoglou, has been a frustrating figure in North London, as he has produced moments of quality, like the bicycle kick goal against Burnley this season.

However, those moments have been too few and far between, as the £60m signing has only scored 22 goals in 94 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The former Everton and Watford marksman scored one goal in his first Premier League season with the club and four in the 2024/25 campaign, with 11 goals in his second term, which illustrates his inconsistency in front of goal.

July 2022

£60m move to Spurs

December 2022

£48m

June 2023

£42m

September 2023

£35m

December 2023

£30m

May 2024

£33m

December 2024

£26m

March 2025

£22m

May 2025 – present

£17m

As you can see in the table above, Richarlison’s market value has been heavily impacted by his inconsistency on the pitch, as his value has dropped by a staggering £43m from £60m to £17m at the time of writing.

The Brazilian attacker could point to injuries, as he has missed 58 games through injury in the last three seasons, but the return of one goal in 27 Premier League games in his first year at the club was simply not good enough.

Spurs should expect more from Richarlison for the money Levy shelled out to bring him to the club, which is why he should currently be considered one of the ex-chairman’s biggest blunders.

As it stands, the £60m deal that was put together to sign the Brazil international from Everton looks to have been a huge overpay by Levy, given that he is currently valued at just £17m.

Forget Bale and Son: Spurs "wonderkid" was Levy's best-ever signing

Tottenham Hotspur hit the jackpot on this star who was an even better Daniel Levy signing than Gareth Bale & Heung-min Son.

ByDan Emery Sep 8, 2025

Wayne Madsen has been reappointed as Derbyshire’s club captain and will lead the team in County Championship cricket this summer.Madsen, 41, agreed to take on the role less than a month before the start of the season, following the decision of David Lloyd to stand down. Madsen was previously Derbyshire’s captain between 2012 and 2016, overseeing promotion from Division Two of the Championship in his first season.”Wayne has always shown great leadership qualities and he’s a popular member of our dressing room, so I’m delighted he will be leading our team in 2025,” Derbyshire’s head of cricket, Mickey Arthur, said.Related

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“His experience is invaluable; he has won promotion once as a captain already and I’m looking forward to seeing how his ideas play out on the field.”Wayne is a player who always leads by example, he is the one that sets the standards in training and with his professionalism, and I know he will approach the role with real pride and enthusiasm.”In a disappointing 2024 campaign, which saw Derbyshire claim the wooden spoon after finishing bottom of Division Two, Madsen was the club’s leading Championship run-scorer, with 1005 at 50.25 – the seventh time in 12 seasons that he has crossed the 1000-run mark.Overall, he has scored 14,601 first-class runs for Derbyshire, putting him ninth on the list for the club.Madsen said: “It’s a real privilege to captain Derbyshire again. I know what it means to represent this great county and its members, and I take immense pride in leading the team on the field.”David [Lloyd] has done a fantastic job in laying the foundations for me to build on. While results didn’t always go our way last season, he and Mickey, with his vast experience and knowledge, have fostered a real sense of togetherness and resilience within the squad – qualities I want to carry forward this year.”I’m proud to lead this team and excited about what we can achieve under Mickey’s guidance. With the talent and character in this squad, we’re determined to win games and bring success to our supporters.”

Barcelona star Joan Garcia remains sidelined after a successful knee operation with the goalkeeper in danger of missing the Clasico showdown against Real Madrid in late October. The 24-year-old stopper, signed this summer from Espanyol for €25 million, has been ruled out for between four and six weeks after arthroscopic surgery on a torn meniscus in his left knee.

• Surgery sidelines summer signing

  Barcelona confirmed on Friday that Garcia’s operation had been a success, though the recovery period will dictate just how many matches he misses. The injury is similar to the one suffered by team-mate Gavi earlier this week, although the damage was far more severe in the midfielder’s case as he has been ruled out for up to five months. Garcia’s prognosis is less drastic, but even four weeks on the sidelines leaves little margin before El Clasico scheduled on October 26. Six weeks out would all but guarantee his absence for the high-voltage fixture.

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• AFP
  

  From dream debut to cruel setback

  Since arriving from city rivals Espanyol, Garcia had wasted no time cementing his place as Barca’s number one. Handed the gloves by Flick from day one, he started every match of the new campaign and quickly won over the fans with his command in goal. Conceding only five goals in seven league appearances, the Spaniard was lauded for his shot-stopping and composure, though he did draw criticism on Thursday after a loose pass led to Oviedo’s opener. Flick, however, defended his young goalkeeper, praising his overall form and leadership from the back.

• Szczesny set to step back in

  The setback means Wojciech Szczesny will be thrust back into the starting XI. The experienced Pole, who had already proven his worth last season during Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s spell out with injury, now has another chance to be Barca’s guardian between the sticks.

  Speaking at Saturday’s press conference, Flick struck a defiant tone despite the blow.

  "It’s not good news to have Joan Garcia out, he was fine. He got injured in the last game against Oviedo, but these things happen," he said. "Now, Tek is back, and if you look at the second half of last season, we won almost every game with Szczesny; he was there, and we won three titles with him. He’s a great goalkeeper, a great person, and I have no doubt about him.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  International break gives Barca breathing space

  Barcelona will at least find some relief in the timing of the international break, which eases the fixture congestion during Garcia’s rehabilitation. Garcia is already ruled out of the Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain, a game that will go a long way to shaping Barca’s European ambitions. He will miss La Liga games against Real Sociedad, Sevilla and Girona, at least, before the Madrid match in late-October.

As the Premier League campaign draws near, Manchester City have now reportedly been told that a half-price offer will be enough to sign a midfield target this month.

As expected, it’s been a busy summer for Manchester City on all fronts. They began with a flourish of incomings in preparation for the Club World Cup and have since taken their total to six fresh faces. Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, James Trafford, Sverre Nypan and Marcus Bettinelli have all arrived as Pep Guardiola aims to rebuild following last season’s disappointment.

After missing out on the Premier League title for the first time in four seasons last time out, however, it’s not just incomings that Man City have been working on this summer. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker and Yan Couto have already sealed permanent departures, whilst Jack Grealish looks likely to follow suit.

The England international was left out of Guardiola’s Club World Cup squad earlier this summer and has seemed destined for a departure ever since. There remain question marks over just where his next destination could be, though.

Whilst Everton have opened talks to sign Grealish, Tottenham Hotspur have also reportedly made contact and could certainly do with a creative spark following the news that James Maddison will miss the majority of the campaign through injury.

Related Man City now eyeing hijack of £35m rising star with Man Utd also set to bid

The Blues have set their sights on a Manchester United target…

Posts 1 ByDominic Lund Aug 6, 2025

Meanwhile, as one talented midfielder potentially heads for the exit door, the Citizens have reportedly been handed the chance to land a transfer target of their own at a bargain price this month.

Man City told they can sign Paqueta in half-price deal

Following the news that he’s been cleared of any spot-fixing charges, the transfer rumours regarding Lucas Paqueta’s future have once again been sparked into life. According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Man City have now been told they can sign Paqueta for £45m this summer in what is around half the £85m fee that they’ve previously been quoted by West Ham United.

In a bargain deal, those at the Etihad have quite the decision to make. Whilst the addition of Reijnders has helped solve their midfield problem, the chance to sign a long-term target at a bargain price may well be too good to turn down.

Now that he doesn’t have potential charges hanging over him too, Paqueta may finally get back to his best following a disappointing campaign last time out. And it’s at his best that the midfield star has earned impressive praise from former West Ham boss David Moyes, who described him as “incredible”.

Now, amid reports that Graham Potter has opened the door for his exit, the Brazilian could finally get the big move that he was previously denied.

Nottingham Forest fans must be having sleepless nights over the long-term future of Morgan Gibbs-White.

It looked nailed on that the 25-year-old was going to be the next through the exit door at the City Ground after Anthony Elanga, as Tottenham Hotspur smugly activated his release clause, yet this move looks to be fraught with controversy now, with the Tricky Trees even threatening legal action over Spurs’ cloak-and-dagger approach.

Whatever does occur between now and the entertaining transfer window closing involving Gibbs-White, Forest know they will need to press on with more incoming signings joining Nuno Espirito Santo’s group, with an ambitious midfield move now reportedly in the pipeline.

Nottingham Forest prepare move for £50m battler

Talk about fresh, new signings entering the fray has taken a backseat somewhat due to the drama of Elanga leaving and Gibbs-White nearly following suit.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, there have been some notable links here and there, with Ben Doak allegedly on the Forest radar for around the £25m mark as the Scotsman contemplates a move away from Liverpool.

Another standout rumour comes in the form of ex-Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz who could make a return to the Premier League with Forest.

talkSPORT are reporting that Nuno’s men are ‘exploring’ a move for the former £50m Juventus buy, as Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis fancies the idea of bringing the top-flight-experienced Brazilian back to the Midlands.

It is stated that his £100k-per-week wage could be a potential stumbling block, but this might well be a standout signing Forest need to pursue in order to potentially convince Gibbs-White to remain put over favouring Champions League opportunities elsewhere, with the pair perhaps striking up an exciting midfield partnership very soon.

Why Gibbs-White could love playing with Luiz

Before flopping in Turin, starting just three Serie A games last term, Luiz was a dependable performer week in week out for Unai Emery’s Villans, with a sumptuous effort such as this one against AFC Bournemouth in his back pocket.

Not just an energetic battler in the middle of the park, Luiz has proven himself to be more than capable of chipping in with a goal and an assist in the final third.

Indeed, he collected a sizeable haul of 22 goals and 24 assists for Villa, with Gibbs-White coincidentally on the exact same tally at this point in time for Forest as another livewire in the centre of the pitch.

Games played

175

154

Goals scored

20

18

Assists

18

27

Passes completed

7,744 (87%)

4,106 (78%)

Dribbles completed

202 (66%)

298 (48%)

Duels won

775

591

Tackles won

285

123

Looking at the table above, it’s clear there are differences between the duo, however, that would help them form a healthy working relationship, with Luiz more than content sitting deeper in the pitch when viewing his high number of 775 duels being won across his Premier League career to date, alongside his 285 tackles.

On the contrary, Gibbs-White excels when bombing forward, with Luiz’s addition to the group gifting Forest more stability in the middle, alongside an equally combative Elliot Anderson, to allow for the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker to express himself even more.

During his final season at Villa Park, Luiz averaged a mightily impressive 5.3 ball recoveries in league action to be that tireless presence for his side, with football analyst Statman Dave even going out of his way to label the Brazilian as an “engine” for his relentless drive.

Away from competently completing his dirty work, Luiz would also be an addition that would stand out to the wantaway Englishman. Forest clearly need to showcase their ambition to Gibbs-White and the Brazilian’s pedigree in European competitions, as seen in the six Champions League appearances, would potentially be the type of signing to prove that.

Rather than deserting Forest, therefore, Gibbs-White might well believe Europe’s grandest stage can come to the City Ground shortly if Luiz’s expertise is added to the mix.

With new pictures coming out of Forest also showing Gibbs-White returning to training, it might not be a foregone conclusion anymore that the 25-year-old is on the move, especially if the “world-class” Luiz, as he was once labelled by ex-Villa teammate John McGinn, heads to Nottingham.

Dream Elanga replacement: Nottingham Forest in contact to sign £25m "menace"

Nottingham Forest now need to replace Elanga after his move to Newcastle

ByJoe Nuttall Jul 15, 2025

Fair to say, this transfer window has not exactly gone to plan for Newcastle United.

Anthony Elanga has arrived from Nottingham Forest for a reported fee of £55m, which is certainly an exciting addition.

However, now that James Trafford is poised to re-join Manchester City, the Magpies have now missed out on seven key targets, with Hugo Ekitiké, Liam Delap, João Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Dean Huijsen all choosing to go elsewhere.

There’s also the small matter of their best player, seemingly, going on strike to force through a move, more on that in just a second, hence why Eddie Howe is in the market searching for a striker.

Newcastle's search for a new striker

As you may have pieced together by now, according to a report by Chris Waugh of the Athletic, Alexander Isak has not travelled with the rest of the squad to Asia for pre-season friendlies in Singapore and Korea Republic.

The club statement claims he is nursing a groin injury, but George Caulkin of the Athletic outlines the Sweden international’s desire to leave and join an ‘elite team’, with a move to Liverpool his preference.

Thus, as they commence their striker search, Craig Hope of the Daily Mail reports that Newcastle have added Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson to their list of targets.

The Blues have already signed both Liam Delap and João Pedro for £30m and £55m respectively this summer, so Matt Law of the Telegraph claims Jackson is available for sale, with Chris Burns of Football.London adding that the Senegalese international is valued at around £80m.

So, could Jackson soon swap West London for the North East?

How Nicolas Jackson would improve Newcastle

Despite often being much maligned, Jackson’s scoring record since joining Chelsea two summers ago is pretty impressive, bagging 30 goals in 81 appearances for the club, including netting both times Newcastle have visited Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch praised his “unbelievable” performances, while Liam Twomey and Mark Carey of the Athletic document his ‘excellent’ pressing, making him ‘a big part’ of how the team play.

Similarly, Ed Dove of ESPN outlines how the Blues’ form waned while Jackson was injured, praising the striker’s ‘broader contribution… without the ball’ as well as his ‘self-sacrifice and relentless running’, becoming the first Chelsea player to reach double figures for Premier League goals in successive seasons since Didier Drogba.

Should he move to Newcastle, Jackson would be following in the footsteps of a pair of fellow Senegalese strikers who are certainly remembered fondly on Tyneside.

During the 2011/12 season, spearheaded by Papiss Cissé and Demba Ba, the Magpies finished fifth under Alan Pardew, just two years after being promoted from the Championship, and both strikers were on fire.

Alexander Isak

2024/25

23

Alexander Isak

2023/24

21

Callum Wilson

2022/23

18

Loïc Rémy

2013/14

14

Demba Ba

2012/13

13

Demba Ba

2011/12

16

Papiss Cissé

2011/12

13

Alan Shearer

2003/04

22

Alan Shearer

2002/03

17

Alan Shearer

2001/02

23

Alan Shearer

1999/00

23

Alan Shearer

1998/99

14

Alan Shearer

1996/97

25

Les Ferdinand

1996/97

16

As the table outlines, 2011/12 remains the only season in which two Newcastle players have scored 13 or more Premier League goals since the heady days of 1996/97, a year the Magpies finished second.

Demba Ba, the more prolific of the duo, was ultimately sold to Chelsea for £7.5m in January 2013, so could Jackson become the reverse Ba?

Well, let’s compare the pair to find out.

Games

54

33

65

Minutes

4,399

1,533

5,050

Goals

29

7

24

Mins per goal

152

219

210

Assists

6

1

10

As the table outlines, Ba at Newcastle was marginally more prolific than Jackson has been during his time at Chelsea, scoring five more goals in around 600 fewer minutes, albeit the latter has registered more assists; the former certainly did not continue this scoring spree at Stamford Bridge all those years ago!

Nevertheless, in contrast, Jackson, at 24 years old, would surely be primed to have make immediate impact should he arrive at Newcastle, just as Ba did, hence why he should be amongst their top targets, if Isak does indeed get his wish and depart.

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اعترف دين هويسن، مدافع نادي ريال مدريد، أن بعض لاعبي برشلونة قد سخروا منه، بعدما اختار اللاعب الشاب التوقيع مع الملكي.

هويسن برز اسمه بقوة خلال الموسم الماضي، في ظل مستواه المتميز للغاية مع نادي بورنموث، حيث كان اللاعب الشاب حديث الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وجعل مستوى هويسن المتميز العديد من الأندية الأوروبية الكبرى تطلب التعاقد معه، ومن بينها برشلونة وآرسنال وليفربول إلى جانب تشيلسي.

لكن في نهاية المطاف نجح ريال مدريد في التعاقد مع هويسن قادمًا من بورنموث، مقابل حوالي 58 مليون يورو وبعقد مدته ست سنوات.

اقرأ أيضًا.. مبابي يعترف: عملاق أوروبي حاول ضمي.. وألونسو مدرب رائع

وقال هويسن في تصريحات نقلها صحفي شبكة سكاي سبورتس، فابريزيو رومانو: “في المنتخب الوطني، أخبرني بعض اللاعبين أنني اتخذت قرارًا صائبًا باختيار ريال مدريد، لاعبو برشلونة يسخرون مني، لكننا سوف نلتقي في الكلاسيكو وسنرى”.

هويسن حجز مكانه بنجاح في التشكيلة الأساسية لـ ريال مدريد سريعًا وبات من بين أهم اللاعبين في تكتيك المدرب الشاب تشابي ألونسو.

ويعتبر كذلك هويسن لاعبًا أساسيًا في منتخب إسبانيا، وذلك على حساب لاعب برشلونة، باو كوبارسي.