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Manchester United continued their pre-season preparations with a fairly drab 0-0 draw against fellow Premier League side Leeds United on Saturday.

Ruben Amorim’s side featured two new signings in Diego Leon and Matheus Cunha, whilst the Red Devils are still finalising a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.

Whilst there will be a lot of focus on who Manchester United bring in to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window, the club also need to move on the players who are not going to be involved under Amorim next season.

One of those players, Marcus Rashford, appears to be on the verge of a move away from Old Trafford, as Barcelona have agreed a deal to sign the England international.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Barcelona are set to sign the 27-year-old attacker on a season-long loan, with an option to make the deal permanent next summer.

David Ornstein has added that the Spanish giants are also set to pay 100% of the forward’s wages during that loan spell, in what will come as a welcome relief to Manchester United.

Why Rashford to Barcelona is a good move for all concerned

Rashford is reportedly on £300k-per-week at Old Trafford, as per Capology, and that equates to around £15.6m per year, which shows that the club are set to save a huge amount of money as part of this deal.

Whilst it is not set in stone that the winger will sign for Barcelona on a permanent transfer next summer, as it is only an option, United can be thankful that they are not paying his enormous wages next season, given that he was not a part of Amorim’s thinking.

It is money that could be allocated elsewhere, potentially to bring in further attacking reinforcements, as Rashford has not been consistent enough in the final third to prove that he is worth spending that kind of money on.

The England international was sent out on loan to Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that Amorim did not see a future for the academy graduate in his side.

24/25 (Man Utd & Villa)

11

£15.6m

£1.4m

23/24 (Man Utd)

8

£15.6m

£1.95m

22/23 (Man Utd)

30

£10.4m

£346k

21/22 (Man Utd)

5

£10.4m

£2.08m

As you can see in the table above, Rashford has failed to hit double figures for goals in two of the last four seasons in all competitions, and has only cost under £1.4m per goal scored in a season in one of the last four.

These statistics suggest that it is for the best that the English forward joins Barcelona on loan, with his wages paid in full, because United will be offloading a player, even if potentially just for next season, who has not justified his cost.

His exit will also create a space in the squad for United to bring in a replacement for him before the end of the summer transfer window, and the club are reportedly eyeing a star who could be an upgrade on him.

Man United make contact to sign Ligue 1 star

According to Foot Mercato, Manchester United are interested in a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain’s versatile attacker Randal Kolo Muani.

The reporter claims that the Red Devils have already made contact with the Ligue 1 champions, as they pursue a potential transfer for the France international.

Transfer Focus

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

Aouna adds, though, that Newcastle United have also made contact with PSG over a potential deal for the forward, which means that there could be stiff competition for his signature this summer.

The journalist’s article on Foot Mercato also reveals that Juventus are interested in a deal to bring him back to Turin, after he spent the second half of last season on loan with the Italian giants.

This latest report does not outline how much money it would take to strike a deal with PSG for Kolo Muani, but a price tag of £50m was mentioned earlier in the summer.

Why Man Utd should sign Randal Kolo Muani

The Red Devils should push to win the race for his signature in the coming weeks because he could arrive at Old Trafford as an upgrade on Marcus Rashford.

Like the soon-to-be Barcelona player, the French attacker is a versatile talent who can play out wide on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, which would provide Amorim with a plethora of ways in which to utilise his qualities.

In fact, France teammate Kylian Mbappe described Kolo Muani as being a “very complete” forward, and United could benefit from his brilliant all-round play as their new centre-forward, if they can secure a deal for him this summer.

The 26-year-old star scored eight goals and provided one assist in 16 matches in the Serie A during the second half of last term, whilst Rashford only scored six goals in 25 outings in the Premier League.

xG

0.36

Top 41%

Goals

0.62

Top 9%

Shots on target

1.08

Top 27%

Successful dribbles

1.39

Top 20%

Touches in opposition box

6.03

Top 20%

Interceptions

0.31

Top 14%

As you can see in the table above, the Juventus loanee produced high quality in a host of key metrics, as he excelled as a dribbler and a goalscorer, whilst also putting in hard work to win the ball back for his side.

Whilst, with one assist, the creative side of his game was not on full display, Kolo Muani did assist 17 goals in 46 games for Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that he can be a fantastic creative threat when at his best.

The £50m-rated star, who scored two goals in three games at the Club World Cup, has delivered at least ten goals in all competitions in each of the last five seasons, whilst Rashford, as aforementioned, has only managed that in two of the last four years.

Kolo Muani could arrive as an upgrade on the England international because of his impressive form for Juventus in the second half of last season, as well as the almost guaranteed goals that his record suggests that he would provide in the final third.

Amorim's own Rodri: Man Utd agree personal terms to sign £26m sensation

Manchester United are starting to make things happen in the summer transfer market.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 19, 2025

Nottingham Forest are probing the market for reinforcements and could now have put themselves in a position to land a talented defender, according to reports.

Nottingham Forest in flux over Morgan Gibbs-White's future

Following Anthony Elanga’s departure to Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest star man Morgan Gibbs-White is sweating over his future after the Tricky Trees threatened legal action due to Tottenham Hotspur’s manner when triggering a release clause at the City Ground.

Now, it remains to be seen whether a move will go through, though the England international has set an exemplary example in training despite being at the centre of a contentious situation.

Regardless, life goes on at Nottingham Forest and they are pursuing signings after being thrown an unexpected Europa League berth, for now, pending Crystal Palace’s appeal against expulsion from the competition.

Nuno Espirito Santo has worked wonders during his time at the City Ground and reports suggest Aston Villa star Jacob Ramsey is now on the Tricky Trees’ shortlist as a potential Gibbs-White replacement.

Igor Jesus and Jair Cunha have both joined the club from Botafogo, and Cunha has since shared his excitement in being involved at Nottingham Forest as they aim to once again exceed expectations.

Gibbs-White would love him: Nottingham Forest exploring move for £50m CM

Morgan Gibbs-White might be convinced to stick it out at Nottingham Forest if this ambitious purchase gets over the line.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 16, 2025

He stated: “I feel great, really happy and grateful for this opportunity. I hope I can make a big contribution to the team and add a great deal so we can achieve many things together, it’s an indescribable feeling, I’m so happy.”

Continuing the theme of defensive reinforcements, Nottingham Forest are now reportedly back in talks to bring a star from one of Europe’s top five leagues to the East Midlands.

Nottingham Forest resume talks to land Pablo Maffeo

According to reports in Spain via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are back in talks to sign Mallorca right-back Pablo Maffeo and all parties are now hopeful of driving towards an agreement that will see him end up at the City Ground.

Despite initially holding out for £8.6 million, his current employers have lowered their price to around £6.9 million and may be willing to reduce the fee further depending on structure.

Five similar players to Pablo Maffeo (FBRef)

Antonino Gallo

Lecce

Giuseppe Pezzalla

Empoli

Tyrick Mitchell

Crystal Palace

Ki-Jana Hoever

Wolverhampton Wanderers

Gideon Mensah

Auxerre

Last campaign, the former Spain Under-21 international registered two assists in 31 appearances for Mallorca across all competitions, and he is now said to be negotiating personal terms ahead of a potential switch.

Patience may be needed from Nottingham Forest to secure a deal for the ex-Manchester City man, who fashioned 60 shot-creating actions across 2024/25 in La Liga.

Coming in as a genuine competitor to Ola Aina, supporters will be intrigued to see two quality players with experience fight it out for a place in Espirito Santo’s squad this season.

Tottenham manager Thomas Frank is a real fan of one Aston Villa star, and the Lilywhites are reportedly prepared to offer him something key which could well tempt him to north London.

Real Madrid "now expected" to make concrete move for £165k-a-week Tottenham star

Xabi Alonso’s side are big fans of the player.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 3, 2025

Spurs are poised to make J League sensation Kota Takai their second summer signing after a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, with the 20-year-old expected to undergo his medical at the club next week (Luca Bendoni, Sky Italia).

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

The centre-back was identified by technical director Johan Lange, and there is hope within Tottenham that Takai could eventually replicate the journeys of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr as promising young players who are now crucial to the first team (Alasdair Gold).

Tottenham will pay a record fee for a Japanese player from the J League, around £5 million, but supporters will be hopeful that they could sign a few more senior players as well.

Frank’s side will be competing in the Champions League next season, and they’re in dire need of proven reinforcements to bolster their Premier League squad ahead of another congested fixture calendar.

Tottenham are known to be in talks for West Ham winger Mohammed Kudus, as reported by trusted transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano and other reliable media outlets, with the Ghanaian also apparently keen on a switch to N17.

However, Kudus is not the only Premier League ace garnering their attention.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank wants Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey

Speaking to Football Insider, former Spurs scout and Daniel Levy employee, Mick Brown, has shared information on their interest in £40 million Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey.

Spurs have been linked with a move for the Englishman in the last few days, but Brown says Frank is a personal admirer of Ramsey, and Tottenham are prepared to offer him more top-flight minutes, which could turn his head.

“Jacob Ramsey has to make a decision,” said Brown.

“In his own mind, he’ll weigh up whether he thinks he’s going to be a regular in the Villa team. If that’s not the case, he has to ask the same question about whether he would be at Tottenham.

“From what I hear, Spurs would be prepared to offer him more minutes from the start of games than he is currently getting at Villa. If that is the case, I’m sure he would be happy to make that move.

“He’s had doubts about whether he’s going to be a regular starting XI player at Villa, or if he’s going to be better served moving somewhere else. So a move to Tottenham would be a fresh start and a new environment for him. There have been a few questions about what his future at Villa might look like, because the manager isn’t certain he’s going to be a big part of the plans.

“That opens the door for Spurs, because Thomas Frank rates him, and he’s one they’ve been interested in for a while.”

The versatile 24-year-old has made 167 senior appearances for Villa already, and possesses that unique blend of both youth and experience. Taking this into account, Ramsey could be an excellent option to reinforce Frank’s midfield whilst providing first-teamers with more competition for places.

Strength in depth will be vital for Frank next season, so this is a move which could tick a few boxes.

Celtic made the bold decision to cash in on fan-favourite Kyogo Furuhashi in the January transfer window without replacing him ahead of the second half of the season.

The Hoops sold the striker to Ligue 1 side Rennes and opted to go with Adam Idah and Daizen Maeda as their two senior number nine options, which led to them winning the Scottish Premiership title.

Rennes reportedly paid a fee of £10m to sign the 30-year-old striker from Celtic, who struck gold by selling him to the French outfit for that price.

Why Celtic hit gold by selling Kyogo Furuhashi

The Hoops played a blinder by selling him to the Ligue side for a fee of £10m because he has flopped over in France and is now reportedly set to move on from the club after just five months.

Reports in Japan recently claimed that Kyogo is likely to sign for English Championship team Birmingham City, which would be a downgrade from playing in one of Europe’s major leagues, and from winning trophies with Celtic.

The 30-year-old striker failed to score in six Ligue 1 games for Rennes in the second-half of the 2024/25 campaign and was an unused substitute on six occasions.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Kyogo’s market value has plummeted as a result of his form in France, going from £12m at the time of exit to £7.7m at the time of writing, as per Transfermarkt.

This shows that Celtic struck gold by selling him to Rennes for a fee of £10m, as his market value has already dropped below that figure, whilst they have also hit the jackpot with another Japan international who is worth even more than the striker.

Celtic have hit the jackpot with Reo Hatate

Former Hoops manager Ange Postecoglou was big on the Japanese market during his time at the club, signing the likes of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, and Tomoki Iwata alongside Kyogo.

Hatate is one of the stars who the club have hit the jackpot on because he is now worth even more than the former Celtic striker, who was worth £12m on Transfermarkt in January, and left for a fee of £10m.

The 27-year-old star joined from Kawasaki Frontale in January 2022 and has been a key player in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants ever since.

He just enjoyed his most productive season to date in the Premiership, with a return of ten goals and 14 ‘big chances created’, and his soaring market value reflects that.

January 2022

£700k

June 2022

£2m

December 2022

£3.5m

March 2023

£5.5m

June 2023

£9.5m

June 2024

£8.5m

December 2024

£9.5m

June 2025

£11m

As you can see in the table above, Hatate’s value has soared by millions throughout his time at Parkhead and has risen all the way up to £11m at the time of writing, which is over £3m more than Kyogo’s current market value.

This shows that the club struck gold by bringing him to Glasgow in 2022 because they successfully identified a player who had the potential to develop and grow in value.

Hopefully, Hatate will continue to shine on the pitch and his market value will continue to soar, before the Hoops possibly make a profit on him in the future if they ever decide to cash in on him, as they did with Kyogo.

He'd be amazing with Hatate: Celtic now eyeing "Premier League-level" star

Celtic could find an amazing midfield partner for Reo Hatate by signing this star.

ByDan Emery Jun 23, 2025

West Ham United have reportedly agreed personal terms to sign a £20m midfielder and are in talks with his club over a deal.

West Ham start summer business with move for Celtic striker Cummings

The Hammers endured a difficult 2024/25 Premier League season after splashing the cash last summer, with Julen Lopetegui being sacked at the beginning of the New Year and former technical director Tim Steiden departing shortly after.

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

Evan Ferguson

Brighton

Loan transfer

Graham Potter arrived and saw out the new season with the Irons, and he’ll soon be preparing for his first full season at the London Stadium, looking to put his own stamp on things in the transfer market.

West Ham have already sealed their first summer signing, with Celtic forward Daniel Cummings set to move to London.

Talented 19-year-old striker Cummings is out of contract at Celtic Park in the summer and has already agreed terms and undergone a medical with the Hammers, with Fabrizio Romano saying it is a “done deal”.

Cummings has been free-scoring for the Hoops in their youth sides and was even given a Champions League appearance by Brendan Rodgers in the 24/25 campaign, so seems to be a star in the making and will officially arrive on July 1st.

Approach made: West Ham now in contact to sign "incredible" £20m defender

The Hammers have come forward for a centre-back, who they are now seriously interested in signing.

ByDominic Lund May 25, 2025

After the Scotland youth international, West Ham now look to be targeting more experienced additions to the squad, with a new midfielder being worked on.

West Ham agree personal terms with £20m Raphael Onyedika

According to journalist Sebastian Vidal, relayed by GiveMeSport, West Ham have agreed personal terms with Club Brugge midfielder Raphael Onyedika.

Described as a potential “major signing” for the Irons by Vidal, talks are also underway with Club Brugge over agreeing a fee for Onyedika, thought to be worth around £20m.

A Nigeria international, Onyedika is attracted by the idea of playing in England but is still under contract with Club Brugge until 2027 after signing for the Belgian giants from FC Midtjylland in 2022.

Primarily a defensive midfielder, the 24-year-old can also play as a box-to-box central midfielder or even give cover as a centre-back, so would provide Potter with plenty of versatility, should a deal go through.

Onyedika even has Champions League experience with his current employers, scoring in the competition against Man City in 24/25, and by the looks of things, a move to West Ham is one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

Mohamed Salah has been Liverpool’s shining light under Arne Slot this season, undoubtedly playing a crucial role in the success they’ve enjoyed within the Premier League.

The Egyptian forward has registered a staggering tally of 56 combined goals and assists across all competitions, certainly being the club’s biggest threat in attacking areas.

The 32-year-old recently put pen to paper over a new two-year deal at Anfield, taking him to the summer of 2027 – a move that is undoubtedly a huge boost to the side.

However, given the fact that he’s edging closer to the back end of his professional career, the hierarchy needs to hand the manager the funds to land added threats within attacking areas.

With the summer window rapidly approaching, the manager has wasted no time in identifying targets to improve his squad, with moves already being made to secure a deal for new forward options.

An update on Liverpool’s hunt for new attackers this summer

A new striker will undoubtedly be top of Liverpool’s shopping list this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres one of the names emerging on their shortlist over the last few days.

The Swede has been shortlisted as a potential addition at the top end of the pitch, but could face keen interest from other Premier League sides such as Arsenal and Manchester United.

However, he’s not the only attacker who’s appeared on their radar as of late, with Victor Osimhen the latest player who’s of interest to the Reds, according to TBR.

The 26-year-old has been high up on the club’s list of targets, with the report claiming that work has already been done behind the scenes to sign the Nigerian this summer.

It also states that the Napoli star, who’s spending the year on loan at Galatasaray, wants a move to England and currently has a £60m release clause in his deal with the Serie A outfit.

Why Liverpool’s £60m target is the dream Isak alternative

With the summer window rapidly approaching, Liverpool have wasted no time in identifying targets, with Alexander Isak a name who’s constantly been linked with a switch to Merseyside.

The 25-year-old has been in tremendous form within the Premier League this season, registering a staggering 23 goals in his 32 appearances to date – with only Salah scoring more in England’s top-flight.

His goalscoring record has undoubtedly led to huge interest from the Reds, but the Magpies’ £150m asking price on his shoulders has set them back in their pursuit of his signature.

Such a price tag has led to links to Osimhen this summer, with the Nigerian the perfect alternative to Isak if the hierarchy isn’t willing to fork out such a transfer fee.

When comparing their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the Galatasaray loanee has managed to match or outperform him in numerous key areas, potentially being a superb option for Slot’s side.

The Nigerian, who’s been labelled “sensational” by The Overlap’s tactical analyst, has botched the same number of combined goals and assists to date, whilst managing to register more shots on target per 90 – highlighting his attacking threat in the final third.

He’s also managed to get more of his efforts on target, offering Slot a clinical option in his attempts to retain the club’s Premier League title during 2025/26.

Osimhen currently sits as the top goalscorer in the Turkish Süper Lig, highlighting his qualities in front of goal, handing the Reds the needed threat alongside Salah in the front three.

The Turkish Süper Lig’s top goalscoring charts
Player	Tally
1. Victor Osimhen	24
2. Krzysztof Piatek	21
3. Simon Banza	19
4. Youssef En-Nesryi	16
5. Ali Sowe	15
Stats via FotMob

There’s no denying that supporters will want Isak to be their main talisman next season, but his reported £150m price tag is simply unrealistic, with a move elsewhere allowing for investment elsewhere.

The Napoli star has the ability to thrive at Anfield, potentially being a better option given the difference in stats, subsequently ending their long-standing pursuit of a new forward on Merseyside.

Best CF since Suarez: Liverpool prepare bid for "ridiculous" £60m star

Liverpool expect to replace Darwin Nunez in the transfer market this summer.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 7, 2025

Chelsea are chasing Champions League qualification, looking to return to the competition after spending the past two seasons away from the top level. However, currently sitting sixth in the Premier League, it looks like the Blues will have to string together some big wins at the back end of the campaign to have any chance of finishing inside the top five.

Enzo Maresca’s side started out as one of the best attacking sides in the league, scoring for fun with big wins such as a 6-2 win against Wolves and a 4-2 win against Brighton.

But it looks like Chelsea may lean on their defensive qualities at the back end of this season, having only conceded three goals in their last five Premier League games, keeping three clean sheets.

The Blues are conceding 10.8 shots per game; only Manchester City, Liverpool and Arsenal are conceding fewer. That being said, Chelsea have conceded 49.54 xG this campaign, leaving them 12th for this metric, proving there is still plenty of improvement to be made at the defensive end of the pitch.

Chelsea's readying bid for a new defender

According to reports from Spain, Chelsea have made Barcelona defender, Jules Kounde, a key part of their summer plans to shore up their defensive unit this summer and are willing to break the bank with an €80m (£68m) offer.

Transfer Focus

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

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The reports suggest the Blues are keen to add a versatile defender who can play not only as a central defender, but also as a hybrid fullback when needed.

Kounde would also offer much-needed experience to the Chelsea defence, something hugely lacking since Thiago Silva’s departure.

Kounde has made 50 appearances for the Spanish giants already this season, scoring three goals, providing eight assists and totalling 4,171 minutes played, proving to be an essential part of Hansi Flick’s success.

Why Chelsea could be targeting the next Azpilicueta

It could be argued that Kounde has the ability to become Chelsea’s next Cesar Azpilicueta, having played in Spain and having the versatility to play multiple positions in the defensive line.

Azpilicueta – who began his career at Osasuna, before joining Marseille – has gone down as a Chelsea legend, making 508 appearances for the club, scoring 17 goals, providing 51 assists and totalling 42,256 minutes played following his arrival in 2012.

Jules Koundé vs Cesar Azpilicueta (2021/22) comparison

Stats (per 90 mins)

Kounde

Azpilicueta

Goals + Assists

0.20

0.16

Progressive Carries

1.53

2.03

Progressive Passes

5.00

5.77

Pass Completion %

86.5%

83.1%

Key Passes

1.03

0.62

Shot-Creating Actions

1.81

1.93

Tackles

1.88

2.07

Blocks

1.31

1.57

Interceptions

0.76

1.13

Ball Recoveries

3.72

4.75

Aerial Duels Won

1.08

1.90

Stats taken from FBref

When comparing the underlying metrics of Kounde and Azpilicueta in the 2021/22 season, you can see how the hybrid fullbacks are similar, both having the ability to play at right-back or as a centre-back, but also ranking closely in many important metrics.

Ex-Barcelona boss, Xavi, labelled Kounde “one of the best defenders in the world” back in 2024, praising his individual quality in the Champions League against PSG to stop Kylian Mbappe. This 1v1 defending, recovery pace and willingness to battle makes the Frenchman an extremely effective wide defender.

Chelsea currently have good options on the right side of their defence, with Reece James, Malo Gusto and Josh Acheampong coming through the ranks.

But with Trevoh Chalobah likely to leave the club in the summer, it wouldn’t hurt the Blues to acquire a player of Kounde’s quality, who can add much-needed experience to the back line going forward under Maresca.

Related Shades of Hazard: Chelsea plotting move to sign £39m-rated "entertainer"

Chelsea are looking to add to their depth in attack

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025

Eighteen years ago, Delhi had to choose between two local players. They did not choose Kohli and the rest is history

Matt Roller26-Apr-20252:23

Will it be another happy homecoming for Kohli in Delhi?

When Virat Kohli walks out of the away team dressing room in the pavilion that bears his name at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium on Sunday, it will be tempting to wonder what might have been. As the IPL turns 18, Kohli remains the only player to have represented the same franchise in every single season – but it is not the team based in his hometown.It remains the biggest missed opportunity in IPL history. In February 2008, two months before the league’s launch, Delhi Daredevils (as they were then known) were lining up local players for their first squad. “In the mandatory under-22 category, we have identified Virat Kohli, Pradeep Sangwan and Tanmay Srivastava,” TA Sekhar, their head of cricket operations, said at the time.The move made perfect sense: Kohli was the India Under-19 captain, born and raised in Delhi, and had already represented the state team in the Ranji Trophy and in white-ball cricket. And yet, one month later, Kohli was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) for the inaugural IPL season. He has never left, and has declared that he never will.The chain of events started with a frenzied backdrop as the league hurried towards its launch. “Everything was done with an unhealthy rush,” recalls Charu Sharma, who was appointed chief executive of RCB by owner Vijay Mallya in early 2008. “The juggernaut started in late 2007… To get a league of this magnitude up and running in three-and-a-half months was just ridiculous.”Related

• Kohli explains RCB's success – 'We got the team that we wanted'

• Kohli: 'Applied ourselves well after three average games at home'

• Kohli vs Rahul in Delhi as RCB take on DC

Five ‘icon’ players were signed before the initial auction in mid-February, after which teams began to approach unsigned players directly. Franchises were told to sign a minimum of four Under-22 players, and a minimum of four from their local ‘catchment area’, prompting a race for the best young talent – including India’s Under-19s.Sharma reached out to Karnataka’s Manish Pandey, who fit both criteria for RCB, and asked him to commit to the franchise in writing. “It wasn’t a contract, just a two-liner to say, ‘It’s OK by me’ because we wanted to make it legitimate,'” Sharma says. “Manish said, ‘Thank you so much, I’m very happy,’ but a day or so later, I still hadn’t heard from him. I said, ‘What’s going on?'”Pandey was with India’s squad at the 2008 Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia, and agents had caught wind of an opportunity. “He told me that agents had landed from India and were running around the hotel, promising people all sorts of things,” Sharma explains. “The boys were being pestered by these agents saying, ‘Sign with me, I’ll get you a better deal.’ It was quite disturbing.”Sharma escalated the matter to Mallya and his fellow CEOs at other franchises. The BCCI soon issued a diktat that, for the duration of the World Cup, the Under-19 players were strictly off-limits. In the meantime, a new system was proposed: they would be selected via a draft at a second, smaller player auction in mid-March, with each team picking up two players.The mechanism was straightforward: each team would have two picks in a double-draft, with the first team drawn at random picking first and 16th, the second team picking second and 15th, and so on. Salaries were capped at US$30,000 for the Under-19s – or $50,000 for those who, like Kohli, had already played for their state teams in the Ranji Trophy.Virat Kohli is playing his 18th IPL season for RCB•Associated Press”Lo and behold, the first name to come out of the bag was Delhi Daredevils,” Sharma says. “There was a collective groan, with everyone thinking, ‘OK, Kohli is gone.’ He was captain of the team, the best player, and he was from Delhi. And to everyone’s surprise, they got into a huddle, and after a few moments, they said, ‘We’ll take the left-arm seamer: Pradeep Sangwan.'”The decision had cricketing logic: the Daredevils squad was already stacked with batting. In the first auction, they had signed Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, AB de Villiers, Dinesh Karthik, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Manoj Tiwary; in the interim, they had recruited Shikhar Dhawan and Mithun Manhas among their ‘catchment’ players.Sangwan, another Delhi boy, was considered a star in the making. “He was touted as one of the next big things for India,” recalls Abhinav Mukund, who was part of the India Under-19 World Cup squad. “India was going through a left-arm pace obsession at that point with Ashish Nehra, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. He bowled really well throughout that tournament, and had some pace too.”Sehwag, the Daredevils ‘icon’ player, was an advocate for Sangwan’s selection. They both grew up in the same western suburb, Najafgarh, and Sehwag had played a role in Sangwan’s call-up to Delhi’s state teams in 2007. Sekhar, the franchise’s head of cricket operations, had also played a prominent role in his development, working with him at the MRF Academy.When RCB had the second pick, they had no hesitation at all. “We took about a quarter of a quarter of a quarter-second, and said, ‘Virat Kohli, thank you,'” Sharma says, laughing. “I don’t think anybody knew that he would become a big global superstar, but he was certainly showing all the signs of being the best Under-19 player in India.”Even as he was fast-tracked into India’s national set-up, Kohli was not an immediate success at RCB. Across the first three IPL seasons, he averaged 21.75 and scored only two half-centuries, primarily batting at No. 5 or 6; it came as something of a surprise when he was the franchise’s only retention ahead of the 2011 mega-auction. But the fact remains that no other team since has ever had the opportunity to sign Kohli; it is unlikely they ever will.”I’ve been approached many times to come into the auction,” he told an RCB podcast in 2022. “[But] what this franchise has given me in terms of opportunity in the first three years, and believed in me, that is the most special thing.” Kohli has been retained for 17 consecutive seasons, and declared when quitting the captaincy in 2021 that he would be an RCB player “until my retirement”.Sangwan, meanwhile, started well at Delhi: in 2009, he took 15 wickets as the Daredevils finished top of the table in South Africa. But as Kohli soared, he never kicked on as intended: he struggled to get a game when he joined Kolkata Knight Riders, and served an 18-month ban in 2013-14 after testing positive for a banned steroid. Now 34, he has not played a professional game in 15 months.Kohli’s standing in Delhi is as strong as ever, no matter his association with a rival IPL franchise: when he made an improbable return to their Ranji Trophy side in January, crowds estimated at more than 10,000 came to watch. Sunday will be his first RCB game in the city since 2023, with both teams chasing a win which will boost their chances of a top-two finish.But in that regard, at least, Sangwan has the upper hand. For all that Delhi’s decision to sign him ahead of Kohli is remembered as the IPL’s greatest recruitment blunder, Sangwan has been part of two title-winning squads: at KKR in 2012, and with Gujarat Titans a decade later. Kohli, RCB and DC are all still on the hunt for their first IPL trophy.

He was, for most of us, not just a cricketing idol but a member of our family – one we could turn to for hope and comfort

Alagappan Muthu24-Apr-2023There is an essential component to fake news. The consumer has to want to believe it. So it needs to be something seductive. Something evocative. Something that feeds into the popular belief.When Barack Obama was the US president, a quote was once ascribed to him, where he wanted to understand why his country’s GDP went down every time Sachin Tendulkar went out to bat. (Presumably because all the Indian Americans were too busy watching cricket to be productive at work.)There is nothing in the public record to substantiate a single word of this. Yet it caught on like a college nickname. Doesn’t matter if it doesn’t make sense, it’s out there now and everybody else likes it.Somewhere in the meme-ification of this story is the truth of what one man meant to more than a billion people. We didn’t stop at any of the red flags. We saw a world leader known for being thoughtful and genuine praising our childhood hero and we wanted it to be true because it made us feel good.Sachin just made us feel good.It’s his birthday today. His 50th. And there is a thing he used to do whenever he reached that milestone on the field. He’d tilt his head to one side, raise his bat but not all the way up, just sort of shoulder-height, with the face tilted down. And if the sun caught him at the right angle, the shadow from the visor of his helmet would hide his eyes, giving off major boss vibes.Related

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It has been ten years since he retired, but the biggest batting records continue to bear his name. Most runs. Most hundreds. Most fifties. Some of those records might stand all the way until the end of time. And some of them are only under threat because, a) his successor is also ridiculously prolific, and b) the white ball don’t reverse-swing no more.Statistics, though, are only tools. They can, at best, guide us when there is a choice to be made. The decision itself comes from a far more primal place.Look and feel.And Sachin offered up a ton of both. Straight drives with so little fuss it felt like the fulfilment of a pact. “Just be a good ball and go for four, okay?” Back-foot punches that combined the grace of a ballet dancer with the power of a heavyweight fighter. And those flicks. If they could talk, they’d be like, “Come on, man. Don’t make it this easy.” He was geometric perfection. But also a bit cheeky. Sometimes, when the required rate was getting to him, he would play a shot that didn’t make sense even as it happened right before our eyes. An inside-out drive for six over cover to a ball pitching outside leg stump. That stuff was freestyle. That stuff was gangsta.Plus, he went and did all this to the best of the best. Wasim Akram. Shane Warne. Courtney Walsh. Glenn McGrath. Muthiah Muralidaran. This five-foot nothing prodigy made world-beating his day job, and that at a time when Indians didn’t fancy themselves capable of such audacity. This is how he made people who had no connection to him want good things for him. By that definition alone, he became like family. He became the stranger we kept calling by first name.Legitimacy helped. Especially when it came from the greatest batter in history. “I’ve only seen Tendulkar on the television,” Sir Don Bradman said, “And I was very, very struck by his technique and I asked my wife to come and have a look at him because I said, ‘I never saw myself play but I feel that this fella is playing much the same as I used to play’.”

Suddenly Sachin’s greatness started to make sense. He got so good because he wanted to make everybody – including himself – happy

Legendary innings helped. Sharjah 1998. Chennai 1999. Centurion 2003. But really, the relationship between a player and a fan – more specifically between Sachin and his fans – was personal. Some 19-year-olds right now probably owe their very existence to that six he hit off Shoaib Akhtar.I went to a house party in college. My crush was there. I was worried I’d spend the whole thing gawking at her and being weird. Fortunately the TV was showing a rerun of the CB Series final of 2008, allowing me to gawk at that and be weird in a less embarrassing way.I have not seen peak Sachin first-hand. The Perth century. The Qadir takedown. The Desert Storm. My memories of him are all of the accumulator that he became later in his career. The artist who became a technician, culling all the risk out of his game in order to increase productivity. But there was still some magic left. Like Chennai 2008, where his only Test-match-winning century in a chase came just a few days after a terror attack on his city.It was one of his more bespoke innings. He left nothing to chance. Not even the fate of his non-striker. For 42 overs, he was the voice inside Yuvraj Singh’s head. And when it was done, he dedicated the win to the people of Mumbai and hoped it might in some small way ease their pain. Stone-cold precision born out of warmth, feeling and empathy. Suddenly Sachin’s greatness started to make sense. He got so good because he wanted to make everybody – including himself – happy.He has tried to do the same after the end of his career as well, but it has probably not had the same effect. Mindful of the way the Indian media functions, grabbing anything he says and turning it into a headline, he exercises an abundance of caution in all of his public appearances. He tries so hard not to say the wrong thing that he ends up barely saying anything.We are pushing it, of course, asking a private citizen to be more vocal just because at one point he used to carry all of our hopes and dreams. And it feels very on brand that even on his birthday, we’re the ones asking for presents. It was deeply unfair for us to burden him that way in the first place and it was remarkable that he was able to shoulder that weight for so long. Sachin doesn’t belong to us anymore. He belongs to Anjali, Arjun and Sara now. And he’s earned the break. Twenty-four years of being at our beck and call is enough. Probably.

The lowdown on dropped catches in the first half of IPL 2020

S Rajesh14-Oct-2020Royal Challengers Bangalore are among three teams sitting at the top of the table with 10 points, but they have reached there despite being the worst catching team of the tournament so far. At the halfway point, they have caught only 69.2% of the chances that have come their way, which is easily the poorest among all teams. Seven different players have dropped 12 catches, which is almost 23% of all catches dropped in IPL 2020 so far, according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data. Only one other team has dropped more than nine catches – Delhi Capitals, and they are in the top three as well, indicating that these teams are winning despite giving extra opportunities to the opposition.ESPNcricinfo LtdAccording to Luck Index, these 12 dropped catches have cost the Royal Challengers 130 runs. This value is calculated by through a complex algorithm, which takes the following factors into account:
– Runs scored by the batsman after the drop, and the team’s final total
– Runs which would have been scored by the other players, had that batsman been dismissed off that ball. The extra balls that the batsman faced is distributed among the batsmen who were unbeaten or didn’t bat in the innings. The runs they would have scored is calculated by taking into account their batting quality, the balls remaining in the innings, the bowling quality, and the match conditions
– The difference between the actual team score and the score obtained through this simulated exercise is the impact of the dropped catch, in terms of runs.Let us, for example, take KL Rahul’s unbeaten 132 against the Royal Challengers. He was dropped twice during that innings, and scored 48 off 13 after the first drop, and 42 off nine after the second. Luck Index calculated that the first drop cost them 24 runs, and the second 26, which means Kings XI would have scored 26 fewer runs had the second catch been taken.ESPNcricinfo LtdFor the purpose of this exercise, both those values of 26 and 24 runs have been taken into account, and are a part of the overall tally of 132, though there was a large overlap between the two. This is to ensure that each dropped catch has a run impact associated with it.Most dropped catches at the halfway stage of the league phase•ESPNcricinfo LtdHowever, that wasn’t the most expensive drop of the tournament. That honour belongs to Prithvi Shaw’s drop of Mayank Agarwal in the second game of the tournament, which went into a Super Over. Agarwal was on 35 off 37 when he was dropped in the 16th over, and eventually scored 89 off 60. Given the quality of the batsmen who were unbeaten or didn’t bat – Mohammed Shami, Sheldon Cottrell and Ravi Bishnoi – the algorithm reckoned that the drop cost the Delhi Capitals 46 runs. Of the top six most expensive drops, though, four belong to the Royal Challengers.ESPNcricinfo LtdShaw’s reprieve of Agarwal is one of three catches he has dropped in the tournament so far. Three other fielders have dropped three catches – Devdutt Padikkal, Tom Curran and Manish Pandey. Tom Curran is also among the bowlers who has suffered the most, with three drops off his bowling, though the bowler topping the list is current Purple Cap holder Kagiso Rabada, who has 17 wickets despite having five catches dropped off his bowling.The batting team which has benefited the most are the Kings XI Punjab, though it’s another matter that they haven’t made much use of their good fortune. They are the only team whose total benefit from the drops is more than 100 runs, thanks largely to the numbers adding up from the chances offered to Agarwal (against the Capitals) and Rahul (against the Royal Challengers). Among the batsmen, Aaron Finch and Jonny Bairstow have got four reprieves each, while Faf du Plessis, Ishan Kishan and Rahul have been dropped thrice.ESPNcricinfo LtdFinally, much has been written and spoken about how difficult it has been to take catches in Dubai, and the numbers justify that talk. One in four chances has been spilled here, while the catch percentage is 81.5% in Sharjah, and nearly 89% in Abu Dhabi.ESPNcricinfo Ltd