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The 2024/25 campaign has been one to forget for Manchester United, with the Red Devils constantly falling well below the levels expected by the fanbase.

Ruben Amorim joined the club in November, trying to provide an upturn in results after Erik ten Hag’s dismissal, but so far has done so to no avail, still sitting closer to the drop zone than the top four.

His side have already exited the Carabao Cup, with their 15th placed standing in the Premier League all but ruling out automatic qualification for a European spot ahead of next season.

However, they’re still in with a chance of winning the FA Cup and the Europa League, with the new manager having the opportunity to end the disappointing season on a positive note.

If he is to do so, he may be reliant on one player who’s often been the man to dig the side out of trouble since his big-money move to Old Trafford a handful of years ago.

Bruno Fernandes’ time at Man Utd

Attacking midfielder Bruno Fernandes joined United back in January 2020, making himself an integral part of the first-team setup after his move which totalled £68m.

The Portuguese international has nearly racked up 300 appearances for the Red Devils, even taking the reins as captain, showcasing how pivotal he’s been to the club despite their lack of success.

He’s registered double figures in combined goals and assists in every season he’s spent as a player in the North West, with his best season undoubtedly being in 2020/21 – notching 28 goals and 18 assists across all competitions.

The 30-year-old has often been the creative spark under Amorim, registering 21 combined goal contributions throughout the current season, undoubtedly the shining light through what has been a year to forget for supporters.

However, despite his impressive form at United, he’s now valued lower than one player who was prematurely offloaded under the former management team.

The former United star who’s now worth more than Bruno

United’s academy has been highly influential in recent years, often producing a catalogue of high-quality talent that have made the transition into first-team stars.

Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are just two examples within Amorim’s current side who have developed through the youth setup before seamlessly making the jump into the professional game.

Anthony Elanga was another player who appeared to make the jump, breaking through into the first team under Ralph Rangnick, registering four goals and four assists, including a crucial strike against Atlético Madrid in the Champions League.

However, he was sold in the summer of 2023 by Ten Hag, joining Nottingham Forest for just £15m – a move that would transform his career in the Premier League, with United undoubtedly ruing his departure a few years on.

The Swedish international has registered 25 combined goals and assists over the last two seasons, playing a huge role in the Reds’ unexpected push for a Champions League spot this season.

Elanga endured a run that saw him provide a goal contribution in six consecutive matches in the league, before notching a hat-trick of assists in the 7-0 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion at the City Ground.

He’s subsequently matched or bettered Bruno in various key areas throughout 2024/25, further showcasing how much he’s developed since departing the Red Devils.

Games played

25

24

Goals & assists

11

11

Progressive carries

3.6

2.3

Carries into final third

1.7

0.4

Shot-on-target accuracy

43%

24%

Take-ons completed

0.9

0.7

Aerials won

1

0.8

At the age of just 22, Elanga, who’s previously been dubbed “phenomenal” by journalist Zach Lowy, still has bags of time to develop further, but he’s already seen a steep upturn in his value after Forest rejected a £50m bid for his services from Newcastle United in the summer.

His subsequent value is higher than that of current star Fernandes who’s only valued at £45.5m by Transfermarkt despite his own impressive form at Old Trafford.

Given the numbers produced by the attacker, coupled with the lack of attacking threat currently at Amorim’s disposal, it certainly was a mistake for the hierarchy to approve of Ten Hag’s decision to sell the forward.

However, United’s loss is Forest’s gain, with Elanga potentially able to provide the goods over the next couple of months to help complete what would be a fairytale season for the Reds – adding insult to injury given the Red Devils’ current standing.

Ten Hag axed "ice-cold" Man Utd man, now he's outscoring Garnacho & Hojlund

Man Utd may wish they had his goals this season

3 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 19, 2025

The understanding in the BCCI is that if Kohli gets enough opportunity in his first two Surrey games, the priority for him will be the two T20Is in Ireland

Sidharth Monga10-May-2018Virat Kohli is likely to choose the two-T20I series in Ireland over his third county match for Surrey, after the India selectors named him the captain for the games even though the dates clash with his Surrey stint.Surrey had announced Kohli would play for them for the whole of June – India’s T20Is in Ireland are on June 27 and 29 and Surrey’s match against Yorkshire is from June 25 to 28. The BCCI, however, said there was no commitment from Kohli to play all three games for Surrey.It is understood that BCCI officials are in talks with concerned authorities in England to resolve the issue amicably. It might not be that difficult to convince Surrey because they are already believed to be under fire from former England players for providing Kohli match-practice ahead of India’s tour of England in July.The understanding in the BCCI is that if Kohli gets enough opportunity in his first two Surrey games, the priority for him will be the two T20Is in Ireland. Should weather or other factors deny him adequate time to bat in the first two matches, Kohli might stay back and play in Scarborough. Surrey, however, are of the view that Kohli will miss the first T20I against Ireland, play in Scarborough, and then make it for India’s second T20I the next day.India are understood to be flexible with their preparation plans for the Test series. An India A tour of England has been organised in June before the Tests, and though no Test players were named in the A squad, the option remains open to them – even for Kohli – should they want more time to acclimatise. India’s chairman of selectors MSK Prasad said they had a discussion with the team management and India A coach Rahul Dravid.”Some of the Test specialists like [Wriddhiman] Saha, [Murali] Vijay, [Mohammed] Shami will play the third India A Test against West Indies A before playing the warm-up game against Essex and then the England Tests,” Prasad said.ESPNcricinfo, however, understands, that this plan is not limited to just the three players. Some of the all-formats players could hop over to the unofficial Test against England Lions, scheduled from July 16 to 19 in Worcester. That match might also be rescheduled because it clashes with the third ODI against England.

David Warner was involved in a heated exchange with a spectator as he walked off the ground after his dismissal by Kagiso Rabada on day two of the third Test in Cape Town

Daniel Brettig at Newlands23-Mar-2018Australia’s vice-captain David Warner was involved in a heated exchange with a spectator as he walked off the ground after his dismissal by Kagiso Rabada on day two of the third Test in Cape Town.In the latest unsavoury episode of an eventful tour, Warner responded to his individual baiting from the spectator in scenes reminiscent of Merv Hughes’ infamous confrontation with a fan at the Wanderers in Johannesburg in 1994, for which he was given a suspended fine by the then Australian Cricket Board after bashing his bat against the barrier the spectator was behind.Warner’s exchange was less violent but more prolonged, immediately after he had lost a gladiatorial bout with Rabada. Bowled by Rabada after a frenetic innings of 30 from 14 balls in which he struck the Proteas spearhead for 4-4-4-6-4 in the five balls before his dismissal, Warner found the middle-aged male spectator waiting for him as he commenced his walk from the boundary to the Australian dressing room, greeting him with sarcastic applause and plenty of words.As the verbal barbs continued, Warner stopped to respond to the spectator, who was seated in the Members enclosure of the Western Province Cricket Club, before a security guard moved to intervene. Nevertheless the pair kept on exchanging words as they made their way up the stairs on either side of the fence separating the players from spectators – the incoming batsman Usman Khawaja walked past the two adversaries on his way to the middle.Australia’s security manager, Frank Dimasi, subsequently made his way down to the area and spoke with both the security guard and the spectator. Warner’s “baiter”, who was the guest of a member of WPCC, was later ejected from the ground. Several fans were also kicked out of Newlands for singing songs about Sonny Bill Williams. Numerous members of the Australian side, in addition to Warner, had been subjected to abuse from spectators concerning their wives and partners while in the field at Newlands during South Africa’s first innings.Australian touring teams have long acknowledged that they receive some of their harshest treatment from spectators in South Africa, although up to this point Warner’s tour had involved more exchanges with opponents than fans.In Durban he was captured on CCTV cameras exchanging words with Quinton de Kock, then responding angrily to the response from the South Africa wicketkeeper and needing to be physically restrained by team-mates as he climbed the stairwell at Kingsmead. That incident saw Warner fined and handed three demerit points under the ICC code of conduct, meaning he is one further disciplinary infraction away from a ban. De Kock was also fined over the episode, albeit on a lesser charge.Warner has alleged that his aggression was sparked by de Kock making personal remarks about his wife Candice. Between first two Test matches, offensive masks were distributed by fans in reference to her brief bathroom encounter with the rugby league player Sonny Bill Williams years before she and Warner became a couple. Two Cricket South Africa officials, Clive Eksteen and Altaaf Kazi, have been suspended by the home board after allowing fans wearing the masks to be admitted to St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth and then posing with them for a photograph.

Jurgen Klopp has built his legacy at Liverpool by being extremely diligent in the transfer market, signing players who are on the verge of a major breakthrough for fees far lower than expected.

The likes of Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Sadio Mane all arrived at the cusp of greatness and grew into three of the finest players in the Premier League under the leadership of the German.

Of course, these three are just a few of the players signed by Klopp who have gone on to form the best Liverpool squad in their recent history as they challenged Manchester City’s hegemony of the English game.

Signing promising players for low values while turning them into prospective superstars is not something which is new at Anfield, with Rafa Benitez enjoying success with Xabi Alonso and Fernando Torres while Brendan Rodgers even had a few hits in the transfer market.

Roberto Firmino cost the club just £21.3m in 2015 and over the course of the next eight years, he scored 111 goals for the Anfield side across 362 matches, winning practically all there was to win in the process.

The Northern Irishman even signed someone during the latter stages of his stint at Liverpool who is still a key part of the first-team squad – Joe Gomez.

How much did Joe Gomez cost Liverpool?

Following a tough 2014/15 campaign in which the Reds finished in a disappointing sixth place, Rodgers looked like he was building a squad which could challenge for trophies.

In came Firmino, Christian Benteke and Danny Ings among others, while Gomez joined from Charlton Athletic for a fee in the region of £3.5m and considering he had played just 24 senior matches, he was earmarked as a future star.

The defender was clearly excited to be joining one of the biggest teams in the country, saying: "It's a dream come true. It's a bit surreal and it hasn't really hit me yet. But I'm buzzing and just excited to get started.

"The club has got great history, it's a great club and one that I've always been following from when I was young.

"Here was somewhere I wanted to go and get better and learn, and play good football. It was an easy decision."

Little did anyone think at the time he would still be playing in the first team eight years later, having won both the Champions League and Premier League during his Anfield career.

What is Joe Gomez’s market value now?

Eight years since joining, the Englishman has seen his transfer value rise and the gamble of signing a relatively unknown defender back in 2015 appears to have paid off.

According to Football Transfers, Gomez is now currently valued at €26.1m (£22.5m) which currently represents a rise of 542% from his initial £3.5m transfer fee, a staggering increase.

His highest value was achieved back in January 2021, where he was valued even higher at €33.7m (£29m) and although this has dipped recently, if he can continue to perform for Klopp and be consistent enough, this could see his value rise to this type of figure again.

Why is Joe Gomez worth so much?

His first two seasons at Anfield saw the centre-back make only ten appearances for the senior side in all competitions, and it looked as though Klopp was looking to settle him in gently, allowing the player to get a taste for action rather than throw him in at the deep end unnecessarily.

During the 2017/18 season, Gomez soon began to make his presence known, featuring in 31 games for the club as they narrowly missed out on Champions League glory, losing to Real Madrid in the final.

With Klopp finally leading the Reds to glory in Europe’s premier club competition the following season, Gomez played an integral part in the Anfield side claiming their first league title in 30 years during the 2019/20 campaign.

Across 28 matches, he ranked second in the squad for accurate passes per game (62.5) and interceptions per game (1.4), while even winning four duels per game – a success rate of 56% – showcasing his defensive abilities as the club conceded just 33 goals throughout the whole season, the lowest total in the top flight.

Klopp even hailed the defender, saying: “He is a sensational footballer, which is good.

“He has outstanding speed, which helps us a lot to keep our last line high; he is a really good challenger; good in one-on-one situations; football-wise, I said already, good.

“The package is really nice. It was always clear in the moment he starts playing and can get rhythm again, everything will be fine – and that’s how it is.”

However, what should have been a catalyst for the 26-year-old to kick on and cement his place in the starting XI soon turned into an injury-hit few seasons, missing 39 matches due to a knee problem while struggling to get back into the team upon his return.

The £85k-per-week brute forced his way back into the starting XI last term, and he certainly showcased his forward-thinking attributes.

According to FBref, when compared to positional peers across Europe, Gomez ranked in the top 7% for shot-creating actions per 90 (1.31), the best 8% for progressive passes per 90 (5.28) and the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 (1.14), demonstrating that he can also move the ball forward often in order to begin attacks from the defence.

Gomez is still only 26-years-old, and he arguably hasn’t even hit his peak years yet, which is remarkable considering it feels like the defender has been at Liverpool forever.

There is no doubt the club struck gold on him, despite some challenging times across the previous eight years. Gomez has risen to the occasion numerous times and displayed the correct attitude which has allowed him to flourish under the German.

With four years left on his current contract, it doesn’t look like he will be departing anytime soon, but if he does fall out of favour or decides to move on, the Anfield side will make a bumper profit on him in the process.

England are searching for a way back into the series after their narrow defeat in Hamilton and may consider tweaking the bowling attack

Preview by Andrew McGlashan27-Feb-2018Big PictureA high bar has been set for the competitiveness of this series. The opening match was a humdinger, seized at the last by Mitchell Santner. It kept New Zealand unbeaten in ODIs this season – nine in a row, ten is their best sequence – and put England in the unusual position of being behind in a series, although the home side may have to do without their captain Kane Williamson, who has a hamstring strain.One factor that made the Seddon Park match absorbing was that it was not a free-for-all for the batsmen. Runs were, by and large, tough to come by – only Joe Root and Tom Latham batted freely. It made Ross Taylor’s hundred an outstanding effort. Although there was a fair tally of sixes, 14 overall, they felt like an event: Jos Buttler getting on top of Ish Sodhi with three in a row then, decisively, Santner’s blows at the end.In 2015 – that often-referenced series between these sides – the teams traded blows throughout the five matches, although that was a batting blitz. The bowlers may be able to have their say again in this match with one of New Zealand’s larger outfields at play, but this contest is something of an unknown quantity as it is Mount Maunganui’s first day-night ODI having been a regular on the T20 circuit for the last couple of seasons.Form guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand WWWWW
England LWLWWIn the spotlightNew Zealand coach Mike Hesson praised the development of Colin Munro’s bowling after his key incision to remove Joe Root with a knuckle ball in the opening match. Between him and Colin de Grandhomme, they got through 10 overs for the very limited damage of 51 runs. With the bat, it was a less auspicious start to the series for Munro – one huge six followed by one huge slog which he edged behind. Munro has license to thrill – the Brendon McCullum role – but there remains a line to judge when it becomes reckless. Still, the signs are he’s only going to play one way: in his last 10 ODI innings he has only gone at a strike-rate of under 100 once, and that was a duck.Players respond to breaks differently. Jonny Bairstow was scratchy with the bat, Moeen Ali didn’t quite settle with the ball, but Joe Root just picked up his serene form from Australia where he was Man of the Series in the ODIs. Some of his deft touches on a slow surface were a delight as he anchored England’s innings with a knock the conditions demanded. His one mistake brought his downfall and it had to go down as another century chance missed. But he has found superb consistency in his one-day cricket – he has the fifth-highest average of those to have played 100 or more matches – and surely three-figures will be hit before long.Joe Root was excellent on a slow pitch•Getty ImagesTeams newsNew Zealand have been dealt a blow with Williamson a doubt. Mark Chapman has been called up as cover and there may also be a batting reshuffle. Tim Southee would take on the captaincy. Hesson said that Ish Sodhi was preferred for the first ODI on the strength of his bowling, ahead of the more all-round option of Todd Astle. Therefore, if two spinners are again needed logic would suggest Sodhi, although somewhat expensive in Hamilton, will get another crack. If extra pace is wanted, Lockie Ferguson is an option.New Zealand (probable) 1 Martin Guptill, 2 Colin Munro, 3 Mark Chapman, 4 Ross Taylor, 5 Tom Latham (wk), 6 Henry Nicholls, 7 Colin de Grandhomme, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Tim Southee (capt), 10 Ish Sodhi, 11 Trent BoultCraig Overton could come into the mix for an ODI debut if England want to change the dynamic of their pace attack. David Willey bowled well with the new ball in Hamilton, but was not used again in the innings.England (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Adil Rashid, 10 Tom Curran, 11 David Willey/Craig OvertonPitch and conditionsChris Woakes said there was more grass on the surface than in Hamilton which could mean a little more pace and carry for the quicks. Earlier this season New Zealand made 243 for 5 in a T20 against West Indies. The forecast has improved with just the small chance of an evening shower.Stats and trivia It is now three first innings in a row that England haven’t posted 300 – their longest such stretch since late 2015 against Australia and Pakistan Mitchell Santner’s 45 off 27 balls to win the first match was the third-highest strike-rate (166.66) for a New Zealand No. 8 with a score of 40+ Craig Overton was first called into an England ODI squad in 2015 – also against New Zealand – but has yet to make his first appearanceQuotes”It brings everyone into the game a little more, there’s a few more pockets to get twos and threes. There’s a couple of ways to skin the cat, not all about boundaries and sixes. We’ll have to adapt to that.”
Tom Latham on coming to a ground with a slightly larger playing area“It was a tight game, a very good game of cricket. It was better to watch, from our side of things, we’d like to have come out on top. But it was a great game to be a part of and it would have been nice to have been able to close it out.”
Chris Woakes on England’s near-miss

Manchester United’s slow start to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign has cost them ground on Manchester City, who are six points clear already after just four matches.

Erik ten Hag was hoping to build on the momentum gained from a solid debut campaign which saw the Old Trafford side win their first trophy in six years while finishing third in the league and securing Champions League football after a year out of the competition.

Several players have failed to shine this term, including Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, who have netted just once each across the four games thus far, and it’s clear that Ten Hag needs more from his key players.

Another one who has failed to live up to expectations is Jadon Sancho, as the former Borussia Dortmund starlet has struggled during his time in Manchester.

How has Jadon Sancho performed this season?

Since arriving for a fee of £73m during the summer of 2021, Sancho has scored only 12 goals for the club, and it hasn’t quite clicked for him this season either.

He has failed to start any league game so far this term, averaging just 25 minutes of action. During his brief time on the pitch, Sancho has created zero big chances, recorded no shots, and averaged just 0.3 key passes per game.

It’s evident that there is some underlying issue at play here, given the war of words between manager and player but truth be told, the winger has underperformed in a United jersey.

Arriving for an inflated fee obviously makes it worse, yet it isn’t the first time in recent years that a player has arrived at the club following a good spell elsewhere, only to underwhelm across their spell in Manchester, and it is becoming a common theme at Old Trafford. Indeed, step forward Dan James.

How much did Daniel James cost Manchester United?

Having enjoyed a positive stint at the helm upon taking over at United in February 2019, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked to build a team which could once again rule England.

New arrivals that summer included Harry Maguire, joining for £80m alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka and James, but these signings clearly proved to be a false dawn as United failed to win any trophies that term, finishing third in the Premier League.

Large outlays were spent on all three players, and James was perhaps the most surprising signing, costing the club £22m from Swansea City.

Considering the winger had played just 40 senior games in his career, and none in the top flight indicated that this could be a move which might turn sour relatively quickly, and he lasted just two years at the Red Devils.

How much did Dan James earn at Manchester United?

During his two seasons at United, the Welshman earned £52k-per-week and over the course of his stint, this totalled around £5.4m, which was a staggering amount for someone who managed to make just 74 appearances for the club.

Signed to provide a key attacking outlet from a wide position, James only registered 18 goal contributions – nine goals and nine assists – during these games which cost the club around £3m per goal. Those attacking statistics are alarming indeed, and prove to be worse than the aforementioned Sancho.

It was certainly money wasted by the Red Devils, and he soon moved to Leeds United in 2021, with Solskjaer actually making a profit on the player, moving him on for a fee of £25m, £3m more than they signed him for just two years prior.

How did Dan James perform at Man United?

Due to having minimal senior experience, it appeared as though the manager would use James as a wildcard option, as his pace and creative talents could’ve been excellent tools to terrorise defenders with.

He made 33 league appearances during his maiden campaign, yet failed to really hit the ground running, registering just 0.8 key passes per game, creating six big chances, and managing only 0.6 shots on target per game.

When compared to the whole squad, these figures ranked him 12th, third and fifth, demonstrating that he needed to improve in order to have a more positive impact on the squad.

The following season saw him fail to improve and he ranked in just tenth spot for goals and assists (four), 12th for big chances created (two) and 14th for successful dribbles per game (0.7), clearly proving that the pressures or performing for United were taking its toll, and he couldn’t be relied on to be a player who made a difference.

Joining Leeds looked as though it was a chance for the player to restore his confidence and show United exactly what they were missing, yet it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

What has happened to Dan James?

His spell at the Elland Road outfit has arguably been worse than when he was at Old Trafford, scoring just four goals for the club across 35 matches during the 2021/22 season, and he was even sent off against Chelsea on the last day of the season.

Broadcaster Arlo White criticised James for his sending off, saying: “That's a terrible challenge by Daniel James. Leeds imploding.” Sadly, terrible was a pretty apt way to describe his time with the Red Devils and in Yorkshire.

Having since spent time on loan at Fulham during last term, scoring three times for the Cottagers across 23 matches, James is now back in the Championship, looking to make a solid impression at Leeds as they aim to claim promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.

The winger ended up rinsing United for £27.4m during his short-lived spell at the club while certainly proving to be a waste of a signing.

Although Sancho cost more, he arrived with genuine world-class talent and still arguably has the capabilities of succeeding at the club, if he can get his head down and recapture the form he displayed in the Bundesliga.

James on the other hand was a strange signing to begin with and although glimpses of promise were shown during his debut term, the Welshman failed to build on this and the club wasted a significant amount of money across his two-season spell in Manchester.

Ten Hag will be hoping to avoid costly mistakes like this, especially if he is to win more trophies at the helm.

A report has shared an interesting update on Tottenham Hotspur and their possible late move for Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo.

Who will Spurs sign?

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou is expected to make late signing attempts before the deadline on Friday, with the likes of Nottingham Forest winger Brennan Johnson and Barcelona's Ansu Fati linked most recently.

The north Londoners have enjoyed a fine start to this new Premier League season under Ange, with the Australian implementing an exciting, attack-minded brand of football.

Tottenham are yet to suffer defeat in the league, having drew away to Brentford on the opening day; soon following that up with 2-0 victories over Man United and Bournemouth.

However, a chink in Spurs' armour was perhaps exposed on Tuesday night, with Postecoglou's much-changed side crashing out of the Carabao Cup second round at the hands of Fulham.

The penalty shoot-out loss at Craven Cottage has already thwarted Tottenham's first chance of a cup run and opportunity to win their first piece of major silverware for the first time since 2008.

The Lilywhites' need to strengthen before deadline day was perhaps highlighted by that result, and as they chase moves for the likes of Fati/Johnson, it has also been claimed that they're still eyeing a new defender.

Spurs conceded a pretty terrible 63 league goals last term, more than any other side above 15th – a stat which backs the need for more defensive quality despite the bright start of Postecoglou's traditional back four.

Speaking earlier this month, reliable journalist Alasdair Gold relayed that the Tottenham boss wanted to strengthen in defence further after the signing of Micky van de Ven.

“Postecoglou said that himself in his press conference on Friday he pretty much said how there’s areas in defence, midfield and attack that they can upgrade on as well," said Gold on his YouTube channel (via TBR).

“I would keep an eye on what happens. I kind of get the feeling that Spurs have got a number of deals lined up ready to go if they can get the players out of the squad first.”

Adarabioyo, who is also attracting serious interest from Ligue 1 side Monaco, is apparently still a target for Tottenham after repeated links for much of the summer transfer window.

That is according to 90min, who say they remain interested in striking a late move for the ex-Man City and Blackburn defender. Adarabioyo apparently finds the option of joining Spurs "appealing", but Everton have also held talks over a move.

Meanwhile, Tottenham have offered Eric Dier to go the other way to Fulham, but the 29-year-old may not end up going before the deadline.

How good is Tosin Adarabioyo?

Adarabioyo has played just a single league minute for the Whites this season, but he did stand out as one of Fulham's best performers by average match rating last season, according to WhoScored.

He also made more clearances per 90 than any other member of their squad, with the colossal 6 foot 5 defender being called "magnificent" by members of the media for some of his Craven Cottage displays.

The allrounder ends a seven-year association with the club, during which he became their highest run-getter with 1479 runs in 57 matches, including two memorable hundreds

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Jan-2018Luke Wright has bid farewell to the Melbourne Stars after seven years with the BBL club. Wright was ruled out of the Stars’ upcoming match against the Sydney Thunder on Saturday after being diagnosed with delayed concussion, and after discussions with the management has decided to end his time at the club. Wright was twice struck on the helmet by short balls from Ben Dwarshius during the Stars’ eight-wicket defeat to the Sydney Sixers on Tuesday – his 13-ball 11 in that game has turned out to be his final innings for the Stars.Wright’s exit coincides with a period of rebuilding for the Stars, who are also set to be without Kevin Pietersen, who has announced that he will retire from all forms of cricket by the end of this year. Stars have endured a torrid 2017-18 season, and are currently bottom of the BBL table with only one win in seven matches.The 32-year-old Wright ends his Stars career as the team’s most capped player – he featured in 57 matches – and highest scorer, with 1479 runs at an average of 29.00 and a strike rate of 131.23, and two memorable hundreds – 117 against the Hobart Hurricanes in January 2012, when he put on a BBL record 172 for the first wicket with Rob Quiney; and an unbeaten 109 in the derby against the Melbourne Renegades in January 2016.”It’s been seven years with the Melbourne Stars, and it’s been a time that I’ve absolutely loved and will cherish,” Wright said. “I’m enormously proud to have been a foundation member and I’m so grateful to have been given the opportunity to play for such a long time and amongst so many great players and teammates.”I’ve forged so many good friendships on and off the field and it’s been incredible to be part of such a tremendous club. I’ve loved running out onto the MCG in front of a terrific bunch of fans who’ve been so supportive.”Obviously, it’s not the farewell I’d imagined, but that’s cricket. I leave with nothing but great memories of my time here and I wish the boys, and the club generally, all the best in the years to come. This chapter of my career is closed but I look forward to the next phase, and catching up with many of these guys down the track.”

The Delhi openers added a massive 232, thereby bringing their deficit down to only 15 runs with seven wickets in hand against Bengal

The Report by Arun Venugopal in Pune18-Dec-2017Gautam Gambhir plays through the off side•AFPDelhi not only learnt from their opponents’ mistakes on the first day, but also thrived on them as Gautam Gambhir (127) and Kunal Chandela (113) doubled-teamed Bengal to all but secure the first-innings lead. After mopping up Bengal’s last three wickets for the addition of only 17 runs on the second day, Delhi ended the day on 271 for 3, with Gambhir caught behind off Mohammed Shami on what turned out to be the last ball of the day. Delhi trail Bengal by only 15 runs with middle-order batsmen Rishabh Pant and Himmat Singh still to come.Chandela credits college cricket for his rise

Kunal Chandela began his first-class career in fine fashion with three fifties in as many innings. The 23-year-old right-hander scored 64 against Hyderabad on debut and followed it up with 81 and 57 against Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-finals. While he had done enough to justify his selection ahead of Unmukt Chand, Chandela realised the importance of making a big score for himself and his team.
“I wasn’t converting my fifties [into big knocks],” Chandela said. “I had a chat with the coaches, who asked me to give myself some time. The more time I gave myself it was better for me and the team.”
He said batting alongside Gautam Gambhir during the course of their 232-run partnership helped him focus better. “Gauti was very supportive and helped me wherever I was making a mistake,” he said. “He asked me to back myself and hit the balls that are meant to be hit. At one point, I played the sweep when he said I was playing very well straight so I didn’t need to do it.”
In 2016, Chandela, who was Delhi captain Rishabh Pant’s senior at school, grabbed attention in the Delhi cricketing circle with a triple century to help North Zone beat West Zone in the All-India Inter-Zone Tournament. “College cricket helped me a lot. Players of a different generation knew it was [like] first-class cricket,” he said. “It was good for me to play days’ cricket. I got to experience four-day cricket there.”

The 232-run opening stand between Gambhir and Chandela also solved a problem that coach KP Bhaskar had described ahead of the quarter-finals as the team’s only weakness. Before Monday’s double-hundred stand, Delhi openers had posted only one 50-plus partnership all season. Despite some testing bowling from Shami and Ashok Dinda with the new ball, Gambhir and Chandela were scoring at a good clip – there were six fours hit in the first seven overs. Gambhir fancied his pulls, slices and dabs during the course of his 42nd first-class hundred even as Chandela, whose game appears to be built on balance and economy of initial movement, drove effortlessly on the way to a maiden century in his third first-class match.Shami was inconsistent on a day he had to shoulder a huge chunk of Bengal’s bowling workload. During the course of the 23.2 overs he bowled, Shami produced spurts of inspiration, like in the last half-hour when he attempted to bounce out Gambhir and Nitish Rana with a leg gully, deep square leg and a fine leg. Shami’s efforts finally earned him a wicket after he went around the stumps for one delivery and aimed for Gambhir’s body with a short-pitched ball. Gambhir couldn’t evade the ball as it brushed his glove, caught by the wicketkeeper Shreevats Goswami down the leg side. Furious with himself, Gambhir slammed his bat against the sightscreen on his way back, but he had reasons to smile for the better part of the day.Along with Chandela, he sought to derive maximum value out of any loose deliveries that came their way. Delhi scored 178 of their 271 runs in boundaries, and the Chandela-Gambhir combine contributed 162 of those. More often than not, their boundaries arrived in clusters, and the resultant spikes in scoring messed with Bengal’s rhythm. On one occasion, Chandela smashed B Amit – Bengal’s most disciplined bowler of the day – for four fours in an over: a punch through the off side, a streaky prod and a brace of flowing drives. Delhi whipped up 131 runs in 30 overs in the second session. The strike-rates of both batsmen were similar too, at around 58. While Gambhir brought up his century off 123 balls, Chandela took 149 deliveries.There was also some good fortune for Gambhir. He was the beneficiary of two reprieves, on 44 and 101. On the first occasion, Dinda provoked an edge in the 19th over but Sudip Chatterjee dropped the offering at slip. Then, in the 40th over, Gambhir edged one behind off Aamir Gani’s offspin, but umpire Abhijit Deshmukh turned down Bengal’s loud pleas. Chandela, who has three fifties from as many first-class innings, brought up his hundred with a majestic swivel to pull the ball to the fence.After an underwhelming pair of sessions, Bengal showed marginal improvement after tea. They had gone wicketless for 61 overs, but sent back Chandela thanks to an excellent effort from Goswami, who flung to his right to complete a one-handed catch off Amit. Goswami completed his second catch soon after when Dhruv Shorey shaped to pull a short delivery from Dinda.Earlier in the morning, Bengal’s lower order folded up without much fight in 7.2 overs. Navdeep Saini began the destruction by trapping Goswami in front of the stumps after beating him for pace. Gani was run out thanks to a direct hit from Manan Sharma at midwicket, who also caught Dinda’s attempted hoick that ballooned up.

Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke has been a long-time transfer target for West Ham this summer and a significant update has now emerged.

How old is Dominic Solanke?

The former Liverpool striker is still only 25 years of age and has matured into an important player for Bournemouth, helping them get back into the Premier League after scoring 29 goals in the Championship in 2021/22.

Last season, Solanke did a solid job back in the top flight, netting six times and registering seven assists, and he has also bagged one of each in his first two league outings of the current campaign, with his goal coming against West Ham.

The Englishman has been continually linked with a summer move to the Hammers, as they eye up attacking additions, having replaced Declan Rice with Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse in midfield, and there should still be money left over for further reinforcements higher up the pitch.

Now, a new claim has emerged that suggests the east Londoners are pushing hard to secure the signing of one of their primary summer transfer targets.

Will West Ham sign Dominic Solanke?

According to Football Insider, West Ham have now submitted an offer for Solanke, as they look to seal a significant piece of transfer business:

"West Ham have submitted a formal bid for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, sources have told Football Insider. The offer is believed to be around the £35-40m mark with the London club waiting on a response from their Premier League counterparts.

"Bournemouth also have concrete interest in Solanke from another top-flight English club in the market for a centre-forward. It leaves the future of the England international, 25, up in the air in the final ten days of the summer transfer window."

This is an exciting update from a West Ham perspective, with Solanke now a proven Premier League striker who has the attributes to be a real handful leading the line. In many ways, he is like a younger version of Michail Antonio, possessing his physical power and pace, as well as an eye for goal that has become more ruthless as he has matured as a footballer.

At 25, there is still so much time for the ex-Liverpool man to further improve as a player, perfecting his all-round game, and he could be the ideal competition or replacement for Antonio, allowing David Moyes to rotate his squad more effectively across three different competitions.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Former managers clearly think highly of Solanke as a player, with Gary O'Neil lauding his importance to the cause for Bournemouth last season, saying:

"Dom works his socks off for me and you can see he comes off and we’ve not created loads of chances for him and he’s put in a load of work. People that maybe don’t know, could underestimate how big Dom is for this group. Absolutely massive. I couldn’t ask for a better number nine to go and face the challenges that we’re faced with."

Meanwhile, Jurgen Klopp described him as "fantastic" during their time together at Liverpool, so West Ham could have a gem on their hands if they can get a deal over the line.