In a late transfer twist, Everton have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign one of their top targets in a big-money deal just under two weeks until the deadline.
Moyes "excited" about Hill Dickinson debut
Whilst his side’s opening day defeat at the hands of newly-promoted Leeds United left a bad taste, Everton boss David Moyes has quickly put that behind him to focus on what should be a special afternoon at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Squaring off against Brighton & Hove Albion in their first Premier League game in their new home, the Toffees will be keen to enjoy the occasion and pick up their first three points of the season.
There could also be a full debut for summer signing Jack Grealish after he came from the bench on Monday night at Elland Road. The Manchester City loanee, in a World Cup year, desperately needs to get back to his best and chose a move to Everton with that in mind.
Better move than Grealish: Everton open talks to land Premier League star
Everton are interested in a deal to sign a star who could be even better than Jack Grealish.
ByWill Miller Aug 23, 2025
Alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Thierno Barry, Adam Aznou, Carlos Alcaraz, Mark Travers and Tom King, Grealish represents a very solid summer of business from Everton. But The Friedkin Group are not done just yet and reports are now suggesting that their biggest move yet has been agreed.
Everton reach agreement to sign Dibling
As reported by Fabrizio Romano, Everton have now reached an agreement to sign Tyler Dibling in a deal worth as much as £42m. The Toffees looked destined to miss out on the Southampton winger when they failed to match the Saints’ price tag earlier this summer, before those at St Mary’s lowered their valuation and allowed Everton to swoop in.
With Dibling, Moyes’ attacking options have suddenly been transformed compared to last season. From Jack Harrison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Jesper Lindstrom, the veteran manager will now have a core of Grealish, Dewsbury-Hall, Dibling and Barry at his disposal.
Described as “brave” by former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy, the best is still yet to come from 19-year-old Dibling, who is represented by the same agent as fellow Everton arrival Barry.
In a new era in a modern stadium, Friedkin have so far handed Moyes the tools to take Everton from relegation candidates into top-half hopefuls.
Steyn will be part of Andrew Flintoff’s coaching staff when England Lions tour South Africa next month
Matt Roller23-Oct-2024
Dale Steyn will oversee some of England’s promising fast bowlers•Getty Images
Dale Steyn will work with some of England’s most promising young fast bowlers in South Africa next month, ESPNcricinfo can reveal. Steyn will be part of Andrew Flintoff’s coaching staff in his first tour as England Lions head coach, along with his former international team-mate Neil McKenzie.Steyn, who took 439 wickets in his stellar Test career for South Africa, will work with the Lions on a short-term basis. The ECB named a 19-man training squad at the start of the month, with the tour due to run from November 20 until December 14. It will largely consist of a training camp but will conclude with a four-day match against South Africa A in Western Province.The squad is packed with ten seamers, including two players with full international caps in Pat Brown and Josh Hull, and two others who were unused squad members this summer in Dillon Pennington and John Turner. The other six fast bowlers are Zaman Akhtar, Kasey Aldridge, Henry Crocombe, Tom Lawes, Harry Moore and Mitchell Stanley.Related
Chohan named in England Lions squad to South Africa as Flintoff takes reins
Ed Barney, who replaced Mo Bobat as the ECB’s performance director earlier this year, said the seam-dominated squad reflected “England’s short and long-term needs” across formats. “Over half the squad consists of seamers, reflecting our continued focus on supporting these players to achieve their potential,” Barney said.McKenzie, the former South Africa batter, will oversee a group of batters which three recent members of the England Under-19s set-up in Freddie McCann, Ben McKinney and Hamza Sheikh. Dan Mousley will join the Lions tour after travelling to the Caribbean for England’s white-ball series, while James Coles, Matty Hurst and James Rew also feature.McKenzie was part of Flintoff’s coaching staff in his first role as head coach earlier this year, when he took charge of Northern Superchargers in the Hundred. He has also worked with South Africa’s national team and Desert Vipers, and was recently replaced as Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s batting coach by Dinesh Karthik.Karthik was another coach briefly brought into the Lions set-up on a short-term basis in India earlier this year, with the ECB seeking to harness local knowledge on development tours. It is understood that Jacques Kallis was also scoped out as an option for the South Africa camp, though is not expected to feature when a full list of coaching staff is announced later this week.
Leeds United have now “scheduled” a meeting with a “sensational” attacker to discuss a move to Elland Road, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed.
Leeds need to improve attacking options
Leeds’ Premier League opener at home to Everton is less than two weeks away, and while Daniel Farke has made major improvements to his squad, the only new attacker through the door is former Wolfsburg striker Lukas Nmecha.
New signing
Joined from
Position
Anton Stach
Hoffenheim
DM
Jaka Bijol
Udinese
CB
Lucas Perri
Lyon
GK
Sean Longstaff
Newcastle United
CM
Gabriel Gudmundsson
LOSC Lille
LB
Sebastian Bornauw
Wolfsburg
CB
Lukas Nmecha
Wolfsburg
ST
As such, Farke should now consider improving his attacking options a priority, particularly considering the fact Mateo Joseph wants to leave, and the Whites have now joined the race for a striker, identifying Al-Hilal’s Aleksandar Mitrovic as a potential option.
Mitrovic could be an exciting addition, given that the Serbian is vastly experienced in the Premier League, scoring 14 goals in 24 games for Fulham in the 2022-23 campaign.
However, Leeds are also looking to bring in an attacking midfielder, capable of providing assists for their new striker, and they are in the race for Leicester City’s Bilal El-Khannouss, who has a release clause of £22.5m included in his contract.
There has now been a new update on the Whites’ El-Khannouss pursuit, with Tavolieri taking to X to reveal they have now “scheduled a meeting” with the Leicester attacking midfielder, which is due to take place “in the coming days”.
Crystal Palace could also make a move for the 21-year-old, with Selhurst Park potentially an attractive destination, given that they are set to take part in the UEFA Conference League, although playing in Europe is not thought to be a decisive factor in the player’s plans.
"Excellent" £20m forward now open to joining Crystal Palace with talks held
There has been a development in Palace’s pursuit of an attacker…
ByDominic Lund Aug 7, 2025 "Sensational" El Khannouss deserves another chance in the top flight
It was a difficult debut campaign in the Premier League for the Belgium-born maestro, with the Foxes being relegated, but he still managed to impress at times, chipping in with two goals and three assists.
Football scout Ben Mattinson believes the starlet could go on to achieve big things, lauding him as “sensational”, while also describing the Leicester attacker as “an all-rounder of a player capable of affecting the game from all over the pitch.”
Former Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy also thinks the youngster could go on to be a top-level player, saying: “The challenge for him is, at his young age, pushing himself to finally know where his ceiling is. His potential is there to be a top player in Europe in the Champions League.”
As such, it could be a coup if Leeds were able to sign El-Khannouss, and the Moroccan could be a real difference-maker in their battle to avoid relegation.
Sheffield United are under new management in Ruben Selles, and he could now look to bring one of his former players to Bramall Lane in an intriguing deal, according to a report.
Ruben Selles aiming for success at Sheffield United
Many onlookers were surprised when Sheffield United parted company with Chris Wilder during the off-season, but sometimes there is a need for change to keep things moving in the right direction.
Selles is now in the door at Bramall Lane and promised a traditional recruitment style despite the rise of AI in the context of talent identification, indicating that he may look to strike a balance in his hunt for new arrivals.
Southampton manager Ruben Selles andKamaldeenSulemana
He explained: “We need to understand there are tools to be more efficient and that’s how we need to look at it. They are not tools to tell us what to do, they can give advice and point us in directions.
“We understand, we interpret and make decisions from that together with some other tools. The main thing will always be the football eye, the way that we see the game, the way we identify the players. Obviously, we want those marginal gains to be on our side and we need to work with different technology that will give us that.”
Making a valid point, it now remains to be seen where he will look to strengthen. Sheffield United are targeting Tottenham duo Ashley Phillips and Alfie Devine, which would be a good starting point with both having significant EFL experience.
Ruben Selles’ managerial record in English football
Wins
22
Draws
10
Losses
19
Emil Riis Jakobsen could also join the Blades on a free transfer, and they are now said to be eyeing a player who enjoys a fruitful pre-existing relationship with Selles to shore up their backline.
Ruben Selles eyeing Tyler Bindon reunion at Sheffield United
As relayed by The Guardian’s rumour mill, Sheffield United could look to sign Tyler Bindon from Nottingham Forest.
Selles coached Bindon at Reading from 2023 to 2024, and it is believed the Blades’ new manager personally wants to reunite with his ex-defender at Bramall Lane. Enjoying an injury-free campaign last term, the New Zealand defender scored three times in 47 appearances across all competitions for the Royals.
Forest actually signed the 20-year-old on a permanent deal in the January window, before sending Bindon back out on loan to Reading to finish the season, and he’s since reported back to the City Ground.
"Awesome" Sheffield United star could leave with Hamer after playoff defeat
This would be a huge blow for Chris Wilder.
ByHenry Jackson May 25, 2025
Labelled “unbelievable” by Noel Hunt, Bindon has three years left on his contract in the East Midlands, and it is unclear at this point whether Forest would be willing to sanction another exit for the 20-year-old during the window – where that be on loan or permanently.
One thing is clear – Selles simply has to sign central defenders, so they may be willing to push the boat out to land his services. Anel Ahmedhodzic and Jack Robinson are in need of support, and there may be scope for several arrivals to max out squad depth.
Selles arrives with a tough act to follow in Wilder, so bringing some familiar faces to South Yorkshire could help the Spanish boss to put his own stamp on the team.
If there is one area of the team Arsenal need to strengthen this summer, it’s the attack.
While Mikel Arteta’s side finished a distant second to Liverpool in the Premier League this season, they ended the campaign with a better defensive record than anyone in the league but with 17 fewer goals scored.
So, with this apparent weakness compared to their title rival, it’s hardly surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers, like Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins, in recent weeks.
However, the North Londoners could also do with more options off the left, which would help to explain the links to a player who could be their next Lukas Podolski.
Arsenal's winger search
Before we get to the player in question, it’s worth going over some of the other wingers who have been linked with Arsenal this summer, like Nico Williams and Rodrygo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has been a long-term target for the club and has a release clause worth around £50m, which doesn’t seem too unreasonable for a 22-year-old international who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games this season.
Rodrygo, on the other hand, could cost as much as £85m, but considering he’d be moving from Real Madrid and has produced 24 goal involvements in 51 appearances this year.
However, while both players would be excellent additions to the Gunners’ squad, neither one can really be compared to Podolski, unlike Leroy Sané.
Interestingly, according to a recent report from German outlet BILD, the Bayern Munich star, who is out of contract this summer, could be on the move, and when it comes to English clubs, he would only be interested in joining Arsenal, with his desire to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur ‘low.’
It would appear as if there is some degree in the player from the Gunners as well, as earlier this week, it was fairly widely reported that talks had taken place between his representatives and the club.
It might not be the most exciting transfer, but Sané has more than proven himself over the years, and there are certain elements to this potential deal that could make him become a new Podolski for the club.
Why Sané could be Podolski 2.0
So, before getting into some of the other reasons why Sané would be a good signing, it’s worth addressing why we look at him as a potential Podolski 2.0.
Leroy Sane for Bayern Munich
The first is that both players would have joined the club from the Bundesliga as German internationals, and furthermore, while the former Gunners ace joined from Koln in 2012, he too had spent time and won titles with Bayern Munich.
Secondly, both players are positionally versatile, with the Bayern star mainly playing off the left but being able to play off the right as well, while the 40-year-old was also primarily a left-winger at the Emirates but has spent more time up top in his career.
On top of that, the pair are both left-footed, and while they can easily create and score goals, they have tended to favour the latter throughout their careers.
For example, the former Manchester City ace, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed “world-class,” has scored 133 goals and provided 125 assists in his 496 appearances, while the Koln legend has found the back of the 238 times and provided 138 assists in 700 games.
Appearances
200
210
Minutes
12501′
15482′
Goals
51
70
Assists
47
37
Goal Involvements per Game
0.49
0.50
Minutes per Goal Involvement
127.56′
144.69′
Appearances
90
60
Minutes
6089′
3268′
Goals
25
19
Assists
30
12
Goal Involvements per Game
0.61
0.51
Minutes per Goal Involvement
110.70′
105.41′
Last but not least, given the fact he’s 29 years old and would be joining for free, the Essen-born international could have a similar impact as his senior compatriot did at the club, in the sense that he could come in, spend a couple of seasons as a useful offensive option and then move on, without being a significant financial burden.
Ultimately, Sané is still a brilliant footballer, and considering he’d be available for free, bringing him to the club feels like a no-brainer for Arsenal.
Their own Kane: Arsenal begin talks to sign "exceptional" £42m goalscorer
The promising poacher could develop into something special at Arsenal.
Sunderland are set for a busy summer of transfer business before the window closes at the start of September, as they look to build a team that can compete in the Premier League.
The Black Cats have already confirmed their first signing of the summer as Enzo Le Fee has joined the club on a permanent deal, after spending the second half of the 2024/25 campaign on loan at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s French whiz scored one goal and provided one assist, whilst averaging 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game, in his 15 appearances in the Championship as a loanee.
The 25-year-old added a touch of class to the team, as shown in the clip below, and Regis Le Bris will be hoping that he can deliver in the Premier League as well.
Le Fee was not the only loan star on Wearside during the 2024/25 campaign, though, as central defender Chris Mepham was on loan from Bournemouth.
However, they have yet to agree a deal to bring the Wales international back to the Stadium of Light for the next Premier League season, despite a recent report claiming that they were considering a permanent move for him.
Why Sunderland may not sign Chris Mepham
Football Insider recently noted that Mepham has signed a one-year extension with the Cherries, which means that he will not be available on a free transfer this summer.
This means that Sunderland would have to pay a transfer fee for the central defender to sign him from their Premier League rivals, rather than being able to snap him up for nothing.
Chris Mepham in action for Sunderland.
Whilst it remains to be seen how much Bournemouth would want for the centre-back, this could put the Black Cats off a potential deal as it may be more costly than previously expected.
Fellow newly-promoted side Burnley have also been linked with a possible swoop for the Welsh colossus, who was a solid, but not outstanding, performer for Sunderland in the second tier.
24/25 Championship
Chris Mepham (per game)
Sunderland rank
Tackles
1.3
7th
Interceptions
0.9
6th
Clearances
6.2
1st
Blocks
0.9
1st
Pass accuracy
87%
6th
Long passes made
2.1
5th
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, Mepham excelled in some areas of the game, notably making blocks and clearances, but was not one of the top-performing defenders at the club when it came to making tackles or interceptions.
Sunderland may feel that they could find better value elsewhere in the market, as they look to bolster their defensive options, which may be one reason why they may not sign him on a permanent deal.
In fact, the Black Cats are reportedly looking at a Championship central defender who could be an even better signing than Mepham this summer.
Sunderland eyeing deal for Championship enforcer
According to the Daily Express, Sunderland are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a deal to sign Millwall centre-back Japhet Tanganga in the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Black Cats, Leeds United, and Burnley all have a ‘concrete interest’ in the former Tottenham Hotspur defender, as they look to bolster their defensive options.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
It states Crystal Palace are also keen on a deal for the 26-year-old enforcer, and that they could have an advantage in the race to sign him as a London club and a team with European football in the 2025/26 campaign.
The Daily Express reveals that he has a £1.2m release clause, that can only be activated by Premier League clubs this summer, which means that he could be a bargain signing for any of the interested teams.
Millwall's JaphetTangangain action with Portsmouth's Thomas Waddingham
It also reveals that Tanganga would like his future to be sorted by the end of the month, possibly to be ready for a pre-season with a new club, but it does not state what his preference is at this moment in time.
Why Sunderland should sign Japhet Tanganga
The Black Cats must now push to win the race for Tanganga ahead of Burnley, Leeds, and Palace because he could be an even better signing for the club than Mepham would be this summer.
Whilst the former Sunderland loanee is far from immobile, there may be concerns about how he would handle the step up in intensity and pace in the Premier League.
Whereas, Tanganga is an incredibly mobile and rapid central defender who can cover ground quickly and has the physicality to deal with top-flight attackers.
Carlton Palmer told Football League World: “He is capable of playing in the Premier League, he’s got the physical tools to cope with the demands of the top-flight with his positional play and reading of the game, while he has tremendous recovery pace.”
24/25 Championship
Chris Mepham
Japhet Tanganga
Appearances
38
40
Tackles per game
1.4
1.4
Interceptions per game
0.9
0.9
Dribbled past
0.5x
0.3x
Duels won per game
4.9
5.9
Ground duel success rate
55%
61%
Aerial duel success rate
63%
63%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Tanganga’s superior physical attributes in comparison to Mepham were on display in the Championship last season.
The Millwall colossus was dribbled past less frequently, which is because he has the pace to keep up with attackers when they try to knock it past him, and won a higher percentage of his duels on the ground overall.
This suggests that Tanganga would be more suited to dealing with Premier League attackers in one-on-one situations defensively than Mepham would be next season, due to his more impressive physicality.
Therefore, he could be a better signing for the Black Cats this summer because he is more likely to deal with the step up to the top-flight to help Le Bris’ side in their battle against relegation.
Sunderland now make approach for £13k-p/w defender with 25 UCL appearances
The Black Cats have launched a move for a “talented” player, who has tested himself in the Champions League.
ByDominic Lund Jun 12, 2025
It is now down to Sunderland to activate his £1.2m release clause and to convince him to make the move to the Stadium of Light, instead of joining one of the other three interested parties from the Premier League.
It may feel like we’re in the thick of the summer transfer window, Liverpool fans, but that’s not the case. Rather, FSG are working with incredible prudence to strengthen Arne Slot’s Premier League champions.
Trent Alexander-Arnold will likely feature for the final time as a Liverpool player on Sunday in the season’s closing game against FA Cup winners Crystal Palace, but sporting director Richard Hughes has already engineered and wrapped up a move for his successor.
Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong will play for the Merseysiders next season, with Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez also being pursued, discussions at an advanced stage.
Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong
Liverpool need something more in attack, too. While Mohamed Salah has forged an individual season for the ages, he’s perhaps been let down at times by his peers.
After penning a two-year extension, the Egyptian King needs to be supplemented by some elite-level firepower, someone capable of being his next Sadio Mane.
FSG may well have found just the man for the job.
Liverpool pushing to seal marquee signing
According to the Daily Mail’s Lewis Steele, Liverpool’s ambitious push to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is very much intact, with FSG doing everything in their power to bring the 22-year-old under Slot’s influence.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Liverpool have been locked in a transfer battle with Bayern Munich for the talented midfielder’s services, and have been emboldened in recent days after Manchester City dropped out the race. Die Roten, however, remain favourites at this stage.
The truth is Liverpool will do all they can to get a deal done for Wirtz, Germany’s poster boy. However, given that the Bundesliga champions are also doing everything in their power to sign the playmaker, it’s not going to be easy.
In spite of the Germany international’s €150m (equating to about £126m) price tag, FSG are willing to green-light a staggering club-record transfer.
Here’s why.
Why Wirtz could be Slot's new "superstar"
Some might question why Liverpool aren’t instead preparing to fork out a similar sum on Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, but if the Magpies seal a place in next season’s Champions League, the Swedish striker isn’t going anywhere.
And anyway, with Alexander-Arnold set to depart and take his boundless creativity with him, Liverpool need to find a new playmaker-in-chief.
That could be Wirtz, who, aged 22, has already overcome a crushing ACL injury to win an invincible domestic double, win the Bundesliga Player of the Year and be called “the best midfielder in the world” by former Werkself striker Patrick Helmes.
Attacking midfield
169
48
57
Left winger
21
4
5
Right winger
17
8
5
Centre-forward
15
7
7
Central midfield
5
0
3
He’s the real deal, all right. After just 197 senior appearances for his current club, the 5 foot 9 midfielder has scored 57 goals and supplied 65 assists, showcasing a level of reliability in the final third that the likes of Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai don’t project with the regularity of Salah.
Or Mane, for that matter. You could say that Wirtz stands a stellar chance of becoming Slot’s own version of the Senegalese legend, whose “world-class” attacking threat, as remarked by Jurgen Klopp, hasn’t yet been recaptured by any signing at Liverpool.
Sadio Mane Liverpool graphic
Mane signed for Liverpool in 2015, leaving Southampton for a £34m fee. He devoted the prime years of his career to Anfield and left a legend, instrumental in conquering the Premier League and the Champions League.
Though typically playing off the left, Mane was positionally fluid and made a menace of himself through remarkable powers of intensity, overwhelming his opponents before finding space to strike on goal.
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane
Wirtz is more central (see the table above), but he does enjoy playing out on the left, with his heatmap from the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign suggesting he drifts over more often than not.
It would give Slot a new tactical piece to play with, in any case. Wirtz has only missed eight big chances across Leverkusen’s league and European campaigns this year, scoring 16 goals. Moreover, he’s created 21 big chances, denoting his immense playmaking ability that will allow the Reds to transition away from the Alexander-Arnold era, such as it is.
As per FBref, Wirtz ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes, and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.
The German’s unrelenting energy in driving the ball forward is something to be admired. It’s something, perhaps, that is Mane-esque.
With flair and fleet feet and a deadly switch when placed at the end of an attacking sequence, Wirtz is the real deal. ESPN correspondent Rob Palmer called him a “superstar in the making” a few weeks ago, but he may well already be of the highest station.
Liverpool need to get it done, giving Salah the perfect new attacking partner to win more silverware over the next few years.
He'd be incredible with Kerkez: FSG want to sign £50m "tank" for Liverpool
Liverpool are looking to make sweeping changes in the summer transfer market.
Despite PSR concerns, Aston Villa have now reportedly joined a hectic race to sign a Bundesliga defender ahead of a number of Premier League rivals for Unai Emery this summer.
Aston Villa's PSR concern
On the pitch, Aston Villa are a side competing for consecutive top-four finishes in the Premier League and find themselves in the last eight of the Champions League and the last four of the FA Cup. It seems as though things can’t get much better.
In reality, however, as successful as they have been on the field, concerns are reportedly emerging over profit and sustainability rules behind the scenes.
Questions will be asked over just how a side of such recent success have struggled to stay in line with the rules, especially after the big sale of Jhon Duran to Saudi Arabia in January, but it looks as though Villa could be in for a cautious summer.
Whether those concerns will result in player sales or limited spending remains to be seen. However, reports are emerging on both the incoming and departure fronts.
On the departure front, it’s Boubakar Kamara who has attracted attention in recent days with Liverpool reportedly eyeing a move to sign the Aston Villa midfielder.
Boubacar Kamara
Meanwhile, if the Villans choose to run the risk of spending once more this summer, names such as Marc Casado and Andreas Christensen could steal the headlines fresh from Barcelona, according to recent reports.
Aston Villa make contact to sign "animal" who can be Douglas Luiz 2.0
Aston Villa could raid Barcelona this summer for a player or two.
ByRoss Kilvington Apr 11, 2025
The same can also be said for one Bundesliga talent, as Aston Villa look to reinforce their backline and beat Liverpool and Manchester City to the signature of a talented defender this summer.
Aston Villa battling to sign Sildillia
Putting their financial concerns to one side, those in the Midlands have reportedly joined a hectic Premier League race. According to CaughtOffside, Aston Villa are now battling to sign Kiliann Sildillia from SC Freiburg ahead of Brighton & Hove Albion, Liverpool and Man City.
The Bundesliga side are reportedly valuing their right-back at just €16m (£14m) this summer – a price Villa may be able to match even amid their PSR frustrations.
At just 22 years old, the Bundesliga right-back has earned plenty of praise in recent years – including from Antonio Mango. The U23 scout took to X to describe Sildillia as an “extremely athletic” defender “who possesses a great burst of pace and acceleration”.
However, whether those are traits Aston Villa are left to benefit from remains to be seen as Premier League clubs race to sign the talented right-back.
The crew gets together to answer questions like why is Shami not being picked, is he better than any current fast bowler in the side, how can he make a comeback, and more
ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Why has Mohammed Shami – one of India’s top fast bowlers – been sidelined? Join Dustin Silgardo, Sidharth Monga, and Karthik Krishnaswamy as they dive deep into Shami’s legendary career, the chatter around his selection, and what makes him unique in Indian cricket. Hear untold stories from his journey, data-driven analysis, and the inside track on Indian fast bowling with banter and perspective.
After another absurd Ben Stokes performance, England could do it for him
Vithushan Ehantharajah07-Jul-20231:14
Ehantharajah: Moeen Ali’s vital wickets keep England alive
Crazy things do happen at Headingley. But crazy things happened at Edgbaston a few weeks ago, and Lord’s a few days ago. Crazy things are pretty much what this England team are about. And sometimes, like today, crazy can be good.All the cricket has been good. Each of the previous 11 days compelling, giving everyone take-home bags full of incident and narrative, angst and, if you happen to support Australia, two wins in the first two Tests.From an English perspective, the front-running of Edgbaston, followed by the clumsiness and controversy of Lord’s meant it was only a matter of time before minds and bodies gave out. And for the first third of the second day of this third Test, that almost happened.An England team who thrilled for a year have flunked for a fortnight. And whether you still believe wholeheartedly in Bazball, accept the process still works but malign literal and figurative drops in the fundamentals, or feel compelled to protest it all by running on and scattering the pitch with strike rates of 2.5 an over, there is a familiar exhaustion coursing through all three groups. “Oh England – look at what they make you give?”Related
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If you thought you knew who was on top, think again
And then, they gave. Enough to win the Test? Hard to say. But plenty to get them back into it as a contest. Australia go into the weekend leading by 142 with six second-innings remaining, but England are in a comfortable sweet spot between control and chaos, where the very best of what we saw of them last year happens.Analytically, viscerally – this felt like the craziest day of the series so far. So maybe it was little surprise the two players who contributed most to England’s part in it were those who perennially exist in their own half-spaces.Ben Stokes took the game back to the absurd realm for the second time this week. A devastating 80 bludgeoned Australia’s first-innings lead down to 26, just 10.2 overs after the afternoon session had begun with it reading 121, with England seven down.Then, much like his presence in this Ashes series altogether, Moeen Ali came from nowhere. Not only did he prise out both Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith, he stitched together 17 overs on the bounce for just 34 runs. All the more impressive given he missed Lord’s to rest a spinning finger that went from a tear to a wound across that first Test at Edgbaston.Moeen Ali celebrates his 200th Test wicket•Getty ImagesBoth individuals encapsulate the allrounder complex, particularly on a day they ticked over significant career milestones. Stokes, the allrounder whose numbers don’t reflect his worth, passed 6000 runs, moving to 6008 at a pretty okay average of 36.63. Moeen, the one whose numbers tell the absolute truth, moved to 200 dismissals with an overnight average of 37.13 which currently ranks as the worst average for a bowler to reach that mark.By all accounts, the first session was the most normal the series, in line with Australia’s domination as the mooted fightback led by locals Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow came to nothing. Stokes was in after the second ball when Root was done by Cummins, before Bairstow scuffed an unbalanced drive to second slip.That brought Moeen and Stokes together, and for 15.1 overs, there was a recalibration to the old days. Rightly so, too: 44 runs and the sting taken out of the situation. Alas, Moeen’s hook two balls after getting away with one made that graft seem obsolete. And when Woakes stepped away and feathered a slash over the keeper straight into Alex Carey’s gloves, lunch was called with England 142 for 7 and the urn being wrapped up to take back to the other side of the world.It had the hallmarks of a grim day. One you could point to as the day the series died. The mood at Headingley was flat for the 40-minute break. Just before the ground entertainment tried (and failed) to get the Western Terrace going, Mark Wood walked across to the nets to work on how he would play the bouncer. Something he thought was a good idea before he had it confirmed with Moeen, who had taken more or less the same route moments earlier for Friday prayers.”He actually said to me, ‘do you reckon I should go and do some pull shots in the nets?'” Moeen revealed at the end of play. Why not, thought Moeen. What’s the worst that can happen?What Moeen did not think would happen – nor the rest of us – was Wood stepping away to the leg side and launching Mitchell Starc over midwicket for six. Then a four over backward point and another six over backward square. Then a top edge off Cummins over fine leg before a skied hack to end a brief eight-ball stay for 24. These all were the starter pistols of the madness, partly because it seemed to give Stokes a bit of respite. Not much in terms of time, but it was a period where someone took on the burden and, for a moment, dipped into the spectacular.The England captain had worn blows to the arm, knee and groin all morning. His left hip began playing up, leading to a break in play where the physio came out and looked like he was trying to force it back into position.”There’s a lot more than he’s showing,” said Moeen. Even what he was showing was enough for a normal man to take the day off at least. But it wouldn’t be Stokes and it would not be here of all places without an innings that grabbed the game, turned it upside down and shook it for change.Ben Stokes gets some treatment on his hip•Getty ImagesFollowing the Lord’s blitz that came to nothing, he spoke of the experience he can fall back on in those do-or-die situations that, as he put it, “I seem to find myself in”. Well would you believe it, here he was again in a tough situation, like an out-of-town cowboy walking into a local bar full of familiar enemies. And so, he began shooting everything in sight right between the eyes. As Australia’s head coach, Andrew McDonald, said: “When Stokes is there, you are never in total control.”Four consecutive fours spanned the 45th and 46th overs, the first three of those against Starc. When Todd Murphy was brought on, Stokes hit him straight down the ground, over long on, beyond fine leg, again over long on then square leg before he was eventually snared to close the innings. A personal score of 27 off 67 now read 80 off 108. A team circling the drain were now in charge of the taps. And a man who never knows he’s beaten now has more wonder knocks in the last week (two) than functioning knees.Stokes took the field throughout the 47 overs of Australia’s second innings so far, even though it looked like he could do with Bairstow treating him like a Just Stop Oil protester and carrying him from one side to the other. He did not try to hide himself in the field, or do anything at less than 100 percent of what his body would allow.As you looked around, you could see the responsibility he had imbued in others, all boosted by this second chance at a day they had thought was gone. Wood, no more than 24 hours after his break-neck spells of day one, pushed himself to the brink once more. Fielders fought for every inch, and even Ollie Robinson spent as much time as he could out there to ensure he won’t have to wait to bowl tomorrow morning once he has banked another night’s rest following day one’s back spasm.Without Moeen, however, Australia could well have re-asserted their dominance. The lack of Robinson and Stokes meant overs had to be found from somewhere. The offspinner’s 17 overs at an economy rate of two was not as spectacular as Stokes’ earlier on. But every double act needs a straight man, and here was, by his own admission, the least reliable control bowler going, keeping it all together.That Labuschagne (sweeping to the leg-side fielder) and Smith (hacking to midwicket) showed such generosity by removing themselves was appreciated. “Yeah 100%,” he answered instantly when asked if he was grateful. “I didn’t think I was going to get any wickets on this.”England live to fight another day. The hows and whys are clear for those lucky to witness but hard to articulate to others. The hope is they have a target to chase they are happy with, which could be anywhere between 250 and 450. And as Moeen contemplated a finale with all cards on the table, he made an important point.”We’ve got guys who want to stand up and not just rely on Ben to score the runs. We do have the very good players, dangerous players who we just need to come to the party as well as Ben. Ben’s playing brilliantly but there are runs out there for other players.”Whatever you think of Bazball, there is no doubt you believe in Stokes just as much as the players do. And while getting the match situation to about evens at this juncture has relied squarely on one man’s work with the bat with cameos from those with the ball, the next bit is very simple. Do it for him.