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West Ham United are now planning to sign an “insane” Premier League striker in the January transfer window, as a replacement for Niclas Fullkrug.

Fullkrug set to leave West Ham in January

Sky Sports Florian Plettenberg revealed last month that Fullkrug wants to leave West Ham in the upcoming window, with the striker looking to make it into Germany’s World Cup squad next summer.

In truth, Nuno probably shouldn’t be too concerned if the German does depart, given that he has made a torrid start to the Premier League season, having failed to score in his opening eight matches.

Callum Wilson has now emerged as the first-choice option at centre-forward, and the Englishman has caught the eye at times, scoring two goals in his last three matches.

However, Wilson was unable to find the back of the net against Liverpool on Sunday, with the Hammers succumbing to a 2-0 defeat, and they are now looking to sign a new striker in the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from La Lazio Siamo Noi, which states West Ham have now identified Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee as a top target to replace Fullkrug next month.

The Irons are looking to cash-in on their £27m signing this winter, and they have already started offering him out to offer clubs, primarily to teams in the Bundesliga.

The 32-year-old would prefer to return to his home country, and if the Hammers do manage to get a sale over the line, there will be space to bring in a new forward, with Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa also of interest.

"Insane" Zirkzee returns to form against Crystal Palace

Zirkzee scored his first Premier League goal for nearly a year on Sunday afternoon, beating Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson with a tidy finish to ignite Man United’s comeback, which earned him high praise from Bruno Fernandes.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Dutchman in the past, describing him as “insane”, however, his goalscoring record should be a major concern for West Ham.

Nuno's a big fan: West Ham make £20m bid for new striker, response received

The Hammers have made a bid for a new centre-forward, with their manager personally an admirer.

ByDominic Lund Dec 1, 2025

Much like Fullkrug, the 24-year-old has struggled in front of goal ever since arriving in the Premier League for £36.5m, netting just four goals in 38 top-flight games, and the Hammers should be able to find a much more prolific striker to replace the Germany international.

The last few months have shown England that Saqib Mahmood is a bowler they can once again call upon and rely on

Cameron Ponsonby11-Nov-2024For a lad from Lancashire, Saqib Mahmood has more connections to Barbados than most.From a professional perspective, this is where he made his Test debut in March 2022. In a high-scoring draw, Mahmood stood out with a performance that seemed to lock him in for years. He was the point-of-difference bowler England had been screaming out for. Where everyone else wanted the new ball, he bowled with the old. When everyone else bowled 82mph, he bowled 87mph. Chris Woakes at home, Saqib Mahmood away. Set your watch to it.But then the injuries came. Consecutive stress fractures meant the best part of two years out and a ‘what-if’ storyline developing for a bowler who was meant to be England’s present and future.Related

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And from a personal perspective, he’s spent a lot of time here. He’s great mates with Jofra Archer, the pair often using the island as a training base. Have a bowl, hang out, and go to the spots you don’t know about because you’re not a local.For the ODI series that began in Antigua, Mahmood flew out to Barbados ten days early to prepare. He even enquired about playing a match for Archer’s club side, Wildey CC, to aid his preparation. The ECB approved, but the match was scheduled over two weekends and meant it wasn’t possible.”I hadn’t played 50-over cricket in so long,” says Mahmood, “so I was wondering if I could get a game.”His love of the Caribbean has attracted attention from his team-mates, with Mahmood refusing to reveal the nickname his peers have given him.”I’m not saying it,” he laughs. “Because it’s going to end up as a headline.”Fortunately his team-mates aren’t so discreet.”Sam Curran’s been calling him the King of Barbados,” confirmed Jos Buttler with a smile.Saqib Mahmood ripped out three in a ten-ball set in the Hundred final•ECB/Getty ImagesIt is fitting then, that the King of Barbados’ second coming as an England cricketer comes on the island. Across the two T20Is at the Kensington Oval, he took six wickets. A brutal opening spell on Saturday reduced West Indies to 18 for 3, before an attacking, and occasionally wild, spell of bowling on Sunday netted him 2 for 20.”He feels if the ball’s got some movement, he wants to push it up there,” Buttler said of Mahmood’s three overs which included six wides. “Obviously that’s sometimes harder to control, but he chased those wickets which we asked of him.”It’s hard to gauge where Mahmood sits in the current international set-up. His position as England’s pitch independent bowler has been usurped by Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse, with both also being more capable with the bat.But the last few months have shown England that he is a bowler they can once again call upon and rely on. His performance in the Hundred final was one of the competition’s first ‘I was there’ moments. Three wickets in seven deliveries, with his four-ball working-over of Kieron Pollard as good as it gets.

Remarkably, it is over five years since Mahmood first played for England – a T20I against New Zealand in 2019 that preceded two-and-a-half years of being ever-present in squads but an irregular on the field

“You’ve got one of the best players to have ever played the game,” his captain Sam Billings summarised at the time. “And you’ve had him on toast.”Mahmood’s decision to sign a white-ball-only contract with Lancashire raised eyebrows. On the surface, it looked like another domino to fall in the direction of the proliferation of franchise cricket, but this is false.He has himself said that he still aspires to play Test cricket, with a large part of his decision being made in loyalty to Lancashire so they don’t pay him for something his body might not allow him to do.”I think that’s been taken out of context slightly,” Mahmood said of his decision. “If you look at my injury history over the last couple of years, I’ve obviously had two big injuries. And there was a time this year where I said to the guys I didn’t really want to play any red-ball cricket because I was nervous about my body.Saqid Mahmood bowled a blistering spell in the first T20I•Getty Images”In the end, I played a couple of Champo [County Championship] games, but what this contract allows me to do is, if my body isn’t up to playing red-ball, then I don’t feel bad for not playing. But red ball is definitely still on my agenda.”Obviously there was a bit of backlash from Lancashire supporters who were annoyed, but I can assure them that I still want to play red ball.”Remarkably, it is over five years since Mahmood first played for England – a T20I against New Zealand in 2019 that preceded two-and-a-half years of being ever-present in squads but an irregular on the field. In total, he has 27 international appearances across formats, averaging five matches a year.England have long relied on the Bajan population to boost their ranks. First there was Chris Jordan, then there was Archer before Phil Salt and now Jacob Bethell, who are counted within England’s international cricketers.But now, three years after the island voted to become a republic, they can rely on a fifth. Saqib Mahmood. The King of Barbados.

Paul Scholes slammed new Manchester United signing Matthijs de Ligt as he claimed the Dutch defender is not an upgrade on Harry Maguire.

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Scholes slams United's De LigtClaimed Dutchman isn't an upgrade on MaguireJoined United from Bayern this summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In a bid to strengthen their backline, the Red Devils roped in Dutch defender De Ligt from Bayern Munich in a deal worth €45 million (£38m/$49m) plus €5m (£4m/$5m) in add-ons during the summer transfer window. Since moving to Old Trafford, the 25-year-old centre-back has appeared in seven matches across all competitions for Erik ten Hag's side. He scored his maiden goal in England in the club's 3-0 win over Southampton in the Premier League earlier this month.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite De Ligt being a mainstay in Ten Hag's starting line-ups, United legend Paul Scholes is yet to be impressed by the defender's performances as he claimed that the former Ajax and Juventus star is yet to make a difference at the Manchester club.

WHAT PAUL SCHOLES SAID

Speaking to (via The Standard), the former England midfielder said: "When you bring players in, you expect them to be a lot better than who you’ve already got. I don’t see players coming in who are a big difference. De Ligt has come in for Maguire, let’s say, but there’s no big difference there."

When asked if the Dutchman is an upgrade on former Red Devils skipper Harry Maguire, Scholes straightaway said: "No, absolutely not."

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

After a disappointing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday at their home, Ten Hag's men will aim to get back to winning ways on Thursday night as they take on FC Porto in the Europa League.

“There is always a plan and you have to stick with it and wait for things to fall your way”

Umar Farooq08-Feb-2021At lunch on the final day of the Rawalpindi Test, South Africa were clearly on top, needing just 151 runs with seven wickets in hand. The predictor on the official broadcast said South Africa had a 75% chance of winning from there. But then everything turned when the new ball was available, with Hasan Ali and Shaheen Shah Afridi ripping through South Africa as seven wickets fell for 33 runs, and Pakistan won the series 2-0. It was a “tough win” compared to the seven-wicket win in Karachi, according to captain Babar Azam, but most pleasing because “everyone played a role” and the team “finished off well”.Related

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“This is Test cricket and you can’t afford to take anything easy,” said Azam, who became the fifth Pakistan captain after Fazal Mahmood, Mushtaq Mohammad, Javed Miandad and Saleem Malik to start their Test captaincy stints with a series win. “At times, when they [Aiden Markram and Temba Bavuma] were having a good partnership, we didn’t have negative thoughts in our minds, about losing it from there. We had a clear message and understanding that another couple of wickets and we have the game. And that is what happened when we took the new ball and our fast bowlers brought us back.”But this was a tough win as compared to the one in Karachi, because they were settled and on the last day you never know how the pitch is going to behave. It was a slow pitch with the older ball coming soft, but then that eight-over spell with the new ball turned the game around and it was a good competitive win.”

“There was no pressure as such, but whenever I feel I am stuck and need help, I reach out to Rizwan and Azhar. It’s not like I just go and impose myself, but I ask around, discuss and take their counsel before making any decision”Babar Azam

Hasan, whose last Test appearance before this series was in January 2019, returned a ten-wicket match haul. Afridi’s burst with the second new ball – he picked up 4 for 51 – sparked the collapse. And before that Mohammad Rizwan, who won the Player of the Series award, scored 115* in close to five hours and put on valuable partnerships with the tail – 53 with Yasir Shah for the eighth wicket and 97 with Nauman Ali for the ninth – which proved decisive in the end.”At times we are thinking of sticking around for 250 to 260 [as South Africa’s target] but Rizwan’s innings was outstanding and those partnerships from Yasir and Nauman gave us vital runs to put up a good total at the end [setting South Africa 370 to win],” Azam said. “Hasan with the ball showed some really good commitment on his comeback, so this is all teamwork, and these are very important factors. Individual performances don’t really matter and you see everyone played a role and we finished off well. There were some mistakes and we are definitely going to try and improve them going forward. Wins always bring in confidence as a team, and I am looking forward to taking this form to the T20 series [of three games, with the first on February 11].”Hasan Ali “showed some really good commitment on his comeback”•AFP via Getty ImagesThe 2-0 series result was crucial in other ways too, with the PCB having put pressure on the team management to get its house in order. The PCB cricket committee had opted against making big changes following the disappointing tour of New Zealand, resolving instead to meet again after the home series against South Africa. The win should therefore, help, with Pakistan moving up to No. 5 in the ICC Test rankings.”It was a much-needed win for us as a Test team,” Azam acknowledged. “We were rebuilding and it takes time with new players and for me as a fresh captain. So it has been a learning phase and we tried to keep it as simple as possible. We intend to give players the required confidence and back them with their game so that they feel comfortable, and now the result is here with every player playing his role and it’s good to be in the top-five teams in the world. We would like to extend our victory streak to rise higher in the ranking.”The result was the right one, but Azam’s team was tested in both games. In Karachi, South Africa were 185 for 2 in the second innings before being bowled out for 245. This time, while Markram and Bavuma were there, Pakistan were in trouble.”There was no pressure as such, but whenever I feel I am stuck and need help, I reach out to Rizwan and Azhar [Ali, the previous Test captain],” Azam said. “It’s not like I just go and impose myself, but I ask around, discuss and take their counsel before making any decision. You have your plans and you go session by session and the proceedings keep on fluctuating, with the other team sometimes getting an advantage – after all, they are also competing. So it’s all about patience and keeping your calm and remaining cool, no matter how tough the situation is. There is always a plan and you have to stick with it and wait for things to fall your way. This is what I am told and this is what I am trying to do as well.”

Manchester City issued a sobering reality check to Arne Slot’s Liverpool before the November international break. The Reds were thrashed at the Etihad, and the good work of previous matches unravelled.

Did it? Liverpool might have lost five of their past six outings in the Premier League, but there have been signs of improvement over the past several weeks, and now there is optimism that the club can kick on and rediscover the fluency that has been stripped away since the summer.

So many issues. One of which is that last season’s Premier League champions are struggling in the final third. Here is one of the biggest concerns that Slot needs to get rid of quickly.

Why Liverpools forwards are struggling

Mohamed Salah has not been himself this season. There are many different reasons why this might be. He has turned 33, but the all-powerful Egyptian should still be performing at a higher level than he has languished this term, too often drifting through matches, missing big chances and lacking the requisite defensive work rate.

There has been a lot of upheaval. The sale of Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich having had a more detrimental effect than had been anticipated, but such a loss of electric pace and dynamic attacking play was always going to be hard to compensate for, even with the likes of Florian Wirtz added to the fold.

Wirtz has flattered to deceive, but he is a world-class player and will surely come good. Likewise, Alexander Isak has not clicked into gear after his British-record £125m transfer from Newcastle United on deadline day. The Sweden striker, 26, hasn’t had a pre-season, and injuries have limited him to a bit-part role thus far.

Liverpool’s wider creative problems and the overarching lack of coherence have made it all rather difficult, but Slot has a shrewd tactical mind and will surely unearth a solution sooner rather than later.

As a collective, Liverpool’s frontline need to do better. However, Slot must look to open up different attacking dimensions too, with one of his Red midfielders having emerged as the most accurate finisher in the Premier League this season.

Liverpool's best finisher

Liverpool have got many talented goalscorers in their ranks, but the fact that, statistically, Ryan Gravenberch is the cream of the crop in that regard underscores the need to unleash him in attacking phases with greater regularity.

Signed from Bayern Munich by Jurgen Klopp for £34m in 2023, Gravenberch put the final strokes on a much-anticipated midfield rebuild which has defined the Anfield side’s illustrious success of the past few terms.

However, after languishing on the fringes for his first year, Slot’s advent came to redefine the Netherlands international’s time on Merseyside, dropped deeper into a number six role last season and becoming indispensable en route to the Premier League title. Gravenberch was named the PFA Young Player of the Year.

Matches (starts)

37 (37)

9 (9)

Goals

0

3

Assists

4

1

Touches*

66.5

74.0

Shots (on target)*

1.3 (0.6)

Pass completion

89%

88%

Key passes*

0.7

0.8

Dribbles*

1.0

0.9

Ball recoveries*

5.2

3.6

Tackles + interceptions*

3.5

2.5

Total duels (won)*

5.0 (57%)

4.9 (61%)

However, the 23-year-old didn’t score across any competition last year, and since the summer he has been modified in his deployment, not less regimented in his deep-lying berth, and given the license to strike on goal if and when the opportunity arises.

But Gravenberch has not been shaped into a free-flowing attacking midfielder, with xG (expected goals) metrics showing that the Dutchman is statistically “the best finisher in the league this season”, having struck three strikes past the keeper from just 0.36 xG.

To put that in perspective, Salah has accumulated 3.62 xG this season, and he has four goals to his name. Gravenberch achieved a 1.12 total in last year’s top-flight season, and that yielded not one successful return.

While Liverpool appear to lack physicality and fluency in midfield this season, they have a robust and highly talented crop of players, and as Slot looks to rewrite his side’s tactical coding and escape from the current rut, this is a sign that those in the engine room must be allowed greater offensive freedom at times, thus unburdening the forwards when they are not firing on all cylinders.

Liverpool need to prove that they are worthy champions and ready to return to their former level under Slot’s wing. Too many are looking from outside and criticising Slot’s papier mâché empire, but this is a falsehood, and with an all-embracing midfielder like Gravenberch at the heart of the team, it’s only a matter of time before things click again.

Bad for Wirtz: Liverpool plan serious bid to sign future big-money superstar

Liverpool are looking for ways to add creativity to Arne Slot’s team.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 18, 2025

The Dodgers just thinned out an already weak bullpen.

On Thursday, Los Angeles removed struggling closer Tanner Scott from their National League Division Series roster and replaced him with Justin Wrobleski. Scott was away from the team on Wednesday night during Game 3 of the NLDS against the Phillies.

's Fabian Ardaya is reporting Scott had a "lower body abscess procedure" that was unexpected and developed during a workout day. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts didn't rule out Scott's availability for the World Series, but removing him from the roster made the 31-year-old ineligible for the NLCS if L.A. reaches it.

While Scott struggled in 2025, his absence thins out a Dodgers bullpen that was a problem all year. During the regular season, L.A.'s bullpen ranked 21st in ERA (4.27) and 22nd in WHIP (1.33). The unit also ranked 23rd in home runs allowed (81). Things haven't improved in the postseason, as L.A.'s bullpen is carrying a 7.04 ERA, a 2.22 WHIP, and opposing batters are hitting .323 against the team's relievers.

Scott signed a four-year, $72 million deal in the offseason to take over as the Dodgers' closer. The marriage has been rocky. He was one of MLB's most dominant relievers in 2023 and '24, but was awful during the 2025 campaign. In 61 appearances, Scott went 1-4 with a 4.74 ERA, a 1.26 WHIP, and 60 strikeouts against 18 walks in 57 innings. He saved 23 games, but had an MLB-high 10 blown saves.

Perhaps even more concerning for the Dodgers, more than any other deal, his massive contract may have pushed MLB closer to a salary cap than any other.

Scott had yet to pitch in the postseason, and Roki Sasaki has seemingly taken over as the team's closer, but a struggling unit just lost a high-end arm.

The spinner picked up four wickets after the batsman had hammered 71 off 29 to set up a dominating win

Peter Della Penna29-Dec-2020Man of the Match Alex Hales sprinted to the fastest fifty in Sydney Thunder franchise history, setting up a franchise record total of 219, before the spin duo of Chris Green and Tanveer Sangha put the brakes on a dismal Melbourne Stars chase in a 75-run trouncing at Manuka Oval in Canberra.Hales slog-swept his way to five sixes and eight fours in his 71 off 29 balls, dominating an 89-run opening stand with Usman Khawaja, before Callum Ferguson picked up where Hales left off to craft his own half-century in the Thunder’s imposing total.Needing 11 an over to overhaul the target, Stars kept pace for the first three overs, but started to unravel with the introduction of Green’s spin in the fourth over. A 16-ball sequence of 2 for 6 ensued as Green snatched the opening combo of Marcus Stoinis and Andre Fletcher, and the Stars never seriously threatened thereafter in a lopsided performance.Raise the roof
The Thunder bowling unit found it hard to contain Hales on the night, especially against spinners. His first six came against Glenn Maxwell to start the third over, charging the Stars captain and depositing him over long-on. He swept along the ground for a boundary through square leg off Afghanistan left-armer Zahir Khan in the fifth.He ramped it up against Adam Zampa in the sixth, slog sweeping him over midwicket to barely clear the rope on the second ball of the over. He left no doubt three balls later though, middling another slog sweep over the roof of the stands to bring up 50 off 21 balls. Hales began the eighth over cracking another slog sweep way over the roof in the midwicket stands against Nic Maddinson’s left-arm spin before eventually perishing next ball trying to repeat the feat. By that stage though, Thunder’s platform of scoring at better than 10 an over had been established and they never dropped below that rate for the remainder of the innings.Ferguson’s fine form continues
Thunder captain Ferguson was a model of efficiency after taking over from Hales. Including the ball that claimed his wicket, Ferguson only chewed up five dot balls in his 33-ball innings, rotating the strike with ease and seizing upon loose deliveries to pick up boundaries to maintain the pressure on the Stars bowling unit.His first boundary was a slog swept six off Maxwell in the 10th. He was fortunate to survive a dropped chance on 25 at deep midwicket off the bowling of Zahir when another slog sweep burst through Ben Dunk’s hands to the midwicket rope. But two balls later he swept safely along the ground to pick up another boundary. The only boundary through the offside came when he cracked a half-tracker from Zampa through mid-off to bring up his half-century before perishing one ball later. However, a six from Green two balls later took Thunder’s past 200, well beyond the reach of anything the Stars were able to conjure.Green and Sangha stymie Stars superstar bats
On paper, the Stars may have arguably the most explosive batting lineup in the competition, especially with Marcus Stoinis coming back into the XI after missing the previous one-wicket defeat at the hands of the Sydney Sixers. But after racing out in the opening three overs against the Thunder’s pace attack of Adam Milne, Daniel Sams and Chris Tremain, their big hitters crumbled when pace was taken off the ball.Green entered in the fourth and was struck by Stoinis for consecutive fours back down the ground. But the offspinner cleverly adjusted his lines to cramp Stoinis’ attempts to drive him through the off side. After two dots, a forced attempt to clear extra cover found Sams on the ring to dismiss Stoinis for 27. After Sangha conceded just three singles in the fifth to choke the run rate further, Fletcher struggled to free his arms trying to clear midwicket against Green in the sixth, and was caught easily by Milne at deep midwicket. Sangha then bowled a sterling one-run over in the eighth, claiming Hilton Cartwright stumped after a hopeless charge.The only three boundaries struck by Maxwell and Nicholas Pooran off the next six overs came off of the medium pace of Sams as they continued to be flummoxed before perishing. Ben Dunk attempted a counterattack in the 15th, slog sweeping Green for a hat-trick of sixes over the leg side to spoil his figures, but Green cleverly dragged his line wider outside off when Dunk attempted a fourth heave and it resulted in a skied catch to long-off. A rare bad ball by Sangha still wound up as a wicket when Liam Hatcher pulled a half tracker to Green at deep midwicket for the eighth dismissal. Chris Tremain finished off the tail in the 20th to officially cement victory.

Premier League teams are reportedly growing concerned by the 'eye-watering' costs of legal battles – including Manchester City's 115 charges.

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Premier League teams concerned by legal billsCompetition embroiled in 'eye-watering' ratesIncludes Man City's 115 alleged financial breachesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

This year, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Leicester City and now City have forked out huge funds to fight their corner in court in regards to financial fair play (FFP) and more. So why are other Premier League sides concerned about this going forward?

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE EXPLANATION

According to , top-flight teams are worried that the legal bill for these cases will run into the millions and reduce their share of the central funds from broadcast and commercial deals. The reports the Premier League could be left with a legal bill of tens of millions of pounds even if they win their case against City. If those legal funds continue to spiral – with claiming the Premier League spent nearly £50 million ($66.6m) on legal costs last season (six times more than what they budgeted for) – the usual payments issued to top-flight teams could be negatively affected.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Telegraph report adds that in the Everton case, where they were docked eight points overall in two court battles for profit and sustainability rule (PSR) breaches, the Premier League applied for the Toffees to pay £5m in costs but were awarded just £1.7m ($2.2m). Plus, they lost the appeal, which added to those costs. Previously, Everton's general counsel, Celia Rooney, said the rates paid by the Premier League for its legal costs were "eye-watering".

GettyWHAT NEXT?

While Everton and Forest were docked points last season and Leicester have seemingly escaped any punishment, City are currently in a legal battle with the Premier League over allegedly breaking financial rules. That case is likely to go on for weeks and will be very expensive.

Chelsea are now one to watch in the race for Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, who is being targeted by a whole host of Premier League clubs.

The Blues are already blessed with options in the middle of the park, with Moises Caicedo receiving high praise from Enzo Maresca for his performance in the 1-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.

Maresca said: “He’s top. We judge him inside the pitch, but I have said many times, the best thing from Moi for sure, is he’s so humble, he’s such a good guy. He’s always there to help everyone.

“For me, in this moment, him and Rodri are the two best defending midfielders in the world.”

The Ecuadorian has formed a partnership with Enzo Fernandez in the engine room, while Reece James is also capable of slotting into midfield when required, putting in a solid performance against Tottenham, which resulted in a 7.6 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest of any Chelsea player.

However, BlueCo remain keen on strengthening Maresca’s midfield options even further, having emerged as potential suitors for a Premier League star…

Chelsea one to watch in Elliot Anderson race

According to a report from Caught Offside, Chelsea are now one to watch in the race for Nottingham Forest midfielder Anderson, with the England international starting to attract interest from a number of top Premier League clubs.

Newcastle United, Manchester United and Manchester City are also keen on the central midfielder, with it being revealed he is now valued at the £70m mark, rather than the £120m that was previously reported.

However, with Ruben Amorim personally keen and Man United planning to step up their efforts to sign the 22-year-old in January, the Blues may have to move swiftly.

It is no surprise that interest in the Nottingham Forest star is growing, given that he has put in some eye-catching performances for both club and country this season.

The Englishman was particularly impressive in the Three Lions’ 5-0 victory against Serbia, completing 75 passes, the second-highest number of any player, while also winning seven duels against Manchester United on Saturday.

The former Newcastle United man, who is represented by the same agent as Liam Delap, is clearly a well-rounded midfielder, which is showcased by his performance across several key metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

2.89 (88th percentile)

Aerials won

1.62 (83rd percentile)

Successful take-ons

1.22 (91st percentile)

Assists

0.14 (75th percentile)

Hailed as “incredible” by journalist Miles Starforth, the Whitley Bay-born midfielder clearly has the quality to succeed at Stamford Bridge, but he would arguably be an unnecessary signing, given the options Maresca already has available.

Fernandez and Caicedo have formed a solid partnership at the base of midfield, so it could be difficult for Anderson to force his way into the side, considering he also most often plays in a deeper midfield role.

Chelsea send exciting offer to Juventus star Kenan Yildiz Chelsea send 'exciting' offer to Kenan Yildiz as Maresca hatches new Cole Palmer plan

They’re already favourites for his signature.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 31, 2025

Severely injured and then mercilessly booed by IPL crowds, Hardik Pandya has bounced back to play a crucial role in India’s T20 World Cup triumph

Sidharth Monga30-Jun-20241:12

Manjrekar: ‘No surprise to see Hardik flourish on the big stage’

After one of the great jailbreaks in a match against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup, Hardik Pandya sat down with journalists on the floor of the press rooms at the MCG. It wasn’t a press conference but a mixed media zone, an ICC initiative that facilitates a more casual and friendly interaction with players at World Cups. In such a setting, players are not conscious of cameras and are likelier to speak from the heart.The recorder is there to capture words, so the eye can focus on a player’s mannerisms, but Hardik said something that caught my attention: something to the effect of having risen above results, having lost the fear of failure. Was he saying it because India had won? Would he have felt the same had India not?”I said it,” was Hardik’s response. “Even with three balls left, I told the boys, ‘Even if we lose the game, it’s okay.’ I said I am proud of the way we have fought in the game. We have been a team that has worked very hard individually, together, collectively. So even if we had lost the game, I would have still had a smile on my face and would have just said we gave it everything, and they were just good on that day.”Somewhere down the line I have accepted the fact that this sport will give me ups and downs. The more ups I have the better, but even the downs I will cherish because failure teaches you a lot of things.”Related

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Sometimes sports can be messy and without any explanation

Dravid: India's T20 World Cup win a 'great testament to the fight in the team'

Truth be told, this is how the sport should be played. This is how you perform at your optimum. But like George Costanza in “The Deal” episode of Seinfeld, I wanted to say: “Where are you living? Are you here? Are you on this planet? It’s impossible. It can’t be done.”Thousands of years people have been trying to have their cake and eat it too. So all of a sudden you are going to come along and do it. Where do you get the ego? No one can do it. It can’t be done.”Quite a few have tried to seek that balance and failed. This sport just doesn’t let you. You have to care like hell but play like you don’t care. Only the greatest can attain that nirvana.Sure enough, the injuries returned for Hardik. The only man in India who can do what he does, wasn’t able to do what he does. In the middle of a great ODI World Cup campaign last year, he hurt himself again while trying to field off his own bowling. The details are not important right now – and surely someday they will say their piece – but something happened at Mumbai Indians and suddenly nobody wanted to touch Hardik with a bargepole.He was booed wherever he went, and a while he became sport for the crowds. The ball didn’t come out of his hand right either. Paras Mhambrey, India’s bowling coach, said the team management kept monitoring him remotely, and Hardik kept following the process: workloads, intensity, net practice. His luck was bound to turn at some point, Mhambrey said.Hardik Pandya scored 144 runs and took 11 wickets in this T20 World Cup•CREIMASIt did turn around during this T20 World Cup. He was part of a strong team for the conditions. He didn’t have to carry the weight of the world. Wickets started coming, first against Ireland, then against Pakistan. Runs arrived when needed. He came to the final looking like a Tamil film hero: sharp cuts, just a moustache with no accompanying stubble.The game was nearly gone, but his MI team-mate Jasprit Bumrah kept it alive until Hardik’s return. He started with a wide slower ball and was lucky enough to get the edge of the dangerous Heinrich Klaasen. Then he tightened up. Cutters into the pitch. Nothing fancy. Didn’t try to reverse it like Bumrah. Kept it alive for Bumrah like Bumrah had done for him.Bumrah and Arshdeep left Hardik plenty to defend in the 20th over. Just 14 had come off the previous four overs, along with two wickets, but David Miller was still there. And anything can happen in the last over especially if the first ball flies. The plan was to not bowl in Miller’s arc. Hardik was by now deliberately taking his time before starting to run in. He got the line right but the length horribly wrong.Miller hits these full tosses for six blindfolded, but this is the last over of a World Cup final that South Africa had in their pocket four overs ago. It was not the sweetest hit, but bats these days can carry the ball far. It seemed like this was carrying too, but Hardik’s other MI team-mate Suryakumar Yadav took a catch for the ages. Those replays might be discussed for ages. Did Suryakumar’s boot just faintly touch the boundary? The tan lines on the outfield raised the possibility that the boundary triangles had not been restored to their original position after an earlier stop.That is how close Hardik came to ignominy again. Imagine the tide turning once again. Such are the margins. Eventually, though, he finished the game off. A great measure of what being part of a winning group in sport can do is how Rohit kissed Hardik on the cheek.Speaking to Star Sports, a teary-eyed Hardik made two false starts and then finally managed to say: “Those six months, I wanted those six months of mine. I couldn’t even figure out what happened to me. I controlled a lot. I wanted to cry, but I didn’t. People who were happy with my misery, I didn’t want to give them the satisfaction. And I will never.”Now look at the fate. I got a chance to do this in the final over. I couldn’t ever have imagined this. I am speechless.”The biggest takeaway from all this is that no feeling is ever final until you retire in cricket. Even after retiring as a player, you can win your first World Cup, as Rahul Dravid did. You have to stay fit, dust yourself off, and get back to it. And if you can, rise above the results and live to tell the tale.