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All Leeds United fans will be crossing their fingers now that the Whites can maintain a Premier League position for the foreseeable.

Daniel Farke’s side do jump back up the unforgiving league dripping with confidence, having just lifted the Championship title with a colossal 100 points, but the West Yorkshire outfit will be very aware of how challenging the step up can be.

The Whites unfortunately tasted the bitterness of relegation at the close of their dire 2022-23 season, with another relegation also on their record way back in 2004 when Mark Viduka was still leading the line.

To avoid a hat-trick of slip-ups, Leeds will now be in the market for a whole host of players to enhance their options in the Premier League, with this defensive target one body who could really boost Farke’s side.

Leeds now ready to sign £1.2m defender

As per a report in the Express journalist Charlie Gordon, Leeds are readying a move for Millwall star Japhet Tanganga with his transfer valuation all the way down at a meagre £1.2m.

This is the case as Tanganga has a release clause around this slim amount for all Premier League clubs, which has alerted Farke’s men back to his services, who would be more than happy to fork out this reasonable fee. However, they are not alone in their advances.

As is revealed above, Crystal Palace view the ex-Tottenham Hotspur defender as a cost-effective possible replacement for Marc Guehi, with both Sunderland and Burnley also keen on Tanganga’s services after their own jubilant promotion stories.

If Leeds were to win the services of the cheap 26-year-old, they could be about to land their next Ethan Ampadu, with Ampadu now viewed as a successful bargain in his own right after repairing his career in the EFL.

How Tanganga could be Ampadu 2.0

Ampadu would join the Elland Road ranks for around the £7m mark in the summer of 2023, having failed to ever make an impression at Chelsea.

The Welshman won’t be plagued with any lingering disappointment in the here and now as to how his Stamford Bridge tale ended, however, with the 24-year-old going on to be a key part of Farke’s camp. Last season saw Ampadu notch up a formidable 16 clean sheets from 29 league appearances, on top of looking ice-cold with the ball at his feet with a 90% pass accuracy averaged per clash.

Tanganga will hope he can be as pivotal to Leeds’ defence if he relocates from the Den to West Yorkshire shortly, with the 6-foot defender also having to get over the dismay of walking away from Spurs, much like Ampadu at Chelsea, to be the imposing option at the back he is today.

He will already be known to Leeds fans for this poked finish he managed against Farke’s champions last season, but away from silencing the Whites masses in this instance, he could soon be cheered in the same manner as Ampadu for his similarly classy yet dominant performances.

As can be seen glancing at the table above, the Hackney-born target operates in a very similar vein to Ampadu, with Tanganga an equally capable performer on the ball when looking at his passing statistics, on top of his ability to rise valiantly into duels with 5.8 won on average. To add context, his Welsh counterpart won less at 5.1 on average, even as promotion was sealed.

The former Spurs youth product was even hailed as ‘magnificent’ by Premier League icon Alan Shearer when starring for the North London titans previously, with Tanganga actually already boasting 27 top-flight appearances on his career resume.

Pundit Carlton Palmer also claimed that the defender is “capable of playing in the Premier League” because of his “tremendous recovery pace”.

He could well be a perfect fit in West Yorkshire, therefore, as Farke’s men continue to hunt down Premier League-ready talents.

Better than Bijol: Leeds targeting "best CB outside the top five leagues"

Leeds United can forget about Jaka Bijol with a move for another star defender.

By
Ethan Lamb

Jun 14, 2025

Arsenal have now been contacted by the entourage of a Manchester United star, ahead of a potential summer move, according to a report.

Gunners stepping up winger pursuit

With Mikel Arteta’s side poised to finish second for the third year on the bounce, the board are set to spend big in the upcoming window, and The Mirror’s John Cross has revealed there are two key areas in which the manager is looking to strengthen.

Bukayo Saka’s lengthy spell on the sidelines this season underlined his importance to the Gunners, but there may be some concerns about Gabriel Martinelli’s attacking output, with the Brazilian hardly setting the world alight in the Premier League.

The 23-year-old picked up just eight goals and four assists in the 2024-25 campaign, and the north Londoners could now be presented with the opportunity to raid one of their Premier League rivals for a potential replacement.

Indeed, according to a report from The Boot Room, the agents of Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho have now been in contact over a potential move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, with the left-winger set to be sold.

Garnacho is frustrated about not being included in the starting XI for the Europa League final, and having accepted he needs to leave Old Trafford this summer, the Argentine is keen on a switch to Atletico Madrid, while Napoli are also in the picture.

It remains to be seen whether the 20-year-old is tempted by a move to Arsenal, but any deal is expected to amount to around £51m.

£359k-per-week striker would join Arsenal "immediately", Berta wants him

He’s apparently very keen.

ByEmilio Galantini May 24, 2025 "Generational" Garnacho needs summer move

Much like a whole host of other top players, the Argentina international’s career has stalled at Old Trafford, picking up just six goals and two assists in the Premier League this season, but there are plenty of signs the youngster could be a success elsewhere.

Lauded as “generational” by Statman Dave, the starlet holds the record for most goal involvements by a teenager in United’s history, while he has also received praise for his ability to create chances.

That said, Arsenal have identified a number of other winger targets, and it would be a risk to take a punt on Garnacho, rather than a player who is more proven at the top level.

Player

Current club

Potential cost

Rafael Leao

AC Milan

£145m

Nico Williams

Athletic Club

£49m

Ademola Lookman

Atalanta

£55m

Rodrygo

Real Madrid

£85m

The campaign approaches its final stage, but for Liverpool, it’s all done and dusted. In the best way. Arne Slot has won the Premier League in his first season as the Anfield head coach.

Who saw this coming? Certainly not BBC Sport’s experts, for none of the 30 pundits listed Liverpool as champions in their pre-season predictions.

We should cut the analysts some slack; after all, the Reds had just lost Jurgen Klopp, and recent history tells the tale of a decline when iconic managers depart after so many successful years.

The odds were stacked against Slot’s Liverpool, but they have prevailed to clinch the club’s 20th top-flight title. So many players stepped up, but none more so than Mohamed Salah, who fulfilled a promise in putting the Merseysiders back on their perch.

And he’s ready to do it all over again.

Why Mo Salah can go again next season

Salah is surely a shoo-in for the Premier League’s Player of the Season award. Not only has he clinched the league title, but he’s done so with an absurd haul of 28 goals and 18 assists across 36 matches, with two fixtures still to go.

Salah needs just two goal involvements from his final two games to break Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s long-held shared record for contributions in a single Premier League season (47), and those hauls were from a 42-match campaign.

But wait, he’s 33 this summer. Surely now is the time for the Egyptian king to regress, to accept the call of Father Time and take a seat on the back bench.

This is unlikely. Salah’s as hungry as ever, if not more so, with time against him. Slot has tweaked his talisman’s game to provide him with greater freedom in the final third, fewer duties from a defensive standpoint.

Salah is an elite athlete and his tactical intelligence has never been finer tuned. As per Sofascore, he’s only averaging 0.6 tackles per game this season but has seen an upswing in dribble and duel metrics. And, of course, he’s never been more prolific.

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been spoken about ad nauseam this season, and at least now there’s clarity regarding his future. However, Liverpool do need to source a new creative lifeforce, and if Jeremie Frimpong is the man for the job at right-back, it won’t be him.

That’s okay, Trent is a unique kind of playmaker. But Slot still wants someone to adopt the new playmaking mantle, and FSG appear willing to grant the coach an incredible new star.

Liverpool in contact with marquee signing

You’ll likely be somewhat aware of the incipient Florian Wirtz saga, with the German playmaker looking to leave Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Bayern Munich had been thought to hold the lead in the race but The Athletic have since reported that Manchester City and Liverpool have made contact with the 22-year-old’s representatives.

One of the most coveted talents in world football, Wirtz’s signing would send shockwaves across English and European football, should he alight at either end of the M62.

It goes without saying that he’d cost a pretty penny, £126m, in fact, according to reports.

Why Florian Wirtz is Salah's dream signing

Wirtz is only young, but after being crowned last season’s Bundesliga Player of the Year as an invincible champion, it’s fair to say he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world”, and former Leverkusen star Patrick Helmes has said exactly that.

Wirtz has plundered his way through Germany’s finest competitors in recent years, having scored 57 goals and supplied 65 assists across 190 senior appearances for Leverkusen since graduating from their youth ranks.

This season alone, he’s created 21 big chances across the Bundesliga and Champions League, as per Sofascore, having scored six goals across nine fixtures on the continent to underscore his ability to do it on the biggest stage.

This talented playmaker would replace Trent and relocalise Liverpool’s creative focus. Given that he’d be in close proximity to the inswinging Salah, he could be the perfect signing to keep the leading forward firing across the final two years of his Liverpool career.

Wirtz’s dynamism is a wonderful thing, but he’s typically found in a roaming central role, with license to thrill.

Salah would be sure to benefit from this presence, for the Leverkusen man ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Contrast Wirtz’s creativity with that of Dominik Szoboszlai, for example, and you begin to see why Liverpool are so invested. The Hungarian, tireless and tenacious as they come, has provided only 14 assists across 90 games as a Red.

He’s also made just 12 big chances across 34 Premier League fixtures this season, and with Alexander-Arnold heading out the door, the addition of a creative player of Wirtz’s ilk is only magnified.

Whether Liverpool prevail in this race will remain to be seen for the immediate future, but the fact FSG are pushing is a good thing, especially when considering the importance of keeping Salah performing at the top of his game.

Stagnancy begets decline, but Liverpool are ready to throw the kitchen sink at exciting signings for Slot’s title-winning squad.

More exciting than Frimpong: Liverpool make enquiry for "world-class" star

Liverpool could be about to make a move for a star who could be more exciting than Jeremie Frimpong.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 14, 2025

With Pep Guardiola personally pushing for his signature, one Manchester City target now reportedly has representatives in Manchester to discuss a deal to sign for the Citizens.

Kevin De Bruyne preparing for ultimate farewell

Whilst Manchester City do have one eye on the summer transfer window, they must first bid farewell to one of their greatest ever players in Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian is set to depart as a free agent after winning everything there is to win at The Etihad and earning his place as one of the best to ever do in the Premier League, not just at Manchester City.

Big Rico Lewis upgrade: Man City agree personal terms with young target

Manchester City are closing in on a star who could be a big upgrade on Rico Lewis.

ByDan Emery May 12, 2025

He won’t want to bow out without a trophy, however. As one last trip to Wembley awaits in City’s sky blue, De Bruyne has the opportunity to enjoy one last moment of magic and take his side to victory against Crystal Palace. All of a sudden, from what looked like a season destined to end in disaster, City could yet finish as high as second and win silverware along the way.

Following the FA Cup final, De Bruyne will have just two games left in a City shirt with his final game at The Etihad coming against Bournemouth just three days after a trip to Wembley.

These aren’t meaningless games for Guardiola’s side, either. They’re must-win affairs if they want to secure their place in the Champions League ahead of next season. The last thing the Manchester club needs is to lose the FA Cup final before crashing out of the top five in a disastrous final couple of weeks.

By securing Champions League football, the Citizens – like others around them – would be in a far stronger position to attract their top target and perhaps pull off quite the hijack.

Wirtz's representatives travel for talks

According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Florian Wirtz’s family are now in Manchester to hold talks with Manchester City over a move to The Etihad this summer. Whilst it’s been Bayern Munich in the driving seat for much of the transfer saga, it doesn’t look like City are willing to give up anytime soon and could use Bayer Leverkusen’s reluctance to sell to a rival to jump ahead of the queue.

With Guardiola personally pushing to sign his De Bruyne replacement, Manchester City will be desperate to beat Bayern to a player described as “incredible” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season.

Indeed, Wirtz will be one of the most interesting players to watch this summer, having been praised as “probably the best midfielder in the world” by former striker Patrick Helmes, who believes he could one day end up at Real Madrid.

Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared a transfer update out of Arsenal this week, and it’s a potentially exciting one for supporters.

Mikel Arteta makes Andrea Berta claim before Ipswich

Mikel Arteta will be assisted by new sporting director Andrea Berta this summer, with the former Atlético Madrid chief officially joining late last month in a serious boost for the north Londoners.

Arsenal refuse to rule out signing £163k-per-week ex-Man City forward

The Gunners are set for a key decision.

2

By
Emilio Galantini

Apr 18, 2025

Berta arrives at Arsenal with a glowing reputation after 12 very productive years at Atlético, with some reports suggesting that the Italian has already made a firm head start on the club’s transfer plans.

Berta is said to have held discussions with Nico Williams’ camp recently, as Arsenal look to tempt the Spain winger with a move to the Premier League, while GiveMeSport report that the 53-year-old could spend up to £300 million on as many as seven major signings.

“Yeah, those things were already discussed with him,” said Arteta on Berta’s transfer goals, speaking before Arsenal’s clash against Ipswich.

“But yes, I hope that he has many more ideas, plans, surprises, positive ones and use his experience, his creativity, his intuition as well to help us make the right goals.

“I think it’s an opportunity. Somebody else comes in with different ideas, different methods, different ways of working and other priorities as well in the way that they work. And I think this makes us better.”

Arsenal are in desperate need of a prolific centre-forward in particular, with long-term injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz exposing their lack of depth up front and forcing Arteta to rely on Mikel Merino as an emergency striker.

Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Newcastle striker Alexander Isak are just some of the high-profile names to be linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, but they are all attracting interest from several sides and there is no guarantee that Arsenal can win the race for any of them.

Fabrizio Romano says striker "will arrive" at Arsenal this summer

However, in an update which eases the worries of supporters somewhat, Romano has now moved to confirm that a striker “will arrive” at Arsenal this summer.

“What I can tell you today is that Arteta will be backed in the market,” said the journalist on his YouTube channel.

“Arteta will have a lot of power in the market – together with Andrea they will plan for the strategy. (Martin) Zubimendi is a top target, the new striker will arrive, Arsenal will also do more on the market.

“So Arsenal are working hard on Zubimendi, on the striker, on the winger probably, and more. Arsenal will be busy in the market and Arteta will be backed – but he really deserved that.”

Of the centre-forwards rumoured to be on Arsenal’s agenda, Sesko could be the most prudent option.

The Slovenian has already bettered his goal tally from last season and could leave for just £62 million, which is the current value of his release clause, and Arsenal attempted to sign Sesko last summer, so he clearly has an admirer in Arteta.

Maiden ODI century proves an apt retort after criticism of his previous comments in defeat

Vithushan Ehantharajah24-Sep-2024A look to the heavens before a puff of the cheeks. A “fookin’ ‘ellll” exhaled out the side of his mouth. Harry Brook’s reaction in the 34th over of England’s chase said it all. Who cares? He does.The relief flowed after his maiden ODI century, a feeling you could apply more broadly to the last week, his central part in it and the situation his team faced at the Seat Unique Riverside. After two humbling defeats, England were well on their way to winning this third ODI in Durham. And a cricketer who perhaps did not realise how sapping ODI captaincy could be – “I was actually knackered when I got out there after 50 overs in the field,” he said at the end – finally got to experience being the lesser stressed of the two leaders.There are caveats of course, though nothing to do with rain taking the players off in the 38th over of England’s pursuit of 305. Brook and Liam Livingstone had begun munching through what was left, and the 51 left on the table was set to be devoured in about half of the 74 balls left. They were 46 ahead on DLS at the break in play.Australia rested Travis Head, which lent itself to a subdued start – they struck just nine boundaries in the first 25 overs – before a late flurry shifted their total to 304 for 7. Adam Zampa’s illness robbed them of an X-factor, with the full-time ‘part-time’ offspin of Glenn Maxwell and Matthew Short combining for three forgettable overs. A healthy amount of legspin would have broken up the monotony of seam that England managed easily through the middle overs as Brook and Will Jacks flourished having come together at 11 for 2. “It’s always a different team when Adam Zampa is not there,” Australia’s head coach Andrew McDonald said after the match.Brook also won his third consecutive toss, and though that hadn’t helped at Trent Bridge or Headingley, conditions at Chester-le-Street were conducive to bowling up top. But it turned out to be the first of several correct calls in what turned out to be an accomplished day out for the 25-year-old.Brook admitted he’d found his early experience of the captaincy a bit ‘frantic’•Getty ImagesBefore he starred with the bat, Brook showed a decent amount of cunning in the field. Perhaps the best of it was using an unusually narrow and close mid-on to remove Cameron Green, breaking a stand of 84 with Steven Smith, who was essentially shielding the fielder – Matthew Potts – at the non-striker’s end as Jacob Bethell twirled his left-arm orthodox from around the wicket.”There wasn’t much turn and Beth was kind of just sliding it on,” Brook explained of the unusual placing. Granted, Green did not need to charge down and slap the ball straight to Potts – which Brook acknowledged in his own way. “It was a little bit of luck, to be honest, I’m not going to take the credit too much. But that’s nice to see, when you do make a change and it works straight away.”Another tweak saw the back of Marnus Labuschagne for a duck. The Australian No.5, keen to get off the mark while being denied options down the ground, attempted to find relief with a scoop off Jacks. A ricochet off his grille gave Jamie Smith a simple catch behind the stumps.Despite some sound marshalling of the attack – particularly Brydon Carse, who bowled better than figures of 1 for 55 suggest – things did unravel for Brook at the end of Australia’s innings. Alex Carey’s acceleration and Aaron Hardie’s introduction saw 104 scored off the last 10 overs, with a startling 55 coming from the last four. England looked a seamer light – specifically, an allrounder, and it was some comfort when their most exalted of that breed spent the interval telling Sky he would be more than willing to return when he is inevitably asked.Winning helps of course, but Brook regarded this as an altogether more comfortable outing as captain. “Progressively it’s got more enjoyable. The first game I felt a little bit frantic, at times. But as the series has gone on, I’ve felt a lot more chilled.”It certainly looked that way as far as his batting was concerned. A devastating unbeaten 110 – three figures brought up in just 87 deliveries – breaks a 16-innings streak without a century across all formats, domestic and international. There have been just two half-centuries – for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals and in the first innings of the first Sri Lanka Test – since his fifth Test hundred against West Indies at Trent Bridge in the middle of July, among eight other double-figure scores.Related

• No end in sight for Adil Rashid after passing the 200 wickets summit

• Harry Brook 110* fires England chase to help keep series alive

• Ben Stokes open to white-ball comeback as McCullum begins new England era

• Could more crushing ODI failure be just what England need?

• Carey takes his chance to silence hostile Headingley

There were some welcome hallmarks of the Brook that England fans have come to expect. He explained his success as a case of keeping his head “as still as possible”, watching the ball and playing it late – traits which, to be fair, were abundantly clear today. But there were also the characteristic impulsive streaks.The first time he used his feet was to carve Josh Hazlewood over backward point in the ninth over. He greeted the first deliveries of Maxwell and Short with lofted drives over extra cover, for four and six respectively.In Jacks, he had an ally willing to keep pace, and even sprint ahead. The pair tag-teamed Mitchell Starc in the 23rd over, handing the left-arm quick his third most expensive over in ODIs (19). By the time their stand was broken for 156 – Jacks slicing to point for 84 – the ask was a manageable 138 from 135 deliveries. Brook seemed intent to drive, cut and scoop his way through that figure, eventually having to make do with 40 of the 87 England hacked off before the rains came.”He’s an impressive player,” McDonald said. “He’s going to have a long career for England, and he’s going to give us some headaches along the journey.”You could call this a statement knock of sorts. Two-fold, perhaps. The first being that it gave Brook the chance to clarify comments made after the first ODI. “If you get caught somewhere on the boundary or in the field, then who cares?” was the utterance in question, leading to widespread derision from fans and pundits alike.”I think people took that a little bit the wrong way,” he said. “You’ve got to go out there and play fearlessly and almost have that ‘who cares’ attitude. That’s not a ‘who cares if we lose attitude’ – we still want to win. But you don’t want to go out there and have that fear of getting out.”You could see what he meant at the time, but Tuesday’s knock – studded with 13 fours and two sixes – acts as a handy guide to make it crystal clear. This was Brook leading from the front, in a familiar sweet spot of showing just how much he cares through not caring the right way.

There were several questions floating around about his methods against West Indies at Perth Stadium, but once again he got the job done in extraordinary manner

Alex Malcolm04-Dec-2022Spin to win in Perth? It’s almost blasphemous to say it out loud. The home of some of the fastest and bounciest pitches in the world, built on the mythical Harvey River clay from Waroona in southwest Western Australia that sets like concrete in the baking WA sun.But Perth Stadium’s drop-in pitches, built in the mould of the WACA, the place that still adorns Dennis Lillee’s name, have been manna from heaven for Nathan Lyon as Australia’s offspinner once again spun them to victory, by six wickets against West Indies, in the fourth innings of a Perth Test match.Related

• Lyon continues outstanding Perth record with six to secure victory

Lyon crept past R Ashwin to climb to eighth on the all-time Test wickets-takers list with 446. That he went past Ashwin is a fascinating talking point, and Ashwin could well reclaim higher ground on that list at some point.But what is truly mind-blowing is Lyon’s record at Perth Stadium. In three matches there he has collected 22 wickets at 18.45, striking every 42.4 deliveries. But in the fourth innings of those three matches he has spun Australia to victory each time having taken three, four and six wickets in each individual fourth innings at an average 17.69 overall, striking every 38.9 deliveries.Throughout this six-wicket haul against West Indies, there was a chorus of voices from the various broadcast boxes questioning Lyon’s methods. He was bowling too fast, too straight and from too wide on the crease for some of their liking. Former WA offspinner Bruce Yardley, who took 126 Test wickets for Australia including 19 at the WACA ground at 25.73, striking at 62.7, used to get tight to the stumps with a side-on action, flight the ball slower above the eyes and curve it away on the Fremantle doctor (Perth’s southwesterly breeze) to pitch wide of off to the right-handers and spin the ball back or slide it on with the arm. Those of Yardley’s generation and those who were coached by his generation cannot compute what Lyon is doing.Lyon’s six wickets came with deliveries at speeds of 90.7kph, 89, 90.2, 98, 86.2 and 87.7. Two hit off stump. The other four were on the stumps. Of those four, three asked questions of the batter’s defence as they were caught on the crease trying to determine how much it would spin and bounce. Some were beaten on the inside by balls that spun, others on the outside by balls that slid on, but none had the time to adjust and play him off the pitch. The other was Roston Chase, who tried to go aerial but got nowhere near the pitch of it, because of the speed and drop, and dragged a catch to deep midwicket.Chase recognised what Lyon was able to do having 23 balls from him during his 85-ball 55, and having bowled 37 overs of offspin on the same Perth pitch for figures of 1 for 171.”Once I saw what he did in their first innings bowling I just tried to emulate that and bowl a bit quicker, put a little more pace on the ball along with some revs on in the second innings,” Chase said.”As the wicket deteriorated, I thought he was trying to use the rough a little bit more to put doubt in the batter’s mind. But the wicket didn’t really offer much spin. So I think it was kind of easy. Although he still got six wickets, I didn’t think that it was that hard to really bat [against] him in terms of the ball spinning on bouncing as he usually has it throughout his career. But he’s still got six wickets. So, kudos to him.”That is Lyon’s skill now. He can create deception on a surface which is offering very little assistance to him. It is a skill his team-mates and particularly his captain Pat Cummins appreciates.”I think he’s got plenty of different tricks now,” Cummins said. “He’s obviously always had a really good offspinner but the way he moves around the crease. You saw him bowl over the wicket, around the wicket a lot.”Felt like he could beat them on the outside of the bat or he could bring bat pad into play. He just feels like he’s got a few different ways he can get a batter out and he’s happy chopping and changing between them, perhaps more than early on in his career.”One thing he’s always been good at but continues to get better and better is he can bowl 25-30 quality overs in a day and there aren’t many bowlers in the world that can do that.”Lyon will continue to have his doubters, those that point to his recent fourth innings against India in 2021 in Sydney and Brisbane, or 2022 against England in Sydney and against Pakistan in Karachi where he was unable to spin Australia across the line.Like spin to win in Perth, there will be those who believe that comparisons to Ashwin are blasphemous given Ashwin’s far superior Test average and strike rate. There is no debate that Ashwin’s record leaves Lyon’s in the dust in Asia. But in fourth innings in Australia, South Africa, England and New Zealand, Ashwin averages 34.70 and strikes at 95.9 compared to Lyon’s average of 29.87 and strike rate of 64.7.Both men are one-of-a-kind and incomparable to each other. But Lyon’s performance in Perth and his record at Perth Stadium should be appreciated for what it is: simply extraordinary.

He reckons Shahrukh Khan and Siddharth will be on the IPL radar following their tournament-winning performances

Deivarayan Muthu03-Feb-2021Dinesh Karthik made his T20 debut in India’s first-ever T20I in Johannesburg in December 2006 and bagged the Man-of-the-match award. Four months later, he took over as Tamil Nadu’s captain after S Badrinath suffered an injury and led them to glory in the inaugural edition of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.This was in April 2007. The inaugural IPL season was a year away.Now, almost a decade-and-a-half later, Karthik has rallied a young Tamil Nadu side to their second domestic T20 title.Karthik, the captain, and R Prasanna, the assistant coach, are the only members of the current squad who were part of the 2006-07 success. Does Karthik feel old among this group?”With these guys, I don’t feel that old and all. Age is just a number,” Karthik tells ESPNcricinfo. “I always feel if you’re fit and passing those tests, you’re good enough to play the sport. At least I don’t give too much importance to age and for me with age, experience has come. So, it’s my duty to play the tough situations and help the boys with whatever little I know. More importantly, these boys are keyed on and there isn’t much you need to do. You just have to guide them and make sure they’re doing most things right.”Having narrowly lost the final against Karnataka in 2019-20, Tamil Nadu had only one week or so to prepare for this season in the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, but once the squad assembled at Chepauk, Karthik made his point.”I just told them it’s going to be a short tournament – just five (league) games, and if you slip up in a game, you’ll be behind the run-rate and it’s going to be tough to qualify. Every game you had to be on point and they just did that from game one. Even though our preparation was short, it was very good and pertinent to what we would be encountering. Thanks to the TNCA for giving the ground for around a week where we were able to play practice games.”Shahrukh Khan plays an uppercut•NurPhoto/Getty ImagesThe most striking feature of Tamil Nadu’s unbeaten run to the title was that they found a hero for every situation. N Jagadeesan, the season’s top run-getter, and C Hari Nishanth forged a strong partnership at the top in the league phase and when their form cooled off in the knockouts, the middle order stepped up.In the quarter-finals, Himachal Pradesh seamer Vaibhav Arora swung out Tamil Nadu’s top order and when Karthik was caught behind for 2, they were 66 for 5 in a chase of 136. The power of M Shahrukh Khan and the calmness of B Aparajith, however, ushered them home. Then, Rajasthan ran away to a fast start in the semi-finals, but M Mohammed and the spinners reined them in. Karthik and KB Arun Karthik, the senior-most players in the set-up, coolly completed the chase on a tricky pitch. Then, in the final, Tamil Nadu’s spin quartet nearly made it a no-contest against Baroda.”I’m extremely proud [of this run],” Karthik says. “So many positives to take out of this actually – all the top-six batsmen contributed. Shahrukh Khan got 88 runs and out of it, he hit 10 sixes [seven], I think, and that just shows the power he has. Hari Nishanth and Jagadeesan… and KB obviously, he played an important knock in the semi-final.”I’m very happy with the batting and bowling I don’t need to say; we’ve been very consistent with the bowling and a couple of players even came back from injury like [Aswin] Crist and all. So, good to see the competition and the way these boys are shaping up, it’s good for Tamil Nadu.”

Master jam session with our very own master!#VathiComing #TNCA #SyedMushtaqAliTrophy pic.twitter.com/PDioZYJvwE

— jagadeesan (@Jagadeesan_200) February 2, 2021