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England’s record wicket-taker set to extend playing career beyond his 43rd birthday

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jan-2025

James Anderson took eight wickets in his one Lancashire appearance last season•George Franks, via Lancashire Cricket

James Anderson will resume his professional playing career and could play his first T20 game in more than a decade after agreeing a one-year contract extension with Lancashire.Anderson has not played since his farewell Test appearance against West Indies in July, subsequently joining England’s backroom staff as a consultant. Having spoken of his desire to continue playing, he entered the IPL auction in December – though went unsold – and has now signed a deal with Lancashire to play in the County Championship and T20 Blast, following the expiry of his ECB central contract.”I am incredibly excited to sign this contract with Lancashire and resume playing professional cricket again next season,” Anderson said. “This club has played a huge part in my life since I was a teenager, so to have the opportunity to wear the Red Rose again and help the side in both red and white ball cricket is one that I am really looking forward to.Related

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“I have been working hard on keeping my fitness levels high and continuing to bowl regularly during my time as a coach with England throughout the winter, with the aim of being able to hit the ground running when the county season starts in April.”I love playing at Emirates Old Trafford and to have the chance to walk out and bowl in front of our Members and supporters again this summer is going to be really special.”Anderson, who will turn 43 in the summer, made his Lancashire debut a quarter of a century ago, in 2001. He only made one County Championship appearance in 2024, but topped the club’s averages after taking 8 for 64 against Nottinghamshire at Southport.He has been linked with continuing his playing days in various T20 franchise leagues, aside from the IPL, and could now push his case for further opportunities, having last played the format during the 2014 Blast.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We have been in open dialogue with Jimmy since his international retirement and our position has been clear from the start. It is fantastic news for all connected with the club that he has chosen to continue his playing career with Lancashire.”From speaking to Jimmy recently, it became clear that his desire to resume playing professional cricket was strengthening every day and he was just desperate to get back out on the park. As it stands, he is fully committed to the county season across both the County Championship and Vitality Blast this summer, and whilst we all recognise he will have other opportunities, he has made it clear playing is his first priority.”To be able to share a dressing room with England’s all-time leading wicket taker, and one of cricket’s greatest players, is incredible for our squad and I’ve no doubt that our Members and supporters, and cricket fans around the world, will be equally as thrilled to watch Jimmy in action for Lancashire again next summer.”Anderson is currently in Abu Dhabi with England’s fast bowlers ahead of their white-ball tour to India, and revealed on his podcast that he is due to be part of their coaching staff for the Champions Trophy in Pakistan next month.

It’s no secret that Chelsea have spent a lot of money on a lot of seriously talented players over the last few years.

However, arguably one of the most exciting signings the club have made in recent years was when they spent £29m on then-17-year-old Estevao Willian, who is finally set to join up with Enzo Maresca’s squad ahead of next season.

The teenage Brazilian, nicknamed Messinho, is one of the most highly-rated youngsters in world football and, with 42 goal involvements in 83 senior club games already, it’s easy to see why analyst Ben Mattinson describes him as a “future Ballon d’Or winner.”

So, Chelsea fans should be delighted with reports linking the club to another incredible gem who could be as big a talent as Estevao.

Chelsea target brilliant wonderkid

It would be fair to say that this summer has been a largely positive one for Chelsea so far, as, on top of their exploits on the pitch, the club have conducted some brilliant business off of it.

Transfer Focus

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

For example, they made a tidy profit on Noni Madueke and managed to finally offload Kepa Arrizabalaga, with both making the increasingly common move from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates.

Then, in terms of incomings, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro are all surely going to improve Maresca’s attack, and it looks like they are closing in on RB Leipzig’s Xavi Simons as well.

However, the Blues don’t appear to be done there, as it also looks like they will be getting their hands on an even younger prospect, someone who could be as big a talent as Estevao.

At least that’s according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has reaffirmed Chelsea’s intense interest in Jorrel Hato.

The Italian journalist goes a step further, revealing that a deal to sign the Ajax ace is “now very close” as negotiations between the two clubs are at the “final stages.”

A price is not mentioned in Romano’s report, but stories from earlier this month claimed that a fee of around £40m would be enough to get this deal over the line.

While that might seem like a lot of money, it might end up being fair value if Hato can fulfil the potential so many believe him to have, similarly to Estevao.

Why Hato is as big a talent as Estevao

So, the first thing to point out is that, with Estevao primarily playing as a right-winger and being tasked with scoring and creating goals, he is almost always going to receive more attention and more plaudits than someone who plays in defence, like Hato.

However, that does not mean the Dutchman does not possess the same level of talent as the Brazilian, nor the potential to be a genuinely great player one day – you only need to look at his record to see that.

Since making his debut back in February 2023, at just 16 years old, the “exceptional athlete,” as dubbed by Mattinson, has become an integral part of Ajax’s first team.

Appearances

111

Starts

102

Minutes

9121′

Goals

4

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.11

Minutes per Goal Involvement

701.61′

Points per Game

1.86

The Rotterdam-born monster has already amassed a staggering 111 appearances for the Dutch giants, of which 102 have been starts, and even though he primarily played at left-back, he has also been able to amass a reasonable tally in which he’s scored four goals and provided nine assists.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you that the 19-year-old wonderkid was something genuinely special, then perhaps the fact he’s already captained the Amsterdam outfit on multiple occasions will.

Finally, he’s not just seen as the next big thing by his club.

For example, the “immense” prospect, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also already won six senior caps for the Netherlands, in which he’s provided one assist, since making his debut in November 2023, at just 17 years old.

Ultimately, Estevao will always generate more excitement as he’s someone who could be a massive source of goals and assists in the future.

Still, from everything we’ve seen over the last few years and what those in the know are saying, there is every chance Hato could be as immense a talent, and therefore, someone Chelsea fans should be very excited about.

Even better than Hato: Chelsea preparing bid to sign "aggressive" £51m star

As Chelsea close in on the signing of Jorrel Hato from Ajax for around £35m, they’re also preparing an offer for an even better “aggressive” defender.

Jul 29, 2025

Kieran Tierney made his long-awaited second debut for Celtic when he lined up against St Mirren from the start on Sunday in the first game of the Scottish Premiership season.

The Scotland international moved on from Parkhead to sign for Premier League giants Arsenal six years ago, after making 170 first-team appearances in his first spell in Glasgow.

Tierney will now be looking to add to the five Premiership titles that he already has under his belt by winning the league with the Hoops this term.

Brendan Rodgers will have to be careful with his fitness, though, as the defender had to be subbed off in the 65th minute against St Mirren, after he appeared to run out of steam.

Celtic made approach to sign a new left-back

The Hoops are in the market to bring in another left-sided defender to provide support for Tierney, and a new target to bolster their squad in that position has emerged.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Italian outlet L’Unione Sarda, Celtic are one of the teams interested in a potential deal to sign Cagliari left-back Adam Obert this summer.

The report claims that the Premiership champions made an approach to sign the 22-year-old talent, but there was a difference between what the Hoops were wanting to pay and what the Serie A side want for his services.

It adds that Celtic will need to come back in with a higher offer if they want to sign the Slovakia U21 international before the end of the window, and it remains to be seen if they will or not.

Why Celtic should sign Adam Obert

The Hoops should go back in with another approach for the versatile star, who can play left-back or centre-back, because he would be perfect for Tierney this season.

As aforementioned, Rodgers has to be mindful of the experienced full-back’s injury record, which is incredibly concerning on paper, to say the least.

24/25

1

160

18

23/24

3

103

21

22/23

0

0

0

21/22

2

116

17

20/21

4

87

19

19/20

1

97

19

18/19

5

140

27

17/18

1

23

5

16/17

1

86

16

As you can see in the table above, Tierney has missed a lot of football through injury throughout his career, which is why signing a player like Obert is crucial.

The Cagliari defender has only missed eight games through injury in his career to date, including just five in the last three seasons combined, which suggests that he has the durability to provide cover for the Scottish star.

Obert only started 13 of his 21 appearances in the Serie A during the 2024/25 campaign, which shows that he is used to not being the first-choice, and averaged 2.6 tackles and interceptions per game in that time.

The 22-year-old ace also starred for Slovakia at the U21 European Championship earlier this summer, starting all three of their matches in the tournament.

He scored one goal and completed 94% of his attempted passes across those three games, whilst he also made an eye-catching 7.3 clearances per match and won 59% of his duels.

These statistics suggest that Obert has the potential to be a composed player on the ball who is also well-positioned defensively to win duels and make clearances, which is why he could come in at Celtic to be a solid and reliable operator as a deputy to Tierney.

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Overall, the Cagliari defender would be perfect for Tierney because he is used to being a back-up, has a very impressive fitness record, and appears to have the defensive quality to step in when needed.

This means that Rodgers can start the Scottish left-back week-in-week-out and still be able to take him off after 60 minutes, or whenever he feels he has hit his limit, because Obert is good enough to step in and play when needed.

West Ham United are now preparing an official offer for a “very prolific” striker, who is set to be available for around €30m (£26m) this summer, according to a report.

Hammers keen on signing new striker

It would be fair to say West Ham have had some bad luck when it comes to signing strikers over the years, with the likes of Sebastien Haller and Gianluigi Scamacca flattering to deceive, despite being very successful elsewhere.

Niclas Füllkrug has also struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, scoring just three goals in his debut campaign, after struggling with injuries throughout the campaign, and with the German now 32-years-old, it could be worth bringing in a younger option this summer.

In recent days, the Irons made an approach for Metz centre-forward Idrissa Gueye, but with the 18-year-old attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, Graham Potter’s side may find it difficult to win the race for his signature.

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As such, West Ham may be forced to move on to alternative options, and they are now set to intensify their efforts to sign a Serie A striker…

That is according to a report from Italy (via The Hard Tackles), which states the Hammers are now preparing an official bid for Cagliari striker Roberto Piccoli, who is set to be available for a fee of around €30m (£26m) this summer.

Piccoli is said to have attracted interest from a number of clubs across Europe after an impressive 2024-25 campaign, including Benfica and Fiorentina, and the Irons are now looking to steal a march on rival suitors by lodging a formal offer.

Potter’s side are scouring the market for a new striker, given that Fullkrug and Evan Ferguson failed to have the desired impact last season, with a deal for Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson also thought to be edging closer to completion.

"Very prolific" Piccoli could be ideal signing for West Ham

Wilson, of course, is already vastly experienced in the Premier League, having had stints with Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth, but the Englishman is now 33-years-old, and struggled with injuries throughout the 2024-25 campaign.

Wilson Injuries 24/25

Games missed

Hamstring

14

Back

15

As such, it may be a wise idea to bring in a younger striker, who is more dependable, and the 24-year-old Cagliari striker could fit the bill, fresh off the back of an impressive 2024-25 season.

The Italian, who was once lauded as “very prolific” by scout Jacek Kulig, amassed ten goals and three assists for Cagliari in the Serie A last season, in what was undoubtedly the most impressive season of his career so far.

Piccoli is at the right age to be a long-term success at the London Stadium, and West Ham will be hoping they have finally found a striker capable of leading the line for years to come.

Liverpool have been focusing their efforts to improve their forward line on three central targets in recent weeks, but Fabrizio Romano has revealed the one they are “working” on a deal for.

Florian Plettenberg revealed this week Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Hugo Ekitike are “three concrete options” for Liverpool this summer after sporting director Richard Hughes completed checks on all of the forwards.

Isak is seemingly the dream target for both Liverpool and probable title rivals Arsenal, although Newcastle United are set to demand £150m for his signature in a bid to ward off suitors this summer.

Ekitike meanwhile has been quite publcily priced at £85m, while Osimhen could leave Napoli for around £64m after an impressive loan spell at Galatasaray.

Darwin Nunez is expected to depart Anfield this summer, with interest from Italian sides and the Saudi Pro League, although talks over a move to Napoli have reportedly slowed in recent days due to Liverpool’s demands.

Arne Slot made no secret of his desire for Nunez to step his game up last season, revealing he was unhappy with his work rate after a miss in the 2-2 draw against Aston Villa: “A miss that I can accept. What is harder to accept, his behaviour after the chance. That miss is got too much in his head where he is the usual Darwin that works his a** off.”

Fabrizio Romano: Liverpool "could" offer swap deal to sign £40m+ England star

The Reds are still seeking reinforcements.

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The Dutchman, together with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, are seemingly determined to land a new number nine before the new campaign gets underway, and Romano has revealed the one they are currently going for.

Liverpool "working" on deal for Ekitike

Speaking on his YouTube channel on Monday evening, Romano revealed Liverpool are discussing a deal for Eintracht Frankfurt sensation Ekitike, though it does depend on what happens with Nunez.

Ekitike has scored 26 times in 64 appearances during his two years in Frankfurt, but really stepped up to an elite level in 2024/25, registering 22 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

The young Frenchman could be lethal in Liverpool’s new look front line, as explained by scout/writer Counter Pressers on X: “Hugo Ekitike with Florian Wirtz behind him would be unstoppable. After years of watching Darwin Nunez, we deserve to watch someone of Ekitike’s technical level.”

Indeed, the 23 year-old seems to have more nuance to his game than Liverpool’s struggling star, averaging more passes at a higher completion rate and more dribbles than the former Benfica man, all while scoring more goals too.

0.48

Non-penalty goals per 90

0.34

0.29

Assists per 90

0.17

22.90

Passes per 90

18.41

75.3%

Pass completion

69.1%

1.9

Succesful take-ons per 90

0.68

The former PSG starlet could transform Liverpool’s status as champions into total domestic dominance if his relationship with Wirtz hits the ground running.

It is non-negotiable that Tottenham Hotspur need to recruit new signings this summer ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full campaign in charge, with the Dane looking to build on Ange Postecoglou’s historic Europa League triumph.

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1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2025

Spurs’ memorable night in Bilbao at the end of last month ended their 17-year-long wait for a piece of major silverware whilst simultaneously gifting them a spot in next season’s Champions League draw.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Their place in Europe’s most prestigious competition has been described as “huge” in terms of their recruitment plans, and it means that chairman Daniel Levy no longer has to adopt a ‘sell to buy’ policy (Sky Sports).

The Lilywhites have already put their European financial windfall to good use, striking a permanent deal for Mathys Tel last weekend for a cut-price £30 million fee, and he’s unlikely to be their last winger signing.

Tottenham have apparently approached West Ham over signing Mohammed Kudus, who they’re prepared to pay £50 million for, whilst the likes of Man City star Jack Grealish, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo, Southampton’s Tyler Dibling and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo have all been linked this week.

Grealish’s £300,000-per-week wages are a stumbling block in potential Spurs talks for the England international, while West Ham are thought to want around £65 million for Kudus as well.

Even the teenage Dibling could cost as much as £51 million to prise away from St. Mary’s, so quality wingers with Premier League experience are likely to come at a premium.

The need for another wide player is exacerbated by reports that Son could leave Tottenham this summer, and Mbeumo in particular is believed to be a “priority” target for Frank.

Tottenham have "firm offer on the table" for Bryan Mbeumo

That is according to inews, who also report that Mbeumo has a “firm offer on the table” to join Spurs before deadline day on September 1.

While Man United remain in pole position to sign the Cameroonian as things stand, the Red Devils still need to “significantly” increase their opening bid of £55 million, which has been called nowhere near Brentford’s valuation of their top scorer last season.

inews echo a recent report by Fabrizio Romano that Spurs made Mbeumo’s signing a priority as soon as Frank came through the door, and the 25-year-old is still tempted by the prospect of a reunion with his former manager amid United’s pursuit.

Mbeumo’s 20-goal haul in all competitions last term makes him a very attractive potential signing for Levy, especially considering Son’s links with a move to Saudi Arabia, but other reports claim the Bees value their star man at around £70 million.

“The big praise goes to Bryan,” said Frank during their time together at the Gtech Community Stadium, via The Athletic.

“He has grown more and more to be a key player for us. He works so hard, he’s a fantastic pressing player and can score goals and get assists, but maybe lacked enough goals. He works very hard on his finishing.”

Liverpool have reportedly made contact with an “unstoppable” player over a summer move to Anfield, looking to pip Arsenal to his signature in the process.

Liverpool pushing for Wirtz and others

Reds supporters aren’t only on cloud nine because of their Premier League title win this season, but also because of some of the stellar names being mentioned as summer targets.

In fact, reliable sources are reporting that Liverpool are on the verge of completing the signing of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, with the German becoming the most expensive signing in the club’s history if he does move there.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is also reportedly of interest to the Reds, who are even believed to be wealthy enough to sign both him and Wirtz at the same time, but the Magpies will do all they can to keep hold of their best player.

Meanwhile, another Leverkusen player, Jeremie Frimpong is also closing in on a switch to Liverpool, while on the left flank, Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez continues to stand out as the leading option to come as Andy Robertson’s long-term successor at left-back.

Liverpool make contact with "unstoppable" striker

Now, according to a fresh claim from Football Transfers, Liverpool have made contact with Viktor Gyokeres’ representatives over a move to the club, as they look to snap up the Sporting CP superstar.

The 26-year-old is Arsenal’s top No.9 target ahead of next season, with both the Gunners and the Reds in need of an elite centre forward, and he is valued at just over £58m.

Gyokeres could be the perfect striker for Liverpool to sign in the summer window, following a frankly outrageous couple of seasons in a Sporting shirt.

The Sweden international has now scored 96 goals in just 101 appearances for the Primeira Liga giants, with an incredible 39 of those coming in the league this season.

Appearances

33

Starts

31

Minutes played

2804

Goals

39

Assists

7

Shots per game

4.2

Key passes per game

1.9

Dribbles per game

1.8

Gyokeres has come on leaps and bounds since impressing for Coventry City in the Championship, with former Swansea City teammate Jake Bidwell saying of him:

“With the way he plays as well, with his aggression, the two (qualities) go hand in hand with how well he has done. He all of a sudden realised how quick and strong he was and had the confidence to use it and mixed with the aggression, it’s made him pretty unstoppable.”

Liverpool fans are likely to be split when it comes to choosing their preferred No.9 signing this summer, with Isak, Julian Alvarez and Victor Osimhen also options, but Gyokeres could be a monstrous addition, bringing pace, power and relentless end product.

The David Moyes revival has already taken Everton so far; Goodison Park is unrecognisable from the tumbledown slump that the Scotsman inherited, confidence at a low ebb after colourless football under Sean Dyche’s wing.

Dyche did a good job, all told, but he couldn’t take the Toffees any further and rightly parted ways when The Friedkin Group looked to christen their ownership with an uplifting appointment.

Moyes has done very well indeed, losing just four of his 16 Premier League games at the helm. However, he needs new recruits this summer, especially at the front of the ship.

With Everton stepping into a new home at the Bramley-Moore dock, it feels the right time to replace the ailing Dominic Calvert-Lewin with a new number nine.

Everton's search for a new striker

Calvert-Lewin has been a stalwart for Everton, playing 270 matches across nine seasons, scoring 71 goals. He’s out of contract this summer, though, with brittle fitness levels and consequent struggles for form suggesting he should be allowed to leave.

Transfer Focus

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

Expand Collapse

Beto’s resurgent as a focal frontman, but Everton want more, with Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Tim Kleindienst identified as the perfect player to join Moyes’ project.

According to Caught Offside, TFG are ready to pay the €35m (£30m) asking price for the powerful striker, though the same could be said for Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Further interest from overseas complicates matters, but Everton’s willingness to place a bid suggests that Moyes and the owners are driven toward making improvements during the off-season.

Why Everton want Tim Kleindienst

Time was when Everton would cede swift defeat in a jam-packed race for a talented striker, Goodison Park devolving into something of a hotbed for disappointment in recent years.

But this is a new era, and Moyes has restored the feel-good factor. Kleindienst, 29, could make this new feeling even better still, with a clinical track record in Germany denoting his capacity to confidently take Calvert-Lewin’s place in the squad.

The Germany international has scored 16 goals and added ten assists across 32 matches for Gladbach this season, arriving from Heidenheim last summer.

Standing at 6 foot 4, he carries the imposing physicality that Moyes has made such good use of throughout his managerial career, and with Kleindienst winning 4.7 aerial duels per Bundesliga match this season, he has what it takes to flourish in the area Calvert-Lewin so expertly excels.

DCL vs Kleindienst 24/25 (league stats only)

Stats (* per game)

Calvert-Lewin

Kleindienst

Matches (starts)*

23 (19)

30 (30)

Goals

3

16

Assists

1

7

Big chances missed

1

14

Pass completion

64%

62%

Big chances created

1

11

Key passes*

0.3

0.9

Dribbles*

0.4

0.4

Tackles + interceptions*

0.7

1.3

Total duels won*

5.5

6.9

Stats via Sofascore

The two strikers have a lot in common. Both strong and tall, they win many duels through their focal role in the air; each forward dribbles infrequently, with neither proving the most accurate in his passing.

However, therein lies the disparity. Kleindienst is far more fruitful in his passing, so creative and intelligent with his knock-ons, his lay-offs. Indeed, as per The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor, the German is “an exquisite one-touch player”.

Defensively, there’s a lot to admire too. FBref record Kleindienst ranks among the top 19% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 11% for interceptions and the top 1% for both blocks and clearances made per 90.

To be sure, signing a striker on the brink of their thirties would be something of a risk, but Kleinsdienst’s athleticism, power and dynamism would be perfect for an Everton side on the up.

Profiled in a similar way to Calvert-Lewin and coveted by divisional rivals, Everton will want to make this statement of intent.

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As the Champions League quarter-finals get underway, Nottingham Forest supporters can only look on as Midlands rivals Aston Villa chase the ultimate glory on Europe’s biggest stage.

However, after a dazzling season that has seen Nuno Espirito Santo’s side make a charge for the continent’s premier club competition, Forest could yet be mixing it with the big boys, as they sit third with seven games remaining.

With England set to be handed five slots in the 2025/26 league phase, Forest’s chances of returning to the Champions League for the first time since 1980 have been enhanced further.

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But with some crunch fixtures and an FA Cup semi-final to navigate before the season’s end, everything still hangs in the balance.

So when could Nottingham Forest confirm their place in the Champions League? Here, we look at the permutations.

Who qualifies for the Champions League?

England are set to earn a fifth Champions League place via the league this season.

This is a result of English clubs’ performances in Europe this year, with five clubs still active across the three European competitions: Arsenal and Aston Villa in the Champions League; Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United in the Europa League; and Chelsea in the Conference League.

Manchester City and Liverpool were knocked out of the Champions League in the knockout play-off round and last 16 respectively.

The two nations with the highest national coefficients for the season earn an extra Champions League place.

England’s coefficient for the season is far greater than the likes of Italy and Germany, making them near-certainties to gain the fifth league spot at the time of writing.

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1 ByRoss Kilvington Feb 10, 2025 How many points do Nottingham Forest need to claim a top-five spot?

As things stand, Nottingham Forest would require 74 points to absolutely guarantee a place in the Premier League’s top five.

With sixth-placed reigning champions Manchester City on 52 points – five behind Forest ahead of the Reds’ weekend clash against Everton – the maximum points haul Pep Guardiola’s side can reach is 73.

This means Forest’s fight to confirm could go to the wire, but with the number of teams involved, it’s unlikely that another 17 points from 21 available will be necessary, particularly with some playing each other in the run-in.

Rank

Team

P

GD

PTS

Nottingham Forest

31

+14

Chelsea

31

+17

Newcastle

30

+13

Man City

31

+17

Aston Villa

31

0

Who are Nottingham Forest's top-five challengers?

While Liverpool and Arsenal are leading the pack (the Anfield side have already confirmed their place in the Champions League), Forest are currently at the front of the queue to join them in the UCL.

As of 8th April, there is a four-point buffer to Chelsea and Newcastle United, though the Magpies have a game in hand. Nevertheless, Forest are fully in control of their destiny as it stands.

Outside the current top five, Man City and Aston Villa will be hoping to usurp those in front of them, but like Forest, both of those clubs have the added challenge of dealing with cup campaigns.

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1 ByRoss Kilvington May 12, 2025

It looks as though the likes of Fulham, Brighton and Bournemouth have dropped out of Champions League contention.

Chelsea are the only side currently in the top half on Forest’s fixture list, which may give the East Midlanders an advantage in the season’s final weeks.

And bar a late-season collapse, Forest’s Champions League fate may well have been decided before their clash with the Conference League-chasing Blues on the final day.

Date/Team

Nottm Forest

Chelsea

Newcastle

Man City

Aston Villa

12th April

Everton (H)

Crystal Palace (H)

Southampton (A)

13th April

Ipswich (H)

Man Utd (H)

16th April

Crystal Palace (H)

19th April

Aston Villa (A)

Everton (A)

Newcastle (H)

20th April

Fulham (A)

21st April

Tottenham (A)

22nd April

Aston Villa (H)

Man City (A)

26th April

Everton (H)

Ipswich (H)

1st May

Brentford (H)

2nd May

Wolves (H)

3rd May

Fulham (H)

4th May

Liverpool (H)

Brighton (A)

5th May

Crystal Palace (A)

10th May

Newcastle (A)

Chelsea (H)

Southampton (A)

Bournemouth (A)

11th May

Leicester (H)

18th May

West Ham (A)

Man Utd (H)

Arsenal (A)

Bournemouth (H)

Tottenham (H)

25th May

Chelsea (H)

Nottm Forest (A)

Everton (H)

Fulham (A)

Man Utd (A)

Can Nottingham Forest do it?

Forest are certainly in a great position at this late stage of the season. Having battled relegation and a points deduction last term, not many will have seen this coming.

But now is the crunch period – so can they pull off an incredible transformation and qualify for the Champions League?

One thing certainly in their favour is the run-in – all bar one of their remaining opponents headed into April as a bottom-half club.

Another reason they could receive a boost is the congested field battling for a top-five place. Villa still have to face Man City and Newcastle, who also have Chelsea and potential banana-skin trips to Brighton and Arsenal to come.

This means guaranteed dropped points, so Forest will most likely be afforded more wriggle room before the season concludes.

However, there are at least a couple of pitfalls for Forest to be wary of. One is their goal difference, which is weaker than Chelsea’s and Manchester City’s and perilously close to Newcastle’s, who have scored marginally more goals as things stand.

If things get tight, they could be left to rue their 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth, even if it was remedied by their 7-0 demolition of Brighton a week later.

Understandably, there is also a lack of run-in experience – at the top end, at least. However, their rate of improvement and general consistency suggests they have what it takes to get over the line.

Nottingham Forest and 8 other Premier League surprise packages

The Premier League has had plenty of surprise packages over the previous 30 years – here are some of the best.

1 ByRoss Kilvington Nov 5, 2024

He has made himself impossible to drop, pushing India towards the rare move of picking him as a non-keeping middle-order batter

Karthik Krishnaswamy11-Nov-2025It was clear even in January 2020 that Dhruv Jurel had big ambitions.Watch this video, produced during that year’s Under-19 World Cup in South Africa. “I just want to be a successful cricketer,” he says. “I want to play 200 Test match[es] for my India.”He seems to say these words with no thought of how outlandish they must sound coming from anyone, let alone someone who had played no senior cricket at that point. Or with no thought given to the hurdles in front of him, including Rishabh Pant, older than Jurel by only three-and-a-half years and by then already looking set for a long and extraordinary career.A year-and-a-half into his international career now, Jurel has played seven Tests, and all but one of them has come in the forced absence of Pant. This, typically, is life for the wicketkeeping understudy. Keeping is a specialist job, and for much of cricket’s history it was unusual for regular keepers to be good enough with the bat to play Test matches consistently as pure batters.Related

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It’s become a lot more common in recent times, of course, and Test teams now routinely line up with one keeper who keeps and one or even two who don’t. On Friday, South Africa are likely to line up at Eden Gardens with a keeping keeper in Kyle Verreynne and a non-keeping keeper in Ryan Rickelton.India, however, haven’t had much of a history of non-keeping Test keepers. Of the 13 India players who have kept wicket in 10 or more Tests (this weeds out specialist batters who have occasionally done the job, like Vijay Manjrekar and KL Rahul), only two have played as specialist batters in non-emergency situations (such as the crises of unavailability that led to Wriddhiman Saha’s debut and Jurel’s appearance in Perth last year): Budhi Kunderan (in three Tests, with Farokh Engineer keeping) and Dinesh Karthik (in seven, with MS Dhoni keeping).And both Kunderan and Karthik opened the batting when they played alongside another keeper. Stopgap or otherwise, and with or without the big gloves, keeper as opener is certainly an authentic Indian-cricket tradition.All this to say, then, that Jurel, against South Africa on Friday, could go where no India Test keeper with a career of any real length (sorry, Madhav Mantri and Chandrakant Pandit) has gone before: starting a Test series as a non-keeping middle-order batter, ahead of specialist contenders within the squad. And if it happens, it will happen because Jurel has made himself near-impossible to leave out.On September 15, before India A’s first unofficial Test against Australia A, Jurel had one century in 25 first-class games, and an average of 47.34. It was a record befitting his status as a keeper-batter of immense potential, but even if he had shown signs of an uncommonly good eye, technique and temperament, there was, as yet, not a lot of evidence to force India to pick him ahead of B Sai Sudharsan or Devdutt Padikkal or Sarfaraz Khan or a host of other candidates in a specialist middle-order role.Since then, Jurel has rattled off 140, 1, 56, 125, 44, 6*, 132* and 127* in five first-class games — two Tests against West Indies (in the first of which he scored that 125) sandwiched between India A matches against Australia A and South Africa A. His first-class average has jumped to 58.00.Gloves or no gloves, Dhruv Jurel has proved himself to be handy in the field•PTI How do you leave out someone with that record, in this form, who has already shown multiple times that he looks entirely at home in Test cricket? This is someone with a match-turning, Player-of-the-Match performance on a tricky, low-bounce pitch in just his second Test. Someone who, in his most recent match, scored a day-one century on a greentop against South Africa A when no other India A player — their XI included Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Padikkal and Pant — went past 24. Someone who had done the same sort of thing for India A — twin half-centuries when none of his team-mates scored one in either innings — at the MCG last year.India must have come very, very close to the conclusion that you don’t leave out such a player, in fact, and that you find any possible way to pick him. And they probably don’t have to think too long or hard about how they can do this, because there is a fairly obvious way, and a fairly obvious player to leave out.During the Tests against West Indies, Nitish Kumar Reddy looked like a luxury player India picked because they could afford to pick him — not so much for his utility for the immediate task at hand but for helping him grow into the game-changing player they believe he can become. India could afford, in that series, to pick an allrounder who is, at his present stage of development, a sixth bowler and, for all his batting promise, a No. 8 behind Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar who are far more accomplished with the bat at present.Jurel, except in one innings when India promoted Reddy to give him batting time, batted above all three allrounders during the West Indies series, and looked a natural fit in that position. Now, even with Pant back in their XI, there is every chance India will want the batting edge Jurel gives them over this current, work-in-progress version of Reddy, because South Africa’s attack is nothing like the severely depleted West Indies bowling they just faced.Kagiso Rabada is an elite fast bowler with the experience of two previous India Test tours. Keshav Maharaj is one of the world’s best fingerspinners and Simon Harmer a hugely experienced one, and both arrive with more subcontinent know-how than they did in 2019-20 and 2015-16 respectively. Senuran Muthusamy was a debutant and far more of a batter than a bowler when he last toured India, but now he’s fresh off a Player-of-the-Series performance in Pakistan.Jurel could be starting the Test series as a non-keeping middle-order batter, ahead of specialist contenders•Getty ImagesWho would you pick between Jurel and Reddy, against that attack, when you already have five bowlers?The question, however, isn’t quite as simple as that, because there’s a specialist batter in India’s squad, and that batter, Devdutt Padikkal, has been in pretty good form too, notwithstanding two lean games against South Africa A.Since his return from a hamstring injury suffered during the IPL, Padikkal has scored a 150 against Australia A and a 96 for Karnataka against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, and if an average of 38.40 across six first-class games in this period doesn’t look flash, there’s one mitigating factor in that he batted at No. 3 or No. 4 in all his innings, and typically faced a newer ball than Jurel had to.And if you put aside the question of current form, there’s the fact that the selectors and team management have long viewed Padikkal as the next batter in line for a middle-order role. Does a run of inspired form from another candidate change that view? And does that question become more awkward if that candidate is the reserve wicketkeeper?

“To select him now as a specialist batter in a Test XI that also includes Pant is another leap of faith, but it can’t be a particularly difficult one to make”

The answer, in normal circumstances, would be yes, it would be terribly awkward. But present circumstances are far from normal. Jurel isn’t on a random burst of inspired form; he’s showing India the run-scoring ceiling that everyone who has tracked him since his junior days has believed him capable of.Right through his career, people with a deep understanding of the game have looked at Jurel and seen a talent worth fast-tracking. Rajasthan Royals picked him in their XIs, or as an Impact Player, when they already had two keeper-batters as good as Sanju Samson and Jos Buttler, and did this when he had only played three previous T20 games.When he was first picked for India A, Jurel had only played 12 first-class games, and scored just one century. Three first-class matches later, he was in India’s Test squad. Then he spent two Tests on the bench before India gave him his cap and left out KS Bharat, who had been in and around the squad as reserve keeper for close to five years.So many leaps of faith, and so far, Jurel hasn’t once given the wise heads who have made them any reason to doubt their judgment. To select him now as a specialist batter in a Test XI that also includes Pant is another leap of faith, but it can’t be a particularly difficult one to make.