Surrey seamer keeps focus on County Championship despite impending qualification for adopted country

Andrew Miller21-Mar-2025″I might just announce my international retirement … then you can all go home!”We’re not even into April, and the line of questioning at Surrey’s pre-season media day is getting a touch samey, to say the least. But Dan Worrall is taking it all in his stride, much as he has done with every step of his remarkable second coming as a professional cricketer – a renaissance that could, with a fair crosswind and a bit of grass on the wicket, result in an England Test debut at the age of 33.That was certainly the impression that Rob Key, England’s director of cricket, gave in September last year, when he name-checked a bowler who had just claimed 52 wickets at 16.15 to help propel Surrey to a hat-trick of County Championship titles. “You can’t not notice Dan Worrall,” Key said. “He’s got brilliant attributes to be an international bowler.”Worrall, himself, however, could scarcely be less moved by the speculation. “There’s some things that take space in my head, but this is not one of them,” he said. “I’m just not interested about what anyone else is saying or thinking. I’m just trying to do my best for the team that I’m representing. And to be honest, with two kids under three, that keeps me busy most of the time anyway. So the other stuff doesn’t matter.”Almost nine years have now elapsed since Worrall’s first foray as an international cricketer: he played three ODIs for Australia, against Ireland and South Africa in September and October 2016. Those yielded one wicket and a sense of a box ticked in his career, as he turned his thoughts to a relocation to England and a chance to build a new life, with or without the sport at its centre.”I always thought I’d be getting the tube to work in London, but I never thought I’d be coming to a cricket ground,” Worrall said. A UK passport, courtesy of his Nottingham-born father, had encouraged him to take the plunge and uproot his young family but, after an initial haul of 43 wickets at 22.53 for Gloucestershire had confirmed the effectiveness of his fast-medium methods in English conditions, his switch to The Oval has since sent his career into overdrive.”We just thought it was a great challenge to take on, to have a bit of life experience, and challenge ourselves a little bit on the other side of the world with no family around. But, luckily, I’ve played at an amazing club, and we’ve won three championships, and the Hundred’s just come about. And being able to access leagues around the world is another benefit of moving over.”The bread-and-butter of Worrall’s new career, however, has been his red-ball form. In the space of those three triumphant seasons, he hoovered up 139 first-class wickets at 21.17, and with England having moved on last summer from James Anderson, a potential vacancy has opened up for, as he put it, “sweat-band seamer” in the Test attack – for the home series against India at the very least, if not for the tour of Australia that follows.”As a bowler, coming from Australia to England, there’s a lot more variables to play with,” he said. “You’ve got to swing it. Sometimes it bounces, sometimes it doesn’t, sometimes it’s raining … sunny, there’s grass on the pitch. There’s the Kookaburra [ball] now, so there’s a lot more variables that can make your worst day a lot worse than in Australia, I suppose.Related

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“As a professional, the feather in my cap would be getting to the point where I don’t really surprise anyone with how I perform … to get to the point where your worst day is not that much worse than your best day.”Can those attributes succeed on an Ashes tour, however? Despite the recent success of Scott Boland in Australia’s home summers, Worrall’s own assessment is candid.”You want my honest answer? Probably not!” he said. “There is a role – we saw Jimmy for 20 years go on numerous Ashes tours – but as a swing bowler, you’re not going to perform that role in every Test with the Kookaburra ball. There have been opportunities in the last couple of years in Test matches in Australia, [when it’s been] a bit more seamer friendly, but whether that happens again in an Ashes series, that’s yet to be seen. Maybe there’s a job to do as a sweat-band swinger, but we’ll wait and see.”In his former life, Worrall claimed 184 wickets at 29.03 for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, so he clearly has the pedigree to do that job Down Under. But, whether or not he’s doing himself out of a job for the coming winter, he also has no doubts about which attributes England should be doubling down on as they seek to win a series in Australia for the first time in 15 years.”In Australia, there’s not a lot of variables to play with. It’s more about being tall or fast or accurate,” he said. “The way that England are setting up their fast-bowling cartel is the way forward to win in Australia.”We’ve seen success from Gus [Atkinson], Brydon Carse, Mark Wood, and I think they’re trying to get to Jofra [Archer] up and about for that Ashes series. There is the necessity for pace and bounce in Australia, and I don’t think that’s a secret for anyone.”The way the Australian team has taken wickets consistently for the last decade has been with the guys that are over 6 ft 2, bowl fast and don’t really miss the spot. Naturally, there’s a challenge for English bowlers going over to Australia because of that difference, but the way that the guys are setting up now, it gives them the best chance to perform.”None of that, however, means Worrall will be turning down the England call, should it end up coming at any stage this year.”Yeah, of course, I’ve said it before,” he said, when asked if he would like to play for his adopted country. “I haven’t thought about it. Everyone else keeps talking about it. I’m just going to go out and do my best for Surrey and hopefully enjoy another successful season at The Oval.”It doesn’t faze me too much. It’s just one of those things where, as a professional athlete, there’s always someone with an opinion and someone that wants to get the next headline, or they want to figure out the next thing that’s going to happen in their career.”But I think as a player, as soon as you start thinking about that and letting that enter your thinking, it just detracts from your potential as a player and a professional and as a person. So as far as I’m concerned, I’m not that bothered. Whatever happens will happen. I’ll try my best wherever I am.”

The Daniel Levy era at Tottenham Hotspur has come to an end.

On Thursday, it was confirmed that the 63-year-old would step down as Executive Chairman after 25 years in charge, with the ownership believing change was needed to bring greater sporting success.

Appointed in March 2001, Levy was the longest-serving chairman in Premier League history and a divisive figure throughout his tenure.

Regularly the subject of supporter protests, his reputation was split between financial prudence and a failure to translate infrastructure into silverware.

Levy’s final months brought a rare high and an equally stark low. Spurs won the Europa League in May, ending a 17-year wait for a trophy.

Yet the triumph was underpinned by a disastrous league campaign that saw them finish 17th in the Premier League.

He will nevertheless be remembered for delivering the £1bn Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a multi-purpose venue that transformed the club’s commercial revenues.

Hosting NFL games, concerts and boxing events, the stadium has become a global landmark.

On the pitch, however, Levy’s managerial decisions often defined Spurs’ fortunes more than infrastructure ever could.

This summer’s spending spree, with marquee signings like Mohamed Kudus and Xavi Simons, hinted at ambition, though Spurs missed out on Eberechi Eze to rivals Arsenal.

Vinai Venkatesham, appointed Chief Executive in April, now must take the reins and implement a new vision while the search for Levy’s replacement is ongoing.

Ange and the many Managers of Levy’s Spurs

Few chairmen have hired and fired as many notable managers as Levy.

Ange Postecoglou, adored at times by supporters for his bold attacking football, was the latest casualty.

Sacked just weeks after lifting the Europa League, his dismissal came amid dire league form – 22 top-flight losses in 2024/25 – underlining Levy’s reputation for ruthless decision-making.

Thomas Frank has since arrived from Brentford to steady the ship. Postecoglou’s departure was far from Levy’s only high-profile axing.

José Mourinho was dismissed just a week before Spurs faced Manchester City in the 2021 Carabao Cup final, a move that baffled many supporters.

Ryan Mason stepped in as caretaker manager, but Spurs ultimately lost the final.

Antonio Conte’s short but combustible tenure saw him openly question his players’ mentality, though he did guide them to Champions League qualification in 2021/22.

Levy also experimented with Nuno Espírito Santo, a project that fizzled out within months, and was also known to turn to well-known figures like Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood in the past.

Yet one name defined Levy’s Spurs more than any other, both in success and in the bitterness of his departure.

Sacking Pochettino was Levy's biggest mistale

Mauricio Pochettino’s time in North London was transformative.

Appointed in May 2014 as Spurs’ tenth manager in just 12 years, he brought stability, style and belief.

Over five years, he nurtured talents like Harry Kane and Dele Alli, built a fearless team around high pressing and rapid transitions, and took Spurs closer to glory than they had been in decades.

The pinnacle came in 2019 when Spurs reached the Champions League final.

Their run included an unforgettable semi-final comeback against Ajax, capped by Lucas Moura’s last-minute hat-trick strike.

Though they fell 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid, it was a defining achievement.

In the league, Pochettino’s side finished second in 2016/17 with 86 points – their best finish since 1963 – only seven points behind champions Chelsea.

And yet, just months after that Champions League final, Levy made his most infamous call. With Spurs struggling at the start of the 2019/20 season, Pochettino was sacked.

Pochettino – Career Statistics

Matches

499

Wins

240

Draws

113

Losses

146

Points

833

Source: Transfermarkt

It was a decision even more brutal than the one that ended Postecoglou’s reign. As journalist Alex Keble described him, Pochettino was a “genius” and a “very rare example of a manager genuinely being too good for a club.”

The Argentine later admitted he was shocked by Levy’s departure this week, reflecting fondly on their “very good” relationship.

After leaving Spurs, he managed PSG and then Chelsea, before taking charge of the US men’s national team.

His tactical philosophy remains consistent: a 4-2-3-1 built on pressing, playing out from the back, and suffocating opponents with relentless energy.

Pochettino gave Spurs an identity that carried them to the edge of greatness. Levy’s decision to sack him months after their greatest modern achievement left scars that arguably linger to this day.

It is unclear where Spurs go from here, but they undoubtedly have the commercial base to become something new altogether.

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“He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks,” Najmul Hossain Shanto says of Mushfiqur Rahim, who has a highest score of 37 in his last 12 Test innings

Mohammad Isam24-Apr-2025

From his horrendous shot to get out at the start of the fourth day to the increased salaries the players now get to the market value of Bangladesh cricket, the questions were varied and came to Najmul Hossain Shanto like gunfire at the press conference following the Sylhet Test defeat to Zimbabwe.He was upfront about the shot he had played and the impact it had on the game, but fumbled for answers to the trickier questions. Transitions could be brutal on captains, especially when you have lost to a lower-ranked, unfancied side.”It was my fault that we lost the match, that’s the truth,” Shanto said. “My wicket early in the morning [off the second ball of the day] ruined the whole match for us. If we [Shanto and Jaker Ali] had added 50 or 60 more runs at that time, we would be in a better position. I don’t want to blame anyone else. I am taking all the responsibilities since my dismissal came at a very bad time. I always think about taking scoring opportunities. Maybe I could have taken more time [before playing my shots]. But I will play that shot [again], maybe the timing wasn’t right [on this occasion].”Related

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Shanto fell when he attempted to pull a short delivery outside off from Blessing Muzarabani and ended up sending a leading edge to deep fine leg. But there were specialist batters left at 194 for 5. While Jaker continued his good touch in Tests, Shanto’s deputy Mehidy Hasan Miraz was troubled by Zimbabwe’s short-ball plan even as he tried to score quickly. He was one of the three wickets that Bangladesh lost in the first half-hour.Bangladesh were guilty of not showing enough application, Shanto said, especially against Muzarabani, who finished with career-best match figures of 9 for 122.”Of course, he [Muzarabani] bowled well, and there is some added advantage due to his height. But still, the batting unit should have taken a bit more responsibility,” Shanto said. “We should have planned a bit better against him. He’s their main bowler. It was necessary to handle his spells [better]. I think we did it for some time but that was not enough.”Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim dilemmaBangladesh are also grappling with Mushfiqur Rahim’s batting form. He is the veteran of the side, the last link to the previous era, but hasn’t scored much since the 191 against Pakistan in the ten-wicket win in Rawalpindi last August. There is also the matter of Mushfiqur being just five Tests away from becoming the first Bangladesh cricketer to play 100 Tests.Mehidy Hasan Miraz finished with ten wickets for the Test•AFP/Getty Images

But a best of 37 in his last 12 Test innings means Mushfiqur’s place in the team is far from guaranteed, milestone or not.”He is an experienced cricketer. He is not only contributing with his batting, he is a part of the planning group as well when we field,” Shanto said. “He helps the batters. He talks a lot during training. Of course, his batting is important. I am not thinking about his milestone or achievements from the past, I don’t think he is either. I hope, with one match remaining, he will make a comeback. I am not giving up hope. He has been in poor form in the past and made comebacks.”Shanto also defended their choice of pitch in Sylhet, which had more pace and carry than pitches in the country usually do. “I don’t think we should take home advantage to such a great extent just because we have lost a match. I think we should play on this type of pitch against this opposition.”The bright spot for Bangladesh, not for the first time, was their spin bowling. Mehidy picked up ten wickets in the Test – becoming the third Bangladeshi to get to 200 Test wickets in the process – and Taijul Islam took two, both in the second innings, as Bangladesh made it tough for Zimbabwe. “Miraz and Taijul tried hard and they bowled extremely well,” Shanto said. “Credit must be given. But I think there weren’t enough runs on the board.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Neste domingo (13), logo mais, às 11h, o Galo entra em campo contra o Bahia pela 19° rodada do Brasileirão. Jogo marca a partida de número 200 do goleiro Éverson.

O goleiro já está em sua quarta temporada com a camisa atleticana. De lá para cá, nesses 199 jogos, foram 110 vitórias, 51 empates e 38 derrotas. Éverson ficou marcado no Galo pela sua qualidade com os pés e por ser um bom pegador de pênaltis. Pelo Atlético, defendeu 11 cobranças.

Os bons momentos do jogador renderam até uma convocação para a Seleção Brasileira. Éverson foi lembrado na lista de Tite, ex-comandante do Brasil.

– O tempo passa muito rápido, já estou na minha quarta temporada e ter a oportunidade de realizar a minha partida de número 200 pelo clube é um enorme orgulho. Me sinto uma pessoa privilegiada e sou extremamente grato por entrar em campo e poder representar o nosso apaixonado torcedor – disse

Everson pelo Atlético Mineiro

2023
45 jogos
15 partidas sem tomar gol
3 pênaltis defendidos
21 vitórias
13 empates
11 derrotas

2022
58 jogos
24 partidas sem tomar gol
4 pênaltis defendidos
28 vitórias
18 empates
12 derrotas

2021
68 jogos
34 partidas sem tomar gol
4 pênaltis defendidos
47 vitórias
13 empates
8 derrotas

2020
28 jogos
9 partidas sem tomar gol
1 assistência
14 vitórias
7 empates
7 derrotas

Pênaltis defendidos

2023
3 pênaltis defendidos
2 no tempo normal
1 em disputas de pênaltis
Caldense, pela 1ª rodada do Campeonato Mineiro
América Mineiro, pelo jogo de volta da final do Campeonato Mineiro
Corinthians, pelo jogo de volta das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil

2022
4 pênaltis defendidos
1 no tempo normal
3 em disputas de pênaltis Flamengo (3x), pela Supercopa do Brasil
América Mineiro, pela 24ª rodada do Brasileirão

2021
4 pênaltis defendidos
2 no tempo normal
2 em disputas de pênaltisRemo, pela 3ª fase da Copa do Brasil
Boca Juniors (2x), pelas oitavas da Libertadores
Palmeiras, pela 35ª rodada do Brasileirão

Títulos
Campeonato Brasileiro (2021)
Copa do Brasil (2021)
Supercopa do Brasil (2022)
Campeonato Mineiro (2021, 2022 e 2023)

+Presidente do Galo reclama da arbitragem escalada para jogo contra o Bahia

It would be an understatement to suggest that West Ham United have had a bad start to the season this year.

Sure, the Hammers managed to pull off an impressive 3-0 win away to Nottingham Forest before the international break, but they’ve lost every other game.

The East Londoners are currently sitting in the relegation zone with a goal difference of negative seven, and as things stand, it’s hard to see where the next win is going to come from.

However, Graham Potter can certainly make things easier for his side and give himself a better chance og keeping his job by axing a certain player from the starting lineup.

West Ham's underperformers

Unfortunately for Potter and Co, there are more than a handful of players who’ve looked entirely out of sorts so far this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

One of those is undoubtedly Mads Hermansen, as even though he wasn’t to blame for the loss away to Sunderland, and even pulled off a fine stop early on in that match, he’s since been a real hazard between the sticks.

For example, according to FBref, his save percentage has fallen from 64.5% for Leicester City last season to just 45% this year.

Another struggling member of the defensive unit has been Max Kilman, who has started all four league games this season, in which the team have conceded a whopping 11 goals.

Moreover, in the game against Spurs, he lost 100% of his ground duels, misplaced five of six long balls, failed in 100% of his attempted dribbles and didn’t make a single tackle or interception.

However, there is another regular starter in the side who simply has to be dropped for the next game, and for Potter’s own future.

The West Ham star Potter has to drop

While there are likely a few other names that could be mentioned here, we are talking about James Ward-Prowse.

The former Southampton captain joined the Hammers for £30m in the summer of 2023, and while there have certainly been some decent performances from the 30-year-old since, it would be hard to describe his move as anything other than a failure.

Indeed, in the words of former Hammers midfielder Martin Allen, when Ward-Prowse arrived, he could have done a job “similar to Mark Noble” in claret and blue but unfortunately it hasn’t panned out that way.

After all, he was sent out on loan to Forest last season, and then even at the City Ground, he was such an afterthought that he moved back to the London Stadium in early February.

Since then, the 11-capped Englishman has been a constant in the team and has started all five games this season, although once again, considering the results, that is not an indication of his quality.

In fact, many fans are now desperate for the manager to remove the former Saints star from the lineup, as while he was once considered “the best in the Premier League” for set-pieces, per Jamie Carragher, he now appears to offer very little.

Appearances

4

Minutes

325

Expected Goals

0.11

Goals

0

Expected Assists

0.69

Assists

0

Shots

0.3

Duels Won

57%

Successful Dribbles

0

Dribbled pas per Game

0.5

Accurate Crosses

50%

For example, he has yet to register a goal or assist this season, averaging just 2.5 key passes, creating only two big chances, and being accurate in 50% of his crosses.

Moreover, he does not have the agility or speed to play in a deeper midfield role, so he cannot even really help out with the defensive side of the game either.

A perfect example of his lack of speed came last season when Arsenal’s David Raya beat him to the ball from a corner he had come up for, and if an outfield player is slower than a goalkeeper, that is more than a little worrying.

Finally, it shouldn’t even be a tough decision to remove the Portsmouth-born midfielder from the side, as the highly-rated Soungoutou Magassa just joined the club and would surely do so much more.

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Ultimately, Ward-Prowse is a talented player and someone with a career most players would love to have, but the end of last season and the start of this one have proven that he must be dropped from the side.

DC fast bowler also said changing the ball after ten overs in the chase was helping control the ball better

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Apr-20254:56

Mohit Sharma: ‘Preparation is my greatest strength’

Delhi Capitals (DC) fast bowler Mohit Sharma is enjoying the use of saliva on the ball again and says the ball is reverse swinging more in IPL 2025 after the rule was changed for this season.Another rule to come into effect this IPL was giving the team bowling second the option of changing the ball after ten overs – whether there was dew or not – which is also “making a difference” for the bowlers.When asked on the eve of DC’s next game, against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in Delhi, if the use of saliva was making a difference, Mohit said: “100%. In 70% of the games, the ball is tailing in and it’s only because the saliva is heavy, and our sweat is not so heavy. If the ball is heavier on one side it will tail in. Right now, there’s not as much dew in most grounds to say that the wet ball is also reverse swing.”The ICC had banned the usage of saliva on the ball five years ago, a rule which was followed by the member boards across all levels of cricket, because of Covid-19. Just before the start of this season, the IPL authorities changed the rule back to allow its use again after the majority of IPL captains called for the change.Related

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Along with that, they also introduced the rule of letting the bowling captain change the ball in the second half of the chase, mainly to offset the effect of dew on the ball, as a wet ball is harder to grip and control. The bowling team can choose to change the ball any time after the tenth over in the second innings, whether there is dew or not.It was seen recently in DC’s last game when they hosted Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday. With considerable dew around in Delhi, MI opted to change the ball after 13 overs when DC needed 61 to win from 42 balls with six wickets in hand, and brought back legspinner Karn Sharma. He got turn straightaway with the dry ball and had Tristan Stubbs miscue the third ball of the over to Naman Dhir.”There’s help (after the ball is changed) and we saw it in the last game too,” Mohit said. “The first ball had been used for 12 overs and was a little wet because dew had started to settle in when our innings had ended. There was more dew in the second innings. And later the 13th or 14th over Karn bowled, the ball turned to Stubbs.”So definitely the second ball, which is harder, makes a difference although by the 15th-16th over, the ball’s condition is like the first one. But being a bowler, 100% there’s a difference. Like if I’m bowling the 14th or 15th over after the ball change, I’ll be more confident of bowling a yorker because the ball is dry, it won’t slip.”

It’s hard work vs natural talent for many, thunderous strikes vs magical moments for others and a debate that has stolen the spotlight for more than 15 years. There has not been anyone close to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in this current era of football and perhaps even history. Separating the two is, therefore, an almost impossible task.

The duo are still very much competing too, even if it’s not for the Ballon d’Or these days. In the September international break, Messi thought he grabbed the headlines with his brace in what could be his final appearance for the national team in his home country of Argentina, only for Ronaldo to swiftly respond by doing the same for Portugal a day later.

Ronaldo, himself, recently spoke about the affection that he has for Messi after years of competing against the former Barcelona star at the very top level.

He told reporters: “Of course I have affection for Leo Messi. We’ve been on stage together for 15 years. I remember translating English for him at the Galas because he didn’t speak English well. He always treated me well and respected me.”

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Messi has also shown the same respect to his rival when speaking to reporters, saying: “I have a lot of respect and admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo and for the career he’s had and continues to have, because he’s still competing at the highest level.”

It’s a rivalry that is ending with the utmost respect, but also one that almost everyone has had their say on – even former boxing world champion Anthony Joshua.

Anthony Joshua weighs in on Messi vs Ronaldo

Not one for pulling his punches, Joshua admitted that he believes that Ronaldo is better than Messi, because he works harder than the World Cup-winning legend.

It’s perhaps the type of hard work that one of Britain’s greatest boxers can relate to, having gone from narrowly avoiding a prison sentence at a young age to defeating the iconic Wladimir Klitschko in 2017 in front of a packed Wembley crowd.

With five Ballon d’Ors to his name, to say that Ronaldo’s hard work paid off would be an incredible understatement. The Al-Nassr winger, even at 40 years old, has the physical conditioning of a player at the peak of their powers.

With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, football’s biggest stage could see its two greatest icons collide one final time. It’s then that AJ and others could get their answer as to just who takes the crown.

Ruben Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 system at Manchester United has certainly divided fans, and the jury is still out as to whether it works or not. One of the major changes to the system compared to previous great United teams over the years is the midfield.

Amorim operates with two number sixes in a double pivot, with two number 10s ahead of those, either side of the striker. He has adapted Bruno Fernandes’ game, with the talismanic United midfielder now playing in that pivot, rather than close to goal, where he has had lots of previous success for the club.

Another player who has been affected by the different system is Kobbie Mainoo.

Why Kobbie Mainoo is in an awkward situation

It has certainly not been the easiest season for one of the most exciting young midfielders in the world, Mainoo. The 20-year-old ranked 36th in the recent Golden Boy awards, highlighting just how big a talent he is.

However, the 2025/26 season has not been plain sailing for Mainoo, through no fault of his own. The boyhood United star has only played 166 minutes across five games this term, and has registered an assist in that time. He’s yet to start a Premier League game.

Well, many United fans are confused as to why the England international cannot break into their starting lineup. Former Red Devils midfielder Owen Hargreaves said after the Manchester derby that he’ll “never know” why Amoirm isn’t picking Mainoo.

Indeed, it is strange, given the young midfielder’s exploits during his short career so far. The 20-year-old has started a final at a major tournament for England and scored an FA Cup final-winning goal.

Mainoo’s lack of involvement at United this season has certainly been disappointing, given his obvious talent, and left him in an awkward situation. Interestingly, there was a former United midfielder who was ahead of him at one stage.

The ex-midfielder ahead of Mainoo

Although Mainoo has not been given any opportunities this season, the 20-year-old is without doubt a huge talent. He could certainly be viewed as the heir in line to the throne when it comes to legendary United midfielders.

Well, before Mainoo made his first-team debut, there was someone else who could have staked a claim to that title. Fellow academy graduate Zidane Iqbal made his first-team debut just under a year before the England international, but did not quite follow the same career path.

Iqbal’s only game for United came in the Champions League against BSC Young Boys. He only played one minute of normal time, and never failed to get onto the pitch again, despite being on the bench several times.

The Iraqi international left the club for Dutch side FC Utrecht in 2023 and was sold for just £857k. He has since gone on to make a real impression for the Eredivisie side, making 41 appearances and scoring once.

The midfielder’s best skill is his passing, which has really shone during his time in the Netherlands. Last season, he averaged 6.58 progressive passes and 5.4 passes into the final third per 90 minutes, ranking him in the top 11% and 16% respectively, of midfielders in the Dutch top flight.

Pass completed

46.21

83rd

Pass accuracy

88.3%

98th

Progressive passes

6.58

89th

Passes into final third

5.4

84th

Passes into penalty box

1.18

74th

If Iqbal had stayed at Old Trafford and been given a chance to show off his talent, he could have been the natural successor to the famous number 18 shirt. That has previously been worn by midfield maestros Fernandes and, earlier, Paul Scholes.

Interestingly, the Iraqi international looked up to Scholes as a youngster. He once explained, “I’d kind of just base my game off him and put myself in his shoes”, which is not a bad way to learn the art of control in midfield.

Well, to wear the number 18 shirt as a creative midfielder at United, you really do need to be a player capable of pulling the strings. Fernandes has 86 assists in Red so far, and the legendary Scholes amassed 82, per Transfermarkt.

The stats show just how well Iqbal can dictate the game in midfield. He has proven himself to be a true controller of the midfield in a top league, and surely could have been considered worthy enough of donning that famous number 18 shirt.

United fans can only look back on this as what could have been. Iqbal was ahead of Mainoo in his development and perhaps could have formed the perfect partnership alongside the 20-year-old, with the number 18 on his back.

Bigger mistake than McTominay: Man Utd sold their own Trent for just £5m

Man Utd’s recruitment record has been called into question, with Scott McTominay not the only former star now shining…

ByRobbie Walls Sep 23, 2025

An “incredible” star turned down a late move to Aston Villa after they expressed a willingness to fork out £43m, it has been revealed.

Villa in need of fresh injection of quality

Emery has undoubtedly done a fantastic job at Villa, turning around the club’s fortunes by leading them to the Champions League and the Europa League, but the manager clearly needs a fresh injection of quality in his squad.

It has been a slow start to the season for the Villans, losing two and drawing one of their opening three Premier League games, during which time they failed to score a single goal, which meant it was a busy deadline day for Emery.

Perhaps in light of his side’s attacking issues in the first three matches, the Spaniard opted to bring in two new attackers, with winger Jadon Sancho arriving on loan from Manchester United, alongside Liverpool attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott.

However, one position in which Aston Villa were unable to strengthen was between the sticks, and in the end they didn’t need to, with Emiliano Martinez remaining at the club.

It has since been widely reported that Martinez was actively seeking a deadline day move to Manchester United, phoning international teammate Lisandro Martinez to advocate for him, but the Red Devils ended up signing Senne Lammens instead.

With the Argentinian seeking a departure, Villa were looking to bring in a replacement, and a report from Record (via Sport Witness) has revealed they agreed to shell out €50m (£43m) for FC Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Aston Villa struck gold on "machine" who's worth more than Elliott & Sancho

Aston Villa have certainly hit gold on this unbelievable star, who is worth more than both new recruits Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho.

By
Kelan Sarson

Sep 2, 2025

Costa was being targeted as a replacement for Martinez, but Emery’s side were unable to get a deal over the line, with the Portuguese shot-stopper rejecting a move to Villa Park in the final days of the window.

"Incredible" Costa could have been ideal Martinez replacement

Ultimately, Emery didn’t need to bring in an immediate replacement for Martinez, with a move to United failing to transpire, but it remains to be seen whether the Argentina international has a long-term future at the club.

The 33-year-old was clearly agitating for a move on deadline day, and in some ways it is disappointing that a deal didn’t go through, given that there is little point keeping a wantaway player on the books.

Not only that, but missing out on the Porto goalkeeper is a blow for Emery, given that the 25-year-old has put in some top-quality performances during his time with his boyhood club.

Having also amassed 36 caps for national side Portugal, and been described as “incredible” by compatriot Diogo Dalot, Costa could’ve been an ideal long-term replacement for Martinez, but Aston Villa will now have to wait until January at the earliest to pursue a deal.

Somerset 184 and 103 for 1 (Dickson 55*, Fuller 1-23) trail Hampshire 336 (Gubbins 82, Dawson 72, Pretorius 5-64) by 49 runs Migael Pretorius’ bowling and Sean Dickson’s batting swung the advantage away from Hampshire in their Rothesay County Championship fixture with Somerset.South African Pretorius picked up 5 for 64 as Somerset only allowed the hosts a first innings lead of 152, despite Nick Gubbins’ 82 and Liam Dawson’s 72.That edge was whittled down to 49 for the loss of just Archie Vaughan as Dickson ended his start-of-the-season drought with a calm unbeaten half-century before the dingy light descended on the Utilita Bowl.Hampshire began the day with a 10-run lead and the hopes of a large extension of that, which would mean they could win the match without batting again.But Tom Lammonby’s work with the old ball and then Pretorius’ with the new stymied them – despite managing to pick up two batting bonus points.Gubbins and Dawson had ground out a 76-run partnership the previous evening, but opened up a little in the morning – with the former taking a particular liking to Alfie Ogborne.The stand grew to 125 in a demoralising first half an hour of the day for Somerset – which also saw Dawson dropped by Tom Abell at midwicket – before the visitors began to fight back.Left-armer Lammonby had only bowled five wicketless overs in the opening two matches of the season, but his two maiden overs on the second evening had been the best on show for his side. He found good movement with the old ball and struck three times before the 80th over.Gubbins got stuck on the crease and was plumb lbw, Dawson couldn’t keep a cut shot down and was well held by Vaughan, and Brett Hampton lasted three balls before he was leg-before to a ball that swung back.Ben Brown was the constant as three of the last four batters reached double-figures in quick time but couldn’t stick around. James Fuller went first and hit 15 in 21 balls, including two stunning cover drives, but departed in the fifth over of the new cherry, as Pretorius nibbled one in to take the edge to second slip.Toby Albert – who dropped down the order because a back spasm – was lbw while falling over an angled in ball from Pretorius.And after Kyle Abbott had whacked an 11-ball 20, Pretorius completed his second five-wicket haul for Somerset with a legside catch behind to James Rew.Ogborne ended the innings when Brad Wheal – after 19 off 16 – had his stumps rearranged, leaving Brown on 30 and still yet to be dismissed on his home ground as club captain.A lead of 152 would have been below Hampshire’s hopes, but still large enough to mount a victory effort. But an increasingly flat pitch and a stout top-order batting performance quelled their hopes of a quick victory, and made the draw the favourite result, especially with rain forecast on the final day.Vaughan and Dickson’s opening partnerships list had read a dismal: 21, 14, 4 and 14 but they roused to 50 with little fuss. Vaughan departed after looping a catch up for deep square leg for the second match in a row, but Dickson battened down the hatches and refused to give away his wicket.The former Kent batter had a top score of 11 in five innings this season but never looked in danger – except for a wild unprovoked swing which barely missed his leg stump – to reach his fourth fifty for Somerset in 108 balls.Bad light brought tea forward by 10 minutes, and when they belatedly returned, only four overs of spin were possible before things turned terminally dark.