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Everton manager David Moyes finally completed a deal to bring Thierno Barry to the club from Villarreal.

A fee of £27m was spent to sign the Frenchman, but given his eye for goal in La Liga last term, it could turn into a bargain.

Next up for Moyes is adding another midfielder or two to his squad in the coming weeks. John McGinn has been heavily linked with a move to Merseyside.

He isn’t the only midfield option that Everton have been linked with, however, as Moyes also has his eyes on two former Premier League stars.

Everton’s search for a midfielder

According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Everton are showing interest in bringing Douglas Luiz back to England 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.

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He has been discussed internally at Everton, alongside McGinn, while Moyes could be set to target an ambitious move for Joao Palhinha – with the Portuguese also named as one of those under consideration.

The Bayern Munich midfielder hasn’t settled in Bavaria, which could open the door for Moyes to make a swoop this summer.

This experience abroad will have enhanced Palhinha’s skills, no doubt about that. The question is, could he be a better signing than McGinn for the Toffees?

Why Everton must sign Joao Palhinha

McGinn would be a fine signing, for that there is no doubt. Across 203 Premier League appearances, the Scot has scored 17 goals and grabbed 25 assists for Villa.

He will turn 31 in October, however, and while McGinn certainly has a few years left at the very top of the game, Moyes would be best to make a move for Palhinha, who offers more from a defensive point of view.

The Toffees conceded 53 goals last season across 42 matches. Not the worst return, but there is room for improvement.

When compared to his positional peers during his final Premier League campaign for Fulham in 2023/24, Palhinha ranked in the top 1% for tackles (5.07) per 90, while also ranking in the top 8% for interceptions (1.53) and in the top 10% for blocks (1.9) that season.

He may have only started six Bundesliga games for Bayern last term, but the Portuguese midfielder still won 58% of his total duels contested, while losing possession just 3.4 times per match.

Joao Palhinha’s stats for Fulham in 2023/24 (Per 90 in the Premier League)

Accurate passes

33.2

Tackles

4.6

Interceptions

1.4

Total duels won

7.6

Possession lost

9.1

Balls recovered

5.9

Via Sofascore

Hailed by journalist Dom Smith as “world-class” in November 2023, it was always going to be difficult for Fulham to keep one of their star men.

After just a single season in Germany, it appears as though Palhinha could be available this summer.

McGinn would offer plenty in the final third, but with Barry arriving, plus at least another couple more attacking players, Moyes must add some solidity to the midfield, especially after losing Abdoulaye Doucoure.

As such, signing a player such as Palhinha could turn into a stroke of genius by the manager given his previous success in the English top flight.

Related The dream squad Everton can build: £88m quintet & "beast" sign after Barry

A look at how Everton’s dream squad could shape up next season

Posts 1 ByJoe Nuttall Jul 10, 2025

Much will depend on the fee, but if it is within the club’s price range, Palhinha could be a fantastic signing, turning out to be even better than McGinn.

Related Moyes' own Palmer: Everton enter race for "special" £35m McAtee alternative

Everton are making sweeping changes in the summer transfer market.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 11, 2025

After a slow start to the summer transfer window for Arsenal, they look as though they’re closing in on sealing two signings.

Kepa Arrizabalaga’s move from Chelsea to the Emirates Stadium won’t exactly be met with much fanfare considering he’s there to play second fiddle to David Raya, but it’s an important move nonetheless.

At just £5m, the Gunners have found a replacement for Neto and due to the price, it frees up money to spend elsewhere, hopefully on a wealth of attacking reinforcements.

The other arrival will see another Spaniard in the form of Martin Zubimendi head to North London. At just over £50m, that move is certainly a more exciting ones but he’s not the only midfielder who could arrive.

Arsenal looking to sign another midfielder after Zubimendi

Last summer, it looked as though Zubimendi was going to head to Liverpool. Sadly for the Anfield side, he did not. Whether or not he regrets that decision based on Arne Slot’s title success is unknown.

Transfer Focus

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

Well, a year on, he will now finally head to England, but it won’t be the red of Liverpool he’ll be donning. Instead, it’s the red of Arsenal.

The Gunners first made their move to sign the Spain international last January when they signalled their intentions to trigger his £51m release clause at Real Sociedad. Since then, an agreement has been tied up that will see the club spend a tiny bit more than that exit clause so they can pay it in instalments.

Zubimendi was reportedly in London over the weekend to wrap up the formalities of his move.

Yet, he could well be joined in the middle of the park next season by Brentford’s Christian Norgaard. That’s according to a number of sources, notably the Athletic’s David Ornstein.

He reported on Wednesday afternoon that Arsenal are “exploring” a deal to sign the Dane and have lodged their first offer, believed to be around €11m (£9m).

Fabrizio Romano furthered those claims by revealing on social media that the 31-year-old “wants to join Arsenal” this summer, so much so that personal terms have already been agreed between player and club.

Since then, BBC Sports’ Sami Mokbel has revealed that an agreement could be reached at £15m, including add-ons. A move appears to be advancing quickly, with Ornstein later reporting on Wednesday evening that the Gunners are now in the process of ‘finalising’ a deal to sign the player. A medical is also in the process of being planned.

Why Norgaard would be a good signing for Arsenal

With Jorginho having left the Emirates on a free transfer, heading to Flamengo, and Thomas Partey increasingly unlikely to sign a new deal, Arsenal need two midfielders.

Zubimendi ticks one box and in the form of Norgaard, although this would be a surprising move, it certainly makes a lot of sense.

Like Kepa, Arsenal would not be spending a bucket load on improving the squad and thus, would be leaving room to spend where it really matters this summer; on a new striker.

So, what could Norgaard offer to Mikel Arteta’s midfield? Well, like the departing Jorginho and Partey, he’s got a wealth of experience and, pivotally, he’s played in England for a long time now.

He signed for Brentford back in 2019 and has since gone on to feature 196 times for the Bees, playing 122 times in the Premier League.

34 of those top-flight outings came in 2024/25 where he scored five goals and also supplied four assists.

A holding midfielder who also chips in with goals and assists, there is reason to believe that Arteta could be signing a more experienced version of Declan Rice here.

Arsenal podcaster, Alex Moneypenny, who has appeared on Sky Sports and BBC Sport, outlines the Dane’s qualities perfectly. He’s a “search and destroyer”, a midfielder who specialises in “progressive passing”.

That’s backed up by the numbers with Norgaard ranking among the best holding midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive passing distance. In fact, he ranks almost identically to Zubimendi in this category.

The ability to turn the ball over from deep or in more advanced areas certainly makes him like Rice, as does the ability to progress play. Captain of Brentford too, he’s got the natural leadership skills that Arsenal’s record signing boasts.

But, what do the statistics say?

Goals

0.16

0.13

Assists

0.13

0.22

Goal-creating actions

0.42

0.32

Pass success rate

82%

83%

Progressive passes

4.92

6.11

Passes into final 3rd

4.38

4.36

Tackles

2.52

1.69

Succesful take-ons

0.22

0.42

With the benefit of playing further forward and taking set-pieces, Rice does better Brentford’s captain for assists and successful take-ons. It’s in the passing department where they are most alike.

They complete a similar percentage of their passes per 90 minutes and there’s not a huge difference between the number of those passes that are progressive in nature.

So, while a move of this nature is hardly going to blow supporters away, he’d be a steady pair of hands just like Jorginho was. If he hits the ground running like Rice did too, fans will soon take to the Bees star.

Better than Williams: Arsenal open talks to sign ex-Spurs player for £50m

The dynamic winger could provide Arsenal with another avenue of attack next season.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 24, 2025

Manchester United just about managed to salvage a share of the points away at AFC Bournemouth on Sunday as Rasmus Hojlund broke free of his wretched luck in front of goal in the Premier League to rescue a 1-1 draw.

The Cherries were hanging onto their 1-0 slim lead after Evanilson saw red on the 70th minute mark and must have thought United’s wastefulness in attack was going to be their saving grace, only for the usually misfiring Dane to level the game right at the death.

Whilst the 22-year-old was the unlikely hero come the full-time whistle, a draw might still be deemed as an unsatisfactory result based on the away side’s lack of composure up top ,robbing them of a much-needed victory.

Man United's wasteful attackers vs Bournemouth

In total, Ruben Amorim’s men would notch up a hefty 25 shots on the Cherries’ goal, with Hojlund’s effort amazingly the only one that ended up beating the consistently switched-on Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Away from accumulating a stunning seven key passes to try and set up his teammates for opportunities, Bruno Fernandes will feel irked that he didn’t manage to beat Kepa like his Danish teammate, with three efforts unfortunately passing him by on the South Coast.

Likewise, Hojlund will feel somewhat annoyed that he couldn’t pick up a whole host of strikes, with the goal-shy number 9 failing to get involved in the contest for large portions of the 90 minutes, leading to his only effort on the day being the golden one that trickled in.

But, there was a far worse culprit than both of these attackers when it came to squandering chances against Andoni Iraola’s open hosts, with Amorim now clamouring for Wolverhampton Wanderers superstar Matheus Cunha’s signature even more so off the back of this underperformer lacking a clinical edge.

5/10 Man Utd could soon be replaced by Cunha

Whilst United’s wastefulness reared its ugly head once more during the 1-1 draw, Cunha showed off his spellbinding ability in attack again for Wolves at the weekend, with the ex-Atletico Madrid ace picking up a goal and two assists in his side’s convincing 3-0 takedown of Leicester City.

With it reported that the Brazilian could be on his way to Old Trafford, Fernandes would likely not be sacrificed for Cunha to take up a first-team spot.

As a result, his comrade in the attacking positions in Alejandro Garnacho could be the casualty, with his showing against Bournemouth leaving a lot to be desired.

As is outlined above, Garnacho is now up to a dire 14 big chances missed this season, with his game in the forward areas against Iraola’s men screaming of an attacker low on confidence when the heat is ramped up.

The South American forward ended the game having been handed a low 5/10 rating post-match by Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst and it was unsurprising to see why.

He fired a mammoth eight shots at the Cherries net without ever beating Kepa, meaning his goal count for the season in the Premier League is stuck at a paltry five. Furthermore, he won just four of his seven duels and gave away the ball 13 times, once every 3.7 touches.

Garnacho’s PL numbers (24/25) vs Cunha’s
Stat	Garnacho	Cunha
Games played	33	29
Goals scored	5	15
Assists	1	6
Expected goals (xG)	7.02 xG	7.86 xG
Goalscoring frequency	411 mins	156 mins
Big chances missed	14	2
Big chances created	3	12
Stats by Sofascore

Whereas, moving back to Molineux, Cunha finds himself on a mightily impressive 21 goal contributions for the campaign from 29 clashes, with Amorim well aware that the Brazilian’s arrival onto the scene would see Garnacho instantly drop out of the XI.

It remains to be seen whether United can win their desired man away from rampant speculation, but if they are successful in their pursuit, he could be one piece of the jigsaw that enables Amorim’s Red Devils to recapture their former glories.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: Man Utd are in talks to sign a "monster" CM

Manchester United could land a star who would be perfect for Matheu Cunha this summer.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 25, 2025

Manchester United have submitted a £64 million bid to sign a “powerhouse” player ahead of interest from Arsenal and Chelsea this summer, according to a recent report.

Ruben Amorim responds to Gary Neville's criticism

The Red Devils played out a 0-0 draw against rivals Manchester City on Sunday afternoon in what was a dull affair for a Manchester Derby. After the game, former United player and captain Gary Neville stated that United need as many as “five new signings” this summer to help Amorim.

Not just Bruno: Amorim's "key" Man Utd star just showed he’s undroppable

Man Utd played out a 0-0 draw against Man City

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 7, 2025

Neville told Sky Sports: “I do understand why Ruben Amorim’s done that today, with the players he’s got, because he hasn’t got the players to adapt. They need five new players straight away before you even think about the rest of it.

“The three up front are not good enough, and the two wing-backs, they’re not good enough. They need five players. They need to serve him with five players who are good enough in this system to be able to play his system the way he wants.”

Then, speaking in his post-match press conference, Amorim responded by stating that he knows Neville is “critical about everything”: “I understand that Gary Neville is critical about everything. I understand that we are having the worst season in history.

“Manchester City won everything in the past, but this season they are struggling. So, we are not in the best of moments to give the best spectacle to fans. We are not fighting for the big things; it’s different.

“I understand the critical aspect of the players who played in this game in a different way because they were fighting every time for the titles. It’s a different context.”

Man Utd submit £64m bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres despite Arsenal green light

If – as Neville says – United need five new additions, INEOS could be working on one of those potential arrivals already. According to a report from Spain, Man United have made a £64 million bid to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

The report states that United have positioned themselves as one of the teams most interested in signing the Sweden international, but they face competition from Chelsea, as they have also tabled an offer for the striker. Both Premier League teams have made an offer worth 75 million euros, while the player himself has given the green light for Arsenal to sign him, although this report does not mention the Gunners making a bid.

The Red Devils will hope to have an edge in this race, as Amorim worked with Gyokeres at Sporting and seemed to get the very best out of him. United want to sign Gyokeres, who has been dubbed a “powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson, as they believe he will be a huge uprgade on struggling stars Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee.

Gyokeres

Hojlund

Apps

26

26

Starts

24

18

Goals

30

3

Goals per 90

1.24

0.17

Total shots

109

21

Shots per 90

4.51

1.22

Shots on target

60

9

Goals per shot

0.17

0.14

The potential arrival of Gyokeres at Old Trafford would surely spell the end for Hojlund, who, despite scoring against Leicester City before the international break, failed to make any significant impact in the Manchester Derby.

It is just three goals in 26 league games this season for Hojlund, who was subbed off on Sunday once again, and Amorim knows that if he has any chance of being a success, he needs to have a striker with a better success rate in front of goal, which Gyokeres has, given he’s got 30 goals in 26 league games.

Tottenham Hotspur and chairman Daniel Levy are making transfer plans ahead of the looming summer window, with a report now suggesting Spurs have their eyes on a West Ham United star.

Tottenham's rumoured transfer plans amid Postecoglou uncertainty

The Telegraph’s Matt Law has already reported that the Lilywhites are facing a potentially difficult ‘sell to buy’ style window, so the club are carefully planning their targets amid the very uncertain future of manager Ange Postecoglou.

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They’ve reached an agreement to mutually part ways.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 29, 2025

While Postecoglou faces the looming threat of being sacked by Spurs, regardless of their Europa League campaign (The Telegraph), the Lilywhites are running out of time to prepare for the special limited-edition first summer window of 2025, which will open from June 1st to June 10th.

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Aston Villa (away)

May 18th

Brighton (home)

May 25th

This gives clubs like Man City and Chelsea an opportunity to sign players before the Club World Cup, but it could also hand Spurs an early opportunity to strengthen the squad, even if it famously isn’t Levy’s style to get deals done early.

Tottenham reportedly want to strengthen their squad across the board, and are one of the many Premier League sides eyeing a move for Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen, who is set to be in high demand thanks to his £50 million release clause (Sky Sports).

Spurs are also targeting Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson, who would apparently be open to joining them (GiveMeSport), but Postecoglou’s side are also keen to bolster their attacking options.

Richarlison could well depart Spurs this summer, and the same can be said of Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon, who don’t appear to have long-term futures at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after spending 2024/2025 out on loan elsewhere.

A permanent deal for Mathys Tel could still be on the cards, with there being confidence both Bayern and the north Londoners can come to an amicable agreement, but the Frenchman may not be their only forward signing.

Tottenham could now bid £51 million for West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen

According to a report from CaughtOffside, West Ham star Jarrod Bowen is of interest to Tottenham.

The England international has bagged nine goals and seven assists in the league this season, standing out for the Irons amid a disappointing campaign, and this has attracted admiring glances from across London.

It is now believed Tottenham could even bid £51 million to sign Bowen from West Ham, but according to other reports, this may not be anywhere near enough. Graham Potter’s side consider Bowen “untouchable”, as per Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor, and West Ham valued their star man at around £100 million just last summer.

Signing him for half that price just one year later is a tall order for Levy, especially considering their fierce rivalry on the field. Called one of the Premier League’s most “underrated” stars of recent years, West Ham are fully aware of his value, and it would surely take a record-breaking bid from Spurs to even get them thinking.

“It’s a little difficult being an allrounder because it seems when the batting picks up, you lose a bit of the bowling, and vice versa”

Vishal Dikshit17-Mar-2024Firstly, how does it feel to have taken so many wickets after your recent injuries and poor health?
It’s obviously good to up my team into the finals. It’s always nice contributing and taking wickets with the new ball. I feel like it’s so important in the T20 format, especially in these leagues, because the top order is so heavy with internationals, especially, and big hits. So I feel like something that’s needed in T20 cricket is wickets, early wickets.Earlier in the tournament you had said your advice to youngsters in the Delhi Capitals squad is ‘work as hard as you can when you are young because when you’re older it’s about being fresh on game days’. Now that you are 34 and there’s cricket happening around the year, how have you had to change your fitness and routines?
For me, it’s actually been downscaling, because I used to train so hard and especially worked so hard on my skills that when there was game day, I was just too tired to actually play. It took a lot of mental work because I’m someone that needs to bowl a certain amount of balls and need to spend a certain amount of time in the nets [batting], otherwise I don’t feel confident. It was more a mindset change knowing that I’ve put in the work even though it’s not as much as it used to be when I was younger because, like I said, now it’s more important for me to be fresh knowing I’ve done that work, not only now but for the last 15 years.You got a lot of swing in the last league game against Gujarat Giants and even Ellyse Perry picked up 6 for 15 with her seam movement. Has it surprised you that pace bowlers have found so much purchase from the pitches in Delhi?
Yes and no. I feel every single wicket we’ve played on has been so different. Even today, I still don’t know if it’s better when you win the toss you bowl first or bat first because the wickets have really been so different. The last game, there was probably a little bit more bounce and movement, yes, but I still felt like it was slow. And the other day, it was extremely flat and nothing in it for pace bowlers or even spinners. You don’t know what to expect.Marizanne Kapp was at her absolute best with the bat in the ODIs in Australia earlier this year•Getty ImagesYou have been particularly effective in the powerplays. How do you prepare for that phase when you know some of the best and hard-hitting batters are going to go after you?
I’ve found if I just stick to what I do best I usually end up with the wickets or being quite economical. There were some games where I went for a bit of runs when I changed what I do well. When I thought they would maybe try and lap or they were going to run at me or step across the line and I try something different, that’s usually when I go for runs. But if they do those things and I stick to what I do best, usually it works out. So I just try and keep it simple, hit my hard back of a length, bowl line and length, and try and bowl as many dot balls as possible.You said after your spell of 3 for 5 against UP Warriorz that you weren’t too happy about your bowling in the last couple of months and you went back and worked on it. Can you tell us what exactly you were unhappy with and what you did to rectify it?
I feel like it’s again a little difficult being an allrounder because it seems when the batting picks up, you lose a bit of the bowling, and vice versa. So I felt like I was probably just leaning back a little bit in the crease while I was bowling the last couple of months and I started slinging a bit more and bowling from lower down. I just went back and looked at some footage of me in the past and tried to be a bit more upright from the crease and the momentum going forward. For me, my biggest weapon is trying to land the ball on the seam and usually when I’m at my best, if I do that, the ball either nips in or out.What are some of the frequently asked questions by the younger Indian players in the Capitals camp?
They sometimes ask if they should have bowled this ball or should have had this field and, usually, I would just tell them what I think. Or I would tell them to first stick to bowling their line and length for as long as possible before they go to their death bowling or, on a wicket where it’s a bit slower and there’s a bigger boundary, bowling it into the wicket rather than going full and straight at the stumps. It’s more little things but in general the girls are quite good with their plans and what they want to do out in the middle.You have been batting higher up for both South Africa and Capitals in recent times. What aspects of batting did you have to keep in mind after this change?
When I started my career, I batted higher up for South Africa in any case. So that’s something that comes to me a little bit easier. In the last couple of years, I’ve just tried to work on finishing games or being there at the back end. So I don’t think it changes too much whether you’re batting a bit higher up or lower down.

“I feel in T20 cricket you sometimes get away with bad technique or bad bowling, whereas in ODI cricket you have to be good at your skills for so much longer”Marizanne Kapp

You said recently your favourite format is still ODI cricket but there’s a T20 World Cup coming up. How is your body shaping up and how much are you looking forward to it?
I still enjoy T20 cricket as well. It’s just that I feel ODI cricket brings out the skills and I feel in T20 cricket you sometimes get away with bad technique or bad bowling, whereas in ODI cricket you have to be good at your skills for so much longer. I still enjoy T20 cricket and I’m looking forward to the World Cup. I feel like my bowling is coming back and the last couple of months the batting has been good as well. So I’m looking forward to the World Cup and hopefully I can contribute a lot more there for South Africa.Since the start of 2023, your T20 batting strike rate is about 120, which is well above your career strike rate [99.24]. Did you consciously change that to keep up with the pace of the game or did it just happen?
If you look at my stats and where I’ve probably batted, when I played most of those matches… me, personally, I don’t look too much into those stats because if you look at the amount of T20s I’ve played for South Africa in the last five years, it’s actually not been a lot. Most of my games have been prior to that and that’s probably when I wasn’t batting as well and batting a lot lower down and not feeling confident about my batting. If you look at the leagues and South Africa the last two years, I feel like my strike rate is even higher than 120. I feel it’s me as a player being a little bit older now, playing more in these leagues and understanding what is needed. I feel like I’ve always had the shots and the power, it’s just believing in my skill a little bit more.We’ve seen your wife Dane van Niekerk wearing the Capitals jersey in the stands. How much does it help to have a fellow cricketer as a partner who understands and knows what it’s like to have a good or bad day on the field?
It helps a lot. I’ve said it previously, especially when it comes to her being a [former South Africa] captain as well. What fields I would want or a lot of times I’ll ask her, ‘what field do you think I need for this batter or if they do this, what do I do then, where do I look to score?’ Yeah, that really helps a lot because obviously Dane has a massive knowledge about cricket and she understands the game so well. Again, in saying that, sometimes as well when I enter the room, I just don’t want to speak about cricket. So every now and then I have to tell her, ‘okay, enough today’.”Dane has a massive knowledge about cricket and she understands the game so well”•Ben Hoskins/ECB/Getty ImagesIt must be tough to see her sitting out when you play international cricket?
Yeah, it’s such a waste of such a talented cricketer, to be sitting on the sidelines. But she’s been working hard and hopefully we’ll see her come back. I feel like she’s too young and too talented to not play international cricket and to not play in these leagues. She has so much knowledge and so much to give back to the game.We’ve heard about the South Africa coaching staff changing. Can you tell us what about the current environment, what has helped you thrive?
For me personally, it’s just the amount of years I’ve spent in international cricket and the leagues I’ve played in. For me, it’s more about the confidence I have in my own skill, what I want to do and obviously I love representing my country and doing well and helping them win. So that has always been my main goal and my main focus.Does the exposure to a different style of coaching change the way you’ve played and how?
Yes, definitely. I think if you not only look at the South African coaching set-up but you get different coaches in all these leagues and everyone gives their input and you see how they do things… as a player, there’s a fine line [when it comes to] allowing people to just change things in your game, but I feel like there’s definitely value in working with different coaches and seeing how they do things. I always say that you have to use the leagues and coaches as you use what you think will work for you; and things that you feel is not going to work, or won’t make an impact, you just push to one side, because I feel like as an international cricketer and especially in the women’s game, there’s a lot of info coming in and you can’t always take everything on board. So you have to be very careful with who and what you listen to and what you try and implement in your own game.

He’s lost three Ranji finals, his body aches and he is a sitting minister – but Tiwary has not stopped dreaming of that elusive title yet

Shashank Kishore04-Jun-2022For the past year, Manoj Tiwary, a sitting minister for youth affairs and sports in West Bengal, has visited his constituency in Shibpur, near Howrah, four days a week. The only exceptions have been for a short while in February-March, for the league phase of the Ranji Trophy, and now, for three weeks, ahead of the quarterfinals.Bengal have made the knockouts for the second straight season. In March 2020, they came heartbreakingly close to winning their first title since the 1989-1990 season, when they had beaten a star-studded Delhi. That 1990 season is remembered for Sourav Ganguly’s grand entry in the final, at the expense of his older brother Snehasish, and current coach Arun Lal’s rich run of form.Two years since the Saurashtra heartbreak, Bengal are trying go one step further and make up for what they couldn’t in Rajkot two years ago. It’s this itch of trying to get his hands on silverware that has kept Tiwary going, despite a wonky back, aching knees, and broken cartilages.Playing the politician – Manoj Tiwary on his campaign run•Manoj TiwaryThe 45-minute drive from Tiwary’s residence in upscale DC Dey Road in EM Bypass to his office at the Secretariat building takes him past Eden Gardens. The glass facade outside the iconic venue has a small photo of the Bengal Ranji champions in a small corner. He wants to put the current team’s photo there.Related

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Saha 'not willing to play' Ranji Trophy knockouts for Bengal

Ranji knockouts: Mumbai are doing Mumbai things again

“This desire to win the Ranji Trophy is still burning bright, it’s that strong sense of achievement and purpose that has kept me going” Tiwary tells ESPNcricinfo. “Growing up, I dreamt of leading Bengal to the title. That couldn’t happen. I then wanted to simply be part of a winning team. We came so close in 2020, but there’s still some unfinished business. I hope we can do it this time. That is my biggest motivation at this stage of my career.”Tiwary has been part of three finals now. In the first in 2005-06, he saw Bengal losing because of a 14-run first-innings deficit to Uttar Pradesh. In 2006-07, they suffered stage fright against Mumbai’s might; Tiwary’s two substantial contributions were the only positives for Bengal in a 132-run defeat.In 2019-20, Tiwary battled with an injured finger after copping a blow trying to evade a short ball. Until the eve of the final, he was withering in pain and had to take painkillers to take the field. Pulling out wasn’t an option, and so he took the field against Saurashtra with pain.”I wanted to play, come what may,” he says. “I have had so many injuries in my career over the years that pain had become second nature by then. I knew if I keep thinking of pain even now, I’m not going to do myself or the team any justice. I did whatever it took to be ready. And similarly, over the last two years, I haven’t let injuries and niggles come in the way of my training.”Even for someone as determined as Tiwary, his body gave him signs to slow down. Late in 2020, a knee injury while in the middle of a weight-training session flared up when his cartilage broke into two fragments. “It was a two-inch piece that broke and was floating inside,” he says. “I took injections to manage the pain and play, but it was really painful. While batting, it hampered my feet movement. I just couldn’t move.”Tiwary gave up playing 50-overs cricket that season to keep himself ready for the Ranji Trophy. Once it became evident the first-class season was going to be a non-starter, he started thinking of other avenues. One of them was IPL commentary in Bengali. While he enjoyed the preparation and the “fun of it”, it “wasn’t the same as playing in it.”Tiwary during his regional IPL commentary gig for Star Sports in Bengali•Manoj TiwaryThis was around the time he got a call from Mamata Banerjee, the current chief minister of West Bengal, to contest in the elections. Over the next four months, he poured in hours and hours of campaigning, often starting at 6am and going on well past midnight, only to repeat the same routine for 45 days at a stretch. It all came to fruition when he was elected as a Member of Parliament from Shibpur, the place he grew up near Howrah.Playing active role in politics while also being a cricketer is unheard of. There have been numerous examples of Indian cricketers entering politics post their playing days – Navjot Sidhu, Kirti Azad and Mohammad Azharuddin come to mind immediately. Tiwary felt he could manage his time well, and the pandemic only helped him set routines that have helped.”I still go through all the files, keep track of work that has been initiated in the constituency, and keep monitoring progress through my team of assistants,” he says. “I’m never switched off that way, even if I’m far away, like now in Bengaluru. I’ve set a routine and my team ensures most things are up to speed. They don’t come to me for every little thing. That allows me to also stay focused on cricket.”Amid his training sessions and constituency work, Tiwary ensures the evenings are free to spend time with his young family. While on tour, it’s his chance to catch up with his mates, many of whom look up to him as an elder brother, for advice. Tiwary, on his part, keeps things light.”You don’t want to keep things too process oriented all the time,” he says. “We enjoy a bit of downtime on tour. We enjoy doing things we like, we bond well. The team spirit and atmosphere within the camp is really good. The previous campaign got us all so close together. We’re a young team and as a senior player, it’s my duty to help them and guide them along the way. I know we’re on the right track. Yes, we didn’t win the trophy two years ago, but if we keep doing what we’ve done so far, it’s just a matter of time.”

Worcestershire reliant on top-order fireworks after back-to-back finals

Matt Roller26-Aug-2020

Birmingham Bears

Last year: 8th in North Group
Captain: Will Rhodes
Coach: Jim Troughton
In a nutshell: Hopeless last year with 19 players used and no obvious strategy with bat: dropping firestarter Ed Pollock after four failures to accommodate Dom Sibley as a second anchor in the top three was a fatal error. Chris Green was due to captain but is playing in the CPL instead, but the majority of last year’s squad will be available throughout.Pollock was left out after four games of last season’s T20 Blast•Getty ImagesStar: Pollock’s omission was a source of frustration to sporting director Paul Farbrace last year, and he should get a chance to play all ten group games at the top of the order. He is the fastest-scoring batsman in the world, and told ESPNcricinfo during lockdown of his intentions to turn “flashes in the pan” into the sort of innings “that make someone go: ‘we want him'”. With his contract up at the end of the season, the pressure is on.One to watch: Henry Brookes was the Bears’ leading wicket-taker last year and proved particularly effective at the death: in 11.4 overs at the back-end, he took eight wickets and went at only 7.45 runs per over. He brings genuine pace to the attack, with Olly Stone missing the start of the tournament through injury.Verdict: Decent side on paper but need to hit the ground running
Bet365: 16/1

Glamorgan

Last year: 9th in South Group
Captain: Chris Cooke
Coach: Matt Maynard
In a nutshell: Rock-bottom last year, and winless until the final game of the group stage. Colin Ingram, who has been their key man with the bat in recent seasons, is “unlikely” to arrive due to travel restrictions, according to Mark Wallace, the director of cricket, but otherwise availability is fairly good.Andy Balbirnie sweeps•Getty ImagesStar: With Ingram absent and David Lloyd injured, much of the run-scoring burden with fall on Ireland captain Andy Balbirnie, a late overseas signing for the competition. A useful anchoring batsman, Balbirnie is likely to bed in at No. 3 and hold the innings together, generally ticking over at a strike rate around 140. He is no stranger to Wales, having attended Cardiff Met back in his university days.One to watch: Callum Taylor was given four games to impress at the end of last year’s tournament, but it is his red-ball form that suggests he could be a useful inclusion this year, after he thrashed 106 off 94 balls on first-class debut this week. His form in the Second XI T20 has been patchy over the last two years, but he should get a decent run in the side.Verdict: Few obvious signs that last year was an outlier
Bet365: 25/1

Gloucestershire

Last year: 2nd in South Group, quarter-finalists
Captain: Jack Taylor
Coach: Richard Dawson
In a nutshell: Until they forgot to turn up in the home quarter-final against Derbyshire, Gloucestershire had an impressive 2019 in the Blast, and were only narrowly pipped to top spot in the South Group. Much-loved captain Michael Klinger misses the Blast for the first time since 2012 after his retirement, but that could be a blessing in disguise after his slow-scoring became a hindrance last summer.Benny Howell wheels away in celebration•Getty ImagesStar: Slower-ball specialist Benny Howell had his tournament cut short by a hamstring injury sustained at The Oval last year, and has not made a professional appearance since then. In 2019, he had 10 wickets and a miserly economy rate of just 6.65 before his injury. He will miss out on the early stages due to a suspected calf tendon tear but hopes to return for the back end.One to watch: James Bracey has spent the summer wearing blue latex gloves and carrying the drinks for England in the Test bubble, so will be desperate to get onto the field in the Blast. He could open alongside Miles Hammond this year in an anchoring role, and is a useful player on difficult pitches.Verdict: Often written off, usually wrongly
Bet365: 16/1

Northamptonshire

Last year: 7th in North Group
Captain: Josh Cobb
Coach: David Ripley
In a nutshell: Neutrals’ favourites and two-time winners, Northants have had three poor years in the Blast since their memorable title charge in 2016. There are reasons for optimism this year: their likely top four of Richard Levi, Paul Stirling, Josh Cobb and Adam Rossington packs an almighty punch, with Alex Wakely set to bat at No. 5. The big question is whether they have the bowling attack to compete.Brandon Glover lets out a roar to celebrate his first wicket•Peter Della PennaStar: Josh Cobb has a point to prove after surprisingly missing out on selection in last year’s Hundred draft, and will lead the side again this season. He warmed up with 80 off 45 and 33 off 14 in back-to-back practice fixtures against Leicestershire, and his offbreaks are a valuable early weapon in the first six overs.One to watch: South African-born seamer Brandon Glover was joint-second in the wicket-taking charts in the T20 World Cup qualifier for Netherlands last year, and hits a hard length at good pace. He was particularly effective in the middle overs in that tournament, but may be required at the death in the Blast.Verdict: Dark horses for the title
Bet365: 25/1

Somerset

Last year: 6th in South Group
Captain: Lewis Gregory/Tom Abell
Coach: Jason Kerr
In a nutshell: Had competition’s two leading run-scorers last season in Babar Azam and Tom Banton, while Tom Abell enjoyed a breakout T20 campaign that won him a £100,000 deal in the Hundred. But they were let down by their bowling attack, and with question marks over key players’ availability this year – Banton and Lewis Gregory will miss at least the first few games due to England inclusion – it may be another disappointing year.

Well worth checking out this catch from @MaxTCWaller again! #WeAreSomerset pic.twitter.com/Jz5zhlgyVk

— Somerset Cricket (@SomersetCCC) August 31, 2019

Star: He will miss the first few games due to Pakistan’s T20I series against England and the club are yet to confirm his availability, but it is understood Babar is likely to play a handful of group games at the very least. In a tournament short on overseas quality due to restrictions on international travel and budgets, he should be just as dominant as he was in 2019.One to watch: The Blast’s leading legspinner over the last five seasons (66 wickets at 25.63), Max Waller rarely attracts much attention outside of Somerset, but is a proven operator and has been particularly useful with the new ball in recent years (10 Powerplay wickets with a 6.31 economy rate since 2017). He could be the best fielder in county cricket, too, as his one-handed screamer off AB de Villiers last year demonstrated.Verdict: Belligerent at Taunton but attack lacks bite
Bet365: 9/1

Worcestershire

Last year: 4th in North Group, runners-up
Captain: Moeen Ali/Ed Barnard
Coach: Alex Gidman
In a nutshell: 2018 champions were one dot ball away from repeating their triumph in last season’s final, but fell at the final hurdle. Wayne Parnell is a big miss, while Pat Brown misses the first handful of games on England duty and Moeen is unlikely to feature at any stage. Canny allrounder Ed Barnard has been handed the captaincy in his stead.Riki Wessels belts one down the ground•Getty ImagesStar: Nobody has scored as many Blast runs as Riki Wessels since 2014 (2656 at 35.89, 146 SR) and his runs were vital last season in a more restrained role than the one he used to play at Nottinghamshire. He looks set to open alongside Hamish Rutherford, one of the competition’s few overseas players, in a partnership that should score the bulk of Worcestershire’s runs between them.One to watch: Daryl Mitchell found himself languishing down the batting order last season but has reinvented himself as a cutter specialist, rarely reaching 70mph with his medium pace and proving difficult to hit with Ben Cox stood up to the stumps. Last season, he conceded just 6.41 runs per over across the Blast, and is a brilliant option on slow wickets.Verdict: If Brown is released after England’s Pakistan series, knockouts should be within reach
Bet365: 12/1

One of the most exciting bets to place in Major League Baseball is on a player to hit a home run, but it’s important to find the right matchups – and a hot hitter – to do so. 

With several games in action in MLB on Thursday afternoon, I’ve narrowed down my picks to two players, one lefty and one righty, to get the job done against some struggling starters. 

Can we cash in on these plus-money bets? I’m confident that these two players have a solid edge on June 20. 

Best MLB Home Run Picks for Thursday, June 20Alec Burelson to Hit a Home Run (+700)Teoscar Hernandez to Hit a Home Run (+235)

Alec Burelson to Hit a Home Run (+700)

St. Louis Cardinals youngster Alec Burelson has become a mainstay in the lineup this season, hitting 10 home runs and posting a .268/.298/.434 slash line in 228 at bats.

He’s not the flashiest player to take to go deep – hence the +700 odds – but he has a great matchup against Keaton Winn and the San Francisco Giants. 

Winn has allowed eight home runs in 11 starts this season, giving up at least one home run in each of his last four outings. To top it off, the Giants bullpen – which will follow Winn up – has been awful, putting up a 4.42 ERA and allowing 36 homers (third most in MLB) in 2024. 

Burelson has five homers this month, and he’s mashed right-handed pitching (.294/.327/.469 slash line with seven homers) so far this season. He’s worth a shot at these odds against a struggling pitching staff. 

Teoscar Hernandez to Hit a Home Run (+235)

Teoscar Hernandez isn’t nearly as big of a long shot in this market, but I love him any time he’s facing a left-handed pitcher – like Colorado Rockies starter Ty Blach. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder has hit 18 home runs in 2024, including eight against left-handed pitching in just 79 at bats. That means Hernandez has hit a home run in 10.1 percent of his at bats against lefties in 2024. 

How could we not bet on him tonight?

Blach has struggled this season, posting a 1.41 WHIP and 4.65 ERA. He’s been especially bad as of late, allowing a home run in three straight games while giving up 25 hits in 15.2 innings of work. 

With this game being played at Coors Field, I expect there to be a few home runs on Thursday.

The Baltimore Orioles' match-up against the New York Mets on Thursday included a bit of pregame entertainment that admittedly wasn't for everybody.

Electronic musician Dan Deacon performed his unique rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Camden Yards which, well… you can listen to below. Deacon, who has been meandering down his own psychedelic-esque path of music since the early 2000s, created a kooky, experimental piece that deviated from what one might expect for a standard national anthem performance and immediately elicited polarizing reactions from MLB fans.

Some called it bizarre. Others called it genius. One fan shared a video of Deacon's performance and wrote in the caption, "I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom."

That prompted plenty of people on social media to come to Deacon's defense, declaring that the Baltimore-based electronic composer is a legend in his own right. Judge it for yourself: