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Nottingham Forest now want to sign a “great” £8.5 million ace as a possible replacement for Anthony Elanga, according to a new report.

Newcastle still chasing Elanga 12 months on

During the 2024/25 season, Forest had many players step up and perform at a very high level on a consistent basis, with one of those players doing just that being Elanga. The Sweden international bagged five goals and registered nine assists in 36 Premier League games in his debut campaign with the club, but he found a new level last season, scoring six goals to go with 11 assists.

He was a big contributor to Forest reaching the Europa Conference League, and that hasn’t gone unnoticed, as teams from around the Premier League begin to circle – it was revealed last week that Newcastle United had made contact with the Reds over a possible deal for Elanga.

The Magpies were interested in a deal last summer, and now Eddie Howe has returned in the hope of getting his man this time around. Howe is said to be a big admirer of the winger and has made him his number one target this summer.

Approach made: Nottingham Forest now submit bid to sign Mozambique captain

Nottingham Forest are looking to beat Premier League rivals in race to sign defender on free transfer.

ByBrett Worthington Jun 12, 2025

However, they are not alone in their pursuit, as Arsenal have now joined the race to sign Elanga. Journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed the Gunners are one of several sides interested in the Forest attacker ahead of the transfer window reopening next week.

The report adds that teams such as Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Aston Villa have all been watching the Swedish international ‘closely’. Forest are determined to keep hold of Elanga, but have reportedly placed a £60 million price tag on his head.

Forest want to sign £8.5m Moro as possible Elanga replacement

The mounting interest in Elanga will have the board worried, and according to Spanish outlets, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are interested in signing winger Raúl Moro from Real Valladolid.

The Spanish side suffered relegation from La Liga last season, but despite his team’s struggles, Moro had a breakout season, netting four times in 33 La Liga games. The report states his ‘impeccable’ form hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Forest as well as AFC Bournemouth keep a close eye on his situation.

The report states that no offers have arrived for the 22-year-old as of yet, and despite Valladolid suffering relegation, they have placed a €10 million asking price on the winger, which is roughly £8.5 million.

Apps

33

Starts

26

Goals

4

Shots per game

1.4

Assists

5

Touches

34.7

Big chances created

8

Key passes

1.3

Succ dribbles

1.7 (45%)

Ground duels won

2.9 (48%)

This isn’t the first time Moro, who has been dubbed “great” by scout Jacek Kulig, has been linked with a move to England. Back in December it was revealed that both Liverpool and Manchester City were interested in signing the former Spain under-21 international, but it remains unclear if they are both keeping an eye on his situation.

Spinner will be available for five Blast matches and Championship fixture with Surrey

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Jun-2024Shoaib Bashir, the England Test offspinner, has joined Worcestershire on a short-term loan that includes five Vitality Blast appearances, starting with Friday evening’s clash with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, and a County Championship match against the table-toppers Surrey.Bashir, 20, enjoyed a breakthrough winter with Ben Stokes’ England team, claiming 17 wickets in three appearances against India in February and March, including two five-wicket hauls.However, his selection had come off the back of limited playing time at his home county of Somerset, for whom he had claimed just 10 previous wickets in six matches since making his professional debut in June 2023.With Jack Leach established as Somerset’s premier first-class spinner, the club had long been realistic about the prospect of a loan move to enhance his chances of playing. In March, Jason Kerr, the head coach, said he would not “stand in the way of anyone’s opportunity”.The knee injury that curtailed Leach’s involvement on the India tour meant that Bashir played as Somerset’s premier spinner for three County Championship matches in April. However, he took just four wickets at 74.75 in the early-season conditions and has not featured since.Most recently, he has been playing alongside Leach in the county 2nd XI T20 competition, but now he has a chance to add his five senior T20 appearances – most recently Somerset’s victory in last summer’s Blast semi-final over Surrey, in which he didn’t bat or bowl.”We are delighted to have Shoaib Bashir join us on loan,” Alan Richardson, Worcestershire’s head coach, said. “Shoaib is a player of immense talent and potential, and we believe his presence will significantly strengthen our squad for the Vitality Blast and our next Championship fixture against Surrey.””We’re confident that he will make a positive impact from tonight’s game against Northamptonshire. We’re excited to welcome him, and we are looking forward to seeing him in action.”Worcestershire are currently fifth on net run-rate in the Blast North Group, albeit with the same number of points as the teams above them, after two wins and a loss in their first three games. In the Championship, they have yet to win any of their seven Division One matches, and their most recent match at New Road was abandoned as a draw after three washed-out days.

Of all Mikel Arteta’s signings as Arsenal boss, there has perhaps been none as controversial as Kai Havertz.

Since the German joined the club for £65m in the summer of 2023, he has faced his fair share of criticism from fans and pundits alike, and considering his slow start to life in North London, scoring one goal and providing one assist in his first 12 Premier League games, it’s wasn’t hard to see why.

However, once he moved up top, things started to look much, much better, and before his hamstring injury in February, the German international had amassed a tally of 32 goal involvements in 47 appearances there for the club.

Yet, if recent reports are to be believed, even a rate of return such as that might not be enough to keep him in the starting lineup, as the club are now confident of signing one of Europe’s most exciting strikers.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the striker in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other top poachers Arsenal are reportedly interested in ahead of the summer transfer window, such as Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian international could be available for around £58m at the end of the season and with a tally of 20 goals and six assists in just 41 appearances, that could prove to be value for money.

Closer to home, the Gunners have kept Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins on their shortlist.

Transfer Focus

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

The Englishman is a player liked by new Sporting Director Andrea Berta, and, with a haul of 29 goal involvements in 49 games this term, it’s not hard to see why, although he’s still some way off the club’s most exciting target: Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Spain, the North Londoners have maintained their strong interest in the Sporting CP monster and are now ‘confident’ of securing his signature.

However, there is still the small case of his fee, which, according to the report, would be around €70m, which comes out to about £60m.

While that’s a sizable sum of money, this is still a transfer Arsenal should do all they can to get over the line, as Gyokeres could be transformational for them, even if he’d be bad news for Havertz.

How Gyokeres compares to Havertz

Should Arsenal get this transfer over the line and bring Gyokeres to the Emirates next season, it would undoubtedly be with the intention of having him start as many games as possible.

So, that would also mean that, when fit again, Havertz would be his primary competition for regular game time, but who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, despite his decent rate of return in the last year or so, the Sporting CP star wipes the floor with the former Chelsea ace when it comes to their raw output, which is, of course, the most important metric for a number nine.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling 3700 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 47 goals and provided 11 assists.

That means he’s currently averaging 1.26 goal involvements per game or one every 63.79 minutes, which only lends credence to ESPN Head Writer Mark Ogdan’s claim that he’s “the hottest striker in Europe.”

Appearances

46

34

Minutes

3700′

2776′

Goals

47

15

Assists

11

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.26

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.79′

138.8′

In comparison, prior to his injury, the former Bayer Leverkusen star had amassed a tally of 15 goals and five assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2776 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games or one every 138.8 minutes.

There is an argument to be made that the Portuguese league is an easier level, but given the extent to which the former Coventry City gem is outperforming the Gunners ace, we reckon he’d still be more prolific in a top-five league.

Ultimately, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Gyokeres this summer, they have to take it, even if it spells the end of regularly starting games for Havertz.

Better than Kiwior: Arsenal want to sign 'one of the best CBs in the PL'

The incredible international would be a brilliant signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 23, 2025

Everton are believed to be interested in signing a player who is a “massive favourite” of David Moyes in the summer transfer window, a new update has claimed.

Moyes plans summer signings at Everton

The Blues’ Premier League season is starting to peter out a little in terms of important matches, with survival all but secured for another season. Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal was another good result under Moyes, though, with the Scot continuing to do an excellent job during his second stint at Goodison Park.

There will now be lots of focus on possible new signings for Everton this summer, with contact reportedly made with the representatives of SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl over a move to Merseyside. The 22-year-old has been affected by injuries in 2024/25, but he is a versatile player who could be a long-term signing.

Feyenoord defender David Hancko has also been mentioned as an option for the Blues once the current season reaches its conclusion, following another impressive campaign for the Eredivisie giants.

Lorenzo Lucca has been linked with a move to Everton as well, with the Udinese striker a towering 6 foot 7 inches tall, which is the same height as Peter Crouch. The Italian has scored 10 goals in 25 starts in Serie A this season, also picking up nine yellow cards, highlighting a tenacious side to his game.

Everton fighting West Ham for "very clever" Sunderland star Neil

According to a fresh report from Football Insider, Everton are in the race to sign Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil at the end of the season.

West Ham are thought to be providing competition for the signature of the Black Cats skipper, but the 23-year-old is a “massive favourite” of Moyes.

Sunderland are “bracing themselves for ample bids” from Premier League clubs, assuming the Championship side fail to earn promotion.

Neil may not be a top-flight player currently, which could naturally put some Everton fans off, but he could be a shrewd addition to Moyes’ squad. At 23, the Englishman has already become one of Sunderland’s most important players, captaining them at a young age, and Black Cats manager Regis Le Bris lauded him back in January.

“I think he did well during the first part of the season, but it wasn’t so obvious for the observers maybe, because he was really important in adjusting all the behaviour of his teammates. He’s very clever, very important to adjust the formation and balance the team.”

This season, Neil has started 39 of Sunderland’s 40 Championship matches, outlining his availability, and his quality and energy in midfield could be a real asset for Everton.

Everton struck gold on “constant threat” who’s worth more than Longstaff

Everton made a good investment with the signing

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 7, 2025

He could be seen as a long-term replacement for Idrissa Gueye, who is now 35 years of age and whose contract expires at the end of this season.

Top-quality fast bowling always helps when you’re trying to win a series in Australia, and the history of the Ashes bears that out

Greg Chappell04-Oct-2025It was Douglas Jardine who said in , “Cricket is a game of skill, but it is also a game of war. You must find a way to win or you are lost.”As the shadows lengthen over the Australian summer, the 2025-26 Ashes series looms in Perth on 21 November, a mere six weeks away. For England, under the audacious stewardship of Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes, the mantra is clear: speed thrills.Their squad, boasting a “cartel” of express pacemen led by the enigmatic Jofra Archer and the thunderous Mark Wood, offers echoes of history’s lessons. To understand this bold gambit, we must rewind to the summer of 1932-33, when Jardine faced a Hobson’s Choice – take the only option on offer or face certain defeat. Bodyline, that infamous tactic, was not born of malice but necessity, a desperate counter to Donald Bradman’s otherworldly batting. It reminds us that cricket, for all its genteel veneer, can ignite passions that spill beyond civil norms, turning gentlemen into gladiators and crowds into cauldrons of fury.Related

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Jardine’s predicament was the stuff of captaincy nightmares. Bradman had just dismantled England in their own backyard during the 1930 Ashes, amassing 974 runs at an average of 139.14 – a record that still beggars belief. His triple-century at Headingley was a symphony of dominance, reducing England’s attack to rubble. Jardine, a steely Oxford-educated amateur with a disdain for defeat, knew that accepting Bradman’s supremacy fatalistically was tantamount to surrender. As England’s captain, his remit was unequivocal: find a way, within the laws, to curb this prolific scoring machine. But what options did he have? Conventional bowling had proved futile; spin was neutralised on Australia’s true pitches; and seamers like Hedley Verity offered control but not terror.Herein lies the essence of Jardine’s Hobson’s Choice – the illusion of alternatives masking a singular path. He turned to “fast leg theory”, a tactic not invented by him but refined to lethal precision. Precedents abounded in the 1920s. Australian fast bowlers like Jack Gregory and Ted McDonald had employed similar short-pitched barrages with packed leg-side fields during the 1920-21 Ashes, unsettling English batters on lively surfaces. Jardine, ever the tactician, drew from this example, consulting Nottinghamshire’s Arthur Carr and Percy Fender, who had trialled it domestically. He came upon the idea observing Bradman flinch against Harold Larwood’s bouncer at The Oval in 1930. “I’ve got it! He’s vulnerable!” Jardine exclaimed. Secret sessions in London honed the plan: short balls at the body, a ring of leg-side fielders to snare deflections. It was legal, innovative, and crucially, the only sensible option against a batter averaging over 100.Critics vilified Jardine as unsportsmanlike, but as a former captain, I see his dilemma plainly. Every leader, amateur or professional, bears the responsibility of solving the game’s riddles. To let Bradman score at will would betray Jardine’s team, his nation, and the competitive spirit of cricket. Bradman averaged 56.57 in the Bodyline series – still formidable, but mortal. The series’ flashpoints, like the Adelaide riot after Bert Oldfield’s skull fracture, evoked raw emotions: Australian crowds baying for blood, diplomatic cables flying between boards, threats of trade boycotts (and this during the Great Depression). Sport, in such moments, transcends civility, tapping into tribal loyalties that can fracture empires. Jardine became the scapegoat, retiring from Tests thereafter, but his choice delivered a 4-1 victory. Without it, England would have been lambs to Bradman’s slaughter.This theme – pace as the great equaliser in Australia – threads through every English Ashes win down under since Bodyline. History is unequivocal: to win in these vast, sun-baked arenas, you need express bowlers who can intimidate, extract bounce, and shatter partnerships on pitches that reward raw speed over subtle swing.Top bowling, old boy: Chris Tremlett is mobbed by his team-mates after England make it 3-1 in Sydney early in 2011•Associated PressConsider the 1954-55 series, which England won 3-1 win under Len Hutton. Frank Tyson, called “Typhoon” for his 95mph thunderbolts, claimed 28 wickets at 20.82, terrorising batters with sheer velocity on firm tracks. Brian Statham’s accurate outswing complemented him, but it was Tyson’s pace that broke Australia’s spirit, reducing legends like Neil Harvey to caution. Emotions ran high; Tyson’s ferocity evoked Bodyline, with crowds murmuring about “intimidation”, but in the end it was the key to victory.Fast-forward to 1970-71, Ray Illingworth’s 2-0 triumph. John Snow, lanky and lethal at 90mph, snared 31 wickets, his bounce and skid exploiting Australian frailties. Bob Willis, on debut, added fire. The series boiled over in the last Test, in Sydney, where a Snow bouncer felled Terry Jenner, sparking a bottle-throwing melee and Illingworth leading his team off the field in protest. Again, pace stirred primal reactions, but it secured the urn.Mike Brearley’s 5-1 rout in 1978-79 leaned on Willis’ speed and bounce (20 wickets) and Ian Botham’s deceptive pace and all-round skill (23 wickets). Willis’ hostility on Perth’s bouncy deck set the tone, evoking crowd hostility that bordered on the uncivil – boos, jeers, even objects hurled. Again, without this pace edge, England’s win would have evaporated.England’s 2-1 upset in the 1986-87 series under Mike Gatting, saw Graham Dilley take 16 wickets with his sharp pace. Botham chipped in again with nine wickets, his medium-fast swing and bounce augmented by Gladstone Small’s (12 wickets) awkward speed. Emotions peaked in Melbourne, where Botham’s heroics fused triumph with controversy, his off-field antics amplifying the drama.Most recently, the 3-1 masterclass under Andrew Strauss in 2010-11 rested on James Anderson’s 24 wickets (late swing at 88-92mph), Chris Tremlett and Steven Finn’s towering bounce (31 wickets between them). Their cartel overwhelmed Australia, with Mitchell Johnson’s waywardness contrasting with England’s precision. The Gabba draw turned on pace pressure, and the series’ intensity – verbal sledging, crowd taunts – underscored how speed ignites passions that push boundaries.In each case England’s victories hinged on one or more express bowlers. Spin played cameos but pace was the protagonist, exploiting Australia’s pace-friendly conditions: Perth’s steepling bounce; Brisbane’s humidity, which aids swing; Melbourne’s variable decks. Without it, touring sides wilt under home dominance – think Australia’s Lillee-Thomson terror in the 1970s or McGrath-Gillespie’s relentlessness in the 2000s.England’s 1932-33 series was indubitably secured by fast bowling•JA Hampton/Getty ImagesNow to the present. McCullum and Stokes have done their homework. They have prioritised the fitness of Archer and Wood, assembling a sextet of quicks – including Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, and Josh Tongue – apart from Stokes himself, to launch an assault. “We need that cartel fit and firing,” McCullum declared, echoing Jardine’s resolve. Archer’s X-factor swing and Wood’s 95mph heat are statements of intent; the two have been managed meticulously after injuries to peak in Perth. With only Shoaib Bashir as spinner, they’ve put nearly all eggs in the speed basket, betting on rotation to sustain pressure across five Tests.Australia lack a Bradman, but curbing Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Cameron Green to mortal outputs will be pivotal. The openers will be important to Australia’s success, but it is the middle order that will need to make big runs if Australia are to win the series. If England’s attack delivers and dismantles Australia’s middle order, McCullum and Stokes will join the list of successful England leaders in Australia.Batting-wise, England appear settled, with Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett’s aggressiveness as openers, Ollie Pope’s flair, Joe Root’s mastery, Jamie Smith’s precociousness, and Harry Brook’s prodigious talent – the latter averages 57.55 in Tests, a comet streaking across world cricket. Australia’s line-up will look more settled before the first Test on the back of early-season form, but vulnerabilities persist in the wake of David Warner’s retirement.Yet, batters will be critical only insofar as they withstand the barrage. This series, like its forebears, will be decided by the superior bowling side. England’s pace gamble could evoke Bodyline’s emotions – imagine a bouncer from Archer felling a key bat, crowds erupting, words flying. Sport’s power lies here: it distils human drama, where triumph and controversy collide, pushing participants and spectators beyond civil norms into realms of raw passion.Jardine took the only sensible option. History affirms pace’s primacy in Australia, and in 2025-26 too, bowling will crown the victor. As the urn beckons, let the need for speed reignite cricket’s eternal fire.

Former international star now on franchise circuit calls for players to be better respected and resourced

Valkerie Baynes and Firdose Moonda23-Aug-20231:25

Dottin: ‘There are players who are not getting support and respect from West Indies cricket’

Deandra Dottin has warned West Indies to get their house in order quickly or risk things “not ending well” in an impassioned plea for players to be better respected and resourced.Speaking in detail for the first time since her shock international retirement, Dottin told the Ladies Who Switch podcast that the board has a lot of work to do for the game to improve in the Caribbean.”To be honest, there’s been a lot going on in the camp and so much I’ve been through, so many things that needed to be sorted out, and the players not getting the respect and basically the attention because there are things that needed to be done in order for players to actually perform to the best of their ability,” Dottin said. “If you’re uncomfortable and if you don’t have the things in place for your players to be the best that they can be and actually improve then there’s always going to be problems.”Dottin announced her West Indies retirement via Twitter, citing issues with the team environment, a year ago while representing Barbados at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. So ended a decorated international career spanning 143 ODIs and 127 T20Is over the course of 14 years which included the 2016 T20 World Cup title and the fastest – and first – century in Women’s T20 Internationals, off 38 balls against South Africa in 2010.Now she is among a growing number of players across both men’s and women’s cricket plying their trade solely in franchise tournaments around the world. That includes playing for Manchester Originals in the Hundred, helping Adelaide Strikers to the WBBL title last season and Trinbago Knight Riders to the inaugural CPL trophy as well as representing Barmy Army at the FairBreak Invitational. She also plays regional cricket in the UK for Lancashire-based Thunder, whose set-up she described as “way better than the structure that was with West Indies Cricket for years”.Related

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“This is basically me right now, playing in franchise,” she says. “I’m still looking to achieve just what I wanted to achieve when I was playing West Indies Cricket, to be the best in the world, to be like one of those number one players to be reckoned with.”I’m known as the power hitter, and versatile in the field – a good fielder, a bowler that can knock over a couple of people. But I just want to be, to remember the person I am. That’s Deandra Dottin, known as the world boss. Every day is learning a learning curve for me. I’m not too old to learn.”She says she has had “no second thoughts” about retiring from international cricket, calling for better support for West Indies players and improvements in their regional structure.”It has a lot to do with the board, how they handle stuff and how they handle players and how they actually speak to players,” Dottin said. “Certain people take things different, so it is a lot of work that West Indies Cricket will need to be done and I think they need to do it as fast as possible because it’s not going to end well for West Indies Cricket or cricket in the Caribbean.”They need to take a leaf out of Australia and English books, where they have players that when they see potential in them they develop them from whatever stage they are, so that when they actually get into that senior level it’s like they have played there before.”You will see a player come into West Indies Cricket and then you actually see they disappear. It’s probably because of their fitness or whatever the case may be, but in that case, if I’m seeing you struggling with something, then I want to help, I would want to help you in order for you to get better to play West Indies Cricket. But my thing is that it’s basically like you’re getting what you want out of me and then you just throw me aside.”I don’t think that that should be, as players, not even players that actually retire either. You should actually show the players respect because they were once West Indies players and they were once doing well for West Indies Cricket so why take them and disrespect them and just throw them aside like a wet rag?”

Thanks to all for the love and support with in my past 14 years of playing cricket for West Indies! I look forward to be playing domestic cricket around the world pic.twitter.com/Vmw6AqpYQJ

— Deandra Dottin (@Dottin_5) July 31, 2022