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Chelsea started their Club World campaign with a 2-0 victory over LAFC, but it was far from the most entertaining watch from a Blues perspective.

The limited numbers inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium likely didn’t help the drab pre-season feel of the fixture, yet certain performances would have still worried the select few Chelsea supporters watching on regardless, with Noni Madueke noticeably struggling down the left wing.

Enzo Maresca desperately needs more reinforcements down the left channel, therefore, and transfer rumours constantly coming out from Stamford Bridge seem to indicate that fresh blood will soon be purchased.

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By
Charlie Smith

Jun 13, 2025

Chelsea still have "world-class" star as top priority

As per an update by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg on social media, Chelsea still holds winning the services of Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens as a major priority this summer, but they will have to pay £55m.

Transfer Focus

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

An agreement has been sealed on the player side, according to Fabrizio Romano, but the more time goes on, the more Blues supporters will be anxious that a deal to win Gittens could unfortunately fall flat.

Indeed, other targets are now being sought after on the left, with an enquiry lodged to snap up rising Lyon star Malick Fofana as a way to bolster even more.

However, whilst Fofana is no doubt being looked at as one for the future, Chelsea will be overwhelmed with excitement as to what the Dortmund attacker could be capable of on his expected arrival in West London, with Gittens having already been dubbed “world-class” by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley.

How Gittens can be Chelsea's next Hazard

Bursting with energy and an electric dribbler, the young Englishman might well become Chelsea’s next Eden Hazard if everything goes to plan.

Hazard was only a year older than Gittens when making his Blues debut back in 2012, having also been hotly tipped for greatness on the books of Lille. Now, the much-loved Belgian is viewed as a modern-day icon at Stamford Bridge.

Maresca will be aiming to restore Chelsea to their past glories when Hazard was routinely galloping down the left channel, with two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy heading the Blues’ way when the slick 5-foot-9 attacker was performing at his peak.

Adding Gittens could well be a big step forward in allowing Chelsea to compete for top-flight honours once more, with his overall numbers in the Bundesliga lagging behind Hazard’s were when he was about to leave France behind for a new challenge in England.

Hazard’s G/A numbers for Lille vs Gittens’ for Dortmund
Stat	Hazard	Gittens
Games played	194	107
Goals scored	50	17
Assists	53	12
Goals per game	0.25	0.15
Assists per game	0.27	0.11
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Hazard was somewhat in a league of his own towards the end of his Lille stay, with a remarkable 38 goals and assists picked up during his final season in France.

But, Gittens has shown flashes of his obvious excellence at Dortmund to be viewed as a potential next iteration of the celebrated Belgian, notably ranking within the top 1% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons per 90 minutes, showcasing he’s one of the best dribblers around, just like Hazard.

12 of his 17 Black and Yellow strikes came in 2024/25, and it included four being hammered home in the esteemed Champions League.

Hazard was equally a dependable performer on the big occasion for Chelsea, with ten strikes next to his name in Europe’s elite competition.

The similarities don’t end there, however, with the former Manchester City youth product also capable of performing as an attacking midfielder or a right winger if needed.

Hazard’s main explosiveness for the Blues did primarily come down the left, but a surprisingly large portion of his goals in London did actually come from the number ten spot, as seen in 21 of his 110 goals for Chelsea coming from this more central position.

With so much hype next to his name – with Critchley further lauding the 20-year-old as “England’s best LW” currently – the worry might well be that Gittens flounders under the intensity of his new spotlight.

Yet, Hazard had even more fanfare surrounding his name when he took the jump from Ligue 1 to the Premier League, with Dortmund’s standout star now desperate to follow in his revered footsteps.

Better than Gittens: BlueCo make approach to sign £50m star for Chelsea

Chelsea love signing a highly-rated winger don’t they, with the Blues seeking to sign a “magnificent prospect” as Jamie Gittens alternative.

1

By
Ben Gray

Jun 17, 2025

Liverpool are “clearly ahead” of rivals Chelsea in the race to sign a “magnificent” player in the summer transfer window.

Kerkez to join Liverpool this week

The Reds have now officially signed Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a British-record £116m move, in a piece of business that has made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice.

There is unlikely to be a bigger signing made this summer, with Wirtz considered one of the world’s top attacking players, but Liverpool are not expected to be done there, still planning on adding fresh faces to the squad.

It looks as though Milos Kerkez will be the next name through the door at Anfield in the coming days, with journalist Fabrizio Romano claiming over the weekend that a minor issue has been ironed out and that he could be unveiled as soon as Tuesday.

David Ornstein of The Athletic has gone one better, however, saying that a medical is now expected to be done on Monday after flying into the UK, with the deal set to be worth £40m for the Bournemouth left-back.

Liverpool leading race to sign "magnificent" ace

Now, reliable Sky Sports journalist Sacha Tavolieri [via Sport Witness] has said that Liverpool are “clearly ahead” of Chelsea and others in the battle to sign Lyon winger Malick Fofana this summer.

He states that the Reds’ head of recruitment, Barry Hunter, admires the 20-year-old and has him at the top of his list of summer targets. The Premier League champions will need to sell Federico Chiesa first, though, and Fofana could possibly cost as much as £60m.

Fofana could be a brilliant long-term signing for Liverpool, with scout Jacek Kulig describing him as a “magnificent” prospect last year.

At just 20 years of age, the young Belgian has already bagged 22 goal contributions (15 goals and seven assists) in 62 appearances for Lyon, also winning one cap for Belgium at senior level, and those numbers should only improve as he matures as a player.

Predominantly a left-sided attacking player, it seems slightly strange that Liverpool would push so hard for Fofana, though, especially as Chiesa is right-sided in general.

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Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo appear to be staying put, so it would arguably only make sense for the Reds to sign the Lyon ace if one of them moves on, or if Arne Slot sees him as a backup option to Mohamed Salah on the right. But his talent is undeniable, so the idea of him in a Liverpool shirt is exciting.

Chelsea have a plethora of players to get off the wage bill before the last summer deadline day on September 1, and their success in selling unwanted players will likely have a real effect on their recruitment plans.

Chelsea players likely to be sold this summer

Alfie Gilchrist, Renato Veiga, Lesley Ugochukwu, Raheem Sterling, João Félix, David Datro Fofana, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi could all leave Chelsea this summer, according to a report by The Athletic, with all of these players also missing out on a place in Chelsea’s Club World Cup squad.

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Many are apparently surprised.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2025

Despite actually making the cut to represent Chelsea at the CWC, midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and defender Trevoh Chalobah may have key decisions to make about their futures at Stamford Bridge as well.

Dewsbury-Hall started just two of his 13 Premier League appearances last season, playing the vast majority of his minutes in the Conference League, while Chalobah could still be sold by Chelsea despite arguably being one of their best performers during the second half of 2024/2025.

“I suspect that they will try and sell him [Chalobah] because I think that’s what the whole bringing him back was about,” said Telegraph reporter Matt Law on the London is Blue Podcast last month.

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

“I know that they are obviously interested in bringing in one defender. I don’t think it will be two defenders, so I think it will be one defender rather than two unless there are a lot more sales than planned, but I do fear that Trev will be on the up for sale list again. No one can be surprised because it’s the same thing that happens every year.

“I mean, it’s literally, it’s like Groundhog Day with Trev. He becomes the best player of the second half of the season, then they try and sell him.”

Armando Broja is also on the chopping block, with the striker failing to break into the Chelsea first team or replicate his stellar 2021/2022 form, when he enjoyed a productive loan spell at Southampton.

Chelsea to sell Armando Broja for just £17 million this summer

The Albania international commanded huge promise at one point, so much so that Chelsea once put a £50 million price tag on the Cobham academy graduate’s head (The Telegraph).

Now, following two failed loan spells at Fulham and Everton, Chelsea are prepared to sell Broja for just £17 million as they attempt to get him off their books.

That is according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, who writes that Broja remains in-demand among some circles. The 23-year-old has actually received several enquiries from teams in the Bundesliga and abroad, so Chelsea have an avenue to offload him for good.

The striker would count as pure profit through the lense of PSR given his status as an academy player, but it’s been quite the fall from grace for Broja, who must now look to kickstart his career away from west London.

Although their fate is yet to be decided in pursuit of Champions League football, Aston Villa have already reportedly reached the closing stages of negotiations to sign one particular star.

Aston Villa's late push to secure Champions League football

Aston Villa have hit form at the perfect time and could yet be in a position to take full advantage in the final two games of the Premier League season. Victory over Bournemouth last time out made it four wins in their last five league games in a run that includes a 4-1 thrashing of top five rivals Newcastle United. Now, with two games remaining, Unai Emery’s side only sit behind Chelsea on goal difference.

Liverpool (C)

83

46

Arsenal

68

33

Newcastle United

66

23

Manchester City

65

24

Chelsea

63

19

Aston Villa

63

7

Nottingham Forest

62

12

With Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United to play – two sides who have nothing to play for following disastrous Premier League campaigns – there’s every chance that Villa could yet sneak into the Champions League places in dramatic fashion.

Emery reiterated that Aston Villa must keep going after victory at Bournemouth, telling reporters: “It’s very good. I’m very happy and proud but we can’t stop now. We have to keep going.

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“We got Europe last week against Fulham at home and today against Bournemouth, teams that are competing very well and performing very well. They were fighting with us as their opponent.

“They were an opponent for us to get Europe. Now we’re in the run in with the teams fighting for Champions League after the way we did last week and the win we did today. We’re deserving to play the next match against Tottenham having the possibilities to be there, taking even more in Europa League or Champions League.”

Aston Villa closing in on Asensio deal

Away from the action on the pitch, meanwhile, those in the Midlands have already reportedly set their sights on their first reinforcement of the summer. According to Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, Monchi is now in the closing stages of a deal to sign Marco Asensio on a permanent basis for Aston Villa this summer.

The Villans are reportedly set to offer Paris Saint-Germain around €15m (£13m) to sell the Spaniard in a deal that Emery is reportedly personally pushing Monchi to complete. Given that PSG are keen to sell Asensio too, it seems likely that Villa will be in the perfect position to secure their move.

Asensio certainly has plenty of fans around the Midlands following a successful loan spell. And Emery is among those fans, having told reporters when questioned on the winger’s quality: “For him as well, it is a very huge challenge, to show here his capacity to help us. But every match, of course, he is doing a fantastic job, and his adaptation was going very quick.”

Ahead of a summer full of potential sales, Aston Villa could now lose one of Unai Emery’s most important players to Barcelona amid reports that he’s now ready to leave the club.

Why Aston Villa may need to sell

After the Premier League received a glimpse of their potential troubles when they sold Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr in the January transfer window, Aston Villa could be in for a long summer. Failure to qualify for the Champions League would particularly exacerbate their PSR problems to the stage that they may be left with no choice but to sell once again.

Many have had their say on the potential problems that Aston Villa face this summer and former Villans chief Keith Wyness, who now runs a football consultancy which advises top clubs, has been among those.

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Wyness recently told Football Insider: “The issue with PSR is not surprising. They’ve been sailing close to the wind. It’s only been the cleverness of Monchi and the recruitment team which have got them out of trouble so far.

“They’re going to have to do it again. It may be a player sold that the Villa fans are not happy about. That’s where the value will be. When you look at what Emery has done with squad strengthening, the fans will forgive him and allow him to get the resources to go ahead in the market – and meet PSR.”

Just who heads for the exit door with that said is now the big question. Emery’s squad is one filled with talent, there’s no doubt about that, but whether the Spaniard will help open the door for the likes of Ollie Watkins or Morgan Rogers to leave remains to be seen this summer. Instead, it could be another Aston Villa who heads for a summer exit.

Barcelona plotting move to sign Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez

According to reports in Spain, Barcelona are now targeting a move to sign Emiliano Martinez, who is ready to leave Aston Villa for a ‘bigger club’ when the summer transfer window arrives.

The Argentine shot-stopper has rebuilt his career at Villa Park over the years and become one of the best in the world in his position – winning the Yashin Trophy twice. Now, however, with Barcelona calling, the 32-year-old could be set to depart.

What certainly shouldn’t be seen as a positive sign over his future for those at Villa Park is just how emotional Martinez looked following his final home game of the season. The former Arsenal man even looked to be waving a tearful goodbye to the fans.

A player who was praised for an “incredible” save by legend Alessandro del Piero in Aston Villa’s 0-0 draw against Juventus earlier this season, Martinez would be an undeniable loss for those in the Midlands.

Manchester United are now showing the “greatest interest” in signing a “true football artist”, but they will have to fork out his €45m (£38m) release clause to secure his signature, according to a journalist.

Man Utd set to bolster attacking options

Much of the goalscoring burden has fallen on Bruno Fernandes this season, while the Portugal international also leads the way for Man United on the assist charts, with Amad the only other forward to regularly chip in with attacking contributions.

As such, it is little wonder that Ruben Amorim wants to bolster his attacking options this summer, and a new striker is of particular interest, with progress now being made in the pursuit of Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, having reached an agreement on personal terms.

Not only is Amorim keen on a new striker, but a new playmaker could also be brought in to ease the burden on Fernandes, and the Red Devils have reportedly submitted a monster £115.7m bid for RB Leipzig attacking midfielder Xavi Simons.

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Simons has caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Bundesliga, picking up nine goals and five assists this season, but there have also been suggestions that United could take a chance on more of an unknown quantity.

In a recent update on X, journalist Cesar Luis Merlo has now revealed Man United are showing the “greatest interest” in signing River Plate attacking midfielder Franco Mastantuono, with a view to getting a deal done this summer.

Amorim’s side are “constantly following” Mastantuono, having already watched him in action, but they know the only way to prise him away from River Plate will be to stump up the €45m (£38m) release clause included in his contract.

"True football artist" Mastantuono likened to Palmer

The River Plate youngster is only 17, but he already has a great deal of first-team experience, making 54 appearances for the Argentine side, during which time he has picked up six goals and five assists.

In light of his attacking capabilities, the Argentine has even been likened to Chelsea star Cole Palmer by scout Ben Mattinson.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has also clearly been impressed by the starlet, describing him as a “true football artist” and “one of the most enjoyable youngsters to watch in world football” back in November.

It would, of course, be a risk to shell out £38m on Mastantuono, given that he is unproven outside Argentina, but there are clear signs he could adapt to life in the Premier League and make a name for himself at Manchester United.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes that a high-earning Man United player would fit right into his first team at the Emirates, according to a report, with sporting director Andrea Berta and co now planning to open transfer talks.

Berta considering deal for Saka alternative at Arsenal

While Berta’s “top priority” is agreeing a contract extension with star winger Bukayo Saka, as per Fabrizio Romano, it has also been reported that the 53-year-old is considering the possibility of bringing in an alternative to the Englishman this summer.

Berta has Arsenal in "pole position" to sign cut-price Brazil international

The transfer chief’s influence is tipped to play a vital role.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 3, 2025

Saka was a sore miss during his lengthy lay-off due to a hamstring injury, with the £195,000-per-week star finally returning to action this week in Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Fulham – scoring their second and playing a crucial role as Arteta’s side grabbed all three points.

Everton (away)

April 5th

Brentford (home)

April 12th

Ipswich Town (away)

April 20th

Crystal Palace (home)

TBD

Bournemouth (home)

May 3rd

His absence seriously debilitated Arteta, who watched on from the sidelines as Liverpool eventually seized a huge gap at the top of the Premier League table, with Arne Slot’s side now looking certain to win this year’s domestic crown.

According to GiveMeSport, Berta is pondering the transfer of a Saka stand-in who can provide a real quality and an attacking threat when the 23-year-old is unavailable – as Arsenal look to avoid being left short again in another title challenge next term.

We’ve already seen Arsenal repeatedly linked with a move for Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams this week, who’s capable of playing both on the left and right, while some reports believe Berta could land versatile Wolves forward Matheus Cunha.

New targets are likely to emerge before the first summer transfer window on June 1st, and a very surprising name has now come to light.

Mikel Arteta "determined" to sign Antony for Arsenal

According to reports in Spain, £200,000-per-week Man United outcast Antony is now being considered by Berta.

The Brazilian has seriously come into his own since departing Old Trafford on a loan deal to Real Betis, notching four goals and four assists in 12 appearances, including some big performances in Europe which helped the La Liga side to a Conference League quarter-final place.

Antony’s rejuvenated form has caught the eye of Arsenal’s head coach specifically, who is said to be a big admirer of the former Ajax sensation not wanted by Ruben Amorim.

Indeed, it is believed Arteta is “determined” to sign Antony for Arsenal, and sees the 25-year-old as perfect for his system. In response, Berta and Arsenal intend to open swift negotiations and want to secure his signature “as soon as possible”.

Arsenal are also prepared to submit a significant bid for Antony and better any offer made by Betis to keep him permanently. United, meanwhile, think the next window will be a golden opportunity to cut their losses on the forward.

All the stats highlights from India’s third ODI against England

Deep Gadhia12-Feb-2025356 – India’s total while batting first at Ahmedabad is their highest at the venue surpassing the 325 for 5 they posted against West Indies in 2002. South Africa’s 365 for 2 remains the highest by any team at this venue.It is also the joint third-highest total for India against England in ODIs, alongside the 356 for 7 they posted in Pune back in 2017.142 – Runs by which India won the final ODI against England, their second-biggest victory margin against England. The biggest was when India beat them by 158 runs at Rajkot in 2008 courtesy Yuvraj Singh’s unbeaten 138.Related

Gill century, and Kohli, Shreyas fifties power 3-0 rout of England

100 – Shubman Gill became the first Indian batter and the 13th overall to score a century in his 50th ODI. Mohammad Kaif’s unbeaten 95 against South Africa in 2003 was the previous best by an Indian in their 50th ODI game.5 – Gill also became only the fifth batter to have scored centuries in all formats at a single ground. He now has a ton each in Tests, ODIs and T20Is in Ahmedabad to add to his three IPL tons at the venue.Quinton de Kock in Centurion, Babar Azam in Karachi, David Warner in Adelaide, and Faf du Plessis in Johannesburg are the other four batters to have scored hundreds across all formats at a single venue.ESPNcricinfo Ltd7 – Hundreds scored by Gill so far in this ODI career of 50 matches, making it the most by an Indian batter in their first 50 games. Shikhar Dhawan had six, whereas all three of Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir and KL Rahul had five each.3 – Fifty-plus scores for Gill in this series, including a hundred making him just the seventh Indian batter to have scored more than 50 in all the games of a 3-match bilateral ODI series and the first one to do so against England. Navjot Singh Sidhu in 1994 against West Indies and Shikhar Dhawan in 2014 against Sri Lanka also made three fifties in as many games but were part of a five-match series.11 – Number of times Kohli has been dismissed by Adil Rashid in international cricket, the most for him against a player alongside Josh Hazlewood and Tim Southee. Rashid has got the better of him four times in Tests, five times in ODIs and twice in T20Is.164.70 – Shreyas Iyer’s strike rate against pacers in this series against England. It is the best by an Indian batter who has scored at least 100 runs in an ODI series since 2002. Virender Sehwag’s 161.29 in the Bangladesh Tri-Series in 2010 was the previous best.4 – Consecutive bilateral ODI series lost by England. They have lost to India, Australia and twice to West Indies, all since Dec 2023. Only once before have they lost four on the trot when they lost a series each to South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and India in 2005 and 2006.

There was always something a little titillating about Broad’s best spells, a slightly guilty pleasure

Osman Samiuddin01-Aug-2023Most of us thought it would be Jimmy first, right? That made sense. Older, more miles in the legs, more grump in the soul. But the unexpectedness of Stuart Broad’s exit is a neat motif to his entire career in one sense, always not being what you thought he would be, or was becoming. And he may have emerged as teenaged prodigy but who could’ve expected Broad to build the career he has done while playing it entirely alongside the greatest fast bowler England has produced?Only a couple of days ago Ben Stokes went further and called James Anderson the greatest fast bowler to play the game. That’s a big call but when he is your weapon, it’s not a crazy call. At the least, Anderson is in those conversations. Nobody will call Broad the greatest fast bowler, though it is worth noting that in 2016, he – and not Anderson – was the first England Test fast bowler to be ranked No. 1 in the world since Steve Harmison in 2004.Anderson replaced him that year, which seemed not a correction but a bend towards a natural order. Anderson has since been back to that spot several times, most recently earlier this year; Broad has not.Related

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Which is just fine. Not all fast bowlers are – or must be – great. It’s enough for them to create a great spell or two which aren’t spells of great bowling so much as total life events, occasions you will remember forever but will never quite be able to make complete sense of (see: childbirth, weddings, funerals and the day Elon Musk took over Twitter); days when the world was a little tipsy and so life moved fast very slowly.A great spell or two, but with Broad we were spoilt. Entire mornings, afternoons and days lost entirely, unexpectedly and indisputably, to Broad, ones that he had conjured from scratch and, lucky us, let us in.There was always something a little titillating about his best spells, a slightly guilty pleasure. You knew you should be sitting stroking your chin at the cant of Anderson’s wrist and his reverse-reverse wobble, but all you wanted to do was to be an absolute lout watching Broad wreck stuff. Anderson satisfied the intellect, an arthouse spectacle scaled up for mass consumption like a Chris Nolan film. Broad, for all his evolution over the years, for all the roles he took on, for all his smarts, remained at heart, an out and out big-action banger, all breath-taking, set-piece stunts stitched together to make the movie.ESPNcricinfo LtdWhich is why, as tempting as it is to treat with due deference the sheer gargantuan nature of the headline numbers of his career – only four bowlers, one fast bowler, with more wickets, only one bowler with more Tests played – Broad’s best self will always live in his brief, sharp jags of anarchy into an otherwise perfectly civil day’s play.Like the two Test hat-tricks, the second of which he didn’t even realise he’d taken and the first of which (against India) came with bonus and massive DRS schadenfreude; his breakthrough at The Oval, four wickets in 21 balls; eight in 9.3 overs at his home ground; six in 7.3 overs in Durham; seven in 11 at Lord’s; the smallness of these numbers, the compression, speaks to the truer magnitude of his work. In them is a distinct mood: Broad, full lengths, nibbling away at an edge, nipping into a pad, smashing stumps, careening away in celebration, total upheaval in his trail.Is it sacrilege to say there was a little bit of Warne in Broad’s theatre around a delivery, enough that watching him was as compelling as the bowling itself, that a spell could be measured and experienced purely through his expressions? The arms flung in the air at repeated play-and-misses, the frowns and eyebrow shrugs and wry smiles, the wide-eyed disbelief and cupped-hand-over-mouth shock and, of course, the teapots. Broad’s last day will always be memorable for clapping Zak Crawley when he spilled a catch off his bowling, a sure sign that this was the end, of Broad, and, perhaps, of times.The most endearing was when, after beating a batter, or even being hit for a boundary, he would stop in his follow-through, fold one arm across the chest and hold his chin with the other, absorbing what had happened professorially. It was an unusual pose for the occupation, though in hindsight it works alongside a visualisation of one of his great early quotes, in a interview from 2010: “Tea just helps me fight”. Tea? For fighting?Which was your favourite Stuart Broad reaction?•ECB via Getty ImagesThere was always some game within the game, especially when there wasn’t, the bail-switching last week an absolute Broad classic. Is it the imagination or did umpires have to be the most switched-on bodies on the field when Broad was on one, turning him down, answering a hundred queries, humouring him, regularly being proved wrong by him, admonishing him. Parents will recognise and sympathise.After all of it, the walk back to the mark, with the intent, form and purpose of a self-important civil servant. Some days his knees pumped more on that walk back than in the run-up.He was not the first celebrappealer but there’s never been a better one and it captured something central in him. The sense of entitlement in dispensing with the need for the umpire’s adjudication that his critics loved to hate, but also the rakish hustle that his fans loved. Some of that manifested itself in a mid-career trait of wasting reviews while batting, prompting an irritated Mike Selvey to coin the L’Oreal referral (because he’s worth it).If there’s an absence of an appreciation so far of the nuts and bolts of his bowling, it is only because, 17 years from his international debut, what is not known about it? Once you have taken as many wickets as he has, it kind of stands as monument to the career by itself. Of course, he’s a giant, because you don’t get that many wickets otherwise.2:10

Broad: I wanted to finish playing at the very top

Some might argue he got that many because he played so many Tests, like it’s some sort of a caveat. Well one, taking 604 wickets is in no way an inevitable consequence of playing 167 Tests. No wicket comes easy in Tests. Two, he played as many as 167 Tests because he was good enough. And three, staying fit enough to play that many is a feat on its own. None of this was inevitable.The other thing is that once we’re slicing up that many wickets and Tests, of course there will be skews, to home conditions, to specific opponents, to bits of stats padding. That is inevitable. It applies to every player with a long career. All of that is what makes a career, it doesn’t take from it.And Broad’s has been as rich as it is long, sustained by a thirst for self-improvement. He was never still, forever learning, adapting, tinkering, experimenting, right up to the start of this, his final series. One of the by-products of that, and what sets him apart from Anderson perhaps, is the suspicion that, had he really wanted, he could still cut it amidst the helter skelter of white-ball cricket.The end came as a career had gone, with proof of his durability. When Alex Carey nicked behind, it was the fourth ball of Broad’s seventh over in that spell. At the end of day five. Of a five-Test series. In which he played every single game. In which he bowled nearly 26 more overs than any other bowler. During which he turned 37.That was overshadowed by the set-piece moment to sign-off, the last two wickets to seal an Ashes win, a wicket off his last ball and hugs with Jimmy at mid-off. It’s a shame there weren’t more wickets left because with two in 13 balls, one dropped catch and numerous plays and misses to balls he was shaping in and swinging away as much as ever, we all had that sense, one last time, that Stuart Broad is about to get on one and we best be there.

The England quick entered the Lord’s honours board for the seventh time on Friday, four of those when India have been the opposition

Andrew Miller13-Aug-20213:08

Harmison: Anderson phenomenal even on a placid pitch

2007

5 for 42, match drawn
It might not have been apparent at the time, but this was the moment that Anderson the modern great was born. His official second coming would wait until the following winter, when he and Stuart Broad were recalled in Wellington to begin a partnership that has scarcely been interrupted since. But after another chastening winter tour, including bit-part roles in three of England’s five defeats on the whitewash tour of Australia, Anderson was conferred an early glimpse of senior status at Lord’s, with the absence of three of England’s 2005 Ashes heroes – Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard. He seized it with a display of new-found discipline, bowling within himself after a stress fracture of the back had persuaded him to ditch England’s efforts to remodel his action, and focussing instead on the guile that would become his watchword. A stunning outswinger to Rahul Dravid was a reminder of his 90mph heritage, however, as a new-look attack of Ryan Sidebottom, Monty Panesar and the debutant Chris Tremlett left India clinging on nine-down when rain and bad light (and MS Dhoni) saved them. It was a critical reprieve, as India would win the Trent Bridge Test and with it the series, but for the new head coach Peter Moores, a seed had clearly been sown.ESPNcricinfo Ltd2011

5 for 65, England won by 196 runs
A magical occasion for the 2000th Test overall, and the 100th between England and India. The sun beat down for five days, and the performances flowed throughout – foremost among them a stunning double-century from Kevin Pietersen, and a first notch on the Lord’s honours board for Dravid, 15 years after he had made 95 on debut at the same venue in 1996. England, in their absolute pomp after victory in Australia the previous winter, held the upper hand throughout the match, including a first-innings lead of 188, which had been extended to an improbable target of 458 by the time Matt Prior had muscled a second-innings century from an awkward 107 for 6. But Dravid and VVS Laxman carried India to 80 for 1 at the close, to set the stage for one of the iconic days in Lord’s history. A people’s Monday, with queues stretching for miles down Wellington Road, as scores of fans lined up for the prospect of history – with Sachin Tendulkar, seeking his 100th international hundred, set to make his final appearance at the ground. Anderson, however, was on hand to apply the heartbreak, pinning Tendulkar lbw for 12 with a nipbacker, having already scalped the overnight batters to set up a 196-run win.2014
4 for 60, India won by 95 runs
The one that got away, for England as for Anderson. This Test was the absolute nadir for Alastair Cook during a besieged year as England captain. He had been routed in the Ashes – another 5-0 as Mitchell Johnson breathed fire all over a champion team – and scorched in the media too, after the sacking of Kevin Pietersen had triggered a schism among England’s supporters. A proud home Test record had already fallen that summer too, with Sri Lanka taking their two-match series 1-0 after a nailbiter at Headingley, with Anderson breaking down in tears after being last man out from the penultimate ball of the match. After a drawn first Test at Trent Bridge, he had gone some way to atoning with first-innings figures of 4 for 60 at Lord’s, as England secured a slender lead of 24. But after M Vijay’s 95 had been bolstered by some unexpected late resistance from Ravindra Jadeja and Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma swarmed on to centre stage. England’s resolve collapsed in a diet of happy hooking, as Sharma swept up with figures of 7 for 74 – the last five of which came in an eight-over spell either side of lunch, and each one to the short ball. Somehow Cook found the resolve to cling on as captain, and England would turn the series around 3-1. But they had touched the void in that session.3:18

Steve Harmison dissects James Anderson’s excellent bowling

2018

5 for 20, England won by an innings and 159 runs
Blink and you might have missed this one. A turkey shoot under grotesquely rain-laden skies, as stereotypically dank and English as any Test match in recent memory. The first day was lost to bad weather, and when England won the toss on the second, Anderson’s first over effectively sealed the game. A surging, seething outswinger, hooping late with the seam canted to fine leg, splattered Vijay’s stumps for 0, and unleashed an air of unshakeable pessimism in India’s dressing room. Their mood was not helped by the timing of two lengthy rain delays – the first moments after Anderson’s second wicket had left them 11 for 2 in the seventh over, and the second after Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara had combined for a run-out off the last of the 12 balls possible in the middle session. Shortly after 5pm, the innings resumed at 15 for 3. And two hours later, India were all out for 107, with Anderson cleaning up with 5 for 20 in 13.2 overs. Chris Woakes, of all people, would show how it was done with his maiden Test century in England’s only innings, before Anderson sealed the innings win with match figures of 9 for 43.2021

5 for 62, result tbc
This contest began with the presumption that England were about to take the field without either of their attack-leaders for only the second time since 2007. Broad had already been ruled out of the series with a calf tear, while Anderson missed training on the eve of the Test after reporting a niggle in his quad. But after a scan had given him the all-clear, back he came – to the astonishment of every observer bar, it seemed, his own team-mates – to lead the line once more in an extraordinarily doughty display. He was thwarted in his first eight-over spell as Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul bedded into a 126-run stand, but when he returned in the 40th over, with his team-mates toiling to match his discipline, he came up with another moment of magic to unseat a hitherto imperious Rohit for 83. Pujara followed soon afterwards, in a continuation of his lean run of scores, but at 276 for 3 overnight, India were ominously placed. But, after Ollie Robinson’s second-ball dismissal of Rahul for 129, Anderson’s opening delivery to Ajinkya Rahane was a peach, a perfectly pitched outswinger that grabbed the edge to send him on his way for 1. And though Rishabh Pant and Jadeja guarded against a complete collapse, Anderson needed only a glimpse of India’s tail to force his way back to the honours board. Ishant and Jasprit Bumrah were extracted in consecutive overs, for his 31st Test five-for, and his first since entering his 40th year a fortnight earlier.