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Angelo Mathews’ temperament in high-pressure situations is a promising sign for Sri Lanka’s future

Kanishkaa Balachandran at the Premadasa Stadium19-Jun-2012The ability to handle pressure is intangible. A cursory glance at Angelo Mathews’ ODI career record shows an average close to 35, from 62 innings with ten fifties – decent returns for somebody who’s in the side as a batting allrounder, but not usually at the top of the order. Those numbers don’t indicate the number of occasions Mathews has had to bat with the lower order and tail, shepherding them around with a common-sense approach.His captain Mahela Jayawardene summed it up after Mathews pulled off a heist of sorts with an unbeaten 80 at No.6 to guide Sri Lanka to a 3-1 series win against Pakistan at the R Premadasa Stadium. “He handles pressure better than anybody else I’ve seen,” Jayawardene said.It was a fitting compliment from someone whose task as captain is not just to lead the team on the field but also mentor the next generation, including his second-in-command Mathews. When the vice-captaincy was handed to Mathews after the World Cup, it could have been seen as a brave move, considering his injury record. Nevertheless, his big-match temperament must have impressed the management enough to start grooming him for the top job early.Mathews ended up doing a lot more than was expected of him. A line-up that bats down to No.9 shouldn’t have huffed and puffed to a target of 248. The seniors, including Jayawardene himself, were part of the reason the pressure piled on Mathews. Tillakaratne Dilshan couldn’t produce the opening expected of him, Kumar Sangakkara made a start but took off for a single which didn’t exist and Jayawardene fell to the softest of return catches. It was a test to see if the less experienced players could compensate for those failures.Mathews walked in with Sri Lanka at 97 for 4, still needing just more than a run a ball. His task was not just to see to it that Sri Lanka kept pace, but also ease the pressure off Dinesh Chandimal, trying to work his way back to form. Mathews was unfazed when Umar Gul dished out bouncers, preferring to wait for the delivery that sat up to be hit.The batting Powerplay was a turning point in the chase where Sri Lanka lost Chandimal, trying to clear the rope, and Thisara Perera as the result of a communication breakdown. Sri Lanka were starting to combust due to their own mistakes, and that threatened to overshadow Pakistan’s numerous schoolboy blunders in the field.Mathews preferred to maintain his wait-and-watch approach, milking the singles and trusting his partner Lahiru Thirimanne, batting in an unfamiliar position down the order. Mathews chose audacity over safety when he reverse-swiped Mohammad Hafeez over point and then scooped Mohammad Sami over fine leg, using the pace of the ball to clear the rope.Jeevan Mendis’ cameo of 19 gave Sri Lanka a marginal chance, but with 36 needed off 22 and no specialist batsmen to come, it was touch and go. Mathews had pulled it off before, in more trying circumstances in Melbourne in November 2010, when he had Lasith Malinga joining him at 107 for 8, chasing 240. The pair marauded runs in the batting Powerplay to entertain thoughts of an upset. Malinga tonked his way to 56, while Mathews remained unbeaten on 77 in the most astonishing of finishes between Sri Lanka and Australia.In Perth in the CB Series this year, Mathews took the fight to the end with his 64, but Sri Lanka left a bit too much to achieve, finishing five runs short. At the Premadasa, Mathews had better support, but the stress levels couldn’t have been very different. A sign of his maturity at the crease was his choice of bowlers to attack. Having given due respect to Gul and Tanvir, Mathews picked the weak link in the seam attack and exposed Pakistan’s selection blunder. Sami, chosen ahead of the “rested” Saeed Ajmal, was carted over the sightscreen by Mathews, which gave Sri Lanka the psychological lift in the final over, after which there was no turning back.Mathews’ temperament in high-pressure situations and batting with the tail was honed in his school days, as his coach at St Joseph’s College, Harsha de Silva, testifies. “Angelo can adapt himself to any situation, work the ball around,” de Silva said. “There was a time when he used to throw his wicket away. He then realised that as a middle-order batsman he had to bat with the tail and he had adapted his game accordingly. He seems to take more responsibility now.”Jayawardene said he knew the lower order was in safe hands with Mathews. “When Kumar and I got out there was a bit of a hiccup but we knew we were batting deep today,” Jayawardene said. “It was down to who could take responsibility and Angelo showed that. A lot of people question his role in the side and I don’t know why it keeps coming up. He’s a quality allrounder.”In a sense it wasn’t a terrible thing at all that the seniors fell short, for it revealed Sri Lanka’s template for the future. Chandimal botched it after getting to a fifty, but Mathews covered the slack, not for the first time.

West Indies depend hugely for their wickets on Fidel Edwards

Tony Cozier17-May-2009It’s becoming habitual and a real cause for worry just when West Indies appeared to be on a gradual upward curve. England’s 569 for 6 was their fourth declared first-innings total over 540 in the last five Tests between the teams, following their 566 for 9 at the ARG, 600 for 6 at Kensington and 546 for 6 at Queen’s Park Oval in the preceding series.It is a sequence created, in part, by bland pitches and faulty catching. Both featured prominently again here with the usually reliable Denesh Ramadin, clearly favouring a painful right hand sustained in the first Test, enduring a horrid time. But just as significant is the bowling’s general lack of penetration and control and, in this match, its indiscipline.They combine to progressively diminish confidence, a vital element for any sporting team, especially one with a record as shaky as the present West Indies. They now depend hugely for their wickets on Fidel Edwards. His record of eight innings returns of five wickets or more in 42 Tests are proof of his effectiveness.Like so many bowlers with an unconventional action he doesn’t always get it right. So it was here when he sprayed the ball around, sent down 14 no-balls and, strangely, reserved his hostility for the night-watchman, James Anderson, rather than those at the top of the order on the first morning. Normally, such a strike bowler would be reserved for short bursts. Yesterday, Chris Gayle kept him going for just over an hour and a half covering 11 consecutive overs – 12 counting his no-balls. It was a case of overkill.At their best, he and Jerome Taylor make a formidable pace combination but Taylor has not been himself since his awesome 5 for 11 spell at Sabina Park in February that sent England tumbling to 51 all out and defeat. The hip complaint that eventually kept him out of the final Test in the Caribbean might be the cause. His rhythm is not the same and his speed is correspondingly down. The West Indies need the real Jerome Taylor back.Lionel Baker, still feeling his way at the highest level, is short of the pace and without the swing to discomfort international batsmen on true surfaces. There may come a time when he more regularly produces the sharp, perfectly pitched off-cutter that knocked back Ravi Bopara’s off-stump late on the first day. At the moment, there are too many loose deliveries in his repertoire. There is a case for another bowler of genuine pace and hostility, in other words Nelon Pascal. He was chosen for this tour for experience and, from all reports, has been decidedly fast and aggressive in the lead-up matches.At last, Sulieman Benn has convinced wary selectors that there is a need for the diversity of spin. His height gives him the advantage of bounce and he is varying his pace and flight and introducing his arm ball with increasing certainty. A recognition that his role on unresponsive surfaces such as those he encountered in the Caribbean outside of Sabina and here is principally containment would add to his value.Of course, they would all be seen to better advantage and totals would be kept to manageable proportions with the cooperation of their keeper and fielders. More chances were missed yesterday, six in all increasing the number in just two Tests to a dozen. It was a repeat of the Barbados Test when England’s 660 for 6 would have been no more than 350 had the catches stuck.No wonder Ravi Bopara and others have prospered. They can expect no such generosity from Australia later in the season, the series for which England regards this as a warm-up.

Clarke, who was CA chair from 2008 to 2011, was a key figure in the launch of the BBL

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Apr-2024Former Cricket Australia chair Jack Clarke has passed away in Adelaide aged 70. Clarke was an influential figure in Australian cricket having served on the CA board from 1999 to 2011 and was chair for the final three years of his tenure.The Big Bash League was launched during his time as chair from 2008 to 2011 and he also commissioned the Argus review into the performance of the Australian team following the 2010-11 home Ashes series defeat that led to a reshaping of CA’s high performance arm.Clarke, who had a long career as a solicitor after playing grade cricket in Adelaide for Glenelg, also served as a director with the South Australian Cricket Association for 21 years and was made an Honorary Life Member of the SACA in 2012.”Jack was an outstanding contributor to Australian, South Australian and international cricket in his major roles with Cricket Australia and the SACA, and much-loved by all who knew him across the game,” current CA chair Mike Baird said.”Jack’s leadership in vital areas including governance and high performance was particularly important during a time when Australian cricket faced some significant challenges. Jack’s passion for the game was immediately apparent to anyone who enjoyed a day at the cricket with him.”On behalf of Cricket Australia, I would like to offer my deepest condolences to Jack’s wife Sue, his daughters Georgie and Lucy, his extended family and many friends, and all those fortunate to have known him.”Will Rayner, the SACA chair, said: “Jack was one of the true characters of the game. His laugh and zest for life was infectious, and we will miss him dearly.”

Big Picture

Excuse me while I interrupt myself, as the great Murray Walker once put it, but we’ve got an international series about to butt into the schedule in South Africa. A nation newly energised by the successful launch of the SA20 will be putting that tournament on ice for a week to host the team that bailed on them two years ago – when what some might term a convenient Covid outbreak forced the last-minute cancellation of England’s three pre-Christmas ODIs.Notwithstanding the fast-approaching World Cup in India this year, and the need for international teams to reacquaint themselves with the rigours of 50-over cricket, this bizarre stop-over rather epitomises the current moribund state of bilateral international cricket – a format that has long been beholden to the whims of TV contracts, but which has been made to feel extra extraneous in recent months.England’s last ODI series (do you recall any details? Thought not) was a benighted affair in Australia, similarly shoehorned into the schedule as part of the Covid backlog, while this month’s explosion of franchise T20 leagues offers the other side of a potential pincer movement on the international game. Will the crowds flock to Bloemfontein and Kimberley as they have done to Newlands and Paarl these past few weeks, or will they park their affections and wait for their new favourite tournament to resume? The early indications of ticket sales are not promising. For a country that has openly sacrificed its international calendar in order to pivot to the franchise world, this feels like a significant test case.Related

• Switch Hit: Bye-bye bilaterals?

• Jofra Archer rates himself 'about 80%' fit ahead of England comeback

• Bavuma will captain South Africa for as long as team-mates and management want

There is, however, at least one good reason to fork out the R250 for entry this week. The return of Jofra Archer after nearly two years out of the England set-up is a joyous development, even if South Africa’s batters might not feel quite as enthused at the prospect. One of the purest talents in world cricket has been through the wringer since twin elbow operations in 2021, and last year’s back stress fracture was a cruelly timed blow, just when it seemed he was stepping up for a comeback. In his own assessment, he is currently “80 percent fit”, but Archer’s displays in the SA20 have sent a strong message that his mechanism is no less primed to purr for the indignities he’s endured. He’s got a big year ahead of him, with another Ashes and World Cup double-header to work towards, and in England terms it starts right here.Who knows quite where England are at in general terms, however. As the newly-crowned double World Champions, they can assemble for these contests with rather more strut than they displayed in a confused home campaign last summer, when Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott were still bedding in as the new captain/coach alliance, and when South Africa not only swiped the T20I series but were well placed to pinch the ODIs too when rain interrupted Quinton de Kock’s best efforts in the series decider at Headingley.Either way, the settled England side that, by this stage of the 2019 World Cup cycle, was on cruise control is a thing of the past. All manner of questions will need answering in the coming months, and only a handful of them are likely to be addressed in the next three days.Is Jason Roy’s slump in form terminal? Is Dawid Malan the long-term answer at No.3, or just a placeholder while Joe Root focuses on Bazball? Do Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali have another World Cup in them? And can Mott get through a press conference without being obliged to address the elephant who is most emphatically not in the room, Ben Stokes? Just as the T20 World Cup XI came together as if on the back of a packet of Tepal Tea in Pakistan, so you suspect the 50-over side won’t have any look of permanence until the final approach in October.South Africa, by contrast, have a pretty good idea of their best XI – their major issue would appear to be settling on a style in which to unleash it. Temba Bavuma, their captain, acknowledged on the eve of the series that England’s recent Test exploits would serve as an inspiration of sorts, although seeing as he added that South Africa’s interpretation of Bazball might include “blocking the s*** out of it”, it sounds as though their tactics are a work in progress.Either way, the form of Heinrich Klaasen in the SA20 bodes well as an example for the rest of the side to follow, and if de Kock has been short of a few runs, the class he exudes at the top of the order remains permanent. And lest we forget, in this era of cross-pollinated red- and white-ball mindsets, it was an attack spearheaded by Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rababa and Lungi Ngidi that got the better of England’s Test team at Lord’s last summer – the only match in 10 that Stokes’ men have so far lost. A repeat of that showing, and the Free State crowds might just decide that there’s legs in the international game yet.Temba Bavuma drives during a net session at Bloemfontein•Getty Images

Form guide

South Africa LLWLW (last five Tests, most recent first)
England LLLWL

In the spotlight

Despite his conspicuous lack of Test centuries, Temba Bavuma has arguably been South Africa’s best red-ball batter for the best part of two years. His white-ball form, on the other end, has been a work in progress, to put it kindly – and as his country’s captain, that’s a particularly tricky state of affairs. He did manage to reach three figures against India this time last year, but his form fell off a cliff in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup (and the less said about their eventual elimination, the better). Arguably he would be better off moving up to the top of the order, to emulate his T20 role, but right now, he just needs runs from whichever berth he so chooses.All eyes will be on Archer, of course, but this series is just a staging post in his gradual return from injury. For Jason Roy, by contrast, there’s huge amounts at stake in the coming three games, as he strains every sinew for a semblance of form. His returns for Paarl Royals in the SA20 have been desperate, with a top-score of 33 in eight matches. Team-mate Jos Buttler, meanwhile, has only been dismissed for less than that total on two occasions – while his stiff-limbed displays in the Australia ODIs realised 39 runs from 61 balls. For seven years, Roy was the totem of Morgan’s rebooted England team, fearlessly gung-ho at the top of the order and never afraid to fail in his determination that the collective should succeed. More recently, however, he’s batted as if a trapdoor has opened up beneath his feet. With the coming man Will Jacks tearing it up in the SA20, if anyone needs a dose of the Bazball mindset, it is Roy.

Team news

Bavuma says he knows his best XI, but he isn’t giving away much just yet. Realistically, the one true question is whether Janneman Malan should continue at the top of the order, or Reeza Hendricks ought to get a crack there instead – although his awkward knock for JSK at the Wanderers on Tuesday, when Faf du Plessis all but lapped him in a 157-run opening stand, suggests he might be better off waiting his turn.South Africa (possible) 1. Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Janneman Malan, 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Aiden Markram, 5 Heinrich Klaasen, 6 David Miller, 7 Wayne Parnell, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Sisanda Magala/Lungi Ngidi, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Anrich NortjeHarry Brook, seemingly a veteran across formats already, is poised to complete his full set of England caps when he’s handed his ODI debut. And while Archer’s return is the dominant item on the agenda, Ben Duckett’s first 50-over appearance in six years is also anticipated, given that Phil Salt has been feeling under the weather this week. Reece Topley, like Archer, may not play all three games as he works his way back from the ankle injury that ended his World Cup hopes.England: 1 Jason Roy, 2 Phil Salt / Ben Duckett, 3 Dawid Malan, 4 Jos Buttler (capt & wk), 5 Harry Brook, 6 Moeen Ali, 7 Sam Curran, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Chris Woakes, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Reece Topley / Olly StoneHarry Brook is set to make his ODI debut•Getty Images

Pitch and conditions

Bloemfontein boasts the biggest outfield in South Africa. There have been thunderstorms in the lead-up to the match but the weather on Friday is set fair, and due to be a sweltering 31 degrees.

Stats and trivia

• If selected, Jofra Archer will be playing his first international match since the T20I tour of India in March 2021. He’s missed a total of 84 England games since then – 24 Tests, 21 ODIs and 39 T20Is.
• South Africa have won an impressive 16 of their 24 previous ODIs in Bloemfontein, including eight of their last nine, dating back to 2005.
• And yet, astonishingly, England have never lost in four attempts at the venue. Bloemfontein was the scene of their solitary win in the 6-1 rout in 1996, as well as a nine-wicket cruise in 2000, and a gripping tie in Kevin Pietersen’s famous return to South Africa in 2005.

Quotes

“We have a World Cup nine months away now and we don’t have loads of games before that. They’re all really vital games to give guys chances and exposure to the ODI format and give guys an opportunity to try and nail down a place in the XI or 15 for the World Cup.”
“We are South Africans. We have our way of thinking, our way of doing things. There’s nothing wrong with us taking a little bit from England, putting it together and seeing what comes about. With the personnel we have, guys going out and expressing themselves – if that equates to a South African ‘Bazball’ way of playing, to use a stupid term – then so be it. If it means we are going to go out there and block the s*** out of the ball, so be it.”

Barcelona have been handed a huge boost ahead of next week's league clash against Levante, as Robert Lewandowski marked his return to training.

Lewandowski back in training with first-teamStriker missed the La Liga opener due to injury Suffered a hamstring injury in left thigh Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After sitting out both the Joan Gamper Trophy and Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Mallorca last weekend, Lewandowski is edging closer to a return. According to , the Polish striker is expected to be included in the squad for Saturday’s match against Levante after participating in training sessions with the squad.   

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Lewandowski took part in nearly the full training session with the rest of the squad on Tuesday, only sitting out the final portion as a precaution. The 36-year-old is reportedly feeling confident and optimistic about his fitness, with the club hopeful he’ll be available to play some role in the second match of the league campaign. His return would be a timely boost for Hansi Flick’s side as they look to build early momentum in the season. Barca posted a medical update about Lewandowski on August 8, stating that the striker had a "hamstring problem in his left thigh."   

DID YOU KNOW?

Lewandowski, who will turn 37 on Thursday, August 21, will be expected to carry forward his form from the previous season. In the 2024-25 campaign, the Polish international found the back of the net 42 times in 52 games across all competitions, bringing up the milestone of a century of goals in Blaugrana colours. 

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI?

Despite rumours that Lewandowski could depart Barca this summer and make a big-money move to the Saudi Pro League, he is set to continue in Catalunya for at least another season. Having joined in 2022, the Pole is in the final year of his contract with the Catalans. With an option to extend his contract by another year still active, the former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich forward will be hoping to continue his fine form in front of goal.  

MatériaMais Notícias

Recém-contratado peloVasco, Lucas Piton terá logo um obstáculo para superar. O jogador de 22 anos tenta inspirar a confiança da torcida justamente no setor no qual o Cruz-Maltino tem sofrido com oscilação de desempenho e, em anos anteriores, passou por rodízio no setor.

+ Morre Pelé, Rei do Futebol e tricampeão do mundo, aos 82 anos

Piton travará disputa pela titularidade inicialmente com Edimar, que teve seu contrato renovado automaticamente para o próximo ano. Embora tenha conseguido uma sequência de 31 partidas como titular na Série B, o veterano passou por altos e baixos na campanha cruz-maltina.

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Outro jogador que durante este ano de 2022 vinha caindo nas graças da torcida, Riquelme sofreu uma grave lesão no joelho esquerdo ainda se recupera de cirurgia.Com isso, só deve ser mais uma opção para o técnico Maurício Barbieri apenas em meados de 2023. Paulo Victor também segue no elenco cruz-maltino até o meio do ano que vem, mas pode ser emprestado para outro clube.

+ MERCADO DA BOLA: veja a movimentação do seu time de coração

A luta pela afirmação rendeu dores de cabeça em outros anos no clube. Henrique, Neto Borges, Zeca, MT, Danilo Barcelos, Alexandre Melo, Ramon, Fabrício e Alan Cardoso passaram pelo clube. Porém, as oscilações tomaram conta neste setor. O lado esquerdo teve momentos de exposição e também de pouca ofensividade.

Para superar estes desafios na lateral, Lucas Piton tenta manter o rendimento que teve no Corinthians e se sobrepor entre os titulares. Não só há um alto investimento do Vasco (R$ 16,6 milhões) em jogo, mas também o desejo do jovem comprovar que pode levar o Cruz-Maltino a sonhos ainda maiores.

Arsenal are yet to seal a move for Viktor Gyokeres despite closing in on a deal that could be worth around £69 million ($93m). Gyokeres is determined to leave Sporting CP this summer as he wants a move to the Premier League ahead of the 2025-26 campaign and as a result he did not even turn up for the club's pre-season preparations and instead stayed back in his homeland.

• Arsenal's move for Gyokeres has stalled
• Still negotiating with Sporting CP
• Gyokeres ready to leave Portugal

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal and Sporting are still negotiating the payment structure of the add-ons of the transfer as the Portuguese club are demanding €2.5m for Gyokeres' first 20 appearances in north London and then an additional €2.5m for the next 20. They also want a further €2.5m should the Gunners qualify for the Champions League, and finally another €2.5m for 20 appearances the following season. The Premier League giants, on the other hand, want €2.5m of the total to be more difficult to achieve.

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  According to the , on Friday, no solution could be found to the transfer impasse as the clubs remained firm on their demands. reported earlier this week that a removal van was spotted at Gyokeres’ luxury home in Lisbon. Various pieces of furniture were seen being moved out of that property, potentially with north London being their next port of call.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  further reported: "The English side haven’t shown any signs of life. With the deal at an impasse, it is hoped that Arsenal will be able to contact the Lions again. Besides the bonus issue, there are other matters to be resolved, namely the payment deadline and the solidarity mechanism, commonly known as the training rights that must be paid to the clubs where the player played as a youngster. In this aspect, the mechanism is usually assumed by the club that receives the transfer fee, but in this case, Sporting intend to split that responsibility 50/50. Arsenal intends to extend the payment deadline by four times; the Lions want it faster, in two lots."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Mikel Arteta's side will head to Asia for their pre-season and are scheduled to face AC Milan in a friendly match in Singapore on July 23. They will hope to make a breakthrough in negotiations before then.

Al-Nassr are reportedly shifting their focus to Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli as they continue their hunt for a marquee left winger. After failing to persuade Liverpool to sell Luis Diaz, the Saudi Pro League side have identified the Brazilian international as a prime alternative to bolster their squad this summer.

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Duran to join Fenerbahce on loanAl-Nassr view Martinelli as his replacementReady to pay €85m (£73m) for the forwardFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

This summer’s transfer dealings have kicked off early in Saudi Arabia, with the league’s window officially opening 17 days ahead of schedule on Thursday. And according to ’s podcast, Al-Nassr are preparing a serious bid to lure Martinelli to the Middle East as Duran is set for life in the Turkish Super Lig with Fenerbahce.

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Al-Nassr had initially set their sights on Liverpool's Diaz as their preferred target, but the Merseyside club remains adamant that the Colombian is not available at any price. With that door firmly closed, attention has now turned to Martinelli, who could prove to be both an exciting and attainable alternative. Al-Nassr are reportedly willing to test the Gunners’ resolve with a substantial offer of approximately €85 million (£73m/$99.5m).

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While Arsenal have no immediate intention of letting Martinelli leave, there is a growing belief that a lucrative offer from Al-Nassr could open the door for negotiations. Arsenal have been linked with Real Madrid’s Rodrygo and Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon as possible replacements. The capital raised from selling Martinelli could be crucial in financing a deal for either winger.

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DID YOU KNOW?

Al-Nassr are also considering a move for West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus and Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface. Boniface was reportedly close to signing before Al-Nassr opted to bring in Duran instead, and now the Nigerian could be back on the radar. Meanwhile, Kudus remains a more complicated pursuit, as Saudi clubs are subject to a £120m ($164m) release clause in his contract.

In what could see them find their replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Everton are now reportedly plotting a move to sign an impressive Serie A striker who’s as tall as Peter Crouch.

Everton plotting Calvert-Lewin replacement

In The Friedkin Group’s first summer in charge, Everton could yet be in for a busy transfer window. The Toffees will be desperate to finally move beyond relegation battles as they move into their new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium next season – and that could yet see a number of reinforcements arrive to boost David Moyes’ side.

What should be at the very top of Everton’s wishlist ahead of a potential summer of arrivals is a fresh striker. As things stand, Calvert-Lewin is set to depart as a free agent when his contract expires at the end of the season, leaving those in Merseyside short in the goalscoring department.

Moyes' dream XI at Everton: The new Ousmane Dembele signs, DCL finally axed

Everton could be set for a summer transfer window of sweeping change.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 29, 2025

Whilst Beto has shown signs of life under Moyes, it wouldn’t be absurd to suggest that Everton’s Calvert-Lewin replacement lies in the transfer market and perhaps in Serie A. Already, the Toffees have been linked with shock moves for the likes of Dusan Vlahovic in recent months. Now, however, a fresh name in Italy has reportedly emerged.

According to The Boot Room, Everton are now plotting a move to sign Lorenzo Lucca from Udinese this summer. The forward has enjoyed a solid campaign, scoring 12 goals in all competitions, and if Moyes wants a fresh presence to lead his line, the Italian can certainly offer that.

Standing at a stunning 6 foot 7, Lucca is as tall as Premier League icon Peter Crouch and could yet follow in the Englishman’s footsteps by starring on Merseyside – albeit for the opposite team.

With Crystal Palace and West Ham United also reportedly interested in the 24-year-old, Everton should make their move as soon as possible this summer.

"Strong" Lucca would be instant upgrade

Although losing an academy graduate will be far from ideal this summer, it’s been one year too many since Calvert-Lewin has been at his best, and Everton could yet benefit from his departure if they sign Lucca. The Udinese man has that aforementioned height, instantly making him a presence wherever he finds himself in the coming months.

Described as “strong and powerful” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig back in 2021, Lucca has only reached new heights ever since and is now starring in Italy’s top flight.

With 12 goals to his name in all competitions – nine more than Calvert-Lewin – Everton would be landing an instant improvement in their frontline and one that could make all the difference in the Premier League next season.

AC Milan have now submitted a £33m offer for a “fantastic” Chelsea player, having identified him as a major target, and they are confident that a deal will be done, according to a new report.

Chelsea's summer transfer plans

The Blues have developed a reputation for stockpiling talented young players, and they are showing no signs of slowing down, having completed an out-of-window double swoop for Sporting CP’s Dario Essugo and Geovany Quenda.

It seems like the west Londoners have no plans to stop there, either, having already made an enquiry over a move for Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, while they are also looking at AFC Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen.

As such, in order to fund their own transfer business, Enzo Maresca’s side may be forced to cash-in on some players during the summer window, and the manager is willing to sanction the permanent departure of Aston Villa loanee Axel Disasi.

Related Maresca's fed up: Blues boss now set to axe "amazing" £52m Chelsea star

Enzo Maresca isn’t messing about at Stamford Bridge…

Posts BySean Markus Clifford Mar 23, 2025

Maresca is also ready to let Arsenal loanee Raheem Sterling leave on a permanent basis, with Juventus eyeing the 30-year-old, and he is not the only winger being targeted by one of Italy’s biggest clubs.

According to a report from Spain, AC Milan have now made a €40m (£33m) bid for Noni Madueke, having identified the 23-year-old as one of their main targets for the summer transfer window.

Milan are eyeing replacements for Rafael Leao, who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, and they believe Madueke could be the perfect candidate.

The Italian giants are confident that a deal will be done for a fee of around £33m, and the huge competition for places at Stamford Bridge could make the move more likely.

"Fantastic" Madueke enjoying impressive campaign

It would be a shame to see the former PSV Eindhoven man leave this summer, given that the current campaign has been his best to date in a Chelsea shirt, picking up seven goals and three assists in the Premier League.

Maresca has also been impressed by the attacker’s contributions going forward, despite admitting there are still plenty of things he could improve.

The Blues are blessed with a lot of attacking options, but the forward was among their most consistent players prior to his recent hamstring injury, and he has admitted striking up a good relationship with Cole Palmer.

“He is cold and I am fire, so it mixes well. He has always got the ability to play the right pass at the right time, so it’s brilliant.”

As such, Chelsea should knock back the alleged bid from AC Milan, given that it doesn’t reflect Madueke’s value to the team.