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Manchester United could be set for a huge season under Ruben Amorim next season, that’s if the additions he’s made to the squad make the desired impact.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are two senior additions made to the Red Devils squad, costing a staggering £130m – showcasing the ambition from the hierarchy.

Benjamin Sesko could be the next player to move to Old Trafford, after the club made a £74m bid for the RB Leipzig forward, with the player himself wanting a move to join Amorim’s side over Newcastle United.

Such additions will likely provide a huge upgrade on the options who were at the club throughout 2024/25, potentially helping them return to their former glory in the Premier League.

Other areas of the pitch will also need strengthening if they are to be successful, with work already being done behind the scenes at the Theatre of Dreams.

The latest on United’s hunt for new additions this summer

Douglas Luiz has reappeared on United’s radar in recent weeks, after originally being touted with a move to join the club in the early stages of the summer window.

The Red Devils have already held talks with Juventus over a potential deal to sign the Brazilian international, but the Italian side are demanding a permanent move rather than a loan deal.

However, he’s not the only midfielder still on their radar, with Barcelona star Fermin Lopez a player who’s firmly in their sights, according to one Spanish outlet.

Their report claims that the United hierarchy have made the 22-year-old their top target after completing a deal for Sesko between now and the end of the window.

It also states that the hierarchy are willing to fork out a fee in the region of €70m (£60m) to land the Spaniard, who made 46 appearances across all competitions last campaign.

Why United’s latest target would be Amorim’s own Bellingham

Jude Bellingham has been one of Europe’s leading talents over recent years, making huge strides in his career as a professional despite still being just 22 years of age.

He started his career at Birmingham City before a move to Borussia Dortmund, which catapulted him to stardom, subsequently making a move to Real Madrid back in the summer of 2023.

However, his career could’ve been completely different, with the Red Devils previously interested in making a move for the Englishman during the early days of his rise.

The youngster even visited the Red Devils training ground ahead of a potential move, but Bellingham chose a move to Dortmund instead – leaving question marks as to what could’ve been for him in Manchester.

Despite missing out on his signature, the hierarchy have the chance to land their own version of the superstar this window, with current target Lopez labelled a similar player to the Englishman by FBref.

The Barça star has even managed to outperform the Madrid gem in numerous key areas in recent times, showcasing how much of an excellent addition he would be to United this summer.

Lopez, who’s been labelled “sensational” by one analyst, averaged a better goal and assist per 90 record, whilst achieving a higher shot on target accuracy rate – subsequently offering a bigger threat within the final.

Games played

28

31

Goals & assists

11

17

Goals & assists per 90

0.79

0.61

Shot-on-target accuracy

37%

36%

Key passes

2.1

1.5

Passes into opposition box

1.4

1.1

Take-ons completed

1.8

1.4

Carries into opposition box

0.9

0.5

Recoveries made

4.8

3.5

He’s also dominated Bellingham in possession, completing more key passes per 90, with more of which going into the final third, handing potential new signing Sesko with the tools he needs to thrive at Old Trafford.

The Spaniard’s talents are further reflected in his tally of take-ons completed and recoveries made, potentially being a perfect box-to-box option in Amorim’s current system.

£60m would be yet another massive statement of intent from the ownership group, as they look to avoid the travesty that occurred across all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign.

If he can move to Old Trafford and replicate his displays in LaLiga, he would be a huge coup and one that could transform into a potential world beater under Amorim’s guidance.

Perfect for Mbeumo & Cunha: Man Utd in talks for another deal after Sesko

Manchester United could be about to make another huge move before the end of the window.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 6, 2025

In his seventh season – and second as captain – at Guyana Amazon Warriors, Imran Tahir, now the oldest player in the CPL at 45, became the first overseas bowler to take 100 wickets in the league. Tahir reached the milestone when he had Antigua and Barbuda Falcons’ Hassan Khan holing out to Gudakesh Motie right at the edge of the midwicket boundary in Amazon Warriors’ successful defence of 135 on a Providence turner.Tahir cherished the landmark, saying it was a game-changing moment. When Hassan, who is adept at playing spin, holed out for 10 off 12 balls, Falcons were reduced to 41 for 3 in the eighth over and were eventually bowled out for 108.”I think he [Motie] took a really good catch,” Tahir said after Amazon Warriors secured their spot in the playoffs. “I was quite pleased because Hassan is very dangerous and can play spin really well, so getting him out at that time was really crucial for the team. I am just glad it came off and it was a totally great effort from Motie. For me, that was the turning point to get back into the game.”After Motie completed the catch, Tahir set off on a signature celebratory sprint and even mimicked Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘Siuuu’ celebration. In his next over, Tahir trapped Kofi James with another slider, for 27 off 23 balls.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

It was not a popular move when Tahir, 44 then, was named captain of Amazon Warriors last season, but he led the team to their first title. Continuing as captain, Tahir faced a stumbling block this time when he was injured midway through the season, but he returned to action and marshalled Amazon Warriors into the playoffs once again.”I just wanna be really grateful to Guyana for giving me the opportunity over the years to come and play here in this beautiful country,” he said. “Look, it’s a personal achievement [100 CPL wickets] but I hope my achievement includes whatever I’ve helped for the team and that’s what I look to do always. It’s a very good milestone and I’m very pleased.”Tahir also credited Moeen Ali for his calculated 42 off 33 balls, which propped Amazon Warriors up to 135 for 7 from 85 for 5. While Moeen was circumspect against Chris Green’s offspin, he lined up left-arm fingerspinner Imad Wasim for an electric sequence of 4, 6, 6, 6, 0, 4 in the 19th over.Related

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Amazon Warriors’ batters have been particularly good at acing their match-ups this season. For instance, when they met Falcons in North Sound earlier this season, Romario Shepherd played out Fabian Allen and Shamar Springer, who has quite a few slower variations in his repertoire, and instead smashed Mohammad Amir for 15 off five balls.”We knew it was going to be difficult from the start,” Tahir said. “I think we wanted to have a better powerplay, to be honest, but I still think we were okay because we didn’t lose a lot of wickets. It’s actually totally different than last year – it’s quite tough for the batters to adjust themselves. I think Moeen played really, really well.”Obviously, he had a chance, but then, I think, he capitalised on that all the way and he was incredible. One over changed the game. We were still thinking we could have done better but we knew 135-140 we can defend as a bowling unit.”The Providence has been a fortress for Amazon Warriors: their win-loss ratio of 1.71 at this venue is the best among all teams at home in the CPL. While Amazon Warriors have always had a deep and varied spin attack, which suited these conditions, Tahir attributed their sustained success at home to the Guyana crowd.”The support we get here from people,” Tahir said, “they are always here every single game and it’s sold out. As a professional sportsman, you want to play somewhere where you really enjoy and that’s what we felt over the years. I’ve been very lucky to be part of this franchise for the last seven years. It’s been incredible and that’s the only thing I can think of. The skills are there and obviously you’ve done your homework, hard work, this and that, but I think it’s the support and I just want to thank all the people in Guyana and all over [the world] where Guyanese people are. It’s incredible and we love playing here.”Jewel Andrew, 17, is among the positives for Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in CPL 2024•CPL T20 via Getty Images

‘Shoulda, coulda, woulda’ – Falcons captain Green reflects on the season

After Falcons suffered a group-stage exit in their first CPL season, their captain Green was left with a tantalising thought: what might have been. With Brandon King injured at the start of the tournament, Green took as captain and oversaw four home defeats in five matches in North Sound. Though Falcons did the double over the mighty Trinbago Knight Riders, they had already fallen out of the playoffs race.”It [captaincy] was a good challenge,” Green said. “I found out at the very last minute that I would be doing it in Antigua. Fortunately, I’ve got some really good people around me in my team. We had so much fun together and we had some really close losses unfortunately in those first two games and reflection on the season: shoulda, coulda, woulda. We showed glimpses of what we could do at times and then we were really poor at times and probably our fielding let us down and lack of big runs let us down as well throughout the tournament.”Green, however, was buoyed by the emergence of Jewel Andrew, the youngest player to ever feature in the CPL, and the re-emergence of Justin Greaves and Shamar Springer.”You look at some individual performances. Justin Greaves coming in and opening the batting and having the tournament he did,” Green said. “Shamar Springer, another one with the ball, and unfortunately he was injured. I’d have loved to see him get up the wickets column and finish a great tournament that he deserved. And then the youngster – Jewel Andrew how he started in the tournament and it’s a pity he didn’t play in the back end as well but at 17 years of age to come out and play the way he did. That’s three off the top of my head. Just outstanding individual performances throughout the tournament and they have got bright futures ahead of them along with other guys in the team.”

Everton are now believed to have made an approach to complete the signing of a “world class” player who knows the Premier League well but has fallen out of favour at his current club.

A host of players continue to be mentioned as options for the Blues in the summer transfer window, including Sheffield United goalkeeper Michael Cooper. The 25-year-old Englishman started all 46 of the Blades’ Championship matches last season, helping them reach the playoff final, but defeat to Sunderland at Wembley ruined their chances of promotion, and he may like the idea of heading to the top flight.

Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi is another player who could want to remain in the Premier League, following his side’s relegation to the second tier, and Everton have been backed to snap him up, amid their search for more quality in the middle of the park.

Meanwhile, Millwall forward Mihailo Ivanovic is another reported target for the Merseysiders, with the Serb potentially seen as a strong replacement for Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Just 20 years of age, he scored an impressive 12 goals in 23 Championship starts last term and could serve as the old fashioned number nine alongside the more elusive Thierno Barry.

Everton make approach for "world class" midfielder

According to La Gazzetta Dello Sport [via Goodison News], Everton have made an approach for Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, seeing him as an excellent choice to bring in this summer. The Blues are said to have asked for information regarding the 27-year-old, but it is added that no offer has been tabled for him yet.

He joined Juventus for around £42m last summer but was once worth a much higher figure, with Neil Moxley even claiming “somebody’s just having a bit of a laugh” when he was quoted at £60m while thriving at Aston Villa, pointing to Declan Rice’s £105m move to Arsenal as a benchmark.

Indeed, albeit out of form and out of favour in Turin last season, Luiz is a player who has proven his worth at the highest level for many years now, having been such an influential performer for Villa, so he could be a brilliant signing for Everton.

The Brazilian has 175 appearances to his name in the Premier League, as well as 20 goals and 18 assists, with John McGinn heaping praise on his ability, describing him as “world class”, and Jermaine Pennant calling him better than Rice in the past.

“Any team would dream to have Rice, but there are better sixes in the Premier League at the moment. I would say Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa, I think he can do everything that Rice can do and better. I think he assists more, he chips in with goals more than Rice. Creativity-wise he’s better, flair is better, he can put in a tackle just like Rice, break up play just like Rice. So I think if someone said to me you can have Douglas Luiz for £60m or Declan Rice for £100m, easy every day of the week, Douglas Luiz.”

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Luiz is still in his prime, so this wouldn’t be a case of Everton splashing out on a player who has peaked, and his box-to-box style could be a great asset for David Moyes.

Aston Villa have now made contact over a deal for a defender, whose recent performances have attracted the attention of some top clubs, according to a report.

Aston Villa eyeing bargain signings amid PSR concerns

PSR has been a thorn in Villa’s side for quite some time now, having previously been forced to cash-in on the likes of Douglas Luiz and Jhon Duran to raise funds, and having missed out on the Champions League in controversial fashion, NSWE may have to make sales this summer.

After the 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford, there are now doubts over the futures of Morgan Rogers, Emi Martinez and Marco Asensio, with Manchester City being named as potential suitors for the former in the past.

Martinez also looks as though he could be heading for the exit door, with Atletico Madrid recently entering the race for the Argentina international, alongside Manchester United, although it is unclear whether a move to Old Trafford would be of great appeal after their Europa League final defeat.

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Amid PSR concerns, it could be a wise idea for Aston Villa and NSWE to make some low-cost additions to the squad this summer, and they have now made contact over a deal for Hellas Verona defender Diego Coppola, according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness).

Owing to some of his recent performances, Coppola is now attracting widespread interest ahead of the summer transfer window, with the likes of Juventus, AC Milan, Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford also being named as potential suitors.

A deal could be on the relatively cheap side too, with the Serie A side expected to receive offers of around €10m – €15m (£8m – £13m) in the coming weeks.

"No-nonsense" Coppola impressing in Italy

The Hellas Verona defender is only 21-years-old, but he has already solidified his place as a regular starter for the Italian side, making 34 Serie A appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, during which time he impressed considerably.

Indeed, the Italian centre-back showcased his defensive quality on a regular basis, perhaps most notably ranking in the top 1% for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

Statistic

Average per 90

Aerials won

4.09 (98th percentile)

Interceptions

2.21 (99th percentile)

Tackles

2.03 (85th percentile)

Not only that, but the “no-nonsense CB”, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, also proved himself to be an attacking threat, scoring with a towering header in his side’s 3-2 victory over Parma back in December.

Coppola has proven he could now be ready to take the next step in his career, and he could be a fantastic low-cost addition to Unai Emery’s squad.

The Premier League is widely regarded as the most physical, intense and demanding league across the continent, so it’s always very impressive to see players performing well into their 30s.

Here, we’ve taken a look at the 10 oldest players in the Premier League, with their age taken from their last appearance. Without further ado, here is the list…

Rank

Player

Club

Age

Lukasz Fabianski

West Ham

Ashley Young

Everton

James Milner

Brighton

Jamie Vardy

Leicester

Jonny Evans

Man Utd

Adam Lallana

Southampton

Fraser Forster

Tottenham

Willian

Fulham

Seamus Coleman

Everton

Martin Dubravka

Newcastle

10 Martin Dubravka (Newcastle) 36 years, 1 month

Martin Dubravka has been in and out of Newcastle United team of late, primarily standing in for Nick Pope whenever the Toon No 1 is out injured.

Indeed, he was called upon over the Christmas period with Pope unavailable, with Newcastle securing a sixth consecutive win with the Slovakian between the sticks on his 36th birthday.

Dubravka’s last appearance came against Man City in February 2025.

9 Seamus Coleman (Everton) 36 years, 7 months

Seamus Coleman has been at Everton for 16 years now, though his season was derailed by injuries throughout.

It meant the Irishman only turned out five times for the Toffees in the 2024/25 Premier League, coming on most recently in the final game at Goodison Park against Southampton on 18th May.

8 Willian (Fulham) 36 years, 9 months, 1 day

Willian made his Premier League debut for Chelsea in October 2013 and has remained in the division ever since, aside from brief stints out at Corinthians and Olympiacos. The tricky winger returned to Fulham in January 2025.

His longevity is admirable, having made 327 appearances in England’s top flight with three different clubs as of the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

#

Player

Goals

1

Roberto Firmino

82

2

Gabriel Jesus

76

3

Richarlison

64

=4

Philippe Coutinho

47

=4

Willian

47

6

Gabriel Martinelli

40

=7

Matheus Cunha

29

=7

Juninho

29

=9

Joao Pedro

22

=9

Joelinton

22

7 Fraser Forster (Tottenham) 36 years, 9 months, 12 days

Fraser Forster was summoned to the Tottenham Hotspur first team when Guglielmo Vicario was struck by injury.

It handed the former Southampton and Celtic shot-stopper a brief run of games in December, though Spurs were only successful on one occasion – on a return to St Mary’s.

Now 37, it remains to be seen whether he will appear for Spurs in the new season, having lost his place in the matchday squad towards the end of the campaign.

6 Adam Lallana (Southampton) 36 years, 9 months, 26 days

Adam Lallana’s Premier League career may well be over following Southampton’s relegation in 2025, which isn’t a huge surprise given he may not be granted another move up the pyramid at 37 years of age.

Looking further ahead, Lallana joined up with the England Under-21s in September 2023 as a coach – perhaps indicating his future plans on the touchline.

Trophy

Year

FIFA Club World Cup

2020

Premier League

2020

UEFA Super Cup

2019

Champions League

2019

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy

2010

5 Jonny Evans (Man Utd) 37 years, 4 months

Eyebrows were raised when Manchester United re-signed free agent Jonny Evans in the summer of 2023, but the veteran certainly proved a few naysayers wrong.

The Northern Irishman called time on his second spell in 2025, ending the campaign as the fifth-oldest player in the league.

He would have to turn out for another top-flight club to climb the rankings, perhaps for a promoted club looking for an experienced head.

Trophy

Year

Community Shield

2009, 2011, 2012, 2021

FA Cup

2021, 2024

Premier League

2009, 2011, 2013

FIFA Club World Cup

2009

League Cup

2009, 2010

Johnstone’s Paint Trophy

2010

Champions League

2008

Championship

2007

4 Jamie Vardy (Leicester) 37 years, 4 months

Jamie Vardy bid a fond farewell to Leicester City this season, but despite the Foxes’ relegation, the 37-year-old backed himself to still do a job in the Premier League.

At the conclusion of the season, it was not clear where the striker was headed, but he certainly flew the flag for the veterans of the division, with only three older players appearing.

3 James Milner (Brighton) 39 years, 4 months

James Milner has amassed a remarkable 638 Premier League appearances – only Gareth Barry (653) has collected more.

The former England international has adapted his game to continue operating at the highest level, particularly at Liverpool, where he became an established left-back.

Now at Brighton, Milner has played at left-back, right-back and central midfield for the Seagulls.

He won Liverpool’s gruelling lactate test every pre-season he was at the club, evincing his astounding fitness levels, which no doubt have played a huge role in his longevity.

#

Player

Goals

1

Gareth Barry

653

2

James Milner

638

3

Ryan Giggs

632

4

Frank Lampard

609

5

David James

572

6

Gary Speed

535

7

Emile Heskey

516

8

Mark Schwarzer

514

9

Jamie Carragher

508

10

Phil Neville

505

2 Ashley Young (Everton) 39 years, 10 months

Ashley Young turns 40 in summer 2025, and has been a superb servant to Everton since his switch in 2023.

The former Manchester United winger has experienced a similar career development to Milner in the sense that he converted to full-back in order to continue playing at the highest level.

Young has continued to rack up appearances despite his advancing age, playing primarily at right-back.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Manchester United

261

19

33

Aston Villa

247

38

53

Watford

110

22

9

Everton

70

2

4

Inter

59

5

9

1 Lukasz Fabianski (West Ham) 40 years, 1 month

It seems crazy to think that Lukasz Fabianski is now in his 40s, having joined English football as a youngster with Arsenal in 2007.

He will be leaving West Ham United after seven years of service in east London, but not before topping the Premier League charts as the competition’s oldest player in 2024/25.

It’s hardly a badge of honour, but it speaks to the Pole’s enduring qualities that he could still hack it at the top level.

Everton are “confident” of signing a rapid new player who is said to play with “a lot of dynamism and speed” in a cut-price deal this summer, according to a new report.

Everton remain on the up despite Chelsea loss

Everton suffered a 1-0 Premier League defeat at the hands of Chelsea at Stamford Bridge over the weekend, with Nicolas Jackson scoring his first goal of 2025 to gift the home side all three points.

Despite the loss, however, Everton remain very much a team on the rise. After a desperately poor start to the season under Sean Dyche, the Toffees have gone from strength to strength since the reappointment of David Moyes as manager in January.

Under the Scotsman, Everton lost just one of their first 10 Premier League games — a remarkable run of form that essentially secured their top-flight status for another year, something that had looked extremely unlikely around Christmas.

Results have dipped slightly since, but with Premier League football now guaranteed for next season, attention inside the club has already begun to turn towards a fresh start.

“[Moyes] only wants the club to go one way, which we all do, and that is up. But there is still a lot of work that we all need to do to get to that point,” winger Dwight McNeil said after the defeat to Chelsea.

Everton confident of signing Ligue Akpa

Everton’s fresh start next season will come in two parts — the first being a brand-new home: Everton Stadium, a 52,888-seater set to replace Goodison Park after more than a century as the club’s base.

The second will be a revamped squad, with the club’s new owners, the Friedkin Group, expected to back Moyes with funds in the summer to strengthen his team.

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One of the players Moyes could be bringing in is Auxerre defender Clement Akpa, with Football Insider reporting that Everton could secure his signing in the coming months.

The outlet claims that Everton have been alerted to Akpa’s availability — and that they are now “pretty confident” of landing the 23-year-old in what could be a cut-price deal due to Auxerre’s financial difficulties.

Akpa has made 28 appearances for Auxerre this season, mostly at centre-back, though he is also capable of playing at left-back.

Speaking about the Ivory Coast international earlier this season, Auxerre head coach Christophe Pélissier said: “He’s a player who works a lot, having made very good and quick progress. At the beginning of this season, I did not think he would be one of the most used players.

“His qualities — playing with a lot of dynamism and speed — have allowed him to develop fully in this system. He asks a lot of questions about the game and what he needs to do to move forward. Being a very young father has given him a great sense of responsibility.”

Former England captain will set high standards as new head coach of ailing national side

Andrew Miller02-Apr-20251:27

Will Charlotte Edwards succeed as England Women’s head coach?

It seemed, on the face of it, to be a classic case of ECB miscommunication. At Lord’s on Tuesday afternoon, with literally minutes to go until the start of a board-hosted event to mark the start of the 2025 county season, a WhatsApp message pinged in the pockets of the invited journalists that drew the attention away from the assembled winners of last year’s eight domestic trophies, and onto rather more pressing matters.Charlotte Edwards, the Grand Dame of England Women’s cricket, had just been confirmed by the ECB’s media machine as their incoming head coach, and the fact that this was a surprise to literally no-one present was another reason to wonder why they couldn’t just let the planned event play out without distraction, and choose a less conflicting moment to divulge such an open secret.And yet, on reflection, Edwards’ unveiling was exactly the news required to tie a bow on the day’s events. For starters it allowed Richard Thompson, the ECB chair, to make mention of the appointment in his address to the assembled guests, but moreover, it leaned into the broader theme of the day, and indeed, the season: the launch of the new tiered structure for women’s county cricket, which is arguably a more significant stride towards gender parity than even the much-trumpeted Hundred.Related

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If, after all, the point of the policy is to create a pyramid for the women’s game that extends from the most under-appreciated grassroots all the way up to the England team itself, then it makes perfect sense to have in place a player-turned-coach at the apex who personifies that very journey.As Beth Barrett-Wild, the ECB’s Director of Women’s Professional Game, put it: “She really bridges that gap between where the women’s game has come from, from those early days of professionalisation back in 2014 – when she was one of our first England women’s cricketers to get a professional contract – and then on through to today. It’s incredibly exciting.”The timing, however, is fascinating. There was a time, nine now increasingly distant years ago, when it was said of Edwards that “nothing grew in her shade”, such was the daunting scope of her personal achievements – in terms of longevity, hunger, and sheer weight of statistics. These included more than 10,000 runs across international formats, a milestone that she was the first to reach globally, and which no England Women’s player has since come close to matching.What’s more incredible is that she achieved all of this from a handicapped start. As the classic anecdote goes, Edwards had to pay for her first England blazer as a 16-year-old in 1996, and had been so immersed in men’s cricket as her vehicle that she hadn’t even known that women’s international cricket was an attainable goal until England’s victory in the 1993 World Cup.And now she is back, just days after Heather Knight – her similarly long-toothed successor – received the same undignified heave-ho that Edwards herself was subjected to back in 2016.Charlotte Edwards has enjoyed huge success as a franchise coach•ECB via Getty ImagesIt’s hardly a surprise that Edwards’ standards have since been transferred to the teams she has overseen in her coaching career – eight trophies in five years, including two WPL titles with Mumbai Indians. But her story also hints at an unspoken gripe about the state of the team she’s about to oversee.Privately, there is a consensus that England’s current professional structure is too soft, perhaps inevitably so, given the change in emphasis from that old-school fight for recognition that Edwards’ generation was the last to truly embody, to the status quo, whereby the signing of that ECB contract – however small it may be compared to the men’s salaries – has inadvertently led to a sating of hunger. As the lack of turnover in Knight’s England teams showed, once the players were on the payroll, it was as hard to be dropped as it was to be selected from outside the bubble.There are perhaps shades in this narrative of the pressure – and jealousy – that West Indies’ players of the early T20 era felt from the generational greats that preceded them. And yet, when Alex Hartley made her comments about England’s fitness levels after their shock exit from the T20 World Cup, she was merely making a point that anyone with a set of eyes could have ascertained for themselves. England’s collapse in standards in that fateful Dubai match was so absolute that Jon Lewis, Edwards’ predecessor as head coach, was obliged to march onto the outfield at the end of West Indies’ riotous powerplay in a desperate bid to salvage their campaign.Heather Knight deals with the feeling of defeat•ICC/Getty ImagesClearly that intervention didn’t work, and nor Lewis’s exhortations throughout a dismal Ashes campaign, as shown when Sophie Ecclestone’s touchy response to Hartley’s interview request in Sydney caused those comments to resurface. Despite this, in his infamous “Bondi Beach” address at the end of the tour, Lewis still swore blind that he could not have asked more of his players’ work-rates.And, perhaps, he truly couldn’t. As the recent allegations of bullying in Britain’s cycling and swimming circles have shown, there is something a bit grim about male coaches beasting their female charges way beyond their comfort zones. It may chime with the requirements of professionalism, but it certainly doesn’t chime with the times.And so, we may finally have reached the moment when an elite woman has to take command of England’s elite women.”She definitely runs a very tight ship, and she will bring such authenticity to that role,” Barrett-Wild said. “She’ll be able to speak to it from not too long ago, when it was a very different landscape for the women’s game. It is a timely reminder of how fortunate the women’s game is now, but in a really positive, progressive way. She’s a perfect fit for that right now.”Edwards may have been England’s first professional female, but a total of 142 will feature in their domestic competitions this season. A significant number of those will be on relatively insubstantial £20,000 rookie contracts, but there is also a strong likelihood that 2025 will feature the first million-pound England women’s cricketer, when their earnings from all available competitions are compiled.You can bet that, with Edwards in the building, she’ll be obliged to earn every penny of that. And if not, there also exists – in the less-vaunted but no less significant Tiers 2 and 3 of the county structure – a potential groundswell of Edwards’ prototypes: girls who won’t be paid anything (beyond expenses) for their commitment to the game, but whose desire for that same recognition promises to be every bit as vital in driving the standards of the players above them.”Tier 2 brings strength and depth to our structure, and it creates that pathway,” Barrett-Wild said. “If we’re doing our jobs around growing the women’s game, we are going to need more than eight teams right at the top.”It’s also going to take an England team at the top of that pile that sets truly aspirational standards. Much like those of the woman whose own journey within that team has just been renewed.

Australia faced their first Test defeat after losing the toss, since the last Headingley epic in 2019

Sampath Bandarupalli09-Jul-20231 Previous instance of England winning the third match of an Ashes series after losing the first two. Before this series, England lost the first two matches of an Ashes series on 19 occasions but won the following Test only once – which was in a three-match series during their 1891-92 tour.5.08 England’s run rate during the fourth innings in Leeds, the fifth highest for a successful chase of a 250-plus target. Four of the top six fastest 250-plus run chases in Test cricket have now been completed by England under the leadership of Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum.5 Number of successful 250-plus chases by England in Test cricket since June 2022. Only twice have they lost chasing 250-plus in this period – by one run against New Zealand in Wellington earlier this year and in their previous game at Lord’s. During the same timeframe, the remaining Test teams won only three out of the 15 attempted chases of 250 runs or more.