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The campaign is still a month away from completion, although attention at Manchester United is swiftly turning toward the summer transfer window and the need to bolster Ruben Amorim’s ranks.

While it would be foolish for anyone of a United persuasion to be too optimistic regarding the impact of potential new signings, amid the club’s wretched recruitment record over the last decade or so, it is difficult to argue that this side is in need of major surgery once again.

With departures expected to reach double figures, ahead of next season, there is likely to be something of an overhaul at Old Trafford, with drastic improvement needed amid the Red Devils’ place in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

Much could depend on whether or not Champions League qualification is secured, via Europa League glory, although regardless of what occurs on the continent, it looks as if the INEOS regime are already closing in on the signing of wantaway Wolverhampton Wanderers man, Matheus Cunha.

The latest on Man Utd's move for Cunha

It’s fair to say that Cunha can’t have done much more to catch the eye of those at Old Trafford this season. Indeed, during Wolves’ 2-0 win over United on Boxing Day, the Brazilian was simply sensational for the hosts, having scored directly from a corner, while also teeing up Hwang Hee-chan for the second of the day.

That was followed by the 25-year-old’s impact in Sunday’s 1-0 win for the Old Gold, as it was actually his surging run which earned the free-kick that Pablo Sarabia duly converted.

Now onto 14 league goals for the season, Cunha appears all but certain for a Molineux exit this summer – following prior January interest – having already outlined his desire to “take the next step” in his career.

As widely reported, that ‘next step’ looks set to lead the former Atletico Madrid man to Manchester, with positive talks having been held regarding the forward’s potential contract at the Theatre of Dreams.

That move for the £62.5m sensation could represent the first piece of business in a potentially hectic summer for the Red Devils.

Man Utd readying offer for new midfielder

Alongside that interest in the Wolves ace, it would appear that United are also keeping a close eye on Ipswich Town starlet, Liam Delap, with the Englishman set to be available for £30m amid the Tractor Boys’ impending relegation.

Transfer Focus

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

Elsewhere, meanwhile, reports in Spain have suggested that Amorim and co could also go back in for a long-term target, in the form of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong, with the Dutchman said to be ‘back on the Red Devils’ radar’.

As per the report, United are ‘willing to present a proposal’ in order to entice the LaLiga giants into a summer sale, with the Premier League said to be ready to ‘test the limits’ of Barca’s resolve.

The 27-year-old was famously linked with the Old Trafford side back in the summer of 2022, during Erik ten Hag’s first window in charge, albeit despite an agreement on a fee, a deal for the former Ajax midfielder couldn’t get over the line amid issues regarding personal terms.

There may be a feeling of De Jong’s chance having come and gone, although United should still jump at the opportunity to land such a statement signing.

How De Jong could fit in at Man Utd

There could well be a fresh look to Amorim’s 3-4-3 set-up next term, with a new goalkeeper and centre-forward seemingly set to be prioritised, while Cunha would likely line up in one of the two number ten berths.

The Wolves talisman has already thrived in a similar system under Amorim’s compatriot, Vitor Pereira, in recent months, with his overall record in England’s top-flight now standing at 39 goals and assists in just 77 games.

What the one-time RB Leipzig man will need, however, is quality service from those around him, hence why bringing De Jong into the fold could be a dream scenario.

Likely to operate as part of the midfield two – potentially alongside Bruno Fernandes or Manuel Ugarte – the Netherlands international is simply a master at progressing play, as emphasised by the fact that he ranks in the top 9% of European midfielders for progressive passes, and the top 16% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Also ranked in the top 1% for pass completion, the experienced metronome has rightly been lauded as “one of the best midfielders in the world” by former boss, Xavi Hernandez, ensuring he would be a worthy upgrade in Amorim’s ranks.

Non-penalty goals

0.12

Top 25%

Assists

0.12

Top 28%

Shot-creating actions

2.59

Top 36%

Passes attempted

82.09

Top 4%

Pass completion

93.8%

Top 1%

Progressive passes

7.17

Top 9%

Progressive carries

2.09

Top 16%

Passes into final third

9.20

Top 3%

Tackles (in attacking 3rd)

0.49

Top 10%

As stated, that forward-thinking ability that De Jong provides would ensure he is the ideal figure to pick out the likes of Cunha ahead of him, as indicated by the fact that he also ranks in the top 3% for passes into the final third, at an average of 9.21 per 90.

What also sets the 5 foot 11 maestro apart is just how effective he is at regaining possession too. As evidenced last season – considering he has only started seven league games this time around – De Jong averaged 2.2 tackles per game, having also recovered the ball 5.9 times per game in LaLiga.

For context, United’s ball-winning monster, Casemiro, has only recovered 3.9 balls per game in the Premier League this term – albeit while enjoying a far superior record with regard to tackles made (3.5).

For De Jong to then have such quality both in and out of possession would ensure he can comfortably cope in a midfield two, with United having the chance to acquire two players entering their peak years, in the form of him and Cunha.

After Cunha: Man Utd in talks to sign a "monster" upgrade on Delap

Man Utd could be set to land another sparkling forward this summer, alongside Matheus Cunha

ByRobbie Walls Apr 22, 2025

AC Milan have told Chelsea how much they will need to pay to prise goalkeeper Mike Maignan away from the club.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Chelsea keen on Milan stopper Maignan
• Serie A side name price for French star
• Goalkeeper into last year of contract

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues have made contact with Milan as Enzo Maresca aims to add a new goalkeeper to his squad this summer. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Rossoneri have told Chelsea they must pay €30 million (£25m/$34m) to sign Maignan this summer.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea may well be unwilling to match Maignan's fee as he has just one year left on his contract and, as things stand, will be available for free next summer. Yet the No. 1 position is of concern at Stamford Bridge due to doubts over both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea also had three goalkeepers out on loan last season and all are due to return in the summer. Mike Penders will head back to London from Genk, Doree Petrovic spent last season with Strasbourg, while Kepa Arrizabalaga enjoyed a good campaign with Bournemouth.

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA

  Chelsea look set for a busy summer transfer window as Maresca continues to shape his squad. Dario Essugo has already arrived from Sporting, while the Blues are hoping to complete a deal for Liam Delap. The club are also being tipped to offload as many as 13 players before the start of the new campaign.

A majority of India’s players sport one these days. Can you identify them from their beards?

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Aug-2017

Mikel Arteta has acknowledged it. Nuno Santo acknowledged it in midweek. The whole world knows what the issue is at Arsenal Football Club right now.

2024 saw a progressive year for the Gunners. The back end of last season was met with one defeat as they not only scored goals galore but were resolute defensively, ensuring the team’s title challenge went down to the Premier League’s final day.

They scored six at West Ham, five against Burnley, four versus Newcastle and six against Sheffield United during a run of four devastating matches at the back end of February and the beginning of March.

How much difference a year makes? Now, the club can’t buy a goal for love nor money. Mikel Merino’s double is the only two goals Arsenal have scored over their last three games, subsequently losing 1-0 to West Ham and then playing out a 0-0 stalemate with top-four hopefuls Nottingham Forest.

So, where’s it all gone wrong?

How Arteta has tried to revive Arsenal's attack in 2025

Coming into the winter transfer window Arsenal knew they were a body light. Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury suffered against Crystal Palace back in November ensured they were without their golden boy.

Still, Jason Ayto – their interim sporting director – and the club’s ownership didn’t appear to be in a great hurry. That was, until, Gabriel Jesus was ruled out for the season having sustained an ACL injury in the FA Cup.

With the Brazilian down and out, Arsenal now arguably needed two attackers. Rumours came and went. A move for Alexander Isak was never going to materialise and it was thought as though getting long-term target Benjamin Sesko out of RB Leipzig in January was going to be a tough ask. They may still pursue the Slovenian in the summer but that will be too little too late as far as 2024/25 is concerned.

The window ended with no one arriving. Fans groaned, fans moaned, fans gesticulated aggressively at the Emirates Stadium. Then came the biggest blow of all. Kai Havertz. The man who Arteta claimed that “his robustness and his availability is unbelievable.”

It would appear as though that was a cursed comment. Just a week later, during Arsenal’s warm weather camp in Dubai, the German suffered a hamstring injury. He’s now out for the season too.

All of a sudden, with Gabriel Martinelli also on the sidelines, the Gunners were now down to bare bones. So, what’s been the solution? Arguably, there hasn’t been one.

Against Leicester, it was a front three of Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling. Nwaneri was a menace, providing chance after chance and rattling the post in the second half. Trossard was ineffective up top and Sterling was withdrawn for Mikel Merino. Imagine that.

Merino, however, was the saviour. He scored twice courtesy of delicious assists from Nwaneri and Trossard. Since then, Arsenal have been toothless.

The idea of fielding the Spaniard up top, a player with a similar wirey build to Havertz certainly makes sense but he’s not a centre-forward, far from it.

Against Nottingham Forest, we even saw left-back Riccardo Calafiori drifting into central pockets in offensive zones, notably rattling the woodwork with a fine first-half effort. His erratic defending, however, saw him withdrawn at the break.

So, this will probably be the story for the rest of the season. How they must rue selling some of their finest Hale End talent? Hindsight is a wonderful thing, of course, but there’s one who now happens to be outscoring the aforementioned Isak…

Arsenal must regret selling Hale End superstar

Hale End has proven to be a consistent production line for Arsenal in recent years. It was Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who saved Arteta when he first arrived in N5 and now he’s getting the same level of performance from two further Hale Enders; Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Sadly, the Gunners have already cashed in on a player making greater strides than both of them this term.

That happens to be Mika Biereth. You’ve all heard of him now, but you probably didn’t while he was learning his trade in the academy set-up.

Signed from Fulham, the centre-forward walked straight into the U21 side where he scored 12 times in 26 outings. Those numbers are hardly awe-inspiring.

There were a number of loan spells during that time, featuring for Dutch side RKC Waalwijk and enjoying a fruitful time at Motherwell and Sturm Graz last term, scoring 15 times and supplying nine assists across his spells with both clubs in 2023/24.

Truth be told, Arsenal have been pretty rubbish at loaning out players and growing their value but they were able to do so on this occasion, eventually selling the Denmark youth international last summer to Sturm Graz for just £4m.

After a first half of the year where he lit up Austrian football once again, bagging 11 league goals in 16 games and two Champions League goals, he was on the move again.

Over the winter, Monaco came calling, paying £10.8m for his signature which looks like an absolute bargain considering his form now.

In the words of former GOAL reporter Robin Bairner, the 22-year-old’s “form continues to be absolutely crazy” having scored ten times in seven games including three remarkable hat-tricks.

That makes him the joint-most prolific player in Europe’s top five leagues throughout 2025. He’s been so good that he’s outscoring the aforementioned Isak and Liverpool’s man of the moment, Mo Salah.

It’s safe to say that Biereth’s tale is a fascinating one. At Arsenal, he wasn’t generating much hype but there was clearly a talented goalscorer there.

To cash in for just £4m, in hindsight, was a mistake, but very few at Colney will have expected the young Dane to flourish quite as he has done now.

Arsenal can finally end Merino experiment by unleashing "deadly" Hale Ender

The prolific youngster deserves his first start amid Mikel Merino’s inclusion as a striker for Arsenal.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 2, 2025

A few weeks ago, Hamza Igamane was all the talk at Glasgow Rangers. Not only delivering on the European stage, with four goals across six games, but the youngster began to show his worth domestically.

Between December 4 and January 15, Igamane scored nine goals in the Premiership, including a brace against Motherwell to salvage a draw, before netting a wonderful hat trick against Hibernian, although more points were dropped by the Light Blues.

Since then, however, he has looked poor. Philippe Clement will be hoping the Moroccan striker can return to his best over the next couple of weeks.

Hamza Igamane's stunning debut season

As mentioned, Igamane has saved his best displays for the European stage. A double against Nice was impressive, but the way he took his goal against Tottenham Hotspur in December was perhaps even more so.

Reportedly, Everton sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action against the Premier League side, and it looked as though they might be weighing up a January bid for the striker.

Nothing came of it, but over the previous few weeks, his performances have been rather muted. Could he be affected by the recent interest shown in him from down south?

In the Europa League, Igamane scores once every 91 minutes, while he also has a goal conversion rate of 36%. It is no wonder clubs are showing plenty of interest in the player.

Domestically, Igamane averages three shots per game, while creating five big chances, averaging one key pass and succeeding with 1.3 dribbles per match in the Premiership.

These statistics are excellent, especially considering plenty of eyebrows were raised following his signing from AS FAR last summer, costing the Gers around £1.7m.

Eight months later, he could turn out to be one of the best pieces of transfer business the club has conducted in the previous few years.

One that got away

There is no doubt the Light Blues will make a stunning profit on the centre-forward. The question is, when is the right time to sell him?

Depending on his performances over the next few months, this summer could see a flood of bids arrive for the African sensation, especially with a few more goals under his belt.

Over the years, the Gers have been forced to sell some of their finest players in order to remain financially stable.

However, they have also missed out on a fair few players who have since gone on to bigger and better things. Joey Veerman was wanted by Steven Gerrard during his spell as manager, and now he is shining for PSV Eindhoven.

Another player who the Gers were reportedly keen on a couple of years ago is now attracting interest from some of the biggest clubs in the world after an incredible couple of seasons.

Viktor Gyokeres has been wonderful during his time at Sporting CP. Might the Ibrox side have secured his signature at one time, however?

Rangers's pursuit of Viktor Gyokeres

Towards the end of the 2022/23 season, it was clear Michael Beale required some added quality in his attacking department, especially if he wanted to end Celtic’s domestic dominance.

According to Football Insider, the club were reportedly interested in Coventry City hitman Gyokeres and even made a move to land his signature after lodging an enquiry. The Swedish sensation had scored 21 goals in the second tier and they would go on to lose the playoff final to Luton Town.

This form didn’t go unnoticed as many clubs chased his signature, especially as the Sky Blues failed to secure promotion, it was evident that the striker would be on the move.

Dubbed as “unplayable” by his teammate at Coventry, Maxime Biamou, Gyokeres made the move to Portugal, joining Sporting.

Whether or not Rangers had a chance of luring him to Ibrox back in May 2023, there is absolutely no chance they will be able to sign him now.

The striker is arguably one of the best in Europe.

Viktor Gyokeres’ stats in Portugal

One thing is certain, the club will make a significant profit on the former Coventry hitman when they do decide to cash in. Sporting paid €24m (£20m) which would have been way out of the Light Blues’ price range anyway.

Since then, he has scored an incredible tally of 77 goals across just 85 games for the Liga Portugal side, spearheading them to the league title during his maiden campaign at the club.

With three months left of the 2024/25 campaign, Gyokeres has already notched 34 goals in 35 matches, a truly astounding strike rate that puts a lot of strikers to shame.

Compare this to Igamane, who has netted 13 goals in 30 matches, and it proves just how big a gulf there is between the two forwards.

While it was always unlikely he would move to Glasgow, Rangers’ recent woes would surely have subsided had they been able to call upon the talents of Gyokeres, no doubt about that.

Viktor Gyokeres’ current market value

It comes as no surprise to hear that Gyokeres is attracting plenty of interest from the biggest clubs in Europe.

The likes of Liverpool, Manchester United, Barcelona and Arsenal have all been linked with a move for the Swedish star over the previous few months.

This summer could be the chance to finally lure him away from Portugal, although it might take a massive fee to do so.

Indeed, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, Gyokeres’ price tag has dropped from €100m (£83m) to €70m (£60m), which could please certain clubs, that’s for sure.

It is clear that Rangers made a huge blunder in not trying to work out a deal to bring the “powerhouse” striker – as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson – to Ibrox back in 2023, especially considering how wonderful he has been since.

It might have cost a club-record fee, but considering the form he has shown over the previous 18 months, Gyokeres would have raked in a gigantic profit for the Gers.

Rangers must axe Clement to hire exciting 4-3-3 boss who knows Postecoglou

Rangers manager Philippe Clement faces an uncertain future

By
Ross Kilvington

Feb 11, 2025

While there is a strong chance that this season is another that ends without any silverware, Arsenal have an exceptionally talented squad.

When fit, Bukayo Saka is one of the most dangerous wingers in world football, and now, in Ethan Nwaneri, he has a genuine understudy who looks like he could reach the same level a few years from now.

In the middle of the park, an inform Martin Odegaard can be near enough unplayable while Declan Rice continues to run games from central or defensive midfield.

Finally, the team’s strongest area, the defence, is bursting with world-class talent, but without a doubt, the jewel in the crown is William Saliba, and based on recent reports, the club are now looking to sign someone who could be the next version of the Frenchman.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several teams interested in signing Ajax defender Jorrel Hato.

Transfer Focus

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

In fact, alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Liverpool are all preparing to make an offer for the youngster this summer.

How much the defender might cost is not mentioned in the report, but his final price tag varies dramatically, with some stories claiming he could be available for as little as £25m, while others suggest he’d cost around £40m.

It could be a complicated and potentially costly transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, but given Hato’s impressive ability and immense potential, one well worth pursuing, especially if he can be the next Saliba.

Why Hato could be the next Saliba

Now, we know that comparing a young defender who can thrive as a full-back or centre-back still playing in the Eredivisie to someone like Saliba, who is considered to be one of the best centre-backs in the business and has proven himself in the Premier League, might sound absurd.

Nevertheless, there are some key similarities between the pair.

The first is that, like the Frenchman before he joined Arsenal in 2019, there is an awful lot of hype, excitement and expectation about what Hato could develop into in the coming years.

For example, respected football analyst Ben Mattinson has described the teenager as an “exceptional athlete” who has “the potential to be an elite lockdown full-back”, while U23 scout Antonio Mango simply described the defender as an “insane” prospect and talent scout Jacek Kulig went a step further, dubbing him “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe.”

On top of that, the Rotterdam-born gem has also been named in ninth place, ahead of Archie Gray, on GOAL’s 2025 NXGN list, which looks at the most exciting young players born on or after January 1st 2006.

Appearances

103

Starts

94

Minutes

8457′

Goals

4

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

0.12

Minutes per Goal Involvement

650.53′

Points per Game

1.86

Moreover, this belief that the Dutchman is going to be something special is why the Gunners are set to have some serious competition for his signature this summer, as they did when both Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur tried to sign Saliba before they got their hands on him.

Finally, if the North Londoners were able to get their hands on the Ajax star this summer, then like the Frenchman in 2019, he’d be making the big move before he was even 20, as he’ll still be a teenager until March 7th next year.

Ultimately, Arsenal already have a sensationally talented defence, with Saliba at the heart of it, and while it could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, they’d only be making it even better by signing Hato at the end of the season.

Arsenal struck gold on amazing star worth more than Trossard & Lewis-Skelly

The incredible ace will be a star for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2025

da dobrowin： Tottenham Hotspur are now “in the running” to sign a “freak of nature” midfielder this summer, having conducted scouting missions this season, according to former scout Mick Brown.

Spurs eyeing move for midfielder

da apostaganha： Tottenham’s midfield has looked solid at times when everyone is fully-fit, with the trio of James Maddison, Rodrigo Bentancur and Lucas Bergvall performing well in the recent 1-0 victory against Manchester United in the Premier League.

Maddison bagged the winner in the narrow victory over the Red Devils, which saw the Lilywhites rise to 12th place.

However, Ange Postecoglou clearly feels some additional depth is required, given that the manager has been left short on midfield options at times this season due to the injury crisis he has had to deal with.

Several targets have been identified by Spurs, with the likes of Palmeiras’ Richard Rios and Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso on the shortlist, and there is now a feeling they are also keen on signing one of the Championship’s stars.

Related Manager stalls new contract after Tottenham express interest in hiring him

Ange Postecoglou has been under serious pressure in recent weeks.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Feb 15, 2025

In a recent interview with Football Insider, ex-scout Mick Brown stated Tottenham are one of the clubs keeping a close eye on Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham, who could leave this summer if the Black Cats receive a big offer.

“Crystal Palace and Tottenham have had scouts watching him this season so they’ll be two of the teams in the running if he is going to leave. So it’ll be up to them to assess whether he’s ready to make that jump.

“From a Sunderland point of view, knowing the way the owners want to operate, I think if they get a huge bid for him then they’ll let him go.“

Amid links to Arsenal last month, the Sunderland star was thought to have a price tag of £20m, but the asking price could theoretically rise if he continues to impress over the course of the next few months.

Bellingham emerging as key player for Sunderland

The Black Cats are pushing for promotion to the Premier League this season, and the 19-year-old has established himself as a key player, making 28 appearances in the Championship, during which time he has picked up four goals and three assists.

Not only is the teenager a threat going forward, but he has also done a stellar job defensively over the past year, ranking in the 90th percentile for aerials won and the 87th percentile for clearances, when compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level.

Fellow Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has lauded his teammate in the past, saying: “He’s an absolute freak of nature, physically. I have never seen a 17-year-old that size. Technically, he is a top, top, player as well.”

As such, it is exciting news that Tottenham could be in the race to sign Bellingham in the summer, and they should continue to monitor his performances between now and the end of the season.

While Najam Sethi does not disagree that India should get the largest share, he wants clarity about the workings of the model

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2023The PCB has become the first board to publicly express unhappiness with the proposed ICC revenue distribution model, as revealed by ESPNcricinfo last week. The model is yet to be finalised but is close to what may be a final version. It is supposed to be approved by June, before being formally adopted at the ICC’s AGM in Durban in July. But Najam Sethi, the current PCB head, has said his board will not approve the model, unless it is presented with more details of the workings behind it.In the proposed model, the BCCI is expected to receive 38.5% of an annual projected ICC earning of US$600 million, followed by the ECB with a 6.89% share, CA with 6.25% and the PCB with 5.75%. The remaining Full Member (FM) boards all receive an annual share of less than 5%. The shares for each board are the result of weightage given to four different criteria: an equal share for FM status, variable shares for cricket history and performance at ICC events for men and women, and a share for the commercial contribution each board makes to the game.The commercial contribution weightage is what sets the BCCI apart from other boards and though Sethi agreed that India should receive a larger share, he said there needs to be more clarity where the figures are coming from.”We are insisting that the ICC should tell us how these figures were arrived at,” Sethi told . “We are not happy with the situation as it stands. Come June, when the board is expected to approve the financial model, unless these details are provided to us, we are not going to approve it.”ICC proposed financial model – 2024 to 2027•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe PCB was one of the dissenters when the Big Three surprised the cricketing world by attempting to overhaul the game’s administrative and financial model in January 2014 – the new proposed financial model is based on similar principles of marking members for performance and commercial contributions. The model was voted in before Shashank Manohar took over as the ICC head in 2016 and rolled back the changes the Big Three had made. After some wrangling, the ICC and BCCI agreed to a new financial model in which the BCCI was scheduled to receive USD$405 million over the course of eight years.This time round, the PCB apart, no board has publicly gone on record to say anything about the proposed model. Sethi said that two other Test-playing countries had also asked for more details on the workings of this model.”In principle, India should get more, there is no doubt about that,” Sethi said, “but… how is this table being developed?”All FMs are due to receive considerably more income in this rights cycle than in the last, a result of the increased bounty for the ICC in this cycle. Part of that was down to how the ICC broke down and sold its broadcast rights; where the ICC historically sold broadcast rights to all its events as one property to one broadcaster globally, this time it broke up its rights across different territories, in four and eight-year packages as well as into linear TV rights or for digital streaming (or both). As a result, where the ICC received approximately USD$2.1 billion for eight years in the 2015-23 cycle, they will receive upwards of USD$3 billion for four years from the India market alone this time. That means that a number of boards could end up receiving more than double what they did in the previous cycle.

There’s an inevitable distraction the fallout from the episode will create in the lead-up to and during the Gabba Test

Andrew McGlashan19-Nov-2021Tim Paine took the Australian Test captaincy with the men’s team in the midst of a crisis and he leaves with them plunged back into another one.Very rarely do captaincy tenures end in a good way – it’s not the nature of the job – but to lose consecutive Test leaders the way they have does not paint Cricket Australia in a good light.The board and the executive, albeit one with very few survivors from 2018 when CA was shredded by the fallout of the Newlands scandal, have some important questions that need answering. The timeline revealed on Friday said that the complaint was made about Paine’s messages in June 2018. What has the current leadership of Cricket Australia, and the ones over the last three years, known of this issue while in charge?Related

• Have we seen the last of Tim Paine on a cricket field?

• No wishing away the issues as England and Australia brace for Scandal Ashes

• Not removing Paine in 2018 'clearly sent the wrong message', says CA board chairman

• Cummins faces rocky transition into Australia captaincy

• Tim Paine's full resignation statement

In a previous era, the Australian Cricket Board, as it was then, was found out for having tried to keep a controversy under wraps with Mark Waugh and Shane Warne’s links to a bookmaker in the mid-1990s. The story eventually emerged midway through the 1998 Ashes series. As, so often, these things emerge.By June 2018, Paine was already installed as the Test captain and at that moment was leading the side on a limited-overs tour of England. A few months later, following the publication of the culture review into Australian cricket, Paine was front and centre in acclaiming a “player pact” to usher in a new era for the team as they looked to rebuild their image.

At the beginning of this week, the game was basking in the glow of having won their first men’s T20 World Cup title. Now, and not for the first time in recent years, Cricket Australia has been left with both reputational and cricket questions to answer.

However, lurking in the files at Jolimont were the complaints and investigations into Paine’s messages. The outcome that Paine was found not to have breached the code of conduct and that the messages were between consenting adults was enough for the case to be put away and kept in-house. And when they have been hidden away for so long, the fallout is even greater.We don’t yet know the full extent of conversations that were had regarding Paine’s captaincy credentials at the time, but clearly the outcome was that he was deemed suitable to continue. The fact he was cleared of any offence by the investigation does not necessarily equate to him still being a fitting captain. That this came at a time when Cricket Australia was pushing a new image for the men’s team so strongly makes it appear even more mismanaged. There will be a few who won’t be slow to jump on some of Paine’s utterances over the last few years in the wake of his departure.Amid his tearful resignation, Paine said he was determined to remain a player for the Ashes series. It was a notion supported by the board. The Australia Cricketers’ Association, the players’ union, went a step further in a statement by saying they were “saddened that he felt the need to resign”.Right now, it’s hard to be certain that Tim Paine hasn’t played his last game for Australia.•Getty ImagesBut there has to be a question mark over whether he can realistically play in less than three weeks. On a basic fitness level, will he be able to focus on his return to action after disc surgery that was meant to involve a club and second XI game over the next week? And then there’s the inevitable distraction the fallout from the episode will create in the lead-up to and during the Gabba Test.There’s a fundamental cricket argument as well. Without being captain, does Paine remain the best option to be the wicketkeeper-batter in the Test team? Some of the commentary around his batting returns have been over-egged – his average of 32.63 is comparable to that of Jos Buttler (33.33) and Jonny Bairstow (33.70) – but there is no shortage of high-quality alternatives in the game. Alex Carey would be leading the way, while Josh Inglis is also part of the Australia A squad and Queensland’s Jimmy Peirson is having a terrific season.Right now, it’s hard to be certain that Paine hasn’t played his last game for Australia.And then there’s the small matter of the captaincy. Pat Cummins is the leading candidate and now CA is likely to be forced to jump headlong into the decision of appointing him at least six months before it would have wanted to. There is still some talk of a return to Steven Smith – and what a circle that would complete if he was to return in these circumstances – but it won’t happen. He will, however, have a vital senior role to play alongside Cummins. A reminder, too, that while Cummins was appointed New South Wales’ one-day captain last season he has never led in a first-class match.At the beginning of this week, the game was basking in the glow of having won their first men’s T20 World Cup title. Now, and not for the first time in recent years, Cricket Australia has been left with both reputational and cricket questions to answer.