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An attendance of 27,119, a domestic record for Twenty20 cricket in the UK, watched a thrilling Middlesex victory over Surrey

Vithushan Ehantharajah at Lord's21-Jul-2016
ScorecardEoin Morgan’s 42 helped Middlesex beat local rivals Surrey•Getty Images

A thrilling match, in front of a record crowd, broadcast on TV and with the very best on show taking star turns. The T20 Blast has not always been able to get all those ingredients into the same pot. But tonight, everything seemed to fall into place.The attendance of 27,119 is now a domestic record for Twenty20 cricket in the UK. Lord’s also happens to hold the record for an international, too, when the 2009 World T20 final reeled in over 28,000. There were a couple factors that threatened today’s record.Severe delays on the Jubilee Line had some punters thinking twice about joining the clammy rush-hour scrum to St John’s Wood. The walk from Baker Street station, normally a leisurely stroll past some of Sherlock Holmes’ old watering holes, was a steady stream of fans frog-marching cooler bags along the westerly brim of Regent’s Park. Middlesex’s own form, too, might have encouraged some diehards to stay away to avoid the gloating bellows of their rivals from south London, who had enjoyed a six-game winning streak at Lord’s before the tables turned last season.But just as bigger steps cut down the 20-minute walk, signal failures rectified from Bond Street, and the opening of the Warner Stand (roof still to be attached) increased the potential for a bumper crowd, so too did Middlesex’s rediscovered knack of winning short form games. There is a marked difference to the way they are now approaching Twenty20 cricket.Dawid Malan, following his appointment as white-ball captain, has ensured that elements of Middlesex’s T20 plans are now player-led. That his side triumphed tonight by chasing down a target of 197, with plenty left in the tank, while he, their leading run-scorer in the competition, was slapping Sri Lanka A about for 185 off 126 balls, says it all. With bat and ball, this was a free-form T20 performance that sees them jump to third in the south group, with 13 points from 11 played.It is worth starting with the chase of 197, done with five balls and as many wickets to spare. Paul Stirling could not have hit a more Paul Stirling 34: cover drives played with a savagery rarely associated with the shot while also finessing a back-of-a-length ball over backward square leg for a dainty six. Eoin Morgan, pushed up to three, then clobbered 42 off 24 balls, which included putting Azhar Mahmood on the roof of the Grandstand. Rarely one for holding the pose or a lingering gaze, even he looked on wistfully at his own majesty.In the last two months, Morgan has played to 50,000 in a World T20 final at Eden Gardens, stepped out at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in the IPL and then, in his opening T20 Blast fixture, batted on a school ground. A lot is made of Morgan’s appetite for English domestic cricket, but who can blame him when life outside it sees him on Broadway. He showed today what keeps him going – a challenge, an atmosphere, a prize to be won. Never mind attracting overseas stars, it’s imperative to have a competition that motivates your own.He departed in the 11th over, one which started with 85 needed from 60 balls. With 30 balls left, that had been chopped down to 37, thanks to a brisk partnership between George Bailey (50) and John Simpson (43 from 26) that was eventually broken for 67. By then, the ask was simply 10 from 14.Quite how Surrey failed to breach 200, having smashed 80 for none off the first six overs, was a mystery. Once Jason Roy departed at the beginning of the eighth over, for a thrill-a-ball half-century which took just 24 deliveries, the constant fear of boundaries subsided. The 10 overs that followed the Powerplay saw just 74 scored. Surrey’s middle order has long been a problem area masked by the dashers up top. For them to evolve as a T20 force, it needs addressing.It was the introduction of legspinner Nathan Sowter that shored Middlesex up, allowing them to retain respectability in the field. Coming on in the seventh over, he returned figures of two for 29 from his four overs: a back-of-the-hand delivery slowing up on Steven Davies, who skewed a drive to gully before Rory Burns, stuck in a rut, top-edged a sweep to John Simpson.The main squeeze came between the 11th and 16th overs as Sowter and Ryan Higgins bowled in tandem for a five-over period that saw 33 runs and just one boundary conceded. Higgins is an interesting case: primarily a batsman, he found himself bowling a few overs here and there during preseason and in the warm-up Twenty20 matches. It was in these fixtures that he surprised coaches and Middlesex’s analyst with his ability to seemingly bowl yorkers at will.Today was the first time that Middlesex really put his newly discovered talents to the test. Initially, his three overs went for just 17 runs – none of them from boundaries. But when Harry Podmore was removed from the attack after a second waist-high full toss, he returned to bowl the remaining five balls of the penultimate over. The first delivery hit straight over his head and into the members by Chris Morris. The very next was caught at midwicket for his first wicket in the T20 Blast. He was the only bowler that restricted Finch to less than a run a ball.The individual to benefit most from the squeeze was James Fuller, whose spell at the death, which returned 2 for 14 – he took 2 for 3 in the 20th over – helped offset a catastrophic opening burst that saw him concede 29 from his opening two overs.Surrey’s destiny is now out of their hands. Winning their remaining games will help, but without the goodwill of others, they face another season of T20 disappointment.

Worcestershire broke the only unbeaten record in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast and moved clear at the top of the North Group

ECB Reporters Network10-Jun-2016
ScorecardBen Cox sealed Worcestershire’s victory in the final over•Getty ImagesWorcestershire broke the only unbeaten record in this season’s NatWest T20 Blast and moved clear at the top of the North Group when beating Northamptonshire by Worcestershire by three wickets at New Road.Wicketkeeper Ben Cox followed up three catches in Northamptonshire’s 169 for 7 by taking the nine runs wanted from the last over in three balls from Mohammad Azharullah – a reverse paddle for four, a pull for four and a single into the covers.Cox finished unbeaten with 42 from 24 balls, having turned the match in his team’s favour after going in at 102 for 5, but it seemed that Worcestershire had lost their best chance when Tom Kohler-Cadmore was dismissed for 60 by Rob Keogh’s juggling act on the deep extra cover boundary.Keogh, who previously held a one-handed catch at mid-off from Brett D’Oliveira, knocked the ball up before completing the catch.Both sides were handicapped by constant drizzle and poor light in Worcestershire’s innings and at first the game was tilting towards Northants when Azharullah took two wickets in an over to leave the home side teetering on 20 for 3.Earlier, Ben Duckett’s first half-century of the season in the competition was crucial to setting up a challenging total for Northants, but the left hander benefited from two lapses in Worcestershire’s normally reliable fielding.This was rough luck on George Rhodes as the son of the county’s director of cricket made his home debut following an impressive start in the Royal London Cup against Yorkshire earlier in the week.The 22-year-old spinner was in his first over when Duckett, on 6, was dropped by Jack Shantry at short third man and returned later to see the batsman’s second life, on 28, when D’Oliveira fumbled a stringing drive to extra cover. Rhodes had figures of 1 for 11 from his two overs, his wicket coming when Alexei Kervezee at deep square leg held a well-judged catch from Steven Crook.Duckett went on to reach his 50 from 34 balls after hitting three sixes and four fours but without addition to his score he was seventh out at 140, bowled by Joe Leach as Worcestershire’s acting captain finished with 3 for 26.Leach was called on to lead the side when Daryl Mitchell suffered a side strain in the nets, a major blow to Worcestershire, who were already without paceman Matt Henry, but Northamptonshire were even more depleted with Richard Levi, Rory Kleinveldt and Olly Stone on their lengthening casualty list.Wickets fell on a regular basis on a sluggish surface, although Alex Wakely, Josh Cobb and Keogh all had time to deal in some heavy blows.Keogh was brilliantly caught overhead at mid-off as Shantry atoned for his earlier miss but the when he came on to bowl the penultimate over, Graeme White smashed three consecutive sixes.

Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been appointed team mentor of Delhi Daredevils. Dravid will head a refurbished coaching bench at Daredevils, who have also hired former South Africa and India assistant coach Paddy Upton as head coach.Dravid and Upton will work with a team of assistants: Zubin Bharucha (technical director), former India batsmen Sridharan Sriram and Praveen Amre (batting coaches), and former Tamil Nadu and India fast bowler TA Sekhar (bowling consultant).”I am very excited by the challenge of taking Delhi Daredevils on to the next level. From what I have seen I have been impressed by the ambition and energy demonstrated by the team and I look forward to working with a group of players that I believe have what it takes to succeed,” Dravid said.”Along with the rest of the support staff, I am fully aware of what this franchise means to its supporters and I intend to do everything possible to help build a team that the fans can be proud of.”The franchise was forced to ring in changes to the coaching staff once former South Africa batsman and coach Gary Kirsten’s three-year contract was terminated after two seasons. Under Kirsten, who took charge in September 2013, Daredevils finished bottom of the table in IPL 2014 and second from the bottom last year. Daredevils also axed Kirsten’s assistant Rob Walters, who was the trainer.Incidentally, the trio of Dravid, Upton and Bharucha were part of the core team at Rajasthan Royals, which has been suspended for two seasons by the Lodha Committee. In 2014, having served as captain in previous seasons, Dravid assumed the role of team director cum mentor at Royals. In the 28 matches Dravid oversaw, the franchise won 13 matches and lost 12, with two ties and one no result.One of the most sought after coaches in the T20 format, Upton recently won the Big Bash League with Sydney Thunder, before also coaching Lahore Qalandars in the inaugural Pakistan Super League.”I relish the privilege to work again with Rahul and Zubin, and to have the opportunity to do so at a franchise like Delhi Daredevils,” Upton said. “I am constantly learning about the Twenty20 format as I move around the world, and look forward to applying and furthering this knowledge at the coming IPL season with Delhi.”

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is in favour of potentially bringing back Mauricio Pochettino but there are some reservations from others at the club.

Could Spurs bring Pochettino back?

The Argentine manager has now been out of work for around eight months now after departing Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of last year.

And there are reports suggesting the former Spurs boss has recently rejected an approach from Chelsea as they consider their options amid their own struggles.

Pochettino has previously said he sees himself returning to Spurs having left the club back in 2019 and it seems as if an opportunity could be arising as Antonio Conte looks set to leave in the coming months.

Speaking on the Ranks FC podcast, insider Dean Jones has suggested this is something which could come to fruition but it does not necessarily have the backing of everyone behind the scenes at Tottenham:

“There aren’t actually that many people within Tottenham that think it’s a good idea to go to Poch. I’m told that Daniel Levy is the guy that is most in favour of Pochettino, but there are people around him that really aren’t into it.

“And you’ve got to think too, the system has been built around Conte – Paratici, for example – like, there’s things like that won’t exist if Pochettino comes back, this whole hierarchy if you like that’s been built up, I can’t see Pochettino working under that system.”

Would Pochettino be the best choice for Spurs?

During Conte’s time at Spurs, it has been apparent the Italian has very strong views over the signings the club makes and is not worried about isolating players who may not fit his brief.

This can be seen through the likes of Djed Spence and Arnaut Danjuma who have both arrived at Spurs this season and struggled to pick up any consistent game time.

Given Spurs are currently struggling to find the back of the net, bringing on Lucas Moura over Danjuma – as was the case at the weekend – could be proving a move which is only hindering the team.

And when it comes to young players, Pochettino has proven he is capable of extracting the best from them having done so with the likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli.

There may an argument that a potential return for Pochettino could see him inherit a lot of players which were still at the club when he was sacked back in 2019.

Although that may be true, the summer could offer him the opportunity to offload the likes of Davinson Sanchez who is believed to be a player Spurs want to sell.

Regardless of what players are at the club, someone is going to inherit them and Pochettino is a man who brought the fans together unlike any of his successors.

There may be the argument that he was unable to bring trophies to Spurs, and although that may be true, neither have any of the managers since.

Saad Shafqat on how Pakistan cricketers graced the county circuit and, in turn, gained from the english experience

Saad Shafqat29-Jun-2006

Zaheer Abbas was a prolific run-scorer for Gloucestershire © Getty Images

On a perfect summer day in 1971, Zaheer Abbas took guard at Edgbaston and launched a reputation. Among those left breathless by his strokeplay were officials at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club, who had followed his form through the side games and soon found 274 reasons to offer him a contract. Zaheer did not know much about Gloucestershire except that it was out west, and had been the county of Wally Hammond and W.G. Grace. Apparently, that was good enough.His Pakistan team-mate Sadiq Mohammad was already at Gloucestershire and helped negotiate the details. Zaheer did not take to the county circuit right away but when he did, it was nothing short of phenomenal. In 1976, he went berserk and reeled off a century and double-century in the same match on three separate occasions. Gloucestershire shot up to the third spot in the Championship table, having languished second from bottom the previous season.Over 30 players from Pakistan have appeared in the County Championship. Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Pakistan’s aristocratic inaugural captain, was the first, but the trend really picked up in the 1970s and the list includes many of Pakistan’s greatest names.It was natural for cricketers from Pakistan, as from elsewhere around the Test world, to be drawn to the English domestic season. The money was good, and if you enjoyed your cricket, England was the only place you could play in the summer months. It was also an intense education, clashing and competing with other players, some of whom like West Indians and South Africans, were legends. And there was the hallowed prestige of things English, which elevated county cricket and its larger context into a dream to which many aspired.The history of overseas stars in formal English cricket goes back to 1929, when Learie Constantine was brought in to the northern leagues. County cricket saw its first major overseas influx in the late 1960s, when foreign stars were invited to revive flagging interest (and falling gate receipts). Asif Iqbal at Kent and Majid Khan at Glamorgan were among this early wave, having impressed on Pakistan’s 1967 tour to England. They were part of a sizeable cohort that included the likes of Clive Lloyd, Lance Gibbs, Rohan Kanhai, Garry Sobers, Mike Procter and Barry Richards.

Wasim Akram in Hampshire colours © Hampshire cricket

You could argue that Pakistan’s golden age was born in the county game. Imran Khan and Javed Miandad, architects of Pakistan’s finest hours, were both hardened county products. Born and raised in Lahore, Imran finished high school in England and played for Oxford, Worcestershire and Sussex. He credits Sussex’s John Snow with teaching him the ropes. Miandad says were it not for England, Imran would not have become the cricketer that he did.Miandad himself, a self-made firebrand from Karachi’s combative cricket culture, sought the county experience to apply finishing touches. After an uncertain start at Sussex he found a home at Glamorgan and immediately connected with the fan base. In 1981, he had a bumper season and crowned it with the innings of a lifetime at Colchester, making 200 not out in the fourth innings on a minefield against seasoned spinners. Dickie Bird was one of the umpires and Graham Gooch the opposing captain; each would later glowingly recall that innings in their memoirs.The forum of county cricket has been a two-way street in which overseas players and English players have both benefited. For local cricketers, sharing the rigors of the circuit with celebrated icons from other countries, offered an unparalleled cricketing tutorial, and some of the stardust was bound to rub off. It is probably no coincidence that the distinguished county career of Wasim Akram at Lancashire was followed last year by the likes of ex-county team-mate Andrew Flintoff reverse-swinging his way to an England Ashes victory.One measure of how much Pakistan has gained from this relationship is their relative comfort with English conditions. They return this year not having lost a Test series there in a quarter of a century. Pakistan’s great failing, though, has been not taking the system’s core traditional values – discipline, rigour, and intensity – and bringing them into the cricket infrastructure at home, which remains sloppy and casual.Unsurprisingly, Pakistan’s recent international sides have appeared comically short on the basics. Erratic running between the wickets, playing away from the body or against the line, and that old bugbear, the suspect bowling action – these are all kinks that would have been worked out by a sound domestic set-up modeled after the best of the county program.

Miandad says were it not for England, Imran would not have become the cricketer that he did © Getty Images

But county cricket, too, is no longer the institution it once was. In the 1980s, when England’s cricket fortunes began to slide, overseas players in counties were reduced out of concern that promising English players were facing limited opportunities to emerge. A series of strategic appraisals – the Palmer Report, the Murray Report, the MacLaurin proposals – were undertaken with the hope of making the County Championship a more energetic nursery to feed the England international side. Introduction of four-day matches, innings limited to 100 overs with a single ball; and two-tier models, were some of the other ideas thrashed about and eventually implemented.If you ask players like Zaheer or Miandad, they remain puzzled by all the hand-wringing. England’s team saw better days when there were four overseas players per club than when there were one or two. Fewer overseas players means fewer masters to play against and learn from. The logic seems clear enough – you’ll learn more at a university that hires the brightest faculty in the world, than at one that keeps them out. But it’s cricket logic versus administrative logic, and that’s an old divide.Whether the tinkering has worked has been endlessly debated – in itself a tell-tale sign that it has probably not. A plentiful supply of international cricket has necessarily diluted the brand, as it has for domestic competitions across the world. Short-term contracts are devaluing the enterprise, making the foreign recruit seem more like a carpetbagger than the accomplished professional who used to have an enduring relationship with the club and its community.Sponsorship, television rights, and the rampant appetite of an increasingly frenzied public have forever transformed the circumstances of the game. Time and cricket have moved on, and one feels that the heyday of the County Championship with its robust English flavour and lavish international seasonings may have permanently receded.

Pakistan players in the county championship

	Player	County
	Khalid Ibadullah	Warwickshire
	Abdul Hafeez Kardar	Warwickshire
	Khan Mohammad	Somerset
	Majid Khan	Glamorgan
	Asif Iqbal	Kent
	Pervez Mir	Derbyshire, Glamorgan
	Sarfraz Nawaz	Northamptonshire
	Mushtaq Mohammad	Northamptonshire
	Zaheer Abbas	Gloucestershire
	Sadiq Mohammad	Essex, Gloucestershire
	Intikhab Alam	Surrey
	Wasim Akram	Hampshire, Lancashire
	Waqar Younis	Glamorgan, Surrey
	Azhar Mahmood	Surrey
	Abdul Razzaq	Middlesex
	Danish Kaneria	Essex
	Salim Malik	Essex
	Mushtaq Ahmed	Somerset, Surrey, Sussex
	Javed Miandad	Glamorgan, Sussex
	Younis Khan	Nottinghamshire
	Younis Ahmed	Glamorgan, Surrey, Worcestershire
	Aamer Sohail	Somerset
	Imran Khan	Sussex, Worcestershire
	Mohammad Sami	Kent
	Mohammad Akram	Essex, Northamptonshire, Surrey, Sussex
	Shoaib Akhtar	Durham Somerset, Worcestershire
	Mohammad Asif	Leicestershire
	Shahid Afridi	Leicestershire
	Rana Naved-ul-Hasan	Herefordshire, Sussex
	Aaqib Javed	Hampshire
	Yasir Arafat	Durham, Sussex
	Saqlain Mushtaq	Surrey
	Shoaib Malik	Gloucestershire

Leeds United have a huge summer ahead of them in the coming months, needing to build a side capable of surviving the drop in the Premier League throughout 2025/26.

The Whites will be attempting to do something which no side has managed in the last two seasons, in maintaining their top-flight status after securing promotion from the Championship.

Southampton, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Luton Town, Burnley, and Sheffield United have all tried and failed, handing Daniel Farke a huge task to prevent the club from being added to such a list.

The German has already had questions asked about his future at Elland Road, with the Whites manager potentially being replaced before the start of the next campaign.

Regardless of the situation, the foundations have already been laid for the summer window, with numerous players already linked with a summer switch to Yorkshire.

An update on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

Over the last few weeks, rumours have emerged over Leeds making a potential move for Newcastle United’s midfielder Sean Longstaff, but could face huge competition from other top-flight sides for his signature.

Everton have been named as the latest side to enter the race for his services, with the Magpies only demanding a £10m fee to part ways with the 27-year-old.

His experience in the division could be vital for the Whites’ chances of securing survival next season, potentially being joined by Augsburg goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, if recent reports are to be believed.

It was reported by BILD via Sport Witness that the Whites are keen on a move for the 27-year-old this summer, looking to cement his place as number one under Farke.

It also states that no asking price has yet been set for his services, but that he could be open to a move to the Premier League to further his career at the top level.

Why Leeds’ target could be Farke’s next Tanaka

The 2024/25 season has been a hugely successful one for Leeds, ending their stay in the Championship, but also landing key talents such as Ao Tanaka in the process.

The Japanese international joined from Fortuna Düsseldorf last summer for a reported £3.5m fee, cementing himself as a key player in Farke’s starting eleven throughout the last few months.

He’s managed to rack up 44 appearances across all competitions, notching six combined goals and assists – even being named in the Championship Team of the Season.

Such a deal has been one of the club’s best in recent years, playing a pivotal role in their success and hopefully taking the Premier League by storm after his debut year in Yorkshire.

However, the manager could be about to land his next version of the star this summer in the form of Dahmen, who could follow in Tanaka’s footsteps by joining the Whites from a German side.

If he manages to get anywhere near the level of the Japanese star, he will be a fan favourite in no time, potentially playing a vital role in their chances of staying up.

The German has excelled in recent months, making 16 appearances, keeping nine clean sheets and conceding just ten goals during such a period – leading to journalist Christian Pohlmann labelling him as “extraordinary”.

Games played

16

Clean sheets

9

Goals conceded

10

Save percentage

85%

Saves made

3.5

Errors leading to goals

0

Pass accuracy

68%

His staggering numbers don’t stop there, saving 85% of the efforts that he’s faced this campaign, averaging 3.5 saves per 90 – handing Farke that added solidity he needs at the back.

Dahmen has also not made a single error leading to a goal, and is more than capable of playing out from the back, 68% of the passes he’s attempted throughout 2024/25.

Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the shot-stopper would set the club back this summer, the stats he’s produced are incredible, certainly bolstering the ranks at Elland Road.

Their dealings with landing players from Germany in recent months have been successful, as seen with Tanaka, which could lead to Dahmen being the next star to make the switch to England.

Bad news for Byram: Leeds want to sign "outstanding" £34k-per-week star

Leeds are reportedly interested in signing a Premier League defender, and it is bad news for Sam Byram.

ByDan Emery May 1, 2025

Southampton could be set to lose one of their loanees for good, with a fresh report revealing that they have received an enquiry regarding his services.

Southampton's strikers options

The Championship side had Che Adams, Adam Armstrong and Sekou Mara as their natural options at centre-forward before the summer transfer window opened, but that didn’t stop the hierarchy from wanting to bolster their ranks even further.

Following a lengthy battle, Russell Martin’s side secured the services of Sunderland’s former striker Ross Stewart before the deadline, meaning that the boss could get rid of any existing squad members that he knew he wasn’t going to use over his new signing.

One of those was Paul Onuachu, who put pen to paper on a season-long loan with Turkish Super Lig outfit Trabzonspor, and it’s fair to say that the 29-year-old has made an exceptional start to his temporary spell on the road at the Papara Park.

The Nigeria international has firmly established himself as Abdullah Avci’s overall best-performing player so far this season with a match rating of 7.28 (WhoScored – Trabzonspor statistics), and this impressive form has caught the eye of another mystery club overseas.

Paul Onuachu attracting interest overseas

According to Turkish outlet Fotospor (via The Real EFL), Paul Onuachu is gaining attention from Turkey. Trabzonspor are "not currently exploring a permanent deal" for the attacker despite his positive start, but his displays have been taken note of by one other unnamed club in the same league.

The Southampton star's loan club had made contact to discover the price of a move but were made aware that another secret admirer had also made an enquiry, so it's likely that chiefs will want to sanction his sale next summer.

Whilst Onuachu has failed to get off the mark at Southampton, he’s got straight up and running for Trabzonspor with five contributions, four goals and one assist, to his name in seven appearances (Transfermarkt -Onuachu statistics), form which has seen him hailed a “top finisher” by journalistJosh Bunting.

The Owerri native, who pockets £34k-per-week (Trabzonspor salaries), is also currently averaging 2.3 shots per league game (WhoScored – Onuachu statistics), highlighting his constant desire to hit the back of the net even if the end product isn’t always there.

Headed attempts

Holding onto the ball

Finishing

Defensive contribution

Aerial duels

(Data via WhoScored)

Standing at 6 foot 7, the colossus is the ideal target man, recording 4.4 aerial wins per match in the Super Lig with his physical presence posing a real threat to the opposition’s defence, making him a handful to deal with.

Therefore, Southampton permanently selling him next summer could be somewhat of a mistake because he's proven what he's capable of achieving if given a consistent run of games, so he deserves to be handed the opportunity to showcase his talents upon his return.

Southampton have developed a reputation for being a fantastic place for players to progress their careers and seal bigger moves elsewhere over the years.

Who are Southampton's record sales?

Many players have passed through the halls at St. Mary's on their way to some of the biggest clubs in Europe after being picked up by the Saints at the start of their respective careers.

Virgil van Dijk

£72.7m

Romeo Lavia

£53.3m

Sadio Mane

£35.4m

Luke Shaw

£32.2m

Tino Livramento

£31.9m

Fees via Transfermarkt.

These are the top five biggest sales in the club's history to date and there have been a number of talents who have been sold for significant fees below that after honing their skills on the south coast.

One player whom Southampton hit the jackpot with was English winger Nathan Tella, who recently departed Russell Martin's side during the summer transfer window.

How much did Southampton sign Tella for?

The Saints snapped the talented wizard up on a free transfer from then-fellow Premier League side Arsenal after the top-six club opted against handing him a new contract.

He did not do enough to earn an extension with the Gunners ahead of the 2017/18 campaign which allowed Southampton to secure his services for £0.

Norwich City, who have also built a reputation for developing young talents like Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey Emi Buendia, and James Maddison, invited the 17-year-old prospect to train with the Norfolk-based side but he decided to make the move to the south coast instead.

Tella had only scored one goal in nine U18 league matches for Arsenal during the 2016/17 season but scored one goal in one game on trial with the Canaries before eventually ending up with Southampton.

The exciting forward went on to enjoy an impressive spell at U21 level with the Saints as he produced 12 goals and seven assists in 46 appearances.

His form for the academy side led to him making his Premier League debut against, ironically, Norwich during the 2019/20 campaign.

However, Tella found it difficult to deliver consistently impressive performances in the top flight over the following two seasons as Ralph Hasenhuttl offered him plenty of opportunities to impress.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.54 across 18 Premier League outings throughout the 2020/21 season as he contributed with just one goal and one assist from out wide.

The young prospect followed that up with an average Sofascore rating of 6.39 over 14 league matches the following campaign, which included ten starts, as the former Arsenal prodigy failed to deliver a single goal and produced one assist.

Tella ranked 25th out of 25 players in the Southampton squad with that dismal Sofascore rating, which shows that he was one of the team's worst performers that term, if not the worst.

How many goals did Tella score for Burnley?

His poor form at Premier League level for Hasenhuttl's side led to a season-long loan move to Burnley in the Championship in 2022, which is where the English hotshot was able to thrive.

Tella caught the eye with his goalscoring prowess for the Clarets as he ended the campaign with 17 league goals to his name, to go along with five assists and an average Sofascore rating of 6.82.

Vincent Kompany, who described the talented phenom as a "raw diamond", got the best out of the Saints loanee and helped him to become one of the best players in the division.

The 24-year-old's fantastic performances were recognised by his peers as he made it into the PFA Championship Team of the Year for the 2022/23 campaign. This means that the other players in the league voted him as one of the most impressive attackers at that level, illustrating how successful his time at Turf Moor was.

His sublime form for Burnley was also reflected in his market value. At the time of his move to Kompany's side, FootballTransfers rated his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at just €2.7m (£2.3m).

This soared to a whopping xTV of €10m (£8.6m) by May of this year due to his displays for the Championship title-winners, skyrocketing by a whopping 270% within the space of less than 12 months.

How much did Southampton sell Tella for?

The Saints opted to cash in on Tella whilst his stock was high as they decided to sell him to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of £20m this summer.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed how much the total package could end up being worth to Southampton and added that they have a sell-on clause that could net the club another payday in the future if he moves on again.

This came after the 24-year-old whiz enjoyed a strong start to the 2023/24 campaign with Martin's side. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.30 across three Championship appearances as the talented maestro scored one goal and provided one assist from out wide.

The £20m-rated ace did initially think that his assist was a goal, as shown in the video above, as his strike from distance against Sheffield Wednesday on the opening day deflected in off his teammate Adam Armstrong's head.

Tella, who made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game for the Saints this term, currently holds the fourth-highest average Sofascore rating within the squad, although only five matches have been played so far.

He has only made one appearance for Bayer Leverkusen since making the switch to Germany, which came as a substitute in a 5-1 Bundesliga win over Darmstadt last week.

Southampton will now be hoping that the English forward is able to rip up the German top flight in the same way that he excelled for Burnley. Such an eventuality could ensure that he makes another big-money switch and earns them even more money thanks to their sell-on clause.

However, even if the former Arsenal prospect ends up being a flop for Leverkusen, there is no doubt that the Saints hit the jackpot by snapping him up for free in 2017.

The club turned a free agent academy signing into a £20m sale within the space of seven years and they deserve immense credit, as do Burnley and Kompany for their role in his development, for that outstanding piece of business.

An update has emerged on Southampton and their attempts to bolster the playing squad before the summer transfer window slams shut on Friday.

What's the latest Southampton transfer news?

c is looking to add a seventh new signing to the group on top of Shea Charles, Flynn Downes Ryan Manning, Ryan Fraser, Mason Holgate, and Joe Lumley.

According to Football Scotland, the Saints are interested in a deal to sign Aberdeen centre-forward Bojan Miovski to improve their attacking options.

The report claims that the Scottish Premiership side are now braced for offers for their star striker as Martin is a big fan of him and is pushing the club to make a move for the left-footed marksman, who he also wanted to sign for Swansea during his time in Wales.

It states that it would take a fee of at least £4m to secure his services and that the ongoing negotiations with Everton over a possible deal for Che Adams could open the door for the 24-year-old gem to arrive at St. Mary's.

How good is Bojan Miovski?

The Dons number nine has been in sublime form for the Scottish outfit since he joined the club ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and the talented dynamo could be a perfect replacement for the outgoing Adams.

So far this season, the Scotland international has plundered three goals in three Championship matches for the Saints. However, he has not been a prolific striker throughout his time on the south coast as the 27-year-old attacker scored 25 goals and assisted 14 in 124 Premier League appearances for the club before their relegation earlier this year.

His impressive start to life in the second tier with the Saints does, however, suggest that the ex-Birmingham City star has the potential to be a reliable scoring option for Martin this season.

Therefore, Southampton must bring in a proven scorer who can provide a significant attacking threat on a regular basis to replace Adams if he does move on to Everton, or elsewhere, before the deadline passes on Friday.

Miovski's time at Aberdeen so far indicates that he would be a dream signing for the Saints to bolster their frontline. Last season, the exciting marksman racked up 18 goals and three assists in 42 appearances, which included 16 goals in 37 Scottish Premiership outings for his club.

No current Southampton player managed more than five Premier League goals last term, which illustrates how impressive the North Macedonia international's displays were for Aberdeen – albeit at a different level of football.

The 24-year-old hotshot has started the current campaign in blistering fashion with three goals and one assist in four matches in all competitions, which means that he has been directly involved in a goal every single game on average so far.

Miovski, whose movement was hailed as "fantastic" by ex-boss Jim Goodwin, is a man in form who is seemingly full of confidence in front of goal based on his goal return over the last 12 months or so, which is why he could be a perfect replacement for Adams to make up for the goals that Martin's team would lose if the Scottish ace moves on.

Jesse Lingard's long wait for a return to football may be over as the former Manchester United star has been linked with a move to South Korea.

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Article continues below

Article continues below

• Lingard still waiting for new club
• Reportedly could join FC Seoul
• Out of the game since summer 2023

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international is, according to , on the verge of completing a move to FC Seoul. The news outlet claims he has reached a verbal agreement over a two-year deal that includes an option for a third. It is also claimed that the Korean club were the most intriguing option available to him.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lingard has been out of the game since last summer, when he left Nottingham Forest after his contract with the Premier League team expired. He has since been linked with several teams but no deal had materialised. Al-Shabab were also said to be interested in him. The 31-year-old has regularly posted videos of himself training alone as he prepares for a way back into the game and spent a month training with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ettifaq, though Steven Gerrard's team opted against signing him. He reportedly offered himself to La Liga champions Barcelona but they turned him down.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  As well as making over 230 appearances for Manchester United and impressing on a loan spell at West Ham, the winger has represented England's senior team on 32 occasions. However, he failed to impress during his time at Forest and started 12 of his 17 Premier League matches for the club before he left at the end of last season.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LINGARD?

  Lingard will hope to secure a transfer in the near future and could be set to continue his career in Asia if the he manages to get a deal with the South Korean capital club over the line.