By RICHARD GIBSON, MAIL ON SUNDAY CRICKET CORRESPONDENT
Published: | Updated:
England star Ollie Robinson is a surprise winter transfer target for Nottinghamshire in a move that would pair him with Test team-mate Josh Tongue.
Robinson, 33 next month, has a year to run on his contract with Sussex but Daily Mail Sport understands he held talks with 2025 county champions Notts prior to the club’s former director of cricket Paul Farbrace leaving for Lancashire.
Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell and captain Haseeb Hameed are known to be huge fans of the bowler, who has 104 wickets to his name in just 24 Test appearances at 19.25 runs apiece.
However, any move away from Hove would involve a compensation fee being paid to release Robinson from the final 12 months of his existing deal and no discussions have yet taken place at board level between the clubs, despite a firm enquiry about his availability.
Sussex are in ‘special measures’ under the financial control of the ECB, required to strip back their playing budget under restrictions imposed by the governing body following the £1.33million loss they incurred during the year of 2024-25. It means all their player ins and outs must be rubber-stamped by Lord’s.
The desire to reduce the wage bill has seen several players leave the south coast in recent weeks, including recent England debutant Henry Crocombe to Surrey and the highly consistent veteran wicketkeeper John Simpson to Nottinghamshire.
England star Ollie Robinson (right) is a surprise winter transfer target for Nottinghamshire in a move that would pair him with Test team-mate Josh Tongue (left)
Robinson took his first Test five-for at Nottinghamshire’s Trent Bridge, in a draw with India in 2021
Now Robinson, who was awarded the Bob Willis Trophy as England’s player of the year at the Cricket Media Club lunch at Lord’s on Tuesday, could follow Simpson to Trent Bridge, or potentially go elsewhere, if a compensation package can be agreed.
Nottinghamshire are one of several counties on the lookout for senior bowlers this winter, with Lancashire also in need of reinforcements after letting go of Sir Jimmy Anderson, 44, despite him bagging 50 County Championship wickets for his boyhood club last summer.
Transfer fees in cricket are rare, with players traditionally moving from club to club once they become free agents. One notable exception came five years ago when Essex bought Matt Critchley from Derbyshire under a specific clause in his contract.
Intriguingly, Robinson is back on England’s central contracts list for 2026-27 following a two-year absence. The fact he will therefore not cost his county a penny next season in wages makes him an attractive acquisition, even if his appearances are limited by international commitments.
Another sign that counties – potentially emboldened by their multi-million pound Hundred sale windfalls – are prepared to challenge the long-held system and part with cash for players came in the last few days, when Hampshire agreed to pay Northamptonshire for the signing of Saif Zaib just a year after he extended his terms at Wantage Road.
Daily Mail Sport understands Zaib was on the verge of joining Yorkshire in recent weeks before settling on staying in Division Two with relegated Hampshire, having become frustrated at not batting in the top four for Twenty20 Blast winners Northants.
The 28-year-old struck six hundreds under Australian coach Darren Lehmann in finishing as the Championship’s most prolific batsman in 2025, and averaged in excess of 40 again last season, but views a switch to the Utilita Bowl as better for his future ambitions.
Northants have moved to replace one left-hander with another, though, with Yorkshire’s Finlay Bean given permission to move to Wantage Road despite having two years left on his terms at Headingley.
Hampshire have agreed to pay Northamptonshire for the signing of Saif Zaib just a year after he extended his terms at Wantage Road
Northants have moved to replace one left-hander with another, with Yorkshire’s Finlay Bean given permission to move to Wantage Road despite having two years left at Headingley
Yorkshire were reluctant to let go of Bean, 24, but were equally unwilling to keep someone who saw his future elsewhere after being axed from the top of the order to accommodate Will Luxton in midsummer. No money changed hands in the transfer.
One other player who could be leaving Yorkshire is leg-spinner Jafer Chohan, who is two years into a three-year deal.
Chohan, 24, joined Yorkshire following an initial recommendation from Joe Root, and has since been named in England squads, but has made just one first-class appearance in three years. Hampshire are known to admire him.
