Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to sign a very fast England youth international, according to The Athletic.
Tottenham and Levy making transfer moves ahead of Frank’s first season
Spurs and Daniel Levy decided to part ways with Ange Postecoglou, despite the Australian ending their long wait for a trophy by winning the Europa League last season.
New manager Thomas Frank is the man tasked with improving Tottenham’s Premier League displays, and he has already been backed in the transfer window with the permanent addition of Mathys Tel.
The Frenchman spent the 2024/25 season on loan at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has now sealed a £30 million permanent switch from Bayern Munich that was reportedly approved by Frank himself. Talking after signing Tel, Frank said:
J League sensation Kota Takai is also heading to north London this summer, with Tottenham agreeing on a £5m deal to sign the 20-year-old Japanese defender.
Tottenham vs Burnley
August 16
Man City vs Tottenham
August 23
Tottenham vs Bournemouth
August 30
West Ham vs Tottenham
September 13
Brighton vs Tottenham
September 20
Tottenham hope Takai will compete as a first-team player, following in the footsteps of Lucas Bergvall, Destiny Udogie and Pape Sarr, and by the looks of things, another exciting youngster will be on the way to Spurs this summer.
Tottenham agree deal to sign England youth international
According to The Athletic, Tottenham have also agreed a deal to sign teenage striker Oliver Boast from Leeds United.
Called ‘one of Leeds’ prized academy assets’, Boast has said yes to a move to Spurs, with Tottenham and Levy set to pay a seven-figure fee for the 16-year-old instead of going to a tribunal.
Boast is currently behind Harry Gray, the younger brother of Archie Gray, in Leeds’ academy pecking order, so will instead link up with Archie and other talents at Spurs.
Already an England youth international at U16 level, Boast is described ‘as a modern No 9, who can lead the line and can play as a lone striker’. It is added that the forward’s ‘speed has been described as one of his best attributes, as he runs off the shoulder of the last man and gets in behind opposition defences’.
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As per Transfermarkt, Boast scored 10 goals in 21 appearances for Leeds’ youth sides last season, and you’d expect he will go straight into Spurs’ U18 side for the 25/26 season, looking to catch the eye of Frank and break into the first-team set up over the coming years.
Manchester United’s glory days under Sir Alex Ferguson now feel like a distant memory given the slump that they’ve endured over the last couple of seasons.
The Red Devils won 13 Premier League titles during the Scotsman’s reign, helping them win the treble back in the 1998/99 season – a feat that remains remarkable to this day.
However, his side have failed to win the league title since Ferguson’s final year in charge at Old Trafford, with their drought now about to enter its 15th season.
Ruben Amorim is the latest boss to try and end such a wait, but his tenure has yet to lift off after a 15th-place finish after taking the reins back in November last year.
However, the summer transfer window presents an opportunity for the 40-year-old to transform their fortunes, leading to numerous players being touted with a move to the Theatre of Dreams.
The latest on United’s hunt for new signings this summer
Over the last couple of days, Copenhagen winger Roony Bardghji has been touted with a move to United, handing the side an added threat in the final third after scoring against the Red Devils in the Champions League last season.
He’s not the only player on their radar, with Richard Rios emerging as a potential option after impressing for Palmeiras at the ongoing Club World Cup.
However, their ambitions in the market have been evident with their attempts to sign Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo, taking another step in landing the talent, according to one Spanish outlet.
They claim that Amorim’s side have taken the next step in their pursuit, submitting a £60m offer for the 25-year-old after having their opening bid of £55m rejected.
It also states that the hierarchy see him as a key part of their ambitions for the future, which has seen the Cameroonian international agree to a move with the two sides needing to negotiate a fee.
Why United’s £60m target would be a better signing than Ekitike
Despite the interest in other forwards, Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké has been another name that has been mentioned as a potential option for Amorim this summer.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
The 23-year-old has enjoyed a breakthrough year in the Bundesliga this campaign, registering 22 goals across all competitions, evidently catching the eye of the Red Devils.
However, they’re not alone with Liverpool and Chelsea also in the race to land the Frenchman’s signature ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.
Any deal for Ekitike’s services would cost the hierarchy a small fortune, given the German outfit are demanding a fee in the region of €100m (£84m) to part ways with their talisman.
Such a fee may not be value for money, with Mbeumo certainly a better option for Amorim’s side in his attempts to bring the glory days back to Old Trafford.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
He’s set to be available for a cheaper fee this window, whilst also having the experience in England’s top-flight – netting 20 goals this campaign, the best year in his professional career to date.
Mbeumo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by former teammate Pontus Jansson, has outscored the Frenchman and achieved a better goal per shot on target rate – demonstrating his clinical nature despite not being a centre forward.
Games played
38
33
Goals & assists
27
23
Shot on target accuracy
43%
38%
Progressive passes
3.7
1.8
Key passes made
1.9
1.5
Take-on success
47%
43%
Carries into opposition box
2
1.8
Goals per shot on target
0.4
0.3
He’s also achieved a higher tally of progressive passes per 90, along with more key passes, having the ability to provide others around him with the tools to star alongside him.
However, the 25-year-old’s talents don’t end there, completing more take-ons and carries into the penalty area, demonstrating his direct nature with the ball at his feet.
If the offer of £60m is accepted, it would be an excellent piece of business by the hierarchy, handing Amorim the tools he needs for success at Old Trafford.
Whilst Ekitike would be a viable option, the difference in price and experience in such a division makes the Brentford talent a better option ahead of the 2025/26 season.
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The hosts recovered from 99 for 5 against South Africa in Bengaluru
Srinidhi Ramanujam16-Jun-2024Smriti Mandhana’s outstanding century and a clinical bowling performance led by Asha Sobhana headlined India’s massive win as they went 1-0 up against South Africa in the first of the three ODIs in Bengaluru, on Sunday.Mandhana’s 117, her first century at home and sixth in ODIs, rescued the hosts after they opted to bat first but suffered an early collapse. India added 166 runs after the fall of the fifth wicket, the most they have ever done in a women’s ODI, to push their total from 99 for 5 to 265 for 8, which proved too much for South Africa, who had an underwhelming outing with the bat on a surface that offered variable bounce and turn.The chase got off to a shaky start as South Africa lost Laura Wolvaardt, the returning Tazmin Brits and Anneke Bosch for 33 runs. Marizanne Kapp and Sune Luus chipped in briefly but none of the batters could negate the spin threat under lights at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. Asha, showing no nerves on her debut, starred with four wickets to skittle the visitors for 122, handing India a 143-run victory.India’s oldest ODI debutant’s two crucial oversA month after making her international debut at 33 in the T20Is against Bangladesh, Asha was handed the ODI cap, becoming India’s oldest debutant in this format as well. She was slotted in ahead of the offspinner Shreyanka Patil. That Asha has the knack of picking up big wickets in pressure situations was well-known after the WPL. On Sunday too, she showcased that control and maturity to tilt the momentum in India’s favour.After India’s pacers and Deepti Sharma strangled South Africa’s top order, South Africa slowly found a way to get back into the contest, thanks to Kapp and Luus’ partnership. The duo had batted for more than ten overs after the fall of the third wicket and India knew a well-set Kapp could be a game-changer.Asha Sobhana picked 4 for 21 on her ODI debut•BCCIHaving bowled two overs for eight runs, Asha came back for her second spell, in the 19th over. The legspinner started by conceding just two runs, getting enough drift and turn to slow down the scoring. After largely sticking to length deliveries in her first few overs, she floated one outside off this time, slow through the air, to deceive Kapp and force her to hit in the air towards cover where Harmanpreet was stationed. An easy catch for one of India’s best fielders gave Asha joy, and her maiden ODI wicket.In her next over, Jemimah Rodrigues dropped Annerie Dercksen at point but a mix-up between her and Luus ended Dercksen’s innings as she was run out at the striker’s end.At 75 for 5, South Africa were all but out of the game.India rejig batting orderD Hemalatha and Rodrigues were back in the XI. Rodrigues was returning from a back niggle after missing out on the Bangladesh T20I series while Hemalatha, on the back of good performances against Bangladesh, made her way to the ODI setup.In India’s last ODI series against Australia in December, head coach Amol Muzumdar had mentioned that Richa Ghosh would be suited for No. 3, with Harmanpreet and Rodrigues coming in after her. This was a deviation from her previous role where she was used as a finisher.However, on Sunday, with Shafali Verma departing early for 7, Hemalatha slotted in at No. 3. She perished after a 16-ball 12. Rodrigues and Harmanpreet were India’s Nos. 4 and 5 and Ghosh back to the lower-middle order at No. 6. She survived four balls but was then caught behind for 3.ESPNcricinfo LtdMandhana at home in BengaluruNinety-two for three became 99 for 5 in the 22nd over and India were desperate for a big partnership. An ODI after a gap of six months, players are bound to be rusty. But not Mandhana. She put on a brisk 81-run stand for the sixth wicket with Deepti Sharma to lift the team past 250. Switching to the long format, the India vice-captain curbed her aggressive instinct to play along the ground to play long.South Africa denied easy runs for India’s batters, with the likes of Dercksen and Ayobhanga Khaka targeting a stump-to-stump line. But Mandhana countered well, using the crease whenever the opportunity arose to play her pull and cut shots to manufacture runs. Though she and Deepti kept the scorecard ticking, there were also chances to convert the ones to twos.Mandhana hit 12 fours – seven of them on the leg side – and a six. She was all clarity and calmness. After 32 overs, she batted cramps on her way to hundred. But it also forced her to find a few quick boundaries and forgo the singles.Once Deepti departed for 37, Pooja Vastrakar joined Mandhana and this pair stitched a 58-run stand off 54 deliveries to give India the late push they wanted. South Africa let their guard down in the last ten overs, conceding 74 runs, with the humidity also playing a major factor in their sloppy fielding.Mandhana played for 193 minutes and 42.3 overs overall to make 117. In the end, South Africa could post only five more than her score.
Despite Leeds United having enjoyed a superb 2024/25 campaign in the Championship, this summer is a vital one for their future, desperately needing to get their business spot on.
Promotion to the Premier League brings in huge money for the football club, but there is a huge gap between the two divisions, with additions needed to bridge the gap this window.
Daniel Farke will need signings in key areas of the pitch to allow him to have the best possible chance of securing survival from the Premier League for the first time in his career.
Leeds United manager DanielFarkebefore the match
The German has attempted to achieve such a feat with Norwich City in the past, but has so far been unable to do so, with this season crucial for his tenure at Elland Road.
With the new season already less than two months away, work has already begun behind the scenes in Yorkshire to help the manager in his quest throughout 2025/26.
The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new additions this summer
Over recent days, a new striker has been on the agenda for Farke, as he looks to add another dimension to his already potent attack, which helped claim promotion to the Premier League.
The likes of Jamie Vardy, Rodrigo Muniz and Callum Wilson have all been touted with a switch to Elland Road, but no deals have yet been completed this summer.
However, a new name has entered the mix in recent days, with Wolves striker Fabio Silva the latest player on their shortlist, according to ABC Sevilla via Birmingham World.
It’s reported that the Whites have entered talks with fellow Premier League outfit Wolves over a deal for the 22-year-old talisman, who only has one year left on his contract.
His current situation at Molineux remains unclear, but he’s demonstrated his quality over recent times, scoring 10 times in LaLiga this season whilst spending the year on loan at Las Palmas.
Why Leeds’ latest target could be their own Sesko
Beto is another striker who’s been hugely linked with a summer move to join Leeds, with the Everton talisman yet to reach his full potential at his current side, Everton.
The 27-year-old joined the Toffees in a £30m deal back in the summer of 2023, but has been unable to take the starting role on a consistent basis, often having to settle for time on the bench.
He’s managed to score eight times in the Premier League this season, subsequently being outscored by fellow target Silva, with the Whites needing to shift their focus to the Portuguese star.
The 22-year-old has been ranked as a similar player to RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko by FBref, with the Slovenian international linked with the likes of Arsenal and Manchester United this summer.
He’s also valued at around £60m this summer, highlighting the impressive nature of Silva’s play if he’s been compared to such an impressive big-money talent.
When comparing the pair’s respective figures from the 2024/25 campaign, Silva has managed to match or better Sesko in various key areas, highlighting how much of a crucial addition he would be to Farke’s side.
Silva, who’s been labelled “generational” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may have scored fewer goals, but has achieved a better goal per shot on target rate – highlighting the clinical threat he poses in front of goal.
Games played
24
33
Goals scored
10
13
Shot on target accuracy
44%
43%
Goal per shot on target
0.4
0.3
Shot-creating actions
2.1
1.9
Carries into opposition box
1.1
0.5
Aerials won
2.7
2.6
Passes into opposition box
0.7
0.3
The Wolves loanee has also registered more shot-creating actions and won more aerial battles, offering Farke’s side an all-round option within attacking areas.
His dominance doesn’t stop there, completing more passes and carries into the opposition box, handing other players around him the opportunity to impress in Yorkshire.
Whilst it’s unclear how much a deal for the Portuguese sensation would set the club back this summer, his talents are there for all to see – potentially being a bargain if he can reach Sesko’s levels.
Given the fact he’s outscored Beto, the hierarchy must look to prioritise a move for the Wolves star, with the youngster having the opportunity to improve further given his tender age.
Better than Beto: Leeds set to make bid for "one of the best CFs in the PL"
Leeds United could finally be about to land a talisman to catapult them to Premier League survival.
They might have finished second in the Premier League and made it to the semi-finals of the Champions League, but we aren’t sure anyone at Arsenal would consider this season to be a success.
Long gone are the days in which a top-four finish was celebrated like a trophy at the Emirates, as, thanks to Mikel Arteta and Co, the team are now serious contenders for every competition they enter – meaning a third runners-up medal in as many league campaigns is far from ideal.
Considering the team created the best defence in the league while scoring 17 goals fewer than the eventual winners, it’s pretty clear that to help the squad get over the line next year, the board must invest in offensive players.
Arsenalplayers pose for a team group photo before the match
This line of thinking may help to explain Arsenal’s reported interest in Aston Villa’s brilliant Morgan Rogers, although even if he were to join the club, he’d be worth millions less than one of his new teammates.
Why Arsenal want Rogers
So, if the reported price tag of around £100m proves to be true, just why do Arsenal want to spend that sort of money on one player, and would he even be worth it?
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Well, the answer to the second question is most certainly yes, and there are a few reasons why, starting with his output.
For example, in 54 appearances for Villa this season, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born star was able to score 14 goals and provide 15 assists.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.86 games or every 155.03 minutes, and that is just the sort of offensive capability the North Londoners need in their squad.
For example, Martin Odegaard is the team’s current starting attacking midfielder, and while he’s been brilliant in seasons past, he really struggled this year, ending the campaign with six goals and 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.
Just imagine if Arteta could take the Norwegian off, or rest him completely, and start the dynamic Englishman in his place.
Finally, at just 22 years old, the five-capped international could grow alongside some of the team’s other younger stars, and then there is his ability to play in multiple positions, from midfield to out wide.
Rogers’ positional versatility
Position
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Left Winger
83
21
9
Attacking Midfield
46
14
10
Right Winger
39
9
13
Centre-Forward
21
6
4
Left Midfield
8
3
1
Right Midfield
6
1
3
Second Striker
1
0
0
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Yet, even then and at the fee reported, Rogers would be joining Arsenal with a lower valuation than one of his new teammates.
The Arsenal star worth millions more than Rogers
Now, while Arsenal are blessed with a host of incredibly talented players these days, from Declan Rice and David Raya to William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, it’ll likely come as no surprise that the star in question is none other than Bukayo Saka.
The Hale End superstar has developed into a talismanic figure in North London since his debut under Unai Emery, and his valuation reflects that, with the CIES Football Observatory pricing him at a whopping €157m earlier this year.
That converts to a staggering £132m, or £32m more than Rogers could end up costing the Gunners this summer, and while that is a sizable difference, it would be hard to argue it’s not fair.
Saka vs Rogers in 24/25
Players
Saka
Rogers
Appearances
37
54
Minutes
2619′
4496′
Goals
12
14
Assists
14
15
Goal Involvements per Match
0.70
0.53
Minutes per Goal Involvements
100.73′
155.03′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
For example, even though the 23-year-old missed over three months of the season with a hamstring injury that required surgery, he was still able to rack up a sensational haul of 12 goals and 14 assists in 37 appearances, totalling just 2619 minutes.
That means the North Londoners’ “future legend,” dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.42 games, or 100.73 minutes, which is not only better than the Villa ace managed but also simply world-class.
Okay, how do their pair stack up against one another when we look at their underlying numbers, then? The Claret and Blue star did spend a sizable part of the season out wide.
Well, rather unsurprisingly, it’s the 43-capped superstar who once again comes out on top, doing better in almost all relevant metrics, such as actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, tackles, shots and shots on target, key passes and more, all per 90.
Saka vs Rogers
Statistics per 90
Saka
Rogers
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.71
0.42
Non-Penalty G+As
0.78
0.52
Progressive Passes
3.65
3.55
Progressive Passes Received
13.3
5.43
Progressive Carries
5.00
3.29
Shots
3.44
1.59
Shots on Target
1.15
0.58
Passing Accuracy
75.5%
73.2%
Expected Assists
0.41
0.15
Key Passes
3.02
1.47
Passes into the Final Third
0.78
2.11
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.98
1.62
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.63
0.09
Live Passes
33.5
24.7
Shot-Creating Actions
6.09
3.04
Goal-Creating Actions
1.20
0.46
Tackles
1.51
1.24
Blocks
1.15
0.75
Interceptions
0.16
0.17
Clearances
0.42
0.58
Successful Take-Ons
2.14
1.91
Ball Recoveries
3.65
3.44
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season
Ultimately, Arsenal should be looking to sign Rogers this summer, as he’d add far more creativity and attacking flair to the team, but he’d have to hit the ground running to see his valuation even approach Saka’s.
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Glasgow Rangers now know who they will be playing in the Champions League second qualifying round, and it isn’t the easiest of tasks.
Indeed, Greek side Panathinaikos will be the opponents as the Ibrox side aim to make it through to the third round of qualifying.
The two teams have met four times previously, with Rangers failing to win a single match. In the 2003/04 Champions League group stages, the clubs drew 1-1 in Greece, before Panathinaikos secured an impressive 3-1 win at Ibrox.
After being knocked out of Europe’s premier club competition at the group stages in 2007/08, the Gers found themselves in the UEFA Cup.
A 0-0 draw in Glasgow against the Greek giants was followed by a 1-1 result in Athens courtesy of a late Nacho Novo goal. Of course, the away goal rule was in place back then, seeing the Light Blues make their first step towards the final that year.
The game will be Russell Martin’s first competitive match in charge of the club, and the supporters will be hoping for a positive result.
Given what is at stake, Martin must wish he had a couple of previous Ibrox stars available at his disposal. The lack of an excellent striker has been the club’s biggest weakness in recent years, but imagine how good it would be to see a prime Nikica Jelavic at Rangers once again?
Nikica Jelavic’s Rangers statistics
Rangers have enjoyed an affinity with Croatian centre-forwards since the turn of the century. Dado Prso must go down as one of the modern cult icons in the club’s recent history, forging an impressive duo with Novo during the 2004/05 season.
A few years ago, Antonio Colak spent a year at Ibrox. While not everyone’s cup of tea, the striker still managed to score 18 goals in 39 matches across all competitions.
Rangers striker Antonio Colak.
It is Jelavic, however, who will go down as one of the most clinical strikers the club has had since 2000. Despite his stay in Glasgow lasting just 18 months, the former Rapid Vienna forward netted 36 goals across just 55 matches for the Gers.
Not one for having plenty of simple tap-ins within his repertoire, Jelavic was a master at making something from nothing.
Take his overhead kick against Aberdeen towards the end of the 2010/11 season, for example. The stunning effort secured a vital three points in the club’s efforts to chase down Celtic at the top of the table.
Just weeks earlier, Jelavic had scored a delightful winner in extra time against the Parkhead side to seal the League Cup for the Light Blues.
And who can forget the scenes at Rugby Park on the final day of the 2010/11 campaign? With Rangers needing a win to secure a third league title in a row, Jelavic scored a sublime free-kick and grabbed an assist in a 5-1 victory.
Rangers and Croatian centre-forwards go together like Lennon and McCartney. Could Martin be eyeing up another one during the summer transfer window?
Rangers searching for a new striker
It looks as though Cyriel Dessers might be the first big sale by Martin this summer, although there could be a slight hitch with the final transfer fee amid interest from AEK Athens.
Should the Nigerian international leave, another striker or two will be sought, especially with the clash against Panathinaikos just five weeks away.
According to a Turkish reporter, the Ibrox side are tracking Eintracht Frankfurt attacker Igor Matanović, with regard to bringing him to Glasgow.
The player still has another four years left on his contract with the Bundesliga outfit, but due to a lack of gametime, he could be available for a fee of around €5m (£4.2m).
That could be within Kevin Thelwell’s budget at Ibrox if he can move Dessers on for a substantial fee, should a move to Athens go through in the coming days or weeks.
Igor Matanovic
Matanovic is still only 22 and could be an ideal signing for the new manager to bolster his attacking department. Dare I say it, but might he be the next Jelavic?
Why Rangers must sign Igor Matanovic
Amid the recent link to the youngster, analyst and scout Kai Watson profiled Matanovic on X, saying:
“Matanović struggled for game time in the Bundesliga last season at Frankfurt but excelled in 2.Bundesliga the season before for Karlsruher on loan.
Goals
14
Assists
5
Key passes per game
0.9
Shots on target per game
1.1
Big chances missed
10
Total duels won per game
6.9
“Tall (6’4), powerful, technical, dare I say, Jelavić-esque?”
Taking a look back, Jelavic was one of the club’s finest strikers from a technical point of view. He could score from anywhere, and his movement in and around the box was excellent.
Matanovic appears in a similar mould. While he netted just twice for Frankfurt last term, it was a loan stint with Karlsruher that showed his true talents.
That season, he only scored one tap-in, scoring a mix of headers, counter-attacking, and goals from outside the six-yard box.
The 22-year-old scored every 167 minutes in the German second tier, while also finishing the season with an 18% conversion rate, creating six big chances, and succeeding with 55% of his dribble attempts.
Like Jelavic, the Frankfurt star loves creating opportunities for others and is keen on using his dribbling abilities to take on opposition defenders.
Transfer Focus
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When compared to his positional peers in the Europa League last season, Matanovic ranked in the top 9% for shots on target (1.55) per 90, along with ranking in the top 12% for touches in the defensive third of the pitch (4.64) per 90, indicating how well he can help out the team when they are under attack.
Bringing in a player of this quality as soon as possible would certainly make Martin’s job easier when it comes to making progress in the Champions League.
There is still time, but with July edging ever closer, the manager must start integrating players into the first team sooner rather than later.
Jelavic was certainly one of a kind. But from Matanovic’s statistics in recent seasons, he could be a wonderful signing who will only get better and better as time goes on.
The clock is ticking.
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Leeds United have officially confirmed the signing of centre-back Jaka Bijol from Serie A side Udinese to bolster their defensive options in the coming days.
The Slovenia international has arrived at Elland Road after the club agreed a £19m deal with the Italian outfit to bring him over to England this summer.
Bijol will not be the last defender to walk through doors as a new arrival at Thorp Arch before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as they are also looking to bring in a new left-back.
Junior Firpo’s contract in West Yorkshire is set to expire at the end of this month, which means that the Whites need a first-choice option in that position.
Leeds eyeing deal for Ligue 1 left-back
Leeds, knowing that Firpo is on his way out of the club in the coming weeks, are actively pursuing left-back targets to come in and bolster the squad.
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According to LeedsLive, Lille defender Gabriel Gudmundsson is one of the left-backs being eyed up as a target for the Championship champions this summer.
The report claims that they are ‘very’ keen on a swoop for the Sweden international, but that no transfer for the left-footed ace is close at this moment in time.
It adds that Burnley and Everton are also interested in signing the 26-year-old full-back, who has one year left on his deal with Lille, which means that the Whites will have to see off Premier League competition to secure his services.
The outlet does not reveal, however, how much money it would take to sign Gudmundsson, who is valued at around £6m by Transfermarkt, this summer.
Why Leeds should sign Gabriel Gudmundsson
The Whites should push to win the race for his signature ahead of Burnley and Everton because he could arrive at Elland Road as Daniel Farke’s own Ezgjan Alioski.
Alioski
In Marcelo Bielsa’s first season in the Premier League, the Macedonia international started 29 matches and featured in 36 of the 38 league games, playing mainly as a left-back, but also as a left-midfielder.
Gudmundsson has played 74 times as a left-back and 70 times as a left-midfielder in his career to date, which suggests that he has the versatility to play a similar role in the squad to the one that Alioski did for Bielsa.
LOSC Lille's Gabriel Gudmundsson shoots against Liverpool.
The 26-year-old star, who was described as a “fun” player and a “risk-taker” by journalist Joe Donnohue, is a left-back who can provide quality in possession by driving his team up the pitch with passes and dribbles, much like Alioski was for Bielsa.
Stats *per 90
Gudmundsson (24/25 Ligue 1)
Alioski (20/21 Premier League)
Pass accuracy
82%
79%
Progressive passes*
4.59
4.83
Progressive carries*
3.58
2.82
Successful take-ons*
1.01
0.40
Shot-creating actions*
1.51
2.60
Non-penalty goals*
0.10
0.07
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, Gudmundsson offers similar progressive qualities to what the former Whites star offered in his one season in the Premier League at Elland Road.
The Lille star, however, also won 54% of his ground duels and 57% of his aerial duels in Ligue 1, whilst Alioski won 53% of his battles on the deck and 48% of his aerial contests in that top-flight campaign.
This suggests that the Swedish gem could be even more dominant, particularly aerially, than the Macedonia international was for Bielsa in the 2020/21 season, making him a solid option for the team in the Premier League next term.
Therefore, Leeds could land Farke his own version of Alioski, who has the potential to be even better than Bielsa’s dynamic full-back, by signing Gudmundsson this summer, and that is why they must work hard to secure his services.
As exciting as Buendia: Leeds expected to make move for £18m EFL star
There is a belief that Leeds will make a move for a star who would be as exciting as Emi Buendia.
Newcastle United are said to have held initial talks with an “outstanding” defender over a move to the club in the summer transfer window.
Newcastle focus on attacking signings after missing out on Mbeumo
Eddie Howe knows the importance of strengthening his squad ahead of next season, and eye-catching reports continue to link the Magpies with potential signings this summer.
Contact has reportedly been made regarding a move for Chelsea winger Noni Madueke, with the Englishman seen as an alternative to Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who now disappointingly looks like he is off to Manchester United. The Blues ace scored seven goals in the Premier League in 2024/25, including a hat-trick away to Wolves.
Noni Madueke for Chelsea
Brighton forward Joao Pedro is also considered an option for Newcastle to bring in ahead of next season, as they look to give Alexander Isak healthy competition, as well as ease his workload with Champions League football returning to St James’ Park in 2025/26.
A right-sided attacker remains a priority, though, hence the Madueke links, and Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has been backed to come in, having fallen out of favour at the Bundesliga giants. Now, one of his teammates has also been linked with the Magpies.
Newcastle hold talks with "outstanding" defender
According to a new report from Caught Offside, Newcastle have held “initial talks” with Bayern centre-back Kim Min-jae over a move to St James’. He is keen on a move away, and he could be available for £29.5m after his asking price dropped from £42m.
The likes of Liverpool, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan are also mentioned as options for the 28-year-old, who is fresh off the back of winning the Bundesliga title with Bayern.
A new central defender is a must for Newcastle this summer and Kim could be perfect, coming in as a big name with proven pedigree at the top level.
Contact made: Newcastle now make approach to sign £50m Chelsea forward
Newcastle are now keen on striking a deal to sign an exciting attacker from Chelsea.
2 ByBrett Worthington Jun 5, 2025
The South Korean is now both an Italian and German champion, having won the Serie A title with Napoli in 2022/23, and Bayern teammate Joshua Kimmich spoke of his admiration for he and centre-back partner Dayot Upamecano last year.
In 2024/25, Min-jae outlined his dominance as a centre-back, averaging 3.2 clearances and three aerial duel wins per game, with his performances more impressive than Fabian Schar’s for Newcastle.
Appearances
27
34
Starts
27
33
Minutes played
2289
2938
Clearances per game
3.2
3.9
Aerial duel wins per game
3.0
1.7
Interceptions per game
1.4
1.3
Tackles per game
1.3
1.1
Goals
2
4
Assists
0
0
The Magpies should see the 69-cap South Korea international as a leading option to strengthen their defence, in what would feel like a statement signing.
Josh Hazlewood has said Australia could try and manipulate any margin of victory over Scotland to try and knock England out of the T20 World Cup 2024 though his captain Mitchell Marsh could face a ban if found guilty of doing so by match officials.The exact sums won’t be known until England have played Oman and Namibia, and a defeat against either will end their campaign. But there is a good chance a scenario emerges whereby Australia could win their final group match by a narrow-enough margin to ensure Scotland go through at England’s expense on net run-rate, with the teams level on five points each.”In this tournament you potentially come up against England at some stage again,” Hazlewood said after Australia confirmed their Super Eight spot with a clinical win over Namibia before stressing any tactical decisions were not his to make. “They’re probably one of the top few teams on their day and we’ve had some real struggles against them in T20 cricket, so if we can get them out of the tournament that’s in our best interest as well as probably everyone else.”It’ll be interesting to see. We’ve never really been in this position before as a team, I don’t think, so whether we have discussions or not, we’ll just try and play it again the way we did tonight. That’ll be up to [other] people, not me.”But if Australia decided to do so, they would risk Marsh being banned for up to two of their three Super Eight fixtures. He could be charged under Article 2.11 of the ICC’s code of conduct, which is designed to prevent the manipulation of games for “inappropriate strategic or tactical reasons… such as when a team deliberately loses a pool match in an ICC Event in order to affect the standings of other teams in that ICC Event.”The code of conduct clarifies it could also apply to “the inappropriate manipulation of a net run rate” and the captain would be held responsible, and charged with a Level Two offence. Depending on the severity of the offence, this could carry a minimum sanction of a 50% match fee fine, with a maximum of four demerit points and two suspension points – which would rule Marsh out of Australia’s first two Super Eight matches.In practice, it could be difficult for umpires to say categorically Australia had deliberately attempted to manipulate net run-rate, barring an obvious shift in tempo from a position of dominance. In any case, Andrew McDonald, Australia’s head coach, will consider resting players for the Scotland fixture with nothing on the line.Such a scenario would also revive memories of when Australia attempted to game the system at the 1999 ODI World Cup against West Indies with a go-slow batting performance to ensure they could take extra points into the Super Sixes.”Whether you get close and you just knock it around and drag it out,” Hazlewood suggested of how it could play out. “There’s a few options there but… to take confidence from winning and winning well, I think that’s almost more important than potentially trying to knock someone else out. They [England] have still got a lot to do on their behalf as well, so I think it’ll become clearer the closer we get to that sort of stuff.”Related
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With run-rates not carrying forward to the Super Eights in this tournament, there would be no damage to Australia’s hopes should they take their foot off the gas. On that factor, Hazlewood said he thought it was odd that no benefits were taken forwards from group-stage performances.”It’s a little bit strange that it doesn’t go through the tournament,” he said. “This is probably the first T20 World Cup I’ve played that’s set up this way, or first World Cup in general that’s set up this way, so it’s a little bit different. I think the work that you do in the round games and if you go through undefeated and have a good net run-rate, doesn’t really account for much once you’re in the Super Eights. So, yeah, it’s a strange one but that’s how it is.”For their part, Namibia could render all calculations unnecessary if they are able to pull off an upset in their final game against England although captain Gerhard Erasmus was remaining diplomatic in the midst of the Australia-England rivalry.”Obviously, also in the Australian press that will be pretty liked,” he said. “But for us, we’re pretty neutral so I can’t really comment on any of that. We’re here to continue playing at our best abilities. Unfortunately, as the captain I sort of have to say that we haven’t quite reached our full potential in this tournament.”I guess you’re all Aussies here [at this press conference], so you’re really cheering us on to maybe try and get that win. But I’d have to rein it back a little bit and say that we probably need to play our best cricket and nothing more than that.”
On a tricky pitch in a stop-start game, he stepped up with both ball and bat to KO defending champions England
Vishal Dikshit28-Jun-20241:40
Axar: Hitting big shots, sweeps, reverse sweeps was all tough
When Axar Patel got the ball in the fourth over of England’s chase of 172, he had already been told by his captain Rohit Sharma, India’s top scorer, that the pitch was keeping low and skidding, and hitting the big shots wasn’t easy. India were already feeling confident after posting a total that had “10-15 extra” runs on a pitch difficult for batting, and Axar thought since the batters were going to attack him early on, it was best to not do anything “extraordinary” and force the batters to try and do different things, which could work in his favour.That’s exactly what happened when Axar sent down his first delivery, from around the wicket to England captain Jos Butter, who went for a reverse sweep and ended up popping the ball to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant. Axar then went on to take down Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali in consecutive overs to leave England on 46 for 4 and finish with a stifling 3 for 23, which earned him the Player-of-the-Match award.”I hadn’t really planned to get a wicket on the first ball,” Axar said with a laugh at the press conference. “My mindset was to put the ball in the right areas. Obviously, when you play knockouts, you want to start and finish well with the first and last ball.Related
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“The plan in the powerplay was the usual. It’s tough to bowl in the powerplay, but when you know that you are getting help from the wicket, then without thinking much, without doing anything extraordinary, I thought that the more I keep it simple, the easier it would be for me. We spoke about it in the dressing room that it’s not an easy wicket [for batting], and I knew that the batsman will charge at me. It wasn’t going to be easy to hit me down the ground and hitting off the back foot wasn’t easy either because the ball wasn’t coming on the bat nicely. My plan was to make it difficult for them, force them to think of playing some other shots, and, that’s what happened on the first ball.”I think we knew we could defend 170, it was a par score. The way the wicket was behaving, and Rohit 1:33
Dasgupta: Axar a standout performer from game one
When Axar batted at No. 8 for six balls from Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer in the death overs, he saw that they were taking the pace off, and putting the balls away wasn’t easy at all, though he struck a six off one of Jordan’s slower ones.”Obviously, I got a clue from that as to what to do and what not to,” Axar said of the mental notes he made while batting. “Giving pace would have made it easy for them. It was ideal to bowl at good areas. No one has hit me when I’ve pitched the ball at a good length. It was important to pitch the ball on a good length and line and that’s what I tried to do in the powerplay.”His first delivery, to Buttler, wasn’t particularly quick at 91.5kmh. When he bowled one slightly quicker to Bairstow at 94.5kmh, he still stuck to his accuracy by pitching it around off stump, and the ball skidded on with low bounce to knock over the off stump. His third wicket was a reward, along with some luck, after he had conceded just 11 runs in his first two overs. England were 46 for 3 after seven overs and Moeen on 8 off nine balls when he tried to clip a delivery from Axar off his pads and took off for what he thought was a single. But the ball had only deflected off his pad towards Pant, who whipped the bails off when Moeen ventured out of the crease.”It’s also about pressure,” Axar said when he was asked if the England batters got more worried facing spinners compared to other teams, “when you are chasing, and you know that the wicket is helping the bowlers in that pressure. So, as an opener, or anyone in the top four, they must be thinking of cashing in on the powerplay as much as possible. I’m guessing that’s what they were thinking, but it didn’t work out.”I think it was difficult to hit big shots as well as the sweeps and reverse sweep because some balls were keeping low on this pitch so it wasn’t easy to connect. It creates a doubt in the batsman’s mind that if he sweeps and the ball keeps low, he’ll get hit on the pad. So it depends on what line and length you bowl. Mostly our spinners kept it stump to stump so it was very difficult to execute the sweeps and reverse sweeps.”Then, the batsmen think of hitting straight as an option but we had seen videos of their batsmen that they play a lot on the back foot, but on this kind of pitch you have to come on the front foot and play your shots.”