A Leeds United star could be forced to leave the club against his wishes this summer, according to recent reports.
Leeds summer transfer rumours
Leeds fell short of automatic promotion back to the Premier League in the normal Championship campaign after they won just one of their last five league outings in 2023/24. However, Daniel Farke's side can still secure a swift return to the top flight this season via the play-offs. The Whites crushed Norwich City last week and are due to meet Southampton in the showpiece final on May 26.
Should Leeds go on to beat the Saints in the play-off final and earn promotion to the Premier League, it is likely to dictate what business they do this summer, with some of the higher-profile names linked with the Whites likely only viable transfer options if they have Premier League money to spend. For example, Leeds chiefs would reportedly 'jump at the chance' to re-sign Raphinha from FC Barcelona.
Elsewhere, West Ham defender Ben Johnson is set to be available as a free agent as Leeds wait to snap him up, while the Peacocks are also thought to be considering a move for former midfielder Kalvin Phillips
.
Pundit John Wenham also expressed his view recently that Leeds may table a "very" quick bid for Joe Rodon if they achieve promotion, coming after reports he could cost as little as £10 million.
However, it is not just Leeds' incomings which could be impacted by the league they are plying their trade in come the start of 2024/25.
£25,000-p/w Leeds star expected to leave
This comes after a report from The Sunday People claims that while defender Liam Cooper is desperate to stay at Leeds this summer, Farke is waiting to see if promotion is secured to the Premier League before making a decision on his future.
David Anderson has suggested that Cooper’s Leeds future will be decided after the final whistle next Sunday, and while the Scottish defender is said to want to remain at the club and reach ten years at Elland Road, they look “unlikely” to offer him a new deal if promotion is secured.
Liam Cooper
Despite the aforementioned report, Daniel Farke is clearly an admirer of Cooper and the work he has put in during his time in North Yorkshire. Speaking earlier this year, the German labelled both Cooper and the also departing Luke Ayling as "outstanding".
“They are outstanding. Luke has played a lot. Liam started the first game, sacrificed his body to score. Now, he has to accept he is just a sub in the 90th minute. Big personalities expect to play,” Farke said.
“It can be a problem. How they have handled it, they know I value them. They are not 25 anymore, this league is relentless. Not easy to accept, quite difficult. But they are outstanding. They give everything.”
Cooper, who joined Leeds United from Chesterfield in 2014 for around £500,000, has notched 284 appearances across all competitions for the Whites, scoring 11 and assisting six in that time.
England allrounder stretchered off with suspected Achilles injury on second day at Radlett
ECB Reporters Network09-Aug-2020All-rounder Liam Dawson was stretchered off with a suspected Achilles injury to mar a productive day for Hampshire in their Bob Willis Trophy match against Middlesex at Radlett.The 30-year-old, who was part of England’s white-ball squad for their recent ODI series against Ireland, fell awkwardly while batting during the final session and had to be carried from the field.Dawson’s attacking knock of 43 had already helped Hampshire to take a first-innings lead when he crumpled to the ground, visibly in pain after playing a defensive shot against Tom Helm.There was a 15-minute delay while Dawson received treatment at the wicket, but it was already evident he would be unable to continue.Despite that setback, the visitors ended the second day in a strong position, with opener Joe Weatherley falling just two short of what would have been his second first-class century and captain Sam Northeast hitting 51 as they dominated the Middlesex bowling.Hampshire had appeared set for an uphill battle when they lost Tom Alsop (4) in the third over of the day, the left-hander edging a rising delivery from Tom Helm as John Simpson leapt to take the catch.That left the visitors in an unsteady position at 28 for 3 – and it could have been worse as both Weatherley and Northeast survived chances to second slip before their partnership had really been established.Northeast’s, a fast thick edge when he had 14 to his name, would have been a magnificent catch by Nathan Sowter – but the opportunity for the same fielder to remove Weatherley off the bowling of James Harris was altogether more routine.The pair made Middlesex pay as they accumulated a fourth-wicket partnership of 139, with Weatherley stroking a midwicket boundary off Tim Murtagh (2 for 49) to raise his half-century off 157 balls.The skipper, meanwhile, also reached his 50 in style, slamming Helm for four through the covers – but he departed in the next over after left-arm spinner Thilan Wallalawita returned for his second spell of the day.Wallalawita’s second delivery tempted Northeast to cut, but the ball sailed towards gully, where Sowter – now relocated from second slip – gathered the catch safely.Weatherley, who went to tea on 90, had rarely looked in anything resembling a hurry during the first two sessions, but he resumed in attacking mode, driving Murtagh’s first two balls of the evening for boundaries to advance to 98.However, the batsman would get no further as he was adjudged leg before in Murtagh’s next over, attempting to flick a straight ball off his pads.But Middlesex were unable to capitalise on the breakthrough as Dawson maintained the tempo, hooking Harris for successive fours and putting on 51 for the sixth wicket with Ian Holland.Holland, who had taken 20 deliveries to get off the mark, eventually contributed a breezy 22 to steer his side past the Seaxes’ first-innings total before Murtagh had him caught in the slips.That, along with Dawson’s injury, slowed Hampshire’s momentum and they also lost Harry Came (5), lbw to Sowter in the penultimate over as they reached stumps 27 runs ahead of their hosts.
Harry Kane surpassed Erling Haaland's Bundesliga's record as Bayern Munich beat Holstein Kiel on Saturday.
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Kane on fire against Holstein KielNetted three as Bayern run rampantHas scored against all league opponentsWHAT HAPPENED?
Bayern took a comprehensive 4-0 first-half lead against Holstein Kiel courtesy of a brace from Kane and an early strike from Jamal Musiala, which was set up by the English striker. That makes him the fastest player in Bundesliga history to reach 50 goal contributions surpassing Haaland's tally. While the former Spurs star achieved the feat in 35 league appearances, Haaland reached the milestone in 43 matches for Borussia Dortmund. Bayern went on to win 6-1 with Kane netting a late penalty.
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While Bayern went trophyless in the 2023-24 campaign, the English striker managed to win the Golden Boot award as he scored 36 league goals and 44 overall in his maiden season in Germany and smashed several records.
DID YOU KNOW?
With his first strike of the match, the England captain extended an amazing Bundesliga goalscoring record as he has now scored against 18 different opponents in the German top division since moving to the Bavarian club in the summer of 2023. Only Germany legend Miroslav Klose has scored against more opponents (28) in the German league.
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR HARRY KANE?
Vincent Kompany's side next face Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday night in their first Champions League game of the new season.
Kuggeleijn and Chase share seven wickets after Nabi’s cameo of 35 not out
The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando22-Aug-2020Andre Fletcher and Mark Deyal set St Lucia Zouks on track for a commanding score with their 56-run partnership off 30 balls. Mohammad Nabi provided the late thrust to take the Zouks to 172 for 6. St Kitts and Nevis Patriots could rarely extend their good periods to put real pressure on the Zouks, who claimed early wickets and kept the Patriots innings on a leash.The ten-run loss is the Patriots’ third in the tournament, while the Zouks have claimed their second win in three matches. The Patriots showed a little fight – seamer Rayad Emrit took a wicket and conceded only 14 from his four overs, before Denesh Ramdin hit 46 off 35 to provide some substance to the innings. But the Patriots lost wickets too frequently to make a serious charge at the target. The offspin of Roston Chase made dents to the start of the Patriots innings, and then Scott Kuggeleijn’s medium pace decked them in the middle and the end.Chase keeps it tightChase might immediately strike you as a player that suits the longer formats better, but he is proving his all-round utility to the Zouks in this tournament. He hit a fifty in their first game, then took two middle-order wickets in the rain-hit win against the Barbados Tridents on Thursday. On Saturday, he only managed 4 with the bat but was outstanding with the ball, taking a wicket in the powerplay before claiming two others, mostly relying on drift and changes of pace. He gave away only 12 runs in his four overs, and did not concede a boundary. The Patriots were scoring at ten an over when he began his spell, and only 7.45 an over when he completed it, bowling unchanged right through.Nabi hustles hardChase’s bowling performance though, was still not as important to the Zouks’ victory as the all-round proficiency that Nabi brought. The Zouks were 140 for 6 at the end of the 18th over, and seemed headed only for a score of about 160. But Nabi crashed two sixes off Sohail Tanvir over deep midwicket and then took 16 runs off Sheldon Cottrell’s final over. The Zouks reaped 32 off the last two overs thanks to Nabi, who faced all but one of the deliveries in those overs.With the ball, he took the vital wicket of Chris Lynn in the third over, thanks to a stunning one-handed catch by Najibullah Zadran at square leg. Nabi would finish with figures of 1 for 17 from his four overs.Ramdin gets busyOn another day, Ramdin’s innings could have been the centrepiece of a successful chase. He ran hard through the middle overs, and hit sixes off Obed McCoy and Kuggeleijn to shake a nosediving run rate into life. He never got a partner that stuck with him for long enough; a 25-run stand with Kieran Powell was the biggest partnership he was involved in.Kuggeleijn’s late burstAlthough most of the damage to the Patriots innings had been done at the top of the order, Kuggeleijn did nevertheless ensure there would be no late resurgence. He took three wickets off four balls, dismissing Ramdin and Tanvir towards the end of his third over before having Emrit hole out off the first ball of his fourth. He finished with the game’s best figures of 4 for 33.
The question lingers surrounding Mohamed Salah's future at Liverpool, with intense interest from Saudi Arabia seemingly set to be renewed in the Egyptian genius this summer, amid his expiring contract.
With just 12 months left to run on his current deal, the 32-year-old may be nearing the end of what has been a simply sensational stint on Merseyside, firmly quashing the early doubters with 300 goals and assists in just 349 games in all competitions.
A run of just three goals in the final 11 Premier League games of the 2023/24 campaign may have sparked rare criticism – the former Roma man even harshly dubbed a "fair-weather player" by the typically brazen Simon Jordan – yet the winger's return of 25 goals and 14 assists in all competitions is nothing to be sniffed.
Perhaps not now truly at his peak, yet if Salah is to depart any time soon then he will certainly leave a sizeable void for new boss Arne Slot to fill – hence the club's apparent interest in an exciting, dream successor on the right flank.
Liverpool in the race for Brazilian wonderkid
According to TEAMtalk, the Merseysiders are deemed to be among the clubs who are interested in signing Brazilian teenager, Luis Guilherme, with the Reds said to have 'watched his progress carefully' in recent times.
The report outlines that as many as six Premier League clubs have sent scouts to watch the 18-year-old in action for Palmerias over the last 12 months, with the expectation that he will follow in the footsteps of Endrick and Estevao Willian – the pair set to join Real Madrid and Chelsea, respectively.
Luis Guilherme
Much like that duo, Guilherme won't come cheap if Liverpool are to secure a move this summer, with the youngster reportedly set to fetch around £40m. A potential sticking point may also be West Ham United's interest, with the Hammers already said to be in talks regarding a deal – as per Fabrizio Romano.
How Luis Guilherme could fit in under Slot
It may be something of a leap to suggest that Guilherme can fill the shoes of Salah any time soon, although the hope would be that he could eventually solidify a starting berth for himself on the flanks in the years to come.
As data analyst Ben Mattinson has suggested, the in-demand talent "doesn't have the hype" of the aforementioned Endrick and 'Messinho', yet he does still "have the world at his feet", having shown flashes of his quality in recent times.
A tally of one goal and one assist in 44 games at senior level does not represent the most eye-catching of returns, yet it is the winger's speed and trickery that has allowed him to standout, having been lauded for the way he can "fool defenders" by Mattinson.
A left-footer who typically operates off the right – much like Salah – the suggestion is that Guilherme would represent a perfect fit for Slot's system, even despite his youth, with Mattinson noting:
"In Arne Slot’s 4-2-3-1 (same as Palmeiras), he could cover RW, AM, LW. At Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar. Arne Slot used Calvin Stengs as a AM/RW hybrid which would suit Luis Guilherme very well."
Metric
Stat per 90
Percentile rank*
Non-penalty goals
0.10
Bottom 13%
Assists
0.10
Bottom 23%
Shot-creating actions
5.84
Top 4%
Pass completion
76.5%
Top 30%
Progressive carries
5.94
Top 2%
Successful take-ons
3.13
Top 6%
Tackles
0.83
Bottom 17%
Interceptions
0.73
Top 17%
Aerial duels won
0.68
Top 32%
*Rank among wingers in comparative leagues to Brazilian top-flight
Seemingly a "good fit" for the Anfield outfit, the raw starlet could be just another young talent for Slot to nurture and develop – the Dutchman notably handing a prominent role to Newcastle United loanee Yankuba Minteh this season at Feyenoord, with the 19-year-old chalking up 16 goals and assists in the Eredivisie from the right flank.
Unafraid to put his trust in youth, Slot could be the perfect figure to help Guilherme realise his potential, with the challenge now attempting to steal a march on Julen Lopetegui and West Ham in the battle for his signature.
Liverpool could seal dream 1st Slot signing in £43m Quansah partner
The Reds could have the makings of a defensive partnership that can span the next decade…
Sir Alex Ferguson shared an inspiring message for newly appointed Manchester United women's skipper Maya Le Tissier.
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Ferguson shares inspirational messageLe Tissier named new Man Utd captainElla Toone named vice-captainWHAT HAPPENED?
Le Tissier, 22, was named the captain of the Red Devils last month as she replaced former leader Katie Zelem, who left the club at the end of the 2023-24 season to join NWSL side Angel City. While Le Tissier was handed over the captain's armband, the current most-capped United player Ella Toone was named her deputy.
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Recently, legendary former United men's team manager Ferguson caught up with the new women's team captain and the 82-year-old shared a motivational message ahead of the 2024-25 WSL season.
WHAT SIR ALEX FERGUSON SAID
In a video released by the Red Devils, Ferguson can be heard saying: "Well, Maya, may I congratulate you on this wonderful achievement. You have a responsibility to show your character for everyone. And to me, responsibility is taking charge of a great club. And I think that everyone would be delighted that you've got this responsibility to do that. And you've been here a few years, it's not new to you. And I think over the years if you look at, okay, from the men's point of view, we had some great captains. One's here today, Bryan Robson. Fantastic captain and he had that great driving force about him that players respond to. And I think you can do that without a question."
Le Tissier in turn said: "It's an honour to captain your club and I'll do everything I can do to put us back to winning ways."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
Marc Skinner's side will play their opening Women's Super League game of the 2024-25 season against West Ham at Old Trafford on Saturday.
Glasgow Rangers look like they will undergo yet another summer rebuild, with plenty of transfer activity expected at Ibrox in the coming months.
The same thing was touted last summer under Michael Beale, yet just a few weeks into the season, it was clear some of his signings were going to be expensive failures, most notably Sam Lammers.
Philippe Clement clearly has a different mindset when it comes to transfer strategy, preferring to sign talented youngsters who could develop quickly in order to make the Gers a vast profit in the future.
With this in mind, the Belgian has been offered the chance to sign a Mexican midfielder in what is the latest name linked to the club.
Rangers transfer news
The Daily Record have recently reported that Andres Montano has been offered to both Rangers and Celtic as his agent looks to seal a deal that will take him to Europe this summer.
He currently plays for Mexican outfit Mazatlan and, despite having two years left on his current deal, the youngster is valued at just £1m, indicating he could be a bargain signing for the Light Blues.
Rafael Guillen, agent for El Cielo Management, discussed his client and the need for a move to Europe, saying:
"We think that Andres could easily play without problems for Celtic, or for Rangers, because of our relationship with them, but they are not the only ones. Celtic and Rangers have a lot of quality. The English Premier League is the number one league in the world and we already have Edson Alvarez and Raul Jimenez as Mexicans there.
"The Scottish League would be the best bridge for him it has a lower level that would allow Andres to play more often.
"It wouldn't help him or us to take the player to a league where he plays intermittently – what we want is for him to play and in Scotland, Andres can play plenty.”
Player
Year joined
Games
Goals
Carlos Pena
2017
14
5
Eduardo Herrera
2017
24
2
Via Transfermarkt
Could this admission tempt Clement into making a swoop for the Mexican? Especially as he needs to add another midfielder or two to his current side.
This move could perhaps see Tom Lawrence move on in the summer, with Montano potentially a perfect upgrade to the Welshman.
Why Tom Lawrence could be replaced
It is no secret that the 50-year-old will be made to move on some players to raise funds for new arrivals. The question is, who will be leaving Ibrox?
Lammers excelled during his loan spell at FC Utrecht – scoring 11 goals in just 20 games – so he could attract some interest a year after joining.
Tom Lawrence
While this is the most obvious choice for a player to be sold, Clement could offload someone like Lawrence in order to free up a large portion of the wage bill combined with the club bringing in a transfer fee.
The former Derby County star has shone in spells for the Ibrox side, yet injuries have plagued his spell north of the border.
Indeed, he missed 49 matches during his maiden season at Rangers after suffering an Achilles tendon injury, playing only nine matches for the club.
Last season saw Lawrence make 32 appearances, registering six goal contributions, but with his contract expiring next summer, this could be the perfect opportunity for Clement to cash in rather than see the 30-year-old leave for nothing, which has so often been the case with players over the previous couple of years.
How Andres Montano compares to Lawrence
Firstly, the 22-year-old is clearly not as injury-prone as Lawrence, missing just five matches in his senior career due to an injury, which means he will be available for practically every match should he join the club.
Secondly, he is eight years younger than the Welshman, suggesting that his market value will only continue to increase, especially if he lives up to his vast potential.
These are the two variables that Clement should be looking at for all signings and Montano certainly fits the bill.
Across 26 matches for Mazatlan during 2023/24, the Mexican has scored four goals and grabbed two assists, predominantly operating as either a central midfielder or as a number ten for his club side.
It is clear he has an eye for goal, while he currently ranks second in the squad for big chances created (four) in the Clausura along with ranking first for key passes per game (2) and fifth for successful dribbles per game (1.8), clear evidence of his importance to the team going forward from a midfield position, something which Rangers could do with more of.
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig profiled the midfielder a few weeks ago, dubbing him a “roaming playmaker” while stating that “technique, versatility and work rate” were just some of his strengths.
His excellent club form saw the player make his debut for Mexico against Bolivia at the start of June and he shone.
Glasgow Rangers forward Tom Lawrence.
During the match, the 22-year-old won six of his seven ground duels, made one key pass, succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts and made four interceptions, proving that he can excel both going forward and defensively.
This should give him plenty of confidence heading into the Copa América, which starts later this month, as he will be part of the Mexico squad hoping to win the competition for the very first time.
Clement will no doubt be keeping a close eye on his performances when Mexico take to the field, but he will be hoping a deal for the midfielder can be struck before he goes away with his national team, especially as solid displays in the USA could add several million to his value.
Lawrence showed glimpses of his abilities when called up during the 2023/24 campaign, but he is on the wrong side of 30, and it is clear Clement is going in a different direction next season, preferring to use younger players.
Signing Montano could be an excellent move by the club as they seek to tap into new markets in search of new talents.
Rangers could land a "perfect" signing to make Diomande a monster
Rangers are showing interest in a talented South American midfielder
Wrexham defender Dan Scarr believes that the club's recent dip in form won't derail their campaign.
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Scarr not worried about Wrexham's dip in formFive points behind BirminghamWrexham take on Northampton on SaturdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The new Wrexham signing, who made his first league start against Stevenage earlier this week, remains confident that the club will bounce back from their sudden slump in form. The Welsh club has lost twice in their last four League One outings which includes a defeat against Birmingham City in the Hollywood derby last month.
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Tom Brady's Birmingham currently enjoy a five-point lead over the Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney-owned club at the top of the table with a game in hand. On top of that, the Red Dragons recently dealt with a major injury blow as midfielder George Evans has been ruled out of action with a long-term injury.
WHAT DAN SCARR SAID
Speaking to Leader Live, the defender said, "We probably won some games where we maybe should have come out with a draw. We have done well this season so we will pick ourselves up and try and put it right on Saturday. It is nothing to get disheartened about. It is still early in the season, we have only had two losses so we go again."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?
Phil Parkinson's side will aim to get back to winning ways on Saturday as they take on Northampton Town at home in an important League One fixture.
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Phil Parkinson continues to work on a rolling contract at Wrexham, with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney happy to run that agreement indefinitely.
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Experienced coach sought after takeoverBack-to-back promotions enjoyed since thenRolling contract continues to be ticked overFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Hollywood co-owners arrived at SToK Racecourse in 2021 aware of the need to bring an experienced coach into the dugout. A big play for Parkinson was made, following initial reluctance on his part, and a memorable journey has been enjoyed together in North Wales since.
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Wrexham have taken in back-to-back promotions, making history along the way, and are now flying high in League One. Parkinson has the full support of a loyal fanbase, given all that he has achieved, while the famous chairmen are happy to let him continue for as long as he feels beneficial to the club and long-term ambition.
WHAT SHAUN HARVEY SAID
Wrexham director Shaun Harvey has told of getting Parkinson on board shortly after Reynolds and McElhenney’s takeover was completed: “None of us at the time truly knew how big the football club was going to become back then. But what we did realise was with everything else that was going to be attached to the club, we needed a manager with experience. Not just an experienced manager but somebody who was prepared to commit for the long term.
“Everybody says it's been great but it was always going to be. There were moans and groans amongst the fanbase early on that we weren't delivering, you have just got to have courage and strength in your conviction. What success over a period of time buys you is that right. You should have it right from the start but understandably, everybody needs to be persuaded it is right rather than trusting you. Whereas at the moment, I think the phrase 'in Phil we trust' is probably the default now for the majority of fans but that is only because he has earned it over the last three-and-a-bit years.”
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GettyDID YOU KNOW?
Harvey added on how Parkinson’s contract works and why there is no reason to believe that he will be walking away any time soon: “Phil's contracted approach hasn't changed since the day he arrived. We made a commitment to Phil to get him to come to the club and that commitment still remains in place today. He's on a rolling contract and that continues until either party decides it is not going to. And for anybody who has got any concerns about it, we can only point towards the success we have had so far.”