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Leeds United have fallen into a sticky predicament within their promotion push, but that hasn’t stopped the club in pushing to land a high-profile summer target, per reports.

Leeds United risk failing to claim automatic promotion

Despite claiming a point at Luton Town courtesy of Daniel James’ first-half strike in a 1-1 draw, the Whites have won one of their last six Championship matches under Daniel Farke.

Frustratingly, Burnley now sit at the summit following their narrow victory over Coventry City, while Sheffield United remain in contention even after a shock loss to Oxford United on Saturday lunchtime.

On the eye, a sense of fragility has crept in at the wrong time for Leeds United. The situation is still salvagable as it stands, but they will certainly want to rectify their on-field issues to put forward the best picture possible to potential targets come the summer window.

Providing a marker of their ambitions in the market, the Yorkshire giants have made an opening approach for West Ham star Tomas Soucek in a deal that could see the Czechia international earn £120,000 per week.

Premier League promotion would need to be a certainty for the veteran to entertain the possibility, and the same goes for Leeds United’s pursuit of Chelsea goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic.

Leeds in contact to sign 6 ft 4 Farke target as 49ers ready £120k-p/w deal

He’s currently on £90,000-per-week.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 4, 2025

Illan Meslier has been dropped due to a string of erratic performances, so it only makes sense that their recruitment team begin to do their homework on stoppers far and wide that could replace the Frenchman.

Looking to rectify the problem, Farke and company have now cast their eye on a Premier League veteran who could be on the move this summer.

Leeds United eye surprise move for Newcastle United stopper Nick Pope

According to The Sun, Nick Pope is being lined up by Leeds United as a replacement for Meslier following question marks over his form since recovering from injury.

Intriguingly, the Magpies’ pursuit of James Trafford could put the England international under ‘serious pressure’ at St James’ Park. However, the Whites also have Trafford in their sights should promotion occur at Elland Road.

Nick Pope key statistics in 2024/25 – Premier League

Saves

61

Save percentage

69.3%

Goals conceded

27

Error which leads to goal

2

High claim

28

Labelled “brilliant” by Pep Guardiola, there is no doubt Pope has lived up to that billing since arriving in the North East. The former Burnley man has kept 31 clean sheets in 86 appearances, playing his part in a top-four finish and EFL Cup triumph under the stewardship of Eddie Howe.

Nevertheless, the 32-year-old, who is a CAA Stellar client alongside Leeds United pair Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle, may feel his best chance of continuing to receive first-team football could come elsewhere amid Newcastle’s desire to land a younger profile.

Saying that, it does feel unlikely that the £60,000 per week earner would drop down to the second tier, making promotion a necessary development before any serious talk of a move can take place.

Puja Pujara talks about how she came to write a book chronicling the career of her famous husband, the former India No. 3

S Sudarshanan26-May-2025A lot happens in a cricketer’s life. The binaries of wins and losses aside, there are various other ups and downs. For a cricketer’s family, they experience these vicariously when they hear from or watch and read about their loved one.Cheteshwar Pujara’s family might have been less aware of the ins and outs of his career than other cricketers’ families. Pujara, by his own admission, is a private person. Sharing his thoughts didn’t come naturally to him, and indeed, he did not want to put second-hand pressure on his family by telling them about the trials and stresses in his life. But he worked on opening up over the years and got better at it.His wife, Puja, did not follow cricket or know who Pujara was before marrying him. Coming to the sport afresh, she wanted to know more about it and took a deep interest in his career. Over time, she learnt more about the game and its various aspects. Inspired by Andre Agassi’s book, , she began journalling her experience as the wife of an India cricketer.An MBA graduate, Puja quit her corporate job, which she loved, after her wedding. When the couple’s first daughter was three, she wanted to get back to work, but decided that as Pujara’s manager, she didn’t have the time to give to a full-time job. On the other hand, accompanying him on long cricket tours would leave her with not a lot to do. Over the years, she had made notes about conversations with the Pujara family. Her father-in-law, Arvind, would describe their struggles from years gone by, talk about the challenges the family went through so Pujara could play cricket, and describe the bond Pujara shared with his mother. Puja would listen keenly, and thanks to her sharp memory, write it all down in her diary later.In 2021, Pujara suggested she collate her notes into a book. That had been Puja’s motive for keeping a journal, which she had not spoken of before – the hope that it might turn into a book someday. That book has now been published: is an unusual memoir, Puja’s account of the bumpy ride the family of a cricketer goes through. It belongs in a sparsely populated genre, of which the best known are perhaps the tour books of Frances Edmonds, wife of former England spinner Phil Edmonds, though those were more by way of humorous travelogues and therefore different in nature and tone from Puja’s book.”I had to be very prepared before suggesting [she] write the book,” Pujara says. “I was a little uncomfortable at times about what people would think about what I was doing or what my thought process was. But I told her I don’t mind [the book] because this is the truth and you have seen my journey.”On watching Pujara fend off body blows in Australia in 2021: “I don’t know if I have it in me to relive it again”•AFPPuja agrees. “I told him I am not going to portray you as a saint. You are a good human being, but the book won’t be just glorifying everything. There will be the hard parts and vulnerabilities. You have an inspiring journey, and I want someone to take inspiration.”I think most [cricketers’] partners would relate to what I’m saying – that you are riding the same highs and the same lows. And while it is easy to say, it is a whole new thing when you are actually experiencing it.”Puja had to get used to being a public figure after their marriage, and become aware that she needed to be careful of her image too, for the effects it might have on her husband’s. Even if she didn’t end up enhancing Pujara’s image, she did not want to damage it.It is relatively easy for a sportsperson to be in the public eye when things are going well. Pujara was in good form around the time of their courtship and marriage. The challenge came when the going got tough. When he was dropped for the Sydney Test in 2015, it was heartbreak for Puja, she says. She felt it like a personal loss and like the world had turned upside down. She was in Australia for the tour and did not want to go to the SCG to watch the match.That experience taught her the value of detachment – that as a family member, she needed to offer her husband support rather than having her own emotional reaction to the incident add to his distress. “I had to gather courage, swallow that news and be there for him in whatever way he needed,” she says. “While it is very disheartening, you have to understand that only 11 players can play. That somebody else’s family is happy that the other person is getting to play. It took time for me to mature… We realised over time that [being dropped] is fine, but I wouldn’t take away any disappointment I had at that point in time.”Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was not Pujara who broke the news of his omission in Sydney to Puja. He found it tough to give his family updates of that sort. He dealt with failures in his own way; instead of opening up, he would withdraw, trying to “protect the family” from disappointment.”He wouldn’t realise that he’s going through something,” Puja says. “I had to tell him, ‘Boss, I think you need to take a step back and just pause for a second. I feel you are not on your A game mentally. Let’s talk about it.’ In a country like India, things like mental health weren’t addressed until recently. You’re so used to the hardships and the difficult times that you don’t realise sometimes [that] you may need to seek help.”Stand by me: from not being a cricket fan before marriage, Puja went on to become her husband’s manager•BCCIPujara credits his wife with helping him deal with failures better. She helped him stick to his cricket routine when he didn’t want to, during a low phase. His county stint with Yorkshire between 2015 and 2018 also enabled him to open up. The mental conditioning coach at the club helped him be less hard on himself, making Pujara realise that scoring a fifty was an achievement too, not just a hundred. “That was the first time I realised that I need to switch off from the game, divert my mind and talk about my failures also,” Pujara says. “When you succeed, you know what you have done has worked for you. But when you fail, it isn’t always about the technique; it could be a very small thing – like, you are not resting well or not sleeping well.”While Puja could help her husband out with his mental battles, the blows inflicted by bowlers on the field were his alone to deal with. During the Brisbane Test in 2021, Pujara stood like an immovable force in the middle, staving off a bowling attack of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon. He repeatedly took blows to his body – elbow, thigh, neck, finger – and on the helmet grille, while scoring a crucial second-innings fifty. As a fan or a viewer, those hits added to the narrative of the Test match. Not for the wife, though.”It was just a nightmare,” Puja says. “Watching it, I had a gush of many emotions all at once. I was worried and got in touch with the physio and team manager. I messaged so many people, because some of [the blows] were closer to the head and that was very scary. I don’t know if I have it in me to relive it again,” she laughs.When Pujara picked up his phone after the match, he saw a flood of text messages from her. “I am fine,” he wrote back. They spoke briefly and he rushed back to join the team celebrations for India’s second successive Test series win in Australia. “I was in pain, but it was a sweet pain because the Indian team had won the game and the series,” he says.A year and four series after his Gabba knock, Pujara was dropped again from the Indian Test side. He was recalled six months later and played eight more matches, the World Test Championship final in June 2023 being the last.Puja suggested a while ago that he look at life beyond playing cricket, and take up coaching or broadcasting, but he wasn’t on board then. Slowly his reluctance gave way and he took up some media work. He has been an expert on ESPNcricinfo’s match-analysis shows, which, he says, has enabled him to explore another side of the game and understand his own game better in retrospect.Pujara is 37. It has been close to two years since he last played for India, but he is not thinking about retirement just yet. The fire in him still burns. He enjoys the grind of preparing for a match, and the routines that help him stay hungry.Irrespective of what happens in his journey from here on, Pujara will know he has a pillar of support alongside him. The one who told his story to the world as she watched and lived it off the field.

Cricket’s biggest prize on offer this week isn’t the Ashes, but a golden ticket to India later this year

Firdose Moonda05-Jul-2023Don’t be fooled by the hype from Headingley. The biggest game in cricket on Thursday – no, perhaps the biggest game in cricket this year – is happening in Bulawayo where Netherlands and Scotland will compete for a place at the 50-over World Cup.Few would have expected that the final contest would be between the team that finished at the bottom of the World Cup Super League, with only three wins from 24 games, and the team that finished at the top of League 2, a division that should receive much more attention than it does. That it has come down to this speaks volumes about the way cricket is developing outside of Full Member countries and rewards those who have spent the last four years slogging away for recognition they had no guarantee would come.Netherlands played series against Ireland, Afghanistan, New Zealand, West Indies, England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe and lost all but one of them. In that time, they were never able to top 300 but conceded over 300 five times, scored just one century in the entire campaign and were bowled out for under 200 nine times. Did it ever get tiring being beaten so often and so comprehensively? No, said Scott Edwards, in more words than that, at his pre-match press conference.Related

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• Scenarios: What Scotland and Netherlands need to book the final World Cup 2023 spot

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“The confidence we got from coming up against these Full Member teams throughout the Super League was massive for us,” he said. “Look at our youngsters like Aryan Dutt, Shariz Ahmed, Vikramjit Singh. These sorts of guys were thrown in the deep end at the start of the Super League, so where they are now, whether they are coming up against Scotland or Sri Lanka, there’s no spotlight to it. It’s just another game of cricket. They’ve been on top of other batters and we feel like coming into this sort of tournament, we’ve done it all before. We took a lot of confidence from that and it shows where we are now.”That’s why the Dutch don’t use the word “Associate,” to describe themselves anymore. They’ve been around the big boys and, as Vikramjit Singh said two days ago, they simply call themselves “the Netherlands’ cricket team.”They believe in their ability to take down top teams and why wouldn’t they? Eight months ago, they dumped South Africa out of the T20 World Cup. Asked at this event how they digested their giant-killing ways, head coach Ryan Cook was pragmatic. He told ESPNcricinfo that because of the way his team had been preparing, they always knew they would be able to stub out a few of the more star-studded sides and it was a matter of when and not if. He also predicts there’s more to come from other so-called smaller teams and already he’s been proven right, partly about his own camp and partly about someone else’s.While Netherlands dented West Indies in the group stage, it was Scotland who sent them out of contention for a World Cup place. “We’ve put three Test nations out of the World Cup now. What more can we say?” Michael Leask, Scotland’s offspinning allrounder, said.Scotland started their campaign with a one-wicket win over Ireland, then stunned West Indies and most recently robbed the host nation, Zimbabwe, of their chance to complete a dream run to the World Cup and arguably, they’ve done it in tougher circumstances than anyone else. League 2 is gruelling with 36 matches grouped into nine triangulars, and as result, is supremely competitive. Scotland lost a third of their games but still finished top and it was not until the final phase of the tournament, when Scotland and Namibia travelled to Nepal, that they were able to confirm their spots at the World Cup Qualifier.

“We’ve put three Test nations out of the World Cup now. What more can we say?”Scotland’s Michael Leask is confident the team can pull off one more memorable win

They did all that while their organisation was found to be institutionally racist with 448 examples cited in a report, and investigations ongoing. We have seen in South Africa and Yorkshire how damaging and divisive the issue of race can be, and how it can impact results. While the Social Justice and Nation-Building hearings were held in South Africa, the national men’s team stumbled through the World Cup Super League and almost ended up in Zimbabwe themselves. As for Yorkshire, they were relegated at the end of last summer. The rights and wrongs of the cases in Scotland are still being assessed (and it’s not easy to do so because instances of racism don’t come with receipts) but the team has somehow managed to put that to one side and play well, and they recognise how difficult that has been.”We have been through a bit of a tough time but we wear this shirt with a lot of pride, and for us it’s all about leaving the shirt better than we found it,” Leask said. “Yes, there’s been some tough times, but we’re out here competing and we’re doing a very, very good job of it at the moment. The biggest thing is leaving this shirt in a better place than you found it. I believe this group’s going a long way to doing that.”That is true of them over the last five years. Scotland came close to qualifying for the 2019 World Cup but were on the receiving end of some poor decisions in the 2018 qualifier, which was played without DRS in its entirety. Eight members of the squad who participated in that tournament are back to put things right and they’ve come with an attitude of extreme determination and resilience. They treat every match like it matters more than anything else, because in their case, it does. “2018 hurt a lot of us and a lot of the squad are still here. The performances have shown that we’re not going to give up,” Leask said. “We are a side who, every time we play, we play as underdogs. But we play every game like it’s a final. We’ve fought unbelievably hard in every fixture.”Scotland have already dumped out West Indies, but can they plot their biggest victory yet on Thursday?•ICC via Getty ImagesThe Dutch say the same thing. “Going into every game in the tournament, we feel like it’s a must-win game,” Edwards said. Despite the pressure of the situation, he describes his squad as “pretty level-headed,” going into their last, and most important game, and he has good reason to. The Dutch have managed to triumph in these crunch encounters without their entire first-choice bowling attack, the bulk of whom were unavailable due to county commitments (read: need to earn a salary rather than spend three weeks competing for a one-in-10 chance to play in a World Cup). Scotland are in a similar situation, with four frontline players missing. And therein lies the cold, hard, financial truth of Thursday’s match: it could change lives and cricket boards, literally, because of the economics of the game.In English football, the championship playoff game – the match which decides which team will be promoted to the Premier League in the following season – is known as the richest game in football, because of the massive monetary benefits promotion brings. With a guaranteed participation fee of US$1 million – more than most associates get in grants from either the ICC or their governments – reaching the World Cup could prove the cash injection to keep cricket comfortably afloat in the country that gets there. Consider that they could then also attract commercial partners, and the health of the game in the country that qualifies will receive a significant boost.For teams who spend most of their time in the small print, this is their opportunity to do more than just steal a headline: it’s the chance to make a serious statement about cricket in their country and to create the investment into its future. It’s also one of the last chances to really stand out because this is the last 10-team World Cup (the next T20 World Cup is 20 teams and the next ODI World Cup will expand to 14) and, hopefully, the growth of the game will only continue from there. Now, though, it’s about that one chance to “play in a World Cup in India which is a dream for our guys,” as Edwards said.Both Netherlands and Scotland have already experienced that dreams can come true and as far as the promise of a World Cup place goes neither will want to be the one who wakes up first.

Recalled David Willey and Chris Woakes can stake long-term case with new-ball wickets

Matt Roller22-Jun-2021A dozen games into his T20I career, Jofra Archer is already England’s most important bowler in the format by a stretch. England win twice as often as they lose with Archer in the side and can rely on him both to take wickets and stem the flow of runs: in their 3-2 defeat in India in March, he was both their leading wicket-taker and their most economical bowler – despite playing through an elbow injury and with a fragment of glass lodged in his hand.While Archer’s inclusion in the ODI side ahead of the 2019 World Cup brought much-needed quality at the death, it is in the powerplay that he is crucial to the T20I set-up. In 12 appearances to date, 23 of Archer’s 47 overs in the format have been in the first six, and while he has only taken five new-ball wickets, his economy rate in the powerplay (7.08) has stopped teams getting off to fast starts and forced them to take more risks against other bowlers.But Archer excepted, England have struggled with the new ball in T20Is over the last two years. They made significant improvements in India, opting to frontload by using Archer, Mark Wood and Adil Rashid in the first six overs, but were among the least effective sides in the phase in the world in the 18 months prior; out of full-member nations, only Ireland leaked more runs per over, and only South Africa took wickets less frequently.So Archer’s injury-enforced absence from their six T20Is this summer, three each against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, will provide England with a significant test of their short-form seam-bowling depth. It starts with back-to-back games on Wednesday and Thursday in Cardiff, one of the few grounds in the country where spinners have been more expensive than seamers in T20 in the Blast this season.Related

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They are almost certain to pick Chris Jordan – who has played in 52 of England’s last 53 T20Is – despite him leaking 10.51 runs an over in India and it would be a surprise to see either Wood or Sam Curran miss out, but there is room for one more seamer, with the recalled Chris Woakes and David Willey competing for a chance with the new ball ahead of the T20 World Cup in the autumn. A schedule including two games in the space of 24 hours and three in four days will undoubtedly lead to some rotation, too.Curran has shown glimpses with the new white ball, but he played only a bit-part role in India, bowling an average of two overs per game and primarily in the middle overs, while Jordan generally bowls one in the powerplay, one in the middle and one at the death, and with middle-over ‘enforcers’ on the rise in T20, Wood seems best suited to that role. That means that whichever of Woakes and Willey plays could bowl as many as three powerplay overs, depending on how Morgan opts to use Rashid.Willey’s inclusion is particularly intriguing. He was England’s player of the series when recalled for three ODIs against Ireland last year, but was an unused squad member against Pakistan later in the summer and left out entirely for the Australia series that followed. A stress fracture ruled him out over the winter but his return suggests he is a genuine option for the World Cup, swinging the new ball, providing variety with his left-arm angle, and adding batting depth from the lower order.Woakes, meanwhile, has won a recall after six years in the T20I wilderness. It is an intriguing call to bring him back, given he did not bowl a ball in the format between August 2018 and the start of this year’s IPL, and the decision may well be linked to his “wasted” winter on the sidelines while earning nearly seven figures a year thanks to his all-format central contract. Woakes has shown in ODI cricket that he is capable in the middle and death overs but the powerplay is his strongest phase by a distance, nipping the new ball around off the seam; this is an unexpected chance but it would be no great surprise to see him take it.Chris Jordan was expensive at the death in India•Getty Images”Both Dave and Chris have played a lot for us in the past in both 50-over and T20 [cricket],” Eoin Morgan, England’s limited-overs captain, said on Tuesday. “We know the potential that they have, and it’s great that they’re back involved specifically in the build into the World Cup.”There’s been a drastic improvement [with the new ball] – when we were in India, we did take wickets earlier than expected and it’s probably been our marked improvement over the winter. Hopefully we can build on that and look at other areas of improvement alongside it.”England have further calls to make regarding death bowlers and the balance of their side. With Ben Stokes only returning from injury on Sunday and not part of this squad, Moeen Ali is likely to play as the second spinner and bat in the top six. Morgan explained that Liam Dawson’s ability to bowl in the powerplay was a major factor in his inclusion as the third frontline spin option ahead of Matt Parkinson, and while Liam Livingstone could offer another option, Cardiff’s short straight boundaries are usually unkind to spinners.As for the death options, Wood and Jordan both leaked more than 12 runs an over in the final five in India, while Tom Curran struggled badly in South Africa at the end of last year. With Sri Lanka relatively light on finishers, not least after Thisara Perera’s retirement, England will doubtless aim to take early wickets and be bowling at the tail by that stage of the innings – but without Archer to call upon, that is easier said that done.

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has brilliantly described what makes his former club’s rivalry with Liverpool different from others in three words.

Slot looking forward to Liverpool-Man Utd clash

The biggest fixture in English football dominates the weekend’s Premier League matches, with the Red Devils making the trip to Anfield on Sunday afternoon.

It promises to be the next great chapter in a huge rivalry between the two clubs, and speaking ahead of the match, Reds boss Arne Slot assessed a much-anticipated occasion.

“I look forward to every single Premier League game but maybe even more towards the United one, because I know how special it is and I’ve experienced last season how special a game it is. We know that it’s probably the game that’s been watched the most all over the world. It’s special to be part of it but in the end it’s also a game where we have to be at our best, because United, in my opinion, has had a better start of the season than maybe the league table is showing.

“A very interesting game and a game to look forward to, especially because it’s played at Anfield. I think our fans have been so supportive for us as long as I’m here and long before I was here. I think they understand that the team that has lost three times in a row, they need to be ready, our team, but I think our fans can help us and will help us on Sunday as well.”

Rooney perfectly nails Man Utd-Liverpool rivalry in three words

Speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show [via Rousing The Kop], Rooney explained the “deep, deep hatred” that exists between Manchester United and Liverpool, and why that makes it different to the Merseyside derby with Everton.

Rooney is spot on in his assessment, with family members supporting both Liverpool and Everton, giving the rivalry a little less nastiness, even though the Merseyside pair still clearly dislike each other.

With United, it is different, though, with the two clubs having respect for what they’ve achieved throughout history, but also detesting each other most of the time, and wanting to get one over the other every time they play, with bragging rights unrivalled in the English game.

Sunday’s clash at Anfield will be no different, and for the Red Devils, they know that victory would put a major dent in Liverpool’s Premier League title hopes.

Gary Neville's hilarious Liverpool claim in 2023 continues to haunt him

This is one of his worst!

By
Henry Jackson

Sep 21, 2025

On the flip side, a Reds victory would heap further pressure on Ruben Amorim, especially if they lose heavily, so there is an enormous amount to play for this weekend, as always.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has conceded in his pre-Leeds press conference that the Reds need to get Alexander Isak more involved in games.

Isak, 26, joined the Anfield side this summer for a British record £125m fee. Last season, Jamie Carragher declared him “the best striker in the Premier League”. He scored 27 goals in all competitions for Newcastle United, including the winner in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, against Liverpool.

25/26 – LFC

17.1

5.6 (65%)

24/25 – NUFC

33.3

14.9 (77%)

23/24 – NUFC

26.8

12.6 (80%)

22/23 – NUFC

29.5

12.5 (78%)

But he’s toiling away at his new club, and to little avail at that. This speaks of the wider tactical imbalances at the club right now, with the forwards all struggling and the midfielders and defenders too.

Change is needed, but with new and elite centre-forward options strapped in, FSG are turning their attention to Liverpool’s attacking flanks.

Liverpool lining up a wide forward

Last month, Slot was quizzed on Liverpool’s transfer plans ahead of the January transfer window, as the dismal form raged on. That stain has only spread since, but the coach hinted that the Premier League champions’ priority lies not with the rearguard but on the wing.

Liverpool didn’t replace Luis Diaz when selling the versatile Colombian to Bayern Munich in August, and that was clearly a mistake. Cody Gakpo knows where the back of the net is, but he’s somewhat one-dimensional, with fans annoyed by the regularity of his cutting inside when the ball finds him down the left lane.

Perhaps that is why rumours have resurfaced of Liverpool interest in Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with TEAMtalk suggesting this week that Anfield is one of the few places the Brazilian would consider joining; Arsenal have also been mooted.

Rodrygo may be undergoing a divorce with superstardom at Los Blancos, but that doesn’t mean Florentino Perez will let the 25-year-old leave on the cheap, tentatively transfer-listing him for around €90m (£79m).

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

It’s no secret that Liverpool are interested in signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January, but Rodrygo is cut from finer cloth, the Brazil international having conquered Europe and Spain too during his time with Real Madrid.

Across 286 senior appearances, he has scored 68 goals and supplied 53 assists, and last year, Jude Bellingham said “he’s probably the most gifted player in the squad”, with frightening speed and deadly finishing and a versatile take on the attacking game.

Though he has served Real Madrid’s wishes out on the right flank for most of his career, Rodrygo actually prefers playing off the left. The right-footer believes he is at his most clinical in that role, and last season, though he struggled on the whole, he scored six goals and supplied six assists across just 12 outings.

Right winger

148

34

31

Left winger

89

23

18

Centre-forward

85

22

8

Attacking midfield

4

–

1

Rodrygo would surely displace Gakpo and cement a regular starting berth under Slot’s wing at Liverpool. Gakpo, scapegoated at times this season, is still not the multi-faceted wideman that Diaz was, and Rodrygo would restore that presence that FSG are so intent on replacing.

Hailed as a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric, he is the real deal, alright, with pedigree on the biggest stage and so much more still to give. Rodrygo has lost his way in Spain, but at Liverpool, he could become a leading man, especially with Mohamed Salah ostensibly winding down.

He is a man of many dimensions, and indeed has more in his locker than Gakpo, even with the Dutchman averaging 2.2 created chances per game in the Premier League this season, the most frequent of any Liverpool player and the fifth-highest average in the division.

But Rodrygo, even at his lowest ebb, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 18% for tackles won per 90, as per FBref.

There is little question that Rodrygo would raise Liverpool’s level, adding width and pace and dynamism down the left flank and maybe serving out on the right when called upon.

Gakpo enjoyed plenty of success last season, scoring 18 goals and supplying seven assists across all competitions. He is a potent threat. But he also needs a counterpoint to jockey with out on the left, and Rodrygo would provide that presence and then some.

Wirtz will love him: Liverpool could hire "one of the best managers in the world"

Liverpool’s title-winning head coach is skating on thin ice this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025

West Ham United are now planning to sign an “insane” Premier League striker in the January transfer window, as a replacement for Niclas Fullkrug.

Fullkrug set to leave West Ham in January

Sky Sports Florian Plettenberg revealed last month that Fullkrug wants to leave West Ham in the upcoming window, with the striker looking to make it into Germany’s World Cup squad next summer.

In truth, Nuno probably shouldn’t be too concerned if the German does depart, given that he has made a torrid start to the Premier League season, having failed to score in his opening eight matches.

Callum Wilson has now emerged as the first-choice option at centre-forward, and the Englishman has caught the eye at times, scoring two goals in his last three matches.

However, Wilson was unable to find the back of the net against Liverpool on Sunday, with the Hammers succumbing to a 2-0 defeat, and they are now looking to sign a new striker in the January transfer window.

That is according to a report from La Lazio Siamo Noi, which states West Ham have now identified Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee as a top target to replace Fullkrug next month.

The Irons are looking to cash-in on their £27m signing this winter, and they have already started offering him out to offer clubs, primarily to teams in the Bundesliga.

The 32-year-old would prefer to return to his home country, and if the Hammers do manage to get a sale over the line, there will be space to bring in a new forward, with Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa also of interest.

"Insane" Zirkzee returns to form against Crystal Palace

Zirkzee scored his first Premier League goal for nearly a year on Sunday afternoon, beating Crystal Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson with a tidy finish to ignite Man United’s comeback, which earned him high praise from Bruno Fernandes.

Scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Dutchman in the past, describing him as “insane”, however, his goalscoring record should be a major concern for West Ham.

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Dominic Lund

Dec 1, 2025

Much like Fullkrug, the 24-year-old has struggled in front of goal ever since arriving in the Premier League for £36.5m, netting just four goals in 38 top-flight games, and the Hammers should be able to find a much more prolific striker to replace the Germany international.

Tyler Glasnow is injured again.

The Los Angeles Dodgers righty left his start against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Sunday after just one inning after suffering a shoulder injury. While warming up before the second inning, Glasnow summoned the team's trainers to the mound and eventually left the game.

Video of his last warmup pitch is below.

The Dodgers deemed the issue "right shoulder discomfort."

Glasnow has a lengthy injury history, so this doesn't come as much of a surprise. He has dealt with back issues, a serious oblique injury, a forearm strain, multiple elbow problems plus Tommy John surgery in 2021. The 31-year-old was shut down in August of 2024 due to a strained elbow and missed the rest of the season.

In his 10 big league seasons, Glasnow has thrown more than 100 innings twice. He went 120 innings for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023, and his all-time max was the 134 innings he threw for the Dodgers last season. He has never made more than 22 starts in a single campaign.

Glasnow has ace-level stuff but he's one of MLB's least durable pitchers. He's in the first season of a five-year, $136.6 million contract. It hasn't begun well. So far this season, he's 1–0 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.28 WHIP and 23 strikeouts against 11 walks in 18 innings.

Now he might be headed to the IL.

South Africa left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj has displaced Sri Lanka’s Maheesh Theekshana as the No. 1 men’s ODI bowler, following his five-for in the first ODI against Australia in Cairns.Maharaj, who last held the spot in November 2023, returned to the top after gaining two places to move ahead of Theekshana (second) and India spinner Kuldeep Yadav (third). The 35-year-old picked up career-best ODI figures of 5 for 33 which gave South Africa a 98-run win and a 1-0 series lead.Among the South African batters, Aiden Markram moved four spots up to No. 21 and Temba Bavuma five spots to No. 23 following their respective half-centuries in the first ODI.Related

• Australia set to face another trial by spin but Subrayen won't play

• Road to 2027: Questions for Australia and South Africa

• Maharaj's masterful maiden ODI five-for hands South Africa 1-0 series lead

• Maharaj shakes off T20I snub with statement white-ball display

Following the recently concluded ODI series against Pakistan, West Indies captain Shai Hope jumped two spots to No. 9 on the batters’ list. Hope finished as the top run-scorer in the series with 207 runs, helping West Indies win the series 2-1. His team-mate Jayden Seales moved 15 places up to 18th in the bowling rankings following his ten wickets in the series.Following the T20Is between Australia and South Africa preceding the ODIs, fast bowler Nathan Ellis entered the top ten among bowlers, moving three places up to No. 9. Ellis picked up 3 for 31 in the third T20I to help Australia seal the T20Is 2-1. Josh Hazlewood, who picked up the most wickets for Australia in the series, rose two spots to 18th.South Africa’s hard-hitting batter Dewald Brevis jumped nine spots to equal 12th on the list for T20I batters following his superb efforts in the series. Brevis scored 125 not out off 56 in the first T20I and followed it up with 53 off 26 in the second.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras acertou nesta sexta-feira o primeiro reforço para a temporada de 2024,  e enquanto isso, no último sábado, o Cruzeiro afastou um centroavante e a ação pode terminar em rescisão.

+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

Confira a seguir as movimentações dos clubes neste Fim de Semana do Mercado:

+ Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

PALMEIRAS SE ACERTA COM ANÍBAL MORENO

O Palmeiras está perto de garantir seu primeiro reforço para a temporada 2024. Trata-se de Aníbal Moreno, volante do Racing-ARG, que ficou próximo de ser contratado na última janela, mas as negociações não avançaram. O acordo está encaminhado com o clube argentino e com o jogador, dependendo apenas de exames médicos e detalhes burocráticos para ser concretizada.

Moreno deve ser o primeiro reforço do Verdão para 2024, mas não o único. A ideia é contratar de três a quatro peças para o elenco, que possam chegar e jogar, sem que necessitem de tempo de adaptação ou amadurecimento. Por isso também o desejo forte em buscar um acordo com Bruno Henrique, do Flamengo, mas a negociação é considerada difícil.

GILBERTO AFASTADO

O Cruzeiro optou por afastar o atacante Gilberto por tempo indeterminado. O centroavante não tem treinado com o elenco e esta história pode terminar em rescisão. A Raposa não comenta sobre os rumos do jogador oficialmente.

– Foi uma decisão conjunta da direção e do clube para poder decidir sobre o afastamento. A comissão participou dessa decisão. Nesse caso agora estamos tratando de forma interna – relatou o treinador Zé Ricardo.