Tag Futebol

Leeds United have been a side never shy in front of goal, whether it be under the exceptional Marcelo Bielsa or even the struggling Jesse Marsch.

Even when trundling towards the drop last term, the Whites still managed to notch 48 goals, outscoring most of their relegation competition. This does mark a far cry from the 62 they scored during that imperious return to the top flight though.

However, recent reports have emerged suggesting that Rodrigo, their top scorer from that torrid later campaign, has a release clause of just €3.5m (£3m), making the Spaniard ripe for the plucking from Elland Road.

A huge chunk of that aforementioned figure could be set to depart.

Given he was initially bought for £27m, the club are set to make a monumental loss on the 32-year-old who offered a brief glimmer of hope throughout a dark and depressing year in Yorkshire.

To offset such financial failures, the 49ers will have to be shrewd in this summer window, likely scouring from within the Championship or the free-agent market to find their deals.

Fortunately, an option within the latter has come to light, with soon-to-be departing Lyon forward Moussa Dembele free from his £51k-per-week contract this summer, and reportedly on the list of Leeds' new ownership.

Could Moussa Dembele replace Rodrigo at Leeds United?

Having scored 13 league goals for a relegated side, Rodrigo has already proven himself a fine asset more than capable of starring in the top flight. His exit is almost a guarantee given the tiny fee attached to him.

However, this French forward could perhaps pose a fine alternative, despite the statistics of late suggesting a recent loss of form.

Just three goals in 23 Ligue 1 showings are a harsh indicator, given the form of Alexandre Lacazette ahead of him. The 26-year-old has only started eight games in the league.

As the machine-like striker in the season prior, he showcased his true talents by finding the net on 21 occasions, proving himself more than capable of leading the line. When handed confidence and a run of games, the former Celtic man has proven his talent in front of goal.

That spell in Scotland, where he would score 51 goals in just 94 games, saw Brendan Rodgers rush to praise him. The currently out-of-work manager claimed:

"Moussa has everything with his power and pace. It was a different sort of system and the boys looked a real threat and linked up really well.

“His opponent at centre-back was strong but Moussa is so powerful with ability, touch and work rate. He was excellent. I am very pleased to have him back and his contribution."

With the 49ers having inherited something of a mess in this Leeds team, still licking their wounds from a relegation that three different managers could not halt, they could offer some clarity by making a confident first foray into the market.

Not only would it mark a huge statement of intent, but it would also offer an immediate replacement should Rodrigo exit Elland Road.

Manchester United look increasingly likely to sign Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae in the summer transfer window, according to a new update.

Have United been linked with Kim Min-jae?

The South Korean has seen his stock rise hugely this season, following a memorable campaign that has arguably led to him gaining legendary status in Naples.

Kim was one of Napoli's standout performers as they won their first Serie A title since all the way back in 1990, and he is now possibly regarded as one of Europe's best centre-backs. The 26-year-old started 35 of his side's 38 league matches, averaging 3.5 clearances per game in the division, as well as 3.6 in the Champions League, as per WhoScored.

United are on the lookout for a new central defender before the start of next season and the Napoli hero has emerged as a primary target, with various reports linking him with a summer move to Old Trafford. Now, a new claim has emerged – one that further suggests he could be on his way to the Premier League.

What's the latest regarding Kim Min-jae's future?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], "insiders" at Napoli now "take it for granted" that Kim will be a United player this summer and feel a transfer is all but done. They are ready to trigger his release clause, which is a minimum of €50m (£43m), sealing the move in the process.

What that fee ends up being reportedly depends on the Red Devils' turnover in 2022, with the hope being that he could be signed for a relatively cheap amount, but it does look as if the defender could be on his way to England.

Kim really could be the perfect centre-back signing for United this summer, coming in and bolstering their options hugely and taking them up another level. Harry Maguire could well move on, with the same potentially applying to Victor Lindelof, and while Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane have shone in stages as a partnership, although the latter is now 30 years of age and injury-prone.

For that reason, Kim could be viewed as the future of United back-line, alongside Martinez, with his combination of defensive expertise and ball-playing quality both attributes that could make Erik ten Hag's side a real force, having enjoyed a 91% pass completion rate in Serie A in 2022/23.

Former Reds hero Park Ji-sung has described his £33,000-a-week compatriot as "extraordinary" which is high praise from someone who knows how to make the grade at Old Trafford, and the club must do all they can to seal his signature in the coming weeks.

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2016

KP Bhaskar to coach DelhiKP Bhaskar, the former Delhi captain, takes over from Vijay Dahiya as the side’s coach for the 2016-17 domestic season. He had coached Rajasthan and Tripura in the past. Former seamer Amit Bhandari, who had played two ODIs for India, has been appointed Bhaskar’s deputy. Dahiya, meanwhile, has been named coach of the Under-23 team.Jalaj Saxena joins Kerala for 2016-17 seasonJalaj Saxena, the Madhya Pradesh and India A allrounder, has signed one-year contract with Kerala as a professional player for the 2016-17 season. He will join Iqbal Abdulla and Bhavin Thakkar, who moved from Mumbai to the Kerala side as professionals. A No-Objection Certificate from the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association was submitted to the Kerala Cricket Association on September 3.Click here to read more.Badrinath-Arun combine set to steer Hyderabad S Badrinath will lead Hyderabad in the upcoming season. The side also has a new head coach – B Arun , the former India bowling coach, who was appointed last month. Arun will take over from former Hyderabad batsman Abdul Azeem. Badrinath, who captained Vidarbha for the last two seasons, was believed to be in the running for the position of batting coach with Tamil Nadu. The batsman said the decision to accept Hyderabad’s offer stemmed from his willingness to continue playing all formats of the game.Rayudu joins VidarbhaAfter spending six seasons with Baroda, Ambati Rayudu has moved to Vidarbha for the upcoming season. Rayudu played just four games in the previous season, primarily because of his presence in India’s limited-overs squads, scoring 170 runs at 28.33. Vidarbha coach Paras Mhambrey has worked with Rayudu at his IPL franchise, Mumbai Indians. Rayudu’s experience will help fill the gap left by Badrinath in Vidarbha’s middle order in the forthcoming season.Iqbal Abdulla and Bhavin Thakkar to play for KeralaLeft-arm spinner Iqbal Abdulla and batsman Bhavin Thakkar who featured in Mumbai’s victorious Ranji Trophy campaign last season, have signed a one-year deal with Kerala as professionals. Thakkar was recalled for Mumbai’s semi-final match against Madhya Pradesh, after a gap of nine seasons, during which he played for Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand. He is said to have made the move after he did not figure in the list of Mumbai probables. Abdulla, too, has not been able to nail down a permanent place and featured in only five matches in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy season.Kaif to lead Chattisgarh Mohammad Kaif , the former India batsman, will lead Ranji Trophy debutants Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season. Chhattisgarh also have a new coach in Sulakshan Kulkarni, whose last stint was with Mumbai from 2011 to 2014.Click here to read more.Hanuma Vihari signs with Andhra Hanuma Vihari , who captained Hyderabad and top-scored with 626 runs in 13 innings at 48.15 last season, has moved to Andhra along with Dwaraka Ravi Teja. Left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt, who played for Gujarat, has also signed with Andhra. While Vihari and Ravi Teja qualify as local players by virtue of nativity (both were born in Andhra Pradesh), Bhatt has been signed on as a professional.Kanitkar to coach Tamil NaduFormer India batsman Hrishikesh Kanitkar has inked a two-season contract as coach of Tamil Nadu. Kanitkar had retired from first-class cricket in July last year before taking up a coaching role with Goa. He is the first cricketer from outside Tamil Nadu to join the team’s coaching set-up. L Balaji, the former Tamil Nadu captain, is expected to remain bowling mentor and will take a call on his participation as a player after the Tamil Nadu Premier League.Joshi to coach Assam, Sanath Kumar to coach AndhraFormer India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi has signed a two-year contract to coach Assam. He has replaced his former Karnataka team-mate Sanath Kumar, under whom the team secured a semi-final berth last season for the first time in the tournament. Joshi has previously coached Hyderabad and Jammu & Kashmir. His most recent coaching stint was with Oman, as a spin-bowling consultant during the Asia Cup T20 and the World T20 earlier this year. Sanath Kumar, meanwhile, will coach Andhra.Shrikant Kalyani named Maharashtra coachFormer Maharashtra and Bengal batsman Shrikant Kalyani will succeed Australian David Andrews as Maharashtra coach. Andrews had coached the side over the last two seasons. Ajay Shirke, the president of the Maharashtra Cricket Association, announced that the state’s selection committee for the Ranji Trophy will include Kalyani, along with assistant coach Akshay Tandale, Riyaz Bagwan (chairman), Kaisar Fakih and Rahul Dhole Patil.Click here to read more.Jacob Martin appointed Baroda coachFormer India batsman Jacob Martin was named Baroda’s coach for the upcoming season after Tushar Arothe stepped down from the role due to conflict of interest. Martin’s appointment is a surprising move from the Baroda Cricket Association – in April 2011, he was arrested in Delhi in connection with 2003 human-trafficking case. The allegations of human trafficking against Martin are yet to be proven.Other signings Ashutosh Singh from Madhya Pradesh to Chhattisgarh
Pankaj Kumar Rao from Madhya Pradesh to Chhattisgarh
Abhimanyu Chauhan from Baroda to Chhattisgarh
(All three players automatically qualify to play for Chhattisgarh by virtue of nativity)
Sumit Ruikar from Vidarbha to Chhattisgarh
Manjeet Singh from Rajasthan to Railways
Nikhil Doru from Rajasthan to Railways
Prasanth Parameswaran from Goa to Kerala
Anustup Majumdar from Railways to Bengal
Jai Prakash Yadav replaces Harvinder Singh as coach of Railways
Smit Patel from Gujarat to Tripura
Yashpal Singh from Services to Tripura
Amitoze Singh from Punjab to Saurashtra
Kushang Patel from Gujarat to Saurashtra
Sunil Yadav from Maharashtra to Saurashtra
Rajat Paliwal from Services to Haryana

Arsenal seem set for a busy summer transfer window, to which they have seemingly already turned their attention towards…

What's the latest on Dani Olmo to Arsenal?

That's according to 90min, who noted that the Gunners were one of many clubs who oversaw Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title hopes drift away at home to RB Leipzig last Saturday.

With a host of desirable talent on display in the clash, representatives from Newcastle United, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and West Ham United all travelled to view first-hand some potential new signings.

Whilst some sought to watch Joshua Kimmich, and others were showing their desire to sign in Benjamin Pavard, it is noted that Edu had sent men to instead pay particular interest to RB Leipzig magician Dani Olmo.

It seems that despite Martin Odegaard's outstanding season, Mikel Arteta remains keen on bolstering in every area to avoid another potential disaster like this season with William Saliba's injury impacting the squad negatively. However, the €75m (£65m) release clause could prove troublesome.

Would Dani Olmo be a success at Arsenal?

Despite lacking the tangible success that the Gunners captain has enjoyed this campaign, it has still been a fruitful year for the Spain international, who has maintained a 7.02 average Sofascore rating alongside a consistent threat.

Despite scoring just twice and assisting a further four, he has recorded 1.4 key passes per game and upheld a 61% dribble success rate.

He may not set the world alight every game, but with the 25-year-old you are guaranteed a reliable performer who is capable of moments of magic. As someone who will only ever be an understudy to the exceptional Odegaard, this is arguably more than enough.

After all, the 24-year-old has enjoyed one of the outstanding seasons of his career, scoring 15 times and assisting a further eight on his way to a second-place finish in the league.

The former Real Madrid star has already drawn huge praise from Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola too, who branded him "an exceptional player, captain at his age in Arsenal in a short time there is because you have to be a special personality."

However, Olmo is seemingly also a favourite of the ex-Barcelona boss, who showered his compatriot with similar praise back in 2019: "He's a top player—he has a bright future, of course. The point is he is an incredible player and I am pretty sure he is able to play in the strong leagues in Europe."

Writer and podcaster Graham Ruthven even sought to laud the intelligence of the trickster just last year too, as his dark arts saw him branded an "evil genius". Perhaps that nastiness could be key in their mission to topple the Citizens next season.

It seems many across Europe recognise the immense talents of the former Dinamo Zagreb maestro, even if his statistics are not quite at the level of Odegaard's. Perhaps if put in the same squad, should Arteta make the move a reality, he could elevate that sole downside of his current game to forge him into a fine alternative to the captain.

Hamilton Academical teenager Josh McDonald has passed a Leeds United medical ahead of a six-figure move to Yorkshire, Football Insider report.

What’s the latest transfer news out of Leeds?

The Whites are currently without a sporting director after Victor Orta agreed to leave the club earlier this month alongside former manager Javi Gracia.

However, despite this, Leeds haven’t called a halt to their search for new signings, with head of emerging talent Craig Dean and scout Alex Davies remaining in place in Yorkshire.

It looks as if the club are now set to secure the services of McDonald, who is regarded as an “exceptional talent” and one of the best in his age group in Scotland.

Football Insider shared a further update regarding Leeds and McDonald on Saturday evening. They stated that the youngster has passed a medical and completed other formalities over a move on Friday.

The Whites have already had an offer in the region of £150,000 accepted, with an announcement expected soon.

Future star?

McDonald is a 16-year-old centre-back and will pen a scholarship which will turn into a professional deal next March. Leeds could look back on this move as a great piece of business further down the line, with Scottish giants Rangers also making an offer for his services.

He appears to be highly-rated north of the border, so the Whites will be hoping he can continue to develop at Thorp Arch, eventually pushing for a first-team spot at Elland Road.

Leeds have shown in the past that they aren’t afraid to give academy youngsters a first-team opportunity, handing debuts to a record eight teenagers last season.

McDonald may have been fully aware of the future first-team opportunities in Yorkshire, something which may have contributed to his decision, and his progress in years to come will be one to watch.

ScorecardAjmal Shahzad delivered a three-wicket burst•Getty Images

Stu Whittingham enjoyed a dream home debut at Hove by taking a wicket with his first ball as Sussex’s seamers dominated a rain-affected opening day against Derbyshire.The Derby-born 22-year-old removed Hamish Rutherford for the third time this season, having dismissed the New Zealander twice on his first appearance in the Specsavers County Championship at Derby three weeks ago.Whittingham followed it up with the wickets of skipper Wayne Madsen and Matt Critchley either side of a penetrative spell from Ajmal Shahzad, who picked up three wickets in five overs as Derbyshire, who were put in, slumped to 97 for 7.Shiv Thakor, who made 130 against Kent earlier this week, led a counter-attack with an unbeaten 44 but two late wickets for Steve Magoffin left Derbyshire reeling on 142 for 9 at stumps from 40 overs.Sussex had won the toss and elected to bowl but ten minutes before the scheduled start heavy storms swept in and play was only able to start at 4pm after a two-hour mopping-up operation.A pitch with good pace and carry also offered the bowlers some sideways movement, but too many Derbyshire batsmen were complicit in their own downfall including in-form opener Chesney Hughes. The second division’s leading scorer, with 520 runs this season, followed the second ball of the match from Magoffin that moved a touch off the seam and edged to second slip.Rutherford was dropped at midwicket by Ed Joyce in the sixth over on nine but departed when Whittingham took over in the 11th over at the Sea End and immediately produced a full-length delivery which the batsman played all around.Madsen was then defeated by late away movement and edged to slip for 10 before Shahzad took centre stage.In his third over he ended 21 overs of careful resistance by skipper Billy Godleman (17) whose first false shot, a loose drive to cover, was held low down by Luke Wells.Nick Broome (22) started confidently before an expansive drive at a ball well outside off stump resulted in a head-high catch at second slip for Chris Nash.Shahzad then produced a beauty which pitched on middle and broke Tom Poynton’s off stump. He might have had a fourth wicket but Thakor was put down at gully by Matt Machan when he’d scored just 9.Whittingham returned to the attack to have Matt Critchley (3) held at square leg but in the same over Thakor twice deposited him over the midwicket boundary for six to signal a spirited counter-attack.Thakor added 44 for the eighth wicket with Tom Taylor before Taylor was caught at third man upper-cutting Magoffin, who then had Tony Palladino taken at second slip later in the penultimate over on a dispiriting day for Derbyshire.

Frank Lampard has re-arrived at Chelsea and been thrown in at the deep end without much hope of swimming.

Indeed, Lampard may well sink when the Blues take on Real Madrid this evening, with the Spanish giants easy favourites to take a win.

Carlo Ancelotti's men may well be off the pace in La Liga – sitting second to Barcelona – but in Europe they are the dominant force we have all come to expect. As such, Chelsea's hopes of sealing a place in the semi-finals are slim.

They have scored just 29 times in 30 Premier League outings while their interim boss lost his first game in charge at Wolves last weekend. All things point to a straightforward victory for Madrid, therefore.

That said, Lampard could boost his side's chances of securing an unlikely result by dropping Marc Cucurella to the bench.

How has Cucurella played this season?

The Spanish wing-back arrived in west London after Chelsea paid Brighton a fee of a whopping £60m.

The curly-haired sensation is often a marvel in offensive areas, using his immense energy to burst forward in search of crossing positions down the flanks.

It's an impressive aspect of the £175k-per-week defender's game, with Cucurella ranking in the top 13% of positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues for passes into the final third.

Yet, despite ranking in the best 3% of full-backs for tackles per 90, it is in a defensive sense where the former Barca man is "completely out of his depth", as per writer Zach Lowy.

The fact of the matter is that the 24-year-old has very quickly become a liability at the back for Chelsea, with his performances at Stamford Bridge a "shadow" of what he produced on the south coast – in the words of content creator Sripad.

Indeed, the 5 foot 8 full-back has now been at fault on several occasions this term, most notably in the recent defeat to Aston Villa.

His "schoolboy defending", as pundit Lee Hendrie called it, ensured that he simply gifted a goal to Unai Emery's men with Cucurella's errant back pass finding Ollie Watkins who then scored.

Crucially, the ex-Getafe man also left Matheus Nunes unmarked in the build-up to his stunning winner at Molineux a matter of days ago too.

That type of form simply has to see him dropped, with Lampard surely better off settling for Ben Chilwell at left-back instead.

Although the 26-year-old has been injured for much of the campaign, he is a crucial cog in Chelsea's system and notably 'attacks space off-the-ball better than any full-back or wing-back in the game', as per BBC Sport's Raj Chohan.

Of course, Cucurella is also good in attacking areas but Chilwell offers that extra reliability and composure in the backline. That will undoubtedly be needed against Karim Benzema and co on Wednesday evening.

Leeds United reportedly failed in a late attempt to sign highly-rated Celtic teenager Aidan Borland, with Aston Villa set to snap him up instead.

How good is Borland?

At just 15 years of age, Borland is already a player who has been making waves at Celtic, being seen as one of the most talented youngsters at Parkhead. The midfielder could have a bright future in the game – at international level, he already has three caps to his name for Scotland's Under-16s – and his performances have not gone unnoticed among some Premier League clubs.

Recent reports have suggested that Villa have had a £1.2million offer accepted for Borland's services, with an initial £300,000 fee eventually rising to that amount. He would move to Villa Park on a scholar contract and eventually sign his first professional deal when he turns 17 years of age.

While it looks as though the Villans are now almost certain to acquire the teenager's signature, a new claim has emerged that suggests there could have been a late twist in the saga.

Did Leeds bid for teenager?

According to Football Insider, Leeds "attempted to hijack" Villa's move for the Celtic teenager at the eleventh hour, when talks were already thought to be at an "advanced stage".

The Whites' efforts to steal Borland from under the nose of their Premier League rivals ultimately failed, however, and he will join Villa instead, "following in the footsteps of Rangers youth star Rory Wilson who joined Villa last summer".

While it is a shame that Leeds missed out on a late move for the Scot, it is encouraging to see them making bold efforts to sign emerging British talent. While bringing in established foreign players for big fees is always something that excites supporters, it is also imperative that the club plans for the long-term future and ensures there is a talented homegrown nucleus both in the first-team squad and coming through in the youth team.

Borland could have ticked that box, but Villa have instead snapped him up and could have a big talent on their hands, assuming he reaches the potential Celtic believe he has. The Scottish Premiership giants attempted to keep him at the club moving forward, but ultimately, the lure of the Premier League has proven to be much to turn down, given its reputation as arguably the best and most entertaining league in the world currently.

As Everton fight for their Premier League survival, a major issue for manager Sean Dyche has been the lack of a reliable centre-forward option, with the Toffees currently the joint-lowest scorers in the division having netted just 22 times in 28 league games.

The club's number nine, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, has scored just once in 11 top-flight outings amid what has been another injury-ravaged campaign for the England international, with the Merseyside outfit undoubtedly suffering due to the striker's time on the treatment table.

Dyche may also be ruing the decision of his predecessor Frank Lampard to plump for the £15m signing of Neal Maupay last summer, with the capture of the former Brighton and Hove Albion now looking like yet another blunder for the struggling outfit.

How much is Neal Maupay worth now?

There is no getting away from what has been a rather dismal debut season for the misfiring dud at Goodison Park, with Maupay having scored just once in 20 league games so far this term, firing home the winner against West Ham United back in September.

Having previously netted a respectable haul of 27 goals in 109 games during his time with the Seagulls – after previously scoring 41 times in just 95 games for Brentford – the 26-year-old has failed to replicate such feats in his new home, having endured a "woeful" record thus far, as per journalist Paul Brown.

The forward's measly goal return has led him to be dubbed "embarrassing" by Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer, with the Premier League's record goalscorer also suggesting that Everton look rather "clueless" in attack at present.

Such woes are laid bare by the fact that Maupay has recorded an average match rating of just 6.59 in the league this season, as per Sofascore, with that rating only the 22nd best among Dyche's squad.

To see such little impact from a summer arrival will likely have supporters tearing their hair out, with there no doubt a feeling that funds could have been better spent elsewhere on another recruit, as the one-time Saint-Etienne man has simply been a "total disaster" for the club, as per the aforementioned Brown.

That dire piece of business is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that the £50k-per-week menace is now said to be worth as little as £7m, according to CIES Football Observatory, with that less than half of what Lampard and co originally paid for him back in August.

Having been lauded by Lampard at the time of his signing as a "player of proven quality" and someone who can provide "a goalscoring threat, as well as bags of energy and a fighting spirit", Maupay appears to have left the one-time Chelsea man looking rather silly indeed.

Leeds United finally returned to winning ways today with a result which could prove crucial in their push towards Premier League safety. They narrowly ran out as 1-0 victors, sinking Southampton deeper into the relegation zone as the Whites climbed out of the bottom three.

It was a defensive display to be proud of, with Javi Gracia clearly instilling a dogged mentality which transferred into an electric Elland Road atmosphere. The fans carried the team through, and it culminated in Junior Firpo’s 77th-minute winner.

Whilst the full-back might earn the bulk of the acclaim, and rightly so, there were a number of other unsung heroes who played an equally important role in the win.

Max Wober is one name which stands out, as he started despite doubts before the game surrounding his fitness. The Austrian centre-back had suffered what seemed like a dislocated shoulder in last week’s defeat against Everton, but ever the warrior, he retained his starting berth today and performed with power and poise in helping Leeds to victory.

How did Max Wober play against Southampton?

Featuring for the full 90 minutes, only the match-winner and Jack Harrison earned higher Sofascore ratings than Wober’s 7.5. It was a hard-fought rating, built around his immense solidity which helped Leeds to maintian their clean sheet.

He boasted two tackles, two interceptions, one block and a mammoth six clearances (via Sofascore), with his defensive contribution likely affording Firpo the freedom to push forward and score the only goal of the game.

This was supported by the fact that the Austrian won five of his eight duels as he undertook his role of “whipping up the Kop” with aplomb, as journalist Graham Smyth described on Twitter.

Wober not only shone at the back, his build-up play also remained as reliable as ever. He boasted an 85% pass accuracy from his 75 touches and also offered one key pass (via Sofascore) in a quietly brilliant performance, and one which was sorely needed for Leeds. 

The Whites had previously kept just one clean sheet since December, but they have now handed Gracia the perfect foundation from which to build his dynasty at Elland Road.

Whilst the 25-year-old was a Jesse Marsch signing in January, he has already outlined his immediate importance to his new manager.