Virat Kohli believes India have a squad “ready to take on the world” for the next eight years, following their victory in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai.”When you leave, you want to leave the team in a better place, I feel we’ve a squad that’s ready to take on the world for the next eight years,” Kohli said on the broadcast after the game. “Shubman [Gill] has been outstanding, Shreyas [Iyer] beautiful, KL [Rahul] has finished games, and Hardik [Pandya] has been superb with the bat.”Kohli said the Champions Trophy triumph somewhat made up for India’s Test series loss in Australia. “It’s been amazing. We wanted to bounce back after a tough Australian tour, and wanted to win a big tournament, and we ended up doing that. So it’s an amazing feeling.”Related
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Standing beside Gill during the celebrations, Kohli was asked for his thoughts on leaving the dressing room a better place when he eventually finishes up. “There’s so much talent in the dressing room,” he said. “They’re trying to take their game further and we [seniors] are just happy to be of help, sharing our experience and that’s what makes this Indian team so strong.”These are the things you want to play for [titles], playing under pressure and putting your hand up. The whole team, everyone has put their hands up sometimes or other during the course of the tournament. Everyone has put up impactful performances, we’ve been part of an amazing team, the amount of work we’ve done in the practice sessions, it feels great.”Kohli had words of appreciation for New Zealand. “Amazing, we’ve always been in awe with what they can do with the limited number of players they have had over the years, and just maximise their talent,” he said. “Every time we played against them in big games, we knew they were going to come with a set plan. No team in world cricket executes plans as well as they do.”Every fielder knows where the bowler is going to bowl, you can sense it, they’re all attacking the ball, they know the bowler is going to be accurate. Credit to them for being the most consistent team in the last few tournaments. The reason for that is the immense belief in their skills, and the amount of talent they have they utilise that to the maximum.”They’re easily the best fielding side in the world, a huge shout-out to them. They continue to display why they are one of the top teams in the world. Again, a great campaign. It’s sad to see a very good friend [Kane Williamson] on the losing side, but I’ve been on the losing side a couple of times when he has been on the winning side, so only love between us.”
Players from Australia and England have called for future multi-format Women’s Ashes series to include three Test matches, although the chances of that becoming a reality are slim, certainly in the next four years.In the upcoming series, the one-off Test – a four-day match under floodlights at the MCG – will be played as the final instalment of the Ashes for the first time since it was introduced in 2013. The match is worth four points for a win and two for a draw meaning one side could be in a position knowing that avoiding defeat would be enough to win the series.England need an outright points victory to regain the Ashes with Australia having clung on in 2023, which was shared 8-8 despite the visitors winning the Test at Trent Bridge, which began the series.Related
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Prior to the multi-format concept, the Ashes was decided purely on Test cricket. The last time a series involved more than a single game was in 2005 and Australia allrounder Ashleigh Gardner has led the call for three Tests to go alongside the three ODIs and three T20Is.”From [the] workload [point of view], it would be quite tough with how busy our summers are, but personally I would love to see three, three, three,” Gardner, who took 8 for 66 in the previous Ashes Test, said. “It’s obviously going to make the tours a lot longer, [and] not sure where you are going to fit it in, knowing we are still going to have to play overseas competitions as well. It would be interesting to see over the next four to five years where that gets to.”But I know personally I’d love to play more Test cricket against England. Playing the one Test feels like a bit of novelty sometimes. We obviously have some really good white-ball games against England and other nations around the world but think the way our teams match up it would be a really cool Test series to see who would come out on top for that. But don’t think that’s probably going to change anytime soon.”England batter Tammy Beaumont, another star of the 2023 Test where she made a double-century, backed Gardner’s views on an expansion of the format, saying it would help build the storylines around a series.”Absolutely, I completely agree with Ash,” she said. “I’d love to see three, three, three. The best thing about the Ashes is the narrative, the rivalry, how it builds over time. You saw in the India-Australia men’s Test series, the narratives build in a five-match series, and even in a three-match series, whether it’s the kind of things like [Jasprit] Bumrah always getting the same people out or things like that. As an opening batter, that’s part of why you love the game, that battle of trying to maybe getting one-up on an opening bowler, think it builds even more in Test cricket. That’s why I love getting the whites on and I’d love to see more.”Late last year, the next four-year cycle of the Future Tours Programme was locked in and, while West Indies will return to Test cricket, further matches being added to Ashes series would appear unlikely.”Space in the calendar is a real challenge,” outgoing Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley said. “What I would like to see is more countries playing multi-format series more regularly.”Ashleigh Gardner’s 8 for 66 secured Australia a vital victory in the 2023 Ashes Test•Getty Images
The next FTP also sees the Women’s Premier League (WPL) move to January, meaning this Ashes series is the last time for at least four years that Australia will be able to play in the prime summer holiday window with their main international block moving to February and March.While the 2023 Ashes in England, which took place concurrently with the men’s series, drew record crowds, there is a sense in Australia that the game hasn’t quite been able to recapture the momentum that was building when the 2020 T20 World Cup final was played in front of 86,174 at the MCG only for Covid to shut down the world a few days later. Alongside the MCG Test in this Ashes, T20Is will also be played at the SCG and Adelaide Oval.”This is such an important series for us,” Gardner said. “The Ashes in general in such a big series, pretty much just behind the World Cup for us in my opinion. We’ve been so successful over the last five or six years, it’s probably one part of our game we’ve been a little bit disappointed with is not seeing as many people as we would have like.”Obviously to have the T20 World Cup five years ago now and to pretty much sell out the MCG, then for Covid to kind of put dampener on the path Australian cricket was going… but fingers crossed after a pretty successful men’s Test series people can come and support our series as well because we are going up against our fiercest rivals and they just went against theirs.”
After an inauspicious but victorious start to their Scottish Premiership title defense, Celtic’s need for attacking reinforcements was emphatically underlined further.
On Sunday, after the champions’ flag had been flown, the Hoops struggled to break down a solid and stubborn St Mirren, requiring a deflected strike from Luke McCowan with just two minutes remaining to pinch all three points at Parkhead.
In less than a fortnight, Brendan Rodgers’ side will take on either Kairat or Slovan Bratislava in a season-defining Champions League play-off tie, the first leg in Almaty between that pair ended 1-0 on Wednesday, and supporters are concerned about the squad’s current lack of quality.
So, with that clash looming large, could Celtic soon sign a new highly-rated youngster?
Celtic's search for firepower
Inarguably, Celtic’s squad is weaker now than it was in May, largely due to the fact Nicolas Kühn has been sold to Como for a reported fee of £16.5m.
The German winger scored 21 goals across all competitions last season, most notably bagging a brace during the famous Champions League victory over RB Leipzig, also on target as the Hoops came agonisingly close to a victory over Bayern Munich in Bavaria.
Nicolas Kuhn
This saw him sold for a more than 500% profit, having arrived from Rapid Wien for just £3m a year and a half earlier, but fans are demanding that this money be reinvested in a similarly high-quality replacement.
Well, according to a report from TEAMtalk, Celtic are intensifying their interest in Brøndby winger Clement Bischoff, with Premier League trio Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Brighton also noted as being interested.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
They add that, should he move to Glasgow, he would add ‘dynamism’ to Rodgers’ wide options, valued at just over £6m.
It’s safe to assume Celtic have sent scouts to Brøndbyvester, given their long-standing interest in Brøndby’s top scorer last season Mathias Kvistgaarden, who instead joined Norwich City for £6.9m, but will the Scottish champions land their man this time?
What Clement Bischoff would bring to Celtic
Still only 19 years old, Bischoff made his Danish Superligaen debut as recently as February 2024, but was a key figure for Brøndby last season, making 39 senior appearances across all competitions, 27 of which were starts.
He scored two league goals, on target against Viborg and Lyngby, while also providing ten assists, starting both legs of Brøndby’s Conference League qualifying victory over Havnar Bóltfelag to start this campaign. He also started their first two Superligaen fixtures, scoring the only goal as they beat Nordsjælland away from home last month.
His performances saw him included in Denmark’s squad for the under-21 European Championships earlier this summer, starting three of four fixtures, netting against Ukraine and during the quarter-final defeat to France in Prešov.
During that tournament, Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelled him a “quality winger”, adding elsewhere that he is “flamboyant”, noting that his strengths include “explosive” pace, dribbling, ball-striking technique and the fact he is ambidextrous.
So how does he compare to the man he could well be replacing in Glasgow Kühn?
Clement Bischoff at Brøndby vs Nicolas Kühn at Celtic comparison
Statistics
Bischoff
Kühn
Appearances
49
69
Minutes
2,765
4,263
Goals
3
24
Assists
12
18
Shots per 90
2.04
2.27
Shots on target %
44.4%
43.3%
Crosses per 90
3.09
1.66
Dribble success %
38.7%
49.5%
Big chances missed
3
10
Big chances created
11
21
Average Sofascore Rating
7.12
7.26
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore
As the table documents, while Kühn comes out on top for the vast majority of metrics, it’s worth noting that Bischoff is still a teenager, while the German joined Celtic as a 24-year-old, and played almost twice as many minutes during the timeframe analysed.
The young Dane’s statistics are largely similar to Kühn’s, which is certainly high praise, coming out on top when it comes to shooting accuracy and crosses per game, while only a small amount below in terms of shots, assists and chances created.
Celtic's Nicolas GerritKuhncelebrates scoring their third goal with Adam Idah
Thus, Bischoff is clearly an ultra-talented player, one that could prove to be a bargain if Celtic are able to secure his signature.
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Everton’s fourth summer signing of the 2025 window is through the door at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Toffees have brought in young Bayern Munich left-back Adam Aznou, for a fee reported by the Liverpool Echo to be in the region of £7.8m.
Indeed, the same report details that the Toffees’ summer spending is way past the £50m mark already. Charly Alcaraz made his loan move permanent, Mark Travers signed from Bournemouth as their new back-up goalkeeper, and the marquee signing so far has been Thierno Barry. The French striker joined Everton from Spanish side Villarreal.
Villarreal's Thierno Barry
Yet, David Moyes is not content, and reportedly wants five or six more signings this summer. Already, the Toffees have been linked with a new attacker.
Everton’s pursuit of a new attacker
It seems like Moyes wants to overhaul Everton’s attack this summer. Dominic Calvert-Lewin left the club on a free transfer, and Barry has been signed as his replacement. Now, the focus on the Blue half of Merseyside has seemingly switched to a new winger.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees have enquired about signing Como and Senegal international winger Assane Diao. He is one option on the list as Everton look to reinvent their forward line under Moyes.
However, this will not be an easy deal to do. Como, managed by Premier League legend Cesc Fabregas, have ‘already turned down a bid this summer’ for the young winger.
Assane Diao for Como.
That club is unnamed, but perhaps it came from Everton’s Premier League rivals, Chelsea. One Spanish report said earlier in the window they were set to bid £43m for the 19-year-old.
Why Diao would be a good signing
After coming through Real Betis’ academy, Diao made the move to Italian side Como in January. Described as an “electric” winger by football scout Antonio Mango, the 19-year-old has made a huge impression in Serie A so far.
Although he is just 15 games into his Como career, Diao, already a Senegal international, has eight goals and one assist to his name. He was a key player under Fabregas, playing 1259 minutes, the equivalent of 13.9 full 90-minute games.
The former Betis star, who managed six goals and three assists for the club, showed in his short Como career that he can step up in the big games. Last season, he bagged goals against Milan, Juventus and Scudetto winners Napoli.
Moyes would surely be hoping the Senegal international could replicate the impact of his international teammate Iliamn Ndiaye. The Toffees’ attacker was described as a “superstar” by former defender-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher.
His impact last term, his debut campaign for Everton, was astronomical. He played 37 games across all competitions, scoring 11 goals. That included nine strikes in the Premier League, with this stunning effort against Tottenham Hotspur a standout.
Diao’s record at Como stands out in such a short amount of time, and he has a habit of finding the back of the net against big sides. There is reason to believe he has the talent to replicate what Nidaye has done.
He can also play on both wings. With his international teammate favouring the left, there is a chance Everton fans could see them line up on either flank.
The stats on Squawka, using Diao’s numbers from Serie A, are remarkably similar. For example, the Como star completes 1.4 take-ons and averages 0.6 chances created per 90 minutes. In contrast, Everton’s number 10 completes an average of 2.6 take-ons and creates 0.7 chances per game.
Goals and assists
0.7
0.4
Chances created
0.6
0.7
Forward passes
4.4
6.2
Take-ons completed
1.4
2.6
Duels won
7.9
6.7
Ball recoveries
3
6.4
With the Toffees looking to overhaul their attack next term, signing Diao could be the dream option. He is a direct winger with an eye for goal and has the ability to light up the Hill Dickinson Stadium with his flair.
Joining his Senegal teammate Ndiaye on Bramley Moore Dock would be an exciting move, especially if he can become the second coming of the Everton star.
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Leeds United have bolstered their defence and midfield with several additions since the summer transfer window officially opened for business last month.
Sebastiaan Bornauw, Jaka Bijol, and Gabriel Gudmundsson have arrived to improve the backline, whilst Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach have been signed to beef up the midfield.
Hoffenheim'sAntonStach
The Whites have also reportedly agreed a deal to sign French goalkeeper Lucas Perri from Lyon to be their new number one in the Premier League.
Daniel Farke is also looking to add to his options at the top end of the pitch, on top of Lukas Nmecha, though, with a swoop for Feyenoord attacker Igor Paixao.
Reporter Graham Smyth claims that Leeds have offered a fee in excess of £26m to sign the Brazilian forward, but it remains to be seen if that will be enough to get a deal over the line.
As Smyth states, though, the player is impressed by the club’s plans for him, which could give them an edge over other teams in the race for his signature.
Why Leeds should sign Igor Paixao
The Whites should push to get this deal over the line because he could be a terrific addition to the squad to bolster their options in the forward line.
Manor Solomon, who started on the left flank regularly in the Championship last season, has returned to Tottenham Hotspur, which has left a hole on the left wing in the team’s best XI.
Paixao predominantly plays on the left, as a right-footed player, and could slot in as the perfect replacement for the Israel international ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
If he can translate his form from last season in the Netherlands over to English football, Leeds will have an incredibly exciting winger who could win them vital points in the Premier League next term on their hands.
Paixao delivered 18 goals and 14 assists in all competitions for Feyenoord in the 2024/25 campaign, which included four assists in 11 outings in the Champions League.
Appearances
34
39
xG
10.56
8.15
Goals
16
10
Big chances created
12
21
Key passes per game
2.1
1.7
Assists
10
12
As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian winger could even provide more quality than Solomon in the final third, given that he registered more goal contributions in fewer matches at a higher level last season.
Whilst Paixao, as evidenced by his form for Feyenoord, could be a fantastic signing for Leeds, Farke also needs a new centre-forward option and the club are reportedly still in the race for a Championship forward.
Leeds remain in the race for Championship striker
Speaking on the Pink Un podcast (24/07/2025), journalist Paddy Davitt mentioned that Leeds United are one of the teams interested in Norwich City centre-forward Josh Sargent.
The reporter explained that the USA international has already turned down a potential move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, who had reportedly been close to a £21m deal for the number nine.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Sargent now remains at Norwich and there is no other deal that is close to being done for the striker, as per Davitt, which has left the door open for other teams to make their move.
Leeds and Burnley are said to still be interested in the former Werder Bremen attacker, but it remains to be seen whether or not they will formalise their interest with an official approach for the Championship marksman.
JoshSargentof the U.S. reacts
Farke signed Sargent for Norwich when he was in charge of the Canaries in the summer of 2021, and could reunite with the 25-year-old attacker ahead of next season.
Why Leeds should sign Josh Sargent
The Whites should swoop to sign the striker because he could be amazing alongside Paixao in the Premier League, if the Championship champions are able to get both deals over the line to improve their frontline.
Of course, first and foremost, Sargent has to be an upgrade on what they already have in the building in the number nine position, in Joel Piroe, and his form last season suggests that he is.
xG*
0.48
0.50
Goals*
0.54
0.55
xA*
0.11
0.10
Pass accuracy
80%
77%
Duel success rate
43%
27%
Duels won*
3.20
2.24
Aerial duel success rate
36%
21%
Dribble success rate
47%
32%
As you can see in the table above, Sargent outperformed his xG at a higher rate and created high-quality chances for his teammates per 90, whilst offering significantly more to the team out of possession as a physical presence in the number nine role.
This suggests that the Norwich star, who Tony Pulis described as “relentless”, is more likely to make an impact in the Premier League against stronger defences than Piroe, who was too much of a lightweight at times in the Championship, is.
Joel Piroe
Sargent’s returns of 15 goals from 13.37 xG last season and 16 goals from 12.68 xG in the 2023/24 campaign in the Championship show that he is an efficient striker who can finish chances effectively.
This is why he could be a fantastic partner for Paixao in the Leeds team in the Premier League next season, as the current Feyenoord star is a winger who likes to consistently create high-quality chances.
The Brazilian forward created 17 ‘big chances’ for his teammates last season, which shows that he likes to get on the ball to split open opposition defences with passes and crosses.
This could make him the perfect teammate for Sargent at Elland Road because the American striker is a clinical forward who knows how to find the back of the net efficiently, albeit he has yet to prove himself at Premier League level on a regular basis.
Both players would arrive with question marks over them, as neither are Premier League proven forward, but their respective statistics for Norwich and Feyenoord last season suggest that the potential is there for them to form an exciting partnership in West Yorkshire.
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It is now down to the club to get deals done for both players to come in and improve Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch ahead of the first game against Everton.
The wait for a new centre-forward continues to drag on, but Arsenal’s summer transfer activity is now in full swing, with Brentford’s Christian Norgaard all but confirmed to be the next addition of the Mikel Arteta regime.
This shock, swift deal for the 31-year-old Dane – which will likely cost in the region of £15m, including add-ons – has come as a bolt from the blue, in truth, with the Gunners targeting a Premier League proven replacement for the departed Jorginho, alongside the reportedly departing Thomas Partey.
At a time when supporters are almost begging for new reinforcements to pep up the forward line, the arrival of the defensive midfielder is not exactly the most glamorous or exciting of moves. That said, increasing the strength in depth in the centre of the pitch is nothing to be sniffed at.
Indeed, the north London side have seemingly already bolstered their midfield ranks with the capture of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, with the Euro 2024 winner set to move to the Emirates as a matter of when and not if.
Formerly a leading target for Liverpool, before turning down the Reds, the 26-year-old has been the centre of a drawn-out saga across the last 12 months or so, with it yet to be seen if the Spaniard will indeed live up to the billing.
The hope will be that those moves are just the start of a hectic window for Arteta and co, with even more eye-catching deals reportedly being lined up.
Latest on Arsenal's search for a new defender
An already impressive defensive unit – which shipped just 34 Premier League goals last season – could be strengthened even further over the coming months, if Arteta gets his way, with a handful of standout targets having already emerged.
Recent speculation has indicated that the Gunners could well be in the mix for Crystal Palace and England star, Marc Guehi, albeit with it yet to be seen whether the ex-Chelsea man – who has just 12 months remaining on his existing deal – would be willing to battle it out with Gabriel and William Saliba for a starting berth.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, Arteta’s love of a versatile asset could see Arsenal’s interest in a certain Jorrel Hato be ramped up in the near future, with journalist Graeme Bailey providing the latest on their pursuit of the Ajax starlet.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The transfer insider has outlined that while it is Chelsea who are “pushing hard” to sign the teenage Dutchman, it is those at the Emirates who are quietly confident of striking a deal instead for what is a long-term target:
“Arsenal see Hato as the perfect addition to the left side of their defence, but obviously it’s far from a done deal. We know that Chelsea are pushing hard to sign Hato and Liverpool still really like him. But I think Arsenal would be annoyed if they didn’t get Hato considering how much work they’ve been putting in.
“Arsenal have been chasing Hato since he was around 14 or 15 years old, so I think there is a bit of confidence there. They want to sell Zinchenko to make room for Hato and then we still expect Kiwior to go as well. There will be plenty of room in that squad for Hato who is able to play a variety of roles.”
Reportedly valued at around £40m, amid such mounting interest, the 19-year-old would represent a truly standout capture for the north Londoners this summer.
Why Hato could be a bigger coup than Zubimendi
In the case of Zubimendi, the impending £51m arrival will certainly add touch of silk and steel to Arsenal’s midfield ranks, having notably ranked in the top 19% of LaLiga midfielders in 2024/25 for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, as well is in the top 14% for interceptions per 90. In essence, he is an effective performer both in and out of possession.
That was evident during Spain’s Nations League final defeat to Portugal, in particular, having notably opened the scoring in that 2-2 draw, while also producing a stunning surging run from deep at one stage to tee up Isco.
More than a safe and steady number six then, the Basque sensation will be a real asset over the coming years in the capital, with excitement brewing over the partnership he can strike up with Declan Rice next season.
For all that positivity, any deal for the aforementioned Hato would surely eclipse that move, with it likely to represent a truly sizeable coup if Arsenal can beat Chelsea to the signing of a player with “immense quality”, as per talent scout Jacek Kulig.
As Kulig also noted, the flexible defender – who can operate at centre-back or left-back – has already racked up over 100 appearances (111) for Ajax despite having yet to turn 20. For comparison, Zubimendi didn’t make his LaLiga debut until he had already turned 20.
Equally too, Hato has already matched Zubimendi’s tally of nine assists at senior level to date, despite making 125 fewer appearances for his current side.
Described by Kulig as “one of the most exciting left-footed centre-backs in world football”, the teenage titan notably enjoyed a particularly impressive 2024/25 campaign, having registered two goals and six assists in the Eredivisie from his defensive berth.
Games (starts)
31 (30)
36 (33)
Goals
2
2
Assists
6
1
Big chances created
6
1
Key passes*
0.6
0.5
Pass accuracy*
90%
84%
Tackles*
1.9
2.0
Interceptions*
0.7
1.2
Dribbled past*
0.3
0.4
Possession lost*
8.3
10.0
Again, for comparison, Zubimendi – despite operating slightly further forward than his young counterpart – chipped in with just two goals and one assist, with the La Roja star also falling behind with regard to pass completion, big chances created and key passes.
Yes, the difference in quality between the two leagues is certainly a factor – with Spain’s top-flight deemed to be the fourth-best in the world – yet it can’t be overlooked just what Hato is able to offer, even when operating in the backline.
With the potential for the Netherlands U21 international to be a fixture of Arsenal’s defence for a decade or so too, considering his age, this is certainly a deal worth pursuing.
Priorities, in the eyes of supporters, may lie elsewhere, but if the Gunners want to committ to enjoying long-term success, than a figure like Hato could be just the solution.
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Leeds United have had some brilliant academy products down the years, but one youngster they’ve had on their books has not reached his potential after being likened to Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney at youth level.
Leeds’ best ever academy products
The Whites have been responsible for producing a number of well-known Premier League players over the last 30 years from their famous academy. Some, as a result of the club’s well-documented financial problems in the early 2000’s, made their name known at first team level elsewhere.
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Meanwhile, others have impressed at Elland Road before being snapped up in the transfer market, the latest being Archie Gray, who joined Tottenham in 2024 in a deal thought to be worth £40m.
Leeds’ best academy products in pictures
Right now, Leeds have Archie’s younger brother, Harry Gray, coming through the ranks, and he actually made his first-team debut at the age of 16 years, 6 months, and 13 days.
Leeds United’s youngest ever players
Age at debut
1
Peter Lorimer
15 years, 9 months and 19 days
2
Tom Elliott
16 years, 2 months and 25 days
3
Aaron Lennon
16 years, 4 months and 7 days
4
Harry Gray
16 years, 6 months, and 13 days
5
James Milner
16 years, 10 months and 6 days
6
Neil Aspin
16 years, 10 months and 8 days
7
Aidy White
16 years, 10 months and 16 days
8
Simon Walton
16 years, 10 months and 25 days
9
Jimmy Greenhoff
16 years, 10 months and 26 days
10
Ryan Edmondson
16 years, 11 months and 16 days
Those in Yorkshire will be hoping they can keep hold of the forward, who is already being likened to Michael Owen and Harry Kane, but one attacker who hasn’t lived up to the hype has been Joe Gelhardt.
Leeds talent set to be sold after Gerrard and Rooney comparisons
Many expected big things when Leeds swooped to sign Gelhardt from Wigan Athletic in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa following the club’s promotion to the Premier League. A deal for the exciting teenager cost the Whites just £1m, and he would progress into the first team, making his top flight debut in 2021.
Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt.
The attacker has gone on to score just three goals for the Whites, one of which being a stoppage-time winner against Norwich City, while he also produced a piece of brilliant skill which helped keep Leeds in the Premier League in 2022.
However, Gelhardt has struggled for consistency and has been sent out on loan to Sunderland and Hull City, and now looks set to be sold on a permanent basis in 2025 if a club comes in with an offer in the region of £3m-£4m.
Long-time Merseyside Boys’ manager Tim Wyatt even said that Gelhardt caught the eye just as much as Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney did when they were all 14 years of age.
Wigan’s former head of academy and now sporting director Gregor Rioch was also full of praise for Gelhardt while he was at the Latics, saying he “had the X-factor”.
It’s a case of what could have been for Gelhardt at Elland Road, and still just 23 years of age, he’ll be looking to get his career back on track elsewhere.
Arsenal’s summer striker search is set to be one of the major topics for discussion in N5, with two big-names in Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko rumoured to be Andrea Berta’s top two targets.
Arsenal hold talks over signing Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko
Reports from reliable media sources indicate that this centre-forward duo feature the highest on Berta’s striker target list.
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Sesko is fresh off the back of a career-best Bundesliga campaign with Leipzig – bettering his 2023/2024 tally with 21 goals in all competitions – while Gyokeres has quite simply been unstoppable with 54 goals in total across 24/25.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports)
Money on new signings
19/20 – winter
£0
20/21 – summer
£81.5m
20/21 – winter
£900k
21/22 – summer
£156.8m
21/22 – winter
£1.8m
22/23 – summer
£121.5m
22/23 – winter
£59m
23/24 – summer
£208m
23/24 – winter
£0
24/25 – summer
£101.5m
24/25 – winter
£0
Berta has held extensive talks over a move for Gyokeres (Florian Plettenberg), but Arsenal have also since begun concrete negotiations for Sesko as well – leading to some confusion over who the club’s main target actually is.
Sky Germany’s Plettenberg reported last week that their focus is on both men, but either deal would prove to be “extremely expensive”, prompting Berta to consider the two options very carefully.
Either way, another reliable journalist in David Ornstein fully expects one of Gyokeres or Sesko to seal a switch to Arsenal last summer.
“They’ve got a decision to make between Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting Lisbon, both fantastic options and talents,” said Ornstein to NBC Sports.
“I do expect one of them to come into the Emirates Stadium this summer.”
BBC journalist shares update on Arsenal signing Sesko or Gyokeres
Responding to this burning question in a Q&A, about whether Arsenal are going to sign Sesko or Gyokeres, the BBC’s Sami Mokbel has shared “information” on Arsenal’s talks for the pair.
He says that Arsenal are attempting to confirm the “frameworks” when it comes to deals for Sesko or Gyokeres, before they make a final decision on who to go for.
“In terms of Gyokeres or Sesko – my information is that the club are working towards confirming the frameworks of both deals before making a final decision on which to proceed with,” said Mokbel.
“Sesko has near-universal backing at the Emirates but, crucially, will be the more expensive deal. Gyokeres’ chances of moving to Arsenal have increased since Andrea Berta’s appointment as sporting director. Price is key here. Sesko ticks many boxes in terms of profile, he is younger than Gyokeres and plays in a stronger league (the Bundesliga) according to recruitment data. But some of the reported figures indicate he could cost £93million.
“Gyokeres is more economical, but would see the club divert from their longer-term strategy given Sesko has always been a target.”
RB Leipzig's BenjaminSeskocelebrates
Sesko already rejected a move to Arsenal last summer, so he’s been a long-term target for Arteta, pre-dating Berta’s arrival as sporting director.
Given just how highly the Spaniard must rate him, splashing in around £93m for the 22-year-old would be a real show of backing to their manager by the Arsenal board.
All eyes may be on tomorrow evening, amid Manchester United’s bid to book their place in the Europa League final, although in the long-term, it is the summer transfer window that could prove make or break for the Ruben Amorim regime.
The United hierarchy will need to strike a balance between handing the Portuguese the appropriate tools for his specialised 3-4-3 system, albeit while avoiding a repeat of Erik ten Hag’s tenure, in which far too many of the Dutchman’s transfer dealings were manager-led.
Erik ten Hag
While the move for Noussair Mazraoui ranks among the more successful of the club’s captures in recent times, you really do have to look back to Bruno Fernandes’ arrival in 2020 to see an overwhelmingly positive deal done at Old Trafford.
As club legend Gary Neville stated late last year, the playmaker is the “only” player in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era to have lived up to expectations, with far too many high-profile moves having gone awry.
The INEOS era needs to begin to improve upon this wretched recent record, with perhaps United’s lowest ebb having come prior to the takeover, in the form of Wout Weghorst’s shock addition.
Wout Weghorst's record at Man Utd
For all the complications and controversy surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo’s second spell at Old Trafford – not least the striker’s explosive bombshell interview with Piers Morgan – it still represented a significant, shock downgrade to have replaced the free-scoring icon with that man Weghorst.
Wout Weghorst
With Ronaldo departing on acrimonious terms, ahead of the 2022 World Cup, Ten Hag and co were forced to dip into the market for a new striker in January, particularly amid Anthony Martial’s continued injury woes.
Options in the winter window were unsurprisingly limited, with the Premier League side ultimately forced to settle on plucking Weghorst from his loan spell at Besiktas, having scored just two goals the year prior for Burnley.
While the towering Netherlands international was brutally mocked as the ‘worst player’ to have played for Manchester United, in the verdict of controversial broadcaster Richard Keys, he did enjoy the odd bright moment, having notably provided the assist for Marcus Rashford’s strike in the Carabao Cup final victory over Newcastle United.
Deployed in almost a number ten berth at times, the experienced marksman also came close to netting on the break in the 2-2 draw with Barcelona at Camp Nou, having at least shown signs of life despite his obvious limitations.
Those limitations, however, were exposed by his meagre return of just two goals and only three assists in 31 games in all competitions during his six-month stint in Manchester, having almost broken down in tears after clinching a long-awaited Old Trafford goal against Real Betis.
For a player of whom many expected little, Weghorst at least popped up with a few moments to cherish. The reverse looks to be true of one of those among Amorim’s current crop.
The Man Utd star in danger of looking worse than Weghorst
On the striker front, question marks continue to surround both Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee. That said, in the case of Hojlund, the young Dane did at least finish last season as United’s top scorer in all competitions, while Zirkzee, meanwhile, has scored seven times in an injury-curtailed debut campaign at the club.
Both men – as would be hoped considering their respective £64m and £36.5m transfer fees – have easily eclipsed the five goal involvements that Weghorst chalked up, although the same can’t be said of the man who arrived alongside Hojlund in 2023, Mason Mount.
Signed from rivals Chelsea on a £55m deal that summer, having had just a year left to run on his existing contract at Stamford Bridge, the Englishman initially looked like something of a coup, with Ten Hag having won the race for his signature ahead of both Arsenal and Liverpool.
A player who had provided a match-winning assist in the 2021 Champions League final, alongside notably reaching double figures for both goals and assists in the Premier League in 2021/22, Mount arrived in Manchester with real pedigree. As Ten Hag stated at the time, he is “a quality player”.
Sadly for all concerned, the marquee move has proven a real disaster to date, with the versatile midfielder the latest to seemingly be struck down by the club’s infamous number seven curse.
Whether he has simply been weighed down by taking on such an iconic jersey at the Theatre of Dreams, things really haven’t got going for Mount thus far, with the £250k-per-week asset having been repeatedly hampered by injury over the last two seasons.
Even when he has featured, the former Derby County loanee has hardly looked like nailing down a regular role for himself, with the 3-0 defeat to Athletic Bilbao showcasing a case in point.
Introduced off the bench with United hoping to see things out in comfortable fashion, Mount put in an erratic and over-eager performance in the closing stages, picking up a needless yellow card, while losing the ball on seven occasions from just 23 touches.
That was, to his credit, followed up by a goal against Brentford to open the scoring at the weekend, although even that strike cannot mask his grim overall return, having now scored just twice and contributed only one assist in 41 games to date – two fewer goals and assists than Weghorst, albeit having played nine more games.
Mount – Man Utd record (all comps)
Competition
Games
Goals
Assists
Premier League
27
2
0
EFL Cup
2
0
1
FA Cup
2
0
0
Europa League
7
0
0
Champions League
2
0
0
Community Shield
1
0
0
Total
41
2
0
Stats via Transfermarkt
While it may seem harsh to compare Mount to Weghorst, considering the latter’s status as a striker, the former has largely operated as a number ten in the Amorim regime, albeit with little success. As previously mentioned, Weghorst also operated in that role under Ten Hag.
Considering the sizeable nature of Mount’s price tag too – the tenth highest in United’s history, as per Transfermarkt – it is difficult to view his capture as anything but a flop, with time running out to make his mark before the season is at an end.
Amorim, it would seem, still has ample faith in a player he described as a “proper footballer”, although with the likes of Matheus Cunha looking set to arrive this summer – amid reports that Mount could himself be on his way – the competition in the side is only set to increase.
Hopefully, for both his and United’s sake, the Cobham academy graduate can play a vital role in clinching Europa League glory…
Worse than Bayindir: 2/10 flop must now never start for Man Utd again
Manchester United suffered their 16th league defeat of the season, losing 4-3 to Brentford.
Manchester City are back in action once again in the Premier League this evening as they prepare to travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
The Cityzens come into this match off the back of a 2-0 win over Leicester City at The Etihad last time out in the top-flight, thanks to goals from Jack Grealish and Omar Marmoush.
Pep Guardiola will still be without star striker Erling Haaland, due to an ankle injury, but the Spanish head coach knows that he can now rely on Marmoush to step up in that position.
Why Omar Marmoush has been a worthwhile signing for Man City
The Egypt international joined the club from Eintracht Frankfurt in the January transfer window and has hit the ground running in Manchester as a versatile forward, who can play out wide or through the middle as a striker.
He started as the centre-forward against Leicester and showed off his goalscoring instincts and technique to pounce on a mistake by Mads Hermansen and fire the ball in off the crossbar.
Marmoush
The 26-year-old sensation has now scored five goals and created three ‘big chances’ for his teammates in seven starts in the Premier League this year, which shows that he has provided an instant threat in the final third as both a scorer and a creator.
These statistics illustrate why he has been a worthwhile signing for City already, because he has made an impact right away and offered quality in front of goal in the absence of Haaland.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Guardiola must, now, unleash Kevin de Bruyne from the start – for his last Manchester derby before he leaves in the summer – to partner Marmoush in attack this evening.
Why Kevin de Bruyne should start against Man Utd
There is, of course, the sentimental angle in the sense that this will be his last chance to play in the derby before his contract expires at the end of the season, so it could be a good moment to bring him back into the XI to have one last dance with the Red Devils.
The Belgian whiz, who has scored three goals and provided six assists against Man Utd in his career, was an unused substitute in the win over Leicester, which could allow him to come into this game fresh and raring to go.
De Bruyne, as you can see in the clips above, has been a sensational creative force for the Cityzens over the years, with his ability to pick out sublime passes and crosses to assist his teammates.
The Belgium international, who Frank Lampard claimed “plays like a superstar”, has consistently created ‘big chances’ for his fellow attackers to find the back of the net throughout his Premier League career with the club.
24/25
12
11
23/24
15
21
22/23
28
31
21/22
25
16
20/21
23
19
19/20
32
33
18/19
11
11
17/18
36
19
16/17
33
24
15/16
22
8
As you can see in the table above, de Bruyne tends to create ‘big chances’ when he starts matches for City in the top-flight, which is why he should be unleashed this evening.
Jeremy Doku, who did not contribute to a goal or an assist last time out, could drop to the bench with Grealish moved out to the left, allowing the Belgian star to play centrally behind Marmoush.
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This would, hopefully, allow the Man City legend to provide the Egyptian star with the ‘big chances’ he needs to add to his growing collection of Premier League goals since his move to The Etihad in January.