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Leeds United have finally picked up another win this season in the Premier League on their own patch.

Before Friday night’s clash versus lowly West Ham United, the Whites’ last home success in the league stretched way back to the opening day.

Now, however, the Elland Road hoodoo has been lifted, as a quickfire double early into the tense game handed Daniel Farke’s men a much-needed 2-1 win to shove the Hammers further into their relegation pit.

Several top performers on the night ensured the three points were secured, as Leeds thankfully broke out of a run of three games without a victory in league action.

Leeds United's top performers against West Ham

Leeds fans, heading into this Friday night clash under the Elland Road floodlights, would have been lamenting their side’s recent wasteful displays in league action, having notched up 14 efforts on the Burnley goal at Turf Moor in a dire 2-0 defeat.

This wastefulness wasn’t on display against Nuno Espirito Santo’s lax visitors, however, as a first-half sucker-punch gifted Leeds a two-goal cushion after just 15 minutes had ticked away, with Brenden Aaronson getting the show on the road when converting a rebound after only three minutes.

Aaronson was a bright spark all night long, away from merely this crucial contribution, with 100% of his dribbles being successfully completed, making him a notable thorn in the side of a leaky West Ham outfit.

With 80% of his ground duels won as well, it’s fair to say everyone was singing the American’s praises come the full-time whistle, despite Farke stating at the full-time whistle that he can often be a “polarising” presence.

Joe Rodon would also be lathered with praise come the end of the 2-1 win when connecting with this sweetly taken corner to double his Premier League goal tally for the season, with Sean Longstaff also boosting his assist haul in the process, as the Welshman was left with plenty of space to head past a busy Alphonse Aréola.

Lucas Perri also stood out in between the sticks on his return to the Leeds XI, having had to calmly palm away an acrobatic Jarrod Bowen effort right after Aaronson’s instinctive opener. He was so close to a clean sheet, too, only for Mateus Fernandes to grab a Hammers consolation effort at the death.

Yet, despite the relief of a win being notched up, not every Whites first-teamer performed at their very best against the East Londoners, with this rusty individual in danger of losing his spot in Farke’s main team, as games come thick and fast in November.

The 6/10 Leeds star who could now be dropped

Of course, there will be concerns in West Yorkshire that Dominic Calvert-Lewin went another game without a Leeds strike, especially when coming up against such a charitable Hammers defence.

Still, nobody could deny the number nine’s determined work ethic for his team, with eight duels won in total when he has thrown into the thick of action.

Minutes played

72

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

37

Shots

1

Accurate passes

25/29 (86%)

Key passes

0

Total duels won

1/3

On the contrary, Ao Tanaka would exit the contest on the 72nd mark with zero of his ground duels being successfully won, as Farke potentially prepares to reshuffle his midfield pack for the test of Brighton and Hove Albion away at the start of next month, away from starting the Japanese gem again.

Indeed, while Ethan Ampadu and the aforementioned Longstaff made their presences widely known – as Ampadu successfully won three ground duels from his 66 touches of the ball – number 22 faded in and out of the clash, with Tanaka actually amassing fewer touches than Perri come the full-time whistle at 37 touches, next to the ex-Lyon stopper’s tally of 51.

Tanaka’s quiet performance was picked up on by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth, with Smyth reserving high 9/10 ratings for the likes of Aaronson, but the former Fortuna Düsseldorf man would only receive a middle-of-the-road 6/10 appraisal after the dust had settled on the 2-1 win.

Smyth would simply note that Tanaka’s showing was a ‘mixed bag’ as the 27-year-old fell victim to being ‘outmuscled’ a couple of times, as evidenced by him losing 100% of his ground duels.

It will be interesting to see if Farke is tempted to drop Tanaka as tough games away at Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester City come onto his team’s agenda, with the number 22’s slight off-day very much sticking out as one rare negative, during what was a largely very positive showing against the relegation-threatened visitors.

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CEO Richard Gould hopes tournament can follow trend in other UK women’s sports

Matt Roller16-Jun-2025Richard Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, has set a target to sell out a women’s match in the Hundred as the governing body contemplates “de-coupling” some of the tournament’s double-headers.The Hundred’s existing double-header model sees midweek women’s fixtures played during working hours, with tickets valid for both games on a single day. There are no plans to increase the Hundred’s 27-day window, but some double-headers could be split across two separate days in future seasons to maximise revenue from ticket sales.The Hundred launched with a standalone women’s match between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals in 2021, with the men’s match played the following night. It has operated with a double-header model ever since, and every matchday this season will see a women’s fixture followed by the same men’s fixture at the same venue.”The double-headers have been working well,” Gould, the ECB’s chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. “At some point, we would like to try and find a way that we can have standalone fixtures, perhaps, for men and women. Getting to a capacity crowd for a women’s Hundred fixture at some point in the next couple of years has to be a target for us.”The window is fixed, a 27-day, exclusive window… Within that window, if you get to the point where you can de-couple games, it’s really demonstrating the commercial growth of the women’s game, into which we’re investing a huge amount at the ECB. That’s definitely a potential target.”The double-header model was initially the result of logistical problems posed by the Covid pandemic, with the majority of women’s fixtures originally slated for smaller county grounds. However, it has proved successful across the Hundred’s first four years, with a record total attendance of 320,000 at women’s matches last season.Richard Gould remains confident that negotiations with the Hundred’s equity partners are ‘at a good state of play’•John Walton/PA Images via Getty ImagesSplitting double-headers into separate matchdays without expanding the duration would create some scheduling complications. “We need to work through that, but that may be a thing depending on what the broadcaster wants and what days we’re playing on,” Gould said. “If you can have eight sell-outs, rather than four…”Ticket sales for women’s cricket in England and Wales have surged in recent years. England’s women have attracted total attendances in excess of 100,000 for the past two home summers, and next year’s T20 World Cup will be played at major international venues including Lord’s, The Oval, Edgbaston and Emirates Old Trafford.That growth reflects a similar trend in other sports. Arsenal’s women attracted an average attendance of nearly 30,000 in the Women’s Super League this year and will play all their home fixtures at the Emirates Stadium next season, while the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup in England will break attendance records.Gould also confirmed that the ECB intend to create “the cleanest windows we possibly can” for the Hundred in the next Future Tours Programme by minimising overlap with England’s fixture list. Avoiding direct clashes would enable better availability for England’s Test players, though a scheduling crunch looms in 2028 due to the T20 cricket events at the Los Angeles Olympics.Stakes in the eight Hundred teams are being sold to private investors, with the drawn-out process in its final stages. Gould conceded that it has taken “longer than we thought” to complete the relevant paperwork, but said that the delay has been “time really well spent” and has helped the ECB “understand the ambition” of the new investors.Related

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Investors need to sign shareholder agreements with their respective host clubs but the ‘participation agreement’ with the ECB has been the main source of the delay. “It is about the ‘what ifs’,” Gould said. “I hate to think how many sets of lawyers are in on this, but that’s what they’re paid to do: ‘What if this happens?’ and ‘What if that happens?'”It is a good state of play. The investors are investing heavily, and therefore they want clarity on all sorts of details… We’re doing it up front now so that when everything is signed, we will be off and running in a much better state, knowing where responsibility sits between stakeholders, investors, and the governing body.”Discussions have also taken place around future broadcast contracts for the Hundred, with UK rights currently ‘bundled’ with the rights to show England’s home international fixtures. “The expectation for the next cycle is that we will do that again,” Gould said. “There’s an opportunity to unbundle thereafter, but there will be really good grown-up conversations as to what’s best for the sport.”Gould insisted there is no immediate prospect of any investor walking away: “No, not at the moment,” he said. “But we don’t take anything for granted, because that’s not a clever place to be.”Sanjay Govil, the incoming co-owner of Welsh Fire, has already expressed his preference for the Hundred to become a T20 competition. “That’s a discussion that we’ve parked until their arrival,” Gould said. “It’s a decision that actually sits with the ECB board. There may be recommendations that come forward at some point but it’s not [being discussed] right now.”

Manchester City will hope to ride the crest of a wave as they plot a route into the Premier League race, and the Citizens may also be preparing for a fight with Liverpool to sign a lucrative international at zero cost.

Manchester City look to kick on after derby victory

The Etihad Stadium paid witness to some raucous scenes last weekend as Manchester City swept aside Manchester United to move within six points of Liverpool at the top of the table.

Before the match, Erling Haaland urged his new teammates to take on added responsibility after a busy transfer window that saw his side lose a number of influential figures. When it mattered, they all stepped up to deliver a stirring display.

Speaking after his side recorded a convincing triumph, Pep Guardiola reserved special praise for his Norwegian talisman and homegrown hero Phil Foden, who both got themselves on the scoresheet.

Starting with Haaland, the former Barcelona manager said: “Erling has been incredible since the start but this season he is better than ever. I would say better than the Treble year. He’s dynamic and I don’t judge him for the clearance, we want him to score goals and to help us.”

Later, he added on Foden: “We missed him so much and the season before he was the best player in the Premier League so we need him, he has a work ethic. Phil is the core, the heart of the club, from the academy and he loves City. To have him back is good news.”

With 2026 not too far in the distance, Manchester City are set to block interest from Al Nassr in a £112 million move for Phil Foden, and they now have their eye on one of his international teammates.

Man City ready to up the ante to land Marc Guehi in 2026

According to The Mirror, Manchester City are huge admirers of Marc Guehi, planning a move and will throw everything at landing him on a free transfer in 2026, with Crystal Palace unwilling to sanction his exit in the January window.

Despite Liverpool’s well-documented interest in the former Chelsea man alongside Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Juventus, the Citizens are hopeful they can secure his services without having to pay a transfer fee, teeing up the saga of next summer.

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Labelled a “monster in defence” by Bobby Manzi, Guehi has handled himself exceptionally well despite being at the centre of a failed move to Anfield on Deadline Day, even scoring once in seven appearances across all competitions.

Guardiola’s backline has been altered following the departures of Manuel Akanji and Kyle Walker, and there may be more movement to come as they step up their efforts to land Guehi.

It remains to be seen who will win the battle for his signature, with Barca and Real described as ready to move. But regardless, Manchester City seem ready to go all-in given the lucrative possibility of signing a reliable Premier League performer.

Brevis will join CSK for INR 2.2 crore

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Apr-2025Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have signed South African batter Dewald Brevis as replacement for the injured Gurjapneet Singh for the remainder of IPL 2025. Brevis will join CSK for INR 2.2 crore.Brevis, who has played 81 T20s and has 1787 runs with a highest score of 162, played two T20Is for South Africa in 2023. He has prior experience of playing in the IPL having represented Mumbai Indians in 2022 and 2024. Earlier this year, he helped MI Cape Town win their first SA20 title with an 18-ball 38 in the final. He was the sixth-highest run-getter (230 at a strike rate of 184) in that tournament. Brevis’ ability to hit the ball hard and access unusual areas in the field have caught the eye of franchise owners in other parts of the world too. He’s played the CPL and represents the MI franchise in Major League Cricket in the USA.Brevis, who entered the IPL 2025 auction in November at a base price of INR 75 lakh and went unsold, has been in good form in the last few months. He finished as the second-highest run-getter in South Africa’s one-day and first-class tournaments. Although he is early in his career, the 21-year-old was tapped for big things, not least because of an uncanny resemblance to AB de Villiers when he’s at the crease. Brevis was even nicknamed ‘Baby AB’.Gurjapneet, the Tamil Nadu seamer who was bought by CSK at the auction for INR 2.2 crore, did not get a game this season.CSK are currently at the bottom of the points table with just two wins in seven games. Earlier, their regular captain Ruturaj Gaikwad was ruled out of the season with an elbow injury, with MS Dhoni taking over.

Leeds United enjoyed a wonderful season last term when they raced to a staggering 100 points to win the Championship title under Daniel Farke.

The Whites earned promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking with the German head coach, having lost to Southampton in the play-off final in 2024.

It is now up to the former Norwich City boss to show that he can keep the team in the top-flight, though, as he looks to follow in the footsteps of Marcelo Bielsa.

The West Yorkshire outfit finished ninth in the Premier League in the 2020/21 campaign, their highest finish in the football pyramid in the last 20 years, and Farke knows that he needs more attacking options to repeat that feat, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin one player who is set to arrive on a free transfer.

Leeds needs to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch to ensure that they have enough firepower to avoid relegation, and potentially push for the top-half like they did in Bielsa’s first season in the league.

In the summer of 2020, Victor Orta made sure that the Argentine boss had the quality he needed by signing brilliant Brazilian forward Raphinha.

Leeds hit the jackpot with Raphinha

There is an argument to be made that the left-footed star is the best signing that the Whites have made in modern history, or at least since 2020, as his quality on the pitch was pivotal to their success.

Leeds reportedly paid an initial fee of £17m to sign the winger from Rennes in 2020, and it is fair to say that he more than paid back that fee with the value he provided on the pitch.

Raphinha scored 17 goals and created 22 ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, in two seasons in the Premier League during his time with Leeds, in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns, helping them to avoid the drop both times.

The mercurial attacker made a huge impact at the top end of the pitch to win vital points for the team to ensure that they did not get relegated, with goals and assists to secure draws and wins.

Appearances

30

35

Goals

6

11

Big chances missed

4

6

Big chances created

12

10

Key passes per game

2.1

1.9

Assists

9

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.9

1.8

As you can see in the table above, Raphinha provided a consistent threat in possession with his goals, assists, dribbles, and key passes in the top-flight.

Barcelona then swooped to sign the winger for a fee of £55m in the summer of 2022, and Leeds were relegated from the Premier League in the following season. This speaks to how important he was to the side, and why the Whites have not had a signing as successful as him since.

Leeds are likely destination for experienced centre-forward

The West Yorkshire outfit may have a chance to land their best signing since Raphinha, though, as a fresh report has emerged on their interest in a new striker.

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 Qatari paper Al Kass, as relayed by Globo, Leeds United are the most likely destination for Al Hilal centre-forward Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer.

The report claims that the Saudi Pro League team are willing to pay the striker the £21m they owe him for the last three years of his contract in order to allow him to find a new club.

It states that the recent arrival of Darwin Nunez from Liverpool has left Mitrovic as a disposable member of Simone Inzaghi’s squad, opening the door for Leeds to make a move for him.

The outlet is not clear on whether Al Hilal would still demand a transfer fee for the Serbia international, paying up his contract to allow him to negotiate lower wages elsewhere, or if he will be available for nothing, as it had been reported earlier this summer that they wanted a fee of £26m for his services.

Why Mitrovic would be the best signing since Raphinha

As aforementioned, Raphinha was such a successful signing for the Whites because it was his attacking quality in the final third that won vital points for the team with goals and assists to help the team avoid relegation.

You only have to look at what happened after he moved on from Elland Road to understand how important the winger was for the team, and Mitrovic is a player who has the potential to be just as impactful for Leeds.

The Al Hilal marksman, who was described as an “absolute monster” by Saudi Arabian news journalist Matt Monaghan, has the goalscoring pedigree to come in and be the main man at the top end of the pitch for Farke, scoring enough goals to fire the team to safety.

Mitrovic, who once scored a staggering 43 goals in one season for Fulham during his time in England, has enjoyed a sensational time in front of goal with Al Hilal, who may only be replacing him because of his age, as Nunez is four years younger than him.

Sports editor Henry Hill once described the 30-year-old centre-forward as a “prolific” player for club and country, and his statistics back that claim up.

Appearances

28

23

xG

26.60

17.41

Goals

28

19

xG on target

26.26

22.12

xA

2.48

1.33

Assists

5

2

As you can see in the table above, Mitrovic found it almost too easy to score goals in the Pro League for Al Hilal, outperforming his xG in both of those seasons and almost averaging a goal every game.

Along with his phenomenal output in Saudi Arabia, the Leeds transfer target has also scored 62 goals in 100 matches for Serbia at international level, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he is a prolific scorer for club and country, as claimed.

These statistics show that the Serbian star, who scored 111 goals in 206 games for Fulham, has the ability to be a consistent and prolific goalscorer for Leeds, having proven himself in England, in Saudi Arabia, and at international level.

This means that Mitrovic could win vital points for Leeds on a regular basis by scoring goals that earn draws and wins to keep Leeds in the Premier League, much like Raphinha did in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.

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That is why the Al Hilal forward would be the club’s best signing since Raphinha, because they have yet to bring in an attacker with the quality to make as big of an impact as the Brazilian did during his time at Elland Road.

Things are looking up for Wolverhampton Wanderers. With deadline day approaching, they look set to keep hold of Jorgen Strand Larsen and have now reportedly set their sights on a new midfield target.

Wolves' late transfer plans

Despite already signing Fer Lopez, Ladislav Krejci, Jhon Arias, Jackson Tchatchoua and David Miller Wolfe this summer, Wolves are still reportedly eyeing a late spending spree. With Fabio Silva on his way to Borussia Dortmund, there’s suddenly space in Vitor Pereira’s side for another attacking reinforcement and, as such, Tolu Arokodare has emerged as a serious option.

Whether Newcastle United’s decision to pursue Nick Woltemade instead of Strand Larsen changes the urgency of those in the Midlands is the question that needs answering, but reports have always indicated that Arokodare is seen as a replacement for Silva and not for the Norwegian.

In an ideal world, by the time the deadline passes, Wolves will have two very talented strikers at their disposal and ready to fire Pereira’s side to Premier League safety.

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The manager recently had his say on Strand Larsen and will be among those relieved that Newcastle decided to look elsewhere. He told reporters following Wolves’ 3-2 Carabao Cup win against West Ham United in midweek: “If it’s my decision, of course [Strand-Larsen stays]. Of course. Because he’s a very important player. It’s not only about the technical and tactical, it’s about the character. He’s a player with character.”

Meanwhile, it’s not just the striker department that could receive a major boost before the end of the transfer window. Reports are now suggesting that Wolves are eyeing a last-gasp midfield move.

Wolves submit Hackney offer

According to Football League World, Wolves have now submitted a bid worth £30m to sign Hayden Hackney from Middlesbrough. The Championship star has been linked with a move away from the club all summer long, with interest from Ipswich Town and Wolves’ rivals, West Bromwich Albion emerging.

Now, it could be Wolves who secure his signature in what would be a deserved move. The 23-year-old has enjoyed an impressive rise at Boro and, in truth, has had the quality to step into the Premier League for at least two seasons. Compared to both Andre and Joao Gomes, it’s clear that Hackney would push all the way for a starting place at Molineux.

Minutes

2,472

2,974

3,792

Progressive Passes

109

165

440

Tackles Won

55

71

56

Ball Recoveries

194

200

281

Described as “excellent” earlier this season by manager Rob Edwards, Hackeny has simply picked up where he left off in the last campaign. The midfield star is an incredibly talented ball progressor and combines that ability with his knack for winning possession back for his side – two traits that could make all the difference for Wolves in their bid to survive.

Manchester United finally beat a top-level opponent under Ruben Amorim as they saw off Chelsea 2-1 at Old Trafford. But the coach should still face hard questions after his side made life hard for themselves despite taking a 2-0 lead against 10 men. Robert Sanchez's early red card got United off to a dream start and they marched into the lead with goals from Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

However, the Brazilian was then sent off, wiping out the numerical advantage and making for a nervy second half, with Trevoh Chalobah halving the deficit in the 80th minute.

United needed a response after their wimpy derby defeat at Manchester City and they were handed a massive favour by Sanchez, who was shown a red card in the fifth minute after rushing out of his area and clattering into Bryan Mbeumo. United did not take long to take advantage, Fernandes stooping in to head home a cross-shot from Patrick Dorgu as the hosts swarmed around Chelsa's area.

Things got even better for Amorim's side when Cole Palmer was taken off midway through the first half with a suspected recurrence of the groin injury he had just recovered from. It was the third substitute Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca made and surely not even United could blow such an advantage. However, they nearly did. 

Casemiro bludgeoned in a second goal with his head before half-time after some aerial bombardment involving Patrick Dorgu and Harry Maguire but then undid all his good work with a stupid sending off right before half-time. 

Both his actions to earn deserved yellow cards were totally needless and handed Chelsea the momentum. Chalobah headed home from a corner to send shivers down United's spine but the Red Devils dug deep to preserve their lead and hold on for a vital win.

GOAL rates Man United's players from Old Trafford…

Goalkeeper & Defence

Altay Bayindir (6/10):

For once he was not the story as he enjoyed a refreshingly uneventful 90 minutes for the most part. Nothing he could do about Chalobah's goal but made a decent punch to avert some late danger.

Harry Maguire (7/10):

Looked solid, albeit without being tested much by Chelsea's 10 men, in his first start of the season as Amorim asked him to do his primary job of defending rather than sending him on as a last-resort striker. Despite this, he set up Casemiro's goal, adorning a fine all round display.

Matthijs de Ligt (8/10):

Played on the front foot, joining attacks regularly while always being quick to sweep up any danger at the back such as hooking away a threatening cross from James before Moises Caicedo could connect with it.

Luke Shaw (7/10):

The type of comfortable game (well, until the 80th minute at least) he needed after being knocked about in the derby. Had an angry confrontation with Fernandez after the first goal and made a vital intervention late on, cleaning up Ugarte's mess by sliding in to dispossess Andrey Santos and digging his heels in to ensure they got the win.

AdvertisementMidfield

Noussair Mazraoui (8/10):

A dominant display at both ends of the pitch which showed he can be first choice right-wing-back moving forward.

Casemiro (4/10):

A perfect example of his strengths and weaknesses in one half. His presence helped United overpower Chelsea overall and he got the all-important second goal. But he was haunted by his tendency to dive in. His first yellow card for fouling Enzo Fernandez was needless and his second – grappling with Andrey Santos' body – was downright stupid. 

Bruno Fernandes (8/10):

A defiant performance, leading from the front as well as in midfield. Got the ball rolling with his 100th goal for United and almost got a brilliant second by bombing forward from the halfway line, thwarted by Jorgensen's diving save.

Patrick Dorgu (7/10):

Gave an electric first-half display, getting the assist for the first goal and keeping the move alive for the second.

Attack

Bryan Mbeumo (7/10):

Gave a livewire performance, with his bursting run in behind provoking Sanchez's sending off. He lacked some finesse at times with his final ball but his movement could not be argued with.

Benjamin Sesko (5/10):

Made a good start as his flicked header released Mbeumo for the key moment leading to Sanchez getting sent off. This was a great chance to score against 10 men but he did not take it. He made a pig's ear of a clear opening in the area after playing a one-two with Mbeumo and was then sacrificed by Amorim once Casemiro had been sent off so that Ugarte could take his place in midfield.

Amad Diallo (5/10):

Disappointing that he didn't make more of his advanced position against the 10 men. Frustratingly indecisive.

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Subs & Manager

Manuel Ugarte (5/10):

A clumsy effort to nick the ball gifted Chelsea a big break and he was very fortunate that Shaw covered for him. Made up for it with an important tackle on Fernandez.

Matheus Cunha (6/10):

Produced some nice link play on his return from injury and won an important free kick late on to buy some time.

Leny Yoro (5/10):

Completely lost his marker Chalobah, handing Chelsea late momentum.

Mason Mount (6/10):

Focused mostly on protecting the lead against his former club.

Kobbie Mainoo (N/A):

Replaced Fernandes for the final five minutes.

Ruben Amorim (6/10):

Needed the points badly and can be pleased with how his side dug in. But  they really should have been out of sight long before.

Birmingham City’s opening Championship match of the season at home to Ipswich Town is growing ever closer.

It would be quite the statement to make on the end of the Blues if they were to get the better of the recently relegated Tractor Boys on the first, action-packed night of the division, with a win being the best possible way to storm out of the traps and to ease any potential nerves.

The aim for the reigning League One champions will be to achieve the unbelievable feat of back-to-back promotions up to the Premier League, with the first month of the season, and beyond, making it clear to everyone if Davies’ men are made of stern enough stuff to secure this wild goal.

If they were to triumphantly leap into the Premier League, this would be the first time the West Midlands side had played in the top division since the 2010/11 season, with forgotten heroes from Birmingham’s past, such as Nicola Zigic, leading the line all that time ago.

Zigic's heroics at Birmingham

Birmingham supporters have likely put Zigic’s exploits to the back of their mind for some time now, with the likes of Jay Stansfield and Alfie May being cheered on instead.

However, looking back on the 6-foot-8 Serbian’s career at St. Andrew’s will be tinged with lots of pleasant nostalgia, with his most memorable contribution in Birmingham blue coming when he headed home the opener against Arsenal in 2011 at Wembley, as Alex McLeish’s men surprisingly lifted the League Cup.

Across a varied career that saw him play in Spain for Valencia, alongside lining up for several different sides in his native Serbia, Zigic is likely most fondly remembered by Birmingham fans, with the towering giant ending his 158-game association with the club by netting 36 goals and picking up 18 assists.

Seven of those efforts would be picked up during his final full season in England as Birmingham bravely staved off relegation in the Championship, as his ability to be in the right place, at the right time to score a vital goal for the Blues won him cult hero status.

One brand new striker target on Birmingham’s rumoured shopping list will hope he’s remembered in a similarly glowing way down the line, as the experienced goal machine in question looks to secure a deal to join Davies’ ranks before the early September deadline.

The "extraordinary" star who could be Zigic 2.0

Adding in another striker to Davies’ camp might well feel like a wasted move, considering the Blues boss already has Kyogo Furuhashi and the aforementioned Stansfield ready for selection.

Yet, if Birmingham were to win the services of Werder Bremen star Marvin Ducksch – who the Championship side are ‘quietly confident’ about winning as per recent reports by GIVEMESPORT – the 31-year-old should be able to offer the second-tier newcomers something unique in attack, much like Zigic gifted the Blues all those years ago.

For starters, Ducksch would be entering into his new surroundings at St. Andrew’s as a seasoned attacking option that won’t be fearful of the testing Championship, with Zigic also possessing that same level of calmness when walking through the door in 2010 as a 29-year-old menace from Valencia.

Moreover, the 31-year-old would also be moving to England with lots of pedigree attached to his name. Zigic was very much in the same boat when he made the daring move from Spain to St. Andrew’s, having bagged 59 goals in total for Valencia, Racing Santander, and Red Star Belgrade.

Ducksch’s career numbers in Germany by division

Division played in

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

Bundesliga

130

34

28

2. Bundesliga

138

71

34

3. Liga

54

19

14

Sourced by Transfermarkt

His goal-heavy 6-foot-2 counterpart has even more strikes to shout about when plying his trade all across his native Germany, with a stunning combined haul of 124 strikes tallied up by Ducksch as he made his way up the German pyramid, all the way to the top in the Bundesliga.

This sublime goalscoring form for Bremen and many other sides has resulted in the robust attacker even being labelled as “extraordinary” by teammate Mitchell Weiser for what he can offer up top.

Zigic was often referred to in a similarly positive tone at St. Andrew’s – with one of his ex-Blues bosses Lee Clark dubbing him “extremely talented” – as Davies and Co. in the here and now hope their ongoing pursuit of Ducksch results in them winning an up-to-date iteration of the much-loved colossus.

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Posts 2 ByCharlie Smith Jul 31, 2025

It seems like Everton are putting a real focus on reshaping their attack ahead of a historic season in 2025/26. The Toffees are set to move into the Hill Dickinson Stadium, and will be looking to build on the momentum they gathered under David Moyes at the back end of last season.

Thierno Barry will be one of their new attacking players in this new era. It has finally been confirmed that the Frenchman is now a new Everton player, following his £27m move from Villarreal. He replaces Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who left the club on a free transfer.

However, it appears that the 22-year-old will not be the only attacker to switch to the Hill Dickinson Stadium this summer.

Everton targeting new winger

As well as looking to sign a striker, in the form of Barry, Moyes’ side seems set to sign a new winger this summer. It was reported earlier this week that Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo has emerged as a target, and they reportedly have someone else in their sights.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

A recent report from Turkey suggests that the Toffees are ‘following’ the movements of Benfica winger Kerem Akturkoglu, who is wanted by a couple of teams in the Premier League.

Indeed, the winger, who has strong ties to Galatasaray and would ‘not consider’ playing for any other Turkish team, is wanted by Nottingham Forest, the first English top-flight team to contact Benfica, and newly promoted Sunderland.

If Everton are to win the race for Akturkoglu, they will need to spend £38m, which is Benfica’s asking price.

Why Akturkoglu would be a good signing

The 2024/25 campaign, Akturkoglu’s first as a Benfica player, was an incredibly impressive season. He lit up the Portuguese top flight, and it is not hard to see why Everton are looking to sign him this summer.

In 53 appearances for the Portuguese giants, Akturkoglu contributed to 16 goals and 13 assists. That included the very impressive tally of 11 goals and 11 assists in the Liga Portugal, and an assist in the final of the Taca de Portugal, helping his side lift the trophy by beating Sporting.

It is easy to see why football scout Antonio Mango described the Turkey international as a “talented” player, having previously hailed him as “unstoppable” back in Istanbul.

Indeed, it is not just at Benfica that the winger, who can play on the left or right-hand side, has performed so well. He played 179 games for Galatasaray, finding the back of the net 46 times and grabbing 42 assists.

He scored twice in the Champions League for the club, with both of those strikes coming against Manchester United, including this stunning effort. It will surely please Everton that Akturkoglu can be so effective against elite English top-flight sides.

For Barry, seeing a player with the creative nous of Akturkoglu walk through the doors at Everton after him must be a thrilling prospect. The new Toffees striker, who was born in Lyon, was on fire for Villarreal last season, with 11 goals and four assists in 37 games.

He certainly left an impression last term, showing good striker’s instinct in the penalty box, as the goal below shows. Everton have certainly missed that, with just two players bagging ten or more goals in 2024/25.

Well, Akturkoglu will certainly bring the creativity to the Toffees side, which can help make Barry unstoppable. The stats on FBref highlight some of those creative talents, with a standout number being his 0.67 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, placing him in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Portugal.

Goals and assists

0.9

95th

Assists

0.4

94th

Expected assists

0.33xA

94th

Key passes

1.84

85th

Shot-creating actions

3.46

74th

Goal-creating actions

0.67

94th

It is stats like those which show Akturkoglu could be the man to help up the goalscoring levels of this Everton side. The 26-year-old could well become Barry’s dream winger, with the way he is able to fashion goalscoring opportunities out of nowhere.

Of course, £38m is a large asking price, but Everton have shown a willingness to invest big money into their attack, and Akturkoglu could be the man to help take that to the next level.

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ByRoss Kilvington Jul 8, 2025

In a move that would instantly replace Mohammed Kudus, West Ham United are now reportedly in contact to sign a Premier League-winning attacker who Graham Potter wants at the London Stadium.

Potter "very pleased" to sign Diouf

It may have taken the sale of Kudus to Tottenham Hotspur for them to get going on the transfer front, but get going West Ham have. The Hammers announced the arrival of El Hadji Malick Diouf to welcome their first big signing of the summer and Potter instantly expressed his delight.

Now that they’ve got going with their spending, West Ham may not stop there. Reports are now indicating that those at the London Stadium have made their first move to sign the £300,000-a-week attacker on loan.

West Ham make contact to sign Grealish

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, West Ham have now made their first approach to sign Jack Grealish, who has been shown the door at Manchester City this summer. Potter is reportedly a fan of the £300,000-a-week international and the Hammers could yet welcome his arrival in what would be an excellent addition.

West Ham have experienced Grealish’s quality first-hand more times than they’ll care to admit and the London Stadium even saw him find the back of the net for Man City in a frantic 2-2 in the 2021/22 campaign.

Although Grealish has struggled in the last 12 months at Manchester City, he is still very much a player capable of making all the difference when at his best.

Even as he has continued to fall down the pecking order at The Etihad, Pep Guardiola has been full of praise for the West Ham target. The Spaniard previously told reporters last season: “I’m pleased for Jack.

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ByTom Cunningham Jul 16, 2025

“Jack has the sense of the street, a player from the street. Most of the players, for our fault – the manager – are so academic. Jack is one of those players that came to fight in these stadiums when the people shout; he is a fighter.”