Liverpool have welcomed a range of new signings to Arne Slot’s title-winning squad, spanning Giorgi Mamardashvili between the sticks to Hugo Ekitike as Anfield’s new talismanic frontman (for now).

A bid for Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak remains in the pipeline, though the prospect of the all-powerful striker completing Liverpool’s attacking set remains reliant on the Magpies finding and signing adequate replacements. Don’t hold your breath.

A deal has been agreed for Parma teenager Giovanni Leoni, and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi remains a top target.

However, several Liverpool stars may yet be on the move before the September 1st deadline.

Who Liverpool could still sell

Liverpool have recently sold forwards Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez, but Federico Chiesa may yet leave too, with a return to his Italian homeland on the cards after a frustrating year on Merseyside.

Harvey Elliott is also planning to leave, for the young playmaker has been reduced to a peripheral role in Slot’s system, and will likely find his match action further impeded after the £116m signing of Florian Wirtz.

Such players would be allowed to leave with little complaint, but that isn’t the case as far as Ibrahima Konate is concerned.

Instrumental in winning the Premier League last year, Liverpool’s Konate has entered the final year of his £70k-per-week contract, and while long efforts to renew terms have been made, sporting director Richard Hughes has yet to make a breakthrough.

And now, according to transfer insider Simon Phillips, Chelsea are willing to join Real Madrid in bidding for the centre-back this summer, prepared to offer a significant sum to bring him over to Stamford Bridge. A figure in the region of £43m has been mooted elsewhere.

Were the Les Bleus powerhouse to choose the latter option and sign for Chelsea, might Liverpool be looking at a dreadful repeat of that one-time loss of Fernando Torres to the London side?

Liverpool must not sell Ibrahima Konate

The thought of Konate linking up with Trent Alexander-Arnold at Real Madrid is bad enough, but to consider him wearing blue under the Stamford Bridge lights is to swallow a bitter pill indeed.

More still, the 26-year-old would be directly strengthening a Premier League title rival at their time of need, Chelsea having lost Colwill for the lion’s share of the season.

Having spent four seasons with Liverpool, it’s no coincidence that the France international’s injury-riddled stay smoothed out last year, the first term he has lifted the Premier League with the Redmen.

Liverpool must fight tooth and nail to keep such a player in their mix, especially as Virgil van Dijk edges toward the twilight of his illustrious career.

Under new management, Liverpool enjoyed collective improvements on the fitness front last season, with Slot and his team’s renown for maintaining high availability levels paying dividends. Longer sessions with reduced intensity did the trick, along with calculated substitutions across the campaign.

Konate indeed benefitted, enjoying more Premier League football than ever before across the span of a league season.

Ibrahima Konate – PL Career
#	Apps (starts)	Games Missed
24/25	31 (30)	6
23/24	22 (17)	4
22/23	18 (17)	17
21/22	11 (11)	1
Data via Transfermarkt

Were the Reds to lose their “monster” of a defender, as he has been called by analyst Josh Williams, while reaching the peak of his powers, it could be reminiscent of that deal that allowed Torres to head to Chelsea for a record-breaking £50m fee.

The Spanish legend had torn English football to shreds after leaving his homeland and joining Rafa Benitez’s Liverpool side in 2006, scoring 81 goals and supplying 19 assists across just 142 matches in all competitions.

He never found the same degree of invincibility with Chelsea, although he did win a host of honours with club and country, including the World Cup and the Champions League, but El Nino, to be sure, harks back to his time on Merseyside as the finest football he has produced on an individual level.

Torres’ decision to leave Liverpool for Chelsea stung, but the candid truth is the Blues were higher up the food chain at that point in time. The bigger beast.

Stamford Bridge can no longer claim that narrative, and for Konate to depart and rehouse himself in west London would be a gut-punch of a move for those of a Liverpool persuasion.

With Hughes at the head of the table, let’s hope that that unthinkable eventuality does not become a reality.

Their new Trent: FSG’s key target flying to sign for Liverpool on Thursday

Liverpool are looking to seal a few exciting signings to close the transfer window.

By
Angus Sinclair

Aug 14, 2025

Whisper it quietly, but there are some promising signs at this early stage of the season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Whisper it quietly, because there have been false dawns before. But then, in Thomas Frank, Spurs have appointed a calculated and composed manager whose experience and success in the Premier League with Brentford speaks for itself.

Wins against Burnley and Manchester City have placed Tottenham in a good position for the league season ahead, and having kept clean sheets in both, a new degree of defensive solidity may have returned to the club.

But it hasn’t all been sunshine and rainbows. Tottenham lost James Maddison to an ACL injury during a pre-season clash against Newcastle United in July, and he is expected to be out for much of the campaign.

Moreover, efforts for a new number ten have thus far proved fruitless: Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze both came close to one-way trips down N17, but alas, external forces have wreaked their will against Spurs’ plans.

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Could that happen once more with RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons?

The latest on Xavi Simons to Spurs

Simons has been on Tottenham’s radar for a while, but much of the summer transfer window has pointed toward Chelsea being the team primed to sign the Netherlands international.

A talented playmaker, the 22-year-old has agitated to leave the Bundesliga club after last season’s struggles shut the door on any hopes of playing European football this season.

And while Chelsea remain interested, transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano revealed on X on Thursday that the 22-year-old has flown to London ahead of crunch talks with the respective outfits.

Recent rejections will be stamped fresh in the minds of the Lilywhite faithful, and given that Chelsea have been working on a move for many months, it would be worthwhile for chairman Daniel Levy to identify a fallback.

Luckily, he has, and this England international might even work out to be a better signing.

Spurs prepare offer for Simons alternative

According to Spanish newspaper AS – as translated by Sport Witness – Tottenham are preparing a late-window offer for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who has been pursued by the Londoners several times when Ange Postecoglou was at the helm.

However, several other Premier League clubs are interested too, with Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and West Ham United vying for the 26-year-old’s signature.

The Spaniards only welcomed Gallagher from Chelsea one year ago, but might be willing to talk business if their €40m (£35m) valuation is met.

Transfer Focus

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

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Palace have already made an official approach, but the pointers suggest Tottenham are getting ready to do the same, with a bid set to be lodged ‘in the coming hours’.

What Conor Gallagher would bring to Spurs

Gallagher was fashioned in the furnaces of Chelsea’s Cobham youth academy, bringing to the Premier League a robust, athletic and durable playing style.

Gallagher made 95 appearances for Chelsea before being sold, actually featuring 135 times in the Premier League all told due to successful loan stints at Selhurst Park and with West Bromwich Albion.

There may well be a vested interest in Simons, but the diminutive star hasn’t actually played Premier League football before, whereas Gallagher has, with his ex-Chelsea teammate Moises Caicedo once hailing him being “like a machine”, adding so much energy and tenacity to the engine room.

He’s not quite so attack-minded as a player like Simons, but might his dynamism and multi-positional skill within the midfield game not prove worthwhile for Frank’s Tottenham?

Gallagher: Recent Prem Stats

Stats (* per game)

22/23

23/24

Matches (starts)

35 (18)

37 (37)

Goals

3

5

Assists

1

7

Pass completion

85%

92%

Big chances created

5

11

Key passes*

0.6

1.4

Dribbles*

0.7 (50%)

1.0 (68%)

Ball recoveries*

5.1

6.3

Tackles*

1.3

2.3

Duels (won)*

3.5 (45%)

5.7 (50%)

Stats via Sofascore

After all, there have been suggestions that Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur might both leave the club before the market slams shut.

Simons is prolific, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists across 33 matches in all competitions last season. Moreover, he boasts an interesting defensive profile. His aggressive personality on the pitch, plus a high success rate in the duel, often beating his man and coming out on top during tussles.

However, Gallagher is truly the complete package, and has showcased as much across several years in his homeland and a recent foray into La Liga, where time spent under Diego Simeone’s wing will have fashioned an even steelier base to his combative side.

FBref reveal that Brentford ranked 15th in the Premier League for average possession held (47.9%) last season, with an emphasis on transitional play and applied pressure on opponents.

Gallagher, who was viewed by Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca to have been at tactical odds with his ball-playing vision, may well thrive in an environment at Tottenham that is not reliant on having the ball every moment, for his athleticism, fitness levels and ability to cover ground could add an impactful dimension to the squad.

And it’s not like he can’t contribute from an offensive standpoint, with FBref’s data also revealing that Gallagher ranks among the top 12% of central midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal involvements per 90.

Given that Maddison will be desperate to return to form when he is given the green light after the New Year, it might be shrewder and more prudent for Tottenham to sign a profile like Gallagher’s, especially with Dejan Kulusevski also readying himself to return from a muscular injury sustained toward the backend of the 2024/25 campaign.

Simons, who can play centrally and out wide, would be a fantastic buy regardless, but Chelsea lurk in the background of that race, and when considering the myriad facets, Gallagher might better fit the bill.

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Liverpool have now reportedly reached an agreement over the signing of a player who has been hailed as an “absolute gem”, and he is set to join alongside Alexander Isak.

Liverpool to complete Alexander Isak signing

Isak has been the Reds’ biggest transfer target since they brought in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, and he is now joining the Premier League champions after undergoing a medical.

It is another huge moment in Liverpool’s summer, with the Swede breaking the British transfer record that was only set by Wirtz recently, with many feeling that he could be another game-changing addition for Arne Slot’s side.

Isak is arguably among the best strikers in the world currently, having scored 62 goals in 109 appearances for the Magpies, and he has the ability to turn the Reds into an even greater force than they already are.

Now, it’s a case of Liverpool sealing the signing of Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace and a massive update has emerged regarding their pursuit of him.

Marc Guehi undergoing Liverpool medical in London

According to Paul Gorst, Liverpool have now reached an agreement with the Eagles over the signing of Guehi, in their second significant piece of business of the day, with the player already undergoing a medical.

David Ornstein has since added the deal is worth £35m with a five-year contract already agreed.

This has been a deadline day to treasure for Liverpool, with Guehi and Isak strengthening Slot’s squad significantly, at a point when they are already sitting top of the Premier League table. The 25-year-old is arguably one of the best central defenders in the division, becoming a leader for Palace and also pushing to be the first defender on England’s team sheet heading into the 2026 World Cup next summer.

Guehi is a calm figure who combines technical ability and a strong reading of the game, with former Liverpool coach Michael Beale once heaping praise on him.

“He shows a huge amount of confidence to play on the left side and his technical upbringing from Chelsea means he can use his left foot, albeit he is dominant on his right foot. When you see the teams line up, he’s not the biggest centre-back but he has a huge leap. “Quietly people are realising we have an absolute gem in him.”

As good as Szoboszlai: £40m star dropped his best game in a Liverpool shirt

Liverpool dug deep to defeat title rivals Arsenal to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.

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Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate were in need of sterner competition for the rest of this season, following the departure of Jarell Quansah to Leverkusen, and Guehi can push for a regular starting berth from the off.

A stronger show in the middle order could end up having a say in which way the contest sways

S Sudarshanan18-Feb-2025

Meg Lanning’s Capitals have won one and lost one match each•WPL

Who’s playingDelhi Capitals vs UP Warriorz
Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara, 7:30pm ISTWhat to expect: Battle of middle-ordersThat Capitals have the most successful opening combination in the WPL meant that the middle order has escaped scrutiny. But not anymore, after they almost lost their opening fixture this season and then went down heavily to RCB. Capitals’ middle-order batters (Nos. 4 to 7) average 21.97, which is the lowest in the WPL. Jess Jonassen (13), Marizanne Kapp (12) and Jemimah Rodrigues (12) have batted the most innings in these positions for them.In stark contrast, UP Warriorz have the best average for these positions (28.44), with Deepti Sharma (14), Grace Harris (14) and Tahlia McGrath (9) being the regulars. This could partly be attributed to the fact that they have used five opening pairs across the three seasons.Related

Athapaththu to leave WPL early to play for Sri Lanka

A stronger show in the middle order could end up having a say in which way the contest sways. Warriorz are yet to get off the mark, having lost their opening game to Gujarat Giants.Team news and likely XIsCapitals played their full-strength XI in the last outing against RCB. Expect them to go in with a similar structure that allows them batters till No. 11.Delhi Capitals (possible): 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Jess Jonassen, 7 Sarah Bryce (wk), 8 Shikha Pandey, 9 Radha Yadav, 10 Arundhati Reddy, 11 Minnu ManiWarriorz could think of getting in Poonam Khemnar to shore up the lower middle-order firepower. There could also be a case to play Anjali Sarvani for the left-arm seam angle.UP Warriorz (possible): 1 Kiran Navgire, 2 Vrinda Dinesh, 3 Uma Chetry (wk), 4 Deepti Sharma (capt), 5 Tahlia McGrath, 6 Grace Harris, 7 Shweta Sehrawat/Poonam Khemnar, 8 Alana King, 9 Sophie Ecclestone, 10 Saima Thakor, 11 Kranti GoudPlayers to watch: Shikha Pandey and Kiran NavgireOverlooked from the Indian side after the T20 World Cup 2023, Shikha Pandey continues to grab the spotlight with performances in T20 competitions around the world. After the WPL last year, she played in the Women’s Caribbean Premier League, Women’s Big Bash League and Women’s Super Smash, picking up 25 wickets across them. She’s begun WPL 2025 on the right note – keeping MI in check in the opening game and conceding runs at 6.75 runs per over against RCB even when the scoring rate was close to nine. She has been the third-most economical bowler in WPL 2025 so far.Kiran Navgire opened the batting with Vrinda Dinesh for UP Warriorz•BCCI

In the WPL, Kiran Navgire takes a liking to spin. She has a strike rate of 156.84 against spin (95 balls faced) as opposed to 106.50 against pace (123 balls) in the competition. She has been dismissed 22 times by pace and only five times by spin in the WPL. When she hit 125 not out against Arunachal Pradesh in the Senior Women’s T20 Trophy earlier this season, four of her five sixes came against the spin duo of Shivi Yadav and Reetika Agarwal. Is there a case for Warriorz to bat Navgire in the middle order? Or for her to see off fast bowling and wait for spin, in case she continues to open?Key statsDeepti Sharma is one of only four players in the WPL with over 400 runs and 15-plus wickets.Meg Lanning, the leading run-scorer of the WPL, has been in a slightly lean patch in T20 cricket. She has only three half-centuries (one of them in the Hundred) and averages 21.34 since the last WPL.Since her ODI best of 3 for 62 against Australia, Saima Thakor has picked up just one wicket in nine outings across formats. She went wicketless in Warriorz’s first match.

رد هاري كين مهاجم بايرن ميونخ ومنتخب إنجلترا على ما يتردد عن عودته للدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز والرحيل عن صفوف البافاري.

وانضم قائد المنتخب الإنجليزي إلى بايرن ميونخ قادماً من توتنهام مقابل ما يبلغ قيمته 100 مليون يورو قبل عامين ويرتبط بعقد حتى عام 2027.

ويتضمن عقد كين مع بايرن ميونخ شرطًا جزائيًا بقيمة 65 مليون يورو، وهذا العقد قابل للتفعيل الصيف المقبل، وسيحتاج لإعلان نيته بشأن رغبته في مغادرة بطل الدوري الألماني قبل نهاية سوق الانتقالات الشتوية في يناير.

ويملك توتنهام أيضًا خيار إعادة شراء هاري كين، وقد أوضح توماس فرانك مدرب السبيرز أنه سيرحب بفرصة العمل مع المهاجم الإنجليزي.

وسئل هاري كين عن احتمالية عودته إلى توتنهام هوتسبير، قال لصحيفة “ديلي ميل” البريطانية: “لست متأكداً”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. تعديل موعد مباراتين لـ مانشستر سيتي في الدوري الإنجليزي

وأضاف: “أنا سعيد جداً هنا في ميونخ، لا أفكر في هذا، لقد قضيت حياتي كلها في الدوري الإنجليزي، أنا من محبيهم وسأتابعهم دائماً وأرى كيف يصبحون، سيظلون جزءًا من حياتي بالتأكيد ولكن في الوقت الحالي أستمتع بوجودي هنا”.

وواصل: “كان من الرائع رؤية توتنهام يفوز بالدوري الأوروبي، لدي كثير من الأصدقاء هناك واللاعبين والجهاز الفني، انتظرنا كثيراً واقتربنا من الفوز في الماضي، لذا كان شعور رائع للجميع، الجماهير والنادي وجميع المعنيين أن يشعروا بهذا الشعور وأن يحققوا الفوز، هذا مهم دائماً ونأمل أن يواصلوا ويحققوا المزيد من الانتصارات”.

وحول بداية هاري كين الرائعة مع بايرن ميونخ والذي أصبح أسرع لاعب في هذا القرن يسجل 100 هدف مع نادي يلعب في إحدى الدوريات الخمس الكبرى في 104 مباراة فقط متجاوزاً رقم كريستيانو رونالدو وإيرلينج هالاند.

واختتم كين عن بدايته الرائعة هذا الموسم: “أفضل بداية موسم لي على الإطلاق، أشعر بسعادة كبيرة وأعيش هنا في ميونخ قبل عامين وأشعر بالاستقرار خارج الملعب مع عائلتي وهذا يساهم في نجاحي، أنا في حالة جيدة جسدياً وذهنياً واكتسبت خبرة كبيرة، ألعب في فريق يخلق فرصًا كثيرة ويساعدني للتسجيل إذا أتيحت لي الفرصة”.

While they’ve spent more in windows past, this summer was another hectic one for Chelsea.

The Blues were able to generate a massive £288m in sales, which enabled them to sign a host of incredibly exciting players and still make a £3m profit.

The most promising addition so far has been Joao Pedro, but the likes of Jamie Gittens, Liam Delap and Jorrel Hato could all look like sensational pickups in a few years from now.

However, while there is plenty to be happy about, some fans were left disappointed by the club’s decision not to sign Xavi Simons, who then moved to Tottenham Hotspur.

Yet, with the Dutchman being compared to a former Chelsea signing who left having not lived up to expectations, maybe missing out on him isn’t the worst thing.

The Simons saga

Simons has been looked at as one of the most exciting young talents in European football for years now.

Stories of his brilliance in La Masia were doing the rounds as far back as 2017, when he was still just 14 years old, and while he never made it at Barcelona, the last few years have shown why so many were so excited about him.

The 22-year-old has racked up a tally of 33 goal involvements in 48 games for PSV Eindhoven and 46 in 78 games for RB Leipzig.

In short, it’s easy to see why Chelsea were so interested in the youngster for so long this summer, and reportedly had even reached an agreement on personal terms with him.

However, towards the end of the window, the West Londoners finally secured the services of Alejandro Garnacho and reneged on their interest in the player.

This vacuum then allowed Spurs to swoop in and sign the Amsterdam-born gem on a seven-year deal, and while this left some Chelsea fans upset, perhaps they shouldn’t be, as one of their former players who was sold for a sizable loss is now being compared to Simons.

The Chelsea dud compared to Simons

The side effect of Chelsea’s tendency to sign so many promising young players is that, over the years, they’ve had more than their fair share fail to live up to expectations.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

Unfortunately, that is what happened with Christian Pulisic, as while he most certainly enjoyed spells of brilliance here and there, he “just didn’t live up to the hype,” per journalist Luke Edwards.

The American international was signed by the Blues for a whopping £58m in January 2019, while Marizzio Sarri was still in charge, and joined up with the club that summer.

At the time, then-Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia described the youngster as “one of the most sought-after talents in Europe,” but just over four years later, he was sold for a paltry £20m.

In other words, the West Londoners made a £38m loss on the former Borussia Dortmund star, and with a tally of just 26 goals and 21 assists in 145 games, it would be hard to call him anything other than a flop.

With all that said, then, what does he have to do with Simons?

Well, according to FBref, the American ace is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Dutchman in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League.

You can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by taking a look under the hood, at the underlying numbers in which they rank closely.

In this instance, that includes metrics such as non-penalty goals plus assists, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty G+As

0.67

0.62

Passing Accuracy

78.6%

76.5%

Expected Assists

0.25

0.23

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

4.54

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.51

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.42

In addition to these statistical similarities, the young Dutchman has moved to the Premier League from a German side, just as the Milan man did.

Furthermore, they’re both equally capable of thriving out wide or as an attacking midfielder.

Ultimately, while some fans are understandably upset at missing out on Simons, the fact that Pulisic is so similar to him and failed at Chelsea suggests that perhaps the club were wise to steer clear of him.

Chelsea ended Guiu's loan for nothing; they've got a better teen to unleash

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Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez is reportedly keen to take over at Manchester United, with Fabrizio Romano claiming the Spaniard would 'go immediately' if offered the job – even without European football. The revelation comes as Ruben Amorim faces growing scrutiny after the Red Devils' poor start to the Premier League season.

• Xavi to make a move to Old Trafford?

  Manchester United’s struggles under Amorim have raised fresh questions about the club’s direction, with the Red Devils languishing in 14th place after three defeats in six games. Their latest 3-1 loss to Brentford has added pressure on the Portuguese coach. Amid the uncertainty, Romano has revealed that Xavi is eager to return to management and views Old Trafford as an ideal opportunity.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Romano reveals Xavi's interest in Premier League move

  Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Xavi is studying the Premier League. Xavi is monitoring the Premier League and Xavi would go immediately to Man United, even without European football – he would go immediately to the Premier League."

  Xavi’s interest comes at a time when Amorim is under mounting scrutiny following an underwhelming start to life in England. United’s hierarchy have yet to make a decision, but the prospect of a high-profile replacement could intensify pressure on the current boss.

• Xavi could help stabilise a sinking ship

  The former Barcelona boss, who won La Liga and the Supercopa in 2022-23, has been out of work since leaving Camp Nou earlier this year. His readiness to accept the United role highlights his confidence and belief in the long-term potential of the project at Old Trafford. Xavi’s attacking philosophy and elite playing pedigree would make him an appealing candidate for a club in search of identity.

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• Getty
  

  Man Utd's next few games could decide Amorim's future

  United’s upcoming fixtures could be decisive in determining Amorim’s future, with any further slip-ups likely to test the board’s patience. Should the situation deteriorate, Xavi’s availability could tempt the club into making a change sooner rather than later. For now, the Spaniard continues to bide his time as speculation over the Red Devils' next move grows.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogo vai precisar ir ao mercado para contratar um novo treinador. Luís Castro aceitou a proposta do Al-Nassr (SAU), time de Cristiano Ronaldo, para comandar o clube saudita. Agora, resta saber se Textor continuará apostando em um português como técnico do Glorioso.

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Sendo assim, o Lance! mostra alguns portugueses livres no mercado da bola.

BRUNO LAGE

O treinador de 47 anos está sem clube desde que deixou o Wolverhampton (ING), na última temporada. Na sua carreira, passou por clubes como Benfica (POR), além de Swansea City (ING) e Sheffield Wednesday (ING). A sua principal campanha foi nos Encarnados, onde conquistou o Campeonato Português de 2018-19.

JORGE JESUS

Ex-técnico do Flamengo, o ‘Mister’ tem 68 anos e está livre no mercado desde que deixou o Fenerbahce (TUR). A sua carreira foi praticamente toda no futebol português, dirigindo clubes como Benfica, Sporting e Braga. Passou também no Al Hilal (SAU). No futebol brasileiro, foi campeão da Libertadores, Brasileiro, Carioca e da Recopa com o Flamengo.

PAULO BENTO

O treinador de 54 anos passou pelo Sporting (POR). Depois comandou a própria seleção portuguesa entre as temporadas de 2010 a 2014, comandando Portugal na Eurocopa de 2012. Depois, chegou ao Brasil para dirigir o Cruzeiro, mas não teve muito sucesso. Sua última experiência foi no comando da seleção da Coréia do Sul, quando disputou a Copa do Mundo de 2022.

CARLOS CARVALHAL

Sem clube, o técnico de 57 anos tem experiência em diversos países. Em Portugal, passou por Benfica, Sporting, Rio Ave e Braga. Também tem experiência na Inglaterra, em clubes como Sheffield Wednesday e Swansea.

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.

Way better than Calvert-Lewin: £50m star is the top target for Leeds

Leeds United’s number one transfer target is a way better option than Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

2 ByDan Emery Aug 12, 2025

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.

Atletico Madrid hammered Real Madrid on Saturday in the first derby of the season, with some calamitous defending from Los Blancos leading to a comprehensive 5-2 win from their city rivals. Julian Alvarez stole the show from Kylian Mbappe by scoring twice for Diego Simeone's side, while Antoine Griezmann added a fifth in stoppage time to complete the rout.

Mbappe got on the scoresheet, and Arda Guler grabbed a goal, but it was mostly an evening of defensive mistakes from the Liga title hopefuls, as they couldn't handle Atleti's direct attack.

Los Blancos looked rattled early on and Atletico were good value for the opening goal, a lovely header from Robin Le Normand. But Madrid responded twice. Mbappe buried the equaliser after 25 minutes, darting onto Guler's slipped through-ball and smashing home. Guler put Madrid in the lead soon after when he tucked past Jan Oblak after a fine piece of skill and set up play from Vinicius Jr.

But Madrid looked frail at the back, and were accordingly punished. Alex Sorloth leveled the contest on the stroke of half time, rising between Madrid's centre backs to head past a stranded Thibaut Courtois. 

Atleti reclaimed the lead early in the second half. Guler's high boot inside the box caught Nico Gonzalez. The referee pointed to the spot, and Alvarez converted to put the hosts ahead. He made it four just after the hour mark with a delightful free-kick that swerved and dipped over the Madrid wall. Antoine Griezmann added the final blow, passing into the bottom corner in second half stoppage time to wrap up a memorable derby win. 

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Metropolitano…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (5/10):

Helpless on the two Atleti first half goals, and made a couple of nice saves otherwise. Done for power on the penalty.

Dani Carvajal (5/10):

Atleti had plenty of joy down his wing, and he wasn't great going forward, either. 

Eder Militao (6/10):

Picked up a knock early on and never quite seemed to get back into things. Unable to play on and removed at half time. 

Dean Huijsen (5/10):

Couldn't handle Sorloth at all, and was uncharacteristically sloppy on the ball.

Alvaro Carreras (5/10):

Looked a bit rattled by the occasion. Poor. 

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Rather overrun at the base of midfield. Atleti pressed him and he had few answers. 

Federico Valverde (6/10):

Tracked back plenty and was full of energy, but failed to impact the game in an attacking sense. 

Jude Bellingham (6/10):

Wayward in his first La Liga start of the season. Good in his defensive work but not on the ball much. 

GettyAttack

Arda Guler (7/10):

Inconsistent. Scored one, assisted another. Also gave away a penalty and was a little outmuscled at times.

Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

Took his goal wonderfully, but then went rather quiet for the rest of the game. Atleti handled him excellently. 

Vinicius Jr (6/10):

A bix mixed until he provided a signature cut-back to set up Arda Guler's goal – which seemed to wake him up a bit. Then got dragged into some petty stuff and never recovered. 

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GettySubs & Manager

Raul Asencio (4/10):

Replaced the injured Militao at half time. Nowhere on the fifth goal.

Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

Snapped into tackles, won the ball, and tried to bring some energy. 

Franco Mastantuono (5/10):

Tried to do too much with the ball. 

Rodrygo (N/A):

No time to make an impact

Gonzalo Garcia (N/A):

No time to make an impact

Xabi Alonso (4/10):

Tried to fit all of the big guns into the same side, but it was his defence that offered some concerns. First tough game, first big defeat.