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Barcelona boss Hansi Flick reportedly wants to tie Frenkie de Jong to a new contract after repeatedly being linked with a transfer exit.

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De Jong linked with Barcelona exitTwist in midfielder's future Flick makes key decision on Dutchman Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Sport, manager Flick hopes Barcelona will convince the midfielder to extend his contract which expires in the summer of 2026. The report adds Barca offered the Dutchman, who has repeatedly been linked with a Manchester United move, a new deal last year but that came to nothing.

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Sport adds that Flick sees De Jong as an important player at Barcelona and he could replace Marc Casado in the lineup soon. The report adds the main problem in the negotiations is the salary, particularly with the Blaugrana being mired in financial struggles.

DID YOU KNOW?

The report states that if a contract agreement is not finalised this summer, De Jong will be put up for sale. But after Ronald Araujo, Pedri, and Gavi signed new deals, Flick wants to retain the 27-year-old, too.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

Ex-Ajax man De Jong, who is getting more game time of late for Barca, will hope to start against Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday night.

Players lose 100% of their match fees for falling five overs short; Travis Head fined 15% of his match fee for use of an audible obscenity

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Dec-2021The England players have been fined 100% of their match fees, and team has also been docked five World Test Championship (WTC) points for maintaining slow over rates in the first Ashes Test in Brisbane, which Australia won by nine wickets on Saturday. Travis Head, Player of the Match for his 152 in Australia’s first innings, has also been fined 15% of his match fees for the use of an audible obscenity during the gameThe WTC playing conditions state that teams would be docked one point – and each player 20% of their match fees – for each over they fall short of after adjusting for time allowances, and David Boon, the match referee for the game, adjudicated that England had been short by five overs at the end of the match. That added up to the five points and the team’s entire match fees.Related

The problem with Ben Stokes' problem with over-rates penalties

England docked a further three WTC points for slow over rate in Brisbane

Root: 'We are not scared of a challenge'

Stats – England's win drought in Australia

Head was deemed to have used inappropriate language while batting, when he was beaten by a Ben Stokes delivery, which led to the fine and one demerit point, for Head’s first offence in a 24-month period.Head had not been part of the playing XI after the second Test against India at the start of the year, but came back strongly, hitting an aggressive 152 in Australia’s first innings, after England had been bowled out for just 147.England were better in their second innings, putting up a total of 297 built around a third-wicket partnership of 162 between Dawid Malan (82) and Joe Root (89), but another collapse left Australia with just 20 to win the Test, which they did for the loss of Alex Carey, who was opening in place of the injured David Warner.Australia now go into the second Test, scheduled to start in Adelaide on December 16, with a 1-0 lead.

The former USMNT star joined Mic'd Up to discuss the upcoming MLS season, his love of the game and U.S. World Cup dreams

The plan was for Maurice Edu to sit down with GOAL for 20 minutes to talk MLS. That's not what happened. Things snowballed quickly. That's what happens when Edu gets talking about soccer – sometimes he just gets lost in the moment.

So that 20 minutes turned into an hour and a half. Talk about MLS turned into talk about his love of Arsenal, his respect for DeMarcus Beasley and his dream of someday going to Europe and celebrating a U.S. men's national team World Cup triumph right in the faces of anyone who ever doubted.

Around the 50-minute mark, Edu finally gets to the heart of it all. He finally finds a way to explain why, after all of these years of dedicating his life to soccer, he still loves talking about this stuff so much.

"I use the word 'pure' because there isn't a better description," he says. "That's what it is. There's nothing external. You're just going and playing because you love it. You're good at it, sure, but you still get lost in the moment. When you get older, playing professionally, that still happens and you put pressure on yourself. There are more consequences, but I still love it when the game feels pure."

He felt that love as a player during a career that took him to a World Cup alongside club stops in Canada, Scotland, England and Turkey. He feels it now, too, as an analyst for MLS Season Pass on AppleTV. Edu loves watching the American game grow.

"I have to be on so often that, when I get that opportunity to just watch a game and be a fan… Man, I try as much as I can to just enjoy it," he says. "You can't ever lose that. Obviously, it's difficult but, man, when I'm calling games, if there was a camera on me, you'll see I'm still in the moment."

Edu weighed in on the upcoming MLS season, his thoughts on the league's young stars and his USMNT dreams in the latest edition of Mic'd Up, a recurring feature in which GOAL U.S. taps into the perspective of broadcasters, analysts and other pundits on the state of soccer in the U.S. and abroad.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games nowUSA Today SportsON THE MLS SEASON

GOAL: The MLS season is nearly upon us. Somehow it's felt more chaotic than usual. There have been big coaching changes, big signings and big sales. It seems that the league is a bit more open than ever. Is that how you feel about things after this offseason? What are you looking forward to seeing?

EDU: I think the biggest thing going into any season for me is who the defending champion is, and how they respond to that. That's the Galaxy, and they have a direct rival, LAFC. What's their response? You've seen a power shift in the league since LAFC's entrance where they've been top dog and have taken that market share in LA, right? During that time, the LA Galaxy were going through a rough patch. This year, the LA Galaxy climbed back and they did it in impressive fashion. I'm excited to see where the Galaxy go from here. Obviously, Riqui Puig will miss the start of the season, so how do they fill that void but, then, looking across the city, how does LAFC respond?

Inter Miami will always have a spotlight on them, and rightfully so because they have the best player that's ever played the game in Lionel Messi. They have [Javier] Mascherano as head coach now, yo. If we're talking about coaches, I'm intrigued to see how this coaching carousel plays out now that that's done. And we have some big coaches like Rony Deila in Atlanta, and he's already won an MLS Cup with NYCFC. Gregg Berhalter in Chicago, a club that needs a revival.

Bruce Arena, that's another one. He's gone to San Jose and already shaken things up. When Bruce wen to New England, they were in a similar situation where no one was talking about them. It's a tall task, but if there's someone who can do that with San Jose, you'd be a fool to bet against Bruce.

GOAL: There's just so much starpower in the league now, and it's gotten to a point where Charlotte FC can sign Wilfried Zaha and people don't even bat an eye. Signings like that would have been league-altering a decade ago and now it feels like every team can go out and do that.

EDU: I'm excited about where the league is right now. Charlotte can get Zaha and that's obviously ambitious from their standpoint as they bring in a top, top player. But last year, LAFC brought in [Olivier] Giroud and Hugo Lloris. These are World Cup winners in the league. You have the best player that's ever played the game in Messi playing with all of his boys in Miami. The league is also in a place where they're selling players, like Diego Gomez going to Brighton, right? It all speaks to the global visibility of the league. You're constantly in a shop window. The Cucho Hernandez story is incredible, too. How does Columbus replace him?

I love the fact that there are players creating a space for themselves. The conversation is just as much about foreign transfers as the American players and how they're developing and growing. For years, we've been talking about why you can't just buy a player within the league, and you're already seeing that happen, too. There's wheeling and dealing and, now, as we get to the first game of the season, we're just getting to the exciting part.

The reality is you can't sit still anymore. I keep talking about global exposure, and you don't want to be the team left sitting there while everyone else gets better. That's on-field production, fanbase, atmosphere… everything. You can't be the one team left out or sitting on your hands. It puts pressure on teams to assemble something.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesON AMERICAN SOCCER'S RISING STARS

GOAL: One thing that's always a talking point with MLS is the league's rising stars. Not long ago, you were that guy: No. 1 pick, highly-rated and, ultimately, headed to Europe. Obviously so much has changed, but when you look at the rising stars in this league, how do you assess them?

EDU: First of all, a lot has changed since my day. The opportunities have now heightened in a way that I can't describe. One, MLS as a league has grown and there's a lot more conversation and talk and eyeballs even before the Apple deal. Now, when you factor in Apple, you're in a global shop window. Every game, people can see you. Messi is here, too, so just have the attention on the league. That, in tandem with the national team having players have success in Europe, that puts a spotlight on the U.S. market. You put it all together and then fast forward to all of these massive moves and you see that there is opportunity for these young players.

It's one that, if I had it when I was a young player, I'd salivate at that. If you have success here, you're not worried about "Is a scout watching?" or "How can I make sure people see my game?" If you're doing well, you're going to be seen. It makes me excited, man. I'm excited because the level is better now. Players in this league now play at a level that better prepares them for that jump, which is a whole process because it does start from scratch when you get to Europe.

Maybe they can break into teams a little bit quicker because they've earned that. There's a little bit more respect given and more trust in our players. You still have to be ready when your name gets called, but this is a great time to be playing. Guys like Diego Luna, Jack McGlynn, Obed Vargas… these are players within the league that we've been talking about

GOAL:You moved to Europe at a young age. People don't realize how hard that is. Obviously it helps that you moved to a club like Rangers, that has everything together, but what do you remember about your decision to go to Europe and what that time period was like for you?

EDU: The biggest part that was helpful for me was that DeMarcus Beasley was there. He's a guy I knew from the national team and a guy I looked up to. He helped me so much in just settling on and off the pitch. At Toronto FC, I was one of the first names on the team sheet. I had just broken into the national team, had gone to the Olympics, so I was used to playing every game.

You go to Europe and you're not always playing and you're like, "What the hell did I sign up for?" That took a bit of time, but it was valuable to have Beas there because I could pick his brain. Nowadays, there are more resources that help make the situation smoother, but it still forces you to mature and grow. If you're a young kid, you'll have to grow up relatively quickly. It's all part of the process and it makes the journey more rewarding when you do have success.

USA Today ImagesON CAVAN SULLIVAN

GOAL: You mentioned rising stars there, so I have to ask about Cavan Sullivan. There's just so much hype and pressure, but he doesn't seem too phased by it. When he's on the field, he never looks out of place, which is a compliment to a player that's so much younger than everyone else on the field. What do you see in him and what do you make of everything that's happening with him at his age?

EDU: Cavan, to me, is like Freddy [Adu] to me when I was coming up. I remember Freddy was three years younger than me, and I remember the first time I saw him play. I never thought he was younger because everyone was like "Who is this kid?" It was ridiculous what he was doing. You see the talent there and then you start seeing that talent against grown men. Obviously there were challenges physically, but you could tell he was a footballer. I see similarities in Cavan. I don't want to put too much pressure on him and make that kind of comparison because maybe it is unfair. I want him to go down his own path, but the talent is there.

Man City recognized that and made the move. He seems to have – and top, top players have this – a persona of confidence that's borderline arrogance. He comes off the bench and he's not coming off think he needs to fit in. He plays like it's no different than the game he played just a few days ago for his MLS Next Pro team. He gets the ball and tries to do the same thing in that game with the professionals. He has no fear. I love that. He has his brother Quinn, and I think it's important for him to have someone he can trust, someone who can check you at times. That's so valuable for a young kid. This league is littered with young talent, man, and, again the opportunity is in front of them. It's enormous.

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Getty Images SportON THE USMNT

GOAL: You obviously had a big national team career and got to live those moments at the highest level. Now, you have that first-row seat to what these guys are doing now. What's it like watching the USMNT once your playing career is over? Does it feel different?

EDU: Before anything else, I was a fan. As a young kid, I wanted to play for the national team because I was a fan. When I fell in love with the sport, I had my club team I supported, Arsenal, but before anything, I was a fan of the national team watching the World Cup in 1994 and then seeing the young guys like Beas and Landon [Donovan]. I remember just thinking that I wanted to do that, to experience that. Fortunately, I was able to.

The passion, as a fan, is heightened when you wear the shirt. When you become part of it, it's a different level of pride because you feel a part of it in a different way. Now, I still feel like I'm a part of that fraternity. Guys paved the way for me, and I hope my generation paved the way for this group that is playing and doing its thing. When I watch, I'm a fan first and foremost.

I want them to have success. I want to walk around abroad wearing a Tyler Adams or Christian Pulisic or Weston McKennie or Mark McKenzie jersey and talk sh*t to someone in England or Italy or France because we just won the World Cup. That's my dream. When I watch them, I watch them through that lens because I desperately want them to be successful. I want them to fulfill that potential. I want this group to succeed and the next group and the group after that.

GOAL: Everyone on the outside always compares generations but, when you actually see guys interacting, it doesn't seem like there's any animosity or jealousy. Jozy Altidore was at USMNT camp in the fall, and so many players made sure to go show him love. That has to be special as a member of that fraternity.

EDU: I want all of the guys after me to be Hall of Famers. I want these guys to be the best we've ever seen but, at the same time, I do love the dynamic. You have to bet on yourself. If you ask me if I think my generation can beat this generation, I'll always say yes. If you ask any athlete that question, they better say that. If not, I can't trust you. They might be a better team on paper but, if you asked me when I was on Philly if we could beat Barcelona, one thousand percent they were better than us, but I'll always bet on myself.

Someday, though, the USMNT will win a World Cup and, when that moment comes, you won't be able to tell me anything at that point. I'll be all over the world celebrating.

Players’ wives and girlfriends would not be able to make the trip while broadcast crews are also an issue

AAP30-Nov-2021Perth’s hopes of hosting the fifth Ashes Test have taken another big hit after Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan reiterated his hardline stance on quarantine rules and banned players’ wives and girlfriends for the trip west.The 60,000-seat Optus Stadium is slated to host the Ashes finale from January 14. Earlier this month, McGowan said he was “very confident” the Test match would go ahead, despite it coming just five days after the conclusion of the SCG Test.At that stage, it was believed McGowan was considering relaxing the Covid-19 quarantine rules that players would have to adhere to given the Test match would be played just weeks before WA was due to throw open its borders.But in a dramatic turn over the past week, the emergence of the new Omicron variant has complicated matters.On Saturday, WA Cricket chief executive Christina Matthews said the prospect of Perth hosting the fifth Test had gone from 97 percent to 50 percent. Matthews said one of the major stumbling blocks was the sheer size of the broadcast team and the subsequent quarantine complications that would bring.Related

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Root focused on mental Ashes prep as Brisbane weather plays spoilsport

Buttler wants to be fearless in Ashes: 'I feel like I have nothing to lose'

Any chance of players being able to complete a shortened quarantine period instead of the regular 14-day stint was rejected by McGowan on Tuesday. The same hardline rules will also apply to any staff members or broadcast workers coming across.That means all members who fly to Perth will be under strict quarantine conditions throughout the entirety of the Test match – a situation that may not be feasible.”We have put in place very strict rules,” McGowan said. “So we’ve said to them, ‘you need to have 14 days quarantine’. And that has to apply to all the broadcast staff, the cricket staff.”They can’t just bring wives and girlfriends with them – same rules as we put in place for the AFL. It’s up to them whether they want to adhere to those rules or not.”The MCG is the frontrunner to host the fifth Test – possibly under lights – if Perth is stripped. But the SCG is ready and willing to host the Test if required. Tasmania have previously pushed hard to host but has a much smaller capacity.”We’ve said to Cricket Australia that we’re here to help if they need it,” NSW minister for tourism Stuart Ayres said. “I would love to see Perth host a Test match. That community over there has had to live behind a very closed border for a long time. So they deserve to have some fantastic sporting content.”But if the West Australian government doesn’t want that to happen, then NSW is ready to help Cricket Australia.”

Ipswich Town and Wolverhampton Wanderers are now the only two cursed teams in the Premier League yet to pick up a win this season, but the Tractor Boys were moments away from a rare victory over the weekend.

Jordan Ayew’s 94th-minute equaliser killed the mood around Portman Road after the Suffolk masses were sent into raptures when Leif Davis’ beautifully taken strike rippled the net, as Kieran McKenna’s underdogs continue to hunt down an elusive three points ten games into the campaign now.

McKenna will be contemplating what direction to go in with his starting lineups with Sammie Szmodics in danger of dropping out of his XI for the upcoming trip to Tottenham Hotspur in the league.

Szmodics' form this season

The world must have been expected of Szmodics when he put pen to paper on a move to the newly promoted side this summer, having just been fresh off a golden boot-winning season with Blackburn Rovers in the Championship.

That Midas touch in front of goal for the Riversiders hasn’t really been visible on his new patch yet, with the 29-year-old sharpshooter only bagging two strikes from ten top-flight contests to date at his new employers, compared next to his blistering goal-haul of 27 in the second tier.

Of course, Szmodics was the focal point of the Blackburn attack and was extremely comfortable in his role at Ewood Park, often operating as a central attacking midfield option behind the lone centre-forward.

Minutes played

74

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

20

Accurate passes

6/8

Shots

1

Big chances missed

1

Total duels won

2/6

In Suffolk, however, the Republic of Ireland international has regularly been shoehorned into his manager’s main lineup down the left wing, which has seen the once venomous forward recede into his shell and fade in and out of contests.

That was very apparent last game when Szmodics only managed 20 touches of the ball as the contest passed him by, leading to him not surviving the full 90 minutes.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The player who could replace Szmodics

The first port of call in terms of changes moving forward could be to freshen up the options on the left flank, therefore, with one face well suited to take over from the underperforming 29-year-old, having been a star for Ipswich all the way through their unbelievable rise to the top-flight.

The player in question here is Nathan Broadhead, who is yet to get going this season for McKenna’s men after suffering a hamstring injury in pre-season.

Yet, with the Ipswich number 33 now seemingly back in his manager’s plans with a spot on the substitutes bench in his team’s last three Premier League clashes, he could soon be unleashed as an attacking talent who can catch top-flight defences off-guard.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

23/24

41

13

5

22/23

20

8

6

Sourced by Transfermarkt

The Welshman was key in Ipswich managing to pull off back-to-back promotions, with 13 goals and five assists picked up from 41 games in all competitions last term, linking up well with Conor Chaplin in the process.

Chaplin has recently worked his way into McKenna’s starting XI, with the ex-Barnsley man displaying spurts of his quality during the disappointing 1-1 draw with Leicester last time out, firing three efforts at Mads Hermansen’s goal.

Chaplin is another lively member of McKenna’s camp who was instrumental in Ipswich rising up to the Premier League, having amassed the same number of goals as Broadhead last season, on top of registering nine assists.

Whilst the Ipswich boss has attempted to play Omari Hutchinson in this number ten spot, and has attempted to get the best out of Szmodics as a left winger, a back-to-basics approach might be the best way forward, which could see his trusty EFL performers in Chaplin and Broadhead link up soon in England’s top division.

McKenna must axe 20-touch Ipswich ace who was as bad as Kalvin Phillips

Ipswich Town were so close to picking up their first Premier League win of the season against Leicester City.

3 ByKelan Sarson Nov 3, 2024

Javier Mascherano confirmed some players will miss Inter Miami's MLS opener on Saturday after playing in minus-eight degrees on Wednesday evening.

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Inter Miami kick off MLS campaignLionel Messi may miss out on openerPlayed in minus-eight degrees on WednesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Miami were in action in freezing temperatures in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup against Sporting Kansas City in midweek, a game that took plenty out of their key players. Mascherano could not confirm that Lionel Messi and other stars would recover in time for the league opener with New York City FC.

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If anyone ever really questioned whether Messi could do it on a freezing Wednesday night, the midweek trip to Kansas surely answered their question. The Argentina legend scored a superb goal to inspire his side to a 1-0 victory in alien conditions, with former Barcelona team-mates Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez also playing from the start.

WHAT MASCHERANO SAID

Mascherano said: "We are prepared and above all recovering from the match on Wednesday. Everyone is not available for tomorrow. I'm not going to tell you who, I'm not going to give you clues. The majority of players are available. We're not even 48 hours away from the game we played in Kansas. Everyone saw the conditions we played in. That also requires us to wait a little longer for the players to recover. It's been an unprecedented situation for everyone."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND INTER MIAMI?

Messi has one year left on his Inter Miami contract, with the club desperate to win as much silverware as possible during his stay. The coveted MLS Cup would perhaps be top of that list, but it still seems possible he will sit out of the league opener on Saturday.

The legspinner will help cover for injuries in the bowling attack

Tristan Lavalette24-Dec-2021Two-time defending BBL champions Sydney Sixers have bolstered their shorthanded attack with the prized signing of Pakistan legspinner Shadab Khan.Shadab will be available for the remainder of the season in a timely addition for the injury-hit Sixers, who have lost offspinner Ben Manenti to a season-ending neck injury while frontliner Steve O’Keefe is currently on the sidelines with a calf strain.They have also been left depleted in the pace ranks with English import Tom Curran returning home due to a back injury while compatriot Chris Jordan’s five-match stint has come to an end. In better news, former Australia Test seamer Jackson Bird is expected to return soon and make his BBL season debut as he recovers from an Achilles injury.Renowned for his ability to wickedly turn the ball, Shadab will add dynamism and class to Sixers’ attack as they chase a historic hat-trick of BBL titles. He returns to the BBL after a brief three-match stint with Brisbane Heat in the 2017-18 season.He starred at the recent T20 World Cup with nine wickets from six games, including 4 for 26 against eventual champion Australia in the semi-finals. Shadab, however, was wicketless in his past two T20Is against West Indies earlier in the month.A handy lower-order batter, Shadab averages 18.33 with a strike rate of 136.81 from 64 T20Is and has also scored three half-centuries in his six-Test career.Shadab is the fifth Pakistani to sign in this season’s BBL and joins Melbourne Stars’ trio Haris Rauf, Syed Faridoun and Ahmad Daniyal, and Sydney Thunder’s Mohammad Hasnain.Sixers coach Greg Shipperd said the squad now boasted a trio of exciting young spinners with Lloyd Pope and Todd Murphy also part of the ranks.”All three young men are still learning their craft but have shown at various levels that they can be world class,” he said. “We welcome Shadab’s skills in all three facets of the game and can’t wait to see him get an opportunity in coming matches.”Even though they have had a horror run of injuries, Sixers sit second on the BBL ladder with their next match against crosstown rival Thunder – dubbed the ‘Sydney Smash’ – on December 26 at Sydney Showgrounds.

Wolverhampton Wanderers secured their first Premier League win of the season yesterday, defeating Southampton 2-0 at Molineux.

Goals from Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha secured the win for Gary O’Neil’s side, putting them just a point off safety after their dismal start in recent weeks.

It gives the 41-year-old an excellent platform to build from going into the third international break of the campaign, potentially being the start of a revival in the West Midlands.

There’s no denying that Brazilian attacker Cunha stole the show in the victory, with his thunderbolt securing all three points – but the same can’t be said for a variety of his teammates despite the win.

It could leave the boss with some crucial calls to make after the international break with one player doing extremely well to retain his place in the starting lineup after his display.

Mario Lemina’s stats against Southampton

Midfielder Mario Lemina started at the heart of O’Neil’s side, lining up alongside Joao Gomes and taking the armband in the process.

However, despite the faith shown in him by the Wolves boss, he was unable to produce an impressive performance, often looking lacklustre and negative in possession.

The 31-year-old Gabonese international may have registered the assist for Cunha’s goal, but it was an all-round afternoon to forget – with Andre needing to be knocking on the door for a start as a result.

Lemina only completed 16 passes at a completion rate of 76%, opting to play three long passes in the process, but was unable to find a teammate with two of those attempts.

He also was dribbled past twice, making just one interception and losing four of the seven duels he entered during the victory.

However, that being said, there was one other Wolves player who failed to impress against Russell Martin’s side – with O’Neil desperately

needing to drop the ace upon the return to action in a couple of weeks.

The Wolves ace who was worse than Lemina

Striker Jorgen Strand Larsen started his 11th consecutive Premier League match after his summer arrival on loan from Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.

He’s registered four goals so far this campaign, only being outscored by Cunha, looking to be an excellent addition and offering the outlet the club have been lacking in recent years.

However, yesterday he struggled massively during the win, featuring for 73 minutes, achieving a tally of just 15 touches – an average of one touch nearly every five minutes.

During his display, he only registered a total of six passes, committing two fouls and winning just one duel – losing a whopping 84% of the duels that he contested.

Minutes played

73

Touches

15

Passes completed

6/9 (67%)

Fouls committed

2

Duels lost

5/6 (84%)

Shots taken

1

Dribbled past

3x

As a result, the 24-year-old was awarded a 6/10 match rating by Sky Sports, the joint-lowest of any player who started the game for O’Neil’s men during the victory.

Whilst Strand Larsen has been an excellent addition since his move, yesterday was by far his worst display – often looking isolated and out of the game for large periods.

Ultimately, he will be lucky to maintain his starting role when Wolves travel to face Fulham upon the return of club football in two weeks time.

Wolves targeted “Europe's most wanted” manager, they got Lopetegui & O'Neil

Wolves almost appointed a leading manager in 2022

ByJoe Nuttall Nov 7, 2024

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke will surely be delighted with the position his team is in after 16 matches in the Championship so far this season.

Despite some bumps along the way, with five draws and two defeats, the West Yorkshire outfit are currently top of the division on goal difference, ahead of Sheffield United and Sunderland.

This comes after the Whites came out on top in a crazy game in Wales on Sunday. They went from 2-1 down at half-time to lead 3-2 against Swansea, before the hosts scored an equaliser in the 90th minute of the match.

Substitute Wilfried Gnonto then stepped up to score the winner, making it 4-3, in the 91st minute, as his shot squirmed under the goalkeeper to find the back of the net.

Farke may have wanted a calmer route to three points in Wales but it got the job done and the German boss must ensure that his side now remains consistent and maintains a place in the automatic promotion spots, in order to avoid the play-offs.

The former Norwich tactician could look to the January transfer window to bolster his squad, and one player the club could land an upgrade on is Joe Rothwell.

Joe Rothwell's performances this season

The English central midfielder was brought in on a season-long loan from Bournemouth during the summer transfer window to bolster the manager’s options in the middle of the park after Glen Kamara’s move to Rennes.

Rothwell, who helped Southampton to win promotion to the Premier League last season, came in as a depth option and has ended up being needed week-in-week-out after injuries to both Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev.

The 29-year-old dynamo has certainly not disgraced himself in midfield for Leeds, as he has helped the team to move to the top of the table whilst playing alongside Ao Tanaka.

However, the West Yorkshire outfit could, potentially, find another midfielder who can make a greater impact in and out of possession than the former Blackburn Rovers man.

Appearances

16

Goals

0

Assists

1

Big chances created

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.0

Duel success rate

50%

As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has only been directly involved in one goal in 16 league games and rarely steps in to make interventions off the ball.

The experienced midfielder has provided a metronomic presence on the ball, completing 90% of his attempted passes, but Tanaka – for example – has completed 91% of his passes and made 3.5 tackles and interceptions combined per match.

Leeds could, therefore, use the January window to upgrade their depth and bring in an upgrade on Rothwell, amid a recent report linking the club with a swoop for a Championship star.

Leeds interested in Championship star

In a recent report from The Boot Room, it was claimed that Leeds are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Josh Brownhill from Burnley when the January transfer window opens for business.

His contract with the Clarets is due to expire at the end of the current season and this means that they could be forced to consider cashing in on him in January, as they would otherwise run the risk of him leaving for nothing in the summer.

This will not be an easy deal for the Whites to pull off, however, as it was reported that Premier League teams West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Fulham are also eyeing up the English maestro.

The Boot Room added that Torino, Lazio, and Fiorentina are also interested in the 28-year-old star and are prepared to offer him a contract, as they would be able to negotiate a pre-contract deal with him in January.

Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers are also keen on the former Bristol City star but it was claimed that they may not be able to compete with the wages that could be on offer from the other clubs in the race.

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It will not be easy, given the competition for his signature, but Leeds must, now, push to secure a deal to bring Brownhill to Elland Road, as an upgrade on Rothwell, in January.

Why Leeds should sign Josh Brownhill

Firstly, the English ace is a proven Championship performer who can come in and hit the ground running, without needing a period of adaptation, as he is currently playing in the division.

Brownhill is also a player who has the potential to make the step up to the Premier League. He produced a return of four goals and two assists in 23 starts in the top-flight as Burnley were relegated last term, which suggests that the quality is there for him to make an impact in the final third as part of a better team.

This means that he could come in as an ideal signing for a team that is aiming for promotion to the Premier League, with his experience at the top two levels.

His form this season for the Clarets also suggests that he could come in as an immediate upgrade on Rothwell in the middle of the park for Farke, by offering more in and out of possession.

Appearances

16

16

Goals

5

0

Big chances created

3

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

1.0

Duels won per game

3.5

1.3

As you can see in the table above, Brownhill has offered more to his team as a scorer and a creator of goals, whilst also doing more to help his team out of possession from a defensive perspective.

These statistics suggest that the Burnley star, who was once hailed as a “fabulous” player by pundit Lee Hendrie, would come in and provide more quality on and off the ball in comparison to the current Leeds man, which is why he would be an upgrade.

That is why Leeds should now swoop to sign the 28-year-old ace, who scored seven goals and provided eight assists in the 2022/23 Championship season, when the January transfer window opens for business.

As well as Meslier: Farke must drop 6/10 Leeds star who lost the ball 19x

The Leeds United’s star produced an underwhelming performance against Swansea.

ByDan Emery Nov 25, 2024

The home side slipped to 12 for 2 after England’s captain had got their first innings close

Andrew McGlashan29-Jan-2022A stirring England fightback was halted by rain in Canberra after Heather Knight’s magnificent career-best 168 not out carried England to within 40 of Australia’s first-innings total on the third day before Katherine Brunt rattled the home side with two quick wickets.It left Australia with a precarious lead of 52 and a ball moving significantly for England’s quicks, but there was no more play after lunch as heavy rain swept through. There will be an early start on the final day with 109 overs to be bowled, but time is now running out to force a result. England are the side more desperate for the four points as they trail 4-2 overall. However, the fact they were even in such a position to consider it was down to the performance of their captain.The ninth-wicket stand between Knight and Sophie Ecclestone was extended to 100, an England record, then No. 11 Kate Cross chipped in with a useful hand until Ellyse Perry’s third wicket ended the innings.Brunt then made immediate inroads as the weather closed in. She found Alyssa Healy’s outside edge with one which bounced and moved away as the wicketkeeper bagged a pair and had Rachael Haynes taken at short leg with the penultimate delivery before rain arrived on the stroke of lunch. It took Brunt’s match haul to seven wickets and carried her to 50 overall in Test cricket.”Brunty’s having a brilliant Test and the way she bowled – the aggression, the skill – hunting Australian wickets, and to pick up those two wickets felt like we could really break the game open, try and get them out for a cheap score and set up a chase so obviously a little bit frustrating,” Knight said. “We are still holding out a little bit of hope…there’s a little bit of time left in the game so we are going to have bowl absolutely out of our skins to try and take early wickets and put the Aussies under the pump. We live in hope.”Knight, who resumed on 127, went past her previous best of 157 made in 2013 and become just the second batter to make two 150+ scores in Ashes Test after Karen Rolton. She had come out with positive intent from the start, unfurling a glorious cover drive, a hook against Perry and a slog-sweep off Jess Jonassen which took her to 150 off 274 balls.”Think it’s my best innings for England, definitely,” Knight said. “The situation we were in, in an Ashes game against probably the best team in the world, so super pleased. I felt quite rusty at the start, they bowled pretty well with the first new ball, but when you’ve played a lot of white-ball cricket and you have a red-ball moving it’s quite hard not to have a little flirt with it, and I did that a few times, but managed to get through that tricky period and when the spin came on I felt a lot more comfortable and found my rhythm.”The way Sophie batted was unbelievable, the team really need her to stand up. She’s got a really sound technique and really chuffed for her that she was able to put in that patient knock…to get us so close to the score. I was looking at a great situation being 70 or so behind, so to get to the deficit we did was a real effort.”It was a frustrating morning for Australia who had hoped to secure a far more substantial lead. When they finally bowled England out it felt a long time since there was talk of the follow-on.Ecclestone was given two lives, both by Meg Lanning at slip, the first coming in the opening over of the day and another when she had 33 but that was a tough one diving to the right. She was eventually trapped lbw by Tahlia McGrath who became the seventh bowler to take a wicket.