Douglas Luiz is on board the proverbial ship, chugging toward the westering sun and disappearing beyond the horizon. Aston Villa are resigned to selling him to Juventus, necessary to stay in line with PSR.

The Bianconeri are set to sign the Brazil international for about £17m, with Villa claiming Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior in return too.

Whether such players are makeweights or players tailored to perform prominently within Emery's vision remains to be seen but it's without question that a sense of malaise has been left lingering at Villa Park, like mist.

After qualifying for the Champions League, the hope is that the Lions will cement their newfound position of power and build for lasting success, but losing Luiz threatens to be a detrimental blow, having been described as "one of the best 6s" in English football by journalist Adam Gilk.

Whether McKennie, who was criticised for his "poor" passing and "mistimed" tackling by journalist Beren Cross during his botched loan stint with Leeds United in 2022/23, is up for the task remains to be seen. Villa might be better off looking elsewhere.

Villa lining up Premier League star

Aston Villa have been eyeing a deal for Chelsea's Conor Gallagher for several weeks but now need to further their advances with haste after an important development.

Indeed, as per The Guardian, Chelsea are considering making a U-turn and offering the Three Lions star a new contract at Stamford Bridge, despite the vested interest of Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.

Valued at £50m, Gallagher has already been the focus of recent discussions between the Blues and Villa, so the blocks are in place to make a move.

Monchi and Co just need to move the pesky PSR quandary out of the way first.

Conor Gallagher's season in numbers

From the onset of Chelsea's struggles over the past few years, one constant source of optimism has been the ever-flowing talent cascading from Cobham Academy.

Gallagher, now aged 24, has been one of the creams of that crop but now faces an untimely exit from his boyhood club as they look to fund the summer's anticipated spending. Gallagher is a homegrown product and thus would bring home pure profit if he was to be sold.

Aston Villa must pounce on the opportunity to bring him to the Midlands, especially so after losing Luiz. Across all competitions last season, he scored seven goals and added nine assists over 50 matches, but his influence stretched far further than that of goal contributions.

Hailed for bringing "balance and chemistry" to the Chelsea first team by reporter Liam Twomey, the £50k-per-week ace is the veritable lifeblood and makes such a difference to the performances of those around him.

Ranking among the top 17% of midfielders in the Premier League (2023/24) for successful take-ons and the top 20% for ball recoveries made per 90, as per FBref, Gallagher would clearly bring the energy and enthusiasm needed.

Whether signing McKennie would affect any bid for his signature is likely alarming for supporters. But would he actually be better than the Juventus star?

How Conor Gallagher compares to Weston McKennie

In a word: yes. McKennie does have his strengths and should not be defined by a short spell at Elland Road that saw him thrown into the firepit in January 2023, but he's not too dissimilar from Gallagher and the Blues man is unquestionably performing to a higher standard.

As per FBref, McKennie ranks among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 5% for clearances and the top 17% for progressive carries per 90.

He's been described in the past as "one of the best players at Juventus this year and one of the top midfielders in Serie A" by the USMNT head coach Greg Berhalter, who naturally spoke kindly of the American but not without credibility.

23/24 Stats: Conor Gallagher vs Weston McKennie
Stat	Conor Gallagher	Weston McKennie
Matches played	37	34
Matches started	37	29
Goals	5	0
Assists	7	7
Pass completion	92%	81%
Touches per game	70.4	44.9
Key passes per game	1.4	1.2
Ball recoveries per game	6.0	3.4
Tackles per game	2.3	1.4
Dribbles per game	1.0 (68%)	0.5 (38%)
Duels won per game	5.7 (50%)	3.4 (50%)
All Stats via Sofascore

The comparisons between the respective stars' campaigns speak of Gallagher's superiority in all of athletic output, ball-playing ability and defensive commitment.

For Emery's system, reliant on hard work and sharp tactical awareness, Gallagher would be the one to make the most marked impact on the squad, with one analyst even noting that he's something of a "pressing and transition monster".

McKennie's mediocre defensive metrics hardly suggest that he is indeed the suitable man to replace Luiz in the centre of the park, even if he might be considered a more dynamic and advanced player anyway – the 25-year-old featured nine times in right midfield for Juve last season.

While Boubacar Kamara offers the sound defensive skill set to allow a player such as McKennie to play with more freedom and security, Gallagher is the complete package and has proven himself in the Premier League moreover.

McKennie, conversely, flattered to deceive during his stay in England's top flight, completing just 78% of his passes and winning only 39% of his ground duels across his 16 starting appearances for Leeds, as per Sofascore.

Different circumstances; different conditions. Sure. But Gallagher is a player who could be a real difference-maker for Emery, not only filling in the Luiz-shaped hole but ensuring the club enjoy success domestically and on the continent during the forthcoming campaign.

Aston Villa must sell £25m star who earns more than Weston McKennie

He could be set for a move to Italy this summer.

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Joe Nuttall

Jun 13, 2024

No.3 has better average away from Caribbean, and believes it’s ‘about time’ he delivered

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Nov-2020Darren Bravo believes “it’s about time” he started scoring runs for West Indies again, having endured a lean patch coming into the tour of New Zealand.Bravo began the tour well, with a century in the first warm-up match against New Zealand A in Queenstown, and is expected to play a key role for West Indies in the two Test matches.”I’m at a stage where I understand my game much more,” Bravo said at a virtual media interaction in Queenstown on Sunday. “Obviously more mature and I think and stuff like that. I think it’s about time I get the runs flowing once more.”West Indies have one more three-day warm-up game before the Tests, as well as three T20Is, although Bravo is not part of that squad. His 135 was the highest individual score in the fixture against New Zealand A, which also served as a reminder of the stark difference in Bravo’s batting home and away. He has played 29 Tests at home for an average of 26.78, but when he’s not playing at home, that average shoots up to 50.39. Only one of his eight Test hundreds have been scored at home, and Bravo is hoping the trip to New Zealand for his first Test outside the Caribbean since 2016 brings about a return to form too.”I can’t really put a finger exactly on what is the reason for it [the difference in the home and away records],” he said. “But if I do have to say, there’s probably less distraction. When you’re away from home you tend to be a bit easier. Maybe conditions also help particular types of players, it all depends on your style of play. Every time I bat for West Indies I try to my utmost to perform my best, but for some reason it tends to click for me more when I’m away from the Caribbean. Hope the good fortune continues this series.”Bravo batted at No.3 against New Zealand A, the same spot he’ll bat in the Test matches too. He has played more innings at three than any other number, having made his debut at that spot too a decade ago in November 2010, but it’s not the one he would have chosen for himself.”Initially when I came into the Test team I batted at No.3. There was no opportunity to bat at No.4 with the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, so I had no choice but to go in at three,” he said. “I think I did pretty well there (he averages 40.08 at three, well above his career figure of 37.69), but if I had a choice, I would have chosen No.4. But I’m willing to do whatever it takes for the team to do well, so here it is, I’m back at No.3 again and looking forward to it.ALSO READ: Lockie Ferguson bides time as Kyle Jamieson jumps NZ’s red-ball queue”For any innings to be successful you definitely need a very good foundation. Batting at No.3 it’s important I set that foundation for the middle order, I don’t want to expose them early to the new ball. But having said that, the likes of Roston Chase and Shamarh Brooks have been playing pretty well, so I am quite confident that the guys will do well. But being a senior player, it’s important for me to set the tone and show the right example. I know some of the guys definitely look up to me as a player. Captaining Trinidad and Tobago in the four-day tournament [Bravo captained the team in the early part of 2020] sort of gave me that insight of what it takes to be a leader.”The West Indies tour of New Zealand will be among the first high-profile cricket series to allow spectators in stadiums after the Covid-19 pandemic. While acknowledging that fans in the stands added plenty to the atmosphere, Bravo said he rather preferred empty galleries when batting.”You definitely like fans out in the stadium but for me, more so when I’m batting, whether there are fans or no fans, it doesn’t really make a difference,” he said. “Actually it’s a bit easier when the fans are not there [laughs]. But it would be nice to have fans at the game, it will be tremendous.”As one of the senior members of the team, Bravo has been imparting batting tips to players, but he’s not chary about receiving advice in return, even from the younger set.”I try my utmost best to give advice as much as possible. I even take advice, even from the youngest player,” he said. “I believe when you give advice you open yourself up to the other players, that in itself gives you confidence. There will be a situation where you might need some sort of help, that very same young player or senior player can come to you and say, ‘You can probably try this.'”So all in all, communication is very important. Not just talk the talk, but also walk the walk. As a team, we have been trying to do that each step of the way. It’s going to take a little time, but I believe it’s about time that we get it right.”

The Reds presently top the table but they're now facing a rotten run of fixtures that will define their campaign

Like a lot of Liverpool fans, Jason McAteer didn't quite know what to make of last month's rout of Manchester United. He obviously enjoyed the one-sided nature of the 3-0 victory, and it felt significant too.

After all, Liverpool had dominated three games against United last season and failed to win one, with former manager Jurgen Klopp subsequently admitting that the shock FA Cup quarter-final loss at Old Trafford felt like a "catastrophe" from which his players never really recovered. So, such a dominant defeat of United looked like a serious statement of intent by Slot's Liverpool – but it was an easy win. Too easy, in fact.

"I thought it would have been a good test of Slot’s management and a good barometer to see where Liverpool were at that time of the season," former Reds midfielder McAteer told . "But I come away from the game and asked myself, 'Are Liverpool really good or are Manchester United really bad?'"

It was arguably a bit of both. It's certainly clear at this stage to everyone bar INEOS that Erik ten Hag's team are terrible and in dire need of yet another new manager, while Liverpool are top of the Premier League table, having accumulated 18 points from a possible 21.

Slot has also overseen nine wins in his first 10 games in all competitions – making this the best start by any manager in Liverpool's history. But are Liverpool "really good"? Or just beneficiaries of a seriously soft set of fixtures against substandard opposition? We're about to find out…

Getty Images SportThe seamless transition

Clearly, the seemingly effortless way in which Slot has slotted into his new surroundings shouldn't be underestimated. Taking over a top club is a tough challenge in any circumstances. Succeeding a legend, though, makes it nigh on impossible. Just look at what replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United did to David Moyes.

So for Slot to have made a record-breaking start to his tenure after claiming the throne abdicated by Klopp is truly extraordinary. Liverpool obviously did their homework on Slot. They liked his tactics, his resourcefulness and his character. They felt he'd be a good fit for the club's footballing philosophy. But not even Michael Edwards & Co. could have expected such a seamless transition.

Slot hasn't changed much, of course. A squad constructed by Klopp still bears many of the hallmarks of the German's style of play, particularly in transition. But Slot has made some significant tweaks, including using Ryan Gravenberch as a six and telling Trent Alexander-Arnold to focus more on an orthodox right-back role than serving as an auxiliary midfielder.

Liverpool's game is also far more patient and composed this season. Possession is everything, used to not only play through opponents but control and contain them. Full-throttle football has given way to a slow and steady style of play and, as the results attest, it's working wonderfully well so far.

However, while the table doesn't lie, it can sometimes mislead at this stage of the season.

AdvertisementGetty'We still have things to prove'

The Premier League fixture list was kind to Slot. It offered him a very winnable first batch of matches. And he's acknowledged that after nearly each and every single win.

“I know how good we are but we still have to prove things,” Slot said ahead of the 2-1 win over Wolves at the tail end of last month. "The fixtures that are coming after the international break are tougher fixtures than we have now."

There's absolutely no disputing that claim. Liverpool may be the current league leaders but their six victories to date have all come against teams in the bottom half of the table, including three teams that have yet to win a single game so far this season (Ipswich, Wolves and Crystal Palace).

Somewhat worryingly, they lost to the only top-half team they've faced, 10th-placed Nottingham Forest, and at home too. Granted, Liverpool had the lion's share of possession during that game at Anfield and should have been ahead before Callum Hudson-Odoi struck with 18 minutes remaining – but even the most ardent of Reds will tell you that there was an air of inevitability about that goal. The hosts had run out of ideas by the midway point of the second half and looked increasingly likely to get caught on the counter-attack.

AFPThe defensive improvement

Of course, Liverpool and Slot deserve immense credit for the way in which they responded to that setback, by beating AC Milan at San Siro three days later, which proved the catalyst for the current run of six consecutive wins in all competitions.

In total, Slot's Liverpool have scored 23 goals in all competitions and, even more significantly, conceded just four. The defensive improvement has been key to their impressive form. Liverpool were forced to play catch-up far too often last season, conceding the first goal in a staggering 16 games, and when their backline eventually fell apart, so too did their title challenge.

Liverpool's possession-orientated game, coupled with the use of a double pivot, have unquestionably eased the pressure on Virgil van Dijk & Co., with the Reds boasting the lowest expected goals against figure (5.2) in the league.

However, questions persist. Can Slot's side retain such solidity against far stronger opponents? Will Gravenberch continue to excel as a defensive midfielder? Can Ibrahima Konate stay fit and error-free? And how long before incessant contract talk becomes a distraction for not only Alexander-Arnold and Van Dijk but also star forward Mohamed Salah?

We should get some answers soon enough.

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Getty Images'The best way to judge us is in four weeks'

In a 20-day spell between now and November 9, Liverpool will face Chelsea, Arsenal, Brighton and Aston Villa in the league, as well as Brighton again in the Carabao Cup, and both RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

"We have to judge ourselves as a team after these spell of games," Slot told reporters on Friday. "Then we will know better how we act and how we perform after tough games in the league and the Champions League.

"We know how difficult it is for us. We've seen that ourselves two years ago, and again last season. The only teams that have shown that they can perform in both the Champions League and the league in the last couple of seasons are City and Arsenal. So, the best way to judge us is in four weeks."

عزز فريق ريال مدريد تقدمه بهدف ثانٍ أمام خصمه ديبورتيفو ألافيس، خلال مباراة الفريقين ببطولة الدوري الإسباني مساء اليوم السبت.

ويحل ريال مدريد ضيفًا على ديبورتيفو ألافيس، ضمن مباريات الجولة السادسة عشر لبطولة الدوري الإسباني “الليجا” لموسم 2025-2026.

وسجل البرازيلي رودريجو الهدف الثاني لصالح ريال مدريد أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس، بالدقيقة 76 من عمر اللقاء.

الهدف جاء بعد تمريرة عرضية من فينيسيوس جونيور، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى مواطنه رودريجو الذي سددها على الفور في الشباك.

وعقب الهدف بدقائق خرج رودريجو مصابًا، وبحسب ما أشارت صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية، يبدو وكأنه يعاني من ألم في عضلة الساق أو عضلة النعل.

وقام تشابي ألونسو مدرب ريال مدريد باستبدال رودريجو في الدقيقة 83 ودفع بإبراهيم دياز بديلاً له.

وكان الفرنسي كيليان مبابي سجل هدف ريال مدريد الأول في شباك ألافيس، وذلك بالدقيقة 24، وتعادل كارلوس لصالح أصحاب الأرض في الدقيقة 68. هدف رودريجو في مباراة ريال مدريد وألافيس

رودريغو يعطي التقدم لريال مدريد من جديد#الدوري_الإسباني#LaLiga pic.twitter.com/wy4xK9yzs1 — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) December 14, 2025

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers could look to use the upcoming summer transfer window, which officially opens for business on Friday, to bolster his playing squad over the coming weeks and months.

The former Leicester City boss may want to dip into the market to add more quality to his side, despite watching his men lift two trophies during the 2023/24 campaign.

Rodgers secured the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup during his first year back at Parkhead, having replaced Ange Postecoglou last summer.

The Northern Irish boss, however, may want to pursue even more trophies next term and is now reportedly looking at a centre-back to add to his options at the back.

Celtic's interest in Austrian colossus

According to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the Scottish giants have a "concrete" interest in Salernitana central defender Flavius Daniliuc, who has two years left to run on his contract with the Italian outfit.

The journalist claims that the Hoops are keen on a deal to bring the 23-year-old colossus over to Glasgow during the summer transfer window, but does not mention how much it would cost the club to get a transfer over the line.

Plettenberg adds, however, that Austrian side RB Salzburg would like to keep hold of the young titan after he enjoyed a spell on loan in his home country during the 2023/24 campaign.

This means that the Bhoys look set to face competition in the race to secure the Serie A enforcer's signature over the coming weeks and months.

Celtic's interest in signing Daniliuc should, though, come as bad news for current Hoops centre-back Maik Nawrocki ahead of next season.

Why this is bad news for Maik Nawrocki

Rodgers swooped to sign the Polish defender from Legia Warsaw for a reported fee of £4m last summer but he endured a difficult first season in Glasgow.

The 23-year-old only made ten appearances in the Premiership throughout the season, and was an unused substitute in a further nine games, as Liam Scales and Cameron Carter-Vickers were preferred ahead of him at the heart of the defence.

23/24 season	Maik Nawrocki (Premiership)	Flavius Daniluic (Bundesliga)
Appearances	10	11
Tackles per game	1.2	1.5
Interceptions per game	0.8	1.4
Ball recoveries per game	2.3	4.7
Duel success rate	57%	52%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Daniluic also outperformed Nawrocki in a number of key defensive metrics this term, whilst playing for RB Salzburg on loan during the second half of the campaign.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for the 6 foot 2 star, who was once dubbed a "Rolls Royce" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, to come in and offer more than the current Hoops defender, by making more interventions to cut out opposition attacks each game.

Irrespective of whether Daniluic would be an upgrade on Nawrocki or not, this news should still concern the Polish titan as it suggests that Rodgers wants to improve the quality of his options in his position, which is worrying when you consider that he only played ten league games amongst the current crop.

Celtic preparing approach to sign "high-class" star who could be Hart 2.0

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Dan Emery

Jun 12, 2024

The former Legia star's game time could, therefore, decrease further next term if the manager gets his wish and adds a new centre-back to the group, and that could leave the 23-year-old star to consider his short and long-term future at Parkhead.

Messi has been MLS's best player this season, but that won't guarantee success for Miami in their title hunt

There was no way Lionel Messi could miss, right? The 2016 Copa America final, 82,000 fans watching. Finally, his moment for country. Viva la Albiceleste. But as Messi stepped up against Chile, he skied his shot, sending it deep into the MetLife stands. Chile win. Messi retires (well, at least temporarily).

Of course, there was the comeback, the World Cup win, the 8th Ballon d’Or. In 2022, he completed football. That miss against Chile was rendered irrelevant, at least in the record books.

Still, there is this indisputable fact: Messi isn’t quite his usual, devastating self in knockout football. Whether it be early struggles for Barcelona, disappearing acts for PSG, or a disappointing series of showings in this year’s Copa America, Inter Miami’s main man isn’t the same unstoppable force in elimination games.

Inter Miami kickoff the 2024 MLS playoffs when they host Atlanta United Friday night, in a match that will be featured on a massive video screen in Times Square in New York. And for a Miami side looking to win its first MLS Cup, that pattern with Messi – should it continue – could be a real cause for concern.

• Getty Images
  

  The numbers

  First, the facts. It is worth mentioning, at this point, that Messi’s numbers, per game, at least, make for ridiculous reading regardless of how important any given fixture is. The Argentine does not go from dominant to irrelevant when something is on the line.

  But in league and group stage play, he averages, 0.79 goals per 90 minutes, and 1.14 goal contributions. Those are pretty much unmatched in football history (yes, Cristiano Ronaldo’s numbers are worse.)

  When survival is on the line, though, his numbers drop. Goals are at 0.64 per 90, while goal contributions are at 0.98. Context is everything, of course. Averaging one goal involvement – basically finding the net himself or providing an assist – every time he steps on the field is a simply ridiculous mark. Still, if Messi is associated with dominance (he is), then there’s certainly a bit of a change.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  The big moments

  That Copa America penalty miss lived long in the collective footballing memory. It was ammunition for trolls and haters alike, ammunition to suggest why Messi would never be as good as “big game” Ronaldo.

  And in repeated opportunities to come up with similar moments over the years for Argentina, he has frequently failed to deliver. There was the shot dragged wide in the 2014 World Cup final, a free-kick battered against the wall in the same game. In 2018, he seemed to be on the brink of magic after weaving through the France defense – but could only scuff his shot into the arms of a grateful Hugo Lloris.

  An alien became slightly above average.

  By 2018, a grim fact emerged: Messi had never scored a World Cup knockout goal. That all changed in Qatar, of course, when Messi orchestrated a World Cup win. And his performance for Barcelona in the Champions League final against Manchester United will never be forgotten.

• Getty
  

  Struggles in his latter days of club football

  Messi's time at PSG was miserable. He never settled in Paris. He never really wanted to leave Barcelona. He might have even wanted to go back – had Barca's finances been cobbled together. His two years there – from 2021-2023 – were an admittedly transitional time among stars in club football.

  Both he and Ronaldo were seeing their years at the top level come to an end, while Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland hadn't quite reached their apexes of talent. And for all the glitz and glamor of sharing a front line with Mbappe and Neymar, the onus still fell on Messi to make things happen.

  What happened, instead, was two years of bare minimums; required successes in the league, but tepid showings in both the Coupe de France and Champions League saw the Parisian hopes of European glory fall awry. The first campaign, PSG were eliminated by a signature bout of Real Madrid voodoo – Messi didn't score in either leg. In his second, the Parisians were shut out, battered 3-0 by Bayern Munich.

  There were broader tactical issues at play. To accommodate for the space Mbappe needed to run into, Messi dropped far too deep – routinely avoiding the attacking areas in which he would normally thrive. In transition, both sides simply played through him.

  Perhaps some of the blame can be pinned on managers for not making it work. Mbappe, too, didn't make it easy on Messi. Still, in the biggest games, the GOAT seemingly disappeared.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Copa America warning signs

  That changed, in some respects, with Leagues Cup last year. Messi carried Miami through the competition, starting with a last minute free-kick in his debut to a curler in the final. Yes, others chipped in, but those few weeks in the middle of the MLS campaign marked his arrival in style.

  For Argentina, a year later, familiar struggles returned. Perhaps it was the lingering effects of calf injuries that had limited him the season before. Maybe he was just tired. Either way, Messi endured a miserable month for his national team.

  In five appearances, he scored one and set up one – far from his usual return (a Copa America team of the tournament selection was generous.) He was anonymous in the knockout stages – save for a deflected effort against Canada that handed his side a narrow win. And perhaps most tellingly, the penalty curse reared it ugly head, Messi's penalty shootout effort clipping off the bar and into the stands. Emi Martinez bailed Argentina out in the end, but a Messi miss almost proved costly.

  Throw in a nasty high-ankle sprain sustained the Copa America final, and the Argentina magic seemed to have disappeared, just 18 months after leading the Albiceleste to World Cup glory in Qatar.

Having failed to earn promotion to the Premier League, Leeds United are reportedly set to pay the price with European giants lining up to sign one of Daniel Farke's best players.

Leeds transfer news

A second consecutive season in the Championship was always going to act as a major blow at Elland Road, but the Yorkshire club have not been helped by their need to sell players this summer in order to comply with profit and sustainability rules in the Championship. This has already seen the Championship's Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville linked with a move away and others could soon follow.

The Dutchman enjoyed an outstanding campaign last time out and is undoubtedly Premier League-ready. With reported interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United, Summerville may yet have the opportunity to complete his top-flight return by using an alternative route to the Wembley option that Leeds failed to take hold of.

The winger's exit would be a major blow, but he's reportedly not the only one potentially heading for the Elland Road exit door this summer. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, RB Leipzig want to sign Archie Gray in a deal that could eventually rise to £50m this summer, but are joined in their interest by Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and other European giants.

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Of course, the advantage that Leipzig have is that Red Bull have just bought a minority stake in Leeds, meaning that they could now use their links to deal their new acquisition an instant blow in quite the twist. Gray became the youngest player in Leeds' history to appear at Wembley in the play-off final in the latest achievement on his path seemingly destined for greatness.

This claim emerged before news broke of Brentford reportedly agreeing terms with Gray, with the Bees now firmly in the driving seat with regard to his immediate future. Of course, this is still a blow to Leeds, not least as they are only set to receive £35m as opposed to £50m, while should his move to west London fall through, there will be a number of clubs in the queue to grab a player clearly available for sale.

"Crucial" Gray is destined for the top

At just 18 years old, Gray slotted into Farke's side out of position at right-back and barely missed a beat. a midfielder by trade, the Leeds academy graduate has more than earned the interest of Leipzig, Bayern and other top European sides this summer and Leeds could be left with no choice but to sanction a deal to comply with PSR rules.

In an ideal world, they'll keep hold of their star prospect, but if he does move on to such clubs, there may well be a sense of pride hidden somewhere beneath initial disappointment that one of their very own is onto great things.

Farke, of course, would be among those sharing that mixed feeling, having praised Gray in abundance last season. He told Leeds Live: "For Archie, it's definitely not a bad choice at times. We don't play him there just to develop him, it's more we've got the feeling for this game, we need a player there who is capable to handle the pace and the speed and the mobility of the opponent's wingers.

"Also to play a bit more like an inverted full-back, a bit more like a traditional midfield player, Archie would have been the right choice. Thank God he repaid my trust and played some really good games there. He was fantastic in the last home game, solid last away game and he was crucial, especially in the second half."

Tottenham have now opened talks with a Euro 2024 star, via his reps, and could hijack a major European club's move for him as a result.

Spurs targeting new defender after Postecoglou's admission

The north Londoners also completed a deal for Romania international Radu Dragusin for around £25 million in January, but there is a real belief that Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new centre-backs.

£113,000-per-week World Cup winner holds talks to join Ange at Tottenham

He’s a pretty big name.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2024

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were indomitable at times over 2023/2024, forming a crucial partnership at the heart of Postecoglou's backline, and the former's searing pace is a crucial component of the Australian's high line.

However, when either of the defenders are absent or injured, Spurs can seriously struggle. Dragusin's arrival worked wonders to provide Postecoglou with an alternative option, with the 22-year-old's presence even allowing van de Ven to cover for Destiny Udogie at left-back towards the end of last season.

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

Micky van de Ven

6.79

Destiny Udogie

6.71

Ben Davies

6.62

Despite the signing of Dragusin, though, it is believed Tottenham are still looking at bringing in another centre-half this summer. The Lilywhites head coach, speaking back in March, even admitted that it is one of their transfer aims.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have displayed a keen interest in Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori as one potential target, with DAZN (via Il Bianconero) sharing an update on their pursuit of the Euro 2024 ace.

Tottenham open talks for Calafiori and could hijack Juventus

The broadcaster claims Tottenham have spoken with Calafiori's reps and contact has been made with Bologna, as they look to beat Juventus in the race for his signature.

The Italy international, who was praised for his performance against Albania in their opening group game of the tournament, is rumoured to command a price tag as high as £42 million following his excellent Serie A campaign.

It looks as if Calafiori could be at the centre of a tug-of-war between Juve and Spurs, especially if he continues to impress at the Euros.

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes," said Italian World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta on Calafiori's outing against Albania.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things yesterday.”

Celtic are yet to make their first signing of the summer transfer window but still have just under two months left to do any incoming business they want to do.

The Hoops won the domestic double, lifting the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup, during the 2023/24 campaign and could still look to improve their squad to secure more silverware next term.

A new number one is on the agenda for the Bhoys after Joe Hart's retirement, with Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic linked with moves to Parkhead to be Brendan Rodgers' first-choice.

There could also be some changes in the backline for the Scottish giants as the Northern Irish boss could shake up his central defender options.

Celtic's possible centre-back shuffle

Football Insider recently reported that Sweden international Gustaf Lagerbielke is poised to move on from Parkhead before the end of the window.

The outlet did not reveal, however, any current interest from teams or how much the Hoops would be prepared to sell him for, after paying £3m to sign the defender from Elfsborg last summer.

Celtic could ruthlessly ditch the Swedish dud over the coming weeks by securing a deal to sign an impressive free agent as his replacement.

The Daily Record have claimed that Scotland international Scott McKenna has been on Rodgers' radar for a 'long' time, which suggests that he may be a target for the club this month if they are in need of a centre-back.

Signing the left-footed titan would then free up the club to cash in on Lagerbielke, as they would have a central defender in the building to keep them covered in that position.

Why Scott McKenna would be a good signing for Celtic

Celtic should swoop to sign McKenna as he is an experienced and reliable centre-back who would also offer natural balance on the left side.

Liam Scales is the club's only naturally left-footed centre-back, with Stephen Welsh, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Lagerbielke, and Maik Naworcki all being naturally right-footed.

This means that the Scottish colossus could come in and provide Scales with competition for his place with his ability to play out from the back on his favoured foot.

Appearances

13

Pass accuracy

90%

Duel success rate

58%

Aerial duel success rate

65%

Error led to shot/goal

0

Penalties committed

0

As you can see in the table above, McKenna caught the eye during his loan spell with Kobenhavn during the second half of last season, as he completed a high percentage of his passes and was dominant in duels without making any major errors.

The 27-year-old titan, who was once dubbed "dominant" by analyst Chris Kearney, completed a higher percentage of his passes than Lagerbielke did (85%) in his seven outings in the Premiership.

Perhaps the 24-year-old dud's passing was an issue for Rodgers, hence his lack of game time, but that should not have come as a surprise after he completed 81% of his passes in the Swedish top-flight in 2023, which shows that he gifts the ball back to the opposition far more regularly than the Scottish enforcer.

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The Scottish giants are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the impressive youngster.

ByDan Emery Jul 1, 2024

McKenna, therefore, could now come in as a free agent and offer reliability in possession and a natural left-footed option to play next to one of the right-footed defenders, which is why he could be a fantastic bargain signing to allow the club to brutally ditch Lagerbielke.

Half-centuries from Ajinkya Rahane and Shikhar Dhawan ensured the Delhi Capitals finished second on the IPL 2020 points table as they beat the Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets in Abu Dhabi. They will now face the table toppers, the Mumbai Indians, in the first qualifier in Dubai on Thursday.While they lost, the Royal Challengers also sealed a playoff spot by taking the game deep enough to ensure their net run rate stayed above that of the Kolkata Knight Riders, who are currently fourth.After being put in, the Royal Challengers innings never really hit the top gear despite Devdutt Padikkal’s half-century and AB de Villiers’ 35 off 21 balls towards the end. Whenever the Royal Challengers tried to break free, they were pegged back by a wicket or two. As a result, they could manage only 152 for 7. Anrich Nortje was the most successful bowler for the Capitals, picking up 3 for 33.Defending 152, especially without Navdeep Saini who missed out because of his hand injury, was always going to be a tough ask. Once Dhawan and Rahane put the Capitals on the victory path, the next number the Royal Challengers had in mind was 17.3. They needed to stretch the game at least till 17.3 overs to ensure their net run rate stayed above the Kolkata Knight Riders’. Despite the dew, the Royal Challengers spinners – Shahbaz Ahmed, Washington Sundar and Yuzvendra Chahal – stepped up and made sure the Capitals reached their target only in 19 overs.Rabada gets his first powerplay wicket in a quiet startThe Capitals bowlers did well to keep Padikkal and Josh Philippe quiet at the start. It’s not that the two didn’t show any intent; Philippe, in particular, played many a pull and drive but struggled with timing and placement. With just 25 on the board at the end of the fourth over, Philippe tried to loft Kagiso Rabada inside-out but failed to middle it. Prithvi Shaw back-tracked at cover to cling on to the chance, giving Rabada his first wicket in the powerplay this season.Padikkal, though, didn’t miss out whenever an opportunity presented itself, mostly in the form of a short and wide delivery outside off. He was quick to deploy drive, chip, cut or late cut to find the square boundary. But once the field was spread out, R Ashwin and Axar Patel varied their pace intelligently to strangle the Royal Challengers. Virat Kohli tried to take on Patel. Using his feet, Kohli tried to loft him over long-on but the ball hit the inner half of the bat. However, Nortje lost footing while taking the catch and the ball popped out of his hands.Capitals thwart Royal Challengers’ attempt to accelerateWith the Royal Challengers on 60 for 1 after ten overs, Kohli tried to cut loose. He started with driving Rabada over extra cover before clearing long-on against Patel. But his charge was cut short by someone who had never dismissed him in T20s before today. Ashwin got Kohli out for the first time in 20 innings as he failed to clear deep midwicket.R Ashwin finally gets Virat Kohli out in T20s•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Padikkal too struggled after his initial burst. From being 21 off 14 balls at the end of the powerplay, he managed only 29 in the next 27 balls. He brought up his fifth half-century of the season – off 40 balls – but fell on the next ball to Nortje. The Royal Challengers promoted Chris Morris but he too departed in the same over. de Villiers and Shivam Dube got a few in their slot and added 33 in 18 balls to ensure the Royal Challengers crossed 150.Dhawan gets Capitals off to quick startAfter fetching two ducks in his last two innings, Dhawan was welcomed with a low full toss from Morris, which the batsman dispatched through covers. Two balls later, Morris overpitched again and Dhawan drove it through covers. In the next over, Shaw too hit Mohammad Siraj for a couple of fours before the bowler straightened one off the seam to beat the outside edge to hit the off stump.The wicket didn’t deter Dhawan who kept finding boundaries from the other end. After a slow start, Rahane too hit his stride and the two took the side to 53 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Kohli brought on the spinners to stem the flow of runs. While there was little turn on offer, the move worked as the Capitals managed only two fours from overs 7 to 11. Still, both Dhawan and Rahane brought up their fifties in 37 balls to keep the Capitals ahead of the asking rate.Spinners save the day for Royal ChallengersWith their 88-run stand for the second wicket, Dhawan and Rahane had brought down the equation to 46 required from 45 balls when the former lapped Ahmed to short fine leg. Two overs later, Shreyas Iyer too holed out against Ahmed, while Sundar got Rahane on the second ball of the 18th over. After Dhawan’s dismissal in the 13th over, the Capitals failed to hit a single boundary until the 19th as Ahmed, Sundar and Chahal combined to concede only 79 in 12 overs while picking up three wickets. That enabled the Royal Challengers to sneak into the playoffs even though they couldn’t stop the Capitals’ victory march.