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Leeds United will have been bitterly disappointed with how their 2023/24 season ended, as Southampton picked up a slim 1-0 win in the Championship play-off final to deny the Whites an immediate re-entry to the Premier League.

Russell Martin's Saints really showed the huge importance of having a potent centre-forward in your ranks to finish off golden opportunities in the one-off Wembley clash, as Adam Armstrong tucked home a rare Southampton chance on the day which ended up winning the tense contest.

Daniel Farke's men were visibly distraught on the pitch after, knowing now that they won't want to feel that gutting feeling again anytime soon, with striker reinforcements now being reportedly targeted to strengthen ahead another promotion push.

Leeds looking at Euros ace

According to football journalist Ben Jacobs, whilst writing for GIVEMESPORT, Serbian striker Petar Ratkov, who is with his nation at the Euros in Germany, could be on the move this summer from his current employers Red Bull Salzburg.

The 20-year-old attacker has attracted the interest of Leeds as a result, as per Jacobs' report, with Farke potentially viewing the exciting Salzburg man as a successor to an ageing Patrick Bamford, who struggled for goals and fitness towards the back-end of last campaign.

Rangers and RB Leipzig are also noted as interested parties alongside the Championship outfit, with the Glasgow-based giants actually missing out on his services 12 months ago, before Ratkov's move to Austria from his native Serbia.

Acting as an understudy to both Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic on the international stage, Ratkov – who was purchased for £4m just last summer – will strive to become Leeds' main man up top if he secures a move to West Yorkshire soon, with Bamford pushed way down the pecking order subsequently, and even potentially out of the door.

What Raktov could offer Leeds

Whilst the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter stole the show for Leeds on a regular basis last campaign, there was still a lack of an out-and-out potent striker up top finishing off chances, to complement the trickery of the other Whites forward players.

That's where the 20-year-old attacker will hope he can plug a gap as a result, after a promising debut season in Austria saw him net six goals from 35 games in total, after ending his long association with FK TSC Backa Topola with 14 strikes from 46 clashes, before bowing out.

23/24

35

6

3

22/23

46

14

5

21/22

36

6

1

20/21

15

5

0

Ratkov's 14 strikes during his final season playing in Serbia will have piqued Leeds' interest, on top of his promising numbers playing for Salzburg, knowing they will have to find a Bamford replacement soon, with 30-year-old's injury record still troubling those in West Yorkshire, on top of his inconsistent form in-front of goal.

The long-standing Whites servant would help himself to nine goals in all competitions last season, but all of his eight second-tier strikes came in 2024, after a barren patch had irked Leeds supporters in the first half of the campaign.

Leeds will be tempted to gamble on signing Ratkov, therefore, to give the side an injection of something raw and fresh, away from relying on an injury-prone striker to deliver the goods, who was missing for all of his team's play-off clashes, to the detriment of Farke's men.

Tipped to be the next Haaland, who was once a wide-eyed attacker himself on the books at Ratkov's Salzburg, Leeds will further hope their new Red Bull connections will swing this transfer battle in their favour, as a promotion-winning squad looks to be assembled, from the ashes of last season's heartbreak.

He could leave: Leeds facing Leif Davis repeat if "outstanding" ace exits

Leeds United will hope they don’t repeat their Leif Davis errors with this summer sale.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 18, 2024

One of the most enticing discussions in English football is which club, including Newcastle United, have the best academy. Newcastle have produced some impressive players in recent years, most recently young Lewis Miley who broke into the Magpies' starting eleven last season and has since become a prominent feature in their team.

Manchester United and Arsenal are two of the favourites to take this particular crown. The Red Devils have produced some legendary players over the years, from the Busby Babes to the Class of ‘92. Nowadays, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo are representing Carrington at the moment.

For Arsenal, their famous Hale End academy is represented by the likes of Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe., with the likes of Reiss Nelson also involved in the Gunners squad last season.

Chelsea are another side who have a prominent academy in England. Cobham has produced some iconic players too, and they had several academy graduates in their Champions League-winning side of 2021, including Tammy Abraham and Mason Mount.

Now, with the transfer window here, one of those players in that famous Chelsea side has been linked with Newcastle in recent days, and they could look to bring him in to strengthen their side ahead of next season.

Newcastle target Serie A defender

The Cobham academy graduate in question here is Fikayo Tomori, who is now playing at Italian giants AC Milan. The England international left Chelsea in 2021 for Milan, but could now make a return to the Premier League by joining Newcastle.

According to a report from The Guardian, 'contact has been made with Milan' for a potential deal to bring Tomori to St James’ Park this summer, but it is not yet clear if a deal will be struck between the two sides.

The report stats that Milan are looking for a fee of more than £40m to consider selling the English centre-back. They explain that, at this stage, it is 'unclear whether a compromise can be reached', although interest from Newcastle is certainly there.

That £40m figure would be one Milan are no doubt keen to hit to ensure they make a profit on any potential deal for Tomori. They paid Chelsea £25m to acquire his services three years ago, after a loan spell, meaning that they would make a healthy profit on the player if they make £40m or more on him.

How Tomori would fit in at Newcastle

Despite missing a fair chunk of the season due to a hamstring injury, Tomori featured 26 times in Serie A for Milan last season, chipping in with four goals. He helped to keep an impressive seven clean sheets out of Milan’s 13 in that time, too, as per Sofascore.

Number of clean sheets

Club

21

Inter

18

Torino

17

Juventus, Bologna

15

Atalanta

13

Milan, Lazio

Football journalist Matteo Bonetti described Tomori as “masterful” in December 2023, praising him for the way he was seen “commanding the back line” for the Rossoneri, and this is certainly reflected in his stats.

One thing that stands out about Tomori’s game is his ball-carrying ability. The 26-year-old was statistically one of the best ball-carrying defenders in Serie A last season as per FBref, averaging 1.50 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which ranked him in the top 16%. The defender also averaged 3.00 final third carries, elite numbers which place him in the top 1% of Serie A defenders.

Not only that, the Canadian-born defender is very imposing in the air, standing at 6 foot. On average last season, Tomori won three aerial duels per 90 minutes, which gave him an average win rate of 75%.

Tomori could pair well with one of Eddie Howe’s first-choice defenders, Sven Botman. The Dutchman has been out injured with an anterior cruciate ligament injury twice, and will not return until October 2024. However, the 24-year-old could strike a good partnership with Tomori when he is fit from his injury.

Firstly, the pair would complement each other well given Botman is left-footed and Tomori right-footed. On the ball, as per Sofascore, the Dutchman is very composed, and averages a 91% pass accuracy per game, completing 54.1 passes. Having two defenders who are very composed on the ball, with different strengths, would really enhance the quality of Newcastle’s back four.

He is also a great recovery defender, with his large stride helping him to cover ground quickly. Botman averages 4.1 ball recoveries per game, as well as averaging 3.1 clearances. He also excels in the air winning two aerial duels each game on average last season.

There is little doubt that Tomori would be a good addition to the squad at St James’ Park. In the modern market, £40m is not too unreasonable, and he would bring great quality to Newcastle’s defence.

Newcastle plotting offer for £25m "hero" who can unlock Bruno

He could leave his current club this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Jun 27, 2024

Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor has explained why Lauren James missed the Blues’ Women’s Champions League clash with FC Twente.

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England forward was named in starting XIFailed to make kick-off & had to be replacedInjury will be assessed over coming daysFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The England international forward was initially named in Bompastor’s starting XI, but was replaced by Johanna Rytting Kaneryd before a ball was kicked in anger. An untimely injury prevented James from figuring in elite European competition.

AdvertisementWHAT BOMPASTOR SAID

Bompastor has revealed the nature of that ailment, telling reporters when asked for an update on James: "In the last moment of the warm-up she felt something in her foot. At the moment it’s too early for me to say something else about LJ. We will have to assess her in London and see how she feels."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite being without Lionesses star James, Chelsea claimed a 3-1 win over Twente courtesy of goals from Aggie Beever-Jones, Maika Hamano and Guro Reiten. Bompastor said of being able to shuffle her pack and take advantage of squad depth: "I’m really happy with the first half. We started the game strongly. We were efficient being able to score really quickly. We saw some good movement from the players. For me, we just got the three points which is really important. We are top now which is the main goal.

"Also, we had the opportunity to rotate and manage some players. Some players could rest in preparation for the game on Sunday. It just shows how much quality there is in the group, and also how much I trust everyone in the group. Some of them were able to start and play 90 minutes in the Champions League. It’s good to have the quality in the group to make sure we can rotate and play every single game with a lot of competition."

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WHAT NEXT?

Reigning WSL champions Chelsea – who have been faultless through three domestic fixtures this season, picking up nine points and scoring 10 goals – will be back in action on Sunday when playing host to London neighbours Tottenham.

30% of recreational players in England and Wales are British Asian, but only 5% of professionals

George Dobell24-Nov-2020A new scheme which aims to encourage more players of Asian origin into professional cricket in England and Wales has been set up.The South Asian Cricket Association (SACA) will offer bursaries, education opportunities and coaching aimed at helping British Asian cricketers between the ages of 18 and 24 pursue a career in county cricket. Former England seamer Kabir Ali is among the directors, while Wasim Khan, the PCB’s CEO, Isa Guha, the former England swing bowler and current broadcaster, and Preet Kaur Gill MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for International Development, are among the patrons. Ambassadors include Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood.While there are already schemes aimed at encouraging players from the South Asian community – most notably, the ECB’s South Asian Action Plan (SAAP) – they are primarily aimed at boosting participation levels. The premise of SACA is built on the understanding that there are few problems at participation level – 30% of recreational cricketers in England and Wales are classified as ‘British Asian’ – but the figure drops alarmingly to around 5% when it comes to men’s professional cricket.

16 – White British players are 16 times more likely to convert to professional status than British South Asian players
22 – Privately-educated students are up to 22 times more likely to convert to professional status than state-educated students (excluding scholarship students)
62% – Percentage of contracted players released before the age of 25
89% – Percentage of regions in England where British South Asians are over-represented at U10-19 level but under-represented at professional level

Research also suggests that, while British Asian cricketers account for 15.5% of the numbers on the ECB’s talent pathway at the Under-10 to Under-15 levels, this figure drops to 12.9% at U16-U19 levels. And the situation is worsening: in 2014, there were 30 British Asian cricketers within the professional county game, but there were only 22 in 2020.ALSO READ: Surrey’s ACE Programme launches as charity after funding boostTo counter this trend, SACA aims to select a squad of around 16 players during the summer of 2021. To do this, they will consult with academy coaches across the land, stage a series of trial games and hold interviews.Those players will then be offered individual training programmes, including strength and conditioning and dietary advice, aimed at helping them find a pathway into the professional game. They will also receive educational opportunities with a view to providing them with employment options once their playing days have ended. The squad will play competitive matches against county second teams and the National Counties (formerly minor counties).By overcoming some of the obstacles which are routinely reported to inhibit their progress, SACA aims to increase the percentage of British Asian players within the professional game to 8% by the end of 2024 and 15% by the end of 2027. The scheme also aims to see 10% of coaches coming from the British Asian community by the end of 2027.The ECB has not yet pledged any funding, though it is understood a presentation was favourably received by Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, in recent days. SACA is understood to be close to naming a partnership with a major university and has some private investment and donations in place.The scheme is based upon the PhD research of Tom Brown, a pathway coach at Warwickshire, at Birmingham City University.

The left-handed opener leads the LPL run charts by 173 runs

Andrew Fidel Fernando12-Dec-2020Danushka Gunathilaka’s Lanka Premier League form has been astounding. In eight innings, his lowest score was 30 not out off 15 balls, in a rain-shortened match. In the remaining seven innings, he has passed fifty four times, and eclipsed 80 twice. He averages 77 and is the tournament’s highest run-scorer by a mammoth 173 runs, which means his tally of 462 is a 60% improvement on that of the next-best batsman.Captain Bhanuka Rajapaksa was full of praise, ahead of Gladiators’ semi-final against Colombo Kings on Sunday.”I’ve never seen a player being so consistent throughout a T20 tournament. He’s been a big plus point for us. He was the lone fighter from the batting department who took us into the semi-final. He’s also been a finisher for us in the last two games. He’s given the whole batting unit confidence. We have big hopes for him in the semi-final, and may he continue his good work.”Gunathilaka’s flood of runs also hasn’t come at the cost of a strong strike rate. But although his strike rate of 145 is impressive, there is a quirk to these stats – he has struck only eight sixes to his 64 fours. Each of the next three batsmen on the run-scorer’s list have hit 14 or more sixes. Meanwhile, only one batsman in the whole tournament has hit even half of the number of fours Gunathilaka has managed.Gunathilaka is generally an effortless hitter of sixes, but said that he made a conscious effort to keep the ball on the ground through the LPL.”I think from ground to ground you have to change the way you play as a batsman, and everyone must have seen that on this ground, the outfield is incredibly fast – I knew that as soon as I watched the first match,” Gunathilaka said. “The moment you hit the ball in the gap it travels very quickly. So I thought that rather than trying to hit sixes, I can reduce the risks I’m taking by hitting the ball along the ground. There are a lot of fours on offer when the ground is this hard.”While Gunathilaka has almost certainly been the player of the tournament so far, his team had struggled badly for most of it. Gladiators lost each of their first five matches, before finally getting themselves on the points table with a victory over one of the tournament favourites – Colombo. They’ve since been more competitive, sneaking into the semi-final on the back of a strong win over Kandy Tuskers in what was essentially a quarter-final. It had been their fielding that had let them down, before the win against the Kings, Gunathilaka said.”We thought that at some point our middle order will come right, but then I felt that the major problem was our fielding. There was not enough effort. I thought we were giving an extra 20 runs in each of the first four matches. So we thought we had to field well first, before anything. And that’s what changed in the match against Colombo Kings. We took our catches and our ground fielding was good. We won that match with our fielding. I think across the tournament, a few teams have lost matches with their fielding, and we’re trying to catch up.”

With the Premier League's deadline to stay within profit and sustainability rules now passed, Newcastle United are reportedly confident of agreeing a new deal with one of Eddie Howe's standout stars.

Newcastle transfer news

There was a brief moment of panic at St James' Park when Newcastle got to the 30th June deadline still needing to sell players, leading to rumours over a potential deal to sell Anthony Gordon to Liverpool. Ultimately, a deal was never agreed with the Merseyside club, with Newcastle bailed out by the sales of Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson.

The Magpies can now finally look ahead this summer in their pursuit of putting together a squad capable of making a return to European football following last season's disappointment. Among those linked with a move on that front have been Arthur Melo and Malick Thiaw, but it could be the Magpies' internal business that stands out the most in the coming months.

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are now confident of agreeing a deal with Alexander Isak. The Swede's current deal doesn't run out until 2028, but with Chelsea reportedly interested in his signature in recent months, those at St James' Park want to secure his future as soon as possible by rewarding him with fresh terms.

Newcastle join interested parties for "great" £60k-p/w Euro 2024 goalscorer

He was a standout for his country at the Euros…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 7, 2024

Isak has consistently reiterated his desire to stay put on Tyneside even as Chelsea's interest emerged, telling Swedish outlet Fotbollskanalen (via The Athletic): "I am enjoying myself at Newcastle, and I had the best season in my career — that should not be underestimated. I love everything about the club; the fans, and the city. It [my future] is not something I will speculate about, I have no thoughts on leaving."

"Excellent" Isak is one of Premier League's best

There's no doubt that Isak could walk into almost any team in European football after the season he had last time out, which makes his loyalty to Newcastle all the more important for the Magpies. He has risen to become one of the Premier League's best strikers since arriving from Real Sociedad to more than prove his reported £63m worth at St James' Park.

Erling Haaland

27

Cole Palmer

22

Alexander Isak

21

Ollie Watkins

19

Phil Foden

19

It's a rise that Howe saw from the very start, having said via BBC Sport after Isak scored on his Newcastle debut against Liverpool in September 2022: "The players have taken to him. He's quite quiet and he's going about his business in a professional way – he's very focused.

"He's asking questions about how we want to play and what's required of him – he's been excellent. I think that showed in his performance on Wednesday. It was one of really good tactical understanding. In a very short time, he delivered what we wanted him to do. He showed his ability and the second goal that wasn't given especially was incredible."