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Some Wolves fans have been left reacting as a transfer update emerged on Rafael Leao.

As per MilanNews.it, the striker will not be sold by AC Milan before the summer window shuts.

Leao has reportedly been linked with a potential move to the Midlands club throughout the window, but it looks now as if any deal is off the cards.

It has been seen as a blessing in disguise by some members of the Molineux faithful, given that he only managed to score a mere seven goals in 40 matches in all competitions over the course of the 2020/21 term (Transfermarkt), and has also been criticised for his attitude when on the pitch.

Bruno Lage also has the likes of Raul Jimenez, Fabio Silva and Rafa Mir currently in his squad as options up top, and so they should really be focusing on strengthening in other positions.

Wolves fans on Leao transfer update

These WWFC supporters gave their reactions as the transfer update was shared on Twitter:

“Kind of happy about this just so we can focus on signing players in the midfield or defence”

Credit: @Millenwwfc

“Good, we don’t need another winger! We need a CM!! #wwfc”

Credit: @CallumONeill93

“We don’t need him anyway”

Credit: @Dreapers03

“I’m glad he’s not leaving Milan. He sucks big time. Very lazy player”

Credit: @pcaseiro

“Good sign Matthew Hoppe”

Credit: @capzwwfc

“Good now sign Palhinha”

Credit: @wwfcglover

In other news, find out whose Olympics performance has been lauded by Wanderers here!

Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Mikkel Damsgaard this summer, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Italian newspaper La Repubblica claim (via Tuttomercatoweb) that the Premier League side have accelerated their interest in the Sampdoria attacking midfielder.

It’s thought that Spurs have now overtaken other suitors, with sporting director Fabio Paratici prepared to offer a bid of €25m (£21.5m).

European giants Barcelona and AC Milan have been mooted with a move for the 21-year-old gem in recent months, as per Goal, but now it appears as if the Lilywhites have nudged one step closer to winning the tussle.

Bye-bye Moura

Nuno Santo has some interesting choices to make in the wing department.

It’s believed that Erik Lamela is closing in on a switch to Sevilla, in which Spurs will receive Bryan Gil in a swap, and the outgoings may not stop there as Lucas Moura is another name that the club are reportedly prepared to offload.

“They have put Lamela on the market and Lucas Moura on the market hoping to receive transfer fees and reduce their wage bill,” claimed journalist Duncan Castles on ‘The Transfer Window’ podcast.

Replacing an injury-prone 29-year-old with one of Spain’s top young prospects, and an inconsistent 28-year-old with a highly-rated 21-year-old, could be very smart business indeed.

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It’s no wonder former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was keen to sign him and it’s no wonder the former Juventus supremo feels the same way. Damsgaard could be a real star of the future and we got a glimpse of that at Euro 2020, as he rifled home a scorching strike against Russia to help Denmark qualify for the knockout stages.

The £18m-rated dynamo can play anywhere behind the striker and offers a mix of electrifying pace and phenomenal work rate, that much was displayed throughout his domestic campaign.

As per WhoScored, Damsgaard delivered two goals and four assists last term, whilst also averaging 1.5 dribbles and 1.2 tackles per game, proving to be quite the threat under former Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri, who dubbed him a “child prodigy” to reporters at one point.

His playing style has been likened to Danish great Michael Laudrup and TV2’s football expert Martin Mikkelsen described him as “magical”.

By comparison, Moura struggled to match such returns, managing only 1.1 dribbles and 1.1 tackles per game in the Premier League last term, via WhoScored.

On the above evidence, Paratici must look to seal a move for the young Sampdoria sensation. He and Gil could be one hell of a duo for years to come, and it’s that sort of forward planning which could get Spurs back on top.

AND in other news, Nuno set for Hotspur Way boost as Alasdair Gold drops exciting claim…

A round-up of the County Championship action on July 19, 2008

Cricinfo staff19-Jul-2008Durham moved to the top of the table with a ten-wicket win over Surrey at a blustery Guildford. Surrey appeared to be well on course towards batting their way to a draw as they reached 261 for 3, but with lunch in sight Usman Afzal was caught behind cutting for 73, ending a fourth-wicket stand of 135 with Jon Batty (50). It was downhill all the way from then on as their last seven wickets fell for 62, with Steve Harmison cutting through the tail with 3 for 10 in 13 balls. Set 134 in 45 overs, Durham wasted no time as Mark Stoneman (60*) and Michael Di Venuto (57*) laid into a listless Surrey attack to reach their target with more than ten overs in hand.Somerset moved to the top of Division One – however briefly – after 45 minutes of play on the final day which was all they needed to beat Kent by 246 runs at Taunton. Steffan Jones took the last three wickets, ending with 5 for 53. Jones had McLaren caught behind by Craig Kieswetter for 23, the keeper diving to his left, then next ball Robbie Joseph played all round one and had an lbw shout turned down against Martin Saggers on the hat-trick delivery. Jones claimed Saggers soon enough from a short ball pushed to James Hildreth in the gully and leave Kent nine down. With Rob Key absent following the birth of his second child, Somerset had the win.Ollie Rayner’s career-best 5 for 49 helped seal Sussex’s ten-wicket win against Hampshire at Arundel, their second victory of the summer. On a slow, low pitch Rayner – who was leading the spin attack in the absence of the injured Mushtaq Ahmed – grabbed match figures of 7 for 89 with his offspin. This was only the side’s fifth win in any cricket this term, and it was the first time in eight years they have taken to the field without an overseas player.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts

Durham 8 4 2 0 2 0106 Somerset 8 3 10 4 0 105 Kent 9 3 3 0 3 0100 Nottinghamshire 8 3 20 3 0 98 Lancashire 8 3 1 0 4 097 Sussex 9 2 20 5 0 95 Yorkshire 8 2 3 0 3 085 Surrey 9 0 30 6 0 77 Hampshire 9 1 4 0 4 073Chris Woakes took a career-best 5 for 37 to bowl Warwickshire to an innings-and-56-runs win over Middlesex Uxbridge. Following on, the home side resumed on 20 for 0 and once they started losing wickets, they couldn’t stop. The loss of in-form Dawid Malan was a key scalp, trapped low in front by Woakes, who also picked up Owais Shah in similar fashion, as well as Murali Karthik who had offered vain resistance with a topscoring 44. Either side of Karthik’s wicket, Woakes removed Tim Murtagh and Danny Evans.It was a day for batting practice at Wantage Road once Northamptonshire just managed to avoid the follow-on in the morning. From then on Chris Rogers’ second hundred of the summer steered Derbyshire to 275 for 6, with Dan Birch (71) and Wavell Hinds (64) chipping in before bad light brought an early end.

Team Mat Won Lost Tied Draw Aban Pts

Warwickshire 9 3 0 0 6 0125 Northamptonshire 9 2 20 5 0 95 Middlesex 9 2 3 0 4 094 Worcestershire 9* 2 10 5 0 91 Derbyshire 9 2 2 0 5 089 Essex 8 3 30 2 0 89 Leicestershire 8 2 1 0 5 086 Glamorgan 8* 1 30 3 0 59 Gloucestershire 7 0 2 0 5 059

Nottingham Forest reportedly value Brennan Johnson in the region of £8m to £10m amid interest from Brentford, according to The Athletic.

What’s the story?

Johnson has found regular game-time with Nottingham Forest’s first team hard to come by in the early stages of his professional career, playing just eight times for them, but he has caught the eye with a number of impressive showings out on loan.

The winger was loaned out to League One side Lincoln City and scored 13 goals, whilst also being on hand to provide 14 assists for his team-mates. However, his efforts still weren’t quite enough to see Michael Appleton’s side over the line in their bid for promotion, as they were beaten by Blackpool in the play-off final at Wembley.

Johnson has since returned to the City Ground and has been attracting interest from the likes of Brentford, Leeds United and Barnsley already this summer. The Bees have reportedly lodged a £3.5m bid for him, although that is well below Forest’s rumoured £8m-£10m valuation of the 20-year-old.

Forest are set to hold talks with Johnson over a new contract as they look to fend off interest from interested parties ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

It’s a statement of intent ahead of the 2021/22 season

Nottingham Forest endured a frustrating league campaign in 2020/21 and the club’s supporters must be eager to see them challenge much higher up the Championship table next season.

The Reds finished 17th in the table last season, which will have been tough to take for Chris Hughton, who has already shown that he can guide teams into the Premier League having won promotion with Brighton and Newcastle earlier in his managerial career.

Forest have a number of players who are being linked with summer moves away from the City Ground, with Joe Worrall catching the eye of Premier League side Burnley.

However, Johnson is one player who Forest are clearly keen to retain for the foreseeable future, and you can understand why as he could play an important role in their bid for promotion to the Premier League over the coming months.

With 13 goals and 14 assists to his name last season, he’ll certainly feel as though he’s more than capable of playing regularly for the Reds in the Championship, and this could be the breakthrough season that he’s been waiting for with Nottingham Forest.

Former City Ground manager Sabri Lamouchi had previously labelled Johnson as an ‘unbelievable player with the right mentality’, and it seems as though he’s starting to show glimpses of that exciting potential.

It would be a real statement of intent by Hughton’s side if they can keep hold of Johnson this summer, and it’s good to see them standing firm in their valuation of the youngster, as he’s a player who could easily be worth even more if he can hit the ground running and replicate the form he had shown in his loan spell with Lincoln.

The club’s steadfast approach in refusing to accept less than what they feel Johnson is worth, and planning contract talks to safeguard his future at the City Ground, may well have Forest fans delighted with the intent being shown in order to try and hold on to such a promising player.

In other news, Forest handed transfer boost over “incredible” 20 y/o, Hughton must be delighted

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has delivered an exciting Aston Villa update on Louie Barry.

What’s the story?

The 18-year-old came into the spotlight last season after scoring in the FA Cup defeat against Liverpool, a game which saw Villa’s youngsters having to step into the shoes of the senior side and take on Jurgen Klopp’s men.

That appearance was his sole outing for Dean Smith’s first-team, and now, Preece has confirmed that as well as seeing his contract extended, the Midlands club are expected to include him in plans for pre-season.

He said: “Aston Villa have extended Louie Barry’s contract by another year until 2024 with a cluster of fellow FA Youth Cup winners penning new deals.

“Villa paid £950,000 to bring Barry in from Barcelona more than 18 months ago and, this summer, the teenage striker is expected to feature in Dean Smith’s first-team plans over pre-season.”

Fans will be buzzing

Given the excitement with which Villa fans celebrated Barry’s goal against the Reds, and the big future that they have tipped him for, supporters will no doubt be buzzing with Preece’s latest update on the teenager.

With only Wesley and Keinan Davis providing real back-up for Ollie Watkins – and neither have really convinced with just 12 goals in 110 games for the club – there’s a real chance for Barry to stake his claim in the first-team next season in the Premier League.

Giving him the opportunity to impress with the rest of the senior players in pre-season will give Smith a first-hand opportunity to see what he’s like in a more pressure-filled environment than with the U23s, and have him get used to the speed and intensity with which they play.

So, news that Barry is expected to feature in Smith’s plans over pre-season is surely likely to have Villa fans buzzing as they see one of the club’s brightest young prospects rubbing shoulders with the senior side.

Meanwhile, Villa are set for an exciting boost…

The Western Australian Cricket Association congratulates Damien Martyn on his 100th first-class game for Western Australia.

Western Australia Cricket Association13-Nov-2002The Western Australian Cricket Association congratulates Damien Martyn on his 100th first-class game for Western Australia.Martyn will be the 10th player to make 100 first-class appearances for Western Australia, when he plays against Victoria at the WACA Ground this weekend.The recently turned 31-year-old made his first-class debut, ironically against Victoria, in the 1990-91 season as a 19-year-old. He made 24 and 27 in that match.As well as his 99 first-class outings for Western Australia, Damien has also made 29 Test appearances. His resurrection as an international player of outstanding quality in recent seasons has been well documented as one of world cricket’s fairy tales.He is the incumbent Australian Test team number four batsman.For Western Australia he has scored 7062 runs at an average of 45.56, with 20 centuries and 35 scores of 50 or more. He has also claimed 32 wickets with his nagging right-arm seamers.Martyn joins a distinguished and decorated band of past West Australian greats in the elite `100 Club’.

Player                    Career             GamesTM Moody             1985-86 – 2000-01         145MRJ Veletta          1983-84 – 1994-95         127GM Wood              1976-77 – 1991-92         125RJ Inverarity        1962-63 – 1978-79         119TJ Zoehrer           1980-81 – 1993-94         117GR Marsh             1977-78 – 1993-94         112TM Alderman          1974-75 – 1992-93         111IJ Brayshaw          1960-61 – 1977-78         101KH MacLeay           1981-82 – 1991-92         100

Derby County ‘fear they may start next season in League One’ instead of the Championship, with the EFL plotting their next steps regarding the Rams’ financial irregularities.

The Lowdown: Derby future clouded

The Rams have been fined £100,000 for some of their accounting policies and the EFL can appeal against the verdict, potentially leading to a points deduction as well.

That could mean Derby are relegated to League One to the benefit of Wycombe Wanderers, following the latter’s 22nd-place finish last season.

The Latest: Key update provided

A key update has now been provided by Sky Sports‘ Rob Dorsett on Twitter, who states that Derby are concerned that they will be playing League One football in 2021/22.

He also says “I’m told Derby bosses are privately fuming” that next season’s Championship fixture have been confirmed with Wycombe’s involvement in the competiton not ruled out, while the EFL are now plotting a potential appeal against the £100,000 fine.

The Verdict: Worrying news for Derby fans

Wayne Rooney’s side secured safety by the skin of their teeth last month, and while there was positivity in the air after the 3-3 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, that has been replaced by trepidation.

The thought of Derby playing in the third tier of English football doesn’t bear thinking about – that hasn’t been the case since 1991/92 – so the hope is that further punishment is avoided.

In other news, Derby have been linked with a summer move for an international player. Find out who it is here.

ودع أحمد سامي المدير الفني لنادي سموحة لاعبي فريقه بعد انتهاء مرانهم اليوم، تمهيدًا لرحيله نهائيًا عن قيادة الفريق في الفترة المقبلة.

ونجح أحمد سامي خلال الموسم الحالي في تحقيق نتائج إيجابية ببطولة الدوري، حيث يتواجد الفريق في المركز الخامس برصيد 27 نقطة.

طالع | اتحاد الكرة يوضح عبر بطولات موقف أحمد سامي من تدريب المنتخب الأوليمبي

وعلم “بطولات” أن أحمد سامي يستعد حاليًا لتولى القيادة الفنية لفريق سيراميكا كليوباترا الذي رحل هيثم شعبان مديره الفني عن تدريبه بعد مواجهة الأهلي بالأمس.

وكان سيراميكا كليوباترا قد نجح في التعادل إيجابيا مع الأهلي بهدفٍ لمثله في مباراة شهدت ندية وجدلاً تحكيميًا في دقائقها الأخيرة.

Noel Whelan has been thrilled by Leeds United youngster Joe Gelhardt’s application in pre-season training ahead of the upcoming season.

The Lowdown: Leeds United gear up for 2021/22

Looking ahead to 2021/22, many onlookers up and down the country will be eager to see whether Marcelo Bielsa’s men can improve on their impressive ninth-placed finish last term.

New acquisitions will be key to prospective improvement, with the Whites already busy in the transfer market following the signings of Amari Miller and Jack Harrison permanently. However, the young talent coming through Thorp Arch could also have a role to play for the Yorkshiremen.

The Latest: Whelan lavishes praise on ‘hungry’ Gelhardt

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, BBC pundit Whelan was particularly complimentary regarding Gelhardt. Talking up the 19-year-old’s chances of gaining first team recognition in the coming months, the former Leeds striker said:

“It’s dedication, that desire, that hunger when the season is finished.

“Give yourself a bit of downtime but not that much. You know straight away you want to hit the ground running when you come back.

“They’ll see that this kid is a hungry kid who really wants to start pushing. He’s definitely got the talent, there’s no doubt about that.

“You want to be ahead of the players that have been playing, you want to test your Bamford’s, your Rodrigo’s.

“Really, you want to be pushing them. They had a great under-23 season last year but that’s not where he wants to play this year.

“I think every under-23 that’s there would love to be part of the first-team squad.”

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The Verdict: Gelhardt should be given more first team opportunities

Whelan rightly points out the need for Gelhardt to be given first team opportunities within a senior environment at Elland Road.

In 2020/21, he enjoyed a fantastic season in the Whites’ under-23 setup, producing 14 goal contributions from 16 Premier League 2 Division 2 outings with 11 goals and three assists [Transfermarkt]. He duly helped his side to gain promotion to the Premier League 2 Division 1, the highest level of developmental football in England [SB Nation].

Equally capable of operating behind the striker as a secondary forward or attacking midfielder, there is scope that Gelhardt can challenge for a debut in the first team during the next few months.

Leeds should use the forthcoming pre-season programme to afford the 19-year-old a platform to impress ahead of 2021/22.

In other news, one of Leeds United’s rivals have been left ‘stunned’ after the Whites gazumped their reported transfer pursuit.

It appears as if Celtic have made no progress on their hunt for a new Director of Football if Alan Nixon’s recent social media post is anything to go by.

The Lowdown: Harkin to Hoops off

Fergal Harkin was the name heavily linked with the newly created role in recent months, with reports back in March going as far as saying a move was 90% done.

However, just like with Eddie Howe, a move to Celtic Park is now off. Harkin, City’s Football Partnerships Manager, is no longer looking to leave the Etihad, despite being a ‘massive’ Hoops fan.

The Latest: Nixon’s DoF worry

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, has interacted with Celtic supporters regarding any off-field developments on a regular basis.

He was asked by a Hoops fan on Friday evening for any new updates at Parkhead, to which he said:

“Sorting out this Ange thing… as for a Director of Football… dear me.”

The Verdict: Time is running out; Hoops to turn to Maloney?

By the looks of it, Celtic appear to be in a mess when it comes to appointing a DoF.

However, the Daily Record believe that former Hoops man Shaun Maloney has held initial talks about taking the position.

One thing is certain, though, and that is time is running out for Celtic to get their off-field issues sorted.

The transfer window opens on Wednesday and Celtic players will return for pre-season on June 17.

Should the manager and DoF roles remain vacant on those dates, it may well hinder the club’s hopes for a successful 2021/22 campaign.

Quite simply, the Hoops hierarchy need to turn things around quickly, or they risk turning a crucial summer for the club’s future into a hectic and unproductive one.

In other news: Celtic interested in ‘outstanding’ ace; more dribbles than Turnbull, Rogic combined, find out more here.