Category Uncategorized

Leeds United have endured a rough start to the new Championship campaign, although their frustrating results are seemingly born of the tumultuous summer that Daniel Farke was forced to oversee.

With many of their stars from the previous term jumping ship, the German manager had to plug gaps in key areas and contend with the departure of 15 senior players, many of whom have left on loan and therefore garnered no fee in return.

Therefore, with just one league win across five games played, it seems that the international break came at the perfect time to allow them to realign themselves and refocus on the task at hand. After all, fans will remain quietly confident that the quality is in place to push for a promotion this season.

Many of their summer signings have proven instantly successful, with Ethan Ampadu, Joel Piroe and Joe Rodon bolstering in areas of importance, whilst the likes of Glen Kamara and Djed Spence are poised to have a big impact soon.

However, it could be argued that the foundation for a potential Premier League return was already in place with those they retained, as not every star sought to escape at the first time of asking.

Many of their established players remain, and the youth that continues to develop at Thorp Arch remains stellar. In fact, it is one of these academy graduates, a certain Jamie Shackleton, who could make all the difference in this campaign.

How good is Jamie Shackleton?

Whilst some might look to Joe Gelhardt to be the answer to their striking woes, or implore Charlie Cresswell to start after his fine loan spell with Millwall, it is in fact another name who has truly begun to stake his claim as a quietly brilliant member of the squad.

Shackleton, who too enjoyed the last year with the centre-back in east London, has seemingly returned this summer with a real point to prove.

The 23-year-old was hardly amazing for the Lions, but since he was handed his chance to impress by Farke, he has not looked back.

With a preference to play in midfield, it is interesting that the bulk of his appearances have come as part of the backline, deputising at both right and left-back across his six appearances in all competitions. It's not an unfamiliar role, however, with Marcelo Bielsa also utilising Shackleton at full-back.

His history in a role naturally far more creative than right or left-back has helped him bring a unique profile to the role, with his attacking impetus from deep having shone in the Championship especially.

Boasting a 6.95 average rating, the peak of his performances thus far actually came in their most recent 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, where he was truly at his creative best despite his side's inability to find the net. Accurate with 65 of his 73 attempted passes, he wove three key passes into this economical showing, whilst also chipping in with two tackles and one clearance, via Sofascore.

Such an ability to shine from defence is unsurprisingly going to draw parallels with Joao Cancelo, who arguably transformed what it meant to be a full-back under Pep Guardiola.

The peak of his powers came during the 2021/22 season, where the Portugal international maintained a 7.33 average rating in the Premier League, buoyed by his eight goal contributions, 85% pass accuracy, 1.1 key passes and 2.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

2022/23 (Manchester City)

6.92

3

2021/22 (Manchester City)

7.33

8

2020/21 (Manchester City)

7.13

5

2019/20 (Manchester City)

7.21

0

All stats via Sofascore

Former Manchester City star Nigel de Jong has even noted: "We can have a healthy discussion and debate on who is the best right-back in the world and Cancelo is certainly up there for me. It's not only his versatility but also the fact he is as strong defensively as any right-back or left-back in the world".

Although his talents are a far cry from young Shackleton's, the hope will be that he can continue his growth in a new role, with the lofty ambition to one day surpass the levels set by the on-loan Barcelona star.

How much was Jamie Shackleton worth five years ago?

Having made his debut as a fresh-faced 18-year-old under Bielsa, Shackleton's progression has been steady if unspectacular since that Championship clash back in 2018.

Unsurprisingly, given how unknown the midfielder was, Transfermarkt could hardly merit handing him a lofty market valuation no matter how highly rated he was around Elland Road.

In fact, the Argentinian tactician even noted at the time: "Jamie has a maturity which does not correspond to his age. He plays like a veteran but he’s only 19. He can attack by surprise, he defends well and when he moves he has explosive movements. With these kind of movements he can surprise his opponent and he looks for space at the right time."

However, this meant little to the rest of the world, and as such a lowly €100k (£86k) figure was placed beside him.

What is Jamie Shackleton's market value now?

Such humble beginnings make his growth even more exceptional though, with his fine start to the season certain to help his value to soar further.

Already having seen it crack €2m (£1.7m) marks a sharp upturn though, with that five-year period having overseen a mouth-watering rise of 1,876%.

Seeing as that came across 85 stuttered senior appearances, earned over numerous years, a solid run in the side now could help him take his career to new heights, adding even more millions onto his already increasing valuation.

Why is Shackleton worth that much?

Shackleton's loan spell with Millwall will have done his transfer value wonders, as it finally allowed him to hold down a consistent starting spot, even if it meant dropping down into the Championship.

Had he engineered their promotion too, which they came close to achieving as they narrowly missed out on the final playoff spot, it is certain that he would be worth even more.

The youngster made 37 total appearances during his time at The Den, with his exploits lauded by manager Gary Rowett after standing in for Billy Mitchell: "The biggest compliment I can pay Shacks, and it is no disrespect to Billy, is that we didn’t miss Billy. He’s been such a big player for us that I felt we would. It is a big blow, however Shacks was absolutely outstanding alongside Sav, who was really good as well."

Should the £1.5k-per-week ace continue his growth by maintaining his current level of performance, he could very well be Farke's answer to Cancelo, spearheading much of their creativity from deep and helping engineer a speedy top-flight return.

Journalist Simon Jones of The Daily Mail has shared why Fulham manager Marco Silva is hopeful of signing Arsenals striker Folarin Balogun amid ongoing talks.

Who will Fulham sign?

Silva overseen a mixed start to the new Premier League campaign so far, having secured a 1-0 victory away to Everton on the opening weekend but then suffering a hammering against Brentford.

Fulham's first home game of the season couldn't have gone much worse as their west London rivals put them to the sword with a 3-0 win, courtesy of goals from Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbuemo (2).

The match perhaps exposed some chinks in Fulham's armour as they seek to build upon a fine 2022/2023 season, where they challenged for Europe and comfortably swerved relegation.

Silva has been forthright in explaining his side's need for more new signings, coming after they sealed deals for both Mexico international Raul Jimenez and highly-rated defender Calvin Bassey.

“Unfortunately, we need many still. We have some important players injured,” Silva said earlier this month.

“I hope they can come sooner. We have just two full backs, we need a midfielder too and we have just two wingers so we need another two wingers.

“We have completed our central defenders. I needed these players 15 days or 20 days ago, not now.”

It's been a fairly mixed window for Fulham, and despite their attempts to sign Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, reliable media sources have claimed that talks have stalled over a deal for the Englishman.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, their star striker of last season, has also sealed a move to Saudi side Al-Hilal – where the Serbian will play alongside big name star Neymar.

The need for a replacement is a prevalent one, but The Mail's reporter Jones has some promising news on who they could sign to succeed Mitrovic.

Indeed, Arsenal forward Balogun is of serious interest, and they will now ramp up their pursuit of the USA international with talks ongoing for his services.

While the Gunners want around £50m, Silva is personally hopeful that a compromise can be reached as we enter the final week of this window.

Indeed, Fulham apparently believe they can conclude a move for £35 million plus add-ons.

How good is Folarin Balogun?

Balogun racked up a brilliant 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances on loan at Reims last season, raising his stock exponentially as Arsenal look to seriously profit off his sale.

Mikel Arteta, commenting on the player's form during his temporary spell, claimed he has the ability to be something special and remains "ambitious".

“He’s a boy that has a really clear idea of what he wants to do with his career," said Arteta.

"He’s really ambitious, really committed and really brave. We discussed a lot before he made that move whether it was the right place to go and the other choices he had. He was so convinced. I’m really happy for him because he deserves what he’s getting.

“When you look at the numbers and what he is doing, it’s just incredible. It’s very rare to see that. But he’s got something special."

Steven Finn warns that England’s fast bowlers won’t improve until the ECB tackles the workloads and flat tracks in county cricket

Andrew Miller17-Dec-2017Steven Finn says that he would tell his younger self to bowl flat-out and hang the consequences, as the inquest begins into the state of the country’s fast-bowling resources during a chastening Ashes campaign in Australia.However Finn, who flew home in the first week of the tour after suffering a knee injury, also believes that county cricket is a poor breeding ground for genuine fast bowlers, with its combination of heavy workloads and “pancake” wickets tending to encourage talented quicks to bowl within themselves for the sake of self-preservation.With his 6’6″ frame and natural ability to bowl at 90mph, Finn’s career epitomises the arrested development of England’s current generation of fast bowlers. In 2011, at the age of 22 years and 63 days, he broke Ian Botham’s record to become the youngest England bowler to 50 Test wickets – a tally that included 14 wickets in the first three Tests of England’s triumphant Ashes tour in 2010-11, more than any other bowler on either side up to that point.But Finn was dropped for the final two Tests of that series, at a time when England’s tactics were built more around economy rates than strike rates, and his career never entirely recovered. By the time of the next Ashes tour in 2013-14, he had been deemed “unselectable” by Ashley Giles, England’s one-day coach, after struggling with his action through a torrid winter.”I came on the scene as a bit of a tearaway who could bowl pace but leak runs,” Finn said during a Chance to Shine and NatWest event. “If I could change anything, I’d have tried to stay true to that person I was when I was younger rather than become, in the era that I played in, someone who could go at less than three an over.”That wasn’t in my armoury, however much I wanted it to be. I went away and worked on that, but I had problems along the way. If I was going tell myself anything if I was younger again, it would be keep bowling as fast as you can, because if you take wickets that’ll look after itself.”Sure enough, those attributes that England were able to take for granted seven years ago have been sorely lacking on the current tour. None of England’s available quicks have been capable of matching the consistent speeds that Australia’s trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have attained in the first three Tests. And there are few reliable alternatives on the horizon.Finn believes that the rigours of life on the county circuit are detrimental to his craft, especially at a time when the ECB’s focus has been to address the dearth of Test-quality spinners that have undermined recent Test series, particularly in the subcontinent. New toss regulations were introduced in 2015 to discourage counties from producing seam-orientated pitches, but Finn believes that that policy has had knock-on effects.”I think the conditions play a big part in it,” he said. “We are trying to develop spinners in this country with the toss rules and not making pitches biased towards fast bowlers, but I do think the slowness of the wickets discourages people from bowling fast. Whether it’s a seaming wicket or a spinning wicket in this country, we struggle to produce quick wickets, which is a shame.”The quickest wicket I’ve played on in the last few years is Scarborough and it’s an outground, it gets one or two games there a year,” he said. “Everywhere else has the feeling of being a bit of a pancake because people are scared of losing games of cricket. If we don’t address that issue at some stage it’s going to get worse.”And there’s the amount of cricket we play,” he added. “I know personally I can bowl 90mph, I’ve done it in international cricket, especially when I was younger, but when you play 12 months a year, if you’re not selective and careful about the way you go about things, it can suck the pace out of you. And that’s when you get knee problems and other degenerative conditions that stop you bowling fast.”The ECB’s National Performance Centre bears much of the brunt of the criticism for the current state of England’s fast bowling, with its reputation for putting injury prevention over the attainment of excellence. However, Finn defended the efforts of the board’s coaches.”Loughborough gets slagged off a bit but you should see how excited they get when they find someone who can bowl quick,” he said. “They want to make that talent fulfil the potential that they show. They do a good job of trying to do that but, physically, it’s a difficult thing to do.”Chance to Shine has developed free digital cricket resources for primary schools available from chancetoshine.org The charity has partnered with NatWest to give all young people the opportunity to play and learn through cricket #NoBoundaries

There is much to be excited about at St. James' Park.

Newcastle United have qualified for the Champions League and manager Eddie Howe is proving a success story for the ages following his revitalisation of a formerly beleaguered outfit.

Sporting director Dan Ashworth has provided a similarly emphatic effect, with his transfer business providing steel framework from which the performance on the pitch has blossomed from.

The Premier League high-fliers have signed playmaker Sandro Tonali for £55m from AC Milan, while winger Harvey Barnes has departed from relegated Leicester City to pen a £39m deal with the Magpies.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

The defence was imperious last season but is yet untouched this summer, but the club have now identified a new centre-back to wedge their way into first-team reckoning.

What's the latest on Oumar Solet to Newcastle?

According to the Daily Mail, RB Salzburg starlet Oumar Solet is attracting interest from a host of European clubs after impressing in Austria.

Newcastle are joined in their interest by Everton, Inter Milan and Torino, though Newcastle could be in the driving seat given the player's preference to move to the Premier League.

Who is Oumar Solet?

It remains to be seen just how Newcastle will look come the closing of the transfer window in less than a month's time, though the squad that fought tremendously last term looks set to keep its nucleus.

However, with 31-year-old centre-back Fabian Schar entering the final year of his contract, prudent steps are being taken to ensure that there is now a continuation of the increments made over the past two years.

And in Solet, Newcastle might just find the perfect heir, with Sofascore recording his average rating in the Austrian Bundesliga last term at an impressive 7.42. The 23-year-old also completed 88% of his passes, succeeded in 66% of his ground duels, and won 1.9 tackles, 2.6 interceptions and 3.4 clearances per game.

When comparing this to Schar, the rounded skill set and technicality of Solet becomes apparent, with the Swiss international commendable in the Premier League last season with a 7.13 average score but only completing 78% of his passes while still averaging 1.4 interceptions, 1.3 tackles and 3.8 clearances per game, also succeeding with 65% of his ground duels.

Clearly, Schar is at the top of his game right now and has been hailed to have "eliminated" the flaws in his game by journalist John Gibson after being described as "disillusioned" with the club prior to Howe's arrival.

The £40k-per-week star has indeed been revitalised and now ranks among the top 6% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for shot-creating actions and the top 9% for aerials won per 90, and he could mentor Solet in his ascent to prominence and nurture the offensive side of his game.

With no contractual resolution in sight, Schar could find himself gracing the Tyneside grass for the final day this season and Solet certainly looks to be the perfect replacement.

The 6 foot 3 Frenchman has been dubbed "dominant" by one journalist, and Howe must now take his interest in the rising star one step further and snap him up before rival suitors get their hands on him

Surrey’s England U-19 batsman stood firm to leave his side well on top at the Ageas Bowl

ECB Reporters Network06-Sep-2017Ryan Patel top-scored with 81 in his second first-class appearance•Getty ImagesEngland U-19 batsman Ryan Patel rode his luck to make his highest professional score in testing circumstances at the Ageas Bowl and give Surrey the upper hand against Hampshire.Tom Curran and Jade Dernbach toppled Hampshire’s top order but George Bailey and Ian Holland battled back to even up their Specsavers County Championship match with Surrey at the Ageas Bowl.New ball fast bowlers Curran and Dernbach restricted the hosts to 31 for five in a devastating spell with the new ball. Curran boasted figures of three for 21 and Dernbach two for 15 in their first spells to leave Hampshire in a mire – after Surrey had been bowled out for 200.But Bailey and Holland fought back for Hampshire as they added 69 for the seventh wicket to leave the hosts on 129 for 7 at the end of the second day.It was Dernbach who started the wicket taking as he bowled Joe Weatherley, making his Ageas Bowl debut in the Championship, with a stunning yorker. Tom Alsop followed his former academy teammate back to the dressing room two overs later, in the sixth over, when he was plumb lbw to Dernbach.Curran, who is making his first appearance in almost a month due to a back injury, then took over the wicket taking. The 22-year-old had Jimmy Adams and James Vince leg before and then Sean Ervine caught brilliantly by Ben Foakes – the wicket-keeper diving one-handed to his left.The pair exited the attack, but Rikki Clarke entered to have Liam Dawson flailing across the line to offer a good low catch to Ollie Pope at short mid-wicket.Captain Bailey steadied Hampshire, alongside fellow Australian Holland with an 81-ball fifty but departed for 51 as he was lbw to Gareth Batty in the penultimate over of the day.It had been the quicks of Fidel Edwards and Kyle Abbott who had done the early damage to the Surrey batting line-up.South African Abbott dismissed Rory Burns, who had scored of 122, 101, 219 not out and 68 in four of his previous five innings against Hampshire, as the batsman edged to Vince at third slip.Edwards and Abbott combined at either end to have Scott Borthwick and Jason Roy lbw for ducks.Patel had been going about his work at the other end with a watchful quality as he put on 74 with Foakes. Foakes was caught by Vince at straight mid-wicket – but Patel reached his maiden professional half century from 99 balls.The teenager was dropped on 31 and 58 in his innings and was lucky not to be given out when he flicked to Bailey, who claimed a low catch, before the umpires gave him a controversial reprieve.Dawson, who had struck to dismiss Foakes, then started to run through the away side as Pope came down the track and picked out Bailey at mid-wicket.Patel’s hopes of a first century disappeared when he was yorked by Edwards before Clarke followed him back to the pavilion in a similar manner as his off-stump was dislodged and Curran was clean bowled by Gareth Berg.Dawson wrapped up the innings by having Batty lbw and Dernbach caught and bowled. But Hampshire’s poor batting meant they ended the day trailing by 71

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has been backed by Dermot Desmond and the rest of the board since he returned to Parkhead to replace Ange Postecoglou last month.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Northern Irish head coach has been able to sign five new players to bolster his squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign, which kicks off in less than two weeks.

Central defender Maik Nawrocki joined on a permanent deal from Polish outfit Legia Warsaw on Wednesday to become the first defensive addition of the summer transfer window.

The Hoops had already snapped up four gems to improve their options in the middle of the park and out wide.

South Korean duo Hyeok-kyu Kwon and Hyun-jun both arrived earlier this week, whilst Australia international Marco Tilio and Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm were the first two signings of Rodgers' second spell in charge at Paradise.

Whilst there is still more than a month to go before the deadline passes, there could be more fresh faces added to the group over the coming weeks.

However, the ex-Liverpool boss could save the club millions by unearthing a player from the 'B' team to come up and act as a new signing for the Hoops in Ben Quinn.

How many goals did Ben Quinn score last season?

The 18-year-old winger, who predominantly plays down the right flank, scored 12 goals in all competitions for the Celtic reserves during the 2022/23 campaign.

His impressive form for the 'B' team over the last 12 months suggests that the potential is there for him to develop into a first-team option for Rodgers, which could allow the head coach to ruthlessly bin experienced forward James Forrest from the squad.

At the age of 32, the Scotland international's powers have been waning in recent seasons and he only has two years left on his current contract with the club.

Forrest produced four goals and two assists across only 16 Premiership outings last season, which came after he managed one goal and two assists in 19 matches throughout the previous campaign.

These statistics are a mile away from what he was able to contribute at the peak of his powers. Between the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, the exciting wizard scored 22 goals and provided 30 assists in 61 league games.

His form over the last two years does not suggest that he will be getting back to those levels in the near future, if ever again, which could open the door for Quinn to make the step up.

The "direct" Ireland U18 international – as lauded by analyst Mark Broomy – scored 11 goals and assisted seven across 30 Lowland League clashes for Celtic's 'B' team last term, which is a direct goal contribution every 1.67 games on average – an impressive return for the young maestro.

Whereas, Forrest has averaged a goal or assist every 3.89 Premiership matches over the last two seasons, which shows that the Hoops academy graduate is not regularly making a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Whilst there is no guarantee that Quinn will be able to translate his sublime statistics over to the first-team level, Rodgers must offer the talented teenager, who has scored twice in two Lowland League outings this season, a chance to impress.

The 18-year-old gem, who was once hailed as "very impressive" by journalist Sean Clifford, could emerge as a genuine senior option if he is able to produce goals and assists on a regular basis, which would then allow the manager to brutally bin the declining Forrest.

Tottenham Hotspur have now had a bid of €15m (£13m) plus Davinson Sanchez for centre-back Victor Nelsson accepted by Galatasaray, according to recent reports from Turkey.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

According to Fabrizio Romano, both Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba are keen on a move to Tottenham, and next week is going to be important to understand if they can advance towards completing a move for the latter player.

If that is not possible, Spurs will close the deal for Van de Ven, however there are other centre-backs still being linked with a move to north London, with a deal for Barcelona's Clement Lenglet still very much in the works.

There is now growing a belief that a "deal can be struck" with Juventus to sign Brazilian defender Gleison Bremer, with manager Ange Postecoglou chasing multiple defensive signings this summer to shore up his backline.

Last week, it was reported that the Lilywhites are "insistently" pushing to sign Nelsson, who has a €25m (£21m) release clause included in his contract, although they were wary of competition for his signature from north London rivals Arsenal.

Now, however, it appears as though Tottenham may have won the race for the defender, as reports from Turkey now claim that Galtasaray have accepted an offer of €15m (£13m) plus Davinson Sanchez (via Sport Witness).

The player himself is keen on a move to Spurs, and Daniel Levy seems to have found a way of getting an unwanted player off the books while also bringing in a new centre-back, as long as Sanchez is willing to head in the opposite direction.

If the 27-year-old does not agree a move to Galatasaray, the Lilywhites will need to pay a flat fee of €25m (£21m) to secure the Dane's signature.

How good is Victor Nelsson?

The 24-year-old has emerged as a key first-team player for Galatasaray over the past two seasons, making a total of 80 appearances in all competitions, and he has been hailed for his performances by a member of the Turkish club's board.

Resit Omer Kukner has lauded the former FC Copenhagen man as a "Danish lion", praising him for his "attitude on and off the pitch", while also describing him as a "great athlete."

Last season, the Denmark international averaged 3.3 clearances per game, the second-highest total in the Galatasaray squad, and he made more blocks than any of his teammates, showcasing his defensive acumen.

Of course, Nelsson is, as yet, unproven in a major European league, but he has been very solid over the past two seasons, cementing himself as a vital player for Galatasaray, and he has earned a move to the Premier League.

A move for the Turkish Super Lig star also comes with the added bonus of Tottenham getting Sanchez off their books, which is probably the best outcome for all parties at this stage.

The 27-year-old was booed by the Spurs fans near the back end of last season, having been poor throughout the 2022-23 campaign, and it is the right time for him to move on.

West Ham United have scheduled a meeting with the representative of Pablo Maia to talk about a potential move to the Premier League, according to journalist Jorge Nicola.

Who is Pablo Maia?

Maia is naturally a defensive midfielder who currently plays his football for Sao Paulo having graduated from their academy to get promoted to the first-team back in January 2022, and he’s been a regular feature ever since, clocking up 92 senior appearances under Dorival Junior.

The Brazilian’s contract in the Serie A isn’t set to expire for another four years, but having emerged as his club’s top-performing defensive player this season, his outstanding displays have caught the eye of David Moyes, and it’s not the first time he’s been linked with a move.

Back in May, Bolavip Brasil reported that the Irons had made contact to sign the 21-year-old who is expected to be one of the prized assets sold to raise funds, and soon after Andre Hernan claimed that they had promised to return for him in the summer window, which appears to be exactly what has happened.

With Declan Rice closing in on his big-money move to Arsenal, the boss will need to find a suitable replacement to sit just in front of the backline and he’s already been linked with the likes of Sofyan Amrabat from Fiorentina, though it’s the talented youngster that he seems to have his heart firmly set on.

Are West Ham signing Maia?

According to Nicola (via Sport Witness), West Ham and Fulham are “keeping up with their chase” for Maia and both clubs are set to “try and advance” in negotiations having “invited his agent”, Junior Pedroso, to England.

The Sao Paulo client’s representative, who is already set to fly to Europe, will use his trip to “sit at the table” with the E20 outfit to discuss a possible deal, with the club’s interest claimed to be “more recent” and “very exciting”. It’s stated that his boyhood side would be open to a sale, though they would “only accept” a fee of over €20m (£17m).

What would Maia bring to West Ham?

West Ham will be looking to sign a player who can match Rice’s abilities in that defensive midfield position, which is exactly what Maia can do having been dubbed a “Mini-Casemiro” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, but he is also exciting going forward so he could bring the best of both worlds to the London Stadium.

Sponsored by Puma, Sao Paulo’s youth graduate has so far won 16 out of his 27 tackles made this Brazilian season, which is higher than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, and he is even calm and composed in possession with a 91% pass success rate – more than the current captain and any of the players in the Irons' squad.

Maia, who has the versatility to play in five different positions across the pitch, has additionally chipped in with two goals in 12 Serie A outings and is averaging 1.6 shots per game, so should Moyes be able to secure his services, it would be a massive coup for a rising talent who makes an impact at both ends.

Chelsea are weighing up who to bring in following the departures of Mason Mount and Kai Havertz, according to a report from journalist Simon Phillips, via Chelsea Chronicle.

What is the latest Chelsea transfer news?

The Blues have their eye on a number of potential transfer deals over the course of this summer it seems, with the Blues eager to improve on last season's Premier League finish. They finished outside of the top ten and new boss Mauricio Pochettino will not want a repeat performance.

One of the biggest names currently linked with a switch to Stamford Bridge is Moises Caicedo, with Chelsea now preparing to make a "proper" effort to try and bring the Brighton man in.

They have been continually linked with the Seagulls star but a deal has yet to transpire, but it appears their efforts are about to be stepped up. What is also clear is that the Blues are desperate to strengthen their ranks further up in midfield, with Pochettino wanting to bring in more attacking impetus.

Are Chelsea signing Florian Wirtz?

That would then tie in to this latest report. According to a report from journalist Simon Phillips, via Chelsea Chronicle, the club are currently considering who to bring in as a potential replacement for both Havertz and Mount.

The name being mulled over is Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. No official bid has been made yet but it seems as though the Premier League outfit have him on their radar as they want someone who can operate both as a winger and a number ten.

With no official bid made and no price tag yet to be slapped on his head, it isn't clear how much Wirtz may cost Chelsea if they were to launch an offer for him. Transfermarkt though suggest his value currently sits around the 85 million Euros mark (or £72.9m). It means that any potential deal for the player could be expensive for the Blues – but with the club having received plenty in terms of outgoing fees this summer, they could have the funds to pull it off and stay within FFP regulations.

Wirtz is seen as a big talent in the game too, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig stating that he is an "elite talent" and adding that he is "superb" in both the Bundesliga and in Europe in general.

It is high praise for the youngster then – and it implies that should Chelsea eventually try and land the player with an official move, they could have themselves a real asset for next season.

Leeds United are on the lookout for a new boss to replace Sam Allardyce and former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard would be open to taking over at Elland Road.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United and Steven Gerrard?

As per The Telegraph, Gerrard has emerged as a contender to become the next Leeds United manager as the Whites look to find their new boss to lead them into the Sky Bet Championship next term.

talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan has backed the 43-year-old for the role, stating on the outlet's YouTube channel: "Gerrard to me, I don't see why he couldn't do the job if the lessons that needed to have been learned have been learned. "If he can sit in front of a chairman and walk him through what it is that he would bring to his football club and what he's learned from the lessons he's had previously and could then deploy them.

Nevertheless, The Daily Mail have revealed that Gerrard, whose organisation was hailed as "incredible" during his time at Rangers, is also in the running for the Leicester City job, potentially offering him a route back into football ahead of 2023/24.

Scott Parker and Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca have also been looked at by the Foxes as they prepare to rival Leeds United in the English second-tier.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that whoever Leeds United appoint will be determined by their ongoing ownership situation.

Jones told FFC: "It'll be really interesting to see what happens with Steven Gerrard, who is very open to taking both the Leeds and the Leicester job and is keen to get back into work as soon as possible. I think at this stage, Leeds still have due diligence to do on the managerial front and who they appoint will be impacted by the ownership situation."

Who else has been linked to the Leeds United job?

Leeds United look to have a lengthy list of candidates at Elland Road as they weigh up who would be the best fit for the club moving forward.

As per The Athletic, former Fulham boss Scott Parker has emerged as a candidate to take over at the club and has been discussed internally at Elland Road.

West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan is also of interest to Leeds United and has been shortlisted as they do their due diligence within their hiring process, as per Football Insider.

The Daily Star claim that Brendan Rodgers is another name that has been mentioned in connection with the club, though Leeds United are likely to face competition from his former club Celtic to land the 50-year-old, as per Sky Sports.