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Leeds United have less than two weeks to prepare for their opening game of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign against Everton at Elland Road.

It will be the club’s first top-flight match in more than two years, since their 4-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in West Yorkshire under the management of Sam Allardyce at the end of the 2022/23 season.

Daniel Farke will now be hoping to be more Marcelo Bielsa than Sam Allardyce or Javi Gracia, as the German head coach attempts to guide the team to safety.

The Whites boss will want more options to pick from at the top end of the pitch, though, as Lukas Nmecha is currently the only attacking player who has been added to the squad during the summer transfer window.

As you can see in the quotes above, Farke has made it clear that the club need to bring in more attackers, including a replacement for Manor Solomon.

The Championship champions should also be on the lookout for a marquee number nine addition, as it remains to be seen whether or not Joel Piroe has what it takes to make the step up.

Leeds have doubts over Joel Piroe's Premier League ability

Back in May, Football Insider reported that Leeds would not build their Premier League attack around the Dutchman, because they have doubts over his suitability for the top-flight.

The outlet stated that the Whites were not planning for the former Swansea marksman to be their first-choice number nine for the 2025/26 campaign, because of their doubts.

This may seem like an odd stance for the club to take after Piroe won the Golden Boot with 19 goals in the Championship for Leeds last season, but it is one that makes sense.

The Whites won the league with 100 points and were utterly dominant in the second tier, which meant that they were able to carry a striker like Piroe, who does not offer much to the team from a physical perspective.

In the Premier League, however, his lack of mobility and strength could cause problems as a starting number nine, as Leeds will be fighting against relegation rather than dominating matches.

Duels won

2.24

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

26.9%

Bottom 10.6%

Aerial duels won

0.9

Bottom 12.9%

Aerial duel success rate

21.4%

Bottom 17.6%

Fouls committed

0.7

Bottom 7.1%

Fouls won

0.44

Bottom 9.4%

As you can see in the table above, Piroe was far too weak in duels with opposition players and ranked incredibly lowly among his positional peers in a host of physical metrics.

Leeds pushing to sign Serie A striker

Piroe’s lack of physicality, in terms of both speed and strength, may be why the Championship champions are reportedly eyeing up a new centre-forward.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to journalist Sebastien Vidal, Leeds United are “pushing” to complete a deal to sign Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic from Italian side Lecce.

The reporter claims that the 25-year-old marksman has been given the “green light” to pursue a move away from the Serie A outfit this summer, which has opened the door to a potential transfer to Elland Road.

Vidal adds that the former Red Star Belgrade marksman is “high” on Farke’s wishlist of attacking reinforcements, with the club now pushing to get a deal done for the striker.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that Lecce value the centre-forward at a fee of around £26m, although it remains to be seen how much Leeds are willing to pay for his services.

Why Leeds should sign Nikola Krstovic

The Whites should sign the Serie A number nine because he would come in as a big upgrade on Joel Piroe for Farke ahead of the Premier League curtain-raiser against Everton.

Unlike the current Leeds forward, Krstovic has already proven his quality in one of Europe’s major leagues with his performances for Lecce over the past two seasons, proving that he can score goals at an impressive rate.

The £26m-rated striker scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 37 appearances in the Serie A during the 2024/25 campaign, which is a very respectable return for a player in a team that battled relegation, and successfully, it is worth noting.

Krstovic’s contributions at the top end of the pitch helped Lecce to finish 17th in the division, three points above the bottom three, which shows that he can step up and deliver crucial goals to help a team in a relegation battle.

Along with his potential to be an excellent goalscorer for Leeds, having scored 21 goals in the last two seasons, the Serie A star would also come in as a big upgrade on Piroe from a physical perspective.

Duels won

5.31

Top 38%

Duel success rate

40.6%

Bottom 46%

Aerial duels won

2.76

Top 29%

Aerial duel success rate

41.4%

Top 50%

Fouls committed

1.67

Top 39%

Fouls won

1.61

Top 33%

As you can see in the table above, the Lecce centre-forward ranked above average in most of the physical metrics that Piroe ranked among the worst in the Championship for.

Krstovic, who was hailed as “integral” by former boss Roberto D’Aversa, is a strong number nine who can hold his own in duels, on and off the ball, to provide his team with a strong outlet up front.

This means that he would be far more useful to Farke as a starter in the Premier League, as Leeds are likely to be battling the drop and will need a striker who can provide relief by winning fouls and duels, which is not Piroe’s strong suit.

Therefore, Krstovic could be an ideal signing for the Whites to come in as a proven goalscorer and physical presence in the number ninerole ahead of Piroe.

The new Rutter: Leeds submit bid to sign "fascinating" £22.5m star

Leeds United have reportedly submitted a bid to sign a star who could be their new Georginio Rutter.

ByDan Emery Aug 4, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da luck： A decisão de destituir Ednaldo Rodrigues da presidência da Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF), proferida pelo Tribunal de Justiça do Rio de Janeiro (TJRJ) na quinta-feira (7), afeta diretamente o futuro da Seleção Brasileira.

da bet7k： Afinal, foi Ednaldo que costurou um suposto acordo verbal com Carlo Ancelotti, treinador do Real Madrid, para que o italiano assuma o comando técnico da Amarelinha a partir de julho de 2024.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

➡️ Com o afastamento de Ednaldo Rodrigues, quem é o novo presidente da CBF?

Durante a apresentação de Diniz à frente da Seleção, que aconteceu em junho deste ano, o ex-presidente garantiu o comandante do Fluminense como interino pelos próximos 12 meses e assegurou que Ancelotti chegaria para treinar a Canarinho.

– Ele vai estar, pode ter certeza. A gente disse no período que estará aqui – garantiu Ednaldo em junho.

INTERINO E FALTA DE LIDERANÇA

Desde que assumiu o comando (interino) da Seleção Brasileira, Fernando Diniz encontrou dificuldades para implementar seu estilo de jogo e amarga uma sequência de resultados negativos.

Ao todo, são duas vitórias, um empate e três derrotas, o que faz deste o pior início de eliminatórias, no formato atual de disputa, da Amarelinha na história.

Longe de ser uma unanimidade perante a torcida, Diniz enfrenta dois dilemas na tentativa de postergar sua passagem à frente do selecionado nacional: o imediatismo, que além de ser uma característica nacional, é aflorado pela eminente chegada da Copa América, e a falta de um presidente no comando da CBF que possa junto ao profissional organizar uma gestão técnica de futebol.

No entanto, a falta de estabilidade na confederação não é novidade. Os últimos cinco presidentes deixaram o cargo por denúncias de irregularidades. Ricardo Teixeira, acusado de receber mais de R$ 30 milhões em propinas, foi banido do futebol.

José Maria Marin, denunciado pela justiça americana por organização criminosa e lavagem de dinheiro, foi condenado a quatro anos de prisão. Marco Polo Del Nero está banido do futebol desde 2018 pela Fifa após receber propina em troca de acordos comerciais. Rogério Caboclo, antecessor de Ednaldo, foi afastado depois de uma acusação de assédio sexual, realizada por uma funcionária da CBF.

Para contar com um comandante à altura do cargo, seja ele Ancelotti, Fernando Diniz ou outro treinador de elite, o órgão que administra a Seleção precisa profissionalizar sua gestão esportiva e afastar de seu cotidiano as inúmeras denúncias de corrupção e assédio – moral e sexual.

The skipper missed from the penalty spot before failing to track Emile Smith Rowe for the hosts' equalising goal at Craven Cottage

Manchester United were made to rue Bruno Fernandes' penalty miss as they had to settle for a 1-1 draw with a lively Fulham side on Sunday.

United started brightly as Matheus Cunha both hit the post and was denied by Bernd Leno before Fernandes blasted a penalty over the bar after Calvin Bassey fouled Mason Mount in the box.

The Red Devils did eventually bag their first goal of the season as Leny Yoro was not penalised for a shove in Bassey's back while his header deflected off the unsuspecting Rodrigo Muniz past Leno for an own goal.

Substitute Emile Smith Rowe, however, scored with virtually his first touch 17 minutes from the end, and despite a late push from the visitors, the Red Devils failed to record their first win of the season.

GOAL rates United's players from Craven Cottage…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Altay Bayindir (5/10):

  Was out quickly to smother King's toe-poked effort and saved well from Iwobi's low drive, but he still looked very vulnerable when dealing with corners in what remains an area of concern as United as continue to chase a new 'keeper.

  Leny Yoro (8/10):

  Used his telescopic-like legs to make some crucial last-gasp tackles, and then at the other end, he forced United's opener with his deflected header. The 19-year-old had a trying season last term but he's started brightly in 2025-26.

  Matthijs de Ligt (6/10):

  Pulled off some excellent headers in his own box to relieve pressure on his team but he arguably could have done more in preventing Fulham's equaliser.

  Luke Shaw (7/10):

  Looked competent as the left-sided defender in a back three, as he is not as mobile as he once was. Made way in the game's final quarter.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Amad Diallo (7/10):

  Came in at right wing-back for Dalot and did a good job on Sessegnon in the first half. Perhaps a tad harsh to be taken off shortly after half-time, but Amorim wanted to change United's shape and he had to make way.

  Casemiro (5/10):

  Was tasked with firing the ball quickly upfield for his team-mates to run onto, but that was not a particularly successful tactic. Was hooked off shortly after the break as gaps appeared in United's midfield.

  Bruno Fernandes (4/10):

  Blazed a wretched penalty attempt over the bar and allowed Smith Rowe get away from him for Fulham's goal in a day to forget for the skipper.

  Patrick Dorgu (7/10):

  Looked lively and whipped in some dangerous-looking crosses into the box. The wing-back did some good covering work as well when his team were on the back foot.

• AFP
  

  Attack

  Bryan Mbeumo (6/10):

  Was well shackled by the physical Bassey as Fulham regularly outnumbered the winger. Didn't get the same freedom he enjoyed last week against Arsenal.

  Matheus Cunha (6/10):

  Nearly scored a goal of the season contender early doors, but other than a few bits of quality, faded as the game wore on.

  Mason Mount (6/10):

  Had some good ideas but his execution of them was just a bit off. The former Chelsea man worked hard but it is hard to see him remaining in this starting role for much of the season if he doesn't contribute more.

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  Subs & Manager

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Needlessly gave the ball away with a sloppy touch that led to Fulham's equaliser.

  Benjamin Sesko (6/10):

  The summer signing didn't get many chances to shine but didn't add a great deal, either.

  Manuel Ugarte (5/10):

  Was a virtual spectator at times. The Uruguay international added little to United's midfield off the bench.

  Harry Maguire (N/A):

  Had too little time to make an impact but still almost headed in a late winner.

  Ayden Heaven (N/A):

  Came on in the game's dying moments.

  Ruben Amorim (6/10):

  After a narrow loss to Arsenal last week, his team showed encouraging signs, especially in the game's opening salvos, with slick passing and movement. But United lost control of the game as the contest progressed, and Amorim may be concerned by their inability to convert chances, while his substitutes had little impact.

Manchester United and Brazil winger Antony has announced his engagement with girlfriend and childhood sweetheart Rosilene Silva.

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Antony proposes to girlfriend SilvaSets up a rose-themed proposalTwo met when they were teensWHAT HAPPENED?

Antony proposed to Silva as he created an elaborate setup with roses laid out on a red carpet and a heart-shaped flower arrangement at the end of the hall with a sign that read, 'Marry me?'. The couple announced their engagement on Instagram, with one of the photos showing Antony down on one knee.

AdvertisementWHAT SILVA AND ANTONY POSTED

The duo posted the engagement photos on Instagram with Silva posting the message: "What God has in store for us is far more than we can imagine…"

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Silva and Antony met when they were just teenagers, according to The Sun, meeting during their time at school in Sao Paulo. As Antony began to rise through the youth teams, their romance blossomed. She followed him to Manchester in 2022 following his big-money move to United.

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WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY?

Things have not been going too well for the Brazilian on the field, however. He has made just one appearance all season, coming on as an injury-time substitution in United's defeat to Brighton last month, although he can expect more minutes against Barnsley on Tuesday.

25-year-old Taylor rejected an improved deal at Grace Road

George Dobell15-Sep-2020Tom Taylor is set to join Northamptonshire after rejecting a new contract at Leicestershire.Taylor, the 25-year-old allrounder, is out of contract at the end of the season. While Leicestershire are understood to have pushed their budget as far as they could in a bid to keep him, he has opted to move to the third Midlands county of his career. Taylor started out at Derbyshire and moved to Leicestershire ahead of the 2018 season.It is understood that several other counties – including Warwickshire – have expressed a passing interest in Taylor over recent months, but Northants have won the race for his signature.The move is a blow to Leicestershire. While they have become accustomed to losing players to more affluent rivals – notably Nottinghamshire – to lose out to another club with a limited budget is a setback.But Northamptonshire were promoted to Division One of the County Championship at the end of 2019 – Leicestershire were bottom of Division Two – and are currently second in the Central Group in the Vitality Blast. Leicestershire are third in the North Group.Leicestershire’s disappointment is increased as they feel they had nursed Taylor through a couple of serious back injuries and considered him a central figure in their team redevelopment. They have already announced they will not be selecting him in the remaining Vitality Blast matches as they look to provide opportunities to other players instead.

da 888： Chelsea have now told striker Romelu Lukaku he could be used in a swap deal to sign one £213,000-per-week star when he returns from his loan at Roma.

Chelsea set Lukaku price tag as Boehly seeks mass summer sale

da esport bet： The Belgian, following his return to Chelsea in 2021, has now gone down as one of the club's biggest transfer flops in recent memory.

Related Pochettino wants Chelsea to replace Thiago Silva with £115,000-a-week star

The Argentine has transfer plans if he remains beyond this season.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini May 9, 2024

Lukaku cost the west Londoners a huge £97 million to sign from Inter Milan three years ago, following a campaign where he helped spearhead the Nerrazzuri to a Serie A title under Antonio Conte, before the latter joined Tottenham.

Chelsea's most expensive ever signings

Price

1. Enzo Fernandez

£106.8 million

2. Moises Caicedo

£100 million

3. Romelu Lukaku

£97.5 million

4. Mykhailo Mudryk

£89 million

5. Kai Havertz

£75.8 million

However, it's been a match made in hell since the 30-year-old opted to return to England, and chairman Todd Boehly is now set to try and rid Chelsea of his £325,000-per-week wages for good this summer.

Fabrizio Romano claims Chelsea will demand around £38 million for Lukaku this summer, which is the same price tag as last year.

Lukaku isn't the only big-name player who's facing his last potential season at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, Chelsea could use winger Raheem Sterling in a swap deal for Michael Olise, with many other men set for Mauricio Pochettino's axe this summer.

Conor Gallagher, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Cucurella, Ian Maatsen, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Hakim Ziyech and Armando Broja have also been named as players who could depart Chelsea when the window reopens, with Boehly looking to raise £100 million through player sales by June 30 in a bid to comply with PSR.

Part-exchange deals could be a fruitful way for Chelsea to both offload deadwood and upgrade the squad simultaneously, and it is now believed they're plotting that scenario for Lukaku.

Chelsea tell Lukaku he could be offered in Osimhen swap deal

According to The Boot Room, Chelsea have informed Lukaku he could be offered in a swap deal to sign Victor Osimhen.

The Napoli striker has been a long-term target, but chairman Aurelio de Laurentiis may be reluctant to negotiate a lower value than the Nigerian's £113 million release clause.

Lukaku would come as a direct replacement for Osimhen, though, so perhaps de Laurentiis could be tempted to entertain this sort of agreement.

Osimhen has been one of Serie A's most devastating strikers for a few years now, so he would be ideal to add that extra bit of goal threat and provide Chelsea with a a classic number nine for next season. The 25-year-old, called a "monster" by members of the African media, is currently earning around £213,000-per-week after signing a new Napoli deal earlier this season.

Arsenal have completed their first piece of summer transfer business, as a long-standing full-back completes a €5m move to Serie A.

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• Arsenal announce first transfer of the summer
• Full-back leaves for Lazio
• Club secure €5m fee

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Nuno Tavares has been on the Gunners' books for four years, spending time on loan at Marseille and Nottingham Forest before joining Lazio on a temporary deal last summer. The Italian club had an option to sign the player permanently for a reported €5m and have now secured the deal.

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  WHAT ARSENAL SAID

  In a statement, Arsenal said: "Nuno Tavares has moved to Serie A side Lazio on a permanent transfer. Everyone at Arsenal would like to thank Nuno for his contribution to the club and wish him all the best for the future."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tavares was a standout performer for Lazio as they finished seventh in Serie A last season, registering nine assists in 30 appearances. However, Lazio could still take advantage of the low fee to make money this summer. Football Italia recently reported they could look to sell him for €65m after his impressive performances caught the eye of several European giants.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR LAZIO?

  If Tavares does stay at Lazio, he will be playing under Maurizio Sarri next season. The former Chelsea boss has returned to the club and will take charge ahead of the 2025-26 season.

da betsul： Leeds United fired themselves back into the top two in the Championship with a 4-3 win over Middlesbrough at the Riverside on Monday night.

da poker： The Whites found themselves 1-0 down and were pegged back to 2-2 during the first half but battled back both times to eventually pick up all three points against Michael Carrick's side.

Daniel Farke's men have, for now, moved up to second in the division, ahead of Ipswich Town who play Coventry City this week, in the race for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

There were a number of impressive performers across the park for Leeds on the night, and Wilfried Gnonto may have just proven that he is just too good for the Championship.

Wilfried Gnonto's performance against Middlesbrough in numbers

The Italy international was selected to play on the right of the attack ahead of Wales international Dan James and justified his position in the XI with a phenomenal display.

Gnonto has started the last two games for Leeds, having been a substitute in the previous two, and has showcased his quality at the top end of the pitch in both.

After five key passes and two 'big chances' created against Blackburn Rovers, the 20-year-old scored a goal and created a 'big chance' against Boro.

Wilfried Gnonto

Vs Middlesbrough (22/04/2024)

Minutes played

81

Goals

1

Big chances created

1

Assists

0

Duels won

11/15

Tackles

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the young speedster made a big impact in and out of possession, as he was dominant in physical duels to go along with his attacking efforts.

His goal may have been slightly offside but it was intelligent movement to spot the opportunity to make the run and an emphatic finish past Seny Dieng when in front of goal.

He was also unfortunate not to register an assist during the first half as his strong drive and clever ball through to Patrick Bamford was met with a weak finish from the forward, who gave the goalkeeper a chance to claw it away.

Why Wilfried Gnonto is too good for the Championship

After the match, analyst Ben Mattinson named Gnonto as one of the players who is "too good for the Championship" and it is hard to disagree with that comment.

In just 17 league starts for the Whites this season, the 20-year-old star has contributed with eight goals and five 'big chances' created for Farke's side. That means that he has averaged a goal or a 'big chance' created every 1.31 starts on average.

This shows that the electric forward, who MOTLeedsNews writer Dan Carter handed a 8/10 match rating against Boro and hailed him as 'frightening', has been superb when called upon by the German head coach from the start, with a consistent delivery of goals and high-quality chances created.

Gnonto also ranked within the top 19% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for assists per 90 (0.27) last season as Leeds were relegated from the top-flight, with four assists in 14 starts.

The young gem has, therefore, already showcased his quality in the Premier League, a higher league than the Championship, and this is further evidence that the forward is too good for the second tier.

His performance against Middlesbrough was another step in the right direction, for him and the team, and, hopefully, he will be plying his trade in the top-flight for the Whites next season.

Lachlan Stevens has been named head coach of the Melbourne Renegades WBBL team and the Victoria Women’s team amid the restructuring at Cricket Victoria.The Renegades role is a comeback for Stevens who was previously their head coach in the first two seasons of the WBBL.Most recently he had been interim head coach of the Victoria men’s team following Andrew McDonald’s appointment as Justin Langer’s assistant with the national side.Stevens replaces Tim Coyle in the Renegades position after he was let go earlier this month while with Victoria he fills the role vacated by David Hemp.”It’s a great time to be returning to the women’s game given the growth female cricket has enjoyed in recent seasons,” Stevens said. “It’s always enjoyable to watch and work with players at all stages of their careers and I’m honoured to be able to work with another Victorian cricket side. I look forward to watching all of them going about their training and playing.””I was lucky enough to be a part of the Renegades in the first two seasons of the WBBL and I’m looking forward to catching up with several of those players again in the not too distant future. I can’t wait to watch the WBBL up close again with all the progress that’s been made in the game over the last three years.”Renegades, Victoria and Australia allrounder Sophie Molineux admitted it had been a shock to see Coyle leave his job.”There’s a lot going in, not just in sport, but it definitely hit home when we saw Coyley go,” she said. “The last couple of years at the Renegades he’s done a massive amount of work to get us into position to play in semi-finals and be really close to the grand finals.”We’ll always be thankful for what he’s done. The group has definitely got some really sad emotions about him not being able to come back.”The Victoria team includes Meg Lanning and Ellyse Perry when they aren’t on international duty.

كشفت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية عن رغبة نادي وست هام يونايتد في التوقيع مع لاعب ليفربول السابق خلال الفترة الحالية من الموسم.

ويطمح المدير الفني الجديد لفريق وست هام يونايتد، جولين لوبيتيجي، في إجراء تعزيزات دفاعية وذلك بعد رحيل نايف أكرد، وكورت زوما على سبيل الإعارة.

اقرأ ايضاً.. أسطورة ليفربول: لا يوجد لاعب مثل محمد صلاح في أوروبا رغم حذركم منه

وبحسب ما جاء في شبكة “فوتبول إنسايدر”، فإن نادي وست هام قد أبدى اهتمامه بالتعاقد مع، جويل ماتيب، مدافع ليفربول السابق.

وانتهى عقد الكاميروني جويل ماتيب مع ليفربول في الصيف الماضي، وأصبح لاعباً حراً.

حيث يمكن للأندية التعاقد مع لاعبين ليس لديهم عقود مع أي نادي خارج فترة الانتقالات، التي أغلقت مساء الجمعة، إذا كان لديهم مكان في تشكيلتها المكونة من 25 لاعباً.

وسيكون المدافع الكاميروني قادرا على التوقيع على الفور إذا تم الاتفاق على الشروط الشخصية مع النادي اللندني.

وتمكن ماتيب من خوض 150 مباراة في منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز منذ انضمامه إلى ليفربول في صيف 2016.