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Michael di Venuto and Dave Houghton are also out of the UK and awaiting developments

Matt Roller22-Apr-2020

Jason Gillespie is back home in South Australia•Getty Images

Jason Gillespie is used to long-haul flights thanks to a long playing career and holding down coaching roles in two different countries, but his March travel itinerary would make even the most seasoned traveller wince.Soon after he flew from Adelaide to Cape Town via Dubai for Sussex’s pre-season camp, it became clear that the coronavirus pandemic meant it was unwise for the county’s squad to be overseas, meaning that after a week in South Africa he was on the move again, flying back to the UK. And 48 hours after landing, amid constant conversations with the club’s hierarchy, he was in the air heading back to Australia, when it became clear the county season would be postponed for some time.”It was a bit of whirlwind, that’s for sure,” Gillespie said. “The situation changed quite quickly, and quite considerably in a matter of days. The plan was to try and get everyone back safely to the UK. I was in my flat in Hove and had a couple of conversations with our CEO [Rob Andrew].”The club said: look, you’re probably best to be at home with your family. I had to self-isolate for two weeks. I’m fortunate that my mum lives in a little house just round the corner from where we are, so I stayed at hers. I had the kids coming down with my groceries and leaving them on the back porch.”ALSO READ: The Hundred’s future uncertain as ECB board prepares for postponementSelf-isolation complete, Gillespie is back with his family and feels safe: there has not been a new confirmed case of Covid-19 in South Australia for three days, and there are signs that an end to lockdown may not be too far away.But there is a complication. Australian citizens are currently banned from travelling abroad indefinitely, and while there is naturally little clarity on the likely duration of restrictions, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has repeatedly suggested a six-month time frame is likely. That means that if the delayed English season is able to get underway – and the ECB board will meet on Thursday to discuss contingency planning – there is no guarantee that Gillespie will be able to get back to fulfil his role.”We just have to wait and see,” he said. “There’s so many logistical things to consider. If the season does get up and running, I’d probably have to self-isolate in the UK before I can link up with the squad – if I can even leave Australia.”I haven’t been thinking about it too much, because we simply don’t know. We’re all in the same boat, where health and safety are the priorities. We’ll have to wait and see: I know [Surrey coach] Michael di Venuto is in that boat too, and a good mate of mine who lives here in South Australia Mark Cosgrove plays at Leicestershire. What does he do?”Like Gillespie, Surrey coach Michael di Venuto is in Australia with his family•Getty Images

Derbyshire coach Dave Houghton is in the same position as di Venuto and Gillespie: he is currently in Zimbabwe with his family, with no clarity over when he will be able to return to the UK. Other non-British coaches – Adi Birrell (Hampshire), Stuart Law (Middlesex) and James Franklin (Durham) – are currently in England.Similarly, while several counties have cancelled or deferred the contracts of their overseas signings – Gillespie hopes that Travis Head will be able to join Sussex in 2021 if he is unable to play for the club this year – there are question marks hanging over several cricketers who count as ‘local’ players via EU passports or the Kolpak loophole, but are not currently in the UK. While Dane Vilas and Simon Harmer, for example, are in England, Stiaan van Zyl, David Wiese and Vernon Philander are among various players in South Africa with no clarity over the prospects of leaving.ALSO READ: Little appetite for upheaval as ECB begin review into Watmore appointmentThere is some hope that Thursday’s ECB board meeting might provide some kind of clarity about the likelihood that a season will be possible, but it seems probable that those overseas will be left in limbo until government advice is updated and an end to the UK’s lockdown comes into sight.For the time being, then, there is little that Gillespie can do to change things. Instead, he has been reaching out to his squad to keep in touch – “the mental side of all this is really important” – and is enjoying an unusually long period at home with his family.”That’s the one good thing – I don’t think we’ve ever spent this much time together as a family ever, with my job and the nature of cricket. I’m doing my running to keep busy, and one of my sons has challenged me to slam dunk a full-sized basketball, so I’ve been doing all kinds of jumping training, skipping, lots of plyometrics.”On my birthday [Monday] I did a jumping session with the kids, and slam-dunked a size three, so my son said: ‘dad, why don’t you try and dunk the bigger one?’ With my last jump I reckon I ripped my quad, because I’ve been struggling to move for the last few days.” Needless to say, struggling to move may prove to be a theme of the next few months.

da bet7k： Glasgow Rangers decided to part ways with former Ibrox boss Michael Beale back in October 2023 and replaced him with Belgian boss Philippe Clement.

da stake casino： The English tactician failed to win a single trophy during his time as manager of the Light Blues, after helping to win the Scottish Premiership title as Steven Gerrard's assistant previously, and made a number of questionable signings.

He overhauled the playing squad during the 2023 summer transfer window, as several players moved on from Ibrox to make way for new signings.

Cyriel Dessers, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell, Jack Butland, Abdallah Sima, Sam Lammers, Danilo, Leon Balogun, and Jose Cifuentes all came through the door, after the likes of Ryan Kent, Glen Kamara, Antonio Colak, and Alfredo Morelos departed.

Several of those new additions have struggled in Glasgow this season, including Cifuentes and Lammers as they both left on loan in January, and Dowell, in particular, has been an underwhelming signing so far.

Beale had a nightmare with the signing of the Rangers flop, who currently earns more than first-team starter John Souttar, as his injury issues have hampered his time in Scotland.

Kieran Dowell's time with Norwich

The English boss swooped to sign the former Everton youth prospect from Norwich City last summer, upon the expiry of his contract at Carrow Road.

Dowell produced 12 goals and six assists in 75 appearances for the Canaries in all competitions across his three-year spell in Norfolk, having joined from the Toffees in the summer of 2020.

His first season with Norwich was disrupted by an ankle injury that kept him out for 14 Championship matches from September to December 2020.

He was then an unused substitute in eight of the next 18 league games, as the talented gem continued to recover from his injury, before an impressive end to the campaign with five goals and one assist in 12 matches as Norwich won promotion to the Premier League.

Dowell followed that up with one goal and one assist in just 19 Premier League outings throughout the 2021/22 campaign, as the Yellows were relegated back down to the second tier in England.

22/23 Championship

Kieran Dowell

Appearances

23

Starts

14

Goals

5

Assists

3

Big chances created

6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the left-footed whiz provided quality as a scorer and a creator in his limited starts for Norwich in the Championship.

Those limited starts, however, came as a result of him being absent from a whopping 19 matchday squads throughout the campaign as he struggled to remain fit for a consistent period of time.

Overall, Dowell started just 37 league matches across the Premier League and Championship combined in his three seasons with the Canaries, which should have served as a warning to Beale and Rangers.

Kieran Dowell's Rangers season in numbers

The 26-year-old whiz has only made 12 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues since his move to Ibrox on a free transfer last summer.

Dowell has missed out on the matchday squad, through either selection or injury, on a staggering 35 occasions domestically and in Europe this season.

He is currently out with an injury that was sustained during the winter break in January as the midfielder got his studs stuck in the pitch, and Clement claimed that the Beale signing would be out for around two months. However, it remains to be seen exactly when he will make his return to first-team action.

Arguably, the most frustrating part about his situation is that the ex-Norwich star has shown glimpses of quality when he has been available for selection.

Premiership starts in December 2023

Kieran Dowell

Vs St. Johnstone

Vs Motherwell

Minutes played

90

86

Sofascore rating

8.0

7.7

Goals

0

1

Key passes

3

0

Dribble success rate

100% (2/2)

100% (2/2)

Tackles + interceptions

4

5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dowell caught the eye in his two league starts in December with his quality in and out of possession in the middle of the park.

Unfortunately, his consistent injury issues have made him an unreliable option for Clement, as his ability on the pitch is irrelevant when he cannot be on the field, which is why Beale had a nightmare with the signing as those issues plagued his career at Norwich as well.

The warning signs were there for the Gers but they did not heed them, and they now have a rarely-available midfielder who earns more than one of the manager's key performers – Souttar.

Dowell is currently – per Salary Sport – on a wage of £16k-per-week, and that is more than Abdallah Sima (£8.5k-per-week), Ryan Jack (£8k-per-week), and the central defender Souttar, who is on £8.1k-per-week.

John Souttar's season in numbers

The Scotland international, who recorded a dismal 5.9 Sofascore rating for his country against the Netherlands in a 4-0 loss on Friday, has been a reliable performer for the Gers this season.

Souttar, who had his own injury problems last term with 46 games out due to an ankle issue, has made 33 appearances in all competitions for the club – almost three times as many as Dowell despite earning almost half as much in wages.

23/24 Premiership

John Souttar

Appearances

21

Clean sheets

9

Pass accuracy

88%

Ground duel success rate

71%

Aerial duel success rate

76%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Rangers colossus has been a man mountain at the back for both Beale and Clement this season with his dominant defensive work.

Opposition players have rarely been able to get the better of him in physical contests, on the floor or in the air, which has contributed to the club having the best defensive record in the division – with at least seven fewer goals conceded than any other team.

He has formed a strong partnership with Connor Goldson at the heart of the defence for Clement and there is little to suggest that his position in the XI is in any danger any time soon.

This illustrates how much of a nightmare Rangers have had with Dowell as they are spending more money on his services, to rarely be available to play, than they are on an integral member of their starting XI in Souttar.

Hopefully, the attacking midfielder can overcome his injury problems and eventually emerge as a key player for the club. At this time, however, it looks to have been a howler of a signing by Beale.

Mikel Arteta dropped a massive hint on his Arsenal future and warned that the Gunners will be "very aggressive" in summer transfer market.

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Arteta's current contract runs until 2025Believes that a new deal "will happen"Currently focused on getting the right signings WHAT HAPPENED?

The 42-year-old’s current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2025 and although initial expectations were for renewal discussions to commence at the end of last season, the focus has shifted. Nonetheless, Arteta believes that everything will fall into place at the right time and "it will happen".

AdvertisementGettyWHAT ARTETA SAID

Speaking to , Arteta revealed: "There is no update [on his contract] at the moment. The thing that hasn't changed is how happy I am and how valued I feel here and how much I love representing this club. Things happen in a natural way and our relationship is that good that I don't predict any issues happening. But things have to develop in the right way and it will happen."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Arteta has also outlined Arsenal's ambitions for the summer transfer window, indicating that the club will adopt an aggressive approach. The manager revealed that the Gunners are looking to strengthen various departments and not just their attack.

"We are looking to improve in every possible department," he said. "With the new regulations, there are certain things we have to respect and be conscious of and then obviously the Euros and Copa América are slowing everything down. Hopefully, now it is going to pick up a little bit because we have things to go and we will try to provide that. [How active do we expect to be?] I think both ways. There are things that we have to improve, that's for sure and we are going to try to do. But the market is tricky. We have been very aggressive, we are very determined and we have a clear idea obviously of what we want to do. It will come down to finding the right agreements at the right time."

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(C)GettyImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arteta has assembled a squad of nine players not involved in Euro 2024 or the Copa América for a training camp in Marbella. Arsenal’s preseason will kick off against Bournemouth on July 24 before they fly across the Atlantic to Los Angeles to face Manchester United at SoFi Stadium on July 27 and Liverpool in Philadelphia on July 31.

Having endured a season to forget on the pitch, which has so far seen Eddie Howe's side fail to replicate the form that saw them qualify for the Champions League last time out, Newcastle United now face problems away from St James' Park. The Magpies could soon have no choice but to bid farewell to some key players, perhaps even in the January transfer window.

Newcastle's FFP situation explained

The Premier League's profit and sustainability rules have left Newcastle walking a fine line when it comes to Financial Fair Play sanctions. According to The Guardian, the rules state that over the course of three seasons, a club is only allowed to record a loss of £105m. Newcastle's in that time period stands at a reported £155m, but the Magpies are safe from any punishment for now due to investment into the women's team, academy or charity foundation.

PIF will likely have to sell before they can think about spending big once more though, with chief executive Darren Eales saying earlier this month: "If we’re going to get to where we want to get to, at times, it’s necessary to trade your players. It’s a counterintuitive part of the PSR system that there is an incentive to trade players if you want to reinvest.”

That said, reports suggest that the Magpies could be set to lose a key player before the end of the month. According to Football Transfers, Chelsea are considering matching Newcastle's £18m asking price for Callum Wilson, who has also been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid in the winter window.

The forward has been at the club since 2020, but could now leave amid Newcastle's FFP fears in a deadline beating move, with the Blues themselves in desperate need of a truly clinical number nine who won't break the bank.

Newcastle must keep "excellent" Wilson

Given that Chelsea sit ninth, two points and one place above Newcastle in the Premier League, it wouldn't exactly be wise for those at St James' Park to sanction Wilson's exit to the London club this month, or to wherever else for that matter. The former Bournemouth man holds the experience that Alexander Isak lacks and is still going stride for stride with the Swede, who is not ready to take up the goalscoring mantel on his own just yet. Here's how Wilson's stats compare to Isak's in the Premier League this season…

Premier League 2023/24	Starts	Goals	Assists	Expected Goals
Callum Wilson	7	7	1	7.2
Alexander Isak	13	10	0	10.1

After working with Howe at Bournemouth and now Newcastle, Wilson is certainly one of Howe's favourites, with the manager full of praise for the forward back in their days on the South Coast, telling Sky Sports: "Callum was excellent today, as was Josh King – they caused lots of problems today. It is testament to Callum's professionalism that he is able to play 90 minutes, he has worked hard on his comeback. It was great to see him score and the team were boosted by his return."

Messi was largely contained by Charlotte and Miami looked rudderless without suspended striker Suarez on the pitch

Lionel Messi missed a penalty and the wheels quickly came off for Inter Miami as they slumped to a second straight 3-0 defeat, falling Saturday night to surging Charlotte FC.

Miami started well, pushing higher up the pitch than usual and creating early chances. Jordi Alba forced Kristijan Kahlina into a point-blank save in the sixth minute, and the Herons continued to press until earning their first MLS penalty of the season in the 31st minute.

With regular taker Luis Suárez suspended for his role in a Leagues Cup brawl against Seattle, Messi stepped up. The 38-year-old tried a Panenka, but Kahlina read it all the way. Seconds later, Charlotte punished the miss when Idan Toklomati capped off a blistering counterattack to put the hosts ahead.

Toklomati wasn’t finished. Early in the second half, Wilfried Zaha sliced through Miami’s defense on the flank and set up the Israeli striker for his second. In the 84th minute, Zaha drew a penalty from Sergio Busquets and, in a show of generosity, handed the ball to Toklomati to complete his first MLS hat-trick.

The result put Charlotte into the record books with a ninth consecutive league win, matching the MLS mark. Miami, meanwhile, are now winless in three of their last four.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Bank of America Stadium.

• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Oscar Ustari (5/10):

  Not much he could do on either goal, and wasn't challenged to make saves otherwise. 

  Ian Fray (4/10):

  Made one strong run in the second half, but was largely ineffective, especially when lined up against Zaha. Subbed off for Marcelo Weigandt in the 70th minute. 

  Tomas Aviles (3/10):

  The first goal was out of Miami's control as it came in a counterattack, but the second was inexcusable as Toklomati split past both centerbacks with ease. Was sent off in the 79th minute after picking up a second yellow as he tried to grab Charlotte's striker. 

  Maxi Falcon (4/10):

  Same as Aviles and not as effective as usual. Didn't respond when needed. 

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  One of Miami's few bright spots, connected on four key passes and almost scored in the opening 10 minutes. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Rodrigo De Paul (5/10):

  De Paul was one of the world's best box-to-box midfielders before arriving at Miami, and for whatever reason, he continues to be used wide by coach Javier Mascherano. He was largely accurate on his passing, but was invisible when it came to performing the way a wide player should – creating off-dribble and penetration. 

  Yannick Bright (4/10):

  Didn't help Miami stop the counterattack on the first goal and didn't have his usual impact in the center of midfield. Pulled for Noah Allen after 55 minutes. 

  Sergio Busquets (3/10):

  Connected on 87 percent of his passes, but none of those served as a spark on attack. Eliminated any chance of a rally for Miami by fouling Zaha in the box to concede a penalty.

  Telasco Segovia(4/10):

  The only wide player on the pitch to start the game for Miami, Segovia followed suit when it came to the poor showing from the midfield. Outside of one shot on target, he was invisible before being pulled for Daniel Pinter. 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Attack

  Tadeo Allende (5/10):

  Quietly, the best player on attack for Miami, and had two shots on target – but couldn't get past a determined Kahlina.

  Lionel Messi (3/10):

  As pedestrian as he's ever looked in MLS, this was a poor outing from the legend – his second in a row following an equally quiet showing in the Leagues Cup. His missed penalty changed the momentum, giving Charlotte a spark. Despite Miami largely controlling possession, Messi never got going. Without Suarez to worry about, Charlotte put two to three bodies on Messi with every touch and dared his teammates to do the scoring. That strategy was effective.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Subs & Manager

  Noah Allen (5/10):

  Came on for Bright but didn't change much in the contest. 

  Daniel Pinter (4/10):

  Made his MLS debut after starring in MLS Next, which is always a great moment. But ineffective otherwise. 

  Marcelo Weigandt (4/10):

  He was worse than the player he replaced.

  Javier Mascherano (2/10):

  The best managers find a way to get their teams back on track after an embarrassing defeat, yet Inter Miami sustained their second-straight 3-0 loss. That's unacceptable considering the 14-day break the club had between losing the Leagues Cup final and this match. Mascherano's relationship with Messi will likely keep him in this job, but the manager looked tactically out of his depth.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a mixed campaign so far as their form has been up and down with various injury and suspension issues to deal with throughout the season so far.

Ange Postecoglou was brought in from Scottish giants Celtic last summer and enjoyed a terrific start to life in England with eight wins and two draws from his first ten Premier League matches.

However, they then lost the likes of Micky van de Ven and James Maddison to injury and failed to win any of their next five league matches – including four losses and one draw.

Since then, Spurs have won four of their last five Premier League games and appear to be back on the right track ahead of the second half of the campaign.

The January transfer window opened at the start of last week and it has provided Postecoglou with an opportunity to add further depth and quality to his squad.

Spurs transfer news – Hayden Hackney

Tottenham have already been busy in the market this month and have now been linked with interest in Middlesbrough central midfielder Hayden Hackney.

The Standard claim that Spurs are lining up a move to land the Championship midfielder, who is also being eyed by other Premier League sides, as they prepare to join the race for his services.

Liverpool, Manchester City, and Manchester United are all said to be interested in a deal to sign the impressive young dynamo following his superb form under Michael Carrick in the second tier.

The report adds that Boro are braced for offers for his services in the summer and have told teams that it will take a 'sensational' offer to convince them to part ways with him this month.

However, The Standard do not mention what sort of fee would constitute as sensational, which means that it remains to be seen whether or not a move is realistic for Spurs this month.

The outlet goes on to mention that Tottenham are particularly keen on a deal for the England U21 international as another homegrown player would help them to meet the quota for UEFA competitions, should they secure a place in the Champions League, Europa League, or Europa Conference League.

Spurs got a glimpse of his quality against Premier League opposition when he faced Chelsea in the first-leg of the League Cup semi-final on Tuesday night.

Hackney, as you can watch in the video above, scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory for Middlesbrough, whilst he also created one chance and made two tackles throughout the 90 minutes.

His performance showed that he does have the quality to make an impact against the top-flight sides, which is why Spurs should take a gamble on him this month.

He is a progressive central midfielder who could help Postecoglou to unlock the best of Timo Werner, who recently joined on loan from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig.

Timo Werner's goal record

The Germany international is set to be at Tottenham until the end of the current campaign and they have an option to make it permanent for €17m (£14.6m).

Spurs will be hoping to get him back to his best after a difficult first half of the season in his home country, which ended with two goals and zero assists in 14 appearances in all competitions.

Last season, Werner plundered a respectable 16 goals and six assists in 40 matches for Leipzig – including nine goals and four assists in 29 Bundesliga outings.

His second spell at Leipzig came after a two-year stint in England with Chelsea. The German forward produced 23 goals and 21 assists in 89 games and helped the Blues to win the Champions League in 2021.

Werner's best goalscoring form, however, came during the 2019/20 campaign for Leipzig, which led to his transfer to England in the summer of 2020.

Werner's career goal record by position (via Transfermarkt)
Position	Appearances	Goals
Centre-forward	292	133
Left winger	74	16
Right winger	25	Seven
Second striker	22	13

The now-27-year-old marksman racked up a staggering 34 goals and 13 assists in 45 games in all competitions – including 28 goals in 34 Bundesliga matches.

It is now up to Spurs and Postecoglou to unlock Werner's top form between now and the end of the season, which the signing of Hackney could help with.

The statistics that show why Spurs should sign Hackney

The Boro star is all-round central midfielder who can make an impact in and out of possession but his qualities on the ball are why he could help the German striker.

Hackney, firstly, is a solid contributor off the ball. He has made 2.2 tackles and interceptions combined and 7.7 ball recoveries per match across 16 Championship outings this season.

Meanwhile, Pape Matar Sarr (5.1) and Yves Bissouma (4.8) have not retrieved possession as frequently each game in the Premier League as the English dynamo.

This suggests that the potential is there for the Boro ace to create more opportunities for Spurs to attack by recovering the ball more often than Postecoglou's current options, if he can translate his form to the top-flight.

His presence in the middle of the park could, therefore, provide the team with more chances to counter and make the most of Werner's impressive pace and movement in transition.

Hackney, who was described as a "sensational" young midfielder by journalist Graeme Bailey on the Talking Transfers podcast, also has the progressive passing to consistently find Werner, and other attackers, in dangerous positions.

Hackney vs midfielders (via FBref)
23/24 Championship (per 90)	Percentile rank
Shot-creating actions (3.50)	Top 18%
Progressive passes (8.19)	Top 1%
Progressive carries (2.25)	Top 19%
Passes attempted (77.37)	Top 5%

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old starlet is an exceptional passer who constantly looks to progress play through passes or carries to push his team into advanced positions in the opposition third.

Bissouma, as a point of reference, has averaged 6.56 progressive passes and 2.31 shot-creating actions from 78.74 attempted passes in the Premier League this season.

This suggests that, if Postecoglou can help Hackney to translate his current performances over to the top-flight, the 5 foot 10 dynamo could enhance the quality of Tottenham's build-up play.

This would, in turn, lead to more opportunities for Werner to use his pace and direct play to make things happen at the top end of the pitch, which is why this potential signing could help to unlock the German whiz.

Sunderland can save millions by delving into their Academy of Light, the place that produced Champions League winner, Jordan Henderson.

The Black Cats have another promising central midfielder on their hands in 19-year-old starlet, Harrison Sohna, though it is worth noting that he has not come through all steps of the youth set-up, having switched last year from Aston Villa U23s.

Having featured in just two goals and three assists along the way – this, despite functioning as a defensive midfielder for seven games.

His performances for the Black Cats’ reserve side have paved the way for opportunities to play in the first team. Though his three appearances for the senior side have all come under former boss Lee Johnson in the EFL Trophy, so he is yet to make his professional league debut, and yet to impress Alex Neil who will surely be looking to embed the youngster into the first team come next season.

Over the last year, Sohna has registered some stats that demonstrate why he deserves a chance to play a higher level of football.

His average of 58.7 touches, 44 accurate passes and 0.7 key passes better that of Corry Evans who averages 45.5 touches, 28.3 accurate passes and 0.3 key passes per game – with the 31-year-old featuring 33 times for the Black Cats in the standard League One season, including two additional appearances in the League One play-offs.

Right now is a tricky time to hand an inexperienced youngster a league debut in what is such an important game in the season-defining play-off final on the 21st May. Though, it would not hurt to let Sohna train with the first team from now and across pre-season to see how he fairs in the level above.

His stats are certainly promising and his playstyle is what has got him noticed, with his forward-thinking approach and ability to make something happen echoed by Josh Bunting: “Harrison Sohna against his former club with the goal, really like when he gets on the ball, always thinking forward and opens up trying to make something happen.”

With that in mind, he’s certainly one to watch in the northeast.

In other news: Sunderland make “an enquiry” to sign highly-rated journeyman, Neil surely ecstatic

Leeds United are yet to welcome their first reinforcement in the January transfer window, but reports suggest that the 49ers could now finally make their winter move to land a Premier League edition. With Daniel Farke's side fighting for Championship promotion, this could quickly prove to make all the difference.

Leeds United transfer news

The transfer rumours have arrived even in the face of a quiet January window at Elland Road. The Whites have been linked with moves for the likes of Liverpool's young right-back Calvin Ramsay after his earlier loan spell at Preston North End came to an end, as well as Tottenham Hotspur's Ben Davies in what would be an impressive move given his experience at the top level.

The Yorkshire club's quiet window so far will be no shock to Farke, who admitted at the start of the month: "I expect a much more quiet and calm January to the last transfer period for example. We wish for a quiet January, but won’t fall asleep and when there are decisions to make, we will also make decisions and you never know what happens."

Leeds could land dream James partner in £50k-p/w Premier League "wizard"

The Elland Road outfit are seemingly seeking to bolster their ranks with a new attacking addition this month.

ByRobbie Walls Jan 19, 2024

As the window approaches the latter stages, however, it looks as though the 49ers could finally spring into action. According to Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, Leeds have made their first move for Ryan Giles, enquiring to Luton Town over a potential deal to sign the left-back as part of a 'late-transfer blitz' at Elland Road. The rumours have seemingly developed from initial interest to Leeds now making a first move for the defender.

Giles has struggled for minutes at Luton this season and could now be allowed to complete a loan move for the sake of earning more game-time. Meanwhile, Leeds could prioritise a left-back and a right-back this month following the termination of Djed Spence's loan deal and Luke Ayling leaving for Middlesbrough.

"Fantastic" Giles could play a part in Leeds' promotion push

Currently as many as seven points adrift of the second automatic promotion spot currently occupied by Ipswich Town and sitting fourth, Leeds are in need of a January boost in the form of reinforcements, and Giles could be among those to arrive. The left-back has enjoyed previous stints in the Championship at Middlesborough, Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers, meaning that he could be more than capable of stepping into the level at Elland Road.

It was at Cardiff that Giles left many impressed, including former teammate Marlon Pack, who praised his debut performance, saying via Wales Online:

"He has got a fantastic delivery. He is someone who offers something that little bit different in the team that we were maybe lacking before. I think we will complement him, too. The way he gets the ball out of his feet and puts it in [the box] with so much venom and pace.

"In fairness, he was lucky today to get only the one assist, because he has put in some great balls and we were unlucky not to score a few more from his deliveries. He will be a fantastic asset to us. He's a young lad who's learning but he's got undoubted ability and it's down to us, our senior players, to make sure he delivers and to back him up during the games."

Manchester City are only a handful of games away from potentially securing their fourth Premier League title in five years.

With 34 matches played, Pep Guardiola’s side have won 26, drawn five and lost three, scoring 84 goals and conceding 21 along the way.

Despite the four very important games that the Citizens have left to play, it seems as though the hierarchy at the club behind the scenes already have some plans in place regarding the upcoming summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

In a recent tweet, journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared an exciting update on what sort of transfer business could take place behind the scenes at the Etihad Stadium this summer.

He said: “Manchester City will sign a new midfielder once [Erling] Haaland saga’s over. Paul Pogba has been discussed internally as @MikeKeegan_DM reported – still nothing advanced, PSG also in the race #MCFC.

“Frenkie de Jong, highly rated but expensive. Scouts have monitored Matheus Nunes too.”

Taking this into account, it could well end up being a rather busy summer transfer period for the reigning Premier League champions.

If they are then able to not only secure Haaland’s signature but bring a new midfielder in as well, this would be music to the ears of Guardiola to help him refresh his squad.

With the Citizens set to wave goodbye to veteran midfielder Fernandinho in the summer once his current contract runs out, it’s easy to see why the club would be aiming to bring in a new midfield option.

Should the Brazilian find himself not putting pen to paper on a new deal, his place in the squad would be open for a potential new recruit to fill.

In terms of the three midfield options that Romano mentioned in his tweet, the fact that all three have provided goals and assists for their clubs in their respective leagues this season could make them valid options for such an attacking team like City.

If the Sky Blues end up sealing the league title and then completing the deals that they want to get done in the summer, this would leave Guardiola ecstatic and put City in a good place to attack the 2022/23 campaign and try to continue being as successful as possible.

In other news: Man City eyeing bargain move for £290k-p/w “work of art”, supporters would be ecstatic

New Zealand pulled off a remarkable heist to defend 180 in the third T20I at Nelson, as England lost 5 for 10 in 18 balls after needing 42 off 5.2 overs with eight wickets in hand to lose by 14 runs.After setting a score that looked something like par, primarily thanks to the impetus provided by Colin de Grandhomme’s 35-ball 55 in the middle overs, New Zealand’s bowlers proved expensive on a small ground, as Dawid Malan and James Vince accelerated through the middle overs to put England in pole position.But after Eoin Morgan dragged the final ball of Mitchell Santner’s spell to deep midwicket, England only managed to hit one boundary in the final five overs of the innings to throw away a winning position and go 2-1 down in the five-match series.Colin de Grandhomme connects with a pull•Getty Images

If you were set the task of putting together a game that summed up the international careers of two of England’s fringe batsmen, this was it.Malan and Vince both stood to reap the benefits of a tour that represented a low-stakes opportunity to press their respective claims for England’s T20 World Cup squad, and both have put themselves in positions to close games off with substantial scores. In Christchurch, Vince smeared a half-tracker down long-on’s throat on 59; at the Cake Tin, Malan was set on 39 when he mistimed one straight to long-off.And the nearly-men narrative continued here. On 55, Malan whacked a shin-high full toss from Ish Sodhi straight to cow corner with England cruising, before Vince picked out mid-off in the circle on 49 needing to take control of the lower-middle order to see England home after a middle-over wobble.”Myself, Vincey and Sam Billings have been around the squad for four years waiting for these opportunities and they’re few and far between,” reflected Malan after the game at Wellington. “That’s why I’m a bit disappointed today: if I’d batted for three or four more overs I could have put us in a position to win this game.”And with two games to go in this series it feels like none of those men has really pushed their case. Malan, who could well be rotated out for the final two games of the series, was visibly frustrated after his dismissal. His T20I record is superb, with five fifties in eight innings, but given England’s backlog of options at the top of the order, he may well find himself squeezed out by the time the World Cup comes around.England had started their chase with a bang: Tom Banton was never likely to die wondering on his international debut, and so it proved. His mentor Marcus Trescothick has encouraged him to play straight early in his innings, and he creamed the third ball his faced through the covers for four off Tim Southee as if to hand in his homework.With that formality out the way, he bludgeoned Lockie Ferguson – with his pace up at 92mph – over midwicket for six over midwicket and then deftly nudged him for four through third man, but an attempted ramp off Blair Tickner proved his undoing, as he was bowled for 18.England were undeterred, and accelerated well just as the field spread. Malan was put down on 15, as Southee shelled a tough caught-and-bowled chance, but capitalised on Sodhi’s wayward start to move through the gears before crunching Jimmy Neesham for six over midwicket and following that with a supreme cover-drive.But after dinking Santner for four two balls after bringing up his fifty, he slapped Sodhi straight down the throat of Guptill at cow corner.Vince punished some loose balls from Santner and Tickner, but after Morgan fell and Billings was run out by a sharp piece of work from Colin Munro, he picked out mid-off. Ferguson accounted for Lewis Gregory and Sam Curran in the space of an over, and with an uncharacteristically long tail, England were bust despite a lusty blow over midwicket from Tom Curran as Southee closed out the final over.After Southee won his first toss of the series, Martin Guptill’s 17-ball cameo kickstarted things for New Zealand. He hit three fours off the Curran brothers in the first two overs, before punishing Saqib Mahmood’s wayward start by firing boundaries off his first three balls.But after suffering a harrowing afternoon at the Cake Tin on Sunday, Pat Brown bounced back and showed his poise under pressure to remove Guptill. After an 80mph bouncer that sat up and was swatted away over square leg for four, Brown followed that up with a knuckleball that Guptill failed to read, and skewed up to extra cover where Tom Curran held a good catch running back.Munro’s scratchy series continued as he failed to pick a slower ball, but de Grandhomme – in the No. 4 role he has made his own in the last 12 months – ensured that New Zealand avoided a middle-overs lull by carving Mahmood’s second over for 15.Matt Parkinson struck with his fifth ball on debut, bowling the reverse-slog-sweeping Tim Seifert through his legs, but was surprisingly only afforded two overs on a dry pitch. De Grandhomme picked two Brown slower balls to keep the innings moving in the 13th, while consecutive no-balls from Gregory and a six from the free hit saw New Zealand reached 133 for 3 with six to go, leaving them well set for a push towards 200.But Tom Curran’s change-up accounted for de Grandhomme, who thrashed one straight down Banton’s throat at long-on, and none of Ross Taylor, Jimmy Neesham and Santner ever really got set as England’s youngsters displayed their full range of variations to concede only 47 from the final 36 balls.Mahmood was again expensive, leaking eight boundaries as his four overs went for 49, but the Currans were both impressive – both have improved their standing in England’s long queue of seam-bowling options on this tour. While England’s fielding was much better – Morgan was critical of their sloppiness after they put down five chances in Wellington – they bowled eight wides and two no-balls, which might well have proved the difference.