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Having failed to earn promotion to the Premier League, Leeds United are reportedly set to pay the price with European giants lining up to sign one of Daniel Farke's best players.

Leeds transfer news

A second consecutive season in the Championship was always going to act as a major blow at Elland Road, but the Yorkshire club have not been helped by their need to sell players this summer in order to comply with profit and sustainability rules in the Championship. This has already seen the Championship's Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville linked with a move away and others could soon follow.

The Dutchman enjoyed an outstanding campaign last time out and is undoubtedly Premier League-ready. With reported interest from Liverpool and Newcastle United, Summerville may yet have the opportunity to complete his top-flight return by using an alternative route to the Wembley option that Leeds failed to take hold of.

The winger's exit would be a major blow, but he's reportedly not the only one potentially heading for the Elland Road exit door this summer. According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, RB Leipzig want to sign Archie Gray in a deal that could eventually rise to £50m this summer, but are joined in their interest by Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and other European giants.

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Of course, the advantage that Leipzig have is that Red Bull have just bought a minority stake in Leeds, meaning that they could now use their links to deal their new acquisition an instant blow in quite the twist. Gray became the youngest player in Leeds' history to appear at Wembley in the play-off final in the latest achievement on his path seemingly destined for greatness.

This claim emerged before news broke of Brentford reportedly agreeing terms with Gray, with the Bees now firmly in the driving seat with regard to his immediate future. Of course, this is still a blow to Leeds, not least as they are only set to receive £35m as opposed to £50m, while should his move to west London fall through, there will be a number of clubs in the queue to grab a player clearly available for sale.

"Crucial" Gray is destined for the top

At just 18 years old, Gray slotted into Farke's side out of position at right-back and barely missed a beat. a midfielder by trade, the Leeds academy graduate has more than earned the interest of Leipzig, Bayern and other top European sides this summer and Leeds could be left with no choice but to sanction a deal to comply with PSR rules.

In an ideal world, they'll keep hold of their star prospect, but if he does move on to such clubs, there may well be a sense of pride hidden somewhere beneath initial disappointment that one of their very own is onto great things.

Farke, of course, would be among those sharing that mixed feeling, having praised Gray in abundance last season. He told Leeds Live: "For Archie, it's definitely not a bad choice at times. We don't play him there just to develop him, it's more we've got the feeling for this game, we need a player there who is capable to handle the pace and the speed and the mobility of the opponent's wingers.

"Also to play a bit more like an inverted full-back, a bit more like a traditional midfield player, Archie would have been the right choice. Thank God he repaid my trust and played some really good games there. He was fantastic in the last home game, solid last away game and he was crucial, especially in the second half."

Looking to flex their Champions League muscles for the first time, Aston Villa are reportedly in pole position to sign a Euro 2024 star who could slot straight into Unai Emery's side.

Aston Villa transfer news

Of course, whilst it would be easy to assume that Villa are in a position to spend big after qualifying for the Champions League last season, the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules mean that they've got to sell before they can think about spending big, which could result in Douglas Luiz's exit this summer.

According to reports, the Brazilian could swap the Midlands for Italy and Juventus this summer in a deal that would see Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior move the other way in quite the shake-up for all involved.

Once they solve their profit and sustainability dilemma, however, Villa can turn their attention towards potential reinforcements and one Euro 2024 star. According to Il Giorno, Aston Villa are in pole position to sign Denzel Dumfries from Inter Milan this summer, with the right-back at a stalemate with the Italian giants over his future.

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Part of the Netherlands squad for the Euros, Dumfries' future is unlikely to be settled before the end of his side's tournament, but Villa will seemingly be there waiting when the opportunity comes their way. A Serie A winner, the Midlands club could be making quite the statement by welcoming Dumfries in the coming months.

Given that Emery will have Champions League football to balance next season too, competition for places will be no bad thing in his ever-improving side.

"Brilliant" Dumfries would be an upgrade on Cash

Whilst Matty Cash enjoyed another solid season at Villa Park, Villa would be doing themselves no harm by welcoming a player of proven Champions League quality in Dumfries, who could be an upgrade on the Poland international. And if those in the Midlands want to continue their recent rise, making ruthless decisions will be an important part.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)	Denzel Dumfries	Matty Cash
Assists	4	2
Tackles Won	13	31
Interceptions	12	18
Key Passes	27	13

Given that Cash's numbers highlight his defensive ability whilst Dumfries is better on the ball, Emery would suddenly have two options who can provide two very different traits when needed, which could prove to be crucial next season. The Dutchman has already earned plenty of praise in England too, with Micah Richards saying via TeamTalk:

“Denzel Dumfries. What a player he is. I just thought his whole game was brilliant. It was his timing of his runs… He didn’t sort of mix it up too much but when he did it was the right moments. Down this right-hand side he was just breathless.”

So, once his Euros campaign is over, Dumfries seems like a player to watch this summer, as Villa enter pole position for his signature.

The Catalan is already considered among football's best ever coaches, though is yet to try his hand in the international game

When England met Greece in the Nations League last Thursday, they were the odd team out in the contest that had never won a European Championship before. The Three Lions have lost the last two finals, yet that is the closest they have come to continental glory in the men's game.

That famous '30 years of hurt' phrase will have rolled over to 60 by the time the next World Cup comes around – we'll be as far away from Euro 1996 as the release of that Lightning Seeds song from the 1966 World Cup. Sorry for making you feel old and potentially thrusting you into existential crisis, but this is a time for home truths.

England have a managerial vacancy, and a leading candidate for the job is Pep Guardiola, whose Manchester City contract expires at the end of the season. He's left a trail of success wherever he's been, and that extends to the countries he's managed in.

Some pundits, such as Roy Keane, have warned the FA they need to "go for the best", which is inarguably the charismatic Catalan. There is a notion that England are at a slight disadvantage in trying to woo Guardiola, yet that isn't the case at all – if anything, he needs such a job more than they need him.

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  Foundations for Spain & Germany

  It would be quite overeager and presumptuous to claim that Spain and Germany's respective World Cup successes were down to Guardiola's work in those countries at the time of those glories, but it would be equally cynical to suggest he didn't in-part influence the way those sides came and conquered.

  Spain, though traditionally a possession-heavy side anyway, leant heavily on relationships and partnerships built within Guardiola's Barcelona – remember when there was a genuine debate over whether Lionel Messi should have chosen to represent La Roja instead? Barca were the idyllic team of that generation, and Spain boss Vicente del Bosque implemented a lower-pace style which mimicked that side but as to suit the different demands of international football.

  Of course, Germany are perennial favourites in essentially every match they've ever played too, and Guardiola had only been at Bayern Munich for one season, yet there was a new-found ruthlessness and savviness about their 2014 displays which had evaded them at Euro 2012.

  Whether merely coincidental or with underlying intention, Guardiola has built up enough stock for the masses to think it conceivable he had a hand in swinging the pendulum of the international game by footballing osmosis. That should count for something, and this process has extended to his time in England.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Changing English football

  Guardiola didn't simply bring principles such as playing out from the back and dominating the ball to English football, but he did fasten those trends and perfect them. All down the pyramid are teams trying to bait the press or build from deep, which may have happened eventually anyways, though not at such a steep, and sometimes reckless, trajectory.

  When City were on the cusp of winning the 2017-18 Premier League title – their first under Guardiola and with a record points tally of 100 – John Stones spoke of the impact his coaching had on the international team and what then-manager Gareth Southgate was benefitting from.

  "I think we try to bring all the attributes and what we learn under Pep into the England squad, and are open to learn from Gareth as well," he said. "We work hard on the training pitch under Pep, learn a lot of things, different styles of play, how to play against different formations. I think it gives you that head start coming into England, and we can share our ideas as well."

  Southgate went on to oversee the most successful period in the history of the England men's national team since the sixties, with his famed man-management working in tandem with his players' tactical and technical brilliance.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Carsley's 'world-class' warning

  Interim manager Lee Carsley is currently mid-Hokey Cokey on whether he should actually get the job on a full-time basis, but he did have an ominous warning after Sunday's win away at Finland: "This job deserves a world-class coach that has won trophies and I am still on the path to that."

  That seems to be the way of the international game at the moment. Julian Nagelsmann replaced Hansi Flick as Germany boss last year, Mauricio Pochettino is in charge of the USMNT, Luciano Spalletti is beginning to get a tune out of Italy, Luis de la Fuente enjoyed Spanish success at youth level (similarly to Carsley, in fairness) and Thomas Tuchel is another contender to take the England job.

  Any fanciful dream the FA had of instilling Jurgen Klopp is dead, leaving Guardiola as the best manager available for hire. The least they can do is ask him about taking over from Carsley.

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• AFP
  

  Thirst for international management

  Even before Guardiola's recent comments neither confirming or denying any interest in the England gig, he left the door ajar in the recent past to international management.

  When asked back in March 2024 what he has left to achieve, the Catalan replied: "A national team. I would like to train a national team for a World Cup or a European Championship. I would like that.

  "I don't know who would want me! To work for a national team they have to want you, just like a club."

  Well, you're in luck then, Pep. This vacancy has come at the perfectly opportune time for all parties involved.

“I started playing cricket with my cousins, the boys, just to keep active,” vice-captain Dottin said

Annesha Ghosh and Alexis Nunes19-Sep-2020

Deandra Dottin and West Indies Women are looking to bounce back on the tour of England•Getty Images

West Indies allrounders Deandra Dottin and Hayley Matthews believe that having a “strong mindset” proved pivotal in keeping themselves motivated through the Covid-19 pandemic-induced off season. It helped them overcome fears that “we wouldn’t have any women’s cricket for the rest of the year” after the T20 World Cup in Australia ended in early March.The 2021 Women’s World Cup has been postponed by a year. That along with the cancellation of several bilateral women’s series, even after international men’s cricket resumed in July, threatened to leave the women’s calendar vacant for the rest of 2020, outside of Australia’s home series against New Zealand which begins September 26.However, the ECB successfully drew up contingency plans to make up for India and South Africa’s withdrawal for tours in July-August by inviting West Indies. Their first T20I against England in Derby on Monday is set to mark the return of top-level women’s international cricket 196 days on from the T20 World Cup final at the MCG.”The whole time in the pandemic I just thought that that was it for the year for women’s cricket,” Dottin, the West Indies vice-captain, told ESPNcricinfo. “I think this pandemic [has taught] that mentally you’ve got to be strong. You’ve got to have a strong mindset. It [is] something that you can’t easily give up.”I actually thought we wouldn’t have any women’s cricket for the rest of the year. I just kept training and doing things here and there and kept motivating myself in all ways. I started playing cricket with my cousins, the boys, just to keep active and keep that work up: of playing cricket.”Matthews echoed her team-mate’s apprehensions. She was, like Dottin, part of West Indies’ 2016 T20 World Cup-winning side. She has also been a sought-after name in domestic T20 competitions, plying her trade in the WBBL, the now-defunct KSL and the Women’s T20 Challenge.ALSO READ: West Indies women in England: ‘Women’s cricket needs this’ – Stafanie Taylor”It’s obviously something very challenging,” said Matthews, who will play for the Hobart Hurricanes in the WBBL later this year. “You have to have a strong mentality to go out there, still be training, and putting in all the hard work, not knowing if you’re going to be able to be playing again this year. I’m just really glad we are able to get back over again and that Cricket West Indies and ECB have [made that possible] for us to play.”We also see the Women’s Big Bash League; it seems it’s going to come off as well. It’s really good to see these boards are stepping up at this point and get cricket played – not only for the men’s sides but the women’s sides as well.”Hayley Matthews leaves the field after her dismissal•Getty Images

West Indies have lost (19) more times than they’ve won (17) in their 37 T20Is since their 2016 T20 World Cup victory. Like the side, Matthews, the Player of the final in that tournament, too, has struggled to replicate the abandon that became a hallmark of the side’s maiden world title triumph four years ago. In her last 15 T20I innings, she has reached 30 only thrice, her maiden T20I hundred in May last year included.In the T20 World Cup earlier this year, Matthews, who opens for the side, made only 26 runs in three innings as eventual semi-finalists England knocked West Indies out in the league stage with a game to go. Their poor performance prompted then head coach Gus Logie to describe their performance in the world tournament as “timid” and possessing a “fear factor”.Matthews, however, was hopeful the upcoming five-T20I series against England could be a starting point for West Indies to make up lost ground.”Probably of late, the pressure [on us] has eased off a bit,” Matthews said. “If you look at our performances [from the recent past], because they probably weren’t the best, the expectations from us for a lot of people aren’t as high.”I don’t necessarily say that as a bad thing, though. Coming back after the pandemic and being given the opportunity to start afresh, especially against a team like England, we’re going out there knowing we’re the underdogs. I think it kind of gives us that freedom to really be able to go out there and play our natural game and play freely and express ourselves as players and as a team as well.”With Logie’s tenure having ended with the T20 World Cup, Andre Coley, who was West Indies women’s head coach in 2012, has stepped in an interim capacity. He’s overseeing the tourists’ 18-member squad, which will be based in a biosecure environment in Derby throughout the tour and is without Anisa Mohammed, the veteran offspinner who declined the invitation to tour, with uncapped Guyanese left-arm spinner Kaysia Schultz included.Matthews, 22, underlined that the opposition’s lack of familiarity with the West Indian rookies could hold them in good stead as would the experience of the seasoned campaigners in the likes of captain Stafanie Taylor, legspinner Afy Fletcher, Dottin and herself.”We have a lot of versatility,” Matthews said. “We have a lot of different players that have stepped in, including the new players. Obviously, there wouldn’t have been much footage on them out there and stuff, so it definitely brings something new to the table when we face up against England.”We also have a lot of experience within the team: people have been playing for the last five, ten years now, so that makes our combination pretty good, and hopefully it will win us some games as well.”

George Burrows claims maiden first-class wicket as game heads towards a draw

Paul Edwards at Headingley23-Aug-2020This may well be one of those Roses matches from which both sets of supporters must take whatever gobbets of comfort as they can. The loss of all but 13 balls on the first day and then 35 overs on the second, combined with a wretched forecast for Tuesday, have made it very probable that partial victories will be the only variety available.Adam Lyth will not be complaining too loudly. Bowled by the admirable George Balderson when on 45, the Yorkshire opener returned to the pavilion on this Sunday evening just 14 runs short of his fourth century in first-class Roses matches. The majority of home supporters who are missing their first game against Lancashire since the Rhodesian crisis would argue there is no other kind of Roses match and Lyth might well agree with them. The prospect of playing the old enemy in a red-ball game brings out the best in him.Danny Lamb and George Burrows will not be skriking too loudly either. As the rain gusted across Headingley this afternoon both Lancastrian bowlers could reflect that their careers had taken a step forward, even if they had both had to take some punishment before earning their rewards.Burrows’ progress was the most momentous. Resuming his maiden spell in first-class cricket this morning the 22-year-old Wiganer discovered that Lyth has a short way with leg-stump half-volleys and is similarly intolerant of leg-stump long hops. Less than an hour into the day’s play Burrows had bowled five overs for 35 runs and he was wisely withdrawn from the attack. Some thought he might have a few hours’ fielding ahead of him but Dane Vilas, Lancashire’s captain, is too wise a skipper to let a freshman stew in his own disappointment.Given an opportunity to recall Burrows by the fall of three wickets in seven overs, Vilas was rewarded for his boldness by the wicket of Harry Brook, who slapped a very short ball outside the off stump to Josh Bohannon at point. Brook stood aghast for a moment; it was the short of shot that would have earned him a severe wigging from Martin Speight, his old coach at Sedbergh.Burrows’ happiness was properly trumped by his embarrassment but at least he had a first-class wicket in his tucker bag and his second set of five overs cost only 12 runs. Out of such tiny victories are careers fashioned. James Anderson could tell Burrows that. He could also point out the more obvious truth that Burrows probably would not have had that second spell had not Yorkshire wasted the fine start that saw them bring up their fifty in exactly ten overs.The ever-reliable Tom Bailey made the first breakthrough when he had Tom Kohler-Cadmore caught by Keaton Jennings at first slip for 18, but it was Lamb who changed the balance of the session. Bowling in only his seventh first-class game, Lamb produced a fine outswinger to have Will Fraine caught by Davies for 5 and then had Tom Loten lbw second ball with a delivery that did little more than compel a shot from Loten, who was playing only his second first-class innings.Things could have been very different, and probably even better, for Lancashire had Bailey’s very good appeal against Lyth in the first over of the morning found favour with James Middlebrook. And while Lancashire will have been happy with taking four wickets in what was the first full session of this game, their luncheon would have been even sweeter had Jennings caught what appeared a straightforward slip catch off Bailey when Jonny Tattersall nicked an attempted cut.The afternoon session was wrecked by the weather and many thought they had seen their last cricket of the day. But the Headingley drainage and the efforts of the groundstaff combined to give us an evening in which Lyth progressed with few alarms towards another landmark. His hooked six off Lamb was his second of the day – Burrows had been the first sufferer – and the opener also hit a dozen fours in what has so far been a 267-minute innings made memorable by the batsman’s calm ability to resume his innings as well as his ever cultured strokeplay.Lancashire also had their successes towards evensong. Having dropped Tattersall, Jennings had the Yorkshire wicketkeeper caught at slip by Steven Croft for 25 and Burrows also enjoyed a late triumph when he bowled Jordan Thompson off the inside edge four overs before the close. The freshman had made his point, but then points, whether bonus or otherwise, are surely what this Roses match will be all about.

كشفت تقارير صحفية منذ قليل تطورات مثيرة في ملف مستقبل نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، مع النادي الإنجليزي، حيث يقترب عقده الحالي من الوصول إلى خط النهاية.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للنجم صاحب الـ32 عامًا مع ليفربول في صيف 2025، أي نهاية هذا الموسم.

وسبق أن صرّح محمد صلاح أكثر من مرة، خلال الأسابيع الماضية، بعدم وجود مفاوضات أو عروض أو محاولات من جانب مسؤولي ليفربول من أجل تجديد عقده.

وذكرت تقارير صحفية في فترات ماضية أن السبب وراء عدم وجود اتفاق، أن محمد صلاح يريد عقدًا جديدًا لمدة 3 سنوات، في حين أن إدارة ليفربول لا تمنح عقودًا طويلة الأمد بالنسبة للاعبين الذين تخطوا سن الـ30.

ولكن يبدو أن تغييرًا طارئًا وقع في ملف مستقبل محمد صلاح في “الأنفيلد” حسبما ذكرت صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية.

اقرأ أيضًا.. الهلال السعودي يراوغ بشأن استهدافه التعاقد مع محمد صلاح قبل كأس العالم للأندية

وذكرت الصحيفة أن محمد صلاح يقترب من توقيع عقد جديد لمدة عامين مع ليفربول، لإنهاء كل الشكوك المُثارة حول مستقبله مع النادي.

وأوضحت أنه قد تم التوصل إلى اتفاق بين مجموعة فينواي الرياضية، المالكة لنادي ليفربول، ومحمد صلاح بشأن عقده الجديد، وذلك بعد أشهر من المفاوضات.

وأشارت إلى أن وكيل محمد صلاح، رامي عباس، كان قد أبلغ ليفربول منذ فترة طويلة بأنهم يتطلعون إلى عقد جديد لمدة ثلاث سنوات، بينما كان النادي في البداية يرغب في تجديد صفقته لمدة عام فقط.

ولكن يبدو أن سخط جماهير ليفربول حول ذلك الوضع دفع إدارة النادي إلى تغيير موقفها والتوصل إلى حل وسط مع محمد صلاح، المتمثل في عقد جديد لمدة عامين.

وأكدت أن الأمور المالية لم تكن تمثل أي مشكلة أبدًا في مفاوضات محمد صلاح مع ليفربول، بينما كان مدة العقد هو نقطة الخلاف بين الطرفين.

وأشارت إلى أنه باستثناء حدوث أي عثرات في اللحظات الأخيرة، سيوقع محمد صلاح على عقد جديد مربح لمدة عامين، وهو ما سيكون خبرًا سارًا للغاية بالنسبة للمدرب آرني سلوت، الذي تيقن بشكل سريع كونه ورث جوهرة من سابقه يورجن كلوب.

كما أن محمد صلاح بتلك الخطوة سيوجه ضربة قوية للدوري السعودي الذي كان يأمل إضافة المصري إلى قوامه.

According to a fresh report, Chelsea are looking to replace Mauricio Pochettino in the dugout ahead of the 2024/25 season.

Chelsea eye Mauricio Pochettino replacements

When Pochettino took the reins at Stamford Bridge last summer, big things were expected of the Argentine. The Blues' mammoth spending continued in 2023 with around £500m paid out to sign big names such as Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. However, it is fair to say things have not gone to plan for the west Londoners this term.

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Chelsea lost the League Cup final to a weakened Liverpool side who ended the tie with what was essentially an under-23 team plus Virgil van Dijk. With any hopes of a trophy dashed, Chelsea's focus then turned to the Premier League, where they are eyeing some form of European football after missing out completely last season.

However, given the amount of money spent on the squad in the last several transfer windows, Pochettino and co. have underperformed in this department as well.

Following their win over West Ham, Chelsea sit 7th in the table, meaning they can still secure a Europa League or Europa Conference League spot. However, the fact they are 13 points off the Champions League places clearly has not gone down well with the higher-ups at Stamford Bridge, as Pochettino's days at the club look to be numbered. Reports earlier this week even claimed Chelsea paid for a plane to bring Sporting boss Ruben Amorim to England for talks, which the club denied.

Elsewhere, the Blues were said to be targeting Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and Hansi Flick as possible replacements for Pochettino. Somewhat surprisingly, another candidate for the Chelsea job is former boss Antonio Conte. The Italian won the Premier League during his previous stint with the Blues, so it easy to see why the new owners may be interested in him. But Conte is not the only former coach being tipped to make a return to west London.

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ByAlex Caple May 5, 2025 Chelsea moving for £10.5m-per-season Tuchel

According to Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb (via Sport Witness), Chelsea are making a move to bring Thomas Tuchel back to the club to replace Pochettino this summer.

It is unclear if Tuchel, who currently earns £10.5m per season with Bayern Munich, would be interested in returning, though Sport Witness states numerous reports in recent months have hinted the German would love a second chance in the Premier League.

While Chelsea have signed a number of new players since Tuchel's departure, there is still a core group who remain at the club from when he was at the helm. One such player is Ben Chilwell, who previously labelled Tuchel as an "unbelievable manager":

"[Tuchel's continuity] can only be a good thing. As players we have full confidence in the manager – we know we’re not going to get a better manager here. I’m not just saying it. He’s an unbelievable manager in all aspects and I think he has a lot of trust in us as well," Chilwell said.

"This is Chelsea, we want to win the big trophies. And of course, we're positive going into this season, like we are every season. We've got a strong team. Hopefully, we can add to that strength with some good players. We've got a great manager. New ownership. A great training ground. Good backroom staff. So everything's in place to have a good season."

Manager

Tenure

Mauricio Pochettino

2023-present

Graham Potter

2022-2023

Thomas Tuchel

2021-2022

Frank Lampard

2019-2021

Maurizio Sarri

2018-2019

Tuchel won the Champions League during his first spell at the club. Could he repeat that feat under the new ownership? There is clearly more rebuilding to do at Stamford Bridge, but Tuchel may feel he has unfinished business at Chelsea.

Emerging England batsman to play for home county until at least the end of 2022

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Mar-2020Emerging England batsman Zak Crawley has signed a contract extension which will keep him with Kent for the next three seasons.Crawley, who turned 22 last month, made his England Test debut in New Zealand in November, and has recorded 164 runs in four appearances so far, including a maiden Test fifty against South Africa in Johannesburg in January. He recently toured Australia with England Lions before heading to Sri Lanka for England’s two-Test series beginning on March 19.”Having played cricket in some capacity for my home county for nearly half of my life, I’m absolutely delighted to commit to Kent for at least three more seasons,” Crawley said. “It feels like we’re beginning to build something special at Kent and I want to play my part in establishing the club in the first division and challenging for trophies.”ALSO READ: Jofra Archer signs two-year extension with SussexCrawley’s first-class high score of 168 came in 2018 against Glamorgan at Canterbury, in the match that ultimately led to Kent’s promotion back to Division One, where they remain after a fourth-place finish last year. In the 2019 Championship season, Crawley scored 820 runs at 34.16, his highest score of 111 coming against Nottinghamshire at Tunbridge Wells.Crawley was named Players’ Player of the Year, Batsman of the Year, and One-Day Player of the Year at the club’s annual awards last season, the latter gong coming after he scored 307 Vitality Blast runs at a strike-rate of 144.81, having struck 40 boundaries in the tournament.Crawley made his Kent debut against Essex in the 2017 Royal London One-Day Cup and has made 74 appearances for the club to date, amassing 3,047 runs at an average of 32.07.”Zak has a really bright future ahead of him,” Paul Downton, Kent’s director of cricket, said. “He has made huge progress over the last two seasons and his recent Test recognition shows the high regard within which he is held by the England selectors.”

Liverpool are "particularly" interested in signing a "world-class" player in the summer transfer window, even tabling an offer for him, according to a new update.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds have been linked with numerous potential signings of late, as they look to add fresh faces to an already strong squad for the incoming manager this summer.

Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners is reportedly wanted by Liverpool, with the Dutchman publicly admitting he wants to seal a move away from the Serie A side at the end of the season. Xabi Alonso is believed to be an admirer of his, meaning he could target him if the Spaniard replaces Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

A centre-back is also on the cards for the Merseysiders, especially with Joel Matip expected to move on once his contract expires in the summer, and Juve defender Gleison Bremer has reportedly been offered to them, as well as other Premier League clubs.

Perhaps the most exciting recent rumour has been the one linking Real Madrid star Rodrygo with a move to Liverpool in the summer window, as the Reds look to make an audacious swoop for arguably one of Europe's best young attacking players. The La Liga side are not entertaining the idea of allowing him to leave at the moment, but it seems FSG and Edwards are keen to add to the attacking ranks.

Liverpool have tabled offer for "world-class" ace

According to journalist Fabio Santini [via Paisley Gates], Liverpool have tabled an offer for Federico Chiesa, showing genuine interest in signing the Juventus attacker this summer:

Chiesa is no stranger to interest from Liverpool, with the Reds seen as contenders to sign him for some time now, and it is easy to see why they are admirers.

The 26-year-old played a big role in Italy winning Euro 2020, scoring twice in the competition, and he has also accumulated a total of 86 goal contributions (45 goals and 41 assists) in 226 appearances in Serie A, which has been achieved through impressive spells at both Fiorentina and Juve. Meanwhile, Alessandro Pierini is so impressed that he has called him "world-class" in the past.

"He’s world-class. He has all the ability and desire of a great player. If he improves then he’ll be even better than his father [Enrico]. I have loads of respect for Enrico and all he has done to help Federico come on as a player until now."

Liverpool hit jackpot with a "beast" who's now worth more than Salah

Anfield is starting to see the true quality of this top-class Klopp signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Mar 26, 2024

Admittedly, Liverpool look extremely well-stocked in attack currently, with other positions more important to strengthen in, but Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are the only genuine wide players – Ben Doak is a long-term prospect – so Chiesa could provide great competition on either flank.

The glory days of Manchester United are in the past, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe will be desperate to turn his club into a European giant once again.

2013 was the year when the Red Devils last won the Premier League, with the last decade being filled with disappointment and frustration.

However, just like throughout the history of United, the current crop does have some quality players, but one position that’s not been quite as elite is at centre half.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at what a Man United legend like Rio Ferdinand would have cost the club today.

What Rio Ferdinand cost Man United

In the summer of 2002, Ferdinand joined the Red Devils from rival Leeds United in a deal worth £30m, which at the time made him Britain’s most expensive player.

Rio Ferdinand

The centre-half had the perfect start to life in Manchester bar an injury, winning the Premier League in his debut campaign at his new club.

However, his second season under Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t exactly plain sailing after being handed an eight-month ban due to missing a routine drug test.

Despite missing plenty of action, Ferdinand truly cemented himself as an excellent signing after his return, famously forming an unstoppable partnership with Nemanja Vidic at the heart of the United backline for years.

Remarkably, he is just one of three defenders to be inducted into the Premier League's half of fame alongside Vincent Kompany and Tony Adams. He is also one of a host of United players to feature on such a distinguished list which also includes manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

#1 David Beckham

#2 Roy Keane

#3 Eric Cantona

#4 Paul Scholes

#5 Wayne Rooney

#6 Rio Ferdinand

What Rio Ferdinand would have cost in 2024

In today’s market, it’s often difficult to find the right balance between the transfer fee and the quality of the player, with plenty of big deals turning into disasters and some even looking like bargains despite a huge fee. Just ask Man Utd's Antony.

Having a complete skillset is non-negotiable in modern-day football for almost all positions, but Ferdinand would have certainly ticked every box today, which makes it no surprise that he would have cost United £160m in today's market, according to financial experts Totally Money.

Ferdinand wasn’t just a “superb” defender, however, as dubbed by football creator Liam Canning, but he was particularly known for being a modern-day centre-back who was quick and quality on the ball, with former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson once labelling him “the most complete central defender” in the England squad.

However, to contextualise just how ahead of the times and impressive the 45-year-old was, former Arsenal legend Tony Adams called for the United icon to be fielded in midfield for his country due to his technical ability.

The former Gunners skipper once said: "For me, and I don't think he can do it at Man United at the moment, I'd love to see him in that holding midfield role. Rio can't do it at United because he's under too much pressure – they haven't got another two centre-halves – but he can do it for England. We've got Sol Campbell and John Terry, two fantastic defenders, behind him. Technically he's good. We need him in the team."

Paul Pogba

£90.5m

Antony

£82m

Harry Maguire

£75m

Jadon Sancho

£73m

Romelu Lukaku

£73m

As you can see, the number five would be by far the biggest signing by Man United if he joined in the modern day, more than doubling the fee it cost to bring Harry Maguire to the club from Leicester City.

However, Erik ten Hag’s team could do with the exact profile of Ferdinand, who would be the perfect partner for Lisandro Martinez, and it’s fair to say that if the former Red was on the market in 2024, the club would be eyeing him up this summer.

Over his 12 years at United, Ferdinand made 455 appearances for the Red Devils, winning 15 trophies in the process, including six Premier Leagues, which certainly proves that he was worth every single penny.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?