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Australia are preparing to face Pakistan in Colombo after their second match was washed out

Andrew McGlashan06-Oct-20252:21

‘Tough to make a case against Australia winning the lot’

Megan Schutt has been termed the “ultimate professional” for the way she responded to being left out of Australia’s opening ODI World Cup match against New Zealand. She does, however, face a further wait to see if she will be included against Pakistan in Colombo.Due to the washed-out match against Sri Lanka, it will be a seven-day gap for Australia when they take on Pakistan. Head coach Shelley Nitschke did not confirm whether Schutt would have featured in that abandoned contest after Darcie Brown’s pace had been preferred against New Zealand.Related

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Bugs halt play between India and Pakistan in Colombo

Schutt: 'I didn't have the skill or work ethic, I just happened to be able to swing a ball'

Schutt has 10 wickets in nine ODIs against Pakistan although she did go wicketless in the two most recent matches, at home, between the two sides in early 2023. Brown, meanwhile, has five wickets in two outings – figures of 2 for 21 and 3 for 32 in Brisbane – but she was taken for 52 off four overs against New Zealand in the World Cup opener.”She [Schutt] is obviously the ultimate professional and she took it very well,” Nitschke said on Monday. “We sort of looked at the match-ups and the performances coming in, but certainly I understand that Megan’s got a big role to play for us moving forward. We’ll have another look again at the match-ups and the conditions at Premadasa before we take on Pakistan and see if she’s in that right sort of team to best match up to them to hopefully win.”Speaking to ESPNcricinfo prior to the World Cup, Schutt said she had hoped to feature throughout. “I’d like to think my previous performances have kept me in good stead for that,” she said. “Obviously if it doesn’t work out, I will completely understand the balance of the squad and run drinks as best as I can if I’m not in the XI. But ideally I’d love to be out on the field doing what I do with people that I love. I like to think I’ve got pretty good awareness to know if that’s not going happen but ideally, I’d love to play all the games and get right through.”Sophie Molineux was outstanding on her return•Getty ImagesThe other key selection call Australia made for the opening match was preferring Alana King ahead of fellow legspinner Georgia Wareham. The fact there wasn’t room for both was because of Sophie Molineux’s return to the side which saw her take 3 for 25, including the wicket of Suzie Bates in her first over and the final removal of Izzy Gaze who was flying on 28 off 18 balls alongside a dominant Sophie Devine.It was Molineux’s first international since last December and Nitschke confirmed the left-arm spinner will need to be looked after as she continues to regain strength from knee surgery.”She [Molineux] was fantastic in that first round,” Nitschke said. “To open the bowling first game back and return figures like she did was unbelievable and a credit to her and the work she’s done to get her back to being available to play for us.”I think her knee is just ongoing management and seeing how it responds to training and games and looking at her availability from there. We’ll make sure that we’re doing the right thing by her and hopefully having her available when we need her.”When a decision needs to be made between King and Wareham, Nitschke said “sometimes it’s actually not about one or the other, like they bring different things to the table. I think Alana probably spins the ball a bit more and she’s a bit more attacking. Georgia can find a really good defensive length and [has] got a few variations that she goes to.”They both offer different things so it’s also about what we think we need in the game. Alana makes things happen, like I said, she’s an attacking bowler, as does Wolf [Wareham], but she also plays a lot of T20 and knows how to hit a really good defensive length at times as well.”The match in Colombo on Sunday between India and Pakistan saw play suspended for 15 minutes while the ground was fumigated against flying insects. It’s a problem Australia have not experienced during their training sessions in the city.”I’m not sure if that’s relative to the conditions and the bit of moisture that’s around,” Nitschke said. “But hopefully the fumigators are out and ready to go if that’s the case.”

With the pressure growing on Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso has reportedly made his mind up on taking the Liverpool job if it becomes available at the same time that he potentially leaves Real Madrid.

For the first time in Slot’s Liverpool career, serious questions are being asked about his tenure. Last season’s Premier League title win has provided him with plenty of credit but, as Jamie Carragher pointed out on Monday Night Football, not everyone is still convinced that he’s still the man for the job.

After eight defeats in 11 games, the Dutchman simply has to turn things around. The Reds backed him by breaking their transfer record twice in the summer and spending over £400m, but are yet to see that investment pay off.

The most concerning aspect of Liverpool’s recent run is that nothing has changed. Slot has persisted with the same system, which only provided false dawns against Real Madrid and Aston Villa.

Now, with Alonso also under pressure at Madrid, Liverpool could be presented with a tempting opportunity to make a sensational change.

Xabi Alonso makes Liverpool decision

According to Football365, Alonso is now ready to take the Liverpool job if Real Madrid decide to sack him. The Spaniard has been put under increasing pressure by reports that Vinicius Junior has decided against signing a new deal whilst the manager is in charge.

As Real Madrid are forced to decide between their star man and their new manager, it’s Liverpool who could take full advantage.

For many, the big question has centred around who would replace Slot if Liverpool decided to sack the Dutchman. In Alonso, they’d have the perfect answer.

The Reds were interested in a reunion with the Spaniard before they hired Slot and could now get what they initially wanted over a year later.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 24, 2025

Although a lot of pieces will need to fall into place, there’s little doubt that Alonso would be welcomed with open arms at Anfield.

"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future

Angry Ginge has named a Manchester United legend as the one person he “would love” to join him in the I’m A Celebrity jungle if he could choose anyone.

The Twitch streamer has now touched down in Australia, having been confirmed as part of the line-up for the latest series of I’m A Celeb, which is due to start this Sunday at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

The 23-year-old is not the only Mancunian taking part either, with his close friend, Aitch, also being revealed as one of the new contestants on Monday evening.

Having a friend in the camp will no doubt make it easier to settle into life in the jungle, but Angry Ginge, whose real name is Morgan Burtwistle, has now revealed he wishes a Man United legend was also heading down under this winter.

Angry Ginge "would love" Wayne Rooney to join him on I'm A Celeb

Speaking about the type of contestant he plans to be in a recent interview with ITV, Burtwistle said: “I will try to be the motivator in camp and make sure everyone is chatty and happy. I’m not argumentative either.

“And if I could pick anyone, I would love it if Wayne Rooney was in camp with me. We would have a laugh.”

The 40-year-old making an appearance may not be completely out of the question, having recently revealed he would be open to one day being a part of the ITV show, saying: “Would I? I think I would, at the right time.

“I’d struggle with some of the trials, though. You know the worst one, you know where they walk into a room…and there’s like a big ostrich looking at you. I didn’t [know he was scared of ostriches] but I’m just picturing them being there.”

The former Man United star also knows Angry Ginge well, having bizarrely joined his Pro Clubs team ‘Girth N Turf’ on EA Sports FC 24.

However, should he one day jet out to Australia, Rooney will have big shoes to fill, given that his wife Coleen finished as runner-up in the 2024 edition, behind only McFly singer Danny Jones.

With Angry Ginge, who has 1.4m Twitch followers, due to take part, this year’s I’m A Celeb is shaping up nicely regardless, but maybe 2026 will be the year we finally see Wazza taking part in a Bushtucker Trial…

Wayne Rooney says one Man Utd player has proven him wrong this season Rooney: £150k-p/w star has been Man Utd's "best player" and "proven me wrong"

The Manchester United legend has praised one of Ruben Amorim’s key players, who he was initially “sceptical” about.

ByDominic Lund Oct 21, 2025

Sussex lose third game in a row to dent qualification chances

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Jul-2025

James Vince made an unbeaten 98 to secure victory•Dave Vokes/Hampshire Cricket

James Vince hit the turbo button to smoke 98 not out to beat Sussex Sharks and put Hampshire Hawks on course for the Men’s Vitality Blast quarter-finals.Captain Vince led from the front in a magnificent 49-ball knock to chase down 168 and secure a third straight Hawks victory – and only failed to reach figures by hitting the winning runs with a four rather than a six.James Fuller supported with three wickets before Joe Weatherley partnered up for 62 – and 43 himself – as Hampshire found form at the right time of the competition.They now have seven wins – the traditional benchmark for qualification – while Sussex have stalled. They have lost their last three matches.Vince has blown hot and cold in the Blast, with three half-centuries but plenty of single-figure scores. This was a boiling day for him.The second ball he faced flew over the square ropes, with two more joining it to go with 12 other boundaries – it was vintage Vince, punishing anything that wasn’t an A-class delivery.A record 12-ball half-century looked temporarily on before settling for 19 balls, and from there he found a rhythm to tick off the runs quickly and risk-free.Toby Albert put 54 on with him at the top before frustrating himself with a pull to midwicket and Danny Lamb snuck one past Tom Prest. But in-form Weatherley provided the firmest support, while also plundering a quartet of sixes to make sure there was no pressure on the chase and Vince.He fell for 43, and Hilton Cartwright followed before Fuller helped Vince to get over the line.Sussex’s innings came in three acts. The cagey start, the run-frenzied middle and then the run drought at the death.Having chosen the bat, neither side could get an advantage in what felt like an ‘eight-pointer’ match due to their positions in the table and their closeness to qualifying.The Sharks probably edged the powerplay with a six off the last ball taking them to 51 for 1 – with Daniel Hughes been and gone after cutting to cover.That maximum sparked Tom Clark and George Thomas into life as they whacked 63 in the following six-and-a-half overs. Clark’s pair of sixes off Benny Howell was the apex of the innings, as the duo ran hard and piled the pressure onto the hosts.But both departed in the 13th over, Fuller dislodging each of them to spark a slow down – with only 60 runs coming from the last eight overs.Scott Currie repeated Fuller’s trick by seeing off Tom Alsop and James Coles in the 16th over, before only conceding four runs in the 18th over.Chris Wood also only went for four runs in the following over with two more wickets – the latter of which a controversial boundary catch which caused a fracas at the interval – as Hampshire took control.The visitors snared 15 runs from the last to take them to 167 for 7. But it was far from enough as Hampshire won with 16 balls to spare.

MatériaMais Notícias

Sou Mano do Mano. Foi assim que muitos torcedores do Corinthians comemoraram o retorno do técnico Mano Menezes, contratado pelo Timão para substituir Vanderlei Luxemburgo na reta final de 2023.

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+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

A brincadeira utilizada pela torcida nas redes sociais remete a uma campanha lançada pelo Corinthians em 2008, durante a primeira passagem de Mano Menezes pelo clube alvinegro.

Valorizado pela ótima campanha na Série B do Brasileirão, o treinador ganhou uma campanha de marketing com a camisa: “Sou Mano do Mano”.

A ideia do presidente Andrés Sanchez e de Luis Paulo Rosenberg, vice-presidente de marketing do Timão na época, era evitar o interesse de outros clubes em Mano Menezes, além de convencer o treinador a ficar no clube para 2009, quando o Corinthians voltaria a figurar na elite do futebol brasileiro.

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A ação do marketing corintiano funcionou, já que Mano Menezes ficou no Timão até 2010 e conquistou o Paulistão e Copa do Brasil, em 2009. A primeira passagem do treinador pelo clube se encerrou em julho de 2010, quando ele aceitou o convite da CBF para ser o técnico da Seleção Brasileira.

Chelsea have now joined the race to sign a “top-class” defender, who’s also being targeted by Liverpool, with Enzo Maresca suffering an injury crisis at centre-back.

Blues struggling for options at centre-back

Remarkably, the Blues managed to sign off with a 2-1 win against reigning Premier League champions Liverpool before the international break, despite being very light on options at centre-back, with both Benoît Badiashile and Josh Acheampong being withdrawn due to injury.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill were also absent, with the latter player suffering an ACL injury back in August, which led to widespread suggestions that Maresca’s side should enter the market for a new centre-back.

However, having spent so heavily improving other areas of the squad, BlueCo ultimately didn’t sanction a move for another new defender, which may be a decision they are now starting to rue, given the scale of the injury crisis at Stamford Bridge.

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Consequently, it would make sense for the west Londoners to enter the market for a new centre-back in the January transfer window, and they have now set their sights on a Liverpool target.

That is according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, in a report from Football Insider, which states Chelsea have now joined the race for Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo, who has a whopping £870m release clause in his contract.

O’Rourke goes on to describe Araujo as “top class”. However, he does not believe there is much chance of a transfer going through in January, saying: “I don’t see any move in January for Araujo.

“Obviously, I don’t think Barcelona would want to weaken their squad midway through the season as they’ll have ambitions to win La Liga again and to go far in the Champions League this season.”

Araujo could take Chelsea's defence to next level

At 26-years-old, the Uruguayan may be about to enter the prime of his career, and he has recently started to improve himself at the highest level, making eight Champions League appearances as Barca went on to reach the semi-final last season.

The Barcelona defender, on €240,385 per week, has remained an important player this season, making six La Liga appearances, and pundit Jack Collins has previously suggested he has the leadership abilities to one day captain the Spanish side.

Not only that, but the Rivera-born defender is dominant in the air, placing in the 97th percentile for aerials won per 90 over the past year, when compared to other centre-backs, while also ranking in the 99th percentile for non-penalty goals.

As such, Araujo could be a solid addition to Chelsea’s backline, so they should undoubtedly try to get a deal done in January, but Barca remain in a strong negotiating position, as the Uruguay international is tied down until 2031.

West Ham United boss Graham Potter is under serious pressure after a torrid start to the Premier League season, and Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna has emerged as a reported candidate to replace the under-fire tactician.

Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham boss in Premier League history since he took charge, with only the infamous tenure of Avram Grant overshadowing his poor record thus far.

Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League	Win percentage
9. Sam Allardyce	30.7%
10. Julen Lopetegui	30%
11. Gianfranco Zola	27.8%
12, Graham Potter	27.3%
13. Avram Grant	18.9%
via StatMuse

Grant was in the dugout for West Ham’s relegation at the end of 2010/2011, and was sacked hours after their drop to the Championship was confirmed. The Hammers would’ve rued their decision not to hire a replacement for the Israeli before they reached that point, and if they’re not careful, history could be repeating itself with Potter.

Since the former Chelsea and Brighton boss took charge, West Ham have the worst Premier League record of any side apart from last season’s relegated three, and only Grant’s West Ham conceded more goals at this stage of the season than any other Irons side in the competition’s history.

Potter watched on as his men were dismantled 3-0 by London rivals Tottenham in what was a dominant second half by the Lilywhites on Saturday, with goals from Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Micky van de Ven rounding off a night to forget.

Tomas Soucek was also sent off for a desperate lunge on 54 minutes, so West Ham are expected to be without the Czech fan favourite for their crucial games against Crystal Palace, Everton and Arsenal through suspension.

These are matches which could well determine Potter’s immediate future too, as reports suggest that David Sullivan and co are weighing up potential replacements for the 50-year-old.

Sullivan is personally a fan of Nuno Espirito Santo, according to journalist Alan Nixon, with the tactician also available for hire after being sacked by Nottingham Forest and replaced by Ange Postecoglou.

Coventry City boss Frank Lampard and José Mourinho have also been linked to the West Ham job, as has McKenna.

Wayne Veysey told Football Insider this week that McKenna was a guest of the West Ham boardroom during their 3-0 loss to Spurs last weekend, which will fuel speculation that the 39-year-old is a favourite for the role.

West Ham insider shares 11-word message on McKenna replacing Potter

However, according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, quoting their “top transfer source”, it is believed that a move for McKenna is unlikely.

Sharing an 11-word message, the informant simply laughs off links to the Ipswich boss who guided the Tractor Boys to successive back-to-back promotions before they were relegated last season.

They were quick to dismiss McKenna as an option, but would that be a mistake by the West Ham board?

Why West Ham should consider Kieran McKenna

McKenna is young, ambitious and would likely seize the chance to make a return to the Premier League.

He seems to develop players, get the best from limited resources and maintain high standards, as evident by his rise through the lower leagues with Ipswich these last few years.

That kind of leadership could help reset morale at West Ham, unite the dressing room and stabilize performances. While McKenna suffered a relegation last campaign, the gap between the Premier League and Championship is crystal clear by the fact all three promoted teams have gone straight back down in each of the last two seasons.

If the board decide change is needed, McKenna appears ready for a step-up, especially considering he was once a reported managerial target for Tottenham and Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur are no longer led by long-serving former chairman Daniel Levy, who’s now departed Spurs after a mixed but very memorable 25-year tenure.

Levy, who helped to transform the Lilywhites from a mid-table Premier League side under Sir Alan Sugar into a financial powerhouse off the field, couldn’t do that much to turn around their on-pitch form.

Just two major trophies in his two-and-a-half-decade-long spell in charge highlight exactly why supporters staged recent protests over Levy and ENIC, demanding change in their thirst for success.

Tottenham are one of the most valuable football clubs in the world, and in that sense, Levy leaves N17 in a much more fit state than when he first arrived.

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

via Deloitte Money League

However, criticism surrounding a lack of spending compared to elite rivals, not to mention some pretty comical moments as a result of questionable decision-making, perhaps explain why a change is needed in the boardroom.

Spurs’ infamous 2021 search for a new manager after sacking José Mourinho, which spanned a crazy 72 days, resulted in their hire of Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked just months later. Antonio Conte replaced the Portuguese, but he’s remembered just as badly for his insane post-match press conference against Southampton in 2023.

More recently, Tottenham’s repeated fumbles in the summer transfer market were pretty embarrassing. Despite agreeing deals for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, both moves fell through at the eleventh hour, forcing Levy to scramble for new signings in the final days, even if he had months to prepare beforehand.

While Levy wasn’t solely responsible for these mishaps, the 63-year-old had a “vice-like” grip on Tottenham’s day-to-day running, but that was eventually weakened by the involvement of Joe Lewis’ kids, who are growing in influence behind-the-scenes (Paul O’Keefe).

Eventually, Levy was informed by ENIC that he’d be stepping down from his role as chairman, and according to The Times, he wasn’t aware of this until just hours before the north Londoners made it official.

Now, a report by The Independent and journalist Miguel Delaney has shared how those within football have viewed this huge announcement.

How senior officials reacted to Daniel Levy exit from Tottenham

Delaney writes that many senior executives in football, presumably Levy’s Premier League counterparts, were “stunned” by the news of his resignation on Thursday evening.

Furthermore, it is reported that multiple sources heard of growing tension between Levy and ENIC owner Joe Lewis, that had been “bubbling away” for years beneath the surface.

The Lewis Family, in an official statement, are adamant that a “new era” has begun at Tottenham, but whether that is the promise of more silverware remains to be seen.

South Africa are not in a position to think about this yet, but should they need to travel to Dubai for a Champions Trophy semi-final or final, they will be at a disadvantage compared to their opposition, India, who have been based in the UAE. That’s according to Rassie van der Dussen, who said you “don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know” that the ability to train and play in one place coupled with the absence of any inter-city or inter-country travel gives India an edge that they will be under pressure to fully exploit.”It’s definitely an advantage. I saw that Pakistan was commenting about it, but it’s definitely an advantage. If you can stay in one place, stay in one hotel, practice in the same facilities, play in the same stadium, on the same pitches every time, it’s definitely an advantage,” van der Dussen said in Karachi, where South Africa will play their last group game against England. “I don’t think you have to be a rocket scientist to know that. The onus would be on them to use that advantage. In a sense, it puts more pressure on them because whoever is going to play them in the semi or potentially the final is going to go there and the conditions are going to be foreign, but they [India] are going to be used to it. The pressure would be on them to get it right because they have all that knowledge.”The Champions Trophy is being played with a hybrid model after India were refused permission by their government to travel to Pakistan, the official hosts, and the ICC board voted in favour of their matches, including any against Pakistan, to be held at a neutral venue. Pakistan will be given the same treatment for events held in India for the duration of the current event cycle, which lasts until 2027. Last week, Pakistan travelled to Dubai to play their marquee clash against India and lost, which ultimately saw them exit the tournament at the group stage. Van der Dussen referred to comments Pakistan’s head coach Aaqib Javed made in the aftermath where he played down suggestions that India had the upper hand from the outset.Related

• SA and Australia to travel to Dubai due to tangled Champions Trophy scheduling

• Group B scenarios: How can Afghanistan qualify? Are South Africa favourites to finish on top?

“See, they are in Dubai for a reason,” Aaqib said. “If they are playing in Dubai for a reason, definitely if you play on the same pitch or ground, you will have an advantage. But we are not losing because they had the advantage of the same hotel and pitch . It’s not just because of the pitch, and neither did they play some ten matches there.”But absent Australia captain Pat Cummins also saw things from van der Dussen’s perspective, when he told Yahoo Sports Australia that India would hold a “huge advantage” from playing all their matches in Dubai. “I think it’s good that the tournament can go on, but obviously it does give them [India] a huge advantage playing on the same ground.” He said. “They already look very strong and they’ve got that obvious benefit of playing all their games there.””As a team, team-wise, conditions-wise, we’ve got everything in the locker to adapt to what’s going to be in front of us”•Getty Images

One of the gains India have is the certainty that comes with knowing the venue of all their games, including the knockouts, while other teams will have to wait to confirm their arrangements. In this case, while the outcome of the Afghanistan vs Australia game on Friday could confirm Group B’s semi-finalists, the positions in the group will only be known after South Africa’s match against England on Saturday. Should South Africa qualify for the semi-finals, they will either play India in Dubai on Tuesday or New Zealand in Lahore on Wednesday.Asked which he would prefer, van der Dussen indicated the latter but said the team would be up for either task. “If it’s a personal thing, I would say playing in Lahore because it’s just good to bat there. The Dubai pitch is not as high-scoring as the Lahore [pitch], but no, I don’t think it really matters,” he said. “Probably logistically it will be easier to play in Lahore. You don’t have to go through an international flight and go to Dubai and literally go to another country to play. Lahore is not too far from where we are at the moment [Karachi], so conditions are fairly similar. It’s literally one of those things, we don’t know what’s going to happen until Saturday evening.”Though South Africa have been in Pakistan for almost three weeks, playing in a mini tri-series before the Champions Trophy, and have selected their squad accordingly, van der Dussen said they had the resources for any venue. “As a team, team-wise, conditions-wise, we’ve got everything in the locker to adapt to what’s going to be in front of us. I’m not too worried as a team. There’s no location that will suit us better or worse.”

As the hours continue to tick away on transfer deadline day, Leeds United are still searching for that one last addition of attacking spark and have made contact in pursuit of exactly that.

Leeds' deadline day plan

After a 1-0 victory against Everton, 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal and, most recently, solid 0-0 draw against Newcastle United, Leeds should be fairly happy with how they’ve started their Premier League return. But they must not get complacent. There’s still work to be done in the transfer market.

For all their good work to earn four points from a possible nine, it’s noticeable that they’ve managed just one goal whilst doing so and that came courtesy of Lukas Nmecha’s penalty on the opening day.

It’s an attacking problem that Daniel Farke pointed out before the season even got underway and one that, to their credit, the 49ers have been attempting to solve through targets such as Igor Paixao and Facundo Buonanotte. Ultimately, however, any potential deals for those targets have been hijacked by the likes of Marseille and Chelsea.

Even after those frustrating blows, though, Leeds are not giving up. Farke reiterated that they will be working until the window slams shut to welcome much-needed attacking quality, telling reporters: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business.

“But we spoke quite open and honest about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”

The wait may well be worth it for Leeds fans if deadline day reports are anything to go by too, with the Whites preparing to step up their move to sign one particular star.

Leeds plotting last-gasp Spertsyan offer

As reported by Armenie Football, Leeds are now plotting a late offer to sign Eduard Spertsyan after already making their first approach and launching contact in an attempt to get the ball rolling.

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The Krasnodar attacking midfielder would no doubt help solve Leeds’ problems going forward, and it could even be argued that he’d be a better arrival than the likes of Buonanotte.

Dubbed “underrated” by U23 scout Antonio Mango in 2023, Spertsyan has remained a player under the radar but could now get his chance to take the spotlight at Elland Road.

The Whites would also be signing a player who’s already been bang in form this season, with five goals and eight assists to his name in just 11 games.