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Leeds United have been embroiled in their fair share of transfer sagas throughout the last couple of years.

Whether it's Michel Cuisance's alleged failed medical or Jean-Kevin Augustin's remarkable tail of woe, Victor Orta has often been left with egg on his face.

What happened with Leeds and Jean-Kevin Augustin?

The latter is perhaps the most notable saga, with the Frenchman arriving in the final days of the January window in 2020 on a loan deal.

The deal included an option to buy of £18m, but that would become an obligation if Leeds secured promotion from the Championship.

They duly did, but come the start of the new Premier League campaign, Augustin wasn't at the club.

The Whites had refused to cough up the sum required, a decision that left RB Leipzig enraged.

It caused a huge dispute among both clubs with Leeds losing a case in the court of arbitration with a £15m settlement being reached.

However, in fresh news, Leeds have now been ordered by FIFA to pay the player a whopping £24.5m for breach of contract.

The move ended up being somewhat of a farce, particularly when you consider that the striker only actually played 48 minutes of football for the Yorkshire club during an injury-hit spell.

That said, there has been poorer business since, notably the club-record purchase of Giorginio Rutter at a time when Leeds arguably needed experience, and the deal to sign Daniel James.

How much did Leeds sign Dan James for?

The saga surrounding James is arguably equally as crazy as Augustin's, with Marcelo Bielsa and co having chased the Welshman for a number of years.

Back in 2019, James famously nearly signed for the Elland Road outfit, as he was spotted at the stadium after embarking on media duties at what he thought was his new club.

It was the dying embers of the transfer window but as Leeds tried to wrap up the paperwork, his team at the time, Swansea City, never answered the phone.

Just a few months later, James remarkably ended up a Manchester United player but after scoring just nine times in 74 outings, was shipped away once more.

His destination this time was Leeds as Bielsa and co finally concluded a deal for a sum of £25m in the summer of 2021.

Clearly a player the famous Argentine admired greatly, it was a deal that simply hasn't worked out for either party, with James notably being dubbed "awful" by journalist Tom Dutton for his displays.

That is a rather apt assessment of the £50k-per-week speedster who has only found the net four times in 40 appearances for the club.

So poor has his spell been that he's now on loan at Fulham where his record is equally bad having beaten the 'keeper on two occasions in 18 outings.

As such, Leeds stand very little chance of recouping anywhere near the fee they paid in 2021, with this deal set to end poorly for everyone involved.

There was a sense of romanticism when the Wales international finally arrived at Thorp Arch but he will leave arguably as a flop. Considering the vast sum of money they shelled out, and the saga that had played out two years prior to his move, there is a case to suggest that this is up there, or even worse than the move for Augustin.

Indeed, it was certainly not worth two to three years' worth of work trying to bring him to west Yorkshire.

Manchester United have reportedly made the ‘most concrete bid’ for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani this summer.

What’s the latest news on Man United and Kolo Muani?

A new forward appears to be high on Erik ten Hag’s transfer wishlist heading into his second season in charge at Old Trafford, with Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen mooted as potential targets.

However, it seems as if Kolo Muani is also on United’s transfer radar, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg confirming the France international is ‘definitely on the list’ of options, although Osimhen is rated higher internally. There has now been a further update on Kolo Muani, who supported Manchester United as a boy.

Sport Witness relayed an update from SportBILD in the last 48 hours regarding Kolo Muani and United. They claimed that the Red Devils have made the ‘most concrete bid’ for the player so far this summer, with Frankfurt looking to recoup a transfer fee beyond €100m (£88m).

It is thought that United like Kolo Muani’s goalscoring ‘power and technique’ but also appreciate his commitment when it comes to the defensive side of his game.

Would Kolo Muani be a good signing for Man United?

Kolo Muani, hailed as 'special' by sections of the media, has enjoyed an extremely successful maiden campaign with his current employers, contributing to 33 goals in 39 games in all competitions.

He has scored more goals and provided more assists than any of his previous seasons, with the 24-year-old’s Transfermarkt valuation rocketing to a career-high €65m (£58m) as a result.

The France international can also play on the wing if required, so would bring attacking versatility to Old Trafford alongside a real goalscoring threat in the box – something which appears to have been missing this season with Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst scoring just nine times between them.

However, despite Kolo Muani’s impressive nine-month stint with Frankfurt, you could say that Kane and Osimhen are more proven options, with both players regularly hitting double figures for league goals.

Osimhen has netted 10 or more times in the league dating back to the 2018/19 season, whereas Kane has done so since the 2014/15 campaign. Kane also has proven Premier League experience over the two and seemingly has his sights set on breaking the division's goalscoring record, so he could look to continue that personal target in Manchester – although you could make cases for all three being solid signings.

Tottenham Hotspur are very interested in signing Rennes defender Loic Bade as a summer signing for any eventual new permanent manager.

Which Tottenham players could leave this summer?

Despite Tottenham's dugout woes, with Cristian Stellini replaced by Ryan Mason today, they are advancing in talks with Barcelona about signing Clement Lenglet permanently, while Eric Dier is set to be offered a new contract.

There is also likely to be some departures, however, as journalist Dean Jones claims Ivan Perisic isn't "enjoying" his time with Spurs, having been linked with a return to Inter Milan, while Harry Kane's future remains in doubt.

Japhet Tanganga was linked with a move elsewhere during the January window, and having failed to break into the starting XI, the 24-year-old could depart, alongside Davinson Sanchez, who Alasdair Gold claims has been open to leaving for years.

Tanganga and Sanchez leaving would open up space in the squad for a new centre-back, and Spanish sources have now reported (via The Boy Hotspur) that Tottenham would be interested in signing Bade.

Signing the Frenchman is said to be one of the Lilywhites' "main objectives" in the summer transfer window, however Sevilla have the option to sign him for €10m (£8.8m), which they are keen to do.

Spurs certainly have the requisite funds to match that bargain figure, and the 23-year-old could be attracted by a move to north London instead, considering Sevilla are not enjoying their best season in La Liga.

Should Tottenham sign Loic Bade?

The defender has been a mainstay in the Sevilla backline since arriving on loan in January, making 13 appearances in La Liga, and he is ranked as the joint-third best performing player in the squad, with an average Sofascore rating of 6.98.

In recent weeks, the 6 foot 3 colossus has really started to find his form, showing that he has a keen eye for goal by scoring against Valencia and Manchester United, while also helping his side keep clean sheets in both matches.

Against Man United, the £27k-per-week centre-back was particularly impressive, making the most clearances, and the joint-highest amount of tackles of any Sevilla player, displaying he has what it takes to perform against one of the Premier League's best sides.

Bade is not the proven top level centre-back that Tottenham require, as he is yet to estabish himself at one of Europe's top clubs, but he could still be a nice back-up option to have, especially considering he is likely to be available for a bargain fee.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on the possibility of Burnley manager Vincent Kompany becoming their successor in the dugout to Antonio Conte, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Vincent Kompany?

Earlier this month, The Sun reported that Kompany was Spurs' preferred target to assume the managerial vacancy at Hotspur Way, with chairman Daniel Levy said to have been 'blown away' by his success in the Sky Bet Championship with Burnley this term.

Recently, The Clarets have finally been crowned champions of the English second-tier following their 1-0 victory at Ewood Park in midweek over Blackburn and could still surpass the 100-point mark with two games of the campaign left to play.

The report also states that Kompany's preference to play on the front foot has impressed Levy. It is believed that the 37-year-old would be willing to listen to Tottenham due to fears over whether Burnley could compete financially in the Premier League.

Nevertheless, The Daily Mail have claimed that Kompany would be 'resistant to taking a big leap to a club with huge expectations' amid links to both vacant Spurs and Chelsea manager positions.

Kompany believes that there is still 'work to be done' at Turf Moor and may look to reject the advances of interested parties to lead his current side into their Premier League return.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has revealed that Spurs are definitely keen on bringing Kompany into the building; however, thinks the Lilywhites may struggle to land his services as manager.

Jones said: "Tottenham took a big gamble with their interim situation but I spoke to a good contact and he said Spurs have been adamant they cannot rush this process.

"It must be tempting to get someone in because of this Champions League race they are in to make it to the top four but if Spurs are going to get this right they have to find a man that absolutely fits the model they are looking to build. And they really are leaving no stone unturned.

"I think the most surprising person they have seriously considered is Vincent Kompany but what I have discovered is why he really is so highly thought of. Yes, of course part of this is that Burnley won promotion but within football circles there has already been admiration for the tactical implementations he used in his time with Anderlecht.

"He was very adaptable and creative in his team structure and playing patterns and one contact close to Spurs said they are impressed by the fact he has a very unique outlook on how to play and that’s why he has been considered.

"My feeling is he will stay at Burnley for now and we know there are a few other very good people being checked out by Spurs in this process so he was only part of the expirations. But Burnley have a very good manager and will do well to hold onto him long-term."

Should Kompany leave Burnley amid interest from elsewhere?

Football is a game of opinions and some will believe Kompany should jump ship to Tottenham or perhaps Chelsea in light of their size in comparison to Burnley as a club.

Being able to compete for continental qualification and silverware will appeal to someone with a winning mentality, such as Kompany, alongside the prospect of having a considerable transfer kitty at hand when entering the market to scope out reinforcements.

Despite this, the jeopardy of being at a Premier League club with vast expectations is that when things aren't going to plan, pressure grows to deliver results, which can create an unhealthy environment to be in for any given manager.

Kompany will be wise to this and won't want to damage his growing reputation as a coach in its early stages, which may mean he opts to stay at Turf Moor for the foreseeable future as Burnley gear up for a return to the top flight.

Either way, the Belgian has a bright future as a manager and will be a welcome addition to the Premier League in charge of Burnley in 2023/24.

Javi Gracia takes charge of his 12th game as Leeds United manager as the Yorkshire outfit head to the south coast to face relegation rivals AFC Bournemouth this afternoon.

The Whites sit just one point above the dreaded drop, whilst the Cherries are seven points clear after they drew to rock-bottom Southampton in midweek. Leeds also drew their last outing against Leicester City after Jamie Vardy bagged a late equaliser at Elland Road.

Although it could have been a different story, with Patrick Bamford's close-range miss likely to live rent-free in the minds of many supporters over the coming weeks. It would have likely won Gracia's side the game and created more breathing room between themselves and the Foxes, who occupy that final spot in the relegation zone.

Heading into kick-off today, the Spaniard – who was appointed as Jesse Marsch's successor on a deal until the end of the season – has plenty to ponder in terms of team selection and the aforementioned striker can't be the only player at risk of dropping to the bench.

Will Marc Roca play vs Bournemouth?

Marc Roca was one of the poorer players in that encounter – wasteful in possession, weak in his battles and quite bluntly, just not good enough.

As journalist Dean Jones alluded to recently, the 6-foot powerhouse – along with Weston McKennie – have been "very, very poor," adding: "As poor as I've seen playing in such key positions all season" when speaking to GIVEMESPORT.

Indeed, the 26-year-old's display against the Midlands side was all over the place. As per Sofascore, Roca lost possession a whopping 18 times, gave away two fouls. was dribbled past twice and won just 45.5% of his duels – both on the ground and in the air.

Perhaps uncharacteristically, his expected goals ratio of 0.41 was due to one big chance missed in front of goal, which was greater than Bamford's at 0.30, which is surprising considering just how awful his miss was from two yards out.

The £50k-per-week ace – who was slammed for being part of Leeds' "lightweight" midfield recently – could well struggle again as Bournemouth's midfield are quite physical with players like Jefferson Lerma and Philip Billing likely to start; both have combined for 11 yellow cards this season alone.

Roca, a £10m signing from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in the summer, has probably been fortunate that Tyler Adams has been absent through injury but that said, Gracia shouldn't just play someone because he's one of few options, particularly if he's underperforming.

There is Brenden Aaronson, Adam Forshaw and Pascal Struijk all capable from the bench last time out, so the Spanish head coach must look to drop his fellow countryman, along with Bamford, from the starting XI against the Cherries.

Arsenal are preparing to make a €70m (£62m) bid for Valencia midfielder Yunus Musah, an offer that the Spanish club would find it difficult to resist, according to recent reports from Spain.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

The Gunners are interested in bringing in several new midfielders this summer, with journalist Manu Sainz recently claiming they will "most likely" win the race for Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga, if they decide to bid for the youngster.

According to the Daily Mail, Mikel Arteta is understood to possibly want two central midfielders, and the north London club's hierarchy will sanction a costly summer recruitment drive to target West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

Earlier this week, it was reported Arsenal have been "following" Musah since January, with the 20-year-old being tipped to leave Valencia this summer, and they now appear to have taken their interest one step further.

According to reports from Spain (via TEAMtalk), the Gunners are preparing a bid worth €70m (£62m) to sign the Valencia star this summer, and with the Spanish club struggling financially, they will find the offer hard to turn down.

Rice remains Arsenal's number one target, but they are the club with the strongest interest in Musah at present, although Liverpool and Inter Milan have also been named as potential suitors.

Is Yunus Musah worth £62m?

The starlet is having a solid season, with football scout Jacek Kulig particularly impressed with his performances for the USA at the World Cup, describing his displays out in Qatar as "superb", while he waxed lyrical about his vast potential.

Kulig lauded the maestro for his "elite engine", claiming he has a "huge future" ahead, and it is hard to disagree, given how impressive he has been for Valencia since breaking into the first team.

One of the American's most notable attributes is his ability to carry the ball, ranking in the 95th percentile for progressive carries per 90 in the past year, and in the 88th for successful take-ons.

That said, the New York-born midfielder will need to improve certain aspects of his game before he is good enough to regularly start for Arsenal, given that he only very rarely weighs in with goals and assists.

As such, it may be wise for Arsenal to go all out to sign Rice, rather than taking a risk by signing Musah, who is not guaranteed to be a success at Premier League level.

A round-up of the Dhaka Premier League games that were played on May 30, 2016

Mohammad Isam30-May-2016Mashrafe Mortaza’s six-wicket haul set up Kalabagan Krira Chakra’s 10-run win (D/L method) in a rain-affected match against Legends of Rupganj in Fatullah.After Kalabagan asked Rupganj to bat, it was Dewan Sabbir who did the early damage, removing Rupganj’s openers for single-digit scores. Despite decent knocks from Mohammad Mithun, Ishank Jaggi and Asif Ahmed in the middle order, Rupganj slumped to 87 for 5. A 78-run sixth-wicket stand between Asif Ahmed and Sajjadul Haque added substance to Rupganj’s innings, before the former fell to Sabbir, giving him his third wicket of the match. Mashrafe, who had been introduced as the third-change bowler, then cleaned up the tail taking the last four wickets.Mashrafe had earlier dismissed Mithun and Rupganj captain Mossharraf Hossain. He finished with figures of 6 for 42 in his 10 overs. This was his second 6-wicket haul in List-A cricket, the other one being 10 years ago, against Kenya in an ODI.Kalabagan had reached 127 for 4 in 35.4 overs when rain intervened to curtail proceedings. That was enough for them to secure a 10-run victory under the Duckworth-Lewis method. The win opened up a four-point lead between Kalabagan and Cricket Coaching School, who are second from the bottom on the points table. That gives Kalabagan some breathing space, with the two bottom-placed teams to be relegated to next season’s Dhaka First Division Cricket League.Victoria Sporting Club leapt from seventh to third position on the table with their 28-run win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Mirpur.After opting to bat first, Victoria were bowled out for 247 in 49.4 overs. While six of their top seven got starts, only Mominul Haque got a half-century, scoring 50 off 51 balls, including six fours and a six. Batting at no. 3, he added 72 runs for the second wicket with Fazle Mahmud. Later, captain Nadif Chowdhury and Chaturanga de Silva added 80 runs for the sixth wicket. Nadif’s dismissal left Victoria 212 for 6. A nine-ball 24 from Mahbubul lifted the side to 247.Mahmudullah took 3 for 40, while Muktar Ali and left-arm spinner Abdur Rahman took two wickets each.In a similar fashion to Victoria’s batsmen, Dhanmondi’s top-order batsmen squandered starts, with each of the top four getting out between 20 and 50. Only Sohag Gazi, batting at no. 6, registered a half-century, with a knock of 59 off 64. Then it was Victoria pace bowler Kamrul Islam Rabbi’s turn to get among the wickets. He took four of the last six wickets, as Dhanmondi were bowled out for 219 in the 49th over.Gazi Group Cricketers beat Brothers Union by 43 runs in a low-scoring encounter on a turning track at the BKSP-3 ground.In response to Gazi Group’s 167, Brothers were bowled out for just 124 runs in 40.1 overs. Gazi Group’s offspinner Mahedi Hasan picked up 4 for 16, while Gurkeerat Singh, Alok Kapali and Salehin Shad picked up two wickets apiece. Brothers captain Tushar Imran played the only knock of substance, with 41 off 81 balls.Tushar had earlier taken a four-wicket haul with his part-time offspin as Gazi Group were bowled out for 167. Opening the batting, Anamul Haque top-scored for Gazi Group, with 46 off 52, including three fours and four sixes. But, after a 70-run opening stand, Gazi Group slipped to 102 for 8. A few lusty blows from Mohammad Sharif, at no. 11, added some crucial runs to their final score.The win takes Gazi Group to 10 points, while Brothers remain on 8.

Yorkshire’s limited-overs captain Alex Lees announced his intention to drop himself barely a month into the job before the NatWest Blast tie against Nottinghamshire was abandoned because of rain

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2016Yorkshire’s limited overs captain Alex Lees announced his intention to drop himself barely a month into the job before the NatWest Blast tie against Nottinghamshire was abandoned because of rain as the wettest June for years threatens to put a dampener on the competition.Less, the youngest professional to be appointed as a full-time Yorkshire captain since Lord Hawke, called his decision “a no brainer”.He said the decision was inevitable because of the availability of Root and Bairstow coupled with the form of Adam Lyth, who struck two Royal London Cup hundreds in successive days against Northants and Lancashire earlier this week.New Zealand’s captain Kane Williamson was put in charge before steady rain at Headingley denied the North Group’s bottom two sides the chance to lift their ailing NatWest T20 Blast campaigns in a match chock a block with England stars including Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root and Notts’ Alex Hales.”For me, it was a no-brainer,” said Lees. “Obviously Rooty and Jonny come back into the team, so two had to miss out there. Adam comes into the team. You can’t not play somebody who’s just scored back-to-back hundreds off 60 balls.”It’s just a gentle reminder to everyone that nobody’s bigger than this club and going forward, we want to put out the best team that we can.”Meanwhile, Yorkshire plan to pay tribute to Jo Cox MP, who was killed by an attacker in her Batley and Spen constituency on Thursday with a minute’s silence and the players wearing black armbands in their match against Derbyshire on Sunday.

Arsenal will be back amongst Europe’s elite next season, having qualified for the Champions League due to their excellent performances in the Premier League.

They may, of course, still win the title, but with Manchester City a point ahead and with a game in hand, Mikel Arteta may just have to settle for second spot and the chance to spend the summer transfer window strengthening his side ahead of another tilt next term.

The Spaniard appears to already be making a head start on improving his squad before 2023/24, with the Gunners reportedly interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen winger Moussa Diaby, according to the Evening Standard.

It’s stated that the club looked at Diaby during January, but the Bundesliga side were reluctant to let him go mid-season. However, a move is more realistic during the summer, with the player expected to cost around £65m.

Given their preparations for the Champions League, the 23-year-old could be an excellent addition to Arteta’s team and would certainly give them something extra as they will face tougher opposition in Europe next season.

Could Arsenal sign Moussa Diaby this summer?

A return to the Champions League after six seasons away will help the club secure higher-profile targets, and this will certainly boost Arteta’s squad.

Diaby has shone since arriving in Germany from Paris Saint-Germain four years ago, scoring 49 goals and grabbing 48 assists – excellent numbers for a winger. This proves he can be not only a wonderful goal threat, but create countless opportunities for his teammates.

He has been described as “electrifying” due to his pace by journalist Aaron Stokes, while analytics site FBref considers him statistically similar to Real Madrid winger Vinicius Jr, which could be an excellent omen for the Gunners.

According to FBref, the Brazilian sensation is the third-most similar player to Diaby across Europe’s big five leagues, and given the impact he has had at Real Madrid over the previous few seasons – including scoring the winner in the Champions League final last term – it’s not a bad comparison to have.

This season has seen Vinicius and Diaby register impressive stats with regard to goals (ten to nine), goal-creating actions (21 to 16), crosses (91 to 60) and progressive carries (210 to 117), suggesting that they offer a dangerous threat from a wide position.

While Vinicius Jr has the statistical edge over the Frenchman, he has evolved into one of the finest talents on the continent, while there may be some benefit to playing for Real Madrid – so there is every chance Diaby can grow his game even further if he made the move to join Arsenal.

It may cost the club £65m, yet it would be a wise investment indeed.

Chelsea succumbed to a disappointing 1-0 defeat at the hands of the newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in an end-of-season encounter that largely lacked intensity and felt much like a testimonial.

A Pep Guardiola side, fresh from their fifth top-flight title in six years, can be forgiven for their more relaxed attitude given the scintillating football they’ve flaunted on a frighteningly consistent basis over the course of the season.

In a pre-match press conference, Frank Lampard questioned the commitment of some of the squad and felt they should be trying to impress the incoming Mauricio Pochettino, who has agreed a deal to become the new manager.

He said:

“Whatever their motivation is, whether it is to impress an incoming manager, whether to impress another club they might be moving on to if that is the motivation they need then they should take that and use that.”

It was yet another criminally pedestrian display from a side that looks lifeless and demoralised. There were glimpses of hope, predominantly provided through the young Lewis Hall and the experienced Raheem Sterling, but a distinct lack of quality and cutting edge.

One player who failed to repay his boss’ faith was Conor Gallagher, who against a hugely rotated home team, couldn’t make his mark.

How did Conor Gallagher perform vs Man City?

The west Londoners have won just one of their nine top-flight games and the 23-year-old failed to make any impact.

Disappointingly, the Englishman managed just a shocking nine accurate passes and 24 touches, which disappointingly saw him rank below Kepa Arrizabalaga for both metrics.

The £50k-per-week dud failed to register any accurate long balls or crosses, as he appeared painfully off the pace in an underwhelming showing.

Earlier in the term, Darren Bent described the six-cap international as a “fish out of water” in the Chelsea squad, and it is becoming increasingly hard to formulate an argument to disprove this.

At Crystal Palace, in a far less pressured environment, the midfielder thrived, having registered 11 goal contributions and the highest average rating in the squad, as per WhoScored.

However, his imperious form in South London has drastically failed to translate into any dividends at Stamford Bridge.

Whilst his work rate as an engine room machine cannot be questioned, his alarming lack of technique and quality is a huge hindrance to his development.

In the last transfer window, Everton were reportedly willing to spend up to £45m to bring Gallagher to Goodison Park and Chelsea’s decision to reject this is looking more uncalculated as the uninspiring performances continue.