Leeds United boss Daniel Farke will look to add to his goalkeeping pool this summer as Illan Meslier's future becomes increasingly uncertain at Elland Road, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Illan Meslier leaving Leeds United?

Last month, Football Insider reported that Leeds United would be open to listening to offers for Meslier this summer and the Whites are said to value the Frenchman at around £30 million.

The report states that Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all previously tracked the talented stopper; however, the latter, Spurs, have already brought in Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli, making a pursuit of Meslier unlikely this off-season, as per Sky Sports.

As per The Daily Mail, they understand that £30k-a-week earner Meslier has a clause in his contract at the Yorkshire outlet that would allow him to leave on loan due to their relegation to the Sky Bet Championship.

Several Leeds United players have taken advantage of this unusual arrangement to secure loan moves, including Robin Koch, Rasmus Kristensen, Brendan Aaronsen and Marc Roca, as per Transfermarkt.

Joel Robles has also left Leeds United after his contract expired at the end of last season and has now joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Qadsiah, who ply their trade in the division below the Saudi Pro League.

Kristoffer Klaesson and Meslier remain the only two senior options Leeds United now have as their last line of defence, indicating that they may need to enter the market to acquire some depth in the goalkeeping position.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones has detailed that work has already taken place regarding a potential new addition to the goalkeeper ranks at Leeds United despite Meslier still being on the books of the club.

Jones stated: “They're all good goalkeepers to be targeting.

"It is a bit of an awkward one though, because Illan Meslier hasn’t actually got a buyer yet.”

Who have Leeds United targeted to strengthen the goalkeeper position?

According to The Northern Echo, Newcastle United goalkeeper Karl Darlow is on the radar as a target to strengthen the goalkeeping department at Leeds United; however, they will have to face competition from Middlesbrough, Bournemouth and Blackburn to land the 32-year-old.

Discussions have taken place regarding the prospect of Darlow heading to Yorkshire to join the Whites as Leedd United plan a major recruitment push now that 49ers Enterprises have officially completed their takeover of the club, as per iNews.

Leeds United are believed to be in the race to sign Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alex Nubel as a potential replacement for Meslier, who doesn't see himself having a long term future under Thomas Tuchel, as per BILD.

Stuttgart are also interested in the 26-year-old; nevertheless, Leeds United are thought to be favourites and are chasing a permanent agreement to secure his signature.

'Internal discussions' have taken place at Leeds United regarding Rotherham United stopper Viktor Johansson, signifying that boss Farke has all bases covered in his search for a new goalkeeper, as per Football League World.

Liverpool could make a move for Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis during the summer transfer window, according to a key update from reliable journalist Neil Jones.

Who is Florentino Luis?

The 23-year-old is currently a key man for Benfica, proving to be an influential figure sitting in front of the defence and shining in the No.6 role. Last season, Luis featured in 33 of his side's Primeira Liga matches, starting 25 of them, and he averaged 2.5 tackles per game in the competition, as well as completing 90.1% of his passes. In total, he has appeared 86 times for the Portuguese giants, maturing all the time and becoming a very strong player for them.

With Fabinho looking almost certain to leave Liverpool for Saudi Arabia this summer, and Jordan Henderson also likely to go the same way, the Reds will be in desperate need of further reinforcements in the middle of the park, having already brought in Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively.

Could Liverpool sign Florentino Luis?

Speaking on his YouTube channel [via Empire of the Kop], Jones talked up Luis as a possible signing for Liverpool this summer, potentially coming in as Fabinho's replacement:

"A name that I would urge you to look out for is Florentino Luis, who plays for Benfica. I think he’s one who could come into consideration. He’s a very Fabinho-type player in terms of defensive midfielder, gets about the pitch, gets his foot in, strong in the tackle, really good defensively. If Liverpool are looking for a like-for-like replacement for Fabinho, they could do a lot worse than look at Florentino Luis.

"Just keep an eye on that name. I haven’t heard if there’s anything moving yet in that regard but it’s certainly one I would keep in mind."

Luis could be precisely what Liverpool are looking for when aiming to fill the Fabinho-shaped void in front of the defence, coming in as a younger version of him who can excel at Anfield in the same way the Brazilian has over the past five years.

The 12-cap Portugal Under-21 international could feel that he has outgrown Benfica at this point in his career, and the lure of playing under Jurgen Klopp could also be too great to turn down.

Granted, Luis is far from the only rumoured Liverpool midfield target, with a host of other names on the list, from Romeo Lavia to Khephren Thuram, but he is an exciting option whose best years should still be ahead of him.

Former Benfica youth coach Joao Tralhao has waxed lyrical over Luis in the past, further highlighting why he could be a fantastic option for the Reds:

“He has the talent and quality to play in elite teams. Remember when Real Madrid had the Galacticos? They needed someone to balance the team, and [Claude] Makelele was so important. More recently, Casemiro did that job, allowing [Cristiano] Ronaldo, [Luka] Modric and [Karim] Benzema to attack. Florentino has those capabilities. He’s having an amazing season under Roger Schmidt."

Liverpool could be wise to at least consider a move for the Benfica ace, as this crucial summer window at Anfield continues, and it is imperative that they nail their business following a disappointing 2022/23 campaign.

ECB Reporters Network19-May-2017
ScorecardJoe Leach made an early breakthrough for Worcestershire•Getty ImagesAustralian Test star Nathan Lyon was overshadowed on his County Championship debut by the Worcestershire seamers on a rain-shortened opening day of the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Derby.The offspinner bowled overs seven without reward as Joe Leach, Jack Shantry and Josh Tongue each took a wicket with Luis Reece scoring an unbeaten 53 for Derbyshire who closed on 111 for 3.Rain prevented any play until 4pm with Derbyshire going into the game without South African fast bowler Hardus Viljoen who will be out until the end of June with a hip injury.Derbyshire’s director of cricket Kim Barnett said: “It’s typical of cricket that things come to test you and this is a test of our guys and the resilience of the squad.”We had a meeting yesterday when it was decided he wasn’t fully fit and I think he knew that. We just want him to do himself justice, it’s no use him going out at 70% fit and not bowling to his standards so we must get him fully fit and healthy to do what he can do when he comes back.”It was no surprise given the damp, cloudy conditions that Worcestershire chose to bowl and Leach struck with the sixth ball of the game by bringing one back to knock out Ben Slater’s off stump.Leach found enough movement to beat the bat numerous times and was unlucky not to pick up two or three wickets during his seven over opening spell from the City End.Reece and Shiv Thakor needed some luck to survive but they also showed good judgement to add 55 in 21 overs before Shantry made the breakthrough.Thakor could do nothing with a ball that lifted sharply to take the shoulder of the bat and Shantry was close to having Reece lbw with one that swung back in his next over.Tongue produced another fine delivery to remove Wayne Madsen who edged a ball that moved away late and was caught behind in the 30th over but Reece and Billy Godleman batted through 10 overs to stumps.

West Ham United can finally look forward and can do so with a healthy £105m profit in their back pocket.

Declan Rice’s long-awaited move to Arsenal has been completed and David Moyes now faces the biggest task of the summer as he attempts to fill the former club captain’s humongous void.

A host of names have been thrown into the mix, including Conor Gallagher.

What’s the latest on Conor Gallagher to West Ham United?

According to Sky Sports, the Irons are interested in the Chelsea midfielder, who is valued well in excess of £40m.

Gallagher’s deal doesn’t expire until 2025, and it is believed that the Blues would be open to extending it.

The report details that any possible departure would have to be driven by the player himself, who is waiting to establish his exact role within the squad. But, it is understood that Mauricio Pochettino is keen to keep him for the upcoming campaign.

The Englishman is currently on Chelsea’s pre-season tour in the USA and scored in the club’s 5-0 hammering of Wrexham.

Last month, when Gallagher about his future, he made his feelings for Chelsea and excitement to work with Pochettino abundantly clear, saying:

“I love Chelsea, it has been a tough season for me and the whole team so I think we will just be working hard to get us back to where we belong.

“He’s a top manager, everyone at Chelsea is happy he’s here, and we’re looking forward to working with him.”

However, new technical director Tim Steidten is still eyeing a potential swoop for the 23-year-old but also has Joao Palhinha, James Ward-Prowse, Denis Zakaria, and Edson Alvarez on the shortlist.

Would Conor Gallagher be a good signing for West Ham?

In the whirlwind of new ownership, debatable transfer dealings, a managerial merry-go-round, and a hideously bloated squad, Gallagher emerged as a bit of a victim.

Last season, the former Swansea City loanee made 45 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea, which was the second-most in the squad, which meant many fans and pundits synonymously view him as one of the main characters in the soap opera of the club’s miserable season.

This view has been heightened by Gallagher’s style of play as he isn’t a typically ‘sexy’ footballer – instead, he is renowned for his energetic and dogged work rate that often isn’t appreciated.

In terms of rating and influence on the team, Gallagher’s status closely mirrors Fred, whose performances also largely go unnoticed. Both players make solid defensive and offensive contributions, including shots per 90 (1.73 vs 1.93), touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (3.32 vs 2.43), tackles per 90 (2.58 vs 3.50), and blocks per 90 (1.92 vs 2.53). All the aforementioned figures place both midfielders within the best 23% in Europe’s top five leagues among their positional peers for those metrics to demonstrate how much they excel.

Former Premier League defender Mikael Silvestre is a fan of Fred and said:

"He’s doing the dirty work which goes unnoticed in front of the back four, but I can tell that the defence will always like these types of players because they give protection. I actually think he’s very underrated in this team.”

Gallagher has also received praise and been hailed as “exceptional” and a “pleasure” to coach by Thomas Tuchel, who highlighted his “energy” and “work-rate” as two of his best traits.

Both are often scapegoated and with Fred also linked with an exit this summer, both men make very useful squad players, who in an ideal world you’d like to keep.

Gallagher’s “warrior” style, as described by scout Jacek Kulig, could hugely benefit West Ham and would go some of the way to softening Rice's departure, so Steidten must do all he can to lure him to the London Stadium before the action gets back underway next month.

حسم فريق الزمالك تأهله إلى دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية للموسم الحالي 2023-2024 بعد التعادل اليوم الأحد مع فيوتشر 1-1.

والتقى الزمالك مع فيوتشر، مساء اليوم، في إطار مواجهات إياب دور الـ8 (ربع النهائي) من بطولة الكونفدرالية على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وانتهت المواجهة بالتعادل الإيجابي بهدف لمثله، ليتأكد تأهل نادي الزمالك إلى دور نصف النهائي من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، بمجموع المباراتين الذهاب والإياب (3-2).

وكان الزمالك فاز على فيوتشر بهدفين مقابل هدف، في مباراة الذهاب التي جمعت بينهما يوم الأحد الماضي على ملعب استاد السلام.

طالع | مواجهات نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية 2023-2024

ويصطدم الزمالك بعد تأهله إلى نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية مع فريق دريمز الغاني الذي استطاع التأهل بالفوز على الملعب المالي.

وكان فريق دريمز الغاني فاز على الملعب المالي بنتيجة 3-2 بمجموع المباراتين الذهاب والإياب.

وحسم فريق اتحاد العاصمة بطل النسخة الماضية لبطولة الكونفدرالية تأهله إلي دور نصف النهائي بعد الفوز على ريفرز يونايتد النيجيري بهدفين مقابل هدف في مجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب لدور ربع النهائي.

في المباراة الأخيرة من دور ربع النهائي، نجح فريق نهضة بركان المغربي في التأهل إلي دور نصف النهائي من بطولة الكونفدرالية بصعوبة على حساب أبو سليم الليبي بنتيجة 3-2 في مجموع المباراتين الذهاب والإياب. الفرق المتأهلة إلى نصف نهائي الكونفدرالية 2023-2024

1- الزمالك (مصر)

2- دريمز (غانا).

3- اتحاد العاصمة (الجزائر).

4- نهضة بركان (المغرب).

Among the many diagnoses for South Africa’s failure to win a major tournament in almost two decades is the theory that they are simply too scared to take the final step.If that sounds silly, just consider that South Africa always have everything else waxed. Their preparations are among the best, their squad always includes some of the world’s best players, and they rarely enter an event without some form on their side. That’s why the likes of Herschelle Gibbs and Lance Klusener, who have been there and not done that, too, believe that if a South African side can avoid over-analysis and trust themselves to think on the fly, their fortunes will change.This time, they have a poster boy to lead the way: Quinton de Kock.At 24, de Kock is already being spoken of as a legend in the making, in the same breath as Adam Gilchrist and MS Dhoni. It’s not difficult to understand why. Last year, de Kock was South Africa’s highest ODI run-scorer and third globally. This year so far, he has been the second highest for South Africa, behind Faf du Plessis, and fourth overall.With de Kock in the side, South Africa have scored over 300 while chasing four times in the last three years. Barring one of those occasions – when he scored 19 in South Africa’s successful chase of 328 against Australia in Harare – de Kock set them up each time. He slammed 70 off 49 balls in a chase of 372 against Australia in Durban in October 2016. . He did better against England, plundering a century in Centurion last February, and more recently, striking 98 , albeit in a losing cause.The last of those illustrates best the importance of de Kock’s role in the South African line-up. Like every opener, he sets the tone, but seldom pre-empts what that will be. He is talented enough to pull off the spontaneous approach, something South Africa have been specifically working on in the lead-up to the Champions Trophy.”It’s those pressure moments that we identify to make sure we stay in that moment and don’t think too far ahead,” JP Duminy said. “That’s what we’ve learnt over the last couple of weeks – to stay in the moment and focus on what is in front of you and not look too far ahead about the outcome of the game.”JP Duminy, who has gone 11 innings without a half-century, has gone out of the way to prepare for the Champions Trophy•Getty Images

Duminy is speaking from the opposite end of the spectrum. He enters the Champions Trophy under immense pressure, having failed to pass 50 in 11 innings this year. He has made more than 30 only once in that period. This is not the first time he has had such an extended dry run; between July 2015 and June 2016, too, he went 11 innings without a half-century, but had four scores of 30 or more. The close proximity of the lean patches has him hanging on to his place by a thread, and though he would not explicitly say so, it seems he knows it.Instead of spending the period between the end of the South African summer and the start of the English one at the IPL, Duminy opted to stay at home and work on his game. “I put in a lot of hard work in the six weeks I was off,” he said. “The main thing was to try and be mentally fresh for this tournament and what lies ahead on this tour.””I’m feeling that I’ve achieved that. In terms of my skills, there were one or two things I worked on that I felt needed a bit of work. I don’t feel like there’s added pressure. There’s always high expectation within the team and my expectation on myself in terms of my performance is always high. That will never change.”The difference is that Duminy has fallen short of expectation too often, while de Kock has recently begun to exceed it. As a result, the responsibility in the South African batting line-up has shifted somewhat, though Duminy insists the division is the same. “Whether you’re a youngster, whether you’re a senior player, I don’t think that (the responsibility) changes,” he said.Ultimately, the entire South African squad has a responsibility to return home with something to show for their No.1 ranking and the star-studded line-up. They have a responsibility to show that something has changed, that the oft-spoken of conservative mindsets are really in the past and that the shackles have been broken. And they all know it.”We don’t want to put extra pressure on ourselves by thinking that we need to win this tournament but we definitely want to,” Duminy said. “I don’t think there’s any other team that wants it more.”

Jesse March is gone, Javi Gracia is gone, Victor Orta is gone, and more poignantly for Leeds United supporters, Andrea Radrizzani is gone.

In come the 49ers who blessed with their new managerial recruit in Daniel Farke, will hope to bring a great deal more promise to Elland Road.

This is a side that since Marcelo Bielsa's departure have been in steep decline. Two straight relegation battles finally saw them slump back into the second tier.

The hope will be that another dreaded 16 years don't pass by before they find themselves back in the Premier League. Fortunately, they have a promotion specialist in Farke at the wheel.

His first order of business will be to bring in new recruits. He may well start with Liverpool's Nat Phillips, a rumoured £10m target for the Whites, but another new face could be Sam Field.

It was claimed last month that the Yorkshire side are in the race to seal his signature. Sat in the last year of his contract at QPR, any deal is expected to cost around £3m, as per Football Transfers.

How good is Sam Field?

The midfielder seemed to be destined for big things when he broke through at West Brom.

Former teammate and current Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster called him "very elegant and classy" all the way back in 2016. Such words are very much apt for Field's performances in the present day too as he emerged as one of the most battle-hardened holding players in the Championship last term.

Via FBref, he ranks incredibly highly compared to his positional peers in the division. Indeed, the 25-year-old sits inside the best 20% for tackles made, 12% for aerials won, 7% for interceptions, 6% for blocks and 3% for clearances.

Field, therefore, is often left to the dirty work in front of the defence. Last term, he only found the net on three occasions, albeit that did help him to double his career tally.

That said, an enormous record of 12 yellow cards paints the best picture of his skill set. He doesn't deliberately seek ill-discipline, but this is a man who knows he'll be tasked with stopping opposition attacks.

Such a style of play sees him draw comparisons with the Yorkshire Pirlo; Kalvin Phillips.

The England midfielder may have won the treble with Manchester City last season but since his move from Elland Road, his stock has fallen a great deal.

He is simply on the periphery at the Etihad but at Leeds, he was quickly writing himself into folklore.

Part of the triumphant team that won promotion under Bielsa, he also posted impressive numbers akin to Field during that campaign.

Leeds undertook a great deal less defending in that term than QPR did last season, conceding just 35 goals to Gareth Ainsworth's side's 71, meaning Phillips was never going to rank as highly as Field.

That said, he still sat in the best 20% of Championship midfielders for tackles, interceptions and aerials won.

If Farke's men are to secure promotion at the first time of asking then securing one of the most dominant holding players in the second tier will no doubt aid their task.

The Whites have got it wrong plenty of times in the transfer market over the last two years; just ask Georginio Rutter, but in Field, they'd be signing a consistent and solid presence. You can't go too far wrong there.

يستضيف فريق برشلونة الإسباني نظيره فريق باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، مساء يوم الثلاثاء.

تأتي تلك المباراة في إطار منافسات إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب “مونتجويك”.

وفاز برشلونة في مباراة الذهاب بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدفين، على ملعب “حديقة الأمراء” يوم الأربعاء الماضي.

ويفتقد برشلونة خدمات الثنائي أندرياس كريستنسن وسيرجي روبيرتو بسبب الإيقاف.

طالع | تشكيل برشلونة أمام باريس سان جيرمان في دوري أبطال أوروبا تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام باريس سان جيرمان اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: تير شتيجن.

خط الدفاع: كوندي، أراوخو، كوبارسي، كانسيلو.

خط الوسط: فرينكي دي يونج، جوندوجان، بيدري.

خط الهجوم: لامين يامال، ليفاندوفسكي، رافينها. تشكيل باريس سان جيرمان المتوقع أمام برشلونة اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: دوناروما.

خط الدفاع: أشرف حكيمي، ماركينوس، هيرنانديز، مينديز.

خط الوسط: زائير إيمري، فيتينها، رويز.

خط الهجوم: عثمان ديمبلي، كيليان مبابي، باركولا.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

Newcastle United defied expectations and cleaved their way into European contention last term with a fourth-placed Premier League finish, and could now consolidate their newfound stature by signing Southampton's Tino Livramento.

Are Newcastle going to sign Tino Livramento?

According to talkSPORT, the relegated Saints have touted the 20-year-old at £50m after Newcastle lodged a recent offer of £30m for Livramento, who made just two appearances last term due to a long-term injury sustained in April 2022.

This might seem exorbitant, but Southampton's stance is seemingly that the precocious talent played no part in such a dismal year and as such should not see a deprecation in value.

The south coast club signed the emerging ace from Chelsea for just £5m but inserted a £25m buyback clause into the contract, and the Saints hierarchy evidently believes that for Newcastle to find fruit in their pursuit they must stretch closer towards that ballpark figure of £50m.

What position is Tino Livramento?

Having signed Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid for £12m in January 2022, Newcastle unearthed a new focal point from the right-back position to spearhead an ascent that has carried the club away from relegation worries at the bottom of the Premier League and toward Champions League football just 18 months on.

The England international has made 53 displays for the Tyneside outfit, scoring three goals and supplying ten assists to date; he also played an important role in securing the division's joint-best defensive record of 33 goals conceded – alongside champions Manchester City.

Once hailed as a "revelation" by pundit Simon Jordan, Trippier has been immense, but at 32-years-old his influence will not last forever and targetting a worthy successor is paramount to ensure the robustness of the outfit continues.

Livramento played next to no part in Southampton's 2022/23 travails but did impress across the previous campaign, earning an average Sofascore rating of 6.85 after making 28 appearances, making 1.9 tackles and 1.7 clearances and interceptions per game, earning praise as a "future star" by former teammate Theo Walcott, who also called him "fantastic".

One player who could benefit from his arrival at St. James's Park is Anthony Gordon, with the 22-year-old Englishman not quite hitting the ground running since completing a £45m transfer from Everton last January, scoring just one goal from 16 appearances.

Gordon is a nimble and progressive winger and has been called "fearless" by Newcastle icon Alan Shearer, and with both the Liverpudlian and the Southampton starlet in the maiden phase of exciting careers, they could form an innate partnership down the right flank.

Livramento's aforementioned defensive metrics highlight his prowess at protecting the base of his team, which could allow Gordon to thrive as he grows into his skin and harnesses his end product over the next several seasons.

Trippier is a dynamic option and can help Gordon at present with his masterful ball-playing skills, but indeed, several years down the line his presence will have waned and the changing of the guard could reap rewards across several facets of the pitch with Livramento the heir.

Both captains stressed on one thing in the lead-up to a virtual knockout game – the importance of composure

Nagraj Gollapudi10-Jun-2017

One lesson India would have taken from the defeat against Sri Lanka is to not get overexcited. India captain Virat Kohli had stressed that the 321-run target set against Sri Lanka was good enough and Sri Lanka had done well to chase it down. That might have surprised Kohli.Faced with a do-or-die encounter against South Africa on Sunday, at the same ground, on the same pitch, Kohli said if India have to win they need to be “composed”.”You need to have a good balance of being competitive and being passionate about the game, but at the same time, not getting overexcited,” Kohli said on Saturday. “The team that treats the game as normal as possible is the team that’s in a better position to get the right result.”Kohli doesn’t believe this is the biggest match of his short career as captain. Such matches raise the tempo and the spirit of the team, he said, and it is something he “craves” for. Kohli’s message to his players was to make sure they did not overstress themselves.”A lot of times, teams come in and they want to do something special and end up messing up the game in important situations. The team that can have most composure, I would say, to sum it up, will have a better chance of winning the game tomorrow. That’s what I’ve experienced in the past. You tend to get overexcited, and then you commit errors that can cost the team important runs, or you fail to grab all the chances because you’re overexcited and that can cost the team as well. I think composure will be the biggest word for tomorrow.”One other man at The Oval agreed with Kohli – AB de Villiers, the South Africa captain. That both men think the same should not come across as strange, only because they cannot afford to let their teams get carried away.De Villiers, more than Kohli, understands what works and what doesn’t in knockout contests. No other team has experienced the full range of emotions in do-or-die matches like South Africa has.”It is really important to stay calm,” de Villiers said. “Not get overexcited. The tendency will be there, because we all live for these kinds of moments.”Retaining the focus and the energy at key moments can be the difference between winning and losing, de Villiers said.”I’m expecting the same kind of intensity and hunger out there tomorrow but with a relaxed kind of mindset. I think that’s really important to remember we are playing a game of cricket, something that we love doing, and to get that smile on our faces out there when we’re playing. It’s going to be really important and I’ll try and lead that from the front.”