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Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac are being tipped to spend again at Wrexham, with Tony Pulis making a January transfer prediction. He expects further reinforcements to be sought in the next window, but has warned the Red Dragons – who are taking aim at a place in the Premier League – not to “anticipate a top-six finish or immediate promotion” out of the Championship.

Meteoric rise: Wrexham have rewritten the EFL history books

The Welsh outfit have, under the guidance of their Hollywood co-owners, enjoyed a meteoric rise. The history books have been rewritten after becoming the first EFL club to secure three successive promotions. Having clambered out of the National League in record-breaking style, Wrexham now find themselves in the Championship.

Such rapid progress was always going to be difficult to maintain, with many of the opinion that a few seasons of consolidation for the Red Dragons would be no bad thing. They may have to accept that fate in 2025-26 after enduring a few stumbles out of the starting gate.

Reynolds and Mac have, however, made no secret of the fact that they want to bring top-flight football to North Wales. They helped to fund an elaborate £30 million-plus ($40m) spending spree over the summer, with Premier League pedigree being sought.

Not all of those deals, which saw more records being set at the Racecourse Ground, have provided value for money just yet. With that in mind, it is being suggested that Wrexham may be tempted to dip into the January market for even greater squad depth.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWill Reynolds & Mac spend in January? Transfer claim

That is the opinion of former Premier League boss Pulis, with the experienced Welsh tactician telling : “I think if Phil Parkinson was given the opportunity and the chance to bring two or three better players in, or players with more experience and that little bit of quality that you need, he will.

“Wrexham are a very organised, hardworking team. But the further you go up the levels, you need that little bit of quality. You need that little bit of difference in both boxes as much as anything else. You need someone who's going to score you a goal when it's a tight game for you to win the game, or you've got a goalkeeper who makes a fabulous save that saves you the points that you had in the bag anyway.”

Former Wrexham striker Matt Jansen told GOAL recently when asked if he can see Reynolds and Mac whipping the chequebook out again early in 2026: “If they spend again, it will depend on where they are in the league. If they are in and around the play-offs… If they are mid-table or anywhere where they can’t get to the play-offs, I think they will bide their time before they go again in the summer. It will all depend on where they are in the league.”

Fourth successive promotion: Doubts cast over chances

Pulis is not convinced that Wrexham will be in the promotion picture this time around, with Parkinson being urged to help rein in expectations after facing some uncomfortable questions of his position in the dugout.

Pulis added: “The Championship has seen many clubs from the Premier League drop down and stay there. This is a league brimming with quality. Every team in the Championship possesses the ability to challenge any opposition.

“Phil Parkinson knows and understands this league, having played in it himself. I don't believe he would have approached it with the expectation of a top-six finish in the first season. The important thing for Wrexham is to settle in, aiming for a mid-table position, perhaps just below the playoffs. If they achieve that, I consider it a success for both Wrexham and for Phil.

“I don't think supporters should anticipate a top-six finish or immediate promotion. Promotion would be absolutely fantastic for a Welsh team but it's crucial to manage supporter expectations. No matter how much you give them, they will always want a little bit more. So, managing this aspect of the football club is essential today.”

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Getty Images SportWrexham fixtures: Next up for the Red Dragons

Wrexham suffered a 1-0 defeat at Stoke when returning to action after the October international break. That was their first loss in six across all competitions, but they are also without a win in four heading into a home date with Oxford United on Wednesday.

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Em situações similares na tabela, Bahia e Corinthians se enfrentam neste sábado (22), às 18h30, pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão. A partida será disputada na Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador.

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

Uma posição acima da zona do rebaixamento, o Bahia busca encerrar a sequência negativa na temporada para se afastar do Z4. São seis jogos seguidos sem vencer, com quatro derrotas e dois empates.

+ Confira a classificação atualizada e a tabela completa do Brasileirão

Já o Corinthians possui dois pontos de vantagem sobre o Bahia e vem de sua melhor sequência no ano, embalado por quatro vitórias consecutivas. Contudo, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo não poderá contar com Gabriel Moscardo e Róger Guedes. Com o objetivo de se distanciar da zona do rebaixamento, o técnico corintiano deverá escalar força máxima, mesmo com pouco tempo de descanso antes do confronto contra o São Paulo, pela semifinal da Copa do Brasil.

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+ Veja tabela e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

BAHIA X CORINTHIANS – BRASILEIRÃO – 16ª RODADA

Local:Arena Fonte Nova, em Salvador (BA)
Data e hora:22/7/2023, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
Árbitro:Andre Luiz Skettino Policarpo Bento (MG)
Assistentes:Rodrigo Figueiredo Henrique Correa (FIFA-RJ) e Felipe Alan Costa de Oliveira (MG)
VAR:Pablo Ramon Goncalves Pinheiro (FIFA-RN)
Onde assistir:Premiere e no tempo real noLANCE!

BAHIA:Marcos Felipe; Cicinho (Gilberto), Gabriel Xavier, Kanu e Ryan; Nicolás Acevedo, Yago Felipe (Rezende) e Cauly; Thaciano, Ademir e Everaldo.Técnico:Roberto Paiva

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Desfalques:David Duarte, Biel e Kayky (lesionados)
Pendurados:Kanu e Nicolás Acevedo

CORINTHIANS:Cássio; Fagner, Gil, Murillo e Fábio Santos (Bidu); Maycon (Giuliano), Fausto Vera e Renato Augusto; Rojas, Yuri Alberto e Wesley (Biro/Ruan Oliveira).Técnico:Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Desfalques:Róger Guedes (suspenso); Gabriel Moscardo (apendicite); Rafael Ramos (estiramento no ligamento colateral medial do joelho direito); Gustavo Mosquito (transição) e Paulinho (cirurgia)
Pendurados:Cássio, Murillo e Bidu

Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick spoke about the praise Pedri received from former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes, who revealed that the 22-year-old is his "new favourite footballer". Since Flick took charge of Barca, Pedri has shrugged off his fitness issues and was one of the best midfielders in the world last season, a trend that has carried over into the current season.

• Pedri continues midfield dominance

  Ahead of the 2023-24 season, there were concerns over Pedri's battle with frequent injuries that threatened to hinder his seemingly unlimited potential. However, Flick's arrival in the summer of 2024 revived Pedri. The Spaniard was perhaps the best midfielder in La Liga last season and was often hailed by fans as among the world's best. In fact, Pedri even got Ballon d'Or shouts due to his authoritarian displays and consistency in midfield. He has continued doing what he does best in the current season, earning high praise from former midfielder Scholes. The legendary player took to social media to call Pedri his "new favourite footballer" following his dominant performance in the 2-1 win over Newcastle in the Champions League at St. James' Park last week.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Flick says 'Pedri's at an incredible level'

  Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Flick said: "When you're an attacking player, you're more in the spotlight. What Scholes says means a lot; he was a great midfielder. Pedri is at an incredible level, as is Frenkie [de Jong]. I'm very happy with what I see in training, the quality with which we train… the mood is fantastic. You can see that. This mood helps us keep going."

• Pedri and De Jong untouchable in midfield

  Ever since De Jong returned to full fitness midway in the 2024-25 season, he has been undroppable, forming an incredible midfield partnership with Pedri. The duo maintain possession at will and are immaculate at ball circulation and progression. Such has been their reliability that the likes of Gavi, Marc Casado and Dani Olmo found regular minutes hard to come by.

  "I've never had that feeling that people hate him… I'm not on social media," Flick explained. "All the fans see how important he is. It's fantastic to have him on our team. What I see is that he enjoys it. He enjoys training. He helps us and has great quality. He's very important. I talk to him a lot, I want to know things about him and what he thinks. It's incredible."

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• Getty Images
  

  Rest for Pedri and De Jong in Barca's next game?

  Barcelona will face Real Oviedo in their next game, which will be played on Thursday. Given the fixture congestion, Flick would have loved to rotate his side against a newly-promoted team. But Gavi has been sidelined for the next four to five months, while Marc Bernal will also not be forced into the starting lineup after he spent the entirety of the 2024-25 out injured.

The Bangladesh captain isn’t keen on making personnel changes though. He just wants mindset changes

Mohammad Isam25-Feb-2025Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto has said that the same group of players should be given more opportunities to be “responsible for the team’s performance” in future ICC tournaments. The comment comes after Bangladesh’s early exit from the Champions Trophy following which their senior players have come under fire.Shanto started the post-match press conference on Monday by saying that they need to make “changes”. “I have said it a lot of times in the past, but we [have] made the same mistakes over and over again,” he said. “We have to focus on how we want to improve our batting. I hope after this tournament, we will make some changes as a batting unit, which will bring improvement in our batting.”That had everyone on alert. Bangladesh have been crying out for a fresh approach in ODIs so there was some hope that the captain himself was about to address the issue. However, Shanto later clarified that he meant the changes should be within the mindset of the existing batting group, and not changes in personnel.”We have to be more responsible for the team when we go out to bat. We cannot keep chopping and changing [personnel]. We have to keep giving our existing resources more opportunities. I think we are taking it lightly. We have to be more responsible.”Related

BCB to talk to Simmons to continue as Bangladesh head coach

Pakistan and Bangladesh look – or hope – to sign off on a positive note

Bracewell's best, and a rare twin failure for Williamson

Ravindra, Latham and Bracewell book New Zealand's semi-final spot

Ravindra and Bracewell win the middle overs to knock out Bangladesh

Shanto also threw his weight behind Mushfiqur Rahim, who has been struggling for runs. The former Bangladesh captain has managed just one fifty in ODIs since the end of the 2023 World Cup and averages a tick over 31. He was dismissed for a first-ball duck against India before falling to a rash shot against New Zealand for 2.There were thoughts that Mushfiqur could be replaced by the incoming Mahmudullah, who missed Bangladesh’s first game of the Champions Trophy due to an injury, with Jaker Ali taking the gloves. However, instead of swapping the two veterans, Bangladesh dropped Soumya Sarkar from the top of the order with Shanto going one slot up. “There’s no auto-choice in this team,” Shanto said. “Soumya bats in the top order, Riyad [Mahmudullah] bhai plays in the lower-middle order. Keeping Soumya would have forced us to make a lot of changes in the line-up. We needed Riyad bhai given how he batted in the last four or five innings.”I wasn’t worried about Mushfiq [Mushfiqur] last five innings. His wicketkeeping was very important. We have seen his contribution to the team over the years. He didn’t score runs in the last two or three matches but I am sure he can come back in the next game.”Mushfiqur Rahim has managed just one half-century in his last nine ODIs•ICC via Getty ImagesBangladesh’s biggest issue on Monday was handing four wickets to offspinner Michael Bracewell as they lost their way in the middle overs. Their approach of playing very defensively, coming under pressure and trying to hit their way out looked questionable as they accumulated about 30 overs worth of dot balls. Shanto admitted that Bangladesh, who finished on 236 for 9, were well short of a par score.”It was a good wicket, worth at least 280 to 300 runs. I think (Bracewell) bowled well but we fell to some soft dismissals,” he said. “We made the mistakes with the bat. We could have batted better against him on this wicket. There was some poor shot selection. We could have planned better, which wouldn’t have given him so many wickets. He bowled well but we made some poor executions.”We have room for improvement. We don’t score 300-plus totals regularly. The number of dot balls was mainly because we lost wickets in a cluster in the middle overs. Maybe, if we had two big partnerships, we wouldn’t have suffered so much today. We have to build the habit of scoring 300 runs regularly. For that, we need better practice wickets.”

“We only win at home. We don’t win regularly in overseas conditions. We have to find out how we can do well in ICC tournaments”Najmul Hossain Shanto

Bangladesh’s sub-par batting in both the group-stage matches against India and New Zealand again brings into question whether they are prepared for ICC tournaments. Shanto said that they have to find a way to show improvement at the highest level, rather than just waiting for a team performance, once in a while.”We only win at home. We don’t win regularly in overseas conditions. We have to find out how we can do well in ICC tournaments,” Shanto said. “We need a collective improvement. There are days when the top order is doing well, another day only the middle order is doing well. There are days when we field well. It is a haphazard situation. I think only a collective performance can help us do well against big teams in these tournaments.Shanto stood by his pre-tournament declaration that Bangladesh were targeting to win the Champions Trophy. He said that the team had the same desire but their collective efforts didn’t match the dream. “I think the whole team dreamt of winning the Champions Trophy. If we don’t dream big, how can we play?” he questioned. “We are here to win, not just to compete. We didn’t get the desired result. We can’t just be dreaming of a big result, we have to play accordingly too. Our focus is on the next match now.”

The India captain emphasised that the team management doesn’t want to tamper with the batters’ mindsets

Alagappan Muthu24-Dec-20244:16

Rohit on Gill and Jaiswal: Such tours can be challenging to score big runs

India’s batting is in transition and two men who are expected to take it forward have had an up-and-down time during the 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Yashasvi Jaiswal has suffered some soft dismissals since his 161 in Perth and Shubman Gill hasn’t made the most of the starts he’s had.Their captain Rohit Sharma, speaking ahead of the Boxing Day Test, backed both players to succeed using their own methods.”When you have a guy like [Jaiswal] in your squad, in your team, you don’t want to tamper too much with his mindset,” Rohit said. “Let him be as free as possible and not overburdened with too many thoughts regarding his batting. He understands his batting more than any one of us, you know.Related

India, Australia look to iron out flaws to edge ahead in high-octane series

Gill needs to show his substance outside Asia to prove his worth

Konstas' MCG debut confirmed, Head faces a fitness test

Should India opt for bowling depth over batting insurance at the MCG?

MCG pitch to have 'pace, bounce and excitement', but what about runs?

“Every venue here has different challenges. So, it’s just about adapting to those challenges, playing on different pitches. The bowlers are the same.”So, it’s just about understanding what they usually do and what are their plans against certain batters when we come out to bat. And then just going out there and doing their thing.”Talking about Gill, I mean, look, he is quality, we all know that. It’s just about backing that quality and making sure, you know, we give clear messaging to him and not, again, like Jaiswal, we don’t want to complicate too many things with him.”So he knows how to score big runs. So it’s just making sure that when you get those 30s, 40s, you try and get on to a big one. Because getting in here is the toughest part. And when you get in, that is when you cannot leave that opportunity of scoring that big runs.”Rohit batted for over half-an-hour in India’s final training session before Boxing Day. He didn’t look in any trouble after taking a blow to his knee earlier.There were some crisp shots, including a couple that brought a crowd of about 200 or so people to raptures. They’d asked for the pull and they got one off the front foot right as his session ended. Rohit didn’t engage with them while he was batting but once he’d pulled his pads off, he did go over for a playful word or two.Rohit Sharma backed Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal to succeed using their own methods•Getty Images

India were able to practice on significantly quicker pitches in the nets on Christmas Eve, pitches that might bear closer resemblance to the one for the match. Rohit had a look at it on Sunday when it had some grass on it. The curator Matt Page said there won’t be excessive seam movement but that it would provide a thrilling contest.”In the previous two or three Test matches, the wicket didn’t have that much grass on it,” Rohit said. “It was dry. But this certainly doesn’t look to me like a dry wicket.”The first day of the MCG Test is expected to be seriously hot with temperatures reaching 40 degree Celsius but then it should cool down. India are weighing up the option of playing an extra spinner – Washington Sundar, who had a bat against the main bowlers including Jasprit Bumrah and who also enjoyed himself bowling to KL Rahul and Virat Kohli in the nets – or an extra seamer – Prasidh Krishna, who hasn’t played on this tour but has put in a lot of work in the nets over the last month.The Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is tied 1-1 with two Test to go and those results will also have an implication on both teams’ hopes of making the World Test Championship final in June. Australia or India, if they can win in Melbourne and Sydney, will qualify for that game regardless of other results.

Arsenal and Crystal Palace have reportedly reached an agreement on a compensation package for youngster Dan Casey.

Arsenal youngster rejects new dealOut of contract this summerSet for Crystal Palace moveFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Casey was reportedly offered a new deal by Arsenal earlier this year but the 18-year-old snubbed their advances. Now, The Standard states the teenager will head to London rivals Palace, with the attacking midfielder technically out of contract at present.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Casey, who was regular for Arsenal's under-18s and has trained with the first-team squad, has been offered a professional deal at Palace. Arsenal have agreed a compensation package and a sell-on clause for a player who was also targeted by Norwich City.

DID YOU KNOW?

The youngster, who can also play as a winger and a striker, previously admitted that Martin Odegaard is one of his idols.

“When I was younger I was a Liverpool fan and loved watching Steven Gerrard and Philippe Coutinho,” Casey told Arsenal’s official website. “But now, playing for Arsenal, I really look up to Odegaard. He’s a top player.”

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Casey has been in Arsenal's academy since 2015 but it seems his decade-long stay with the Gunners is set to draw to a close. Now, a switch to Palace's under-21 beckons as he begins a new chapter of his footballing career.

If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series

Shashank Kishore08-Oct-2024

New Zealand recently toppled India at the 2024 T20 World Cup•Getty Images

New Zealand will tour India for three women’s championship ODIs later this month. The series, part of the women’s FTP for the current cycle, had been postponed indefinitely in July last year due to a crowded calendar, where India hosted England and Australia.All three ODIs, on October 24, 27 and 29, will be played in Ahmedabad, with both teams expected to fly in straight from the women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE. If they make the World Cup final, both sides will have less than 72 hours to prepare for the series.The late addition to the cricket calendar means a number of first-choice players across both sides, including India vice-captain Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, Deepti Sharma, Yastika Bhatia and D Hemalatha could miss at least the first few games of the 2024-25 WBBL season.Mandhana was among the WBBL’s big-ticket pre-draft signings by Adelaide Strikers. Meanwhile, Sophie Devine, the New Zealand’s captain and Mandhana’s WPL team-mate, will also be unavailable for the first few games of the tournament for Perth Scorchers.Related

Mandhana joins Adelaide Strikers to complete pre-draft signings

With eight wins in 18 matches, New Zealand are currently placed sixth, a spot below India, in the women’s championship table. With West Indies and, theoretically even Bangladesh, capable of leapfrogging them on the points table, the series is crucial for New Zealand as far as direct qualification is concerned.The hosts along with five top-placed teams will earn a direct entry to next year’s 50-over World Cup in India. Two others will be identified through a global qualifier, where the bottom four from the championships and four associates will compete.New Zealand last played ODIs in India in 2015, during the first iteration of the women’s championships. Back then, New Zealand overturned a 1-0 deficit to clinch the series.

While they haven’t hit the heights they did at Highbury, Arsenal have been blessed with an abundance of incredible players since moving to the Emirates two decades ago.

For example, the likes of Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães wouldn’t be out of place alongside some of the club’s very best players.

Moreover, even during Arsène Wenger’s later years, fans and the Premier League as a whole were treated to some truly mercurial talents, such as Mesut Özil and Santi Cazorla.

Yet, when it comes to arguably the best attacker the Emirates faithful have had the joy of watching, it is hard to look past the force of nature that was Alexis Sanchez.

So, fans should be ecstatic that it looks like the club is about to sign someone who could be Mikel Arteta’s own version of the Chilean.

Arsenal target game-changing attackers

While reinforcing the rest of the team is a smart move from Arsenal, it goes without saying that adding more goals to the side is priority number one.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Therefore, talk of signing Eberechi Eze for around £60m makes perfect sense, as while he’s not necessarily an out-and-out attacker, the Crystal Palace star did rack up 25 goal involvements in 43 games last season.

Likewise, while fans might not be delighted with the links to Noni Madueke, he had a reasonable return of 11 goals and five assists in 2449 minutes last season.

However, although both players are likely to improve the North Londoners’ overall attack, more so the Eagles star, neither is expected to have the same impact as Alexis did when he joined the club, which might not be the case for Viktor Gyokeres.

Yes, according to a recent report from A Bola, as relayed via Spanish media, Arsenal have maintained their determination to sign the Sporting CP star.

More than that, the report has revealed that talks between the two sides are at such an advanced stage that an agreement in principle has been reached.

The report claims that the Gunners are set to pay an initial fee of €65m, with add-ons, which should bring the final price to around €80m, equivalent to approximately £69m.

It’s a lot of money to spend on one player, but Gyokeres has proven himself to be worth such a fee, and he could develop into Arteta’s own Alexis.

Why Gyokeres could be Arteta's Alexis

So, to get it out of the way right away, there is one massive, unavoidable difference between Gyokeres and Alexis: their positions.

The former was, at his best, a devastatingly effective winger, and the latter is an out-and-out striker, but that doesn’t matter.

Our argument is not that the Swedish international will replicate the Chilean’s exact playstyle, but rather that he could come in and have a similar impact on the club.

Appearances

166

Minutes

13556′

Goals

80

Assists

44

Goal Involvements per Match

0.74

Minutes per Goal Involvement

109.32′

For example, in his first campaign at the Emirates, the former Barcelonian star was nothing short of game-changing, and ended up bagging an absurd tally of 25 goals and 12 assists in 52 appearances.

He then followed that up with 17 goals and ten assists in 41 games the following season.

When he finally left the club, the Tocopilla-born dynamo had racked up a monstrous haul of 80 goals and 44 assists in 166 games.

Interestingly, when you watch back his highlights, it becomes clear that it was a combination of technical skill and sheer determination that helped him score so many goals.

Now, the former Coventry City star might not have the technique of the 36-year-old, but he undoubtedly has that same brutal determination to his game, potentially even more so than the former Arsenal ace.

Don’t just take our word for it, though, as respected analyst Ben Mattinson has claimed that one of the Swede’s biggest strengths “is his mentality,” he has “an obsession with scoring goals” and that he’ll “have utter confidence in his ability to be the main man.”

We’ve seen this single-mindedness to make things happen off the pitch as well, with reports emerging earlier this week claiming that he is willing to give up almost €2m of his salary to help make this transfer happen.

Finally, away from the psychoanalysis, the Stockholm-born “monster,” as dubbed by Mattinson, also shares the trait of being an output machine with the former Emirates star, and can take the game by the scruff of the neck that way.

Appearances

50

52

Minutes

4169′

4248′

Goals

43

54

Assists

15

13

Goal Involvements per Match

1.16

1.28

Minutes per Goal Involvement

71.87′

63.40′

For example, in 52 appearances for the Lisbon outfit last season, totalling 4248 minutes, he scored a mammoth 54 goals and provided 13 assists for good measure.

That means the international poacher maintained an out-of-this-world average of 1.28 goal involvements per game, or one every 63.40 minutes.

Ultimately, the Gyokeres might not be as technical a player as Alexis was, but thanks to the sheer weight of his determination and the number of goals he’s capable of scoring, there is every chance he could be to Arteta what the Chilean was to Wenger.

Eze & Gyokeres will love him: Arsenal explore signing £65m "mini Salah"

Just imagine this player alongside Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze at Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 8, 2025

There could be plenty of change at the top end of the pitch for Leeds United ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, after they made their first signing of the summer on Sunday.

The Whites officially confirmed the signing of Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer from Wolfsburg, with his contract at the Bundesliga side due to expire at the end of the month.

He is a centre-forward by trade, playing 193 career matches in that position, but the German attacker has also played on both the left and right flanks in his club career, which means that he could provide useful versatility across the frontline for Daniel Farke next season.

24/25 (Wolfsburg)

8

20

3

23/24 (Wolfsburg)

39

4

2

22/23 (Wolfsburg)

17

18

4

21/22 (Wolfsburg)

9

31

10

20/21 (Anderlecht)

0

37

18

19/20 (Wolfsburg + Middlesbrough)

4

25

0

18/19 (Preston North End)

0

41

4

As you can see in the table above, though, Nmecha looks set to be a risky signing for Leeds because he has struggled with injuries in recent seasons and has failed to deliver goals on a regular basis since the 2021/22 campaign, which included two goals in five Champions League outings.

The 26-year-old star, who was described as a “complete” striker by Vincent Kompany during his time at Anderlecht, could be a quality option for Farke if he can regain the form that he displayed in front of goal in the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.

With Nmecha’s arrival, and the news that they are after another number nine, Leeds may have to part ways with some of the strikers already at the club, and avoid a Chris Wood repeat.

How Leeds fumbled Chris Wood

The New Zealand international enjoyed a prolific spell at Elland Road between 2015 and 2017 after his move from Leicester ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, Wood, who joined the club at the age of 23, averaged a goal every other game for the Championship side, but he never got the chance to play in the Premier League because of his £15m move to Burnley in 2017.

The Kiwi marksman left before the Marcelo Bielsa revolution in West Yorkshire, and has gone on to prove himself to be a very impressive goalscorer in the top-flight.

Wood, who scored 20 goals in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest in the 2024/25 season, has racked up 89 goals in 263 top-flight games in his career for Burnley, Newcastle United, and Forest combined.

This shows that Leeds fumbled a brilliant Premier League striker option because they cashed in on him before he got the chance to his his peak at Elland Road, and they could be about to repeat a similar blunder with Mateo Joseph.

The latest on Mateo Joseph's future

Earlier this month, journalist Graeme Bailey told Leeds United News that Real Betis had agreed a fee worth up to £8.5m to sign the Spain U21 international this summer.

However, Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, as relayed by Sport Witness, then rubbished that claim and reported that a deal between the two clubs is nowhere near complete.

In fact, Estadio Deportivo stated that there was a big gap between what the LaLiga outfit would be willing to pay for Joseph and what the Championship champions want for their back-up forward.

Now, Sunday’s edition of ABC Sevilla, as relayed by Sport Witness, reports that Real Betis are currently in talks with the striker and his representatives over the possibility of a move to the club.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The report claims that Betis, who will play Europa League football next season, are planning to convince the player to make the switch before they enter serious negotiations, after making initial contact with Leeds to gauge a price tag for him.

That price tag is reported to be as high as £13m, as per Mundo Deportivo’s separate report on Sunday, which is not all too dissimilar to the fee that the Whites received for Wood from Burnley.

Why selling Joseph could be a Wood repeat

As aforementioned, the New Zealand international moved on from Elland Road for a big fee before he had the opportunity to fulfill his potential as a Premier League goalscorer.

Joseph is not in the exact same situation as Wood was in, as he only scored three goals in 39 matches in the Championship this season, but it would be a similar move in the sense that he would be leaving before fulfilling his potential.

The Spanish marksman produced three goals and three assists in just 11 starts, mainly coming off the bench, as he found himself behind Joel Piroe in the pecking order.

Selling him now would mean that Leeds will never see him flourish at first-team level, which would be a shame when you consider the level that he could reach in the future.

Non-penalty xG

0.36

Top 29%

Shots total

2.73

Top 11%

Shots on target

1.05

Top 17%

Non-penalty goals

0.21

Bottom 34%

xAG

0.13

Top 20%

Assists

0.21

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

2.31

Top 20%

Touches in the opposition’s box

5.25

Top 10%

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old marksman showed plenty of encouraging signs in the Championship, as he regularly got shots on target, got himself into great postions to score, and was effective at creating chances for his teammates.

However, Joseph, who was hailed as “dynamite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, needs to find consistency in his finishing, because that appears to be the one area of his game that is letting him down.

The Leeds youngster, though, scored 19 goals in 33 games for the club’s U21 team and has scored eight goals in 11 caps for Spain’s U21 side, which suggests that the potential is there for him to deliver goals on a regular basis.

Given his impressive scoring record at youth level and the great situations he is getting in at first-team level, it could be down to confidence or nerves in front of goal that is stopping him from exploding for Leeds.

This is why Joseph leaving to sign for Real Betis, amid talks with the Spanish outfit, could be a Wood repeat for Leeds because it could be another case of a promising young forward leaving to fulfill their potential elsewhere.

The Championship champions could end up watching on as Joseph finds his feet in front of goal to become a regular scorer for Betis, given that the rest of his game already appears to be at a high level.

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The signing of Nmecha has put another hurdle in front of Joseph at Elland Road, but the club should avoid selling him for now due to the potential he has to be a star in the future.

Aston Villa missed out on Champions League football for next season with a controversial 2-0 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford yesterday.

Amad Diallo and Christian Eriksen’s goals in the second half secured the win for Ruben Amorim’s side, confining Unai Emery’s men to Europa League football.

The Villans were handed an uphill task after goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was given a straight red card after taking out Rasmus Hojlund after Matty Cash’s under-hit back pass.

However, the result could’ve been different for Emery’s men, after Morgan Rogers was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, leading to the club making a complaint to the Premier League over the officiating decisions.

Despite the defeat and the questionable decisions made by the officials, numerous players failed to deliver, leaving the club with some big decisions to make during the off-season.

Aston Villa’s poor performers against Man Utd

As previously mentioned, goalkeeper Martinez made a huge mistake that handed Villa a tricky task to try and claim all three points against the Red Devils.

The Argentine has been linked with a move away from the West Midlands in recent weeks, meaning that his disappointing display at Old Trafford may be his last for the club.

However, he wasn’t alone in producing a disappointing display, with left-back Ian Maatsen struggling to impress, even giving away the penalty for Eriksen’s goal.

His poor showing didn’t stop there, losing possession a staggering 13 times, whilst also losing 100% of the ground duels he entered, looking way off the pace and contributing to the defeat.

Both will likely be frustrated with their lack of impact, but despite their respective outings, one other player massively struggled, with Emery needing to make a bold decision on his future.

The 5/10 Villa star who needs to be sold this summer

After missing out on the Champions League, Villa now have a huge summer ahead of themselves to prevent breaking the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.

The club have had to make sales over the last couple of summers, with this one likely to follow in the same vein given the failure to secure a place in Europe’s biggest competition.

Martinez is just one player touted with a move away from Villa Park, with midfielder Rogers another star who could see his future lie away from the club.

However, Emery must boldly sell fellow first-team member Ollie Watkins this summer, needing to cash in on the 29-year-old whilst his stock is at its highest.

He was subject to interest from Arsenal during the January transfer window, but the hierarchy rejected offers for their talisman, enabling him to play a key role in their Champions League aspirations.

However, his showing at Old Trafford was nothing short of a disappointment, failing to deliver the goods and once again going missing in a key encounter.

The England international featured for the entirety of the contest, registering just 21 touches – the fewest of any player who started the game – highlighting his lack of impact.

Minutes played

90

Touches

21

Shots taken

0

Dribbles completed

1/2 (50%)

Duels won

5/15

Passes completed

6/15 (40%)

Possession lost

12x

He also failed to register a single effort on goal and only completed 50% of his dribbles, further highlighting how poor he was when the ball fell his way.

Watkins’ disappointing showing didn’t end there, only winning five of the 15 duels he entered, often being dominated by the Red Devils’ backline in the defeat.

As a result, the striker was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Birmingham World’s Charlie Haffenden – further demonstrating how poor he was yesterday.

After such a showing, the manager should look to offload him during the off-season, handing the opportunity for another player to thrive at the top end of the pitch.

Given the current financial situation, the hierarchy will face over the coming months, Watkins should be the first player sacrificed, offering Emery the chance to mount another Champions League push next season.

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