With the new season fast approaching, Leeds United will seemingly need to dip into the transfer market sooner rather than later if they are to have any chance of promotion, with new boss Daniel Farke no doubt requiring sufficient backing if he is to lead a successful charge back into the top flight next term.

One area that the Yorkshire giants particularly need to address is the forward ranks, with the likes of Jack Harrison and Wilfried Gnonto set to be on their way – amid interest from Everton – while both Rodrigo and Patrick Bamford are also likely to seek out pastures new.

That possible exodus will likely leave the ex-Norwich City coach rather thin on the ground in that department, hence just why suitable replacements must be found as a matter of urgency, with pre-season already now underway.

According to reports in his native Nigeria, Nottingham Forest marksman, Emmanuel Dennis is potentially set to be the subject of an offer from those at Elland Road, with the 25-year-old all but certain to leave the Premier League side this summer after just a solitary season at the City Ground.

The former Watford man had initially signed for the Midlands outfit a year ago, although went on to play a bit-part role under Steve Cooper in the 2022/23 season, having been restricted to just six league starts.

Despite those recent woes, the striker's prior form at Vicarage Road – and during his time in Belgium at Club Brugge – should be cause for excitement among Leeds supporters, as should his likeness to a current Elland Road star in the form of Crysencio Summerville…

How much is Emmanuel Dennis worth?

Despite being valued at just €5m (£4m) by CIES Football Observatory, it was only 12 months ago that the eight-cap hitman had sealed a move to Forest for a fee of around £20m, having netted ten goals and laid on six assists during the previous season for the Hornets.

The 5 foot 9 machine had initially caught the eye after registering 42 goal involvements in 116 games in all competitions in Bruges, memorably scoring twice in a 2-2 draw with La Liga giants Real Madrid in a Champions League tussle at the Bernabeu in 2019.

A player of great pedigree, the "stunning" striker – as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting – would also represent an astute move for Leeds due to his similarity to the aforementioned Summerville, according to FBref, with the pair both undoubtedly exciting attacking assets.

That likeness is particularly showcased by the duo's willing work ethic on the flanks across the last 365 days, with Dennis ranking in the top 10% for tackles made and the top 5% for aerial duels won among his European peers, while Summerville ranks in the top 15% for tackles made, as well as in the top 15% for interceptions.

The current Whites star – who has been tipped to go "right to the very top" of the game by club insider, John Wenham – enjoyed a promising, albeit unspectacular 2022/23 season after scoring four goals and laying on two assists in 28 league outings, albeit with only 12 of those coming from the start.

The hope will be that a more consistent run of games at a lower level could allow the Netherlands U21 international to truly blossom, with the winger likely to benefit from the loss of the likes of Gnonto, Harrison et al.

For Summerville to then be joined by the £40k-per-week Forest man could prove a menacing combination in the Championship next season, with that the type of partnership that could steer Farke and co to promotion.

أعلن المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي باريس سان جيرمان، لويس إنريكي، عن قائمة اللاعبين الذين سيشاركون أمام برشلونة في إياب دور الثمانية من دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويلتقي برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان يوم غدًا، الثلاثاء، في تمام التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “منتجويك”، بقيادة الحكم الروماني إيفان كوفاتش.

وشهدت قائمة باريس سان جيرمان عن عودة الظهير الأيمن، أشرف حكيمي، من جديد بعد غيابه عن الذهاب بسبب تراكم الإنذارات.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ماركينيوس يحفز لاعبي باريس سان جيرمان لريمونتادا تاريخية أمام برشلونة

🚨 PSG’s squad for the trip to Barcelona! #UCL #FCBPSG 🔥 pic.twitter.com/hQeslgahnY — PSGhub (@PSGhub) April 15, 2024

قائمة باريس سان جيرمان أمام برشلونة في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: جيانلويجي دوناروما، كيلور نافاس، أرناو تينياس.

الدفاع: أشرف حكيمي، ماركينيوس، لويس هيرنانديز، نونو مينديز، ميلان سكرينيار، لوكاس بيرالدو، يورام زاجوي.

الوسط: مانويل أوجارتي، فابيان رويز، ماركو أسينسيو، دانيلو بيريرا، فيتينها، لي كانج إن، وارين زائير إيمري، نوردي موكيلي.

الهجوم: كيليان مبابي، جونزالو راموس، كولو مواني، عثمان ديمبلي، كارلوس سولير، برادلي باركولا.

يعلن النادي الأهلي، غدًا الثلاثاء، في مؤتمر صحفي، عن راعٍ جديد له خلال الفترة القادمة، ليكون الثامن هذا الموسم 2023 – 2024.

ويرعى النادي الأهلي هذا الموسم 7 شركات، هم “روميتيون للإطارات إيجيبت، اتصالات مصر، GLC، بنك أبو ظبي الأول مصر، شركة شيل shell ومراسم للاستثمار والتطوير العقارى وشركة ليبتون تي أند إينفيوشن”.

ووفقاً للموقع الرسمي للأهلي، فإن الراعي الجديد للنادي الأهلي سيكون “شركة بروميتيون تايرإيجيبت” لمدة 3 سنوات قادمة.

طالع | شادي محمد: ثنائي الأهلي ارتكب أخطاء لا تغتفر أمام الزمالك.. ويتوقع نتيجة مباراة مازيمبي بيان الأهلي بشأن الراعي الجديد

يعقد النادي الأهلي مؤتمرًا صحفيًّا في الثانية عشرة ظهر غد الثلاثاء، بأحد فنادق القاهرة؛ للإعلان عن راعٍ جديد ينضم إلى قائمة رعاة النادي خلال الثلاث السنوات القادمة.

يحضر الكابتن محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي، وأعضاء مجلس الإدارة، ومسؤولى شركة بروميتيون تايرإيجيبت وعدد من نجوم فريق الكرة والفرق الرياضية.

ويستعد النادي الأهلي لخوض مباراة مازيمبي الكونغولي في لقاء العودة لدور نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا، ذلك يوم الجمعة المقبل 26 أبريل.

وكان الأهلي تعادل مع مازيمبي سلبياً، في مباراة الذهاب التي أقيمت السبت الماضي في مدنية لوبومباشي بالكونغو.

Glasgow Rangers appear to be on course to complete a move for Los Angeles FC midfielder Jose Cifuentes this week, according to a new report.

Are Rangers signing Jose Cifuentes?

Michael Beale and Ibrox officials have been extremely busy so far this summer, with seven new players already brought to the club this summer.

Three forwards have arrived in Cyriel Dessers, Sam Lammers and Abdallah Sima, and it looks as if Feyenoord striker Danilo is also set to sign after a £6m agreement was reached with the Dutch champions.

Another long-term target has been Cifuentes, with Beale even admitting that a deal was in place to sign the player on a free transfer at the end of the year, however, work was ongoing on bringing a deal forward.

“It is getting closer. The logistics of that one, with work permits. The clubs are still talking. He’s out of contract at the end of the year and we have an agreement with that but would like to bring it to a close early so he can join us this season.”

It now looks as if an immediate summer switch is on the cards after Football Insider provided a positive transfer update on Rangers and Cifuentes in the last 48 hours.

They claimed Beale is desperate to sign the midfielder, and that the two sides are close to reaching an agreement that would see Cifuentes sign this summer. The two sides are ‘expected to have a deal completed this week’. No exact transfer fee was cited, but it does look as if a move is gathering real pace after an agreement was fast-tracked.

Who is Jose Cifuentes?

Cifuentes appears to be at the peak of his powers with a career-high €12m Transfermarkt valuation and can play as a holding, central or attacking midfielder.

Sponsored by Nike, the 24-year-old has played 16 times for Ecuador at senior level and has been with LAFC since January 2020. During that time, Cifuentes has turned out on 121 occasions, scoring 15 times and registering 20 assists.

He appears to be going from strength to strength in the MLS, and previously, Tim Vickery, an expert on all things to do with South American football, called the 24-year-old a "terrific" player after his performances at the Under-20 World Cup in 2019.

"He was the beating heart of that side and I think he’s a terrific midfielder," said Vickey on talkSPORT.

"He’s strong, he’s got quality, he’s got a good engine – he’s one of the best all-round midfielders, potentially, that I’ve seen come out of South America in a while.

"This fellow Cifuentes strikes the ball well, moves across the field, strong in the tackle, strong on the ball, I like him a lot."

It looks as if an imminent move to Glasgow is on the cards, and should he arrive in the coming days, Cifuentes would become the club’s most valuable player, as per Transfermarkt, with his €12m valuation higher than any current Rangers player, showing how this move could be a major cup for those in Glasgow.

West Ham United are looking to fill several positions this summer with the new Premier League season kicking off next weekend, and now a fresh update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a transfer target.

What's the latest on West Ham's interest in Trevoh Chalobah?

According to The Guardian reporter Jacob Steinberg, the Hammers are interested in signing Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah.

As per the report, the reliable journalist reveals that Irons boss David Moyes is keen to snap up the services of a right-sided central defender this summer, with Chalobah named as one of the club's targets alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Meanwhile, it has also been suggested by The Evening Standard that the Blues are likely to command a fee of £45m to part ways with Chalobah.

How good is Trevoh Chalobah?

Whilst the focus remains largely on replacing Declan Rice in the centre of the pitch, there is definitely room for improvement in West Ham's defensive set-up ahead of next season.

The Hammers conceded 13 more league goals than they scored last season and lost 20 of their Premier League fixtures which led to relegation worries and their 14th-place finish, something that must drastically improve if they are to have any chance of competing comfortably in the top-flight.

As a result, the signing of Chalobah could be a great piece of business for the East London club in their pursuit to strengthen their defensive presence and ultimately, improve their performances on the pitch during their upcoming campaign both in the Premier League and on the European stage.

The 24-year-old Chelsea star has great strengths as a ball-playing centre-back – ranking in the top 24% of defenders in the Premier League for pass completion, progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches per 90 minutes played last season, according to FBref.

In fact, Moyes could land his very own Ibrahima Konate, with the Liverpool titan named as the second most comparable player to Chalobah over the last 12 months.

Comparatively, the defensive duo shared a number of similarities in their output last season including pass completion (87.6% v 87%), shot-creation actions per 90 (0.90 v 0.99 and successful take-ons (80% v 71.4%), as well as touches per 90 (1.28 v 1.29), interceptions per 90 (1.28 v 1.34) and clearances per 90 (3.21 v 3.58).

Both Konate and Chalobah stand at 6 foot 3, allowing them to use their towering stature to dominate opponents, whilst also demonstrating clear strengths in their ability to progress the ball forward too.

Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard waxed lyrical about Chalobah's contribution and work ethic during his time working with the former England U21 defender last season:

"He’s such a selfless lad. He doesn’t say ‘I want to play in this position.'

"He’s a delight to train with every day because he comes in with an enthusiasm, low maintenance, and when you talk about the things you want, he tries to do them on the pitch, which is a great thing."

Not only that, Chalobah offers versatility in his positioning which could prove to be incredibly valuable to Moyes next season, with 87 appearances over his career so far playing in defensive midfield, as well as being comfortably deployed on either side of the centre-back partnership.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for West Ham to secure Chalobah's signature this summer, as his Premier League experience and quality could help him flourish and make an instant impact at the London stadium next season.

Glasgow Rangers appear to have finally closed a deal for long-term Ibrox Jose Cifuentes this summer, with Football Insider reporting that they are set to confirm his signing in the early stages of next week.

How many games has Jose Cifuentes played?

The midfielder has played 19 times for his current club Los Angeles FC in the MLS this year and has already picked up where he left off last time around, with one goal and three assists to boot. It's helped to drag his side up to sixth in the standings, with the club finishing in second last year as well.

It was 2022 that proved to be his real standout year in the league, with the 24-year-old seemingly getting better as each campaign passes. Last year, he produced his best-ever goal contribution numbers, as he managed 13 in just 26 starts (seven goals, six assists). It meant that he ended the season with a rate of 0.50 goal contributions per 90 – one every other game.

He broke into double-digit figures in 2020 too, showing that it certainly wasn't just a one-off or a campaign where everything went right. His numbers have grown every year since he made his debut in 2016 at the tender age of just 16, and he has shown no signs of slowing down.

It's led to Rangers eagerly trying to sign him up for most of this summer, with the Gers trying desperately to sort out a deal that will bring him to the Scottish Premiership. Most recently, it seemed like a transfer was close and would be potentially completed this week.

Have Rangers signed Jose Cifuentes?

Now, according to Football Insider, things have advanced even more for Cifuentes. It now seems as though a full agreement have been reached and he will officially sign for Michael Beale's side – and be announced as a Rangers player – at the very beginning of next week.

It states that visas have been sorted and that a deal is now finally ready to go ahead – and it means that, come this time next week, he could be in Gers colours after a summer of long discussions over a deal for the midfielder.

It could be an excellent bit of business for the club too. LAFC general manager John Thorrington has spoken very highly of Cifuentes during his time with the club too, insisting that if he isn't "the most talented midfielder in the league" then he's certainly cutting it up there amongst them.

It shows that he is viewed as arguably one of the best in his area in the entire division – which is high praise considering just how many other central players there are in the MLS. Considering that he is only 24 years of age, it shows that he is already playing at the peak of his abilities with a career-high €12m Transfermarkt valuation – and you'd like to think there is room to get even better. If he can seal this move to Rangers and keep getting game time, then he could perhaps achieve the same feat in the Scottish Premiership.

As Sussex brushed aside their promotion rivals in three days at Worcester, the sense was that the balance of power was shifting in Division Two

Vithushan Ehantharajah at New Road08-Aug-20171:06

County Championship round-up: Warwickshire secure first win

On a day when those around them were hampered by the weather, Sussex completed perhaps one of their most professional wins of the season, beating Worcestershire and the deluge that engulfed most of the Midlands by nine wickets and a day. Having started the match in fifth, Sussex leap to third, with a game in hand on Worcestershire, whose lead in second has been cut to 17 points.Worcestershire were poor. It is hard to remember a Championship game where they have folded so meekly. To lose 12 wickets in five hours play is simply not what you would expect from a young side with a determination at their core that has seen them punch above their weight consistently over the last five years. This is only their third loss of the season but it is the manner of defeat that will jar even the most partisan Pear.Sussex, though, have unfurled a run that now reads five wins in seven, a streak brought about by returns from injury, to form and the sort of swagger that has characterised their teams of the past. Chris Nash’s revival with a first-innings 118, on a tricky day one pitch, wickets shared (Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer and David Wiese took 14 in the match between them) and an array of difficult catches held speak of a team peaking at the right time.Even with rain washing out the morning session, Sussex were still able to make significant strikes in the first passage of play, which started at 1.10pm, removing the remaining two wickets in the Worcestershire first innings – 162 behind – and taking out their top order to leave them reeling on 66 for 5 at tea in their follow-on innings.Aside from the rains, Ed Barnard was the only other uncontrollable that Sussex came up against today. The pick of the Worcestershire bowlers, he held firm to finish the first innings unbeaten on 65 – his third half-century of the season and fourth of his first-class career.His knock threatened to take the hosts beyond their follow-on target, attacking well as he managed the strike effectively with No. 11 and debutant Pat Brown. He managed to take time out of the game when he struck David Wiese for a towering six that landed in the car park towards Worcester Cathedral. However, two balls later, Brown edged behind and Worcestershire had to start all over again.Wiese continued from the Diglis End with an opening eight-over burst that saw him remove Daryl Mitchell, (bowled) Tom Fell (caught at second slip by Harry Finch, his sixth of the match) and then Clarke (bowled off an inside edge) – all three deliveries brought about by movement into the right-hander off the surface.For the second time in the day, it was left to Barnard to fight for Worcestershire’s pride. He took a couple of blows from Stuart Whittingham, who bowled with good pace to remove George Rhodes and Brett D’Oliveira for his first two wickets of the match. Both times, Barnard inspected his helmet and smiled like a man who had found a tenner in his spare pair of jeans rather than knocked on the bonce. If he was punch-drunk, he was snapped out of it by a cluster of wickets at the other end, as Jofra Archer removed Ben Cox, Joe Leach and John Hastings in the space of five balls. Barnard’s smile was long gone.Even in his grind, he was still able to show a wide range of strokes – his charge and thwack back over Wiese’s head for six was Kevin Pietersen-esque in execution and attitude. He had no interest in keeling over like the rest of his side.When he reached 35, he was given a round of applause from Worcestershire fans who had sat through the morning rain – it was his 100th run of the match, without being dismissed. Naturally, it was Barnard who put the hosts into the lead and he fell trying to add to it, skying Stiaan van Zyl to long on, where Whittingham ran in to take a catch (the same fielder had shelled Barnard in the first innings on 43).Naturally, Barnard picked up a wicket in Sussex’s chase of nine: Luke Wells chipping to skipper Joe Leach at midwicket after Mitchell had dropped the same batsmen at second slip. A streaky four through gully from Angus Robson sealed the win for Sussex. It may seem premature, but this match felt like two teams passing each other, with one very clearly on the way up.

Manchester City star Kyle Walker could make a move to Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich this summer as the Germans are willing to offer him a contract for "two years plus an extra year", whereas the Citizens are willing to offer just "one further season", claims Sky Sports reporter Mark McAdam.

Is Kyle Walker leaving Manchester City this summer?

It was truly a season to remember for the blue half of Manchester last year. Not only did they win the first treble in the club's history, but they did it while beating local rivals Manchester United in a tightly contested FA Cup final.

In many ways, it felt like the culmination of everything that Pep Guardiola and the City Group had been working towards since the Spaniard's arrival back in 2016, and for one of the club's longest-serving players, it seems like it's the perfect time to bid farewell.

According to The Athletic, England and City star Kyle Walker has courted the interest of German behemoths Bayern this summer and has now reached a verbal agreement with the side for a two-year contract.

While an agreement between the two clubs has yet to be formally agreed, it's expected that the treble winners could make upwards of £15m.

Reporter Mark McAdam explained the situation live on Sky Sports News (via Football Daily), saying:

"He's currently going into the last year of his contract at City. Now, there are talks that they would be willing to extend that, but only for one further season, whereas Bayern Munich are offering him two years plus an extra year – so he would extend his career at the very highest level for another three seasons, in theory.

"There is no agreement in place between Bayern Munich and Manchester City, but talks continue between the two clubs – and this is fascinating because it's always the way with these situations: guess who's playing each other next week in Japan on a pre-season tour? It's Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

"So that's the latest with that situation, but again, would Bayern Munich be making these noises publicly about Kyle Walker if they hadn't been given an indication that he would be interested in talking to them, should the two clubs agree a fee?"

How good was Kyle Walker last season?

Despite starting just 29 times across the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League last season, it was yet another campaign in which Walker demonstrated to the world just why he is so well thought of by Guardiola and why he'll go down as one of the most successful English full-backs of all time.

According to Sofascore, the Sheffield-born dynamo averaged a match rating of 6.74 in the Premier League and a seriously impressive rating of 6.96 in the Champions League, where he was included in the Team of the Week twice for his efforts.

As you'd expect for a full-back in a Pep system, his underlying offensive numbers are brilliant.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the dynamic defender sits in the top 3% for attempted passes, the top 5% for progressive passes, and the top 6% for pass completion per 90.

That said, for as "exceptional" as Walker is, he is now 33 years old, and having won everything there is to win at the club, a move away to prolong his career at the very highest level could be what's best for everyone involved.

The injury also rules the Sri Lanka allrounder out of the ODI and T20 legs of the India tour

Andrew Fidel Fernando in Galle26-Jul-2017Asela Gunaratne will play no further part in the India tour, after suffering a serious fracture in his left thumb. Doctors have advised Gunaratne will be out of action for at least six to eight weeks following reconstructive surgery in Colombo on Tuesday night. SLC confirmed there was no chance of a return in the ODI or T20 legs of the tour either.”It is a sad one – just below his thumb there are about three pieces of bone,” SLC cricket manager Asanka Gurusinha said. “It is pretty serious. As soon as we saw the x-ray, we realised it was serious, so we sent him to Colombo.”He had picked up the injury in the 14th over of the first morning. Fielding at second slip to the bowling of Lahiru Kumara, Gunaratne dived to his left to intercept an edge off Shikhar Dhawan’s bat, only for the ball to hit him on the end of the thumb. The catch was dropped, and Gunaratne immediately clutched his hand in pain. Soon after, he left the ground clutching his wrist.The loss of Gunaratne is a substantial blow to Sri Lanka. Not only does his slow bowling bring balance to the side, he is also in good batting form, having hit a crucial 80 not out in a record fourth-innings chase against Zimbabwe last week.”We lost Asela as both batsman and bowler,” Gurusinha said. “He is a fighter, and he has been scoring a lot of runs. Losing him is going to put lot of pressure on us.”Dhawan, who was reprieved on 31 went on to hit 190 off 168 balls, setting India on track to 399 for 3 by stumps.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their pursuit of a deal to further bolster their attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign…

What's the latest Rangers transfer news?

According to The Athletic's Jordan Campbell, the Light Blues are "edging closer" to an agreement with Feyenoord to sign Brazilian centre-forward Danilo during the transfer window.

The reporter has stated that the Gers have upped their offer from €3.5m (£3m) to €6m (£5.2m) including realistic add-ons as Michael Beale closes in on his eighth signing of the summer.

Sam Lammers, Leon Balogun, Cyriel Dessers, Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland have all joined the club to date.

Campbell claims that the two clubs are not far apart in their valuations and that there is a belief on both sides of the deal that this transfer will go through eventually.

How many goals did Danilo score last season?

The 24-year-old marksman scored an eye-catching ten Eredivisie goals in 14 starts for Feyenoord throughout the 2022/23 campaign and has the potential to be an excellent partner for Dessers.

Campbell has claimed that the possible signing would be used as a "hybrid" forward alongside the former Cremonese number nine in attack next season for the Light Blues.

This suggests that Danilo could play in a role that would allow him to join Dessers in a front two to spearhead the attack whilst also being given the freedom to drop deeper and move out wide in order to link up play with the midfield and wingers, which would allow the Nigerian international to remain through the middle as the focal point for Beale.

The ex-Brazil U23 international has been a prolific scorer throughout his youth and senior career to date and could form a lethal partnership with the 28-year-old dynamo.

Danilo's impressive Eredivisie return last term came after he managed 15 goals in 26 matches for Ajax's first-team and reserves combined, which included six goals in three cup games. He also caught the eye during the 2020/21 campaign on loan at FC Twente with 17 strikes in 33 league outings.

The £5.2m-rated ace, who scored 31 goals in 51 U21 clashes for Ajax, has proven himself to be a reliable scorer, which could strike fear into opposition defenders if they see him lining up alongside Dessers, whose form for Feyenoord – prior to Danilo's move there – suggests that he can also be a monster in front of goal.

Throughout the 2021/22 season, the Nigerian goal machine plundered an outstanding 19 goals in 16 starts across the Europa Conference League and Eredivisie, which included nine goals in nine Dutch top-flight starts.

No Rangers striker found the back of the net more than 14 times in the Scottish Premiership for Beale last term. Both Dessers, who scored 22 goals and provided 13 assists in 36 games for NAC Breda in 2016/17, and Danilo have the potential to score 15 or more league goals in a season.

Therefore, the possible strike partnership for the Light Blues could be one that causes panic among opposition defences over the coming months as centre-backs could have two prolific and consistent number nines to deal with throughout matches, which could cause havoc in the box.