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Arsenal have already enjoyed a proactive start to the transfer market, and despite faltering announcements for Jurrien Timber and Declan Rice to supplement their acquisition of Kai Havertz, reports are assuring that no issues have arisen with those deals.

Mikel Arteta will still get his men, and the Gunners will continue their pre-season preparation in the hopes they can go one step further in the Premier League next season.

However, it is unlikely that this will note the end of their summer spending, given just how big the gulf turned out to be between themselves and Manchester City.

The five points that separated them in the league do not even begin to outline the disparity, as Pep Guardiola's side would add an FA Cup and Champions League to become just the second English team to complete this infamous treble.

With a bolstered backline and a meliorated midfield, out wide is arguably the place that has been pushed to the back burner.

That's not to suggest that they have completely neglected the pursuit though, with links to both Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus remaining throughout the window.

The latter in particular came only at the start of this month, and prefaces Paris Saint-Germain's movement into the driving seat to re-sign the former. Therefore, Arteta might have his hand forced to opt for the Ghana international, who still remains a fine alternative to the 20-year-old maestro.

What is the current market value of Mohammed Kudus?

Having both shone in the Eredivisie from the flank, it seems that last campaign marked a true step up for both of these budding young stars.

Featuring for two of the heavyweights within that division, PSV Eindhoven and Ajax were blessed to have such creativity and goalscoring prowess from the left and right wing respectively.

In fact, the differences between the two are hardly lofty enough to outline a significant gulf, suggesting that Simons' edging move back to Paris could make Arteta's transfer selection even easier.

After all, the 22-year-old recorded 18 goals and seven assists last term across all competitions, not to mention his two goals and 7.70 average rating during his country's group stage exit of the World Cup.

This excellence on the biggest stage in football was extended to the Champions League too, where he earned praise from journalist Karl Matchett for one strike against Rangers back in September:

"He is sensational. What a magical player. Channels, one-touch passing, strength in dribble, really smart positions dropping deep, aggressive winning it back and an absolute arrow of a shot."

To compare this with Simons, who has started to work his way into the Netherlands senior squad, there remains a slight lack of experience that has prevented him from lighting up a similar level.

Despite that, his 34 goal contributions across all competitions last term in his homeland suggest he is deservedly close to being handed such an opportunity.

With the Parisian giants exercising their buy-back clause and thus moving way ahead in the race for the youngster, Kudus stands alone as the outstanding alternative that remains.

Although his reported £40m price tag might come across as steep, given it far outweighs his €12.8m (£11m) FootballTransfers market valuation, it would still mark a coup for a player who at such a young age already boasts immense quality and experience on the top stage.

Mauricio Pochettino looks to continue his overhaul of the Chelsea squad this summer by adding to the two signings of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson, however this time he will be bolstering his midfield options having already lost N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer as talks have been held with Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.

Is Romeo Lavia heading to Chelsea?

Graeme Bailey of 90min provided an update regarding the chase of Lavia, saying: “Romeo Lavia is emerging as one of this summer's most in-demand players.

“Liverpool, Arsenal, and Chelsea have all held talks, whilst former club Man City, Man Utd and Newcastle are being kept informed.

“Southampton want £50m…”

The fee shouldn’t represent too much of a problem, especially considering the money they have raised via player sales so far and with Pochettino lacking depth in the heart of the midfield, Lavia wouldn’t just be a signing for the future, but a player who could stake a claim for a first team place straight away.

Could Romeo Lavia become the heir to N’Golo Kante?

Following a lacklustre 12th place finish in the Premier League last term, their worst since 1993/94, there is plenty of change at Stamford Bridge this summer as Pochettino looks to assert his own authority on the team which certainly has the talent to be challenging for honours.

The onus will be on him to find a perfect heir for Kante, with the Frenchman departing the Premier League by joining Saudi Arabia outfit Al-Ittihad after seven fruitful years at the Blues, which include a Champions League crown and Premier League title among other trophies.

The Frenchman flourished in a defensive midfield slot for the Stamford Bridge side, making nearly 300 appearances during his spell at the club and his debut campaign saw the midfielder complete 53.8 accurate passes per game along with making 3.6 tackles per match, ranking him as second and first in the squad, showing just how effective he was across these metrics as Chelsea won another league title.

These have been the hallmarks of a great career, as the 32-year-old is able to circulate the ball extremely well while also using his tackling abilities to good use as he remained an immovable force at the heart of the midfield.

Lavia could certainly follow in his footsteps, no doubt about it as he embodies a few of the traits which made the former Leicester City star such a wonderful player.

He made 2.1 tackles per game for the Saints last term, the second most in the squad, and it would also rank him fifth in the Chelsea squad, indicating how useful his dogged nature would be to Pochettino next term.

Although Lavia made just 29.5 accurate passes per game, this would surely increase in a Chelsea side which would look to dominate the ball for long periods of time, further enriching himself as the player who could take over the mantle from Kante.

Lauded as an “absolute monster” following yet another solid performance last season by journalist Benjy Nurick, it’s clear that Pochettino should be going all out to secure his signature this summer.

An update has emerged on Celtic and their plans to bolster the playing squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest Celtic transfer news?

According to Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry, the Hoops have made an "approach" to sign Gremio winger Ferreira during the summer transfer window.

"Exclusive! Ferreira Celtic transfer approach made as Gremio striker on wishlist for summer move," he tweeted.

The accompanying report claims that Bhoys boss Brendan Rodgers wants to sign another winger who can chip in with goals and assists to improve his attack next season, with the Brazilian talent now being pursued as a target to fill that role.

It states that a fee in the region of £6m could be needed for the Scottish giants to clinch this deal and that the player is interested in making the move, which suggests that personal terms would not prove to be a stumbling block.

This comes after Portuguese winger Jota left the treble-winning side to join Saudi Arabian team Al-Ittihad Club in a deal reportedly worth £25m earlier this month.

How good is Ferreira?

The 25-year-old forward, who can be deployed on the left or right flank, is a player with the potential to be a dream heir to Jota at Parkhead if Rodgers can unearth the best of his talents next season.

Unfortunately, Ferreira would join Celtic off the back of two disappointing seasons with Gremio as injury has seriously disrupted his progress in Brazil.

He has missed 31 competitive matches through injury since the start of August 2022, which has restricted the 5 foot 9 whiz to just 14 appearances in 2023.

During that time, the talented winger still produced three goals, along with three assists – a respectable return in front of goal given his fitness issues. That came after Ferreira scored one goal in 15 outings during the 2022 campaign.

However, the Brazilian magician's form throughout 2021 suggests that the quality is there for him to be an effective outlet on the flank.

He scored 14 goals and provided 13 assists across 52 matches in all competitions, which included 11 strikes and seven assists in 21 cup games.

That is not too dissimilar to the level of production that Jota displayed last season for Celtic.

The Portuguese speedster contributed 15 goals and 12 assists over 43 outings for the Glasgow giants.

Jota was able to prove himself to be a constant threat down the left wing due to his ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate, and Ferreira is a player with the potential to emulate that at Parkhead next term, which may be why the club are now looking into a deal for his services.

The one-time Benfica star was the only Hoops player who managed to hit double figures for goals and assists in the Scottish Premiership during the 2022/23 campaign. His departure has left a gap to fill out wide and the Gremio ace could be the man to take on the responsibility of being a match-winner week-in-week-out.

Whilst it is a gamble for Celtic, as there is no guarantee that he will be able to replicate his form from 2021, Rodgers could back himself to get the best out of the tricky winger in order to unearth a dream Jota heir.

Though AB de Villiers has only contributed four runs in two matches and is nursing a slight hamstring injury, coach Russell Domingo and batsman David Miller have backed the captain to score against India on Sunday

Firdose Moonda08-Jun-20170:35

‘No concerns about De Villiers’ – Domingo

The South African camp is confident their captain AB de Villiers will deliver in what could be a must-win match against India on Sunday. Though de Villiers contributed only four runs in two group matches, and is nursing a slight hamstring injury, South Africa coach Russell Domingo and de Villiers’ team-mates expect him to come through when it counts.”I have no concerns about AB de Villiers,” Domingo said. “I’m expecting him to put in a big performance on Sunday. He’s that type of player that when the team needs him, he’ll turn it up on Sunday. I’m sure about that.”De Villiers will be treated for his niggle – a tight right hamstring – over the next two days and will have a fitness test on Saturday to determine his availability for Sunday’s match.In the absence of runs from de Villiers, South Africa have had to rely on Hashim Amla against Sri Lanka and David Miller against Pakistan to provide backbone for their innings. Miller was happy to share the load. “It is tough [when AB doesn’t perform],” Miller said. He is the best player in the world so it’s nice when he does perform, and that’s 95% of the time.”I haven’t seen him go out for a nought too many times in his career. He is human at the end of the day and there are enough good batters in the team to contribute as well. I don’t think it’s a huge problem at all. We’ve done well over the last two-and-a-half years and all the batters that we have can do the job. AB, unfortunately, didn’t come off but he is definitely due on Sunday.”All the talk about Sunday’s match and the expectations of de Villiers performing may only put pressure on a man who is already under some strain. De Villiers’ form was questioned before the tournament, after an IPL which even Domingo described as “quiet,” although de Villiers felt he was “hitting the ball better than ever”.That may be true but, after his first golden duck in 212 ODI innings, he is also hitting the ball straight to fielders. The pressure on de Villiers is mounting and for Morne Morkel that means the rest of the South African seniors have to step up.”It’s a big tournament for him (AB), and for all of us. We are hungry to take this trophy back home. He is only human. Us as players or team-mates, we need to stand up as well and take responsibility,” Morkel said. “It’s not all on AB’s shoulders. “With de Villiers opting out of Test cricket for the rest of this year, a second child on the way, and the way he has spoken about wanting to manage his time, speculation over his international career is growing. But Morkel said de Villiers still had the desire to keep going. “AB has got all the energy and is still hungry to play,” he said.Morkel intends to be at de Villiers’ side in that. After a comeback to the ODI side following a year on the sidelines, the fast bowler provided South Africa’s attack with much-needed stability. Although he continues to compete with an allrounder for his place in the XI, Morkel was hopeful of playing against India on Sunday, expecting “something special” from a South African side.”It’s going to take a big team effort to knock over India,” he said. “They are a confident team at the moment but we have to back ourselves to win.”

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat, as the Villans join the queue of Premier League clubs eyeing the 26-year-old.

Unai Emery has enjoyed a successful summer so far, with a swoop for the Moroccan having the potential to be another marquee deal in addition to the arrivals of Pau Torres and Moussa Diaby.

Could Aston Villa sign Sofyan Amrabat?

As reported by news in Italy, Villa have joined the race to sign the midfielder, who is wanted by Manchester United and Tottenham.

Speaking yesterday to the media, relayed by UtdPlug on Twitter, the player’s representative Mahmoud El Boustati confirmed the interest surrounding Amrabat:

“There are quite a few clubs interested in Sofyan. Now it’s a matter of making the right choice.”

Valued at €30m (£26m) by the Serie A side, the club that seals the deal for the Moroccan could complete a steal for a player that is highly rated in Europe.

How good is Sofyan Amrabat?

Playing a pivotal part in Morocco’s World Cup heroics, the midfielder earned the praise of former Spanish national team manager Luis Enrique following his side’s defeat to the Moroccans.

The newly appointed Paris Saint-Germain coach labelled the 26-year-old as “extraordinary” for his performances on the big stage, making the surrounding noise this summer unsurprising.

For Villa, the interest in Amrabat comes at an interesting time, when speculation rises regarding the future of defensive midfielder Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian has been linked with a move to north London, with both Spurs and Arsenal said to be eyeing the Villa ace.

A swoop for Amrabat could be a strong move for Emery, particularly with the rumours surrounding his star man this summer.

In the Fiorentina gem, the Spaniard could obtain a player of a similar calibre to the 25-year-old, lauded for his defensive contributions and energy in the engine room.

Hailed as a “monster” and “the best central midfielder” at the World Cup by journalist Carlo Garganese, the 26-year-old could be the perfect successor to Luiz should he depart, or alternatively the ideal figure to challenge the Brazilian should he stay.

While Amrabat’s performances at the World Cup were emphatic, the midfielder displayed his levels of consistency in Serie A, averaging 1.76 tackles per 90 for Fiorentina, as per FBref.

Despite making a higher average of tackles with 2.24 per 90 in the Premier League last term, Luiz fell short of the other areas in the Moroccan's game that make him so highly regarded in Europe.

As per FBref, the dominating midfielder averaged a pass completion rate of 88.8%, as well as making a monstrous 7.93 progressive passes per 90, highlighting the danger he can cause in the middle of the park.

For context, Luiz averaged just 4.45 progressive passes per 90 for Villa last season, suggesting just how strong the attributes of Amrabat are, and the talent that Emery could integrate into his ambitious side at Villa Park.

Whether the Moroccan would be deployed alongside Luiz or in place of him, the Fiorentina gem could be a dazzling acquisition for the Spaniard to chase this summer.

With the series drawn level at 2-2, Zimbabwe will look to exploit Sri Lanka’s bowling woes, while the hosts will rely on their in-form top order to clinch the series

The Preview by Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Jul-2017Match FactsJuly 10, 2017
Start time: 0945 local (0415GMT)Danushka Gunathilaka leads the run charts with 271 from four innings•AFPBig PictureTo find the most-recent bilateral series in which Zimbabwe pushed Sri Lanka to a decider, you’d have to go back decades, to a time before Sri Lanka won the World Cup, to before the island’s players were fully professional – all the way back to November 1994. Now, there is a chance the series that the Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews hoped could be won 5-0, may not be won at all. How did we get here?Largely, the state of the series is owed to the skill and poise of Zimbabwe’s batsmen. In three of the four games so far, they either surpassed 300 or as was the case on Saturday, appeared capable of getting there, and comfortably achieved the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern target in any case. Encouragingly, they have not been reliant on any one batsman. In the first match, Solomon Mire’s maiden ton, coupled with Sean Williams’ supporting hand, propelled them to victory. In the matches since, Hamilton Masakadza and Craig Ervine have starred. Lasith Malinga may now be a diminished force, but for a side that had not seen a lot of him, Zimbabwe have defused Malinga with particular confidence. With one match to play, Malinga has two wickets in the series, at an average of 78.50 and an economy rate of 6.28.Sri Lanka’s batting has been consistently good – their openers putting up back-to-back double-century stands for the first time in ODI history – but the attack’s lack of venom has been repeatedly exposed. Too often, boundary balls have spoiled tight overs and, at other times, bowlers have faltered when batsmen began to attack them.As the series comes to its climax, Zimbabwe will hope that given Malinga’s troubles, Sri Lanka’s young attack will remain leaderless. Sri Lanka’s bowlers, meanwhile, need to find some way of squeezing life out of a Hambantota pitch that has been unkind to them.Form guideSri Lanka LWWLL (completed matches, most recent first)
Zimbabwe WLLWWIn the spotlightDespite having played only three matches in the series, legspinner Wanindu Hasaranga tops the wicket-takers’ list, having claimed eight scalps at an average of 12.37. Hasaranga’s rise has been fairly sharp, after he debuted in the second ODI at Galle. Although he impressed in patches during Sri Lanka’s recent one-day Super Provincial Tournament, he was hardly the best bowler on show there. Instead, the selectors can take a little credit for picking a player on potential, with their hunch having proven correct so far.Largely unheralded before this series, Solomon Mire has also been something of a revelation, hitting a match-winning century in the first ODI in Galle, and also contributing to their second win, with a boisterous 43 off 30 balls. He had showcased some of his ability in the Netherlands, during the List A series there, but it is in Sri Lanka that he has begun to click at the ODI level. Zimbabwe will hope they have found a long-term partner, in Mire, for Hamilton Masakadza at the top of the innings.Team newsWith debutant Asitha Fernando having proven expensive in his brief trips to the crease on Saturday, Sri Lanka may opt for the more experienced Nuwan Kulasekara in their seam attack. The top order is likely to stay in place.Sri Lanka (possible): 1 Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 2 Danushka Gunathilaka, 3 Kusal Mendis, 4 Upul Tharanga, 5 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 6 Asela Gunaratne, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Dushmantha Chameera, 10 Lakshan Sandakan, 11 Lasith Malinga,Zimbabwe may opt for the same XI, given its success.Zimbabwe (possible): 1 Solomon Mire, 2 Hamilton Masakadza, 3 Tarisai Musakanda, 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Sean Williams, 6 Sikandar Raza, 7 Malcolm Waller, 8 Peter Moor (wk), 9 Graeme Cremer (capt.), 10 Tendai Chatara, 11 Chris MpofuPitch and conditionsChances are there will be more runs on the Hambantota pitch, with it having been more batting-friendly than either side has expected so far. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon again, but the forecast looks better than it did for the fourth ODI.Stats and trivia Despite the series scoreline, the top three run-scorers (Danushka Gunathilaka, Niroshan Dickwella and Upul Tharanga) and the top three wicket-takers (Wanindu Hasaranga, Asela Gunaratne, Lakshan Sandakan) are all Sri Lanka players If Zimbabwe win on Monday, it will be their first bilateral series win over a Test-playing opposition away from home, since they beat Bangladesh in Bangladesh in 2001 Hamilton Masakadza needs 50 to become the fifth Zimbabwe batsman to 5000 ODI runsQuotes”The pressure is more on them because they expected to beat us. We won’t take any pressure into the final game. The confidence is pretty high for us.”
“Not just Malinga, but as a bowling group we have to all cop the blame rather than pointing the finger at one person.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in ongoing "negotiations" regarding a summer deal to bring Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez to the Premier League, according to journalist Cesar Luis Merlo.

Who is Guido Rodriguez?

Rodriguez is naturally a defensive midfielder who has played his football at the Benito Villamarin Stadium for the past three years since joining from CF America back in January 2020, and during that time, he’s become a regular feature of Manuel Pellegrini’s side having started 33 out of 38 La Liga matches last season.

However, the 29-year-old’s contract is set to expire in less than a year meaning that there’s a strong chance he could be sold for a decent fee before the end of the current transfer window, and should he depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

The Argentina international firmly established himself as the Spanish outfit’s both defensive and overall top-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.98 during the previous campaign, and it appears that his high standard of displays have caught the eye of Fosun and Julen Lopetegui at Molineux.

Are Wolves signing Guido Rodriguez?

Taking to Twitter, Merlo revealed that Wolves are currently in talks for Rodriguez, though at this stage, it doesn't sound as if a deal is anywhere close to completion between the two parties. He wrote:

"Wolves is interested in signing Guido Rodriguez, a Betis midfielder whose contract ends in June 2024. There are negotiations underway between the clubs, but for now nothing close to being finalised."

Wolves recently lost their talisman in Ruben Neves, who has completed a move to Saudi Pro League outfit Al-Hilal, so Lopetegui will need to enter the market for a suitable replacement in that defensive midfield position, and having been lauded a “creative” number six by journalist Josh Bunting, Rodriguez could be the perfect heir.

Last season he ranked in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 98th percentile for clearances versus other players in his position, form which saw him receive three man-of-the-match awards, highlighting his desire to get stuck in and clear the danger to protect his backline.

Real Betis’ £28k-per-week earner, however, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having scored seven goals and provided three assists since joining, so the fact that he’s impactful at both ends of the pitch will be yet another attractive attribute to those at Molineux.

Furthermore, the Betis star has the flexibility to operate in four different positions across the pitch, including three roles in the midfield and even at centre-back, so he would be an excellent versatile option for the manager to have at his disposal.

Finally, Rodriguez already knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured eight pieces of silverware since the start of his career, the most notable being when he was crowned 2022 World Cup champion with Argentina, so he could instil a much-needed winning mentality into the rest of the squad in the Midlands.

Essex’s lead in Division One is a formidable one, but they returned to Championship action after a diet of T20 with bad habits they will need to eradicate

Tim Wigmore at Chelmsford28-Aug-2017Jamie Porter took four wickets as Essex fought back•Getty ImagesWhen Ryan ten Doeschate won the toss on a scorching Bank Holiday Monday, he would have had designs on a day of run gorging. His Essex side began the day proudly 41 points clear at the summit of Division One; their opponents were Somerset, who were not just relegation-threatened but also lacking two of their most potent bowlers. That Varun Chopra square drove the third ball of the day for a boundary, and backed it up with a sumptuous flick for four next delivery, only reinforced the sense that this would be a day for Essex to flaunt their batting might.And yet, a little over an hour later, ten Doeschate was back in the middle. Essex were 39 for 4, the serenity of their recent Championship performances – they had won their previous four games, two-eight wicket wins sandwiching an appetising pair of innings victories – giving way to a harum-scarum top order performance. It set up a frenetic opening day, of 15 wickets and only 277 runs, the sort to provoke dark mutterings about the deleterious effect of T20 on the techniques of modern batsmen.By the end of it all, once again, Essex were indebted to Jamie Porter. If the abiding impression of Essex’s season so far has been the gluttonous scoring from their top order, especially when fortified by Alastair Cook, and the guile of Simon Harmer, Porter has surely been their most valuable player. Bowling a full, relentlessly probing length, moving the new and old ball alike with wonderful precision, his skill kept Essex aloft after their decidedly ropey first innings batting display.His four wickets distilled his unremitting excellence all summer long, which has already earned England Lions selection and holds out the promise of more to come in the future. Porter’s dexterity bowling to left-handers was shown off by the delivery than slanted across Marcus Trescothick just enough to kiss the edge, and then the exquisite delivery that pitched on middle stump and kissed the edge of Edward Byron’s offstump.The wicket of Tom Abell, flashing an away-swinger behind, was a classic Porter blow. Even more impressive was the precise bouncer to cramp up James Hildreth, who had been playing sumptuously but was left someway behind hooking and avoiding the ball and succeeding only in picking out square leg: testament to Porter’s skill in extracting wickets with the old ball as well as the new.Yet even Porter’s commendable 12 overs could not quite overcome the damage Essex had inflicted on themselves in their earlier batting display. Ten Doeschate’s early arrival was promoted by three of his teammates, as if in solidarity with Tom Westley, falling lbw playing across the line; the other, the precocious Dan Lawrence, fell to an impudent drive. This was not the application that has got Essex to the summit of Division One.It is for situations like this that the pugnacity of ten Doeschate, newly acquired by the new South Africa T20 leagues but as valuable in first-class cricket as ever, is so prized. His rasping cuts thundering to the boundary were, as ever, the best antidote to an Essex collapse. A trademark rescue act was proceeding with alacrity when, just after lunch, ten Doeschate slashed Craig Overton to slip. Or, at least, Somerset were convinced he did; ten Doeschate thought that the ball had struck the ground first.The seconds after, as the umpires conferred, felt like a hinge point in the day. Ten Doeschate was adjudged out; to his next ball, at the start of his following over, Overton’s bouncer elicited a top edge from Nick Browne, which was brilliantly snaffled by Paul van Meekeren, diving at full length to make the catch. When James Foster promptly flashed Tim Groenewald’s outswinger to first slip, Essex were 98-7, the sort of score that was not uncommon on the fruity surfaces here a few seasons ago but rarely spotted since.Though the tail heaved Essex to 159, Somerset still rightly left the field revelling in their efforts. With pace, bite and movement, Overton was a menace.Almost as effective was van Meekeren. On his Championship debut, his full length and ability to seam the ball both ways prized open Essex’s top order, and then helped to wrap up the innings too. Each of his four wickets – as well as his supreme catch – were celebrated with a puppyish enthusiasm. County cricket can seem a chore; it is relentless and tough. Watching van Meekeren, though, was also to see a player realise a dream that, playing club cricket in the Netherlands, he would have considered fanciful.

Leeds United are among the English outfits interested in pursuing a deal for Anderlecht winger Francis Amuzu this summer, and Daniel Farke could look to issue a formal offer over the coming days.

Is Francis Amuzu joining Leeds?

According to Belgian newspaper Nieuwsblad's Pieter-Jan Calcoen, Amuzu is "high on the wish list" of Leeds, with Premier League new-boys Luton Town and Ligue 1 outfit OGC Nice also vying for his signature.

Calcoen does confirm that there has not been a concrete offer as yet, but that at least one of the interested parties is preparing an offer to prise him away from the Purple & Whites.

Farke's Championship outfit have lost a myriad of first-team stars after suffering relegation from the English top flight this year and could now look to intensify their attention on the £4m-rated Belgium U21 international with just one week until the start of the season.

Who is Francis Amuzu?

Farke has addressed Leeds' requirement for a new goalkeeper by completing a deal for Newcastle United's Karl Darlow, having previously bolstered the defence with the £7m acquisition of Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea.

Signing Amuzu would be a prudent move for the Whites, who are a little light in the attacking ranks after losing Brenden Aaronson and Rodrigo, and given his dynamism and fluidity across both wings, would be a worthwhile addition.

Not only would he bring creativity in abundance, having completed 12 assists from 50 outings last term, but he would enhance the side's passing flow and aptitude in driving up the pitch, with FBref ranking the Ghana-born ace among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Men's Next Eight divisions for pass completion and the top 21% for progressive carries per 90.

He could thrive with Jack Harrison on the Elland Road flanks, with the 26-year-old Englishman also capable both on the left and right wing and scoring five goals and providing seven assists in the Premier League last season despite his side's relegation, having been called "outstanding" by former boss Javi Gracia.

While the 22/23 campaign was not Harrison's greatest by any stretch of the imagination, he still averaged 1.1 shots and 1.5 key passes per game, working industriously and also making 1.1 tackles per game.

His work rate is illustrated by FBref, with the former Manchester City prospect also ranking among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues for blocks and the top 14% for clearances per 90.

Amuzu's passing proficiency has already been displayed by the statistics-led site, but given that he also ranks among the top 17% for interceptions per 90, it's clear that he has the mentality that will serve him in good stead to succeed in west Yorkshire.

What this signifies is a hard-working pairing on the wings this season, and while Farke will know that he holds a crop of players with more quality than most in the second tier, it is the application and diligence that will be imperative in crafting a cohesive and unified squad to rise back to prominence.

Amuzu certainly has "quality" – as commended by former boss Vincent Kompany – but with the assiduous nature to go with it, he would surely be a risk worth taking to aid Leeds and indeed Harrison in their seasonal endeavours.

The end to Australian cricket’s pay war hinges on Cricket Australia’s board of independent directors who must approve the new compromise deal being drafted

Daniel Brettig31-Jul-2017An end to Australian cricket’s pay war hinges on the same place it started – Cricket Australia’s board of independent directors.It was the change of the CA board from 14 state-appointed delegates to nine independently-appointed directors in October 2012 that provided a major catalyst for the governing body’s attempt to break up the fixed revenue percentage models at the heart of all collective bargaining agreements between the board and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA) over the past 20 years.Now, the compromise deal being thrashed out and drafted, in talks between the CA chief executive James Sutherland and his ACA counterpart Alistair Nicholson, must be approved by the same directors – chairman David Peever, Mark Taylor, Bob Every, Jacquie Hey, Earl Eddings, Tony Harrison, Michael Kasprowicz, Michelle Tredenick and John Harnden – who pushed for change in the first place.The hand of Peever and his directors has been evident throughout the process, which began formally with a meeting between the CA chairman and the ACA president Greg Dyer last November. Directors have, in the words of Taylor, been updated via teleconferences “every three days, sometimes a bit more often if need be”.Most recently, private talks between Sutherland and Nicholson were dramatically reset when, following a board phone hook-up on Wednesday, the CA chief executive went public with the governing body’s desire to get a deal done by early this week or to take “residual matters” to private arbitration before a retired judge. Talks between the parties are going on late into Monday night, but directors are said to be confident of CA’s ability to win the argument against revenue-sharing in that kind of forum.They have been closely linked to Kevin Roberts, CA’s lead negotiator, until Sutherland entered the fray in the final days before the previous MoU expired on July 1. Roberts had joined the CA board as one of its first independent directors five years ago, a matter of months after the most recent revenue sharing agreement was finalised, before moving to the executive management team in late 2015.David Peever had defended CA’s proposal, calling their offer a generous one in a column in earlier this month•IDI/Getty ImagesAt the time, Roberts was seen as a possible successor to Sutherland, due to his strong corporate background, and also because the move of a CA board director into management was virtually without precedent in the organisation’s history. Roberts’ role in leading negotiations for CA mirrored Sutherland’s own role as lieutenant to his predecessor Malcolm Speed before taking the top job in 2001.Public pronouncements by board directors have been few and far between during the dispute, limited to television appearances by Taylor, who in May spoke stridently of the impasse and expressed his frustration at the lack of meaningful negotiation.A little less than two months later, Taylor offered a more conciliatory tone at Ashes launch on July 11, which followed the MoU expiry that left more than 230 players out of contract, and called for an MoU compromise.Yet, the more hawkish views evident on the board were underlined just two days later, when Peever penned an indignant column in newspaper that was then posted on the board’s website. In it, he attacked the ACA and the media for peddling “myths” about his industrial relations history with the mining firm Rio Tinto, where he served as managing director in Australia until 2012. He also pitched for CA’s hardline position in very similar ways to Sutherland during his multiple public appearances over the same period.With days remaining before determinations must be made on issues like the looming Test tour of Bangladesh, and a raft of commercial agreements with broadcasters and sponsors around the home Ashes summer, the biggest question is whether the CA board will show a level of flexibility more in line with the words of the former captain Taylor than those of the current chairman Peever.