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Leeds United will go into tomorrow's clash against Watford almost expectant that another positive result will follow, with Daniel Farke's Whites last losing in the Championship in late December away at West Bromwich Albion.

Georginio Rutter could well be absent for the late clash at Vicarage Road however, somewhat of a blow when you consider his importance to the Leeds runaway train currently – the Frenchman onto a staggering seven goals and 18 assists in all competitions now.

Yet, Farke's men should still have enough firepower courtesy of the likes of Crysencio Summerville and others to overwhelm the Hornets tomorrow night.

Summerville and the other electric attackers Leeds have at their disposal will strive to become icons of the football club if they win promotion by starring in the Premier League, aspiring to be like this former Whites legend who wowed supporters at Elland Road regularly in the top flight.

Tony Yeboah's transfer to Leeds

Tony Yeboah would join the Whites for £2.9m back in 1995 after an impactful time in Germany up front, bagging 89 goals from 156 games for Eintracht Frankfurt before taking to English football swimmingly.

The Ghanaian centre-forward would become an instant Leeds icon, firing in 12 goals from 18 appearances during his debut 1994/95 campaign.

He would endear himself to the Leeds fanbase with sumptuous strike after sumptuous strike, including a memorable solo strike against Wimbledon and a hall-of-fame pearler against Liverpool the season after his breakout campaign in West Yorkshire.

Looking back, forking out £2.9m for the prolific African striker was an absolute bargain who managed to net 30 goals from just 59 Leeds games.

But, when you look at the same fee paid by 2024's inflated standards, Yeboah would end up demanding an amount that's worth more than former TSG 1899 Hoffenheim man and current Leeds star Rutter.

Tony Yeboah's transfer value in 2024

Casting an eye over TotallyFootball's Transfer Index, that small sum of £2.9m paid in 1994 hikes all the way up to a staggering £27.8m in 2024.

That would make Yeboah the most valued asset currently on the Whites' books, shooting to the top of the list ahead of Ethan Ampadu and an aforementioned Rutter.

1. Ethan Ampadu

€22.2m (£18.9m)

2. Illan Meslier

€22m (£18.8m)

3. Wilfried Gnonto

€20.4m (£17.4m)

4. Georginio Rutter

€18.8m (£16m)

5. Archie Gray

€15.6m (£13.3m)

Yeboah would even find himself being worth more than regular first-team faces Illan Meslier and Archie Gray if he was about today, despite the pair accumulating 80 appearances in total for the Whites over all competitions this season.

The Ghanaian attacker's time at Elland Road would end up being short-lived however despite his presence going down as legendary, leaving for Hamburger SV back in Germany in 1997.

That deal in 2024 would demand an £11m fee to take place according to the Transfer Index, instead of the £1.9m coughed up by Hamburg at the time.

Leeds fans will hope that their modern-day selection of heroes stay put for longer, with Rutter potentially strutting his stuff in the Premier League next season if the Whites push on and make an immediate return to the top flight.

Glasgow Rangers' hopes of enjoying another lengthy Europa League run were ended on Thursday evening, with Philippe Clement's side slipping to a 1-0 defeat at home to Portuguese side Benfica courtesy of a breakaway goal from Rafa Silva.

The manner in which the Old Firm outfit were caught out on the counter by the visitors will no doubt sting as far as Clement is concerned, with the Ibrox side having initially given themselves a strong chance of progression following the 2-2 draw in the first-leg.

Alas, it was not meant to be for the 2022 finalists, with the Scottish Premiership title hopefuls left to reflect on what might have been had defensive lapses not cost them across both legs, with blame also needing to be levelled at those at the top end of the pitch for failing to take their chances.

The guilty party once again was that of Cyriel Dessers, with the Nigerian marksman seemingly coming up short on the big stage far too frequently…

Cyriel Dessers' performance in numbers vs Benfica

On the face of it, it may appear that Dessers has enjoyed a promising first season in Glasgow following his £4.5m move from Cremonese over the summer, with the 29-year-old having chalked up 16 goals in 43 games in all competitions.

A respectable return indeed, yet on closer inspection, it is easy to see why the jury is out on the striker, as he has remarkable already missed 20 'big chances' in the league to date – notably spurning a gilt-edged opening in the most recent Old Firm derby back in December after being caught on his heels.

That inability to deliver in the pressurised moments has also been laid bare by the Belgian-born forward's return of just one goal in the Europa League this season, having failed to convert early in the second half against the Primeira Liga side on Thursday.

That spurned chance came amid a performance in which the experienced number nine also made just 18 touches in total as he struggled to get into the game, having also won just four of his 11 total duels, with it set to be no surprise if Dessers is ditched to the bench this weekend.

Rangers now willing to sell “excellent” ace alongside shock Dessers claim

He is out of contract at Ibrox in 2025.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 18, 2024

The £27k-per-week brute certainly wasn't alone in producing an underwhelming display on a disappointing night for the Gers, however, with January arrival Mohamed Diomande among those who should also be fearing for his place ahead of Sunday's trip to Dundee.

Mohamed Diomande's performance vs Benfica

While Dessers may have been an obvious villain for that spurned chance just after the break, Diomande was another of Clement's starters who failed to make his mark when needed, with the Scottish Sun's Andy Devlin writing that he 'chose the worst possible time to deliver his poorest performance'.

As Devlin – who awarded the midfielder a measly 5/10 match rating – also noted in his post-match piece, the new addition was 'too slow' and 'too hesitant', having also perhaps been culpable for allowing matchwinner Silva to break clear in what was the game's defining moment.

Although the young Ivorian has made a promising start to life at Ibrox with two goals and one assist from just his first ten games across all fronts, this was one outing that the 22-year-old will wish to forget in a hurry, as he notably lost the ball on 17 occasions as an indication of his struggles.

Not only did the 5 foot 9 menace prove something of a liability on the ball, but he was also hardly at his best in a defensive sense after winning just two of his nine ground duels and being dribbled past on two occasions, having been unable to get the better of the likes of Joao Neves in the centre of the park.

Stats

Diomande

Neves

Touches

70

79

Pass accuracy rate

84%

82%

Ground duels won

2

12

Aerial duels won

0

2

Possession lost

17

16

Fouls won

1

4

Tackles made

1

5

Dribbled past

2

1

The hope will be that Diomande will simply learn from such a difficult outing against elite opposition, although with the Light Blues now needing to turn their attention back towards domestic action and the hunt for the title, he may find himself out of the starting lineup this weekend.

Alexi Lalas has joined Tim Howard in calling for the USMNT to attempt to appoint Jurgen Klopp as their new manager.

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• USMNT eliminated from Copa America
• Gregg Berhalter's future hanging by a thread
• Howard and Lalas want Klopp appointed

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The USMNT were humiliated at the Copa America, losing to both Panama and Uruguay and being eliminated during the group stages. As a result, Berhalter's job is hanging by a thread – although he hasn't officially been sacked – and Lalas has joined Howard in calling for the ambitious appointment of ex-Liverpool boss Klopp.

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• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USMNT must find a manager capable of guiding them into the 2026 World Cup on home soil, and Lalas believes that Klopp may be tempted to attempt to "inspire a nation". Klopp, of course, left Liverpool at the end of the season.

• WHAT LALAS SAID

  Speaking to The Post, Lalas said: "We're in a situation now that's unique.

  “If the World Cup in 2026 wasn’t in the United States, I think the conversation would be a little bit different, but because of this train that is barreling down the tracks and coming at us — in a good way, because it’s going to be incredible — I think the conversation changes a little bit. Over the next two years, you need somebody who is going to ignite and inspire a nation that we are headed in the right direction. You need a bigger-than-life personality.

  "If you’re not going to go big, it flies in the face of what America is — we want big, we want bold, and dare I say we want arrogant in the things that we do, in particular, in terms of maximizing the summer of 2026. If you’re not going to do it now, then when are you?

  “Someone like Jurgen Klopp is out there. I know people scoff at the idea of someone with his pedigree and background would ever consider doing this. But until you have the conversation, you don’t know.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The USMNT will first embark on a period of soul-searching after their disastrous Copa campaign. Their next fixture comes September 8 against Canada.

Furious fans claimed that Ronaldinho's assessment of Brazil was right after the team were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica at the Copa America.

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Furious fans rant angrily against BrazilClaim Ronaldinho 'was right about these bums'Selecao held to a goalless draw by Costa RicaWHAT HAPPENED?

Dorival Junior's side kicked off their Copa America 2024 campaign on a disappointing note as they were held to a goalless draw by Costa Rica on Tuesday. The result left the fans frustrated as they took to social media to acknowledge Ronaldinho's pre-tournament assessment of the current Selecao side.

The legendary footballer claimed that he would not watch the team in action due to the declining quality in the squad, however, he later performed a U-turn and said he would never abandon his nation.

AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

Fans were left disappointed with their team's performance in their tournament opener as they took to X to attack the players.

A handle named @CFCMod_ wrote: "They all called Ronaldinho a madman, Brazil’s National team has completely lost its identity, it’s genuinely sad."

Another fan, with the handle named @PovertykillerB, called the players 'bums' in an angry post that read: "Ronaldinho was right about these bums."

A fan named Santi shared a photograph of a frustrated Neymar in the stands as he wrote: "They tried to cook Ronaldinho man, even Neymar is broken."

Famous Manchester United fan Trey added: "Brazil drawing 0-0 with Costa Rica? Damn Ronaldinho I get it now."

@pbtips_ too joined the bandwagon as their post read: "What!!!!! Ronaldinho was right after all."

GOAL/GETTY/Neymar InstagramTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Neymar continues to remain out of action as he is still recovering from the ACL injury that he suffered last year. The Al-Hilal star, however, was in attendance at SoFi Stadium in California to watch his country in action. While at times he looked disappointed, the star attacker did show his support for the squad after the match as he bashed the critics on social media.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR BRAZIL?

The five-time World Cup winners will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Paraguay. They will aim to win the clash to remain in the hunt for a knockout spot.

Lewis, Pooran flickered briefly for West Indies, but a flurry of wickets in the middle overs derailed their chase

The Report by Hemant Brar11-Aug-20196:19

Ganga: WI batsmen failed to seize the crucial moments

Virat Kohli spoilt Chris Gayle’s 300th ODI celebrations with his 42nd century in the format, helping India win by 59 runs via the DLS method. With this victory, India have taken an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-match series as the first game was washed out.Kohli, assisted by Shreyas Iyer’s half-century, helped India to 279 for 7. Rain had reduced West Indies’ target to 270 in 46 overs and, at one stage, they needed 91 off 71 balls before slipping from 179 for 4 to 182 for 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the wrecker-in-chief, picking up three of those four wickets – and finishing with figures of 4 for 31 – to effectively seal the game.After failing to convert five 50-plus scores into a hundred at the World Cup, Kohli ended his relative drought with 120 off 125 balls. During his chanceless knock, he surpassed Sourav Ganguly’s tally of 11,363 ODI runs. Among Indians, only Sachin Tendulkar (18,426) now has more ODI runs than Kohli’s 11,406.ALSO READ: Krishnaswamy – Iyer sticks to the nuts and bolts of middle-order ODI battingIyer too made full use of his first innings on the tour with 71 off 68. He played the perfect foil to Kohli, finding singles and boundaries with regular frequency as the duo added 125 in 115 balls for the fourth wicket.West Indies conceded only 67 from the last ten overs but, as it turned out, India had got enough by then.Kohli had opted to bat first on a humid day after winning his fifth successive toss on this tour but India didn’t have a great start. Shikhar Dhawan fell in the first over of the innings to a Sheldon Cottrell delivery that seemed to be swinging away before coming in off the seam to trap the batsman lbw. Rohit Sharma didn’t get off the mark until his 11th delivery but Kohli ensured the scoreboard was always ticking. The second ball Kohli faced, he drove Kemar Roach for four through extra cover. A similar delivery in Roach’s next over was flicked wristily to the deep-midwicket boundary, and when the West Indies pacers bowled straight, Kohli milked them for runs on the leg side.Kohli reached his fifty with a four to third man but Rohit never got going at the other end. In an attempt to break the shackles, he ended up slicing Roston Chase towards cover where Nicholas Pooran completed the catch over his shoulder, running backwards.Continuing at No. 4, Rishabh Pant hit a couple of fours – a whip through midwicket and a cut behind square – but was bowled for 20 off 35 when he failed to connect a pull off Carlos Brathwaite.Virat Kohli pulls one away•Randy Brooks/AFP

With those two wickets, West Indies – and especially Chase – applied brakes on the scoring rate. Chase bowled unchanged for his ten overs and finished with 1 for 37.Kohli though kept collecting his runs: a nudge here for one, a push there for two and putting away anything loose for four. A majestic six off Jason Holder over long-off took him to 89. Four overs later, Kohli brought up his hundred, off 112 balls. However, a tired shot – it was very humid, and draining – in the 42nd over brought an end to his knock; he mistimed a Brathwaite slower ball to Roach at long-off.A light drizzle halted play in the 43rd over for about 25 minutes. Iyer and Kedar Jadhav returned to take the side to 250 in the 45th over but India could never really accelerate from there.Still, the hosts needed to pull off the highest successful chase at this venue in order to register a win.Gayle became the leading ODI run-scorer from the West Indies, going past Brian Lara’s tally of 10,405 runs (those scored for ICC combined teams included) with a four off Khaleel Ahmed but was lbw soon after to Bhuvneshwar. Shai Hope didn’t last long either as he chopped Khaleel onto his stumps.Rain once again made an appearance in the 13th over of the chase and this time forced a reduction of four overs with ten runs taken off the target.Lewis who had struck four fours and a pulled six off Bhuvneshwar before the break resumed with another boundary, a swept four off Kuldeep Yadav. But Shimron Hetmyer ended up skying a quicker one from the wristspinner to Kohli at extra cover.Struggling with a calf injury, Lewis brought up his maiden ODI fifty in the Caribbean but became Kuldeep’s second victim after failing to middle a cut shot. Kohli at extra cover leapt in the air and plucked a one-handed catch.Pooran was severe on both Kuldeep and Jadhav, while Chase kept rotating the strike. The latter also had a slice of luck in the 33rd over when Mohammed Shami failed to latch on to a return catch with the batsman on 10.But Bhuvneshwar, returning for his second spell, removed both batsmen in the same over to peg West Indies back. Pooran ended up top-edging a knuckle ball to Kohli in front of square, while a brilliant one-handed return catch sent Chase back.Brathwaite fell to Ravindra Jadeja in the next over and Roach chopped one on to his stumps to give Bhuvneshwar his fourth wicket. There were some fireworks from Cottrell towards the end but West Indies were all but out of the game by then.

Leeds United can forget about their battle to secure promotion to the Premier League for today as they prepare to face Plymouth away from home in the FA Cup.

The two sides are set to battle it out this evening in the replay of their fourth round clash as they look to progress through to the fifth round of the competition.

They have a trip to a Premier League side waiting for them as the winner of tonight's game will face either Aston Villa or Chelsea, who have a replay of their own on Wednesday night, away from home.

Leeds and Plymouth held each other to a 1-1 draw in the initial match-up at Elland Road but there must be a winner at Home Park, whether that is in normal time, extra-time, or on penalties.

The Whites head into this match off the back of a 1-0 win away at Bristol City in the Championship last Friday, as Wilfried Gnonto's second-half goal was enough to secure all three points for his side.

Daniel Farke may now be looking to make some alterations from the starting XI that lined up at Ashton Gate, in order to provide players on the fringe of the squad with more opportunities to impress.

Latest Leeds United injury news

Leeds are without several first-team players ahead of this clash with Plymouth at Home Park, which possibly restricts the number of changes the German head coach may want to make.

Central defender Pascal Struijk will not be available for selection, as confirmed by Farke, and his continued absence has offered Ethan Ampadu the chance to impress at centre-back, whilst it could also open the door for 32-year-old Liam Cooper to start this evening.

Another player who will not be in the squad tonight is Wales international Daniel James, who the manager has also ruled out of contention to feature.

23/24 Championship

Daniel James (via Sofascore)

Appearances

27

Goals

Ten

xG

7.31

Big chances created

11

Assists

Six

As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester United forward has provided consistent quality in the final third as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

He has outperformed his xG and been rewarded with fewer assists than 'big chances' created, which suggests that his teammates have let him down at times throughout the season so far.

His continued absence is, therefore, less than ideal for Farke but it does also open up an opportunity for other players to step up, as Gnonto did in his place against Bristol City last week.

For tonight, though, the German tactician must unleash winger Jaidon Anthony from the start, alongside Crysencio Summerville on the opposite flank, after his superb display against Plymouth in the first match.

Why Jaidon Anthony should start against Plymouth

The 24-year-old whiz arrived on loan from Premier League side Bournemouth at the start of the season and failed to hit the ground running in Yorkshire.

Summerville, James, and Georginio Rutter have made it difficult for Farke to select alternative forward options and that has left Anthony and Gnonto with limited starts in the Championship so far this term.

The Cherries winger has only started two matches in the league for Leeds and been used as a substitute in 19 more games, which has resulted in a lack of consistent end product on the pitch from the youngster.

Anthony has scored one goal and created 1.02 xA in those 21 appearances, which is far from an eye-catching return, but he did impress against Plymouth in the first game between the two sides in the FA Cup last month.

Jaidon Anthony

Vs Plymouth (via Sofascore)

Minutes played

90

Goals

One

Key passes

Four

Big chances created

One

Dribbles completed

One

Sofascore rating

8.4

As you can see in the table above, the English dynamo showcased his quality in the final third with a goal, which was a stunning strike from range, whilst he also created plenty of opportunities for his teammates, who were unable to find the back of the net.

That level of performance should not be a complete surprise, despite his lack of action for Leeds this season, as he caught the eye for Bournemouth in the Championship during the 2021/22 campaign.

The £25k-per-week ace, who was hailed as a "brilliant" lad by Farke, started 38 league matches for the Cherries and contributed with eight goals, seven assists, and 18 'big chances' created as they won promotion to the Premier League.

These statistics, along with his display against Plymouth at Elland Road, show that the quality is there for Anthony to be a maverick who can change and win matches with key contributions out of nothing in the final third when given minutes, which is why Farke must unleash him alongside Summerville this evening.

Crysencio Summerville's Championship brilliance

The Dutch wizard has been in sensational form in the Championship so far this season and could make his first appearance in the FA Cup this term tonight, with James missing.

His performances in the second tier have been extraordinary as the talented young whiz has consistently shown off his ability to determine matches with goals and assists.

Summerville has racked up 12 goals in 25 league starts for Farke's side, two more than any other player within the squad, and has been the club's biggest goal threat.

The 22-year-old maestro has also racked up seven assists, second only to Rutter's tally of nine, and this shows that he is an excellent creator, as well as a scorer.

Within the current Leeds squad, Summerville currently ranks first for key passes (2.9), second for dribbles completed (2.5), and second for fouls won (1.6) per game in the Championship.

These statistics show that the Whites star has consistently provided quality at the top end of the pitch in a variety of ways, through goals, dribbles, chances created, and fouls won.

Now, imagine Summerville and Anthony causing havoc on the wings against Plymouth this evening. They could be a nightmare for opposition full-backs, or wing-backs as may be the case tonight, with their direct play and quality end product, which is why Farke must unleash both of them to earn progression through to the fifth round.

Aston Villa are currently riding high in the Premier League following some excellent wins in the previous few weeks, but they will take a break from the top flight this weekend.

The Midlands outfit face Middlesbrough in the FA Cup third round this evening and Unai Emery will see the competition as an ideal chance to end Villa’s 28-year major trophy drought.

While the Spaniard will likely make a few changes, it may be limited to just three or four as he will be looking for the club to continue building momentum.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news: Unai eyes £40m deal; Saudi club want star

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ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2024 Aston Villa team news vs Middlesbrough

The manager confirmed that Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, Bertrand Traore, Youri Tielemans and Robin Olsen are all unavailable against Boro this evening while speaking to the media.

Having lost at this stage of the cup to Stevenage last season in what was one of the shocks of the third round, Emery will be looking to avoid a similar scenario in the north-east tonight.

Despite missing a few players, Villa welcome back Boubacar Kamara following his three-game suspension, and he should be going straight back into the starting XI against the Championship outfit after not being available against Burnley.

Boubacar Kamara’s statistics this season

The Frenchman has been an integral cog in Emery’s Villa machine this season and despite missing six matches across all competitions – four of those coming due to suspension – Kamara has started 22 of the 23 matches he has played in this term.

He has been particularly impressive in the Premier League and among the squad, he currently ranks fifth for accurate passes per game (46) along with ranking sixth for key passes per game (1.2), first for both tackles per game (2.3), and interceptions per game (1.1), which proves how important he is in midfield, especially from a defensive viewpoint.

90

55

One

Two

One

Eight

His 90% pass success rate ensures he can dictate the game from deep, and with players such as John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, and Leon Bailey often playing alongside him in the midfield, he doesn’t need to push forward often.

Indeed, football talent scout Jacek Kulig previously lavished the 24-year-old during his previous spell at Marseille, labelling him a “high-quality midfield controller” and his performances this season have certainly justified such high praise.

The £150k-per-week gem also ranks in the top 10% for pass completion rate per 90 (88.3%) when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues and this indicates that he not only is among the best at his current club, but correspondingly on the continent too.

Having not played since being sent off against Brentford midway through December, Kamara will undoubtedly be slightly rusty, yet the clash against second tier opposition represents an ideal chance for him to build up match fitness ahead of a league match against Everton next week.

His inclusion will give Villa the edge in what could turn into a nervy encounter, especially if they do not score in the first half.

With the chance to secure progression in a tournament that the club have not won since 1957, Emery will be doing everything he can to ensure the Midlands side make it through to the fourth round tonight.

West Ham United are targeting a "clinical" striker for manager David Moyes as his club now become willing to sell in January, suggests reliable transfer journalist David Ornstein.

Moyes sets sights on new striker for West Ham

A knee recovery setback for Michail Antonio, coupled with an injury to Jarrod Bowen and AFCON absence for Mohammed Kudus, has exposed Moyes' glaring lack of options in the attacking areas behind his traditional starting eleven.

"Very interesting" – Sky reporter surprised as West Ham eye "unique" target

Michael Bridge says they’re looking at him.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 16, 2024

Midfield star Lucas Paqueta, a source of real dynamism and creativity through the middle at West Ham, is also expected to be out for around two months through injury himself.

These absences have proved a big worry for Moyes, who has few options turn to but the likes of Said Benrahma, Danny Ings and youngster Divin Mubama at the time of writing.

West Ham also failed to replace striker Gianluca Scamacca last summer despite their efforts, with Moyes personally determined to bring in a new number nine this month.

According to recent reports, West Ham talks have been held for Serhou Guirassy and Santiago Gimenez, as both strikers seriously impress for Stuttgart and Feyenoord respectively.

West Ham also targeting Armando Broja

There have been others mentioned as well, like Greek star Vangelis Pavlidis, but Ornstein now says West Ham are in the frame to sign Chelsea forward Armando Broja as well.

The Albania international, who enjoyed a fine 2021/2022 season on loan at Southampton, has since struggled to establish himself as a regular starter at Stamford Bridge.

Ornstein claims Chelsea are becoming ready to sell him this month, with West Ham now eyeing a move for Broja alongside a host of other clubs.

The 22-year-old arguably needs a fresh start, and east London could be the perfect place given Moyes' need for a striker. Broja is also still very young and has room to grow exponentially as a player, with pundits like Alan Shearer already praising his eye for goal.

“Let me tell you, this lad is clinical,” Shearer told Premier League Productions (via TEAMtalk).

“His goal against Brentford made him the youngest player in Premier League history to score in each of his first four home starts. As a striker it’s all about taking chances and scoring goals, so stats like this tell me he can thrive in the Premier League."

Former Leeds forward Noel Whelan, commenting on Broja's past links to West Ham, suggested that he'd be a brilliant addition.

“Broja’s proven that he can do it in the Premier League after a good successful season at Southampton," said Whelan to Football Insider.

“He’s a player with strength, can run in behind, hold the ball up and scores all different types of goals."

Other reports suggest Chelsea value Broja at around £35 million.

Durham coach says Bancroft showed ‘mental toughness, skill and attitude to excel’ upon return to first-class cricket

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-2019Cameron Bancroft will captain Durham as he continues his comeback from a ban for his part in the Newlands ball-tampering scandal close to a year ago.Bancroft, who was suspended for nine months over his role in the affair against South Africa in Cape Town, which saw Steven Smith and David Warner banned for one year, agreed in July to join Durham as their overseas signing for 2019. Bancroft’s ban ended in December, while March 29 marks the end of the international bans for Smith and Warner, who are both preparing to play in the IPL.Bancroft replaces Paul Collingwood as captain of Durham’s County Championship and Royal London Cup sides following Collingwood’s retirement at the end of the 2018 season.Durham coach James Franklin believed Bancroft’s international and franchise experience with Perth Scorchers in the BBL would be an asset.”We’re delighted to have Cameron with us for the season and we’re confident he has the attributes to lead this exciting young Durham dressing room,” Franklin said. “He has invaluable experience at the top level and has enjoyed a successful spell in England before, during his time with Gloucestershire (in 2016-17).”He’s proven since returning to first-class cricket over the last few months that he has the mental toughness, skill and attitude to excel at the highest level and I’m sure he will relish the challenge we have at Durham this season.”The 26-year-old Bancroft scored an unbeaten 138 during his first-class return with Western Australia last month. He has played eight Test matches scoring 402 runs at an average of 39.92 and opening the batting against England in the 2017 Ashes.Bancroft will join Durham for their second County Championship fixture against Sussex on April 11, missing the season opener at Derbyshire from April 5 reportedly because Western Australia want him to attend their post-season awards. Alex Lees will captain the side in his absence.

West Ham have reportedly made contact to sign a £164,000-per-week forward who Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is a big fan of.

Hammers search for new striker

As could've been predicted, an injury to preferred striker Michail Antonio has left manager David Moyes with a small conundrum to solve over the next two weeks. While the Jamaican's injury is nowhere near as bad as first feared, West Ham will still be left short of natural forward options.

Star winger Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus can be used in more central roles as alternatives to Antonio, with Moyes having those makeshift options and the out-of-favour forward Danny Ings to choose from right now. West Ham, even before Antonio's knock, have been prioritising the addition of a new number nine with technical director Tim Steidten currently at work identifying options.

West Ham may now bid for "very special" striker after accepted summer offer

The Hammers appear to want a new forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 22, 2023

Stuttgart star Serhou Guirassy is a target for West Ham while there have been reports Moyes could go back in for Hugo Ekitike after failing to sign him from Paris-Saint Germain in the summer. Pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor, commenting before Antonio's latest absence, told Football Insider that a new forward is an absolute necessity for West Ham in January.

“100%. Antonio, similar to myself, struggles with hamstring injuries," said the former Villa striker.

“When you’re that quick and strong, you’re always going to get muscle injuries. It’s when, not if. Antonio shouldn’t be playing in the Europa League groups. They need another player to come in and start, but Danny Ings isn’t at that level.

“They definitely need to get another one in January, or you could be looking at bringing someone from the Under-23s or playing Benrahma as a false nine. They’ve definitely got to watch Antonio’s minutes.”

Another interesting transfer option to be mentioned by the press is former Chelsea star Timo Werner.

West Ham make contact to sign Werner

According to a report in the print edition of The Mirror (via West Ham Zone), West Ham have made contact to sign Werner from RB Leipzig.

The Germany international is out of favour at Leipzig and is open to making a return to the Premier League, meaning he could well contemplate a move to West Ham.

Fulham and Crystal Palace have also made approaches for Werner, who's scored 11 goals in 35 Bundesliga appearances since re-joining the Bundesliga side from Chelsea in 2022 (Werner stats – WhoScored).

Liverpool were once heavily linked with a move for the 27-year-old, and Klopp has expressed his admiration for Werner who he called a "great player".

"Timo Werner is a great player, Kai Havertz is a great player," Klopp said in 2020.

"Right time, opportunity – everything has to come together. Six, seven weeks ago, we didn't know if we could play again this year. If we hadn't played the second half of the season, we would have thought, 'OK, when can you really play football again?' And now it starts right away."

On a reported £164,000-per-week (Salary Sport), it will be interesting to see if West Ham take their approach further.