Leeds United fans on Twitter have been in awe of Patrick Bamford after someone posted a video of his assist for Jack Harrison on Saturday.
You can completely understand why fans were full of praise for the striker after watching this clip as his first touch to bring down the pass from Kalvin Phillips was absolutely ridiculous.
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From there it was rather simple as the forward just had to square the ball to the onrushing Harrison who simply slid the ball into the bottom corner.
Bamford has received quite a lot of criticism throughout this season, but the former Boro striker showed his class in this moment, and fans couldn’t help but be appreciative of it.
This incredible piece of play drew incredible comparisons to the likes of Johan Cruyff and Dennis Bergkamp, and while Bamford isn’t quite on that level this touch was quite special.
Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on social media.
Leeds United fans on Twitter have made their feelings known after recent reports have linked them with a move for Middlesbrough’s Daniel Ayala.
The United fanbase would like to see the 29-year-old signed as he would provide some much-needed cover at centre-back as well as helping them with their ongoing set-piece problems.
You can understand that as well, Leeds have conceded 44% of their goals from dead-ball scenarios this season, so they could do with a defender with Ayala’s aerial prowess in order to combat those problems as he wins 3.9 aerial duels per game.
Depth is also a little bit of a problem in defence as well. Marcelo Bielsa has just three senior centre-backs in his squad, so the addition of Ayala would help alleviate some pressure there, especially when you consider the number of injuries Liam Cooper has been picking up as of late.
Whether or not the Spaniard ends up playing for the Whites remains to be seen, but the fans have made it clear that they want to see this transfer go through.
Here’s what the Elland Road faithful have been saying on Twitter…
After earning a well-fought 1-1 draw against the Premier League champions, Newcastle United will now be forced to assess the fitness of one player who was forced off against the Citizens.
Newcastle injury news
The Magpies earned the respect of Pep Guardiola after they battled from behind to eventually gain a point against Manchester City, courtesy of Anthony Gordon’s penalty. It was, of course, rather fitting that Gordon was the man who was left wheeling away in celebration after Newcastle fans shared their love for the winger with a pre-match display in reaction to reports that he’s penned a new deal at the club.
The big news in the build-up was the toe injury to Alexander Isak, who was absent against the Citizens in a major blow for Eddie Howe. The Magpies’ latest update on the Swede didn’t exactly hand those at St James’ Park a positive boost ahead of their midweek clash.
Howe told reporters, as relayed by the Northern Echo: “He [Isak] definitely won’t feature on Tuesday. Let’s see how he looks for Everton, and of course there’s an international period coming up after that and he’s an international player, so we’ll see the implications of all that.”
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The forward may not be the only one missing from Newcastle’s next game. Howe confirmed that Newcastle will need to assess Kieran Trippier after the right-back was forced off against Manchester City. Whilst the Magpies are hopeful given that he was forced off through cramp, they are yet to be 100% sure and now face a nervous wait.
Performing more accurate passes than any of his teammates despite going off injured, Trippier proved his value in the game against Manchester City, during which he also made one last-man challenge and won all bar one of his aerial duels (as per Sofascore), and will now be looking to kick on if he manages to avoid an ill-timed injury blow.
"Brilliant" Trippier still important at Newcastle
Given how they’ve struggled for defensive depth in the past, keeping hold of Trippier should prove to be a vital decision for Newcastle. The experienced right-back may not be in his prime these days, but he is still capable of stepping in for the big moments as proved against Manchester City in a game that saw the Magpies hold on and secure a well-earned point.
Kieran Trippier
Howe has always been well aware of Trippier’s quality too, saying after the full-back assisted three goals in a four-game run last season (via Metro): “It is a brilliant stat for a full-back, he is a guy who will play a lot of creative passes before a goal happens. He has been fundamental to how we work – his leadership skills behind the scenes have been second to none.”
In line to potentially miss the AFC Wimbledon game, Trippier will hope to feature against Everton in the Premier League next weekend, as he aims for a third consecutive start in England’s top flight ahead of Tino Livramento at 34 years old.
Everton manager Sean Dyche wants a “phenomenal” international player to replace Jordan Pickford at Goodison Park, according to a new report.
Pickford struggling at Everton
The Blues suffered yet more heartbreak on Saturday evening, once again blowing a 2-0 lead, this time away to Aston Villa in the Premier League. For a while, it looked as though Dyche’s men had overcome their awful start to the season, but they ended up succumbing to another 3-2 loss, with Jhon Duran scoring the winning goal at Villa Park.
This is about as low a period as Everton fans can remember, with so little to shout about at the moment, and there are individuals who are really struggling for form, one of whom is Pickford.
The England international was horribly at fault for one of Tottenham’s goals in their 4-0 defeat in north London last month, being robbed by Son Heung-min, and his general performances have been nowhere near as good as they were last season when he often bailed the Blues out and produced some influential displays.
Pickford has now conceded 13 goals in just four matches in the league in 2024/25, and while that certainly isn’t solely down to him, he is not playing at the level he has shown he is capable of reaching in the past.
"Phenomenal" ace wanted by Dyche at Everton
According to an update from reliable journalist Alan Nixon [via NUFC Feed], Everton manager Dyche is keen on bringing Nick Pope to the club as a replacement for the under-pressure Pickford.
The Blues boss is thought to be unimpressed with his current goalkeeper’s form and would like to see the Newcastle and England stopper come in instead.
Nick Pope
This is an intriguing transfer claim, considering what a high-profile figure Pickford is at Everton, becoming firmly England’s No.1 during his time at the club. He has been poor so far this season, though, averaging just a 5.97 rating from WhoScored across the four league games.
Opinion may be split as to whether the £60,000-a-week Pope is an upgrade on him or not, but he has proven himself a top-level ‘keeper in a Newcastle shirt, playing his part in them qualifying for the Champions League in 2022/23. Shay Given has waxed lyrical over him in the past, too, saying:
“He’s been absolutely brilliant. At the weekend at Selhurst Park, [after making his save to deny Mateta] the reaction, he just got up and thought ‘this is what I do every week – I’ve got this lads, no pressure’. Everyone respects him, he’s a phenomenal goalkeeper. He’s got about everything – he’s brilliant at dealing with crosses and you’ve seen his saves, foot saves and blocks one-on-one.”
Premier League
196
219
68
League Two
44
21
28
Championship
33
44
7
EFL Cup
17
15
6
National League
14
16
6
FA Cup
8
13
4
Champions League
5
5
1
League Two playoffs
2
1
1
Europa League qualifying
1
0
1
Pope is now hugely experienced, making 196 appearances in the Premier League and winning 10 caps for England, and if Dyche prefers him to Pickford, he could be trusted.
Early team news has come out of Tottenham Hotspur, as manager Ange Postecoglou prepares his side for their all-important North London Derby clash against Arsenal on Sunday.
Tottenham vs Arsenal – match preview and injury updates
Both sides come into the contest on a similar run of form, with Spurs winning one, drawing one and losing one of their opening three Premier League matches so far this season.
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An opening weekend 1-1 draw away to Leicester City was followed by a dominant 4-0 victory against Everton in north London, but Newcastle United then inflicted Spurs’ first defeat of the new campaign with a 2-1 win over Postecoglou’s men at St. James’ Park.
There were positives and negatives to take from their trio of top-flight clashes, but now one of Tottenham’s toughest tests of the season is looming tomorrow afternoon. By contrast, Arsenal remain undefeated, though Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton exposed the chinks in their armour two weeks ago.
Timo Werner
RB Leipzig (loan)
Dominic Solanke
Bournemouth
Archie Gray
Leeds
Wilson Odobert
Burnley
Lucas Bergvall
Djurgarden
Min-hyeok Yang
Gangwon FC
The Seagulls ended Mikel Arteta’s 100 per cent start to 2024/2025 by holding Arsenal to a 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium on August 31, with Joao Pedro’s second-half strike cancelling out Kai Havertz’s expertly-taken chipped finish over Bart Verbruggen.
In terms of injury news, Arsenal will be without Mikel Merino for weeks after the summer signing suffered a shoulder injury in training at London Colney, while star man Declan Rice is also set to miss the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium trip through suspension.
Arteta did share concerns for Postecoglou on Friday, though, with Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Riccardo Calafiori all contending to be fit for Spurs.
Meanwhile, Dominic Solanke, Micky van de Ven and Richarlison all missed Tottenham’s last game through injury, but Postecoglou has since confirmed that van de Ven is ready for selection against Arsenal.
Yves Bissouma is an injury doubt for Tottenham, following his knock on international duty, which forced him off during Mali’s 1-0 win over African minnows Eswatini in mid-week.
Postecoglou says that Solanke will be asssessed in training today, before the Australian makes a decision on his involvement against Arsenal, with there being only two fully confirmed absentees.
Richarlison and Will Lankshear out injured for Tottenham
Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Friday, the Lilywhites head coach announced that both Richarlison and Will Lankshear are out injured for Tottenham, and will miss the derby tomorrow as a result.
The Spurs duo are currently in rehab following their injury problems, so Postecoglou won’t be able to call upon his £60 million Brazil striker against Arsenal.
Tottenham forward Richarlison
Lankshear’s hamstring injury has kept him sidelined for the last few weeks, which will be frustrating for the young forward, who is looking to break into Postecoglou’s first-team after showing a lot of promise at academy level.
“Do you know what I’ve noticed, I’ve been really impressed with how he just finishes his chances,” said pundit John Wenham to Football Insider on Lankshear.
“There are no mistakes, He doesn’t have any caveats so his game so far but he is only 17 and I think he is a complete finisher at the moment. But, if in time we can see him improve his passing levels then maybe we can look at him as a Harry Kane-lite or something like that.”
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy is personally “looking to drive” a Spurs deal for Leicester City star James Maddison, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.
And now Fabrizio Romano has confirmed a deal has been agreed upon with a medical soon to follow.
Will Spurs sign James Maddison?
Links to the England international date as far back as last year and those reports even claimed that he would be more than open to joining Spurs.
Ange Postecoglou officially begins his tenure as the Tottenham head coach this Saturday, on 1st July, but reliable media sources say that he has already held transfer strategy meetings with Levy behind-the-scenes.
Maddison, who starred for Leicester as a shining light in their relegated side last campaign, is attracting heavy interest from Postecoglou who has reportedly given the green-light for Spurs to move for him.
There have even been claims that his teammate, Harvey Barnes, is another target for Tottenham with the Lilywhites recently lodging a rejected £50 million double bid for the Foxes pair.
England midfielder James Maddison (left)
Following the signing of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli in a £17.2 million move, it appears attention has shifted towards Maddison, with reliable reporter Gold of football.london sharing what he knows.
The journalist, writing for FL, claims that former managing director Fabio Paratici is still involved with Spurs on a consultancy basis after parts of his FIFA ban were lifted.
Paratici, like Postecoglou and Levy, is a “big fan” of Maddison and Spurs’ chairman is personally “looking to drive” a deal to sign him after Vicario.
“Paratici is understood to be aiding the club’s summer plans to rebuild the squad for new head coach Ange Postecoglou,” wrote Gold.
“The Australian is a big fan of James Maddison, as are both Levy and Paratici, and the Spurs chairman is looking to drive through a deal for the Leicester midfielder to be a part of the club’s new-look football.”
In a fresh update, Journalist Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to say: “Tottenham have now verbal agreement in place with Leicester to sign James Maddison, here we go!
“Personal terms agreed, deal ready for £40m fee after talks advanced to final stages yesterday night.
“Next steps: medical tests, documents being prepared and then signed.”
What’s been said about James Maddison?
The 26-year-old registered 19 goal contributions for Leicester in the top flight last season, all while averaging their highest number of attempts at goal and successful key passes per 90 in the final third (WhoScored).
Speaking to talkSPORT, former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy called him a “super talent” and even says he is a natural “Champions League player”.
“He’s a super talent,” said Murphy.
“The only question mark over James Maddison is his application and sometimes his attitude, but his talent is up there.
“He’s a Champions League player. He has all of the qualities needed to play Champions League and international football.”
The transfer window opened up earlier this month and Leeds United could be set for a busy few months as they prepare for life in the Championship after three years away from the second tier.
Victor Orta was relieved of his director of football duties in May and manager Sam Allardyce departed at the end of the 2022/23 campaign, which means that the Whites do not have a solid structure in place behind the scenes as they begin this transitional period.
The 49ers have, however, moved to appoint Nick Hammond as an interim advisor over the summer to help with the transfer window before they make a long-term decision on their next sporting director.
Reading's former director of football could secure a sensational deal for the club's next manager by sealing an ambitious swoop for Lens centre-forward Lois Openda, who is a reported transfer target for the now-Championship outfit.
How did Lois Openda perform last season?
The 23-year-old marksman, who would cost at least €30m (£26m), enjoyed a sensational season in Ligue 1 and would be a huge upgrade on current Leeds number nine Patrick Bamford.
bamford-leeds-championship-transfers
Relegation from the Premier League may make a deal for the Belgian whiz unlikely, given that he is currently playing in a major European league, but if Hammond could pull it off then it would be a huge coup ahead of a promotion push next term, whether that is on a permanent deal or with a loan-to-buy strategy to mitigate for a failure to go straight back up.
Openda averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.14 across 38 appearances in Ligue 1 and contributed with an impressive 21 goals. This means that the exciting attacker averaged a strike every 1.8 matches for the French side throughout the campaign.
The Belgium international also showcased his ability to create for others as he racked up 12 'big chances' created for his teammates, which shows that the young dynamo is a consistent goalscorer who can also be unselfish to provide his fellow attackers with quality openings in front of goal.
Bamford, on the other hand, is coming off the back of a bitterly disappointing season in the Premier League with Leeds. The former Chelsea prodigy averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.6 across 28 matches and scored four goals – once every seven outings for the club.
Creativity was also lacking from the English attacker as the 29-year-old dud made one 'big chance' and assisted two goals in that time. This meant that the left-footed liability let his team down as he was unable to provide goals or chance creation on a regular basis.
These statistics indicate that Openda, who was once hailed as "super-fast" by former AS Monaco manager Philippe Clement, would be a huge upgrade on Bamford in terms of both his goal output and his ability to create for others.
Whilst a deal for the Belgian finisher appears unlikely at this moment in time, Hammond could pull off a masterstroke by working out a way to get him to Elland Road ahead of next season.
Arsenal remain interested in a number of key men, with a fresh update having been dropped on Tuesday…
What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?
Writing in The Telegraph, journalist Sam Dean sought to outline the summer transfer plans of Mikel Arteta and Edu in what could be a groundbreaking window to shorten the gap between them and the treble-winning Manchester City.
Whilst the main information in the report is regarding Nicolas Pepe's supposed exit, as well as the nearing completion of the Declan Rice deal, it does also suggest that once the West Ham United star is welcomed to north London, they will turn their attention towards prying Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, with an offer being prepared.
Their interest remains from those two failed bids in January, and despite the Ecuador international having signed a new deal since, the Seagulls will reportedly demand at least £70m.
To sign both of these Premier League midfield monsters would be a huge statement of intent from the Gunners.
How good would Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice be together?
With the notion that these two will join as a midfield partnership together, it is easy to see why Arteta sees them as complementary assets who would bring out the best in one another.
As Rice has grown in stature over the years, shining as captain of the Hammers and an instrumental cog in the England setup, his creative qualities have been emphasised this term too.
It is this offensive impetus that would offer a fine balance alongside Caicedo, who would offer a platform for such exploits.
declan-rice-west-ham-transfer
The 24-year-old scored five goals and assisted four more in all competitions as the Irons comfortably avoided the drop and won the Europa Conference League. It seems like the fairytale ending for the England international, who can now depart the London Stadium having truly given his all to the club that first gave him a football career.
However, if he is to shine as the centrepiece of this new-look engine room, bursting forward towards the penalty area with aplomb, the 21-year-old alternative cannot be ignored for the work he will get through behind Rice.
A tireless yet classy presence in the heart of midfield, Caicedo's 7.08 average rating this term gives way to 2.7 tackles, 1.2 key passes, and 1.5 interceptions per game, via Sofascore, with such defensive aptitude potentially allowing Rice to go about his business in the final third.
Such relentless energy even led South American football expert Tim Vickery to brand him a "terrific athlete".
To place these two in midfield would be yet another Arteta masterstroke, pairing hard work and quality with both defensive and attacking boosts.
This is even without mentioning their youth, and the fact they could hold down their spots for the next decade of what could be a dominant period should they topple Pep Guardiola's history makers.
Everton are expected to be "in the race" to sign Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay this summer, according to a new transfer update.
Have Everton been linked with McTominay?
The £60,000-a-week Scot has had to accept being a bit-part player at Old Trafford this season, following the signings of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen last summer.
While McTominay clearly still did his bit in helping United win the EFL Cup and finish third in the Premier League, he only made 10 starts in the latter and came off the substitutes' bench 14 times, highlighting his squad role.
For that reason, it could be that the 26-year-old decides a fresh challenge needs to come his way this summer in order to become a key man elsewhere, rather than a solid cog in the machine. Everton have been linked with a move for him in the past, with the Blues eyeing him up as a strong option to bolster their midfield.
Now, a new update has emerged that further suggests the United man could be heading to Goodison Park in the near future.
Are Everton still in the hunt to sign McTominay?
According to Football Insider, Everton are "likely to be in the race to sign" McTominay in the summer window, with United "ready to listen to offers for the Scotland international following his limited involvement in the 2022-23 campaign".
That being said, the report does go on to add that he would cost the Blues "in excess of £20million", meaning it would be "very hard" for them to complete a move for him.
Should the situation resolve itself and Everton emerge in a strong position to sign McTominay this summer, he could be exactly what they are looking for, having been hailed as a "special" player by Jose Mourinho during his time at Old Trafford.
While he is arguably no longer at the level required to be a key figure at United, there is no shame in that, and his quality could really shine through at a lower-ranked club such as Everton. He has now racked up 209 appearances for the Red Devils, not to mention winning 38 caps for Scotland, and his box-to-box dynamism could boost the Blues at both ends of the pitch.
In 2022/23, McTominay averaged 1.9 clearances per game in the Premier League, as well as scoring seven goals for club and country, two of which came in a famous 2-0 win for Scotland over Spain back in March, showing how effective he can be in attack and defence, which could be the key to Everton's fortunes improving after another close shave with relegation.
Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wasn’t able to hide his feelings as he begrudgingly handed Pep Guardiola the League Manager’s Association LMA Manager of the Year award this week.
What happened between Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex?
It’s been a pretty fantastic season for Manchester City as they’ve won the Premier League and still have a Champions League and FA Cup final to play before their campaign comes to an end.
Of course, we shouldn’t forget the numerous charges held against their name amid allegations of breaking financial fair play rules. But while that whole situation remains unresolved, the Citizens continue to dominate English football.
One man who knows a thing or two about rising to the top and staying there is Sir Alex, who of course won the Premier League 13 times – and many other major trophies – while in charge of the Red Devils.
Back then, City weren’t the giant they are now. In fact, commentator Guy Mowbray once remarked: “Sir Alex Ferguson was asked in 2009 if City could ever go into a derby as favourites. He said, ‘not in my lifetime’…
Mowbray brutally then claimed: “Now it’s every time.”
Indeed, times have changed and with Guardiola leading his side to a third successive Premier League title, it was no great shock when the 52-year-old was handed the LMA Manager of the Year award recently.
In footage shared via Sky Sports News, you can see Sir Alex giving Pep the accolade and it’s safe to say he’s not exactly delighted by the whole situation…
Although he did then go on to praise Guardiola, humbling admitting: “He’s created a team that’s improved every year. And winning three championships in a row tells you the story.
“I think their performances in the latter part when they really mean something, they produced top-class performances.”
The City boss accepted the award graciously, claiming that a collection of fellow Premier League bosses also deserved to be recognised – although he did omit Erik ten Hag from that list…
“Thank you so much for this amazing award,” Guardiola said. “I want to share it first of all with my fellow nominees, for all the managers in the UK but especially for Mikel Arteta, for Eddie Howe, for Unai Emery, for Marco Silva, for Gary O’Neil. And more of them of course.