Kings have 12 confirmed players for the season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in July
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2024St Lucia Kings have signed South Africa batter Heinrich Klaasen and Afghanistan wristspinner Noor Ahmad for the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Premier League 2024 ahead of the player draft.Faf du Plessis, whose stint with Kings last year was cut short due to injury, has been retained. Namibia allrounder David Wiese and Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa are also among the overseas retainees.Kings have 12 confirmed players for the season and will have five spots to fill at the draft in July. They have retained the core of Caribbean players, which includes Johnson Charles, Alzarri Joseph, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde and Khary Pierre. Fast bowlers Shadrack Descarte and McKenny Clarke round out their retentions. Colin Munro, who was named du Plessis’ replacement last year, has been released, and so have Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams and Chris Sole.Klaasen has been in phenomenal form in T20s since 2023. He finished as the second-highest run-getter in the SA20 earlier this year and was in top form in the IPL as well with 479 runs in 16 games . His strike rate in the format since 2023 is 176.80. This will be Klaasen’s second stint in the CPL, having represented Guyana Amazon Warriors in 2022 where he made 118 runs in five games.Kings made their fourth consecutive playoffs spot in 2023 but lost in the Eliminator against Jamaica Tallawahs.The 2024 edition of the CPL is set to run from August 30 to October 7. Kings will open their campaign against St Kitts and Nevis Patriots on September 1 in Basseterre.
Having already signed Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly set their sights on welcoming a defensive reinforcement who current star Yerson Mosquera knows well.
Fer Lopez: Premier League is an "amazing opportunity"
After losing both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri in the early days of the window, Wolves were always likely to spend in the weeks that followed, and they did just that. Signing the young winger from Celta Vigo for around £19m, Lopez will arrive hoping to make an instant impact in the Midlands.
The 21-year-old is well aware of the opportunity that lies ahead too, telling Wolves’ official website after putting pen to paper: “It’s an amazing opportunity for my career to play in the Premier League, and I’m very happy.
“Vitor told me he thought I was a good fit in the squad and when it’s a club like this, you have little to think about. The team did very good when Vitor came and I think he is top, so I’m very excited to be with him.
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“Jorgen told me that to play in the Premier League and with a team like Wolves, it’s amazing, and that the fans were incredible. He told me that I should come, and that with the gaffer and all the teammates, the style of play was going to be very good. We’re going to play good football, attractive football, and I think I can fit in there.”
After Lopez, however, Wolves still have money to spend and it seems as though their focus has turned towards strengthening their backline with the addition of an in-demand defender who Mosquera knows well.
Wolves join Lucumi race
According to Gazzetta Dello Sport, Wolves have now joined the race to sign Jhon Lucumi from Bologna this summer as the defender’s £24m release clause approaches its July 10 expiry date.
Jhon Lucumi tackles Lionel Messi.
Joined by Aston Villa, Bournemouth, Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford, Wolves will have quite the battle on their hands if they decide to turn their interest into a formal offer for Vitor Pereira. Lucumi is a player who’d be worth the chaos, though. Mosquera’s Colombian teammate has enjoyed an impressive couple of years in Italy and has earned plenty of praise along the way.
Praised for his “excellent ball-security” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Wolves should do everything to land what would be a bargain deal for Lucumi this summer. The Midlands club have just over two weeks to sign the Bologna defender before his £24m release clause expires and the Italian club likely increase their asking price.
Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title and the League Cup trophy during the 2025/26 campaign, but missed out on the treble with a loss to Aberdeen on penalties in the SFA Cup final.
It was a successful season for Brendan Rodgers and his men, despite the final loss at Hampden Park in the final game of the campaign, and that was owed, in part, to the quality of the squad.
Nicolas Kuhn was one of the stars who propelled Celtic to two trophies with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, with 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions this term.
His form was particularly impressive when you consider that his reported wage of £12k-per-week does not make him one of the top earners in the squad.
Noteworthy Celtic players who earn more than Nicolas Kuhn
As per Capology, James McCarthy (£14k), Anthony Ralston (£14k), Luis Palma (£16k), and James Forrest (£19k) earn, or earned in McCarthy’s case, more than Kuhn.
Chalkboard
They combined for 12 league starts between them, whilst Palma was sent out on loan to Olympiacos for the second half of the season, and the German winger managed 21 starts on his own.
Meanwhile, Maik Nawrocki, who played three times in the Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, is also on a weekly wage of £12k at Parkhead, which suggests that Celtic are not getting value for money on their wages with several members of the squad.
Another centre-back who reportedly earns more than Kuhn is Gustaf Lagerbielke, who Lecce chief Pantaleo Corvino claimed is on £13k-per-week, and Rodgers must finally axe the flop this summer.
Why Celtic must sell Gustaf Lagerbielke this summer
The Hoops swooped to sign the Swedish central defender from Elfsborg for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2023, and it is fair to say that things have not gone to plan for him so far.
Celtic defenderGustaf Lagerbielke.
He only made ten appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants in all competitions during the 2023/24 campaign, as Cameron Carter-Vickers and Liam Scales established themselves as the first-choice pairing.
Speaking about Nawrocki and Lagerbielke’s lack of game time last season, pundit Ewan Cameron claimed that they were not Rodgers’ signings, saying: “He (Rodgers) doesn’t fancy them. He doesn’t rate them.”
23/24 Premiership
Gustaf Lagerbielke
Appearances
7
Starts
4
Pass accuracy
85%
Clean sheets
3
Error led to goal
0
Duel success rate
72%
Stats via Sofascore
The Swedish defender’s lack of game time in the Premiership that season, as evidenced in the table above, backs up that claim from Cameron, as Rodgers very rarely relied on him.
Celtic’s manager then opted to allow the 25-year-old flop to join FC Twente on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, and it has been another fairly frustrating year for the centre-back.
Gustaf Lagerbielke in action for Celtic against Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.
Lagerbielke did start 15 Eredivisie matches, playing more than he did for the Hoops, but was also an unused substitute in five of the club’s last six regular season games.
This shows that he has failed to nail down a regular spot as a starter in the Dutch top-flight out on loan, which does not suggest that the £3m dud is coming back to Parkhead this summer in a position to push on and fight for a place in Rodgers’ starting line-up.
The Northern Irish boss decided to go with Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Scales, and Nawrocki ahead of him in the squad this season, and Lagerbielke’s struggles abroad indicate that the manager made the right call.
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Therefore, Rodgers must, now, finally ditch the defender on a permanent basis, if there is sufficient interest from elsewhere to facilitate a deal, because he does not appear to have a bright future in Glasgow and earns more than one of the team’s biggest stars in Kuhn.
Glasgow Rangers sealed their first summer signing at Ibrox earlier this week, announcing the arrival of defender Max Aarons on a season-long loan deal.
Russell Martin is under no illusions that the next few weeks are vital. But by bringing in several high-profile targets, he sets up the Light Blues nicely ahead of the Champions League qualifiers against Panathinaikos next month.
The capture of Aarons badly bolsters a defence which, at times last season, performed dreadfully, having shipped 15 more goals than their Glasgow rivals in the Premiership.
Supporters will be hoping that Martin can add another centre-back or two before the first competitive game of the season to improve that record in an attempt to close the gap.
Russell Martin watches on whilst in charge of Southampton.
It looks as though he is monitoring a player down south…
Rangers search for a new defender
Leicester City defender Conor Coady has been earmarked for a move to Glasgow, with one report claiming the club are in advanced talks to secure his signature.
Luka Jelenic is another defender linked with a move, although he is a left-back rather than someone who can play at the heart of the defence.
According to the Daily Record, it is reported that Peterborough defender Emmanuel Fernandez is currently on the club’s radar as Martin seeks more defensive reinforcements.
No fee has been mentioned, but the centre-back still has two years remaining on his contract with the English side, meaning Martin will have to spend it to secure his signature.
If he can add Fernandez to his squad in the coming weeks, it would be another step forward regarding Martin’s aim to improve the defence. Not only that, but he could shine alongside Aarons.
Why Rangers must sign Emmanuel Fernandez
Joining from Bournemouth on a temporary basis, Aarons will offer competition for James Tavernier at right back next term, and he has plenty of experience in England.
Game time was limited last term, but throughout the 2023/24 season for the Cherries, Aarons won 60% of his ground duels per game, while also succeeding with 54% of his dribbles and recovering 3.8 balls per game.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2024/25 (Bournemouth and Valencia)
9
0
0
2023/24 (Bournemouth)
21
0
1
2022/23 (Norwich)
48
1
2
2021/22 (Norwich)
35
0
2
2020/21 (Norwich)
47
2
2
2019/20 (Norwich)
40
0
2
2018/19 (Norwich)
43
3
6
He even ranked in the top 18% for successful take-ons per 90 in the Premier League that term, showcasing his attacking abilities.
This could mean Aarons is able to create plenty of chances for the Light Blues next term. With him bombing up and down the flank, Fernandez will be tasked with covering his runs.
Emmanuel Fernandez for Peterborough.
The English centre-back was hailed as a “colossus” and “aggressive” by Posh chairman Darragh MacAnthony last season, and given his stats, this praise is spot on.
Indeed, the 23-year-old won an impressive 60% of his total duels last term, along with making 1.1 tackles and being dribbled past only 0.3 times per match.
As such, he offers plenty of quality defensive attributes which would help the Ibrox side shore up their defence. With Aarons likely to be pushing forward often, Fernandez will be tasked with tucking in and providing cover, providing an exciting, new-look partnership on that right-hand side.
He may have played in League One last season, but there is no doubt Fernandez and Aarons could work wonderfully alongside each other for Rangers, both domestically and in Europe.
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Rangers are now in talks with a European club over the sale of one of their key players from last season.
Chelsea’s Premier League fixtures for the 2025/26 season have now officially been released, as Blues fans everywhere begin to feverishly jot down where and when their beloved team will play all across the 38-game marathon.
Amazingly, Enzo Maresca’s men won’t have to leave the comforts of London behind for their first four top-flight clashes, with Crystal Palace, West Ham United, Fulham, and Brentford all coming in quick succession in August and September, before fierce ties with Manchester United and Liverpool then appear on the stacked calendar.
Before the Premier League excitedly kicks back into gear, however, Chelsea still have a Club World Cup tournament to compete in, alongside the hectic transfer window being in full swing.
The chaotic window is already throwing up lots of tasty transfer rumours involving Maresca’s men, with another high-profile name now being linked to enhance their attacking options even more.
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ByCharlie Smith Jun 13, 2025 Chelsea known admirers of 22-year-old PL ace
This has been a busy summer so far for the Blues and it’s showing no signs of slowing down amid rumours linking the likes of Jamie Gittens and Hugo Ekitike to the Bridge.
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Now, as per a report from the Daily Mail Online, Chelsea are reportedly said to be keen admirers of Aston Villa superstar Morgan Rogers this summer.
The report does clarify that Unai Emery’s men aren’t entertaining the prospect of selling their standout performer, but with PSR issues lingering in the air, Villa could well need to sell up, with Rogers arguably their most valuable asset.
Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers
After all, it had been previously noted that Rogers could be available for an eye-watering fee around a £100m figure, with Arsenal also keen on the former Middlesbrough midfielder, according to the Mail.
It remains to be seen whether Maresca’s side or Mikel Arteta’s outfit would be willing to fork out such a high amount, but if Chelsea were ultimately successful in this ongoing race for the in-demand 22-year-old, they could well land a perfect partner for a growing Liam Delap to bounce off of.
How Rogers could make Delap even better
Delap is already up and running wearing his new Chelsea blue as opposed to his Ipswich Town colours, with his assist helping the Blues pick up a comfortable 2-0 victory over LAFC in the Club World Cup.
Still, the new £30m striker will be excused for feeling slightly nervous about Premier League action kicking off at Stamford Bridge, having only ever tasted top-flight football on the books of Kieran McKenna’s relegation-threatened minnows.
He will feel less apprehensive about the task ahead of improving his overall game, knowing Rogers has been in the same anxious boat and come out the other side stronger, with the 6-foot-2 attacker having to get up to speed with the Premier League mid-way through the 2023/24 season.
Rogers is definitely at home with the pressures of the top-flight now after firing home an encouraging three goals from 13 games during his debut campaign and then recording a stunning 14 goals and 15 assists in all competitions last season. That led to Jamie Carragher calling the in-demand 22-year-old “unstoppable” during this standout patch of form.
Rogers’ PL numbers (24/25) vs Delap’s (24/25)
Stat
Rogers
Delap
Games played
37
37
Goals scored
8
12
Assists
10
3
Big chances created
16
3
Big chances missed
11
10
Stats by Sofascore
Delap will pray he undergoes a similar transformation to Rogers, with the poacher clearly capable of being a reliable fox-in-the-box presence for a relegation-threatened outfit when collecting 12 league strikes for Ipswich.
But, with a sublime teammate such as the Villa number 27 by his side – who created a bumper 16 big chances last campaign – he could soon soar to even loftier heights.
Alongside being a potentially phenomenal comrade to the ex-Manchester City attacker, Rogers could also slot into the Chelsea XI down the left wing if needed, away from the Blues’ ongoing pursuit of Gittens.
If Chelsea wants to kick on this forthcoming season and be genuine title challengers, adding in faces such as Rogers could be the next impressive move, with a top-flight foe in Villa severely weakened in the process.
Chelsea prepared to sell one of their "best players" who Enzo Maresca loves
He also lauded the spinners who applied the brakes on England, as India made their third consecutive ICC final across formats
Shashank Kishore27-Jun-20241:33
Dasgupta: Axar a standout performer from game one
India captain Rohit Sharma lauded his team’s calmness under pressure as they beat England in the T20 World 2024 semi-final comprehensively to secure a third straight ICC final across formats. On Saturday, India will play South Africa to try and break their 11-year trophy drought at a world event.”We’ve been very calm as a team,” Rohit said after India’s 68-run win in Georgetown on Thursday afternoon. “We do understand the occasion [of a final], but for us, it’s important to keep calm and composed.”That helps us make good decisions. We need to make good decisions through the 40 overs. In this game too, we were steady and calm, and didn’t panic too much. That has been the key for us. Yes, we do understand the occasion is important, but we need to play good cricket as well.”Related
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Rohit termed the win over England as “very satisfying”, especially given this contest was a repeat of the T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final. Then, in Adelaide, India crashed to a ten-wicket defeat as Jos Buttler and Alex Hales made light work of England’s 169-run target.Two years on, it was India’s spinners who turned the tables on England on what was a slow, low turner where Rohit laid down the marker to help India post 171 for 7, which he felt was well above par.”Yeah, it’s very satisfying to win this game,” Rohit said. “We’ve worked really hard to come to this stage, and to win the game like that was a great effort from everyone. I thought we played to the conditions really well; that’s been the success story for us so far. If bowlers and batters understand and play according to the conditions, things fall in place. It’s very pleasing how we came through.”Rohit top scored in the game with 57 off 39 balls, but the conditions were tough. A spell of rain eight overs into the game added to his challenge of kicking India’s innings into gear with Suryakumar Yadav. The pair added 73 in just 8.2 overs to give India a chance to aim for a competitive score.”At one stage, we were feeling 140-150 was a good score as the game went on,” Rohit said. “Then we got some runs in the middle, me and Surya got that partnership, and then we said, ‘Okay another 25 more’. I can set a target in my mind but I don’t want to let anyone know about it. They’re all instinctive players, so I want them to go out and play freely without thinking about the par score. We know when we understand the conditions well, we will get to a good score; [and] that’s what happened, and the bowlers were fantastic.”Kuldeep Yadav picked three wickets as India outplayed England•ICC/Getty Images
Rohit was effusive in his praise for the Indian spinners who applied the brakes on England. Axar Patel started England’s slide by dismissing Buttler off his very first delivery in the fourth over, and then had Jonny Bairstow with an arm-ball in his second. He finished with 3 for 23 off his four overs to walk away with the Player-of-the-Match award.Axar was complemented by Kuldeep Yadav, who also was magnificent. His dismissal of Harry Brook after being reverse swept was particularly noteworthy because of the subtle change in his line of attack. Kuldeep, like Axar, also picked up three wickets.”They are gun spinners,” Rohit said. “When conditions are like that in front of them, it’s very difficult to play some shots. Yes, the pressure is on them to execute those balls, but they were very calm and knew what to bowl. We had a chat after the first innings: the plan was to hit the stumps as much as possible and keep the stumps in play, [and] that’s what they did.”Amid the cheer, Rohit also backed Virat Kohli to come out of his string of low scores in this T20 World Cup. Kohli was dismissed for 9 on Thursday as he was clean bowled by Reece Topley looking to slog one over the leg-side boundary. Kohli has so far aggregated 75 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 100 this World Cup.”Look, he’s a quality player, and you can go through that,” Rohit said. “We understand his class and importance in big games. Form is never a player when you’ve played for 15 years. He’s looking good, the intent is there, [and] probably he’s saving himself for the final.”Speaking to Star Sports, coach Rahul Dravid also backed Kohli while saying he was loving the “intent” and “attitude” the opening batter was showing.”You know with Virat, the thing is, when you play a slightly high-risk brand of cricket there can be times when it doesn’t come off. Even today, I thought he hit a really good six to set the tempo but he was just unlucky that the ball seamed a little bit more. But I love the intent, I love the way he went about doing it. It sets a good example for the group as well if he’s willing to do it. And you know, for some reason, I don’t want to jinx it but I think there’s a big one coming up. I’m just loving his attitude and that he’s committing himself on the field – I think he deserves it.”
The incident took place in the final over of Afghanistan’s innings in their Super Eight game against Bangladesh
ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jun-2024Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan has been reprimanded by the ICC for a level 1 breach of the code of conduct during his team’s Super Eight match against Bangladesh in Kingstown on July 24.The incident for which Rashid was penalised took place in the 20th over of Afghanistan’s innings. Rashid had hit the ball into the offside and wanted the second run to retain strike but was sent back by his team-mate Karim Janat. An irate Rashid had to turnaround mid-pitch and he threw his bat in Janat’s direction before he did so.As a result, one demerit point has been added to Rashid’s disciplinary record; it was his first offence in a 24-month period. Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of a reprimand and a maximum penalty of a 50% fine of a player’s match fee, and one or two demerit points.Rashid went on to score 19 off 10 balls and take 4 for 23 in the match, leading Afghanistan to an eight-run victory against Bangladesh on the DLS method to secure their first semi-final appearance at a T20 World Cup. They take on South Africa in Trinidad on June 26 for a place in the final.
Jos Buttler, England’s captain, praised his players for blocking out the noise and focussing on the task of beating Oman in style, as the T20 World Cup defending champions produced a command performance that has put them back on course for Super Eight qualification.England needed a grand total of 99 deliveries to beat Oman in the first of two must-win matches in three days, with Buttler himself striking 24 not out from eight deliveries to hunt down a victory target of 48 in just 3.1 overs.In so doing, England transformed their net run-rate from -1.8 to +3.08, placing them ahead of Scotland’s figure of 2.16, meaning that they will progress at the Scots’ expense from a tightly contested Group B if there are no more upsets or washouts in the remaining fixtures.Though the speed of England’s chase was a key factor in the NRR boost, the match was set up by a thrilling bowling display, led by Adil Rashid’s 4 for 11, with Mark Wood and Jofra Archer both returning the excellent figures of 3 for 12.”I thought the tone was set really well by the bowlers,” Buttler said at the post-match presentations. “We managed to pick up those early wickets and restrict them and knock them off, so job done today and we’ve got another big game in two days’ time.”ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Asked if he had been surprised by the mood around England’s campaign, after one washed-out contest against Scotland and a poor display against Australia in Barbados, Buttler smiled and acknowledged that he’d seen it all before.”I’ve been around long enough to know how it works,” he told Nasser Hussain, who was conducting the post-match interviews. “How guys like you make some comments, so that’s fine. That’s part of your job. I don’t mind. We know what’s going on in the dressing room. We have lots of confidence in our team and we have another huge match to come.”That match is against Namibia on Saturday, at the same venue in Antigua, which ought to suit England’s bowling attack given the steep bounce on offer for the quick bowlers and the sharp spin that Rashid extracted in the course of his four superbly executed overs.”I thought they bowled brilliantly,” Buttler said. “[Reece] Topley with his height, Jofra Archer with that high release point as well. They were really challenging bowlers on that surface. I thought they bowled a really good line and length.Related
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“I don’t think any of us expected the wicket to probably play like it did,” he added. “It looked a really good surface. But yeah, [Rashid] found spin and obviously you know what a threat he is. He bowled fantastically well.”England’s run-chase was ignited by Phil Salt’s volley of two sixes from the first two balls – the first such instance in a T20I since Spain versus the Isle of Man in February 2023, and sealed 17 balls later by Jonny Bairstow’s second four in as many balls.”Just be ultra-positive,” Buttler said, when asked what his message to the batters had been. “We’ve spoken in the lead-up to this about we have to win games, and if we get a chance we have to try and take advantage with the net run-rate, and we managed to do that today.”We can only focus on ourselves. We’ve got a huge game against Namibia and all focus now is on that.”
Leeds United are in the market to make further additions to their first-team squad to bolster their options across the park ahead of their Premier League campaign.
The Whites made their first signing of the off-season earlier this month when they completed a free transfer for Germany international Lukas Nmecha, who will officially join when his contract with Wolfsburg expires at the end of this month.
Since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, the 26-year-old centre-forward has scored five goals in 24 appearances for Wolfsburg in all competitions, including three goals in 19 Bundesliga games this season.
The new Whites striker could be competing with Joel Piroe, Patrick Bamford, and Mateo Joseph for a place in the starting XI, along with any other number nines the club opt to bring in.
Nmecha is not going to be the only player signed by the Championship champions before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
Leeds have been linked with plenty of different attacking players, from the domestic market and abroad, and Brighton & Hove Albion playmaker Facundo Buonanotte is one name that has been mentioned as a target.
Why Leeds may want to sign Buonanotte
It was reported earlier this month that Leeds were confident of closing a £30m deal to sign the attacking midfielder, but there has not been an update on that situation since the initial report.
Buonanotte spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Leicester City in the Premier League and caught the eye with some promising performances, despite their relegation back down to the Championship.
Appearances
31
36
Starts
14
28
xG
3.93
3.86
Goals
5
1
Big chances created
7
5
Assists
2
3
As you can see in the table above, he was more impressive than Brenden Aaronson was in his season in the Premier League with Leeds, which suggests that he could provide an upgrade on what Daniel Farke currently has in the number ten position.
That came after the left-footed magician scored three goals and provided one assist in 27 appearances in the division in the previous season, which shows that he improved during his time at the King Power Stadium.
Leeds may, therefore, want to sign the 20-year-old starlet because he has already showcased his qualities, as both a scorer and a creator in the Premier League, and could improve Farke’s options in the middle of the park.
However, the Whites are now reportedly eyeing up another couple of attacking midfield options, and one of them, in particular, could be even better than Buonanotte.
Leeds weighing up moves for attacking midfielders
According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Leeds are keen on signing one of Sheffield United’s Gustavo Hamer and Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia in the summer transfer window.
Speaking to Leeds United News, Bailey said: “What we’re seeing in the no.10 role is that Leeds are able to be picky. There’s no need to jump in with both feet on a Hamer or a Buendia.
Transfer Focus
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“They are weighing up options but I firmly believe Leeds will sign a no.10 and I also believe the front-runners are those two. It will be one of those and we know Farke likes both of them.”
The Whites are weighing up whether to go for Buendia or Hamer to bolster their options in the attacking midfield position, and CaughtOffside recently reported that the former is valued at £20m by Aston Villa.
With all of this information in mind, Farke should push for the West Yorkshire outfit to snap up the Villans outcast because he would be an even better option than Buonanotte.
Why Leeds should sign Emiliano Buendia
Buendia is a proven Premier League performer who is experienced but also has plenty of years left ahead of him to give the Whites many years of quality performances.
The 28-year-old playmaker has produced ten goals and 15 assists, and created 25 ‘big chances’, in 121 appearances in the English top-flight for Norwich City and Aston Villa combined, which shows that he knows how to provide goals and assists at that level.
He has also played 121 times for Farke during their time together at Norwich, playing every game for the Canaries with him in charge, and delivered 24 goals and 41 assists.
His best season in a Yellows shirt came in the 2020/21 Championship campaign under the German head coach, as he racked up 15 goals and 16 assists, along with 18 ‘big chances’ created in the second tier.
The Argentina international, who was once lauded as “magical” by analyst Liam Henshaw, knows how to play in Farke’s system, with his style of play, and has shown that he can be incredibly effective at the top end of the pitch.
Non-penalty goals
0.38
Top 7%
Assists
0.41
Top 2%
xAG
0.36
Top 1%
npxG + xAG
0.65
Top 1%
Shot-creating actions
6.46
Top 1%
Progressive passes
7.82
Top 1%
Passes into the final third
5.81
Top 1%
Passes into the penalty area
2.17
Top 1%
As you can see in the table above, Buendia was hugely influential in possession in virtually every way possible, in scoring goals, creating chances, assisting goals, progressing play with passes, getting the ball into the final third, and getting the ball into the penalty area.
This suggests that he could be a far more effective option for Leeds in the final third than Buonanotte, who has failed to deliver more than six goals or three assists in a single season in his career to date.
Buendia, who scored two goals and created two ‘big chances’ in 11 Bundesliga appearances on loan at Bayer Leverkusen this season, could hit the ground running as an attacking midfielder who knows the Premier League and Farke.
Whereas, Buonanotte has not worked with the Leeds head coach in the past and could need time to adapt to the system and way of working, which is why the Villa attacker could be a much better option for the Whites as they look to start strong in their bid to avoid relegation.
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Celtic will be going in search of the domestic treble in the 2025/26 campaign after they failed to secure all three Scottish trophies in the last two seasons.
Brendan Rodgers returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023 and has won two domestic trophies in each of his first two terms back in Glasgow so far.
Celtic managerBrendanRodgerscelebrates after winning the League Cup
The Northern Irish head coach won the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup in his second season, before losing to Aberdeen on penalties in the final of the SFA Cup.
Celtic also got through to the play-off stage of the Champions League, losing to Bayern Munich over two legs, and they may target more progress on the European stage.
The Hoops will need to be active in the summer transfer window in order to bolster their squad to kick on next season, and they already have one deal over the line.
Kieran Tierney will officially re-sign for the Premiership champions at the start of July after his contract with Premier League side Arsenal expires at the end of this month.
Why Kieran Tierney is an exciting signing
The Scotland international is an exciting addition for Rodgers and Celtic this summer because he is a proven performer who could come in and hit the ground running next term.
Tierney came up through the youth ranks at Paradise and made his breakthrough at first-team level with the Hoops before his big-money move to the Gunners back in 2019.
As you can see in the graphic above, the Scottish defender won five Premiership titles with the club and made the best part of 200 appearances before moving down south.
Six years on from his Parkhead exit, Tierney is now set to return to Glasgow and will provide Rodgers with a reliable option at left-back when fit and available, because he has been there and done it in the league and with Celtic, which is why this is an exciting deal.
However, there is also cause for concern with the 28-year-old star’s arrival this summer, because he has consistently suffered with injury problems throughout his career.
24/25
1
160
18
23/24
3
103
21
22/23
0
0
0
21/22
2
116
17
20/21
4
87
19
19/20
1
97
19
18/19
5
140
27
17/18
1
23
5
16/17
1
86
16
As you can see in the table above, the experienced ace has only missed fewer than 16 matches through injury in a season twice in the last nine campaigns for Celtic and Arsenal combined, which suggests that he is not likely to be available week-in-week out for the Hoops next term.
This means that the Scottish giants could need to bring in another left-back to play when the Bhoys academy graduate is unavailable, and the club have been linked with an interest in a teenage defender who could be an even more exciting signing than Tierney.
Celtic's interest in teenage full-back
At the end of last month, Sponichi Soccer, as relayed by The National, reported that Celtic are one of a number of teams interested in a deal to sign Djurgardens left-back Keita Kosugi in the summer transfer window.
The outlet claimed that Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain and Italian side Atalanta are also eyeing up a swoop for the 19-year-old defender, as they look to bolster the depth in their respective squads.
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It did not reveal, however, how much money it would take to convince the Swedish side to part ways with their impressive Japanese left-back this summer, so it remains to be seen how much the Hoops would have to pay for his services.
The interest from PSG and Atalanta does show, though, that Celtic could find it difficult to get a deal done for the defender because they would have to convince him to turn down the chance to play in one of Europe’s major leagues.
It is now down to the club to press ahead with a swoop for the Djurgardens star, because he could be an even more exciting signing than Tierney this summer.
Why Kosugi would be more exciting than Tierney for Celtic
Whilst the Scotland international is a proven Premiership performer who could come in to make an instant impact as a known quantity for Celtic, he represents the past more than he does the future.
Tierney, although he still has some years ahead of him at the age of 28, has shown that he cannot be consistently available due to his constant injury problems, which means that the club may not be able to rely on him moving forward as a go-to option every week.
Kosugi, meanwhile, is 19 and has the majority of his career ahead of him and could go on to be Celtic’s first-choice left-back for many, many, years to come.
He has also yet to suffer a significant injury in his career, with no injury absences listed on Transfermarkt, which suggests that the youngster is more likely to be available week-in-week-out in comparison to Tierney.
Kosugi, who was dubbed “impressive” by video scout Elijah Michiels, also showcased his quality in the Conference League for the Swedish club in the 2024/25 campaign, as shown in the clips above.
Appearances
12
11
Goals
0
2
Key passes per game
1.3
0.9
Big chances created
1
5
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.2
3.2
Clearances per game
3.5
3.5
Duel success rate
50%
53%
The 19-year-old defender, as shown in the statistics above, is a full-back who has shown that he can combine offensive output with defensive strength, particularly in Europe.
Kosugi, who was described as a “standout” in the Conference League by Jacek Kulig, can provide goals and creativity whilst also making plenty of tackles, interceptions, and clearances each match.
Meanwhile, Tierney averaged 0.7 tackles and interceptions per game and created two ‘big chances’ in 13 appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal this season.
Overall, Kosugi could be a more exciting signing than the Scottish defender because of his potential to play week-in-week-out, coupled with his age profile and his superior performances in comparison to Tierney during the 2024/25 campaign.
Celtic could sign Matt O'Riley 2.0 in swoop for "unplayable" star
Celtic could repeat their Matt O’Riley masterclass by swooping to sign this star.
ByDan Emery Jun 5, 2025
That is why the board must push to win the race for the 19-year-old starlet’s signature ahead of PSG and Atalanta, as difficult as that may seem, this summer.