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Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is aiming to win promotion to the Premier League with the club at the second time of asking, since his arrival in the summer of 2023.

In his career, the German head coach has never gone two seasons in a row in the Championship without winning the title, after finishing top of the table in two of his three campaigns at that level during his time with Norwich City.

He led the Whites to the play-off final in the 2023/24 campaign, after finishing third in the regular season, but his side were beaten 1-0 by Southampton at Wembley.

Their failure to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking had a telling effect on the squad, as a number of key players ended up moving on from Elland Road.

Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, and Archie Gray were sold to West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Rennes, and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.

Losing four key players was, of course, a blow for Farke but the head coach was able to dip into the market to secure a host of new additions, whilst academy graduate Mateo Joseph has emerged as a genuine first-team option.

Mateo Joseph's emergence

The former U21 star was on the fringes of the first-team in the 2023/24 campaign, with 20 appearances as a substitute and zero starts in the Championship.

Joseph, who scored 19 goals in 33 games for the club’s U21s, scored his first two senior goals for the West Yorkshire outfit with a brace against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the FA Cup, before landing his first league goal off the bench against Watford.

Rutter’s exit and Patrick Bamford falling down the pecking order opened up a spot at the top end of the pitch for the 21-year-old whiz to emerge as a starter for the Whites this term.

Joseph has started eight of his 12 appearances in the Championship so far this season and appears to be a player with plenty of potential for Farke.

Appearances

8

Goals

2

Big chances created

4

Assists

3

Pass accuracy

78%

As you can see in the table above, the Spain U21 international has contributed with five direct goal contributions in eight starts in the second tier.

He is yet to prove that he can find the back of the net on a regular basis, with two goals in eight games, but he still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve.

Joseph’s value has soared as a result of his emergence this season, with FootballTransfers raising his Expected Transfer Value to €2.7m (£2.2m) in October – the highest of his career so far.

However, there is another emerging star at Elland Road who is currently worth even more than the academy graduate, and that is Largie Ramazani.

How much Largie Ramazani was worth in the summer

Leeds swooped to sign the Belgian winger from Almeria during the summer transfer window to fill a gap on the flank after they lost Summerville to West Ham.

At the time of his transfer to West Yorkshire, FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value at €4.7m (£3.9m) after his form over in Spain.

Ramazani came up through the ranks at Manchester United in England, with 15 goals and ten assists in 48 U21 and U18 appearances, before his move to Almeria in 2020.

The forward produced 22 goals and nine assists in 128 appearances in all competitions during his four-year stint in Spain, in the second tier and the top-flight.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Ramazani competed in LaLiga with Almeria but was unable to help them to avoid relegation back to the second division.

Appearances

29

Starts

13

Goals

3

Assists

5

Big chances created

10

As you can see in the table above, Ramazani did not start week-in-week-out for the Spanish side and, yet, was still able to rack up 13 goals and ‘big chances’ created combined in 13 starts.

Leeds had faith that he would be able to adapt to returning to England to play in the Championship and, on the evidence so far, they have proven to be right.

Leeds have hit gold with Largie Ramazani

The Whites have hit the jackpot with the 23-year-old forward as his value has already soared millions during his time at Elland Road, despite only joining in the summer.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

At the time of writing (30/10/2024), FootballTransfers has raised his Expected Transfer Value to a whopping €9.1m (£7.6m), which shows that his value has soared by almost £4m.

Leeds have, therefore, hit gold with the exciting attacker as his soaring market price suggests that they made the right decision to bring him in from Almeria.

This has been helped by his fantastic start to life in the Championship under Farke, as he has hit the ground running since his summer switch from Almeria.

The 23-year-old star is currently set to be out injured until December with an ankle injury, which has come as a blow to Leeds, and will be hoping to get back to where he left off when he returns from his absence.

Appearances

8

Starts

6

xG

1.82

Goals

3

Assists

1

As you can see in the table above, Ramazani has already contributed with four goal involvements in six starts in the second tier for the West Yorkshire outfit.

The Belgian ace, who was once described as an “explosive” winger with “electric” pace by talent scout Jacek Kulig, produced those involvements in four separate games, which shows that he has made a consistent impact – rather than them all coming in one go.

It is now down to Ramazani to bounce back from his current injury setback and to continue his fine start to life at Leeds, by helping them to secure promotion to the Premier League.

23/24 Player of the Season: Farke may have next Rodon in Leeds academy star

The Leeds academy central defender appears to be a great prospect at Thorp Arch.

ByDan Emery Oct 29, 2024

As it stands, the Whites have hit gold with the ex-LaLiga star, who is worth more than Joseph, but he has to maintain his form and ensure that his standards do not dip.

Rio Ferdinand pushed back against Roy Keane’s remarks about Alejandro Garnacho, rejecting the claim that he "can't be trusted" at Manchester United.

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Keane has doubts over GarnachoDoesn't believe the Argentine should be a starterFerdinand defends Man Utd wingerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old Argentine winger was left out of the squad for United's derby clash with Manchester City in December but has since forced himself back into Ruben Amorim's plans. During United’s FA Cup fourth-round clash against Leicester City, Garnacho was introduced at half-time and the forward did not disappoint in United’s comeback win. His performance on the left wing gave United an attacking spark after a lacklustre first half, as he was instrumental in setting up the equaliser for Joshua Zirkzee before Harry Maguire’s controversial stoppage-time goal secured the Red Devils' place in the next round.

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Although former United captain Keane acknowledged Garnacho’s influence after the match, he expressed doubt about his consistency. Keane suggested that the young winger is still too raw to be trusted as a regular starter and expressed his scepticism about his overall reliability in the team.

WHAT RIO FERDINAND SAID

Keane’s remarks did not sit well with his former United team-mate Ferdinand, who passionately defended Garnacho on his podcast, "Rio Presents."

"You look at him and say his game isn’t 100 per cent clean but that can be developed. But he doesn’t lack effort, he doesn’t lack energy," he said.

"He’s got a pair of b*llocks that says he wants the ball, he will take the ball anywhere. He has got that belief and character that says I should be here and I should be playing. 'Give me the ball at all times'. And in the situation we are in now where there are a lot of players shying away from the ball when the team aren’t doing well, he stands out like a sore form in that respect."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Ferdinand also compared Garnacho to ex-United winger Nani, who also struggled for consistency early in his career but possessed undeniable talent.

"He reminds me of Nani," he said. "One of the frustrations is he would get to it [the ball] and make the wrong decision or he would get to it and his execution wouldn’t be clean. But these players grow into that when given the time. Comments like that when you say he can’t be trusted… that’s a big comment for a young kid.

"I understand Roy might believe that but when you look at alternatives… If there were loads more options I would understand it but there is nothing else there that offers what he does and it is a hard one to understand."

CA have confirmed that the relocated fifth Test will be under lights to fill the favourable timeslot

AAP07-Dec-2021There has been a flurry of public lobbying from state leaders regarding the fifth men’s Ashes Test, with Tasmania facing stiff competition in its bid for hosting rights.Cricket Australia confirmed on Monday the showpiece series finale, slated to start January 14, would not take place in Perth because of border restrictions.Every rival state has since thrown its hat in the ring for what will be a pink-ball Test, ensuring broadcasters aren’t denied the prime-time fodder they would otherwise have access to. ACT chief minister Andrew Barr has also put forward a case for Manuka Oval.CA, weighing up several factors, is expected to land on its replacement venue within a week. The obvious temptation is to bank the biggest cheque on offer, believed to be the MCG unless Tasmania premier Peter Gutwein or a rival leader tips in millions of dollars to bridge the gap.Yet the decision will be more complex than just money, coming two months after CA’s state-association shareholders forced the resignation of chair Earl Eddings.The governing body will be desperate to be as collaborative as possible, while also pleasing broadcasters and players, but finding the middle of that Venn diagram will be incredibly tricky.Logistics will form a major part of the decision, with accommodation for the series’ travelling circus to be a key challenge in Melbourne given the Test overlaps with the Australian Open.Tasmania premier Peter Gutwein urged CA to do the “right thing by the game” and lock in Hobart for its first ever Ashes Test, rather than staging two legs of the series at another ground.”We are currently finalising our proposal to Cricket Australia, which we will submit within the next 24 hours,” Gutwein said. “We are very confident we can more than meet all of their requirements to host the fifth Test in Hobart.”Hobart has only been allocated 13 Tests in the 32 years since hosting our first Test. CA should not be seduced by the larger states, they should act in the best interests of the country, make history.”Similar sound bites came from around the country on Tuesday.”Why not have it at the best cricket oval in the world?” South Australia premier Steven Marshall spruiked.Marshall may have some support in the Australian dressing room. Captain Pat Cummins didn’t offer an opinion on where the final Test should be, but noted Adelaide Oval has “really nailed” what constitutes the best possible pitch for day-night Tests.”At times in Sheffield Shield cricket [at other grounds], if the wicket is not quite right then you can see some long, slow pink-ball matches,” Cummins told reporters in Brisbane. “If it’s a pink-ball match and they get the wicket right, no stress from us [wherever it is played]. If it’s Sydney great, I can stay home, but I’m not too bothered.”

Ipswich Town are still without a Premier League win this season. Now just over a quarter of the way through the campaign, Kieran McKenna’s side currently sit 18th in the table, having drawn five and lost five of their 10 games so far.

They’ve come close to winning on numerous occasions, however, none more so than against relegation rivals Leicester City at the weekend. With 94 minutes on the clock at Portman Road, the Tractor Boys found themselves 1-0 up against the Foxes thanks to a second-half goal from Leif Davis.

However, with practically the last kick of the game, Leicester forward Jordan Ayew played a neat one-two with striker Jamie Vardy and fired in a well-deserved equaliser to break Ipswich hearts.

McKenna's position safe

Despite the defeat, and his side’s position in the Premier League, McKenna’s job remains safe. In an interview with BBC Radio Suffolk this week, Ipswich Town CEO and chairman Mark Ashton said that the Northern Irishman will remain as manager of the club, regardless of what happens this season.

“It doesn’t even enter my head,” Aston said about the prospect of sacking McKenna. “It’s madness.”

In the same interview, Ashton also suggested that McKenna could have some money to spend in the January transfer window to try and keep his side in the top division.

Ipswich flop now cannot be trusted to play for McKenna again

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 6, 2024

“Cash and the spending of cash won’t be the issue. The amount of cash we spend will be dictated by Financial Fair Play [FFP],” said Ashton.

He added: “The two clubs we were promoted with are both on parachute payments and, by the way, still had 50% of their squads from their previous time in the Premier League, so only needed to recruit four or five players. We’re behind, behind, behind, and we’re playing catch-up as quickly as we can.

“We’ll be brave and bold, we won’t be reckless, but we can’t spend what the others spend because we don’t have the Financial Fair Play headroom. They do. When I joined the club, revenue was around £30 million. We’ll break through £150+ million this year, I’m sure, but it’s still not enough.”

Tottenham up next

Up next in the Premier League for Ipswich is a tough trip to North London to face Tottenham, who in recent weeks have been firing on all cylinders. Spurs have won four of their last five games in all competitions, beating both league champions Manchester City and Champions League flyers Aston Villa.

Ange Postecoglou’s side thumped Villa 4-1, with Dominic Solanke on the scoresheet twice in an impressive win for the Lilywhites.

Speaking after his side’s victory over Villa, Postecoglou was full of praise for the Solanke, who joined Spurs from Bournemouth for a fee of £60 million in the summer: “I can’t speak highly enough of what he is contributing to our team at the moment. Long may it continue.”

McKenna will be hoping otherwise.

India’s stand-in captain feels Boland Park pitch could have something for slower bowlers, and both Ashwin and Chahal are likely to get a chance

Hemant Brar18-Jan-20224:30

KL Rahul – ‘Virat made us believe we can do special things’

Stand-in captain KL Rahul has confirmed that he would be opening for India in the three-match ODI series in South Africa. Rahul has batted in the middle order in one-dayers of late with much success, but in the absence of newly appointed full-time captain and regular opener Rohit Sharma, he will move up the order.”In the last 14-15 months, I have batted at No. 5, No. 4, different positions,” Rahul said on the eve of the first ODI in Paarl. “That’s what the team needed of me then. Now I think with Rohit not being here [due to a hamstring injury], I would bat at the top of the order.”Since January 2020, Rahul has scored 554 runs in ten ODIs, at an average of 69.25 and a strike rate of 109.92, while batting at No. 4 or lower.Related

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“We don’t want to be a team that is very predictable,” he said. “There might be games where I have to bat in the middle-order or the lower order because that’s what the team needs. I might have to open the batting at some time, which I’m okay with, and all of us in the team understand that. In a team game, everyone needs to be flexible as per the team plan or the team strategy. Everyone will have to be ready for certain things that the team wants them to do.”During the Test series, the pitches didn’t offer much help for spinners but, according to Rahul, the Boland Park pitch in Paarl could have something for slower bowlers and India could play both R Ashwin and Yuzvendra Chahal in the first two ODIs, both at the same venue. If India do that, it would be Ashwin’s first ODI appearance since June 2017.Last time also, when India toured South Africa, in 2017-18, they had played two spinners – Kuldeep Yadav and Chahal – during the six-match ODI series. Both Kuldeep and Chahal had played a big part in India winning the series 5-1 by picking up 17 and 16 wickets respectively.”We practised a couple of days at Boland Park and the pitch does look like it might offer a lot more for spinners than what we got in the Test series,” Rahul said. “We have quality spinners. Ashwin is coming back into the one-day team and we all know what quality he brings in. Chahal has been doing it for years now and he has been a great performer for us. If there’s any assistance from the pitch, I know that these two will really exploit it.

“The sixth bowling option in white-ball cricket nowadays is really important and we are trying to develop that. Venkatesh Iyer has come into the side and we will give him that chance”KL Rahul

“Hopefully, in the first two games, like I said the pitch does look like it might offer a little bit of spin. So yeah, they become really important for us.”India are also looking at Venkatesh Iyer as someone who can be their sixth bowling option and do the job Hardik Pandya did before injuries set him back. Currently, India do not have a batter in their top six who can also chip in with the ball.Iyer made his India debut during the T20I series against New Zealand in November but is yet to play an ODI. In the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, he scored 379 runs at an average of 63.16 and a strike rate of 133.92. With the ball, he sent down nine-to-ten overs in most games and picked up nine wickets at an economy rate of 5.75.”The sixth bowling option in white-ball cricket nowadays is really important and we are trying to develop that,” Rahul said. “Venkatesh Iyer has come into the side and we will give him that chance. He has done decently well for us in the two or three games he played against New Zealand. In the IPL also he had done well. So he gives us that option as the sixth bowler.”Fast-bowling allrounders are always an asset and we’re always looking for fast-bowling allrounders. They balance the team out really well, so very excited about Venkatesh Iyer. It’s a great opportunity for him in South Africa and he’s looking really good in the nets.”

The centre-back was culpable for a goal and then appeared to have given away a penalty before the officials bailed him out

Manchester United pulled off a memorable comeback in their final ever trip to Goodison Park, coming from two goals down at half-time to draw 2-2 at Everton thanks to the brilliance of Bruno Fernandes and the sheer bloody-mindedness of Manuel Ugarte. And yet they were lucky to escape with a point after VAR ruled out an added-time penalty for the hosts.

Everton took the lead in the 19th minute when United failed to clear their lines on multiple occasions and Beto nipped in to slam the ball in off the ground and into the net. Everton doubled their lead thanks to more slack defending from the Red Devils, Abdoulaye Doucoure coming from behind to leap in front of Maguire and score after Andre Onana had sent Jack Harrison's shot spinning into the air.

United looked utterly lost and on course for their 13th defeat of the season. But Fernandes pulled them out of the quagmire in the 72nd minute with a free-kick and suddenly Everton were the ones who were rattled and nervous. With their tails up, United won a free-kick and after chaos reigned in the area Ugarte pulled the trigger and fired into the net in the 80th.

The Red Devils looked destined to go on and win it but almost threw it away completely when Harry Maguire and Matthijs de Ligt combined to pull down Ashley Young after Onana had saved from Idrissa Gueye. To the fury and disbelief of the home crowd, referee Andrew Madley was called to the monitor and over-ruled his earlier decision, handing United a massive reprieve.

GOAL rates Manchester United's players from Goodison Park…

Goalkeeper & Defence

Andre Onana (6/10):

Should have done better with the second goal but kept his head, winning lots of aerial balls and making two fine second-half saves.

Noussair Mazraoui (5/10):

More aware and committed than his fellow defenders and prevented things getting even worse.

Harry Maguire (3/10):

Didn't show his usual leadership and was desperately poor in aerial challenges, taken by surprise by Doucoure. A bad day got even worse when he pulled Young over but was let off the hook.

Matthijs de Ligt (3/10):

Looked rattled by the occasion and his surroundings. Nervous on the ball and lacking awareness, playing Beto onside after failing to clear his lines from the corner. His day was summed up when he conceded a corner trying to pass to Onana.

AdvertisementMidfield

Patrick Dorgu (6/10):

A solid performance in defence and going forwards, the one player who made things happen. It's a shame he had noone else on his wavelength.

Casemiro (4/10):

A liability in possession and lost the ball leading to the corner for the opener. Tried to compensate by breaking up play with some hefty challenges.

Manuel Ugarte (6/10):

His sloppy passing was an even bigger problem than usual next to Casemiro but his tenacity and commitment kept United going and his equaliser was stunning.

Diogo Dalot 5/10):

A sloppy pass led to an early Everton chance and it set the tone for a nervy performance.

Attack

Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

Was dragged down by the general malaise and hit plenty of stray passes but was eventually the catalyst for the turnaround. Remembered his ability with his lovely fizzing free-kick and propelled United forward from then on.

Rasmus Hojlund (4/10):

Looked lost as usual up front, struggling to hold the ball up or get on the end of crosses. The closest he came to causing any danger was when he grazed Pickford's shin trying to meet a Dorgu pass.

Joshua Zirkzee (5/10):

Some good touches and some bad ones but his ball carrying ability helped United get back in it.

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Subs & Manager

Alejandro Garnacho (5/10):

Didn't get on the ball much but his movement unsettled Everton.

Leny Yoro (4/10):

Nearly got his side in trouble playing out.

Chido Obi (5/10):

His massive presence made for a good focal point although his few touches did not lead to anything.

Ruben Amorim (6/10):

Looked exasperated with what he witnessed in the first half but his changes helped swing the game back in his side's favour.

Leeds United are currently competing to return to the Premier League at the second time of asking in the Championship, after they lost in the play-offs last season.

The Whites were relegated in the 2022/23 campaign in the top-flight and that came after they cashed in on midfielder Kalvin Phillips and winger Raphinha in the summer of 2022 under Jesse Marsch.

Raphinha was sold to Spanish giants Barcelona for a reported fee of £55m and Manchester City agreed a £45m deal with the club to snap up Phillips.

Losing both players was clearly a blow to the squad, given the relegation that followed, and the England international’s departure was a particularly disappointing one.

Kalvin Phillips' Leeds United career

The Yorkshire-born star came up through the youth ranks at Thorp Arch and worked his way into the first-team, playing at Championship and Premier League for Leeds.

In his career at Elland Road, Phillips scored 14 goals and provided 13 assists in 234 appearances in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit.

Appearances

29

20

Pass accuracy

85%

82%

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Tackles + interceptions per game

4.2

3.9

Duel success rate

52%

46%

As you can see in the table above, his best season in the top-flight with Leeds came in the 2020/21 campaign under Marcelo Bielsa, as he showed his ability in and out of possession.

At the end of that season, the club swooped to sign teenage midfielder Lewis Bate from Chelsea for a fee of £1.5m and they may have felt they had their next Phillips in the making, but it did not work out that way.

Lewis Bate's Leeds career

The impressive teenager arrived at Elland Road having been capped by England at U17, U18, and U20 level, and he had been on the bench for the Blues in the Premier League and the Champions League.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Bate made 23 appearances for the club’s U21 side during the 2021/22 campaign and clearly did enough to impress Bielsa, who handed him a Premier League debut against West Ham in January 2022 at the age of 19. This suggests that the former Whites boss believed in the English whiz’s potential at the time.

The youngster struggled in that game, though, as he lost eight of his ten duels, and his next two league appearances for the team did not come until May, against Arsenal and Chelsea – losing 11 of 12 duels in those two matches.

Bate struggled in those games at Premier League level but his emergence in the first-team and the trust put in him by Bielsa to play at that level and that age suggested that he had Phillips-esque potential to develop into a star for the Whites.

Marsch replaced Bielsa and decided to send the then-20-year-old out on loan to Oxford United in League One, where the central midfielder managed one goal in 23 appearances, which means that instead of stepping up to replace Phillips after his exit in 2022, the former Chelsea man was only deemed good enough for the third division.

He then failed to score in 20 League One games for MK Dons on loan in the 2023/24 campaign. At the end of that season, Daniel Farke did not opt to renew the English gem’s contract and he left on a free transfer, eventually joining Stockport County in the third tier.

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ByDan Emery Nov 16, 2024

The 22-year-old, who has provided three assists in 13 League One games this season, never managed to build on his early success in emerging as a first-team option under Bielsa as a teenager, but still has plenty of time left in his career to work his way back to the top, even if that is now not going to be at Elland Road.

Conditions have been tricky, but unlike Australia the visitors have not been able to find a way

Andrew McGlashan07-Feb-2022Across all the England cricket teams that have visited Australia this season they are currently 13-0 down with one match, the final ODI of the multi-format women’s Ashes, left to play.It has been a season of batting collapses for the visiting sides, the latest of which on Sunday saw Australia win the Ashes at a canter in Melbourne. Heading into the ODI World Cup in New Zealand it is a concern for Heather Knight’s team.England twice had it within their grasp to keep the series alive but fluffed their lines: they lost 6 for 26 in the second innings of a one-day style chase in the Test match, having played outstandingly to engineer a winning position, and in the first ODI could not hunt down 206 albeit on a tricky surface in Canberra.On Sunday, they produced their worst batting display of the tour as they subsided to 129 all out on what, again, was a pitch with some assistance but as Ellyse Perry later showed was possible to overcome with application.Related

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Earlier in the tour, there were caveats after a very difficult build-up, then two of the T20Is being washed out, but as Knight noted after the ODI loss in Canberra the team has had long enough to shake off the rust now.”One of our top five or six needs to take responsibility a bit more often and make sure you are there at the end of the innings,” Nat Sciver said on Sunday.Alyssa Healy noted how batting conditions throughout the Australian summer have been tricky, but one of England’s better performances – in the first T20I in Adelaide – was not enough as the home side won with three overs to spare and Australia’s batters have been able to find a way in the first two ODIs.”The wickets here have been really conducive to seam bowling all summer,” Healy said. “Hasn’t felt like we’ve had a real flat track. The most pleasing thing for me personally has been getting ourselves out of a corner.”We’ve won games that we haven’t looked like we’ve been able to win…so the fact we are able to fight and scrap and work our way back into fixtures to win games with our backs against the wall has been really impressive. Leading into a World Cup it’s hugely important and will give us great confidence knowing that we can back our skills under pressure.”There were concerns about England’s batting raised at the end of the last home season when they were twice bowled out for under 200 against New Zealand although they rebounded to finish the series with 347 for 5. But there remain holes in the order. In 11 innings since the start of last year, Lauren Winfield-Hill is averaging 25.63 and has not reached fifty in ODIs since 2016. Wicketkeeper Amy Jones, while a useful contributor in the middle order, averages 27.40 since the start of 2021. The fact Sophie Ecclestone has twice shown up some of the top order is not ideal.There were also batting problems for the England A side in their concurrent series against Australia A with them bowled out in all three matches for 219, 132 and 211.So while the Ashes have been lost, the final ODI shapes as an important match for England as they try to find some batting confidence although with the game being played on the same pitch at Junction Oval that may not be easy. It’s also the last chance for an England cricket team to secure a victory this season.

Jesse Lingard has become a sensation in South Korea within 12 months of his move to the K League 1 and has been praised for the impact he's had.

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Lingard hailed for bringing 'coolness and street cred' to FC SeoulEx-Man Utd star moved to South Korea last yearFC Seoul next play on MondayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱AFPWHAT HAPPENED?

The ex-Manchester United star spent six months as a free agent after leaving Nottingham Forest at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. In January 2024, he finally completed a move to K League 1 side FC Seou and in just a year, Lingard has become the talk of the town with his activities on and off the pitch. Lingard has now been credited for bringing 'a certain coolness and street cred' to his new club after making an impressive impact.

AdvertisementWHAT HAS BEEN SAID

Speaking to , Asian football expert and author John Duerden said: "Not many foreign players make the national news in South Korea for actions on and off the pitch but Jesse Lingard has not been any normal signing. For a start, he is the biggest name import to play in the 42-year-old K League and, therefore, has had more expectations and pressure than others.

"In the early days, it looked as if it wasn’t going to happen at FC Seoul, one of the country’s big clubs that has struggled a little in recent years. He took time to settle, leading to a rebuke, of sorts, from the coach but most don’t appreciate how big a cultural difference there is between South Korea and the UK both on and off the pitch. Just take the weather, absolutely freezing in winter and very hot and very humid in the summer and then there is the rainy season."

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Duerden added: "It is off the pitch though that Lingard has been different to any signing in the past. His music single Kamsahamnida was a surprise but his CGI video, released in December, attracted hundreds of millions of clicks, went down very well in Korea and made national news. Usual interactions with foreign players have usually not progressed much past questions such as 'do you like kimchi?' Or 'how good is Son Heung-min?' and comments about chopstick wielding competence. This is not something that has happened in the K-League before, it is a competition that is solid but seen by many, at home and abroad, as lacking a little in the excitement and coolness stakes.

"Officials at Seoul and at league headquarters were delighted. Lingard may not rival some of the megastars in Saudi Arabia in terms of talent and achievements, but he has brought a certain coolness and street cred that wasn’t really thought about when Seoul decided to try and sign him. It helps that he is here at a time when there is huge global interest in Korean music, food, television, beauty products, fashion, technology and movies and getting involved in that culture is always going to go down well. Too many foreign players stay in their bubbles and rarely experience, let alone embrace, the culture. Lingard has shown what can be done. Like anywhere, the more you put in, the more you get out."

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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR JESSE LINGARD?

The 32-year-old will be back in action next Monday as FC Seoul take on Gimcheon Sangmu in a K League 1 clash.

Celtic are looking to complete the January signing of an attacker who has been “absolutely on fire” over the last year, according to an exciting new transfer report.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops are being linked with plenty of new signings currently, with an audacious move for Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen being mooted in some quarters, in what would be a high-profile piece of business.

The Scottish Premiership giants may have to wait until the end of the season to snap up the Dane, however, at which point he will be out of contract at Old Trafford and available on a free transfer. At 32, his best days are now behind him, but that’s not to say that he wouldn’t be a hugely exciting addition to Brendan Rodgers’ squad.

A separate transfer claim has suggested that Celtic are eyeing two attacking players in the January transfer window, with left-sided and central options being eyed. They wouldn’t necessarily be immediate starters, whoever the additions are, but the plan would be to provide Rodgers with even more depth in the final third.

Rumours also continue to link the Hoops with a move for Motherwell’s highly-rated young midfielder Lennon Millner, but the likes of Newcastle United and Rangers are also thought to be providing competition for his signature. The teenager has started 13 league games this season, scoring two goals and registering four assists in the process.

Celtic eyeing January move for attacking sensation

According to a new update from Football Insider, Celtic are interested in signing Brondby attacker Mathias Kvistgaarden in the January window, having been linked with him in the past as well. The Hoops have “set their sights” on the 22-year-old, who is a long-term target, with the player himself suggesting that he “would be interested in a move away.”

Kvistgaarden could be an ideal January signing for Celtic, acting as one of the aforementioned additions midway through the season, bolstering Rodgers’ squad in the process. Granted, playing time wouldn’t be too easy to come by, considering the likes of Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah are already good options to lead the line, but he has plenty of pedigree and would be a long-term capture.

Kvistgaarden has scored 10 goals in just 12 starts in the Danish Superliga this season, highlighting his prolific nature in front of goal, while football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded him for being “absolutely on fire” at one stage last season.

The fact that Kvistgaarden could be available in January instead of next summer would be an added bonus for Celtic, allowing them to sign an exciting young player earlier than expected.

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As mentioned, he may have to accept that he would have to bide his time, in terms of starting regularly, but his record this season suggests he could immediately be a healthy threat to Kyogo and Idah, among others.