Leeds United are now racing to sign FC Midtjylland striker Franculino Dju, but it could take a huge offer to get a deal over the line.

Leeds strengthened their forward line considerably during the summer transfer window, but Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have so far flattered to deceive, having scored just three Premier League goals between them after 11 matches.

Some of Calvert-Lewin’s performances have been particularly concerning, with the former Everton man now on a six-game goal drought, losing his place in the starting line-up after registering an xG of just 0.03 in the 3-0 drubbing at Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is a case to be made that Daniel Farke’s side are not playing to the Englishman’s strengths, with Ross McCormack saying:

“The team has got to be built around him. Your full-backs and your wingers have got to put crosses into the box, and I don’t feel Leeds United do that enough.”

However, a return of just one goal in ten matches across all competitions is still way below par, and the Whites have now set their sights on a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Leeds join race to sign Franculino Dju

According to transfer expert Graeme Bailey, in a report for Leeds United News, Leeds have now joined the race for Midtjylland striker Franculino, but they will have to pay a club-record fee to get a deal over the line.

Bailey said: “He’s got a lot of teams looking at him. West Ham like him a lot, they looked at him in the summer. Midtjylland have put a £40m price tag on him.

“Teams will possibly try to soften that by putting in lesser offers. He’s got an awful lot of interest; I’m told over 20 clubs across Europe like him. Leeds have looked at him, he’s on their radar, they’ve watched him.”

With Nmecha and Calvert-Lewin underperforming, it is no surprise the Whites want to bring in some additional attacking firepower, and the 21-year-old is off to a flying start to the campaign, amassing 19 goals in 26 matches in all competitions.

Franculino’s goalscoring record this season	Appearances	Goals
Superliga	14	14
Europa League qualifying	6	1
Europa League	4	3
Oddset Pokalen	2	1

The Guinea-Bissau international has now earned the chance to prove himself at a higher level, having been a consistent goalscorer for the Danish side for quite some time, picking up a total of 52 goals and 13 assists in 99 outings.

Having been prolific in front of goal, the centre-forward was also lauded as “unstoppable” by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season.

With some tricky fixtures on the horizon, Leeds may need someone to come in and save their season in January, and it would certainly be worth taking a gamble on Franculino, although the huge asking price could be a stumbling block.

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Opener hits 158 off 167 balls as hosts edge closer to mathematical safety

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Essex 295 for 2 (Walter 158, Elgar 111*) trail Somerset 433 (Goldsworthy 100, Overton 60, Porter 3-66, Bennett 3-73) by 138 runsPaul Walter exerted total mastery over Somerset’s flagging bowlers as his highest first-class score of 158 eased Essex closer to safety in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.The left-hander was barely troubled as he combined perfect timing with seeing everything clearly and early while spraying the ball around Chelmsford with an air of supreme confidence. For much of his 167-ball innings he outscored his opening partner, the former South Africa captain Dean Elgar, two to one as the first-wicket pair compiled a stand of 277 in 61 overs. At the close Essex were 295 for 2.Elgar, too, reached a second century of the season but was content to play second fiddle while Walter pulled, drove and flicked with nonchalant ease 21 fours and three sixes. Elgar contributed 16 fours and a six in his unbeaten 212-ball 111.Somerset’s first-innings 433 had looked formidable until Essex made mincemeat of it in an emphatic response. That Somerset had achieved as many as they did was latterly down to Lewis Goldsworthy’s four-hour and 21-minute century that took 193 balls. He was last man out, a third wicket on debut for seamer Charlie Bennett, who finished with 3 for 73.When it was their turn, Somerset struggled to get any response out of a docile pitch and had tried seven bowlers to no avail by the 29th over. They spent two sessions literally chasing shadows on a sunny autumn day.Essex survived two overs before lunch and immediately afterwards Elgar punched back-to-back drives past mid-off for fours off Craig Overton. It set the tone for the rest of the day as they rattled along at above four-and-a-half runs an over.Walter was the most aggressive from the start, at one point lofting Archie Vaughan straight down the ground for four and cutting Lewis Gregory for another to reach a 54-ball fifty. An off-drive for his 13th boundary took Essex to three-figures in only 21 overs.Walter motored along at more than double the rate of his fellow left-hander. His dominance was summed up when he launched Jack Leach for six over long-off and next ball rocked on to his back foot to drive the spinner through the covers for four.When Walter reached his century from exactly 100 balls just before tea, having plundered 16 fours, Elgar was stuck on 49 from 10 balls more. It took Elgar a further dozen balls after tea to reach his fifty, courtesy of an angled shot backward of square off Kasey Aldridge and celebrated by lofting Vaughan straight back over the bowler’s head for six. Walter could not resist following suit and bounced down the wicket in the same over for another maximum.Walter’s third six, pulling Leach over square leg, took him past his previous highest score. His 150 took 154 balls, while Elgar’s 54th first-class century was reached in 184 balls.Walter eventually departed seven overs from stumps to a stupendous tumbling catch at midwicket by Goldsworthy off Overton, who also accounted for nightwatchman Simon Harmer before the close.To emphasis the unresponsiveness of the hybrid wicket, it took Essex an hour and three-quarters to winkle out the last four Somerset wickets while conceding a further 94 runs. Overton recorded a second successive fifty, and a third of the season, from the 54th ball he faced. But he fell to a ball in Harmer’s first over of the day that spun past his outstretched leg and bowled him between bat and pad after a partnership with Goldsworthy worth 98 in 20 overs.Another bowling change prefaced another wicket when Leach nibbled at one from Bennett to provide substitute wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes with a fourth catch. Gregory swept Harmer for six during a brief appearance but attempted a repeat next ball and top-edged to short fine leg.Goldsworthy made it to three-figures just in time, pushing a quick single off Harmer, but departed two balls later when he swung Bennett to deep square leg.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has got much to sit on over the November international break, having been thrashed 3-0 at Manchester City last weekend.

That one stung. It condemned Liverpool to their fifth defeat in six Premier League matches, and it undid the positivity built across two recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, clean sheets kept on both evenings.

It was not just the scoreline but the manner of the loss that is so concerning for the Reds, whose title defence is as flaky as could be possible.

In a similar way, it is not Arsenal’s eight-point advantage at the top of the table that is so worrying, but the fact that Slot’s side are so shorn of tactical understanding and confidence within the system.

Changes are needed, even after a summer of record-breaking change in the transfer market.

The changes Slot needs to make at Liverpool

It’s telling that after significant summer spending, Liverpool are still alarmingly thin at the back. Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury after joining from Parma for £27m in August has hardly helped, but the failure to land Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi has been underlined in its bungled nature.

Even if Leoni had avoided such a setback, it likely wouldn’t have been enough to make up for the dismal form of Ibrahima Konate, who is out of contract next summer and playing so erratically that many fans have lost the desire to fight online for the defender as Real Madrid continue to circle.

While it’s true that those in central midfield have failed to produce levels of physicality and verve that are needed to balance and combine with a central defence, Konate has done anything but help himself with such shoddy displays, with Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley labelling the Frenchman “a serious, serious problem”.

Liverpool’s issues run deeper, though. There’s a case to be made that Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak are all ‘better’ players than Luis Diaz, who was sold to Bayern Munich for about £66m in the summer.

However, Lucho has been a cut above all three, and Slot needs to recraft his team and establish a new offensive sharpness and get the best from these big-money recruits who all arrived with such a weight of expectation.

It will come as no surprise that Liverpool are believed to be gearing up for a winter of bustle in the January transfer market, and Spanish sources even claim the Anfield side could part with upward of £200m to fix the faults in the Slot machine.

The dream XI Slot could build at Liverpool

Sporting director Richard Hughes was heralded after the summer transfer window, having overseen a spending spree that journalist Henry Winter described as “probably be the greatest transfer window by a club ever”, albeit a point made before the market’s closure and with the assumption that Guehi would sign too.

However, if Liverpool mean to sign the Three Lions star, they will do so on a free contract next summer, perhaps in a one-in, one-out situation that will see Konate leave.

With that in mind, FSG may look to complete a marquee move for Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni. Earlier this month, reports from Spain suggest the Reds are looking to complete a deal for the Italian, who is valued at €100m (£87m).

Regarded for his “world-class” technical ability by commentator Matteo Bonetti, Bastoni’s ball-playing tendencies would ostensibly pave over the error-strewn struggles of Konate.

But Liverpool’s problems are wider, and there’s a sense that the midfield needs an addition, especially with Alexis Mac Allister so badly out of sorts.

Though this latest rumour might be viewed as something of a pipe dream, there have been murmurs nonetheless of Merseyside interest in Paris Saint-Germain superstar Vitinha, who pipped Mohamed Salah to third place in the 2025 Ballon d’Or.

Vitinha, 25, would certainly not come cheap after orchestrating PSG’s glittering 2024/25 campaign, and it’s reported that a £114m offer might be needed to bring him over to the Premier League.

We cannot deny the Argentina star has been well below his best this season, and Liverpool could do with more press resistance and control in the middle of the park.

Vitinha would solve these issues, hailed by Portugal manager Roberto Martinez as “the best midfielder in the world” for his performances in Paris.

Matches (starts)

11 (9)

10 (9)

Goals

1

0

Assists

6

2

Touches*

117.5

45.1

Accurate passes

102.3 (94%)

30.3 (86%)

Chances created*

1.5

0.9

Dribbles*

0.5

0.0

Recoveries*

4.9

2.9

Tackles + interceptions*

1.2

1.6

Duels (won)*

2.3 (60%)

2.5 (45%)

The vast difference in form between the respective midfielders is staggering, and while Vitinha isn’t a midfielder who gets all that stuck in defensively, his accuracy in the duel and energy in closing down and recovering balls emphasise the quality he would add to Liverpool’s engine room.

Perhaps such an acquisition would rekindle Liverpool’s attacking fire. After all, with the likes of Isak and Ekitike competing for a berth at number nine, Wirtz and Salah and the rest surrounding them, there is every reason for Slot to find a solution and bring this club back to the fore.

Whether Liverpool would actually succeed in pulling off two audacious winter deals is another question, but there’s no question that Hughes is prowling across the market and looking to find ways to revive this struggling side.

With Vitinha and Bastoni restoring balance to the defence and midfield, we might still see another spectacular season.

Liverpool’s dream XI in full: (GK) Alisson; (RB) Conor Bradley, (CB) Alessandro Bastoni, (CB) Virgil van Dijk, (LB) Andy Robertson; (DM) Vitinha, (CM) Ryan Gravenberch, (CM) Dominik Szoboszlai; (RW) Mohamed Salah, (LW) Florian Wirtz, (CF) Alexander Isak

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Pope demotion opens door for Bethell at No.3; Mark Wood travels after missing home summer

Matt Roller23-Sep-20252:05

What does Brook’s Ashes vice-captaincy means for Pope?

Harry Brook has replaced Ollie Pope as England’s vice-captain in a move that could open the door for Jacob Bethell to bat at No. 3 in the Ashes this winter. Pope’s demotion, flagged by Brendon McCullum earlier this month, was confirmed when England announced a 16-man squad to tour Australia on Tuesday, in which Will Jacks is the surprise name.Pope has stood in for Ben Stokes five times in the past 14 months, most recently overseeing England’s six-run defeat to India in the final Test of their series this summer. He started that series with a century at Headingley but finished it with an average of 34 after his form fell away and finds his spot under mounting pressure, not least after Bethell’s recent white-ball success.Brook’s promotion comes after he took over from Jos Buttler as England’s limited-overs captain earlier this year, and his role as vice-captain is more important than usual, amid continued uncertainty around Stokes’ fitness. England said that Stokes “remains on track” to be available for the first Ashes Test on November 21 after injuring his shoulder while bowling against India.Jacks’ recall is the biggest surprise, coming nearly three years after he played his only two Tests in Pakistan. He has been picked ahead of Rehan Ahmed, Liam Dawson and Jack Leach as the reserve spinner behind Shoaib Bashir, although he will miss the preceding white-ball tour to New Zealand after breaking a finger on his left hand while fielding against South Africa earlier this month.Will Jacks and Brook, pictured at Rawalpindi in 2022, will be team-mates in Australia this winter•Getty Images

Jacks took six wickets in his two previous Tests – all in the same innings – but his return comes as a shock, not least after Dawson’s return to the fold this summer. He has only made five first-class appearances for Surrey across the last two seasons, but is about as close to Bashir as England have in terms of physical attributes and has been picked ahead of more established spinners.Matthew Potts, the Durham seamer, is recalled as the sixth frontline quick, with Chris Woakes not considered after dislocating his shoulder during the Oval Test. Potts, who last played a Test in New Zealand late last year, did not feature in any of England’s squads during the India series but is the beneficiary of Jamie Overton’s decision to put his first-class career on pause.Mark Wood, who has not played competitively since the Champions Trophy, has been named in the squad after missing the home summer with a knee injury. He is the only one of England’s six seamers to have featured in a Test in Australia previously, with Potts, Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse and Josh Tongue all embarking on their first Ashes tours.Pope (left) captained England in their most recent Test, against India in July•Getty Images

However, it is the identity of England’s No. 3 that will prompt the most discussion over the next two months, with Pope’s position increasingly vulnerable. Bethell made 6 and 5 at No. 6 in his only Test of the summer, but scored his first international hundred in an ODI against South Africa this month, and will have further opportunities to stake his claim next month.Those chances will come on a white-ball tour to New Zealand, where England will play three T20Is and three ODIs on their way to Australia. Zak Crawley is in line to make his T20I debut on that tour after winning a call-up on the back of his success in the Hundred this summer, while Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Archer are all rested before returning for the ODIs.Dawson, Sam Curran and Luke Wood will all be retained for the 50-over leg of the New Zealand tour, with Curran’s recall particularly notable after England’s struggles to balance their ODI side against South Africa. Saqib Mahmood will miss the tour after “minor” knee surgery, while Sonny Baker has kept his spot in both white-ball squads despite expensive debuts.Jordan Cox has kept his spot in England’s T20I squad after his match-winning 55 against Ireland on Sunday, but is overlooked for the Ashes as expected. Pope’s familiar status as England’s utility man has earned him the role of back-up wicketkeeper, in the event that Smith is unavailable.There is some crossover between the squads for the New Zealand tour and for the Ashes, and some of those not picked for the white-ball squads will travel to New Zealand to acclimatise before joining up with England Lions in Australia. The Lions will provide England with their only warm-up opposition before the first Test in a three-day match at Lilac Hill from November 13-15, with a squad likely to be named later this week.Mark Wood last played for England at the Champions Trophy•ICC/Getty Images

England winter squads:T20I squad vs New Zealand: Harry Brook (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Jamie Overton, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Luke Wood.ODI squad vs New Zealand: Jofra Archer, Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Jamie Smith replace Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley and Phil Salt from the T20I squad.Tests vs Australia: Ben Stokes (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Josh Tongue, Mark Wood.New Zealand fixtures (all D/N):T20Is: October 18, 20 (both Christchurch) and 23 (Auckland).
ODIs: October 26 (Mount Maunganui), 29 (Hamilton) and November 1 (Wellington).Ashes fixtures:1st Test: November 21-25 (Perth)
2nd Test: December 4-8 (Brisbane, D/N)
3rd Test: December 17-21 (Adelaide)
4th Test: December 26-30 (Melbourne)
5th Test: January 4-8 (Sydney)

“If he had batted through the powerplay, we would probably have scored 190”

Danyal Rasool22-Sep-20251:45

Was Fakhar Zaman out or not out?

Pakistan have made their dissatisfaction over Fakhar Zaman’s dismissal against India in the sides’ Super Four game in the Asia Cup known to the match officials. Following the game, in the captain’s customary report to match referee Andy Pycroft and the Umpires and Referees manager, Pakistan shone a spotlight on the TV umpire’s decision to declare Fakhar caught by the wicketkeeper off a slower delivery from Hardik Pandya. Sanju Samson dived forward to complete a catch, one that was only confirmed after the on-field umpires sent the decision to the TV umpire Ruchira Palliyaguruge.In the post match press conference, on Sunday night Pakistan captain Salman Agha also took slight issue with Fakhar’s dismissal, saying it “did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper”. Fakhar, promoted up the order to open the batting, got Pakistan off to a brisk start, scoring three boundaries in his first eight balls and speeding to 15.Hardik had rolled his fingers over the ninth delivery, and the deviation drew an outside edge from Fakhar. But with little pace on the ball, Sanju Samson had to reach forward to get his gloves underneath the ball. Feeling satisfied he had done so, India went up in appeal. The TV umpire had a couple of looks at the replay before deciding the catch was cleanly taken, and that the ball had bounced in the gloves rather than just in front.Related

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Post-match, Agha guardedly disagreed. “Umpires can make mistakes,” he said. “But it did look like it bounced ahead of the keeper to me. I might be wrong. The way [Fakhar] was batting, if he had batted through the powerplay, we would probably have scored 190. But those are calls for umpires to make. To me, it looked like it bounced before the keeper. I might be mistaken, but so might be the umpire.”At the time, the dismissal did little to halt Pakistan’s momentum. While Saim Ayub couldn’t score at the same rate, Sahibzada Farhan at the other end sped along to a 34-ball half-century as Pakistan darted to 55 in the powerplay and 91 in the first ten, both Pakistani records against India.”The batting was a lot better today, and that’s a positive,” Agha said. “The way our start was, we could have scored 15 more. But when the ball goes soft after ten overs, it’s not as easy to bat. But we didn’t bowl as well in the powerplay and got punished. But our start should have ensured we scored 180.”Ultimately, Pakistan finished with 171 after India’s bowlers came back strongly following the drinks break. The subsequent seven overs produced just one boundary and 38 runs, the lowest for any side in that phase all tournament. India made short work in pursuit, reaching 100 without loss in the ninth over, and ultimately coasting to a six-wicket win. During that time, Mohammad Nawaz put down a sharp chance Shubman Gill provided, while Farhan palmed one off Abishek over the rope for six.”Bowling or batting, we look to play the perfect game,” Agha said. “To win, you have to excel in all three facets of the game. We didn’t field well or start well with the ball. We have to forget this game because we have one the day after tomorrow. We’re looking forward to delivering a better performance there.”

Southampton return to action in the Championship this weekend as they prepare to travel to Charlton on Saturday, and they appear no closer to appointing a permanent successor to Will Still.

TalkSPORT recently claimed that Sport Republic are ‘seriously considering’ appointing current interim manager Tonda Eckert on a permanent basis, after his first two matches in the dugout.

The 32-year-old head coach is set to lead the team out for a third game against Charlton this weekend, and another win would do his chances of landing the role no harm.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

Eckert deserves credit for providing the team with an instant boost after Still’s departure, as he masterminded a 2-1 win over QPR and a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship.

However, it may not be the right time to appoint him as the permanent head coach because of his lack of experience in first-team management in his career so far.

Eckert had only ever been an assistant manager before his move to join the U21s as their head coach this summer, and he managed nine Premier League 2 matches before his two senior games as the current interim, per Transfermarkt.

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This means that Southampton have no evidence available to judge what an Eckert team will look like in 15, 20, or 30 games, or if he has the first-team coaching ability to lead a promotion push.

Earlier this month, Michael Carrick was named as a reported contender for the job, and hiring the former Middlesbrough boss could end the Eckert experiment at St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should hire Michael Carrick

Unlike the German interim, Carrick would arrive on the south coast with bundles of Championship experience as a manager, which may be what the Saints need right now.

The former Manchester United midfielder, who was hailed as an “insanely talented coach” by former Boro player Lukas Engel, has been out of work since moving on from Middlesbrough at the end of last season.

Carrick also has the specific experience of taking over a team in a similar position to the one that Southampton are in now and leading them to a play-off finish, as that is what he did with Boro in the 2022/23 campaign.

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

As you can see in the table above, the 4-2-3-1 tactician took over with Middlesbrough after they had a dismal start to the season, in 18th place, and led them to fourth and the play-offs.

Southampton are currently 17th after 15 matches, with 18 points on the board, which means that Carrick would arrive in an incredibly similar situation at St. Mary’s. This could make him the ideal candidate for the job, as he has very specific experience for the job that is required.

Some supporters may see that he finished 10th and eighth in his last two seasons with Boro, but the underlying numbers behind those two campaigns suggest that he was let down by his squad.

League finish

8th

10th

xPTS (Expected league finish)

73 (5th)

71 (6th)

xG

69.5

67.4

xGA

55.0

56.4

xGD

+14.5

+11.3

As you can see in the table above, Boro ranked inside the top six for xPTS in both of those seasons, suggesting that their performances were of a play-off calibre, but the players did not make the most of those performances to pick up the results needed.

This is why Southampton should not be put off by Carrick’s ‘failure’ to get Boro in the play-offs in the last two seasons, and is further evidence that he could be a major upgrade on the inexperienced Eckert.

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Therefore, the out-of-work English manager could be the perfect hire for Southampton for the position that they currently find themselves in, as he has the coaching ability and experience to drive the team back up the table to fight for the play-offs.

The step up from the Championship to the Premier League is a difficult one to make, as Leeds United have found out so far this season with 11 points from 11 games.

Joel Piroe is a player who perfectly illustrates the gap between the two divisions. He was the top goalscorer in the second tier with 19 goals last season, yet he has no goals in five Premier League games and has been an unused substitute five times, per Sofascore.

As Daniel Farke learns more and more about his players in the top-flight, other stars from the 2024/25 campaign may end up losing their place in the starting line-up, as Piroe did.

Club captain and starting defensive midfielder Ethan Ampadu has started all nine of his appearances in the Premier League this season, but he is not undroppable.

Why Ethan Ampadu is not undroppable for Leeds

The Wales international has been a fantastic player for the club since his move from Chelsea in the summer of 2023, leading the Whites to the title as captain last term.

Ampadu is not undroppable, though, as some of his performances in the number six position for Leeds in the Premier League have left a little bit to be desired from, most recently against Nottingham Forest.

Vs Forest

Ethan Ampadu

Minutes

90

Pass accuracy

76%

Possession lost

15x

Tackles won

1

Ground duels won

3/7

Aerial duels won

1/2

Fouls committed

3

Dribbled past

1x

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh midfielder lost the majority of his ground duels and was dribbled past as many times as he completed a tackle, which shows that it was a bit too easy for the Forest midfielders to get the better of him.

Per FotMob, Ampadu ranks within the bottom 40% of midfielders in the division for being dribbled past (four times) and the bottom 39% for aerial duel success rate (50%). This shows that his issues against Forest were not isolated incidents.

With this in mind, Farke could improve the robustness of his midfield by ruthlessly dropping the skipper to unleash Anton Stach in a new role as the number six.

Why Leeds should play Anton Stach over Ethan Ampadu

Per Transfermarkt, all of the German midfielder’s starts in the Premier League this season have been as a central midfielder or as an attacking midfielder. That is despite the fact that he has more starts in his career (138) as a defensive midfielder than in any other role.

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AllLeedsTV presenter Oscar Marrio, who claimed Stach “was cooking” earlier in the season, recently noted that the 6 foot 4 star “excelled” for Hoffenheim as a number six, earning him a comparison to Arsenal star Declan Rice.

Stach’s defensive output as a central midfielder in the Premier League so far this term suggests that he does have the potential to offer more security in front of the defence than Ampadu has.

25/26 Premier League

Ampadu

Stach

Tackles won

23

15

Duels won

39

49

Duel success rate

57%

60%

Aerial duels won

8

17

Aerial duel success rate

50%

85%

Dribbled past

4x

1x

Fouls committed

16

14

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, the £17.4m signing from Hoffenheim has outperformed the Welshman in duels, particularly in the air, and has been harder to get past for opposition midfielders.

These statistics suggest that Stach, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, could be well-suited to sitting in as the number six in Farke’s 4-3-3 system to provide a physical presence in front of the back four.

Ampadu’s struggles aerially and in allowing players to dribble past him as the number six have been evident, which is why dropping him from the line-up to unleash Stach in a new role, albeit one he has played a lot elsewhere in his career, could be a good move.

That also does not mean that the captain has to completely lose his place in the team. Farke could play the former Chelsea man as one of the two midfielders ahead of Stach, to see if that is a more successful dynamic.

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Italian national team coach Gennaro Gattuso has apologised to fans after Italy’s heavy 4-1 defeat to Norway. The coach believes the match was split into two distinct halves, with Italy performing well in the first but collapsing in the second due to fear and fragility. Italy now wait for the draw to learn who they will face in the play off in March.

• Norway's historic qualification to the World Cup finals

  Italy entered their decisive qualifier against Norway needing a near-impossible 9-0 victory to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup. Despite the daunting task, they made a promising start when Pio Esposito opened the scoring, giving Italy a 1-0 lead that they held until half-time. However, the match dramatically shifted after the break.

  Norway responded with authority as Antonio Nusa equalised, before Erling Haaland struck twice to put the visitors firmly in control. Jorgen Strand Larsen added a fourth, sealing a dominant 4-1 win for Norway at the San Siro. The result confirmed Norway’s return to the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998.

  The match also saw a tense incident involving Italian defender Gianluca Mancini, who provoked Haaland, prompting the Norwegian striker to react angrily. Haaland had to be restrained by his club teammate Gianluigi Donnarumma before the situation escalated.

  Manchester City goalkeeper Donnarumma commented on the loss, believing that Italy switched off in the second half when he said “the big problem was that we stopped playing in the second half.” 

  He added: “It was a totally different match in the first half, we never let them out of their own half. We’ve got to do that for 95 minutes rather than 45, that is for sure.”

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  Gattuso's apology to the fans

  Earlier, Gattuso criticised the travelling supporters who protested against the Italian team after their late 2-0 win over Moldova. However, following Italy’s 4-1 loss to Norway, Gattuso apologised in the post-match press conference. He said: “We must apologise to our fans because 4-1 is a heavy defeat. It's a shame because we had a very good first half, where we played as a real team.

  “There were two games. In the first half, the team played very well, We lacked distance, we were more compact in the first half, we never gave them any space.

  “In the second half, we struggled enormously. We gave our opponents space, we let them into our area.

  “There is a lot of disappointment. The lads deserved a different evening, but instead we got everything wrong and they hurt us.”

  Gattuso also pointed to the turning point of the match, noting that Norway’s goal immediately after  the restart created fear. He said: “The game changed when they had their first shot on goal in the first 30 seconds of the second half.

  “In the second half we conceded a goal after 30 seconds [two goals within 30 seconds] and then our fragility came to the fore.”

  He then outlined how Italy must improve ahead of the play off in March 2026. He said “Matches last 95 minutes, and in this one our flaws came to the fore. If we concede a few goals, we start to panic. We'll face up to it, take responsibility, and in March we'll need 95 minutes like the first half. There's not much time between now and March, we need to work on our weaknesses.”

• Italy's qualification scenario

  For Italy, the defeat means they must once again face the pressure of the play offs. The Azzurri will learn their path to the 2026 World Cup when the European play off draw takes place on Thursday, and they are assured of being one of the top seeds. Despite this advantage, the stakes remain high. Italy have not appeared in a World Cup since 2014, suffering painful play off exits to Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia in 2022. The upcoming play offs therefore represent a crucial opportunity for the national team to finally return to the sport’s biggest stage and end over a decade of absence.

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  Gattuso prepares for the playoffs

  Gattuso will use the coming months to carefully assess the team’s strengths and weaknesses, aiming to develop tactical solutions that give the Azzurri the best chance of returning to the World Cup.

Arsenal are prepared to entertain offers for four players in January provided the right offers comes in. The Gunners spent big over the summer, splashing the cash to land the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi. In a bid to balance the books, the Premier League leaders are prepared to trim their squad in the New Year despite battling on a number of fronts.

Arsenal have enjoyed a flying start to the season

Arsenal enjoyed a memorable summer window as they spent big to bolster the squad. Having earned three successive second-placed finishes, the Gunners backed Mikel Arteta in the market to assemble a squad capable of challenging for major domestic and continental honours.

The investment is reaping early rewards as Arsenal top the Premier League, four points clear of Manchester City and eight ahead of defending champions Liverpool. Arteta's side, meanwhile, are one of three sides, along with German giants Bayern Munich and Italian powerhouse Inter Milan, to have won all four Champions League matches to date.

Yet after investing heavily in the squad in the off-season, Arsenal are prepared to listen to offers for a number of out-of-favour stars. Additionally, in a World Cup year, playing time is key, with fringe players eager to chance their luck elsewhere in order to force their way into their respective national teams.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportAttacking trio up for grabs in January

And the Gunners are willing to listen to offers for Brazilian pair Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus in the New Year. Martinelli has recently lost his starting spot on the left flank to Leandro Trossard, and it means the 24-year-old has been restricted to just two league starts this season. If a significant offer for the Brazilian comes in, with a move to Saudi Arabia mooted, then the Gunners will be prepared to cash in on the wideman, according to the Daily Mail.

Additionally, compatriot Gabriel Jesus is another who could be on the move in the New Year. Jesus has been sidelined since January owing to an ACL injury sustained in the FA Cup third round tie against Manchester United with the club for the former Manchester City man to garner some minutes between now and the New Year in order to offload the striker, either in January or the summer.

Jesus has dropped behind Kai Havertz and summer signing Gyokeres, so playing time will be hard to come by for the Brazilian forward. Additionally, the club are prepared to sanction Ethan Nwaneri's exit, provided a suitable loan offer comes in for the teenager. Nwaneri penned a new long-term deal with the club earlier this year but he's found consistent playing time hard to come by, with all five league appearances coming from the bench. The Gunners are also described as "open to offers" for Ben White.

Lewis-Skelly going nowhere

The same report also highlights one player who won't be leaving in January. Myles Lewis-Skelly has struggled for regular game time for Arsenal this season, despite establishing himself as first choice left-back under Arteta last season.

However, the 19-year-old has dropped behind Riccardo Calafiori in the pecking order, with the teenager restricted to cup starts this season. Indeed, all seven league appearances have come from the bench.

It had been suggested that Lewis-Skelly would seek a move away from the Emirates in the New Year having lost his spot in the England squad. The youngster was previously first choice at left-back for the national team, but has lost his spot to Manchester City's Nico O'Reilly.

A lack of playing time at club level meant Lewis-Skelly didn't even make the England squad for November meetings with Serbia and Albania. Even so, Arsenal are keen to retain his services, particularly as Calafiori returned to Arsenal from international duty with Italy sooner than expected with an injury scare.

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Getty Images SportArsenal have injury issues ahead of North London Derby

Arsenal will hope to bounce back from a disappointing 2-2 draw with Sunderland prior to the international break when they resume domestic duties this weekend. Brian Brobbey's late strike at the Stadium of Light meant the spoils were shared last weekend but the Gunners have a great chance to get back to winning ways when they welcome rivals Tottenham to the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners then take on Bayern in the Champions League and end the month with a trip to rivals Chelsea. Arteta is expected to make do without key centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes after the Brazilian suffered a thigh injury on international duty against Senegal at the Emirates on Saturday.

"Arsenal player Gabriel Magalhaes was re-evaluated this Sunday and underwent imaging tests that revealed a muscle injury in his right thigh," a statement by the Brazilian Football Confederation said on Sunday.

The defender isn't the only player in danger of missing Sunday's North London Derby, with striker Gyokeres and captain Martin Odegaard both fitness concerns for the Gunners. However, Calafiori, Havertz, Martinelli and Noni Madueke are all expected to be fit for the game against Spurs.

He had missed IPL 2024 and was a late addition to the 2025 auction list. And his return was forgettable

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Mar-20252:03

Hayden on Archer: ‘Not sure I’ve seen a poorer IPL bowling performance’

Jofra Archer broke the record of leaking the most runs in an IPL spell of four overs when he was smashed for 76 runs while representing Rajasthan Royals (RR) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on the second day of IPL 2025. Here are some of the most expensive spells in the IPL:

Jofra Archer 0 for 76 vs SRH, 2025

Having entered the 2025 auction as a last-minute addition after some back and forth with the ECB and a paycut in his central contact with them, Archer had the most inauspicious start to a new IPL season with his old side RR. He came on as first change after SRH had already racked up 55 in four overs and he was taken apart immediately by his Ashes rival Travis Head for a 23-run over which also included a wide. Head’s dismissal didn’t change Archer’s fortunes though as Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Heinrich Klaasen carted him around for six more fours and three sixes to make him top this list.

Mohit Sharma 0 for 73 vs DC, 2024

Mohit Sharma was introduced in the 12th over of DC’s innings. Rishabh Pant welcomed him with a boundary and continued his assault in the subsequent overs. When Mohit returned to bowl the final over of the innings, Pant unleashed a flurry of sixes. He smashed the GT pace bowler for 6, 4, 6, 6, and 6, resulting in the most expensive spell in IPL history at the time.

Basil Thampi 0 for 70 vs RCB, 2018

A brutal night in Bengaluru saw SRH’s Basil Thampi have a torrid time. When Moeen Ali welcomed him into the attack with back-to-back sixes, it set the tone for the RCB batting unit to pile on the runs. AB de Villiers, Colin de Grandhomme, and Sarfaraz Khan joined in, hitting Thampi for five fours and six sixes, resulting in a forgettable spell.

Yash Dayal 0 for 69 vs KKR, 2023

Rinku Singh stunned everyone by smashing five sixes in the final over to pull off an astonishing chase against Gujarat Titans. And it was GT’s Yash Dayal who bore the brunt. Dayal was tasked with defending 29 runs in the last over, with his figures already being 0 for 38. However, he couldn’t find an answer to Rinku’s barrage of sixes, ending with 0 for 69.

Luke Wood 1 for 68 vs Delhi Capitals, 2024

Gerald Coetzee had a stomach bug in the MI side, and Luke Wood probably felt a bit queasy himself after his first three balls went for 14 thanks to the baseball-style hitting of James Fraser-McGurk. After conceding just eight in the second over, Wood was taken for two sixes by Shai Hope in his third. In his fourth, Tristan Stubbs decided Wood had been hit in front of the wicket enough and hit four consecutive boundaries with scoops & reverse-scoops. The over ended up going for 26.

Reece Topley 1 for 68 vs SRH, 2024

RCB were hammered for the highest team total in IPL history at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and it was Reece Topley who felt the heat. Despite taking the wicket of Abhishek Sharma, Topley’s figures were 1 for 43 after three overs. His final over turned into a nightmare when Abdul Samad hit 4, 4, 6, 6, and 4, helping SRH surpass the record team total of 263 runs.