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Tottenham Hotspur steadied the ship on Saturday afternoon with a thumping 4-0 win against Everton and, in turn, reminded the rest of the Premier League that at their free-flowing best, they can tear teams to pieces.

However, Ange Postecoglou's side don't play again until Sunday, so, like the rest of the league, their fans have shifted their focus to the transfer window's conclusion.

Thus far, the North Londoners have enjoyed a relatively fruitful summer, bringing in youngsters like Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert alongside established stars like Dominic Solanke, and while many clubs would now kick their feet up happy with their business, Daniel Levy and Co are reportedly keen to do more.

In fact, recent reports have touted a Premier League-proven midfielder for a move to N17 before 11pm tomorrow, a player who'd add some extra quality to the squad and potentially help James Maddison reach another level.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to transfers expert Dean Jones on the latest episode of the Ranks FC Podcast, Tottenham are interested in signing Nottingham Forest ace Morgan Gibbs-White.

Jones revealed that the Lilywhites are looking to bring in a player with "power" to play in the midfield and that Gibbs-White is "someone they like," even if they view him less as a traditional eight and more as someone adept at "breaking out" of midfield.

It's not mentioned how much the £80k-per-week ace could cost Spurs, but reports from earlier in the summer claimed that the Tricky Trees would demand an offer in excess of £40m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line at this point in the window, but given Gibbs-White's quality, it's one worth pursuing, especially as he could help Maddison reach another level.

Why Gibbs-White would be a great signing for Maddison

Okay, so there are two main reasons that Gibbs-White could potentially help Maddison reach another level this season: his positional versatility and output.

The reason that the latter would help the former Leicester City ace is simply that if the Forest man is playing alongside him, creating chances for the 27-year-old and finishing the chances he creates for him, his goal and assist tallies will naturally improve.

For example, despite playing in a rather lacklustre team last season, the Stafford-born dynamo scored six goals and provided ten assists in 42 appearances, equating to a goal involvement once every 2.62, lending credence to journalist Josh Bunting's description of the player as "sensational."

Appearances

42

Goals

6

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

His versatility, on the other hand, could help the Lilywhites number ten in a couple of ways. The first is that, despite his experience playing in attacking midfield, his ability to play in central midfield and even out wide means he won't cannibalise the minutes his potential new teammate will be expecting this season.

The next reason is that his ability to fill in where needed should hopefully allow him to build up more of a relationship with the regular starters and, in turn, help improve the all-around effectiveness of the side.

Ultimately, while the fee is high, Gibbs-White's attacking ability combined with his positional versatility would see him become a very useful player at Tottenham and someone who could facilitate Maddison, thus helping him reach another level.

Like Romero: Spurs target £21m UCL winner who's a "cheat code"

The experienced international would be a great addition to Postecoglou’s squad

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 23, 2024

Coleen Rooney broke down in tears upon being reunited with her mother and sons Cass and Kit in the latest episode of 'I'm a Celebrity'.

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Coleen on 'I'm a Celeb'Breaks down seeing familySon aim cheeky dig at herFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Coleen, wife to Plymouth boss Wayne Rooney, has been in the jungle in Australia for nearly three weeks now, and on Friday, she and her fellow contestants were allowed to have a brief reunion with their nearest and dearest. The 38-year-old burst into tears when she saw her mum Colette McLoughlin and her youngest sons Kit, eight, and Cass, six. Upon hugging one another, Kit joked: "She stinks!"

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As the ITV show nears its conclusion, Coleen is in the final four with McFly singer Danny Jones, professional dancer Oti Mabuse, and Reverend Richard Coles. Wayne and her family will be cheering Coleen on in the final days of the competition but will itching to have her back in England.

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While Coleen braves it in the jungle on 'I'm a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!', husband Wayne will hope his Plymouth team can beat Swansea City on Tuesday in the Championship.

Ange Postecoglou has warned against burning Rodrigo Bentancur 'at the stake' after Tottenham appealed against his ban for racist comments.

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• Bentancur was punished by FA
• Made comments about team-mate Son
• Spurs appealed against seven-game ban

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Bentancur was banned by the FA for seven games after making a racist comment towards his team-mate, Son Heung-min, as he suggested South Korean people are indistinguishable from each other. The Uruguay international apologised for his comments but the Football Association has handed him a suspension, and Spurs have appealed the severity of the ban.

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  A minimum six-game ban is applied for racist comments, but because Bentancur's comment was deemed an "aggravated breach", an extra game has been added. That fixture will take place against Liverpool, and a perhaps cynical read would be to suggest that Spurs are merely trying to ensure he is available for the big game. Postecoglou has insisted that he stands behind Spurs' decision to take issue with the severity of the suspension and maintains the opposition in game number seven has had no impact on the decision.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  Asked if Spurs were sending a mixed message by appealing the sanction, Postecoglou said: "I'm not interested in looks or what people want to make… He's said he's made a mistake. We'll accept whatever penalty comes our way. We believe that the first one was a little bit harsh so we've appealed that which I think is our right. That's the whole process. Even if you look at the punishment, it's at the lower end of the scale so even the people who have all of the information have adjudicated that way.

  "I get that people want to burn people at the stake nowadays, but as I keep saying part of this process if you want real education and progress is to understand that when somebody makes a mistake and they pay the penalty, part of that is education and hopefully treating them in the way that people see that's a way forward, whether it's Rodrigo or anyone else. I'm old enough in life that I've made bigger mistakes than that mate, but I was allowed to learn from them and hopefully I'm a better human being because of that."

  Asked about the prospect of having Bentancur available against Liverpool, the Spurs boss added: "I couldn't care less who it's against but yes it's worth it because that's what we feel. We still have a judicial process. That's why appeals are there. We're not going outside the jurisdiction, we're not trying to create something that's not available to us.

  "We think it was harsh, we think it shoulder have been the minimum and we'll go through that process. If it's deemed not then we'll accept that. We're not going to just accept to something if we feel that it's not the right thing in terms of our process. So I'm fully supportive and we'll abide by any decision but that's why there's an appeal process."

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  Spurs face Manchester City this weekend. They will not have Bentancur available, but it remains to be seen when their appeal will be ruled upon.

Chelsea could sell a £200,000-a-week member of Enzo Maresca's squad, with doubts now emerging over his suitability for the Italian's system.

Players who could still be sold by Chelsea this summer

Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech, Malang Sarr, Ian Maatsen, Omari Hutchinson, Michael Golding and Lewis Hall have all left Stamford Bridge already, bringing in around £89 million and helping to balance the books, but a few more key names could be set to depart after them.

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Indeed, Napoli are seriously interested in signing Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea, and it is believed their club president Aurelio De Laurentiis and sporting director Giovanni Manna are now open to discussing Victor Osimhen as part of the deal.

Talks are ongoing between Napoli and Chelsea over the Nigerian while Lukaku has already agreed a three-year deal to go the other way, according to reliable media sources like GiveMeSport journalist Ben Jacobs.

Lukaku looks to be closer and closer to a west London exit, and could well make another return to Serie A, this time permanently.

Meanwhile, La Liga heavyweights Atletico Madrid are in talks to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea, with the Spanish side apparently hopeful they can strike a deal for the England international at around £34 million.

Tottenham are also expected to make a bid for Gallagher despite Atletico's advances, but Ange Postecoglou's side will have to act fast given the ongoing talks between Simeone's men and Chelsea.

There is also the matter of fellow Cobham academy graduate Trevoh Chalobah, who was left out of Chelsea's pre-season tour, much to the detest of some supporters. The Blues are apparently willing to sell Chalobah for around £25-30 million, despite the midfielder having four years left on his contract.

"He was probably our best defender in the last 10-15 games last season," said Chelsea season ticket holder Bert Barrett to GOAL.

"It's a joke they have signed Tosin to replace Chalobah, who is a better player and has been at Chelsea since a kid."

Chelsea could sell Ben Chilwell amid doubts over suitability for Maresca

According to The Athletic, another player facing an uncertain future is defender Ben Chilwell.

The £200,000-per-week left-back missed out on a place in Gareth Southgate's squad for the Euros after an injury-hit season, with teammate Marc Cucurella enjoying a late surge in form towards the back end of 2023/2024.

It is believed Chelsea doubt whether Chilwell is suited to Maresca's style of play, and as a result, will entertain suitable bids for the former Leicester City star. Chilwell made just 21 appearances in all competitions under Mauricio Pochettino last season due to his fitness woes but did captain the side when available.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers enjoyed a respectable return to the dugout at Parkhead with a haul of two trophies during the 2023/24 campaign.

The Northern Irish head coach had left Leicester City the previous season and took the opportunity to come back to Glasgow for a second stint in charge after Ange Postecoglou made the move to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.

After a difficult first half of the campaign, in which his side were knocked out of the League Cup and finished bottom of their Champions League group, Rodgers led his team to two pieces of silverware.

The Hoops lifted the Scottish Premiership title at Parkhead before securing the SFA Cup with a 1-0 win over Rangers at Hampden Park the following weekend.

They will now be looking ahead to next season and plotting ways to improve the squad to ensure that they win more trophies to add to the cabinet, after the summer transfer window officially opened for business earlier this month.

Whilst supporters may want to see household names, or at least names that they have heard of before, coming in to bolster the team, the Bhoys could add to the group by landing a talented young marksman.

Celtic's interest in English academy star

According to Secret Scout on X, Celtic are one of a number of clubs eyeing up a deal to sign teenage academy forward Ajay Matthews from English Championship side Middlesbrough.

The report claims that the Hoops are one of the teams that have held discussions with the player to secure his signature ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

It states that the 18-year-old attacker is due to move on from Michael Carrick's side this summer but it remains to be seen whether it would be for a fee or on a free transfer.

Rangers, Newcastle United, Brentford, Southampton, and Brighton & Hove Albion are the other clubs said to be keen on a swoop for the 18-year-old starlet.

All of the aforementioned teams, alongside Celtic, have held talks over a deal for the teenage centre-forward and are all said to be hopeful that they can convince him to make a move from Boro.

However, it remains to be seen whether Matthews would be interested in a move to Scotland or if he would prefer to remain in England to join one of the Premier League outfits in the running.

If the Scottish giants can win the race for the Middlesbrough attacker then he could come in as a replacement for Hyeon-gyu Oh ahead of next season.

Why Celtic should cash in on Hyeon-gyu Oh

Earlier this month, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claimed that Belgian giants Genk had submitted an offer of £4m to sign the South Korea international.

The journalist claimed that the two clubs were in talks over the structure of a potential deal but there has not been an update in the subsequent two weeks since that news.

At the time, Joseph added that Oh is "keen" on the move as he would like to leave Parkhead to go and play regular first-team football, after a frustrating year in Scotland.

The 23-year-old forward found himself sitting on the sidelines as the third-choice striker for Rodgers during the second half of the campaign, behind Kyogo Furuhashi and Adam Idah, who was on loan from Norwich City.

Appearances

20

Starts

3

xG

6.35

Goals

5

xG differential

-1.35

Assists

0

As you can see in the table above, the South Korean dud only started three league games in the entire season and underperformed his xG tally by just over one goal.

This shows that he was unreliable in front of goal whilst also offering very little creativity, with zero assists and zero 'big chances' created for the side.

Celtic are reportedly keen to bring Idah back on a permanent deal, although they have to wait for Norwich boss Johannes Hoff Thorup to make a decision in pre-season, and that would leave Oh as the third choice option once again.

As Joseph claimed, the 23-year-old does not want to be watching on from the bench week-in-week-out again and if the Hoops can get £4m, or more, for a back-up option then that could be terrific business from a footballing and financial perspective.

Why Celtic should sign Ajay Matthews

The 18-year-old could come in to form part of the B team to continue his development whilst also being used as the third-choice striker for the first-team.

After Idah's arrival at the start of February, Oh only made two appearances in all competitions and this shows that there would not be a lot of pressure on the teenager's shoulders immediately.

He could ease his way into the senior set-up as a back-up striker who would only be called upon when Kyogo and the Ireland international, or whoever they sign instead of him, are unavailable.

Back in April, Fabrizio Romano reported on interest in Matthews from teams in Europe and stated that the young attacker had scored a staggering 16 goals in 17 starts at academy level for Middlesbrough in all competitions.

Appearances

12

7

19

Goals

4

5

9

Assists

2

3

5

As you can see in the table above, nine of those goals came at league level as he worked his way up from the U18s to the U21s during the 2023/24 campaign.

14 direct goal contributions in 19 league games is a fantastic return, as is 16 goals in 17 starts, and these statistics show why Carrick decided to hand him a senior debut in the Championship last season.

Matthews played 22 minutes in two games against Leeds United and Cardiff City. He did not score in either match but did complete 100% of his attempted passes.

It now remains to be seen whether or not the English starlet can carry his outstanding goalscoring record at academy level over to the first-team but it is a gamble that could be worth taking for Celtic.

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He would only come in as a third-choice striker to replace Oh, should the South Korean complete a move to Genk, and that would mean that it would not be a disaster if he failed to make the step up, as they would have two others ahead of him, which is why they should take the risk.

لجأ نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، إلى سلاح السخرية للرد على محاولات جيمي كاراجر المتكررة لانتقاد المصري، في الفترة الأخيرة، وسط غموض يحيط بمستقبله.

ومن المعروف أن العقد الحالي للنجم المصري مع ليفربول سينتهي في يونيو 2025، أي نهاية هذا الموسم.

وأدلى محمد صلاح بتصريحات عديدة، لوسائل الإعلام خلال الفترة الأخيرة، حيث أكد من خلالها عدم وجود أي جديد يخص مستقبله أو تجديد عقده.

وانتقد جيمي كاراجر، النجم السابق لفريق ليفربول، إدلاء محمد صلاح بتصريحات تخص مستقبله، في ظل تركيز الفريق على سباق الدوري الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا.

وسبق أن اتهم كاراجر، محمد صلاح، بـ”الأنانية” لعدم اختياره الوقت المناسب للحديث عن مستقبله.

ولم يتوقف كاراجر عند هذا الحد، بل ناقش ما نشره محمد صلاح عبر حساباته الشخصية بعد مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد يوم الأحد.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة الفريقين في الجولة العشرين من الدوري الإنجليزي حيث تعادلا بهدفين لمثليهما، في لقاء شهد هدفًا من محمد صلاح.

وبعد المباراة، نشر محمد صلاح صورة تجمعه بـ فيرجيل فان دايك وترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، وهو ما جعل البعض يشعر بالقلق كون أن الثلاثي ستنتهي عقودهم الصيف المقبل (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).

وقال كاراجر في الاستوديو التحليلي الخاص بشبكة “سكاي سبورتس” العالمية: “هل تعلم ماذا كنت لأقول؟ أود أن أقول إن فان دايك تعامل مع هذا الموقف بأكمله هذا الموسم، بصفته قائدًا للنادي، حيث يحظى بتقدير أكبر من جانبي”.

وأضاف: “يمكن النظر إلى الطريقة التي تصرف بها وأدائه على أرض الملعب، الطريقة التي يقود بها الفريق، الطريقة التي كان عليها في مباراة مانشستر يونايتد كذلك، لم يتورط كثيرًا في هذا الشأن (مستقبله)”.

وواصل: “من الواضح أنها فترة مهمة حقًا بالنسبة لجميع اللاعبين الثلاثة، ونحن ندرك ذلك، لكنني أعتقد أنه بدلاً من الحديث عن أرنولد أو محمد صلاح، ربما أود أن أشيد بـ فان دايك، أعتقد أنه ظهر كرجل مسؤول حقيقي بالطريقة التي تعامل بها مع الأمر”.

واسترسل: “لقد طُرحت عليه أسئلة وتعامل مع الموقف، هو هنا للفوز بالدوري، ويريد أن يبذل قصارى جهده من أجل ليفربول، وأتمنى أن يوقع عقدًا جديدًا، أعتقد أن الاثنين الآخرين يمكن أن ينظرا إلى فان دايك ويتعلما منه”.

ولكن ما قاله كاراجر لم ينل إعجاب محمد صلاح، الذي أعاد نشر مقطع حديث كاراجر، وكتب: “بدأت أعتقد أنك مهووس بي”، مع رمز تعبيري.

I’m starting to think you’re obsessed with me 😉 https://t.co/YAnwbaHdRi — Mohamed Salah (@MoSalah) January 6, 2025

It’s fair to say that last season, Cole Palmer was arguably the best player in the Premier League, let alone at Chelsea.

The attacking midfielder scored 22 goals and provided 11 assists in 29 league starts, which made him the highest goal contributor in the top flight.

However, the Blues could add another Palmer-esque player to their squad this summer, with a move for Michael Olise on the cards.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a current Chelsea player who earns more than both Olise and Palmer, despite not justifying his salary.

Wesley Fofana’s start to life at Chelsea

Wesley Fofana made a name for himself at Leicester City during the 2020/21 season, impressing over his 27 league starts.

However, his second campaign in England was massively disrupted by a pre-season injury that kept him out until the end of March.

Despite missing plenty of action through the setback, Chelsea still saw enough talent and potential in Fofana to move for him that summer.

The French defender moved to Stamford Bridge for a huge £75m fee; however, his start to life at Chelsea was once again ruined by injuries, and he missed 26 games through a knee issue.

What Wesley Fofana earns at Chelsea

After recovering from those setbacks, last season was supposed to be a fresh start for Fofana, especially with new boss Mauricio Pochettino in charge.

However, another knee problem occurred in July, which meant that Fofana was forced to undergo reconstructive ACL surgery.

Unfortunately, this meant that the 23-year-old missed the entire 2023/24 campaign, and he’s set to not play a competitive game for over a year.

Despite being at the club for two years, he’s only played 20 times across all competitions, 57 games fewer than the matches he’s been absent for via injury.

1. Raphael Varane

£340k

2. John Stones

£250k

3. Virgil Van Dijk

£220k

4. Wesley Fofana

£200k

5. Josko Gvardiol

£200k

Nevertheless, when he joined, Fofana became one of the club’s highest-paid players, earning £200k per week, as per Capology.

The former Fox only earns less than Reece James and Raheem Sterling, £325k and £250k per week, while earning the exact same as another injury stricken figure in Ben Chilwell.

However, even more shockingly, this means that Fofana is also the joint-fourth-highest earning centre-back in the entire Premier League, earning just £20k per week less than Virgil Van Dijk, for example.

On top of that, the number 33’s salary is more than both Olise and Palmer’s combined, £100k and £75k-per-week, despite not playing at all.

Considering he signed a seven-year contract taking him to 2029, Chelsea will hope that his spell of terrible luck will come to an end; otherwise, they’ll be stuck.

There’s no denying that when Chelsea originally signed Fofana, he was one of the most promising defenders in Europe, with football scout Jacek Kulig saying that he’s an “elite prospect and already one of Premier League's best centre-backs.”

Sadly, the French defender has somewhat become a forgotten man at Chelsea, and there’s no denying that he’s cost the club millions with no output.

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The 2024/25 season holds real promise for Chelsea following a brilliant end to last season which saw the Blues secure European Football despite losing 11 of their 38 Premier League matches.

Mauricio Pochettino led the Blues to five consecutive wins during the closing weeks of the campaign to secure a sixth-placed finish, but it wasn’t enough for the Argentinian to keep his job.

The club parted ways with the former PSG boss, appointing Enzo Maresca as the club’s new manager, looking to build on Pochettino’s work with all the Blues’ new additions.

The Italian has huge expectations on his shoulders to transform the club and take them back to a title race, aiming to claim their first Premier League title since the 2016/17 campaign.

However, the new manager will have a lot of big decisions to make on the future of numerous first-team members, but he simply can’t afford to let go of one talent who excelled away from Stamford Bridge last season.

The latest on Ian Maatsen's future at Chelsea

According to journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen is attracting interest from Aston Villa and Manchester City after his impressive loan stint at Borussia Dortmund last term.

The 22-year-old, who featured in the Champions League final, impressed during his temporary stint in the Bundesliga, scoring two goals and providing two assists in his 16 appearances for the German side.

The report from Bailey also states that the Dutchman has a £35m release clause in his contract, with Chelsea potentially looking to make a hefty profit on the full-back to boost their FFP status.

However, whilst it may seem a good deal to receive a hefty sum for a player with just 15 appearances for Chelsea’s first-team, Maresca can’t afford to let go of Maatsen, with the talent potentially following in the footsteps of one player who’s excelled since leaving the club.

Another Havertz situation for Chelsea

Last summer, the Blues agreed to sell midfielder Kai Havertz to rivals Arsenal for a reported £60m in an effort to boost their financial situation after a huge influx of incomings at Stamford Bridge.

However, since his departure, the former Bayer Leverkusen talent has excelled under the guidance of Mikel Arteta, leaving Chelsea with a scenario of what could have been for the German had he remained with the Blues.

He’s excelled in a false nine role during the 2023/24 campaign at the Emirates, scoring 13 times in the Premier League, whilst also providing seven assists as Arsenal came within touching distance of winning the title.

Games

37

Goals

13

Assists

7

Goals + assists per 90

0.5

Chances created

46

Duels won

197

A year on from the deal, the club are presented with another precarious situation with Maatsen, especially considering the interest from another top English club in champions Manchester City.

Maresca already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella in the left-back area, but given his temporary stint at Dortmund, Maatsen has showcased his talents on the biggest of stages, also having the potential to improve down the line.

The "exceptional" youngster, as dubbed by former Coventry City teammate Simon Moore, will want consistent first-team minutes to be able to reach his full potential, with Maresca needing to make a bold call in keeping the Dutchman, making him his first-choice on the left-hand side.

The club have become too synonymous with offloading young talents too soon, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah both going on to thrive in the Premier League.

Maatsen is potentially next on the list should the club decide to part ways with him this summer, but, Maresca can buck the trend this window, handing the youngster the opportunity to thrive at Stamford Bridge and cementing himself as a key player under the new management team.

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Leeds United are ready to cut ties with one of their highest earners this summer, it has emerged, with the star having already potentially played his final game for Daniel Farke.

Leeds set for mega clearout

Leeds need to make history to avoid being forced into a firesale this summer, according to recent reports. The Yorkshire outfit announced losses of £33.7m for the most recent tax year, but far more concerning are the number of fees still owed to other clubs, with the Yorkshire Evening Post revealing that "Leeds owe a sum in the region of £73 million to other clubs in transfer instalments up to the year end June 2024, with an additional £116 million in instalments due further down the line".

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Now, The Daily Mail report that if Leeds don't get promoted this season the club "will have to raise close to £100m in player sales" and that "sources close to top-flight clubs expect a fire sale at Elland Road" should they still be playing Championship football next season.

It is added that "up to 10 could go and would only be replaced by free transfers and loan signings" as Leeds battle to keep their heads above water, with the likes of Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville among the prime candidates to leave amid widespread interest.

To avoid that, Leeds need to claim play-off glory for the first time in their history, having failed five times previously and most recently being knocked out at the semi-final stage by Derby County in 2019.

Leeds' play-off record (League One and Championship)

Year

Exit stage

2019

Semi-final

2009

Semi-final

2008

Final

2006

Final

1987

Final

They face Norwich at Elland Road on Thursday night with the semi-final poised at 0-0, before meeting one of Southampton or West Brom in Wembley's showpiece should they make it past the Canaries. Now, it has emerged that a long-time favourite is among those likely to depart this summer.

Bye-bye Bamford

That comes in the shape of none other than long-term servant Patrick Bamford, who has appeared almost 200 times for the Yorkshire side and sits 13th in their list of all-time top goalscorers, including scoring 23 in the top flight.

However, he has seen his recent seasons disrupted by injury, and is even in a race against time to play again this campaign courtesy of a knee injury, which has ruled him out of the play-off semi-finals.

"Patrick has seen a different knee consultant this week,” said the Leeds manager. “He has a minor trauma to his patellar tendon and he definitely needs a couple of weeks rest. It’s important that other players step up and we don’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

It means that he could have played his last game for the club, with the Mail reporting that "the club will look to move on" from the England international despite Bamford still having two years left to run on his £70,000 a week deal, a contract that makes him the joint-highest earner at the club.

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A contratação de Giuliano e Renato Augusto foi muito comemorada pelos torcedores do Corinthians, mas agora a expectativa é sobre quando a dupla estreará com a camisa alvinegra. Acontece que neste momento o mais provável é que apenas um deles esteja disponível para o clássico contra o Santos, neste domingo. Saiba o que impede que os dois possam debutar pelo Timão.

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Apresentado na última quarta-feira, Giuliano depende apenas da vontade de Sylvinho para ser relacionado para o duelo com o Peixe. Além de já ter sua documentação regularizada e seu nome publicado no BID da CBF, seu estágio de preparação física o leva a uma condição de jogo boa para que o técnico possa contar com ele. Até sábado, véspera do clássico, o camisa 11 terá completado dez dias desde que começou a treinar com bola no CT do clube.

Mesmo que não entre em campo há mais de três meses, já que seu último jogo foi no fim de abril, pelo Istanbul Basaksehir, da Turquia, o jogador teve uma boa adaptação e integração aos trabalhos do elenco. O tempo até a abertura da janela de transferências foi essencial para que nenhuma etapa fosse queimada nesse processo, e o foco nos treinamentos ajudou demais. Assim, ele deve estar entre os relacionados para o banco de reservas neste domingo.

Já Renato Augusto tem uma situação diferente e é muito difícil que ele esteja presente no clássico contra o Santos. O primeiro obstáculo para sua estreia foi superado na tarde desta sexta-feira, quando seu nome foi publicado no BID da CBF. A documentação que os chineses precisavam enviar chegaram para o Timão e em seguida o registro do meio-campista foi feito junto ao órgão.

Embora esteja legalmente liberado para atuar no clássico, sua estreia neste domingo é improvável. Isso porque há o entendimento de que Renato ainda precisará de um tempo maior de recondicionamento físico, ainda que já esteja trabalhando com bola com o grupo desde o início desta semana. A última vez que o meia entrou em campo foi há quase oito meses, em dezembro de 2020.

Assim, diante da explicação acima, o mais provável é que somente Giuliano deverá estrear neste domingo, às 16h, contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro. Já Renato deve reestrear com a camisa alvinegra no dia 15 de agosto, contra o Ceará, na Neo Química Arena, em jogo válido pela 16ª rodada do Brasileirão-2021. Ele já deverá estar com condições físicas e legais para ser relacionado.

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