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Journalist Conor McGilligan has slammed Leeds United after their performance against Birmingham City, insisting there is nothing positive going on at Elland Road this season.

What's the latest on Leeds United?

Having been relegated from the Premier League last season after a year of underwhelming performances, there was some optimism among Leeds supporters that they would at least see their side get back to winning ways in the Championship.

That has been far from the case so far, however, with the Whites having picked up just one point from two Championship matches.

An opening day 2-2 draw with Cardiff City that required a late equaliser was followed by a dismal 1-0 defeat against Birmingham that featured another late strike, this time one that went against Leeds.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

In between there was a far from convincing 2-1 win over League One Shrewsbury in the Carabao Cup first round which provided the only competitive victory of the Daniel Farke era so far.

Combine this with the mass exodus of the club's best players on loan due to relegation clauses in their contracts, and a failure to bring a great deal of quality through the door at Elland Road, and things look pretty bleak in Yorkshire.

Put frankly, the club find themselves in a crisis, one that McGilligan has little hope they will find their way out of any time soon.

Speaking after the Birmingham defeat, he said: "We've had a truly horrific performance aginst Birmingham City which shows no credentials for promotion whatsoever, and this isn't being dramatic, I said this yesterday, we're looking down rather than up, 100%, and the reason I say that is because the squad is so weak, so weak."

He added: "I don't know what more to say really. I'm almost just at a given up phase, I am, and the season's not even started. There is no positivity whatsoever. You'll see the happy clappers, the super fans, have all gone quiet because unfortunately these are the facts."

McGilligan believes Leeds would be "lucky to finish in 15th" if things stay as they are, even suggesting that Farke – who only arrived in early July – would be "thinking about moving on pretty quickly" if his four-year deal had been a shorter contract.

The club's hopes of making a swift return to the Premier League look in doubt already with struggles on and off the pitch jeopardising Leeds' promotion push.

By contrast, the other clubs that were relegated last season – Leicester City and Southampton – have made significantly stronger starts, pikcing up six and four points from their opening two games respectively.

While there is still time to shift the narrative in the transfer market, Farke has an enromous job on his hands to steady the ship.

Who have Leeds signed?

Leeds have managed to sign four players this summer, a concerning low number given ten have already left and more are likely to follow.

Ethan Ampadu was Leeds' first signing of the window from Chelsea and was followed up by cost-effective deals for Karl Darlow from Newcastle and Sam Byram as a free agent.

Farke has managed to add a little top-flight experience to his side in the form of Joe Rodon. The Spurs centre-back has signed on loan having spent last season at Rennes in Ligue 1.

The Whites have been linked with strikers Tom Cannon and Joel Piroe in recent weeks, while also having been touted with an interest in Liverpool centre-back Nat Phillips.

Jake Ball said he hopes he “can bounce a few Aussies out” if he wins selection for the first Test in Brisbane

George Dobell in Brisbane20-Nov-2017Most players on the verge of their first Ashes Test might be hoping to emulate their heroes, but Jake Ball is hoping for the opposite. In one respect, anyway.Ball grew-up idolising Steve Harmison. Inspired by Harmison’s pace and hostility in the 2005 Ashes, Ball would take to the garden with his brother and “try to bounce him out”.But while he will not want to replicate Harmison’s infamous first delivery at the Gabba at start of the 2006-07 Ashes – the ball that went to second slip, a harbinger of doom for a grim series from an England perspective – he is still hoping to emulate the Harmison of 2005. And that means looking to bounce out the Australian batsmen.Broad hit by golf ball

Stuart Broad escaped serious injury after he was hit by a golf ball while playing at Brisbane Golf Club on Monday. Broad was on the putting green when he was hit on the lower back by a stray ball hit by a member of the club. He did not require treatment and is not in any way an injury doubt ahead of Thursday’s first Ashes Test.

“I hope I can bounce a few of the Aussies out,” Ball said as he visited the Gabba for the first time on Monday. I have the height and bounce.”I showed in the first couple of games on the tour that I can extract extra bounce and the Gabba is renowned for being a bouncy pitch. Hopefully I can show that and nick a few of the Aussies off.”I’m in a really good position at the minute. I think we’re going to hit the ground running and I hope to surprise a few people. I think we’ve a really good chance.”Ball has emerged as a near certainty to play in the first Test over the last few days, which may surprise a few. He has a Test bowling average of 114, after all – he has only played three Tests and two of them were in India – and he has been limited to just 22 first-class deliveries on tour to date after spraining his ankle in Adelaide.But the spells he did bowl clearly made a strong impression. Trevor Bayliss rated Ball as the side’s “best bowler” in the warm-up match in Perth, while Jonny Bairstow reckoned he was the quickest of England’s seamers. At every state, the management have said they wanted him to play in Brisbane where his height and ability to hit the seam could be an asset.”I’m really confident in what I’m doing,” Ball said. “I’ve played club cricket in Australia. I’ve always had in the back of my mind that these pitches can really suit my style of bowling and bowling in Perth and Adelaide reinforced that.”He admits, however, that there was a moment when he feared for his Ashes prospects in the immediate aftermath of sustaining the injury.”There was a split-second where I felt something wasn’t quite right,” he said. “I had my eyes closed and I was thinking ‘Does it hurt?’ All sorts of thoughts go through your head.”It was a bit gutting, especially with bowling so well in the first couple of games.”But the medical staff have been amazing. The last couple of days in Townsville went really well and I got through 17 overs at full pace and a couple of sessions of fielding. I’m now 100% confident that I can get through a five-day Test. I’m in a really good position.”You dream about playing in the Ashes. To be here and have a chance of playing is amazing and if I do get the nod, I’ll go out there and give 100%.”We’re not intimidated. All the batters have dealt with 90mph pace before and they will deal with it again. They can talk it up, talk about their pace, but it’s nothing that we haven’t faced before. We’ll look to put the pressure back on them.”

With the tumultuous rumblings of the transfer window occurring all around high-fliers Newcastle United, Eddie Howe will be delighted that his Premier League outfit have been swift and incisive this summer.

Who are Newcastle going to sign?

It's a credit to Newcastle's transfer strategy and technical director Dan Ashworth's diligence that Howe has recently claimed that he would "love" one more signing.

Effectively, the 45-year-old gaffer is alluding to the fact that the club's business has been conducted efficiently and anything more this month would be a welcome bonus, with Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento all bolstering the first-team ranks.

Read the latest Newcastle transfer news HERE…

The Daily Mail's Craig Hope has claimed that Newcastle need to be 'creative' to make their final move to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations, and as such could swoop for Chelsea's Marc Cucurella, with the Telegraph's Luke Edwards revealing that the Spaniard could arrive on loan.

How good is Marc Cucurella?

Aside from the obvious fact that Cucurella would bring added depth to Newcastle's side as they target success across four competitions this season, having returned to the Champions League after two decades away, the 25-year-old could play to the strengths of Alexander Isak.

Isak signed for the St. James' Park team for a club-record £63m from Real Sociedad last summer and plundered ten goals from just 17 Premier League starts during an injury-hit maiden year on English soil, but opened his account with aplomb this season by netting twice in a 5-1 drubbing over Aston Villa, with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink saying "you can't teach" the innate striking instinct he possesses.

The £120k-per-week Swede is lightning-quick and fleet-footed, ranking among the top 13% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 7% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, highlighting his progressive presence and prowess with the ball at his feet.

It is because of this skill set that Isak has often been placed out wide for the Tyneside team, playing five of the last seven top-flight matches on the left wing to accommodate Callum Wilson in the central striking role, with the 31-year-old England international's prolificness last term giving Howe a selection headache, which, albeit, is not the worst quandary in the world.

Isak failed to score across those five matches but did look dangerous and left football fans waxing lyrical in their droves after a magical solo run produced a fine goal; while he was not officially credited with an assist due to a slight deflection, the 40-cap star drew comparisons to Thierry Henry for the feat.

With Wilson scoring 18 goals from just 21 starts last season, should Isak find a home on the left flank again, his craft will be enhanced by Cucurella, who offers a very different skill set to that of Dan Burn.

Cucurella's £60m transfer to west London hasn't worked out after such stellar displays with Brighton & Hove Albion the season prior, where he earned an average Sofascore rating of 7.11 as he completed 82% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes per game and plundered one goal and assist apiece.

The direct contribution is hardly groundbreaking stuff, but it's a far cry better than Burn's offensive output, with the 6 foot 6 titan ranking among the top 5% of full-backs for clearances per 90 but only among the bottom 43% for passes attempted – also averaging just 0.4 key passes per game last season – keeping it conservative and simple.

Hailed as "outstanding" by one football consultant, Cucurella, comparatively, ranks among the top 8% for passes attempted, the top 30% for progressive passes and the top 2% for tackles per 90, and his ball-playing ability could work a treat for Howe's side and indeed Isak, who would no doubt benefit from a more attacking full-back.

The £175k-per-week gem, while not in good form last year, exhibited his passing prowess and could notch his metrics up a level with a move to Newcastle, providing Isak with supplementation upon his forays out wide and increasing the dynamism and multi-dimensional approach of this thriving English outfit.

The left-arm wristspinner is 46, and he’s looking forward to another Big Bash League season with Melbourne Renegades

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2017Brad Hogg is 46 years old. He is already establishing a presence as a commentator, but given the chance, he is more than happy to step out on the field again. The left-arm wristspinner has earned another one-year contract with Melbourne Renegades to play the seventh edition of the Big Bash League.Having left Perth Scorchers ahead of the previous BBL season, Hogg was without a contract. The Renegades brought him on board in 2016-17, but that was a one-season deal. He played all eight matches for them, taking eight wickets at an economy rate of 7.2.”Look out Melbourne, I’m coming back,” Hogg said. “I had such a good time during the last BBL season and the fire to compete is burning strongly.”He is currently in India, following the Australian team and working as an expert for the host broadcaster, and he spoke about his desire to play until he is 50.”I just want to play. I don’t care where and who wants me, as long as I’m delivering and enjoying it. I want to crack the 50 mark,” Hogg told the Cricket Australia website. “If the body holds up, the body holds up. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. If batsmen get on top of me and start belting me out of the team, so be it. I want to finish my career playing the Big Bash.”As eager as he was to keep playing, Hogg admitted he had to be cautious. “I’m fully fit, there’s nothing wrong with my endurance,” he said. “It’s just being able to run at 100%. I am getting old. I feel young but the left knee just said ‘hey old fella, your mind might be 21 but I’m 46. So pull your head in a bit. It doesn’t matter what the scenario is, if I can’t train and keep up with the other players, that’s a sign for me to pull out. If I’m playing, I’ve got to do the hard yards like everyone else. I don’t want that easy way out (because) I’m old.”Renegades head coach Andrew McDonald said: “Hoggy proved last year, as he has done for many years, that he can still deceive some of the best players in the world with the ball. He’s an energetic and experienced presence around the group and we’re excited to have him back.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are 'trying to iron' out terms of a deal to potentially bring a vastly experienced former England international to Molineux this summer despite their known financial issues, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Will Wolves finally actually make a signing after Doherty?

Wolves have endured a tumultuous summer window that yielded shock news in the last few days after former boss Julen Lopetegui left the club earlier this week due to a breakdown in communication regarding recruitment behind the scenes, as per Sky Sports.

The Spaniard reportedly became frustrated at their Financial Fair Play situation and 'lost faith' in his capacity to change matters at the club when told that the near £70 million sum the Old Gold generated by letting players leave the club would not be reinvested in securing arrivals.

Ex-Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil has since took the hot seat at Molineux on a three-year contract and will be keen to ensure his side start 2023/24 in a positive fashion, as per BBC Sport.

One main target for Wolves this summer has been West Ham United defender Aaron Cresswell and Football Insider report that they are 'expected' to complete the signing of the 33-year-old in the final weeks of the window.

Hammers boss David Moyes is demanding a fee of £4 million for the Liverpool-born left-back while Wolves have only stumped up £2.5 million so far in negotiations; nevertheless, they are keen to bring Cresswell to the West Midlands due to his extensive top-flight experience.

Last term, Cresswell made 38 appearances in all competitions for West Ham and played his part in helping the east London outfit to achieve Europa Conference League glory, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Jones thinks that both Wolves and West Ham are trying to find a solution regarding Cresswell following what has been a 'strange situation' over the last few weeks.

Jones stated: “This is a strange situation because West Ham weren’t asking for that much money, yet the initial deal hit the bumpers, and now the player is trying to get his head around what happens next.

“But with such a long-standing relationship with West Ham, I think there is a level of respect in trying to iron all of this out so that he does not end up stuck in limbo.”

What else could happen at Wolverhampton Wanderers over the coming weeks?

New boss O'Neil faces the difficult task of preparing his side to take on Manchester United at Old Trafford next Monday and will know his side will need to be at their best to stand any chance of claiming a result, as per Sky Sports.

West Ham veteran striker Michail Antonio is being eyed by the Old Gold as they aim to bolster in the forward areas between now and the close of play in the market, according to TEAMtalk.

Nevertheless, FootballTransfers claim that Scottish Premiership champions Celtic and Sky Bet Championship outfit Leeds United are also keen to acquire the Jamaica international.

Manchester City youngster James McAtee is another name on the radar for Wolves, though they will need to fend off competition from several clubs in Britain and around Europe to snap up the 20-year-old, as per The Daily Mail.

Everton are interested in completing a transfer for Danish side FC Midtjylland midfielder Emiliano Martinez this summer and are believed to have been following the Uruguayan for several months.

Toffees boss Sean Dyche has started to assemble his team for the forthcoming season after a slow start to the transfer window, with the experienced Ashley Young arriving on a free transfer and Arnaut Danjuma signing on a one-year loan deal.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The central midfield is as yet untouched, and the Mersey outfit – while offence may be the priority – will be eager to fortify the nucleus of the team.

Are Everton signing Emiliano Martinez?

That's according to Danish outlet Tipsbladet, who claim that Everton – alongside Premier League rivals West Ham United – are interested in a deal for the rising star, who has flourished in the Danish Superliga.

It's claimed that Midtjylland will demand roughly £9m for his sale to be granted, and with journalist Rodri Vazquez claiming two months ago that Everton have made a "firm" for the 23-year-old, it could be following up with talks to finalise a transfer.

Should Everton sign Emiliano Martinez?

The £6k-per-week Martinez – who is not to be muddled up with his namesake; the World Cup-winning shot-stopper playing for Aston Villa – who plied his trade in Uruguay and Brazil before going on his European adventure, and is already making waves big enough to attract the attention of Premier League outfits.

As per Sofascore, the defensive midfielder recorded an average rating of 6.87 in the league last term, impressing across his 25 appearances and impressing by completing 85% of his passes, making 2.5 tackles per game and succeeding in 70% of his attempted dribbles.

Having been handed two caps by his national side already, Martinez is clearly held in high regard and looks destined for a date with the highest level, and given that he ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and blocks per 90, as per FBref, could be the perfect, tenacious option to complete the Toffees' midfield.

According to one South American football expert, Martinez would be a "fantastic [Declan] Rice replacement for West Ham", with the esteemed midfield anchor completing a club-record £105m transfer to Arsenal this summer.

Rice was been hailed as "the best holding midfielder in the country" way back in 2020 by Hammers boss David Moyes, and was paramount to the east London club's ascent to European competition after forging 245 displays – West Ham will play continental football for the third successive term after winning the Conference League this year.

The 43-cap England international ranks among the top 19% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 20% for progressive passes, the top 15% of progressive carries, the top 17% for clearances and the top 5% for interceptions per 90.

Martinez, who has demonstrated his intensity and defensive application and composure through his tackling consistency and crisp passing, could be Dyche's very own Rice and could have a transformative effect on the Merseyside outfit with his deployment into the midfield.

Praised for a very "solid" build – by Juan Genova – that has allowed him to thrive through his brutish physicality, Everton must do all they can to secure Martinez's services this month ahead of a campaign that simply has to be a success, and for the paltry fee of just £9m, the importance of swift action is only intensified.

With Burnley gearing up for their return to Premier League football, manager Vincent Kompany has already acted swiftly to bolster his ranks ahead of the new season, having wrapped up eight summer signings thus far – with a ninth seemingly on the way in the form of Hoffenheim's Jacob Bruun Larsen.

The former Manchester City skipper has notably recruited the likes of Nathan Redmond, James Trafford and Zeki Amdouni over the past few weeks, while most recently snapping up Espanyol teenager, Luca Koleosho on an initial £2.6m deal.

The addition of the 18-year-old Italian does not look likely to be the end of the club's summer spending spree, however, with the Northern Echo reporting that the Lancashire side have had a £10m bid rejected for Sunderland's, Jack Clarke.

While the belief is that Kompany and co have not been put off by that setback in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, it may be wise for the newly-promoted side to consider potentially attacking alternatives to the Englishman…

What are the latest Burnley transfer rumours?

As revealed by the Daily Mail last week, the Turf Moor outfit are believed to be among the clubs who are interested in signing Manchester United starlet, Amad Diallo, with both Leicester City and Sheffield United also keen on the 21-year-old winger.

The former Atalanta man – who signed for United on an initial £19m deal back in January 2021 – notably spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Black Cats alongside Clarke, having been a key figure in the side that reached the play-off semi-finals.

While the £29k-per-week sensation is currently part of the Red Devils' pre-season tour squad, it is yet to be seen if the youngster will have a part to play in Erik ten Hag's first-team plans next season.

Should Burnley sign Amad Diallo?

It does appear at present that it is Clarke who has caught the attention of Kompany and his staff, with the former Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur wideman having sparkled for Tony Mowbray's side last term after finishing atop the assist charts in the Championship, racking up 12 in total.

Having also plundered nine league goals in the second tier in 2022/23, it is easy to see why the York-born dynamo is of interest to those at Turf Moor, with the Clarets potentially able to offer him the chance to prove his worth at a higher level.

That being said, however, Burnley could easily forget all about the former England youth international if they were to turn their attention to Amad instead, with the latter man having also dazzled in the Championship last season.

Lauded as a "joy to watch" by journalist Josh Bunting – who described him as "one of the best players" that Sunderland have had "in years" – the one-time Rangers loanee scored 14 goals and provided three assists in the league, proving himself "an absolute wizard", in the words of journalist James Copley.

The Man United man's quality on the ball is also showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 2% among his peers in the Men's next eight competitions for pass completion, while Clarke, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 34% in that regard.

In a defensive sense the four-cap international also shone as he ranks in the top 6% for interceptions made, with that again a superior record to that of his ex-Sunderland teammate, who ranks in just the top 28% for that same metric.

Clearly something of an all-round talent, Amad would certainly be a worthwhile capture for Burnley next season – even if just on loan – allowing Kompany to find a perfect alternative to top target, Clarke.

Faf du Plessis will be joined by four South African team-mates in party that includes representatives from seven nations

Danyal Rasool24-Aug-20170:47

Quick Facts: World XI set to play in Pakistan

Faf du Plessis has been named captain of the World XI squad to travel to Pakistan to play three T20Is in Lahore next month. He will be joined by four South African team-mates in party that includes representatives from seven nations.Hashim Amla, Morne Morkel, David Miller and Imran Tahir are the other South Africa players in the 14-member squad. Australia provide three players – George Bailey, Ben Cutting and wicketkeeper Tim Paine – and West Indies’ two include Darren Sammy, who went for the PSL final earlier this year. There’s one player each from England, Bangladesh, New Zealand and Sri Lanka.The three-T20 series, which has international status, begins on September 12, with the next two T20s to be played on September 13 and 15. Former Zimbabwe captain and England coach Andy Flower was announced as the coach of the World XI side.Faf du Plessis said in a statement: “I am honoured to have been appointed as captain of such a diverse, attractive and well-balanced side. Like most of the players I look forward to my maiden tour of Lahore and play my part in the safe and gradual resumption of international cricket in Pakistan. All the members of the squad have complete faith and trust in the assessment and judgement of the security experts who have assured us that there will be no compromise on the safety and security of all those involved in the series but the bottom line is if we don’t feel safe, no amount of money would get us there. In this background, we will land in Lahore with nothing but cricket on our minds.”Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed welcomed the news of the World XI’s arrival, saying: “I am really excited to see the World XI team coming to Pakistan and keenly look forward to playing in front of our committed crowds and supporters. I can assure all Pakistan cricket fans that we have missed playing in front of them, like they have missed watching us live in action.”I am confident that through this tour of the World XI, the global cricket community, including players, media and visitors will get a better understanding and perception of Pakistan, which is a peace-loving and extremely hospitable nation that loves its cricket.”Morne Morkel is the only specialist fast bowler in the World XI squad•BCCIThe series potentially begins, for the first time in eight years, something resembling a home season in Pakistan, which has had monumental difficulty hosting international cricket since the terror attack in 2009 on a Sri Lanka team bus that injured several cricketers.A one-off T20 against Sri Lanka in Lahore is in the works, followed by a three-T20 series against West Indies in November. Though PCB chairman Najam Sethi expressed a desire to see matches played in Karachi, it is likely all of those engagements, should they go ahead, will take place in Lahore.Sethi, who announced the World XI squad in a press concference at the Gaddafi Stadium, made special mention of Giles Clarke, the chairman of the Pakistan task force, saying Pakistan was “indebted” to him for his efforts in bringing international cricket to Pakistan. “I thank him from the bottom of my heart,” Sethi said, “and I know the people of Pakistan thank him for his relentless efforts in this direction.”Giles Clarke, for his part, announced his “delight” at the news, calling the tour “not only important for cricket in Pakistan but also for international cricket since it opens the possibility of other teams, media and sponsors visiting Pakistan for bilateral series.”The ICC also welcomed the news of the World XI’s arrival, with chief executive David Richardson saying: “The ICC wants to see regular international cricket being played safely in all its Member countries and the World XI playing Pakistan in Lahore next month is a step towards that for the PCB. We are optimistic that this will be the next step in a steady and safe return of international cricket to Pakistan.”The squad, while boasting a bevy of impressive names, is notable for the fact it has just one specialist fast bowler – Morne Morkel – even if a host of allrounders and T20 specialists may offset that weakness. In any case, in these early stages of efforts to bring regular cricket back to Pakistan, the result of these matches is likely to be of far less consequence than the fact of their occurrence.World XI squad Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Samuel Badree, George Bailey, Paul Collingwood, Ben Cutting, Grant Elliott, Tamim Iqbal, David Miller, Morne Morkel, Tim Paine, Thisara Perera, Imran Tahir, Darren Sammy

Vernon Philander has been passed fit for South Africa’s opening Test against England at Lord’s

Firdose Moonda02-Jul-2017Vernon Philander has been passed fit for South Africa’s opening Test against England at Lord’s. Philander sat out the warm-up match in Worcester last week as he recovered from an ankle injury, sustained while on a county stint with Sussex, but has made a full recovery.That means South Africa will have a full-strength attack including Philander, Kagiso Rabada and Morne Morkel, while back-up allrounders Chris Morris and Andile Phehlukwayo will likely have to wait their turns.South Africa are still waiting to confirm Faf du Plessis’ availability for the match after he returned home of the birth of his first child. A difficult birth may keep the captain from joining the camp immediately. A decision is expected to be taken on Monday.Should du Plessis miss the match, Dean Elgar will stand in as captain with one of Theunis de Bruyn or Aiden Markram coming in in du Plessis’ place.

Everton have agreed a deal with Almeria to sign forward El Bilal Toure, according to Sky Sports reporter Alan Myers.

Are Everton signing El Bilal Toure?

The Toffees have brought in two new players ahead of Sean Dyche’s first full season in charge at Goodison Park, looking to avoid another Premier League relegation battle. Ashley Young has made the move to Merseyside on a free transfer after leaving Aston Villa, whereas Villarreal’s Arnaut Danjuma has followed him through the door, joining on a season-long loan.

A new centre-forward appears to be next on the agenda ahead of the 2023/24 season for Dyche and Everton, with Toure heavily linked with a move.

The Toffees have been battling it out with Serie A side Atalanta for the forward’s services, and it looked as if they could miss out to the Italian club, with Fabrizio Romano saying a club-record deal worth €28m plus €3m in add-ons was on the cards.

However, a transfer is yet to be officially completed, and Myers took to Twitter on Tuesday to share what he knows about a possible move for Toure.

The Sky Sports reporter claimed all hope isn’t lost on Merseyside and that Everton are still in the race and have even agreed a deal of their own.

“Everton remain in negotiations with Almeria for El Bilal Toure' despite reports suggesting the player had already decided to join Atalanta.

“The 21-year-old Mali striker is set to decide his future in the coming days with Everton having agreed a deal with Almeria, EFC still in it.”

When asked why negotiations are still ongoing despite a fee being agreed, Myers added:

“Negotiations are just that, you could say’s talks etc, things don’t stop just because a fee is agreed, so much more to a transfer.”

Who is El Bilal Toure?

It looks as if Toure will have the final say in regards to his next destination, and should he move to England, he could be a shrewd signing both in the short and long run.

Goals are needed at Goodison Park next season after the club netted just 34 times in 38 Premier League games in 2022/23 – the second-fewest of any side in the division. Dominic Calvert-Lewin once again struggled through injury, scoring twice in just 18 games, and the club’s top scorer was Dwight McNeil with seven goals to his name in 39 appearances.

Toure, who doesn't have a weak foot, as per Transfermarkt, also scored seven times in 21 La Liga games last season, the best tally of his career to date, and you’d like to think the 21-year-old will only improve with age.

Hailed as a "major talent" last summer by 90min's Graeme Bailey, the Mali international has even been compared to Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, in terms of his extremely physical style up front.

He could well be an exciting addition, should he decide to join Everton over Atalanta, and by the looks of things, a move will be one to keep an eye on over the coming days.