"Incredible…" – Micah Richards lauds Man City star for display vs Man Utd

Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards has lauded an “incredible” Manchester City star for his performance in the 3-0 victory against Manchester United on Sunday.

Man City dominate Man Utd at the Etihad

Man City silenced the doubters with a 3-0 thrashing of rivals Man United on Sunday, with Erling Haaland undoubtedly the star of the show, scoring a brace, although he could’ve easily had a hat-trick, hitting the post after missing a golden opportunity from close range.

Not only was Haaland at his best, but a number of other City players caught the eye, including January signing Abdukodir Khusanov, who completed six clearances, four interceptions and two tackles to keep Ruben Amorim’s side at bay.

Khusanov looks like he is now settling in at the Etihad Stadium, having arguably struggled to make an instant impact, with the Uzbekistan international making just six Premier League appearances in the 2024-25 season after arriving from Ligue 1 side Lens last winter.

However, a different City player has made a flying start to life at the club, according to Richards, who waxed lyrical about summer signing Gianluigi Donnarumma on The Rest Is Football podcast after the Manchester derby.

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The former Man City man said: “He’s a man mountain! I feel so sorry for Trafford, I feel sorry for Trafford but that save. £26m, £26m! He’s just won the Champions League, he’s what, 25, 26 years of his age?

“Yes people will talk about playing out from the back, he’s not an Ederson playing out, but in terms of shot-stopping, his record is incredible. What a signing that was, and he had a fantastic game today in the derby.”

Donnarumma may keep Trafford out of the starting XI

It is natural to feel sorry for James Trafford, who has seemingly now fallen behind Donnarumma in the pecking order, despite starting the opening three games of the Premier League campaign.

However, it is clear to see why Pep Guardiola brought the Italian straight into the starting XI, given that he is vastly experienced at the top level, having made 40 Champions League appearances, while also receiving high praise from Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique.

The 26-year-old also got off to a solid start on his City debut, keeping a clean sheet in the derby victory, and making one save from inside the box, alongside three clearances throughout the match.

As such, Trafford will have his work cut out trying to force his way back into Guardiola’s side, and there have now been reports suggesting the Englishman is open to a loan move in the January transfer window.

Arya's blazing 103 off 42 balls consigns CSK to fourth successive defeat

CSK dropped five catches before failing to chase another 180-plus target

Deivarayan Muthu08-Apr-20252:37

Jaffer: Hope to see Arya in India colours soon

Priyansh Arya announced his arrival in the IPL with a 39-ball century, the fastest by an uncapped Indian and joint-fourth-fastest by anyone, as Punjab Kings (PBKS) consigned Chennai Super Kings (CSK) to their fourth successive defeat in IPL 2025.CSK didn’t help themselves in the field, dropping as many as five catches, including two offered by Arya. The 24-year-old rookie capitalised on those chances to charge to his hundred as early as the 13th over. He holed out for 103 off 42 balls in the next over, but Shashank Singh (52*) and Marco Jansen (34*) provided the finishing kick for PBKS.CSK started well in the powerplay in their pursuit of 220 – Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra added 59 in the first six overs – but their soft underbelly was exposed once again in a chase. Conway retired out on 69 off 49 balls, with CSK needing 49 off 13 balls, but MS Dhoni and Ravindra Jadeja couldn’t get the job done.CSK have now failed to chase a 180-plus target in their last 11 attempts, dating back to 2020.Arya’s assaultArya had triggered a bidding war at the auction after cracking six sixes in an over in the inaugural Delhi Premier League. In the lead-up to IPL 2025, his coach Ricky Ponting had talked him up as a “special” player. On Tuesday, Arya backed up Ponting’s comments in only his fourth IPL innings.1:50

Are Ashwin and Jadeja too defensive?

Arya is a bit like a left-handed version of the original Delhi basher Virender Sehwag. He sees the ball and hits the ball. He has also the gift of timing. When Matheesha Pathirana marginally missed a wide yorker and bowled a full toss – it was still a hard-to-hit full toss – Arya opened his bat face and carved it over point for six. He dispatched the next three balls from Pathirana for 6, 6, 4 to surge to a 39-ball hundred in the 13th over. In the next over, left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad had Arya dragging a catch to long-on.While Arya finished with 103 off 42 balls, the rest of the top six had a combined 23 off 25 balls in a bizarre scorecard. Arya could have been dismissed in the very first over had Khaleel Ahmed held on to a fairly straightforward return catch. Arya was on 6 at that point, having scythed the first ball over the point boundary. He then got another life on 35 when Vijay Shankar fluffed a more difficult chance at midwicket. Arya raced to his half-century, off 19 balls, when he backed away and carted R Ashwin over mid-off in the last over of the powerplay.In all, Arya took Ashwin for 28 off ten balls. The spinner came away with 4-0-48-2, his third-most expensive spell in the IPL.Shashank, Jansen join the funDespite Arya’s departure, PBKS kept attacking. Shashank forged an unbroken 65-run partnership off 38 balls for the seventh wicket with Jansen to push them to an above-par total. Shashank welcomed Noor into the attack with a slog-swept six over wide long-on, and pumped a carrom ball from Ashwin over his head for six more. Jansen had his own fun when he launched a no-look six off Pathirana in the 18th over.17:35

Bangar: Dhoni not playing for the crowd, he has a clear role at CSK

CSK fade away in another chaseCSK started positively in the chase, with the New Zealand pair of Conway and Ravindra scoring ten fours in the powerplay. However, they had to wait until the tenth over for their first six, when Shivam Dube swatted Lockie Ferguson over the midwicket boundary.Glenn Maxwell had broken the opening stand when he had Ravindra stumped for 36 off 23 balls. In the next over, Ferguson banged the ball on a hard length at 143kph and had Ruturaj Gaikwad chipping a catch to midwicket for 1 off three balls.CSK responded by pushing their designated spin-hitter Dube up to No. 4, but PBKS countered his promotion by not throwing spin at him. They held Yuzvendra Chahal, their premier spinner, back until Dube’s dismissal at the end of the 16th over. Once Dhoni arrived in the 17th over, PBKS matched Chahal up with him and raised the asking rate to almost 20. Chahal ended up bowling just one over for nine runs.Conway retired out in the 18th over, and Dhoni hit three sixes, but CSK were left with too much to do at the end. When Dhoni flapped a full toss from Yash Thakur, the Impact Player, to short fine leg, at the start of the final over, PBKS all but sealed victory.

Rayudu: 'CSK will come back strong once they get their combination and personnel right'

The five-time champions are currently ninth in the league after losing three of their first four games

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Apr-202517:35

Bangar: Dhoni not playing for the crowd, he has a clear role at CSK

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) must “accept reality” and focus on getting the most out of their current squad rather than make drastic changes just four games into IPL 2025, in the opinion of former CSK batter Ambati Rayudu.CSK are currently ninth on the points table with only one win in four games. On Tuesday, they will aim to end a run of three losses when they take on Punjab Kings in Mullanpur.”They’re trying to compare this CSK team to erstwhile CSK teams, which have been really good and won tournaments,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut. “When you see it like-for-like, players in the past compared to now, I’d say they’re not the same. It’s very difficult to replace a certain player with a certain player. They have to accept reality and get the best out of what they have. That’s where I feel they seem confused and can’t get their combinations right.Related

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Stats – CSK go six years without chasing a 180-plus target

“Players [like Deepak Hooda or Rahul Tripathi who have been dropped three games in] they thought would deliver in certain numbers, certain positions, they haven’t been able to do that. It’s quite an uphill task for them going [deep] into the season. I feel they will come back strong once they get their combination and personnel right.”Rayudu, a three-time IPL champion with CSK, said that conditions and pitches should be the least of CSK’s worries. They lost two out of their three home games, both heavy defeats to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Delhi Capitals (DC). Coach Stephen Fleming has pointed to the lack of home advantage at Chepauk for a few years now.”The pitch they’re playing on is tailor made for Chennai. It’s just that they’ve not been able to execute well, and batters have come up short,” Rayudu said. “I feel they can drop one of their two really good weapons. Noor Ahmad or [Matheesha] Pathirana – should sit out to boost their batting. It’s a luxury they may not afford at this point, but one of them has to sacrifice for [Jamie] Overton.”Sanjay Bangar, the former India batting coach, said CSK’s struggles at the top of the order were having a ripple effect on the rest of the batting line-up, including key players like Ravindra Jadeja and MS Dhoni in the lower-middle order. So far, CSK have been the slowest-scoring team in IPL 2025.

“Fans are emotional, they want results immediately. You’ve got to believe in process when things are not going well. This has worked for many years; they’ve done well. Have a little bit of patience, trust the management. A little bit of freedom and things will turn around”Ambati Rayudu

Ruturaj Gaikwad has had to come in at No. 3 in the second over in three out of four games. Opener Tripathi was dropped after three matches, while Hooda was axed after two. In total, CSK have used 17 players, including all seven of their overseas options – a stark departure from their usual strategy of maintaining continuity.”The top order not getting runs is one of the issues,” Bangar said. “Shivam Dube not being the Dube of the last couple of seasons is an issue. MS-Jadeja at the stage they are, more so MS, I’m not expecting him to come up and do a bulk of the scoring in the last six-seven overs.”Bangar said there was little more that could be done in terms of tweaking their combination. “It seems right, what they’ve now arrived at after the first three experimental games. In the fourth game, I felt their combination was just about right. It’s a matter of the batting coming together and giving them runs at the top to get the confidence back.”1:49

Rayudu: CSK’s best shot is for Gaikwad to open

In the lower order, Dhoni has struggled to hit sixes like he did last season. When asked about Jadeja’s form and whether he had passed his prime as a batter, Rayudu felt he still had plenty to offer.”I won’t say that,” Rayudu said. “He’s someone who is really fit, actually has come into his own in the last five-six years. He’s been a brilliant batsman, which we’ve not seen in his early years, [we’ve seen him] play some match-winning knocks chasing, specially playing in those 16-20 overs period. That’s the period ideally for Jadeja and Dhoni if they bat, they’ll be much more effective than coming in overs 10-14, it’s not their strength.”Rayudu also defended CSK’s methods when asked if they had not done enough to nurture young talent over the years.”Generally, we’ve seen over the years teams that have come up with lot of youngsters and have gone nowhere,” he said. “MI brought in, bred youngsters, but one at a time not four-five at a time. Fans are emotional, they want results immediately. You’ve got to believe in process when things are not going well. This has worked for many years; they’ve done well. Have a little bit of patience, trust the management. A little bit of freedom and things will turn around.”

VIDEO: Rasmus Hojlund's at it again! Man Utd outcast bags late winning goal to continue flying start at Napoli & make mockery of Old Trafford struggles as Antonio Conte suggests Red Devils will regret decision to let striker leave

Rasmus Hojlund continues to make Manchester United question their decision to let him leave Old Trafford during the summer transfer window, with the Red Devils outcast netting another crucial goal for Napoli in what is quickly becoming a productive loan spell. The Denmark international grabbed a match-winning effort for the reigning Serie A champions in their clash with Genoa.

  • How Holjund helped Napoli to three precious points

    Hojlund pounced in the 75th minute to seal a 2-1 victory at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. Napoli had trailed the contest at half-time, but battled back to claim all three points. Hojlund made the most decisive contribution, as he once again found himself in the right place at the right time.

    Ex-Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne was also involved in Napoli’s winner against Genoa, as he swung over the cross that caused chaos inside the penalty area. Nicola Leali pulled off a decent save to initially keep Napoli at bay, but was left helpless as Hojlund turned the rebound home from six yards out.

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  • Watch Hojliund net winning goal against Genoa

  • Memorable week of Serie A & Champions League action

    Hojlund enjoyed the perfect end to a memorable week, having also bagged a brace for Napoli in their Champions League win over Sporting. He is up to four goals for the season, through six appearances, having managed just 26 for United across the 95 games that he played for them.

    Antonio Conte is delighted for the hard-working frontman, who is showing Premier League giants United – who have endured ongoing struggles in the final third of the field – what they are missing. Conte said: “He’s a 22-year-old who was on the sidelines at Manchester United. He has significant room for improvement; he needs to work because he has the potential to become a star, and he’s proving it.”

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    What has changed? Hojlund answers that question

    Hojlund’s cause at Old Trafford was hindered by the fact that United failed to create the kind of chances that he feeds off. Slow build-up play meant that he struggled to get involved and was not picked out as often as he could have been. He had, however, showcased his potential in Italy during a previous stint with Atalanta.

    Now back in familiar surroundings, Hojlund said of rediscovering a lost spark: “I don’t think I’ve changed much. I’m just doing my job and working day by day to give my best and bring something to the team.”

    He went on to tell of helping Napoli to back-to-back wins in continental and domestic competition – with the resilience of Conte’s side shining through: “Winning twice in a week at the Maradona is huge. Maybe today wasn’t our best performance, but taking all three points was the most important thing.”

West Ham now suddenly serious contenders to sign "exceptional" £25m maestro

West Ham United have now suddenly become serious contenders for the signature of an “exceptional” ace, who plays for a rival Premier League club.

Potter under pressure after torrid start to the season

West Ham couldn’t have gotten off to a much worse start to the new Premier League campaign, suffering a 3-0 defeat at home against Sunderland on the opening day, before being turned over 5-1 at home against rivals Chelsea last Friday.

Speaking after the defeat against the Blues, Graham Potter admitted that both him and his squad need to turn things around soon, saying: “It was too easy to score against us so I take my responsibility and I have to do better. That is the case with all the players. They are honest and want to do more than they are at the moment.”

However, Premier League managers are not often blessed with a lot of time to put things right, so the manager is looking to inject some fresh quality into his squad before the rapidly approaching transfer deadline, with a new midfielder believed to be of interest.

West Ham United managerGrahamPotterbefore the match

That is according to a report from The Boot Room, which states Potter wants to bolster his options in the engine room as a result of the poor start to the campaign, with West Ham suddenly now serious contenders to sign Tottenham Hotspur’s Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham are eager to move Bissouma on this summer, as he has fallen out of favour with Thomas Frank, and the Hammers would be open to a deal if their rivals decide to make the central midfielder available on loan.

Potter knows the Spurs midfielder well, having worked with him during his time at Brighton & Hove Albion, before opting to sell the Mali international to the north Londoners for a fee of £25m.

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There may be some concerns over the signing of the 28-year-old, given that he was publicly criticised by Frank for turning up late several times this summer, but there are indications the former Brighton man could be a solid option for the Hammers.

The Ivory Coast-born maestro was particularly impressive during his time working under Potter with the Seagulls, with Gary Lineker describing him as “exceptional” courtesy of a solid display against Everton.

Not only that, but the Tottenham ace has continued to impress from a defensive point of view over the past year, performing well across some key metrics, when compared to other midfielders.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

3.11 (91st percentile)

Interceptions

1.40 (85th percentile)

Clearances

2.70 (93rd percentile)

As such, should Bissouma become available on loan, he could be a solid addition to West Ham’s squad, with Potter’s side clearly in need of some more defensive solidity, having shipped a whopping eight goals in their opening two Premier League matches.

Aston Villa: Monchi offers £17m for "fabulous" forward with advances made

Aston Villa are now making advances in their pursuit of a “fabulous” attacker, with Unai Emery keen to bolster his forward line before the September 1st transfer deadline.

Emery keen on new forward after disappointing start

The 0-0 draw against Newcastle United on the opening day wasn’t the worst result, but Emery is likely to be a little more concerned by his side’s most recent performance, succumbing to a 1-0 defeat away at Brentford on Saturday.

The Villans dominated possession throughout the match, and arguably should have at least drawn the game on the balance of play, recording an xG of 1.23, compared to Brentford’s 1.27, but they were ultimately unable to take their chances.

As such, it is no surprise that Emery wants to bring in at least one new attacker before the deadline, and Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that three forwards with Premier League experience remain on the manager’s shortlist.

However, according to a report from A Bola (via Sport Witness), Aston Villa have also submitted an offer for a Liga Portugal forward, namely Sporting CP’s Geny Catamo, with a €20m (£17m) proposal being tabled.

The Villans are said to be making advances in their pursuit of Catamo, but there is set to be competition for his signature from Fenerbahce, and the most recent offer was deemed too low by Sporting.

The Portuguese club are looking to hold out for around €25m – €30m (£22m – £26m) for the forward, meaning Monchi will have to increase his offer to tempt them into a sale.

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Catamo could be "fabulous" Ramsey replacement

With Jacob Ramsey departing to join Newcastle United, Emery could do with bringing in another versatile midfielder, and the Sporting star certainly fits the bill in that regard, given that he is capable of playing on both wings and in attacking midfield.

Once lauded as “fabulous” by former coach Filipe Celikkaya, the 24-year-old also played a major role in Sporting CP’s back-to-back Liga Portugal title triumphs in the 2023-24 and 2024-25 campaigns, regularly chipping in with goals and assists.

Season

League appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

27

8

2024-25

30

7

That said, it would be a risk to sign Catamo, given that he is unproven in one of Europe’s top leagues, and with Villa known to be treading a fine line PSR-wise, it may be better to only bring in Jackson, who could set them back £65m.

Can Kevin De Bruyne & Scott McTominay play together? Fabio Capello outlines puzzle for Napoli coach Antonio Conte and warns Serie A giants to look out for Como's 'big team mentality'

Former AC Milan and Juventus coach Fabio Capello believes that while Napoli midfielders Kevin De Bruyne and Scott McTominay are both top players with excellent qualities, their skill sets differ and could potentially overlap, leading to an imbalance in the squad. The Serie A champions sit joint-top of the table and picked up a first Champions League win of the season last week, but some doubts over the gelling of the squad remain.

Conte's team selection in Napoli's latest win

De Bruyne came on as a substitute in the 51st minute during Napoli’s 2-1 win over Genoa, while McTominay started the match. Napoli were trailing 1-0 at half-time when Antonio Conte introduced De Bruyne, who played a key role in turning the game around. Conte later admitted that he is experimenting with tactical variations, in an effort to find the best way to utilise both McTominay and De Bruyne effectively.

AdvertisementAFPCapello's opinion on the McTominay-De Bruyne dilemma

Capello explained the qualities of both players and how they overlap, saying to “McTominay is in a position that De Bruyne is usurping. The two players are very different: De Bruyne has exceptional class, a unique vision of the game. McTominay is a player of insertion and strength. The two positions overlap.

“Furthermore, they lack support on the left flank: while on the right with [Matteo] Politano they are very dangerous, on the left they are a bit lacking. On Sunday he tried with [David] Neres, but it took De Bruyne's insight.”

Capello's praise for Como

The ex-England boss also had praise for Como, who brought in 16 players over the summer and currently sit eighth in the Serie A table. Capello praised coach Cesc Fabregas for the mental strength he has instilled in the squad, saying: “[The big Serie A teams] will have to deal with Fabregas's team. Congratulations to him: Como plays with the winning mentality of a big team, not a provincial one.

"They've spent money and chosen well-trained players from the Spanish school. We're dazed by tactics, but he wanted players with technique. The team wants to emerge, just like their coach."

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Getty Images SportNapoli aand Como's upcoming challenge

Napoli fans will be hoping that Conte can find the right balance between De Bruyne and McTominay, as both players are game-changers who could play a key role in helping Napoli retain the Scudetto. Meanwhile, Fabregas will be hoping his Como players continue their current rich vein of form when they face Juventus on October 19, following the international break.

Knights relegated, KZN Inland promoted ahead of the 2025-26 SA domestic season

The Bloemfontein-based Knights have been relegated to the second division of South Africa’s domestic competition, while Pietermaritzburg’s KZN Inland have been promoted ahead of the 2025-26 season. This is the second time in the current structure that the Knights have dropped down after playing in Division 2 in the 2023-24 season and also the second time KZN Inland have been promoted.Knights finished last on the integrated promotion-relegation table which takes into account where teams finish across all formats over the course of a season and awards points accordingly. The Knights had two points from their sixth-placed finish in the four-day competition, three from their fifth-place finish in the one-day cup and none from their ending seventh in the T20 competition, which gave them a total of five points, two fewer than the seventh-placed Warriors, who were battling relegation until the final weekend.This season’s final spots were marred by controversy after the Warriors were docked five points for not meeting Cricket South Africa’s transformation requirements in the one-day cup. In a match against the Dolphins, they fielded two black African players instead of the required three in their XI and failed to provide a reason for their transgression.Related

  • Warriors lose playoff spot after sanction for not meeting transformation targets

Warriors then lost out on a playoff place, but the records of the match were not expunged, so they retained the win, which saw them finish fourth on the points table, above Knights. Knights were a place behind with three wins and have since sent legal communication to CSA to argue that the win in the match in which Warriors fell foul of the regulations should also be taken away from them, which they argue would then put the Knights in fourth place and the Warriors fifth. However, the Knights’ argument appears incomplete as the Warriors still have a higher net run-rate and would finish a place above them.ESPNcricinfo has established that the only way this could change is if the records from the match in which the Warriors contravened the transformation targets were completely erased. There is no known precedent for this in cricketing history and it is unlikely to occur on this occasion. CSA’s Domestic Cricket Executive Eddie Khoza confirmed that the sanction against the Warriors was “done as per administrative conditions governing the domestic league.”That means Knights will have to settle for a spot in the second division, which is essentially a semi-professional league, receives less funding from CSA and struggles to attract attention from sponsors. The last time the Knights were relegated, they lost R5 million (US$257,000) as well as some of their best players including Gerald Coetzee, who moved to the Titans.The current two-tier domestic system will continue next season, but the system is expected to undergo another overhaul in the near future. Maintaining eight first division and seven second division sides is financially unsustainable for CSA and has faced criticism over the number of games each team plays.Currently, division one teams play seven matches across all formats, down from ten matches in the old franchise structure. CSA is understood to be considering a proposal to remodel the domestic competition into either eight or 10 professional teams, with more matches for each side, and a smaller, amateur provincial system below that.

"Fantastic" former Chelsea manager now wants to replace Potter at West Ham

A “fantastic” former Chelsea manager would be interested in taking over from Graham Potter as West Ham United manager, a leading agent source has revealed.

Speculation over Potter's future continues despite victory over Forest

It would be fair to say West Ham have made a disappointing start to the campaign, and Potter was under intense pressure heading into his side’s trip to Nottingham Forest before the international break.

However, the Hammers came out fighting, picking up a shock 3-0 victory at The City Ground, which should provide the Englishman with a little while longer to put things right.

That said, it will not be easy, given that the Irons have a tough run of fixtures after the international break, taking on Tottenham Hotspur at home, before also facing Crystal Palace at the London Stadium, who are on a 14-game unbeaten run.

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As such, the West Ham hierarchy have already identified a number of potential options to replace Potter, with it recently being revealed that Jose Mourinho is one of the leading targets, while contact has been made with Coventry City boss Frank Lampard.

According to a new update from Hammers News, a leading agent source has revealed that Lampard would be interested in taking over from Potter at the London Stadium, should the job become available.

The former West Ham man would back himself to be a success in the role and win over the supporters, who he has always had a difficult relationship with, having left to join Chelsea when he was young.

That said, contrary to other reports, a spokesman has reportedly revealed there is no truth to the rumours that an approach has been made for the Coventry boss at this stage.

Lampard has done a "fantastic job" at Coventry

The former Chelsea boss has had a mixed managerial career up to this point, having been sacked by the Blues after failing to win a trophy, while also being dismissed by Everton, although he did manage to lead the Toffees to Premier League safety.

However, the 47-year-old has managed to impress in the Championship, leading Derby County to Wembley in the 2019 Championship play-off final, before also going on to reach the play-offs with the Sky Blues last season after a remarkable turnaround.

That said, given that the former Hammer has had limited success above the second tier, it would be a very questionable decision for West Ham to bring him in as a replacement for Potter.

Not only that, but Lampard burned his bridges with a lot of fans after moving to Chelsea, so it would be a divisive move from owners who are already under intense scrutiny.

Leeds moving for £55,000-a-week set piece star who's out of contract in 2026

Leeds United are already looking ahead to the January transfer window and could seek to target an international star who will currently be available for free in 2026.

Leeds trying to move on after transfer frustration

Daniel Farke has acknowledged that the Whites could’ve done more in the window as they look to stay in the Premier League, albeit the German coach will have to play with the cards he has at his disposal for the time being after a heartbreaking late defeat at Fulham on Saturday afternoon courtesy of a bizarre Gabriel Gudmundsson own goal.

Like any newly-promoted side, home form and being able to withstand barrages while on the road from elite outfits will be key to their chances of survival. Either way, the former Norwich City boss has admitted he will need to cope with the ‘reality’ of their situation.

He stated via The Independent on their transfer dealings: “I’ve got a few principles with how I work and this is crucial for me. One principle is I like openness and transparency. I like to name it how I see it.

“The second principle is once a transfer window is closed and I can’t influence things anymore, you won’t hear one bad word or comment from me in any way. I’m pretty fortunate to be allowed to work in the business. My job is to adapt to the reality and work with what I’ve got.”

Failed late Leeds moves for Rangers midfielder Nico Raskin, among others, have left the Whites a little light for Farke’s liking, but that is the way of the window, and he isn’t the only top-flight manager in that situation.

Ultimately, time is the greatest healer and January isn’t a million miles away, which could see movement emerge regarding another star who was heavily pursued during the summer.

Leeds United plan move to sign Fulham's Harry Wilson

According to Football Insider, Leeds are planning a renewed move to sign Fulham winger Harry Wilson in January after missing out on the Wales international in the final hours of the summer window.

Encouragingly, the £55,000 per week earner is out of contract in 2026 and the Whites are keeping a close eye on his situation, while the Cottagers may be willing to sell him should he fail to agree an extention over the next few months.

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Labelled “outstanding” by Michael Beale, Wilson, who shares the Unique Sports Group agency with Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow, per Transfermarkt, scored six times in 27 appearances last term and has featured in all of Fulham’s matches so far in 2025/26, though is yet to get off the mark.

Clearly, Farke has had to deal with frustration at Elland Road in his mission to land key targets, but the chance to achieve retribution in pursuit of a player who could potentially arrive on a cut-price agreement or for free next year may sweeten his set of circumstances.

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