Leeds United and the 49ers Enterprises are preparing a surprise bid to sign a long-term target at a discount in the January transfer window.

Farke under pressure as Leeds prepare for Aston Villa

After back-to-back away defeats in the Premier League, Daniel Farke appears to be under pressure, with a number of managerial candidates linked to replace him at Elland Road in recent weeks.

Ex-Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers and former RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose have both been mooted as options. Rodgers was recent rivals with the 49ers in Glasgow and their ownership of Rangers, whereas Rose has ties with the Red Bull network in both Austria and Germany.

Leeds find themselves just a point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their clash with Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon in what is the beginning of a testing period between now and the New Year.

Leeds’ upcoming fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (h)

November 23rd

Manchester City (a)

November 29th

Chelsea (h)

December 3rd

Liverpool (h)

December 6th

Brentford (a)

December 14th

Crystal Palace (h)

December 21st

Sunderland (a)

December 28th

The January transfer window will give the 49ers the chance to bolster their options in the final third following a lack of goals in the top flight, but it is a creative midfielder who Leeds have their eyes on.

Leeds ready surprise Gabriel Sara bid

According to a report from Turkish outlet Takvim, there has been a surprising development involving Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara.

Formerly of Norwich, Leeds were heavily linked with the midfielder in the summer, where they were told it would cost at least £30m to seal a deal.

Now, the Whites and the 49ers are readying a move in January for Sara, with that price tag now dropping to £18m. Sara has fallen out of favour with Galatasaray following Ilkay Gundogan’s arrival and is ‘open to a move’ away, with Leeds the only club named in the report.

Sara’s last game in England for Norwich came at Elland Road in the 4-0 defeat to the Whites in the 2023/24 playoff semi-final second leg.

The 26-year-old starred during the regular 23/24 campaign with 25 goal involvements in 46 games, and by the looks of things, a return to England could be on the cards.

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Should that be the case, Leeds will be getting a midfielder who Kenny McClean called the “full package”.

“Everyone can see his ability but he is now controlling games. He’s everywhere off the ball. That was a big thing when the new manager came in and he was really drumming that into him to be more aggressive, get against people and he is doing that. It was just consistency with him. For me, right now, he is the full package.”

Leeds open to selling £40k-p/w star who Firpo called "unbelievable" this January

U.S. Soccer icons Tim Howard and Landon Donovan have each pointed to a clear shift in the USMNT's temperament – a willingness to scrap, defend one another, and press relentlessly – crediting Mauricio Pochettino’s influence for hardening the squad’s identity. Howard said that fighting edge first emerged during the Gold Cup and has since been reinforced by the return of key senior players.

Getty Images SportHoward identifies Gold Cup as turning point

Howard pointed to last summer's Gold Cup as the catalyst for the team's improved attitude. The former goalkeeper observed that despite missing several star players during that tournament, the squad demonstrated exceptional determination and work ethic that has since permeated throughout the entire player pool.

“I have no questions about this team, this group,” Howard said on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast. “And I say that because we say a lot of fight in the Gold Cup, so we’re like, okay, well that group will fight and scrap. The big boys came in, the Chris Richards and Pulisic and all these guys, they showed me a hell of a fight last camp, and then we see it again this camp.

“So I think this group as a whole is again humming and they’re clicking, and they’re together. And again, you and I have been brutally honest when we say like look, this is an educated guess or this is something we know.

Howard emphasized that the players who participated in the Gold Cup established a standard of competitiveness that impressed Pochettino, creating a foundation for the team's current identity.

“My educated guess is that the Gold Cup team set a standard that Poch liked and maybe he lit that fire,” Howard explained. “And I tend to think he probably, once he had everybody in, probably said, ‘Hey, this is what I want to see. I’ve seen this from these guys; I need to see it from you.' Again, that’s an educated guess on my part.”

AdvertisementDonovan credits Pochettino's psychological approach

Donovan, another former USMNT star, expressed admiration for how Pochettino has handled the psychological aspects of managing the national team. Donovan acknowledged that the summer period had been particularly challenging for the program, with criticism directed at players who opted out of the Gold Cup and questions about team commitment dominating headlines. The former attacker praised Pochettino's ability to navigate these difficulties and create a unified team culture.

“Let’s take a second to like, let’s really give a lot of credit now to Pochettino for just the mental side of how he’s played this whole thing,” Donovan said. “Cause it was ugly in the summer, Tim, there was some real stuff flying. And I think he’s masterfully put this together, pieced it together. Now, was it intentional? I have to assume yes but maybe he kind of lucked into some of it.

“But I think it was intentional, and now the team, it doesn’t matter who shows up and plays, dude. They get after it, pressing and running and fighting, and it’s fun to watch. I’m like, as a fan, I’m loving it.”

Team's transformation reflects Pochettino's success

The fighting spirit displayed in recent matches suggests Pochettino has successfully addressed one of the most persistent criticisms of the USMNT prior to his arrival. 

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Getty Images SportConsistent mentality creates foundation

With the 2026 World Cup now just months away, the establishment of a consistent competitive mentality provides Pochettino with a solid foundation to keep building momentum toward the summer tournament. 

Ryan Reynolds fired a hilarious message to Wrexham star George Thomason after an epic goal against Bristol City. The Red Dragons struck twice and kept yet another clean sheet as they swept aside play-off contenders Bristol, sealing a 2-0 win. Nathan Broadhead’s sumptuous curling effort and Thomason’s wicked corner, which was officially recorded as a Radek Vitek own goal, bookended a performance full of discipline.

• A stunning opener sets the tone

  The result extended Wrexham’s unbeaten league run to seven matches and lifted them to 10th place in the Championship table, just two points shy of the play-off spots. After an unimpressive performance in their previous outing against Ipswich, Wrexham made sure they were pushing for the opener right from the first whistle, and the reward came after just 16 minutes. Captain James McClean and Thomason combined crisply down the left flank, releasing Broadhead in space. The Welshman opened up his body and bent a curler into the top corner from 25 yards to draw first blood. Bristol City thought they had equalised shortly before half-time, when Ross McCrorie tapped in after Arthur Okonkwo parried Mehmeti’s deflected shot. But the celebrations were cut short as the referee had spotted a foul on Okonkwo by Emil Riis.

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• Reynolds jokes on social media

  In the second half came the moment that sent Reynolds into comedic delight. Thomason’s corner curled wickedly toward the far post, striking the woodwork before bouncing off Vitek and into the net. The midfielder wheeled away as though he had scored it, understandably so, but the record books will credit the goalkeeper. Reynolds took to Instagram with footage oft he goal and added the words: "Wow George Thomason. None of my balls have ever done this."

  Instagram

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Thomason’s influence grows and so does his confidence

  Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson also spoke about the goal after the match: "I haven't seen [the goal] back but I think George was really good tonight and I'm so pleased for him because as everybody knows, he came in, got his injury and now he's really shown himself at this level and produced lots of good performances. I felt he typified what we needed tonight. He was industrious in his play but he played with real quality and composure in possession as well."

  Since joining Wrexham, Thomason has yet to taste defeat in any of his eight Championship appearances. However, he is not too bothered by the feat. 

  "I'm trying not to keep that on my mind. But it's not a bad record to keep, so long may it continue," Thomason said.

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• Parkinson preaches calm with Wrexham

  Parkinson, though pleased, moved quickly to temper expectations, not least because Wrexham have made a habit of oscillating wildly between brilliance and turbulence since returning to the second tier. To reinforce his point, the Wrexham manager referenced none other than Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.

  "I think it's a case of making sure we don't get carried away," the Wrexham boss explained. "I spoke to the lads before the game, I was listening to Virgil van Dijk's interview after the Nottingham Forest defeat and he was speaking about how Liverpool have got to win the first and second balls, be competitive, got to work as a team and how they've got to get their way back with the basics in football. So that's the champions of England talking like that.

  "We're not going to get carried away, it's now concentration levels on picking the right team for the weekend, start doing our homework on Blackburn and get ready for another terrific atmosphere here on Saturday."

It might not seem like it outside, but inside the Motera stadium, it was palpable this was the eve of a big match

Sidharth Monga31-May-20258:30

Aaron: ‘Ahmedabad surface will suit Punjab more’

Hotel rooms are easily available in Ahmedabad, there is no random crowd outside the Motera stadium, touts are not to be seen, although there is talk of one arrested on Friday for trying to sell 60 tickets at INR 5000 each. The general air is different to what it was even during an England-New Zealand game in the 2023 ODI World Cup, when you couldn’t find accommodation at a decent price. Or even during the Gujarat Titans (GT) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) IPL final earlier that year.It is much quieter and saner in Ahmedabad around these two final games of IPL 2025. However, the teams involved in Qualifier 2 are making up for it with their urgency. Mumbai Indians (MI) finished their win in the Eliminator and went straight to the airport to be flown into Ahmedabad by 4am on a chartered flight. In the evening, their coaches and medical staff were at the stadium for an unscheduled visit to look at the pitch and, more importantly, give their injured fast bowler Deepak Chahar a fitness test.Reece Topley was the only other player who made it to the stadium. It could be a sign that Richard Gleeson might not make it to Qualifier 2. If Chahar’s injured left leg doesn’t take the strain well, Topley could well get his MI cap.Related

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Bumrah-powered MI take on PBKS for spot in the final

Punjab Kings (PBKS), their opponents, have been in the city for longer as they were done with New Chandigarh on Thursday. They had a relaxed training session out in the middle during which all signs pointed to a return to fitness for legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who last played on May 18 before an injury to the right wrist sidelined him. He wore protection on the wrist during the training session, played football, took catches, threw balls and then bowled a couple of overs in the empty net. Most of the PBKS bowlers practised in an empty net with a shoe on either side of the crease to aim their yorkers at.Three spells of mild drizzle were unable to pause PBKS’ training session, but proved to be a frustration for MI, who turned up even though they were not scheduled to. Mahela Jayawardene and Kieron Pollard wanted to take a look at the pitch, but the whole square had been covered by the time they arrived.ESPNcricinfo LtdThe real action for MI was Chahar’s fitness test. They are desperate to get him ready. He had padding both under and above his left knee. He started with sideways movements with a resistance band around his legs. Then gentle jogging with breaks in between. Then short sharp sprints. All into a pretty stiff breeze.Chahar walked off all right without a grimace, but Ahmedabad is among the worst venues if you have anything resembling an issue with a hamstring. The climb to the dressing room is a long one. If you need to take the elevator, you might need to get out of the Players and Match Officials Area. However, he didn’t need to go up to the change room on the eve of the match. Still, he was careful to get support taking the odd step up even on the ground level. Now it possibly depends on how he wakes up on Sunday after this workout.Jayawardene did eventually get to look at the pitch: No. 7 on the 11-pitch square, which makes it just off centre. This is a red-soil pitch on which GT successfully defended 217 against Rajasthan Royals (RR) and CSK successfully defended 230 against GT. They were both big wins, which might suggest batting first is an option. Neither team was able to collect any intel on dew because of the drizzle, although dew has generally not been a factor in Ahmedabad.The covers came off for barely five minutes. The groundsmen were no less urgent. In the stands, dancers rehearsed their performance to . It might not seem like it outside, but inside the Motera stadium, it was palpable that this was the eve of a big match.

The 49ers and Rangers are now reportedly considering an approach to hire a 42-year-old replacement for Patrick Stewart, who they recently sacked.

Rangers sack Thelwell and Stewart

Despite a recent turnaround on the pitch courtesy of Danny Rohl’s arrival, the 49ers have remained in ruthless mood and recently sacked chief executive Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell. It follows a disastrous summer of decisions, which instantly failed to get fans at Ibrox onside.

Explaining the decision, Andrew Cavenagh said: “Paraag and I have analysed the club’s needs, and as we reflect on what the club needs today, and where Kevin and Patrick are, we think we need something different.

“Our focus the first part of this season, the first part of our ownership period, has been on the sporting side and that’s where all of our attention went to for obvious reasons.

“With Danny coming in, he has started to improve the on-pitch performance, and that has created the space to allow Paraag and I to look at other parts of the club with new eyes and assess what we need going forward.

“I think responsible change has to be measured. I don’t think you can come in and tear something completely apart all at once. You’re likely to get something wrong.”

It’s certainly a big decision from the 49ers, but one that will please Rangers fans who particularly aired their frustrations at Thelwell in recent months.

Just who they turn to now is the big question. Potential candidates are already being mentioned, and that includes James Taylor who reportedly has internal support at the club amid a potential promotion.

Rangers considering James Taylor approach

According to the Scottish Sun, Rangers are now considering an approach to hire Taylor in the CEO role. The 42-year-old has already impressed as their Chief Financial Officer and played a huge part in recording a record revenue of £94m for the year. Now, he could get the chance to step up to the CEO role.

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Whilst he’s not the only name on the list, Ibrox chiefs are reportedly fans of Taylor and that will undoubtedly help him along the way in the interview process.

It almost goes without saying that it would be a big step up for the current Rangers chief, but he has more than proven his worth at the club in the last year.

Whether the Gers decide to make a decision as soon as possible or remain patient for the right candidate is the question. In a season of so much change, they desperately need to get things in order ahead of the January transfer window both on and off the pitch.

Rohl must bin Chermiti for Rangers star who was the SPFL's "best player"

Rob Edwards will be under no illusions about the size of the job ahead of him after his first Premier League match in the dugout for Wolverhampton Wanderers ended in a defeat last weekend.

The Old Gold were beaten 2-0 by Crystal Palace at the Molineux, thanks to goals from Daniel Munoz and Yeremy Pino, and that leaves them bottom of the table with two points after 12 matches.

Edwards needs to find a way to turn results around in the short term, no doubt, but he also has the upcoming January transfer window to make some changes to the squad. One player, of many, who should be replaced is central midfielder Marshall Munetsi.

Why Wolves need to replace Marshall Munetsi

He started in the middle of the park against Crystal Palace on Saturday and won three of his 14 duels in 66 minutes on the pitch, per Sofascore, which shows how lightweight the midfield flop was.

The 29-year-old dud has failed to impress in the Premier League since his move from Stade Reims in February, with poor form in the second half of last season and in the current campaign.

Munetsi lost 51% of his duels and only completed 74% of his passes in the 2024/25 campaign, and has lost 54% of his duels with a dismal 62% pass accuracy this season in the top-flight, per Sofascore.

Transfer Focus

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These statistics show that the £70k-per-week midfielder has not been reliable enough in or out of possession, which is why Edwards should replace him by swooping for one of his former Middlesbrough stars, Hayden Hackney.

Why Wolves need to sign Hayden Hackney

During Vitor Pereira’s time in charge during the summer transfer window, it was reported that Wolves were willing to pay a fee of around £30m to sign the Boro ace, but a move never materialised.

Now, Edwards must reignite that interest in the January transfer window because the England U21 international could arrive at the club as a big upgrade on Munetsi in the middle of the park, allowing the manager to finally ditch him.

Hackney, who was hailed as a “fearless” talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has caught the eye with his performances in the second tier this season and could arrive with a positive mentality that could inject some energy into the currently dull Wolves squad.

Appearances

12

16

Pass accuracy

62%

85%

Goals

1

3

xA

0.38

3.24

Assists

1

2

Completed dribbles per game

0.4

1.3

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.4

2.4

As you can see in the table above, the English talent has shown a lot of quality in possession in the middle of the park for Middlesbrough, whilst Munetsi has struggled to make much of an impact with the ball at his feet.

Whilst Hackney has played in the division below the Premier League, the Boro star’s statistics suggest that he does have the potential to come in as an upgrade on the former Ligue 1 midfielder.

The 23-year-old star, who scored five goals for Middlesbrough in the 2024/25 campaign, is also six years younger than Munetsi, 29, which means that he has far more time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player.

Wolves fans may not want to read this, but Hackney would also be a signing who could be incredibly useful for the club if they do get relegated, because he is a proven Championship star, whilst Munetsi has never played at that level.

Before Gomes: Edwards must sell Wolves star who's made them a "worse side"

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Therefore, Edwards should push for a reunion with the English gem in January in order to finally ditch Munetsi from the starting line-up, hopefully improving the team in the process.

India have been fined for maintaining a slow over rate during their Women’s World Cup match against Australia on October 12.Harmanpreet Kaur’s team was found to be one over short of the target after allowances had been made during their unsuccessful defence of 330 in Visakhapatnam. Australia won by three wickets and with six balls to spare.There was no need for a formal hearing with the match referee after Harmanpreet pled guilty to the charges levied by the match officials and the proposed sanction. India were fined 5% of their match fees.According to the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 5% for every over they fail to bowl within the allotted time to complete the innings.India are presently fourth in the points table, having won their first two games in the league stage of the World Cup before losing to South Africa and Australia. Their next fixture is against England in Indore on Sunday.

Curtis Jones said it best. However, it’s probably best to glaze over the exact details of the Liverpool star’s post-match thoughts, his team having been wrecked at Anfield by PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.

But Liverpool are in the lurch, and this has formed into a crisis of unimaginable depths for Arne Slot, who believes he has the backing of FSG and the board, but with each miserable defeat is cashing in more credit from the bank of his Premier League title success last season.

Liverpool have lost their past three matches by an aggregate score of 10-1. Since the November international break, Anfield has hosted Nottingham Forest and now PSV, and the Reds have been turned over both times.

So deep is this malaise that Liverpool are beginning to become a team not just struggling to identify tactical answers but lacking any conviction or confidence in their performance. In many ways, they are victims of their own self-combustion.

And Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate are, sadly, representations of that.

Liverpool's deteriorating defence

Across Liverpool’s past three matches in all competitions – three defeats – they have recorded an xG score of 6.59; their opponents have combined for a 5.39 total. As already mentioned, the aggregate score stands at 10-1 to the opposition.

As the boss, Slot has to shoulder the blame. However, he must be dumbfounded by the manner of Liverpool’s defending, the absence of coherence. There is an inability to perform the basics of football that has rattled this cage too hard.

Konate is a perfect example of this, with the French centre-back so shorn of belief that mistakes are becoming a part of his daily routine.

When Liverpool concede, Konate is at the heart of it. And Liverpool are conceding in droves.

But the typically unflappable Van Dijk is deteriorating too. He inexplicably shot his hand into the air like a curious schoolchild in the early stages against PSV, and that sealed a spot kick for the visitors. Moments into the game. Converted. Set-piece concession. Again.

He might be 34, but the skipper remains one of the best defenders in the world. Still, his leadership skills have been swept from under his feet, so disjointed is this Liverpool backline.

VAN DIJK KONATE GRAPHIC

Slot needs to fix this mess, and no mistake. But Liverpool’s problem stretch far wider than just the inconsistencies of centre-backs. Where to begin? Where is the end of this remarkable rut?

The boss was brought in for his cool-headedness and tactical ingenuity. But that’s not been on show this season, and the repeated hammering of two stars into a combination that just isn’t working is an illustration of this bitter situation.

Slot cannot start them together again.

Slot must never start Liverpool duo together again

Liverpool have so many tactical imbalances. It is quite incredible how Slot’s side have regressed so deeply after cantering to the Premier League title last term.

But this is the club’s reality, and Slot needs to prove he can find the answers, else his tenure will be cut painfully, regrettably, short.

To spark positive change, the Netherlands tactician has to end this partnership of Milos Kerkez and Cody Gakpo down the left flank. There is no harmony on show between the left-back and winger.

Kerkez is fast, and, when he’s firing on all cylinders, furious. Analyst Sam McGuire observed that “a potential break is nullified by our own players” when the Hungarian threw himself down the line, only for those around him to remain rooted to their spots.

Sure, Kerkez, who joined Liverpool from Bournemouth for £40m this summer, is showing himself to be unintuitive defensively. But awareness and understanding can be worked on, and such flaws have been exacerbated by the squad’s wider issues.

Gakpo is a seasoned Liverpool star now, having joined from PSV in a deal rising to £45m in January 2023. He needs to play with more conviction and more maturity. He also needs to connect with Kerkez and help this young and talented left-back grow into his skin.

Minutes played

90′

90′

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

66

66

Shots (on target)

1 (0)

3 (1)

Accurate passes

31/35 (89%)

28/35 (80%)

Crosses

1/5

3/9

Key passes

1

4

Dribbles

0/2

1/4

Tackles won

4/8

1/2

Clearances

2

0

Duels won

9/14

4/9

Twice Kerkez and Gakpo have started together in the Champions League, and twice Liverpool have been beaten, first at Galatasaray, a miserable evening, and then this week, at Anfield against PSV.

It is unfair to heap all the criticism on these. The sum of Liverpool’s downfall is greater than its individual parts. Against Manchester City earlier this month, Slot lumped them on together with just over half an hour on the clock; they were already three goals down.

But they aren’t working together, not one bit. You can see why Liverpool are so interested in completing a winter deal for the electric Antoine Semenyo, Kerkez’s former teammate at the Vitality Stadium.

The 22-year-old was part of the PFA Premier League Team of the Year last season. He was immense at Bournemouth. But that player has not been found at Anfield this season, with content creator Mark Goldbridge remarking that he has been “such a bad signing” for the champions.

In fairness to Kerkez, he is being shoehorned into a role that does not suit him. It is hard to believe that he, a ferocious touchline full-back, moved to Merseyside on the premise of being utilised in a build-up-focused role.

Journalist Henry Winter said after the match that it’s “pointless writing him off”, and that he “shines most when overlapping a left winger who reads his movement”.

This is not Gakpo. Though the Dutch forward probably receives undue criticism at times, he is not an uncoded winger, given artistic license to roam and do as he pleases – to an extent. No, Gakpo is quite limited in what he does, but he does it well, and that offered a nice counterpoint to Luis Diaz last season, both forwards notching 25 goal involvements across all competitions for league-winning Liverpool.

With four goals and three assists this term, Gakpo isn’t providing the clinical output needed, and Kerkez’s woes behind him are certainly factoring into this tough equation.

The fact of the matter is Liverpool are in a mess of a situation, and Slot’s tenure teeters on the edge of a precipice.

The Dutch coach has just a handful of games to save his Liverpool tenure, and if he continues to persist with this Kerkez-Gakpo combination, he will only be writing his own dismissal note.

Slot must drop 3/10 Liverpool flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Arne Slot must now axe this Liverpool flop after he put in an extremely poor display at Anfield against PSV Eindhoven.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2025

England and India drew 2-2 after a nerve-shredding end to an amazing series. Alan Gardner catches up with Andrew Miller and Sid Monga to pick through all the Test match goodness

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2025The fifth and final Test between England and India went down to the 25th and final day of the series, with Mohammed Siraj emerging as the hero in a dramatic six-run win for the touring side. How did India pull it off? And how did England fail to seal a chase that seemed in their hands? On the pod, Alan Gardner was joined by Andrew Miller and Sid Monga to go over a dramatic final day at The Oval. Was 2-2 a fair result? Should Siraj have been Player of the Series? And how did it all compare to 2005? Enjoy.