Category Uncategorized

Newcastle United are believed to be battling Liverpool for the free signing of a player hailed as a "privilege to play with", according to a fresh transfer rumour.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies could have a busy summer transfer window ahead of them, with incomings making Eddie Howe's squad stronger, but other players potentially moving on to pastures new, such as Bruno Guimaraes, who has been linked with a move to Man City.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that Newcastle are closing in on the double signing of Tosin Adarabioyo and Lloyd Kelly this summer, with the duo potentially arriving on free transfers from Fulham and Bournemouth respectively. Both are out of contract at the end of the season.

Alexander Isak has grown into one of the first names on Howe's team sheet, but the striker has been linked with completing a move to Barcelona, with centre-back Andreas Christensen possibly heading the other way. While the Dane is an impressive player in his own right, it is surely a piece of business that the supporters will want to avoid happening.

Young Chelsea defender Josh Acheampong is also reportedly wanted by Newcastle, with the 18-year-old considered one for the future, but Tottenham are believed to be in the mix for his signature, too. Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale is a target as well, as he looks for a possible reunion with Howe after their time together at Bournemouth.

Newcastle battling Liverpool and Celtic for McCarthy

According to The Daily Mail, Newcastle are interested in signing Alex McCarthy from Southampton this summer, with the 34-year-old goalkeeper also wanted by the likes of Celtic and Liverpool. McCarthy is also on course to be a free agent at the nd of Jun when his contract at St Mary's expires.

"Celtic are on the look out for a goalkeeper with Joe Hart retiring at the end of the season. Brendan Rodgers wants a keeper who is good with his feet and has looked at signing McCarthy previously. Liverpool and Newcastle United are also monitoring developments with McCarthy as they draw up shortlists for back-up keepers."

McCarthy may not be the huge signing that many Newcastle fans want this summer, but that's not to say that it wouldn't be a shrewd piece of business by the club.

The Englishman has had to make do with being a fringe player at Southampton this season, only making six appearances in the Championship, but he started in Sunday's 0-0 draw away to West Brom in the play-off semi-final first leg, being described as "massive" by manager Russell Martin, in terms of the performance he produced at the Hawthorns.

McCarthy has also been hailed as a "privilege to play with" and a "joke" of a player by teammate Flynn Downes, with his experience shining through.

Related Fabrizio Romano: Newcastle closing in on double signing of £70k-a-week duo

Talks are “progressing very well” currently.

Posts ByHenry Jackson May 13, 2024

The Saints ace, on £50,000-a-week, may not come in as first-choice goalkeeper at Newcastle, but in terms of safe deputies who know how to handle the Premier League, he could be a shrewd signing, not to mention also being a homegrown player to add to the required quota.

Nepal’s teenage legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane played a central role in a history-making day at Tribhuvan University Stadium on Wednesday morning, turning in the second-best ever figures by an Associate bowler in ODIs. His career-best 6 for 16 in just six overs helped Nepal bowl USA out for just 35. It was the joint-lowest total in ODIs and the shortest completed innings in ODI cricket, wrapped up in just 12 overs.”It’s a fantastic feeling to be on that list [of best figures in ODI cricket],” Lamichhane said after the match that lasted less than two hours. “But if you talk about 6 for 16, it’s for the team and the team is important for us. Two wins out of four [matches], still 32 games to go [in the World Cup League 2] and beating the top team in the league so far, I think it’s a positive sign for us.”USA had entered the ODI tri-series in Nepal – that also includes Oman – as the table leaders in the seven-team WCL 2 tournament that continues until 2022. But the USA team leaves Kathmandu licking their wounds with four consecutive losses. Oman won their four matches to jump over USA to be at the top of the table.It also continues a historic trend of Nepal spinners having tremendous success against USA. On USA’s last visit to Nepal in 2010 for the WCL Division 5, teenage left-arm spinner Rahul Vishwakarma took 7 for 15 to lead a win for Nepal in the tournament final. Left-arm spinner Basant Regmi also took back-to-back five-wicket hauls against USA in twin victories at 2012 WCL Division 4 in Malaysia. However, none of those tournaments had ODI status as they were played long before both nations attained their current ODI status.Among Associate players, Lamichhane’s figures are behind only Rashid Khan’s 7 for 18 against West Indies, just weeks before Afghanistan were granted Test status. Lamichhane jokingly responded at the post-match press conference that Rashid is “a Test player now, so forget that! Number One!” as he pointed to himself, sparking laughter from the assembled media.Lamichhane’s performance was also noteworthy because he did it with the new ball after Nepal chose to field first. The spinner has had a regular habit of bowling in the powerplay in franchise T20 cricket and said his experiences in various competitions bowling with a hard new ball helped him in his record performance in what was the shorted completed ODI in history, lasting a total of 17.2 overs.”I’ve been bowling for the last two years with the new ball. So I’ve got that experience how to give that rip with the new ball. It’s all about the backing you get from the captain as well and the kind of response he is giving to my bowling as well. So the belief and trust from the captain, that was the thing that helped me to perform like that today.”

Arsenal's hopes of lifting the Premier League trophy took a hit at the weekend, as Mikel Arteta’s side were defeated by Aston Villa 2-0.

It was the second time this season that Unai Emery had frustrated his old club, but the Villa boss was lucky this time around to claim all three points.

In truth, the Gunners could have had the game dead and buried in the first half, with their xG of 1.45 in the first 45 minutes proving that, but the same story of poor finishing repeats itself.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise to see that Arsenal are interested in a number nine this summer, who would not only provide goals but also supercharge Martin Odegaard.

Arsenal want to sign a new striker

According to a report from Italian outlet Gazzetta, Arsenal are interested in signing the superb Joshua Zirkzee.

The centre-forward currently plays for Italian outfit Bologna, who have been absolutely immense this season in the Serie A.

The report mentions that the Gunners are “watching Zirkzee closely,” having sent scouts to watch the attacker in action against Monza recently.

Plenty of European giants are interested in the Dutch ace, including his former club Bayern Munich, but for every other club, a fee of around £51m is said to be the asking price.

Related Arsenal could sell Hale End's "best ever" talent in Serge Gnabry repeat

Arsenal are set to sanction the sale of a highly-rated Hale End talent this summer.

Posts ByMatt Dawson Apr 16, 2024 Zirkzee would turn Odegaard into a monster

Arsenal’s captain, Odegaard, has been fantastic yet again this season, showing class every time he walks onto the field, but he’s not quite been putting up the same numbers as last season.

In the Premier League, the number eight has scored seven goals while providing six assists, which is still a brilliant record but not as good as his 15 goals and seven assists in the 2022/23 campaign.

Although the standard of performance still remains extremely high, he often fails to find himself in as many goal-scoring positions, while his creative output could also be slightly higher.

However, the potential signing of Zirkzee would see an increase in the Norwegian’s ability to both score and create, with the 22-year-old having the perfect profile for the striker role under Arteta.

Zirkzee's 23/24 Serie A Stats

Stats

Zirkzee

Goals

10

xG

8.64

Big chances missed

4

Assists

3

Big chances created

10

Key passes (per game)

1.3

Successful dribbles (per game)

1.6

Via Sofascore

Firstly, it’s quite clear that Zirkzee is the definition of a composed finisher, who often snaps up the opportunity in front of goal when it’s provided to him.

The fact that he’s scored ten goals this league campaign, overperformed his xG, and only missed four big chances proves that. It's certainly far better than Gabriel Jesus’ four goals, his underperformance in xG, and seven big chances missed in the league this season, for example.

This means that Odegaard would have a target to hit in the penalty area, whether that be via a cross or a deft pass into the feet of Zirkzee, who’s clearly an extremely technical player, as shown by his dribbling numbers.

Furthermore, what makes the number nine “one of the most complete ST’ in 23/24," as per football analyst Ben Mattinson, is his ability to create opportunities to score from for for his teammates, as shown by his big chances created and key passes per game, which would have a huge impact on the 25-year-old.

Odegaard is a player who often finds himself in and around the edge of the box, mainly drifting over to the right-hand side, where he can cut inside onto his strong left foot.

Having Zirkzee play with his back to goal, using his physical 6 foot 3 frame inside the box, the former Real Madrid wonderkid would be able to play quick combinations with the striker, allowing him to get inside the box where he can use his excellent ball-striking ability to find the back of the net.

Overall, the signing of Zirkzee would not only make Odegaard a more dangerous player, but the team would be much more complete as well, and therefore, making the move happen is a no-brainer.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após vencer por 2 a 0 no jogo de ida, o Fluminense visitará o Red Bull Bragantino nesta quarta, às 21h30, no Estádio Nabi Abi Chedid, pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. Embalado, e sem sofrer gol nos últimos três jogos, o Tricolor tem a vantagem, e pode garantir a classificação para as oitavas até se perder por um gol de diferença.

> Confira os confrontos da Copa do Brasil

RelacionadasFluminenseCBF altera horário do duelo entre Fluminense e RB Bragantino pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, no domingoFluminense08/06/2021Futebol NacionalPalmeiras x CRB, Atlético-GO x Corinthians… saiba onde assistir aos jogos de quarta-feiraFutebol Nacional08/06/2021FluminenseSem perder há 11 jogos no Brasileirão, Fluminense tem a maior invencibilidade da competiçãoFluminense07/06/2021

Para o duelo desta quarta, o técnico Roger Machado ainda não poderá contar com o zagueiro Nino, que está com a seleção olímpica. O defensor Manoel deve continuar como titular e fazer dupla com Luccas Claro. O equatoriano Cazares também não será opção no banco, pois está com a seleção de seu país nas eliminatórias sul-americanas para a Copa do Mundo 2022, no Catar.

Além deles, Hudson teve uma lesão ligamentar e não jogará mais neste temporada, enquanto o jovem john Kennedy voltou após longo período afastado em virtude da da Covid-19. Ele treina com o time sub-23 para recuperar o condicionamento físico.

A tendência é que o técnico repita a escalação que está invicta há quatro partidas (contra River Plate, São Paulo, RB Bragantino e Cuiabá). A novidade fica por conta de Paulo Henrique Ganso que viajou com a equipe e deve ser opção no banco de reservas.

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

A escalação do Massa Bruta, por sua vez, ainda não está definida. O treinador Maurício Barbieri tem três dúvidas: ozagueiro Fabrício Bruno, o lateral-esquerdo Edimar e o atacante Helinho serão avaliados pelo departamento médico do clube para saber qual deles terá condição de atuar. Ambos não atuaram no empate por 3 a 3 com o Bahia pelo Brasileirão.

Fabrício Bruno não jogou diante do Tricolor baiano, poissofreu uma pancada na cabeça na primeira partida contra o Fluminense. jáEdimar estava com dores na coxa e Helinho com dores no tornozelo após ter um entorse também contra o Tricolor carioca. O time do interior paulista necessita vencer por três gols de diferença para garantir a vaga. Em caso de vitória por dois, a disputa será decidida nos pênaltis.

FICHA TÉCNICA
RED BULL BRAGANTINO x FLUMINENSE

Data/Hora: 09/06/2021, às 21h30
Local: Nabi Abi Cheidi, Bragança Paulista (SP)
Árbitro:Wilton Pereira Sampaio (GO)
Assistentes: Fabricio Vilarinho da Silva (GO) e Bruno Raphael Pires (GO)
Onde ver: Globo, Sportv 2 e tempo real do LANCE!

RED BULL BRAGANTINO (Técnico: Maurício Barbieri)
Julio César; Aderlan, Léo Ortiz, Natan (Fabrício Bruno) e Luan Cândido (Edimar); Jadsom, Lucas Evangelista e Cuello; Artur, Pedrinho (Helinho) e Ytalo.

Desfalques: Cleiton, Claudinho (Seleção olímpica), Gabriel Novaes (já jogou pelo Bahia e sofreu lesão na coxa), Bruno Tubarão (recupera de cirurgia no tornozelo), Raul e Vitinho (transição)
Pendurados: Ninguém
Suspensos: Ninguém

FLUMINENSE (Técnico: Roger Machado)
Marcos Felipe; Samuel Xavier, Manoel, Luccas Claro e Egídio; Martinelli, Yago Felipe e Nene; Caio Paulista, Fred e Gabriel Teixeira.

Desfalques: Hudson (lesão ligamentar), John Kennedy (recondicionamento físico), Nino (Seleção olímpica) e Cazares (seleção)

Jhye Richardson claimed a late wicket as Western Australia set themselves for a victory push

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Oct-2019

Shaun Marsh’s career-best 214, his maiden double century, built Western Australia a commanding lead over Victoria on the third day at the WACA.Marsh was unbeaten on 101 overnight and more than double his total before falling to James Pattinson as the home side declared 178 in front.They were able to take a key wicket before bad light brought an early stumps, when Marcus Harris was squared up and edged to slip off Jhye Richardson, to leave Victoria facing a battle to secure a draw.Josh Philippe, who added 142 with Marsh, and Josh Inglis contributed half-centuries after Western Australia had resumed on 4 for 256.Marsh, who is captaining Western Australia following the broken hand suffered by his brother Mitchell, went past his previous best if 182 and reached the double from 409 balls with a boundary off Scott Boland.He was eventually caught at slip off Pattinson who claimed some late reward for another day of toil for Victoria’s quicks after the flat pitch they encountered at Junction Oval last week.Ashton Agar was well caught in the gully by Glenn Maxwell and Richardson top edged his second ball to the keeper. On a day where Mitchell Starc took another four wickets, Pattinson ended with 4 for 117 in the race to be the third quick against Pakistan at the Gabba.

The Real Madrid superstar looked a shadow of his usual self as Les Bleus were deservedly beaten in Munich

France are finally out of Euro 2024. They will not be missed. Didier Deschamps' terrible team endured a fittingly feeble farewell, beaten 2-1 in the semi-finals by a vastly superior Spain side, who were inspired to victory by two tremendous attackers in Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo.

France have some incredible players of their own, of course, chief among them Kylian Mbappe, but despite being unmasked at the Allianz Arena, he was still unrecognisable, looking nothing like the finest forward in the game today.

When he crossed for Randal Kolo Muani to open the scoring, it appeared as if the real Mbappe had finally arrived in Germany, but he played like an imposter for the remainder of the game. Granted, he was one of the main victims of Deschamps' dire tactics and team selections, but even when Mbappe did get himself into dangerous positions, his normally deadly right foot let him down time and time again.

Below, GOAL rates all of the France players on show in Munich as Les Bleus bowed out of the Euros..

Getty Goalkeeper & Defence

Mike Maignan (6/10):

Absolutely nothing he could do about either goal. Also produced an excellent bit of sweeping at the start of the second half.

Jules Kounde (4.5/10):

Made a valiant effort to stop Olmo scoring and actually showed a bit of fighting spirit, particularly as he tried to deal with Williams, but he consistently gave the ball away.

Dayot Upamecano (4.5/10):

Loose in possession and his attempts to get to grips with Morata were embarrassingly clumsy at times. Also squandered one of France's few good chances to equalise, from a corner.

William Saliba (5.5/10):

Passed the ball with his usual precision but this was the first time in the tournament we've seen him look a little flustered, with the Arsenal ace lucky to avoid a booking for a clumsy foul on Olmo.

Theo Hernandez (5.5/10):

As usual, always looking to get forward (the AC Milan full-back was one of the few Frenchman to actually create a chance!), but a late challenge on Yamal showed how wary he was of the teenager's threat.

AdvertisementGetty Midfield

N'Golo Kante (4/10):

Tried to inject a bit of energy and positivity into France's play, getting forward when he could, but forced to spend too much of the game chasing red shirts. Looked exhausted when he was withdrawn in the 63rd minute.

Aurelien Tchouameni (5/10):

Sent for a hotdog by Olmo before Spain's second goal. Headed a decent chance straight at Unai Simon before being booked for a wild and dangerous challenge on Morata.

Adrien Rabiot (3/10):

Taken off after making little impact on the proceedings. On the receiving end of a hefty challenge from Navas while trying to play Mbappe in on goal before being beaten with staggering ease by Yamal on the equaliser.

Getty Attack

Ousmane Dembele (4.5/10):

Saw plenty of possession on the right wing and once again showed that he can run fast – but do little else. Amazing that he lasted nearly 80 minutes.

Randal Kolo Muani (6.5/10):

Showed good movement and real calmness in front of goal to head France in front but didn't threaten thereafter. Subbed before the midway point of the second half.

Kylian Mbappe (6/10):

Created France's first goal from open play of the tournament with a sublime cross from the left wing, but never really got a clear sight of goal. Mbappe may have been shorn of the mask but this was ultimately another desperately frustrating evening for the misfiring Madrid forward.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Subs & Manager

Bradley Barcola (6/10):

Brought on for Kolo Muani and went on the left flank, with Mbappe moving into the centre, and his pace posed problems.

Antoine Griezmann (5/10):

Came on just after the hour mark for Rabiot and took up a position just behind Mbappe, but once again failed to make his presence felt. Story of his tournament.

Eduardo Camavinga (5.5/10):

Replaced Kante in midfield and kept things nice and tidy with his passing, but by no means a game-changer and his frustration manifested itself in a late booking.

Olivier Giroud (N/A):

Thrown up top for the last 12 minutes but didn't get a sniff of a chance.

Didier Deschamps (3/10):

For about eight minutes, it looked like Deschamps might have figured to get France firing. But it was just more of the same dreary football thereafter. One can only hope that this meek exit, at the end of a terrible tournament, signals the end of his tenure.

Jack Leach returns for one of the most important matches in Somerset’s history when leaders Essex visit Taunton for the Specsavers County Championship title decider, starting on Monday.The hosts must win to secure the pennant for the first time. They go into the match 12 points adrift in second place, but optimistic of making home advantage tell, having won five and drawn one of their six Championship games at the Cooper Associates County Ground this season.Leach’s availability after his Ashes heroics is a major boost. The left-arm spinner, who has just been awarded an England incremental contract, trained with the squad on Friday and could prove a key figure on a pitch sure to turn as the match progresses.With rain forecast, Somerset will be keen to play on a result wicket in the hope of forcing a victory well inside four days. A gamble on a bowler-friendly surface appears to offer their best chance, even though Essex have two of the most prolific wicket-takers in the Championship.Off-spinner Simon Harmer is top of the list with 78 wickets, while seamer Jamie Porter is also in the top 10, with 48.Somerset head coach Jason Kerr is in confident mood, despite last week’s 136-run defeat by Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.”It’s an incredibly exciting week ahead, not just for the players, but for the many supporters, who have taken the emotional journey with us in recent weeks,” he said.”What could be better than the two best teams in the Championship going head-to-head with the title as the prize.”We cannot control the weather, but I believe there will be enough play to achieve a decisive result and we back ourselves against anyone on our home pitch.”A packed crowd and large media circus will descend on the County Ground, most of the latter expecting Essex to be crowned champions.Kerr acknowledges that Somerset’s batsmen will need to raise their game. None of them is averaging more than 33 in the competition this season, whereas Essex have three with an average of more than 40 in Sir Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara and Dan Lawrence.”Statistically, our batting looks poor, but we have played on some tough pitches and there have been some fine innings in difficult circumstances that have helped us win through,” said Kerr.”I am expecting the players concerned to step up on last week when we came across a bowler in exceptional form. Kyle Abbott’s performance was just incredible.”After discussions with director of cricket Andy Hurry and skipper Tom Abell, Kerr looks set to stick with the same batting line-up against Essex, with Leach’s inclusion likely to be the only team change.Jamie Overton missed the Hampshire match with a back injury and was sent for a scan on Friday. He was already facing surgery on an ankle spur at the end of the season.Kerr’s final message to the Somerset players will be to “go out and enjoy the occasion”. While he accepts there is pressure to deliver that elusive first title, he wants his team to ignore the hype as much as possible.”So much work has gone into getting us this far,” he said. “Now it is important we stick to the processes which have put us in the top two.”Essex have had the distraction of Vitality Blast Finals Day this weekend and hopefully we can capitalise on that. Given a reasonable amount of luck with the weather, I’m sure we can do it.”Kerr ruled out a sentimental recall for Marcus Trescothick, who announced some time ago that this would be his final season as a player. Somerset will make a presentation to the 43-year-old at the lunch interval on Monday to mark his 27 seasons of service.Trescothick will be in and around the dressing room during the game and Kerr said: “I hope he gets around the ground and soaks up the atmosphere. It would be fitting if we could win the title he has dreamt about for so long.”

Sunderland's inconsistencies reared their ugly head again away in Birmingham, with a 2-1 defeat at St Andrew's meaning the Black Cats are now winless in their last two after going on an unbeaten streak of three games prior.

A late flurry of second-half goals for Tony Mowbray's Blues allowed the former Sunderland manager and his new team to pick up a narrow win against the hit-and-miss Wearside outfit, who sit in tenth position now in the Championship off the back of this slim loss.

Michael Beale will feel significantly let down by a number of his first-teamers but will feel the most frustrated when it comes to this Sunderland individual who is yet to taste a single minute of action this year for the stuttering Black Cats.

On a handsome wage at this moment in time, those with connections to Sunderland could well look to offload the player in question soon to free up some of the wage bill and get this dud off the books for good.

Bradley Dack's salary at Sunderland

Bradley Dack is currently earning a hefty £15k-per-week salary, an arguably extortionate amount of money for the 30-year-old midfielder to be raking in considering his on-the-fringes presence at the Stadium of Light.

Battling with a number of well-publicised injury demons at Blackburn Rovers, Dack's bad luck when it comes to picking up knocks did, unfortunately, follow him to Sunderland early into his Black Cats career and continues to hinder him – the 5 foot 9 creator missing for most of September and October as a permanent fixture in the treatment room.

Scoring only one goal since making the switch to Wearside from Blackburn across 13 appearances, Dack now finds himself out injured again with his last slice of action coming on Boxing Day last year against Hull City.

With Sunderland more willing to give young talents such as Jobe Bellingham time to shine in the attacking midfield positions, Dack's short-lived time at the Stadium of Light could soon be up especially if he continues to bleed the Championship club dry by routinely suffering setback after setback with injuries.

Amazingly, the 30-year-old comes in at a higher wage than the aforementioned Bellingham with Dack earning more than double that of the former Birmingham City teenage sensation.

Bradley Dack's salary compared to the Sunderland squad

Dack, when comparing his wage to the rest of the Black Cats camp, comes in as the joint second-highest earner currently at the football club.

Jack Clarke only beats Dack just – with the 15-goal star deserving of his top £16.9k wage – whilst Daniel Ballard ties with Dack at £15k-per-week according to Capology.

Sunderland's top earners – 2023-24

1. Jack Clarke

£16.9k

2. Daniel Ballard

£15k

3. Bradley Dack

£15k

4. Patrick Roberts

£12.5k

5. Anthony Patterson

£10k

Sourced by Capology

Surprisingly, despite Bellingham starring this season with five goals and one assist next to his name, the 18-year-old comes in with a meagre £6.5k per week compared to Dack's far greater salary packet.

With Beale stating recently that Dack could be back from his recent knock soon, the time is now for the ex-Blackburn man to step up and justify his handsome pay packet to the disgruntled Sunderland masses when fit by putting in performances that make the wage seem less excessive.

At the peak of his powers for his former Lancashire employers, Dack did dazzle second-tier defences for fun – the attacking midfielder bagging 15 goals during the 2018-19 season for the Riversiders at the level.

Yet, in the present with Dack not getting any less injury-prone, Sunderland could sense severing ties with the 5 foot 9 midfielder as the most logical thing to do to then seek out some more appropriate young talent down the line.

Leeds United could well travel to Bristol City this coming Friday with no new additions to show for their January transfer window business, Daniel Farke potentially risking it all and opting to rely on the group he already has at his disposal instead of splashing the cash.

Yet, there could well still be various twists and turns awaiting the Whites with the potential for last-ditch deals to still get over the line before the window officially slams shut on the West Yorkshire titans tomorrow.

With Farke and Co potentially trying to get transfers in right until the death at an anxiety-ridden Elland Road, the Championship promotion hopefuls could strike gold by landing this defender who could prove to be their very own Jarrad Branthwaite.

Leeds going in for Premier League colossus

Football journalist Alan Nixon has reported recently that Leeds are very much interested in bringing Nottingham Forest captain Joe Worrall to the club, the 6 foot 4 colossus a decorated servant at the City Ground by notching up an impressive 226 appearances to date but appears to be heading for the exit door.

Only starting five games this campaign for Forest – with his last full 90 minutes coming against Burnley in September last year – Leeds could offer Worrall more first-team opportunities to bolster their back four.

With a fee of £6m reported to be enough to land the out-of-favour 27-year-old in a last-gasp move, it would be a bittersweet severing of the ties for Worrall to walk away from his boyhood club.

Yet, Leeds would land an exceptional defender for the level if a move could be pulled off with the authoritative centre-back even displaying shades of Everton star Branthwaite's game when selected – the breakthrough Toffees centre-back an in-demand property himself this window.

How Joe Worrall compares to Jarrad Branthwaite

Casting an eye over FBRef, Worrall and Branthwaite have various similarities in the way they conduct themselves on a football pitch, with the two players noted as similar players, as per the stat-based website's comparison model. Unsurprisingly, this should make Leeds even more excited at the prospect of landing their £50k per week target.

Both are classy operators of the ball, with Worrall coming in at an 84.1% pass completion percentage per 90 minutes over the last year compared to Branthwaite's slightly lesser 78.1%.

With Leeds excelling at playing out from the back slowly before finding eventual holes in the opposition this season – Joe Rodon averaging a 91% pass accuracy at the heart of defence so far – Worrall would slot straight into the Whites first team rather effortlessly.

Moreover, both defenders go toe-to-toe when it comes to shot-creating actions – the 27-year-old Forest man coming in at 0.62 shot-creating actions to Branthwaite's slightly higher 0.74. The table below helps to further showcase their similarities.

Tackles won

1.02

1.11

Aerials won

2.45

2.58

Carries

21.4

21.1

Completed passes

28.2

29.6

Passes into final 3rd

1.02

1.58

Progressive passes

1.63

1.84

With Branthwaite plying his trade in the EFL before exploding into life when a move to Everton came about, Leeds will hope Worrall can smoothly transition back to the demands of Championship football on the contrary after playing his part in Forest staying up last season in the division above.

As there's still no expected date for when Pascal Struijk will return from a recently sustained injury blow – leaving Leeds to field Whites veteran Liam Cooper in the FA Cup last match – signing Worrall before the closing of the window feels like a sensible decision to make.

Farke will know what it takes to win promotion up to the Premier League as was showcased in his multiple heroics at Norwich City, but new reinforcements here and there would significantly boost his side's chances regardless.

Worrall, in particular, could well prove to be a shrewd bit of business that enables Leeds to make that next step up again to the top flight.

Outgoing Manchester City star Esme Morgan revealed the highlight of her career at the Etihad as she prepares to join Washington Spirit.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Morgan recalls fond memories from Man City career
• Set to join Washington Spirit
• Joined the Cityzens in 2017

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Cityzens confirmed on Monday that Lionesses defender Morgan will leave the club this summer. Per BBC, the 23-year-old is all set to head to the NWSL where she will sign for Washington Spirit, however, her move will hinge on international clearance and a work permit.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As Morgan ends her seven-year-long association with City, she fondly revealed the highlights from the journey with the WSL side. The England international also recalled the time she was left astonished looking at a mural on the streets of Manchester with Erling Haaland stealing chips from her packet.

• WHAT ESME MORGAN SAID

  Speaking to the club's official website, Morgan said, "It feels so strange. I remember the first time there was a kit announcement, and I was on the side of the Etihad, I just thought ‘Wow this is crazy’. I drove past it every day and sometimes I’d be driving into training and I’d see it on the side of the stadium and I’d just be like ‘That’s my face up there’.

  "It’s just mad. Murals when [Erling] Haaland was stealing my chips it’s just crazy! I am just a fan and I will always be such a big fan of the Club so to be alongside players who I still love watching every single week is so surreal and I don’t think it’ll ever get normal."

  She added, "Seeing fans with my name on the back it just gives me goosebumps it’s so special because I was once a fan with players’ names on the back of my shirt looking up to them. Having that with me on the other side of it is so special. I feel very lucky."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ESME MORGAN?

  The England international will now have to wait for her work permit and international clearance before she can officially complete her move to the US.