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Riley has become something of a forgotten man since being identified as an England spin bowler in the making

Jon Culley31-Aug-2018

Wayne Madsen works the ball away•Getty Images

ScorecardNews of defeat for Sussex at Lord’s would have reached the Kent dressing room during the tea interval, conveniently enough, to provide them with the immediate incentive of knowing that the prize for victory here is second place in the Division Two table.Whether they can pull it off depends largely on how well, on the final day, Derbyshire can resist Kent’s spinners on a used pitch that is offering both turn and variable bounce. Following on, they have already lost two of their most experienced hands in Billy Godleman and Wayne Madsen, with still work to do level things up let alone build a meaningful lead.Adam Riley, who has become something of a forgotten man since being identified as an England spin bowler in the making when he took 57 first-class wickets in the 2014 season, enjoyed quite literally his best day in years. His off-breaks and Joe Denly’s leggies look key to Kent’s hopes.Riley’s wickets — three in the first innings and another two in the follow-on — were his first in the Championship for almost three years after running into a series of frustrations.For all his difficulties, he remained upbeat about the future, saying: “The aim was always to get back in the first team by performing with the second team and in the last few weeks I’ve taken 20-odd wickets so I got back in on merit.”The success of that 2014 season earned Riley a Lions tour to South Africa and at 22 he seemed to be at the threshold of an outstanding career. Yet he was stopped in his tracks by a muscle tear that stubbornly refused to heal, then struggled to find his form following modifications to his action. It has not helped that so many Division Two pitches are green seamers, making him often simply surplus to requirements.So there was no concealing his delight when he ended his long drought by beating Madsen’s attempted sweep late in the morning session, denying the former Derbyshire captain a hundred and breaking a partnership that was threatening to turn the contest into a stalemate.Madsen and Alex Hughes, who had played the spinners pretty well, had added 130 for the third wicket but, as so often happens, one breakthrough brings another, Riley claiming his second only a couple of overs later as Derbyshire stumbled from 288 for 2 five overs before lunch to 301 for 4.Putting together another partnership thereafter proved beyond the home side, although Sean Ervine drew on his experience to dig in for 30 overs in making 26. But Riley made another incision early in the afternoon session as Matt Critchley took a walk down the pitch and was stumped all too easily.Then Denly was at last rewarded when he found the edge of Harvey Hosein’s bat with one that turned a lot and Kent were so much in charge that the chance to take the new ball was put off until the old one had 111 overs on the clock.When it was taken, Grant Stewart quickly saw off Hardus Viljoen and ended Ervine’s vigil and Matt Henry ran out Tony Palladino with a direct hit after fielding his own bowling.Derbyshire might consider themselves a little unfortunate. The 30 runs that Lockie Ferguson and Hamidullah Qadri added for the last wicket took their total to 400 for only the second time this season, yet Kent’s 561 gave captain Sam Billings the option to enforce the follow-on and he took it, as was to be expected given that pitch already aiding their spinners is unlikely to become less helpful.For spectators who were wondering how rare it is to score 400 and have to follow on the answer, in Derbyshire’s case, is only once before in their history – 117 years ago, to be precise, when Nottinghamshire made 661 on this ground in 1901 (of which Billy Gunn scored 273) and Derbyshire replied with 452 (Levi Wright 193). It was a three-day match and it will hardly come as a surprise that it ended in a draw.To emerge from this with the same outcome, they will first need to remember the regrettably old-fashioned virtue of patience. Riley is already among the wickets again, forcing a misjudgement from Godleman and holding a low return catch to dismiss Madsen for the second time in the day. Tom Lace, the young Middlesex opener who impressed in the first innings on his first-class debut, has looked composed again but the wise head of Ervine, on loan from Hampshire, may be the most important one.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had plenty of successes, and failures, in the transfer market over the years since Fosun completed their takeover of the club in 2016.

They arrived at the Molineux stadium with the side in the Championship and have overseen a promotion to the Premier League and European outings during their time in the Midlands so far.

Fosun's most expensive Wolves signings:

Player	Fee paid (Via Transfermarkt)
Matheus Cunha	£42.8m
Matheus Nunes	£38.5m
Fabio Silva	£34.3m
Raul Jimenez	£32.5m
Goncalo Guedes	£27.9m

As you can see in the table above, the Wolves owners have been willing to splash the cash at times to secure big talent in an attempt to improve the squad. Whilst it has not always paid off, their ambition over the course of their ownership of the club to date should be commended.

Nuno Espirito Santo, who led the team to promotion in 2018, enjoyed a fantastic spell as manager of the Old Gold and played a part in a number of successful transfers.

However, there was one deal, in particular, that could have been a huge blunder as the Portuguese head coach tried to sign Jesus Corona in 2020.

Were Wolves interested in Jesus Corona?

A Bola, via Sport Witness, reported in the summer of 2020 that Wolves were keen on a deal to sign the winger from Porto to bolster their attacking options.

The outlet claimed that the Premier League side had a bid worth up to €24m (£21m) turned down by the Portuguese giants, who were asking for a fee of €30m (£26m).

They were not prepared to cash in on their star forward unless a team came in and activated his €30m release clause and Wolves were seemingly unwilling to go that high for his signature, as he remained at Porto for the 2020/21 campaign.

Although, interestingly, the club did not go on to sign an alternative winger during that summer transfer window, despite Diogo Jota's departure to Liverpool.

Why were Wolves interested in Jesus Corona?

Santo attempted to swoop for the Mexico international after the talented ace enjoyed an impressive 2019/20 season in Portugal and, on paper, appeared set to be an excellent addition to the squad.

He had racked up an outstanding four goals and 21 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for Porto in the campaign prior to the £18m bid from Wolves.

Corona recorded an excellent average Sofascore rating of 7.17 as he created 11 goals and produced 13 'big chances' for his teammates in 33 league starts.

That impressive form came off the back of his return of nine assists and 11 'big chances' created in 34 league outings throughout the 2018/19 season.

These statistics show that the Porto star was consistently creating superb opportunities for his fellow attackers on a regular basis from a wide position, as he proved himself to be a reliable creative threat.

Whereas, no Wolves player managed more than nine Premier League assists during the 2019/20 campaign and Joao Moutinho's tally of eight led the way throughout the previous term.

What happened to Jesus Corona?

After Santo failed to secure a £21m deal for the Mexican whiz's signature in 2020, the Porto forward endured a frustrating 2020/21 season.

Corona scored three goals and assisted 13 in 48 matches in all competitions, which included zero goals and three assists in ten Champions League outings.

This means that he was directly involved in nine fewer goals than the 25 he contributed to throughout the previous campaign for the Portuguese side.

He followed that up with a dismal start to the 2021/22 season as the Mexico international failed to score a single goal and assisted one in 18 games for Porto.

These statistics show that his output at the top end of the pitch dropped significantly. Corona went from being a consistent threat in the final third, with goals and assists, to rarely contributing with big moments to change or win games for his side from a wide position.

His downturn in form over the 18 months that followed the interest from Wolves culminated in a transfer to Spanish side Sevilla during the January transfer window in 2022.

How much did Sevilla pay for Jesus Corona?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that the LaLiga outfit secured a €3m (£2.6m) deal to sign Corona from Porto ahead of the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

This means that the 30-year-old forward's value plummeted from the £21m that Wolves were seemingly prepared to spend on his signature in 2020.

Within 18 months, the Mexican magician was worth £18.4m less than the reported value of Santo and Fosun's bid to bring him to England.

This suggests that the former Wolves boss dodged a huge blunder for the club in his failed effort to sign Corona. The player's performance on the pitch took a downturn and his value followed suit.

Therefore, the Old Gold would have signed a player who would not have added much on the pitch with his contributions at the top end of the pitch, based on his post-2019/20 form for Porto, and could have lost millions if they went on to sell him for £2.6m, or around that fee.

Where is Jesus Corona now?

At the time of writing (06/10/2023), the 30-year-old attacker is currently playing for Monterrey in his home country and has assisted one goal in three appearances since his move during the summer transfer window.

His switch back to Mexico came after a less-than-impressive spell in Spain with Sevilla, where he failed to recapture the Porto form that led to Wolves' interest in him in 2020.

Corona scored three goals and produced four assists in 28 matches in all competitions for the Spanish outfit, which included three goals and four assists in 24 LaLiga clashes.

His statistics since Santo failed to sign him show that the Old Gold dodged a huge blunder ahead of the 2020/21 season and the ex-Wolves boss will surely look back on that with a sigh of relief.

New boss Gary O'Neil, who replaced Julen Lopetegui over the summer, will now be hoping to avoid any disasters in the transfer market throughout his tenure at Molineux over the months, and possibly years, to come.

Alisha Lehmann took herself to the Netherlands to support Aston Villa and her boyfriend Douglas Luiz in their Europa League encounter with Ajax.

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Aston Villa played Ajax in Europa League round of 16 first legPremier League club drew 0-0 with Dutch sideLehmann in the stands watching onWHAT HAPPENED?

Lehmann uploaded a picture to Instagram showing her view of the pitch as Aston Villa prepared to take on Ajax in the round of 16 of the Europa League, with the letters 'UTV' (Up The Villa) and a lion emoji. The Switzerland star, of course, is on Villa's books as a player and is also in a relationship with Douglas Luiz, who played in midfield during the encounter.

AdvertisementWHAT LEHMANN POSTEDInstagram @alishalehmann7THE GOSSIP

Villa drew 0-0, with both teams ending the game with 10 men. Ezri Konsa was sent off in the 83rd minute, while Tristan Gooijer was dismissed for Ajax three minutes later. Beyond her support off the pitch, Lehmann's most recent outing on it ended in a 4-0 defeat to Arsenal in the WSL Cup semi-final on Wednesday.

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Douglas Luiz will next be in action for Villa on Sunday against Tottenham in a major top-four clash. Lehmann, meanwhile, will play for Villa 24 hours prior, against Everton.

Glasgow Rangers hit an all-time low on Thursday evening, losing 2-1 to Aris Limassol, a side who are currently ranked 195th in the continent, behind clubs such as Wigan Athletic and Arminia Bielefeld, putting it into perspective in regard to just how woeful a result it was.

Michael Beale was relieved of his duties last Sunday after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen in the Premiership and the Gers' chances at securing a first league crown since 2021 appear to be all but over, and it is only October.

Heading into the 2023/24 season, Beale had embarked on a major overhaul during the summer transfer window which saw nine new arrivals join the club, while crowd favourites such as Scott Arfield, Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent all left at the end of their contracts.

These new signings were supposed to herald in a new era for the club, one which was to be filled with success and a return to the summit of Scottish football, unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out that way.

Why was Michael Beale sacked by Rangers?

To put it simply, his lack of identity or any sort of playing style meant the Light Blues showed no progression on the field of play, leading to poor results.

Indeed, the club have won only eight games from 16 during the current season, a terrible record and perhaps one which could’ve been avoided had Beale given some of his new signings more chances, with Danilo being a great example.

The 5 foot 8 Brazilian striker joined from Feyenoord for a fee in the region of £6m following a season where he netted 14 goals across all competitions, winning the Eredivisie title in the process.

He was even lauded as an “amazing instinctive finisher” by Dutch football expert Melvin Dupper, further indicating how impressive a player he was.

It certainly looked like a shrewd move bringing him to Ibrox, yet he has started just four games so far during his Gers career, playing ten times in total. The striker has been let down by Beale and if the former QPR boss had more confidence in his biggest summer signing, perhaps the Gers wouldn’t be in this mess.

The club now need a manager who can not only get a tune out of the club stalwarts such as James Tavernier and Connor Goldson but also get Danilo fit and firing as he has the quality which could prove to be a danger in the final third.

Who has been linked with the Rangers job?

Former Light Blues defender Kevin Muscat – who played for the club during their treble winning 2002/03 campaign – has shown interest in the vacant role at the club and reportedly interviewed for the position just a few days ago. The Australian is currently managing Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos and has won league titles in both Japan and Australia during his managerial career.

Pascal Jansen, the AZ Alkmaar boss, is also reportedly eager to be the next boss of the club having enjoyed a decent spell at the Eredivisie side since taking over AZ in December 2020, frequently mixing with the big three of Ajax, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord.

Philippe Clement, a three time title winner in Belgium, could potentially be a left field appointment as he is now a free agent following his sacking from AS Monaco just a few months ago yet one name hasn’t really come to the fore yet must be included in potential options – Kjetil Knutsen.

Who is Kjetil Knutsen?

New York Times journalist Rory Smith was speaking on the BBC Radio 5 Live Monday Night Club just a day after Beale was sacked and named the Bodo/Glimt head coach as one of the potential names who is under “consideration” for the post.

The 55-year-old has impressed during his spell with the Norwegian outfit, holding a two points per game average while winning 144 of the 244 matches he has coached at the club.

He has led them to two top flight titles and they are currently closing in on a third title in four years and this winning mentality would be a huge advantage should he take over at the club in the coming weeks.

Although a slightly left field choice, Knutsen has already secured two victories over Celtic, winning both legs of their Europa League intermediate stage clash during the 2021/22 season and this will endear him to the Gers support. He even defeated Jose Mourinho’s Roma side in the group stages during the same competition.

Could Kjetil Knutsen bring out the best of Danilo at Rangers?

Famed for his attacking approach, Knutsen could bring the Gers back having some sort of identity and his tactical style has been praised by many, including his own captain Ulrik Saltnes, who said his style of play was “kamikaze” and this could bode well for Danilo.

He usually deploys an attacking 4-3-3 setup, which could work out well for the Brazilian, who would be able to operate in the middle of a front three, flanked by two pacy wingers or creative talents.

This system enabled Bodo/Glimt to score a staggering 103 goals in their title win back in 2020 as the coach clearly gave his players plenty of attacking freedom and there are quite a few talented attackers in the Rangers team who require this licence to showcase their abilities.

Knutsen would certainly bring out the Danilo who scored ten goals in the Dutch top flight last season and maybe even spur him on to bigger numbers for the rest of the current season.

James Bisgrove has a massive decision to make soon, and it could potentially change the fortunes of the Ibrox side for the foreseeable future.

There appears to be no shortage of candidates who have put themselves forward in the running, but the quiet Norwegian may just be one of the better options out there at the moment.

He may not be a big name, but this doesn’t really matter if he can prove it on the field. Ange Postecoglou was hardly well known to European audiences, yet his impact at Celtic ensured they won five out of six domestic trophies.

It would be a gamble, but nothing good ever comes from remaining in the comfort zone and Bisgrove must take note of this when casting his eye over potential successors to Beale.

Arsenal's work on the pitch has been impressive, but the way that they have improved as a club off the pitch must also be commended.

The Gunners are no longer losing star players to rival clubs, or missing out on their top targets. Instead, it could be argued that the Emirates is one of the best places to be in the Premier League, proven by the flurry of recent contract extensions.

Mikel Arteta and co have ensured that the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and William Saliba have put pen to paper on new deals, sealing their future at the club, as they look to go one better than last season by winning the Premier League. Sporting director Edu Gaspar isn't stopping at Odegaard, Martinelli, Saka, and Saliba, either, according to reports, with another key player set to be offered a new deal and a wage increase.

What's the latest Arsenal news?

Arsenal have combined their good work off the pitch with some fine work on it, securing their return to Champions League football last season, before picking up where they left off in the current campaign. It is still early days, though, and Arteta will be well aware of the need to avoid any early slip-ups.

When the title race does inevitably heat up, the Gunners will need their best leaders to avoid a capitulation similar to last season, and that's where the extension of Oleksandr Zinchenko's contract could come into play. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Arsenal are ready to offer the full-back a new long-term deal at the club, which will see his wages increase.

Viewed as a leader both on and off the pitch at the club, Zinchenko's deal may well be another important piece of business in the recent flurry of new contracts. It's certainly a sign that Arteta values the left-back in his side.

How has Oleksandr Zinchenko performed this season?

Zinchenko has had an interesting season so far at Arsenal. Whilst he is viewed as a leader off the pitch, he struggled for starts early on. A positive sign that his game-time could be about to change is that he started in Arsenal's recent 4-0 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven in their highly-anticipated return to the Champions League.

The Ukraine international will certainly hope to earn his place back in Arteta's side on a regular basis, particularly if he puts pen to paper on a new deal at the club. The Spaniard has previously been full of praise for his defender, too, saying, via Goal:

"First of all, his mentality. He’s used to winning – winning is the only thing and winning in the right way. He’s a perfectionist and a really demanding boy, I know him so well, and after that he brings qualities that we didn’t have in the squad. He gives us a different option to play within the role in different spaces, and I’m really happy to have him."

With that said, Zinchenko will certainly be an interesting one to watch this season, as he attempts to break back into Arsenal's starting 11, and potentially puts pen to paper on a new deal.

Liverpool have reached staggering levels of success since the appointment of Jurgen Klopp back in 2015, who has transformed the Premier League club and unlocked the potential of so many stars, who in turn have rewarded the German with silverware across nearly every possible avenue.

For all of the outfit's stunning feats over the past several years, they did endure a rocky road last time out, falling by the wayside and finishing in fifth-place after failing to click together all year, with the weary midfield sapped of life and the once vigorous unity of the overall cohesion a distant and bitter memory.

Because of Liverpool's woes, Klopp ruthlessly sought to give the majority of the Anfield centre the boot, with James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's contractual expiries followed by the sales of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho and the loan exit of Fabio Carvalho.

Alexis Mac Allister

£35m

Dominik Szoboszlai

£60m

Wataru Endo

£16m

Ryan Gravenberch

£34m

All fees sourced via Sky Sports.

Four exciting new faces were landed, and Liverpool are back on their way this year with a very different feel to the centre of the Anfield efforts.

Certain members of the old guard have retained their roles in the squad, however, with the likes of Curtis Jones and Stefan Bajcetic pushing to work their way up the pecking order after growing into their skin in different scenarios last year, impressing despite their club's struggles for form and fluidity.

Another to have made their presence known was Harvey Elliott, who contributed enormously and will now be hoping to enter the next phase of his development as Liverpool chart a course for success once more this year.

How much did Liverpool pay for Harvey Elliott?

Liverpool signed Elliott from English rivals Fulham in 2019 when he was just 16-years-old, paying the Cottagers a £750k compensation fee after gleaning the prodigious talent.

However, in February 2021, the Anfield side were ordered to pay a record compensation fee of £4m, inclusive of add-ons, while also acquiescing to Fulham's demand for a 20% sell-on clause to be inserted.

It's a payment Liverpool will have wanted to avoid, paying a large fee for an untested commodity on the major stage, but while Elliott is still scarcely free of his teenage years, the omens already bode well.

If Liverpool were to cash in on the dynamic midfielder any time soon, not that that will likely happen, they would receive a handsome figure for the burgeoning talent.

How much is Harvey Elliott worth now?

According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation tool, Elliott now boasts a market value of €60m (£52m), emphasising just how impressive a rise this young star has had over the past several years, and given his youthful age, he is yet to reach even the periphery of his zenith.

This is largely down to his integration into Liverpool's first-team, having now chalked up 70 senior showings for the Reds, scoring seven goals, supplying six assists and earning praise for his David Beckham-esque aura on the pitch by European football expert Andy Brassell who quirkily he said "was like a flying ant in a forest of sloths".

Last season, the one-time Blackburn Rovers loanee indeed impressed, scoring five goals and providing two assists from 46 appearances across all competitions, with the regularity of his match action underscoring the high regard that Klopp holds him in.

The increase in responsibility is jaw-dropping; the year before, when Liverpool were pushing for a historic quadruple, though ultimately clinching just the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, Elliott only played 11 times across all competitions, starting three of the opening four Premier League matches of the campaign before an ankle dislocation played detriment to his seasonal progress.

Despite the influx of acquisitions this summer, Klopp clearly still views Elliott as an integral member of the squad, having featured him regularly already and looking to return to silver-laden success after falling flat last year, with the Europa League in particular warranting greater rotation as the Reds battle across multiple fronts.

An exceptional dribbler with a gliding gait and eye for an impactful pass, it's easy to forget that this ace is still in the early phase of his professional career – for example, he is younger than the likes of Barcelona's Pedri and Arsenal's Bukayo Saka – and he could see his lofty valuation balloon even further as he continues to make the increments to his craft over the coming years.

How good is Harvey Elliott?

This season, Elliott has featured across all four of the Merseyside outfit's opening matches of the Premier League season but is yet to earn his maiden start of the year.

Heralded as a "special" talent by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano after penning a new long-term deal with Liverpool until 2027, the £40k-per-week phenom can safely say he is already one of the most creative, energetic midfielders in Liverpool's mix, ranking admirably against positional peers under Klopp's leadership.

Harvey Elliott

3.55 (top 14%)

7.27 (top 14%)

3.15 (top 6%)

Alexis Mac Allister

3.53 (top 14%)

5.56 (top 35%)

2.27 (top 16%)

Ryan Gravenberch

4.32 (top 4%)

6.78 (top 18%)

1.97 (top 22%)

Stats vs midfielders per 90, as per FBref

As is clearly delineated, Elliott's presence on the pitch will result in an upswing in opportunity for the likes of Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and co in the offensive third, with the 20-year-old capable of orchestrating from deep or weaving through the lines to directly influence the attacking play in decisive moments.

Elliott's defensive workrate does receive its criticism, with the Englishman averaging only 0.8 tackles, 0.5 interceptions and 0.2 clearances per game in the English top-flight last term, as per Sofascore.

However, while the current campaign is in its rudimentary stage, Elliott impressed against Chelsea in the season opener, coming off the bench in the 77th minute and making two clearances and one interception, winning his duel and dribble attempts and completing 89% of his passes, reminding Klopp of the weapon he wields, capable of unlocking defences when all looks lost in the closing period of the match.

While Elliott is still an unrefined gem, the signs point towards a prosperous and sustained career at the top, and Liverpool will look back at his £4m signing as one of the shrewdest deals of the Klopp era as he continues to rise over the coming seasons.

Leeds United could soon make a bid to sign Aberdeen striker Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes, and one journalist has shared that the Whites have already made a first move.

Are Leeds signing a striker?

The Whites and Daniel Farke are yet to make an attacking signing so far this summer, with goalkeeper Karl Darlow, defenders Sam Byram and Joe Rodon and holding midfielder Ethan Ampadu the four new faces in Yorkshire.

A number of players have left the club following relegation from the Premier League, including last season’s top scorer Rodrigo. Attackers Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson have also left on loan, whereas Wilfried Gnonto has been refusing to play as he looks to force a move away before the deadline and Luis Sinisterra was also ‘not available’ last time out against Birmingham City.

To top things off, experienced forward Patrick Bamford is yet to play during the current campaign after sustaining a hamstring injury during pre-season.

Therefore, it looks as if a new forward needs to arrive before the September 1 deadline, with Graham Smyth saying earlier in the week that Leeds, and by extension the 49ers Enterprises, ‘have lodged a bid for an as yet unnamed striker’.

Swansea City’s Joel Piroe, Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer and Everton’s Tom Cannon have all been linked with a move to Elland Road, and it appears as if Duk is also on the Whites’ radar.

According to reporter Darren Witcoop, Leeds are one of a number of Championship clubs keen on signing Duk and even made the trip to watch the player in action against Celtic on the weekend with a view of making an offer.

“Aberdeen striker Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes is on the radar of a host of Championship clubs. Four sides, including Southampton and Leeds, ran the rule over the Cape Verde international against Celtic on Sunday in view of launching a bid before the transfer window closes.”

Who is Luis ‘Duk’ Lopes?

Duk is 23 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward who can also turn out on the left if needed. The Cape Verde international made the move to Aberdeen from Benfica last year and has gone on to score 18 times for the club in 45 appearances.

He also found the back of the net for Benfica’s youth and B teams and was hailed by former coach Joao Tralhao said the forward is “powerful” and has scored “acrobatic goals” for Aberdeen.

“He is powerful, aggressive, strong and he works hard to press. He also has an amazing instinct to score goals and you could see that with every year he progressed.

"He has a real instinct for goal that is his top quality. He just scores goals, with his right foot, left foot, chest, head or every part of his body. He has scored a few acrobatic goals for Aberdeen and trust me that is not usual. That is just Duk.”

It looks as if a move to England could be one to watch for Duk, and it’ll be interesting to see if an offer is made by Leeds before the deadline.

Leeds United have agreed personal terms to sign Glasgow Rangers defensive midfielder Glen Kamara, and a fresh report has provided an update on talks between the clubs.

Where is Glen Kamara originally from?

Kamara was born in Tampere, Finland, but has spent his entire career in the United Kingdom. He joined Arsenal's academy first, after which he graduated and moved north to Dundee FC and now Rangers in search of first-team football, and he's emerged this summer as a target for Daniel Farke in LS11.

After The Daily Mail Transfer Confidential's initial claim that the Whites were considering an offer for the 27-year-old, the pursuit temporarily quietened down, but Graham Smyth recently reported that he was back “on the radar” as a result of Tyler Adams completing his permanent switch to Bournemouth.

Since then, TEAMtalk have revealed that the 49ers, Middlesbrough and Coventry have all held talks regarding a swoop for the central talisman, though with technical director Gretar Steinsson the chief pushing the hardest to secure his services, the player appears to have made his decision on his favoured destination out of the three teams in the Championship.

Are Leeds signing Glen Kamara?

According to Football Insider, Leeds have “agreed terms” with Kamara after a "breakthrough" in discussions. The two clubs are set to continue “talks” over the designated fee, but it’s believed that his price tag has been set at £5.5m.

The Light Blues have “given the green light” for their veteran to move onto new pastures before the end of the window, therefore, he is “not expected to play for the club again”.

The Whites target, who wasn’t training with the first team at the start of the season, was also missing from his squad for their 2-2 Champions League play-off draw against PSV Eindhoven, so this is one that could develop quickly in the coming days.

How much is Glen Kamara worth?

Rangers only paid Dundee £50k for Kamara, and whilst he won’t come anywhere near this cheap considering that he still has another two years remaining on his contract, Leeds should definitely spend the £5.5m that his club north of the border want to receive for him.

The StormSportsX client, who’s sponsored by Nike, last season recorded an 89.4% pass success rate which was higher than any of the regular starters managed in the top-flight, via WhoScored, highlighting his calmness and composure on the ball which would be an upgrade on the current options available to Farke.

Read The Latest Leeds Transfer News HERE…

Michael Beale’s 5 foot 11 star, who has the versatility to operate in six different positions over the grass, is also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having posted 20 goal contributions (11 assists and nine goals) during his time at the club, so he’s an extremely well-rounded individual.

The Teddy Bears’ “monster”, as dubbed by his former manager Steven Gerrard, has even experienced plenty of success having previously won the Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup, alongside being named Finland’s Football of the Year for 2022.

The Whites are set to complete the signing of Joel Piroe from Swansea City this weekend, as per Fabrizio Romano, and it appears as though Kamara could be the next exciting signing to follow the Dutchman through the doors at Elland Road.

أعرب محمد عبد الجليل، نجم الأهلي السابق، عن استغرابه من استبعاد مارسيل كولر لثنائي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، من قائمة مباراة الاتحاد السكندري، رغم وجود عجز في هذا المركز.

ويخوض الأهلي مباراة قوية أمام الاتحاد السكندري، اليوم الثلاثاء، في المواجهة المؤجلة من الجولة التاسعة من عمر مسابقة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

وقال عبد الجليل في تصريحات عبر إذاعة “أون سبورت إف إم”: “أتعجب من استبعاد مارسيل كولر لـ الثنائي علي معلول وكريم الدبيس من قائمة الفريق لمواجهة الاتحاد السكندري اليوم، رغم عدم وجود ظهير أيسر”.

طالع أيضًا | ضياء السيد: توجد أزمة خفية بين كولر ولاعب الأهلي.. ولم أحصل على مستحقاتي من اتحاد الكرة حتى الآن

وتابع: “عودة محمد مجدي أفشة إلى قائمة الأهلي أمر جيد، وهذه من ضمن الأمور التي يتميز بها كولر، وهي عودة اللاعبين للتشكيل بعد فترة استبعاد، مثلما حدث مع كهربا وعبد القادر”.

وأضاف: “المدير الفني هو الوحيد صاحب قرار مشاركة اللاعبين، لأنه يعلم قدرات كل واحد منهم في التدريبات، وتوظيفهم الأفضل”.

واختتم عبد الجليل حديثه مُطالبًا بعدم مشاركة الفرنسي أنتوني موديست مهاجم الأهلي فى تشكيل الفريق خلال الفترة المُقبلة، حيث إن اللاعب لم يُقدم شيئًا حتى الآن.

Underfunded, underrated but rarely underfed, Northamptonshire’s cricketers love to thumb their noses at the power-houses of English cricket. Overlooked, overshadowed but seldom overpaid, they delight in making the established hierarchy look dull and daft. Welcome to Wantageworld.Rarely have these insubordinate traits been more obvious than on an astonishing second day of this game when Rory Kleinveldt’s career-best 9 for 65 and a mighty century by Richard Levi gave their side a good chance of victory in a game which may yet decide which counties are promoted to the First Division. Northamptonshire, of course, hope the match will do no such thing. Alex Wakely and his players need to win this game to ensure they are still in the hunt at Grace Road next week.They prosecuted their cause in the most gloriously uninhibited fashion on a day when 374 runs were scored, 16 wickets fell and the cricket became progressively more deranged. For in Wantageworld problems provoke attack and dismissals only engender further aggression from batsmen like Levi, Mjolnir in his hand. Having obtained a first-innings lead of 43 on a wicket where batting had looked difficult, Northants smacked 270 in 52.2 overs on one of the season’s most entertaining days. And all this was achieved without any material help from either Alex Wakely or Ben Duckett, both of whom were injured when fielding in the morning session.Duckett’s broken finger prevented him batting at all while Wakely, who had taken a blow to the face, came in at No8, just in time to see his side lose their last four wickets for ten runs. Three of those wickets were taken by Wood who has taken eight wickets in the match and done the nightwatchman duties twice in 24 hours. That of Kleinveldt was claimed by perhaps the first relay catch in first-class cricket, a diving Hutton lobbing the ball back to the substitute fielder, Matt Milnes.Before that collapse – “this is so Northants” said a spectator – Levi had played one of the finest attacking innings of summer, reaching his century in 92 balls and adding four huge sixes to 14 fours. There was no slogging; this was hitting at its finest. As soon as the ball was pitched up, Levi trusted his eye and it did not betray him. He added 147 for the second wicket with Rob Newton, who had passed fifty 11 times this season but made only one century. Steven Mullaney was hit for four successive boundaries to different corners of the ground; Samit Patel was hoisted for two sixes, the second of them bringing up Levi’s half-century in 40 balls.The full madness of Levi’s 104-ball 115 and the subsequent assault on Chris Read’s dazed bowlers by Kleinveldt, who added a mere 48 off 41 balls, can only be fully appreciated when one realises that 20 wickets had fallen for 345 runs in the first two innings of the game. Levi’s success was to attack the bowlers’ presumptions of dominance and to shred them, something he did with marvellous violence until losing his off stump to Brett Hutton. Before long, though, Northants’ lead was over 300 and the whole architecture of the game had changed. Chris Read’s batsmen may still secure the win they require but they face a far tougher task than they envisaged and it will be a win worthy of champions if they manage it.Some suggestion as to how difficult tomorrow’s cricket may be for Nottinghamshire was offered in the final hour of the day when Mullaney lost his off stump when well beaten off the seam by Kleinveldt and the same bowler had Billy Root caught by Rob Keogh at second slip, apparently off the glove, when attempting a pull.The loss of those wickets gave Kleinveldt a career-best 11-wicket return in the match and he has considerable power to add. They also took one back to the distant morning session when Root, had been caught at slip by Duckett off the second ball of the day and Tom Moores leg before when playing vapidly across the line of a straight one in the third over. Both those wickets were taken by Kleinveldt, who, so the Nottinghamshire players later attested, “had the ball on a string”.That quality was made even more evident in the second hour of the morning’s play when Kleinveldt added the wickets of Read, Hutton and Wood to his bag and finished with a career-best 9 for 65, beating the 8 for 47 he took for Cape Cobras against Warriors at Stellenbosch 11 years ago. Well as he bowled, one would not be astonished to hear that Chris Read did not join in the applause which greeted the South African from all sides of Wantage Road on his return to the pavilion. As so often, Read’s was the vital wicket and he was not chuffed to be given out caught at the wicket by David Murphy. Indeed, he departed waving his arms and muttering darkly against the injustices of the green world he loves but will soon leave.Kleinveldt became the first of two Northamptonshire players to receive a standing ovation on this glorious day and his efforts probably enlivened the luncheon party gathered in the Ken Turner Stand. The women stylish and immaculate; the men blazered, scarved and Playfaired; a nine-wicket haul to speed the Beaujolais. It was a fine lunchtime for the Clarins and chinos brigade. White-spotted red handkerchiefs peeked discreetly from top pockets and the gathering boasted the shy smiles of the gently affluent.And all this took place in a place as strange as Wantageworld and on a day when Nottinghamshire supporters reflected on the signing of Paul Coughlin and wondered if the rumours about the imminent arrival of Keaton Jennings were true. It made one wonder for a gorgeous moment whether the Durham pair had ever considered joining Northamptonshire. They might not have made as much money but one suspects they would have had more fun. But how many of us are so blessed that we find the back of the wardrobe?