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Leeds United have been dealt a blow in their bid to bring Che Adams to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claim that, despite Victor Orta being heavily linked with a move for the Southampton centre-forward in recent weeks, it is Nottingham Forest who now appear to be leading the race for the 26-year-old’s signature – with Steve Cooper’s side believed to have opened talks with Saints regarding a deal for the Scotland international.

The report goes on to state that the Reds are looking to add more firepower to their frontline ahead of the new Premier League season, while Leeds are looking to bring in support for Patrick Bamford up top, with both clubs having identified Adams – for whom Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are reported to be demanding a figure of £10m – as a suitable candidate.

Orta must now act

With the Whites’ Premier League opener against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday afternoon now just a little over 48 hours away, and, at present, Orta having yet to add a new out-and-out centre-forward to Jesse Marsch’s squad in the summer transfer window, time is very much running out for the Spaniard to seal a deal before the 2022/23 campaign kicks off.

And, with Forest now reportedly in talks with one of Leeds’ well-known attacking targets, Orta simply must join the Reds in the race for Adams’ signature if he truly does wish to bring the striker to Elland Road in the coming weeks.

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Indeed, while the £16.2m-rated forward would by no means be the Whites’ biggest-name signing of the window, the Scot is a Premier League-proven option who would add substantial depth to Marsch’s options in attack.

Over his 30 top flight fixtures – only 23 of which came as starts – last season, the £52k-per-week hitman impressed for Saints, scoring seven goals, registering three assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 1.6 shots, making 0.9 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 26-year-old average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.85 – a rating which, if the forward were playing for Leeds, would have ranked him as Marsch’s joint seventh-best player – alongside Kalvin Phillips – in the top flight of England football last time out.

As such, considering the fact that Adams clearly knows how to find the back of the net in the Premier League, in addition to it being reported he would cost an extremely reasonable £10m this summer, Orta simply must launch a move to rival Forest in their pursuit of the Southampton hitman in the coming days – or else the Spaniard could find himself empty handed come the transfer deadline on September 1.

Leeds United could break their transfer record on a new striker during the remainder of the summer transfer window, according to Sky Sports News journalist David Reed.

The Lowdown: Leeds still want a new striker

The Whites have done plenty of business over the past couple of months, but the addition of an out-and-out striker has evaded them so far.

That’s not to say that they haven’t been continually linked with attacking players, though, with Charles De Ketelaere and Arnaud Kalimuendo both among their primary targets over the past few weeks.

An exciting update has now emerged regarding the situation, following Saturday’s 2-1 victory at home to Wolves in the Premier League.

The Latest: Leeds could break the bank

Speaking live on air on Sky Sports’ Good Morning Transfers on Monday, Reed claimed that Leeds could break their transfer record on a new marksman in the near future.

He stated:

“The next club we’re going to look at is Leeds United. Again, Leeds United looking for a striker, they have been all of this window, they went heavy on Charles De Ketelaere, but he’s gone to AC Milan.

“We know there is money set aside to sign a striker for Leeds, and probably if they do get someone in, it would be a club-record deal for Leeds United as well.”

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The Verdict: Exciting update

There is no doubt that this is an exciting update from a Leeds perspective, highlighting the ambition that Jesse Marsch is showing in the summer transfer window.

The Whites are probably still too reliant on the goals of Patrick Bamford (who netted 17 in 2020/21), especially after Raphinha’s summer exit deprived them of their top scorer from last season, so it is imperative that they bolster their attack as soon as possible.

Whether or not it is Kalimuendo or someone else who comes in remains to be seen, but his tally of 12 goals in 27 league starts for Lens last season makes him a very exciting prospective option.

That said, Che Adams could be a more trusty potential signing, having proven himself in the Premier League already with 20 goals in 96 matches at that level.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has shed some light on Arsenal’s ongoing pursuit of Leicester City midfielder Youri Tielemans this summer. 

The lowdown: Arsenal’s interest in Tielemans

The Gunners have been extensively linked with the 25-year-old throughout the summer transfer window as Mikel Arteta and Edu attempt to strengthen the squad at the Emirates Stadium.

However, the north Londoners face familiar competition for Tielemans as Football Insider claimed that Manchester United are prepared to battle it out for the Belgium international, having already snatched Lisandro Martinez from the Gunners’ apparent grasp.

Despite the apparent strong interest in Tielemans from Arsenal, there has been no concrete movement on a deal, and one well-informed onlooker has now had his say on the current state of play…

The latest: ‘Top target’

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke claimed that the Gunners remain keen on the 52-cap Belgian and believes that a deal could yet materialise ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

He said: “I think Arteta would like to bring in another midfielder and Tielemans has been the top target throughout the summer, but they’re gonna have to see what they can do in the transfer market because Leicester will be looking for top dollar for him.

“They’re not going to be willing to sell them on the cheap, but Leicester also need to sell players this summer as well to raise funds themselves. So there could be an interesting few weeks to see what happens in this potential deal.”

The verdict: Here’s hoping

Although the transfer business carried out so far can only be commended as Arsenal have certainly bolstered their ranks, particularly in an attacking sense with the capture of Gabriel Jesus, there remains further room for improvement in the squad.

As things stand, Arteta can only call upon Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny in a senior capacity, along with a relatively unproven Albert Sambi Lokonga and new arrival Fabio Vieira, to carry out conventional central midfield duties. That leaves space for at least one more proven Premier League operator in the engine room.

Once dubbed a ‘sublime’ player by sports journalist Josh Bunting and sharing similar traits to the likes of Rodrigo De Paul, Joshua Kimmich and Arsenal target Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (FBRef), the cultured Tielemans would bring an abundance of elite-level experience and unerring passing ability to the north Londoners.

Furthermore, the £49.5m-valued Belgian is into the final 12 months of his deal at the King Power Stadium and could be available for much less than his true worth in the market, making any attempted swoop from Edu a welcome one.

Aston Villa have been busy in the summer transfer window as they have brought in four signings to bolster the squad.

Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos, Robin Olsen, and Philippe Coutinho have all put pen to paper on permanent contracts with the club – after the latter two spent time on loan at Villa Park last term.

Steven Gerrard may not be done yet, though, as he continues to look for ways to improve his team with a view to finishing as high up in the Premier League as possible.

The head coach may want further reinforcements and could look to the attack to freshen up the XI – bringing in a gem to complement the likes of Ollie Watkins, Coutinho, and Emi Buendia.

One player who has been touted with a switch to the Midlands this summer is Rangers winger Ryan Kent and the club must now snap him up before the end of the window.

Gerrard previously labelled Kent “a constant threat” during his time managing the club and it was once claimed on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel that he is “the Mbappe of Scottish football” and he can now be the Villa boss’ own version of the Frenchman next season.

Like the PSG superstar, Kent is a right-footed forward who can play on the left – cutting in on his right foot – or through the middle as a striker. He is a dynamic and versatile forward and he has shown that he can both score and assist goals.

In the 2021/22 campaign, he produced three goals and 20 assists in all competitions for the Light Blues. The season before that, Kent managed 11 goals and 13 assists for Gerrard – showing that he does have the potential to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis.

Whilst he may not come to the Premier League and deliver 28 goals and 17 assists (Mbappe’s 2021/22 Ligue 1 return), the Rangers man could chip in at the top end of the pitch to take some of the goalscoring burdens away from the natural number nines.

The £18k-per-week wizard also has time on his side to develop further, at the age of 25. He can, therefore, be an asset in the short and long-term for Villa, with Gerrard having already proven that he can bring the best out of the attacker.

Now, imagine Kent flying down the wing and cutting inside to score and create Premier League goals in Mbappe-esque fashion.

AND in other news, “I’m told..” Transfer insider drops big AVFC claim that’ll leave supporters excited…

An update has emerged on Rangers gem Cole McKinnon and his immediate future at Ibrox in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to The Athletic’s Jordan Campbell, the young midfielder is closing in on a loan exit away from Glasgow after putting pen to paper on fresh terms.

The teenager is set to sign for Partick Thistle after making his first-team debut under Gio van Bronckhorst in the Premiership last term.

Campbell tweeted: “Understand Rangers midfielder Cole McKinnon, who signed a new three-year deal yesterday, is expected to join Partick Thistle on loan. The 19-year-old is highly rated at Ibrox and scored in the final league game of last season. Goes box-to-box and has a knack of getting a goal.”

Van Bronchkhorst will be delighted

The Gers head coach will be delighted by this news, as it means that the 19-year-old will be heading out to gain some much-needed experience in senior football.

A full season of playing regular first-team minutes for Thistle will hopefully allow him to develop as a person and a player. He will be put under the pressure of competing in crucial, high-stakes games instead of youth team matches and Lowlands League matches, where Rangers B are not vying for promotion or relegation.

McKinnon is a promising young player and Van Bronckhorst will want to see how the youngster fares over the course of an entire campaign before deciding whether or not to integrate him into the first-team at Ibrox.

The gem offered a glimpse of what he is capable of with a 30-minute cameo against Hearts in the top flight last season.

He came off the bench and scored in the 3-1 win as he completed 93% of his attempted passes and won 100% of his duels. SofaScore handed him a rating of 7.30 for his performance as he caught the eye alongside the likes of Alex Lowry and Adam Devine.

This performance shows that the potential is there for McKinnon to compete in the Premiership, and it is now down to him to head out on loan and prove that he deserves more opportunities by impressing for Thistle on a regular basis.

Van Bronckhorst will now be keeping a keen eye on the 19-year-old’s development and will surely be delighted to watch the youngster take his next step towards making it at senior level.

AND in other news, GvB can form deadly duo as Rangers plot swoop for “inspirational” 37-goal monster…

Leeds United could part ways with left-back Leif Davis this summer, The Yorkshire Evening Post report.

The Lowdown: Bournemouth loan

Victor Orta brought Davis Leeds back in 2018 from Morecambe, with Whites chiefs believing at the time they had got a bit of ‘a steal’.

Now 22, the left-back has made 14 appearances for Leeds and was sent out on loan to Bournemouth at the start of the 2021/22 campaign.

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Scott Parker labelled Davis as ‘brilliant’, with the full-back making 12 Championship appearances for The Cherries as they earned promotion back to the Premier League.

The Latest: Exit claim

Leeds journalist Joe Donnohue shared a story on The Yorkshire Evening Post on Saturday morning, looking at the club’s busy summer plans.

When it came to returning loan players, Donnohue said that Davis, along with Kiko Casilla, Ian Poveda, Alfie McCalmont and Helder Costa, faces an uncertain future at Elland Road and may not have a role to play at all.

The Verdict: Left-back to come in?

Junior Firpo is Jesse Marsch’s only senior left-back at Elland Road, with youngsters Leo Hjelde and Liam McCarron in the background. Firpo was the club’s marquee signing last summer but struggled in his first campaign, picking up 11 yellow cards.

Some may have thought that Davis could return and rival Firpo ahead of Marsch’s first full season in charge, especially with Stuart Dallas sidelined with a long-term injury.

However, with Davis entering the final 12 months of his Leeds contract and now facing an uncertain future, perhaps the club will look to bring in a new left-back this summer and cash in on the Cherries loanee while they still can.

In other news: Phillips partner: Leeds now want ‘extraordinary’ int’l for free; Orta’s already spoke with agent

West Ham are seemingly set to raid Rennes again this summer, with Adrien Truffert reportedly on David Moyes’ list as he targets a new left-back at the London Stadium.

What’s the word?

According to French news outlet L’Equipe, West Ham, Everton and Leicester City have all enquired with Rennes about signing the 20-year-old, who looks set to follow in the footsteps of Eduardo Camavinga and Jeremy Doku as the next wonderkid at the Ligue 1 side.

The Hammers already look set to sign Fayef Aguerd from the French side this summer and could well return again to sign Truffert, after his impressive performances saw him nail down a first-team spot at Roazhon Park last season.

West Ham’s Cresswell heir?

West Ham will undoubtedly be in the market for a left-back this summer, as David Moyes was regularly forced to deploy Ben Johnson or Vladimir Coufal there last season whenever Aaron Cresswell was unavailable.

While the former Ipswich man has been a superb player for the Hammers since signing in 2014, making 293 appearances in all competitions, he will turn 33 next season and Moyes should now look for a long-term replacement.

The Englishman also showed his vulnerabilities defensively in important moments last season, receiving avoidable red cards in Europa League knockout games against Lyon and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Like Cresswell, Truffert likes to get forward, contributing three goals and two assists in 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season, which suggests that he could be a natural heir for the West Ham man.

Former Rennes coach Julien Stephan was full of praise for Truffert in 2020, saying:

“He’s a young player who I know very well. He has huge potential and a very good left foot.

“He’s very intelligent, has the right mentality and the versatility to play in different positions. He has all the qualities needed to keep progressing and to break through in the near future.”

Therefore, if West Ham do complete a deal for the £10.8m-rated talent this summer, it seems clear that he would be a natural long-term heir to Cresswell in Moyes’ side.

And, in other news… Contact made: Moyes now in WHU talks to sign “special” £15m “talent”, he’s Bowen 2.0

According to 90min, Paris Saint-Germain are now ready to make their move for Everton attacker Richarlison.

The Lowdown: FFP concerns for Everton

The Premier League are currently investigating whether the Merseyside club have broken Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, after it was reported that the Toffees have posted losses of £371.8m over the past three years.

Usually, FFP rules allow for losses of £105m over a three-year period, but due to the global pandemic, clubs have been permitted to write off certain losses. Everton have duly claimed that their pandemic losses have amounted to £170m over the last two years.

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The Latest: PSG ready to move for Richarlison

According to a report by 90min, PSG are now ready to make a move for Richarlison.

The report claimed that the Toffees may need to sell either the Brazil international or striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin in order to ease FFP concerns.

The 25-year-old has a current market value of £45m (via Transfermarkt), and with two years left on his Everton contract, a move away from Merseyside would require a substantial fee from prospective suitors.

The Verdict: He’d be a huge loss

In 30 league games this season, the Brazilian netted 10 goals, making him Everton’s top scorer by some margin.

Given that reliance on him for goals, Frank Lampard’s attack will be severely depleted if Richarlison ends up leaving Goodison Park for a Champions League club such as PSG.

Even from a defensive standpoint, when compared with positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, the 25-year-old ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks, the 95th percentile for tackles, and the 93rd percentile for interceptions (via FBRef).

Therefore, Everton will be losing arguably their most ‘important’ asset – as David Prentice previously dubbed him – if they are forced to let him go to PSG this summer amid concerns over FFP compliance.

In other news: Everton face competition to sign this reported transfer target

Lancashire’s promotion push can only benefit from the commitment of two men who both went to King Edward VII School in Johannesburg

Paul Edwards04-Apr-2019Media day at Emirates Old Trafford. Organisation battles chaos and there is much pointless scurrying. Laptop and camera bags litter the floor. Sponsors gaze proprietorially at the players, one or two of whom seem hypnotised by their mobiles. One wonders if the world is about to end.Soon, though, the cricketers are summoned to sit for team photographs and they adopt expressions suggesting steely-eyed confidence. On the front row are two old boys of King Edward VII School, Johannesburg. Both are major batsmen and both are deeply committed to the Lancastrian cause. But while one has shut the door on Test cricket, opting instead for a career in the English domestic game, the other batsman, seven years his colleague’s junior, is hoping weight of runs will force that door open for a third time. This should be an interesting season for Dane Vilas and Keaton Jennings.”Playing for your country is the ultimate and if you can do it, you should do it for as long as you can.” Vilas is talking. He is explaining why he called a halt to his international career in 2017 after just six Test matches.”I did have a difficult decision but it was made easier by the fact that my main rival was Quinton de Kock. He’s a great player who has gone from strength to strength and he’s a bit younger than me. It was tough but I always wanted to play county cricket and to be part of a big club like this is fantastic.”Vilas’ enthusiasm is not feigned. Even as Lancashire were slipping towards relegation last September his performances were earning the praise of the members. And in a rare moment of harmony the county’s officials endorsed that opinion when they offered Vilas the captaincy after Liam Livingstone stepped down. The 33-year-old had already done the job last summer when Livingstone broke his thumb and he had kept wicket when Alex Davies was injured. In addition, his 792 runs made him Lancashire’s leading scorer in Championship cricket. No one doubted his commitment.There is, though, more than that. Lancashire supporters have tended either to take overseas players to their hearts – one thinks of Clive Lloyd or VVS Laxman – or they have seen them as mercenaries. Vilas is rapidly becoming a member of that former group and the fondness is reciprocated.

My desire is just as great as it was when I was a five-year-old wanting to play international cricket. It does become a bit of a drug … There are experiences you can only get playing Test cricketKeaton Jennings

“I didn’t think I’d form such a close association with the county,” he said. “When I first came over, it was just a taster. I always wanted to play county cricket but I’ve loved every moment of being here. I’d heard some great stories and South Africa has always had a close relationship with Lancashire. Ashwell Prince always had great words for his time at Lancashire and we spoke a little bit about that.”Vilas’ attachment to the county is such that he has effectively decided to immigrate to England. That decision was partly prompted by the fact that his wife’s family lives here but it has also been influenced by his voiced desire to play for Lancashire for as long as he can. He may visit South Africa to play in the Mzansi Super League and one or two others but he is now looking to buy a property in England. He is also intent on fulfilling what he calls “the mandate” to lead Lancashire back to Division One of the County Championship. Achieving that goal will be helped if Jennings finds the sort of form that compels England’s selectors to take another look and see what may have changed since the dark days of the West Indies tour.”Dane’s a child in a 37-year-old’s body – I think I’ll call him 39 just to wind him up.” Whatever the last few months have done to Jennings’ cricket they seem not to have affected his good humour or his exquisite courtesy. Every question at the round table all-in is greeted with understanding and self-awareness.”It was a tough winter,” he said. “It was really hard work. Mentally the disintegration when you see yourself in the news, especially when you aren’t doing well, is tough to handle. But I’ve always been a level-headed guy and I’ve been quite good at staying isolated in the last 18 months, which is probably why I’ve stayed sane at times.”I’ve also been lucky in that I’ve got a supportive family around me but I’m also a proud person and I want to do well whether I’m playing for England, for my local club side or with my seven-year-old nephew. There’s a huge amount of pride there but it dents you.”Keaton Jennings smiles ruefully after being bowled off his thigh pad•Associated PressThe problem was not simply that Jennings failed to score more than 26 since his century at Galle in November. It was that he was being dismissed making the same error, pushing stiffly and far from his body at quicker bowlers and playing shots which could bring him nothing but woe. His selection for the St Lucia Test seemed almost cruel. Some critics pitied him; others were less kind.”You can walk into a room and feel that everybody’s thinking about you playing your cover drive when in reality they are just going on about their day,” he said. “You need to be able to take cricket out of your personal life. But you also want the hardest and most competitive level of cricket you can get. You look at a cricketer like Alastair Cook or Joe Root who have played so many Test Matches. In order to sustain a career for that length of time you have to be so awesome at just staying in your lane.”There’s no point crying yourself to sleep because at the end of the day you still have a job to do. I’m paid to open the batting and score runs and that is the reality of it. If you stop doing that you need to find another job. It’s hard when other guys have out-skilled you but there is no shame in that. You need to acknowledge it and be able to come up with another plan.”Finding that other plan is what Jennings has been doing over the last month or so and you can be quite sure Vilas will help him in any way possible. There are technical faults to be addressed but there is also the question of the extent to which Jennings wants to force himself through the rigours that come with international sport. His answer to that query is very clear.”My desire is just as great as it was when I was a five-year-old wanting to play international cricket,” he said. “It does become a bit of a drug hearing Deco screaming ‘Jerusalem’ at the top of his lungs and I’m getting goose bumps just thinking about it. They are experiences you can only get playing Test cricket.”The pavilion is nearly deserted. The hotpot has been cleared away and the final interviews completed. The media pack, some of whom will not attend a match at Old Trafford this season, have gone home to transcribe and file. The players have returned to their dressing rooms on the opposite side of the stadium. The squad for the final warm-up match against Loughborough MCCU will be announced shortly (Lancashire do not play in the Championship until next week). And Dane Vilas and Keaton Jennings will face the next trial in their chosen profession.

Bharath Seervi01-Feb-20176/25 Yuzvendra Chahal’s figures – the best by an India bowler and the third-best overall in T20Is. This was only the third six-wicket haul in T20Is after two from Ajantha Mendis. No India bowler had taken a five-for before; R Ashwin’s 4 for 8 against Sri Lanka in Visakhapatnam last year was the previous best an Indian. Chahal had picked up only five wickets in 20 overs in his first five T20Is before this. The only other five-wicket haul against England prior to this was Lasith Malinga’s 5 for 31 in Pallekele in 2012.8 Runs for which England lost their last eight wickets – the second-worst eight-wicket collapse in international cricket. New Zealand had lost their last eight wickets for five runs in a Test against Australia in Wellington in 1946. England slid from 119 for 2 in 13.2 overs to 127 all out in 16.3 overs (that is, 19 balls).1 Number of bigger victory margins for India in terms of runs in T20s; they won this match by 75 runs. They had won by 90 runs against the same opposition at the Premadasa in the 2012 World T20, which is the biggest margin. For England, this was the fifth-worst defeat.1 This was the first T20 bilateral series won by India against England. In the previous four, England had won three and one was drawn. This was the fourth three-match T20I series in which India took part – they have won all of those.ESPNcricinfo Ltd5 Number of England batsmen out for a duck – the joint-most in an innings by the top-eight teams and overall the joint second-most. New Zealand also had five ducks against Pakistan in Christchurch in 2011. Before this, England never had more than two ducks in any of their 91 T20I innings.76 Number of matches taken by MS Dhoni to score his maiden T20I fifty, easily the most by any batsman. The previous most was 42 matches by Ireland’s Gary Wilson. Overall, this was his 19th fifty in T20s. He also completed 5000 runs in his T20 career today.2010 The last time Suresh Raina scored a T20I fifty – against Zimbabwe in Harare. Today’s half-century was his first such score in 38 innings. He had made 13 scores of 30 or more in this period though. This was his fifth 50-plus score in T20Is and first in India.0 Number of younger players than Rishabh Pant to debut in T20Is for India. Pant debuted at 19 years, 120 days. The previous youngest for India was Ishant Sharma at 19 years, 152 days.