Leeds United are among the teams who are interested in signing a “special” player who was strongly linked under former manager Marcelo Bielsa, according to a new report. The Whites remain in quite a difficult period due to mounting injuries, and even though they have already turned to the free agent market, they will want January to arrive soon so they can add in more areas of the team.

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Injuries to players such as Max Wober, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, and Daniel James have seen the Leeds squad become rather stretched. Therefore, despite him not being a big fan of it, Daniel Farke decided to turn to the free agent market and added Josuha Guilavogui to his squad.

However, the injuries do not stop there for the Yorkshire side, as Farke’s confirmed that Largie Ramazani is expected to be out for at least a month after picking up an injury against Watford last week.

That is another injury blow, and given the news, the Whites have now been tipped to make a move for free agent Ryan Kent by Carlton Palmer. Leeds are said to hold an interest in the winger, and now he is available on a free after leaving Fenerbahçe, which could interest the Championship side.

While Kent may be an option now, Leeds are also looking at players they could sign in January, and they now have their eye on a player who has been on their radar before.

Leeds now eyeing move to sign long-time Bielsa target

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds United are interested in signing Nottingham Forest’s Lewis O’Brien. The midfielder is currently on loan in the MLS with LAFC, and his impressive form for the American side has caught the attention of the Whites.

However, Leeds are not the only team interested in O’Brien, who is earning 30,769 dollars a week, which is roughly £23,000, as Southampton, West Brom, Sheffield United, Stoke, and Hull City are also keen.

O’Brien, who was once described as being a “special player” by his former manager Carlos Corberan, joined LAFC in July from Forest, and he will return to the City Ground at the end of the year if LAFC decide not to make the move a permanent switch. The 26-year-old spent time at Middlesbrough last season after falling out of favour at Forest, and he is unlikely to feature going forward.

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Leeds are now among the teams interested in signing O’Brien in January as they look to improve their midfield options. This isn’t the first time that the Whites have been interested in the player, as back in 2021, Marcelo Bielsa was keen for Leeds to sign O’Brien and was left frustrated when talks stalled.

A deal to sign the midfielder may still not be easy to do, as the Whites face competition from other Championship teams as well as teams from the Premier League, and if LAFC decide to take up their permanent option, then he will be remaining in America.

استطاع الفريق الأول لكرة اليد رجال بالنادي الأهلي، تحقق فوز ثمين على حساب نظيره طلائع الجيش، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم ‏ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري.

المباراة أقيمت على صالة طلائع الجيش، وقدم خلالها الفريقان أداءً قويًّا على الصعيدين الدفاعي والهجومي والتصويبات القوية.‏

شهدت المباراة تقدم فريق رجال يد الأهلي في الشوط الأول بنتيجة 19-10، وفي الشوط الثاني واصل الأحمر تقدمه ليحسم المباراة بفارق كبير لتنتهي بنتيجة 37-22.

طالع أيضاً.. سيدات الأهلي يتأهلن إلى نهائي كأس مصر للكرة الطائرة بفوز كاسح على سبورتنج

وكان فريق رجال يد الأهلي قد فاز في المباراة السابقة على فريق هليوبوليس بنتيجة 40-23، ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس مصر والتأهل إلى ربع نهائي البطولة.

ومن المقرر أن تقام منافسات دور ربع النهائي من كأس مصر يوم 11 إبريل المقبل.

Alex Ross’ 77 and Tanveer Sangha’s two-wicket haul were the only bright spots for the Thunder

Sreshth Shah12-Dec-2021Andre Russell hurt his former team Sydney Thunder with an unbeaten 21-ball 42 to give his new team Melbourne Stars a six-wicket win in the battle of the greens at the Sydney Showground Stadium. Walking in with the Stars in a difficult position, Russell maximised the power surge and demolished the Thunder bowlers to help chase 152 with 17 balls to spare.When Russell came in, the Stars had just lost Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell. However, five massive sixes and one four from the West Indian put all fears to rest, and the Stars now sit at third on the points table with two wins in three games.Russell wasn’t the only standout player for the Stars. Seamer Brody Couch, only three T20s old, took 2 for 26 and Afghan leggie Qais Ahmad picked up 2 for 17 to restrict the Thunder to 151. Maxwell, too, entertained with a 25-ball 40.Russell’s muscle after Maxi’s hustleAfter legspinner Tanveer Sangha dismissed the set Stars batters – Stoinis and Maxwell – in the 12th over, the Stars were 83 for 4. The first ball Russell faced was Sangha’s hat-trick delivery. But when Nathan McAndrew offered pace in the 13th over, Russell pummelled him for six over long on and clobbered two more sixes in the next over when Daniel Sams missed his mark with two short balls.With 26 runs off his first 11 balls, Russell had swiftly absorbed all the pressure that the Stoinis-Maxwell dismissals had brought along, and once the power surge was taken, run-scoring eased up even further. Sangha’s half-tracker was pulled over long on, Gurinder Sandhu’s short ball was punished in the same direction, and before one knew it, Russell was collecting the Player-of-the-Match award – from a distance, of course, due to the special and strict bio-bubble/close contact rules applied by the BBL for him.In an unbeaten 68-run stand for the fifth wicket with Russell, the No. 6 Hilton Cartwright contributed 23 in 13 balls.Before the stand, though, Maxwell played his part in shepherding a third-wicket stand with Stoinis. The duo added 59 after Stars lost Joe Clarke for a duck and Nick Larkin for an 11-ball six, with Stoinis choosing to anchor himself for the long haul after the early dismissals.That forced Maxwell to take the onus of keeping up with the required rate, and he started his assault with a well-timed flick off McAndrew over deep midwicket in the seventh over. After surviving a dropped chance, he drilled two fours back past Ben Cutting in the eighth and even hit Chris Green for a reverse-sweep that very nearly went for six. His 40 seemed to be the match-defining innings of the evening, but his dismissal instead made way for Russell to steal the day’s headlines.Young Stars bowlers impressWith Alex Hales hitting three fours off Nathan Coulter-Nile in the first over of the match, it was the Thunder who came off the blocks red hot. And Stars captain Maxwell had to shift to spin very early to put Hales in an uncomfortable position. After Hales carefully saw off the second over from Adam Zampa, he clocked Qais over mid off for a six in the third. However, Maxwell’s persistence with spin finally paid off when he himself dismissed the other opener, Sam Whiteman, in the fourth over.With a new batter in the crease, Qais then pounced on the opportunity by bowling four tidy deliveries before bowling Matthew Gilkes behind his legs. Two quick wickets put the pressure on Hales to go big, but he failed to do so as Couch – who celebrated his 22nd birthday last week – went short, and the batter instead edged an attempted upper-cut to Joe Clarke behind the sticks. Couch, in fact, was Maxwell’s sixth bowling option inside the first seven overs, a ploy he said, when mic’d up, was to unsettle the Thunder batters.It wasn’t the Hales wicket that was most impressive about Couch, but his bowling channel through his first spell. With a packed leg-side field on the boundary line, he went short or on a length, forcing the experienced middle-order batters Sam Billings and Alex Ross to only play across the line.From the other end, Qais’ toss-ups tempted the batters, but his guile ensured they couldn’t find boundaries. Instead, a frustrated Billings succumbed to cover looking to break the shackles by attacking a Qais delivery that had extra turn.All this time, Ross had been industrious in his run-scoring by picking singles and twos and playing low-risk shots, but with the death overs approaching and the Thunder’s score still under 100, he looked to change gears. After Sams clobbered Zampa for two sixes in the 18th, Ross tore into Russell with a hat-trick of sixes in a 23-run 19th over. Those hits helped Ross reach his highest-ever BBL score of 77.However, the young Couch bowled two terrific overs at the death to keep the Thunder down to a gettable total when momentum was not with the Stars. He kept Ross and Sams quiet in a five-run 17th over. And given the responsibility of the 20th, he conceded just one six in an 11-run final over that also included Sams’ scalp. Together, Couch and Qais shared four wickets for 43 runs in eight overs and were key contributors in ensuring that their side needed only 152 to win.

Brendan Rodgers has admitted his frustration at an off-field issue happening at Celtic currently, claiming the situation is a “disappointing” one.

Celtic cruise into another cup final

The Hoops faced Aberdeen in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals on Saturday, in a game that looked exciting on paper, as it pitted the two teams level on points at the top of the Scottish Premiership currently against each other.

Instead, Celtic ran riot at Hampden Park, beating their rivals 6-0 and scoring three goals in either half, booking a place in the final against Rangers next month.

It was a scintillating performance by the Hoops, who once again showed why they are the most prominent team in Scotland, even though Aberdeen have impressed in their own right so far this season. While the result at Hampden was a memorable one, there was still something irking Rodgers after the game that needs to be addressed at Celtic moving forward.

Rodgers disappointed by Celtic team leaks

Speaking to reporters [via RTE], Rodgers admitted his displeasure at his Celtic starting lineups constantly being leaked before games, saying the individual doing it cannot call themselves a Hoops supporter.

“It’s obviously clearly disappointing. It’s something that we’ve seen before, and it’s not ideal, however it comes out. In the modern game, there’s no real secrets in football. That’s the reality of it. But it’s not nice when it gets out there. And especially if it’s out from Celtic supporters.

“It might feel great for someone’s ego to put it out and pass it on to other people. But I can tell you as a manager that I’ve had that before with other teams.

“And when I’ve got to know about it, it has really, really helped me in my preparation. So whoever is putting it out, if it’s someone from Celtic, you’re not a Celtic supporter. You’re not a Celtic supporter because you’re not helping Celtic. It’s as simple as that. If you’re not a Celtic supporter, we will do everything we can to find out.”

It is good to see Rodgers speak out about this problem, and as he rightly points out, the modern game is full of antics like this, with people wanting to gain notoriety, even without necessarily revealing themselves.

Supporters drink in so much content these days, with their impatience meaning they need to hear news as soon as possible, meaning even waiting until an hour before kick off to see starting lineups feels like a struggle.

If the person leaking the Celtic team supports the Hoops, they would be wise to listen to Rodgers and stop risking giving opponents an early advantage, in terms of allowing the opposition manager to know exactly what team their side will be facing.

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Thankfully, these leaks don’t appear to be having much impact on Celtic’s season currently, but the boss has spoken, and his demands need to be listened to.

Next season, for the first time since 1999, Match of the Day will have a new host.

Earlier this week, the BBC announced that Gary Lineker will leave the role at the conclusion of the current campaign, bringing to an end his 25-year stint as the face of the broadcaster’s flagship football show.

Starting in 1964, Match of the Day has been the place for Premier League football highlights, with the BBC also gaining rights for the Football League, FA Cup and European football over the years.

“We want to thank him for everything he has done for the show, which continues to attract millions of viewers each week,” said Alex Kay-Jelski, director of BBC Sport.

Greg Dyke, former BBC director general, told BBC Radio 4 that Lineker was “the outstanding sports presenter of his time”, but that “life moves on”.

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So what now? Who will replace Lineker as host of Match of the Day after so long at the helm? Can anyone do the job? Does this mean we won’t ever get to see anyone present in just their pants again?

Here, FootballFanCast outlines the top candidates to replace the legendary host.

1 Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman is, unsurprisingly, the favourite to replace Lineker.

The 51-year-old has hosted Match Of The Day 2 for more than a decade and has also filled in for Lineker on the main show when he’s been unavailable on numerous occasions, including when the former England striker was briefly suspended by BBC bosses over his social media activity last year.

As a familiar face with plenty of experience, Chapman is the logical choice.

2 Alex Scott

Alex Scott has been a leading light for female pundits since retiring from professional football in 2017.

In 2018, she became the first female analyst to cover the men’s World Cup on the BBC, while in the same year, she also became Sky Sports’ first-ever female football pundit.

Now the host of Football Focus, she has also stood in for Lineker on Match of the Day.

3 Gabby Logan

Already one of the BBC’s best-known sports presenters, Gabby Logan first joined the broadcaster in 2007, having also worked for ITV.

Since then, she’s presented at the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, Invictus Games, the World Cup, the European Championship, and has also occasionally filled in for Lineker. This season, she has fronted Amazon Prime’s Premier League and Champions League coverage.

In 2020, she was awarded an MBE for services to sports broadcasting and promoting women in sport.

4 Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer has been Lineker’s right-hand man on the Match of the Day for years.

Though he has no experience as the main presenter, the former England international could be a good choice for the BBC if they are looking to keep things familiar.

It would also be a strange turn of fate given that Shearer replaced Lineker as England’s first-choice striker when he retired in 1994.

5 Micah Richards

Since retiring from football in 2019, Micah Richards, or as he calls himself, “Big Meeks”, has quickly established himself as one of the most likeable football pundits around.

He’s been a mainstay on Match of the Day alongside Lineker and Shearer, while he’s also worked alongside Kate Scott, Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher on CBS Sports.

Lineker has previously admitted that he would “love” to see Richards replace him as host of Match of the Day.

“I think you’d be brilliant in the chair,” Lineker told Richards during an episode of The Rest is Football podcast earlier this year.

6 Kate Scott

Kate Scott, formerly Kate Abdo, has earned critical acclaim for her work with CBS Sports since 2020, where she has anchored the network’s coverage of the Champions League alongside Richards, Carragher, and Henry.

The 43-year-old, who previously presented sports on Sky, Fox and CNN, would be a great replacement for Lineker, but could be out of reach for the BBC given that last year she signed a new, four-year exclusive contract with CBS.

7 Kelly Cates

The daughter of the former Liverpool player and manager Sir Kenny Dalglish, Kelly Cates is a highly experienced presenter who has worked for a number of well-known broadcasters, including ESPN, Setanta Sports, and Channel 5.

Her most notable work, however, has been with Sky Sports. She left the channel in 2006 but returned in 2016, and now covers the Premier League’s biggest games alongside the likes of Roy Keane, Jamie Redknapp and Gary Neville in the studio.

8 Jason Mohammad

Welsh broadcaster Jason Mohammad is the current host of BBC show Final Score.

Since joining the BBC in 1997, he has also deputised for Lineker and Chapman on Match of the Day and Match of the Day 2. He would be an experienced figure in front of the camera, though you would imagine he will stick to stand-in appearances.

9 Dion Dublin

Dion Dublin has been a regular feature on the BBC’s sports coverage since retiring from football in 2008, appearing on Match of the Day, Football Focus, Final Score, BBC Radio 5 Live and more.

The former Coventry City and Manchester United striker has plenty of experience presenting outside the world of sports, too.

Since 2015, he’s hosted property show Homes Under the Hammer alongside Martin Roberts and Lucy Alexander, where he’s made a name for himself for regularly letting viewers know exactly where stairs lead to.

10 Jeff Stelling

Famed for his iconic voice, memorable catchphrases, razor-sharp wit and silly sense of humour, Jeff Stelling is one of British football’s most famous broadcasters.

Having presented Gillette Soccer Saturday for Sky Sports from 1994 until 2023, Stelling now works for TalkSport, where he hosts the channel’s breakfast show alongside Ally McCoist.

His appointment would no doubt be a popular one. However, he likely wouldn’t come cheap, though he would almost certainly maintain the show’s prestige by replacing Lineker on Saturday nights.

Manchester United look set for yet another new manager after the departure of Erik ten Hag, who spent two-and-a-half years in the post at Old Trafford.

The final straw was the Red Devils’ 2-1 loss against West Ham United on Sunday afternoon, a result that condemned his side to a fourth defeat in just nine Premier League outings.

Ten Hag was also unable to secure any wins in the first three Europa League matches of the season, drawing all three matches against FC Twente, Porto and Fenerbahçe.

However, it appears that the hierarchy have already acted quickly in moving for a replacement, with journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that they have triggered Ruben Amorim’s exit clause in his contract at Sporting Lisbon.

The 39-year-old is already said to have accepted the club’s proposal, with a deal rapidly advancing in the hope he can be appointed in time for Sunday’s clash at home to top-four hopefuls Chelsea.

Ruben Amorim’s record as Sporting Lisbon manager
Statistics	Tally
Games managed	227
Games won	161
Games drawn	33
Games lost	33
Win percentage	71%
Points per game	2.27
Stats via Transfermarkt

His potential appointment will undoubtedly bring about excitement amongst the fanbase given his record in Portugal, which has seen him achieve a 71% win percentage over the last three years.

Amorim will likely deploy his 3-4-3 system, a tactic in which he’s enjoyed the majority of his success, as we look at what his dream United starting XI could look like…

1

GK – Andre Onana

Goalkeeper Andre Onana has been a key member of the United squad so far this season, producing some crucial saves to prevent Ten Hag’s side from dropping further points.

Arguably, his best moment came in the 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, with the 28-year-old making a miraculous double save which was awarded with the September Save of the Month award.

2

RWB – Diogo Dalot

Whilst he’s yet to reach the performance levels of last season, the Portuguese full-back could be about to reach the next level under the guidance of his compatriot.

He produced a moment to forget in the defeat to West Ham last weekend, missing an unguarded net, but Amorim’s potential appointment could allow him to surpass the levels demonstrated during 2023/24.

3

CB – Leny Yoro

After joining in a £52m deal from Lille last summer, the United fanbase are yet to get a glimpse of the French wonderkid after suffering an ankle issue towards the back end of pre-season.

However, the 18-year-old arrived with huge potential to be a success after beating off the likes of Real Madrid for his services.

Many will be hoping that the 39-year-old will be able to aid his development and showcase why the hierarchy were so keen to splash out such a fee on a young talent.

4

CB – Matthijs de Ligt

Like many of the new summer additions, Matthijs de Ligt is yet to provide value for money, struggling to make an immediate impact in the Premier League.

However, the former Juventus and Bayern Munich man has featured at the very top of European football throughout his career, with a new manager injecting a new philosophy potentially allowing him to reach the heights many expected him to upon his arrival.

5

CB – Lisandro Martínez

The Argentine has been one of few Ten Hag signings who have caught the eye since their respective moves to Old Trafford, making 71 appearances since his transfer in 2022.

Amorim’s back-three system could allow the 26-year-old to thrive even further, offering more defensive cover around him, with the Portuguese boss’ possession-based approach falling perfectly into his hands.

6

LWB – Luke Shaw

It’s been a couple of years to forget for full-back Luke Shaw, with the 29-year-old constantly plagued with fitness and injury issues during Ten Hag’s tenure.

He only made 15 appearances in all competitions last season, whilst also failing to appear as of yet in 2024/25, but he will be hoping that he can put his issues behind him and become a regular under the potential new boss.

7

CM – Kobbie Mainoo

The youngster’s rise into the first-team in Manchester has been nothing short of sensational, breaking through last season before securing a regular starting role in recent months.

He may only be 19, but it hasn’t stopped the midfielder from breaking into the England side and becoming a key member of the Premier League squad this campaign.

Given his age, ability to find pockets of space and be comfortable in possession, he could prove to be a real key player throughout United’s new era.

8

CM – Manuel Ugarte

New summer signing Manuel Ugarte hasn’t hit the ground as many expected him to, only managing to start one Premier League meeting so far in 2024/25.

However, Amorim previously managed the Uruguayan, helping him achieve the best form of his career before his transfer to PSG in the summer of 2023.

Given his successes under the potential new boss, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 23-year-old become a key player in the heart of United’s midfield in the coming months.

9

RAM – Bruno Fernandes

It would only be a slight change in role for Bruno Fernandes, but any appointment could see him in a more permanent attacking berth alongside another forward behind the central striker.

The “sensational” Portuguese international, as dubbed by former Red Devil Paul Scholes, has registered 70 assists since his move to Manchester back in 2020, having all the tools to improve his tally under his compatriot.

Out of possession, he could tuck inside centrally to create a three-man midfield, therefore making United more compact and harder to break down – something which has been way too easy as of late.

10

LAM – Alejandro Garnacho

The academy graduate has often featured off the left-hand side since his emergence into the first team, catching the eye with his ability to get past the opposition and cut inside onto his stronger right foot.

Amorim’s appointment wouldn’t take that role away from him, but could see the Argentine operate in an ever so slightly more central role out of possession.

That would then see the 20-year-old – who boasts eight goals and assists this season – given the nod over Marcus Rashford, with Garnacho having cemented that left-sided berth in recent times.

Rangers boss Philippe Clement is fighting for his job. The Gers had yet another day to forget on Sunday, losing 1-0 away to Kilmarnock and yet more ground in the Scottish Premiership title race. The defeat means Clement’s side are now stuck six points behind Celtic and Aberdeen in third place after eight games played.

Not only are they struggling in the league, Rangers are also having a tough time in Europe. After failing to make it through Champions League qualifying, they were recently thumped 4-1 by French side Lyon in the Europa League.

As a result of their indifferent start to the campaign, fans are becoming impatient and pressure is mounting on Clement, who took over as boss in 2023. According to a recent report from Football Insider, preparations are being made for Clement’s dismissal with “sources close to the Rangers hierarchy” believing that “results this season have not met the board’s expectations”.

“There is now a growing feeling at Ibrox that Clement’s position is no longer secure,” Football Insider’s report claims.

Clement could now turn to youngsters to save himself

One of Rangers’ biggest problems this term has been finding the net away from home. At Ibrox, they’ve been clinical, scoring 11 in just four top flight games, but on the road, they’ve managed just one in four.

Cyriel Dessers is without a goal in five games and struggling for form, while Brazilian striker Danilo only made his return from injury earlier this week when he stepped out for Rangers B against Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Challenge Cup. According to Rangers News, Clement and the rest of his coaching staff were on hand to watch the game, which ended 4-1 to the Light Blues.

While Danilo was on the scoresheet, the Belgian manager was likely to have been more impressed with the display of teenage winger Findlay Curtis, who scored twice on the night. The 18-year-old opened the scoring after just 13 minutes and grabbed his second on the hour, curling a confident finish into the bottom corner.

While there’s no indication yet that Clement will call up Curtis to the first-team as a result of his impressive display, it certainly wouldn’t be a surprise given his current squad’s recent struggles.

Who is Findlay Curtis?

Curtis began his journey with Rangers when he was just six years old and has since progressed through the ranks to become a regular for the club’s B team, for whom he’s now scored three times this season. Having already trained with the first-team, the youngster is hoping he can make his debut sooner rather than later.

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“I’ve trained with the first-team twice so far and they were a great experience. One was match prep but the other was a full session and I loved it,” Curtis said in a recent interview shared on Rangers’ official website.

“I love every single minute of it here and next season I will push as much as I can, do the right things on and off the pitch and focus on developing my game.You have to push for a chance in the first-team and to make my debut one day would be unbelievable.”