Tottenham Hotspur are now determined to sign a “fantastic” defender in January, with manager Thomas Frank personally keen on the move.

Tottenham decide against summer move for new defender

There were some late suggestions that Tottenham could make a late move for a new centre-back, with Manuel Akanji being named among the potential targets, but they ultimately decided against bringing in a new defender.

Frank has previously made it clear he is happy with the current options at the back, saying: “We have right now three centre backs: Micky, Romero, Danso and Ben (Davies) can play there if necessary,”

“We have Kota the young central defender we bought this summer and is running now and training with the team next week. There’s not many left behind. And then Dragusin is coming back in a couple of months (to playing games) so that should be enough.”

Sold for £6.7m: Spurs must regret selling star who's outscoring Kolo Muani

After Tottenham signed Randal Kolo Muani on deadline day for a €5m loan fee, should Spurs regret selling a striker who has outscored the Frenchman?

1 ByBen Gray Sep 2, 2025

Spurs have shipped just one goal in the Premier League up to this point, having looked far more solid defensively than they did under Ange Postecoglou, with newly-appointed captain Cristian Romero continuing to impress despite the defeat to AFC Bournemouth.

Statistic

Number completed

Duels won

5/6

Clearances

3

Tackles

2

Last man tackles

1

That said, according to a report from Caught Offside, Tottenham remain determined to bring in Brentford’s Nathan Collins during the January transfer window, and they are hoping to make concrete progress in their pursuit of the defender.

Frank is clearly a fan of his former player, with the report stating the Dane is personally eager to sign Collins, as Spurs are keen to bring in a proven Premier League leader.

However, the Bees are in a strong negotiating position, given that their captain is contracted until the summer of 2029, and it may take an offer of €50m (£43m) to tempt them into a sale.

Collins would provide "fantastic" depth for Tottenham

As previously mentioned, Frank isn’t exactly short on options at the back, but it could be worth Tottenham revisiting a move for their summer target in the January window if they suffer a major injury setback before then.

Losing Romero or Micky van de Ven would be a real blow, given the way in which the centre-back duo have started the season, keeping clean sheets in two of the opening three Premier League games.

However, the Irishman has proven he could be capable of stepping in as a replacement, with compatriot John O’Shea lauding him as a “fantastic player” back in March.

Not only that, but Collins would also be a dependable option at the back for Frank, given that he very rarely sustains injuries, appearing in all 38 of Brentford’s Premier League games last season.

The allrounder has made the call as Australia’s limited-overs squad was due to head to Sri Lanka

Andrew McGlashan06-Feb-2025Australia allrounder Marcus Stoinis has announced his immediate retirement from ODI cricket, ruling himself out of the upcoming Champions Trophy.Stoinis, 35, will now focus on T20 cricket and remains available for Australia in that format. He scored 1495 runs in 71 ODIs at an average of 26.69 with a best of 146 not out against New Zealand in Auckland in 2017, and also took 48 wickets at 43.12 apiece.Related

'Not the immediate plan' – David parks ODI thoughts ahead of big T20I year

Weakened Australia look for Champions Trophy answers

Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

No Indian match officials at Champions Trophy 2025

“Playing ODI cricket for Australia has been an incredible journey, and I’m grateful for every moment I’ve had in the green and gold,” Stoinis said. “Representing my country at the highest level is something I’ll always cherish.”This wasn’t an easy decision, but I believe it’s the right time for me to step away from ODIs and fully focus on the next chapter of my career. I’ve got a fantastic relationship with Ron [Andrew McDonald] and I’ve hugely appreciated his support. I’ll be cheering the boys on in Pakistan.”Stoinis was part of the 2023 ODI World Cup squad and played an important role with the ball against Pakistan, when Australia began their fightback from a poor start to the tournament and ended it as champions.”Stoin has been such a pivotal part of our ODI setup for the past decade,” McDonald said. “Not only has he been an invaluable player but also an incredible person to have in the group. He is a natural leader, an exceptionally popular player and a great person. He should be congratulated on his ODI career and all of his achievements.”However, he played only one more ODI after that World Cup, against Pakistan earlier this season, and did not receive a Cricket Australia contact last year, but was earmarked to play a role at the Champions Trophy in the absence of the injured Cameron Green.”I wasn’t involved in those discussions, but from our perspective, Stoinis was trying to map out how one-day cricket was going for him,” assistant coach Daniel Vettori said after the opening day of the second Test in Galle. “[The] 2027 World Cup is a long way away. From my perspective, it’s been great the way he’s been able to lead with the ball at times. I think back to that 2023 World Cup and those two breakthroughs against Pakistan, and his style of bowling and the aggressiveness. If the big three weren’t able to get a breakthrough or Zamps, then Stoins was turned to a lot on the bowling front, and he brought a real energy and attitude.”Stoinis recently played three matches for Durban’s Super Giants in the SA20, where he suffered an injury in his second outing, on the back of the BBL with Melbourne Stars.Australia will need to make numerous changes to their Champions Trophy squad, which they are due to confirm after the second Test against Sri Lanka. Mitchell Marsh has been ruled out with a back injury while captain Pat Cummins and fellow quick Josh Hazlewood will also miss the tournament.

Lamine Yamal has expressed his delight at being back fit again after a frustrating period with a groin injury. The 18-year-old missed Barcelona's games against Valencia, Newcastle United, Getafe and Real Oviedo in recent weeks but his time on the sidelines appears to be over. The winger declared he is "back" on Instagram, potentially paving the way for him to return to Hansi Flick's side.

• Barcelona receive Yamal boost

  The Spain international has not featured for Barca since before the September international break but his team have fared well enough without him, registering four straight victories. But on Friday, the teenager posted an Instagram reel of some of his career highlights and wrote: "Hey, I'm back."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Flick criticises Spain over Yamal injury

  Yamal picked up the groin injury earlier this month, but still joined up with the Spanish national team. The youngster then aggravated that problem while playing for his country, prompting Barca boss Flick to accuse La Roja of not taking care of their young players.

  He said earlier this month: "Lamine goes to the national team with pain, didn't train, had painkillers to play, they were three goals ahead in every match, and he played 79 and 73 minutes. Between the matches, he didn't train. This is not taking care of players. Spain have the best team in the world, in every position they are unbelievably good. I am really sad about this [situation]."

  The former Bayern Munich manager also admitted the communication he has with Spain boss Luis de la Fuente could be better. 

  "I never really spoke with [De la Fuente]," he added. "Maybe my Spanish is not good, his English is not good, so this is a problem. Normally, the communication, because we have more players there than just Lamine, could be better. I was also on this side as a national team coach, so I know how hard this job sometimes is, but the communication with the clubs was always good."

• Spain boss dismisses Flick's Yamal concerns

  Despite having his groin complaint, Yamal played in Spain's World Cup qualifying wins against Bulgaria and Turkey earlier this month. Following those victories, De la Fuente said he neither remembered nor cared about Flick's complaints.

  He stated, "Right now, I don't remember what Flick said. Neither is it of any interest to me."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  Will Yamal return for Barcelona straight away?

  With Yamal seemingly ready for selection, Flick will have to decide whether to give him some game time against Real Sociedad on Sunday in La Liga as they try to keep pace with top of the table Real Madrid, who are two points clear. The German coach may have an eye on their mouthwatering Champions League clash at home to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. It remains to be seen when Yamal will return.

Alexander Isak's first goal for Liverpool should have been the story after Tuesday night's 2-1 win over Southampton at Anfield. Instead, it was Hugo Ekitike getting himself stupidly sent off after netting the winner.

Isak opened the scoring in the Carabao Cup third-round clash on Merseyside with a characteristically cool finish just before the interval – and only 58 seconds after Leo Scienza had headed wide with the Liverpool goal at his mercy.

However, Arne Slot's side failed to killed the game and Southampton sensationally drew level with 14 minutes to go when Shea Charles punished a dreadful attempted clearance from Wataru Endo. Unfortunately for the Championship side, Liverpool weren't done and, for the sixth time this season, they scored a late winner, with Ekitike tapping home a pass from Chiesa.

The drama wasn't over, though, as Ekitike clearly forgot that he was already on a booking, meaning the French forward saw red for foolishly removing his shirt to show the crowd the name on the back of his shirt and will, thus, be suspended for Saturday's Premier League trip to Crystal Palace.

Below, GOAL rates all of the Liverpool players at Anfield…

AFPGoalkeeper & Defence

Giorgi Mamardashvili (6/10):

A decent debut for the Georgian, who saw more action than he probably would have expected. Made a couple of decent stops and looked comfortable on crosses.

Jeremie Frimpong (5/10):

A pretty underwhelming display from the Dutchman, who was lax defensively and pretty poor with his passing. Didn't get much better after being moved onto the wing in the second half.

Giovanni Leoni (7/10):

Making his Liverpool bow but looked like he'd been lining out for the Reds for years. The giant Italian teenager was unsurprisingly dominant in the air and very accomplished on the ball. Such a shame that he was forced off through injury in the 80th minute as he really did look ready for more first-team action.

Joe Gomez (4/10):

The versatile England international was excellent during his recent cameo against Arsenal but he looked miles off the pace here. Lucky that a couple of very awkward clearances didn't end up in the back of his own net, while it was his sloppiness that presented Southampton with two gilt-edged chances in the first half – and the corner that led to their leveller.

Andy Robertson (7/10):

Given the captain's armband for the evening and performed with his usual level of tenacity in defence. Also played a beautiful ball over the top for Chiesa to lay on the winner for Ekitike.

AdvertisementAFPMidfield

Wataru Endo (5/10):

The Japan international was his usual dynamic self in front of the back four, winning duel after duel. Also involved in a couple of neat passing moves further upfield. However, his disastrous attempted clearance gifted Southampton their equaliser.

Curtis Jones (6/10):

A first start since returning to injury and unsurprisingly kept the ball well – even if he didn't do anything especially creative with it. Taken off just before the hour mark. All things considered, another small step forward for the fit-again Scouser.

Trey Nyoni (5/10):

Deployed in the more advanced role in Slot's midfield three but the youngster struggled to create any real openings. Still, his passing was very tidy.

AFPAttack

Federico Chiesa (8/10):

The Italian is still struggling for regular game time in the Premier League but he really does look much fitter and sharper this season. Had already tested McCarthy with a terrific drive before creating Isak's goal with his awareness and quick cutback. Bagged another assist in his best Liverpool performance to date after a killer first touch to control Robertson's pass before leaving Ekitike with a tap-in.

Alexander Isak (7/10):

His first big chance probably came a little too early for him but he made no mistake when teed up by Chiesa just before the break. Also showed how much of a threat he's going to be down the channels with one exciting show of pace on the left flank.

Rio Ngumoha (6/10):

Lacked an end product but the 17-year-old really is a tremendous dribbler. Looked capable of making something happen every time he got on the ball.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportSubs & Manager

Hugo Ekitike (6/10):

Took over up front from Isak at half-time and squandered a great cross from Chiesa by heading wide when well-placed, before making amends by deciding the game in Liverpool's favour. However, all of the headlines will rightly focus on his idiotic decision to remove his shirt in celebration. Despite Ekitike's fine form, it's now advantage Isak in the battle for the striking berth in Slot's line-up.

Conor Bradley (6/10):

Replaced Jones in the 58th minute and slotted into his usual right at right-back, as Frimpong moved further forward.

Jayden Danns (N/A):

Only came on for Ngumoha for the final 13 minutes.

Milos Kerkez (N/A):

Thrown on in place of the injured Leoni late on.

Arne Slot (6/10):

Wisely decided to make 11 changes to his starting line-up and he would have been so happy with how Leoni performed before his enforced withdrawal. Starting with Isak before bringing on Ekitike also looked to have worked perfectly until the French forward spoiled everything! This weekend's game at Selhurst Park just got a whole lot harder – even if most of Slot's key men will be well-rested.

Shreyas Iyer, who scored a match-winning 36-ball 59 in the first ODI against England in Nagpur, was originally meant to sit out the match. Iyer revealed this in a post-match interview with the broadcasters.India were without Virat Kohli, who was ruled out of the match with a swollen right knee, and they handed the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal an ODI debut. Rather than coming in for the injured Kohli, however, it has emerged that Jaiswal may have been part of India’s original line-up for the match, with Iyer, their regular No. 4, due to start the series on the bench.Iyer revealed that he only came to know he was playing via a late-night call from captain Rohit Sharma.”So, funny story,” Iyer said. “I was watching a movie last night, I thought I could extend my night, but then I got a call from skipper saying that you may play because Virat has got a swollen knee. And then [I] hurried back to my room, went off to sleep straightaway.”Related

• India's left-arm orthodox spin twins give them a good headache to have

• Rohit: Varun 'definitely in contention' for Champions Trophy

• Kohli misses first ODI against England with injury

• Gill, Shreyas and Axar provide the firepower as India go 1-0 up

Asked about Jaiswal starting ahead of him, Iyer kept his answer diplomatic. “You know what you want me to say, but I’m going to keep it low-key and cherish this moment, the victory today.”Jaiswal’s addition necessitated a shuffle in India’s line-up, breaking up their regular opening partnership of Rohit and Shubman Gill, with Gill moving down to No. 3. It is as yet unclear who would have batted at No. 3 had Kohli also been available.Iyer has established himself as India’s ODI No. 4 over recent years, and was a vital member of their line-up during their run to the final of the 2023 World Cup, scoring 530 runs at an average of 66.25, with two hundreds including a 70-ball 105 in the semi-final against New Zealand. His strike rate of 113.24 was the best among India’s middle-order batters.The series against England is India’s last set of ODIs before the Champions Trophy, which begins on February 19. India are set to open their tournament with a match against Bangladesh on February 20.It’s not yet clear that India’s original top order for Thursday’s match indicates how they are looking to line up at the Champions Trophy. With Jaiswal uncapped, it is possible they may have been looking to give him game time in this series to keep him ready to play in case India lose one of their regular openers. Gill’s move to the middle order could have been aimed at testing him out in that role should the need arise to replace a middle-order batter. Jaiswal’s left-handedness could also be a factor: there is no left-hand batter in India’s first-choice top six from the World Cup.

Sunday afternoon’s draw with Crystal Palace was not how Chelsea wanted to kickstart their Premier League campaign.

Enzo Maresca’s side were not terrible, but they were toothless, and in sharp contrast to his pre-season form, Joao Pedro was anonymous.

The Brazilian forward didn’t register a single shot on target or complete a single dribble during his 73 minutes of inaction and took 20 fewer touches than Robert Sanchez.

It was a seriously disappointing performance from a player we all know can do so much more, and therefore, fans should be delighted about reports linking them to someone who’d help make him more lethal.

Chelsea target perfect teammate for Pedro

As it is every year, this summer has been a busy one for Chelsea on the transfer front, as on top of selling a swathe of players they no longer wanted, the club have made a number of exciting additions to the side.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Jorrel Hato, for example, is looked at by many as one of the next great defenders, while Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens should bring more dynamism, and crucially, more goals to Maresca’s side.

Yet, with the window still open until next month, the West Londoners appear intent on adding even more talent to the squad, and are now eyeing someone who’d help make Pedro far more lethal.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Athletic, which has claimed Chelsea are still interested in Morgan Rogers.

The report has revealed that the England international is ‘highly rated at Stamford Bridge’ and that the board would like to bring in an attacking midfielder before the window closes.

A price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this summer claim that the Aston Villa star could cost as much as £100m, and while that is an outrageous sum of money, he might just be worth it, especially if he can help make Pedro more lethal.

Why Rogers would make Pedro more lethal

From watching him in the Club World Cup and pre-season, we know that Pedro is a fine finisher and someone you can trust to lead the line, so why was he so poor on Sunday?

Well, simply put, his teammates did not fashion enough chances for him, as while he certainly wasn’t at his best, the team collectively created just two big chances, which isn’t great when playing a mid-table side at home.

The good news here is that this is a problem Rogers can help with.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

16

Goal Involvements per Match

0.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

149.86′

For example, in his 54 appearances across all competitions last season, totalling 4496 minutes, the Halesowen-born “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob, scored 14 goals and provided 16 assists.

That means the often “unstoppable” midfielder, as dubbed by former Liverpool defender turned pundit Jamie Carragher, was able to average a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or every 149.86 minutes.

In other words, the Englishman was a lean, mean output machine, and someone his teammates could rely upon to finish the chances they created, or more importantly for Pedro, depend on him to create an avalanche of chances for them.

Another significant advantage of the Villa ace is his versatility.

The dynamic 23-year-old is comfortable playing in midfield and on the wing, which should allow him to play more games for the Blues and develop a deeper understanding with the Brazilian poacher.

Ultimately, we know Pedro is a brilliant striker, but we also saw how anonymous he can be without the right service.

Therefore, Chelsea should be doing all they can to sign Rogers before the window slams shut, as, on top of his goal-scoring ability, he is an assist-making machine.

Chelsea submit £43m bid for defender who's "as good as Van Dijk and Saliba"

The Blues have now received a response after submitting an offer for a highly-rated centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

خاض لاعبو الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، تدريبات بدنية قوية خلال مران اليوم السبت، الذي أقيم على استاد الكلية الحربية، في إطار الاستعداد لمباراة ديكاداها الصومالي في بطولة الكونفدرالية.

ويستعد الزمالك لمواجهة نظيره ديكاداها الصومالي، في السادسة مساء يوم السبت الموافق 18 أكتوبر الجاري، على استاد القاهرة الدولي، في ذهاب دور الـ32 لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وشهد مران الزمالك استمرار تأهيل الرباعي عدي الدباغ وآدم كايد ومحمد شحاتة وناصر منسي، تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي للفريق.

طالع.. خاص | اتحاد طنجة يهدد الزمالك: نحضر لشكوى أمام فيفا بسبب عبد الحميد معالي.. وستحرمون من القيد

وعلى المستوى الفني، خصص الجهاز الفني بنادي الزمالك، فقرة تدريبات فنية خلال مران اليوم.

ووجه البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا المدير الفني للفريق، اللاعبين باستمرار خلال الفقرة الفنية، لتصحيح الأخطاء، قبل خوض تقسيمة فنية مصغرة في ختام المران.

كما أدى اللاعبون الفقرة البدنية تحت قيادة الإسباني راؤول لوبيز مدرب الأحمال بالفريق، تضمنت تدريبات متنوعة بجانب فقرة خاصة بالكرة.
وتابع البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني للفريق، الفقرة البدنية، للوقوف على مدى جاهزية اللاعبين للفترة المقبلة.

وانتظم محمود جهاد، لاعب وسط الزمالك، في التدريبات الجماعية، بعد تماثله للشفاء من الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها بشد في العضلة الخلفية، وتسببت في غيابه عن الفريق خلال الفترة الماضية، واطمأن الجهاز الطبي على جاهزيته، ليشارك في الفقرة البدنية مع اللاعبين بجانب التدريبات الفنية والخططية.

وخضع عمر جابر الظهير الأيمن بنادي الزمالك، لفحص طبي وآشعة خلال الساعات القليلة الماضية، للوقوف على حجم الإصابة التي يعاني منها، على أن يحدد الجهاز الطبي في ضوء نتيجة الآشعة والفحوصات البرنامج التأهيلي الذي سيخضع له اللاعب.

وكان عمر جابر عاد من معسكر منتخب مصر المشارك في بطولة كأس العرب، بعدما اشتكى اللاعب من إصابة خلال المعسكر المقام في المغرب.

With Monday’s transfer deadline fast approaching, Aston Villa have reportedly launched a shock £47m offer to sign a late midfield reinforcement for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa's late transfer plan

The Villans are attempting to salvage their summer after battling with PSR constraints since the end of last season. So far, the current window has seen Evann Guessand, Yasin Ozcan and Marco Bizot all arrive, but after Emery revealed his desire to have two players in every position, the Midlands club may not be done with their incomings just yet.

The rumours have been coming thick and fast since those words and all eyes are now on Monchi as Aston Villa look to bolster their squad one final time this summer.

Of those mentioned, the biggest name has been Marco Asensio. It seemed as though Aston Villa were destined to miss out on the Spaniard after an excellent loan spell last season, but fresh reports have now indicated that they’ve made their move and he could be on the way.

The Paris Saint-Germain winger was a real difference-maker for the Villans last season and would no doubt add the further firepower that they’ve lacked in recent weeks.

The same, meanwhile, can be said for another Premier League rival that Aston Villa have already reportedly launched a shock bid to sign late on in the window.

Aston Villa launch shock Paqueta bid

According to Fabrizio Romano, Aston Villa have launched a £47m bid to sign Lucas Paqueta from West Ham United before the transfer window slams shut.

Those in the Midlands are reportedly pushing to secure his signature, but remain without the green light from the Hammers, who are keen to keep hold of the Brazilian.

Aston Villa eye shock hijack for star who's on the verge joining Man Utd

The Villans could deal the Red Devils a major blow.

ByTom Cunningham Aug 31, 2025

It seems like West Ham are in no mood to compromise, either. TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook has been quick to burst Villa’s bubble, reporting that a move, at this stage, is unlikely for Paqueta with West Ham unwilling to agree a loan deal that includes an obligation to buy. As such, Villa are not in a position to afford the midfield star.

Things can quickly change in a transfer window, however, and Paqueta remains one to watch. Dubbed “incredible” by David Moyes during his time at West Ham, the South American is certainly one worth fighting for.

Manchester City are in a position of rude financial health, albeit Pep Guardiola has now received a record-breaking offer for one of his prize assets at the Etihad Stadium.

Erling Haaland urges Man City teammates to embrace change

The Premier League is a competition marked by eras and Manchester City are definitely going through a period of transition on that front after losing the likes of Ederson, Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan during the summer window.

New faces such as Omar Marmoush, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rayan Cherki have entered the fold, and Erling Haaland has urged his new teammates to create their own version of history as the Citizens look to challenge Liverpool and Arsenal among others for the title.

“A lot of important people left so new people have to come in and make a difference and people that have been here for years like me have to take more responsibility.

“I have to guide the team, I have to help the new ones to come in as quick as possible, because it’s not easy to come into a new country and perform straight away. We need to help each other. We need to understand that the past is the past and we’re not the same team anymore. We have to use it in a positive way.”

While academy starlets like Stephen Mfuni may force their way into the Manchester City first-team hoping to follow the example of Rico Lewis, who recently signed a contract extension, responsibility lies on the shoulders of big-money arrivals to adapt after a summer of change.

However, recent developments suggest that alterations to Guardiola’s side may not be done there as his side respond to a surprise offer for one of their key stars.

Man City receive record-breaking Phil Foden offer

According to reports in Spain, Manchester City have received an offer worth over £112 million from Al-Nassr for Phil Foden, who may also be presented with an ‘astronomical’ contract proposal as the Saudi Pro League side look to make a statement.

Fortunately for supporters, Guardiola views the England international as an ‘untouchable’ and key part of his project, making a transfer to the Middle East for the Stockport native something that won’t be entertained by Etihad chiefs.

Guardiola now wants Man City to sign "fantastic" £69m star to replace Silva

Pep Guardiola personally wants him to sign…

BySean Markus Clifford Sep 13, 2025

Despite the Citizens’ willingness to retain Foden, he does only have two years left on his current contract, something that will need to be clarified before other clubs begin to test the waters.

Even after a disappointing 2024/25 campaign where he still managed to claim 13 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances, Guardiola’s stance on him is emblematic of what he believes Manchester City should represent, signifying that the homegrown hero won’t be going anywhere for the time being.

Leeds United have had a busy summer transfer window, with a large focus on strengthening their attack.

Despite finishing as the Championship’s leading goalscorers last term, Daniel Farke’s side have concentrated on signing new forwards to help add to their forward line ahead of their relegation fight from the Premier League.

Two of their new additions have been free transfers, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin switching to Elland Road after his Everton contract expired, and Lukas Nmecha joining from Wolfsburg. Their other addition in attacking areas was that of AC Milan and Switzerland star Noah Okafor.

However, Farke is clearly still keen to add attacking depth to his side. Leeds are linked with a late move for yet another attacker.

Leeds push for new attacker

As the Whites’ search for a fourth attacker in the window goes on, they have been linked with a shock move for former Chelsea and Tottenham star Timo Werner. However, the RB Leipzig star rejected the newly-promoted side.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Instead, Farke and his side could make a move for a Ligue 1 star.

That’s according to a report from Sky Sports who say that Leeds are said to be looking for a ‘versatile forward’ in the next few days, and Strasbourg star Dilane Bakwa is a player ‘of interest’ to the 49ers group.

Leeds have been smart with their money on forwards this summer, making those two free signings, so there could be room left in the budget.

That is money that would be needed in this deal, given that Bakwa has been reportedly valued at £30m by Strasbourg this summer.

Why Bakwa would be a good signing

France U21 international Bakwa has certainly garnered a huge reputation in Ligue 1. He ticks the versatile attacker box that Leeds are looking for, and can play on both the right flank and as a centre-forward.

Last season, the 23-year-old, who hails from Creteil, just outside of Paris, played a huge part in Strasbourg reaching the UEFA Conference League. In 30 top-flight appearances for Liam Rosenior’s side, he bagged six goals and assisted a further nine.

The Strasbourg number 26 has already started the new campaign on fire. In the first two Ligue 1 games of the season, he has two assists, including this pinpoint cross to Emmanuel Emegha, which the striker headed home.

If Leeds manage to agree a deal to bring Bakwa to Yorkshire, they’d love for him to replicate the impact of their last great signing from Ligue 1, Raphinha.

Of course, the Brazilian is a Ballon d’Or contender for Barcelona, and has been on fire under Hansi Flick for the past 12 months.

Looking back at his days at Elland Road will surely always remind Leeds supporters just how good he was in White.

The Brazilian superstar played 67 times for the club, scoring 17 goals and assisting 12. Strikes like this against Everton were what made him so deadly.

Well, there are certainly similarities between Raphinha and Leeds’ potential new signing Bakwa. The attacker is also lighting up Ligue 1 before his prospective move to Elland Road, and is predominantly a right-winger but can lead the line, just like his Brazilian counterpart.

When looking at the underlying statistics from their most recent seasons in Ligue 1, it is easy to see why Bakwa could be the second coming of Raphinha at Leeds.

For example, the Frenchman averaged 3.86 progressive carries and 0.51 goals and assists per game last season, compared to the former Rennes winger’s tally of 3.40 progressive carries and 0.43 assists per 90 minutes.

Goals and assists

0.51

0.43

Progressive passes

4.66

3.67

Goal-creating actions

0.58

0.27

Progressive carries

3.86

3.4

Ball recoveries

3.32

5.21

A fee of £30m is a big investment just days before the transfer window slams shut, but Bakwa could be worth it for Leeds.

He is a “menacing” attacker, according to football scout Antonio Mango, and can hurt Premier League defenders with his efficiency in the final third.

If Bakwa can replace Raphinha, then he will be well-loved by Leeds fans this season and beyond.

Better than Okafor: Leeds eye last-minute move to sign "unplayable" star

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a last-minute move to sign a star who is even better than Noah Okafor.

2 ByDan Emery Aug 27, 2025