Leeds United have had a tough few months with a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future of the club, however, things are starting to get back on track ahead of their Championship campaign.

The 49ers have completed their full takeover at Elland Road, buying out Andrea Radrizzani and are now working on finalising an appointment of a manager who can lead Leeds out of trouble and back into the Premier League as soon as possible.

Not only that, the American owners intend to reinvest in talent to refresh the squad during their next chapter and ambitious pursuit to establish the West Yorkshire club as a top-flight side that can comfortably compete without falling into the same patterns and repeating their mistakes again.

Indeed, without a manager it is difficult to recruit the right players without knowing the philosophy and style of play that will be implemented over the challenging 46-game campaign next season, however, it hasn't stopped them from being linked with potential targets upon the arrival of football advisor Nick Hammond last week.

One player who has been recently linked with a move to Leeds is West Bromwich Albion midfielder Jayson Molumby, a young and energetic player who could emulate Kalvin Phillips at Elland Road.

Would Molumby be a good fit for Leeds?

It is no secret that a number of players in the Leeds squad are reportedly set for an exit this summer after suffering relegation from the Premier League last month.

Both Tyler Adams and Marc Roca have been strongly linked with moves, whilst loanee Weston McKennie has gone back to Juventus after struggling to make a positive impact during his six-month stint with the Whites.

As a result, there is a real opportunity to strengthen and rebuild with vital financial backing from the owners and a sound recruitment strategy that can identify new additions to make a genuine impact next season and lead the club to better days.

Molumby has thrived under the management of former Leeds assistant coach Carlos Corberan whilst largely being deployed in the defensive midfield role, a position Phillips also thrived in when working with Corberan at Elland Road before getting a huge move to Manchester City last summer.

One standout attribute that the Irishman shares with his treble-winning positional peer is a consistently outstanding pass completion rate, with Phillips tallying up a 92.3% accuracy last season despite limited game time, whilst Molumby came in strong with 86% which was, in fact, the best pass accuracy percentage in the entire West Brom squad of those who had more than one appearance last season, according to WhoScored.

Beyond his passing ability, the 23-year-old – hailed an "insane talent" by journalist Rudi Kinsella – has displayed a number of great attributes with four goals scored, four assists and four big chances created, proving he can be a real attacking threat for opponents from his deep-lying position.

He also averaged one shot on goal, 1.4 tackles and won 3.1 duels per game over 43 Championship appearances, demonstrating further that, like Phillips, he is a real workhorse with the ability to make an impact on both defensive and progressive play.

With that being said, it would be a big coup if Leeds could secure the services of Molumby this summer and if he could make the impact that Phillips had on Leeds in the Championship there is no reason why he couldn't become the second coming of their cult hero.

Victoria have recalled legspinner Fawad Ahmed for the Sheffield Shield final against South Australia, which begins in Alice Springs on Sunday

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Mar-2017Victoria have recalled legspinner Fawad Ahmed for the Sheffield Shield final against South Australia, to be played in Alice Springs from Sunday. Ahmed has replaced fast bowler Jackson Coleman in Victoria’s 12-man squad for the decider as they aim to win the Shield title for the third consecutive summer.Ahmed has played only one match in this year’s Shield campaign, taking five wickets against Western Australia at the same ground earlier this month. However, the conditions at Traeger Park could favour slow bowling, in which case Ahmed could form a twin spin attack with Jon Holland, who is third on the wicket tally this summer with 42 Shield wickets at 21.11.The Victoria side will be captained by Cameron White in the continued absence of regular skipper Matthew Wade, who is with the Test squad in India.”It’s an amazing achievement to be involved in a third straight Sheffield Shield final, and it’s also a golden opportunity to make history as the first Victorian side to go back-to-back-to-back,” Victoria chairman of selectors Andrew Lynch said.”Everyone from the players to the coaches have worked incredibly hard to get to this point again, and we also can’t wait to take the final to Alice Springs for the first time. The squad we’ve named will thrive in the conditions at Traeger Park, and hopefully can bring home another title to Victoria.”Victoria squad Travis Dean, Marcus Harris, Rob Quiney, Aaron Finch, Cameron White (capt), Daniel Christian, Seb Gotch (wk), James Pattinson, Chris Tremain, Scott Boland, Jon Holland, Fawad Ahmed.

Lionel Messi and Xavi could be sensationally reunited at Inter Miami, with it claimed that the outgoing Barcelona boss is open to a MLS challenge.

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• World Cup winner walking away from Camp Nou
• Plans to take a year off from coaching
• Could be lured to the United States in 2025

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Blaugrana captain Xavi has, after savouring La Liga title glory at Camp Nou last season, announced that he will be walking away from his current role at the end of the 2023-24 campaign. He has seen a star-studded squad in Catalunya struggle for consistency this term, and the pressure of life in the most demanding of managerial posts has become too much.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  claims that the World Cup-winning ex-Spain international will look to take a break from coaching when severing ties with Barcelona. He is, however, only 44 years of age and will return to the dugout at some stage.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It is suggested that contact with Inter Miami has already been made, with the Herons boasting the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba on their books – who have all worked alongside Xavi before in a playing capacity.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  El Chiringuito report that Xavi “wants to stop for a year but there have been contacts with Inter Miami”. They go on to say that “if an interesting offer arrives, he will accept it”. That could spell bad news for current Herons boss Tata Martino, who oversaw a historic Leagues Cup triumph last year and is expected to deliver more major silverware in 2024.

Alex Wakely’s unbeaten hundred condemned Lancashire to a third successive defeat and left them in danger of elimination in the Royal London Cup

ECB Reporters Network05-May-2017
ScorecardAlex Wakely’s unbeaten hundred fashioned an excellent run chase•Getty ImagesA well-crafted unbeaten century by Northants Steelbacks’ captain Alex Wakely piloted his side to their first win in this year’s Royal London One-Day Cup and condemned Lancashire Lightning to their third successive defeat, a position from which they will find it immensely difficult to qualify for the quarter-finals.Needing 325 to win this 50-over match at Aigburth, the Steelbacks reached their target with 20 balls to spare and with six wickets in hand. Wakely was 109 not out when the win was confirmed by Adam Rossington’s four and six off Liam Livingstone and never during their pursuit of Lancashire’s target had the visitors appeared seriously discomfited.That this was so was partly due to Richard Levi, who bludgeoned twelve boundaries in his 46-ball 62, and helped Northants reach three figures inside 15 overs. When Levi had holed out to mid on Ryan McLaren off Jordan Clark, Rob Newton continued the assault but was caught by Alex Davies off Tom Bailey for 44 when the score was 125.With Josh Cobb having been Anderson’s first victim in the second over of the innings, Northants’ reply was interestingly poised but Wakely and Rob Keogh then put the game beyond Lancashire’s reach with a 152-run fourth-wicket stand in 23 overs.Wakely survived a stumping chance on 24 when Davies failed to gather the ball and was also dropped by the Lancashire keeper when he inside-edged a very difficult chance off Anderson, the resulting boundary taking him to his 42-ball fifty.From then on it was the plainest of sailing on the calmest of seas for the Northants batsmen as they put Lancashire’s total into perspective on a very hard, very true pitch. Wakely reached his century having hit 12 fours and faced 92 balls. Keogh played on to Anderson when he had made 69 five overs before the close but that was of little more than statistical importance. The game had been all but settled long before.Earlier in the day four batsmen had made fifties in Lancashire’s total and the most crucial was that of Jordan Clark who finished the innings with 76 not out off 51 balls and took 24 runs off Nathan Buck’s final six balls. Clark’s fine knock included eight fours and two sixes and it placed on the finishing touches to a recovery which saw Lightning recover from 94 for 5 in the 19th over when Steven Croft was superbly caught at the wicket by Rossington off Muhammad Azharullah for 19The fightback was begun by Dane Vilas and McLaren who put on 86 for the sixth wicket before Vilas cut Ben Sanderson to Newton on the point boundary and departed plainly angry with himself despite having batted with considerable responsibility for his 47-ball 61.Vilas and McLaren’s partnership was a List A record for Lancashire’s sixth wicket against Northamptonshire and a similar mark was established for the seventh wicket by McLaren and Clark’s 108-run stand, which was only ended when McLaren hoisted Azharullah high to long on where Steven Crook took a fine running catch.Some of the Northants’ bowling figures hardly reflected the merit of their earlier efforts, most notably in the first twenty overs of the innings when Lancashire lost five prime wickets. That early period in the game was marked by Karl Brown’s stylish 58 off 47 balls and including 11 boundaries, but it also saw Davies caught at the wicket for a first-ball nought off Sanderson in the opening over and Haseeb Hameed caught at backward point by Graeme White off Buck for nine.When Livingstone fell into Azharullah’s none too subtle trap and hooked a short ball straight to substitute fielder, Saif Zaib at deep backward square leg Lancashire were 77 for 4 and a total in excess of 300 appeared a distant objective. Azharullah was the most successful Steelbacks bowler with three for 55 but White sent down ten overs of left-arm spin at a cost of 47 runs and Sanderson took two good wickets before coming in for some late punishment.

Celtic have scheduled discussions with Kyogo Furuhashi regarding a new contract extension at Parkhead, according to reports.

When did Kyogo Furuhashi join Celtic?

Furuhashi first arrived in the Scottish Premiership from Vissel Kobe back in July 2021 where he went on to become a regular feature of Ange Postecoglou’s first team making 83 appearances to date, but with the former boss having now left to join Tottenham Hotspur and Brendan Rodgers being back in charge, his future is up in the air.

The Japan international was the Hoops’ top-performing offensive player and indeed the division’s highest-goalscorer last season so was a standout star north of the border, and this form has already started to attract significant interest from the Premier League.

Crystal Palace have primarily been the side most linked with a summer swoop for the 28-year-old striker, but Spurs appear to have more recently entered the race to secure his services with Postecoglou eyeing a reunion in N17, and whilst that will be an attractive opportunity, the hierarchy are keen to stop him from leaving.

Is Furuhashi signing a new contract?

According to Football Insider, Celtic are set to hold “talks” with Furuhashi over a new deal when he returns from his current break in his homeland. The Glasgow outfit are “keen to tie down” their prized asset to a “new and improved agreement” in the hope of fending off outside attention, with the aim being to extend his contract that runs until 2025 by at least one more year.

Alongside Palace and Spurs, it’s reported that he’s also become a target for Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth and several unnamed clubs in the Serie A and Bundesliga. Furuhashi was believed to be “stung” by Postecoglou’s exit, but it’s stated that he’s “happy” where he is and “won’t rush into any decision” in the weeks ahead.

Does Furuhashi deserve improved terms?

Celtic will recognise the hugely positive impact that Furuhashi has made since joining and also how much he’s appreciated by his teammates having been hailed “world-class” by Jota, so offering the centre-forward a new contract would be nothing less than he deserves.

The £19k-per-week earner clocked up a remarkable 26 goal contributions (23 goals and three assists) in 31 Scottish Premiership outings last season whilst recording 85 shots over the course of the campaign which was more than any other of his fellow peers, as per FBRef.

Furthermore, Furuhashi has not only helped the side secure five trophies following his arrival but he’s also been rewarded for his individual performances by being named the Hoops’ Player of the Year for 2022/23 so it’s clear to see how loved he is, making this a decision that the board shouldn’t even have to think twice about.

West Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day at 244 for 7

The Report by Danyal Rasool21-Apr-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsWest Indies’ middle and lower order came to their rescue in a big way as they recovered from a precarious 71 for 5 to end the opening day in Jamaica on 244 for 7. Roston Chase and Shane Dowrich added 118 for the sixth wicket after Mohammad Amir had made three breakthroughs either side of lunch as Pakistan threatened to take a firm hold on the match.Play was called off nine overs early, as the clouds that hovered above for much of the day finally impacted the light enough to convince the umpires to lead the players off after just one over with the new ball, but the final session had not been short of action. Chase and Dowrich, whose partnership started in the first over after lunch, took their stand to three figures but just as it looked like Pakistan were running out of ideas the breakthrough came via a miraculous diving catch on the boundary to dismiss Chase, with Wahab Riaz taking a stunning grab running towards the long-on boundary.The next ball, Dowrich was bowled by Yasir Shah as the visitors wrestled the advantage again, but some gutsy late hitting by Jason Holder and Devendra Bishoo ensured West Indies finished the day with some momentum, and a total to defend.Pakistan were on top for much of the first day, but West Indies produced a heartening response after looking as though they could unravel when Amir and debutant Mohammad Abbas were operating with the new ball. Abbas claimed a wicket with his second delivery in Test cricket as Kraigg Brathwaite edged to second slip where Younis Khan snared another catch, reminding Pakistan it wasn’t just his runs they were going to miss when he hangs up his bat at the end of this Test series.

Roston Chase’s reactions from the first day

On how the day went: “We were in bit of a hole early on, but Shane and I had a decent partnership, I thought it was a fighting effort, but disappointed neither of us went on to get that big score. Hopefully the skipper and the rest of the batsman can put us in a strong position, a fighting position and put Pakistan on the back foot”
On what WI need to do on the second day: “I always believe 450-500 is a good first-innings total if we set the tone from early. But as I said, we were in a bit of a hole so if we get 350-plus from here that’ll be a decent comeback for us. If we go into lunch tomorrow losing no wickets or even one, or even if we do get bowled out, if we score quickly enough to get that 350 or 375, that will be a positive for us in that session.”
On the Sabina Park pitch: “The pitch is a bit two-paced. Some balls, when they’re banging in the ball it doesn’t really come off that well. Once you stay patient and hit those areas hard, some things happening for you there.”

However, Abbas’ senior bowling partner was the man of the morning. Showing exquisite control, Amir produced one to dart back into the left-handed Shimron Hetmyer, one of two West Indians on debut. Hetmyer, who had for much of his short stay at the crease been chiefly concerned with Amir’s outswinger, was clearly unprepared for the change-up; Pakistan had almost begun celebrating by the time the his bat came down. Four overs later, Amir castled Shai Hope with his stock delivery, swinging into the right-hander and sending his off stump cartwheeling.When Wahab came on, the runs flowed a little more freely, the batsmen taking advantage of his slightly erratic length and relative lack of movement. Even so, he claimed the scalp of Vishaul Singh, also in his first outing, owing to a sharp catch at square leg from Azhar Ali, the batsman falling over to a ball drifting on to leg stump.When Kieran Powell fell two deliveries after lunch, chasing a wide swinging delivery from Amir he would have been better off leaving alone, Pakistan would have harboured realistic hopes of dismissing West Indies for under 150, but Chase and Dowrich took control of the innings with a sense of grit and determination that supposedly better batsmen had been devoid of. They were excellent in trying circumstances, taking advantage whenever Yasir – who was inconsistent – missed his length, and punished Wahab when his line wavered. They did not panic when the runs dried up, but didn’t go back into their shells so much they couldn’t pounce on the poor deliveries.Chase and Dowrich snapped back into a more aggressive mindset soon after tea, the latter rubber-stamping that fact by slashing Abbas for a pair of stylish square cuts and bringing up the 100-run stand moments later. It was then that the absence of a fifth bowling option began to hurt the visitors as they turned to Amir again, who they would ideally have wanted to rest until the new ball.However, when this Test match has long been forgotten, all people will probably remember is how the sixth-wicket stand was broken. In a moment of play that almost defied belief, Chase struck a lofted drive off Yasir, looking for all the world like it would fetch him a boundary, despite Wahab, hardly a world-beating fielder, scampering back from mid-off. Wahab threw himself at the ball – even the technique looked all wrong – and somehow emerged with it in hand. The umpires asked for TV confirmation – perhaps they were just as astonished as everyone else.The next ball, Dowrich was beaten for spin as he tried to drive Yasir along the ground, the ball thudding into his stumps: 189 for 5 had become 189 for 7 and, just like that, Pakistan again sensed a swift end to the innings.However, no one appeared to have told Holder and Bishoo, who set upon Yasir in a display of counter-attacking hitting, not afraid to loft him in the air, earning multiple boundaries in return. They raced to a fifty-partnership at almost a run-a-ball, and continued to frustrate Pakistan as the new ball was taken.Fortune came to their aid thereafter, as the new ball was only one Amir over old when the umpires decided this was no time of day to be facing fast bowling. Holder and Bishoo didn’t need to be told twice, sprinting off to the dressing room after living to fight another day.

Manchester United could look to secure Brentford goalkeeper David Raya this summer if veteran stopper David De Gea is to leave Old Trafford this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Manchester United's goalkeeping situation?

As per The Athletic, Manchester United reportedly offered De Gea a new contract at Old Trafford before eventually changing their mind on the decision at the last minute.

The 32-year-old has since received a new proposal from the Red Devils ahead of this term; however, he is now out of contract at Manchester United as he mulls over his future and is a target for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, according to The Sun.

Despite the fact De Gea's 12-year stay at Manchester United looks to be in a perilous position, he would still ideally like to be kept on at the Premier League giants if both parties can come to a compromise in negotiations.

Sky Sports have revealed that Manchester United are considering several goalkeeping options as Erik Ten Hag looks to strengthen his last line of defence, including the likes of Raya, Inter Milan's Andre Onana and Porto stopper Diogo Costa.

De Gea was named on the Red Devils' official released list and any push for another goalkeeping addition is believed to be a separate case to the future of the Spaniard.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has stated that Raya, who earns around £25k-a-week at the Gtech Community Stadium, is indeed on the radar at Old Trafford and may be a potential replacement for De Gea.

Jones stated: "Raya is a pretty simple deal waiting to happen, if United want to go down that path. And if de Gea is going to leave, we've heard for some time that Raya is on their radar as somebody that could replace him."

Would David Raya be a good signing for Manchester United?

Raya, who has been hailed as an "incredible" player, has earned a reputation as an accomplished goalkeeper in the English top flight due to his shot-stopping abilities and composure with the ball at his feet, a trait that Manchester United boss Ten Hag has traditionally demanded from his man between the sticks.

Last season, the 27-year-old made 39 appearances in all competitions for Brentford, managing to amass 12 clean sheets, as per Transfermarkt.

FBRef show that Raya was a key part of why Brentford secured a top-ten finish in the Premier League, recording a save percentage rate of 77.7%.

As per WhoScored, the Spanish stopper also ranked in Brentford's top five performers across the term, behind Ben Mee, Bryan Mbuemo, Ethan Pinnock and Ivan Toney, earning an average match rating of 6.97/10 for his exploits on the field.

Manchester United will be looking to build on an impressive 2022/23 campaign under Ten Hag and bringing in someone like Raya could help to take the Red Devils to the next level at Old Trafford.

Arsenal still need to agree the yearly payment structure over the fee for Declan Rice, but once this is finalised, the deal will be completed, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's the latest on Rice to Arsenal?

Arsenal have fought off interest from Manchester City and now appear very close to securing a record-breaking transfer for the West Ham captain.

The Gunners initially had two bids rejected, but a mega-offer of £100m, with £5m in add-ons, has been deemed acceptable as an overall package.

However, Romano has revealed that the structure of the payments of the initial £100m is still yet to be agreed, with West Ham wanting the payment made in less time.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano indicated that this would be the final hurdle before officially completing the deal.

"There is an agreement on the fee, £100 million plus £5 million in add-ons, a club record fee for Arsenal, a historical fee for English football as Declan Rice is going to be the most expensive player ever.

"It's just a matter of hours probably, but it's just about the payment terms. As I told you, Arsenal want to pay in four years, and West Ham want the £100 million guaranteed fee to be paid in 18 months. So he's about this detail, then the deal will be done."

What will Rice bring to Arsenal?

The England midfielder will come at a high price, but Arsenal are investing in a signing who could help them challenge at the top level for years to come.

Rice will arrive as an experienced Premier League captain, with European experience under his belt, and fits the age profile that Mikel Arteta has targeted in the last few seasons.

At 24, he can form a midfield trio with Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz for the next few years, and he can help replace the leadership void which will be left if Granit Xhaka leaves the club.

Rice could play as both a number six, in front of the back four, and further forward, and this tactical flexibility will be something Arteta can use when setting up his team for bigger games.

The Englishman ranks highly for interceptions as per FBref, and his presence in the middle when facing tough opponents could give Arsenal an extra aggressive edge, something which they often lacked over the years.

He is a signing that can help Arsenal bridge the gap between themselves and Manchester City, as they attempt to challenge for the title again, and beating their rivals to the signing is a huge statement of intent from the club.

India will tour the West Indies for five ODIs and one T20 international in June and July, with the trip beginning almost immediately after the Champions Trophy final in England.

ESPNcricinfo staff16-May-2017

India will tour the West Indies for five ODIs and one T20 international in June and July, with the trip beginning almost immediately after the Champions Trophy final in England.The Champions Trophy final is scheduled for June 18 and the first ODI between India and West Indies is on June 23 in Trinidad. The second ODI is at Queen’s Park Oval as well, before the teams move to Antigua for the next two matches.The last ODI and the T20I will be played at Sabina Park on July 6 and 9.Unlike India, West Indies are not part of the Champions Trophy and will be hosting Afghanistan while the top eight ranked ODI nations compete in the ICC tournament in England.This will be the fourth bilateral series between the sides since 2013. India had toured West Indies in 2016 as well, for Tests and T20Is but no ODIs.

Marcelo explained Real Madrid's unique strategy of 'leaving him like that' to stop Barcelona icon Lionel Messi in epic Clasico clashes.

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Messi has an incredible record in El ClasicosMarcelo revealed the secret to stopping MessiArgentine scored 26 goals in 45 ClasicosGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

Several managers and defenders have tried to find the answer to stopping Messi over a period of close to two decades but have failed to come up with a successful formula. During his stay at Barcelona, he was a nightmare for Real Madrid defenders and fans as the Argentine would more often than not find a way to score past them be it in a Champions League semifinal or a La Liga fixture.

After Fede Valverde honestly admitted that he doesn't know how to stop Messi, veteran left-back Marcelo, who had participated in numerous duels with the forward, revealed a strange strategy to stop him from hitting top gear.

AdvertisementWHAT MARCELO SAID

Marcelo, while speaking to said, "Messi did not talk during the games and I tried not to talk to him because he was quiet. We always said that we should leave him like that, because if we decided to obstruct him, we would provoke him and then he would get angry, and if he was angry, he became more and more difficult to handle."

Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Throughout Messi's illustrious career with Barcelona, he participated in 45 matches against Real Madrid in several competitions such as La Liga, the Copa del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Champions League. Messi showcased his extraordinary goal-scoring prowess by netting an impressive total of 26 goals, a Clasico record, which not only underscores his consistency as a prolific scorer but also highlights his knack for being a decisive force in crucial moments. Each goal contributed significantly to Barcelona's success in these key matchups, solidifying Messi's status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI & REAL MADRID?

Messi will be in action with Argentina against Uruguay on November 16, followed by a marquee clash against Brazil five days later in two 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, Real Madrid will travel to Cadiz on November 16 following the international break.