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Leeds United will be playing Premier League football next season. Daniel Farke, his staff, and the players all celebrated after the full-time whistle of Burnley’s win over Sheffield United.

Sky Sports were on hand to capture the celebrations and took a moment to have a word with the German manager, who was not too interested in looking ahead to the future.

Farke said “don’t scare me with the Premier League” to the reporter, partly in jest, but that is now the big problem that the club have to solve in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The West Yorkshire outfit will be tasked with building a team and a squad that is capable of stepping up to the Premier League without coming straight back down.

This means that Farke and his staff will have to make some incredibly ruthless decisions on players and their futures at Elland Road, as some may not be cut out to make the step up, and one player who could be on the chopping block is Patrick Bamford.

Why Patrick Bamford could leave Leeds this summer

The former England international is still contracted to the club through to the summer of 2026, which means that it is far from a certainty that he will be on his way out ahead of next season.

Bamford has made a return to the team in recent weeks, coming off the bench in the last five matches, but there has been little evidence to suggest that he would be good enough to be an option in the Premier League.

Since the start of last season, the English striker has scored eight goals from 11.63 xG in 48 Championship matches, including zero goals from 2.11 xG in 15 games in the division this term.

There is not much hope of Bamford being an effective player in the Premier League for Leeds next season if he cannot make the most of his chances in the second tier, underperforming his xG by almost four goals.

24/25

16

0

23/24

35

8

22/23

31

6

21/22

10

2

20/21

38

17

As you can see in the table above, he has failed to kick on since his return of 17 goals in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa in the 2020/21 campaign, failing to hit double figures in all competitions in any of the following four seasons.

These statistics suggest that the left-footed dud should be moved on by Leeds in the upcoming summer transfer window, in order to make room for a player who could make the step up.

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Bamford was linked with a move to Wrexham during the January transfer window and this suggests that there could be a level of interest in his services heading into the next window, which Leeds could now capitalise on.

This also means that he may not be one of the first players out of the door, though, because his contract is not expiring and it may take time for a deal to be finalised for him to move on from Elland Road, particularly as the top earner on £70k-per-week – as per Capology.

Instead, one of the first players who should be axed by the Whites this summer, ahead of a Premier League season next term, is versatile defender Sam Byram, who is out of contract this year.

Why Leeds should release Sam Byram

The 31-year-old defender’s deal runs out at the end of June and this means that Leeds have an instant decision to make on his future in the coming weeks.

Farke loves the English full-back, as evidenced by the reported claim that he had to convince the club to sign him on a free transfer in 2023 despite reluctance from above him, but the manager must be ruthless with his decisions to build a team capable of competing in the Premier League.

The German boss, who also signed him during his time in charge of Norwich City in 2019, must axe Byram from the squad and attempt to recruit competition for Jayden Bogle in the right-back position.

His availability is a slight concern because the defender has not played more than 18 matches in all competitions in six of the last eight seasons, but he has played 73 times for Leeds in the last two campaigns combined.

Signing him to a new deal would require a show of faith that his fitness issues are fully behind him and that he is able to cope with the intensity and the rigours of the Premier League week-in-week-out.

Appearances

34

Starts

15

Key passes per game

0.2

Assists

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.5

Duel success rate

55%

As you can see in the table above, Byram has been a solid, but unspectacular, performer in the Championship for the Whites in the current campaign.

But it remains to be seen how useful the defender would be in the Premier League if his current role is only to be a back-up option in the second tier. His lack of outstanding displays at that level suggests that he would not handle the step up to the top division.

This is why Leeds must be ruthless by axing the £20k-per-week ace from the squad, particularly with his contract situation providing the club with an opportunity to move him on without having to find a buyer.

The Whites need to build a squad that can survive in the Premier League and that is why they should brutally part ways with the out-of-contract defender to make room for another player to come in and take his place in the squad in the summer transfer window.

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This could make Byram the first player to be moved on ahead of promotion to the Premier League this summer, with Bamford possibly following him out of the door later in the window.

Celtic will look to tie up loose ends from a domestic standpoint ahead of next season before looking to strike while the iron is hot on the transfer market.

Celtic in hunt for domestic treble to reflect progress under Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has led Celtic to within touching distance of another treble and will hope his side can push a fourth successive Scottish Premiership title over the line this weekend should permutations fall their way.

The Bhoys need to defeat Kilmarnock on Saturday to move within a point of the league crown, which could be handed to them the following day if Rangers lose out at Aberdeen.

Despite the promise of a fantastic end to the campaign, Rodgers has warned against Celtic complacency following a surprise 1-0 defeat for his side against St Johnstone last Sunday.

He stated: “It’s happened too many times. I’ve seen a trend now with us, and it will be interesting between now and the end of the season in terms of mentality.”

Losing three of his last seven Scottish Premiership encounters, the Irishman has possibly been given food for thought as the summer window approaches.

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Reports have suggested Celtic want to sign Augsburg midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj to shore up their options in the engine room, which may go some way to indicating where he sees the most pressing need for reinforcements.

Delivering domestic trophies is deemed as the bread and butter in Scotland, but there is an ever-blooming expectation that the Hoops’ rude financial health should translate to regular impressive showings in Europe, with recent claims suggesting Rodgers has demanded a summer warchest to stay at Celtic.

Tapping into that theme, the manager could now be granted several new arrivals at Parkhead to help his cause, according to former Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness.

Wyness: Celtic boss Rodgers could line up five summer signings

Speaking to Football Insider, Wyness claimed Celtic could make up to five summer signings in what is set to be an “aggressive” window for all involved at Parkhead, citing their desire to grow in the Champions League as a critical factor.

He stated: “Brendan will definitely want to be aggressive this summer, every manager wants that. I’ve never had a manager work for me who isn’t two players short of what he wants. No matter what you give them, they always want at least two more.

Where are Celtic most likely to strengthen this summer?

Left-back – almost certain to happen

Greg Taylor likely to leave for free, cover needed for Kieran Tierney

Defensive midfield – possible but not at top of priority list

Callum McGregor is 32 in June and may need his minutes managed

Central midfield – if departures occur

Reo Hatate may be at the end of his cycle, so another body is likely

On the flanks – high likelihood

Daizen Maeda’s move to central striking role has created a void

Striker – almost certain to happen

Maeda and Adam Idah could use competition through the middle

“Brendan will, in this case, want another three, four, or even five – given the Champions League and the levels they want to be at. So it will be that usual battle.”

Although there is unlikely to be a sea change at Celtic this summer, a squad refresh may be needed to instill the hunger needed to claim a fifth Scottish Premiership title in a row alongside staking a claim in the Champions League.

Now, the onus remains on Parkhead recruitment chiefs to ensure the Bhoys are prepared by the time qualifiers come around, which won’t be an easy test so early into the new campaign.

The Premier League is finally back tomorrow, and Arsenal continue their campaign with the North London Derby on Sunday afternoon.

However, it could be a more challenging game than last year, as even with Martin Odegaard back in training, Mikel Arteta’s side could be without several key players.

The manager wouldn’t say whether the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz or Gabriel Martinelli were back in contention, for example, but one player who is sure to be out is Gabriel Magalhaes.

The Brazilian centre-back is set to be out for at least a few weeks, and while that’s a massive blow, the solution could be to move another defender into a different position.

Arsenal's record against Spurs

Arsenal’s game against Spurs on Sunday afternoon will be the 212th competitive meeting between the rivals.

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Their first encounter came all the way back in November 1896, when the Gunners were still south of the River, and ended in a 2-1 Arsenal victory.

Since then, while the Lilywhites have had periods of dominance, it’s the red side of North London that have had the better of the rivalry, winning 89 games, drawing 55 and losing 67.

Unsurprisingly, Arteta’s side have been even more dominant than that in recent years, losing just two of the last ten meetings, drawing one and winning the other seven.

Moreover, the title chasers are undefeated in their last six games against their old enemy and, despite being in a spot of bother form-wise at the time, won the most recent meeting 2-1.

22/23

Away

2-0 (W)

23/24

Home

2-2 (D)

23/24

Away

3-2 (W)

24/25

Away

1-0 (W)

24/25

Home

2-1 (W)

What makes that win all the more impressive is that Son Heung-min actually opened the scoring for the visitors in the 25th minute.

However, Arsenal were back in front just 19 minutes later, thanks to a Dominic Solanke own goal and a brilliant effort from Leandro Trossard.

With all that said, even though Arteta has consistently gotten the better of Spurs, the game on Sunday will be a tough one, but he might already have a solution to Gabriel’s injury.

Arteta's solution to Gabriel's injury

The good news for Arsenal is that there are a few ways Arteta can go about replacing Gabriel.

For example, he could bring Cristhian Mosquera back into the side, play Ben White there or even hand a start to Piero Hincapie.

However, the former is right-footed, White hasn’t played at centre-back in a long time, and the Ecuadorian is still unproven in this team, so throwing him into a derby might be unwise.

Therefore, while it might not be the most popular decision, Arteta should move Riccardo Calafiori from left-back into the Brazilian’s position.

Now, there are a few reasons for this, and the first is that, like the injured star, the Italian international is left-footed, and while that might not seem all that important at first, it really is.

It gives the defence some real balance and makes it easier for him to play out from the back when going up the left-hand side of the pitch.

The second reason the dynamic defender should be moved into the back two is that he’s already got plenty of experience playing there.

For example, during his time with Bologna, he made 29 appearances at centre-back and only six as a full-back. Moreover, during pre-season, he once again played there when Gabriel was out with the injury he picked up against Fulham last season.

Finally, the 23-year-old “wild horse,” as dubbed by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, has already played plenty of football this season, so he should be far more familiar with the tactics than one of the other options. And while he did return early from international duty, there is a good chance he is ready to play.

Ultimately, while Arteta has several options to replace Gabriel on Sunday, he should go with the £120k-per-week Calafiori.

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Gary O’Neil is a “strong contender” for the current managerial vacancy at Southampton with a recent update sharing the latest timeline on getting a new boss through the door.

After becoming the first team in Premier League history to be relegated with as many as seven games remaining last season, Southampton hoped for a swift return to the top flight. In the summer, Will Still, who carved out a reputation for himself with Reims and Lens in Ligue 1, moved to St Mary’s.

Despite an influx of summer signings, Still struggled to make things click with the Saints, winning just two out of 13 Championship games. Following three successive defeats, Still was dismissed from his position, with under-21s coach Tonda Eckert taking interim charge of the club.

Eckert, who guided Southampton to a 2-1 win away at Queens Park Rangers, will remain in charge of the team until Southampton make a permanent appointment. Now, it would appear that the Saints could be closing in on Still’s replacement.

O'Neil to take over at Southampton?

According to Telegraph reporter Mike McGrath, O’Neil is very much in contention for the Southampton job, with “admirers at St Mary’s after his work at Bournemouth and Wolves”.

O’Neil received his first experience of senior management with Bournemouth, succeeding Scott Parker and keeping the Cherries in the top flight before being replaced by Andoni Iraola.

O’Neil’s next job was with Wolves, after the 42-year-old replaced Julen Lopetegui as the 2023/24 season began. Though he guided the club to a comfortable mid-table finish, the Englishman struggled for form in the opening chunk of the following campaign, which led to his sacking.

Wolves, who themselves are seeking a new manager following Vitor Pereira’s dismissal, were linked with bringing O’Neil back to the club, only for the manager to pull himself out of the running.

O’Neil, who shares the same agent as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, tends to favour a 3-4-2-1 formation, which he found success with during his early days at Wolves. Such a set-up, in theory, would work well with Southampton and their current crop of players.

McGrath also reported that it is “still early in the process for Southampton” and their search for a new manager. Given his status as a free agent, O’Neil would be available immediately, which may further bolster his chances of getting the job.

Whoever takes over at Southampton will be expected to take the club towards the play-offs. Whether that person ends up being O’Neil, ultimately, remains to be seen.

Southampton keen on veteran manager to replace Still

South African allrounder has played regularly across past two summers in Taunton

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2025Somerset have confirmed the return of Migael Pretorius as one of their overseas players for 2026. The South African allrounder will available for the full season across formats.Pretorius has played for Somerset since 2024, making five fifties to go with 58 wickets in 21 appearances. Last season, he featured eight times in the County Championship, as well as both games on Blast Finals Day as Somerset lifted the trophy for the second time in three years.”From the moment he arrived in 2024, Migael wholeheartedly bought into the culture of the club,” Somerset’s director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. “During his two previous spells with the club, he has shown that he has the ability to impact games with the bat, with the ball and in the field, and he will once again add valuable depth and experience to the squad.”Related

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Pretorius, 30, has been named in various squads by South Africa but is yet to win an international cap. Overall, he has taken 230 first-class wickets at 27.50, to go with 61 in List A and 100 in T20 cricket.”I’ve really enjoyed playing for Somerset over the last two years,” Pretorius said. “From day one I was made to feel at home and it’s a pretty special place to play. To be part of the team that won the Blast was incredible and hopefully we can emulate and even exceed that success in 2026.”

West Ham chiefs are looking to back new manager Nuno Espírito Santo with key additions in January as they attempt to stave off the looming threat of relegation.

The Hammers were gifted a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dismal start to the Premier League season just before this international break, winning back-to-back home games for the first time since October last year against Newcastle and Burnley.

While the two wins provide plenty of encouragement for Nuno after inheriting a squad bereft of confidence and form, reports suggest that the east Londoners will look to January for much-needed reinforcements to bolster their head coach’s squad.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

According to Sky Sports, Nuno has been told that funds will be available for West Ham to spend when the window reopens, and it is believed they’d ideally like a new defender, midfielder and forward.

With Niclas Fullkrug poised to leave West Ham in January, following a lacklustre spell marred by injuries and underwhelming form when available, it is more likely than not that a striker will be arriving at Rush Green, with Fabrizio Romano confirming their intention to sign one.

Romano also said recently that West Ham are in the mix to sign Man United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo amid his links to Napoli, so a new midfielder remains on the cards, but there are now suggestions that a winger could come in too.

West Ham could strike 'cut-price' January move for Adama Traoré

Indeed, according to Football Insider and journalist Pete O’Rourke, West Ham have been handed the opportunity to secure Adama Traoré on a bargain deal in January, with Fulham willing to accept a cut-price offer rather than lose the winger for free next summer.

Traore is in the final year of his contract and is not going to agree a new deal at Fulham, meaning January is their last chance to cash in if they sell him. The 29-year-old’s contract situation leaves the Cottagers vulnerable to low-ball bids, with Nuno apparently keen to reunite with a player he previously transformed at Wolves.

Before Nuno joined the Hammers, he tried to reunite with Traore at Nottingham Forest too, highlighting his long-standing admiration for the Spain international.

That being said, the forward has never quite reached the same heights he once hit under Nuno’s tutelage at Molineux, which included a failed spell at Barcelona.

During his best Premier League campaign to date, Traore bagged 13 goal contributions in 37 appearances for Wolves back in 2019/2020, finishing that campaign as their best-performing player on average whilst completing a seismic five successful take-ons per 90 (WhoScored).

Traore has enjoyed flashes of brilliant form at Craven Cottage too, with Marco Silva calling him an “almost unstoppable” player on his day.

R Ashwin has listed a base price of USD 120,000, the highest for any player, at the inaugural ILT20 auction. The auction will be held in Dubai on October 1.Ashwin, who retired from international cricket as well as the IPL recently, is the only player in the ILT20 auction longlist with a base price in six figures. If he is picked, the ILT20 will be his first overseas T20 league.Ashwin, 39, is among the 24 Indians on the auction longlist, which has almost 800 players as of now. A final list will be prepared this week once the ILT20 receives the wishlist from each franchise.Related

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The fourth edition of ILT20, comprising six teams, will be played between December 2 and January 4. Ashwin has listed full availability for the tournament, after which he is likely to head to the BBL where four teams are understood to have expressed interest in hiring him for the latter half of the season.The ILT20 franchises had carried out their retentions and direct signings in July. Each team could spend up to USD 1.2 million on retentions and direct signings, with the balance amount to be added to the auction purse of USD 800,000. While a franchise can exhaust its entire USD 2 million purse, it will need to spend a minimum of USD 1.5 million. The ILT20 rules also permit franchises to spend an additional USD 250,000 to buy up to two wildcard players outside the auction.As per the squad composition rules, each franchise needs a minimum of 19 players and a maximum of 21, excluding the wildcards. There must be a minimum of 11 players from the Full Member countries, four from UAE, one from Kuwait, one from Saudi Arabia and two from other Associate countries.The franchises will also have one right-to-match (RTM) card but they can use it only to buy back a UAE player. That player must have been part of the franchise’s development squad or the 2025 squad.

Fanning, Bancroft and Cartwright all made half-centuries in WA’s 298 for 9 before the quicks cleaned up SA for 232, with Harvey making 76 in the losing chase

AAP24-Sep-2025Western Australia opener Sam Fanning has top-scored before teammate Joel Paris claimed five wickets in a 66-run one-day win against South Australia in Adelaide.Fanning’s 75 from 91 balls and half-centuries from Cameron Bancroft (63) and Hilton Cartwright (55) steered WA to 298 for 9 from 50 overs on Wednesday.SA were bowled out for 232 from 44.3 overs in reply at Karen Rolton Oval with the left-arm seamer Paris taking a career best 5 for 42 to claim player of the match honours.SA’s defence of the Dean Jones Trophy is in early strife with consecutive losses, while WA banked their first win from two outings. WA, led by Paris and 19-year-old quick Albert Esterhuysen (3-42), who was on debut, prevailed after weathering an early onslaught from SA’s Mackenzie Harvey (76 from 65 balls).The aggressive opener struck 11 fours and one six after the early loss of his partner Jake Fraser-McGurk, who smacked three fours but was dismissed for 14 from 10 balls.SA’s top order failed to fire with second-gamer Harry Manenti (39 from 49 balls), Jake Lehmann (33 from 42) and acting captain Jason Sangha (18 from 24) unable to cash in on promising starts.Cameron Bancroft and Sam Fanning posted half-centuries•Getty ImagesEarlier, WA openers Fanning and Joel Curtis made a brisk start with an 86-run partnership in less than 13 overs. The stand was broken when Curtis (44 from 33 balls) edged to wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen from the bowling of Manenti (1-51).Fanning and Bancroft combined for a 92-run partnership, taking the visitors to a position of power at 174 for 1 in the 29th over.But the dismissal of Fanning, who struck three sixes and four fours from 91 balls, allowed SA to stifle momentum as WA lost 4 for 49 in the next 10 overs. Sam Whiteman, Ashton Turner and Ashton Agar all fell cheaply.And when Bancroft was out lbw to legspinner Lloyd Pope, WA were 223 for 5 in the 38th over and could only muster 75 more runs from the next dozen overs.Pope finished with 2 for 51 from 10 overs, Hanno Jacobs took 2 for 61 from nine on debut for SA while pacer Jordan Buckingham was the pick of the bowlers with a miserly 2 for 33 from 10 overs.

Tottenham Hotspur have identified a “fantastic” forward as their top target ahead of the January transfer window, with Thomas Frank personally an admirer.

Spurs keen on strengthening attack in January

Tottenham brought their five-game winless run to an end on Saturday afternoon, with Frank getting one over his former club by securing a 2-0 win against Brentford, and the manager was happy with his side’s performance on the front foot.

The Dane said: “I think it was a very good performance overall. A quite complete performance. Offensively we looked a big threat going forward. We were much more dynamic and producing good chances and good moments. I really like that.”

That said, it is still too early to suggest Spurs have turned a corner, considering just how poor they have looked going forward at times this season, recording an xG of just 0.1 in the home defeat against Chelsea at the beginning of last month.

Some of Frank’s summer additions have also struggled, including Randal Kolo Muani, who received a SofaScore match rating of just 6.1 against Brentford, the lowest of any Tottenham player, and the Frenchman is still searching for his first Premier League goal.

As such, the north Londoners may look to bring in some more attacking firepower in the upcoming transfer window, and a report from TEAMtalk has now revealed that AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo has been identified as their top target.

Semenyo, who has a £65m release clause in his contract, is being targeted by a whole host of Premier League clubs, with Manchester United and Manchester City also keen, so Spurs may have to fend off interest from elsewhere to get a deal over the line.

At this point, it is unclear who the Ghanaian would prefer to sign for, but national team manager Otto Addo has suggested he needs to take the ‘next step’ in his career soon.

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Spurs are lining up a move for a new centre-forward.

1 ByDominic Lund 5 days ago "Fantastic" Semenyo lauded by Frank

The Bournemouth star has been catching the eye in the Premier League for quite some time now, with Frank saying last season: “Semenyo can play wherever he wants to play – he’s a fantastic player. I think he’s been the best individual player for Bournemouth this season.”

The 25-year-old then went on to make a flying start to the current campaign, although he hasn’t been at his best of late, having failed to register a goal or an assist in his last six outings in the Premier League.

That said, the former Bristol City man is still on course to record a better combined goal and assist tally than last season, having displayed year-on-year improvement since first becoming a key player in the 2023-24 campaign.

Season

Premier League appearances

Goal contributions

2023-24

33

11

2024-25

37

17

2025-26

14

9

Semenyo has proven that he is now ready to make the move to a bigger club, and Tottenham should trigger the £65m release clause when the January transfer window opens, in light of their attacking woes.

Rajat Patidar has been handed Madhya Pradesh’s all-format captaincy ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season that begins with the Ranji Trophy on October 15.Patidar got the job to replace Shubham Sharma after getting from MP director of cricket Chandrakant Pandit. It’s understood that the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association was keen on an expanded role for Patidar following his recent success.The 32-year-old Patidar was first trialled as captain during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy last season after he had spoken to Pandit over a similar possibility arising in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He was given the job and repaid the faith by leading MP to the final, where they lost to Mumbai.Related

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Patidar has since led RCB to their maiden IPL title and recently helmed Central Zone to a title win in the Duleep Trophy, for the first time since 2014-15.Last week, Patidar led a strong Rest of India (RoI) squad, comprising big names like Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhimanyu Easwaran – all state captains – at the Irani Cup in Nagpur, where they lost to Vidarbha by 93 runs.He made 529 runs in 11 innings at an average of 48.09 in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season, with one hundred and two half-centuries. This was the second-highest runs tally for MP that season, behind Shubham’s 943 runs at 104.77.Patidar has been in excellent form already this season, hitting two centuries and three half-centuries in seven innings. One of his hundreds was in the final of the Duleep Trophy that helped Central Zone set up a massive first-innings lead, and eventually a six-wicket win, over South Zone.MP open their Ranji Trophy campaign with a home game against Punjab in Indore. The Ranji season will be played across two phases – the first will be played from October 15 to November 19, before the season takes a break for the white-ball tournaments. The second leg will be played from January 22 to February 1 next year, with the knockouts from February 6 to 28.