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Leeds United manager Daniel Farke had to deal with a host of changes to his playing squad during the summer transfer window, which slammed shut last month.

The German head coach had to watch on as a number of his key players from the 2023/24 campaign were sold, following on from the club’s failure to secure promotion.

A 1-0 defeat to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final in May, after the Whites had finished third in the Championship during the regular season, consigned them to another year in the second tier.

Unfortunately, that meant that Glen Kamara, Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, and Georginio Rutter all decided that their respective futures were elsewhere, as they sealed moves to Rennes, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United, and Brighton & Hove Albion.

Those exits did, however, allow Farke to dip into the market to bolster his squad with the additions of Largie Ramazani, Manor Solomon, Joe Rodon, Ao Tanaka, Isaac Schmidt, and Jayden Bogle, among others.

Despite all of those signings, two players already at the club have been among the top performers in the final third for Leeds – Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph.

How much Mateo Joseph and Joel Piroe earn

Both players are reportedly on £15k-per-week in the current squad and both sit within the bottom seven earners at the club, with back-up goalkeeper Alex Cairns the lowest earner at £5k-per-week.

Despite their relatively low wages, Piroe currently leads the team for goals and Joseph leads the team for assists in the Championship so far this season.

The latter has emerged as the first-choice centre-forward for Leeds this term and has caught the eye with his creative quality from the number nine position.

Appearances

6

Goals

1

Big chances created

4

Assists

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.0

As you can see in the table above, the 20-year-old marksman has only scored one goal in six games but has made up for that by creating four ‘big chances’ for his teammates.

Meanwhile, Piroe is the joint-top scorer in the side, along with Brenden Aaronson, with two goals in six appearances, despite starting one game, thanks to his goals off the bench against Hull and Cardiff.

These statistics suggest that Leeds are currently getting great value for money from two of their lowest earners. Meanwhile, Farke must be looking to ditch Max Wober, who has not done enough to justify his place in the wage structure.

How much Max Wober earns

The Austria international is reportedly on £35k-per-week at Elland Road and is within the top nine earners in the squad, following his return to the club this summer after a loan spell with Borussia Monchengladbach, which means that he earns more than Joseph and Piroe combined (£30k-per-week).

Despite being the ninth-highest earner at Leeds, Wober has not made a single appearance in the Championship this season and has been an unused substitute in three league matches.

His only appearance of the 2024/25 campaign, to date, came in the 3-0 loss to Middlesbrough at Elland Road in the League Cup, as he played 63 minutes alongside Rodon at centre-back.

The left-sided defender lost 100% of his aerial duels and did not do enough to convince Farke that he was ready for minutes in the Championship, as dud was left on the bench in the next two league games.

Rodon and Pascal Struijk have been preferred ahead of him in the centre-back positions so far this season, with the former taking the spot on the left side of the pairing.

The Dutchman’s performances in the second tier have been impressive and it does not appear as though Wober is likely to get a chance any time soon, barring injury or suspension.

Appearances

6

Pass accuracy

92%

Clean sheets

4

Ground duel success rate

53%

Aerial duel success rate

68%

As you can see in the table above, the former Ajax youngster has helped Leeds to keep four clean sheets in six league matches, whilst dominating opposition players on the deck and in the air.

Therefore, Farke should be looking to cash in on Wober in the upcoming January transfer window, as he is one of the top earners at the club and is not contributing to the team on the pitch.

Money wasted for Leeds

At the start of the January transfer window in 2023, former Whites head coach Jesse Marsch swooped to sign the central defender from RB Salzburg for a reported fee of £11m.

He had already worked with Marsch, and played alongside Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, during his time in Austria, and was tasked with making the step up to the Premier League.

The West Yorkshire side were relegated from the top-flight that season, as the 26-year-old centre-back was unable to help them avoid the drop.

Appearances

16

Clean sheets

2

Error led to shot

1

Penalties committed

1

Duel success rate

53%

As you can see in the table above, Wober made two direct errors in 16 appearances and only helped the team to keep two clean sheets in that time, whilst barely winning the majority of his physical duels.

The Austrian flop did not opt to remain at Elland Road and fight for promotion from the Championship last season. Instead, he opted to sign for Borussia Monchengladbach on loan in the Bundesliga.

Wober played 25 matches in the German top-flight during the 2023/24 campaign but did not do enough to convince them to pull out all the stops to sign him permanently this summer.

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This meant that the left-footed dud remained at Leeds, instead of leaving for the second summer in succession, and now he is wasting away on the bench.

Therefore, the Whites have currently sunk £11m down the drain, along with his £35k-per-week wages, because Wober is not contributing on the pitch. This is why Farke must push him out of the door and cash in on the flop in the upcoming January transfer window.

“When we get into such good positions, we have to get them by the throat and we have to finish them off”

Mohammad Isam11-Jul-2021Donald Tiripano has said that he is ready to take up the challenge of batting higher up the order, after he frustrated Bangladesh with a 144-ball 52 coming in at No.5 in the one-off Test.While Bangladesh were always on course for victory, Tiripano managed to stall the visitors for most of the final day, and it was eventually a poor umpiring decision that ended his stay at the crease. Ebadot Hossain got the ball to jag back enough, but the replays clearly showed that there was daylight between bat and ball, before Liton Das collected the ball. Tiripano, however, felt the game swung decisively on the first day when Zimbabwe failed to get their opponents “by the throat and finish them off”.Related

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“It is a challenge that I am willing to take. I am happy to embrace it if given the chance to bat up the order. I like being challenged. I enjoy pressure,” he said.The pressure on the fifth day was unrelenting for Zimbabwe, particularly after they lost four wickets in 19 balls just after the first drinks break. Dion Myers, Timycen Maruma, Roy Kaia and Regis Chakabva all departed, leaving Tiripano alone with a long tail.He managed the pressure quite well though, ensuring Bangladesh needed more than 30 overs to dislodge the last three wickets. Tiripano struck six fours during his stay, couple of them driven through the covers and midwicket, and one from a reverse sweep. This was his second Test fifty, both coming this year.Tiripano, however, was disappointed Zimbabwe couldn’t put up a higher score in the first innings.”It is unfortunate that we couldn’t get a good total in the first innings. There are a lot of positives that came out from this game. Guys tried to score some runs and build partnerships by putting their head down. But we should work hard on our batting and make sure that we don’t play catch up cricket in a Test match.”He also rued Zimbabwe letting Bangladesh off the hook on the first afternoon when the visitors were 132 for 6 at one stage.”We started well in the first morning. The wicket was doing a bit. After taking six wickets, we let them off. Mahmudullah and Liton Das put together a partnership.”I think we have to make sure that when we get into such positions, we have to get them by the throat and we have to finish them off.”Tiripano was all praise for the two debutants Kaitano and Myers.”They are exciting guys. Kaitano is very talented. Everyone has seen what he can do. Dion also showed glimpses of how great a batter he is going to be for Zimbabwe. The future looks bright with these guys.”

MatériaMais Notícias

O atacante Paulinho Boia, revelado no São Paulo e que estava emprestado ao Juventude, desembarcou na Ucrânia nesta segunda-feira (08) para assinar contrato com o Metalist-UCR.A oferta gira em torno de 1,8 milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 11,6 milhões, na cotação atual).

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Em seu site oficial, o Metalist afirmou que a transferência será acertada em breve. Boia deve ser apresentado já no próximo sábadono intervalo da partida entre Metalist e Prykarpattia, pelo Campeonato Ucraniano.

Boia é cria das categorias de base do São Paulo e estreou nos profissionais em 2018. Passou por diversos clubes por empréstimo, como o Portimonense, de Portugal e o São Bento. Sob o comando do técnico Fernando Diniz, chegou a jogar 22 partidas, mas com a chegada de Crespo, perdeu espaço.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DO BRASILEIRÃO DE 2021!

🇧🇷 Пауліньо Бойя вже у Харкові 💛💙

▶️https://t.co/WuStDozdT1◀️

💥 Харківській публіці 23-річного вінгера представить президент нашого клубу Олександр Ярославський у перерві матчу «Металіст» – «Прикарпаття»🔜

🎫 Квитки👇https://t.co/87yUSPtJFJ#metalist #металіст #металлист pic.twitter.com/8c79FLVlMq

— FC Metalist (@FCMetalist) November 8, 2021

Pelo São Paulo, Boia disputou 31 partidas desde que subiu aos profissionais, com um gol marcado, na vitória sobre o Guarani por 3 a 1, pelo Paulistão de 2020. Em 30 partidas, são nove vitórias, 10 empates e 11 derrotas em sua passagem pelo Tricolor até o momento.

Chelsea chief Todd Boehly has handed Newcastle United a £10 million discount, as Eddie Howe's side eye up a move for a Stamford Bridge forward.

Chelsea players who could still be sold before deadline day

There have been an abundance of fairly high-profile exits at Chelsea already this summer, including Ian Maatsen, Lewis Hall, Malang Sarr, Omari Hutchinson, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva, Alfie Gilchrist and Michael Golding to name a few.

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The Chelsea axe is swinging throughout Enzo Maresca's bloated squad, and it is highly anticipated that more interesting names could be set for the exit door before summer deadline day on August 30.

It is believed that left-back and sporadic captain Ben Chilwell is prepared to leave this summer as Premier League champions Man City register a loose interest, while Fabrizio Romano claims Raheem Sterling will be allowed to go if Joao Felix joins Chelsea.

As well as this, Napoli remain in talks over a deal for Romelu Lukaku, who has reportedly already agreed a three-year contract to reunite with Antonio Conte in Italy, and the transfer looks set to have a profound effect on Chelsea's interest in Victor Osimhen.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

"Chelsea are in talks with Napoli over Victor Osimhen, whilst Romelu Lukaku has already agreed to a pay cut and a three-year contract to move to Naples," wrote GiveMeSport's Ben Jacobs on X recently.

"Napoli wanting Lukaku helps Chelsea, as does Osimhen putting pressure on Napoli to leave as soon as possible."

After Lukaku, Chilwell and Sterling, uncertainty also surrounds the futures of Angelo Gabriel, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Cesare Casadei, while it is widely reported that Southampton are closing in on a loan deal for Chelsea defender Lesley Ugochukwu.

After Boehly and BlueCo agreed the signing of Pedro Neto from Wolves last week, in a deal which could be worth up to £54 million including add-ons, questions are now being asked of winger Noni Madueke.

Chelsea hand Newcastle £10m discount as Howe eyes Madueke move

TEAMtalk reported earlier this week that Newcastle have held talks with Madueke's agents ahead of a potential swoop, with Chelsea valuing the 22-year-old at around £40 million.

That same outlet have now shared a further update, and they claim Howe could now sign the Englishman for less. TT write that Chelsea are open to selling Madueke for £30 million as Newcastle register their interest, 25 per cent less than first thought, with the Magpies potentially having to replace Miguel Almiron if the Paraguayan can seal a move to the MLS or Saudi Arabia.

It would be harsh on Madueke if Chelsea opt to sell, as the winger played a big role during the latter stages of 2023/2024 under Mauricio Pochettino. He started each of the Argentine's final nine Premier League games in charge, finishing the campaign with eight goals and three assists in all competitions.

However, Neto's arrival has put the "mentality monster" in a tough position when it comes to guaranteed game time this season, so it will be interesting to see what the future holds for PSV Eindhoven's ex-rising star.

Leeds United have submitted a verbal bid to sign a new attacker this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing new winger to replace Summerville

The Whites are preparing for their Championship opener this weekend against Portsmouth at Elland Road, but one player who won’t be there is last season’s Player of the Year, Crysencio Summerville.

The Dutch winger has now left for Leeds for West Ham, with Daniel Farke admitting after Leeds’ final pre-season game against Valencia that the club would like to bring in a new wide player but still need to comply with financial fair play rules.

Leeds United's summer sales

New club

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Archie Gray

Tottenham

£34.7m

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham

£25.1m

Glen Kamara

Rennes

£8.4m

Marc Roca

Real Betis

£3.8m

Charlie Cresswell

Toulouse

£3.8m

Diego Llorente

Real Betis

£2.7m

Robin Koch

Eintracht Frankfurt

Free transfer

Jamie Shackleton

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Kristoffer Klaesson

Rakow Czestochowa

Free transfer

Luke Ayling

Middlesbrough

Free transfer

Ian Poveda

Sunderland

Free transfer

Cody Drameh

Hull City

Free transfer

Darko Gyabi

Plymouth Argyle

Loan

Sam Greenwood

Preston North End

Loan

Sonny Perkins

Leyton Oreint

Loan

"Our situation is also quite clear, obviously after selling a winger, an offensive player like Cree everyone knows we'd like to add a player in a similar position, there's no doubt.

"It's not like right now we receive a full player like Archie Gray or Cree Summerville also lots of money and right now we can spend it. At the moment we still have to pay for a few sins in the past and make sure we're in line with all the financial rules and this is also the reason why sometimes a club has to take a decision also to sell a player.

"Obviously when you ask me as a manager you always want to keep your best players and even add a few more top players but we still have the situation that we've done something not in the perfect way in former years and right now have to pay the price.

"In the last season we were pretty disciplined and careful with what we spent. We have to be careful and it's an open secret, it's not like we take all the money from a transfer like Cree and can spend it right now. We have pretty limited resources.”

The top target to replace Summerville currently appears to be Norwich City’s Jonathan Rowe, with talks recently held over a deal for the England Under-21 international. Now, it appears as if Leeds and the 49ers Enterprises have gone one step further and have made an offer.

Leeds make verbal bid for Jonathan Rowe

According to Football Insider, Leeds have submitted a verbal bid worth £7m for Rowe, however, that is “nowhere near” Norwich’s valuation. The Canaries have swiftly responded to that proposal from Yorkshire, so it will be interesting to see if Leeds go back in with an improved offer.

Rowe enjoyed a solid campaign at Carrow Road when fully fit, scoring 12 goals and providing two assists in 34 Championship appearances.

He was also hailed by Norwich teammate Shane Duffy, who called Rowe a player who can produce “magic” and win games. "Give him a ball like that in that position, and he will do the rest – he's shown that since the start of the season when he picked up the ball on the halfway line and found the top corner. Jonny has got that bit of magic for us. He can win us games, and that's what you need at this level to be successful."

Nottingham Forest have conducted some excellent business in the transfer market since promotion to the top flight ahead of the 2022/23 Premier League campaign, signing players at a great price before selling them for a profit.

Orel Mangala joined the Reds ahead of the first campaign for a fee in the region of £12m, before leaving on loan in January before signing permanently for French side Lyon for a combined £30m after his loan and transfer fee.

Moussa Niakhate moved to Lyon earlier this summer, following in the Belgian’s footsteps, moving in a £27m deal – a move that secured the club an £18m profit on the fee they paid for him just two years prior.

After such a huge amount of money was brought into the club, Forest have looked to strengthen in numerous key areas, with boss Nuno Espírito Santo still looking to add to his squad despite his six first-team additions this summer.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Earlier this week, the Reds secured a deal to sign Portuguese winger Jota Silva from Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes on a four-year deal.

The 25-year-old made his debut for his national side during the previous international break as a result of his excellent performances and figures which saw him register 11 goals and five assists in the Liga Portugal.

The forward could be joined in the East Midlands by another attacker, with the Reds still hunting for reinforcements in the final third despite the recent arrival of Silva.

In recent days, Forest have seen a progression in talks with Argentinian side Tallares over a potential deal to see Paraguayan wideman Ramon Sosa move to the City Ground.

However, they do face tough competition from fellow Premier League sides Fulham, Wolves and Everton for his signature – with the 24-year-old a man in demand this summer.

Despite the interest elsewhere, reports – via Sport Witness – have claimed that Forest hold the edge and that a move is seemingly edging closer to completion, with Sosa potentially travelling to the UK to agree a deal in the coming days.

Their respective transfers could follow one current Reds star who has excelled after his move from a lower-quality division to the Premier League.

Murillo’s market value in 2024

After joining the club from Corinthians in a £15m deal last summer, Brazilian centre-back Murillo has excelled at the City Ground – exceeding all expectations.

He’s made 32 consecutive league starts, winning the club’s Player of the Year award, prompting huge interest from all over Europe.

Games

32

Tackles won

31

Interceptions

37

Passes into 18-yard box

11

Blocks

11

Clearances

188

PSG, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid are just some of the sides who have been linked with a move for the talent this summer, with the Reds demanding a club-record fee to prise him away from the City Ground this summer.

As a result of his excellent progress since his move to England, his market value has soared to a staggering £38m, as per Transfermarkt – a £23m increase on what they paid for his services less than 12 months ago.

His subsequent value is higher than the combined price of Sosa and Silva, whose rumoured price tag of £12m and fee of £5.9m, respectively, only adds up to £17.9m.

The Brazilian’s transfer is an example of the excellent recruitment currently taking place at the City Ground, with Nuno and the fanbase hoping that the two aforementioned players can have a similar impact in the near future.

In a time when FFP and PSR limits are tight, the hierarchy must get these transfers right, with the club needing to take a gamble on foreign talents to improve the club’s standing whilst making them a huge profit down the line.

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Chelsea's Cobham academy graduates have posted an incredible stat this weekend in the Premier League as Dominic Solanke and four other players shine.

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Cobham graduates score six goals on the weekendFive stars score 25% of total goals on matchday 10Total of 17 graduates play elsewhere in Premier LeagueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Over the last decade, Chelsea have always had a very deep squad due to their highly successful Cobham academy and their interest in investing in youth players early in their careers. As such, they have made a habit of selling youngsters for a profit and as such have a number of their former stars scattered across the Premier League.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

have now revealed that former Cobham graduates playing for different Premier League sides scored 25 per cent of all the goals scored in the league over the weekend. Solanke scored a brace against Aston Villa for Tottenham, while Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ola Aina, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Guehi scored one each to bring up a total of six goals for former Cobham graduates.

DID YOU KNOW?

There are currently 17 different Cobham Academy graduates playing in the Premier League for teams outside of Chelsea.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The Blues continue to have a bloated squad under Enzo Maresca and as such they will likely have a few more academy players departing the club over the winter.

As debut seasons go, Ange Postecoglou did rather well in charge of Tottenham Hotspur last season.

His team may have fallen from the Champions League places into the Europa League spot, but given the number of injuries he had to deal with, that shouldn't be knocked.

However, now that the Australian has got to grips with life in North London, he has to take the team back up the table next season and to do that, he needs the right players.

So, it's unsurprising that the latest star touted for a move to the club is an incredibly exciting attacker who could be the perfect Richarlison upgrade.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in Genoa attacker Albert Gudmundsson this summer, and have contacted the Serie A club for more information on the player.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that West Ham United, Inter Milan, and teams from Saudi Arabia are also keen to land the Icelandic international. Unfortunately for the North Londoners, the Nerazzurri are currently leading the race.

That said, with his supposed €35m price tag, which converts to just £30m, there is no reason Daniel Levy and Co couldn't flex their financial muscle and take the initiative off the Italian side.

It could be a complicated deal to complete, but given the price and the player's impressive form last season, it seems worth pursuing.

How Gudmundsson compares to Richarlison

So, should Levy and Co get their man and bring him to the white side of North London this summer, he'd likely move from the second striker position he played last season into a more traditional nine role due to Postecoglou's lack of reliable out-and-out goalscorers.

This, in turn, would put Gudmundsson in direct competition with Richarlison for the starting berth in the lineup, and based on how they stack up to one another, he'd likely come out on top.

For example, in 37 appearances last season, the "devastating" Icelandic star, as described by teammate Kevin Strootman, scored 16 goals and provided five assists.

The campaign prior, he returned a haul of 14 goals and five assists in 38, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.76 and two games, respectively.

In contrast, Spurs' Brazilian marksman scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 31 appearances last season while only managing three goals and four assists in 35 matches in 2022/23, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.9 and five games, respectively.

Gudmundsson vs Richarlison
2022/23	Gudmundsson	Richarlison
Appearances	38	35
Goals	14	3
Assists	1	4
Goal Involvements per Match	0.39	0.20
2023/24	Gudmundsson	Richarlison
Appearances	37	31
Goals	16	12
Assists	5	4
Goal Involvements per Match	0.56	0.51
All Stats via Transfermarkt

It's not just goals that the Serie A star has over the former Everton man; it's also availability, which is, of course, the best ability.

In the last four years, he has missed just five games for club and country through injury, whereas the Nova Venécia-born marksman has missed 36 and counting.

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Ultimately, with Postecoglou needing a goalscorer he can rely on and the price appearing to be quite reasonable, Spurs must do what they can to get ahead of Inter and bring Gudmundsson to N17 this summer, even if that costs Richarlison his place in the side.

عبر حسام البدري المدير الفني لفريق أهلي طرابلس الليبي، عن سعادته البالغة بالتتويج بالثلاثية المحلية مع فريقه، الدوري والكأس والسوبر، على حساب أهلي بني غازي. 

وقال البدري في تصريحات على قناة “أون سبورت”: “الحمد لله على تحقيق الثلاثية مع أهلي طرابلس، وكان لدي حافز كبير للغاية لحصد الألقاب، خاصة بعد التجربة الأولى التي واجهت خلالها مشاكل كبيرة، لكن المنظومة الحالية كانت شريكة في النجاح”. 

طالع.. علاء نبيل عن اختيار طولان لقيادة منتخب مصر الثاني: هاني أبوريدة يقول رأيه والكل يوافق

وأضاف: “تلقيت عدة عروض خلال الفترة الحالية، لكنني مرتبط بعقد مع أهلي طرابلس، خاصة أن الدوري سيبدأ قريبًا، ونستعد له بشكل قوي”.  

وتابع: “وجود مدير فني أجنبي لاتحاد الكرة قرار جيد، لكنه ليس الحل الوحيد لإصلاح الكرة المصرية”.

واختتم تصريحاته قائلًا: “نتمنى وجود مشروع متكامل للمنتخبات مع تنسيق كامل بين جميع المراحل، فالكرة المصرية تحتاج إلى مشروع واضح وخطط مسبقة لإعادتها إلى سابق عهدها”.

Allrounder will arrive early on Sunday and will be in quarantine for six days as per IPL protocols

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Oct-2020

BCCI

England allrounder Ben Stokes is finally headed to the IPL from New Zealand, where he has spent the past month-and-a-half with his family. ESPNcricinfo understands Stokes will land in Dubai, where the Royals are based, early on Sunday.As per the IPL’s Covid-19 protocol Stokes will undergo the mandatory six-day quarantine, including clearing three tests, before he can link up with the Royals and be available for selection.On Saturday morning Stokes posted a picture with his parents on Instagram, along with a caption titled ‘goodbyes never get easier’.In August, mid-way into the Pakistan Test series, Stokes flew to New Zealand to be alongside his father Ged, who was detected recently with brain cancer. Stokes was granted compassionate leave by the ECB and missed not just the final two Tests and the limited-overs leg of the Pakistan series, but also the six-match white ball series against Australia.Upon landing in New Zealand, Stokes admitted leaving Pakistan series was the “right thing” he did from the “mental” point of view.The Royals have not yet commented on Stokes joining the squad, but the franchise has maintained the it would not rush the England allround back and give him “as much time as he wishes” before he was ready to play.”It’s a difficult scenario, so we’re giving him as much time as he needs, and connecting with him as best we can,” Royals head coach Andrew McDonald had told ESPNcricinfo days before the IPL started.While in Christchurch, Stokes had been readying for his return to competitive cricket by training with Sydenham Cricket Club, the first cricket club he played at back in New Zealand. “Been great being in Christchurch where it all began,” he said in another Instagram post. “Thanks to Sydenham Cricket for letting me use their facilities to bowl in.”Stokes’ arrival will shore up a slightly shaky middle order that is currently struggling for consistency. With Steven Smith and Jos Buttler opening the batting, the Royals have had to rely on the relative inexperience of Riyan Parag and Rahul Tewatia in the lower middle order, along with the out-of-form Robin Uthappa.