Kuldeep Yadav has bowled in two matches for India. On Test debut in March, he took four first-innings wickets, turning the ball both ways to trip Australia up after they were 144 for 1 in the series decider. The first time he bowled in an ODI, on Sunday, Kuldeep had West Indies in a tangle with his wrong ‘uns and finished with 3 for 50. What is it that makes the 22-year old left-arm wristspinner hard to handle?”It becomes difficult when he bowls cross-seam deliveries turning both ways,” the India captain Virat Kohli said, after his side’s 105-run victory in the second ODI in Trinidad. “Usually bowlers bowl seam-up deliveries turning in and cross seam bowling the googly. But he can do both bowling cross seam, so that becomes difficult to pick from the wrist.”Then when batsmen try to attack, he can slow his pace down, just beat the batsmen halfway into the pitch. So he’s quite amazing with what he does with the ball. I’ve faced him in the IPL as well, he’s not easy to get away – especially when the wicket is dry like it was today, he becomes even more lethal. Credit to him for putting in a performance like that in his first bowling performance in ODIs.”In the Champions Trophy earlier this month in England, India had an unlikely weakness: spin. The offspin of R Aswhin and left-arm spin of Ravindra Jadeja proved ineffective, prompting former captain Rahul Dravid to suggest it was time to try wristspin. Given Kuldeep’s immediate success, Kohli was asked if he would be one to stick with in ODIs.”A wristspinner is always a bonus, something we have identified now in this series, so all sorts of options are open,” Kohli said. “The 2019 World Cup, we’ve got 15 players here, then we’ve got a pool of 10 or 12 back home who will probably be tested over the next two years, see how they react in pressure situations, and who’s able to make more impact through the middle overs for us, especially with the ball. That’s something we need to look at as a side, to improve upon going ahead, then figure out who the best guys are.”India’s other top performer in Port of Spain was Ajinkya Rahane, who struck 103 off 104 balls to set them on their way to 310 for 5 in 43 overs. Rahane did not get a game in the Champions Trophy, with India’s first-choice opening pair of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma in fine form. However, with Rohit rested for this series, Rahane stepped in and made 50-plus scores in the first two ODIs.Kohli said Rahane remained India’s preferred back-up opener in limited-overs cricket and offered the team the option of selecting an extra bowler because of his ability to bat in the middle order as well.”Jinks [Rahane] has great potential at the top of the order, but when Rohit and Shikhar as an opening partnership play well in one-day cricket then that becomes a powerful package for us,” Kohli said. “Jinks is always in there for us as the third opener, and having got the opportunity in this series he has batted really well. Today, the way he paced himself I thought was really, really nice. He was going at a run a ball, never fell behind.”If he keeps performing like this… he’s someone who has done the middle-order job as well in the past, so he can very well be that floater in the middle order. He’s someone that might allow you to take an extra bowler in a big tournament like a 2019 World Cup. There are very few guys who can open and play in the middle order and Ajinkya is one of them. In future we see him providing more balance to us as a side in terms of taking an extra bowling option maybe on tour.”

West Ham have had a £14.6m bid for Strasbourg forward Habib Diallo rejected, according to a key update from journalist Papa Mahmoud Gueye.

Who is Habib Diallo?

The 28-year-old has been an impressive performer for his current side since arriving from Metz back in 2020, shining in their attack and producing a consistent end product.

Last season, Diallo scored a highly impressive 20 goals in 32 Ligue 1 starts for Strasbourg, also winning an eye-catching 3.6 aerial duels per game (as per WhoScored), showing what an excellent focal point he was. His overall tally currently stands at 41 strikes in 103 appearances, with six assists also thrown in for good measure.

The Senegalese's current deal expires in the summer of 2025, and while next year would be the last chance for Strasbourg to realistically earn good money for him, now could be the best opportunity to receive the biggest amount possible.

West Ham have been linked with a move for Diallo recently, seeing him as someone who could potentially transform their attack, but a new update has now emerged regarding their pursuit of him ahead of the new Premier League season.

Have West Ham bid for Habib Diallo?

According to Gueye, journalist from Senegalese outlet Taggat [via Sport Witness], the Hammers have been rebuffed in their efforts to sign Diallo in the summer transfer window:

He wrote on Twitter: "West Ham have just seen their offer of 17 million euros (£14.6m) for Habib Diallo refused by Strasbourg."

This is clearly a setback for West Ham as they look to bring in a striker this summer. The Hammers were not exactly prolific in the Premier League last season, only scoring 42 times in 38 matches. No player scored more than six goals for the Hammers in the competition, with Jarrod Bowen and Said Benrahma leading the way with that amount.

Meanwhile, Gianluca Scamacca failed to set the world alight in his first campaign at the London Stadium and has been linked with Roma over recent weeks.

It does suggest that the east Londoners are still pushing hard to snap up Diallo, however, and the hope is that a bigger offer is tabled soon – one that could sway Strasbourg's thinking and persuade them to accept a bid, allowing West Ham to seal the signings of someone currently at the peak of his powers.

Either way, a new centre-forward has to make the move to the London Stadium in order to improve West Ham next season, and the huge fee received for Declan Rice's signature will certainly generate plenty of transfer funds, allowing David Moyes to improve in several key areas.

Diallo is an 18-cap and four-goal Senegal international, and Strasbourg coach Frederic Antonetti recently praised the impact he had made over the past 12 months, saying:

"Habib Diallo is simply confirming his good season and all the good things everyone thinks of him. I told you… that he was reliable, and he's proved it again."

Diallo looks prepared to test himself in the Premier League, and the hope is that his future belongs at West Ham rather than elsewhere.

Wolverhampton Wanderers remain in talks over the transfer of defender Nico Elvedi, as Julen Lopetegui seeks reinforcements this summer.

The Spaniard has orchestrated a host of sales already this transfer window, as the Old Gold chased Financial Fair Play (FFP) targets, however, the former Real Madrid boss will now turn his attention to incomings.

What’s the latest on Nico Elvedi to Wolves?

As reported by Football Insider last week, Wolves were in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back Elvedi.

The fee in the report was stated at £7.7m, making it a smart piece of business by the club for the experienced defender.

Since the initial reports, German outlet Rheinische Post – relayed by Talking Wolves – claimed that the talks are ongoing with work left to do before a final agreement can be reached.

It’s expected that the Bundesliga side are seeking a replacement for the 26-year-old before sanctioning the move.

How good is Nico Elvedi?

In the defender, Lopetegui could arm his side with a player highly rated in Germany, with 230 Bundesliga appearances under his belt.

Versatile in his playing style, the Switzerland international has been deployed as both a centre-back and full-back within a back three at Borussia-Park, lauded for his contributions to the club’s progress.

Praised for his “incredible composure” by former Monchengladbach sporting director Max Eberl, the commanding presence won 59% of his total duels last season, with an average of four per game, via Sofascore.

For Wolves, it’s integral to recruit a strong central defender this summer, taking into consideration the departure of Nathan Collins and the age of Craig Dawson, 33, who the club must seek an heir for eventually.

One positive for the Old Gold is the status of Max Kilman’s future at Molineux, who after interest from Serie A champions Napoli, is expected to remain in the Midlands.

By capturing Elvedi, Lopetegui could find the perfect combination in central defence between the Englishman and the Swiss, who have similar strengths to their game and the ability to form a strong pivot.

The duo both played integral parts in their respective 2022/23 campaigns, with the pair making more than 30 appearances each as their club’s favoured centre-backs.

While Kilman showed his reliability with his 6 foot 4 structure commanding the back line in the Premier League, winning 67.2% of his aerial duels, 6 foot 2 Elvedi proved to be more combative on the ground, highlighted by his 46 players tackled compared to the Englishman’s 36, via FBref.

The Switzerland international with 47 caps could be the perfect addition next to Kilman for the slight differences in their game, with Elvedi recording a mammoth 81 tackles and interceptions to the Wolves ace’s 55, despite playing the same number of league matches (37).

Molineux’s hero bettered the Borussia defender in terms of blocks, making 70 to the Swiss’ 31, as well as making 219 recoveries to his 149, communicating the potential success of their pivot, as per FBref.

The numbers imply that the Bundesliga gem could be a lethal asset in ground duels, while Kilman could be the nominated figure to hold the anchor at the back, making for an incredibly well-balanced partnership in the Midlands.

As the chaos at Chelsea unfolded last season, culminating in a bottom-half finish in the Premier League, Levi Colwill was enjoying life on loan at Brighton & Hove Albion, helping Roberto de Zerbi’s side to an incredible Europa League finish, placing above the defender’s parent club in the process.Now back at Stamford Bridge, Colwill has attracted plenty of interest, with Brighton attempting, and quickly failing, to turn their loan move permanent as they saw a £30m bid rejected at the start of the summer, and Liverpool showing plenty of signs that they’d like to welcome the England U21 international to Anfield this summer.For instance, England U21 teammate Harvey Elliott has been quick to tease the transfer target, commenting on his recent Instagram post to say that they should talk, before deleting the comment.In truth whenever Colwill’s future is brought up, he has quickly shut it down, with the latest moment coming on his friend’s Instagram Live.

Levi Colwill shuts down talks over future

Appearing on the live stream – which was later circulated on Twitter – Colwill’s friend said: “Levi to Liverpool.”

The Chelsea man then bluntly responded with: “No football talk, man.”

So, it seems as though he is keen to keep his guard up for the time being, with it being anyone’s guess which team he’ll be playing for come the end of the transfer window.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea’s current position is that Colwill is not for sale this summer, and are looking to tie the defender down to a new contract.

Speaking about the reported Liverpool target, new Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino recently said: “I need to get a feel for him, I need to hear what he has in his mind, what he expects. Then, of course, it’s gonna be time for him to listen to what I expect from him.”

The new boss added: “He’s a Chelsea player and in the last few months at Brighton he was playing really well. He is one of our players and I need to talk with him when he arrives next week”.

According to Football London, Liverpool remain interested in Colwill, with plenty of twists and turns to potentially come in the current window.

What is Levi Colwill’s current market value?

After Brighton reportedly had their £40m bid rejected earlier in the window, it’s clear that Chelsea would be expecting a large fee for their defender if they were to sanction a deal this summer.

As per Transfermarkt, the 20-year-old is currently worth €30m (£17.05m), meaning that clubs would technically be overpaying this summer. That said, a young defender with the potential that Colwill has can be priceless in today’s market.

As of right now, Colwill’s current contract expires in the summer of 2025. And, whilst that gives him a couple of years at Chelsea, the Blues will be keen to avoid losing him for free when he’s just 22 years old, and likely to improve as he continues on his upward trajectory – having just won the U21 Euros with England.

The last thing they’ll want is another top-six side in the Premier League getting hold of the centre-back. They’ve already strengthened, Manchester United, Arsenal and Manchester City this summer with the departures of Kai Havertz, Mason Mount, and Mateo Kovacic. Now, they’ll surely need to avoid losing Colwill too.

Chelsea are "moving concretely towards" signing the French striker and wonderkid Elye Wahi after his breakout season for Ligue 1 side Montpellier, claims journalist Rudy Galetti.

Is Elye Wahi joining Chelsea this summer?

After selling enough talent to create an entire starting eleven of Premier League quality players over the last month or so, Chelsea look to have finally turned their focus to signings and bringing new faces to the club this summer.

They have already welcomed a few new names to Stamford Bridge thus far, with Nicolas Jackson joining from Villarreal, Diego Moreira from Benfica and Christopher Nkuku from RB Leipzig, who had agreed a deal to join the club earlier in the year but couldn't be officially announced until the season's conclusion.

Even with these attacking additions, the Pensioners are looking to add at least one more number nine to the squad before the new campaign gets underway.

The club were initially interested in signing Juventus' Serbian forward Dusan Vlahovic, but with the news that Paris Saint-Germain have agreed personal terms with the forward, they have instead turned their attention to Montpellier's 20-year-old striker, Wahi.

According to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are now "advancing in talks" with the Ligue 1 outfit over the youngster's move, with plans to loan him out in the first year of his contract to get him more experience of first-team football.

The Daily Mail have also reported that the Blues are closing in on a deal for the player but that Serie A giants Inter Milan are also interested in bringing the young star to the San Siro next season, so the West Londoners better get a move on if they want to seal this deal.

What has Rudy Galetti said about Chelsea's striker search?

Galetti explained that the Blues were stepping up their striker search and that the Montpellier man was indeed a player they were looking at as one of the potential options.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Chelsea have started to explore alternatives, and now Wahi is gaining a position on their strikers list.

"The Montpellier player could leave for around €35m (£30m) and Chelsea are moving concretely towards him. It cannot be excluded that the player could also go on loan somewhere."

How good is Elye Wahi?

There is a reason so many top clubs are circling the 20-year-old striker, and that's because he had an outstanding breakout year with Montpellier last season, only being slightly overshadowed for those outside of France by the performances of fellow youngster Folarin Balogun.

In his 33 league games for La Paillade last year, the 6 foot forward scored 19 goals and provided five assists, giving him a goal contribution every 1.3 games, seeing him earn an average match rating of 6.87, per WhoScored.

Although impressive for his age group, his underlying numbers aren't quite as good as you might expect given his output and could suggest an element of good fortune last season.

The counterargument to that is that he is just an incredibly clinical striker, which could undoubtedly be the case; it will just take another season or two to see which it is.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the dynamic forward sits in the top 7% for non-penalty goals, the top 23% for progressive carries, the top 30% for assists, the top 31% for progressive passes received, the top 35% for successful take-ons, and the top 36% for non-penalty expected goal, all per 90.

He's been a player that scouts have been aware of for some time, with Antonio Mango saying in 2022:

"He's a superstar, remember the name."

Should Chelsea decide to sign Wahi, it could be a decision that pays dividends in years to come, but it might be too soon to call it yet.

Crystal Palace bringing Everton winger Demarai Gray to Selhurst Park is a deal that Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor thinks will 'end up getting done' this window.

Is Demarai Gray moving to Crystal Palace from Everton?

As per Football Insider, Everton are ready to listen to offers for Gray this summer as Sean Dyche looks to raise funds to carry out his transfer business amid financial difficulty at Goodison Park.

Crystal Palace, Fulham and clubs from Saudi Arabia are keen to offer Gray a new challenge as he ticks into the final year of his deal at the Toffees; however, Everton do have the option to extend his £25k-a-week contract by a further 12 months.

The Daily Mail claim that the fee quoted for Gray to leave Everton will be around £12 million, representing a significant profit for the Merseyside giants compared to the £1.7 million price they acquired him for in 2021 from Bayer Leverkusen.

Former Leicester City winger Gray, who has been hailed as "unbelievable", would be open to leaving Everton due to becoming frustrated at his lack of first-team involvement at the club.

FootballTransfers report that Gray would turn down advances from Saudi Arabia in favour of moving to Crystal Palace and talks are continuing over a potential switch.

Jamaica international Gray is keen to stay in the United Kingdom, where his family is based, which is said to be a main motivator behind his desire to pitch up at Selhurst Park.

Last term, Gray made 36 appearances in all competitions for Everton, registering six goals and a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express journalist Taylor has confirmed that Gray and Flamengo star Matheus Franca are two names of 'strong interest' at Selhurst Park.

Taylor stated: “They are two names of strong interest. Demarai Gray is one that I expect to end up getting done. I know Fulham are also interested. There have been clubs from Saudi Arabia, including Al-Hilal, who are also interested.”

What now for Crystal Palace?

Crystal Palace have been a slow burner in the window, with only Jefferson Lerma joining the club on a free transfer from Bournemouth so far, as per Transfermarkt.

Nevertheless, The Telegraph's Mike McGrath has confirmed on Twitter X that the Eagles have looked at Ausburg midfielder Ruben Vargas and Leeds United winger Crysencio Summerville, stating: "Crystal Palace have been assessing midfielders during the window. They've looked at Ruben Vargas at FC Augsburg as a possible loan. Leeds' Crysencio Summerville is admired but would need to determine LUFC plans for him next season."

In a surprise turn of events, Crystal Palace are keen on a shock deal to acquire Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, who the Citizens would be willing to sell at a considerable loss, according to The Daily Star.

CBS Sports understand that Crystal Palace are admirers of Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun; however, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United and Inter Milan are also in contention to land the United States international.

Looking ahead, Crystal Palace supporters will hope that some new arrivals will arrive in SE19 in the next few weeks to bolster their squad heading into the new Premier League campaign.

Yorkshire and Lancashire shared a tie in their Roses T20 in front of a record crowd at Old Trafford after heavy rain forced the result to be decided on the Duckworth-Lewis method

Jon Culley14-Jul-2017
ScorecardKarl Brown gave Lancashire a lightning start•Getty ImagesYorkshire and Lancashire shared a tie in their Roses T20 in front of a record crowd at Old Trafford after heavy rain forced the result to be decided on the Duckworth-Lewis method.The largest attendance for a Blast match outside of London watched these two rivals repeat the T20 tie at Headingley four years ago as a compelling contest was curtailed in the ninth over of Yorkshire’s reply.After Lancashire had made 176 for 4, Karl Brown top-scoring with 61 off 47 balls, Yorkshire’s reply began under a threatening sky and it was not long before the first hint of what was to come as spectators began to reach for their waterproofs.Umpires Rob Bailey and Martin Saggers kept the players on the field for as long as possible, mindful that a sell-out crowd of almost 20,000 had come to be entertained and has a different attitude to the time-honoured assumption that rain should immediately drive the players from the field.At the end of the eighth over, half an hour into a Manchester downpour that was showing no sign of easing off, Yorkshire were suddenly one run ahead on the score chart at 63 for 2, nudged in front by a soaring David Willey six over midwicket off Junaid Khan.Conditions by then were becoming farcical, posing problems for batsmen, bowlers and fielders alike. As it happened, a single to Shaun Marsh off the next delivery, from Steven Croft, changed the D-L equation again so that the scores were effectively level, the umpires determining as the rain strengthened that this was an appropriate moment to lead the teams off.The rain did not relent and an abandonment was inevitable. It denied Yorkshire what would have been only a fifth win in 14 away fixtures against their fiercest rivals in the shortest form of the game but on this occasion it felt that the result was a fair one.Ryan McLaren had taken both Yorkshire wickets, bowling Tom Kohler-Cadmore with a full delivery before Adam Lyth, who made half-centuries against Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire in Yorkshire’s two completed matches so far, was caught by Arron Lilley, getting under a steepler at cover.Lyth’s shot was hard to understand from the outer as it instantly put Yorkshire behind the D/L calculation with the chance seemingly that the umpires could leave the field at the end of the over.But Andrew Gale, Yorkshire’s coach, explained: “Lythy spoke to the umpires and they said they had no intention of coming off. What do you do? knock it around or play the game as you see it. He was in control of the situation. The umpires said they wanted to play for as long as they could. If he goes into his shell and we get behind the Duckworth Lewis and it stops raining, we could have been in a bad position.”At least the dominant home contingent in the crowd, easily identifiable by the red Lancashire baseball caps supplied by the club, had seen a full innings from their own side.And it had started superbly, Brown driving England’s Willey for three powerful cover boundaries in the opening over, setting a pace they maintained throughout the six Powerplay overs, at the end of which they were 59 without loss with a score of 200+ looking within their range.Liam Livingstone fell in the next over after Yorkshire introduced spin for the first time, Adil Rashid reading his intention to come down the pitch and finding just the right degree of turn to pass the edge of the right-hander’s bat, Peter Handscomb reaching out for the ball to complete the stumping.Nonetheless, with 34 off 24 deliveries, including 15 in one over against Tim Bresnan, Livingstone had given his side the start they required and there was scarcely any loss of momentum after his departure as Brown responded with a couple of boundaries off Steve Patterson.What’s more, Brown now had Jos Buttler for company and the England white-ball specialist signalled his intentions by lofting Azeem Rafiq beyond the reach of Lyth and into the stands at long-on.After 10 overs the score was 93 for 1, to which Buttler promptly added a dozen more as he teased Ben Coad, including a couple of brilliantly executed scoops to the boundary in which his footwork will have surely impressed the twinkle-toed Ryan Giggs, the former Manchester United winger, who was spotted in the crowd.But between them Rashid and Rafiq – with an over in between from Patterson – pegged back the assault. Overs 12 to 16 yielded only 27 runs for Lancashire, during which Buttler sliced Rafiq straight to Kohler-Cadmore at deep extra cover and Dane Vilas gave the off-spinner his second wicket as Lyth took a brilliant diving catch at deep mid-wicket.Brown then enjoyed the second escape of his innings. Put down by Willey at short mid-wicket on 15 off Coad, he was dropped by Kohler-Cadmore on 56, the fielder never in position as Brown skied one from Rashid.The pace picked up as Willey returned to the attack, Ryan McLaren picking up four from a no ball signalled for above waist height and taking four more from the free hit but then Patterson dismissed Brown, the batsman playing an attempted ramp into his own stumps.After where they had been at the halfway stage, Lancashire’s total felt 20 runs or so short of what it should have been – although as it happened, it could be argued that it was precisely right on the night.Lancashire have explained, meanwhile, that wicketkeeper Alex Davies has been left out of the NatWest Blast thus far as part of his fitness management programme following the knee surgery he underwent last year.Davies has played a full part in Lancashire’s Specsavers Championship cricket this season and the Royal London One-Day Cup but the club want to protect him from the rigours of fielding in T20.Head coach Glen Chapple said: “Alex has worked hard to recover from last year’s knee injury and we’ve been delighted with his form already this season but following medical advice, we have taken the decision to rest him.”

ودع فريق برشلونة الإسباني، منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا، على يد باريس سان جيرمان الفرنسي.

وفشل برشلونة في حجز بطاقة التأهل وتعرض للهزيمة على أرضه في مباراة الإياب أمام باريس سان جيرمان بنتيجة 4-1.

ويستعد برشلونة لخوض مباراة الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد يوم الأحد المقبل في إطار منافسات الدوري الإسباني.

وفقًا لصحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، فإن خروج برشلونة في وقت أبكر من المتوقع من دوري أبطال أوروبا يعني أن مستقبل تشافي يمكن حله نهائيًا بعد الكلاسيكو.

وكان تشافي أعلن في يناير الماضي أنه سيغادر منصبه كمدير فني للفريق بنهاية الموسم الجاري، ولن يستمر مدربًا لبرشلونة.

اقرأ أيضًا | أول تعليق من أراوخو بعد انتقادات طرده في مباراة برشلونة وباريس سان جيرمان

وبحسب التقرير برشلونة سيحسم مستقبل تشافي بعد الكلاسيكو أمام ريال مدريد، وإذا تعرض الفريق للهزيمة ستتخذ إدارة برشلونة بقيادة خوان لابورتا، قرارًا بشأن مستقبل المدرب.

لابورتا تمسك باستمرارية تشافي وبحسب التقارير الواردة، تسعى إدارة النادي لإقناعه بالاستمرار في منصبه، لكن توديع دوري الأبطال والهزيمة المحتملة في الكلاسيكو قد تغير من قرار إدارة برشلونة.

وارتبط برشلونة بأسماء مثل رافا ماركيز مدرب فريق الشباب، وتوماس توخيل مدرب بايرن ميونخ، وهانز فليك مدرب ألمانيا السابق، وروبرتو دي زيربي مدرب برايتون.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز الثاني في ترتيب الدوري الإسباني خلف المتصدر ريال مدريد بفارق 8 نقاط.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in the running to sign Conor Gallagher from Premier League rivals, Chelsea, with the Englishman looking set for a departure from his current home.

What's the latest on Gallagher to Tottenham?

According to journalist Nizaar Kinsella, the Lilywhites are set to fight it out with West Ham United for the signing of the 23-year-old, with the Blues believed to be open to moving on the former Crystal Palace loanee this summer.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider revealed: "Chelsea are ready to sell Conor Gallagher despite his preseason appearances. It's a direct battle between Tottenham and West Ham for his signature. He'll cost around £35m with two years left on his Chelsea deal."

In his piece for the Evening Standard, Kinsella writes that the north Londoners are in need of homegrown players as well as a possible replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, with the Danish maestro having asked to leave the club in order to join Atletico Madrid.

If Ange Postecoglou's side are keen to get their hands on Gallagher over the coming weeks they may well need to get a move on, with West Ham having already stolen a march by lodging a £40m bid, which has been rejected by those at Stamford Bridge.

Should Tottenham sign Conor Gallagher?

Postecoglou has already moved to strengthen his midfield ranks with the signing of James Maddison from Leicester City, although the playmaking ace – who finished tenth in the division for chances created last term – could well be aided by a relentless, "box-to-box" presence, as described by writer Zach Lowy, alongside him, such as Gallagher.

With Maddison typically being deployed in a right-sided midfield berth – or on the flanks – during his time with the Foxes, it is likely that the Chelsea man would slot in on the left of Postecoglou's three-man midfield, allowing him to strike up an exciting partnership with wing wizard, Heung-min Son down that side.

The latter man enjoyed a below-par season by his standards last time out after scoring 'just' ten league goals – having netted 23 times the previous campaign – although he could well be rejuvenated by the change in the dugout, having already been hailed as an "elite" talent by Postecoglou as a sign of the important role that he is set to play next term.

With the South Korean star undoubtedly a real "goal threat" – according to his manager – the aim will be to keep the 31-year-old operating at the top end of the pitch whenever possible, hence having a workmanlike presence behind him such as Gallagher to put in the hard yards defensively.

Previously lauded as a "sensation" by Lowy during his loan stint at Selhurst Park in 2021/22, the Epsom-born ace is a truly relentless presence in the centre of the pitch, with Chelsea legend Pat Nevin having recently stated:

'If you need someone to cover ground, go from box to box, make tackles, be a threat in the opposition box one minute and making superb defensive blocks in his own area the next, then Conor is your man.'

That ability to cover ground with ease should allow Son the freedom to wreak havoc in the final third, while Gallagher could also offer support to the long-serving Spurs ace when needed, with his desire to get forward showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 3% among midfielders in Europe's top five leagues for touches in the attacking penalty area.

That all-action style will not only be beneficial to Postecoglou, but it could also ensure that Son is able to shine even brighter from the flanks next term.

Leeds United made the decision to appoint German head coach Daniel Farke to replace Sam Allardyce this summer in an attempt to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

He has inherited a team that were relegated from the top-flight last season and is tasked with re-energising the group to shift the mood to a positive one over the coming months.

Who was Leeds' top scorer last season?

Rodrigo ended the 2022/23 campaign as the club's top scorer in the Premier League with 13 strikes, and the Spaniard has since left to join Qatari outfit Al-Rayyan SC.

No other Leeds player managed more than five goals and this suggests that Farke could need to solve the team's lack of a reliable finisher, given that he will not have Rodrigo in his side this season.

January signing Georginio Rutter, who arrived from Hoffenheim in a club-record £36m deal, could be the man to alleviate those concerns if the Whites can get the best out of him, which could be aided by the signing of reported target Grady Diangana.

Despite his failure to find the back of the net in 13 matches for the club to date, the 21-year-old dynamo has the ability to be a lethal scorer.

He scored eight goals in just 13 Bundesliga starts during the 2021/22 campaign and was previously described as a "clinical" and "complete" striker by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his time in Germany, which highlights his untapped potential at Elland Road.

Farke could finally help to unlock Rutter's top form by signing Diangana as the West Bromwich Albion whiz has the quality to be a creative threat from a wide position.

How many assists does Grady Diangana have for West Brom?

The 25-year-old dynamo has racked up 11 assists for the Baggies to date and his impressive form during their 2019/20 promotion campaign suggests that the ability is there for him to be an outstanding creator at Championship level.

Throughout that season, the £25k-per-week maestro created 1.4 chances per match and eight 'big chances' in total for his teammates, which was rewarded with six assists to go along with his eight goals.

That level of invention could be a huge boost to Leeds' attacking arsenal as Jack Harrison (1.5) is the only current Whites player who managed more than one key pass per outing for the club last term.

Transfer insider Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Diangana is a player that can "dazzle and excite" supporters, which is backed up by his recent form as well as the impressive displays he produced in the 2019/20 campaign.

Whilst the Baggies winger only scored four goals in 31 Championship appearances last season, the Leeds target did create 1.3 chances per game and provide his teammates with six 'big chances' in front of goal.

This suggests that he has consistently delivered quality end product with his passes and crosses during his time with the club at that level.

Therefore, signing Diangana to play on the opposite flank to Harrison would provide Farke with two wingers who are capable of opening up the opposition to create opportunities for a centre-forward on a regular basis.

This means that Rutter would not be able to blame a lack of service, unlike last term with his 0.25 xG accumulated in 11 league clashes, if he does not hit the goal trail, which is why bringing the Baggies star in could help the manager to unlock his potential.