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Jaker Ali has been ruled out of Bangladesh’s second Test against South Africa with a concussion.Mahidul Islam Ankon has been named his replacement. Jaker suffered a concussion during training at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram on Sunday.”Jaker Ali suffered a concussion while batting in practice yesterday [Sunday],” Bangladesh’s physio Bayjedul Islam Khan said. “He has a history of concussions and is still showing symptoms. Given his previous concussion record, recovery may take some time. Based on the clinical findings, he has been ruled out of the second Test.”Wicketkeeper-batter Jaker made a fifty on Test debut in Bangladesh’s second innings in the first Test against South Africa.Related

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He has also played 19 T20Is, having made his debut in the format earlier this year.This is wicketkeeper-batter Mahidul’s maiden call-up to the Bangladesh side. He has played most of his first-class matches for Dhaka Division, hitting all three centuries for the NCL team. He has also played one game for Bangladesh A against Pakistan A in August this year.Mahidul comes into the squad on the back of good form, having struck 118 against Sylhet Division last week.Earlier the selectors also called up pace bowler Khaled Ahmed to replace Taskin Ahmed.

Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey have also signed new deals with Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers

AAP and ESPNcricinfo staff20-Aug-2024David Warner will be available for a full BBL season for the first time in his career after signing a new two-year deal with Sydney Thunder while Steven Smith could play the competition beyond his Test career as part of a new three-year contract to remain at Sydney Sixers.It comes as Test team-mates Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey re-signed with Brisbane Heat and Adelaide Strikers respectively ahead of the tournament’s 14th edition.The Test stars are set to be available between the end of the Sydney Test against India and their departure for the Sri Lanka tour on January 21 next year, also the first day of the BBL’s knockout stage.Related

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But with Warner having ended his international career he has a clear run at the BBL. Over the last two seasons, he has played eight games for Thunder after a gap of ten years, including the match where he arrived at the SCG by helicopter last summer.”Davey is popular wherever he plays, right around the world, particularly in India and I know the South Asian communities in Sydney’s west will get right behind him at Thunder,” Trent Copeland, the Thunder general manager, said.”In Davey we get a world class talent with almost 20 years of T20 experience and now that he has retired from international cricket, we can count on his full focus and commitment for the entire tournament, including the finals.Smith is set to be available for as many as four Sixers games – including a potential derby with Warner’s Thunder – while Labuschagne’s Heat and Carey’s Strikers each have three games in that window.Smith would theoretically be free to play a full BBL season, rather than just a cameo, if he chose to retire from Test cricket over the next three years but he continues not to put a timeline on his Australia career.Steven Smith could get four games for Sydney Sixers•Getty Images

“I don’t have any plans,” Smith said. “I’m just enjoying playing at the moment, I’m pretty relaxed and looking forward to this summer. India’s going to be a great challenge, they are a very good side, think we are probably the two best Test teams in the world going head-to-head over five Tests. I’m excited by that.”Smith is currently one of Australia’s incumbent Test openers after replacing Warner earlier this year although whether that remains the case will continue to be a debate.”The conversations I’ve had so far is that we’ll go to England…I’m there for the one-dayers then make a decision after that. There’s conversations happening in the background. Guys like Usman [Khawaja] has said he likes me down at No. 4, think Marnus is of a similar thought pattern. We’ll wait and see. I’m happy to bat anywhere.”Smith was a member of the Sixers side that won the first edition of the BBL in 2012 but had been only sporadically available in the years after making a blistering cameo two summers ago. He became the first male Sixers player to score a century, achieving the feat twice in a five-game run.Left out from the squad for Australia’s T20 World Cup squad over the winter, Smith played cricket for the Ricky Ponting-coached Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket this July where he captained them to the title.Meanwhile, Labuschagne will return to Heat, the reigning champions and his long-term BBL franchise, after India’s Australia tour concludes on January 7.”His game sense is exceptional and that is a huge asset to us on and off the field,” new Heat coach Johan Botha said.Carey has signed a four-year deal with the Strikers, with whom the Test wicketkeeper has played all 56 BBL games of his eight-year career in the league. Strikers will be coached by his predecessor as Test wicketkeeper, Tim Paine, from this season.None of the big three quicks – Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins – have signed with BBL sides to date and are likely to take breaks from bowling before Sri Lanka.

India B were propped up on Musheer Khan’s magnificent 181 in the Duleep Trophy game in Bengaluru

Shashank Kishore06-Sep-2024Until last week, Navdeep Saini hadn’t touched a red ball for over seven months. He was hoping to ease himself into the season with a steady diet of white-ball cricket courtesy of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). But when the Duleep Trophy call-up came, as a late replacement for Mohammed Siraj, he had to hit the ground running.Two days in, Saini has already had a bigger influence on the game than he may have imagined. A mix of stoic defence and the occasional free swing brought him an excellent half-century, his second in first-class cricket. He occupied the crease for 349 minutes, his longest vigil, during the course of a magnificent 205-run stand for the eighth wicket with Musheer Khan as India B recovered from 94 for 7 to post 321.Saini’s contribution was massive in helping Musheer build from an overnight 105 to a majestic 181. But that was one-half of his efforts on the second day’s play in Bengaluru. He later delivered a telling early spell with the new ball to send Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal back. India A then recovered to finish on 125 for 2 still trailing India B by 187 runs.KL Rahul and Riyan Parag added an unbroken 68-run stand for the third wicket for India A•PTI Gill was out shouldering arms to an in-ducker that flattened his off stump for 25, reminiscent of his dismissal to Australia’s Scott Boland in last year’s World Test Championship final. Agarwal’s wicket for 36 was slightly lucky; made possible thanks to Rishabh Pant’s agility as he threw himself to his left to take a catch down the leg side to dismiss the opener who had tantalised the audience with a series of superb cover drives. Riyan Parag and KL Rahul, playing his first red-ball game since the Hyderabad Test against England in January 2024, then put together an unbroken 68-run partnership, allaying the early jitters.Related

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Rahul’s was largely an exercise in denial after being lucky twice. Still on zero, he could have been Saini’s third wicket when he nearly dragged a ball back on to the stumps while attempting a loose drive. Then, on 3, he was reprieved by Nitish Kumar Reddy at third slip after poking at an away-going delivery from Mukesh Kumar. Rahul scored his first runs off his 14th delivery and it wasn’t until the fag end of the day, when he unfurled a superb cut behind point off Reddy, that he finally seemed in his element.Rahul’s methods also had something to do with the appreciable movement Saini and left-arm seamer Yash Dayal were able to get. Either way, having been on the field for a better part of the game already, there couldn’t have been a bigger endorsement of the middle-order batter’s match fitness as he eyes a return to the Indian Test squad.Parag was a little more sprightly, even though he was occasionally troubled by the late movement on offer. He survived a close lbw shout early off Reddy when the ball curved away to hit him high on the back leg. Like Rahul, Parag is a stroke-maker but his willingness to show fight and deviate from his natural game was an encouraging sign.Musheer Khan finished with 181 for India B•PTI There were less encouraging signs as well from India A, like the tactics employed by their captain. Having taken the new ball at the first available opportunity at the start of the 81st over, Gill spread his field out to both Musheer and the No. 9 batter Saini. This not only limited the bowlers’ ability to exert pressure, but it also helped India B push their total ever higher.After Musheer initially denied himself run-scoring opportunities in trying to farm the strike, he was encouraged by Saini’s ability to hold his own. The pair, however, got lucky when they were involved in a comical mix-up didn’t somehow result in a wicket. Both batters were stranded mid-pitch looking at each other in the fourth over of the day, the 83rd of the innings, after Musheer had pushed the ball to point. Khaleel Ahmed, who could’ve thrown at either end, eventually went for the striker’s and missed with Saini having long given up.As Musheer opened himself out to take all the available runs, Gill tried to unsettle him by placing a leg slip. Musheer responded by hooking Avesh Khan for six, and then followed it up with a superb pull in front of square for a boundary in the same over. Along the way, Musheer also made judicious use of DRS to overturn two decisions – one lbw and one caught behind.Musheer brought up his 150 off 326 balls when an overthrow allowed a second run with no one backing up. It summed up the state of play at the time, with India A running short of ideas. Soon after the landmark, Musheer launched Parag for a massive six over deep midwicket to signal a change in intentions.But a double-ton wasn’t to be as he fell in the second over after lunch, a ball after he had slog-swept Kuldeep Yadav onto the roof at deep midwicket. Two of Musheer’s three first-class hundreds are now 150-plus scores. This one, like the others, served to reiterate his maturity and hunger at 19.

يسعى نجم فريق ريال مدريد، كيليان مبابي، لإفساد صفقة ثمينة بالنسبة لنادي ليفربول، والتي ارتبط بطل الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز بامكانية إبرامها في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي المقبل.

وكان ليفربول نشطًا بقوة في نافذة انتقالات صيف 2025، حيث تعاقد مع 9 لاعبين جدد، على رأسهم ألكسندر إيزاك، هوجو إيكتيكي، فلوريان فيرتز، ميلوس كيركز وجيريمي فريمبونج.

وذكرت تقارير صحفية منذ عدة أيام أن نادي ليفربول يتطلع إلى الحصول على خدمات نجم بايرن ميونخ، مايكل أوليس، حيث ترى الإدارة كونه خليفة المصري محمد صلاح.

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي للنجم المصري صاحب الـ33 عامًا مع ليفربول في يونيو 2027، أي نهاية الموسم المقبل.

اقرأ أيضًا.. لاعب ليفربول: مبابي يتصل بي كل ساعتين للانضمام إلى ريال مدريد

ويرى مسؤولو ليفربول أن مايكل أوليس هو البديل المناسب لـ محمد صلاح، على المدى البعيد، حيث تخطط الإدارة بنظرة مستقبلية خاصة أن المصري لن يظل في “الأنفيلد” إلى الأبد.

ولكن يبدو أن خطط ليفربول ستواجه مطبًا حيث ذكرت شبكة “teamtalk” الإنجليزية، نقلًا عن “ديفينسا سنترال” الإسبانية، أن كيليان مبابي يحث مواطنه مايكل أوليس على الانتقال إلى ريال مدريد.

وأوضحت أن مبابي طرح اسم مايكل أوليز على كبير كشافي ريال مدريد، جوني كالافالات، لبحث إمكانية انتقال صاحب الـ23 عامًا إلى “سانتياجو برنابيو” في وقت لاحق لدعم الفريق.

وأفادت أن الأمر لم يقتصر على هذا، حيث طلب مبابي من أوليس، خلال معسكر منتخب فرنسا الحالي في فترة التوقف الدولي، القدوم إلى ريال مدريد.

وأشارت إلى أن مايكل أوليس لا يُعد ضمن أولويات ريال مدريد في الوقت الحالي، ولكن الأمور قد تتغير في المستقبل.

وانضم مايكل أوليس إلى بايرن ميونخ قادمًا من كريستال بالاس في صيف 2024، مقابل 60 مليون يورو، وسجل 20 هدفًا وصنع 23 في 55 مباراة بقميص البافاري في الموسم الماضي، ولعب دورًا في قيادته نحو لقب الدوري الألماني.

Nottingham Forest are preparing for a tilt at European football next term and could now have an advantage in their pursuit of a Brazil international with high-level pedigree, per a report.

Nottingham Forest kickstart summer window with triple deal

Nuno Espirito Santo isn’t wasting any time after his side secured a place in the Europa Conference League and news broke earlier this week of a statement triple deal that has occured at the Tricky Trees.

Botafogo trio Igor Jesus, Cuibano and Jair Cunha are poised to join Nottingham Forest in a three-pronged transfer that will reverberate around the continent, showcasing that their recruitment staff are looking far and wide to source talent to juggle a congested schedule.

Brazil international Jesus has spoken about his upcoming move to the City Ground, signalling his intent to continue thriving in new surroundings after helping the Brazilian champions to claim their first title since 1995.

He stated: “I achieved the goals I had here at Botafogo, being champion of the Libertadores and the Brasileiro, two championships of great expression.

“Now I hope to continue my journey in this new challenge of my life. Now I have the opportunity to play for Nottingham and I hope to have a great championship there.”

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The trio mentioned won’t be the only new stars to arrive in the East Midlands, with Manchester City stalwart Jack Grealish a potential swap candidate with Morgan Gibbs-White if the Citizens firm up their interest in the latter over the coming weeks.

Continental football will allow Nottingham Forest to access a new calibre of player if they look hard enough on the market, and they have now reportedly been given the green light to pursue a renowned Brazil midfielder.

Forest look to bring Douglas Luiz back to the Premier League

Per The Nottingham Post, Nottingham Forest have been given the green light to pursue Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz amid his desire to return to England following a frustrating spell in Italy.

The former Aston Villa man moved to the Serie A giants for a fee eclipsing £40 million last summer, but has struggled to settle, and he is now pining for a return to the Premier League after failing to nail down a place in their starting line-up.

Douglas Luiz for Juventus in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

26

Goals

0

Assists

0

Labelled “underrated” by Paul Merson, only 8% of his 19 appearances in the Italian top-flight have been starts and he has struggled to move ahead of the likes of Khephren Thuram and Manuel Locatelli in the Old Lady’s engine room pecking order.

Nottingham Forest could be left exposed in midfield if Gibbs-White were to leave, which is something supporters would be wary of heading into a campaign where they could stand a chance of competing for Europa Conference League silverware.

Luiz possesses a wealth of experience both domestically and on the continent, making him an ideal addition to freshen things up if Espirito Santo’s men can strike a deal.

Right throughout Todd Boehly’s reign as owner, Chelsea have not held back on signing elite young talents.

It has been a clear transfer strategy at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues looking to bring players to the club regarded as some of the hottest prospects in world football.

Perhaps the best example of this is Brazilian wonderkid Estevao Willian, who will join Chelsea for £29m this summer. He was described as a “wonderkid” showing all the “signs of a top player” by football scout Antonio Mango. He is just one of the young talents the Blues have signed under Boehly’s ownership.

This summer, Chelsea could add Ajax defender Jorrel Hato to that list, if recent reports are to be believed.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Hato

It would be an excellent signing if Chelsea can bring Hato to Stamford Bridge this summer. According to a recent report from Sky Sports, the Blues are ‘seriously considering making a move’ for the Dutchman this summer, and have ‘longstanding’ interest in signing him.

However, they will face competition from two Premier League giants, with Sky Sports also suggesting that newly-crowned champions Liverpool, and Chelsea’s London rivals Arsenal are also interested.

In reality, it is not hard to see why the West Londoners are so keen to bring Hato to the club. At just 19 years of age, he is a full international with the Netherlands and has played 108 times for Ajax already.

Described as a “magnificent talent” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Hato has played 28 times in the Eredivisie this season, scoring twice and grabbing six assists. He has also captained the club three times, a superb achievement at 19.

Chelsea do not have a clear path to signing Hato, and will face stiff competition from Liverpool and Arsenal if they are to do a deal.

However, if they are not able to sign the Dutchman, then an alternative may be hiding in plain sight in the academy.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Chelsea's in-house Hato alternative

If the Blues can’t sign Hato himself, then why not promote their very own “Hato alternative” from the academy? At least, that is what football analyst Ben Mattinson has coined Chelsea’s young defender Ishe Samuels-Smith.

The West Londoners poached Samuels-Smith from Premier League rivals Everton, for a reported £4m two seasons ago. The highly-rated youngster has recently renewed his deal at Stamford Bridge until 2031.

At just 18 years of age, Samuels-Smith is yet to have any kind of first-team involvement on the pitch. Yet, he has featured on the bench three times this term under Enzo Maresca, which included two games in the Premier League back in February.

For the U21s, the youngster has had a key role to play. Skippering the side on five different occasions, Samuels-Smith has featured 23 times this term, scoring two goals and grabbing four assists from full back.

In fact, that is one of the standout features of his game. Just like Hato, the Manchester-born defender can play anywhere across the back line, even slotting in a right-back this term despite being left-footed. He has also played further forward as a wing-back.

The 18-year-old has impressed in the EFL Trophy this season for the Blues, as the stats on Sofascore reflect. In three games in the competition, he put in 3.7 tackles, made two interceptions and won two aerial duels per game.

Passes completed

46

138

Long balls completed

2.7

8

Key passes

1.3

4

Tackles

3.7

11

Interceptions

2

6

Aerial duels won

2

6

It surely does not seem like a first-team debut for Samuels-Smith can be too far away. The Blues academy skipper is clearly a talented player, putting in some excellent performances this term and showing great versatility.

If they miss out on signing Hato, then there might not be a better alternative to the Dutchman than their talented academy star.

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ByBen Gray May 6, 2025

Following a disastrous start to life at Ewood Park, Blackburn Rovers are reportedly already considering sacking Valerien Ismael and could yet hire a former MLS manager in his place.

Ismael already under pressure at Blackburn

Coming in to replace John Eustace, who completed a shock move to Derby County, many would have been hoping for Ismael to pick up where the man he replaced left off. That has proved to be anything but the case, however. Since arriving, the former Watford manager has won once in eight games, which has seen Blackburn fall from play-off hopefuls to mid-table obscurity in the Championship.

Blackburn Rovers 1-1 Norwich City

01/03/2025

Derby County 2-1 Blackburn Rovers

08/03/2025

Stoke City 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

12/03/2025

Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Cardiff City

15/03/2025

Portsmouth 1-0 Blackburn Rovers

29/03/2025

Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Middlesbrough

04/04/2025

Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Sheffield Wednesday

08/04/2025

Luton Town 0-1 Blackburn Rovers

12/04/2025

After finally picking up the first win of his reign last time out, Ismael will be desperate to see his side kick on and finish the season strongly in the remaining four games.

The Blackburn boss told reporters after defeating Luton: “Congrats for the boys. Until the red card it was the gameplan we expected. In the first half we wanted to be really strong as we knew we had to face the challenge with a team who are fighting to survive.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

“They put a lot of balls in the box so you have to defend and show togetherness and we made it perfectly. In the transition we didn’t play well. We wanted to get more in behind but the main focus was to stay strong. That was the first step and the second one was to get behind them and we made it perfectly with the goal we scored.”

Even after that long-awaited victory, however, Blackburn may already be running out of patience and could reportedly turn towards a fresh candidate.

Blackburn considering Wayne Rooney

According to talkSPORT, Blackburn will now consider hiring Wayne Rooney if they decide to sack Ismael in the coming weeks, offering the former MLS manager a much-needed lifeline in the process. The Manchester United legend has endured a nightmare spell in the technical area in recent times, with his stint at Plymouth Argyle the last in a growing list of failed moves.

There’s no doubt that Blackburn would be taking a major risk. As disappointing as Ismael has been, it could be argued that he needs a full summer in charge before those at Ewood Park deliver their full judegment.

Blackburn must act with caution and not fall down the path that Birmingham City once followed by hiring Rooney. The Blues were play-off hopefuls under Eustace, but decided to welcome the Premier League icon nonetheless.

That same campaign they soon sacked their new manager and relegation followed. Blackburn, at all costs, should avoid taking the same risk.

As the chance to complete a league double over Manchester City arrives, Manchester United have reportedly held talks with the representatives of one particular target worth as much as £68m this summer.

Man Utd looking to shock Guardiola once again

Scoring twice in the final two minutes to defeat Manchester City at the Etihad back in December, Manchester United will be hoping to find something to salvage from a disastrous campaign by completing a double over their rivals this weekend. Last time out, Amad Diallo was Ruben Amorim’s hero. This time, however, his side must look towards a fresh attacking spark amid the winger’s absence.

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ByTom Cunningham Apr 4, 2025

Speaking ahead of the Manchester derby, Amorim spoke about his side’s ambitions for the rest of the season and their problems compared to City’s. The former Sporting CP boss told reporters: “We want to win this game, we want to improve in the league table and especially we want to win games.

“We are going to have full focus on this game. I don’t see one win as a special moment. Special moments are to win titles. Even if the third division, you can beat the best team in the division.

“I am more focused on our problems; I think we have bigger problems than Manchester City. They had problems in that run. They have improved. They have maybe the best coach in the world. They have top players. It will be a difficult match. I am so focused on improving my team, I am not focused on City’s improvements.”

Season

Competition

Match

2024/25

Premier League

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2024/25

Community Shield

Man City 1-1 Man Utd

2023/24

FA Cup

Man City 1-2 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man City 3-1 Man Utd

2023/24

Premier League

Man Utd 0-3 Man City

The Manchester United boss also admitted that the focus is to improve his side, saying: “The focus must be on how to improve our team in every aspect. Of course, the Premier League is so different.

“People say Sir Alex Ferguson took two or three times to win something… it is completely different nowadays. The pressure is different. No matter the context, we need to be there [at the top]. We will have to say a lot of adversity and big teams.”

That is, of course, likely to come in the form of summer reinforcements, which could yet include the arrival of a much-needed, big-money goalscorer when the transfer window opens.

Man Utd hold positive talks with Ekitike

According to Anfield Watch, Manchester United have now held positive talks with the representatives of Hugo Ekitike over a potential summer move from Eintracht Frankfurt. However, the deal won’t come cheap, with the German club set to remain firm on their €80m (£68m) asking price in the coming months.

With competition from Liverpool for the Frenchman’s signature, the Red Devils should go all out to sign what would be an instant solution to their attacking problems.

Dubbed “strong” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike has scored 19 goals in all competitions so far this season and looks like he’s only just getting started on Europe’s top stage.

With only nine Premier League wins under his belt as a manager in the top flight, it’s fair to say Daniel Farke has his work cut out for him right now to arrest the current Leeds United slide.

With four defeats from their last five league clashes, Leeds now sit just one point above the depressing relegation zone, as Sean Dyche’s equally relegation-troubled Nottingham Forest sucked the Whites deeper into the relegation pit by beating them 3-1 at the City Ground before the international break.

Yet, despite the West Yorkshire outfit hanging on for their lives, and Farke’s wretched record in the top division, it appears as if the ex-Norwich City boss will be kept on, for the time being at least.

Surely, though, if the results continue in their gloomy downward trajectory, the plug will have to be pulled.

But, until then, the under-pressure German has some big decisions to grapple with to try and save his job in the long run.

Decisions Farke needs to make to save his job at Leeds

Sack season is also in full swing now in the Premier League, with bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers getting rid of Vitor Pereira recently, after extending a vote of confidence his way.

Farke will hope he doesn’t follow Pereira in being the next managerial casualty, with the German now facing the decision to make a number of changes to his regular starting lineup.

One of those includes dropping the likes of Brenden Aaronson if he is to remain in the Elland Road dug-out moving forward.

Unfortunately, Farke does appear to be staunchly loyal to certain members of his camp, even when they’re obviously falling below their expected standards, with Aaronson selected now by the German a high 59 times, to hit-and-miss results.

Only one of his ten goals for the West Yorkshire giants under Farke has fallen in the Premier League, and with both Daniel James and Wilfried Gnonto waiting in reserve, switching out the ex-Union Berlin playmaker for either the Welshman or Italian could seriously boost the relegation-threatened side in attack.

Farke might also help the wins to start flowing if he selects Lukas Nmecha as his sole striker more often, heading into crunch games this November and December, with the ex-Wolfsburg striker stylishly putting away a goal against Forest, which is his second for the club already, despite only amassing 279 minutes of total league action.

The German will also know he needs to change up his defence, with Jaka Bijol receiving plenty of pelters for his recent performances.

However, Farke didn’t exactly help out his tiring defence at the City Ground.

Bielsa signing must be given the boot by Farke

Another compelling argument to get rid of Aaronson from the first team picture, away from his hot-and-cold reputation, is the fact that he’s a remaining relic of the dismal 2022/23 squad that was relegated to the Championship.

The only other dire member of that team that featured against Dyche’s hosts was Jack Harrison, who is somehow still getting minutes under Farke, many years on from his Leeds peak.

25/26

11

0

22/23

40

6 + 10

21/22

38

10 + 2

20/21

37

8 + 8

19/20

49

6 + 8

18/19

42

4 + 4

Indeed, looking at the data above, it’s clear that the former Manchester City youth product was a dependable first-teamer many moons ago at Elland Road, with an impressive collection of 66 combined goals and assists for the Whites.

Leeds managerial great Marcelo Bielsa even once hailed Harrison as a “big influence” during his heyday down the left channel.

But, right now, the 28-year-old needs to be put out of his misery, on his subdued return to the Whites first team fold, after a two-season-long loan stay at Everton.

Last time out versus Forest, when strangely placed into the side at left-back, Harrison would clatter into a Forest shirt late on, clumsily, to gift Elliot Anderson his game-clinching penalty.

Moreover, away from that moment of stupidity, the below-par number 20 still manages to pocket a steep £90k-per-week salary at the Premier League newcomers, despite having no goals or assists to shout about this season from 11 forgettable outings.

Recent reports have also suggested that Harrison could be sold in January if Leeds can win themselves some more reinforcements in attack.

Still, if Farke wants to send out a message that he isn’t going to stand by and watch standards slip, he will try to offload the shoddy winger in the transfer window, anyway, as he attempts everything in his power to keep his precarious position.

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ByJoe Nuttall Nov 12, 2025

Something is happening at Chelsea this season.

Enzo Maresca’s side blew Spanish champions Barcelona away in the Champions League last Tuesday and then followed that up with a sensational performance against Arsenal in the Premier League.

The Blues were by far the better team for most of the first half, and even after Moises Caicedo was sent off, they scored a goal and held on for a point.

Now, having the Ecuadorian out for three games is a problem, but Maresca could solve it by unleashing one of Chelsea’s most exciting young stars.

Chelsea's solutions to Caicedo's red card

With it highly unlikely that Caicedo’s ban will be overturned – if it’s even appealed – Chelsea need to come up with a solution for the next three games. This is a player who is renowned as one of the best midfielders in the world, a player of the calibre of a certain Declan Rice. Therefore, replacing him will not be easy.

One answer could be to keep Reece James in the middle of the park, drop Enzo Fernández back next to him to create a double pivot and start Cole Palmer ahead of them.

Now, this would be quite a change, but it would allow the captain to continue to boss games from a central area and bring the club’s best player back into the most important part of the team.

Moreover, if the Englishman is pulling the strings in the ten position, Estevao can keep his place on the right, where he tore Barça to bits last week.

However, if Enzo only wants to make one personnel change to the side to keep up momentum, he could be extra brave and bring one of Cobham’s most exciting youngsters into the side: Reggie Walsh.

The 17-year-old star in the making is someone who could slot in next to James in the midfield and, especially against a poor Leeds United, earn some brilliant experience.

It would certainly be a bold move, but even though he’s so young, the academy gem is seen as “truly ridiculous” talent, per Como scout Felix Johnston, and has already made four appearances for the senior side.

Yet, with all that said, there is a far more realistic and sensible option Maresca could go for.

Chelsea's ideal solution to Caicedo's red card

With Dario Essugo unlikely to be fit enough to play a significant role over the next three games, Maresca should turn to Andrey Santos to cover for Caicedo.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The 21-year-old is still most certainly a little raw and clearly not the finished article, but there are a few reasons why he would be the perfect solution to the Blues’ problem.

The first is that with him being comfortable playing in central and defensive midfield, he could form a fluid partnership with James and Fernandez.

In other words, the three of them could rotate in and out of positions in the middle of the park, making life difficult for opposition defenders and attackers.

The second reason is that, thanks to his comfort in a variety of positions, he has developed a skill set that makes him effective in attack and, in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig, a duel-winning “one-man war machine in midfield.”

For example, despite only playing 655 minutes across nine appearances this season, he has already produced four goal involvements.

His underlying numbers are also sensational.

Tackles Won

2.09

Top 3%

Tkl+Int

4.26

Top 7%

Goals + Assists

0.39

Top 8%

Pass Completion % (Long)

77.3%

Top 8%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.20

Top 9%

Goals/Shot

0.14

Top 15%

Clearances

2.33

Top 16%

Pass Completion %

88.3%

Top 17%

Fouls Drawn

1.74

Top 17%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 3% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won, the top 8% for goals plus assists, the 13% for dribblers tackled and more, all per 90.

Finally, given his brilliant box-to-box skill set, he would add some more dynamism and explosiveness to the middle of the park, which, against teams like Leeds, could make the Blues impossible to live with.

Ultimately, while nobody in the Chelsea squad can replace Caicedo in a like-for-like capacity, Santos could bring something else to the side and keep the quality level high.

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