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Leeds United continued their incredible form under Daniel Farke with a dramatic comeback win against Sunderland on Monday night as the club builds for the future under 49ers Enterprises.

Leeds charging towards promotion

It’s fair to say the mood has shifted at Elland Road since Andrea Radrizzani sold his majority stake to the 49ers group in the summer of 2023. The first job on the hands of the new owners was to shift a considerable amount of the signings made under ‘Radz’, nearly all of whom sat on large salaries with baffling relegation clauses.

18 months on from a horde of those signings filling the books while heading out on loan, and only Rasmus Kristensen remains in that position, with the 27 year-old expected to complete a permanent move to Eintracht Frankfurt once the season reaches its conclusion.

And that conclusion looks more and more likely to come with the Whites back in the top flight, after a stunning brace from Pascal Struijk rescued three points against Sunderland on Monday, with the Dutchman sending a warning to Leeds’ promotion rivals.

Leeds have now won four on the bounce in the league, scoring 15 in that time and conceding just once, and look the clear favourites to secure automatic promotion ahead of a monster clash with chasers Sheffield United next Monday evening.

The real test for the new owners begins once the promotion dream is achieved however. As it stands, all three promoted sides in the top flight are set to fall straight back down for the second season in a row, with the step up becoming increasingly difficult. Luckily for the Whites and Farke however, they may just have the perfect recipe for success thanks to their thriving academy.

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With PSR strangling the spending of even the biggest clubs in the Premier League, the only sustainable route to success is to either identify top talents from abroad before selling them for huge profits – perhaps best known as the Brighton model – or to grow those talents within your own academy.

Of course, Leeds have already borne the fruits of the latter strategy, nurturing Archie Gray into a top player before selling up to Tottenham Hotspur – albeit much to the dismay of plenty of supporters.

Lucky for those supporters however, there is another Gray emerging at Thorp Arch – Archie’s younger brother Harry, who returned to the scoresheet for the Under-21s this weekend, netting a brace in a 2-1 win against Derby County, prompting praise from analyst Ben Mattinson.

The 16 year-old has been recovering from a back injury since pre-season, but has now played 90 minutes in his last two Premier League 2 appearances and looks back to his best.

And he’s not the only goalscorer thriving behind the scenes in Yorkshire, with 15 year-old Oliver Boast recently breaking into the Under-18 set-up after dominating at Under-16 level. Boast has scored once already in the Under-18 Premier League and bagged in the FA Youth Cup against Manchester City earlier this month, with Mattinson singling him out as the best talent alongside Gray.

Meanwhile, the likes of Charlie Crew are already thriving out on loan and youngsters like Wilfried Gnonto and Mateo Jospeh are more than playing their part in Farke’s quest for promotion.

1. Harry Gray

16

Forward

2. Oliver Boast

15

Forward

3. Rory Mahady

18

Goalkeeper

4. Charlie Crew

18

Midfielder

5. Kris Moore

21

Defender

With sustainable success the name of the game for clubs who don’t have the backing of a Newcastle or Man City, the 49ers Group are currently doing everything right not only in building a side capable of earning their status back in the big time, but in righting the wrongs of their predecessors, focusing on youth and planning for the long-term.

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da realbet： No último sábado, uma bomba agitou o noticiário do Corinthians, uma vez que foi revelado pelo Meu Timão e confirmado pelo LANCE!, que o clube procurou informações sobre a situação de Philippe Coutinho, atualmente no Aston Villa-ING. Embora as partes estejam vendo com bons olhos essa movimentação, todos sabem que há um empecilho bem grande nela: a “barreira financeira”.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Paulistão-2023 clicando aqui

Quando selou sua permanência definitiva na equipe que defende na Inglaterra, o meia brasileiro precisou reduzir de forma significativa seus vencimentos. Segundo apurou a reportagem, Coutinho passou a receber quatro vezes menos do que recebia quando estava vinculado ao Barcelona.

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da apostaganha： No entanto, essas cifras seguem sendo bem acima da realidade do futebol brasileiro, especialmente do Corinthians, que tem buscado cortar custos nos últimos anos e estabelecer um teto salarial para evitar descontrole nos cofres. Quando trouxe Róger Guedes, Renato Augusto, Paulinho e Willian, o clube precisou buscar alternativas para não estourar esses limites. Acontece que o salário atual de Coutinho supera bastante os vencimentos desses jogadores citados.

De acordo com o que o LANCE! ouviu de pessoas próximas ao atleta do Aston Villa-ING, seria preciso novamente reduzir drasticamente a pedida caso as negociações avancem entre as partes. Por isso, tanto o Timão quanto o lado de Coutinho entendem ser uma situação complicada, ainda que a vontade seja fazer com que as conversas cheguem a um final feliz nesta janela.

O salário é uma questão a ser superada nas tratativas, mas ainda é preciso também um acordo com o Aston Villa, que comprou Coutinho em maio deste ano por 20 milhões de euros (R$ 112,5 milhões na cotação atual). O vínculo do jogador é válido até junho de 2026, então seria preciso efetuar a contratação em definitivo ou buscar um empréstimo, pois apesar de parecer que o meia “está no mercado”, é bastante improvável a rescisão com os ingleses e uma chegada sem custos ao Timão.

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Como dito na reportagem do último sábado, as conversas e as sondagens estão em estágio inicial. O Corinthians não tinha o jogador em sua lista de reforços, mas acabou aparecendo com uma oportunidade de mercado, especialmente pelo envolvimento de Coutinho com Kia Joorabchian, agente que tem boa relação com o próprio Alvinegro e ajudou nas chegadas do técnico Vítor Pereira e de o meia-atacante Willian. Ambas eram situações muito difíceis e tiveram desfechos positivos.

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Harry Brook stars with 85, but Australia respond in composed fashion in final session

Andrew McGlashan27-Jul-2023

Mitchell Starc celebrates the dismissal of Ben Stokes•Getty Images

Australia 61 for 1 (Khawaja 26*, Labuschagne 2*) trail England 283 (Brook 85, Starc 4-82) by 222 runsThe final match of the Ashes began in similar fashion to the first, with England hurtling along on the opening day with the bat. Harry Brook led the way with a sparkling 85, but this time they could only reach 283 in overcast, bowler-friendly conditions despite Australia shelling five catches along the way.Mitchell Starc, who hurt his shoulder at Emirates Old Trafford but gave another display of his resilience, finished with 4 for 82 to take his series tally to 19 – the best of his four overseas Ashes series – while the rest of the wickets were shared around. Pat Cummins bowled much better than 1 for 66 would suggest while there was a brace for the recalled Todd Murphy, although he was again used sparingly.By stumps, Australia could say they’d had the better of day as they negotiated 25 overs for the loss of David Warner. He and Usman Khawaja added 49 for the first wicket before Warner fell to Chris Woakes for the third time in a row, edging to second slip, having earlier survived a review by England when Stuart Broad thought he found the glove, but it was only arm.Although the destination of the Ashes had been rubberstamped at Old Trafford there was plenty left riding on this final Test – 3-1 or 2-2 makes very different reading. That is especially true for Australia, having held a 2-0 advantage before defeat at Headingley and all-but certainly being saved from another by the Manchester rain.Cummins is not one to worry about what has happened in the past and he showed that by following Tim Paine’s erroneous route from 2019 of asking England to bat when, for the first time on this tour, the coin fell in his favour.For a while it appeared Australia might, again, fluff their lines with the ball; firstly when England’s openers reached 62 for 0 inside the opening hour and then at 184 for 3 as Brook and an injured Moeen Ali forged a rapid century partnership. But, though they again conceded runs at an eye-watering rate, enough chances were created to compensate for the missed ones.The initial drop had come from Warner when he gave Ben Duckett a life at slip on 30 against Cummins’ first ball of the match. It was Duckett who dominated the early scoring, including a thumping drive down the ground against Josh Hazlewood as he leapt out of his crease. His spritely stay was ended with a glove down the leg side against Mitchell Marsh, although Australia needed DRS (having already burned a review for lbw against Zak Crawley) to overturn Kumar Dharmasena’s not out decision.Straight after drinks Cummins, who was under some scrutiny after his struggles at Old Trafford, was rewarded for an excellent opening spell when he had Crawley edging into the slips having previously beaten him three times in a row as he found good bounce from the Pavilion End. When Joe Root dragged on against Hazlewood, England were 73 for 3 and in danger of losing their way.It should have been 78 for 4 a few moments later when Brook edged Cummins but Alex Carey couldn’t hold on, going one-handed to his right in front of first slip. Brook counterattacked while Moeen held firm. There was no playing for lunch by Brook as he swiped Marsh over the leg side for six then hammered Starc for two fours and a six in consecutive deliveries moments before the interval.Brook’s half-century came from 44 balls, but he could have fallen without addition had Cummins managed a hit direct at the non-striker’s end after collecting the ball in his follow through, turning on his heels and throwing.It was shortly after that when Moeen pulled up lame with a groin injury after running a single. Following treatment he continued his innings but was barely able to walk, let alone run, and a frenetic period of cricket ensued which included a huge mowed six over deep midwicket off Cummins and another top-edged to fine leg, as well as a ramp over the keeper, while using his bat as a crutch to limp between the wickets when he had to.The century stand came up in 17 overs. Murphy, who had been recalled in place of Cameron Green, was introduced for the first time in the day for the 34th over. His second ball was dragged down and pulled away by Moeen, but then the next was more of a heave across the line which he missed. How much a role he could play for the rest of Test was uncertain.There was momentary calm as Brook and Ben Stokes tried to set up another partnership, but the England captain received one of Starc’s crackerjack deliveries which straightened late and ripped back off stump as Stokes looked to play to the leg side.Neither did Jonny Bairstow last long as he dragged on against Hazlewood and, four balls later, after another crisp straight drive brought Brook’s 11th four, his dreams of an Ashes hundred vanished when a booming edge was snaffled by Smith at second slip.England had lost 4 for 28 in 55 balls and there were visions of Australia batting before tea. However, Woakes and Mark Wood, the heroes of Headingley, added 49 with more freewheeling strokeplay. Woakes had been given lbw to the first ball of the final session but DRS, asked for almost apologetically, showed a thin edge which even Woakes had not felt. Two balls later, Australia dropped another catch when Marsh spilled Woakes in the gully.Murphy claimed his second of the day when he cleaned up Wood but Woakes, who was also dropped by Murphy off his own bowling, kept swinging including a towering blow for six straight down the ground off Starc before the innings ended with a top edge to deep square leg.

It’s all happening at Arsenal at the moment.

After a traditionally slow start to the transfer window, the Gunners have really come to life in recent weeks.

In addition to welcoming Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga, the board appears to be progressing in their pursuit of Chelsea’s Noni Madueke, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, and perhaps most exciting of all, Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede could be a transformational signing for the North Londoners, and in yet more exciting news, the club are also being linked with a Premier League star who could be his dream ten.

Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres

For quite some time this summer, it looked like RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko was going to be the striker Arsenal signed.

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Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, late last week, it was widely reported that the North Londoners had switched their focus to Gyokeres.

Since then, the Swede has reportedly agreed to personal terms, and the North Londoners have been in talks with Sporting CP, with reports suggesting the final fee could be around £70m.

It feels like a matter of when and not if the Gunners secure the 27-year-old’s services, and now it looks like they are looking for further reinforcements, including someone who’d likely be a dream number ten for the striker: Morgan Rogers.

Yes, according to a recent report from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, as relayed by Caught Offside, Arsenal are interested in the Aston Villa star.

The report does not mention the cost to the Gunners of acquiring the Englishman, but based on stories from earlier this summer, the fee required to secure his release from Villa Park could be as much as £100m.

It would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, but Rogers has more than proven his worth over the last year or so, and he’d be a dream ten for Gyokeres.

Why Gyokeres would love Rogers

While Gyokeres is an incredibly talented forward, he’s fundamentally at his best when he’s in and around the penalty area, not dropping deep to collect the ball.

We can see as much from his heatmap last season, and therefore, to get the most out of him, he needs a mobile and dangerous ten behind him.

The good news is that Rogers certainly fits that bill, and then some.

For example, FBref ranked him in the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for through balls and in the top 15% in the Champions League for successful take-ons per 90.

On top of that, his output for the Claret and Blue last season was spectacular, especially when you take into account that he is still just 22 years old.

Appearances

54

Minutes

4496′

Goals

14

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

0.53

Minutes per Goal Involvement

155.03′

In 54 appearances, totalling 4496 minutes, the midfield “machine,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell, scored 14 goals and provided 15 assists.

In other words, he averaged a goal involvement every 1.86 games, or every 155.03 minutes.

So, if he was able to do that at Villa Park, just imagine what his numbers could look like playing at the Emirates behind the Sporting star, who scored 54 goals and provided 13 assists in 53 games last season.

Ultimately, Gyokeres is a lean, mean, goal-scoring machine, and he’ll likely continue to be so at Arsenal next season.

However, if Arteta wants to help ensure he’s as dangerous as possible, then he should push the club to sign Rogers as well.

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