Burnley are preparing for life back in the Premier League and could now be in the lead to sign a proven international defender, according to a report.

Burnley ready to break cycle of newly-promoted clubs in Premier League

Many newly promoted sides of the past have found it difficult to transition to life in the Premier League after claiming promotion, which is something the Clarets are desperate to change at Turf Moor.

Speaking ahead of their return to top-flight action, Nedum Onuoha believes Burnley should use Brentford as an example of how to survive and grow among the elite of the English pyramid over the next few years.

He explained: “It sounds a bit dull if you are a Burnley fan, but stick with the process. Clubs that manage to maintain their identity, can end up doing well. Brentford, for example. They never really deviated away from the model that they have, and now they’re an established Premier League side.”

Nevertheless, signings are necessary for the EFL Championship runners-up to build a squad that can live up to that feat. CJ Egan-Riley could be set for the exit door, and Burnley are now plotting an ambitious swoop for Liverpool’s Joe Gomez that could total £25 million.

Rennes midfielder Jordan James is also on Scott Parker’s radar. This development may become an ideal trade-off between youth and experience if Josh Brownhill leaves Turf Moor, signalling that there is plenty of work going on behind the scenes in Lancashire.

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The revolving door of transfer speculation never stops and Burnley are now reportedly in the lead to win the race to sign a talented defender with top-flight experience.

Burnley could win the race to sign Chris Mepham

According to Graeme Bailey in conversation with EFL Analysis, Burnley could trump Sheffield United and Sunderland to sign Chris Mepham, potentially on a free transfer with his contract at Bournemouth set to expire at the end of this month.

The Wales international earns £35,000 per week and spent the campaign on loan at the Black Cats, scoring once in 40 appearances as they also claimed promotion via the playoffs.

Chris Mepham’s campaign for Sunderland in numbers – EFL Championship (Fotmob)
Tackles won	31
Aerial duels won	109
Interceptions	34
Recoveries	138
Blocks	3

Dubbed “superb” by Dan Ballard, Bournemouth also have an option to extend his deal for a further 12 months despite his contract being set to run out, though Bailey anticipates that Burnley could skip to the front of the queue in any case.

He stated: “It could be one of those promoted teams. Do we see Burnley coming in for him? They may have to lose Maxime Esteve, and they’ve lost CJ Egan-Riley already. I wouldn’t rule Burnley out of the running on that one.”

Whether Bournemouth do activate his extension clause or not, the Clarets appear to be well in the race to bring Mepham to Turf Moor and he would be an ideal fit given he has made over 60 Premier League appearances across his career.

As the summer transfer window rumbles on, one thing that is clear is that Manchester United are on the hunt for a new goalkeeper to replace Andre Onana. And whilst Emiliano Martinez’s name has been mentioned aplenty, INEOS have now reportedly contacted an alternative option.

Monaco interested in Andre Onana

As Manchester United look to replace their struggling shot-stopper, it could be AS Monaco who hand Onana a much-needed lifeline this summer. The Ligue 1 club are reportedly interested in signing the former Inter Milan man and, in doing so, freeing up room for those at Old Trafford to sign a new No.1 this summer.

An exit for Onana is something that should suit all parties. The Cameroon international was supposed to bring forth a new era in between the sticks when he arrived to replace David de Gea in 2023. He was billed as the ultimate modern-day goalkeeper and even arrived fresh from a Champions League final with Inter Milan, albeit one he lost against Manchester City.

The ultimate modern-day goalkeeper is not what Manchester United got, however. Onana’s struggles in possession quickly became apparent and what made matters worse were his endless mistakes on the shot-stopping front to sum up a debut season to forget. And since then, things haven’t got much better.

Now, United are on the hunt for an upgrade and that hunt has taken them towards the Midlands. According to recent reports, Emiliano Martinez is keen on completing a move to Old Trafford this summer, whilst Premier League rivals Aston Villa could have no choice but to sell the World Cup winner amid PSR concerns.

The Argentina international isn’t the only name on the list, though, with fresh reports now suggesting that INEOS have made their first move to sign a younger alternative.

Man Utd make contact to sign Carnesecchi

According to Caught Offside, INEOS have now made contact with Marco Carnesecchi over a summer move to Manchester United. The Atalanta goalkeeper has impressed in Italy and has now caught the attention of those at Old Trafford, but it’s not a deal that will come cheap, with reports indicating that it will take a lucrative offer for Atalanta to sell their No.1 in the coming months.

Starts

34

34

37

Clean Sheets

13

9

8

Saves per 90

2.85

2.59

2.7

Save Percentage

75.2%

68.9%

69%

When compared with Martinez and Onana, it is Carnesecchi who stands out. The Atalanta man kept more clean sheets, made more saves per 90 and maintained a better save percentage than both of his counterparts. The more that he is looked at in detail, the more Man United should be tempted to make that lucrative offer.

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Dubbed a “young De Gea” for his shot-stopping by analyst DanieIscouting, Manchester United would be landing an impressive solution to their goalkeeper problems by signing Carnesecchi this summer.

India are going into the one-off Test against South Africa on the back of successive white-ball series sweeps – T20Is in Bangladesh and ODIs vs South Africa at home – but head coach Amol Muzumdar believes there’s scope for improvement in every department for the team.”We do have the momentum – we won in Bangladesh, we won against South Africa,” Muzumdar said two days out from the Test in Chennai. “They are different formats, but at the same time, we are trying to focus on every game as it comes. The demands [of playing a Test] are different. I think the team is up for it, and I think as far as improvement is concerned, I think all three departments – batting, bowling, and fielding, and fitness – four departments [can improve].”India last played a Test in December, beating Australia in Mumbai by eight wickets. That came on the back of another one-off Test at home, against England, which also India won. Also, most of the top players were also part of the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal Multi-day Trophy in Pune in March-April.Related

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The teams got only five days to prepare for the upcoming Test against South Africa following the conclusion of the ODIs on June 23, but Muzumdar feels the players are aware of the challenge of switching formats, considering red-ball cricket is part of their long-term plans.”In December, we played against England and Australia; we played back-to-back Tests,” he said. “We are aware that red-ball cricket will be a part of women’s cricket going forward, and hence I feel that the inter-zonal, which happened in March-April, was very critical. So that the players also get the message that it’s not just white-ball cricket or just T20s that we are focusing on. We are also focusing on the red-ball stuff, and I think they are aware and they are ready and raring to go in the multi-day format. To adjust to that is a different story.”Those are the demands of modern-day cricket. You know you cannot escape that as a team. So we try to cater to all the demands. It’s not easy, but at the same time it’s a challenge and we accept it as a challenge to adapt to different formats.”While the core of the team won’t change as India switch formats, the likes of Shubha Satheesh, Sneh Rana, Rajeshwari Gayakwad and Meghna Singh, who did not play the ODIs, will be coming in for the Test.”I think those four players are very important players. We did have a camp that happened at the NCA about 15 days back, and they were specifically given red-ball stuff to be done in the camp,” Muzumdar said. “So they’ve already had the workload. The workload has been shared to them, and also when they went back home, they were told a few things to do. Their weekly chart was organised and given to them. So they’re completely fresh and raring to go. Even when they’ve come here and [are] in the squad, we just had a practice session yesterday with those four players, and they look absolutely fine.”India won back-to-back Tests against England and Australia late last year•Getty Images

While the ODIs against South Africa were part of the Women’s Championships, Muzumdar said he wouldn’t mind a men’s style World Test Championship for women to add more context to the format. However, only four teams – Australia, England, India and South Africa – currently play Test cricket.”It’s not a bad idea to have Test Championships,” he said. “That’s something to look forward to, but that is for the board to decide. And if it happens, it’s even better for the game. Test cricket is always special. We like to keep it that way, that you know every game is important [regardless of the context] – whether it’s ODI, T20 or Test match. I know there is no Test Championship to look forward to, but at the same time, every game is important. We take part to win them.”Muzumdar also said that Shabnam Shakil, the 17-year-old uncapped medium-pacer, was brought into the side for all three formats so she could get a feel of the team culture. Shakil was part of the U-19 World Cup-winning India team last year, and also made an impression at WPL 2024 for Gujarat Giants, especially when she took 3 for 11 against Mumbai Indians.”She’s definitely a superb talent, and that’s the reason she is here,” he said. “We’ve made a conscious decision of including her in the team so that she gets a feel of the dressing room, and also the atmosphere and the culture that we’re building. She gets a first-hand experience to that. She’s definitely a good talent, and we will hear more about her in the future.”

It is no secret that Leeds United will be in the market to sign new players in the summer transfer window ahead of the Premier League next season.

Fabrizio Romano gave the Championship champions a ‘here we go!’ on Saturday when he confirmed that Jaka Bijol has signed his contract to join the club from Udinese.

The Whites are set to pay a fee in the region of £19m to sign the central defender from the Italian side to bolster their options at the heart of the defence.

Bijol started 34 matches in the Serie A for Udinese in the 2024/25 campaign, which means that he is set to arrive at Elland Road with plenty of experience in one of Europe’s major leagues.

The Slovenia international will now be due to compete with the likes of Ethan Ampadu, Max Wober, Joe Rodon, and Pascal Struijk for a place in the starting XI next season.

What Jaka Bijol could bring to Leeds

Bijol is a strong defender in the prime years of his career, at the age of 26, and could provide Daniel Farke with an aerially dominant option at the heart of the defence.

The Slovenian colossus was particularly impressive in the air for Udinese in the Serie A, using his height and frame to tussle with opposition strikers to win key defensive duels.

24/25 Serie A

Jaka Bijol per 90

Percentile rank vs CBs

Aerial duels won

3.31

Top 6%

Aerial duel success rate

67.7%

Top 17%

Interceptions

1.15

Top 41%

Clearances

5.53

Top 14%

Passes blocked

0.61

Top 42%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, he ranked very highly among central defenders in the Italian top-flight when it came to competing for headers at the back.

His 68% aerial duel success rate was higher than Struijk (62%) and Rodon (60%) managed in the Championship for the Whites, which suggests that he would improve the Leeds defence from an aerial perspective.

Leeds did, however, have the best xGA (29.6) record in the second tier this season, which suggests that their defence was not a major cause for concern, albeit they have still opted to strengthen in that area of the pitch.

Instead, a bigger issue for the Whites to resolve, on paper at least, is finding a new number one goalkeeper, after Illan Meslier was left on the bench for the final seven games of the 2024/25 season.

Farke needs to find a replacement for the French goalkeeper to start between the sticks in the Premier League next term, and the door is seemingly open for them to sign one from a relegated side.

Door open for Leeds to sign Southampton star

Southampton owner Dragan Solak has opened the door to Aaron Ramsdale moving on from Elland Road before the end of the summer transfer window, after the Saints were relegated from the Premier League.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, as relayed by LeedsLive, Solak said: “We unfortunately are not sure that Ramsdale is going to stay, even though he loves the club. He’s a great young man, everybody loves him, but he wants to get his place in the national team and it’s not easy to get there in the Championship.”

Transfer Focus

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

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LeedsLive reports that signing a new goalkeeper is one of the priorities on the club’s transfer agenda, as they go in search of a number one for next season.

Earlier this summer, it was reported that the West Yorkshire outfit have eyed up Ramsdale as a potential target to arrive at Elland Road as Farke’s new shot-stopper.

Solak’s comments show that the door is open for the £25m England international to sign for Leeds, and it is now down to the club to pursue a deal that could be even more important than the one to sign Bijol.

Why Leeds should sign Aaron Ramsdale

As aforementioned, Leeds enjoyed a strong defensive record in the Championship this season and were not in desperate need of a player like Bijol, as much as he could improve Farke’s options at centre-back.

Whereas, the Whites are in desperate need of a new number one to replace Meslier next season because the French dud is, simply, not good enough for the top-flight.

The left-footed flop was dropped by Farke after he made three errors that directly led to goals for the opposition and had a goals prevented of -2.73 in 39 appearances in the Championship.

Post-shot xG minus goals conceded

Season

Illan Meslier

24/25 (Championship)

-0.4

23/24 (Championship)

-3.1

22/23 (Premier League)

-12.4

21/22 (Premier League)

-16.2

20/21 (Premier League)

-3.4

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Meslier was also a liability as a shot-stopper in his three seasons in the Premier League with the Whites in the past, as he let in significantly more goals than he should have, based on the post-shot xG of the shots against his goal.

Ramsdale, however, prevented 0.14 goals in 30 outings in the Premier League and did not make a single error that led to a goal, which shows that he outperformed Meslier whilst playing at a higher level.

The 27-year-old stopper, who was once hailed as “magnificent” by reporter Charles Watts, has 183 appearances in the Premier League in his career to date, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Elland Road as a player who already knows the division well.

His statistics in the top-flight for the Saints also suggest that he would be a huge upgrade on Meslier, given his more impressive showings as a goalkeeper at a higher level.

That means that he would solve a huge problem for Leeds, given the Frenchman’s dismal performances in recent years, and provide Farke with the goalkeeper that he desperately needs.

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Therefore, he would be an even more important signing for Leeds than Bijol because finding a quality goalkeeper is a more pressing matter than replacing Rodon and Struijk, who impressed as a pairing in the Championship.

Leeds United are ready to splash the cash this summer as they prepare for life in the Premier League and could now exceed other suitors in the hunt for a talented striker, according to a report.

Leeds United miss out on Habib Diarra

Transfer stories are never as cut and dry as they seem in media reports, but Sunderland will be the ones to pick up Strasbourg’s Habib Diarra after agreeing a package worth £30 million plus add-ons to sign the Senegal international.

Intriguingly, Leeds United had held interest in Diarra previously before confirmation of his move to the North East. Nevertheless, the Elland Road faithful will take comfort from the fact that Jaka Bijol can operate in a deep-lying midfield role if needed.

Moving on, Leeds could look to add Dominic Calvert-Lewin to their forward line, and supporters will be keeping an eagle eye on his next move after the England international confirmed that he would be leaving the Merseyside club under freedom of contract.

Posting on social media, the Whites’ target confirmed he is now seeking a new opportunity to shine, as he stated: “This choice to move on was not simply about me-it was a decision my family and I spent a long time considering together.

“We believe it’s the right moment to seek a new challenge and continue growing, but that doesn’t lessen the bond I’ll always have with Everton.”

Leeds United’s first five Premier League fixtures

Everton (H)

Elland Road

Arsenal (A)

Emirates Stadium

Newcastle (H)

Elland Road

Fulham (A)

Craven Cottage

Wolverhampton Wanderers (A)

Molineux

Fundamentally, bringing in some level of proven pedigree will be the difference between Leeds staying up or being relegated back to the second-tier at the first attempt, and they may be well on their way to that if reports are to be believed.

Leeds United ready to make Gonzalo Garcia proposal

According to reports in Spain, Leeds are willing to make a £17 million offer for Real Madrid hotshot Gonzalo Garcia following his breakout at the Club World Cup in the United States.

Sunderland are also willing to offer the former Spain Under-19 international a route to the Premier League. However, the Whites are willing to put up a significantly higher amount of money upfront, while AS Roma and Real Oviedo are also attentive to his situation.

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Labelled a “classic number nine” by Xabi Alonso, Garcia registered 28 goals and six assists in 46 appearances across all competitions last season, combining his exploits at first-team level and with the Los Blancos’ second string.

Despite the Whites being keen to secure his signature, Real Madrid are set to insert a buyback clause worth £25.6 million in order to have some form of say in his future.

Garcia is rising star and could be a unique market opportunity for someone to take up. Now, Leeds need to convince him that Elland Road is best for his development.

Having already welcomed both Danny Batth and Andreas Weimann this week, Derby County have now reportedly reached an agreement to sign an impressive international forward.

Derby confirm Batth and Weimann arrivals

The Rams are wasting no time ahead of their second season back in the Championship. After kicking their summer transfer window off by signing Carlton Morris from Luton Town and Richard O’Donnell from Blackpool, those at Pride Park have since stepped things up even more by welcoming both Weimann and Batth on free transfers from Blackburn Rovers.

After putting pen to paper to join the club, Batth told Derby’s official website: “When I got the call, I was excited [by the opportunity] and I’m glad to be here now and ready to get down to work.

“I just think it was a great opportunity for me to come and help the team and the club. I’ve played against Derby over the years. I know what an occasion it is when you play at the stadium and the support the club gets.

“I just wanted to be part of that. It’s a real project, and I think the foundations were set last year. The club is now looking to move forward, so I want to be a big part of that.”

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Weimann shared that same excitement after rejoining the club for the first time since leaving for Bristol City in 2017. The forward particularly singled manager John Eustace out for praise, saying: “I think there are a couple of factors, to be honest.

“Obviously, one is the manager. I loved working with him last year, I have known him for a long time and played with him at Watford when I was a teenager.”

Now that Weimann and Batth are official, however, Derby have reportedly turned their attention towards the likes of Callum Brittain as well as finalising another impressive deal.

Derby reach agreement to sign Agyemang

According to GiveMeSport’s Tom Bogert, Derby have now reached an agreement to sign Patrick Agyemang from Charlotte FC in a package worth a total of $10m (£7M) this summer.

The American international, who has scored five goals in just nine appearances for his country, represents an exciting arrival for Derby and arguably their best yet this summer.

The 24-year-old has unsurprisingly been at the centre of praise whenever he has starred for his country, including from USA manager Mauricio Pochettino. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss told reporters last month after victory over Haiti: “Patrick is doing a fantastic job for the team.

“All that he gave to the team today and the previous games also, he’s a fantastic striker. Still room to improve, but we are so happy with him.”

تحدث مدرب الأرجنتين، ليونيل سكالوني في مؤتمر صحفي اليوم، قبل مباراة الفريق أمام الإكوادور في تصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026، وحديث ليونيل ميسي بشأن المونديال، ومستقبله مع المنتخب.

وأفاد ميسي في تصريحات سابقة بأنه قد لا يتواجد مع الأرجنتين في منافسات كأس العالم 2026، وسيتوقف الأمر على حالته الجسدية.

وفي مؤتمر صحفي اليوم الإثنين، صرّح سكالوني: “لم أتحدث مع ميسي بشأن كأس العالم المقبلة، أيًا كان قراره، فهو قرار صائب”.

وأضاف بشأن القائمة المستدعاة للمونديال: “نسبة القائمة اليوم لست متأكدًا منها، ما زلنا بعيدين، يمكن أن تحدث أشياء كثيرة، لكن لدينا قاعدة، ولن نخرج عنها كثيرًا”.

وأردف: “عندما يُخبروننا بعدد اللاعبين الذين سيذهبون إلى كأس العالم، سنتخذ القرارات، لدينا قاعدة من أجل المونديال، والجميع يعرفها بالفعل، لن نخرج عنها كثيرًا”.

وفيما يتعلق بمباراة الإكوادور، خصم الأرجنتين في الجولة الأخيرة من تصفيات أمريكا الجنوبية المؤهلة لكأس العالم، أكد: “نلعب ضد فريق يُقدم أداءً جيدًا منذ فترة طويلة، إنه اختبار جيد لنا، سنجري بالتأكيد بعض التغييرات الإضافية، إلى جانب التغييرات المطلوبة بسبب غياب ميسي وروميرو”.

وواصل: أعتقد أن من لعبوا أقل يستحقون اللعب، هذه هي الفكرة، ستكون لدى لاوتارو مارتينيز فرصة للعب غدًا، وسنرى أي نظام سيعتمد عليه، وأليكسيس ماك أليستر متاح”.

اقرأ أيضًا | فيديو | تفاصيل مشادة ميسي مع لاعب فنزويلا بين شوطي مباراة الأرجنتين

واستطرد: “الإكوادور من أفضل فرق العالم، وسيُصعّبون الأمور، ليس علينا فحسب، بل على أي فريق آخر، لقد اتّبعوا أسلوب لعب واضحًا للغاية لفترة طويلة؛ بدايةً مع جوستافو ألفارو، ثم مع فيليكس سانشيز باس، والآن مع سيباستيان بيكاسيسي”.

وفيما يتعلق بمقارنة أداء المنتخب الأرجنتيني في تصفيات كأس العالم 2022 بأداء المنتخب الحالي، علّق: “قدمنا ​​مباريات رائعة مع المنتخب الفائز بكأس العالم، ومع هذا المنتخب أيضًا، الآن، برز لاعبون شباب يمنحوننا المزيد من الحماس، وبعضهم يجيد التعامل مع الكرة، فكرة اللعبة لا تختلف، والهوية واحدة”.

وأشار سكالوني: “أعتقد أننا عملنا وفقًا للأفكار التي راودتنا منذ البداية، وهي الشعور بالانتماء، واللعب دون التزام، واحترام زملائنا في الفريق وجميع الآخرين، هذه هي المبادئ التي وضعناها لأنفسنا عند انضمامنا للجهاز الفني”.

وعندما سُئل عن مستقبله بعد كأس العالم القادمة، أجاب المدرب: “أفكر في المرحلة المقبلة، لم أكن من النوع الذي يفكر في أي شيء أبعد من ذلك، فهذا غير لائق، نحن نركز على مباراة الغد، والمباريات الودية، والمباريات القادمة، أنا بخير الآن، وسنرى ما سيحدث”.

وتحدث سكالوني أيضًا عن نيكولاس أوتاميندي، الذي خاض مباراته الأخيرة في تصفيات كأس العالم على أرضه يوم الخميس: “إنه يستحق التكريم؛ لقد ساعدنا بشكل كبير، إنه لاعب مهم جدًا بالنسبة لنا؛ سيُذكر بكل ما قدمه، سيكون قائدنا غدًا ضد الإكوادور”.

وأخيرًا، خاطب سكالوني إسبانيا، منافسه في نهائي بطولة فيناليسيما: “إسبانيا، بقيادة لويس دي لا فوينتي، تُقدم أداءً استثنائيًا، إنها من أفضل الفرق، وتلعب بأسلوب كرة قدم يُحبه المشجعون، وهناك فرق أخرى تُجيد اللعب بأسلوب مختلف”.

Rockets fire through Sciver-Brunt but Graham’s cameo comes too late in three-run loss

ECB Media31-Jul-2024

Ellyse Perry and Sterre Kalis added a century stand for Birmingham Phoenix•Getty Images

Birmingham Phoenix 139 for 3 beat Trent Rockets 136 for 7 by three runsAustralian superstar Ellyse Perry starred with the bat and in the field as Phoenix ended their 12-match losing streak to beat the Trent Rockets in The Hundred.On a sunny afternoon in Nottingham, Birmingham Phoenix won the toss and chose to bat, making a steady start, with Sophie Devine and Sterre Kalis going at a run a ball for an opening partnership of 32. The introduction of Alana King saw the first breakthrough for the Rockets, trapping Devine LBW for 17.That brought Phoenix Captain Perry to the crease who proceeded to quickly up the run-rate alongside Kalis. Perry raced to 41 from her first 20 balls and was making the most of the batting conditions, whilst also riding some luck in being dropped on the boundary, in what ended up being an impressive 66 from 34 balls.Her partnership with Kalis put on 102 from 60, including 11 fours and four sixes, with every one of those sixes coming from the bat of Perry.Amy Jones arrived at the crease with Phoenix on 134 with four balls to go, and with Kalis, scrambled 5 more runs to leave the Phoenix innings at 139 from their 100 balls, with Jones being run out on the final delivery. That left Kalis on 48 not out, with Phoenix setting a competitive but chaseable total.Perry remained in the action in the field, firstly taking the wicket of Scrivens (6) and then catching Bryony Smith with a fantastic running effort at long-on, with Rockets at 58 for 2.Nat Sciver-Brunt came to the wicket in fine form and looked composed from the outset, reaching her sixth half-century in The Hundred with a powerful lofted drive off Hannah Baker, off just 33 balls.Rockets looked well in contention at that point but the demise of Ash Gardner, then Sciver-Brunt three balls later dragged Phoenix back into the game.Rockets needed 27 from the last 10 balls but the game wasn’t done yet.Heather Graham hit four boundaries, including a huge six off the 98th ball, to leave Rockets needing seven from the last two balls. Wraith was run out on the penultimate delivery going for the second, leaving Graham needing six to win from the final ball.To the delight of the Phoenix team, Graham could only manage two, taking her to a valiant 30 from 12 balls, but confirming Birmingham Phoenix’s first win in 13 attempts.Meerkat Match Hero Perry said: “I’m chuffed for the girls. We played with a lot of spirit today, played really positively, and it is nice to get over the line in a tight one at the end.”It took us a while to get going, but once you were in there was a breeze, so it was easy to find the pockets in the ground and build a bit of momentum with the bat. The total felt defendable, but they chased well, Heather at the end there was really unlucky not to bring it home for them, so to hold our nerve at the end was awesome.””I’m stoked for the girls; it is a great group and they play with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. You can’t worry about last season, this is a different squad, but it is something that has been spoken about around the group by other people. Hopefully people stop talking about that [12 in a row] now.”

Leeds United now face Burnley in a transfer battle to sign a Premier League level defender on a free transfer this summer, according to a new report.

Leeds eyeing more transfers after Nmecha deal

The Whites confirmed their first signing of the summer transfer window on Sunday afternoon, as Lukas Nmecha agreed to join Leeds once his contract at Wolfsburg expires at the end of the month.

The attacking midfielder is a player who is likely to be an important figure in Farke’s team this season, but the club are not resting with just his arrival, as they are already working on more additions.

As reported by Africa Foot, Leeds have made contact with Manchester City over signing Juma Bah on a loan deal. The 19-year-old joined the Blues back in January but spent the rest of the campaign on loan at RC Lens. He now looks set for another temporary move away, with Leeds and Southampton fighting for his signature.

He'd be better than Bijol: £5m defender now wants to sign for Leeds

Leeds United could seal a better transfer than snapping up Jaka Bijol by landing this deal.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 15, 2025

Meanwhile, defender Jaka Bijol has agreed terms over a move to Elland Road this summer and a deal appears to be nearing completion. He is not the only defender on the club’s radar, as a report from Football Insider states that Alex Moreno is also interested in a move to Leeds this summer. The 32-year-old could be available for £5 million, as the Whites are in the market for a new left-back.

Leeds face Burnley in Keane battle

The list of potential new defenders to sign doesn’t stop there, as according to the Liverpool Echo, Leeds are among the teams interested in signing Michael Keane from Everton.

Keane, who has been at Goodison Park since July 2017, is out of contract at the end of this month, and while he remains in talks over a new contract, he is looking more likely to leave. That has alerted Leeds, who, along with Burnley and Sheffield United, are keen on swooping in and securing the defender on a free transfer.

The 32-year-old, who has been dubbed “immense” in the past by Harry Redknapp, has fallen down the pecking order at Everton in recent seasons. Keane went from playing 32 games in the Premier League during the 2021/22 season to playing just 12, 9 and 14 times in the last 3 campaigns.

Michael Keane’s Everton stats
Apps	230
Goals	16
Assists	10

Keane could be a viable option for the Whites to provide more depth behind Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk, and there aren’t many free signings on the market who provide such a wealth of top flight experience.

Could play alongside Rocky Flintoff in two Tests at Wormsley and Cheltenham

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Jul-2024Archie Vaughan, the 18-year-old son of former England captain Michael, is set to make his Under-19 Test debut against Sri Lanka next week, having been named in a 14-man squad that includes a number of other familiar family connections, including Rocky Flintoff, Farhan Ahmed and Jaydn Denly.Vaughan, a top-order batter and offspinner, signed his first professional contract with Somerset earlier this season, having been part of the county’s academy set-up at Taunton since 2020.Though he has yet to make his Somerset first-team debut, he made his mark at age-group level last week, with an innings of 85 from 83 balls for a Young Lions Invitational XI in a warm-up match against the England U19 ODI squad, for whom Flintoff top-scored with 106.Vaughan and Flintoff Sr played alongside each other in 48 Tests between 1999 and 2008, and now their sons could begin their own partnership at age-group level in two Tests, at Wormsley on July 8-11, and Cheltenham on July 16-19.The team will be captained by Hamza Shaikh, who featured in two Youth Tests against Australia last year and is set to play against the touring West Indians in a Test warm-up at Beckenham this week. Shaikh has taken charge of Warwickshire’s second XI on several occasions already this summer, during which time he has captained the likes of Chris Woakes, Liam Norwell and Jake Lintott.”They’ve helped me and given me more confidence in my leadership on and off the field, advising on bowling options and field placements,” Shaikh told Warwickshire’s website. “I like to think I’m a fairly calm guy and captaincy doesn’t faze me. I’m looking forward to the challenge and hopefully coming away with a series win.”The team will also feature several players who have already been in ODI action against Sri Lanka, including Kesh Fonseka, Noah Thain, and Freddie McCann, who made a matchwinning 174 from 139 balls at Hove on Monday.England U19s Squad Hamza Shaikh (Warwickshire, capt), Farhan Ahmed (Nottinghamshire), Charlie Brand (Lancashire), Jack Carney (unattached), Jaydn Denly (Kent), Rocky Flintoff (Lancashire), Kesh Fonseka (Lancashire), Alex French (Surrey), Alex Green (Leicestershire), Eddie Jack (Hampshire), Freddie McCann (Nottinghamshire), Harry Moore (Derbyshire), Noah Thain (Essex), Archie Vaughan (Somerset).