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Southampton could momentarily send shudders through the Championship with a lunchtime win against Swansea City today, leapfrogging a strong Ipswich Town side to second spot with a victory before the Tractor Boys then have the opportunity to respond on Monday night.

Russell Martin won't travel to face off against the Swans with any past sentiment attached still, previously managing the Welsh club in a stint, with another win the only goal in his head to get to a staggering 20 games unbeaten in the division.

Martin will just pray that key first-teamer Kyle Walker-Peters potentially leaving the Championship promotion hopefuls this January doesn't derail the current positivity in his group, with this replacement being lined up if the Southampton number two does leave.

Kyle Walker-Peters replacement lined up

Football Insider have reported recently that Martin's Saints are keen on signing wantaway West Ham United figure Ben Johnson this month, the defender offering Southampton some versatility at the back that could be necessary with Walker-Peters exiting.

TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has opened up to GIVEMESPORT over the past few days regarding Walker-Peters' future at St. Mary's, the right-back yet to sign a new contract on the South Coast with Chelsea and the Hammers keen on trying to tempt the 26-year-old away.

With Martin opening up about all the speculation and telling any potential suitors to "go away" yesterday, it could be a tetchy week or so left for Southampton in the transfer window to try and keep hold of their star man.

Yet, with Johnson available on a loan deal reportedly until the end of the season, this could well be a shrewd buy in the short term regardless of whether or not Walker-Peters does depart.

How Johnson fits into the Southampton team

Unlike Walker-Peters who excels in venturing forward – the Saints number two successfully completing three dribbles in Southampton's 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last weekend – Johnson is far more at ease just sitting back and completing his routine defensive duties well.

With the plethora of attacking options available to Martin already at St. Mary's, alongside rumoured purchases for the likes of Manuel Benson and David Brooks in the pipeline, losing Walker-Peters' attacking output wouldn't be the end of the world.

Johnson's addition to the team this January could see the promotion chasers improve their back four to help when the defence is tested in pivotal games to come, with the adaptable Hammers defender bettering Walker-Peters when it comes to basics such as duels, blocks and clearances over the last year.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

According to FBRef, the 23-year-old betters Walker-Peters aerially with Johnson winning 1.48 aerials on average per 90 minutes compared to the current Saints man's lesser 0.56.

Moreover, Johnson comes out on top between the two in clearances and tackles managed per 90 minutes with 2.30 clearances and 2.14 tackles registered on Johnson's end in contrast to Walker-Peters falling flat with 1.44 clearances and 1.48 tackles.

Able to play at left-back and at the heart of defence if needed, Johnson's flexibility makes him a smart and worthwhile replacement for Walker-Peters if the latter man is tempted by a big move away.

Described as "superb" on social media by former Hammers striker Trevor Sinclair when given a rare opportunity in the first-team in 2021 – making 57 top-flight appearances over seven seasons for the Londoners – Johnson will hope a move to the South Coast means he'll finally be a starting player elsewhere and not just a utility figure.

Potentially denting promotion rivals Leeds in the process by winning the 5 foot 9 titan's signature, alongside strengthening the Saints at right-back with or without Walker-Peters present, it's a no-brainer move for Martin's men to make this January.

Manchester United are in the market for high-profile additions in January and could now look to strengthen their forward line under Erik ten Hag, according to a report.

Manchester United prepare for January…

All things considered, the last few days haven't been too bad for Manchester United after Sir Jim Ratcliffe agreed to buy his 25% stake in the club, with football operations now set to come under the banner of INEOS, alongside £236 million becoming available to redevelop Old Trafford.

On the pitch, the Red Devils picked up a much-needed 3-2 victory over Aston Villa to move up to sixth in the Premier League table following a dramatic late strike from Denmark international Rasmus Hojlund; however, Ten Hag will be keen to ensure his side inherit adequate cover in the January window to equip them for the second half of the campaign.

Plenty of rumours are starting to do the rounds regarding potential targets at Old Trafford and the acquisition of a striker has been floated as a major area of priority.

Man Utd's rumoured striker targets for January	Latest update
Serhou Guirassy	19th December
Nico Williams	19th December
Donyell Malen	8th December
Max Moerstedt	7th December
Timo Werner	1st December

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that Galatasaray striker Mauro Icardi moving to Manchester United would be "box office" amid recent links connecting the player and club, as he stated to the outlet: "I’ll be honest, while the signing would be box office I can’t see someone like Icardi arriving as we head towards January but across the course of next month a lot can change."

Now, a separate report has emerged claiming that the Red Devils have an alternative target in mind as Ten Hag looks to give support to Hojlund.

Manchester United want Viktor Gyokeres

According to reports in Portugal cited via Sport Witness, Manchester United are keen on Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres and could look to trigger his €100 million (£86.6 million) release clause in the January transfer window, which would leave Sporting powerless.

Labelled "brilliant" by former boss Mark Robins, the 25-year-old has been in some excellent form this term, registering 17 goals and eight assists in 20 appearances for his new club (Gyokeres statistics – Transfermarkt).

Viktor Gyokeres key statistics in 2023/24 – Liga Portugal (Sofascore)
Expected goals	5.82
Shots per game	2.9
Shots on target per game	1.3
Expected assists	2.25
Big chances missed	3
Average match rating	7.85/10

The outlet claim that the Sweden international has promised to see out the season at the Portuguese giants, something which will mean that the Red Devils will need to put a good argument across as to why he should swap the sunnier climbs of Lisbon for Old Trafford; nonetheless, hype continues to build over his next destination.

Scandinavian have a long, proud history at Manchester United and Ten Hag could now once again turn to an individual from the region to help add some extra firepower to his forward line in January.

Everton's priority will undoubtedly be to avoid Premier League relegation this season, but away from the pitch, they would be wise to begin plans to move away from season after season scrapping away with the bottom three. If the Toffees can build Sean Dyche a squad that balances both experience and players capable of becoming future stars, then the former Burnley boss could finally take them back into the Premier League's top half and even challenge for Europe.

With that said, reports suggest that those at Goodison Park are eyeing a move to sign an exciting Championship gem for Dyche in the summer transfer window.

Everton transfer news

On paper, the table reflects that Everton have so far endured yet another season to forget, but there's more to it than that. The Toffees were hit with a 10-point deduction earlier in the campaign for breaching Financial Fair Play rules and would be sitting as high as 12th, had they avoided such punishment.

Forced to face their current reality nonetheless, Everton must now ensure that the final standings reflect their performances rather than allowing the deduction to form the narrative of a disastrous season. If they do survive, meanwhile, the Merseyside club could turn their attention to summer additions.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Everton are eyeing a move for Tom Fellows, who is out of contract at West Bromwich Albion in the summer. Romano posted the news on X, saying:

Planning ahead, Everton could yet secure a right midfielder ready to play his part in both Dyche's current squad and whatever the future holds at Goodison Park.

"Excellent" Fellows can become better than Harrison

Whilst Jack Harrison has slotted straight into Dyche's side since arriving at Everton in the summer, a player of Fellows' potential can eventually prove to be an upgrade the winger. The West Brom youngster is already impressing in the Championship and has more than earned the chance to step up to the Premier League.

The fact that his current deal expires this summer too could hand Everton a free, bargain deal, and Fellows' stats show that he's certainly one to watch.

Player

Progressive Carries Per 90

Progressive Passes Per 90

Successful Take-ons Per 90

Key Passes Per 90

Tom Fellows

7.25

3

2.75

1.75

Jack Harrison

2.42

2.74

1.13

1.29

At just 20-years-old, Fellows is only likely to get better, and the fact that he has such impressive ball-carrying ability could be a standout skill for those on Merseyside. Often looking to hit the big spenders of the league on the counter attack, Fellows' ability on the ball would prove to be a valuable asset at Everton. As his West Brom contract continues to tick by, the right midfielder could leave the Championship to make a Premier League impact.

With the transfer window set to re-open next month, Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be already plotting potential moves that could be made in the new year, with centre-back a particular priority amid the current lack of depth and the loss of Micky van de Ven to injury.

Amid Ange Postecoglou's desire to bolster his backline, the suggestion is that the Lilywhites have already made contact regarding a possible swoop for OGC Nice sensation, Jean-Clair Todibo, as they look to win the race for the in-demand talent.

Spurs transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, the north London outfit have already "opened talks" with the Ligue 1 outfit in a bid to step up their interest in the 23-year-old, with Spurs hoping to steal a march on Premier League rivals, Manchester United, who are also said to be interested.

This has been corroborated by a report from 90min journalist, Graeme Bailey, with the transfer insider revealing that Postecoglou and co have been told that a deal can be struck for a fee of around £35m in January.

While Bailey reports that the club are also keeping a close eye on the likes of Ben Godfrey, Lloyd Kelly and Union Saint-Gilloise's Koki Machida, it is Todibo who is 'rapidly rising up their shortlist'.

How Jean-Clair Todibo would slot in at Spurs

Not only would the Frenchman – who has been hailed as the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – offer an able deputy to the stricken Van de Ven on the left side of the defence, but he could also be a direct rival to Cristian Romero at right centre-back.

The latter man was only recently dubbed the "best defender in the world" by compatriot, Lionel Messi, yet far too often has his recklessness nature proven costly for the Lilywhites, only recently serving a three-game suspension for his straight red card against Chelsea.

Todibo's 2023/24 Ligue 1 campaign by numbers

14 games (14 starts)

8 clean sheets

1 assist

1 big chance created

91% pass accuracy

1.3 interceptions per game

1.9 tackles per game

7.9 balls recovered per game

71% successful dribbles per game

65% aerial duels won

7.21 average match rating

Stats via Sofascore

If Postecoglou is looking for a more reliable option then Todibo is seemingly the way to go, the former Barcelona man having been in inspired form for a stubborn Nice side this term, helping to keep eight clean sheets from just 14 league outings thus far.

Arguably "one of the most underrated CB's in Europe" – in the words of Kulig – the 6 foot 3 titan could well prove a dream partner for Pedro Porro in that right channel, with the Spurs target's immense recovery speed – as indicated in the clip below – ensuring he can mop up expertly behind the Spaniard when required.

Not only that, but the £35m-rated star also boasts the composure required on the ball to be able to link nicely with Porro, notably ranking in the top 18% among his European peers for progressive passes per 90 – showcasing that he could regularly pick out the full-back when he opts to invert.

If the latter man is to step into the centre of the park – as he so often does in Postecoglou's tactical set-up – then Todibo could well exploit the space down the right with his knack for driving forward with ease, illustrated by the fact that he ranks in the top 5% for progressive carries per 90.

Such an array of qualities would surely compliment the attack-minded Porro – who boasts six assists this season – making Spurs an even more formidable outfit when building up from the back.

Carlos Corberan will want his West Brom players to put the dramatic defeat they suffered at the hands of Leicester City last game immediately to one side, the Baggies yearning for three points to come their way against a now managerless Sunderland side this Saturday to bounce back.

The Baggies boss will be forced into using his full squad for the game against the Black Cats in a less-than-ideal situation, trusted first team winger Matt Phillips is definitely ruled out for the game at the weekend owing to a long-term injury whilst Jed Wallace's availability remains up in the air.

On top of that, Corberan will also be without defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu for the clash at the Stadium of Light – West Brom's Turkish titan picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Leicester, meaning he will sit out this away game with a suspension.

This development comes at the worst possible time for the 29-year-old and his team, Yokuslu enjoying a purple patch recently for the Baggies before picking up a frankly needless fifth booking.

Okay Yokuslu's season in numbers

This will be the first time the defensive midfielder has missed a game this season, on the pitch in some capacity in all of West Brom's 19 games so far in the second tier.

The former Trabzonspor's man absence will be felt, Yokuslu particularly impressive last month in tricky games against Southampton and Ipswich Town in his holding role in the starting eleven.

His role in the Ipswich win went under the radar, but he was crucial throughout the statement 2-0 win for Corberan's side – winning six of his seven duels in the game, as per Sofascore.

Yokuslu could have even added a rare goal to his Baggies account against Kieran McKenna's men, hitting his only effort wide in a contest that saw West Brom dominate.

The win was secured courtesy of their no-nonsense presence standing strong up against Ipswich's flair players, the sort of presence that would be perfectly suited to the game against Sunderland when challenged with keeping tabs on skilful opposition players such as Dan Neil and Jack Clarke.

Jayson Molumby will more than likely come into the side to replace the suspended Yokuslu, however, hopeful of stepping up to the mark after an uninspiring season to date had seen him frozen out of Corberan's first-team plans.

Jayson Molumby's season in numbers

Once referred to by his manager as an "animal" in the centre of the park when performing at his best for the Baggies, the 24-year-old will be keen to offer energy and creativity alongside aggression from midfield against the Black Cats.

He'll definitely be wanting to perform to a better standard than he did when he was substituted on against the Foxes, West Brom's number eight winning just one of his four duels from a forgettable 15 minutes on the Hawthorns turf.

The Republic of Ireland senior international will instead want to tap into his excellent displays from earlier in the season and perform to that level again versus the Black Cats, Molumby starring in midfield against Millwall all the way back in August in what was the first home game of the campaign.

Molumby was measured and controlled in the middle of the pitch, only misplacing three passes all game in the otherwise drab 0-0 stalemate.

The Irishman will just hope he does enough against Sunderland to give Corberan a mini-selection dilemma when Yokuslu is free to be selected again, Molumby was one of the first names on the team sheet last season whilst this campaign he's faded to a position on the substitutes' bench.

Perhaps Saturday's crunch clash could be a rare opportunity for the 5 foot 9 gem to grasp.

Leeds United, sitting seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in the Championship's automatic promotion spot, could do with all the help they can get when it comes to bridging the gap on Kieran McKenna's side before the end of the season.

So far, Daniel Farke has enjoyed a solid spell at Elland Road, turning things around after a shaky start to put Leeds in contention for promotion at the first time of asking. Now, the 49ers Enterprises could be set to hand the former Norwich City a major boost by making what could prove to be a vital off-field decision ahead of the January transfer window.

Leeds United transfer news

The January transfer window can make or break a side's season, meaning that it could be crucial that Leeds get things right in early 2024. They have the opportunity to land potential game-changers when it comes to securing promotion and fixing any problems that Farke's side may have. To do that though, recruitment may well be key and that's where one specific off-field target could come in to play his part.

Leeds United predictions & previews for upcoming fixtures

Football FanCast looks ahead to Leeds United’s next 6 fixtures as they aim to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt.

ByMark Marston Nov 23, 2023

According to reporter Scott Burns of The Daily Record, the 49ers and Leeds United are pushing for a deal to land Aberdeen head of recruitment Jordan Miles, possibly before 2024, and they want him to play a major part in their transfer moves. Miles previously spent time at West Ham United, before joining Aberdeen in the summer. The Scottish Premiership side now face the prospect of losing their second head of recruitment in the space of six months. If Miles does leave, then Aberdeen will be entitled to compensation and a notice period will be in place.

Players that Miles has recruited at Aberdeen

Despite spending just months at the club so far, Miles played his part in Aberdeen's summer transfer window as they welcomed the likes of Richard Jensen, Ester Sokler, Nicky Devlin and Slobodan Rubezic. With Aberdeen sitting as low as 11th in the Scottish Premiership, however, it remains to be seen whether Miles' summer recruitment will be looked back on as a success.

With a potentially bigger budget to work with at Leeds if he makes the move to Elland Road, Miles could have the opportunity to showcase his ability slightly more and help the Whites on their way to promotion. Farke recently spoke about potential January arrivals and the Championship season, saying:

"It's difficult to say, for me this season one of the most competitive and strongest Ch'ship seasons in the last decade and it's also a long season. I think over the whole course of 46 games, it's then a bit levelled in the end. The most important topic is you're concentrated on yourself. If you're there with a point average of 2.00 like we are, then definitely happy days.

"Obviously money always helps to bring quality in, but it's also about good and hard work and creating a good spirit and balance. To add one top class player after the other it can ruin the whole atmosphere and spirit. You have to spend the money wisely, it makes your life easier if you have money but it doesn't take anything away from hard and good work in recruitment, that the quality and character of the player suits and the identification with the shirt."

Shaheen Afridi roars after taking a wicket•Getty Images

Pakistan finally managed to stop New Zealand’s 12-match winning streak against them in ODIs, and it came via one of their better performances since the 2017 Champions Trophy final. This meant they also kept the series alive heading into Dubai for the finale. Fakhar Zaman made his first half-century in Asia – it could’ve been a hundred if not for a wild slog – as Pakistan cruised to a six-wicket victory after Shaheen Afridi’s four-for restricted New Zealand to 210.Fakhar and Imam-ul-Haq started solidly, but the stand was only broken courtesy a sickening blow to the head that forced Imam off the field. Lockie Ferguson’s sharp bouncer smashed into his grille to leave him shaken. While he expressed a desire to stay on, it was clear he needed medical attention.In resetting their focus, Pakistan couldn’t have hoped for a more imperturbable batsman than Babar Azam at No. 3. He immediately set about his innings with the effortless glory that has become his hallmark. A magnificent cover drive that would have drawn purrs from a Test crowd was the shot of the day, but it was one amid a flurry of boundaries that almost completely neutralised Ferguson. Fakhar at the other end was batting as if his recent struggles hadn’t happened, perhaps emancipated by the reduced pressure of a smaller chase.New Zealand needed wickets at the top to make this competitive, but the first didn’t come until Pakistan had crossed 150. Fakhar and Babar did fall within three balls of each other to find personal milestones withheld from them – Fakhar was 12 runs short of a 100 and Babar four away from 50 – but with just 55 runs away, they had ensured their side would not be denied.Pakistan had kept New Zealand to that total due to a fantastic team effort in the field, but even so, Shaheen Afridi stood out. He had the ascendancy over New Zealand whether he came on at the start or the finish, tight with his lines and menacing with his lengths. His four-fer punctured New Zealand at both ends of the innings, and ensured they wouldn’t be able to run away and post the sort of total that has discomfited Pakistan so frequently in recent times.Ross Taylor was again the glue through the middle overs for the visitors unbeaten on 86 by the end. But unlike the game on Wednesday, he had no partner that stuck with him through the innings. As a consequence, New Zealand fell behind in the middle overs, and the constant fall of wickets meant they were poorly positioned for a big finish.Runs from the top order were again hard to come by, as Colin Munro couldn’t convert a bright start into a more substantial innings, but the killer blow came with the dismissal of Kane Williamson. George Worker drove Afridi back down the ground, and the lanky teenager stooped low enough to get a finger on the ball. Williamson was stranded hopelessly far down the crease, and could only watch in despair as the ball hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. It could not have been more unfortunate, and from New Zealand’s perspective, it was the worst possible man for that misfortune to befall.Worker produced, well, a workmanlike innings to give Taylor some company, but just as he began to establish himself and the partnership approached 50, Taylor’s recent bete noire Mohammad Hafeez came into the attack and bowled him. Next over, Afridi, who had a fantastic day in the field, bowled Tom Latham with a searing yorker. That dismissal changed the trajectory of the innings, as New Zealand found themselves deprived of a quick scorer who would serve as the ideal foil for Taylor.Even when Afridi was called upon to return in the death overs, he was positively measly in his lines and lengths. The full delivery was accurate enough to make it impossible to get under, and the number of variations, and the maturity to understand when to use them, was superb.When Hasan Ali, last year’s star in the final overs, was smashed by Ish Sodhi for the innings most expensive over, Afridi returned to befuddle him all over, with a slower ball that took middle stump with it putting him out of his misery. It was a shame not to see him bowl out his full quota, and in the process deny him a five-for he was arguably odds on for; he finished with 4 for 38 in nine.Nicholls and Taylor had rebuilt through the middle overs, but not with the lively urgency of Latham in the previous game. Their partnership of 75 was vital in ensuring the visitors weren’t bowled out, but it came in 21 overs, removing any chance of the 250-plus score they would have been comfortable with at the dinner break.Shadab Khan was exceptionally tight in his line, by far the most economical of the bowlers, conceding only 25 in his full quota. Hafeez provided accurate support alongside him, and this time, Taylor opted to focus on the task at hand rather than the degrees the bowler’s elbow as bending.It was a freaky game in a number of ways, what with Imam’s injury and Williamson’s dismissal. The way Shoaib Malik got out perhaps topped them both, with the allrounder smashing – no exaggeration – a pull shot flush into Nicholls right shoulder at short leg. The ball popped up, and Sodhi ran in from the edge of the circle to complete a comfortable catch. It was that sort of game, but if you’re a Pakistan game, you’ll only remember it as the sort of game that ended the unlikeliest losing streak Pakistan could possibly have endured.

Newcastle United have been boosted by the news that an "exceptional" transfer target is keen on a move to St James' Park in the January transfer window.

Newcastle eyeing Sandro Tonali replacements

The Magpies could look to improve in a number of areas when January arrives, but it has been no great surprise to see numerous midfielders linked with a move to the club, with that position seen as the main point of focus. That's because of Sandro Tonali's ten-month ban for betting offences, which means he won't play a single minute for the rest of this season, acting as a significant blow for Eddie Howe.

There is the option of Newcastle simply making do with their current options, considering they are still getting by with the players they have in the middle of the park, but that could be deemed a risk the longer the season goes on, with fixtures coming thick and fast in various competitions.

The likes of Kalvin Phillips, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Neves and Scott McTominay have all been linked with joining Newcastle, with a loan move looking most likely. It could even be a short-term deal until the end of the campaign comes to fruition, at which point Tonali would be edging towards his return to action.

Kalvin Phillips wants Newcastle move

According to a new update from Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Phillips is specifically interested in joining Newcastle in January, with the report stating that the Magpies "lead the pack of clubs" looking to snap him up.

While Juventus have also been seen as contenders to bring in the Manchester City and England ace, it is claimed that "Phillips is not Juventus’ first choice and Juventus are not Phillips’ first-choice". Instead, Newcastle are the club that the 27-year-old would like to join, seeing it as his best destination as he looks to boost his chances of featuring prominently for his country at Euro 2024.

Phillips has always arguably felt like the Magpies' best option to bring in when the January transfer window opens, so the fact that he would like to head to St James' can only be a good thing. Unlike Kante and Neves, he is still playing in the Premier League rather than the Saudi Pro League, so he could be more ready to make a seamless switch from City to Newcastle.

While the Englishman's year-and-a-bit-long spell at City hasn't gone to plan yet, he has still done his bit for the cause and was part of a squad that won a historic treble last season. Pep Guardiola may be happy to see Phillips move on in the near future, but the legendary Spaniard has still spoken highly of him, saying he is "exceptional in many things".

The former Leeds United star could be a perfect short-term replacement for Tonali, providing similar energy and technical ability in midfield, and if he were to come in and impress, it could even be that Newcastle look to sign him on a permanent deal once the 2023/24 season reaches its conclusion.

Three days after the league’s president stepped down, the PCB’s new chairman Ehsan Mani has written to the ICC seeking reassurance about the league ‘being clean’

Umar Farooq22-Sep-2018The PCB will not allow their players to participate in this year’s T10 League unless the board is satisfied about the finances behind the league. It is the second significant development ahead of the second edition of the T10 League, after the league’s president, Salman Iqbal – also a major investor in the tournament – stepped down citing a lack of “transparency” and “proper systems and monitoring”. The new PCB chairman Ehsan Mani has written to the ICC seeking reassurances about the league “being clean”.”I am holding back my position [on providing an NOC to the Pakistani players to participate in the T10] until I am fully satisfied with specifics on whose money is fueling this league,” Mani told reporters in Dubai. “In fact, I have asked the ICC for reassurance because they have sanctioned it and I need it in writing that they are totally satisfied that this league has no such element that can bring Pakistan players into dispute. Unfortunately, [our players] get trapped [into sinister machinations often] so my top priority is to protect my players as, for us, reputation of Pakistan is far more important.”The T10 League, a 10-overs-a-side format introduced by private cricket organisers in Sharjah, made its debut late last year, and the success of its opening season has led to an increase from six teams to eight and from a 13-match tournament held over four days to a 28-game event over ten days. The PCB had levied a fee of $400,000 USD on the league and, for extending its support, they are supposed to get another $600,000 (USD).Iqbal, the owner of the ARY Media Group and the Pakistan Super League’s second-most expensive team, Karachi Kings, struck a deal with UAE-based businessman Shaji ul Mulk for launching the league last year. The second edition is set to run from November 23 to December 2. Prominent players like Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Brendon McCullum and Andre Russell have committed to taking part this season. On Monday, the eight franchises gathered in Dubai for a mini draft to pick their icon players and choose four players to retain from their 2017 squads.However, in a surprise move, Iqbal resigned from the position of president on September 19, and disassociated himself from all its operations. His presence in the league was a major driver in pulling in Pakistani players managing to rope in a number of the top nationally contracted players.Initially the PCB wasn’t willing to allow its players to take part since it clashed with the commercial interests of the PSL in the UAE. But Iqbal, despite having a stake in the PSL, managed to convince the then PCB chairman Najam Sethi to let them participate. Sethi, who was in charge of the board until last month, had committed to the T10 that the board would release its players for the second edition. The commitment, however, now stands revoked under the new chairman.”I don’t understand the rationale behind that. On what basis did [the board] commit Pakistan [players to the T10 League]?” asked Mani. “I think the only criteria that was considered was how much money the PCB and the players will get. The players’ workload wasn’t taken into account.”All the leagues that Pakistani players participate in, I am getting them re-examined. Whichever league our players are involved in, we need to find out with due diligence who are running the leagues and whether they are really credible. This wasn’t done before [with regards to the T10 League] as there is not a single piece paper that can tell me who are these people are behind the T10 League.”The board has also barred its players from participating in the Afghanistan Premier League (APL) starting from October 5, in Sharjah. In an email sent by the PCB to Kamran Akmal, the PCB intimated that only players who have retired from all formats are allowed to participate in the tournament. Allrounder Shahid Afridi, along with Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Faheem Ashraf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Sohail Tanvir, Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Hafeez were picked in the APL draft earlier this month.

There is little doubt that Marcelo Bielsa enjoyed a terrific spell at Leeds United as he transformed the club from a perennial midtable Championship side into a Premier League outfit.

Prior to the Argentine genius' arrival in the summer of 2018, the Whites had finished 13th or lower in the second tier in six of the previous seven seasons.

They had also not made the play-offs at that level since the 2005/06 campaign under the management of Kevin Blackwell, which illustrates the size of the task that was facing Bielsa.

However, the ex-Marseille boss hit the ground running and led Leeds to third in his first season before going on to win the Championship title the following term.

Bielsa then secured a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League as the club played at the top level for the first time since the 2003/04 campaign.

He enjoyed great success on the pitch for the vast majority of his time at Elland Road but there were some questionable moments and the signing of Spanish forward Rodrigo was one of them.

How much did Leeds pay for Rodrigo?

Whilst working alongside sporting director Victor Orta, Bielsa sanctioned a swoop to sign the attacker from LaLiga outfit Valencia for a reported fee of £27m.

This was a club-record transfer at the time for Leeds and a statement of intent from the club that they were prepared to have a real crack at the top-flight.

This turned out to be a mare from the Whites as Rodrigo ended up being a worse option than Bamford and his value plummeted throughout his spell in England.

Why did Leeds sign Rodrigo?

The Spain international was brought in for a record fee off the back of a five-year stint in LaLiga with Valencia but the warning signs were already there for Bielsa and Orta.

Rodrigo's finishing throughout his last two league seasons with the Spanish side left a lot to be desired and did not suggest that he would be a reliable goalscorer for the club.

The experienced attacker made 33 La Liga appearances throughout the 2018/19 campaign and contributed with eight goals for his side. However, the £27m-rated ace also missed a whopping 17 'big chances' and racked up 14.7 xG.

This means that Rodrigo underperformed by 6.70 xG in front of goal based on the quality of chances that were being provided to him by his teammates.

He struggled again during the 2019/20 season as the former Benfica star scored four goals from an xG of 7.23, which was an underperformance of 3.23 goals.

The left-footed whiz made 27 league appearances that term and missed nine 'big chances' as he failed to make the most of the opportunities that were being created for him.

Whereas, his fellow attackers were helping him to register more assists than the quality of chances he was creating suggested that he should have had.

Over those two seasons, Rodrigo registered 9.95 xA and was rewarded with 13 assists as his teammates overperformed at the top end of the pitch.

How many goals did Rodrigo score for Leeds?

These worrying trends did not dissuade Leeds and Bielsa from making him the most expensive player in the club's history during the summer transfer window in 2020.

Rodrigo went on to score 28 goals and assisted five in 97 matches in all competitions for the Whites as he failed to provide a consistent attacking threat in the final third throughout his time in England.

His debut Premier League season was relatively underwhelming, given the financial outlay that was spent on the 29-year-old dud, as he scored seven goals and assisted two in 26 top-flight matches, which included 14 starts, as per Sofascore.

The Spanish flop followed that up with six goals and one assist in 27 starts and 31 appearances in total across the 2021/22 league campaign.

His best season in a Leeds shirt then came last term as the club were relegated from the Premier League. He plundered 13 goals and one assist in 23 starts and eight substitute outings for the Yorkshire-based outfit.

This means that Rodrigo contributed with 26 goals and four assists in 64 top-flight starts for Leeds, which is one goal involvement every 2.13 starts on average.

How many Premier League goals has Bamford scored for Leeds?

Bamford, on the other hand, scored 23 goals and provided 11 assists in the club's three seasons at the top level before their relegation earlier this year.

The England international produced a superb 17 goals and seven assists in 37 starts throughout the 2020/21 campaign. He proved himself to be the go-to man for goals under Bielsa in spite of Rodrigo being brought in for a record fee, with ten more goals and five more assists at Premier League level.

However, injury troubles restricted Bamford's involvement over the subsequent two years as the ex-Chelsea prospect scored six goals and assisted four in 25 league starts.

This means that the Leeds marksman chipped in with 23 goals and 11 assists in 62 Premier League starts in that three-year period, which is one involvement every 1.82 starts on average.

Seasons

Three

Three

Starts

62

64

Goals

23

26

Assists

11

Four

These statistics show that Bamford, who cost £16m less (£10m), provided a greater threat than Rodrigo at the top end of the pitch at that level.

How much did Leeds sell Rodrigo for?

The Whites were forced to cash in on the Spain international earlier this year as Qatari side Al Rayyan swooped in to secure his services for £3m, which was the value of his relegation release clause.

This means that Rodrigo's value at Leeds plummeted by a staggering £24m over the course of his three years in Yorkshire, from the initial £27m they paid for him.

His goals were not enough to keep the club in the division at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and he did not do enough in his time at Elland Road to live up to the price tag.

Former Premier League forward Kevin Phillips described Rodrigo's lack of consistent output as "disappointing" when taking into account his hefty valuation.

Therefore, Bielsa and Leeds had a mare with the signing of the Spanish attacker as they brought in an ageing, underperforming, forward for a club-record fee and he ended up being a worse option than Bamford who also lost the club millions by the end of his spell.