Devdutt Padikkal (86*), B Sai Sudharsan (73) and N Jagadeesan (64) were also among the runs in Lucknow

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Sep-2025

Dhruv Jurel scored his second first-class century•Tanuj/UPCA

Dhruv Jurel scored his second first-class century on a day when all India A batters except captain Shreyas Iyer were among the runs against Australia A. The hosts ended day three on 403 for 4, still 129 runs behind the visitors’ first-innings total of 532. Apart from Jurel, who was batting on 113 at stumps, Devdutt Padikkal, B Sai Sudharsan and N Jagadeesan also went past fifty at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.India A started day three trailing Australia A by 416 runs, with nine wickets in hand, and Xavier Bartlett had Jagadeesan caught behind by Josh Phillipe for 64 in the sixth over of the day to end a second-wicket stand of 49. Padikkal then joined Sudharsan in a productive stand, but with their partnership nearing a hundred, Sudharsan missed an attempted reverse-sweep off Cooper Connolly and was trapped lbw for 73.Australia A struck again 3.2 overs later, with Iyer was trapped in front by Corey Rocchiccioli for 8. It was Iyer’s third successive low score in a first-class game, after he was dismissed for 25 and 12 against Central Zone in the semi-finals of the Duleep Trophy earlier this month.But Iyer’s wicket turned out to be the last for Australia A on Thursday, as Jurel and Padikkal rebuilt. India A were 310 behind when the two came together, and by the end of the day they had put on an unbroken 181 for the fifth wicket.Padikkal was more the patient of the two batters, taking his time in getting to his fifty off 117 balls. The aggressive Jurel reached the landmark in just 54 deliveries, getting there by smashing Rocchiccioli for two consecutive sixes and a four.Rocchiccioli was the most expensive of the Australia A bowlers, going for 128 runs in 24 overs at an economy rate of 5.33. Jurel especially took a liking to the offspinner, scoring 47 runs off him at just better than a run a ball, with three fours and three sixes.By the end of the day, Jurel had rattled along at a strike rate of 85.61 over 132 balls, and Padikkal at 48.31. The left-hand batter went to stumps batting on 86, in sight of a seventh first-class century. Their 181-run stand had come at nearly five runs an over.With only the final day’s play left, and with neither team having begun their second innings, the match seems headed towards a draw.

Leeds United fans will be fearing the worst regarding their lowly team when you glance at the slog of Premier League fixtures coming the Whites’ way across the rest of November and December.

Indeed, November ends with two tough contests versus Aston Villa and Manchester City, with Daniel Farke’s men needing to make home advantage count against the Villans, before travelling to the Etihad to take on the Erling Haaland-led Citizens.

December then throws up clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool, with Farke’s precarious position in the Elland Road dug-out no doubt on even shakier foundations if the losses continue, and Leeds slip into the bottom three in the league.

The pain of poor results across these winter months can always be somewhat remedied by the January transfer window opening, as Leeds attempt to turn around their fortunes with a big signing or two…

Where Leeds can bolster their forward line in January

Based on current rumours coming out of West Yorkshire, it’s clear that a new striker addition is a priority.

In recent days, Leeds have been tipped to make some statement moves, with an audacious swoop for Ivan Toney alleged. Moreover, FC Midtjylland centre-forward Franculino has been on their radar as Farke attempts to move away from solely relying on Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha.

On top of talk of Toney and Franculino, Leeds are also chasing after the services of AZ Alkmaar goal machine Troy Parrott, who is very much in the limelight now for his Republic of Ireland heroics.

A report from Dutch outlet Voetbal Neuws, which has been relayed by Sport Witness, states that Leeds have entered discussions to sign the clinical 23-year-old, after being interested in the Dublin-born striker’s signature since the summer.

Now, with a hat-trick under his belt for his nation against Hungary, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur wonderkid is a hot commodity once more, with a bid in the region of £26m expected to be enough to prize him away from the clutches of his Eredivisie employers.

How Parrott can be Leeds' next Rutter

Splashing out such a big amount on an attacker could see Leeds pick up their next iteration of Georginio Rutter, with Rutter eventually going down as a fan’s favourite at Elland Road, after departing Hoffenheim for some lavish bucks.

After a wobbly start mid-way through the 2022/23 season, arriving in a whopping £35.5m deal, Rutter would find his feet under Farke during the following season.

In total, the attacker scored eight goals and tallied up a bumper 18 assists for the Whites, before leaving the building for a Premier League opportunity at Brighton and Hove Albion for £40m. Despite only being around for 66 matches, the skilful Frenchman is still very much fondly remembered, with pundit Jeff Stelling labelling him as a “class act” to watch in West Yorkshire.

Much like Rutter made everything look effortless and smooth donning Leeds white, Parrott has made goalscoring look like clockwork lining up for AZ Alkmaar.

He has netted a ludicrous 13 goals this season in all competitions from only 14 outings, meaning the Irishman is very much living up to his billing of being a “natural goalscorer”, which was handed to him by one of his former coaches in Darragh O’Riley, way back in 2019.

The hope would just be that Parrott would be able to enter the English game and be a hit from the first second he entered the Elland Road turf, with Leeds’ survival chances perhaps resting on the 23-year-old’s lethal instincts getting Farke and Co out of some sticky situations.

Games played

248

Goals scored

97

Assists

26

Career hat-tricks

6

Top goalscorer awards

2x

If he can be a reliable source of goals towards the foot of the difficult division, he will easily be able to reach the same fan favourite status as Rutter before him, with a mighty 97 career goals next to his name at the time of writing.

Parrott could well hit a century of goals in West Yorkshire; therefore, with his former international manager, Stephen Kenny, also noting that the in-demand centre-forward can “elevate” himself to that next level with ease, which could stand him in good stead to become a feared Premier League marksman.

Leeds would have to put their money where their mouth is in landing Parrott, but if the tale of Rutter is anything to go by, it could be worth splashing the big bucks in January as a new fan favourite is potentially unearthed.

Leeds can forget signing Ivan Toney by unleashing 17-year-old goal machine

Leeds United can forget about pursuing a move for Ivan Toney by unleashing one of their homegrown youngsters into the first team mix.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 17, 2025

Erling Haaland's quickfire brace secured Norway a superb 4-1 comeback win over Italy to fire his country to their first World Cup since 1998. The Manchester City talisman exploded into the game with two goals in as many minutes as they topped their World Cup qualifying group in style. If the striker can continue his prolific form in front of goal, he could be a huge threat at his first World Cup.

• A game of two halves

  Heading into this contest, Norway had a three-point cushion over the Italians, along with a vastly superior goal difference. And it seemed Italy took that personally as they roared out of the blocks before taking the lead in the 11th minute through Francesco Pio Esposito's quick-thinking finish on Sunday night. The 20-year-old should have made it 2-0 not long before half time but he couldn't keep his header on target when in a very good position at San Siro.

  Norway, who barely laid a finger on their hosts, showed signs of life in the second half as Alexander Sorloth flashed shots against the side netting and over the bar. And as the momentum was turning in the away team's favour, Antonio Nusa ran 20 yards with the ball before unleashing a fierce strike past Gianluigi Donnarumma in the 63rd minute. 

  Both Donnarumma and Norway stopper Orjan Nyland made important stops late on, but it took a moment of brilliance from Haaland in the 78th minute to separate both sides when he volleyed in Oscar Bobb's lofted cross. Just a minute later, the 25-year-old made it 3-1 when he expertly slotted the ball home from close range. Substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen bent a neat finish into the corner in second-half stoppage time as Norway emphatically won all eight of their group games, while Italy will have to qualify for the World Cup via the play-offs.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  The MVP

  Who else but Haaland? While Nusa kick-started Norway's fightback and Strand Larsen scored at the death, the City attacker's double ensured his side secured a superb victory in Milan. His first was a terrific volley, which flew past a helpless Donnarumma. And for his second, he showed off his poacher's instincts. Watch out for Norway in North America in 2026 with Haaland about.

• The big loser

  While Pio Esposito spurned a great opportunity to put Italy in control 10 minutes before half-time, and Norway's Julian Ryerson, who was sporting a bold leopard-print haircut inspired by NBA icon Dennis Rodman, dropped a clanger for the home team's opener, Italy as a whole ended their group stage campaign on a real sour note. To concede four second-half goals and go down with a whimper will hurt a lot.

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• AFP
  

  Match rating (out of five): ⭐⭐⭐⭐

MatériaMais Notícias

O Flamengo começa a sua caminhada rumo ao nono título do Brasileirão, visitando o Atlético-GO, no Serra Dourada, neste domingo (14), às 16h (Brasília). Sem nenhuma baixa no Departamento Médico, Tite vai com o time considerado titular.

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Antes de viajar, o técnico Tite fez apenas uma mudança no time que venceu o Palestino por 2 a 0 no Maracanã. O zagueiro Fabrício Bruno voltou ao time titular, no lugar do Léo Ortiz, no treino realizado na manhã deste sábado (13) no Ninho do Urubu.

O provável time do Flamengo que vai começar a partida contra o Atlético-GO é o seguinte: Rossi; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar, De La Cruz, Arrascaeta; Cebolinha, Luiz Araújo e Pedro.

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O meia Gerson foi relacionado para a partida e pode voltar aos gramados após dois meses. No dia 1º de março, o mesmo passou por um procedimento de pieloplastia para correção de uma estenose congênita do ureter. A previsão era para que o atleta voltasse entre o final de abril e início de maio, porém o meia voltou muito antes do esperado e impressionou muito a comissão técnica.

O atacante Carlinhos, recém-contratado do Nova Iguaçu, também vai estar à disposição do Tite e pode ser uma boa alternativa no segundo tempo contra o Atlético-GO.

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O próximo compromisso do Rubro-Negro será contra o São Paulo, na quarta-feira (17), às 21h30, no Maracanã, e a expectativa é de casa cheia.

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By learning to relax and trust his skills, he is giving himself the best chance to succeed

Greg Chappell11-Jun-2025Cricket coaching manuals are replete with diagrams of the perfect cover drive, blueprints for the ideal bowling action, and meticulous plans for fitness regimens. Hours upon hours are dedicated to honing the physical mechanics of the game – the footwork, the grip, the follow-through. This focus on the tangible, the repeatable, the physical, forms the bedrock of traditional cricketing wisdom. Yet, what if this singular emphasis, while necessary, inadvertently delays the realisation of a player’s true potential?What if, like in life itself, the secret to unlocking peak performance lies not just in the sweat and toil, but in aligning with a deeper rhythm, a universal energy that governs success and ease?The prevailing narrative in sport, and often in life, is one of relentless effort. Work harder, train longer, push through the pain.Steven Smith, for much of his illustrious career, seemed to embody this ethos. His legendary net sessions, his almost obsessive dedication to practice, spoke of a man who believed that mastery was solely forged in the fires of personal exertion.The mantra was clear: work hard and improvement must follow. And undeniably, it worked for him, yielding vast success built on a seemingly inexhaustible work ethic.But perhaps, even in those years of tireless physical application, there was an unseen force at play. Perhaps, without consciously articulating it, Smith was subconsciously attuned to a different frequency, connected to the universe in ways that transcended the physical grind. His admission of being awake at night during Test matches, mentally rehearsing his innings, wasn’t just strategising; it was a form of deep internal alignment. These sessions, almost exclusively mental, were his way of getting in tune with the universal energy, visualising not just the shots but the flow state, the ease, the rhythm.Related

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There has been a subtly shifting approach in Smith that is potentially revolutionary. It hints at a maturity that understands the limitations of purely physical effort as one ages, and the growing importance of the mental landscape.His conscious decision to relax more, to spend less time in the nets, to allow his mind to wander free is not a sign of diminished ambition but a recognition that preserving mental energy and finding a state of ease is paramount for sustained performance at the highest level. He feels he needs to be in the “best space you can be in the middle to bat for long periods” and hitting less in the nets before a series helps keep his mental side as focused as possible when he’s batting in a match. This isn’t laziness; it’s wisdom.This shift challenges the very foundations of traditional coaching. It suggests that while technical proficiency is non-negotiable up to a point, there comes a time in a cricketer’s journey when further physical repetition yields diminishing returns. At this juncture, the focus must pivot.The most significant gains are to be made not in adding more hours in the nets but in cultivating the inner game, in learning to work with the universe, not against it.I recall a telling moment late in Ricky Ponting’s career, during an optional training day before an Ashes Test. He hadn’t been in form and came to the ground seeking a breakthrough. The longer he batted, the more frustrated he became, his rhythm eluding him. He was trying hard to force it back. When I asked him what he was trying to achieve, he spoke of being “all out of sorts” and needing to “find some rhythm”. I suggested that his lack of flow stemmed more from his mental state than his physical, and that perhaps a round of golf, clearing his mind, might be more beneficial than continuing to mentally beat himself up in the nets. He politely disagreed, which spoke of the ingrained belief that more physical effort is always the answer.

When you approach the crease, or any challenge in life, with ease, with a sense of quiet joy, you are more likely to be in flow, working in harmony with that universal energy. This isn’t just the simpler way to live; it might also be the simplest way to bat

Yet it’s fascinating to remember that when Ricky was in the absolute prime of his career, he was known for not spending excessive time in the nets. He would often walk out once he felt he was hitting the ball as he liked, a quiet confidence in his preparation, a trust in his ability to find that rhythm when it mattered. He wasn’t trying to force it; he was allowing it to be.This brings us to a crucial, yet often overlooked, aspect of both batting and life: trust. Trust in your preparation, trust in your instincts, and trust in the unfolding of events. When you try too hard, you introduce tension, doubt and resistance.You are, in effect, swimming against the current of the universe. But when you approach the crease, or any challenge in life, with ease, with a sense of quiet joy, you are more likely to be in flow, working in harmony with that universal energy. It feels simpler, more natural, less of a struggle. This isn’t just the simpler way to live; it might also be the simplest way to bat.Smith’s recent revelations could serve as a powerful lesson. His conscious effort to manage his mental energy, to step back from the relentless physical grind, underscores the growing importance of the inner game as a player matures. It’s a message that should resonate with cricketers and coaches at all levels. While the physical fundamentals remain essential, true mastery, sustained success, and the ability to perform under pressure may ultimately hinge on the capacity to align with the universe, to find that state of flow, and to trust in the process.I sincerely wish Smith huge success in the upcoming challenges – the World Test Championship final, the tour of the West Indies, and the Ashes. His performance will, of course, be a result of his immense skill and preparation. But perhaps, just perhaps, the greatest legacy he leaves behind won’t be a particular technique or a batting record but the subtle yet profound message embedded in his current approach: that in the relentless pursuit of excellence, cultivating a mind that is fit, healthy, uncluttered, and attuned to the rhythm of the universe may be the most revolutionary stroke of all.

Test allrounder Beau Webster failed again with the bat in Tasmania’s 144-run loss to Victoria in the Sheffield Shield.Webster made just 6 as Tasmania, chasing 335 runs to win, were bowled out for 210 on day four at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Friday.Victoria remain unbeaten with three wins from as many games, and paceman Fergus O’Neill enhanced his national call-up prospects with a haul of 4 for 54.Related

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Webster entered the game with heat on his Australian place ahead of national selectors naming their squad for the first Test against England. His meagre returns with the bat followed taking 1 for 26 from 12 overs in Victoria’s first innings, and 0 for 28 from 11 overs in their second.Before Friday’s play, both teams observed a minute’s silence for Victorian teen cricketer Ben Austin, who died after being struck on the head while batting in the nets.Tasmania resumed after losing another Ashes hopeful, Jake Weatherald, for 12 late on Thursday. And his opening partner Caleb Jewell was the first batter dismissed on Friday, bowled by O’Neill for 21.Tim Ward and Brad Hope put on 48 for the third wicket, but their stand ended with the score on 107. Ward, who made a polished 52, was run out in a horrible mix-up – as non-striker, he advanced for a single while Hope stood still after fending a short ball. Ward was almost three-quarters down the pitch when he slipped while trying to turn, and was still on his haunches when run out.Victoria struck again just four runs later when veteran Jordan Silk was bowled for a duck when shouldering arms to a Will Sutherland in-dipper.Webster departed just 14 runs later when caught from the bowling of Mitchell Perry, slashing at a wide ball and being caught at deep backward point.Jake Doran and Nikhil Chaudhary offered some resistance, before Victoria secured victory inside the final hour.

The pressure is growing on Arne Slot to turn things around at Liverpool and Michael Edwards could now reportedly hire a former Premier League manager.

Arne Slot admits "shock" as Liverpool crisis mounts

The 3-0 defeat at Anfield against Nottingham Forest signalled that Liverpool were in a crisis, but last night’s 4-1 defeat against PSV Eindhoven signalled that Slot may not be able to find his way out of that crisis. The Reds are on a historically disastrous run, having smashed their transfer record twice in the summer to back their Premier League title-winning manager.

It’s the most unexpected run from a side that many backed to retain the English crown and Slot admitted that it’s also been a “shock” to him in recent weeks.

Liverpool aren’t a sacking club, historically speaking, but reports have now claimed that Edwards admires Ange Postecoglou and the pressure is growing on Slot to turn things around.

Liverpool eyeing Postecoglou as Joyce reveals crisis talks

Paul Joyce revealed on social media that the hierarchy have held talks with Slot on Thursday.

And according to TeamTalk, Edwards is an admirer of Postecoglou and has not been deterred by the Aussie’s failure at Nottingham Forest or by how his final Premier League season ended at Tottenham Hotspur.

Postecoglou, who deploys an attack-minded 4-3-3 formation with a high defensive line and has publicly stated he demands “relentless” pressing from his sides, has been out of work since an 8-game spell with Forest which returned just 0.25 points per game.

Sources at Anfield told TeamTalk that Slot is “under pressure” but not in immediate danger of being sacked.

Related Xabi Alonso makes decision about Liverpool role if he is sacked by Real Madrid

The Spaniard is also under pressure in Spain.

Posts 1 ByTom Cunningham Nov 26, 2025

It’s a tough situation for Liverpool chiefs. Slot became just the second manager to give them a Premier League title last season, but there’s no denying that recent results have been unacceptable and there are serious questions as to whether he can turn things around given his side make the same mistakes week in week out.

Slot must drop 3/10 flop who was just as bad as Konate vs PSV

Kylian Mbappe made more history on Wednesday night as he took just seven minutes to bag a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos. The Greek side had taken a shock lead against Xabi Alonso's side with a brilliant team goal, but were left stunned as Mbappe netted three times in just seven minutes to put Los Blancos firmly in control of the tie.

Mbappe the hat-trick hero for Real Madrid

Mbappe has been in stunning form this season for Real Madrid but had headed into the match without a goal in his last three games for Alonso's side. However, the France international was quick to end that particular drought, equalising for the visitors after 22 minutes of the match. Mbappe headed home his second two minutes later to put Real Madrid in front and then had his third before the half-hour mark. Arda Guler's ball over the top found the Frenchman in acres of space, and he confidently despatched a low shot past goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis to ensure he'll be taking home another match ball for his collection.

AdvertisementHat-trick is second fastest in the Champions League

Mbappe's hat-trick is the second fastest the Champions League has ever seen. The Frenchman's three goals were clocked at six minutes and 42 seconds, just behind Mohamed Salah's treble against Rangers for Liverpool in 2022. Salah was marginally quicker with his hat-trick timed at six minutes and 13 seconds.

However, the Real Madrid superstar does now have more hat-tricks away from home than any other player in the history of the Champions League. Wednesday's treble was the fourth time he had scored three goals in a game in an away fixture.

Mbappe to win another Golden Shoe?

Mbappe won the Golden Shoe last season, beating off competition from Viktor Gyokeres and Salah after netting 31 times in his debut campaign for Real Madrid following his blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain. The France star will be hoping to win the prestigious prize again and is certainly in good shape currently. Mbappe has 13 goals in 13 La Liga outings for Real Madrid this season and his hat-trick against Olympiacos takes his tally to eight in five Champions League appearances.

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Getty Images SportReal Madrid up against Girona next

Real Madrid will return to Spain after their trip to Greece and will aim to get their title challenge back on track after dropping points against Elche last time out. Alonso's side are back in action on Sunday against Girona at Montilivi, with Mbappe likely to take some stopping as he heads into the game in red-hot form.

Chelsea have now submitted an opening bid for Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, amid a new update on his future at the La Liga club.

The Blues already have a plethora of attacking options, having invested heavily during the summer transfer window, with Jamie Gittens grabbing his first Premier League assist of the season in the 2-0 victory against Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Gittens set up fellow winger Pedro Neto with a perfectly weighted ball from the left, before Enzo Fernandez sealed all three points with just minutes left to play, moving the Blues up to second in the Premier League in the process.

After the disappointing 2-1 defeat against Sunderland at the end of October, Enzo Maresca’s side look like they are starting to click, and there may be an outside chance they could even compete for the title, although BlueCo may need to strengthen the squad in January to make that dream a reality.

Chelsea submit opening offer for Nico Williams

According to a report from Spain, Chelsea have now submitted an opening offer of €70m (£62m) for Athletic Club star Williams, and they are willing to triple the winger’s salary in order to tempt him into a January move to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been working on a deal for weeks, and they are now confident they will be able to get it over the line soon, with the 23-year-old being identified as a key target, although there is set to be competition for his signature.

Tottenham Hotspur have now matched the west Londoners’ offer for the Spain international, with it being revealed his future at Athletic Club is ‘more open than ever’, amid interest from two of the Premier League’s top sides.

There are question marks over whether the Athletic Club star would be a necessary signing, given that Maresca already has a wide array of attacking options, as Chelsea have been obsessed with signing young forwards with high potential.

However, the Pamplona-born forward has certainly impressed in both Spain and Europe over the past three seasons, indicating he could be capable of displacing Gittens in the starting XI at left-wing.

Nico Williams’ performance by season

Appearances (all comps)

Goal contributions

2023-24

37

26

2024-25

45

18

2025-26

10

4

The Spaniard was also one of the stars of Euro 2024, scoring two goals and picking up one assist as his side went on to defeat England 2-1 in the final, while Statman Dave was left particularly impressed by his performance against Georgia in the round of 16.

As such, Williams, who is regarded as one of the best wingers in the world, could be a solid signing for Chelsea, as they look to mount an outside push for the Premier League title.

Chelsea plotting fresh talks to sign another winger alongside Williams Chelsea plot fresh talks with forward after failed £62m bid and 'very exciting proposal'

He’d be a stellar addition to Enzo Maresca’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 20, 2025

Leeds United return to action in the Premier League this weekend after the international break with a clash against Aston Villa at Elland Road on Sunday.

The Whites have lost their last two matches in the top-flight, conceding six goals in the process, and their most recent outing was a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest before the break.

Whilst this shows that there needs to be improvement on the defensive side of the game, Daniel Farke also needs to find a way to get more out of his players at the top end of the pitch.

The Championship champions have only scored 11 goals in their 11 Premier League games so far this season, with several members of the squad underperforming in front of goal.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

2.89

1

-1.89

Jayden Bogle

0.88

0

-0.88

Brenden Aaronson

1.79

1

-0.79

Joel Piroe

0.73

0

-0.73

Pascal Struijk

0.65

0

-0.65

Dan James

0.47

0

-0.47

Jack Harrison

0.41

0

-0.41

As you can see in the table above, too many of the team’s top attackers have underperformed against their xG in the top-flight, which shows that Farke does not have many reliable finishers.

With the January transfer window around five weeks away from opening for business, the Whites may already be starting to think about what they could do to improve their attack.

Why Leeds need to sign a winger in January

The West Yorkshire-based outfit need to go out and sign another wide option in the January window to bolster their options on the flank, because they have not had enough productivity in those positions this season.

As aforementioned, the Whites have only scored 11 times in 11 Premier League games, which shows that goalscoring is a clear area for improvement, and their lack of goals from wide players has been one of the causes of that particular struggle.

Noah Okafor

8

2 + 0

Brenden Aaronson

11

1 + 1

Dan James

8

0 + 0

Jack Harrison

10

0 + 0

Wilfried Gnonto

4

0 + 0

As you can see in the table above, Noah Okafor is the only winger in the squad who has scored more than one league goal for the club this season, despite December being just over a week away.

The Switzerland international, who scored goals against Wolves and Spurs, has been the only wide attacker who has carried a fairly consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

Farke will surely be frustrated with the lack of output from the majority of his wide options, which is why the club need to go out and splash the cash on a new option in those two positions at the turn of the year.

Leeds backed to sign Premier League forward

On that very topic, a former scout has backed the Premier League strugglers to sign one of their former players when the January transfer window opens for business.

Former Tottenham scout Bryan King has suggested that a move to Elland Road could be on the cards for Manor Solomon if Spurs decide to recall him from his loan spell with Villarreal.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to MOTLeedsNews, King said: “If he (Solomon) isn’t going to stay at Villarreal, then I could certainly see him being sold in January. He definitely won’t get a game for Tottenham, there’s three or four people in front of him in his position.

“He did well at Leeds; he was a key part of their team that got promoted. I would have thought he’d be a very good option for Leeds. They haven’t exactly set the Premier League alight, and it looks as though they need more options.”

If Solomon, who has only started one LaLiga match with Villarreal, does get recalled in January, Leeds should pursue a deal to bring the forward back to West Yorkshire.

Why Leeds should sign Manor Solomon

The Whites should push to land another deal for the Israel international because he could arrive at Elland Road in the winter window as a huge upgrade on Brenden Aaronson.

As aforementioned, the USA international has produced one goal and one assist in the Premier League so far this season, as the first-choice right wing option, due to the change in formation that took away his favoured number ten role.

Solomon, meanwhile, has one goal and one assist in LaLiga, despite playing just four matches, and delivered three assists in his one appearance in the Copa del Rey, per Sofascore.

On top of providing more quality for Villarreal than Aaronson has for Leeds in all competitions this season, the right-footed winger also outperformed the American in the Championship last season.

The former Fulham attacker, of course, spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Elland Road from Spurs and caught the eye with his consistent performances at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

46

39

xG

11.43

8.15

Goals

9

10

Minutes per goal

396

261

Big chances created

9

21

Key passes per game

1.6

1.7

xA

6.05

10.30

Assists

2

12

As you can see in the table above, the Spurs loanee offered significantly more to the team at the top end of the pitch than Aaronson did in the second tier last term, with more goals from less xG and more than twice as many ‘big chances’ created.

Solomon, who was hailed by former Leeds boss Neil Redfearn for being an “unplayable” star who is “like tackling smoke” for defenders, has proven that he can excel in front of goal in a Farke team, even more so than the USA international.

The Villarreal forward also has experience in the Premier League, with Fulham and Spurs, which means that it would not be a culture shock for him to be thrown into the division in the second half of the campaign.

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Therefore, Leeds should explore the possibility of a reunion with Solomon because he could be an ideal signing to upgrade on Aaronson on the wing in the January window.