Team USA is adding another member to its star-studded lineup for the 2026 World Baseball Classic—Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.
Raleigh announced on All-Star media day that he will be officially joining the roster for the World Baseball Classic next year. Raleigh will join Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, who will serve as Team USA's captain, in competing for the championship.
"It's like every kid's dream, right?" Raleigh said. "You grow up watching , and the whole thing, and you get 'USA' across your chest. It's like a dream, getting to play for your country. … What a special chance."
Team USA will be looking to win the World Baseball Classic for just the second time, after previously taking home the gold in 2017. They came close to repeating as champions in 2023, but lost to Japan in the first place game.
Sheffield United have completed a free deal for Patrick Bamford following his departure from Leeds United earlier this season, with the striker signing a short-term contract until January 2026.
The Blades are desperately attempting to turn their season around following a miserable start which saw Chris Wilder return to replace Ruben Selles just three months after he left the club.
Now as low as 22nd and far from the promotion hopes that they had in mind, those at Bramall Lane suddenly find themselves in an early, unexpected relegation scrap which they’ll be looking to turn on its head after the international break.
Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Queens Park Rangers at least stopped the rot and handed the Blades their first clean sheet in four games, but they must find a way to turn a draw into all three points in a crucial clash against rivals Sheffield Wednesday on 23 November.
Speaking to reporters after the QPR stalemate, Wilder admitted his frustration afrer what he felt was a performance worthy of three points.
Goals were once again the problem for Sheffield United, but the arrival of Bamford could help put an end to their unexpected woes in the Championship.
Sheffield United sign Bamford
As reported by The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Sheffield United opened talks to sign Bamford just this week, and things have moved quickly as the Blades announced an agreement on Thursday morning.
The former Leeds forward has been a free agent since leaving Elland Road in August, but now seemingly has the chance to make a return to the Championship on a prove-it deal lasting just a few months.
If Wilder is looking for goals then getting the best out of Bamford will give him exactly that. The 32-year-old has stolen headlines in the Premier League at his best and has as many as 69 Championship goals to his name throughout his career.
Previously dubbed “fantastic” by Leeds boss Daniel Farke, Bamford has the perfect opportunity to get the latter stages of his career back on track by joining Sheffield United. And he could even get the perfect chance to impress on his debut in the derby if he proves his fitness in time to face Sheffield Wednesday.
Wilder set to make ruthless January decision as three Sheffield Utd players get the axe
PCB sticks with Masood despite Pakistan finishing last in the previous World Test Championship cycle
Danyal Rasool23-Sep-2025
Under Shan Masood’s captaincy, Pakistan finished bottom of the previous WTC points table•AFP/Getty Images
Shan Masood is set to lead Pakistan in the 2025-27 World Test Championship (WTC) cycle. The PCB reaffirmed its confidence in the current Test captain after Masood met with PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi, along with Pakistan’s red-ball coach Azhar Mahmood.A PCB statement said Masood and Mahmood have been given “free hand” of the Test side, without elaborating what specifically that entails. The captain and coach are not in the selection committee for the Test side, which comprises a five-member panel including Aleem Dar, Aqib Javed, Asad Shafiq, and Azhar Ali.There was speculation on Masood’s future after the 2023-25 WTC cycle, where Pakistan finished bottom of the table. He was captain for the entirety of that cycle. Last month, when the PCB announced player contracts for the 2025-26 season, Masood was demoted from the ‘B’ category to ‘D’, the lowest rung of central contracts.Related
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No Pakistan player gets category A contract due to poor performances
Gillespie: I was 'completely and utterly blindsided' by the PCB
In that time, the position of Pakistan’s Test coach underwent several changes, including the brief reign of Jason Gillespie, which ended on acrimonious terms. In that context, the PCB’s declaration of confidence in Masood represents a major upswing his fortunes and the possibility of a fresh start. He is Pakistan’s longest-serving current captain, with the ODI and T20I captaincy changing hands multiple times since he took over the red-ball side.While consistency with the bat has remained elusive, Masood made useful contributions at the top of the order, having established himself as an opener over the last four Tests following an extended stint at No. 3. Two big hundreds, one at home against England and one in South Africa, took his average into the mid 30s; it is higher as captain than it has ever been under any other skipper. However, Test wins have been in short supply under Masood, with Pakistan losing nine of 12 matches.Masood’s first test of the new WTC cycle is against defending WTC champions South Africa, who play two Tests in Pakistan in October.
Pick between two Tests where teams overcame great odds to snatch victories
ESPNcricinfo staff20-May-2025Update: This poll has ended. The AUS-SA 2008 Perth Test moves into the quarter-finals.South Africa bend Australia to their will – Perth, 2008Australia were in transition ahead of the home summer in 2008-09, but still beat New Zealand 2-0. They found heroes when they needed one, and were doing the usual Australia things, but then the script changed in the first Test against South Africa in Perth. It took its time coming, though.It took a lower-order rescue act to lift them to 375 in the first innings (from 166 for 5) and a macho fast-bowling show from Mitchell Johnson, who bagged a career-best 8 for 61, kept South Africa to 281 after that. Almost a 100-run lead there, which Brad Haddin’s 94 and 30s from Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting, Andrew Symonds and Jason Krejza extended to 413, setting South Africa what looked like far too many runs to win.Enter Graeme Smith, who lost opening partner Neil McKenzie early, but then took the total to 172 in collaboration with Hashim Amla before both fell in quick succession – Smith for 108 and Amla for 53. But there was more in the tank. Jacques Kallis (57) and AB de Villiers took them to 303 before Kallis fell with the target still over 100 away, and de Villiers, who remained not out on 106, finished the job with JP Duminy – apart from McKenzie, all the batters who walked out, walked back with at least 50 against their name.That was Australia’s second successive loss at the WACA after India beat them there in 2007-08. And who knew at the time that it would lay the foundation for the first of three back-to-back Test series wins by South Africa in the country?Australia stun England – Birmingham 2023″Boring, boring, Aussies” was the chant from the Hollies Stand at Edgbaston on the fourth afternoon when Usman Khawaja was digging in and slowly building for Australia in their pursuit of 281. By the fifth evening, the crowd had fallen into stunned silence as Australia aced the old-school long game to beat England’s new-age fast play.When Khawaja fell for 65, with Ben Stokes ending his near-five-and-a-half-hour vigil, Australia had slipped to 209 for 7. Then, when Alex Carey’s wicket left Australia at 227 for 8, it certainly felt like England’s Bazballers were on their way to another famous win. Australia captain Pat Cummins, though, flipped the mood and result with an unbeaten 44 off 73 balls, with No. 10 Nathan Lyon hanging on in an unbroken 55-run partnership for the ninth wicket.After having come under fire with his defensive fields on the opening day, Cummins played the decisive hand on the final day, absorbing good balls from Stokes and Ollie Robinson and lining up Joe Root’s part-time offspin for a brace of sixes. After sealing the deal, Cummins let out a big roar, threw his bat and punched his fist in a rare show of emotion that summed up how much this win meant to him and Australia.
Legendary former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson heaped praise on new Manchester United signing Senne Lammens as he also shared valuable advice for manager Ruben Amorim, amid the club's unbeaten run in the Premier League. After a difficult start to the 2025-26 campaign, the Red Devils have endured a brilliant unbeaten run, including a three-game winning streak, since October.
Man Utd chose to sign Lammens over Emi Martinez
After a disastrous 2024-25 campaign, doubts were raised over Andre Onana's future at Old Trafford. In the summer, United were tipped to replace the underperforming Cameroonian goalkeeper with a new signing, as they were strongly linked with a move for World Cup-winning Argentine custodian and Aston Villa star Emiliano Martinez.
Following Altay Bayındır's poor start in the new season and Onana leaving for Trabzonspor in Turkey on loan, a new goalkeeper's arrival was imminent. The club eventually signed young Belgian custodian Lammens from Royal Antwerp on deadline day as they snubbed Emi Martinez.
Since moving to England, Lammens has appeared in five Premier League games thus far, during which he has conceded seven times. He played an important role in Amorim's side winning three back-to-back matches in October against Sunderland, Liverpool, Brighton and has also been compared to legendary Red Devils goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, although the youngster dismissed any such comparisons.
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Ferguson hailed Lammens
Ex-Red Devils boss Ferguson spoke highly of the Belgian goalkeeper as he told : "There are signs, the manager has had some good signs. Particularly the goalkeeper has been outstanding, he’s only played three or four games and he’s looking really good. Of course, Mbeumo and Cunha, the new players from Wolves and Brentford, they’ve added to it. I hope the manager gets a bit of success because at United you need to have success – the signs are getting better. I think back-to-back wins is something teams like United should always expect. But having gone through a cycle where the improvement has to come by waiting and being patient, they’ll enjoy it now."
Lammens isn't worried despite Onana's misfortune
Goalkeepers have had to face severe criticism at Old Trafford in recent years, including David De Gea, towards the end of his journey with the club. Then came Onana from Inter but he failed miserably. However, Lammens is not worried about the pressure as he told reporters: "There's been a lot of commotion about the goalkeepers in recent years. They've received a lot of negative comments. I wasn't worried about that. I want to be someone people look up to. My dream is to play here for the next ten years, be important to the club, and build a legacy. That's a long-term goal.
"It hasn’t taken long for the Stretford End to fall in love with him. Many fans are hailing him as the next Schmeichel, but the keeper has his feet firmly rooted to the ground. "It was wonderful to hear the supporters sing that to me. A huge compliment, especially after my first match. But I'm not getting too carried away with their enthusiasm. I still have a lot to prove to be mentioned in the same breath as Peter Schmeichel, you know."
Lammens added: "I ran into him (Schmeichel) on the sidelines after a match. He was very friendly. Schmeichel knows it's not easy to be compared to him. He told me to be there for the team, but above all, to be myself. It was nice to hear that from someone you look up to. It also reassured me in a way."
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Man Utd aim to get back to winning ways
After three consecutive wins in the Premier League in October, Amorim's side were held to back-to-back 2-2 draws by Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. They will now aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they take on Everton on November 24.
Enquanto espera o gramado do Allianz Parque ser totalmente reformado para poder voltar a mandar jogos em sua arena, o Palmeiras foi surpreendido com um evento marcado para o estádio neste próximo sábado (16).
continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasDiretor do Palmeiras se revolta com acordo entre São Paulo e TJDPalmeiras13/03/2024PalmeirasAllianz Parque deve ser liberado ao Palmeiras já na próxima semana; leia nota da Real ArenasPalmeiras13/03/2024Fora de CampoEx-BBB, ex do Vini Júnior… Relembre todas as affairs de Piquerez, do PalmeirasFora de Campo13/03/2024
➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras
O ‘Dia de Craque’, evento organizado pela empresa que cuida do tour do Allianz Parque, estava marcado para acontecer neste sábado, com a presença dos ex-jogadores Euller e Paulo Nunes.
Torcedores do Palmeiras podem comprar a experiência de ser jogador por um dia e jogar uma ‘pelada’ no gramado sagrado do atual bicampeão brasileiro.
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O fato não foi bem digerido tanto pela cúpula do Verdão quanto os torcedores alviverdes, que se sentiram revoltados com a superficiária do estádio, uma vez que o clube não atua em casa há mais de um mês e meio.
Segundo o jornalista Danilo Lavieri, do UOL, Leila Pereira ficou muito irritada e na visão da dirigente, isso mostra como a W Torre não está nem aí para o torcedor do Palmeiras e também para o futebol que é praticado no estádio, e sim só se mostra preocupada com os eventos e shows que são realizados no novo Palestra Itália.
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➡️ Veja confrontos do mata-mata do Paulistão
A repercussão do Dia de Craque foi tão ruim que a W Torre decidiu cancelar o evento e ele deve ser realizado somente após o Verdão voltar pra casa e o novo gramado estar 100% liberado para jogos oficiais ou amistosos na casa alviverde.
Manchester United might be in the market for a striker during the January transfer window. The Red Devils signed Benjamin Sesko over the summer, but he picked up a knee injury during their most recent Premier League clash, a 2-2 draw away to Tottenham Hotspur.
Even if that blow doesn’t prove to be a severe one, as is expected, the Red Devils could still be in need of a new number nine in the winter window. When Sesko is absent or injured, it leaves Joshua Zirkzee as the only senior striker in the squad – although 17-year-old Chido Obi could also be called upon.
It seems as though Ruben Amorim’s side may have a centre-forward in mind if they dip into the market.
United’s centre-forward target
At this stage, it is unclear how much INEOS will put into the transfer kitty for Amorim to dip into in the January market. However, there has been a clear plan to back the Portuguese, so there could well be funds made available.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
If that is the case, the Red Devils could be looking to win the battle to sign Brazilian striker Vitor Roque. The 20-year-old is someone United are racing to sign, according to Pete O’Rourke, transfer correspondent for Football Insider.
However, they will not be the only Premier League club looking to sign the striker in a couple of months.
Londoners Chelsea and Spurs are in the frame too, although it could be a deal that is ignited “more in the summer” if reports are to be believed. As for a price, reports in Spain indicated that he could cost as much as £44m.
Why Roque would be a good signing
Whether this is a move that happens in January or the summer, there is no doubt that United would be buying an exciting young talent. Although he struggled during his first stint in Europe at Barcelona, Roque has proven he has plenty of ability since.
Nowadays, the one-cap Brazilian international is plying his trade back in his home country, for Palmeiras. His form has been impressive in 2025, too. In 52 games across all competitions, Roque has found the back of the net 20 times and assisted five goals.
In the Brazilian top flight, the 20-year-old has played his best football. He’s made 30 appearances in the competition this calendar year, bagging 16 times, at better than a goal every other game.
Described as an “unstoppable” force by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Roque’s underlying numbers back up how well he has played.
For example, he’s averaging 0.76 goals per game, which places him in the top 6% of Brazilian top-flight strikers.
Rique key stats in Brazilian top flight
Stat (per 90)
Number
Percentile
Goals
0.76
94th
Expected goals
0.58xG
92nd
Goals per shot
0.21
89th
Shot-creating actions
4.07
88th
Take-ons completed
1.85
97th
Stats from FBref
If this deal gets over the line, it could be like the second coming of Matheus Cunha for United. Roque’s fellow Brazilian has not set the world alight in terms of goals and assists, with just one to his name so far against Brighton and Hove Albion.
But, he has still played superbly, and shown exactly why United paid the £62.5m fee to Wolverhampton Wanderers. After a wonderful performance away to Liverpool, journalist Sam Pilger described him as “an incredible signing” for the Red Devils.
If United were to sign Roque, they would love for him to have such an impact, even if he wasn’t able to chip in with goals and assists as much as you might expect. There are similarities between the Palmeiras star and United’s new number 10, with both exciting Brazilian forwards who can be a real difference maker.
For a fee of £44m, this is certainly an interesting move for the Red Devils. They may need him in January, but if they end up getting him in the summer, Roque could be an exciting addition to their attack, just as Cunha has been so far this season.
With Sesko scoring just twice so far this term, injury or not, the Old Trafford side could be in need of a suitable rival in that number nine berth.
Man Utd "monster" is fast becoming their new Vidic and it's not De Ligt
Ruben Amorim may have uncovered Manchester United’s new Nemanja Vidic.
Jitesh Sharma, Devdutt Padikkal and Rajat Patidar have all played crucial hands this year in putting the franchise on cloud nine
Alagappan Muthu07-Apr-20252:15
Is 2025 finally going to be RCB’s year?
Virat Kohli is a fan boy. He has spent a part of his time at Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) dancing with Chris Gayle, nerding out with AB de Villiers and being blown away by Glenn Maxwell. In all that time, the team has tasted a lot of success. Four play-off appearances in the last five years. But that was never enough. Not for this franchise. Not with their history.At the auction, they did a lot of good business. Once more, they were able to attract high-impact overseas players. Phil Salt was a dream buy. His aggression at the top compensates for the others. Tim David has the power to make anything happen. He once changed a game facing just 14 balls. Josh Hazlewood broke the game open at Chepauk and closed the game out at Wankhede.But there is another thing that RCB are doing right. Something that they rarely have. They’re getting more out of their Indian players.Related
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Kohli, Patidar and Krunal star as RCB end ten-year Wankhede jinx
Devdutt Padikkal has faced 49 deliveries in IPL 2025. He’s hit 11 of them for boundaries. His strike rate right now is 159.18. That’s twice as much as it was last season. A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes to effect such a change.”I knew there were things that I needed to improve,” Padikkal said, “And there were lots of aspects of the game that I wasn’t up to the mark I felt in the last year. I had a good couple of months before the IPL started and I feel all that hard work is coming into effect now.”Padikkal had a good start to his IPL career, scoring three fifties in his first four innings and a hundred by the time he was 21. Usually, that might have meant he could settle into the team and grow into his role. But in the IPL, its different. Rajasthan Royals (RR) came calling and he had to prove himself all over again. Then he moved to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) where he had that horror season, averaging 5.49 and striking at 71.69.”When I made that move to another franchise, it was a little uncomfortable obviously. I wasn’t very confident about myself, and it took me three-four years to really find what I am as a cricketer in IPL,” he said. “So it’s not that easy, you try your hardest but at times it just doesn’t work. So coming into this season, obviously I had to work really hard.”Coming in at No. 3, obviously that is a role that has been given to me. I feel in T20 cricket these days everybody pretty much has the same role, to go out and hit from ball one, so that doesn’t really make any difference in terms of what I have to do as well. So, yeah that’s how it’s been going and hopefully I can carry on in the same way.”3:43
Rayudu: Patidar’s use of Bhuvi at the death was a masterstroke
Jitesh Sharma is a livewire. Where other batters might have needed convincing about the tempo of T20 cricket, he came fully formed. Batting down the order requires some sacrifice. Specifically, you can never play for your own runs. Jitesh has on average found the boundary once every five deliveries in the IPL. This season, he’s been even more destructive. One in three deliveries he’s faced, including a near yorker from Jasprit Bumrah, has ended up in the fence.”Jitesh has been terrific,” Krunal Pandya said at the end of the game. “I mean, the way he has batted, if you see, he has improved his game. The game awareness what he’s having while batting has been top notch. Again he has worked really hard, and with gloves he has been terrific, always. Working hard and you know, seeing the result, it feels good.”It is early in the season, but Jitesh is the one of only nine players averaging over 40 and striking at over 180.Bridging the gap between the top order and the finishers is the captain. Rajat Patidar came in as an unknown quantity but seems to be happy with the responsibility. Crucially, it hasn’t affected his batting. He is RCB’s best player of spin and their primary source of impetus in the middle overs. He has performed that role to perfection against both IPL’s five-time champions.Overall, add Kohli’s 67 to Patidar’s 64, Jitesh’s 40 (not out) and Padikkal’s 37, and Indian batters scored 208 runs for RCB against Mumbai Indians (MI), the most for them in an IPL match – their previous best was 188, against LSG in 2022. That’s also the joint-fifth-highest by Indian batters for any team in an IPL innings.RCB are on cloud nine this season•BCCIA significant test of his captaincy arrived as MI clobbered 89 runs in 34 balls through the middle overs to bring themselves back into the game. At the end of 16 overs, they were 170 for 4, the first time in the game where their score had ticked over RCB’s at the same stage. They were looking favourites to chase down 222. But Patidar was able to rally his bowlers and it appears he had a hand in the defensive masterclass that Hazlewood, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Krunal pulled off.”At that time, I think the message was, the wide yorkers, I think that was not a good option,” Patidar said. “The way all the bowlers, especially the fast bowlers the way they have executed their plans, I think that was really amazing and the one bowler, I think the way he has bowled, KP, Krunal Pandya, the last over, I think that was not easy to be bowling any of the team, against any team, 20th over. The way he has bowled, that was really amazing. The way he has shown courage, that was really fantastic.”RCB conceded only 28 runs and took five wickets in those last three overs. They had to dig real deep. “That was a really amazing match and that was very hard, I think,” Patidar said.RCB look different now. They’re getting the best out of even their unheralded players. Maybe 18th time really is the charm.”I don’t want to jinx it,” Krunal said. “Or I don’t want to say. But we all know, right, when you get into this tournament, what we want at the end of the tournament.”
Kylian Mbappe is heading to court as his protracted legal dispute with former club Paris Saint-Germain continues. Despite severing ties with the Ligue 1 giants in the summer of 2024, the World Cup winner claims to be owed €55 million (£48m/$64m) in unpaid wages. That case is now heading to labour courts in the French capital, with a final ruling being sought.
Day in court: Mbappe to face PSG in legal dispute
Said hearing is set to take place on November 17, 2025, with France international Mbappe heading back to his homeland. The two parties at the centre of a long-running saga are due to meet at 1pm local time.
The dispute has been taken to the Parisian labour court despite that council being unaccustomed to dealing with such high-profile cases. Arguments will be heard “directly in the judgment chamber” as the preliminary “conciliation” stage has been bypassed due to Mbappe “requesting the reclassification of his fixed-term contract as a permanent one”.
Elie Dottelonde, a lawyer at the Paris bar, has told of what happens next: “(Mbappe) is the plaintiff. He will present his arguments, namely the non-execution of his employment contract, more specifically the non-payment of the last three months' salary and unpaid bonuses. The defendant (PSG) will have to explain why, according to them, they do not have to pay these months' salary and unpaid bonuses. This would be a first in the history of the case law of the Industrial Tribunal.”
While Mbappe has got his day in court, it is reported that a decision in the case will not be made for “several months”. Mbappe’s lawyer, Delphine Verheyden, stated in April 2025 that her client is “determined to assert his rights, for himself but also for all the other players” that have been wronged by their respective clubs.
How Mbappe's dispute with PSG started
Mbappe’s battle with PSG has tarnished his reputation somewhat at Parc des Princes, despite being the club’s all-time leading scorer with 235 goals to his name. A falling out in the French capital began during the summer of 2023 when Mbappe made it clear that he would not be signing a contract extension and intended to leave as a free agent when his deal expired.
He was dropped for the start of the 2023-24 campaign, only to be almost immediately reinstated after one round of fixtures. PSG maintain that Mbappe was drafted back into their plans after agreeing to forgo a portion of the funds owed to him. The Mbappe camp has billed such claims as “fantasy”.
His entourage claim that no agreement was made to waive certain payments. PSG have branded that stance a “fanciful tale”, with meetings said to have taken place during the summer of 2023. Mbappe continues to demand payment of the €55m that he believes is rightfully his.
A court order to freeze that amount in PSG’s accounts was overturned on May 26, 2025. Mbappe has withdrawn his criminal complaints of psychological harassment. An investigation there had, however, been opened and was still running in the summer of 2025. Mbappe and PSG engaged in a legal battle before the LFP and FFF sporting authorities, who ultimately declared that they were unable to enforce decisions in favour of the player due to an ongoing preliminary hearing requested by the club before the Paris Judicial Court. That hearing was due to take place last May, but has been postponed indefinitely.
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GettyMbappe in 2025-26: How many goals has be scored & is the Real star injured?
On the field, Mbappe has been starring for France and Real Madrid again in 2025-26. He has registered 23 goals through 20 appearances for club and country. After netting a brace for France against Ukraine, as they booked their place at the 2026 World Cup, he has moved to within two efforts of Olivier Giroud at the top of Les Bleus’ all-time list.
Mbappe played no part in a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan after being released from Didier Deschamps’ squad. He was said to be nursing ankle inflammation, but RMC report that was a “diplomatic injury” that allowed the 26-year-old to head back to Spain without running the risk of suffering a more serious fitness setback in a game that had nothing riding on it.
For the time being, Daniel Farke looks as if he will survive another day in the Leeds United dug-out.
Time is surely running out for the under-fire German, though, before the powers that be at Elland Road are tempted to pull the plug. Yet, journalist Graham Smyth has come out to clarify that a change in the Whites’ hot seat is not anticipated at this stage.
However, if the Premier League defeats continue to stack up, the 49ers might be left with no choice but to get rid, as a tough fixture list of Aston Villa at home and Manchester City at the Etihad close out November.
Some names are floating about already, regarding who could succeed the ex-Norwich City manager if he is given the axe, with a previous FA Cup winner catching the eye…
The potential replacements for Farke at Leeds United
This isn’t fresh news surrounding Farke being under pressure in the Elland Road dug-out.
Indeed, last season – even after promotion was successfully clinched – it was speculated that Leeds were tempted to get rid of the 49-year-old. Then, the Guardian even speculated that Giovanni van Bronckhorst was in line to take over the Premier League-bound outfit.
In the here and now, Gary O’Neil is out of a job and managed to steer Wolves to 14th spot in the daunting top-flight during the 2023/24 season. Could he be a pair of safe hands that enable Leeds to push out of their current doom? He only very recently nearly returned to Wolves, only for a deal to fall through.
The West Yorkshire outfit have also been tentatively linked to RC Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior in recent weeks, but Leeds could look elsewhere.
Who? Well, Brendan Rodgers could be one man, with the 49ers alleged to have previously spoken to the ex-Liverpool boss about the Whites’ job before they hired Sam Allardyce in 2023.
Now, having just been relieved of his duties at Celtic after an 83-win stint back at the Hoops helm, it could be the perfect time to reignite talks, with the Northern Irishman a clear upgrade on Farke when looking at his managerial record in even more detail.
How Rodgers is a "world-class" upgrade on Farke
This isn’t to say that Farke won’t be remembered fondly down the line for what he has achieved at the West Yorkshire giants, with 100 points accumulated last season seeing Leeds lift the Championship title in style.
But, it’s night and day when assessing the German’s successes in the second tier, next to his struggles in the gruelling top-flight, with a dismal win percentage of just 15% in the Premier League next to his name, collecting only nine wins from a possible 60.
Rodgers’ PL record
Stat
Rodgers
Games managed
312
Wins
139
Draws
71
Losses
102
Points accumulated
488
Goals scored
529
Goals conceded
410
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Whereas Rodgers is far more at home in the high-intensity division, with 139 wins collected from 312 outings in the Premier League.
His overlooked time at Swansea City will stand out for Leeds fans, with Rodgers managing to steer the Welsh outfit to 11th place in the Premier League way back in 2011, just after clinching promotion out of the Championship.
On top of that, the 52-year-old would manage to regalvanise Leicester City after the legendary Claudio Ranieri departed, with two fifth-place finishes even seeing Gary Neville once tip the “innovative” boss for the Manchester City job post-Pep Guardiola.
The FA Cup would, of course, also come the Northern Irishman’s way during this celebrated stint with the Foxes, with Farke’s achievements at Championship level now largely paling in comparison.
This is before you even touch on the fact that Rodgers once cultivated a staggering 62-game unbeaten streak in Glasgow with Celtic, with talkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor also going out of his way to hail the Leeds-linked manager as “world-class”.
Rodgers will hope he can be beneficial to Leeds in the present, though, away from all his past glittering achievements, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin perhaps benefiting from a change of boss, having seen what the Northern Irishman got out of an ageing Jamie Vardy.
At the moment, however, this is all just speculative chatter.
But, if push comes to shove and Farke is still floundering under all the pressure, Leeds would be hard-pressed to find a better replacement than the out-of-work FA Cup winner.
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