Leeds United have finally appointed their new head coach at Elland Road with Daniel Farke tasked with the challenge of achieving an instant bounce-back to the Premier League next season.

The Whites suffered relegation from the top-flight over a tight relegation scrap that saw Southampton and Leicester City drop into the Championship too, so for the three teams – who had all become established Premier League clubs in their own right – it will likely be a tough fight for the automatic promotion spots in the second tier.

In terms of recruitment, Leeds will need to get the ball rolling to make sure they can comfortably compete next season and, as it stands, the club have failed to confirm any incomings during a transformative summer so far.

Bolstering key positions on the pitch and being prepared for potential exits by some of their Premier League-proven talent will be essential in the West Yorkshire club's ability to dominate in Championship football.

One player who has now been linked with a move to the Whites is Liverpool centre-back Nathaniel Phillips, who despite limited game-time at Anfield – where he featured just five times last term – has shown glimpses of his ability to dominate and trouble opponents on many occasions both for Liverpool and in the second tier with Bournemouth.

The Athletic's Leeds reporter Phil Hay claimed this week that Leeds hold an interest in the defender who will cost £10m to sign this summer and revealed that he is a player that Farke has been interested in the past during his time at Norwich City.

Will Leeds sign Nathaniel Phillips this summer?

There is no doubt that improvements need to be made at Elland Road this summer following a real struggle to compete in the Premier League last season and one of the most important areas to repair is the defensive presence in the squad.

No other team in the entire top-flight conceded more goals than Leeds last season (78) despite the side scoring the second-highest amount of goals in the bottom half of the table (48), which is a testament to the troubles their defensive players found themselves in during the fight against relegation.

As a result, the signing of Phillips could be a great opportunity to strengthen and improve the back-line this summer and with the exit of Robin Koch confirmed would be a welcomed new addition.

Whilst Phillips' sporadic appearances at Liverpool make it hard to measure his impact in the Premier League, his six-month loan spell at Bournemouth in their Championship-winning season gives a glimpse of what Leeds can expect from his huge presence in his centre-back role.

Over 17 appearances during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, the 26-year-old tallied up an 82% pass completion rate, kept eight clean sheets and successfully completed 50% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 4.1 clearances, 1.5 interceptions, 76.1 touches and 5.9 duels won per game, proving that he is a dominant and solid defender when given consistent game-time.

Not only that, the Bolton-born titan has earned high praise from Jurgen Klopp, with the Liverpool manager full of compliments for his out-of-favour centre-back after his display against West Ham United a few seasons ago, stating:

"In the air, he's a monster! He was incredible."

With that being said, it would be a great piece of business for Leeds if they could secure the services of Phillips and with consistent minutes at Elland Road could play a vital role in improving the defensive performances next season.

Arsenal are in "positive" talks to sign Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and he "wants to make that move", according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners currently have many plates spinning behind-the-scenes as sporting director Edu looks to reinforce their midfield, sign a versatile attacker and bring in more defensive options.

Having missed out on their first league title in nearly 20 years to treble-winners Man City, Arsenal now find themselves in a fierce transfer battle with the blues to sign top target Declan Rice from West Ham.

Both sides have had bids rejected for the England international recently and it will be very interesting to see where he ends up – in Manchester or across London.

Meanwhile, in some better news, Arsenal have sealed the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz in a £65 million deal, with Southampton's Romeo Lavia and Timber from Ajax at the centre of negotiations too.

The latter player has been described as a versatile, inverted full-back option, similar to Oleksandr Zinchenko, and is currently renowed for his composure/passing range (The Telegraph).

Mikel Arteta's side have been attempting to sign Timber over the last fortnight, again seeing bids rejected for the defender in a similar vain to Rice.

However, speaking on Sky Sports, reliable journalist Sheth has dropped a positive update on their pursuit of the 22-year-old.

Sheth believes talks are "positive" between Ajax and Arsenal with Timber firmly setting his sights on a move to the Emirates.

"There is another player that they're interested in as well, and that is the Ajax defender Jurrien Timber," said the Sky reporter during broadcast.

"We are told that talks are ongoing between both clubs, we're told talks are positive as well, personal terms not expected to be a problem.

"And in this case, rather like Declan Rice as well, the understanding is that Timber wants to make that move to Arsenal.

"He's got two years left on his contract, I think, so it's the optimum time for Ajax to maximise that transfer fee."

What's been said about Jurrien Timber?

The Netherlands international was an undroppable for Ajax last season, featuring over more Eredivisie minutes than any other player in their squad over 2022/2023 (WhoScored).

Former Spurs star Rafael van der Vaart has also heaped praise on Timber's athleticism, explaining how he is "so quick" and "sharp" when called upon.

"Timber is so quick, light feet, always sharp, never panicking on the ball. Almost like a great midfielder in defence,” Van der Vaart said (via the MEN).

All the indications are that he could be an exceptional signing for Arteta.

Manchester United have reportedly made a bid to sign Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.

What’s the latest Man United transfer news?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag appear to be on the hunt for more signings this summer after securing a move for Mason Mount.

The England international has become the first player through the door at Old Trafford ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, joining in a deal worth an initial £55m plus a further £5m in player performance add-ons.

With a new midfielder brought in, attentions now appear to be turning towards a new goalkeeper after David de Gea’s contract expire at the end of June.The Spaniard’s future remains up in the air, with Inter Milan’s Andre Onana appearing to be a key target to come in and take over as first choice.

Reports have suggested that personal terms have been agreed with the Cameroon international and a new verbal €45m offer has been made to the Serie A side, although Inter are thought to be holding out for €60m.

Should De Gea move on and Onana arrive, another goalkeeper could still be of interest to those at Old Trafford, especially with Dean Henderson wanted back at Nottingham Forest, this time on a permanent deal.

Therefore, Onana and Tom Heaton could eventually be the only senior options for Ten Hag, but another new target appears to be Bayindir.

The Daily Express relayed reports from Turkey over the past 48 hours regarding Man United and Bayindir. It is claimed that the Red Devils have launched a shock swoop to sign the Turkey international, with a €3m (£2.5m) bid submitted.

Bayindir is ‘widely recognised as one of the best goalkeepers in the Super Lig and he could yet reach new heights if he was to seal a move to Old Trafford, although it's highly unlikely he would be coming in as the No.1’.

Who is Altay Bayindir?

Bayindir is 25 years of age and has been with Fenerbahce since 2019 after leaving Ankaragucu. Valued at €11m by Transfermarkt, Bayindir is under contract until 2027 and is named as Fenerbahce’s club captain. He has made 141 appearances for the club in all competitions, keeping 42 clean sheets and conceding 160 goals.

A five-cap Turkey international, Bayindir was once praised by former Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil when the German was playing alongside the goalkeeper for Fenerbahce.

As per FBref, Bayindir has been compared to Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale and Newcastle United’s Nick Pope, so he could be a smart signing in a relatively cheap transfer. He stops more crosses than De Gea and his average length of goal kicks is shorter than the Spaniard, so he could be viewed as a shrewd addition at Old Trafford, potentially playing second choice to someone like Onana.

There should be plenty of chances for Bayindir to feature in domestic cup competitions, though, with Man United in four competitions, including the Champions League, and it looks as if a deal is one to keep a close eye on following this update.

Nepal completed a comfortable win against Kenya in Kirtipur after their batsmen chased down the paltry target of 156 with 118 balls and seven wickets to spare

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Mar-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Sharad Vesawkar struck 24 off 11 balls after taking four wickets•Kaushal Adhikari

Four wickets from Sharad Vesawkar – his best List A bowling effort – and half centuries from stand-in captain Gyanendra Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee took Nepal to a comfortable seven-wicket win against Kenya in the ICC World Cricket League match in Kirtipur. Nepal’s bowlers, led by Vesawkar’s four-for, choked Kenya’s batting with some economical bowling before the hosts overcame an early stutter – courtesy two early wickets from Elijah Otieno – to eventually canter home with 118 balls to spare.After being sent in to bat, Kenya lost opener Alex Obanda and Dhiren Gondaria in the fourth over before a 79-run third wicket-stand between Irfan Karim (38) and Collins Obuya (48) took them close to the 100-run mark. While the duo stemmed the fall of wickets, their partnership also took up 140 balls. Both batsmen fell in quick succession, following which tight bowling from Mahaboob Alam (7-5-11-2), Sagar Pun (7-0-19-1) and Vesawkar saw Kenya fall from 151 for 6 to 155 all out in the 47th over. Prior to Monday’s win, Vesawkar had bowled just two overs in 21 List A matches but helped to fill a void with both bat and ball created by the absence of captain Paras Khadka, who missed his second match of the series as he recovers from surgery for appendicitis.Otieno gave Kenya hope, removing Nepal opener Sunil Dhamala and Sagar Pun in his first spell. Malla was joined by Airee at 14 for 2 and stitched together a 111-run partnership to take Nepal to the brink of a win. Airee fell for 62 with Nepal needing another 31 runs to win, and Vesawkar then shone with the bat, scoring an 11-ball 24 and dispatching the last two balls for a four and a six to seal the match in the 31st over.

The Committee of Administrators (CoA), which is in charge of the Indian board, has sought an “urgent” intervention from the Supreme Court to clear the air on whether disqualified office bearers can attend BCCI or ICC meetings

Nagraj Gollapudi07-Apr-2017The Committee of Administrators (CoA), which is in charge of the Indian board, has sought an “urgent” intervention from the Supreme Court to clear the air on whether disqualified office bearers can attend BCCI or ICC meetings. The CoA’s request comes two days prior to the BCCI’s special general body meeting (SGM) in Delhi on April 9.The CoA fears the SGM is likely to be attended by many former state and BCCI office bearers who became ineligible under the Lodha Committee recommendations which were approved by the court.Among those who are likely to attend the SGM is former BCCI president N Srinivasan. Pre-empting such a situation, the CoA had warned the BCCI office bearers and the state associations that only eligible representatives could attend the SGM.Vidarbha first to get pending BCCI funds

By becoming the first state association to implement the reforms recommended by the Lodha Committee, the Vidarbha Cricket Association will now get its pending funds from the BCCI.
Last September the Vidarbha Cricket Association elected a fresh administration, having adopted the new constitution as per the Lodha Committee recommendations. VCA is one of the very few BCCI members – along with Tripura Cricket Association and Hyderabad Cricket Association, and the suspended Rajasthan Cricket Association – that agreed to comply with the July 18, 2016, court judgement, which approved the Lodha Committee reforms.
In the face of staunch opposition from the rest of the states, the court had asked the BCCI through twin orders last October to “cease and desist” from disbursing any funds to all state associations that did not fall in line. In its third status report submitted in court on Friday, the committee of administrators said that VCA would get the funds straightaway.

It remains to be seen whether the CoA directives will be obeyed or ignored by Srinivasan and the state associations. During different meetings with the CoA in the last couple of weeks, the three existing office bearers of the BCCI – Amitabh Choudhary (acting secretary), Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer) and CK Khanna (acting president) – indicated that the Lodha Committee eligibility criteria would not be applicable to the representatives from each state attending the SGM in case the person was not an office bearer. However the CoA is not certain.In its third status report, which was submitted in the court on Friday, the CoA has asked whether the two sets of frequently asked questions put in place by the Lodha Committee would be part of the BCCI’s new constitution. In the second set of FAQs, issued on January 12 this year, the Lodha Committee had said that disqualified office bearers could not come back as representatives for BCCI meetings or on behalf of the board.”The issue of whether the First FAQs and the Second FAQs form part of the reforms that the Committee of Administrators is required to implement requires urgent attention in light of the notice calling for a Special General Meeting of the BCCI on April 9, 2017,” the CoA status report said. The report was signed by former India woman’s captain Diana Edulji, who is part of the four-member CoA.The question that the BCCI office bearers and many state associations are asking is can the FAQs be relevant after the court had declared in its order on January 20 that the Lodha Committee’s role would be “confined to overall policy and directions”.In its submission on Friday, the CoA said the second set of FAQs was “particularly relevant” for Sunday’s SGM. “For the upcoming Special General Meeting that has been called by the BCCI on April 9, 2017, each existing Member Association of the BCCI is required to send a nominee/representative to attend the same. The Committee of Administrators has been informed that such nominee/representative need not necessarily be an office bearer of the concerned Member Association. It is possible that in some cases the nominees representative of a Member Association to the SGM scheduled on April 9, 2017, may be a person who would be disqualified to represent the Member Association if it is held that the FAQs form part of the reforms that the Committee of Administrators is required to implement.”The two top items on the four-point agenda of the board’s SGM concern the forthcoming ICC meetings in Dubai. The ICC Board is expected to vote on the new governance structure and revenue distribution model. Although CoA member Vikram Limaye was the BCCI representative at the last ICC Board meeting in February, the BCCI’s office bearers want to pick their own nominee this time, and Srinivasan is one of the favourites.But with the Lodha Committee reforms having made him ineligible, the CoA wants the court to take the final call.

Pat Cummins exceeded expectations of even Australia’s coaching staff by snaring three wickets on the third day in Ranchi, to add to his one from Friday. Cummins finished the day with 4 for 59 from 25 overs, bowling with pace and venom on a good batting pitch. Among his victims were Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane, two key batsmen who fell cheaply.Sending Cummins to India to replace the injured Mitchell Starc was always going to be a gamble for Australia’s selectors, given his history of significant injuries. Although he was Man of the Match on his Test debut in Johannesburg as an 18-year-old in 2011, Cummins has spent such long periods in injury recovery that this Test is just his 10th first-class match.Earlier this month, he completed his first Sheffield Shield game in nearly six years. That game was also his first first-class game of any type since mid-2015. But with the series locked at 1-1 and a historic series win in India up for grabs, Australia risked rushing Cummins in for the Ranchi Test, and his efforts on day three have given them hope.”It’s superb. I thought last night he bowled particularly well, but today he backed that up and to produce some of the balls he produced to get wickets is pretty exciting,” David Saker, Australia’s bowling coach, said. “Hats off to the selectors to go with him. Ball speed in India is a big thing because the wickets don’t generate any pace. But he was way higher than the expectations we had.”Cummins has sent down the fewest overs of any of Australia’s four frontline bowlers so far in this Test, but has looked by far the most dangerous. Saker said no restrictions had been placed on Cummins’ workload in this Test, but they did not expect him to have too much to do over the next two days.”It’s a really important Test match for us,” Saker said. “If he ends up bowling more overs than first expected, then so be it. It’s tough cricket over here and because he’s bowling so well the captain will want to keep going to him. I can’t see him bowling too many overs tomorrow and maybe if we do have a bowl on the final day, I think it will be more a spinning wicket.”The return of Cummins at Test level has also coincided with a strong domestic comeback from James Pattinson, another injury-prone fast bowler who has thrived when available. Their respective returns will leave Australia’s selectors salivating over the prospect of having Cummins, Pattinson, Starc and Josh Hazlewood all available at the same time.”It will be a bit of a headache for the selectors when it does happen,” Saker said. “It’s really good to see. Patty [Cummins] today going really well, Josh and Mitch had a fantastic summer. Then we’ve got Jimmy Pattinson, the way he’s come back in the last few Shield games and he’s got another chance in a Shield final, so that’s really good for him and good for Australian cricket.”To be strong in world cricket and especially the Australian team you need a good crop of fast bowlers and we’ve got that at the moment. But we’ve had a lot of problems getting them on the park. There are still other back-up bowlers.”Jackson Bird is here, he does a fantastic job when he’s called upon. Peter Siddle’s been outstanding for long periods of time. Chadd Sayers again, probably one of the unlucky fast bowlers in Australian cricket. We’ve got a good crop so that’s exciting for me and the Australian cricket team.”

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte, as Monchi eyes his first transfer window masterclass during his first window in charge.

The Spaniard alongside former colleague Unai Emery will fuse together to ensure the Villans are in good stead ahead of next season, as the Midlands club prepare to endeavour on their first European journey since 2010.

Laporte has been on Villa’s radar since earlier this month, when 90min revealed the club’s interest in the central defender.

An update provided by Football Insider this week cemented the Claret and Blues’ desire to sign the 29-year-old, claiming that the club had ‘set sights’ on the Manchester City star and were ‘considering a move’.

The report adds that the Spaniard ‘ticks a lot of boxes’ wanted by Emery, with the four-time Europa League-winning manager hoping to sign a left-sided centre-back this summer.

Valued at £60m by the treble winners, as per the Mirror, the defender could be Villa’s record-breaking signing this summer, however, he’s not the only centre-back linked to Villa Park.

Indeed, Pau Torres looks as though he's also on his way to the Midlands, with reports emerging on Thursday that an agreement is in place to land the player from Villarreal.

The links to the two centre-backs is exciting news for the Villans, who could see a complete shift in defence with two experienced upgrades potentially incoming.

What could Aymeric Laporte and Pau Torres offer Vila?

While Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings have been a revelation at the back for Emery, the Spaniard could present Villa Park with two world-class signings in a rebuild of the defence this summer.

Hailed as the “best left central defender in the world” by treble-winning manager Pep Guardiola, the City star could be just what Emery requires to take Villa forward.

Despite falling down the pecking order at the Etihad, Laporte possesses quality that could see him dominate in most defences in Europe, seeing him lauded a “beast” by journalist Muhammad Butt.

The 29-year-old won an average of 60% of his total duels in the Premier League last season, cementing himself as a competent defender before anything else, however, his attributes go way beyond his defensive capabilities.

Similarly to Torres, Laporte flexes a powerful progressive ability, acting as a defender that can transition the ball upfield competently, in skills honed by the genius of Guardiola.

When comparing the two Villa targets based on their respective seasons and minutes via FBref, it makes for fascinating reading for those associated with the Midlands club, who could see a complete revamp of the defence as they know it.

While Torres’ 4.30 clearances and 1.74 aerials won along with Laporte’s 2.72 clearances and 2.18 aerials won per 90 communicate their defensive knowhow, their competency on the ball highlights just how much they could add to Villa Park.

As per FBref, the Villarreal gem averaged a monstrous 5.81 progressive passes and 2.24 progressive carries per 90 in La Liga this season, closely followed by the City ace who scored an average of 7.70 progressive passes and 2.72 progressive carries per 90.

By introducing two experienced players in quality and efficiency, Emery could equip his side with strength that could bolster all areas of the field, with two players boasting the ability to move the ball and dictate play from the back. This is surely a mouthwatering prospect for everyone associated with the club.

Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been called up to Dharamsala as cover for Virat Kohli, who still hasn’t completely recovered from his shoulder injury.Even as India maintained Iyer is cover – and not a replacement – for Kolhi, ESPNcricinfo understands that the team is sweating over the fitness of the captain, who took a pain-killing injection two days before the Test and didn’t bat in the nets.Iyer is expected to join the team on Friday, the eve of the match. Besides a hundred for India A against the touring Bangladesh side in Hyderabad, Iyer smashed an unbeaten double hundred against Australia in a tour game at Brabourne Stadium last month.”It made sense to have a back-up batsman because in case of a contingency it is very difficult to reach a place like Dharamsala,” a BCCI source told ESPNcricinfo. “We will know more on Virat tomorrow.”Kohli hurt his shoulder while making a diving stop on the boundary on the first day in Ranchi. He spent the rest of Australia’s first innings off the field, but batted at his usual No. 4 slot and fielded in the second innings – though at slip even against the spinners rather than his usual station in the covers or midwicket.Iyer had initially been named in the India Blue squad for the Deodhar Trophy one-day tournament scheduled to also begin on Saturday in Visakhapatnam. He had a breakout first-class season in 2015-16 where he scored 1321 run to become the leading scorer in the Ranji Trophy. He finished as Mumbai’s highest run-getter (725 runs at 42.94, including two hundreds) in Ranji Trophy 2016-17, when they finished runners-up.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping tabs on Leicester City star, Harvey Barnes, albeit with the Lilywhites set to face stern competition for the winger's signature.

What's the latest on Harvey Barnes to Tottenham?

According to The Guardian, while it is Newcastle United who are currently leading the race for the 25-year-old, Spurs are also said to be among the clubs showing an interest.

As per the report, the one-cap England international is a 'target' for Ange Postecoglou's side as the new boss seeks to strengthen his wide options, albeit with an approach from the north Londoners seen as 'less likely' due to their pursuit of Manor Solomon.

If those at N17 are to push to sign the Foxes speedster, the piece adds that while the Burnley native was valued at around £50m a few months ago by his current side, their subsequent drop into the Championship may have altered that price tag.

Will Harvey Barnes joins Tottenham?

Postecoglou and co have already raided the Midlands side this summer in order to secure the signing of Barnes' compatriot, James Maddison, with the 26-year-old arriving on a £40m deal after spending the last five seasons at the King Power Stadium.

Despite forming part of a side that suffered relegation last time out, Maddison – like Barnes – was still able to showcase his undoubted talent, having chipped in with 19 goal involvements in just 30 Premier League outings.

As pundit Gabby Agbonlahor stated earlier this year, the signing of the one-time Norwich City appeared to be a "perfect" fit, with the playmaking midfielder able to help lead the transition into providing "more attacking football for the fans", amid the change to a 4-3-3 formation.

Postecoglou could then follow up that transfer masterclass by bringing Barnes into the fold over the coming weeks, with the fleet-footed winger having also been something of a shining light amid Leicester's woes last season, after scoring 13 league goals from the left flank.

Lauded for his "raw pace" and hailed as a "livewire" by pundit Alan Hutton, the £35k-per-week menace has proven a reliable, devastating threat for the Foxes in recent years, having bagged 45 goals and 32 assists in 187 games for the club to date.

That ability to both offer a clinical presence himself as well as provide the goods for his teammates is also shared by Maddison, with the latter man having recorded a similar record for his previous employers, with 55 goals and 41 assists in 203 appearances across all fronts.

A further benefit that the duo are also able to offer is their defensive quality, with Barnes notably ranking in the top 15% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for aerial duels won, while his fellow Englishman ranks in the top 17% for tackles made – illustrating their willingness to defend from the front.

While the Guardian report did state that a move for Barnes may not be a priority for Postecoglou at present, it would seemingly be an astute deal if the Greek-Aussie could land Maddison 2.0 by poaching the wideman from his current home, hence why Spurs should consider strongly rivalling Newcastle for his signature.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is "pushing as he never did before" to sign Declan Rice and a deal is "close now".

What's the latest on Declan Rice to Arsenal?

Late last night, Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter to claim that Edu and Arteta are doing an "incredible job" in the battle for Rice, with the manager making a "huge effort" to sign the West Ham midfielder, who he envisages as being one of the faces of the club's long-term project.

Now, it appears as though the Spaniard's persistence has finally paid off, with Man City dropping out of the race for the England international, as they are unwilling to match the new offer that has been made by the Gunners.

Edu returned to the negotiating table last night with a bid of £100m, plus £5m in add-ons, and work has now commenced on agreeing the structure of the deal. Rice's camp reportedly believe the most recent offer is fair for all parties, having now asked West Ham to accept the proposal, paving the way for a move to the Emirates Stadium in the near future, with personal terms already being agreed for quite some time.

Is Rice joining Arsenal or Manchester City?

After a nervy few days, with Man City making their interest in the central midfielder well-known, Arsenal now appear to have won the race for his signature, news that is sure to be very exciting for the fans.

According to Jacob Steinberg, a deal is "close now", as he took to Twitter this afternoon: "Agreement between West Ham and Arsenal close now and could be done today. Rice has wanted Arsenal all along and is going to get his move."

Arteta will be relieved the transfer saga is finally approaching its conclusion, and he is set to bolster his midfield with a top-quality player, who has a range of different qualities.

The West Ham captain averaged 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game in the Premier League last season, the highest number of any player in the squad, and he has also started to impress on the front foot.

Hailed as a "very good finisher" by teammate Tomas Soucek, Rice registered five goals and four assists for West Ham last season, and Arteta will now be hoping he can continue his development in an Arsenal shirt.