South Africa selectors offer opportunities to youth as the team chases improved batting shows

Liam Brickhill21-Jan-2019Allrounder Sune Luus has been dropped from South Africa’s ODI and T20 squads to face Sri Lanka next month. Laura Wolvaardt also misses out from the squad that took part in the World T20 two months ago, while Trisha Chetty is yet to recover from injury. Offspinner Raisibe Ntozakhe’s bowling rehabilitation also continues and she is not ready to be considered for selection.In place of the dropped players, Faye Tunnicliffe, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk and Lara Goodall return to the set-up for the three T20Is against Sri Lanka. Saarah Smith also makes a return after recovering from a fractured finger suffered during the World T20.While Wolvaardt has been retained for the ODI series, Andrie Steyn, Goodall and Tunnicliffe have been included ahead of Luus and the still injured Chetty as South Africa look to add six vital points towards their 2021 ICC Women’s World Cup direct qualification campaign. Fast bowler Ayabonga Khaka is still in the midst of her shoulder surgery rehabilitation programme and was not considered for selection.Shortcomings in South Africa’s batting were the focal point of a disappointing World T20 campaign in the Caribbean, and convenor of selectors Clinton du Preez said the new selections were a result of the debrief that followed the tournament.”Looking into the upcoming Sri Lanka series, we as selectors did a debrief of the World Cup and looked at certain areas that we need to strengthen and looked at different options that will impact the game,” du Preez said.”The likes of Tazmin Brits and Nadine de Klerk could really make an impact on the middle order, the two of them have had a really good provincial season thus far. Saarah Smith coming back from injury as a batter who can add some spin value to the team is something we’re looking forward to and in the 50-over format, Andrie Steyn is coming in on the back of some good innings at provincial level. It’s good to see that we are retaining the core of our players within the squad and are also giving the opportunity to some younger players.”Following on from the World T20, Luus and Wolvaardt are both members of the Brisbane Heat squad that has reached the final of the WBBL this season. While Wolvaardt has retained her place in the South African one-day side to face Sri Lanka, Luus won’t be back until the series against Pakistan at the end of the summer.”Sune Luus unfortunately misses out on the back of some disappointing performances,” du Preez said. “We’re looking forward to seeing how she comes back, she can still add a lot of value, she needs a bit of work with the necessary coaches just to make sure that we get her back to speed (with the bat in hand). Her bowling obviously plays a massive role, so we would need to see how she comes back after playing a few provincial games and preparing for the Pakistan series.”Western Province’s Goodall has not seen international action since taking part in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in early 2017, but her efforts over the past two seasons for her province, in the National Academy as well as the South Africa Emerging team have convinced the selectors to give her another call-up as they begin the search for the 2020 ICC T20 World Cup squad. Brits and de Klerk’s last international appearances were in June and February 2018 respectively, the latter taking the remainder of the year off to complete her matric studies.”For now, it’s important that we focus and we plan for the upcoming T20 World Cup next year and also the one in 2022 and in between that, we have the 50-over World Cup,” du Preez said. “Our focus needs to be on both formats.”Starting on 1 February, Sri Lanka’s visit will include three T20Is and three ODIs across four venues. The squad will gather for a pre-tour camp from Saturday 26 January in Cape Town.T20 squad: Dane van Niekerk (captain), Chloe Tryon (vice-captain), Lizelle Lee, Tazmin Brits, Mignon du Preez, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Saarah Smith, Tumi Sekhukhune, Zintle Mali, Faye Tunnicliffe (wicketkeeper), Masabata Klaas, Nadine de Klerk.ODI squad: Dane van Niekerk (captain), Chloe Tryon (vice-captain), Lizelle Lee, Laura Wolvaardt, Mignon du Preez, Lara Goodall, Shabnim Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Saarah Smith, Tumi Sekhukhune, Zintle Mali, Faye Tunnicliffe (wicketkeeper), Masabata Klaas, Andrie Steyn.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp dipped into the market over the course of the summer transfer window to refresh his midfield options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo all came in to provide the head coach with a fresh injection of quality in the middle of the park.

Szoboszlai, in particular, has been an exceptional addition to the squad and has caught the eye with five 'big chances' created and 2.2 key passes per match across 13 Premier League matches.

The Reds have only lost one of their 13 top-flight outings so far this season and are currently two points off Arsenal, who sit at the top of the division.

Klopp's midfield renovation has paid off so far and, hopefully, it will allow them to compete for silverware at the business end of the campaign.

However, Liverpool could use the January transfer window to look at the mid-to-long-term, rather than just signing players who can make an immediate impact on the pitch.

With this in mind, reported transfer target Lucas Beraldo could be an excellent addition to the squad as the dream long-term heir to Virgil van Dijk's position on the left side of the central defensive pairing.

Liverpool transfer news – Lucas Beraldo

It was recently reported by UOL that Liverpool are the favourites to secure a deal for the Sao Paulo centre-back, who is said to have loads of potential.

That came after The Sun claimed that the Reds jetted to Brazil for talks over a possible deal to sign the 20-year-old colossus, who could cost them around £20m.

The report stated that they held talks with the player in an attempt to convince him to make the switch to England to compete within Klopp's squad.

It was said that Liverpool have been tracking the Brazilian youngster for a number of months and that the head coach would like to bring in a new player in his position, at the heart of the defence, during the January transfer window.

The Sun added that the Premier League side want to get a deal done quickly in order to beat off any potential interest from other European teams, who may also want to compete for his signature over the coming months.

However, it remains to be seen how successful those reported talks were with Beraldo and whether or not he would be interested in a move to Anfield over staying with his current outfit or moving to another European giant.

If Klopp is able to secure a swoop for the exciting youngster, though, then he could land a dream long-term heir to current left-sided defender van Dijk.

Van Dijk's season in numbers

The Dutch captain has been in typically impressive form throughout the 2023/24 campaign and has led from the back with his dominant defensive displays.

He has started 11 of the club's 13 league matches and has averaged a superb Sofascore rating of 7.42, which is the second-highest score within the squad – only behind Mohamed Salah.

Minutes played

90

Sofascore rating

6.9

Pass accuracy

90%

Duels won

Two

Duels lost

One

Clearances

Three

Van Dijk's most recent Liverpool performance (via Sofascore)

The towering defender has dominated opposition forwards this season with his intelligent positioning, superb timing, and outstanding physical strength.

Van Dijk has won a staggering 80% of his duels, which includes 81% of his aerial battles, and made 2.5 tackles and interceptions per game. This shows that the impressive titan is able to get the better of his opponent far more often than not to make defensive interventions for his side.

The experienced giant has also showcased an excellent reading of the game with 4.5 ball recoveries per match, which shows that he is able to anticipate passes to go and retrieve possession for his team.

Despite being a right-footed player, van Dijk is also a reliable passer for Liverpool on the left side of their central defensive partnership with a pass accuracy of 92% in the Premier League this season.

In fact, he ranks within the top 20% of English top-flight centre-backs for progressive passes (4.95) per 90 this term, which shows that the Netherlands international is a forward-thinking defender who can progress the play in possession with his line-breaking passes into midfield.

However, van Dijk turns 33 before the start of the 2024/25 campaign and that is why Liverpool may have one eye on the future and who they could have in his position in the long-term.

The statistics that show why Beraldo could be van Dijk's heir

The £20m Reds target could be signed as the eventual heir to the Dutchman's throne on the left of the defence given his impressive start to life in first-team football with Sao Paulo.

Despite being 20 – and 12 years younger than van Dijk – the 6 foot 1 centre-back has enjoyed an excellent year and has displayed his impressive defensive qualities.

The 20-year-old titan has made 2.1 tackles and interceptions along with six ball recoveries per match across 21 Serie A outings for his club throughout 2023. This shows that he has the ability to win possession for his side frequently throughout games in the same way that the Liverpool skipper has been able to this term.

However, Beraldo, who has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve, has only won 58% of his duels and this is an area in which he could need to improve to reach van Dijk's level of defensive dominance.

In possession, the Brazilian colossus, lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig above, is a forward-thinking passer who could slot in at the back to offer a natural left-footed outlet to progress the ball through the thirds.

He ranks within the top 8% of Serie A centre-backs for progressive passes (5.57) per 90 this season and this shows that Beraldo is superb on the ball and likes to break lines and find teammates in advanced positions, rather than being regressive and looking backwards.

Overall, the young enforcer appears to have the basic qualities defensively and in possession to be an exciting signing for Liverpool as their dream long-term heir to van Dijk.

There is no guarantee that he would be able to adapt to English football or progress with more experience at the top level but the evidence available suggests that it is worth a gamble at £20m.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na tarde deste sábado, 30, seis jogos movimentaram o futebol carioca. Americano, América, Cabofriense, Nova Iguaçu, Friburguense e Sampaio Corrêa-RJ jogaram pela Fase Preliminar do Campeonato Regional. Já Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense, Boavista, Portuguesa e Angra dos Reis jogaram pelo Campeonato Carioca Feminino.

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O Pérolas Negras subiu! Relembre aqui

Com o fechamento da 5ª rodada, a Cabofriense assumiu a liderança da Fase Preliminar com 10 pontos. Ela é seguida, na ordem, por Nova Iguaçu, Americano, Sampaio Corrêa, América-RJ e Friburguense.

FASE PRELIMINAR DO CAMPEONATO CARIOCA

Americano 3×0 América
O Americano derrotou o América por 3 a 0, no Estádio Ferreirão, em partida válida pela 5ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca Fase Preliminar. Paulo Vitor, Jefferson Riguimar e Mateus Francisco marcaram os gols da vitória maiúscula do time da casa.

Cabofriense 1×0 Nova Iguaçu
Com apenas cinco minutos de jogo, Natan marcou o único gol da partida que deu a vitória ao Tricolor Praiano sobre o Nova Iguaçu, no estádio Correão.

Friburguense 1×2 Sampaio Corrêa-RJ
O Sampaio Corrêa-RJ derrotou o Friburguense por 2 a 1, no estádio Eduardo Guinle. Alexandre abriu o placar para os visitantes, mas, no fim do primeiro tempo, Lucas empatou o duelo. No entanto, Roberto Júnior deu a vitória aos Galinhos da Serra com um gol nos acréscimos. O Sampaio chegou a desperdiçar um pênalti aos 36 minutos do segundo tempo.

Na próxima rodada, que será disputada no dia 3 de fevereiro, o Sampaio Corrêa recebe o América, no Lourival Gomes, enquanto o Friburguense encara o Nova Iguaçu, no Eduardo Guinle. Ambos os jogos serão às 15h30.

CARIOCA FEMININO

Flamengo 10×0 Boavista
No primeiro jogo das Meninas da Gávea na temporada, o Flamengo goleou o Boavista por 10 a 0. Raquel, Flávia (2), Rafa Barros (2), Jayanne, Ana Clara, Lu Meireles e Cida marcaram para o rubro negro carioca. A equipe de Saquarema ainda marcou um gol contra.

Vasco 3×2 Portuguesa
O Vasco também estreou com vitória no Campeonato Carioca. Na vitória por 3 a 2, Bebel, Juliana Ramos e Ju Pacheco marcaram para o Gigante da Colina, enquanto Manu e Laviena diminuíram para a Portuguesa.

Fluminense 21×1 Angra dos Reis
As Guerreiras do Fluzão estrearam com o pé direito. Vitória tranquila por 21 a 1, no CT Vale das Laranjeiras.Leticia (sete), Lene (três), Rivena, Andressa Cunha (dois), Dani Serrão, Gabi Lopes (dois), Vilmara, Michelle (três) e Andresa Ferreira fizeram os gols do Fluminense.

Marcus Rashford claimed that he has faced "abuse" from disgruntled Manchester United fans "for months" and vowed that "enough is enough".

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Rashford going through a lean patch of formHas scored just eight goals this campaignFans have not been kind to the misfiring forwardWHAT HAPPENED?

The 26-year-old has been a shadow of his former self, when he scored an impressive 30 goals during the 2022-23 season, as he has found the net only eight times across all competitions in this campaign. In lieu of his poor form and his lackadaisical body language on the pitch, the English forward has been subject to intense criticism from fans who want to see more from the senior player at Old Trafford.

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In addition to struggling with form, Rashford was under scrutiny after being spotted at a nightclub in Belfast, shortly before reporting ill to first-team training at Carrington. Moreover, his decision to go to a nightclub, just hours after a derby defeat to Manchester City was frowned upon by the United faithful.

WHAT RASHFORD SAID

Responding to a supportive post on social media, Rashford acknowledged the ongoing abuse he has faced for months and asserted that it is time for it to stop.

X user UtdParadigm posted: "The way Marcus Rashford is being treated is absolutely disgusting. It's cruel. It's abuse."

Just after midnight, the England forward quote tweeted the post and wrote. "I appreciate your support," he wrote. "It is abuse and has been for months. Enough is enough."

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DID YOU KNOW?

Rashford had earlier responded to criticism in a free-flowing account with The Player's Tribune where he insisted that his "commitment" to the club remains paramount.

"Listen, I’m not a perfect person," he said in the interview with . "When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better but if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up.

"It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man. I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge."

Newcastle United are reportedly battling two Premier League rivals for the signing of a "very interesting" player who has been dubbed a "great" in his position.

Newcastle suffer Nick Pope injury blow

The Magpies look like a team on their last legs at the moment, with so many tired performances on show, especially in Sunday's 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham. Eddie Howe has been dealt some terrible luck in the injury department since August, with so many key players unavailable throughout the campaign, making it hard to rotate and keep everyone fresh across various competitions.

Perhaps the most damaging injury setback of the season to date has been the one suffered by Nick Pope, with a serious shoulder issue expected to keep him out of action for many months. The Englishman has been a huge influence since arriving from Burnley, proving to be such a reliable figure between the sticks, and Martin Dubravka's uninspiring performance against Spurs arguably highlighted the need to bring in a new 'keeper during the January transfer window.

Former Manchester United stopper David De Gea has been linked as a target for Newcastle, with the Spaniard currently a free agent, while Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone is also considered an option for the Magpies. Now, another name has been thrown into the mix, with an exciting young 'keeper believed to be on Howe's radar ahead of the January transfer window.

Newcastle want Giorgi Mamardashvili

According to a fresh transfer update from Spain, Newcastle are interested in completing the signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The Magpies are not the only Premier League club who are keen on snapping up the 23-year-old, though, with Manchester United and Tottenham also believed to be admirers of his. Mamardashvili could be precisely what Newcastle are looking for to make up for the costly absence of Pope, with the Georgian a highly-rated player with most of his career still ahead of him at 23 years of age.

This season, the Magpies transfer target has started 16 matches in La Liga, winning one Man of the Match award from WhoScored in the process, and he is also a 14-time capped Georgia international, showing that he is an important player at international level, too. Legendary former Spain and Valencia 'keeper Santiago Canizares has heaped praise on him in the past, saying:

"He’s a great goalkeeper, he’s a very high-level player. And then in addition to that he’s very young. Goalkeepers improve year on year, so I couldn’t tell you what level he could reach. If he keeps improving at the current rate, it’s impossible to say how good he could get. He could be a very interesting target for any European club. And then the position that his club are in mean that it’s natural that he’d be on the transfer market."

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The lure of the Premier League could be great for Mamardashvili, and Newcastle could appeal the most, considering he would be almost certain to go straight into the side without Pope around, with Dubravka a step down in quality.

On the pitch, Everton don't deserve to be in the relegation zone. Sean Dyche turned a corner at Goodison Park and had the Toffees comfortably on course for a mid-table finish, but their exploits away from Goodison Park put an end to that progress and resulted in a 10-point deduction to leave them in the relegation zone once more in the Premier League.

Whilst a continuation of their recent form should quickly ease fears over the drop, given that they're only two points adrift of safety, those in Merseyside will undoubtedly be feeling frustrated. The news doesn't stop there, either, with reports providing an important update on 777 Partners' ongoing takeover attempt.

Everton takeover news

If anyone's in desperate need of some good news in the Premier League, it is Dyche. The former Burnley boss has been exceptional for Everton this season and was finally turning his squad into a side capable of avoiding a relegation battle. Dragged back into the bottom three, there's no doubt that he'll prove his expertise once again to weather the storm. Dyche may even get the good news that he so desperately needs along the way, too.

According to Paul Brown and Philippe Auclair for Josimar, the €350m (£305m) for the purchase of Everton has been provided to 777 Partners by an insurance company called Haymarket and that figure could rise to €500m (£436m), if necessary. This means that they should be able to fund a deal to take over the Premier League side if the deal is ratified.

From Everton's perspective, they'll be hoping to see the takeover reach completion before the January transfer window to see Dyche handed the chance to welcome some reinforcements. He's already shown what he can do with the current squad available and now he could have the opportunity to strengthen even further, perhaps returning the Toffees to previous heights in the process.

777 Partners provided money for Everton takeover

Of course, it's interesting to see that 777 Partners are already borrowing money to complete the takeover, in what might be seen as a worrying sign around Goodison Park. If the deal does go through, however, in the list of the Premier League's richest owners, Everton's new arrivals will reportedly sit as high as fifth, and borrowing money in these situations is often the norm. With that said, the Toffees will have no excuse but to avoid relegation battles and perhaps even move into the top half.

As we've seen over the years, no matter how much money a club has, recruitment is the key – just look at the difference between the Manchester clubs. And Everton will have to become aware of that fairly quickly if 777 Partners do arrive. The last thing that those at Goodison Park will want to see is money wasted. Dyche and others must ensure that whoever arrives has the desired impact, rather than joining previous transfers on a lengthy list of flops.

When the January transfer window does open and if 777 are in by then, it will be interesting to see exactly how much Everton act. Their current squad has enjoyed a good enough season so far, but the need for depth could see further reinforcements come through the door.

Marcus Thuram paid tribute to 'best uncle' Thierry Henry after guiding Inter to Scudetto win on Monday.

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• Thuram's message to Henry
• Called French legend 'best uncle'
• Scored in Inter's win over AC Milan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The French forward scored the second goal of his team – which proved to be decisive – in Inter's 2-1 win over rivals AC Milan in the Milan derby on Monday. The three points helped the Nerazzurri clinch their 20th Scudetto win with five games to go in the current season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After contributing to his team's title triumph, Thuram sent a heartfelt message to his father Lilian's former France team-mate and CBS Sports pundit Thierry Henry, as he called the French legend his 'best uncle.'

• WHAT MARCUS THURAM SAID

  Speaking to CBS Sports after the Milan derby, the striker said, "I’d like to thank Thierry Henry – maybe he’s going to see this – for all the advice that he gave me, and I hope that this is only the start. He's like my best uncle; he's the uncle who's here for me, to help me in good moments and bad moments. He always tells me the truth; today, I'd like to take the time to thank him because if I'm here, it's because of him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR INTER?

  The newly crowned Italian champions will be next seen in action on Saturday as they host Torino in a Serie A clash.

Three UAE cricketers – Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza and Rameez Shahzad – who were suspended last month, were asked by the Emirates Cricket Board to issue formal apologies to the Pakistan Cricket Board for criticising ground facilities in Karachi during the Emerging Teams Cup. In a statement, the Emirates board confirmed that the apologies had been “received and accepted” by the PCB.The players had each been handed eight-week suspensions from international cricket for violating the ‘Player’s Code of Conduct’ and requirements for the use of social media. The players had tweeted criticising the ground facilities in Karachi after rain wiped out their hopes of a semi-final spot in the Emerging Teams Cup. They had also been fined and the Emirates Cricket Board has said the collected fines will be donated to a Karachi-based charity. The three players, although unavailable for selection, have been training alongside the national squad, which is preparing for the upcoming series against Nepal.”Following the recent disciplinary sanctions imposed on three of its professional players, Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) has today confirmed that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has received and accepted formal apologies made to them by the players,” a statement by ECB said. “As a gesture of good will, ECB will donate the fines imposed on the players to a Karachi-based charity. All three players continue their training and, although ineligible for selection, are currently involved in an intense training programme alongside players that will represent the UAE in the upcoming UAE v Nepal series.”In December, the UAE captain Mustafa, left-arm spinner Raza and middle-order batsman Rameez had taken to Twitter to express their frustration after their match against Hong Kong was abandoned due to rain, wiping out their hopes of a semi-final spot.In a match played at the Southend Stadium in Karachi, UAE had restricted Hong Kong to 87 for 4 in 31 overs before a spell of rain lasting about half an hour interrupted play. However, the venue had inadequate tarpaulin covers to protect the pitch, and water leaked onto the square. Despite several hours of using sponges, the ground staff failed to dry the pitch. As a result, the match was abandoned, with the teams sharing points. A win would have boosted UAE’s prospects of playing the semi-final.The PCB, however, has not made a statement and on the fitness of the venue for future games. ESPNcricinfo understands the Pakistan board is aiming to host women’s international games at the venue in the near future.

رد النرويجي إيرلينج هالاند لاعب فريق كرة القدم الأول بنادي مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، على الإسباني، مارك كوكوريلا، لاعب تشيلسي بعدما سخر منه في وقت سابق.

وسخر كوكوريلا من هالاند في أغنية أثناء احتفالات منتخب إسبانيا ببطولة يورو 2024، التي فاز بها اللاروخا على حساب إنجلترا يوليو الماضي، حيث وصف إيرلينج بأنه سيرتجف عندما يواجهه.

طالع أيضًا | لم أتوقع فوزنا ولدي خبر سيء.. جوارديولا يُعلق على ثنائية مانشستر سيتي أمام تشيلسي

وجمعت اليوم المواجهة الأولى بين هالاند وكوكوريلا بعد سخرية الأخير من النرويجي، وسجل نجم مانشستر سيتي هدفًا في فوز فريقه بثنائية نظيفة على ملعب ستامفورد بريدج.

وقال هالاند بعد المباراة ردًا على كوكوريلا عبر قناة “فيا بلاي” البريطانية: “حسنًا، كوكوريلا رجل مضحك، في الموسم الماضي كان يطلب قميصي، وفي الصيف يغني أغنية عني”.

هالاند سجل هدفه الأول اليوم في مباراة تشيلسي، في رحلة الدفاع عن الحذاء الذهبي الذي حققه النرويجي خلال الموسمين الماضيين، منذ انتقاله إلى مانشستر سيتي قادمًا من بوروسيا دورتموند الألماني.

Leeds United experienced a turbulent transfer window this summer in the immediate aftermath of their relegation down to the Championship, a whole host of underperforming first-teamers departing before the prospect of second-tier football could even properly sink in.

The likes of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Rodrigo and Marc Roca all left the club to pursue loan moves elsewhere, whilst American midfield gem Tyler Adams also left Elland Road behind to join Premier League side AFC Bournemouth on a permanent deal.

Yet, not all hope was lost completely in this transfer window with Daniel Farke going on to recruit the spine of a squad that's now third in the league and gearing up for an intense battle with Ipswich Town and Leicester City for those coveted automatic promotion spots.

Additions such as Joel Piroe, Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon have been excellent buys whilst duds in the Premier League such as Georginio Rutter have burst into life since the club were relegated – the latter man registering seven assists this season.

Farke could add some new players in January to his promotion-chasing squad regardless of the feel-good factor present at Elland Road at this moment in time, Leeds potentially going back in for Fortuna Düsseldorf star Ao Tanaka who is vying for a move away from the German club.

Leeds transfer latest

Leeds United were previously interested in the Japanese midfielder last transfer window and even made a bid for the player, according to reports in Germany, albeit with Farke's men opting to sign Glen Kamara instead to fill gaps over Tanaka.

The Whites could be encouraged to go back in for the 24-time Japan international with recent developments suggesting that the skilful 5 foot 11 Düsseldorf man is actively looking for a move away.

German football website Express commented on the 'tricky situation' Tanaka's club have on their hands to keep the 25-year-old past January, stating that Dusseldorf will not put 'any obstacles' in the way of their number four moving on.

The Whites could therefore consider going back in for their failed summer buy, adding competition for places in West Yorkshire to ensure first-team regulars such as Kamara don't become complacent centrally.

How Ao Tanaka compares to Glen Kamara

Whilst Leeds' Finnish midfielder is far more reserved in his game going forward – content with just spraying the ball about with ease in a holding role – Tanaka excels when he ventures further up the pitch to help his team add goals.

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Over the last year for his 2. Bundesliga employers – according to FBref – Tanaka has averaged 1.28 shots per 90 minutes when he forays forward. Kamara, on the contrary, comes in at a far lesser 0.21.

With the amount of shots Tanaka takes per match, it's no surprise to see the Japanese midfielder has four goals next to his name for his free-flowing 2. Bundesliga team this campaign.

Yet, Kamara comes out on top in the passing statistics between the two – Leeds' number eight is a key figure under Farke playing in a deep position, a calm orchestrator of attacking moves alongside partner Ethan Ampadu. Over the last year, Kamara has on average completed 92.4% of his passes per game compared to Tanaka's 85.5%.

The Japanese World Cup star could offer Leeds something more fresh and unique if he was to be signed, even potentially starting in a more advanced number ten role if required.

Tanaka's ability to be tough in a tackle for Dusseldorf and his national team but also potent in attack has even seen him be compared to Real Madrid golden boy Jude Bellingham, a comparison that will have certainly piqued Leeds' interest due to the 20-year-old's heroics of late – netting 15 goals in just 17 games for Los Blancos.

That likeness between Tanaka and the Englishman was noted by the Bundesliga official website, who stated:

'Tanaka is somewhere in between, going box to box and emerging as an on-field leader like Borussia Dortmund’s England international Jude Bellingham. Tanaka looks to clean up from deep – averaging almost nine tackles won per Bundesliga 2 game in 2022/23 – and get forward whenever possible.'

Kamara will then be sweating about the potential of Kamada joining the Whites, Farke could fancy signing the bargain £2.6m man in January and play him over the former Rangers man to catch opponents off-guard in their continued hunt for promotion.