Celtic have finally confirmed that Kieran Tierney is set to officially join the club at the start of next month after his contract with Arsenal expires.

The Scotland international is returning to Parkhead for a second spell as a player, joining on a free transfer, to start at left-back for Brendan Rodgers next season.

Tierney left the Scottish giants in the summer of 2019 to sign for Arsenal after coming up through the youth ranks in Glasgow before thriving as a young talent.

The experienced defender, as shown in the graphic above, provided a big creative threat from a left-back position for Celtic, with 37 assists in 170, and Celtic are reportedly eyeing a star who could be amazing with the full-back down the left flank.

Celtic in talks to sign new winger

The Scottish Premiership champions are aiming to bolster their options in the left wing position and are eyeing up a star who could play ahead of Tierney next season.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Sky Sports, Celtic are in talks with Sarpsborg over a deal to sign Norway youth international Sondre Orjasaeter in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Hoops have ‘re-opened talks’ with the Norwegian outfit, having made contact with the Eliteserien side, after they failed to get a deal done for him in January.

It states that the Scottish giants had an offer of £4.6m turned down for the winger at the start of the year, as Sarpsborg want a fee of £7m, but the club have yet to make a new bid for his services as of yet.

Why Celtic should sign Sondre Orjasaeter

Celtic must now ensure that these fresh talks end with an agreement between all parties, because Orjasaeter could be an exciting addition to start on the left wing ahead of Tierney at left-back.

The 21-year-old starlet, once dubbed an “artist” by Havard Flo, would be a good stylistic fit ahead of the Scottish full-back, as he is a right-footed left-winger who likes to dribble infield to cause havoc in the final third.

This means that Tierney’s overlapping runs down the left, which led to him racking up 37 assists during his first spell, could create space for Orjasaeter to cut in on his favoured foot by dragging opposition full-backs wide and towards the touchline.

This could help both players to thrive because Tierney’s movement down the left could create space for the winger, whilst the Norwegian star’s dribbles infield could draw attention away from the full-backs overlaps to provide him with more chances to send crosses into the box.

Sondre Orjasaeter (Eliteserien)	2024	2025
Appearances	28	7
Goals	5	1
Big chances missed	5	2
Big chances created	12	7
Key passes per game	1.9	2.0
Assists	5	2
Dribbles completed per game	2.4	2.7
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter has caught the eye with his performances in the Eliteserien since the start of the 2024 campaign, with six goals and 19 ‘big chances’ created, which shows that he could make an immediate impact in the final third if Celtic get a deal over the line.

No Celtic player managed more than Nicolas Kuhn’s 1.9 dribbles completed per game in the Scottish Premiership in the 2024/25 campaign, which illustrates how impressive the £7m-rated star’s dribbling numbers in the Norwegian top-flight are.

Orjasaeter could be an incredibly exciting player for supporters to watch at Parkhead, due to his dribbling skills and his offensive output, and he could help to bring the best out of Tierney’s attacking talents on top of that.

Therefore, Celtic must work hard to agree a fee with Sarpsborg in the coming days and weeks because it could provide Rodgers with an amazing left-hand side of Tierney and Orjasaeter next term and beyond.

Sinclair 2.0: £4.6m star who "wins games on his own" is Celtic's top target

Celtic are eyeing up a deal for a winger who could be their next Scott Sinclair.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 10, 2025

Celtic got their second Fabrizio Romano ‘here we go!’ of the summer transfer window when he provided the latest on their pursuit of Benjamin Nygren on Saturday night.

The Italian journalist has confirmed that the Scottish Premiership champions are on the verge of completing a deal to sign the Sweden international to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

Nygren is set to sign for the club on a five-year contract and will link up with his new teammates in pre-season in the coming weeks, ahead of competing for a place on the right wing next season.

The 23-year-old talent scored 15 goals in 30 appearances in the Superliga during the 2024/25 campaign, which suggests that the Hoops have landed a bargain with the fee that Romano has reported.

That is because Nygren’s contract with FC Nordsjælland was due to expire at the end of this year, forcing the Danish side to cash in before they lost him for nothing in January.

Whilst this looks set to be a shrewd piece of business, Celtic have shown that they are willing to push the boat out for signings, as shown by their move for Arne Engels last year.

Celtic hit the jackpot with Arne Engels

The Hoops smashed their transfer record to sign the Belgium international from Bundesliga outfit Augsburg in the summer of 2024 for a reported fee of £11m.

It overtook the previous record of £9m that was paid to sign Odsonne Edouard on a permanent deal from Paris Saint-Germain. It showed that the board were ready to seriously back Brendan Rodgers in the transfer market.

Given the money involved in the move, signing Engels for a fee of £11m was a gamble by the Scottish giants, but it is one that paid off big time for them.

24/25 Champions League

Arne Engels per 90

Percentile rank vs midfielders

xAG

0.25

Top 7%

Assists

0.37

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

3.11

Top 29%

Key passes

2.24

Top 6%

Percentage of dribblers tackled

71.4%

Top 9%

Tackles made

2.49

Top 28%

Passes blocked

1.12

Top 27%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, the Belgian maestro provided plenty of quality in the Champions League, as he ranked highly among his positional peers in a host of key creative and defensive metrics.

Engels also ended the season with a haul of ten goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions from a central midfield position, which shows that he has been a big threat for the Hoops as both scorer and a creator of goals.

Celtic hit the jackpot with the midfielder because he hit the ground running at Parkhead to become an instant star, and they could repeat that trick with another record purchase this summer.

Celtic learn asking price for Sondre Orjasaeter

According to Norwegian outlet TV Sport 2, as relayed by the Glasgow Times, Celtic will have to splash out a fee of £11m to sign Sondre Orjasaeter from Sarpsborg before the end of the summer transfer window.

This means that they would have to make him their joint-record signing alongside Engels by splashing out a fee that they have never paid more than for any other player.

Transfer Focus

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

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The report, however, adds that Dutch giants PSV are currently leading the race to sign the Norway U21 international, and that French side Lille are also eyeing him up, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.

It was reported earlier this month that the Hoops had opened talks with Sarpsborg to sign Orjasaeter to bolster their options on the left flank, but there has been no further update on those discussions to date.

They now know that a record fee of £11m will be required to get a deal over the line in the coming weeks, and they could repeat their Engels masterclass by going through with a move.

Why Sondre Orjasaeter could be Arne Engels 2.0

As aforementioned, Celtic have hit the jackpot with the Belgian star because he immediately became a key performer in the middle of the park for Rodgers.

At the age of 21, Engels is also still a young player with plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, and could yet be sold for a profit in the future.

Orjasaeter is a 21-year-old talent with similar potential, based on his performances for Sarpsborg. He has shown that the quality is there for him to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch, particularly as a creator.

It was confirmed in May that Jota is set to be out for up to nine months with a knee injury, which means that the left-wing spot where the Norwegian star operates is set to be vacant at the start of the 2025/26 campaign.

Sondre Orjasaeter (Eliteserien)

2024

2025

Appearances

28

7

Goals

5

1

Big chances missed

5

2

Big chances created

12

7

Key passes per game

1.9

2.0

Assists

5

2

Dribbles completed per game

2.4

2.7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Orjasaeter is a player with the quality to fill the hole that has been left by Jota’s injury, as he has been in impressive form for Sarpsborg since the start of the 2024 campaign.

The 21-year-old star, who was described as a “playmaker” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has created 19 ‘big chances’ in his last 35 Eliteserien matches, which shows that the wing wizard is an incredibly creative forward.

For reference, Alistair Johnston’s haul of 15 ‘big chances’ created was the most of any Celtic player in the club’s 38-game Premiership season, suggesting that Orjasaeter could be a standout creative threat for Rodgers next term and beyond.

Related Celtic have hit gold with star who's now worth £8m more than Balikwisha

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That suggests that the potential is there for the Norwegian star to be an Engels repeat for the Hoops as a record £11m signing who could instantly become a key player for the club, whilst still having plenty of years left ahead to develop and improve.

Manchester United are now preparing an offer for an “unbelievable” star, and they are willing to use Joshua Zirkzee as a makeweight in the negotiations, according to a report.

Man Utd planning major summer revamp

Fresh off the back of losing the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur, there were suggestions that no player would be safe at Old Trafford this summer, with The Mirror reporting: “Manchester United will listen to offers for every player in the wake of their disastrous Europa League final defeat.

“No player will be immune from being sold – including captain Bruno Fernandes – as United face up to a catastrophic financial black hole.”

Since then, Fernandes has re-affirmed his commitment to Man United by rejecting advances from the Saudi Pro League, but it is evident that INEOS could sanction the departure of a number of underperforming players this summer, amid ongoing financial issues.

Player

Potential value

Marcus Rashford

£40m

Alejandro Garnacho

£50m

Andre Onana

£35m

Rasmus Hojlund

£38m

Cashing-in on Hojlund would make sense, considering the Dane has scored just 14 goals in 62 Premier League games, but he is not the only United striker who could be on the move this summer.

That is according to a report from Italy, which suggests Man United are preparing to offer Joshua Zirkzee in the package to sign Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, with the Nigerian striker still dreaming of a move to Old Trafford.

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Osimhen has always been keen on a move to the Premier League, which explains why he has been reluctant to move to Saudi Arabia, and he could finally get a chance to prove himself in England, should Zirkzee be willing to head in the opposite direction.

It remains to be seen whether Napoli are interested in a deal of that nature, but the Italian club have had a lot of dealings with United in recent times, having signed Scott McTominay last summer, while they have also expressed an interest in Garnacho.

"Unbelievable" Osimhen has earned Premier League move

The Nigeria international seems determined to test himself in the Premier League, and he has certainly earned the opportunity to do so, chipping in with 26 goals and five assists en-route to Galatasaray’s Turkish Süper Lig title triumph last season.

The 26-year-old has also been described as “unbelievable” by members of the media, having finished as the top scorer in the Serie A during Napoli’s title-winning 2022-23 campaign.

After being shipped out on loan to Galatasaray last season, however, the centre-forward’s time in Italy looks like it could be over, with his current employers willing to accept offers in excess of £50m.

That could make Osimhen more affordable than Viktor Gyokeres, although a swap deal involving Zirkzee may be the preferred option, as it would allow United to get the Dutchman off the books, off the back of him scoring just three Premier League goals last season.

The team which qualifies in second place in this group will take on South Africa, the Group 2 toppers

S Rajesh24-Jun-2024

Australia and Afghanistan – how can they qualify for the semis?•ICC/Getty Images

Australia’s 24-run defeat against India in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 means their semi-final chances now depend on the result of the last group game, between Bangladesh and Afghanistan. For Australia to qualify, Bangladesh need to beat Afghanistan, but by a margin of under 62 runs if they bat first (assuming a total of 140). If Bangladesh chase, they’ll need to get to 141 in at least 12.4 overs for Australia to finish with a higher run rate.That means Bangladesh, whose net run rate is currently languishing at -2.489, need a huge win on Monday night to surpass Australia’s -0.331. A win by 62 or more runs, and a chase of 141 in 12.3 overs or earlier, will push them to second place on the points table. (If they level the scores and then win with a six, they can push the chase to 13.1 overs.) If Afghanistan score 160, Bangladesh can stay ahead of Australia by chasing it down in 12.5 overs or sooner (if they score 161), or in 13.3 overs if they level scores and win with a six.For Afghanistan, the equation is much easier: a win will ensure second place in the group and a place in the semi-finals, while a defeat will knock them out. That’s because even with a Super Over defeat, their NRR will only improve to -0.433, which is still below Australia’s -0.331.The team which qualifies in second place in this group will take on South Africa, the Group 2 toppers, in Tarouba in a night game on Wednesday, while India will take on England in the second semi-finals in a day game on Thursday in Providence.

Wriddhiman Saha is all set to return to Bengal for the upcoming Indian domestic season, and will also feature in the inaugural Bengal Pro T20 league that gets underway on Tuesday at the Eden Gardens.Saha, who represented Bengal for close to 15 years since making his first-class debut in 2007, moved to Tripura ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season as a player-cum-mentor. He had asked for his NOC after being hurt by comments by a senior administrator before the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy quarter-finals. After two years at Tripura, Saha is now back at Bengal.He wasn’t on the initial draft list of the Bengal Pro T20 league but has been picked by the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards team as a replacement for the injured Abhimanyu Easwaran. Wizards will be led by Sudip Chatterjee in the league and also have former India U-19 fast bowler Ishan Porel in their ranks.There are a total of eight teams taking part in the Pro T20 league. Each team will play seven league-stage matches, followed by the semi-finals and the final on June 28 at the Eden Gardens.”We are very happy to have Wriddhiman back in Bengal. Also, his interest in playing at the Bengal Pro T20 League will add more glamour to the League,” Snehasish Ganguly, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal, said.Saha, 39, has played 136 first-class matches, scoring 7013 runs at an average of 41.99. So far, he has hit 14 centuries and 43 half-centuries. This includes 1353 Test runs in 40 matches at an average of 29.41.Saha was picked up by Gujarat Titans at the IPL 2022 auction and was part of the side that won the title in its inaugural season. He had an underwhelming IPL 2024, though, where he could only manage 136 runs in nine innings while averaging 15.11. His loss of form coincided with Titans’ slide as they finished eighth in the season.

Manchester United aren’t acting like a team who languished their way toward a 15th-placed Premier League finish last season, moving purposefully in the transfer market as they are.

Defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League proved the final nail in the coffin, severing the last hopes of salvaging something from a rotten year, closing the door on a campaign on the continent in 2025/26.

But Ruben Amorim has a plan, and INEOS are showcasing the club’s unbreakable transfer pull, having signed Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a deal worth £62.5m.

Amorim has his work cut out, all right, but this new policy of identifying Premier League-proven product might just pay dividends in the long run.

Let’s have a look at how they sealed the Brazilian star’s signature.

Why Matheus Cunha joined Man Utd

It’s remarkable to see that top players are still drawn to the Theatre of Dreams even when Man United are in the deepest throes of their decline, and Cunha is the perfect representation of that fact.

Sure, United activated his release clause, but the 26-year-old was also coveted by Arsenal, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, all of whom will play in the Champions League next season. Aston Villa had also expressed an interest.

If Amorim can get the Red Devils back to a position of strength, just imagine the kind of success the outfit could have in the transfer market with a strategy far away from the scattergun approach of the past decade.

Signing players who have showcased their quality consistently in the Premier League seems to be a track that United are heading down, for Cunha’s not the only one driving a deal toward Old Trafford from another part of the country this summer.

Man Utd's next transfer expected 'soon'

According to reports in Italy, Manchester United have already agreed personal terms with Bryan Mbeumo, although negotiations continue with Brentford as to the structure of the financial package.

Transfer Focus

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

Saying that, United are willing to pay £63m plus add-ons to sign the goalscoring winger, who has been expected to leave the Gtech Community Stadium for several months now. The final details with Brentford still need to be defined but it’s reported that an agreement is ‘expected soon’.

Tottenham Hotspur’s appointment of Thomas Frank has renewed Spurs’ hope that they could hijack the deal, but the player’s preference is to sign for the Red Devils in spite of their lack of European football.

How Bryan Mbeumo will improve Man Utd

Last season, Mbeumo bagged 20 goals across 38 Premier League matches, with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland the only players to outscore him.

A tenacious forward with a fixed winning mentality, he’s exactly what Amorim needs to turn the ship around. Indeed, the Cameroon international has been hailed for his “technique and work ethic” by journalist Henry Winter.

This is further represented through his underlying data; not just a goalscorer, the 25-year-old ranked among the top 9% of positional peers in the Premier League last term for crosses, the top 10% for clearances and the top 20% for touches in the defensive third per 90, as per FBref.

That latter metric, in particular, highlights Mbeumo’s willingness to drop deep and help the Bees in transition.

This vibrant range of qualities actually led the data-driven site to draw Cunha up as one of his most comparable players.

Cunha is a maverick, stylish on the ball and happy to step up and make things happen when no one else seems willing to. Man United need some of that.

When looking at the forwards’ respective top-flight campaigns, you begin to see exactly why United have been so desperate to secure these deals, with the players partnered on the flanks sure to add a whole lot to a frontline that has been lacking.

Matches (starts)

33 (29)

38 (38)

Goals

15

20

Assists

6

7

Shots (on target)*

3.3 (1.3)

2.2 (1.1)

Big chances missed

2

9

Pass completion

79%

74%

Big chances created

13

17

Key passes*

1.8

1.8

Dribbles*

1.8

1.4

Ball recoveries*

3.8

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.7

Duels won*

5.5

4.7

As you can see from the table above, they are not all that dissimilar, Cunha and Mbeumo. In fact, with the forwards, favouring the left and right flanks respectively, both proven in the Premier League to be high-level goalscorers with creative flair and defensive application, it looks the perfect way to dynamise Amorim’s frontline.

The centre-forward picked to settle in the middle of the exciting stars will be a lucky man indeed. Though the Red Devils have faced countless disappointments after first finding such excitement in a big-money acquisition, INEOS have focused on two players capable of lifting the club’s attacking quality to a top level.

They will add goals, they will create, and they will improve the overarching fluency of a fallen giant. It’s unlikely to be a surprise that Mbuemo and Cunha are two Premier League forwards with similarly dynamic skill sets, tailor-made for a place in Amorim’s vision, a vision which has not yet been sighted properly on English shores.

While many supporters will understandably reserve judgment until the 2025/26 campaign is well and truly up and running, Mbuemo is a superstar, “unplayable” on his day, as was noted by Frank last season after scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle.

With a like-minded player in Cunha mirroring him on the other side, Amorim’s team are well poised for a much-needed resurgence.

Their best signing since Bruno: £40m target now wants to join Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to make another superb signing in this summer window.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 22, 2025

Officially kicking off a new era, Rangers are now reportedly set to secure their first signing of Russell Martin’s tenure, with one of Scotland’s hottest prospects undergoing a medical.

Rangers commence new era

It’s not just the start of a new era in the technical area at Ibrox this summer. It’s also a new chapter for Rangers away from the pitch following the news that the 49ers have officially completed their takeover of the club. A long time coming, the American owners will be well aware of the task at hand and must use this summer to bridge the gap on Old Firm rivals Celtic.

After completing the takeover, Andrew Cavenagh told the official Rangers website: “We are deeply grateful for the trust placed in us by the Rangers Board, shareholders, staff, and supporters. This club’s history and traditions speak for themselves, but history doesn’t win matches.

“We know that the true way to honour the club’s heritage will be to drive performance. Our focus is simple: elevate performance, deliver results, and bring Rangers back to where it belongs – at the top.”

Since then, the 49ers have completed their first priority by appointing a new manager in Martin. The former Southampton boss arrives in the face of plenty of pressure and will be desperate to prove any doubters wrong at long last.

All pulling in the same direction, it looks as though the 49ers are ready to back their man to take the Gers back to the top of the Scottish Premiership. Whilst recent links have emerged to the likes of Flynn Downes, however, a young Scottish gem looks set to become the first signing of the Martine era at Ibrox.

Rangers set to sign Josh Mulligan

According to Ibrox Noise, Rangers are set to sign Josh Mulligan from Dundee with the midfielder undergoing a medical at the club. The 22-year-old’s arrival seems imminent and he looks destined to take his place in his history as the 49ers’ first signing and the first arrival under Martin. One of Scotland’s hottest prospects, Rangers’ pursuit should come as no surprise.

Described as an “aggressive” wing-back and central midfielder by journalist and football consultant Kai Watson, Mulligan has looked destined for a big move for some time. Now, at 22 years old, he is set to get exactly that courtesy of Rangers.

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Having started 24 games for Dundee in the Scottish Premiership last season, the right-midfielder is more than ready to step up at Ibrox and represents the direction that the 49ers could take Rangers towards this summer. Starting with Mulligan, the Gers could be in for a hectic transfer window.

Manchester United have plenty of decisions to make this summer and Andre Onana’s future at Old Trafford may now have taken another twist, according to a report.

Andre Onana's Manchester United future uncertain

On the face of it, Onana is a name that divides opinion across the Red Devils’ support and his inconsistent performances last campaign won’t have won any favour among the undecided.

The Cameroon international conceded 65 times in 50 appearances across all competitions, and a string of high-profile errors have led Manchester United to look at the likes of Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez as a potential replacement.

Shedding light on the rumours, ex-Premier League scout Mick Brown stated: “Man United have made it clear they would like to sign Martinez. They’ll take whatever they can get for Onana, and then they’ll make contact with Aston Villa and see if they can get a deal over the line.

“He’s seen as a huge upgrade on Onana so they’re prepared to take a hit to get things moving. If Man United could swap Onana for Martinez tomorrow, they’d jump at it. Martinez is in his 30s now, but he’s a very capable goalkeeper and they’re not concerned about that.“

Intriguingly, Manchester United have also been given the green light to pursue Porto stopper Diogo Costa, lending credence to the notion that they could be set for a change between the sticks this summer.

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Plenty of names may enter the hat to replace Onana if he is moved on, though it remains to be seen how events develop over the next few weeks.

That said, the Red Devils could now have their house in order on that front as Ruben Amorim tries to sort out his goalkeeping situation.

Man Utd could loan out Onana with John Victor lined up

According to The Sun, Manchester United could loan out Andre Onana this summer and sign Botafogo’s John Victor as a replacement for as little as £6 million.

In the case of Onana, Monaco are said to have asked the question over a temporary move, but his £120,000 per week wages have proved to be a stumbling block. The Red Devils would prefer to conduct a deal with a European club over a Premier League rival.

Andre Onana vs John Victor – who is a better fit for Manchester United?

Andre Onana – Premier League

Save percentage

67.2%

Goals conceded

44

Clean sheets

9

Pass accuracy

69.8%

Penalties faced/saved

1/4

John Victor – Brazilian Serie A

Save percentage

81.1%

Goals conceded

7

Clean sheets

6

Pass accuracy

79.4%

Penalties faced/saved

0/0

Victor may have a smaller sample size than Onana, but purely for demonstrative purposes, his statistics do stand up to scrutiny when evaluating the consistency levels needed for a Manchester United goalkeeper to succeed at Old Trafford.

Keeping ten clean sheets in 29 appearances across all competitions this season, he could be the man to succeed the Cameroon international, even if there will be difficulties to overcome in sanctioning his exit.

Says the focus is now on the short turnaround between England defeat and upcoming fixture against USA

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jun-20243:17

Rapid fire: Should WI bring in McCoy or Shamar?

Daren Sammy told his West Indies team to put their eight-wicket loss to England “in the garbage” and insisted that they can still win an unprecedented third men’s T20 World Cup.West Indies set England 181 to win in St Lucia – at the ground bearing Sammy’s name – but only took two wickets as the defending champions cruised home with 15 balls to spare, thanks primarily to Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow’s unbroken 97-run partnership for the third wicket. Sammy said that only on a flat pitch, his team were “about 25 runs short” of a winning total.”It’s part of the game,” Sammy said. “This loss will not dampen our spirits. We still believe we’ve got a team that could win this World Cup, and that’s what I’ll tell the guys inside when I speak to them: park this game, put it in the garbage. And we move forward to Barbados where we win against the USA, and then we have South Africa in Antigua on Sunday.”No-one said it was going to be easy. There are good teams in the tournament. Today, we came up against the defending champions and they got the better of us. But that doesn’t mean our tournament is over. Our destiny is in our own hands, and I feel I’ve got the 15, the group of men, that we believe that this tournament, we could win.”Related

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West Indies made two changes to the side that thrashed Afghanistan on Monday, reverting to the XI that beat New Zealand in Trinidad. Roston Chase and Romario Shepherd – who missed Monday’s game on paternity leave – replaced Shai Hope and Obed McCoy, who took 3 for 14 against Afghanistan and was unfortunate to miss out.”We could talk about it now in hindsight, but I’ve said it from day one: we have 15 potential match-winners,” Sammy said. “Obed did bowl well [against Afghanistan] but if you look at what Shepherd has done for us over the last year in T20 cricket, what he brings to the team, we thought going against them, especially the potential line-up England could have and the dual rule that he brings [was the right option].”West Indies are bottom of the nascent points table in Group 2 of the Super Eight and will almost certainly require wins against both USA and South Africa to qualify for next week’s semi-finals. “We did not execute our plans well enough – a couple of chances here and there – but in a tournament, there’s a game where the opposition will get the better of you,” Sammy said.”But that doesn’t mean we’re out of it. Now, in order to win, we’ve got to win all our matches and that’s what we’ll focus on. We’ll leave this game right here in St Lucia. It’s a short turnaround: we go to Barbados tomorrow and on Friday we have a game against the USA. We’ll meet as a selection group and see how best we could further improve our team based on the conditions.”

Leeds United and 49ers Enterprises are “in negotiations” to seal a “complicated” transfer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Leeds’ transfer plans after Nmecha and Bijol deals

The Whites have made a start on their summer business ahead of their Premier League return, with Daniel Farke bringing in forward Lukas Nmecha on a free transfer from Wolfsburg as the first addition of the summer.

Nmecha has since been joined by centre-back Jaka Bijol, who looks like he could go straight into Farke’s side after Leeds spent £15m and gave the Slovenia international a five-year deal at Elland Road.

The 49ers and co also want to bring in a goalkeeper, central midfielder and marquee striker, bolstering the spine of Leeds’ side in the process, and they are willing to spend big on each position.

A top goalkeeping target is yet to be indetifned, whereas in attack, Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz appears to be the priority. In midfield, Strasbourg captain Habib Diarra is viewed as an ambitious target, and there have been claims that Leeds have made two offers for the Senegal international.

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Diarra appears to be keen on a move to England, however, whether that will be with Leeds remains to be seen, and Romano has shared what he knows about a potential transfer.

Leeds "in negotiations" to seal “complicated" Diarra deal – Romano

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano said that Leeds are “in negotiations” to seal a deal for Diarra, however, any move won’t be easy because of the valuation.

Leeds’ second bid was thought to be worth around £24m, and if that isn’t enough, the Whites may soon be into the territory of their most expensive signings of all time in Georginio Rutter and Brenden Aaronson.

Leeds United’s most expensive signings of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Signed from

Year

1

Georginio Rutter

€34m

Hoffenheim

2023

2

Brenden Aaronson

€32.84m

RB Salzburg

2022

3

Rodrigo

€30m

Valencia

2020

4

Dan James

€29.1m

Man Utd

2018

5

Rio Ferdinand

€26m

West Ham

2000

Still just 21 years of age, Diarra has already played more than 100 games for Strasbourg, something which Liam Rosenior hailed.

“For Habib it’s been amazing. At his age? To play 100 games for this club? A club that he’s been at since he was 14 years old? A club that he loves? For him to be captain at his age says a lot about his character and mentality.

“I think he’s going to have an amazing career. He’s been magnificent in my time working with him and it was nice to see him with his family celebrating a really special moment.”