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[ad_pod ]On Sunday night, a number of West Ham United fans took part in an interesting debate on Twitter regarding the captaincy at the club.Club icon Mark Noble will once again wear the armband in the new season, but there might well be occasions where the 32-year-old is not in the XI.Indeed, the midfielder did miss seven Premier League matches during the 2018-19 campaign and there will be added competition during the new season.Many of the West Ham fans responded when a fan account claimed that Fabian Balbuena should be the skipper when Noble is not in the team for one reason or another.It would be fair to say that not too many agreed with the Balbuena suggestion, but many offered up alternatives, with Declan Rice, Jack Wilshere and Lukasz Fabianski being mentioned as possible suitors for the captaincy.Watch West Ham United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the club’s supporters is available to view below:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

It has undeniably been one of the major highlights of Manchester United’s pre-season so far; the emergence of so many talented young players appearing to stake their claim for an opportunity for the upcoming campaign. Until Thursday, the name on everybody’s lips had been Mason Greenwood. But after scoring the winner against Tottenham in the International Champions Cup, it could well be his teammate Angel Gomes who makes the step-up first.

The 18-year-old’s goal against Spurs was a real thing of beauty; after collecting the ball on the left-hand side, the 5 foot 3 midfielder drove into the box before playing a one-two with Juan Mata. Gomes’ first-touch from the pass was excellent and his elastic-like dribbling took him through on goal before calmly slotting the ball into the far corner of the net. It was pace, technique and composure at its best.

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Indeed, speaking after the game, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said: “It was a great goal by Angel (Gomes) – a great response. The little boy is bright and sharp. A great finish, so I’m delighted for him because he’s been, since day one, really sharp in pre-season so we have high hopes for him. All in all, the tour has been very good.”

Whilst Greenwood has understandably taken all the plaudits so far, it could well be that Gomes makes more of an immediate impact on Solskjaer’s first-team. His low centre of gravity means he can be a tricky player to stop, and in the new world of VAR, any kind of contact on trying to prevent him from driving into the box could result in a penalty.

United have an abundance of talented players who can play out wide, but Gomes’ pace and dribbling from just behind the striker can cause teams a whole load of new problems. His versatility and ability to play from the left-hand side also will naturally help the Red Devils’ attackers to interchange and give opposition teams something to think about.

It’s the kind of movement and creativity that Solskjaer has looked to impose on his side, and Gomes’ knack of changing gears and upping the tempo with his incredible dribbling and close control can help United unlock packed defences.

So whilst it may be Greenwood who looks on course to enjoy the stellar career at Old Trafford, Gomes’ impressive strike against Spurs has just subtly reminded everyone that United have another great academy product on their hands, who is ready to make his mark sooner rather than later.

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Leeds United will be looking to extend their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season to four games when they travel to the south coast to face Brighton and Hove Albion this afternoon.

Jesse Marsch’s men sit third in the standings after stunning Chelsea with a 3-0 victory at Elland Road last weekend, making it two wins and one draw from their opening four matches.

The Seagulls too remain unbeaten, so the Yorkshire giants are in for a tricky encounter, particularly with leading striker Patrick Bamford likely to miss out through injury.

Marsch will surely be tempted to stick with a winning lineup, one that saw Daniel James return to the side but that could be a mistake waiting to happen as the Wales international ought to be benched in favour of someone like Luis Sinisterra, who is yet to make his full starting debut.

The 24-year-old speedster, who cost the Whites around £25m from Manchester United last summer, was cut a passenger in that win over the Blues before he was hauled off in the 70th minute for the aforementioned Colombian.

James struggled to have any footing in the match, managing only six successful passes and 24 touches throughout his time on the pitch, as per SofaScore, which was the fewest of anyone to start. Even substitute Adam Forshaw managed the same number of passes in a 29-minute cameo.

He was wasteful in possession too as only 50% of his 12 passing attempts were accurate, whilst he only managed to provide one accurate cross from three attempts. Furthermore, he lost possession nine times and lost four of his seven duels in an awfully lightweight manner.

We certainly witnessed some of the exact reasons why ex-Tottenham Hotspur striker Darren Bent once dubbed him “headless”.

Marsch’s three other attackers – Rodrigo, Jack Harrison and Brenden Aaronson – all found themselves on the scoresheet, by contrast.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and so much more!”]

That has largely been the story of James’ time at Elland Road. He is yet to provide an attacking contribution this campaign, whilst in 2021/22, the Welshman found himself without a goal in his last 14 appearances in a time that Leeds, who were battling relegation, needed him most.

As such, the American head coach must look to axe him from the starting XI this afternoon. He’ll offer nothing against the Seagulls, who have conceded just one goal from their opening trio of games – the lowest in the English top-flight – so far.

AND in other news, Marsch handed double injury boost…

The cricket world reacts to Rohit Sharma’s stunning T20I century in Indore

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Dec-2017

Hitman at it again. Clean and powerful hitting at it's best. Take a bow brother. Double it up now. @ImRo45 #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/k3z00KqYNP

— Suresh Raina (@ImRaina) December 22, 2017

So This is Christmas … the lights are on in the crowd… Fireworks from Rohit and Rahul … and SL showcasing the spirit of giving #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/1R03pfqh65

— Russel Arnold (@RusselArnold69) December 22, 2017

First t 20 200 by an individual and the highest team score, both records in danger of being broken tonight!. @ImRo45 is just painting the big hits like an artist. #INDvsSL

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) December 22, 2017

Wow again @ImRo45

— Mitchell McClenaghan (@Mitch_Savage) December 22, 2017

There are a few in the world, but none in India who can catch up with Rohit when he is in this mood. #Rohit

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) December 22, 2017

What a stunning century it was from Rohit Sharma. 35 ball 100. May this purple patch continue. pic.twitter.com/1MsNKfJd0F

— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) December 22, 2017

Rohilicious….first individual T20 double hundred is a real possibility. #IndvSL #Indore #DilMangeMore

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) December 22, 2017

Everytime you think you have seen it all, you see something incredible. Today, Rohit Sharma has shown us that. I admit I am gasping.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) December 22, 2017

Marcus Rashford's time at Manchester United could be nearing its end as the Red Devils welcome offers for the 'distracted' forward.

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• Red Devils open to selling Rashford
• United started welcoming bids last summer
• Saudi Arabia an 'option' for forward

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the Telegraph, United started welcoming bids for the 27-year-old last summer following a drastic loss of form. After the highs of a 30-goal season in 2022-23, Rashford managed only eight in all competitions last term, and he appears increasingly affected by off-field issues.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rashford was fined two weeks' wages in January after being spotted on a drink-fuelled night out in Belfast, just two days before calling in sick for United training. That followed his benching for a game against Wolves on Boxing Day in 2022 for "internal disciplinary" reasons. These issues have led to concerns at the club about Rashford's focus and desire, with the forward apparently dealing with a number of off-field distractions – as adds.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United remain open to selling Rashford but his £325,000-a-week wages make finding a suitor difficult. claims that Saudi Arabia and Paris Saint-Germain are both 'options' should a change of country be deemed the best decision.

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• TELL ME MORE

  INEOS have been on a serious cost-cutting mission since their arrival at Old Trafford and the sale of Rashford, an academy graduate who would represent pure profit under Profit and Sustainability Rules, would appeal to the club's hierarchy.

It's set to be a big campaign for Manchester United next season, as Erik ten Hag looks to remedy his side's poor performances in the Premier League last year and build upon their success in the FA Cup.

However, to ensure they aren't left behind by those teams in and around them, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co must provide the Dutchman with additional talent to bolster the first team.

One of the players who's been heavily touted for a move to Old Trafford this summer has been Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but that transfer now looks to be dead in the water due to an unwillingness to meet his hefty £51m price tag.

However, fans shouldn't be too down, as recent reports have now linked the club to another talented midfielder who could be the perfect alternative.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, United have now turned their attention to Atalanta star Ederson following the cessation of their efforts to land Ugarte.

The report claims that the Brazilian midfielder is one of the names the Red Devils are considering as an alternative to the PSG ace and that Ten Hag is currently 'mulling over whether to attempt to land Ederson.'

It is not entirely clear how much the 25-year-old would cost, but the report quotes an article from the Standard earlier this summer that reported on a potential £38m deal that would have seen the player move to Liverpool – a move that obviously never transpired.

In all, while Ugarte is off the table, fans should be excited at the prospect of Ederson moving to Old Trafford, as he looks like he could be the perfect alternative.

How Éderson compares to Ugarte

So, if United are now focused on signing Éderson over Ugarte this summer, how do the two midfielders stack up against one another?

Well, the first thing to look at is their attacking output, as while the pair primarily play in central and defensive midfield positions, they would still be expected to chip in with the occasional goal or assist at Old Trafford, and in this metric, the Brazilian comes out way ahead.

For example, in his 53 appearances for the Europa League winners last season, the 6 foot "machine", as dubbed by football writer Carlo Garganese, scored seven goals and provided one assist, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 6.62 games.

In contrast, the PSG ace provided just three assists in his 37 appearances last season, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 12.33 games. While this is inferior, it's still not too concerning for someone who started more games as an out-and-out six.

That said, when you compare the 23-year-old's Ligue 1 heatmap last season to the player who could be signed in his place, it's clear that while he started as the six, he didn't really play like one.

Okay, so now that it is clear that the Atalanta star is more productive while actually playing deeper than his younger competition, does he also come out on top when we examine their underlying numbers?

Indeed, he does. For example, he ranks far better in the vast majority of underlying metrics, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, key passes and passes into the penalty area, shot-creating actions, blocks, aerial duels won, and he even makes fewer errors that lead to a shot, all per 90.

In his defence, the Uruguayan does come out on top in a few metrics such as passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, tackles won, interceptions and ball recoveries per 90, but that is about it.

Ultimately, while missing out on Ugarte has left some United fans feeling understandably disappointed, they should be excited about the prospect of signing Éderson, as in every measurable metric, he appears to be the better option. Therefore, Ratcliffe and Co should do what they can to secure his services this summer.

Man Utd could make 'cheeky bid' for "monster" £15m Hojlund alternative

He has less than 12 months left on his contract

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 6, 2024

The 26 finalists include the two players with the most Ballons d'Or in history, with all winners set to be announced next week

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• Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi among FIFPRO World 11 finalists
• Ballon d'Or winner Rodri included
• Injury prevented inclusion of Thibaut Courtois

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Most of the biggest names in men's soccer have been included among the nominees for this year's FIFPRO Men's World 11. It is voted upon annually by the best players in the game.

  Messi and Ronaldo are once again among the nominees. For the first time since 2018, neither of the duo won this year's Ballon d'Or – but stand a chance for inclusion among the FIFPRO Men's World 11 for the 18th straight year.

  Dating back to 2005, the award celebrates footballing excellence on the global level. The 2024 awards will mark the 20th edition, and will be revealed Dec. 9. A record 28,000 players from 70 countries have voted for the 2024 Men’s World 11 and Women’s World 11.

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  Other big names on the list include Man City's Rodri, Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham and Liverpool defender Virgil Van Dijk.

  Premier League stars Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka did not make the shortlist, however.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi has a chance to extend his FIFPRO dominance this year, should he make the final 11. An inclusion for the Inter Miami star, who also won Copa America last summer, would be his 18th acknowledgment – another impressive mark in a career full of individual honors.

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  THE FIFPRO MEN'S WORLD 11 SHORTLIST IN FULL

  Goalkeepers: Ederson, Emiliano Martinez, Manuel Neuer

  Defenders: Dani Carvajal, Ruben Dias, Virgil van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong, Antonio Rudiger, William Saliba, Kyle Walker

  Midfielders: Jude Bellingham, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Jamal Musiala, Rodri, Federico Valverde

  Forwards: Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Cole Palmer, Cristiano Ronaldo, Vinicius Junior, Lamine Yamal

Leeds United are a matter of days away from kicking off their 2024/25 Championship season as they prepare to face off against Portsmouth at Elland Road on Saturday.

The Whites will be looking for a fast start to the new campaign after they narrowly missed out on promotion to the Premier League back in May, losing 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.

Daniel Farke is now hoping that it is second time lucky for his side as the German goes in search of his third promotion out of the second tier, having won the title twice during his time with Norwich City.

The West Yorkshire outfit's hopes of promotion have been dealt a blow by the exit of winger Crysencio Summerville, though, as the forward has joined West Ham United on a permanent deal this month.

The former Feyenoord youngster, as shown in the table above, was a constant menace to opposition defences in the league last term and Leeds are looking to dip into the market to secure his services.

Leeds eyeing up Premier League winger

According to journalist Alan Nixon, the Whites could pursue a deal to sign Crystal Palace wide man Jesurun Rak-Sakyi before the end of the window.

The reporter claims that fellow Championship sides Sheffield United and Hull City are both trying to secure his services on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, whilst Queens Park Rangers have also been linked.

Nixon adds that Leeds could come in with a move for the 21-year-old whiz if they do not sign Jonathan Rowe from divisional rivals Norwich City.

Football Insider recently reported that the Whites have already had an offer of £7m quickly rejected by the Canaries for the England U21 international.

The outlet added that the Yellows are set to demand a fee of at least £15m for their academy graduate, who has one year left on his current contract at Carrow Road – with an option to extend that by a further year.

This means that Leeds offered less than half what Norwich want for the impressive winger and it could, therefore, be a difficult deal for Farke and his recruitment team to get over the line.

However, the German boss could forget all about raiding his former club for Rowe by securing a deal to sign Rak-Sakyi from Palace instead.

Jonathan Rowe's form for Norwich

Firstly, it is easy to see why Leeds are interested in signing the Canaries youngster to bolster their options on the flanks in the wake of Summerville's move to the London Stadium.

He's a young and proven Championship performer who could come in and hit the ground running at Elland Road, whilst also having the potential to improve and develop over the years to come – at the age of 21.

Rowe is someone Farke could work with on the training pitch to help him fulfill his potential but he is also an excellent player who could make an instant impact on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, the 21-year-old dynamo was a goal threat for the Canaries in the second tier last term, in his first full season at senior level.

12 goals from an xG tally of just 5.36 also shows that Rowe's finishing was exemplary. He rarely wasted a high-quality chance to find the back of the net, scoring almost seven more goals than expected based on the quality of opportunities that were created for him.

However, the English gem did not provide much in the way of creativity. The Norwich youngster made less than one key pass per game and only created one 'big chance' in 32 outings during the regular season.

This suggests that Rowe would be unlikely to replace the creativity Summerville displayed on the flank, with his nine assists in the Championship.

Whereas, Rak-Sakyi is a player who could come through the doors at Elland Road with the potential to make an impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Why Leeds should forget about Rowe

Instead of splashing out a staggering £15m to sign a player from one of their Championship rivals, the West Yorkshire side could save their money and land a loan deal for the Palace youngster as a potentially better alternative.

Rak-Sakyi is coming off the back of a frustrating season where he was used as a squad player for the Eagles – making just eight first-team appearances.

He did, though, fire in four goals and provide one assist in three U21 matches for the Premier League 2 side, which offered a glimpse at the quality he can offer.

His form at academy level for Palace has always been strong. Rak-Sayki has scored 24 goals and assisted eight in 40 U21 games for the club, along with eight goals and eight assists in 17 U18 matches.

The left-footed ace, who was described as "remarkable" by Roy Hodgson, has also showcased his attacking quality in senior football with Charlton on loan in the 2022/23 campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Rak-Sayki was a star for the Addicks with his ability to score and create goals, with 23 direct goal contributions in 43 matches.

Albeit at a lower level, the Palace youngster outscored Rowe and provided far more creativity for Charlton than the Norwich whiz did in the Championship last season.

Rak-Sakyi's statistics at academy level and in League One suggest that the potential is there for him to offer more than the £15m-rated Leeds target at the top end of the pitch, due to his goalscoring prowess and creative quality.

Imagine him & Gnonto: Leeds in the race to sign "exciting" star

The Whites are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Premier League defender.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 6, 2024

Therefore, Farek could forget all about a move for Rowe this summer by winning the race to sign the former Charlton loanee to bolster the squad.

GOAL takes a look at six first-time FIFPRO World 11 nominees, with some big names making their debuts on the 2024 shortlist

The footballing world has been lucky in recent years, with so many top players performing at their peak for so long. There are many nominees on this year's FIFPRO Men's World 11 shortlist with multiple acknowledgments under their belt. But at some point, the next generation has to come through.

For some, such as Phil Foden, a first time nomination has perhaps come a little late. But for the majority of the six first-time nominees, everything seems to be coming together at exactly the right time, with many years of promise to come.

No nominee is guaranteed a spot among the final 11 winners, of course (the 2024 winners will be revealed next week). But a glance at the ages here, ranging from 17-24, suggests that the select group might be award contenders for the foreseeable future.

GOAL looks at the first-time nominees for the FIFPRO Men's World 11, how they got here, and why there could be further nominations in their future.

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  Jeremie Frimpong, Bayer Leverkusen

  One for the purists! Jeremie Frimpong was a crucial part of Xabi Alonso's immensely successful Bayer Leverkusen team, serving as a valuable dynamic attacking presence as a right wing back. His nine goals and nine assists in the Bundesliga alone are part of the reason why the German side broke their "Neverkusen" curse.

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  William Saliba, Arsenal

  The best center back in the Premier League? He's certainly up there. The attacking players may get the plaudits for Arsenal, but it's their rock solid defense that have made them perennial title contenders. Saliba is the Rolls Royce at the heart of it all, forming a formidable partnership with Gabriel at the back. With the duo bossing it, Arsenal conceded just 29 goals in the league last season.

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  Phil Foden, Manchester City

  It's quite incredible that it's taken Phil Foden this long to get voted onto the shortlist. Then again, it did seem as if last year was when it finally came together for the man Pep Guardiola once likened to Andres Iniesta. Erling Haaland did all of the goalscoring for City last year, but Foden provided pretty much everything else, putting up his best attacking numbers to date and winning the PFA Player of the Year.

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  Jamal Musiala, Bayern Munich

  What a class of young midfielders Europe has these days. Jude Bellingham, Florian Wirtz and Foden would be enough. But throw Musiala in, and the next generation looks bright. Bayern may have gone without a trophy last season, but none of that can be blamed on the former Chelsea academy talent, who was magnificent throughout. He scored 12 and assisted eight to complete a breakout year. More honors are sure to come.

With the Julen Lopetegui era at West Ham United beginning this summer, the Hammers' new boss is set to race a fellow Premier League side to sign a new defender.

Hammers make moves for new defensive players

One of Lopetegui's first pieces of business as West Ham boss saw him reunite with Max Kilman. The Spaniard had made Kilman captain during his time with Wolverhampton Wanderers and a £40million deal saw the central defender make the move to the London Stadium this summer.

Fabrizio Romano: West Ham submit proposal to sign "outstanding” new player

He scored 19 league goals last season.

By
Tom Coates

Jul 23, 2024

Clearly not content with the arrival of Kilman, the Hammers remain linked with a number of other defensive players. Recent rumours have linked the East London outfit with a move for former Chelsea centre-back Fikayo Tomori who now plays his football in Italy with AC Milan.

Another name doing the rounds in West Ham circles is that of Aaron Wan-Bissaka. The right-back is set to be shown the door at Manchester United this summer and the Hammers have been quick to enquire about a deal for the player. It is claimed that the Red Devils are willing to listen to offers for the 26-year-old meaning it could be a good opportunity for the Hammers to strike a deal.

With more defensive reinforcements high on the Hammers' list of priorities, it appears that the club are now interested in a highly-rated full-back from Europe.

West Ham explore deal for Bayern Munich defender

As first reported on the X account of Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg, West Ham are interested in a deal for Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui. The report claims that the first "concrete talks" have taken place between the two parties with Manchester United also working on a deal for the Moroccan.

Plettenberg states that Mazraoui is at the top of the Hammers' list of targets for this summer and that a fee in the region of €15million to €20million (£12.5million to £16.8million) could be required to tempt the defender away from Bavaria.

With Mazraoui currently commanding a weekly wage of £130,000-a-week, it may be in Bayern's best interest to get the right back off their books so that they can fund new signings this summer.

Since arriving from Ajax in 2022, the 26-year-old has struggled for consistent minutes with Bayern, making just 19 Bundesliga appearances last season. Despite this, Mazraoui still stood out as a consistent defender with a useful attacking edge.

With Ben Johnson already departing the club at the expiration of his contract, the Hammers could be looking a little light on right backs going into next season. Additionally, current starter Vladimir Coufal is attracting interest from abroad meaning that Lopetegui could soon be left without a senior player in this position.

Regardless of their need to replace outgoing right-backs, Mazraoui could be an excellent addition to West Ham's side going into next season.