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O técnico Rogério Ceni reconheceu a má atuação do São Paulo na goleada sofrida por 3 a 0 para o Grêmio, nesta quinta-feira (02), pelo Campeonato Brasileiro. Apostando em uma formação com Benítez como titular e Gabriel Sara na lateral, o esquema não deu certo e Ceni explicou.

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– Tentei montar um esquema pra botar o Benítez pra jogar, montar um esquema que beneficiasse ele, com Sara e Welington, inclusive trocando o Reinaldo. Tentei preparar um sistema voltado pra ele ter conforto no jogo. Infelizmente nós não produzimos absolutamente nada – lamentou o treinador, em entrevista coletiva.

Ceni falou um pouco mais da escolha por Gabriel Sara na lateral-direita. O jogador, meia de origem, era um dos destaques ofensivos da equipe, mas na partida contra o Grêmio, praticamente não atacou.

> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui

– O Sara tá acostumado a fazer o lado direito, ele vem jogando nessa função na linha de frente. Como ala ele teria a mesma liberdade pra atacar. O Arboleda faria um pouco mais a cobertura dele. Não queria tirar ele desse corredor. E ele não teve dificuldades no treinamento – disse Ceni.

O São Paulo volta a campo na próxima segunda-feira (06), às 19h, contra o Juventude, no Morumbi, pela 37ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A equipe é a 12ª colocada, com 45 pontos.

Paris Saint-Germain are the latest club linked with Barcelona attacker Dani Olmo amid unresolved concerns over his registration status.

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PSG tipped to move for OlmoBarcelona at risk of losing summer signingContract registration still unresolvedFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After links with Arsenal and Manchester City this month, PSG are now reported by to be keeping tabs on Olmo's bizarre situation at Barcelona. The French giants have been tipped to make a move if things are not resolved in Catalonia, with PSG coach Luis Enrique already familiar with Olmo from the Spain national team setup.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Olmo's future is only uncertain because of Barcelona's continued financial strife. The Euro 2024 winner joined for €60 million (£50m/$63m) from RB Leipzig last summer but couldn't initially be registered in accordance with strict La Liga salary limits until the club were able to offset Andreas Christensen's wages due to injury. But with the Dane returning to fitness, Barca are back to square one unless they can raise the necessary revenue. A legal challenge to try and force Olmo's registration has already failed, which is a desperate blow given the possibility of the player walking away as a free agent.

DID YOU KNOW?

Barcelona will remain financially hamstrung as long as they stay on La Liga's harshest spending rules, allowing them to only reinvest a fraction of money received or saved. The club has been rumoured several times in recent months to be close to returning to normality, but that has yet to materialise. These limitations are also why Ilkay Gundogan was let go on a free transfer and why Nico Williams was out of reach last summer.

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Barcelona need to find money that will allow them to register Olmo before it is too late and they risk losing him. One option could be to sell other players, with Christensen one of those linked with a January exit and Newcastle United an apparent suitor.

MatériaMais Notícias

A presença dos quase 50 mil rubro-negros no Maracanã, nesta quarta-feira, foi um voto de confiança dado ao Flamengo, que correspondeu com uma atuação com aspectos positivos, especialmente se levarmos em conta que era uma equipe praticamente reserva. O gol de Bruno Henrique, que garantiu a vitória por 1 a 0, coroou o “abraço da Nação” ao grupo que embarca nesta sexta para Porto Alegre e só volta ao Rio depois da final da Libertadores, em Montevidéu.

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Assim, a partida contra o Corinthians foi a última do Flamengo em sua casa, no Maracanã, ao lado da torcida. Agora, a delegação embarca para Porto Alegre na sexta-feira, onde disputará jogos contra Internacional e Grêmio, pelo Brasileiro, antes de viajar para Montevidéu, no dia 24. A decisão contra o Palmeiras, no Centenario é no dia 27 de novembro. Os dois clubes buscam o Tri da América.

No “até breve” ao Rio, a vitória dramática foi o ajuste fino entre arquibancada e time, repetindo a cena das últimas temporadas, quando, após o apito final no Maracanã, os jogadores se dirigiram ao meio do gramado para saudar a Nação.

✅ Sintonia entre arquibancada e campo. pic.twitter.com/cQ5vMc2kVw

— Matheus Dantas (@matheusdantasfr) November 18, 2021

Neste cenário, a parte emocional foi a de maior ganho para o Flamengo nesta quarta. O time, após algumas rodadas com desempenhos ruins, reencontrou uma sequência de vitórias e vai mais confiante para a “temporada” em Porto Alegre e Montevidéu. Como atuou com uma equipe praticamente reserva, há pouco a se tirar das questões táticas visando o confronto com o Palmeiras.

Neste momento, o importante para Renato é continuar rodando o elenco a fim de mantê-lo saudável. As maiores preocupações ficam por conta de Arrascaeta, Pedro e Rodrigo Caio, em recuperação, e Bruno Henrique, que deixou a partida contra o Corinthians com dores no joelho esquerdo e será reavaliado no clube.

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.

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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.

Ipswich Town are continuing to ramp up their transfer business ahead of their Premier League opening day clash against Liverpool on Saturday, and are closing in on a pair of new midfielders.

Ipswich's impressive business to date

After securing back-to-back promotions there has understandably been significant squad turnover at Portman Road this summer. Their most important business was to renew the contract of manager Kieran McKenna, who had been linked with Chelsea, Manchester United and Brighton before penning a new deal in East Anglia earlier in the transfer window.

On the pitch, the Tractor Boys have shelled out £60m on five new faces, with last season's hero Omari Hutchinson the pick of the transfers after he arrived from Chelsea for a club record £20m.

They have also added Hull City defender Jacob Greaves to the heart of their defence, while they raided relegated Burnley to bring Arijanet Muric to Portman Road in a deal worth around £8m and added veteran Conor Townsend to their side from West Bromwich Albion.

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Ben Johnson also arrived on a free transfer after his contract with West Ham United expired, while they bolstered their frontline with the arrival of Liam Delap from Manchester City, in a move that set them back a further £15m.

Now, they are closing in on signing on a loan deal to sign Napoli midfielder Jens Cajuste, who had previously been linked with a move to join fellow Premier League side Brentford, only for that move to collapse and the Tractor Boys to pounce. They are also now on the brink of another midfield addition too.

Ipswich ready for statement signing

That comes amid widespread reports that the Portman Road have beaten several other Premier League sides to the loan signing of 31-cap England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who is set to leave Manchester City this summer.

The 28-year-old midfielder has endured a torrid time since his move to the Etihad from Leeds United, spending the second half of last season on loan with West Ham United and dropping out of Gareth Southgate's England squad as a result of poor form.

Though David Moyes urged fans to stay with the "excellent" midfielder at the London Stadium, Phillips managed just three starts and a total of 319 minutes across ten appearances.

"Kalvin Phillips is a really good player, an international player, an excellent footballer and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we’ve got left with him here", Moyes explained before opting to withdraw him from the firing line in the final games of the season.

Phillips at West Ham

Starts

3

Wins while starting

0

Fouls committed

14

Yellow Cards

1

Red Cards

1

Despite still having four years left to run on his £150,000 a week deal with the Premier League champions, he was always likely to leave the club this summer at least on loan, and Ipswich are set to benefit.

As per the East Anglian Daily Times, the midfielder is now travelling to Suffolk for his medical after the club agreed a one year loan deal with Manchester City, though the deal includes no option or obligation to buy Phillips at the end of his loan spell.

A move to Portman Road will see Phillips reunite with Leif Davis, with the pair having been together at Leeds United. It will also represent a statement signing for Ipswich as they look to secure Premier League survival.

Wolverhampton Wanderers sold Max Kilman to West Ham United over three weeks ago, collecting a £40m fee for their captain, who has now reunited with former boss Julen Lopetegui.

Where's the panic? In an alternate reality, trepidation would be setting in as Wolves look destined for a season of struggle, having lost their defensive linchpin, but Gary O'Neil has worked wonders in cultivating a positive, enthusiastic team drilled in togetherness and shaped by sharp tactical understanding. There's no need for panic.

Sporting director Matt Hobbs has addressed pressing concerns early on, welcoming Jorgen Strand Larsen to the frontline, tying down Tommy Doyle to a permanent deal and layering the squad with youthful buttressing through signings of Rodrigo Gomes, 21, and 18-year-old full-back Pedro Lima.

However, the fact remains that Kilman needs replacing, but that precious Old Gold is in good hands and there is confidence that the right deal will be done.

Wolves transfer news

According to a report from German outlet Wetterauer Zeitung over the weekend, Wolves are still interested in signing Nico Elvedi after failing in a bid last summer, and could now move to sign the Swiss defender following Kilman's sale, attracted by his £8.5m release clause.

The Borussia Monchengladbach player has claimed that he could be interested in leaving his outfit after nine years of service, and his style of play could see him effectively replace Kilman at Molineux.

What Nico Elvedi would bring to Wolves

Elvedi, aged 27, is a well-rounded defender with athletic qualities that would make him a custom-made fit for life in the Premier League.

Goals scored

0.07

Top 25%

Pass completion

88.8%

Top 20%

Progressive carries

1.34

Top 15%

Interceptions

1.56

Top 20%

Clearances

5.44

Top 7%

Having amassed 303 appearances for his German Bundesliga outfit, notching 25 goal contributions, the 6 foot 2 defender is itching for a new challenge and could find the perfect project in O'Neil's Wolves, especially considering his stylistic similarities to the departed Kilman.

Kilman, praised as a "monster" by presenter Tom Parker in the past, is a sound centre-back but has a unique element to his craft in that he is an adept ball carrier, able to penetrate the opposing lines with his forward drives.

And after all, Elvedi is much more than just an impressive dribbler. As per Sofascore, the £57k-per-week star completed 89% of his passes in the German top flight last year, averaging 4.6 ball recoveries and 4.8 clearances per game and remarkably winning 70% of his ground duels.

Such numbers speak of Elvedi's dynamism and robust approach to his defending, covering much ground and rebuffing danger with a frightening regularity.

Kilman isn't exactly just a good ball progressor either, averaging 4.7 recoveries and clearances per game in the Premier League last season and winning 63% of his duels, but this simply serves to deepen the argument that, yes, the Gladbach defender would be a worthy successor.

Once hailed as “incredible” by former Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl, Elvedi would be a creditable signing to shrewdly replace Kilman. At a bargain £8.5m figure, it's surely a no-brainer.

Wolves continuing to monitor £10m titan who'd be great for Toti

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Sri Lanka lose last six wickets for 35 runs before openers wrap up comfortable win

Andrew Fidel Fernando05-Jan-2021Any momentum Sri Lanka had gained on day two, they squandered within the first 90 minutes of day three, losing their last six wickets for 35 runs as South Africa’s quicks hunted relentlessly. Very briefly, there was the joy of Dimuth Karunaratne getting to his first hundred in South Africa, but this soon gave away to despair.Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Lutho Sipamla each produced menacing spells to ensure Sri Lanka would make no more than 62 in the morning session, leaving South Africa with just 67 to get. They hurtled to the target in 13 overs either side of lunch, with all ten wickets intact, sealing an emphatic 2-0 series victory.Related

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Moonda: SA's collapse exposes familiar faultlines

Having begun in credit after their efforts the previous afternoon, there was mild hope that Sri Lanka would set a tricky target, particularly with Karunaratne appearing assured in the early overs. He started on 91, and struck consecutive fours in the third over of the day to raise his first century outside Sri Lanka since 2017, and his tenth overall.But he had been occasionally troubled by the bounce Nortje was generating, at a rapid pace, and it was this extra bounce that brought his downfall on 103. Nortje pitched one just back of a length, and angled it into Karunaratne from around the wicket. The batsman attempted to swat it to the leg side, and the ball sailed off the top edge into the hands of square leg.Overnight partner Nirsoshan Dickwella had been far less secure during his innings and was himself out the next over, a ball from Ngidi ballooning off his leading edge to cover as he attempted to work it to leg. He was out for 36, and the remaining wickets didn’t take long to follow. Dasun Shanaka spooned Wiaan Mulder to mid-on. Wanindu Hasaranga played a startlingly awful heave against Sipamla and was bowled. Then in his next over, Sipamla claimed the two remaining wickets in the space of three balls.Dimuth Karunaratne brought up his tenth Test century on the third morning•AFP via Getty ImagesNgidi finished with 4 for 44, having also been excellent in the third session on day two. Sipamla picked up three, continuing a habit of wiping out the lower order in this series. It was Nortje’s key wicket of Karunaratne, though, that swung the game definitively in South Africa’s favour.Dean Elgar and Aiden Markram then set South Africa confidently on track to their target in the five overs before lunch. Markram, who had the majority of the strike, did have one scare, when he edged Vishwa Fernando low towards the slip cordon. Kusal Mendis dived across to make what initially seemed like a good catch, only for replays to show that he may have grounded the ball briefly. The third umpire ultimately ruled it not out.After the break, the pair cruised happily to the target. Elgar’s batting was especially sprightly, as he made 31 not out off 27. Markram finished unbeaten on 36 off 53.Sri Lanka may take very mild encouragement from the fact that they made South Africa bat twice for the first time in three matches at the Wanderers, and that their second-innings 211 was their highest total at this venue. The overall vibe from the tour, however, will be one of frustration that so many of their best players were injured, and disappointment that they could not scrap as hard as they had on their previous Test tour to the country.

تمكن النادي الأهلي من تحقيق فوز صعبً على منافسه سموحة بنتيجة 2-0 باللقاء الذي جمعهما ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري.

وأقيمت المباراة بين الأهلي وسموحة على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، وذلك بالمواجهة المؤجلة من الجولة الخامسة للمسابقة المحلية.

وسجل محمد مجدي أفشة هدف تقدم الأهلي بالهدف الأول في الدقيقة الثالثة من الوقت بدل الضائع من الشوط الأول من رأسية مميزة بعد تلقيه عرضية كريم الدبيس.

وأضاف إمام عاشور هدف الأهلي الثاني بعد تلقيه تمريرة من حسين الشحات وينفرد بحارس سموحة ويصوبها في المرمى بالدقيقة 50.

اقرأ أيضًا:

الأهلي يُعلن تشخيص إصابة يحيى عطية الله أمام سموحة

هل يقصد الزمالك؟.. أول تعليق من إمام عاشور على احتفاله المثير للجدل في مباراة الأهلي وسموحة

وبهذه النتيجة تربع الأهلي على صدارة ترتيب الدوري المصري، بعد الفوز في 4 لقاءات والتعادل بـ3 مواجهات دون تلقي أي هزائم.

بينما يتواجد فريق الزمالك بالمركز الثاني في الدوري المصري برصيد 14 نقطة بعد الفوز في 4 لقاءات والتعادل بـ مباراتين وتلقى هزيمة وحيدة، ويشاركه بيراميدز صاحب المركز الثالث بفارق الأهداف. ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد فوز الأهلي أمام سموحة

1- الأهلي – 15 نقطة.

2- الزمالك – 14 نقطة.

3- بيراميدز -12 نقطة.

4- المصري – 12 نقطة.

5- سيراميكا كليوباترا – 12 نقطة.

6- زد – 10 نقاط.

7- فاركو – 10 نقاط.

8- الإسماعيلي – 9 نقاط.

9-بتروجيت – 9 نقاط.

10- الاتحاد السكندري- 9 نقاط.

11- غزل المحلة – 8 نقاط.

12- البنك الأهلي- 8 نقاط.

13- طلائع الجيش- 8 نقاط.

14- حرس الحدود – 6 نقاط.

15- إنبي – 6 نقاط.

16- الجونة – 6 نقاط.

17- سموحة – 5 نقاط.

18- مودرن سبورت – 4 نقاط.

يمكنكم متابعة ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز، بشكل محدث باستمرار.. من هنا

After another disappointing season, Chelsea are reportedly open to offers to sell one player who only joined last summer, as Todd Boehly gets ruthless in an attempt to steer a sinking ship once and for all.

Chelsea transfer news

The Blues wasted no time in getting their summer transfer business underway, welcoming Tosin Adarabioyo. The former Manchester City defender left Fulham at the end of his contract, allowing Chelsea to swoop in and land a free deal for new head coach Enzo Maresca.

Full of praise for Chelsea's new signing, Co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart said: "We are delighted to bring Tosin to Chelsea. Throughout his career, he has showcased his maturity and defensive qualities and has gained a wealth of experience in the Premier League in recent seasons.

"He is ready to make the step up to Chelsea and work alongside the talented players in our squad. We look forward to Tosin joining up with us for pre-season."

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As Adarabioyo arrives, however, a defender could be heading for the exit door just one year after arriving. According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are now open to offers for Benoit Badiashile, despite spending £35m to secure his signature from AS Monaco a year ago. The centre-back is one of several stars who have struggled since making the move to Stamford Bridge in a summary of Chelsea's dilemma.

Maresca may hope that Adarabioyo's arrival will cover any potential loss and quickly turn into a wise business. Badiashile, meanwhile, will be wondering where it all went wrong if he does head for an early exit from the London giants. Only time will tell whether he gets a summer switch away from the Blues and onto rediscovering his best form, however.

Chelsea may regret exit of "outstanding" Badiashile

As Chelsea found their form at the end of last season, it was Badiashile who found himself at the heart of their backline. But just like Mauricio Pochettino, he could be heading for the exit door in frustrating fashion. With Adarabioyo confirmed, the Blues seem willing to take a risk and attempt a return on their investment, though the numbers show that Badiashile is not a level below the new arrival.

At his best, Badiashile has also been at the centre of praise. Former Monaco assistant manager Joao Tralhao told Sky Sports: "In terms of personality, he is very cold. He does not shake if he is playing against Mbappe or Neymar, if the stadium is empty or full. He is a very balanced boy. His character is outstanding. He focuses on what he must do to perform. It is one of his best qualities.

"He has that maturity and that emotional control. That impressed Thierry a lot and he had no hesitation to play him. Some questioned that. He was 17 and centre-back is a position that requires some experience. Now we can say Thierry was right to bet on him."

Leeds United fans will be very much aware that the Championship play-off final defeat at the hands of Russell Martin's Southampton is the last time they'll most likely see this current crop of Whites talents all perform alongside each other, with a potential fire sale now on the horizon.

Rumours suggest that the likes of Crysencio Summerville, Archie Gray, Wilfried Gnonto and more could all be sold on now for mega money to balance the books, with Leeds' financial situation very precarious if they fail to offload various members of their star-studded squad this summer.

It could be an almighty challenge to get to 90 points next campaign and try to go one better to win promotion, therefore, with this exciting squad potentially dismantled and picked off by higher-up suitors taking advantage of Leeds falling at the final hurdle.

Despite only coming on late into the second half at Wembley, the West Yorkshire titans would be even more gutted to see this gem also leave the building in the off-season, having turned around his fortunes with the Whites across this campaign after once being viewed as an easy scapegoat.

Dan James' time at Leeds

James was always going to be fighting an uphill battle to initially win Leeds fans over on his arrival to Elland Road back in 2021, having once been wrapped up to be a signing for the Whites before a move fell dramatically through, alongside his prior Manchester United connections presumably irking the Leeds masses.

The £25m Leeds forked out to land the Welshman's services also meant his name was instantly branded about as being a flop when he didn't hit the ground running after first relocating, only helping himself to four goals and four assists during his debut campaign.

This season, right after staring his Leeds future in the face when being chucked out on loan to Fulham last campaign, has seen him become an important first-teamer though, excelling under the regime of Farke dropping down a division with his excessive £25m fee now somewhat justified.

Dan James' 2023/24 season in numbers

The slick 26-year-old attacker notched up 20 goal contributions across all competitions and made the right wing spot his own for most of the campaign even with Gnonto breathing down his neck, leading to football pundit Sanny Rudravajhala describing James as "electric" for all his contributions early in the campaign during a season that ultimately ended in failure.

James starting from the get-go in the play-off final could well have swung the contest in his side's favour though, when glancing at the table above, with the ex-Red Devils man firing more efforts at Alex McCarthy's net from far less time on the pitch when compared to his Italian counterpart.

One of those shots was a fierce effort that ended up clattering the crossbar as the clock ticked down, with the late second-half substitute nearly giving Leeds a golden way back into the contest before their fate of staying rooted in the Championship was cruelly confirmed.

Losing James in the summer would obviously be a sucker punch, and with Southampton allegedly eyeing up the 26-year-old to further pile on the misery, this major blow would only sting even more if Martin's men were to tempt him down to the South Coast.

Leeds will just have to hope they can recoup a large portion of the £25m they splashed out on him three years ago if he is to exit, knowing it might be easier to demand an extortionate fee out of the likes of Liverpool circling for another star in attack in Summerville than the recently promoted Saints.

Leeds' summer plans for 2024

Leeds won't want to lose Summerville, but will be abundantly aware it's going to be a tall order to keep him happy at Elland Road with no Premier League football on the menu, with reports already suggesting that he is itching for a move away and will demand one.

A fee in the region of £35m-£40m will be demanded, according to Football Insider, which seems a fair sum to pay for a star who managed a staggering 31 goal contributions this season which should have resulted in promotion being clinched just off the back of his sublime efforts.

Leeds could, therefore, struggle to get £25m out of a suitor eyeing up James if Summerville is worth just £10m more, in contrast, with the Welshman's transfer value taking a hit since joining in 2021 according to Football Transfers even in spite of a standout campaign.

James' valuation now stands at a far lesser £10.9m, despite putting in the best numbers of his career to date under Farke, with Leeds set to make a big loss on their exciting winger if money is desperately needed to appropriately balance the books.

Looking at his fluctuating values over the years, Leeds must regret paying way over the odds for his services in 2021 no matter his excellent performances this campaign, knowing it will be hard to get a fee close to the high £25m they once handed out in the here and now.

Losing Summerville, James and Gnonto – with the Italian winger able to leave for a fee in the region of £30m according to further reports – could open up the door for the Whites to be able to sign someone like Joe Rodon permanently even with his loan side not winning promotion, with James' fellow compatriot settling well in his West Yorkshire location away from being a bit-part player at Tottenham Hotspur.

Rodon is only worth £5m, if looking at Football Transfers' predicted price tag, with James surprisingly worth double that even whilst the 26-year-old managed to regularly shine at the back alongside his Welsh teammate.

Contributing to 17 clean sheets from 43 games in the regular campaign, Rodon will be tempted to potentially stay put at Elland Road with his loan spell ending on a sour note instead of the joy of promotion being savoured.

It doesn't have to be the end of the world for Farke's Whites if a number of influential faces do depart West Yorkshire this summer after Wembley heartbreak, having recovered from losing the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha in the not-so-distant past, with a new batch of heroes then assembled which could even include Rodon staying for good.

Leeds star who dropped a 2/10 at Wembley just cost them promotion

Leeds United felt play-off heartbreak again as Southampton returned to the Premier League at their expense.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 26, 2024