On the final day of the January transfer window, Fulham finally managed to get a deal for Chelsea striker Armando Broja over the line after pursuing him for much of the month. Broja has joined on loan until the end of the season after Chelsea agreed to reduce their fee demands from £5m to a maximum of £4m, depending on performances and appearances.
The Albanian wasn't the only forward the Cottagers chased last Thursday, though. They also made contact with Lyon to check on the availability of Rayan Cherki after they signed Said Benrahma on loan, but they were unsuccessful.
Lyon star Rayan Cherki
Elsewhere, it was thought that Fulham made an "informal" enquiry for Stuttgart winger Silas, only to be told that the Bundesliga club didn't want to sell him. Now, though, a different version of events has emerged.
Fulham actually made £17m offer for Silas
According to Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Fulham's interest went much further than an enquiry. Instead, they made a "late" push to sign him, proposing an initial loan with a €20m (£17m) obligation to buy.
Rather than being opposed to a sale, Stuttgart merely insisted that they receive that £17m sum immediately. That wasn't suitable for Fulham, but they're "still pushing" to sign Silas when the summer transfer window rolls around.
Fulham right to push for key AFCON figure Silas
Silas joined Stuttgart from Paris FC in 2019 and has gone on to make 120 appearances for the club, scoring 33 goals and providing 19 assists. He played 19 matches in the first half of the current campaign before heading off to join DR Congo at the Africa Cup of Nations and notched nine direct goal contributions (five goals, four assists).
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While his overall output – detailed in the table below – doesn't look spectacular, the underlying numbers offer more encouragement and take into account his limited minutes. Silas ranks seventh in the Bundesliga for expected goals per 90 minutes (0.61), and sixth for xG per shot (0.23), which shows that he gets into high-value positions and takes top-quality shots. That's a formula that should, in the long-term, lead to a healthy goal return.
Games played
16
Starts
8
Minutes played
726
Goals
3
xG
5.0
Assists
1
At the international level, meanwhile, the 25-year-old has been an important player off the bench at AFCON, scoring in the 1-1 group-stage draw with Morocco that helped DR Congo squeeze through and then providing an assist in the 3-1 quarterfinal win over Guinea. He'll face the hosts Ivory Coast in the last four on Wednesday.
Come the summer, when that tournament is in the rearview mirror, Silas will be able to focus on his future, and that's when Fulham will hope he puts pressure on Stuttgart to let him move to the Premier League on favourable terms.
Joao Palhinha very nearly left Fulham on the final day of the previous transfer window, even travelling to Munich to complete a move to Bayern. However, Fulham had to pull the plug at the eleventh hour because they couldn't find a replacement, forcing Palhinha to return to London.
The Portuguese subsequently signed a new deal at Craven Cottage – one that doesn't include a release clause – but there remains a possibility that he'll leave the club. Speaking earlier this month, he confirmed that "someday" he would depart, which appeared to hint at a desire to play at a higher level.
The good news for Marco Silva, though, is that in the form of Fluminense's Andre, Fulham may have identified a long-term replacement for the 28-year-old even before he's moved on.
Fulham table Andre offer
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Fulham have now made a bid for Andre. The offer consists of a guaranteed £30m with a further £5m potentially arriving later in add-ons. The club are now waiting to hear whether it will be accepted.
Andre Trindade with Fluminense teammates.
Significantly, the player's side of the deal shouldn't be a problem if they can reach an agreement with Fluminense. Fulham CEO Alistair Mackintosh shook hands on personal terms with Andre when he went to watch him in the Copa Libertadores final against Boca Juniors in early November.
Andre is half quality, half tenacity
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola picked out Andre as a "quality" player before his side's 4-0 victory over Fluminense in the Club World Cup final last month, while South American football expert Tim Vickery has likened him to a "young Javier Mascherano" who's "fierce in the tackle". Those descriptions perfectly sum up what Andre is all about – smooth in possession, tenacious out of it.
He led the Brazilian Serie A in the 2023 season for pass completion (94.5%), but he wasn't just knocking it safely sideways or backwards. He took genuine risks with the ball, topping the leaderboard for passes into the final third with 223. The table below shows the commanding advantage he holds over Palhinha in numerous on-ball metrics, both when it comes to the volume and the success rate of his actions.
Stat (per 90)
Andre (Serie A 2023)
Joao Palhinha (PL 23/24)
Passes attempted
84.7
42.4
Pass completion
94.5%
82.8%
Long pass completion
80.5%
64.1%
Progressive passes
6.26
2.89
Passes into the final third
7.59
3.01
Part of that difference may be down to the fact that Andre plays for the champions of South America, while Palhinha is plugging away at a Fulham side that sits 13th in the Premier League table, but it still seems like he'd help the Cottagers evolve while retaining that essential bite. Indeed, he placed in the league's top 15 midfielders for tackles won last year while Fulham impressed as top-flight newcomers (37).
League leaders Liverpool enquired about a deal for Andre last summer, which shows that he'd be quite the coup for Silva and Mackintosh if Fulham can get the deal done from here. However, there is now less than a fortnight remaining to get a transfer over the line.
Leeds United are back in action in the Championship this evening as they prepare to welcome Norwich City to Elland Road in the hope of gaining further ground on the automatic promotion places.
They are currently five points behind Ipswich Town, who held league leaders Leicester City to a draw on Monday, and can cut the gap to just two points with a win over the Canaries, albeit they will have played one game more than their rivals.
Current Championship top six (via Sofascore)
Team
Position
Matches played
Points
Leicester
1
28
66
Ipswich
2
28
59
Southampton
3
28
58
Leeds
4
28
54
West Brom
5
28
45
Coventry
6
28
43
Daniel Farke's side are vying to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking after the Whites were relegated under Sam Allardyce at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The January transfer window is currently open for business and provides the club with an opportunity to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season.
Leeds make move for Premier League starlet
Farke appears to be keen to improve his options at the top end of the pitch as Leeds are reportedly attempting to sign a young attacker from Liverpool before the deadline passes.
According to Football Insider, the Whites have made a move to sign Reds academy starlet Mateusz Musialowski to add to their attacking arsenal.
The report claims that the club have registered their interest in the Polish magician and are 'firmly' in the race to land his signature, amid competition from a number of unnamed sides.
Liverpool midfielderMateusz Musialowski.
It states that Farke wants to bring in attacking reinforcements and the Yorkshire-based outfit appear to have identified the Liverpool gem as a suitable target.
His current contract at Anfield expires at the end of the season and this means that the current transfer window is the Premier League side's last chance to negotiate a fee for his services.
The talented young gem could be an exciting addition to the squad as a player who has the potential to be a dream partner for Georginio Rutter at the top end of the pitch.
Rutter's partners in the Championship this season
Farke has deployed the French magician as a centre-forward and as a number ten at times and this has meant that he has been paired alongside Joel Piroe and Patrick Bamford at different stages.
Both of those players, however, have their limitations when it comes to linking play and creating chances for their teammates to go alongside the goal threat that they provide.
Piroe, who joined from Championship rivals Swansea last summer, has plundered ten goals in 28 league matches this season – the latest of which came from the penalty spot against Preston last time out.
Leeds duo Ethan Ampadu and Joel Piroe.
However, he has only provided his fellow attackers with one assist and has averaged 0.8 key passes per game, whilst the Dutch whiz currently ranks within the bottom 36% of midfielders for shot-creating actions (2.67) per 90 in the division.
Bamford, on the other hand, has contributed with two goals and zero assists in 19 Championship outings, although only three of those came as a starter.
The 30-year-old centre-forward has produced 0.3 key passes and amassed 0.49 Expected Assists in those 19 matches, which shows that both players rarely provide quality creativity when playing alongside Rutter.
Rutter's Championship brilliance
Meanwhile, the former Hoffenheim wizard has produced quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Leeds as either a striker or a number ten in the second tier.
The 21-year-old hotshot has contributed with five goals and nine assists in 27 Championship appearances for Farke's side, which shows that he has provided a double-sided threat in the final third.
Rutter vs Championship forwards (via FBref)
23/24 statistics (per 90)
Percentile rank
Progressive passes (3.89)
Top 6%
Expected Assisted Goals (0.35)
Top 1%
Assists (0.36)
Top 2%
Shot-creating actions (4.45)
Top 1%
Successful take-ons (2.80)
Top 1%
As you can see in the table above, he is an exceptional creative talent who has the ability to split open opposition defences at a sensational rate, which is also evidenced by his return of 18 'big chances' created – the second most in the league.
These statistics show that Rutter is an outstanding creator who can also chip in with goals and Musialowski could come in as an exciting partner for him.
The stats that show why Leeds should sign Musialowski
The talented academy whiz is yet to make his breakthrough at senior level for Liverpool but his form in their academy system suggests that he has the potential to be a promising signing for Leeds.
Musialowski, whose "ridiculous" quality of goal was lauded by journalist Lewis Bower last year, has been in impressive form for the Premier League side's U23 squad this season with a return of six goals and two assists in 11 appearances in all competitions.
23/24 EFL Trophy
Musialowski (via Sofascore)
Appearances
Four
Sofascore rating
7.15
Goals
Three
Big chances created
One
Key passes per game
1.5
As you can see from the table above, the 20-year-old maestro, who can play as a centre-forward or as part of the three behind a striker, is capable of scoring and creating goals.
He produced six key passes in those four outings. Based on their aforementioned respective averages this season, it would take Piroe over seven league matches to reach six chances created and a staggering 20 games for Bamford.
Alongside his creativity, Musialowski has been an impressive scorer for the Reds with 29 goals in 74 appearances for their U23 and U18 teams combined.
There is no guarantee that he will be able to translate his performances over to first-team level but it appears to be a worthwhile gamble for Leeds to take before the end of the January transfer window.
At the age of 20, the 5 foot 9 youngster still has plenty of years left to develop and improve and could thrive under Farke's coaching, which has turned Rutter into one of the best creators in the Championship – as evidenced by his aforementioned statistics.
Therefore, Leeds could unearth an exciting partner for the French dynamo in the final third if Musialowski can translate his ability to score goals and create chances to first-team level to offer more than Bamford and Piroe as an all-round forward.
Jarrod Bowen could make Dani Dyer’s “biggest fear” come true, with transfer talk around the West Ham forward threatening to change “everything”.
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Pair have been together since 2021
Feeling settled & support one another
Move elsewhere could prove disruptive
Getty Images
WHAT HAPPENED?
Former Love Island star Dyer, who is the daughter of EastEnders actor Danny, has been with England international Bowen since 2021. They are now the proud parents of twin girls and are happily based in Essex – as Bowen continues to catch the eye for club and country.
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WHAT A SOURCE SAID
While Dyer is pleased to see her partner impressing for West Ham and gracing England’s squad at Euro 2024, she is concerned about what the short and long-term future will hold. A source has told : “Dani is the proudest woman in the country right now after Jarrod has become part of the England squad and she knows this is just the beginning for him. She knows how hard he has worked to get here and now he’s in the squad, he wants to be a permanent fixture. But she also knows that he’s going to get more attention from other clubs and he may have to leave West Ham if he really wants to make it.
“Dani’s biggest fear is that he will be signed up for a club abroad with an offer he can’t refuse as there has been some interest already, which would mean turning their whole lives upside down. She’s unsure if she would be able to leave her family and her support network but she couldn’t stand in his way and that’s the life of a professional footballer. Also her dad would be devastated if he left his beloved West Ham but Jarrod’s career is only short and he wants to be the best.”
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THE GOSSIP
Bowen is in the shop window while on European Championship, with Dyer travelling to Germany to be by his side. The OK source added on what could happen from here: “Now she’s a fully fledged member of the England WAG squad she knows the pitfalls that it can bring. She’s seen what has happened to some of the strongest relationships in football and although she and Jarrod are very strong, she knows that after this summer everything is going to change and not just football-wise. Jarrod is going to be more in demand and busier than ever and sadly she’s aware that he’ll get more and more female attention – some women don’t seem to care about wives, girlfriends and kids when they see a footballer out and about. And Jarrod is so down to earth and friendly that she’s scared he’ll be taken advantage of. Obviously she trusts him 100 per cent but their relationship has been quite low-key until now but because of her career and his ongoing success, he is now one of the most recognisable players in the country and that brings added pressure and attention.”
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WHAT NEXT?
Bowen is tied to a long-term contract at West Ham through to 2030, which will help to keep his asking price high. The Hammers have no intention of parting with the 27-year-old winger, but their hand may be forced if a big-money bid is tabled.
Last summer, Wolves were able to snap up Matthew Whittingham, one of the stars of Manchester City's under-18s' title triumph. Whittingham had scored seven times and set-up 11 more in 2022/23, so may have been regarded as a significant academy coup at Molineux.
The deal for the Englishman, who can play in a variety of midfield roles and even popped up at left-back, is part of a broader recruitment plan for Gary O'Neil's side. Harry Hooman, head of UK recruitment at their academy, said at the time:
"We’re always on top of the ‘bigger’ club’s players and monitoring the ones who are possibly looking to come out for a better pathway at some point."
Latest Wolves transfer news: £60m Neto claim, exciting replacement eyed
What’s going on at Wolves now the window is finished? Catch the latest news and rumours here…
ByBrogan Clasper Feb 11, 2024
Wolves are now continuing that policy in their free-transfer pursuit of Arsenal's Amario Cozier-Dubbery, who's out of contract at the end of the season. It recently emerged that the Midlands outfit are interested in the 18-year-old as the Gunners try to reach an agreement over an extension, with Newcastle, Borussia Dortmund, Ajax and Anderlecht all watching closely too.
Wolves ready to strike for Cozier-Duberry "bargain"
Speaking to GiveMeSport, CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs said Wolves "in particular" are ready to pounce on any stumbling blocks in talks at the Emirates. He believes that Cozier-Duberry could be a bargain, and says Arsenal are aware that his suitors inside and outside the Premier League are circling.
Wolves transfer target Amario Cozier-Duberry in action for Arsenal.
He said: “Wolves in particular are very much across this and hoping that they might be able to, should things not go Arsenal's way, get a transfer over the line in June. It's also fair to say that Newcastle and Borussia Dortmund, amongst others, are also facing the same situation. That's normal because when a player is available on a free transfer in June, there's always that ability to get a bargain deal and try to pre-agree something on a free transfer. Arsenal know this.”
Cozier-Duberry could be the missing piece at Wolves
Cozier-Duberry is enjoying an excellent season for Arsenal's under-21s, scoring or assisting eight goals in nine Premier League 2 appearances and netting a couple more in his four UEFA Youth League outings. He's also shone at the international level by hitting the target twice for England's under-19s in friendlies against Switzerland and Romania.
Mikel Arteta has taken notice of his form and named him on the bench for the EFL Cup trip to Brentford in late September as well as the Champions League match against Sevilla in early November, but he's yet to make a full debut for the title-chasers.
1
Owen Hesketh
AM
10
5
2
Justin Hubner
CB
10
4
3
Owen Farmer
CF
11
3
4
Nathan Fraser
CF
6
3
5
Tawanda Chirewa
AM
4
2
As you can see in the table above, there aren't any specialist wide players putting up especially eye-catching numbers in Wolves' under-21 current crop, so Cozier-Duberry may be regarded as a missing piece in O'Neil's next generation.
Nem mesmo a movimentação de Botafogo e Bahia foi suficiente para fazer com que as duas equipes saíssem do 0 a 0 ao estrearem na Série A1 do Brasileiro feminino. Neste domingo, no Nilton Santos, as duas equipes aumentaram o índice de empates da competição nacional (foi a quarta igualdade na rodada inaugural).
Recém-promovidas à elite, as duas equipes se empenharam na busca por balançar as redes. Por mais que as Gloriosas tenham conseguido uma leve superioridade, as atletas esbarraram em erros ao furarem o bloqueio adversário.
O Tricolor baiano, por sua vez, viu Ellen e Moretti desperdiçarem oportunidades ainda na etapa inicial. Mesmo com o embate se acirrando a cada minuto, o empate prevaleceu, deixando cada equipe com um ponto.
As Gloriosas voltam a campo nesta quarta-feira, para enfrentarem às 15h o Real Brasília. Já o Bahia encara o Internacional.
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Fast bowler ruled out with injury a few weeks after making impressive Test debut
ESPNcricinfo staff17-Aug-2019England fast bowler Olly Stone has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering a recurrence of the back stress fracture he picked up in the Caribbean earlier this year.Stone made an encouraging Test debut against Ireland last month, taking 3 for 29 with swing and pace touching 90mph. However, his county Warwickshire announced last week that he had experienced “inflammation”, initially putting him out of action for two weeks, before a scan revealed the full extent of the injury.”Olly had such a fantastic season in 2018 and looked set to play an important role for England as well as ourselves this summer after making his Test debut just two weeks ago,” Warwickshire’s director of sport, Paul Farbrace, said. “We’re obviously gutted to lose him just over a month after returning to senior cricket.”Being able to bowl consistently at speeds in excess of 90mph places huge demands on the body and, with Olly’s season having ended prematurely, he will now work our medical and strength and conditioning teams to get stronger and fitter than ever.”Stone has featured in four ODIs and one Test for England since being first capped on the tour of Sri Lanka last winter. His extra pace had been highlighted recently as an important factor for England, but he has now joined Mark Wood, one of the other bowlers singled out by by Trevor Bayliss, on the treatment table.
The January transfer window is due to slam shut later this evening and it has been confirmed that there is one player who will not be turned up to sign for Leeds United.
Latest Leeds transfer news
Daniel Farke's side is soon set to be bolstered by the addition of Connor Roberts on loan from Premier League side Burnley, with the finishing touches being put on the deal – as per Phil Hay.
However, one of the Welshman's teammates, who had been linked with a move to Elland Road, will not be joining him in Yorkshire as the Whites are not attempting to complete a deal for Manuel Benson.
Manuel Benson
A swoop for the talented Belgian wizard is 'not on the menu' for Leeds before the deadline passes, according to Yorkshire Evening Press reporter Graham Smyth.
The Yorkshire-based outfit are now making a late deadline day blunder as Benson has the quality to come in as a big upgrade on Wilfried Gnonto to improve the depth of the squad.
Wilfried Gnonto's struggles this season
Farke has primarily utilised the Italy international off the bench on the right flank but he has not been able to provide consistent quality on the pitch.
Gnonto has made 21 appearances in the Championship so far this season, with 14 of those coming as a substitute, and has contributed with one goal and one assist.
Wilfried Gnonto for Leeds United.
The 20-year-old whiz does, however, rank within the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers for progressive carries (6.16) per 90, but the youngster has not produced enough in the final third to go along with his progressive play on the ball.
Whereas, Benson has proven himself to be a terrific Championship attacker who can provide goal contributions on a regular basis without being a consistent starter.
Benson's Burnley brilliance
The 26-year-old forward played a crucial role in Burnley's title-winning team during the 2022/23 campaign as he made a big impact off the bench.
Benson only started 14 of his 33 league appearances for the Clarets but that did not stop him from being a difference-maker for Vincent Kompany on many occasions, as you can see in the table below.
Appearances
33
Starts
14
Goals
11
Assists
Three
Big chances created
Four
As you can see from those statistics, the winger, who had reportedly been a target for Leeds last month, does not need to be in the starting XI week-in-week-out to contribute with goals and assists.
The Belgian magician ranked within the top 1% of Championship attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals (0.66) per 90, and the top 1% for progressive carries (7.13) per 90.
This shows that Benson has the dribbling ability to carry his team up the pitch at an exceptional rate, like Gnonto, and has the quality in front of goal to win matches by finding the back of the net.
Therefore, Farke and Leeds are enduring a late deadline day howler by not swooping for the gem, who is reportedly in talks with Sunderland, who would come in as a big upgrade on the Italian winger, who has not showcased consistent end product in front of goal in the way that Benson did for Burnley in the Championship.
Mohammad Nabi smashed five sixes in a remarkable 43 not out off only 12 balls as Kent Spitfires overwhelmed Surrey by nine wickets in a rain-shortened Vitality Blast contest at The Oval.Nabi’s assault included three sixes off Rikki Clarke in the third over of Kent’s reply to Surrey’s seven-over total of 54 for 4. He then finished things in the next over by slamming legspinner Imran Tahir for six, four, and six from successive balls.It all meant Kent had raced to victory with three overs to spare, and strengthened their position in the South Group with a fourth win from four games.Tahir had given Surrey some hope of defending what always looked a below-par total by having Kent’s acting captain Daniel Bell-Drummond lbw for one in the first over of their reply.But Afghanistan allrounder Nabi soon snuffed out those hopes with his big hitting, while Heino Kuhn looked on admiringly from the other end with nine not out.Bell-Drummond said: “Mohammad strikes the ball so well, doesn’t he? It is a pleasure to have him around. It was a big toss to win tonight, especially with the rain around, and we were able to know exactly what we had to chase.”Things are going very well – there’s a lot of experience and a lot of pace in the team, so it makes my job easy.”Surrey captain Aaron Finch said: “There was no doubt that our total was short of what we needed, but you are never sure how to go about it when you bat first in these circumstances. To walk out of the sheds after rain delays and immediately go hard from the start is always difficult.”Only opener Finch broke the shackles of Kent’s disciplined bowling, finishing 36 not out from 20 balls with two sixes and a four. Play did not start until 8pm, initially because of afternoon and early-evening rain with the match starting as a 13-over affair. But after just one ball – bowled by Adam Milne to Will Jacks who played and missed – more rain drove the players off again and, eventually, the match re-started at 8.50pm as a seven-over contest.Milne, remarkably, completed a maiden in that opening over with three byes the only runs scored, but Jacks cut the first delivery of the second over from Hardus Viljoen to the square third-man boundary to get Surrey’s innings going.Paceman Viljoen soon had his revenge when Jacks mis-hit to extra cover to go for five, leaving Finch to loft the last ball of the powerplay – the first ball of the third over – straight for four before bludgeoning Nabi’s offspin for six and, in the final over, reverse-flicking Milne for another maximum.Ollie Pope managed just one four, a brilliant reverse-flick off left-arm seamer Fred Klassen before hitting to deep mid-wicket off Nabi and Jordan Clark lost his off stump swinging at Viljoen. Surrey’s fourth wicket fell when Tom Curran skied to extra cover in Milne’s second over.Their total looked way short of par, even on a pitch offering plenty to the seamers, and so it would prove.