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Roberto De Zerbi is now in the frame to replace Pep Guardiola, amid a new update on the Manchester City manager’s future at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola’s contract isn’t due to expire until the summer of 2027, having penned an extension last season, and Man City fans will no doubt be hoping he stays for the foreseeable future, given the unprecedented success he has brought to the blue side of Manchester.

Trophies Pep Guardiola has lifted at Manchester City

Number of times won

Premier League title

6

Champions League

1

UEFA Super Cup

1

Club World Cup

1

FA Cup

2

League Cup

4

Community Shield

3

However, Jurgen Klopp resigning as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023-24 campaign due to fatigue displayed just how draining it is to be a Premier League manager for a sustained period of time, and there will come a point where City need to start seriously thinking about successors.

At the moment, the former Barcelona boss will be focusing on closing the gap to Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table, while also attempting to win a second Champions League, but there has now been a new update on when he could leave the Blues.

Man City targeting De Zerbi amid Guardiola future update

According to reliable reporter Paul Hirst, in a report for The Times, an exit at the end of the 2026-27 campaign is on the cards as the 54-year-old has won everything there is to win since arriving at the Etihad Stadium back in 2016.

The three-time Champions League-winning manager is expected to see out his current contract, but Man City may then be faced with the difficult task of bringing in a successor, and De Zerbi is in the frame, as the former Brighton & Hove Albion boss has admirers within the club.

Guardiola is personally a fan of the Marseille manager, who has made a fantastic start to the 2025-26 campaign, with his side currently second in Ligue 1, just two points behind Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the Ligue 1 table.

Not only is the 46-year-old impressing in France, but he was also hailed by Statman Dave for the work he did during his first year as Brighton manager.

The Italian is well-known to favour a possession-based style of football, so he may not need to make wholesale changes at Man City, which is another bonus, alongside his experience in the Premier League.

The only concern will be that De Zerbi is yet to lift many major trophies, winning only the Ukrainian Super Cup with Shakhtar Donetsk in the 2021-22 season.

In truth, whoever replaces Pep will find it almost impossible to eclipse what the Spaniard has achieved at City, and supporters will be hoping he extends his stay beyond the end of next season.

Every current manager in the Premier League has been ranked Related Every current manager in the 2025/26 Premier League ranked

Every current Premier League boss ranked from best to worst.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 8, 2025

Pakistan lost six wickets for 40 runs late in the chase to lose the match by 25 runs

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2025With 11 days to go for the World Cup, Pakistan and South Africa played out a high-scoring thriller in Lahore. There were three centuries: Tazmin Brits posted her career-best 171 not out, Laura Wolvaardt brought up her ninth ODI hundred, and Sidra Amin hit 122. After over 90 overs and a rain break, South Africa won the match and took a 2-0 unassailable lead in the series with a match to spare.Chasing a revised target of 313 in 46 overs due to rain, Pakistan lost their first three wickets for 101, with Omaima Sohail making a brisk 43 and laying a solid platform. From there, Amin and Natalia Pervaiz stitched a momentum-changing 146-run stand off just 111 deliveries to lift Pakistan to a strong position. When Amin was cleaned up by Chloe Tryon, attempting to slog to the midwicket region, Pakistan needed 66 from 49 balls, with Pervaiz batting on 55 off 46. However, South Africa struck again, thanks to Tryon, and that shifted the momentum in their favour.Pakistan lost captain Fatima Sana, Natalia Pervaiz (73 off 60), and Diana Baig in a span of just nine balls, as South Africa seized control late in the chase. The hosts eventually folded for 287 in 44.4 overs, losing their final seven wickets for just 40 runs. Nadine de Klerk led the bowling effort with 3 for 45.South Africa posted 292 for 3 after being asked to bat first, but were sloppy in the field. Sidra Amin, who went on to register her sixth ODI hundred, was dropped several times during her innings.Earlier, Brits and Wolvaardt got off to a steady start and converted it to a 260-run opening stand. Brits was the aggressor in the stand and reached her sixth ODI ton a few overs before rain interrupted play. After 41 overs, South Africa were 238 for no loss, with Wolvaardt unbeaten on 95. Once play resumed and the contest was reduced to 46 overs per side, Wolvaardt reached her ninth hundred in ODIs, and South Africa added 54 runs in the last five overs. Brits, who scored 101 not out in the series opener, remained unbeaten on Friday, scoring 20 fours and four sixes.

Unlike in recent years when Everton have been engulfed in misery when times have been tough, there will a hope in the air that David Moyes can turn around his side’s blip in form in the Premier League.

After all, the Toffees did slip up against two top sides in Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur in recent matches, with Everton arguably only a few positive results away from being back in the early top-four reckoning in the league standings.

The Scotsman also has the likes of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye at his disposal, who have the immense quality to get their side out of some sticky situations, on top of further possessing ex-Chelsea midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the number ten slot.

Moyes has often been spoiled rotten with his midfield choices on Merseyside across his two spells in charge; therefore, with plenty more standout talents coming to mind who are yet to be named…

Everton's best midfielders under Moyes

The Glaswegian will just be praying his team aren’t loitering in the bottom half of the division for too long, having once been responsible for a top-four finish during his first spell in charge, alongside two memorable fifth-place finishes.

Marouane Fellaini would be a consistent bright spark during his side’s fifth-place finish come the end of the 2008/09 season from the middle of the park, as the eccentric Belgian collected a weighty 12 goal contributions from 30 league outings.

Moyes was also able to call upon the likes of Mikel Arteta for some quality centrally, before he took on management at Arsenal, while also possessing a similar Fellaini-like hero in Leon Osman, who seemed to always pop with a magic strike for the Toffees in a moment of crisis.

Right now, Idrissa Gueye and James Garner could be viewed as solid members of the Scotsman’s side centrally, with Garner managing to win eight duels last time out against Spurs to be seen as a battler for his team’s cause, as per Sofascore, despite the final outcome.

But, there is one emerging midfield talent at the Hill Dickinson Stadium right now, who will seriously excite those behind the scenes with what he could be capable of, as he potentially goes on to be Everton’s own version of Crystal Palace hotshot Adam Wharton.

Everton could have their own Wharton in "abnormal" star

Not too long ago, Wharton’s name wouldn’t have been that well-known among avid Premier League fans.

But, after a breakout season on the books of Blackburn Rovers in the Championship during the 2023/24 season, which saw him collect five goal contributions and win an average of 4.8 duels per league contest, the 21-year-old was catapulted to top-flight stardom with Crystal Palace, and he hasn’t looked back since.

Indeed, Wharton has continued to stylishly go about his business right at the very top of English football, with a sublime five big chances created by the “generational” talent – as he was once branded by Matthew Stanger – already this season, continuing on his absurd rise which has also seen him be capped by England at a senior level.

Thankfully, Everton won’t need to splash out a rumoured £100m on Wharton to bag themselves a talent of his ilk, with homegrown gem Harrison Armstrong in line to be Moyes’ own version of the masterful youngster, if all goes to plan.

Armstrong’s Championship numbers for Preston (25/26)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Armstrong

Games played

8

Games started

5

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches*

35.0

Accurate passes*

20.1 (82%)

Ball recoveries*

3.0

Total duels won*

3.9

Stats by Sofascore

Much like Wharton, Armstrong has looked a cut above in the Championship in Lancashire, only this time with Blackburn’s near rivals Preston North End, as the Lilywhites loanee has won a strong 3.9 duels on average when battling in the middle of the pitch this season, alongside further looking assured with the ball at his feet with an 82% pass accuracy notched up.

He has yet to grab a goal or an assist for Paul Heckingbottom’s men, but he does have that in his locker too, as he bids to be a Premier League-calibre talent very shortly, despite only being 18 years of age, with three assists already tallied up from minimal senior chances on Merseyside.

Lauded as being “abnormal” for “how good he is” for his age by one analyst, the proof will soon be in the pudding as to whether Armstrong can return to Everton and kick on like Wharton managed at Selhurst Park.

Both Wharton and the 18-year-old sensation could even line up alongside each other for the Three Lions down the line, with recent claims suggesting that Armstrong “will play for England one day”.

Like Wharton before him, the teenager Evertonian is currently ripping it up in the second tier – hopefully it’s not long before he’s doing the same back at the Hill Dickinson.

Related Not just Grealish: £30k-p/w Everton gem can be England's World Cup wildcard

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Oct 31, 2025

Attack leader plays down concerns about workload and past injuries after latest stellar display

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Jun-20254:39

Bumrah: ‘Nobody is dropping catches on purpose’

Jasprit Bumrah resumed Test cricket from where he had left off in Australia with a stress reaction in the already operated-on back: carrying the India attack and looking the most threatening bowler on the park. While he was away, there was concern aplenty if Bumrah had been bowled into the ground and how well he would be able to return from the injury.While Bumrah has kept his medical status close to his and his inner circle’s chest, experts felt another such injury could prove to be the last one for his Test career. The headlines haven’t impressed Bumrah. “I can’t control what people write,” he said. “Nor am I trying to teach people what to write and what not to write about me. Everybody is free to write what they want. I understand cricket is very popular in our country, and I understand that using my name in the headline boosts the viewership. But at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to me. Because if I let it get into my head, I will start believing it. I need my beliefs and my ways to dictate how I go. Not the way others want me to play.”I always wanted to play for India. I played for India on my belief. I have played every format on my belief. I have always heard ‘no’ from people. First they said ‘you won’t be able to play’; then they said ‘you will last only six months’; then they said ‘you will last only eight months’, and just like that I have spent ten years in international cricket listening to all this. I have played the IPL for 12-13 years.Related

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“Even now people keep saying this injury will be it. Keep waiting, I will not think about that. I will keep doing my work. Every three-four months there will be headlines but, let’s see, I will play till it is in my destiny. I prepare my best, and leave the rest to god. Whatever [abundance or good fortune] god has given me, I try to carry it forward, and try to take Indian cricket forward.”The last injury does seem to have changed his outlook towards how much he should push himself. He has already informed the team management he will not be available for all the Tests this series. That, he says, is why he opted out of captaincy.Given that it had been announced he would be playing only three Tests, it could increase the sense of urgency around these games – because he will have fewer days to make an impact in. Not for Bumrah. “You don’t look at what is going to happen in the future,” Bumrah said. “You are there in the ground at that moment. You have to do a job. So at that moment I’m trying to assess the wicket. I’m trying to assess what is happening, what are my options, how is the wicket behaving, who’s the batter there, what is he thinking, how do I outsmart him or what do I do? I look at all of those things at that moment. I was not thinking about what will happen or how many games I will play. At this moment, focusing on the Test match. When the match is over, think about all these permutations and combinations.”The expectations, he said, can be extra baggage, which he doesn’t want to carry. “I ask myself this question at night, did I give my absolute best?” Bumrah said. “If the answer is yes, I quietly go to sleep.”

Manchester United are still working towards having their ideal squad at Old Trafford and have been offered an intriguing swap deal scenario that could see a renowned striker arrive.

Manchester United continue their transfer mission

While the cat remains firmly among the pigeons regarding Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford, INEOS are likely to be already plotting potential additions to the squad come January and beyond, with the belief now that he will be given time to turn things around.

PSR will need to be respected, and Manchester United spent over £250 million during the summer. Hence, it remains to be seen how much wriggle room they have to invite more arrivals into the Old Trafford dynamic.

Delivering an update on someone who could opt to swap the capital for life at the Premier League giants, Ben Jacobs has claimed Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton has a gentleman’s agreement to sign for the Red Devils next summer.

He stated: “I’m told that there’s kind of a gentleman’s agreement that next summer if Wharton doesn’t sign a new deal, he can leave for somewhere in the region of £60m-£65m.”

The England international may be the final piece to complete Manchester United’s midfield jigsaw, while also providing a younger alternative to an ageing Casemiro, who is into the last year of his contract.

Cost of sacking Ruben Amorim revealed as Man Utd's coaching spend surpasses Virgil van Dijk fee

INEOS would have to spend big…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

INEOS have shown they are willing to spend serious money, with Bryan Mbeumo becoming the Red Devils’ sixth-most expensive signing at £71 million. Nevertheless, the opportunity needs to be right for all parties.

With that in mind, Manchester United could now take advantage of a lucrative swap deal that may see one of Europe’s most renowned marksmen arrive at Old Trafford.

Man Utd could swap Joshua Zirkzee for Dusan Vlahovic

According to Tutto Juve, Manchester United are set to be offered Dusan Vlahovic plus cash in exchange for Joshua Zirkzee, and the Netherlands international could be allowed to leave Old Trafford after not featuring frequently under Amorim.

On the same token, Vlahovic is out of contract in 2026, meaning he may be part of a deal that secures Zirkzee’s exit rather than being allowed to leave on a free transfer next summer.

Joshua Zirkzee in 2025/26

Dusan Vlahovic 2025/26

Appearances: 4

Appearances: 7

Goals: 0

Goals: 4

Assists: 0

Assists: 1

No figure has been mentioned in the event of a potential transfer. Regardless, Vlahovic coming in the other direction would address Manchester United’s need for a prolific striker who can deliver in the present.

Viktor Gyokeres

Arsenal

Patrik Schick

Bayer Leverkusen

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

Christopher Nkunku

AC Milan

Alexander Sørloth

Atletico Madrid

Likened to Arsenal’s new signing Viktor Gyokeres for their physical styles and clinical finishing, he has scored 149 career goals in total inside 347 appearances, with 62 of them coming at Juventus since his move from Fiorentina in 2022.

Now potentially gearing up for a new challenge, his arrival would take the Red Devils’ forward line up a notch despite their recent impressive signings, though it remains to be seen if a deal with Zirkzee factored in will be a solution that works for all parties.

West Ham manager Nuno Espírito Santo was backed with the faith of a three-year contract by chairman David Sullivan, and it looks like he’ll be backed in the transfer market too.

West Ham make transfer plans after Nuno appointment

After the Portuguese took charge of his first game on Monday, overseeing a 1-1 draw away to Everton, reports have suggested that West Ham will support Nuno with potential new recruits in January.

The former Wolves and Tottenham boss was brought in to steady the ship following the departure of his predecessor, Graham Potter, who was abruptly sacked last Saturday.

The writing appeared to be on the wall for Potter, despite senior members of the West Ham squad telling friends and family members that he was still the right man for the job (The Telegraph), following a disastrous start to 2025/2026.

The 50-year-old also recorded West Ham’s second-lowest Premier League win percentage during his time in charge, behind only Avram Grant, who relegated the Hammers in 2011.

Worst West Ham managers in the Premier League

Win percentage

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Unlike Julen Lopetegui, who saved himself from the axe time and time again with the odd win before Sullivan pulled the plug, that wasn’t to be the case for Potter. The tactician was handed his P45 just six games into the new season, with Nuno taking West Ham training the very same day he left.

Tasked with revitalizing a squad that has underperformed, Nuno’s appointment has been met with cautious optimism from the Hammers faithful.

The 51-year-old guided Nottingham Forest back to European football for the first time since 1995 after a fairytale 2024/2025, having joined the club when they were nearer the relegation zone, and Nuno replicated similar feats at Wolves before his very brief time at Spurs.

West Ham’s defensive frailty from set-pieces this season, combined with conceding the most goals of any Premier League side so far (14), is a key issue that Nuno will be looking to address immediately.

That being said, the Irons are also arguably in need of more attacking flair in the final third to ease their reliance on star winger Jarrod Bowen.

Taking this into account, it is believed that West Ham are prepared to move for AC Milan’s versatile attacking star Christian Pulisic in the winter, following the USA international’s sensational exploits last term and brilliant start to 25/26.

However, with Pulisic’s side in the midst of a Serie A title race, it is unclear whether the former Chelsea forward would be prepared to up sticks for a Premier League return at this stage.

West Ham planning £35 million offer for Galatasaray star Baris Yilmaz

A more attainable attacking alternative could be Galatasaray star Baris Yilmaz.

The Turkey international was linked with a move to West Ham last January, and they reportedly made an offer for him, so the club’s recruitment team are more than aware of his quality.

Yilmaz finished last season with 14 goals and six assists in all competitions, starting this campaign in equally excellent form with seven goal contributions in his first seven games.

He also won Galatasaray’s penalty against Liverpool on Tuesday night for Victor Osimhen to fire home, causing Arne Slot’s side real problems throughout, with the 25-year-old now back on West Ham’s radar.

According to reports from Spain, West Ham are planning a £35 million bid for Yilmaz, and that sum would test Galatasaray’s resolve.

Interestingly, Football Transfers have likened Yilmaz to Bowen as a “similar” player, but the forward can also play as a striker to ease the burden on injury-prone duo Niclas Füllkrug and Callum Wilson.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are in the market for late reinforcements and are now set to bring a valuable addition through the door at Molineux, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Wolves look to seal late signings amid Christantus Uche debacle

Vitor Pereira looked set to land his man in Getafe star Christantus Uche, who appeared all but set for a £17 million move to the West Midlands to beef up an attacking line in need of reinforcements.

However, reports overnight have turned the tide somewhat, with Ben Jacobs delivering an update on his official X account that illustrates there is still work to be done before he could be officially unveiled.

He stated: “Christantus Uche starts for Getafe against Sevilla. Club-to-club agreement in place for a potential move to Wolves, but player yet to sign off on the deal. Although Wolves are still planning for his arrival, Uche’s green light is pending.”

The Nigeria international started in Getafe’s 2-1 victory over Sevilla on Monday night, complicating matters further, though Wolves supporters will hope they can see a resolution agreed upon before the deadline passes.

Elsewhere, the Old Gold are keen on a deal for Chelsea’s Axel Disasi, albeit they may need to get creative and have looked at ‘performance-based bonuses to complete the deal without stretching their budget’ in an attempt to circumvent the Blues’ £30 million asking price.

Wolves now in pole position to sign "wonderful" in-demand Barcelona gem

He would be an instant upgrade…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 21, 2025

Work is still to be done from a Wolves perspective if they have designs on securing a comfortable finish in the Premier League, but it is fair to say that anticipation is growing among supporters as their rivals strenghthen their own respective squads.

Now, the Old Gold could be set to complete a transfer of their own that will add some much-needed security to their backline, per recent developments.

Girona defender Ladislav Krejci set for Wolves medical

Taking to social media platform X, Romano has confirmed that Wolves are set to sign Girona defender Ladislav Krejci, who is now set for a medical ahead of a move to Molineux that will cost around £26 million.

With the 26-year-old now gaining authorization to travel, Pereira won’t need to wait much longer until the Czechia international touches down to shore up his backline ahead of the transfer deadline.

Overall, Krejci has made 38 appearances in all competitions for Girona, registering two goals and one assist since joining the La Liga outfit from Sparta Prague last summer.

He also made 34 interceptions and won 102 duels on league duty last term, offering a flavour of what Wolves fans could be in for once he finalises his move to Molineux.

The window is fast coming to an end and signings are necesarry to aid the Old Gold in their mission under Pereira, and supporters will be pleased to see that this pursuit is nearing its conclusion.

Burnley’s hopes of completing the signing of a key transfer target in the summer window have now been given a significant boost.

Parker wary of Man Utd backlash for Burnley

The Clarets head to Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, looking to pick up a memorable result at the biggest ground in the division.

The Red Devils are wounded after their shock EFL Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town in midweek, and while some may feel that Burnley could heap more pain on them, manager Scott Parker is wary going into the game.

“You can look at one side of it and say, it’s a bit of a wounded animal with world-class players that can obviously have a reaction. On the other side, of course, there may be a bit of edginess, but fundamentally, we’ll try and give our best version and take on the task of going to play Manchester United at Old Trafford.

“We need to go there with a real belief about us. Believe in what we are, believe in how we go there with a game plan and try and execute that. Of course it’s a tough arena, a 70,000 crowd and the stadium itself, along with the magnitude of what Manchester United and Old Trafford is.”

Away from Saturday’s action, Burnley have also now received a potential big boost in their efforts to sign a player before the summer transfer window closes on Monday.

Burnley have offer accepted for "amazing" player

According to Romano on X, Burnley have had a breakthrough in their quest to sign Benfica midfielder Florentino Luis, with a loan offer for the midfielder being accepted, and an obligation to sign him permanently for £21m next summer.

Luis could be a brilliant addition to Parker’s midfield, not to mention being a real coup, with Everton among the clubs who have been tracking him throughout the summer.

The 26-year-old is a proven top-level player, having made 24 appearances in the Champions League, and his former coach, Joao Tralhao, has lauded his quality in the past.

“Technically speaking, it’s not easy to find a midfielder with the defensive qualities he has. I used to joke with him and say that he saw the game two seconds before everyone else. It’s amazing the amount of interceptions he makes, the way he can be in the right position all the time.”

Burnley now eye "exceptional" Casemiro-like star with £100m+ release clause

His club have dropped their asking price.

ByCallum Kemp Aug 28, 2025

Luis could slot straight in as a key starter for Burnley, adding box-to-box ability and experience, and if he shines at Turf Moor, a permanent move next summer would make complete sense.

Thirty youngsters, part of the state under-14s and under-16s, had been flown into Nagpur by the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) in anticipation of Sachin Baby’s team creating history by winning their maiden Ranji Trophy title. While they didn’t see their illustrious seniors win Indian domestic cricket’s biggest prize, some of them clicked pictures with the replica of the Ranji Trophy, perhaps dreaming of laying their hands on the main one in the years to come.Several members of the Kerala team, heartbroken and lost for words, recognised the presence of these young kids in the stands, posing for pictures even as Baby momentarily brought some comic relief at the presentation. “You guys have beaten us in all three knockout stages. Next time, guys, we’ll beat you. We’ll give you a tougher time,” Baby told the Vidarbha team in jest.In 2017-18, Kerala were beaten by Vidarbha in the quarter-final. In the following season, Kerala were ousted in the semi-final. In 2024-25, Kerala were vanquished in their maiden final. Baby was part of all the heartbreaks. This one may have been the toughest to take, because Baby was at the front and centre of their march. A lead was in touching distance when Baby let the temptation of a hundred in his 100th first-class game get to him.”Brain fade,” he said at the post-match press conference, of the slog he dragged to Karun Nair at deep midwicket on 98. The occasion couldn’t have been bigger; a century in his 100th first-class game may have well killed the game. But it wasn’t to be; it was as if they’d run out of luck in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, which they scraped through courtesy leads of one and two runs respectively.The Kerala side with the runners-up trophy•KCA

“As the leader, I’ll take the blame,” he said. “My shot changed the momentum of the game. I wanted to be there for the team, and we were six down. I wanted to be there till the end to get the lead. I wanted to have a lead of 100-plus if at all we got a lead. That would have made a difference.”Baby couldn’t quite explain why he played the slog – it was instinct more than a calculated risk, one that he will perhaps replay in his mind over and over again. “I was playing all along the ground till that moment, but then I don’t know what happened and why I played that shot. But that and the dropped catch of Karun [Nair] were important moments of the game.”And then he continued. “If I take credit for the success, I will take the blame for failure, too. Nobody plays a shot to get out. That shot was not on my mind, actually. Maybe, it was a brain fade moment. But on this wicket, you had to play shots. If I had played too defensively, there would have been pressure on the team and myself.”At 36, Baby is the oldest member of this side. He hates the use of the word ‘veteran’ to describe ageing stars. He says he’s never felt fitter – all possible signs of him wanting to continue. But without wanting to make it about him, he continued: “We have to improve still. I was telling the team about how Vidarbha came back from the defeat in last year’s final to win the trophy this year.”

Leeds United are believed to have reached an agreement over the signing of an international attacker this week, but a deal is far complete as the Whites have yet to convince the player to join.

Leeds targeting three more signings

The Whites need as much squad depth as possible upon their return to the Premier League, with plenty of new faces already arriving at Elland Road, from Anton Stach to Jaka Bijol. Leeds’ summer business is unlikely to be done there, however, with former scout Mick Brown claiming that as many as three new faces could still arrive this month given they have yet to truly reinforce their attack.

“The feeling at Leeds has been that if they want to compete in the Premier League, the squad is going to need strengthening and that hasn’t changed. Their recruitment has been okay so far, but I would suggest none of them are nailed-on Premier League players who you know are going to be a success.

“They don’t have the type of Premier League experience in their squad that they would like. Before the window closes, there are two or three new players they want to bring in and I think it’s something they’re working on behind the scenes. There are still positions they want to strengthen in, and they’re going to concentrate on getting in Premier League players to aid that transition.”

A new forward needs to be near the top of Leeds’ wishlist, in order to have enough firepower to cope in the top flight, and a promising update has dropped regarding one target.

Leeds reach agreement to sign Serie A attacker

According to an update from Italian media [via Sport Witness], Leeds have reached an agreement to sign Sassuolo attacker Andrea Pinamonti this summer, who has been capped once by Italy.

That said, the update does also state that the 26-year-old has rejected the chance to join the Whites, with his reasoning for the decision not explained. It is now a case of Daniel Farke and those high up at Elland Road working to change his mind.

Pinamonti is a proven attacker at the highest level, having scored 50 goals in 212 Serie A appearances. Former coach Moreno Longo has heaped praise on him during their time working together in the past.

At 26, Pinamonti is both an experienced head and someone with years ahead of him, so he could come straight in as an influential leader of the line for Leeds.

Leeds closing in on "underrated" striker who's scored over 200 career goals

He’d hand Daniel Farke a major boost.

6 ByTom Cunningham Aug 9, 2025

Last season, the Italian scored 10 Serie A goals on loan at Genoa, also winning six Man of the Match awards from WhoScored, and the lure of moving to the Premier League will hopefully sway his thinking.