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49ers Enterprises and new sporting director Adam Underwood have suffered a major blow as one of Leeds United’s top targets is now pushing other clubs to bid for him, according to a new report.

Leeds agree deal to sign Sean Longstaff

The Whites have already made four new additions ahead of the 2025/26 season, but that could soon be five. The Athletic’s David Orstein reported on Tuesday night that Leeds have agreed a deal in principle with Newcastle United to sign Sean Longstaff.

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The midfielder is in the final 12 months of his contract at St James’ Park, and the Magpies have now agreed to sell him to Leeds for a deal worth £12 million plus £3 million in add-ons. The Championship title winners could be set to finalise the deal fairly soon, as Fabrizio Romano has reported that Newcastle have given Longstaff permission to undergo his Leeds medical after he agreed to the transfer way back in June.

Longstaff’s imminent arrival at Elland Road will see him battle the likes of Ao Tanaka and Ilia Gruev as Daniel Farke’s midfield options. Longstaff, who is the product of Newcastle’s academy, will bring vital Premier League experience to Leeds’ midfield, having played over 170 games in the Premier League, scoring 10 goals and recording nine assists.

Leeds target now pushing other clubs to bid

As the Whites close in on the signing of Longstaff, they are also in the market for a new striker, and they have now learnt the price tag of one of their key targets. According to CalcioStyle, Leeds have seen a bid worth 25 million euros (£21.6 million) rejected by Lecce to sign striker Nikola Krstovic.

The report adds that while Lecce have rejected Leeds’ bid, they have also gone back, stating that they want 40 million euros for their player, which is roughly £34 million. In a further blow to Leeds, Krstovic is said to be pushing to stay in Italy and is looking for big clubs to make an offer for him.

Leeds do have hope, as Lecce are open to selling the player, as they want to have cash to fund their transfer plans, but everything is on hold at the minute, as they try to find a replacement and Krstovic hopes for a move from a major Italian club.

Nikola Krstovic’s Lecce stats

Apps

74

Goals

19

Assists

7

It goes on to add that AS Roma are one team that are interested in signing the striker, but as things stand, their priority is to strengthen their midfield.

The 25-year-old, who has won 24 caps for Montenegro, has been at Lecce since 2023. In his first season at the club, he scored seven goals in 35 Serie A games, a tally that he was able to surpass last season with 11 goals and five assists in 37 league games.

Elland Road will no doubt be packed to the rafters when Everton travel across West Yorkshire for Leeds United’s hotly anticipated Premier League opener.

Plenty of new faces are likely to line up for Daniel Farke’s men to get the top-flight season underway, with Jaka Bijol aiming to impress in pre-season to seal a starting spot, alongside fellow fresh signing Lukas Nmecha.

Plenty more purchases are surely in the works ahead of Leeds bravely venturing up a league.

Leeds make £12m star a top priority target

It’s safe to say the Whites haven’t had it all their own way in the transfer window so far with key midfield target Habib Diarra heading to Sunderland instead with a club-record £30m wrapped up.

So, with that fresh blow still fresh in their mind, they could return to Ligue 1 to seal a different signing.

Transfer Focus

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

Indeed, as per a new report from French outlet L’Equipe, Leeds are very interested in securing the cut-price services of Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri this summer.

Lyon will be raided for all of their top assets off the back of the French giants being relegated to Ligue 2 following financial problems and the Whites have now made the Brazilian stopper a top priority target in a bid to improve their goalkeeper options up a division.

Leeds might well have an upper hand in the race to land the Brazilian if they are adamant he’s their desired man in between the sticks, with Saudi outfit Neom also keen on the 27-year-old ‘keeper amid rumours of a £12m bid potentially being put on the table.

Farke and Co. would happily fork out such an amount, with Bijol only costing £3m more to obtain from Udinese, as the newly promoted side continues to shop in Europe to land some gems.

How Perri could be Bijol 2.0

After all, this isn’t a transfer strategy that has just come from out of the blue for Leeds, with Raphinha once purchased for a mere £17m when leaving Rennes behind in 2020.

Obviously, the rest ended up being history for the Brazilian from that point on, with Bijol hopeful he can arrive on English shores and explode into life in a similar way to Raphinha by becoming a confident and assured performer in the deep-end of the Premier League.

His numbers when excelling in the Serie A indicate that he will be a hit at Elland Road, as seen in the Slovenian brute winning an imperious 4.8 duels on average last season in the Italian top-flight, on top of collecting eight clean sheets.

Therefore, landing the 26-year-old’s services for £15m might go down as a future steal if he is a rip-roaring success story in West Yorkshire, with the extra addition of Perri to the building potentially shoring up Farke and Co even more ahead of a daunting season.

Games played

33

Goals conceded

44

Clean sheets

10

Saves*

3.5

Goals conceded*

1.3

Goals prevented

+6.05

Much like Bijol, Perri was a consistent top performer in a top-five league all through last season, even as off-field turbulence threatened to derail the on-field situation, with a glowing number of +6.05 goals being prevented across his 33 league encounters.

To rubberstamp how much of an upgrade he would be, Illan Meslier’s tally in that department fell victim to -2.73 goals being prevented.

Even lauded as “the best goalkeeper in the world” by his manager Paolo Fonseca earlier this campaign, it feels like a no-brainer on Leeds’ end to try and capitalise on Lyon’s financial woes and land Perri as an upgrade on the shaky Meslier.

Of course, both of these deals could unfortunately go the other way, with the defensive duo finding their new terrain to be too extreme.

But, when assessing how well they’ve done in some tough European leagues to date, snapping up both Bijol and Perri might actually be heralded as a pair of genius deals down the line.

Leeds preparing bid to sign "powerful" captain for £12m this summer

The Whites have a midfielder in their sights this summer…

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Manchester United are now circling to sign an “incredible” attacker, in what would be a hugely controversial deal, according to a report.

Red Devils moving swiftly in the transfer market

Matheus Cunha became Man United’s first signing of the summer last week, with Ruben Amorim getting his summer rebuild underway early doors, and the manager has no plans to stop there, as another forward could be on their way to Old Trafford soon.

There are conflicting reports about who United’s priority target is at centre-forward, but recruitment chiefs certainly have a number of potential options in mind, with it being revealed they are now set to make a move for Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

£29m

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

£84m

Bryan Mbeumo

Brentford

£60m

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting CP

£67m

Any top striker is only as good as the service he receives, however, and with widespread reports linking captain Bruno Fernandes with a move to Saudi Arabia, Amorim may also be tasked with bringing in another attacking midfielder this summer.

According to a report from The Mirror, the Red Devils have a hugely controversial target in mind, as they are now circling to sign Manchester City maestro James McAtee, who could now be edging closer towards an Etihad Stadium exit.

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McAtee has been left out of Man City’s squad for the upcoming Club World Cup, which could spell the end of his time on the blue side of Manchester, with United believed to be keen on a surprise deal to bring the midfielder to Old Trafford.

With the 22-year-old’s contract set to expire in 2026, City may view this summer as their final opportunity to cash-in on the Englishman, and reports from elsewhere have detailed they could look to hold out for a fee in the region of £25m.

"Incredible" McAtee needs fresh start

Man City have already made the mistake of letting some exciting academy graduates leave in the past, most notably Cole Palmer, who has gone on to excel at Chelsea, and there are signs McAtee could be capable of following a similar path.

Lauded as “incredible” by former teammate Oli McBurnie, the Salford-born midfielder impressed when given the opportunity during the 2024-25 campaign, scoring seven goals in 27 outings, but unfortunately his game time was far too limited.

Not only is the City ace an attacking threat, but he is also clearly a well-rounded player, given that he has impressed on some key defensive metrics over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

1.96 (89th percentile)

Blocks

1.96 (99th percentile)

Should McAtee be willing to cross the Manchester divide, there are signs he would be able to kick on at Old Trafford, but it could prove to be a difficult deal to get over the line, given the rivalry between the two clubs.

Arsenal are ready to sell an “exceptional” player, as he has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving this summer, according to a report.

Arteta blames red cards and injuries for lack of success

The Gunners managed to sign off on a high at the Emirates Stadium, securing a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United to secure Champions League football next season, but there will be major disappointment about the fact they have once again missed out on a trophy.

In the end, Liverpool ran away with the Premier League title, with Mikel Arteta’s side set to finish second for the third season on the spin, and there has been widespread debate about why they have been unable to get over the line.

Gary Neville has questioned the decision not to sign a striker, which means Mikel Merino has been leading the line since February, but Arteta has provided a different explanation for his side’s lack of success.

When asked why the north Londoners have come up short once again, the Spaniard told Sky Sports: “Red cards and injuries, for sure.”

“But without that, we don’t know what would have happened. “Would we have been much closer? For me, the answer is without a question, yes.”

Injuries have no doubt been a major issue for the Gunners, with Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel all spending prolonged periods on the sidelines, and the latter’s absence has meant an increase in game time for Jakub Kiwior.

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However, according to reports from Italy (via Sport Witness), Kiwior’s time at the Emirates Stadium could be coming to an end, with Arsenal now ready to cash-in on the defender for a fee of €35m (£29m) this summer.

There is widespread interest in the centre-back from Italy, with Napoli, AC Milan and Atalanta in the race, and the 25-year-old has now expressed a concrete interest in leaving.

"Exceptional" Kiwior impressing Arteta

Gabriel’s absence has not been ideal for the Gunners, with the Brazilian missing the Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals, but the Poland international was solid in both legs against Real Madrid, limiting the reigning European champions to just one goal.

Arteta has been left impressed by the back-up defender too, saying: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months. He has suddenly been thrown into the most difficult context playing at the highest level when you haven’t had the physical rhythm or confidence. He’s been exceptional.”

Most recently, the former Spezia man put in a commanding performance against Newcastle, achieving the highest SofaScore match rating of any player after making a number of important defensive contributions.

Jakub Kiwior

Performance vs Newcastle

Clearances

11

Interceptions

2

Blocked shots

2

Tackles

4

As such, it would be a bonus if Arsenal are able to retain Kiwior beyond the summer, but his recent performances mean they may be able to achieve a sizeable fee for the defender, and they should not stand in his way if he is eager to leave.

The forecast for the Test is for it to get hotter, closer to 30 degrees, but it is not likely to break up the surface

Sidharth Monga17-Jun-202514:58

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It’s not often that Headingley gets the first Test of the series in England. Headingley usually hosts a Test much later in the summer, usually the third of the series. Add to it that there has hardly been any rain in Leeds since February. So Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of grounds, has had to carry out a “different kind” of preparation for the Test.Don’t be alarmed by the green look – indistinguishable from the square really – the pitch wears three days out. It will get a nice trim and a roll. Right now, though, as through the whole preparation, retaining enough moisture is the goal for Robinson and his team, which includes Jasmine Nicholls, former England race-walker and the first woman to make an international pitch when she led the team for the England vs Pakistan women’s T20I.Robinson has a deep connect with Headingley. The first Test he came here for as a boy was during Botham’s Ashes. He went on to play as a contemporary of Michael Vaughan and umpire Richard Kettleborough. Now he gets to prepare the canvas for more epics. He is satisfied with the hardness of the surface, which should make for good true bounce. That is also what England have wanted under Brendon McCullum as the coach. “They just want to have a good surface so it’s true, really, so we can hit through the line of the ball,” Robinson said. “That’s really what they’re looking for.”Related

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The grass will come down to 8mm by the morning of the Test, which is fairly standard for a Test at Headingley. Robinson feels a final assessment of the pitch should only be made on that morning. He expects it to “do a little bit” on the first day and to flatten out quite quickly because of the heat expected.The pitch remained covered during the afternoon on Tuesday to not let it dry too much even as Ben Stokes and England trained on the practice pitches. Stokes ended the session by bowling at a single stump. It seemed a perfect day for cricket with the sun out and the temperature around 22 degrees celsius. It was quite breezy too, which can dry the surface out quickly.Richard Robinson, Yorkshire’s head of grounds, has had to carry out a “different kind” of preparation for the Test•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe forecast for the Test is for it to get hotter, closer to 30 degrees, but it is not likely to break up the surface. So if the pitch is going to flatten out quickly and not break up deep into the Test, it might pay to bowl first and exploit the conditions on day one. This has certainly been the trend in England when McCullum has been the coach: teams have chosen to field in 16 out of 22 Tests, winning nine of those and losing six. When teams have chosen to bat first on the six occasions, they have lost each of those Tests.England have won both the Headingley Tests in this period, chasing down 296 against New Zealand and 251 against Australia. That Ashes Test was also Robinson’s debut as Headingley’s head groundsperson. The eight innings in these Tests ranged from a highest of 360 to a lowest of 224. Neither diabolical nor high-scoring. Robinson hopes for more of the same, but there might be a few more runs in it this weekend.India, on the other hand, have not played a lot at Headingley in recent years. Before their innings defeat in 2021, they had last played at the ground in 2002, famously winning by an innings and 46 runs.

Stats highlights from Kolkata where Rajasthan Royals needed just 13.1 overs to chase down 150

Sampath Bandarupalli11-May-2023187 – Wickets for Yuzvendra Chahal in the IPL, the most by any player in the league’s history. Chahal went past Dwayne Bravo’s tally of 183 during his four-for against Kolkata Knight Riders.13 – Balls Yashasvi Jaiswal needed for his fifty, the fastest in the history of the IPL. The previous quickest was 14 balls by KL Rahul against Delhi Daredevils in 2018 and Pat Cummins against Mumbai Indians last year.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 – Number of fifties in men’s T20 cricket, that came in fewer balls than Jaiswal’s 13-ball effort. Yuvraj Singh in 2007, Chris Gayle in 2016 and Hazratullah Zazai in 2018 had fifties from only 12 balls.Related

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2.5 – Team overs needed for Jaiswal to reach his fifty, the earliest instance of a batter reaching a fifty in an IPL innings. Rahul also completed his 14-ball fifty in 2.5 overs of Kings XI Punjab’s innings against Delhi Daredevils in 2018.