India’s Test squad in England will be without head coach Gautam Gambhir for the start of the closed-door warm-up fixture against India A in Beckenham from Friday. ESPNcricinfo has learnt Gambhir left for New Delhi on Wednesday due to a family emergency.In Gambhir’s absence, Sitanshu Kotak and Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coaches, along with bowling coach Morne Morkel, will take charge of the group. Hrishikesh Kanitkar, meanwhile, is in charge of India A.The match in Beckenham offers the senior India side an opportunity to tune up ahead of the team’s departure for Leeds ahead of the Test series opener against England from June 20.Gambhir’s absence comes at a crucial time, with the team management set to deliberate on the batting order, something he had said would be decided in the run-up to the first Test. The retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have opened up at least two slots, with B Sai Sudharsan and Karun Nair in the running to fill them.Of members of India’s Test squad who featured for India A in two unofficial Tests against England Lions, Nair, Dhruv Jurel and Abhimanyu Easwaran were among the runs. Nair top-scored in the series with 259 runs, including a double-century in the first game in Canterbury.Jurel, meanwhile, hit three half-centuries to score 227 runs, while Easwaran struck two fifties. KL Rahul, tipped to open the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal in the Test series, made scores of 116 and 51 in his only outing in Northampton.The team management will also potentially be toying over who among Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy will play as the seam-bowling allrounder. Reddy picked up two wickets across 26.5 overs while Thakur got two wickets across 43 overs across the two first-class games against Lions. For the pace attack, it’s likely that two out of Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna will join Jasprit Bumrah in the XI for the first Test.”All in all, very happy with the start so far,” Morkel said ahead of the warm-up game against India A. “I was a little bit nervous in terms of the lack of red-ball [cricket] we’ve played. But seeing how the guys are moving around and training the last three days, it’s a pleasing sight. There’s some quality energy in this group, and that’s what you need. You need to go into a Test series confident, you need to have that team spirit in the group, and I think so far they have done a great job.”The five-Test series marks the start of India’s new World Test Championship cycle as well as the beginning of Shubman Gill’s tenure as Test captain.

West Ham United and manager Nuno Espírito Santo are being handed the chance to solve their Niclas Füllkrug problem, as an agent pushes one of his attacking clients towards the London Stadium.

West Ham dealt Fullkrug injury blow as striker problems worsen

Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that Fullkrug has suffered a thigh injury when asked why the striker wasn’t called up to face Luxembourg and Wales.

Kicker have since reported that the 32-year-old faces “several weeks” on the sidelines as a result, dealing a major blow to Nuno, who now has just Callum Wilson and youngster Callum Marshall to call upon over the next few games.

Estimated games Niclas Füllkrug could miss for West Ham

Date

Brentford (home)

October 20

Leeds United (away)

October 24

Newcastle United (home)

November 2

Burnley (home)

November 8

West Ham will now have to rely on the inexperience of Marshall or pray that Wilson maintains his own fitness, with the latter also very prone to injury himself.

Fullkrug’s latest injury heaps pressure on West Ham’s creative players, like Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen, to compensate for the absence of a focal point up front.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund man was forced to sit out 28 games for West Ham and Germany combined last season as a result of achilles tendon problems and a hamstring injury.

Questions have understandably been asked about the club’s decision to fork out £27 million for an injury-prone striker past his prime, with Nuno and West Ham’s recruitment team now tasked to pick up the pieces.

West Ham’s main objective for the winter window is to sign a striker, according to reports, and this will come as music to the ears of Hammers supporters as their side are tipped to battle against relegation.

January could be vital when it comes to rescuing Nuno from his centre-forward conundrum. Man United striker Josh Zirkzee is already being linked with a move to West Ham, as the East Londoners scramble to assess realistic moves for available number nines mid-season.

There is also the free agent market to consider as an emergency solution, with ex-Watford and Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis apparently emerging as an option.

Agent pushing Emmanuel Dennis towards West Ham

The 27-year-old terminated his Forest deal by mutual consent in August and has been readily available for hire ever since, with The Athletic reporting all the way back in 2022 that West Ham held talks over signing Dennis for ex-boss David Moyes.

Now, as per Hammers News, the Nigerian is being offered out to West Ham again.

It is believed that an agent is actively pushing Dennis towards West Ham, but as things stand, the club aren’t really biting.

Despite a stellar 21/22 at Watford, where he bagged 10 goals and six assists in 33 Premier League appearances, the Nigerian really hasn’t done much since then.

He actually plied his trade at Forest and during Nuno’s tenure, but scored just two league goals in his debut season before being shipped out on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir, Watford and Blackburn Rovers until he was released.

Once called a “beast” by members of the media, Dennis hasn’t made a significant impact for quite some time, and signing the attacker hardly seems like an adept solution to West Ham’s striker crisis, even if it would be at zero cost.

He did enjoy a brief purple during his second spell at Watford, with former interim boss Tom Cleverley hailing Dennis’ “explosive” style after he scored three times in five starts back at Vicarage Road in 2024, but he managed just one goal thereafter.

Arsenal’s clash with Fulham was not their most free-flowing of victories but it mattered not. Sometimes you just need to find a way and the Gunners did just that at Craven Cottage.

Fulham’s low-block stifled Mikel Arteta’s men so they turned to their old solution and trusted friend; a set-piece.

It was the classic combination. Bukayo Saka’s inswinging delivery was met by Gabriel but it wasn’t the Brazilian finding the net on this occasion.

His header was glanced on towards Leandro Trossard who was left with a simple finish at the back post.

Arsenal are the set-piece kings and if they go on to win the Premier League title next May, few will have many complaints about that.

However, they do need to find a way to generate more chances for a certain Viktor Gyokeres whose goalless run goes on.

Viktor Gyokeres' performance in numbers vs Fulham

Speaking after the game at the Cottage, Arteta said of his striker: “He was very close today again, two or three times. We were all begging for him to score. The work rate he puts in for the team is phenomenal.”

It’s a fair assessment. During the last month or so, Gyokeres has been improving. He’s running the channels relentlessly, holding the back up with more consistency each game and the chemistry between him and his teammates is improving.

However, Arsenal brought the hulking Swede to score goals. They need goals. No Arsenal player scored double figures in the league last season for the first time since 1923/24.

Arteta’s side may well be top of the table after two months of the campaign but the simple fact of the matter is that Gyokeres needs to start finding the net.

Things started in a positive fashion for the big-money striker. He netted a fine header against Athletic Club in pre-season before bagging twice against Leeds and scoring versus Nottingham Forest.

Yet, that goal against the Tricky Trees – still managed by Nuno Santo at the time – came all the way back on the 13th September. Since then, he has gone nine goals for club and country without scoring.

It’s worrying, for sure. His performance against Fulham was indicative of the struggles he has encountered since returning to England.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

He finds life difficult against low blocks and to be fair, so do a lot of strikers. He’s simply not got the room to run in behind. We saw first-hand the devastation he can cause against Olympiacos in the Champions League when he was afforded space.

That’s not to say he performed badly on Saturday afternoon, though. As Arteta references, Gyokeres did have one or two chances.

Minutes played

96

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Expected goals (xG)

0.40

Touches

20

Possession lost

8

Ground duels won

3/4

Aerial duels won

1/3

His numbers from the game told the story of his season to date. Physically, he is imperious. Gyokeres certainly won his fair share of duels at Craven Cottage.

Two shots on target is also encouraging but, lest we forget, this is a man who scored 54 times for Sporting in 2024/25.

While there were no expectations he would do the same in the Premier League, it is a worry now that this goal drought is only prolonging.

So, what’s the solution?

Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres solution

Earlier in the week, it was reported that Arsenal staff had been left blown away by Kai Havertz’s approach to rehab.

The German picked up a problem during the opening weeks of the season and still isn’t due back for a number of weeks now. However, there is a sense that he could return earlier than anticipated.

That will hardly be music to the ears of Gyokeres. After all, there is a feeling that Havertz could walk straight back into this team if the Swede continues to misfire.

But, what about in the interim? Well, there are two solutions. One is to bring Mikel Merino back into the fray. The Spaniard is certainly in form, notably scoring twice during Spain’s win over Bulgaria in the recent international break.

For context, only Erling Haaland has scored a higher percentage of his nation’s goals during World Cup qualifying.

The other solution would be to unleash Trossard as the central striker. The Belgian has attracted his fair share of criticism over the last year but he is also a man in decent form, certainly better than Gyokeres anyway.

While the former Brighton man is often seen as somebody who is better as an impact player off the bench, he has issued a timely reminder in recent weeks of why he’s such a valued squad member.

He’s started to make a habit of being an away specialist, scoring and assisting in Bilbao in the Champions League, netting against Port Vale and finding the net this weekend.

Trossard’s finish was a simple one, it must be said, and he did endure a quiet first half, but he’s a reliable figure who pops up in clutch moments.

As Ian Wright once said too, he’s “the best finisher” at the club. Bold words but it’s easy to see why he’s said that. Whether it’s on his right foot or left foot, the Belgium international is usually reliable.

He may not be the same stature as Havertz or Gyokeres but against low blocks, the 30-year-old’s intricacy and close control could be exactly what Arsenal need to open up a defence.

“What I like is communication with the players, making the players feel secure, talking to them, giving them comfort around their weaknesses and strengths”

Vishal Dikshit05-Jun-20252:53

Gill: Difficult to fill Rohit-Kohli void but it’s no additional pressure

Shubman Gill was clear in his communication. He looked comfortable and snug sitting next to the strong-headed Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, and secure and confident, no matter what kind of questions were thrown at him. He faced the media for the first time in his role as India’s new Test captain.The qualities Gill exhibited on the same stage where chief selector Ajit Agarkar announced him as Rohit Sharma’s successor less than two weeks ago are exactly what he wishes to carry into the dressing room for the five-Test tour of England: clarity and security.Related

Pant says Gill will bat at No. 4, India yet to decide No. 3 option

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Gill unveiled as India's new Test captain

Sai Sudharsan, Arshdeep and Nair in India's Test squad

Gill must now chart his own path

“There is no particular style of captaincy that I want to follow,” Gill said in Mumbai when asked about his idea of Test captaincy. “The more you play, the more experience you get. I think your personal style is more visible to the people. What I like is communication with the players, making the players feel secure, talking to them, giving them comfort around their weaknesses and strengths. There are many such things…forming a bond with the players is very important. If you are a captain of any team or a leader of any team, if your players feel very secure, only then they can give their 100%.”I have played under some amazing and terrific leaders. Rohit was very clear with his communication from what he wanted from the players. That was his great quality which I would want to inherit from him.”So as a leader, as a captain, you definitely want to be able to lead by example, by your performance and any match that you play.”Shubman Gill addressed his first press conference as India’s new Test captain•AFP/Getty ImagesGill, at 25, has been handed the “great challenge” in his own words, of starting his captaincy journey with a “big tour” of England, especially after India suffered forgettable series losses – first at home to New Zealand and then away against Australia – that cost them a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Gill said he was “quite overwhelmed” when he learnt about the selectors’ decision to make him the captain, which would make him India’s fifth-youngest Test leader, and the youngest since Ravi Shastri, who was some days younger when he took over in early 1988, although only for one Test at home. As well-thought out and smooth Gill’s answers were on Thursday evening, the start of almost each one of them with “sir” served as a reminder of his tender age.”There is pressure on every tour,” Gill said, playing down the magnitude of the series that will start the new WTC cycle for India and England. “It’s tough to fill the gaps left by the experienced players who won us so many matches over the years. But there’s no different pressure as such. There’s pressure in every series and all the players are used to playing and trying to win under pressure. I think the combination of batting and bowling in our team is a very good mix of experience and talent.”Gill further explained the management had not decided on the team’s batting line-up, which would be firmed in the lead-up to the first Test starting June 20, after the preparations start in and around London. His batting position and Kohli’s successor at No. 4 remain a mystery.”We haven’t really decided on the [batting order], we still have some time,” he said. “We will be playing an intra-squad match [from June 13 to 16] and I think we will be having a 10-day camp in London. So we still have a little bit of time and I think we can decide on the batting order once we go there.”Shubman Gill: ‘Rohit was very clear with his communication from what he wanted from the players. That was his great quality which I would want to inherit from him’•AFP/Getty ImagesIndia called up the uncapped top-order batter B Sai Sudharsan, handed a berth to 33-year-old Karun Nair, who last played a Test over eight years ago, and retained Abhimanyu Easwaran in their 18-member squad. Among allrounders, they picked Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur apart from the proven name in Ravindra Jadeja, making it a mix of two spinners and two fast bowlers among them. Gambhir said the look of the final XI will depend on a few different factors.”It’s not just the conditions of the ground that are different [from India], overheard conditions also matter,” Gambhir said. “So after considering everything, the best playing XI will be selected [depending on] who can give us a result, whether it is a spin-bowling allrounder or a seam-bowling allrounder. So it’s not just by looking at one or two things, we have options. And more importantly, Test matches are won when you take 20 wickets. Even if you score a thousand runs, there is no guarantee of winning. But if you take 20 wickets, then you are more or less in a position where you can win a Test match.”A big factor that could also prove pivotal in India picking 20 wickets will be England’s aggressive style of play – popularly called Bazball – which they have adopted under head coach Brendon McCullum. That modus operandi is a two-edged sword that helped them race to a score like 427 for 6 in just over 80 overs against New Zealand in early December for a massive win and also led to a collapse of 143 all out barely 10 days later for the opposite result in Hamilton. Like Jasprit Bumrah told the early last year before the home Tests against England, Bazball could lead to “heaps of wickets”, Gill further said on Thursday it does give the opponents “an opportunity”.”Yes, they play a certain way,” Gill said. “I think we saw that when they came to India as well. But I think it’s very exciting for us, it gives us an opportunity, and I think it’s a great challenge. If we are very proactive with our execution and if we are proactive with our plans, I think it would put them under pressure immensely.”In ODIs and T20Is India still top the ICC rankings, led by captains who are 38 and 34 respectively. With the next WTC final still two years away, a lot rests on the unburdened shoulders of Gill, who will be only 27 by the time the next cycle ends.

There were 19 hat-tricks in MLS regular season and GOAL ranks the best, including Messi's finale dominance and Son's first in the league

Lionel Messi delivered the only hat-trick on MLS Decision Day – a moment that was both fitting and surprising. Fitting, because the league’s biggest star showed up when the spotlight was brightest. Surprising, because it was somehow his first of the season.

Overall, the 2025 MLS season featured 1,530 goals across 510 matches – the second-highest in league history, just behind 2024's total of 1,552. Of those, 57 came via 19 hat-tricks, which also ranks second all-time.

As MLS continues its rise, so too does the level of play. LAFC’s Son Heung-Min and Vancouver’s Thomas Muller were just two of the high-profile additions who made immediate impacts this season. The adjustment period that once came with big-name signings? Pretty much gone.

Now stars are showing up ready, and it’s paying off – with sharper team play, tighter chemistry and performances that keep raising the bar. And if that means more hat-tricks, no one’s complaining. GOAL ranks the top five hat-tricks from the 2025 season.

Getty Images Sport5Tai Baribo: Philadelphia Union vs FC Cincinnati, March 1

Not much was expected from the Union when they kicked off the season. There was more hype about a certain 15-year-old on their reserve team, Cavan Sullivan, than anyone on the first-team roster or their new coach, Bradley Carnell. The club didn't spend the cash on player signings in the offseason and dismissed long-time manager Jim Curtin. 

Tai Baribo changed all of those perceptions almost instantly, with an exclamation mark. On March 1, he recorded a hat-trick against FC Cincinnati, a team that spent big in the offseason and would be one of the league's top contenders. It was also the first hat-trick of the season. 

Although injuries and international call ups would ultimately slow Baribo's then-league-leading scoring pace, his message was clear: Philadelphia are contenders. The team would capitalize on a strong start to seal their Supporters' Shield two weeks before Decision Day. 

Advertisement4Brian White: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Austin FC, April 12

The parallels between Brian White's Vancouver and Philly can't be ignored. Similar to the Union, the Whitecaps were coming off a disappointing season where they parted with a popular manager, Vanni Sartini. And also similar to their Eastern counterpart, it took an unexpected campaign from a striker to catapult them into contention. 

White scored four goals in the 2022 season for Vancouver, but at the start of the 2025 campaign, he'd put that tally up in a single game against Austin FC. The 5-1 win pointed to the Whitecaps being one of the surprises of this season. White's efforts on April 12 marked the only four-goal outing of the season.

While injuries curtailed what was looking to be a record-breaking season for White, his breakthough at 29 years old also led to opportunities with the USMNT under Mauricio Pochettino at both the January camp and the Gold Cup. He finished his season with 16 goals in 21 games, and the Whitecaps are second in MLS's Western Conference entering the playoffs. 

Imagn3Thomas Muller: Vancouver Whitecaps vs Philadelphia, Sept. 13

If White signaled the start of heightened expectations for Vancouver, Muller's arrival in August punctuated that sentiment. The Bayern Munich legend is a serial winner, with 35-plus trophies to his name. And unlike some of his previous star predecessors who came into MLS in their late 30s, Muller very much cares about what transpires on the pitch.

From barking instructions at teammates to being an all-around performer, he isn't here on name value alone. Nothing showcased that more than his role in Vancouver's 7-0 shellacking of the league-leading Union. 

Muller got himself a hat-trick for his birthday and also added an assist for a good measure. It was the seventh time a MLS side won by seven goals, and it was the largest win in Whitecaps history.

It is also worth noting Muller's three goals were the end to a historic 24 hours for MLS, with three other players all notching hat-tricks that weekend: Idan Toklomati, Denis Bouanga, Diego Rossi also scored triples.

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Getty Images Sport2Son Heung-Min: LAFC vs Real Salt Lake, Sept. 17

While there was palpable excitement over Son's arrival in MLS, LAFC fans weren't exactly sure which version of the South Korean they were getting. Was this going to be the Son who was a force in the Premier League for nearly a decade, or the winger who looked a step slow in a Tottenham side that struggled all season?

On Sept. 17 against Real Salt Lake, Son proved to MLS that he might just be the second-best player in the league, becoming a 1B to Messi's very clear 1A. All three goals were on counterattacks, with Son blazing through RSL's defense on each play. But his second stands out as he just blasted it in from 25 yards out.

It's also worth noting that Bouanga got the assist on Son's final goal to wrap up the 4-1 win. Son returned the favor by assisting on one of Bouanga's goals in a hat-trick just four days later, another 4-1 scoreline.

England boss Sarina Wiegman has added yet another fresh face to her Lionesses squad ahead of Tuesday's clash with Australia after West Ham defender Anouk Denton accepted her first senior call-up. That's despite no player withdrawing from selection before the European champions' second fixture of this international break, with it instead a measure to protect Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles in particular.

• Official: Anouk Denton earns first Lionesses call-up

  Wiegman announced the news of Denton's arrival on camp in her press conference on Monday. The 22-year-old had initially been included in the Under-23s squad, which was beaten 5-0 by Germany on Thursday and will be out to bounce back when hosting Portugal on Monday evening. However, she has now moved across to the senior team for the first time, bumping the Lionesses' squad back up to 25 players, the number it stood at when it was announced before a flurry of withdrawals unfortunately followed.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Why England have called up West Ham star

  Explaining the decision to call in Denton, Wiegman told reporters: "After the match on Saturday, we had some niggles. Things are going well, so everyone will be on the [training] pitch, but we are still also recovering and in the preparing stage for tomorrow. So, if things go well, then we have to make a decision for the [matchday squad]."

  Asked if there are any players in particular that England are monitoring when it comes to those niggles, Wiegman was keen to play down any great concerns. "They're not big things to share, because when you're football players, there's small things," she responded. "I just didn't want to take any risk. We are still building some players too, which you've seen with Lucy Bronze and Niamh Charles."

  After playing with a fractured tibia throughout Euro 2025, Bronze only returned to action at club level earlier this month and is yet to start a game since that tournament ended. Chelsea team-mate Charles, meanwhile, suffered an ankle injury at the end of September and has only played once since, racking up 56 minutes in the Blues' win over Tottenham on October 12.

• Who is Denton? Introducing the latest Lionesses call-up

  Denton's inclusion makes sense given the name-checking of Bronze and Charles, as the West Ham defender can play both as a right-back and a left-back. Wiegman will be well aware of what the 22-year-old can bring to the table, too, given how well, and how often, she communicates with the youth national team staff.

  Denton, an Arsenal academy product, has been capped all the way through the England youth teams, most notably representing the U19s at the Euros back in 2022. She spent some time in the United States, at the University of Louisville, and joined West Ham upon the ending of that chapter, having spent a short period on loan with the Hammers while still at Arsenal.

  It's not been an easy season so far at club level for Denton, with West Ham losing all six of their Women's Super League fixtures to date. But the defender has been one of their better performers and is very highly rated by head coach Rehanne Skinner and her staff, so much so that she signed a new deal just this year which runs until the summer of 2028.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  England's full-back areas better-stocked ahead of Australia clash

  Denton arrives to bolster Wiegman's options in the full-back areas, then, which have never been plentiful. Maya Le Tissier, who plays at centre-back at club level, played at right-back on Saturday, with Bronze taking the baton from her just past the hour. There was a centre-back at left-back, too, as Alex Greenwood played the full 90 minutes in a position she started her career in but has played sparingly since.

  Charles could play in the latter role against Australia on Tuesday, having not featured at all on Saturday, and there is another option in Taylor Hinds, the Arsenal left-back who won her first senior England call-up this month. Denton is now added to that list as she looks to become the latest in a long line of Lionesses to progress through what is a very productive England pathway.

The last time Leeds United sealed promotion to the Premier League courtesy of former Elland Road icon Marcelo Bielsa, there was a lot of promise in the air that the Uruguayan would be the transformative figure to make the West Yorkshire side a top-flight staple once more.

In all fairness, for a brief moment in time, he looked to be just the radical figure they needed, with a ninth-place finish in the Premier League coming right after the Championship title had been triumphantly lifted.

Unfortunately, it all unravelled from this point onwards, with relegation at the end of the 2022/23 season coming about with Sam Allardyce at the helm, long after the South American’s sad exit.

Can Daniel Farke be the manager to finally establish Leeds as a superpower in the top league? The German has already collected two early wins to guide the Whites to a promising 11th spot, after all.

It appears as if Leeds have really strengthened their options after lifting the second-tier title on a mammoth 100 points, with Farke already in love with a vast portion of his new personnel.

Ranking Leeds' best summer signings

Farke will be desperate to steer Leeds to safety having already tasted the bitterness of relegation from the top-flight when managing Norwich City.

The early signs show that the Whites won’t be basement dwellers, with new signings such as Gabriel Gudmundsson, surely too good to be sucked into a relegation battle.

Minus scoring an own-goal away at Fulham, the energetic Swede has stood out as a very competent replacement for Junior Firpo in the infancy of this season so far, with his determination to keep the ball in play last time out against AFC Bournemouth culminating in Leeds taking the lead.

While he couldn’t follow up on his goal away at Wolverhampton Wanderers versus the Cherries, Noah Okafor also shone as a bright attacking spark against Andoni Iraola’s men.

He will likely be viewed as another sterling summer pick-up, with a tricky three successful dribbles being registered, keeping the South Coast visitors on their toes.

There is also Dominic Calvert-Lewin. He won’t be the best signing Leeds ever make but Premier League-proven, he has shown flashes of his quality at this level already when expertly heading an effort home at Molineux.

But, Anton Stach has a convincing case to be viewed as Leeds’ top bit of business overall, with the £17m forked out to land the German already looking like money well spent.

Why Stach has become so important for Leeds

Stach had impressed early on at Elland Road, but he truly arrived on the scene in some style when hammering home a stunning free kick away at Vitor Pereira’s Old Gold.

Away from just this audacious effort – which was heralded as a “beauty” by Gary Lineker – Stach has also stood out as a well-rounded, aggressive presence in the middle of the park for Leeds in a similar build to fan favourite, Yorkshire Pirlo, Kalvin Phillips.

Of course, when Phillips was at the heart of the Bielsa operation, Leeds managed to finish in that aforementioned ninth spot in the challenging division.

History could well repeat itself with a similarly robust, yet skilful figure now in Farke’s XI, with 3.7 ball recoveries averaged per game this season in Premier League action, followed up by the former Hoffenheim ace also winning a high 5.3 duels per clash.

Former Watford striker turned pundit Troy Deeney has also waxed lyrical about Stach since his arrival, labelling the number 18 as “very impressive”.

But, he isn’t the only midfielder who has been on the receiving end of some glowing comments.

Why bargain Leeds star is a better signing than Stach

While Stach instantly bedding in will, of course, raised a few smiles in West Yorkshire, it would have been seen as a big disappointment if the German didn’t come in and hit the ground running from the get-go, having cost £17m to obtain.

Whereas, in the case of Sean Longstaff, Leeds fans would have known all about his Premier League credentials, but might well have erred on the side of caution over whether he’d be an instant success story, having arrived at Elland Road off the back of starting just eight league games last season for Newcastle United.

There needn’t have been any worries, however, with Nedem Onuoha’s prediction of Longstaff joining for just £12m being a “sneaky good” signing ringing very much true, with the former Magpies midfielder pretty much faultless last time out versus Bournemouth.

During that clash, he looked like one “one of the best signings in the Premier League” full stop – as was boldly declared by journalist Daniel Storey.

Staggeringly, away from firing home a superb effort and collecting an assist, the well-rounded 27-year-old also won a mammoth ten duels to ensure his side at least collected a share of the points against the Cherries.

His wider numbers make for some unbelievable reading, too, with Opta statistician Jonny Cooper revealing – after his impactful showing against Bournemouth – that Longstaff has covered a staggering 12km per league clash so far this season.

Also averaging more tackles per 90 minutes this season than Chelsea ace Moises Caicedo as per Fotmob – who once cost a staggering £115m – on top of also averaging more accurate passes than the likes of Crystal Palace favourite Adam Wharton, it’s already abundantly clear that Farke and Co have pulled off a major steal landing the Newcastle-born battler for just £12m.

Weighing up his modest fee next to Leeds’ other notable summer signings further reinforces the bargain Leeds have managed to seal, with injury-stricken goalkeeper Lucas Perri even costing a higher fee at the £15.6m mark.

Therefore, there is plenty of logic behind Storey’s claims, with Longstaff once even receiving praise from Pep Guardiola back in 2019 during the early days of his St James’ Park senior career.

While his time on Tyneside did unfortunately fizzle out, the “outstanding” 27-year-old – as he has already been labelled by his new manager – has undoubtedly already found a new lease of life away from his hometown side.

Longstaff is just one cog in Farke’s machine who can certainly play a key role in Leeds becoming top-flight regulars again.

Leeds had the original Gudmundsson & they let him leave for just £1m

Leeds must regret cashing in on this star who was the original Gabriel Gudmundsson at Elland Road.

By
Dan Emery

Oct 2, 2025

Ajax are considering a sensational reunion with Erik ten Hag, with director Alex Kroes holding fresh talks to bring the former coach back amid mounting pressure on John Heitinga. The Dutch giants’ struggles under the ex-Liverpool assistant have prompted calls from fans and insiders for change as the club seek stability after another bruising European night.

Ajax crisis deepens as Heitinga loses support

Ajax’s season has lurched deeper into crisis following their 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray, leaving Heitinga’s future hanging by a thread. The result sparked fury among fans, who demanded “a coach with experience” in a statement released by supporters’ group AFCA, urging director Kroes to act swiftly.

Kroes, who has faced growing criticism over the team’s direction, reportedly met Ten Hag earlier this week in Huizen. Officially described as a “planned coffee meeting,” the timing just days before the Galatasaray collapse has fueled speculation of an imminent managerial change, according to .

The ex-Manchester United boss, currently out of work after a brief spell at Bayer Leverkusen, remains deeply respected in Amsterdam after his trophy-laden tenure between 2018 and 2022, during which he guided Ajax to three Eredivisie titles and a Champions League semi-final. His potential return is viewed as the club’s only viable lifeline to restore order on and off the pitch.

AdvertisementAFPKroes looks to Ten Hag as crisis solution

Inside the Johan Cruyff Arena, pressure is mounting not only on Heitinga but also on Kroes himself, whose credibility is now tied to the struggling manager. According to reports, the Ajax director will hold follow-up talks with Ten Hag, hoping to persuade him to take charge before the winter break. For Kroes, the stakes are clear. Without Ten Hag’s agreement, his own position could soon become untenable. 

Ten Hag’s track record speaks for itself. Under his leadership, Ajax became synonymous with dynamic, high-pressing football and world-class talent development, producing stars such as Frenkie de Jong, Matthijs de Ligt and Donny van de Beek. His return would not only bring tactical clarity but also much-needed stability to a fractured club structure.

However, the 55-year-old will face a far tougher challenge this time. The current squad, described by Dutch media as “limited and flawed,” lacks the depth and technical quality of his previous era. Yet, given the club’s current state, expectations are modest, few believe a title race is even possible this season.

Fan frustration reaches breaking point

Wednesday’s humiliating loss to Galatasaray marked Ajax’s fourth straight defeat in the Champions League, leaving them bottom of the table and with just one goal scored. Heitinga, once seen as a steady interim figure, now looks increasingly out of his depth. Players’ silence spoke volumes: Davy Klaassen, echoing teammates Remko Pasveer and Steven Berghuis, stopped short of backing the coach, admitting there was still “little foundation” and “little development.”

The discontent reflects deeper structural failings. Ajax’s recruitment has faltered, academy integration has slowed, and confidence has drained from a squad built on uncertainty. The AFCA supporters’ group voiced what many fans feel: “This football will bring tears to your eyes.”

For a club once hailed as Europe’s model of modern success, the current malaise has been jarring and it explains why Ten Hag, despite previous tensions with the board, is seen as the only man capable of restoring identity and purpose.

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AFPTen Hag’s return: motivation, timing and obstacles

Since the abrupt end to his three-game stint at Leverkusen, Ten Hag has been taking time away from football. Reports suggest he is open to returning to Ajax in January, provided the club demonstrate both ambition and structural support.

Financially, the move will not be simple. His €6 million severance package from Leverkusen complicates immediate negotiations, but Ajax are prepared to wait if it means securing their preferred candidate. Rival interest from Wolves, currently battling relegation in the Premier League, adds a layer of urgency. 

For Ten Hag, the appeal is clear – a chance to reclaim his legacy at the club where he built his reputation and reignite a project that still bears his tactical fingerprints. For Ajax, it’s a gamble they can’t afford not to take.

Danny Rohl has warned his players they “gave me a lot of information” following Rangers’ damaging 3-0 Europa League defeat to Brann in the Europa League on Thursday.

The 36-year-old head coach was installed as Russell Martin’s successor on Monday but there was no dream debut in Norway. Emil Kornvig opened the scoring five minutes before the break, Jacob Sorensen added a second after 55 minutes and Noah Holm fired in a third after 79 minutes for a comfortable win for the home side.

Rangers writer and podcaster David Edgar called for two sackings immediately following the game as pressure continues to mount on Chief Executive Patrick Stewart and Sporting Director Kevin Thelwell.

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Gers fans are furious after Danny Rohl’s first match in charge.

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Rangers are bottom of the 36-team table as they turn attention to the visit of Kilmarnock in the William Hill Premiership on Sunday.

Rohl warns players after defeat to Brann

Rohl appeared to fire a warning to the players who took part in Thursday’s humiliation, telling Rangers TV they “gave me a lot of information” and that they were not up to the required standard.

The new boss did however take responsibility for what is to come, with over two months before he gets the chance to change his squad in the January transfer window: “I have to develop and improve the players. I have to develop and improve the group. This is what I have to do. This is my job.

“We played a team who were organised, aggressive and did the basics right, and we didn’t.

“But my job is to lift them again, give them the solutions, and be ready on Sunday.”

Ally McCoist told talkSPORT he is struggling to commentate matches involving his old team.

“The three teams Rangers have played (in the Europa League) are bang average,” said the Ibrox legend on Friday morning.

“I’ll be brutally honest, last night I was as depressed as I’ve been throughout this whole debacle. I actually feel for the manager. I don’t know what he’s going to do. He might improve them in terms of a little bit of organisation.

“But I don’t think there’s anywhere near the level of improvement in that team that will be required to even get them up the league domestically. They’re just absolutely miles off it.”

The Gers will be seeking just their second win in the league this season when they host Kilmarnock on Sunday afternoon. They could be 16 points off the pace at the start of play if Hearts beat Celtic in the earlier kick-off.

While they are still in the relegation zone, things are starting to look up for West Ham United.

In his first game in the dugout, Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a spirited fightback that saw the Hammers pick up a point away to Everton.

Moreover, while they lost against Arsenal, they were not blown away as they probably would’ve been under Graham Potter.

However, there is still more to come from the side, and while Jarrod Bowen continues to impress whenever he is on the pitch, another West Ham player could get back to his best and in the process become Nuno’s new Morgan Gibbs-White.

Changes Nuno can make for the next game

While it will take some time for Nuno’s tactical changes and philosophy to really sink into the side, there are a few changes he could make ahead of the next game that may lead to some instant results.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For example, while at his best, he can be a fulcrum for the attack, it might be time for Niclas Füllkrug to be taken out of the team, as he offered no threat whatsoever in the last two games.

Moreover, against the Toffees, he managed to lose ten of his 14 aerial duels, so on top of not worrying opposition defences, he’s also not holding the ball up enough.

Appearances

20

7

Minutes

877′

385′

Goals

3

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

175.4′

N/A

In place of the German, Callum Wilson could be given a start, or if the manager wants to be bold, he might go for an academy player like Callum Marshall or maybe even Josh Landers.

Another change that might be worth making is in the six position, as while Soungoutou Magassa is undoubtedly talented, he is clearly still adapting to the pace and power of the league.

The Frenchman only completed ten passes against the Gunners, lost Declan Rice for the opener, and lost three of four duels.

So, with a home game against Brentford after the international break coming up, it might be the perfect opportunity to hand Freddie Potts his first start for the club, as in his half an hour at the Emirates, he looked reasonably impressive.

However, while these changes might have a moderate impact in the short term, Nuno could see a more significant impact should one of West Ham’s best players rediscover his best form, someone who could become his new Gibbs-White.

The West Ham star who could be Nuno's new Gibbs-White

While Bowen will undoubtedly continue to be the superstar of this team, the player who could end up being a Gibbs-White style star for Nuno is Lucas Paqueta.

The former Lyon gem hasn’t been at his best in every game this season, but when he’s on track and things are going his way, it’s easy to see how he could have a similar impact on the team that the Englishman did at Nottingham Forest.

At his best under his former manager, the Tricky Trees’ talisman was a silky attacking midfielder who was as capable of scoring a sensational goal as he was of creating them for his teammates.

For example, in 38 games last season, totalling 3142 minutes, he racked up a tally of seven goals and ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

Now, while the Irons’ Brazilian “magician,” as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, hasn’t quite hit numbers like that since moving to East London, he has gotten reasonably close before.

For example, in 23/24, he chalked up an impressive tally of eight goals and seven assists in 43 games, totalling 3478 minutes.

That came out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.86 games, or every 231.86 minutes.

Now, if the 28-year-old was able to put up numbers like that in the past, there is no reason he can’t do so again, especially with Nuno in charge, who has a track record of getting more out of his attackers.

​​​​​​​

Finally, the last reason Paqueta could become West Ham’s own Gibbs-White is that, when confident, he is, as talent scout Jacke Kulig puts it, a “pure joy to watch,” and that is how many a Forest fan would likely describe their talismanic midfielder.

Ultimately, this could be a long season for West Ham as they look to get back to their best. However, if the manager can utilise his star midfielder in the same way as his last one, it might not be so bad.

Nuno can drop Fullkrug & Wilson for West Ham's 20-year-old "goalscorer"

The promising youngster could be Nuno’s answer to his Füllkrug & Wilson problem at West Ham.

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