Leeds United have bolstered their playing squad with four new additions since their relegation from the top-flight at the end of last season.

Who have Leeds signed this summer?

The Whites made their first signing of the summer transfer window last month as they brought in versatile Ethan Ampadu on a permanent deal from Premier League side Chelsea.

They then brought in goalkeeper Karl Darlow from Newcastle United to compete with Illan Meslier for the number one spot and signed Sam Byram on a free transfer following his release from Norwich City.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Their most recent arrival came on Thursday night as the club confirmed that they have signed Wales international Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur on loan.

However, they are yet to bolster their attacking options and that area of the pitch could be added to before the end of the window as Daniel Farke's side are reportedly keen on signing Michail Antonio from West Ham United.

How good is Michail Antonio?

The Whites head coach could finally replace Rodrigo, who left the club on a permanent basis to join Al-Rayyan SC this summer, by securing a swoop for the Hammers striker.

He is a proven top-flight performer who could thrive in the Championship with the step down in quality and provide the goals that the club lost when they sanctioned the excellent Spaniard's departure from Elland Road.

The former Valencia ace scored 26 Premier League goals across three seasons in Yorkshire, which works out as roughly 8.6 league goals per campaign, and produced 13 in 31 appearances last term in spite of the team's eventual relegation.

Meanwhile, no other Leeds player managed more than five goals in the division and this suggests that Farke does not have a wealth of goalscoring options at his disposal, which is why Antonio would be a much-needed signing for the German head coach.

The Jamaica international, who current Brentford coach Thomas Frank once stated is "a handful" and is "a little bit like [Romelu] Lukaku", scored 14 goals in all competitions for the Hammers last season and has scored ten Premier League goals in three of the last four campaigns respectively.

These statistics show that the veteran attacker is a proven goalscorer at the top level who could offer a similar level of production to Rodrigo, whilst the drop down to the Championship could also allow him to improve upon his record as he would be facing lesser quality defences.

Antonio's performances in the Europa Conference League last season were particularly impressive. The 33-year-old marksman averaged a Sofascore match rating of 7.43 across nine appearances as he plundered six goals and one assist to help the club win the competition.

This suggests that the former Nottingham Forest man still has plenty to give on the pitch, in spite of his age, and could be an excellent signing for the Whites due to his knack for finding the back of the net.

Therefore, the £85k-per-week gem could replace Rodrigo as Leeds' go-to man for goals at the top end of the pitch if Farke is able to convince him to make the switch to Elland Road and ditch top division and European football with West Ham this season.

Chelsea are starting a new chapter at Stamford Bridge with many mainstays departing this summer and a new manager in Mauricio Pochettino hopeful to lead the West London club to a comeback when they return to action next weekend.

The Blues will open their Premier League campaign with a challenging fixture against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge next Sunday and the former Tottenham Hotspur boss will be hoping to make a great first impression in front of an unsettled home support who experienced an unforgivable drop in the high expectations held last season.

Three different managers tried to repair the ongoing issues during the last campaign with neither Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter or club legend Frank Lampard able to stop the rot that ultimately led to a 12th place finish in the top-flight and failure to secure European football.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

With less than a month left before the transfer window closes until the turn of the year, the coming days and weeks are crucial to ensure Pochettino has enough depth and quality all over the pitch to replace departures, improve key positions and bring Chelsea back to life over the 38-game campaign.

Who are Chelsea's transfer targets?

Now that Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Robert Sanchez from Brighton and Hove Albion, the main focus is looking set on adding depth in midfield following a number of high-profile departures.

N'Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount and Denis Zakaria have all moved on this summer, and it is reported that Pochettino has drawn up a shortlist of midfield targets that include the likes of Leeds United's Tyler Adams, Ajax star Edson Alvarez and Brighton's Moises Caicedo.

However, due to a difficult season for newcomer Raheem Sterling, Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise is a player who has been named as a potential target for Chelsea this week, as the club intend to improve the creativity in the final third and goal contributions delivered to compete more comfortably with their top six rivals.

It is believed that Palace are commanding a £35m transfer fee for their star forward this summer.

Will Chelsea sign Michael Olise?

After signing for Chelsea in a £50m deal last summer, Sterling joined the fold in West London with high expectations attached to him following his outstanding success at Manchester City.

However, it hasn't been the fairytale switch for the England winger who managed to only find the back of the net six times and delivered three assists over 28 Premier League appearances last season, an inconsistent output that contributed to the team's struggles to take all three points from their opponents.

As a result, the signing of Olise could present an opportunity to add depth to the attacking third, with the Crystal Palace star versatile in his positioning and to potentially secure the services of an upgrade on Sterling.

Over 37 Premier League appearances last season, the 21-year-old – hailed a "special talent" by his former manager Patrick Vieira – scored two goals, registered a whopping 11 assists and created 11 big chances, as well as averaging 1.5 successful dribbles, 1.9 key passes and 5.4 duels won per game, as per SofaScore.

When comparing Olise's output to Sterling's last season, the France U21 talent comfortably outperformed his position competitor in a number of key attributes including shot-creating actions per 90 (4.68 v 3.23), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.43 v 0.19) and aerial duels won (30.9% v 27.8%), as per FBref.

As well as completing more progressive passes (4.35 v 3.39), successful take-ons (1.77 v 1.54), tackles won (1.90 v 0.93) and interceptions (0.85 v 0.07) per 90 minutes played, demonstrating that the all-action winger is a much better ball-winner than Sterling, something that could be incredibly valuable to Chelsea.

With that being said, if Pochettino can seal a deal for Olise this summer it would be a major coup for the manager and would provide the team with a fresh perspective in the final third that could massively pay off in the long-term future of the club.

Honours were shared on the second day as Pakistan lost no wickets in the final session after the Sri Lanka captain’s hundred helped the visitors post an imposing first-innings total

The Report by Andrew Fidel Fernando29-Sep-2017Stumps Dinesh Chandimal drives on the up•Tom Dulat/Stringer

Sri Lanka rode Dinesh Chandimal’s slow-burn 155 not out to 419 – their best total in six Tests – before Pakistan’s openers moved to 64 unbeaten by stumps. Though the match is more or less in the balance, thanks to Pakistan’s resurgence in the third session, Sri Lanka will also be pleased with their day’s work. Their fans had hoped their team would suck less in this series than they had against India; only the very optimistic would have thought them capable of failing to suck for quite this length of time.Had their tail scrapped together 50 further runs after going to tea at 403 for 7, Sri Lanka could even have claimed to be in control of the contest. As it happened, Mohammad Abbas wiped out the lower order with reverse swing, before Shan Masood and Sami Aslam progressed steadily in the final 80 minutes of play. The left-arm wristspin of Lakshan Sandakan posed them occasional problems, but the remaining bowlers were comfortably negotiated.But although Chandimal would have slept much easier if Sri Lanka had had a breakthrough, this was nevertheless his day. He was somewhat inert in the morning session, hitting two runs off his first 20 balls, but warmed to his work eventually, moving from 60 to 109 inside the extended first session. Where at other times, Chandimal has celebrated a triple-figure score by completing a lap of the field, more or less, this was a more restrained celebration, to go with the mature ethos of the innings. At times, he was barely watchable, deadbatting ball after ball, and poking unambitiously to fielders, but the innings was invaluable to his team. The slow rate of his progress also means Yasir Shah – Sri Lanka’s tormentor in the 2015 series between these sides – has been made to deliver a mammoth 57 overs. Sri Lanka have had moderate success after tiring Yasir out, in the past.After lunch, when Sri Lanka sought to gain a tighter grip on the match, Chandimal briefly showcased his old adventurous avatar. Dusting off his rapid reverse-sweep, he slapped Yasir behind point for four. Next ball, he socked him over mid off for another four.In the morning, Chandimal had left the lion’s share of run-scoring to Niroshan Dickwella. Having begun the day on 42, Dickwella needed only four balls to progress to his fifty. He was not, on this occasion, reckless, as he sometimes tends to be. Merely positive: constantly searching for scoring opportunities – particularly the singles and twos. Balls skidded past the cordon after taking a thick outside edge, other deliveries were scythed to the backward-point rope, and when Yasir came into the attack, Dickwella even ventured the reverse-sweep against the turn, and collected a boundary with that shot. Generally, though, he seemed the more comfortable of the two men at the crease. That is, until he got to 83 – his highest Test score – and Hasan Ali got one to jag in off the seam. The ball would take the inside edge and clatter into the stumps. The stand between himself and his captain had been worth 134, and would remain the best of the innings.For Pakistan, the first two sessions contained several significant frustrations. Twice they thought they had Dilruwan Perera, having kept him scoreless for 32 balls. Both times, the umpire had ruled him out lbw, only for reviews to show Perera had edged the ball both times – incredibly faintly on the second occasion. In fact, Perera had himself seemed unaware that the bat made contact, and only reviewed because he thought the ball was missing the stumps. Umpire Richard Kettleborough even showed obvious displeasure at his colleague’s over-turning of his on-field decision.Eventually, Perera would be out lbw off Haris Sohail, but not before he had contributed 33 runs to a sixth-wicket stand of 92. Beyond that stand though, there was little of note for Sri Lanka. Yasir had Rangana Herath caught reverse-sweeping, before Abbas provided a dramatic finish to the innings. Having bowled Chandimal off a no-ball early in his 27th over, he would go on to dismiss Suranga Lakmal and Nuwan Pradeep off successive deliveries. That means when Abbas bowls in the second innings, he will be on a hat-trick.

West Ham United are reportedly ready to continue their pursuit of Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse, as David Moyes remains on the lookout for reinforcements.

The Hammers must welcome new signings this window, particularly following the loss of Declan Rice and the £105m profit made by the gargantuan sale.

What’s the latest on James Ward-Prowse to West Ham?

As reported by The Athletic on Sunday, the Irons could secure the signing of Ward-Prowse for a reduced figure of £35m this summer.

The initial asking price from the Saints is said to be at £40m, making West Ham’s opening offer of £20m one that disgruntled the freshly relegated side.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

Considering that the Englishman could fill the gap left by Rice, as well as bring an abundance of experience to the side, Moyes must act fast should he wish to finally get the deal over the line now that his price tag is clear.

How good is James Ward-Prowse?

Notorious for his expertise in set play on the south coast, the 28-year-old could be the ideal capture at the London Stadium this summer in the middle of the park.

Despite being part of a struggling Southampton side, the Portsmouth-born gem recorded 13 goal contributions last season, netting nine and assisting four, appearing in all of his side’s league fixtures, via FBref.

Lauded as a “master” for his dead-ball play by members of the media, the midfield maestro has far more in his locker than being a specialist in that area.

After a season threatened with relegation masked by the success of winning the UEFA Conference League, the Hammers must seek some creativity in order to lift themselves back up the table and Ward-Prowse could be that man.

One area they must address is the midfield, with captain and The Athletic’s pick for player of the season, Rice, embarking on a new venture in north London.

While primarily, his vacancy must be filled with some urgency, the potential capture of Ward-Prowse could elevate the overall performance in the engine room, in a player that could challenge the current midfielders on show.

Despite being an integral member of Moyes’ squad, Tomas Soucek could find himself ousted by the Saints captain, who performed at a higher level to the Czech Republic international last term.

As per FBref, the Englishman averaged 5.05 progressive passes and 4.73 final third passes per 90 in the 2022/23 Premier League, showcasing the strengths he has over Soucek who averaged just 2.81 progressive passes and 2.14 final third passes per 90.

Despite the West Ham ace averaging a higher record of tackles per 90 with 2.46 to Ward-Prowse’s 1.74, the Southampton general has the fundamentals to unleash a challenge in the middle of the park, and to provide a threat going forward, which the Czech lacks.

Recording an average of 1.98 key passes per 90, the “unbelievable” talent, as heralded by former teammate Oriol Romeu, could add the creativity integral to unlocking the Hammers’ attack, with Soucek averaging just 0.48 per 90, via FBref.

Moyes could replenish his midfield with a further attacking option, in a player with 343 Premier League appearances and a host of attributes that could bolster the side.

MatériaMais Notícias

Pela quinta rodada do Brasileirão, em Fortaleza, o Ceará jogará frente ao time do Bahia em ambiente bastante diferente do que os encontros válidos pela Copa do Nordeste que contaram com duas vitórias do Alvinegro que valeram o título do Vozão.

Enquanto na época a equipe de Guto Ferreira chegava embalada no início de trabalho do novo técnico e após eliminar o principal rival na semifinal, agora a sequência de três derrotas e um empate nas quatro primeiras rodadas do Campeonato Brasileiro já pressionam o Alvinegro de Poraganbussu a retomar o caminho das vitórias.

Por outro lado, mesmo sem apresentar o futebol desejado por parte considerável da torcida do Esquadrão, o time de Roger Machado acumula dois triunfos e o empate frente ao São Paulo na última rodada. Como decidiu o estadual apenas no dia 8 de agosto frente ao Atlético de Alagoinhas, tem uma partida a menos.

No reencontro entre os times, do lado cearense Charles (pancada na coxa sofrida contra o Vasco) e Klaus, com problema de ordem muscular também na coxa, devem ser ausências no time titular do Vozão. Para o Bahia, o goleiro Douglas Friedrich é o principal desfalque pelo problema na posterior da coxa direita sentido na última rodada.

FICHA TÉCNICA
​CEARÁ x BAHIA

Local: Arena Castelão, Fortaleza (CE)
Data e hora: 23/08/2020 – 20h
Árbitro:Wagner do Nascimento Magalhães (FIFA-RJ)
Assistentes: Thiago Henrique Neto Correa Farinha (CBF-RJ) e Thiago Rosa de Oliveira (CBF-RJ)
VAR:Pathrice Wallace Corrêa Maia (CBF-RJ)

CEARÁ:Fernando Prass; Samuel Xavier, Tiago, Luiz Otávio e Bruno Pacheco; Fabinho, Ricardinho e Fernando Sobral; Lima, Mateus Gonçalves e Cléber.Técnico: Guto Ferreira

BAHIA:Anderson; Nino Paraíba, Ernando, Juninho e Juninho Capixaba; Gregore, Ronaldo e Rodriguinho; Rossi, Élber e Gilberto.Técnico: Roger Machado

RelacionadasVídeoVÍDEO: Ceará tem errado nas tomadas de decisão, avalia Guto Ferreira após nova derrotaVídeo20/08/2020VascoCano (de novo), Bastos e Ribamar: Vasco vence o Ceará e vira líder do Campeonato BrasileiroVasco20/08/2020CearáManutenção de ritmo do elenco no Ceará é mantida com jogo-treinoCeará18/08/2020

حقق فريق الكرة السلة بالنادي الأهلي فوزاً صعبًا على سبورتنج في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما اليوم الجمعة بنهائي كأس مصر.

واستطاع الأهلي التتويج بلقب كأس مصر لكرة السلة للسيدات بعد الفوز على سبورتنج بنتيجة 93-84.

وقدم سيدات الأهلي أداءً جيدًا منذ البداية ونجح في إنهاء الفترة الأولى متقدمًا بنتيجة 26-19، ولكن سبورتنج تمكن من التقدم مع الفترة الثانية بنتيجة 43-40، وأنهى كذلك الفترة الثالثة متقدمًا بنتيجة 59-52. 

الأهلي يهنئ الاتحاد السكندري بعد التتويج بـ كأس مصر لكرة السلة

وخلال الفترة الرابعة والأخيرة نجح فريق سيدات سلة الأهلي في العودة للقاء، وسجلت المحترفة البولندية ليليانا باناشاك رمية ثلاثية في اللحظات الأخيرة، لتنتهي المباراة بالتعادل بين الفريقين 74-74، وتذهب لشوط إضافي.

وفي الشوط الإضافي قدمت لاعبات الأهلي عرضًا رائعًا ونجحن في التقدم منذ بدايته، لتنتهي المباراة بفوز الأحمر بنتيجة 93-84، ويكرر الفريق إنجاز التتويج بلقب الكأس مثلما فعل في الموسم الماضي.

وكان فريق سيدات سلة الأهلي قد تأهل إلى نهائي كأس مصر بعد الفوز على هليوبوليس بنتيجة 89-43.

Journalist Alasdair Gold has given his thoughts on Bayern Munich's handling of the Harry Kane transfer with Tottenham Hotspur.

The England captain completed his switch to the Bavarian side recently but it is believed that he did have a wobble late in the negotiations over his future.

Has Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich?

The Kane transfer saga has finally reached its conclusion.

The Tottenham Hotspur record goalscorer has completed his £100m switch to the Bundesliga champions, signing a four-year deal and taking the iconic number 9 shirt.

The saga has dragged on all summer long, with Bayern seeing three offers rejected for the player before finally reaching an agreement with Spurs on Thursday morning. The agreement with the player took longer, however, with Kane reportedly leaning towards staying with his boyhood club as he was enjoying life under Ange Postecoglou. German outlet BILD also reported that late on, an unnamed club had come in with a "much better offer" to the forward ahead of his contract expiry in the summer of 2024, but that ultimately proved to be fruitless.

The striker released a farewell video on Saturday morning for the Spurs faithful, where he thanked the fans for their support throughout the years, and wished new boss Postecoglou and his former teammates luck for the season ahead saying:

"I’ll be watching from a fan point of view now and really hope the team can be successful.” The forward also hinted to a potential return to the club in the future stating "It’s not a goodbye because you never know how things pan out in the future, but it’s a thank you and I’ll see you soon.”

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Gold revealed his distaste towards the way Bayern Munich conducted themselves throughout the transfer saga, making reference to the methods some German journalists used, suggesting it showcased a lack of objectivity throughout.

He said: "I think that’s a little part of it that irks me as well, that Bayern have kind of bullied their way to this deal. They’ve treated Spurs like they would any other Bundesliga team that they can kind of have the power to just get what they want, and they have.

"Yeah, it’s cost them. It’s cost them a lot of money, especially in terms of Bundesliga revenue but they’ve got what they wanted and some of their reporters out there, let’s be honest, haven’t reported with the most incredible objectivity in the world. I was sat next to one thrusting a shirt in Ange Postecoglou’s direction in Thailand, it’s just been all very distasteful the way it’s done."

"Genuinely, Harry Kane did have a wobble in terms of what he wanted to do, that’s well known in the corridors of Tottenham Hotspur that having told Postecoglou on the first day that he met him that yeah, he did want to move if a deal could be done, but he was happy to stay and play for him if it couldn’t.

"When it came to it yesterday [Friday] there was a bit of a wobble, that’s why you saw some stuff about potentially he could end up staying, and even by the end of play Friday, despite the confidence coming out of Germany, back in England and around Spurs there was a feeling that he might end up staying, but in the end we woke up to everything being near done."

How can Tottenham replace Harry Kane?

Spurs have two options to replace their former talisman.

One is to use the options within their squad. Kane's departure could be a major opportunity for forward Richarlison to step up and live up to his £60m price tag. The Brazilian had a tough opening campaign in a Lilywhites shirt, managing just one goal and four assists in the Premier League last season. However, now that he can be given the opportunity to make regular starts, the striker could be revitalized and start to show why Spurs spent £60m on him in the summer of 2022. Spurs also signed young striker Alejo Velez this window, who could be given opportunities this season to showcase why Spurs committed £13m on him.

The club could also delve into the market. According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, the London club were considering Eintracht Frankfurt striker Randal Kolo-Muani should Kane depart this summer, and it will be interesting to see if the North London side will act upon that interest. The forward is said to cost £69m and is also a target of Paris Saint-Germain this summer. Tottenham are also considering Gent striker Gift Orban, with Tavolieri reporting that talks are ongoing between the sides, with the Belgian side wanting €30m plus add-ons to part with the Nigerian forward.

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2017Kyle Hope drives through the off side•Getty ImagesKieran Powell (77) and Kyle Hope (61) completed half-centuries in West Indies’ second innings as the visitors had a useful outing in their tour match against Zimbabwe A. After their 126-run second-wicket partnership, West Indies’ middle order notched up useful contributions before allowing their bowlers to have a go at the Zimbabwe A batsmen. In 27 overs bowled by West Indies in the closing stages of the match, they managed to snuff out four top-order wickets before the game ended in a draw.Powell and Hope began the final day on an overnight score of 74 for 1 and both brought up their respective fifties soon after. The Zimbabwe A bowlers failed to dismiss either set batsmen, and both of them chose to retire out instead. That allowed the West Indies middle order to have another bat, and Jermaine Blackwood (25), Shane Dowrich (37) and Shimron Hetmyer (48) took their total to 263 before they chose to declare.Shannon Gabriel then quickly removed the hosts’ opener Brian Chari, before a brief resistance between Chamu Chibhabha (24) and Tarisai Musakanda followed. But Raymon Riefer then removed Musakanda, after which Chibhabha and Ryan Burl returned to the pavilion as well in quick succession. The game ended with Peter Moor (10*) and Richmond Mutumbami (1*) at the crease.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsQuinton De Kock smashed 59 off 44 balls•CHARL DEVENISH/AFP/Getty Images

Another match, another win for South Africa: nothing much has changed on this tour. The hosts took the first T20I in Bloemfontein by 20 runs, but for the first time in four weeks, Bangladesh put up a proper fight.Quinton de Kock smacked a half-century, AB de Villiers, in one of his moods, hit eight boundaries in his first 16 balls and Farhaan Behardien produced a fine knock as finisher to take South Africa to a total of 195. Then, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Beuran Hendricks and debutant Robbie Frylinck picked up two wickets each to keep Bangladesh down to 175 for 9 in 20 overs.Mehidy Hasan and Shakib Al Hasan bowled effectively against a set of rampaging batsmen. Later, Soumya Sarkar and Mohammad Saifuddin did well to put pressure an inexperienced South African attack. It wasn’t enough, but it was something worth talking about from the visitors.After JP Duminy decided to bat, the home side banked on two strong partnerships to post a competitive total. A 79-run second wicket stand between de Villiers and de Kock gave them the foundation before the unbroken 62-run fifth wicket stand between David Miller and Behardien gave them the sparkling finish.Bangladesh’s bowlers started well, taking their earliest first wicket on tour when Mehidy removed Hashim Amla in the second over. De Villiers arrived at the crease at that point and saw de Kock hit three fours before getting down to business himself.He started with two fours off Rubel Hossain in the fifth over that went for 14. He struck Shafiul Islam for four boundaries in the next over that went for 18. In the seventh over, de Villiers hammered Saifuddin for two more fours as South Africa got 44 runs in these three overs.Over the next three overs though, Mehedi and Shakib gave away only 20 runs and that made a difference as de Villiers went for another of his big shots only to hole out to long-off. He finished with 49 off 27 balls.A spell of 27 balls without a boundary was broken in the 12th over when the South African stand-in captain JP Duminy tonked a full toss over deep midwicket. It was the only bad ball in Mehidy’s entire spell, which yielded 2 for 31.Imrul Kayes completed a great catch at long-on to remove Duminy in the 13th over, which also included a marginal run-out call which went South Africa’s way. De Kock, the batsman reprieved, fell lbw to Rubel Hossain in the 15th over, having made 59 off 44 balls. And though he wasn’t too wasn’t happy with the decision he didn’t even try to review it.Behardien and Miller came together with the score on 133 for 4 with five overs left. They only got five boundaries in that time, but by pinching twos at every opportunity, they were still able to ransack 62 runs.Bangladesh took to the chase in earnest, Kayes smashing the first ball from Paterson for four over mid-off and Sarkar joining in with a massive six over mid-on.They kept up with the required rate while the field restrictions were on – for the cost of Kayes’ wicket – but their hopes of building on such a fine start were put to bed by Frylinck and Phehlukwayo. One made Shakib his maiden T20I wicket and the other trapped Sarkar lbs for 47.Mushfiqur Rahim and Mahmudullah followed Sarkar to the pavilion, leaving Bangladesh at 101 for 5 in the 12th over. The contest was as good as done when Sabbir Rahman, the last specialist batsman, fell 15 balls later. Paterson added the exclamation point to that statement, taking two wickets in two balls, one of them off a scorching yorker, as Bangladesh kept unravelling.It was against this backdrop that Saifuddin made a composed 39 off 27 balls. He hadn’t allowed South Africa to get too many in the last over of their innings and he ensured they wouldn’t bowl Bangladesh out, taking 15 runs off the last over of the match.

Newly-promoted Burnley are reportedly eyeing a move for Manchester United starlet, Alvaro Fernandez, with manager Vincent Kompany seemingly stepping up his transfer dealings having already made nine summer signings thus far.

What are the latest Burnley transfer rumours?

The latest indication is that the Clarets are closing in on a deal to poach Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge from fellow newly-promoted side, Sheffield United, with the 25-year-old set to make the move to Turf Moor for a fee of around £12m.

As per the Daily Mail, the Lancashire have also lodged an offer for Aston Villa's Aaron Ramsey for the same price, while the same report also revealed that the club are also looking to take young Fernandez on loan from Old Trafford for the upcoming campaign.

The piece adds that with it yet to be seen whether Kompany and co will be able to re-sign Chelsea's Ian Maatsen – who spent last season on loan at the club – the promising Spaniard is being considered as a potential left-back alternative.

Who is Alvaro Fernandez?

Burnley notably reaped the rewards of snapping up the aforementioned Maatsen from one of the Premier League's so-called 'big six' last season, with the exciting Dutchman going on to prove integral to the Clarets' promotion charge from his full-back berth.

Now back at Stamford Bridge after featuring in Mauricio Pochettino's pre-season plans, the 21-year-old notably scored four goals and contributed six assists in the second tier during the 2022/23 campaign, while also racking up an impressive haul of 11 'big chances' created as a marker of his attacking threat – ranking him first among his teammates for that metric.

The Dutchman also proved his worth in a defensive sense after averaging 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game from his 39 league outings – 38 of which came from the start – having been hailed for his form by Kompany:

"He's a very, very versatile full-back with lots of energy and great potential."

Having already seen a bid for the 5 foot 6 gem rejected by the Blues, the latest indication is that the west Londoners are not looking to allow Maatsen to depart this summer, hence turning to Fernandez as a dream alternative.

The hope will be that the latter man – who is valued at around €5m (£4m) by CIES Football Observatory – can prove just as successful as Maatsen if he is to join from United on loan over the coming weeks, having notably been dubbed "immaculate" by Preston North End boss Ryan Lowe during his time on loan at Deepdale last season.

The one-time Real Madrid youth star is still only 20, although showcased his exciting potential during that 2022/23 campaign, having also proven his worth in an attacking sense after creating six 'big chances' and racking up four assists from his 39 Championship appearances.

While perhaps not quite at the level of Maatsen yet, the former Spain U19 international did illustrate his all-round quality after averaging 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game, having also mirrored the Chelsea man's versatility after featuring at left-back or in a more advanced wing-back berth.

The 6 foot 1 machine was subsequently handed Preston's Young Player of the Year award due to that stellar impact, as he proved just why he has been described as a player with an "amazing engine and quality" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – with a bright future seemingly lying in store for the Red Devils gem.

With Kompany having played a blinder by bringing in Maatsen on a loan deal last summer, the Belgian tactician could replicate that success with the signing of Fernandez before the September deadline.