Leeds United recently made an approach for an “elite” player, who has since signed for Premier League rivals Manchester United in a last minute deadline day move.
Farke likely to be disappointed after Leeds' quiet deadline day
Heading into deadline day, Daniel Farke made it clear that he wanted to make two more additions to his squad, with the manager particularly keen to strengthen in attacking areas, having identified Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson as targets.
However, the Whites were unable to get any new signings through the door, with it being widely reported the Cottagers pulled the plug on a deal for Wilson at the last minute, while Buonanotte ended up signing for Chelsea on loan until the end of the campaign.
As such, Farke is likely to be frustrated by the end to the transfer window, but the manager can take some solace in the fact he has managed to improve his squad in a number of key areas this summer, not least between the sticks.
Lucas Perri was signed as a replacement for Illan Meslier, who has been attracting interest from the likes of Rangers and Lorient, but a report has now revealed a different goalkeeper was being considered as a replacement for the Frenchman at one stage.
Leeds United'sLucasPerri
According to a report from Belgium (via The Daily Mail), Leeds made an approach to sign Senne Lammens from Royal Antwerp, but ultimately walked away from a deal when they discovered the hefty asking price.
Scouts from both Sunderland and Leeds decided against bringing in Lammens, given that it would be a risk to throw him straight in as first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League, and he ended up joining Man United for a fee of around £18m instead.
"Elite" Lammens would've been risky signing for Leeds
Despite being described as having “elite potential” by scout Ben Mattinson, signing the former Royal Antwerp man would’ve been a gamble for Leeds, given that he is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.
The Belgian is just 23-years-old, meaning Perri has far more experience, and barring the trip to Arsenal, the Brazilian has made a solid start to life at Elland Road, keeping two clean sheets in his opening three Premier League games.
Leeds had deal agreed to sign "important" ace who once silenced Elland Road
It was a day to forget for the Yorkshire club…
2 ByTom Cunningham Sep 2, 2025
Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca was also left very impressed by the 27-year-old’s performances in Ligue 1 last season, saying in March: “Right now, the best goalkeeper in the world is Lucas Perri.”
As such, Leeds made the correct decision signing the former Lyon man instead of Lammens, who has a daunting season ahead of him, with the young Belgian tasked with trying to establish himself as number one for Man United.
The duo’s unbeaten 90-run stand helped Vidarbha overcome a top-order collapse in the second innings
Shashank Kishore19-Feb-2025An unbroken 91-run stand for the fifth wicket between Yash Rathod and Akshay Wadkar helped Vidarbha overcome a top-order collapse in the second innings, as they ended Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Mumbai on 147 for 4, which effectively is a lead of 260.Rathod was unbeaten on 59, his second fifty-plus score in the match, while Wadkar’s 31 not out was a typically gritty effort in which he batted out 102 deliveries. The left-right combination was the perfect balm for a nervy Vidarbha dressing room as spinners Shams Mulani and Tanush Kotian began making the ball talk on a Nagpur deck that had begun to show signs of variable bounce.Mumbai’s day could’ve been far worse if not for wicketkeeper-batter Akash Anand, who brought up his second first-class century, to help whittle down their deficit. Anand, 29 who opened the innings nearly batted through, and had been on the field right from the start of the game until he was the ninth batter dismissed. Anand had earlier made his maiden ton last month in the final group fixture against Meghalaya. Unlike that knock, this one was a stonewalling effort that took him 247 deliveries to construct.Resuming on their overnight 188 for 7, Anand put together a 69-run stand for the eighth wicket with Kotian, who made 33. Kotian should’ve been out on 6 when he was dropped early in the day by Wadkar off Yash Thakur. After his dismissal, to Parth Rekhade who did a bulk of the damage on the second evening with his left-arm spin, Mumbai managed to add just 23 more as they were bowled out for 270, thereby conceding a 113-run lead.Vidarbha’s second innings was off to the worst possible start as Shardul Thakur struck second ball to remove Atharva Taide at the stroke of tea. Danish Malewar, and not Rekhade, who walked out to bat at No. 3 built the lead with a brisk 29 before chipping one back to Mulani as he looked to flick against the turn.The game came alive when Karun Nair and Dhruv Shorey fell in the space of three overs as Vidarbha slipped to 56 for 4, with their lead just 169. Both Nair and Shorey were out lbw, to Mulani and Kotian respectively, as they were defeated by sharp turn from the rough.Mumbai were denied from there on for the large parts of the final session as Wadkar and Rathod blunted a tiring attack to take the fight into the fourth day, with the hosts well in control of proceedings. Shivam Dube, who picked up a five-for in the first innings, was only called in to bowl after the 40th over, by which time Wadkar and Rathod had seemingly stemmed the damage.This leaves the defending champions, the 42-time winners, needing to make big inroads early on Thursday to have any chance of staying alive.
India batter backs the next generation to carry forward the strong performances in ICC tournaments
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Mar-2025
Virat Kohli holds the Champions Trophy aloft in Dubai•ICC via Getty Images
Virat Kohli believes India have a squad “ready to take on the world” for the next eight years, following their victory in the Champions Trophy final against New Zealand in Dubai.”When you leave, you want to leave the team in a better place, I feel we’ve a squad that’s ready to take on the world for the next eight years,” Kohli said on the broadcast after the game. “Shubman [Gill] has been outstanding, Shreyas [Iyer] beautiful, KL [Rahul] has finished games, and Hardik [Pandya] has been superb with the bat.”Kohli said the Champions Trophy triumph somewhat made up for India’s Test series loss in Australia. “It’s been amazing. We wanted to bounce back after a tough Australian tour, and wanted to win a big tournament, and we ended up doing that. So it’s an amazing feeling.”Related
Virat Kohli tells BCCI that he wants to retire from Test cricket
Why Axar Patel at No. 5 has been a good idea for India
India's spin quartet pulls the strings in dominant display
Stats – Four drops, a spin strangle, and 15 tosses lost in a row
Rohit, Rahul, spinners lead India to third Champions Trophy title
Standing beside Gill during the celebrations, Kohli was asked for his thoughts on leaving the dressing room a better place when he eventually finishes up. “There’s so much talent in the dressing room,” he said. “They’re trying to take their game further and we [seniors] are just happy to be of help, sharing our experience and that’s what makes this Indian team so strong.”These are the things you want to play for [titles], playing under pressure and putting your hand up. The whole team, everyone has put their hands up sometimes or other during the course of the tournament. Everyone has put up impactful performances, we’ve been part of an amazing team, the amount of work we’ve done in the practice sessions, it feels great.”Kohli had words of appreciation for New Zealand. “Amazing, we’ve always been in awe with what they can do with the limited number of players they have had over the years, and just maximise their talent,” he said. “Every time we played against them in big games, we knew they were going to come with a set plan. No team in world cricket executes plans as well as they do.”Every fielder knows where the bowler is going to bowl, you can sense it, they’re all attacking the ball, they know the bowler is going to be accurate. Credit to them for being the most consistent team in the last few tournaments. The reason for that is the immense belief in their skills, and the amount of talent they have they utilise that to the maximum.”They’re easily the best fielding side in the world, a huge shout-out to them. They continue to display why they are one of the top teams in the world. Again, a great campaign. It’s sad to see a very good friend [Kane Williamson] on the losing side, but I’ve been on the losing side a couple of times when he has been on the winning side, so only love between us.”
O contrato de empréstimo de Nahuel Ferraresi com o São Paulo acabaria no final desta semana. Como era previsto desde a sua chegada, o venezuelano ficaria na equipe – na teoria -, até a metade de 2023. Mas a tendência é que o vínculo do zagueiro seja estendido.
RelacionadasSão PauloSão Paulo traça plano para reforçar ataque na janela de transferênciasSão Paulo26/06/2023São PauloVoltam quando? São Paulo tem lista de jogadores em transição no CT da Barra FundaSão Paulo26/06/2023São PauloSão Paulo ‘sofre’ no começo dos jogos na temporadaSão Paulo25/06/2023
Conforme o Lance! apurou, desde o começo do ano existiriam estas conversas de estender o contrato do defensor. Isso até antes mesmo da grave lesão sofrida, no clássico contra o Palmeiras ainda na fase de grupos do Campeonato Paulista. Por conta desta lesão, Ferraresi precisou passar por um procedimento cirúrgico – o que só intensificou mais ainda a vontade do Tricolor mantê-lo no clube por mais um tempo.
No contrato, existem prorrogativas para manter este vínculo até o final do ano. Por conta da lesão, Ferraresi deve retornar aos gramados somente em setembro deste ano. Porém, no começo deste mês, o Lance! apurou o São Paulo tenta fechar o acordo de empréstimo até o meio de 2024, o que não parece ser os planos do Grupo City.
A autorização para que a cirurgia no joelho direito e a recuperação acontecesse no Brasil, após sinalizar que preferia a viagem do venezuelano à Inglaterra, são indícios claros de que o Grupo City não faz oposição para que a cláusula do acordo entre as partes pela prorrogação possa ser efetivado.
Ferraresi tem uma boa relação com o elenco e a comissão, sendo constantemente flagrado principalmente com os estrangeiros do plantel tricolor. Além disso, estava apresentando um bom desempenho no começo do ano.
ATUAÇÕES: Ataque perde chances, e Rafinha marca contra em derrota do São Paulo pelo Brasileirão
Para os árabes, seria mais válido – neste caso de aumentar até o final de 2024 -, o Tricolor exercer a opção de compra, uma vez que isso já estava previsto no contrato também. O que é mais garantido é que o São Paulo conseguiria mantê-lo, pelo menos, até o final do ano. Com o prazo final deste primeiro vínculo se aproximando, o ideal é que tudo seja resolvido até o final da semana.
It is hard to describe the summer transfer window as anything other than a disappointment for Leeds United after they failed to make any further additions to their squad on deadline day.
Speaking ahead of the deadline, Daniel Farke said: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business. But we spoke quite open and honest about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”
Journalist Graham Smyth added that the German head coach claimed that it would be “difficult” for the Championship champions to avoid relegation if they did not strengthen their attack in the final days of the window.
The same reporter noted after the deadline passed that the day was a “disaster” for the 49ers, who failed to back their manager with what he felt they needed to avoid relegation.
Leeds have only scored one goal, a penalty against Everton, in three Premier League matches so far, and there are big concerns over the quality of their frontline.
The Whites were linked with plenty of attackers heading into the deadline, but they were ultimately unable to land Facundo Buonanotte or Harry Wilson.
How Leeds failed Farke this summer
Leeds may well go on to achieve survival and enjoy a fantastic first season back in the Premier League, but it is worrying when the manager states outright that it will be difficult to avoid the drop without signings and the club fail to bring any players in.
The Whites were reportedly hopeful of signing Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion in the final few days of the window, after he scored five goals on loan at Leicester City in the Premier League last season, per Sofascore.
However, Chelsea, despite their vast resources and the incredible talent they already possess in attacking areas, decided to sign the Argentine youngster on a season-long loan to compete with Estevao, Pedro Neto, Cole Palmer, Jamie Gittens, Tyrique George, Andrey Santos, Joao Pedro, and Enzo Fernandez for a starting berth in the attacking midfield positions.
After their move for Buonanotte fell through, Leeds entered into talks with Fulham over a permanent deal to sign Wales international Harry Wilson to bolster their squad.
Appearances
35
25
xG
3.38
4.21
Goals
4
6
Big chances created
5
2
Key passes per game
0.7
0.8
Assists
6
1
The left-footed star, who scored ten goals in the last two Premier League seasons combined, did not end up at Elland Road on deadline day, though, because the Cottagers pulled the plug.
Fulham reportedly had a late change of heart and decided to keep Wilson as part of their squad after a deal for Tyrique George from Chelsea fell through for them.
Ipswich Town'sLeifDavisin action with Fulham's Harry Wilson
This meant that Leeds ended the day without any reinforcements to their attack, and that they ended the window with Noah Okafor as the only attacking signing who was signed for a transfer fee.
The situation is what it is now, though, and Farke has to work with what he has to achieve what he feels is now unlikely – survival. One of the players he is tasked with getting the best out of is Wilfried Gnonto, who is currently worth more than both Buonanotte and Wilson.
Leeds have hit the jackpot with Wilfried Gnonto
The West Yorkshire outfit paid a fee of £3.8m to sign the versatile forward from Zurich back in the summer of 2022, and he is now worth significantly more than that.
Market Movers
Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?
Leeds targeted Buonanotte and Wilson to bolster the team in the positions that Gnonto plays for the Whites, but the Italian youngster is worth even more than both of them, per Transfermarkt.
Leeds United'sMateoJosephcelebrates with Ethan Ampadu and Wilfried Gnonto
The Chelsea loanee is valued at £17.3m and the Wales international is valued at £13m by Transfermarkt, which shows that both players are highly valued players, thanks to their respective performances in the Premier League in recent seasons.
Gnonto may still be waiting for his first goal contribution in the Premier League this season, but he is an exciting young talent who has the potential to develop into a terrific option for Farke if he can hit his stride in the top-flight.
At the age of 21, the Leeds forward still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve as a player, with every match in the Premier League another piece of valuable experience for him.
Gnonto, who was hailed as “electric” by Statman Dave when the Whites were last in the top-flight, has already shown plenty of signs of progression throughout his career at Elland Road, as illustrated by his soaring market value.
September 2022
£3.8m move from Zurich
March 2023
£15.8m
December 2023
£13.8m
May 2024
£13.8m
December 2024
£15.8m
May 2025
£19m
As you can see in the table above, the Italy U21 international is currently valued at around £19m by Transfermarkt, which means that he is worth even more than both Buonanotte and Wilson.
This also shows that Leeds have hit the jackpot with the 21-year-old starlet because his value has soared from £3.8m to £19m in the space of three years, suggesting that the club could make a gigantic profit on him in the future if they ever decide to cash in.
Gnonto’s next step is to show that he can deliver consistent quality and consistent all-round performances in the Premier League with Leeds this season to help them avoid the drop, and to show that the club did not need the attackers that they targeted in his position.
The Italian ace produced nine goals and six assists in 26 starts in the Championship last season, per Sofascore, and may be able to provide a threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals if given the chance to start regularly in the top-flight this term.
Bamford gone: Leeds 2019/20 Champions under Bielsa, where are they now?
The forward has departed Elland Road.
ByCharlie Smith Aug 29, 2025
Irrespective of what happens this season, though, Leeds have undoubtedly hit the jackpot with Gnonto, who is an incredibly valuable asset for the club at this moment in time.
كشف كايل ووكر لاعب بيرنلي، عن مشاعره تجاه قرار رحيله عن صفوف مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي، بعد سبع سنوات ونصف قضاها في ملعب “الاتحاد”.
ووكر غادر مانشستر سيتي في يناير الماضي، ولعب معارًا إلى ميلان لنهاية الموسم، وغادر وانتقل بعد ذلك لصفوف بيرنلي، الفريق الذي يكافح للابتعاد عن مراكز الهبوط.
وأجرى ووكر مقابلة مع “سكاي سبورتس”، وتحدث قائلاً: “هل كان عليّ مغادرة مانشستر سيتي؟ كنت قائد الفريق، ودائمًا ما يكون الشخص أول من يتحمل اللوم عندما لا تسير الأمور على ما يرام”.
وأضاف: “في تلك المرحلة من الموسم، هل كان عليّ الرحيل؟ بالنظر إلى الماضي الآن، على الأرجح لا”.
وأشار: “كان عليّ البقاء مع زملائي وأصدقائي، الذين أعتبرهم عائلتي، لكن ربما لأول مرة في مسيرتي، كنت أنانيًا، كنت أفكر في نفسي وفي رغبتي بلعب كرة القدم”.
اقرأ أيضًا | بين محمد صلاح وهالاند.. “بي بي سي” تتكهن بهداف الدوري الإنجليزي 2025/26
وأردف: “لم أكن سعيدًا بالجلوس على مقاعد البدلاء، ولعب بعض المباريات هنا وهناك، شعرت أنه لا يزال عليّ إثبات قدرتي على الأداء على أعلى مستوى”.
وأستطرد ووكر: “عندما يطلب مني نادٍ مثل ميلان الانتقال لصفوفه، يصعب عليّ الرفض، عندما عدت في الصيف، كان لديّ وقت للتفكير في الأمر، لا أندم على ذلك، لطالما رغبت في تجربة كرة القدم خارج إنجلترا، أنا سعيد لأنني فعلت ذلك لمدة ستة أشهر، مع أنني ربما كان بإمكاني تقديم أداء أفضل قليلاً”.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru, 7.30pm IST
What to expect
A big win against Mumbai Indians (MI) was just what DC needed to shake off any tiredness going into the next game. They will be facing a bruised RCB less than 24 hours after their match against MI, but will have a lot to cheer about. Firstly, they are at the top of the table with eight points from six games. Their bowling in the last two games, where they’ve kept their opponents to sub-130 totals, has been quite excellent. They’ve also been among the best fielding units this tournament, with the likes of Annabel Sutherland, Minnu Mani and Jemimah Rodrigues saving a number of runs with their acrobatics on the field.RCB have lost their last three games at their home venue, but the defeat in the game against Gujarat Giants – where they were restricted to 125 for 7 “affected” them the most, captain Smriti Mandhana said after the game. There are several questions for them heading into this clash: is the batting too dependent on Ellyse Perry? Are they missing their spin trio of Asha Sobhana, Sophie Molineux and Shreyanka Patil, who were their key bowlers at the Chinnaswamy last year? Is Mandhana’s subpar form affecting them a bit too much? RCB will want to quickly find answers and give the home crowd something to cheer about for one last time this season before moving to the Lucknow leg.
Form guide
Royal Challengers Bengaluru LLL (last three matches, most recent first) Delhi Capitals WWLMinnu Mani has had an impact despite bowling just 14 overs across five games•BCCI
Team news
RCB made one change in the last game, bringing back legspinner Prema Rawat for left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht. Rawat, however, bowled just one over in the game and conceded 19 runs.Royal Challengers Bengaluru (probable XI): 1 Smriti Mandhana (capt), 2 Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Raghvi Bisht, 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Kanika Ahuja, 7 Georgia Wareham, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kim Garth, 10 Prema Rawat/ Ekta Bisht, 11 Renuka SinghDC are likely to persist with the winning combination.Delhi Capitals (probable XI): 1 Meg Lanning (capt), 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Jemimah Rodrigues, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Marizanne Kapp, 6 Sarah Bryce (wk), 7 Jess Jonassen, 8 Niki Prasad, 9 Minnu Mani, 10Titas Sadhu, 11 Shikha Pandey
Players to watch: Minnu Mani and Georgia Wareham
Be it with the ball or as a fielder, Minnu Mani gave it her all in the game against MI. After bowling a quiet 12th over, she dealt Mumbai a double jolt in the 17th, dismissing S Sajana and Amelia Kerr. She came back to remove Sansriti Gupta in the 19th to finish with figures of 3 for 17 from three overs on a sluggish surface. Her flying one-handed stop to her right to save a boundary in the 13th over highlighted why she’s one of the best fielders going around in the circuit. She’s bowled only 14 overs across five matches and has taken five wickets. DC will want to make use of her bowling more, allowing her to bowl her full quota which she’s done only in two games this season.Georgia Wareham has picked up nine wickets so far•BCCI
Georgia Wareham bounced back well after conceding 50 runs in the first match of the season, picking nine wickets in five matches so far. She picked two crucial wickets against Giants, removing Harleen Deol and top-scorer Ashleigh Gardner, although it was a bit too late. She has played at No. 3 for Australia before – even has a half-century playing in the position – and RCB could use her as a floater in the middle order in case of early wickets.
Stats that matter
This season’s top four wicket-takers so far – Jess Jonassen (9 wickets), Renuka Singh (9), Georgia Wareham (9) and Annabel Sutherland (8) – will be part of this match
Meg Lanning has the most fifty-plus scores in the WPL (eight), going past Ellyse Perry
Toss has been decisive at the M Chinnaswamy, with chasing teams winning six out of the seven games
Liverpool’s summer transfer window continues to be a spectacle, with the Premier League champions looking to close several deals before the end of the month after welcoming a series of high-class players to Arne Slot’s squad already.
The likes of Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike combined gorgeously against Crystal Palace at Wembley, and despite Liverpool losing the Community Shield, the attacking potential crackled between the two up-and-coming superstars.
Even so, FSG are determined to add another striker to Liverpool’s ranks, with a bid ongoing for Newcastle United talisman Alexander Isak, whose relationship with the St. James’ Park side appears well and truly broken.
However, Liverpool are also looking to sign a centre-back, and that might even be a more pressing area of concern for the Merseysiders. Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi appears to be the first-choice target, but he’s not the only one on the radar.
The latest on Liverpool's transfer plans
Whether Liverpool manage to pull off the signing of Isak remains to be seen, but the Magpies are stricken by the striker’s stance and a deal, while more and more probable, won’t be easy to seal.
Newcastle United's AlexanderIsakcelebrates scoring their first goal
But Liverpool are focused on strengthening in defence, too, where the likes of Guehi and Parma’s Giovanni Leoni are the most noteworthy targets.
Yet, their shortlist doesn’t stop there.
According to Spanish reports, Liverpool have quietly entered the race for Ronald Araujo, who might be free to leave Barcelona this summer in the case of a compelling offer.
La Blaugrana’s ongoing financial worries could see an offer accepted for the Uruguayan centre-back, with the whispers in Spain suggesting Liverpool are preparing a bid in the region of €60m (about £51m).
Why Liverpool should sign Ronald Araujo
Though Guehi has been Liverpool’s top target to bolster Slot’s central defence this summer, Araujo is just now emerging as an option, and he might be the better pick.
Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo
Hailed as “one of the best defenders in the world” by Barcelona legend Carlos Puyol, Araujo has played a crucial role for the La Liga giants across his career so far, twice winning the top-flight title and bagging two Copa del Rey trophies too.
FSG may be putting their vested efforts into signing Isak, and will hopefully get that one over the line, but it wasn’t bluntness in attack that raised concerns during the season’s curtain-raiser at Wembley.
Instead, their defence is now undoubtedly the biggest issue for Slot and Co. Virgil van Dijk flattered to deceive in the capital, and though he’s one of the finest centre-backs of his generation, the error-strewn display raised the unwonted question as to the Dutchman’s smoothness and control in the rearguard.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk
That’s not to mention Joe Gomez’s injury, Jarell Quansah’s exit and Ibou Konate’s uncertain future. Putting it bluntly, the Reds need a defender more than they need a striker.
For this reason, signing a player of Araujo’s standing is a job of paramount importance for Hughes and co, especially when considering he might be an even better player than Crystal Palace’s Guehi.
Goals scored
0.09
0.12
Assists
0.06
0.12
Shot-creating actions
1.29
1.43
Touches
62.70
95.25
Pass completion
83.5%
91.9%
Progressive passes
3.94
5.85
Progressive carries
0.65
0.72
Successful take-ons
0.35
0.00
Tackles + interceptions
2.62
2.51
Clearances
4.80
2.98
Aerials won
2.00
3.94
It’s worth noting the vast difference in aerial ability between Guehi and Araujo, the latter of whom is considered to be a “monster” by analyst Raj Chohan and “one of the best in the world” by Barca boss Hansi Flick too. In this way, he could replace Liverpool’s ageing skipper both physically and from a leadership perspective.
That’s not to say that Guehi, who has captained Palace to two titles, isn’t a standout leader in his own right, but merely showcases a similar strength to Araujo’s game, alongside his remarkable technical skills and ferocious athleticism.
Van Dijk’s performance at Wembley left plenty to be desired, and with that in mind, it’s clear that a title-winning defender of Araujo’s ability could prove the perfect signing to close out the summer transfer window, maybe even proving to be even more important than getting Isak’s signature over the line.
While the Sweden striker, who scored 27 times last season, is regarded as one of the best forwards in world football, Liverpool feel they have hit the jackpot on Ekitike, who bagged on his debut.
Hugo Ekitike celebrates for Liverpool
Signing a central defender presents a more pressing concern, and if Liverpool are in with a shout of signing Araujo this month, he might just turn out to be the club’s most significant piece of business.
A dream partner for Isak: Liverpool in discussions to sign £87m winger
Liverpool could add one or two forward to Arne Slot’s frontline this month.
Liverpool have confirmed that Giovanni Leoni suffered knee ligament damage when making his competitive debut for the club in a Carabao Cup clash with Southampton. The teenage defender only moved to Anfield over the summer from Parma in his native Italy. Reds boss Arne Slot has announced that the talented youngster is expected to be sidelined for "around a year".
Getty Images
Unfortunate injury suffered on Liverpool debut
That news represents a devastating blow for Leoni, who impressed many with his performance against the Saints. Fears were, however, immediately raised when he was forced out of that contest with nine minutes left on the clock. He was clearly emotional and in pain when being carried from the field on a stretcher.
Liverpool had high hopes for the 18-year-old after investing £26 million ($35m) in his potential, with that transfer agreement including a number of other add-ons. Leoni is an Italy U19 international with limited experience at senior level. He only made his debut for Padova at 16 years of age in 2023.
Advertisement
Why Liverpool spent £26m on Leoni
Slot drafted him in at Anfield after seeing Jarell Quansah depart for Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool required reinforcements at the heart of their back four as club captain Virgil van Dijk is 34 years of age and a long-term successor to the Dutchman will need to be found at some point. Leoni is considered to be capable of filling that void.
It will, however, be some time before he graces the field again. A long road to recovery is stretching out in front of him after suffering an unfortunate ACL injury. Plenty of physical and mental strength will be required from this point, but time is still on his side when it comes to making a decisive contribution with Premier League giants.
Getty
Slot reveals how long Leoni will be out for
Confirming the news that Leoni is set for a lengthy spell on the treatment table, with it possible that he may not be seen again until the 2026-27 campaign, Liverpool manager Slot told reporters: "He is not in a good place because he tore his ACL which means he will be out around a year. Being so young and coming to a new country and playing so well in your first game, it's very hard to take the positives. There is never a positive side but you try to look at that and that is that he is still so young and he has so many years still go to after he recovers from a terrible injury."
Slot added on the Reds having figures in their dressing room that Leoni can look to for inspiration after suffering the first serious setback of his fledgling career: "We have some examples with Virgil and Joe [Gomez] and a lot examples all over the world [of players coming back better]. It hurts more if you are closer to retirement but it's far from ideal. The surgeons and the rehab people are important but it's nice if you can do this with players around who have lived through this and they can give the right energy in the right moments. Our players have shown plenty of compassion for him and they will not stop."
Van Dijk, who suffered his own ACL injury in October 2020, said immediately after seeing a promising team-mate laid low: "He is down because, for him, it didn't feel good immediately. Normally the emotions of a player tell you a lot."
Leoni posted on social media after it became apparent that he would be forced to take in a long rehabilitation programme: "I want to sincerely thank every single person who has shown me support in this difficult moment. It wasn't the debut I had always dreamed of, but I will give everything to be back playing in this magical stadium as soon as possible. Thank you so much!"
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
Liverpool reduced to three fit centre-backs
Liverpool, who have made a perfect start to their Premier League and Champions League campaigns in 2025-26, now have just three fit recognised centre-halves available in the form of Van Dijk, Gomez and Ibrahima Konte. They have been able to make a change to their European squad, with Italian winger Federico Chiesa – who was initially overlooked – stepping up to take the place of fellow countryman Leoni.
Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez is reportedly keen to take over at Manchester United, with Fabrizio Romano claiming the Spaniard would 'go immediately' if offered the job – even without European football. The revelation comes as Ruben Amorim faces growing scrutiny after the Red Devils' poor start to the Premier League season.
Xavi to make a move to Old Trafford?
Manchester United’s struggles under Amorim have raised fresh questions about the club’s direction, with the Red Devils languishing in 14th place after three defeats in six games. Their latest 3-1 loss to Brentford has added pressure on the Portuguese coach. Amid the uncertainty, Romano has revealed that Xavi is eager to return to management and views Old Trafford as an ideal opportunity.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportRomano reveals Xavi's interest in Premier League move
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: "Xavi is studying the Premier League. Xavi is monitoring the Premier League and Xavi would go immediately to Man United, even without European football – he would go immediately to the Premier League."
Xavi’s interest comes at a time when Amorim is under mounting scrutiny following an underwhelming start to life in England. United’s hierarchy have yet to make a decision, but the prospect of a high-profile replacement could intensify pressure on the current boss.
Xavi could help stabilise a sinking ship
The former Barcelona boss, who won La Liga and the Supercopa in 2022-23, has been out of work since leaving Camp Nou earlier this year. His readiness to accept the United role highlights his confidence and belief in the long-term potential of the project at Old Trafford. Xavi’s attacking philosophy and elite playing pedigree would make him an appealing candidate for a club in search of identity.
ENJOYED THIS STORY?
Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting
GettyMan Utd's next few games could decide Amorim's future
United’s upcoming fixtures could be decisive in determining Amorim’s future, with any further slip-ups likely to test the board’s patience. Should the situation deteriorate, Xavi’s availability could tempt the club into making a change sooner rather than later. For now, the Spaniard continues to bide his time as speculation over the Red Devils' next move grows.