logo
'Hope is in Leeds' defence - the fear is their forward line'

'Hope is in Leeds' defence - the fear is their forward line'

BBC News6 days ago
Leeds United return to the Premier League following two years in the Championship and German manager Daniel Farke is rebuilding his squad for the third time in successive summers.After a loan exodus following relegation and then the departure of some of their best players last summer, Leeds are now recruiting for the scrap against the elite of English football.During their last stint in the top flight they leaked 157 goals across two seasons so have to be much more defensively solid this time around.In order to do this, their recruitment has focused heavily on defence and midfield.Leeds have secured players who excel at interceptions and tackles, but who are also tall and love an aerial duel.Daniel Farke has also changed formation from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3, switching out an attacking number 10, in favour of two roaming number eights.Defensive upgrades have also been made by bringing in goalkeeper Lucas Perri and left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson.So the hope for this season is that United have done enough with their tactical change and in recruitment to be very difficult to beat.But if the hope is in Leeds' defence, the fear is in their forward line.Lukas Nmecha - who joined on a free transfer - is the only addition so far, but with Patrick Bamford being surplus to requirements and Mateo Joseph leaving on loan, Farke has fewer options up front.And while Jack Harrison has returned to the club after a second successive loan at Everton, he is no replacement for Manor Solomon who nearly single-handedly won the league last season with his vital contributions in the Championship run-in.Farke has admitted Leeds need offensive additions before they can compete and win matches - and the Whites hope to have bolstered the forward line with reinforcements by the first international break.Find more from Adonis Storr at The Roaring Peacock, externalGet more from Adonis on this page all season and remember you can sign up for Leeds news notifications here
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Micah Richards tells Arsenal to sign £80m star after Manchester United win
Micah Richards tells Arsenal to sign £80m star after Manchester United win

Metro

time29 minutes ago

  • Metro

Micah Richards tells Arsenal to sign £80m star after Manchester United win

Micah Richards has named the signing Arsenal should make to 'solve a lot of problems' after their opening Premier League victory over Manchester United. Mikel Arteta's side, who are expected to challenge for the title yet again after three successive second-place finishes, began the 2025-26 campaign with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford. The Gunners were far from at their fluent best but were gifted an early goal following a mistake from United back-up goalkeeper Altay Bayindir and then withstood significant pressure from the hosts to return to north London with the three points. Ex-England defender Richards described it as a 'massive win' for Arsenal and said the team's strength in depth was impressive after Arteta used Myles Lewis-Kelly and Jurrien Timber as second-half substitutes. The only real weakness Richards saw in Arsenal was at left-wing, where Gabriel Martinelli started before being replaced by ex-Chelsea star Noni Madueke, who prefers to operate off the right. Metro's new weekly football newsletter: In The Mixer. Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every Friday – sign up, it's an open goal. Richards believes Arsenal would benefit from the addition of another left-winger before the transfer deadline and says signing Real Madrid's Rodrigo would 'solve a lot of problems'. Arteta expressed interest in signing Rodrygo earlier in the summer but the Gunners are not currently pursuing the Brazilian, who is valued at around £80m. Arsenal were interested in Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, who could have played on the left, but it is their north London rivals Tottenham who are closing in on £68m deal. 'I still think Arsenal are a left winger short or a left forward short,' former Manchester City defender Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast. 'But Arsenal's bench today was so strong with Lewis-Skelly and Timber coming on. Mikel Arteta can change the full-backs now and it doesn't affect the team, the quality doesn't go down. 'That will really help them throughout the season. I prefer Noni Madueke on the right so I just look at that position on the left-hand side and if they could sort that. 'They were linked with Rodrygo and that could solve a lot of problems for them. 'But it's a massive win for Arsenal away from home and just gives them that momentum at the start of the season.' While Arsenal were not at their best at Old Trafford, Arteta was full of praise for the 'resilience' his team showed to beat an improved Manchester United. More Trending 'We came here away and won which is a big result. We were clearly not at our best,' the Gunners boss told BBC's Match of the Day. 'We attacked the box and we reacted well to unusual mistakes. The team reacted time after time in an incredible way. Very proud of that because that is why we got the opportunity to win the game. 'We showed a resilience and a will to win. They put you on the ropes here, you will have to have moments when you suffer. To find a way to win at this ground, I'm very happy with the team.' Arsenal will look to make it two wins from two next Saturday when Premier League new-boys Leeds United visit the Emirates Stadium. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Arsenal star in talks to leave after being left out of squad against Man Utd MORE: Ian Wright names Man Utd star who was 'nowhere near good enough' against Arsenal MORE: Shocking stats behind Viktor Gyokeres debut as Mikel Arteta offers explanation

When does the transfer window close and what time is the deadline?
When does the transfer window close and what time is the deadline?

The Independent

time29 minutes ago

  • The Independent

When does the transfer window close and what time is the deadline?

Transfer deadline day is fast approaching with a number of big moves still to be completed. Several clubs have made notable additions between now and the end of last season, with a mini-window that opened up ahead of the Club World Cup facilitating moves for players including Matheus Cunha, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rayan Cherki among others. And the transfers have ramped up since the window re-opened on 16 June, with moves for Bryan Mbeumo and Viktor Gyokeres reaching into £60m territory while Liverpool paid a club-record £100m for Florian Wirtz, with that deal potentially becoming a Premier League record. Almost every club in the Premier League remains keen on at least one addition before the end of the window, with the deadline to secure the last few deals fast approaching. Here's everything you need to know about the final days of the transfer window: When does the transfer window shut? For all clubs in the Premier League, EFL and Scottish Premiership, the transfer window closes on Monday 1 September at 7pm BST. Clubs have an extra grace period of two more hours to complete their deals as long as they submit any relevant paperwork to the FA before the 7pm deadline, so you may also hear of deals being sealed after 7pm on the day. When is the next transfer window? The next transfer window comes in January, beginning on 1 January and running until the end of the month. Though the final date of the window is yet to be confirmed, it is likely that it will run until Monday 2 February as the final day of January falls on a weekend. What are the biggest signings of the transfer window so far? The move to bring Florian Wirtz to Anfield remains the biggest deal of the summer window, with Liverpool paying at least £100m and potentially a fee up to £116m depending on add-ons. Liverpool also have the 'honour' of the second largest deal this summer – having paid £69m for French striker Hugo Ekitike – as well as one of the largest sales, having sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich for £65.5m. Manchester United have the third, fifth and sixth most expensive transfers at the time of writing, with the deal for Benjamin Sesko coming in at an initial £66.5m, while Bryan Mbeumo cost £65m and Matheus Cunha set them back £62.5m. The fourth most expensive deal is a surprising one, with Galatasaray having paid Napoli just under £65m for Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen. What deals could still be done? There are a number of huge deals that could still be completed before the 1 September deadline, and the future of Newcastle's Alexander Isak is potentially the story of the summer. Newcastle rejected a bid worth over £100m from Liverpool, but the Sweden striker could still make the move. Meanwhile, Chelsea have plenty of activity left in this market, with both outgoings and incomings likely. Xavi Simons and Alejandro Garnacho remain of interest – with the Blues likely to make a bid for both players – while Enzo Maresca wants to offload Raheem Sterling, Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson. Spurs are chasing additions in midfield and potentially up front after an injury to James Maddison and the loss of Son Heung-min to LAFC, while clubs including Everton, Fulham and Burnley continue to iron out the final details of several deals ahead of the 1 September deadline.

Ruben Amorim fires back at Altay Bayindir criticism
Ruben Amorim fires back at Altay Bayindir criticism

The Independent

time29 minutes ago

  • The Independent

Ruben Amorim fires back at Altay Bayindir criticism

Manchester United suffered a 1-0 home defeat to Arsenal in their Premier League opener. Arsenal's winning goal was scored by Riccardo Calafiori in the 13th minute, following a corner where Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir fumbled the ball under pressure. United manager Ruben Amorim defended Bayindir, stating that the contact from Arsenal's William Saliba was allowed and his team needs to learn to apply similar pressure. Amorim rejected criticism of the Turkey international when asked if he had considered starting third-choice Tom Heaton and added he was happy with his three main goalkeepers. Despite the loss, Amorim praised his team's overall performance, noting they were the better side with 22 shots on goal but could not beat Arsenal's goalkeeper David Raya.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store