All posts by h716a5.icu

Khalid Latif, the Pakistan batsman charged with six breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code during the PSL in February, appeared before a three-member tribunal in Lahore on Friday

Umar Farooq31-Mar-2017Khalid Latif, the Pakistan batsman charged with six breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code during the PSL in February, appeared before a three-member tribunal in Lahore on Friday, a week after skipping the first hearing citing ill health.Latif and his legal team agreed to the PCB’s adopted timelines, with a formal hearing set for May 15 in Lahore. He was given a deadline of May 5 to respond to his alleged code-of-conduct breaches. The PCB said in a release that it “may, at its discretion, file a rebuttal by May 10”. The final trial is expected to start on May 18.The charges laid on Latif, who represented Islamabad United but returned without playing a match because of the suspension, included failing to disclose suspect approaches.The same tribunal, comprising Justice Asghar Haider, former PCB president Tauqir Zia, and former wicketkeeper Wasim Bari, will also hear the case of Sharjeel Khan, Latif’s Islamabad United team-mate who is facing similar charges relating to the opening match of this year’s PSL. Both players have denied some of the alleged breaches but admitted to at least one of the more minor charges.Meanwhile, fast bowler Mohammad Irfan, who has been banned for one year from all forms of cricket and fined PKR1 million for failing to report an approach during the same tournament, has been handed a lifeline by the PCB. He will be able to return after six months if he assists the board in its ongoing investigations into the PSL corruption scandal, and doesn’t breach the board’s anti-corruption code in that time.Shazaib Hasan, provisionally suspended from all forms of cricket for a similar offence, wants to contest charges laid by the PCB. He has submitted a response to the PCB charge sheet and will wait to hear about a possible referral of his case to the tribunal. He was also pulled out of the tournament failing to report a suspect approach in time and in full detail, and also for allegedly inducing players in corruption indirectly.

Chelsea remain the 'most likely' destination for Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo to end up this summer, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Moises Caicedo?

Chelsea were reported to have joined the race just under a week ago, and things look to have picked up since then.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano has given an update on the state of play surrounding Caicedo and Chelsea, stating on Twitter: "Understand Chelsea will continue talks with Brighton for Moisés Caicedo next week. Clubs will be in direct contact as negotiations are ongoing. Chelsea hope to find a solution soon as personal terms are not an issue, Moisés already said yes to Chelsea. Talks on."

Rudy Galetti, who is also a journalist, has issued a further development in the Blues' quest to land the £60k-a-week ace on Twitter, stating: "Moises Caicedo, the talks between Chelsea and Brighton are entering in the final stage. Understand the 2 clubs agreed the fixed amount of the transfer (~£75m) and now they are discussing the add-ons. Moises is keen to join CFC and he’s pushing for the move."

The Athletic have alternatively provided information that suggests Brighton could demand a colossal £100 million fee to part ways with the Ecuador international this off-season.

The Seagulls are believed to have benchmarked the price bracket that West Ham midfielder Declan Rice is being quoted at amid interest from Arsenal and think that Caicedo is every bit as good, if not better, than the England international.

Football Insider detail that Chelsea are 'increasingly confident of securing an agreement' to bring Caicedo to Stamford Bridge this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jacobs believes that somewhere around the £80 million mark would be a more realistic fee structure for Caicedo than the reported £100 million demand from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Jacobs said: "Of course, you'd expect Brighton to try and get the best possible deal. But I understand that Caicedo will be a lot closer to £80m than £100m and Chelsea, not Manchester United, remains the most likely destination at this point."

Would Moises Caicedo be a good signing for Chelsea?

It's hard to argue otherwise when you take his meteoric rise at the Amex Stadium into account, which has paved the way for high-profile interest from the likes of Chelsea to become apparent this window.

Last season, Caicedo, who has been hailed as a "monster", made 43 appearances for Brighton & Hove Albion in all competitions, registering one goal and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

Caicedo also managed an average of 2.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per match in the Premier League across 2022/23, making his presence known at the heart of the Seagulls' engine room, according to WhoScored.

Driving his side forward from midfield, the Ecuadorian enforcer successfully completed 88 shot-creating actions in the English top flight and showed his desire to help offensive moves, as per FBRef.

Mauricio Pochettino looks to be hard at work as he looks to secure his preferred targets and Caicedo may well be the next in line to pitch up in SW6.

Manchester United appear to be interested in signing Athletico Paranaense forward Vitor Roque this summer.

Are Man United signing a striker?

The Red Devils and Erik ten Hag have made a start on their summer business by securing a £60m move for Mason Mount from Chelsea.

The midfielder signed a five-year deal at Old Trafford and will wear the number seven shirt in Manchester, with attention now turning to a new goalkeeper and striker.

Ten Hag reportedly has a £120m transfer kitty before player sales, and with half of that spent on Mount, departures may be needed over the coming weeks.

Andre Onana from Inter Milan appears to be the top target in goal following David de Gea’s departure, with the Serie A side asking for £45m. Brighton's Robert Sanchez, Feyenoord's Justin Bijlow and Eintracht Frankfurt's Kevin Trapp are also options, and there are a number of targets in attack.

A big £50m offer is reportedly ready to sign Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund, with Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani another target in the final third.

It looks as if Roque is also on the radar, though, with Anthony Martial up for sale at Old Trafford and Wout Weghorst’s loan spell coming to an end.

Sport Witness relayed an update from Mundo Deportivo regarding Roque in the last 48 hours. Barcelona previously agreed to a €50m deal to sign the forward – €30m plus €20m in bonuses – however, relative documents are yet to be signed to seal a transfer.

As a result, it is believed that Man United, alongside Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain, are willing to finalise a deal for the striker and ‘do not stop calling’ over a potential move in a transfer twist.

Athletico Paranaense are starting to lose patience with Barcelona, and we could see further developments in the coming days on Roque, with the Red Devils, Spurs and PSG all willing to triple the forward’s salary.

Who is Vitor Roque?

Roque is 18 years of age and made the move to Athletico Paranaense from Cruzeiro last year in a deal worth €4.7m. Since then, his Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed to a career-high €18m and the forward has scored 22 goals in 66 games for his current employers.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig has heaped praise on the youngster, hailing him as a "top talent" due to his fantastic goal return last season, while he has also described him as "unstoppable."

Ten Hag’s central attacking options are short at this moment in time, and he could actually have no centre-forward to choose from if Martial moves on. Therefore, bringing in someone like Roque alongside an older forward such as Hojlund or Kolo Muani could be a wise move.

However, Barcelona seemingly have a €50m agreement in place for the teenager, and with United already halfway through their budget, they could see a move as too costly at this moment in time. That could change should they bring in up to £100m in sales with 13 players possibly on the move, so it could be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks.

On a pitch that posed very little challenges, both teams were content to play cricket of a rather cautious brand

The Report by Danyal Rasool11-May-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:29

Reverse swing will come into play on flat pitch – Azhar Ali

West Indies safely negotiated an awkward last half hour to head to stumps without having lost a wicket in response to Pakistan’s first innings total of 376. Kraigg Brathwaite and Keiron Powell were circumspect, eager to bat again tomorrow and technically adept enough to deserve it. That only 14 runs came off the 11 overs they faced will bother no one, considering Pakistan had trudged along in much the same way for almost two sessions.On a day likely to be remembered for the pace, or the lack of it, Azhar Ali got his 14th Test hundred, and was supported by Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfraz Ahmed as Pakistan looked set to bat through the day. However, West Indies bowlers came back into it in the final session as the last five Pakistan wickets fell for only 65 runs.It was hard to clear the infield – Azhar

A slow outfield and a ball that got softer as the day progressed hampered Pakistan’s run-making, according to Azhar Ali. The Pakistan batsman, who scored 127 in his side’s first-innings score of 376, said that run-scoring wasn’t quite as easy on a flat track but was pleased the side had managed to come close to its target score of 400.
“As a batsman you would like to score as fluently as you can but, as you can see, the outfield is really slow and the ball doesn’t really travel and it gets soft,” he said. “It’s hard to clear the infield first and if you do then it doesn’t go far. It’s really hard and sometimes you had to hit a six to get going again. It was tough but we wanted to score 400 runs in the first innings and we got close to that. From now on, we have to dominate the game and try and put pressure on West Indies.”
Azhar was hopeful Pakistan’s three seamers could capitalize on reverse swing on the third day. He singled out debutant Hasan Ali as an exciting prospect to watch.
“I think at some stage the reverse-swing should be coming in to play. They are all good fast bowlers, specially Hasan, who is making his debut. He’s a very exciting bowler to look at and he’s quite skiddy, so hopefully he can get some reverse swing going. They are very capable of picking up 20 wickets on it and it is really important for us to finish off the series.”

All eyes were on Sarfraz after tea, with Pakistan looking to inject some sorely lacking momentum into their innings. However, they were dealt a major setback early on in the session when Jason Holder took two wickets off two balls to send back Mohammad Amir and Yasir Shah.With the score on 322 for 8, West Indies would have hoped to run through the last two batsmen and make Pakistan pay for their lack of intent earlier on. But Sarfraz maddened them by bringing his street-cricket skills to the fore. The wicketkeeper batsman basically took guard outside leg stump, forcing the bowlers off their lines, and collected 39 of the 45-run partnership between himself and Mohammad Abbas.Just as Pakistan began to close in on 400, Sarfraz edged one from Devendra Bishoo into first slip’s hands. Hasan Ali came in and was good for a pair of lusty boundaries before Bishoo cleaned him up. Pakistan’s bowlers may still be favourites with a cushion of 376 runs behind them, but a top team should really aspire for more after batting nearly 150 overs.In the morning, taking aim at all those criticising them for batting too slowly on the opening day, Pakistan had a simple response. You ain’t seen nothing yet.There were only nine runs in the first 10 overs – and among them were five successive maidens. The run – if you can call not scoring a run – made an early start by half an hour almost needless. Why bother when the game just struggled to move on?West Indies formed their second guard of honour of the Test as they welcomed Misbah after dismissing Younis Khan lbw for 18 off 75 balls. Then they outdid their generosity by dropping the Pakistan captain, playing his last Test, on 0. Squared up by a ball that shaped away, Misbah looked back to see his outside edge being dropped by Shane Dowrich. It was the wicketkeeper’s second drop of the Test, and it left Holder, the bowler, buckling at the knees.West Indies, for all their struggle to pick up wickets, did keep things quiet with the old ball. Eventually, Shannon Gabriel took the new one in the 89th over, which only provided a fresh signal for Pakistan to retreat further into their shell. Misbah had, at that point, uncoupled batting with scoring runs completely, at one stage having one run off 52 balls. Azhar at the other end finished the morning with 37 runs off 92 balls as Pakistan achieved their objective of not losing too many wickets.After lunch, however, Azhar was undone attempting a rare attacking stroke, a slog sweep over midwicket. He missed the ball by some distance it spun back into his stumps, bringing to an end a grinding hundred that had looked like hard work. Flickering signs of aggression emerged from Asad Shafiq, as he looked to go over the top in a bid to improve his side’s desperately poor run rate. However, he picked out long-on to give offspinner Roston Chase the third of his four wickets.A better side than West Indies would probably have punished Pakistan for their approach on Thursday, and West Indies themselves may yet do so. But, Misbah has made an art of being a contrarian, and as he leaves the Test arena, don’t bet against him proving everyone wrong one final time.

Jack and Tyler Fletcher "will go to Manchester United" this summer with Manchester City looking to sign United's young defender Harrison Parker, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest on Jack and Tyler Fletcher?

It has been a positive start to the transfer window for the Red Devils, with the club finally completing the signing of Chelsea's Cobham graduate and former fan favourite Mason Mount for a fee of around £55m.

David De Gea has also left Old Trafford after 12 years with the side, something that would be a serious problem if the club weren't so close to securing the signature of long-term target and Inter Milan star Andre Onana.

With things looking good from a first-team perspective, the club have also decided to bolster their youth set-up with a double swoop for City's promising youngsters Jack and Tyler Fletcher.

The brothers are, in fact, the sons of United great Darren Fletcher and, at 16, would be swapping the academy of City for United, where their dad works as the club's technical director.

According to the Daily Mail, United have been 'keeping an eye' on the pair for the past few years, but their father has not been involved in the deal to sign them.

The club's move for the brothers has prompted City to respond, with the Sky Blues in the process of bringing highly rated defender Harrison Parker to the other side of Manchester, per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:

"Jack and Tyler Fletcher, so both players are going from Manchester City to Manchester United and this is something that created this domino effect with Manchester City now prepared to close the deal for Harrison Parker.

"So there is something ongoing between the two Manchester clubs in terms of young talents, but the Fletcher twins will go to Manchester United."

Are the Fletcher brothers highly rated?

The brothers are highly thought of at City, having plied their trade in the club's youth set-up for nine years at this point and have already gone on to represent their national teams at junior level.

Interestingly though, Jack Fletcher represents England's under-16 set-up, having previously represented Scotland, whereas his brother Tyler still represents Scotland's under-16 side.

In a bizarre turn of events, the twin brothers actually played against one another earlier this year when the two nations faced off in a Uefa development match that saw both of them start in midfield, Jack wearing the number 19 and his brother the number eight.

It was Jack who came away with the family bragging rights as the Three Lions won the match 3-0.

Unsurprisingly, both players, who have been described as "promising", take after their father in their playing style, with both of them playing predominantly as central midfielders, the only difference being that Jack is left-footed while Tyler is right-footed.

Darren Fletcher played for United between 2003 and 2015, making 342 appearances, scoring 24 goals, assisting another 30 and winning everything there is to win in club football.

If the twins could match even a fraction of what their father achieved at Old Trafford, then the pair have a very bright future ahead of them.

Keaton Jennings and Michael Richardson continued their superb form with a stand of 158 in to propel Durham to a 19-run Royal London Cup win against Northamptonshire

ECB Reporters Network07-May-2017
ScorecardFile photo – Keaton Jennings maintained his excellent run of form with another century•Getty ImagesKeaton Jennings and Michael Richardson continued their superb form with a stand of 158 in to propel Durham to a 19-run Royal London Cup win against Northamptonshire at Chester-le-Street.Northants’ challenge looked to have ended when a brilliant stop and direct hit from extra cover by Paul Collingwood ran out Richard Levi for 66. But at 124 for 5 in reply to 291 for 7, Adam Rossington and Steven Crook revived them with a stand of 99 in 16 overs.Rossington reached 50 off 43 balls and with 89 needed off ten the balance was tipping when he lofted the first two balls of a Chris Rushworth over for six over long-off and backward square. But on 69 he tried a scoop shot off Paul Coughlin and lost his middle stump, leaving Crook with too much to do. He holed out at deep midwicket for 48 in the 48th over and Northants finished on 272 for 8.Jennings’ second century of the competition took his aggregate to 403 from five games and Richardson boosted his tally to 351 by making 68.Durham wobbled when both fell in quick succession and from 186 for 1 in the 34th over they lost momentum and slipped to 227 for 5. But it was picked up brilliantly by Collingwood with an unbeaten 53 off 43 balls as the last seven overs yielded 64.Collingwood continued to have an impact as he bowled straight through his ten overs to take 1 for 47 and ran out Levi, who had slowed after bludgeoning a 45-ball half-century. His lack of fitness showed when he declined a second run the ball before he was out.Durham made a cautious start after being put in under heavy cloud and Stephen Cook fell lbw to Ben Sanderson, the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 36.The score had reached 79 after 20 overs when left-arm spinner Graeme White conceded only three in a tight first over. But his second cost 14 after Richardson picked him up him over the midwicket rope then pulled him for four. When Northants tried spin at the other end, Jennings on-drove Rob Keogh for his fifth four to reach 50 off 66 balls, one faster than his partner.On 52 Richardson uppercut Richard Gleeson over third man for his second six and, at 159 after 30, 80 had come off the previous ten overs.Jennings helped a poor ball from Sanderson to fine leg for his 13th four to reach his century off 105 balls. But then both batsmen departed. A firmly struck cut by Richardson lodged in the hands of White low down at backward point then Jennings tried to hit Sanderson down the ground and miscued to deep mid-on.

Sean Dyche needs defensive reinforcements at Everton.

Last season, the Toffees acquired Conor Coady on a season-long loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but the club decided to not activate the buy option, and he has completed a move to Leicester City.

It was also confirmed at the end of the campaign that Yerry Mina would not renew his contract with the club, and he departed as a free agent.

And finally, according to talkSPORT (via Everton News), it looks like Mason Holgate is nearing an exit as newly-promoted Sheffield United eyes a deal for the 26-year-old. The Toffees are keen to trim the wage bill this summer and Holgate is someone tipped to be replaced.

Therefore, as Dyche assesses his options, Mohammed Salisu could be on his way to Goodison Park.

What’s the latest on Mohammed Salisu to Everton?

According to Football Insider, Everton have shortlisted Salisu as one of their top defensive candidates this summer.

However, this outlet revealed that Monaco has submitted an offer for the 24-year-old to throw Everton’s plan into doubt.

Salisu is out of contract in 2024 and Southampton will most likely want to sell him this window to avoid losing him on a free next year.

Should Everton sign Mohammed Salisu?

The centre-back joined Southampton in 2020 and upon his arrival, then-manager Ralph Hasenhuttl praised his potential, saying:

“Mohammed is a player who fits our profile well. He is young and has a great amount of potential, but he is also someone who has the qualities to come in and help the team as soon as he is up to speed with our way of playing.

"I like what I have seen of him so far in his games with Valladolid. He is strong defensively, he is calm with the ball – something that is important in our team – and he has good speed too.”

The Ghanian has gone on to make 80 appearances in all competitions for the Saints and has established himself as a reliable player who deserves to continue playing top-flight football.

Last season, Salisu made 22 Premier League appearances, and he recorded the second-highest average rating (6.78) and the most tackles per game (2.3) in the Southampton squad. He also didn’t make any errors leading to a goal or commit any penalties.

In a highly challenging season for Southampton, he was a pillar of defensive solidity and if he had avoided injury, his team may have had a better chance of survival.

From an Everton perspective, a player of this quality would be a huge upgrade on Holgate, who Salisu outranks in all the decisive metrics – this includes tackles per 90 (2.33 vs 1.95), interceptions per 90, blocks per 90 (2.55 vs 1.24), clearances per 90 (5.57 vs 4.97), and aerials won per 90 (2.51 vs 1.6).

Furthermore, the £25k-per-week titan also appears more comfortable on the ball, averaging better pass completion per 90 (73.51% vs 65.9%), and progressive passes per 90 (3.74 vs 2.49).

Described as “immense” during Ghana’s 2022 World Cup campaign by journalist Ben Jacobs, Everton should accelerate their attempts to sign Salisu and sell Holgate.

Pakistan huffed and puffed through a chase of 237 but they made it in the end thanks to the composure of their captain

The Report by Danyal Rasool12-Jun-2017
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:35

Agarkar: Sarfraz’s calmness crucial in guiding his side

The Champions Trophy might have been damp and lifeless on the English shores this year, but it was on a Welsh detour that it finally roared to life. In the game which had the most riding on it all tournament, Pakistan and Sri Lanka provided a spectacle befitting the magnitude of the occasion, and Pakistan sneaked across the line with a thrilling three-wicket win. But that’s only half the story. The rest centered around how madly the momentum of this game swung as two obviously flawed teams battled tooth and nail.Pakistan fined for slow over rate

Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has been fined 20% of his match fee, while his team-mates were fined 10% of their match fees, for maintaining a slow over-rate during the match against Sri Lanka.
Pakistan were found to be one over short of their target after time allowances were taken into consideration. A second minor over-rate offence in the tournament could result in a one-match suspension for Sarfraz.
Sarfraz pleaded guilty to the offence and accepted the proposed sanction; a formal hearing was not required as a result. The charge was laid by on-field umpires Bruce Oxenford and Marais Erasmus, third umpire Chris Gaffaney and fourth umpire Ian Gould.

Qualification to the semis was the prize riding on this game that was a quarter-final in all but name, and it was clear both sides wanted it desperately. Sri Lanka started impressively but a brilliant spell midway from Mohammad Amir and Junaid Khan restricted them to 236. Pakistan made the chase look harder than it was but captain Sarfraz Ahmed and Amir were there at the end to see their side home. Though the prospect of facing England on Wednesday will be daunting, it will be the last thing on their minds right now.From the moment Pakistan’s seventh wicket fell – with 75 still to win – two antsy sides were hoping they could do just about enough to pip the other. Sri Lanka were the favourites at that point, but their fielding let them down badly. Thisara Perera dropped a sitter at mid-on in the 39th over. Substitute fielder Seekkuge Prasanna shelled another chance – albeit a more difficult one – in the 41st. And Sarfraz, the reprieved batsman, the last of the specialists, took the game away.Lasith Malinga, Sri Lanka’s great talisman, had created both chances and if this is to be his final ICC tournament, it was a cruel way to go. He watched, helplessly, as his team began to gift overthrows, and little by little, the belief as well to the Pakistan batsmen. By the time a dispirited Malinga was brought back for his final over, the fielding had disintegrated to amateurish level. Eventually, Sarfraz dabbed him over third man for the winning runs, and a shocking last half hour for the Sri Lankans met the end it deserved.Sarfraz Ahmed’s composure helped Pakistan overcome an untimely collapse•Getty ImagesBefore the nerves got hold of them, Pakistan were cruising. A dropped catch and a run-out opportunity in the first two overs aside, Fakhar Zaman and Azhar Ali set about their task masterfully.Fakhar, comfortable in his role as the designated aggressor up front, hit three boundaries in the third over against Malinga. He didn’t mind riding his luck at times, an outside edge burst through slips for four while a top edge flew for six, and when he was dismissed – caught at long leg – he had scored 50 off 36 and Pakistan were sitting pretty at 74 for 1 in 11.2 overs.But with this being Pakistan, there was the inevitable feeling they would take the Rolling English Road to victory. Two wickets fell quickly as Babar Azam clipped Nuwan Pradeep straight to short midwicket and Hafeez chipped one to mid-on next over. Opener Azhar Ali was done in by the extra bounce of Suranga Lakmal soon after, edging a sharp catch to first slip. Pakistan were at 110 for 4, and the game was anything but a foregone conclusion.Sri Lanka were quietly climbing into a position of ascendancy, but Pakistan almost appeared not to notice the early signs of danger. It certainly couldn’t be ignored when Shoaib Malik gloved a short ball from Malinga to the keeper. When Imad Wasim fell five balls later, Pakistan were 6 down with 100 runs still to win.Debutant Faheem Ashraf’s short-lived stay at the crease was fraught with danger as the bowlers peppered him with short deliveries, several of which caught his top edge but managed to evade the boundary riders. For all the risks he was taking on strike, he was run-out at the other end, a ricochet off the bowler’s hand finding the stumps before his bat hit the ground.There were no such errors from Pakistan with the ball though. In fact they were so good that Sri Lanka, despite dominating large parts of their innings, were bowled out well below the par score.A sensational four-over burst from Amir and Junaid ripped the heart out of the Sri Lankan middle order as they went from 161 for 3 to 167 for 7. It was superb fast bowling, evoking comparisons with some of the greats of Pakistan cricket and that it came soon after the innings’ second drinks break spoke either to some kind of strategy, or an especially rousing team talk from the captain Sarfraz. Either way, it was match-turning.Sri Lanka were setting up effectively for the final flourish, with Niroshan Dickwella and Angelo Mathews locked in a settled partnership, before Amir dismissed Mathews off the second ball of the 32nd over, the batsman dragging onto his stumps. Junaid followed up next over with a length delivery that seamed teasingly away from newcomer Dhananjaya de Silva and took his outside edge. Sarfraz then pulled off a superb reflex catch to get rid of Dickwella for 73 and Thisara was caught at slip next over. Sri Lanka’s position of strength was decimated in mere minutes.If it appeared that passage of play would be the solitary turning point of the match, Pakistan and Sri Lanka showed that when they take on each other, it is never quite that simple.

Leeds United's summer of vast change is well and truly underway, with another addition reportedly new on their list…

Who are Leeds United signing this summer?

That's according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter just last night to detail the Whites' interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Edouard Michut.

The Frenchman spent last season on loan at Sunderland and impressed with his quick feet and maturity despite being so young. It seems that given the Yorkshire outfit have now sunk into the Championship, where he excelled most recently, this youngster could be integral in their push for promotion.

The Italian journalist claimed:

"Leeds United are among several clubs interested in Edouard Michut from Paris Saint-Germain. Deal will depend on conditions decided by PSG in the coming days".

It was reported that the Black Cats opted against paying the €2.5m (£2.1m) buy clause they had within his loan contract, now leaving an opportunity for Daniel Farke to instead profit.

Who is Edouard Michut?

Although a relative unknown when he first moved to the Stadium of Light, it did not take long for fans throughout the division to take note of this slight midfield maestro.

Scout Jacek Kulig had already detailed the key talents he possessed, many of which he showcased upon his debut year in English football. He emphasised the following attributes as 'very strong': his passing, vision, technique, ball control and pace.

Given the Yorkshire side will be seeking someone of quality to pair with the tough-tackling Tyler Adams, this 20-year-old sensation could be just that man.

Across his 20 Championship appearances last term, a 6.64 average rating massively underplays the importance he had on Tony Mowbray's playoff-chasing outfit. After all, this 88% pass accuracy and 52% dribble success rate were integral in progressing the play in the middle of the park, whilst he chipped in with an admirable 1.7 tackles per game too, via Sofascore.

Journalist Josh Bunting would outline one standout game in particular, noting:

"Michut was quality this afternoon, ran all over must have covered every blade of grass. Broke up play and was key to playing in between the lines. So much potential there and he’s only going to get better, work ethic and quality was right were on it."

Such quality combined with an ability to stick a foot in, alongside their shared nationality, makes it hard not to draw comparisons with former Leeds gem Olivier Dacourt.

Despite only spending three short years at Elland Road, he was part of both some of their best and worst moments as a club.

The 48-year-old starred in their run to the Champions League semi-finals and yet was an unfortunate casualty of the financial troubles that led to their 2004 relegation. He would depart just before that miserable eventuality though.

His manager at the time, David O'Leary, even noted how important he saw the Frenchman in his plan for European domination:

"Then there was Olivier Dacourt, who I’d been impressed with when he was at Everton. I thought he would be ideal for us, and it was then about getting him to come to Leeds and selling him the dream of what he wanted to do. Again, we got our man – Olivier was another brilliant signing who improved the team."

His class and tenacious style made him a fan favourite, with his belief and love felt by the supporters.

"I was sure they would become what Manchester United had become," he would tell The Athletic when speaking about the potential his Whites side had. Whilst that would never come to fruition, his presence did help elevate them to a level they haven't come close to realising since.

Whilst Michut is still raw and not quite as intelligent in breaking up the play as Dacourt was, a switch to Elland Road could see him follow in his footsteps both literally and technically.

Perhaps he could underpin Farke's midfield for the next decade, helping them once again return to the top flight and inch towards those famous European nights which have been missed so dearly.

There was a time in which the strike partnership of Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez was one of the best around, as Inter Milan secured the Scudetto under Antonio Conte.

In classic Lukaku style, however, he decided to swap Inter for Chelsea in the summer of 2021, in a move that he has regretted ever since.

Speaking midway through his season back at Stamford Bridge, Lukaku revealed his regret, controversially telling Sky Italia: "The way I left Inter, how I communicated with the fans, it bothers me because it might not be the right time now but it wasn't the right time when I left, either. Now, I think it's right to talk because I have always said I have Inter in my heart. I'll go back to play there, I really hope so."

The Belgian did, at least, manage to reunite with Martinez last season, completing a loan move back to his form club, which many would have assumed could have turned permanent, if he so wished.

That hasn't been the case, however, with Lukaku even attempting to move to Serie A rivals Juventus this summer – which was protested by fans.

Any bridges built at Inter have been burnt to a crisp, including it seems his relationship with Martinez too.

Lautaro Martinez speaks out on Romelu Lukaku situation

Speaking about Lukaku's situation, Martinez told Gazetta, via Fabrizio Romano: “Lukaku saga? I was disappointed by Romelu, it's the truth. I tried to call him in those days of chaos, but he never answered me, the same he did with my other teammates.

“I was disappointed. But ok, well, it’s his choice."

This comes after the Belgian revealed that he missed Martinez back in 2021, saying, via Romano: "I miss Lautaro Martinez, I could die on the pitch for him since day one I met him.

"Lautaro Martinez coming here with me at Chelsea in the future? No… Lautaro, you can stay in Milan, I'll be back there."

The Argentine's future is far simpler than his former strike partner's, meanwhile, revealing his desire to stay put in Milan to Gazetta, reported by Romano: “I received huge bids from Saudi clubs, it’s true. But I’m very happy at Inter and in Milano, no chance and no reason to change.

“I’m the captain here, Inter is my second home. I feel loved here since day one. I’m proud to be here."

What are the latest Romelu Lukaku transfer rumours?

As of right now, Lukaku remains a Chelsea player, but with plenty of time left in the transfer window, that could soon change.

According to Romano, the forward is attracting plenty of interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia, but his priority is to remain in Europe, with Juventus a potential option.

Given Chelsea's summer activity, welcoming both Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku, it seems unlikely that Lukaku will have a place under new boss Mauricio Pochettino next season.

As the summer drags on, and he remains without a move, the former Inter Milan man could find himself in an unwanted position come the beginning of the forthcoming campaign at Stamford Bridge.

It's certainly a situation to keep an eye on.