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Rana also expects Pat Cummins’ experience to help the franchise’s uncapped Indian fast bowlers

Sreshth Shah17-Sep-2020

“Being from Delhi, I have always approached cricket in an aggressive manner”•BCCI

Among left-hand batsmen who have scored more than 1000 T20 runs from the start of 2018, England captain Eoin Morgan (158.62) is one of the only two players – along with Rishabh Pant (159.11) – to boast a strike rate upwards of 155. As Morgan flies to the UAE to link up with the Kolkata Knight Riders following Wednesday’s ODI cliffhanger against Australia, Nitish Rana, another left-hand batsman in the franchise’s middle order, has his sights set on picking Morgan’s brains this year at the IPL.”I am very excited because he is a World Cup winner,” Rana said of Morgan, who led England to ODI World Cup triumph at home last year. “And the second thing is that he is a rare left-handed batsman who is dominating white-ball cricket. [I am] looking forward to learning plenty from him because he is a World Cup winning captain. I really want to imbibe his leadership qualities – not just for my exploits in domestic cricket, but in the IPL as well.”Another passenger on the specially chartered flight from the UK is Australia quick Pat Cummins, who was bought for INR 15.5 crore (approx. $2.2 million in December) at the auction and is expected to lead the Knight Riders bowling attack this season. Rana believes Cummins could especially help the young uncapped Indian pacers in the squad get better at their craft.”Our bowling attack is actually quite strong,” Rana said. “With Cummins joining us, we get a boost in experience in our squad. Our young bowlers have been excellent in domestic competitions and for Knight Riders for the past two years, and my earnest wish is that they learn as much as they can from Cummins, so they can evolve into better players for the team.”Rana, who has been a vital cog in the Knight Riders middle order wheel since the 2018 season following his stint with the Mumbai Indians, was also hopeful that the seething pace of 2018 Under-19 World Cup winners Kamlesh Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi could be a potent weapon for the franchise.ALSO READ: Back in ‘full rhythm’, Shivam Mavi hopes to make up for lost timeWhile Mavi gears up to play his second season for the Knight Riders, after a lukewarm debut in 2018 and a long injury layoff that began in December last year, Nagarkoti, who was picked up by the franchise for the 2018 IPL, is set to make his T20 debut.Shivam Mavi chases after a ball•BCCI

“Nagarkoti – the poor guy has been injured for the last two seasons, but I’ve noticed in the intra-squad matches that he has become very strong physically and has taken care of the past injuries that have hurt him,” Rana said. “He and Shivam Mavi have both been bowling at over 140kph and as a batsman, I can tell you that it’s no joke facing bowlers who can get those speeds every delivery. It’s challenging for any batsman.”Rana, who grew up playing cricket in the blazing heat of Delhi, said he is well attuned to playing under oppressive conditions the UAE typically offers. Clubbing that with his naturally aggressive style of play, one especially called for by head coach Brendon McCullum, who has come to the UAE on the back of leading the Trinbago Knight Riders to 12 wins in a row en route to the Caribbean Premier League title, Rana said the coach’s ideas could sync well with his own.”It’s not that hot [in Abu Dhabi], considering I’m from North India, Delhi,” Rana said. “Yes, it was taking a bit of time to adjust to the conditions, practising four hours, but we are used to it. We are all professional cricketers, so these things don’t affect us much.”Being from Delhi, I have always approached cricket in an aggressive manner. As a kid, growing up, I was a big fan of McCullum, so I was very excited when I first heard he was appointed our coach. The way he aggressively played as a batsman – I sincerely hope he coaches us the same way.”Rana is also looking forward to reprising his role as a part-time spinner for the Knight Riders, a task he first performed in his debut match for the side, dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore’s Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers in the same over. With the UAE surfaces expected to assist slow bowlers, Rana said he has prepared to make good use of his right-arm offspin this season too.”In domestic cricket, I’ve been always bowling, so that skill has never been a new thing for me,” he said. “I’ve been bowling for the last two years and that the tournament is happening in the UAE, is the best scenario for me, considering I’m likely to get decent grip off the surface. Besides, I am a much-improved bowler; I am actually hoping to bowl more overs this time around.”The Knight Riders play their first match, against defending champions Mumbai, on September 23, and will be the last franchise to kick off their IPL 2020 campaign.

كشف أحمد حلمي الشريف عضو مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة المصري، عن موعد عقد أول اجتماع للمجلس الجديد برئاسة هاني أبو ريدة.

وأعلن أمس الثلاثاء، فوز ونجاح هاني أبو ريدة ومعه قائمته بالكامل، بالتزكية بعد عدم ترشح أحد أمامه.

وقال حلمي خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2” لبرنامج “الكورة مع فايق: “مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة يسعى لتحقيق طموح وآمال الجمعية العمومية، أول اجتماع لمجلس إدارة الاتحاد سيكون اليوم الساعة 11 صباحًا من أجل توزيع الملفات من حيث درجة الأهمية”.

طالع |  أول تعليق من هاني أبو ريدة بعد فوزه رسميًا برئاسة اتحاد الكرة

وأضاف: “متفقون كمجلس إدارة، الحديث عن كافة المشاكل والحلول لكن بعد مناقشتها داخل المجلس”.

وتابع: “أتمنى كمواطن مصري الجماهير تعود للمدرجات ومدرج ستاد القاهرة يكون به 100 ألف متفرج، ومنتخب مصر في المستقبل القريب لا نقف الوصول إلى كأس العالم ويكون هناك تمثيل مشرف ونصل لدرجات كبيرة”.

وأتم: “لدينا أهداف كثيرة لكن بعد دراسة كافية المعطيات داخل مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة، نعمل وفق منظومة واستراتيجية وليس عمل فردي، نريد أن نكون في وضع المسؤولية، ليس لنا صالح إلى الصالح”.

Both the New Zealand captain and coach have had to answer questions about their equation in recent times

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jul-2020

Kane Williamson and Gary Stead have a very good relationship, they have stressed•AFP via Getty Images

Kane Williamson and Gary Stead, the New Zealand captain and coach respectively, have had to answer questions about their supposedly frayed relationship ever since they got to Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui for a training session. After Williamson called the relationship “very good”, Stead has called it “really strong”, adding that they are both gung-ho about taking the team to the next level.Some of the chatter in local cricket circles started after speculation in May that Stead wanted Tom Latham as the regular Test captain in place of Williamson after Latham led New Zealand in one Test – a 279-run loss in a 3-0 series sweep – in Australia earlier this year. “Kane and I have a really strong relationship, and we spoke about it,” Stead told Stuff on Saturday. “There was no basis in truth and the disappointing part is it’s coming from somewhere and someone, but it’s not Kane and it’s not I.”I really enjoy working with Kane. The discussions we have are robust and always directed at what’s best for the team, which is something I know we are truly aligned on.”It’s like any business, you always have positive conflict and if there wasn’t, then I’d be worried.”ALSO READ: Jeremy Coney hits out at Gary SteadWilliamson was asked the question a couple of days back too, when he attended a press interaction after a nets session, and he said, “Gary and I have a very good relationship. We are always honest with each other and keen to challenge each other with our views on the game. Ultimately we both share the vision of where we want the team to go – how we get there is a constant discussion as in any organisation – and we are happy to have those honest discussions together.”Stead, the 48-year-old former Test batsman, took over from Mike Hesson in August 2018, and it has been a largely good run so far, with nine wins and five defeats in 16 Tests, which have taken them to No. 2 in the ICC’s Test rankings. They also finished as the runners-up at the 2019 ODI World Cup final. On the other hand, the Test series sweep in Australia was the lowlight.”For the most part we’ve had some pretty amazing experiences as a group and I cherish a lot of those,” Stead, who would be expecting a contract extension when the current one expires after what should have been the end of the T20 World Cup in October, said. “Most of the time it’s an enjoyable job, and there’s always things that are tough which is part of the role as well.”Selection is always difficult when you know there’re some very good players that miss out, and at times the media side and the extra scrutiny you get is more demanding.”

Over the last couple of seasons, Everton have been forced to operate on a strict budget given their PSR and FFP troubles, often having to rely on outgoings before any incomings.

The FFP issues have seen boss Sean Dyche be restricted in his efforts to bolster his side, with the 52-year-old doing a brilliant job in securing the club's Premier League status with three games to spare.

The Toffees have been forced to cut costs in order to balance the books, with the likes of Alex Iwobi and Anthony Gordon just two examples of players the club have had to sell to stay within the division's strict financial rules.

Everton also allowed one other first-team member to depart the club back in 2019 with the Toffees making the right decision to offload him given his rapid drop in market value in recent years.

Henry Onyekuru's stats at Everton

After scoring 22 times for KAS Eupen in Belgium during the 2016/17 season, Ronald Koeman and Everton forked out £7m on attacker Henry Onyekuru, in an attempt to bolster the Toffees' forward line.

Having signed for the Blues as a 20-year-old, Oynekuru was immediately sent back on loan to the Pro League, joining Anderlecht for the season in a bid to improve his ability in an attempt to mount a first-team place the following campaign.

The move was a successful one, scoring ten goals in his 27 appearances, but he was unable to feature for Everton in the Premier League, after failing to receive a work permit after his move to England.

He would subsequently leave Goodison once more on a temporary basis, joining Galatasaray – contributing with 16 goals as he helped the Istanbul outfit claim the Süper Lig title in 2018/19.

His stint in Turkey was evidence he was up to the level required, but the ongoing work permit issue would bring an abrupt end to his time on Merseyside – leaving Everton to join Monaco in a deal worth £12.5m, thus seeing the club making a £5.5m profit despite him never wearing the blue of the Toffees.

Henry Onyekuru's market value in 2024

Nearly five years on from his Goodison departure, the Nigerian forward is now plying his trade in Saudi Arabia for Al-Fayha, but he's seen a rapid drop in his value as a result.

Onyekuru is now only valued at £3.8m, as per Transfermarkt, a decrease of over £8m since he left Everton during the summer of 2019.

His subsequent value is now less than current Toffees centre-back Michael Keane, who is still worth £6m, despite only featuring for the club just nine times during the 2023/24 campaign.

Dele Alli

£4.3m

Michael Keane

£6m

Youssef Chermiti

£7.7m

Andre Gomes

£10.3m

The 31-year-old defender has endured a drop of his own since the club forked out £30m for his signature during the summer of 2017, in an attempt to catapult the club towards consistent European football.

However, the pair have both suffered drastically over the last couple of years, with Everton making the right decision in offloading the Nigerian striker, with his fee and wages going a long way to keep the club from further financial problems after their recent problems with the Premier League.

Everton hit gold on "sensational" ace who's now worth more than Pickford

He’s nailed down the starting role under Sean Dyche this season.

ByEthan Lamb May 8, 2024

تعرض مدرب منتخب مصر السابق المكسيكي خافيير أجيري، والمدير الفني الحالي لمنتخب المكسيك، إلي الاعتداء خلال مباراة منتخب بلاده أمام منافسه هندوراس ببطولة دوري أمم الكونكاكاف.

والتقي منتخبا المكسيك وهندوراس، صباح اليوم السبت، في ذهاب دور ربع النهائي من بطولة دوري أمم الكونكاكاف، وخسر منتخب المكسيك بهدفين دون رد.

وبعد انتهاء المباراة، تعرض أجيري إلى الضرب من قبل الجماهير، بإلقاء الزجاجات، لتصطدم إحداها برأس المدرب المكسيكي، ما تسبب في نزيف بالرأس.

طالع | فيديو | أجيري يتعرض لاعتداء وإصابة بنزيف في الرأس بعد خسارة المكسيك أمام هندوراس

وتواصل “بطولات” مع المكسيكي خافيير جوري المدرب المساعد لـ أجيري، الذي كان ضمن الجهاز الفني لـ منتخب مصر السابق معه أيضًا، موضحًا تفاصيل إصابة المدرب المكسيكي، حيث قال: “تواصلت مع أجيري واطمأنيت عليه، المشاهد المنتشرة بشأن إصابته كانت مرعبة”.

وأضاف: “أجيري حاليًا بحالة جيدة ومعنوياته مرتفعة، ما حدث لن يدفع أجيري للاستقالة، أجيري يركز على مباراة الإياب أمام هندوراس التي تقام يوم الأربعاء 20 نوفمبر”.

وأتم: “بشكل عام، أجيري لا يرغب في الرحيل عن المكسيك إلا بعد كأس العالم 2026”.

خافيير أجيري كان سبق له تولي تدريب منتخب مصر في عام 2019، وخسر من جنوب إفريقيا في دور الـ 16 وودع بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا التي أقيمت في مصر، حينها، ذلك كان في عهد هاني أبو ريدة رئيس الاتحاد المصري وقتها.

Another significant report has emerged regarding the potential takeover of Everton Football Club on Monday, with yet more concerning news coming the club's way.

Everton off-field latest

On the pitch, Sean Dyche's side picked up a welcome 2-0 victory at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, acting as a huge shot in the arm in the Premier League relegation battle. It was a massive step in the right direction, not to mention a welcome boost during a season that has seen so many obstacles to overcome.

Away from the action, Everton have had to deal with points deductions drama, initially seeing 10 points taken away, only to see that amount drop to six. Since then, another two points have been lopped off their tally in the league, although they are appealing that decision with the hope it will be reduced or erased.

If that wasn't bad enough, the ongoing saga surrounding 777 Partners' purchase of the Blues has also acted as an unwelcome distraction to on-field matters, with Everton's proposed next owners continually seeing their credentials called into doubt.

While the majority of supporters want to see Farhad Moshiri leave as the current owner, it would also be foolish to accept whichever buyer comes along. The longer the situation surrounding 777 Partners goes on, the more of a concern it feels, and a new update will do little to change that feeling.

Fresh Everton takeover blow

Taking to X on Monday, journalist David Hellier admitted that the takeover of Everton is in danger of falling through, with Deliotte struggling to find new financial backers: "The latest on Everton's 777 deal: Everton FC’s main financial adviser is scrambling to find new backers to save a takeover of the club by US investment firm 777 Partners amid fears that the deal could collapse, sources say."

In his article for Bloomberg, Hellier says that "Deloitte has been seeking fresh funding from sports-focused investors and lenders to get 777’s deal over the line", adding that behind scenes sources believe the "current preference is to attract a partner for 777 instead of getting an entirely different bidder".

This really does sum up Everton this season, with so little to shout about even when a positive result is picked up in the Premier League. It feels like one negative after another for anyone associated with the club, and at this point, many may simply wish to see the back of 777.

Even if their takeover does go through, there have been too many worrying updates regarding them to instill genuine confidence in the fanbase, but then there is the issue of having to go all the way back to square one if a different buyer is found.

Everton hit jackpot offloading Silva signing who cost them £19m in wages

He made 84 appearances for the Toffees.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 22, 2024

One day, the hope is that all these points deduction and takeover issues will have blown over, with Everton in a shiny new stadium and still in the Premier League, but for now, that still feels a long way off.

And breathe. What a game.

Chelsea looked destined for another shocking defeat in the Premier League last night as they let a two-goal lead slip to Manchester United – until Cole Palmer stepped up, that is.

Mauricio Pochettino must have a shrine to the young Englishman in his house because, at times, it feels like he's the only reason the Argentine still has a job.

That said, another Chelsea ace will be thanking their lucky stars that Manchester City sold the talented gem to the Blues last summer after their shocking performance last night.

Cole Palmer's performance vs Manchester United

He may not have opened the scoring for the Pensioners last night, but there can be no denying that it was the Palmer show once again.

The 21-year-old sensation doubled the west Londoners' lead in the 19th minute with an ice-cold penalty, restored parity with another one 81 minutes after that, and scored the winner courtesy of a Scott McTominay deflection just 60 seconds later.

It was an unreal performance from the Wythenshawe-dynamo and one fully deserving of the 10/10 the Standard's Nizaar Kinsella gave, who described his display as 'heroic.'

While his hat-trick will be the main topic of discussion – and rightly so – the rest of his game was equally impressive.

In his 103 minutes of action, he had five shots on target, won five of his eight duels, made two interceptions, created one big chance, played eight key passes, and took 74 touches.

Palmer's game vs United in numbers

Minutes

103'

Goals

3

Expected Goals

1.86

Expected Assists

0.42

Touches

74

Key Passes

8

Big Chances Created

1

Shots on Target

5

Shots Blocked

4

Duels (Won)

8 (5)

Interceptions

1

All Stats via Sofascore

In all, it was a masterful showing from the incredibly talented youngster and one that saved one of his teammates from significantly more flak.

Marc Cucurella's performance vs Manchester United

The dismally poor player in question is Marc Cucurella, who, despite looking decent at the start of the game, only further proved that he simply isn't good enough for the Blues.

The Spaniard was lively for the first 20 minutes or so, bombing up and down the byline and even winning the first penalty of the game, but as the match went on, his defensive fragilities came to the fore.

For example, in his 103 minutes of action, he lost six of his 11 duels, lost the ball 13 times, was dribbled past a whopping four times, committed one foul and managed a paltry passing accuracy of just 78%.

Cucurella's game vs United in numbers

Minutes

103'

Expected Goals

0.05

Expected Assists

0.02

Dribbled Past

4

Duels (Won)

11 (5)

Possession Lost

13

Fouls

1

Accurate Passes

35/35 (78%)

All Stats via Sofascore

Kinsella was particularly harsh on the former Brighton & Hove ace in his player ratings, writing that he was 'terrible defensively', blaming him for Alejandro Garnacho's second goal, and ultimately awarding him a 5/10, which might actually be too generous – especially for a full-back who lost out to Antony of all people.

Related Chelsea "monitoring" an "incredible" Poch upgrade who could be Jose 2.0

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 3, 2024

Ultimately, the 25-year-old was all over the place last night, and were it not for the herculean efforts of Palmer almost single-handedly winning the game for the Blues, he would have been in for an awful lot more criticism.

After his second-innings dismissal in the Pune Test, he lashed out at a solid object in frustration, resulting in a fracture

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2019

Aiden Markram had plenty on his mind after bagging a pair•BCCI

Aiden Markram has been ruled out of the third Test against India after fracturing his right wrist as he lashed out at solid object in frustration following his second-innings dismissal in the Pune Test.Watch cricket on ESPN+

India v South Africa is available in the US on Hotstar and ESPN+. Subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to the Ranchi Test.

Markram was given out lbw for a duck by the on-field umpire, and after a consultation with his opening partner Dean Elgar, he chose not to review the decision. However, replays showed the ball would have missed the leg stump.”A CT scan of Aiden Markram’s wrist showed a fracture involving the wrist bones,” team doctor Hashendra Ramjee said in a CSA press release. “The medical team has therefore ruled him out of the next Test match against India. Arrangements have been made for him to see a specialist on his return to South Africa for further management of the injury.”Markram has had a mixed tour of India. While he scored two hundreds in the practice games, he couldn’t carry forward his form into the Test series. After scoring 5 and 39 in the first Test in Visakhapatnam, he was dismissed for a pair in Pune.ALSO READ: Lockers, bread rolls, amateur barbers – cricket’s famous self-inflicted injuriesThe 25-year-old opener accepted he had let his team down. “It’s sad to be going home on this note and I completely understand what I’ve done wrong and take full accountability for it,” Markram said via the press release. “It’s unacceptable in a Proteas environment and to let the team down is what hurts me the most. I’ve learned a lot from this and the other players I’m sure, have learned from it as well.”We understand in sport that emotions run high and sometimes the frustration gets the better of you as it did for me, but like I said, it’s no excuse. I’ve taken full responsibility for it, I have apologised to the team and hopefully I can make it up to them and the people of South Africa soon.”Earlier this week, Mitchell Marsh too had fractured his right hand after punching the dressing room wall at the WACA following his dismissal in the Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania.The team management hasn’t called up any replacement for Markram who left for South Africa on Thursday morning. The third Test starts on October 19 in Ranchi.

Tottenham could be a part of one of the "biggest transfer stories" this summer as news comes out of N17 this week.

Lange making transfer plans to sign winger for Spurs

Technical director Johan Lange enjoyed quite the debut transfer window at Spurs in January, sealing early deals for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin before eventually helping the club to hijack Barcelona's move to Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall.

Ex-Tottenham scout thrilled as Spurs eye James Maddison-like move

The north Londoners have been told they’re targeting a player akin to their current star.

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The Dane is now making preparations for the summer window alongside Chief Football Officer Scott Munn, with ex-managing director Fabio Paratici also thought to be assisting Spurs on a consultancy basis.

Tottenham apparently want a star winger as their major signing of the next transfer window, leading to their reported interest in the likes of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze and Wolves winger Pedro Neto lately.

Fulham (away)

March 16th

Luton Town (home)

March 30th

West Ham (away)

April 2nd

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 8th

Newcastle United (away)

April 13th

This is despite the Lilywhites already possessing an abundance of quality out wide, with Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-min, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner all proving brilliant in recent weeks.

Spurs have the option to sign Werner permanently from RB Leipzig for around £15 million, so it will be interesting to see if they trigger that clause given the German's fine start to life in north London.

In any case, Ange Postecoglou's side do in fact end up going for another wide player, they have plenty of options – with pundit Paul Robinson telling Tottenham News that Eze would be a great capture.

“I think he’d be a great signing for Tottenham, I mean we’ve seen his qualities in the Premier League this season,” said Robinson.

"He’s 25, with his attacking prowess, he has the ability to play in the midfield but more of an attacking midfielder. You look at the options Tottenham have got in those areas, Brennan Johnson’s come in – would they have signed Eze last year ahead of Johnson? There’s an argument potentially they would have done if they could have done."

Tottenham to look at signing Nico Williams

Now, though, it appears another option for Spurs could be Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams.

The £43 million winger has bagged three goals and seven assists this season, with Chelsea and Arsenal thought to be real admirers. According to journalist Ryan Taylor of The Mirror, Spurs could look to sign Williams ahead of their London rivals, in what he describes as potentially one of the biggest transfer stories this summer.

The Spaniard looks set to be a hot commodity this summer, and his £43m release clause may well be a luring factor for Tottenham.

Leeds United made it an astounding seven victories in a row in the Championship on Tuesday night versus Swansea City, the long-winded trip to Wales made worthwhile by the Whites cruising to a 4-0 win.

Unsurprisingly, Crysencio Summerville bagged yet another goal for Daniel Farke's men against a leaky Swans side, but it was his partner on the opposite flank in Wilfried Gnonto who proved his worth again for the promotion-chasers in this one.

Bagging a brace – with his second goal on the night a coolly taken strike after a swift Leeds counter-attack – Gnonto sticking around at Elland Road instead of leaving this January could prove to be crucial for the West Yorkshire titans in their bid to win automatic promotion.

Signed for a price that now looks like a steal back in 2022, the tricky Italian forward will hope to fire Leeds to promotion back up to the Premier League before any more transfer talk surrounding him comes back up again.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer value when signing for Leeds

Leeds pulled off a bargain by managing to land Gnonto for just £3.8m two years ago, a masterful bit of business pulled off by Victor Orta when he was still pulling the strings at Elland Road.

Bagging goals for fun playing in the Inter Milan youth set-up before spreading his wings to join FC Zurich – scoring 14 times for the Italian giants in total as a teenager – Leeds did take a punt at the time gambling on the young prospect plying his trade in Switzerland.

Yet, it's a gamble that has worked with Gnonto even being touted for a move away to Everton at one point for a much higher price than the £3.8m the Whites paid at a jaw-dropping £25m.

Putting any bad blood behind him regarding the fact that he was unhappy at not being allowed to move on to a Premier League suitor, the 20-year-old – who was once referred to as a "diamond" by football scout Jacek Kulig – now has four goals in his last four games for Leeds to allow Farke's men to forget Daniel James' absence from the XI.

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?

When the time does come that Leeds might look to sell Gnonto on, they will be making a handsome profit on the skilful forward who has seen his transfer value soar off the back of his many heroics in West Yorkshire – thus proving one rare masterstroke of the Orta regime.

Wilfried Gnonto's transfer value in 2024

Gnonto was one silver lining from the dreadful relegation campaign Leeds endured last season, helping himself to two goals and four assists overall which included a strike away at Old Trafford in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United.

Now, with his importance being elevated in recent weeks with James out of action, Gnonto keeps bumping up his transfer value to make Leeds feel more and more smug about not offloading their once wantaway gem.

According to Football Transfers, Gnonto's value is now at an impressive €21.1m (£18m) which sees him become more of a prized asset for Leeds than Summerville, who is valued at a lesser €9.9m (£8.4m).

Farke will love the strength in depth he has at his disposal currently in attack, knowing that he can rely on Gnonto to be a nuisance going forward even when James is missing.

James did come on against Swansea to replace Gnonto in Wales, but the German boss in the Whites dug-out won't completely chuck the revitalised 20-year-old onto the periphery for good.

Rather, he'll see it as healthy competition for places with Gnonto turning around his Leeds career when at one point he was even refusing to play earlier in the season.