Com a vitória do Juventude sobre o Ceará, o Fortaleza precisava vencer o Santos, neste domingo (24), para não terminar a rodada na última posição do Campeonato Brasileiro. Porém, o empate sem gols na Arena Castelão trouxe uma nova frustração ao torcedor e também aos jogadores do Leão.
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>Confira o ranking da IFFHS com os 10 melhores times do mundo
O zagueiro Marcelo Benevenuto, ainda à beira do gramado, frisou a questão da quantidade de tentativas buscadas pelo Tricolor, chegando ao ponto de totalizar 27 finalizações.
Porém, da mesma forma que exaltou a dedicação, o defensor também colocou a necessidade da equipe ser mais eficiente em seu volume de jogo. Algo que pode igualmente ser traduzido em números além do empate sem gols, já que somente duas das 27 tentativas foram na direção da meta defendida por João Paulo.
– Está faltando ser eficiente. Tentamos, tentamos e tentamos. Temos que pedir desculpas para o torcedor. Infelizmente, não conseguimos fazer o gol. É continuar trabalhando, é o jeito. Trabalhar para ser mais eficiente, sair o gol e sair com a vitória. Estamos criando, até jogando bem, e não conseguimos fazer o gol. Vale mais jogar mal e ganhar, como foi contra o Atlético-GO – apontou o zagueiro.
“Indian team very, very disappointed they are not coming,” says president of Cricket Association for the Blind in India
PTI06-Dec-2022
Pakistan finished runners-up in the previous edition of the tournament•Getty Images
Pakistan’s cricket team has been denied visas to travel to India for the ongoing T20 World Cup for the Blind. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Pakistan Blind Cricket Council (PBCC) said that the team could not get clearance from the Ministry of External Affairs in India.”This unfortunate incident has left the Pakistan blind cricket team in the lurch,” the PBCC said. “It was highly likely that Pakistan and India would have locked horns in the final of ongoing World Cup and considering the current form of the Green Shirts, Pakistan had high chances to win the World Cup.”The PBCC said “it strongly condemns this discriminating act of India as sports should be above regional politics”.”Our counterpart in India pleaded with their government for Pakistan’s clearance but nothing was heard,” the statement said. “This discriminating act will have serious consequences on global blind cricket as we at the World Blind Cricket will take stern action against them and may not allow India to host future international events.””Indian team very, very disappointed they are not coming” Mahantesh GK, the president of Cricket Association for the Blind in India (CABI), told ESPNcricinfo that the hosts were “very, very disappointed” about the Pakistan team not making it to the tournament. “I heard from our colleagues from Pakistan that they didn’t couldn’t get the visas; they had received this afternoon a call from the Indian High Commission saying that they wouldn’t be able to process the visas,” Mahantesh said. “It is very, very unfortunate because yesterday we had the inauguration [of the tournament]. Pakistan are one of the best teams and we were keen to play with them. The Indian team is very, very disappointed that they are not coming.”India’s blind cricket team at the inauguration of this year’s tournament•Getty Images
Mahantesh said CABI had approached the concerned ministries in the Indian government – the Ministry of External Affairs, and the Ministry of Home Affairs – regarding facilitating the visas.CABI had been optimistic about the Pakistan team travelling to India for the World Cup, Mahantesh said, because they had played it India in 2012 and 2017. “But today when I heard Pakistan team had not got the clearance, it was a bit shocking.”CABI will release an updated schedule for the tournament. Pakistan were originally scheduled to play against India on Wednesday and the game could yet be rescheduled to December 9 or December 11, subject to visa clearance.Apart from India, the remaining participating teams are Bangladesh, Australia, Sri Lanka, Nepal and South Africa. Pakistan had finished second in the previous T20 World Cup for the Blind. The current tournament is being played from December 5 to 17, in Faridabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Indore and Bengaluru, where the final will be held.
O Botafogo superou episódios conturbados para conquistar uma importante vitória contra o São Paulo. Na quarta-feira, torcedores foram ao Espaço Lonier para protestar aos então resultados ruins que a equipe vinha tendo. O elenco não se deixou abalar e, com uma nova postura, se superou.
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+ LANCE! tem acesso a imagens exclusivas de torcedores do Botafogo pulando muro para invadir CT
A união fez a diferença. Um forte abraço de Joel Carli em Kayque ao final da partida no centro do gramado do Estádio Nilton Santos provou que o triunfo valeu muito mais que os três pontos. O zagueiro, que atuou pela primeira vez como titular no Brasileirão, praticamente desabafou em forma de um gesto com o volante.
O grupo se fechou em busca do resultado. O Alvinegro teve cinco desfalques durante a semana para a partida, o que obrigou Luís Castro a mudar o esquema. Deu certo: justamente a presença de três zagueiros foi fundamental para travar o ímpeto do São Paulo. Mais do que isso, para passar uma borracha no que aconteceu.
– Não… isso (invasão) não nos motiva, é uma ilusão. Já falei sobre o tema antes, então o assunto está encerrado. Já tive oportunidade de dizer que o Campeonato Brasileiro talvez seja o mais difícil do mundo. É uma pena que o Brasil não venda bem o seu campeonato. Está na hora de nos juntarmos para vender um dos melhores campeonatos do mundo – afirmou Luís Castro após a partida.
+ VEJA A TABELA DO BRASILEIRÃO
-Luís (Castro) decidiu pela mudança de esquema, tivemos alguns desfalques no departamento médico, e a partir daí eu falo que nosso grupo não são sempre os onze titulares, trabalha-se muito forte durante a semana. Quando há alguma ausência, isso faz com que o time não sinta tanta dificuldade. Isso é determinante. Ontem (quinta) foi um time que não estava com essa sequência de jogo e conseguimos controlar a partida, isso acontece quando trabalhamos bem na semana – valorizou Joel Carli.
A equipe alvinegra se sobressaiu muito pela nova postura e a forma como se adaptou ao jogo do São Paulo, algo que não apareceu antes com Luís Castro. A vitória tirou o Glorioso da zona de rebaixamento, calmou os ânimos e sacudiu a poeira.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has been blasted by fans for a "categorically unacceptable season" following Saturday's defeat to Bournemouth.
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Arsenal fans not happy with OdegaardCaptain criticised for performances this seasonGunners up against PSG nextFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Arsenal dropped points again on Saturday as Mikel Arteta's side were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth. Odegaard was at fault for Bournemouth's winner, after allowing Evanilson to get the wrong side of him, and came in for criticism from supporters afterwards.
AdvertisementWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING
Supporter @joojobryte posted on X: "Arteta needs to start benching this dude, he does more talking off the pitch than playing football."
And @LFCRayy added: "The most washed arsenal player playing the strong mentality card is insane to me."
Elsewhere, Arsenal fan @aliladiere was not happy at all, posting: "I just don’t get how you can go the whole season of Arsenal Football Club and be as poor as Odegaard has been. They need to tell us if something is going on cos this is categorically unacceptable."
Another Gooner, D@EideballHater99, said: "Odegaard is either giving the ball away or making a 5 yard sideways pass to Saka, this guy provides absolutely no value to this team on the pitch."
And @Bxshhyy posted: "Odegaard why are you scared to shoot the ball bro I promise it won’t blow up."
WHAT ODEGAARD SAID
Odegaard spoke of his disappointment after the final whistle. He told Sky Sports: "Massive disappointment. I think we started the game pretty well. We got the goal and felt like we controlled pretty much everything, but they score and we lose control of the game. We never find the rhythm after that, it is too chaotic and too sloppy from us. The second half is not acceptable. We have to move on as we have a massive game coming up. We have to get ready for that and analyse this game as well. This is what we want – we want to compete in every competition. We wanted to come here and do a good game and win, but that wasn't the case."
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Odegaard's form has been in the spotlight throughout the campaign. The captain has just two goals and seven assists this season in the Premier League, a big difference from the 15 goals he managed in 2022-23 and the 10 assists he conjured up last term. The Norwegian also struggled in the Champions League semi-final first leg against PSG and his form will be a major concern for Mikel Arteta going into the return. The Arsenal boss has called up his team to use the "anger, frustration and rage" from the Bournemouth loss as motivation against PSG and will hope Odegaard can step up.
There are rumours that Everton could be re-signing Richarlison right at the end of the January transfer window.
Everton transfer news
It looks as though the Blues will complete the permanent signing of Carlos Alcaraz from Brazilian side Flamengo before deadline day reached its conclusion, with Fabrizio Romano taking to X to report the news.
“Everton are completing all details of Charly Alcaraz deal from Flamengo, it will get done tonight. €15m plus add-ons on loan with obligation to buy to be activated only in case of high number of starts.”
Carlos Alcaraz for Flamengo.
Everton also made a move to sign West Brom midfielder Tom Fellows on Monday, bidding £15m for his services. The Baggies have held firm, however, not wanting to allow one of their most influential players to leave midway through the season. The 21-year-old could now be a summer target instead, but he is going nowhere for now.
The Blues were also thought to be pursuing a move for Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi, seeing him as a player who could give David Moyes more attacking quality in the Premier League, but that ship appears to have sailed.
Sky man drops Richarlison to Everton reaction
Writing in response to a fan on X on Monday evening, Alan Myers claimed that “anything is possible” when quizzed about rumours of Richarlison joining Everton at the eleventh hour.
It goes without saying that it is unlikely that Richarlison will be back at Everton late in the day, but it is interesting to see Myers fail to completely rule it out. With Tottenham suffering huge injury problems all over the pitch this season, it would make little sense allowing the Brazilian to move on, weakening their squad further.
A return to Goodison Park would likely be met with some positivity from many Everton supporters, however, considering he was a popular figure during his first stint there, scoring 53 goals in 152 appearances – an impressive return in a team that was often struggling in the Premier League.
Carlo Ancelotti is one of the leading managers of his generation and he was always an admirer of the 27-year-old during his time in charge at Goodison Park, saying: “He is a modern and complete forward, not very sharp on his feet but coordinated and with great synchronization in the area. He is also strong with his head, although he is not a giant. For me, he is among the best forwards.”
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A bid has been tabled and they’ve received a response.
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In Alcaraz, Everton look set to make an exciting signing, with the 22-year-old a long-term addition who could add quality and energy in the middle of the park, and bringing back Richarlison would be a surprise bonus but perhaps a move to look forward to in the summer.
Leeds United are currently top of the Championship table and know that a win over Norwich City at Elland Road on Wednesday night will ensure that they remain there.
The Whites are aiming to secure promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking after they fell short in the play-offs after finishing third in the division in the 2023/24 campaign.
Daniel Farke’s side will want to avoid going through the lottery of the play-offs and they moved one step closer to automatic promotion with a 3-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in West Yorkshire last time out.
Goals from Manor Solomon, Largie Ramazani, and Ao Tanaka secured all three points for the Whites in their clash with the Owls on Sunday.
Despite the club’s excellent position in the Championship, Leeds may still look to utilise the January transfer window to bolster their squad before it slams shut at the start of next month.
In fact, the West Yorkshire outfit are reportedly in the market to add another attacking player to their squad before the window officially closes.
Leeds eyeing deal for new striker
According to The Lower Tiers, an account dedicated to EFL content, Leeds are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign St. Gallen centre-forward Willem Geubbels this month.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The report claims that the French striker has impressed for the Swiss side this season and has attracted interest from several clubs in England, who are now eyeing up moves for his services.
It states that Leeds, Sheffield United, and Burnley – three of the teams vying to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League – are all considering bids to sign the 23-year-old dynamo to bolster their respective attacks.
The report does not reveal how much St. Gallen would demand for their star striker, however, so it remains to be seen how much money the Whites would need to splash out to land his signature.
Geubbels is valued at around £4m by Transfermarkt, which may provide a rough idea as to his worth, but the Swiss outfit could demand more if they do not want to sell their main man midway through the season during the January transfer window.
Leeds should not be deterred by this, though, because the St. Gallen number nine could come in to improve Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch, as an upgrade on current Whites striker Mateo Joseph, in particular.
Mateo Joseph's form this season
The Spain U21 international was used sparingly by the German head coach in the 2023/24 campaign during his first season of semi-regular first-team football.
Joseph made all 20 of his Championship appearances as a substitute and contributed with one goal, whilst being behind the likes of Georgino Rutter, Patrick Bamford, and Joel Piroe in the pecking order at Elland Road.
Rutter’s move to Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer and Bamford’s regression to being a back-up option in the squad has provided the academy graduate with an opportunity to stake a claim for his place in the starting XI this season.
The 21-year-old whiz has started 11 of his 27 appearances in the Championship so far this term but has been the second-choice behind Piroe for the most part, due to his struggles in front of goal in the second tier.
24/25 Championship
xG
Goals
xG differential
Mateo Joseph
4.86
2
-2.86
Patrick Bamford
1.91
0
-1.91
Wilfried Gnonto
5.45
4
-1.45
Pascal Struijk
3.98
3
-0.98
Ethan Ampadu
0.83
0
-0.83
Stats via WhoScored
As you can see in the table above, no other player in the Leeds squad has underperformed against their Expected Goals tally by more than Joseph, who has only scored twice from 4.86 xG worth of chances.
This shows that the team have created plenty of high-quality opportunities for the Spanish striker to find the back of the net, only to be let down by his wasteful finishing more often than not.
With this in mind, Leeds could find an upgrade on the misfiring youngster by swooping to sign Geubbels from St. Gallen before the end of the January transfer window to come in and compete with Piroe for a starting berth in the side in the second half of the season.
Why Leeds should sign Willem Geubbels
The 23-year-old star’s form in the Swiss Super League so far in the 2024/25 campaign suggests that the potential is there for him to come in and improve Farke’s options at the top end of the pitch.
RangersJournal writer and content creator Kai Watson described Geubbels as a “powerful” and “quick” attacker who can use his pace on the last line to get in behind and cause defenders problems, which could make him an ideal alternative to Piroe, who lacks the athleticism to stretch defences.
The former Monaco and Lyon whiz has backed his physical attributes up with technical quality in the final third in recent seasons, with a return of eight goals and nine ‘big chances’ created in 26 starts in the Swiss Super League last term.
Geubbels has followed that up with an impressive first half of the current league campaign with St. Gallen, as he has once again proven himself to be adept at scoring and creating goals from a centre-forward position.
24/25 season
Joseph (Championship)
Geubbels (Super League)
Appearances
27
13
Goals
2
6
Big chances missed
6
2
Conversion rate
6%
21%
Big chances created
4
4
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the French dynamo has provided far more quality in the final third at league level in comparison to Joseph, with more goals and fewer ‘big chances’ created in 14 fewer appearances.
These statistics suggest that Geubbels is a better finisher than the Spanish forward, given his vastly superior conversion rate, and that could mean that he has a better chance of making the most of the quality opportunities that Leeds have been creating this season.
Leeds have hit gold with "explosive" star who's worth more than Louie Barry
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Therefore, Leeds should push to beat Burnley and Sheffield United to the 23-year-old star’s signature before the end of the January transfer window.
Arsenal have now made an approach over potentially signing a South American sensation, as manager Mikel Arteta holds behind-the-scenes transfer meetings with the club’s hierarchy about how the team can be improved before February 3.
Mikel Arteta shares January transfer update at Arsenal
Speaking in his latest pre-match press conference this afternoon, Arteta shared an update on their January transfer plans, and fresh faces remain a real possibility.
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The Spaniard has consistently refused to rule out incoming transfers this month, but it will depend on opportunities and whether they can seriously upgrade Arsenal’s current options. Arteta has also confirmed discussions with Emirates Stadium higher-ups over recruitment, hinting there have been internal N5 conversations over possible January deals.
“We always have discussions with the ones above about how we can improve the team,” said Arteta on the January window, ahead of their FA Cup clash against Man United this weekend.
Tottenham (home)
January 15
Aston Villa (home)
January 18
Wolves (away)
January 25
Man City (home)
February 2
Leicester City (away)
February 1
“It’s always a possibility, if it’s somebody that is going to make us much better. We have certain limitations, and we have lots of gaps and things you have to cover.
“It’s also about the players and whether you can afford them. I have so much support from the board, I continue to have it. To win the maximum amount of football matches in the way we want to play.
“That support continues to be there, but we have our limitations.”
Arsenal manager MikelArtetacelebrates after the match
Arsenal are weighing up new wide options they could sign in January, with star forward Bukayo Saka out until March after undergoing hamstring surgery. There are also some suggestions that interim sporting director Jason Ayto has his eyes on new strikers, with an Arsenal enquiry allegedly made for Aston Villa starlet Jhon Duran (CaughtOffside).
Thomas Partey and Jorginho are also out of contract at the end of this season as well, as things stand at least – motivating Arsenal to scour the market for potential new midfielders.
Arsenal make contact over signing Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes
Wolves star Joao Gomes, who has performed superbly at Molineux over the past 24 months, is rumoured to be on their agenda.
Since signing for Vitor Pereira’s side for £15 million from Flamengo in January 2023, the Brazilian has earned his first international caps in the famous yellow, green and blue jersey – whilst also starting 32 Premier League games and averaging more tackles per 90 than any other Wolves player last season (WhoScored).
The 23-year-old’s stellar form has put him on the radar of elite English sides, and according to journalist Rudy Galetti on X, Arsenal have made an enquiry over signing Gomes to ask for information on a potential transfer.
The starlet is rumoured by other media outlets to command an asking price of around £50 million, according to other reports, but Galetti’s sources state that it would take a mammoth offer to sway Wolves into doing business this month.
Gomes has been called a “super talent” by former Wolves boss Gary O’Neil, and he’s also said to be attracting interest from Tottenham, Man United and Liverpool.
Manchester City have a Nottingham Forest star on their wishlist with Pep Guardiola looking to revamp his side in the January transfer market, according to a new report.
Manchester City latest news
City won just their second Premier League win in 10 games on Sunday as they beat Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium. In what was Pep Guardiola’s 500th game in charge, City took the lead in the 21st minute through summer signing Savinho, who followed up Phil Foden’s parried shot to fire in his first goal for his new club. Erling Haaland then scored his first goal in four games late in the second half to complete the scoring.
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Man City will be hoping to return to winning ways in the Premier League today
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Though the win wasn’t enough to lift City back into the top four and still leaves them 14 points behind league leaders Liverpool, Guardiola was a very relieved figure.
“Today we won, we needed it to clear our minds and souls and see we can win games,” he said, adding: “More than happiness, it’s the relief.
“I never thought it would be difficult to win one single game. Maybe it’s good, you have to win a game to come back to what you are going to do .Maybe it wasn’t expected but the most important is the relief and hopefully we can go to the games with another face.”
Manchester City want Forest's Ola Aina
After what has been a difficult first half of the season, Guardiola is reportedly looking to bolster his squad in the New Year, and according to The Sun, Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina is on his wishlist.
Aina has impressed for Forest since joining them in 2023 after being released by Serie A side Torino. This term, he’s scored twice in 19 Premier League games and has been praised for his dynamic performances down the right flank.
The Sun claim that Forest, who are near the top of the table, are keen to tie Aina down to a new contract, and that the Nigeria international isn’t looking to move away from the City Ground anytime soon. The newspaper also says, however, that Aina would find interest from City “hard to ignore”.
City see the 28-year-old as a potential replacement for Kyle Walker, who has struggled for form this season and will turn 35 years old in May.
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Earlier this year, Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo highlighted the significance of Forest retaining Aina, highlighting his outstanding contributions over the past year-and-a-half.
“Ola Aina has been exceptional since joining us,” he said. “We’re eager to secure his future with the club.”
Tottenham have now closed the door on a potential mid-season exit for one of Ange Postecoglou’s stars, it has been reported, with the club no longer interested in a parting of ways.
Tottenham searching for answers
A 6-3 thrashing at the hands of Premier League leaders Liverpool left Tottenham in the bottom half of the Premier League over Christmas. At almost the halfway point of the campaign, Postecoglou’s side have now lost more games than they have won, and are now a mammoth eight points off the top four, while they are still four points behind Manchester City despite City having won just one of their last eight league games, a run that included a 4-0 thrashing by Tottenham.
The north Londoners face a series of tough games ahead too, with a trip to Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day followed by games against Wolves and Newcastle before a cup tie against Liverpool and a north London derby.
Nottingham Forest (Away)
Wolves (Home)
Newcastle United (Home)
Arsenal (Away)
Everton (Away)
Though Postecoglou is not believed to be under any imminent pressure, a failure to change the trajectory of the season could force Daniel Levy and co. into a change of manager.
Spurs are expected to be active in January as they look for solutions, with a new defender an absolute must for the north London side, while they could also do with more firepower in attack given the long-term injury to summer signing Wilson Odobert. However, they have now shut the door on a potential departure.
Tottenham refuse sale in January
That comes according to Brazilian outlet Ge.Globo [Via Sport Witness], who point to Richarlison as the player in question. The Tottenham no.9 is yet to start a Premier League game this season, with injuries restricting him to just five appearances from the bench, totalling just 88 minutes of action.
The Brazilian still has two and a half years left to run on his £90,000 a week deal in north London, but there had been suggestions that Spurs were ready to cut their losses on the £50m signing.
The latest report claims that “Tottenham met with Fluminense on Friday to discuss the forward” after Tottenham “had made it clear they were open to offers” for the Brazil international. For their part Fluminense had already publicly stated their admiration for the 27-year-old, with club president Mario Bittencourt telling the media “what is certain is that we have expressed formal interest in Richarlison”.
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However, it is now claimed that the Brazilian side “did not receive a positive response” when they met Tottenham representatives on Friday, as Tottenham don’t “intend to negotiate about him in January”.
Of course, a mid-season exit was always unlikely given the price tag that would have likely been required for Spurs to part ways with Richarlison, who when fit is a key part of Postecoglou’s attack and the only recognised senior alternative to Dominic Solanke.
Given his fitness issues though, Tottenham cutting their losses in the future would not come as a massive surprise to anyone, and Fluminense could reignite their interest then.
After the failure to win promotion last season, there’s undoubtedly added pressure on Daniel Farke to end Leeds United’s two-year absence from the Premier League this campaign.
The 48-year-old has previous experience of being a success in the Championship, winning the title on two separate occasions in charge of former side Norwich City.
Whilst his third-place finish may have been disappointing to many, he’s returned in 2024/25 with a vengeance, producing some phenomenal results with the Whites currently occupying top spot after 17 matches.
The German has instilled a winning mentality at Elland Road as they try and return to the top flight, as seen during his 72 matches at the helm, winning 40 and losing just 16 as he looks to make it a hat-trick of triumphs in England’s second tier.
However, he’s faced adversity along the way, losing three of his best players last season in the form of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Archie Gray, but he’s managed to replace them with talents who are way too good for the current division.
Farke’s best transfers as Leeds manager
Since his appointment last summer following relegation, Farke has made his mark on the squad, making subtle adaptations to the side but to great effect, as demonstrated by their current league standing.
Despite primarily being a central midfielder, youngster Gray often featured at right-back, leaving a huge hole after his departure, which saw Jayden Bogle arrive from Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United.
Jayden Bogle
The 24-year-old joined for a fee in the region of £5m – a bargain given his phenomenal start to life at Elland Road.
Bogle, who is a product of Derby County’s academy, has started 16 of the 17 league outings so far during his time at the club, scoring twice and assisting once despite his defensive role.
He’s been part of a backline that has kept ten clean sheets to date, playing a crucial part at both ends of the pitch in Farke’s hunt for promotion once again.
The £7m deal to sign utility man Ethan Ampadu from Chelsea now looks to be a bargain too, with the Wales international starting every single Championship outing during his maiden campaign in Yorkshire.
Ampadu took the armband for multiple games, operating as part of the backline or even at the base of the midfield, with his performances earning him a spot in the PFA Championship Team of the Season.
Whilst he’s missed a large chunk of the ongoing season after a knee issue, it’s a scary prospect to imagine him starring alongside Ao Tanaka – undoubtedly creating the best double pivot in the division.
However, it’s another one of the signings during the most recent window that has caught the eye, impressing in a variety of matches, leading to comparisons to an elite-level star.
Leeds star is now similar to a £100m player
Winger Largie Ramazani was handed the mammoth task of replacing fan-favourite Summerville after his £25m move to Premier League outfit West Ham United during the off-season.
The Belgian arrived in a £10m deal from Spanish side Almeria after their relegation from LaLiga, already making an immediate impact in England’s second tier after his big-money move.
The 23-year-old has been restricted to just eight appearances after a recent injury lay-off, but he’s still managed to notch three goals and an assist – a goal contribution in every other game he’s appeared in.
His pace and direct dribbling have caught the eye, but he’s also added the final product at the end of his mazy runs, making him a nightmare for any defender who tries to get in the way of his path.
Ramazani’s subsequent form under Farke has led to a comparison by FBref, ranking the youngster as a similar player to England international Jarrod Bowen, who was valued at £100m during the recent window.
Whilst on the face of it, the comparison between the pair may seem a little unreasonable given his short time in England, the Leeds forward has actually bettered the 27-year-old in various key areas – highlighting what an impressive addition he’s already been.
Games played
8
12
Goals & assists
4
6
Goals & assists per 90
0.85
0.51
Progressive carries
4.1
3.9
Progressive passes
4.8
4
Shots on target
1.4
0.9
Goals per shot on target
0.5
0.2
Pass accuracy
75%
70%
He may have registered fewer combined goals and assists compared to Bowen in recent months, but the Whites attacker has averaged a better contribution per 90 record than the big-money talent.
Ramazani has also completed more progressive carries and progressive passes per 90, further demonstrating the threat he carries with the ball at his feet.
It may only be early days into his career in English football, but the former Manchester United academy star has wasted no time in capturing the hearts of the supporters with his displays on the pitch.
Largie Ramazani
Come the end of the campaign, he could have a huge say in whether they will be playing top-flight football once again, potentially taking his game to the next level under Farke’s guidance, which could result in another huge profit for the hierarchy down the line.
After Luton: Leeds must drop 6/10 ace who Farke thought was "unbelievable"
Leeds sealed an incredibly comfortable victory over Luton on Wednesday evening.