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Liverpool have to look forward.

This window has been extremely damaging to the Reds’ reputation. The scattered approaches for Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo have been damning indictments of the club’s unsuccessful transfer strategy, which has left the club scrambling for options.

The focus on the midfield misgivings has directed attention away from a lack of defensive depth, with is another pivotal issue that must be resolved.

As a result, Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing someone to sort that very problem.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

According to Football Insider, Torino star Perr Schuurs is set to reappear on Liverpool’s radar as Jurgen Klopp searches for defensive reinforcements.

After losing pursuit of other targets – with Micky van de Ven joining Tottenham Hotspur and Goncalo Inacio penning a new deal with Sporting CP.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Meanwhile, Schuurs, who could cost up to £30m, is viewed as a ‘realistically priced option’ for the Merseysiders.

Moreover, a well-placed source told Football Insider that Liverpool captain and compatriot Virgil van Dijk is ‘well aware’ of his quality and is a ‘big fan’ of the 23-year-old.

What is Perr Schuurs' strengths

The Dutchman has been at Torino since 2022 and made 30 Serie appearances for the Italians last season. In that time, Schuurs averaged 3.2 clearances per game, 1.7 tackles per game, only dribbled past 0.4 times per game, won 55% of his duels, completed 77% of his dribbles, and didn’t make any errors leading to an opposition shot or goal.

Schuurs’ commendable numbers mean he also ranks impressively across the continent as he sits within the top 18% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for successful take-ons per 90, as well as the highest 22% for tackles per 90.

The centre-back has previously been hailed as a “great Dutch Talent” by former Premier League winner Marc Overmars after the youngster spent four years at Ajax.

A player of this profile and potential is a sensible upgrade for Joe Gomez, who after eight years at Anfield, has struggled for form and consistency.

Some of this has been out of the 26-year-old’s control, as due to persistent injury issues, he has missed a mammoth 233 games through injury, which has seen him fluctuate within the pecking order.

Prior to the current season, in the last three Premier League campaigns, the former Charlton Athletic prodigy has featured just 36 times, but when he played has looked shaky and unconvincing.

Alan Shearer has reinforced this perspective, saying: “Joe Gomez makes too many mistakes. Virgil van Dijk does not look comfortable when he’s alongside him. You always feel [they] are going to give something away when Gomez is playing.”

With Liverpool aiming to retake their rightful place back in the top four, whilst also juggling Europa League football, Klopp must be afforded the most dependable players, and Gomez, unfortunately, doesn’t fall into this category.

Whilst Van Dijk and Ibrahim Konate are likely to remain as the German’s first-choice defensive pairing, the "mountain" that is Schuurs – as dubbed by reporter Josh Bunting – can provide an impeccable piece of depth in a more reliable manner than Gomez.

Journalist Neil Jones has provided an update on Liverpool's pursuit of a defensive midfielder this summer.

The club are still yet to buy a defensive midfielder this window after selling Fabinho earlier this window

What is the latest Liverpool transfer news?

It has been a crazy last five days in the market for Liverpool

The Club thought they had finally found their solution to their defensive midfield late Thursday night when they agreed a British record £110m fee with Brighton for Ecuadorian Moises Caicedo. However, the player turned down a move to Anfield on Friday, stating that he only wanted to join Chelsea, where he ultimately moved to for £115m on Monday.

The club then switched their attention back to Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, who they'd previously seen three bids rejected for this summer. However, the Belgian was left feeling as he was the Reds "second choice" option according to reports and ultimately opted to follow in Caicedo's footsteps and turn down Liverpool in favour of a switch to Stamford Bridge.

The club are now scrambling, having missed out on their top targets, and are being linked with a whole host of names including Crystal Palace's Cheick Doucoure, Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, Fulham's Joao Palhinha and more, however all these options may be more expensive than first thought due to there being just over two weeks left in the window

Speaking on his YouTube channel, journalist Jones stated that he believes the club could consider moves for French duo Khephren Thuram and Manu Kone, who were considered by the club earlier in the window. This is due to the fact that the groundwork has already been laid with these deals:

"There are Khephren Thuram, who was looked at earlier in the summer, and Manu Kone who was looked at earlier in the summer, Thuram of Nice and Kone of Monchengladbach, players who I think a lot of people were on board with as potential targets.

"Thuram went quiet once it was confirmed that Szoboszlai was coming in to Liverpool, it felt like Thuram’s chances diminished significantly, but could that interest be revived? I think there’s a possibility given the fact that they like the player, the fact that the player should be available and the fact that they should have done a lot of groundwork with the player."

Which players should Liverpool move for?

Kone and Thuram are potentially not the type of midfielders the Merseyside club should be moving for.

Both of them are used to being deployed in more advanced roles for their current sides, whilst Liverpool have already filled that void this summer with the signings of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from Brighton and RB Leipzig respectively. The Reds really need a player who can partner Trent Alexander-Arnold in the base of the midfield and break up opposition attacks before offloading the ball to his midfield partners to create.

Palhinha would be a strong option. The Portuguese international impressed in his first season in the Premier League following his move from Sporting Lisbon, leading the league in tackles made with 147, which was comfortably the best total in the league, with Caicedo coming in second with just 100. However, his age of 28 may stop the Reds from making a move for him, as they may want a younger option who can develop with the rest of the team. According to reports, the defensive midfielder would set the Merseyside club back around €60m (£51.3m).

Another good option would be Doucoure. The Mali international won Crystal Palace's fan's player of the year for his performances last season, and was key in the Eagles midfield as they went on to record an 11th place finish. The former RC Lens man averaged 2.3 tackles per game, the highest amount of any player in the Palace team, and also ranked in the top 3% for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers. Being just 23 years old, he may be seen as a better fit with the transfer policy at the club, and would reportedly cost less than £60m according to Miguel Delaney.

Aston Villa were recently hit with a devasting injury blow to Argentina international Emiliano Buendia ahead of the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign…

What's the latest on Emi Buendia's injury?

Villans head coach Unai Emery recently confirmed that the former Norwich City winger is set to be out of action for up to eight months, and at least six, after damaging his knee in training earlier this month.

The 26-year-old wizard, who scored three goals during pre-season, is now in danger of missing the majority, if not the entirety, of the season as he recovers from this horrific injury.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

This has left the Spanish manager with a creative hole to fill within his squad as Villa must now plan for life without the talented magician.

Who could Villa replace Emi Buendia with?

It was recently reported that the Villans are considering a swoop to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho, who has been valued at around £60m, and sporting director Monchi could make him the dream replacement for Buendia this summer.

The injured Villa star has produced nine goals and eight assists across his two Premier League seasons with the club but Emery may have been hoping that this would be a breakthrough year for the exciting maestro, as his previous form for Norwich indicates that he has the potential to make a greater impact at the top end of the pitch.

Buendia registered an outstanding 15 goals and 16 assists in 38 Championship outings during the 2020/21 campaign, which came after he managed seven assists and 2.3 key passes per game for the Canaries in the top-flight the previous year.

No Villa player produced more than seven assists or 1.2 key passes per match last term and this suggests that the potential was there for the Argentine gem to be a standout performer if he could hit his top level.

Sancho, like Buendia, is a creative winger who has not showcased the best of his abilities in recent seasons. The England international has only scored nine goals provided six assists in 55 Premier League matches for United.

However, his performances for Borussia Dortmund were outstanding and Emery could hope to unlock the 23-year-old sensation by bringing him to Villa Park.

The former Manchester City prospect proved himself to be a lethal attacking threat as he notched 38 goals and 51 assists in 104 Bundesliga games for Dortmund, which included at least 12 league assists in each of his last three years in Germany.

Sancho, whose ability was dubbed "frightening" by ex-teammate Jude Bellingham, averaged at least 2.1 key passes per match across those final three campaigns as he displayed his ability to consistently open up opposition defences in order to create chances for his teammates.

The Red Devils whiz, who achieved double figures for goals and assists in two Bundesliga seasons with Dortmund, has the quality to be a fantastic option for Emery at the top end of the pitch, if he can rediscover his form from his time in Germany.

Therefore, Monchi could land a dream replacement for the injured Buendia by completing a swoop for the £60m-rated dynamo before next month's deadline.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsA historic Test match was dealt a humiliating conclusion under the Edgbaston floodlights, as West Indies crumbled to one of the most spineless defeats in their long and once-proud history. By losing 19 wickets for 261 runs in the space of 76.4 overs, they were shot out twice in the day for scores of 168 and 137, the margin of their innings defeat – 209 – still greater than either of their efforts with the bat.For the record, James Anderson, with 3 for 34, was the pick of England’s bowlers in the first innings, while Stuart Broad claimed identical figures to be the star performer in the second. In crushing West Indies’ middle order with a spell of 3 for 4 in 11 balls after tea, Broad surged past Ian Botham’s tally of 383 Test wickets to claim second place behind Anderson on England’s all-time list. Not since Trueman and Statham were last in harness in 1963 had both chart-toppers been present in the same England team, and Anderson, who now has 491 to his name, must fancy his chances of ticking off another remarkable milestone in next week’s second Test at Headingley.But frankly, any of England’s bowlers could have taken the top billing in this contest. Only Jermaine Blackwood, with a defiant and at times bombastic 79 not out in the first innings, and Kraigg Brathwaite, with a sheet-anchor 40 in the second, found any means to resist an attack that used the conditions well but were never required to stretch themselves to assert their authority.

England unchanged for Headingley

England squad: Joe Root (capt), James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook, Mason Crane, Dawid Malan, Moeen Ali, Toby Roland-Jones, Ben Stokes, Mark Stoneman, Tom Westley, Chris Woakes

In the absence of any meaningful contest out in the middle, the fancy-dressed hordes in the Hollies Stand settled for making their own entertainment – most notably during the afternoon, when their entire focus turned from the pink ball in the middle to a black-and-white inflatable version that had been confiscated by a steward. They eventually got their ball back, to a huge cheer. West Indies’ bowlers, on the other hand, never got close to being called upon again.An air of farce hung over the day from the moment of the first delivery, which Anderson sent down at 1.30pm – half-an-hour earlier than scheduled due to the rain on the second evening. And yet, no sooner had the ball left his hand than the heavens opened and the players fled the field. But far from being the start of a great West Indian escape, it merely postponed the inevitable as far as Anderson was concerned. With his fifth ball of the resumption, he found wicked lift from a good length for Ben Stokes in the gully to snaffle a spliced edge. Kyle Hope, who had hung around with rare intent on the second afternoon, was gone without addition.Stuart Broad bowled Shane Dowrich to move second on England’s all-time list•Getty Images

It was the beginning of the end and the day had barely begun. At precisely the same time, a few miles up the M6, Manchester United were busy smashing three goals in five minutes to see off the challenge of Swansea City, and it’s hard to say which trio came thicker and faster as West Indies’ wickets tumbled like stricken defenders. Kieran Powell ran himself out in the next over, pinged out by a direct hit from Anderson at mid-off, before Roston Chase was beaten by an Anderson nipbacker and bowled off the inside edge for an 11-ball duck.At 47 for 4, Blackwood and Shai Hope came out swinging, but Hope in particular never looked like enduring. A fat-inside edge off Toby Roland-Jones smashed his stumps for 15, and Roland-Jones doubled his tally when Shane Dowrich attempted a shockingly ill-advised clip through the leg-side that missed his bat by a mile and pinned him dead in front of middle.Jason Holder played a futile game of waft-and-miss against the offspin of Moeen Ali – a thin edge to the keeper, revealed on review, was the inevitable upshot – and when Kemar Roach missed a drive at Broad to lose his off stump for 5, West Indies had lost seven wickets for 101 in the morning session alone.It was abject and dispiriting, but at least Blackwood could hold his head high. With the sort of calypso flourish that seems almost poignantly rare these days, he bashed his way to a 49-ball fifty, including two eye-catching sixes off Moeen, and had made it 79 from 76 before he ran out of partners. Alzarri Joseph hung around as best he could, enduring for 17 balls before Broad thumped his pads to send him on his way lbw for 6. And then, with a century just about in his sights, Blackwood attempted desperately to keep the strike at the end of Anderson’s 15th over, but Tom Westley at midwicket beat the floundering Miguel Cummins with a direct hit.Joe Root immediately signalled to the West Indies dressing room that they should get their pads back on, and it took Anderson until his third over to get back in the wickets, as Powell fenced to Alastair Cook at slip for 10. All Hope was lost when Kyle and Shai fell in quick succession to Roland-Jones and Stokes respectively, and though Brathwaite bedded in with dignity, he too joined the procession on the stroke of tea as he played back to Moeen to be adjudged lbw on review.After that, it was a question of when, not if, the match would be over in the space of three days. Blackwood’s charge-and-miss against Moeen confirmed that he wouldn’t be the one delaying matters for a second time, while Broad made damn sure of a day on the golf course with a surgical strike on the lower middle order. Dowrich and the hapless Holder – a distracted figure throughout a desperate contest – fell in consecutive deliveries before Roach just about prevented Broad from claiming a hat-trick of hat-tricks.Victory was duly sealed at 8.56pm when Roland-Jones had Joseph caught at third slip by Stokes for 8. It was, technically, the latest finish to a Test match in English history, but it was an early bath in every other respect. Even in an era of slim pickings for the longest format, Test matches are rarely this mismatched.

With the new Premier League season commencing in less than a month, the most important task for West Ham United boss David Moyes is to replace Declan Rice’s quality and influence on the pitch.

One of the leading candidates is Edson Alvarez, who the Hammers has already expressed a keenness to sign.

What’s the latest on Edson Alvarez to West Ham United?

According to a piece published by The Athletic last week, the Hammers have contacted Ajax to start the conversation over the transfer of the midfielder.

An offer is yet to be made, but it is expected, with the Dutch Giant set to command a fee of around £40m for Alvarez’s services.

The 25-year-old was also the subject of Premier League interest last year, with Chelsea close to sealing a deal that eventually broke down as Ajax felt there was insufficient time to find a replacement.

Christian Falk believes that the Irons could be front-runners for Alvarez, ahead of Bayern Munich in the pecking order.

Speaking exclusively to GIVEMESPORT, he said:

“Bayern Munich also had him on the radar — and still — but it's not so hot. He's not the only one in this position — and it would only happen after everything is done with Kane and perhaps Kyle Walker — so he's not the first option. For West Ham, they have the money and Ajax want to see money, so they have a good chance."

Would Edson Alvarez be a good signing for West Ham?

Alvarez has been at Ajax since 2019 and has made 147 appearances for the club in all competitions.

Upon his arrival, then-director of football Marc Overmars described him as “versatile.” This has been proven by the Mexican’s ability to play in defensive midfield (139 games) or centre-back (83 games) across his career, as per Transfermarkt.

For the Irons, he could be a key midfielder and is an infinitely better option than Flynn Downes. From a defensive perspective, the 69-cap international outranks the former Swansea man for tackles per 90 (2.47 vs 1.89), interceptions per 90 (1.25 vs 0.83), and aerials won per 90 (3.38 vs 1.06).

Furthermore, Alvarez also performs better than Downes on the ball, with more progressive passes per 90 (7.76 vs 2.60), progressive carries per 90 (2.54 vs 0.35), and successful take-ons per 90 (0.63 vs 0.12).

These damning statistics place Downes are part of the reason as to why the Englishman only managed seven Premier League starts last year. It is perhaps even more eye-opening when you consider that he couldn’t get game time over the abject Tomas Soucek.

Last September, the ExWHUemployee slammed the Czech for his poor form, saying: “Honestly, I’ve been saying this for over a year now, I’ve been saying this for about a year and a half. The game just bypasses him.”

Therefore, the signing of Alvarez could put the final nail in Downes’ unsuccessful West Ham career as the chance of regular minutes looks like a far-fetched dream.

Once lauded as a “monster” by Felipe Cardenas, this transfer would be an excellent way to help the east London faithful recover from Rice’s exit.

Leeds United have reportedly made an offer for Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, as they look to bring in a potential long-term replacement for Illan Meslier.

Who is Altay Bayindir?

The 25-year-old has matured into a strong 'keeper for his current side in recent years, having arrived at the club as a youngster back in 2019. Last season, he started 26 matches in the Turkish Super Lig, as well as starting eight times in the Europa League, proving to be a key man.

Bayindir has also made his mark at international level, winning five caps for Turkey to date, and given his age, it would be a surprise if that tally didn't increase as the years pass. Back in March, he signed a new deal with Fenerbahce lasting until 2027, suggesting that the club want to retain his services moving forward.

As Leeds get ready for life back in the Championship in 2023/24, there is a chance that they could be looking to bring in a replacement for Meslier, should their current No.1 look for a move away during the current transfer window. Joel Robles has also moved on, further showing why reinforcements are needed.

That's where Bayindir comes into play, with the Whites seemingly looking at him as a potential option to snap up before the new season gets underway.

Could Leeds sign Altay Bayindir?

According to Marca on Twitter [via MOT Leeds News], Leeds have tabled a £4.3m bid for Bayindir, although Fenerbahce are demanding £6m for his services, which would trigger his release clause:

"Leeds United made an official offer of €5m to Fenerbahce for 25-year-old goalkeeper Altay Bayindir. Fenerbahce requests the player's €7m release clause to be paid."

Bayindir could be such a strong replacement for Meslier at Leeds this summer, coming in as an eye-catching addition, considering he is an international 'keeper who would be willing to drop down a level and play in the second tier of English football.

The Whites will need a formidable presence between the sticks if they are to be one of the Championship promotion favourites in 2023/24, with that area of the pitch so priceless. The Fenerbahce ace could be that man for Daniel Farke, already having plenty of experience under his belt and tasting Turkish Cup glory last season.

At 25, Bayindir would also be considered a long-term signing who could develop further in the coming years, rather than a quick fix who can do a job in the latter part of his career. The ideal scenario would see him join Leeds in the coming weeks, help inspire them to a fast return to the Premier League, then be their undisputed No.1 for the foreseeable future in the top flight.

The fact that his release clause is relatively low does act as a boost to the Whites, assuming they are willing to raise their bid, so it is a transfer where the positives comfortably outweigh the negatives, given the impact he could potentially make at Elland Road, having once been dubbed "one of the most interesting U-23 goalkeepers in Europe" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku have already arrived at Chelsea this summer, but new head coach Mauricio Pochettino has made clear he intends to bring in more players who are fully committed to the club's new era.

Who are Chelsea planning to sign?

Jackson and Nkunku's arrivals have come on the back of Chelsea saying goodbye to Kalidou Koulibaly, Mateo Kovacic, Edouard Mendy, N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Kai Havertz this summer, with Mason Mount next to follow as he undergoes a Manchester United medical.

The Blues have made signing Brighton and Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo their top priority, while a new goalkeeper also appears to be on Pochettino's radar, even if Kepa Arrizabalaga is to stay on as first choice.

Lyon midfielder Rayan Cherki is another who has been touted as a target, and football.london reports that Chelsea are now considering a move for the Frenchman.

Will Chelsea sign Rayan Cherki?

French outlet But! Football Club claims Cherki is available to purchase this summer, but only if his €50m (£43m) valuation is met by any interested clubs – of which Chelsea are one of many.

Cherki has been on the radar of Europe's elite clubs for a number of years, ever since scoring two goals and assisting two more in the same game for Lyon at the age of just 16.

That performance earned praise from Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who took to Twitter at the time to post: "Don't talk to him too much about age, huh?"

Now aged 19, Cherki is coming off the back of his third season as a first-team regular for Lyon, one in which he made 24 Ligue 1 appearances in a number of positions, predominantly in central attacking midfield.

Cherki's numbers last season make for exciting reading if you are a Chelsea supporter. The France U21 international ranked in the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for chances created, as per The Analyst, and likewise for dribbles attempted.

In fact, using FBref's player comparison model, Cherki's figures are up there with the very biggest names in the game – Ousmane Dembele, Kingsley Coman, Vinicius Junior and Lionel Messi among them.

Taking Messi as an example, given the two men both played in Ligue 1 last season, the Argentina international averaged 35.9 touches in the opposition penalty box per 90; Cherki averaged 36.4.

Messi was successful from 55.4% of his take-ons, compared to 50.3% for Cherki, while they were involved in 6.25 and 6.15 shot-creating actions per 90 minutes respectively – a metric that considers factors such as passes and take-ons directly leading to a shot.

PSG star Messi was undoubtedly more of a direct goal threat (1.02 goals and assists per 90 to Cherki's 0.48), but it must be remembered he was playing in a forward line alongside Mbappe and Neymar.

In terms of the defensive side of both players' games, they are arguably more alike than any other area as Messi recorded 0.89 tackles and interceptions combined last time out, compared to 0.91 for Cherki.

Pochettino suggested last year that he struggled to manage Messi at PSG due to his compatriot's status, but that will not be the case with Cherki, who at 19 still has a long way to go before he can be considered a truly elite player.

Described as a "magnificent talent" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it might be that Stamford Bridge becomes Cherki's equivalent of Camp Nou if he is to continue matching Messi and become a star in his own right under Pochettino.

Rangers are "closing in" on the signing of Cremonese striker Cyriel Dessers, having reached an agreement on the "final fee", according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Which striker are Rangers signing?

The Gers have expressed an interest in Feyenoord striker Danilo, however, they had an opening bid of £3.5m immediately rejected by the Dutch side earlier this week, as it was way below their valuation.

In fact, there have been reports that Feyenoord could demand as much as £17m for the Brazilian, as they are currently under no pressure to cash-in, meaning the Light Blues could turn their attention to other targets.

Michael Beale has been pushing to sign Dessers for quite some time, having sanctioned a seven-figure bid at the beginning of June, and the manager is now inching closer to completing a deal for the 28-year-old.

Taking to Twitter, Romano has now claimed that Rangers and Cremonese have reached an agreement regarding the "final fee" for the £19k-per-week forward, with the documents to finalise the move currently being drafted.

The Gers are "closing in" on a deal for the Cremonese striker, with an agreement now "imminent", indicating that the deal could be done in the next few days.

"Understand Rangers are closing in on deal for Cyriel Dessers. Agreement now imminent with Cremonese for Nigerian striker — here we go soon. Clubs have agreed on final fee and all documents are being drafted."

Who is Cyriel Dessers?

The Nigerian forward has regularly been finding the back of the net in some of Europe's major leagues for quite some time now, firing home 20 goals in all competitions for Feyenoord during the 2021-22 campaign, before completing a switch to the Serie A.

During his time with Cremonese, the Belgium-born attacker has not been quite as prolific, registering seven goals in all competitions last term, however, he has been playing in a poor side, who ended up finishing second-bottom in the Serie A.

Hailed as "phenomenal" by members of the media, the former Feyenoord man's previous exploits indicate he could be a fantastic acquisition for Rangers, having amassed 140 goal contributions in 212 games at centre-forward throughout his career so far.

There are aspects of the Nigeria international's game that could improve, considering he has averaged just 0.06 assists per 90 over the past year, and 0.91 aerials won, placing him in the 23rd and 21st percentile respectively.

All in all, though, Rangers should be excited by the imminent arrival of Dessers, as his goal-scoring record has been very impressive for a number of years, and there is every indication he could be a success in the Scottish Premiership.

Leeds United reportedly see Daniel Farke as a "serious" candidate to take charge at Elland Road this summer, according to a fresh claim.

Who is favourite to take Leeds job?

The search to be the next Whites boss is ongoing currently, with the club working diligently to ensure that the correct appointment is made this time around.

It could be argued that all three of Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce were the wrong choices to sit in the Elland Road hot seat, and it has ultimately led to Leeds being relegated from the Premier League.

Since Allardyce's recent departure, endless names have been linked with the vacant Whites job, with Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard arguably at the front of the queue, along with the likes of Brendan Rodgers, Carlos Corberan and Scott Parker, to name a few.

Farke is also a name that has recently been thrown into the hat, however, with journalist Phil Hay name-checking Leeds' interest in him on Saturday, and a new update further suggests that their interest is genuine.

Could Farke be the next Whites manager?

According to Sport1, Farke is a "serious" option to become the Whites' new boss, with "loose" talks being held over a move to Elland Road, having parted ways with Borussia Monchengladbach recently.

The takeover of Leeds by 49ers Enterprises has happened at the same time, suggesting they see Farke as more of a strong appointment that the previous owners, although the timing could simply be coincidence.

The former Norwich City manager could be a really shrewd choice as manager by the Whites, considering he has guided the Canaries to two title-winning seasons in the Championship in the past, showing that he is an expert at getting out of arguably one of the most competitive leagues in Europe.

It is imperative that Leeds make a fast return to the Premier League and don't allow years of good work to completely go to waste in no time at all, and Farke is a strong choice for that reason, compared to the likes of Gerrard and Corberan, who haven't achieved as much to date.

It feels like one of the most pivotal summers at Leeds in many years, in terms of picking the right manager and making key signings to take the team forward – in the 46-year-old Farke, the Whites have a reliable choice who could jump at the chance to return to English football.

Although it comes four months after the due date. The ICC said they were aware of the delay but have not immediately commented on the news of ZC’s finalised accounts

Firdose Moonda28-Oct-2016

Zimbabwe Cricket is ready to submit its 2015 audit to the ICC, almost four months later than it was due. In accordance with ICC rules all Full Members must file an unqualified audit within six months of the end of its financial year. That was the end of June for ZC, but it has taken them until the end of October to finalise the audit.In a statement, ZC said it “was satisfied with the audit process and subsequently recommended the adoption of the audited accounts to the Special General Meeting (SGM). Delegates to the SGM, after considering the financial records, adopted the audited accounts.”The ICC confirmed they were aware of delays in ZC’s audit and that they were in regular communication with the board. However, the ICC did not immediately comment on the news of ZC’s finalised accounts.Three weeks ago, ESPNcricinfo reported that some members of the board had raised concerns about the figures in an initial audit, with particular scrutiny on US$5.2 million in tour expenses. The amount was thought to be inflated because most of Zimbabwe’s incoming tours were paid for in other ways.The accounts were rejected by ZC, and its auditors, HLB Zimbabwe, distanced themselves from the report saying they were still waiting for information from the board in order to complete the audit.ZC now claim to have “worked closely with its auditors who satisfactorily concluded the exercise.”