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BCCI ethics officer “dismissed” the complaint filed against Dravid because it was “bereft of merit”

Nagraj Gollapudi14-Nov-2019Former India captain Rahul Dravid has been cleared of conflict of interest charges by the BCCI ethics officer Justice (retd.) DK Jain. Justice Jain issued the order on Thursday after conducting two hearings in response to a complaint filed by Sanjeev Gupta, a life member of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA).Gupta had alleged that Dravid, who was appointed the director of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) this July by the BCCI, was guilty of conflict of interest because he was occupying more than one post at the time, which was not permitted as per the board’s rules. The second post that Dravid was serving, Gupta said in his complaint, was as vice-president of India Cements Pvt. Ltd, which he claimed had ties with the Chennai Super Kings franchise in the IPL.However, in his order, Justice Jain said “a case of conflict” against Dravid could not be made and hence he had “dismissed” the complaint because it was “bereft of merit.”In the order, Justice Jain noted that Dravid had rejected the allegation straightaway, in a written response on August 9. Dravid told Justice Jain that on the “advice” of BCCI and to “avoid any kind of conflict of interest” he had taken “leave of absence” without salary from India Cements during his stint at the NCA. Dravid pointed out that he had been an employee of Indian Cements for two decades, but never had “any connection, relationship or obligation” towards the Super Kings.The BCCI also told Justice Jain that the Super Kings franchise was run by Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd., registered in 2013 under the Indian Companies Act. It had nothing to do with India Cements, which was an independent entity. Hence, the BCCI said Dravid could not be an employee of the Super Kings, as Gupta had alleged.”He (Dravid) has asserted that his employment with India Cements Limited, is not and cannot be construed as an employment with the CSK franchisee, regardless of any relationship between the two entities, viz India Cements Limited and Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd.,” the order said. “He has further pleaded that at no point in time, has he been a “Team Official” of CSK.”Gupta, however, did not accept that. At the hearing on September 26 in Mumbai, Gupta told Justice Jain that Chennai Super Kings Cricket Ltd. was a “wholly owned subsidiary” of India Cements with “some” of the directors sitting on boards of both firms. Gupta said “a mere change in nomenclature” could not absolve Dravid of the conflict of interest allegation.The ethics officer was clear about one thing. “The concept of ‘conflict of interest’, is not necessarily a question about something one does or intends to do but a question of what one can possibly or potentially do,” Justice Jain said in his order.Justice Jain even referred to the judgments he had served in the cases concerning two of Dravid’s former India team-mates – Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman, both of whom were held guilty of conflict. The complaint against Ganguly had been filed by more than one member of the public, while Gupta had pressed the conflict charge against Laxman.Justice Jain pointed out that Ganguly and Laxman suffered from “tractable conflict” and fell foul of the one-man-one-post rule stated in the BCCI constitution.Dravid’s case allowed him to examine the rules deeper. “For examining an instance of ‘conflict of interest”, mere holding of posts by an individual associated with the BCCI may not per-se be sufficient for arriving at the conclusion of existence of ‘conflict of interest’,” Justice Jain said in the order. “But whether holding of such post(s) gives rise to ‘conflict of interest’ or not must also be tested on the anvil of reasonable apprehensions of, or actual favoritism, lack of objectivity, bias, benefits, etc., as contemplated in the definition of ‘conflict of interest’.”Accordingly, Justice Jain needed to test whether the two posts Dravid held “give rise to an apprehension of, lack of objectivity or bias” in each of those positions. “At least, I am unable to fathom any such circumstance (none has even been pointed out by the Complainant), which would come in the way of Mr. Rahul Dravid in fairly discharging his duties as a ‘Team Official’, without being influenced or influencing, in any manner, as a person who is in governance, management or employment of a franchisee or vice versa.”According to Justice Jain, to avoid any complications at the behest of the BCCI, Dravid had handed a written copy from Indian Cements giving a leave of absence until he was employed by the board.

As Liverpool prepare to hand Jurgen Klopp the perfect farewell on the pitch, with the Carabao Cup already secured and still alive in three more competitions, FSG have already taken significant steps towards landing the German's replacement.

Next Liverpool manager news

When Klopp announced that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, citing a lack of energy as the reason behind the decision, he sent shockwaves around the Premier League. With the Reds top of the league and competing on all fronts, it was assumed that Klopp's tenure would continue until at least the end of his current contract, which was due to expire in 2025.

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That proved not to be the case, however, and now Anfield must prepare itself for an emotional goodbye at the end of what could still be a historic season for Liverpool. The Merseyside club, having already won the Carabao Cup, are through to the FA Cup last eight after their youngsters did the job against Southampton, through to the Europa League last 16 and top of the Premier League. The fact is, the quadruple is still very much on.

The positive news has carried from the pitch to news over Klopp's replacement too. According to TeamTalk, FSG and Liverpool have offered Xabi Alonso a three-year deal to become the next Reds manager next season. The offer is, of course, yet to be accepted and Bayern Munich's interest could yet become an issue, but an offer is certainly a good start from all involved at Anfield.

With reports suggesting that FSG also want to bring back Michael Edwards to oversee their new era after Klopp, Liverpool are well-placed to kickstart their next chapter with a bang.

"Incredible" Alonso is the perfect choice

A man who already has the Anfield faithful onside due to his previous success as a Liverpool player, Alonso is the best option that the Reds can turn to after Klopp's departure. The Leverkusen boss has transformed his current side into potential invincibles after already breaking Bayern Munich's record unbeaten run in Germany to take Die Werkself as many as eight points clear at the top of the league.

What's more, Alonso has even received approval from Klopp, himself, who said via BBC Sport: "Xabi is doing an incredible job. How quick his team is that well tuned, for the time it's taken, he's put his proper stamp on it.

"The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is a standout in that department. [He is a] former world-class player, from a coaching family as well, which helps a little, he was like a coach already when he was playing. The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it is absolutely exceptional."

With an offer reportedly on the table, the Spaniard certainly has an important decision to make amid a historic run towards silverware at Bayer Leverkusen.

Leeds United will aim to stroll to yet another win on Saturday when near Yorkshire neighbours Rotherham United make the swift journey to Elland Road, the Whites full of confidence currently in both the Championship and FA Cup.

Beating Plymouth Argyle 4-1 on their travels saw Daniel Farke's men show their class in the Cup, whilst a gritty 1-0 win last time out in the second tier away at Bristol City demonstrated Leeds' hunger and fight to push on for automatic promotion.

Mateo Joseph failed to ever really get going up top in the Pilgrims away day hammering despite the goals flowing late on, and considering Patrick Bamford also didn't really offer much as well as a second-half substitute, Farke could be tempted to experiment with who he chooses as his lone striker for the clash with Leam Richardson's basement club.

Mateo Joseph's game vs Plymouth in numbers

The promising Joseph wasn't at the races whatsoever in the demolition job Leeds managed to dish out to Plymouth in extra-time, hauled off by Farke with the game still finely poised at 1-1.

Joseph would hit the woodwork with one of his three efforts on goal, but it was still a lacklustre display from a player who should be grasping the opportunity to be in the Leeds first-team mix with more vigour.

Mateo Joseph's numbers vs Plymouth
Minutes played	81
Touches	32
Accurate passes	13/21 (66%)
Shots on goal	3
Duels won	4/11
Possession lost	12x
Stats by Sofascore

As you can see, it was a night to forget for Joseph in Devon.

Farke was, therefore, thankful for the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter showing the sub-par 20-year-old how it's done late on with two game-clinching strikes finding the back of the net from the spellbinding duo.

With Bamford also not really offering a lot in a brief cameo at Home Park either – only amassing 17 touches of the ball from a flat 49-minute spell – Joe Gelhardt could well be encouraged by his fellow strikers misfiring if Farke feels like making a bold call for this weekend's game against the Millers.

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Forgotten man could start versus Rotherham

If there's ever a game for Farke to fearlessly chop and change his starting Xi, it could well be this coming Saturday with Rotherham rooted to the foot of the division on a pitiful 19 points.

As such, Joe Gelhardt – who was touted to be the next best thing at Leeds after breaking into the first team under Marcelo Bielsa – could come into the side. Indeed, he was a bright spark for the travelling Whites down in Devon on Wednesday.

Gelhardt would win one more duel than Bamford in the contest when introduced into the game in the 81st minute, whilst also hitting the woodwork in similar fashion to Joseph but from one less effort.

The fading £15k per week man, who has only started two games this season for the promotion-chasing Whites, could well be gifted a rare opportunity from the get-go off the back of such a lively substitute offering at Home Park.

Gelhardt scoring three senior goals from 50 appearances also puts him ahead of Joseph, the Leeds U21 hotshot yet to find the back of the net in the first-team fold in contrast.

Whilst the likes of Rutter and Summerville continue to fire on all cylinders, Farke could look to tweak with his sole striker position subtly with both Joseph and Bamford barely threatening away at Plymouth.

Gelhardt could well reignite his faltering Whites career as a result, Rotherham potentially on the ropes further with the pacey and tenacious centre-forward being let loose.

A report has detailed how Crystal Palace could be without star winger Michael Olise for even longer after his hamstring injury blow, which is set to keep him out for a minimum of two months as things stand.

Palace under pressure amid Hodgson sack rumours

Palace are facing the very real prospect of being relegated from the Premier League for the first time since their promotion around a decade ago.

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Chairman Steve Parish is scouring for the Englishman’s successor.

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Eagles supporters have already been in full voice protesting the club's leadership under chairman Steve Parish, but their dismal 4-1 derby loss away to Brighton has only intensified calls for manager Roy Hodgson to be given his P45.

“It was a bad start. That’s the last thing you really want – to be a goal down against Brighton, who are a very good team at home – but I thought in the first-half they outplayed us. We didn’t really get to grips with them in that half, and they were pretty much in control for that half," said Hodgson on Palace's loss to Brighton.

“The two goals which came in quick succession really made life almost impossible for us at half-time – how are we going to get back from this? – but I thought in the second-half the team did make a good effort to try and get back from it."

Reports suggest that Parish is actively seeking a replacement for Hodgson, and former Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper is a firm favourite for the potentially vacant post.

Palace are just four points above the relegation zone heading into next week's clash with Chelsea. Adding insult to injury, only Burnley and Sheffield United, the division's bottom two sides, have managed fewer goals than Hodgson's men.

Nathaniel Clyne

6.37

Chris Richards

6.41

Sam Johnstone

6.44

Will Hughes

6.47

Joel Ward

6.48

There is also now the added complication of absences for key men, with both Olise and defender Marc Guehi set for a spell on the sidelines. The former was taken off after just 11 minutes with a hamstring problem which is expected to keep him out for two months minimum, but journalist Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail has now explained how it could be even longer.

Rehab could extend Olise injury lay-off at Palace

Indeed, Mokbel claims Palace could be without Olise for longer than two months depending on his rehab, with the thought of that surely coming as a scary prospect for supporters given his injury is already a "huge blow".

The attacking midfielder boasts six goals and three assists in 11 appearances this season, and if wasn't for his various spells out, the numbers would be higher.

Tottenham Hotspur have not wasted much time during the January transfer window as they have already brought in two new signings to bolster their squad.

Germany international Timo Werner has been snapped up on loan from RB Leipzig until the end of the season, with the club holding an option to make it permanent in the summer. Ange Postecoglou has also added central defender Radu Dragusin to his array of options at the back. The Romanian ace arrived on a permanent deal from Serie A outfit Genoa earlier this month.

Tottenham still want another new centre-back

Despite the 21-year-old giant's arrival in North London, Spurs are reportedly interested in a deal to sign another central defender to bolster their squad. They already have Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, and Dragusin, along with Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as makeshift options, but are now keen to have a fourth natural centre-back to compete for a place in the side.

According to French outlet Telefoot, Tottenham are indeed still one of the clubs eyeing a swoop to sign Jean-Clair Todibo from Nice as Daniel Levy looks to back Postecoglou in the transfer market.

The report claims that Spurs have already held talks with the player's representatives as they aim to gauge how likely and expensive a deal would be. They face competition from elsewhere as Premier League rivals Chelsea and reigning Serie A champions Napoli have also spoken about a move for the 24-year-old titan.

However, it also adds that Nice value Todibo at €60m (£51m), and do not want to cash in on him before the current transfer window slams shut. This means that all three clubs may have to wait until the end of the season to secure his services.

Levy is pursuing a deal to sign Todibo, as evidenced by the talks with the player's representatives, and could lay the groundwork this month to strike an agreement with Nice in the summer, but it's bad news for any hopes of a move this month.

Todibo vs Dragusin

Interestingly, the French colossus' performances this season have been very impressive, particularly when you compare them to new Spurs signing Dragusin – who plays in the same position. They are both young and right-footed central defenders, but the £51m-rated star, who was described as the "complete package" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, appears to be far more progressive in possession than the current Tottenham defender.

Progressive passes

4.84

1.53

Progressive carries

0.73

0.32

Shot-creating actions

1.47

0.63

Successful take-ons

0.73

0.00

Pass success rate

90.4%

82.1%

As you can see in the table above, Todibo has progressed play for his side, through successful passes and carries, far more frequently than Dragusin did for Genoa. Meanwhile, the Nice titan has also averaged 3.2 tackles and interceptions combined and 7.9 ball recoveries per match in Ligue 1 – compared to the Romania international's 1.9 tackles and interceptions combined and ball recoveries per game in the Serie A prior to his move to England.

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Spurs could increase the competition for places at the back and have insurance for future injury and suspension issues with a deal for Todibo, although it appears as though they will have to wait until the summer to acquire his services.

Gloucestershire secure victory despite Varun Chopra’s 154 but miss out on knockout spot thanks to NRR

ECB Reporters Network07-May-2019

Chris Dent makes room to cut•Getty Images

James Bracey scored his maiden one-day century to hand Gloucestershire victory over Essex, but it was in vain as his side exited the Royal London Cup.Batsman Bracey, who only made his format debut earlier in the competition, crashed a classy hundred from 86 balls to see Gloucestershire to a four-wicket victory. But wins for Middlesex and Somerset elsewhere meant the west country men failed to go through due to their lower net run rate.Essex, who were knocked out before the match having only managed two victories in the tournament, had posted 293 thanks to Varun Chopra’s third ton of this year’s competition.Gloucestershire began their reply confidently, although Miles Hammond rode his luck when he was dropped on 20 by Dan Lawrence on the square-leg boundary. Hammond, on the back of 95 against Sussex, only scored one more run before he was caught behind off Simon Harmer while aiming down the track, before Aaron Beard demolished Gareth Roderick’s stumps.Chris Dent and Bracey then settled the innings down and put Gloucestershire on track with the required run rate during an 117-run stand. Neither came across as overly aggressive but both accumulated with skill, both posting half centuries – Dent from 67 balls and Bracey from 51 balls, which included a firmly struck six down the ground.The partnership was broken when Dent walked following a low catch to Harmer at short midwicket and Graeme van Buuren and Jack Taylor followed in quick succession, skewing to mid-on and lbw respectively.Beard, on just his second List A outing, ended with figures of 3 for 51 as he had Ryan Higgins well caught by Harmer running around to cover.Gloucestershire still needed 86 from 9.5 after that wicket but Bracey maturely ticked the runs off along with Benny Howell, who had a runner after injuring his hamstring in the field. Bracey ended with an unbeaten 113 but it was Howell who ended the game by carting Matt Coles for six over midwicket.Earlier, stand-in Essex captain Harmer won the toss and elected to bat on a good-looking wicket, which proved a tad sluggish as the match went on.Chopra enjoyed stands of 42 and 66 for the first and second wickets with Alastair Cook and Tom Westley but both partnerships were ended by run outs. Cook was called through for a quick single after flicking to square leg, before Westley greedily attempted a third run – both comfortably short of their ground after van Buuren’s throws.Lawrence and Ravi Bopara both departed quickly, the former handing Bracey his maiden professional wicket and the latter bowled through the gate by Tom Smith.Essex looked below par at 147 for 4 but they still had Chopra, who owed his team-mates, and he carried the innings – bringing up his half-century in 70 balls. The opener continued his sluggish pace as he ticked over three figures in 129 deliveries during an 83-run stand with Rishi Patel, who scored 26 before edging behind when trying to whoosh down the ground.That wicket saw Chopra kick on with power – demonstrated with sixes down the ground and over deep square-leg – and deftness with paddle sweeps, as he passed through 150 in 163 deliveries. He fell a few balls later, finishing his season with 421 runs from five innings.The hosts looked set for a push for 300 but Essex lost five wickets in the last six-and-a-half overs to stutter to the innings break, and Gloucestershire maintained the momentum to complete their chase with seven balls to spare.

Leeds United have had issues at left-back in recent years, arguably ever since academy graduate Charlie Taylor left for Burnley back in 2017.

The Whites currently have Sam Byram and Junior Firpo in that position as senior options for Daniel Farke’s side, as they look to win promotion from the Championship following relegation last season. However, injury problems have impacted both defenders, leaving the club needing to bolster their ranks in 2024.

Unfortunately, Leeds haven’t had the best of luck when it comes to left-backs over the past ten years, with plenty of misses and not many hits, so as they enter the January transfer market in need of a new addition, what's happened to the last ten left-back signings at Elland Road?

Adam Drury 2012/13

Back in 2012, Leeds secured the services of Adam Drury after he spent more than 10 years at Norwich City. He clocked up more than 350 appearances for the Canaries and arrived with plenty of second-tier experience to bolster Neil Warnock’s side, but things didn’t go to plan for the Englishman.

Drury featured 18 times for Leeds in just over a year and went on loan to Bradford City in 2013/14 before retiring from professional football at the end of that campaign.

Stephen Warnock 2012/13

With Drury struggling, Warnock turned to another experienced left-back in Stephen Warnock, who penned a two-and-a-half-year contract at Elland Road on deadline day in January 2013.

The former Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers and Aston Villa full-back was a regular straightaway in Yorkshire and ended up staying at the club until 2015, even replacing Jason Pearce as club captain towards the end of his stint.

Stephen Warnock stats at Leeds

Appearances

67

Goals

3

Assists

5

Red cards

1

He left for Derby County in 2015, with Taylor coming through the Leeds academy and taking his place in the first-team. Warnock, after retiring in 2018, now features regularly as a pundit on Sky Sports.

Alfonso Pedraza 2016/17 (loan)

With Taylor becoming a regular for the Whites between 2015 and 2017, Leeds were quiet in the transfer window for a few years when it came to full-back additions. They did turn to the loan market under Garry Monk in 2017, with Alfonso Pedraza joining on a temporary basis from Villarreal.

The Spaniard was actually utilised further forward as a left-winger, making 14 appearances for Leeds before returning to Villarreal after the Whites missed out on the play-offs.

Now, Pedraza is known as a left-back for Villarreal and has gone on to become a regular for the La Liga side, approaching 200 games for his current employers.

Cameron Borthwick-Jackson 2017/18 (loan)

A new season and a new manager in Thomas Christiansen, Leeds once again turned to the loan market as they looked to replace Taylor, with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson arriving from rivals Manchester United.

However, things didn’t go to plan for Borthwick-Jackson, and after starting the first Championship game of the season, didn’t play for the Whites in the league again, with his last appearance coming in an FA Cup defeat to Newport County. The Englishman went on to play for Scunthorpe United, Tranmere Rovers, Oldham Athletic and Burton Albion but moved to Poland last summer to join Slask Wroclaw.

Ezgjan Alioski 2017/18

Initially coming in as a winger from Swiss side Lugano, Ezgjan Alioski has arguably been the club’s best left-back signing over the past 10 years.

The North Macedonia international was transformed into a full-back under Marcelo Bielsa and helped take the club to the Premier League in 2019/20, before also playing his part as the club recorded an incredible 9th place finish in their first season in the top flight.

Ezgjan Alioski stats at Leeds

Appearances

171

Goals

22

Assists

19

Minutes played

12,037

Since leaving Elland Road in 2021, the 31-year-old moved to Saudi Arabia with Al-Ahli and also went on loan to Fenerbahce, where he has continued to ply his trade at left-back.

Laurens De Bock 2017/18

Another full-back who joined during the 2017/18 season was Laurens De Bock, with Victor Orta securing his services from Club Brugge in January in a permanent transfer.

The Belgian only played seven times for Leeds and was quickly sent out on loan to KV Oostende, before joining Sunderland, ADO Den Haag and Zulte Waregem on temporary deals, eventually joining the latter on a free transfer. Now, De Bock is in Greece with Atromitos, with his move to Leeds being another one to forget.

Leif Davis 2018/19

Davis was brought to Leeds by Bielsa from Morecambe back in 2018 and initially was viewed as an academy addition, although he was a regular in and around the first-team matchday squad during the Argentine’s tenure at Elland Road.

The youngster made 14 senior appearances for the Whites, two of which came in the Premier League before he moved to Bournemouth on loan.

He completed a permanent move to Ipswich Town in 2022 when the Tractor Boys were in League One and the Whites were still in the Premier League, and now, that deal looks to be a mistake from Leeds. Davis has played a starring role for Ipswich over the last 18 months, becoming a creative outlet from left-back.

Barry Douglas 2018/19

Free-kick specialist Barry Douglas was seen as the star left-back addition ahead of Davis prior to Bielsa’s first season in charge, joining from Wolves on a permanent transfer.

However, the Scot never lived up to expectations at Elland Road, failing to score a goal and registering five assists in 44 games. Injury issues also impacted his stay in Yorkshire, although he was part of the squad that won promotion. After leaving Leeds in 2021 for Lech Poznan, Douglas is still with the Polish side and has made more than 100 appearances for the club, although his deal is up at the end of the season.

Junior Firpo 2021/22

Leeds were calling out for a left-back addition in the Premier League, which resulted in Junior Firpo arriving from Barcelona ahead of the club’s second season in the top flight.

However, like many that have come and gone, things haven’t worked out for the Spaniard, who has been in and out of the side due to various injury problems.

The 27-year-old has managed more than 50 appearances in a Leeds shirt but has also been out with knee, hamstring and ligament problems, failing to help the club stay up last season as a result.

Sam Byram 2023/24

With a shortage at left-back over the summer, Farke brought Sam Byram back to Elland Road, over six years after he left Leeds for West Ham. The former right-back has been transformed into a left-back in recent years with Norwich City, and a free transfer materialised after he proved his fitness in pre-season.

Byram began the campaign as a regular at left-back for Leeds, but unfortunately, minor injury issues have once again returned, which leaves the Whites on the search for another left-back.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is no stranger to a blockbuster transfer and is now reportedly eyeing a move to bolster his engine room in the January window.

Aston Villa transfer updates…

Undoubtedly, Aston Villa's recruitment in the summer window has given them a platform to shine this term in the Premier League as the West Midlands-based outfit look to keep themselves in a position to potentially secure Champions League qualification this campaign.

New arrivals Moussa Diaby, Pau Torres, Youri Tielemans, Nicolo Zaniolo and Clement Lenglet have helped to provide balance and depth to Emery's talented squad over the course of the first period of the season; however, the Villans will be keen to add more quality to their ranks in January in order to keep pace with the elite of English football.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones has indicated that Emery could look to bring a striker to Villa Park in January to ease fears over Ollie Watkins potentially sustaining an injury in the near future, as he stated to the outlet:

"The obvious place to look is what happens if Ollie Watkins gets injured? That's the big question you would be asking."

He then added: "I think if you were Villa right now, could they really make up for, not just his goals, but his presence and his link-up play and the way that he fits this system. I think that's something that they'll have to consider. It's going to be really difficult to find someone though that wants to play backup to Watkins."

Now, a fresh report has indicated that Aston Villa could also aim to bring in a new midfielder come the New Year; however, they will face stiff competition for his signature.

Aston Villa want Kenneth Taylor

As per a report from TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are monitoring Ajax midfielder Kenneth Taylor, who could be made available by the Dutch giants in 2024 amid their struggles in the Eredivisie this campaign.

Manchester City and Manchester United have already scouted the Netherlands international. At the same time, Newcastle United, Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur all retain an interest in the 21-year-old. Taylor would be reluctant to leave Ajax in January; however, the summer window could be a different story as his stock continues to rise across Europe.

The Alkmaar-born ace has been a key player for Ajax in 2023/24, registering two goals and two assists in 19 appearances across all competitions (Taylor statistics – Transfermarkt).

Back in 2021, Taylor was afforded high praise from talent scout Jacek Kulig, who labelled him a "huge talent" back when he was involved with Jong Ajax, as he took to social media platform X to state the following.

Clearly someone with plenty of room to develop, Aston Villa could be the perfect destination for Taylor to take his next career step, though you would suspect interest in his services will continue to grow over the coming months.

Leeds United are in a blistering run of form under Daniel Farke and could now look to strengthen one key area in the January transfer window, according to journalist Phil Hay.

Leeds United prepare for Sunderland…

Leeds United secured a precious three points at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers as goals from Daniel James and Crysencio Summerville secured a 2-0 victory and kept the Whites on track in their hunt for Championship promotion. Now, the Yorkshire outfit sit third in the league standings with 41 points from 20 fixtures played; however, they still find themselves seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second ahead of their showdown at Elland Road two days before Christmas.

In the aftermath of their triumph in Lancashire, Farke was delighted with his side's resilience after keeping a clean sheet, as he said via BBC Sport: "I'm especially pleased that we travel back with a clean sheet against a really good and dangerous side. We didn't allow them to have much."

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He then added: "They had their spells in possession but in terms of big chances, there was not too much. It was important after a few weeks where we have conceded one goal, sometimes even two goals, today to return absolutely rock solid defence with a clean sheet. It's a really good performance and a massive win for us. I'm pretty delighted."

Of course, stiff tests are on the horizon for Leeds United as Farke's men plot a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, with a trip to Sunderland next on the agenda.

Leeds United's next five fixtures – all competitions

Opponent

Venue

Sunderland (A)

Stadium of Light

Coventry City (H)

Elland Road

Ipswich Town (H)

Elland Road

Preston North End (A)

Deepdale Stadium

West Bromwich Albion (A)

Hawthorns Stadium

In light of this, journalist Hay has now taken to social media to provide an exciting update from the manager regarding an area where the Whites could potentially strengthen in the upcoming transfer window.

Leeds United could target a left-back

Taking to social media platform X, The Athletic journalist Hay has shared quotes from Farke's pre-match press conference ahead of their clash at the Stadium of Light that convey the message that Leeds are ready to target a left-back in January, as he stated the following below.

Of course, the German coach also intimated that Junior Firpo is now close to returning to the fold, in training at least, which will help to give the Whites' fans some added optimism that the Dominican Republic international can once again provide another option on the left-hand side of defence over the festive period.

Nevertheless, recruiting a left-back will be a top priority at Elland Road in January as they look to make sure they have sufficient squad depth to compete with their promotion rivals.

Coming through a clutch of difficult matches will be their first port of call; however, it is encouraging to hear that the notion of strengthening is already being spoken about directly ahead of the New Year.

The international break is an often disliked bugbear for many fans of the top European leagues. However, when the dead-rubbers are out of the way and we get to the business end of proceedings, the permutations are looked up and studied.

So, now that regular club football has returned once more – Football FanCast has recapped everything involving Euro 2024, which includes who’s through and who’s not, and following the recent draw made by UEFA, how the play-off competition works out for all involved in the three 'paths'.

How Euro 2024 works

At this tournament, being held by three-time champions Germany next year, there are ten host cities. These will see action with the beginning of the tournament on 14th June at the Munich Football Arena (or Allianz Arena).

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Before tournament action begins, the draw for group placings takes place in Hamburg on Saturday 2nd December. As the host nation, Germany are seeded in Group A and will occupy position A1.

2024’s format will be the same as Euro 2020. The top two in each of the six final tournament groups will proceed to the round of 16, along with the four best third-placed finishers.

Teams that have qualified for Euro 2024

Since Euro 2024 qualifiers initially kicked off in March 2023, the formative 53 UEFA member associations have been whittled down to 20 (plus the hosts, Germany).

The seeding for the final tournament has also been determined, with England squeezing into Pot 1 thanks to their qualifying record. Fellow heavyweights Portugal, France, Spain and Belgium are all also seeded, while the three play-off winners will join holders Italy in Pot 4.

The qualified teams are as follows:

Germany

Host

27 September 2018

13

Belgium

Group F winner

13 October 2023

6

France

Group B winner

13 October 2023

10

Portugal

Group J winner

13 October 2023

8

Scotland

Group A runner-up

15 October 2023

3

Spain

Group A winner

15 October 2023

11

Turkey

Group D winner

15 October 2023

5

Austria

Group F runner-up

16 October 2023

3

England

Group C winner

17 October 2023

10

Hungary

Group G winner

16 November 2023

4

Slovakia

Group J runner-up

16 November 2023

5

Albania

Group E winner

17 November 2023

1

Denmark

Group H winner

17 November 2023

9

Netherlands

Group B runner-up

18 November 2023

10

Romania

Group I winner

18 November 2023

5

Switzerland

Group I runner-up

18 November 2023

5

Serbia

Group G runner-up

19 November 2023

5

Czech Republic

Group E runner-up

20 November 2023

10

Italy

Group C runner-up

20 November 2023

10

Slovenia

Group H runner-up

20 November 2023

1

Croatia

Group D runner-up

21 November 2023

6

Euro 2024 qualifying procedure

For the rest of the competing teams that have yet to qualify, there’s no reason to despair – as this competition has play-off places where the countries in limbo can find reprieve. Playing a part in this are the team’s results and standings from the Nations League group games played last year.

The 12 play-off participants have been split into three paths comprising of four teams each. In each path, there will be two single-leg semi-finals on 21st March, with the winners progressing to a one-off final on 26th March.

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The play-off 'paths' depend on nations' respective performances in their Nations League division, with the best-placed teams granted an automatic play-off berth if they were unable to qualify through the regular qualifying group phase.

Path C: Georgia, Greece and Kazakhstan were all assured of a play-off place after winning their Nations League C groups. However, due to Turkey qualifying for the final tournament outright, their play-off spot went to the best-performing League C team who didn't qualify, which was Luxembourg.

Therefore, one of these teams will qualify for the tournament:

21st March

Georgia

vs

Luxembourg

Tbilisi

21st March

Greece

vs

Kazakhstan

Athens

26th March

Winner Match 1

vs

Winner Match 2

Tbilisi/Luxembourg City

Path B: The teams in Path B were determined by a draw, due to there only being two teams advancing to the play-offs from Path A. As winners of their Nations League groups, Israel and Bosnia & Herzegovina were guaranteed home semi-final slots. The three best-performing League B teams from the Nations League who failed to qualify automatically (Finland, Ukraine and Iceland) were drawn to decide who will face League B opponents, and who will fill the slot in Path A.

The remaining League A slot was taken up by the highest-ranked League D side, Estonia.

21st March

Israel

vs

Iceland

To be decided

21st March

Bosnia & Herzegovina

vs

Ukraine

Zenica

26th March

Winner Match 1

vs

Winner Match 2

Zenica/TBD

Path A: As explained above, the four slots in Path A's play-off route were taken up by the two League A nations who failed to qualify (Poland and Wales), League D's leading team (Estonia) and the remaining League B side (Finland).

The former two were guaranteed home semis, while Wales and Finland were handed the prospect of a home final following a separate draw.

21st March

Wales

vs

Finland

Cardiff

21st March

Poland

vs

Estonia

Warsaw

26th March

Winner Match 1

vs

Winner Match 2

Cardiff/Helsinki

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