The opener made a timely hundred against the pink ball following Usman Khawaja’s fitness problems in the first Ashes Test

AAP23-Nov-2025

Matt Renshaw made a century against the pink ball•Getty Images

Matt Renshaw’s golden summer continued with a magnificent 112 in front of Australia selector Tony Dodemaide at the Gabba.His innings drove Queensland to 352 for 7 at stumps on day two of the top-of-the-table Sheffield Shield clash after Victoria had declared late on the opening day.Renshaw had made scores of 128, 29, 101 and 51 in the Shield before Sunday’s knock. He also had a consistent ODI series against India which included an accomplished 56 in Sydney.Related

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Runs are runs and Renshaw has filled his cup with them. The 29-year-old doesn’t have to do anything more to convince Australia selectors that he is ready for a return to the Test arena. All he needs is an opportunity.”I’m just keeping it really simple and having a lot of fun out there and having good intent,” Renshaw told AAP. “It’s been a good start and hopefully it amounts to something at the end of March. I will keep trying to put in performances to help win games for Queensland. I’m just concentrating on what I can control and that is trying to do my job for the team.”There is doubt over who will open in the second Test of the Ashes series at the Gabba, which starts on Thursday-week.Usman Khawaja’s back spasms in the first Test have put him in some doubt while Travis Head’s blistering century as opener has also put him in the frame to stay at the top of the order alongside Perth debutant Jake Weatherald.Renshaw now has 421 Shield runs for the summer, putting him on top of the aggregate list with 19 runs more than Marnus Labuschagne.He was patient early in his innings against Victoria before finding a more aggressive tempo and his drives down the ground were exquisite. Once Renshaw reached his half-century the runs started to flow all around the ground.He brought up his century with a controlled cut for three off spinner Todd Murphy. A healthy contingent at the Vulture St end of the ground gave him a rapturous reception, realising what a vital innings it was in the context of the summer.His stay ended when he nicked a delivery that just moved away from Fergus O’Neill, who toiled manfully all day with his tight lines.Renshaw received solid support from Angus Lovell in an 88-run opening stand and Hugh Weibgen.Former Australia Under-19 captain Weibgen, playing his second Shield match, looks a promising prospect with his classy strokeplay and composure. The tall 21-year-old will play for the Prime Minister’s XI against an England XI in a two-day, pink-ball match that starts on November 29 in Canberra.He was caught in a juggling effort by Mitchell Perry trying to loft Murphy over the long-on boundary.Lachie Hearne (47) continued the momentum until he was brilliantly caught on the deep midwicket boundary by Campbell Kellaway.

West Ham have reached out to the agents of a player who has the same representatives as Kyle Walker-Peters, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side weighing up a January move.

West Ham's rumoured transfer plans for January

The Hammers are preparing for a crucial January window as Nuno looks to address the club’s alarming goal-scoring struggles with a significant striker signing.

Given Niclas Fullkrug is poised for the exit door next month, this could be absolutely vital to their hopes of remaining in the Premier League.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

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West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

The German forward has been a real disappointment since his arrival in 2024, which has been marred by constant spells on the sidelines through injury, and he’s failed to score a single league goal since West Ham’s 2-2 draw at home to Bournemouth in April.

Callum Wilson has filled the void brilliantly as of late, bagging three strikes in his last three games, but the Englishman’s own torrid injury history means West Ham need an alternative.

According to some reports, West Ham are in pole position to sign Union Saint-Gilloise striker Promise David in January, with the club having already made contact.

The towering 6 foot 5 forward has netted 62 goals over the past three seasons and represents exactly the type of young, powerful striker Nuno has reportedly identified as essential.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee has emerged as another top target, with West Ham identifying the £36.5 million forward as a potential replacement for Fullkrug.

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The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025

Insider ExWHUemployee has also claimed that, beyond the addition of a new striker, Nuno’s side are looking at signing a new defender and midfielder in January as well.

West Ham hold talks with Tiago Gabriel's camp ahead of January

Only bottom-side Wolves have conceded more top-flight goals than the east Londoners so far this term, so their leaky backline certainly needs to be addressed.

West Ham could reignite talks over a deal for Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell, who they came very close to signing in the summer (ExWHUemployee), but Lecce sensation Tiago Gabriel is also attracting their attention.

That is according to INews and journalist Pete Hall, who report that West Ham have made contact with Gabriel’s agents ahead of a potential January move.

The Portugal Under-21 international has impressed in Serie A, so much so that Juventus and Brentford have also held discussions with his camp about a winter transfer.

As things stand, Juve are believed to be the frontrunners for Gabriel as they look to find cover for Gleison Bremer, but West Ham may have a secret weapon.

This is because Gabriel is represented by CAA Base, the same agency that Walker-Peters employs, so the Irons seemingly enjoy a productive relationship with them already.

According to inews, the 20-year-old is currently valued at around £20 million, with Lecce looking to make a seismic profit on the £1.5 million they signed him for last January.

Newcastle United defender Dan Burn has revealed that he has ended his long-running feud with Arsenal star Kai Havertz in bizarre circumstances. The beef started three years back when Havertz was still at Chelsea, and in the last few years the two players have often become embroiled in physical clashes during matches. However, Burn has now cleared the air with his long-time rival.

• Havertz -Burn feud timeline

  It all started during a Premier League clash between Chelsea and Newcastle in March 2022. Burn suffered a serious head injury and needed stitches after being caught by Havertz's elbow. The Blues went on to win the game 1-0, with the German forward scoring a late winner for his then-employers.

  Later that year, though, Newcastle got their revenge as they beat Chelsea 1-0. At full-time, tempers flared between the two set of players and Havertz and Burn were involved in a particularly feisty altercation. Burn, though later clarified: "It was the emotion of the game wasn't it?. Me and Kai had a few run-ins before and it's just part and parcel of the game. It can get the better of you at the times. But when you are in that environment and clinging on in stoppage time and wanting to win the game, these things happen."

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• AFP
  

  Burn and Havertz have buried the hatchet

  The feud lasted more than three years but now Burn has confirmed that all is good between the two players after they caught up for a 'few drinks' during pre-season in Singapore.

  The 33-year-old told : "He's actually, frustratingly enough, quite a nice guy. I had a drink with him and he's actually sound. I saw him in pre-season when we played in Singapore. We had time where we could go and have a few drinks, and we saw some of the Arsenal lads. I just got chatting to him. We both said to each other, 'That's just the way it is when we play', we've just got to be at that sort of level."

• Havertz in a race against time to prove fitness ahead of World Cup

  Havertz has not played for Arsenal since picking up a knee injury in a training session following their season opener against Manchester United. The German forward subsequently underwent surgery, but no firm return date has been set yet, and his recovery could take longer than expected after a setback in his rehabilitation.

  In October, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had provided the latest on the forward's condition as he told reporters: "With Kai, we know that it will be months with him. I don't know if it can be weeks, you never know because this is Kai and he's a different specimen. We really miss him. Hopefully, he will be back, and back for the long term as well, so it is very important to look after that knee. So far, he's progressing pretty well."

  However, during the November international break, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann gave a worrying update as he said: "Kai (Havertz) had a minor relapse, but overall he’s doing well. Jamal no longer has any major problems. But like Kai, he first needs to get back into rhythm with his club. They have until March to get fully fit, but they obviously need to stabilise now."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Burn eyeing place in Tuchel's World Cup squad

  Burn has made it to all five England squads that were named in 2025 since Thomas Tuchel took charge of the team as head coach. The Magpies defender clearly has the backing of the German coach, who has regularly played him in World Cup qualifiers. If the defender can maintain his consistency in the second half of the season and remain injury free, he is seemingly almost certain to get a call-up to Tuchel's World Cup squad that will travel to North America next summer. Burn will be next seen in action on Saturday for Eddie Howe's side as they take on Burnley at home in the Premier League. 

Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related

• Henry, Santner, Nathan Smith ruled out of rest of West Indies Test series

• Blundell, Smith, Henry sustain injuries in Christchurch; Jamieson returns to Plunket Shield

At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images

New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared what Aston Villa “will” do in January to back manager Unai Emery.

Aston Villa emerge as title contenders after Arsenal triumph

Villa catapulted themselves into legit Premier League title contention following Emiliano Buendia’s dramatic 95th minute winner against Arsenal on Saturday.

Buendia’s last-gasp strike secured a pulsating 2-1 victory over the league leaders at Villa Park, with the substitute’s stoppage-time goal representing far more than just three points.

It also confirms Villa’s extraordinary recent transformation under Emery into genuine challengers.

They now sit third, merely three points behind Arsenal, losing just two of their last 16 games in all competitions whilst recording seven straight wins on the bounce.

Matty Cash opened the scoring with a thunderous back-post finish, capitalising on Eberechi Eze’s defensive lapse to arrow the ball through David Raya’s legs.

Villa thoroughly dominated the opening period, with Ollie Watkins spurning an excellent early opportunity before Cash’s breakthrough rewarded their superiority.

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Arsenal responded seven minutes after the interval through substitute Leandro Trossard, who converted from close range following Emiliano Martínez’s parried save from Bukayo Saka’s cross.

The Belgian’s equaliser marked his 50th Premier League goal, becoming only the fifth Belgian to reach that milestone.

Both goalkeepers produced exceptional saves to maintain the stalemate, with Martinez spectacularly denying Martin Odegaard’s 20-yard drive whilst Raya repeatedly frustrated Villa’s attacking threats.

The contest appeared destined for a draw until Buendia’s late intervention sparked wild celebrations amongst the Villa faithful.

It was a day to remember for the Villans, with Youri Tielemans also putting in a Player of the Match display against Arsenal after dominating midfield.

With Emery’s side now tipped to challenge the likes of Arsenal and City for top spot, January could prove pivotal after an underwhelming summer window blighted by a lack of spending and PSR concerns.

Taking that into account, Emery has truly worked wonders to guide Villa to this position after their slow start to 25/26, where it even took four Premier League matches to finally score their first goal of the season.

Fabrizio Romano shares exciting January transfer update out of Aston Villa

That lowly run of form and uninspired summer feels like a lifetime ago now, but it is still up to NSWE to provide Emery with the needed support to maintain their lofty status.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, the ever-reliable Romano has some very encouraging news in that regard.

He reports that Villa chiefs are set to back Emery in the January transfer market, and work has already begun behind-the-scenes.

Villa ended last summer as the Premier League’s lowest spenders, investing just £28 million into new additions, but that simply has to change if Emery’s side are serious about competing for major trophies.

In terms of their rumoured targets, it is believed that a striker is on the agenda, with Villa reportedly targeting Man United forward Joshua Zirkzee among other names.

Arsenal have now joined the race for a £88m forward who recently entered “very advanced” talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur…

Gunners ramping up pursuit of forward amid Eze criticism

The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, with Aston Villa securing a 2-1 win at Villa Park, and Shaka Hislop was particularly unimpressed with Eberechi Eze’s performance.

Hislop said: “He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest.

“Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half.

“Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.”

In fairness, Eze has made a very promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium, with the England international amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 22 matches across all competitions.

However, the 27-year-old’s best performance arguably came in the 4-1 victory against Tottenham, during which he played through the middle, so there may be room to bring in another left-winger this winter, and Arsenal are now ramping up their pursuit.

It was recently revealed that a strong move is being made for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman is not the only target, with a report from Caught Offside revealing Arsenal have now joined the race for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

The Gunners have been monitoring Diomande’s progress over the past few weeks, alongside a number of Europe’s top clubs, while Spurs are also keen, with Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently stating they are in “very advanced” talks with the left-winger.

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with it being suggested RB Leipzig could look to hold out for around €80m – €100m (£70m – £88m).

Related Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps

Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago Diomande making "sensational" impact in Germany

The Ivorian only made the move to Germany during the summer, but he has already started to make a major impact, being singled out for high praise by scout Jacek Kulig.

Most recently, the 19-year-old put in a remarkable performance in his side’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a hat-trick and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Yan Diomande’s key statistics vs Frankfurt

Number completed

Dribbles (successful)

8 (4)

Key passes

1

Duels (won)

13 (6)

Goals

3

Considering Diomande is still a teenager, the level of his performances in the Bundesliga this season have been remarkable, and he may be ready to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to beat Tottenham to his signature.

The batter emerged from a form slump and set up Pakistan’s opening win in the Asia Cup

Shashank Kishore12-Sep-20251:59

Jaffer: Looks like Haris has worked on his game

Mohammad Haris is forever going to be compared to his predecessor, even if their styles may be polar opposites. If he comes off, it’s seen as a vindication in selection. If he doesn’t, there is invariably going to be murmurs about why Mohammad Rizwan’s experience ought to be used better.Rizwan is more of an accumulator, while Haris is synonymous with intent, which brings with it the inherent risk of being hit-or-miss. But when he comes good, he can deliver the thrill. The problem for Pakistan has been that Haris hasn’t been able to come good lately.Since his century against Bangladesh in Lahore in June, Haris had a highest score of 15 in 11 T20I innings until Friday. He had crossed double figures only twice. All through this run, the pitches he largely played on – from Mirpur to Lauderhill to Sharjah – weren’t exactly conducive to strokeplay.Related

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Pakistan spinners raze Oman after Haris' fifty

Then there was also the issue of Pakistan struggling to use him effectively. During this string of low scores, he batted everywhere from Nos. 3-8, a yo-yo existence that further added to the scrutiny. His record against spin in this period was also beginning to look suspect – five dismissals in nine innings that fed into the narrative that more accomplished spinners like Kuldeep Yadav or Rashid Khan can work him out.Yet, through this uncertain phase, one man had complete faith in Haris. Mike Hesson has only been in charge since June, but the shades of dominance he had seen sporadically, both at training and during the occasional big knock like that century in Mirpur, gave him the belief here was a talent worth persisting with.And against the ticking clock, on Friday, Haris delivered – a 32-ball half-century that promised much more, but ended on 66. It was, nonetheless, a knock on a slower-than-usual Dubai surface, which would have given him oodles of confidence.The start wasn’t pretty. He crawled to 16 off 18 as Pakistan were slightly hesitant in the first over. But Haris didn’t panic, and he didn’t throw it away. When Aamir Kaleem, nearly 20 years his senior, came on, he launched the left-arm spinner over deep midwicket with a slog sweep.2:08

Samiuddin: Hesson clear with his plans for Pakistan

Then, he produced the shot of the innings – an inside-out drive over extra cover for four. Sixteen runs came off that over, the last of the powerplay, and with it, the mood shifted. From there, Haris found a gear that had been missing for weeks.His next 25 balls brought him 50 runs, including a six that raised his half-century. There was variety and audacity in equal measure. The short-arm jab off seamer Mohammad Nadeem showed he was adept at tackling bounce. With the off-side ring fortified, it was Haris’ way of outsmarting the bowler, as he picked his spot slightly belatedly, but made a sweet connection.Then the sweep off Samay Shrivastava’s legspin exhibited his power and game sense of targeting the shorter boundary. It was as much muscle as it was about game sense. After the game, Haris spoke of how much the innings meant to him.”The confidence and backing is needed for any player,” he said of the 11-match slump since his previous century. “The way the captain and coach, and senior players, backed me, I’m thankful to them. It’s tough when performances don’t come – there’s a lot of criticism to deal with, but I took it positively.”Haris underlined the need to be flexible, but even by those standards, he cheekily took it to an extreme when he said he was ready to bat even at No. 10 if the team asked him to, impressing upon the need to be versatile. “I’ve been working hard with the batting coach, working on my calmness, and how to tackle spin,” he said. “The seniors have been helping, giving advice. I wanted to use all that and deliver for the team.”For now, he has done just that. More than the runs, it was the manner of scoring, the intent, the composure, the sense of belonging that will encourage Pakistan. For a team bold enough to move on from the superstars under a coach keen on giving them a sense of freedom, Haris’ knock was an inkling that the next-gen may be ready to lead the charge and deliver if persisted with.

Daniel Farke looked long gone as Leeds United manager heading into an intimidating run of matches in the Premier League.

Not even the most optimistic Elland Road supporter would have expected the Whites to grab some much-needed points against Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

Yet, after this trio of difficult clashes, Leeds are four points better off with a win and a draw secured, which also – most importantly – means they’re two points above the dreaded relegation zone.

Farke will just keep his fingers crossed that this high-energy approach can be replicated versus the likes of Brentford and Crystal Palace to come, away from turning on the style against some of the division’s flashier opponents.

More positive results ahead would give Leeds a huge boost in their bid to avoid relegation, with the January transfer window also providing the Whites with an opportunity to add some standout signings to help them secure their survival.

Where Leeds could strength in January

Even though there has been a dramatic upturn in form, when Farke once looked like a dead man walking, Leeds will still likely be active in the hectic window to come.

Indeed, rumours are already beginning to circulate that the Premier League newcomers have Tromso midfielder Jens Hjerto-Dahl on their radar as transfer season edges ever closer. Moreover, the relegation-threatened outfit has also been linked heavily with a move for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez to bolster their centre-forward options.

Away from all this gossip, though, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has also come out to state via his YouTube channel that Farke and Co have even made a concrete approach for an attacking playmaker in the form of Martin Baturina.

Romano stated: “In the last few days, Leeds has been in touch, the teams are starting to move.”

The £21m midfielder, who only signed for Cesc Fabregas’ Como in the summer, is struggling for consistent first-team minutes in Serie A at the moment. Yet, despite his predicament, he isn’t overly keen on a switch to West Yorkshire, according to Romano, with Como allegedly turning down the approach.

Still, transfer stories can change in the blink of an eye, so don’t write this one off completely.

How Baturina can become Farke's next Rutter

If Leeds were eventually successful in their mission to land the captivating 22-year-old, Farke could sign Leeds’ new version of Georginio Rutter, with the 15-time Croatia international capable of being a terrifying assist machine, much like the former number 24 was at Elland Road.

Rutter did manage to hammer home some memorable strikes when still situated at the Whites, with eight goals tallied up. But, it was his unerring ability to create chances for fun that made him really stand out as a fan’s favourite during his short, but sweet, 66-game stint at the club.

TalkSPORT’s Jeff Stelling would herald him as a “class act” at Leeds for the way he managed to make creating chances galore look effortless, with a bumper 18 assists coming his way across that string of matches.

In league action alone across the 2023/24 season, Rutter would muster up a ridiculous 22 big chances created, which led to the silky Frenchman securing himself a deserved £40m move to Brighton and Hove Albion.

While it hasn’t gone Baturina’s way at Como to date, with just one Serie A start handed to him by Fabregas this season leading to zero assists being tallied, it’s clear from his explosive time at Hadjuk Split that he has the same devastating ability to carve team opens that Rutter possesses.

Fabregas has already waxed lyrical about the 22-year-old’s “immense” nature to make things happen in “key moments” when first moving to Italy.

The clip above saw the £21m-rated midfielder calmly tee up his teammate for a golden opportunity in the Champions League back in 2024, with the assists flowing throughout his time at Split, leading to scout Jacek Kulig once hailing him as one of “the biggest talents” in Croatia.

Games played

114

60

Goals scored

17

6

Assists

36

17

Big chances created

38

23

Albeit from a wider pool of matches than the Seagulls star, Baturina would see out his time in his native Croatia with a staggering 38 big chances created from 117 league contests, which trumps Rutter’s own creative prowess.

Analyst Ben Mattinson would weigh in with some praise of his own by stating that the new Como number 20’s passing range was “outstanding” throughout his much-talked-about Split stay, with Farke now hopeful – if a move can be pulled off – that Baturina can enhance Leeds’ attack even more, after the goals have started to come naturally against the likes of Chelsea and Arne Slot’s Reds.

Of course, there will also be a worry in the air that for £21m, Leeds are risking their money on a midfielder who hasn’t ignited into life in Serie A.

Still, the Whites were here before with Rutter when splashing the cash on him in a January window, and while it took time for him to acclimatise, he is now seen as a modern great. Could Baturina soon follow in his esteemed footsteps?

Leeds now make contact over signing "powerful" star who's been likened to Odegaard

He’s a wanted man.

ByTom Cunningham 6 days ago

While Manchester United came from behind to defeat a stubborn Crystal Palace side last weekend, Ruben Amorim’s side could not follow that up with another victory.

This time, they dropped points at the hands of lowly West Ham. Diogo Dalot scored a rare goal but Soungoutou Magassa scored from a corner late on to rescue a share of the points for Nuno Santo’s men.

Unsurprisingly, the 1-1 result did not go down well with Amorim.

Amorim speaks out following West Ham draw

Amorim made his anger and frustration clear after his team drew with the Hammers on Thursday evening.

“It’s frustrating, it’s angry, that’s it,” he said.

“It’s not going backwards. The results are going backwards. We had some moments. That can happen. You were talking about when we had that run that team was really perfect and saying we are not that far from being in the perfect moment. We are really inconsistent. But if you look at the goal, 83 minutes, we have a long ball, we have everything under control and we need to do better.”

Amorim plans to debrief his players on Friday when he has cooled down, rather than hit a giant television in the dressing room like he did after the 3-1 loss to Brighton in January.

The Portuguese mentioned that incident after this latest setback. “In that regard, I’m almost always consistent,” he said. “I had one [outburst] and you know. Brighton last year. I will talk to them tomorrow. I always have the feeling – I think everyone has the feeling – that we need to score more goals. Even with Brighton (in October) we were 3-0 (up) and then suddenly (we conceded twice). We suffer with that, we are inconsistent and we need to improve.”

United return to action against a winless Wolves side next Monday but cannot take things for granted after failing to beat the team 18th at Old Trafford.

For that game, it’s likely that young central defender Ayden Heaven won’t be in the team again

Heaven disappoints in first half cameo

Signed from Arsenal nearly ago, the centre-back has made a promising start to life in United colours but this was perhaps his worst senior performance to date.

The 19-year-old was handed his first Premier League start of the campaign and sadly did not do too much to warrant being given a role in the team.

Heaven’s performance lasted just 45 minutes before Amorim decided to withdraw him at the break.

Despite being so young, it was a performance that took criticism, chiefly from journalist Samuel Luckhurst who took to social media in the first half to say that the Englishman had a “pretty torrid opening 11 minutes” at the back.

Luckhurst said in full: “Pretty torrid opening 11 minutes from Heaven. Got too tight against Wilson, booked and even that back pass did Lammens no favours. Big call pitting him against Wilson.”

The teenager’s numbers did not make for pretty reading either. He failed to make a single tackle, make an interception or win any of his duels. He also completed just six passes and had fewer touches (17) and Senne Lammens.

While Heaven is still young, he clearly has a lot of improving and maturing to do before he’s ready to start regular games at his level.

Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS readying £30m Man Utd offer to sign "monster" CM

There appears to only be one outcome in the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United.

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By
Robbie Walls

Dec 4, 2025