#vurnon anita

[socceradvice]

Vurnon Anita Forced to Train Away From First Team as Leeds United Struggle to Find Suitors

[stillunusual]

LEEDS UNITED 2 ROTHERHAM UNITED 0 Leeds United: Peacock-Farrell, Ayling, Cooper, Berardi, Phillips, Douglas, Klich (Jansson 88), Alioski, Saiz (Baker 80), Hernandez, Roofe (Bamford 86). Subs not used: Blackman, Pearce, Harrison, Shackleton. My first visit to Elland Road of the 2018/19 season was a very positive one - second half goals from Luke Ayling and Kemar Roofe handed Leeds United a 2-0 victory over Rotherham United. There's been another summer of change at LUFC following the disappointments of last season.... In May, owner Andrea Radrizzani sold a 10% stake in the club to 49ers Enterprises, the investment entity behind American football giants San Francisco 49ers, and promised that their cash injection would be used to "improve results on the pitch". To underline just how much that extra investment is needed, Leeds United received £6.8M for finishing thirteenth in the Championship in 2017/18 and our 20 televised matches earned us a mere £914,000 - a total of £7.7M. In contrast, the three clubs that were relegated from the Premiership last season - West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Swansea - received about £100M from the Premier League and will each get a parachute payment of £42M this season. Radrizzani is a rich man, but doesn't possess the kind of wealth that would allow us to compete in the transfer market with these clubs (the stark reality is that about half the teams currently in the Championship can outspend us).... Not surprisingly, Paul Heckingbottom was sacked at the beginning of June, after a fruitless 5 months as our head coach. However, his replacement was a big surprise. On 15th June, Leeds United announced the appointment of the vastly experienced Marcelo Bielsa, who has previously enjoyed success as head coach of the Argentina and Chile national teams, as well as at club level with the likes of Newell's Old Boys, Athletic Bilbao and Marseille. When you think of the never ending conveyor belt of non-entities that we've hired and fired every few months since our exit from the Premiership all those years ago, it's incredible that we've managed to make such a high profile appointment. Bielsa officially took up his role on 25th June and immediately made sweeping changes to the coaching staff, bringing in his own assistants as well as translator Salim Lamrani (Bielsa doesn't speak English). As soon as last season ended, social media was awash with rumours about Leeds signing any number of players who in reality were way out of our reach. It took a long time for any incoming transfer activity to materialise, and there have been many more departures than arrivals over the summer. Matthew Pennington and Pierre-Michel Lasogga returned to their clubs after their loan spells came to an end. Madger Gomes, Felix Wiedwald, Andy Lonergan, Marcus Antonsson, Luke Murphy and Ronaldo Vieira have all left on a permanent basis (the latter joined Sampdoria for a fee of around £7M), and Lewie Coyle, Pawel Cibicki, Jay-Roy Grot, Tyler Denton, Paudie O’Connor, Mallik Wilks and Hadi Sacko have all been sent out on loan. Several other senior players - Vurnon Anita, Eunan O’Kane, Caleb Ekuban, Ouasim Bouy and Yosuke Ideguchi - are still at the club even though they've been told that they're surplus to requirements. On 30th June, Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker became Leeds United's first signing of the summer transfer window on a season-long loan. Four more players arrived in July - goalkeeper Jamal Blackman (also from Chelsea on a season-long loan), left-back Barry Douglas (a permanent signing from Wolverhampton Wanderers), midfielder Jack Harrison (a season-long loan from Manchester City) and striker Patrick Bamford (signed from Middlesbrough for £7M - the most we've spent on a player since our Premiership days). Our squad was also boosted by the return of Mateusz Klich, who was written off and loaned out last season, but featured prominently in our pre-season games. Tyler Roberts is also finally available after recovering from an injury sustained in training almost immediately after signing for Leeds in January. The new season began with a home fixture against promotion favourites Stoke City - a team that's been on the Premiership gravy train for the last decade and has a squad that, on paper, is infinitely superior to ours. The Leeds team included only one of the new signings - Barry Douglas - and lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Kalvin Phillips playing in a new role in front of the back four, which included Gaetano Berardi also in a new role at centre-back. Klich started in midfield because Adam Forshaw was injured and Roofe was preferred to Bamford up front. Bielsa announced before the game that Bailey Peacock-Farrell would be his first-choice goalkeeper.... To say we surprised Stoke with Bielsa's brand of high tempo, high pressure pass and move football would be an understatement. Leeds ended up winning the game 3-1, with goals from Klich, Pablo Hernandez and Liam Cooper (Stoke's goal was a dodgy penalty that should never have been awarded). It was a fantastic start and a magnificent performance that the same players would not have been capable of last season.... We continued the momentum with an even more impressive 4-1 victory over Derby County away from home. A much-changed Leeds line-up then beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1 in the first round of the Carabao Cup, and we've been drawn against Preston North End in the next round. Rotherham came to Elland Road aiming to contain us, kept everyone behind the ball and wasted as much time as possible right from the start. Bielsa began the game with the same players that had dispatched Stoke and Derby. We dominated possession throughout but found it difficult to break Rotherham down in the first half. Although our passing is way better than last season, we did still make the odd mistake that could have been costly - including a suicidal ball from Cooper across his own area to Peacock-Farrell, which was easily intercepted by a Rotherham player who would have scored but for a brilliant block by our young goalkeeper, who looked very assured and fully deserved his clean sheet. A long range shot from Rotherham also hit the post. At the other end Ayling, Klich and Berardi all came close for Leeds.... United began the second half very much on the front foot and were noticeably quicker about getting the ball upfield. Ayling soon put Leeds ahead with a diving header from a Douglas corner, following up efforts from Roofe and Cooper. There was some debate about whether the ball had crossed the line before being cleared by a Rotherham defender (who appeared to use his hand) but after several seconds of deliberation the ref pointed to the centre circle - thumbs up for goal line technology! After that it was a much more open game in which we created several goal-scoring chances but had to settle for only one more goal, which came in the 68th minute. Some lovely passing at the edge of our area led to Phillips launching a long ball over the top which was picked up by Roofe, who beat a defender and finished powerfully from a tight angle. In summary, another excellent performance - the players look 100% fitter than last season, their work rate on and off the ball was impressive and they all seemed much more comfortable on the ball. Roofe is starting to look like the finished article as a striker, with great support from Samuel Saiz, Gjanni Alioski, Hernandez and Klich (who has been a revelation). Berardi and Phillips also seem to have grown as players in their new roles. I don't want to get carried away, given that we also started last season very well before sliding down to our usual position in mid-table, but the Bielsa era already looks like it could be very exciting. In 2019 Leeds United FC celebrates its centenary, and it would be awesome to finally get back to the top flight in our 100th year. However, there's a long way to go and - as we're talking about LUFC - plenty of opportunity for things to go wrong between now and the end of the season...

[tshirttrend]

Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt

Ja man maar wat is dit nou voor dramatisch optreden van ajax Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt . ze kijken toch neem ik aan beelden ter voorbereiding? je weet dat ze zo gaan spelen, dit kan geen verrassing zijn. Awake Bears Funny Pop Culture shirt. dan lijkt het me dat je niet duarte linksback laat spelen. gooi lekker poulsen erin en zet blind linksback. sorry moet even zeiken en het liefst in het nederlands. ja poulsen is inderdaad ook niet de oplossing. maar in ieder geval een middevelder in plaats van de jong die daar als halve spits loopt. man wat een drama. eigenlijk heb je gewoon iemand als vurnon anita nodig. siggi is hopeloos. maar ja die bal komt er ook nooit. thulani en schöne hadden het verschil ook niet gemaakt denk ik. boilesen had wel geholpen. het is echt golf na golf van aanvallen. fischer heeft de bal amper geraakt! tering man wat gaat er toch een hoop mis. Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt Yes and I was hoping he would make it to the first team one day, but unfortunately he never really got a chance Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt .  I was so excited when I heard he would come to Salzburg! Soriano and Alan are by far the best strikers here in Austria Mentally and quality. Against Barcelona the Ajax players where ready to eat dirt and die. Against RBS they are the favorite (why I don’t understand) and then the fighting spirit disappears. Read the full article

[newshirtonlines-blog]

Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt

Ja man maar wat is dit nou voor dramatisch optreden van ajax Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt . ze kijken toch neem ik aan beelden ter voorbereiding? je weet dat ze zo gaan spelen, dit kan geen verrassing zijn. Awake Bears Funny Pop Culture shirt. dan lijkt het me dat je niet duarte linksback laat spelen. gooi lekker poulsen erin en zet blind linksback. sorry moet even zeiken en het liefst in het nederlands. ja poulsen is inderdaad ook niet de oplossing. maar in ieder geval een middevelder in plaats van de jong die daar als halve spits loopt. man wat een drama. eigenlijk heb je gewoon iemand als vurnon anita nodig. siggi is hopeloos. maar ja die bal komt er ook nooit. thulani en schöne hadden het verschil ook niet gemaakt denk ik. boilesen had wel geholpen. het is echt golf na golf van aanvallen. fischer heeft de bal amper geraakt! tering man wat gaat er toch een hoop mis. Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt Yes and I was hoping he would make it to the first team one day, but unfortunately he never really got a chance Im A Simple Woman Dive Coffee Dog shirt .  I was so excited when I heard he would come to Salzburg! Soriano and Alan are by far the best strikers here in Austria Mentally and quality. Against Barcelona the Ajax players where ready to eat dirt and die. Against RBS they are the favorite (why I don’t understand) and then the fighting spirit disappears. Read the full article

[gocurrentcom]

Ajax 0-1 Liverpool: Own goal gives injury-hit Reds victory

Ajax 0-1 Liverpool: Own goal gives injury-hit Reds victory

Nicolas Tagliafico is the second player to score an own goal for Ajax in a Champions League match, after Vurnon Anita against Real Madrid in September 2010

Premier League champions Liverpool were helped by an own goal from Nicolas Tagliafico to get off to a winning start in the Champions League against Ajax.

Jurgen Klopp’s injury-hit side, who were without talisman Virgil van Dijk, were tested by…

[pakcricwiz]

Football transfer rumours: Frenkie de Jong to join Tottenham for £40m?

Today’s whispers are feeling blonde

Ajax are a selling club. Academy prospects are either polished into diamonds or players are craftily bought on the cheap and sold for enormous profit – the club has made an estimated €400m in transfer fees in the last decade. Some of these big-money departures – such as Ryan Babel, Vurnon Anita and Davy Klaassen – have failed to live up to their potential, not that that particularly bothers Ajax. Others – like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Luis Suárez and Wesley Sneijder – have gone on to be some of the best players in the world. Tottenham have a funny knack of sniffing out the good ones. Christian Eriksen, Dávinson Sánchez and Jan Vertonghen have all trodden the well-worn path from Amsterdam to north London, and if you count Toby Alderweireld’s diversion via Atlético Madrid, some might identify the link between the two clubs as a bit of ‘a thing.’

Related: José Mourinho among top coaches calling on Uefa to review away goals rule

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[tipsoctopus]

Get rid: Leeds must cut ties with £2.25m-rated man by any means necessary - opinion

Leeds United have a lot of work to do over the summer.

It seems as though the Whites are headed to the Premier League, be that by default or by merit, and if they do end up in the top-flight they’ll have a bit of a rebuild on their hands as they have to make the necessary upgrades to stay competitive in the top-flight.

However, it’s not just bringing players in that Leeds need to think about, it’s getting rid as well.

Indeed, the Whites have done a commendable job when it comes to shifting their deadwood in recent years with the likes of Yosuke Ideguchi, Caleb Ekuban, Vurnon Anita and Hadi Sacko all departing the club.

Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

However, they need to keep up their good work by shifting Barry Douglas.

It’s sad to say it, but the stats don’t lie and Douglas quite simply isn’t up to the task of being a first-teamer at Elland Road.

He’s started just four games this season, and despite once crafting 15 assists in a single Championship season, he’s not set up a single goal this term.

In fact, he’s only averaging 0.5 key passes per game, which is way down on the 1.4 he was averaging last season and the 1.8 he was putting up the year prior to that.

The fact of the matter is that it seems Douglas is over the hill, and with United having plenty of options at left-back in the shape of Stuart Dallas, Ezgjan Alioski and Leif Davis, he just isn’t needed any more.

11 appearances all season indicates that this is a reserve player earning a first-team wage, after all, Capology had him down as United’s eighth-highest paid player at the start of the season.

United should just cut all ties with the £2.25m-rated man, even if they have to take a loss on him.

In other news, one Leeds man has been handed an England boost.

from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/3bffB7U via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/2UcfGUd via IFTTT

[stillunusual]

LEEDS UNITED 1 DERBY COUNTY 1 Leeds United: Casilla, Alioski, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Shackleton, Hernandez (Douglas 74), Harrison (Costa 58), Klich, Bamford (Nketiah 78).

Subs not used: Meslier, Berardi, Gotts, Roberts. A draw that felt like a defeat. Although it looks like we've started the season well and we're still top of the league (ahead of Swansea on goal difference) with 17 points after 8 games, it's worrying that we've done more than enough to win every match we've played but have dropped 7 points by being persistently wasteful in front of goal and conceding some sloppy goals. Our home form (1 win, 2 draws and 1 defeat) is a particular concern.... We had the perfect opportunity to pull away from Swansea when they visited Elland Road on the last day of August, but blew it in typical Leeds fashion by being completely dominant for almost the entire game without managing to score. The visitors weathered the storm and went home with all 3 points after scoring a goal in the last minute. We recovered well with a 2-0 away win against a very combative Barnsley side featuring 3 former Leeds players (Alex Mowatt, Aapo Halme and Mallik Wilks), with goals from Eddie Nketiah and Mateusz Klich. In the meantime we managed to offload most of our remaining surplus players during the international break - Laurens De Bock and Conor Shaughnessy joined Sunderland and Mansfield Town respectively, on season-long loans, and Vurnon Anita's contract was terminated by mutual consent. Eunan O'Kane is still recovering from a broken leg and is expected to remain at Leeds for now, and nobody seems to know what's happened to Ouasim Bouy.... Leeds actually had 13 players away on international duty - 5 with their country's senior sides (Stuart Dallas, Alfie McCalmont, Gjanni Alioski, Liam Cooper and Mateusz Klich) and 8 at youth level (Ryan Edmonson, Jamie Shackleton, Kun Temenuzhkov, Jack Clarke, Mateusz Bogusz, Niall Huggins, Eddie Nketiah and Nohan Kenneh). Fortunately they came back to Elland Road without sustaining any injuries, although Adam Forshaw missed the Barnsley game after picking up a knock. Ben White was named PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for August.... Leeds have also negotiated new long-term contracts with Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas - with Phillips apparently becoming our highest earner with something in the region of £40k per week. This is amazing given our recent history. When Andrea Radrizzani took over the club, the average salary was around £10k per week. Over the last year it has increased to somewhere between £15k and £20k per week, which represents a very substantial investment by Radrizzani - in addition to the money required to buy back Elland Road and get Bielsa and his staff on board - much more than previous owners have been prepared to spend. It looks like the club really is in a better position (both on and off the field) than at any time since our meltdown in 2004. Hopefully we can be more competitive with our spending without falling foul of the League's financial fair play rules. Forshaw was still unavailable for the Derby match. Jamie Shackleton had taken his place against Barnsley and started again. It was also good to see Tyler Roberts back on the bench.  The game followed a familiar pattern, with Leeds totally in control throughout the first half. We should have been out of sight by half time but wasted chance after chance and only scored a single goal, which had an element of luck about it. Phillips whipped in a free kick from the left touchline, Patrick Bamford squared the ball to Dallas from the back post, Dallas' shot was parried by the goalkeeper but the ball cannoned back into the net off a Derby defender. United started the second half as they ended the first as Bamford struck the post from close range - one of a hat-trick of chances he somehow managed to miss when it would have been easier to score. However, he did win us a penalty in the 70th minute, but Klich failed to convert it. Derby didn't even have a meaningful attempt on goal for the first hour of the game and offered nothing until the last 10 minutes when they had a couple of half chances and then scored their equaliser in stoppage time from their one and only shot on target. Two more points dropped and we only had ourselves to blame....

[footballnewspapers]

Leeds United outcast reportedly wants MLS move and club must shift his wages

Leeds United outcast reportedly wants MLS move and club must shift his wages

[ad_1]

Leeds United midfielder Vurnon Anita is said to want a move to the United States this summer, according to Leeds Live. 

Leeds snapped up the former Dutch international on a free transfer in the summer of 2017 following his release by Newcastle United. 

However, he struggled to maintain a regular starting spot at Elland Road under both Thomas Christiansen and Paul Heckingbottom. 

Last…

[luxuryt-shirt]

Skull And Roses Flowers Day Of Dead Dia De Los Muertos Vintage Skulls shirt

Ja man maar wat is dit nou voor dramatisch optreden van ajax Skull And Roses Flowers Day Of Dead Dia De Los Muertos Vintage Skulls shirt . ze kijken toch neem ik aan beelden ter voorbereiding? je weet dat ze zo gaan spelen, dit kan geen verrassing zijn. Awake Bears Funny Pop Culture shirt. dan lijkt het me dat je niet duarte linksback laat spelen. gooi lekker poulsen erin en zet blind linksback. sorry moet even zeiken en het liefst in het nederlands. ja poulsen is inderdaad ook niet de oplossing. maar in ieder geval een middevelder in plaats van de jong die daar als halve spits loopt. man wat een drama. eigenlijk heb je gewoon iemand als vurnon anita nodig. siggi is hopeloos. maar ja die bal komt er ook nooit. thulani en schöne hadden het verschil ook niet gemaakt denk ik. boilesen had wel geholpen. het is echt golf na golf van aanvallen. fischer heeft de bal amper geraakt! tering man wat gaat er toch een hoop mis.Skull And Roses Flowers Day Of Dead Dia De Los Muertos Vintage Skulls shirt, hoodie, sweater, longsleeve and ladies t-shirt

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Unisex Yes and I was hoping he would make it to the first team one day, but unfortunately he never really got a chance Skull And Roses Flowers Day Of Dead Dia De Los Muertos Vintage Skulls shirt .  I was so excited when I heard he would come to Salzburg! Soriano and Alan are by far the best strikers here in Austria Mentally and quality. Against Barcelona the Ajax players where ready to eat dirt and die. Against RBS they are the favorite (why I don’t understand) and then the fighting spirit disappears. That’s when the lack in quality from some players comes visible. And tbh, RBS has 4 attacking players that would be a direct improvement for Ajax. Mane, Soriano, Alan and Kampl. Ajax was sitting on its cash for a few years and now you see that against a team like RBS you lack allot. Veltman is making mistakes and errors for weeks now. Van Rhijn is playing shit for the last 2 years. De Jong is a poor midfielder. Sigthorson just isn’t good enough. Duarte lacks quality. Fisher is playing poor the whole season. Time they wake up at Ajax and start getting those direct quality improvements this squad so much needs. You Can See More Product: https://luxuryt-shirt.com/product-category/trending/ Read the full article

[mrlawrenceamick]

'No passion for the shirt': Many Leeds fans discuss 30-year-old's future at ER

Leeds United flop Vurnon Anita turned 30 on Thursday as he continues to impress on loan in the Dutch Eredivisie with Willem II – and Leeds fans have discussed his future on Twitter. Anita joined Leeds on a free transfer in the summer of 2017 as one of Victor Orta’s first signings after becoming director […]

The post 'No passion for the shirt': Many Leeds fans discuss 30-year-old's future at ER appeared first on The Boot Room.

from The Boot Room http://bit.ly/2KhYycW

[thebeautifulshirtsbloger]

Official Bearly awake shirt

Ja man maar wat is dit nou voor dramatisch optreden van ajax? Official Bearly awake shirt. ze kijken toch neem ik aan beelden ter voorbereiding? je weet dat ze zo gaan spelen, dit kan geen verrassing zijn. Awake Bears Funny Pop Culture shirt. dan lijkt het me dat je niet duarte linksback laat spelen. gooi lekker poulsen erin en zet blind linksback. sorry moet even zeiken en het liefst in het nederlands. ja poulsen is inderdaad ook niet de oplossing. maar in ieder geval een middevelder in plaats van de jong die daar als halve spits loopt. man wat een drama. eigenlijk heb je gewoon iemand als vurnon anita nodig. siggi is hopeloos. maar ja die bal komt er ook nooit. thulani en schöne hadden het verschil ook niet gemaakt denk ik. boilesen had wel geholpen. het is echt golf na golf van aanvallen. fischer heeft de bal amper geraakt! tering man wat gaat er toch een hoop mis.

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[onsallerajax]

‘Vurnon Anita keert verrassend terug in Nederland’

http://dlvr.it/QhXMP1

[tipsoctopus]

Catalyst: Leif Davis' role may have given Leeds the license to pursue a new signing - opinion

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more… 

Transfer rumours haven’t particularly been rife since the window closed but Leeds are still targeting a new face.

Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani have been busy renewing the contracts of Kalvin Phillips, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas but it appears transfers are still on their mind.

Last week, Coventry Telegraph reported that they understand Leeds are tracking Coventry’s full-back Sam McCallum.

If the defender did indeed arrive at Elland Road, how could he slot into Marcelo Bielsa’ side?

On the chalkboard

McCallum has so far enjoyed a breakthrough term with the Sky Blues and has appeared in five matches in League One to date.

The teenager has appeared in both full-back positions but it’s on the left where he’s been trusted the most, featuring on three occasions in that role.

It’s an area of the pitch that did have multiple options in at Leeds before the summer.

Tom Pearce had the ability to play in that part of the pitch, as did Clarke Oduor and Vurnon Anita but they all left.

Their remaining options have been Gjanni Alioski and Barry Douglas but it’s Leif Davis’ emergence that could be the best news for McCallum.

In fact, it may have played a handy role in allowing Leeds to even pursue a target at left-back.

Watch Leeds United Live Streams With StreamFootball.tv Below

Davis broke through in that role last term but he’s now become a centre-back in Bielsa’s eyes. The youngster has featured there in the League Cup and it might be that that’s where his future lies, certainly in a back three.

If he continues to play in that position Leeds might be left short on the left side of the pitch, particularly if an injury occurs.

Landing McCallum from Coventry, therefore, could help this greatly. He’s proven he’s ready for first-team football after starting on a regular basis in League One, so it would be strange if he was signed and not brought straight into the senior plans at Elland Road.

It can be argued that if Leeds hadn’t opted to change Davis’ role this season, they wouldn’t need to consider signing someone like the 19-year-old.

As a result, it could prove to be somewhat of a catalyst if a move materialises.

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[gossipgirl2019-blog]

Wolves could be about to miss out on summer transfer target to European side - reports

New Post has been published on http://gr8gossip.xyz/wolves-could-be-about-to-miss-out-on-summer-transfer-target-to-european-side-reports/

Wolves could be about to miss out on summer transfer target to European side - reports

Reports in Turkey claim that Galatasaray are on the verge of completing a loan deal for AC Milan forward Andre Silva.

Silva has been heavily linked with a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers for a large chunk of the summer, and the Milan Sporting Director Massimo Mirabelli told the Italian press recently that the Rossoneri have received an offer from Wolves to take Silva on loan.

Silva has endured a difficult first season at the San Siro after completing a big money move from Porto in his native Portugal. He scored 11 times for club and country last season but remarkably only managed two goals in Serie A.

Despite this questionable form in front of goal, the 22-year-old was still picked to be a part of Portugal’s World Cup squad in Russia this summer.

Silva played in the group games against Spain and Iran and also featured in the knock-out clash with Uruguay as Portugal bowed out of the tournament at the last 16 stage.

Heading back to Italy, where cash strapped Milan are in all sorts of bother, Silva reportedly made it clear to Wolves’ associate Mendes – who has overseen Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus – that he wishes to leave if possible.

Read More

Silva, who has worked with Nuno Espirito Santo before when the pair were at Porto, is believed to open to a reunion. Valencia, ironically Nuno’s former club, were another club interested in Silva and are able to offer him Champions League football.

Despite not quite taking to football in Italy like the proverbial duck to water, Mirabelli insisted that manager Gennaro Gattuso is determined to make the move work and will continue to push him.

That said, loan offers are on the table should things not work out, from Wolves and Galatasaray.

“We have invested heavily in André and Gattuso will still test him on the pitch. If it does not work, we want him to play in a top club,” Mirabelli said.

Now there are suggestions from the Turkish press that Super Lig giants Galatasaray are closing in on the forward.

Wolves are still planning on doing business in the coming weeks before the deadline passes. There are now question marks over the pursuit of Adama Traore, after the winger dislocated his shoulder in a pre-season friendly playing for Middlesbrough.

They’ve also been linked with a move for Joao Mario.

Many thanks

Barry Douglas has sent a heartfelt thank you to the Wolverhampton Wanderers supporters after admitting the move to Leeds United was ‘taken out of his hands’.

The left wing-back only arrived at Molineux last summer from Turkish outfit Konyaspor for a fee of £1m and proved a bargain; he scored five goals in 14 assists in 39 league games as Wolves lifted the Championship title.

Expected to be first-choice in the Premier League, rather surprisingly Douglas was sold this weekend back to the Championship, and to Leeds.

It appears the move, too, was something of a surprise to the player himself, but he took to Twitter to show his gratitude to the old gold faithful for supporting him and welcoming his family into the club.

“So where do I begin…the last week has been crazy, from being totally focused and preparing for the start of the new season with Wolves to then being made aware I would no longer be part of the plan going forward,” Douglas said.

The latest on Wolves’ chase for Adama Traore as defender is sold and Moutinho makes his debut

“The decision to leave was ultimately taken out of my hands, but such is life!

“This situation has taught me to always expect the unexpected.

“I’ve had an unbelievable journey last season and I’m so thankful and honoured to have been a part of it, I met many amazing people there and wish all the back-room staff and the players all the very best in their careers, the club is going incredible places and I look forward to watching them grow.

“To every single fan: thank you for your continued support throughout the season, also the way you made Debbie and Kaidyn feel a part of the Wolves family is truly appreciated, we have made some amazing memories here we will cherish forever.

“Wolves ay we.”

Read More

Wolves latest

What kind of player are Leeds getting?

Barry Douglas promises to be an excellent signing for Marco Bielsa and Leeds United, writes Ryan Plant.

Wolves’ decision to let him go has largely been met by derision from Wolves fans, which should show the Elland Road faithful the calibre of player that they are getting.

Douglas arrived at Molineux on a two-year deal from Turkish club Konyaspor – he has also played for Polish giants Lech Poznan, Dundee United and Queen’s Park.

What kind of defender are Leeds getting? Well, he played 39 Championship games last season as Wolves conceded just 39 goals, the joint lowest in the league alongside Cardiff City.

He was a threat going forward, too – he scored five goals and made 14 assists, which made him the joint-best creator in the league alongside Robert Snodgrass.

Douglas was pivotal in helping Wolves successfully move away from Paul Lambert’s rigid four-at-the-back formation into a fluid, three-in-defence system under Nuno that used wing-backs. Douglas occupied the left side, ahead of AS Monaco loanee Ruben Vinagre, and Matt Doherty was on the right.

Nuno’s ideals are largely similar to Bielsa’s, in that they both prioritise an attacking, beautiful style of play over quick-fix tactics to grind out results.

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At his former clubs, which include Athletic Club and Marseille, Bielsa used fluid systems that encouraged his wing-backs to charge forward, pressing high up the pitch – Douglas is capable of that, which he proved at Wolves.

This means the intensity in Bielsa’s Leeds team promises to be high – Douglas is not the quickest, but he was only substituted five times during his 39 league appearances, showing endurance is not an issue.

When he did get forward, his ability to create chances and score goals in different ways was important for Wolves, with rival defenders preoccupied attempting to stop Diogo Jota, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helder Costa and co.

He scored a stunning free-kick against Leeds over Andy Lonergan’s wall, his first Championship goal was a crashing effort away to Derby County and his goal at home to Brentford was scored from the edge of the penalty area with his weaker right foot – he is an indispensable attacking asset that can also defend well.

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The manner in which he created goals also made it impossible for defences to second guess his deliveries – Wolves scored 17 goals from set-pieces last season, which was no wonder with Douglas, Cavaleiro and Ruben Neves able to take them.

Leo Bonatini headed in Douglas’ delivery against Fulham in November unmarked at the near post but against Middlesborough the Scotsman’s cross found Costa free round the back, gifting him a chance to volley home – his ability to pick out a man gave Wolves an extra threat.

His best game last season was against Bristol City in December: he scored a free-kick to equalise at Ashton Gate before crossing for Ryan Bennett to head home a winning goal in the dying seconds, in a 2-1 victory.

Douglas took until March of this year to earn a spot in Scotland’s squad, despite the form of Kieran Tierney at Celtic and Andy Robertson at Liverpool – that should be a testament to his Wolves form, given that he has appeared in the Champions League and Europa League previously.

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All you need to know about Wolves now

Wolves transfer news: Barry Douglas signs for Leeds United

Douglas was clever enough to find space out wide that allowed Neves to find him with one of his trademark long passes, opening holes in the opposition’s defence – Leeds do not possess a midfielder able to play passes like Neves, granted, but that could change when the Bielsa regime gets going.

However, there are obvious reasons why Wolves are letting him go. Firstly, as has been mentioned previously, he is not particularly quick – he struggled against the fastest wingers the Championship had to offer last season, and rarely dribbled past his marker.

He will also turn 29 in September – he will not be able to play the way that Bielsa demands for a long time, and his contract at Wolves was to finish this time next year, anyway. 19-year-old Vinagre should prove to be his long-term replacement, and Spanish defender Jonny Castro is also on his way to the West Midlands.

All in all, Bielsa has campaigned for an intelligent, fluid style of play wherever he has managed – Douglas’ addition, but for a few minor weaknesses, will help that, and he is certainly an improvement on Vurnon Anita.

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LEEDS UNITED 1 NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 Leeds United: Casilla, Douglas, White, Cooper, Dallas, Phillips, Forshaw, Klich (Costa 80), Hernandez, Harrison (Alioski 73), Bamford. Subs not used: Meslier, Berardi, Bogusz, Shackleton, Clarke. It's amazing how quickly the weeks fly by during the summer, and before you know it football is back! What's even more amazing is that for the first time in many years there is continuity at Elland Road - Leeds United have started the 2019/20 season with the same owner, manager and coaching staff as last time (to put this into perspective, Marcelo Bielsa is only the third United manager to start two consecutive seasons since we were relegated from the Premiership in 2004). In theory this means that we can build on the foundations that he has already laid down and do better than last season's third place finish. In reality it's not so simple. Every year it gets more difficult for teams without the benefits of the Premier League's parachute payments to compete in the Championship, so it's quite possible that we'll be stuck in the second tier forever. There was certainly a feeling of deja vu about the fact that we failed to win this game against Forest for two of the principal reasons that we didn't get promoted last season - giving away needless goals at one end while missing gilt-edged chances at the other. Perhaps this isn't surprising, given that 10 of the 11 players who started the game were regulars during Bielsa's first term, and it's debatable whether our squad is any stronger now than it was a year ago. Fringe players like Tom Pearce, Tyler Denton, Paudie O'Connor, Aapo Halme, Yosuke Ideguchi, Clarke Oduor, Hadi Sacko, Mallik Wilks, Sam Dalby and Caleb Ekuban have all been sold over the summer, while forward Jay-Roy Grot and defender Lewie Coyle have been loaned out for the season. There were also four significant departures - goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell (to Burnley for £3.5M), playmaker Samuel Saiz (to Girona for an undisclosed fee), centre back Pontus Jansson (to Brentford for £5.5M) and striker Kemar Roofe (to Anderlecht for £7M). In addition, Tottenham Hotspur have signed Jack Clarke for an initial fee of £9M, but loaned him back to us for the whole season. There are several fringe players like Laurens De Bock, Conor Shaughnessy, Eunan O'Kane, Pawel Cibicki and Vurnon Anita whose future is still undecided. The club can't afford to keep them on the books if they're not in Bielsa's plans, so I presume they'll be moved on by whatever means necessary.... The only permanent signings we've made have been for Carlos Corberan's under-23s. Recruits for the senior squad have all been loan deals. Our marquee signing was Wolves winger Helder Costa on an initial one-year loan, which will become a permanent deal next summer (I assume this will cost us a lot of money but the details haven't been disclosed). Centre back Ben White joined from Brighton, and winger Jack Harrison came back for another year from Manchester City. These three players all benefited from a full pre-season under Marcelo Bielsa, but following the late departures of BPF and Roofe, Leeds waited until transfer deadline day to sign their replacements - 19 year old goalkeeper Illan Meslier from FC Lorient and 20 year old striker Eddie Nketiah from Arsenal. We now have six loanees, and only five of them can be named in a matchday squad. Bielsa is also placing a lot of responsibility on some very young shoulders - especially those of White, who looks like a great prospect but lacks Jansson's experience, and Nketiah, who is highly rated by Arsenal but still very green. Just like last season we have a distinct lack of cover in central defence if White or Liam Cooper are injured or suspended, and there are still doubts about our erratic sweeper-keeper Kiko Casilla (and his young understudy is also an unknown quantity). It remains to be seen if we can make a similar impact on the Championship even though teams will be better prepared to deal with our style of play, or if our squad will be better prepared to withstand the Bielsa work regime and won't burn out towards the end of the season. Luke Ayling and Tyler Roberts both missed pre-season due to injury and it's not clear when they will be available. Hopefully we won't be so unlucky with injuries this time around.... Our first game of the season was away at Bristol City - a comfortable 3-1 victory, which included a wonder strike from Pablo Hernandez and a goal each from Patrick Bamford and Jack Harrison. White made an impressive debut and Costa came on as a second half substitute. I was less impressed by the sight of our new grey and pink centenary away kit.... In order to increase my chances of getting tickets to the games I want to go to this season I forked out £50 for a Leeds United gold membership, and was delighted to discover that the gift pack of tacky merchandise that I received as a result includes a bottle opener that plays "Marching On Together". I was really looking forward to the Forest game, which turned out to be an excellent Championship fixture, but ended up leaving Elland Road with a familiar feeling of frustration.... Leeds dominated the play from the outset. Forest offered little in the first half and looked like they'd come for a point by sitting deep and making it difficult for us. Time after time we got into goal scoring positions but the final ball always lacked quality. I expected some early substitutions after the break but we continued as we were and eventually made a breakthrough on the hour mark. Patrick Bamford had already wasted a hattrick of golden opportunities by the time a great flick from Mateusz Klich released Hernandez who once again finished in style. But one goal wasn't enough. Forest responded by bringing on three subs and playing more positively. Their equaliser was a travesty from our perspective - a corner led to an untidy goalmouth scramble and Lewis Grabban was eventually able to bundle the ball over the line. Costa came on for the final 10 minutes in place of Klich, and threatened with his pace and trickery as Leeds went in search of a winner - but again, the final ball was always poor.... We created enough chances to win the game comfortably, but we didn't and we need to do better to stand any chance of promotion. We had 10 corners but didn't look like scoring from any of them - without Jansson we don't seem to have any dominant aerial threat at set pieces. We also looked vulnerable when defending free kicks and corners. We did have a couple of very good penalty shouts that the referee inexplicably waved away, but we can't really blame him for the fact that we wasted chance after chance. On the plus side - we're unbeaten and we've totally bossed two teams who are realistic contenders for a top six spot. Eddie Nketiah was introduced to the Elland Road crowd before the start of the game and I hope he will find the back of the net for us many times over the next few months. And despite my doubts, another season under Bielsa is something to look forward to....