Arya and Shashank also impressed as PBKS posted their highest-ever total on their way to a 11-run win

Alagappan Muthu25-Mar-20252:12

‘Probably Shreyas Iyer’s best IPL innings’

New (or returning) players have hogged the limelight this first week of IPL 2025 and it was no different in Ahmedabad where last season’s title-winning captain announced himself in grand style. Shreyas Iyer led Punjab Kings’ batting line-up to their second-highest total of all time, and then victory over Gujarat Titans by 11 runs.Related

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Iyer walks the talkIyer had a century for the taking. He was 97 off 42 when the final over began, but he did not face a single ball of it, having told his partner Shashank Singh not to worry about the landmark. He had said prior to the start of the season that he wanted to bat at No. 3 and he showed against GT the extent of damage he can do from there. His career-best IPL score included nine sixes. Only once in this tournament has he cleared the boundary more often, and to bat this way was a conscious decision.Shashank Singh and Shreyas Iyer added an unbroken 81 in just 28 balls•IPL

Iyer knew PBKS needed a big score at a ground where chasing teams had won five of the last six IPL games. Dew plays a big part in that discrepancy and there was plenty of it on Tuesday evening. Keeping all that in mind, Iyer took every opportunity he was given to swing free. He flicked his fourth ball for six, off Kagiso Rabada. He pulverised Sai Kishore for two more, right after the left-arm spinner had picked up two wickets in two balls in his previous over. He even took down Rashid Khan, contributing two of the five sixes the legspinner had to contend with in his final analysis of 4-0-48-1. Iyer was so switched onto run-scoring opportunities that he spotted a wide from the non-strikers’ end in the 15th over. When he came on strike for the extra ball, he hit that for six too.A new face and an old facePriyansh Arya got big ups from his coach Ricky Ponting in the pre-season and it does seem like he has the goods. The 24-year-old, left-hand opening batter was responsible for eight of his team’s 12 boundaries in the powerplay, and considering he was facing Mohammed Siraj and Rabada, that’s a big tick. Shashank was the other big performer for Punjab on the batting front. He came in with the death overs looming, so he knew he couldn’t take any time to settle. He got to face 16 balls and sent half of them to the boundary, his best work coming when he took Siraj down in a final over that went for 23.Sai Sudharsan launches one into the night sky•IPL

Sudharsan shinesSai Sudharsan made a hundred the last time he batted here in the IPL, against CSK, whom he had flayed all around the park in the final those two teams played as well. He’s got the big match temp down. He hasn’t been shown up by any kind of bowling just yet. T20 might actually not be his best format. It requires him to push a little harder than his game allows right now. Imagine him in Test whites, though, with all the time in the world to construct an innings. It can’t be all that long before India throw him in. There’s an England tour coming up and he’s played first-class cricket there the past two seasons. In this game, he made 74 off 41 and took off when Titans ransacked 87 runs in the six overs from the ninth to the 14th. Titans were ahead of Punjab by 30 runs at this stage of the game (169 vs 139, with two fewer wickets lost). Jos Buttler, at No. 3 for his new team, helped himself to a fifty as well.Big impact from VyshakVijaykumar Vyshak had only just been subbed on before he was given the ball for the 15th over. He ran in with just one thing in mind. Hitting the blockhole, which wasn’t all that easy given the dew that was around. A few of his deliveries became wide full-tosses but he didn’t care. For two overs, the 15th and 17th, he pitched every single ball, including the extras, at a full length. There was nothing even on a good length. Thanks to that combination of clarity and execution, he only gave away 10 runs in those 12 balls and sucked all the momentum out of the Titans innings. Where Punjab made 77 runs in their last five overs, Titans could only cobble together 50.

Nottingham Forest have officially lodged a complaint with UEFA following their dramatic 3-2 Europa League home defeat to FC Midtjylland, as the pressure mounts on manager Ange Postecoglou just six games into his reign at the City Ground. Forest chiefs were left incensed by the controversial officiating during Thursday’s European clash, which saw the visitors escape with three points amid a series of questionable decisions from French referee Willy Delajod.

Forest erupt after Europa League chaos

According to Delajod’s performance is at the heart of Forest’s outrage. Despite Midtjylland’s bruising, physical approach, the official showed just one yellow card to the Danish side, to wing-back Kevin Mbabu, while three Forest players were booked: Morato, Igor Jesus, and Morgan Gibbs-White.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportReferee under fire after Midtjylland mayhem

A particularly reckless challenge by Denil Castillo on Elliot Anderson early in the contest summed up the inconsistency, with the Midtjylland midfielder somehow escaping with only a verbal warning. Forest sources say the stop-start nature of the officiating killed their rhythm and denied them the chance to build any attacking momentum.

Ange under fire: Six games, no wins and no mercy

The defeat has left Postecoglou’s position hanging by a thread. The Australian boss, who only took over in the summer, has endured a nightmare start to life in Nottingham, with no wins from his first six games in charge. This is the worst record by a Forest manager for over 100 years, since John Baynes went winless in any of his first seven games in 1925. 

Thursday’s loss marked yet another low point, with sections of the City Ground crowd turning on the manager by chanting “You’re getting sacked in the morning!”; a brutal soundtrack for a coach already fighting for survival. Fans also resurrected songs for former manager Nuno Espírito Santo, who was sacked only last month but has since resurfaced as West Ham boss.

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(C)Getty ImagesForest at a crossroads before international break

Sunday’s clash with Newcastle could well determine Postecoglou’s fate. Club insiders admit that failure to end the winless run will almost certainly trigger a managerial change during the break. Forest’s owners are said to be “deeply concerned” about the team’s direction and fear that another loss could see morale sink even lower. 

It might sound a little hyperbolic, but it feels like West Ham United are currently in a crisis.

Graham Potter’s side have lost all three of their games so far, and while they’ve scored three goals, they’ve conceded a whopping 11.

It’s crystal clear that the East Londoners are in desperate need of quality reinforcements who can help make them a far tougher proposition to play against if they are to still be playing Premier League football next year.

Fortunately, it appears that the club are incredibly close to bringing in someone who could be just what they need and the perfect teammate for the promising El Hadji Malick Diouf.

West Ham close in on the perfect teammate for Diouf

Arguably, the area of the team West Ham are most in need of reinforcing before the window closes next week is in the midfield.

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The middle of the park was already looking a little weak at the start of the summer, but with Edson Alvarez now in Turkey, Potter and Co are in serious need of fresh legs and quality.

Not only do the Hammers need someone who can help with the offensive side of things, but someone who can come straight into the side and make them a nightmare to play against.

Fortunately, it appears that the East Londoners are incredibly close to signing a player who would not only fit that description, but also be able to get more out of fellow summer signing Diouf.

At least that is according to a recent update from Sky Sports’ Lyall Thomas, who has revealed that West Ham are closing in on Soungoutou Magassa.

Furthermore, Thomas has confirmed that the young Frenchman will be flying into London on Wednesday to undergo a medical ahead of his £17.3m move from AS Monaco, a switch that Thomas suggests is set to be done in the “next 24-48 hours”.

Magassa might not be a household name, but he looks like just the sort of player West Ham need at the moment, and someone who could get even more out of Diouf.

Why Magassa would be a dream signing for Diouf

The first and most significant reason Magassa could help get even more out of Diouf is the same reason he’d be a brilliant teammate for the rest of the West Ham team: his defensive and athletic qualities.

For example, even though he can play in central midfield and at centre-back, he’s been at his best in recent seasons playing as a defensive midfielder, where he can utilise both to break up play and harry opposition attackers.

You can best see how elite he is at the defensive side of the game through his underlying numbers.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles plus interceptions, tackles in the middle third, and dribblers challenged, as well as the top 6% for passes blocked and more, all per 90 minutes.

In other words, the 21-year-old could be trusted to do the bulk of the defensive work for the Irons, which in turn would allow Diouf more opportunities to maraud down the wing and supply the frontline with chance after chance from his brilliant crosses.

Yet, there is another way in which the Monaco ace would be able to help get more out of the Senegalese gem: his passing ability.

On top of being a defensive monster in the middle of the park, the “elegant” Frenchman, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is also far more accomplished with the ball at his feet than you might imagine.

In fact, respected analyst Ben Mattinson has praised him for his “forward-thinking mindset” and his impressive ability to “spray passes wide out to the wings,” which suggests he would be able to find the former Slavia Prague ace with ease.

Once again, we can see skills in 6 foot 2 titan’s underlying numbers, as FBref ranks him in the top 7% for switches and the top 10% for through balls per 90.

Ultimately, West Ham appear to be making an excellent signing in Magassa, as not only will he add some defensive steel to the midfield, but he will also allow Diouf to flourish out wide.

After Magassa: West Ham keen on signing their best CM since Rice for £9m

As West Ham United search for midfield reinforcements, could an £9m star who “moves like a god” become the Hammers’ best since Declan Rice?

By
Ben Gray

Aug 27, 2025

Red Bull's head of global soccer Jurgen Klopp has opened up on having to fire Marco Rose from his position as Leipzig head coach. Rose, once hailed as the man to cement Leipzig among Europe’s elite, was dumped midway through a miserable third season at the Red Bull Arena back in March. It was a campaign that spiralled into chaos, with Leipzig crashing out of the Champions League in the first phase, managing just one win in eight matches, before a gut-punch defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach left them languishing in seventh place in the Bundesliga.

• Zsolt Low’s short-lived fix

  Rose won 72 of his 125 matches in charge of Leipzig, delivered two trophies in the form of the DFB-Pokal and German Supercup, and guided the club to Champions League qualification twice. However, he was dismissed after a run of just three wins from his final 11 games in all competitions. Following the exit of Rose, in a desperate bid to stop the rot, Leipzig turned to Chelsea’s trusted assistant Zsolt Low, giving him the reins until the end of the 2024-25 season. But the gamble backfired spectacularly. The Hungarian coach couldn’t change the club’s fortunes as defeats piled up and morale sank. By the end of the campaign, Leipzig had not only missed out on Champions League football but were also left empty-handed in their chase for any European spot in 2025–26.

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  Klopp lifts the lid on Rose's exit

  Klopp has now admitted that wielding the axe on Rose was a bitter pill to swallow. In an interview with he said: "It’s not great. It will never be my hobby. But it’s things you have to do. What I want is to hire coaches for the right reasons. And if you finish working together, then it is also for the right reasons and not for the media asking for it."

  The ex-Liverpool boss spoke of his desire to create stability but admitted modern football doesn’t allow it.

  "I want to instil this (stability); more trust, going through the hard times," he added. "If you are convinced, then you are convinced. The world is like that: ‘Oh my God, you are great!’ Then it is, ‘Oh no! You’re s***.’  There’s no grey area anymore. And very often life is grey."

• Werner the chosen one

  Leipzig wasted little time finding their new man. In came Ole Werner on June 24, with the 37-year-old seen as a rising star of German coaching, as he signed a deal through 2027. Werner, who opted to leave Werder Bremen early despite having a contract until 2026, has built a reputation as a no-nonsense manager with a sharp tactical brain. He took Bremen back into the Bundesliga at the first attempt in 2021 and steadied the ship with finishes of 13th, ninth, and eighth. More tellingly, his side closed out the 2024–25 season on an eight-match unbeaten run, including a gritty 0-0 draw against Leipzig themselves.

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• A lightning start at Leipzig

  If anyone doubted whether Werner was ready for the leap, he’s answered in style. Leipzig have roared into the new campaign under their fresh-faced coach, chalking up four wins from their first five Bundesliga fixtures. Werner’s first big test, however, looms large. This weekend, he leads Leipzig into a showdown with Borussia Dortmund, a clash that will truly measure whether his early success is built on solid ground or fleeting momentum.

Even after winning four games from four in the Premier League, there’s still a number of problems that Liverpool have to solve and one star has just clapped back at fans with one issue that he has.

Liverpool unbeaten but unconvincing

Some will say it’s the sign of champions, others will claim that it’s unsustainable. Arne Slot’s verdict will be that the best is yet to come from his side, who have needed four late winners to keep the only 100% record still going in the Premier League.

It was unexpected heroes Federico Chiesa and Rio Ngumoha against Bournemouth and Newcastle United and then it was Dominik Szoboszlai’s spectacular free-kick which sealed all three points against title rivals Arsenal. The trip to Burnley, meanwhile, was billed as routine before proving to be anything but. This time it was Mohamed Salah who stepped up to score late on from the spot.

Whilst the Reds struggled to break Burnley down going forward, there’s no denying that they were once again imperious defensively. Although the Clarets handed them a simple job, both Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate deserve praise for how they took full control.

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Konate, in particular, has been back to his best in recent displays following a tough opening to the campaign. It’s the type of form that may quiet down any talk about his contract and he’s now hit back at fans with the “problem” that he has.

Konate hits back at Liverpool fans after recent form

With his poor form coinciding with his contract saga in games against Bournemouth and Newcastle, Konate received his fair share of criticism. Since then, however, he has been as dominant as ever and has earned praise as a result.

Feeling how quickly the mood of fans can change, Konate hit back on social media, responding to a Liverpool fan page by saying: “The problem is some of you forget to quick. Only after 2 games.”

Dubbed “tremendous” by Micah Richards last season, there’s no debate that Konate is one of the best defenders in the Premier League and someone that Liverpool must do everything to keep.

As things stand, with less than 12 months remaining on his current deal, the Reds are facing a Trent Alexander-Arnold repeat as Real Madrid continue to sniff around. The last thing that Anfield chiefs need is for another star man to jump ship on a free deal.

Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo is now facing an uncertain future at the City Ground, amid tension with maverick owner Evangelos Marinakis.

Nuno is a hugely popular figure among the Forest fanbase after guiding them back to a place in European football, with Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League handing them a place in the Europa League.

Forest were in and around the top four all season long in 2024/2025, which nobody expected at the start of last term, and it is testament to the excellent job Nuno has done with very limited depth compared to his Premier League counterparts.

Losing the Portuguese would be a bitter one to take for Forest supporters, but it is a very realistic possibility, as Nuno cast doubt on his own future in a press conference this week – admitting that relations with Marinakis have soured.

These comments are believed to have escalated tension behind-the-scenes, especially since they came 48 hours before a heated clash with Palace after Forest took their place in the Europa (The Guardian).

While Forest have enjoyed a stellar last fortnight in the transfer market, sealing a plethora of deals with the latest one being Douglas Luiz from Juventus, Nuno’s potential exit is a worrying scenario amidst what is a vital campaign.

Nottingham Forest could replace Nuno with Ange Postecoglou

If Nuno were to depart, reliable media sources claim another ex-Tottenham boss in Ange Postecoglou would be a leading candidate for the job.

This is backed up by journalist Graeme Bailey, who also tells TBR Football that Forest could hire Postecoglou off the back of some key advice to Marinakis from the Greek tycoon’s family.

Postecoglou guided Spurs to their first major trophy in 17 years with their Europa League triumph in May. However, the Australian, who’s won at least one piece of silverware at nearly every club he’s been at, also watched on as the Lilywhites slumped to a 17th-placed finish in the Premier League last term.

It is worth noting, though, that his Tottenham squad held the 59-year-old in very high esteem, and he was very popular at Hotspur Way, with Son Heung-min calling him a club “legend”.

Yorkshire 121 and 189 for 6 (Lyth 57*, Bairstow 52, Wheal 4-41) lead Hampshire 249 (Brown 49*, Hill 3-36) by 61 runsJonny Bairstow led from the front as Yorkshire produced an admirable fightback on day two of their Championship opener, but it was his dismissal by Hampshire’s winter recruit, the rapid 22-year-old Sonny Baker, late in the day that tilted the contest back towards the home side.Baker was clocked at 92mph/148kph when playing for Hampshire in the Global Super League late last year, and impressed enough on the England Lions tour of Australia to be offered an ECB development contract. He had already claimed Bairstow as a maiden Championship wicket with his second delivery on Friday, and saw Yorkshire’s captain put down twice in the space of as many balls in the second innings, before returning for a second spell during the evening session to pluck out his middle stump and end a 105-run stand with Adam Lyth.Baker’s tail was up and he quickly dispatched the next man in, George Hill, who inside-edged his second ball for four before defending his third down into the stumps. With Brad Wheal claiming his fourth wicket of the innings before the close, Will Luxton caught down the leg side, Hampshire had regained the initiative after being made to toil in the afternoon sunshine.They made extra work for themselves, with Bairstow dropped three times early in his innings – chances of varying difficulty but all catchable. Yet from such scratchy beginnings, Bairstow brought himself to bear on proceedings through sheer force of personality, becoming the first batter in a low-scoring match to reach a half-century. His partnership with Lyth was worth almost as much as Yorkshire’s entire first innings, and gave them hope of turning the tables on Hampshire after conceding a 128-run deficit.Lyth also went past 50, his nuggety innings heading towards 200 balls without so much as a chance offered. After a dogged start he grew more expansive, comfortably negotiating a spell of short stuff from Baker, and his efforts at least helped give Yorkshire the prospect of something to bowl at in the fourth innings – as well as laying a marker after a worryingly flimsy display from his top-order colleagues.It did not look as though Hampshire would be detained for so long when Yorkshire were 4 for 2 after nine balls of their second dig, Fin Bean chipping Wheal tamely to mid-on and James Wharton trapped lbw for a golden duck. The scoreboard read 53 for 3 when Dawid Malan departed – Wheal finding his outside edge having switched ends – and the lead was still 75. A swift conclusion to the game was on the cards, and that may have transpired had Hampshire taken one of their opportunities against Bairstow.The first, when Bairstow had scored 6, saw Liam Dawson fail to cling on to a low caught-and-bowled chance going to his right. Baker was then brought into the attack, and his extra pace soon had the beans going as Bairstow picked out deep square leg with a flat pull – only for Nick Gubbins, stationed on the boundary, to drop the ball over the rope, taking a glancing blow to the head in the process.With Gubbins required to undergo a concussion check, he was replaced on the field by sub fielder Joe Weatherley. Baker duly banged in the next one and Bairstow took him on again, the resultant top-edge looping into the leg side, where Weatherley had to make up a lot of ground. Although he managed to get hands under the ball, it seemed to squirm from his grasp as he pitched forward into the turf. As Hampshire celebrated, Bairstow stood his ground; after conferring, the umpires agreed that he should continue.While the drama swirled around Bairstow, Lyth was almost literally a bystander. At tea, he had dug in for 13 from 103 balls, having barely played an attacking stroke. It was not until his 124th that he found the boundary with a flick off the pads; two balls later he had another, punching a cut through backward point.Hampshire resumed in the ascendency after a solid performance on day one, and stretched their advantage during a morning session that realized 85 runs for the loss of their last five wickets. Ben Brown, promoted to the captaincy in the wake of James Vince’s enforced red-ball hiatus, biffed an unbeaten 49 that included twice launching Ben Coad into the crowd at deep midwicket – although Yorkshire were aggrieved that he was not given out lbw on 2 when aiming an unsuccessful reverse-sweep at Dom Bess.

After breaking their transfer record to welcome Nick Woltemade in the summer transfer window, Newcastle United are reportedly ready to do it all again to sign a Barcelona star in 2026.

Howe pleased with "great" Woltemade start

Missing out on several transfer targets and left scrambling for options towards the end of the transfer window proved more than worthwhile when the towering Woltemade nodded home to score a debut goal last time out. Getting off to the perfect start against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the German has instantly received Eddie Howe’s seal of approval.

The Newcastle boss told reporters after watching his new striker wheel away in celebration on his debut: “It was a great moment for Nick. I was very pleased with how he played today.

“You saw his qualities, his technical qualities that we’ve been discussing and his intelligence. But most importantly for a striker, when the ball comes into the box, you need to be there. And he was.

“It was a great finish. I’m really pleased for him personally because that just settles him down and relaxes him. He’s a very humble guy, he wants to do well and he’s delighted to be here. I think it’s a great start.”

Related Not just Ekitike: Newcastle lost one of the best teens in Europe to Liverpool

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Sep 15, 2025

The Magpies showed great faith in Woltemade when they splashed out as much as £69m to secure his signature, but that may not be the end of their big spending.

PIF are seemingly keen to make further statements now that they’ve been handed some PSR breathing room courtesy of Alexander Isak’s departure. And that has reportedly seen their attention turn towards a Barcelona star who is almost certain to leave if the right offer arrives next summer.

Newcastle ready to break transfer record for Olmo

According to reports in Spain, as relayed by TeamTalk, Newcastle are now ready to break their transfer record to sign Dani Olmo in 2026. The former RB Leipzig man is reportedly almost certain to leave if a big-money offer arrives next summer and those at St James’ Park are ready to pay as much as €90m (£78m) for his signature.

£9m more than what they paid for Woltemade, Newcastle must be huge admirers of the versatile forward and may even get a closer glimpse of his talent in the Champions League this week. Barcelona travel to St James’ Park to get their Champions League campaign underway and Lamine Yamal’s injury may yet hand Olmo a rare start.

Whilst his time at Barcelona looks destined to come to an end, especially if the right offer arrives, Olmo is still full of talent and received high praise from former Leipzig boss Marco Rose, who said: “Dani Olmo is an outstanding footballer. It was a great performance by him and by the whole team too.

“The way he took the second goal was fantastic. The thing that impresses me even more though is how he drives the team on and helps the younger players.”

أصدر نادي برشلونة بيانًا رسميًا حول قرار رابطة أندية الدوري الإسباني بإلغاء قرار إقامة مباراة فياريال بمدينة ميامي في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

كانت رابطة الدوري الإسباني والاتحاد الأوروبي للكرة القدم “يويفا” قد وافقا، في وقت سابق على إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ 17 من الدوري الإسباني يوم 20 ديسمبر في ميامي.

وبسبب ذلك، نشبت حالة من الغضب الشديدة لدى قادة الفرق في الليجا، وفقًا لما أعلنت رابطة لاعبي كرة القدم الإسبانية، كما تقدم ريال مدريد بشكوى إلى المجلس الإسباني لكرة القدم اليوم اعتراضًا على ذلك.

اقرأ أيضًا | قرار مفاجئ من الدوري الإسباني بشأن إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي

وبسبب ذلك، أعلنت رابطة الدوري الإسباني منذ قليل إلغاء إقامة مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في ميامي، بعد التشاور مع الشركة المنظمة للحدث، بسبب ردود الفعل التي وقعت في إسبانيا الفترة الأخيرة تجاه المقترح.

وفي هذا السياق، علق نادي برشلونة على قرار الرابطة بإلغاء مباراة برشلونة وفياريال في مدينة ميامي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

وجاء نص البيان على النحو التالي:-

يحترم نادي برشلونة ويلتزم بقرار إلغاء مباراتنا ضد فياريال في ميامي في الجولة 17 من الدوري الإسباني، تمامًا كما سبق وأن احترم والتزم بقرار اللعب هناك.

يأسف نادي برشلونة لكرة القدم على الفرصة الضائعة لتوسيع صورة المسابقة إلى سوق استراتيجي يتمتع بالقدرة على الازدهار وتوليد الموارد لصالح الجميع، ويعرب النادي عن تقديره للدعم والمودة غير المشروطة التي تلقاها من جماهيره في الولايات المتحدة، وعن أسفه العميق لعدم تمكنهم من حضور المباراة الرسمية في البلاد.

Comunicado oficial del FC Barcelona — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) October 21, 2025

Leeds United’s return to the Premier League has been anything but quiet.

Following their 100-point Championship campaign, the 49ers Enterprises ownership backed Daniel Farke heavily in the transfer market, landing a string of ambitious signings.

Players such as Lucas Perri, Sean Longstaff, James Justin, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all arrived.

Yet it was not just arrivals that made headlines.

Key exits included Rasmus Kristensen, Maximilian Wöber, Junior Firpo, and perhaps most controversially, Largie Ramazani.

The Belgian winger had been a lively outlet during last season’s promotion push, but he was loaned to Valencia for the campaign – a move that left many supporters questioning whether Leeds had weakened their wide options.

With the club still finding its Premier League rhythm, the debate over whether Ramazani should have stayed has grown louder.

Why Leeds were right to let Ramazani go out on loan

Ramazani’s departure on a temporary basis is a curious subplot to Leeds’ summer.

The 24-year-old Belgium youth international only joined from Almería last year but quickly carved out a role in the promotion campaign.

Featuring 29 times in the Championship, he produced six goals and two assists, his pace and directness often unsettling second-tier defences.

With a market value of £6m, as per Transfermarkt, he represented a player in his prime years, and one many fans saw as ready for the next level.

A natural left-winger, Ramazani’s main strengths lie in stretching defences and committing opponents one-on-one.

His energy and willingness to run beyond meant he was often the difference maker in tight games.

On loan at Valencia, he has featured twice, offering the same blend of direct dribbling and counter-attacking thrust that made him popular at Elland Road.

Yet beneath the surface numbers, Ramazani’s output was limited at Championship level, suggesting that he may well have struggled up a division too.

His nine goal involvements across 30 matches last season, while respectable, were rarely decisive in big moments.

That is part of the reason Leeds sanctioned his loan, particularly given the scale of their recruitment drive and the emergence of an arguably bigger talent in the same position.

The answer to Leeds' wide problems

If Ramazani represented a promise unfulfilled, Noah Okafor offers a more complete package.

Signed from AC Milan for £18m, the 25-year-old Switzerland international arrived with a pedigree built across Europe.

His journey has taken him from FC Basel to RB Salzburg, where he developed a reputation as an explosive forward in the Champions League, before stints at Napoli and Milan.

Last season he featured 11 times in Serie A, scoring once, and added five appearances on the European stage.

Okafor is not simply a winger who hugs the touchline. Described by scout Jacek Kulig as “electric”, he combines agility and power with two-footed balance, close control and an ability to beat players in tight spaces.

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Crucially, he is also far more rounded than Ramazani: his defensive work rate, progressive carrying and ambidextrous dribbling make him suited to both high-pressing and counter-attacking systems.

The statistical comparison already tilts in his favour.

Noah Okafor – 2024/25

Matches Played

15

Minutes

454

Goals

1

Progressive Carries

28

Progressive Passes

13

Source: FBRef

Last season, Okafor produced 5.60 progressive carries per 90 compared to Ramazani’s 4.61, while also averaging more shot-creating actions (3.50 to 2.97).

He hits the target more frequently too, with 1.83 shots on target per 90 compared to Ramazani’s 1.39.

Although Ramazani leads for goal involvements (nine to Okafor’s one), the Swiss forward’s underlying numbers point towards far greater efficiency once settled in the Premier League.

Another area where Okafor stands out is ball progression.

His 25.2 carries per 90 reflect how central he is to advancing possession, while his blend of strength and control ensures he can both hold play up and drive past opponents.

Ramazani’s raw pace is useful, but Okafor provides a wider range of tools that make him harder to defend against at elite level.

Okafor’s European experience is another clear distinction. Having faced Champions League knockout ties and Serie A defences, he arrives at Elland Road with a level of maturity that Ramazani is yet to prove.

His display at the weekend gave a glimpse of what he can bring: direct running, creative spark, and a physical presence Leeds have lacked in wide areas.

For Leeds, the decision to let Ramazani leave now looks less risky.

While the Belgian may yet prove his worth in La Liga, Okafor already appears capable of offering Premier League quality.

In a squad balancing survival with ambition, having a winger of Okafor’s calibre may prove the smarter investment.

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Posts ByDan Emery Sep 17, 2025