Leeds United have their eyes on a tricky January transfer to sign a new forward who has been compared to Crysencio Summerville.

Leeds’ lack of goals in Premier League as 49ers eye forward

The Whites have struggled in front of goal so far following their return to the Premier League, with centre-back Joe Rodon the club’s joint top scorer in the top flight.

Joe Rodon

2

Lukas Nmecha

2

Noah Okafor

2

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

1

Anton Stach

1

Brenden Aaronson

1

Sean Longstaff

1

Daniel Farke’s side have only scored 10 goals in 11 games, with bottom of the table Wolves the only team to score fewer (7).

Only three attacking additions were made over the summer, two of which were free transfers in Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It is looking like a decision the 49ers Enterprises could live to regret, but they do have their eyes on attacking reinforcements in the New Year.

Brazilian forward Jhon Jhon is one name that has emerged in recent weeks, and he already has Red Bull links at RB Bragantino in the Brazilian Serie A. Journalist Graeme Bailey said:

“He’s a fascinating player. Very interesting. A bit of an attacking midfielder, can play as a forward. His name has come up in conversations with Red Bull, and he’s within the Red Bull name. He’s a good age, good player. Ticks a lot of boxes.

“Leeds aren’t the only ones looking. He’s come up in conversations, and one I’d not heard before until recently.”

Leeds set to make imminent bid for Real Madrid ace after Farke convinces 49ers

The Whites are looking to bring in a new forward, having not scored enough goals so far this season.

ByDominic Lund Nov 21, 2025

Domestically, Coventry City’s Haji Wright is another attacker who has been linked with a move to Elland Road in recent months, and there has been a fresh claim regaring the Whites taking the USA international in the New Year.

Update on Leeds’ move for Haji Wright

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds have four attacking targets who they could move for in January, one of which is Wright.

It is stated that the Whites ‘have a genuine interest in signing Wright’ and ‘the club are considering a concrete move for a player they have tracked since the summer’.

A deal is viewed as tricky with Coventry top of the Championship, however, Wright’s contract is set to expire in 2027.

Despite the difference in size, Wright has been compared to former Leeds attacker Summerville due to his ability to play off the left.

Roony Bardghji

Barcelona

Marcus Edwards

Burnley

Crysencio Summerville

West Ham

Sadio Mane

Al-Nassr

Borja Sainz

Porto

Primarily a centre-forward, though, the 27-year-old has scored eight Championship goals in 14 appearances so far this season.

Labelled as a “constant problem” for defenders to keep tabs on by his manager Frank Lampard, it has previously been suggested that an offer of £20m could be required to sign Wright.

How Leeds believe they'll convince Raheem Sterling to join with move in the works

Leeds United are struggling to string together a run of form, and they may now have identified a successor to replace Daniel Farke at Elland Road.

The Whites came back off the back of the international break keen to find an upturn in form. However, a Morgan Rogers double condemned them to a damaging defeat at home to Aston Villa despite taking the lead early on in West Yorkshire.

If it wasn’t already tough to make a case, pressure has now cranked up on Farke as Leeds sit inside the Premier League relegation zone before the daunting reality of a trip to face Manchester City this weekend.

However, the former Norwich City coach doubled down on frustration from supporters when opting to take off substitute Ao Tanaka against Aston Villa, claiming that despite discontent in the stands, he had to withdraw the midfielder as he was on a final warning before being red carded.

He told BBC Sport: “It is totally OK for fans to chant for subs – everyone has views on changes and game management. But I will not do a round table or poll before each match. I can’t be driven by emotions, I can’t make subs on 55, 60 minutes just because someone is singing.”

While Farke could be backed with the arrival of Real Madrid forward Gonzalo Garcia, it is becoming more likely that he could be about to part ways with the club after a series of frustrating results.

Making changes in mid-season can have varied results, but there is definitely an appetite for change at the club, and this isn’t the first time the 49-year-old has come under scrutiny. Who could replace him at Elland Road? Fans could be about to find out.

Leeds identify Brendan Rodgers to replace Daniel Farke

According to TEAMtalk, former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers is in line to replace Farke at Leeds, with the Whites’ current boss now at increasing risk of being sacked following his side’s poor form.

Intriguingly, the Irishman would be open to taking charge at Elland Road, with his ability to galvanize struggling sides making him a fit that is hard to ignore.

Stiliyan Petrov praised Rodgers’ player development skills during his time in Glasgow, something which is sure to endear him to a Leeds support who are used to seeing local and academy talents emerging from Thorp Arch.

Brendan Rodgers’ second spell at Celtic

Matches

123

Wins

83

Draws

20

Losses

20

Trophies

Scottish Premiership x2, Scottish Cup x1, Premier Sports Cup x1

Only last season, he saw off the likes of RB Leipzig and guided Celtic through to the knockout playoff round of the Champions League before a 3-2 aggregate defeat to Bayern Munich across two legs, albeit his side were unlucky not to progress.

Nevertheless, a public fallout with Dermot Desmond means he is a free agent, something that Leeds could now take advantage of as they look to his previous Premier League experience at Swansea City, Liverpool and Leicester City to guide them out of trouble.

After watching him clobber two home runs in Game 1 and deliver an RBI single earlier in Game 2, the Cincinnati Reds were done pitching to Shohei Ohtani. So, when the reigning National League MVP stepped to the plate in the bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on second base and one out on Wednesday night, the Reds opted to intentionally walk him.

Can you blame them?

But the decision didn't pay off, as the next batter, Mookie Betts, hit an RBI double to extend the Dodgers' lead to 8-2. And even though Betts helped orchestrate the decision's backfire, he told reporters after the game that he doesn't blame teams for not wanting to pitch to Ohtani.

"Nothing," Betts said when asked what goes through his mind when he's intentionally walked. "I wouldn't let Shohei swing either. I mean, I understand. I expect the Phillies to do it. I expect [it to happen] for the rest of the postseason. I undertstand. I understand Shohei. I understand the situation of the game. And so I just gotta be ready to do my thing."

And ready he was, as Betts' RBI double proved to be valuable insurance when the Reds would bring the tying run to the plate with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth inning, a jam the Dodgers bullpen navigated out of.

And as for intentionally walking Ohtani to pitch to Betts, it may be a short-lived strategy with the latter heating up at the dish. Betts collected six hits and three RBI in the Dodgers' sweep of the Reds.

Game 1 of the National League Division Series against the Phillies begins on Saturday.

MatériaMais Notícias

Agustín Giay é a bola da vez para chegar ao Palmeiras. O Verdão insistiu na contratação — e pagará cerca de R$ 40 milhões por 75% dos direitos — porque o argentino de 20 anos se encaixa perfeitamente no perfil de reforços do clube. Anteriormente, os argentinos endureceram as negociações e rejeitaram as primeiras propostas apresentadas.

continua após a publicidade

➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão

O Palmeiras ficou “encantado” com Giay. Ele soma as características desejadas pela comissão técnica de Abel Ferreira, além de entrar no projeto a longo prazo do clube: atleta versátil, jovem, competitivo, passagens por seleções de base e promissor, podendo render lucro ao Alviverde no futuro.

Polivalente, o jogador atua na lateral-direita, como volante e meia pela direita. A versatilidade é justamente um dos “mantras” de Abel, que insiste em ter um elenco que os atletas desempenhem mais de uma função.

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Praticamente todo plantel alviverde, atualmente, atua com frequência em mais de uma posição. Além disso, Giay é analisado como competitivo para marcar e atacar, outra valência enfatizada pelo técnico do Palmeiras.

➡️ Mudanças no time: quem Abel Ferreira deve escalar no Palmeiras durante a Data Fifa

➡️ Veja calendário e mais dados do Brasileirão 2024

Formado no San Lorenzo, Giay foi capitão da seleção Argentina no Mundial sub-20. Experiente apesar da pouca idade, o provável reforço palmeirense está no time profissional do “clube do Papa” desde seus 18 anos.

continua após a publicidadePalmeiras viu Giay de perto

O Palmeiras enfrentou o San Lorenzo duas vezes na fase de grupos da Libertadores 2024. A partir disso, o interesse na joia aumentou.

— Sim, teve contato (com Abel Ferreira e Simeone). Mas são coisas que não cabem a mim. Estou tranquilo, pensando no clube — disse Giay, em entrevista recente à “Espn Argentina”.

Na temporada atual, o atleta soma 24 partidas, um gol e duas assistências.

Tudo sobre

OriginalPalmeiras

Standing at 2.08m tall, the fast bowler delivered a stinging blow to India in the Guwahati Test

Firdose Moonda24-Nov-20255:17

Best Test allrounders: Jadeja, Stokes, and… Jansen?

We all know the image that best represents the long and the short of South African cricket because we see it every time Marco Jansen and Temba Bavuma get together on the field. Turns out it’s Jansen who carried all the height envy, not the other way around.Okay, not quite, but now that you’re interested, hear him out about why he wishes he could shave a bit off his 2.08 metres, especially when he is playing in India.”I’ve always struggled bowling in India, whether it was white ball or red ball,” Jansen said at the post-day press conference, “And I’m still jealous of people that get the ball to squat and nip back. Yesterday was a perfect example. (I bowled a ball) that went over off stump because I’m so tall. For a different bowler, like KG [Kagiso Rabada] that’s hitting top of off, so I’ve always been jealous of those people where they’re a bit shorter than me.”The delivery Jansen referred to came late on day two of the Guwahati Test, at the end of his second over. He pitched the ball on a length. It seamed back in to KL Rahul. He left it. And it sailed over the top of the sticks. Rahul judged it well but Jansen was frustrated, knowing he had come close to bowling the India opener.Related

Muthusamy comes out of the wilderness and stuns India

Jansen too hot for India as SA start dreaming of series sweep

Live: Harmer six-for seals whitewash, India's heaviest defeat

A tall fast bowler can often find it difficult to keep the stumps in play. But there is a flip side to it. A broadcast graphic showed that Jansen’s short ball pitched almost a metre closer to the batter than Mohammed Siraj’s and still generated disconcerting bounce.Going short wasn’t the plan when the day began. South Africa’s initial breakthrough came when the spinners operated in tandem for 17 overs in the morning session. Keshav Maharaj had Rahul caught at slip to break a 65-run opening stand while Simon Harmer was at the other end. Jansen then replaced Maharaj and the short-ball barrage started because South Africa thought they were “just going to try it.” He bowled six in a row in his first over as a sign of what was to come.In the next over, Jansen took the catch at backward point that dismissed Yashasvi Jaiswal and gave Harmer his first wicket. Harmer also got the next one, when Sai Sudharsan was caught at midwicket. Jansen felt that was key. “The spinners did a great job and then I was lucky to capitalise,” he told the broadcasters.3:51

‘SA might set 470 target and keep 120 overs’

Jansen had Dhruv Jurel caught on the pull in the 36th over and that set the tone for how he was going to bowl for the rest of the innings. “When I got my first wicket with the bouncer, we said ‘okay cool, let’s see how long this is going to work.'”It worked for the rest of that spell as Rishabh Pant, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja were all out to the short ball sending Jansen on his way to pick up 6 for 48. Still, he didn’t think this performance has exposed a particular weakness in India’s batting. “Nitish Kumar Reddy. I’ve played with him at Sunrisers and I’ve seen him hit the short ball 50 rows back in IPL so I don’t think it’s a vulnerability thing. I just think it’s the game situation,” Jansen said.He was similarly complimentary about both Jurel and Pant but explained that Test cricket is “just difficult,” because “you have to absorb pressure and then you have to find a way and then you have to put pressure back on.” That is something South Africa have become better at doing over the last two years and were best at on a day like today.

I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.Jansen needed a bit of help to recover from being dismissed for 93 in Guwahati

Now as for Jansen’s claim about not bowling well in India before. It’s worth noting that he had only played one red-ball game in the country before these Tests, in 2019 for a South African A side. He bowled 15 overs and took 2 for 59. In ODIs, he has done reasonably well (17 wickets in 10 matches at 29.00), though the blow-out from South Africa’s group stage World Cup match against India in 2023 when he took 1 for 94 in 9.4 overs is clearly still a sore point. In the IPL he has 36 wickets from 35 matches but concedes at 9.40 runs to the over. All told, Jansen has been on nine tours to India, including five IPLs, over the last six years and perhaps the value of experience is starting to show.On this, his 10th trip, he has taken his first five-for in any format in the subcontinent to follow a career-best 93 with the bat. Still, he livid that a first red-ball century had eluded him. “I’ve never been in the 90s before in first-class cricket, never mind flipping Test cricket,” Jansen said.2:19

Philander: ‘Jansen made great use of his height’

Was it nerves, with South Africa nine down at the time, that caused him to hang back in his crease to defend Kuldeep Yadav, whom he had attacked all day, and chop on? Maybe. Maybe not. “I was nervous when I had 20. Definitely nervous. And I was nervous in my 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s. I was nervous the whole way through,” Jansen said.South Africa’s centurion, Senuran Muthusamy, told him to “just breathe” and “that helped massively,” but the disappointment was writ large on Jansen’s face when he was dismissed. He dealt with it when the team left the ground. “Yesterday, when we went to the hotel, I tried to switch off and blow some steam off. I called the family – my brother, sister, mum, dad, you name it – just to get all those feelings and everything out.”And to make sure he was focused for a big bowling shift. South Africa lost Rabada to injury at the start of the tour and went into this game with only two seamers in the XI. Jansen conceded that losing Rabada was big but “whether KG plays or doesn’t play, I always try to think of myself as someone who can also break the game open for the team,” he said.”I just try to give my best every time I get the opportunity and try to put the team in a winning position. Not having KG there definitely adds a bit of responsibility and pressure on myself and Wessie [Wiaan Mulder]. Nonetheless, we know we have the bowlers, we know we have the players in the squad to help the team.”Those same bowlers will have the job of bowling India out again if South Africa are to win the Test. Jansen suspects it will fall to the three spinners, one of whom – Muthusamy – has not been required at all thus far as the surface deteriorates.”It is a good wicket. There is a bit of pace, there is a bit of bounce and now, the ball is starting to turn a little bit as well. Some of the balls are stopping as well from the spin, so I think the game is going to go more to the spinners side of things,” he said. “I think the pace and the bounce will stay there, but for seamers, in particular, I think we are going to have to make the new ball count. It is still a good wicket. If you bowl well, you will get wickets. If you bat well, you will score runs. You are just going to have to figure out your way of doing it.”South Africa only need a draw in Guwahati to win the series and if they do, it will be their first series win in India since the year 2000.

Can England’s gamblers shelve their instincts to survive the cut and thrust of crucial pink-ball contest?

Vithushan Ehantharajah03-Dec-20250:54

Clarke: Australia going to a venue where they play well

On Wednesday, at around 4pm Brisbane time, the Gabba was emptied by a fire alarm.Australia had already left following their final training session, and England were yet to arrive for their last practice under lights. The only evacuees were journalists and stadium staff.It felt like a moment for all to take stock. Because, in 24 hours’ time, this ground will be filled to the brim. And by the end of the first day-night session of the second Ashes Test, the state of the series could have already changed immeasurably.Pink-ball Test cricket tends to move quickly and undulate wildly. And for an England team who do both themselves, this may be a heady mix. A cocktail, no doubt, but will it prove to be a Negroni or a Molotov?The occasion has not been lost on the players, or indeed the state of Queensland. Police have been out and about pulling over helmet-less e-Scooter riders after Ben Stokes and a handful of England teammates were papped whizzing through Brisbane’s CBD without them. Stokes was even asked to apologise to Queenslanders for the crime in his press conference. He decided against it. As trivial an offence as it was, now is not the time to be sorry. No time for regrets.The reception England will receive tomorrow will be unlike any this team have heard before. Nearby pubs have primed themselves for an influx of punters priming themselves for a 2pm start. Not that the Gabba needs more of a run-up to dive into an Ashes Test. This is the most febrile of venues at the best of times when the English are in town, and they have the receipts to prove it.Stokes has insisted history holds no fear for them. But nor does it instinctively contain breadcrumbs to success, even if Australia’s sole pink-ball defeat came at this venue last year, against West Indies. “You don’t try and read into too much around what happened in a result the last time a team played there,” Stokes said, very much in business mode.The scrum before the storm: Ben Stokes speaks to the media at the Gabba•David Gray/AFP/Getty Images”We have grounds in England where you know you turn up there and have that extra boost of confidence because of, not necessarily your record there, but how the crowds are. We’ve got Edgbaston and Headingley – I feel like the Gabba is sort of like their Edgbaston or Headingley to Australia.”In truth, Birmingham and Leeds – for all their merits as home-Test strongholds – do not come close to Brisbane. The signage is everywhere, the sentiment skewed towards taking British pounds on their way to breaking English hearts. The air is thick enough to chew, the heat harsh enough to, well, ride an e-scooter without a helmet. The locals … well, England will get the full brunt of that over the coming days. You can understand why no England side has won here since 1986. The odds are in favour of an Australia triumph again, and a 2-0 scoreline will more or less confirm a fourth Ashes victory on home soil.To keep this alive, to make this all worthwhile, Stokes’ England – for all their parking of history – will have to at least mimic aspects of the last time England left this venue with their tails up.It might only have been a draw in 2010-11’s series opener. But the manner in which it was achieved was as bombastic as English cricket used to get. Facing a first innings deficit of 221, Andrew Strauss’s England side – arguably the greatest to win in Australia – put on 517 for 1 to kill the game but keep alive their Ashes hopes.They arrived on that final day at 310 for 1, leading by 89. But the most telling statistic was the crowd; a 42,000-seater with only 7,088 taken. Most of them were English. No fire alarm this time. The message was clear – Australia did not believe. If England did not already know they were onto something going into that final day, they did when they turned up and saw that lack of home faith.That may end up being the most telling marker over the coming days – local disinterest. Since 2022, Stokes has implored his players to err on the side of entertainment. Now, they must be no things to no men or women with Southern Crosses in their hearts.Related

• Can England rise to pink-ball challenge in Brisbane?

• Selection uncertainty or smokescreen? Focus on Cummins day before Gabba Test

• Boland: 'I'm good enough to compete with anyone'

• Switch Hit: Pink ball, Bazball, Gabba gamble

• Ben Stokes primed for his most important assignment as England captain

There will be periods with the pink ball when they must hold firm, whether batting against the new ball, or under lights, or when bowling with the old ball, with the sun still out. They must shield from the danger, not run towards it. Should their opponents attack, they would do well not to respond with equal and opposite force, even if Sir Isaac Newton would not improve.How ironic it is that Bazball comes down to this. As close to a crapshoot you get in Test cricket, against a side whose pink-ball record suggests the dice are loaded in their favour. And one that, by and large, they will have to play safe. Their head coach Brendon McCullum often refers to himself as a gambler, one always willing to twist. Sticking might be the order of this Test. It might be the order of the series.As night fell on Wednesday, the whole team were out in the middle of the Gabba fielding under lights, getting used to the pink ball and taking in the scale of colosseum which could be the site of their rebirth in their series.Spirits are high, belief remains broadly undimmed despite the humiliating defeat in the first Test. As they walked off the field on Wednesday, they embraced their coaches, who were passing the time bowling to one another if they weren’t hitting catches.One by one they filed down the tunnel, taking in the boombox that, for the last few days, has been scoring all their preparation, as has been the case for the last three years. Tomorrow, they will be greeted by much harsher tones, and forced to confront the reality that this could be the start of the end of it all. Or it could be the start of another chance to keep this merry ride going one more time around the block.

Australia’s Mitchell Starc, meanwhile, lamented the state of the old pink ball and his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness

Matt Roller04-Dec-2025

Jofra Archer played a valuable hand batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket•Darrian Traynor/CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

England believe that the chaotic final half-hour at the Gabba swung the opening day of the second Ashes Test in their favour, after Joe Root and Jofra Archer’s unbroken tenth-wicket stand of 61 took them to 325 for 9 under lights.At the scheduled 9pm close, England were 269 for 9 after 68 overs, with Root unbeaten on 111. It was a remarkably similar situation to the opening day of the 2023 series between these teams in Edgbaston, when Ben Stokes declared with Root on 118 to give England four overs to bowl at Australia before the close.The added element of the pink ball – and the opportunity to bowl at Australia under floodlights – strengthened the case for a declaration, prompting David Warner on Fox commentary to say he was “absolutely baffled” that Stokes had not pulled the plug on England’s innings.Related

• Root ton, Starc six as England reach 325 for 9 on opening day in Brisbane

• Crawley settles the nerves as he bounces back from Perth pair

• Starc on left-arm wickets record: Wasim still the GOAT

Steven Smith, who had floated the prospect of opening the batting with two nightwatchers in such a scenario, was at pains to slow the game down as much as possible, and Root remonstrated with umpire Sharfuddoula at Australia’s apparent time-wasting when Travis Head got padded up to spend a single ball under the helmet at short leg.But Root and Archer seized the opportunity to tee off, adding 56 runs in the final six overs of the day in a partnership that Zak Crawley said had changed the mood of the day for England’s players, who watched on from the viewing gallery outside the away dressing room. “We definitely won that last hour,” Crawley said. “We’re positive going into tomorrow.”Joe Root and Jofra Archer added an unbeaten 61 off 44 balls before stumps•Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Archer, batting at No. 11 for only the second time in Test cricket, started the carnage by charging Scott Boland and swiping him over square leg for the first six of the day off the first ball of an over that cost 19 runs. He then swung Mitchell Starc’s full toss over the sprawling Brendan Doggett at long-on, and Root reverse-scooped Boland over deep third in the following over.By stumps, Archer had registered a new Test best of 32 not out, while Root reached 135 overnight. Their stand was England’s first half-century partnership for the tenth wicket since Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson added 66 in the drawn Old Trafford Test in the 2023 Ashes, and their first in Australia since Norman Cowans and Derek Pringle in 1982.Starc, whose six wickets had put Australia firmly on top, was exasperated not only with the state of the old pink ball, but with his team-mates’ lack of situational awareness. “If you have a look at that ball, it’s basically bowling with a tennis ball,” he told SEN radio. “They chanced their arm, there were a few that dropped short. I think there’s a little bit of tactical nous in there as well.

“Hopefully, we take that tenth one early tomorrow and get batting with the sun out. We saw that it [the ball] didn’t do a whole lot, and day two is generally a good day to bat on. If we can get stuck into batting early tomorrow when there’s sun on the wicket – and their balls go soft as well – it could be a good day’s cricket.”Crawley, who had briefly changed back into his whites in anticipation of fielding, said that the situation had been “perfect” for England. “There was no talk of a declaration,” he said. “We were just saying, ‘Go really hard,’ and it was a win-win: if it comes off, then we’ll get 50 runs like we did, or if you got out, then we could have a crack at them under lights.”They’re valuable runs and it would’ve worked out either way… We were pretty happy with [being bowled out for] 260 and having an hour at them at that point, to be honest. We were quite optimistic about that last hour, and then it turned out we batted for all of it. It felt like it was a great chance for us either way – with bat or ball – to seize that last hour.”Australia only bowled 74 overs out of the scheduled 90 on the first day, which Simon Katich described as “an absolute joke”. They risk being docked World Test Championship points if they fail to bowl England out inside 80 overs. “The over rates are what they are,” Starc said. “If we keep taking the wickets, they won’t worry about it.”

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez has opened up about why he believes England have all the necessary “ingredients” to win the 2026 World Cup. Joining host Adebayo Akinfenwa for the latest episode of GOAL’s Beast Mode On Podcast, the Selecao manager predicts the Three Lions will go far at next summer’s showpiece in Canada, Mexico and the United States.

• Expectations high in England as Kane hails 'world class' Tuchel

  After topping Group K by winning all eight of their qualifying fixtures, expectations are high in England ahead of the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel’s men booked their place in North America following an impressive campaign which saw them score 22 goals and concede none in clashes against Albania, Serbia, Latvia and Andorra.

  And as a result, there is strong belief within the England camp that they can go all the way in their quest to add to their sole World Cup success in 1966, with captain Harry Kane singling out “world class” Tuchel as someone who could make the all-important difference.

  “He's done a really good job,” Kane said in November. “Coming in to being England manager is never easy, especially after Gareth who was one of our most successful managers. He's [Tuchel] tried to stamp his own feel into training, into meetings.

  “He comes with a lot of enthusiasm. Tactically we are really precise going into every game. He's been building different ideas leading up to next summer. Form now until then there will be more he would like to add. Tactically he has been fantastic.

  “He brings a personality, he brings an aura that represents an England manager. Going into a major tournament that is important as well. Other teams know he is one of the best managers in the world and that brings weight as well.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Portugal boss Martinez gives his thoughts on Three Lions' chances

  One man who also believes England have what it takes to lift the World Cup is Portugal boss Martinez, who is well-accustomed to English football having also managed Everton and Wigan Athletic in the Premier League.

  Sitting down for a chat with GOAL’s Beast Mode On presenter Akinfenwa, Martinez agreed with Bayern Munich striker Kane that the very presence of Tuchel means England should be considered as one of the “favourites” to win the competition.

  The 52-year-old said: “You’ve got a manager [Tuchel] that’s got a neutral way, that’s won the Champions League [with Chelsea], he’s managed at the highest level.

  “I always feel that the club competitions prepare the players individually to represent the national teams. 

  “The players England have, they get the benefits of the competitive aspect of the Premier League and what they do in the Champions League, these clubs.

  “The product is there, the ingredients are there. So I do feel that England are part of that ‘favourites’ group.”

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ex-Everton and Wigan manager predicts England's World Cup rivals

  Speaking of a ‘favourites group’, Martinez believes there are several countries who could cause England problems at the World Cup, including one national team that are yet to secure their place at the tournament.

  “Argentina, Brazil are two teams that are competitive, they always find a way,” Martinez continued. “Germany, for me in Europe, they are making huge progress under their coach, [Julian] Nagelsmann. 

  “Obviously Italy, they are in the playoffs but if they qualify, they will be a team that can go all the way. They’ve got these extremes, they won the Euros [in 2021], then they don’t qualify in either of the World Cups [in 2018 and 2022], either side of the Euros.

  "And you have to accept that teams like France and probably Spain now, they are number one in the [FIFA] world rankings, they should probably be the favourites out of anybody just because of their historic past, the belief that their national teams have, the players that have won every single tournament at youth level, and they just won the Euros [in 2024] with quite a distinctive superiority.”

  England – alongside Martinez’s Portugal – will find out who they will play at the World Cup when the draw takes place on Friday, 5 December in the United States, with the ceremony starting at 17:00 GMT (12:00 local time).

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• Watch the Beast Mode On Podcast episode, starring guest Martinez

  Check out every episode of GOAL's Beast Mode On Podcast via the official YouTube channel. You can also listen to full episodes via Spotify.

The World Cup 2026 draw has been made, with England set to face Croatia in the group stages, and the USMNT to take on Australia. Brazil have been drawn with Morocco, while France will play Senegal and Argentina must face Austria.

England into Group L

Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, drew his nation into Group B as the first pick, while Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum drew her nation into Group A. United States president Donald Trump then drew the United States National Team into Group D.

Brazil were the first non-host team drawn by Birmingham shareholder Tom Brady, and were drawn into Group C, while Germany were drawn into Group E, the Netherlands into Group F, Belgium into Group G, Spain into Group H, Argentina into Group J (because they cannot meet Spain in their pathway), France into Group I, Portugal into Group K and England, the final team out of the pot, into Group L. 

Thomas Tuchel's side will subsequently be playing their first game in either Toronto or Dallas, their second in Toronto or Boston, and their third in New York or Philadelphia. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe draw in full

Shaquille O'Neal, the NBA legend, drew from Pot 2, before NFL star Aaron Judge drew from Pot 3, and hockey legend Wayne Gretzky drew from Pot 4.

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea Republic, Denmark / North Macedonia / Czechia / Republic of Ireland.

Group B: Canada, Qatar, Switzerland, Italy/ Northern Ireland / Wales / Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland.

Group D: USMNT, Paraguay, Australia, Turkiye / Romania / Slovakia / Kosovo.

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Cote D'Ivoire, Ecuador.

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Ukraine / Sweden / Poland / Albania.

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand.

Group H: Spain, Cabo Verde, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia

Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq / Bolivia / Suriname

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan.

Group K: Portugal, Congo DR / Jamaica / New Caledonia, Uzbekistan, Colombia.

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama.

Familiar opponents for England

The 2026 World Cup will begin with the clash between Mexico and South Africa in Group A. The game will take place on Thursday June 11, 2026, and from there, the tournament will begin. England will face Croatia in a rerun of the 2018 World Cup semi-final and will also meet familiar opponents in Panama, having played them at the same tournament. That game ended in a 6-1 win for the Three Lions, a Harry Kane scored a hat-trick. Tuchel's side will also face Ghana, but have only played them once before, doing so in a friendly in 2011. That game resulted in a 1-1 draw. 

England's first game will take place on June 17 against Croatia, before their second game on June 23 against Ghana, and they then round out the initial phase of the tournament on June 27, with their clash against minnows Panama. 

Pundit Dion Dublin said on BBC Sport: "Regarding England, I think the African nations always give England a hard game. I'm expecting England to do what they need to do against Panama. Ghana and Croatia I'm a little bit worried about."

Scottish pundit Scott Brown added on their draw: "We've got to look to beat Haiti, it will be a huge game for us. Morocco, we'll be underdogs from looking at the world rankings, it's a hard game. Brazil is the big one. Everyone will want to be at that Scotland v Brazil game. Seeing that yellow shirt, they've got top quality players. As do Morocco. We've got to beat Haiti and try to pick up points somewhere else. There is hope for us."

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Getty Images SportWhat next?

The tournament will kick off soon enough next year but first, come the playoffs, with the competition's field set to be rounded out. The semi-finals will take place on Thursday March 26 and the finals on Tuesday March 31 with kick-off times of 5pm or 7.45pm.

The winners of the four play-off finals qualify for the World Cup and complete the field of 16 European participants.

The January transfer window is on the horizon and Celtic may be in the market to do some deals once they have Wilfried Nancy in place as their new head coach.

Whilst the Hoops may look to bolster their squad with incoming signings, due to the centre-forward situation and the long-term injury to central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, there may also be an eye on outgoings.

Kyogo Furuhashi was sold to Rennes for £10m in January at the start of this year, and the Scottish Premiership giants may lose another impressive Japan international in the upcoming window.

The latest on Daizen Maeda's future at Celtic

Earlier this month, the Daily Record reported that Daizen Maeda is ‘poised’ to complete a move away from Parkhead when the January transfer window officially opens for business.

The outlet revealed that sources close to the player have confirmed that there is still plenty of interest in the Japanese star after he failed to land a transfer in the summer.

Celtic were unable to allow him to leave in the summer window because they did not get a replacement, amid interest from Brentford and teams in Germany.

Losing Maeda in January would be a blow for Celtic, because he has scored 37 goals in all competitions for the club since the start of last season, per Transfermarkt, including four this term.

However, the Hoops did sign a player in the most recent summer window who has shown that he can carry the goalscoring burden for the next manager, Benjamin Nygren.

How much Benjamin Nygren's value has grown at Celtic

Celtic signed the attacking midfielder for a reported fee of £1.3m from Nordsjælland to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ options out wide and in the middle of the park.

Despite being a frustrating player at times, there is no questioning that he has made an immediate impact in his first few months at the club.

Nygren scored his seventh goal of the season in the 3-1 win over Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday night, which now means that he has scored at least two more goals than any other player in the squad, per Transfermarkt.

This is why there is no denying his usefulness to the Hoops. Goals win games and, at the moment, no one is better at scoring goals for Celtic than the Sweden international, who was once dubbed “fearless” by teammate Alexander Isak.

We, as shown in the table above, have ranked Nygren at the top of the club’s summer signings both for his goal output this season, as well as for his soaring market value.

Per CIES, the left-footed star is valued at between £12m and £14m. That is a staggering increase on the £1.3m that they signed him for in the summer, and is more than they paid for club-record signing Arne Engels.

Celtic paid £11m to sign Engels from Bundesliga side Augsburg in the summer of 2024, and Nygren’s impressive form this season means that he is now valued at even more than that.

The Belgium international has only scored two non-penalty goals, with 11 goals in total, whilst the Swedish ace has soared to seven goals for the Scottish giants in his first few months in Glasgow.

Nygren has been incredibly effective in front of goal, particularly in comparison to his teammates, and that has played a part in his CIES valuation soaring through the roof, from the £1.3m that the Hoops paid for him.

This shows that Celtic hit the jackpot with the 24-year-old star because it suggests that they would be able to cash in on him for a substantial profit if they were to decide to part ways with the attacker.

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For now, though, it does not look like he will be going anywhere any time soon, and Celtic’s new boss may need him more than ever to carry the goalscoring load if Maeda leaves in January.