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Leeds United are reported to have held an interest in Porto winger Luis Diaz in the summer transfer window [Record via Sport Witness].

The Lowdown: Diaz profiled, a summer sensation at the Copa America

Cultivating a reputation as one of the best players in Portugal since arriving from Colombia in 2019, 24-year-old Diaz has garnered attention around the footballing world in recent years.

Following up 17 goal contributions in 46 fixtures throughout the 2020/21 campaign [Transfermarkt], the wide-man was named as the Revelation of the Copa America by the CONMEBOL confederation, after scoring four goals in five appearances for the Colombia national side at the tournament [Reuters].

It now appears that Marcelo Bielsa wanted the 5ft 10in ace at Elland Road during the summer.

The Latest: Leeds United were keen on Diaz, however never submitted an official bid

Leeds United were said to be ‘in the footsteps’ of the 5ft 10in ace, however never got to the stage of formalising an official bid during the window [Record via Sport Witness].

Diaz is rumoured to have a release clause of around €80 million (£67.8 million) in his contract, making any prospective deal highly unlikely.

Porto were not believed to have been keen on entering negotiations either, so Leeds would have had to pay that huge fee to get the player.

The Verdict: No real surprises that Leeds didn’t sign Diaz due to expensive price-tag

With a move for Diaz likely to have shattered the Yorkshire club’s record transfer fee of £27 million, there is no real surprise that the Whites instead opted to sign Manchester United winger Daniel James for around £25 million to add depth on the flank [BBC].

Diaz would’ve added plenty of creative intuition to the Leeds United attack, illustrated by the fact that he recorded an impressive average of 1.9 dribbles per game for his current employers last term in the Liga NOS [WhoScored].

He has earned plaudits in high places during his glittering career, once being labelled as ‘excellent’ by international teammate Juan Cuadrado [Daily Mail].

Leeds can’t afford to get too hung up on missing out on Diaz though, as they plot another successful Premier League season.

In other news, an ex-Leeds United ace has predicted a January exit at the club. Find out more here.

Everton’s transfer window has been a rather downplayed affair with the Toffees lacking the necessary finances to spend large sums.

An accumulative sum of £1.7m has been spent on four new players and it feels unlikely that they’ll broaden their horizons too much beyond that.

What’s the word?

Everton are still planning on making a few signings before the deadline closes in just under a week’s time.

One of those acquisitions could be a player they had on a trial basis a few years ago; Daniel Jebbison.

The Merseyside outfit were interested in signing the teenager a few months ago and it now looks as though they’re ramping up their pursuit.

According to TEAMtalk, they have made a bid to sign Jebbison who is valued at around £5m.

However, that offer has sadly been rejected.

Their new DCL

Back in 2016 Everton signed a certain Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Sheffield United.

It took a while for the striker to find his feet at Goodison Park but he was in electric form last season, starring in a central role on his way to scoring 21 goals in all competitions.

After being signed for a mere £1.5m, he has proven to be an absolute bargain.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/patterson-benitez-gossip-insigne-ndombele” title= “Check out the latest Everton transfer stories!”]

He is now a full England international and has started this term as he ended the last; in the goals.

Calvert-Lewin has two in two games and although he’s a unique talent, Jebbison would be looking to follow in his footsteps.

The Canada international burst onto the scene last season in a struggling Sheffield United side, scoring on his first start for the club at Goodison Park.

Described as a “shining light” by Micah Richards, Jebbison has played on six occasions for the Blades despite only turning 18 back in July.

It remains to be seen just how much potential the striker has in his locker but Everton have already enjoyed enormous success by recruiting from Bramall Lane.

This would be a low-risk addition and one that would prove that Finch Farm is still a place to learn your trade after the loss of Thierry Small.

AND in other news, Worse than Kenny: £69k-p/w Everton liability who lost possession 17x let Rafa down…

Many Everton fans have been left gushing as a transfer update emerged on Luis Diaz.

As per Paul Joyce, the Goodison Park faithful are now targeting a move for the FC Porto ace before the summer window ends, in a deal that would see James Rodriguez go the other way on loan.

Diaz already has two goals in three games so far this season, and in the last campaign he managed 11 strikes and six assists in 47 matches in total over all competitions (Transfermarkt), which are impressive numbers for a wide player.

Rodriguez has been linked with a move away and some comments he has made in recent weeks have suggested that he is not overly enthusiastic about staying at the Merseyside club, and so it may be best to move him on, even on loan.

He could be used as a nice makeweight to bring the potential price of Diaz down, and so it looks like an exciting deal to be done.

Everton fans on Diaz transfer update

These Toffees gushed as the transfer update was shared on Twitter, with one EFC supporter even going as far as to claim that it is ‘brilliant’:

“Get this done!”

Credit: @labone_of

“Please”

Credit: @Tom_A72

“Me likey”

Credit: @aqqqqqqil

“Ooh go on then”

Credit: @efc18789

“Get him in Brands”

Credit: @_benm1878

“Brilliant this”

Credit: @Vicaz22

In other news, find out what transfer update Evertonians are lauding here!

Gio Reyna made another cameo to continue his frustrating loan spell with Forest, but Matt Turner put in a strong shift in a loss to Manchester United.

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• Reyna benched again
• Six saves for Turner
• Forest fall 1-0

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wednesday's 1-0 FA Cup defeat to United was a tense affair from the beginning, with both sides having a few good chances to take the lead. On the Forest side, USMNT star Turner prevented several of those chances from turning into goals, making two good first-half stops to help his team set a tone.

  That tone was that they'd be hard to beat, and that's exactly what happened. United struggled for large stretches, with a predictable attack failing to break down Forest's resolute defense.

  The breakthrough did come, though, with just minutes to spare. Forest failed to deal with Bruno Fernandes' free kick, with Callum Hudson-Odoi clearly out of position. That left Casemiro with an open header from close range in the 89th minute, sealing the win and a spot in the next round of the FA Cup.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the loss, Forest will now turn their attention strictly towards the Premier League. As things stand, Forest sit 17th in the league and find themselves in a real relegation fight at the bottom of the table. Forest currently have 24 points after 26 games, four-more than 18th-place Luton Town for that third and final relegation spot, but Luton have a game in hand that could see them close the gap.

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  USMNT IMPACT

  What's Reyna going to have to do to get some run? Having barely played in the Premier League, it felt like the FA Cup was a perfect place to give the American a proper chance. It didn't happen. Instead, he was thrown into the fray right after the United goal and given just a few short minutes to do anything with Forest chasing the result.

  it was yet another sign of just how bad this loan move has gone. Reyna has found minutes even harder to come by at Forest than he did at Dortmund, making this loan essentially useless thus far. Unless something changes quickly, Reyna may not get even close to enough playing time this season as Forest rely on the tried and true in an attempt to avoid relegation.

  As for Turner, the USMNT No. 1 put in a strong shift, making some big saves. It likely won't be enough for him to earn back his starting job but it was a good sign that, despite losing his place, his confidence is still there.

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  GOAL'S RATINGS

  Matt Turner (8/10):

  Could do nothing about the goal, but was just about perfect otherwise. Made six saves ranging from the routine to the wonderful. A big message to the critics that he can perform at this type of level.

  Gio Reyna (N/A):

  Had just three touches after coming on. Really, what's the point of this loan?

Former All Leeds TV pundit Joe Wainman insists that Raphinha will end up playing for a club with ambitions of reaching the latter stages of the Champions League, and has tipped him to star for Brazil following his call-up this week.

Raphinha enjoyed an excellent first season in the Premier League following his £17m move from Rennes.

The flying winger made a total of 30 appearances in the top-flight and scored six goals, while also registering nine assists.

The 24-year-old has subsequently been linked away from the club, with Liverpool touted with an interest, and Wainman is unsurprised that big clubs are already exploring Raphinha as an option.

Indeed, he does not believe that he will be remaining with Leeds for the duration of his career, and thinks he will eventually move on to a truly elite club.

Raphinha has also yet to make an appearance for any Brazilian team, even at youth level, but that could changed after he received his maiden call-up this week.

The JustJoe Football Show host said: “I think he will be playing in a team that plays regularly in the Champions League, in the latter stages as well, I think he is that good.

“I still think it’s mad he’s only just been called up by Brazil. I think there’s something amiss there.

“I can understand why clubs are looking at him, why wouldn’t you? And £17 million? Wow.”

Dani Alves' ex-wife Joana Sanz accidentally shared a letter penned to her by the Brazilian from prison – before quickly deleting the Instagram post.

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• Alves jailed for four and a half years for raping woman
• Ex-wife shared letter by Brazilian from prison
• Joana Sanz quickly deletes Instagram post

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 40-year-old was jailed for four and a half years after being found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. Before the former Barcelona player was sentenced, the ex-right-back wrote his former wife an intimate letter from his cell as he awaited trial, reports . Joana Sanz initially shared the love note on her Instagram page in September but promptly deleted it, saying it was a mistake and was only meant for her close friends.

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• WHAT THE LETTER SAID

  The letter read, per the report: "What I dreamed of and what I continue to dream of. I want to take all the paths with you. I didn't have the wrong woman, yes, it was you. There is not a single day, not a single moment, not a single plan in which you are not there. I pray every day for the day to come that I can see you wake up. Nostalgia is not about not being able to do it now. Wherever, whatever, whatever, but with you always by my side. I feel strange feelings. I love you."

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  DISGRACED FOOTBALLER

  Alves denied sexually assaulting the woman in the early hours of December 31, 2022, but his appeals were dismissed. After a glittering career playing for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Sevilla, and Brazil, the right-back's legacy has been damaged beyond repair. In Spain, a rape claim is investigated under the accusation of sexual assault and convictions can lead to four to 15 years in prison.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Alves' lawyer had asked for his acquittal and said she would appeal against the verdict, with the prosecution pushing for a nine-year jail term. According to Spanish media, the former footballer also has to pay the victim £128,500 ($162,800) in damages, which is thought to have reduced his punishment.

Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland have poked fun at claims the Manchester City midfielder co-wrote one of Drake's songs.

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• De Bruyne pulls Drake prank
• Haaland joins in fun
• City star confirms he didn't co-write 'Wick Man'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  De Bruyne is used to assisting Haaland, but there were claims he had helped Drake in the studio as well. It turns out there is a 'K. De Bruyne' listed on Spotify as one of the co-writers of Drake's track 'Wick Man'. On Friday the Belgian star took to Twitter to tease that he was the man behind the lyrics, with team-mate Haaland joining in the fun too.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  De Bruyne is a Drake fan, and met the superstar rapper at a concert a few years ago. Drake released his new album on Friday, when eagle-eyed fans noticed De Bruyne's name listed in the song credits. The City star has been out of action since tearing his hamstring in August.

• WHAT DE BRUYNE AND HAALAND SAID

  After De Bruyne posted a photo of himself and Drake on X and Instagram with the caption "Drake needed assisting," Haaland replied, "He is not alone." However, De Bruyne quickly dismissed the rumours by replying: "All jokes aside, it's not me! Huge fan though!"

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE AND HAALAND?

  De Bruyne is not expected to return from his hamstring injury until the new year, so there is still time for him to launch his music career. City will be sweating over the fitness of Haaland, meanwhile, after the striker injured his ankle while playing for Norway on Thursday. Indeed, Pep Guardiola will be hoping his influential forward will be able to recover in time, with City facing Liverpool next, on November 25.

Four key battles on the pitch, and one on the touchline, highlight what to watch for ahead of NWSL final Saturday afternoon.

The 2023 NWSL Championship is set to be contested between two teams, New Jersey/New York Gotham FC and OL Reign, that have yet to lift the league’s top trophy.

The match will pit two contrasting styles against each other: the possession-oriented football implemented by Coach of the Year Juan Carlos Amorós at Gotham against league veteran Laura Harvey’s highly disciplined defensive press.

OL Reign were in better form heading into the playoffs, with a win and two draws in their final three matches whereas Gotham recorded a draw and two losses in their last three regular-season contests. New Jersey, however, is peaking at the right moment, having beaten the No.3 and No.1 seeds, North Carolina and Portland, to reach the final.

GOAL takes a look at the key battles that will decide the 2023 NWSL Champion.

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  USWNT fullback Sofia Huerta vs NWSL Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger

  Rookie of the Year Jenna Nighswonger is new to the left back position this season, but she’s readily taken to her defensive responsibilities, leading her team in tackles and tackles won. She also contributes going forward, leading her team—and ranking in the top five leaguewide—in successful crosses, and has notched three goals this season.

  Playing on the same side of the field will be OL Reign right back Sofia Huerta, a converted forward whose name is synonymous with pinpoint long-range crosses. Huerta’s service from the right is a key component of the Reign attack, who lead the league in headed goals with 11. The Idaho native also has years of experience at this level, having competed in five previous NWSL playoff tournaments.

  Shutting down Huerta’s service into the box as much as possible is key to stymieing the Reign attack, and that responsibility will fall to the youngster.

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  Two USWNT legends in their final career matches: Rapinoe vs Krieger

  Two legends of the game will play their final match today, and although they won’t necessarily face off directly on the field, their influence as leaders shouldn’t be overlooked.

  At 38 years old, Rapinoe has remained a major component of Reign’s attack in her final year as a pro. Setting up on the left wing, her famous crossing has been a mainstay in head coach Laura Harvey’s attack. The two-time World Cup champion is one of three “Reign originals” alongside Fishlock and defender Lu Barnes, and has played in two previous NWSL championships, but has yet to come out on top.

  Krieger is also no stranger to this stage, having faced the Western New York Flash in the championship when she played for Washington Spirit in 2016—a game she lost. She’s been a bulwark for Gotham this season, ranking first on the squad in interceptions and clearances. Her veteran leadership both on the back line and in the locker room is a massive asset to a team that’s taken on an entirely new system this year.

  Both Krieger’s and Rapinoe’s teammates say they want to lay it all on the line for their retiring veterans—so the one thing that’s certain is a hard-fought battle.

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  Veteran Jess Fishlock vs former Golden Boot winner Lynn Williams

  Gotham’s fluid movement makes it difficult to guess which opponent will be tasked with marking who at any given moment, but one crucial component of Reign’s defense in the center of the pitch is Jess Fishlock, the 36-year-old Welsh international who has been with the club since 2013. Fishlock can play throughout the central midfield, but with No. 10 Rose Lavelle back in the team, the veteran has dropped deeper and taken on a more defensive role.

  Williams, meanwhile, who has played across the forward line at different moments in her career, is the top scorer for Gotham. A No. 9 on paper, she often finds her way into games by dropping deeper to both defend and serve as the connective tissue between Delanie Sheehan or Yazmeen Ryan and Midge Purce or Esther. In addition to her seven goals, she also ranks first on the team in successful duels.

  For Fishlock, the key will be controlling the space in the midfield and not letting Gotham dictate her defensive movement. That’s going to be a difficult task, but as one of the most intelligent players in the league, she’s the right woman for the job.

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  USWNT star Rose Lavelle vs midfield cornerstone Nealy Martin

  Reign’s wild card in the playoffs has been the return of Rose Lavelle, the enigmatic USWNT midfielder who was injured early in the season at a national team camp and sat out almost the entire regular season. Entering as a substitute in the final half-hour of Seattle’s quarterfinal against LA, Lavelle provided an immediate spark. She started against San Diego in the semis and looked just as good. In short, Lavelle’s passing vision and skill on the ball immediately change any team she steps into, and Gotham can’t expect this match to go the same as their last meeting with Reign, a 4–1 win on the road.

  Martin, a defender in her time at her last club, Racing Louisville, has been instrumental stepping into the No. 6 role for Gotham. Her defensive skills have beefed up her team’s aggressive press, as she works with Ryan and Sheehan to squeeze opponents off the ball. Only Ali Krieger has more interceptions for the team.

  Lavelle, though, is the kind of Swiss Army Knife player who presents a puzzle to opponents: take away one option, and she’ll find her way into the game some other way. Whether Amorós will trust his press to keep her quiet or assign a player to man-mark her remains to be seen, and both are a roll of the dice.

Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold will leave Old Trafford before the end of the year as the club prepare for Sir Jim Ratcliffe's investment.

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• United CEO Arnold to leave
• Sir Jim Ratcliffe investment imminent
• Patrick Stewart to take over duties in the interim

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arnold replaced Ed Woodward as United CEO just 21 months ago, but it appears that Sir Jim Ratcliffe sees no place for him at Old Trafford. As confirmed by United on November 15, Arnold will leave the club, with Ratcliffe's Ineos Group set to confirm its acquisition of a 25% stake imminently.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arnold has held several positions at United since 2007, with his short tenure as CEO coinciding with Erik ten Hag's spell as manager. That has seen him come under fire for how United conducted themselves in various transfer windows, with the club's worst start to a season in over 60 years having following the most recent transfer period. Indeed, this summer alone United have brought in Rasmus Hoijlund, Mason Mount, Sofyan Amrabat, Andre Onana, Jonny Evans, Sergio Reguilon and Altay Bayindir, with the majority of those players having come in for criticism at times in what has been a turbulent campaign so far.

• WHO WILL REPLACE ARNOLD?

  United's general counsel Patrick Stewart will step in as interim CEO, with Arnold initially offering support until his departure. Stewart will continue to perform his existing duties and it remains to be seen who will be brought in as the long-term successor for the CEO position, with the Red Devils confirming, via a statement, that "a search process will be carried out".

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• WHAT HAS ARNOLD SAID?

  The outgoing CEO commented on the club's official website: "It has been an incredible privilege to serve this great football club for the past 16 years. Through highs and lows, the constant has been the dedication of our employees and fans. I would like to thank all of them for their loyalty and commitment, and wish everyone associated with the club the very best for the future."

Paul Mullin is more than a “fox in the box” for Wrexham, with former team-mate Jake Hyde explaining how the prolific frontman exceeds expectations.

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• Striker joined Dragons in 2021
• Has been a prolific source of goals
• Impressed those around him

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 28-year-old forward has been a revelation for the Dragons on the back of his 2021 transfer from Cambridge United. Mullin was the reigning League Two Golden Boot winner at that point, but stepped down into the National League in order to form part of the ambitious project being pieced together by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mullin has hit 82 goals for Wrexham through 105 appearances, with 47 netted when securing promotion in the 2022-23 campaign. He was signed in the same window as Hyde – who joined Wrexham from FC Halifax Town a matter of days earlier – but it is the Merseyside native that has made the biggest impact in North Wales during an exciting era for the club.

• WHAT THEY SAID

  Hyde has told the of having to compete with Mullin – someone he considers to be the complete striker: “I signed for a fee and then Mulls came in three days later. Don’t get it twisted, what Mulls did the season before, he was definitely coming in as the talisman and the main man. But you have your own confidence, your own swagger about you, your own beliefs. I have never gone into a football club – doesn’t matter what club it is – and thought ‘you know what, I might not be the leading goalscorer this season’. I believe that is what I’m going to be. But it was more than that for me, it was about being in a side that was moving one way and getting promoted and somewhere that I thought I could be for a long time and that was building a relationship.

  "Parky made it very obvious that he wanted the front two, that was the way he was going to play, he wanted two goalscorers and we both had different roles in the team. It wasn’t a threat, it was more building a relationship. To be honest, I was surprised playing with Mulls how good a player he was. I knew he was a goalscorer, but in the lower leagues, usually absolute goalscorers – foxes in the box – that’s their whole game, they haven’t got too much else around the box, maybe they aren’t creative, they aren’t hard working, they are literally there to score goals.

  "I believed Mulls maybe didn’t start the season the player he is today, so he had to do other things – he’d drop short, create chances and I thought ‘this lad is a proper player’. Then he went on to prove how good he is in front of goal. When he first came in, the thing I remember is thinking ‘I’m going to like playing with this lad because he’s got that creative side’. He was better than I thought he would be.”

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  WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

  Hyde saw injury problems prevent him from making the desired impact at Wrexham, as he moved out on loan to Southend United last season and to Yeovil Town on a permanent deal ahead of the current campaign. Mullin, meanwhile, is still going strong for the Dragons after recovering from a punctured lung suffered over the summer.