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Leeds United have now shown that they have enough quality in the big matches in the Premier League this season to clinch survival.

The 3-1 win over Chelsea saw new recruits Jaka Bijol and Dominic Calvert-Lewin come into their own as the goals were shared out, while the following 3-3 draw against Liverpool – which Daniel Farke coined as another “magic night” at Elland Road – also saw faces such as Anton Stach deliver the goods on the tense occasion.

All of these fresh signings that have contributed to the positive patch of form unfolding will hope they’re viewed in the same glowing light Raphinha is still held in down the line.

The Brazilian winger was key to Leeds beating the drop during the 2021/22 season, when collecting a memorable 11 league strikes.

Of course, while the likes of Stach have stuck out as positive influences ever since moving to England, Leeds’ success rate in the transfer department since Raphinha’s £17m switch has been rather mixed.

Rating Leeds' transfer business since signing Raphinha

While the £17m splashed out on Raphinha’s services ended up looking incredibly shrewd, other bits of business signed off on at Elland Road since this masterstroke purchase have gone down as extortionate wastes of money.

The summer window right after the South American’s departure, before the 2022/23 season kicked off, sticks out as having a lot of misfires, with nearly £70m spent on obtaining Brenden Aaronson, Luis Sinisterra, and Tyler Adams, as Aaronson has the tag next to his name of being the only remaining first-team presence today.

Thankfully, though, Leeds haven’t just been setting cash on fire since Raphinha’s exit, with the reported £10m fee to bring Joe Rodon to West Yorkshire in 2024 still looking to be a fine acquisition, as the Welshman remains an undroppable part of Farke’s starting XI, with two Premier League goals next to his name this season.

Moreover, the £7m dropped to pick up Ethan Ampadu the summer before Rodon made his move permanent is another bargain that’s arguably on the same level as Raphinha’s coup, with the ex-Chelsea man winning a mighty nine duels against his former employers and Arne Slot’s visitors, to firm up his own concrete starting spot.

That said, there’s a deal that eclipses the moves to bring both Ampadu and Rodon to Elland Road.

Underrated Leeds star must now start every game

Although Leeds have splashed the big bucks on the likes of Georginio Rutter in recent years, they have also demonstrated an eagerness to bring in cheap gems who have then exploded into life at Elland Road, as seen in the glittering examples of Rodon, Ampadu, and Raphinha.

Ao Tanaka’s name now has to be added to this ever-growing list, with the modest £2.9m the Premier League newcomers had to part ways with last year to land the Japanese midfielder from Fortuna Düsseldorf, continuing to look like an insane steal, and one of “the best bargains in Leeds history” as per writer Adonis Storr.

Tanaka has become an ice-cold figure Farke can rely on in the big moments, with his ultra-cheap price-tag justified just with his last-minute equaliser against Liverpool last time out, as the Japan international was in the right place at the right time to slam home a 96th-minute leveller.

He was also the hero against Chelsea, who gifted his relegation-threatened side a two-goal cushion, as the German just continues to get more and more out of his “unbelievable” signing, as he referred to the 27-year-old during his team’s promotion-winning exploits.

Games played

57

Goals scored

7

Assists

2

Promotions won

1x

Indeed, Tanaka hasn’t just shown up to the party in the Premier League, with five goals and two assists in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, helping steer the Whites to the title in emphatic style.

While Manor Solomon and Joel Piroe would steal many of the plaudits last season, Tanaka would have his own fanbase forming, too, with the “underrated” star – as per journalist Bence Bocsak – now ready to become a regular in the top-flight and start every game.

For just £2.9m, Leeds really have won themselves a once-in-a-lifetime deal, with Tanaka’s heroics continuing on, surely securing survival, as Farke hopes he remains put for the foreseeable future, unlike Raphinha.

Forget Tanaka: Leeds hero who had 100% passing now has to start every game

Leeds United’s wild week continued with a last-gasp draw against Liverpool.

ByRobbie Walls 5 days ago

Manchester United are reportedly inching towards recruiting rising Colombia star Cristian Orozco. The Red Devils have been looking to try and strengthen their midfield as Casemiro heads into the final years of his career, and academy product Kobbie Mainoo struggles to force his way into Ruben Amorim's plans. Now, they look set to sign the 17-year-old ahead of a switch next summer.

• Man Utd near €1m transfer

  According to Fabrizio Romano, United's next signing will be Orozco, who will be in England in the next few days to complete his Old Trafford move. He adds that the Red Devils will pay $1 million to Colombian side Fortaleza to join from June 2026. He will be able to link up with his new team then as he will have turned 18.

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• Young recruitment drive from Man Utd

  Ever since Sir Jim Ratcliffe bought a minority stake at United in early 2024, the club have shifted their transfer priorities towards signing younger players who might have a big sell-on value. And the pursuit of this teenage defensive midfielder is the latest example of that. In addition to the Colombia Under-17 international, United raided the South American market earlier this year for 18-year-old left-back Diego Leon, and in 2024, director of football Jason Wilcox was instrumental in securing the signing of Mali midfielder Sekou Kone. 

• AFP
  

  Ratcliffe's Man Utd challenge

  One big downside of Ratcliffe's reign has been the widespread redundancies as the club bids to cut costs. Going forward, the INEOS owner has challenged the Red Devils to be as cost-effective as possible in order to ensure long-term success. 

  "I'd rather find the next [Kylian] Mbappe than spend a fortune trying to buy success," Ratcliffe told The Geraint Thomas Cycling Club Podcast last year. "It's not that clever, is it, buying Mbappe, in a way? Anyone could figure that one out. Much more challenging is to find the next Mbappe or Jude Bellingham or the next Roy Keane."

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• What comes next for Man Utd?

  As this transfer heads towards its apparent conclusion, Ruben Amorim's side will look to bounce back from their disappointing 1-0 loss at home to Everton when they round off the month with a trip to Crystal Palace on Sunday. The visitors are five places behind the Eagles in 10th but could overtake the south London outfit by a point if they win at Selhurst Park this weekend.

Big picture – How will Shafali-Mandhana bat?

The stakes couldn’t be higher.Australia are here with a clean slate. They have been pushed back multiple times during this World Cup, and they’ve found a way back each time. Two of their batters, Alyssa Healy and Ashleigh Gardner, have scored two centuries each. Two of their bowlers, Annabel Sutherland and Alana King, have taken more than ten wickets each. And apart from everything else that makes them such intimidating opponents, Australia have not lost an ODI knockout game since they lost to India in the the semi-finals of the 2017 World Cup.Related

• How to beat Australia in three easy steps (step 1 – invent a miracle)

• Tactics board: Mandhana's level-up, Sutherland's steady hand

• Shafali tunes up for Australia, a day after destiny's call

• What will Harmanpreet vs Australia bring us this time?

India are riding a wave of emotion. They recovered from a three-game losing streak to sneak into the semi-finals. In their last full game, played at the same venue, they posted their record World Cup total. No team has pushed Australia harder than India in recent times. And they are now two wins away from doing what no India women’s team has ever done.Their key player Smriti Mandhana has scored 105, 58, 117, 125 and 80 in her last five ODIs against Australia. But she’ll start from 0 again, and this time she’ll have an adjustment to make, with her usual opening partner Pratika Rawal, with whom she added a record 212 against New Zealand, ruled out of the World Cup. Mandhana is all set to open with Shafali Verma, and the new combination could have an effect on how she bats.In ODIs involving Shafali, Mandhana averages 51.83 and strikes at 85.55. When these two opened together, Shafali was usually the early aggressor. Mandhana took on that role when Shafali went out of the side, however, as her numbers in matches involving Rawal suggest: an average of 62.65, a strike rate of 108.75. How will the new (old) opening combination bat on Thursday?For Australia, there is a fair bit of intrigue around Healy’s availability. A minor calf strain sidelined her ahead of the game against England, and she missed two matches subsequently. Australia would not want to be reminded of the T20 World Cup semi-final from last year; Healy missed the clash and South Africa romped to an eight-wicket win.The second semi-final, for which the cheapest tickets were priced at INR 150 (as opposed to INR 100 for the Guwahati semi-final), is a sell-out. You can expect all of Navi Mumbai to cram itself into the DY Patil Stadium. They could get to witness an epic.Shafali Verma waits for her turn at the nets•ICC/Getty Images

Form guide

Australia WWWWW (last five completed ODIs, most recent first)
India WLLLW

In the spotlight – Phoebe Litchfield and Deepti Sharma

Phoebe Litchfield loves playing India. She has one century and four fifties in just eight ODI innings against them, and averages 63.50. She has a wide range of sweeps that could potentially upset the rhythm of India’s spinners. After a pair of low scores against England and South Africa, Litchfield may feel she is due some runs too.Deepti Sharma has been India’s leading wicket-taker at this World Cup with 15 at 22.46. There will be a lot of focus on her during this game, because she has a fine record against Australia’s middle-order batters. She has dismissed Beth Mooney and Ashleigh Gardner twice each in ODIs, while going at less than a run a ball against both, Ellyse Perry three times, and Tahlia McGrath five times in nine innings. Only Perry and Annabel Sutherland from the current side have managed to hit Deepti for a six in ODIs.

Team news – Australia sweat on Healy’s availability

While Healy batted and kept wicket during Tuesday’s training session, she opted out of optional training on Wednesday, with Georgia Voll batting in partnership with Litchfield. Head coach Shelley Nitschke said Australia would give Healy “as much time as she needs” and will take a call on her participation on Thursday. That aside, expect Sophie Molineux to come back into the spin attack for Georgia Wareham, who played against South Africa but did not get a chance to bowl.Australia (probable): 1 Alyssa Healy (capt & wk), 2 Phoebe Litchfield, 3 Ellyse Perry, 4 Annabel Sutherland, 5 Beth Mooney, 6 Ashleigh Gardner, 7 Tahlia McGrath, 8 Sophie Molineux, 9 Alana King, 10 Kim Garth, 11 Megan Schutt.Shafali is likely to swap straight into India’s XI in Rawal’s place at the top of the order. Richa Ghosh, who was rested against Bangladesh after injuring her finger during the match against New Zealand, did not look in any discomfort during her keeping drills and batted a fair bit on Tuesday. Sneh Rana and Kranti Gaud, both of whom were also rested against Bangladesh, could come back into the XI.India (probable): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Shafali Verma, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Jemimah Rodrigues, 6 Richa Ghosh (wk), 7 Deepti Sharma, 8 Sneh Rana, 9 Kranti Gaud, 10 N Shree Charani, 11 Renuka Singh.2:15

Australia coach Nitschke: Not underdogs, but also not favourites’

Pitch and conditions

The game will be played on the pitch on which Sri Lanka played Bangladesh. That track was devoid of grass and had a bright brown look to it. It is expected to be a high-scoring game. There has been rain in Navi Mumbai in the lead-up to the match, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issuing a yellow alert for Wednesday and Thursday, but the forecast for matchday has cleared up somewhat. The match will go into a reserve day should it not finish on Thursday.

Stats and trivia

• Mandhana and Shafali have opened together 25 times in ODIs, adding 893 runs at an average of 37.20 and a run rate of 5.38. Mandhana and Rawal, who have opened together 23 times, are India’s most successful opening pair in ODIs, having put on 1799 runs at 78.21 and 6.06.
• Alana King’s average of 34.63 and economy rate of 5.93 against India are her worst by a distance against any opposition in ODIs. Mandhana (160.00), Harleen Deol (116.66), Harmanpreet Kaur (114.58), Jemimah Rodrigues (113.23) and Deepti Sharma (105.40) have 100-plus strike rates against the legspinner.
• Australia are on a 15-match winning streak in ODI World Cups. They had also won 15 in a row across the 1997 and 2000 editions.
• Megan Schutt is one wicket away from becoming the leading wicket-taker for Australia in ODI World Cups. She has 39 now, on par with Lyn Fullston

Quotes

“Ash [Gardner] has been unbelievable. We all know what she’s capable of with the bat, but to take her game to the next level, and do that in a World Cup, has been fantastic. She’s someone who is very diligent in everything she does; she’s a hard worker. When she’s at her best, it’s about making sure that she’s enjoying the game and enjoying the environment and she’s getting in the contest.”
“I was playing domestic cricket and was in good touch. [Semi-finals] are not something new for me because I’ve played many semi-finals before. It’s just a matter of keeping my mind clear and giving myself confidence. I’ve been in such situations earlier, so it’s nothing new. I’ll keep telling myself to stay calm and believe in myself. So absolutely, I’ll do well, 200%.”

Interest in Oscar Mingueza is accelerating ahead of the winter window, with Newcastle, Aston Villa and West Ham joining RB Leipzig and Marseille in monitoring the Celta Vigo defender. The former Barcelona full-back is out of contract in 2026, but Celta’s refusal of €14 million bids last summer and their inability to secure a renewal has created a market opening that rival clubs are now prepared to exploit.

• Premier League and European giants move for Mingueza

  Mingueza has quickly become one of La Liga’s most in-demand defenders, with Celta now facing the prospect of losing him far below their expectations, or even for free. The 26-year-old, whose rights are split 50-50 between Celta and Barcelona, has attracted interest from Newcastle, Villa and West Ham in the Premier League, as well as Leipzig and Marseille on the continent. All five clubs are preparing for movement once the January window opens, according to .

  The Sky Blues rejected offers between €12m (£10m/$13m) and €14m (£12m/$15m) last summer, hoping instead to secure a contract renewal. But talks have stalled since the autumn, and Mingueza’s role has become less prominent in recent weeks. With his contract expiring in June 2026, clubs sense an opportunity to strike early, or wait until the situation weakens further. Barca, who sold the defender in 2022 after his breakthrough under Ronald Koeman, remain attentive. The Catalans still own 50% of the player’s rights and stand to benefit from a future sale, but they are not expected to re-sign him as they already have Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia for the right-back position.

  Mingueza’s strong form in Galicia, where he has grown into one of Celta's most reliable performers across multiple positions has placed him firmly on the radar of clubs seeking athletic, technically secure full-backs. As interest intensifies, the situation now enters a stage where Celta’s reluctance to sell last year may prove costly.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Celta must act fast as transfer interest grows

  The growing list of suitors underlines the former La Masia graduate's rising market value. Premier League clubs view him as a rare profile: a defender comfortable at right-back, centre-back and even wide centre-back in back-three systems. The Magpies see him as essential depth for a squad competing in Europe, while the Lions regard him as a potential long-term fit for their aggressive, high-line structure. Leipzig’s interest reflects their recruitment model of targeting versatile, tactically adaptable players in their mid-20s. Marseille, meanwhile, are under pressure to rebuild with more athletic full-backs and have tracked Mingueza since the summer.

  For Celta, this moment highlights a strategic tension: rejecting mid-tier offers last year was intended to protect their asset’s value, but failing to extend his contract leaves them exposed. His €20m (£17m/$22m) release clause complicates negotiations, especially given that Barcelona would receive €10m (£8m/$11m) of any fee. 

  Rival clubs know Celta must choose soon between negotiating now or risking a depreciating asset heading into the final year of his deal. This dynamic also explains why several clubs are prepared to wait until June, when uncertainty peaks and leverage shifts decisively toward the buying side.

• Squad context, past reports and what the move would mean

  Mingueza’s development at Celta has been notable. After leaving the Catalan giants, where he initially excelled under Koeman before falling out of favour under Xavi, he found consistent minutes and confidence in Galicia. His ability to progress the ball, defend one-on-one and adapt to multiple systems has been highlighted by analysts and scouts across Europe.

  Newcastle’s need arises from repeated injuries across their defensive line, while Villa continue to build a squad capable of sustaining European competition deep into spring. West Ham, despite their struggles, remain interested but are seen as outsiders due to their position in the table and uncertainty around their long-term sporting plan.

  Celta’s push to renew the defender has stalled partly because his influence has dipped in recent months – a shift that has emboldened interested clubs. Internally, Barcelona are hoping for movement in January, as any transfer would provide them with an immediate financial injection.

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  January pressure builds as decision time nears

  With the transfer window approaching, the Sky Blues must decide whether to reopen renewal talks, entertain bids or hold firm until summer. The latter option is risky, as a failure to extend Mingueza’s contract would place them in a vulnerable negotiating position. Newcastle and Villa are expected to formalise interest in January, while Leipzig are monitoring the situation with long-term planning in mind. Barcelona will continue tracking developments, hoping that a winter move triggers their 50% cut.

  All eyes now turn to January, the point at which Celta must either commit to protecting their asset or accept that Europe’s elite are ready to move decisively for a player whose market momentum shows no sign of slowing.

India won their first toss in 21 ODIs, their first since the 2023 World Cup semi-final

Shubh Agarwal06-Dec-2025KL Rahul chuckled before tossing the coin up in the air in the third ODI against South Africa in Visakhapatnam. When the coin landed in his favor, he gave a little fist bump before stating that India will bowl first.The chuckle and the fist bump captured India’s wretched luck with the toss. They had lost 20 tosses in a row in ODIs before this game – a statistical oddity with a mathematical probability of 1 in 1,048,576 instances.The last time India won the toss in ODIs was in the 2023 World Cup semi-final against New Zealand. It was 753 days ago (more than two years). Hardik Pandya was still with Gujarat Titans in the IPL at the time, Gautam Gambhir wasn’t anywhere near India’s coaching staff and India still hadn’t lost a Test series at home for over a decade. Now, eight Indian players have made their ODI debut since India last won a toss in this format.Netherlands held this unfortunate record previously. They lost 11 consecutive tosses in ODIs between March 2011 and August 2013. India were close to doubling it.Netherlands won only three ODIs during this phase, including an abandoned game and a tie. India, on the other hand, won 12 of the 20 ODIs during their dreaded streak (win percentage of 60%) alongside a tie. It includes winning the 2025 Champions Trophy undefeated despite the toss going against them every single time.India’s success rate with the toss was abysmal across formats. Since the 2023 World Cup final which started this streak, India had won the toss only 33 times in 96 completed matches.They lost 11 tosses in a row between November 2023 and January 2024. It included seven matches (two T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests) across their full tour of South Africa. Between January 31, 2025 and July 31, 2025, India went a few steps ahead, losing 15 tosses in a row, which included the England tour where they lost the toss in all five Tests.The previous record belonged to West Indies, when they lost 12 consecutive tosses across formats in 1999.In the two years prior to that (from Nov 15, 2021 until Nov 15, 2023, the semi-final against New Zealand), India won more than 50% of the tosses.