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Leeds United opted to part ways with sporting director Victor Orta earlier this year after his decisions led to the club being on the verge of relegation to the Championship.

The Whites parted ways with the Spanish chief at the start of May but that was not enough to keep the team up as Sam Allardyce came in to replace Javi Gracia in the dugout and they were relegated from the Premier League.

Georginio Rutter

£35.5m

Brendan Aaronson

£28.4m

Rodrigo

£25.9m

Dan James

£25.1

Luis Sinisterra

£21.6m

Orta went through the highs and lows at Elland Road as he played a part in their promotion to the top-flight by appointing Marcelo Bielsa and assembling a squad to win the second tier.

However, the now-Sevilla mastermind also made some questionable moves in the transfer market throughout his almost six seasons in Yorkshire.

One decision that may now come under scrutiny is his sale of central midfielder Mateusz Bogusz, who has thrived since his exit from the club earlier this year – producing more goals and assists than Leeds ace Wilfried Gnonto.

When did Leeds sign Bogusz?

Orta swooped to sign the young gem from Polish side Ruch Chorzow in January of 2019, which was halfway through the club's first campaign under Bielsa.

The then-18-year-old ace had already broken into his club's first-team and arrived at Elland Road with 33 senior matches under his belt, in which time the talented whiz had scored five goals and provided one assist from a midfield position.

However, that experience did not allow him to burst straight into Bielsa's team in England as he failed to make a single appearance for Leeds during the second half of the 2018/19 season.

Bogusz finally made his senior bow during the 2019/20 campaign as he played 17 minutes of their Championship title-winning term and started one EFL Cup clash.

In fact, his first-team debut – against Stoke City in the EFL Cup in August 2019 – was an impressive one as the talented youngster showcased his ability at both ends of the pitch.

As per Sofascore, Bogusz played 90 minutes in central midfield and caught the eye with a pass completion rate of 82% and one chance created, along with a 100% dribble success rate (1/1).

The Polish whiz also displayed his defensive strength with six out of seven duels won, which included three tackles, and these statistics earned him a Sofascore rating of 7.1.

It was an excellent performance from the exciting young prospect, particularly when you consider that it was against a fellow Championship outfit, and some may have thought that it would lead to further chances at first-team level.

However, he had to wait until July 2020 to make his next appearances for Bielsa's side as the Argentine tactician brought him on for 17 minutes in a 4-0 win against Charlton.

The youngster then spent the following two-and-a-half seasons on loan in the second division of Spanish football with UD Logrones and UD Ibiza.

How much did Orta sell Bogusz for?

Orta reportedly cashed in on the 22-year-old midfielder for a fee of €1m (£900k) to LAFC in March of this year after his time out on loan in Spain in recent years.

The Polish technician did, however, impress in LaLiga 2 during the 2021/22 campaign as he made 20 appearances and averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.13.

The central midfielder contributed with four goals and six assists, alongside 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game, as per Sofascore, as the Leeds loanee showcased his ability at both ends of the pitch.

However, his performances were not good enough to convince Orta or then-head coach Jesse Marsch to bring him into the first-team fold at Elland Road for the 2022/23 season.

How has Bogusz performed this year?

Bogusz has enjoyed an impressive year for Ibiza and LAFC – his current club – and displayed his knack for making an impact with goals and assists from midfield.

The right-footed ace produced two goals and zero assists in ten appearances for Ibiza on loan during the first three months of 2023 before his permanent transfer to the MLS from Leeds.

He has since thrived in America with a return of three goals and four assists in 28 league outings for LAFC. The Poland U21 international also has a case to be frustrated with his teammates as he has created nine 'big chances' and racked up 4.17 xA (Expected Assists) during that period.

These statistics show that Bogusz, who is able to play as an attacking or central midfielder as well as out on either flank as a winger, can be a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch with goals and assists.

How has Gnonto performed this year?

Meanwhile, Gnonto has not produced as many goals and assists combined as the former Leeds prospect, who is on nine for the year so far (five goals and four assists).

The Italy international produced two goals and three assists in 19 Premier League appearances during the second half of last season for the Whites.

A drop down to the Championship has not helped him to find outstanding form in front of goal as the 19-year-old whiz has scored one goal and provided one assist in six league matches so far this term.

However, he does not have a case to have more assists to his name as the teenage maestro has only produced 0.73 xA and has not created a single 'big chance' for his teammates during the 2023/24 campaign to date.

This means that Gnonto has three goals and four assists at league level for Leeds throughout 2023 so far, which is two fewer direct goal contributions than Bogusz has managed this year.

At the age of 22, the LAFC star still has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve further over the years to come and the decision to sell him may be looked back on with regret.

Whilst it is hard to say whether or not he would have been an excellent option for Daniel Farke this season, Bogusz's form in Spain and now America suggests that the Whites should have given him an opportunity to impress.

There's no doubt that these have been troubling times for Everton fans, with their ten-point deduction shaking up Goodison Park and prompting fury amongst many. But the performances of Sean Dyche and his men on the field ever since have been nothing short of sensational, with the deduction already wiped out and attention being turned towards the January transfer window.

Indeed, the January transfer window is almost upon us. An important time for teams to take a bit of a breather and suss out exactly what kind of holes there are to fill, with the right signings in the winter possibly being the difference between a successful and unsuccessful season. But one thing that is for sure is that the Toffees board certainly won't be afraid to provide Dyche with some support having seen Jack Harrison's impact, although on the flip side, Beto and Youssef Chermiti haven't exactly set things alight just yet.

Regardless, Football FanCast has given fans more of an insight into the dealings of Everton in January transfer windows gone by, as we look at exactly where the 10 previous January signings are at now…

Dele Alli – 1st February 2022 From Tottenham Hotspur – free transfer with potential £40m fee

Dele Alli may just go down as one of the worst signings of Everton's recent history, with some reports suggesting that Everton ended up paying a substantial outlay for the midfielder.

He's only managed 13 games for the Toffees since moving to Goodison Park and is yet to score or assist. He has had a loan spell at Besiktas, but since returning, just hasn't been involved in any plans, with fitness and his mental health also sadly playing a factor.

For someone who was one of the biggest talents in English football at one time during his Tottenham Hotspur days, it really is a shame that he just hasn't been able to hit the heights at Everton.

Billy Crellin – 1st February 2022 From Fleetwood Town – Fee unknown

Billy Crellin joined Everton from Fleetwood Town back in February 2022 with the view to him going straight into the under-23s side.

Since then, he just hasn't been able to secure a first-team appearance for the Toffees, having only made three appearances for the under-23s over the past few seasons. He did make it on the Australia trip back in November 2022, but just missed out on a debut appearance for the Toffees as Frank Lampard decided to offer Andy Lonergan minutes instead of the youngster.

Although, the club still clearly see something in the goalkeeper, as he signed a new contract with the club back in September which runs until the end of June 2025, so there is still time for him to come good.

Donny van de Beek – 31st January 2022 From Manchester United – Loan

Donny van de Beek joined Everton after a rather frustrating start to life at Manchester United, with game time hard to come by.

But, things didn't get much better at Goodison Park as he only made seven appearances during his loan spell, as a mix of falling out of favour and a thigh problem held him back from really getting the minutes he craved.

Upon the expiry of his loan deal at Everton he returned to Manchester United, where things went from bad to worse. He missed a total of 48 games last season due to injury and has just 21 minutes to his name in the current campaign.

Anwar El Ghazi – 13th January 2022 From Aston Villa – Loan

Anwar El Ghazi joined Everton on a short-term loan deal shortly after Lucas Digne went the other way to Aston Villa.

The winger hadn't exactly set the world alight in his recent games at Villa Park prior to the move, with just one goal in nine Premier League appearances, but as the Toffees had some injury issues, they viewed him as a temporary solution. And, a temporary solution is all he proved to be, making just two appearances for the Toffees as he fell heavily out of favour.

Move forward a year or so and things haven't got much better for the attacker. He failed to make any inroads upon his return to Villa Park, which led to him joining PSV on loan, followed by a move to Mainz in the German Bundesliga.

But after taking up the decision to post a message on Instagram relating to the current conflict in Gaza, the German club originally suspended him, which later led to him having his contract ripped up as he continued to voice his opinions on social media. He is now without a club.

Nathan Patterson – 4th January 2022 From Rangers – £11.5m plus add-ons

Nathan Patterson joined Everton from Rangers back in January 2022 as one of the most exciting talents out of Scotland.

After a slow start to life at Goodison due to a lack of opportunities, things have certainly picked up for the youngster, as he's become a guaranteed starter under Sean Dyche – and it's all down to his hard work.

The £11.5m plus add-ons fee already looks to be an absolute bargain, and with plenty of room for Patterson to develop, if he continues on his current trajectory, he could go on to follow in Seamus Coleman's footsteps.

Vitalii Mykolenko – 1st January 2022 From Dynamo Kyiv – £18m

Mykolenko made the move to Everton for around £18m back on the opening day of the 2022 winter transfer window.

In just under two years, he's already managed to appear 66 times for the club and is now a fully fledged regular under Sean Dyche.

He had some struggles during his first six months at the club, with mistakes and rash decision-making often plaguing his game, but since Dyche has taken the reins, he has gone from strength to strength.

His two goals in the Premier League this season are evidence of that, and he's now added an attacking aspect to his game, as well as tightening up defensively.

Joshua King – 2nd February 2021 From Bournemouth – Loan

Joshua King is another who joined on a short-term deal with Dominic Calvert-Lewin out injured for a period during the 2020/21 campaign.

And the club may as well have signed no one when you look at how he performed in the blue shirt. In his 11 appearances, King failed to find the back of the net, but he is predominantly a winger, so there perhaps should be some leeway after being mainly deployed as a striker.

Where is King now, you may ask? Well, he's now plying his trade over in Turkey and has been for a season or so now, with Fenerbahce his new home. His stats have improved too, though the level of competition is arguably lower, with 11 goals and six assists to his name in 41 appearances.

Jarrad Branthwaite – 13th January 2020 From Carlisle United – £1m

Jarrad Branthwaite was making a name for himself at Carlisle United prior to his move to Everton, which was sealed for just £1m back in 2020.

This is a move that could go down as one of the best deals pulled off by the club if he carries on the way he's heading. The youngster has earned plenty of plaudits for his performances under Sean Dyche this season as a regular at the heart of the defence after catching the eye out on loan at PSV Eindhoven last season.

At just 21 years of age, the growth potential is massive for Branthwaite. And with the way he's going at the moment, you could even see him in an England shirt in the not so distant future.

Theo Walcott – 17th January 2018 From Arsenal – £20m

Theo Walcott made a name for himself at Arsenal after joining as a young boy from Southampton, but eventually fell out of favour at the Emirates as the club grew without him.

Everton signed a player who had all the ability, but it wasn't known at the time of the signing whether he'd be able to show the levels we saw at the Gunners, as injuries plagued the winger at times, with age catching up with him.

Looking back, it actually proved to be a reasonably good signing for the Toffees. He made 85 appearances, scoring 11 goals and laying on nine assists, which isn't prolific, but he was often deployed as a wide midfielder, as opposed to the advanced winger during his Arsenal days.

Sorry to make anyone feel old here, but the England star has now retired from football completely.

Cenk Tosun – 6th January 2018 From Besiktas – £27m

Cenk Tosun had a lot of hype behind him when he joined Everton back in 2018 after a number of prolific seasons out in Turkey.

But, after paying £27m for his services, things just went downhill. He made 61 appearances for the Toffees but failed to meet the demands of being the club's star striker, as he only returned 11 goals and six assists.

However, things have picked up for him again since returning to Besiktas, which is perhaps a sign of the difference in competition levels in England and Turkey. After an 18-goal season last term, he currently stands at five for the current campaign, with two even coming in the UEFA Conference League, so he appears to have found his feet again.

Players will be able to contest the on-field umpire’s decision in the first Test between Sri Lanka and India in Colombo. A few reactions to the increased use of technology

22-Jul-2008

Mark Benson’s decisions can be challenged by players in Colombo © Getty Images
“I don’t think we’re trying to say that umpires are redundant. They are an integral part of the system and it is very difficult for them in the heat of the moment; it is just assisting them. It is not a question of taking something away from them. It is a mode of assistance.”
Anil Kumble sees no reason why umpires should feel threatened“In general, the system will be good for the game as it will reduce the scope for mistakes. But you need to do it in a respectful way. The on-field umpires are human, after all. They do make mistakes, just as everybody else does, and we should respect that during the trial. We should be clear that the idea is only to reduce the mistakes.”
“I just hope they don’t get too silly with it. We need to be a bit careful that we don’t jump head-first in and go gung-ho the other way and make too many calls. I don’t know how many times there have been three really dodgy decisions in an innings too often. It means almost a third of the wickets that you need to get a team out, you can contest, which seems like a high number to me.
“We need to hear of ideas that are likely to improve the standard of umpiring, especially in Test cricket, rather than gimmicky suggestions put forward to satisfy a clamour for more use of technology.
“Part of the beauty of cricket was that there was room for human error and sometimes it went your way, sometimes it didn’t. It all evened out in the end. Today, with all the money invested in cricket, the shareholders are going to demand the right decision all the time. You don’t pay $800 million for a cricket team to let an umpire’s error ruin it for you.”
“I’ve always been a coach who has advocated technology. If the ball bounces it is not out. For me, if we can get a correct system, then it has to be good for the game. I think it is muddied [at the moment], but the referral system takes away the grey area.”
“The referral system has been talked about a lot. We support referrals but didn’t want the players doing the referring, we felt it should be the umpires. We made it pretty clear that we felt certain things should be referred and others shouldn’t, but we think the umpires should take responsibility. In a team sport like this, the decisions should be taken on by the umpires.”
“Personally, I like a game like baseball, which turns over more money than cricket does and doesn’t use one ounce of technology when the umpire makes a decision. If they get it right, they get it right; and if they get it wrong, so be it. Nothing is ever overturned. But we allowed technology to come in, so now we have got to work with it, make the best of it.”
“Umpires have been around umpiring cricket far longer than Hawk-Eye has existed. Umpires know the bounce, length and height of the pitches they officiate on. I would back any umpire to make more accurate lbw decisions than Hawk-Eye, whether they are 5′ or 6’6″ tall. Umpires [on the field] will always be in the best position to adjudicate on lbws.”
“As a player, all you ever want is as many accurate decisions as possible. If I make a mistake and I’m out, well so be it, that’s my fault, but you don’t want to be given out when you feel you’re not out.”

Liverpool have deployed scouts to watch an overseas defender, but a report has revealed that they aren’t the only club looking to bring him to the Premier League.

Which players are Liverpool linked with?

Over the summer, FSG and Jurgen Klopp signed four new midfielders in the form of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, but having also sanctioned the sales of 11 players, there is still plenty of room in the squad for more future recruits.

The Reds have already been assessing their options in the market ahead of January and have most recently been linked with moves for Sao Paulo centre-back Lucas Beraldo, Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Pedro Neto and Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen.

Feyenoord’s Quinten Timber is another player to have emerged as a target, and despite the central midfielder having only joined Arne Slot’s side from FC Utrecht last summer, he’s clearly impressed during his 41 appearances so far.

The Netherlands youth international still has another three years remaining on his contract in Rotterdam, but if the following update is to be believed, this hasn’t stopped chiefs from wanting to bring the 22-year-old to Merseyside at the start of next year.

Are Liverpool signing Quinten Timber?

According to 90min's transfer update on Timber, Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have all sent scouts to watch him in action this season, with the top-flight clubs filing "favourable reports" over their target.

Feyenoord's midfielder is also attracting significant interest from Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and Napoli overseas, with his performances having left a "lasting impression", particularly on the sides from the Premier League.

Are Quinten Timber and Jurrien Timber related?

Yes, Quinten is indeed the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, so if the former does make a big move in 2024 he will at least have a taste of what to expect from English football thanks to his sibling.

He is much stronger in the offensive aspect of his game having posted ten direct goal involvements (four goals, six assists) during his 41 appearances at Feyenoord, but even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, Timber's playstyle poses a constant “threat”, according to journalist Josh Bunting.

Timber's salary is currently £15k-per-week and he is sponsored by Adidas. He ranks in the 98th percentile for successful take-ons, which highlights his desire to dribble past his marker and take aim at the opposition’s goalkeeper, as he’s so far had 16 shots this season, which is the third-highest tally in his squad, as per Feyenoord's statistics.

Furthermore, Timber is a versatile operator having been deployed in eight different positions across the pitch since the start of his career, including four roles in the centre, two in defence and out wide on both flanks, so he could be a fantastic option for the boss to have in the building should any unexpected injuries occur.

West Ham's history in the transfer window is rather chequered, unearthing some gems, but failing dramatically in equal measure. It could be argued that the latter has been more prevalent across the past decade with their exertions across Europe unleashing more funds to spend.

For all of their overspending and inaccurate judgement when it comes to signing talent, as demonstrated with the arrivals of Sebastien Haller and Gianluca Scamacca previously, their transfer business this summer was surprisingly impressive.

Acquisitions like James Ward-Prowse and Edson Alvarez were astute and have more than eased the blow of losing Declan Rice, while beating several clubs to the signature of Mohammed Kudus shows that the Hammers mean business in their aspirations for European football.

With that trio demonstrating an exceedingly bright future for West Ham, it hasn't been the only occasion that the club have hit the jackpot in the recruitment department.

In the summer of 2015, Slaven Bilic worked his magic by prizing Dimitri Payet away from Marseille for £10.7m and the Frenchman would go on to become a club icon.

How many appearances did Payet make for West Ham?

When Payet arrived at West Ham, he oozed class, quality and the ability to produce the spectacular as some of the greatest ever Premier League goals were conjured up from his wand of a right foot.

While Hammers supporters are excited by what they're seeing in the present day as Jarrod Bowen, Kudus and Ward-Prowse are leading their charge towards Europe, they will find it difficult to eclipse the number of outrageous moments that Payet came up with in claret and blue.

Lauded as being “one of the most important players in Europe” at the time by French footballing legend Zinedine Zidane, that level of praise from someone of Zidane's ilk shows how highly regarded he was in the world of football during this purple patch.

Making just 60 appearances for the club, Payet elevated himself into the realm of world-class as he chalked up 23 goals and 15 assists for the Irons, and left supporters awestruck with what they were watching, especially in the 2015/16 season.

With 21 goal contributions in 30 Premier League matches, those insane numbers saw him cap a tremendous campaign off by scooping the PFA Player of the Year award.

Although the Frenchman endured a fast fall from grace and left the club on a sour note in 2017, Payet's otherworldly technique, impeccable vision and outrageous ability from set pieces will always be fondly remembered in east London.

The maverick's legacy has remained untouched since departing the club, but when the Hammers broke their transfer record to sign Felipe Anderson in 2018, many, including talkSPORT reporter Joe Coleman, thought the Brazilian could be their second coming of Payet.

How did Felipe Anderson perform at West Ham?

After shelling out a staggering £36m for Felipe Anderson, Manuel Pellegrini thought he had found a player who possessed the same attacking instincts as Payet with the potential to become a star.

Cutting in from the left flank with his searing pace and precise dribbling, supporters assumed they had a "terrific talent" on their hands – words echoed by teammate at the time, Robert Snodgrass – but ones that didn't carry much substance.

Anderson thrilled supporters with his excellent approach play, namely his ability to slalom past defenders and impress with his explosive ball carrying, but the most important part of any player's game – an end product – was severely lacking.

The Brazilian chalked up 12 goals and 13 assists in 73 appearances and while they are by all means decent returns, more was expected from a player who arrived as a record signing and was supposed to be capable of producing quality in the final third.

After all, the fleet-footed winger was deemed as one of Europe's rising stars upon joining and did showcase his composure and incisiveness in his final season at Lazio with eight goals and nine assists, while dazzling with his agile, deft movements and ingenuity in possession.

Anderson was unable to carry his natural ability across to English football, crumbling under the weight of expectation, and although he showed glimpses of that quality in his maiden year, he quickly fell by the wayside.

Departing the club to return to Lazio in 2021, Anderson closed the curtain on what turned out to be an underwhelming spell at the Hammers.

West Ham United found themselves at the centre of a lot of conversations leading into the season; whether it was about their transfer policy, their expectations for the season, or the viability of keeping David Moyes as manager for another year, the Hammers were never far from the headlines.

When it comes to the Premier League, however, the Eastenders have endured a mixed campaign thus far, with a home draw to Crystal Palace on Sunday perhaps one of their more frustrating results.

Nevertheless, Moyes and his men got back on track in the best way possible this week: beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 away from home.

After a questionable first half, the men in Claret and Blue came out like a house on fire in the second 45 and blew their north London opponents away. Yet, there was one player who was rather anonymous throughout his 90 minutes on the pitch – Lucas Paqueta.

Lucas Paqueta's game against Spurs in numbers

Paqueta is one of the most entertaining players to watch in the league when he is at his silky best and was one of the Hammers' most influential players last season with seven-goal involvements in his 27 league starts, but he was simply ineffective against Spurs.

Moyes opted to play the mercurial Brazilian on the left wing against the Lilywhites, and while he did score from this position against Nottingham Forest, he was totally ineffective in N17, leading to West Ham fan and journalist Dan Woffenden branding him "absolutely wasted" out wide.

Malik Ouzi of the Evening Standard shared that sentiment, as he gave the former Lyon man a 5/10 in his post-match player ratings, highlighting the fact that he was not categorically abysmal, just anonymous.

In his 96 minutes on the pitch, the 26-year-old took just two shots – one of which was on target – succeeded in one of his five attempted dribbles, took 70 touches, and maintained a passing accuracy of 77%. He also made one key pass, lost possession of the ball 18 times, and missed one big chance. as per Sofascore.

The miss, just before halftime, was probably the most memorable thing about Paqueta's game on Thursday night, which is generally not a good sign.

Luckily for the Hammers, their other winger on the night, Jarrod Bowen, was far more effective.

Jarrod Bowen's game in numbers

Starting on the right for West Ham against Spurs was a fan favourite, Bowen.

The former Hull City winger put in a performance in stark contrast to his silky teammate, finding himself involved in almost everything good the team did against Spurs.

The first thing to note is that he managed to get himself onto the scoresheet, pulling the Hammers level in the second half, just seven minutes after the restart.

The goal means that he has scored in every away league game he has played this season, joining Robin van Persie and Sergio Aguero as the only players to have scored in seven consecutive Premier League away games.

It was then his closing down from Destiny Udogie's weak back pass that presented James Ward-Prowse with the opportunity to score the winning goal.

Outside the involvement in the two goals, his numbers are not massively impressive, but that is what great players do: impact games even when they're not at their best.

As per Sofascore, the honorary Dyer made 31 touches, attempted one dribble, made one key pass, succeeded with one of his two crosses, won four of his nine ground duels, and made two tackles.

Ouzia was more impressed with Bowen than Paqueta, giving him a 7/10, echoing the sentiment that his goal made the difference.

Olly Stone’s four wickets gave Warwickshire hope but Durham’s ninth-wicket pair refused to budge

ECB Reporters Network07-Sep-20181:22

Warwickshire’s lead cut as Division Two heats up

Warwickshire 310 (Trott 79, McCarthy 4-58) and 199 (Hain 58*, Patel 7-54) drew with Durham 292 (Stone 7-59) and 115 for 8 (Stone 4-37)
ScorecardDurham’s tail dug deep to earn a draw and dent Warwickshire’s promotion hopes on day four of their captivating Specsavers County Championship match at Edgbaston.Set 218 to win from 41 overs, Durham were fancying their chances but four wickets from Olly Stone helped reduce the visitors to 102 for eight with six overs remaining.The Bears intensified their efforts, missing the edge many times, but wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter (9*) and number ten Matt Salisbury (5*) put on a resolute ninth-wicket partnership of 13 runs from 35 balls.It was heartbreak for a home side that remains top but sees their lead reduced to seven points to second placed Kent who beat Northants earlier in the afternoon.With 70 overs lost in the match and Warwickshire’s promotion rivals Sussex and Kent closing in on top spot, there was plenty of urgency from the hosts to engineer a winning opportunity.Starting the day on 28 for one, Ian Bell was the first to go, caught by Graham Clark after wafting at Axar Patel’s first ball for 10, with Dominic Sibley following him shortly after, bowled by Patel for 27 trying to sweep.Jonathan Trott then fell four balls later, edging to Paul Collingwood for 13 off Barry McCarthy, leaving the Bears struggling on 68 for four.A valuable partnership of 89 from 202 balls between Sam Hain and Tim Ambrose who was dropped twice on 10 and 14, edged Warwickshire ahead in the game.But once Ambrose was trapped LBW by Patel, wickets fell at an alarming rate – five in nine overs – as the spinner bulldozed through the tail, once Barry McCarthy removed Keith Barker for five, to chalk up a career-best of 27.4-12-54-7.The 24 year-old bowled his namesake for seven, before getting Chris Wright (15), Stone (0) and Ryan Sidebottom to hole out with the latter dismissal coming via the head of Will Smith at short leg.Durham needed to go at 5.31 an over to reach their target, but they were immediately put on the back foot.Barker trapped Alex Lees lbw for nine, before Wright got Cameron Steel to edge behind for 21, whilst Stone dismissed Smith for eight an over later. Both wickets had come following a bowling change.Stone struck again, Richardson given lbw, putting the visitors on 54 for four and needing another 164 to win from 22.4 overs.An away win now looked heavily unlikely and Warwickshire, who were rotating the seam attack, struck with 21 overs remaining when Stone got Clark to find Hain at deep square for 23.Patel, who was going at a run a ball, was the next to fall trapped LBW by Barker for 22 leaving the experienced Collingwood and Stuart Poynter to see out the final the thirteen overs.But Collingwood was caught by Ambrose for 13 off the bowling of Wright and McCarthy followed when Stone trapped him lbw for two.Warwickshire’s tails were up but Durham’s were a match, defending seven intense overs of pace which saw five slips and no fielder more than 15 yards away from the bat.There’s little time for either side to dust themselves down with Warwickshire heading to Grace Road to face Leicestershire on Monday, whilst Durham return to Chester-le-Street to face third placed Sussex.

New Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl suggested that the Bavarians might sell Alphonso Davies this summer.

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Eberl suggested that Davies won't leave for freeLeft-back reportedly reached agreement with Real MadridBayern have 'had discussions with [Davies'] agent'WHAT HAPPENED?

Alphonso Davies' time at Bayern Munich could be coming to an end. The Bavarians, although determined not to lose their star full-back, risk losing the Canada international for free in 2025 when his contract expires. And on Monday, it was reported that Davies had verbally agreed to join Madrid.

AdvertisementWHAT EBERL SAID ABOUT DAVIES

The newly-minted Bayern sporting director outlined the Davies situation in his introductory press conference: "No club wants to lose players for free… of course. We already had discussions with his agent, so I will now try to continue the conversation. I have to see how the situation is."

WHAT EBERL SAID ABOUT REPLACING THOMAS TUCHEL

Eberl also explained the criteria for the Bavarians' soon-to-be-vacant managerial post: "We want a coach who fits with the club and its ambitions – who also fits with the ideas that Christoph and I have about the squad. Players like Tel and Musiala, are young players who need to play. Other big clubs like Real Madrid managed to integrate Camavinga and Tchouameni into a midfield with Kroos, Modric and Casemiro. That’s the sort of coach we need. We need a coach who wants to work with these kinds of players. Language? He has to speak a language that we all speak, German or English. It’s a criterion but not an excluding one. There are candidates."

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Eberl arrives at a turbulent time. Tuchel is set to leave at the end of the campaign after falling behind a surging Bayer Leverkusen side in the title race. Meanwhile, the futures of cornerstones Davies and Joshua Kimmich seem to be up in the air.

Wrexham missed the chance to strengthen their automatic promotion push as they slumped to a 1-0 loss to a dogged Tranmere side at the Racecourse.

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Wrexham fall to 1-0 home defeatTranmere's Norris scores early winnerMiss chance to strengthen promotion pushTELL ME MORE

The home side fell behind in the eighth minute when a long ball forward wasn't dealt with and Luke Norris slotted past goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. Andy Cannon did well to clear Regan Hendry's header off the line for the hosts shortly after as Tranmere frustrated Phil Parkinson's men in the first half. Despite having the lion's share of possession and 25 shots to Rovers' seven, they failed to test keeper Luke McGee enough – with only four efforts on target – as they stayed third in the League Two table on goal difference, ahead of fourth-placed MK Dons.

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While Tranmere keeper McGee made a superb save to keep out Elliot Lee's deflected effort, he wasn't troubled a great deal, ultimately it was striker Norris who proved the difference with his early goal to sink Wrexham.

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Not nearly as cohesive and clinical as they needed to be, Wrexham as a whole were the major losers from this contest. They could have leapfrogged Stockport County into second and kept the chasing pack at bay but now MK Dons are breathing down their neck and Crewe Alexandra are just three points behind.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

Following this result, promotion-chasing Wrexham travel to relegation-threatened Grimsby Town next weekend, before hosting top of the table Mansfield Town at the Racecourse on March 29 in a crucial clash in League Two.

Manchester United have reportedly slapped a £50 million ($64m) price tag on Mason Greenwood ahead of the summer transfer window.

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Forward impressing in SpainWanted by La Liga giantsPermanent move expectedWHAT HAPPENED?

The 22-year-old forward is expected to see a permanent move away from Old Trafford sanctioned once he returns to England from a loan spell at Getafe. He has been catching the eye in Spain, registering eight goals and five assists.

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Erik ten Hag is said to be open to the idea of absorbing Greenwood back into his plans, while Sir Jim Ratcliffe is ruling nothing out after acquiring a 25 per cent stake in the Red Devils. A parting of ways is, however, considered to be the best option for all concerned.

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With that in mind, and as interest in Greenwood builds, claims that United will be demanding £50m from any deal. That is the figure said to have been passed on to Atletico Madrid after they enquired as to the one-cap England international’s potential availability.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR GREENWOOD?

La Liga giants Barcelona have also been linked with Greenwood, and United executives John Murtough and Matt Hargreaves recently met with Blaugrana director Deco in Catalunya. Atletico have reportedly made it clear that they will not be meeting the Red Devils’ current valuation and would need demands to be lowered in order for a deal to be done.