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Leeds United are in fine fettle on the pitch, but BBC pundit Alan Hutton has been left disappointed by the injury news surrounding one of the club's star men.

What's the latest news involving Leeds United?

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton has praised young Leeds defender Charlie Cresswell for his attitude toward proceedings at Elland Road despite first-team minutes being hard to come by for the 21-year-old this term.

Hutton stated: "It’s always hard to break into the first team as a young player. But if you’ve got the right personality and a bit about you, and the other boys take to you – it always helps. They want to keep you involved and part of the group. I think that’s always a good thing, and it helps you settle in.

"His time will obviously come at Leeds, it will happen, but it’s good to see that he’s got the right attitude even though he’s not playing at the moment. It can be very difficult, so to hear that from the manager is quite refreshing and good for the player."

Presenter Joe Wainman meanwhile has indicated to GIVEMESPORT that there may be no way back for Leeds United trio Luis Sinisterra, Tyler Adams and Jack Harrison at Elland Road due to the fact they sought moves away from the Yorkshire giants during the summer transfer window.

Southampton await Leeds this weekend at St Mary's Stadium and Whites' boss Daniel Farke will be keen to build on a solid start to life back in the Sky Bet Championship, which has yielded a six-match unbeaten streak and four consecutive clean sheets.

Nevertheless, the German coach will have to do without the services of talented attacker Wilfried Gnonto, who is scheduled to be out until after the next international break and will require minor surgery on an ankle issue, as per Leeds Live.

What has Alan Hutton said about Wilfried Gnonto?

In conversation with Football Insider, former Scotland international Hutton, who is also a pundit for the BBC, thinks that Gnonto is one of Leeds United's 'star' players and believes his injury is a 'real shame' and is 'not ideal' for Whites manager Farke to contend with as he chases promotion.

Hutton said: "Sometimes it can be tough when you’ve had a tough pre-season and you’ve been on international duty. He’s not really had a break and the Championship is a really hard league. But Gnonto is now one of the star players at Leeds, who are doing alright. “I thought he would’ve got a move away, but it didn’t happen. It’s a real shame for him. No time is a good time to get injuries, but this is really not ideal when Leeds need him to help chase Leicester down at the top of the table."

Verbania-born Gnonto has managed to make six appearances in all competitions for Leeds United this term, registering a solitary goal against Ipswich Town, as per Transfermarkt.

As always, the former FC Zurich man has been a tricky presence in the final third for opposition backlines to contain, averaging around 1.8 shots and 2.6 completed dribbles per fixture in the Sky Bet Championship, as per WhoScored.

Leeds boss Farke will be desperate for the youngster to re-enter the fold before too long as the Whites aim to secure a return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The race to the playoffs is on; while Sunrisers seem quite comfortable at top, Royals will hope their million-dollar gambles rescue them and seal a spot in the top four

The Preview by Sruthi Ravindranath28-Apr-20184:03

Tait: Stay aggressive, attack Sunrisers’ bowlers

Form guide

Sunrisers Hyderabad: beat Kings XI by 13 runs, beat Mumbai Indians by 31 runs, lost to Chennai Super Kings by four runs, lost to Kings XI Punjab by 15 runs
Rajasthan Royals: beat Mumbai Indians by three wickets, lost to Chennai Super Kings by 64 runs, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 19 runs

Big pictureSunrisers Hyderabad’s bowling unit has been an enigma this season. They have the best economy in the Powerplay, middle overs and death. Twice now, they’ve defended totals that many other teams would’ve called 20-25 too little.On Thursday, they didn’t have Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Billy Stanlake. Their captain Kane Williamson was dismissed for a duck and the bowlers had only 132 to work with. Most sides would’ve looked at not conceding the game easily. Not Sunrisers, whose bowlers triggered a sensational Kings XI Punjab slide. From 55 for 1, they hurtled to 119 all out.ESPNcricinfo LtdEven as this played out in Hyderabad, Royals were enjoying the palaces and what Rajasthan’s wildlife has to offer. They’ve had five days off but now will have to gear up for four games over the next 10 days.Since their tournament opener against each other, Royals and Sunisers have had mixed fortunes. Two of Royals’ three wins have come batting first. Sunrisers’ batting, meanwhile, keeps malfunctioning. They have not had a 30-plus opening partnership in their last four games, which, not surprisingly, coincides with Shikhar Dhawan’s low scores. Royals’ openers have misfired too. But with Rahul Tripathi back at the top, and Ajinkya Rahane discovering a new gear, things could get hot pretty early in Jaipur.In the newsBhuvneshwar trained with the squad in Jaipur, a sign that he’s on the road to recovery. If he’s good to play, then either Sandeep Sharma or Basil Thampi will have to miss out.The likely XIsRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Jos Buttler(wk), 6 Heinrich Klaasen, 7 Dhawal Kulkarni, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Shreyas Gopal, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Jofra ArcherSunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Kane Williamson (capt), 3 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 4 Manish Pandey, 5 Yusuf Pathan, 6 Shakib Al Hasan, 7 Mohammad Nabi, 8 Rashid Khan, 9 Bhuvneshwar Kumar/Sandeep Sharma, 10 Siddarth Kaul, 11 Basil ThampiThe previous meetingRoyals were handed a nine-wicket thrashing when the sides last met. After Sunrisers restricted Royals to 125, Dhawan and Kane Williamson put together a 121-run second-wicket stand to lead the cruise.ESPNcricinfo LtdStrategy puntStokes and Buttler have been dismissed twice by Rashid Khan in T20s, having faced the legspinner for 13 and five balls respectively. In T20s since 2015, Stokes has been dismissed 10 times by legspinners and averages just 12.6 against them. Perhaps there’s a case for Williamson to hold his trump card back for the middle overs when these two are most likely to bat.Stats that matter In the three games this season, pacers have picked 20 out of the 29 wickets in Jaipur, although spinners have had a better economy rate. This is good news for Sunrisers, again. Rahane averages 40.3 with 12 30-plus scores at the Sawai Mansingh in the IPL, but averages just 16.4 against Sunrisers across all seasons. What better time than now to turn it around? Manish Pandey, who top-scored for Sunrisers in their last match against Kings XI, needs 20 more to register 4000 runs in T20s.Fantasy picksTripathi had phenomenal success as an opener last year. There’s enough indication he’ll continue to open. Having had a rough tournament so far, he’ll be eager to make amends. Among the uncapped players, he’s sure to give you good returns without costing your purse much should he fire. He’s also certain to start barring a last-minute injury. There’s also perhaps a case to pick K Gowtham, who has proven to be a useful lower-order hitter in addition to a few regular overs with the ball.

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah's future is still up in the air this summer, but a new update suggests the forward could have made his mind up.

How old is Mohamed Salah?

The Reds legend, who is now 31 years of age, has been constantly linked with a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in recent days, with a huge £150m bid for him rejected by the club.

Liverpool's stance is clear at the moment, as they don't even appear to be entertaining the thought of losing him at this point in his career, but the Saudi transfer window doesn't shut until next week, and there is no sign of Al Ittihad's interest going away.

It could be that they return with an even bigger offer, as they look to test the Red's resolves, and there is also the concern that Salah himself could decide that he wants to move there and become one of the stars of the new league.

Now, a new update has emerged regarding the Egyptian's future at Anfield – one that may leave supporters feeling concerned that some late-summer business could still happen.

Will Mohamed Salah leave Liverpool?

According to The Mirror, Salah's head does appear to have been turned by a move to Al Ittihad, telling friends that a move there could appeal to him:

"And although there have been no protests from the player over the club’s stance he has told close friends that he is being tempted by the promise of a stunning wage packet worth £1.5m a week and the chance to become the poster boy of his native Middle East.

"The concern for him is that there is a policy of bringing in younger players with a sell on potential while clearing the decks of players who are 30 plus. It’s why Salah remains vulnerable to a last gasp grab by Al-Ittihad who have money to burn and won’t take no for an answer."

The fact that Salah is potentially interested in moving to Al Ittihad has to be considered a worry for Liverpool, but they simply can't afford to sell him now, considering he is a genuinely world-class talent and they aren't able to bring in a replacement.

Had this interest emerged earlier in the summer window, the Reds may at least have contemplated the financial benefits of letting him go, but this could be a huge blow for them so early in the new Premier League season, hampering their chances of getting back into the Champions League greatly.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

As the report alludes to, there almost seems to be an acceptance that this will be Salah's last season at Liverpool, assuming he does stay, and in truth, few would begrudge him leaving for Saudi Arabia this time next year.

He would be 32 by that point and possibly on the decline, and the Reds could still receive massive money for him and use it to further transform the squad.

The fast bowler will be rested from the Titans’ next Ram Slam competition so that he can hit the nets and get overs under his belt

Firdose Moonda23-Nov-2017

Dale Steyn will not play in the Titans’ next Ram Slam game after turning out for three in a row last week, both as part of the franchise’s rotation policy and in order for the paceman to up his bowling workload in the nets. Steyn bowled a total of 10 overs and took four wickets for 61 runs in what has been deemed a satisfactory comeback following a year out of the game due to shoulder injury. The next step in his recovery is focused on bowling longer spells so that he can be ready for Test cricket.All of South Africa’s bowlers need to work on something other than T20 skills because an eight-Test summer follows the ongoing Ram Slam tournament. “It’s not only Dale that needs to bowl more, all the bowlers need to up their volumes ahead of the Test matches,” Mohammed Moosajee, South Africa’s team manager, who is also a medical doctor, told ESPNcricinfo. “We have set plans for all the bowlers in terms of the numbers of balls and overs they need to bowl,”Moosajee said if Steyn’s return continues according to schedule he sees “no reason” why the fast bowler won’t appear in whites again. Steyn will be back for the Titans later in the competition and could also play some provincial cricket. “If he plays enough in the T20 competition and bowls in the nets and maybe even plays a three-day provincial game, then I don’t see why not,” Moosajee said when asked if he thought fans could look forward to seeing Steyn in action for South Africa this summer.Steyn is hopeful of making an international return over Boxing Day in the inaugural four-day, day-night Test against Zimbabwe in Port Elizabeth and also has his sights set on playing against India and Australia later in the summer. The 34-year-old needs just five wickets to beat Shaun Pollock’s tally of 421 and become South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Test cricket.Morne Morkel, who is on the mend from a side strain, also looks set to play a part in South Africa’s busiest home season since readmission. He is currently bowling at 80% and should be at full capacity in early December.However, Morne’s brother and Titans’ T20 captain, Albie, told reporters in Pretoria that he only expects Morne to be fit for the playoffs of the Ram Slam in mid-December and at that stage, it is unlikely he will get a game. CSA have a policy that any player returning from injury must play some form of domestic cricket before they can be considered for the national team. That means Morne may also look to the provincial structures or even club cricket to prove his fitness.Chris Morris, who has been sidelined with a lower-back injury since the England tour in August, is expected to be considered for Titans’ selection in the next week.

With neither team facing elimination and both featuring star-studded line-ups, the first qualifier between Dhaka Dynamites and Comilla Victorians is set to be a cracker

The Preview by Mohammad Isam07-Dec-2017

Big pictureDhaka Dynamites are a team filled with T20 superstars. Comilla Victorians are much the same, their hefty batting line-up and proficient bowling attack helping them finish as the top team in the league stage. So, who will blink first in the first qualifier?Comilla will rely heavily on their experienced players Tamim Iqbal, Shoaib Malik and Marlon Samuels to complement the youthful brigade of Hasan Ali, Mohammad Saifuddin and Mahedi Hasan. All six have performed admirably.Mahedi, the 22-year old uncapped offspinner, has been the biggest surprise, matching accuracy with big-match temperament. Hasan, the Pakistan sensation, has gone from strength to strength to cap off a stunning 2017. Saifuddin has a bit of distance to go but the seamer has shown the ability to bounce back from a bad show.Dhaka are bookended by the big-hitting prowess of Evin Lewis in the opening slot and Kieron Pollard down the order. You cannot go wrong with these two in good form, particularly with Lewis taking his innings deep. Dhaka’s spin trio – Shakib Al Hasan, Shahid Afridi and Sunil Narine – have taken a wicket roughly every 14 balls, which means that they can take up to eight wickets in a game if it is their day.Form Guide(last five completed matches, most recent first)Dhaka Dynamites: WWLWLComilla Victorians: WLWWWEvin Lewis swats one away during his blitz•BCB

In the spotlightLewis has had a tremendous BPL campaign, having made 334 runs at an average of 37.11 and a strike rate of 160.57. He has given Dhaka fast starts on a regular basis and has even shepherded them into the slog overs before the others took control.Comilla would expect Malik to keep his excellent form going. Coming in down the order, he has helped set up big finishes batting first and second and he already has a half-century against Dhaka this year.Team newsDhaka would have to sacrifice Mohammad Amir if they opt to go for batting stability at the top. Also, spin-bowling firepower is important so they may opt for both Narine and Afridi, in addition to Shakib.Dhaka Dynamites (probable): 1 Evin Lewis, 2 Joe Denly, 3 Sunil Narine, 4 Shakib Al Hasan (capt), 5 Jahurul Islam (wk), 6 Mosaddek Hossain, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Kieron Pollard, 9 Nadif Chowdhury, 10 Mohammad Saddam, 11 Abu HiderComilla will have to choose between fast bowler Dwayne Bravo and legspinner Graeme Cremer, depending on the type of pitch and the amount of dew.Comilla Victorians (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal (capt), 2 Liton Das (wk), 3 Imrul Kayes, 4 Jos Buttler, 5 Marlon Samuels, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Graeme Cremer/Dwayne Bravo, 8 Mohammad Saifuddin, 9 Mahedi Hasan, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Al-Amin HossainPitch and conditionsThe pitch for this game will be first used for the eliminator between Rangpur Riders and Khulna Titans in the afternoon, so there will be far more help for the spinners in the second contest.’Stats and trivia Dhaka’s Afridi, Narine and Shakib have combined to take 41 wickets at 14.9 in this tournament. During this BPL, Hasan Ali became the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul with all batsmen out bowled.

أعلن ماوريسيو بوتشيتينو، المدير الفني لفريق تشيلسي، عن تشكيل اللاعبين الذين سيخوضون مباراة وست هام يونايتد في الجولة 36 من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وتنطلق مباراة تشيلسي ووست هام يونايتد في تمام الساعة الرابعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة” على ملعب “ستامفورد بريدج”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. لن يعتزل.. تياجو سيلفا يستقر على وجهته المقبلة بعد الرحيل عن تشيلسي

ويحتل تشيلسي المركز الثامن في ترتيب الدوري الإنجليزي برصيد 51 نقطة، بينما يأتي وست هام يونايتد في المركز التاسع برصيد 49 نقطة. تشكيل تشيلسي اليوم أمام وست هام يونايتد في الدوري الإنجليزي

حراسة المرمى: بيتروفيتش.

الدفاع: شالوباه – بادياشيل – تياجو سيلفا – كوكوريلا.

الوسط: مودريك – كايسيدو – جالاجير.

الهجوم: مادويكي – كول بالمر – جاكسون. بدلاء تشيلسي اليوم أمام أستون فيلا في الدوري الإنجليزي

بيتينيلي – كولويل – ديساسي – كاسادي – جيلكريست – نكونكو – واشنطن – رحيم ستيرلينج – جوستو.

Here are your Sunday Blues. 💙@ParimatchUK | #CFC | #CheWhu pic.twitter.com/hunlwR0jeY — Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) May 5, 2024

A clash between the dates of the Pakistan National T20 Cup with the BPL and South Africa’s Global T20 means the participation of Pakistan’s players in overseas leagues is in doubt

Danyal Rasool and Umar Farooq06-Sep-2017

The participation of Pakistan’s players in the Bangladesh Premier League and the inaugural edition of the Global T20 in South Africa is in doubt, as Pakistan’s national T20 competition is scheduled to clash with those dates. With the PCB strongly indicating that the National T20 Cup would “take precedence over global leagues” around the world, the possibility of around a dozen Pakistan players being unable to fulfil global T20 commitments looks very real.This is the second time in as many months that the scheduling of the National T20 Cup has created uncertainty. Last month, the PCB revoked the NOCs of 13 Pakistan players participating in the CPL and the English domestic circuit to participate in the National T20 Cup, then slotted to begin on August 25. The move especially frustrated the counties concerned and even led a senior member of the Pakistan team management to describe it as “a bit of a mess”. However, just days later, PCB chairman Najam Sethi announced the postponement of the National T20 Cup to November, saying the recalled players had to undergo fitness tests, after which they were free to resume their engagements abroad.The National T20 Cup is now scheduled to run from November 4-19, the entirety of which clashes with significant chunks of both the BPL and the Global T20. The BPL lasts from November 2 to December 10, while the Global T20 begins on November 3, with the final taking place on December 16. Further complicating the situation is the fact that the PCB has already gone ahead with a selection process last month with a draft ceremony. All sponsorship rights were sold, which means the PCB eventually has to hold the tournament sometime this year.When ESPNcricinfo approached a PCB spokesperson to enquire about the potential clash, he said that players would “naturally” have to fulfil their domestic commitments. “I can say that the National T20 Cup will take precedence over other league,” Amjad Hussain, director media and coordination, said.At least seven Pakistani players were expected to take part in the Global T20, with Wahab Riaz, Umar Akmal, Mohammad Nawaz, Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Anwar Ali and Imad Wasim signed by various franchises. While the player list for the BPL is not yet out, Junaid Khan and Shahid Afridi had confirmed that they would take part in Bangladesh’s premier T20 competition.”We haven’t heard about anything from the Pakistan players as yet, officially or unofficially,” Ismail-Haider Mallick, secretary of the BCB governing council, told ESPNcricinfo. “But if it happens then it will be a big loss for the players as BPL is one of the most competitive leagues in the world. But we are not too worried about the situation as we have a lot of foreign players who can replace missing Pakistan players.”

Tottenham Hotspur would be the "more likely suitors" for Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz this summer over north London rivals Arsenal due to the Gunners' massive spending, claims journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Douglas Luiz joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer?

It has been a relatively good start to the transfer window for Tottenham this summer, with the £40m signing of James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Manor Solomon either directly improving the first team or the side's squad depth.

That said, the Lilywhites might have to dip back into the transfer market this summer, as the Mailonline have reported that current midfield stalwart Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be on the way out as the club are currently in talks with La Liga giants Atletico Madrid.

The same publication have also claimed that should the Dane depart N17 in the summer, Villa's Luiz and Chelsea's Conor Gallagher have been identified as potential replacements.

However, Daniel Levy should act swiftly on this one if he is keen on the Brazilian, as the Sun have reported that North London rivals Arsenal are 'eyeing' a move for the player after they failed to secure his signature in the closing days of last summer's transfer window.

The significant advantage that Spurs might have in this potential transfer battle is that they haven't spent anywhere near as much money as the Gunners so far, and with Football Transfers expected transfer value model pricing the combative midfielder between €30m-€50m (£26m-£43m) it could prove a step too far for Mikel Arteta's side.

What has Ryan Taylor said about Tottenham Hotspur and Douglas Luiz?

Taylor was clear that after all the spending Arsenal have done over the last month or so, he isn't sure whether they would have the money that Villa would demand for this move and that even if Tottenham did have the money, it might not be the best move for the player.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "I think Tottenham will probably be the more likely suitors for him. Because, at the moment, I don't really envisage Arsenal having the kind of money to hand that Villa would require, and obviously Hojbjerg is probably going to head to Atlético Madrid as well.

"But again, if you're Douglas Luiz, do you trade Villa for Tottenham now? I don't think that's a clear upgrade, if that's the right word. I think Villa are certainly going to be better, if not competing with Spurs next season.

"So again, I'm not sure whether that's a move that will happen, but we'll have to wait and see."

How good is Douglas Luiz?

It was another excellent season for the former Manchester City man in the West Midlands last year, one in which he played a crucial component in the Villan's surprising charge up the table under Unai Emery, a charge that resulted in European football.

The Spaniard was full of praise for his midfield general earlier this year, waxing lyrical over his performances following a 3-0 win over Bournemouth:

"Today I am very happy with Douglas Luiz. His skill, characteristic in the squad (are) very important. Every match he is very focused on how we can manage 90 minutes, keeping ball possession, keeping good positioning, taking our time with our central midfielder and his characteristic (are) necessary in this team."

And, he won the praise of Pep Guardiola who stated that he's an "important" player and is "clever on the ball".

Across his 37 Premier League games last season, the Rio-born "enforcer" scored six goals, provided six assists, maintained a pass accuracy of 85.4%, earnt three Man-of-the-Match awards and averaged a match rating of 6.93, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers, whilst not out of this world, are definitely good enough to help improve the Spurs midfield.

According to FBref, who compare players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the 25-year-old sits in the top 4% for non-penalty goals, the top 5% for assists, the top 23% for expected assists, and the top 28% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Signing Luiz would be a good idea for Spurs in any typical summer, but if they are set to lose Hojbjerg, then this signing makes even more sense and could help them in their quest to regain European football next season.

Luton Town begin their fairytale Premier League campaign off with a trip to the South coast and the Amex Stadium to face Brighton on the opening weekend.

Here is Football FanCast’s preview ahead of kickoff.

When is the match and when is it on TV?

Brighton vs Luton Town is scheduled for 3pm on the opening Saturday of the new season, the 12th of August.

Due to the kick-off time and the 3pm blackout, the game will not be shown live on UK television, but you can stay up to date on the score and action through Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports News.

Every Premier League Opening day fixture in full

Who is Brighton’s key player?

Jermaine Defoe described Kaoru Mitoma as "incredible" last season, and the Japanese winger looks set to become Brighton's key man once again this upcoming season.

Mitoma contributed seven goals and five assists in 24 league starts for the Seagulls last year, helping Roberto De Zerbi’s side qualify for the Europa League for the first time in club history.

Who is Luton’s key player?

Captain Tom Lockyer averaged a 7.09 match rating in the Championship for the Hatters last season and helped lead the side to a dramatic victory in the playoff final over Coventry on penalties.

A defensive midfielder, Lockeyer was instrumental in a defensive unit that kept 16 clean sheets on the club's road to promotion.

How will Brighton line up?

Brighton have lost a few players so far in this summer transfer window, most notably Alexis Mac Allister who joined Liverpool for a reported £35m and could well lose Moises Caicedo to a top-six club.

The Seagulls have made some shrewd moves in the market so far, signing James Milner on a free transfer, along with Mahmoud Dahoud from Borussia Dortmund on a free and Joao Pedro from Watford for an estimated £29m, per ESPN.

Expected starting XI: Sanchez; Lamptey, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Gilmour, Milner; Pedro, Enciso, Mitoma; Ferguson

How will Luton Town line up?

A lot of the names on the Luton Town teamsheet will be unfamiliar to most Premier League fans.

The club are yet to make a summer signing but have been linked with a move for Ireland international winger Chiedozie Ogbene and will likely attempt to re-sign goalkeeper Ethan Horvath who spent last season at the club on loan from Nottingham Forest.

Expected starting XI: Horvath; Drameh, Osho, Lockeyer, Bell, Doughty; Mpanzu, Nakamba, Clark; Morris, Ogbene

What were the last league meetings between the teams?

Per 11v11, the matchup on the opening day of the season will be the first time the two sides have faced each other in league football since the 2007/08 season which took place in the third tier of English football. The last meeting of the sides was all the way back in 2009 in the Johnstones Paint Trophy.

Here are the last five fixtures between the two:

February 2009 – Luton 1-1 Brighton (JPT) January 2009 – Brighton 0-0 Luton (JPT) April 2008 – Luton 1-2 Brighton (League 1) November 2007 – Brighton 3-1 Luton (League 1) March 2006 – Luton 3-0 Brighton (Championship) Who is going to win?

Luton’s promotion to the Premier League is a fantastic story, but the fixture list has given them a very difficult opening fixture in England’s top flight where it is hard to see them getting a result.

FFC predicts: Brighton win

Wolverhampton Wanderers now have more 'power' in their quest to keep Max Kilman as they don't need to sell players to help balance the books at Molineux, according to Sky Sports journalist Dharmesh Sheth.

Who did Wolverhampton Wanderers reject a bid for Max Kilman from?

As per The Daily Mail, Wolves rejected a bid in the region of £30 million from Napoli for Kilman this window and the Serie A champions are believed to have turned their attentions towards Borussia Monchengladbach defender Ko Itakura, who is available for 'less than half' of the Old Gold's £35 million asking price for Kilman.

The report states that Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui is a big admirer of Kilman, who could now be set to sign a new deal at Molineux and become one of the top earners at the Premier League outfit.

According to Sky Sports journalist Rob Dorsett, Wolves are no longer required to sell key assets to abide by Financial Fair Play regulations following their success in getting six big names off the wage bill.

He stated on Twitter: "No more pressure on #wwfc to sell in this window, after 6 big stars left: Neves, Collins, Coady, Traore, Moutinho and Costa. FFP worries lifted, but will still be a “cautious” window. Decision to be made re Kilman if £35m valuation met, because money could be reinvested in squad."

Calciomercato claim that Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou is keen on strengthening his defence by signing Kilman and they are said to have been in contact with Wolves over the possibility of enticing the former Maidenhead United central defender to north London.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Sky Sports reporter Sheth echoes the sentiment that Wolves may now have a better chance of keeping hold of important players given that they don't need to sell players to guarantee their financial health.

Sheth stated: “We had that situation last week where Napoli came in for Max Kilman. Wolves rejected a bid worth around £30m.

“The fact they rejected it might suggest that they've come to the point now where, whereas before, I think there might have been a necessity to sell given their finances, that might not be the case anymore.

“So, the power could now be more in Wolves’ hands over what players stay and leave.”

Who could Julen Lopetegui add to his Wolverhampton Wanderers squad?

Wolves have been linked with several potential additions as Lopetegui looks to ensure his side avoid being embroiled in a relegation battle this term.

Former Old Gold fan favourite Matt Doherty is edging nearer to a return to the club following his release from Atletico Madrid and favours a move to Molineux over interest from Crystal Palace and Saudi Arabia, as per TEAMtalk.

The Athletic's Steve Madeley has reported that Bristol City playmaker Alex Scott is on Wolves' radar, as he stated: "Bristol City’s Alex Scott, who can play as a No. 8 or a No.10, remains on Wolves’ shopping list but, with the Guernsey-born playmaker valued at around £25m, it remains to be seen whether they can find enough flexibility in the budget to pursue a deal.”

Liverpool flop Arthur Melo is under consideration by Wolves and could be offered a second shot at life in the Premier League as he finds himself out-of-favour at Serie A giants Juventus, as per The Daily Mail.