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Nottingham Forest’s development over the last few years under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis has been nothing short of sensational, ending their 23-year exile from the Premier League.

The Greek shipping magnate has transformed the club on and off the pitch, looking unrecognisable from when he took the reins back in the summer of 2017.

Even in recent years, after the Reds secured promotion under Steve Cooper, he’s invested over £250m into new players giving the club every chance of being competitive in England’s top flight.

The City Ground is now home to numerous international stars, including £25m signing Morgan Gibbs-White who has taken his career to the next level in the East Midlands, leading to an England call-up, making him the first player since Stuart Peace to achieve the feat.

It’s a stark contrast from life under the previous ownership, with the club often posing as a laughing stock to many around the country after years of awful decisions conducted by the hierarchy.

Fawaz Al-Hasawi’s time as Nottingham Forest owner

Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz Al-Hasawi was seen as a saviour by many on Trentside after taking over the club following the tragic death of Nigel Doughty back in 2012.

The 56-year-old arrived with huge ambitions to take the club back to the Premier League within five years, but his time at the helm was a disaster, creating more problems than he solved.

He sacked manager Sean O’Driscoll during his first year in charge despite being a couple of points outside the play-offs, before appointing Alex McLeish, who would only last 40 days in the role.

Al-Hasawi would also spend big upon the appointment of club legend Pearce in 2014, but doing so in an erratic manner which broke FFP rules, with Forest enduring numerous windows under a transfer ban.

Such a period resulted in the loss of key players, dropping the Reds closer and closer to the relegation zone, with attendances dropping as low as 17,000 for some fixtures after his dismal running of the club.

The former owner had seven different managers during his five years in charge of the club, often leading to a revolving door at the City Ground – with no structure of continuity in place, leading to their decline.

His final boss during his time as owner was Mark Warburton, with the former Brentford and Rangers boss securing survival on the final day against Ipswich Town – saving the Reds from dropping into League One – potentially allowing for the success that has occurred in recent times.

Fawaz eventually sold up to now owner Marinakis in 2017, with the Greek doing unbelievable work in turning the club around into an established top-flight outfit in just a handful of years.

It’s safe to say the club conducted excellent business in offloading one talent who arrived during the ownership of Fawaz – especially considering his drop in stock over the last couple of seasons.

The player who Nottingham Forest struck gold offloading

Striker Britt Assombalonga arrived in a £5.5m deal from Peterborough in the summer of 2014, a then club-record transfer, forming an excellent partnership with Michail Antonio during that campaign.

The aforementioned pair combined for 42 goals in that Championship campaign, a year cut short for the big-money addition after his serious knee injury that kept him out for over a year.

However, the former DR Congo international would return for the 2016/17 season, which would be his final one at the City Ground, scoring 14 times and helping fend off any final-day relegation worries.

He scored two against Ipswich Town on the final day, securing a 3-0 win before departing in a £15m deal to join fellow second-tier outfit Middlesbrough – a then club-record departure.

However, his career has failed to kick on as many anticipated since his transfer to the Riverside, scoring 47 times in 161 appearances, before leaving on a free transfer at the end of his contract in 2021.

Player

Season

Fee

1) Brennan Johnson

2023/24

£47.5m

2) Orel Mangala

2024/25

£30m

3) Moussa Niakhate

2024/25

£27m

4) Odysseas Vlachodimos

2024/25

£20m

5) Britt Assombalonga

2017/18

£15m

He’s since mainly featured in Turkey for various clubs, now plying his trade for second-tier side Amed SK, who joined this summer, scoring twice in his first 11 games for his new club.

As a result, his market value has plummeted to just £625k, a figure lower than current squad member Willy Boly who’s now only valued at £2m despite his run-in as a regular starter in 2023/24, which saw him make 20 Premier League appearances.

Given the finances at the time, it was a tough call to part ways with a proven goalscorer, undoubtedly taking away one of the biggest assets within the first team.

However, given his steady decline in recent years, Forest certainly made the right call in allowing him to leave, with the club in a much better place than Assombalonga in 2024.

Nottingham Forest loan flop is now "world-class" & worth £50m after leaving

Nottingham Forest made a huge mistake in allowing the talent to leave.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2024

Australia opt to manage Smith’s ongoing elbow problem with rest. Meanwhile, legspinner Mitchell Swepson called into the squad to bolster the bowling stocks

Alex Malcolm26-Mar-2022Steven Smith has been ruled out of Australia’s upcoming limited-overs matches with Pakistan due to discomfort in his previously troubled left elbow.Australia’s selectors believe they have enough batting in the squad to cover Smith’s absence but have opted to add legspinner Mitchell Swepson to the squad as another bowling option.Smith will fly home from Pakistan alongside Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc and David Warner with all four resting following the 1-0 Test series victory. Glenn Maxwell is also absent from Australia’s white-ball squad after getting married last week.Smith, who became the fastest player to score 8000 Test runs during the Test series, has been managing his elbow over a lengthy period of time and Australia have opted for a cautious approach.”It’s disappointing to miss these matches against Pakistan but after chatting with the medical staff I can see the need to take a break at this time,” Smith said.”I do not regard this as a major issue but by staying on top of things now, we can ensure that it doesn’t become something more significant further down the line.”Smith was not bought in the IPL auction and will get a chance to rest for over two months as Australia’s next assignment is a three-format tour of Sri Lanka starting on June 7.Related

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Chairman of selectors George Bailey said there was no need to risk Smith in the next four matches given the amount of cricket Australia is set to play from June onwards.”With the significant amount of cricket to come over the next 18 months, and the fact he has had an issue with the same elbow previously, it is appropriate for Steve to return home at the end of the Test series in Pakistan,” Bailey said.”We have opted not to name a replacement batter as we feel we have options within the existing squad, and Steve’s absence offers up additional opportunities to players within the group.”We are excited because with a T20 World Cup later this year and a 50-over Cricket World Cup in Asia next year, these four matches against a quality Pakistan team are a great chance for players to stake their claims for places in those tournaments.”We have decided to include Mitchell Swepson in the white ball squad because it will offer us additional options in the bowling department on surfaces that may well assist spinners.”Mitchell was part of our Twenty20 International squads in both the West Indies and Bangladesh last year, as well as at the T20 World Cup, and having been in Pakistan for the past month he is familiar with conditions. We know if called upon he will do an excellent job.”The three-match ODI series between Pakistan and Australia starts on Tuesday with the only T20I to be played on April 5. All four matches have been moved from Rawalpindi to Lahore due to political issues.Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Ben McDermott, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa

The tournament will take place against steeply rising Covid cases in New Zealand

AAP25-Feb-2022Meg Lanning has labelled the ICC’s emergency World Cup rules as “interesting” but stopped short of criticising the governing body as the tournament nears.Australia face England on February 5 to begin their quest to reclaim the 50-over ODI World Cup, lost to the English five years ago.As host nation New Zealand grapples with its worst Covid-19 outbreak of the pandemic, organisers have scrambled to put in place rules that will allow the tournament to continue should players get infections.The most eye-catching is a regulation that teams can take to the field with just nine players and utilise up to two staff in fielding roles to ensure matches get played.Related

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“I’ve asked our physio and media manager what their preferred fielding position was if they were to take the field,” Lanning said, only half-joking. “Hopefully it doesn’t come to that for any team. It’s an interesting way to go about it.”If that did occur I think it’d be a pretty interesting situation. Hopefully for everyone in the tournament we don’t get to that point.”New Zealand reported 12,011 community Covid-19 cases on Friday, double the previous day’s count, ahead of an expected outbreak peak during the event. The government and ICC have issued strict biosecurity rules in an attempt to shield players from catching the virus.Asked whether the tournament should have been moved from New Zealand, Lanning said she “hadn’t thought about that at all”, offering her sympathy to the hosts. The ICC have also confirmed they will look to re-schedule fixtures in the event of Covid-19 outbreaks affecting squads.”It would be a nightmare trying to organise these tournaments,” she said. “We want to get cricket in. That’s the most important thing. Teams are going to have to be very flexible and understanding of things that are happening at really short notice.”Hopefully if this or that does happen, you can have a bit of a conversation around things and discuss what the options are and I’m sure that the the ICC will be making the best decision for the World Cup and making sure the games can continue on.”

Manchester United have been altering their traditional kick-off direction at Old Trafford, reportedly in an attempt to improve performances.

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Man Utd find themselves 14th in PLAmorim making subtle changes to change fortunesSwapping sides after coin toss one of themFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

In their last three home matches, United have started attacking the Stretford End – known for housing their most passionate supporters – in the first half, rather than their usual strategy of finishing matches towards that side. This change has been noticed in games against Ipswich Town, Fulham, and Arsenal, with captain Bruno Fernandes opting for his team to switch ends after winning the pre-match coin toss. According to this decision has been the brainchild of Amorim, who is desperate to address United’s slow starts at home.

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Before their clash with Ipswich, the team had scored just one first-half goal in their previous seven home matches – a Fernandes penalty against Brighton on January 19. Their away form was even more alarming, with that same penalty being United’s only first-half goal in a staggering 17 consecutive fixtures across all competitions. Determined to alter this pattern, Amorim introduced the new kick-off approach with the hopes of injecting urgency into United’s early-game performances. The idea was to take control of matches sooner, rather than relying on second-half rallies to secure results.

DID YOU KNOW?

The tweak has yielded mixed results, with minor signs of improvement. Against Ipswich, United fell behind early but responded strongly before the break, scoring twice – first via a Sam Morsy own goal, and the other a Matthijs de Ligt tap-in. However, the strategy did not pay off against Fulham in the FA Cup, as United struggled in the first half and only managed to equalise through Fernandes in the second half. Against Arsenal, though, the move appeared to have some impact, as Fernandes found the net with a free kick just before half-time.

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WHAT AMORIM SAID

Despite speculation that Sir Dave Brailsford, a well-known advocate for marginal gains, might have played a role in the decision, the change has been entirely driven by Amorim and addressed the importance of changing routines when things are not going well. Speaking to , he revealed: "I just give one bottle to my assistant (Carlos Fernandes). But I think I will change that because this is the time when you are not winning too much, you change things. The rest I change all the time."

A journalist has provided an update on Leeds United’s January transfer plans and it’s great news for Daniel Farke. The January transfer window will open in less than a month’s time, and given how desperate the Whites are to return to the Premier League, it could be a perfect time for them to further strengthen their promotion bid.

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Defeat to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday put a dent in Leeds’ promotion bid, as they slip three points behind leaders Sheffield United and a point behind second place Burnley. However, there is still a long way to go in the race, and Farke will think a productive January transfer window can help them reach their goals in the second half of the campaign.

One player who could be heading to Elland Road is Lennon Miller, as the 49ers have sent Leeds officials to join the race for the Motherwell player. Miller is very highly rated, and he has been valued at £5 million by the Scottish side, as several Premier League teams also circle with interest.

Apps

13

Goals

2

Assists

4

Exits may also be on the cards for certain Leeds players in January. Striker Joe Gelhardt could be one to leave the club, as he is keen to leave in search of more playing time. Several teams are interested in a possible loan switch in January, given Gelhardt has hardly featured in this current campaign.

January transfer update as Leeds free up funds for Farke

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Leeds United are preparing to make more money available for Daniel Farke in January. The January transfer window is an opportunity for teams across all divisions to make changes they see fit to their squad, and with the Whites fighting for promotion, they are laying the “groundwork” for a winter “spree”.

The Yorkshire side did spend significant money during the summer, as they added Joe Rodon, Largie Ramazani, Jayden Bogle, Ao Tanaka, and Isaac Schmidt to their ranks. However, they have had several injury concerns throughout this first part of the campaign, which compounded with the exits in the summer have left the manager a little light.

The club received hefty amounts of money from selling the likes of Archie Gray, Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter and Glen Kamara in the summer, and this report states that Leeds’ hierarchy are prepared to make a chunk of that money available to Farke this winter.

It is unclear where Farke plans to prioritise strengthening, but given their recent injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, a midfielder purchase may be high on the list.

Fans have warned Cole Palmer that he could "end up like Mason Mount" in response to the Chelsea star's "I'll be back" vow on social media.

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Palmer going through a rough patchDrew another blank as Chelsea thrashed SouthamptonSome fans claim he's 'washed'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Palmer’s recent performances have been far from the usual electric displays that had initially made him a key figure in Chelsea's attack. His form has notably worsened during a period where Chelsea have also seen their ambitions for a top-four Premier League finish falter. He failed to find the net for the seventh game in a row when the Blues beat Southampton 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella.

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Despite the growing concerns over his performances, Palmer remained positive and posted a story on Instagram after the Southampton game, which read: "Don't worry, I will be back." Some fans, however, have warned Palmer that his current trajectory could see him end up like former Chelsea favourite Mason Mount, whose departure to Manchester United in 2023 has turned into a cautionary tale.

WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

An X user named @0xticketguy wrote: "Another player with potential. Hope he doesn't end up like Mason Mount."

Meanwhile, a Manchester United fan @UTDRoger_ wrote: "He’s washed."

@DIAMONDDGREAT said: "Cole Palmer is just too overhyped, Saka is better than him."

A vexed Palmer admirer @71Sports71 wrote: "Big Palmer fan but this ain't it. Nobody needs to hear this nonsense. Just play better."

@NI_Hardy237 joked: "The real Palmer is out no more penalties 🤣."

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Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW?

Mount, who left Chelsea for an initial £55 million ($69.7m), has struggled to make a lasting impact at Old Trafford. And with just 32 appearances for United so far, there has been growing speculation that the Red Devils might consider letting the midfielder go in the summer transfer window amid reported interest from Inter.

Ryan Reynolds described Wrexham's new introduction at the Racecourse Ground as akin to a quidditch match after his side's 4-0 rout of Accrington.

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Wrexham thump Accrington 4-0Mullin scores a hat-trick in winReynolds makes "quidditch match" claimGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Four goals in 24 first-half minutes secured Wrexham a thumping win over Accrington Stanley on Saturday. A Paul Mullin hat-trick and an Elliot Lee strike downed the visitors, who had Lewis Shipley sent off late on. After the match, Red Dragons co-owner revelled in the victory and the fans' pre-match scarf show at their home ground.

AdvertisementWHAT RYAN REYNOLDS SAID

On Instagram, the Hollywood actor wrote: "What a day, what a win for @wrexham_afc! And a hat-trick for @paulmullin12. Huge thanks to @united for handing out what seemed like 22 billion scarves and making the whole day look like a tensely contested quidditch match 🧣🧣🧣 #UpTheTown"

Alongside that he posted a video of Wrexham fans holding red and white scarves.

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The result sees Wrexham go back into third and the last League Two automatic promotion spot, leapfrogging Crewe Alexandra who lost to Morecambe on Saturday. The Welsh side are still on course to achieve back to back promotions following their National League title win last season.

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WHAT NEXT?

Wrexham, who have the best home form in the division but their away form is bettered by nine other teams, next face Morecambe at Mazuma Stadium next Saturday, followed by a home game against Harrogate Town three days later.

Rangers’ Jekyll and Hyde season continues.

Domestically, the Light Blues have very little to play for, languishing 13 points adrift run-away Premiership leaders Celtic, despite being unbeaten in nine league matches, most recently battling to a 3-1 victory over Hearts at Tynecastle on Sunday.

Meanwhile, they’re seemingly set for a trophyless season, having been beaten in December’s League Cup Final on penalties, before ignominiously exiting the Scottish Cup at the hands of Queen’s Park, a monumental and historic shock.

However, in the Europa League, Philippe Clement’s team impressively secured a top eight finish, so will now face one of Bodø/Glimt, Anderlecht, Fenerbahçe or Twente in the round of 16, with the first leg on the road coming up on 6 March.

So, while this has largely been a campaign to forget, a few more memorable European nights at Ibrox could be on the cards and, if Rangers are going to make progress in the Europa League, they’ll need their superstar striker to be on top form.

Rangers' search for a striker

Rangers’ top-scoring attacker of the post-liquidation era, by quite some distance, is Alfredo Morelos, who scored 124 goals in 269 appearances for the club, averaging a goal every 152 minutes.

33 of the Colombian’s goals came in UEFA competitions, becoming the Gers’ record European scorer, smashing the previous record set by Ally McCoist of 21, who didn’t mind too much, saying “I hope he hangs around and continues his goalscoring form… it would be great”.

However, Morelos didn’t hang around for too much longer, departing on a Bosman in May 2023, signing for Brasileirão outfit Santos, currently on loan at Atlético Nacional, and the Gers have found him a difficult figure to replace.

The summer of Morelos’ departure, Rangers spent big to fill his void, signing both Cyriel Dessers for £4.5m, as well as Danilo for a reported fee of £6m.

Fair to say, neither have lived up to the billing, with Mark Walker of the National describing Dessers as a ‘flop’, while Graeme Young of the Daily Record notes that Danilo ‘has been reduced to fleeting appearances’ due to persistent injury setbacks.

So, let’s assess their respective Rangers careers so far.

Statistics

Dessers

Danilo

Appearances

93

38

Minutes

5,534

1,730

Goals

40

12

Minutes per goal

138

144

Assists

15

8

Goals – xG

+0.4

-0.6

Big chances missed

44

15

Shots on target %

46.2%

50%

Matches missed due to injury

Zero

60

As the table outlines, neither Dessers nor Danilo have had catastrophically disastrous Rangers careers, both averaging a goal roughly every 140 minutes on the park.

That though has been exactly the problem for Danilo, sitting out 60 of the 101 matches Rangers have played since the start of last season due to injury, thereby unable to contribute.

Meantime, the most glaring statistic for Dessers is the fact he has missed 44 Opta defined big chances since the start of last season, a remarkably high number.

In this year’s Europa League, of all 670 players who’ve had at least one shot, the Nigerian striker has the second-lowest goals – xG figure of -3, above only his compatriot Victor Osimhen for this metric, with the Galatasaray attacker having attempted a whopping 25 more shots.

Interestingly, the player top of this very same metric is also a Rangers player, so could he be Clement’s saviour in front of goal?

Rangers have struck gold with "jackpot transfer"

After these two not-so-good centre-forward signings the season before, few had high hopes when Rangers acquired Hamza Igamane for a reported fee of £1.7m last summer, arriving from AS FAR of Morocco’s top division.

However, Anthony Evans of the Daily Record notes that the 22-year-old has ‘been in red-hot form this season’, scoring 13 goals in all competitions, four of which have come in the Europa League, as well as a hat-trick against Hibs at Easter Road.

Meantime, Keith Jackson also of the Daily Record, labels him a ‘superstar’, while Matthew Elder of the Scotsman believes he has been the Premiership’s ‘signing of the season’.

Joining for £1.7m as mentioned, CIES Football Observatory believe he is now worth more than £13m, representing a 664% increase in value, while it was reported in January that Rangers had set a £25m price tag on Igamane, amidst interest from Everton.

That valuation is more than justified considering he has shown himself to be a “completely unpredictable” and exciting talent, as per analyst Ben Mattinson, with it certainly looking like a “jackpot transfer” for the Light Blues, in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Market Movers

So, while Danilo and Dessers may be flops, Igamane could represent a huge return on investment, potentially yielding Rangers’ club-record sale, currently held by Calvin Bassey’s £19.6m move to Ajax.

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A former Rangers star has been on fire since re-joining his former club in January, so do the Gers rue losing the “really important” star for free?

ByBen Gray Feb 18, 2025

Rohit’s return to form mirrors Mumbai’s rise. Can they sustain the surge?

The Preview by Annesha Ghosh21-Apr-20183:56

Faulkner: Royals’ batting not clicking at all

Form Guide

Rajasthan Royals: lost to Chennai Super Kings by 64 runs, lost to Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets, defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 19 runs, defeated Delhi Daredevils by 10 runs (DLS method), lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by nine wickets
Mumbai Indians: defeated Royal Challengers Bangalore by 46 runs, lost to Delhi Daredevils by seven wickets, lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad by one wicket, lost to Chennai Super Kings by one wicket

Big PictureFive matches into IPL 2018, Rajasthan Royals are yet to find their perfect batting line-up. Their big guns Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler haven’t fired like they can while Rahul Tripathi, who had a strike-rate of 158 in the Powerplay last season, continues to be stuck in the middle order. Against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, Royals swapped D’Arcy Short with Heinrich Klaasen at the top, but the South Africa batsman did not fare better either. Will they finally push Tripathi to open?The worries have spread over to the bowling too. While spinners K Gowtham and Shreyas Gopal have impressed, Royals’ pace attack continues to look thin.Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, are in much better shape. Having endured three successive losses, their emphatic 46-run win against Royal Challengers Bangalore exhibited their batting depth. That Mumbai’s win coincided with their captain Rohit Sharma hitting form will keep Royals worried.In the news
Mumbai Indians’ wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan took a blow on his right eye while gathering a throw, in their previous match on Tuesday. But he took part in the net session and is expected to play. Jofra Archer is training with the squad and is on recovery mode for a side strain that he picked up during the Pakistan Super League. Will he finally make his IPL debut?The likely XIsRajasthan Royals: 1 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 2 Heinrich Klaasen, 3 Sanju Samson, 4 Ben Stokes, 5 Jos Buttler(wk), 6 Rahul Tripathi, 7 Dhawal Kulkarni, 8 K Gowtham, 9 Shreyas Gopal, 10 Jaydev Unadkat, 11 Ben LaughlinMumbai Indians: 1 Suryakumar Yadav, 2 Evin Lewis, 3 Rohit Sharma (capt), 4 Ishan Kishan (wk), 5 Kieron Pollard, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Mitchell McClenaghan 9 Mayank Markande, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mustafizur RahmanESPNcricinfo LtdStats that matter
Since 2015, chasing teams have won only four out of seven matches under lights at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium Jasprit Bumrah has the wood over his former team-mate Jos Butter, having dismissed the England batsman twice in two matches, while giving away just one run off seven balls Ben Laughlin needs one wicket to reach 150 wickets in T20sStrategy puntThere is a case for Rohit to save Mitchell McClenaghan for Sanju Samson. The left-arm quick has dismissed Samson four times in four matches, while conceding 14 runs off 10 balls.Fantasy pickDespite his team managing only one win in four matches so far, Krunal Pandya has done little wrong in his individual capacity, and you shouldn’t do any by not picking him in your XI. He’s claimed five wickets at 6.55 an over – the second-best economy rate among the top 15 wicket-takers this season, to go with his 82 runs at a strike rate of 152.85.

Former Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino endured a turbulent time during his little over three years at the club and his work in the transfer market could be questioned.

One sale, in particular, that supporters could question the Italian over was Scottish forward Ross McCormack, who left to join Fulham in 2014 and saw his market value soar over his spell in London.

How much did Leeds sign Ross McCormack for?

The Whites reportedly paid a modest fee of £350k to sign the exciting attacker from Cardiff City to bolster their squad in the summer of 2010.

He had produced 30 goals and five assists in 88 competitive matches for the Welsh side and that prompted Leeds to swoop for his services.

How many goals did McCormack score for Leeds?

The former Bluebirds star went on to plunder 58 goals in 157 games for the Yorkshire-based outfit over the course of four years at Elland Road.

McCormack struggled at the top end of the pitch in his first season at the club as he finished the 2010/11 campaign with two goals and one assist in 20 Championship appearances.

However, the Scotland international found the back of the net a whopping 51 times over the next three league seasons combined, along with 29 assists, for the Whites.

His best year in a Leeds shirt, arguably, came during the 2013/14 term as the former Cardiff ace enjoyed a phenomenal year in front of goal for the club.

McCormack was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year for his outstanding performances as he produced a stunning 28 goals and ten assists in 46 league outings. He was directly involved in a goal every 1.21 matches on average, which shows that the talented gem was a constant threat in the final third.

How much was McCormack worth at Leeds?

The prolific forward was valued at €2.6m (£2.2m) by Transfermarkt at the end of that season and Cellino opted to cash in on the attacker as the Italian sold him to Championship rivals Fulham.

Shortly before the deal to sell him to the Cottagers, the ex-Leeds owner put out a club statement that confirmed that he wanted to keep hold of McCormack and that the Whites did not have to accept any offers for his services.

Despite that, the Scottish whiz ended up signing for the London-based outfit for a reported fee within the region of £9m later that summer.

How much was McCormack worth at Fulham?

The "lethal" – as he was dubbed by reporter Andrew Slaven – magician saw his value soar to €8m (£6.9m) via Transfermarkt by the end of his two-year spell with Fulham.

This means that his market value rocketed up by 208% within the space of two years after leaving Elland Road, which also resulted in a staggering £14m transfer to Aston Villa from Craven Cottage in the summer of 2016.

McCormack was a consistent performer for the Cottagers in London as he racked up 42 goals and 22 assists in 100 appearances in all competitions.

The now-37-year-old scored 21 goals and assisted ten in 45 Championship games during his final campaign with the club in the 2015/16 season as he continued to prove himself to be an outstanding forward at that level after his time with Leeds.

Therefore, Cellino and Leeds had a mare with the sale of McCormack in 2014 as they could have cashed in for more money if they stuck to their statement and resisted the temptation to sell him that year.

They could have received a higher fee as his market value continued to soar through his excellent performances on the pitch, which is why the club may look back on this deal with regret.