Luke McNally: Stoke City sign Burnley defender on season’s loan

Stoke City have made their 10th summer signing by bringing in defender Luke McNally on a season’s loan from promoted Premier League side Burnley.

While Burnley were winning automatic promotion last season, the 23-year-old centre-back spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Coventry City.

He was on the losing side just twice, one of them being their 4-0 home defeat by Alex Neil’s Stoke in April.

Stoke also tried to sign him during the January transfer window.

“Luke is a player we have been interested in for some time, having initially made contact with Burnley in January,” said technical director Ricky Martin.

“We weren’t surprised to see Luke consistently perform at a high level in the Championship during his loan at Coventry and we are delighted to have now recruited him at a time when he will only be better for that experience.”

Stoke, 16th in last season’s Championship, start the 2023-24 campaign with a home game against Rotherham United this Saturday.

Former Republic of Ireland Under-19 international McNally, who has arrived just three days before the start of the new season, follows the arrival of defender Enda Stevens, Bournemouth midfielder Ben Pearson and keeper Mark Travers, Coventry defender Michael Rose, Preston midfielder Daniel Johnson, Portuguese striker Andre Vidigal, Wolves duo Ki-Jana Hoever and Chiquinho and Aston Villa striker Wesley.

New Stoke City excellent player has ‘strength and technique’ to take on challenge

New Stoke City striker Ryan Mmaee has ‘strength and technique’ to take on challenge

Stoke City fans will be excited as Ryan Mmaee takes on a new challenge in the Championship, believes Alex Neil.

Forward Mmaee, aged 25, has joined from Hungary champions Ferencvaros, where he has had a record of nearly a goal every other match and been regular with assists over the last couple of years.

He has been linked with plenty of moves over the last few months, to clubs including St Etienne, Leeds United, Preston and Celtic, but it was Stoke who got a deal over the line for a fee reported to be about £1.75 million, which could eventually double depending on add-ons.

Supporters got their first glimpse with a cameo in Saturday’s final friendly of pre-season against Everton, before he had even had a training session with his new teammates, and Neil is sure that Mmaee – pronounced like a long ‘My’ – will prove a useful addition.

The manager said: “I think you’ll see that technically he’s very good, he’s got good balance, good strength. I think he bumped people and you can see him sort of stay on the ball. I thought he was unfortunate (against Everton) when (fellow new boy Andre) Vidigal tried to slide him through.

“He’s a talented lad. The Championship will be a different challenge for him in terms of physicality, but in terms of quality and technique, I think he’s very good. He can take the ball in and he understands where people are on the pitch and I think he’ll be a good player for us.”

Belgium-born Morocco international Mmaee has played as a centre-forward and second striker, as well as an inside forward, and it remains to be seen how Stoke’s attack will take shape over the next few days, weeks and months.

Jacob Brown, Tyrese Campbell and Dwight Gayle were the first choice – and only choice – front three when Neil used a 4-3-3 in the second half of last term but Mmaee, centre-forward Wesley and wingers Vidigal and Chiquinho give plenty of options ahead of the opener against Rotherham United at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday.

Teen hopefuls Emre Tezgel and Nathan Lowe, both traditional number nines, are also hoping to make their senior breakthroughs this year.

Verbal agreement in place for Leeds record-signing to leave this summer

With only a few days left until the start of the new Championship season, Leeds United could have another problem on their hands with the news that their record signing has a verbal agreement to leave the club.

The all whites have already seen the likes of Robin Koch, Maximilian Wober and Brendan Aaronson depart for the Bundesliga, and the German top-flight might well be about to welcome another Leeds star.

According to Kicker, Georginio Rutter, who cost Leeds a club record fee when signing on a five and a half year deal in January of this year, per the official Premier League website, had a verbal agreement in place with former sporting director, Victor Orta, that he could leave the club in the event of relegation.

Unlike the aforementioned other players, who all had contractual clauses allowing them to move on, it appears that Rutter’s was simply a gentleman’s agreement and one that isn’t likely to be enforceable

The fact that it appears a deal to move away is being explored in any event would tell you that the Frenchman sees his immediate future elsewhere.

That could present huge problems to Daniel Farke who is likely to have been whittling down his squad to what he believes is his strongest starting XI, and Rutter is likely to have played a part in those thoughts and plans.

Clearly, there’s no point in keeping a player that doesn’t want to be at the club, though it’s difficult to see how Rutter can get a move away on the basis of ‘shaking hands’ with someone that’s no longer at the club.

BREAKING NEWS: Leeds agreed to sign Premier League left-back, permanent transfer on cards

Leeds United want to sign Manchester United defender Brandon Williams

Leeds United want to sign Manchester United defender Brandon Williams this summer, according to The Independent.

The newspaper has reported on its website [01 August] that the Whites are considering a move for the Englishman to bolster their left-back options.

It is said that our fiercest rivals would prefer all of their exits to be permanent as they look to raise funds for Erik Ten Hag and his own transfer plans.

Daniel Farke is looking at all options as he looks to get Leeds back to the Premier League at the first time of asking since relegation last season.

Williams would get more first-team opportunities at Elland Road, and he did briefly work under Farke during his loan spell at Norwich City.

This would be a contentious signing given the rivalry, but it would also be one that ticks a lot of boxes at Elland Road.

Leeds have not had a real left-back in years that has consistently delivered the goods, with Ezgjan Alioski, a winger, still the best in recent memory under Marcelo Bielsa.

Williams will surely be crying out for regular football, and the chance to start most weeks and fire Leeds back to the Premier League would definitely appeal.

The defender is a hardened Red Devils fan though, and has been outspoken about rivalries in the past, so it would be interesting to see if that changes anything.

Farke has been using Sam Byram and Leo Hjelde at left-back during pre-season, and if we want promotion, a real left-back is needed, and Williams is just that.

This is certainly one to watch as we approach the new Championship season very quickly on Sunday 06 August.

Leeds is on red alert as 26-year-old could leave new club, Bielsa told Orta to sign him in 2021

Leeds should be on red alert as 26-year-old could leave new club, Bielsa told Orta to sign him in 2021 – Opinion

Ryan Kent completed a move to Fenerbahce on a free transfer from Rangers – but reports have emerged in Turkey that he could already be allowed to leave on loan despite scoring on debut, and Leeds have got to be on red alert.

Kent, 26, ended a five-year stint at Rangers in the summer to join the Turkish side. He clocked up 218 games for the Gers, having a hand in 89 goals. Scottish Premiership winner, in an unbeaten season, and a Europa League finalist.

But he needed a change and made the slightly surprising move to Turkey, with Fenerbahce. But that was on July 1. Fener have targeted new players – in the form of Cengiz Under, Lucas Ocampos and Tete, according to Fotomac.

Kent even scored on debut last week. A 5-0 win over Moldovan side Zimbru Chisinau. But now he could leave on loan, with Hull City looking to take him on loan. But as a long-term Leeds target, surely we should be on red alert?

Leeds have got to be on red alert as Ryan Kent could leave Fenerbahce

Leeds will be on the lookout for wingers. Seven are currently at the club, but three or more could go. Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison are expected to leave before the end of the month. Helder Costa an outcast, with a super agent.

Jorge Mendes is likely to find him a new home. Ian Poveda has impressed in pre-season, and he is likely to be one of four options used moving forward – along with Luis Sinisterra, Cree Summerville and returning winger Dan James.

The Sun reported in 2021 that Marcelo Bielsa had told Victor Orta to sign Kent. He has been linked subsequently in every window, but he chose Fener this summer. However, that move is already looking as though it will backfire.

Leeds need a winger, Leeds are renowned admirers of Kent and there is the chance to get the Englishman on loan. Surely, the Whites need to be weighing up an offer – if the likes of Harrison, Gnonto, Costa and more depart Leeds.