Leeds United have been given fresh hope in their pursuit of Burnley striker Zian Flemming, as Daniel Farke looks to bolster the attacking options at his disposal.
Despite the Clarets’ relegation last term, Flemming impressed with his displays at Turf Moor. The Dutchman netted 11 goals in 29 Premier League appearances, and thus, it’s no surprise that top-flight teams are interested in prying him away from the second division.
Few developments have surfaced on this front for some time now, although recent comments from new Burnley boss Nick Hayen suggest that the Yorkshire outfit should be enthused by their chances of landing the former Millwall marksman.
Leeds Given Zian Flemming Transfer Boost
Leeds were in a relegation battle for much of last season, although they ended the campaign on a high, and the Whites are now looking to go to another level in 2026/27. The next step is consolidating themselves as a Premier League side, and to do this, significant reinforcements are needed at Elland Road.
Alongside these prospective additions, another centre-forward is needed in Farke’s squad. Flemming has been identified as an option, although movement on this deal has been slow in recent months.
However, new Burnley head coach Hayen told the Burnley Express that the 27-year-old will be allowed to leave Turf Moor this summer if a Premier League club forks out the fee the Clarets are looking for.
“Zian is also someone like Tino (Florentino Luis),” Hayen said.
“He’s working 100% on the pitch. Zian is not a guy who’s going to say like: ‘I want to leave Burnley’. He’s working really hard.
“Of course, he wants to take the next step in his career, but I think every player has a price. When the right price is paid by a Premier League club, for example, then he can go.”
Leeds Should Have No Problem in Flemming Pursuit
Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra
The ‘superb’ Flemming has already proven himself in the Championship on three separate occasions, and he now has a respectable Premier League campaign on his CV. He’ll no doubt be itching to ply his trade at a top-flight club again next season, and these wishes should be reflected in Burnley’s stance regarding price.
The Clarets don’t have a reputation for holding players ransom, and will sell for a reasonable fee. Leeds should have the financial muscle to pay what Burnley want, and thus, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get a deal over the line.
That said, given how ambitious the Whites have been in this window thus far, they may attempt something more audacious, as they look to level up.
Chelsea are plotting a surprise move to sign a Brighton forward in the summer transfer window.
The Blues have been incredibly active in the summer market, which certainly isn’t out of the ordinary for a club like Chelsea.
The capital club are looking to back new manager Xabi Alonso in the transfer window as they aim to steer themselves back in the right direction after missing out on Europe.
So far in the Summer transfer window, Chelsea have spent significantly, bringing in Morgan Rogers and Marco Palestra.
The Blues also have new additions Geovany Quenda and Emmanuel Emegha join the club, but those deals were finalised previously.
Their business certainly doesn’t appear to be finished there, though, as they continue to look for reinforcements for Alonso.
Chelsea eyeing Brighton man
According to a report from journalist David Ornstein, Chelsea are interested in a surprise move to sign Brighton striker Danny Welbeck.
Chelsea’s recruitment strategy over the last few years has been to bring in young talents from around the world. It would certainly be a surprise to see them sign a 35-year-old Welbeck.
The report from The Athletic does claim that Alonso is looking to add more experience and leadership to his squad, and there is optimism on all sides that a deal can be done.
Did you know that it was once possible to hit a 240-point shot in darts? Sixteen-time world champion Phil Taylor, now 64, was responsible for the remarkable score which is now impossible to achieve in the sport 33 years later.
Regarded as one of the greatest darts players of all time, if not the greatest, Taylor has an impressive total of 85 major titles to his name. Known as ‘The Power,’ the Englishman holds multiple records, including the most televised nine-dart finishes with 11, and being the first player to hit two nine-darters in a single match.
Much of his success came during an era when darts was less popular than it is today. Thanks to Luke Littler’s recent rise to stardom, the working man’s javellin is now one of the most popular spots in the UK.
However, this also means many newcomers may not fully appreciate the brilliance of past players. Nevertheless, rare footage of Taylor’s 240-point shot will certainly help demonstrate just how extraordinary these players were.
The 1993 UK Matchplay was held at the Aquarius Club in Chesterfield and was broadcast by ITV’s Yorkshire television. In a first for the competition, Taylor scored 240 — the highest possible score achievable with three darts. This remarkable feat was made possible by the introduction of the ‘Quadro’ board the previous year by Harrows Darts Technology.
The Quadro board featured an additional ring between the double ring and the outer bullseye, allowing players to hit quadruples as well as trebles. The highest possible checkout was 210, achieved by hitting two quadruple 20s followed by the bullseye. However, Taylor surpassed this by scoring the maximum 240 against Jocky Wilson, who eventually reached the final but lost to Dennis Priestley.
The announcer shouted “240!” in the same way they now do for 180s. Taylor’s shot is considered the second-ever 240 recorded on camera, with Wilson, Shayne Burgess, Bob Anderson, and Peter Evison later achieving the same feat during the event.
As the caption of the viral tweet reveals, the Quadro board was in play for a few years but, according to Patrick Chaplin, darts players were often left confused by the fact there were so many combinations that were tough to remember. Referees and callers also had great difficulty having to quickly work out the scores.
In 2000, the decision was made to discontinue it, and it hasn’t been used professionally for quite some time. However, a 2025 version has now been released, offering a more contemporary twist on the classic design. On this non-standard board, an eight-dart finish from 501 is achievable.
Jose Mourinho has returned to the Bernabeu and Real Madrid, judging by their activity in the summer transfer window, mean business ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Spanish giants suffered a rare trophyless season last term, with Xabi Alonso and his replacement Alvaro Arbeloa both struggling to get the best out of the club’s star-studded squad.
A season without silverware is an unmitigated disaster for Real Madrid, the 15-time European champions, and the club’s president Florentino Perez was always going to do everything in his power to get the team back to winning ways.
His first move was to contact Mourinho, the legendary Portuguese coach who’s back for his second spell in the Spanish capital after previously leading the club between 2010-2013.
The 63-year-old will be desperate to prove that his best days aren’t behind him after slightly underwhelming spells with Manchester United, Tottenham, AS Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica since leaving Chelsea in 2015.
But in order to compete with Barcelona domestically, and the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in the Champions League, Mourinho requires a squad that’s capable of challenging on multiple fronts – and that’s precisely what Perez is providing.
Several players have already departed, including David Alaba, Dani Ceballos and Dani Carvajal.
And a handful of top players have arrived, including Bernardo Silva, Marc Cucurella and Denzel Dumfries.
Real Madrid’s Potential 2026-27 Starting Line-Up
REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Real Madrid aren’t finished yet. More top players are expected to arrive before the transfer window closes. Let’s take a closer look at their frightening potential starting line-up:
Goalkeeper and Defenders
Thibaut Courtois; Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Antonio Rudiger, Marc Cucurella
Thibaut Courtois turned 34 in May but the Belgium international is still the world’s best goalkeeper. The 6ft 7in shot-stopper has been worth his weight in gold for Los Blancos since joining the club in 2018.
Real Madrid have strengthened their full-back positions with the acquisitions of Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella from Inter Milan and Chelsea, respectively. Mourinho is likely to prefer Dumfries over Trent Alexander-Arnold as his first-choice right-back, but the Englishman will still get plenty of minutes over the course of the season.
Ibrahima Konate is a shrewd purchase after the France international left Liverpool, while Antonio Rudiger will compete with Dean Huijsen for the other centre-back spot.
Federico Valverde was outstanding last season and will retain his place in midfield as the team’s captain. The arrival of Rodri would free up Jude Bellingham, magnificent for England in North America this summer, to fly forward and cause far more damage than he did last season.
Forwards
Yan Diomande, Kylian Mbappe, Vini Jr
Real Madrid have won the battle for Yan Diomande’s signature. The Ivory Coast international, 19, is one of the most exciting young talents in world football and will compete with the likes of Arda Guler, Endrick and new signing Bernardo Silva, who can also play in midfield, for a spot on the right wing.
And then there’s Kylian Mbappe, the 2026 Golden Boot winner and arguably the best player on the planet. With a stronger team behind him, who knows how many goals the prolific Frenchman will finish the 2026-27 season with.
