Your Leeds United morning headlines for Sunday, June 5.
Reds back in for Raphinha
Liverpool have rejoined the race for Raphinha and could offer Japanese forward Takumi Minamino in a player-plus-cash deal, according to the Mirror .
Jurgen Klopp has been a long-time admirer of the Leeds winger and will likely be in the market amid growing resignation that Sadio Mane will go to Bayern Munich.
He is reportedly prepared to use Minamino - who played under Jesse Marsch at RB Salzburg - as leverage, with Leeds making their stance of £60-70 million paid upfront clear.
READ MORE: Raphinha opens up on Leeds United future amid World Cup admission
Minamino played 24 times for Liverpool last season, scoring 10 goals. He would be the third former Salzburg player to arrive at Elland Road, with Brendan Aaronson already through the door and Rasmus Kristensen due in the coming days.
Brazilian opens up on World Cup considerations
And the winger has opened up to Brazilian media in the build up to his country’s friendly with Japan, admitting that playing time will be a major factor in the build up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar later this year.
“Knowing that there are less than six months left for the Cup, you have to be active in the clubs,” Raphinha said, as reported by Globo. “That weighs on the decision, but I trust my potential.
“I have a contract with Leeds until 2024, my future is in the hands of Deco and Leeds, I have my mind on the national team, on the game and also on my vacation, we need a vacation.”
He has been strongly linked with Barcelona, but it is thought the Whites’ demands of upfront payment cannot be met, with the Catalan club finding no luck negotiating an instalment deal.
Phillips tipped to lose England starting place
Former England and Liverpool striker Michael Owen has suggested that Kalvin Phillips could lose his place in the England starting lineup for the Qatar World Cup, with Jude Bellingham backed to replace him.
The 18-year-old started alongside West Ham’s Declan Rice in Saturday’s woeful 1-0 defeat to Hungary, while Phillips was brought on with just 10 minutes to play.
“Phillips and Rice have been the two sitting midfielders in some of the tougher games for Gareth Southgate but I think this lad [Bellingham] is a little bit more adventurous,” Owen told Channel 4. “He’s a better passer and he can probably score a few more goals.Talk about exciting players, only 18, he’s got the physique, he’s got the ability, he’s got absolutely everything.
“We could be looking at a mainstay for many, many years. Not just a mainstay but one of the best out there if he develops.”
