All posts by hc12369.com

There is plenty of doom and gloom to go around at West Ham United at the moment.

Understandably so, though, as Nuno Espírito Santo’s side were diabolically poor at home to Brentford on Monday night and are currently 19th in the Premier League.

However, all hope is not yet lost, as it is still early in the season, and while the performances have been poor, there are still some talented players in this squad, such as Jarrod Bowen and the exciting Crysencio Summerville.

Yet, to get the most out of the team and the Flying Dutchman, Nuno needs to make some quick changes.

Changes Nuno needs to make

Unfortunately, there is quite a lot that needs to be done to make West Ham a seriously dangerous team again, but there are a few ways in which Nuno could stop the rot.

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One of the big ones is to reintroduce some pace and power back into the midfield, as it was practically non-existent against Brentford.

The best way to do this would be to bring Soungoutou Magassa back into the starting lineup, as while he is still quite raw, he is, in the words of respected analyst Ben Mattinson, blessed with “pure athleticism.”

Moreover, he’d be able to better cover the backline, as, according to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks, the top 3% for tackles plus interceptions and the top 4% for recoveries, all per 90.

Another seemingly obvious action the manager could take for the Leeds game is to play Callum Wilson up top.

Yes, the former Newcastle United star is not the player he once was, nor a long-term solution, but he is an out-and-out number nine who would add a real focal point to the team.

Furthermore, he has already scored a goal for the club this season, and Lucas Paqueta looked utterly lost in the game on Monday.

With all that said, there is another change Nuno should be making for the game on Friday, one that could help get even more out of the dynamic Summerville.

The West Ham star who could supercharge Summerville

While the change up top and in the midfield should help Summerville in the game against his former side, unleashing El Hadji Malick Diouf at left-back would be far more consequential.

The former Slavia Prague gem was on the bench for the game against Brentford, and while the defensive side of his game certainly needs some work, the team missed his attacking qualities.

These qualities were last on show in the draw away to Everton, when he was hurtling up and down the touchline, sometimes beating his opposite number and often firing in brilliant crosses into the penalty area.

In fact, while he didn’t pick up an assist on Merseyside, it was a ball from him that led to Bowen’s equalising strike.

Fortunately, the 20-year-old monster is already doing rather well on the assists front this season, already providing three in eight league appearances, which lends some credence to Sky Sports’ Joe Thomlinson’s claim that he has been “one of the finds of the season.”

With that said, why would he be able to get more out of Summerville, then?

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Well, one of the most important ways would be through the space he’d create.

For example, because he possesses such “explosive acceleration,” according to one analyst, opposition defenders wouldn’t be able to leave him alone and could end up being dragged all over the pitch.

Moreover, should the Dutchman run into the penalty area, he can rely on the Senegalese international to find him with a pinpoint accurate cross.

Ultimately, bringing Diouf back into the team would improve West Ham’s overall attack, but it could have an even greater impact on Summerville.

Related Nuno gets January promise from West Ham board as Sullivan eyes ambitious move

The east Londoners need reinforcements.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign a free agent striker who has held talks with Manchester United, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa chasing first-team arrivals

It’s been a very low-key transfer window for the Villans so far, but with the Premier League season set to get underway in less than three weeks, the Midlands side are now stepping up their plans as they look to improve on last season’s standings.

Related Aston Villa now racing Wolves to sign "quality" £40m Ligue 1 goalscorer

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According to The Athletic’s David Orstein, Villa have now placed a bid to sign Jaydee Canvot from Toulouse. The bid from the Premier League side has been rejected, but the Villans are continuing their pursuit of the centre-back, who is viewed as a top prospect. It is believed that Toulouse values Canvot in the region of £17 million, and they will be hoping the next offer is closer to that value.

Meanwhile, it was reported last week that Villa are in a race with Midlands rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign striker Mika Biereth. The AS Monaco forward, who is highly rated by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, scored 13 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games in the second half of last season, and that form has now put him on the radar of clubs around Europe.

Despite being under contract until 2030, Monaco are said to be opening to letting Biereth leave, but only if they receive a fee of around £40 million

Aston Villa join Calvert-Lewin race

According to The Sun, Aston Villa have now asked about Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s demands, as Unai Emery looks to bolster his attacking options.

Calvert-Lewin left Everton at the end of last season after nine years at Goodison Park, and while he continues to search for a new team, he has already spoken to interested parties. AC Milan and Newcastle United are two teams who are interested in signing the striker, but it is Manchester United who have held talks with Calvert-Lewin to gather information on his demands.

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It’s been reported that the Englishman is looking to earn £100,000 a week at his new club, and while it is unclear if this would fit into Villa’s plans, they do need to bolster the attacking ranks after allowing Marcus Rashford to leave the club following his loan spell.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s Premier League record

Apps

239

Goals

57

Assists

18

Calvert-Lewin is a player Villa are very familiar with, as the 28-year-old, who has been labelled a “top striker” by Jürgen Klopp in the past, has played against Villa 10 times in all competitions, during which he has scored twice at Villa Park, one coming last season in the Premier League and one in the EFL Cup during the 2023/24 campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank should be using the international break to come up with a new approach to matches after a difficult run of form across all competitions.

The Lilywhites have won one of their last four matches and only two of their last seven games in all competitions, the latest of which was a 2-2 draw with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, with five wins and just three losses in 11 matches, which is a respectable position to be in at this point in the season under a new head coach.

However, the underlying data behind their results suggests that they may slide down the table as the campaign progresses unless they are able to improve their performances.

25/26 Premier League

Spurs

League rank

Shots on target

38

14th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

15th

xG

11.0

15th

xGA

15.2

14th

xGD

-4.2

17th

xGD per 90

-0.38

17th

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Spurs are consistently allowing the opposition to create more high-quality chances than they create for themselves, which is not a good combination.

Frank needs to find a way to add more creativity to his squad, which is why Brennan Johnson may not have much of a long-term future as a starter in North London.

Why Spurs need to move on from Brennan Johnson

Tottenham have already had value for money from the £47.5m that they paid Nottingham Forest to sign the winger in 2023, because he scored the winning goal in the Europa League final last season. That goal, alone, made the deal to bring him to the club worth it.

The Wales international has scored 27 goals in all competitions for Spurs since his move from the Tricky Trees, per Sofascore, which shows that he has offered a fairly reliable threat as a goalscorer.

However, his all-round play as a winger has left a lot to be desired and he may need to be removed from the starting line-up, or the squad in general, in order to build a team that provides more creativity week-in-week-out.

24/25 PL

Johnson (per 90)

Rank vs wingers

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.84

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Johnson ranked among the worst wingers in the Premier League last season when it came to creating chances and progressing play with the ball at his feet.

This season, meanwhile, the Welshman has 0.25 xA and has averaged 0.4 key passes per game across 11 appearances in the top-flight, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not improved on last season’s struggles.

Spurs eyeing move to sign LaLiga winger

Now, the Europa League champions are reportedly looking at a move for a new signing who could leave Johnson on borrowed time if he arrives in North London.

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According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are ‘eager’ to seal a deal to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Lilywhites want to add a centre-forward and a wide player to their squad to bolster their options in the final third ahead of the second half of the season, with the Japan international lined up for the latter role.

It adds that Kubo has a £52m release clause in his contract with the Spanish side, which would allow Spurs to activate that and skip negotiations over a transfer fee in January.

Football Insider also reveals that their interest in the Japanese star comes amid Everton’s desire to keep hold of their other wide target Iliman N’Diaye, as the Toffees have no intention of letting the Senegal international depart in the next transfer window.

Why Spurs should sign Takefusa Kubo

Spurs should sign the 24-year-old attacker in the January transfer window because his arrival at the club could leave Brennan Johnson on borrowed time.

The former Barcelona and Real Madrid youngster was once dubbed the ‘Japanese Messi’ by ESPN, possibly as he is another diminutive left-footed right winger who excels as a dribbler and a creator in LaLiga.

Dribbling and creating chances, as aforementioned, are two things that Johnson has struggled badly with since the start of last season in the Premier League, which is why Spurs need to find an upgrade on him.

You could look at Kubo’s statistics and question whether or not he is very creative, because he only has four assists for Real Sociedad in all competitions since the start of last season.

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However, the Messi-esque winger’s underlying numbers for the Spanish side over the past year suggest that his lack of assists is down to poor finishing from his teammates.

Last 365 days in Men’s Top 5 Leagues & European competitions

Stats

Kubo (per 90)

Rank vs midfielders

xAG

0.17

Top 10%

Assists

0.07

Bottom 45%

Progressive passes

3.66

Bottom 22%

Progressive carries

4.60

Top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.58

Top 1%

Touches in attacking penalty area

4.81

Top 1%

Key passes

1.78

Top 10%

Passes into the penalty area

1.43

Top 9%

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Kubo ranks highly in a host of creative and dribbling metrics in the last 365 days, certainly living up to the billing that legendary Barcelona figure Xavi gave him of being “world-class.”

The Japan international created a whopping nine ‘big chances’ in LaLiga last season, for example, but was not rewarded with a single assist for his efforts in the final third, per Sofascore.

Kubo is doing all the right things by consistently taking his team up the pitch and creating high-quality chances, and the assists could follow if he comes to Spurs to play with the likes of Richarlison and Mathys Tel, which would then leave Johnson on borrowed time.

With Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert already at the club, the signing of the Real Sociedad winger could mean that the Wales international finds game time hard to come by, due to his struggles in possession, which appear to be holding Spurs back as an attacking force.

Related Frank must sell £55k-per-week Spurs flop who was looking "like Dembele"

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That could make Johnson consider his long-term future in North London if a move to sign Kubo leaves him limited to a role off the bench most weeks.

While Chelsea made plenty of good signings in the summer, it would be fair to say that they’ve had mixed starts to life in West London.

Joao Pedro, for example, might have slowed down a little in recent weeks, but has already amassed an impressive tally of seven goal involvements.

On the other hand, Jamie Gittens has largely struggled this season and looks quite some distance off being good enough to start week in week out.

Someone who falls somewhere in the middle is Liam Delap, but if he doesn’t start performing soon, one of Cobham’s most exciting prospects could eventually take the nine shirt off his back.

Delap's start at Chelsea

When Chelsea were the ones to secure Delap’s services for around £30m in the summer, there was an understandable level of excitement from the fans.

After all, here was a young, physically imposing centre-forward who, in his first proper season of top-flight football, had just scored 12 goals and provided two assists in 37 appearances for a poor Ipswich Town side.

Expectations remained high at the Club World Cup as the former Manchester City academy ace provided an assist against LAFC and scored his first Chelsea goal against Esperance.

However, it would be fair to say that, so far, those expectations have not been met this season, as in six games, totalling 227 minutes, the 22-year-old has failed to score a goal or provide an assist.

Now, he was unfortunate to pick up a hamstring injury in the game against Fulham, but in the other games he has appeared in, he has not looked particularly threatening.

Moreover, upon his return from injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers, he stupidly got himself sent off, picking up two yellow cards in the space of 22 minutes.

With all that said, there is still plenty of time for Delap to turn things around and make this season a successful one.

However, should he continue to underwhelm, he could eventually see one of Cobham’s most exciting prospects take the nine shirt from him.

The Cobham gem who could replace Delap

When it comes to producing Premier League-quality prospects, few academies can truly rival Chelsea’s Cobham.

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There are, once again, several youngsters in the setup who could see themselves become first-team regulars over the coming seasons, and the one who could rival Delap for the number nine shirt is Chizaram Ezenwata.

The 17-year-old gem joined the Blues from Charlton Athletic in October 2023 and has established himself as one of the most dangerous attackers in the academy.

For example, in just eight appearances this season, totalling 641 minutes, the Bexley-born marksman has already scored seven goals and provided one assist, which comes out to a goal involvement every game, or every 80.12 minutes.

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The youngster isn’t just on a hot streak either; in 20 appearances last season, totalling 1,279 minutes, he managed to score 12 goals and provide three assists, which works out to an average of a goal or assist every 1.33 games, or every 91.93 minutes.

Ezenwata’s U18 record

Appearances

26

Minutes

1913′

Goals

19

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.88

Minutes per Goal Involvement

83.17′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

With numbers like that, it is easy to understand why U23 scout Antonio Mango has told Chelsea fans to “get excited” about his development, and why Como scout Felix Johnston has described him as someone who “lives and breathes goals.”

The young poacher isn’t just making his mark at club level either.

For example, in seven appearances for England’s u17s he scored five goals, and in five appearances for the u18s, he has already scored twice.

Ultimately, Ezenwata is unlikely to challenge Delap for a place in the team this season, but if the former Ipswich man does not improve soon, next year could be a different story entirely.

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Glasgow Rangers made two huge decisions on Monday as they announced that both CEO Patrick Stewart and sporting director Kevin Thelwell had been removed from their posts at Ibrox.

Chairman Andrew Cavenagh revealed to Sky Sports, in the post below, that the Gers need different people in those two leadership positions moving forward in order for the club to be successful.

The Rangers chief was careful not to throw mud at Stewart and Thelwell for their work at Ibrox, but suggested that it was down to their performance in their respective roles, as he stated that they still aligned with the overarching project.

Given that Russell Martin’s tenure lasted 17 matches and several summer signings do not look up to scratch, it is hard to disagree with the club’s decision to part ways with both of them, particularly Thelwell.

Looking at the list of summer signings in the graphic above, it is easier to pick out the players who have flopped or struggled than it is to pick out the successes from the summer transfer window.

The summer signing that Thelwell may go on to be infamous at Ibrox for is Youssef Chermiti, as he arrived from his former club Everton in a big-money deal.

Why Rangers should not have signed Youssef Chermiti

To preface this, supporters and those at the club will, of course, be hoping that the Portugal U21 international goes on to prove everyone wrong and becomes a consistent goalscorer for the Light Blues.

However, at this moment in time, it looks like a deal that the Scottish giants should not have done, particularly for the reported money that was involved in the move.

Thelwell signed Chermiti for Everton from Sporting in a deal worth up to £15m in the summer of 2023, but he did not score a single competitive goal for the Toffees in two years during his time in England.

Then, after moving to Rangers in April, the sporting director signed the centre-forward for a second time, splashing £8m to bring him to Ibrox, in the most expensive Gers deal since Tore Andre Flo joined for £12m in 2000.

It is fair for supporters to expect a player to make an immediate impact in Glasgow when signed for that kind of money, as Chermiti is the club’s most expensive player in 25 years, but that has not been the case.

The former Everton marksman has scored one goal in 13 appearances in all competitions for the Light Blues, per Sofascore, which shows that the forward has failed to deliver much in the way of quality in the final third.

25/26 Europa League

Youssef Chermiti

Starts

4

xG

1.29

Goals

0

Big chances missed

4

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Pass accuracy

59%

Duel success rate

35%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Chermiti has been incredibly underwhelming in the Europa League so far this season, failing to score from 1.29 xG after starting all four of his appearances in the competition.

The 21-year-old striker’s dismal form for the club so far suggests that Thelwell made a mistake when he signed the forward for £8m, because he has not made the kind of impact that Rangers should expect from such an expensive signing.

Chermiti, though, is not the only one of the summer signings you could argue that Thelwell should not have signed because of their performances in the 2025/26 campaign.

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The former Rangers sporting director swooped to bring in Jayden Meghoma on loan from Brentford to bolster Russell Martin’s full-back options, as the ex-Gers boss had worked with the youngster during their time together at Southampton.

Why Rangers should not have signed Jayden Meghoma

During the summer window, Thelwell decided to cash in on the two senior left-back options at Ibrox, selling Jefte to Palmeiras and Ridvan Yilmaz to Besiktas.

Whilst those respective sales were not horrendous decisions in isolation, this issue is that Meghoma was the only signing brought in to replace those two senior players.

4 Lads Had A Dream covered Ally McCoist’s claim that Rangers have “downgraded” across the pitch since last season, and referenced Meghoma in comparison to Jefte as one of the areas in which the team have failed to improve.

It is not the 19-year-old defender’s fault that he has been brought in to be a first-choice option for a team that is expected to win consistently and compete on the European stage, when his experience last season was playing 12 matches on loan at Preston in the English Championship.

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Meghoma, unfortunately, does not look ready to be a first-choice left-back at this level at the moment, as evidenced by his statistics in comparison to Jefte’s at Scottish Premiership level.

Premiership

Jefte – 24/25

Meghoma – 25/26

Appearances

33

9

Key passes per game

1.0

0.7

Assists

4

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

3.3

Clearances per game

2.9

1.3

Duels won per game

5.5

4.0

Aerial duel success rate

57%

25%

Error led to shot or goal

1

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Brazilian defender’s performances in the league last season were far more impressive than what the English teenager has produced in the division this term, offensively and defensively.

These statistics back up the claim that Rangers have “downgraded” by selling Jefte to sign Meghoma on loan, which adds more fuel to the fire surrounding the criticism of Thelwell’s summer recruitment.

Like Chermiti, it seems like Meghoma has been signed to fill a role that he is not ready to fill at this point in his development. They are both young players who have time to develop and improve, but neither of them look ready to be key players for Danny Rohl in the present.

Therefore, the signing of Meghoma was one of Thelwell’s worst clangers of the summer, alongside Chermiti, because he has failed to adequately replace Jefte at left-back, and it remains to be seen if either of them will end up being good enough this season.

Related Thelwell signing is a bigger waste of time than Chermiti & Miovski at Rangers

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It would be fair to say that the last week or so hasn’t been ideal for Arsenal.

Yes, Mikel Arteta’s side are still top of the Premier League, but a draw away to Chelsea and then a defeat at the hands of Aston Villa have diminished their lead to just two points.

Moreover, while they certainly weren’t terrible against the Villans, they failed to make the most of their chances.

One player who has received quite a bit of criticism from the fan base in the aftermath is Martin Odegaard, and if reports are to be believed, the club could be looking to bring someone in who could be bad news for his place in the team.

Arsenal target Odegaard upgrade

With the transfer window now less than a month away from reopening, Arsenal have a chance to reinforce their squad, and the good news is that they’ve already been linked with a host of brilliant players.

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For example, Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has once again been touted for a £70m move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s £79m Murillo.

However, while both Brazilians would undoubtedly have an impact on Arteta’s side, neither one could be described as a potential rival, upgrade or replacement for Odegaard, unlike Kenan Yıldız.

Yes, according to recent reports from Italy, Arsenal have reignited their interest in the Turkish wonderkid.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Gunners have once more made contact to find out what would be needed to make this deal happen.

However, while a potential price is not mentioned in the story, other reports from last month claim that a fee of around £88m could be enough to tempt Juventus into selling.

It would therefore be a costly and potentially complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Yıldız’s ability and potential, Arsenal should fight for him, especially as he could provide real competition for Odegaard, if not outright replace him.

How Yıldız compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to point out is that while Yıldız is primarily viewed as a winger, he could easily become more of a ten over time.

After all, while he has spent plenty of time out wide, his most-played position is second striker, and given his third-most-played position is attacking midfield, the idea of him dropping a little deeper does not feel far-fetched.

Moreover, the youngster already possesses one of the key characteristics of the best tens: the ability to both score and assist goals with relative ease. There is a reason European football writer Danny Corcoran has suggested the youngster has “Mbappe-like ability.”

For example, in 52 appearances last season, totalling 3520 minutes, he scored 12 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to a goal involvement on average every 2.47 games, or every 167.61 minutes.

He has somehow become even more dangerous this season, scoring six goals and providing five assists in 19 appearances, totalling 1533 minutes, which is a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 139.36 minutes.

Yıldız’s vs Odegaard

24/25

Yıldız

Odegaard

Appearances

52

45

Minutes

3520′

3447′

Goals

12

6

Assists

9

12

25/26

Yıldız

Odegaard

Appearances

18

11

Minutes

1457′

516′

Goals

5

0

Assists

5

2

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For comparison’s sake, Odegaard scored six goals and provided 12 assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3447 minutes, last season, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.5 games, or every 191.5 minutes.

This season, in the period he has been available, the Norwegian international has provided two assists in 11 appearances, totalling 516 minutes, which is an average of one every 5.5 games, or every 258 minutes.

With it clear that the Turkish gem is more of an attacking threat than the Gunners’ captain, what else makes him a player that Andrea Berta and Co cannot miss out on?

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Well, as his output would suggest, he is, in the words of content creator Alex Moneypenny, someone “capable of the spectacular.”

Whether that’s a goal from distance, a mazy run that ends in a chance or just some tidy footwork that gets his team on their way, the Regensburg-born talent is an attacker who can seemingly do it all.

This is unsurprisingly reflected in his underlying numbers as well.

Yıldız’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Goal-Creating Actions

1.22

Top 6%

Shot-Creating Actions

6.10

Top 8%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.46

Top 9%

Carries into Penalty Area

3.41

Top 11%

Shots on Target

1.46

Top 12%

Successful Take-Ons

3.17

Top 12%

All Stats via FBref for the 25/26 UCL

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Champions League for goal-creating actions, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 9% for expected assisted goals, the top 11% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Yıldız, as he’s got the ability and potential to replace Odegaard and become a world-class ten.

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As they enter into the New Year, Leeds United will hope that their fine form in the Premier League continues.

Daniel Farke’s Whites now no longer look resigned to the drop, with two wins and two draws heading their way across a memorable December so far, pushing them six points clear of West Ham United, occupying the final relegation spot in the division.

Of course, there is still a lot of action that needs to take place before the season is over, with 21 huge clashes yet to be played.

However, everything is now pointing in the direction of the West Yorkshire titans being able to secure survival without breaking a sweat, with the January transfer window also helping them strengthen here and there to achieve this goal.

Leeds could seal statement deal in January

Reports have come out to suggest that Leeds will be somewhat stunted with what they can spend in the bumper window to come, owing to PSR regulations.

Considering their position in the table, that will not be music to the ears of supporters or indeed Farke.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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However, as per an update from Sky Sports, there could be some wiggle room for Leeds to still operate, with the Premier League newcomers reportedly eyeing up some attacking reinforcements, particularly down the wing, as Harry Wilson’s name is touted again.

Leeds’ failed move for the Fulham star was well documented in the summer, and with the Welshman coming into his own at Craven Cottage this season, it does appear unlikely that Marco Silva’s side would entertain losing him anytime soon.

Yet, with his deal in London set to expire in the summer, Leeds could be prepared to make an audacious swoop once more for the Cottagers’ number eight, as they potentially win themselves their new Raphinha in the process.

How Wilson can be Raphinha 2.0

Leeds really did win themselves an almighty coup when they landed the services of the scintillating Brazilian for only £17m in 2020, with the much-loved winger at Elland Road going on to be a £55m purchase for Barcelona, after he garnered a reputation for being a game-changing presence on English shores.

Indeed, without Raphinha’s consistent brilliance during the 2021/22 season, Leeds would have surely fallen back down to the Championship with a whimper, with the sensational South American’s 11 goals making him a crucial individual who, very much singlehandedly, kept his team above the dreaded drop zone at times.

Wilson will hope he can be seen in the same glowing light if he makes the shock switch from Craven Cottage to Elland Road a reality.

Indeed, the Wrexham-born attacker has already been lauded as “world-class” this season by Sky Sports pundit Steve Sidwell, when delightfully placing an effort past Dean Henderson earlier in the month.

With five goals and three assists next to his name for the season, it’s clear that Wilson is managing to stand out in the Fulham XI in much the same way Raphinha did week, in week out when calling Leeds home.

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Blessed with a left foot made of gold, just like Raphinha, Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley has serenaded him as “the form player in the Premier League” right now, having picked up six of those goal contributions across a standout December.

Wilson’s numbers for Fulham

Stat

Wilson

Games played

165

Minutes played

9685 mins

Goals scored

30

Assists

41

Sourced by Transfermarkt

With a bumper 71 goal contributions under his belt for the Cottagers, too, Leeds should have no divine right, whatsoever to poach the 67-time Wales international from Silva’s grasp next month.

But Leeds punched above their weight when picking up Raphinha all those years ago, and if Wilson is available for a cut-price fee given his contract situation, it’s a deal that must be explored, no matter how fanciful it feels.

If he were to join, survival would surely be even easier to reach, with Wilson’s “incredible” ability – as he was once labelled by his former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – matched with the goalscoring prowess of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, making Leeds an even more tantalising prospect to behold in attack.

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Manchester United are now reportedly working on replacing Ruben Amorim with one Premier League manager now emerging as an early frontrunner.

Gary Neville: Amorim "complicated" Wolves draw

Man United’s 1-1 draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers would have felt all too predictable for those inside Old Trafford on Tuesday night. For many, it came as a shock. Wolves picked up just their third point of the season, after all. For onwatching fans, as the Red Devils reverted back to their 3-4-2-1 system, it was an all too familiar feeling.

It seemed as though Amorim had finally cracked the code when he admitted the necessity of a system change with the current crop of players at his disposal, but it was back to square one against Wolves.

Like many, Gary Neville was left baffled by the change and said on his Sky Sports podcast: “He doesn’t need to say ‘I haven’t changed because of the media’ because then he’s telling us basically that the media is in his head.

“The reason he’s had to change is because the performance levels with the 3-4-3 have been so poor and the results have been appalling.

“When I see that we go back [to three at the back] after five minutes tonight and I’m thinking, no, Ruben, why have you done that?

“The manager has to look at that and think, I got that wrong. I complicated it.”

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INEOS have continued to back their man, but there’s no denying the embarrassment of Man United’s struggles against a Wolves side destined for relegation at Old Trafford.

It has done nothing for the pressure on Amorim to turn a permanent corner and reports are now claiming that INEOS are working on finding his replacement.

Man United working on Oliver Glasner move

According to Caught Offside, INEOS are now working on a move to appoint Oliver Glasner to replace Amorim and have discussed the Crystal Palace manager internally.

An early frontrunner to land the job, Glasner is on course to become a free agent in the summer when his current Crystal Palace contract expires and there are currently no signs that he’ll be signing an extension in South London.

But would Glasner solve Man United’s problems? INEOS reportedly see the Austrian as a safe pair of hands, yet his system uses the same formation as Amorim’s.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Man United insights Curious about United’s managerial future? Subscribe to the newsletter to receive concise tactical context, transfer and candidate analysis, and clearer perspectives on how leadership choices shape the club — useful reading for any fan or follower.

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Dubbed “fantastic” by Clinton Morrison, Glasner has preferred to use a 3-4-2-1 at Crystal Palace and whilst he has shown his ability to adapt at other clubs, questions will be asked if Man United turn towards another back three manager.

2026 will be a crucial year for Amorim’s tenure. He’s been backed in the transfer market and has the trust of INEOS, but that won’t last forever if results such as the draw against Wolves continue to arrive.

Wilfried Nancy’s start to life at Celtic seems to be going from bad to worse as he lost for the sixth time in eight matches in charge of the club on Saturday.

The French boss oversaw a 3-1 defeat to Rangers in the Old Firm clash in front of his own supporters at Parkhead, which led to an incredibly frustrated reaction at the full-time whistle, and understandably so.

Whilst Nancy will, of course, come under pressure because of the dismal run of results, there should still be criticism for several players who have not done enough on the pitch.

Ranking Celtic's worst performers against Rangers

Starting as far back in the team as you can get, Kasper Schmeichel was one of the worst players on the pitch against Rangers, as he conceded three goals from four shots against him.

The experienced Dane was too slow to get down to Nicolas Raskin’s cross for Youssef Chermiti’s equaliser, and he failed to keep out the striker’s second goal with his feet. He was then far too slow to get down to Mikey Moore’s low drive, which did not go into the corner of the goal.

Auston Trusty and Anthony Ralston were also incredibly poor for the second Rangers goal, as the latter gave it away and failed to keep up with Chermiti, whilst the USA international inexplicably ran away from the onrushing forward and let him have a free shot at goal.

Ranking Celtic’s worst performers vs Rangers

Rank

Player

1

Kasper Schmeichel

2

Auston Trusty

3

Johnny Kenny

4

Anthony Ralson

5

Arne Engels

As you can see in the table above, we have placed Arne Engels in fifth because he was ineffective outside of set-piece situations, losing six of his eight duels, per Sofascore.

That leaves Jonny Kenny as the other player we have ranked among the five worst performers for the Hoops against the Gers, and he must be sold this month.

Why Celtic must sell Johnny Kenny

In the post-game analysis on Sky Sports, former Rangers striker Kris Boyd claimed that Kenny “is never going to be a regular striker for Celtic”, which is a damning piece of analysis that is hard to argue with.

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Kenny has been thrust into the limelight at Parkhead this season because summer signing Kelechi Iheanacho has only been fit for four league matches, and he has not stepped up to the mark.

Per FotMob, the Ireland international has scored four goals from an xG of 6.40 in the Scottish Premiership so far this season, which shows that he has been incredibly unreliable in front of goal for the Hoops.

The 22-year-old marksman was as bad as the likes of Trusty, Ralston, and Schmeichel against Rangers because Celtic could have been out of sight in the first half if he had taken his opportunities.

Just as those aforementioned defensive players allowed the Gers to win the game with their mistakes, Kenny provided the away side with a chance to get back into the match by not extending the lead.

Vs Rangers

Johnny Kenny

Minutes

74

Shots

5

Shots on target

2

Big chances missed

1

Dribbles completed

1/3

Duels won

4/10

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Irishman had five opportunities to find the back of the net, including one ‘big chance’ and he failed to take any of them, whilst also losing the majority of his duels.

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The Hoops flop, who was given a 3/10 player rating by 67HailHail, continues to prove that he is not good enough to start games on a regular basis for Celtic as their main striker, as Boyd said.

Last summer, English League One side Bolton Wanderers had a bid turned down for the centre-forward, and the Scottish giants should contact the English club to see if they are still interested in Kenny.

If they are, the Hoops must finally sell him to make room for a new number nine to come through the door. If Bolton have moved on, they should see if any other teams are willing to sign the Ireland international before the end of the month.

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West Ham are by no means finished in this window as they continue to plot moves behind-the-scenes, with an African sensation now catching the Hammers’ eyes.

Their desperate fight for Premier League survival took another devastating blow when they fell to a 2-1 defeat against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at the London Stadium on Tuesday.

Morgan Gibbs-White’s late penalty delivered a cruel late winner which now leaves Nuno Espirito Santo’s side seven points adrift from safety and staring relegation squarely in the face.

The defeat represented their 13th loss in 21 league matches, extending their winless run to 10 consecutive Premier League games for the first time since a dismal 11-match stretch between December 2006 and March 2007.

The gap to safety has widened alarmingly following Tuesday’s collapse, with West Ham now seriously contemplating life in the Championship.

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The east Londoners have responded to their desperate situation by splashing £45 million on attacking reinforcements, despite their glaring need for a new centre-back.

David Sullivan sanctioned the double signing of strikers Pablo Felipe from Gil Vicente and Taty Castellanos from Lazio, with both players making their debuts in the Forest defeat.

Castellanos represents a significant gamble given the fee involved and mixed reactions from Lazio supporters regarding his sale.

The Argentine managed just two goals and three assists in 11 Serie A appearances this season, underwhelming numbers for a player West Ham desperately need to deliver immediately if they are to preserve their Premier League status.

However, West Ham’s recruitment drive shows no signs of slowing despite the mounting pressure on Nuno’s position.

The Portuguese is reportedly pursuing additional reinforcements across multiple positions, determined to provide West Ham’s squad with the quality needed to claw their way out of the relegation zone.

Now, one young midfielder has emerged as a concrete target for West Ham.

West Ham ready to make 'substantial' offer for Alpha Toure

Indeed, the club have made their interest in FC Metz sensation Alpha Toure very clear, according to Wiwsport.

Nuno’s side are said to have expressed their concrete interest in discussions with Toure’s entourage, and West Ham are prepared to put forward a ‘substantial’ offer to convince Metz to sell him.

However, negotiations will be complex and remain far from advanced, despite West Ham’s clear intentions.

Metz are not currently enthusiastic about the idea of separating from their number 12 during a campaign where they are battling to preserve their own Ligue 1 status, creating significant obstacles to any potential January deal.

The 19-year-old remains under contract with Metz until 2028, providing the French club with considerable leverage in negotiations.

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No discussions have been initiated between the two clubs either, with Metz maintaining their position that Toure is an important asset they cannot afford to lose midway through a relegation battle.

Toure came through the renowned Académie Génération Foot before joining Metz, being part of the pathway that has birthed numerous talented players for European football.

The Senegalese midfielder has featured in 17 Ligue 1 matches since the beginning of this season, establishing himself as a regular presence despite his young age and the pressure surrounding Metz’s difficult campaign.

That being said, West Ham desperately need their January signings to deliver immediately if Nuno is to survive in his position and guide the club away from relegation.

The pursuit of young talents like Toure demonstrates ambition beyond just short-term survival, but West Ham must first preserve their Premier League status before focusing on building for the future.

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Posts ByDominic Lund