Sheffield Wednesday are preparing for a huge Championship clash with Sheffield United this weekend, and a big double injury update has emerged in the build-up.
Steel City derby on deck as Owls find form
In midweek, the Owls delivered a much-needed response to their shock 6-2 defeat at home to Watford last Saturday, winning 2-0 against Norwich City at Hillsborough. It leaves Danny Rohl’s side sitting 15th in the table after the latest round of action, with a massive occasion now lying on the horizon with a chance to make it three wins in four league games.
Wednesday face their biggest match of the season so far on Sunday lunchtime, as they make the short trip to Bramall Lane to take on bitter rivals United, with the Blades in second place and looking like strong promotion contenders.
It is the first Steel City derby since back in March 2019, due to the Owls spending time in League One and their adversaries enjoying stints in the Premier League, and the whole of Sheffield is holding its breath ahead of a much-anticipated 90 minutes.
Wednesday are understandably the underdogs going into the game, given the respective league positions of both, and the fact that they are the away side, but Rohl will know that he and his players can etch their names into derby folklore with a win. Ahead of the match, an important injury update has emerged.
Key injury update as Wednesday duo return to training
Speaking in his pre-derby press conference on Friday, Rohl confirmed that Sheffield Wednesday pair Nathaniel Chalobah and Michael Ihiekwe are both back on the training pitch again, following respective injury absences.
While neither Chalobah or Ihiekwe are expected to feature for Wednesday this weekend, having them slowly edging towards a return to the pitch is a huge boost, during a relentless season where squad depth is essential as the months pass.
Chalobah hasn’t played a single minute of action in the Championship since securing a summer move to the Owls from West Brom during the summer transfer window, with his only appearance to date coming in the 5-1 win away to Grimsby Town in the EFL Cup.
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As for Ihiekwe, having him back feels significant, considering what an important member of Rohl’s defence was during the 2023/24 season, appearing 26 times in the league. He hasn’t featured since late September, however, highlighting why Wednesday will need to ease him back in, rather than rush his return and risk injuring him further.
Injury update on "brilliant" Sheffield Wednesday ace before Steel City derby
A relief for the Owls.
ByTom Cunningham
Hopefully, the pair will be close to a first-team return after the international break, using the next week or two to further build their fitness, before being available for the remainder of the campaign.
Gary O’Neil will need to work smart this summer in order to improve his Wolverhampton Wanderers squad, especially as he is unlikely to have much money to spend.
This is unless he manages to move on some of his prized assets during the transfer window, which includes the likes of Pedro Neto and Max Kilman to name just a couple.
Wolves winger Pedro Neto
Could Matheus Cunha also be in contention to move on from Molineux in the next few weeks? The Brazilian has attracted some attention.
Why Wolves could sell Matheus Cunha this summer
The centre-forward enjoyed a fruitful season during 2023/24, scoring 14 times while grabbing eight assists in all competitions, becoming one of O’Neil’s most important players.
This hasn’t gone unnoticed, as Manchester United are seemingly keen on bringing the former Atlético Madrid player to Old Trafford for the 2024/25 campaign.
Wolves striker Matheus Cunha
"We see this rush [Man United speculation]. But I'm very happy at Wolves,” said the Brazilian in an interview. Despite his eagerness to stay in the Midlands, if the Old Gold does receive an offer which is too good to turn down, does O’Neil accept in the hope that he can use the funds to bolster his squad?
Wolves' transfer business in the summer of 2023
Player
Club joined from
Matheus Cunha
Atlético Madrid
Jean-Ricner Bellegarde
Strasbourg
Santiago Bueno
Girona
Boubacar Traore
Metz
Matt Doherty
Atlético Madrid
Tom King
Northampton
Tommy Doyle
Man City (loan turned permanent)
Via Transfermarkt
It’s a tough decision, but the club are showing interest in a player who could be an ideal long-term replacement for Cunha.
Wolves could sign Cunha replacement
According to Italian outlet L’Arena (via Birmingham World), Wolves are keen on making a move for Tomas Suslov, who plays for Hellas Verona in the Italian top flight.
The report claims that the youngster could be available for as little as £8.5m this summer, which could turn out to be a wonderful piece of business for O’Neil should he get it over the line.
Suslov featured 33 times for Verona last term, scoring three goals and registering five assists in what was a solid debut campaign for the Slovakian playmaker.
The final league match of the season saw Suslov fully demonstrate his talent against Inter Milan. Not only did he contribute with a goal and an assist, but the 22-year-old made four key passes, created two big chances and took three shots in total.
This would be impressive against any team, but considering it came against the champions and best team in the league, it proved that Suslov is set for a bright future.
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Analyst Ben Mattinson praised the attacking midfielder earlier this month, saying: “Another interesting prospect with little moments of brilliance, whether it’s flicks, quality final passes or weaving out of tight areas. Suslov has a technical left foot capable of some excellent crosses and switches.”
Suslov has made three substitute appearances for Slovakia in Euro 2024 at the time of writing, failing to score or grab an assist, but succeeding with one dribble and averaging 0.3 key passes across just 63 minutes of action.
This move is a no-brainer for O’Neil, especially if he wishes to sign a top talent who could go all the way to the very top, potentially making the club a serious profit in the future.
O'Neil selling "underrated" Wolves star would be a bigger loss than Neto
He has interest from the Premier League this summer
Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in the Premier League over the weekend as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at home on Saturday.
The Lilywhites bounced back from a 2-2 draw with Everton by securing a win over Roberto De Zerbi's side, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Brennan Johnson.
Heung-min Son, on his first appearance since returning from international duty, supplied the assist with a perfect cross to the back post for the former Nottingham Forest attacker to convert into an empty net.
Brennan Johnson
It was a third Premier League goal of the season for the Wales international, whilst Timo Werner failed to register a goal or an assist on the opposite flank.
Both players arrived at Spurs this term, with the former in the summer and the latter in January, but some may wonder what could have been with one of the club's reported targets.
Tottenham's interest in Wolves star
During the January transfer window, it was reported that Tottenham and Liverpool both had an interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Hee-chan Hwang.
Football Insider claimed that both clubs were monitoring his performances as the South Korea international had been on fire in the Premier League for Gary O'Neil's side.
The outlet claimed that a move ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign was unlikely but added that Wolves are fearful of a summer exit for their impressive attacker.
Hee-chan Hwang.
There was no mention at the time of how much it would have cost Spurs to sign him in January, or how much they are prepared to demand at the end of the season.
Ultimately, Tottenham did not decide to test Wolves' resolve with an offer to sign Hwang and missed out on acquiring his services last month.
Whilst they may revisit their interest in the summer, Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy could have landed an upgrade on Werner, who they signed on loan from RB Leipzig, if they had convinced their rivals to part way with Hwang, who has more goals and assists than Johnson this season.
Brennan Johnson's season in numbers
The Welsh whiz has made 21 appearances in the top-flight since his move from Nottingham Forest and has failed to provide consistent quality in the final third.
His finishing has left a lot to be desired as the 22-year-old winger has scored three goals from an xG of 4.80, which suggests that he has let his teammates down at times with wasteful finishing.
Whereas, his fellow attackers have more than made the most of the chances that Johnson has created for them, as the young gem has recorded four assists from an xA of 1.93.
In total, the Spurs forward has produced three goals and four assists in 24 matches in all competitions, with three appearances in the two domestic cups, which is a return of one goal or assist every 3.43 games on average.
It has been far from a perfect first season at Tottenham for Johnson but he has plenty of time left, at the age of 22, to develop and improve over the years to come.
Whereas, Werner, 27, was brought in to make an instant impact on loan and Hwang would have offered far more than him at the top end of the pitch.
Werner's struggles in front of goal
The Germany international joined the club from RB Leipzig last month and registered an assist on his debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Werner is five appearances into his career in North London and is still on the search for his first goal for the club, although he did add another assist in the 3-2 win over Brentford at the end of January.
His lack of consistent quality in the final third should not come as any real surprise given his struggles with Leipzig during the first half of the season.
Timo Werner applauding Tottenham supporters.
The 27-year-old winger scored two goals, from 2.36 xG, and failed to provide a single assist, from 0.10 xA, in eight Bundesliga outings for the German side. He also ended up with zero goals and zero assists in four Champions League matches for his parent club.
In total, Werner has two goals and three assists to his name in 19 appearances in all competitions for Spurs and Leipzig combined so far this season, which is just shy of one goal contribution every four games on average.
This shows that the former Chelsea attacker has not provided outstanding quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals for either side, as a striker or a winger.
Why Hwang would be an upgrade on Werner
Meanwhile, Hwang's performances for Wolves this season suggest that Spurs could have brought in a better player than Werner – an upgrade – if they had secured his services in January.
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The 28-year-old dynamo has proven his quality in the Premier League with a string of impressive displays for the Old Gold since O'Neil's arrival in the dugout last summer.
He has produced ten goals, three assists, and four 'big chances' created in 20 top-flight appearances, which includes 17 starts, and scored one goal in one EFL Cup match.
This means that Hwang has racked up 11 goals and three assists in 21 outings in all competitions for Wolves, which is a return of one goal or assist every 1.5 games, and that is seven more goal contributions than the aforementioned Johnson has managed.
23/24 league season
Timo Werner
Hee-chan Hwang
Appearances
12
20
xG
2.93
5.96
Goals
Two
Ten
xA
1.07
2.34
Assists
Two
Three
Big chances created
One
Four
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the Old Gold star, who was recently hailed as "fantastic" by O'Neil, has offered more at the top end of the pitch than Werner throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
Whilst the German attacker has underperformed his xG with wasteful finishing, Hwang has been lethal in front of goal with roughly four more goals than expected.
The £70k-per-week whiz currently ranks within the top 6% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals (0.56) per 90, which illustrates how impressive his scoring has been in the top-flight.
Therefore, Spurs missed out on a big Werner upgrade, who has also outperformed Johnson, by opting against a swoop to sign the Wolves dynamo in January.
On and off the pitch, Leeds United have faced a turbulent time in the last year or so, with relegation combined with managerial changes and the controversy surrounding former owner Andrea Radrizzani's use of Elland Road as collateral in his takeover of Sampdoria. Since the 49ers' takeover and the appointment of Daniel Farke, however, the Whites look like a side beginning to show signs of life in the Championship, winning three of their last five games.
From the 49ers' perspective, their aim will be instant promotion back to the Premier League, which will help from both a sporting and financial point of view. Meanwhile, the new owners are reportedly about to boost the morale of the fans even further, with one off-field deal close to completion.
What's the latest Leeds United news?
Leeds United chairman AndreaRadrizzanilooks on from the stands
Following a summer transfer window full of ups and downs, with several exits and a number of subsequent incomings, things are finally beginning to settle down for Leeds under Farke. And, as their form continues to turn around, their summer business looks all the more positive. Now that the window is closed, too, they can turn their attention to other improvements away from the pitch.
The latest Leeds United news suggests that's exactly the plan. According to Kieran Maguire, a deal for the 49ers to buy Elland Road from Radrizzani is close to completion. After Phil Hay reported this week that a deal is close, Sky Sports' football finance expert has told Football Insider it's really now just the final few details left to sort: “I’m not necessarily surprised that the 49ers have not yet taken majority control of Elland Road. I think it’s part of an ongoing process, it is nearly done and it is quickly approaching the end game.
“We’ve seen in the last couple of days that Radrizzani and his colleagues have been removed from the board of directors at Leeds United Football Club. So these things do take time and I’m sure that the 49ers Enterprises are very relaxed about the direction they’ve taken. They know that Radrizzani wants out and they want in. It’s just a case of tying up the loose ends.”
Who are the main shareholders in Leeds United?
After increasing their stake in the club, 49ers Enterprises are the full owners of Leeds United. The group is led by Paraag Marathe, who has been a leader in the sports industry for 20 years. The sale brought an end to Radrizzani's tenure, but it did not end without controversy after the Italian took over Serie A club Sampdoria, using Elland Road as collateral.
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The 49ers, edging closer to buying the stadium from the former owner, look set to put an end to that issue, in what will be an early success in their ownership of the club. Once that is done, the focus can return to the action taking place on the pitch of Elland Road, and Farke's side, who are showing promising signs of improvement.
Come May, those in charge at Leeds will hope to see their club in the race for promotion, with a deal to buy Elland Road from Radrizzani all wrapped up. It certainly looks set to be an interesting few months at the club.
Since the club's takeover at the end of 2021, Newcastle United have invested hefty sums on several highly-talented players.
Notably, this list includes Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon, and most recently, Sandro Tonali.
Spending has increased as the club prepares for one of the biggest summers in its history as it prepares to compete in the Champions League.
However, in the tenure of the new ownership, the most important signing could arguably be their first – the acquisition of Kieran Trippier in January 2022 for just £12m has emerged as an inspired piece of business.
The 32-year-old has oozed quality, composure and leadership. He is now the club captain and an indispensable component of Eddie Howe’s machine.
Nevertheless, his age cannot be escaped, and whilst he is in the most fruitful form of his life, he is nearing the twilight years of his career.
But the Magpies hierarchy has already begun the process to pinpoint a long-term successor to the Englishman, with Tino Livramento suggested as a possible target.
What’s the latest on Tino Livramento to Newcastle United?
According to the Telegraph, the Magpies have already submitted two bids for the Southampton gem, but have failed to reach an agreement.
The Saints, who were relegated to the Championship, value the 20-year-old at more than £30m, whilst Newcastle have only offered around £21m.
The outlet describes the player as 'very keen' on the move, but the club may need to wait until the sale of Allan Saint-Maximin has been completed for a timely cash injection, whilst also easing Financial Fair Play (FFP) concerns.
It was previously reported by the Daily Mail that Chelsea supposedly has a “surprise interest” in Livramento, with a £40m buy-back clause as part of his departure in 2021.
However, with the immovable Reece James and the recently-signed Malo Gusto already in their ranks, it seems unlikely that a transfer back to west London will ever materialise.
If Newcastle can just match Southampton’s asking price then a deal is very much a possibility.
Can Tino Livramento emulate Kieran Trippier at Newcastle United?
Within the Chelsea youth system, the quick right-back forged an esteemed reputation for his class and potential.
In 30 appearances during the 2020/21 season, Livramento registered ten assists and was named as the Blues' Academy Player of the Year, winning the award alongside the likes of James, Mason Mount, and Billy Gilmour.
He was then unexpectedly sold to Southampton for the next season, and in 28 top-flight outings, he averaged 1.9 tackles and 1.1 dribbles per game (third-highest ranking for each metric in the squad) to showcase his impressively competent all-round game.
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But, a devastating ACL injury against Brighton in April 2022 massively derailed his progress and kept him out of action for over a year.
Now back to full fitness, he is the subject of interest from the high-flying Magpies, and Howe could train him as Trippier’s heir to the right-back throne.
Newcastle United captain Kieran Trippier.
Last term, Trippier was simply sensational.
He was named in OPTA’s team of the season, playing in every fixture, creating the most chances from set plays (76), and playing the most passes into the opposition box (551) in a single season since 2004. The former Tottenham Hotspur man also recorded 138 successful crosses, the most in a single season since 2006.
Having a man of this calibre to mentor the “fantastic” Livramento – as once lauded by former teammate Theo Walcott – can continue Newcastle’s reputation as a rapidly improving asset.
Glasgow Rangers will be looking to make it 14 Premiership matches unbeaten under Michael Beale when they face Motherwell this afternoon at Fir Park.
The Ibrox side have dropped just two points in the league since the Englishman took over in November and although the Steelmen have enjoyed somewhat of a rejuvenation under Stuart Kettlewell, Rangers should secure all three points.
Malik Tillman is back in the fold having missed the previous three games due to injury, while Ridvan Yilmaz will be aiming to build upon his appearance against Raith Rovers last week, and he could well start today as Borna Barisic is likely to miss the tie due to his wife expecting their first child.
With the chance to temporarily reduce the gap to Celtic at the top of the league table to six points, Beale will make a few changes from the Scottish Cup win over Raith last weekend.
We at Football FanCast predict the Rangers starting XI that will take to the pitch this afternoon.
What could Rangers’ XI look like vs Motherwell?
Allan McGregor will yet again start between the posts, looking at keeping his eighth clean sheet of the league campaign.
Connor Goldson and Ben Davies will operate at the heart of the defence, while James Tavernier will start on the right-hand side. Ridvan Yilmaz will make his first Premiership start since August due to Barisic potentially missing the tie, with the “high potential” dynamo – in the words of Ross Wilson – keen to make an impression.
Ryan Jack and Nicolas Raskin will form the midfield axis while Malik Tillman returns to the starting XI in place of Todd Cantwell, operating just behind the striker. Cantwell has been excellent since joining Rangers, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.3/10, but the “god given” talent – as dubbed by his former youth coach Gary Cockaday – will make way allowing the American to gain some much-needed minutes.
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Fashion Sakala – with 12 goal contributions under Beale – has arguably been on the clubs finest performers of late, and he will take his spot on the right wing, with Ryan Kent deployed on the left.
Antonio Colak will retain his starting berth as the lone striker and will be hoping to build on his two-goal salvo against Hibernian.
Newcastle United have been warned they will have to pay more than the previously touted £40m price tag for Moises Caicedo.
The Lowdown: Caicedo situation
Caicedo has been a revelation since arriving on the south coast, with his signing epitomising Brighton & Hove Albion’s clever transfer activity over the last couple of seasons.
Despite only playing Premier League and was previously linked with a move away in the summer, but former boss Graham Potter claimed a £40m fee would “probably get his boots”.
He’s continued to excel and has the majority of England’s powerhouses closely watching his next steps, with Newcastle reported by The Athletic as an interested party.
The Latest: Barber’s comments
Speaking on House of Champions, Albion CEO Paul Barber claimed that his value has now far exceeded the previous £40m tag and revealed his side’s determination to hold onto him.
He said: “I’m not sure that it would include the boots now, maybe just the laces!
“Joking aside, every player, ultimately, their value is determined by the market, and Graham’s comments were part in jest, but part serious, because he has been an exceptional player for us since he came into the Premier League.
“Developing all the time, a young man, great attitude, fantastic work ethic; very, very, nice human being off the pitch.
“So all of those things contribute to the value of a footballer when it comes to that moment.”
The Verdict: Huge offer
Brighton have made themselves a hub for talent production and shrewd recruitment over recent years with Ben White, Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma all leaving to different ‘big six’ sides over the past two years.
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Unsurprisingly, you would imagine any push for the 21-year-old is likely to be met by staunch resistance due to his importance to the side, and following Yves Bissouma’s exit in the summer, Albion would be forced to replace yet another midfielder.
Although the Ecuadorian offers incredible talent and potential, The Sun has reported a fee of £70m is needed to prize him away, so you would think the Magpies could find two players for that price considering Bruno Guimaraes cost them just £40m alone.
West Ham United bounced back from their midweek defeat at Anfield to secure a much-needed victory over Bournemouth on Monday night, with David Moyes’ side running out 2-0 winners to move themselves five points clear of the Premier League drop zone.
That triumph was not without controversy, though, with the visitors likely to feel somewhat aggrieved at the game’s key refereeing decisions, with Kurt Zouma firing the hosts ahead at the London Stadium just before the break despite a potential handball in the build-up by fellow Irons defender Thilo Kehrer.
The Hammers had seemingly been the dominant force in the match, having enjoyed 20 attempts at goal to their opponents’ five, although it would take until stoppage time at the end of the second half for the east Londoners to finally seal the points, with the lively Said Benrahma slotting home from the penalty spot after Jordan Zemura had been penalised for handball.
That late spot-kick ultimately wrapped up the win for West Ham after a somewhat nervy spell in the closing stages, with the Irons having now won their past five matches at home across all competitions.
Amid that eventual victory, one shining light was no doubt Benrahma, with the Algerian ace having made the most of his return to the starting XI after impressing in his left-wing berth. He notably completed four of his five attempted dribbles, while also showcasing a solid work ethic having won six of his 11 ground duels.
While the 27-year-old’s outing ‘lacked some end product’ prior to his late strike – in the words of the Evening Standard’s Malik Ouzia – it was no doubt an encouraging performance from the former Brentford man, having been a truly “exciting watch” once again, according to Sky Sports reporter Ben Grounds (Live Blog, 24/10/2022, 21:28).
The fleet-footed forward was not the only standout figure against Gary O’Neil’s side, though, with defender Aaron Cresswell having also offered a real threat down the left flank, with his overlaps having been ‘key’ to the aforementioned Benrahma making an impact, as per Ouzia.
The long-serving Englishman was heavily involved from his full-back berth as he recorded 91 touches on the night – the joint-most of any player for either team – while also enjoying an eye-catching pass accuracy rate of 93%.
The 32-year-old’s attacking intent is illustrated by the fact that he attempted 12 crosses in his 90-minute outing – completing four of them – having also gone close to getting himself on the scoresheet early on only to see his fierce effort denied by opposition goalkeeper Neto.
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Not only a threat going forward, the Liverpudlian machine also showcased his defensive strength by winning six of his eight duels, with his overall match rating of 8.0 (as per SofaScore) having been by far the highest for either team.
Such a performance has again served as a reminder as to just what a “consistently good performer” the former Ipswich Town man is – as described by journalist Henry Winter earlier this season – with the three-cap menace having once again proven himself an unsung hero for Moyes and co with a typically reliable display.
Rangers have already wrapped up seven major signings so far this summer, although with just a under month or so to go until the window closes there could well be further activity for the Old Firm giants.
One name that had been linked back in June was Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks, with 90min suggesting that the Ibrox outfit had been offered the chance to sign the England international, while interest was also brewing from Premier League clubs.
The ten-cap gem – who could reportedly cost in the region of £20m – appears surplus to requirements in north London after enduring a difficult few seasons with the Lilywhites, with a report from late July suggesting that he is now “expected to leave” by the end of the window.
The January arrival of Rodrigo Bentancur – as well as the more recent capture of Yves Bissouma – has enhanced the competition for a midfield berth under Antonio Conte, with Winks likely to be the notable casualty as a result of those new additions.
Cast out by his current side, it could well prove to the gain of those in Glasgow, with manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst set to have a real star on his hands if a deal can be struck in the coming weeks.
Despite his current woes, the £91k-per-week playmaker is undoubtedly a player of real quality and one who could thrive for the Gers this season, having notably been compared to Barcelona legend, Xavi Hernandez, by former boss Mauricio Pochettino.
That comparison will be of particular interest to that of Van Bronckhorst, with the 47-year-old having played alongside the serial-winning Spaniard during his spell at the Camp Nou, with the pair notably winning the Champions League together in 2006.
The former Feyenoord boss will then be fully aware of just how talented the diminutive genius was, with Xavi arguably ranking among the finest in his position to have ever played the game, such was his majestic quality with the ball at his feet.
The now-retired ace – who is currently the man at the helm in Catalonia – was a truly gifted playmaker in his pomp, showcasing that effortless ability to run a game from his central midfield berth, without the need for speed, strength or a towering statue.
Although Winks has suffered a notable decline in recent times, the 26-year-old also has that innate ability to dictate the tempo in the centre of the park despite his slight frame, having notably been dubbed “clever” by Nick Godwin.
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Also labelled a “baller” by one source, the Hemel Hempstead-born menace has even recorded impressive statistics amid his recent slump, notably ranking in the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 12% for attempted passes among those in his position across Europe’s top five leagues, showcasing his willingness to play the ball forward and get his side on the front foot.
After seeing Joe Aribo depart for Southampton last month, adding such a quality, ball-playing midfielder to the Rangers’ ranks such as Winks could well be vital, with Van Bronckhorst knowing full well the benefits of having a Xavi-esque player in any side.
Leeds United centre-forward Patrick Bamford is attracting increasing interest ahead of the summer transfer window.
What’s the talk?
That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail, who claim that, should the Whites go on to suffer relegation from the Premier League on Sunday, Newcastle United could make a move for the 28-year-old striker in the off-season.
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The report goes on to state that a new centre-forward is Eddie Howe’s priority in the summer transfer window, with it being claimed that the Magpies have a transfer budget of around £60m plus player sales to work with in their hunt for a new frontman.
Unforgivable decision
While Leeds are by no means considering the prospect of playing Championship football next season just yet, should the Whites fail to secure their Premier League status against Brentford on Sunday, the argument that selling Bamford would be an unforgivable decision by Andrea Radrizzani is an easy one to make.
Indeed, the £18m-rated forward proved influential in helping the Whites secure a return to the top flight over his 45 Championship appearances back in 2019/20, scoring 16 goals, registering two assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.2 shots and making 0.5 key passes per game.
The £74k-per-week striker then undoubtedly proved his Premier League quality over 38 outings last season, bagging 17 goals, providing seven assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots and making 0.8 key passes per game.
These returns saw the England international average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.01, ranking him as Marcelo Bielsa’s seventh-best player in the top-flight – with the 28-year-old playing a key role in Leeds securing a top-half finish in the league.
And, with injury having seen the Nottingham Forest academy graduate miss the vast majority of the current campaign, considering Leeds’ current record of 40 goals scored – 22 fewer than they managed last season – it is abundantly clear just how important a part of Jesse Marsch’s side Bamford is.
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As such, whether Leeds survive or go down come the final whistle on Sunday, it is clear to see that cashing in on the centre-forward who Sam McGuire dubbed a “goal machine” would be a huge mistake by Radrizzani, as Bamford has proven that he can both fire the Whites up and lead his team to the higher reaches of the Premier League standings.
AND in other news: Leeds now handed handed huge boost ahead of Brentford, Jesse Marsch will be buzzing