Tottenham Hotspur could move for one "playmaker" striker who's "like" former star Harry Kane if they decide to sign one in 2024, according to a very reliable media source when it comes to football transfers.
Spurs transfer targets for 2024
Ange Postecoglou has now officially overseen the best start made to a Premier League season by any new manager, with the Spurs head coach breaking that record while endearing himself to the Lilywhites fanbase in very quick fashion. Tottenham boast a brilliant seven wins from a possible nine thus far; remaining unbeaten in that time with results against high-flying potential title contenders Arsenal and Liverpool.
The north Londoners have discovered a new lease of under Antonio Conte's replacement, who arrived from Celtic in June after winning a plethora of honours north of the border. There had been doubts over Postecoglou's appointment given his lack of experience in an elite European division like the Premier League, but Tottenham's popular new boss is sharply putting them to bed.
However, there is a real elephant in the room where their current form is concerned – Spurs' lack of depth. Son Heung-min, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – alongside full-backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie – are now pivotal for Postecoglou. There is an argument to be made that serious injuries to any of the aforementioned would be a huge, huge worry for Tottenham, not to mention the fact they're lacking a world-class natural centre-forward after Kane's departure.
As a result, reports in the media have linked them with a centre-back and striker most commonly. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba and Chelsea centre-half Trevoh Chalobah have been named as Spurs transfer targets at various points as options to bolster the defensive area. Meanwhile, Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy and Brentford's Ivan Toney could be Tottenham transfer options to replace Kane.
Ivan Toney transfer update
Sharing some news on the latter's future at Brentford this week, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano suggests that Toney could be a target for Spurs next year, if they do indeed opt to sign one. Romano, writing in a Daily Briefing this week, said (via TEAMtalk):
"We have to [also] see what Tottenham want to do. At the moment they are very happy with the squad but in case they go for a striker, Toney could be an opportunity.”
The 27-year-old marked himself out as one of England's most deadly front men before his ban for alleged gambling breaches this year. Toney scored a brilliant 20 league goals last season, making him one of the country's hottest transfer commodities right now amid widespread interest from up and down the country.
England teammate Declan Rice even likened Toney to Kane while speaking on talkSPORT, hailing the "playmaker" striker.
"I think from the moment he stepped in the Premier League he's taken it by storm," Rice said.
"If you look at what he does for Brentford, how consistent he is and what he does for his team, he's fully deserving of a call-up. He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."
Wolverhampton Wanderers look to be building some encouraging form under Gary O’Neil, after what was a difficult summer at Molineux.
The Old Gold fell victim to Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions, forcing the club to sell a host of talent for essential profit, without any cash to spare to replace them.
Subsequently, O’Neil has described his squad as being left “£80m short” of quality, however the deals sanctioned this summer proved to be stellar business by Fosun with reference to their need to generate profit.
It wasn’t the first time that Wolves have offloaded talent at an appropriate time, with one of last summer’s sales seeing his market value crash after being cashed in on at Molineux.
How much did Wolves sell Leander Dendoncker for?
In September 2022, it was announced that Wolves had sold midfielder Leander Dendoncker to Midlands rivals Aston Villa.
The Belgian was sold for a sum of £13m after spending four years associated with the Old Gold, beginning with a loan spell from Anderlecht in 2018.
Despite being a popular figure at Wolves, the versatile defence-minded maestro was ruthlessly shown the door after making 159 appearances in all competitions.
It was a difficult goodbye as they watched the midfielder join their rivals, but hindsight has revealed that Wolves struck gold by offloading the 28-year-old when they did last summer.
What is Leander Dendoncker worth now?
Receiving £13m for the midfielder just over a year ago has turned out as an excellent piece of business for the Old Gold, as his market value has dropped considerably in such a short amount of time.
Now valued at €6.4m (£5.5m), Dendoncker’s expected transfer value (xTV) has taken a declining turn in the 13 months following his Molineux exit, with his value decreasing month by month as highlighted by Football Transfers.
Leander Dendoncker xTV since leaving Wolves
Month/Year
Expected transfer value
10/2022
€17.2m (£14.9m)
12/2022
€15.6m (£13.5m)
01/2023
€15.4m (£13.3m)
03/2023
€14.2m (£12.3m)
05/2023
€13m (£11.2m)
07/2023
€10m (£8.6m)
09/2023
€7.8m (£6.7m)
10/2023
€6.4m (£5.5m)
Figures via Football Transfers
From October 2022 to October 2023, the combative gem’s value has seen a drop of around £7.5m as shown in the table above, reinforcing the success of Wolves’ sale.
The Belgian has been limited in his game time at Villa Park since his arrival, as the Villans welcomed fellow midfielder Boubacar Kamara to the fold in the same summer, with the Frenchman being the number one figure to partner Douglas Luiz in the engine room.
Throughout the 2022/23 campaign, the 28-year-old started just seven games in the entirety of the season, on the back of being a regular at Wolves with 30 appearances the term prior.
From game time to poor performances, things haven’t worked for Dendoncker in claret and blue, as highlighted by his drop in value and dip in performance.
Villa midfielder Leander Dendoncker.
Once lauded as an “absolute baller” by journalist Maxi Angelo, the Belgian contributed to no goals last season, compared to the four he had a hand in during the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, in which he scored two and assisted two for Wolves.
As per Sofascore, the Villa dud averaged one tackle and 1.2 ground duel wins per game for the Villans last term, a drop in his average of 1.4 tackles and 1.8 ground duels won in the league the season prior.
From reaching an xTV high of €26.2m (£22.7m) while at Molienux, to his value dropping dramatically since his departure, the Old Gold struck gold by bidding farewell to the former Anderlecht star last summer.
Manchester United are reportedly looking to sign a "perfectionist" and a "magnificent player", according to a new report.
FC Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd
The Red Devils’ season went from bad to worse on Wednesday evening after a chaotic Champions League defeat to FC Copenhagen. Things started well for Erik ten Hag’s side after two early goals from Rasmus Hojlund, although Marcus Rashford’s red card seemed to change the game.
Copenhagen drew level before half-time, but when Bruno Fernandes put the visitors in front again from the penalty spot, it looked as if United could pull off a crucial victory. However, two late goals ensured a third defeat from four group games, leaving them bottom of the table.
It is not just in the Champions League where United have struggled, with five defeats from 11 in the Premier League, while also being knocked out of the EFL Cup last week. As a result of their poor start, it looks as if new signings are being looked into by those behind the scenes at Old Trafford. Sir Jim Ractliffe is expected to be in control of sporting decisions when he completes a 25% investment, and it looks as if a double deal is being eyed up.
Man Utd transfer updates
According to 90min, Man Utd are interested in AS Monaco pair Vanderson and Youssouf Fofana, with right-back and central midfield are areas that Ten Hag wants to improve. Former Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell is viewed as a target to take up an Old Trafford role, so it is interesting to see the Red Devils’ interest in both players.
Monaco's Vanderson
Vanderson is regarded by some as the best young right-back plying his trade in Europe, with former Monaco manager Phillipe Clement labelling the player as a “perfectionist”.
“He had an exceptional adaptation here [last season]. We have already spoken about that. He is also a player who is and continues to interest lots of big clubs. That can possibly do something to the mindset, not that he didn’t have his feet on the ground, but Vanderson is very ambitious and a huge perfectionist.
“Every day he wants to be better than the last. That can give him a lot of pressure, lots of stress with all of the ambition that he has. We need to manage that more for him. If I left him to it, he would train for 18 hours a day. He is like that.”
Meanwhile, Fofana, a central midfielder who can play in a holding role or on the right, has recently caught the eye of a number of Premier League sides. The recent report suggests that Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United all have the Frenchman on their radar.
France'sYoussoufFofanaduring the press conference
The 24-year-old has been hailed as a "magnificent player" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig and he appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high Transfermarkt valuation.
Therefore, moves for both players could be shrewd ones with Ten Hag wanting to bolster his right-back and midfield ranks, and it looks as if the pair could be Ratcliffe’s first serious move in charge of sporting calls at Old Trafford.
Newcastle United are in the midst of a crisis right now with 13 first-team players currently sidelined through injury and suspension which is certainly a worry for head coach Eddie Howe.
The Magpies' form has dipped too, with the team dropping to eighth in the Premier League table, below Manchester United, while Howe's men are also on the cusp of exiting the Champions League and a massive game away at Paris Saint-Germain next week could be the final nail in the coffin.
Newcastle's attacking department is down to the bare bones, with winger Anthony Gordon being tasked with leading the line during the team's recent 2-0 defeat to Bournemouth.
The club have started working on plans to improve depth in the forward positions and have identified one star who could change the team's fortunes.
Newcastle transfer news – Jota
According to 90min, Newcastle United are looking to make a move for the former Celtic attacker Jota, who is currently plying his trade in Saudi Arabia with league champions Al-Ittihad, having moved to the Middle East for £25m during the summer as a two-time Scottish Premiership winner.
The Portuguese winger has had limited game-time at Al-Ittihad as he wasn't registered in the first-team squad past the transfer window since clubs in the Saudi Pro League can only have eight foreign players at one point. There were rumours that the 24-year-old would be freed from his contract by the Saudi side but min have revealed that this now seems unlikely.
Furthermore, Newcastle would be forced to acquire Jota permanently from Al-Ittihad as Premier League teams are set to vote to prohibit any clubs from signing players on loan from affiliated sides. The Mags would fall under this category as a result of being bought by the PIF back in 2021.
How Jota compares with Anthony Gordon
Jota has struggled for minutes since moving to Saudi Arabia as a result of being unregistered. Overall, the Portugal international has featured just seven times for Al-Ittihad but only two of those games have come since September 1 in the AFC Champions League.
However, the winger had an exceptional season at Celtic under Ange Postecoglou last term. In 43 appearances for the Glasgow giants, Jota bagged 27 goal contributions in all competitions, including 15 goals and 12 assists, leading Postecoglou to call him "unbelievable". League top scorer Kyogo Furuhashi was the only player to contribute to more goals at Celtic last season.
Celtic's former forward Jota.
Statistically, Jota had a far better season in the previous campaign than Gordon has had this term and has proven himself to be a greater threat in and around the penalty area than the Magpies' £45m winter signing.
Goals
0.47
0.28
Expected Goals
0.29
0.3
Assists
0.4
0.14
Expected Assists
0.25
0.12
Key Passes
2.81
0.92
Progressive Carries
5
3.46
Successful Take-Ons %
55%
41.2%
Stats via FBref
Gordon has scored four goals in 17 appearances this term and has come into his own a little in the current campaign. However, Jota has proven himself adept at playing anywhere along the front three during his playing career and can create chances but also finish them off, boasting an impressive take-on success, as well as a higher degree of key passes.
Howe could massively upgrade his forward line with the arrival of Jota this winter, especially since the Portuguese livewire would link up extremely well with Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak, just like he did with 34-goal Kyogo last term.
The January transfer window is fast approaching and Liverpool could be tempted back into the market to bolster their squad as they compete for the Premier League title.
Jurgen Klopp's side are currently second in the division and next month could provide them with an opportunity to give the team a boost ahead of the second half of the campaign.
Over the summer, The Daily Mail reported that the Reds have a long-standing interest in Bayern Munich superstar Joshua Kimmich and would be keen to secure a deal if he became available.
This is worth remembering as Sport BILD recently claimed that selling the Germany international is no longer unthinkable for the Bavarian side, as his contract is due to expire in 2025.
Klopp could now land his own version of Manchester City star Rodri by tempting Bayern to cash in on the defensive midfielder in one of the next two windows.
Rodri's season in numbers
The Spain international is a rock in the middle of the park for the Cityzens with his outstanding play in and out of possession in front of the back four.
Over the last 365 days, Rodri ranks within the top 4% or higher of his positional peers in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European Competitions for progressive passes (8.81) and passes attempted (95.76) per 90.
This shows that the former Atletico Madrid prospect is an exceptional passer who is able to dictate the tempo of a match with the volume of passes he gets off whilst also being able to progress his team up the pitch with line-breaking, forward, passes.
The 27-year-old battler has also displayed his defensive awareness in the Premier League this season with 3.2 tackles and interceptions and 7.2 ball recoveries per match across 14 appearances, which shows that the talented gem can break up opposition attacks on a regular basis.
The statistics that show Kimmich is similar to Rodri
Liverpool could now sign their answer to Rodri in a swoop to bring Kimmich to Anfield as the German maestro has similar qualities to the Spaniard.
The £322k-per-week whiz, who was once hailed as "phenomenal" by Jose Mourinho, is also a fantastic passer who can contribute out of possession as well.
Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich.
Over the last 365 days, Kimmich ranks within the top 3% or higher of his positional peers in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European Competitions for progressive passes (9.47) and passes attempted (87.32) per 90.
This shows that the Bayern star actually progresses the ball up the pitch through his passes more often than Rodri despite attempting fewer passes overall.
However, the 28-year-old ace falls slightly behind the City enforcer when it comes to the defensive side of the game. Kimmich has averaged 2.8 tackles and interceptions combined and 6.3 ball recoveries per match over 11 Bundesliga appearances this season.
These statistics show that the Liverpool target can be an imposing presence in front of the defence by winning possession back for his team on a regular basis, albeit not quite as regularly as Rodri.
Overall, the Bayern metronome is similar to Pep Guardiola's midfield star in what he offers on and off the ball, and that is why Klopp should swoop for him in January or next summer.
The last two years has seen the resurgence of one of English football's truly great clubs, Newcastle United.
The Magpies used to be a side that challenged for the top honours, dazzled fans with brilliant football and fielded some of the best in the game, and following their takeover in 2021, they look to be back on that path once more.
The halcyon days of Andy Cole, Les Ferdinand, Malcolm Macdonald and Alan Shearer could be just around the corner.
With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of the very best number nines to don the famous black and white stripes of the Toon.
10 Papiss Cisse
Papiss Cisse scored 13 goals in 14 Premier Leageue games in 2011-12.
Right, so we're kicking off with a player that might raise a few eyebrows given the Toon's extensive history of brilliant nines, but hear us out.
Papiss Cisse was signed from Bundesliga side Freiburg in January 2012 for a fee in the region of £10m, and for those first six months, he was nigh unstoppable in the league.
He would go on to score 13 goals and provide two assists in just 14 Premier League games in that first six months, a streak of red-hot form that included that incredible goal against Chelsea.
In all, he scored 44 goals in 131 games for the club, which might not be outstanding, but he is still a firm fan favourite to this day, and we don't think anyone is going to have quite as good a sixth-month spell as he did for some time.
9 Callum Wilson
Newcastle's Callum Wilson celebrating a goal.
Coming in as the ninth-best number nine in Newcastle United history is the club's current number nine, Callum Wilson.
Now, this one might be an easier sell than Papiss Cisse, but there might still be a few people outside of the Newcastle fan base surprised by Wilson's inclusion, such is the extent to which he is underrated.
The former Bournemouth man joined the club in January 2020 in a deal worth around £20m, and ever since then, he has been an essential member of the Toon team.
Since his arrival, the England international has scored 42 goals and provided ten assists in just 90 appearances for the club, giving his a goal involvement every 1.7 games – more than every other game.
This would be incredibly impressive in isolation, but the fact that he has achieved numbers like these while also dealing with consistent injuries is genuinely outstanding.
The arrival of Alexander Isak might mean that Wilson won't be the player to lead them to domestic or Continental glory, but his contribution should not be overlooked.
8 Kevin Keegan
We're going back to the 1980s for this one, and it is none other than two-time Ballon d'Or winner and England great Kevin Keegan.
Now, Keegan only played for the Toon for two seasons between 1982 and 1984 and only wore the number nine for part of the 1983/84 season, but for our money, that makes him eligible for this list.
In his 85 games as a Magpies player, Keegan scored 49 goals and provided one assist, giving him a goal involvement more than every 1.7 games. However, more important than just his goalscoring, he played an essential role in taking the Toon back into the First Division and giving the fans some tremendously exciting football to watch once again.
It may have only been a short moment in the grander scheme of football, but Keegan more than made his mark and would be welcomed back with open arms when he took over the team as manager in 1992.
7 Malcolm Macdonald
We're going even further back in time for this one, back to the early 1970s.
Newcastle United broke their club record transfer fee when they signed Malcolm Macdonald in 1971, but there was never any doubt from those who wanted him whether he was worth the money or not.
In all, the London-born dynamo scored 138 goals in just 258 appearances for the Toon. He was a dazzling player to watch and was a firm fan favourite at the time.
While he didn't win anything in the northeast he did help the club reach the 1974 FA Cup final after his brace knocked Burnley out in the semi-final.
He was sold to Arsenal in 1976, much to the dismay of the Toon faithful.
6 Hughie Gallacher
Once again, we are heading even further back in time for the next Newcastle great on our list, 98 years back, to be specific.
In December 1925, the Magpies desperately needed a new number nine, so they looked north of the border, to Airdrieonians to be exact, and signed their star striker, Hughie Gallacher.
The Scotsman made an immediate impact and ended his first season with 23 league goals as the team's top scorer despite only joining the side halfway through the campaign.
In all, the Toon legend scored 463 goals in his career and captained the Magpies to the First Division title in 1927.
There was also an evident love between fan and player as when he joined Gateshead in 1938, Gallacher said: "My heart has been here ever since I left United eight years ago. I intend to spend the rest of my life with my adopted folk in Gateshead."
5 Andy Cole
We're jumping back into the Premier League era once again here, and to one of the best strikers the top flight has ever seen, Andy Cole.
The Nottingham-born talisman signed for the Toon in February 1993 when the club paid Bristol City a club-record-fee of £1.75m to secure his services.
Cole would partner Peter Beardsley in attack and tear Premier League defences apart for fun. In Newcastle's first season back in the Premier League, Cole would score 41 goals in 46 games across all competitions.
He would end his time at St James' Park with 68 goals in 84 matches, and the only reason he isn't higher on this list is because he left too soon.
4 Les Ferdinand
Coming in at number four is another '90s Toon icon, Les Ferdinand.
He was signed from Queens Park Rangers for £6m in the summer of 1995, and while a price tag such as that would've been pressure enough for most players, Ferdinand also had to deal with the pressure of being Andy Cole's replacement.
Somehow, he coped with both and spent two fantastic years terrifying the league's best defences while donning the famous black and white stripes. He helped the club to two second-placed finishes in the league and scored 50 goals in just 84 appearances across all competitions.
3 Len White
St James' Park
We're into the top three now, and the bronze medalist on this list is actually Newcastle's third-highest goalscorer of all time, Len White.
White joined the Toon in 1953 after a two-year spell with Rotherham United, and while he made an instant impact on Tyneside, he wasn't given the coveted number nine shirt until Jackie Milburn left the club.
Once he pulled on that shirt, his goalscoring went from remarkable to unbelievable, and he ended his career with a staggering 153 goals over nine years at the club.
2 Jackie Milburn
The runner-up on our list is, without doubt, not just one of the best forwards in Newcastle history, but one of the best forwards in English football history.
Born in 1924, Jackie Milburn would start his footballing career with Newcastle in 1943 and stay at the club for 14 years, until eventually moving on to play for Linfield in Northern Ireland.
During his time with the Toon, he would play across the front line, but it was in the post-war years, when he was played as a traditional number nine, that he helped transform the club into perennial winners.
In all, Milburn helped the club win three FA Cups during his time there and scored a mind-boggling 200 goals in 397 appearances. At the time, he was the club's all-time leading goalscorer until another man came along four decades later.
1 Alan Shearer
wayne-rooney-alan-shearer-newcastle-opinion
Come on, really, who else could it have possibly been?
When you ask the average football fan to name an iconic Premier League striker, the chances are that Alan Shearer will almost certainly pop up among a swath of names. However, if you ask someone to name an iconic Newcastle United forward, there is no chance they will name anyone before they name Shearer.
Few football players are as loved by their fans as Shearer; almost two decades on and a failed stint in the dugout, he is still revered to an almost religious degree by the St James' Park faithful.
The Newcastle-born phenom joined his boyhood club in 1996 for a then-world-record fee of £15m, and to say he lived up to the price tag would be a colossal understatement.
He may have ultimately left his boyhood club without a team honour, but he retired as the Premier League's all-time top scorer with 260 and as the Toon's all-time leading scorer with 206.
Newcastle may never see a player quite like him again, and we reckon the fans are probably okay with that.
Reliable club insider ExWHUemployee has lifted the lid on a new transfer target for West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan, technical director Tim Steidten and co this January.
Moyes desperately seeking new striker
Following a plethora of injuries, manager David Moyes is said to be eager on bringing in a new forward option.
Journalist says West Ham have made a move for club's £8.6m top scorer
He’s been a star this season.
ByEmilio Galantini Jan 11, 2024
Star midfielder Lucas Paqueta is expected to be out for around two months, while the club's player of the season so far, Jarrod Bowen, could be sidelined for up to three weeks. The duo join Konstantinos Mavropanos and striker Michail Antonio on the West Ham injury list, with fellow attacker Mohammed Kudus also at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana right now.
Moyes is starved of alternatives to the aforementioned, with the out-of-favour Danny Ings, youngster Divin Mubama, Pablo Fornals and Said Benrahma being West Ham's only fall-back choices.
As a result, the Hammers are keen to add another final third option to Moyes' ranks. Indeed, Moyes himself is also believed to be at work on signing a new striker in January.
Lucas Paqueta
Calf injury
Jarrod Bowen
Ankle injury
Konstantinos Mavropanos
Knock
Michail Antonio
Knee injury
Nayef Aguerd
AFCON
Mohammed Kudus
AFCON
The Scotsman's personal staff and West Ham's recruitment team are "working overtime", according to journalist Pete O'Rourke, and there have been a fair few number nines linked with moves to the London Stadium.
Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy, PSG forward Hugo Ektike and Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez stand out as the biggest names, with Greek international Vangelis Pavlidis also standing out as a pretty enticing option given his form in the Eredivisie this season.
ExWHUemployee backs interest in the latter player, but he's also shared news on a new option who West Ham are more likely to swoop for this month.
West Ham more likely to go for Fotis Ioannidis
According to the insider, West Ham are likelier to go and sign Panathinaikos star Fotis Ioannidis in the January window, coming amid his excellent season in the Greek Super League.
Ioannidis has bagged 16 goals in all competitions for his side this season, which has apparently alerted the Irons. Ex also says the club's scouts have been left impressed by the 24-year-old's performances abroad this season.
Fotis Ioannidis
“A couple of Greek forwards have caught the eye,” stated Ex (via West Ham Way).
“The first is Vangélis Pavlídis of our Conference league opponents Az Alkmaar. He has a very good scoring record for them in the Dutch league but again could come with quite a high price tag.
“Perhaps a more realistic option is Fotis Ioannidis of Panathinaikos, rivals of our opponents this year Olympiakos. These two teams played recently and Ioannidis scored a 65 minute equaliser. We watched him play for Panathinaikos against Maccabi Haifa and he scored in a 2-1 loss and impressed our scouts. He is the more likely option to be explored out of the two.”
Leeds United are an impressive force in the Championship and could now be set for a huge boost away from the pitch regarding one of their star men, according to BBC pundit Carlton Palmer.
Leeds United's impressive recent form…
Since suffering relegation last term, Leeds United have managed to stabilise themselves to some extent and have produced some commendable form in England's second tier, winning six of their last seven matches on league duty. Daniel Farke has proven himself to be a shrewd appointment by the Leeds United hierarchy based on current evidence and will be hoping his side can improve on their current league position of third, with 31 points taken from their opening 16 fixtures.
The Whites travel to face Rotherham United at the AESSEAL New York Stadium on Friday evening, as they return from international duty with designs on cutting second-placed Ipswich Town's eight-point advantage down to five ahead of the weekend's round of matches.
Pascal Struijk, Stuart Dallas, Jamie Shackleton, Joe Gelhardt, Djed Spence and Sam Byram have all had recent injury issues and it remains to be seen who is fit enough to return to contention for Leeds United's away clash in South Yorkshire, as cited by Leeds Live.
It was hoped that the former four would return to training at some point. At the same time, former Norwich City full-back Byram was taken off in the Whites' victory over Plymouth Argyle before the international break owing to a hamstring problem.
Entering a congested period of fixtures, Leeds United will hope to keep pace with the chasing pack for promotion and could now receive a major boost involving one of their star players.
Leeds United's upcoming fixtures – all competitions
Competition
Opponent
Venue
Sky Bet Championship
Rotherham United (A)
AESSEAL New York Stadium
Sky Bet Championship
Swansea City (H)
Elland Road
Sky Bet Championship
Middlesbrough (H)
Elland Road
Sky Bet Championship
Blackburn Rovers (A)
Ewood Park
Sky Bet Championship
Sunderland (A)
Stadium of Light
Carlton Palmer drops Archie Gray verdict
Speaking to Football League World, BBC pundit Palmer has delivered some exciting information he has heard out of Elland Road involving Leeds United star Archie Gray.
Recent reports have linked Gray with a big-money move to Premier League giants Liverpool. At the same time, Everton and Crystal Palace are said to be keen on the 17-year-old midfielder, as per The Daily Mail.
Leeds United midfielder Archie Gray.
Palmer told the outlet in light of rumours indicating Leeds United could be set to open talks over a new contract for Gray: "Leeds United are confident that Archie Gray – the 17-year-old prodigy – will commit his future to the club, despite interest from top clubs at home and abroad.
"Leeds have slapped a whooping £30-40m price tag on the young man's head. But in a massive boost for the club in their quest to reclaim their Premier League status once again, Gray has given the club the indication that he's happy where he is, and wants to continue his footballing education at Leeds United under Daniel Farke. This is great news for the manager, the club and the supporters."
Having made 17 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24 for Leeds United, Gray looks to be a player with a massive future in the game and keeping him at Elland Road would provide a major boost for everyone connected with the club (Gray statistics – Transfermarkt).
Arsenal are reportedly "working" on the option of signing a Premier League club's "underrated" star who Paul Merson is a big fan of.
January looming for Arteta
The north Londoners suffered their first league defeat of the new season last Saturday, losing 1-0 to Newcastle in what was a controversial blow for manager Mikel Arteta. Arsenal's boss made no secret of his disdain for Newcastle's winning goal, which could've been ruled out for three separate offences in the build up. However, VAR allowed Anthony Gordon's strike to stand, and now Arteta must swiftly put that result behind him.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta.
The Gunners also have January to consider soon as the winter window reopens in just under two months time, giving Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar an opportunity to strengthen their title challenge.
It's been widely reported that Arsenal want to sign a striker, leading to links with Brentford star Ivan Toney. An injury to Gabriel Jesus means Eddie Nketiah is Arsenal's only natural centre-forward option, and Arteta also reportedly wants a right-wing alternative to Bukayo Saka. Wolves winger Pedro Neto is a rumoured target for Arsenal to provide Saka some competition, while it's also been suggested that Arteta is eyeing a new central midfielder.
Arsenal "working" on Douglas Luiz
Supporters will be familiar with Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz, who Arsenal were plotting to sign in 2022 but ultimately failed.
The Brazilian, according to recent reports, is a name back on Arteta's radar. UOL and journalist Bruno Andrade have an update on the matter, claiming Luiz is an option Arsenal are "working" on signing. This comes as Fulham take pole position for Fluminese star Andre, another target for Arsenal, and they say the club have "have their eyes on another Brazilian" in Luiz as a result. Liverpool are also keen on the 25-year-old who has starred for Villa under Unai Emery this season.
Paul Merson praises Douglas Luiz
The former Man City midfielder has been praised by Arsenal legend and Sky pundit Merson already this season, who called Luiz "one of the most underrated players" in England right now.
Douglas Luiz celebrates for Aston Villa
Merson isn't the only pundit to heap praise on Luiz, though, with former Villa defender Alan Hutton telling Football Insider that he could fetch Emery's side a marquee fee following an "outstanding" start to the season.
“I think at this moment in time, with some of the market valuations, it would have to be over £50million,” said Hutton on Luiz.
“He’s at a great age, he’s been outstanding. He could probably play for most teams in the Premier League, with Manchester City being the strongest one.
“I think he ticks all the boxes. I think we’re talking record fees here. Obviously, Jack Grealish’s the highest and he’s not going to reach that, but we’re talking record numbers here for a midfielder.
Likes to shoot from distance
Plays the long ball
“Hopefully he doesn’t, he’s a massive part of what Villa do moving forward, but it would have to be a big number."
West Ham United are "now in talks" to sign an "exceptional" player for manager David Moyes, according to Sky Sports this morning.
Hammers yet to make January signing
Despite the club being linked with a new midfielder and attacking additions, West Ham are yet to do any business so far this month, but that could be about to change very soon.
Fabrizio Romano says West Ham could sign club captain if Benrahma leaves
The east Londoners are admirers.
ByEmilio Galantini Jan 18, 2024
The Hammers' transfer plans have changed after injuries to the likes of star midfielder Lucas Paqueta and striker Michail Antonio, who recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee problem.
While star winger Jarrod Bowen could be back to face Sheffield United this weekend, Paqueta's long-term absence and Antonio's unreliability hand Moyes real squad conundrums.
West Ham's lack of depth behind their traditional eleven has been somewhat exposed, and Mohammed Kudus being at the Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana is also leaving Moyes pretty short of options – both in the middle of the park and further forward.
West Ham are being linked with a number of attacking stars, including the likes of Santiago Gimenez and Serhou Guirassy, but it's believed they have a serious interest in Man City outcast Kalvin Phillips for the midfield area.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
West Ham enter negotiations to sign Phillips
West Ham are touted as contenders to sign the 28-year-old, who has found game time very difficult to come by under Pep Guardiola since joining City from Leeds in 2022.
Dropping a Friday update, Sky Sports have shared some breaking news "this morning", and they claim West Ham are "now in talks" to sign Phillips and offer him a way out of Eastlands.
"What we're hearing this morning, West Ham are now in talks with Manchester City over a move for Kalvin Phillips", said the broadcaster.
They add that the England international, lauded for his "creativity" by Paul Robinson to Football Insider, is being chased by a host of clubs both in Europe and abroad – but it's West Ham who are making the first moves.
Kalvin Phillips about to come on for Manchester City.
Moyes has publicly expressed his admiration for Phillips before, so it is little surprise the Scotsman is attempting to take advantage of the player's dwindling City career.
"I'm a big admirer of Kalvin Phillips and have been for a long time," said Moyes in 2021.
"Every time I went to watch Leeds, and when I was out of work and they won the Championship, I was always thinking he looked a really influential player and a real prospect.
Shoulder injury – 2022/2023
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Hamstring injury – 2021/2022
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Calf injury – 2020/2021
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Shoulder injury – 2020/2021
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"I think he has stepped up really quickly, I think he got into the England squad when maybe other people were suggested in front of him but I think he's done well."
On a reported £135,000-per-week wage packet (Sky Sports), it will be interesting to see if West Ham manage to whittle down his salary and still sway him to east London.