Leeds Could Move For Defender In Free Transfer

Leeds United could consider a move for soon-to-be free agent Raphael Guerreiro, LeedsLive report.

What’s been said about Leeds and Guerreiro?

The Whites have been linked with a move for Guerreiro this year, with reports last month even suggesting that Leeds are plotting a summer swoop for the left-back.

The 29-year-old, capable of playing as a full-back, left midfielder or even a central midfielder, is out of contract in a matter of months but has remained a regular for Dortmund this season. The Portugal international has made a total 31 appearances during the current campaign, contributing to an impressive 18 goals in all competitions.

LeedsLive reporter Andrew Reynolds shared a story in the last 48 hours, looking at eight potential free agents the club could consider signing, with the Whites expected to be active in the transfer window. One of those was Guerreiro, to which he said:

“Guerreiro has previously been linked with Leeds in the January window and would still be a great addition to their back line. With 14 goal contributions from left-back for Dortmund this season, the 29-year-old could be a key attacking outlet next year. There will no doubt be some serious competition for the Portuguese international given the lack of a fee, but the experienced defender would improve Gracia’s side immediately.”

Could be just what Leeds need…

As Reynolds claims, Guerreiro could be an excellent signing on a free transfer, especially with the player used to turning out in the Champions League for the past seven seasons, bringing plenty of experience at the highest level for both club and country.

Javi Gracia has been using Junior Firpo at left-back since taking over in Yorkshire, with the Spaniard only rivalled by Pascal Struijk for a starting spot at this moment in time. Struijk was primarily a centre-back before filling in for Firpo at the beginning of the season, so signing Guerreiro could allow the Dutchman to return to a central role.

As per WhoScored, Guerreiro has comfortably outperformed every single Leeds player this season and would top the charts for assists and key passes at Elland Road, showing how he could be a real upgrade at left-back, providing the club remain in the Premier League heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

Tottenham Eyeing Summer Move For £50m Star

Tottenham Hotspur owners ENIC will look to sign James Maddison in the summer, regardless of who they appoint as manager at the end of the season, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

Will Tottenham win the race for James Maddison?

With Maddison's contract set to expire at the end of next season, this summer will be the last opportunity Leicester City have to cash in on their star player, and there is growing interest in his signature, from a whole host of Premier League clubs.

Tottenham are said to have leapfrogged Newcastle United into pole position, although Liverpool are also interested in the midfielder, while Manchester City have been linked, so a bidding war could be on the cards in the summer.

Given that the Englishman is likely to have a number of top clubs to choose from, it could be vital for Spurs to finish in the top four, so they can offer him Champions League football next season, but they are currently sitting three points behind Manchester United and Newcastle.

As per a report from Football Insider, the Tottenham board are dead-set on signing the 26-year-old this summer, and they will not wait for the new manager's approval before sanctioning a deal.

The Lilywhites are among the favourites to sign the £50m-rated Leicester star, and they're not going to slow their pursuit while they are without a manager, as they do not want to risk losing their lead in the race for his signature.

A new creative midfielder was identified as a priority signing while Antonio Conte was at the club, and Spurs believe he could go on to be a superstar in the Premier League.

Should Tottenham sign James Maddison?

Tottenham are very keen on a new creative force in the midfielder, and the two-time England international ticks plenty of boxes, ranking in the 89th percentile for assists per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers, averaging 0.35.

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison.

Having also averaged 0.46 non-penalty goals per 90, there is clear evidence that the maestro would be a real attacking threat for Spurs, particularly considering he has managed to perform at that level in a struggling Leicester side.

Hailed as "sensational" by members of the media earlier this season, Maddison would be a fantastic signing for Tottenham, and they must now focus on securing Champions League football, in order to make sure they win the race for his signature.

Moyes Must Unleash £55k-p/w West Ham Star vs Gent

West Ham take on Gent in the second leg of their tense Europa Conference league quarter-final, just four days after their brilliant comeback against title-chasing Arsenal at the London Stadium.

When the Hammers conceded two goals in the opening ten minutes against the Gunners, it seemed the occasion could have been a brutal repeat of the embarrassing 5-1 defeat they suffered to Newcastle in their previous Premier League home game.

If David Moyes wants to ensure progression into a European semi-final for a consecutive season, then he must avoid the temptation to rest Said Benrahma, who has been one of the Irons’ shining lights in a troublesome and uneasy campaign.

Why should Benrahma start vs Gent?

Alongside Jarrod Bowen, the 27-year-old has registered the joint-most Premier League goals (5) and assists (3) this season for the Hammers to establish himself as one of Moyes’ most important and trusted figures within this struggling team.

West Ham United's Said Benrahma in action with Arsenal's Thomas Partey

His significance was stirringly conveyed for his role in the recent London derby against Arsenal. The former Brentford man recorded the highest rating of any West Ham player (7.7) in that showdown and netted the first goal to halve the deficit and kickstart a rousing second-half renaissance.

The £55k-per-week man also contributed two key passes, created one big chance, won five ground duels, and completed 75% of his passes, as per Sofascore.

It was an effervescent, busy, and tricky display from the forward, who nearly produced the match-winning assist when he out-muscled Rob Holding and delivered a measured cross to Michail Antonio, whose header agonisingly clipped the bar.

Chelsea legend Joe Cole has previously lauded the winger for his attacking verve and dazzling skill, and he told BT Sport (via Read West Ham) that Benrahma can be "unplayable."

Furthermore, the £19m-rated man has created the most chances in the West Ham squad in all competitions (51) this season at a rate of 1.31 per 90, as per BBC Sport.

In the first leg against Gent, Benrahma began proceedings on the bench, and the East London outfit was completely dominated and failed to create many opportunities. The Belgian side had 54% possession and 20 shots, in comparison to West Ham’s four.

Benrahma was eventually introduced on the hour mark for Manuel Lanzini, but Moyes cannot afford to follow a similar trend in this game. His side will need to stamp their authority and set the agenda with the latter arguably in need of being dropped this time around.

To unleash Benrahma is a necessity, who could be the match-winning catalyst.

Julen Lopetegui left "livid" with £85k-p/w Wolves player vs Brighton

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui was "livid" with Matheus Nunes during the 6-0 loss against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon, according to journalist Liam Keen.

What was the Brighton vs Wolves result?

After such an important victory against Crystal Palace on Tuesday night, which is likely to have confirmed their Premier League status for next season, Wolves were seriously disappointing this afternoon, losing 6-0 due to a disastrous first-half performance.

Journalist Steve Madeley described the Old Gold's opening 45 minutes as "the worst half by Wolves under Lopetegui by a distance", while other members of the media "couldn't name a player" who deserved to stay on for the second half.

Nunes struggled throughout the first half, with Keen criticising the midfielder for giving the ball away "so poorly" just 13 minutes in, before Pascal Gross opened the scoring, and the manager was also furious with his performance.

After the 24-year-old made a similar mistake just minutes later, Keen said: "Another big chance for Brighton after Nunes gave the ball away again. Lopetegui livid."

Should Nunes be dropped against Aston Villa?

Liverpool have been linked with a £50m summer deal for the Portuguese midfielder, however, Jurgen Klopp may think twice about making a move after his terrible performance today.

Madeley claimed the former Sporting CP man was "very lucky" to not be substituted at half-time, while also slamming him for making a "big error" earlier in the match, and his performance did not improve in the second half.

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes.

After switching to an unconventional right-wing back role, the £85k-per-week earner ended the match with a Sofascore match rating of just 5.8 his worst performance since signing for the club.

The whole team massively underperformed today, so it would not be a surprise if Lopetegui makes a number of changes for next weekend's game against Aston Villa, with Nunes undoubtedly in line to lose his place in the starting XI.

Man Utd Fans Would Be "Unsatisfied" With Ownership Decision

Manchester United being taken over by Sir Jim Ratcliffe but still having the Glazers on board in some capacity wouldn't be something the Old Trafford faithful would be in favour of, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving the ownership situation of Manchester United?

As per The Times, Ratcliffe is said to be proposing a takeover deal that could allow Avram and Joel Glazer to remain in control of 20% of Manchester United.

The report states that Ratcliffe and his firm Ineos plan to buy a 'controlling stake' of over 50% of the Premier League giants, with 20% still being in the hands of the Glazers and the other 30% distributed between several investment groups.

Furthermore, The Telegraph have issued an update regarding the ownership situation, stating that 70-year-old Ratcliffe has demanded control of recruitment at Old Trafford immediately rather than waiting until the sale process has concluded, which is unlikely to be accepted by the Glazer family.

Ratcliffe is not the only person in the running to invest in Manchester United, with American private equity firm Carlyle and a Qatari consortium fronted by Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad also in the frame.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones believes that Manchester United supporters won't be content unless a 'full sale' of the club is completed.

When asked about whether Manchester United fans would want the Glazers to still have some influence, Jones told FFC: "It's something they won't welcome at all; their message is absolutely clear that they want a full sale and I think that it would be such a strange decision to get through this entire process, come out the other side and still have a fan base that is rattled and unsatisfied. That is a big PR fee I think, if they come out of this and they still haven't got the fans on board."

What next for Manchester United?

From an on-the-field point of view, Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag and his players can only focus on what lies ahead for them as the season reaches its business end.

The Red Devils sit fourth in the Premier League table on 63 points with six matches left to play, seven clear of Liverpool in fifth position having played a game less than their bitter rivals.

erik-ten-hag-manchester-united-aston-villa-predicted-lineup-premier-league-preview

Manchester United also have the excitement of being involved in the FA Cup final on June 3rd at Wembley Stadium, where they will be hoping to add another piece of silverware to their Carabao Cup triumph against Newcastle United in February.

With the ownership debacle continuing to linger in the background at Old Trafford, the Red Devils will be keen to finish the campaign in style before building towards 2023/24.

Spurs Prefer 35 y/o Over Three Other Manager Candidates

Tottenham Hotspur manager contender Julian Nagelsmann is still the top choice for the job despite their continued search around Europe regarding other candidates, says journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest manager news at Tottenham Hotspur?

Tottenham have been embroiled in a lengthy search to appoint a new manager to replace Antonio Conte permanently and former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann has been heavily linked with the vacancy.

As per The Telegraph, it may cost as much as £10 million in compensation for Spurs to install the 35-year-old as their new head coach as he is still technically on gardening leave at Bayern Munich.

The Daily Mail also report that Tottenham are in the hunt for a new sporting director to replace Fabio Paratici and Nagelsmann is keen for a new figure to be appointed in the role, with Brentford's technical director Lee Dykes and Johannes Spors having both been looked at.

Numerous alternative candidates have been linked to the Tottenham job, including Arne Slot, Ruben Amorim, Xabi Alonso, Ange Postecoglou and Brendan Rodgers.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones thinks that Spurs have explored the feasibility of hiring other candidates, though he isn't sure they are as attractive an option to the club as Nagelsmann.

Jones said: “It's been quite a slow process, because they see no point in rushing it now. I think it's interesting that those names keep cropping up of Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim and Arne Slot. And they are of interest, but if I'm totally honest, contacts close to Tottenham don't play them up that highly.

"But they do say that they're catching the interest of the board and that they've explored the potential of getting them.”

What next for Tottenham Hotspur?

While we wait to see who will be installed in the Tottenham dugout come the start of 2023/24, there is still the small matter of having to finish this term for Spurs, who have yet to find out if they will be competing in continental football next year.

As it stands, the Lilywhites sit in sixth position in the Premier League, six points off Manchester United, who are in fourth place and have played one game more than their divisional rivals.

Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason talks to Pedro Porro

Securing a Champions League slot looks to be a bridge too far for Spurs at present; however, managing to book themselves a place in the Europa League or Europa Conference League for next season is still an achievable feat.

Ryan Mason will hope he can rally his side for their last three fixtures against Aston Villa, Brentford and Leeds United to get some form of European qualification over the line.

Wolves Have Jimenez Heir In Excellent Academy Stara

As the 2022/23 Premier League season comes to a close, Wolverhampton Wanderers have time to reflect on a below-par campaign.

Survival has been confirmed, and Julen Lopetegui can look towards the final three fixtures of this campaign before aiming to improve his squad in the summer.

When the Spaniard took over from Bruno Lage early into the season, the club were threatened with relegation and in a bleak run of form.

The former Real Madrid coach turned things around in his short time in the Midlands and will get the chance to impose his style on the squad during the summer interval.

There have been a number of rumours regarding players potentially departing and arriving at Molineux already ahead of the transfer window, however, when it comes to recruiting for the future, Wolves may not need to look further than their academy.

One name has emerged as one to watch in the future, with 18-year-old Irishman Nathan Fraser having the potential to be an heir to Raul Jimenez in the striker role.

Who is Nathan Fraser?

The Wolverhampton-born forward has worked his way through Wolves’ academy and has shone as the club's top-scorer in the U21s throughout the Premier League 2 top division.

The club's academy side was promoted to the Premier League 2’s Division 1 last season, where Fraser contributed to a goal in just two appearances at the age of 17.

This season, the forward has enjoyed a breakout year, finding the net seven times in 23 appearances, starting every game and cementing himself as a star player for the academy team.

What is notable is that the Ireland U19 international has scored his goals in various ways, netting two with his left foot, two with his right and three with his head, showing his strength in finishing and versatility in front of goal.

The youngster was praised as being “inquisitive” by U21 head coach James Collins, in learning the importance of being influential off the ball when playing at a higher level in the academy at such a young age.

Further described by Collins as being "excellent" the "hard-working" striker has found his feet in the academy at just 18 years of age.

Fraser was praised for his "dangerous" style of play by Irish football analyst Mark Broomy, most notably for his strengths in the air where he acts as a “target man” when leading the line.

That's certainly echoed through his three-headed goals this season and supports claims that he could follow in Jimenez's footsteps in leading Wolves' attack in the future.

Indeed, the Mexican has made a name for himself as a bullish proposition for opposing defenders, scoring eight of his 40 Premier League goals with his head.

Born in 2005, Fraser has a bright future ahead of him, and was selected by Lopetegui to train with the first team when he first joined the club back in November. The question is, however, could he one day be the heir to Jimenez? He has all the attributes to do so.

3-4-3 Boss "In The Race" For Spurs Job

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly considering an approach for Sporting CP boss, Ruben Amorim, with chairman Daniel Levy still deciding on a suitable candidate for the club's managerial vacancy.

What's the latest on Amorim to Spurs?

According to journalist, Rudy Galetti, the 38-year-old remains in the running to take on the top job at N17, having also previously been linked with a move to rivals Chelsea prior to Mauricio Pochettino's recent agreement with the Blues.

Writing on Twitter regarding that developing situation, the respected insider revealed: "Tottenham bench: Ruben Amorim – current Sporting manager – is among the names still in the race.

"To date, the talks between Nagelsmann and THFC are stalled and the [English] club is exploring other profiles: evolving situation."

As Galetti noted above, ex-Bayern Munich man Julian Nagelsmann is no longer believed to be a candidate for the position, while fellow target Xabi Alonso has also seemingly ruled out a move to north London.

Would Amorim be a good appointment for Spurs?

It has been another frustrating week in Levy's search for a successor to Antonio Conte following the recent news surrounding both Nagelsmann and Alonso, although in Amorim, the Lilywhites could well find a dream alternative and a highly-regarded figure.

As Manchester City counterpart Pep Guardiola stated earlier this year, the emerging coach is arguably "one of the best" in the game at present, having guided his current side to a league and cup double during the 2020/21 campaign.

The former Braga boss also followed up that success after winning both the Portuguese League Cup and Super Cup last season, having "achieved an incredible amount in his brief coaching career", according to writer Zach Lowy.

Sporting's Ruben Amorim

The Lisbon native – who typically favours a 3-4-3 formation – has also been hailed as "the most exciting young manager in European football" in the recent past by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke, with that a further indication of the potential diamond that Levy could have on his hands.

Tottenham saw first-hand the quality of Amorim's work when Sporting met the north Londoners in the Champions League earlier in the campaign, with the Primeira Liga side running out 2-0 winners on home soil, before holding Conte's men to a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture.

The young tactician also endeared himself to his potential future employers by dumping Arsenal out of the Europa League in the round of 16 stage earlier this year, further showcasing his ability to better English opposition.

That impressive body of work bodes well for the impact that Amorim could make at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Levy needing to keep the one-time Casa Pia gem in mind as the club's managerial search hots up.

£34m Signing Could Unlock Porro At Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly eyeing up one of their former players in Sporting CP star Marcus Edwards and the Englishman could help to unlock Pedro Porro with the Lilywhites.

Could Spurs sign Marcus Edwards?

Last month 90min reported that scouts from Aston Villa, Liverpool, Newcastle United and Spurs had all been to watch Edwards in a Europa League game against Juventus, which suggests that he could certainly be on his way to the Premier League this summer.

Spurs let Edwards go as a youngster as he joined Portuguese side Vitoria in 2019 having made just one senior appearance during his time in north London, despite Mauricio Pochettino likening him to Lionel Messi.

He would catch the eye with Vitoria, contributing an impressive 20 goals and 14 assists in 90 appearances and later earned a move to Portuguese giants Sporting.

Daniel Levy inserted a significant 50% sell-on fee in the deal for the talented young winger but that became just 35% when Spurs signed Pedro Porro from the same outfit in the January transfer window.

Therefore, if Spurs are forced to pay Edwards' reported £52m release clause to bring him back to the club this summer, he will actually only cost around £34m due to the money made from the sell-on.

Could Edwards help to unlock Porro?

The Lilywhites will pay £39.7m to make Porro's move permanent in the summer transfer window but have perhaps not seen the best form of the right wing-back thus far, certainly from a defensive perspective, with only five clubs boasting a worse defensive record than Spurs in the top flight.

However, he has looked good going forwards, with two goals and two assists in just 13 Premier League appearances, which suggests that he could be a big threat for Spurs from an attacking perspective next season.

Tottenham Hotspur interim manager Ryan Mason talks to Pedro Porro

At Sporting, he registered two goals and six assists in just 14 league appearances, so is clearly a creative outlet and could do extremely well when paired with a right-winger who likes to cut inside to make space for him to overlap.

As per WhoScored, the 24-year-old Edwards excels at dribbling and coincidentally likes to cut inside onto his stronger left foot from the right, which could allow his former teammate to prosper in north London.

It's a combination that certainly worked in Portugal with Ruben Amorim waxing lyrical over their ability to make things happen following interest from other clubs in the duo last January: "We know the amount of attacks that go through Porro and Edwards, nobody is blind here," he said.

The Englishman's performances at Sporting have further seen him labelled as "immense" by journalist Brian Fonseca, while he was dubbed a "generational talent" in the past by Sid Lowe, so he is certainly highly rated across Europe.

Porro himself admitted that it has been a difficult start to life at Spurs, not helped by the fact that he's on his third manager already, but he is still only 23 and could have a bright future in the Premier League.

If the Lilywhites do want to persevere with the Spaniard, what better way to help him settle than by bringing in his former teammate with whom he thrived down the right-hand side at Sporting?

Arsenal could sign "extraordinary" ace in £52m swoop

Arsenal are expected to have a busy summer, as the memorable 2022/23 campaign comes to a close with just 90 minutes left to play.

The Gunners have enjoyed an emphatic season, seeing them bring Champions League football back to the Emirates, and record their first top-two finish since 2016.

While returning to the pinnacle of European football was to be celebrated, the narrative of the campaign was Mikel Arteta’s side leading the way and agonisingly missing out on winning their first Premier League title since 2004.

As the summer transfer window approaches, Arsenal will look to strengthen in areas that denied them of the perfect season, in the bid to hit similar heights next term.

What’s the latest on Ansu Fati to Arsenal?

As reported by The Independent – relayed by football.london – Barcelona ace Ansu Fati could be on the move to north London this summer.

The report speculates that Arsenal have been “offered” the chance to sign the 20-year-old, who has been short of game time at Camp Nou.

Valued at €60m (£52m) by the CIES Football Observatory, it’s rumoured that the club are “yet to confirm” whether their interest in the young forward is reciprocated, as per the report.

What could Ansu Fati bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as potentially being Barcelona’s “heir to Lionel Messi”, the Bissau-born Spanish international made his debut at just 16 after rising through the ranks at La Masia.

Likened to Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli by FBref, the two wide players are statistically similar in their approach to the game from the flanks, potentially giving Arteta significant strength in depth and a headache regarding team selection.

Like the Brazilian, the Barcelona ace is extremely direct in his eye to burst in the final third, as shown by his numbers over the past year, despite not being rewarded with sufficient game time.

Ansu Fati

As per FBref, Fati ranks in the top 1% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year in terms of attempts on goal, averaging a monstrous 4.01 shots per 90 – with Martinelli scoring 2.52 in the same area.

Arsenal’s No 11 is extremely tactile in the penalty area, as seen through the Gunners’ style of play, which could suit the style of the "extraordinary" Spaniard, as hailed by Xavi, who hits similar numbers to the Brazilian where he is most impressive.

The 21-year-old averages 6.99 touches per 90 in the attacking penalty area, with the £199k-per-week La Liga star scoring higher with 7.73 per 90, showing the calibre of talent Arteta could get his hands on this summer.

If Fati was to make the switch to north London, he could rival Arsenal’s joint-highest goalscorer, who despite looking untouchable in Arteta’s setup, could revel in competition with a player as influential as the 20-year-old.

Martinelli’s rise to becoming a firm starter at the club has come through his ability to rise to the competition, with even this season being left out for Leandro Trossard, for example at Villa Park, in which he responded with a goal when coming off the bench.

The Gunners losing out on the title was partly attributable to their lack of squad depth, which was, in this case, most notably in defence, but when you review the depth of talent in Manchester City’s locker, quality in numbers is required all over the field.

Only time will tell if Arsenal make the move to lure the Spaniard away from his home in Catalonia, though what is certain is the positive influence he would have on Arteta’s budding squad.

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