Manchester United are still very active in the transfer market despite the summer window closing on Friday, and now a new update has emerged on a potential late move.
What's the latest Man United transfer news?
According to German transfer journalist Christian Falk, Man United are discussing a potential "swap loan deal" with Bayern Munich for Scott McTominay and Ryan Gravenberch.
Falk revealed on social media:
"TRUE. Bayern is interested in Scott McTominay. Also a swap loan deal with Ryan Gravenberch is discussed."
Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…
Such a move could well be bad news for the injured Mason Mount.
How long is Mason Mount injured for?
Erik ten Hag has had to deal with a number of issues plaguing the opening weeks of the Premier League campaign, with injuries mounting and concerning performances on the pitch.
New signing Mason Mount has struggled to make an impressive impact in the centre of the pitch following his £60m move to Old Trafford, and has now suffered a setback with a thigh injury.
Indeed, that will be enough to reportedly keep him out of the match-day squad until at least the end of September, as per Premier League Injuries.
What is Ryan Gravenberch good at?
As a result, the signing of Gravenberch could be a great opportunity for Ten Hag to not only offload McTominay, but add quality depth in the midfield presence and provide Mount with strong competition.
The £151k-per-week midfielder is no stranger to the former Ajax coach as he broke through the Dutch club's academy to become a first-team regular, before moving last summer to Bayern Munich when Ten Hag moved to Manchester.
The now Man United boss was extremely fond of the Netherlands prodigy and waxed lyrical about Gravenberch whilst working with him back in 2022:
"Ryan is a very young player," Ten Hag claimed.
"He's very important for our team because he's a box-to-box player. He accelerates out of positional play, does good dribbling, has tremendous passing ability and participates in the build-up play.
"Due to his athleticism and physique, he is also strong in the transition game and can also win the balls. He's come a long way, but can still learn a lot."
Despite finding himself lacking in game-time with the Bundesliga champions, Gravenberch has still managed to maintain his high standards when given opportunities.
Indeed, he ranks in the top 25% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues per 90 minutes for shots on goal, successful take-ons, tackles, progressive passes and shot-creating actions.
Mason Mount
Not only that, when comparing Gravenberch's output to Mount's last season, the two midfielders came close in a number of key attributes including shots on target rate (27.3% v 27.3%), pass completion rate (87.4% v 75.2% in favour of Gravenberch), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.91 v 3.11), percentage of dribblers tackled (52.8% v 51.9%) and aerial duels won (40% v 39.1%), as per FBref.
With that being said, if Ten Hag could secure the signing of a "top talent" such as Gravenberch over the remaining days of the window it would certainly pose as bad news to Mount.
However, it would give United a player who can not only bolster the midfield presence in the absence of the Englishman, but also slot in perfectly due to his already sound understanding of the manager's philosophy and style of play.
Everton have made a deadline day approach to sign Leeds United forward Luis Sinisterra, and a fresh report has revealed the latest on both the pursuit of the Colombian and Wilfried Gnonto.
Who is leaving Leeds?
Since putting pen to paper at Elland Road from Feyenoord last summer, Sinisterra has made a total of 26 appearances for Daniel Farke’s side, but after just one campaign, there’s a strong possibility that he could be on the move before the close of play tonight.
The Whites’ left-winger still has another four years remaining on his contract, but having established himself as his club’s third best-performing player last term, according to WhoScored, he’s been attracting interest from Sean Dyche in the Premier League.
Back in August, Football Transfers reported that the Toffees were considering a move for the 24-year-old, but since then, the noise surrounding any kind of possible deal significantly quietened down due to the revived move for Gnonto instead, which now looks likely to go ahead.
The Goodison Park outfit have already confirmed the loan arrival of Jack Harrison and are believed to have re-entered talks over a transfer for Gnonto, as per the same outlet, but club chiefs appear to be aiming to secure a hat-trick of players from Yorkshire by landing the Colombia international.
Leeds United forwardLuis Sinisterra.
Are Everton signing Luis Sinisterra?
According to The Daily Mail's Simon Jones (via Goodison News), Everton have "asked" Leeds about a late deal for Sinisterra in a last-ditch attempt to bring him to Merseyside.
The Blues have also "revived their interest" in West Ham United's Maxwel Cornet, a switch that could take place with David Moyes' side having already moved to secure Juventus' Filip Kostic as his replacement.
How many goals has Luis Sinisterra scored?
During his time at Leeds, Sinisterra has nine contributions (eight goals and one assist) to his name which shows how much of a positive impact he can make in the final third, and having also been dubbed the “Colombian Flash” for his pace by members of the media, he could be a fantastic addition for Everton.
Farke’s £65k-per-week earner has additionally produced a total of 13 shot-creating actions so far this season which is more than any of his fellow teammates, via FBRef, not to mention how strong his link-up play is with a 92.6% pass success rate in the second tier, which is higher than any of Dyche’s squad have achieved to date.
Read The Latest Everton Transfer News HERE…
The Toffees target also has the ability to operate in five various positions, including everywhere across the frontline and even two roles in the midfield, so he could provide the boss with some welcome versatility which will allow him to tinker with his team selection, alongside being useful for if any unexpected injuries were to occur.
Finally, Sinisterra shares the same agent, Wasserman, as Andre Gomes and Joao Virginia, so this existing connection that his representative has to the club could help them in communications when it comes to discussing a possible deal before 11pm this evening.
The transfer window has drawn to a close, and with it the furore across the country as fans welcome exciting new additions and agonisingly watch star players slip away.
The Premier League has seen a great deal of change since the market pitched its stalls back in June, with the English top-flight setting a new world-record league transfer expenditure; £2.36bn.
When Newcastle United underwent the PIF club takeover in October 2021, the genesis of a new, exciting era, all knew that lucrative additions would soon be welcomed with regularity, but few foresaw the level of astuteness and diligence that has catapulted the Tyneside outfit into Champions League football not two years on.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe.
Last season, the Magpies, led by the grounded and erudite Eddie Howe, bagged a spot in the top four ahead of the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, and while money has been spent, their business has been conducted with care and calculation; this summer, seven divisional rivals finished the window with a higher net spend.
The same could be said for the summer of 2022, and while the club did make a raft of signings the prior January, months after the transformative takeover, the moves were shrewd and purposeful.
Who was linked to Newcastle in January 2022?
Reforming the backline, Howe got to work and sealed deals for Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn and Matt Targett – the latter on loan and the others costing a combined £25m – while Bruno Guimaraes, the centrepiece of the midfield to this day, required a £40m outlay.
Chris Wood was also signed from Premier League relegation rivals Burnley for no small sum of £25m; the dovetailing of all these acquisitions resulted in a rise from the lower end of the league ladder and a comfortable 11th-place finish, with 49 points.
The rest is history, and the Toon will have no complaints after such an emphatic ascent, but given that the likes of Ousmane Dembele, James Tarkowski and Yves Bissouma were all on the radar, there is a sense that the club could have made several signings who would still play prominent roles to this day.
Regardless, things worked out to say the least, but one deal that fell by the wayside is the expensive deal to sign Wood, with the New Zealand international shipped on after making a minimal mark at St. James' Park.
Why did Newcastle sign Chris Wood?
Joining from Burnley, there's a feeling that as Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth made their move to sign a new focal frontman, the 31-year-old was targeted to weaken Sean Dyche's Clarets, who were direct relegation rivals at the time.
TalkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor remarked at the "strange, strange signing", also saying that "there was talk of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and all these superstars coming and they’ve gone and got a striker who’s scored three goals this season."
Admittedly, it worked out; the Magpies took flight and have been soaring ever since while the Turf Moor side were left moored in the bottom three and fell into the Championship after six successive years in the Premier League, albeit returning at the first time of asking last term.
However, the 70-cap All White only managed to post five goals from 39 outings for United across his 12 months at the club, scoring twice in the latter phase of the 21/22 league campaign and the same again before last season's winter transfer window, also netting against Tranmere Rovers in last term's Carabao Cup.
The £80k-per-week forward's most notable moment for Howe's high-rising side probably came against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup last season, placed through on goal in the 81st minute with the Magpies trailing 2-1 before inexplicably cannoning his shot above the goal.
Perhaps such a blunder was enough to dissuade Howe from selecting him again; a few weeks later, he was moved on to Nottingham.
How much did Newcastle sell Chris Wood for?
The fact that he was shipped out on loan in January with a £15m obligation to buy in the summer – which has now been activated – emphasises how wide of the mark this transfer misdealing truly was.
However, given that Wood has only scored twice from 12 appearances for the Tricky Trees (albeit missing 11 matches at the end of last season due to injury), it looks like Newcastle cashed in for an exorbitant amount for a player whose best days are ostensibly behind him.
Once a consistent striker on England's biggest stage, the Auckland-born ace plundered 53 goals from 165 displays for Burnley and was the starring talisman as they trod water above the danger zone year upon year, hitting double digits in the Premier League from 2017/18 – 2020/21.
Once described as a "first-class" forward by Premier League icon Peter Crouch, Wood is arguably the biggest blunder of the Howe era at Newcastle, but given the money recuperated, it certainly could have been a lot worse.
What is Chris Wood worth now?
Indeed, according to Football Transfers' valuation model, Wood is now valued at just £4m, having seen his cutting edge in front of goal dry up like a puddle in the sun over the past few years.
He's even been said to have been "a bit lost" at St. James' Park prior to his sale by pundit and former Hibernian striker Tam McManus, who acknowledged that he was a "decent squad player' but unlikely to ever reclaim a role of significance.
His situation was compounded by the club-record £63m signing of exciting forward Alexander Isak in August 2022, who has been described as "a unicorn for his mixture of size & technical ability" by Kev Lawson.
The prolific success of Callum Wilson also pushed Wood further onto the periphery, who has not really proved Howe and Ashworth wrong in their decision to ship him on since his sale, despite scoring a last-gasp headed winner for Forest against Sheffield United in the Premier League last month.
Still a competent forward at top level, Wood's signing and subsequent sale was symbolic of the arresting development at Newcastle under Howe's stewardship.
Signed to aid the club in their travails against relegation, the Magpies transcended their struggles in quick time and now look set for sustained pursuit of silverware and success in the upper echelon of the Premier League, and Wood got left behind.
Manchester United's start to the season has been a fairly messy one on multiple fronts.
On the pitch, United have made a shaky start to their Premier League campaign. Two unconvincing home wins and two defeats away to continue the side's woes on their travels have left them in the bottom half of the table going into the international break.
Off the pitch hasn't been much better either. Delays in the transfers they've conducted meant the side rushed to make three signings on deadline day. Frustrations in the fanbase has also continued to build with rumours that the Glazer family are planning to take the club off the market after months of sale negotiations.
Just when supporters thought they may be a break in the drama surrounding the club thanks to the two-week break, they were wrong.
Jadon Sancho, who is yet to start a game this season, came out and criticised manager Erik ten Hag following their late 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.
Why have Sancho and Ten Hag fallen out?
Sancho was conspicuous by his absence after the former Man City academy player was left out of the squad for the trip to the Emirates. His manager revealed after the game that the winger hadn't been selected "based on performances in training."
This comment clearly irked Sancho, as he took to social media to dispute these claims.
The Englishman, who joined the Red Devils for £73m, said the following:
"Please don't believe everything you read! I will not allow people saying things that is completely untrue. I have conducted myself very well in training this week."
Sancho continued by claiming he's "been made a scapegoat for a long time" and in a possible attempt to appease the Old Trafford faithful by saying "I will continue to fight for this badge no matter what!"
Man United's Jadon Sancho
It has since come out that tension has been brewing between player and manager for a long time.
Taking to his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano cleared up a few of the details surrounding this latest saga. "He [Sancho] believes there is something else not related to his training performances and this is why he was not selected."
"Ten Hag believes that he did his best for Sancho to help him in a difficult a moment last season."
While the Dutchman may believe he looked after his player when he took a substantial break from the team, it later surfaced that the tension may stem from this.
Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail reported that Sancho and his camp were unhappy as Manchester United "did not obtain permission to publicly confirm that his mental state was suffering." However, Ten Hag does not believe he did anything untoward and felt he was supportive of the player through this period.
Sancho's outburst last week has seemingly not gone down well with his teammates. ESPN states that "the players accept and respect Ten Hag's firm approach because it applies without exceptions to squad members, regardless of their status, and that Sancho's reaction has gone down badly within the dressing room."
How many goals has Sancho scored for Man United?
Sancho has not lived up to expectations since signing in 2021. He has only registered 12 goals and six assists in 82 games.
Last season, the former Dortmund star achieved a Sofascore rating of just 6.85. This was below the likes of Antony, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes, who all play in similar positions to the England international.
Ten Hag has shown he can be ruthless when players are not behind him. Case in point, Cristiano Ronaldo. It remains to be seen if Sancho receives similar treatment.
If he does though, there may be someone waiting in the wings ready to step up and take his place. That person is Amad Diallo.
When did Amad join Manchester United?
Amad officially signed for the club in January 2021 after a £37m deal was agreed with Atalanta the previous summer.
The winger only made five appearances for the Italian club, scoring once in that time. But his performances in their youth set up was enough to convince the United hierarchy to splash the cash to bring him to the North West on a £29k-per-week deal.
Amad came highly recommended and with a lot of potential. Former Italian goalkeeper Giovanni Galli revealed to Football Italia the moment he first laid eyes on the electric forward.
Translated via the Daily Mail, Galli said "Amad was tremendous. Great technical skills, outstanding personality. They [Amad and his brother] They were on another level."
He made a bright start to life at his new club, scoring on his Old Trafford debut in a 1-1 draw against AC Milan in the Europa League.
Soccer Football – Europa League – Round of 16 First Leg – Manchester United v AC Milan – Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain – March 11, 2021 Manchester United’s Amad Diallo celebrates scoring their first goal REUTERS/Phil Noble
He went on to make a handful of appearances for the club before it was decided he needed more first-team experience in order to develop.
Diallo joined Scottish side Rangers on loan during the 2022 January transfer window. He once again got off to a flyer, scoring on his debut. However, things didn't continue in that trajectory. He ended up making 13 appearances in all competitions, scoring three times and was not involved in the side's historic run to the Europa League final.
His lackluster loan spell left people wondering if he was ready to make the step up at a club the size of Manchester United.
A second chance came knocking the following season, and it was an opportunity Amad took with both hands.
How did Amad Diallo do at Sunderland?
The young winger made the loan move to Sunderland last summer and his performances made himself a fan favourite with the Mackems.
With the Black Cats returning to the Championship after a four-year stint in League One, they were looking to make an impact. Diallo helped massively with that. He scored 14 goals and registered four assists as Sunderland managed to make the play-offs.
In the play-offs, Amad showed up in style, scoring a screamer against eventual promotion winners Luton Town.
Sunderland's number 16 made such an impact with his exhilarating displays, that he was named PFA Fans Championship player of the season. He truly is the "very special" talent that ITV pundit Courtney Sweetman-Kirk suggested.
He had arrived and done enough to convince people that he was ready to move to the next level.
Amad's Career Stats
Atalanta
5
1
0
Manchester United
9
1
1
Rangers
13
3
0
Sunderland
42
14
4
What happens next for Amad?
The 21-year-old returned to Manchester following his loan spell and played an important part in the early pre-season games. His energy and direct attacking flair were impressive to see. It showed a player full of confidence following his most productive season of his professional career.
Unfortunately, the attacker's development was cut short after suffering a knee injury during the club's tour of the United States.
United confirmed in a club statement that "unfortunately, he has also been ruled out of the first part of the 2023/24 campaign, and we await further details on his estimated recovery date, with the home league clash against Wolverhampton Wanderers up first for Erik ten Hag's Reds on Monday 14 August."
It is since believed the youngster has undergone surgery on his injury, which will slow down his recovery.
The problem has not only prevented him from being part of United's squad in the early season, but has also meant he has missed out on a potential loan deal, with many rumoured suitors pulling their interest.
With the latest developments surrounding Sancho, Amad's injury may be a blessing in disguise. After all, his trickery down the flanks paints him out as the perfect replacement.
Aston Villa have been a team inspired by the arrival of Unai Emery, with the Spaniard installing a new level of aspiration to the squad at Villa Park.
The former Arsenal manager took the reins from Steven Gerrard in October 2022, transforming the outlook in the Midlands by guiding the club from 16th to 7th in less than a year in charge.
The squad, the staff and the fans seem to have adapted as well as possible to the four-time Europa League winners’ style, with only Pep Guardiola as of the end of August winning more points in the Premier League this year than Emery.
Along with making vast improvements on the pitch, the Spaniard orchestrated a successful summer transfer window, securing the signatures of five new faces welcomed in order to bolster the squad.
Emery, joined by his former Sevilla colleague Monchi, broke the club’s transfer record fee to obtain Moussa Diaby, confirming the signing of their number one target in a deal worth £51.9m.
This summer, Villa were able to deliver their primary target, however, this hasn’t always been the case, with one of Dean Smith’s wanted men failing to make the move to Villa Park as hoped.
Moussa Diaby
Bayer Leverkusen
£51.9m
Pau Torres
Villarreal
£33m
Nicolo Zaniolo
Galatasaray
Loan
Youri Tielemans
Leicester City
Free
Clement Lenglet
Barcelona
Loan
Looking back, the signing of Emile Smith Rowe could have been an integral addition to the squad as it is today, but Smith learned the hard way that things aren’t always possible in the transfer market.
Did Aston Villa nearly sign Emile Smith Rowe?
Rewind to the summer of 2021, and Arsenal starlet Smith-Rowe was the playmaker wanted at Villa Park when the team was led by Dean Smith.
It was reported at the time that the Midlands side had two bids rejected for the midfielder, who was a 20-year-old at the time, with the highest offer being in the region of £30m.
Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe.
This summer, it was deja vu at Villa Park, with Emery speculated to be eyeing a reunion with SmithRowe, as talkSPORT claimed that Villa were back on the Englishman’s tail.
Why didn’t Aston Villa sign Smith Rowe?
As well as Villa, Chelsea were linked to the 23-year-old, however, the outcome has remained the same as it did in 2021, with the Hale End graduate remaining in north London.
Arsenal were adamant on both occasions that their number 10 was not for sale, with him being a favoured member of the squad having been at the club since the age of just 10 years old.
It wasn’t a case of the Gunners wanting more funds, but more the case that the attacker was not permitted to leave the club due to how highly he is regarded in north London.
What is Smith-Rowe doing now?
It was understandable why Smith was eyeing the Arsenal youngster in 2021, as the midfielder contributed to 14 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions in the 2020/21 campaign, scoring seven and assisting seven.
The interest in the Englishman seemed to inspire his place in the squad at the Emirates, as the season after, he became a regular squad member for his boyhood club.
In 33 Premier League appearances, the Londoner scored ten league goals, as well as registering two assists to showcase just the level he could operate at if given the chance.
The 2021/22 campaign marked a high point in his career, and unfortunately, the youngster has been unable to reach such levels since then due to a lack of game time and opportunity in the squad.
While it’s celebrated for those associated with Arsenal that Mikel Arteta has discovered his best XI, Smith Rowe is an outsider to the favoured line-up, having made just 15 appearances since his impressive 2021/22 season.
This term so far, the 23-year-old has been an unused substitute in all five of the Gunners’ Premier League games, making his unavailability in the transfer window all the more frustrating.
What is Smith-Rowe’s market value?
Villa bid £30m for the midfielder in 2021, which was a fair offer considering that the England U21 star had an expected transfer value (xTV) of €21m (£18m) and was in the process of signing a contract extension with his club, via Football Transfers.
Emile Smith Rowe of Arsenal
The academy graduate’s value hit a high the following summer, as it soared to €39.8m (£34m), however with his game time restricted due to competition in the current squad, his expected value has decreased dramatically.
At present, Smith-Rowe is valued at just €13.6m (£11.7m), telling of how disused his services are in north London of late.
What are Emile Smith Rowe's best qualities?
The summer that Smith was pushing to sign Smith-Rowe, Villa replenished their creative talents and the loss of Jack Grealish with Emiliano Buendia instead, who posed as an alternative to the Englishman positionally.
While it was evident that Villa would’ve preferred to have equipped both players to their squad, the Argentine was the only player out of the two to be delivered to the Midlands, making the £38m move from Norwich.
Former Norwich attacker Emi Buendia.
In hindsight, signing the Englishman may have been the better choice with the knowledge of how the former Canaries ace’s Villa career has gone so far, with Smith Rowe having the capability to thrive to a higher level in the top-flight.
The season after the interest, Smith-Rowe had a hand in 12 goals for Arsenal, while Buendia contributed towards ten for Villa, scoring four to the Gunners star’s ten that campaign.
Away from goal contributions, the England U21 international put in some more assured performances on the pitch compared to Buendia, as highlighted by his averages that campaign.
As per FBref, Smith-Rowe registered a pass completion rate of 82.9% per 90 as well as recording an average of 3.05 progressive carries per 90 for his boyhood club, showcasing his strengths in ball carrying and distribution.
Such traits saw him lauded and notably compared to a former Villan. Indeed, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino said in 2021 that the Gunners starlet has "got that Jack Grealish about him."
Buendia happened to fall short in both decimals during his debut season at Villa Park, maintaining a pass completion rate of only 78.8% and making an average of 1.90 progressive carries per 90; hardly a talent worthy of replacing Grealish.
Lauded as “incredibly prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his scoring rate of 0.47 non-penalty goals per 90 in the 2021/22 campaign, Smith Rowe showed Villa just what they were missing, with the Villans’ new arrival averaging just 0.19 per 90.
Following his four goals in his debut season, Buendia has only added five more to his tally in the Premier League, with his level of performance in the Championship not yet translated to the top flight.
Smith was unfortunate not to have obtained Smith Rowe, who was simply not for sale at the time of his interest, however, with hindsight in mind, the Midlands side will look back wishing that the situation had been different at the time.
Arsenal are now keeping close tabs on a winger who's been compared to Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, according to a report.
Are Arsenal signing a winger?
The Gunners had a relatively busy summer transfer window, during which they strengthened in a number of key areas, but they did not bring in any back-up options for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, despite being linked with several options.
At the very start of the summer, it was reported that Mikel Arteta had four targets in mind, namely Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Moussa Diaby and Wilfried Zaha, but the manager ultimately opted to stick with the wingers he already had at his disposal.
However, ahead of the January transfer window, it now seems likely the north London club will renew their interest in a winger, having recently made it clear they are interested in Club Brugge wonderkid Antonio Nusa, who's been compared to Neymar.
Another young option for Arsenal is Borussia Dortmund starlet Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, with Dean Jones revealing he could be on Arteta's shortlist, as the manager is on the lookout for "new alternatives out wide."
However, it has now been reported that the Gunners could move for a more established winger, with The Mirror detailing they are one of three Premier League clubs keeping a close eye on Paris Saint-Germain forward Ousmane Dembele.
Tottenham and West Ham United are also named as potential suitors for Dembele, who has not gotten off to the start he would have liked after completing a move to the Parc des Princes from Barcelona in the summer, joining in a £50m deal.
The Frenchman is without a goal in his first five games for PSG, sparking calls for him to be dropped, although the report makes it clear it is unlikely they will consider a sale this early into his career with the club.
However, if the French champions change their stance ahead of the January transfer window, then Arsenal could be waiting in the wings, with Arteta searching for a forward player capable of taking the burden off Saka and Martinelli.
Why did Ousmane Dembele leave Barcelona?
The 26-year-old decided to leave Barca for a number of reasons, but a key factor was learning that the La Liga club had explored the option of sending him and Gavi on loan to PSG in exchange for Mbappe, indicating he was not viewed as an important player.
The former Barca man has been compared to his new teammate in the past, with Spanish football expert Terry Gibson saying: "Dembele can be just as effective as Mbappe. He can be unplayable at times"
During his time with the Spanish club, the France international went through phases of being very impressive, picking up 13 assists in 21 La Liga games in the 2021-22 season, but he did not perform at that level consistently enough.
As such, Arsenal should be wary about shelling out a huge fee on the forward, but if he is available for a cut-price amount, then it could definitely be worth pursuing a deal in the January transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be "very keen" on what one high-earning player could offer them as they eye up a January move to sign him.
Who will Spurs sign in January?
Spurs will be boosted by the confirmed appointment of new technical director Johan Lange on November 1, with the Aston Villa chief coming in to replace ex-director Fabio Paratici and is to work under new Chief Football Officer Scott Munn. Ange Postecoglou's arrival has already rejuvenated Tottenham following the departure of ex-boss Antonio Conte earlier this year, with table-topping Spurs currently sitting first in the Premier League standings.
The Lilywhites have won six out a possible eight games so far this season, all while displaying their free-flow, attack-minded style of "Ange-ball" to thrilled supporters. However, that isn't to say they won't be busy in the January transfer window. Tottenham fans could see another central defender come in as back up for Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, especially considering Eric Dier currently isn't favoured and looks likely to leave next year when his contract expires next year. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba have all been linked with moves to N17.
Meanwhile, new strikers like Santiago Gimenez and a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have been mooted as possibilities also. Speaking of successors for Hojbjerg, one very interesting name is being reported this week.
Kalvin Phillips transfer news
Man City midfielder Kalvin Phillips, who has found life increasingly difficult at Eastlands since his multi-million pound move from Leeds United in the summer of 2022, is set to find game time even more limited when Rodri returns from suspension after the international break. The England international, despite not being given many opportunities, has been praised by Pep Guardiola this season.
Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.
“He played really good today," said Guardiola after City's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest recently. "For the type of game that we needed, defensively and keeping the ball and run, he was amazing. I’m so pleased for him because he’s an incredible guy, never one bad face when he didn’t play the minutes."
Football Transfers, sharing the latest update on Kalvin Phillips and his future at City, say Tottenham are "very keen" on signing the £150,000-per-week midfielder (SpotRac). Spurs are admirers alongside the likes of Everton and Newcastle, and a move for Phillips is intriguing for Tottenham given the possibility he could rekindle his Leeds form. It's added that he is "likely" to leave Manchester.
Former Leeds midfielder Andrew Hughes, speaking to The Athletic, once called him a "very special" player, saying:
"He’s one-paced but he’s made that work for him and, in the end, it doesn’t matter. I’ve been lucky enough to watch training at Leeds and you see it with the midfielders — out early before the main sessions and making sure whichever team they’re going to be playing, they know where to take the ball and where to pass the ball. It’s about intelligence.
"The only way to get someone who can cover and do the same job perfectly is to spend £50 million, at least, that’s what a player like him costs. Rather than talking about how other players match up, you just have to accept he’s very special.”
Glasgow Rangers officially confirmed the appointment of their new head coach on Sunday as Philippe Clement has put pen to paper on a deal with the club.
The former AS Monaco boss has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract to manage the Scottish giants and, hopefully, bring success back to Ibrox over the coming months and years.
He has replaced English tactician Michael Beale after the former Liverpool coach failed to win a single trophy during his spell with the club.
Clement now has a job on his hands to get the supporters back onside and one way he could work towards doing that is by unleashing some of the younger players within the squad.
How many matches has Leon King played this season?
Leon King is yet to make a single senior appearance for the Rangers first-team during the 2023/24 campaign, and the talented youngster now has an opportunity to break back into the side with the clean slate that the Belgian boss' arrival has provided.
The Gers academy graduate, who ex-Light Blues defender Alan Hutton dubbed a “big Rolls Royce”, has played 31 games for the club to date and has proven that he has the ability to play competitive football for the Light Blues.
However, his only minutes so far this season have come for Scotland's U21 side as he lined up in a holding midfield position against Hungary U21s on Friday.
Sofascore rating
7.1
Interceptions
Three
Tackles
Two
Pass accuracy
78%
Duel success rate
67%
King's performance against Hungary U21s (via Sofascore)
The rarely-seen 19-year-old ace made a combined five tackles and interceptions and no Rangers player (minimum two appearances) has made more than 3.9 tackles and interceptions combined per game in the Scottish Premiership so far this season.
How did King perform last season?
King showcased his reliability in possession along with his defensive strength across 15 league outings for Gio van Bronckhorst and Beale last term.
The 6 foot enforcer completed 88% of his attempted passes and only five Rangers players have recorded a better percentage than that this season, which speaks to how consistent the youngster was on the ball for the Scottish giants.
He also dominated opposition attackers with a ground duel success rate of 67%, which shows that the central defender is able to come out on top in the majority of his physical battles on the deck.
Glasgow Rangers defender Leon King.
Rangers have conceded five goals in their last three matches in all competitions and bringing in fresh blood could help to improve their backline for the upcoming matches after the international break.
Clement will surely want to have an instant impact on the side and that is why he could secure an early blinder by unleashing the rarely-seen King from the start.
He is an academy product whose inclusion could get supporters at Ibrox excited, as the talented teen is a homegrown star, and his aforementioned statistics suggest that the defensive skills are there for him to improve the side with his dominance and potential to make tackles and interceptions on a regular basis.
Clement, who worked with talented young centre-backs Benoit Badisahile and Axel Disasi with Monaco, must now provide King with an opportunity to prove his worth for the Scottish giants for the first time this season.
Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season and made the move to appoint Daniel Farke as their new head coach.
The German boss has been brought in to win promotion back to the big time at the first time of asking and has a proven track record of being able to get out of the Championship, with two title wins during his spell with Norwich City.
Points
94
97
Goals for
93
75
Goals against
57
36
Games won
27
29
Farke's Championship title-winning seasons with Norwich (via Sky Sports):
He knows what it takes to make it up to the top-flight and has made a strong start to the current campaign with the club sitting fifth and in the play-off places after 11 matches.
One of the ex-Canaries coach's biggest strengths is his development and use of youth, as the 46-year-old tactician once stated that he likes to improve young players.
Charlie Cresswell is a player who could be the next ace to benefit from Farke's coaching as the talented youngster is a promising defender who could develop into being Joe Rodon 2.0 for the German boss.
Where did Cresswell start his career?
The centre-back has been with Leeds since the age of 11 in 2013 and has progressed his way through the ranks at Thorp Arch before making his way into the first-team squad.
He emerged as an option at U18 level during the 2018/19 campaign and played four FA Youth Cup matches in that term and the subsequent season combined, in which time the towering ace contributed with an impressive two goals and one assist.
Cresswell played his first game against a first-team outfit in the 2020/21 season as he lined up at centre-back for Leeds' U21 side against Blackpool in the EFL Trophy.
His team lost the game 3-0 but that did not stop him from producing an outstanding defensive display. As per Sofascore, the young ace made six clearances, seven tackles, and one block. He also won 14 of his 17 physical duels throughout the match as the English titan proved himself to be ready to deal with the physicality of the professional game.
Cresswell made 21 Premier League 2 appearances throughout the rest of that campaign and then went on to make his first-team debut the following year.
The Thorp Arch graduate played five Premier League matches during the 2021/22 season, with four of them coming under Marcelo Bielsa, and that included his debut as a starter against West Ham United.
Minutes played
90
% of duels won
50 (4/8)
Pass accuracy
75%
Possession lost
19x
Cresswell against West Ham September 2021 (via Sofascore)
His exposure to first-team football that term then led to his maiden loan away from Elland Road as the England U21 international completed a temporary switch to Millwall during the summer transfer window in 2022.
How did Cresswell perform for Millwall?
The £2.1k-per-week gem hit the ground running at the Den and enjoyed a terrific season as he proved himself to be capable of delivering quality performances on a consistent basis at Championship level.
Cresswell went on to play 28 league matches for Gary Rowett's side and caught the eye with his attacking impact and superb defensive contributions.
He made himself a huge threat from set-plays for Millwall and ended the campaign with four goals and two assists from a centre-back position.
Former Millwall loanee Charlie Cresswell.
As per FBRef, the Leeds loanee ranked within the top 7% of players in his position at Championship level for non-penalty goals per 90 and placed in the top 7% for xAG (Expected Assisted Goals) per 90.
Cresswell also made 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game along with a duel success rate of 60% over the course of the campaign in London.
His aerial dominance was on full display as the 6 foot 3 titan, whose heading ability was lauded as "powerful" by journalist Josh Bunting, ranked within the top 1% of his positional peers in the Championship for aerial battles won per 90 (5.77).
These statistics show that Cresswell has already proven himself to be an outstanding performer in the second tier in certain areas of the game, which is why he could be the long-term successor to Rodon at Elland Road.
How has Rodon performed this season?
The Wales international joined on a season-long loan from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer and has had a mixed start to his career in Yorkshire.
Rodon has played eight times in the Championship and been solid for the majority of his time on the pitch, barring a red card for two bookable offences against Hull City back in September.
Leeds defender Joe Rodon.
The 25-year-old ace has made 2.4 tackles and interceptions per game and showcased his aerial dominance with a duel success rate of 69% in the air, as per Sofascore.
As a right-footed player, Rodon has lined up on the right of the central defensive partnership, mainly next to Pascal Struijk, and that is a role that would suit Cresswell, who also prefers to play on that side.
What's next for Cresswell?
The giant enforcer should not worry too much about his lack of minutes this season, with one league start so far, as Farke and the club placed their faith in him with a new four-year contract over the summer.
This suggests that the German head coach still sees a future for Cresswell at Elland Road but Rodon has been brought in to be the first-choice in the here-and-now.
The Leeds youngster now, who was once dubbed "impressive" by the aforementioned Bunting, has more time to develop and improve in order to get to a point where he is ready to start week-in-week-out for the Whites in that right-sided centre-back position.
Rodon's loan comes to an end next summer and Cresswell has until then to prove to Farke that he can be the manager's next version of the Welsh titan and replace him for the 2024/25.
His impressive statistics for Millwall suggest that the 21-year-old ace is on the right track and he must use his current lack of game time as fuel to push him further in training and when the head coach does give him an opportunity to prove himself on the pitch.
One Leeds United player could leave Elland Road next year if the Whites aren’t promoted, with a club seemingly eyeing up a move.
Leeds United transfer update
The Whites have been undergoing a transformation both on and off the pitch after being relegated from the Premier League to the Championship last season. Now under the leadership of the 49ers Enterprises at boardroom level and Daniel Farke in the dugout, Leeds have made a steady start to the new season.
However, a 1-0 defeat to Stoke City on Wednesday evening which included a miss from the penalty spot by Patrick Bamford has seen Leeds fall nine points behind second-place Ipswich Town in the race for automatic promotion. The club did make nine new signings over the summer and plenty of players left Elland Road on loan and permanent transfers. One of those to depart was Marc Roca, and by the looks of things, his spell with Real Betis could continue into the 2024/25 season on one condition.
One outlet in Spain shared a Marc Roca transfer update in the last 48 hours, claiming that Betis manager Manuel Pellegrini has confidence in the midfielder. It is reported that Roca’s stay at Betis could be extended for another year, should Leeds fail to win promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking.
Leeds United defender Marc Roca.
Leeds United loan exits
Leeds saw plenty of first-team players exercise clauses in their contracts to leave on loan following relegation, one of which being Roca. The Spanish midfielder, labelled as “impressive” by former Bayern boss Julian Nagelsmann, has since gone on to make 12 appearances for the La Liga side, contributing to three goals. (Marc Roca stats – Transfermarkt)
Leeds loan exits
Current club
Marc Roca
Real Betis
Robin Koch
Frankfurt
Max Wober
Borussia Monchengladbach
Brenden Aaronson
Union Berlin
Jack Harrison
Everton
Luis Sinisterra
Bournemouth
Rasmus Kristensen
AS Roma
Diego Llorente
AS Roma
The player’s WhoScored rating has also improved since leaving Yorkshire, showing how he seems to have benefitted from a temporary Elland Road exit, with Roca saying about his return to Spain:
“Obviously it’s always positive to return home. I came through in La Liga. I started my career here and after three years abroad, between Germany and England, I really wanted to come to Betis. I’m very happy and very comfortable on the pitch.”
Therefore, depending on how Leeds get on between now and the end of the campaign, a permanent or another loan move for Roca with Betis could be one to keep an eye on, although the Whites will be hoping to be in a position where they can demand a fee for his services having won promotion under Farke.