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Tottenham Hotspur are now exploring a move for a “super” midfielder, as they remain keen on improving their options in the engine room, despite the signing of Conor Gallagher.

Spurs looking to sign another midfielder after Gallagher

Tottenham have officially completed the signing of Gallagher, with the central midfielder arriving from Atletico Madrid, and he has now made it clear just how happy he is to have made the move to north London.

The former Chelsea man has a wealth of experience in the Premier League, making 136 appearances across spells with the Blues, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion, while he also has 22 England caps to his name.

Thomas Frank will no doubt be hoping Gallagher can help his side to kick on between now and May, having struggled in the first half of the season, with Spurs taking just 27 points from their opening 21 matches.

However, it appears as though ENIC may not be done there, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing Tottenham are now exploring a move for Middlesbrough star Hayden Hackney, as they remain keen on making more additions to the squad before the end of the month.

The Championship club are reluctant to part ways with Hackney mid-way through the season, and they have set a £30m asking price, amid interest from Manchester United, with Michael Carrick said to be an admirer.

Fulham and Everton have also been linked with moves for the midfielder, and Boro are aware they will have to cash-in during the summer, should they fail to win promotion to the Premier League.

"Super" Hackney could be ready for Premier League move

Middlesbrough are faring well in their quest to return to the top flight, currently sitting in second place, and the 23-year-old has been one of their most important players, amassing three goals and six assists in 26 Championship outings.

The Redcar-born midfielder has captained the side since the end of November, showcasing his leadership abilities, and he has received plaudits from Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder, who once said: “We were playing against two very good central midfielders. I’ve watched Hayden Hackney from afar, seeing his career flourish.

Related Tottenham set sights on 'dream' signing after Conor Gallagher with approach made

Spurs are very keen.

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“There’s no better teacher for him than Michael, and he’ll enjoy the way Middlesbrough play. He’s a super player, and Morris is a good player in there too.”

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The Boro star is now very experienced at Championship level, picking up 14 goals and 15 assists in 141 matches, and he may be ready to test himself in the Premier League.

Bringing in a new midfielder shouldn’t be a priority for Tottenham, given the recent signing of Gallagher, but Hackney could be an exciting long-term addition to Frank’s squad.

A “fantastic” Liverpool player appears to be edging closer to sealing a move away from the club before the summer transfer window slams shut.

Isak and Guehi getting closer to Liverpool

The Reds’ summer got off to such an exciting start, not least because Florian Wirtz joined in a record-breaking move from Bayer Leverkusen, but there has been a feeling that the Premier League champions need to sign both Alexander Isak and Marc Guehi to make it a truly memorable window.

While there is work to do in that respect, it increasingly looks as though the Premier League pair could both be heading to Anfield, with positive progress made.

Firstly, Newcastle United are signing VfB Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, as well as retaining an interest in Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, meaning a second offer for Isak from Liverpool is more likely to be accepted.

Meanwhile, the Reds have reportedly submitted a £40m offer for Guehi, following his appearance for Crystal Palace in the UEFA Europa Conference League on Thursday evening, with the England international considered an ideal centre-back addition.

"Fantastic" Liverpool ace close to leaving

Now, according to various reports, Kostas Tsimikas is now close to sealing a loan move from Liverpool to Roma, with the transfer seemingly in its final stages and “one step away”. This comes after Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness] reported that the Greek was pushing for a move away from Anfield this summer.

This feels like a good outcome for all parties for now, prior to a likely permanent exit next summer, with Tsimikas unlikely to play much for Liverpool this season.

Kostas Tsimikas’ trophy wins at Liverpool

2025

Premier League

2025

FA Cup

2022

EFL Cup

2024

EFL Cup

2022

Community Shield

2022

Milos Kerkez’s arrival has pushed him further down the left-back pecking order, so barring injury woes in that position, opportunities will be limited.

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Tsimikas has been a good servant for Liverpool, making himself a hero by scoring the winning penalty in the 2022 FA Cup final shootout victory over Chelsea, and being called “fantastic” by journalist Ian Doyle, but he has never quite felt like a genuinely excellent option.

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That’s not to say he hasn’t performed well at times, keeping the pressure on Andy Robertson, but his time at Anfield should be reaching its natural conclusion.

Chelsea didn’t blow Everton away last time out in the Premier League but the 1-0 win on home soil was still crucial in the Blues’ bid to pick up a Champions League spot come the end of May.

Enzo Maresca’s men are flimsily holding onto fifth position in the current league standings, with Nottingham Forest only below the West Londoners on goal difference, meaning more wins need to be clinched across their last four clashes to possibly dine at Europe’s elite table.

Sealing a place in the esteemed Champions League would also enable Chelsea to attract some top stars through the door this approaching transfer window, with the Blues still insistent they can get one statement deal over the line to enhance their defensive options.

Chelsea remain in contact for "unbelievable" star

Much of the chatter from a defensive point of view in recent weeks when it comes to Chelsea has concerned Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

Yet, the Blues may not be content with just strengthening the centre of their backline with a new full-back being lined up.

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

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Indeed, as per a report journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea remain in constant contact surrounding a deal for Barcelona’s star man at the back in Jules Kounde and would allegedly ‘love’ to sign him this summer.

The report further elaborates that Kounde’s future in Spain is up in the air, meaning Barca could soon cash in on the in-demand defender who has admirers in the form of Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool.

Fresh off scoring a late winner for Hansi Flick’s men in the Copa Del Rey final versus Real Madrid, the hope will be that the “unbelievable” 26-year-old – as he’s been described by his manager this season – can be the classiest right-back figure to grace the Stamford Bridge turf since Cesar Azpilicueta’s celebrated stint.

How Kounde could be Chelsea's best right-back in years

It’s clear from Maresca’s last team selection against the Toffees that a new, fresh right-back body is a priority, with Moises Caicedo the preferred option here over his regular midfield duties.

Therefore, everyone at Chelsea will be praying that Kounde’s potential arrival on the scene can be as impactful as Azpilicueta’s was back in 2012 when he left Olympique de Marseille behind for good.

Indeed, the current Atletico Madrid veteran went on to cement himself as a modern day great whilst at the Blues, with two Premier League title triumphs and one Champions League success major highlights of his lengthy 508-game stay.

Away from Chelsea’s trophy cabinet filling up with the 35-year-old a trusted member of the team, the Spaniard would also chip in with 17 goals and 51 assists as a constantly expansive and forward-thinking outlet down the right, with the new Blues target also unafraid to maraud forward for his side, away from completing his routine defensive duties.

Kounde’s La Liga numbers (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Kounde

Games played

32

Goals scored

2

Assists

3

Touches*

79

Accurate passes*

50 (89%)

Big chances missed

3

Big chances created

6

Total duels won

4.2

Stats by Sofascore

Since the former club captain left London behind, it’s safe to say Chelsea have struggled to replace him with Malo Gusto exciting but raw and Reece James spending more time on the treatment table than he has on the grass.

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As a result, Kounde would be a brilliant asset and one who can provide the goods in both penalty boxes too, having managed to amass a mightily impressive 12 goal contributions as an explosive option, with five of those coming across 32 La Liga clashes as Barca aim to become champions come the close of May.

With that in mind, the £51m-rated France international would be able to offer everything James can when he’s fully fit by offering goals and assists galore from defence.

Before any signings enter the building, however, Chelsea will need to be calm and composed in their hunt for a top-five finish in the Premier League, whilst their coveted target aims to sensationally pick up yet another trophy in the Champions League at Barca.

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West Bromwich Albion will be aiming to pick up their second win in December when playing back at the Hawthorns up next after losing on the road to Watford.

The Baggies haven’t been at their best on their own patch this season, however, with just three victories coming their way from ten games in the Championship, as collecting a bumper six draws has often stopped them in their tracks from picking up a crucial three points.

Carlos Corberan will be anticipating a response from his side’s disappointing 2-1 loss to the Hornets though, with the Spaniard also eager for Josh Maja to break his goalscoring duck when Bristol City come to town today.

Maja's form for West Brom

Maja will obviously be granted some slack for his current barren patch in front of goal, considering he has fired home ten strikes when at the top of his game in the tricky league, away from failing to find the back of the net during his side’s last five league encounters.

The former Sunderland attacker did attempt to create some openings for his teammates in the narrow loss at Vicarage Road though, with two key passes amassed, but zero shots on the Watford goal meant another game passed him by without a second-tier strike being buried.

Still, the 25-year-old cannot be written off against Liam Manning’s Robins, having averaged a Championship goal every 167 minutes this campaign, meaning his duck must be coming to an end soon.

He could be helped in the contest by Corberan switching up personnel in the middle of the park, with this creative machine perhaps reinstated into the XI over summer recruit Uros Racic.

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Expand Collapse Mowatt's performances this season

The player in question here is West Brom star Alex Mowatt, with the former Leeds United man having to settle for a place on the bench versus the Hornets last match.

He could find himself back in his manager’s first team plans for the test of the visitors from Bristol, however, as the 29-year-old impressed from off the substitutes bench late on last time out.

From just 25 minutes of action, Mowatt would muster up a hefty 43 touches of the ball, leading to 34 accurate passes being made and one key pass being tallied up.

In stark contrast, from his far superior 65-minute outing, Racic would only manage three more accurate passes, with Mowatt also boasting some impressive numbers across the entire season away from this slender defeat to Tom Cleverley’s men to justify his inclusion later today.

Mowatt’s league numbers for West Brom (24/25)

Stat – per 90 mins*

Mowatt

Games played

21

Games started

19

Goals scored

4

Assists

1

Touches*

74.9

Accurate passes*

56.3 (90%)

Ball recoveries*

4.6

Total duels won*

3.6

Stats by Sofascore

All in all, it’s been a very positive season for Mowatt so far, with the entertaining Baggies number 27 helping himself to four goals and an assist in the Championship.

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But, Corberan also likes the bite his dependable midfielder can give his side centrally, as can be seen in his ball recovery and duels won numbers above, with the Spaniard even referring to Mowatt as a “warrior” in the past.

After all, the experienced star did score this delightful first-time strike when West Brom last played at home to secure a 2-0 victory over Coventry City, meaning it could well be likely his manager shuffles his pack to reintroduce him back into the first team fold.

His constant ability to try and fashion an opening – away from any other standout attributes – could also be a needed boost to a misfiring Maja, as the promotion candidates strive to pick up a win before the hectic Christmas fixture schedule truly kicks in.

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Tottenham transfer chiefs have held internal talks over bringing in a £21 million starlet, as attention turns to who Ange Postecoglou could look to sign next after completing a £65 million deal for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

Spurs agree Solanke signing as Postecoglou gets his new forward

It's been a busy few days at Spurs, with the search for a new number nine to replace Harry Kane now drawing to a conclusion with Solanke's pending arrival.

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The former Liverpool ace bagged 21 goals in all competitions under Andoni Iraola last season in what was a career-best campaign for him personally, only just missing out on a place in Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024.

On Friday, following week-long transfer talks, Spurs reached a complete agreement to sign Solanke, who will come in to provide Postecoglou with a star signing in a position the Australian personally wanted to reinforce.

Postecoglou will be ecstatic to get his top transfer target over the line before deadline day on August 30, with the 58-year-old previously confirming that Spurs were on the look out for a talismanic new forward.

"At Celtic, I had Kyogo, who was a sort of out and out number nine and in Japan, I've always had a striker," said Postecoglou on Spurs signing a new striker.

Tottenham's top goalscorers in all competitions – 2023/2024

Player

Goals scored

Son Heung min

17

Richarlison

12

Dejan Kulusevski

8

Brennan Johnson

5

Cristian Romero

5

James Maddison

4

"It just depends, like last year we had to be a bit creative, it's fair to say. You know but if Harry would have stayed I definitely would have used him! So I think for us what's more important is the type of striker we get. You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it's going be a striker that fits that mould."

After signing Solanke, it is believed Tottenham are also after a new winger and full-back, with Emerson Royal also on the verge of joining AC Milan.

Tottenham hold internal talks over signing Michael Kayode

According to The Boot Room, a player on Spurs' radar to potentially succeed Emerson is Fiorentina starlet Michael Kayode.

The 20-year-old, who impressed over his 26 Serie A appearances for La Viola last season, is rumoured to command a £21 million price tag. TBR claim that Spurs chiefs have internally discussed signing Kayode before the deadline, but he is just one a few full-back targets on their radar.

“This one is really strong,” said Pino Vitale to Radio Firenze Viola (via HITC), after Kayode's brilliant one-v-one performance against Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia last season.

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“Incredible. He forced Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to chase him. It was the best match ever since (Vincenzo) Italiano took over Fiorentina. They didn’t let Napoli play and ate them up. (Full-backs Fabiano) Parisi and Kayode are strong and played an excellent game.

“Kvaratskhelia had to change wings due to the way Kayode controlled him! There is no need to worry about him. He is only 19 years old, but he is a ‘player’.”

West Ham United's late defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon has left a nasty bruise, not least because David Moyes' side had impressively engineered a 3-1 lead heading into the final quarter.

Still seventh in the Premier League, though slenderly so and having played an additional game than their rivals, West Ham face quite the task in securing a European qualifying spot if a vein of consistency is not found soon.

Up next, Champions League-chasing Tottenham Hotspur make the cross-London trip to avenge their home loss to the Irons in the reverse fixture. The Hammers will be up for the occasion, eager to put the loss on Tyneside behind them.

West Ham team news

Crucially, Edson Alvarez will miss out once again as he serves the second match of a two-game suspension after amassing ten yellow cards this season.

Nayef Aguerd may return to central defence but goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will miss out after picking up a groin injury in Newcastle, with the Frenchman boasting the finest shot-stopping record in the division this season.

Premier League 23/24: Top Goalkeeper Save Percentages

#

Player

Club

Save Percentage

1.

Alphonse Areola

West Ham

75.8%

2.

Alisson

Liverpool

75.3%

3.

Andre Onana

Manchester United

74.7%

4.

Nick Pope

Newcastle United

73.6%

5.

Bart Verbruggen

Brighton & Hove Albion

72.9%

Stats via FBref

Tottenham have a wealth of attacking firepower that could damage the hosts, and considering this, Moyes might be inclined to push Lucas Paqueta into a deeper-lying role, pushing James Ward-Prowse to the bench.

West Ham could ditch James Ward-Prowse vs Spurs

It goes without saying that Kalvin Phillips will not find his way onto the starting teamsheet, with the England international having an utterly torrid time in east London as he completes a six-month loan spell, seeking (unsuccessfully) to resurrect his flagging career.

Another player who might find themselves away from the starting line-up this evening is Vladimir Coufal, who has been largely dependable this season but committed the early penalty at St. James' Park, won just one duel and lost possession 12 times during a wholly forgettable display.

Ward-Prowse, signed from Southampton for £30m last summer, started excellently and indeed has five goals and 11 assists as a Hammer, praised for his "magic" ability on the ball by journalist Benjy Nurick. He scored against Tottenham back in December.

But he's not quite been at the races recently and was particularly shocking last month against Burnley, taking just 24 touches and failing to win a ground duel as the relegation strugglers went 2-0 up at the break. Ward-Prowse, along with Phillips, was hooked.

Playing Paqueta in a deeper, central role would certainly be a possibility against Tottenham, with the Brazilian ranking among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 1% for tackles, the top 18% for interceptions and the top 4% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref.

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Paqueta also won nine duels against Newcastle, made two tackles and two key passes, highlighting his elite and complete skill set that more than facilitates his return to a deeper role.

Of course, this does open up the question regarding who would play alongside or behind Michail Antonio in the talismanic role, and Ward-Prowse could certainly do a job higher up, with Danny Ings also capable in a more creative deployment, creating four key passes when he last sat in an attacking midfield role in the Premier League, against Sheffield United in January.

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While Moyes is not one for widespread changes, West Ham's fragility was concerning against the Magpies and he might be convinced to tweak the set-up against Tottenham, who will come out firing as they fight for their own European qualifying spot.

Chelsea supporters were no doubt pleased to see an attacking swagger return to Stamford Bridge prior to the international break.

With the embarrassment of attacking riches at Mauricio Pochettino's disposal, it was only a matter of time before the Blues were going to flourish in the final third and recent results suggest the Argentine has the weapons at his disposal to blow teams away.

Those weapons were certainly unleashed from the shackles against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City as Chelsea delivered consecutive four-goal hauls against two of the league's best sides.

Across those two matches, Cole Palmer, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson were a potent trio in the final third and had a hand in all but one of their eight goals scored.

Despite rediscovering their attacking impetus, Pochettino is still looking to add further attacking muscle to his squad in January, as links continue to be drawn towards Napoli winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to replace Mykhailo Mudryk.

Chelsea transfer news – Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

According to ESPN, Chelsea are one of several big clubs, including Newcastle United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid, who are interested in capturing the 22-year-old.

As detailed by the report, Napoli could demand in excess of €100m (£87m) to prise their explosive wideman away from Naples in January and although the Blues would not be put off that in theory, they have minimal headroom within Uefa's Financial Fair Play rules.

If Chelsea do decide to make a move for the Georgian superstar, he does align towards their strategy of acquiring youngsters who have big potential.

Kvaratskhelia has already established himself as one of the most destructive wingers on the planet and would be a huge upgrade on their current misfiring prodigy, Mudryk, who arrived from Shakhtar Donetsk for £88.5m in January this year.

The stats that show Kvaratskhelia is better than Mykhailo Mudryk

Napoli's precocious talent has made a sharp rise towards the summit of world football in the past year having shot to first-team stardom last term.

After being captured from the Georgian first-division side, Dinamo Batumi, in the summer of 2022, few could have envisaged the staggering impact he would go on to make since arriving in Italy.

In his debut season at the club, Kvaratskhelia's eye-watering 12 goals and 13 assists helped Napoli win their first Serie A title since 1990 earlier this year.

Dubbed by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti as a "special player", the 22-year-old's sensational wide play has caught the eye, terrorising defences with his pace and demonstrating his devastating finishing in front of goal.

The above, in particular, was the expectations Chelsea set Mudryk when he arrived in West London, however, his time at the club has transpired into a nightmare so far and the Ukraine star has only showcased a glimmer of his precocious talents.

Kvaratskhelia's goal record since Mudryk arrived at Chelsea

Player

Appearances

Goals / Assists

Mykhailo Mudryk (Chelsea)

28

2 goals / 2 assists

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)

35

8 goals / 10 assists

All stats via Transfermarkt

As the above table delineates, Mudryk has struggled since arriving at Stamford Bridge and considering the whopping fee that Chelsea shelled out for the 22-year-old, they would have been better off paying a similar amount for Kvaratskhelia.

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A crucial piece of the Napoli attack, it isn't just in the scoring department where the Georgian has outperformed Mudryk and his impressive all-round performances have led to jaw-dropping praise, with Serie A expert Matteo Bonetti lavishing him as "world-class".

Mudryk vs Kvaratskhelia in the past year

Statistic

Mykhailo Mudryk

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Non-penalty goals

0.16

0.21

Shots total

1.85

3.32

Progressive carries

3.94

6.37

Successful take-ons

1.93

3.49

Touches (Att pen)

4.58

6.99

Carries into the pen area

1.77

3.32

All stats via FBref

Not only does Kvaratskhelia eclipse his wing compatriot across every attacking statistic, but he also places in the top 10% of wingers across Europe's top five leagues for the majority of those metrics, perhaps paying an ode to the world-class comment.

Given how Mudryk has performed in a Chelsea shirt so far, supporters will be desperate for the Blues hierarchy to lure Kvaratskhelia to Stamford Bridge in January.

Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui may look to add another forward to his offensive options as he is not 'satisfied' with what he has in the final third at present, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Why would Julen Lopetegui want a new forward at Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Wolves are a little short in the final third following the departure of veteran striker Raul Jimenez, who recently joined Fulham for a fee in the region of £5 million, as per BBC Sport.

The Mexico international was a fan favourite at Molineux and notched 57 goals in 166 games for the Old Gold across five seasons at the West Midlands-based outfit.

Diego Costa also left the building earlier this window after spending a solitary campaign at Wolves last term, leaving Matheus Cunha, Sasa Kalajdzic, Hwang hee-chan and Fabio Silva as their remaining central striking options.

Southampton striker Che Adams has been linked with a move to Wolves amid competition from Everton and Bournemouth, with his current employers reportedly open to letting him leave the South Coast for a suitable fee, as per Football Insider.

Journalist Damian Iribarren has claimed that Tigre loanee Marco Retegui could also be an option for Wolves this summer and they have made contact with the Italy international, who is also wanted by Serie A side Genoa.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer insider Jones has indicated that Wolves could enter the market to sign another striker between now and the close of play.

Jones stated: "I believe Wolves still have an eye on signing another forward, I do not think Lopetegui is satisfied at what he has at his disposal so someone else will also come in, even if that moment arrives after the season has begun. Kalajdzic and Cunha definitely have potential to level up this Wolves team but can they totally rely on it? Probably not."

What now for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Wolves will continue to battle against the stringency imposed on them by Financial Fair Play regulations, which has severely limited their power to spend money in this window to add quality reinforcements, as per Telegraph Sport.

Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty and goalkeeper Tom King have joined the Old Gold on free transfers, though it remains to be seen who else could join them at Molineux in the coming weeks, as per Transfermarkt.

Stuttgart defender Konstantinos Mavropanos is a target for both Wolves and West Ham United this summer following his consistent displays in Germany, as per The Sun. Napoli are keen on the Greek international and could turn to the 25-year-old as a potential replacement for Kim Min-jae.

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Arsenal would also stand to benefit from any prospective Mavropanos move as they inserted a sell-on clause into the agreement that took him to Stuttgart back in 2022, as per LondonWorld.

Aaron Cresswell had been the subject of discussions between Wolves and West Ham United over a potential switch, though that now looks to be on ice after both sides failed to come to an agreement on a fee for the former England full-back, according to The Daily Mail.

Leeds United face what could be a defining week in their season, with the Whites set to take on fellow strugglers Leicester City later today, before taking on another relegation rival in AFC Bournemouth on Sunday.

Currently just a point from safety, the Yorkshire side face the very real prospect of a return to life in the second tier, having only secured promotion back to the Premier League in 2020, after a 16-year absence.

A positive result against the Foxes this evening at Elland Road, however, would likely do wonders in helping to calm any nerves among Leeds supporters, with Javi Gracia's side needing to shake off their recent run of three successive defeats in the league.

The club's most recent loss saw them on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline against a high-flying Fulham side at Craven Cottage, with that having come after previous, shambolic showings at home to both Liverpool and Crystal Palace.

With Gracia and co needing to avoid yet another thrashing on their own turf, one man who should seemingly drop out of the starting lineup is right-back, Rasmus Kristensen, with the former Red Bull Salzburg man having distinctly underwhelmed in the last two league games.

Will Kristensen start against Leicester?

Having replaced Luke Ayling in the side following the debacle against the Eagles, Kristensen was among those who simply wilted up against Jurgen Klopp's side last week, having lost possession on 24 occasions from just 61 touches in that 6-1 drubbing, while also winning just six of his 14 total duels on the day.

Despite having been something of a liability both defensively and in an attacking sense against the Reds, the Denmark international kept his place for the trip to west London on Saturday, only to endure another afternoon to forget against the Cottagers.

The £10m summer signing has arguably "failed to make the step up from the Austrian Bundesliga to the Premier League", according to writer Zach Lowy, with those woes having been evident against Marco Silva's men.

The £40k-per-week dud was simply run ragged by opposition winger, Willian, with the latter man – who will turn 35 later this year – having had the defender "on toast" all afternoon, as per talkSPORT pundit Scott Minto.

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That viewpoint was also echoed by Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth, who also went on to state that Kristensen simply 'couldn't get near' the veteran Brazilian at times.

The 25-year-old's struggles were showcased by the fact that he was dribbled past on three occasions and completed just 26 of his 33 passes, having subsequently been described as like a "League One defender" by Leeds Youtuber, Conor McGilligan.

That dismal display should ensure that the 14-cap brute is ditched for tonight's clash, even if that means bringing back Ayling into the fold, with it clear to see that 'right-back has been the biggest of many positional problems in the team this season', as per Leeds Live's Beren Cross.

Liverpool must bring in numerous players to get fans excited for next season following a so far disappointing campaign, according to Matt Addison.

The Lowdown: Another setback

The Reds’ miserable campaign suffered another blow after they were pulled apart by Wolverhampton Wanderers in a 3-0 defeat at Molineux.

Jurgen Klopp’s side are floundering in tenth place in the Premier League and 11 points behind the top four and Champions League qualification, with defeat at relegation threatened Wolves another unacceptable result and performance.

Liverpool had the chance to potentially turn the tide on their season in the January transfer window but the sole arrival of forward Cody Gakpo for £37m has so far failed to solve their issues, with yet him to score or assist in six games in Merseyside.

The Latest: Addison’s comments

Speaking on the Blood Red live stream following the Wolves defeat, Addison claimed that the Reds must go big in the summer not just to add quality but to get the fans excited for a fresh campaign come the summer, saying:

(10:07) “They’re going to have to spend big whatever happens in the summer, even if they don’t have Champions League football, even if Jude Bellingham decides he wants to go somewhere else.

“There’s no choice really they’ve got to go out, they’ve got to make 3, 4, 5 signings, they’ve got to have a clear out, players are coming to the end of their contracts, there are going to be changes within this Liverpool squad.”

The Verdict: Overhaul needed?

Liverpool are on the verge of a crisis given their miserable form, ownership concerns with Fenway Sports Group looking for new investors to the club (via Liverpool Echo) and currently facing the prospect of losing six first-team players when their contracts set to expire at the end of the season (Transfermarkt).

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Problems regarding FSG’s potential sale of the club mean that they’ll be reluctant to spend given their intention to limit their financial impact in the club, which then leaves the departure of first-teamers for free difficult to contend with amid limited funds available to replace them alongside other incomings likely wanted by Klopp.

The Anfield outfit have been heavily linked with a swoop for Borussia Dortmund sensation Jude Bellingham with the Liverpool Echo reporting that Enzo Fernandez’s British record move to Chelsea worth £107m will almost certainly see Dortmund want more for the teenager, throwing up another question of quality or quantity in the window considering potentially more limited spending.