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Leeds United underwent a big summer of changes at the end of the 2022/23 campaign as they were relegated from the Premier League and dropped back down to the Championship.

49ers Enterprises officially completed their full takeover of the club from Andrea Radrizzani, who had been the majority owner since 2017, in July of last year.

They took over during a difficult period as they had to navigate the transition back to second division football, and they appear to have handled it brilliantly.

German head coach Daniel Farke was brought in and currently has Leeds in third place in the Championship, which means that the club are on course to secure promotion back to the top-flight.

The 49ers also had to deal with a host of first-team players moving on as Tyler Adams and Rodrigo were sold on permanent deals, whilst the likes of Jack Harrison, Robin Koch, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen, and Marc Roca, among others, were sent out on loan.

Jack Harrison's future at Leeds

It remains to be seen whether or not any of the players sent out on loan at the start of the season have a future at Elland Road beyond the summer.

Football Insider did recently report, though, that Harrison wants to complete a permanent move away from Yorkshire at the end of the season, having settled in well with Everton in the Premier League.

The Toffees swooped in to secure his services on loan without an option to buy last year, which means that Sean Dyche's side do not have an agreement with the Whites to sign him on a permanent basis.

It was stated that the English winger wants to remain in the Premier League for the 2024/25 campaign and beyond, but does not want to be there with Leeds even if Farke's side win promotion from the Championship.

Football Insider, however, added that Everton's pending takeover from 777 Partners could impact how much the Toffees are prepared to pay for Harrison.

No option to buy in the loan deal does mean that Leeds can look elsewhere and offer the former Manchester City prospect out to interested parties, should they bring more money to the table than the Merseyside outfit.

His market value has soared in recent years and 49ers could hit the jackpot by cashing in on him this summer, particularly when you consider how much the club initially paid to sign him.

How much Leeds paid for Jack Harrison

The Whites splashed out a fee of £11m to sign Harrison from Premier League giants Manchester City, who he failed to make a single appearance for, in the summer of 2021.

That move came after the impressive winger had spent three years on loan at Elland Road, two of which came in the Championship under Marcelo Bielsa.

He endured an underwhelming first season with the club in the second tier with a return of four goals and three assists in 37 league appearances.

Harrison followed that up, however, with six goals and eight assists in 46 matches as Leeds won the title with Bielsa to secure promotion to the Premier League.

The talented whiz then hit the ground running in the top-flight with eight goals and eight assists in 36 games throughout the 2020/21 campaign.

Appearances

36

Goals

Eight

Big chances missed

Six

Assists

Eight

Big chances created

Ten

As you can see in the table above, the Leeds star was effective in front of goal with more strikes than 'big chances' missed, and could have been frustrated with his teammates as they did not make the most of the chances that he created.

His form was impressive enough to convince the Whites to splash £11m on him and that has turned out to be a fantastic move by the club, as his value has soared in recent years.

Harrison remained a regular starter for the Yorkshire-based outfit during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns after his loan was made permanent.

He racked up eight goals, one assist, and three 'big chances' created in 32 starts throughout the first season, which was followed by a return of five goals, seven assists, and nine 'big chances' created in 34 starts last term.

However, his attacking contributions were not enough to keep Leeds afloat in the Premier League as they were relegated last summer, which led to his move to Everton.

Jack Harrison's current market value

At the time of writing (29/02/2024), FootballTransfers have his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at a whopping €34m, which works out as around £29m.

This means that his value has soared by 164% from the initial £11m that Leeds paid Manchester City to secure his services almost three years ago.

His soaring market value suggests that Leeds could have the opportunity to hit the jackpot by selling him for a hefty profit on that £11m fee this summer, whether that is to Everton or another club.

The aforementioned report from Football Insider stated that Harrison does want to leave the Whites permanently and stay in the Premier League, which suggests that a move at the end of the season could materialise. However, it remains to be seen exactly how much a team will be prepared to pay for him.

He has enjoyed a solid campaign with the Toffees so far and offered a decent threat at the top end of the pitch for Dyche since his move to Merseyside.

The 27-year-old winger, who was hailed as "relentless" earlier this season by journalist Joe Thomas, has racked up three goals and three assists, along with five 'big chances' created, in 19 Premier League starts.

Harrison currently ranks within the top 20% of Premier League midfielders for non-penalty goals (0.17) and the top 21% for assists (0.17) per 90 respectively.

This shows that he has been above average as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a midfield position for the Toffees so far this term.

The 49ers could now hit the jackpot by striking gold with Harrison's current market value in the summer if they can rake in a big fee from Everton, or another club, for the superb speedster, who has proven himself to be a reliable performer in the Premier League.

Picking up two wins from their last three Championship games, there could still be light at the end of the tunnel for Sheffield Wednesday's survival chances in the second tier when all hope had begun to look lost.

Ike Ugbo has been a standout performer since joining the Owls ranks in January from Troyes on loan, netting his third goal for Wednesday already at Millwall this weekend as Danny Rohl's men pulled off an impressive 2-0 away day win.

With Ugbo coming in and becoming a star man up top, Michael Smith's importance to the Wednesday cause has significantly lessened.

As a result, the second-tier side might well live to regret not trying to offload Smith with more vigour in January as the 32-year-old gradually bleeds the club more and more courtesy of his excessive pay packet despite now being on the fringes.

Michael Smith's salary at Sheffield Wednesday

Smith is currently the fourth highest earner at Hillsborough despite now primarily being an option Rohl brings on from the off the bench, coming in at a handsome £17.5k-per-week which could be better used elsewhere based on his output this campaign.

Rumoured fervently with a move to reunite with his ex-Rotherham United boss Paul Warne at Derby County in January, Smith only has three goals next to his name when he's been in the thick of the action for the Owls away from all this talk.

In stark contrast, Ugbo – from just three games – has managed to match Smith's total for Wednesday with the ex-Chelsea attacker on seven goals for the campaign overall after having his Cardiff City loan cut short to relocate to South Yorkshire.

Rohl and Co will see the deal to land Ugbo on loan until the end of the season as a masterstroke, with the 25-year-old centre-forward a more affordable option to keep on the books than the waning Smith.

Moreover, his clinical edge in front of goal means he comes out on top over the lacklustre 32-year-old attacker.

Smith's wage compared to the rest of the Wednesday squad

Smith's bulky pay packet means he's currently one of the highest earners in the Owls squad, with the likes of Barry Bannan unsurprisingly above him on an even heftier £24k-per-week according to Capology.

The likes of Jeff Hendrick and Kristian Pedersen are also burning holes in the Owls' pocket with their wages on loan – with the Newcastle United loanee specifically coming in at an eye-watering £35k-per-week – but Ugbo thankfully comes in as a cheaper option than this expensively priced duo.

1. Jeff Hendrick

£35k

2. Barry Bannan

£24k

3. Kristian Pedersen

£18k

4. Michael Smith

£17.5k

5. Will Vaulks

£15.9k

Ugbo boasts a reasonable £15k per week wage playing for Wednesday in comparison, justifying his salary with his recent golden streak in front of goal compared to a quiet Smith.

Smith's last two goals for the Owls came all the way back in October, with the likes of Anthony Musaba – who is on a significantly less extortionate wage than the 32-year-old forward at £9k per week – leading the goalscoring charts at Hillsborough with six goals away from the ex-Millers man.

Wednesday will need to look at offloading a lot of their ageing high earners if the South Yorkshire side succumb to relegation come the end of the season, with Smith high up the potential list to ditch.

Ugbo could well be kept around permanently on the contrary based on his current goalscoring heroics, as Rohl and Co aim to assemble a squad for the long-term that doesn't cost excessive amounts.

The English transfer window slammed shut on Thursday last week but Tottenham Hotspur still have an opportunity to shift a player on amid interest from Turkey.

Latest Spurs transfer news

The Turkish transfer window does not close until Friday and Galatasaray are reportedly interested in a swoop to snap up one of Ange Postecoglou's men.

According to Yeni Asir, the Super Lig giants have 'made' their move to secure the signing of Argentine central midfielder Giovani Lo Celso from Spurs.

The report claims that the player wants a transfer away from North London due to a concern over his game time at the club but does not mention whether or not Tottenham are open to doing business.

Spurs and Postecoglou should, however, brutally ditch the wantaway dud as they could recoup some of the money that has been drained from Daniel Levy's budget since his arrival at the club.

How much Spurs paid to sign Lo Celso

The Lilywhites swooped to sign the midfield maestro from Spanish side Real Betis on loan in the summer of 2019 for the 2019/20 campaign.

They then secured a permanent deal for his services in January 2020 with Jose Mourinho in charge for a reported fee of £27.2m, instead of being obligated to pay £34m for his signature at the end of the season had they qualified for the Champions League – as agreed in the initial loan deal.

He only started 15 Premier League matches throughout his first season at the club and contributed with two assists, zero goals, and a duel success rate of 48%. This suggests that his impact at the top end of the pitch was limited and he struggled with the physicality of the division.

Hamstring

29

Hip

11

Muscle

Seven

Knee

Five

Shin

Two

Quarantine

Two

Knock

One

Unknown

One

Lo Celso then missed 26 competitive games through injury throughout the 2020/21 campaign and chipped in with one goal and one assist in 18 league matches that season.

The Argentine flop was absent for a further nine matches due to injury in the first half of the following term, which led to a loan move to Villarreal in January 2022.

He spent 18 months in Spain and returned to be part of Postecoglou's squad for this season. However, the 27-year-old dud has missed ten matches with various injuries and has only started four league games.

Lo Celso has drained Levy over the years

Lo Celso has reportedly been on a salary of £70k-per-week since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, which works out at around £3.6m-per-year.

He is four-and-a-half-years on from joining the club in the summer of 2019 but the first six months were spent on loan from Real Betis. This means that he has earned roughly £16.2m in wages, at £70k-per-week, in the four years since his permanent move was completed in January 2020.

However, Lo Celso did spend 18 months on loan with Villarreal and it is unclear as to how much they contributed to his wages during his time in Spain.

Tottenham possibly saved around £5.4m in wages if they covered his salary in full, which would take his wage-earning at the club down to £10.8m in total.

Add that to the £27.2m transfer fee that was paid to secure his services and Lo Celso has drained Levy of roughly £38m over the past four years.

That is a significant sum of money for a player who has only started 32 Premier League games and suffered regular injury issues in well over four years at the club, which suggests that he has not provided much value for money as the midfielder has rarely been available or selected to start and influence matches in the top-flight.

This is why Spurs must now ruthlessly ditch the Mourinho flop and try to recoup as much money as possible amid this interest from Galatasaray.

Liverpool enjoyed a wonderful 4-1 victory over Chelsea in midweek which kept them top of the Premier League table and could Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge end with a second league crown?

They face another big test tomorrow afternoon as they travel to the Emirates to play Arsenal. Win and the supporters will believe a 20th league title is destiny for Klopp. Lose, however, and they may just take a big hit in confidence.

The emphatic win over the Blues will have given the German a boost heading into this title clash against the Gunners tomorrow and with plenty at stake, he will be ready to choose the starting XI which will see the Anfield side secure another win.

With that in mind, here's the team that could take to the pitch at the Emirates on Sunday in what is a pivotal clash if the Reds are to win a second Premier League title under Klopp…

1 GK – Alisson

The Brazilian will retain his place in the starting XI from the midweek victory over Chelsea, and he has missed just two league matches all season.

In the 20 that he has played, Alisson has kept only seven clean sheets, but the Reds have lost just once in those games, and that shows how good their attacking output is.

2 RB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

While Conor Bradley enjoyed a stunning performance against the Blues during the week – finishing the game with a goal and two assists – due to the nature of the task at hand against Arsenal, Trent Alexander Arnold will return to the starting XI.

The Englishman has missed only three matches in the league this season, chipping in with five goal contributions, and his presence in the starting XI will be crucial if Liverpool are to win tomorrow.

3 CB – Virgil van Dijk

The Dutchman has started every single one of his league ties this term, missing only two due to a suspension he picked up following a sending-off against Newcastle United at the start of the campaign.

The former Southampton man will need to be at his best to deal with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus tomorrow, and he will be key to Liverpool securing a positive result.

4 CB – Ibrahima Konate

The 24-year-old has been Van Dijk’s main partner at the heart of the defence due to Joel Matip suffering a serious injury against Fulham back in December, with the Cameroonian likely to miss the rest of the season.

Since replacing Matip during that game, the Reds have conceded just five league goals in their subsequent seven games Konate has featured, indicating that he is the ideal person to partner the Dutchman tomorrow.

5 LB – Andy Robertson

The Scot has missed a large chunk of the season due to suffering a shoulder injury and only made his return against Chelsea in midweek, playing 21 minutes.

He will be deployed in the starting XI against the Gunners and Klopp will be hoping he can keep Saka quiet during the clash.

6 CM – Curtis Jones

The academy product has really taken his game to new levels this season and could become a key member of the Liverpool midfield for years to come.

The 23-year-old has started nine league matches thus far, scoring once and grabbing an assist, and he will retain his place in the starting XI for the visit to London.

7 CM – Alexis Mac Allister

The Argentine was in fine form against Chelsea during the week, finishing the game with a 90% pass success rate, winning 11 ground duels and making one key pass as he shone in the heart of the midfield.

His performances have been getting better and better since adapting to Klopp’s way of playing and his signing is beginning to look like a stroke of genius from the German.

8 CM – Dominik Szoboszlai

The Hungarian gem was another player who shone against the Stamford Bridge side on Wednesday. Not only did he find the back of the net, but he also made two key passes, succeeded with 91% of his pass attempts and took 68 touches, showcasing his desire to get involved.

The former RB Leipzig starlet has started all but one of Liverpool’s league ties this term and Klopp will place his full trust in the 23-year-old against stern opposition at the Emirates on Sunday.

9 RW – Diogo Jota

The former Wolves gem has been tasked with performing in a few roles this season by Klopp, featuring on both wings and also as a centre-forward.

The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals and grabbed three assists across all competitions and, due to Mohamed Salah’s injury, the manager will unleash him on the right wing, similar to the midweek clash against Chelsea.

He scored against the Blues, suggesting that no matter what position he plays across the front three, he is able to contribute effectively.

10 ST – Cody Gakpo

Darwin Núñez is likely to be ruled out for the Arsenal clash after he left in a protective boot following the midweek win over the Blues.

The £140k-per-week striker failed to score despite hitting the woodwork four times, but he did grab an assist and his unpredictability will be missed against the Gunners.

This means Cody Gakpo will earn a start leading the line. The "special" Dutchman – as described by his manager – has managed to net nine goals and chip in with four assists, but facing a stubborn Arsenal defence will be a big test of his abilities.

2023 was a year of much change for Tottenham Hotspur but Ange Postecoglou has navigated through great turbulence and is starting to stamp his mark on the club.

It was never going to be easy; Antonio Conte's dismissal last March was the fourth in as many years and with Spurs heading inexorably toward a lowly Premier League finish, the summer sale of talisman Harry Kane increasingly looked a foregone conclusion.

But Postecoglou's savvy style married well with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy's shrewd eye for business, and the club's (and England's) record scorer's loss was countered by multiple influential signings.

January has seen two further signings in the form of defender Radu Dragusin and versatile forward Timo Werner, and while Postecoglou is eager to secure a midfielder to complete the spending this month, he appears to have one eye on the summer.

The hubbub of the summer transfer window borders on frenzied at times so it's a good thing that preliminary plans are being drawn up, with a certain defender at the top of the shopping list.

Spurs' summer transfer targets

According to various reports, Tottenham are going to target a centre-forward at the end of the campaign and in-form Bournemouth star Dominic Solanke and Eredivisie phenom Santiago Gimenez are both on the radar.

However, the lack of defensive depth has not been sorted yet despite the addition of Dragusin, especially with Eric Dier moving to Bayern Munich last week after falling out of favour under Postecoglou's guidance.

Spurs could still seal late £50m move for Mousa Dembele 2.0

Ange Postecoglou is pulling all the stops in the transfer market this month.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 18, 2024

Therefore, there's likely truth behind recent rumours surrounding Spurs' interest in Borussia Monchengladbach centre-back Ko Itakura, with Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg confirming that the north London club are "keen" on the player, who Postecoglou has huge admiration for after trying to sign him for Celtic in 2022.

Itakura has €15m (£13m) release clause in his contract that is free to be activated in the summer and given the outlay required on one of the aforementioned strikers and the fact that Postecoglou already boasts three high-class centre-halfs, this shrewd avenue is certainly worth delving down.

Ko Itakura's style of play

Itakura, standing at 6 foot 2, has been a colossal presence in the defensive third for Borussia Monchengladbach since signing from Manchester City – where he failed to make a senior appearance – in a €5m (£4m) transfer in 2022, spending the previous season on loan with FC Schalke in Bundesliga 2, winning promotion.

During that nomadic period of many loan spells, Itakura started to find his feet and even received a glowing endorsement from pundit Hans Kraay after a successful stint in the Netherlands with Groningen, where he said that the Japanese defender was "one of the very best central defenders in the Eredivisie."

As per FBref, Itakura ranks among the top 16% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 13% for pass completion and the top 5% for blocks per 90, highlighting his rounded arsenal.

Passing

Tackling

Blocking

Discipline

Clearances

Concentration

Die Knappen would love to keep hold of their star but with Spurs' interest showing little sign of disappearing, there's every chance that he will reject any contractual offers from his club, instead seeking a second shot at a career on English shores.

While the 23-cap Japan international has been injured for the lion's share of the 2023/24 campaign, he has scored twice across just seven Bundesliga appearances and averaged 4.4 ball recoveries per game to showcase his athleticism, as per Sofascore.

Last term, across 24 league outings the phenom completed 91% of his passes, succeeded with 89% of his dribbles (which albeit were infrequent) and won 62% of his contested duels.

By comparison, Cristian Romero has completed 93% of his passes and won 70% of his duels in the Premier League this season, and while these are superior numbers, the £31k-per-week Gladbach ace is clearly capable of playing at a level not too far away.

In fact, given that the 26-year-old has drawn comparisons to former Spurs stalwart Jan Vertonghen over in Germany, it does seem that signing Itakura is paramount to complete Postecoglou's new-look backline.

Why Ko Itakura could be the next Jan Vertonghen

After closing the door on his time in Manchester with Pep Guardiola's outfit, Itakura joined his current German and received comparisons to Vertonghen in an official profile crafted by the Bundesliga, which noted his two-footedness, rangy style and speed, which is backed up by Kraay's comments in the past that he is "incredibly fast."

In that Bundesliga profile, Gladach sporting director Roland Virkus heaped praise on Itakura and hailed his dynamism, with his exploits since backing up these remarks.

The long-time Gladbach executive said: "Ko covers an unbelievable amount of ground and is a tactically disciplined player who can operate in different positions in defence, including as a No.6. He had a number of attractive options in terms of a transfer, so we're all the more delighted that he's decided to join us because he's a cornerstone of our planning."

Vertonghen, aged 36, completed 313 matches for Tottenham after signing from Ajax for just £10m in 2012, and while he never won a major honour during his time in north London, the Belgian earned his place as one of the finest defenders in the division and was crucial throughout his years at the club.

Left-footed and adept with his ball-playing ability, Vertonghen has been praised as a "Tottenham legend" by The Athletic's Jack-Pitt Brooke and completed 86.5% of his passes on average across the duration of his professional career – as per WhoScored – also averaging 4.5 clearances, 1.6 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per 90.

While Van de Ven's arrival as the starring left-sided centre-back at Tottenham has been a first-rate signing, Itakura could be the carbon copy of Vertonghen's style to open up a whole new realm of dynamism within Postecoglou's project, and he must be signed, especially given the affordable price tag.

Arsenal have endured a slight slump in form over the last few weeks, with three losses on the bounce seeing them fall from first to fourth in the Premier League and crash out of the FA Cup.

The frontline's return of just one goal in those three games is clearly the most significant problem at present, but aside from Martin Odegaard, the midfield does look light on creativity and flair.

Mikel Arteta and Edu seem to be of the same opinion as the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates has been compared to the talented Norwegian and has been on fire this season.

Arsenal look to the Bundesliga for creative reinforcements

According to reports from Germany (via TEAMtalk), Arsenal have entered the race for Manchester United target Xavi Simons.

The report has revealed that, alongside the Gunners and United, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Inter Milan are all keen on the youngster.

Simons is currently on loan at RB Leipzig from parent club Paris Saint-Germain, who themselves sold the young Dutchman to PSV in summer 2022 to only go and activate his €6m – £5m – buy-back clause in the summer.

Interestingly, his agent is currently Darren Dein, the son of Arsenal's former co-owner David Dein.

Despite only re-signing him a few months ago, reports from Spain (via TEAMtalk) reported in October that the Parisian club would listen to offers around €50m – £43m – for their young starlet to turn a quick and hefty profit.

While that is a significant amount of money for a 20-year-old, the fact that he has been so effective in Germany – racking up 11 goal involvements in 17 games – and considered similar to Odegaard should be all the convincing Arteta needs.

How Xavi Simons compares to Martin Odegaard

Now, before discussing the things that make these two brilliant footballers so similar, it would make sense to note some of their differences, notably that while Odegaard has started all of his games for Arsenal in the midfield, the "fantastic talent" that is Simons, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, floats between being a winger and midfielder.

That said, the Norwegian has started a considerable number of games on the wing earlier in his career.

Nevertheless, when the exciting Dutchman starts in the middle of the park, FBref considers the Arsenal captain to be statistically the eighth most similar player across Europe's top five leagues.

FBref has come to this conclusion based on where the pair rank as midfielders for specific attributes and figures across these leagues. For example, both players rank in the top 1% of players for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for non-penalty goals, and the top 4% for non-penalty expected goals.

There are more examples of staggering similarities where the pair aren't exact matches, such as the "special" Simons, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, being in the top 1% for total shots, while Odegaard is in the best 2%.

Top 1%

Shot-Creating Actions

Top 1%

Top 2%

Non-Penalty Goals

Top 2%

Top 4%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

Top 4%

Top 1%

Total Shots

Top 2%

Top 2%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

Top 4%

Top 2%

Progressive Passes Received

Top 5%

Top 4%

Expected Assists

Top 10%

As we can see, both players are creative supremos from the middle of the pitch, ranking particularly high with regard to assists. They also usually find themselves in crucial pockets of space between midfield and defence as well, something substantiated by their high ranking for progressive passes received.

Ultimately, with Arsenal looking to add some extra creativity and flair to their midfield as their current crop of young players continues to improve, they should be going all out to secure the services of PSG's flying Dutchman, especially as, according to Kulig, he's got a "big future ahead".

Wolves youngster Morgan Gibbs-White can become a regular for Wanderers after a superb season out on loan, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-Whites stars for Blades

The 22-year-old sealed a temporary move to Sheffield United last summer, in order to continue his development with regular playing time.

Gibbs-White’s loan move has been an extremely fruitful one, with the midfielder scoring ten goals and also adding eight assists, helping the Blades get into the Championship playoff picture.

The Englishman will return to Wolves at the end of the season, as he looks to kick on at Molineux.

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The Latest: Youngster tipped to shine

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke said next season is the time for Gibbs-White to become a key figure for Wanderers:

“I think it’s a big opportunity for Morgan Gibbs-White this summer to go back to Wolves and show that he is capable of becoming a regular in that team.

“He’s gone to the Championship, and I think he’s probably been one of the best players in the league, for me, this season. So, I think Gibbs-White, ideally, would love to go back to Wolves and show that he can be part of Bruno Lage’s team going forward.”

[freshpress-poll id=“388780″]

The Verdict: Ready to step up

Gibbs-White is an outstanding young talent and it does feel as though his career is taking a natural trajectory, with its next chapter seeing him make the grade at Wolves.

At 22, he isn’t particularly a young talent anymore and it is time for him to show that he can excel in the Premier League on a regular basis, being a genuinely reliable squad member under Bruno Lage rather than just a future star.

With Ruben Neves potentially moving on, supporters could be looking for a new midfield hero to emerge and there is no reason why Gibbs-White can’t be that man, having already made 86 appearances for the club to date.

In other news, a foreign source has made a key Wolves transfer claim. Read more here.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has been left excited by a potentially ‘impressive’ deal Tottenham Hotspur transfer chief Fabio Paratici could pull off this summer.

The Lowdown: Paratici making moves?

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte will reportedly hold no shortage of demands for the Lilywhites hierarchy heading into this looming summer window.

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The Italian would ideally like to bring in as many as six major signings, according to The Telegraph’s Matt Law, which include a right-wing-back, central defender, two midfielders, a forward and reserve goalkeeper.

As per reliable reports, including one from The Times, managing director Paratici is already making a head start on the latter request – entering pole position to sign 2022 free agent keeper Sam Johnstone.

The shot stopper is set to leave West Bromwich Albion this year as he eyes a return to the Premier League with Football Insider recently claiming he has set his sights on joining Conte.

The Latest: O’Rourke raves…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, reporter O’Rourke has raved over the potentially ‘impressive’ deal Spurs could pull off for Johnstone.

He explained: “That’s what you need at the big clubs, competition for places just in case there are injuries or anything else.

“I think Sam Johnstone is at the right age as a goalkeeper, coming into his prime, so if Spurs were to get him, I think it would be a really impressive start to the transfer window if they do get that deal over the line.”

The Verdict: Bang on the money…

Snapping up the England international would solve a plethora of issues at Spurs so we believe O’Rourke is bang on the money with his verdict.

Tottenham are currently having to contend with a crisis over their homegrown quota, something which could impact their summer transfer dealings, so replacing Atalanta loanee Pierluigi Gollini with Johnstone could go some way to balancing the numbers in the regard.

As a back-up and possible future heir to long-serving number one Hugo Lloris, his quality is also evident, with Wolves legend Steve Bull branding the 29-year-old a ‘world class’ player between the sticks.

Proven in the top flight already, having earned a nod from Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate last year, snapping up Johnstone for nothing would indeed be an ‘impressive’ Paratici coup.

In other news: Source: Tottenham edge closer to ‘top signing’, he now really wants to join Conte! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, viewing him as an ideal fit in Thomas Frank’s system.

Frank has set out to improve Tottenham’s defence since succeeding Ange Postecoglou as manager in the summer, with Gary Neville claiming they have made improvements at the back after the recent 3-0 victory against Everton.

Neville said: “They did things certainly last season they weren’t capable of doing, and that’s being reliable when they’re not playing well.

“Can they withstand pressure? Can they soak up teams putting balls into their box? They did that today. I think they defended really well.”

Spurs are faring much better than last season in the Premier League, despite the 1-0 loss against Chelsea on Saturday, having taken 17 points from their opening 10 games, and Micky van de Ven has caught the eye, scoring a brace against Everton.

However, Van de Ven is now attracting attention from elsewhere, which could pose a problem for the north Londoners, who have set a minimum asking price of £88m amid interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Tottenham closely monitoring Jarrad Branthwaite

With their captain being linked to other clubs, Tottenham are now looking to sign a new centre-back, and a report from Caught Offside has revealed they are closely monitoring Branthwaite, viewing the defender as an ideal fit in Frank’s system.

The Toffees are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure, but they have set an asking price of £70m, which means a deal could be possible if Spurs are willing to break their existing transfer record.

The 23-year-old, who remains under contract until 2030, is happy at Everton for the time being and not pushing for an exit, but interest is growing, with Manchester United also in the race for his signature.

Injuries have hampered the Englishman as of late, meaning he is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season, but he has certainly caught the eye in the past, notably putting in a top performance against Spurs in 2024.

The Carlisle-born defender is now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 75 top-flight performances, and he averaged a 7.02 SofaScore match rating last term, the fifth-highest of any Everton player to feature in at least 50% of their matches.

Branthwaite is at a good age to be a long-term success at the Tottenham Hotpsur Stadium, but £70m would be a lot to spend on a player who hasn’t proven himself at the highest level, with the centre-back yet to play for England or in the Champions League.

What Thomas Frank said after snub from van de Ven and Spence What Frank said on snub from van de Ven and Spence after Tottenham loss

It was an evening to forget for Spurs.

ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

West Ham United are looking to sign at least one new midfielder before the end of the summer transfer window. Graham Potter’s options in the centre of the park currently include James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez, and Tomas Soucek, amongst others.

Yet, that does not seem to be enough for the Hammers boss, who is now chasing a new man in midfield. One of the names they have been linked with is his former midfielder at Brighton, Yves Bissouma, according to reports.

However, with Tottenham Hotspur demanding just £17m, he is seen as a viable option for Juventus, which could make this a tough deal for West Ham to do.

There are other options, too, with the Hammers in talks to sign an alternative to Bissouma.

West Ham’s Bissouma alternative

It seems clear that Potter would love to recruit another midfielder this summer, with West Ham looking to climb up the table and build on last season’s 14th-place finish. If Bissouma is indeed unattainable, then they may well have identified a different option.

Transfer Focus

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According to a recent report from Belgian news outlet Voetbalnieuws, via PUNCH Sports Extra, the Hammers are set to accelerate their plans to sign Club Brugge and Nigeria international midfielder Raphael Onyedika. He is said to be ‘their number one priority for midfield reinforcement’ this summer.

Indeed, this is not a deal where Brugge will stand in the player’s way, with the club said to be ‘open to a transfer’ in the coming weeks.

At the end of May, the midfielder was valued at £20m, and with the player ‘patiently awaiting the right offer’, the East Londoners could look to push for a deal.

Why Onyedika would be a good signing

With Onyedika 24 years of age, it feels like now could be a great time for West Ham to pounce on the Nigerian international and bring him to the Premier League. Described as an “outstanding” midfielder by Belgian coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, he has certainly built up a strong reputation.

Last season, he was a crucial player for Brugge in the heart of their midfield. Most often deployed as a defensive midfielder, the Hammers target played 52 games in all competitions, chipping in with two goals and two assists.

It will surely be a positive for the Hammers that Onyedika was such an important player in the Champions League, as his side reached the Last 16. He played 90 minutes against Aston Villa twice, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City, against whom he even scored.

Perhaps the 24-year-old could become Potter’s new Bissouma. The Mali international saw great success under the now-Hammers boss on the South Coast with Brighton, playing 90 games under his tutelage, operating in the heart of his midfield.

Surely, the Englishman would love to have a player like Bissouma in his midfield again, especially after praising his “undoubted ability” after his move to North London.

If West Ham miss out on signing the Spurs star, then perhaps Onyedika could be an apt alternative.

A deep dive into the stats via FBref is telling. Using numbers from Bissouma’s last season at Brighton and Onyedika in 2024/25, there is evidence to suggest that the Brugge star could replicate the Malian’s role under Potter in a West Ham shirt.

Progression from midfield will not be an issue, with the Super League star averaging 4.65 progressive passes each game compared to Bissouma’s 3.91.

Off the ball, the ability to make those recovery runs that Spurs’ number eight excels at is certainly there. Per 90 minutes, Onyedika averaged 5.83 compared to Bissouma’s 6.85.

Passes into final third

4.87

3.11

Progressive passes

4.65

3.91

Tackles and interceptions

2.62

5.36

Ball recoveries

5.83

6.85

Carries into final third

1.07

1.66

For a fee of around £20m, this could be a dream move for Potter. If he is unsuccessful in signing Bissouma this season, then Onyedika seems to fit the required profile down to a tee, with his high-intensity work rate off the ball and progression in build-up.

West Ham are looking to sign a new midfielder, and they could do far worse than a player with age on his side and excellent numbers behind him.

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