All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo has admitted the players still use the trait of hard work which Marcelo Bielsa implemented during his time at the club.

Will Leeds survive the drop?

Prior to the international break, Leeds were able to take three huge points from their relegation rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers, which saw them rise to 14th spot in the table.

However, this is not to say they have climbed away from danger just yet, as only three points separate them and rock-bottom Southampton.

The difficulties experienced this season have seen Jesse Marsch replaced less than a year after taking over from Bielsa and Javi Gracia taking the role in the Elland Road dugout.

But speaking on the official club podcast, Firpo has admitted the players still have Bielsa's philosophy of hard work and covering every blade of grass ingrained in them:

"We are a team that we have our best strength – it's that all the team is running all the time. I think this is a theme that stayed over the years, it came maybe with Marcelo [Bielsa] or maybe before, I don't know, because I've been just with Marcelo.

"So this is a theme that stayed with Marcelo, after [when] Jesse Marsch as well was a coach, the same now Javi [Gracia's] more tactic [focused], but we still want to run, we still want to cover a lot of ground, and we're still able to do it. So I think this is our best strength."

Were Leeds better under Marcelo Bielsa?

The Argentinian manager certainly enjoyed some good times in Yorkshire after he ended the club's Premier League drought by gaining them promotion in 2020.

That being said, the 67-year-old also endured some struggles over the course of the 2021/22 campaign which saw him sacked in February last year.

Leeds were certainly headed for relegation issues with Bielsa in charge as their defence leaked goals from all over towards the end of his reign.

Conceding 20 goals in his final five games in charge didn't do his cause any favours, but there were some other potential reasons behind their demise.

On the back of scoring 17 league goals in their first campaign back in the Premier League, Patrick Bamford missed the large majority of the 2021/22 campaign through injury.

Adding to this, in the January transfer window before Leeds sacked Bielsa, the Argentinian was not handed any summer recruits to strengthen their survival hopes (via Transfermarkt).

Pep Guardiola once said back in 2018: "My admiration for Marcelo Bielsa is huge because he makes the players much, much better."

And there is certainly a case to be made that he got the best out of the Leeds side – Bamford being a key example – when he had his full squad available, while others have struggled since his departure.

Leeds – in their first season back to the top-flight – finished in a stunning ninth-place finish under Bielsa, with only three points separating them from a spot in the Europa Conference League.

Gracia is certainly showing signs of steadying the ship, however, there may be some regret from the Leeds board for not financially backing Bielsa in last year's January window.

The Antonio Conte regime at Tottenham Hotspur was brought to an end last month, with chairman Daniel Levy taking the decision to part ways with the experienced Italian with just a matter of weeks left to run until the end of the season, following a turbulent few months at N17.

Aside from the obvious frustration over results – including tame exits in the FA Cup and Champions League – a further factor in the 53-year-old's dismissal may well have been his inability to hand chances to the club's young talent, with the Daily Mail having reported that the Lilywhites' youth staff had become 'disillusioned' due to the lack of a clear pathway into the first-team.

That bewilderment with regard to Conte's unwillingness to promote from within the club undoubtedly stems from the fact there are a number of exciting gems just waiting for a chance to shine, including clinical marksman, Jamie Donley and fellow teenager, Jaden Williams.

Aside from that notable duo, another youngster who could also be a potential star of the future is 21-year-old, Jamie Bowden, with the midfielder said to be "rated highly" by the north London outfit, according to journalist Adam Millington.

Who is Tottenham's Jamie Bowden?

One of the more 'senior' figures in the academy ranks, there will come a point at which young Bowden may well have missed the boat with regard to earning a regular place in the first-team set-up, having notably endured a campaign hampered by an ankle injury so far this season.

That being said, however, the former Republic of Ireland youth international is clearly well-regarded by those at the club having even been named on the bench for the Premier League clash with Newcastle United just over a year ago, having also scored once and provided five assists in the first half of last season on loan at then-League Two outfit Oldham Athletic.

Club insider John Wenham is among those who have a particular fondness for the midfielder's talents, with the respected source having even likened the Middlesex-born gem to ex-Spurs star Michael Carrick, while also revealing how much the playmaker was admired by former boss, Mauricio Pochettino:

"He’s a deep-lying playmaker. The most similar player I have seen to him in recent years is Michael Carrick. He sits right in that holding midfield role and has a brilliant eye for a pass. Poch loved him and called him up to train with the first team a few times."

That likeness to Carrick bodes well for the impact that Bowden could potentially make for Tottenham in the years to come, with the current Middlesbrough boss having previously racked up 75 appearances for the club after signing from rivals West Ham United in the summer of 2004.

Like the emerging gem, Carrick was a truly gifted operator in a deep-lying role in front of the back four, having been lauded as a "complete" player by Spain legend, Xavi Hernandez, while Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola also previously said of his talents: "He’s one of the best holding midfielders I’ve ever seen in my life, by far."

That comparison between the pair can also be made by the fact that while neither man is prolific, they both also possess the knack for the spectacular, with the former Manchester United man memorably scoring a stunner for the Red Devils against Roma back in 2007, while the current Tottenham ace produced a "world-class" finish for Oldham against Exeter City last season, as per podcaster Chris Cowlin.

To think that Spurs could possibly have a natural successor to the now-retired maestro in the form of Bowden is a truly exciting prospect, with the hope being that the £2.1k-per-week sensation can overcome his previous "bad injuries" – as per Wenham – and earn a chance to shine at senior level.

Steven Gerrard could prove to be an unpopular choice as Leeds United's new manager among supporters, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

Is Gerrard a front-runner for Leeds job?

The 43-year-old had an unsuccessful spell at Aston Villa earlier in the season, eventually being replaced by Unai Emery, who has ultimately showed him up with a much improved run of results.

Since then, Gerrard has been out of management, instead doing some punditry, but he has emerged as one of the favourites to become Leeds' next boss.

The Whites continue to look for the perfect man to come in and turn their fortunes around, with Championship football coming their way in 2023/24, following a bitterly disappointing Premier League campaign that culminated in relegation.

Gerrard is far from guaranteed the Leeds job, but he is certainly in the conversation, and it is an appointment that could split opinion, should it end up coming to fruition.

Is the jury out on Gerrard to Leeds?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor admitted that Gerrard's failed spell at Villa could make him an unpopular choice, even though he sees benefits behind the appointment:

"I do think Gerrard would be a decent fit. I know that might not be popular among some supporters because of what happened at Villa, but I think it's a different kind of job now. It's a project and something to build.

"I know that was the case at Villa, but their squad was so strong that it's not entirely surprising where they ended up finishing, although I know Unai Emery has done a great job.

"When Gerrard went to Rangers, he built, reasonably, from scratch. I think that's the sort of environment he would be walking into at Leeds as well, so I quite like those appointments. I think Ruben Selles would be a good option as well, but I've not seen any kind of links to Leeds."

There is understandable trepidation when it comes to Leeds potentially appointing Gerrard, given the manner in which things petered out at Villa, following a fairly promising start.

He is yet to properly prove himself in the Premier League or the Championship – he did win the Scottish Premiership title with Rangers, in fairness, which was a great achievement – so it would be more risky than someone like Daniel Farke or Scott Parker, both of whom have achieved that goal, both earning promotion from the latter.

That being said, Gerrard is still a young manager who could end up having a bright future in that aspect of football – his legendary status as a player is undisputed, but that doesn't automatically make you a great boss – so bringing him in certainly wouldn't be a disaster.

Granit Xhaka's Arsenal career appeared to be heading for a rather unsavoury end when he tossed his armband to the floor in disgust and marched off the Emirates pitch after being substituted.

That, however, was in November 2019. Since that clash against Crystal Palace, Xhaka's revival has been the stuff of legend.

He won't necessarily leave Islington a legend, but he will no doubt be remembered as a cult hero at the club.

Is Granit Xhaka leaving Arsenal?

Last term was his best yet after a move from Borussia Monchengladbach, with the Swiss midfielder scoring nine goals and registering seven assists.

Leaving on a high is the best way of bowing out and indeed he will do just that after moving to Bayer Leverkusen for £21.5m.

Declan Rice, a slightly more expensive mover at a whopping £105m, will come in as a result, but the Gunners won't stop there in their pursuit of success.

Jurrien Timber is due to arrive from Ajax but it's also thought that a move for Jeremie Frimpong could be on the table, a deal potentially set to be worth in the region of £34m.

His club? Rather coincidentally, Bayer Leverkusen.

How good is Jeremie Frimpong?

Adjusting to English football should not be an arduous task for the right-back, who like Xhaka did all the way back in 2014, could trade the Bundesliga for Premier League life.

Frimpong, however, will arrive more well-known to a British audience.

The Dutchman came through the ranks at Manchester City before moving to Celtic from a young age, where former boss Neil Lennon described him as "one of the best kids I've ever seen at that age."

Since then, the full-back has only gone from strength to strength. The 22-year-old is now one of the best in his position around, particularly when it comes to the offensive side of the game.

As per FBref, he ranks inside the top 10% in his position across Europe's top five leagues for a host of metrics, notably non-penalty goals, shots, assists and progressive carries.

For the latter, he actually sits in the best 1%. That is a theme that regularly appears throughout Frimpong's scout report, as he is in the top 1% for successful take-ons and touches in the attacking penalty area.

Such numbers indicate that he is one of the most offensive full-backs in the game, something that would no doubt benefit Mikel Arteta's side.

Such a rampant threat could also help to ensure Bukayo Saka's performance levels stay the same, if not get better.

Saka has benefited tremendously from his partnership alongside Ben White down the right-hand side.

White isn't a marauder by any stretch of the imagination. He ranks inside the worst 37% for progressive carries as an indication. Yet, his composure is bettered by very few at the club.

Capable of drifting inside but also playing on the overlap to allow Saka to cut in on his favoured left foot, Frimpong could ensure that becomes more of a regular thing.

He is a truly "breathtaking" asset as dubbed by scout Antonio Mango, one whose exploits from right-back could only ensure Saka gets into more favourable positions himself.

Having scored 15 goals and assisted 11 himself, there is little room to get better, but a player such as Frimpong could well ensure that happens swiftly.

White has done little wrong since playing at right-back but he is not the archetypal modern full-back. Frimpong certainly is and his arrival could well be the berth of a right flank to rival the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah.

Wesley Fofana’s long-term knee injury has scrambled Chelsea’s pre-season plan.

The Blues had been planning to offload Trevoh Chalobah this summer, with Levi Colwill looking set to play a prominent role in first-team action this season.

However, Fofana’s absence means that the former Ipswich loanee may now play an integral role in Mauricio Pochettino’s plans, with Benoit Badiashile also set to miss the start of the upcoming campaign.

Nevertheless, the Blues are still exploring their options in the current transfer market and Marc Guehi’s has been thrown into the mix.

Who wants to sign Marc Guehi?

According to Fabrizio Romano’s CaughtOffside column, Chelsea are interested in the possibility of resigning Guehi:

“Marc Guehi – There’s a lot of interest in the Crystal Palace defender, but it’s still too early to say where he will go," Romano began.

"Palace players are always linked with moves away but it’s important to underline that Palace have to be respected and they want important money or they keep their stars. Chelsea had some contacts on the player side 15 days ago, but again, no concrete negotiations or anything advanced.”

Crystal Palace will reportedly demand £50m for the 23-year-old’s services, who wants to be a regular starter at his next destination.

It is understood that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are also plotting a move for Guehi to make it an enticing saga.

How good is Marc Guehi?

The Eagles star, who has been lauded “incredible” by BBC Sport’s Alex Howell, has been a wonderful addition to Selhurst since his £18m in 2021.

Guehi has appeared in 73 of the club’s last 76 Premier League games – he has become synonymous with reliability, consistency, and defensive solidity.

Furthermore, in the 2021/22 season, the £50k-per-week titan became Palace’s youngest captain in ten years.

His past manager Steve Cooper has also hailed his talent, labelling him as “outstanding” and someone he really believes in, whilst he was on loan at Swansea City.

Cooper’s prophecy has come to fruition as Guehi has become an instrumental figure in Palace’s consolidation as a sturdy mid-table outfit.

If Chelsea managed to complete this signing, they would have another player who mirrors the composure and defensive reliability of Badiashile.

Despite the Blues’ horrendous recent past, the Frenchman emerged from the club’s worst Premier League season with a commendable degree of respect.

In just 11 top-flight outings, the former Monaco gem recorded the fourth-highest average rating in the squad, won 64% of his duels, and managed a 90% pass accuracy. Clearly, he is proficient in passing and winning physical battles.

The centre-back also ranks impressively across the continent, as he sits within the best 18% for progressive passes and interceptions per 90.

Joao Tralhao, who has previously coached Badiashile in France, has showered the Frenchman in praise, saying:

​​​​​​​"He is going to one of the world's biggest clubs. But Badiashile is excellent. He is very strong in the air and in the duels. He can read the game because he is intelligent. He is a very good defender on the floor and in the air. He is the complete defender."

Guehi, by comparison, completed 84% of his passes and won 67% of his defensive duels to outline their similarities.

Although the exciting Pochettino era will eventually be tainted by Thiago Silva’s inevitable departure, the prospect of boasting Guehi, Badiashile, and Colwill is tantalising.

As they look to continue their summer business, West Bromwich Albion are now reportedly “plotting” a bargain deal to sign an experienced, versatile star for Ryan Mason.

West Brom pushing on after Heggebo deal

Whilst it’s not been the most frantic summer transfer window at The Hawthorns so far, West Brom have at least welcomed both Nat Phillips from Liverpool and Aune Heggebo from Norwegian side Brann. The forward stands out as their biggest arrival so far, given that he scored eight goals in all competitions last season and should play a prominent role in Mason’s frontline.

Following his arrival, the forward told West Brom’s official website: “Coming here with the fanbase and the history, such as being one of the oldest clubs in Great Britain, I feel very proud to get the chance to represent Albion. It felt like a really good opportunity to go and try something new – an adventure maybe. I can get some new life experience.

“To experience English football culture with the stadiums, fanbases, atmospheres and passion there is for football, I’m really looking forward to it. I’ve always been really big on English football when I was growing up, watching the Premier League and a bit of the Championship. It’s great to be here.”

With Heggebo signed and delivered, meanwhile, West Brom have reportedly set their sights on further reinforcements as pre-season gets underway in the Midlands.

West Brom could repeat their Maja magic by signing EFL star for £0

West Bromwich Albion could be about to replicate their Josh Maja magic by snapping up a free agent.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 10, 2025

On that front, Preston North End’s Ali McCann and Tottenham Hotspur youngster Mikey Moore have both been mentioned in recent weeks. The latter would particularly make sense on loan given that Mason worked with him during his time at Spurs. As options go, the young winger stands out as someone who would be an exciting arrival.

At the other end of the spectrum, though, the Baggies are also reportedly targeting an experienced former Premier League midfielder who could arrive in a bargain deal this summer.

West Brom "plotting" move to sign Jeffrey Schlupp

According to Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, West Brom are now “plotting” a move to sign Jeffrey Schlupp, who remains a free agent after leaving Crystal Palace.

Mason reportedly believes that the midfielder could be a key member of his West Brom squad due to his experience and versatility and that should come as no surprise. The former Palace midfielder enjoyed a successful loan spell at Celtic last season, helping them retain the Scottish Premiership and even featuring in the knockout phase of the Champions League as the Bhoys narrowly lost out to Bayern Munich.

It was during his time on loan at Celtic that Schlupp earned high praise from manager Brendan Rodgers, who told reporters after welcoming the 32-year-old: “I am really pleased that we have been able to bring Jeffrey to the club. I know he will love it at Celtic and I am sure our fans will love him and what he can bring to us.

“He is a fantastic guy, someone with real high-level experience and with great attributes including power, pace and versatility. I know that he can be a really important addition to our squad this season.”

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is unlikely to leave the club this summer and would be priced out even if he wanted to, transfer expert Dean Jones has claimed.

The Lowdown: Salah back in the goals

The 30-year-old has been short of his best by his incredibly high standards this season, with his dropoff playing a part in the Reds’ campaign of woes.

That being said, Salah returned to scoring ways during Monday’s 2-0 win at home to Everton in the Merseyside derby, in what was still his 18th goal of 2022/23 to date.

The Egyptian superstar is contracted at Anfield until the summer of 2025 and now a key update has emerged regarding his future.

The Latest: Summer exit unlikely

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that he doesn’t expect Salah to be going anywhere this summer:

“Even if somebody like Salah wanted to leave Liverpool, I think he’d probably be priced out of a move because I don’t see who would be buying Mo Salah at this moment in time.”

The Verdict: Surely he stays put?

It would be an enormous surprise if Salah suddenly looked for a move away from Liverpool at the end of the season, having only signed an extension last July.

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The Reds legend remains one of the most important players at the club, being hailed as a ‘world-class’ footballer by Arsene Wenger earlier in the week and comfortably topping the scoring charts in all competitions this season.

Salah may be 30 now but he should be in and around the peak of his powers for several years to come, especially given the shape he keeps himself in and his lack of injuries.

Granted, he has looked off the pace at times this season but the midfield struggles certainly haven’t helped him, as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold not being at his best behind him. Once that area is improved this summer, the Liverpool ace should find his top form again.

Aston Villa are thought to be plotting a move for Southampton defender Mohammed Salisu this summer, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Expecting a busy summer

NSWE were willing to hand Unai Emery a ‘huge’ January transfer budget after he took over from Steven Gerrard last year, however, the Spaniard only brought in two players in Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran.

He has improved the current squad, taking them comfortably away from the danger zone after picking up 26 points from his opening 14 Premier League games in charge.

It seems as if there could be plenty of incomings and outgoings in the summer following a relatively quiet window, with chief executive Christian Purslow “expecting an extremely busy summer”.

Ashley Preece has previously said that ‘a new No.9 to partner Ollie Watkins is at the top of Villa’s shopping list this summer’, while also adding that ‘the defence will be strengthened’. It seems as if Emery and co may have identified their defensive target in Salisu.

The Latest: Villa keen

Football Insider shared a transfer update in the last 24 hours regarding Salisu and Villa. They revealed that those at Villa Park are plotting to sign the Southampton defender over the coming months, with Salisu possibly available for £25m.

Premier League rivals Leicester City and Manchester United are also thought to be keen on the 23-year-old, with the report adding that the Saints are bracing themselves for interest.

The Verdict: Shrewd signing?

Salisu arrived at Southampton back in 2020 and has gone on to make 80 appearances for the club, 28 of which have come during the current campaign.

The Ghana international has been a solid performer in what has been a struggling Saints side. Salisu is currently Southampton’s joint second-best performer behind James Ward-Prowse, as per WhoScored, averaging a better match rating than any Villa defender.

He has been hailed as a ‘nasty’ defender in his duels by his old Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, something which is proven with Salisu making more tackles per 90 than any of his teammates. The centre-back has also averaged a whopping 5.4 clearances per game, more than the likes of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa.

The Saints man appears to be at the top of his game in England with a career-high €18m Transfermarkt valuation, so if he is unable to help keep his current employers in the top flight, a move to the Midlands could be one to keep an eye on.

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford will hopefully be back from injury in time for next week’s action, according to reliable journalist Adam Pope.

The Lowdown: Bamford misses Chelsea defeat

The Englishman has endured an injury-prone time of things in recent seasons, stunting his progress hugely after such an impressive 2020/21 campaign.

Bamford has been limited to only nine starts in the Premier League overall, and he ended up being ruled out of Saturday’s 1-0 defeat away to Chelsea.

The hope is that the 29-year-old’s absence is not a long one and a positive update has emerged regarding the situation.

The Latest: Only a short-term absence

Taking to Twitter on Saturday, Adam confirmed that Bamford could be available again by next week:

“Leg injury for Bamford according to Gracia. Hopes to be back next week.”

The Verdict: Injuries a big problem now

This is clearly good news, with a long-term injury something that would have been a big blow for Leeds, but Bamford’s injuries are still a problem now.

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The £70,000-a-week-earning striker seems to be unavailable as much as he is available these days, and he is struggling to find any rhythm on the pitch, having scored only once in the league all season.

On his day, Bamford remains a top-class player – he was once hailed as ‘exceptional’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp – but these constant fitness issues highlight the need for attacking signings this summer.

It is reaching the stage where he should be used as a luxury player, managing his minutes carefully, with a younger, less injury-prone figure coming in.

Leeds United once again failed in their pursuit of a first Championship win of the season, as Daniel Farke's problems were devastatingly emphasised…

How did Leeds get on vs West Brom?

Hosting Carlos Corberan's impressive but threadbare West Bromwich Albion outfit, there was a quiet confidence that the Whites would be able to secure all three points at the third time of asking.

After all, a disappointing opening-day draw with Cardiff City and a subsequent defeat to Birmingham City hardly have fans excited for the new campaign.

Last night marked yet another spirited display, but once which lacked that cutting-edge to see off the travelling Baggies.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

They enjoyed 57% of the ball and rained down 16 shots, yet found themselves behind just after the restart and searching for an equaliser, via Sofascore.

Whilst it eventually came, they were forced to settle for the 1-1 draw, with a few standout individuals having let the side down.

Of all that disappointed, Jamie Shackleton was arguably the weakest of the toothless bunch.

How did Jamie Shackleton play vs West Brom?

Making his 82nd appearance for the Yorkshire outfit, it should have marked a triumphant return to the starting lineup for the 23-year-old seeking to stake his claim within the senior side.

However, he likely has ended up denting his chances of further opportunities, with an underwhelming display on the wing where he created little.

In fact, his 6.8 Sofascore rating throughout the clash was the third-worst of all of Farke's starting side, made especially terrible due to his anonymity in a game where he should have excelled.

After all, they did enjoy the bulk of the possession, exacerbating his dismal 39 touches. Even Illan Meslier, who was one of the two worse performers than the young wide man, managed more touches (43), via Sofascore.

The French shot-stopper even managed to complete more passes (29) than Shackleton (24) too, suggesting that his lack of influence also fed into an inability to even link up with his teammates sufficiently.

The £1.5k-per-week earner was offensively lacking throughout as well, failing in both of his attempted dribbles and failing to register a single shot, striking the woodwork after a slice in fortune. Had he offered something defensively the academy graduate could have been forgiven, but even then he won only three of the six total duels he competed in, a 57% failure rate, via Sofascore.

It seems that journalist Beren Cross shares this sentiment with regard to his profligacy, as he briefly lauded his physical assets before suggesting an area of improvement in his post-match ratings: "His pace, intensity and work rate really shone in the first half as his pressing drove errors from the visitors. Still lacking a little quality on the ball when he's playing in this final-third role."

Although Shackleton is only young, this should mark a damning indictment for Farke, who has seen his squad slowly dismantled before his very eyes.

Even now Wilfried Gnonto has compounded such misery by finally handing in a transfer request, with his exit surely now looming amidst the exit of numerous other first-team stars.

Shackleton may well offer a fine option in the future, but if performances like last night are to become a regular feature, his starting spot could be in jeopardy.

However, if it forces them into the market, fans will remain elated. They certainly need reinforcements regardless.