Europe's supposed strongest league won't have a representative in the last four of football's biggest cup competition, which is a damning indictment
After four breath-taking ties of the highest quality, the line up for this season's Champions League semi-finals has been confirmed, along with the fact that there won't be an English team appearing in the showpiece event at Wembley on June 1. This is only the eighth time in the past 25 years the final four has not included a single Premier League club, and the first time since 2019-20, which suggests something has gone badly wrong.
In fact, a Premier League side has lifted the Champions League trophy in three of the last five editions, and there have been two all-English finals during that time. Manchester City were the holders, but relinquished their crown after an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to 14-time winners Real Madrid, while Arsenal went down without much of a fight against Bayern Munich.
Make no mistake, their failure is a disaster for English football. The spending power of the Premier League dwarfs the rest of Europe's 'Big Five' divisions, and so they attract all the best players and managers, and provide the tools for them to thrive.
A failure of this magnitude is, therefore, inexcusable. Madrid and Bayern's unmatched experience at this level told in the end, as they managed to bust the myth of a Premier League empire through a mix of discipline and tactical nous. Worst of all, it doesn't feel like a anomaly, but rather a clear sign that a serious power shift has taken place.
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City won't break stride
In the case of Man City, there is no reason to panic. Pep Guardiola's side camped in Madrid's half for the best part of 120 minutes in their second leg of their quarter-final, mustering 33 shots to the visitors' eight while enjoying 68 percent of the possession.
Rodrygo opened the scoring early after a swift Real counter-attack, but they barely had another sniff of goal, and it felt like just a matter of time before City got back into the game. The only surprise was it took until the 76th minute, when Kevin De Bruyne blasted the ball high into the net from close-range after a botched clearance from Antonio Rudiger, and Real then continued to ride their luck to force extra-time.
City passed their opponents to death, as they do to most teams, and Real were on their knees collectively by the time the final whistle blew. Los Blancos defended for their lives to force penalties, and showed nerves of steel to come out on top with the added pressure of taking theirs in front of the fervent home supporters.
It was a cruel way for City's double-treble bid to end. The only real difference between this contest and the second leg of the semi-final tie between the two clubs last season, which City won 4-0, was that they failed to take their chances.
Guardiola will no doubt get a strong response from his players in Saturday's FA Cup semi-final showdown against Chelsea. City are heavy favourites to progress, and to go on and win their record-breaking fourth successive Premier League crown, and rightly so.
The threat of serious punishment from their 115 FFP charges case, which is due to be heard this autumn, still hangs over everything. But there is no denying City's status as an elite team, and exiting the Champions League won't knock them off their stride.
The same cannot be said for Arsenal, however…
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Arsenal fold again
Guardiola insisted that he had "no regrets" after City's European exit because "we did everything" and "played exceptional". Mikel Arteta was also left bemoaning the "small margins" after Arsenal's 1-0 defeat in Munich, but unlike those of his former mentor, they were hollow words.
Arsenal were lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw in the first leg on home soil, and didn't deserve anything from the second. The Gunners started well, but Bayern were in the ascendency by the time the half-time whistle blew, and they controlled the game in the second 45 minutes, with Joshua Kimmich heading home the decisive goal after ghosting in unmarked to meet a Raphael Guerreiro cross at the back post.
Much has been made of the improvements Arsenal have made as a collective since narrowly missing out on the 2022-23 Premier League title, with William Saliba shaking off his injury problems and club-record signing Declan Rice adding a new dimension in midfield, but they are still naive in the biggest games and lack real strength in depth.
Arteta's men didn't look like a team motivated to right the wrongs of Sunday's 2-0 loss against Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium, which handed the initiative in this season's Premier League title race back to City. The likes of Bukayo Saka and Ben White, who have barely missed a minute of action this term, were clearly exhausted in the latter stages at the Allianz Arena.
There would usually be no shame in being outfoxed by Bayern, but Thomas Tuchel's team have been a disjointed mess for much of the campaign, despite Harry Kane's record-breaking scoring exploits. They've been beaten to the Bundesliga title with five games to spare, sitting 16 points behind the new champions Bayer Leverkusen, and were dumped out of the DFB-Pokal in the second round by third-tier outfit Saarbrucken.
"I think we have the capacity and the quality to be in the semi-final," Arteta added. "When you look historically, it took other clubs seven, eight or 10 years to do it [make the Champions League semi-finals]."
If Arsenal aren't good enough to beat this version of Bayern, it could very well take them another 10 years to make the last four. The reality is, Arteta is no closer to delivering the biggest titles after investing over £200m in his squad last summer, and that doesn't reflect well on the strength of the Premier League.
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Major coefficient blow
From a statistical standpoint, City and Arsenal's European misery has already had a damaging effect on the Premier League. Germany were only just ahead of England in UEFA's coefficient rankings heading into this week's set of fixtures, but they now have a commanding lead.
The top two nations will receive an extra Champions League spot for the 2024-25 season – which will see the tournament expanded to 36 teams – with Serie A and the Bundesliga set to benefit as it stands. It will now take a minor miracle for England to overtake Germany, who have two teams in the Champions League semis as well as Leverkusen on the brink of a last-four berth in the Europa League after winning the first leg of their quarter-final against West Ham 2-0.
Liverpool are also in real danger of crashing out of the Europa League after a 3-0 defeat to Atalanta at Anfield. At the moment, Aston Villa are the only English team in a strong position to go on and clinch continental silverware, as they head into the second leg of their Europa Conference League quarter-final against Lille with a 2-1 aggregate advantage.
It's a sorry state of affairs for English football, of course not helped by Manchester United and Newcastle's humiliating group-stage exits in the Champions League back in December. Serie A champions-elect Inter went out in the last 16 alongside Lazio and Napoli, but Italy will likely have two representatives in the Europa League semi-finals, as Roma and Milan prepare to face off again to likely join Atalanta in the final four, while Fiorentina could still win the Conference League.
If the Premier League is the best in the world, why is it not reflected by the performances in Europe? The answer is clear: Man City are the only top team in England right now, and the gulf between them and the chasing pack is likely to only get bigger.
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Transition time at Anfield?
For the last six years, Liverpool have been the main challengers to City, pipping them to the post for the 2019-20 title and finishing as runners-up on two occasions. They appeared on course to dethrone City again just a few weeks ago as one entry in a potential quadruple, but missed a golden chance to pull away when playing out a 1-1 draw against the champions at Anfield after laying siege to their goal.
Jurgen Klopp's side were then beaten in the FA Cup quarter-finals by Manchester United, and failed to avenge that defeat in the league as they were held to a hugely disappointing 2-2 draw at Old Trafford, which they followed up with the shocking display against Atalanta and a 1-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace.
All of this means that Liverpool could now finish the campaign with just the Carabao Cup to show for their efforts. They are third in the Premier League standings with six games left to play, two points adrift of City and just behind Arsenal in goal difference.
The situation is salvageable, but City have the easier fixtures on paper and history suggests their recent winning run will continue. Whatever happens, it could be a while before Liverpool get this close to Guardiola's side again.
A new era will be ushered in when Klopp officially walks away from his Anfield post at the end of May, after nine years of box-office entertainment and tangible success. It would be a huge surprise if the Reds don't go through a transitional period, regardless of who is brought in to replace the beloved German, with speculation over the futures of star players such as Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk now building.
If Liverpool do decline, who looks capable of taking their spot in the top-four? Manchester United, Newcastle and Chelsea have all fallen well short of expectations this season, while the jury is still out on whether Tottenham are ready to reach the next level under attack-minded boss Ange Postecoglou. It's entirely possible that the Premier League will be an even weaker competition by this time next year.
Leeds United experienced a turbulent transfer window this summer in the immediate aftermath of their relegation down to the Championship, a whole host of underperforming first-teamers departing before the prospect of second-tier football could even properly sink in.
The likes of Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen, Rodrigo and Marc Roca all left the club to pursue loan moves elsewhere, whilst American midfield gem Tyler Adams also left Elland Road behind to join Premier League side AFC Bournemouth on a permanent deal.
Yet, not all hope was lost completely in this transfer window with Daniel Farke going on to recruit the spine of a squad that's now third in the league and gearing up for an intense battle with Ipswich Town and Leicester City for those coveted automatic promotion spots.
Additions such as Joel Piroe, Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon have been excellent buys whilst duds in the Premier League such as Georginio Rutter have burst into life since the club were relegated – the latter man registering seven assists this season.
Farke could add some new players in January to his promotion-chasing squad regardless of the feel-good factor present at Elland Road at this moment in time, Leeds potentially going back in for Fortuna Düsseldorf star Ao Tanaka who is vying for a move away from the German club.
Leeds transfer latest
Leeds United were previously interested in the Japanese midfielder last transfer window and even made a bid for the player, according to reports in Germany, albeit with Farke's men opting to sign Glen Kamara instead to fill gaps over Tanaka.
The Whites could be encouraged to go back in for the 24-time Japan international with recent developments suggesting that the skilful 5 foot 11 Düsseldorf man is actively looking for a move away.
German football website Express commented on the 'tricky situation' Tanaka's club have on their hands to keep the 25-year-old past January, stating that Dusseldorf will not put 'any obstacles' in the way of their number four moving on.
The Whites could therefore consider going back in for their failed summer buy, adding competition for places in West Yorkshire to ensure first-team regulars such as Kamara don't become complacent centrally.
How Ao Tanaka compares to Glen Kamara
Whilst Leeds' Finnish midfielder is far more reserved in his game going forward – content with just spraying the ball about with ease in a holding role – Tanaka excels when he ventures further up the pitch to help his team add goals.
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Over the last year for his 2. Bundesliga employers – according to FBref – Tanaka has averaged 1.28 shots per 90 minutes when he forays forward. Kamara, on the contrary, comes in at a far lesser 0.21.
With the amount of shots Tanaka takes per match, it's no surprise to see the Japanese midfielder has four goals next to his name for his free-flowing 2. Bundesliga team this campaign.
Ao Tanaka's statistics in 2023/24
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Appearances
17
Goals
4
Assists
1
Yet, Kamara comes out on top in the passing statistics between the two – Leeds' number eight is a key figure under Farke playing in a deep position, a calm orchestrator of attacking moves alongside partner Ethan Ampadu. Over the last year, Kamara has on average completed 92.4% of his passes per game compared to Tanaka's 85.5%.
The Japanese World Cup star could offer Leeds something more fresh and unique if he was to be signed, even potentially starting in a more advanced number ten role if required.
Tanaka's ability to be tough in a tackle for Dusseldorf and his national team but also potent in attack has even seen him be compared to Real Madrid golden boy Jude Bellingham, a comparison that will have certainly piqued Leeds' interest due to the 20-year-old's heroics of late – netting 15 goals in just 17 games for Los Blancos.
That likeness between Tanaka and the Englishman was noted by the Bundesliga official website, who stated:
'Tanaka is somewhere in between, going box to box and emerging as an on-field leader like Borussia Dortmund’s England international Jude Bellingham. Tanaka looks to clean up from deep – averaging almost nine tackles won per Bundesliga 2 game in 2022/23 – and get forward whenever possible.'
Kamara will then be sweating about the potential of Kamada joining the Whites, Farke could fancy signing the bargain £2.6m man in January and play him over the former Rangers man to catch opponents off-guard in their continued hunt for promotion.
The pair batted all of the fourth day and 12 overs on the fifth before weather intervened to give Sri Lanka a draw that didn’t look possible at 13 for 3
Andrew Fidel Fernando in Wellington19-Dec-2018They had less than half a session to see out due to rain on day five, but Kusal Mendis and Angelo Mathews stayed firm as they had all through Thursday, playing out 12 wicketless overs, to secure a draw.Through the course of the morning’s play, which had begun 90 minutes after the scheduled start time, the pair were largely unbothered by Tim Southee and Trent Boult’s fuller lengths, and even less troubled by the shorter stuff which they have negotiated with supreme confidence right through their partnership. Rain later returned to wash out the remainder of the day.Watch LIVE on ESPN+
Readers from the US can also watch the match LIVE here, on ESPN+
During the roughly 52 minutes of play that was possible, though, Mendis fetched himself 25 further runs. He struck four boundaries – two of them sublime straight drives – and moved eventually to 141 not out. Mathews, who seemed intent on remaining in stonewall mode, added only three runs to his overnight score, and ended on 120. The partnership was ultimately worth 274, and Sri Lanka were only nine runs in arrears, when the rains returned.There were very minor scares for each batsman. Mathews was pointedly beaten outside his off stump by a good-length Boult delivery that curved away slightly before pitching. Mendis was close to gloving a waist-high Southee short ball down the legside. But so de-fanged is this surface now, that the bowlers barely had the opportunity to capitalise on those slight errors. Almost immediately, the ball began finding the middle of the bat again, and normal service resumed.The most exciting exciting period of the morning came when Mendis hit 19 runs in the space of seven deliveries, hitting two fours apiece off both Boult and Southee – a period that featured those two straight drives, in addition to a glorious pull to the square leg fence. That flurry of scoring prompted Kane Williamson to bring Neil Wagner and Ajaz Patel into the attack, but although a couple of maidens followed, there was no visible toruble for the batsmen.
In an email to the BCCI top brass, India’s senior-most player has hit out at coach Ramesh Powar and CoA member Diana Edulji
Nagraj Gollapudi27-Nov-2018
Mithali Raj spends some time by herself ahead of a nets session at Lord’s•IDI/Getty Images
Mithali Raj has accused India women head coach Ramesh Powar and former captain Diana Edulji – a member of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) supervising the BCCI’s operations – of leaving her “deflated, depressed and let down” with their actions during the recently concluded World T20 in the Caribbean.Raj, who was controversially left out of the starting XI in India’s eight-wicket semi-final loss to England, has also termed India T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur’s decision to support her exclusion “baffling and hurtful”.”Nothing against Harman”
Ever since Mithali Raj was dropped for the World T20 semi-final against England, there have been murmurs that India’s T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur does not get along with her senior team-mate. After the game, Harmanpreet had said, “We were going with a winning combination. We did really well against Australia. And that is the reason we just wanted to go with the same combination.” In her email, Raj called Harmanpreet’s decision “hurtful”, but said she was still optimistic of sorting out any differences via a face-to-face meeting. “I have nothing against the T20 captain Harmanpreet Kaur except for the fact that her call to support the decision of the coach to leave me out of the eleven was baffling and hurtful,” Raj said in the email. “I wanted to win the world cup for my country and it hurts me because we lost a golden opportunity. But I am of the opinion that Harman and I are senior players and our issues, if any, should be sorted out by the two of us by sitting across the table. “As India’s 50-over captain, I value Harman as one of our best players and will always want to ensure that the two of us perform our best for India.”
Raj laid bare her feelings in an email on Tuesday to the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri and the BCCI general manager, cricket operations and women’s cricket, Saba Karim. Raj sent the email a day after meeting Johri and Karim in Mumbai to discuss the fallout of the controversy concerning her exclusion from the World T20 semi-final. Among others who met Johri and Karim on Monday were Harmanpreet and team manager Trupti Bhattacharya.In the email, accessed by ESPNcricinfo, the majority of Raj’s ire is directed at Powar, the former Mumbai and India offspinner who took over as the India women head coach in July, after Tushar Arothe’s resignation.According to Raj, Powar revealed “small signs” of what she alleged was “unfair and discriminatory” behaviour towards her as soon as the India squad landed in the West Indies.Raj, who has opened the batting across formats for the past several years, was pushed down the order in India’s tournament opener against New Zealand. According to Raj, Powar told her the move was made in order to increase India’s batting depth.Raj says she approached Sudha Shah, the national selector on tour, after Powar told her she wouldn’t open. On the morning of the next game, against Pakistan, Powar told her she would open. Raj opened against Pakistan and Ireland, and scored half-centuries in both games.Raj reaching out to the selectors, according to her email, changed Powar’s behaviour towards her.”For instance, walking off if I am sitting anywhere around, watching in the nets when others bat but choosing to walk away when I am batting in nets, if I try to go up to him to talk to start looking into his phone and keep walking. It was embarrassing and very evident to everyone that I was being humiliated.”Raj says she approached Bhattacharya to resolve the issue, and that the team manager arranged for a meeting between player and coach. During the meeting, Raj said, Powar was conciliatory and even apologised to her. “In front of the manager at numerous instances he agreed to his fault. (Yes, it was my mistake. I should not have done that).”India captain Harmanpreet Kaur and coach Ramesh Powar at the pre-departure press meet•Annesha Ghosh
Nonetheless, the email goes on to detail, the troubles with the coach would continue. “He would not even acknowledge me. To him I didn’t exist in the team. If I was around he would immediately move away from the scene, if I looked to wish him he would deliberately start looking in other direction.”He continued to behave badly as I have already informed you yesterday. It appeared to me that for him the meeting had hurt his ego.”Raj injured her knee during the match against Ireland and missed India’s final group game, against Australia. Raj says Powar told her “not to come to the ground” for that match, and – after she asked the manager to intervene – “not to step out of the dressing room” for its duration. Then, Raj says Powar called her onto the ground to join her team-mates in a victory lap.Raj’s knee recovered in time for the semi-final, but she says it was evident days before the match that Powar had made up his mind to leave her out. Raj says she was paired up with the lower-middle-order batsmen in the nets, and made to face part-time bowlers. “The kind of practice given to a player who is not in your scheme of things in a key match.”Powar, according to Raj, did not reveal the playing XI on the eve of the semi-final, a move she found “unusual”. “It is when Harman walked to toss, he came running to me and said that they were going with the same team. It meant the whole team knew who were playing and it was just me who was not aware.”Raj said she was left with no choice but to approach Johri and Karim because the episode had left her “utterly dejected and depressed”.”For the first time in a 20 year long career I felt deflated, depressed and let down. I am forced to think if my services to my country are of any value to a few people in power who are out to destroy me and break my confidence.”When contacted by ESPNcricinfo, Powar refused to comment on the matter.Raj also said she felt let down by Edulji, her former Railways and India captain, who had said it was not the CoA’s “headache” to interfere in the controversy surrounding the semi-final, or any other decision of the team management.Raj said Edulji’s comments were a sign of “brazen support” for her being dropped, which left her “deeply distressed” only because the pair had spoken during the tournament.”Thereafter her statement saying ‘selection is not the COA’s headache’ is like suggesting there is no system of cheques (sic) and balances and anyone can do anything and get away because they have the backing of people in power.”The fact that the media gained access to Raj’s mail, meanwhile, has perturbed Amitabh Choudhary, the BCCI’s acting secretary. He emailed Johri and Karim, with the subject line “LEAKAGE OF REPORT”.”It is clear that the contents are extremely damaging to certain individual persons and therefore to the BCCI,” Choudhary’s email said. “Please let me know the facts of the case at the earliest.”
Jonny Bairstow has signed a short-term deal with T10 side Kerala Knights.Bairstow was named Man of the Match in this week’s third Test against Sri Lanka, after marking his return to the side with a matchwinning 110 in the first innings at Colombo. He will leave for the UAE this evening while his England team-mates prepare to fly home at the end of their 3-0 series win.Bairstow is set to link up with his England white-ball captain, Eoin Morgan, Kerala Knights’ captain, as well as his ODI team-mate Tom Curran and other stars of the white-ball game, including the West Indies pair of Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard.Knights, formerly Kerala Kings, are the inaugural T10 champions, having beaten Punjabi Legends in last year’s final in Sharjah.Bairstow could be in the UAE for less than a week. He will be available for Knights’ two remaining group matches, against Northern Warriors and Bengal Tigers on November 29 and 30, and then, if the team qualifies, the knock-out stages, with the final scheduled for December 2.
كشفت تقارير صحفية الموعد المتوقع للإعلان عن القرار الخاص بالعقوبات ضد نادي مانشستر سيتي، في ظل اتهامه بـ 115 انتهاكًا من قِبل رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
كانت رابطة الدوري الإنجليزي قد اتهمت مانشستر سيتي، في فبراير 2023، بـ115 انتهاكًا يتعلق بخرق قواعد اللعب المالي النظيف، في الفترة بين 2009 و2018.
وانتشرت التكهنات في ذلك الوقت حول نوعية العقوبات التي ستُصدر ضد مانشستر سيتي في إطار هذا الشأن.
ووفقًا لما ذكرته شبكة “سكاي سبورتس” العالمية، فإنه من غير المرجح الإعلان عن عقوبات مانشستر سيتي قبل الربيع القادم.
اقرأ أيضًا.. تقارير توضح حقيقة اتفاق مانشستر سيتي مع لويس دياز لضمه من ليفربول
وأوضحت أن ذلك يأتي على الرغم من التقارير الصحفية التي ذكرت أن مانشستر سيتي قد يعرف مصيره بحلول يناير 2025.
وأفادت بأنه من المتوقع أن تستمر جلسة الاستماع، التي تجريها لجنة مستقلة، حوالي 10 أسابيع.
وأشارت إلى أن اللجنة ستجتمع بعد ذلك للتفكير في وقائع القضية، حيث سيستغرق ذلك الأمر عدة أشهر لمراجعتها، بالنظر إلى حجم التهم وكمية المعلومات التي سيتعين على المسؤولين مراجعتها.
Manchester United's injury list continues to grow week after week. During a narrow 1-0 win over Luton Town in the Premier League on Saturday, the Red Devils suffered losses to both Christian Eriksen and Rasmus Hojlund.
The latter is undoubtedly a bigger blow for Erik ten Hag. While United have the likes of Mason Mount and Sofyan Amrabat who can come in for Eriksen, Anthony Martial is the only backup centre-forward but has scored just one goal all season from 15 appearances.
However, there is another left field option that Ten Hag should consider amid Hojlund's absence from the squad.
Manchester United injury updates
Eriksen was replaced in the first half at the Theatre of Dreams on Saturday afternoon and is expected to be out until around mid-December. Meanwhile, Hojlund suffered a muscle strain on his right calf and will be out for the rest of November, ten Hag has confirmed. Both injuries are significant blows for United who face Galatasaray on November 29 in a must-win game.
Manchester United manager EriktenHag
Furthermore, the Dutchman confirmed that both Casemiro and Lisandro Martinez will be out of action until after Christmas, while Luke Shaw is not expected to return to the first team fold until the end of this month.
Nevertheless, despite United's struggles for form and a consistent starting eleven, Ten Hag does have adequate cover at the back and in the middle of the park but with one-goal Martial being the side's only backup centre-forward, the Dutch boss should look to do something out of the ordinary.
The left field option to replace Rasmus Hojlund
It looked as though Scott McTominay's career at Manchester United was over during the summer, with ten Hag telling the midfielder he was no longer part of his plans. However, McTominay's redemption arch with the Red Devils has been a sight to behold.
The 26-year-old is United's top goalscorer in the Premier League this season alongside club captain Bruno Fernandes with three apiece. Two of McTominay's goals came in stoppage time against Brentford right before the October international break.
The English giants were 1-0 down before he entered the fray with just three minutes of normal time to go. The Man United boss admitted that McTominay was "fabulous" during his cameo versus the Bees.
In recent weeks, Ten Hag has started to recognise McTominay's goalscoring prowess, deploying him in more advanced positions to link up with Hojlund.
The Scotland international even assisted the first of the Dane's brace against his former side Copenhagen last week with a beautiful ball across the face of the goal.
With Hojlund absent for the next few weeks, Ten Hag could start using his number '39' as a striker. While McTominay was always a midfielder in United's academy, he still featured up top a handful of times and became a regular goalscorer in the U21s.
In the Premier League this season, McTominay is averaging 0.52 goals per 90 from an xG per 90 of 0.17. In contrast, Martial has failed to convert a single opportunity from an xG of 0.14 per 90.
Additionally, McTominay is getting more shots away than his French teammate, boasting 1.72 shots per 90 and 1.21 shots on target per 90 to Martial's lowly 1.43 shots per 90 and 0.72 shots on target per 90. Furthermore, McTominay and Hojlund both share the same goals per shot rate in all competitions this season with 0.21 per strike.
McTominay is far more potent this season than Martial, and while his experience as a number '9' is limited, perhaps Ten Hag could unearth a revelation by asking the £60k-p/w star to lead the line until Hojlund returns.
Leeds United went through a summer of huge change as they were relegated from the Premier League and allowed a number of players to depart.
The likes of Jack Harrison, Max Wober, Robin Koch, Tyler Adams, and Rodrigo are just a few of the many first-team stars who were moved on, either permanently or on loan.
German manager Daniel Farke was then allowed to to snap up nine new additions to bolster his squad; including Joel Piroe, Jaidon Anthony, Joe Rodon, Ilia Gruev, Ethan Ampadu, Djed Spence, Karl Darlow, Sam Byram, and Glen Kamara.
The January transfer window is now just over a month away from opening for business and there is a chance that the ex-Norwich tactician could need to react to another first-team departure, as speculation continues to surround Wilfried Gnonto's future in Yorkshire.
TEAMtalk reported at the end of last month that Roma, Lazio, and Everton are all weighing up a possible swoop to sign the Italy international at the turn of the year, with a price tag of £25m placed on the talented dynamo.
The outlet claimed that 'sources close to the player' believe that a January exit from Elland Road is a possibility for the 20-year-old dynamo, after he failed to secure a move away in the summer.
Gnonto reportedly handed in a transfer request after Leeds declined multiple offers from the Toffees, which led to the ex-Zurich star being absent for three first-team matches before being reintegrated into the team.
The talented youngster has managed one goal and one assist in ten Championship outings this term and it remains to be seen whether or not his lack of consistent production at the top end of the pitch will convince the club to cash in on him in January amid interest from Roma, Lazio and Everton.
If they do decide to sell Gnonto for £25m, though, a replacement would be needed to bolster Farke's wide options. With this in mind, here are three former targets who could be dream heirs to his position within the squad…
1 Jonathan Paintsil
Ghana international Joseph Paintsil.
During the summer window, Leeds attempted to sign the Genk winger but the player later revealed that he turned down the opportunity as his dream is to play in the Premier League, or another major European league.
The Whites are currently third in the Championship and eight points off the top of the table as it stands. If Farke can lead the team to an automatic promotion place by January then he could possibly convince the talented forward to make the switch with the allure of a realistic chance of playing top-flight football next season.
Paintsil could be a fantastic replacement for Gnonto as his form for Genk last term was described as "sensational" by Scott Coyne of the Belgian Football Podcast, as the 25-year-old whiz racked up 17 goals and 11 assists in 36 league outings.
The Ghana international has also started this season with an excellent return of three goals and three assists in 12 Pro League appearances. He has also produced one goal and one assist in three Europa Conference League clashes for his side in recent months.
These goal contributions show that the winger has the ability to chip in with goals and assists with impressive regularity, which is something that Gnonto has not been able to do this term, and that is why the exciting hotshot could be a dream addition to the roster.
2 Grady Diangana
West Brom winger Grady Diangana.
It was reported during the summer that Leeds were one of a number of interested clubs eyeing up West Bromwich Albion forward Grady Diangana.
If the ex-West Ham United prospect is available in January then he could be a sensible replacement for Gnonto as a player who is currently playing in the Championship and knows exactly what it takes to perform at that level.
Appearances
113
Goals
16
Assists
14
Promotions
One
The 25-year-old whiz has racked up two goals and three assists in 11 league appearances for the Baggies this term, which also shows that the gem has outperformed the current Leeds ace as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a wide position.
Diangana, who scored four goals and assisted three in 21 second-tier starts last season, would not need any time to adapt to the division and would arrive with the experience of winning promotion, having done so in the 2019/20 campaign with West Brom.
This suggests that the Baggies star could be a quality and experienced addition to Farke's group of attacking options to bolster their hopes of making an instant return to the top-flight.
3 Ben Brereton Diaz
Villarreal forward Ben Brereton Diaz.
The Chile international could be an attainable target for the Whites come the turn of the year and the former Championship star, who has scored 53 EFL goals at that level throughout his career, would be an ideal signing to hit the ground running in the second half of the campaign.
It was reported in 2022 that Leeds were one of the clubs, alongside Villarreal, eyeing up a swoop to sign the forward on a free transfer at the end of the 2022/23 campaign. However, they were relegated from the Premier League and the Spanish top-flight outfit were able to secure his services.
The move to Spain has not worked out for Brereton Diaz, though, as TEAMtalk recently reported that the LaLiga side are prepared to send him out on loan in January, with a host of English teams – from the top two tiers – said to be keen on a deal.
Leeds should now target a swoop to land him on a temporary basis if they are in the market to find a replacement for Gnonto in the winter window.
His final two seasons with Blackburn Rovers showcased his ability to make a huge impact at the top end of the pitch at Championship level.
The English-born sensation fired in an eye-catching 36 goals and assisted his teammates on seven occasions across 80 appearances between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns combined.
This included a phenomenal return of 22 goals and three assists in 34 Championship starts for Blackburn throughout the 2021/22 season, which illustrates the immense level of production that he can provide in the second tier of English football.
It will be interesting to see what direction Leeds go for if they do decide to cash in on Gnonto in January as these three former targets all have their merits and could be dream replacements for the Italian whiz.
Na próxima sexta-feira, o Grêmio, que ainda sonha com o título do Brasileirão, viaja até a capital paulista para encarar o Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, pela 30ª rodada do torneio nacional.
+ TABELA DE CLASSIFICAÇÃO DO CAMPEONATO BRASILEIRO
Além de continuar perto do pelotão de elite do BR-20, o time de Portaluppi vai tentar a primeira vitória contra um dos gigantes do futebol paulista na competição.
Nos cinco jogos até o momento, o Tricolor foi superado uma vez e empatou as outras quatro. A única derrota foi contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro.
+ Ninguém quer o Brasileirão! Tropeço de líderes inspira memes entre os torcedores
Diante do Palmeiras, adversário desta semana, o Grêmio recebeu o Verdão na Arena e suou para obter o resultado de 1 a 1, com direito a gol nos minutos finais.
Veja o desempenho do Tricolor contra os gigantes paulistas:
Grêmio 0 x 0 Corinthians Grêmio 1 x 1 Palmeiras Santos 2 x 1 Grêmio São Paulo 0 x 0 Grêmio Corinthians 0 x 0 Grêmio
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Tottenham Hotspur will surely target players who can make an instant impact on the first-team after taking some heavy fire recently, with Ange Postecoglou's excellent start to life in the Premier League blighted by injuries and suspensions.
Spurs fell by the wayside last season, collapsing and squandering the progress made under Antonio Conte's stewardship, who secured Champions League qualification in 2021/22.
An eighth-placed finish resulted in Harry Kane's sale to Bayern Munich, but Postecoglou was appointed from Celtic with the view that he would instil a positive, exciting style and rekindle the club's verve.
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Such hopes and dreams were realised emphatically over the opening months of the campaign, with the Australian picking up all the pieces and engineering a blistering start to the current campaign, winning eight and drawing two of the opening Premier League matches of the term.
Such success propelled Spurs into first place, but now enduring a three-match skid, the injury-hit London club is searching for some respite, and the January transfer window could bring the reinforcements needed to steady the ship.
While bolstering the ranks with senior signings is important, Postecoglou would be wise to continue the development of the younger segment of the squad, with Adam Wharton reportedly earmarked to do just that.
Tottenham transfer news – Adam Wharton
According to a recent report from 90min, Tottenham have entered the race to sign Blackburn Rovers midfielder Wharton after being impressed by the 19-year-old's performances in the Championship.
Liverpool Newcastle United, Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton are also suitors and have been monitoring the player's progress over the past year.
Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will hope that his side's £3m acquisition of Ashley Phillips from Rovers in the summer could sway the odds in his favour, with the respective clubs believed to be on good terms after the negotiations.
Adam Wharton's season in numbers
Rising from Blackburn's academy ranks, Wharton established himself as one of the finest young talents in the English second tier last season and made 18 league appearances last term, starting the final five fixtures in succession.
This season, he has made gains from last year and has already started 13 times in the Championship, completing 83% of his passes, averaging 1.4 key passes, 2.3 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 5.6 ball recoveries per game and succeeding with 67% of his dribbles, as per Sofascore.
Touted to be a "great player" by Blackburn boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, Wharton is proving himself to be a solid option to complement his side's promotion push, with Tomasson also remarking over his meticulous approach to getting the job done in the right way.
His manager said: "He was the best player in the game. The boy he gets things right, on the ball, off the ball, and that’s great to see. I’m happy to see that development Adam has made this season. If you do the right things in training, and keep doing the right things, you will get chances.
It’s also important that a young lad shouldn’t go down and (start) doing the wrong things. Everything is possible for the boy if he does the right things.”
Should Spurs forge ahead with a deal, Wharton could prove to be another Levy masterclass in dipping down the divisions and procuring a precocious starlet, replicating the former deal to bring Dele Alli to White Hart Lane.
Dele Alli's Tottenham career
Spurs completed the £5m transfer of Alli from League One side MK Dons in February 2015, warding off fierce competition from multiple clubs for his signature.
Alli had just scored 16 goals and supplied nine assists in his final campaign in the third tier and was evidently a top-class talent, but few foresaw the instantaneous gelling he would have at the heart of Mauricio Pochettino's side's endeavours.
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
G/A Rate
22/23
2
0
0
0.00
21/22
21
1
0
0.05
20/21
15
0
1
0.07
19/20
25
8
4
0.48
18/19
25
5
3
0.32
17/18
36
9
11
0.56
16/17
37
18
9
0.73
15/16
33
10
9
0.58
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
Jose Mourinho proclaimed that Alli could become "one of the world's best", but unfortunately he slipped and fell from grace after such a remarkable start to life on the major stage, now fighting to get back to fitness with Everton so he can make his first appearance of the season.
The 37-cap international might have faded away from prominence over the past several years but he is undoubtedly one of the most exciting youngsters to have ever burst onto the scene.
Alli had that rare, ineffable brilliance that only the select few possess, a wow factor and a seat-raising style that captivated the masses and left opposition fans fearing his wrath.
Wharton would not bring the same level of offensive panache, but he definitely boasts plenty of quality that could shoot him right up the ranks over the coming years.
Adam Wharton's potential
Spurs' midfield is somewhat threadbare at present, and given that Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr will both be absent for January and possibly part of February due to the African Cup of Nations suggests that augmenting the engine room would be a good idea for Postecoglou's side.
Rodrigo Bentancur is also out injured for ten weeks and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp are both untrusted, which opens the door for a starlet of Wharton's ilk to start making a name for himself within a squad eyeing a spot back within European competition.
Considered to be a “brilliant young prospect” by journalist Josh Bunting, Wharton would be bold to make the jump to Premier League football when he is earning his stripes in Lancashire, but for a budding star of his calibre, he need only look at the past rise of Alli after the prodigious talent made the move to London.
Wharton is more industrious – he occupies a deeper segment of the midfield – but he boasts all of the tools to flourish in the future with the Lilywhites, and Postecoglou must secure his signature to settle the equilibrium when ploughing ahead with more senior signings – moves which appear to be inevitable given the outfit's circumstances.