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Leeds United have had a tumultuous Premier League season so far and the arrival of Javi Gracia has unfortunately not been the appointment to save them from a real threat of relegation.

The Whites suffered their third consecutive defeat at Craven Cottage this weekend, with the side putting in another poor defensive performance and an uninspiring attacking display which has left them in serious contention for a drop back into the Championship next season.

Indeed, the newly-appointed manager who took the reins at the west Yorkshire club in late February is not entirely to blame for the form he inherited the squad in following Jesse Marsch's departure, but the continued reliance on players who are not delivering in this crucial stage of the season can be pinpointed for some blame.

Patrick Bamford, for example, has never looked the same since returning from injury and, upon reprising his centre-forward role, has only scored three league goals since the turn of the year, which is not a consistent enough output that can save Leeds from their plight.

Of course, when a new manager comes into a relegation-threatened club, they will look to cement their own philosophy that they believe will lead the side out of trouble and will often make tweaks to the starting XI to bring the team back to life, however, Gracia could be heading for disaster due to his clear lack of belief in Wilfried Gnonto.

Why isn't Wilfried Gnonto playing for Leeds?

Saturday's defeat at Craven Cottage marked the fourth game in a row that the Italian winger has been snubbed for the starting side following his return from injury, making just three cameos amounting to no more than 30 minutes.

The 19-year-old joined Leeds last summer in a £3.8m deal from FC Zurich and thrived under the management of Marsch, quickly becoming a fan favourite at Elland Road for his incisive play and huge threat in front of goal.

Over 19 Premier League appearances, the £20k-per-week ace – hailed a "top talent" by owner Andrea Radrizzani – has scored two goals, registered three assists and created two big chances.

Those are awe-inspiring numbers but his involvement at such a young age was promising, further averaging one key pass, 1.2 tackles and winning 4.1 duels per game as a marker of his all-round ability.

Gnonto has been lavished with praise since his arrival in Yorkshire with Sky Sports pundit, Gary Neville, full of compliments for the youngster earlier in the season:

"To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

"Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly."

There is no doubt that Leeds' biggest problem has been conceding goals with 18 scored against them since the beginning of this month, however, their tenacity in front of goal has weakened significantly as the season has gone on and if they are going to avoid relegation, it will be important for Gracia to make tweaks to find the recipe for success on the pitch.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Gracia to deploy Gnonto in the starting XI on Tuesday at Elland Road against Leicester City, as he can offer a fresh perspective in the forward line and potentially save their season with a consistent run in the team.

بدأ نادي ليفربول في مراقبة لاعب بديل جديد من الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، تحسبًا لرحيل هداف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، محمد صلاح، في نهاية الموسم.

وينتهي عقد محمد صلاح في 30 يونيو 2025، وبالتالي، سيكون الصيف المقبل هو الفرصة الأخيرة لحصول ليفربول على استفادة مادية.

وهناك اهتمام من قبل أندية الدوري السعودي بضم الفرعون المصري بنهاية الموسم الحالي، حيث من المتوقع أن يتصارع الهلال والاتحاد على خدمات اللاعب.

وكان الاتحاد السعودي قد قدم عرضًا في الصيف الماضي لصالح ليفربول لضم، محمد صلاح، ولكن تم رفضه رغم وصول قيمته إلى 150 مليون جنيه إسترليني.

اقرأ أيضًا | رسميًا.. ليفربول يعلن قطع إعارة فابيو كارفاليو من لايبزيج الألماني

وبحسب موقع “Football Insider” البريطاني أن ليفربول مهتم بموهبة كريستال بالاس، مايكل أوليس، ويفكر في ضمه خلال الميركاتو الشتوي الحالي.

أوليس على رادار أكثر من نادٍ إنجليزي مثل تشيلسي، مانشستر سيتي، ولكن يرى ليفربول أن اللاعب مناسب ليكون بديلًا للهداف، محمد صلاح، حال رحيله عن أنفيلد”.

هذه ليست المرة الأولى التي يرتبط اسم أوليس بإمكانية الانتقال إلى ليفربول، فهناك متابعة دقيقة للاعب من قبل يورجن كلوب منذ 5 سنوات عندما كان مع ريدينج.

ويجيد أوليس اللعب في أكثر من مركز مثل الجناحين الأيمن والأيسر، مهاجم وهمي وكذلك صانع ألعاب في مركز 10 واللعب كمهاجم صريح.

TalkSport reporter Alex Crook has slammed Tottenham Hotspur's decision not to sack sporting director Fabio Paratici after the Italian's ban from football was extended to a worldwide suspension.

What's going on with Paratici and Spurs?

The sporting director was initially handed a ban from operating in Italian football after his previous involvement with Juventus, which saw the Old Lady receive a 15-point deduction for improper financial conduct.

Meanwhile, at Spurs, Paratici was then placed at the forefront of the club to explain their plans going forward following the departure of Antonio Conte, with fans concerned about the lack of progress over recruiting a manager and the uncertainty of Harry Kane's future.

The very next day, Paratici's ban was extended by FIFA, which means he cannot currently operate in his role at Spurs. With a big summer window ahead which would see Spurs choose Conte's successor, Paratici's ban could heavily impact the club.

Speaking on TalkSport, Crook criticised the club's lack of foresight over Paratici's situation, claiming that he should have been dismissed from his role beforehand.

He said: "They should have seen this coming. It's naive in the extreme not to have done so.

"They're looking for clarification – well, they can look for all the clarification they want; the clarification is the guy you've employed to oversee your transfer policy, to effectively oversee your hunt for the latest manager on Daniel Levy's watch, is not allowed to legally now do either of those things.

"Now, it is subject to appeal. He may get off, I would say it was unlikely. And you look at the Juventus reaction compared to Tottenham's – their entire board resigned when they were found guilty of false accounting.

"The fact that Paratici has been allowed to continue in his job, I think is negligent by Daniel Levy. I expected a statement to at least say that he'd been put on gardening leave; I know they're taking legal advice, I know that he's been sidelined anyway.

"So inevitably, he will leave the football club, but I thought the statement was weak."

What should Spurs do this summer?

Paratici's inability to perform his role means that Spurs should move on from the director quickly, rather than waiting for his appeal which could prove unsuccessful anyway.

The priority for Daniel Levy should be recruiting a new manager, and this has to be done without Paratici's involvement. A new director could be recruited quickly to aid the process, and clarification over the future of Kane is necessary ahead of the summer as this would surely impact their transfer plans for the months ahead.

Any manager – or indeed, director – could be left struggling given the chaos at boardroom level, and Paratici's presence at the club right now is arguably preventing them from moving forward with any of their plans.

Journalist Scott Saunders of 90min believes Tottenham could make a ‘mistake’ by re-hiring the heavily-linked Mauricio Pochettino.

The Lowdown: Pochettinon eyeing job…

According to recent reports, former Spurs coach and fan favourite Pochettino is a hot contender for the role and is believed to be eyeing a return to N17.

The Argentine is out of work after leaving Paris-Saint Germain last year with Antonio Conte’s future looking more and more uncertain.

Conte’s contract expires at the end of this campaign and Tottenham’s aggregate defeat to AC Milan in the Champions League has only cemented belief he could leave.

The Latest: Saunders bemoans ‘lazy’ Pochettino option…

Taking to Twitter, Saunders has bemoaned the option of Pochettino to replace Conte – calling it a ‘mistake’.

He explained:

“Spurs will get Pochettino back & repeat the cycle, but that’s a mistake IMO. Walking into the same rebuild he called for years ago. Spurs don’t support their managers. Pochettino won’t hit the heights he hit before and definitely not go a step further – too many rich rivals.”

Saunders went on to state further that the 51-year-old is a ‘popular, lazy option’ and claims Brentford boss Thomas Frank would be an ideal alternative.

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The Verdict: Disagree…

We disagree with that Pochettino would in fact be the lazy option, especially since he already knows the club, encourages an attacking brand of football and is currently a free agent.

The former Southampton boss represents both a managerial option of real quality and one of very little financial risk given Pochettino’s out-of-work status.

His credentials include guiding Tottenham to a Champions League final in 2019 and arguably bringing the club more success than any other manager of recent times.

Called a ‘genius’ by former Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, Pochettino clearly won many admirers in the Spurs dressing room and could feasibly get them back on track whilst bringing back the feel good factor.

Tottenham Hotspur right wing-back Emerson Royal has left TalkSport pundit Jamie O’Hara stunned by his recent turn of form in north London.

What’s happened to Emerson Royal?

The Brazilian’s time at Tottenham has certainly come with a lot of scrutiny from the Spurs fans who have voiced their frustrations towards the 24-year-old.

However, he has suddenly made a huge U-turn in form which has seen him become a regular in the starting XI despite the big-money signing of Pedro Porro in January.

And his upturn in form of late was summed up on Sunday when he provided the Lilywhites with the opening goal against West Ham United.

Speaking on TalkSport on Monday morning, O’Hara shared his disbelief at what he has seen from the Brazilian in recent weeks in the Spurs side:

“Emerson Royal, all of a sudden, looks like prime Cafu. I mean I don’t know what’s happened to him, but Pedro Porro’s come in and it’s obviously given him a kick up the backside that he needed because he was fantastic again yesterday, and sometimes players need that bit of competition.”

When will Pedro Porro play?

Over the January window, Spurs offloaded Djed Spence on loan and Matt Doherty permanently with right wing-back clearly a position for real improvement.

And it seemed as the Lilywhites had found the man to come in and provide that change with Porro who arrived from Sporting CP in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £44m.

However, since arriving, Porro has only played 75 minutes of football with three appearances on the bench whilst Emerson starts for the Londoners.

It is not exactly surprising Spurs fans were voicing their frustrations towards Emerson earlier in the season with the Brazilian not exactly showing much to suggest he was good enough to play at wing-back.

Prior to the game last month against Manchester City, the 24-year-old had only provided the Lilywhites with one assist for the season (via Transfermarkt).

Yet in his last four Premier League starts, the Brazilian has scored two goals against City and West Ham on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Porro’s debut was far from impressive with the Spanish wing-back slammed for his 75-minute display in the game against Leicester City.

However, we saw on Sunday against the Hammers that Spurs are rotating players with Ivan Perisic rested as Ben Davies played at left wing-back on Sunday.

Ad having spent so much money on Porro there will surely be an urge not to leave him on the bench for too long.

But when Emerson is showing such impressive form, it does leave Cristian Stellini with. tough decision to make at right wing-back.

Chelsea see Vitoria Guimaraes midfielder Ibrahima Bamba as an alternative signing if the deal for Enzo Fernandez collapses on deadline day, journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed.

The Lowdown: Enzo the main target

The Blues clearly see Fernandez as their main midfield transfer target in January, with various reports saying they are trying to sign the Argentina World Cup winner.

Benfica have held firm for much of this month, however, and there is no guarantee that Chelsea will end up getting their man before the end of deadline day, even with reports of a medical taking place in Lisbon as we speak.

Now, it looks as though another target is being kept in the back pocket as an emergency option.

The Latest: Bamba an alternative

Taking to Twitter, Talbot said that the Italian-born Bamba is considered an alternative to Fernandez if things go awry before the 11pm cutoff on Tuesday:

“Chelsea looking at Ibrahima Bamba if they can’t get Enzo Fernadez done.”

The Verdict: Feels unlikely

In truth, it would now be a big surprise if Bamba became a Chelsea player this month, with Fernandez seemingly edging closer to signing on the dotted line.

That being said, the Vitoria Guimaraes man could be a decent option if the move falls apart at the 11th hour, having averaged 2.6 tackles per game in the Primeira Liga this season.

The 20-year-old isn’t out of contract at his current club until the summer of 2026 but he would be seen as a long-term addition, adding much-needed youthful exuberance in the middle of the park.

Manchester United are looking to sign another forward on loan before the end of the January transfer window, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Weghorst off the mark

Erik ten Hag has bolstered his options in the final third this month by bringing in Wout Weghorst on loan from Burnley, although there is no option to sign the Dutch forward on a permanent basis at the end of the season, with the 30-year-old netting his first Red Devils goal against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night.

Weghorst and Anthony Martial are the only senior centre-forward options available to Ten Hag, but it looks as if another could arrive before Tuesday’s deadline.

The Latest: Another on the way?

The Daily Mail shared a story on Wednesday prior to United’s Carabao Cup win at the City Ground. They claimed that United are still looking at another temporary attacking addition before the transfer window slams shut next Tuesday.

The report adds that Old Trafford chiefs will look at a loan deal for a striker with a small fee.

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The Verdict: Makes sense?

Some may have thought that United were done for the month following the loan arrivals of Jack Butland and Weghorst. However, it could make sense to bring in the right striker until the end of the campaign to rival Ten Hag’s two existing options in the number nine role.

Marcus Rashford is in a purple patch of form on the wing, so the manager may want to keep him there for the foreseeable instead of being forced to move him centrally. The club are also still involved in four competitions and duly have plenty of football to play over the coming months, so adding another forward could be a wise move.

Chelsea are eyeing an unlikely swoop for Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash, who has dazzled for club and country across recent times…

According to prominent Chelsea blogger and podcast host Simon Phillips, Cash has been earmarked as a potential option for the club to ail the woes that the outfit are currently beset with, with manager Graham Potter indeed holding a vested interest in the Poland international’s signature.

Despite the imperious Reece James’ emergence over the past several years, he has been stricken by injury this season and has thus far missed 16 competitive fixtures, and the veteran stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta is 33 years old and approaching the twilight phase of his illustrious career.

Cash would be an exemplary competitor for James’ established position down the right flank, providing Chelsea with two top-class options to promote healthy rotation, consequently bolstering the club in the pursuit of major honours.

Azpi heir

Chelsea are undergoing a systematic rebuild following the sale of the club from former owner Roman Abramovich last year, preceding the dismissal of Thomas Tuchel at the beginning of the current campaign.

New owner Todd Boehly’s current expenditure stands at a towering fee in the region of £315m – not including the agreed £52.4m fee for RB Leipzig maestro Christopher Nkunku – despite not yet seeing a full year in his role at the peak of the hierarchy, but there certainly seems to be no sight of slowing down as the Blues look to usher in a successful start to the new era.

And with Azpilicueta now indeed approaching the conclusion of his extensive stay in west London following his arrival from Marseille in 2012 for an initial £6.5m, Villa’s Cash could indeed be the money move to instigate future success.

The 25-year-old Cash, making 85 appearances for the Villa since his £14m switch from Nottingham Forest, has been a regular presence for the Premier League outfit, flourishing in his role and recording four goals and six assists.

As per FBref, the 12-cap Cash ranks within the top 17% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of goals over the past year, while also making 2.29 tackles and 2.42 clearances per outing.

His exploits even earned him a call-up for Poland’s international squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where he started all four fixtures, as per Sofascore, as his side clinched qualification from their group phase and lost a competitive encounter to France in the round-of-16.

The £26.5m-rated defender’s robust and industrious approach to the full-back role were imperative in his country’s efforts, creating 0.5 key passes per match, completing 80% of his passes and making 1.0 tackles and 3.8 clearances each occasion.

With Chelsea indeed in search of a fresh face to rival James for the position at the right heel of the team, the “exceptional” Cash – in the words of Alex McLeish – might just be the man; he is refined, physical, and boasts a wealth of experience both on English soil and internationally, capable of providing the extra dimension Potter needs.

Everton will be looking for their first competitive win since October when they take on Brighton at Goodison Park on Tuesday night.

Frank Lampard needs a good start to 2023 or risks losing his job with the Toffees, as the Merseyside outfit currently sit just one point outside the relegation places in the top flight, and now look destined for another battle to retain their Premier League status.

After picking up an impressive point against Manchester City at the Etihad last time out, Lampard will be hoping to end the wait for three points against the Seagulls.

However, it promises to be another tough game considering Roberto De Zerbi has continued the good work done by Graham Potter at the Amex Stadium.

Here is how Football FanCast expects Lampard to line his side up against Brighton, with three changes to the side that started against Manchester City.

Jordan Pickford certainly played his part in the draw against Pep Guardiola’s side so unsurprisingly, he keeps his place in between the sticks for this one.

Lampard should revert back to a 4-3-3 formation for a home game, which sees the “fantastic” – as dubbed by Carlo Ancelotti – Ben Godfrey drop out, as to start him in quick succession after only just returning from injury would be a big risk by Lampard, especially after such a good performance against City.

Therefore, Conor Coady and James Tarkowski maintain their partnership in the middle, while Nathan Patterson and Vitaliy Mykolenko continue at right-back and left-back respectively.

There is one change in midfield, as Idrissa Gana Gueye is rested and makes way for the more attack-minded Abdoulaye Doucoure, who starts alongside Alex Iwobi and Amadou Onana.

With Godfrey benched, there is space for another attacker in the lineup, so Dwight McNeil comes in on the left wing, with Demarai Gray also keeping his place after his wonder goal last time out.

The final change sees Dominic Calvert-Lewin dropped as his goal drought continues, with Neal Maupay handed a start in the hope that he can continue the age-old tradition of footballers scoring against their former sides.

Leeds United remain interested in a shock move for the highly-rated Raphael Guerreiro…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who expects a summer move to be touted due to his requirement at Borussia Dortmund.

Having labelled it “not necessarily an easy one to do” just over a week ago, it seems that his most recent comments on a move for the Portugal international suggest that Victor Orta’s plan has shifted to securing him in the future to benefit Leeds in the long0term.

Jones told This Is Futbol: “Guerreiro plays like 90% of the time at Dortmund at the moment, they’re going to need him for the rest of this season, but if they’re looking longer term, then perhaps it does improve their chances.”

Dream deal

What would make this a dream deal for Jesse Marsch is that his main problem area clearly stems from left back.

Having lost complete trust in Junior Firpo, who has endured injury problems and underperformed, the American has resorted to playing Pascal Struijk out of position in that role whilst they bide their time.

Should they wait until summer and the worst does happen, there is surely no way that Leeds could lure this illustrious defender to Elland Road, such is his pedigree.

The £57k-per-week star may be drawn to the allure of the Premier League, which is their only hope of signing the 48-goal and 49-assist defender.

Boasting unprecedented attacking qualities, the 28-year-old has become renowned for his classy displays on the left flank for his club. This has seen him rank in the top 4% for non-penalty goals, as well as the top 5% for progressive passes per 90, among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues in 2022.

A culmination of his talents were on show in Qatar, where he recorded a 7.17 average rating during a World Cup where he scored once and set up two goals in just four games (via Sofascore).

He has been a stunning player for years now, capable of scoring “exceptional” goals to amaze Transfermarkt content manager Stefan Bienkowski. This is further exemplified in his consistently outstanding displays for Dortmund, averaging a 7.04 Sofascore rating in the Bundesliga this season despite his team’s poor form.

Marsch is in desperate need of a player of Guerreiro’s quality, and he will want to push hard to ensure that Leeds do not have to go another six months before they secure his signature.