Tag Futebol

Leeds United could consider a move for soon-to-be free agent Raphael Guerreiro, LeedsLive report.

What’s been said about Leeds and Guerreiro?

The Whites have been linked with a move for Guerreiro this year, with reports last month even suggesting that Leeds are plotting a summer swoop for the left-back.

The 29-year-old, capable of playing as a full-back, left midfielder or even a central midfielder, is out of contract in a matter of months but has remained a regular for Dortmund this season. The Portugal international has made a total 31 appearances during the current campaign, contributing to an impressive 18 goals in all competitions.

LeedsLive reporter Andrew Reynolds shared a story in the last 48 hours, looking at eight potential free agents the club could consider signing, with the Whites expected to be active in the transfer window. One of those was Guerreiro, to which he said:

“Guerreiro has previously been linked with Leeds in the January window and would still be a great addition to their back line. With 14 goal contributions from left-back for Dortmund this season, the 29-year-old could be a key attacking outlet next year. There will no doubt be some serious competition for the Portuguese international given the lack of a fee, but the experienced defender would improve Gracia’s side immediately.”

Could be just what Leeds need…

As Reynolds claims, Guerreiro could be an excellent signing on a free transfer, especially with the player used to turning out in the Champions League for the past seven seasons, bringing plenty of experience at the highest level for both club and country.

Javi Gracia has been using Junior Firpo at left-back since taking over in Yorkshire, with the Spaniard only rivalled by Pascal Struijk for a starting spot at this moment in time. Struijk was primarily a centre-back before filling in for Firpo at the beginning of the season, so signing Guerreiro could allow the Dutchman to return to a central role.

As per WhoScored, Guerreiro has comfortably outperformed every single Leeds player this season and would top the charts for assists and key passes at Elland Road, showing how he could be a real upgrade at left-back, providing the club remain in the Premier League heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

When Wolverhampton Wanderers broke their transfer record to sign precocious 18-year-old Fabio Silva for £35.6m in 2020, optimism was rife that the club had clinched the services of a possible prodigy.

Speaking of the deal, chairman Jeff Shi said: "Fabio is a young player who shows not only incredible technical ability, but also his game intelligence for a player of his age is top class."

The Old Gold did not meld with the Portuguese teenager as anticipated, and Silva only managed to clinch four goals from 62 appearances before being shipped out on loan last summer to Belgian outfit Anderlecht, where he was recalled and pushed out to PSV Eindhoven in January.

The Premier League outfit will remain positive that Silva can hit the rich vein of form desired in the midlands, especially after the forward has enjoyed some fruitful fortunes this season.

How has Fabio Silva played this season?

Silva's quality has never been in question, rather, his physical presence and authority in the thick of the robustness of the Premier League, but at such a young age there is still plenty of time to make the increments to his physicality to partner the innate goal-scoring threat.

He is improving quickly, though, and has scored 15 goals and served five assists from 33 starts across his two temporary outfits this term.

What's been said about Fabio Silva?

Prior to his sojourns in Belgium and the Netherlands, The Mail's Ollie Lewis even hailed his "enormous potential" in August and said he "led the line superbly with his energy and physicality."

Former Old Gold captain Conor Coady also waxed lyrical over the rising star last year, praising the now 20-year-old for his impact on the squad, belying his youthful years and inexperience.

He said: "He’s been fantastic since he came in. He works so, so hard to improve and get better, and you see that now. We know when he comes into the team, he’ll do a job, and that’s what he’s doing at the minute."

Who could Silva replace at Wolves?

With Silva's development perhaps leaving him in good stead to forge a second surge for a place as the undisputed talisman at Molineux, Lopetegui must consider axing Diego Costa, with the 34-year-old striker failing to find the back of the net since his summer arrival as a free transfer.

Indeed, Costa has played 16 matches this season and failed to record even one direct contribution, and it is hard to envisage that his one-year deal will be extended.

As per Sofascore, the Spaniard has recorded an average league rating of only 6.56, taking 1.5 shots per match but unable to strike the back of the net; Costa's 0.4 key passes per match are below par too, his verve and efficiency waning after his past feats on English soil, starring for Chelsea and scoring 52 goals from 89 outings en-route to winning two Premier League titles.

With Silva in the maiden phase of his career and already boasting, as per WhoScored, 1.4 shots and 0.4 key passes per match – almost identical numbers to his senior peer – the ace could unleash the "monster" inside – as hailed by Jack Collins – and devastate Premier League defences with a shot at prominence at Molineux once again next term.

Leeds United are crying out for an injection of hunger and youthful exuberance, despite Javi Gracia’s side having earned a vital point against Brighton and Hove Albion amidst their recent poor form.

Although it seemed like a positive point gained, with other results in the Premier League going against them the Whites have now dropped into the relegation zone and seemingly will face another tough, nervy run-in.

With Jesse Marsch’s January acquisitions yet to all embed, and crucially none of them having been Gracia’s signings, it remains to be seen what impact they might actually have on their bid for survival.

What the Spaniard can control is perhaps promoting youth players in his image, who might be able to disseminate his ideals due to their eagerness to learn.

With Brenden Aaronson continuing his abysmal form on Saturday, being handed a woeful 6.1 Sofascore rating, it is the American who arguably needs replacing more than anyone. Therefore, Connor Douglas stands out as the candidate to fulfil that role.

Who is Connor Douglas?

The 17-year-old attacking midfielder has enjoyed one of his most creative campaigns thus far for the U18s, even earning a call-up to the U21s where he would translate his blistering form.

Having scored five and assisted two in just 13 U18 Premier League games, the teenage sensation had proven himself a force to be reckoned with despite his youth. This was only supported when he bagged two goals in two Premier League 2 cameos, continuing his development without breaking stride.

This has all come from out wide too, so perhaps handing him starts in his favoured position could see these numbers only bolstered.

With the ability to maintain his form at higher levels, there is reason to believe he is worth a shot in the place of Aaronson, who has scored just once all season. The 22-year-old has now gone 11 league games without a goal contribution, with his 6.51 average Sofascore rating serving to supplement his misery.

It may be a risk to throw a youngster into the fold at this stage, but he can hardly do worse than what stands in his place. At the very least, he deserves a place on the bench where exposure could be seismic for his development.

Indeed, the bar has been set so low that Douglas can play with complete freedom, and should this experiment succeed it could prove to be a masterstroke that saves Leeds this term.

In his debut for the U21s, he was given a glowing review by journalist William Jackson, as he wrote in his player ratings: “His first appearance in the U21s side and he took the opportunity to shine. Looked a real threat and found two goals with impressive finishes.”

Should Gracia hand him a further opportunity to now shine for the first team, this exciting young gem could be the next starring product of Leeds’ illustrious academy.

Journalist Samuel Luckhurst spotted Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag getting a massive cheer before bumping into Avram Glazer on Sunday evening.

The Lowdown: EFL glory for United

The Red Devils got the better of Newcastle United in Sunday’s final at Wembley, with Casemiro’s opener and Sven Botman’s own goal sealing a 2-0 victory.

After a concerning start to the season, United are now flying, with Ten Hag working wonders since coming in from Ajax and creating a formidable side that hasn’t tasted defeat in their last ten matches.

The Dutchman has made astute signings and formed a togetherness in his squad and his team are now reaping the rewards.

The Latest: Ten Hag meets Glazer

Taking to Twitter, MEN’s Chief Red Devils Reporter Luckhurst spotted that Ten Hag got the biggest ovation from United’s supporters after Sunday’s win, although the mood quickly dampened as he bumped into Glazer:

“Biggest cheer from #mufc fans was when Ten Hag appeared. There were boos when Avram Glazer appeared on the big screen to shake Ten Hag’s hand.”

The Verdict: Doing a superb job

The manager is always the most important figure at any football club and he is the man who ultimately deserves the most praise if results are good and the biggest criticism if form is poor.

For that reason, Ten Hag deserves all the excitement and adoration that is coming his way currently, with United finally looking like they have nailed their Sir Alex Ferguson successor.

The 53-year-old has got the Red Devils playing vibrant, attacking football again but he has also made them more streetwise, with the likes of Raphael Varane and Casemiro superb at managing games and possessing winning mentalities, as they showed against Newcastle.

To win a trophy in his first season is a great achievement by Ten Hag and the hope now is that it acts as a catalyst for future success, with three more pieces of silverware still on offer this season.

Journalists Jacob Tanswell and Simon Johnson of The Athletic have shared an update on Southampton and their links to Torino boss Ivan Juric.

The Lowdown: Saints back to drawing board…

The Saints are back to their drawing board after talks for ex-Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch collapsed earlier this week.

Amidst their battle against Premier League relegation, it is understood that assistant coach Ruben Selles will take charge of Southampton’s clash against Chelsea this weekend with a decision yet to be made on their managerial hunt.

Juric is one name who has been linked with a move to the south coast with Tanswell and Johnson sharing an update on Sport Republic’s interest.

The Latest: Southampton make Juric enquiry…

According to the reporters, writing a collaborative piece in The Athletic, Southampton ‘enquired’ over appointing Juric to replace the departed Nathan Jones.

However, it is believed that it hasn’t gone further than that with no direct talks taking place as things stand.

The Verdict: Go back in?

Turning to Marsch instead didn’t exactly work out and we believe the south coast side should consider going back in for Juric if they opt against appointing Ruben Selles permanently.

The 47-year-old is having one of his best seasons in Turin, currently guiding them to seventh in the table, with Italian football experts also raving over his ‘brilliant’ time in charge of the club.

Juric has been repeatedly linked with a move to St. Mary’s, even before Jones, and Southampton’s repeated interest in the tactician must stand for something.

Depending on the decision after Chelsea, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Juric’s name crop up again.

West Ham United are looking for an opportunity in these final hours to bring in a centre-back from another Premier League side.

What’s the latest?

The Hammers are one of the clubs who have had a fairly quiet Jauary transfer window with their only senior addition this month being the signing of Danny Ings.

However, they have seen the experienced centre-back, Craig Dawson, leave the club for Wolverhampton Wanderers but have not brought in a direct replacement.

There have been links to the likes of the Udinese centre-back Rodrigo Becao but there is also a belief they would ideally like to find a Premier League-proven defender.

Indeed, speaking on the Ranks FC Patreon page, insider Dean Jones has suggested the final hours of this window could see the Irons looking to bring in a loan signing:

(24:00) “I think from everything I’ve gathered, they would actually prefer the centre-back to just come from within the Premier League. So that might be something to look out for.”

Late loan opportunity

The clock is certainly ticking on the Hammers who have lost a hugely experienced centre-back in Dawson who played a massive role in their side last season.

Across the 2021/22 campaign, the Englishman racked up 50 appearances across all competitions including a regular starting spot in the Europa League side (via Transfermarkt).

And given the Londoners are believed to be looking for a loan deal, it will be interesting to see what could potentially become available for David Moyes’ side.

What is worth mentioning is West Ham’s defence has not been the issue for Moyes this season with his side – despite their league position – having conceded the fifth-fewest number of goals this season.

With this in mind, there could certainly be the notion that the Hammers could potentially wait until the summer to delve back into the market and find a permanent solution.

However, Kurt Zouma has had issues with his knee in recent weeks and Nayef Aguerd has also had a long-term injury which has only recently seen him return to action.

So there is definitely the worry Moyes’ options could be hit over the final months of the season through injuries which could leave them short at the back.

But at this stage of the window, the Irons could well be relying on an opportunity to present itself with just hours remaining until the 11pm deadline.

Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou will no doubt be primarily concerned with ensuring that success continues in the short-term at Parkhead, although the 57-year-old may also have a keen desire to build a foundation for long-term glory, with the addition of promising, up-and-coming talents set to help towards that goal.

According to the Daily Record live blog (13 January, 17:30; via Video Celts), the Old Firm outfit could well have identified one such asset for the future in the form of Cliftonville sensation Sean Moore, with the Hoops said to have joined a number of Premier League clubs in the race for the teenager’s signature.

The 17-year-old – who is attracting particular interest from Newcastle United at present – has enjoyed a sparkling start to life at senior level, with the Northern Irish starlet having already scored three goals and provided two assists in 21 games in all competitions this season.

That is a rather impressive return for a player still in the infancy of his first-team career, with such form having even led to reports that the Republic of Ireland could look to tempt the Belfast native into switching his international allegiance.

The eye-catching winger is clearly a player who’s generating a lot of fuss at present, with former Cliftonville chairman Jim Boyce having only since fuelled the fire by notably comparing Moore to the late, great footballing icon that was George Best.

He stated of the 17-year-old: “Watching him reminds me of a young George Best who draws attention. This lad could prove to be another special talent, like players like George Best have, he has so much natural talent and potential.

“He is a confident player and shows little fear. He’s a great prospect and I’m excited to see how his career develops.

“He’s doing things I haven’t seen a 17-year-old do in many years. I have absolutely no doubt that the boy has cross-channel material and an international future.”

That glowing endorsement will likely have piqued the interest of those back in Glasgow, and it’s undoubtedly hefty praise for young Moore to have been compared to arguably one of the finest talents of his era.

Best was once lauded by another legendary former Manchester United team-mate in Bobby Charlton, who said: “At the time when [Best] first got in the team, no one had seen his like before: someone who was so small and tough, who would go into tackles, but also had the ability to turn people inside out and beat anyone he liked. George was as good as anyone you will see; he used to embarrass players time and time again.”

Best had emerged as something of a superstar both on and off the pitch after breaking through at Old Trafford as a teenager. He memorably announced himself on the world stage with his stunning double in the European Cup quarter-final clash with Benfica in 1966, before helping the Red Devils to finally secure the trophy two years later.

A truly mesmeric genius who could simply bamboozle the opposition with his innate speed and trickery, Best is a figure who is etched into both United and footballing folklore, having been described by Sir Alex Ferguson as “the greatest talent our football ever produced – easily.”

Being able to emulate such a “unique” figure – as described by Ferguson – may well prove a hard ask for the Cliftonville sensation, although such a comparison bodes well for the sparkling talent that Celtic could have on their hands if they can win the race for Moore in the coming months.

Manchester United are thought to be readying an offer for Eintracht Frankfurt star Randal Kolo Muani.

The Lowdown: Kolo Muani profiled

Kolo Muani is 24 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward who can also play on the wing. The France international is valued at a career-high €37m by Transfermarkt and appears to be in the form of his life, having impressed off the bench in the World Cup final.

Sponsored by Adidas, Kolo Muani has already contributed to 19 goals in 23 games during the current campaign, and it looks as if a move to Old Trafford could be on the cards.

The Latest: Transfer update

Sports Witness relayed an update from L’Equipe regarding Kolo Muani and Manchester United.

They claimed that a bid from Old Trafford chiefs is ready and waiting, with a €60m figure named in the report.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Erik ten Hag has spoken about his desire to bring in a new forward this month, and it looks as if Kolo Muani, called ‘special’ by members of the media, is a real target for the Red Devils.

He appears to be at the peak of his powers and has gone from strength to strength with his new side after only moving to Germany last summer.

Another transfer could be on the cards if United submit their bid, where he could rival fellow countryman Anthony Martial for a central starting spot in attack.

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a further boost in their pursuit of Ryan Porteous…

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Pete O’Rourke, who offered some supplementary information to an earlier report that noted the Baggies’ interest in the Hibernian centre-back.

He told Football League World: “I think that Championship clubs definitely have a good chance of getting someone like Ryan Porteous.

 “Some of the bigger clubs can compete with the likes of Celtic and Rangers on wages. Obviously, the appeal of moving to England is very strong for a lot of players in Scotland as well. It’s an opportunity to go to an ambitious Championship club and a team maybe fighting for promotion to the Premier League. 

“The fact that he’s out of contract in the summer as well will also increase their chances of landing him because he won’t be as expensive.”

Their own Alan Hansen

To sign this Scottish stalwart will instantly have him drawing comparisons with his legendary compatriot Alan Hansen, who starred at the back for Liverpool on his way to making 597 appearances for the club and 26 more for his country.

Described as “a defender with the pedigree of an international striker”, Bob Paisley was full of praise for the now 67-year-old who used to dominate at Anfield. He continued “He is quite simply the most skilful centre-half I have ever seen in the British game.”

Whilst these are lofty ambitions, Porteous will surely have aspirations of reaching the levels that the Reds legend did on his way to winning eight league titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups and three European Cups too after a move from north of the border where he featured for Partick Thistle.

Like Porteous’ Hibs, they are hardly one of the traditional ‘giants’ of the Scottish game, proving that you don’t need to have played for the Old Firm clubs to become a big success story.

The 23-year-old does boast similar elements to his game too, with bravery and power matched with the technical ability needed to thrive in the modern game.

These characteristics have culminated in his brilliant personal campaign, where he is averaging a 7.29 rating thus far alongside 1.3 tackles, 3.6 clearances per game and an 80% pass accuracy (via Sofascore).

John Hughes suggested that his performances have often put a target on his back, with him being “a heart-on-sleeve, full-blooded type of player.” As such, he is sure to be a success should he make the switch to a division that prides itself on its physicality.

Having started the season poorly, new boss Carlos Corberan has managed to turn what seemed like a campaign destined for a relegation battle into one which can spur dreams of the playoffs once more.

The January addition of Porteous could be the perfect catalyst to continue their red-hot form, solidifying a back four already impressing with a defender looking to mirror the great Hansen.

Sunderland beat Millwall 3-0 at the Stadium of Light in their first game back after the break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar last weekend.

Tony Mowbray’s men were able to sweep The Lions aside with a relatively comfortable win, thanks to goals from Amad Diallo, Alex Pritchard, and Ellis Simms.

The Black Cats were sitting in the top half of the table before this weekend’s round of fixtures and are now closing in on the play-off places after 21 matches, which highlights how impressive their return to this level has been since they were promoted from League One last season.

One player who has been key to the club’s success this term has been experienced central defender Danny Batth. The former Stoke City enforcer has played every single minute of the campaign so far and caught the eye with some impressive displays.

Journalist Josh Bunting described his performance against Millwall as “colossal” and he has been a titan at the back throughout the season – winning 72% of his aerial battles and making 4.3 clearances per match.

However, Mowbray may already need to start thinking about what life will look like after him. Batth turned 32 in September and his current contract is due to expire at the end of the term, which suggests that he is not going to be a long-term option for the manager.

The head coach could now find the heir to the superb defender’s throne at centre-back by unearthing Academy of Light youngster Zak Johnson in the coming months.

Mowbray named the 18-year-old on the bench for Sunderland’s 2-1 win over Birmingham City in November, something that indicates the manager sees potential in the young talent.

Journalist Josh Bunting described Johnson as an “exciting” prospect because of his “key defensive attributes”, whilst also telling supporters to “remember the name”.

The teenager has played 24 times for the U21 side, after making 16 appearances for the U18s, and made his senior bow for the Black Cats in the EFL Trophy – playing one minute – in the 2021/22 campaign.

He has played ten matches at youth level as a right-back but he is a central defender by trade and has played in the heart of the defence on 26 occasions for Sunderland.

The enforcer has made himself a regular in the U21s, despite only turning 18 in July, and this, along with Mowbray’s decision to call him up to the first-team squad, suggests that he has the potential to make the step up to senior football in the future as he has already made great strides in his youth career.

Therefore, Johnson could be the long-term heir to the exceptional Batth’s position in the team and the boss should give the academy gem more exposure in the Championship, whether that comes in the form of minutes or making matchday squads.