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Leeds United are one of several Premier League teams showing interest in a superb talent…

What’s the latest?

According to an Italian transfer specialist, the bidding for Atletico Madrid’s maestro Matheus Cunha has officially begun.

The Whites are namedropped in the report, but will seemingly have to battle with the likes of Everton, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers for the 23-year-old’s signature.

Although reportedly further away from a deal than the Midlands outfits, it is said that nothing is 100% done yet and they are still “in the race”. Time remains on Victor Orta’s side.

Rodrigo heir

Although his then club-record £26m move had seemed to disappoint, Rodrigo seems to have sprung into life this season in front of goal.

The Spaniard has stepped up to shoulder the team’s goalscoring burden, notching nine times in the Premier League across just 13 appearances.

Having been deployed further up the pitch, as a lone central forward or even a shadow striker, it seems the 31-year-old is finally finding his feet at Elland Road after a tumultuous start.

He has already surpassed his previous tally in the league since his move to Yorkshire, with fans and pundits alike beginning to grumble about his lack of productivity to match his transfer fee.

Former Whites defender Neil Aspin even claimed: “I’m not one who wants to criticise players, but he hasn’t done enough since he’s been here.”

Now, given his seniority and improved performances, they will actively be seeking a replacement for this season’s top scorer.

In Cunha, they could find the perfect man to take the mantle when Rodrigo departs.

The Brazilian – who joined Atletico Madrid in a £22m move in the summer of 2021 – has somewhat struggled this season after a fine debut campaign in which he scored seven and assisted six more.

Boasting immense creativity paired with an eye for goal, the man who his former club RB Leipzig dubbed a “magician”, ranks in the top 4% of positionally similar players across Europe’s big five leagues for assists per 90.

However, what will interest Marsch most is that he also sits in the top 7% for tackles, the top 4% for interceptions and the top 2% for blocks, via FBRef.

Not only would he bring added offensive firepower to Yorkshire, but he boasts the work rate needed to survive in the American’s all-action system.

Cunha could more than make up for the attacking output of Rodrigo and has shown he can more than compete with the physical demands of a Diego Simeone side. 

Chelsea look set to beat Brighton to the signing of Molde forward David Datro Fofana, according to Sky Sports.

The Lowdown: Fofana profiled

Fofana is just 19 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward but can also turn out on either wing.

The Ivory Coast international is valued at €7m by Transfermarkt and has made 65 senior appearances for his current employers, scoring 24 times and registering 10 assists.

It seems as if the right-footed attacker could now be on his way to Stamford Bridge.

The Latest: Sky Sports update

Sky Sports, relayed by Football Daily, shared an on-air update regarding Chelsea and Fofana on Thursday. They said:

‘Breaking news to bring you from the transfer window. Chelsea seem to have won the race with Brighton to sign Molde’s young striker David Datro Fofana – both clubs understood to have been in talks over a deal.

‘Sky Sports News understands that Brighton made an offer of £8.6m but reports today suggest that Chelsea are closing in on an agreement for a similar amount and Fofana could be on the way to Stamford Bridge.’

The Verdict: Exciting

Fofana looks like he could be a future star and has plenty of first-team experience considering he is still a teenager, so a deal under £10m could be a great piece of business in the long run.

Centre-forward is an area of Graham Potter’s squad that could do with addressing, with Armando Broja recently suffering a serious injury.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also struggled since returning to London, netting just three times in 12 games, so Fofana could be the answer at Stamford Bridge for years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur are considered one of the most interested clubs in the race for Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat.

The Lowdown: Conte adores Amrabat

In light of Amrabat’s fantastic recent displays, starring en-route to Morocco reaching the semi-final stage of the World Cup, there has been huge demand in the central-midfielder from across Europe.

Viola News have now claimed that Tottenham, Liverpool and Paris-Saint Germain have all contacted his current club regarding a move, following a previous report from CalcioMercato which highlighted manager Antonio Conte as a huge admirer.

The same report details that the Italian actually tried to bring the 26-year-old to Spurs last summer, with other reports adding that Fiorentina are now holding out for £34m to part with one of their prized assets.

The Latest: Spurs leading the race?

According to Foot Mercato, the Lilywhites are one of the most interested clubs in the Morocco international, with Conte said to have been keen on him for several seasons, having observed his performances in the Serie A.

The 6 foot enforcer is blessed with several options, as Atletico Madrid are also named as an interested party, however he is said to be most allured by a move to Liverpool, who have made him one of their priority signings and plan to speak to his agent.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

If Tottenham can see off the threat of Liverpool and tempt the £30k-per-week earner into a move to north London, he would be a fantastic signing, as highlighted by his recent performances at the World Cup.

The maestro featured in all seven of Morocco’s matches in Qatar, a mainstay in midfield for Walid Regragui, with his displays leading to him being hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by journalist Charlie Parker-Turner.

His defensive capabilities were best exhibited against Spain, making a total of four tackles, the joint-highest tally of any player, and he also specialises in distributing the ball, with an average pass completion rate of 90.4% over the past year, in the 96th percentile compared to his positional peers.

As such, Amrabat is a similar type of player to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who has averaged an 89.1% pass accuracy over the same time period, and he would provide formidable competition to the Dane in the centre of the Spurs midfield.

There is plenty of cautious optimism emanating from the Manchester United faithful right now, with the appointment of Erik ten Hag at the helm earlier this year a big step in the direction of stability and greener pastures over the horizon. 

However, reports stemming from last month state that the Glazer family are open to discussion regarding the sale of Man United.

There has been friction between the club and the fanbase in this regard for some time, with the situation teetering on untenable, illustrated by protests against the prestigious outfit’s ownership and wayward direction.

Consequently, according to the Daily Mail, the limbo status that the Manchester giants are currently enduring is preventing lucrative transfer deals from being struck, throwing a prospective move for Joao Felix, who has been at the centre of heavy attention regarding his future at Atletico Madrid, into doubt.

A wise loan swoop for Fimino 2.0

The loan market will now be an avenue the club must consider, luring Felix to Old Trafford for the remainder of the campaign and reassessing the prospect of a permanent transfer this summer. 

The Red Devils’ precarious situation has already been evidenced by the recent Liverpool signing of Cody Gakpo for an initial £35m – United were clear favourites to sign the World Cup star as rumours regarding his future heated up over the past few weeks, only for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp to swoop in at the eleventh hour and bring him to Anfield. 

And now, concerns that a replication of the misfortune might arise with Felix will be at the forefront of Ten Hag and United director of football John Murtough’s conversations, with heavy interest from a host of top European outfits. 

A recent report from talkSPORT detailed Atletico’s £8m demands for a loan move for Felix, a figure that United and other interested suitors have been deterred by.

Signing for his Spanish outfit from SL Benfica for £113m in 2019, Felix has found polarity between Atletico’s defensive structure and his own breezy skill set, with tensions increasing speculation over a swift departure.

Having scored just 33 goals and 18 assists from 129 appearances for his current side, it is clear that his talents might be best suited under a more offence-minded manager, such as Ten Hag.

Despite the hurdles in the track, United simply must sign a player that bears similarity and can have a similar impact to Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino.

31-year-old Firmino signed for the Merseyside outfit from Hoffenheim for £29m in 2015, at the maiden period of Klopp’s reign, and brought guile and trickery that played a pivotal role in transcending the squad from mediocrity to mastery, with the club winning a wealth of major honours over this period.

With his creative aura from the talismanic role – largely as a false nine, Felix could emulate the Brazilian and knit the United attack together, injecting a new level of cohesion and allowing the likes of Marcus Rashford and Antony to Flourish from the offensive flanks.

The 23-year-old phenom is blossoming into his own, and his exploits on the international stage with Portugal are evidence enough that he can weave his “magic”, a term used by former coach Renato Paiva to describe the ace, into the likes of the Red Devils. 

As such, Murtough must look to sign Felix, even if it’s on loan this winter, as Ten Hag could land his very own Firmino, thus easing the sting of losing Gakpo to their Merseyside arch-rivals.

Everton talisman Dominic Calvert-Lewin is unmatchable in the squad, according to Tony Scott.

The Lowdown: Calvert-Lewin’s season

Calvert-Lewin has suffered a frustrating start to the season with a knee injury ruling him out for the first eight games of the Premier League campaign.

Everton have struggled massively without their main goal threat with them scoring just 13 goals in 17 games, the joint-third lowest in the top flight.

The Latest: Return to side

The 25-year-old returned to the starting 11 after missing the 2-1 loss against Wolves on Boxing Day.

He played 70 minutes of the 1-1 draw at Manchester City which left Scott to tell host Greg O’Keeffe on the All Together Now podcast how impressed he was with his performance as well as his effect on the side.

“I thought he played really well. Just makes a massive difference to the team – not just his quality, but there’s a focal point up there, and when Jordan Pickford gets the ball, he looks up straight away and he knows he can put it to Dominic Calvert-Lewin to run in the channels or put it to his head.

“Whereas in for the previous six or seven weeks, he’s just kicking it up to Neal Maupay, and let’s have it right, the lad’s not going to win an argument, let alone a header. So he’s a massive part in this team, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.”

The Verdict: Key to survival

Just as he proved over the back end of last season with three goal involvements in the final three league games seeing the Toffees survive relegation, including his vital late winner against Crystal Palace.

It will seemingly take another talismanic effort from the Englishman again to get Frank Lampard’s side out of another hole this season with them currently a point above the drop.

Everton’s league top-scorer this season is Anthony Gordon with three whilst summer signing Maupay has netted just once with him unable to replicate Calvert-Lewin’s effect up front at Goodison Park.

With Everton seemingly heading for a quiet window, the most important thing above any new incoming is the ability of the England international to be fit and firing.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-Min’s performances have now started to concern pundit and Lilywhites fan John Wenham, after another poor display against Aston Villa.

The Lowdown: Son’s poor start

Son has scored three goals in 15 Premier League appearances so far this season, and all of them came in one match, during the 6-2 victory against Leicester City back in September.

This is a huge drop off from the level that the South Korean was at last season, finishing level on goals with Mohamed Salah as the top scorer in the division, with 23, and he has now been the subject of criticism for his subpar displays.

The Latest: Wenham reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Spurs ‘expert’ Wenham detailed his frustration with the 30-year-old’s recent form:

“Son’s lack of form is a real concern now.

“He was horrendous against Aston Villa. I love Sonny to bits as a player, and I always have but he was absolutely horrendous.

“Nothing can go right for him. He has still only scored in one league game, that hattrick against Leicester.

“We are talking about a player who won the golden boot last year with 23 league goals. He looks so far off it this season.

“He ripped off his protective mask in angst against Villa and don’t know if that was to gee him up or something.

“He was really, really poor. His passing was horrendous. He offered no pressing from the front as well. It is just not good enough from him and it’s a real shame because we need him.”

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The Verdict: Must improve

Lauded as a ‘special player’ by former Liverpool man Daniel Sturridge, Son has been nothing short of fantastic for Spurs since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, scoring a remarkable 136 goals in 346 appearances.

However, the 108-time South Korea international is currently enduring one of his only real dips in form since joining the club, and he has now not contributed either a goal or an assist in his last eight matches at club level.

If Antonio Conte’s side are to stand any chance of finishing in the top four once again, the Italian needs his best players to perform, and so he will be hoping that the forward puts in an improved performance against Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

Liverpool have made contact to sign Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar this month, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Open to negotiations

The Slovakian has now entered the final six months of his deal at the San Siro, meaning that he is able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with potential suitors, and there are clubs lining up at his door to land him on a free transfer.

Premier League sides Manchester City, Chelsea, Newcastle and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the centre-back, though it sounds like Jurgen Klopp is keen to hijack a move and instead bring him to Anfield.

The Latest: Liverpool considering Skriniar

According to 90min, the Reds have ‘reached out’ to Inter to ‘discuss the possibility’ of Skriniar moving to Merseyside this window.

Simone Inzaghi’s outfit ‘want to keep’ the 27-year-old, but ‘would consider parting ways’ should he refuse to put pen to paper on fresh terms.

January offers could potentially ‘spark a bidding war’ between the interested clubs, though ultimately it will be down to the player himself whether he decides to leave now or wait until the summer.

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The Verdict: Van Dijk replacement

Liverpool favourite Virgil Van Dijk has recently been ruled out of action for more than a month with a hamstring injury so Skriniar would be the perfect temporary replacement.

The Serie A colossus has an impressive 91.9% pass success rate, showing that he’s calm and collected playing out from the back, but also poses a threat in the final third having posted 15 goal contributions during his time at Inter.

Skriniar is the captain of Slovakia so holds excellent leadership qualities in the same way Van Dijk does, and having been hailed a ‘monster’ by Carlo Garganese, he’s the ideal signing for FSG.

Aston Villa return to Premier League action tonight as they take on Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United at Villa Park.

Unai Emery’s men are currently 11th in the table and can draw level on points with Chelsea on 25, although they would be behind them on goal difference barring a 6-0 or more win, with three points against the Whites.

Villa head into the match off the back of a bitterly disappointing FA Cup third round exit to Stevenage last time out.

The Villans lost 2-1 to the League Two outfit at Villa Park and the players must quickly void that game from their memories and get the ground rocking again with a win against Leeds.

Emery could look to make a number of changes to his starting XI in order to bounce back from the defeat and one alteration that will be enforced is Leander Dendoncker coming out after he was sent off against Stevenage.

The Spanish head coach must now unleash defensive midfielder Boubacar Kamara to take the Belgian enforcer’s place in the middle of the park.

He must start in midfield as the gem has the quality to dominate the game alongside Douglas Luiz at Villa Park tonight.

Kamara, who was hailed as “tenacious” and a “controller” by talent scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, has the ability in and out of possession to take control of matches, as the machine can win the ball back for his side and is reliable when he has it at his feet.

As per Sofascore, the Frenchman has made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game, whilst winning 55% of his individual duels, this season in the Premier League. This shows that he has the potential to be a monster in midfield by consistently cutting out opposition attacks.

He also ranks in the 91st and 92nd percentiles respectively for passes attempted and pass completion percentage per 90 amongst his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the last 365 days.

This shows that the 23-year-old gem, along with his excellent defensive work, is a superb passer of the ball who rarely lets his side down in possession.

Therefore, Kamara has the quality to dominate the match against Leeds as he could make a big impact defensively and offensively – in setting up attacks and counter-attacks – in midfield tonight.

This is why Emery must unleash the Frenchman from the start as he could play a key role in Villa picking up all three points.

Leeds United are back in action on Wednesday evening as they welcome Cardiff City to Elland Road, where a place in the FA Cup fourth round is up for grabs.

The two teams drew nearly two weeks again, with manager Jesse Marsch needing a stunning comeback from his side after they were two goals down by half-time.

A favourable clash with either League One outfit Accrington Stanley or non-league minnows Boreham Wood awaits, so it’s in the American’s best interests to end the Whites’ third-round hoodoo tonight.

It was his second-half substitutions that inspired the Premier League giants to earn a replay against the Championship side and with a full squad available – bar new signing Georginio Rutter – he has the freedom to deploy his strongest XI.

There may well be bigger fish to fry than a run in the FA Cup, given Friday’s 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa put them just two points above the relegation zone, but the former RB Leipzig boss will be under even more intense pressure if he were to lose to lower-league opposition.

If Marsch is not only wanting to win this encounter but also keep his role in the Elland Road dugout, then his blind and unrelenting faith in £25m summer signing Brenden Aaronson would be a good place to start.

His fellow countryman has struggled to replicate his early season form and as such, hardly warrants his place in the starting XI right now.

As a versatile attacking midfielder, often deployed as the no.10 or out on the right flank, the 22-year-old dynamo has provided just one direct goal contribution in his last 14 appearances, all of which have been starts. His other five outings at the start of the 2022/23 campaign drew double those returns, per Transfermarkt.

His downward spiral in influence and form is also highlighted by the fact that he has struggled to register a Sofascore rating above 6.8 since the 3-2 defeat to Fulham back in October.

In that run, he’s had some stinkers against West Ham United (5.9) – where pundit Jay Bothroyd described him as “sloppy” [Sky Sports News, 4th January, 20:51] – and the aforementioned Villa game (5.9) – where journalist Joe Donnohue claimed he “struggled.”

Meanwhile, against the Bluebirds in the original tie, he struggled to do much in his 86 minutes on the pitch as he lost possession 14 times from 47 touches and he lost 56% of his duels up against a struggling second-tier outfit.

Despite all the negatives, Aaronson has still kept his place in the lineup every game and that’s a cause for concern because he’s simply not delivering on his hefty price tag.

Therefore, if Marsch wants to keep his job, he must make the bold call to ditch the American from his starting XI, starting with this evening’s FA Cup third-round replay against Cardiff.

AND in other news, Orta could replace Klich at Leeds by securing January move for “unbelievable” £25m maestro…

Glasgow Rangers look set to finally get their January transfer window underway by completing their first signing of the month over the course of the weekend.

Norwich City attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell is reportedly closing in on a deal to join the Light Blues, which would make him the first addition of the Michael Beale era at Ibrox.

The English head coach arrived in Glasgow to replace Giovanni van Bronckhorst during the break for the 2022 World Cup earlier this season and this month is his first opportunity to bring his own players to the club.

Cantwell may not be the only gem to come through the door at Ibrox in January, though, as the Gers are also interested in signing Swansea forward Morgan Whittaker, who is valued at £2m by the Championship side.

Journalist Dean Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that “Rangers are hopeful at the very least that they can still pull off this deal” and said:

“I know that there have been various reports about whether or not it’s going to be possible at this stage, but I think at this level of interest, the player’s possibly had his head turned, it might be that.”

The Light Blues could wave bye-bye to Kemar Roofe by securing a deal to sign the Swansea marksman before the window slams shut at the end of the month.

Beale recently confirmed that the Jamaican striker is set to be out for another four weeks after suffering a blow to his shoulder last time out for the Gers. The ex-Leeds man missed 10 matches earlier this season with a knee injury and was out of action for a whopping 35 games in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign.

He has proven to be a liability for the club over the last 18 months and the signing of another versatile forward could allow Ross Wilson and Beale to sanction an exit for the 30-year-old.

Whittaker, like Roofe, can play on both flanks and through the middle as a striker. This means that he could be a useful player for the Gers in a multitude of positions, which would provide cover in the areas that would be left open by the Jamaican’s departure.

Rangers could also bring in a promising young attacker by signing the Swansea man as he plundered nine goals and seven assists in 25 League One appearances on loan at Plymouth in the first half of the campaign.

The 22-year-old has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve over time and would not come in with the injury issues, with no notable blows in his career so far, that Roofe has been carrying in recent seasons.

Therefore, Beale could wave bye-bye to the current Gers liability by bringing in a long-term replacement for him in the form of Swansea’s Whittaker.