Leeds United sent club scouts to watch RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko in action over the weekend, 90min report.
The Lowdown: Lack of goals
The Whites once again had a frustrating afternoon in front of goal against Chelsea on Saturday afternoon. Javi Gracia’s side fell to a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge, with Leeds now scoring just seven times in 11 Premier League games since the restart.
They are well and truly involved in another relegation battle whether Andrea Radrizzani wants to admit it or not, but the club are still looking at some ambitious future targets.
The Latest: Sesko update
90min shared a story on Monday evening regarding Sesko, where Leeds were named.
They claimed that Leeds, alongside Premier League rivals Leicester City, Manchester United, Tottenham, West ham and Wolves, all had officials in place to watch Sesko on Sunday, with the 19-year-old scoring hat-trick in just seven minutes in a 4-2 win over Rapid Vienna.
The Verdict: Move unlikely?
You’d expect Elland Road chiefs would’ve left Austria impressed with Sesko, however, he already has a summer move to RB Leipzig secured.
The Whites have missed out on a number of exciting players in the past including Rodrigo de Paul, Josko Gvardiol and most recently Cody Gakpo.
Sesko could also be out of reach in regards to a future transfer, especially with some of the other sides linked alongside Leeds able to offer European football on a regular basis. The forward may well go on to star for Leipzig next season as well, with Ryan Taylor describing the Slovenia international as a “generational talent”.
A Qatari delegation on behalf of Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani held positive talks with Manchester United over a possible takeover on Thursday, BBC reporter Simon Stone reports.
The Lowdown: First bid
Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe both made offers to take control at Old Trafford before the soft deadline set by the Glazers last month.
The current Manchester United owners have placed a £5bn valuation at Old Trafford, with previous reports believing both Jassim and Ratcliffe’s bids are set to be rejected. However, it looks as if Jassim won’t away quietly, with the Qatari determined to complete a deal.
The Latest: Positive talks
BBC reporter Stone took to Twitter to share an update on Jassim’s delegation heading to Old Trafford on Thursday, labelling it as ‘serious stuff’.
‘Sheikh Jassim has sent formidable delegation to Old Trafford. This is serious stuff. Don’t forget, prior to Man Utd it had been underlined Qatar’s interest in football didn’t end at World Cup. They are interested in getting involved in PL.’
Stone then shared a further update in the day on Twitter, revealing that he’s heard meetings at Old Trafford were ‘positive’.
‘Told the ‘Qatari delegation’ were at Man Utd for 10 hours today. Meetings described as positive. Remain committed to buying the club.’
The Verdict: Second bid incoming
It looks as if a second offer from Jassim will be made within 10 days following their meeting in Manchester, according to Sky Sports. Talks were seemingly a lot longer than expected, which could be encouraging for Jassim and those United supporters who want to see him in charge at Old Trafford.
However, Jassim’s takeover rival Ratcliffe is due at Old Trafford and Carrington today, so it looks as if neither party is backing down, something which could play into the Glazers’ hands, should a bidding war take place.
Erik ten Hag may well be monitoring the off-field developments as well, especially as Jassim and the Qatari group wanted ‘things done quickly’ so they can help the United boss with funds ahead of the summer transfer window, while also having stadium redevelopment and fan engagement at the heart of their bid.
West Ham United have often been guilty of keeping players at the club for long past their sell-by date, with Arthur Masuaku perhaps the prime example of someone who has never consistently impressed in a Hammers shirt.
Should West Ham sell Masuaku?
West Ham signed the DR Congo international back in 2016 in a deal worth £6m, as he joined from Greek giants Olympiacos.
It speaks volumes about West Ham's regression this season that Masuaku was originally brought in as a backup to Aaron Cresswell and seven years later that is arguably still the case.
The summer signing of Emerson from Chelsea meant that Masuaku was relegated to third-choice left-back in David Moyes' squad, and he was promptly sent out on loan to Besiktas.
While the Turkish side have an option to purchase the 29-year-old defender this summer, there is no guarantee that they will do so, although he has impressed with his performances in the Super Lig so far this campaign.
As per WhoScored, the former Valenciennes man has contributed two goals and three assists in 23 top-flight appearances, averaging a strong 7.03 rating for his performances.
For context, this is better than anyone in West Ham's squad has managed this season, with Declan Rice ranked as the top performer with a 6.96 average rating, which suggests that Moyes may have sold the wrong left-back last summer.
However, Masuaku's poor performances in the Premier League cannot be ignored, as last season saw him average a disappointing 6.67 rating from WhoScored across just 13 appearances in the top flight.
Injuries would plague the £40k-per-week defender throughout his time in east London and while it might be tempting to bring him back to the London Stadium this summer after a consistent season, especially with Emerson and Cresswell flattering to deceive, the evidence suggests that he cannot cut it in the Premier League.
Gary Neville would label the defender "rubbish" after a defeat against Manchester United in 2017, while Thierry Henry also didn't hold back in his criticism, saying:
"Look at Masuaku there. He is laughing at Lukaku. Lukaku was not laughing. If you defend like this you are going to get punished. You cannot defend like this. I know you are playing in the Theatre of Dreams, but you cannot be day-dreaming like that.”
Regardless of the division that West Ham find themselves in next season, they must remember that Masuaku has been warming the bench for the most part of 345 weeks as a contracted player, and it is time for the club to move on and properly replace Cresswell in their starting side.
As Neville put it in harsher terms, he has simply not been enough for the Irons for far too long. A farewell must be forthcoming.
Two years ago, Newcastle United's focus was on preserving Premier League status and hoping to craft a team capable of treading water above danger at the bottom of the division.
Now, fortunes have changed drastically, and the Magpies currently compete for a place in next season's Champions League, one point behind fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur and with a game in hand.
The influence of the opulent new owners has been profound, but not so much so as the appointment of manager Eddie Howe, who has meticulously set about crafting a team capable of competing against the supposed 'big six' of English football, evidenced by the sustained growth in the league and the club's endeavour in reaching this year's Carabao Cup final against Manchester United.
In order to continue the meteoric rise, Howe and co must throw the kitchen sink at a deal for Napoli prodigy Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who has been linked with a move to St. James's Park, according to Football Insider.
The outlet states that the Georgian attacker demands that any new contract with his Serie A outfit must include a release clause, with the Magpies indeed poised to swoop.
How would Kvaratskhelia perform at Newcastle?
Kvaratskhelia is currently valued at £100m, according to 90min, despite signing for Napoli for roughly only €10m (£9m) last summer.
From 29 appearances across all competitions, the 19-cap phenom has scored 13 goals and supplied 15 assists, integral in his outfit's remarkable title-chasing campaign – 18 points clear in the league – and progression into the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe's major leagues for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, illustrating his all-encompassing forward skill set and the "magic" behind his craft, as lauded by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.
Newcastle target Khvicha Kvaratskhelia celebrating a goal for Napoli.
His partnership with team-mate Victor Osimhen has been particularly remarkable, with the Nigerian sharpshooter within the upper echelon of strikers in European football, scoring 23 goals from 28 matches.
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti recently praised the pair as "very efficient", also heralding Kvaratskhelia as a "great player", with one source also calling the dynamic duo a "match made in heaven".
Should Newcastle succeed in what would certainly be the biggest transfer in the club's modern history, Howe could look to emulate the partnership by deploying the Napoli whiz alongside £63m summer signing Alexander Isak.
The Swede has struggled for fitness since arriving from Real Sociedad, missing 13 matches, but the 23-year-old has scored six times already in the Premier League, despite only starting on seven occasions.
With Isak starting to grow into his boots to complement a multi-faceted arsenal, Kvaratskhelia could indeed find a home next to the gem, the duo respectively flourishing in one of Europe's rising powerhouses.
The £120k-per-week machine ranks among the top 13% of forwards across Europe's big five leagues for progressive carries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90 himself, so the transitional nature of both footballers would only enhance the robustness of Howe's system.
Kvaratskhelia won't come cheap, but with Newcastle on the rise, a deal might just ascend the outfit to the forefront of European football.
Aston Villa have little to play for in their final 11 games of the Premier League season.
Having struggled during the early portion of the campaign under Steven Gerrard, the fact that they were one of the first to sack their manager meant they essentially had first pick of the other top coaches available.
They took Unai Emery from Villarreal and moved on with minimal fuss.
Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard has steered them well away from the relegation battle, and they essentially act as a buffer between the eight teams in a fight for survival and the rest of the league.
Whilst fans would have taken that given how things started, it essentially gives them a free hit in these games, safe in the knowledge that the teams below them are of nowhere near the quality to catch up and drag them back into the mire.
As such, Emery could seek to experiment in preparation for his first full season in charge at Villa Park, namely with some of the youth talent. Such an opportunity could have arisen from this international break, as Matty Cash has now been struck down with an injury.
How long is Matty Cash out for?
Having been substituted just nine minutes into Poland's clash with the Czech Republic, it was revealed that his calf strain was far worse than first feared. The 25-year-old is expected to miss at least his club's next three fixtures, with the ex-Nottingham Forest flyer labelling it as "so so frustrating". It does now leave a vacancy on the right side of the defence.
Whilst it might seem the natural option to just slide in the experienced Calum Chambers to occupy such a role, perhaps given the lack of jeopardy remaining in this season, instead Emery could opt for someone like Kaine Kesler-Hayden from the academy.
The 20-year-old does already boast one senior appearance, but a string of games in the Premier League would certainly do wonders for his development without really compromising the team.
After all, the youngster has been starring of late back with the U21 side, having been recalled from his loan spell at Huddersfield Town in January.
That period in the Championship may have not been smooth sailing, but it showed glimpses of the offensive full-back he sought to be. His 0.7 key passes and 0.6 shots per 90 (via Sofascore) outlined him as a moderate offensive threat, but supplying the red-hot Ollie Watkins could see this tally actually built upon. The English forward has seven goal contributions in his last eight games.
matty-cash-aston-villa-injury-poland
It was only last year that journalist Stewart James claimed that: "Villa have got a real talent in Kaine Kesler-Hayden – confidence & ability", and this is sure to have only grown.
With Cash playing such an important role in the Villans' system, his attacking impetus being key, employing someone like Chambers in his place is sure to quell that avenue. In his limited time on the pitch this season he has managed a 6.43 average rating, where he would not manage a single key pass and accumulated just 0.1 shot per game (via Sofascore).
At 28 years old too, the youth should certainly be prioritised when a unique opportunity like this presents itself.
Everton finally return to domestic football tonight, with international duty over and the realities of their relegation battle back to haunt them.
However, it is not quite the dismal picture that it once was, as Sean Dyche's introduction has marked a sharp upturn in form that had seen them clamber out from the drop zone. Wins for AFC Bournemouth and West Ham United over the weekend have now seen them return, but tonight's clash with Tottenham Hotspur marks a fine opportunity to once again leapfrog them.
With no permanent manager set to share the dugout with the former Burnley boss, it adds another challenging dynamic to an already tricky fixture under floodlights at Goodison Park.
However, it is likely these factors that will instigate a thunderous atmosphere on Merseyside.
From their last match, a fine 2-2 draw at Chelsea, few is expected to change, but the Lilywhites pose a wholly different threat to the Blues. As such, perhaps Dyche will seek to seize the initiative tonight, and instead of employing someone like Ben Godfrey again, Vitaliy Mykolenko could instead take his place as a more natural full-back.
Will Vitaliy Mykolenko play against Spurs?
There will be great demand for Ellis Simms to earn his place in the starting lineup following his stunning late equaliser against the west London outfit.
Indeed, the young forward finally opened his account for the senior side in that clash, making a mockery of Kalidou Koulibaly before finding the net in a way that neither Neal Maupay nor Dominic Calvert-Lewin have managed this term.
That said, there should also be a clamour for Mykolenko to start as he will likely have a far greater bearing on the result.
The Ukrainian missed some of their recent games through illness, he has easily recovered since then. In fact, the 23-year-old even featured in his country's defeat to England, battling well with an imperious Bukayo Saka.
Now, he could earn a recall in an effort to neutralise Spurs' biggest asset in their wing-backs; especially their new man Pedro Porro on the right flank.
Having joined in January, Tottenham's Spaniard has grown more and more competent within their system with each passing game week. Should Godfrey continue at full-back, it would essentially be an admittance that they will not be attacking down that wing.
Bukayo Saka and Vitaliy Mykolenko.
However, by instead starting Mykolenko, it injects some danger into the proceedings as the former Sporting CP man cannot roam freely down his flank. The youngster must be wary of where his opposite number is, and as such it could see their biggest threat neutered.
As such, it could leave the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son isolated up front, which Dyche will likely hope to ensure.
Not only this but the 5 foot 11 left back does boast some dependable statistics that suggest he would hardly offer a downgrade to the natural centre-back he would replace. This campaign he has averaged 2.5 clearances, 1.2 interceptions and 1.6 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
It also must not be forgotten just how important the £58k-per-week dynamo became during their toughest run of fixtures last season, where he made himself an "Everton hero" with a thunderous volley at Leicester City, according to journalist Joe Thomas.
Perhaps he could seek to recapture that form tonight against tough opposition, and once again play a huge role in avoiding the drop.
تجاهل مدافع فريق آرسنال، أولكسندر زينشينكو، الانتقادات التي تعرض لها بعدما تسبب في هدف النجم المصري محمد صلاح لصالح ليفربول، في مباراتهما يوم السبت الماضي.
وتلاقى الفريقان في قمة منافسات الجولة الثامنة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي على ملعب “الأنفيلد” حيث تعادلا بهدف لمثله.
اقرأ أيضًا.. فيديو | لاعب آرسنال يعترف: ليفربول كان يستحق ضربة جزاء أمامنا
وتسبب زينشينكو في هدف تعادل ليفربول، الذي سجله محمد صلاح، بعدما أخطأ في التعامل مع تمريرة ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد، حيث وصلت الكرة إلى النجم المصري ونجح في هز الشباك.
ورغم الانتقادات، قال زينشينكو في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “فوتبول لندن” الإنجليزية: “لا يزال هناك الكثير من المباريات لنلعبها، علينا فقط أن نسير خطوة بخطوة”.
وأضاف: “نحن بحاجة إلى إظهار أفضل أداء لدينا في كل مرة، بمجرد نزولنا إلى الملعب، أيًا كانت المنافسة، وفي النهاية سنرى”.
Frank Lampard has re-arrived at Chelsea and been thrown in at the deep end without much hope of swimming.
Indeed, Lampard may well sink when the Blues take on Real Madrid this evening, with the Spanish giants easy favourites to take a win.
Carlo Ancelotti's men may well be off the pace in La Liga – sitting second to Barcelona – but in Europe they are the dominant force we have all come to expect. As such, Chelsea's hopes of sealing a place in the semi-finals are slim.
They have scored just 29 times in 30 Premier League outings while their interim boss lost his first game in charge at Wolves last weekend. All things point to a straightforward victory for Madrid, therefore.
That said, Lampard could boost his side's chances of securing an unlikely result by dropping Marc Cucurella to the bench.
How has Cucurella played this season?
The Spanish wing-back arrived in west London after Chelsea paid Brighton a fee of a whopping £60m.
The curly-haired sensation is often a marvel in offensive areas, using his immense energy to burst forward in search of crossing positions down the flanks.
It's an impressive aspect of the £175k-per-week defender's game, with Cucurella ranking in the top 13% of positionally similar players in Europe's top five leagues for passes into the final third.
Yet, despite ranking in the best 3% of full-backs for tackles per 90, it is in a defensive sense where the former Barca man is "completely out of his depth", as per writer Zach Lowy.
The fact of the matter is that the 24-year-old has very quickly become a liability at the back for Chelsea, with his performances at Stamford Bridge a "shadow" of what he produced on the south coast – in the words of content creator Sripad.
Indeed, the 5 foot 8 full-back has now been at fault on several occasions this term, most notably in the recent defeat to Aston Villa.
His "schoolboy defending", as pundit Lee Hendrie called it, ensured that he simply gifted a goal to Unai Emery's men with Cucurella's errant back pass finding Ollie Watkins who then scored.
Crucially, the ex-Getafe man also left Matheus Nunes unmarked in the build-up to his stunning winner at Molineux a matter of days ago too.
That type of form simply has to see him dropped, with Lampard surely better off settling for Ben Chilwell at left-back instead.
Although the 26-year-old has been injured for much of the campaign, he is a crucial cog in Chelsea's system and notably 'attacks space off-the-ball better than any full-back or wing-back in the game', as per BBC Sport's Raj Chohan.
Of course, Cucurella is also good in attacking areas but Chilwell offers that extra reliability and composure in the backline. That will undoubtedly be needed against Karim Benzema and co on Wednesday evening.
فجرت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية مفاجأة قوية فيما يخص رغبة نادي برشلونة في الحصول على خدمات أحد لاعبي مانشستر يونايتد المُعارين في الوقت الحالي.
وكانت صحيفة “ذا صن” الإنجليزية قد ذكرت قبل ساعات أن برشلونة يريد ضم ماسون جرينوود، الذي يتواجد حاليًا في صفوف خيتافي (لمطالعة التفاصيل من هنا).
كان جرينوود قد فشل في العودة إلى اللعب بقميص مانشستر يونايتد بعد تورطه في قضية اغتصاب واعتداء جنسي وقسري ضد صديقته.
ورغم إسقاط التهم الموجهة ضد جرينوود من قِبل النيابة العامة، إلا أن مانشستر يونايتد أكد أن اللاعب لن يستطيع التواجد معهم مرة أخرى.
وتسبب ذلك الأمر في الموافقة على رحيل اللاعب الإنجليزي على سبيل الإعارة إلى صفوف خيتافي، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الماضي.
ونجح جرينوود في تقديم أداء رائع مع خيتافي، حيث سجل 5 أهداف وصنع 4، وساهم في صعود الفريق إلى المركز الثامن في جدول الدوري الإسباني.
ونشرت الصحيفة نفسها، منذ قليل تقريرًا جديدًا يفيد بأن خيتافي يتطلع إلى التعاقد الدائم مع جرينوود، ولكن برشلونة يخطط لتقديم عرض مغري بقيمة 40 مليون جنيه إسترليني لإتمام تلك الصفقة.
ليس هذا فقط، بل تكمن المفاجأة في أن برشلونة ينوي عرض رقم قميص ليونيل ميسي الشهير، 10، على جرينوود كجزء من الصفقة المذكورة.
كان أنسو فاتي قد حصل على قميص ليونيل ميسي، ولكن اللاعب انضم إلى برايتون على سبيل الإعارة في سبتمبر الماضي، ومن ثم فهو متاح في الوقت الحالي.
ويرغب برشلونة في استغلال ذلك القميص الأيقوني من أجل جذب جرينوود إلى “كامب نو”.
Tottenham Hotspur's search for a manager can be broken down into various necessities that the new man must have; essentially, it largely details the antithesis to the likes of Antonio Conte and Jose Mourinho.
Whilst their trophy-winning pedigree is favourable, alternative assets that should be preferred are an attractive play style, a history of winning and progressing clubs forward, and not so old as to suggest they will not be around for the long project. Perhaps a calmer presence than the aforementioned bosses would be ideal too.
Few fit this bill from Daniel Levy's ever-changing manager list, but to discount Brendan Rodgers as a fine option is to forget all the good work that had gone into his career before this miserable campaign somewhat tainted that legacy.
Having impressed at Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester City, the Northern Irish coach has a glittering CV that details all of the aforementioned characteristics; even the section regarding silverware.
The 50-year-old remains a free agent following his sacking, boasts pedigree at top clubs, and has the demeanour needed to calmly cull this squad full of losers.
With some actual financial backing too, who knows where he could take the Lilywhites. This is likely why Rodgers reportedly remains high on Levy's list.
Would Brendan Rodgers succeed at Spurs?
Having employed a possession-based 4-2-3-1 style reliant on an aggressive counter-press, the philosophy already aligns with what the fans want: anything other than Conte's turgid football.
What makes things even more attractive is his work in Scotland, where the former Swansea City boss completed back-to-back trebles with Celtic. This desire for silverware was translated into his work in the Midlands, where his Foxes side also claimed the most unlikely of FA Cup wins too.
Few could argue that during his near-four year stint at the King Power Stadium, he did anything other than succeed, with a lack of investment clear for all to see as their performances dwindled.
brendan-rodgers-tottenham-hotspur-leicester-city
Despite that depreciating form, with relegation potentially looming, Rodgers still managed to oversee the demolition of Conte's Spurs team back in February as they ran out 4-1 winners.
In a display that perfectly sums up the style that the 5 foot 7 tactician aims to encourage, the hosts put the European-chasing outfit to the sword. Should this be translated onto Spurs' side, which boasts far more quality, the sky really is the limit.
Pundit Alan Brazil even suggested back in 2021, after Nuno Espirito Santos' dismissal, that it would be a "masterstroke" to pull the experienced manager away from Leicester. Now, he needn't worry about any such obstacles.
Having passed Levy's big test with that aforementioned drubbing, perhaps the Spurs chairman could reward Rodgers – who journalist Sid Lowe once dubbed as a "football genius" – by tempting him to north London for his next big project.