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Leeds are making a major mistake over Mateusz Bogusz amid reports linking him with an exit from Elland Road.

What’s the story?

The Poland under-21 international has played just three times for Marcelo Bielsa’s senior side and is currently out on loan at La Liga 2 outfit UD Logrones, playing just 839 minutes of league football in Spain.

According to Polish publication Meczyki, Bogusz’s time at Elland Road may be coming to an end, with Legia Warsaw in advanced talks to sign him this summer.

Bielsa will be fuming

While the 19-year-old hasn’t exactly pulled up any trees at Leeds since joining them as a youngster, it’s abundantly clear that this is a player who is still quite highly-rated.

Czeslaw Michniewicz, his manager at international youth level, raved about Bogusz’s ability, saying: “He is at a similar level as (Poland international) Sebastian Szymanski in his previous youth. He has great talent.”

He has also earned high praise from the Yorkshire Evening Post, with Lee Sobot describing him as a player “brimming with pace, confidence and natural talent.”

Bielsa himself has previously gone on record to hail Bogusz, noting that the reason he was named in a matchday squad against Swansea last summer was because of the impression he had made behind the scenes. The Leeds manager said: “He is growing in training. He’s an offensive playmaker. I thought he would be an option for today’s match. He is more offensive than (Jamie) Shackleton and (Robbie) Gotts.”

At still only 19, Bogusz still has plenty of time to grow and develop, and while he hasn’t been a regular starter on loan at Logrones, he is still picking up valuable first team experience.

The Whites have a number of young talents coming through, like Sam Greenwood and Joe Gelhardt for example, but Bogusz is ahead in the sense that he is currently playing senior football.

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That experience should hold him in good stead, and Bielsa would surely want to see what the £900,000-rated Polish starlet has learned in his time away when Leeds come back for pre-season ahead of the new campaign.

It’s exactly why Leeds are facing an unforgivable mistake by entering into negotiations over letting him go to Legia even without Bielsa taking a second look at him. The Whites manager must be fuming with where things stand regarding Bogusz’s future right now.

Meanwhile, this Leeds player let Bielsa down against Liverpool…

It was a clinical display from the visitors as they had a four-goal lead at the break before adding two more late on

Portugal made easy work of Luxembourg as they ran out 6-0 winners in their European Championship qualifying match on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo was at the double in a clinical first-half display for Roberto Martinez's men, while Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva were also among the goals.

The visitors had the victory wrapped up by half-time and although Luxembourg saw more of the ball over the final 45 minutes, there was little they could do to have a chance of getting back in the match.

Rafael Leao made a fantastic impact after coming off the bench as he set up Otavio for the fifth goal in the 77th minute before recovering from a missed penalty by tucking in his team's sixth.

GOAL rates Portugal's players from Stade de Luxembourg…

• Goalkeeper & Defence

  Rui Patricio (6/10):

  After having nothing to do in the first half, he was called into action in the second but was hardly under any great pressure.

  Antonio Silva (7/10):

  Helped Portugal build from the back and carried the ball forward to look for better passing options.

  Ruben Dias (7/10):

  Quiet defensively but reliable on the ball like Silva.

  Danilo Pereira (6/10):

  Had a goal disallowed for offside and made some good defensive blocks in the second half.

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  Midfield

  Diogo Dalot (5/10):

  Not as heavily involved as his team-mates and hardly a direct threat on goal.

  Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

  His well-placed ball to the back post helped create the early goal and his through pass set up Ronaldo's second.

  Joao Palhinha (8/10):

  Made some excellent runs and passes to support the attack. Set up Bernardo Silva's goal with a fine cross.

  Bernardo Silva (8/10):

  Sent a spectacular cross in for Joao Felix to double Portugal's lead before heading in his team's third.

  Nuno Mendes (7/10):

  Did well to meet Fernandes' cross at the back post to nod it down for Ronaldo's simple finish. Got forward a lot as Portugal kept pressure on the hosts.

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  Attack

  Cristiano Ronaldo (8/10):

  Perfectly placed to nudge in the early goal from close range before taking a pass on in his stride and sliding in the fourth. A vintage display from the team's leader.

  Joao Felix (7/10):

  His header left goalkeeper Anthony Moris with no chance and he linked up well with his co-stars.

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  Subs & Manager

  Goncalo Ramos (5/10):

  Replaced Ronaldo after 65 minutes and blocked Ruben Dias' shot to prevent him from scoring.

  Ruben Neves (6/10):

  Took Bernardo Silva's spot in the second half and hit the bar with a free-kick.

  Rafael Leao (8/10):

  On for Bruno Fernandes for the final 15 minutes and set up Otavio with a lovely cross. Had a penalty saved later but recovered with a late goal in a fantastic cameo appearance.

  Otavio (7/10):

  Came on to take Joao Felix's place and was immediately involved with a fine headed goal.

  Diogo Jota (N/A):

  Got a five-minute run out so did not have time to influence the match.

  Roberto Martinez (7/10):

  Put out a strong team that dominated from the beginning but they eased up a bit too much in the second half. His changes proved effective, though, with Rafael Leao looking dangerous, Otavio scoring and Ruben Neves hitting the bar.

West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee claimed earlier this week that the London Stadium natives were in talks with Joao Mario’s agent over a potential return to the Premier League, which could see David Sullivan acquire superb midfield depth for David Moyes.

The Irons are expected to strengthen their engine room in the upcoming off-season, to add numbers to a unit currently featuring just Tomas Soucek, Declan Rice and veteran captain Mark Noble.

Mario may emerge as an option for the east Londoners as he will enter the final year of his Inter Milan contract this summer, and is currently on loan with Liga NOS giants Sporting CP.

The Leoes are keen to retain Mario beyond his temporary spell, with reports by O Jogo last month stating that discussions were already underway after Inter Milan let it be known that the 28-year-old is available for a fee of €10m (£8.5m).

There is confidence at the Estadio Jose Alvalade that Mario will stay at the club, and it is believed that he is likewise keen to secure a permanent move following the performances of Ruben Amorim’s side this season.

But Irons insider ExWHUemployee has claimed that Mario’s agent has been in touch with the London Stadium natives to sound out any interest in a return to the Premier League, following a loan spell for the latter half of the 2017/18 season.

A return is expected to hinge on whether or not Moyes feels Mario can still perform in the English top-flight, yet word of a potential reunion has excited some supporters.

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Moyes was at the West Ham helm when Mario moved to England in the final days of the 2018 winter market, and was left impressed by the 46-cap Portugal international’s performances over the following months.

“I think Joao Mario has done well since he came in,” Moyes said that April. “He brings a little bit of flair, he’s good on the ball, and a bit of natural talent. What goes unnoticed is that he’s actually a really hard-working boy as well.”

Mario only scored twice and offered one assist over his 14 appearances in claret and blue, but his importance on the pitch helped the Hammers to stave off the threat of relegation after arriving with the club just four points clear of the bottom three.

A return to Inter Milan only saw him start 12 of 20 Serie A outings before a move to Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow and later Sporting CP for the current term, where the midfielder has been a mainstay missing just two Liga NOS fixtures and starting 19 of 22 appearances.

His creativity has again been lacking for the Leoes with two goals and one assist to date, but the hard-working £88,000-per-week maestro has offered a box-to-box presence that could offer Moyes superb depth if signed this summer.

Mario has offered Sporting a higher average volume of shots from central and holding midfield positions per 90 minutes (0.9) this season than West Ham have seen from Rice (0.8) in the Premier League, and records 1.4 tackles to the Englishman and Soucek’s 1.9, per WhoScored.

He further carries possession up the field more successful with 2.1 dribbles per 90 to Rice (0.9), Noble (0.8) and Soucek (0.4), and provides more key passes (1.3) than each of the Irons trio (0.7 Rice, 0.5 Soucek, 0 Noble).

Mario may not prove to be a ground-breaking signing if brought back to the London Stadium, but Sullivan would add experienced depth capable of delivering when needed if he convinces Moyes to accept a summer transfer.

AND in other news, David Moyes could discover his Jesse Lingard replacement in a “gifted” £18m-rated maestro…

The Gunners have been knocked off top spot in the Premier League by Manchester City after three games without a win but all is not lost…

How quickly football can change.

Less than two weeks ago Arsenal sat with a five-point lead at the top of the Premier League table but now, within a blink of the eye, they are trailing Manchester City on goal difference, having picked up just one point from a possible nine.

Mikel Arteta’s early pacesetters had an opportunity to make the ultimate statement on Wednesday night when they welcomed Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions to Emirates Stadium

Victory would have seen them move six points clear with a game in hand. But instead the 3-1 defeat saw them knocked off top spot for the first time since August and raised more doubts over their ability to stay the course during the title race.

The usual online slurs are already doing the rounds, with many saying Arsenal have ‘bottled it’ and that the season is now suddenly over. Both are suggestions that Arteta vehemently denies.

“Psychologically, there is a marathon still,” Arsenal’s manager said after the City defeat. “There is very far to go.

“I said it at the start, I said it three months ago and I say it today, it’s about tomorrow. The most important thing is how we are tomorrow and focus on that.”

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  Arsenal have been the hunted, now they are the hunters

  Arsenal have led the way in the Premier League for so long that it feels strange now not to see them at the top of the table.

  It’s a position they’ve occupied after each round of fixtures since they beat Bournemouth 3-0 back in August, on the third weekend of the season.

  The narrative has now been flipped on its head, though, and it will be interesting to see how Arteta and his players react.

  Arsenal have been the hunted for so long, but now they are the hunters. How they deal with that new challenge is going to be key to their chances in the title race.

  Suggestions that they have ‘bottled it’ are, of course, laughable. Arteta’s young side have done remarkably well to get themselves into the position they are in and let’s not forget they still do have that game in hand over City.

  There is plenty of football still to be played, but Arsenal have clearly hit their first real bump in the road and it’s vital that Arteta finds a way of restoring his team’s belief following their sticky spell, which has seen them pick up eight points from 18.

  They can’t afford to let that run continue because if they do, City will be out of sight in a flash.

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  Changes are needed

  It has felt for some time now that Arteta needs to shake things up a bit when it comes to his team selection.

  Players that have been performing so well this season have started to struggle, with Gabriel Martinelli a prime example.

  The Brazilian has yet to score in 2023 and has failed to make any sort of positive impact in recent games.

  Bringing in Leandro Trossard for his first Premier League start at Aston Villa on Saturday feels inevitable and could hopefully add a spark to an Arsenal attack that has lost its cutting edge in recent weeks.

  There is an argument to suggest Kieran Tierney could make an impact at left-back, a switch that could potentially allow Oleksandr Zinchenko to move into a midfield position and allow Granit Xhaka a rest.

  Aside from the enforced change on Wednesday night when Jorginho had to replace the injured Thomas Partey, Arteta has named the same starting XI in every league game since the return from the World Cup.

  So, it is no real surprise that some of his players appear jaded.

  Arteta does not have the largest of squads, but he does have players who can come in and potentially make a difference. It feels like now is the time for him to give them the opportunity they have been awaiting.

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  Two defining weeks

  The next fortnight will be so crucial to Arsenal’s hopes of staying in the title race.

  They are still firmly in contention, despite the City setback, but they have to get themselves back on track quickly.

  Arteta’s side have two tricky away games coming up now. They travel to Aston Villa on Saturday before visiting Leicester City the following weekend. 

  They then host Everton on Wednesday, March 1 for what will be their long-awaited game in hand.

  Arsenal have to pick themselves quickly to keep pace with City during this period. 

  If they find themselves trailing the champions by any kind of significant distance after that Everton game, then they will find it very difficult to make up the ground on such formidable front-runners.

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  Partey's fitness will be key

  Aside from the poor recent run of results, the big worry now is the fitness of Thomas Partey.

  It was a hammer blow to lose the midfielder in the build-up to the Manchester City game and there was no doubt he was missed, despite Jorginho stepping in and performing well.

  Partey is so crucial to how Arsenal play, both in terms of his ability to protect the defence and progress the ball forward quickly, so it’s vital that he can get him back as quickly as possible.

  The early signs are that the muscle injury is nothing serious, but we’ve seen Partey sidelined for weeks due to thigh issues in the past and should that be the case this time around, then Arsenal will struggle to replace him.

The Blues suffered a third straight Premier League defeat to leave themselves with a mountain to climb to seal a top-four finish after the World Cup

After three defeats in their last four, Chelsea manager Graham Potter could not afford another woeful performance against Newcastle on Saturday. And yet that's exactly what the Blues served up in their 1-0 loss at St. James' Park.

Joe Willock popped up to fire the Magpies to an important victory, lifting Eddie Howe's team up to third in the Premier League before the World Cup break.

But while Newcastle are flying, Chelsea can only sing the blues as they suffered a third straight loss; a run that has dropped them to eighth in the table.

It's the first time in 20 years that the west London side have suffered three straight losses (excluding penalty shootouts), and this was certainly a deserved one.

Potter has a monumental task ahead of him to fix a side who were second best throughout. They struggled to deal with the pressure from Newcastle at times and were hopeless going forward, with Armando Broja kept silent up front as Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher were unable to offer him any support or build any attacks.

At the back, the likes of Cesar Azpilicueta and Kalidou Koulibaly were totally exposed and looked totally unworthy of a place in the starting XI.

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  The Winners

  Joe Willock:

  Willock had been dangerous at times in the first half up against Cesar Azpilicueta and popped up with the vital goal in the second half. It was a fantastic strike from the 23-year-old, and his second in successive games following his goal against Southampton the previous week. It was a deserved reward for his role in Newcastle's high-press that rattled the visitors throughout.

  Reece James:

  Oh how Chelsea are missing this man! The Blues looked weak on their right side all through the game, with Azpilicueta exposed and Conor Gallagher unable to get things going in attack because of some poor decision making. The injured right-back's absence was felt throughout this match and it shows just how important he is to Graham Potter's team.

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  The Losers

  Cesar Azpilicueta:

  The Spanish veteran looked out of his depth for spells in this game, with the Magpies putting him under pressure when they attacked down their left wing. He was too slow and easily exposed, leaving Potter no choice but to take him off at half-time to bring on Christian Pulisic. The Blues coach will be desperate to replace the club captain in the near future.

  Kalidou Koulibaly:

  Another disappointing display from the centre-back, even though he looked good at the start of the match. He was awful for the goal as he did nothing to stop Miguel Almiron on his run towards Chelsea's goal. The centre-back made it easy for the attacker, offering a lame attempt to stop him before Willock pounced and sent his shot past Mendy from the edge of the box. Koulibaly was too slow to react on many occasions, and it resulted in him getting booked late on for a silly foul.

  Graham Potter:

  The Chelsea manager has a tough job ahead of him and is getting a sense of how much work he has to do to fix this team. His side were totally stifled in this game and were second best all the way through. The Blues have now lost three in a row and could see themselves fall further away from a European place if the coach cannot get them playing well again soon.

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  Chelsea Ratings: Defence

  Edouard Mendy (6/10):

  He pulled off a couple of saves to deny the home team but his distribution was terrible yet again.

  Cesar Azpilicueta (4/10):

  Had a hard time when Newcastle attacked down his side and was useless in possession as he constantly passed it backwards. Came off at half-time.

  Trevoh Chalobah (6/10):

  Similarly frustrating on the ball as he constantly passed back to Mendy instead of looking for a way to build something for his side.

  Kalidou Koulibaly (5/10):

  Started off well by making some important interventions but his weaknesses were on display midway through the first half and left the Blues in danger as Newcastle upped the intensity in the second period. He should have done better against Miguel Almiron for the goal.

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  Midfield

  Ruben Loftus-Cheek (N/A):

  Had to be replaced just seven minutes in because of an injury.

  Mateo Kovacic (5/10):

  A poor display from the Croatia international, who barely offered any protection in midfield and was not influential in attack, either.

  Jorginho (6/10):

  Slightly better than his fellow central midfielder but not at his best in this game as he struggled to deal with the pressure applied by the home team.

  Lewis Hall (7/10):

  Looked bright in his first Premier League appearance in what was a difficult match for his team before he went off with less than 20 minutes to play. Worked hard for the team and will surely get more playing time this season after that performance.

Celtic are getting ready to witness considerable change at Parkhead this summer. The Bhoys have already seen Neil Lennon leave and thus, they’ll need to find a replacement from somewhere.

Peter Lawwell is set to retire at the end of the season with Dominic McKay succeeding him as CEO.

A further appointment could be a new director of football where Fergal Harkin has long been touted to join Celtic. He is set to come into the fray over Nick Hammond.

The 53-year-old left his role as Head of Football Operations on Wednesday evening, departing a role he’s held since 2019.

Hammond has done his job at Celtic with varying degrees of success. In charge of the club’s transfer strategy, he’s concluded some rather abject deals.

He was the man to fork out £4.5m on Vasilis Barkas, a goalkeeper who has been rather error-prone since moving from AEK Athens.

Hammond also spent £5m on Albian Ajeti. The Swiss forward has scored just six times since his arrival at Paradise from West Ham United last summer.

You also have to question moves for players like Patryk Klimala and Shane Duffy. The former has only three goals all season while Duffy has been rather inconsistent after arriving on loan.

Hammond has had some triumphs though; mainly with a deal to bring David Turnbull to Paradise.

The former Motherwell midfielder has been a breath of fresh air, proving to be one of the very few positives from an arduous season where they lost their grasp on the Scottish Premiership.

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Alongside Ismaila Soro, they have provided reasons to be positive about the future of the Celtic squad. However, despite the Ivorian’s combative displays in the middle of the park, it’s Turnbull who should go down as Hammond’s best parting gift.

The Scot has had an outstanding campaign playing either out wide or just behind the striker. Amazingly, he wasn’t called up to the Scotland squad for the latest round of fixtures but it only feels like a matter of time before he’s in the national side.

After all, Turnbull has registered eight goals and six assists this term, an eye-catching number for someone who hasn’t exactly played in a team that’s thriving this season.

Lennon was able to extract the very best from him and in a campaign where not a lot has gone right, he’s been a shining light. His numbers eclipse many of those at Parkhead too.

The 21-year-old has made 90 key passes this term at a rate of 2.7 per game, a tally that surpasses every player in the squad. Turnbull’s 2.2 shots per game, meanwhile, are only fewer than Odsonne Edouard and Ryan Christie.

Words from Owen Coyle last month typify exactly the impression he’s made since signing.

He told The Scottish Mail on Sunday (14/03, pg 152): “His physical attributes are there. He’s got an unbelievable engine, he goes box-to-box, covers the ground. He’s a team player who works his socks off. I think he’s a manager’s dream.”

The phrase manager’s dream explains exactly why he’s been such a hit in Glasgow. Turnbull should go down as one of Hammond’s finest investments.

AND in other news, Celtic could now be on the verge of a landmark appointment, the deal is 90% done…

We preview the continent’s stars expected to feature for their respective clubs around Europe this weekend.

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  Africans to watch in Europe

  Mohamed Elneny gave a decent account of himself in Arsenal’s smashing 4-2 success at Chelsea on Wednesday and the midfielder could be retained in midfield when Manchester United visit on Saturday lunchtime.

  In Ligue 1, Achraf Hakimi and Idrissa Gueye could claim the French top-flight title by picking up a point this weekend.

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• Watford.
  

  Ismaila Sarr

  Second from bottom Watford have lost four of their last five in the Premier League and they face a daunting trip to league leaders Manchester City looking to pull off one of the season’s shock results.

  Sarr missed the reverse fixture at Vicarage Road but ought to feature at the Etihad Stadium as the Citizens aim for three points to end the gameweek atop the standings.

  With their Champions League semi-final first-leg against Real Madrid to come next week, it remains to be seen if Pep Guardiola will play Riyad Mahrez from the off against the struggling Hornets.

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  Yoane Wissa

  Wissa has started Brentford’s last two league games since scoring at Chelsea and the forward could play from the off for a third match running when the Bees host Tottenham Hotspur.

  It could be the attacker’s 10th start for Thomas Frank this season and he would take his tally for the season to six with his next strike.

  Owing to Spurs’ Champions League desire, the Bees will love nothing more than throwing a spanner in the works to that ambition by taking points off Antonio Conte’s side.

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  Mohamed Elneny

  On his first start since December, Elneny had a rather decent showing in Arsenal’s 4-2 success at Chelsea.

  The midfielder’s previous start came in the 3-2 loss at Manchester United and he could be set to make another start against the same opponents at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

  With a top-four spot on the line, the Gunners know the importance of successive victories against sides they are potentially doing battle with for those positions.

The 2016-17 Ligue 1 champions are presently languishing in the relegation zone but their new coach has inherited a squad still packed with talent

• VALERY HACHE
  

  Radamel Falcao

  Club captain and star man, Radamel Falcao joined Monaco in 2013 and has hit double figures in the two seasons since his ill-fated Premier League adventure, which consisted of frustrating loan spells at Manchester United and Chelsea.

  The 32-year-old is also Colombia's skipper and all-time leading goal-scorer, with 32 international goals.

  Falcao's leadership skills and goals will be key to Henry's hopes of turning Monaco's season around.

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  Aleksandr Golovin

  Aleksandr Golovin was one of the hottest properties on the market during the summer after helping Russia reach the World Cup quarter-finals and it was Monaco who secured his signature despite reported interest from many of Europe's elite.

  The creative midfielder is only 22 but he has already been a title winner with CSKA Moscow and has a UEFA European Under-17 Championship winners' medal too.

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  Benjamin Henrichs

  Benjamin Henrichs is a typically versatile German youth product who primarily operates as a right-back but has been used as a left-back and even a left winger since making his senior debut for Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 18.

  He made 75 appearances for his boyhood club in total before joining Monaco in the summer and has also already won three senior caps for Germany, as well as a Confederations Cup title.

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  Kamil Glik

  An experienced centre-back at club and international level, Kamil Glik secured a move to Monaco back in 2016 after four strong seasons in Serie A with Torino and is now vice-captain at the Stade Louis II.

  He has been capped 62 times by Poland, appearing at Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, and is also a proven threat from set-pieces, with 31 career goals to date.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Bull who moved from West Bromwich Albion to Wolves in 1986, admits he can’t see Chris Wilder taking the job at the Hawthorns if they decide to not stick with Sam Allardyce next season.

Wilder parted ways with Sheffield United through mutual consent last week after guiding them to a ninth-placed finish in the Premier League last season, before The Daily Star reported that the Baggies could look to bring him to The Hawthorns as a replacement for Allardyce.

The former Blades player took over when they were in League One and in three seasons they had made it to the top flight despite operating on a relatively small budget. However, both parties saw it fit for Wilder to leave his boyhood club.

Speaking on whether Chris Wilder could make an immediate return back into management at West Brom and what might be holding him back from doing so, Bull told FFC:

“Chris Wilder probably could but I think it would be the same situation as at Sheffield United because they’ve got no resources and no money. Would the chairman back him? I don’t think so.

“I think Chris Wilder has been in management now so he probably wants to have a six-month rest and charge his batteries up.

“He’ll want to get the zest back in him and then Chris Wilder will be out there again soon.”

Sheffield United were pushing for a place in Europe last season before the season was paused for Covid-19 and they haven’t been able to cope playing without any fans.

The Blades have won just seven league games since football returned last June, with three of them coming at the end of last season.

The Real Madrid left-back has picked a former QPR goalkeeper in his team, along with the likes of his Brazil team-mate and the French World Cup winner

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  GK | Julio Cesar | Flamengo

  A Brazil international since 2004, Cesar has enjoyed a glittering career, even if his legacy is perhaps tarnished in England due to his spell at QPR. The Flamengo keeper has won five Serie A titles in Italy, as well as three league titles in Portugal, while he has also lifted the Copa America once and the Confederations Cup twice with Brazil.

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• RB | Dani Alves | PSG

  Arguably the best right-back in modern football, Dani Alves has won it all, having been part of one of the greatest club sides in modern football at Barcelona. He is on course to win Ligue 1 with PSG, and has also won the Copa America, and the Confederations Cup twice with Brazil.

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  CB | Thiago Silva | PSG

  Brazil's national team captain at the 2014 World Cup, Thiago Silva has become one of the best centre-backs in world football, winning trophy after trophy in the French capital. He has twice been a medallist at the Olympic Games, winning bronze and silver.

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  CB | Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid

  Arguably the best defender playing the game today, Sergio Ramos has made a habit of winning the biggest trophies. He has won four La Liga titles, three Champions League winners' medals, two European Championships and the World Cup, along with a clutch of other honours. Ramos is footballing royalty.