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Leeds United continue to be interested in Brenden Aaronson ahead of January 31st…

What’s the word?

That’s according to the Daily Mail, who claim that the Yorkshire giants are preparing another bid for the RB Salzburg midfielder after having a £15m bid knocked back by the Austrian champions.

The 21-year-old has only been at the club for a year but his impressive performances have caught the eye of many across Europe, though it is the Premier League that he dreams of playing in one day.

Aaronson’s running stats are amongst the highest around the continent, so it’s no wonder Marcelo Bielsa is hugely keen on securing him.

Shades of Gallagher

Leeds have long been looking for a central midfielder capable of driving the team forward in the final third, especially as it has now been four years since they signed someone in the role, that being Adam Forshaw from Middlesbrough in January 2018.

The Whites failed with their attempts to sign promising Chelsea starlet Conor Gallagher during the summer after his impressive loan stint at West Brom, with the England U21 dynamo opting for top-flight rivals Crystal Palace instead.

However, there are shades of the 21-year-old Eagles loanee in the 15-cap American sensation.

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“Typically an attacking midfielder, Aaronson is best described as a half-winger, capable of playing out wide or centrally in the third line of Salzburg’s 4-2-2-2 formation. During games, Aaronson is expected to cover ground in central spaces, as well as supporting attacks via the channels,” claimed journalist Joe Donnohue to LeedsLive recently.

Indeed, the bustling Salzburg gem ranks amongst the top 1% of midfielders in Europe for pressures, having averaged 27.84 pressures per 90 and he also forces the opposition into losing the ball 8.55 times per 90, with those figures coming in the Champions League, via FBRef.

This is right up Bielsa’s street as he loves a player who can press high up the pitch, just as Gallagher has proven to do during his time at the Hawthorns and Selhurst Park.

Nicknamed the ‘Medford Messi’, Aaronson has been dubbed “highly talented” by talent scout Jacek Kulig and “silky” by ex-USMNT international DeMarcus Beasley.

His returns of ten goals and 12 assists from only 51 appearances in Austria make him a very exciting young talent indeed. As such, Victor Orta and co must push ahead with plans to sign him as soon as possible.

Bielsa could finally be getting his Gallagher-like midfield presence.

AND in other news, Journalist drops huge Leeds United transfer claim ahead of deadline day…

Everton are reportedly still keeping close tabs on Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks ahead of the January transfer window, with manager Rafa Benitez desperate to reinforce his struggling side.

What’s the story?

According to Sunday People (as relayed by Goodison News), the 25-year-old is still wanted by the Toffees despite the recent departures of director of football Marcel Brands and head of recruitment and development Gretar Steinsson.

The newspaper report in their print edition (page 54, 12 December) that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will consider the sale of Winks if a suitable offer arrives over the coming months in order to provide new manager Antonio Conte suitable funds to rebuild his squad.

Rafa Benitez must seal Everton swoop

After rising through the ranks at his boyhood club, Winks has made 182 appearances for the north London outfit in all competitions and started their 2019 Champions League final defeat at the hands of Liverpool.

The technically gifted talent featured prominently during the reign of former manager Mauricio Pochettino, who lavished praise on the midfielder after a late winner against Fulham two years ago, stating he has the “quality” to score more goals.

And Winks’ eye-catching displays at club level earned him ten senior caps for England, with ex-Spurs and Three Lions goalkeeper Paul Robinson lauding his important role in the national team setup.

“For me, I think Harry Winks is one of the best of the bunch,” said the retired 42-year-old when discussing Gareth Southgate’s midfield options.

“He dominates the game, defensively and offensively he offers you both and his ball retention, the stats speak for themselves. A fit Harry Winks is an important selection for England.”

However, the £18m-rated gem has struggled for game time in recent months, starting just nine Premier League games last term before slipping even further down the Spurs pecking order this time around.

But Winks could be the ideal solution to Everton’s engine room woes. Since James Rodriguez’s departure, the Blues have struggled to open up opposition defences on a consistent basis, scoring just 20 goals in their 16 top-flight games to date.

As per WhoScored, no Tottenham player who started a league match bettered or matched his average of 70 passes per game last season, and he also topped the charts for pass completion after achieving a 90% success rate.

Winks’ impressive figures weren’t just down to selecting the safe and simple options every time, either. He managed 1.3 key passes per Premier League fixture in 2020/21 and pulled off 4.4 long balls – of all of the capital club’s outfield players, only Toby Alderweireld completed more (7.3).

Therefore, the diminutive technician could be the catalyst to transform Everton’s disappointing campaign, and Benitez must sanction a swoop this winter in order to add more quality to his squad.

And, in other news…Everton eye swoop for “immense” 6ft4 goliath, he could be a Rafa masterclass

Leeds United are not currently planning on loaning out Cody Drameh, Sam Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville in January, according to journalist Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Leeds short on options

The Whites have struggled to replicate their form of last season in 2021/22 so far, getting themselves into a potential Premier League relegation fight, although today’s win over 18th-placed Burnley has given them a more comfortable cushion from the bottom three.

Injuries have been a clear reason for that, with important figures such as Luke Ayling, Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford all missing for sizeable chunks of the campaign.

The hope is that new signings are made in the January transfer window, but young trio Drameh, Greenwood and Summerville have all been linked with winter loan moves away from Elland Road in recent days.

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The Latest: Hay unsure over rumoured loan exits

Speaking in a Q&A for The Athletic on Sunday, Hay cast doubt over the trio leaving this month at a time when as many squad players as possible may be needed at Leeds. He warned:

“The head count is already very low so they’d need to be extremely careful about losing anyone. As it stands, there are no agreements for anyone to move out. Incomings could change that but it’s been quiet on that front too so far.”

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The Verdict: Makes little sense as things stand

In normal circumstances, it would make complete sense letting Drameh, Greenwood and Summerville leave on a temporary basis, allowing them to enjoy more regular first-team football elsewhere for the rest of the season.

However, the current injury situation means it would feel like a needless risk to send them out, even though they hopefully won’t be needed too often given their lack of experience. They have made nine appearances between them this season, which suggests that they can do a job when called upon.

Loan moves for the trio in the summer would make more sense for Leeds, but as Hay has said, if there are multiple January arrivals, it could allow Bielsa the luxury of arranging temporary exits for the youngsters later this month.

In other news, one Leeds player is set to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

Celtic enjoyed a rampant summer transfer window with no fewer than 12 first-team players being welcomed through the Parkhead doors by Ange Postecoglou.

However, January arrivals are looking a little more troublesome for the Australian boss with huge transfer fees potentially having to be spent.

What’s the word?

It’s no secret that the Hoops will need £6.5m in order to lure Jota to the club on a permanent basis and for a man of his talents, it seems a plausible deal to complete.

However, if they want to land fellow loanee, Cameron Carter-Vickers, permanently they will have to cough up an even steeper fee.

In a fresh report courtesy of the Daily Record, it hands a hammer blow to Celtic’s chances of acquiring his signature next year.

Carter-Vickers signed a new one-year extension with parent club, Tottenham, before agreeing on a temporary switch to Parkhead. Yet, it’s now been claimed that the Bhoys will need as much as £10m in order to activate a full transfer.

Significant blow

This is news that is likely to leave Postecoglou fuming, such is Carter-Vickers’ importance to the Celtic side this season.

The American has made an instant impact in Glasgow, hammering home an effort from range on his debut against Ross County back in September.

Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength while in the famous green and white hoops, winning a colossal 4.1 aerial duels per game, the third-highest in the manager’s ranks.

Furthermore, his tally of 1.2 interceptions per appearance is the fourth largest number when compared to the rest of his colleagues.

What’s elevated his status so quickly in the Celtic side is a number of defensive injuries. Christopher Jullien hasn’t been seen all year while Carl Starfelt and Stephen Welsh have recently suffered from their own fitness problems.

Celtic have hardly been perfect from a defensive point of view this term either, keeping 11 shutouts in 28 matches this term but that’s primarily been down to a lack of depth.

Thus, signing Carter-Vickers permanently, either in January or next summer, would have been an important addition to their ranks.

Instead, they are left staring at a potential £10m transfer fee, one they are unlikely to pay when you consider that Odsonne Edouard remains their record signing at £9m.

They do, of course, still have plenty left in the bank following the sales of Kristoffer Ajer and Edouard a few months ago, but this will come as nothing other than a blow to their chances of landing the central defender.

Considering how well the 23-year-old has taken to life under Postecoglou, this revelation is sure to leave the manager rather angry and dismayed.

AND in other news, Huge boost: Alan Nixon delivers promising Celtic update that will leave fans buzzing…

West Ham United were dealt a frustrating setback in their quest to qualify for the Champions League this season after they were held by relegation-battling Burnley at Turf Moor.

And it was yet another game in which Michail Antonio struggled in the final third.

The Clarets, who have won just once all season, largely matched the fourth-placed Irons and were resolute enough to not hand them many chances. That said, the 31-year-old put in another lacklustre display and that would’ve undoubtedly contributed to their futile attempts up top.

Across the 90 minutes he had on the pitch, Antonio failed to register a single shot on target, with both his efforts going wide. Even central defenders Issa Diop and James Tarkowski managed to hit the target.

His lack of influence for the visiting east Londoners was reflected by the fact that he recorded the fewest touches of any Hammers starter (34). One less than even goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (35), as well as managing only ten accurate passes all game, too.

Elsewhere, the Jamaican international struggled to combat the physical threat on offer from the home side, losing possession a whopping 16 times, almost once every other touch of the ball, whilst he also won just 46% of his 15 battles, both on the ground and in the air, only further highlighting the way in which he was dominated by Sean Dyche’s towering backline.

‘Another Hammer who had a quiet game with the striker’s poor touch on a couple of occasions costing him the chance of a sight of goal,’ was how football.london reporter Tom Clark described Antonio’s performance after the match.

Indeed, that was the case and it has been that way for several games now. The former Nottingham Forest ace has scored just once in ten games and has now failed to surpass a 6.9 WhoScored rating in five of his last six matches.

His form has to be a major cause for concern to manager David Moyes and the club. He will certainly feel badly let down by his star man once again because if Antonio isn’t firing, West Ham often aren’t either.

The £70k-per-week forward must do better in the coming weeks, especially as he’s the only option in the role. He must do better.

AND in other news, Rob Newman can seal West Ham’s biggest signing since Payet in “complete” £24.3m-rated gem…

According to The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, Aston Villa have made informal contact with Paulo Fonseca over potentially replacing Dean Smith as manager.

What’s the story?

The Villa boss has come under increasing pressure in recent weeks following a run of form that has seen them lose their last four games in the Premier League on the bounce.

And now, Hope has revealed that Villa have sounded out Fonseca over becoming the club’s new manager, and that the contact with the Portuguese “indicates that candidates are being explored in the event of Smith going.”

Villa fans will be excited

Fonseca of course will already be a recognisable name to English football fans having previously been linked with the manager’s job at Spurs over the summer, and journalist Fabrizio Romano was quick to praise the former AS Roma boss for his time in Serie A.

He said: “He is perfect in the dressing room and perfect in his relationship with the players, which is something really needed at Tottenham at the moment. He likes to play a 3-4-2-1 formation and likes to play with quality and fast players behind the striker, and so he and the club will try to convince Harry Kane to stay.

“But, let’s see. He’s experienced, he’s a good manager and he has great relationships with his players, so it could be something interesting. The dressing room was very good during his time there and he was already appreciated by fans.”

What should really excite Villa fans however is the decisiveness with which the club’s owners appear to be acting, and ensuring that this recent run of form doesn’t get considerably worse before they feel like pulling the trigger.

With the international break looming, getting rid of Smith and appointing a new manager would give that man plenty of time to work with his current crop of players, instead of being asked to hit the ground running with a Premier League game right around the corner for instance.

Meanwhile, Ashley Preece has dropped the latest on Dean Smith’s future…

Southampton have said goodbye to a significant number of players over recent years that have played a lot of games for the south coast club such as Jose Fonte, Adam Lallana and Morgan Schneiderlin among many others.

One player that spent a period of his career at St. Mary’s is Dusan Tadic, who joined the club back in the 2014 summer transfer window from Dutch club FC Twente after he scored 32 goals and provided 36 assists in 85 appearances for them.

During his time at Southampton, Tadic managed to score 24 goals and provide 35 assists in 162 appearances, playing across a range of attacking positions on the pitch, before returning to the Eredivisie with Ajax in 2018 where he has since racked up 82 goals and 81 assists in 166 games, proving that he has been more suited to the Dutch league than the Premier League despite giving it his best in England.

Despite not hitting the same levels at Southampton that he has shown in Holland, the Saints managed to avoid making a financial loss on him given how Ajax agreed to pay a similar fee to the £10.9m Southampton paid for him in 2014.

Back to the present, it seems as though Southampton have the chance to sign another versatile attacking player that has impressed in the Eredivisie like Tadic did before he joined the Saints.

It has recently been reported by Calciomercato that Southampton are interested in signing 23-year-old PSV Eindhoven winger Ritsu Doan, who has 19 goals and eight assists under his belt in the Eredivisie in 86 appearances with FC Groningen and PSV.

Similarly to Tadic, as well as having experience in the Dutch league, Doan has also played in several attacking positions on the pitch throughout his career.

In terms of a potential move to Southampton, this could give the club’s director of football Matt Crocker the opportunity to secure their next Tadic and hope that given his age, he has what it takes to stay at the club longer than the Serbian winger did and rack up more goals and assists than he did as well, which would be great for the fans.

Also, with Mohamed Elyounoussi currently being the only Southampton winger to have scored a goal in the Premier League so far this season, this suggests that the Saints could do with adding a winger to their squad that can score goals regularly for them, such as Doan.

Additionally, in a recent poll ran by Football FanCast, the majority of Saints fans that voted made it clear that they would like to see their club make a move for the winger, who is currently valued at £5.85m according to Transfermarkt.

In other news: Forget Bednarek: “Excellent” Saints star with 13 tackles was Ralph’s hero in October – opinion

With Southampton still searching for their first Premier League win of the season, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are set to take on Leeds United at the weekend once the international break has ended.

Ahead of the match against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who are only two points ahead of the Saints in the league table, Southampton could be without one of their regular players for the clash.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by the Daily Echo that Adams has been ruled out of Scotland’s World Cup qualifier against the Faroe Islands and is also a doubt for Southampton’s match at the weekend, which surely won’t make Hasenhuttl happy.

Southampton signed Adams back in the 2019 summer transfer window from Championship club Birmingham City on a five-year deal for a reported fee of £15m.

Since then, the 25-year-old, who is currently valued at £18m according to Transfermarkt has made 83 appearances for the Saints across all competitions, managing to score 13 goals and provide ten assists in the process.

Even though Adams has yet to score a goal for the Saints this season across all competitions and has only managed to provide one assist, we still feel Adams will be a big miss for the club if he can’t play against Leeds.

With the striker racking up 1.4 shots per game, the joint-third highest of any Southampton player in the league so far this season alongside James Ward-Prowse, he has still been an attacking threat. Follow that up with his 1.4 key passes per game, the joint-highest also alongside Ward-Prowse, and it demonstrates why his absence would be felt hard by the boss this weekend.

If Adams does end up being unavailable for the match at the weekend, we feel that Hasenhuttl should give Armando Broja a chance to start. He managed to score in midweek for Albania in their World Cup qualifier against Hungary so is in good form.

However, the manager will undoubtedly be hoping that Adams’ injury is not a serious one so he will be available for selection as soon as possible. The Saints need that first win of the season in order to climb away from the relegation zone.

In other news: Ralph must unleash “perfect” £9m-rated Southampton gem, he’s a real game-changer – opinion

Liverpool have been known to famously produce some of the Premier League’s top stars in the past such as Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen among many others from their youth academy.

Nowadays, Liverpool currently has the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Curtis Jones, Neco Williams and Caoimhin Kelleher in their senior squad that have emerged through the youth ranks at the Merseyside club.

Yet, one player that we feel could go on to follow in the same path as some of the previously mentioned players residing in Jurgen Klopp’s team is 20-year-old Elijah Dixon-Bonner.

Since joining the Merseyside club’s youth team back in the 2015 summer transfer window from fellow Premier League club Arsenal, Dixon-Bonner has made 46 appearances for Liverpool’s U18 side, scoring three goals and providing five assists as well as making 50 appearances for their U23 side, netting five times and supplying one assist along the way.

Not only does this show how much experience Dixon-Bonner has under his belt at youth level, but it also shows that he has some attacking prowess within him with the number of goals he’s been involved in.

The midfielder, who has been described in recent weeks as “incredible” by Klopp, has also made two senior appearances for the Reds, both being two one-minute cameos in their 1-0 win over Shrewsbury Town in the FA Cup last season and their recent 2-0 win over Preston North End in the Carabao Cup.

If Dixon-Bonner can continue to play regularly for the U23s and get some significant senior minutes under his belt, we have every confidence that he could follow in the footsteps of Jones and be the next version of the current Liverpool senior midfielder.

The England U21 international has risen to prominence over the last few seasons, making 56 senior outings for the Reds in which he has managed to score eight goals and provide nine assists after working his way through the youth system.

Jones has also managed to rack up a decent number of goals and assists in a similar fashion to that of Dixon-Bonner, showing the similarities between the two players not just from a positional sense on the pitch.

Additionally, with current Reds midfielder Naby Keita sustaining a hamstring injury in their recent 2-2 draw against Brighton, we feel that this could potentially offer the young Liverpool starlet a pathway into the senior squad.

In other news: Forget Mane: £200k-p/w Liverpool star who made 2 key passes stole the show vs Brighton – opinion

Many Newcastle United fans have slammed the performance of Matt Ritchie in their 1-1 draw at Watford in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.

Despite dominating the game in terms of chances created, the Magpies had to settle for a point in the end after Ismaila Sarr cancelled out Sean Longstaff’s superb strike in the first half.

Primarily a winger, Ritchie struggled at times at left-back, picking up an early yellow card and then making a few dangerous challenges which could well have seen him sent off on another day.

Some Newcastle fans were particularly critical of his set pieces, as he failed to record a single shot on target, while only 30% of his crosses in the match found a teammate (Sofascore).

The Scotland international also lost possession of the ball on 14 separate occasions, the fourth-most out of any of his teammates (Sofascore).

Newcastle fans on Ritchie’s display

These Magpies fans slammed his performance on Twitter, with one Newcastle supporter going as far as to claim that the 32-year-old is ‘dreadful’ at free kicks:

“Get Ritchie off set pieces and the pitch”

Credit: @darrenfarmer20

“Time to get Ritchie off set pieces. Every one of them has been so poor today.”

Credit: @evan_kiropoulos

“Still don’t understand how Miggy Almiron doesn’t get those set pieces in the edge of the box. Matt Ritchie’s technique from them is awful.”

Credit: @ASmithSJ

“Pig sick of Ritchie, like. The amount of times he lashes it into the wall/off someone with his left and with minimal thinking then just swipes at it with his right, man.”

Credit: @MattCobb88

“Why does Ritchie always take free kicks? He is utterly dreadful at them.”

Credit: @ToonArmyBarmy74

“I love the bloke’s aggression and enthusiasm but Ritchie isn’t offering anything to this side today, wasted set pieces and wanders out of position far too much.”

Credit: @King_Kevs_Rant

In other news, one former Newcastle ace thinks the proposed takeover will happen