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The January transfer window is less than a month away from officially opening for business and it remains to be seen how busy it will be for Leeds United.

Whilst there could be incoming activity amid the club’s pursuit of automatic promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking, the Whites could trim their squad by moving on some of the fringe players.

Max Wober returned to Elland Road in the summer after spending the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and has failed to nail down a regular spot in the team this season.

The Austria international, according to a recent report from Kurier, is one of two players RB Salzburg are looking at ahead of the January window, as the Bundesliga side could bring him back, after selling him to Leeds in January 2023.

Wober has only made three appearances and started one game in all competitions for the West Yorkshire outfit this term, and was an unused substitute in the 1-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers last time out.

The left-footed dud could be moved on, amid interest from his former club, but he is not the only Leeds player who could be on the chopping block next month.

Players Leeds could sell in January

Experienced centre-forward Patrick Bamford is a prime candidate for a January sale after a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign, that has seen him fail to start a single league match.

Football Insider reported last month that the former England international is planning to move on from Elland Road at the end of the season, due to his lack of minutes on the pitch.

His contract does not expire until the summer of 2026, though, and Leeds must look for potential suitors in January, rather than the summer, to move him on if he does not see his future at the club.

In the same position, Joe Gelhardt is another player the Whites must consider cashing in on. He is reportedly keen to pursue a move away from Elland Road in January, amid interest from Rangers, Stoke, and Preston, among others.

It was claimed that a loan move could be in the works for the 22-year-old forward, but he has only played 12 times in the league since the start of last season and has not got close to being a regular, which suggests that it could be time to cut ties with the former Wigan man.

Wober, Gelhardt, and Bamford are not the only players who should be sold by Leeds, however, as there is another flop at the club who should be moved on, having struggled after initially being tipped to be a big success.

Jesse Marsch thought this Leeds star would be great

In the summer of 2022, former Leeds boss Jesse Marsch swooped to make a host of signings, including the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Brenden Aaronson, and Tyler Adams.

The American tactician also signed right-back Rasmus Kristensen from RB Salzburg for a reported fee of £10m to compete with Luke Ayling.

Marsch described him as a “very good Champions League full-back” and, rather boldly, stated: “I am totally convinced that he will continue to grow into a great Premier League full-back as well.”

As you can see in the table above, Kristensen arrived at Leeds off the back of a very solid season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League with Salzburg.

He won the majority of his defensive duels and won possession back for his side frequently across both competitions, whilst also chipping in with plenty of contributions in the final third at league level.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Unfortunately, however, Kristensen was unable to make the step up to the Premier League to replicate that level of form in England, and struggled in his debut season with Leeds in the 2022/23 campaign, and Daniel Farke must finally cash in on him now.

Why Leeds must sell Rasmus Kristensen

The Whites were relegated to the Championship under Sam Allardyce, who came in after Javi Gracia and Marsch were both sacked, and Kristensen was one of a number of players who failed to make the grade in the top-flight that term.

Marsch was ‘convinced’ that the Danish defender would be a ‘great’ Premier League full-back, but that turned out to be far from the case for the right-footed flop.

Kristensen was dribbled past 1.3 times per game across 26 appearances in the division, which shows that opposition players found it far too easy to get the better of him down the flank.

He also completed just 69% of his attempted passes and won 54% of his duels in the Premier League, as the Dane was unable to showcase his strength to the same level as he did with Salzburg.

Kristensen was, therefore, a liability in and out of possession with his loose passing and his suspect defending, which contributed to Leeds being relegated from the league.

The 27-year-old dud was sent out on loan to Roma, where he started 19 of 29 league appearances, before joining Frankfurt on loan for the current campaign.

As you can see in the table above, Kristensen has, once again, struggled to stop opposition forwards from getting the better of him down the flank in the Bundesliga for Franfkurt.

His duel success rate and pass accuracy has improved in comparison to his Premier League showings, but his continued as a one-on-one defender suggests that he would have similar issues if the Whites brought him back into the fold.

Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed in October that Frankfurt want to sign him permanently, and Farke must finally bin the Marsch flop, who has not turned out to be as ‘great’ as predicted.

It's not Tanaka or Gnonto: Leeds "monster" is already Premier League class

Daniel Farke has unearthed a future Premier League star in the Leeds United monster.

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By
Dan Emery

Dec 3, 2024

Moving him on in January on a permanent basis could also provide funds, in theory, for Leeds to bolster their squad ahead of the second half of the season, if they wish to do so.

Young star Harry Ashfield has signed a new contract for Wrexham AFC and fans are absolutely thrilled by the news.

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• 18-year-old has made six appearances for the first team
• Ashfield: "Hopefully I can prove myself"
• Midfielder won Academy Player of the Year last season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 18-year-old has looked at home since making the step up to the senior team. Ashfield has made six appearances for Phil Parkinson's side, and scored his first professional goal for the club in a 4-1 victory over Port Vale in the Vertu Trophy. He's now committed his future to the club and signed a contract extension with the Welsh side. The club said in a statement: "Wrexham AFC are delighted to announce that Harry Ashfield has signed a new contract with the Club, on a deal until the end of the 2026/27 season, with the option of an additional year."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ashfield is a Wrexham native, and grew up supporting the Red Dragons. He was named the Bob Clark Academy Player of the Year in the 2023/24 season. The announcement has been met with glee among the Wrexham faithful.

• WHAT THE FANS SAID

  Fearless In Devotion the WREXHAM AFC podcast posted on X: "Absolute baller"

  And @BenHeath2021 wrote: "Proud of this lad and deal #BigFuture."

  Wrexham fan @craigyjones17 added: "So glad we’ve extended Harry’s contract. This boy is going to the top!"

  Another fan @Only1Carter called for the youngster to be given a chance in the first team: "Genuinely think he’s a worth a place in the match day squad. No fear and creativity."

  And @SYDWXM posted: "Brilliant news, a great lad who’s going to be hell of a player."

• WHAT HARRY ASHFIELD SAID

  Speaking after signing the new deal, Ashfield said: "It’s an excellent feeling to sign a new deal with my Club. I’m excited to kick-on and see what I can do in the first team – hopefully I can prove myself.”

Manchester United legend Gary Neville has revealed his shock at Liverpool's handling of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk's deals.

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• Liverpool could lose three key players for free
• Alexander-Arnold closing in on Real Madrid move
• Neville shocked by Liverpool's lack of action

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neville has been left stunned by Liverpool’s contract mismanagement, with three key players currently set to leave on free transfers at the end of the season. The Manchester United legend believes that his former club would have tied the likes of Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk and Salah down to new contracts. Instead, the trio could leave Anfield for nothing.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool’s owners, FSG, have come under increasing pressure in recent months, with questions being asked of their contract strategy given the importance of all three players. Alexander-Arnold is close to agreeing a deal to join Real Madrid, while Salah has interest from Saudi Arabia and Van Dijk has been linked with the likes of PSG and Bayern Munich.

• WHAT GARY NEVILLE SAID

  Neville, who was speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by Sky Bet, said: "At the end of the season, it will leave Liverpool a huge hole if those three players [Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold] leave on a free. They won’t have the money to replace them, and you could argue there is a quarter of a billion pounds in those three. You’re talking about one of the best strikers in Europe, one of the best centre-halves in Europe and one of the best right-backs in Europe.

  "Even as good as Liverpool have been in recruitment, that is a quarter-billion-pound hole. They’ve been good at recruitment so they could replace them, but that is a hell of a thing for Arne Slot to have to deal with.

  “Liverpool are the only club that are allowed to run a player’s contract down to zero but are still doing okay. But he’s [Jamie Carragher] explained it, so we’re alright. Three of the best players in the world have got contracts running down, but Liverpool have done a great job of managing that – I’m sorry, I can’t accept that."

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  Liverpool must now begin planning for life without Alexander-Arnold, and potentially Van Dijk and Salah. The Reds have been linked with a number of high-profile replacements, including Juventus full-back Andrea Cambiaso and Bayer Leverkusen's Jeremie Frimpong. However, it remains to be seen whether FSG will invest heavily this summer having failed to splash the cash during Arne Slot's first two transfer windows.

The January transfer window officially opens for business at the end of this month and it remains to be seen whether or not Leeds United will be busy in the market.

Daniel Farke’s team are currently second in the division and three points behind Sheffield United at the top of the table, in their hunt to secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

The Whites, of course, lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley at the end of last season, after their third-placed finish in the regular campaign, and will be hoping to avoid the play-offs this time around.

There were plenty of changes at Elland Road in the summer transfer window, with the likes of Cyrsencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, and Archie Gray all moving on.

Those exits did, however, create space in the squad and funds to bring in the likes of Ao Tanaka, Joe Rodon, Joe Rothwell, Largie Ramazani, and Manor Solomon, among others, to bolster Farke’s options across the pitch.

It appears as though the German tactician is not completely happy with his team, though, as the club are reportedly looking to bring in another attacker next month.

Leeds eyeing up young forward

According to Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall, Leeds United are one of the teams keen on a deal to sign Louie Barry from Aston Villa in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Farke is seemingly eyeing up a swoop to bring the 21-year-old marksman to Elland Road ahead of the second half of the season, to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch – despite already having Brenden Aaronson, Largie Ramazani Manor Solomon, Wilfried Gnonto, Joel Piroe, Patrick Bamford, Mateo Joseph, and Dan James in the attacking positions.

The reporter adds, though, that Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday are also lining up a move for the former Barcelona youngster, which means that the Whites could face plenty of competition to get a deal over the line before the February deadline.

Barry is currently out on loan with Stockport County in League One and Hall reveals that Wednesday, United, and Leeds would all like to bring him to the Championship if Aston Villa decide to recall him in January before sending him out to a higher level.

This means that any deal for the young gem would likely be a loan move, rather than a permanent deal to bolster Farke’s squad for the future as well as the short-term.

Signing another left-winger to come in and compete in the wide areas in the German head coach’s team could allow Wilfried Gnonto to thrive in a new role as a number ten.

Why Wilfried Gnonto could thrive in a new role

So far this season, the Italy U21 international has played all 22 of his matches for the club on either the left or the right flank, with Aaronson the usual starter in the number ten position.

Gnonto, however, has played 63 times as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder in his career to date, which shows that he is comfortable in central areas, as is also evidenced by him popping up in the middle to score in the clip above.

This suggests that the potential is there for Farke to be able to unleash him in a central role for Leeds in the second half of the season, to allow him to get more involved in the game.

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson averages more touches of the ball per game than Gnonto and, yet, has produced less at the top end of the pitch, with six goal contributions compared to Gnonto’s nine.

Unleashing the Italian wizard in a central role to get more touches of the ball each match could see his already impressive output increase in the final third, by giving him more chances to make things happen as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

This change in position can only be effective, though, if Leeds have enough depth in the wide areas to facilitate moving Gnonto to compete with Aaronson, and that is what the signing of Barry could provide.

Why Leeds should sign Barry

The Stockport County loanee’s form in League One so far this season suggests that the potential is there for him to make the step up to the Championship to be an exciting option for Farke at the top end of the pitch.

Former teammate Will Grigg once described him as a “really tricky” forward with a “massive future” in the game, and his performances this term suggest that he is on the right track to living up to that claim.

As Ramazani has been restricted to six starts due to injury, Leeds have needed Manor Solomon to step up on the right flank, but he has struggled at times. The Tottenham Hotspur loanee has scored two goals and provided one assist in 14 Championship outings.

This shows that the Israel international has failed to provide regular quality in the final third for the West Yorkshire outfit so far, which is not an issue that Barry has had – albeit at a lower level.

As you can see in the table above, the English forward has produced 14 goals in 20 appearances in the third tier, despite taking fewer touches per game than both Aaronson and Gnonto – who have combined for nine league goals in the Championship.

Barry, who has scored 15 goals in all competitions this season, has only missed four ‘big chances’ on his way to scoring 14 times in League One, which speaks to his ruthless efficiency in front of goal.

Leeds have not got enough out of Solomon, as shown by his lacklustre return at the top end of the pitch, and signing an in-form winger with goalscoring potential could be just what Farke needs to be able to unleash Gnonto centrally in the second half of the season.

Imagine him & Tanaka: Leeds plot bid for £6m star who's a "one-man army"

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a January swoop for the young midfielder.

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By
Dan Emery

Dec 16, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo is being tipped to become an owner, with it suggested he could buy Wrexham and make Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney “his drivers”.

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• Hollywood co-owners in North Wales
• CR7 not ready to hang up his boots yet
• Expected to retain ties with football

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who is working on the most lucrative contract in world football at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, certainly boasts the personal wealth that will allow him to complete a takeover at some point if that is a road he decides to head down.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At 40 years of age, retirement may not be that far off. He is showing no sign of slowing down for now, with the intention being to reach 1,000 career goals before hanging up record-breaking boots, and Ronaldo is expected to retain ties with professional football once his playing days are over.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  A partnership with Hollywood co-owners at Wrexham has been mooted in the past, but Ronaldo could go one step further as he buys Reynolds and McElhenney out. The Red Dragons have become big business as they plot a promotion path towards the Premier League.

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT EX-PREMIER LEAGUE & EFL STAR SAID

  Former Premier League and EFL star Andy Townsend has told , who offer the latest Champions League odds, of what the future could have in store for CR7: “Cristiano Ronaldo could probably buy Wrexham and have Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as his drivers, if he wanted to. But what an incredible story.

  “They've given so much hope to people coming into football that potentially could buy clubs and could get involved in our game to show you what can happen.

  “I would not be surprised to see Cristiano Ronaldo buy a club when he finishes playing. We have seen him invest in hotels and other things and he has plenty of interest in business. I could see him buying a football club, maybe in the Football League, because he loves the game and I think he’d back himself to run a club, I could really see that.”

Glasgow Rangers not only returned to winning ways over the weekend, but the Ibrox side clawed some vital ground back in the Premiership title race.

Indeed, the Light Blues were the only club in the top three to secure all three points over the weekend, as Celtic drew with Dundee United and Aberdeen lost to Hibs.

While the performance might not have been the best, the 1-0 win over Dundee allowed the Gers to build momentum ahead of a busy spell which sees the club play four games over the next two weeks.

By then, the January transfer window will be in full swing, and it is clear Philippe Clement is aiming to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the season.

It appears as though the Belgian is looking to turn to his homeland in order to secure his first winter signing, with Rangers showing interest in their next Nico Raskin…

Nico Raskin’s statistics for Rangers this season

The midfielder made an impression under Michael Beale, but injury problems last season meant he couldn’t really force his way into Clement’s first-team squad on a consistent basis.

He missed several games at the start of the current campaign, but since regaining full fitness, Raskin has grown into the side and is now arguably one of the most important members of the team.

The Belgian has started the previous four Europa League clashes, while the last time he failed to start a league clash was back in mid-October. The club’s performances have improved of late, and it is no secret a large part of that is down to him and his ability to control games from the middle of the pitch.

Domestically, Raskin averages a 90% pass success rate per game along with averaging 0.8 key passes per game and has created two big chances.

His defensive abilities are certainly his most impressive skillset. By averaging 3.5 tackles per game, Raskin’s tenacious side is regularly on show. Combine this with the fact that he wins five ground duels per game – a success rate of 65% – and it is evident that not much gets past the player.

If he can maintain these levels of performance over the next few months, there will be plenty of interest in the midfielder when the summer transfer window opens, no doubt about that.

Perhaps this man could be the ideal replacement if that eventuality does occur…

Rangers looking at Raskin 2.0

According to Belgian outlet Walfoot (via The Daily Record), the Light Blues have reportedly been gathering information on Standard Liege midfielder Isaac Price as they potentially weigh up making a move for the player in January.

The Belgian side will demand a fee of around £3m for the former Everton graduate, who only moved to Standard in 2023.

Ross McCausland may be able to give them some extra information on the Irishman as the two are teammates at international level, and it could well be an interesting signing should they make a move in the coming weeks.

It won’t be the first time that the Gers have shopped in Belgium, as Raskin joined from Standard in January 2023. It may have taken him 18 months to finally start demonstrating his true class, but it appears as though his signing is an inspired one, with his performances of late ensuring he has cemented a regular place in the starting XI.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Therefore, the idea of repeating that move could be an inspired one.

Why Isaac Price would be a good signing for Rangers

Price may not have made the grade at Everton, but he was still good enough to feature twice in the Premier League for the Toffees before moving to Belgium in 2023.

Prior to moving to the continent, Price even made his international debut for Northern Ireland, despite not being a regular at Everton and he was praised by journalist Joe Thomas at the time, who said:

“Made up for Isaac Price to get his senior international debut tonight. A talented player who really believes in himself.”

The youngster went on to make 39 appearances for Standard across all competitions, scoring once and grabbing two assists as he finally began to perform consistently at first-team level and live up to the “tremendous” billing he was given by Everton U21 boss Paul Tait.

So far this term, Price has made 21 appearances for the Belgian side and has shone across a range of metrics. Going forward, he has created four big chances, averages 1.1 key passes per game and succeeds with 0.5 dribbles each match.

Passing wise, he could improve as he averages just a 70% success rate per game in the top flight, but this will surely improve with age. Defensively, the midfielder recovers 4.5 balls and makes two tackles per game, echoing the tenacious abilities of Raskin.

When compared to positional peers in leagues similar to the one he is playing in, the 21-year-old currently ranks in the top 13% for total shots (1.66), the top 20% for shot-creating actions (3.08), the top 17% for progressive carries (1.78) and the top 18% for touches in the opposition penalty area (1.82) per 90 over the previous 365 days.

These statistics clearly prove he is one of the finest players in these metrics when compared to those who play in the same position. Given his tender years, these numbers will only continue to improve as time goes on.

Does this warrant Clement and Rangers making a move for him in the next couple of weeks? If he can move on a few players to raise some funds, then Price could turn out to be an interesting signing, to say the least.

He is young, talented and has gone abroad to test himself, all qualities which could allow him to develop into a fine central midfielder over the next few years.

73-touch Rangers star was even better than Cerny vs Dundee

Rangers secured another Premiership win on Saturday against Dundee

By
Ross Kilvington

Dec 22, 2024

Paris Saint-Germain sensation Desire Doue has reacted to being compared with France and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappe.

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• Doue compared to Mbappe
• Teenager has impressed in debut campaign with PSG
• French champions take on Aston Villa on Tuesday

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Doue, who joined PSG last summer from Rennes, is enjoying a dream debut campaign with the French champions. While he has not regularly featured in Luis Enrique's starting lineups, the youngster has made 43 appearances across all competitions where he has scored 12 goals and provided as many assists.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Doue's brilliant start to his journey in the French capital has obviously drawn comparisons with former PSG star Mbappe. Like the France national team captain, Doue joined PSG as a teenager and has been highly impressive in his very first season. The wonderkid has now reacted to the comparisons with the Madrid icon.

• WHAT DESIRE DOUE SAID

  Speaking to , Doue said: "I’ve been told about the comparisons, but I’m Desire Doue, Kylian is Kylian. He’s a sensational player and has already done a lot in football. I’m trying to create my own path."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  Luis Enrique's side are all set to travel to England this week as they take on Aston Villa in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final fixture at Villa Park.

Arsenal have been in touch with a potential alternative to Bukayo Saka via his camp in the last week, with Mikel Arteta’s side currently scouring the market for new wide options to replace the England star.

Arsenal star Bukayo Saka out for over two months after hamstring injury

Saka has undergone surgery on a hamstring problem which will keep him out of action for over two months, as confirmed by Arteta, and it’s safe to say this news comes as a real blow to the Gunners who are also nine points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

Arsenal battling to keep £200k-per-week star as Barcelona plot move for him

The Catalans have identified him as a target for 2025.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 31, 2024

The £195,000-per-week winger has already racked up nine goals and 13 assists in all competitions this season, highlighting just how imperative he is to the Arsenal cause, and he’ll be an extremely sore miss for Arteta going forward.

Attention now turns to how the Spaniard will attempt to cope without his superstar player, with Gabriel Martinelli playing on the right in Saka’s stead during Arsenal’s most recent 1-0 win over Ipswich Town at the Emirates Stadium.

Raheem Sterling is currently recovering from a knee problem, but luckily for Arsenal, their manager has confirmed that the injury isn’t as serious as first thought, and he could make a faster comeback than originally anticipated.

Credible media sources have also reported that Arsenal could turn to January in search of attacking reinforcements, and a few interesting names have been linked in the build up to tomorrow’s open transfer window.

Barcelona forward Dani Olmo is a target for Arsenal ahead of January, as they could even snap him up for free next month. The Catalans cannot register him for the second half of 2024/2025 as things stand, due to La Liga’s strict salary cap restrictions, and this has put a host of top sides on red alert.

Meanwhile, PSG’s Randal Kolo Muani is out-of-favour under Luis Enrique and widely expected to leave the Parc des Princes next month, potentially on loan. Arsenal could be offered Kolo Muani, according to reliable reports, and this is echoed by journalist Graeme Bailey in a piece for The Boot Room.

Randal Kolo Muani holds talks to join Arsenal via representatives

TBR and Bailey write that Kolo Muani has held talks over joining Arsenal via his representatives ahead of January, as the Frenchman’s team approach Premier League clubs with the aim of securing him a move to England.

Enrique has directly informed the ex-Eintracht Frankfurt star that he’s free to leave mid-season, and PSG are hoping to secure a permanent exit, but the most likely scenario is currently a temporary move as things stand.

Despite his lack of chances at PSG, the £203,000-per-week attacker remains a mainstay for France at international level, and Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé has previously showered him with praise.

“He is a striker who offers different game options to our team,” said Mbappe. “He is very complete and has an impressive volume of play.”

A misfiring frontline might not be the crux of Tottenham Hotspur’s mounting problems, but Ange Postecoglou will be sure to recognise the pressing need for something more up top.

Defensively, Spurs are in a bit of a rut, not least because Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are spending a second successive winter sidelined with injuries.

If the right opportunity comes along during the January transfer window, Tottenham will be sure to pounce. Well, a talented striker might just be up for grabs.

Spurs eyeing new centre-forward

As per The Independent’s Miguel Delaney, Tottenham and Everton are set to join Fulham in the race for Evan Ferguson this winter, with Brighton & Hove Albion’s talented striker available on loan.

Ferguson, valued as high as £100m last summer, has struggled for game time this term due to the success of Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck. Aged 20, he’s got so much room for growth and already boasts a stunning ball-striking ability.

Tottenham aren’t the only team in for Ferguson’s touted signature, however, with Chelsea considering a move of their own. Daniel Levy needs to act quickly and with conviction.

What Evan Ferguson would bring to Spurs

Signing Ferguson on loan might be a move that benefits all parties, should Tottenham accelerate their interest over the coming weeks.

He’s only started two Premier League matches this season, scoring one goal, but is endowed with strength and speed and has been hailed as “one of the most exciting strikers” around by content creator Ryan Adsett.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Let’s not forget, Ferguson has already demonstrated his capabilities in the top flight, notching six goals from 15 starts as a teenager last year, only missing four big chances, as per Sofascore.

The 6-foot centre-forward might even shape into one of English football’s most potent forces, with his style of play even drawing comparisons to one Harry Kane.

Former Premier League striker John Aldridge has even said that Ferguson could become “an Irish version of Harry Kane” and that he reminds him of the Three Lions captain “in so many ways.”

Tottenham’s record scorer with 280 goals from 435 appearances as a senior Lilywhite, Kane is a modern great, one of the finest Premier League strikers in history, so Ferguson could do worse than draw comparisons with the Tottenham legend.

Kane, 31, may be tearing it up in the German Bundesliga but his standing in the English game remains firmly intact. He’s one of the very best to do it, and so perhaps it’s not all that surprising that Ferguson has actually admitted that he idolises the goal machine.

Given that Alan Shearer, another iconic marksman, has praised Ferguson for having the full package, it’s quite clear that Tottenham could be on to something if they were to complete the signing this winter.

Former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi once said that Ferguson’s “improvement has been incredible” after his transition from the Irish game to the Premier League, and he still has so much left to offer.

His raw striking ability certainly offers shades of a young Kane; Spurs must welcome him to the fold and allow him to join a free-scoring team that perhaps needs something to complement and tussle with Dominic Solanke at number nine.

Spurs open talks for lightning-quick Dragusin upgrade in £25m "warrior"

The impressive talent could make Spurs far harder to play against.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 1, 2025

The Catalan side completely overpowered their German visitors in the first leg

Barcelona outclassed Borussia Dortmund as they strolled to 4-0 win in the Champions League quarter-final first-leg on Wednesday. The Catalan side took a massive advantage in the tie as Robert Lewandowski struck twice to upset his former team after Raphinha had nipped in to break the deadlock in the first half. A comfortable evening was rounded off by Lamine Yamal's tidy finish to practically guarantee a semi-final spot.

Yamal was leading the charge as the Catalan side dominated from the start. The 17-year-old forced a save from Gregor Kobel early on, but the Spain winger was too greedy moments later when he missed from a tight angle instead of squaring to Lewandowski. The Polish striker was not to be ignored the next time Barca burst forward through Raphinha, who knocked it straight into the middle for the striker, only for him to be denied by another strong stop.

It seemed only a matter of time before the Catalan side would find themselves ahead and the found the breakthrough despite a risky move from Raphinha. Inigo Martinez headed down to Pau Cubarsi to tap it home for his first Champions League goal, only for the Brazilian to rush in and knock it over the line. There was a nervous wait, though, as VAR checked to see if the had strayed offside, but the was allowed goal to stand.

The German side poked through a few times as the first half wore on but were unable to beat Wojciech Szczesny, with Serhou Guirassy floundering whenever the ball found its way to him. They were kept silent in the second-half, making it easy for Hansi Flick's men to push them back.

Within three minutes of the restart, Lewandowski got his first and deserved goal. Yamal's diagonal ball found Raphinha at the back post and he nodded across goal for the veteran to nod in from point blank range. Moments after missing three chances in quick succession, Fermin Lopez led the counter attack for Barcelona, combining with Yamal and then knocking it into Lewandowski's path for a fine finish.

Dortmund hit the self-destruct button late on as a defensive mix-up was pounced on by Lewandowski and fed to Raphinha, who picked out Yamal to send him through to round things off.

GOAL rates Barcelona's players from Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Wojciech Szczesny (7/10):

  Kept Dortmund at bay as they found a way through occasionally

  Jules Kounde (6/10):

  Made a few good runs and some important defensive interventions.

  Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

  Was well positioned to score but was robbed. Looked sound at the back.

  Inigo Martinez (7/10):

  Let Guirassy slip in behind him in the first half but wasn't troubled in the second.

  Alejandro Balde (5/10):

  Lucky to avoid a booking for an awful challenge and didn't offer much going forward.

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  Midfield

  Frenkie de Jong (6/10):

  Kept his passing tidy and strolled through the second half.

  Pedri (6/10):

  Fairly quiet but was smooth as always when on the ball.

  Fermin Lopez (7/10):

  Was teed up by Pedri but clipped the post and then blundered two more efforts before setting up the third.

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (8/10):

  Caused trouble early on with a strong shot but should have squared to Lewandowski moments later.

  Robert Lewandowski (8/10):

  Showed once again he's as sharp as ever. Always looked capable of scoring and delivered two fine goals.

  Raphinha (9/10):

  Took a huge risk by stealing his team-mates goal but did well to head over to Lewandowski for the second and sent Yamal through for number four.

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  Subs & Manager

  Gavi (5/10):

  Barely got a touch in his 15 minutes on the field.

  Eric Garcia (6/10):

  Replaced Pedri late for the final 10.

  Ronald Araujo (7/10):

  Made two great blocks as Dortmund had a big chance near the end.

  Ferran Torres (6/10):

  Came on for Lewandowski but made a good defensive stop.

  Ansu Fati (N/A):

  On for Yamal in the 86th minute.

  Hansi Flick (8/10):

  Nailed it.