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Leeds United are beginning to look at signing Atalanta midfielder Ruslan Malinovskyi, as has been reported by The Telegraph.

They had previously wanted to sign Udinese midfielder Rodrigo De Paul, but have failed to strike up a deal with the Serie A outfit, having been unable to agree on the fee that would be paid.

Can you name every one of the Leeds’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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This means Marcelo Bielsa and his team are now turning their attention to the Ukrainian, who has 29 international appearances under his belt.

Leeds are keen to bring in another midfielder and Malinovskyi is valued at around the £20m mark by Atalanta, which makes him a cheaper option than the Argentinian.

This will not see them compromising in terms of quality though, as the 27-year-old made 44 appearances for Atalanta last term, scoring nine goals and assisting a further seven.

That total includes a goal against Manchester City and assist against Shakhtar Donetsk, as Gian Piero Gasparini’s men came agonisingly close to reaching the Champions League semi-final, eventually losing out to Paris Saint-Germain.

Leeds have had a positive start to the season, pushing Liverpool close and then getting three points against Fulham. However, Bielsa is notoriously relentless in his pursuit of success, so it is only natural they are looking for an alternative option at Elland Road if he feels that is what’s needed.

AND in other news, Leeds can land Josko Gvardiol alternative in PL starlet…

Tottenham Hotspur have been one of the best teams in England for the best part of the last decade, and it’s no coincidence that their meteoric rise has coincided with the emergence of Harry Kane as one of the best strikers in the world.

Kane has undoubtedly been Spurs’ star man for the past six years, winning two Premier League Golden Boots during that time, while topping the club’s scoring charts each year.

However, there is a pitfall to having a striker of Kane’s quality in the team, and that’s an over-reliance on his goals, and when he’s not in the side, Spurs have been known to struggle.

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Indeed, the London club only won three of the nine league games they played without the striker last term, and that’s at least partially down to the fact that the club haven’t got a proper back-up striker on the books.

Yes, Heung-Min Son and Lucas Moura are able to do a job in that role, but neither of them are natural number nines, and for a long time it seemed an impossible task for Spurs to find a quality striker who was happy to play second-fiddle. Until now that is.

Indeed, Tottenham have been linked with Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik, a potent finisher who has hit 28 goals in his last two Serie A campaigns, and he’s managed that without actually being Napoli’s first-choice.

The Polish forward started just 19 league games last term on his way to netting 11 goals, usually starting behind either Dries Mertens or Lorenzo Insigne.

Milik knows where the net is and he’s happy to play limited minutes, and for that reason, he’s the exact profile of player Spurs have been looking for ever since Kane cemented himself as their main man six years ago.

According to The Telegraph, Bournemouth striker Josh King is on Tottenham’s radar as they look to sign a new striker before the end of the transfer window.

What’s the word?

Amidst a hectic fixture schedule that is seeing Spurs practically having to play a competitive game every other day, Jose Mourinho will no doubt be keeping one keen eye on what Daniel Levy and co can get done in the transfer market.

Reports in recent weeks have suggested that Napoli forward Arkadiusz Milik is one key target, but The Telegraph has suggested King is a potential option for the Lilywhites as they attempt to sign some cover for Harry Kane.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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King of course was the subject of major interest from Manchester United in the January transfer window, before Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side instead turned to Odion Ighalo on loan.

Premier League proven

Whilst Milik may have the European pedigree of playing for top sides like Napoli and Ajax, King would represent the more safe bet for Spurs as they try and add to their forward ranks.

The Norway international has played 161 times in the Premier League, scoring 48 times, and whilst that record may not stand out as something particularly prolific, those goals did come for a Bournemouth side that eventually got relegated.

Earning a reported £45k-a-week, the 28-year-old is likely to come cheaper than someone like Milik, given Bournemouth’s slide to the Championship and his already relatively low wages.

Former Cherries boss Eddie Howe has made no secret of his admiration for King’s abilities, saying: “Josh is outstanding physically, technically and mentally – he has the complete package, a little bit of everything”. He even hailed him as a “unique” talent.

Instead of spending top dollar on Milik, Levy could clinch Spurs a bargain with a move for King.

Manchester United may live to regret their decision to sign Edinson Cavani on deadline day.

What’s the word?

According to The Manchester Evening News, Cavani will miss Man United’s game against Newcastle United after the international break as he will still be self-isolating.

Although the 116-cap Uruguay international could be available to play against Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, this cannot be guaranteed given the current circumstances.

Moreover, the 33-year-old may not be deemed fit enough to feature against his former club, as he has been unable to train with his new teammates in accordance with the coronavirus protocols.

This will be a big blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who will be without his first choice striker Anthony Martial at St James’ Park, as he starts serving a three-match ban for the red card he received during the humiliating defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Panic buy?

Plenty of players in the past have arrived at Old Trafford with a big reputation but failed to adapt to the Premier League.

Only time will tell if he is another Radamel Falcao or a Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Regardless, the Red Devils have been readily criticised for seemingly rushing headlong into a late summer swoop for the ex-PSG striker, with talkSPORT transfer expert Alex Crook condemning the deal as a “little bit of a panic buy.”

While Cavani, rated at £18m by Transfermarkt, was once considered to be one of the best players in Europe, his reputation has somewhat declined in recent years, especially considering he hasn’t kicked a ball in seven months.

Last season, he started seven games in Ligue 1 with as many appearances from the bench, scoring four goals and supplying one assist, whilst averaging 2 shots, a mere 0.7 key passes and 0.5 dribbles per game, via WhoScored.

Although these numbers are hardly appalling, the statistics don’t exactly paint the full picture.

Indeed, Solskjaer spent the better part of last season insisting he is investing in youth players; giving academy graduates like Mason Greenwood a chance to test themselves on a regular basis whilst trying to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund.

With the benefit of hindsight, something about his statement doesn’t quite ring true, when you consider the fact that Cavani will earn the same amount as Marcus Rashford – even though he hasn’t played since March and last scored in February.

Furthermore, the Uruguayan left the Parc de Princes amid a public spat with Neymar, which perhaps indicates that he isn’t the best at coping with flamboyant personalities. It will be interesting to see how he deals with Paul Pogba in the dressing room, that’s for sure.

History has a habit of repeating itself. You can’t help but wonder why United decided to splash the cash on an ageing striker when they had invested so heavily in Alex Telles and Donny van de Beek.

According to The Chronicle, Newcastle are likely to reignite their summer transfer interest in Manchester United defender Phil Jones.

What’s the word?

Reports in recent months had suggested that the England international was a potential target for the Magpies as they sought to reinforce the centre of their defence.

In the end, Jones stayed put at Old Trafford, but The Chronicle now claim that Steve Bruce’s side may revisit their interest in the former Blackburn Rovers starlet come the start of the January transfer window.

The report adds that with the defender yet to feature for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team this season, it’s likely that United will look to offload him, and that Newcastle could reignite their interest in him.

Would be a total disaster for Bruce

When you’re looking to strengthen your defence, you make a move for Jones. Sounds logical.

But in all seriousness, the Englishman has unfortunately endured a nightmare time of things at Old Trafford, both in terms of his record with injuries, and actual on-pitch performances too.

In fact, it was just last year that former Magpies boss, Graeme Souness, tore into the defender for his calamitous 45 minute display against Sheffield United (he was taken off at half-time).

Souness said: “Jones has done everything wrong for the goal. Protect the ball. Try and get your team a goal kick or at worse put it out for a throw in. He just gets it all wrong. Jones isn’t a cute player – he hasn’t got a great touch, so he should just put it into row Z at worst.”

Earning a reported £75k-a-week, Newcastle would just be heading for a disaster both on and off the pitch with the kind of player they would be getting, and the money that they would have to pay him as well.

It’s one that they desperately have to avoid in January.

Lately, there seems to be very few decisions that the Liverpool board get wrong when it comes to incoming and outgoing personnel. Take their sale of Philippe Coutinho that in turn bought them both Virgil van Dijk and Alisson without spending a penny of the club’s actual money.

Even the somewhat out of character £41million splurged on fringe forward Diogo Jota, who has already proven to be worth his price tag this season. So it comes across as odd that the Merseyside club wouldn’t take advantage of the bargain that was Dele Alli back in 2015.

The Reds were keen on the young MK Dons midfielder, who eventually signed for Tottenham Hotspur, for the slight fee of £5million. He may not have fit the bill five years ago, but Liverpool could have transformed Alli into a completely different player had they snapped him up.

Would Dele Alli have suited Liverpool?

With Brendan Rodgers at the hilt during Alli’s transfer, it’s arguable that he wouldn’t have fit the Irishman’s playing style. Stalwart Coutinho was often deployed either on the left wing or in attacking midfield. When on the left flank, Rodgers played a very flat midfield that wouldn’t have suited Alli.

Similarly, the Englishman wouldn’t have had a space in the team during Coutinho’s spells in the No.10 position either. Through this, Liverpool missed out on bagging a fine young talent and a player that Steven Gerrard was a huge fan of.

“I was actually disappointed Liverpool didn’t sign him,” the former captain said (via SportsJOE). “I thought he was certainly a player Liverpool might have tried to go for, especially with me coming toward the end.”

Indeed, Alli’s work ethic shone through during his opening seasons in north London. His best campaign came in 2016/17, tallying a superb 18 goals and nine assists in 37 Premier League appearances. He finished the term off with a grand total of 35 goal contributions for Spurs (via Transfermarkt).

It warranted comments from the likes of Darren Anderton, who labelled him a “freak of talent” back in 2017.

Klopp could have transformed Alli

As the Jose Mourinho era started at Tottenham, Alli’s career began to decline. The 24-year-old has been dropped on numerous occasions this season after failing to deliver his usual fiery performances. Clearly falling down the pecking order, the England international could be wondering how different his career would’ve been had Liverpool decided to come in for him.

Under Jurgen Klopp, Alli might have been inspired to perform better and more consistently with the ongoing promise of a title challenge. The Reds have raked in the silverware over the last two years, which will be difficult for a young player not to be envious of. It will sting even more knowing that he could’ve been celebrating with the team had decisions not taken him to Spurs.

Klopp would have also reined in his equally fiery attitude. The £46.8m-valued ace is known for his sideline strops, with a recent one coming following being subbed off against RB Leipzig earlier this year. Whether it’s viewed as raw passion or a bit of entitlement, it’s something you don’t often see in the Reds ranks.

Not only would Klopp have catered the team to Alli’s skillset, but he would have completely moulded his attitude to suit the Liverpool ethics. This goes down as a huge ‘what if…?’ for both the player and the club.

In other news, Gini Wijnaldum went under the radar with solid performance vs West Ham…

Jose Mourinho might well rue Daniel Levy’s blunderous decision to allow Jan Vertonghen to quit Tottenham Hotspur this summer after the Belgian upstaged Toby Alderweireld in his country’s victory over England in the UEFA Nations League.

What’s the word?

Vertonghen departed north London after the expiration of his £100,000-per-week Tottenham contract this summer, ending an eight-year stint with the club before joining Liga NOS giants SL Benfica as a free agent.

He was signed by Andre Villas-Boas early into the former Chelsea coach’s tenure as Spurs boss and he went on to accumulate 315 career games under the tutelage of Villas-Boas, Tim Sherwood, Mauricio Pochettino and lastly Mourinho.

Mourinho had nothing but praise for the 33-year-old after he played his final game in the Premier League, saying Jorge Jesus was acquiring a terrific centre-half who helped Spurs to the 2018/19 Champions League Final.

“He will be a great man to play in the Portuguese League. A big professional, a silent leader, an example in a workgroup. Fortunately, I’ve met many throughout my career but Jan is certainly among the best,” Mourinho told Record, via quotes by Sport Witness.

“As a player, everyone knows him and the Benfica coach, as well as his structure, certainly analysed everything he can bring to the team. I wish him to be very happy in my country. At Spurs, we’ll all be behind a person who is very dear to us.”

Mourinho’s admiration for Vertonghen was matched only by the defender’s admiration for Tottenham, the coaching staff and supporters, having posted an emotional farewell message on Twitter when confirming his exit in July.

“So, my time at the club comes to an end. A sad day for many reasons. I will miss the friends I’ve made here, the staff that make the club run, playing at the amazing new stadium & of course you fans.

“Thank you for all the support over the years. You’ve been amazing. We had many unbelievable memories but for now, it’s goodbye.”

Mourinho may well be wishing he never parted ways with Vertonghen, after witnessing the 6 ft 2 enforcer upstage Alderweireld against England as Belgium won their UEFA Nations League meeting 2-0.

Upstaged Alderweireld

Like Vertonghen, Alderweireld was set to be out of contract this summer but penned a new £110k-p/w deal last December to commit his future to Spurs through to 2023, yet, he has found his place in the starting line-up far from secure this season.

Mourinho has called on the former Southampton star to start just five Premier League fixtures and one of the north London side’s Europa League Group Stage ties, with Eric Dier enjoying the most top-flight minutes (630) at centre-half under the Portuguese to date.

Davison Sanchez, despite playing 90 fewer minutes than Alderweireld, also has more successful tackles (9) to his name than the Belgian (7) in league games, who ranks last among the trio for interceptions (1), aerial duels won (10) and second for clearances (22) as well, per WhoScored.

Alderweireld had the chance to show Mourinho was not wrong when allowing Vertonghen to leave and retain his services against England, but he failed to impress as the Benfica man stepped up to keep the Three Lions at bay and the Red Devils top of Group A2.

Vertonghen and Alderweireld both registered two clearances, one blocked shot and one interception at home to the Three Lions, but it was the former Spurs star who recorded more touches (89 to 60), more accurate passes (60 to 42), completed more dribbles (1 to 0), won more ground duels (3 to 2) and aerial duels (1 to 0), per SofaScore.

Alderweireld also committed three fouls, whereas Vertonghen kept his powder dry on route to a 100% duel success rate that Mourinho would surely love to have from his players this season.

Jesus has called on Vertonghen to start all six of his Liga NOS appearances to date, in which he’s helped to keep three clean sheets with 6.0 duels won, 2.2 clearances and he has been dribbled past just 0.2 times a game.

AND in other news, Tottenham can unearth their new Dembele in a youth prodigy who can play five positions.

Olivier Giroud has sent Jose Mourinho and Tottenham Hotspur a message amid reports the Chelsea striker wishes to leave Stamford Bridge this January.

What’s the word?

According to Calciomercato, Inter Milan have moved into pole position ahead of clubs like Spurs in the emerging race to lure Giroud away from south west London in the winter market.

Giroud’s future at Stamford Bridge has become increasingly uncertain after the 34-year-old conceded he may have to seek a move away after falling down the pecking order, with the arrival of Timo Werner and form of Tammy Abraham threatening his place in Didier Deschamps’s France squad for next summer’s postponed UEFA European Championship.

Inter were keen to strike a deal with Chelsea this summer after Giroud struggled to establish himself during Frank Lampard’s maiden campaign at the helm, but the attacker ultimately stayed only to enjoy similar struggles with just 178 minutes played across all competitions this term.

Antonio Conte is now considering reviving the Nerazzurri’s advances with his side ahead of Paris Saint-Germain, Inter Miami, West Ham and Spurs in the emerging race for Giroud’s signature.

Giroud is concerned by his outcast status at Stamford Bridge and has accepted that he may have to search for a new side when the market opens in the New Year.

“It’s worrying. I thought I still had a role to play at Chelsea, but my playing time is getting reduced a lot. It’s going to have to change or a decision must be made,” Giroud told Telefoot, via Goal.

“I am clear-headed about my situation: I will have to make a decision in January. I hope to make the right one, as I have always done.”

Giroud sent Jose a message

With Tottenham said to be interested in a deal for Giroud this winter, Mourinho and the Spurs hierarchy will have been buoyed to see the Frenchman send them a message during Chelsea’s Champions League victory over Stade Rennais on Tuesday night.

The 105-cap international came off the bench to prove he is still capable of delivering a vital impact in games, despite being restricted to only one start this season, as he netted a 91st-minute winner to seal Chelsea’s progression through to the knockout stages.

Lampard, who has previously lauded Giroud for being a “big character”, was mightily impressed by the striker’s impactful cameo at Rennes, telling reporters after the game how his strike underlines why Chelsea wish to retain him.

“Yes, it does, and I’ve felt it first-hand, last year it was him or Tammy fighting for the number nine spot. Tammy had a great first half of the season, and then Oli in restart was fantastic,” Lampard said, via quotes by talkSPORT.

“And the things behind the scenes, everybody kind of feels from the outside what a great professional he is and how highly-regarded he is by his teammates and myself. He’s getting better with age, if anything, in terms of how he looks after himself.”

But with Giroud uncertain over to what extent he can expect to feature at Chelsea, his performance sent a message to Spurs – and the other clutch of interested sides – that he can still offer value and end product at a time Mourinho has only seen two of his players net more than once in the Premier League this term.

AND in other news, an £80k-p/w Spurs man’s struggles may have re-opened the door for a “perfect” outcast to return.

Gabby Agbonlahor has tipped Jacob Murphy to make a career out of playing at right-back for Newcastle United.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa striker believes that the 25-year-old could thrive in his new role as the St. James’ Park faithful look to offer him a new deal in order to fend off the reported transfer interest from Rangers:

“I think sometimes you just need a chance and there’s probably a lot of wingers out there that will turn into right-backs.

“Matty Cash was a winger and he’s gone to right-back.

“Sometimes you have the winger qualities and then you can get taught how to defend a bit better and you can be a perfect right-back. Murphy could probably be that.

“He’s got the speed that you need at right-back, he’s got quality on the ball. We’ve seen his free-kick against Wolves.

“That might be the new position for him and something that he’s probably working on now and will be the career ahead for him.”

Murphy new to the right-back role

Indeed, Murphy has only played in the right-back role a mere all come in the 2020/21 term in the Premier League.

The Tyneside club have had quite mixed fortunes while he has been playing in that position, drawing 1-1 away versus Wolves – a match in which he scored a fine free-kick,  a 2-1 home win against Everton and a 2-0 loss away at Southampton (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, Agbonlahor believes that it is a role that Murphy can certainly adapt to and thus play out throughout the rest of his career.

Should Murphy carry on at right-back?

Indeed, the question now is whether Murphy should carry on in the right-back role for Steve Bruce’s team.

Traditionally a winger, he may not get as much game time as he would like with the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Ryan Fraser all occupying the side positions in the North East.

With just Javier Manquillo and perhaps Emil Krafth, who is also capable of playing as a central defender, to compete with at right-back, perhaps Murphy could well make a career for himself in a new role as Agbonlahor claims.

In other news, find out the promising view that a legal expert has given on the takeover here!

Andre Gomes has been met with a huge hurdle to impress Carlo Ancelotti and regain his place in the Everton line-up after a lacklustre cameo at Leicester City on Wednesday night.

The Portuguese midfielder has not started a Premier League fixture since the Toffees were beaten 2-1 at Newcastle United at the start of November, with Ancelotti only feeling fit to field Gomes from the bench in four fixtures over the weeks since.

Gomes had been one of Ancelotti’s first names on the teamsheet when the campaign begun, yet struggled to prove himself on the field and has done little to force the Italian to rethink his plans.

The former FC Barcelona talent revealed last month that he was still feeling the effects of the fractured dislocation to his right ankle sustained against Tottenham more than a year ago, with fitness a key concern.

“The truth is, I am still trying to find my best feeling, to get fit, to get ready to be 100 per cent for all the game,” the 27-year-old said, via quotes by the Liverpool Echo.

“In the past months, with the pandemic, it was hard for me physically. A lot of details can change, my body shape or how fit I feel. When we came back after the first lockdown, I had a really small injury in one place, then something else in another place, because I was trying to compensate coming from the big injury.

“I was trying to get fit and regain power. We had a small pre-season before nine games in two months. Then we had a short break and another small pre-season, when I needed minutes.

“It would have been perfect for me to have all that time to recover and prepare in a normal way. Now, I am working to get as fit as I can and trying to feel better, trying to be confident when we are playing. But, more than anything else, I am trying to improve physically.”

Gomes was given a chance to show himself in a better light at the King Power Stadium on Wednesday night when Ancelotti called on him to replace Allan after losing the Brazilian to a hamstring injury late in the first half.

But the £18million-rated maestro failed to deliver and continues to be met with a huge hurdle to regain a place in the starting line-up, after appearing well off the pace against Leicester in a game his best contribution was in fouling Harvey Barnes to prevent a dangerous counter-attack.

The one-time La Liga winner only came out on top in five of his 10 ground duels in the East Midlands, lost possession 11 times, committed two fouls, was dribbled past once and failed to record any of his 35 touches inside the final-third, per SofaScore.

His only defensive contribution came through two successful tackles, while failing to push forward ensured Gomes ended the night without a shot or key pass beside his name despite boasting a 100% dribble success rate.

Ancelotti may be fearing for the loss of Allan and questioning who can step up when Everton host Arsenal on Saturday, but it would take a Christmas miracle for Gomes to saunter back into the line-up anytime soon.

AND in other news, Everton enter a four-way battle to sign a gritty 21-goal marksman in January.