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Leeds United have now named former Watford head coach Javi Gracia as their next manager, with the 52-year-old taking over from Jesse Marsch at Elland Road.

It’s believed that the Spaniard has agreed to a ‘flexible’ contract that is initially until the end of the current campaign, tasked with the sole objective of keeping the west Yorkshire giants in the Premier League, according to The Guardian.

Having achieved a similar feat with the Hornets in the past, there is some logic behind the, perhaps controversial, appointment, for the time being.

At Vicarage Road, Gracia largely utilised a 4-4-2 formation to great effect and that’s something that he could look to replicate at the Whites, with them in dire need of scoring more chances and being more rigid defensively.

As a primarily pressing-based system, the current squad should be used to the energy and relentlessness of such demands but not everyone will be able to fit into this scheme.

At full-back, the Spaniard likes his players to get forward to provide width, which means the two wide midfielders are given a little more license to drift inside and roam freely.

This means there is no natural no.10, something that both Marsch and interim boss Michael Skulbala had utilised this season. It also means that summer signing Brenden Aaronson is in even greater danger of becoming a forgotten man already.

His form since his £25m arrival from RB Salzburg has somewhat fallen off a cliff.

Initially, the signs were promising as the USMNT international scored against Chelsea in his third-ever Premier League outing and then two games later, provided an assist to snatch a point against Everton.

Since those first five outings, though, the 22-year-old dynamo has suffered, registering only the one goal contribution in the subsequent 17 games, most of which being starts, via Transfermarkt.

One game against West Ham United, in which the attacking midfielder drew a 5.9 rating on Sofascore, saw him lambasted as “sloppy” by Sky Sports News pundit Jay Boothroyd [4th January, 20:51], whilst another 5.9 display, this time against Aston Villa, had Joe Donnohue highlighting his struggles.

Given the fact that the £45k-per-week is primarily a no.10, combined with his poor form this term, he could very much be in grave danger with Gracia now through the door at Thorp Arch.

AND in other news, Orta could finally replace Raphinha in Leeds summer swoop for £16m-rated “phenomenon”…

Manchester United have reportedly been in contact with the representatives of Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.

The Lowdown: First Old Trafford stint

Zaha left Selhurst Park for Old Trafford back in 2013, however, he struggled to make an impact for the Red Devils in the Premier League.

The Ivory Coast international made just four senior appearances for the club and was loaned out to Cardiff City and Palace before making a permanent return to London.

Now 30, Zaha has reached 450 appearances for the Eagles, contributing to 165 goals, with his contract set to expire in the summer.

The Latest: United contact

London World reporter Rahman Osman shared an update regarding Zaha, claiming Tottenham are confident of securing his services.

However, United have also been in touch with the player’s representatives alongside AS Roma.

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The Verdict: Avoid?

Zaha, hailed as ‘unplayable’ by former top flight defender James Collins, has been a key player for Palace since returning to the club and is currently the top scorer in Patrick Vieira’s side.

However, he is primarily a left-winger, an area where Marcus Rashford has been starring in under Erik ten Hag, scoring 14 times in the league from that position.

As well as Rashford, United have a number of wide attacking options but limited numbers through the middle, so it could be best to avoid a move for Zaha and pursue a marquee centre-forward instead, with both Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen linked.

Aston Villa sporting director Johan Lange is fearful that the club are attempting to get rid of him, according to an intriguing new update.

The Lowdown: Lange a big figure at Villa

The 43-year-old has been in his current position at Villa Park since 2020, having arrived from Copenhagen after impressing in his role as technical director.

Lange has been an important part of Villa’s transfer business over the years and he has even been described as a ‘hidden hero’ at the club because of the work he has done.

Now, a key update has emerged regarding his future however, after question marks over his transfer dealings in recent windows.

The Latest: Director fearing axe

According to Football Insider, Lange ‘fears’ Villa’s hierarchy are trying to get rid of him, with replacements already being eyed up.

His job is thought to have been ‘under growing threat’ ever since Unai Emery became Villa manager, with the Spaniard wanting a new sporting director with closer ties so he can have a ‘hands-on approach’.

The Verdict: Time for a change?

This is a tricky situation for Villa, with Lange doing plenty of good down the years, playing a key role in some absolute bargain signings like Matty Cash, but he has also shelled out big money for players who are underperforming, such as Philippe Coutinho.

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If Emery wants a replacement to come in for the Swede then it is a decision the club will need to make, considering the importance of the relationship between manager and sporting director.

It may simply be that Lange has taken the club as far as he can in his role and that some fresh ideas are required, and one can only assume that having someone in the role who gets Emery more involved in the recruitment process will be beneficial.

Arsenal are approaching the business end of their 22/23 campaign, having exceeded expectations and surged into title-chasing contention, indeed five points clear of current champions Manchester City having played 27 Premier League matches.

Having failed to qualify for the Champions League in any of the past six campaigns, the Gunners have indeed blitzed into prominence this season, casting aside the cobwebs of the preceding term after narrowly missing out on top-four in the dying embers.

Manager Mikel Arteta cannot be given enough credit, with the once overarching pessimism seeping into every corner of the Emirates Stadium dissipating and now replaced with a golden, luminous energy that looks promising in remaining intact for years to come.

The established frontline, consisting of Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka, has been as effective as it has been emphatic, with fluidity and style now staple points of Arsenal's play, but given trips to face Liverpool at Anfield and Pep Guardiola's City at the Etihad Stadium loom, the squad will need to be firing on all cylinders to ensure that ground is not conceded with the business end of the campaign imminently ahead.

With this in mind, Arteta must look to utilise every available option with a secret weapon, that of Reiss Nelson, chomping at the bit for regular game time.

Why should Reiss Nelson start?

It has passed the hour mark in north London. Arsenal are playing their 26th Premier League match of the season and incredulously find lowly Bournemouth have just established a two-goal lead; with Man City defeating Newcastle United earlier in the day, Arteta's advantage over his former mentor, Pep Guardiola, could fall to just two points.

A strike from anchoring midfielder Thomas Partey shortly after halved the deficit, but it was their secret weapon, Nelson, who had played just 64 minutes of prior Premier League action, who stole the limelight after replacing Emile Smith Rowe, himself replacing the injured Leandro Trossard, just before 70 minutes on the clock, and what unfurled was remarkable.

Mere moments after coming on, the £15k-per-week Nelson whipped in a deep cross that was aptly met by right-back Ben White, restoring parity to thunderous applause, but with the clock ticking and the seven minutes of added time, Arsenal looked set to cede ground in the race against the imperious Citizens.

With practically the final kick of the match, Nelson stepped up to unleash a thumping effort into the back of the net after a desperate set-piece, sending the Emirates faithful into rapture, heralded as “unreal” by BBC's Gavin Ramjaun.

The 23-year–old has only played four top-flight matches all season, yet to start, but his three goals and two assists reaffirm to the world that he is a deadly utility option to boast, and as such, Arteta must entrust him with greater importance to the title-chasing marathon as the final stages loom.

Indeed, those numbers ensure that so far this term, he has a better minutes-to-goal and assist ratio than none other than man of the moment, Erling Haaland.

As per Sofascore, the lethal "threat" Nelson has an average league rating of 8.03, and his 1.5 shots and 1.5 key passes per outing could be imperative, with such a prolific and dynamic offensive approach indeed evidenced already thus far.

Man City are lurking behind like a tiger awaiting a hint of weakness, but with such stellar versatility at Arteta's disposal with Nelson going through the richest of purple patches on the pitch, the tantalising thought of lifting the glinted Premier League trophy might yet crystallise.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta named young defender Reuell Walters on the bench for a second time this week.

The 18-year-old gem was involved in the Gunners' matchday squad during their Europa League defeat to Sporting CP in midweek and made the team again in the Premier League as the north Londoners welcomed Crystal Palace to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

His youthful presence amongst the first-team has largely been down to injuries, with William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu the latest names to pick up issues and whilst he didn't play any minutes across the two outings, he is surely in line for a big future around these parts.

Who is Reuell Walters?

Walters joined Arsenal as an U16s player in 2021, having taken a short break from the game after leaving arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, where he had played for four years.

In February last year, the teenager signed his first professional contract, clearly impressing the likes of Per Mertesacker and Arteta with his displays for both the U18s and U23s at right-back.

He has clearly continued to catch the eye as he featured for the seniors during a couple of pre-season friendlies in Germany and America before becoming a more frequent presence in first-team training this year.

Given his past ties to the Lilywhites and his ability to also play in central defence, the Gunners could well unearth their next Sol Campbell, who controversially signed for the club in 2001 after eight full seasons at White Hart Lane.

Speaking about his performances during pre-season, football.london reporter Kaya Kaynak claimed he "really impressed", whilst Morning Star reporter Layth Yousif lauded him as an "outstanding prospect" who has "a series of excellent performances under his belt" earlier this month.

It may be a while before he can usurp either Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes or Benjamin White from Arteta's starting XI in north London but what is clear is that Hale End have yet another promising homegrown gem that could one day feature in the first-team.

Given his capability of playing centrally and out on the right, and him switching allegiance from Spurs to Arsenal, the Spaniard may well have unearthed a future club legend in Walters.

Only time will tell, though the early signs are hugely encouraging.

BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Alan Hutton has reacted to claims that Tottenham Hotspur could re-appoint former boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The Lowdown: Pochettino claims…

There have been claims that Pochettino is one of the names being considered by the Tottenham hierarchy to replace Antonio Conte, with journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke reporting the move ‘appeals’ to both parties.

However, there are also conflicting updates about whether the Spurs board are willing to bring in the Argentine, who most recently managed Paris Saint-Germain, and they are currently said to be ‘split’ about sanctioning his return to N17.

One thing that is becoming more and more likely, however, is that Conte leaves the club in the summer, with the Times reporting that the Lilywhites are now planning for life after the Italian.

The Latest: Hutton reacts

Reacting to Pochettino’s links to Spurs, Hutton gave his take.

While the Scotsman admitted that there could be some benefits to bringing the 51-year-old back to the club, especially his ‘exciting’ football, he does not believe it is the right move.

In an interview with Football Insider, the former Spurs man said:

“It would help because he knows the club and has been there before.

“When he did leave it was about him getting the finances to go and push Tottenham on to the next level and he did not get that. That was why he left, in my opinion.

“After the Champions League final, if they had spent big and got the players in that he wanted we would maybe be talking about a different Tottenham team.

“They have gone backwards a little bit and I do not think it is the right idea to go back to someone who has been there before.

“Ultimately I think if they want to break into that top four and really start challenging for trophies, they have to spend. They have to keep Harry Kane.

“The brand of football that Pochettino plays, that is why they want him back. It is exciting, it gets fans off their seats and they are just not seeing it under Conte.“

The Verdict: Tough decision

Sporting director Fabio Paratici is faced with a very difficult decision when it comes to deciding the next Tottenham manager.

Pochettino has proven Premier League experience, while he also has an existing relationship with the fans, but it would be strange to bring him back after sacking him a little over three years ago.

That said, Hutton is right to point out that Kane penning a new deal will be paramount to the Lilywhites’ future success, and ex-Spurs man Darren Bent believes the England captain would sign a new contract if the former PSG manager is re-appointed.

As such, Pochettino could be a shrewd appointment for Tottenham, and his knowledge of the club would stand him in good stead to be successful in a second spell.

Journalist Scott Barrie has urged Rangers manager Michael Beale to play Ianis Hagi more often amid controversy over his lack of a call-up to the Romanian national side.

What's the latest on Ianis Hagi and Rangers?

Throughout this current season, the Ibrox midfielder has struggled for regular game time with just three appearances in the league to his name.

However, the main reason behind his lack of minutes has been a long-term knee injury and in recent weeks Hagi has been steadily featuring a bit more regularly as he rebuilds his fitness.

Despite having seemingly now overcome his injury, the 24-year-old wasn't picked to play for Romania in the current international break, which has sparked some controversial comments from his father and legendary player Gheorghe.

While Hagi's career with his national team remains unclear, Barrie has spoken about how he hopes the attacker is given the chance to mpress at Ibrox soon.

Speaking on the Rangers Review podcast, he said (17:52): "I also would like to see Hagi play domestically."

Before continuing: "That 55 season [2020/21] his numbers were really impressive. I think he gives you something different because Rangers don't really have a midfielder from central areas and maybe they do a bit more with Raskin now.

"But they don't really have a player like Hagi who can kind of split open defences and play those reverse passes, he's obviously two-footed and he can do that from central areas.

"So I don't actually think you've seen the best of Hagi you for well over a year and a half. Because before his injury, he was playing a position that just didn't suit him. I know he wasn't kind of hugging the touchline in the same way as [Ryan] Kent, but he wasn't playing in a central possession. You didn't have runners ahead of him.

"So I'd like to think there's a role for both of them [including Malik Tillman in the team going forward."

Will Hagi get a chance to impress at Rangers this season after injury?

As per the Daily Record, Hagi's father was infuriated after his son was not called up to play any part in their Euro 2024 qualifying games and accused national manager Edi Iordanescu of ignoring Ianis.

Clearly, it's quite a mess on that front but things need not be so bad back in Scotland. After all, the 24-year-old has shown plenty of quality in the past and has 15 goals and 21 assists in 90 games for the club, while also winning the league and the Scottish cup.

With that in mind, he certainly has the talent to make himself an important player for Beale once fully fit again, but it remains to be seen how much of a chance he will get.

Sir Alex Ferguson rarely had a transfer howler at Manchester United, especially during his first decade and a half which was littered with success.

Of course, there were the odd one or two players that were signed that couldn’t live up to expectations and flopped massively, including the likes of Jordi Cruyff, Massimo Taibi and William Prunier.

In the summer of 2001, Fergie made arguably his most expensive mistake at United by signing Juan Sebastian Veron from Lazio for a then British record transfer fee of £28.1m and Fergie praised the midfielder upon his arrival, saying: "What we have done is bring in a really top player, one of the best players in the world. He is world-class – a fantastic footballer.”

Unfortunately, he would never live up to the fee and go down as one of Fergie’s worst signings in terms of impact on the pitch.

How did Juan Sebastian Veron perform at Manchester United?

The Argentinian midfielder was one of the finest players in his position on the continent, impressing during a stint in Serie A with Parma and Lazio, winning a league title, UEFA Cup and two Coppa Italia’s and having also represented Argentina at the 1998 World Cup, he was looked upon to take United to the next level.

He scored five times and grabbed six assists during his first campaign, however, United ended the season trophyless for the first time since 1998, losing the Premier League title to Arsenal.

His second term saw his goal contributions increase from 11 to 14 and Fergie led the Red Devils to another league title, but Veron couldn’t quite settle in Manchester and rarely displayed the form that led to the club signing him in the first place.

His regular midfield partner, Paul Scholes, claimed that he and Veron couldn’t play together, saying: "Yeah, me and Veron were a disaster.” And it was evident that the 72-cap international simply couldn’t cut it in the Premier League.

Despite winning the title in 2002/2003, United could perhaps have hit greater heights had Veron brought his Serie A form to the club and the 11 goals he scored across two seasons cost the Old Trafford side £2.5m per strike, a colossal amount to waste.

Veron was soon offloaded to Chelsea in 2003 before he enjoyed somewhat of a career resurgence at Inter Milan and Estudiantes, winning numerous trophies and even playing at the 2010 World Cup.

There is no doubt he was a sensational player, but he couldn’t quite get used to the rigours of English football.

Arsenal have enjoyed plenty of successes during a season of unparalleled positivity thus far.

Their acquisitions have been shrewd, decisive and instantly impactful, tying together a team that had threatened to challenge without actually reaching the lofty heights they aspired to.

However, with just nine games left for the Gunners to play, the Premier League title is firmly theirs to lose.

This turnaround from Champions League omission in the league to chasing the elite honours has been startling, yet made far easier by their direct rivals Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola seemed more than happy to allow Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to move to the Emirates, deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad.

However, it was these sales that allowed Mikel Arteta to finish off his masterful philosophy, putting it into full effect. With eight points separating the two sides, it is clearly bearing fruit.

How much is Oleksandr Zinchenko worth now?

Having signed for an initial £30m fee, the Ukrainian defender’s exit from Manchester was a surprise one given how favourably Guardiola spoke of him.

The Spaniard had claimed only in 2019 on his player: “Incredible is the only thing I can say. Oleks has showed me the importance and value of being a good guy.

“He is going to have a long career, here (at City) hopefully!”

However, it is now north London where he is truly excelling, with the inverted left-back role proving imperative in the 26-year-old side’s success.

Zinchenko has maintained a 7.02 average rating this season, underpinned by 0.9 key passes and 1.6 tackles per game, alongside an 88% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

This has led to widespread praise for the 5 foot 9 maestro, with pundit Scott Minto leading the charge by claiming: “Zinchenko, you have to say, I think has been nothing short of sensational.

“He wasn’t a regular under Pep Guardiola, but you can see he’s brought that winning mentality along with Gabriel Jesus as well, but even more so, for me, I think Zinchenko as the leader, I really do. I think he’s been absolutely superb.”

Such is this increased level of prominence within yet another title-chasing team, the value of the creative defender has rocketed too. Football Transfers note an £18m increase from his initial fee already, with the apex of his value sitting at €54.6m (£48m).

To think that he has been at the club for less than a year and already seen such growth is a testament to the quality and consistency of the former Cityzen.

Should Arsenal go on to claim the title, this is a sum only set to soar further.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has stated that Martin O'Neill may have potentially been considered for the Leicester City manager job.

What's the latest manager news at Leicester?

The Foxes have had a simply dreadful season so far. Indeed, the team who won the Premier League in 2016 could soon be relegated from that same division.

With just eight games left to save themselves, Leicester are second bottom, only 25 points and two points from safety.

A 1-0 home loss to relegation rivals Bournemouth last time out summed up the club's recent form and they went into that game without a manager having just sacked Brendan Rodgers.

It has since been announced that former Aston Villa and Norwich City boss Dean Smith will take charge until the end of the season, with Craig Shakespeare as his assistant.

Before the club landed on that decision, however, it seems as though they considered a shock option for the job.

Indeed, while talking on NUFC Matters, Jacobs said (51:23): "I heard on the grapevine through a few sources that even a sort of Martin O'Neill was being looked at in the short term.

"How much substance to that there is, I'm not entirely sure."

Would Martin O'Neill have been a good appointment for Leicester?

It's a bit of a shock to see O'Neill's name come up as he has not been a Premier League manager since his spell with Sunderland between 2011 and 2013.

In fact, he has not been the head coach at any club for a few years now, with his last job being a 19-game stint with Nottingham Forest in 2019.

Of course, time with Leicester City in the past – he took charge of 178 games between 1995 and 2000 – means he is well-known to the club, but an awful lot of time has passed since then.

With that in mind, it certainly would have been a huge risk to throw the 71-year-old in at the deep end and help keep the Foxes from relegation.

Still, there are some who have doubts about the club's ability to come through this destabilising period regardless of who is in charge.

For instance, before Smith was announced as interim, pundit Chris Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live (via LeicestershireLive): "The owner has made such a mess of this. It is staggering what has happened.

"They sacked an experienced manager with a good track record. Things haven't gone well this season, but I do not understand how this situation has come about.

"We had the international break where, if they were not happy with Rodgers then, they should have sacked him and brought a replacement in.

"I thought in this multi-billion dollar industry that clubs plan for all circumstances, so if a manager has to go they would have a list of ready-made replacements – Leicester haven't. They have made it up as they have gone along and it is absolute panic."