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Leeds United enjoyed a summer of vast overhaul, as Jesse Marsch was handed a transfer war chest to reinvest in a threadbare playing squad that had narrowly avoided the drop.

What made that task even more arduous was the departures of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, as despite the astronomical fees gained they lost out on two of their best players.

The former in particular stung given how he had come up through the ranks to become a star of both their and the England national team's midfield; the pride and joy of Thorp Arch.

However, his sale made complete fiscal sense given the 27-year-old had been plagued by injuries during his final year at Elland Road and continues to be so at Manchester City.

Whilst the introductions of Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie and Marc Roca were expected to uphold a revolutionised engine room, the latter in particular has left plenty to be desired. Javi Gracia could now seek to repeat his club's Phillips success by unleashing another academy talent, namely Morten Spencer.

Who is Morten Spencer?

A calming presence in the U21s' midfield, the 19-year-old boasts a maturity that belies his youth.

The central midfielder has made himself a mainstay in that youth level of late, boasting 11 appearances this campaign including a further three in the Football League Trophy.

It is in this competition where his outstanding assets are showcased, as his defensive intelligence has shone through with 1.7 interceptions, one tackle and two clearances per game (via Sofascore).

Such is his immense positional awareness, the defensive-minded maestro has often been deployed at centre back too, highlighting his similarities to Phillips and usefulness to a squad not only due to his quality but his versatility too.

However, he is far from just the one-dimensional stopper that his statistics might suggest. His ability on the ball is unmatched, and had earned the attention of Pep Guardiola before the teenager decided to move to Leeds instead.

His mother Heidi Spencer clearly saw her son's future at the very top of the game, as she would claim: "Morten is very good with both feet so they tend to put him on the left wing but he can also play in a central midfield role.

"He’s very creative, he’s a good passer of the ball, good at dribbling and he’s got a helluva shot. He’s very strong, fit and fast and has grown quite a lot lately so he’s now around 5ft 10ins. He scores a few goals as well."

Clearly his future is sparkling, so with the poor recent displays of Roca an opportunity beckons. The Spaniard has recorded back-to-back displays of 6.4 or lower, with an underwhelming average rating across the campaign of 6.82. He has been far from the midfield magician they thought they had acquired from Bayern Munich.

This disappointment should hand Spencer hope that soon he will get his chance to prove the qualities that his mother outlined on the Premier League stage.

Journalist Dean Jones has predicted that Sean Dyche could end up "loving" Everton striker Ellis Simms as he has the potential to keep the club from relegation.

What's the latest on Ellis Simms and Everton?

Back in January, the Toffees looked to be in a really dire situation as they sacked Frank Lampard having not won a Premier League game since October.

However, in recent weeks form has changed somewhat and Dyche will see his team enter the International break 15th on the table, two points above the bottom three.

In their last outing, Simms managed to grab a superb solo goal to rescue a point for Everton against Chelsea way from home with just one minute of the 90 to play.

With that in mind, while speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones explained how the 22-year-old could be a good fit for new manager Dyche.

He said: "He's better than Maupay, isn't he? So he's already shown that. At least he's got some front about him and can charge through. He looks very driven, doesn't he?

"And he's a big lad. I mean, that's the sort of player you can just imagine Dyche absolutely loving. And you want that hunger in someone to prove a point and he looks like he's got that, too.

"So could be a hero at Everton by the end of the season."

Is Simms a better option for Everton than Maupay?

In all competitions, Simms has actually scored a very tidy eight goals from 23 outings, with two assists to his name as well. However, seven of these efforts were on loan with Sunderland in the Championship.

That means his strike against Chelsea was his first in six outings since being recalled from the Black Cats in January. Even so, across that time, he's only been on the pitch for 110 minutes.

Neal Maupay, on the other hand, has been regularly involved for Everton but still only has just one goal in 22 outings, for a total of 1,096 mins of game time across all competitions.

With that in mind, it's not hard to see why Jones has suggested that the 22-year-old has more to offer than the Frenchman. And seeing as Maupay didn't get off the bench against Chelsea while Simms did, it seems quite likely that Dyche agrees.

It will certainly be interesting to see if the young forward can continue to help his team in the midst of their relegation battle or if this was just a one-off – much like Maupay's only goal of the season.

Everton striker Neal Maupay is Brighton & Hove Albion's all-time Premier League top goalscorer, level with Glenn Murray on 26, but has failed to offer even a shadow of his former cutting edge since transferring to Goodison Park last summer.

The Toffees appointed the stoic and gritty Sean Dyche to replace the dismissed Frank Lampard in the managerial position in January, but the recent purple patch should not negate the shambolic failures on the transfer front and consequently the pitch over the past several years, running the Merseyside into the ground like a fallen plane.

Indeed, Everton staved off relegation from the top-flight by the skin of their teeth last term, with a late surge of form preserving coveted status among the crème de la crème of English football once again, but the ensuing summer transfer left little to be admired, certainly from an attacking perspective.

Dwight McNeil and the Frenchman were signed, and while the former Burnley winger has been a steady presence, scoring the winner against Brentford last time out, his talismanic peer has offered little impactful contribution over his time in Everton colours.

How much has Maupay cost Everton?

When Maupay was signed for £15m in August, it was viewed as a shrewd deal, with Maupay a steady goalscorer for the Seagulls over his time at the club, scoring at least eight goals in each Premier League season.

But since his seasonal switch up north, the £50k-per-week ace has clinched just the solitary strike after 22 appearances across all competitions, hardly the reliable force desired to navigate away from danger at the pit of the division once again.

Given that the 26-year-old scored 27 goals and provided seven assists for Albion, the fact that he has fallen so drastically in front of goal is alarming, with FBref ranking the dud among the bottom 2% of forwards for rate of goals across Europe's top five leagues.

Branded as a forward "who can't finish" by former Aston Villa talisman Gabby Agbonlahor and "not good enough" by journalist Dean Jones already this season, Toffees owner Farhad Moshiri has effectively paid out £8m per goal for the former Seagulls man, given that Maupay's wages have totalled £1.5m thus far.

With the club one point and three places above 18th-placed Bournemouth, also holding the joint-lowest striking tally in the division, the lack of offensive impetus could indeed sour the fight for survival.

While £16.5m is not the most exorbitant of fees in the grand scheme of modern football, it is a figure that will continue to expand as Maupay's sorry Blues career drags on, and should relegation become an actuality come the end of the campaign, the choice to sign the uncapped Frenchman could prove to be a detrimental mistake.

Manchester United are likely to make a ‘marquee number nine’ signing during the summer transfer window, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

The Lowdown: New striker needed at United

The Red Devils look like a formidable side these days, despite Sunday’s 7-0 hammering by Liverpool, with top-quality players all over the pitch.

The one area where United look short is in central attacking areas, however, with Wout Weghorst limited and Anthony Martial horribly injury-prone.

They have been linked with a number of world-renowned strikers recently, with Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane possibly the front-runners to come in.

The Latest: Taylor backs transfer to happen

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Taylor said he believes a ‘marquee’ striker will make the move to Old Trafford this summer:

“I do envisage United going big on a marquee number nine whether that’s Kane, Osimhen or Vlahovic. I do see that happening, to be honest with you. I do feel like it is the final piece of the jigsaw.”

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The Verdict: Kane or Osimhen?

It is essential that United bring in a big upgrade centrally this summer, and at this point, it does feel as though Osimhen or Kane are the two strongest options.

The former looks like a sensational player, scoring 19 goals in Serie A this season and 15 in 23 caps for Nigeria, and at 24 he is comfortably the younger of the two.

Meanwhile, Kane is unquestionably one of the best strikers of his generation, recently becoming Tottenham’s all-time leading goalscorer and netting 201 times in the Premier League.

The age element probably gives Osimhen the edge, with Erik ten Hag wanting to build for the long-term, but either would be a masterstroke for United this summer.

Everton have been dealt a double injury blow before they face Arsenal as Sean Dyche says that Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nathan Patterson are both ruled out.

The Lowdown: Team News

Speaking to the media in his pre-game press conference ahead of their match in the Premier League tonight, Dyche confirmed that Calvert-Lewin has still not recovered from injury, and will be sidelined.

He also added that James Garner is still ruled out, although his fitness is getting stronger.

The Latest: Patterson out

Dyche also confirmed that Patterson is a ‘bit behind’ despite returning in an U21s game against Tottenham Hotspur a couple of weeks ago, and so will not be available:

“James Garner’s going well. He’s getting fitter & stronger… Nathan Patterson’s just a bit behind that so he’ll just need a bit more.”

The Verdict: Blow

It is certainly a blow for Dyche to be without Patterson again as well as Calvert-Lewin and Garner.

The 21-year-old right-back is a younger and perhaps more athletic option to the 34-year-old Seamus Coleman, who may struggle up against the in-form Gabriel Martinelli.

Patterson is currently averaging more tackles per game than any of his team-mates in the top flight, and also averages more shots, key passes, dribbles and pass success per game than Coleman (WhoScored).

The Scotsman would offer the Toffees an extra attacking threat up against the league leaders, as they are the lowest scorers in the division with 17, but now it will be more difficult to get something from the game, and they may just have to play for a point.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that the Chelsea board will be “stubborn” and stick with Graham Potter despite growing pressure on the manager.

What’s the latest on Graham Potter and Chelsea?

If Potter was to be sacked after this weekend, nobody would be that shocked. After having taken over from Thomas Tuchel, the Englishman has struggled to impress so far.

Indeed, heading into their clash against Spurs, the Blues sit 10th in the league on 31 points after 23 games. In total, Potter has overseen 17 Premier League games, winning just five.

Under previous management, perhaps that would have been enough to see him sacked. However, owner Todd Boehly has been patient up until now and it seems as though that won’t change any time soon.

Indeed, during the latest edition of Chasing Green Arrows on YouTube, Jones responded to the idea of Potter being sacked soon.

He replied: “It is not happening. You’re going to have to get your head around the fact that Graham Potter is going to be your manager for a while longer unless things get absolutely out of control.

“This board are just not going to budge. They’re going to be stubborn with this and they’re going to stick with him.”

Will Boehly sack Potter at Chelsea?

Going into this weekend’s round of league fixtures, Potter has won just one of his last Southampton was perhaps the most damning of his Chelsea career so far.

Former owner Roman Abramovich may well have taken that defeat as his cue to sack the club’s current boss. After all, in 19 years in charge, the Russian oligarch saw 13 different men hired as the permanent Chelsea manager.

Boehly, however, appears to be more patient – albeit having sacked Tuchel earlier this season – and Jones certainly seems confident with his prediction. Even so, if Potter can’t turn things around soon enough, he will surely be on borrowed time.

It’s certainly a hugely important game for the Englishman this weekend as his side take part in a London derby away at Tottenham Hotspur.

A defeat there really would put Boehly’s patience to the test.

Chelsea owner Todd Boehly could ditch manager Graham Potter and issue a swoop for Jose Mourinho, who has led the Blues on two illustrious prior occasions, in a move that may finally get the best out of under-firing Kalidou Koulibaly.

What’s the latest on Chelsea’s managerial hunt?

After winning just two of the past 15 fixtures across all competitions, Potter’s grip on the reins of his Blues outfit appears to grow increasingly weaker, and despite the faith of the owners, the Telegraph’s Matt Law reports that the next two fixtures, against Leeds United and Borussia Dortmund, could be definitive for the 47-year-old.

And now, according to former Italian footballer Antonio Cassano (via Sport Witness), Mourinho would be ‘keen’ on a return to Stamford Bridge, should an opening materialise.

Cassano said: “If Inzaghi were to be fired, I would rule out the return of José Mourinho. If an offer from the Premier League were to arrive, the Special One would choose England. The fans fell in love with his attitude (in Italy), but he intends to leave, and for me, he can only go back to Chelsea.”

Could Mourinho really get the best out of Koulibaly?

Mourinho’s first two spells with Chelsea left him with an illustrious trophy cabinet consisting of three Premier League trophies, the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup.

And while he was sacked on both occasions, there may just be a belief that he can stamp an instant change into life at Stamford Bridge, something that is duly needed given that the Blues are currently tenth in the Premier League, 13 points off top-four.

According to one tactical analysis, Mourinho’s system with i Lupi focusses on forcing opposition out wide and negating the threat in the central defensive areas; Koulibaly, who is 6 foot 1 and ranks among the top 12% of defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for blocks per 90, also winning two aerial battle per match across the duration of his career, can prove effective in this regard.

And given his former imperious standing with the Partenopei in Italy, Mourinho might just hold the key to unlocking his potential and ensuring he returns to his former zeal with his west London outfit.

Hailed as “outstanding” by former Chelsea man Joe Cole, Mourinho is an experienced and iconic manager with a heap of defensive pedigree – indeed, the chosen one’s 2004/05 title-winning Blues team hold the division’s greatest seasonal defensive record to this date – Koulibaly might just benefit from a switch in system that finally opens the floor for him to flourish.

Considering this, Chelsea might just strike gold with an audacious managerial appointment of Mourinho, with the distinguished Champions League-winning boss perhaps feeling he can issue a three-peat of successful spells in west London.

And with his defensive acumen in mind, Koulibaly might just, belatedly, get his career at Stamford Bridge up and running.

Aston Villa are in the midst of their first poor run of form in the Premier League since Spanish head coach Unai Emery arrived in the dugout earlier this season.

The Villans have lost each of their last three matches in the top flight and have conceded 11 goals in that time – losing to Leicester, Manchester City, and Arsenal.

Emery made a few changes to his starting XI in their most recent clash, against the Gunners, and one player who made a return to the side was right-back Matty Cash.

The Poland international has been an excellent performer for the club in recent seasons but has been restricted to 14 starts in the division this term, thanks to the form of Ashley Young.

In spite of his recent struggles to start on a regular basis, Cash has been a terrific signing for the club since his arrival from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2020.

How much is Matty Cash worth?

At the time of his move to Villa Park almost three years ago, Football Transfers placed his expected transfer value at roughly £14m (€15.8m) after his spell in the Championship with Forest.

As you can see in the graphic above, Cash’s xTV has now soared up to around £40m (€45.5m) because of his performances for Villa in the Premier League over the last couple of seasons.

His value has risen by around 186%, a fact that shows Johan Lange, the club’s sporting director, played a blinder with the signing of the full-back in 2020 with the gem having produced excellent displays and becoming a valuable asset from a financial perspective.

Cash, who was once dubbed a “real threat” in attack by Alex McLeish, enjoyed a superb debut campaign in the top flight with the Villans by averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.93 across 28 starts.

He made 4.6 tackles and interceptions per game and created 0.8 chances per match for his teammates, which resulted in him picking up two assists.

The English-born full-back followed that up by averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.94 in 38 Premier League starts last season, which placed him joint-fourth in the squad. In those games, the 25-year-old plundered four goals and three assists, whilst making 3.6 tackles and interceptions per outing, for the side.

These statistics show that the dynamo delivered consistently impressive performances for Villa in his first two campaigns for the club – providing quality at both ends of the pitch.

Therefore, Lange and ex-boss Dean Smith played a blinder by signing him from Forest in the summer of 2020 as the gem has enjoyed great success on the pitch, with his xTV highlighting his continual development over the years.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have enjoyed a rather fruitful start to life under Julen Lopetegui, racing away from the Premier League relegation zone having suffered just two league defeats since Christmas.

Several players have improved their performances under the Spaniard, which has led to the recent resurgence at Molineux. However, with the summer approaching, there could be widespread change across the first-team squad.

Nelson Semedo is a player who has been underwhelming this term. Across 20 league matches in the current campaign, his Sofascore average of 6.67/10 ranks him a lowly 19th out of the entire Wolves squad.

Defensively, he has managed to keep just two clean sheets, losing possession 9.1 times per match and committing 1.1 fouls per game; while his disciplinary record is the second-worst in the squad as he has accumulated five yellow cards, just behind the seven of Ruben Neves.

Lopetegui has already splashed the cash on a few new signings in January, and with Benfica showing interest in signing the Portuguese right-back, the summer could be time for a change.

Instead of scouring the transfer market for a successor, though, the Wolves manager could unearth his ideal replacement in a 20-year-old academy talent.

Can Luke Matheson replace Semedo at Wolves?

When Wolves signed a talented 17-year-old named Luke Matheson from Rochdale in January 2020 for £1m, there was clear excitement amongst the Old Gold faithful. This was a player who had made his first-team debut at the tender age of 15 and clearly was someone who had the potential to enjoy an extremely bright future in the game.

Four months before Wolves signed him, he scored against Manchester United in Rochdale’s Carabao Cup defeat at Old Trafford aged just 16. That sparked further intrigue around the youngster, although he remained down to earth following the occasion, having to sit a psychology exam the next morning.

Another wonderful display against Newcastle United in the FA Cup just before he signed for Wolves -setting up the equaliser which secured Rochdale a lucrative replay – was perhaps the catalyst for the Molineux club to sign him.

He hasn’t made his first-team debut in Old Gold as of yet, spending time out on loan at Ipswich, Hamilton and Scunthorpe United, and although these spells weren’t as productive as the player and club may have liked, he could have a new lease of life under Lopetegui.

The youngster earned plenty of praise during his spell at Rochdale, especially from his former manager Brian Barry-Murphy, who said: “Luke is an exceptional guy. He is one player you would have no problems staying grounded and true to his family.”

After signing for Wolves, scouting writer David Alexander Hughes discussed Matheson’s traits, saying: “In terms of his defensive work, the defender is exhibiting a strong tactical understanding of the game, reading opposition attacks well and making a decent amount of interceptions and possession recoveries per game.”

The next few months could be a crucial time in his career, and if the 20-year-old manages to impress Lopetegui, there may well be a lifeline for him at Molineux, and scope for him to replace the potentially exit-bound Semedo.

An update has emerged on Aston Villa and their transfer targets heading into the summer window…

What’s the latest on Marcus Thuram to Aston Villa?

According to Spanish outlet Sport, NSWE are interested in landing a deal to sign Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram at the end of the season.

The Villans are reportedly one of a number of clubs in the race to land the French international on a free transfer, alongside the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal.

Thuram’s contract with the German outfit is up in the summer and the report claims that Daniel Farke’s team have all but given up hope of him penning an extension.

Will Emery ditch Leon Bailey for Thuram?

It has been reported that Unai Emery wants to sign a tall, athletic, wide attacker to bolster his squad in the summer and that could be to fill the role that Leon Bailey has played alongside Ollie Watkins in recent weeks.

The Jamaican international has not been a consistent threat for Villa at the top end of the pitch this season and bringing in a player of Thuram’s quality could oust him from the side and force supporters to wave bye-bye to the winger – as a player at the club or just as a regular starter.

Bailey has scored three goals and provided two assists in 17 Premier League starts this term, whilst averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.68 – placing him 16th in the squad.

This comes after the forward managed one goal and two assists in 18 top-flight outings for the Villans in the 2021/22 campaign and his poor form in front of goals since arriving at the club indicates that the wide attacker is not a reliable attacking threat for Emery.

Thuram, meanwhile, has been sensational in the Bundesliga this season and his statistics for Gladbach suggest that the marksman, who stands at 6 foot 4, could be the perfect Bailey replacement.

The gem, who was once hailed as a “monster” by his former manager Herve Renard, can play out wide or through the middle – playing 92 matches as a left-winger and 92 as a centre-forward in his career – and this indicates that he would suit the wide attacker role next to Watkins, as the forward knows how to play in those wide and central areas. 

In the German top-flight this term, the French international has plundered ten goals and three assists – averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.09 – across 18 outings.

He also managed 18 goals and 15 assists in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 Bundesliga campaigns combined, which suggests that his form this term is not a fluke.

Therefore, Thuram could come in as a big upgrade on Bailey in the wide forward role next to Watkins, given their respective efforts in the final third in recent years, and that is why it could be bye-bye for the latter in the summer.