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Paul Robinson would like Mauricio Pochettino to replace Marcelo Bielsa when the latter eventually leaves Leeds United, although he has admitted how difficult it would be to lure the former Tottenham boss to Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Bielsa future always uncertain

This is Bielsa’s fourth season as Leeds boss, and he is of course hugely popular amongst the club’s supporters.

However, his future at the club is constantly up for debate. After all, he is 66 years old and therefore does not have too long left in the game, and his current contract is set to run out at the end of the season (leedsunited.com) as he continues to pen one-year deals.

The Latest: Robinson eyes replacement

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, former Whites star Robinson suggested Pochettino as Bielsa’s successor. He said:

“For me, Pochettino would be great.

“It’s a pipe dream at the moment because Leeds are nowhere near attracting a manager with the calibre of Pochettino to succeed Bielsa.

“If you look at where he is now at PSG and look at where Leeds are in the Premier League table, Leeds have to be higher to attract a manager of that calibre and at the moment, that’s nowhere near happening.

“It’s a pipe dream.”

The Verdict: Aiming too high

Bielsa is a legend of the game, with the likes of Pep Guardiola (Sky Sports) and Pochettino (via Give Me Sport) himself citing the Argentinian as an inspiration. As such, Leeds will need to replace with a top-quality manager when he does depart, but Pochettino is surely unattainable at this point.

As the manager of Paris Saint-Germain, he is in a privileged position as he is able to field a side including the likes of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Even if the man hailed ‘a football genius’ by former Spurs player Heurelho Gomes were to be sacked by PSG before Bielsa departs, to then move to Leeds would be a substantial step down, with all due respect to the club.

Of course, the Yorkshire outfit would love to have him, but they may have to set their sights lower until they can compete for European competitions.

In other news, one former Premier League ace has made this Kalvin Phillips claim.

Everton have found scoring goals particularly difficult at times throughout their latest Premier League campaign.

With just seven league games left to play this season, the Merseyside club have only been able to hit the back of the net 34 times.

In terms of which players have or haven’t contributed to the rather disappointing number of times that Everton have been able to bag, one player that hasn’t had his name on the scoresheet all that often is Salomon Rondon.

Since arriving at Goodison Park back in the previous summer transfer window, the £3.6m-rated striker has only scored one league goal in 16 appearances.

And, with the summer window now just around the corner, it seems as though the Toffees could be looking at bringing in a player that has some experience of scoring in the Premier League.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Everton are one of the clubs interested in making a move to sign Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi this summer.

Chelsea signed the Belgian in a deal worth £33m back in 2016 from French club Marseille.

Since then, the striker has made 77 appearances for the west London club across all competitions, scoring 25 goals in the process.

The 28-year-old dubbed a “beast” has been on numerous loan spells during his time as a Chelsea player, including two with Crystal Palace.

Bye-bye Rondon

His latest loan spell has seen the Belgium international spend the season in Turkey with Besiktas – where he’s been in hot goalscoring form.

With 28 league appearances to his name, the £69k-per-week centre-forward has found the back of the net 14 times.

Having been labelled by Lampard as a player who “loves scoring goals,” Batshuayi could well be a better attacking option for the Toffees than Rondon in terms of being a regular goal threat.

Taking all of this into account, if Chelsea are willing to negotiate a cut-price deal for the attacker in the summer, Everton should definitely explore the possibility of getting him to Goodison Park, especially if they cut ties with their Venezuelan dud.

However, with the report claiming the other clubs such as Wolves, Southampton, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leeds United are also interested in the striker – as well as teams in Spain, Italy and Germany – the Toffees could have a challenge securing his signature.

AND in other news: Everton plot bid for “unplayable” £29m “force of nature”, he’s like “an express train”

Leeds United will make an offer for Napoli midfielder Eljif Elmas in January, according to journalist Talha Arslan.

The Lowdown: Elmas profiled

Elmas is primarily a central midfielder who can also play in an attacking midfield role or as a left-winger. The 22-year-old has 37 caps to his name for North Macedonia and has been with Napoli since 2019.

He’s turned out on 105 occasions for the Italian side and has scored 22 goals during his club career.

And it now seems as if the Whites and director of football Victor Orta are plotting a January swoop for the £15.3m-rated midfielder.

The Latest: Leeds to make ‘offer’

Journalist Arslan took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to provide an update on Elmas ahead of the January transfer window.

He claimed that both the Whites and Borussia Dortmund made an attempt to sign the Napoli man over the summer and will now send an ‘offer’ during the winter window.

The Verdict: Two needed…

Leeds haven’t actually signed a midfielder on a permanent deal during Marcelo Bielsa’s time at Elland Road, but it seems as if they now need two over the coming weeks with Kalvin Phillips and Jamie Shackleton injured.

Orta is already laying the groundwork to sign a number six and number eight, and you’d expect Elmas would fit into the number eight category.

He’s capable of playing in a more advanced role and even out wide if needed and also has experience in both the Champions League and Europa League.

On paper, it seems as if Elmas could be a shrewd signing both in the short and long term. He has plenty of games under his belt in ‘astronomical’ asking price.

In other news: ‘Unbelievable’ Leeds man may now need an operation after injury and could miss 12 games – expert. 

West Ham are keen on signing Aston Villa defender Kortney Hause this month.

That’s according to reliable Hammers source ExWHUemployee, with the rumours receiving plenty of attention from a number of Villa supporters on social media.

Steven Gerrard has already lost one centre-back this month after Axel Tuanzebe cut short his season-long loan to join Napoli. That has left Tyrone Mings, Hause and Ezri Konsa as their only senior options in that position, with the latter of the three going off injured against Manchester United on Saturday.

According to ExWHUemployee, West Ham are looking at a move for the 26-year-old, who fits the wage structure at the London Stadium.

Described as a player with pace by journalist Pat Rowe, Hause has made eight appearances this season, with talks over a move to West Ham at a ‘primary stage’.

Villa fans react

The AVFC Faithful shared the links regarding Hause and West Ham on Twitter. Here is what these Villa fans had to say in reply, with the majority against the move due to the shortage of centre-back options at Villa Park.

“Lol as if this would happen when we currently only him & Mings fit”

Credit: @Villaste1

“No chance until we’ve signed a couple of replacements, which is unlikely in this window”

Credit: @K_ribensis

“Not happening, Konsa injured, option to extend contract”

Credit: @DeadlyDoug

“£25m”

Credit: @JoshLocke23

“No, we need to buy another centre back let alone go down to just 2 senior options”

Credit: @ajbyrne_avfc

“I like Hause a lot so no thanks”

Credit: @ZM_AVFC

In other news: Shares agent with Gerrard – Villa now after midfield ace ‘like’ Gascoigne.  

Rangers enjoyed a busy January transfer window as they brought in a number of players to bolster Gio van Bronckhorst’s squad at Ibrox.

Ross Wilson was hard at work as he secured deals to bring in James Sands, Amad Diallo, Aaron Ramsey and Mateusz Zukowski, with John Souttar also set to join at the end of the season.

The Gers are two points clear of Celtic at the top of the Premiership table and these additions could help them to land a second successive league title.

How could van Bronckhorst’s best XI now look? Here is our take on it…

The back four may remain exactly the same, with Zukowski the only addition to the head coach’s immediate options for the rest of the season.

James Tavenier has averaged an outstanding SofaScore rating of 7.81 for the Gers, with the skipper popping up with five goals and ten assists from right-back in the Premiership. This shows that there is no need for the Polish recruit to come straight into the XI and he could spend the next few months learning from the club captain and developing his game on the training pitch.

In midfield, Ramsey could replace Scott Arfield as one of the three, playing alongside Glen Kamara and Joe Aribo. The £16k-per-week Canadian gem has popped up with some important goals this season, scoring three goals in 15 Premiership outings this season.

However, the arrival of the former Arsenal man could force him to be resigned to a place on the bench for the rest of the campaign. Ramsey is a proven performer at the top level, having scored in the Premier League and Serie A for the Gunners and Juventus throughout his career, and could – therefore – bring an added level of quality to the side.

This could also leave January signing Sands on the bench, with Kamara starting in the dictating midfield role slightly behind Aribo and Ramsey. The Finland international has averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.03, completing an impressive 91% of his attempted passes, whereas Sands has recorded a score of 6.95 and completed 87% of his pass attempts.

Whilst there may not be a great deal between them, statistically, Kamara has been at Rangers longer and could have van Bronckhorst’s trust for now. However, the USA international could work his way into the XI and keep his place if he continues to put in solid performances when called upon.

In the front three, Diallo could be the club’s best option on the right-wing. He had a dream debut as he scored in the 3-3 draw with Ross County, whilst also creating one chance and completing one dribble.

Rangers have struggled for goals in the right-wing position, with Scott Wright and Ianis Hagi managing just four between them. This is why Diallo could end up being a regular starter as his competitive bow for the club suggests that he could be the goal threat they have been lacking.

AND in other news, Body blow: Rangers dealt big injury setback ahead of Old Firm, Gvb will be gutted…

Chelsea’s loss to Man City in the Caraba Cup final gave the Stamford Bridge faithful and Maurizio Sarri a lot to think about. The fixture highlighted that Chelsea are still a team that can defend well, that Maurizio Sarri perhaps isn’t as tactically inflexible as he’s made out, and, perhaps most important of all, it highlighted that the Blues had improved significantly since the last time City and Chelsea met. 

Despite the loss, Chelsea can take a lot of lessons from the game, and perhaps the most obvious of these surrounds Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Chelsea have struggled for midfield creativity this season, with neither Ross Barkley or Mateo Kovacic able to impress at Stamford Bridge.

However, on Sunday, fans got perhaps their best sighting yet of Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Brought in during the closing stages of the game, he immediately settled in the Chelsea midfield – and it’s fair to say that he impressed throughout the final minutes of normal time and throughout extra time.

Perhaps most impressive was his dribbling. He achieved 4 successful dribbles against City – the second of any Chelsea player on the pitch – despite his limited minutes. Only Eden Hazard was ahead of him, and that goes some way to highlighting the impact that he’s able to have. He was direct and to the point, and that’s what Chelsea have recently been lacking. Barkley (who had just 2 successful dribbles) and Kovacic (who didn’t feature) always pass sideways or backwards, and they’re rarely eager to drive forwards. Loftus-Cheek’s presence gave Chelsea a new way to attack, and his influence was huge.

Stats only tell half the story, though. He’s quick on the ball, he’s technically gifted, and he’s a relentless runner. In truth, Loftus-Cheek offers exactly what Chelsea’s midfield needs, and he could be hugely useful over the course of the rest of the season.

He’s had fitness problems this season, but he looks to be past the worst of them. It’s time for Maurizio Sarri to trust him.

Thoughts?

Despite losing defender Kean Bryan for the rest of the season after picking up a knee injury during their recent 1-0 win over Hull City, it seems as though West Brom could be welcoming back one of their key players once the current international break comes to an end.

What’s the news?

According to Baggies manager Valerien Ismael, West Brom midfielder Alex Mowatt should be back available for selection for their upcoming Championship clash against Huddersfield Town later this month after picking up a foot injury during their 1-0 win over Birmingham City back in October.

If Mowatt is fit enough to play against Huddersfield, this would surely leave a lot of Baggies fans thrilled given how West Brom have only managed to win two of the five league games he’s missed in recent weeks compared to the one game they have lost with him in the side prior to the Birmingham game where he picked up his injury.

In the 12 league appearances he’s made for the Baggies this season, the 26-year-old, who is currently valued at £6.3m according to Transfermartkt, has managed to score three goals and provide one assist, proving himself as a useful goal threat from midfield.

From a defensive point of view, Mowatt has also managed to rack up an average of 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game in the Championship, highlighting just how crucial he has been up and down the pitch and probably why West Brom have conceded six goals in the five games he’s missed.

In terms of his overall performances, Mowatt, who has been described as a “massive” player for the team by Ismael, has earned himself an overall season rating of 7.21, making him the third-highest rated West Brom player according to WhoScored, backing up what his manager had to say about him.

Taking all of this into account, this says to us that signing the midfielder on a free transfer last summer has been a great piece of business from the Midlands club.

Moving forward, taking into account what Mowatt has delivered for the Baggies on the pitch so far this season, he definitely would give them a better chance of beating Huddersfield if he’s on the pitch than if he isn’t, which is why everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that he will be able to use the time between now and the Huddersfield match to fully recover.

In other news: Time to shine: Ismael must unleash “vocal” rarely-seen 18 y/o after major WBA setback – opinion

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a transfer claim linking Benfica striker Darwin Nunez with a move to a whole host of Premier League clubs, including West Ham United.

The Lowdown: Failed January move

The Uruguay international was at the centre of numerous transfer rumours in the January transfer window, one of the most prominent of which came with West Ham making a move towards the end of the month.

Whilst it was said that the transfer attempt was in the pipeline for weeks, Jack Rosser of the Evening Standard has claimed that the Irons submitted a club-record £60m bid for the 22-year-old on deadline day.

Nunez reportedly said that he preferred a move to a Champions League side, so Benfica rejected the east London club’s bid.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-developments-4/” title=”West Ham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: Romano’s news on Nunez…

Fabrizio Romano has now shared the latest news regarding a potential £66.6m summer move for Nunez.

Taking to Twitter, he claimed: “Darwin Núñez will leave Benfica in the summer, fee around €80m. His new agent will now meet with many top clubs to explore opportunities. #transfers

“Man United already discussed his name internally – Arsenal wanted him last January as West Ham but Darwin was not for sale.”

Whilst the Irons aren’t explicitly said to be planning on making an imminent move, it is implied that Nunez’s agents will meet with the club over a potential sale.

The Verdict: Would be a fantastic signing

Former Benfica manager Jorge Jesus has hailed the 22-year-old as one of the brightest prospects in world football, saying: “He was the most expensive player in the history of the Benfica and, with the pandemic I don’t know, but he could also be the most expensive player to leave the Benfica. This boy will be the best in the world and, unfortunately for me, I will lose him in no time.”

With such high praise, and with a return of 31 goals in 36 matches this season (including five in the Champions League), it is no wonder that a whole host of Premier League clubs are interested in the Uruguayan striker.

However, with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United now reportedly interested, a move to West Ham seems far less likely to come to fruition, particularly if they miss out on qualification for Europe next term.

In other news: ExWHUemployee drops triple transfer claim

Many Everton fans have been left buzzing over some manager news that has emerged involving Niko Kovac.

As per The Daily Mail, the Croatian is now a candidate for the vacant position left by Rafa Benitez earlier this week, following the 2-1 loss away at Norwich City in the Premier League.

He has a lot of pedigree, having won four major trophies during his time at both Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, including the Bundesliga title with the former.

With Frankfurt, he managed to take them from relegation candidates into the top half of the table, and members of the Goodison Park faithful feel as if he could do a similar thing with them.

Nonetheless, with nearly 300 games managed at a high level, the 50-year-old would certainly be an exciting appointment.

Everton fans on Kovac manager news

These supporters of the Merseyside club buzzed as the manager news was shared on Twitter, with one Toffee even going as far as to claim that he would be ‘great’ for them:

“Would be great for us”

Credit: @pauladdo10

“Oh hello”

Credit: @D_Hart11

“Bring me Kovac”

Credit: @ibowens3

“Now we’re talking”

Credit: @DonLeify

“Get it done”

Credit: @EFC__Scott

“Please”

Credit: @Edward__Toth

In other news, find out what manager update has Blues buzzing here!

Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen missed Saturday’s defeat to Aston Villa with a hamstring injury.

However, the centre-back isn’t expected to be out long-term, according to The Athletic, an update which has had plenty of Palace fans talking on social media.

The 25-year-old missed his first Premier League game after signing over the summer, with the Eagles finally losing at home under Patrick Vieira. James Tomkins came in for the Denmark international and had plenty of Palace supporters lamenting his display following the defeat to Steven Gerrard’s side.

Matt Woosnam shared a story on Sunday claiming that Andersen will undergo more tests and will receive the results on Monday, with Palace hopeful of the defender returning soon. Vieira’s side are next in action on Tuesday night when they travel to Leeds United.

Palace fans react

Woosnam and @CPFCtransfersHQ shared the news regarding Andersen on Twitter. Here is what these fans had to say in reply, with many relieved that the injury is not a serious one.

“Thank god”

Credit: @GeorgeHilder1

“Limbs”

Credit: @CPFC_Cal

“Phewwwww”

Credit: @JoelGray_

“Lovely stuff”

Credit: @CPFCMax9

“Happy Sunday”

Credit: @liamb0117

“We praise God”

Credit: @Sumo08112

In other news: Many CPFC fans erupt as ‘obscene’ news emerges on this speedster