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Leeds United are looking to sign two different types of midfielder in the January transfer window, according to a new report which emerged on Saturday morning.

The Lowdown: Leeds’ injury crisis

The Whites have made a disappointing start to the season but they haven’t been helped by injuries, which have got increasingly worse in recent weeks.

Kalvin Phillips is the most high-profile current absentee but the likes of Patrick Bamford, Robin Koch, Pascal Struijk and Rodrigo are also sidelined.

The long-term injury to Phillips has only heightened the need for midfield reinforcements in January and that appears to be the plan at Elland Road.

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The Latest: Two midfielders coming in?

According to Football Insider, a Thorp Arch source has informed them that the club will be looking to sign both a defensive midfielder and a No.8 next month.

Whites chiefs are thought to be ‘fearful of a relegation battle’ and they see new signings as a way of avoiding that happening.

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The Verdict: Simply has to happen

Making midfield signings is an absolute no-brainer for Leeds, with Phillips such an influential player that they could struggle to get by with their current options.

Both Koch and Struijk can play in the middle of the park, too, so their respective injuries mean Marcelo Bielsa is even lighter in that area. Frankly, it would be a grave error not to sign a No.6 and a No.8, injecting some life into Leeds’ stuttering campaign.

Someone like Nahitan Nandez would be an ideal defensive midfielder to come in, with the Cagliari man averaging two tackles per game in the Serie A this season, not to mention winning 49 caps for Uruguay.

In terms of No.8, Aaron Ramsey could be a clever choice, with the Welshman linked with a move to Leeds and scoring 40 goals and assisting 51 times during his previous spell in the Premier League.

In other news, an injury expert has made a worrying claim about one Leeds player. Find out who it is here.

Wolves could still make a last-gasp move for Juventus midfielder Aaron Ramsey this month, according to a late transfer rumour which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Ramsey leaving Juve?

The Welshman has struggled to make his mark during his time in Italy, only registering six goals and six assists since arriving from Arsenal in 2019.

Juve are thought to be keen on offloading Ramsey before the January transfer window ends, and Wolves have been linked with a move in the recent past.

Leeds have also been backed to sign him, though, as a return to England for the rest of the season potentially comes to fruition.

The Latest: Wolves tipped to make late move for Ramsey

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Wolves’ move for Ramsey could ‘resolve’ itself at the 11th hour.

It is stated that ‘Jorge Mendes takes care of it’, suggesting that the agent could get a deal over the line for the 31-year-old, who has scored 20 goals in 71 caps for Wales.

The Verdict: Strong last-gasp addition

If Wolves sign Ramsey before deadline day ends, it could prove to be a bonus during an already positive month on the pitch at Molineux, following four wins in a row in all competitions.

While the Welsh midfielder arguably isn’t at his peak anymore, he has proven Premier League pedigree – 40 goals and 51 assists – and could complement the deeper-lying pair of Joao Moutinho and Ruben Neves.

With Wolves looking to finish in the European places this season, Ramsey could add a sprinkling of stardust to provide more depth and quality in key matches between now and May.

In other news, some Wolves fans are happy with an update on one player. Find out who it is here.

Lalaziosiamonoi.it has revealed that Glasgow Rangers ace Ianis Hagi is on Lazio’s shortlist this summer along with Franck Ribery and Xherdan Shaqiri.

Lazio remain in the hunt for Hagi

Hagi, who signed for 55-time Scottish champions last summer on a permanent deal, has managed seven goals and 12 assists in all competitions this campaign (Transfermarkt).

Lazio are said to be eager to take him to Italy. Ribery and Shaqiri are also on their shortlist – it remains unclear whether they want just one or multiple of their targets, but they are definitely eyeing a playmaker.

Tempting

This is no doubt tempting for all parties. For Hagi, he would have the chance to compete in one of Europe’s top leagues and in European competition – Lazio were in the Champions League earlier this season. The chance to play with a legend such as Ribery, who has 151 career goals to his name, could also be too good to turn down if Lazio make multiple moves.

The Italian outfit have previously been linked with a €13m (£11.3m) offer for the Romania international (Sport.ro) – a fee like that would represent a huge profit on the £3m Rangers paid for him last year (The Scottish Sun). He is also not a totally crucial player for the Gers – while he has played throughout the season, he has never been a guaranteed starter.

Having said all that, Hagi is a talented player and one full season is not long enough for him to find his best level at Ibrox. The temptation will be there to let him go, but perhaps Steven Gerrard should stay patient with 22-year-old for a little while longer, perhaps with a view to cashing in for an even bigger profit next year.

In other news, Rangers fans are livid at this Scottish Cup news.

Lautaro Martinez ‘would take Spurs to a different level’, former Lilywhites goalkeeper Paul Robinson says. 

The lowdown

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sempre Inter) named Spurs alongside Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona as one of the main candidates to sign Inter Milan striker Martinez this summer.

They claim that the North London outfit have expressed a concrete interest in the 24-year-old in recent weeks. Inter have apparently set an asking price of between €60million (£49.7million) and €70million (£58million) for the Argentine.

Spurs, then, could break their existing transfer record – the £54million they paid to sign Tanguy Ndombele in 2019 – in order to land Martinez.

Antonio Conte worked with the forward at the San Siro between 2019 and 2021.

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The latest

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson, a regular pundit on Sky Sports who played for Tottenham between 2004 and 2008, expressed at his excitement at the prospect of landing the ‘amazing’ Martinez.

He believes it could give Antonio Conte a similar luxury to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

“I think he would take Spurs to a different level,” he said. “He’s an amazing player.”

“Spurs have a great front three but they cannot play every week. Jurgen Klopp has found that out with his front three. He has five players in rotation for those positions.

“As well as Spurs’ front three are doing at the moment they cannot play every game. It is a squad game now more than ever.”

The verdict

Conte will surely have fond memories of Martinez, whose 17 league goals helped propel Inter to the Serie A title last season – the player himself has credited Conte with changing his ‘mentality’ and helping him to ‘grow’.

Off the back of their success, Martinez finished joint-21st in the 2021 Ballon D’Or voting, alongside Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes.

There’s no doubt, then, that he’s an elite forward and potentially a blockbuster addition to the Spurs squad.

Conte used a 3-5-2 shape at Inter to accommodate both Martinez and Romelu Lukaku, but doing the same at Spurs could see Heung-min Son left out. It would be a dilemma for the manager, but as Robinson notes, the level of depth would be enviable.

In other news, Dean Jones shares a left-field James Maddison development concerning THFC.

Many Sunderland fans have been reacting to the League One Team of the Week after their 1-0 victory over Bristol Rovers in the third tier this past weekend.

The Black Cats picked up an important victory on Saturday as they push for promotion to the Championship. They are now up to third in the table, just three points behind leaders Hull City with two games in hand (BBC). There were some other big results in League One during the past matchday, such as Peterborough United’s 7-0 humbling of Accrington Stanley.

Unsurprisingly, that led to five Posh players being named in the Team of the Week, as well as manager Darren Ferguson. Sunderland were represented only by Aiden McGeady, but it seems that many Black Cats supporters were shocked by the XI which was chosen – firstly, because the 34-year-old was selected despite him seemingly not having his best game, and secondly because Aiden O’Brien, who scored the only goal of the match against the Pirates, was not included.

The line-up was shared on League One’s official Twitter page, and these Sunderland fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Sunderland fans had to say about the team below

“Aiden Mcgeady at CDM”

Credit: @LukeCostello13

“Are these just randomly picked? McGeady should be in every week if he was in yesterday average game compared to usual.”

Credit: @calvinfox96

“O’Brien?”

Credit: @jacobcunliffe10

“I mean I’ll take it but how did McGeady get in this team”

Credit: @SAFCTC

“How has McGeady got in, but not O’Brien? Or O’Nien? Or Burge? Not saying all 3 of those should be in it, but they deserved it more than McGeady , Geads had an above average game, but wasn’t TOTW quality this week.”

Credit: @army_hub

“No O’Brien, absolutely laughable”

Credit: @DavidHindmarsh7

In other news, Kevin Phillips has urged Sunderland to sign this ace.

West Brom are reportedly in the race to sign former Brentford midfielder Emiliano Marcondes, as Valerien Ismael eyes up new additions.

The Lowdown: Ismael looks to make his mark

The Baggies are about to embark on an exciting next chapter in their history, following the appointment of Ismael from Barnsley.

He will surely be on the lookout for new signings during the summer transfer window, in order to aid West Brom’s promotion push in the Championship next season with players who fit his system and profile.

The Latest: Marcondes emerges as target

One player who has been linked with a move to the Hawthorns is Marcondes, with The Express claiming that the Ismael’s side have ‘entered the race’ to sign the 26-year-old.

The midfielder made 34 Championship appearances for Brentford last season, helping them reach the Premier League, but his contract is about to expire and he will be a free agent.

Nottingham Forest and Barnsley are both believed to be interested in signing Marcondes, too.

The Verdict: Ideal summer addition

Marcondes could be a shrewd addition by West Brom this summer, especially given his experience of helping a team reach the Premier League.

The Dane scored two goals and registered three assists in the league last season despite making most of his appearances as a late substitute, highlighting his ability to chip in as an impact player off the bench.

Only 14 of his 34 league appearances in 2020/21 were starts – but strong squad depth will only make the Baggies more formidable under Ismael.

In other news, West Brom have been linked with a move for an international defender. Find out who it is here.

Former England striker Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Helder Costa will depart Leeds United this summer, bringing an end to his two-year spell with the Whites.

The Lowdown: Not a key man for Leeds

The Portuguese winger played his part in Leeds’ triumphant return to the Premier League last season, but he was rarely a key man.

Costa only made 13 out of a possible 38 league starts, often finding himself behind the likes of Raphinha and Jack Harrison in the pecking order.

A summer exit has been mooted for the 27-year-old, as he potentially looks for regular football elsewhere.

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The Latest: Costa tipped to move on

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor, a regular on talkSPORT talked up the idea of Costa moving in this summer, saying he hasn’t done enough to justify staying put:

“Costa did not do enough to stay at Leeds.

“Leeds will like to get Harrison, they’ve got Raphinha and one more winger plus they’ve still got Poveda.

“It just makes sense. You need to improve every season to stay fighting for a top-10, top-eight position.

“They definitely need another winger. Costa’s had his chance and he’ll be definitely moved on.”

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The Verdict: Take the money

It makes sense for all parties for Costa to finds another club, allowing him more playing time and generating funds for Marcelo Bielsa to buy new players.

The winger’s contract doesn’t expire until 2024, meaning Leeds can still demand a good fee for his services, with Transfermarkt currently valuing him at £9million.

Former Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo has described Costa as ‘immense’ in the past and he has the talent, pace and directness to be a success elsewhere, perhaps in the Championship, where he has 19 goals and 20 assists in over 100 appearances.

In other news, one pundit is excited about one aspect of Leeds’ pursuit of one player. Find out who it is here.

Airdrie manager Ian Murray has suggested that Glasgow Rangers should let Nathan Patterson join Hibernian or Hearts for free.

Murray makes Patterson claim

This season has been Patterson’s breakout campaign at Ibrox, even despite receiving a six-game ban for breaking lockdown regulations (Sky Sports). He has made 12 appearances in all competitions for the Gers first team, scoring twice (Transfermarkt), and has shown himself to be an able deputy to first-choice right-back James Tavernier.

However, speaking to BBC Scotland (via Edinburgh Live), Murray suggested that the Gers should let him leave for free. The Airdrie boss said:

“We’re not talking for Rangers here, but if Rangers want to improve young players so much, and their fans and everybody wants to improve Scottish football, why don’t they go give Patterson to Hibs?“Give him to Hearts, St Mirren and don’t ask for any money.“If you want to progress the player and get him games, there you go.“But they won’t and I understand why.”

OutrageousIt is hard to decide whether Murray is actually being serious with these comments. From his point of view, the only argument he could be making is that the Gers allow him to leave so he can play more regularly, but why would they do so for free? Even a loan deal would require another club to at least contribute to his wages.Steven Gerrard’s staunch defence of the 19-year-old after he broke lockdown rules (Daily Record) shows that he is a big fan of the teenager. As such, why would he let him depart for free, especially now that he has proven capable of stepping up to the first team? Perhaps Murray should take a little more time to think before sharing such bewildering opinions.In other news, many Rangers fans were delighted with this man’s performance against Hibernian.

Watford have been handed a boost to their chances of bringing Osaze Urhoghide to Vicarage Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football League World, who claim that it appears increasingly unlikely that the Sheffield Wednesday centre-back will sign a new deal with the Owls, with his current contract at Hillsborough due to expire next month.

The Hornets have been credited with an interest in the 20-year-old defender, as Xisco Munoz’s looks to build a side capable of remaining in the Premier League come next summer.

Giaretta will be buzzing

While Sheffield Wednesday endured something of a season to forget this term, Urhoghide’s breakthrough into Darren Moore’s side was undoubtedly one of the brighter aspects of the club’s campaign.

Over his 16 Championship appearances, Urhoghide turned in a number of admirable displays for the Owls, helping his side to keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and 2.7 clearances per game, earning a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.63.

While these may not be overly groundbreaking metrics, when taking into account the fact that the 20-year-old was playing for a side fighting at the wrong end of the Championship table, as well as not having a great deal of first-team football under his belt, they would appear to indicate that the £270k-rated man has a great deal of potential in the game.

Indeed, Moore has claimed that he believes Urhoghide is an “immense” player within his team, while the general feeling around the club is that the youngster is one of their brightest and most promising players.

As such, the news that the 20-year-old looks set to become available on a free transfer in the coming weeks is sure to leave Cristiano Giaretta buzzing, as the addition of the centre-back would appear to bode very well for the future of the Watford defence, as well as providing the club with greater depth over what is likely to be a challenging Premier League campaign next season.

In other news: Watford gain transfer boost over “tireless” £31k-p/w beast that’ll have fans buzzing

A journalist has claimed that Tottenham Hotspur could now sign Kristian Thorstvedt.

The Lowdown: Midfielder wanted

Given that there have been a number of reports linking Spurs with the likes of Nahitan Nandez and Franck Kessie, it is clear that Nuno Espirito Santo would like to bring in a new central midfield player.

However, with the summer transfer window shut now, the former Wolves manager will now have to look at January to make any more signings.

The Latest: Thorstvedt possibility

As per Rogalands Avis journalist Espen Iversen (via Sport Witness), the north London club could now sign Thorstvedt if they ever needed a ‘different midfielder’.

He mentions that the Lilywhites are the Norway international’s ‘favourite club’, and that he has even been dubbed the ‘Lampard from Valand’.

According to Iversen, the player’s agent, Jim Solbakken, is just a phone call away for Spurs.

The Verdict: Worth the punt

Thorstvedt is certainly a player that Nuno could do with in his squad at the moment, especially given that Moussa Sissoko has now left to join Watford.

The likening to Chelsea and England legend Frank Lampard suggests that he has an eye for a goal from the middle of the park, and that has certainly shown in his club career so far, in which he has managed to score 33 goals in total in 105 games over all competitions (Transfermarkt).

At just 22 years of age, he still has a lot of potential, and given that THFC are his ‘favourite club’ as well, they should be jumping on the opportunity to sign the son of former Lilywhite Erik Thorstvedt.

In other news, find out what Tottenham talent has suffered a bad injury here!