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There is no secret that Leeds United want to sign Rodrigo De Paul from Udinese, but former midfielder David Norris believes that the potential arrival of the Argentine could be a concern for Mateusz Klich.

Klich was part of the Leeds squad that helped earn promotion back to the Premier League but a 6.51 WhoScored rating shows that he has slightly struggled to adapt to life in the top flight.

De Paul is likely to command a fee around the £40 million mark so he would almost be guaranteed to start every Premier League game when fit, therefore Klich could see his minutes severely cut next season as he has done nothing to show he is capable of competing with Kalvin Phillips or even Stuart Dallas.

Klich would certainly be a great squad player who knows Marcelo Bielsa’s methods and how to carry out his instructions and when asked if the midfielder could be worried about his game time next season if De Paul signed, Norris had this to say when he spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“Yeah, I think Klich might be because he hasn’t set it on fire and it hasn’t gone well for him. So I think potentially, it could be a bit more difficult for him.”

Considering the high standards that De Paul has set for himself at Udinese then a lot more players could see it as a challenge to improve themselves ahead of next season but Norris does believe that most of them deserve another chance in the Premier League because of what they achieved last season, he said:

“In general, I think most of the players have done enough to deserve another crack at it, but if he comes in and hits the ground running, then obviously other players will have to step aside.”

Far too often last season, when Phillips was injured, Klich could neither dictate play nor shield the back four effectively enough given his lack of athletism and energy compared to the England international, which may force Bielsa’s hand in bringing in a replacement.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has admitted Tottenham Hotspur may have the advantage in the race for the Premier League top four. 

The lowdown: Forgettable weekend

Having seemingly moved into the box seat to clinch the all-important final UEFA Champions League place, Spurs succumbed to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Brighton & Hove Albion over the weekend.

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That slip by Antonio Conte’s men left the door ajar for north London rivals before they themselves were beaten by Southampton to leave Tottenham three points clear of fifth-placed Manchester United and sixth-place Arsenal.

Despite the precarious situation, one ex-Gunner has suggested that Conte’s side still hold the edge…

The latest: NLD showdown?

Speaking to FI, Sky Sports pundit Campbell tipped Tottenham’s counter-attacking flair combined with solidity at the back as ‘key’ to firing Spurs over the line and past rivals Arsenal in the top four race.

“That could be the difference, of course, it could be. Let’s be honest, we all know what Tottenham’s strength is. Their strength is their attack. The key for them is trying to keep it tight at the back and hitting teams on the counter. They are so good at that from what I’ve seen.

“The front three are all very good players who have clever movement. They will score goals. Kulusevski has been a revelation. He has helped them move on.

“It is not a surprise that they are doing well. This is where it matters most. Arsenal do not have as much firepower or have the experience of Spurs. Arteta is putting his faith in the youth.

“It will be tough for Arsenal to dislodge them. It may come down to the north London derby.”

The verdict: Attack attack attack

Despite Conte being a renowned master of the defensive arts, even the 52-year-old coach has struggled to transform the current Spurs side into an impenetrable unit in his favoured 3-5-2 formation.

Since taking up the Tottenham hot seat, the Lilywhites have conceded 32 and scored 59 times in 36 matches under the Italian – underpinning Campbell’s suggestion.

Furthermore, in Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min, Spurs boast a 20 and 17 goal threat whilst Arsenal have both Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith-Rowe tied on 10 strikes apiece across all competitions at the top of their scoring charts.

In other news: Tottenham eyeing summer move for La Liga defender! Find out more here.

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that Tottenham should take a punt on Brighton manager Graham Potter.

Tottenham’s options to replace Jose Mourinho are narrowing following Julian Nagelsmann’s decision to join Bayern Munich and Erik ten Hag’s contract extension at Ajax.

Meanwhile, Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has also ruled himself out of contention for the vacant Spurs job.

It leaves Daniel Levy and Tottenham needing to look elsewhere, and Hendrie believes Potter could be a viable alternative.

Speaking exclusively to FFC about the north London club’s search for a new manager, the retired Premier League footballer said:

“If they were taking a punt on someone, and this is something where I look at, I think that Graham Potter at Brighton, I think he has been so close to having a great season at Brighton. Obviously, he hasn’t because they haven’t scored enough goals. 

“[But] you take Graham Potter and put him into a side that’s capable of playing football and exciting football, and you’ve got a centre-forward you know that’s going to be there, I think Graham Potter would be a certain candidate for me.”

Potter is one name Tottenham are said to be looking at, so perhaps the club could end up moving for him, especially after missing out on the likes of Nagelsmann and seemingly Ten Hag.

The 45-year-old has won plenty of plaudits since taking over at the Amex, including from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who praised his Brighton counterpart earlier this year for the way he has his side playing.

West Ham United are interested in a move to bring David Hancko to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by ExWHUemployee, who revealed on a recent episode of The West Ham Way Podcast that the Hammers are keeping a close eye on the situation of the Sparta Prague centre-back ahead of a potential move for the 24-year-old late in the winter market.

Speaking about the Irons’ interest in the Slovakia international, the club insider said: “A new name that I’ve not mentioned before, but someone who could possibly be considered is David Hancko of Sparta Prague. Again, [a Daniel] Kretinsky link there. He’s not actually Czech, he’s Slovakian. He can play left-back and the left side of centre-back.”

Fans should be excited

With Angelo Ogbonna being ruled out for the season with an ACL injury, and both Craig Dawson and Issa Diop having done little to suggest they are of the standard required for a side chasing Champions League football in the absence of the Italian, centre-back is very much a priority position for David Moyes over what remains of the January transfer window.

And, considering just how well Hancko has performed for Sparta Prague in the current campaign, the £3.6m-rated defender would appear to make an excellent addition to the 58-year-old manager’s options in the heart of his defence.

Indeed, over his six Europa League appearances this term, the 24-year-old helped his side keep three clean sheets, as well as making an average of two interceptions, 2.2 tackles, 2.3 clearances and winning 4.5 duels per game.

The versatile centre-back also chipped in for his side in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals, registering one assist and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 1.8 shots and making one key pass per fixture.

These returns saw the Slovakian average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.02, ranking him as Sparta’s second-best performer in the European competition.

Furthermore, with West Ham shareholder Daniel Kretinsky also being the co-owner of Sparta Prague, it would very much appear that, should Moyes indeed wish to make a late move for the defender this January, a deal between the two clubs would be an easy one to strike.

As such, considering his clear ability at the back as well as going forwards, it would appear that a move for Hancko would be a very intelligent one for West Ham to make this winter – as the signing of the 24-year-old would undoubtedly be one that will excite the London Stadium faithful.

In other news: Moyes can seal dream West Ham signing in £82k-p/w gem whose “skills are outstanding”

Newcastle United will be ‘locked in purgatory’ if the club is defeated in its arbitration proceedings against the Premier League, according to the Chronicle Live’s Mark Douglas.

The lowdown

Last year, Mike Ashley agreed a £305million deal to sell Newcastle to a consortium led by Amanda Staveley.

But the buyers ostensibly pulled out of the deal having grown frustrated with the Premier League’s lengthy owners’ and directors’ test (via BBC Sport).

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund would have taken over an 80 percent stake, and there were concerns over alleged human rights abuses and TV piracy (via The Athletic).

In a bid to resurrect the deal, Ashley has taken the matter to arbitration – an independent panel will assess the validity of the Premier League’s concerns this summer.

The latest

Douglas was asked in a fan Q&A what is currently happening with the proposed takeover.

He admitted ‘the future of the club’ is at stake when arbitration commences in July.

If Newcastle, who have a ‘heavyweight legal team’ at their disposal, win the case, then the takeover will be ‘unlocked’.

But if they don’t, the club remains in limbo as it awaits a further competition appeal tribunal case come the end of the year.

However, he did offer reassurances that there’s ‘no sign’ of PIF or PCP Capital Partners abandoning the deal and looking to another club.

Ultimately, the uncertainty will continue ‘for a bit longer’, but Douglas confirms the groups involved in the potential takeover are not going anywhere at the moment.

The verdict

It’s encouraging for Newcastle that Mike Ashley is willing to fight tooth-and-nail to get this deal through, regardless of his ulterior motives.

Of course, Ashley’s desires to sell won’t matter one iota if PIF and PCP grow frustrated and walk away, so Douglas’ latest comment should count as massively reassuring to the Toon Army.

In the short-term, though, there’s probably another season of lower mid-table mediocrity in the offing, with Ashley surely unlikely to commit significant funds for transfers this summer when he’s so keen to sell.

In other news, find out the financial value of Newcastle’s strong finish to the Premier League season. 

According to Foot Mercato (via Inside Futbol), Southampton are making a late push to sign Arsenal’s William Saliba on loan – but it could end in disappointment as he wants to join Marseille, which could prove to be a major obstacle in the Saints’ pursuit of him.

The Lowdown: Southampton prepare for new term

Southampton are preparing for the new season and have recently confirmed the signing of Romain Perraud from French side Brest (southamptonfc.com).

He is unlikely to be their only signing of the summer, and it seems the Saints now have their eyes on another defender.

The Latest: Saints eye Saliba

As per this latest report, Southampton are joined by Newcastle in a late push to sign Saliba on loan for next season.

However, according to The Athletic, the 20-year-old wants to join Marseille, although Arsenal would rather that he stay in the Premier League.

The Verdict: Up-and-coming talent

Signed by Arsenal in 2019, the £16.2m-valued defender (Transfermarkt) returned to Saint-Etienne immediately on loan before joining up with the Gunners in 2020. He is yet to make a senior appearance for the north London outfit, instead making a move to Nice in January of this year, but he has been compared to Raphael Varane by his childhood coach Fabio Frasconi (planetfootball.com) and should have a big future ahead of him.

Marseille are a big draw in Saliba’s native France, so it makes sense that he would want to go there. However, if Arsenal really want him to stay in England, he could blossom under the guidance of Ralph Hasenhuttl if they send him to Southampton. It remains to be seen whether the youngster can be convinced to choose the English south coast over the French one.

In other news, many Southampton fans have been reacting to this transfer news.

An update has emerged on Alex Pritchard, regarding who he rejected before deciding to sign for Sunderland… 

What’s the talk?

According to Football League World, Alex Pritchard decided to reject an offer from German outfit VFL Bochum in order to seal a move to Sunderland. The out-of-contract playmaker has turned down the chance to play in the Bundesliga to remain in England and join the Black Cats.

The report claims that Pritchard is only a few steps away from officially completing his transfer to the Stadium of Light, following his release from Huddersfield at the start of the month.

Fans will love it

Sunderland fans will be buzzing with this news as it shows a desire from the player to make the switch. He had the opportunity to go and play top-flight football in Germany, potentially playing against the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus and Erling Haaland – among others. Instead, the attacker is now poised to play in the third tier in England with Lee Johnson’s side, where he will not be alongside such esteemed company – with all due respect to the players in League One.

This is a key boost for the club as it shows that they are still an attractive prospect for players looking for a new team. Despite being in League One, Sunderland remains a place where players would like to play and they could now benefit from that with Pritchard’s arrival as he could be an exceptional addition to the team.

Although the ex-Spurs man struggled during his time at Huddersfield, he previously thrived in the Championship with Norwich and Brentford, suggesting that he has the quality to be a top player at a higher standard than League One. Former Canaries coach Alan Irvine once hailed the midfielder as “influential” and claimed that he is a very talented footballer, during his spell at Carrow Road.

He told Norwich’s official website:

“I think he’s got a big part to play.

“He’s a very talented player, there’s no question about that. I’ve started him in every game since I took over.

“I’ve been really impressed with how he’s done. He’s part of the team but he’s a part that has fitted in extremely well.

“He’s been influential in a number of the games and he needs to keep that form up and go forward again next year.”

The £30k-per-week maestro managed 12 goals and seven assists in the Championship whilst on loan to Brentford earlier in his career. He then joined Norwich on a permanent deal from Tottenham and racked up six goals and seven assists in 19 starts in his first season, averaging an excellent WhoScored rating of 7.00.

Therefore, he could thrive in the third tier with Sunderland and be a terrific player for Johnson next season. This is why his decision to reject Bochum to play in red and white is a key boost for the club and one fans will love, as they could now watch him dominate League One with his creative talents, if he can rediscover his Brentford and Norwich form.

AND in other news, Forget Sanderson: Speakman must land £450k-rated powerhouse, Johnson needs him at SAFC…

It was an unusually quiet transfer window for Everton over the summer, and new manager Rafa Benitez may be regretting missing out on some top targets.

What’s the story?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, the Toffees were eager to secure the services of AC Milan forward Rafael Leao during the summer transfer window in order to provide cover for Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

However, despite them reportedly showing an interest in the highly-rated 22-year-old, it’s claimed that a deal was never close to completion, and Everton have now missed their opportunity to sign the Portugal international.

The report claims that Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund are still linked with the youngster, while his agent Jorge Mendes is attempting to offer his client to fellow Premier League outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Benitez badly needed him

Leao has cultivated a reputation as one of European football’s most intriguing young strikers in recent years after impressing for Sporting Lisbon, Lille and Milan during his short career.

Although he initially struggled to settle at San Siro, bagging seven goals and providing six assists in 40 appearances throughout his maiden campaign on Italian shores, the attacking talent eventually found his best form, catching the eye of former striker Rolando Bianchi.

“Leao is very young and is having a great season. Sometimes young people give the impression of mirroring themselves a bit, but his performance are that of a great player,” he said (via MilanNews).

“I had seen him at the U20 World Cup with Portugal, and he made spectacular plays. He has great speed, he has a touch of the ball. Milan have made a great purchase, and if they continue like this, they have great prospects.”

And Leao appears to have taken his game to another level this time around. In just 13 outings in all competitions, he’s scored five goals and laid on two assists, helping Milan climb to the top of the Serie A table in the process.

The £45m-rated gem’s eye-catching displays may be good news for the Rossoneri, but they’re likely to leave Benitez feeling absolutely gutted.

Calvert-Lewin’s current injury woes have left 32-year-old Salomon Rondon leading the line at Goodison Park, and he looks a shadow of the player that caused so much damage to top-flight defences during his time at Newcastle United.

He’s yet to find the back of the net in seven outings for Everton after arriving in the summer, contributing to their recent back-to-back defeats, in which they struggled in the final third.

Therefore, Benitez is surely ruing the missed opportunity to snap up Leao, and he’ll be hoping director of football Marcel Brands can make amends in the upcoming January window.

And, in other news…Club source reveals concerning update on key Everton man, fans may be worried 

Derby County have recently completed a deal to sign former Manchester United and QPR midfielder Ravel Morrison on a one-year deal.

What’s the story?

Morrison had been training with the Rams during pre-season and had featured in their friendly clash with his former side Manchester United.

The 28-year-old had most recently been on the books with ADO Den Haag, although his spell with the Dutch side reached an early conclusion towards the end of the 2020/21 season.

Derby were struggling with numbers heading into the new Championship campaign, but have now been allowed to sign players this summer in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

Morrison is the latest signing to arrive at Pride Park, and Wayne Rooney will be hoping that the midfielder can make a positive impact with the Rams this term as they look to avoid relegation into the third-tier of English football.

‘A great player and person’

Morrison hasn’t exactly settled at any club in recent seasons, with the midfielder finding regular minutes hard to come by.

But that could be about to change with Derby County, with the Rams certainly needing additional strength in depth in their senior squad, with a number of their Under-23s having to be included in the matchday squad during pre-season and for their season opener against Huddersfield Town.

We’ve seen glimpses of Morrison’s exciting potential though, with the 28-year-old netting a memorable solo goal against Tottenham Hotspur whilst with West Ham United earlier in his career.

Rooney has evidently been pleased with Morrison’s impact during training and pre-season, and he and the club’s supporters will now be keen to see him make an instant impact with the Rams.

Speaking in a recent post-match press conference (quotes sourced from The Athletic’s Ryan Conway), Rooney expressed his delight at signing Morrison, and admitted that he’s ‘lifted’ the club, before labelling him as a ‘great player and person’.

“I’m delighted to get Ravel in. He can add to our creativity. I could speak about question marks people have against him off the pitch – he’s had a past. We’ve all got a past. But since he’s been at our club, he’s lifted us. He’s a great player and person.”

It could turn out to be a shrewd addition for Derby if Morrison can get back to his best, and he could turn out to be the difference between them staying in the Championship for another season or dropping into League One.

More importantly for the Rams, he’s another senior signing this summer, and that was certainly needed within Rooney’s squad ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Morrison could be in line to make his Derby debut on Tuesday when Rooney’s side host Peterborough United at Pride Park in what could potentially be a tricky test in the EFL Cup.

Alan Hutton has given his reaction as Glasgow Rangers managed to keep hold of their best players in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Players linked with moves

A number of players were linked with moves away from the Light Blues during the window.

The Daily Mail had reported that Everton had made a late £8m bid to try and sign Nathan Patterson, while Marcelo Bielsa wanted to sign Ryan Kent for Leeds United and Alfredo Morelos apparently agreed personal terms with Porto at one point.

The Latest: Hutton on transfers

Speaking to Football Insider, Hutton, who is now a pundit after playing as a right-back for the Gers, has been left applauding Steven Gerrard’s team for managing to keep their best players at Ibrox after the window shut:

“I am surprised.

“I think Steven Gerrard will sleep a lot easier tonight knowing he’s kept hold of all his big-name players.

“If you sell two or three of those players to balance the books for the Champions League situation, you’re making it more difficult to retain the title. You’re getting rid of your big stars.

“As we sat here today and he’s kept them all, it’s absolutely brilliant. All Rangers fans will be breathing a sigh of relief after that.

“It’s good to see they’re heading in the right direction of the people. The people they have brought in have done well, along with the people that are already there which is excellent.

“The one main thing I’m happy about is Nathan Patterson staying.

“When that was really ramping up and the bids were coming in, I thought it might be enough for Rangers to sell.

“I’m glad to see him stay and hopefully he can kick on now.”

The Verdict: Great news

It is certainly great news that the Gers were able to keep hold of the likes of Patterson and Kent among a number of their best players.

When clubs from the Premier League come calling especially, it can be difficult for Scottish Premiership sides to turn down their advances, as Celtic have found out recently by selling Odsonne Edouard to Crystal Palace.

However, Gerrard will now have the best possible chance to win the title once more with the current squad, and also have a good crack at the UEFA Europa League, potentially increasing the values of the aforementioned players if they do eventually move on.

In other news, find out whose wages were a problem in him not leaving Rangers here!