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Leeds United are now believed to be right in the mix to complete the signing of an exciting young Premier League player in the summer transfer window.

Who are Leeds trying to sign this summer?

Nikola Krstovic has emerged as a rumoured transfer target for the Whites this summer, with the returning Premier League outfit even reportedly tabling a £29m offer for his services. The Lecce attacker scored 11 goals in 37 Serie A appearances last season, and could add much-needed firepower to Daniel Farke’s squad.

Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz has also been linked with a move to Leeds before next season gets underway, with the Turin giants willing to move him on, despite his quality. He could be a signing of real intent by the Whites, having shone for Aston Villa previously.

Meanwhile, Joe Gomez has been backed to join Leeds if he wants to leave Liverpool this summer, but unfortunately, he has seemingly committed his future to the Reds on Instagram: “It’s been a blessing to be a part of the different dressing rooms and getting to create such special memories over the years with so many great players & staff.

“I felt it was important to share my thanks to you all for the support throughout the years, it’s always meant the world and I will never take it for granted. A decade in red… and still hungry to keep going.”

Leeds pushing to sign "incredible" Premier League ace

According to a fresh update from Marca [via Sport Witness], Leeds are battling Feyenoord for the signing of Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno this summer. The 22-year-old spent last season loan at the Eredivisie side, and they are now keen on turning his temporary move into a permanent switch.

Bueno could be exactly the type of shrewd squad signing that Leeds are after this summer, coming in and providing squad depth, having proven himself as a solid squad player in the Premier League.

The Spaniard has made 43 appearances in England’s top flight, while former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has lauded his impact from a very young age at Molineux.

“Since joining us as a 16-year-old number 10, the work that Hugo and the coaches have put into changing his position, and the acceptance he had of doing that, shows what a good pro he is. To be able to get his head around a new position and develop at the rate he has was incredible.

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“Hugo’s one of the huge success stories of the club. Bringing him in from a grassroots team in Spain when he was just 16, and he’s now 21, playing in the Premier League and being a regular Premier League player, it’s testament to everyone involved.”

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Bueno could provide stiff competition for Sam Byram at left-back next season, and given his age, there is no reason why he won’t blossom more as a player as the years pass.

Manchester City’s last outing was a hugely disappointing 3-1 defeat in the Champions League against Real Madrid. It saw the Citizens crash out of the premium European club competition in a frustrating manner, losing 6-3 on aggregate.

A phenomenal Kylian Mbappe hattrick was enough to sink Pep Guardiola’s side, with the French forward scoring three superb goals, including a lob over goalkeeper Ederson and a lovely strike from range with his weaker left foot to seal the treble.

City lost John Stones just minutes into the game, with the England international succumbing to injury. It was a bit of a makeshift defence for City, which included new signing Abdukodir Khusanov at right-back.

Khusanov’s performance vs. Real Madrid

So far, the Uzbekistan international has played a bit-part role in a Man City shirt. The January signing from French outfit Lens has featured four times, with his start against Madrid the first time he has played in the Champions League for City.

However, it was a tough night at the office for Khusanov against Los Blancos. Defending against Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, a quartet often quite fluid in their rotations, you could not have really asked for a tougher assignment.

In fact, the youngster received a 3/10 for his performance against the Spanish giants, courtesy of Goal. Richard Martin said Khusanov ‘was tortured from start to finish’ by the likes of Mbappe and Vinicius.

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When the Frenchman received the ball for his second goal, it came to him after City’s number 45 had the ball poked through his legs by Rodrygo.

It was certainly a baptism of fire in the Champions League for the first time donning that famous Blue shirt. It will be interesting to see if Guardiola keeps him in the side for the heavyweight clash with Liverpool on Sunday.

The same thing could be said for another City defender, who also struggled against Madrid.

The City player who could be dropped against Liverpool

When you’re defending against the likes of Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius and Rodrygo, it is never going to be easy. Khusanov found that out first-hand, but perhaps no one can relate more than Josko Gvardiol.

If Khusanov had a tough night, then Gvardiol certainly did. He was, in many ways, embarrassed by Madrid’s hattrick hero, who sat him down for his second goal, moments after the Uzbek defender was nutmegged by Rodrygo.

With Gvardiol sliding in for a challenge on Mbappe, the Madrid number nine simply shifted the ball from his left foot to his right, and watched as the Croatian defender slid past him and ended up on his back. Gvardiol could only watch as Mbappe slotted home,

It was a poor performance from City’s left-back at the Santiago Bernabeu. He received a 4/10 from Martin, which was justified when looking at his stats on Sofascore.

He won just five out of 14 ground duels and was dribbled past twice, including for Mbappe’s second goal.

Gvardiol stats vs. Real Madrid

Stat

Number

Touches

69

Pass accuracy

90%

Ground duels won

4/12

Aerial duels won

1/2

Tackles won

2/4

Number of times balls lost

8

Fouls committed

3

Stats from Sofascore

Sadly for Gvardiol, there will be no respite this weekend against the Premier League leaders, Liverpool. Should he get the nod at left-back again, he will have to face one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, Mohamed Salah.

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The Reds’ number 11 has 29 goals and 20 assists in just 37 games in all competitions this season, playing as a right-winger. That means Gvardiol will come up directly against the Egyptian international.

Perhaps Guardiola will decide not to risk his number 24. After being embarrassed by Mbappe, there is no reason to say why the same will not happen against another world-class attacker.

This is a crucial game for City in their fight for a top-four spot, and perhaps the City boss will want a more watertight defence.

It would not be hard to argue against dropping Gvardiol for the clash at the Etihad Stadium. The left-back has not been playing to the high levels he can hit, and City might need someone else in better form to help keep someone like Salah quiet.

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Leeds United moved up to third in the Championship table after they secured a superb 2-0 win against Sheffield United at Elland Road on Friday night.

Their opponents had kept six successive clean sheets in the second tier ahead of the clash but could not keep out Daniel Farke’s side, who won with relative ease.

Whilst it took until the 69th minute for them to open the scoring, through Pascal Struijk, the away side did not have a shot on target all game and did not create a single ‘big chance’.

Leeds, meanwhile, created three ‘big chances’ and had four shots on target in total, scoring from two of them, as they managed to break down a stubborn defence.

After Struijk opened the scoring, the Whites looked the more likely team to get the second in the game, rather than the Blades grabbing an equaliser, and Mateo Joseph made sure of the win with a composed finish in the 90th minute.

That goal from the academy graduate means that Joseph and Joel Piroe have now combined for six goals and six assists in the Championship this season, which means that Leeds are getting more than value for money from them.

Leeds United's highest earners

Per Capology, both strikers only earn £15k-per-week and are far from being among the top earners in the squad for the the 2024/25 campaign.

Only three players, Isaac Schmidt, Joe Rothwell, who is on loan from Bournemouth, and Alex Cairns are on less money, and all three of them are back-up options when all players are fit and available.

This means that Joseph and Piroe are the two lowest-paid regular starters, although Rothwell is currently enjoying a run of starts with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out through injury.

Leeds United’s top ten earners

24/25 season

Weekly wage

Patrick Bamford

£70k

Junior Firpo

£60k

Manor Solomon

£60k

Dan James

£50k

Pascal Struijk

£50k

Brenden Aaronson

£45k

Ethan Ampadu

£40k

Joe Rodon

£40k

Max Wober

£35k

Wilfried Gnonto

£30k

Wages via Capology

As you can see in the table above, Joseph and Piroe do not rank within the top ten earners at Elland Road, and earn half as much as the tenth-highest – Wilfried Gnonto.

Meanwhile, the highest-paid player in the squad, per these figures, is Patrick Bamford on a staggering £70k-per-week, more than twice as much as the other two strikers combined.

Daniel Farke, who has been linked with a swoop for RB Salzburg’s Adam Daghim, must now ruthlessly ditch the English forward from the squad when the January transfer window opens for business, if there are any suitors.

Why Patrick Bamford should be sold

The one-time England international has simply not done enough on the pitch to justify his huge wages, and it has been reported that he is open to leaving.

Football Insider recently claimed that the left-footed marksman is considering an exit from West Yorkshire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, despite having a contract through to the summer of 2026.

The 31-year-old attacker is said to have grown frustrated with his lack of minutes on the pitch under Farke, as he has only made four appearances as a substitute in the Championship this season, and the club are open to letting him go.

Bamford has been behind Piroe and Joseph in the pecking order, and rightly so given their combined 12 goal contributions, and struggled when he was getting regular minutes last term.

23/24 Championship

Patrick Bamford

Appearances

33

xG

9.52

Goals

8

Big chances missed

9

Key passes per game

0.4

Assists

1

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the experienced forward let himself down in front of goal last season by missing nine ‘big chances’ and underperforming against his xG.

He also rarely contributed as a creator for his teammates with less than one key pass every other game and only one assist in 33 Championship games.

Bamford is not the only forward who should be brutally binned by Farke in January, however, as Joe Gelhardt should also be moved on by the German head coach, due to his lack of impact whilst earning as much (£15k-per-week) as Joseph and Piroe.

Why Leeds should sell Joe Gelhardt

The young attacker is now 22 and is still yet to establish himself as a regular for Leeds, having initially made his breakthrough in the first-team in the 2021/22 campaign, with two goals in 20 Premier League outings.

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Gelhardt showed plenty of signs of promise in the top-flight in his teenage years, with two goals and four assists in 35 matches in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.

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However, he has not kicked on since that initial show of promise and it may now be time for the Whites to cash in on him in January, if there are any interested parties.

The 22-year-old was sent out on loan to Sunderland to play regular minutes in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and only scored three goals in 18 Championship matches.

Despite his lack of production during his time with the Black Cats, Farke opted to keep the young attacker in his squad for the 2023/24 season, having arrived at the club in the summer to lead the team back to the Premier League.

Joe Gelhardt

23/24 Championship

24/25 Championship

Appearances

10

2

Starts

2

0

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Key passes per game

0.2

0

Big chances created

0

0

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Gelhardt has been rarely-seen at Championship level for the Whites since he returned from his loan with Sunderland in the summer of 2023.

The versatile forward has only played 12 times in the division and has not produced a single goal, assist, or ‘big chance’ created for the West Yorkshire outfit.

He is two years older than Joseph, who has already scored two goals and provided three assists in the league this season, and it seems unlikely, given their respective performances, that he is going to overtake the Spaniard any time soon.

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Therefore, Farke should look to cash in on the English dud when the next transfer window opens for business, and move him on alongside Bamford.

Tottenham are now thought to be the most serious side about signing a £70 million defender who's been called "similar" to star centre-back Micky van de Ven.

Ange admits Spurs could sign another centre-back after Dragusin

The £25 million signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa in January was thought to be a significant deal for Spurs, as they were starved of quality alternatives to van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the time.

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The latter star's hamstring injury last November seriously exposed Spurs' lack of defensive depth. Indeed, van de Ven's absence midway through 23/24 prompted a brief but poor run of form, and perhaps alerted Lilywhites transfer chiefs to the glaring weakness in Ange Postecoglou's squad.

A move for Dragusin was then swiftly completed in the winter window, with the Romanian seriously helping to bolster Postecoglou's back line. His presence also allowed Spurs to cover for the injured Destiny Udogie at the end of last season, with van de Ven moving to left-back and Dragusin taking his usual spot in the centre.

Radu Dragusin's best league games for Tottenham last season

Match Rating (via WhoScored)

Sheffield United 0-3 Tottenham

6.98

Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham

6.67

Tottenham 2-1 Luton Town

6.61

Tottenham 0-2 Man City

6.49

Fulham 3-0 Tottenham

6.28

However, despite the 22-year-old's arrival at N17, Postecoglou has previously admitted that Spurs could look to sign another centre-back this summer – as they eye even more cover.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, the Tottenham manager said.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham made an offer to Tosin Adarabioyo before he joined Chelsea, as revealed by club insider Paul O'Keefe at the time. Spurs also held an interest in signing Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from Bournemouth, but the Englishman is on his way to Newcastle United instead (Simon Stone, BBC).

With both free deals out of the window, Spurs apparently have their eyes on a far more expensive option in Nottingham Forest star Murillo.

Tottenham most serious side in race for Murillo

The Brazilian, who starred for Forest over his 32 Premier League starts, is also being chased by their north London rivals.

That is according to Football Transfers, who also claim that Tottenham have shown the most interest in signing Murillo at this point. They may need to stump up a considerable transfer fee, though, and it could be as high as £70 million.

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FT have also called Murillo "similar" to van de Ven, which is an enticing comparison when considering just how crucial the 23-year-old is to Spurs.

West Ham United have not enjoyed an auspicious start to 2024 having crashed out of the FA Cup against Championship side Bristol City and drawn against Brighton & Hove Albion and Sheffield United in the Premier League.

That said, there is plenty for David Moyes' side to be optimistic about heading into the business end of the 2023/24 campaign, with the club having advanced to the knockout stage of the Europa League and currently perching in sixth place in the Premier League, above the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

Moreover, Kalvin Phillips has recently been welcomed to the fold from Manchester City, joining on a six-month loan deal, to add some depth and mettle to the centre of the park.

That said though, offensive phenoms Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta are both currently nursing injuries and Moyes appears eager to secure an exciting finish to the transfer window.

West Ham eyeing late January swoop

With Phillips now in the bag, it's clear that the Irons' interest lies in landing a new attacking outlet, with Argentine playmaker Pablo Fornals a late target for Spanish side Real Betis.

As such, West Ham could use the funds from Fornal's sale to complete a swoop for teenage winger Ibrahim Osman, with the Guardian reporting that West Ham are considering returning for the Nordsjælland starlet before the end of the month. A bid has already been rejected but the Hammers may well return to the table with another ofer.

The Danish outfit are understood to be holding out for a €20m (£17m) package and the London club will now need to ensure they recuperate funds from player sales before sealing the deal.

Why West Ham want Ibrahim Osman

Osman, aged 19, has posted four goals and five assists across 29 appearances in all competitions this season and has caught the eye with his blistering pace and influence in attacking sequences.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Osman has scored one goal and provided four assists from 16 games (14 starts) in the Danish Superliga this term and has averaged 1.2 key passes, 3.1 ball recoveries, 5.6 successful duels and 2.6 successful dribbles per game.

Osman does lack a certain incisiveness in his finishing ability but is of a lean, athletic build with pace and an innate weaving quality that could be shaped and harnessed in east London.

The likes of Arsenal and Brighton have reportedly been monitoring Osman and there's possibly a sense of urgency in wrapping up a deal from Moyes, with manager Johannes Thorup candid in admitting that the rising star will be hard to keep a hold of after such promising early endeavours on the major stage.

He said of the 5 foot 9 whiz: “He is a fast winger and striker, and I have huge expectations for him to be skilled. He has the pace which is important for us to have on at least one of our strikers. I don’t want to say that he has to take over for someone, but people can probably figure out that there is a player who is really good for us in the Super League, who might be really hard to keep.”

Given that West Ham star Mohammed Kudus bloomed from the same academy, it might be wise for Moyes to secure the next version of the Ghanaian machine, with the summer signing very much riding the crest of a wave since arriving at the London Stadium.

Ibrahim Osman could be Mohammed Kudus 2.0

The Hammers welcomed Kudus to the club from Ajax in a £38m deal in August to bolster the offensive fold after winning the Europa Conference League last season.

As per FBref, Kudus ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 13% for successful take-ons, the top 3% for tackles and the top 14% for blocks per 90.

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The 23-year-old was featured sporadically across the opening weeks of his Claret and Blue career but has excelled in plundering nine goals from 24 appearances in all competitions, starting just 17 times.

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He's even been described as a "generational talent" by African journalist Gary Al-Smith and brings dynamism and deadliness in abundance, and if West Ham can secure the services of a similar player it would only improve the offensive efforts.

Given that Kudus (right wing) and Osman (who prefers the left) operate on alternate flanks, this could be a signing that would birth a fear-inducing partnership for opponents, with Osman absorbing the fruits of his fellow Nordsjælland academy graduate's labours.

While Osman is far less clinical than Kudus – though it would seen he has more of a natural creative flair – the Hammers star does share some exciting similarities, averaging 5.8 ball recoveries, 7.1 successful duels and 2.6 successful dribbles per fixture in the Premier League.

This blistering, breakneck pace is something that West Ham could certainly make good use of down the left flank, especially with Fornals ostensibly departing and Said Benrahma also touted with a move away after starting just five matches in the English top-flight this year, with French clubs lurking.

West Ham might have started the year off slow but there is much to look forward to over the coming months and the addition of a precocious talent in Osman would be the perfect finish to the window.

Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared an update on Chelsea and their plans to sign a world-class new striker.

Who have Chelsea signed 2023?

Mauricio Pochettino's side put pen to paper on deals for Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million in the summer window.

To make way for the plethora of new arrivals, Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all moved away for £230 million in total.

Chelsea were yet again one of the busier clubs over what was a very interesting summer transfer period, but Pochettino is taking ome time to gel them all together.

Injuries have played a big role too, as the west Londoners have sealed just one Premier League win so far – coming in the form of a 3-0 victory over Luton Town.

Chelsea have dropped points against Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, West Ham and, most recently, Bournemouth. Pochettino's side were booed off in their match against the Cherries, but the Argentine is adamant they'll begin winning games soon enough.

"I think the fans know if you invest the type of money, there is expectation," said Pochettino.

"What I can tell the fans is the circumstance, I cannot change the reality. With all of the squad fit we can compete, we don't have all of the squad available, what can we do?

"For me, nothing to say, the fans can do this. Twelve injured today, three of four youngs guys, two keepers on the bench, I am going to cry, I am going to complain, to who? I have to accept this. That is the circumstance and we need to accept.

"We have our opinion, our reality. I think we are doing good things, more than people can expect but I told you before the season, Chelsea is about the win. Young players need to feel what it means to be a Chelsea player."

Will Chelsea sign a striker?

One position Chelsea arguably need to shore up is at centre-forward, with Jackson currently leading the line but arguably isn't of the same calibre as someone like Victor Osimhen – who they've been linked with signing.

Another forward who is said to be on the agenda is Brentford striker Ivan Toney, with reliable reporter Romano sharing an update on the Englishman for CaughtOffside (via Chelsea Chronicle).

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He says Chelsea are definitely interested in Toney, and he is "100%" certain to leave Brentford next year.

"Sources close to Ivan Toney suggest he will 100% be leaving Brentford in 2024," said Romano.

“Chelsea are interested in Ivan Toney, nothing advanced yet, let’s see which club comes with the right money to try to convince Brentford, probably not before December. Chelsea will keep protecting the squad and let’s see what happens in 1-2 months.”

The 27-year-old scored 20 goals in 33 starts last term, with Bees boss Thomas Frank calling him "amazing".

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, as Unai Emery aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The Spaniard, along with compatriot Monchi has it in his sights to bring the glory days back to the Midlands, as Villa bid to sufficiently equip the squad in preparation for their European adventure.

With the likes of Pau Torres and Aymeric Laporte linked as central defenders that could head to Villa Park, Bremer has joined the list of potential targets with news in Italy naming the Villans as a club interested in the Juventus centre-back.

Last weekend, La Gazetta dello Sport, relayed by Calcio Mercato, reported that both Aston Villa and Tottenham are ‘ready to move’ for the 26-year-old with ‘official bids’ expected.

The report states that a fee exceeding the €50m (£43m) mark could force Juve to ‘seriously think’ about letting the Brazilian depart, after signing from Torino only last summer.

What could Gleison Bremer offer to Aston Villa?

This transfer window, Emery is expected to clear the deadwood at the club to allow for an efficient upgrade ahead of his first full campaign at the helm of Villa Park.

A thrilling first term at the club has opened doors for the Spaniard to compete in the market, with the four-time Europa League winner reportedly having a transfer kitty of £150m to spend, as per Football Insider.

As reported today by David Ornstein, the Villans have reached an agreement to sign Emery’s former player Pau Torres from Villarreal, and with Bremer also linked, it could signal a complete revamp of the back line ahead of next season.

With a host of talent speculated to be Villa bound, one name that could be ushered away from the Midlands is Calum Chambers, who has made just 25 league appearances since signing for the club from Arsenal in the 2022 January window.

Recording just two starts all season, the Englishman could be replaced in the squad by a talent as highly regarded as Bremer, who could add serious firepower to Emery’s back line in his place.

Lauded as a “monster” by journalist Maxi Angelo, the Brazilian ranked as Juve’s third-highest performer last campaign, with an average Sofascore match rating of 7.11 in 30 Serie A appearances.

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The 26-year-old won 56% of his total duels, as well as averaging 1.4 interceptions, 3.8 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per game, while contributing to 12 clean sheets in the league, via Sofascore.

On an average based on his appearances this term, Chambers fell far short in comparison to the commanding Itapitanga-born machine, winning just 47% of his total duels and being expelled down the pecking order at Villa Park.

Described as “poor” by journalist Josh Bunting during his time in north London, Emery could free up £52k-per-week by letting the Englishman go, making room for talents at a level to compete in Europe.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that if Manchester United are bought by Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, “there might be a situation” where Kylian Mbappe joins in the future, while the likes of Harry Maguire go to Paris Saint-Germain.

What’s the latest on the Qatar-linked bid for Man United?

The Glazers may well be looking to sell the Premier League club in the near future and so a number of interested parties have been tipped as possible new Man Utd owners.

Indeed, alongside Sheikh Al Thani’s bid, British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe and a third “mystery” US bidder have all been reported in the media as having made offers for the Glazers to consider.

Of course, the ownership group already have strong ties to PSG and it remains to be seen if the Qatar-based consortium can get passed UEFA rules to own both clubs who of course regularly play in the Champions League.

While speaking about it all on The United Stand, Goldbridge pointed out that the Red Bull-owned clubs in Salzburg and Leipzig often both play in the same European competition and are allowed to do so despite being owned by the same company.

He explained: “That’s my point. There’s already two clubs in Europe that play in the same tournament in Europe and they feed each other players, so I don’t think it would be unprecedented.”

Goldbridge then suggested that the club would have to be “subtle” to avoid “dodgy” transfers but could end up agreeing to some exciting deals with PSG if a relationship was established.

He said: “It won’t happen anyway, it will be way more subtle than that. We won’t have a situation where [Marco] Verratti and Mbappe come to Man Utd for £5m and Maguire and [Scott] McTominay go to PSG for £100m. That would be dodgy.

“But you might have a situation where Mbappe leaves PSG and comes to Man Utd because of the relationship he’s got with the Qatari ownership of PSG and they’ve got close ties with our ownership – that might happen.”

What could a Qatari bid mean for Mbappe to MUFC and Maguire to PSG?

Interestingly enough, there have already been reports in The Sun that Harry Maguire could end up joining PSG in the summer for a touted £50m transfer fee.

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That rumour, as far-fetched as it sounds, might be something the Ligue 1 outfit want to pursue regardless of any relationship with Man Utd – especially seeing as the Glazers may not even end up selling.

But if there is any truth to the report, then you can see how negotiations could be made less complicated in the summer if the Red Devils are owned by the Qatari-linked Sheikh Al Thani.

And so, in theory, if a deal was sorted this could then open the door for other future transfers, potentially such as Mbappe, who has been urged to join the club in recent times, so perhaps it wouldn’t be too out of the ordinary if United can put themselves in a position to fund such a move.

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is now ‘very close’ to making a return from a lengthy injury layoff, reliable journalist Keith Downie has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Isak out for months

The Swede was an exciting summer addition by the Magpies, coming in as the big-money marquee signing who could help take Eddie Howe’s side up a gear.

Isak made a promising start to life at St James’ Park, scoring twice in his first three appearances, but he hasn’t played since because of a hamstring injury suffered in September.

Thankfully, Newcastle have continued to excel without him but there is still no denying that his return is needed as a busy season ramps up after the World Cup break.

The Latest: Closing in on return

Taking to Twitter, Downie said that Isak is now close to being back in the fold and should be available in the coming weeks:

“Alexander Isak very close to a return, and should be involved in the next couple of weeks.”

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The Verdict: Huge boost for Newcastle

This is a major boost for Newcastle, with Isak a player of such immense promise, having been hailed as ‘exceptional’ by England legend Gary Lineker.

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His return will suddenly give the Magpies another major goal threat, with a truly top-class centre forward missing whenever Callum Wilson is injured, which unfortunately still is the case far too often.

Isak is someone who could make the difference in Newcastle sealing a top-four finish and he could dovetail to devastating effect with the in-form Miguel Almiron.

Manchester City have joined the hunt for in-demand Lyon sensation Malo Gusto, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Exciting times at Eastlands…

The Premier League champions have started this 2022/2023 campaign with a flourish, scoring more goals than any other top flight side whilst also boasting the least conceded.

City are the only remaining side left unbeaten in the league and have already secured their place in the Champions League last 16, following Tuesday evening’s 0-0 draw away to FC Copenhagen.

Sporting director Txiki Begiristain is handed the task of somehow improving this high-flying squad as he sets out possible future transfer targets.

Lyon starlet Gusto, as per recent reports, is now on the Sky Blues’ radar as a recent update sheds light on City’s off-field plans.

The Latest: Sky Blues join Gusto hunt…

According to 90min, Pep Guardiola’s side have joined the flurry of interested clubs keeping close tabs on the 19-year-old right-back.

Etihad officials, alongside other top teams from England, have sent officials to run the rule over Gusto in recent weeks with the teenager emerging as one of Europe’s most in-demand talents.

As well as City, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus are eyeing the flying full-back from abroad with Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham also in the hunt.

The Verdict: Make the move?

Gusto is certainly a fine talent and has already managed to keep a lid on PSG superstar Neymar in a one-v-one display.

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He’s been called ‘one of the most exciting’ right-backs in football and a ‘real player’ by members of the media, potentially making him a candidate to take over from Kyle Walker once the England international needs more rotation.

Joao Cancelo and Sergio Gomez operating on the left with Walker and Gusto on the right wouldn’t exactly leave Guardiola short of full-back options.