The blame for Manchester United’s dreadful start to the season can be placed at both ends of the pitch. In just nine Premier League games, the Red Devils have already conceded 19 goals and have a negative goal difference. Meanwhile, big money attacking stars, Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez, have mustered just five league strikes between them.
At the back, boss Jose Mourinho has yet to settle on his first choice central defensive partnership, with Victor Lindelof, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Phil Jones and even midfielders Ander Herrera and Scott McTominay all having been deployed in the heart of the rearguard.
With United misfiring at the front and the back the pressure is beginning to pile up on the Portuguese manager. With the club languishing in 10th place, he may already be looking toward the January transfer window as the greatest chance for saving both the season and his job at Old Trafford.
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Bringing in a top class striker or defender during the winter window will not be easy or cheap. In all likelihood, Mourinho will only be able to secure one elite level recruit in this market. In that case, he ought to prioritise a defender, as United’s defensive woes are showing no signs of being alleviated soon.
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57% of United fans we polled agree that a centre-back has to be top of the shopping list in January. See the full results below.
Per Mirror Football, Everton’s new Director of Football Marcel Brands plans to get rid of around 12 players in the coming transfer windows, believing that Marco Silva has been handed too large a squad.
While no names were specifically mentioned, the British newspaper speculate that Matthew Pennington could be one of those who gets the axe, describing his future as uncertain despite signing a contract at Goodison Park until 2021 last month.
And that news could well be of interest to Leeds United, who loaned the 23-year-old out last season. Pennington’s form for the Whites was overall quite mixed, although that was symptomatic of the Yorkshire outfit’s season, but he certainly showed some promise at Championship level.
Marcelo Bielsa is currently in line to take over the managerial vacancy at Elland Road with BBC Sport reporting that Leeds have held further talks with the 62-year-old.
So, Leeds fans, should one of Bielsa’s first acts as Leeds boss be bringing Pennington back to the club this summer? Let us know by voting below…
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Virgil van Dijk endured something of a mixed Premier League debut for Liverpool last night, following his club-record £75million transfer from Southampton. The headline was inevitably his role in the only goal in Swansea City’s shock 1-0 win, his weak clearing header eventually falling to the boot of Alfie Mawson.
Poor organisation at set pieces away from home has been a recurring flaw of Jurgen Klopp’s Anfield tenure and the Dutchman’s awkward header down into a pack of Swansea players was a much-needed reminded that he alone can’t remedy Liverpool’s biggest defensive problems.
But analyse van Dijk’s performance a little closer, and last night’s display showed exactly why Liverpool have invested such a staggering sum into the 16-cap Netherlands international. While he won’t solve the Reds’ defensive frailties single-handed, his quality on the ball is second-to-none by centre-back standards, something that particularly stood out as Liverpool retained 72% possession against a Swansea side who stuck ten men behind the ball from the opening whistle and rarely ventured out of their box after Mawson’s 40th-minute strike.
Indeed, barring the erroneous organisation during one of just three corners Swansea won – which certainly wasn’t the 26-year-old’s fault alone – van Dijk kept things solid at the back, making eight clearances and winning 10 aerial duels. And as Swansea allowed the centre-backs more and more time on the ball, his quality really stood out, creating two huge scoring chances – a lofted pass into Mohamed Salah and a late cross into the path of an unmarked Roberto Firmino – that Liverpool’s forwards really should have converted.
Additionally, van Dijk took three efforts at goal himself, had the most touches of the ball of any player on the pitch, completed the second-most passes of any player on the pitch – 119 – and produced Liverpool’s best pass completion rate of 95%.
It wasn’t quite a passing masterclass from the centre-back, simply because it failed to break down Swansea’s rampant rearguard, and will inevitably be overshadowed by a few calamitous moments at a corner that lead to a disappointing result. But van Dijk gave a glimpse last night of what an asset he can be for Liverpool in these types of games where the opposition are packed deep and the centre-backs are allowed to play.
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While it didn’t pay off last night, that could well be the difference between Liverpool winning and losing next season against sides who set up as pragmatically as Swansea against top six opposition. The Premier League has those in copious supply at the moment and van Dijk’s passing quality makes Liverpool that bit likelier to consistently overcome them.
According to reports in The Sunday Times, Chelsea face competition from Premier League rivals Manchester City in the race to sign £21.9m-rated Real Madrid right-back Danilo.
What’s the word, then?
Well, Blues boss Antonio Conte is keen to provide Victor Moses with more competition in the right wing-back spot next season and Danilo has been one of his top summer targets, according to The Sunday Times.
The Premier League holders and Juventus were leading the chase to sign the 26-year-old but now The Sunday Times says the Citizens have made an approach as they look to sign another right-back, despite completing a deal to sign Kyle Walker from Tottenham Hotspur on Friday.
Pep Guardiola is keen to sign two new left-backs and two new right-backs during the summer transfer window having seen Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy leave at the end of their contracts last month, and the Spaniard has turned his attentions to Danilo after fellow Brazilian Dani Alves opted to join Paris Saint-Germain.
How did Danilo do last season?
Football Soccer – Real Madrid v Sevilla – Spanish Liga Santander – Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain – 14/5/17Real Madrid’s Danilo is shown a yellow card by referee Alberto MallencoReuters / Sergio Perez
The 26-year-old made 25 appearances in all competitions, scoring one goal and providing a further three assists, but he has struggled to displace Dani Carvajal as the La Liga giants’ first-choice right-back.
What may also appeal to Conte and Guardiola is the fact that the Brazilian can also play at left-back, as he did on four occasions for the Champions League holders last term.
Why do Chelsea and City want him?
One of the main reasons will be his price tag.
City have already spent an initial £45m on Kyle Walker and it shows the premium that the duo will have to pay for Premier League/English players this summer, and they could sign Danilo for less than half of that fee.
While the 26-year-old loves to get forward – as any modern day full-back must – and successfully completed 13 take-ons in 17 La Liga appearances last term, he is also strong defensively.
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The Brazil international made 43 clearances and 37 interceptions while he also loves a tackle and is relatively strong in the air.
What’s the verdict, then?
Well, having lost out to Manchester United for Romelu Lukaku, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte won’t want to lose out to the Red Devils’ arch-rivals for Danilo, and it could come down to how much first team football each team can guarantee him.
AC Milan are planning on reviving their interest in Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere at the end of the season, according to Calciomercato.
What’s the story?
The Italian outfit were heavily linked with a swoop for the midfielder last summer, but in the end, the England international joined Bournemouth on a season-long loan.
Injuries have hampered Wilshere’s progress over the last few years, and much-needed game time was the objective when he moved to the South Coast.
Under manager Eddie Howe, the midfielder has put a string of performances together, starting 14 Premier League games, playing 1255 minutes so far.
Wilshere is due to return to the Emirates when his loan move expires in the summer, but doubts have been raised over his long-term future at Arsenal amid claims that he is yet to agree a new deal, reports The Telegraph.
Italian publication Calciomercato believes that Milan are tempted to jump back into the market for Wilshere.
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What should Wilshere do?
In ideal situation, the midfielder would probably want to return to Arsenal and cement a regular spot in the first team.
Whether that would be the case remains to be seen, partly because of Wilshere’s injury record.
If he can keep a clean bill of health, the Englishman is capable of challenging for a place in midfield, with Santi Cazorla, Mohamed Elneny and Francis Coquelin among the other options.
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On the other hand, this could be Wilshere’s biggest opportunity to experience a new club and really make his mark.
With regards to Milan’s reported interest, not many English players have been able to cut it abroad, and the fact that Wilshere rejected loan moves from overseas last summer suggests that moving to a foreign league is not a desire he holds.
Southampton are now eyeing Russell Martin as a replacement for Will Still, who was dismissed on Sunday night, but there could be competition for his signature from their Championship rivals.
After being relegated from the Premier League last season, the Saints were expected to mount a promotion push, but it has been nothing short of a terrible start to the campaign, having taken just 12 points from their opening 13 matches.
The 2-0 defeat at home to Preston North End was the final straw for Sport Republic, who relieved Still of his duties on Saturday, and Under-21s head coach Tonda Eckert has now emerged as a contender for the first-team manager’s job.
It would be a gamble to appoint Eckert, however, given that he is just 32-years-old and yet to prove himself at senior level, and an external appointment is also being considered…
Southampton eyeing Russell Martin to replace Will Still
According to journalist Alan Nixon (via GiveMeSport) Southampton are now eyeing former manager Martin as a replacement for Still, with the 39-year-old on standby for a swift return to management, having recently been dismissed by Scottish giants Rangers.
The Saints are not the only Championship club that hold an interest, however, with it being revealed that Norwich City are also considering the Englishman, given that there are doubts over Liam Manning’s future.
The Brighton-born manager is available without any compensation, which means he is an appealing option for the two Championship clubs, who could do battle for his services.
In truth, the former Rangers manager’s spell at Ibrox was a complete disaster, being sacked after just 17 games in charge, making him the shortest-serving permanent boss in the Scottish side’s history.
That said, the “exciting” manager, as hailed by analyst John Walker, could still be a good appointment for Southampton, considering the work he did at St. Mary’s previously, guiding them to promotion in the play-off final in the 2023-24 campaign.
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The ex-Swansea City boss, who prefers to implement a 4-3-3 system, is also very experienced at Championship level, having taken charge of 138 second tier matches.
Russell Martin’s Championship record
Games
138
Wins
60
Draws
34
Losses
44
Points per match
1.55
That said, it would arguably be a backwards step to appoint Martin, given that he was sacked by the Saints less than one year ago, after being unable to make the step-up to the Premier League, with his side losing 13 of their opening 16 Premier League games.
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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.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
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.
Hugo Bueno
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.
Abdukodir Khusanov in action for Man 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.
Chalkboard
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.
Liverpool's MohamedSalahreacts
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.
Patrick Bamford
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.
Patrick Bamford in action for Leeds United in the Championship.
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.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
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.
Celtic transfer target Joe Gelhardt in action for Leeds United.
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.
Radu Dragusin competing for Tottenham
“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.
Murillo for Nottingham Forest.
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.