Man Utd £50m Ace Could Save Ten Hag Money This Summer

Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka's performances could potentially save Erik Ten Hag money in the transfer market this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Manchester United?

Wan-Bissaka has enjoyed a resurgence at Manchester United this term and has racked up 28 appearances in all competitions, registering a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

According to The Daily Mail, Leicester City and England playmaker James Maddison recently praised the defender for his defensive abilities, stating: "[Aaron Wan Bissaka] is ridiculously good at one-v-one defending. Probably the best in the world bar none. So many wingers run out of ideas when playing directly against him."

In January, The Manchester Evening News reported that Wan-Bissaka could've be set for a move away from Old Trafford; however, a spate of consistent performances have given him some credit in the bank as the Red Devils seek a top-four finish and more silverware between now and the end of the season.

Manchester United have also been linked with strengthening their right-back options in the summer, with Bayer Leverkusen defender Jeremie Frimpong said to be a target in the summer, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Wan-Bissaka's good form could lead Manchester United to keep him for the foreseeable future and help to save them some financial expenditure.

Jones told FFC: "He's definitely confident in his own ability and he always has been. I think he's always hoped that he would get opportunities to prove that he could have a longer career at United. We obviously know that United are looking at right-back as a potential spot to strengthen in the summer, but if Wan-Bissaka can convince them that he can do a good enough job, then maybe they can save some money in that area, too."

Should Manchester United look to keep hold of Aaron Wan-Bissaka?

It wouldn't be a bad idea for Manchester United to keep a hold of Wan-Bissaka, at least as a rotational squad option to supplement their depth at right-back.

WhoScored shows that the £50 million ace has won an average of two challenges per match this campaign for the Red Devils across all competitions, demonstrating his propensity to nip in and win back possession for his side efficiently.

Wan-Bissaka has also carried out 32 progressive ball carries for Manchester United this term, showing that he can also drive with purpose and contribute to offensive passages of play from the right flank, as per FBRef.

Manchester United will assess their transfer plans in the summer, meaning Wan-Bissaka will be keen to continue to produce solid displays between now and the end of this term in the hope he is part of Ten Hag's plans in 2023/24.

Wolves living a nightmare losing 20 goal player

It’s been a season of reflection for Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have followed on less promisingly from their 10th place finish last year to sitting in 14th currently as the 2022/23 Premier League campaign comes to a close later this month.

There have been lots of talking points for Wolves, as a squad bursting with talent has underperformed in a climate of changing managers and playing styles.

There’s no denying the influx of quality that Nuno Espirito Santo introduced to Wolverhampton from Portugal, however the Portuguese manager missed a trick in not developing one particular star into the system.

Pedro Goncalves signed for Wolves from Valencia U19 to join the clubs’ academy with the hope to blossom into a Premier League starter.

His aspirations were cut short as he returned to his home country two years later, having made just one appearance for the first team in the Carabao Cup against Sheffield Wednesday during his stay.

The winger was sold to Famalicao for peanuts in 2019, where he was shortly after snatched by Sporting Lisbon for around £5m, and the rest is painful viewing for Wolves.

What could have been for Pedro Goncalves at Wolves?

The 24-year-old has broken onto the European scene in dramatic fashion, showing those in the Midlands what they’re missing in a player that has had an outstanding season.

Playing as both a left-winger and central midfielder, the "astonishing" Goncalves – as lauded by The Times' Henry Winter – has scored 20 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 appearances for Sporting this season in all competitions.

To put such goal scoring form into context, his former club have found the net just 29 times themselves in the Premier League so far this campaign. Now flaunting a release clause of €80m (£70m), Wolves are left with a nightmare of what could have been had the Chaves-born star had time to flourish at the club.

Sporting CP's Pedro Goncalves celebrates scoring against Arsenal.

The versatile attacker has flexed his ability against English opposition three times this season already, sparking the conversation as to what he could’ve added to the Premier League.

He was the talk of the tie as Sporting knocked Arsenal out of the Europa League, assisting in the first leg and scoring a wonder goal at the Emirates back in March. Prior to his Europa League involvement, the 24-year-old featured in the Champions League, where he assisted against Tottenham Hotspur.

Hindsight is a beautiful thing, but not so much for Wolves who let an overly encouraging young talent slip from their grasp.

During his time in the Midlands, the Portuguese attacker spent his time with the club’s development squad, where he was managed by Rob Edwards. Edwards spoke to Sky Sports earlier this season on Goncalves’ rise in Europe, admitting that the budding star’s success did “not come as a surprise” to him following their time together in England.

Coming towards the end of the season, it has become more evident as to what the youngster could’ve given Wolves, however, the outcome has seen a talent that suffered a confidence denting move find his potential on the biggest stages in Europe.

Leeds Boosted In Efforts To Sign Big £13.2m Talent

Leeds United have reportedly been boosted in their efforts to sign Paris Saint-Germain youngster El Chadaille Bitshiabu in the summer transfer window.

Who is PSG's Bitshiabu?

The 17-year-old is seen as a huge prospect currently, standing out as arguably one of the best centre-backs in France in his age group. Despite his tender years, he has already made 16 appearances for an incredibly talented PSG side – one that features the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Neymar, among others.

This season, Bitshiabu has played ten times in Ligue 1, helping his team edge towards another league title, but his future remains unclear. Leeds, set to be led by the 49ers group this summer, have been linked with a move for the teenager recently, as the board look to bring in young talent to build their long-term project, and they aren't alone in showing an interest.

Fellow Premier League rivals Fulham are also believed to be in the conversation, and with the player's current deal expiring next year, PSG may feel that they should sell this summer, should there be no path for him into their star-studded first-team.

Soccer Football – Ligue 1 – AS Monaco v Paris St Germain – Stade Louis II, Monaco – February 11, 2023 AS Monaco’s Wissam Ben Yedder in action with Paris St Germain’s El Chadaille Bitshiabu REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

Will Leeds sign Bitshiabu this summer?

According to reports in France [via Sport Witness], PSG "aren't opposed" to selling Bitshiabu and would be willing to let him leave for as little as €15m (£13.2m) this summer. That is seen as affordable for both Leeds and Fulham, who will no doubt be boosted by the news. Eintracht Frankfurt's interest is also noted however, with the Bundesliga side very keen on snapping him up as part of their search for young talent.

Planning for the future and signing top prospects is something that Leeds should always be looking to do, which is why Bitshiabu – already sponsored by Nike – has to remain a target this summer. This update is a clear boost for the Whites, suggesting they could sign the PSG starlet for what looks like a fair amount, even though he remains so young.

This is someone who has already been capped at Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19 level for France – he has 18 appearances at international youth team level in total – at a time when the country is producing so many talented defenders, whether it be Ibrahima Konate, William Saliba or Dayot Upamecano, to name just a few.

Staying in the Premier League is likely to be the only chance Leeds have of signing Bitshiabu, whose true market value has multipled by 14 times in the past 18 months, so that should be used as extra motivation to remain in the top flight.

Leeds: £40k-p/w Shocker Was ‘Appalling’ Again Vs Liverpool

Leeds United fell to a second successive heavy defeat on Monday night, as they were thrashed 6-1 by Liverpool at Elland Road to increase their relegation fears.

Shipping 11 goals in their last two games now means that Javi Gracia's side officially have the worst defence in the division and with just seven games to go, the Yorkshire outfit must improve at the back if they are going to avoid a return to the Championship.

Fingers were naturally pointed at Leeds' defence after they were carved open again and again on Monday night against a seemingly revitalised Liverpool side, and it was arguably Rasmus Kristensen who was the worst performer in the embarrassing defeat.

How did Kristensen perform against Liverpool?

As per Sofascore, the Danish defender would earn a woeful 5.3 rating for his performance at Elland Road, which was the joint worst of any outfield player to feature in the game.

The right-back position has been a problem all season for Leeds and after Luke Ayling was culpable against Crystal Palace last time out, Kristensen was given the nod to start but found himself tormented throughout by the Liverpool attackers.

Three of Liverpool's goals on the night would come down Kristensen's side, with the 25-year-old failing to track the runs of Mohamed Salah and Diogo Jota for the second and third, with Yorkshire Post writer Leon Wobschall lamenting his "appalling" defending, before he was left in the dust by Andrew Robertson who crossed for the fourth.

During the game, the defender, who earns £40k-per-week, was dribbled past three times and won just six of his 14 duels, which suggests that the Liverpool attackers well and truly had the better of him, as he has only been dribbled past 1.1 times on average in the Premier League this season.

Leeds manager Javi Gracia

Kristensen's passing was also disastrous throughout, as he completed just 19/36 passes with a success rate of 53%, which again is significantly worse than his average of 64.8% in the top flight.

All six of the summer signing's crosses and long balls would fail to find their mark, and he was guilty of giving the ball away a remarkable 24 times, which just invited the pressure from Liverpool and was clearly a factor in them dominating proceedings on Monday night.

Since signing from Red Bull Salzburg in a deal worth £10m last summer, Kristensen has done little to justify Jesse Marsch's decision to bring him in, and it would be a surprise if he was trusted again by Gracia in the remaining fixtures after another horror show against Liverpool.

Chelsea Must Hire "Top-Level" Manager To Get Mudryk Firing

Todd Boehly has hired Frank Lampard to take over as Chelsea boss until the end of the current season on an interim basis, just over two years since the club sacked him.

It represents another key moment in their campaign which has been riddled with poor results and Lampard is now the club's third manager this term.

Boehly will still be on the lookout for a permanent manager ahead of 2023/24 and with Julian Nagelsmann and Zinedine Zidane being potential Graham Potter replacements, it could be an exciting few weeks ahead.

Another name who is being looked at – and apparently Boehly has already made his move – is former Barcelona and Spanish national team boss Luis Enrique, who Fabrizio Romano claims is “100% keen on Chelsea job” and is currently a free agent.

Chelsea need a manager who can bring the best out of their big-money signings, as Potter failed to get the likes of Enzo Fernandez and Mykhaylo Mudryk, despite spending nearly £200m on the pair combined.

Enrique could be the ideal man to give the players a lift, especially Mudryk and he could be the catalyst for the winger to finally showcase his incredible talents at Stamford Bridge.

Could Luis Enrique rejuvenate Mykhaylo Mudryk at Chelsea?

Before moving to the Premier League in January, Mudryk registered 18 goal contributions for Shakhtar Donetsk, becoming of the most highly regarded wingers on the continent.

His performances led journalist Josh Bunting to hail him “frightening” while Sacha Pisani lauded him as a “baller” and his Champions League displays certainly merited this high praise, scoring three times in the competition.

The 22-year-old's form at the Blues however is alarming to say the least. He has an average Sofascore rating of just 6.34/10, grabbing just one assist and making only 0.4 key passes per game, and it’s clear he needs to be rejuvenated if Chelsea want to improve.

Enrique could be the perfect remedy.

The 52-year-old manager – who was branded “top-level” by RFEF president Luis Manuel Rubiales – coached Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, winning the club's second treble in his first season in charge and utilising a 4-3-3 formation with an attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suárez to devastating effect.

Luis Enrique managing Barcelona

Indeed, across just 181 matches in charge of the La Liga side, they scored a staggering 519 goals, suggesting his penchant for attacking football could bring Mudryk out of his shell and lead him to become much more effective in front of goal.

If Enrique could bring his tactical nous he displayed at Barcelona to Stamford Bridge, he may get the team firing on all cylinders, and with players such as Mudryk, Fernandez and Havertz, it could be a frightening prospect.

West Ham: Predicted XI Vs Fulham

West Ham United are in desperate need of some points when they travel to Craven Cottage to take on Fulham this afternoon.

David Moyes' side were embarrassed by Newcastle United at the London Stadium in midweek, but the board have kept faith in the Scottish manager as the man to steer the Hammers to safety this season.

Although they remain outside the relegation places on goal difference, a trip to high-fliers Fulham means that West Ham could be back inside the bottom three come full-time in west London today.

How should West Ham line up against Fulham?

Here is how Football FanCast expects Moyes to line his side up at Craven Cottage, with three changes from the side that started against the Toon on Wednesday.

(4-2-3-1) Fabianski (GK); Coufal (RB), Zouma (CB), Aguerd (CB), Emerson (LB); Rice (CM), Paqueta (CM); Bowen (RW), Fornals (CAM), Benrahma (LW); Cornet (ST).

Despite a horror show on Wednesday which saw Fabianski play a huge role in at least three of Newcastle's goals, Moyes will likely keep faith in the experienced 37-year-old between the sticks this afternoon.

However, there must be at least one change to a defence that shipped five, so Vladimir Coufal returns to the side in place of Thilo Kehrer, with Nayef Aguerd and Emerson perhaps lucky to keep their spots following their woeful displays in midweek.

Kurt Zouma, who scored West Ham's goal in the 5-1 thrashing, completes the defence as he starts alongside Aguerd.

Moyes has stuck with a midfield duo of Declan Rice and Tomas Soucek for most of the season but the Czech Republic international had a nightmare against Newcastle and was hauled off just after the hour mark, having managed just eight passes in his time on the pitch.

Therefore, Lucas Paqueta drops deeper alongside Rice to make room for Pablo Fornals, who earns a rare start in an attacking-midfield role, with joint-top goalscorers Said Benrahma and Jarrod Bowen starting out wide in the hope that they can rediscover their best form and inspire Moyes' side to an arguably unlikely three points.

The most controversial decision comes up front, as Moyes has failed to get a tune out of Danny Ings, Gianluca Scamacca and Michail Antonio as the lone striker so far this term, with all three often left isolated in the attack, as displayed in the Hammers' lack of goals this term, with just 26 in 28 games so far.

Therefore, Maxwel Cornet should be handed a rare start as a false nine, as his versatility and attacking qualities suggest that he could perform well in that role, with Kolo Toure labelling him "unbelievable" after his impressive run of form at Burnley last season.

Hopefully, if the Ivorian can drop deeper and get involved in the build-up, the Hammers will look far more dangerous in the final third and perhaps pick up an important result against Marco Silva's side.

Chelsea Could Sign Reece James Clone In "Incredible" £53m Star

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Inter defender Denzel Dumfries this summer and the Dutchman could be a Reece James clone at Stamford Bridge.

Could Chelsea sign Denzel Dumfries?

Fabrizio Romano confirmed earlier this week that the Netherlands international had joined the Wasserman agency in an attempt to force through a summer transfer, with a move to the Premier League his preference.

Romano mentions the interest that was shown by Manchester United and Chelsea in recent months but suggests that the race is very much open for the 26-year-old this summer.

Inter have previously slapped a €60m (£53m) price tag on the versatile defender's head but given the investment we have seen at Stamford Bridge since the arrival of Todd Boehly, this would be a mere drop in the ocean for the Blues if they decided to reignite their interest in Dumfries this summer.

While Malo Gusto was signed from Lyon in the January transfer window as a long-term competitor for James at Stamford Bridge, their respective injury concerns this season suggest that Graham Potter could still be in the market for a more reliable option in his defence.

James has mustered just 12 Premier League appearances due to a number of injury problems, while Gusto was ruled out after picking up a hamstring injury back on loan in Ligue 1, with his last appearance coming in early February. The former has only managed two goal contributions too.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Group E – Chelsea v AC Milan – Stamford Bridge, London, Britain – October 5, 2022 Chelsea’s Reece James acknowledges fans after the match REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Therefore, it is easy to see why Boehly might target a player such as Dumfries, who has been a constant force in Inter's back line so far this campaign, notching one goal and six assists in 24 Serie A appearances.

The former PSV Eindhoven man, like James, has cultivated a reputation as an attacking wing-back, registering five goals and four assists in Italy's top-flight last season.

NBC Sports Editor Joe-Prince Wright perhaps put it best when describing the Dutchman's impressive athletic ability during Euro 2020.

He said: "Denzel Dumfries has been my favourite player at this tournament. Every time you look up he's seemingly surging forward on the right or left. Incredible."

James has shown regular attacking intent since breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge, contributing five goals and nine assists in the Premier League in the 2021/22 campaign, and Dumfries could perhaps do a similarly-impressive job if he is trusted to play instead of the injury-prone Englishman.

FBref suggests that the Inter star scores in the top 1% for non-penalty expected goals and progressive passes received when compared with other full-backs across Europe's top leagues, which emphasises his attacking ability and knack of being in the right place at right time.

Therefore, if Boehly does feel the need to sign another right wing-back this summer, Dumfries could be the ideal candidate.

Arsenal Hit The Jackpot On £12m Gem

It is fair to say that Arsenal supporters were not left overly impressed by the club's transfer dealings in January, with the signing of experienced midfielder, Jorginho, in particular, having gone down like something of a lead balloon.

After weeks of speculation regarding a potential move for Brighton and Hove Albion gem, Moises Caicedo, to then see the Gunners settle for a last-gasp, surprise move for the 31-year-old appeared to some like a mere panic buy, with that arrival sparking little enthusiasm among the Emirates faithful.

Just a few months on, however, that £12m capture from Chelsea now appears to be something of a masterstroke, with the 5 foot 10 maestro having already proven a "superb" addition for Mikel Arteta and co, according to former Highbury hero, Kevin Campbell (talkSPORT, 20/02/2023/, 08:11).

In truth, on the evidence of Jorginho's standout displays since his arrival from Stamford Bridge, it does appear as if the title hopefuls truly did hit the jackpot with the signing of the one-time Napoli ace.

How much is Jorginho worth now?

As pundit Rio Ferdinand predicted, the 47-cap ace has also proven a "shrewd" signing for the north London outfit, notably playing a key role in the vital, comeback win away to Aston Villa last month, after seeing his long-range effort deflect in off the sprawling Emi Martinez.

Speaking after that potentially decisive moment in the title race – which came after a run of three league games without a win – Arteta hailed his new addition as "tremendous" while also suggesting that the Brazil-born gem makes those around him "look better".

The "relentless" machine – as previously lauded by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel – has added further depth and quality to a midfield department that has been stretched at times, with Thomas Partey, in particular, having been hampered by injury during his spell in England.

Arsenal midfielder Jorginho

While Jorginho may not possess the "physicality" of the Ghanaian international, as per talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy, he is still a "world-class" asset in his own right – according to ex-Liverpool man Jose Enrique – with Arsenal likely to be delighted with themselves at pulling off such an astute deal.

As Murphy noted at the time of the signing, the move did look like a "really clever piece of business" due to the relative bargain nature of the £12m fee, with that emphasised by the fact that the former Hellas Verona man is currently said to be worth as much as £30m, according to CIES Football Observatory.

That should indicate that Arteta truly did strike gold by pushing to sign the playmaker in the winter window, with that acquisition potentially set to prove vital in the club's title charge in the remainder of the campaign.

‘Season over’ - Arsenal fans bemoan injury update on ‘Diaby 2.0’

Arsenal fans have been bemoaning the news that Takehiro Tomiyasu left the Emirates Stadium on crutches after getting injured on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: Tomiyasu injured

Tomiyasu was forced off injured in just the ninth minute of their 1-1 draw at home to Sporting in the UEFA Europa League second leg, as he was replaced by Ben White at right-back.

William Saliba was then forced off injured just 12 minutes later in what was an unlucky night for the Gunners injury-wise as well as the scoreline, as they crashed out of the competition on penalties.

Speaking to the media after the game, Mikel Arteta admitted that Tomiyasu’s injury looked ‘pretty serious’ in a worrying assessment:

“Tomi looks pretty serious from what he said to me. Willy I don’t know, he had some discomfort.”

Arsenal reporter for The Evening Standard Simon Collings has since shared an image on social media of Tomiyasu leaving the Emirates on crutches, which does not bode well for the Japan international.

The Latest: Arsenal fans react

Taking to Twitter, Gunners supporters were left fearing the worst for Tomiyasu after seeing him leave on crutches.

They said:

“This really isn’t good. All the best, Tomi!” – @akarsenalnews

“Sell him Diaby 2.0” – @ed1_94

“This brother is made out of glass, speedy recovery” – @muideentemitop

“This hurts me more than getting knocked out of the EL” – @ElDanMan86

“Oh no” – @ifeyeee

“Feels worse then the loss tbh” – @ArseBrosRyan

“He’s on crutches. Season over” – @theodox_dip

“Could be just a precaution but man that doesn’t look good” – @Bibz_14

“Goodness me” – @Tobi2332_

“This might just hurt us” – @sihle_nzima

The Verdict: Frustrating

Tomiyasu’s injury capped off a frustrating night for the North Londoners, as they crashed out of the Europa League via a penalty shootout.

The 24-year-old has had rotten luck with injuries in the past, notably a calf problem keeping him out for a large chunk of last season.

With Ben White very much establishing himself as the left-back for Arsenal as well this season.

Nonetheless, Gunners supporters will be waiting nervously to see the extent of his latest setback, and will be hoping that it is not too serious and that Tomiyasu can have a speedy recovery, with full attention now on Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Harry Kane could be open to signing new Spurs deal

The future of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is not believed to depend on what lies ahead for manager Antonio Conte.There is growing speculation surrounding the future of the England captain with just over a year currently remaining on his deal with the Lilywhites.Reports suggest there is strong interest coming from Manchester United with Erik ten Hag believed to be keen on bringing the 29-year-old to Old Trafford.And the future of the current Spurs boss, Conte, has been raised as a potential factor in the striker’s decision-making ahead of the summer with the Italian set to leave in the coming months.But reliable Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold has claimed the 29-year-old is still open to discussing new terms with his boyhood club and Conte’s future will not affect that.Kane had provided an impressive return of 42 goals and 14 assists in his 74 appearances under Conte since his appointment in late 2021 (via Transfermarkt).Despite this, it seems as if Kane could be open to the idea of playing in north London under a new manager next season.This news was relayed on Twitter and the best of the reactions can be seen below…

Game
Register
Service
Bonus