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Leeds United have had a knack of not replacing their departing stars in recent years.

Chris Wood’s replacement never really came, Pontus Jansson was only replaced by a loan in the shape of Ben White, while Leeds also struggled to get someone in to fill the void left by Lewis Cook.

Luckily, United eventually managed to fill those gaps and Marcelo Bielsa led the club to promotion, but even then the Argentine had to work with a depleted squad.

Kemar Roofe and Samu Saiz were sold before the start of the 2019/20 season, and no suitable replacements were signed with no attacking midfielder brought in and loan failures such as Jean-Kevin Augustin added to the squad in an attempt to replace Roofe.

Fortunately, the wrongs of last summer have been put right this summer as one signing has allowed United to competently replace both Saiz and Roofe in one fell swoop.

Rodrigo has come in for a club-record fee, and he’s already shown one of his key attributes.

The Spaniard hasn’t quite hit the ground running, netting just once in his first four appearances, but he has been gradually improving, scoring and testing the goalkeeper with a stinging shot against Man City. But what has been evident since day one is his versatility.

The Spaniard made his first start as a number 10, coming in after Pablo Hernandez dropped out of the XI with a late injury against Fulham, while he has also shown he can play as a striker, featuring there three times off the bench.

United have been desperate for an accomplished backup in both of those positions ever since Saiz and Roofe left, and while we don’t expect Rodrigo to be a bench warmer after joining for such a hefty fee, his arrival has certainly added much-needed depth to two key positions at the club.

Leeds have finally managed to replace both Saiz and Roofe with this signing.

Chelsea could be edging closer to signing Kai Havertz as Antonio Rudiger plays agent yet again.

According to Christian Falk, the German international is reportedly trying to convince the Bayer Leverkusen star to make the move to Stamford Bridge this summer (via Sport Witness).

Havertz has been linked to plenty of clubs ahead of next season after his impressive run in the Bundesliga. The 21-year-old scored 12 goals in the German top flight this campaign and found the back of the net 17 times across all competitions, contributing a further nine assists (via Transfermarkt).

Chelsea have been named as the favourites to acquire the services of the playmaker as they are perhaps the only club in the position to fork out for his hefty £90m price tag. Havertz also recently told Leverkusen that he wanted to leave the club, which could reveal that a London move on the cards (via Daily Star).

After Chelsea announced the signing of Timo Werner, Rudiger admitted he played a part in his transfer. According to SportBild (via Daily Mail), he helped facilitate the move by talking up the club and ultimately convincing his Germany teammate to join.

With reports claiming that the defender is doing the same thing with fellow German Havertz, recent history could be about to repeat itself.

With the huge buzz around a Chelsea move, it’s no secret that Frank Lampard and co are keen to see the midfielder sign a deal. If Rudiger can convince yet another star to join the Stamford Bridge ranks, he could have an agency job waiting for him once he retires from his playing career.

Do you think Rudiger can convince Havertz to join Chelsea? Join the conversation in the comments below!

According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, most of Leeds United’s signings this summer are likely to come from the English leagues.

What’s the word?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side are heading back to the Premier League next season after an absence of more than 15 years, and the Argentine boss will surely be keen to bring in some reinforcements.

And Hay has suggested that despite scouting numerous players in Bielsa’s Argentina – including the likes of Lucas Martinez Quarta and Thiago Almada, the Whites are planning on signing players from domestic competition.

Is it Haaland Snr or David Hopkins? Your Leeds knowledge will be put to the test with this quiz…



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He said: “Leeds have scouted numerous options in Argentina — including River Plate defender Lucas Martinez Quarta and Velez Sarsfield’s 19-year-old midfielder Thiago Almada — but the bulk of their signings this summer are expected to come from the English leagues. That strategy has worked for Bielsa and Leeds are not keen to deviate from it.

“For Bielsa, Premier League football is not about names or reputations. If, as expected, he agrees to a new contract, the same principles will apply.”

 Greater chance of success

When it comes to signing players from abroad, there’s always that element of risk of whether they can actually settle into the pace and intensity of English football.

But if Leeds are keen on bringing players from either the Premier League or even divisions below that – Hay even said they like the look of Brentford duo Said Benrahma and Ollie Watkins – then it lessens the risk of those new signings not working out.

The likes of Jack Harrison and Ben White have both proven that there is genuine quality to be had from players in the English leagues, and so this is a transfer strategy that makes a lot of sense.

A recent report from the Guardian over the prospective takeover of the club has left fans in a frenzy.

Journalist Sean Ingle claims that the Magpies’ £300m Saudi-funded takeover is in ‘serious doubt’ after the World Trade Organisation ruled that the Middle Eastern country was behind beoutQ – the illegal pirate streaming service that broadcasts sporting events including the Premier League.

And evidently it has left a sore mark on some at St James’ Park…

The WTO report won’t be published until mid-June, which means this process could very much extend into a third month of deliberation.

It is something that the Premier League, who have a lot on their plate already, have to carefully consider given the allegations surrounding the service that illegally streams their matches during a regular season.

The single toughest football logo quiz of all time…

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Their priority in recent weeks has been getting ‘Project Restart’ underway with the next phase expected to be given the go-ahead following the return to training.

However, some believe the PL are merely waiting for further evidence that will allow them to block the deal – the Saudi state have always caused controversy over their laws as well as the situation involving assassinated journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Saudi Arabia are set to take a whopping 80% stake in the northeast sleeping giants should the takeover be given the green light with the other 20% being divided equally between PCP Partners’ Amanda Staveley and the wealthy yet usually anonymous Reuben brothers.

This process has already eaten away a good seven weeks of lockdown life for the Magpies faithful and it’s clearly starting to grate on many at the club as seen by the following reaction.

It may only get worse for them given this appears set to drag on into June.

While plenty of Magpies supporters are already giving up, it still does indeed remain to be seen whether the Premier League will approve the £300m takeover.

Only time will tell.

AND in other news, Report: Pochettino close to Newcastle job, wants £100m SUPERSTAR to join with him…

Pierre van Hoojidonk has said that he had talks with Glasgow Rangers manager Dick Advocaat during his time in Scotland.

However, the former Dutch striker claimed that he could not make the move to Ibrox due to his connections with Celtic.

The Netherlands international had a fantastic record with the Hoops, scoring 52 goals in 84 appearances in just over two years, but that came during a barren spell for them in which they won just one trophy, the Scottish Cup, during his time in Glasgow.

The former Nottingham Forest player was talking on the Lockdown Tactics Podcast and recalled the time Advocaat had tried to take him to Ibrox. He said:

“I was on the phone with [Dick] Advocaat during that period.

“Arthur [Numan] had just signed and Dick was going to be the manager.

“Dick called me and said ‘Come on, come to Rangers.’

“I said ‘Dick, you don’t know what it is like. You have no clue. If you say this you don’t have a clue’.

“I met him a couple of years ago after that moment at Celtic Park when I went to see Celtic vs Rangers and he said ‘I understand completely why you said no.”

The ‘Gers were already a side packed full of talent at the time, with the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Brian Laudup and Ally McCoist already available. Adding a striker with the ability of Van Hooijdonk to the squad would have been, quite frankly, unfair to the rest of the competition.

Of course, he could never make the switch directly across the divide – the hatred between the two is just too strong. Still, fair play to Advocaat for having the bravery to make the approach!

‘Gers fans, would you like to have had Van Hooijdonk at Ibrox or was he right to turn down a move to the club? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

So, Everton fans, with football postponed indefinitely, how will you pass the time?

Unfortunately we don’t have an alternative as great as the beautiful game to offer you, but we do have a short-term fix that might just keep you busy enough to combat those Toffees withdrawal symptoms.

This Everton quiz comes with a simple premise. We show you a picture of a footballer, and you tell us whether they did or did not once play for the Goodison Park outfit.

Don’t be fooled though – this piece of trivia will be a real test of your Toffees knowledge, separating fair-weather fans from those who genuinely bleed blue.

And which of those categories do you fall into? Well, the only way to find out is by taking our quiz and sharing your score on social media so you can compare your knowledge with fellow supporters.

So, what are you waiting for? Give it a go now…

Leeds United took on Liverpool on November 4th 2000 and a new hero was born: Mark Viduka.

The Australian ace, a burly, barrelling striker, scored all four goals as the Elland Road side won 4-3, downing an entertaining Reds side in the process.

This was the year when Liverpool, under Gerard Houllier, were absolutely superb, taking it upon themselves to single-handedly provide football with every memorable moment. They won the UEFA Cup in a final containing nine goals; they won the FA Cup with a sensational late turn-around against Arsenal; they won the League Cup on penalties. They even threatened to win the league in stages.

As for Leeds, the first throes of the 21st century saw them ramp up their ambition to unchartered heights. Already blessed with a brilliant nucleus of young players they had little hesitation in breaking the British transfer record for Rio Ferdinand, additionally bringing in Oliver Dacourt from France and, of course, Viduka.

In December they further added to an already fearsome frontline by loaning in Robbie Keane from Inter Milan and if their third-place finish the previous May had revealed they meant business they now clearly had a title in their sights.

True of False: Do you know these Premier League records?

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It was inevitable, then, that this clash was going to be a ferociously competed, highly engaging contest.

Sami Hyypia broke the deadlock early with a glanced header and then on 18 minutes Christian Ziege –sporting the worst haircut since peroxide was invented – doubled the visitor’s lead. Viduka pulled one back shortly after and it was very much game on.

As impressive a squad as Leeds had it was to their enormous credit that David O’Leary’s men didn’t crumble after falling two behind. They were, after all, ravaged with injuries.

Ten starters were unavailable and on the bench sat four debutants with the fifth spot not taken. There was an extra dimension of resilience to the celebrations, then, when their Australian striker headed home an equaliser just after the break.

Now it was Liverpool’s turn to receive credit. Having seen their lead snatched away, Vladimir Smicer restored it on the hour mark with a neatly dispatched finish. This time it lasted barely ten minutes before Viduka was at it again, controlling a strong pass on the edge of the box and confusing Patrick Berger with an unorthodox turn before firing home a third.

The game had only just resumed when a simple through ball had Viduka one-on-one with Sander Westerveld but hampered by a wide-angle. A deft flick saw the ball nestle into the far corner and carnage ensued, with Leeds sealing a 4-3 win.

What happened next?

Liverpool completed a famous treble, entertaining one and all along the way. Their incredible season was tainted, however, with the sad news of Joe Fagan’s passing at the age of 80. Their former manager had also guided the Reds to three trophies back in 1984.

Leeds were very much a team on the up, finishing fourth in the Premier League and surprising the continent by reaching the semi-final of the Champions League. Surely it only got better from there, right?

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

As the likes of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Raheem Sterling, amongst others, develop into some of the most prolific forwards in world football, the emphasis on wingers becoming goal-scoring machines has grown exponentially.

This season for example, the trio have already struck 11, 9 and 14 times respectively, and have become key figures for their respective sides when it comes to finding the back of the net. But whilst they have an incredible goal-scoring record, they have not abandoned the need to keep their teammates involved, with each of0 key passes and crosses: Man Utd star desperately needs to be less selfish – opinion them providing five assists.

Manchester United star Marcus Rashford appears to have found his home on the left-wing in recent weeks, particularly after the return from injury of Anthony Martial. The England international has three goals in his past four Premier League games, but there are still some major areas for improvement – most notably, the way he can get the best out of his fellow attackers for both club and country.

As per Transfermarkt, in the 75 games he has played in his club career on either the left or right flanks, he has provided just 14 assists – a ratio of just over one in six. His pace and directness – he has a career average of 1.4 dribbles per game – invariably means he can beat opposition players one on one, but lets himself down by opting more often than not to go for goal than pass.

Whilst his shots per game are up at two per game throughout his time in football, his key passes and crosses are down at a measly 0.8 and 0.3. And on Thursday night against Montenegro, Rashford had the perfect opportunity to show that he has more to his game than simply scoring goals from the wing. Unfortunately for the 22-year-old, he failed to show those characteristics.

As per Sofascore, his 6.5 match rating was the worst of any England player – that despite him scoring. He completed just three of his eight attempted dribbles, but even more worryingly, only tried one cross (which wasn’t successful), and provided no key passes whatsoever. Compare that to Ben Chilwell who was playing directly behind him at left-back, who managed five key passes and three accurate crosses.

If you needed a snapshot of the kind of selfishness that Rashford needs to tone down slightly, then look no further than his barn-storming run in the first-half, only for him to fire for goal instead of looking for the better option in the free man in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to his right.

So whilst the United academy product has been in fine goal-scoring form, he desperately needs to add a more team-oriented game to his style of play.

Leeds United kept the heat on the Championship leaders with a victory over Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, but it was no easy feat.

Marcelo Bielsa needed a 90th-minute own goal from Matty Pearson to ensure all three points returned with them back to Yorkshire.

The Whites are now unbeaten in six matches and overtook Preston North End to move into second spot, two points behind West Bromwich Albion.

Patrick Bamford opened the scoring with his sixth goal of the season before James Collins headed home an Izzy Brown cross just a few minutes later to tie things up.

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The 26-year-old then got the final touch before the ball was turned into the net for the late winner – he’s since been trying to claim it for himself.

Leeds have often been faced with injuries this season and this game was no different, as such, Bielsa named central midfielder Stuart Dallas at left-back and fans were rather impressed with his performance.

One supporter claimed only Ben White could beat him for a potential Player of the Season award with another labelling him as a ‘real diamond.’

He also drew comparisons to Roberto Carlos and Cafu while a further fan believed he was ‘absolutely class.’

Here’s the best of the reaction:

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

This week Leeds United fans have been complaining on Twitter that the football the club have been playing this season isn’t at the standard it was this time last term.

However, Marcelo Bielsa has been quick to refute those complaints as he stated in his press conference that his team have actually improved from 2018/19.

Somebody has to be wrong, so we’re going to explore whether or not Leeds’ start to this term is in fact better than their first 13 games last season.

The first thing to note is that numerically, Leeds are actually in a better place than they were this time last year as they sit one point better off after 13 games.

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However, the fans’ complaints weren’t about the results, they were about the manner in which their team are picking up points.

You have to say, Leeds aren’t winning in such a convincing fashion this time around.

United had won five games by two or more goals at this stage of last season including impressive victories against eventual champions Norwich City and playoff finalists Derby County.

This term, the Whites have won just four of their games by at least a two-goal margin, with three of those wins coming against teams battling it out nearer to the bottom of the table in Stoke, Wigan and Barnsley.

The Yorkshire club’s recent woes in front of goal have caused concern as well. Bielsa’s side haven’t scored more than one goal in any of their last six Championship games.

Curiously, Leeds went on a very similar run this time last year as they failed to find a second goal for five games in a row starting with their 2-1 loss to Birmingham.

Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…

The reality seems to be that Leeds fans are looking back on their early form last term with rose-tinted glasses.

Supporters are seemingly comparing their current run to their first five or six games of the 2018/19 campaign rather than their first 13.

The side are having slightly bigger problems in terms of finding the net this year, but due to their defensive rigidity, they’ve still been able to grind out results – conceding the fewest goals in the division.

Both parties have a point, but Bielsa is probably right, Leeds are slightly more impressive this year than last.

However, the Elland Road faithful will always look back on those first few matches under the Argentine as the barometer against which all future performances are measured, and that just isn’t a fair reflection of how the club played for the majority of the time last term.