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Leeds United could have a genuine chance of signing a player with a £50 million valuation on a permanent deal, according to reporter Phil Hay.

Leeds eyeing promotion push…

Following their relegation last term, Leeds could've collectively been forgiven for finding themselves in a difficult place regarding morale this season; nevertheless, Daniel Farke has made a positive impact at Elland Road and has formed a side that looks likely to contend for promotion from the Sky Bet Championship.

In their last six matches, Leeds United have won five and lost one, with their only defeat coming against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium in late October, leaving the Whites with 28 points from their opening 15 league fixtures. Ipswich Town occupy second place in the Sky Bet Championship as they continue to go from strength to strength under Kieran McKenna however, making it a difficult task for the Whites to gain access to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Continuing to build momentum will be key for Farke and company, who will be keen to ensure his side claim three points at home to Plymouth Argyle on Saturday to close the gap between themselves and the Tractor Boys.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Farke isn't underestimating Plymouth Argyle's threat, as he stated via BBC Sport: "We have to be more spot on for this game than we were for the Leicester match. For me, two situations in the season are really important. One is when you have a setback, how you react. We have had this already this season and we have reacted in a good manner with performances and results."

Now, The Athletic journalist Hay has indicated that the 49ers could be in with a chance of being able to land a high-profile player on a permanent deal at Elland Road.

Leeds could land Joe Rodon in permanent deal

Speaking on the Square Ball Podcast, Hay has suggested that Leeds could land loanee Joe Rodon on a permanent deal despite initially being told when enquiring about the Wales international in the summer that he would cost in the region of £50 million.

Joe Rodon's statistics in 2023/24 for Leeds United – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

12

Goals

0

Assists

0

Hay stated: "I don’t think that’s at all unlikely (Rodon joining permanently). I don’t know about January, but I think at some point in the future. Given the way he’s played, he looks like a very steady addition.

"When Leeds first got in touch with Tottenham about him, they were told he would cost £50million, that was his asking price. Leeds said ‘Listen, we just can’t do that, so thank you very much and goodbye’. Then Spurs got back in touch to say ‘Actually, you could just have him on loan for a season'.

"I would have thought, the way he’s played so far, that he’ll be very much in Farke’s mind as someone who would be an advantage to keep beyond this season."

Making an average of 3.8 clearances and 1.3 interceptions per game in the Sky Bet Championship, Rodon looks to be a solid piece of business from Leeds and signing him on a permanent could be a very wise move if the price comes down a touch (Rodon statistics – WhoScored).

Manchester City regularly cast the net to try and acquire upcoming talent and Pep Guardiola now looks to have an exciting prospect in his sights at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report.

Manchester City transfer updates…

Manchester City are never far away when it comes to conversations surrounding top players potentially moving to the cream of the crop in English football, with Guardiola known to have a keen eye for talent. This summer, Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic were all brought to the Etihad Stadium and it is fair to say that all have made some form of tangible impact for the Premier League champions when called upon, albeit to varying degrees.

Nevertheless, further surgery to the Cityzens' squad is likely in January as they aim to once again compete on multiple fronts for silverware. According to reports in Spain via Sport Witness, Girona loanee Savinho is attracting interest from La Liga giants Barcelona; however, Manchester City will be given priority if they wish to sign the 19-year-old, whose parent club is Ligue 2 outfit Troyes.

Of course, both Troyes and Girona are involved with the City Football Group, which, in turn, allows Manchester City to monitor a vast network of players from around the globe as they look to maximise their reach and appeal toward young stars. Despite this, the Sky Blues also have enormous influence in the wider market and sent scouts to watch Napoli superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia during Georgia's 3-1 defeat away to Spain in EURO 2024 qualifying, as per 90min.

Now, a fresh claim has indicated that Manchester City are now well in the running to sign a talented young star from the other side of the world.

Manchester City's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Liverpool (H)

Etihad Stadium

Champions League

RB Leipzig (H)

Etihad Stadium

Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur (H)

Etihad Stadium

Premier League

Aston Villa (A)

Villa Park

Premier League

Luton Town (A)

Kenilworth Road

Manchester City keen on Matheus Reis

According to a report from Calciomercato, Manchester City are in the hunt to sign Fluminense's young striker Matheus Reis, who is attracting interest from a whole host of clubs alongside both Mexico and Brazil's international sides, with both keen to get him onboard.

At club level, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are also keen on the 16-year-old, who is compared to both Gabriel Jesus and Marcos Leonardo in the copy. Reis is said to have a €50 million (£44 million) release clause inserted into his current contract at Brazilian giants Fluminense.

Reis is yet to make a senior appearance in his fledgling career; however, he has been capped nine times by Brazil's Under-17 side, registering a solitary goal against Uruguay Under-17's (Reis statistics – Transfermarkt).

Looking ahead, it will be intriguing to see if Manchester City can land Reis amid stiff competition for his services and turn him into a potential star of the future at the Etihad Stadium.

Aston Villa have been impressive so far in the Premier League and reporter Dean Jones has given some insight as to where Unai Emery could look to strengthen his squad in January.

Aston Villa draw at Bournemouth…

On Sunday, Aston Villa looked set to fall to their first defeat in five games away to Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, with strikes from Antoine Semenyo and Dominic Solanke cancelling out a reply from Leon Bailey.

However, as he so often does, Villans striker Ollie Watkins popped up in the dying embers of the clash with a headed goal to secure a potentially vital point in his side's hunt for continental qualification, subsequently ensuring that Emery's men remained inside the top four as they delve deeper into a congested run of festive fixtures.

Speaking to the Villans' official website in the aftermath of the match, the Spaniard praised his side's resilience as they salvaged something from proceedings, saying:

"It’s not the worst result but it’s not the best result. In 90 minutes with the way we played and the demands they made of us, I think it’s a good point. We have to accept it and continue trying to build a team. We are in our process and now we have 29 points. We were losing 2-1 at the end and we drew."

"It’s important to feel it’s a good point. We’re thankful to our supporters for being here with us, and now we’re excited to play again on Wednesday at home with them, trying to continue being strong like we are."

Next up, Aston Villa take on the might of Premier League champions Manchester City at Villa Park on Wednesday evening in what is arguably the biggest test of their capabilities so far this campaign.

Aston Villa's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Premier League

Manchester City (H)

Villa Park

Premier League

Arsenal (H)

Villa Park

Europa Conference League

Zrinjski Mostar (A)

Stadion pod Bijelim brijegom

Premier League

Brentford (A)

Gtech Community Stadium

Premier League

Sheffield United (H)

Villa Park

Come January, being able to bring in new arrivals could be crucial to their chances of being able to achieve success this campaign and reporter Jones has given an indication as to where owners NSWE may look to bolster Emery's ranks.

Dean Jones on Aston Villa transfer activity

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Jones has signalled that Aston Villa could look to bring in a striker and a left-back in January to help beef up Emery's squad in an exciting claim.

"There's no way that Watkins is not starting nine games out of ten. They will look at an attacking presence, and then there'll be other areas of that pitch that they look to influence. think the midfield seems in pretty good shape, but defensively, left-back is talked about, and I think it seems like the position Villa always seem to turn to when there's potential for a new signing. The left-back position seems to always come onto the radar. But I think they’ll make one or two signings for sure."

Especially in the case of a player as important as Watkins, we all know how one injury can derail the entire structure of a side and limit their goalscoring threat. At left-back, Alex Moreno has now returned from a hamstring injury and is available for selection; however, it would make sense to ensure Aston Villa bring in additional cover across both fronts in the New Year.

Newcastle United are in the midst of an injury crisis right now but have still managed to pick up some huge wins in the Premier League, particularly Saturday's 1-0 victory at home to Manchester United.

Eddie Howe has had to bandage his team up, but those who walk over the white line have certainly stepped up to the plate as of late for the head coach, having picked up massive results in recent weeks against the likes of the Red Devils, Arsenal, Chelsea and even Paris Saint-Germain.

The defence, in particular, has been left bruised and battered with injuries as Dan Burn, Matt Targett, Sven Botman and Nick Pope are all sidelined with long-term problems, meaning Newcastle's defence is quite a makeshift one.

Nevertheless, the back four have done really well so far, and one player in particular has exceeded expectations.

Tino Livramento's stats this season

Tino Livramento joined Newcastle United during the summer for £40m following Southampton's relegation from the Premier League. However, given the form of Kieran Trippier and Burn either side of the centre-backs, the young defender struggled to break into the first-team.

Heading into November, Livramento's only start for the Geordie outfit came in a 1-0 win at home to Manchester City in the EFL Cup back in September, although his display was certainly impressive.

Club legend Malcolm Macdonald called Livramento "faultless" throughout the game and admitted that Howe needed to find a place in the starting lineup for the exciting fullback, although it wasn't until Burn's injury that Livramento had the opportunity to shine for the Magpies, albeit at left-back.

Nevertheless, after a string of stellar performances on the left, the 21-year-old has made the position his own.

In fact, Livramento is outperforming Burn in a number of key metrics this season, meaning the latter could struggle to reclaim his starting place in the team upon returning from injury.

Assists

0.13

0

Expected Assists

0.07

0.02

Progressive Passes

4.36

3.16

Key Passes

0.91

0.23

Passes To Penalty Area

0.91

0.38

Passes To Final 1/3

2.91

2.93

Crosses

1.2

0.67

Progressive Carries

2.91

0.6

Tackles

2.91

1.73

Tackles Won

2.13

0.96

Interceptions

1.47

0.81

Errors

0

0.08

Livramento could have been seen as a long-term replacement for Trippier who is now on the wrong side of 30, but with the Chelsea academy product finding his feet on the left, perhaps another player in Howe's ranks could be his successor.

Harrison Ashby's stats this season

Livramento wasn't the only fullback Newcastle United bought this year. The club also managed to secure the services of Harrison Ashby from West Ham United for a reported £3m back in January.

Ashby was highly rated at West Ham United, with former captain Mark Noble even claiming that the wide defender has a "real physical stature". The 22-year-old had made seven appearances in all competitions for the Hammers over the past three seasons but appeared merely twice last term before making the switch to the Mags.

Nonetheless, after a handful of appearances in the Premier League 2 with Newcastle's U21s, Ashby was sent out on loan to Swansea City at the beginning of the current campaign. It's been a tricky season for the Swans, who recently sacked head coach Michael Duff, but Ashby is still playing plenty of first-team football, making 13 appearances so far, including 11 in the Championship.

Ashby has a bright future ahead of him and with Livramento looking likely to hold onto his left-back berth long into the future, the Swansea loanee could come for Trippier's place over the coming seasons, with the latter turning 34 next year.

Trippier is still outperforming Ashby by a large margin in attack but the young defender has performed quite well defensively in comparison to the England international.

Assists

0.12

0.51

Expected Assists

0.05

0.36

Progressive Passes

1.69

7.33

Key Passes

0.39

3.04

Passes To Penalty Area

0.65

2.07

Passes To Final 1/3

1.69

4.81

Crosses

3.37

8.32

Progressive Carries

1.3

1.85

Tackles

3.25

1.63

Tackles Won

2.44

0.88

Interceptions

2.33

0.88

Errors

0.13

0.07

Trippier is one of the best attacking fullbacks in the world so it'll always be difficult for a young player to reach his heights. However, Ashby is playing regular first-team football for the first time in his career and his numbers are certainly encouraging.

Former Swansea manager Duff even admitted that Ashby came to the Swansea.com Stadium with a "really positive character reference" from Trippier, whom the coach played with at Burnley for a few seasons before retiring.

Perhaps Howe may look to implement him into the team next season, handing Trippier a few nights off, with an eye to having a permanent changing of the guard between the pair.

A "really strong" Rangers player could be set to leave the club in the near future, according to an update regarding potential interest in him.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers weren't even in Scottish Premiership action over the weekend, due to Scottish League Cup final commitments, but that doesn't mean they still haven't had something to shout about in the league.

Celtic's defeat at home to Hearts means Philippe Clement's side are only five points adrift of their rivals but have two games in hand, meaning they can reach the summit if they win both of those matches.

Some January transfer business could certainly aid Rangers in their quest for a first league title since 2020/21, and a number of players have been spoken of a possible signings. Everton pair Ben Godfrey and Mason Holgate have both been sounded out as options for Clement, with the duo possibly capable of making the Scottish giants even stronger defensively.

There is always a chance that players could leave Ibrox, however, should they not be earning the playing time they expect, and an exit update has now emerged.

Adam Devine could leave Rangers

According to The Daily Record, MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps are interested in signing Rangers youngster Adam Devine.

"Rangers starlet Adam Devine has emerged as a potential target for MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps. The Scotland Under-21 international signed a new deal at Ibrox last year to keep him with the Light Blues until 2025 but has featured just once this season in the Viaplay Cup opening round against Morton at the start of the season.

"Boyhood fan Devine has been living the dream at Ibrox but might be forced to consider his options in search of regular first team football."

It has clearly been a frustrating season for Devine to date, and as the report mentions, his solitary appearance came all the way back in August, meaning he is yet to play a single minute under Clement.

Granted, the defender is still only 20 years of age, so can't necessarily be expected to walk into the starting lineup regularly – James Tavernier is a star man who is difficult to budge – so he may consider a move away next month, seeing it as a good chance to kick on in his career.

Devine, described as making "excellent progress" by former Ibrox chief Ross Wilson last year, is a talented prospect, however, and Michael Beale was an admirer of his during his time as Rangers manager, once even joking that he could oust Tavernier in the team:

"It’s early days for Adam but I don't think he’s looked phased. Tonight, in an attacking sense, in the first half he got into really good areas but the young boy on the wing for them caused him one or two issues as well. I got into him a bit at half-time and I thought he had a really strong second half. You’ve got to remember, he’s playing on the wrong side as well. I think he’ll jump up another 20-25 percent if he’s at right back. So maybe our captain needs to look over his shoulder!"

Clement must now unleash Rangers' £22k-p/w "god given" gem

Rangers can win their first League Cup since 2011 when they face Aberdeen today

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 17, 2023

It seems clear that Clement doesn't currently see Devine as part of his plans, however, so if all parties feel an Ibrox departure makes the most sense, it is a transfer that should be looked at in January.

Nuno Espirito Santo's first game in charge of Nottingham Forest takes place this weekend as in-form Bournemouth travel to the City Ground.

Forest go into the game off the back of another disappointing defeat, as they lost 2-0 to Spurs at home, which ultimately saw Steve Cooper lose his job.

A run of poor performances that stretches back to September has put the Reds 17th in the Premier League, with just three wins from 17 matches, and the Garibaldi faithful will be hoping that their new boss can inspire the side and start with a bang.

Luckily, Santo has almost a full squad available to choose from, ensuring that he could make three changes from the loss to Spurs.

1 GK – Matt Turner

Despite not playing a game for Forest in the whole of November, Matt Turner seems to have become the number-one choice again over the last two weeks. The American is expected to start in between the sticks once again this weekend.

2 RCB – Willy Boly

Willy Boly will link up with his former Wolves boss again, and he should keep his spot in a right centre-back role. The 32-year-old has started 12 games this season, and he will be hoping to use his aerial strength in the opposition box.

3 CB – Murillo

The 21-year-old has featured in every game since his debut in October, and he should start once again this weekend. Murillo will look to progress play and pick up his third clean sheet of the season.

4 LCB – Moussa Niakhate

Niakhate's position in the starting XI depends on whether Felipe is fit enough to start, but given that the Brazilian is set to undergo a late fitness test, the number 19 may be preferred. The Senegal international has only kept one clean sheet this season, which came in his player-of-the-match performance against Aston Villa.

5 RWB/RM – Serge Aurier

Neco Williams started last weekend in the absence of Aurier, but the ex-Spurs player could return to the side after suffering from an injury. The 30-year-old was fighting to be fit for last weekend's game, so he should be ready for Bournemouth.

6 CM – Orel Mangala

The Belgian midfielder has started all but one game this season, and he will keep his place at the heart of Forest's midfield. Mangala has failed to form a relationship with teammates this season due to rotation, but the number five has been a mainstay in the team.

7 CM – Ibrahim Sangare

Sangare has only started ten games this season under Cooper, but with a new boss in charge, his Forest career could finally take off. The ex-PSV star is set to take a late fitness test after being out with an Adductor strain, but if he is fit, he should walk into the starting XI – ensuring that Ryan Yates is among those to make way.

8 LWB/LM – Harry Toffolo

Nuno does have options in this role in the form of Williams and Ola Aina, but Harry Toffolo should be given the nod this weekend. The 28-year-old is Forest's joint top assister this season, and he will look to create in the final third on Saturday.

9 RW – Morgan Gibbs-White

The Reds star has featured in every game this season, but he has only registered one goal and two assists. He will look to re-connect with his former manager, who gave him his breakthrough at Wolves, and the boss will start the number ten this weekend.

10 ST – Chris Wood

After scoring a brace versus Luton in October, Chris Wood has failed to score in his last six games for Forest. However, with Taiwo Awoniyi out injured, the 32-year-old should come back into the fold after the experiment of playing without a centre-forward last time out failed to pay off.

A "reliable" goalscorer at Burnley – as described by pundit Gary Neville – Wood could well start firing again under the new regime.

Despite spending Christmas Day atop the Premier League tree, it has been a pitiful couple of weeks for Arsenal, in which they have lost three games on the bounce.

While there are often multiple reasons a team goes through a poor patch, with the Gunners, it is painfully obvious what is letting them down: their attack.

Mikel Arteta's front line have been misfiring for much of the season, but the performances against West Ham United and Liverpool at the Emirates were perhaps the worst games the attack have had in quite some time.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

The good news for Arteta and the Arsenal faithful is that the latest player touted for a move to N5 has been scoring for fun this season: Bournemouth's Dominic Solanke.

Arsenal transfer news – Dominic Solanke

According to the Daily Star, Arsenal are still on the lookout for a new striker this January, and while Brentford's Ivan Toney remains a player they are keen on, Bournemouth's Solanke is another number nine that they would like to bring to north London.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, this won't be a cheap deal to complete, with the Mirror reporting that any move for the former Liverpool striker will cost at least £50m, which would represent a serious investment for a winter signing.

That said, for a striker who has 12 goals and one assist in 19 Premier League appearances this season, he could prove to be worth every penny for a title-chasing Gunners side.

Moreover, club legend Thierry Henry seems to be a fan of the Englishman, telling Amazon Prime (via the Metro): "I guess it was a bit too much when he was younger. But what he is doing right now is brilliant."

Arsenal could sign £60m “pace monster” to rival Saka

Arsenal could sign a £60m Premier League star to provide competition for places in attack.

ByMatt Dawson Jan 8, 2024 Why Dominic Solanke could unlock Arsenal's attack

Now, last season proved that Arsenal's attack is not to be taken lightly; from Gabriel Martinelli to Eddie Nketiah, practically every attacker at the club played their part in running Manchester City close for the title, but it just wasn't enough. Indeed, their top four scorers, Martinelli included alongside Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard all netted double figures in 2022/23.

Unfortunately, the attack hasn't been able to produce the same output this season, and the need for a clinical number nine has been painfully obvious, which is precisely where Solanke could come in.

The 26-year-old has already reached double figures for the season and looks set to breach the 20 goals a season mark, which is only made all the more impressive considering he is doing it for a Cherries side that many had tipped for relegation just a couple of months ago.

In comparison, Jesus has scored just three league goals, Martinelli has scored twice, Saka has found the back of the net six times, and Nketiah has scored five goals.

So the "predatory" number nine, as described by Soccer Saturday pundit Kris Boyd, has the Arsenal attackers beaten when it comes to pure goalscoring, but how do his underlying numbers stack up to the Gunners' recognised strikers?

Well, given his performances this season, it shouldn't come as a surprise to see that the "complete" Solanke, as described by his manager Andoni Iraola, comes out on top in most striker-related metrics.

Goals

0.64

0.29

0.46

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.60

0.60

0.43

Shots on Target

1.12

1.35

0.93

Goals per Shot on Target

0.52

0.21

0.50

Aerial Duels Won

2.13

0.96

1.57

The Cherries ace has a better non-penalty expected goals and assists figure than Nketiah, and while Jesus has more shots on target per 90, Solanke has a far better conversion ratio than the Brazilian. Likewise, his propensity to win aerial duels would add an extra layer to Arsenal's attack.

Ultimately, while it would cost the club a significant amount of money if Arteta is serious about ending Arsenal's two-decade title drought, he should be pushing for this transfer.

Tottenham are now believed to be speaking with a club over signing one "fascinating" player amid their pursuit of Genoa star Radu Dragusin.

Postecoglou eyeing early January deals

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has previously spoke of his desire to get January signings done and dusted early in the window, as it will give them time to truly bed into the first team.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

"Obviously if we can do business early it's great for us, not just because of losing [Cristian] Romero but there's a whole month there – why waste it?," said Postecoglou on January transfers last year.

"If you can bring them in early, even if they don't play you can bed them into training and our style of football because it's not like we're going to sign somebody and they'll hit the ground running. Maybe they could.

"Whereas if you leave it towards the end of January, it's potentially not until mid to end of February when they get up to speed, depending where they're coming from, the league they're coming from. So there's a whole lot of moving parts."

The north Londoners are believed to be chasing a new centre-back, midfielder and winger before the window closes, but another defensive option is thought to be taking real priority right now.

Spurs are reportedly advancing in talks for Dragusin, who would strengthen Postecoglou's backline to no end after injuries to both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero this season.

While both of the aforementioned are expected back soon, their absences have exposed Tottenham's real lack of depth at centre-back and more options are definitely needed at the club.

The same can be said out wide, as injuries to the likes of Manor Solomon, Ivan Perisic and James Maddison have left Spurs short of alternative attacking options to their usual starters. One player who's been repeatedly linked with a move to north London is former Celtic star Jota.

Tottenham could look to sign Jota on loan this window, according to reliable media sources like The Telegraph, with journalist Graeme Bailey now sharing an update on their interest for HITC.

Spurs now in contact with Al-Ittihad over Jota signing

According to his information, Spurs are in contact with Al-Ittihad over a deal for Jota as they also look to seal an agreement for Dragusin this window.

They are actively pursuing a move for the 24-year-old, according to Bailey, and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is ready to back Postecoglou with further signings after Dragusin.

Date of birth – March 30, 1999

Hometown – Lisboa

Position – Left-winger

Height – 1.75m

Career goals – 42

Career assists – 37

Jota is apparently anxious to leave Al-Ittihad after barely featuring for the Saudi side, so this move could be one which suits all parties. Called a "fascinating" player by journalist Josh Bunting, the Portuguese bagged 11 goals and 11 assists in the SPFL over his final campaign for Celtic before joining Al-Ittihad.

During his time in Amsterdam, Erik ten Hag led Ajax all the way to the semifinals of the Champions League, claiming the scalps of Real Madrid and Juventus along the way. Only a dramatic last-minute goal from Tottenham's Lucas Moura in the second leg could deny them a place in the showpiece.

When Ten Hag arrived at Manchester United last year, he reunited with one of the components of that side in Donny van de Beek, signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020, but things haven't worked out for the midfielder at Old Trafford, and he's now joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan. Andre Onana, the goalkeeper from that Ajax team, will hope to have better luck in the Premier League after Ten Hag brought him to Manchester last summer.

Now it seems that the United boss is eyeing another of his former stars, this time at the back, with a lack of playing time presenting an opportunity.

De Ligt frustration could present United chance

According to Sky Sport Germany, Ten Hag is "very interested" in signing Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich. Any move will depend on the former staying in the job – United are currently struggling in seventh place – but De Ligt could become "one of the top transfer targets" in the summer if he can survive.

Bayern have recently signed Eric Dier from Tottenham and they want another centre-back too, with PSG's Nordi Mukiele and Barcelona's Ronald Araujo both mentioned. De Ligt is concerned that he could become the fourth-choice in his position if one of those player arrives, and that means a transfer "is not out of the question".

De Ligt used to idolise Ronaldo

De Ligt left Ajax at the end of the aforementioned season to join Juventus in a €86m deal, and then spent three years in Turin before Bayern acquired him for €67m. Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard talked it up as a "monster" signing, having seen De Ligt make the World XI and UEFA Team of the Year on the back of his success in the Netherlands.

He justified that initial hype by earning a spot in the Bundesliga Team of the Season in his first year, but this year he's undeniably fell down the pecking order. While he's missed six league matches through injury, he's only started four of the 10 for which he has been available.

A move to United is likely to appeal, firstly on the basis that he's had success with Ten Hag before. Speaking in 2022, De Ligt described his former boss as "a really good trainer" who "has a lot of qualities".

But beyond that, there may be a sentimental draw too for a player who idolised Cristiano Ronaldo as a child, "especially in his time when he played at Manchester United". De Ligt says his first football shirt was a Red Devils top with the Portuguese's name on the back, and he may have the chance to wear the strip himself before long, albeit at the other end of the pitch.

Liverpool withheld a spirited showing from Fulham to advance to the Carabao Cup final at Craven Cottage, with the 1-1 draw enough after Marco Silva's side lost 2-1 in the reverse leg two weeks ago.

Jurgen Klopp made several alterations to the side that dismantled Bournemouth in the Premier League last weekend but Liverpool proved their ability to compete across multiple fronts with an energetic and positive display.

There might have been a bit of a storm to weather in the closing phase but fears were eased early on after Luis Diaz's strike provided his side with a two-goal cushion on aggregate.

Luis Diaz's game vs Fulham in numbers

Diaz has ebbed and flowed this season, with his lack of prolificness handing detractors some substance in their arguments that he is flattering to deceive, but the Colombian is a real menace down that left channel and proved his worth in a crucial contest.

As per Sofascore, Diaz was a veritable livewire on the Fulham pitch, and having opened the scoring after ten minutes, he completed 84% of his passes, made three key passes, succeeded with all three of his attempted dribbles, won ten duels and drew three fouls, a thorn in the sides of the host defenders.

The 27-year-old will be well aware that his numbers need to improve but he brings so much electricity to Klopp's team and produced a complete performance in attack against Fulham.

His goal, while taking a deflection and raising questions around Bernd Leno's failure to palm the ball away, was a nice way to cap a combative and enterprising effort, served by centre-back Jarell Quansah, who might just have been Liverpool's biggest winner from a joyous evening in the capital.

Jarell Quansah's performance vs Fulham

Quansah, aged 20, was plying his trade in League One with Bristol Rovers last season, now rising to the fore as one of Anfield's most exciting academy graduates in years.

Partnership Virgil van Dijk last night, the 6 foot 5 titan was composed and commanding in the backline and complemented his defensive efforts with the wonderful pass for Diaz to control and score from.

Taking 77 touches, Quansah completed 82% of his passes and succeeded with his one attempted dribble, though most impressively he made a whopping seven clearances to smash danger away from Caoimhin Kelleher's goal.

Liverpool World journalist Will Rooney certainly noticed the rising talent's display, handing him a healthy 8/10 match rating and writing: 'Excellent diagonal ball would provide the assist for Diaz's opener and he was solid throughout. Made one big block to keep out Palhinha in the closing stages.'

Praised for his "exceptional" display by The Athletic's James Pearce, Quansah looks every bit the established star in Klopp's system and his aerial delivery for Diaz's deflected strike means that he boasts a goal and three assists from just 16 senior outings for the Reds.

A tad unlucky to unwittingly divert the ball that handed Diop the equaliser, Quansah is showcasing his calibre as a high-class defensive prospect, and was crucial in ensuring that Liverpool move to the last stage of their bid for a first slice of silverware this season.