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Despite Manchester United’s pending move to sign Bryan Mbeumo, it appears as though the hierarchy look set to continue their hunt for added depth within the forward attacking department.

With Matheus Cunha already the first player through the doors at Old Trafford this summer, the Brentford ace looks set to be the next player to join the Brazilian.

This comes after the Red Devils placed a £60m bid for the 25-year-old attacker, who’s already expressed his desire to link up with Ruben Amorim’s side this summer.

However, the club will have to wait for approval from the Bees to complete any move for the Cameroonian international, with personal terms not expected to be an issue.

Their ambitions of landing added depth in such an area appear to be showing no signs of slowing down, especially considering their interest in other players across Europe.

The latest on United’s hunt for a new striker this summer

Serbian striker Aleksandar Mitrovic has emerged as a surprise option for United this summer, with the 30-year-old the subject of keen interest from various Premier League sides.

Hugo Ekitiké remains a key target for Amorim’s side, after the youngster netted 22 goals across all competitions this season, but his £84m price tag may be out of the Red Devils’ budget, given the additions elsewhere.

However, as a result, they could turn their attention to Juventus talisman Dušan Vlahović, with the 25-year-old only having one year left on his deal, according to Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport.

They claim that the Red Devils have been in contact with intermediaries over a potential move for the forward, who appears to be keen on a switch to England.

It also states that current United outcast Jadon Sancho could be utilised as leverage in any potential deal, with the Serie A outfit extremely keen on a move for the 25-year-old this window.

Why Vlahovic would be Amorim’s answer to Osimhen

Victor Osimhen has been a player who has been firmly on United’s radar over the last couple of years, and understandably so given his record across Europe.

The Nigerian has registered 85 goals across the last three campaigns, 37 of which came on loan at Galatasaray this season – catapulting the club to the Turkish League title.

However, it appears he won’t be returning to the Italian side ahead of the 2025/26 season, with Antonio Conte’s side looking to cash in on the 26-year-old.

He’s been the subject of interest from Amorim’s side, but also has admirers in Saudi Arabia, which could see the striker demand a small fortune and price the Red Devils out of any potential move.

It’s been reported that he’s demanding a pay package in the region of £500k-per-week, a ludicrous figure that has seen United move onto other options.

Vlahovic appears to be just one of those, with the Juve star even ranking as a similar player to Osimhen according to FBref, demonstrating the talent he possesses.

When comparing their respective stats from Serie A back in 2023/24, the Serbian has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, making him a superb pickup if the hierarchy can complete a deal for his signature.

How Vlahovic compared to Osimhen in Serie A (2023/24)

Statistics (per 90)

Vlahovic

Osimhen

Games played

33

25

Goals & assists

20

18

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.3

Pass accuracy

71%

66%

Progressive passes

1.8

1.1

Take-on success

42%

40%

Aerial success

45%

44%

Stats via FBref

The 25-year-old, “after Haaland, is the best striker in Europe at his age” in the words of Italian legend Christian Vieri, outscored Osimhen, whilst also registering a better goal per shot on target rate – having the clinical edge over the Nigerian.

He also completed more of the take-ons that he attempted, whilst registering more aerials won, handing Amorim the all-round centre-forward he’s greatly lacked.

Whilst he’s primarily a goalscorer, Vlahovic also completed more passes and more progressive passes per 90, handing the likes of Mbeumo and Cunha the chance to bolster their own tallies at Old Trafford.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the Juve ace would set the hierarchy back this window, but it’s clear he would be a just as effective, but cheaper, alternative to the Napoli forward.

Given the Italian side’s interest in Sancho, it could provide an excellent opportunity to land a bargain deal in the club’s quest to fly up the table throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 24, 2025

“That’s the main focus, because we know we have the power at the end”

Sidharth Monga23-Jun-2024

Needing to win three out of three to win a home World Cup and recreate the joy they did at Kensington Oval when they beat USA, West Indies clearly know where they need to get better: when they are batting in the middle overs. Both their average and run-rate have been the lowest in that phase this World Cup. They are losing a wicket every 20 balls in the middle overs despite scoring just 123 per 100 balls. Even these numbers make them look better than they have been as it includes the onslaught against USA when they were assured of a win and had to go hard in order to improve their net run-rate.It was in the middle overs against England, their only defeat so far, that West Indies let the game slip away. Especially in the first half of the middle overs, when they scored just 40 runs from overs seven to 11 in batting-friendly conditions. They had resolved to do better in those periods but never got tested when they played USA.”When we lost to England, we struggled in that period after the powerplay,” Roston Chase admitted. “I mean USA and South Africa is two different opponents, but we spoke about that, and the guys came out and executed it well today. It was only four overs outside of the powerplay, but that’s the main focus, because we know we have the power at the end. So it’s just for us to control that powerplay with the batting and our bowling, and then for us in the batting to keep the momentum going through that 7 to 15 period where we fell down horribly against England.”Related

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Chase, Hope help West Indies thump USA for NRR boost

Middle overs is also where Chase might have a role to play. Just to be able to stay busy and not starve the in-form hitter of the strike. “Easy for me because my job is just to give them the strike and let them hit it for six,” Chase joked when asked how it was playing in a team full of power hitters. “So that’s right up my alley. I guess that’s why I’m pencilled in at 4 to just be that transition between the boundaries and just keeping the strike rotated as well. Because I find that most of the time the boundary hitters, they usually hit boundaries, but then they may get a few dot balls. And then it equals out the equation. But if you have me there just to stroke it around and look nice, that’s good.”If he hasn’t batted till the 10th or the 11th over, though, Chase’s role is likely to be restricted to bowling in the middle overs and fielding at backward point, where he pulled off a stunning catch against USA. “If I see 10 overs come and I haven’t gone up there yet, I just keep my eyes on Rovman [Powell, the captain] all the time,” Chase said. “Once I see he give me a look, I go, yeah. Yeah, it’s for the better of the team. And the guys go out there and execute and give it their all. I’m happy with that.”In the absence of Brandon King, West Indies are now likely to open with Shai Hope, who was tried in the Chase role once earlier during the tournament. If Hope bats through into the middle overs, he is not the one to get bogged down. Undefeated South Africa are not the usual South Africa unit that used to stall in the middle overs. They in fact choked out England in the middle overs in the last match. Don’t be surprised if this contest comes down to the middle overs.

Liverpool find themselves in the hunt for reinforcements and could look to swoop under the nose of rivals Everton to land an attacking target, according to a report.

Liverpool set to trigger more business after Kerkez announcement

After Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz were confirmed by the Reds, Milos Kerkez is also now set to join in a £40 million move from Bournemouth. The Hungary international joins Arne Slot’s revolution and signs on after weeks of negotiations by all parties to find agreement, as confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Moving on, Liverpool have turned their attention to Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi and an agreement over personal terms is said to be close as he enters the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park.

Talking up a potential deal, Keith Wyness believes Guehi moving to the red half of Merseyside would suit all parties as Oliver Glasner will be keen to cash in before losing the England international on a free becomes a distinct possibility.

He stated: “It would be a no-brainer for them (Liverpool) if they can get hold of him, and all the noises coming out of the Marc Guehi camp are that he’s keen to go.

“I think it’s a fantastic deal. I think Palace also recognise that I think he’s got just another year left on his contract. So they’d like to cash in as well. All parties could be very happy.”

While Liverpool’s summer business is bubbling away, they could now bid for a midfielder who has already been firmly on the radar of their closest rivals.

Liverpool could hijack Everton to sign Merlin Rohl

According to reports in Germany via Sport Witness, Liverpool could move for SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl this summer despite Everton having already made two bids to sign the Germany Under-21 international in January.

Newcastle United and Crystal Palace are also in the frame to sign the Berlin-born star, who registered a solitary assist in 20 appearances over the course of last season.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2025

Labelled “very dangerous” by Antonio Di Salvo, Rohl managed to create nine chances in action for Freiburg on Bundesliga duty and also completed 12 dribbles despite suffering a ligament tear that limited his scope to make a lasting impact.

Nevertheless, he is now back fit and firing and has even scored at the UEFA Under-21 European Championships in a 3-2 win for Germany against Italy.

Admittedly, Liverpool have strong competition for places currently in the middle of the park, though it would be intriguing to see who could make way if Rohl were to arrive at Anfield, potentially at the expense of arch-rivals Everton.

With money to spend following the departure of Jobe Bellingham to Borussia Dortmund, Sunderland have reportedly joined a hectic race to sign a Premier League rival this summer.

Sunderland commence search to replace Bellingham

Even after earning promotion to the Premier League, Bellingham’s decision was made up when Borussia Dortmund came calling in a deal that is now official. An exit that could reportedly see Sunderland bank as much as €40m (£34m) if add-on bonuses are reached in the coming years, the Black Cats have instantly turned towards the market in pursuit of a replacement.

It’s a search that won’t be easy given just how talented Bellingham is at just 19 years old, but Sunderland must make sure that their young midfielder is replaced by the time that the Premier League campaign gets underway.

On that front, names such as Tommy Doyle have recently threatened to steal the headlines. The 23-year-old is a Manchester City graduate, but completed a move to Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer.

Swapping Manchester for the Midlands hasn’t accelerated his development that many would have hoped, however, and after just three Premier League starts, Doyle could be on the move again.

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He could become a star at the Stadium of Light.

Posts ByHenry Jackson Jun 9, 2025

Sunderland could be the ideal place to get his career back on track too. The Stadium of Light has become the breeding ground for young talent to thrive in recent years, from Manchester United’s Amad Diallo to, most recently, Bellingham. Now, Doyle desperately needs to follow a similar path if he is to finally realise his potential in the Premier League.

Of course, though, it’s not just young talent that Sunderland have set their sights on this summer. The Black Cats have also gone in search of experience and could yet welcome a Premier League rival for Regis Le Bris.

Sunderland join race to sign £5m Alex Moreno

According to reports in Spain, Sunderland have now joined the race to sign Alex Moreno from Aston Villa this summer. Those in Wearside are reportedly joined by Real Sociedad, Real Betis and fellow promoted side Burnley in a hectic battle to sign the Spanish left-back.

Available for just £5m this summer, Moreno represents an option that could quickly turn into the ultimate bargain, given how he played a part in Nottingham Forest’s unexpected Europa Conference League finish last season. Starting 11 games for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side, the 32-year-old proved that he is still more than capable of playing at this level.

Although no longer part of Unai Emery’s plans, the £35,000-a-week defender still made his mark at Aston Villa during the 2022/23 campaign, when he earned the praise of both Ian Wright and Alan Shearer following a frantic draw at West Ham United.

The pair were both left in awe of Moreno’s assist for Ollie Watkins’ goal, with Shearer saying on Match of the Day: “But what a ball in, it’s dreamland for a forward. You are saying ‘go on and get on the end of that’ and Watkins did. It was a great cross and a fantastic header.”

Wright then went on to dub Moreno’s involvement as “brilliant” in the type of quality that Sunderland fans could be enjoying next season if the Black Cats decide to make their move.

Manchester United could now make a move for one of Real Madrid’s top targets, having been left impressed during scouting missions, according to a report.

Man Utd ringing the changes ahead of important summer

After finishing 15th in the Premier League last season, this summer could be one of the most important in Man United’s modern history, and INEOS have already started to ring the changes, signing Matheus Cunha and making a key off-field decision.

It has now been revealed that Jason Wilcox has taken up the role of sporting director, which had been vacant since Dan Ashworth’s departure last November, and the 53-year-old has a big rebuilding job on his hands over the next few months.

Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Marcus Rashford are among the forwards who could leave, with the latter being widely linked with Barcelona, which means it could be important for the Red Devils to bring in more attacking options, despite having already signed Cunha.

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Posts ByDominic Lund Jun 4, 2025

According to a report from Caught Offside, one attacking midfielder who Man United scouts have been left impressed by is Como’s Nico Paz, having monitored the 20-year-old’s progress in Italy this season.

The Red Devils could make a move for Paz, but Real Madrid’s interest could be an obstacle, with the Spanish heavyweights identifying the youngster as a top target, given that new manager Xabi Alonso is believed to be a huge fan.

As such, Madrid could be tempted to trigger the €8m (£7m) buy-back clause and sign their former player, although the Tenerife-born maestro may only be willing to move back to Spain if he receives guarantees over his first-team place.

"Exceptional" Paz could be ready to join top club

It is little wonder that Madrid are looking to sign the Argentina international for a bargain fee, considering he enjoyed a fantastic breakthrough season in Serie A last term, picking up six goals and nine assists in 35 outings.

The starlet’s attacking numbers certainly catch the eye, but perhaps equally impressive is the fact he is also willing to pitch in defensively, having displayed his ability to win back possession on a regular basis over the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

1.71 (81st percentile)

Interceptions

0.70 (88th percentile)

Blocks

1.64 (96th percentile)

It is evident to see why Alonso is so fond of the Como star, and he is not the only former Madrid star who appreciates the Argentine, with Toni Kroos previously saying: “This lad (Nico Paz) should be training with us every day because he’s exceptional.”

Paz could be a fantastic long-term addition to Ruben Amorim’s squad, but it could be difficult to compete for his signature with Real Madrid, given the allure of playing for the Spanish side.

Liverpool have a “growing interest” in completing the signing of a “crazy” talent who has already held contract negotiations with Real Madrid, leaving the Spanish club trying to speed things up.

Liverpool rivlary with Madrid continues over Huijsen deal

The Reds have almost become renowned for being relatively frugal in the transfer market under owners FGS, with both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot often tasked with working their magic with a smaller squad than some of their rivals.

This summer is reportedly going to be one of the busiest in years at Liverpool, however, with Slot set to be handed lots of funds for new signings, as they seek to replace Madrid-bound Trent Alexander-Arnold for starters, with a deal for Jeremie Frimpong nearing completion.

Reds captain Virgil van Dijk has put an element of pressure on owners FSG, saying he expects lots of money to be spent in the coming weeks and months.

The man who could have become the skipper’s successor looks to be following Alexander-Arnold to Madrid however, with the Spaniards pulling ahead in the race for Dean Huijsen. Indeed, Florentino Perez’s side have approached Bournemouth over a £50m deal and are discussing personal terms with the young defender.

Madrid are now leading the race for the Cherries star ahead of the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool, and after seemingly missing out to their European rivals again, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes have turned their attentions further up the pitch.

Liverpool have "growing interest" in Messi-like youngster

According to a fresh report from Sport [via Sport Witness], Liverpool have a “growing interest” in River Plate midfielder Franco Mastantuono, who has a £38m release clause in his current deal.

The 17-year-old is considered one of Argentina’s brightest young talents, with Manchester United and Madrid also interested in signing him. In fact, Madrid even agreed a contract with the player last year, and while a deal didn’t go through then, they are now hurriedly speeding up their interest in fear of missing out to the Reds.

Mastantuono looks like an incredible prospect, so Liverpool should be doing all they can to beat United and Madrid to his signature in the summer window.

At just 17, the Argentine has already racked up 59 appearances for River Plate, bagging 16 goal contributions in that time (nine goals and seven assists), and analyst Ben Mattinson has called his talent “crazy”, also saying he is a “leader”.

Meanwhile, FIFA have even compared him to Lionel Messi, which is the ultimate praise: “He has a different, special aesthetic. The stretched, slender, elegant body. He receives with his foot and the game options seem to multiply. From right to left. With the inside edge or the instep. With the toe or the outside of the boot. Franco Mastantuono, the new promise -figure- of River Plate, 17 years old, has the complete repertoire.”

An attacking midfielder by trade, Mastantuono could arrive at Liverpool as a squad player to begin with, but given the heights he is reaching in his homeland, he could end up becoming a superstar at Anfield.

The solution to finding form as a Manchester United player? On current evidence, it would seem that sealing a move away is the perfect answer.

Having stepped out of the intense spotlight at Old Trafford, a number of individuals have rediscovered their groove elsewhere, with Marcus Rashford notably reaching double figures for goals and assists in just 17 games on loan at Aston Villa.

Even the much-maligned Antony – a player who arguably ranks among the worst signings in Premier League history, considering the limp return on his £86m investment – has dazzled for Real Betis in recent months, with five goals and four assists in 18 games out in Spain.

Perhaps the biggest success story, however, lies with Scott McTominay, with the towering midfielder spearheading Napoli’s Scudetto charge, having scored 11 Serie A goals in 2024/24 – including five in his last three league outings.

Were United and INEOS right to let him go?

Why Man Utd sold Scott McTominay

A miserable 2023/24 campaign under Erik ten Hag was one of few bright spots – excluding the FA Cup final triumph to round things off – although the displays of McTominay were one element to shout about, with the Scotland star scoring ten goals in all competitions.

That stellar impact included memorable efforts like his stoppage-time brace against Brentford to seal a 2-1 win at Old Trafford, as well as his opener in the 4-3 thriller with Liverpool, having become a figure whom the Dutchman could rely upon.

Having had just a year left on his deal heading into last summer, however – and with United feeling the need to comply with PSR regulations – the new INEOS regime took the decision to cash in on the 28-year-old, raking in £25m of ‘pure profit’.

That sale – which allowed the Red Devils to subsequently sign fellow midfielder, Manuel Ugarte – was one that Ten Hag certainly didn’t agree with, having later admitted that he “didn’t want” to sell a player who he labelled as having “Manchester United in his veins”.

Not only were there financial benefits to that decision to sell, but the problem for McTominay was the lack of an obvious starting berth in the side, having actually only started 27 games in that final campaign at the club.

The 6 foot 4 ace – as his goal return showcased – was not defensive-minded enough to operate as a deep-lying midfielder, while it was also unlikely for him to be able to dislodge captain Bruno Fernandes in a number ten berth.

In the end, McTominay was parachuted in as something of a makeshift striker or false nine in the final weeks of the season, albeit with that hardly representing a long-term solution.

As it is, despite being a reliable presence loved by his manager and a player who had starred last term, a permanent place in the side looked unlikely moving forward. Could the same now be set to occur with one of his former colleagues?

The Man Utd star facing McTominay repeat

As alluded to, McTominay lacked that real quality in a defensive sense to thrive at the base of the midfield, having ranked in the bottom 31% of midfielders in the Premier League for interceptions made per 90 in 2023/24, as well as in just the top 35% for tackles made per 90, as per FBref.

Equally, his ability on the ball, particularly creatively, could also be brought into question, as he ranked in just the bottom 8% for shot-creating actions, the bottom 8% for passes attempted and the bottom 17% for progressive passes.

In essence, despite his role as a box-crashing game-changer, McTominay couldn’t truly settle on a regular position under Ten Hag, with that a fate that could befall Noussair Mazraoui heading into next season.

First and foremost, the £12.9m arrival from Bayern Munich has proven to be an “outrageous bargain” amid a promising debut season in Manchester, in the words of journalist Liam Canning, having become the club’s ‘Mr Consistent’ due to his impressive availability and reliability.

Indeed, the Moroccan star has played 51 games in all competitions, with 34 of those coming under Ruben Amorim’s watch – the joint-most of any player since the Portuguese coach took charge.

Like McTominay was under Ten Hag, Mazraoui is a player beloved by his manager, with Amorim describing the 27-year-old as the “future of our team” back in December, while also later lauding the defender’s “amazing” work ethic.

Like McTominay too, however, there could be a case that in the new manager’s 3-4-3 set-up, the versatile asset is potentially too much of a jack of all trades, having floated between right wing-back, left wing-back or one of the centre-back berths.

With Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Matthijs de Ligt and Ayden Heaven all in contention to feature at centre-back when fit – as well as the stricken Lisandro Martinez – there are more suitable long-term options than Mazraoui in those roles.

Equally, at wing-back, the former Ajax man’s lack of genuine attacking threat could also be his undoing in the long term, considering he has only registered three assists while failing to score this season.

Most tackles – Premier League (2024/25)

Player

Tackles

Idrissa Gueye

123

Daniel Munoz

109

Noussair Mazraoui

102

Moises Caicedo

100

Joao Gomes

99

Alexis Mac Allister

95

Victor Kristiansen

85

Tyrick Mitchell

85

Antonee Robinson

84

Youri Tielemans

82

Stats via Premier League

There’s no denying that Mazraoui – like McTominay before him – has been something of an unsung hero this term, not least considering he ranks third in the division for tackles made, but there does need to be questions asked over what his role will be on a permanent basis moving forward.

At present, the £135k-per-week star is proving invaluable due to his ability to cover up the club’s lingering injury woes with his positional flexibility, although once Amorim has been handed a summer to spend and settle on a side, will Mazraoui feature quite so prominently?

Again, in a similar mould to McTominay, such a valued squad member might not be afforded the starring role that his quality deserves.

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Posts ByRobbie Walls Apr 29, 2025

Manchester City have the opportunity to reach a third successive FA Cup final when they take on Nottingham Forest this afternoon at Wembley.

Pep Guardiola has won this competition twice, but will still be stinging from the defeat to Manchester United in the 2024 final.

Forest defeated City in the Premier League last month, but the Spaniard may have learned from this loss, and his side could reach another final.

They warmed up for the clash with a 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, but a few players weren’t quite at their best. İlkay Gündoğan was one, and he could return to the bench this afternoon.

Why Man City must drop İlkay Gündoğan

Guardiola operated with a 4-1-4-1 system against Villa, and Gundogan was one of the four midfielders tasked with providing opportunities for Kevin De Bruyne.

Despite playing for the full 90 minutes, the midfielder failed to register a single shot on goal, while he failed with his only dribble attempt.

Gundogan also lost possession seven times against the Midlands side and won just one of his three aerial duels.

For the semi-final clash against Forest, Guardiola must revert to a 4-2-3-1. Mateo Kovacic will reprise his role at the heart of the midfield, but for this game, winter signing Nico Gonzalez must be brought into the starting XI.

Why Nico Gonzalez must start for Man City

Gonzalez may have cost the club around £50m back in January, but he is already looking like a potential long-term heir to Rodri.

The midfielder has already featured 12 times for City in all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League, although it wasn’t enough to see his club make it to the next round.

Across his eight Premier League matches for the club, the 23-year-old has averaged a 93% pass success rate, along with making 1.9 tackles, two clearances, and recovering 3.9 balls per game in the top flight.

Furthermore, the Spaniard wins 1.9 aerial duels per game – a success rate of 59% – while averaging 81.9 touches each match for City. These statistics show just how dependable he is at the heart of the pitch, because he rarely gives the ball away and is strong in his physical duels.

He was praised by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in July 2024, who said: “Nico González – 4 goals in FC Porto’s four friendly games this preseason. Simply superb in the second half of the 23/24. Technique, football IQ, and pure elegance.”

Nico Gonzalez’s stats in the PL for Man City

Metric

Per 90

Passes attempted

77.9

Pass completion percentage

92.9%

Aerial duels won

2.09

Passes into the final third

6.68

Touches

88.33

Via FBref

The move to Manchester hasn’t fazed him, and he now looks like an excellent signing. Settling in throughout the second half of the 2024/25 season appears to be a smart move by Guardiola, as Gonzalez will hit the ground running in August.

Moving back to a 4-2-3-1 system for the FA Cup semi-final could go a long way to seeing City reach yet another final. With Gonzalez and Kovacic at the base of the midfield, the attacking quartet will be given free rein to cause plenty of destruction.

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Posts ByRoss Kilvington Apr 26, 2025

Leeds United’s Saturday lunchtime couldn’t have gone any better, with the Whites recording a priceless victory in the ongoing automatic promotion tussle in the Championship against Preston North End, whilst one of their rivals for the top two spots succumbed to a third straight defeat in the league.

That was Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United who shockingly fell to a late defeat at bottom-of-the-table Plymouth Argyle, with Leeds’ emotions very different at the final whistle away from the dour mood in Devon from the away stands.

The picture above encapsulates the mixture of both relief and jubliance inside Elland Road when the full-time whistle was sounded, with Manor Solomon standing out throughout as a top performer after gifting his promotion-chasing side the lead after just four minutes.

Solomon's performance in numbers vs Preston

With Daniel James confirmed to be out of the lunchtime clash when the lineup filtered through, Solomon must have been even more aware that he could be a hero for his team down the flanks, away from the energetic Welshman.

He instantly threw himself into the contest and was rewarded with a stunning early effort, with the Tottenham Hotspur loanee managing to curl this delightful effort past the opposition goalkeeper after the Whites’ patient passing approach paid off.

Preston would instantly fight back with an equaliser, but thankfully, the Championship’s table-toppers had more than enough in their system to get over the line and win, with Solomon a lively customer across the frantic 90 minutes.

Indeed, the 25-year-old winger would also turn provider when assisting Jayden Bogle’s winning goal, with the Spurs loan ace further completing four accurate crosses to try and make Leeds’ slim victory more comprehensive.

Whilst the attacking players in Daniel Farke’s ranks do often steal the plaudits with breathtaking displays of quality, there was also a resilient side to Leeds on show against Paul Heckingbottom’s visitors, with this defender a colossus throughout.

The 8/10 Leeds star who has become undroppable

It could be argued that the centre-back star in question was even better than Solomon across the full duration of the bumpy 90 minutes, with the 6 foot 4 titan having to remain alert throughout, away from his attacking teammate stealing the show early on.

Joe Rodon would come away from this nervy encounter with his head firmly held high, considering the Welsh enforcer would trudge off the Elland Road turf at the close of the contest with all but one of his seven duels won, among other standout numbers.

Rodon’s performance in numbers

Stat

Rodon

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

59

Accurate passes

47/51 (92%)

Key passes

1

Shots

2

Clearances

4

Tackles

1

Total duels won

6/7

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, it’s clear Rodon was a man in control throughout his near-faultless 90 minutes, with the ex-Swansea City man only misplacing four of his 51 passes on the day.

Whilst he followed a worried trend of Leeds being wasteful in front of goal with two chances spurned of his own, Rodon would still rightly be praised post-match, leading to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth dishing out a high 8/10 rating to the dominant number six, labelling his forceful showing as simply ‘no-nonsense’.

Already undroppable before this tense fixture – considering Farke has started him in every Championship game this season to date – his importance to the cause has only been heightened now off the back the unfortunate backdrop of his usual centre-back comrade, Pascal Struijk, being ruled out for the rest of the campaign.

Rodon will hope more authoritative performances defensively, such as this one against the Lilywhites, leads to more invaluable victories coming his side’s way, with just one misstep in the automatic promotion race in the Championship proving to be very costly.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Apr 11, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur want to sign a “leader” from Barcelona this summer, and he could be allowed to leave the Camp Nou for as little as £17 million.

Spurs targeting new centre-back signing before next season

The Lilywhites learned the hard way that they need reinforcements at centre-half this summer, given the plethora of injuries which have ravaged Ange Postecoglou’s defence throughout 2024/2025.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 11, 2025

Tottenham attempted to resolve the issue in January by signing Kevin Danso on loan with an obligation to buy, only for the Austria defender to be sidelined alongside Radu Dragusin, and this followed long-term absences for Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Nottingham Forest (home)

April 21st

Liverpool (away)

April 27th

West Ham (away)

May 3rd

Crystal Palace (home)

May 10th

Archie Gray was forced to play as a makeshift centre-back at periods, which the teenager handled very well, but Spurs will be extremely keen to avoid being left so short of options for the 2025/2026 season.

Romero is also believed to be pushing for an exit from Tottenham this summer, amid interest from both Atlético and Real Madrid, so the north Londoners may end up having to sign a replacement for the Argentine.

According to reliable journalist David Ornstein, Tottenham have reached out to Dean Huijsen’s representatives in the last week, but Arsenal, Chelsea and other elite Premier League sides are after the Spaniard with a £50 million release clause attached to his contract.

Huijsen is also rumoured to favour a move to Real Madrid, so Spurs could be up against it in the race for Huijsen, while other reports believe Atalanta star Isak Hien is emerging as an alternative defensive target for Tottenham.

In any case, it appears a new centre-half is firmly on the agenda for chairman Daniel Levy and co.

Tottenham want to sign Barcelona defender Eric Garcia

According to reports in Spain, a potentially golden opportunity to reinforce their defensive ranks comes in the form of Barcelona and former Man City man Eric Garcia.

The 24-year-old is out of contract in the summer of 2026, meaning he could be available for a cut-price fee in the next transfer window, which some media sources believe to be around £17 million.

His experience at the top level, despite being at such a young age, could be invaluable to Tottenham – and his reputation as a capable ball-playing defender means that Garcia could be an ideal fit at a very reasonable price.

Tottenham want to sign Garcia this summer, and it is believed the Catalans are now prepared to sell, so this could be an intriguing one to watch as we fast approach the window.

“Eric is a very intelligent boy – more than a boy,” said City director of football Txiki Begiristain, during Garcia’s time at Eastlands, before he made the switch to Barca in 2021 as a free agent. “He is a good character, a solid leader.”