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Leeds United were unable to record a third straight win in the Championship as they were forced to settle for a point against Norwich City at Carrow Road.

The Canaries started strong and took the lead in the first half after Joe Rodon brought Josh Sargent down in the box, with the striker beating Illan Meslier from the spot.

A second half strike from Largie Ramazani, who was assisted by Wilfried Gnonto, secured a point for the Whites, who have now lost once in eight league matches.

However, Leeds could have pushed on to secure all three points as they began to gain momentum after the equaliser in the 60th minute, but they were derailed by Daniel Farke’s substitutes – including Joel Piroe.

Joel Piroe's cameo against Norwich

The Dutch forward was brought on to replace Ramazani as part of a double change that also saw Mateo Joseph go off for Patrick Bamford, as Brenden Aaronson moved out to the flank.

That move turned out to be a clanger by the Leeds head coach because the former Swansea centre-forward put in a dismal display in his cameo.

The Whites had been finding joy in transition from Norwich’s loose passes, with the likes of Gnonto, Aaronson, and Ramazani causing problems with their pace, but that threat was neutralised by those changes.

Minutes played

19

Accurate passes

0/2

Duels won

0/1

Possession lost

3x

Dribbled past

1x

As you can see in the table above, Piroe did not complete a single pass and lost 100% of his duels, whilst losing possession three times, in 19 minutes – plus four minutes of stoppage time – on the pitch.

The Dutch lightweight lost the ball three times from four touches and one of his first involvements in the match was to misplace a pass straight out of play near the dugout as Leeds looked to break the Norwich press.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

His lack of mobility and pace meant that the away side could not break as quickly as they had been doing before his introduction, which is what allowed the Canaries to take control of the final 15-20 minutes of the game.

What Farke could have done instead

It remains unknown as to whether or not Joseph and Ramazani needed to come off when they did, due to fitness issues, but the latter staying on could have helped Leeds to win the match.

The former Almeria winger was causing Shane Duffy and Jack Stacey, who had come on at half-time due to an injury to Jose Cordoba, all sorts of problems down the right side of the pitch for Norwich.

His clean first touch and pace, both in running and movement of the ball, created plenty of dangerous situations for Leeds, whilst he completed 89% of his attempted passes.

Instead of removing him from the field to bring Piroe, who endured a difficult 23 minutes or so off the bench in Norfolk, Farke could have kept Ramazani on for another ten or 15 minutes to push for a second goal before, then, handing some of his stars a rest.

Better than Aaronson: Leeds wanted to sign World Cup winner under Bielsa

The Whites were once interested in signing the central midfielder under Marcelo Bielsa.

ByDan Emery Oct 1, 2024

The international break will soon be drawing to close, but – for now at least – it looks as if the end is not yet in sight for Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag.

There were whispers of Thomas Tuchel and the like over the past week or so, yet barring anything drastic, it will be the Dutchman who takes charge of the side at home to Brentford this weekend, with the aim of ending the club’s five-game run without a win.

A key issue facing the former Ajax boss is the lack of options defensively – with Diogo Dalot the only fit senior full-back – although it is at the top end of the pitch where perhaps an even greater concern lies for United.

Statement defeats to both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur may say otherwise, but the Red Devils’ defensive record has, bizarrely, been relatively strong this season, with Andre Onana currently atop the pile for Premier League clean sheets (four).

On the flip side then, only bottom club Southampton have scored fewer goals in the division than the Old Trafford side, thus pointing to the work that needs to be done to get this youthful attacking unit firing.

Man Utd's centre-forward woes

There is no guarantee, but goals have come from the flanks this season, with Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho netting four times, while Amad Diallo has scored once in all competitions in 2024/25.

It has been a different story through the middle, however, with the injury-impacted Rasmus Hojlund scoring only once, while summer signing Joshua Zirkzee has also failed to score since netting on debut in the 1-0 win over Fulham.

That late strike against the Cottagers marked the perfect start to life in Manchester for the £36.5m man, briefly quitening the doubts over whether he could be the goalscoring solution for United, having netted just 11 Serie A goals for Bologna last season.

Since then, however, the £105k-per-week marksman has flattered to deceive when deployed through the middle, having already missed four ‘big chances’ in the league alone thus far.

By his own admission, the 23-year-old is more of a nine-and-a-half than an out and out centre-forward, yet a return of just one goal from ten games makes for grim reading for any forward worth their salt.

Previously likened to Brazilian legend, Ronaldinho, by former boss Thiago Motta, the Dutchman now looks to be a “spectacularly ill-judged” signing, in the words of journalist Sam Pilger. Something needs to change.

Man Utd's own Kai Havertz

It is not a word that supporters will like to hear, but perhaps the answer to getting the best of Zirkzee is simple – patience.

A player who, despite his relative youth, has rarely had a settled home amid stints at Bayern Munich, Parma, Anderlecht and Bologna, it could well be time and a consistent run of games that allows the five-cap international to flourish.

United need only look to the example of Kai Havertz at Arsenal to see just how a player can overcome a sticky start in new surroundings, with the German marksman – who, like Zirkzee, stands at 6 foot 4 – having initially struggled to fire following his £65m move from Chelsea.

Deployed to begin with by Mikel Arteta in an unorthodox central midfield role, the Champions League winner drew criticism for his displays, with the deal branded a “mistake” by ex-Chelsea man, Frank Leboeuf.

Arteta, to his credit, persisted with Havertz in the side, and after a shift back into a centre-forward role, he came good, ending the 2023/24 campaign with 13 goals and seven assists in the top-flight.

The 25-year-old is now thriving in the early knockings of this season too, having registered six goals in only ten outings in all competitions. Clinical.

Havertz has silenced his critics, and then some, with the hope that Zirkzee – who is deemed to be a similar player to the Gunners star, according to FBref – can do the same.

Stat (per 90)

Havertz

Zirkzee

Non-penalty goals

0.44

0.28

Assists

0.17

0.11

Shot-creating actions

3.30

3.02

Passes attempted

29.30

30.06

Pass completion

78.6%

78.2%

Progressive passes

2.96

2.92

Progressive carries

1.77

1.62

Successful take-ons

0.59

1.86

Touches in opposition box

5.64

4.54

Tackles

1.06

1.02

Interceptions

0.59

0.14

That likeness is notably indicated in the table above, with the pair both offering a creative outlet through the middle, as showcased by their similar records for progressive carries and progressive passes, in particular, across the last year.

Equally, like Havertz, the new United man possesses that laidback style that can irk fans and pundits alike when things aren’t going well, but the “insane athlete”, as hailed by analyst Ben Mattinson, can knit things together nicely as part of a free-flowing attack.

Equally, like the former Bayer Leverkusen star – who has operated on the flanks or as a false nine in his career previously – Zirkzee may not be your traditional number nine, but given time, he may indeed come good in that central berth.

Of course, the presence of Hojlund may prove a stumbling block – while he may also need to drop into a number ten role to find his rhythm – but having ended last season as Serie A’s Young Player of the Year, the Netherlands international is certainly a quality asset.

United may not have seen the best of him yet – far from it – but as the case of Havertz can showcase, it is still far too soon to write him off completely.

Man Utd let go of a potential £80m star in the making for nothing

Manchester United will live to regret this decision.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 15, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur travel to face Crystal Palace this afternoon, looking to inflict yet more pain on Oliver Glasner’s side, whilst continuing their current run of form.

The Eagles are yet to win a Premier League game this season, whilst Ange Postecoglou’s men have won two in a row in all competitions since the return to club football after the international break.

Spurs registered a 4-1 victory over London rivals last weekend, before a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League on Thursday night – maintaining their 100% start to the European campaign.

However, Postecoglou will be hoping to pick up another three points in the league this afternoon to keep up their hopes of securing a Champions League spot come the end of May.

If Spurs are to gain another three valuable points this afternoon, he may have to drop one first-team star to allow another to thrive at Selhurst Park.

Why James Maddison should be dropped against Palace

Midfielder James Maddison may have registered an assist in the Europa League victory in midweek, but he could find himself on the substitutes bench for this afternoon’s clash with Palace.

The Englishman was replaced at the interval by Postecoglou against West Ham last weekend, which led to Spurs managing to score three goals inside 15 minutes and secure a needed three points.

Dejan Kulusevski has operated in a more central role alongside Yves Bissouma and Maddison in recent weeks, but given Glasner’s 3-4-3 system, the Aussie could opt for a more compact and defensive trio this afternoon – with the 27-year-old possibly the man to miss out.

Undoubtedly, it would be a harsh decision for the former Leicester man to miss out from the off, but given the attacking display on show last weekend, it’s clear that they can still create endless opportunities in the final third.

One player is more than deserving of a recall, with his box-to-box qualities allowing for a perfect balance for Postecoglou in the middle of the park.

The man who could replace Maddison against Palace

Mikey Moore produced another stellar display for the club’s first team in the Europa League in midweek, starting the match and showcasing his ball-carrying skills with his mazy run.

However, despite his performance, it’s unlikely that he will be handed a first league start, with Timo Werner the likely choice to replace Heung-min Son should he fail to make the meeting at Selhurst.

Pape Matar Sarr was the man who replaced Maddison for the second half against the Hammers last weekend, enjoying a superb display and having an impact at both ends of the pitch.

The 22-year-old completed 100% of the passes he attempted, creating one big chance as a result of his impressive passing range.

The Senegalese talent grabbed the assist for Son’s strike, having the same offensive output as Maddison despite featuring as a deeper option than the Englishman.

Minutes played

45

Touches

29

Assists

1

Passes completed

19/19 (100%)

Passes into final third

3

Tackles won

2

Defensive actions

5

Duels won

4

Sarr, who’s previously been dubbed “frightening” by talent scout Antonio Mango, also impressed defensively last weekend, winning four duels, making five defensive actions whilst winning both of his attempted tackles.

He’s progressed leaps and bounds since the appointment of Postecoglou, with the Aussie putting his trust in the youngster to flourish in the first-team and help the club achieve their goal of a top-four finish.

His display against Lopetegui’s side is evidence of what he can produce when given the opportunity, with his tenacity in all thirds of the pitch giving Postecoglou a potential selection headache – with Maddison the most likely candidate to lose his starting role this afternoon.

Spurs wasted £36.4m on "special" Poch flop who scored just three goals

The young star was one of Poch’s worst signings at Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 25, 2024

There has been a development regarding Newcastle United’s interest in signing a 23-year-old European champion, according to a new update.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies’ season is struggling to spark into life, with last Sunday’s 2-1 defeat away to Chelsea leaving them sitting 12th in the Premier League table. Supporters aren’t happy about a lack of summer transfer business, hoping to see new faces come in soon, and plenty of players are being linked with moves to St James’ Park.

West Brom midfielder Tom Fellows has been mentioned as a possible target, for example, with the 21-year-old a young footballer with plenty of promise. Plenty of top-flight clubs are eyeing him up, however, with Everton even sending scouts to watch him in action.

Newcastle are also believed to be keen on signing Barcelona attacker Ferran Torres in the January transfer window, which would significantly bolster Eddie Howe’s attacking options. The Spaniard is struggling for playing time at the La Liga leaders, so a move away could appeal to him.

The Magpies are also reportedly eyeing another attacking star at a huge Spanish club, this time Real Madrid youngster Arda Guler, with a loan switch for the Turkish starlet seen as a possibility. He is an enormous talent, so it would be a huge shock if the reigning Champions League winners allowed him to leave permanently.

Newcastle regularly scouting £54m Spain midfielder

According to a new update from Caught Offside, Newcastle have once again sent scouts to watch Alex Baena in action for Villarreal, having done the same in the recent past.

The report states that the Magpies “had scouts in attendance to watch Baena in recent games against Getafe and Real Valladolid”, suggesting that they still see him as a good option to bring in. Aston Villa are also keen on snapping him up, though, with his current club demanding £54m for his services.

The fact that Newcastle have scouted Baena so intensively suggests that he is considered a genuine target at this point, and it’s easy to see why Paul Mitchell would see him as a great addition to Howe’s squad.

The 23-year-old already has five assists in just nine La Liga starts this season, outlining his creative quality, and he has been described as “very impressive” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past.

Baena is a Euro 2024 champion, too, earning glory with Spain earlier this summer – he made two appearances as a substitute in Germany – and he possesses the quality to play in a left-sided attacking role and in midfield, adding depth in several positions at once.

Newcastle now eyeing move for West Brom assist machine Tom Fellows

He is wanted by a number of Premier League clubs.

1 ByHenry Jackson Oct 28, 2024

At 23, he is also a maturing footballer who should become even more polished in his all-round game, so Newcastle would be signing a player with huge potential.

Ipswich Town fans will be praying that their stay in the Premier League isn’t a short one that unfortunately peters out after just one season in the big time, with the Tractor Boys currently occupying a spot in the league’s relegation zone.

Of course, the fact the Suffolk side are even in the top flight is a mammoth achievement in itself, considering they finished in a dire 11th place in League One during 2021/22, before their unbelievable rise then took shape.

Kieran McKenna was the main instigator from the dug-out that kickstarted Ipswich’s rise all the way up to the top division of English football again, but not everything was bleak when the Tractor Boys were struggling in the EFL prior to his arrival, with many star players fondly remembered by supporters in these lowly leagues.

Ipswich's top performers in the EFL

Daryl Murphy is a name that Ipswich fans will still hold dear to their hearts, even when cheering on Liam Delap in the here and now, with the Republic of Ireland international a deadly goal machine for the Tractor Boys when they once routinely aspired for a play-off spot in the Championship.

Murphy amassed an impressive 67 goals from 225 appearances at Portman Road, with 27 of those strikes coming during the 2014/15 season in the second tier, as the sharpshooter won himself a Golden Boot accolade.

Other potent strikers come to mind in the form of Martyn Waghorn and David McGoldrick, with the latter helping himself to 14 league goals in 2013/14, whilst Waghorn bowed out from his short but sweet stint in Suffolk with a stunning goal return of 16 from 46 overall games.

Whilst these Ipswich stars are etched into the Tractor Boys hall-of-fame as dependable performers from yesteryear – when a return to the Premier League felt like a distant dream – there are other examples where players fizzled out after a promising start to life donning Ipswich blue.

One example will definitely hurt those at Ipswich looking back, with the player in question scoring an unbelievable hat-trick on his debut, only to then have a disrupted time at the club.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Grant Ward's time at Ipswich

The best place to start with the ex-Tottenham Hotspur youngster is that aforementioned hat-trick, with Grant Ward firing home three strikes as a stunning second-half substitute in August 2016, managing to steer his side to a 4-2 win over Barnsley as a result of his mad 38-minute burst of goals.

Ipswich boss at the time Mick McCarthy would rightfully wax lyrical about Ward after the game, stating that everyone at the second-tier club was “delighted” with how quickly the winger had managed to impress and settle in after a summer move from Spurs.

Ward would only go on to score five more strikes for the Tractor Boys across the next couple of seasons though, with his final campaign in Suffolk largely disrupted by injury setbacks, with a cruciate ligament tear in December 2018 cutting short his action and ultimately would end up being the final nail in the coffin for his Ipswich career.

18/19

14

0

2

17/18

37

2

6

16/17

43

6

3

He has bounced back since this serious injury, with the 29-year-old going on to play for Blackpool directly after leaving Ipswich, whilst the one-time £600k Ipswich buy now finds himself on the books of League One side Bristol Rovers.

The Rovers number eight even scored this sumptuous strike last time out for the Gas in FA Cup action, showing the flickers of quality that once saw him be tipped for great things at Portman Road.

Ward will no doubt see his time at Ipswich now as a part of his career that could have gone differently, with the hat-trick he picked up on his debut actually working against him in the long run, as he couldn’t quite ever live up to this electric start across his up-and-down three-season stay in Suffolk.

Ipswich loanee who was unreal in McKenna's 1st season is now in Non-League

The loanee couldn’t find his feet after leaving Ipswich.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 1, 2024

A Tottenham Hotspur youngster is actively refusing to go out on loan in January as he’s determined to stay home, impress manager Ange Postecoglou and work his way into the Australian’s plans.

Spurs lose to Galatasaray and Ipswich in a disastrous week for Ange

The international break couldn’t have come soon enough for Postecoglou and co following a disastrous week, with Tottenham losing to Turkish champions Galatasaray in the Europa League and newly promoted Ipswich Town in the Premier League.

Tottenham plotting January talks to sign "exciting" Bayern Munich target

The Lilywhites could compete with Harry Kane’s side for his signature in the winter.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 7, 2024

In truth, Spurs were lucky to escape Galatasaray with a 3-2 defeat, as the Süper Lig side had plenty of chances to embarrass them by a much greater scoreline on the night, with Ipswich following that up by sealing a shock victory in north London just days later.

Kieran McKenna’s side secured their first top-flight victory of the campaign at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with Postecoglou criticised since then, as supporters and pundits scratch their heads over the stop-start nature of Spurs’ early-season form.

Man City vs Tottenham

November 23

Tottenham vs Fulham

December 1

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

As well as defeat to Ipswich, Crystal Palace managed to seal their first three points of the campaign against the Lilywhites at Selhurst Park, with the top-four hopefuls also slumping to a 3-2 defeat at Brighton after squandering a two-goal advantage.

Amid their lacklustre start to the campaign, Tottenham are reportedly plotting January talks to sign Hugo Larsson from Eintracht Frankfurt, among other potential targets, in a bid to strengthen the squad and hand Postecoglou the best chance of making something out of his second full season in charge.

“We didn’t start the game well at all. It was all sort of passive, without the ball, with the ball. I felt we didn’t get the tempo right or intensity right and then we gave ourselves a mountain to climb,” said Postecoglou on Spurs’ 2-1 defeat to Ipswich.

“Second half, we were in the ascendancy and had opportunities, obviously but we didn’t do enough with them.

“They’re all different sorts of scenarios. When we went behind against Villa we were playing well. We weren’t playing well today. So you’ve got to look at [it] in isolation today, it was a different scenario for me. I don’t think it was anything like last time. We gave ourselves too much of a deficit to try to overcome. Obviously, second half we had the opportunities to do that, but we should never have been in that position.”

Archie Gray determined to impress Postecoglou at Tottenham

One player who hasn’t played a major role so far, particularly in the Premier League, has been summer signing Archie Gray.

The 18-year-old is yet to make his first top-flight start, with both Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr ahead of him in the pecking order, and there have been reports that Tottenham are expecting clubs to make loan offers for Gray in January.

However, GiveMeSport claims that Gray is actively refusing to leave in January, as the Englishman is determined to impress Postecoglou and show the tactician that there is a place for him in the Spurs starting lineup on a regular basis.

The former Leeds sensation wants to continue improving in N17 whilst immersing himself in life at Spurs rather than go out on a temporary spell elsewhere – despite an array of clubs in the Premier League and Championship weighing up a mid-season approach.

Nottingham Forest’s development over the last few years under the ownership of Evangelos Marinakis has been nothing short of sensational, ending their 23-year exile from the Premier League.

The Greek shipping magnate has transformed the club on and off the pitch, looking unrecognisable from when he took the reins back in the summer of 2017.

Even in recent years, after the Reds secured promotion under Steve Cooper, he’s invested over £250m into new players giving the club every chance of being competitive in England’s top flight.

The City Ground is now home to numerous international stars, including £25m signing Morgan Gibbs-White who has taken his career to the next level in the East Midlands, leading to an England call-up, making him the first player since Stuart Peace to achieve the feat.

It’s a stark contrast from life under the previous ownership, with the club often posing as a laughing stock to many around the country after years of awful decisions conducted by the hierarchy.

Fawaz Al-Hasawi’s time as Nottingham Forest owner

Kuwaiti businessman Fawaz Al-Hasawi was seen as a saviour by many on Trentside after taking over the club following the tragic death of Nigel Doughty back in 2012.

The 56-year-old arrived with huge ambitions to take the club back to the Premier League within five years, but his time at the helm was a disaster, creating more problems than he solved.

He sacked manager Sean O’Driscoll during his first year in charge despite being a couple of points outside the play-offs, before appointing Alex McLeish, who would only last 40 days in the role.

Al-Hasawi would also spend big upon the appointment of club legend Pearce in 2014, but doing so in an erratic manner which broke FFP rules, with Forest enduring numerous windows under a transfer ban.

Such a period resulted in the loss of key players, dropping the Reds closer and closer to the relegation zone, with attendances dropping as low as 17,000 for some fixtures after his dismal running of the club.

The former owner had seven different managers during his five years in charge of the club, often leading to a revolving door at the City Ground – with no structure of continuity in place, leading to their decline.

His final boss during his time as owner was Mark Warburton, with the former Brentford and Rangers boss securing survival on the final day against Ipswich Town – saving the Reds from dropping into League One – potentially allowing for the success that has occurred in recent times.

Fawaz eventually sold up to now owner Marinakis in 2017, with the Greek doing unbelievable work in turning the club around into an established top-flight outfit in just a handful of years.

It’s safe to say the club conducted excellent business in offloading one talent who arrived during the ownership of Fawaz – especially considering his drop in stock over the last couple of seasons.

The player who Nottingham Forest struck gold offloading

Striker Britt Assombalonga arrived in a £5.5m deal from Peterborough in the summer of 2014, a then club-record transfer, forming an excellent partnership with Michail Antonio during that campaign.

The aforementioned pair combined for 42 goals in that Championship campaign, a year cut short for the big-money addition after his serious knee injury that kept him out for over a year.

However, the former DR Congo international would return for the 2016/17 season, which would be his final one at the City Ground, scoring 14 times and helping fend off any final-day relegation worries.

He scored two against Ipswich Town on the final day, securing a 3-0 win before departing in a £15m deal to join fellow second-tier outfit Middlesbrough – a then club-record departure.

However, his career has failed to kick on as many anticipated since his transfer to the Riverside, scoring 47 times in 161 appearances, before leaving on a free transfer at the end of his contract in 2021.

Player

Season

Fee

1) Brennan Johnson

2023/24

£47.5m

2) Orel Mangala

2024/25

£30m

3) Moussa Niakhate

2024/25

£27m

4) Odysseas Vlachodimos

2024/25

£20m

5) Britt Assombalonga

2017/18

£15m

He’s since mainly featured in Turkey for various clubs, now plying his trade for second-tier side Amed SK, who joined this summer, scoring twice in his first 11 games for his new club.

As a result, his market value has plummeted to just £625k, a figure lower than current squad member Willy Boly who’s now only valued at £2m despite his run-in as a regular starter in 2023/24, which saw him make 20 Premier League appearances.

Given the finances at the time, it was a tough call to part ways with a proven goalscorer, undoubtedly taking away one of the biggest assets within the first team.

However, given his steady decline in recent years, Forest certainly made the right call in allowing him to leave, with the club in a much better place than Assombalonga in 2024.

Nottingham Forest loan flop is now "world-class" & worth £50m after leaving

Nottingham Forest made a huge mistake in allowing the talent to leave.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 21, 2024

In recent years, lots of Birmingham City’s joy had focused mainly on nurturing some top young talents, whilst the main team at the Blues routinely struggled to stay afloat in the Championship.

They will still be overjoyed that they were the starting club that enabled the likes of Jude Bellingham and more to go on to be top performers elsewhere, but Chris Davies’ side will also be overjoyed that they are on course for an instant promotion back up to the second tier, with 12 wins notched up from 17 League One matches.

It’s safe to say that the list of homegrown gems Birmingham have been to able to produce over the years is an extremely impressive one, even when you take the obvious example of Bellingham out of the picture.

Top talents produced at Birmingham

There is, of course, also Jobe Bellingham, who has gone on to be a stylish operator at Championship level for Sunderland after exiting St. Andrew’s.

He failed to register a single goal or assist when lining up from the Blues during 26 senior appearances, so Birmingham wouldn’t have been too disheartened to move him onto the Black Cats for a reported £3m fee, even if he did go on to bag seven Championship strikes during his debut campaign.

There are other examples where Birmingham would feel more hurt by their former academy product moving on for big bucks, with Demarai Gray’s move to near neighbours Leicester City for around the £3.7m mark in 2016 stinging.

He accumulated eight goals and four assists in total for Birmingham before exiting, with his reputation as a winger who always operated on the front foot making him an obvious crowd-pleaser in the West Midlands.

The now 28-year-old would go on to become an established face in the Premier League for Everton after starring for Leicester, with Nathan Redmond also thankful for his early Blues education in helping him become a star in England’s elite division for the likes of Southampton and Norwich City.

One promising Blues youngster will hope he can reach the same heights as Redmond over time, with Premier League interest already reportedly coming the 18-year-old’s way.

Birmingham ace could be their next Redmond

It might well be strange to state that Romelle Donovan could go on to become the League One club’s next Redmond, especially when you consider his failed loan stint out to Burton Albion.

Donovan made just nine appearances for the Brewers this season before his deal was cut short, which will obviously be disappointing for all parties involved, as this switch was clearly meant to be formative for the teenager whilst his parent club went all guns blazing for promotion.

Although this move to the Pirelli Stadium didn’t go as anticipated, it’s clear that Donovan has a bright future ahead of him as a skilful and quick winger down the right flank, having been gifted opportunities in the Birmingham first team last season.

He was even gifted a start whilst his side was worried sick about the growing possibility of relegation, with one late cameo against Stoke City last December showing off his exciting ability to fearlessly take on defenders for fun with weaving runs.

Minutes played

23

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Shots

2

Successful dribbles

4/5

Total duels won

5/7

From just 23 minutes of action, Donovan shone against the Potters with a ridiculous four dribbles successfully completed, alongside further showing off his tenacious character with five duels won.

Many at St. Andrew’s must have anticipated that the 18-year-old attacker was going to gain more senior minutes after relegation, therefore, but a loan spell away would take place instead, even if Davies did label the daring forward as “really talented” in pre-season.

With the bump of Burton fresh, it will be intriguing to see if alleged admiration from top-flight Brentford comes to anything.

Davies will hope that the teenager stays put, with the Blues no doubt wanting to get more out of one of their own instead of losing them prematurely, as the Birmingham number 49 could then move onto the Premier League further down the line when he has made more of a name for himself.

Birmingham thought they had "another Demarai Gray", now he plays in China

This Birmingham City wonderkid never lived up to his hype.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 17, 2024

Chelsea are now closely monitoring a new defender for Enzo Maresca, it has been reported, as they look to consolidate their newfound position back towards the top of the Premier League.

Chelsea march on

An impressive comeback against London rivals Tottenham saw Chelsea run out 4-3 winners in north London on Sunday, and move up to second place in the Premier League in the process.

The Blues were 2-0 down inside 15 minutes thanks to two slips from Marc Cucurella which allowed Tottenham through on the attack, but goals from Jadon Sancho and a penalty from Cole Palmer brought them level on the hour mark.

Chelsea ready to sell "sensational" £30m player with PL rivals keen

The Blues have made him available for a January transfer.

1 ByDominic Lund Dec 8, 2024

From there, they pressed their advantage as an Enzo Fernandez half volley and a second penalty from Palmer, this time a panenka, put them on course for all three points, though a stoppage time goal from Heung Min-Son made the scoreline closer than it perhaps should have been.

After the game, Maresca once again played down talk of a potential title challenge despite his side being Liverpool’s closest challengers as things stand.

“Arsenal, [Manchester] City and Liverpool probably don’t slide – like Cucurella did,” he joked. “To be serious, we are not ready. We are far from these teams, but we focus on day-by-day and trying to improve the team.

“The plan or the idea is to not let the players slow down. They cannot drop because they know another player is waiting to come in.”

One area that remains a concern is the heart of defence, with Benoit Badiashile looking error-prone and Axel Disasi having yet to regularly feature in the Premier League this season. Now, in keeping with Chelsea’s recent transfer policy, the Blues are eyeing another young talent.

Chelsea keen on Thiago Silva 2.0

That comes as Sky Germany report that Chelsea are one of two Premier League sides keeping a close eye on Brazilian defender Vitor Reis ahead of a potential summer move. The Blues have already raided Palmeiras once in the last 12 months, landing impressive forward Estêvão Willian in a deal worth up to £52m, with the teenager joining in the upcoming summer.

And he could be joined by fellow Palmeiras star Reis, with Florian Plettenberg revealing that the Blues are “closely monitoring” Reis ahead of the summer.

Still just 18-years-old himself, Reis is believed to have a bright future ahead of him, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson taking to X to dub him the “heir to Thiago Silva” and a “future star” at centre back.

Appearances

22

Goals

2

Clean sheets

4

Yellow Cards

4

The defender is under contract in Sao Paulo until 2028, meaning that it would likely take a significant fee to lure him away from the Brazilian side, especially given that next summer would be midway through their domestic season and they will already be losing Estêvão.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are also thought to be interested in the talent as they look for yet more defensive reinforcements, which could leave Chelsea with a fight on their hands.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly set to appoint Vitor Pereira as their new manager.

The Portuguese boss will replace Gary O’Neil in the hot seat at Molineux after he was sacked from his post on Monday following a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich Town.

He leaves the club 19th in the Premier League with just nine points to their name so far, with Southampton the only side in the table on fewer points. Incoming boss Pereira has a tough job trying to keep the Old Gold in the top flight.

It seems as though they will have to sanction some exits, with finance expert Stefan Borson telling Football Insider they will have to make some sales to keep in line with PSR guidelines. Three names in particular could be smart for the Midlands club.

1 Rayan Ait-Nouri

One of the biggest names at Molineux at the moment is Rayan Ait-Nouri. Despite a poor start to the season from the team, he has made a fast start on an individual level. In 16 top-flight appearances this term, the left-wing back has scored three times and assisted three times.

According to a November report from The Sun, Manchester United could be a potential destination for the Algerian defender. He is a player thought to be ‘high on the wishlist’ of Ruben Amorim, and the player himself reportedly wants to leave.

He is someone who O’Neil certainly rated highly during his time at the club. Last month, the former Old Gold boss explained the Algerian “can play anywhere on the pitch”, describing him as an “extremely talented” footballer.

2020/21

21

1405

2

2021/22

23

1828

3

2022/23

21

1070

1

2023/24

33

2343

3

2024/25

16

1373

6

There is no doubt that losing the 23-year-old, who earns £10k-per-week, would be a huge blow for Wolves. However, he was valued at a reported £58m earlier this year, and that could be key money for Pereira as he hopes to avoid a PSR breach and reinvest money into the squad.

2 Pablo Sarabia

Another player who could be on the move this winter is Pablo Sarabia. The experienced Spanish playmaker is only under contract at Molineux until the end of the season. One report from Spain suggested in November that his former side Sevilla could try and bring him back as early as January, although that could be a tough deal to agree with Wolves.

With that being said, perhaps it is a move that makes sense. The 32-year-old brings plenty of experience but is the club’s joint-highest earner on £90k-per-week. This could represent an opportunity to shift his wages off the club’s books. Hypothetically, if he were to leave on the 1st of January, Wolves could save themselves £234k.

Considering the lack of involvement for the Spaniard this season, it might be wise to move him on. He has played just seven times in all competitions, with five of those appearances coming in the Premier League.

Given the midfielder’s game time this season, and the fact he is on such high wages, selling him could be a wise move for Wolves. They could save themselves a lot of money and freshen up the squad in attacking areas.

3 Jose Sa

It has been an odd season for the Old Gold in the goalkeeping department, with both Jose Sa and summer signing Sam Johnstone challenging for a spot in the side. For the Portuguese shot-stopper, it has been a torrid campaign so far.

Although he has not played in every Premier League game so far this term, the 31-year-old was predominantly O’Neil’s first choice between the posts. He has played nine times, conceding 23 goals, an average of 2.5 per game.

His last outing was a shocking 4-0 defeat at the hands of Everton, which was a really disappointing showing from the whole side, as the score reflects.

Just after the summer transfer window, O’Neil admitted that Sa could depart the club if the battle with Johnstone for number one was not one he was winning.

That move is yet to materialise, but with the January window right around the corner, things could change. Given his inconsistent performances and £40k-per-week wage, it might not be a surprise to see Sa leave.

Pereira could turn "lightning" Wolves flop into his very own Neto

This Wolverhampton Wanderers flop could turn around his time at Molineux under Vitor Pereira.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 17, 2024