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Reporter Reacts To "Brilliant" Leeds News

TEAMtalk reporter and Leeds United fan James Marshment has been reacting to a new deal for winger Jack Harrison.

What’s the latest news from Elland Road on Harrison?

Harrison has had an eventful season in Yorkshire, beginning the campaign in fine form under former manager Jesse Marsch after contributing to four goals in the first three Premier League games. However, both the player and Leeds suffered a drop in form which resulted in Marsch losing his job back in February.

Javi Gracia was the man to come in at Elland Road and has placed his trust in the 26-year-old in recent weeks, with the winger getting back to his best by contributing to five goals in the last six top-flight games.

The Whites have now finalised a new contract for Harrison, who has put pen to paper on a new five-year deal, with the club announcing the news in the last 48 hours.

Marshment was one of many to give their thoughts on the update, describing it on Twitter as “brilliant news” for the club and saying a potential move to Leicester City back in January “could have been catastrophic for Leeds”.

“Brilliant news that we’re tying Jack Harrison down to a new deal to 2028. Selling him to struggling Leicester – and it was painfully close – could have been catastrophic for Leeds. Hit form at exactly the right time and currently one of the first names on the teamsheet.”

Are Leeds right to hand Harrison a new deal?

As mentioned, Harrison was close to joining the Foxes earlier this year and has recently admitted he even began a medical before Leeds pulled the plug on a deal at the final minute.

That decision has now proven to be the right one by Leeds chiefs, with the Englishman playing a key role in the turnaround in Yorkshire by scoring three times and registering two assists under Gracia. He has even shown his versatility in recent weeks as well, turning out on either wing and even in central midfield against Arsenal at the beginning of the month.

As per WhoScored, Harrison has been the club’s best-performing attacking player this season, registering twice as many assists than any other Whites player and topping the charts for key passes and dribbles made, so a new deal appears to be a wise move by the club.

You’d expect he’ll continue to feature heavily in the run-in, and after extending his stay to 2028, could be pivotal for years to come, with sporting director Victor Orta believing he is yet to hit his peak.

Spurs: £42m "liability" must leave in summer

Tottenham Hotspur dud Davinson Sanchez was booed off as Cristian Stellini's side were defeated 3-2 by relegation candidates AFC Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon.

It was another miserable day for the Lilywhites as their season continues to peter out into nothingness and this moment, which is merely another slight of toxicity that the north London outfit have grown accustomed to, may well be the lowest ebb – if not the saddest, according to club captain Hugo Lloris.

There is no denying that Sanchez is part of the problem, rather than the sole villain for their woes and the fans' reaction over the weekend was somewhat harsh, though it is merely a culmination of the negativity that has been brewing throughout the current demise.

They have their right to vent such anger, however, and unfortunately for the Colombian international, his form for the club in recent seasons hasn't been good enough and it all came to a head against the Cherries, with Spurs losing their footing in the race for a top-four finish.

Should Spurs sell Davinson Sanchez?

Spurs parted with a then club-record fee of £42m for Sanchez back in 2017; earmarked as a centre-back for the ages for the club.

"We believe he will be one of the best centre-backs in the world in the future. That is why we made the effort to try to sign him," former manager Mauricio Pochettino claimed upon the defender's arrival from Ajax.

Now nearly six years later and aged 26, the 6 foot 2 flop has struggled to cement his place in the starting XI, even despite the constant change in manager. When as many as four different coaches can't trust you, then something is clearly up.

The £65k-per-week "liability" – as once lambasted by Daily Express reporter Joe Krishnan – hasn't started more than 17 top-flight matches in any of the last three seasons, with the current campaign being on track for his lowest output yet, per WhoScored.

Tottenham Hotspur's Davinson Sanchez reacts after being substituted

Sanchez was introduced in the 35th minute as Clement Lenglet had to be withdrawn due to an injury and by the hour mark, the substitute got replaced himself, leading to the crowd's jeers.

It wasn't just the Lilywhites' faithful that was left disappointed by the 26-year-old's shocking 23-minute outing as former midfielder Jamie O'Hara slammed him on talkSPORT. "We spent a lot of money on him and he is absolutely awful," he said.

This was backed up by another ex-Spurs star as Jermaine Jenas claimed he was "sloppy" and that his passing was "just embarrassing" on BBC Match of the Day.

With 14 months left to run on his contract, the summer window represents one final chance to recoup a tiny bit of the eye-watering £42m the club paid for him.

He's human after all and does not deserve abuse. However, he is just not good enough for this level of football and must be offloaded under the new manager, as soon as possible.

Liverpool’s "Indispensable" £152k-p/w Target Keen To Join

Liverpool target Ryan Gravenberch is keen on a move to Anfield after a positive meeting regarding a deal was held, according to reports.

What's the latest on Gravenberch to Liverpool?

The Bayern Munich midfielder’s contract at the Allianz Arena isn’t set to expire for another four years, but having made just one start in the Bundesliga this season, has fallen out of favour and could therefore be looking to secure a move elsewhere this summer, potentially to the Premier League.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has reported that the Netherlands international is on a shortlist of central targets compiled by Jurgen Klopp with 90min having since claimed that the Reds have made contact to ask for regular updates on the 20-year-old’s situation.

Now, according to De Telegraaf (via Voetbal Primeur and Sport Witness), Liverpool recently sent chiefs to hold “talks” with Gravenberch’s representatives to discuss a potential move to Merseyside. The Dutchman’s camp, including his father, “sat down” with the key figures from Anfield to discover what a deal would look like, and the meeting must have gone swimmingly because it’s stated that the midfielder is “interested” in completing the switch.

The German giants’ star is “becoming dejected” about his lack of minutes at his current club which is why a move “appeals to him”, and as for the price tag, the hope is that FSG wouldn’t have to pay “more” than the €18.5m (£16.3m) Bayern initially coughed up for him.

Bayern Munich midfielder Ryan Gravenberch.

Should Liverpool go for Gravenberch?

Gravenberch admitting that he wants to join Liverpool will be a huge boost for Klopp and something that the board should take advantage of by splashing the cash to secure his services during the upcoming window.

The Adidas-sponsored gem has posted 69 goal contributions (36 goals and 33 assists) in 215 appearances throughout his career, with this impressive return for a midfielder having seen him dubbed “indispensable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig. As per FBRef, the £152k-per-week also ranks in the 95th percentile for shot-creating actions per 90 and the 92nd percentile for shots, which shows that even if he’s not always on the scoresheet, he’s constantly looking to try and make the magic happen in the final third.

Finally, Gravenberch knows what it takes to be successful having secured six senior trophies over the course of his time at Bayern and former club Ajax, so will be able to match the winning mentality of the current squad already on Merseyside.

Tottenham: Spurs Make Big Mauricio Pochettino Decision

Mauricio Pochettino has 'long liked' the idea of re-joining Tottenham Hotspur with both the coach and Spurs now making a final decision on his mooted return.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

After the north Londoners succumbed to a humbling 6-1 loss at the hands of Premier League top four rivals Newcastle United on Sunday, chairman Daniel Levy made the big call to sack interim head coach Cristian Stellini.

The result capitulated Eddie Howe's side into a solid position to qualify for next season's Champions League campaign whilst dealing a mighty blow to Spurs – who are now six points adrift of fourth.

The Lilywhites face a real uphill battle to catch both Man United and Newcastle, with the two sides both possessing games in hand on Spurs and superior goal differences. Levy is facing a disastrous end to the 2022/2023 campaign and simply must make the right call when it comes to Antonio Conte's replacement.

Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann stand out as the most big name and readily-available candidates for hire, with both men being heavily linked in the last week. Pochettino, who has been mentioned as a possible option since Conte's departure, is thought to be in talks with Chelsea despite Spurs fans singing for his return from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium stands.

Mauricio Pochettino

All the noises suggest he is edging towards west London, and according to The Independent, both Pochettino and Spurs have made their decision on his mooted reunion at N17.

As per this report, the 51-year-old has 'long liked the idea' of a return to Tottenham, as have Spurs themselves, with both Pochettino and the hierarchy strongly considering it back in 2021, However, this time round, he didn't emerge as a major contender for the role – with the two parties both making a decision to 'look on'.

Chelsea, meanwhile, are a serious destination for the tactician.

Are Spurs making a Pochettino mistake?

The former Paris-Saint Germain boss, who already knows the club and members of their squad, also has the necessary experience in England and would have been a brilliant appointment.

Pochettino also would have returned to Tottenham with trophy-winning pedigree – clinching a Ligue 1 title and other honours in France – with his status as a free agent coming as another attraction.

Called an 'excellent' manager by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, we feel it is quite simply a missed opportunity for Spurs and supporters could be very disappointed he is heading towards one of their major London rivals.

It's back to the drawing board for Levy and Tottenham's chief is under immense pressure to make the right appointment.

Arsenal: £27m "Magic Man" Can Reignite PL Title Fight

Arsenal's recent poor run of form had seen the Premier League title seemingly slip out of their grasp, as they capped off three straight draws with a crushing loss at Manchester City.

It felt like that had marked the conclusion of their season, yet upon welcoming Chelsea to the Emirates, new faith was restored.

The Gunners raced into a 3-0 lead, and despite a late consolation from Frank Lampard's men, it marked a comprehensive return to form for Mikel Arteta and his magnificent outfit.

Although Pep Guardiola matched them with a win of his own, it did restore some faith as the Sky Blues have one extra game to play, meaning one extra chance to slip up.

Therefore, the pressure will remain should the north London outfit maintain another run of wins. Although unlikely, the slight chance of silverware returning means Arteta simply has to throw everything at it.

Using their latest win as a guideline for their final four matches, Leandro Trossard was one starter who has once again proven the necessity for his inclusion. Since signing in January for £27m, the Belgian has fast made himself imperative to their creativity.

How did Leandro Trossard play vs Chelsea?

The 27-year-old has managed 16 appearances since his switch from Brighton and Hove Albion, and earned widespread praise for his exploits in translating his form onto a bigger stage.

Scoring just once and assisting a further eight, this built upon a remarkable first half of the campaign, where he recorded ten goal contributions with the Seagulls.

Such consistently brilliant showings at the Amex even led SussexLive journalist Richie Mills to dub him their "magic man".

arsenal-manchester-city-premier-league

Starting ahead of Gabriel Martinelli on Tuesday, who had admittedly gone missing in their loss against City, Trossard recorded a fine outing that was capped off by his 7.3 rating. Of his teammates, only the match-winner Martin Odegaard received higher.

Indeed, the Brazilian lasted just an hour against the reigning champions, where he failed to assert any attacking threat on the game. He did not register a single successful shot or dribble, and had just 11 touches of the ball – which is once every five-and-a-half minutes. Reiss Nelson, who came off the bench for the final ten minutes, matched this feat, via Sofascore.

Trossard's eye-catching outing in midweek was upheld by a slew of statistics that denote creative excellence, in which he managed two key passes and was 100% successful when dribbling.

The left winger even amassed an expected assist of 0.50, suggesting that the odds were not quite in his favour as his teammates squandered various chances, via Sofascore.

GOAL reporter Charles Watts had demanded his inclusion from the start and was rewarded following a display. He wrote on Twitter beforehand:

"Trossard has to start against Chelsea. For all the talk around the impact of Saliba's injury and Holding's inclusion, Arsenal have not won a game since Trossard dropped out of the starting XI. They are a better team when he is on the pitch."

Tuesday night proved this, and with that tiny possibility that the title could swing back in their favour, Trossard must remain in the starting XI to continue applying the pressure.

Allardyce Could Shackle Haaland With "Ridiculous" Leeds Star

Leeds United will surely need to pick up some positive results in their final four games if they are going to maintain their Premier League status this season.

Only goal difference sees the Yorkshire outfit sit ahead of Nottingham Forest in the bottom three as it stands, and with games against high-flying Manchester City and Newcastle United to come, Sam Allardyce must find a way of improving a Leeds defence which has struggled all season long.

No side in the Premier League has conceded more than Leeds and with a trip to the league leaders to come on Saturday, Allardyce will be searching for ways to keep the prolific Erling Haaland quiet at the Etihad.

The Norwegian forward has crashed in a record-breaking 35 goals in his first season in the Premier League and will be looking to add to his tally again on Saturday against a Leeds side that have leaked goals in recent weeks.

However, Allardyce could find a potential solution for the former Borussia Dortmund man in Pascal Struijk, as the Dutchman has been a rare bright spark in a shocking season for the Yorkshire outfit.

Should Leeds start Struijk against Manchester City?

According to WhoScored, the 23-year-old has been the top-performing player at Elland Road with a solid 6.77 rating across his 25 Premier League appearances so far this term.

Defensive concentration will be vital if Leeds are going to keep out Haaland, and Struijk's impressive average of three tackles per game this season (the second-best in Allardyce's squad), suggests that he could be the man to stop the powerful forward when he inevitably gets put through on goal by City's creative outlets.

While Struijk cannot be described as the quickest of defenders, he certainly boasts a decent turn of speed which the other defenders, notably Max Wober and Liam Cooper, arguably lack.

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A deep defensive line will have to be a must for Leeds and Allardyce on Sunday, or they risk it becoming far too easy for the electric Haaland to go in on goal, and at six-foot-three, Struijk certainly possesses the physicality to deal with Haaland in the air, as is evidenced by his return of 2.1 aerials won per game vs the Man City man's average of 1.4 aerials per game.

The £50k-per-week defender certainly still has a lot of potential and has perhaps been underused by Leeds at times this season, given that journalist Conor McGilligan dubbed him a "ridiculous talent" earlier in the season.

If Leeds can force City to play the ball long to Haaland by playing a deep line, then Struijk could be the ideal man for Allardyce to select at the back as he looks to keep him quiet.

West Ham Backed To Sign Bundesliga Man This Summer

West Ham are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Djibril Sow in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Christian Falk.

Is Sow having a good season?

The Hammers look to have just about done enough to avoid relegation from the Premier League, but regardless, it has still been a disappointing season at the London Stadium. It has highlighted the need to bring in top-quality new signings at the end of the campaign, with midfielder an area that could be in particular need of reinforcements.

It feels increasingly likely that talisman Declan Rice will move on this summer, in order to enjoy a fresh challenge at one of the country's top clubs, so replacing him is going to be absolutely vital. One player who has been linked with a move to West Ham is Sow, who has shone for Frankfurt this season.

The 26-year-old has made 29 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, scoring four goals along the way and also averaging 1.3 tackles per game for good measure. Now, a new update has emerged regarding the Hammers' pursuit of the Swiss star.

Are West Ham interesting in signing Sow?

Speaking to Caught Offside [via Substack], Falk claimed that West Ham are eyeing up a summer move for Sow, having previously been tracked by other Premier League clubs:

"Last summer, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle were close to midfielder Djibril Sow, but this time around it’s West Ham doing the chasing. The Swiss star has been watched several times by the east Londoners, most recently in Dortmund by chief scout Rob Newman himself."

Sow, who earns £35k per week, as per Capology, could be exactly what the Hammers are crying out for in the middle of the park, with the Frankfurt man winning 36 caps for a talented Switzerland side. At 26, he is at a great point in his career to come in and make an immediate impression in east London, considering he is now an experienced head, but also someone who should be at his peak for the foreseeable future.

Replacing Rice is going to arguably be West Ham's most important piece of transfer business this summer and Sow does look like a strong candidate to do that, considering he has scored more time than the current Hammers star in the league this season – four to three – and made eight appearances in the Champions League, which the man he could come in for has never done before.

Tottenham: Spurs Could Pay £6 Million For "Maniac" Manager

Tottenham will have to a £6 million compensation fee if they decide to appoint Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, according to journalist Sami Mokbel.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

Overnight reports flooded in on Friday, detailing that former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is no longer a candidate to succeed Antonio Conte at Spurs.

Arguably a surprising development, especially since he is readily-available and one of Europe's most exciting young managers, it is now back to the drawing board for chairman Daniel Levy in his hunt for a new manager.

Nagelsmann and former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, despite their credentials, will not be getting the Tottenham job going by recent reports as the latter coach also joins Chelsea.

Luckily for Levy, in terms of other managerial candidates, there is no shortage – with free agent and former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique linked alongside the likes of Graham Potter and Brendan Rodgers (90min).

arne-slot-tottenham-hotspur-manager-levy-feyenoord

Slot, who is leading the Eredivisie with Feyenoord, has attracted praise and even comparisons to Man City boss Pep Guardiola.

Tottenham have taken a keen interest, but according to The Mail and Mokbel, Spurs will have to pay a £6m compensation package to get him out of Feyenoord.

This is if they decide to go in the Dutchman's direction, with Slot also apparently seeking significant control and involvement in football directions, which he possesses at his current club.

What could Slot bring to Spurs?

Called a "maniac" manager by members of the press, the 44-year-old has also been called "Guardiola-like" by Football Oranje editor Michael Bell, who told i:

"His style is high-energy attacking football in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with two deep lying midfielders and a reliance on wingers to create chances.“However, he also has the strongest defence in the Eredivisie this season. This is down to a relentless press to win the ball back. Slot is a Pep Guardiola-type more than a Jose Mourinho. He wants to entertain, he wants to attack."

Slot, according to Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan, would also apparently "love" to coach Tottenham, with the reporter explaining to talkSPORT last month (via Leeds United News):

“Leeds offered £5m to attract Slot. He was very keen; Feyenoord said no. There’s a clause in his contract next year. Palace are a serious option, he’d love to coach Tottenham – but clubs will have to pay a massive fee to get him.”

Tottenham: Spurs Eye "Absolutely Phenomenal" Manager Move

Dutch football expert and journalist Marcel van der Kraan has told Tottenham Hotspur they're targeting an "absolutely phenomenal" manager in Arne Slot.

Who could be the next Spurs manager?

There are currently a succession of candidates still in the frame to become Spurs' next manager, coming two months after former boss Antonio Conte departed north London.

Spurs must get preparations underway for the summer window but hiring a new head coach takes centre stage for now, and any prospective new manager will want time to identify transfer targets.

The Lilywhites are ever so slowly winding down their list of possible candidates, but there are still many names in the frame, with Ruben Amorim, Marco Silva, Michael Carrick, Brendan Rodgers, Graham Potter, Luis Enrique and Slot all linked in the past week (90min).

Feyenoord's Arne Slot

Perhaps chief among them is Slot, and while Sky Sports say he is not the clear favourite yet, there are other reports claiming he's entered pole position.

One thing seems crystal clear – the 44-year-old is a firm target for Levy and co as they step up plans to appoint Conte's replacement.

Amid these reports, and as Tottenham eye a move for Slot, reporter Van der Kraan has told Sky Sports that they're targeting an "absolutely phenomenal" option – and Feyenoord fans "cannot believe" what he's done.

He explained:

"We all know Cruyff had only a couple of people who follow him. One of them is Pep Guardiola, I would say this is a Pep Guardiola-style manager."Everything I’ve seen of him over the last two years, every week, week in week out. He’s been absolutely phenomenal. The players like him, his style of football is great he’s super attacking.“The fans at Feyenoord cannot believe what they’ve seen over the last two years in the amount of entertainment in all the matches. And it’s brought, you a lot of goodness as well with a final and a trophy with the league.In the past, we all know that many Dutch coaches like to attack and we like entertaining football but it’s been too naive. This coach is not naive, he’s great.”

Who is Arne Slot?

The Feyenoord coach is fresh off the back of winning his first ever Eredivsie title after just missing out on a Europa Conference League crown last season.

Slot's stock is growing rapidly, leading to Tottenham's serious interest, and he could fit into the mould of an attack-minded, young and exciting project manager.

That is the type of manager Spurs are reliably believed to be pursuing and it will be interesting to see if they can prise him away from Feyenoord, who are desperate to keep him.

Man Utd Are Keen On Blockbuster Deal For £200k p/w Ace

Manchester United see Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane as 'the perfect kind of striker for their football', though any deal to entice him to Old Trafford won't be an easy one to complete, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

As per The Guardian, Manchester United are set to up the ante in their search for an elite forward by 'bidding as quickly as possible' for Kane this summer and they are also keen on Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount.

The report states that the Red Devils are aware that Spurs will not be pushovers in negotiations, though they believe that the England international 'could transform them into title contenders and they intend to test [Daniel] Levy’s resolve' early in the forthcoming transfer window.

Speaking on Match of the Day via METRO, Premier League all-time leading goalscorer Alan Shearer has weighed in on the debate over whether Kane should commit to Tottenham or move elsewhere, stating: "If it was me, personally, in his situation now – yeah, I would look at my options. He has been so loyal to Tottenham and so brilliant for Tottenham. I don’t think any Tottenham fan could complain if he said: ‘Look, I’ve done my time and I have got to look elsewhere."

Capology understand that the 29-year-old earns £200,000 per week on his current terms at Tottenham that run until the summer of 2024.

Chelsea and Bayern Munich have also been linked with a swoop to try and secure Kane's services in the off-season, which could instigate a transfer tug-of-war for his signature.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Romano believes that Kane is highly regarded within the walls of Old Trafford, though insists that Tottenham will be difficult to do business with.

Romano said: "In terms of reality and a concrete situation happening, we can say that they have an interest. They really appreciate Harry Kane and they consider him the perfect kind of striker for their football.

"But they also know that it's not going to be fast or easy so don't expect any deal in the next two or three weeks for Harry Kane because this is not going to happen."

Would Harry Kane be a good fit for Manchester United?

Kane is an elite striker who has once again proved his credentials this season and he would enrich almost any side in world football due to his clinical finishing ability.

In 2022/23, the Walthamstow-born ace has netted 30 times and laid on five assists in 48 appearances across all competitions for Tottenham, as per Transfermarkt.

Spurs strikerHarry Kane

The 29-year-old star has also been Spurs' most consistent performer across this campaign, managing to obtain an average match rating of 7.47/10 for his exploits on the pitch, according to WhoScored.

FBRef also shows that Kane has the capacity to be a creative influence and illustrate that he has faired well compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive passes, having managed 4.73 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, ranking him in the fourth percentile for this metric.

Manchester United would improve significantly with the arrival of Kane and it is unsurprising that it seems as if they are pulling out all the stops to bring him to Old Trafford.

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