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Leeds could sign Marcelo Bielsa’s perfect player in Sevilla winger Lucas Ocampos.

Reports in recent days have suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are very much interested in bringing the Argentina international to the Premier League this summer, and when you look at his style of play, it’s very much a perfect match with the Whites boss.

As La Liga Lowdown’s Sevilla correspondent Gregor Chappelle reveals, the £70k-a-week earning Ocampos’ quality at both ends of the pitch have been very impressive.

He said: “I was surprised by how good he’s been, turning into one of the most important players in the team. He obviously enjoys playing in Lopetegui’s system and he takes a lot of confidence from being the main man.

“But Ocampos also works really hard defensively. He’ll drop back to cut out quick balls out wide, while the full-back on his side will press the opposition to try and force an error. He’s got a great engine on him as well as physicality and strength, so he provides good defensive cover and gives as good as he gets in 50/50 challenges.”

It’s no surprise, then, that Ocampos has some very impressive defensive numbers in particular, with his tally of 1.3 tackles per game in La Liga this season actually ranking him in the top ten among all of Leeds’ players – in fact, out of Bielsa’s more attacking options however, only Jack Harrison makes more tackles per match with 1.6.

As Chappelle says, the Argentine is also someone who battles hard in the 50/50s, and as per Sofascore, wins a mammoth 7.1 duels per game at an impressive success rate of 57%.

To put that into context, even the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Robin Koch win fewer duels than him, despite playing in holding midfield and as a centre-back respectively.

Given how he’s not only impressive with the ball, but also hard-working off it, the “electric” Ocampos appears to be the archetypal Bielsa player.

Everything the Argentine does seems to be with his full heart into it, and that should see him fit in perfectly at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Leeds must surely regret selling this goal-scoring star…

Many Sunderland fans are delighted after a report from Football Insider suggested that Jordan Jones is eager to sign for the club permanently in the summer.

The 26-year-old made the move to the Stadium of Light on loan from Rangers in January and has impressed so far on Wearside. In 11 matches for the Black Cats, he has two goals and four assists to his name (Transfermarkt) and has proven to be a breath of fresh for the League One outfit – his arrival has given them the impetus to push for promotion to the Championship.

He is set to return to his parent club at the end of the campaign, but this report suggests that he would be eager to stay upon Wearside rather than return north of the border. The report added that a fee of £600,000 would be enough for Rangers to sanction a permanent sale.

The news was shared on Twitter by @sunderlandafc11, and it attracted plenty of attention from Sunderland supporters. These fans took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Jones news below

“Just don’t get our hopes up please”

Credit: @LukeeWelshh

“what a Monday morning man”

Credit: @LB01__

“Would be happy with this.”

Credit: @AL_SNR58

“This man has my heart”

Credit: @ow3n__

“That’s good news…”

Credit: @John67684101

“he would be some player for the Championship”

Credit: @WilliamHorrigan

In other news, many Sunderland fans loved these comments from Kyril Louis-Dreyfus.

Many Arsenal fans have been slamming the display of Alex Lacazette in their 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Mikel Arteta’s team blew their chance to take a lead into the second leg of the quarter-finals, conceding a goal from a corner in injury time after Nicolas Pepe had given them the lead at the Emirates Stadium with a cool finish.

Lacazette did not have his best game in a Gunners shirt, missing a big opportunity after he was through one-on-one with the goalkeeper, only to hit the crossbar.

The former Lyon ace lost out on two of his duels and did not record a single shot on target as he failed to =make an impact in the match, having fewer touches of the ball (32) than his own goalkeeper Bernd Leno (40), per Sofascore.

Arsenal fans on Lacazette display

These Gooners slammed the Frenchman’s performance on Twitter, with one Arsenal supporter even going as far as to claim that the 29-year-old striker was ’embarrassing’:

“Can’t believe Arsenal spent a FAT £50m on Lacazette #afc”

Credit: @KrisValue

“I’ll say it now Lacazette should never start as an Arsenal striker. One of the worst strikers I’ve ever seen. £46.5m waste!!! #arsenal #AFC”

Credit: @DailyGoonerSam

“It’s clear Aubameyang and Lacazette can’t play together. So Laca has to go this summer. You can’t spend half a million pounds a week on wages for 2 players that are incompatible, that’s just not good business #AFC”

Credit: @hayden_easter

“I’m sorry but Lacazette has to go. The one thing he had when he joined was a decent finish and now that’s gone. No pace, no size or physicality he’s literally missing sitter after sitter week in week out. Take £20m and move on. #AFC”

Credit: @Pier_C_1

“Lacazette is no longer a footballer #AFC”

Credit: @KYEkye45

“Embarrassing from Lacazette #AFC”

Credit: @AndrewAFC89

In other news, find out what William Saliba revelation has left some fans fuming!

According to a report by AS, as relayed by Sport Witness, La Liga side Villarreal are ‘willing to execute’ the purchase option in Juan Foyth’s loan deal following his performances this season – with all signs now pointing towards a permanent summer exit for the Tottenham youngster.

Foyth’s future not at Tottenham

Foyth has been highly rated by those at Spurs in the past, with manager Jose Mourinho once calling him ‘very solid’ shortly after the manager’s arrival in north London (Evening Standard).

As well as this, ex-Lilywhites boss Mauricio Pochettino was a huge fan – he branded Foyth ‘quality’ during his spell in charge (Sky Sports).

Writing for the Athletic last year, journalist Charlie Eccleshare also dubbed him a ‘very exciting player’ when speaking in a Q&A – but AS report that Villarreal are now ‘willing’ to execute his loan-to-buy option for around €15 million (£13.02m).

As a result, all signs point towards Mourinho losing Foyth permanently as a result – coming after Tottenham supporters long held the belief he could excel as a defensive midfielder for Spurs (football.london).

Transfer Tavern take

Villarreal boss Unai Emery, speaking to the press last month, candidly admitted that if it were up to him, he would sign Foyth on a permanent basis (AS) – and it looks like he is about to get his wish.

Despite fellow youngster Oliver Skipp coming as a sure-fire choice to fight for a defensive midfield role next season, keeping hold of Foyth could have also been a boost for Mourinho.

Playing more regularly recently, he has averaged an impressive 2.5 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game in La Liga – all while completing 88.5% of his passes in that time (WhoScored).

News that Foyth is looking likely to leave on a permanent deal comes as an unlikely potential blow, we believe, as his loan spell has helped him develop into a solid player in the Spanish top flight.

In other news: Tottenham touted as possible move for ‘phenomenal’ ace, find out more here.

According to recent reports, West Ham United have suffered a blow to their chances of signing Jesse Lingard this summer, as a number of elite European clubs have entered the race for the 28-year-old.

The report by ESPN claims that, as a result of his breathtaking form since joining West Ham on loan from Manchester United, the Hammers will now have to battle the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Inter Milan for the signing of Lingard this summer, with all three clubs thought to be closely monitoring the England international ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

It is also reported that the £75,000-per-week player’s representatives have informed Manchester United that he will not be used as a makeweight in any potential move for Declan Rice this summer.

Transfer Tavern Take

Considering the fact that Lingard has now scored eight goals and registered three assists in just nine Premier League appearances for West Ham, it is not overly surprising to learn of the new interest in the attacking midfielder.

However, while all three of the clubs mentioned are indeed heavyweights of the Champions League, should West Ham go on to qualify for Europe’s elite competition come the end of the season and the 28-year-old clearly enjoying his football in east London, the Irons should not be ruled out of the race for Lingard just yet.

In other news: West Ham make approach for £12.6m-rated ace; GSB could get him for nothing this summer – find out more here!

Many Aston Villa fans have been discussing Jack Grealish’s latest tweet, which has elicited a glowing response on the social media platform.

The 25-year-old recently relayed a tweet from the official club account after Aston Villa had posted a video involving actor David Bradley, who was talking about the club and it’s rise and fall through the years. The title of the video was – “They say you don’t choose Aston Villa, it chooses you.”

Bradley was talking about the beauty of fans and how so many Villa fans are connected to the club. The video included footage of the Villans’ greatest moments over the decades.

Grealish shared his admiration for the video, retweeting it with the added comment of: “What a video man ❤️💙 the way I can’t wait to have fans back!! @bradders_david you legend! 🙌🏻”

This came after the European Super League was announced amidst widespread vehement outcry. Even during Leeds’ Premier League against Liverpool, the Whites’ players wore training jerseys in protests of the ESL, while protests were held outside Elland Road (BBC Sport).

Liverpool are among the six English clubs to have signed up to the Super League, while Gary Neville launched a scathing attack on the concept of the ESL.

Grealish’s tweet drew the attention of many Aston Villa fans, who loved the response from the 25-year-old, whose local status and love for the club has often been apparent.

What did Aston Villa fans make of Grealish’s tweet?

“100% accurate, I know cause it hit me when I was 5 years old and now I’m 49 and still as strong as ever.”

Credit: @Simon1874Villa

“Who needs a Super League when we’ve got Super Jack!”Credit: @Gareth32Gareth”Love you forever and always.”Credit: @LawsAVFC”We are, without any shadow of a doubt, a truly great club… if not the greatest in the country.”Credit: @skippyjackson”You’re never leaving are you hahahahaha love you.”Credit: @AVFCOlly_”Goosebumps, passion, pride, yes we are Aston Villa!”Credit: @TonyV1llaIn other news, “The last thing you want to see” – Exclusive: Lee Hendrie reacts as big Aston Villa blow emerges

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told The Transfer Tavern that he believes chairman Daniel Levy already has a new manager lined up after sacking Jose Mourinho.

The Spurs chairman made the decision to dispense with the Portuguese on Monday after a slide to seventh in the Premier League table.

Ryan Mason has been placed in interim charge of the team and he oversaw a win in his first game in charge, as Spurs came from behind to win 2-1.

Spurs have been linked with a number of potential appointments after Mourinho’s sacking, foremost among them RB Leipzig boss Julian Nagelsmann.

Roberts believes that the German is the favourite for the job, though he also believes that Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers has a genuine chance of taking the role.

And he has little doubt that Levy is already engineering the next appointment behind the scenes.

Speaking exclusively to TT, he said: “I think that’s the way he works. You don’t just sack people for the sake of it.

“The Jose one, Pochettino went at 11 o’clock and Mourinho was in charge at one o’clock. Jose was out of a job but the two managers that I think are in pole positions are in jobs.”

Roberts does think that the appointment will likely come at the end of the season, especially if it is to be either Rodgers, who has guided Leicester to the FA Cup final, or Nagelsmann, who is currently second in the Bundesliga with Leipzig.

He added: “One of them (Rodgers) has got a cup final at the end of the season and Nagelsmann’s trying to get into the Champions League. I’m sure they’ve had conversations.”

Tottenham Hotspur have moved one step closer to filling their managerial vacancy this week.

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizo Romano, the Premier League outfit have scheduled a “direct meeting” with the Ajax boss and he’s “among the candidates” to become the next manager of Spurs.

It’s also claimed that the 51-year-old is open to leaving the Eredivisie champions this summer, which is something Romano alludes to further in a separate column for the Guardian.

Ten Hag could be seeking a fresh challenge having won everything there is to win domestically in Holland, where he has amassed a phenomenal 73% win rate since December 2017.

Now that things appear to be in motion, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and much of the Hotspur faithful should start to get a little more excited as the Dutchman could well be the only ideal candidate remaining.

After Jose Mourinho was sacked over a week ago, both RB Leipzig head coach Julian Nagelsmann and Leicester City’s Brendan Rodgers quickly emerged as Spurs’ preferred options to take the reins.

However, Levy was quickly stopped in his tracks – the 33-year-old has since been confirmed as Bayern Munich’s next manager, whilst the Foxes boss ruled himself out of the running as he’s, understandably, more than happy in the Midlands.

It’s thought that the Spurs chief is seeking an attack-minded coach to replace the ‘Special One’ after the Portuguese was said to have “sucked the culture out of the club” and divided the dressing room, as per The Athletic.

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Roberto Martinez and Gareth Southgate are two other candidates still on the table, but neither would fit the aforementioned M.O. so Levy must ensure he convinces ten Hag enough in this upcoming meeting.

The 51-year-old has revolutionised Ajax into one of the more exciting teams in Europe, predominantly playing a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 system – similar to Mauricio Pochettino.

Both Poch and ten Hag went to battle in that famous Champions League semi-final in 2019, so the fans and Levy alike should know too well the style of football on offer.

He has transformed and developed many a young player in the three-and-a-half years he’s been at the Johan Cruijff ArenA, taking inspiration from the Ajax legend, as well as Pep Guardiola.

Matthijs de Ligt, Donny van de Beek, Frenkie de Jong, and Ryan Gravenberch are just four names that he has had a major influence on, for example.

In terms of who is left out there, ten Hag would surely be Spurs’ dream Mourinho successor and the fact that the two parties will have a discussion about coming together next season should have many in north London absolutely buzzing.

AND in other news, Worrying Jorge Mendes update emerges in Spurs’ manager hunt, fans should fear Mourinho 2.0…

Nuno Santo admitted on Friday afternoon that Wolves need to plan better.

The point he was clearly to make is that their squad hasn’t been big enough to deal with the injuries which have plagued their arduous season.

With that in mind, the Old Gold should consider finding greater depth in the summer transfer window.

Shaqiri an option?

Wolves have been linked with a number of attacking players to bolster their ranks in a few months’ time. The likes of Trincao, Goncalo Guedes and Lucas Ocampos have all been linked, but Football Insider pundit Noel Whelan seems to think another option would suit Wolves.

He was speaking about the future of Liverpool forward Xherdan Shaqiri, suggesting that Premier League clubs might take a punt on him despite doubting his work rate.

Whelan commented: “He’s got huge talent but it depends on what style of play you’re looking for in a player. Is he going to be a worker and give you that excellent work rate? Probably not. But he’s a luxury player and he’s definitely worth taking a chance on.

“Where would he end up going? You’re probably talking middle of the table. Maybe Wolves, that might suit a player like him. But I doubt the top six would take a chance on him. He’s got a great left foot but he hasn’t been playing regularly. He’s been a bit-part player.”

Wolves must sign him

Shaqiri might be a luxury player and lacks work ethic at times, but with Wolves needing to expand their squad this summer, he’s certainly worth a punt.

Capped 86 times by Switzerland, he possesses plenty of experience and has played for some of the biggest clubs in world football such as Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Inter Milan. He has appeared at numerous major tournaments for his country and is blessed with the ability to create chances at will.

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Speaking about the 29-year-old earlier this term, The Athletic’s Liverpool reporter James Pearce said: “I absolutely love watching him. He’s just a real rare breed, isn’t he, with that ability to create something out of nothing, just incredible intelligence as well as the breathtaking technique.”

The technique Pearce speaks about is one of his most valuable assets. Whether it’s creating a chance with a wonderful pass or scoring a sublime overhead kick, Shaqiri is a phenomenal player when he gets going.

At the same time, however, the £80,000-per-week earner is a huge enigma. After all, the Swiss winger has only scored one goal this season, which came in the Carabao Cup against Lincoln way back in September.

That said, he could add a great deal to a Wolves side who might be missing Pedro Neto at the start of next season.

After the Portugal ace suffered a broken patella, they’ve had to rely on Daniel Podence in wide and central areas. Unfortunately, he’s been rather poor in successive games now.

The 25-year-old lost possession 19 times against Sheffield United and then won just one of his ten duels in the 4-0 drubbing against Burnley.

Podence hasn’t created too much this term, either. Although he has shown flashes of brilliance, he’s only managed 0.8 key passes per match. On that evidence, is it any surprise that Fabio Silva and Willian Jose have only scored four goals between them?

Shaqiri, by comparison, has 1.3 key passes per match to his name this season. During the course of his career, that average is 1.6 per game.

Although he can be inconsistent, he could add a great deal of quality to Nuno’s team this summer if he moves to Molineux. Wolves should consider signing the attacker despite his flaws.

AND in other news, Wolves could sign big Silva upgrade in “outstanding” £71m gem with “excellent speed”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who is a Newcastle United Hall of Famer, believes many fans are losing hope in their club because they can’t see any change on the horizon.

The Magpies had never been relegated from the Premier League until Mike Ashley took over the club and since then, they have experienced two relegations in 2009 and 2016.

After Rafa Benitez left Newcastle, the board appointed Steve Bruce as his replacement and the former Sunderland manager has failed to improve the side in two seasons, despite significant investment on the pitch.

He has bought the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Joelinton, the latter for a club-record fee of £40m, but that has not stopped Newcastle from finding themselves in a relegation tussle this term.

Speaking on why many fans are now falling out of love with Newcastle and what they want to see from their club, Lee told FFC:

“Fans are losing interest in Newcastle because they can’t see any change; they can’t see anything happening at the club.

“They can’t see any excitement coming, they can’t see anything in the future and I can’t see any hope of change, and you need hope in football.

“I don’t care if we change the manager or players because what we need is to change the owner.”

Newcastle have been involved in a legal battle with the Premier League regarding their failed takeover last summer, with it about to go through arbitration.