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Despite some shaky moments, the USMNT made it a perfect nine points in the Gold Cup group stage with a nervy win

ARLINGTON, Texas – In terms of tournament play, there was very little at stake for the U.S. men's national team on Sunday night against Haiti. They were through to the knockouts regardless of result. Barring some extraordinary results in both games across Group D, they were through as group winners, too.

But, as with everything this summer, this game was about more than the tournament.

When looking at it through that lens, Mauricio Pochettino will surely be happy. His U.S. team got another win, topping Haiti, 2-1, to make it three from three in this tournament, marking the seventh time overall that the USMNT were a perfect 3-0 in a Gold Cup group stage. That also marked the 17th time in 18 Gold Cups that the U.S. claimed the group.

Some of his regulars stepped up, namely Malik Tillman and Patrick Agyemang, the two goalscorers in the first and second half, respectively. His rotation pieces got into the mix, too, which will make Pochettino believe that he has a few more clubs in his bag heading into the business end of this Gold Cup.

Agyemang sealed the win in the 78th minute on a pass from John Tolkin, edging past the goalkeeper to score.

“Obviously me and John, we talked about that pass" he said on FOX after the game. "He played that ball perfectly. And for me, once I saw the keeper come out, I said ‘Compose yourself, take your time.’ I got around the goalkeeper and once I got there I was like, ‘Finish.’ I was happy it went in.”

It was far from perfect, however. The goalkeeper position came into focus once again thanks to a calamitous mistake from Matt Freese, whose weak clearance led to Haiti's equalizer in the the 19th minute. Once again, that positional debate rises to the forefront,. Freese, who started his third straight match ahead of the incumbent Matt Turner, has largely been handed the reins in this tournament but, after passing the ball straight to Don Deedson Louicius and then conceding, does that change at all?

The U.S. will have time to figure it out. The U.S. will play Costa Rica next Sunday in Minneapolis in the quarterfinals. Over the next week, Pochettino will have much to mull over, and he'll have plenty to take away from this final group stage game.

“We know what we got ourselves into," Agyemang said. "The Gold Cup is a tough tournament and I think with our squad, we know our quality. As long as we put the effort and the heart into it, we let our play show and we’ll get the result.”

GOAL rates USMNT's players from AT&T Stadium.

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Matt Freese (3/10):

A rough, rough mistake, his first of this extended USMNT run out. Did have to make a good save on a free kick in the second half, which will help rebuild the confidence. But he essentially handed Haiti it's goal.

John Tolkin (6/10):

Was given a big chance, but wasn't quite able to make the most of it for most of the game. Then came his assist, a beautiful ball over the top to Ayemang in the 78th minute. It's a preview of what Tolkin can do, both in general and, potentially, going forward in this tournament.

Tim Ream (6/10):

Could be argued that he put Freese under pressure with the backpass but, in truth, Freese had plenty of time. Otherwise, nothing really to report other than a lot of passes.

Chris Richards (6/10):

Not as good as he was against Saudi Arabia, although that can be expected. Had one or two nervy moments, but was mostly fine.

Alex Freeman (7/10):

Had a few very good tackles as he continues to show improvement on that side of the ball. Seems to get a little bit better every game, which is huge for a player his age.

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Tyler Adams (7/10):

Picked up a yellow just 30 seconds into the game and then had to be more cautious as a result. Handled it about as well as he could have, though, and was still able to impact the game.

Luca de la Torre (7/10):

Was very good in the heart of midfield. Had several fantastic passes right through Haiti's lines to set up USMNT chances.

Malik Tillman (8/10):

Got one goal, but could have had three. Had one ruled back for a handball and one ruled back for offside, but that just goes to show how dangerous he was, once again.

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Brenden Aaronson (8/10):

Initially misplayed the ball on the sequence that led to the opening goal, but he more than made up for it with his cross for Tillman's finish. Generally provided danger out wide, which is something that has been lacking a bit in recent games.

Patrick Agyemang (7/10):

Just not clinical enough in the first half, but he sure was on his big chance in the second. Can still be a bit more decisive but, he gets credit for really taking his chance well on the game-winner.

Quinn Sullivan (7/10):

Certainly brought a different energy to the team, from his shot off the crossbar to his rabona cross in the second half. Will it keep Diego Luna off the field going forward? Probably not, but Sullivan certainly showed well for himself in his biggest chance yet.

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Jack McGlynn (5/10):

Came on out wide, but hardly got a touch of the ball over 20 minutes.

Diego Luna (6/10):

Clean on the ball, as always. Was Tolkin's ball over the top actually meant for him? Maybe, but Agyemang made the most of it, for sure.

Johnny Cardoso (6/10):

Had just a few touches, but it will have been good to get some minutes under his belt after he missed portions of this group stage.

Brian White (N/A):

Threatened to break through once, but wasn't on the field long enough to do much more.

Paxten Aaronson (N/A):

Nearly scored a stunning chipped goal, but that was one of his only touches.

Mauricio Pochettino (7/10):

Rotated his team a bit – making four changes from the starting XI against both Trinidad and Tobago and Saudi Arabia – and, generally, those he inserted as starters played well. That will be great news for the USMNT boss, who will now have a few days to prep this group for the bigger tests ahead.

Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero is attracting major interest from Atlético Madrid ahead of the looming summer transfer window, and it has now been revealed what their manager, Diego Simeone, has communicated to the Argentine in recent contacts.

Tottenham star Cristian Romero wanted by La Liga heavyweights

The centre-back, who was signed by ex-Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici on an initial loan which turned into a £42.5 million permanent deal from Atalanta four years ago, has gone on to impress during his time in north London.

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Making 115 appearances for the Lilywhites across all competitions since joining in 2021, Romero also formed a stellar partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of an Ange Postecoglou high-line defence which managed to secure Europa League qualification last season.

Chelsea (away)

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April 6th

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April 13th

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April 21st

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April 27th

The World Cup-winning defender hasn’t been able to contribute enough in 2024/2025 due to injuries, though, which have caused him to miss 25 games in total this season.

Tottenham’s league position reflects this, with Postecoglou’s side sitting 14th in the Premier League table after suffering 15 league defeats. The north Londoners have even been forced to deploy teenager Archie Gray as a makeshift centre-back for large periods, with Romero and van de Ven’s absences giving Postecoglou a major headache throughout the campaign.

This has, of course, had a major effect on their overall form. Romero, who’s captained the side on occasion, is seen as a real leader in the squad and one of Postecoglou’s star senior men – so he would be a really sore miss if the 26-year-old were to push for an exit this summer.

“The way our defensive side of the game has come together, the one constant and the rock in that [much-changed defensive unit] has been Romero, with the way he’s taken on that responsibility of guiding those other guys around him so that they look assured,” said Postecoglou last season (via BBC).

“I think they feel security having him beside them.”

It is reliably believed that Atlético are expressing a serious interest in Romero (Sky Sports), while a report from GiveMeSport last week claimed that their cross-town rivals Real Madrid have also held internal talks over a move for the ex-Serie A star.

Romero is very much a wanted man in Spain, and particularly by Simeone.

Diego Simeone's private message to Tottenham star Cristian Romero

According to South American journalist Uriel Lugt, taking to X, Simeone has “already contacted” Romero, where he presented the defender something in a private message.

During these behind-the-scenes talks, Atlético’s head coach explained the club’s sporting project, and it appears to be tempting the Spurs ace, as Romero is now “willing” to make the move to Europe this summer.

However, that being said, Daniel Levy won’t make it easy for the Wanda Metropolitano side, as the Tottenham chairman is set to demand a “high price”.

This follows other reports that Tottenham are now open to selling Romero, so his exit is becoming more and more of a possibility as we slowly approach the end of this season.

AC Milan have told Chelsea how much they will need to pay to prise goalkeeper Mike Maignan away from the club.

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• Chelsea keen on Milan stopper Maignan
• Serie A side name price for French star
• Goalkeeper into last year of contract

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues have made contact with Milan as Enzo Maresca aims to add a new goalkeeper to his squad this summer. According to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Rossoneri have told Chelsea they must pay €30 million (£25m/$34m) to sign Maignan this summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Chelsea may well be unwilling to match Maignan's fee as he has just one year left on his contract and, as things stand, will be available for free next summer. Yet the No. 1 position is of concern at Stamford Bridge due to doubts over both Robert Sanchez and Filip Jorgensen.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Chelsea also had three goalkeepers out on loan last season and all are due to return in the summer. Mike Penders will head back to London from Genk, Doree Petrovic spent last season with Strasbourg, while Kepa Arrizabalaga enjoyed a good campaign with Bournemouth.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA

  Chelsea look set for a busy summer transfer window as Maresca continues to shape his squad. Dario Essugo has already arrived from Sporting, while the Blues are hoping to complete a deal for Liam Delap. The club are also being tipped to offload as many as 13 players before the start of the new campaign.

Two spinners and three fast bowlers? Or one spinner and four fast men including Shardul Thakur as bowling allrounder? Who should be wicketkeeper – the specialist KS Bharat or the X-factor player Ishan Kishan?These are among the key questions that have confronted India since they announced their squad for the WTC final. If you were at The Oval on Sunday, two days before the Test billed as the Ultimate Test, you would have struggled to come away with any hints as to what combination India are leaning towards.Two young men, good friends, both in their 20s, were in focus during India’s first training session in London after almost a week in Arundel where the squad assembled in batches, with players joining at different times while the IPL concluded.Related

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• Ponting wants India to play Kishan and Suryakumar

Shubman Gill and Kishan share a close bond off the field, and are not shy to rib each other with friendly banter. Gill needled Kishan as soon as he noticed the left-hander attempting to sweep a few times, albeit not convincingly. Kishan acknowledged that it was “not my shot.”Kishan, who is yet to make his Test debut, had two long batting sessions lasting close to three-quarters of an hour overall, but didn’t practise his keeping. He also had a potential scare late in his second stint, taking a hit to his left forearm while trying to push at a delivery from left-arm quick Aniket Choudhary, one of India’s back-up bowlers. Kishan instantly dropped his bat and walked out to get his forearm iced and wrapped.It didn’t appear to be a serious injury, as Kishan carried two bats comfortably in the hand of his injured arm post-training. A couple of hours later he and Gill walked onto what could potentially be the match pitch for a quick inspection.Though he did not keep wickets, the ample batting time he got is an indicator that India are seriously considering Kishan. Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting said Kishan would feature in his India XI because the left-hander is an “X-factor player that you need when you might be pushing for a win in a Test match.” Ponting felt that job had previously been done by Rishabh Pant, who is recovering from injuries sustained in a car crash last December.Bharat, Kishan’s direct competitor, started the training session with a spell of wicketkeeping drills on one of the practice strips on the main square and then returned to bat. Bharat replaced Pant for the four-Test home series against Australia in February-March and showed signs of being a talent who remains a work-in-progress both behind and in front of the stumps.A major challenge for wicketkeepers in England is that the ball tends to wobble and dip after passing the stumps, so technique and positioning are key attributes while standing back to fast bowlers. Neither Bharat or Kishan have any international experience of keeping in England, though Bharat has kept wickets for India A in one match, against West Indies A in Beckenham in 2018.Mohammed Siraj is expected to start at The Oval, but Umesh Yadav could also feature if India play four quicks•ICC via Getty Images

Overall, the Indians turned up at full strength on a sunny Sunday. While they had their sweatshirt hoodies on in the morning, they discarded them when noon approached and The Oval shone under a clear blue sky.Barring Ajinkya Rahane and the fast-bowling trio of Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umesh Yadav, the rest of the Indian squad got through batting sessions.Gill enjoyed his time in the sun. He has experience of long-format cricket in English conditions, having played two Tests there in 2021, including the previous WTC final in Southampton, as well as three County Championship games for Glamorgan in 2022, scoring 244 runs at an average of 61.00, his four innings including a 92 against Worcestershire and a century against Sussex. Incidentally, Gill batted at No. 3 in all four innings.With KL Rahul injured, Gill is set to open in the WTC final alongside Rohit Sharma. Gill arrives in England on the back of stellar form across all international formats in 2023 and in the IPL. Gill, though, will be mindful both of Australia’s bowling attack and the seamer-friendly conditions where the Dukes ball can surprise the best of batters. On Sunday, Gill spent considerable one-one-one time with batting coach Vikram Rathour.A good opening partnership was a catalyst in India playing the dominant hand in the first four Tests of the 2021-22 Test series in England, with both Rohit and Rahul scoring big runs. Both scored match-winning hundreds, Rahul in the second Test at Lord’s and Rohit in the fourth Test at The Oval.Any apprehension India may have felt about playing in June (The Oval has hosted Test matches since 1880 but never one in June) would have been eased by the forecast for the coming week, promising sunny weather with temperatures ranging from the late teens to the early 20s Celsius. While there was no confirmation about which strip will be used for the match, it will be a fresh pitch with the surface likely to be dry,All three Indian spinners bowled and batted on Sunday, suggesting both R Ashwin and Axar Patel were in contention for the second spinner’s slot if India pick two slow bowlers. But if they field four seamers, India ensured Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat and Umesh were ready alongside the lead new-ball pair of Shami and Siraj.Both Thakur and Unadkat bowled long spells and then had decent batting stints. Unadkat also received advice from head coach Rahul Dravid on his bat swing.Having watched more than three hours of the training the impression you would walk way with was: India are keeping all their options open, but ready.

With South Africa still figuring out their best XI for the Test tour of Australia, former captain Graeme Smith believes they should stick to an “aggressive mindset” and play six batters and five bowlers.”I’d like to see South Africa back their six batters,” Smith told ESPNcricinfo. “I think there’s always that fear because the batting has been weak. They’ve always looked to play the extra batter. Maybe that can be a defensive mindset and not an aggressive mindset. I’d like to see them take an aggressive mindset.Related

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“You’ve got Lungi Ngidi, you’ve got Marco Jansen. You’ve got [Kagiso] Rabada and Anrich Nortje, and you’ve got Keshav Maharaj, who are all outstanding Test bowlers and can really win you games single-handedly. Work on the batters, get the six batters to bat in partnerships and get totals. If you get the totals you want, bowlers can win you games. And South Africa should pick the bowlers who can win you games.”South Africa’s Test captain Dean Elgar had suggested they were still “in a bit of debate” about playing an extra batter to lengthen their line-up. South Africa are presently second in the World Test Championship table, but their batters haven’t been racking up big numbers in the last few years. Since the start of 2020, they have had just six centuries in 19 games, the fewest among the teams part of the WTC. In their previous Test series, which they lost to hosts England 2-1 in August-September, they had just one batter among the top five run-getters. They also got bowled out under 200 four times in that series.Smith also said South Africa needed to focus on building partnerships. They have had just nine century stands in the last two years, which is again the fewest among the nine teams that are part of the World Test Championships.”If you can get those partnerships together over 100-150, you start to make an impact on the team’s innings. I think when you’re under pressure, you tend to focus on yourself and the pressure just grows, how you can work together as a batting unit to post totals there in Australia is going to be key. You obviously need some of your big players to perform well and take the pressure off the youngsters.”South Africa’s bowling continues to remain their biggest strength. Their bowling average of 24.94 is the second lowest while their strike-rate of 46.7 is the best among the Test-playing teams in the last two years.Among the standouts in this department has been Rabada, who’s been their kingpin across formats. Among the bowlers to take 50-plus wickets since 2020, only his team-mate Nortje has had a better bowling strike rate than him. Rabada is the only fast bowler who was part of South Africa’s successful Test tour of Australia in 2016, when he took 15 wickets in six innings.”The thing about KG is that he’s the center piece for South African cricket at the moment so whenever he doesn’t play it’s noticeable,” Smith said•Getty Images

Ahead of this tour, however, Rabada admitted that the amount of cricket being played was a concern and that it needs to be “managed”.”The thing about KG is that he’s the centre piece for South African cricket at the moment so whenever he doesn’t play it’s noticeable,” Smith said. “But it’s about producing enough talent that you can afford to rest a player here and there. At the moment you know in a World Cup, and a big tour to Australia, he has to play his roles there. And also as he gets more experience, he will learn to manage himself and stay focused on what’s important.”With Elgar saying his side was prepared for a “feisty” series against the current No. 1 Test team, Smith, who has been part of three bilateral tours to Australia, said South Africa should solely focus on competing on the field.”I think whenever you tour Australia you got to be prepared for being in someone else’s country for a period of time. Crowds.. and the players playing the game hard so definitely you’ve got to be mentally prepared. I think the key is always playing good cricket. It’s the only way that I’ve found over the years, having lost really badly once and won twice, if you can play really good cricket and you turn everything around and the home team gets under pressure. So I hope that South Africa focus on their performances, in particular their batsmen. There is some talent in the bowling ranks, [but] if the batters can get some runs in Australia it gives you a chance to beat them.”The first of three Tests between Australia and South Africa starts on December 17 at the Gabba in Brisbane,

With the summer transfer window approaching, Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony believes that Norwich City will attempt a move to sign one of his defensive stars.

Norwich transfer news

With just four points standing between themselves and the Championship top six, there’s still every chance that Norwich enjoy an exciting end to the season in the remaining 13 games. It would certainly be an excellent achievement if Johannes Hoff Thorup took his side to the play-offs at the first time of asking in England’s second tier, but a winless run of three games suggests there’s work to be done in pursuit of that goal.

Meanwhile, as that battle continues, those at Carrow Road could already be setting their sights on summer reinforcements who could bridge that gap on the top six and take Thorup’s side up a level or two.

The rumours are already getting underway and have already been fuelled by another EFL chief. Peterborough chairman MacAnthony even believes that Norwich will attempt to sign Emmanuel Fernandez this summer after failing to secure his signature at the end of the January transfer window for £2.5m.

Sharing his surprise at Fernandez’s stay, MacAnthony told The Hard Truth podcast, as relayed by the Peterborough Telegraph: “It blew my mind and the mind of my gaffer when Manny and his brothers turned the deal down.”

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He then went on to say: “Norwich became irritated and I don’t blame them. Manny’s had a lot of grief in his life in the last 18 months, but I believe Norwich will try again in the summer. At 23 he’s a magnificent prospect.

“He has all the attributes needed to have a great career. He wins everything in the air, 80% of his headers in fact which is way above average, and he can play out with the ball. With the right coaching and improvement he can be like Ethan Pinnock and James Tarkowski who made their way up the leagues to the top.”

Norwich should go again for Fernandez

A 6’6 central defender who is still just 23 years old, Norwich should return to secure Fernandez’s signature this summer, even despite their irritation over their January failure.

Compared to both Pinnock and Tarkowski – albeit by a chairman perhaps eyeing profit – Fernandez could unlock the next step for Thorup’s side at Carrow Road, which would see them step into the top six once again.

When the summer transfer window swings open, it will certainly be interesting to see whether MacAnthony is left in shock once again or if Norwich finally get the defender they’ve been chasing since the turn of the year.

Given how he’s been praised, the 23-year-old is undoubtedly one to watch – whether it’s at Peterborough or in the Championship with Norwich, as he looks to replicate Tarkowski and Pinnock’s Premier League success.

Sheffield Wednesday would have been delighted with the latest development involving loan hero Shea Charles earlier in the window, with the Southampton loanee now staying put until the end of the Championship season.

After all, he had become an instant fan favourite at Hillsborough with his full-blooded showings from the middle of the park, but Wednesday supporters will still be craving some more movement in through the door before Monday’s deadline.

Their thirst could soon be quenched if the ongoing rumour mill is anything to go by, as the Owls remain keen on landing this experienced midfield talent to further bolster options centrally.

Wednesday interested in signing former EFL star

Wednesday fans would have been waiting with bated breath over developments surrounding midfield target Stuart Armstrong, with reports from Canada suggesting that the Scotsman was going to choose the Blades over the Owls.

Transfer Focus

Those claims have since been rubbished by Sheffield Star journalist Danny Hall who suggests any imminent move involving the 32-year-old linking up with Chris Wilder’s side are ‘wide of the mark’.

Fellow Sheffield Star journalist Alex Miller has stated that Danny Rohl is keen to land the ex-Southampton man having worked beside him at St. Mary’s, amidst interest now being ‘intensified’.

Everyone connected to Hillsborough will hope this move can get over the line before the fast-approaching deadline, with Armstrong perhaps going on to be Wednesday’s next version of Barry Bannan as the current Vancouver Whitecaps man has proved himself to be a stylish operator in the Championship previously.

Wednesday's next Barry Bannan

After all, the £39k-per-week star’s efforts last season donning Southampton red and white helped then-boss Russell Martin achieve playoff glory, with goals and assists plenty coming from the experienced head.

Indeed, Armstrong would finish the successful campaign with an impressive five goals and seven assists next to his name from 42 league outings, with Martin even labelling his former number 17 as a “smooth” player to watch when at the peak of his powers.

Armstrong’s league numbers (23/24) vs Bannan’s (24/25)
Stat – per 90 mins*	Armstrong	Bannan
Games played	42	28
Goals scored	5	4
Assists	7	3
Touches*	58.3	63.9
Accurate passes*	35.9 (85%)	38.7 (80%)
Ball recoveries*	3.5	5.3
Total duels won*	2.7	3.1
Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, there are many similarities between both Armstrong and Bannan in the ways they operate centrally, with both players in question adept at getting involved in attacks, as the modern-day Wednesday great already has seven goal contributions next to his name this season compared to Armstrong’s output of 12.

But, Bannan could well still get the nod to start over Armstrong if the ex-Saints star was to relocate back to England owing to his strengths in recovering the ball and winning duels, alongside his obvious quality to fire home a crucial strike for Rohl’s men or deliver a killer through ball.

After all, the 32-year-old target thrived as a background figure when on the books of Southampton, with only 33 starts coming his way from 42 Championship appearances last season.

Therefore, bringing in Armstrong could give Rohl some healthy selection headaches, with Charles also unlikely to be displaced after his blistering start to life in South Yorkshire has seen him win an incredible 6.5 duels on average as a more attritional body.

Yet, much like Wednesday have become accustomed to with Bannan over the years, Armstrong could be chucked into any contest at a moment’s notice and still be able to muster up a piece of magic.

Rohl will no doubt feel strong squad depth could be key in his side still being able to sneak into those playoff positions as a dark horse, with one or two incomings potentially on the agenda now between now and Monday’s deadline.

2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Championship

Every winter transfer from the second tier can be found here.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Feb 3, 2025

This month has been unusually quiet for Leeds United in the transfer window, with Daniel Farke yet to make any signings to help bolster his current playing squad.

When looking at the Championship table, the Whites currently sit top of the pile, but given the additions made by rivals Sheffield United and Sunderland, chiefly bringing in the likes of Ben Brereton-Diaz and Enzo Le Fee, it could force the board into spending.

No drastic additions are needed given the recent form, with only players who are going to provide an upgrade on the starters who are currently at Elland Road.

That coupled with the difficult nature of prising a club’s key asset away makes the month notoriously tough, as seen, the lack of signings currently made by Farke and Co.

However, at one stage, it looked at one stage as the club had identified one player to move to Yorkshire, allowing for a reunion with the boss and aiming to replicate their previous success together.

Leeds United’s move to sign Emi Buendia

After previously starring under his guidance at Norwich City, it was no surprise to see Aston Villa attacker Emi Buendia linked with a move to Elland Road to rejoin former boss Farke this month.

Back in 2020/21, the Argentine registered 15 goals and 16 assists, securing promotion from England’s second tier, before completing a £33m move to join the Villans.

However, his move has been a frustrating one, losing his first team place due to a long-term injury layoff, with the 28-year-old available for loan to gain match fitness – subsequently leading to the rumours over a move to the Whites.

Despite the links, it appears as though Farke won’t be able to secure a dream reunion with the forward with journalist Fabrizio Romano confirming that he has agreed a move to Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen on loan with an option to buy.

Given Leeds’ second-tier standing, it’s understandable why the former Norwich ace would want to move to Germany’s top division champions, having the opportunity to play at the top level of European football in the process.

However, such a move leaves the club still looking for a potential new attacker this month, opening the door to potential new targets or even revisiting former links.

The target who’d be better than Buendia for Leeds

Despite the lack of incomings, Leeds have been linked with a wide variety of forwards during the transfer window, but have been able to push on and secure the deal.

The likes of Louie Barry and Emmanuel Latte Lath were just two of the names most touted with a switch to Elland Road, as Farke looks to improve his frontline, which is already the most potent in the division.

However, after the failure to land Buendia, the German could be tempted to head back in for Manchester City youngster James McAtee over a potential loan switch to the Whites.

Leeds were previously credited with an interest in landing the 22-year-old, facing competition from a whole host of other sides in England and in Europe.

He’s since been given a chance to shine under Pep Guardiola in the first team, taking his opportunity with both hands, scoring four times in his last four outings, including his first Premier League strike against Ipswich Town.

Given his recent form, City may now be against a permanent sale of McAtee, opening the door to a loan move after the arrival of Omar Marmoush, allowing the Englishman to follow in the footsteps of current loanee Manor Solomon after his own temporary move from Spurs.

Whilst it would be an optimistic move, he would add serious quality to the squad, potentially offering a better option than Buendia after missing out on a deal for the Argentine.

McAtee, who’s been dubbed “incredible” by boss Guardiola, has massively outscored Buendia whilst also managing more shots on target per 90 – highlighting the threat he poses in attacking areas.

Games played

7

12

Goals & assists

4

0

Progressive carries

3.8

2.7

Shots taken

5.2

4.5

Pass accuracy

85%

82%

Take-on success

33%

0%

Shots on target

1.3

0

He’s also completed more of the take-ons he’s attempted, whilst also completing more progressive carries, demonstrating how dangerous he can be with the ball at his feet.

Whilst competition will undoubtedly be tough for a player of McAtee’s quality, the added game time he could receive in the Championship could prove to be a key factor.

After missing out on Buendia, the Englishman would be the perfect alternative to help Farke and the club end their two-year exile from the Premier League.

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Roy Keane has aimed a cheeky dig at fellow pundit Alan Shearer after being reminded of a clash with the former Newcastle striker.

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Article continues below

• Pair butted heads during their playing days
• Man Utd legend sent off after clash
• Makes tongue-in-cheek jibe

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ahead of Manchester United's 4-1 loss to Newcastle on Sunday, pundit Keane was played clips of his sending off at St. James' Park in 2001, when he threw the ball at Shearer, and appeared to hit out at the striker. United lost the game 4-3, with Wes Brown scoring a late own goal.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Keane justified the clash by claiming "people annoy me", and he reserved a tongue-in-cheek jibe for his fellow pundit. Of course, the pair are both Premier League legends, and are each former champions.

• WHAT KEANE SAID

  Keane said on Sky: "People annoy me! Do you know what, I think I got fined two weeks wages for that. I'm still annoyed with Wes for that OG at the end. The referee didn't help."

  Asked about whether St. James' Park was a particularly febrile atmosphere, he replied: "People used to annoy me."

  Ex-Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand chimed in, claiming that "there's just one person" who must have annoyed Keane, referring to Shearer, and the Irishman retorted with a laugh: "One in particular, yeah, and he still annoys me."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United play Lyon on Thursday in the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final. The tie is poised at 2-2. Newcastle, by comparison, play Crystal Palace on Wednesday in the Premier League.

Over the last couple of months, Chelsea have been relentlessly linked with a striker to potentially complete Enzo Maresca’s puzzle in the club’s quest for a return to Premier League glory.

Nicolas Jackson has produced the goods so far this campaign, notching nine goals in the league, but despite his recent form, the hierarchy are still targeting reinforcements at the top end of the pitch.

Victor Osimhen is a name who has once again popped up on their radar, subsequently being touted with a January move after the failed pursuit back in the summer.

The Nigerian may be on loan at Turkish side Galatasaray, but it does include an exit clause which could see him permanently move should any side decide to trigger that option.

There’s no denying that he would add the quality needed within the final third, but Maresca should forget about a move for the Napoli man and instead target one player who’s been superb so far in 2024/25.

Chelsea should target move for £67m talisman

Dušan Vlahović is another player who’s reportedly been of interest to Chelsea in recent months, unsurprisingly, given his form for Juventus since the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Serbian striker has scored 12 times in 21 appearances in all competitions, four of which have come in the Champions League, including one against Manchester City at the start of the month.

The 24-year-old was previously named as a target for the Blues alongside the likes of Alexander Isak, providing a more cost-effective alternative to the Swede, with Juve wanting €75m (£67m) to part ways with their talisman.

Given his goal record over the last few months, there’s no doubt that he would be a huge addition for Maresca’s men, potentially handing them added firepower in their unexpected charge for the Premier League title.

His potential addition would be all the more impressive, especially considering his comparisons to a player who has constantly provided a threat to all the other sides in England’s top division.

Why Vlahovic would be just like Erling Haaland for Chelsea

Striker Erling Haaland has been a menace to many backlines since his move to Manchester City in the summer of 2022, helping them claim numerous trophies since his transfer.

The Norwegian has notched 108 goals in 122 appearances for Pep Guardiola’s side, a truly incredible feat that has already made him one of the best forwards to ever grace England’s top flight.

He currently holds the record for the most goals scored by a player in a 38-game season, scoring 36 times during his debut campaign at the Etihad – a year which saw the Citizen’s claim the treble.

The 24-year-old has failed to score in each of his last three matches but has still registered 13 league goals in 17 appearances, with only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scoring more to date.

As a result of Vlahovic’s superb form in Italy, he’s been ranked as a similar player to Haaland by FBref, a huge compliment given his goalscoring ability.

The “phenomenal” Juve star, as dubbed by journalist Ollie Spencer, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists this season, but has managed more progressive passes and carries per 90 – fitting perfectly into Maresca’s possession-based philosophy.

How Dušan Vlahović compares to Erling Haaland in 2024/25
Statistics (per 90)	Vlahovic	Haaland
Games played	15	17
Goals & assists	8	14
Progressive passes	0.9	0.5
Progressive carries	0.9	0.7
Pass completion rate	68%	67%
Aerials won	1.5	1.3
Aerials success rate	48%	47%
Stats via FBref

He’s also won more aerials per 90, subsequently achieving a higher success rate, providing that focal point the Blues have been crying out for at the top end of the pitch.

£67m may seem another huge sum that would have to be forked out for a new signing, but when looking at how he compares to one of Europe’s leading goalscorers, a deal should be a no-brainer.

Whilst Osimhen has once again been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge, the hierarchy should focus on a move for Vlahovic, with the Serbian having all the tools to provide that added presence in forward areas for Maresca heading into the new year.

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