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The Hammers have been in the Premier League since 2012, and have only spent two seasons in the Championship since Division 1 became the Premier League.

In the past four seasons, West Ham have finished in the top half three out of four times, qualifying for Europe twice, and winning the UEFA Conference League in the 2022/23 season.

David Moyes did a good job guiding West Ham to this point, delivering consistent top-half finishes, and taking them on brilliant European runs that were hugely lifting for the fans.

However, at the end of last season, the Hammers decided to part ways with Moyes, looking to take their next step forward, adopting a more control-based system, under their new manager, Julen Lopetegui.

Is Julen Lopetegui's job safe?

So far this season under Lopetegui’s reign, the Hammers have struggled to find momentum, finding themselves 14th in the Premier League after 12 games played.

West Ham are averaging 45.5% possession per game so far this season (7th lowest in the Premier League), taking 13.6 shots per game (9th lowest in the division), and are conceding 16.4 shots per game (4th most).

However, the 58-year-old coach’s future could have been saved with their 2-0 win over Newcastle on Monday night, after Jarrod Bowen put in a man of the match display against the Magpies.

Bowen provided the assist for West Ham’s second goal, scored by Aaron Wan-Bissaka, but alongside that, the 27-year-old also made 94% of his passes, made three key passes in the match, won eight of his 15 ground duels, and made two tackles + two interceptions.

But Bowen wasn’t the only key performer, as another Hammers star put in an extremely dogged performance, working his socks off for the side, and was just as important in his own right.

The West Ham player who can help save Lopetegui

Having nearly left over the summer when Brazilian side Gremio submitted a bid worth just £500k, Michail Antonio has struggled this season, missing some big chances, and often leaving fans pining for a new number nine.

However, one thing you always get from the £7m signing is his hard work, running the channels, contesting duels both on the ground and in the air, and working back for the team to do his bit defensively.

Minutes

75

Touches

29

Accurate Passes

12/15

Long Balls

1/2

Ground Duels Won

3/9

Aerial Duels Won

2/2

Tackles

1

Was Fouled

2

Against Newcastle, Antonio was brilliant, winning both of the aerial duels he contested while winning three out of nine ground duels and making one tackle. It was the industry and willingness to run from the striker that was so important in this game with the Jamaica international’s performance described as “huge” by journalist Jacob Steinberg.

The 34-year-old’s persistence to make runs in behind, hound defenders to win the ball back, and get involved in the nitty-gritty part of the game, allows others extra time and space on the ball, and extra opportunities to hit teams in transition.

Whilst the Hammers will still be looking to add a prolific number nine to their squad, if Niclas Füllkrug doesn’t settle at the club and return to full fitness, Antonio will continue to be an important squad member, making others better around him, and working hard for the team when it is needed most.

With it previously reported that West Ham are open to selling the player in January, it’s fair to see the Irons may not be so keen on letting him go after all.

West Ham ace is now totally undroppable after his "best game" for the club

Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham side claimed three vital points against Newcastle last night.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 26, 2024

adidas has revealed its new away kits for the 2025 European Championship, with world champions Spain among the six nations to get new looks.

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• adidas drop new away kits for six Euro 2025 teams
• World champions Spain among those to get new looks
• Tournament kicks off in Switzerland in July

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Shop Women’s Euro 2025 kits at adidasBuy now

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  La Roja will head into this summer's tournament as the favourites, having asserted themselves as the world's best by beating England in the 2023 Women's World Cup final. They'll do so with a fresh new pink and grey away kit, on an off-white base, which takes its inspiration from the cubism movement of the 20th century.

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• adidas
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Germany will be another frontrunner for the title, having made the 2022 final before suffering defeat in extra time to England. The eight-time winners will head to the Euros ready to show off a fresh new away kit which incorporates shades of red and pink, in a modern graffiti style. The design is to embody the vibrant murals found across the heart of Germany's cities.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Italy, a dark horse for the tournament, Belgium, quarter-finalists three years ago, Sweden, beaten only by eventual champions England in the semi-finals in 2022, and Wales, set to make their major tournament debut on the women's side, are the other nations to drop new away kits this week.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The 2025 European Championship gets underway in Switzerland on July 2, with the final to take place on July 27 at St. Jakob-Park in Basel.

  Shop Women’s Euro 2025 kits at adidasBuy now

Jude Bellingham has reportedly left the celebrity dating app Raya as his relationship with American model and influencer Ashlyn Castro blossoms.

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Castro has attended Champions League gameSpotted dining with Bellingham in Spanish capitalRelationship has seemingly been made officialFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Real Madrid star Bellingham has been spotted dining in the Spanish capital with 27-year-old Castro. She has also attended a Blancos game in the Champions League, which allowed her to mingle with Bellingham’s mum and dad in their family box at Santiago Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGettyDID YOU KNOW?

While Bellingham and Castro were said to be growing close, it emerged that the 21-year-old midfielder still had an active profile on the exclusive Raya application. A source told : “I couldn't believe it when I saw Jude was active on Raya. This isn't your average dating app and the profile is linked to his verified Instagram account. Let's hope he just forgot his was active – or that he's made a prior arrangement with Ashlyn.”

THE GOSSIP

According to the , said account has now been deleted. That would appear to confirm that Bellingham is preparing to settle down with Castro – who boasts 140,000 followers on Instagram and has previously been linked with Hollywood actor Michael B Jordan and NBA star LaMelo Ball.

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WHAT NEXT?

Another professional basketball player, Terance Mann, has rubbished reports that Castro was still involved with him when linking up with Bellingham. Dutch model Laura Celia Valk also revealed in December that she has never coupled up with the England international, with gossip there considered to be a PR stunt.

Liverpool’s start to the 2024/25 Premier League campaign has been superb. With Jurgen Klopp’s departure after close to a decade in charge at Anfield, the Reds would surely have been forgiven if they had gotten off to a slow start under Arne Slot. However, they are currently flying high in the top flight.

They are currently one point behind top-of-the-table Manchester City, with 22 points to their name so far. The Merseysiders have suffered one defeat, a shock loss at Anfield against Nottingham Forest, and have drawn just one game, too. That was a crucial point away from home against Arsenal.

There have been several players in strong form under Slot so far, with Luis Diaz one of Liverpool’s standout players.

Diaz’s stats in the 2024/25 season

It has been a fast start to winger Diaz’s career under the tutelage of Slot. The Colombian forward, already has seven goal involvements in the Premier League, with five goals and two assists in just nine games.

On two occasions, the Reds number seven has scored twice in a game. One of those games was against Manchester United. That day, Liverpool cruised to a 3-0 victory, with Mohamed Salah also getting himself on the scoresheet.

Although the Reds winger scored another two goals just two games after his Old Trafford double, against Bournemouth, he has been devoid of goal involvement. The 27-year-old has gone four Premier League games without finding the back of the net, although he did get an assist at the Emirates Stadium last weekend.

With that being said, Liverpool’s number seven scored in midweek, grabbing one of three goals against Brighton and Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup. The Reds got through to the quarter-finals with a 3-2 victory on the South Coast.

After a fast start to the season, Diaz would surely have hoped to maintain such impressive form. After playing 90 minutes at the Amex Stadium, Slot may well choose not to select him in the Reds’ next outing against the same opponents, at Anfield this time around. Instead, Dutch international Cody Gakpo could get the nod.

Why Gakpo could start vs. Brighton

Unlike his fellow left winger Diaz, 25-year-old attacker Gakpo has not had the best start to the 2024/25 campaign in the Premier League. Although he has played nine times in the top flight, the former PSV Eindhoven winger has yet to find the back of the net and has just one assist.

However, the winger was superb against the Seagulls in midweek. He scored twice to take his Carabao Cup tally for this season up to four goals, having bagged two against West Ham United in the previous round.

The Liverpool winger received a glowing review from This is Anfield journalist Mark Delgado for his performance. He gave Gakpo a 9/10 rating, explaining that he put up a “strong enough showing” against on the South Coast to earn himself another start on the left-wing this weekend.

Aside from his pair of goals against Fabian Hurzeler’s team, the 25-year-old had brilliant stats courtesy of Sofascore. He had 46 touches and created two chances, completing two dribbles and even winning an impressive three duels.

Touches

46

Passes completed

22/30

Pass accuracy

77%

Ground duels won

3

Dribbles completed

2

Chances created

2

Goals

2

Big chances created

1

Slot may well decide to give Gakpo, who was once described as “unstoppable” by football statistician Statman Dave, the start ahead of Diaz this weekend.

Not only might he factor in his fellow Dutchman’s impressive performance against the same opposition, but given Diaz’s tough run of form, may well decide to drop him to the bench, with Mo Salah taking up his position on the right – with Gakpo taking Diaz’s usual spot on the left in the Premier League.

Competition for places at Anfield is exciting, and this is a perfect demonstration of two talented players gunning for one spot. It certainly leaves Slot with a selection headache ahead of another big fixture on Saturday.

Slot must drop Szoboszlai and unleash Liverpool's "outstanding" talent

Liverpool travel to Arsenal this evening looking to win yet another Premier League outing.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 27, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur look to be steering in the right direction after an up-and-down start to the campaign, but now face Manchester United at Old Trafford in a Premier League clash that both teams desperately need to win.

United, who won the FA Cup before the summer, have not started well under Erik ten Hag, thrashed on home turf already by Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

The Red Devils and Spurs are level in points in the standings – seven after five matches – though Tottenham have scored nine goals to tomorrow’s opponents five. Ange Postecoglou will hope to utilise that ostensible attacking advantage to score a statement win.

14/01/2024

Premier League

2-2 draw

19/10/2023

Premier League

2-0 loss

12/03/2023

Premier League

3-2 loss

04/10/2020

Premier League

6-1 win

04/12/2019

Premier League

2-1 loss

Postecoglou’s side beat Qarabag 3-0 in their Europa League opener on Thursday evening despite playing the majority of the contest with ten men after Radu Dragusin was sent off early on.

Skipper Heung-min Son hobbled off in the second half in what could be a significant blow to the visitors’ attacking fluency. Will he make it to the starting lineup? We reckon Postecoglou could ring six changes for the match at the Theatre of Dreams, following the midweek triumph.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has not missed a minute in the Premier League since he was signed from Serie A side Empoli for an initial £17m fee in August 2022.

That won’t change on Sunday.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Rested for the midweek Europa League tie, Pedro Porro’s completeness will be crucial against Man United, with the Spaniard set to tussle against one of Alejandro Garnacho or Marcus Rashford.

He scored on the opening day of the term and has averaged two key passes and 2.6 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

Postecoglou spoke of some “fresh guys” who had been rested for the continental clash, and Cristian Romero is one of them. A tough-tackling titan if there ever was one, he’s a monstrous presence in defence and will strike fear into the hosts’ attacking line, who have not yet found their shooting boots in 2024/25.

4 CB – Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven continues to exceed expectations. The Dutch defender is as dynamic as he is dominant in the backline, though he has struggled to hit the same sharpness in the duel so far this season, winning just 38% of his ground battles. That needs to change.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

He was given a rest against Qarabag, but Destiny Udogie ended up playing around 80 minutes of football on Thursday, replacing youngster Lucas Bergvall after 12 minutes following Dragusin’s dismissal.

A physical specimen with pace and power in abundance, Udogie will be a constant thorn in Man United’s flank.

6 CM – Pape Matar Sarr

Reprising his role in the middle of the park after a goalscoring display against Qarabag, Pape Matar Sarr hasn’t actually played over 45 minutes of football in the English top flight since the opening day of the season.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

1

Touches

60

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

46/50 (92%)

Long balls

2/2

Ball recoveries

3

Tackles + interceptions

2

Total duels (won)

4 (2)

He scored in the Europa League, though, and will bring the energy and drive to Postecoglou’s midfield that will be needed to overcome United’s efforts.

7 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

With Sarr looking to keep his starting berth, Postecoglou will need to choose between Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur to complete his midfield, and he should well opt for the latter.

The Uruguayan, aged 27, is an all-encompassing star, and having completed 92% of his passes in the Premier League this term, will bring the control that his team need to leave Manchester with a positive result.

8 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

The best player of the campaign so far? There’s a case for it. Dejan Kulusevski brings something unique to Postecoglou’s side, and though he’s been fashioned into a central midfielder for the early matches of the year, Son’s injury could see him revert to his typical right-flanking role.

The £110k-per-week star is Tottenham’s lifeblood in attack. He works and works and works. Tireless. Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir is a big fan, summing up his importance: “Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart.”

9 AM – James Maddison

James Maddison has endured a challenging 2024, but he’s started the current campaign with conviction and was virtually unplayable as the Lilywhites defeated Brentford in the Premier League last weekend.

Ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, he could be the catalyst tomorrow.

10 LW – Brennan Johnson

With Son probably set to start from the bench – having been dubbed a doubt by Postecoglou – Brennan Johnson will be tasked with performing on the left wing. The Wales international came under fire for his early-season performances but has responded emphatically, scoring in each of his last three matches.

Over the years, Crystal Palace have been blessed with numerous attacking talents who have captured the hearts of the fanbase.

Wilfried Zaha will be the name that stands out to the younger generation, making a combined 448 appearances for the Eagles over various spells at the club, scoring 93 goals in the process.

Striker Andy Johnson is another example of a player who was a roaring success at Selhurst Park, making 140 appearances over a four-year stint, scoring 74 goals – featuring for the club in the first and second tier of English football.

Since promotion back to the Premier League in 2013, the club have employed a variety of different options in attacking areas, helping them secure their top-flight status for each of the last 11 seasons.

They are currently blessed with a crop of talented attackers, with two of Oliver Glasner’s current forward options impressive massively in the league over the last 12 months.

Mateta & Eze’s stats in the 2023/24 campaign

Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was never seen as a prolific goalscoring option during his early days as a Crystal Palace player.

The Frenchman only managed a total of ten goals in his first 67 appearances for the Eagles, but the arrival of Glasner last season saw a huge increase in his output in the final third.

The 27-year-old has registered 21 goals in his last 43 appearances, which included 16 in the Premier League, allowing the club to register a top-half finish.

Mateta’s goalscoring exploits were undoubtedly helped by the quality of Eberechi Eze behind, with the talent enjoying one of the best seasons of his professional career last campaign.

The 26-year-old registered 17 goal contributions in 2023/24, the second most of any player behind Mateta, with his good form not going unnoticed over the summer.

Eze received a call-up to the England national side for Euro 2024, cementing his place as a regular in the setup with another all-up during the recent international break.

However, despite their recent goalscoring exploits for Palace, they’ve both been outscored by one player who previously failed to impress during his time at Selhurst Park.

The player who outscored Mateta & Eze since leaving

Striker Christian Benteke arrived at Palace with huge potential to be a success after his previous spells at Aston Villa and Liverpool.

The Belgian moved to South London in a £27m deal from the Merseyside outfit, a club-record deal at the time, but unfortunately for him and the supporters – the move never lived up to expectations.

Benteke registered 37 goals in 177 appearances – an average of one goal every 4.8 matches – but ultimately wasn’t worth the big-money fee spent to bring him to the club.

He subsequently left Palace back in the summer of 2022, joining MLS side DC United, a move that has allowed the 33-year-old to recapture his excellent goalscoring form.

Since moving to America, Benteke has scored 35 goals – a tally that is higher than both Mateta and Eze, who could only manage 23 goals each.

Christian Benteke

35

Jean-Philippe Mateta

23

Eberechi Eze

23

Odsonne Edouard

15

Michael Olise

12

Jordan Ayew

9

Given his recent performances in front of goal, the club may potentially regret allowing the centre-forward to leave, with the Belgian still clearly able to find the back of the net.

Albeit, he’s achieved these figures in a significantly lower division, but he would have still been a more than capable option for Glasner’s side – potentially benefiting from an upturn in form as seen with Mateta in recent months.

Crystal Palace flop left in 2020, now he's outscoring Nketiah by a mile

Crystal Palace may have regrets over the way they handled this exit.

ByConnor Holden Sep 6, 2024

It’s ironic, really, that the game that looked to have all but ended Erik ten Hag’s tenure as Manchester United manager may actually have been the one to save him.

Cast your mind back to that grim night in May, as a beleaguered United side simply wilted away to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park – the likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze running riot in that thumping 4-0 win for the hosts.

The writing was seemingly on the wall for the man in the visiting dugout, but to his credit, the Dutchman did not fold, instead regrouping in the final knockings of the season heading into the FA Cup final.

A change in tact – which saw Sofyan Amrabat move into a more defensive-minded midfield – brought about wins over both Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion, prior to the Red Devils seeing off Pep Guardiola’s men at Wembley, all while deploying this new, strikerless 4-2-4 formation.

It could be said that had it not been for that night in south London – and its subsequent impact on the setup for the cup final – then Ten Hag would no longer be at the helm.

The aim now is for the 54-year-old to illustrate that progress has been made as the two sides prepare to meet again this evening.

Man Utd team news

Fresh off back-to-back wins in all competitions – having notably hit League One side Barnsley for seven in midweek – the doom and gloom has somewhat shifted at Old Trafford, with a run now needing to be put together to mount a charge on the top four.

Not that anyone will be getting carried away – not with this team, at least – but there are certainly positive signs, not least the slow introduction of new man Manuel Ugarte, as well as the return of a handful of prior absentees.

The likes of Victor Lindelof and Tyrell Malacia are now back in first-team training, while both Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund are in contention to feature later today, with the latter man having been absent since limping off against Arsenal during pre-season.

With Luke Shaw still working away in the background, Ten Hag’s squad is slowly but surely beginning to come together, with there likely to be no excuses once the former Ajax boss does have everyone fit and available.

For once, the experienced tactician does actually have options to choose from in the attacking ranks, in particular, with it yet to be seen whether Joshua Zirkzee will be given another chance to impress from the start in that centre-forward berth.

Joshua Zirkzee's start at Man Utd

In truth, things couldn’t have started much better for the Netherlands international, with the 6 foot 4 marksman prodding home in inventive fashion to seal a much-needed opening-day win over Fulham.

A goal on debut is no doubt the ideal way to calm the nerves, although it’s fair to say that the £36.5m arrival hasn’t quite been able to build on that first outing, having failed to score since then.

The former Bologna man was unfortunate to deny Alejandro Garnacho from scoring against Brighton, although he did then spurn two gilt-edged chances in the chastening defeat to Liverpool, having been teed up beautifully on both occasions by Marcus Rashford.

Away at Southampton last weekend, the silky striker was neat and tidy on the ball and linked the play effectively – having completed 100% of his dribbles and registered two key passes – although again missed two ‘big chances’, notably failing to convert with a side-footed effort in the second half.

Perhaps it would be harsh to remove him from the starting lineup when the Dutchman is showing signs of life, although Ten Hag certainly has other options at his disposal, with there no doubt wisdom in returning Amad Diallo to the fray instead.

What Man Utd's front three should be vs Palace

Yes, it was ‘only’ Barnsley, but the manner in which United dispatched their lower-league opponents was rather impressive, with the aforementioned Rashford looking delightfully menacing on Tuesday night.

Among the club’s top earners on a reported £300k-per-week, the Englishman – who scored just eight goals in total last season and missed out on Euro 2024 as a result – has been rightly criticised for his worrying drop off of late, yet if recent weeks are anything to go by, the 26-year-old may just be finding his groove again.

Again, the quality of the opposition should be considered, but Rashford terrorised the visiting backline in midweek, leading the line in fine fashion and helping himself to his second and third goals of the campaign – after also netting against the Saints.

The days of deploying the academy graduate through the middle seemed to be over, but with Zirkzee not exactly firing – and the returning Hojlund still set for a squad role – it could be time to give Rashford a run in the side as the leading number nine.

That would then allow Garnacho to remain on the left flank after the Argentine provided four goal contributions against the Tykes, while on the opposite side, the rising star that is Amad can return in place of Antony.

The Ivorian “wizard” – as described by journalist James Copley – has been a shining light so far this season, having notably netted in the defeat to Brighton, while also being hailed as ‘United’s best player’ away at St Mary’s last week, as per MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst.

90 minutes

1 assist

69 touches

90% pass accuracy

6 key passes

1 shot on target

4/7 ground duels won

1/1 aerial duels won

9x possession lost

4 tackles

The only league game that the 22-year-old hasn’t started this season was in fact the loss to Arne Slot’s side, although he certainly made an impression off the bench on the day, having provided two key passes in his 21-minute cameo, while also creating one ‘big chance’ and registering an impressive 91% pass accuracy.

Chalkboard

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

Having largely played a bit-part role last season due to injury, the one-time Atalanta man – who has still only made 27 appearances for the club in three-and-a-half-years – no doubt warrants an extended run of games, with the right-wing berth now arguably his to lose moving forward.

With Garnacho and Rashford also both deserving of a start, the easy solution would be to trial this new-look front three and leave Zirkzee sitting alongside Hojlund on the bench, ready to make an impact when needed.

In reality, the likelihood is that the choice will come down to one of Garnacho or Amad on the right, yet it would certainly be a risk worth taking to have Rashford deployed through the middle, flanked by those two young prodigies.

In any case, Ten Hag’s men should be hopeful of avenging the shambles that was their previous trip to Selhurst – that’s if Jonny Evans and Casemiro aren’t starting at centre-back, at least…

Ten Hag must brutally drop Eriksen for Man Utd's sensational "genius"

The incredible star has to be in the lineup today.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 21, 2024

Dele Alli may be given the chance to get his career back on track as he prepares to start training with Serie A side Como.

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Dele attended Como game last weekSet to start training with them on ThursdayFabregas an admirer of English midfielderFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The former Tottenham star's contract at Everton expired in the summer but he remained in training with the club as he looked to keep up his fitness and recover from persistent injury problems. He has since confirmed his exit, citing "exciting opportunities" amid reports he could join Como. The 28-year-old was even spotted watching the Serie A side in action last week.

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According to , Dele will start training with the newly-promoted side from December 26, suggesting the relegation candidates may opt to sign him if he impresses head coach Cesc Fabregas. Como's sporting director has already spoken highly of the midfielder, saying that ex-Arsenal and Chelsea star Fabregas is an admirer.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dele has not played a competitive match since February 2023 while he was on loan at Besiktas. The 37-time England international missed the entirety pf the 2023-24 campaign with Everton because of fitness issues.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR DELE?

The ex-Tottenham star will aim to impress the Italian club enough to earn a contract in the near future, and will hope to stay fit to help their bid to avoid relegation.

Leeds United started their Championship season by dropping two points at Elland Road as they failed to beat newly-promoted Portsmouth on Saturday.

The Whites were held to a 3-3 draw in a game that saw three of the club's four summer signings feature, including Joe Rodon, making his second debut, Joe Rothwell, and Jayden Bogle.

Daniel Farke has just over two weeks left to make further additions to his squad in an attempt to build a team that can compete for promotion back to the Premier League, having fallen short in the play-off final back in May.

A forward is reportedly on the agenda, with Leeds preparing a bid for Norwich winger Jonathan Rowe, whilst the West Yorkshire outfit are now said to be eyeing a new defender.

Leeds keen on Premier League starlet

According to DaveOCKOP, the 49ers have joined the race to land Owen Beck on loan from Premier League giants Liverpool for the Whites.

The report claims that the Championship side are looking to sign the left-back on loan for the 2024/25 campaign, but they will need to compete with divisional rivals Queens Park Rangers for his signature.

Scottish giants Celtic are also said to be keen on signing the Welsh defender but want a permanent deal, which the Reds want £3m for – a fee the Hoops are yet to get near.

DaveOCKOP adds that Liverpool would prefer Beck to sign a new contract before going out on loan, rather than selling him, which could put Leeds and QPR in pole position as it stands.

The last time the Whites won promotion from the Championship, versatile left-sider Ezgjan Alioski played a crucial role – featuring in 39 matches – and the Reds youngster could be Farke's own version of him.

Why Beck could be Alioski 2.0

Alioski was a left midfielder who was converted into a left-back under Marcelo Bielsa and Beck is a similar player, who has played a lot of football in both of those positions – with 22 games at left-midfield and 77 matches at left-back.

The former Leeds star, as shown in the graphic above, provided an attacking threat from both roles during his time at Elland Road, and contributed to the promotion in the 2019/20 campaign.

Beck spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Dundee in the Scottish Premiership and showcased his attacking quality with two goals and four assists in 25 matches.

Stats	Alioski (2019/20 Championship)	Beck (23/24 Premiership)
Appearances	39	25
Assists	3	4
Key passes per game	1.1	2.3
Tackles + interceptions per game	2.4	3.9
Duel success rate	46%	55%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 22-year-old starlet's contributions at both ends of the pitch were, in fact, more impressive than Alioski's for Leeds in their last promotion campaign under Bielsa.

The "spectacular" – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – whiz showed off his midfield instincts by providing a constant creative threat from a left-back position, making more than two key passes per game on average.

These statistics suggest that Leeds would be bringing in a fantastic left-back and left-midfield option who could make things happen at the top end of the pitch, just like Alioski did for the Whites when Bielsa was in the dugout.

Leeds fail with £15m bid for "remarkable" ace they'd agreed loan terms for

The Whites have changed tact and gone for a permanent move instead.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 12, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Caetano está nas semifinais da Copa Paulista. Depois de um confronto emocionante com o XV de Piracicaba, com direito a gol aos 50 minutos do segundo tempo e vaga conquistada nos pênaltis, o Azulão agora quer chegar à final da competição para ficar com uma vaga na Copa do Brasil ou na Série D.

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Uma das principais peças da equipe do ABC Paulista na competição é o atacante Luccas do Brasil, que atuou em seis dos nove jogos da equipe.

Para o camisa 21, a campanha já é histórica, em especial pelo momento difícil que o São Caetano passou neste ano, com a queda para a Série A2 do Paulista.

– O nosso grupo trabalha muito. Entramos desacreditados na competição e estamos mostrando o nosso valor. Sabíamos do nosso potencial e os resultados estão aparecendo. Agora temos mais dois confrontos muito difíceis pela frente, para chegar ao objetivo principal, que é ir para a final e garantir uma dessas vagas que é muito importante para o clube – analisou Luccas.

Agora, o adversário nas semifinais é o São Bernardo. O primeiro jogo é no Anacleto Campanella no sábado, às 17h. A decisão da vaga é na próxima terça-feira, fora de casa, às 19h. O outro finalista sai de Portuguesa e Botafogo.