Leeds United chief executive Angus Kinnear will resign at the end of the current campaign, Leeds Radar have reported.
The Lowdown: Bielsa sacking
The Whites officially parted ways with Marcelo Bielsa on Sunday morning, less than 24 hours on from a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham.
Kinnear and his fellow Leeds officials didn’t waste any time in bringing in a replacement, with Jesse Marsch announced as the Argentine’s successor on Monday evening. Hours before Marsch was officially appointed, though, a claim emerged regarding Kinnear, who has been present at Elland Road since 2017.
The Latest: Kinnear claim
Leeds Radar posted on Twitter regarding the Whites chief, suggesting that he is set to leave the club once the season comes to a close, stating: “Kinnear will resign at the end of the season according to insider sources.”
The Transfer Tavern contacted Leeds Radar about their information, and were told it came directly from a club employee.
The Verdict: 49ers influence?
The investment arm of the San Francisco 49ers have a deal in place to buy Leeds for more than £400m by January 2024, so this claim could be a case of the Americans looking to take control in the boardroom.
They now have Marsch installed as manager and appear keen on USA international Brenden Aaronson after making two bids for the midfielder in January.
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Therefore, it wouldn’t come as a major shock if Kinnear was to call time on his Elland Road tenure over the coming months, leaving the 49ers to possibly install their own chief executive in the process.
In other news, Leeds could sign one player this summer, according to a journalist. Find out who it is here.
Birmingham City manager Lee Clark is desperate for success over Stoke City in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday.
The Blues have had a tough season in the Championship, winning just 3 of their 13 league matches.
Their troubles off field have hindered Clark’s side too, with the club’s financial problems leading to the sales of Jack Butland, Curtis Davies and Nathan Redmond. But the 41-year-old is aware of the effect a cup victory could have on the team, and fans:
“I’m conscious of that every time we play, I want to give the fans a little bit of happiness because I understand what’s going on and the predicament they’re in,” Clark told Sky Sports.
“In terms of people who are at the forefront of my mind are my players, my staff and the supporters – I want to make them feel as happy as I possibly can every time we play. A good cup run can do that, I felt that after we beat Swansea in the last round, and we’ve got a chance against a Premier League team on Tuesday night.”
“It’s a tough call for us but every time we get out on the pitch I want to give them something back because I sense the support they’re giving me and the group is really good. I can imagine they’re frustrated at times, but over that they’re seeing the reality of what we’re doing. I listen to the fans and I see them around the stadiums and I think they’re showing a lot of belief in us and feeling towards the players because they understand the predicament we’re in.”
Birmingham were relegated at the end of the 2010-11 season, just months after lifting the Capital One Cup trophy after a shock victory over Arsenal.
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Arsenal are interested in a deal to bring Darwin Nunez to the Emirates Stadium in the summer transfer window.
What’s the talk?
That’s according to a claim made by Ryan Taylor, with the Daily Express journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Richard Garlick has opened talks with Benfica regarding a move for the 22-year-old centre-forward at the end of the current campaign.
In his tweet, Taylor said: “Initial discussions have been held over Darwin Nunez.”
Supporters will love Taylor’s claim
Considering just how exciting a prospect Nunez quite clearly is, Taylor’s claim that Arsenal are already in discussions with the Portuguese side regarding a move for the striker is sure to be news that Gunners fans will love.
Indeed, over his 22 Liga Portugal Bwin appearances so far this season, the £36m-rated forward has been in scintillating form, bagging 20 goals, registering two assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots and making 1.1 key passes per game.
These returns have seen the player who Jorge Jesus dubbed a “world-class” talent average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.39, not only ranking him as Benfica’s best performer in the league but also as the seventh-best player in the division as a whole.
However, it has not only been in domestic competition in which the 22-year-old has impressed, as Nunez has also scored four goals and averaged a SofaScore match rating of 6.97 over his eight outings in the Champions League this season – firing his side all the way to the quarter-finals of the tournament, in which they face Liverpool next month.
And, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s January switch to Barcelona having left Mikel Arteta with only Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as options in the number nine role – a duo who have scored just four Premier League goals between them this term – it is clear for all to see that the Spaniard is in rather desperate need of a new centre-forward this summer.
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As such, while a move for the striker will be an expensive one – with Record reporting that Benfica are demanding at least €80m (£67m) for the Uruguay international – it would nevertheless appear extremely advisable for Garlick to do all he can to land the youngster, as Nunez would undoubtedly take Arsenal to another level next season.
AND in other news: Arteta has unlocked Arsenal’s own Harry Kane in £46.5m gem who’s “bringing the fire”
It wasn’t pretty, but Arsenal got back to winning ways on the road last night.
The Gunners ran out 1-0 winners against Everton and, in the process, secured their place atop the Premier League table for Christmas.
It was a crucial match for the under-fire Viktor Gyokeres as well, as, even though he still left a little to be desired, he did bury the all-important penalty and end his goal drought.
However, with a League Cup quarter-final against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, Mikel Arteta has to make several changes, including dropping a starter who was even more underwhelming than Gyokeres against Everton.
The Changes Arteta could make for Crystal Palace
Starting between the sticks, and while David Raya has been brilliant this season, it’s only right that Kepa Arrizabalaga comes back into the team after starting the last two rounds.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Things get a bit more interesting when it comes to the defence, as injuries and availability might force the manager to start a couple of players he’d otherwise leave out.
However, one player who simply has to come into the side is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who was instrumental in one of the goals in the last round.
Moving into the middle of the park, it should almost go without saying that Martin Zubimendi and Declan Rice should be rested for this game.
The two internationals are vital to the club, and with Mikel Merino and Christian Norgaard ready to step in, what would be the point in risking them ahead of a jam-packed Christmas schedule?
It’s a similar story on the wings, as Noni Madueke would be the perfect replacement for Bukayo Saka in this game, and Gabriel Martinelli could come in for Leandro Trossard.
Finally, perhaps the most interesting choice Arteta will have to make for this game is who leads the line.
On the one hand, Gabriel Jesus has generally looked impressive coming off the bench in recent weeks and could do with the game time.
On the other hand, Gyokeres finally got his goal against the Toffees, and therefore it might do him good to keep his place and build on that.
With that said, whatever the manager decides to do up top, there is another player who he should be taking out of the side, someone who underwhelmed on Saturday night.
The Arsenal star Arteta should drop
With most of the team already covered, it should come as no surprise that the player in question is Martin Odegaard.
Now, before the pitchforks and torches come out, the captain wasn’t terrible against Everton and is often scapegoated by fans, but he also wasn’t particularly good either.
In fact, the Norwegian international was probably the most underwhelming of Arsenal’s starters, including Gyokeres.
Odegaard vs Everton
Minutes
88′
Expected Assists
0.13
Assists
0
Big Chances Created
0
Crosses
1
Dribbled Past
1
Shots
0
Dribbles
0
Tackles
0
Duels (Won)
3 (0)
Fouls
1
All Stats via Sofascore
For example, in his 88 minutes of action, the former Real Madrid gem produced an expected assists figure of just 0.16, played one cross, failed to create a big chance, was dribbled past one, failed to take a shot and lost 100% of his duels.
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In all, it was just a frustrating display from the 26-year-old as fans know just how good he can be when he’s in the swing of things.
Therefore, his lacklustre showing and the need to protect him should see Arteta drop him for Tuesday night’s game.
Fortunately, the Spaniard has two excellent players who could come in to replace him.
Should he prefer more experience, he could opt for Eberechi Eze, who has already scored against his former club this season.
However, should he want to inject some more energy and unpredictability into the side, the manager could go for Ethan Nwaneri, who needs more minutes this year.
Ultimately, Arsenal are still on track for a stellar season, but Odegaard still needs to do a bit more in games.
116 touches & 87 passes: Arteta's 8/10 Arsenal star was better than Saka
It was yet another stellar performance for the Arsenal star, who played even better than Bukayo Saka.
Without doubt the biggest fixture of a pretty encouraging Round of 16 in the EFL Cup is Manchester United hosting Manchester City. It seems like only yesterday the two titans clashed in the Premier League, and with the 2-1 beating the Citizens dished out still fresh, revenge is sure to be on Jose Mourinho’s mind.
However, the Portuguese also has the pressure of recent results weighing on his shoulders, too. There’s no way ‘The Special One’ will be excited by the prospect of taking on one of his greatest rivals, Pep Guardiola, after a miserable two weeks. Another loss will only heighten the criticism he’s currently receiving, after all.
Guardiola himself cannot really do without at least a good performance. Man City are quickly beginning to forget what winning feels like and another big game slip will raise serious questions given the quality of the players at the ex-Barcelona man’s disposal.
This game is set to be a cracker, then. We at FFC Towers are convinced of this, and we think there will be some interesting battles on the pitch…
David de Gea vs. Kelechi Iheanacho
Britain Soccer Football – Manchester City v Southampton – Premier League – Etihad Stadium – 23/10/16Manchester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho celebrates scoring their first goal Action Images via Reuters / Craig BroughLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your acco
Mourinho is unlikely to put his faith in Sergio Romero for a game that he’ll see as must-win now, so De Gea will almost certainly keep his place.
The Spaniard, aside from his hesitance for Pedro’s Chelsea goal on Sunday, has been in decent form so far this season, but he’ll be tested by whichever of their attacking threats Manchester City choose.
We have a suspicion Iheanacho will get the nod, with the Nigerian having come off the bench to net the equaliser during the 1-1 with Southampton on the weekend. The pacey youngster needs game time and Sergio Aguero could do with a match out of the limelight.
Wayne Rooney vs. Fernandinho
Britain Football Soccer – Manchester United v Fenerbahce SK – UEFA Europa League Group Stage – Group A – Old Trafford, Manchester, England – 20/10/16Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney Reuters / Phil NobleLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
So long as he can shake off a thigh injury, Rooney should be put into the Man United XI. The Red Devils’ skipper sat out of the Chelsea game with the aforementioned problem, but Mourinho needs to rotate a little and will be eager to have his skipper involved for such a huge match.
Fernandinho could well be Man City’s deepest midfielder and the Brazilian has been formidable under Guardiola. If he’s at the top of his game, Rooney may struggle to find any space.
Marcus Rashford vs. Claudio Bravo
Britain Football Soccer – Manchester United v Leicester City – Premier League – Old Trafford – 24/9/16Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford in action with Leicester City’s Danny Drinkwater and Riyad MahrezAction Images via Reuters / Carl RecineLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publicati
Rashford’s game time has been limited in terms of playing as the main striker this term, but with Zlatan Ibrahimovic out of sorts, the teenager may get his chance at Old Trafford. The England international is sure to be afforded opportunities by a Man City backline that has shown itself to be porous in recent weeks, so chances are he’ll have a straight-up duel with Bravo.
The Citizens’ Chilean has been criticised for his erratic playing style since making his move from Barcelona, but he’s an athletic shot-stopper who is, lest we forget, very much decorated in terms of medals won. Rashford’s pace and energy will be vital in terms of closing him down and forcing errors.
Jose Mourinho vs. Pep Guardiola
Britain Soccer Football – Manchester United v Manchester City – Premier League – Old Trafford – 10/9/16Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola Reuters / Phil NobleLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or “live” services. Online in-match use limited to 45 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account rep
We’re sure the cameras will be focused on the Iberian tacticians. Anyone with even a passing interest in football know the great bosses don’t have the healthiest of relationships, so things could boil over on the touchline. After all, the duo need wins, given recent results on both the red and blue halves of Manchester.
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Leroy Sane vs. Luke Shaw
Britain Soccer Football – Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City – Premier League – White Hart Lane – 2/10/16Manchester City’s Leroy Sane speak with manager Pep Guardiola as he prepares to come on as substituteReuters / Eddie KeoghLivepicEDITORIAL USE ONLY.
Sane is slowly breaking into this Man City team after his big-money move to England from Schalke and he’s likely to be afforded some game time here with Raheem Sterling due a much-needed rest. The youngster has pace to burn, which will be a worry for Luke Shaw, who himself is rusty after a while out of the action.
The English full-back is a fearsome prospect in a defence full of confidence, but Man United are very much at the other end of the scale at the moment – so Sane will surely have opportunities to get at him.
Sunderland dropped what could be a vital two points in their bid to finish in the play-off places after they were held 0-0 by Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon.
The visitors recorded more possession and shots on goal than their hosts but were ultimately wasteful in attack, and The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to analyse who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the Wearsiders on the day:
Ross Stewart (6.9)
Admittedly tied with Bailey Wright in terms of overall rating (6.9), Stewart ranks third here given that the former at least managed to keep a clean sheet as a centre-back.
The striker lost out on five of his duels in total and failed to score with any of his three of his shots on goal, while he also recorded no dribbles or key passes and gave the ball away seven times.
Lynden Gooch (6.8)
Given a 6.8 rating, Gooch ranked as Sunderland’s second-worst player at Sincil Bank.
The winger lost three duels and never managed a shot on target or dribble, while he was guilty of losing possession on 15 separate occasions, the joint-fourth most out of any of his team-mates.
Dan Neil (6.7)
Neil ranked as the Black Cats’ worst performer with a 6.7 rating.
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Hauled off for Jermain Defoe after 74 minutes, the midfielder was unsuccessful in five of his duels and recorded no shots on target, dribbles, clearances or key passes, making two fouls and losing the ball 11 times.
In other news, find out what ‘shocking’ incident from Saturday left this Sunderland podcaster fuming
Celtic are now reportedly making enquiries in pursuit of a new manager just one day one from Peter Lawwell’s decision to leave the club and yet another defeat for Wilfried Nancy.
Lawall admits "abuse and threats" became "intolerable" at Celtic
It has been a disastrous season for Celtic. The Bhoys looked to have steadied the ship when they hired veteran manager Martin O’Neill on an interim basis and it looked as though their title defence was far from over. The decision was then made to hire Nancy ahead of a crucial period, however, and those in Glasgow have been made to regret their choice ever since.
Following defeat against Dundee United, Nancy became the first Celtic manager since 1978 to lose four games in a row at the club. In short, it has been a nightmare start for the new manager and fans are already beginning to turn.
Nancy’s start to life at Celtic Park hardly helped club chairman Lawwell, who announced that he will be stepping down from his role in Scotland at the end of the December amid “intolerable” abuse.
The 66-year-old told the club website: “I believe I have shown my ability to meet and overcome challenges on many fronts, but abuse and threats from some sources have increased and are now intolerable. They have dismayed and alarmed my family.
Celtic still plotting move for Serie A target who Lawwell tried to sign in summer
It’s been a tough start for Nancy.
ByTom Cunningham
“At this stage in my life, I don’t need this. I cannot accept this and so I leave the club I have loved all my life. The motivations and aims of these detractors can be investigated by others. I prefer to look back on my career at Celtic with deep gratitude and satisfaction.”
It seems as though there’s every chance that Nancy follows the chairman out the door, too. According to TeamTalk, Celtic are now making enquiries in pursuit of a new manager.
Celtic making enquiries as pressure grows on Nancy
Every game should be seen as a must-win as far as Nancy is concerned in the coming weeks. Up next, the Hoops play host to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership and defeat may make the new manager’s position untenable after just five games in charge.
Parkhead chiefs are already concerned and surprised by Nancy’s disastrous start, so much so that they’ve quietly commenced their search for a contingency plan and are already ‘sounding out’ options after yet another disastrous day on Wednesday.
The Frenchman, however, has remained optimistic and told reporters after defeat against Dundee United: “It’s new for me to have four losses in a row. This is also new for the players.
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“I can understand they are upset. But the only thing that I can tell them is that I think we had a good performance. We are missing the goals that could have been good for us and we are still working on that to win the next game.
“We don’t have a lot of time to work but when we work, we do it well. And again, that was a good performance. But the result was not there.”
He was as bad as Kenny: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost 100% duels
Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly ‘keeping tabs’ on highly sought-after Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, according to Planet Sport’s Graeme Bailey.
The lowdown: New deal not enough
Despite only signing a new contract in October 2021, the 24-year-old continues to be heavily linked with a move away from the reigning Serie A champions.
Reputable journalist Fabrizio Romano recently told his Here We Go podcast that Spurs were ‘looking at’ potential striker targets for the summer and Martinez is the latest name touted.
Previously pursued by Barcelona, ex-Inter strike partner Romelu Lukaku hailed the Argentine as a ‘beast’ prior to a 2020/21 league campaign in which the pair provided a combined 58 goal contributions (WhoScored) to lead Antonio Conte’s side to glory.
The report from Bailey (via PS) claims that both Tottenham and Manchester City are ‘keeping tabs’ on the frontman, whilst north London rivals Arsenal are also believed to be ‘very interested’.
Furthermore, it’s stated that the 37-cap Argentina ace is ‘keen’ on a move to the Premier League.
Recently a report from Tuttosport claimed that the Nerazzurri have already identified Borussia Monchengladbach star Marcus Thuram as a successor to Martinez amidst further interest from Liverpool.
The verdict: A match made in heaven?
Having already scored 40 times and provided 19 assists under the watchful eye of Conte, the Argentine striker is unlikely to have reservations over working with the Italian and vice versa.
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Under contract until 2027 and valued at an eye-watering £72million (Transfermarkt), it would take a huge fee to bring Martinez to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
However, with 16 goals and two assists across all competitions this term, the Lilywhites would be adding a high-quality operator to their ranks and should be willing to spend as such.
In other news: Italian source claims Spurs have made a decision regarding permanent summer transfer! Find out more here.
Leeds United could potentially make a move for Manchester United youngster James Garner this summer, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Garner impressing on loan
The 20-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements at Old Trafford last summer, instead joining Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal, having spent half of the 2020/21 campaign there, too.
Garner has caught the eye for Steve Cooper’s side, proving to be a key man by appearing 29 times in the Championship, as well as registering three goals and assists apiece.
The United midfielder has been linked with a move to Leeds in recent times, as Jesse Marsch eyes up his first reinforcements as manager at Elland Road.
[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]
The Latest: Leeds backed to make move
Speaking to Give Me Sport, ‘insider’ Jones claimed a number of clubs will be looking at Garner this summer when asked who Leeds could be eyeing:
“Garner, I think, is somebody that a lot of clubs will be looking at. Southampton are linked with him as well, so he could have a lot of options to consider.”
[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-37/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]
The Verdict: Solid summer addition?
While Garner remains unproven at Premier League level, he could be a shrewd addition by Leeds, and that’s assuming they are even in the top flight next season.
At 20, the Englishman is still very much an emerging talent – he has been hailed as ‘absolutely superb’ by journalist Sarah Clapson – but he is already excelling in the Championship, standing out as a key man for a Forest side in the promotion hunt.
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Garner could add some much-needed depth in the middle of the park, at a time when too much onus is on Kalvin Phillips, with the England international not even a certainty to stay this summer.
In other news, a key Leeds update regarding Raphinha’s future has emerged. Read more here.
Crystal Palace showed during the previous summer transfer window they are capable of spending significant amounts of money on bringing new players to Selhurst Park.
The Eagles ended up splashing out significantly on their defence by signing Joachim Andersen from Lyon for around £20m and Marc Guehi from Chelsea for £18m.
However, one defender that the south London club weren’t so keen to spend money on and will now be thoroughly regretting is Virgil van Dijk.
According to former Palace manager Neil Warnock, he wanted to sign the Dutchman when he was playing at Celtic but was told by the hierarchy at Selhurst Park at the time that he was not worth the £6m transfer fee being touted for him as he was “too slow” and looked “too comfortable” in Scotland to be judged properly.
After making a £13m move from Celtic to Southampton in 2015, the centre-back scored seven goals in 80 appearances before joining his current club Liverpool in the 2018 January transfer window for a massive £75m.
Since then, the 30-year-old, who is currently valued at £49.5m according to Transfermarkt, has been a certified superstar for the Merseyside club, making 168 appearances with 16 goals and seven assists to his name.
During his time at Anfield, the former Hoops star has helped Jurgen Klopp’s side win the Premier League title and the Champions League in addition to beating the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to the 2018/19 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award, highlighting the significant rise his career has taken since his days in Scotland.
Labelled as a “powerful” player by Erling Haaland, the defender has racked up a higher pass success percentage (89%) than any other Liverpool player to have started the majority of their Premier League games this season, showing his capabilities on the ball.
Off the ball, the centre-back has won 88.9% of his tackles, higher than any other player to have significantly featured in the league during this campaign for the Reds, highlighting his toughness and how difficult it is to play against him.
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So much so that Juventus striker Alvaro Morata once said that “when you go against Van Dijk, it seems like you hit a mountain.”
Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Palace made the wrong decision by not securing Van Dijk’s signature when they had the chance. This was a seismic howler from Warnock.
In other news: Vieira struck gold on “massive” £31k-p/w Palace “tank” whose value has rocketed 200%