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According to recent reports, Leeds are interested in signing QPR starlet Eberechi Eze this summer.

What’s the word?

Eze has been in superb form for the Championship side this season, racking up 14 goals and eight assists in the league. That has prompted speculation he could be heading for the exit door, with reports now suggesting Leeds are keen on having him lead their Premier League return next season.

The Sun have claimed Marcelo Bielsa has identified the 22-year-old as someone who can bring a creative spark to Elland Road, and that the Whites are ready to outbid the likes of Tottenham and West Ham in the race to sign him.

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In fact, it’s further suggested that Leeds actually informed QPR of their intentions of placing a bid for the England youth international back in January if they achieved promotion this season.

Sterling 2.0

It’s fair to say that Eze has earned a lot of plaudits in his short career as a first-team football for QPR.

Mark Warburton hailed him as a “tremendous talent” who has “no limits” in just how far he can go, whilst the Hoops’ former assistant manager Mark Bircham said: “He goes past players easier than Raheem Sterling did. Sterling would beat players with pace or do a trick or a chop – it’s all dynamic movements, but Ebere Eze just glides past players.”

With Sterling also having come through the QPR academy, that may be a simple comparison to make. But if you dig beneath that, you can see just how comparable the two are.

As per Whoscored, he has averaged a stunning three dribbles per game in the Championship, whilst also attempting 2.2 shots per match too. And with his tally of 14 goals this season, he clearly has the goal-scoring knack that Sterling has developed, with the latter netting 19 in the Premier League for Manchester City.

Speaking about his dribbling ability, Danny Higginbotham remarked: “You would not want him one on one. He has that knack of gliding past players with ease. He has so many assists because he attracts so much attention which creates space for his teammates.”

If Leeds manage to sign him this summer, then they could very well have their own Sterling in their hands.

Glasgow Rangers and the SPFL have been involved in a bitter war of words over the past few weeks as the ‘Gers sought to keep the Premiership season alive.

The Gers have made it clear they wished to end the season when possible following the coronavirus pandemic but it was decided by the majority of clubs in Scotland’s top four leagues that the season should be brought to a close before all the games had been played.

However, that conclusion was only reached once Dundee’s original vote had been changed after it was initially not registered. This then led to the ‘Gers accusing the governing body of corruption, producing a 200-page dossier in an attempt to prove so and demanding an independent investigation into the authority. At the Emergency General Meeting, though, they were once again on the losing end.

SPFL chief Neil Doncaster has now attempted to draw a line under the saga and has told the Ibrox outfit to prepare for a new season. The new focus is on getting the next campaign started as soon as possible so that the clubs in the Premiership do not miss out on the £125m Sky Sports deal that is set to start from the beginning of the 2020/21 season.

Noel Whelan has told Football Insider just how important it is that everything goes according to plan. He explained:

“Scottish football can’t afford for the new deal not to start on time. They have a fraction of the Premier League broadcasting cash and £125m is astronomical for them, and for all the Scottish clubs.”

Whelan is right – Scottish football needs the money, which is exactly why it was in the Light Blues’ best interest to end the campaign early. Whilst they may want to believe they could have caught Celtic at the top of the division, they were 13 points behind with nine games left – it would have taken a monumental swing for them to end up as champions.

As such, ending the term now means that this campaign will not run into the new season, while that huge Sky Sports deal is still intact. The ‘Gers may not like seeing their fierce Glasgow rivals winning their ninth title in a row but this is the best possible scenario – it gives them extra motivation to get the better of them next term.

‘Gers fans, what did you make of Whelan’s views about the Sky Sports deal? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Perhaps the greatest irony in football is that for an industry so synonymous with ceaseless speculation and tempestuous hindsight, the history books only recognise absolutes: winners and losers. For the first time in living memory, however, this is no longer the case.

It is possible that Liverpool will not win one of the most one-sided title races in Premier League history. Leeds United may not return to the top flight at the sixteenth time of asking. Manchester City’s greatest ever European scalp might not reach its conclusion. If any of those scenarios evoke an unpleasant sensation in the pit of your stomach, it’s probably fear and that’s definitely fine.

We are living through an international crisis of unprecedented proportions; loved ones have been lost, livelihoods are under threat and our hopes and dreams are on hold. All things considered, losing sleep over the destiny of domestic league positions can seem like an act that is every bit as crass as it is inappropriate. It’s an easy conclusion to come to. It’s also a lazy one.

Throughout this challenging period, football vloggers, in particular, have been quick to appropriate any chatter of a sporting nature with a guilt-laden acknowledgment that “health and safety comes first” and “football isn’t important”.

Whilst these sentiments resonate with the present narrative, they are both flawed. Firstly, who among us truly believes the wellbeing of the most vulnerable in society is anything less than paramount? Secondly, football is important.

Football is companionship for the lonely. Football is routine for the overwhelmed. Football is escapism for the crestfallen. It is a creator of jobs, unlikely relationships and lifelong memories. At its thrilling best and crushing worst it remains all of those things and none of that changes because the self-righteous Piers Morgan says so.

Isolation Busters: The only quiz you need to cure your boredem

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Even under normal circumstances, football is a flawed spectacle and an absurd business model. The majority of fans recognise this yet emotionally invest in it regardless, sometimes to the point where the line between sport and religion blurs. Rightly or wrongly, that is not something many can simply “turn off”.

The ongoing pandemic has understandably proved to be one of the most emotive subjects for generations but society sets a dangerous precedent if it starts dictating what is and isn’t acceptable for its members to be concerned about. It is entirely possible to maintain a sense of perspective without having to sacrifice our mental wellbeing – should we all stop complaining about the length of our commute just because Neil Armstrong went all the way to the moon in 1969?

So too have footballers themselves come under fire in the pursuit of one-size-fits-all idealism. Should NHS nurses earn more and footballers less? Yes. That is irrefutable. The economic reality; paying each and every healthcare professional the same weekly wage as Watford’s Tom Cleverley alone would bring the entire health service to its knees within a week.

It is all too simplistic to scapegoat footballers for being rich and scoff at the fan bases who dare to openly miss watching them play. Perspective co-exists with our raw emotions; it doesn’t dictate them. Fans should be allowed to sweat on league titles whilst they stay at home. They should be allowed to curse the prospect of another season stuck in the same division whilst they protect the NHS. They should even be allowed to pine for a cold, wet Wednesday night in Stoke whilst they save lives.

Football is not the most important thing right now but – love it or loathe it – it is the cornerstone of identity for countless working-class towns, cities and the communities that reside within them.

If we manage to convince ourselves that that isn’t important, the “normal” life we return to will be a poor imitation of what came before it.

Well, Jose Mourinho has certainly made a bright start to life in north London hasn’t he? The Portuguese man has revitalised Tottenham in the short time he has been in charge of the club, securing three wins on the trot.

The north London side’s latest victory came against Bournemouth on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, and one man who impressed more than most, was Davinson Sanchez.

The Colombia international has made 14 appearances across all competitions this season, including playing and completing the full 90 minutes in each of Mourinho’s initial games as manager.

And against the Cherries at the weekend, the 23-year-old was solid as a rock. Despite rather unfortunately missing out on a goal thanks to VAR, the former Ajax man still enjoyed an impressive game at the heart of defence.

The £49.5m-rated man, per Transfermarkt, made four clearances, two interceptions and blocked two shots, per Sofascore, as he helped Spurs hold on to a precious victory particularly towards the end of the game.

After watching his performance, Spurs fans flooded to Twitter to voice their thoughts about the defender.

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Many supporters of the north London side hailed his immense display, with one fan in particular claiming that Mourinho could quite easily turn him into one of the best centre-backs in the world.

Check out some of the reaction of Spurs fans below:

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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

When Manchester United fans and scouts alike tuned in for England’s clash with Montenegro on Thursday night, the likes of Jadon Sancho and James Maddison would probably have been the players they may have kept a particularly close eye on.

A report from ESPN in recent weeks have claimed the duo are amongst the club’s leading targets for next summer, and so seeing how they performed on the international stage would have been a great look-out. But in the end, neither of them were who caught the eye.

Instead, it was fellow rumoured target Ben Chilwell who stole the show from left-back, and showed United exactly what they would be getting if they were to sign him from Leicester. In a truly dominant team display, the 22-year-old produced an all-action masterclass that showed his credentials as a top-quality defender with some very impressive attacking attributes too.

Despite operating as a full-back, Chilwell delivered an incredible display going forward. As per Sofascore, his number of touches were second only to United centre-back Harry Maguire, and in being so involved in the Three Lions’ play, it was little surprise to see him rack up a hat-trick of assists.

His delightful little chipped ball for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to rifle home was arguably the pick of the bunch, but he was a constant thorn for the Montenegro defence with his runs both on the inside and outside. His five key passes were a game-high – two more even than fellow Red Devils transfer target Sancho. But not content with showing how good he is with the ball at his feet, Chilwell also made four tackles – the highest of any England player on the night.

His all-action display delivered a major message to any United onlookers, and particularly to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Whilst the Red Devils already have their very own England left-back in Luke Shaw, Chilwell’s virtuoso performance proved he could well be better than him.

With just 16 caps for Scotland, Matt Ritchie has called time on his international career, with former teammate Alan Hutton lifting the lid on the potential reasoning behind his decision.

The former Bournemouth winger, as per the Daily Mail, confirmed he was hanging up his Scotland boots, potentially to focus on his club form with Newcastle – with Ritchie so far having been out of action for most of this season.

Ritchie could find it difficult to break into this Magpies side with the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron current first-team regulars – but ex-Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton has revealed that his decision to retire from international football could stem from other reasons.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Scotland full-back went into great detail over Ritchie’s decision, citing ‘feeling unloved’ on international duty as a possible reason.

“He obviously feels he’s a bit unloved when he goes up there, he doesn’t play all the time. Maybe he feels he can offer more but he feels he’s not getting the chance,” explained the pundit.

“When you get to a certain age, then you start thinking: ‘What am I going to put forward? I’ve got my family here, I’ve got Scotland there, I’m not really playing there so I’d rather use the days for X, Y and Z.’

“I did the same thing so I’m not going to sit here and say he made the wrong decision but I think when you start to get to that age, that’s the way you start thinking.”

Indeed, with Ritchie playing in England and never actually having plied his trade north of the border in the SPFL, it could be a case of priorities – with the winger coming back from injury ahead of an uphill task to battle his way back into contention under Steve Bruce.

Newcastle fans, could Ritchie be more effective now his international career is over? Let us know your thoughts!

Manchester City needed a win against Crystal Palace, and that is exactly what they got.

With Liverpool leading the way at the top of the Premier League, the Citizens found themselves eight points behind before this match after just eight games. However, thanks to Gabriel Jesus and David Silva, Pep Guardiola and co got back to winning ways after losing against Wolves in their previous fixture.

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It could have been even more for the title holders, as well. At one point, Jesus attempted to shoot from a difficult position with several Eagles bodies in front of him. If he had just looked up to his right, he would have seen Kevin De Bruyne in acres of space, with the Belgium international just needing to tap the ball into an empty net. In the end, though, the chance was wasted.

The City fans were disgusted with their £27m man’s show of selfishness. They took to Twitter to share their thoughts, and you can see some of the best comments from the social media platform below.

*Change Bamford stat if needs be

Victor Orta is a meticulous soul. He is a passionate being with a wealth of football knowledge. He has also been fortunate enough to learn from some of the best in the business.

That doesn’t just lie at the feet of manager Marcelo Bielsa but also with Monchi.

Sevilla’s former Director of Football is internationally renowned as one of the best at what he does and Orta had the chance to work under him in Spain.

Learning about a pragmatic approach and a way of football politics, it’s something the Leeds director has taken in his stride.

In fact, it could now prove crucial for the Spaniard in the coming months. Everything he’s learned is set to be put to the test and it could just prove crucial in Leeds’ history for a number of reasons.

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He sits on the verge of his most legacy defining challenge yet, one which could cement his status as a cult-hero in west Yorkshire or see him forgotten as yet another individual that failed to oversee Leeds’ return to the big time.

This challenge will be negating the January transfer window, a period when his painstaking methods will be under the microscope.

Orta is a studious mind and has it within his capabilities. After all, he’s someone who scouted Ben White for two years before he arrived at Elland Road.

How Leeds could do with more players like him being uncovered in January.

What he does or doesn’t achieve over the next couple of months at Elland Road might not only have a giant say on promotion, but it might well determine the direction of the club as a whole.

That’s certainly if recent claims are anything to by.

Owner Andrea Radrizzani recently had his say on matters at board level, suggesting that financial backing from Qatar Sports Investment could help them compete on a level that Manchester City are capable of.

It was a huge statement but it shows what could be on the line. Would QSI still be interested in pumping money into a side who are in the Championship? It’s a difficult subject to work out but any extra support in the transfer market would make Orta’s job far easier.

The director has previously stated that Leeds simply don’t have the means to buy any players permanently in January and that could provoke a big issue.

The Whites already have six players on loan and only five can feature in a matchday squad. Bearing that in mind, will some have to leave? It’s a distinct possibility. Jack Clarke could be recalled by Spurs and, given he hasn’t played in the Championship, it would be hardly surprising if that was indeed the case.

Eddie Nketiah’s future has also been thrown into doubt. Finding someone available with a finishing record as he does, scoring nine for club and country since Patrick Bamford last netted, would take something special.

But there is also the fear of White returning to Brighton in January. Given he won the PFA Fans’ Player of the Month for August, he’d be a monumental loss to a Leeds defence that currently ranks as the best in the division.

Why being the away goalkeeper at Leeds is the toughest job in football in the video below…

Therefore, Orta would have to stretch every sinew and recall each inch of guidance he received from Monchi to replace them. But that is only a hypothetical scenario.

Either way, this Leeds squad needs strengthening if they want to achieve promotion. There is simply so much riding on the 2019/20 campaign.

If Orta can do the required business in January then it will go a long way to helping Angus Kinnear realise his 50,000 capacity dream for Elland Road. It would likely be a huge boost in keeping Bielsa too.

Radrizzani has noted that the current wage bill of around £40m isn’t sustainable. Not receiving QSI backing or reaching the Premier League means that would have to take a hit.

Who might be first to walk out the door? It wouldn’t be a great surprise if it was the manager. Orta, therefore, has to step up.

Aston Villa turned their fortunes around with their business last summer, landing the defensive wall of Tyrone Mings on temporary terms initially. He helped inspire the Villans on a ten-game unbeaten run and an eventual playoff win.

Leeds, however, ended the campaign with four straight matches without winning before their promotion dream was extinguished against Derby. What they would do for a similar run this season.

Their conversion rate is one of the worst in the league, scoring just 17 goals from a league-high 16.9 shots per game. On that evidence, there needs to be a greater goal threat in the team. As far as the transfer market goes, Orta should have this on his mind over anything else going into January.

Kinnear’s plans for Elland Road and the financial pressures surrounding the club dictate that anything other than being promoted would be a disaster and that could be determined by how well the next window goes.

Alongside Bielsa, Orta has the potential to be the mastermind behind the promotion bid. Mistakes have been made in the past in regards to recruitment but that simply cannot afford to happen in January.

Living up to the huge demands Leeds are commanding is a monumental challenge and what he does in the next few months may shape his legacy in west Yorkshire.

The January window could spur the Whites onto bigger and better things; it could also be a month of rueful missed opportunities.

Keeping Bielsa, a bigger Elland Road, QSI investment and ultimately promotion are on the line.

Over to you, Orta.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Real Madrid are once again turning towards La Liga and will have a tough challenge of keeping their first place in the table intact. Up next, the Whites will face off against Granada and the key to that battle might lie in their newcomer Galactico, Eden Hazard.

On the chalkboard

On paper, Granada don’t look like the most difficult opponent for Real Madrid – especially considering that they are one of the newly promoted sides that’s just trying to survive in the Spanish first league. However, not only have they been surviving so far but they’ve also recorded some impressive results along the way.

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Currently, Granada sit in second, just one place and one point below Los Blancos themselves and if Zinedine Zidane and his troops are not at their best, these newcomers to the league just might challenge the big boys for that top spot this Saturday evening.

But a lot of that might depend on one key individual battle that will most likely be raging on the pitches of Santiago Bernabeu – Hazard could come face to face with Granada’s skilled defender on the right, Victor Diaz.

The battle on the flanks

We all know what Real Madrid’s new signing is capable of.

After all, we’ve seen him tear Premier League apart back when he was at Chelsea, scoring 110 goals during his stay at Stamford Bridge, but for some reason, Hazard is taking a bit longer to adapt to both Real Madrid and La Liga in general.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

As a result, he is yet to find the net or assist one of his teammates in the five games he played for Los Blancos across all competitions in the 2019/20 season.

Still, he will have to be at his best to get past Diaz on that left flank. So far, Hazard has averaged one shot, 1.3 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per game and taking Diaz’s numbers into consideration, the Belgian just might have to up his game come Saturday afternoon.

The 31-year-old defender has 2.1 tackles, one interception and 2.4 clearances per game this season in La Liga, and has only been dribbled past 1.1 times per game so far.

By all means, it seems that there might be a tall task ahead of Zidane’s Galactico in that clash but it’s also a crucial one for their team as a whole.

Let’s see if Hazard can finally get rid of his shackles and let out the player we know it’s out there somewhere.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

It hasn’t really been a good start to the new season for Carles Alena, one of Barcelona’s big La Masia talismans. And according to Marca, the 21-year-old could be looking towards an exit option in January already.

What’s the word, then?

The youngster was always supposed to be the next big thing at the Catalan capital.

After all, Alena was a big star back at Barcelona B where he mustered 89 appearances and looked set to join the seniors after netting 18 goals and assisting a further 14 for the younger crop of Blaugrana players.

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And that came true this season as the 21-year-old talisman was finally a part of the first-team under Ernesto Valverde. But despite a bright start to the campaign, it has quickly gone downhill.

Now, he could be on his way out come January and looking at his position at the club, that might not be such a bad idea after all.

A new chance

It’s always a big shame when an academy graduate fails to live up to the expectations and ends up leaving the club of his youth behind.

But that’s also nothing particularly new, especially at Barcelona.

Long gone are the days of the golden La Masia generations and Alena wouldn’t be the first nor the last talent having to depart and seek his fortune elsewhere, away from Catalonia.

Watch Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale answer the internet’s weirdest questions in the video below…

Seeing how we have only seen him on the pitch for 45 minutes in the entirety of the 2019/20 campaign so far, it’s pretty clear that Ernesto Valverde doesn’t really count on Alena.

He made his first and last appearance in the curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao back in August and then he was gone, nowhere to be seen since.

As strange as this situation is, with so many midfielders in the squad, it’s difficult to see Alena making a sudden breakthrough, even if Ivan Rakitic, the other midfielder reportedly close to the exit door, leaves in the not so distant future.

That would still leave Alena competing with five other midfield players, all of whom seem to be ahead of him in the pecking order if their tally of minutes so far this season is any indication.

As it currently stands, a January exit, either in the form of a loan or a permanent deal, could be the ideal solution to this problem.

After all, that could be the only way Alena can actually make a step forward in his career.