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It was another tough day at the office for Ipswich Town last Sunday but it was shaping up to be a remarkable one for the relegation candidates.

For a while, it looked as if Kieran McKenna’s side would come away from their game against Chelsea with all three points and close the gap on survival.

Julio Enciso and Ben Johnson had given the Tractor Boys hope of pulling off a remarkable league double against the Blues but an own goal from Axel Tuanzebe and a strike from Jadon Sancho meant they had to settle for a point.

Consequently, it now is really starting to look like next season will see the Suffolk side return to the Championship.

However, they certainly have the players to bounce right back, and if they are forced to sell, they’ll make a pretty penny, especially off one star who’s been compared to an international ace valued at over £100m.

Ipswich's biggest sales

So, before talking about the player who could easily become Ipswich’s biggest-ever sale, it’s worth examining those who currently make up the list, such as Tyrone Mings.

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The Aston Villa star joined the club for just £10k from non-league Chippenham Town in 2013 and would go on to make 63 appearances for the Tractor Boys, scoring once and providing eight assists.

Then, in the summer of 2015, Bournemouth paid a whopping £8m for his services, which equates to a massive 79900% increase on what he originally cost the Suffolk side – talk about wheeling and dealing.

One of the other most expensive sales in the club’s history was of striker Connor Wickham.

The Englishman was an academy product and, after making his first team debut in the 08/09 season, went on to score 15 goals and provide four assists in 72 appearances.

Appearances

72

Minutes

4165′

Goals

15

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

Minutes per Goal Involvement

219.21′

It was in the summer of 2011 that Sunderland paid an initial fee of around £8.1m for the centre-forward’s services, which, again, netted the Blues a hefty profit.

However, if the club are forced to sell some of their stars this summer, then there is one who, thanks to his form and comparisons to other top players, could net them a fortune.

The star who could be Ipswich's biggest sale

While there are several top-quality players in Ipswich’s squad, it will likely come as no surprise that the one we are talking about is Liam Delap.

While he didn’t start the game against the Blues due a lack of training in midweek, one does wonder what the result may have been had he begun the game, notably scoring against Enzo Maresca’s side in the reverse fixtures.

The former Manchester City star joined the club for around £20m in the summer and has since racked up a sensational haul of 12 goals and two assists in just 30 Premier League games.

Such a brilliant rate of return has not only caught the interest of other top sides, like Manchester United, but also seen the 22-year-old “wrecking-ball,” as dubbed by Sky Sports reporter Lewis Jones, compared to another of Europe’s most exciting strikers, Benjamin Sesko.

The comparison stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Slovenian is the ninth most similar striker to the Englishman.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key passes, crosses, goal-creating actions, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.36

0.40

Shots on Target

1.01

1.13

Key Passes

0.78

0.72

Expected Assists

0.05

0.06

Crosses

0.16

0.14

Goal-Creating Actions

0.27

0.36

Ball Recoveries

2.13

2.49

However, while the comparison to a Champions League striker is nice in and of itself, it’s also encouraging regarding Delap’s value.

For example, the CIES Football Observatory values the former RB Salzburg star at a whopping €116.6m, which converts to about £100m, and if the Blues’ ace is so statistically similar, why shouldn’t his price tag be?

Ultimately, while going down and losing their best player is far from ideal, Ipswich can at least rest assured that if they sell Delap this summer, he will undoubtedly become their most expensive departure of all time.

McKenna could be brewing his next Hutchinson in “special” Ipswich star

Kieran McKenna could get more out of this Ipswich Town ace in the Championship.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 7, 2025

Leeds United have their eyes on a new centre-back signing and one who could come in to replace Pascal Struijk.

Leeds return to top of Championship with win over Middlesbrough

The Whites and Daniel Farke managed to get back to winning ways in the week after a run of just one victory in their previous six Championship games with a 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough.

Dan James’ early goal proved to be the winner, although Ao Tanaka and Patrick Bamford both had goals wrongly ruled out for offside.

Leeds’ win, coupled with both Burnley and Sheffield United dropping points, ensured that they’d return to the top of the table with just five games remaining.

Talking after the game, Farke said: “I’m proud of my boys. It was a tough game, overall an excellent advert for the Championship. Both sides had periods, but in the end we found a way to win this game and it was crucial today to return to our clean sheet behaviour.

“We had to dig in, had to deal with a couple of injuries and had one day less in between games, and Middlesbrough were in red-hot form. “We had to dig in and show steel and togetherness and spirit to bring this over the line in a hard-fought game and a well-deserved win.”

Leeds (85 pts)

Sheffield United (83 pts)

Burnley (85 pts)

Preston North End (h)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Norwich City (h)

Oxford United (a)

Cardiff City (h)

Watford (a)

Stoke City (h)

Burnley (a)

Sheffield United (h)

Bristol City (h)

Stoke City (a)

QPR (a)

Plymouth Argyle (a)

Blackburn Rovers (h)

Millwall (h)

Leeds won at the Riverside without Pascal Struijk, with the left-footed centre-back suffering an injury against Luton Town. There is a concern that Struijk may have a fracture in his foot and could be out for the season, which resulted in Ethan Ampadu filling in at centre-back.

Now, a transfer target has emerged on the Elland Road radar who could prove to be a replacement for Struijk.

Leeds keen on signing Modibo Sagnan

According to reports in France, relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds and the 49ers are interested in signing Montpellier HSC centre-back Modibo Sagnan.

Like Struijk, Sagnan is a left-footed defender and could be on the move this summer with Montpellier bottom of Ligue 1. Leeds could take advantage of their potential relegation with a move for the Mali international.

Sagnan, 25, can also turn out as a left-back as well as a centre-back and has played for the likes of Real Sociedad, Lens and FC Utrecht before joining Montpellier.

Over the last 12 months, Sagnan has ranked in the top 10 percentiles when compared to centre-backs in the big five European leagues for both goals and take ons – he has scored five times in 39 games for his current employers.

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Struijk also has an eye for goal with Leeds, but by the looks of things, should Leeds win promotion, a move for Sagnan could be one to watch.

Manchester City are now willing to pay £50m for a “sensational” midfielder, who could be brought in as a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne this summer, according to a report.

De Bruyne set to leave this summer

De Bruyne has now confirmed he is set to leave Man City at the end of the season, ending his 10-year stay at the Etihad Stadium, and it has been a period of unparalleled success, with the Belgian playing a major role in winning every major trophy available.

As such, the 33-year-old’s legacy will remain intact regardless of how City finish the campaign, but he will no doubt be hoping to go out on a high by securing qualification for the Champions League and winning the FA Cup.

The attacking midfielder will surely go down as one of the all-time Premier League greats, which means it will be extremely difficult for Pep Guardiola to find a suitable replacement this summer, with the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Florian Wirtz mentioned as possible options by David Ornstein.

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According to a report from Spain however, Guardiola is a big fan of Barcelona’s Dani Olmo, with Man City identifying the midfielder as the perfect replacement for De Bruyne, given his impressive performances in La Liga.

Such is their level of interest, the Sky Blues are willing to fork out £50m for Olmo, with Guardiola personally of the belief he would be a perfect fit for the tactical system he has put in place, while the Spaniard’s versatility is also appreciated.

The 26-year-old is able to play as both a midfielder and a winger, and he is viewed as a key target for City, who are hoping Guardiola’s relationship with the Barcelona star can help them secure a deal.

"Sensational" Olmo could be suitable De Bruyne heir

In truth, it is going to be very difficult for Guardiola to find an attacking midfielder capable of replicating De Bruyne’s attacking numbers over such a sustained period of time, but there are signs the Spain international could be a suitable replacement.

The former RB Leipzig man has been a key player for Barca when fully-fit this season, picking up seven goals and two assists in La Liga, which has resulted in high praise from the media, with journalist Muhammad Butt lauding him as “sensational”.

Not only that, but the maestro was extremely impressive for Spain en-route to their Euro 2024 victory, picking up three goals and two assists in six matches.

Olmo’s performances for club and country indicate the proposed £50m price tag is fully justified, so it is exciting news that Man City are willing to launch a move this summer, but it will certainly be a tall order to surpass De Bruyne’s achievements at the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester City have now moved into pole position in the race for a “superstar”, and they are now ready to make a bid of over £65m.

Pep eyeing long-term additions to his defence

Pep Guardiola has made it clear he is a huge admirer of Matheus Nunes this season, saying: “He can be an incredible right-back,”

“Matheus is a holding midfielder with incredible physicality and as much as he is focused, he can become one of the best [right-backs].

“He has special attributions to play in the sides, and in the last two or three games he has played unbelievable.”

Nunes has remained a key player for Man City in recent weeks, starting the last three games, with Abdukhodir Khusanov also capable of slotting in at right-back, doing so in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen back in November, while also impressing against Arsenal.

Despite Pep being blessed with a number of options in defence, the City boss remains keen on making long-term additions to his backline, according to a new report from TEAMtalk, which states he views Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento as the complete package.

The Blues have now moved into pole position in the race for Livramento’s signature, despite interest from a number of Premier League clubs, and they are ready to make a bid of more than £65m, which could include add-ons, while summer signing James Trafford may also be used as part of a swap deal.

"Superstar" Livramento may find it difficult to dislodge Nunes

Lauded as a “superstar” by Newcastle content creator Kendall Rowan, there are signs the right-back could be a good fit in a Guardiola system, with his passing ability particularly impressive over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Pass completion %

85.9% (90th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.17 (87th percentile)

Pep has been keen on signing the full-back for quite some time, and he is now vastly experienced in the Premier League, having made 103 appearances in the competition, while he has also tested himself in the Champions League for the second time this season.

The 23-year-old could be able to push for Nunes’ place in the starting XI before too long, but it will be difficult to dislodge the Portugal international, given that the City star is arguably a more well-rounded right-back at the moment.

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The 27-year-old has displayed a keen eye for creating chances this season, chipping in with one goal and three assists in the Premier League, while Livramento has just four goal contributions in 93 games for Newcastle.

As such, the Engand international may have to improve the attacking side of his game if he is going to take Nunes’ shirt.

They might have suffered their first defeat in months at the hands of Aston Villa on Saturday, but this season is still shaping up to be a memorable one for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s side are top of the Premier League and Champions League tables and still haven’t reached their full potential.

Moreover, while injuries have taken their toll, the Gunners have a squad bursting at the seams with incredible players, and Bukayo Saka, arguably their most important player, has produced three goal involvements in his last four games.

So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to a player who has been compared not only to the Englishman but also to summer target Rodrygo.

Arsenal target Saka & Rodrygo hybrid

Uncharacteristically, Arsenal went on something of a spending spree in the summer, bringing in the likes of Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and others.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Therefore, it would be understandable if the North Londoners held off on any major signings in the January window.

However, it would appear that the Gunners are determined to further improve their already impressive squad, and are now looking at a player who has been compared to both Saka and Rodrygo.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Arsenal are very interested in signing Yan Diamonde.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the Premier League leaders have now identified the winger as a priority target.

However, the likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City are also said to be keen on the youngster and that RB Leipzig would need a fee of up to €100m to sell their star asset, which is about £87m.

It would therefore almost certainly be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Diomande’s ability and potential, one Arsenal should fight for anyway, especially as he’s been compared to Saka and Rodrygo.

How Diomande compares to Saka & Rodrygo

So, starting with the obvious and somewhat surface-level similarities, like Saka and Rodrygo, Diomande is a seriously exciting winger plying his trade for a team in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

Moreover, unlike some other wingers for top teams, the 19-year-old is someone who can back up his flashy ability with output.

For example, in 15 first-team appearances this season, totalling just 951 minutes, the Ivorian star has scored seven goals and provided four assists.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.36 games, or every 86.45 minutes, which is a rate of return that really lends credence to journalist Bence Bocsák’s claim that he is a “generational talent.”

However, the comparisons to the two international wingers go deeper than just their positions and ability to produce goal involvements.

For example, FBref has ranked Rodrygo as the second-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Leipzig star across Europe’s top five leagues, and ranked Saka as the ninth-most similar.

The best way to understand how these comparisons have been made is to take a look at the underlying numbers in which the players rank so closely.

Progressive Carries

6.74

6.74

Shots on Target

1.35

1.40

Key Passes

1.46

1.40

Blocks

1.35

1.16

Passing Accuracy

80.9%

83.5%

In the case of the Real Madrid star, these metrics include progressive carries, key passes, shots on target, and passing accuracy, all per 90.

In other words, the teen phenom is as capable as the two-time Champions League winner at getting the ball up the pitch, whether by carrying or passing.

Expected Goals

0.34

0.36

Shots

2.37

2.60

Shots on Target

1.35

1.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.57

1.48

Shot-Creating Actions

4.29

4.55

Tackles Won

0.56

0.65

Ball Recoveries

5.39

5.56

Now, when it comes to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven, similar metrics include shot-creating actions, ball recoveries, tackles won, shots on target, expected goals, and more, also per 90.

This suggests that the youngster is as willing to help out with the defensive side of the game as the 24-year-old is, while also still being a serious goal threat.

Ultimately, it would require a significant amount of money, but Arsenal should do what they can to sign Diomande, as, in addition to being a great prospect in his own right, he also has a lot in common with Saka and Rodrygo.

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In an attempt to get one over on their rivals, Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping close tabs on Ajax youngster Jorthy Mokio, who’s already been a given a guarantee by Manchester United.

The Lilywhites have set their sights on getting back into the Premier League’s top six and much more in the coming years. The departure of Daniel Levy was completed with that ambition in mind and this weekend’s North London derby against Arsenal hands Thomas Frank the perfect opportunity to prove that he’s the right man for the job.

An unexpected victory over Arsenal, who sit top of the Premier League, would see Tottenham move to within five points of their rivals to continue what has been a solid start.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday’s clash, Frank shared how excited he is to take charge of the fixture for the first time in the Premier League, saying: “Super excited. Of course, before I stepped into the club, of course, I knew about the north London derby, but it’s when you are in it, you sense it and feel that this is important.

“You feel it from the fans, you feel it from the staff members, the players, the people that have been working here for years. This is the big one.

“I always say the next game is the most important game and we always have that, but I’m very, very, very aware there are two games in a year that are even more important – and this is the first of them. We are ready, we are up for it, we are looking forward to it and we will do everything we can to win.”

It’s not just Arsenal that Spurs are looking to get one over on, however. Away from the pitch, they could also beat Man United to the signature of rising star Mokio.

Tottenham keeping close tabs on Jorthy Mokio

According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are now keeping close tabs on Mokio, who is looking to leave Ajax in 2026. The 17-year-old has also attracted the interest of Man United, who are already reportedly preparing a project which will offer him a guarantee of game time.

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The Red Devils are currently the reported favourites to sign the defensive midfielder, but Tottenham’s presence at least gives them a fighting chance to land the latest Ajax sensation.

A well-connected source told Caught Offside: “Manchester United are leading the chase for Jorthy Mokio. They are already working on a project that could offer Mokio guaranteed minutes and a clear development path.”

Dubbed “special” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mokio has already got his name in the history books at Ajax and could now be on his way to the Premier League to make his mark once again.

Spurs have their own Saka & he's "one of the biggest talents in Europe"

Sitting to the side of the Bernabeu during Arsenal’s triumphant night inside the Bernabeu last season, Rio Ferdinand was left in awe of an 18-year-old strutting his stuff.

“I’m sorry, is Lewis-Skelly really 18? His date of birth is right, isn’t it?”

It’s a fair question to ask. Myles Lewis-Skelly made enormous strides during the 2024/25 campaign. At the start of he was playing U21 football. By the end of it he was nominated for PFA Young Player of the Year, was a full England international and had helped guide Mikel Arteta’s team to the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Not bad at all, is it? While Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman continue to be spoken about as generational talents, the most complete Hale Ender we’ve seen in years is Lewis-Skelly.

However, is everything now starting to unravel? It’s been a difficult campaign for the teenager to date.

Why Lewis-Skelly has struggled for game time at Arsenal

Arsenal’s injury problems last term were well-documented. To the benefit of Lewis-Skelly, Oleksandr Zinchenko could barely get a game and Riccardo Calafiori spent more time on the treatment table than on the field of play.

Such a sequence of events meant that even Kieran Tierney enjoyed something of a career revival at the Emirates Stadium.

For Lewis-Skelly, however, he was the biggest winner of Arsenal’s lack of depth throughout 2024/25. He enjoyed a phenomenal season as a result, featuring on 39 occasions for the senior team, assisting two goals and scoring that strike against Manchester City.

The celebration summed up everything the Hale Ender is about. He’s a jovial, unique and confident character. He’s certainly cemented himself as one of the finest young players on the planet.

2025/26 has been more challenging. Now 19, he is yet to start in the Premier League and has enjoyed just 86 minutes of top-flight action.

While the Champions League has seen the teenager start twice, he missed out on a spot in the starting XI last week when summer arrival Piero Hincapie was selected ahead of him in Prague.

There are several reasons for his lack of action, not least Calafiori’s improved fitness but also from a tactical point of view. There is a feeling that the Italian’s defensive discipline is stronger, while Hincapie’s overlapping ability, more aligned with the inverted Leandro Trossard’s skillset, is perhaps a stronger dynamic.

While Arteta is right to manage the youngster’s minutes, it did set off alarm bells, not just among supporters but also England boss Thomas Tuchel.

Lewis-Skelly has been a regular feature in Tuchel’s squads since he was given the Three Lions gig and the full-back even scored on his international debut towards the beginning of the year.

But, the German made it abundantly clear that he needed more minutes during October’s break. “Being a good citizen isn’t enough,” he warned the teen.

Lo and behold, he was left out of the fixtures for the November break. Tuchel stated that “Myles simply needs more starts, more minutes.”

Such news sparked fear regarding the academy graduate’s future at Arsenal. Sky Sports reported this week that he was being monitored by Premier League clubs, although the Gunners are not keen on selling anyone in the January transfer window.

Lewis-Skelly is still young but there may well be another figure in the defensive ranks growing more concerned about what the future holds.

£50m signing should be worried about his Arsenal future

Cast your mind back to the beginning of Arteta’s tenure in north London. The defensive ranks were not pretty at all.

Who can forget that day in August 2021 when Manchester City beat the Gunners 5-0? Their back five that day included Cedric, Rob Holding, Calum Chambers, Sead Kolasinac and Kieran Tierney.

How far they have come since. Arsenal now boast the best defence in the league having shipped just five goals. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes are easily the best centre-back partnership in the division, while they arguably have the two best full-backs in the form of Jurrien Timber and Calafiori.

All of that means that a certain Ben White has endured quite the downfall at Arsenal, not necessarily due to his own faults but the north Londoners have simply improved significantly.

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A big issue for White has been his fitness. Last season he missed a large portion due to injury which meant he only started 13 league fixtures.

This term, while he has improved his fitness and fought hard to put himself back in the reckoning, Arteta has preferred Timber. Understandably so, too.

The Dutchman has cemented his spot and in the words of the Standard’s Simon Collings, he is “the best right-back in the Premier League right now.” There is no escaping that for White, and his lack of game time proves it.

The full-back started the win over Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season but since then he has not played a single minute of Premier League football.

He has been an unused sub on eight occasions and is struggling to earn minutes in any other competition as well. The 28-year-old has just 82 minutes of Champions League football under his belt and while he has started the League Cup wins over Port Vale and Brighton, has only managed the best part of 70 minutes in both of those games.

2021/22

37

0

2022/23

46

7

2023/24

51

9

2024/25

26

2

2025/26

6

0

When White signed in a £50m deal from Brighton back in 2021, journalist Tom Barclay wrote that the Gunners had acquired “one of the best prospects in English football.”

That much was certainly true. Despite his price tag, he proved to be an inspired pick-up, perhaps one of Arteta’s best since becoming Arsenal manager.

Signed as a centre-half, he quickly became the number one choice at right-back and was an England regular for a period of time under Gareth Southgate until that alleged fallout.

He only missed one league game during his debut year at the Emirates, played 46 matches the following season and then reached over half a century of appearances in 2023/24. Indeed, in the words of one content creator, he was Arsenal’s “most reliable player.”

Not just a rock-solid defender, he had attacking quality in abundance, registering 16 goal involvements between 2022/23 and 2023/24. His link-up and combination play with star man, Bukayo Saka, was a huge weapon for Arsenal.

Now, however, he’s made to settle for a place on the bench and unlike Lewis-Skelly, he doesn’t really have time on his side.

Linked with Manchester City in recent weeks, Arsenal may not want to get rid, but it would not be a surprise if White forced Arteta’s hand next summer if he continues to be omitted from the starting lineup.

Leeds United have a full midweek to train and prepare for their next Premier League clash with Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX next weekend.

One of the aspects of the team’s play that Daniel Farke may place a big emphasis on is their ruthlessness in front of goal when it comes to taking the big chances that they are creating this season.

Crystal Palace

22

Manchester City

19

Liverpool

19

Manchester United

17

Leeds United

15

Brentford

15

Arsenal

15

Newcastle United

14

Everton

13

Chelsea

11

As you can see in the table above, only four teams have missed more ‘big chances’ than the West Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League this term, which shows that they have been wasteful in the final third.

The Whites have only scored nine goals in nine matches in the top-flight in the 2025/25 campaign, but the number of ‘big chances’ that they have missed suggests that they should be well into double figures by now.

Part of that is down to the quality, or lack thereof, within the squad in the attacking areas of the pitch. Dominic Calvert-Lewin was brought in to be their main number nine, and they need much more from him.

Why Leeds need more from Dominic Calvert-Lewin

The £100k-per-week centre-forward was signed on a free transfer in the summer transfer window after he was released by Everton at the end of last season.

Calvert-Lewin’s only goal for the club in all competitions so far, though, came in the 3-1 win over bottom-of-the-league Wolverhampton Wanderers last month, as he brilliantly guided a header into the back of the net from Jayden Bogle’s cross.

The 11-cap England international was a risky signing for the Whites, despite being a vastly experienced player at Premier League level, because of his form in front of goal for Everton in recent seasons.

Since a 16-goal haul in the 2020/21 campaign, when supporters were not allowed in stadiums for the most part, the English striker has failed to hit double figures for goals in a top-flight season.

24/25

8.85

3

23/24

13.63

7

22/23

6.50

2

21/22

6.22

5

20/21

18.21

16

19/20

16.11

13

18/19

6.17

6

17/18

5.44

4

16/17

1.25

1

The statistics in the table above show that Leeds signed a player who arrived at Elland Road in fairly dismal form in front of goal as a finisher.

As you can see in the graphic below, that form has carried over to his time in West Yorkshire, as he has missed five ‘big chances’ and only scored one goal in the Premier League so far this season.

These statistics show that the Whites need more from the experienced forward, because he is one of the main reasons why they are among the worst teams in the division for missing ‘big chances’.

Leeds considering move for Championship striker

Amid Calvert-Lewin’s struggles as a finisher in the Premier League this season, Leeds are reportedly showing an interest in a striker from the Championship.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to LeedsUnitedNews, the club are considering a swoop to sign Coventry City centre-forward Haji Wright to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch.

The report claims that Leeds are keen on a deal to sign the USA international when the January transfer window opens for business, after they also considered a move for him in the summer.

However, the outlet adds that it may be difficult for the club to convince the Sky Blues to part ways with the striker, as they are currently top of the Championship and gunning for promotion to the Premier League.

In January, pundit Carlton Palmer claimed that it could take a fee of around £20m to tempt Coventry to sell him, but it remains to be seen whether or not that would be the case next January.

Why Leeds should sign Haji Wright

Farke should push for Leeds to press ahead with a deal for the USMNT centre-forward when the January transfer window opens for business at the start of next year, because he could be an upgrade on Calvert-Lewin.

As aforementioned, the current Whites number nine has not done enough in front of goal in the Premier League to be deemed a reliable marksman for the German head coach, which may be why Wright has emerged as a possible target.

The Coventry star is unproven in the Premier League, having never played in the division, but his form in the Championship suggests that he has the potential to make the step up and excel at Elland Road.

Wright has racked up eight goals in ten starts in the second tier so far this season for Frank Lampard’s side, per Sofascore, after a return of 12 goals in 21 starts in the division in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

7

11

xG

1.77

7.49

Goals

1

8

Big chances missed

5

6

Conversion rate

7%

29%

Minutes per goal

534

101

Duel success rate

38%

44%

As you can see in the table above, the American centre-forward has scored eight times as many goals as Calvert-Lewin at league level, with a far superior conversion rate.

At his current performance level, Calvert-Lewin would miss 40 ‘big chances’ to hit the eight-goal mark that Wright has reached this season, with just six ‘big chances’ missed for Coventry, albeit at a lower level.

The Sky Blues striker, who was described as a “big, big winner” by former USA international Alexi Lalas, has shown that he can finish chances at an impressive rate, outperforming his xG in the Championship in the 2024/25 and 2025/26 campaigns.

Meanwhile, Calvert-Lewin is currently underperforming against his xG for the tenth Premier League season running, which suggests that Leeds cannot expect his fortunes to change in front of goal.

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This is why Farke should be pushing for the club to strike a deal to sign Wright in the January transfer window, as his impressive finishing skills could make him an upgrade on the Englishman at Elland Road.