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Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim may be busy trying to save his side’s faltering season, but he will also have one eye on potential summer transfer activity at Old Trafford.

Man Utd salvage late point at Goodison Park

Summing up an inconsistent run of form under Amorim, Manchester United salvaged a late point at Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime despite finding themselves victims of a two-goal deficit against David Moyes’ in-form outfit.

Beto and Abdoulaye Docoure appeared to have put the Red Devils on the verge of another demoralising defeat, but a late free-kick from Bruno Fernandes was followed up by an inch-perfect Manuel Ugarte strike to guarantee a share of the spoils.

Nevertheless, a common theme was present in the Merseyside sunshine. United’s disconnect within the backline was exposed ruthlessly, while a lack of firepower from the likes of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee threatened to consign the visitors to another damaging loss.

Man Utd’s lack of firepower in attack across all competitions

Rasmus Hojlund

Appearances – 33

Goals – 7

Joshua Zirkzee

Appearances – 38

Goals – 5

Chido Obi-Martin

Appearances – 2

Goals – 0

On this occasion, two key vessels in the engine room stepped up to save the Red Devils from further frustration. Either way, they sit 15th in the Premier League standings and will look to the Europa League and FA Cup to provide some solace in a campaign that is petering out.

Come the summer, funds need to be raised for Amorim to breed fresh ideas. Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s INEOS helped to bring Patrick Dorgu and Ayden Heaven to Old Trafford in January, but they will want to maximise profit to enact a full rebuild ahead of 2025/26.

Man Utd set price for Marcus Rashford with Bayern keen

Marcus Rashford became Manchester United’s main January window casualty after a fallout with Amorim led the England international to join Aston Villa on loan for the remainder of the campaign. He has since kicked on at Villa Park, lodging two assists in the Villans’ dramatic 2-1 victory over Chelsea on Saturday evening.

Looking ahead to the summer, reports in Spain indicate Bayern Munich want to sign Rashford for £40 million and their sporting director Christoph Freund is said to be heavily involved in negotiations to land the Three Lions attacker, with the German giants going ‘all in’ for the player still on the books of Man Utd.

Labelled ‘fantastic’ by Jamie Redknapp after his exploits against Chelsea, the £300,000-a-week man is at a career crossroads given his age and has raised his market value owing to a series of impressive cameos since pitching up in the West Midlands.

Thriving off the left flank, Rashford created three chances at home to Enzo Maresca’s stuttering Blues and recorded a pass completion rate of 94% alongside five touches in the opposition penalty area.

Clearly enjoying his football in the midst of a difficult first half of the campaign at his boyhood club, his recent form may pave the way for Manchester United to cash in on his services for a premium should appropriate interest arise for the talented forward.

Attempting to strike up a bidding war would be the best course of action for the Red Devils, with long-overdue investment in the first team needed to propel the club back to a position where they can challenge for trophies on a regular basis.

Chelsea scouts are now watching a defender who Liverpool bid for in the January transfer window, but there is set to be competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs, according to a report.

Chelsea planning to strengthen in multiple areas

At one stage this season, it looked like the Blues could be capable of mounting a Premier League title challenge, but their form has since gone downhill, and they are now set to battle it out for a Champions League spot.

As such, it is clear Enzo Maresca needs some new additions this summer if his side are going to start competing with the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, and the manager is planning to strengthen in a number of key areas.

Robert Sanchez has flattered to deceive this season, with multiple options being considered to replace the goalkeeper, while there is also interest in a new striker, and the likes of Victor Osimhen and Liam Delap are on the shortlist.

Chelsea contacted by agents of UCL winner Arsenal have held talks to sign

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1 ByTom Cunningham Mar 1, 2025

Jackson has struggled for goals since the turn of the year, meaning a new striker may be deemed a priority signing for Maresca this summer, but the manager also wants to bring in some new options in defence.

According to a report from Gianluca Di Marzio, the Blues have now sent scouts to watch Bologna’s Sam Beukema, running the rule over the defender during the Italian side’s Serie A clash against AC Milan.

Beukema, who Liverpool bid for in January, has started to attract attention from some of Europe’s top clubs, with Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan and Juventus also interested, so there could be fierce competition for his signature this summer.

The Dutchman was valued at around €30m (£25m) last summer, but his price tag may well have risen since then, having played a key role in a Bologna side that have performed well this season.

Beukema has been a "sensation" in Italy

Bologna are fighting for the European spots in the Serie A, and the centre-back has been one of their most important players, making 25 league appearances, while also chalking up eight appearances in the Champions League.

During that time, the 26-year-old has been lauded as a “sensation” by members of the media, and he is among the most consistent performers in the squad, but there are some doubts over whether he is at the level required by Chelsea.

Statistic

Average per 90

Tackles

1.23 (28th percentile)

Interceptions

0.73 (12th percentile)

Clearances

3.32 (20th percentile)

Blocks

1.10 (30th percentile)

As shown, the Bologna ace doesn’t stand out on any defensive metric, when compared to his positional peers over the past year, so it’s unclear whether he is a worthwhile signing for the Blues.

Chelsea scouts may be enthused by Beukema’s solid performance against Milan, however, and they will be impressed by fellow target Rafael Leao’s performance, with the forward getting on the scoresheet.

Celtic have made just one signing in the January transfer window, but it has been an addition that has certainly been a sentimental one for the Bhoys. Portuguese attacker Jota returned to the club after 18 months, for £8m, and grabbed a goal on his second debut.

The Scottish outfit will be hoping to add one or two more players to their squad on deadline day. With time ticking, Brendan Rodgers’ side could make a late move for one midfield starlet.

Celtic's deadline day activity

According to a report from The Scottish Sun on Sunday evening, Celtic ‘could launch a fresh deadline-day bid’ to sign Motherwell’s young midfield star Lennon Miller. They have reportedly already had an offer for the 18-year-old rejected.

They are set to face competition for his signature from Italian side Udinese, who have also seen bids rejected. Motherwell are believed to want £4m for their number 38 if he was to leave on deadline day.

Why Miller would be a good signing

It has been a really impressive campaign so far for 18-year-old Miller. He has played 26 times for the Well so far this term, scoring four goals and grabbing six assists in 26 games across all competitions. That includes both goals in a 2-1 win at home to St Mirren.

There are certainly a few benefits to signing the Scotland under-21 international. One of those is the fact he would add leadership to the Bhoys squad, despite his age. This term, he has captained Motherwell ten times, including once against Celtic in the Premiership.

He would also add versatility to Rogers’ squad. The midfielder can play in a variety of positions in the centre of the park, having played as a number six and a number ten nine times this term, and slotting in the number eight role on six occasions.

Should Celtic bring Miller to the club on deadline day, he could be the perfect upgrade on midfielder Luke McCowan.

The 27-year-old has been an important player for Rogers this season and has five goals and three assists in 24 games across competitions, albeit with that return falling behind Miller’s own tally of ten goal involvements

If there is one area in which Miller excels over the Celtic number 14, it is his defensive ability. The 18-year-old, having played as a defensive midfielder this season, just brings that defensive nous that you need as a deeper lying player.

This is certainly backed up by the stats on Squawka. For example, per 90 minutes this season, Miller has won 6.1 duels compared to just 5.2 for McCowan. His on-the-ball quality is also there, as his 54.55% take-on success rate shows. In comparison, the Celtic man has a 45.45% take-on success rate.

Stat (per 90)

Miller

McCowan

Duels won

6.1

5.2

Ground duel success

60.28%4

48.21%

Ball recoveries

6.8

6.5

Take-on success rate

54.55%

45.45%

Assists

0.4

0.4

This could be a fantastic deal for the Bhoys. Not only would they be adding versatility and leadership to Rogders’ squad, but Miller can bring that extra ability out of possession, something helpful in the Champions League knockout stages.

£4m seems like a worthy investment for a midfielder who football analyst Ben Mattinson believes could “become world-class” at some point in his career.

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Having already submitted their opening bid, Wolverhampton Wanderers have now reportedly agreed personal terms with their latest target in an attempt to boost Vitor Pereira’s options before the end of the transfer window.

Wolves transfer news

Those in the Midlands desperately needed to act this month and with that the rumours have been coming thick and fast. Even after welcoming Emmanuel Agbadou to finally provide their squad with the added central defender it certainly needed, the likes of Bright Osayi-Samuel and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have threatened to steal the headlines.

The latter would be a particularly interesting option given his experience as a Champions League and Premier League winner for Liverpool. Now reportedly keen on a return to English football, Wolves are supposedly among the clubs lining up for his signature before the deadline in just under a week.

If they are to climb out of the relegation zone, then signing such experience would certainly be an intelligent move – especially if it is to replace Mario Lemina who has been linked with a move away all month long.

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Before Oxlade-Chamberlain, however, those at Molineux are reportedly closing in on another target. According to Ben Jacobs, Wolves have now agreed personal terms with Kevin Danso and must now meet RC Lens’ reported €30m (£25m) price tag having seen their €22m (£18m) offer turned down by the French club.

The 26-year-old would certainly be a key addition to partner Agbadou and potentially Santiago Bueno at the heart of Pereira’s back five, which could even feature three natural centre-backs if Craig Dawson returned to the side.

Of course, by the time that Gary O’Neil’s tenure came to an end it was the likes of Lemina who were forced to drop out of their natural position and into central defence in what was only the beginning of the end. Now, a successful window could finally see Wolves solve that problem.

"Rapid" Danso would solve Wolves problem

An additional centre-back was always the option that Wolves needed to turn to even after signing Agbadou. Having at least three natural players in that role available suddenly allows Pereira to shift his side into a back four and potentially finally make his mark on the Midlands side. It’s that change or that improvement in a back five which could make all the difference in their battle for safety too.

Described as a defender with “rapid recovery pace” by analyst Ben Mattinson, Danso would instantly partner Agbadou and form a much-needed new-look Wolves backline as they fight to avoid relegation.

Newcastle United’s attack at full throttle this season has been a joy to behold, as the goals have flooded in during the Magpies’ recent winning streak of games in the Premier League.

Across December, they memorably put two past Manchester United without reply, on top of beating Unai Emery’s Aston Villa by three goals to nil, with the start to the New Year seeing them collect another entertaining win.

That latest victory saw the confident Toon come from behind to beat Ange Postecoglou’s out-of-sorts Tottenham Hotspur 2-1, as Alexander Isak was the star of the show once more in North London.

Isak's very impressive season so far

Certain teams near the top of the Premier League must be envious of Newcastle for having such a potent striker in their ranks, with Isak now up to 13 strikes in the top flight this season off the back of his heroics away at Spurs.

With six goals to brag about from his last four league outings, Eddie Howe knows that his team continues to pick up win after win is dependant somewhat on his deadly Swede keeping these insane performance levels up.

Of course, there are also the likes of Anthony Gordon and Joelinton in his squad, but the ex-Real Sociedad striker is very much integral with his ability to fire home at a moment’s notice.

Therefore, it would be a devastating knock to the Magpies if they were to lose their star man down the line, with Arsenal now setting their sights on the 25-year-old sharp shooter according to recent reports.

With £150m being reported as a potential price tag, Newcastle know that getting a replacement in for Isak that can live up to the clinical displays he is currently delivering is crucial, with one target on their minds now as a possible heir to the Scandinavian’s throne.

Transfer Focus

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

Newcastle's possible Isak replacement

As per a recent report by Caught Offside, a whole host of Premier League clubs are eyeing up £58m-rated Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush, with Newcastle among many of those suitors for the explosive striker’s services.

Manchester City are allegedly out in front in terms of securing the Bundesliga goal machine, but nothing will be set in stone until a switch actually takes place with the Magpies perhaps wanting to race to the front of the queue to land the Egyptian if Isak does depart.

He could well be the perfect player to take over from Isak if that crushing move did occur, with FBref stating that Marmoush is similar to the 25-year-old in terms of their play styles.

Indeed, even Kylian Mbappe is in the conversation to be of the same ilk as the Newcastle target according to FBref, with the in-demand attacker even bettering Isak in certain areas of their respective games.

When glancing at the table above, Isak only betters his counterpart in one out of seven components of their attacking repertoires, with Marmoush coming out on top in terms of shots taken, shot-creating actions and many other areas that make him an “outstanding” forward player, as he was labelled by Frankfurt manager Dino Topmoller earlier this season.

After all, in all competitions, the heavily coveted striker has fired home a stunning 18 strikes from just 24 games, compared to Isak’s 14, albeit from three fewer encounters.

Based on all the evidence above, you would be hard-pressed to find a more suitable replacement for Isak, with PIF having to go all out to make up for the star man’s departure if he was to heartbreakingly exit.

Imagine him & Gordon: Newcastle could form 'exciting duo' with £30m signing

Newcastle will be hoping to make a few signings this month

By
Ross Kilvington

Jan 5, 2025

Whilst Chelsea stumbled to a goalless draw away at Everton on Sunday, Liverpool turned on the style on their travels to Tottenham Hotspur to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League to four points.

The final scoreline would swing 6-3 in favour of Arne Slot’s entertainers, as Ange Postecoglou’s depleted Spurs side wilted throughout to allow the Reds opportunity after opportunity to make the victory even more emphatic.

It definitely wasn’t a game for the defenders in North London, with the hosts showing off their firepower in spurts, whilst Liverpool looked like scoring every single time they ventured forward in the hectic affair.

Standout Liverpool attackers

Mohamed Salah’s unbelievable season shows no signs of stopping as the Egyptian magician picked up a stunning two goals and two assists in the high-octane win.

Everyone associated with Slot’s table-toppers will be praying that the spellbinding Liverpool winger stays put past his contract expiring this coming summer, as the 32-year-old managed to terrorise the hosts all afternoon long with the likes of Djed Spence for Spurs simply taken aback by his devastating quality.

Away from the continued brilliance of the Liverpool number 11, Dominik Szoboszlai also got in on the act with a goal and assist of his own making, whilst Trent Alexander-Arnold shone when pushing forward from defence with a stunning four key passes collected from his 94 touches of the ball.

Spurs being so open – which had seen them leak four to Chelsea at home earlier in the month and three against Man United a few days ago – really played into the hands of the away side, with Luis Diaz using the contest as a way to significantly boost his confidence after some unmemorable individual displays of late.

He got Slot’s men up and running when his header beat Fraser Forster, with Gary Neville even stating as a commentator for the game that Diaz played like “Roberto Firmino of old” from the centre-forward role, dropping into deep areas and roaming freely in the centre of the pitch.

Diaz's performance in numbers

Now playing back-to-back Premier League matches as a central forward, after only really being utilised as a winger previously at Anfield, Slot could well have struck gold on moulding the electric Colombian into more of a false 9 profile of player based on this 8/10 impressive showing, as it was judged by the Liverpool Echo.

The Liverpool number seven will hope he can go down as a great like Firmino when his career in England is examined down the line, with Diaz already up to 35 goals for the Reds from 121 clashes after notching up this brace versus Spurs.

LW

106

29

29

ST

5

5

0

RW

5

1

1

LM

2

0

0

The majority of those had come from that familiar left wing spot, but with five strikes from five now in that new striker position, Slot would be foolish not to stick with Diaz here as he now aims to replicate Firmino’s goalscoring heroics up top.

The Brazilian would bow out from his celebrated time at Anfield with 90 goals amassed from the centre-forward spot, with his ability to finish off chances in a blink of an eye reminiscent of Diaz at Spurs, who was in the right place at the right time to power home Alexander-Arnold’s inviting cross.

Therefore, Slot will hope he has found a permanent striker he can rely on away from keeping his fingers crossed for the enigmatic Darwin Nunez to come good.

After all, the ex-Porto star would constantly pepper Forster with seven shots registered from just 47 touches of the ball, with his header on the day amazingly his first goal in league action since the middle of September. Also accurately completing 88% of his passes, it’s safe to say it was a fine day at the office.

Now, Slot will pray a purple patch of form is coming for his new option up top, as Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City begin to fear a pasting is on the cards on Boxing Day.

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ByAngus Sinclair Dec 21, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

Após uma janela agitada no mercado do bola, o Botafogo continua trazendo reforços para o fora de campo. O Alvinegro contratou, nesta semana, Diego Mello. O executivo chega para ser Chief Project Officer (CPO) – em tradução livre, um responsável por organizar projetos e operações – da SAF.

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Diego estava no Atlético-MG, clube que ficou nos últimos 11 meses. Antes, passou pelo Flamengo, onde ficou quase três anos.

O executivo chega para somar na organização da SAF e vai trabalhar “ao lado” de Jorge Braga na equipe que toma conta da parte fora de campo do clube-empresa do Glorioso.

Ele será responsável por organizar e cuidar dos recursos dos projetos envolvidos do clube.

ESPNcricinfo’s experts were divided between Harshal Patel and Arshdeep Singh for the third seamer’s spot

Sidharth Monga15-May-2022India should pick their T20I seam attack from the quartet of Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel, Mohammed Shami and Arshdeep Singh, ESPNcricinfo experts Daniel Vettori and Piyush Chawla have said. They were full of praise for Shami on ESPNcricinfo’s analaysis show T20 Time:Out after his figures of 4-0-19-2 helped Gujarat Titans keep Chennai Super Kings down to 133 on Sunday.Related

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Shami: Umran needs to 'be accurate at high pace'

Shami now has the joint-most wickets in the powerplay in IPL 2022, and he even bowled a boundary-less 20th over in which he got the wicket of MS Dhoni. Shami is joint-fourth on the wicket-takers’ list, with 11 of his 18 wickets having come inside the powerplay. However, it is his maturity at the death that has impressed the experts.”This is one of the best seasons for Shami,” Chawla said. “Because we have seen him previously that he generally bowls well with the new ball and by the time he comes to bowl in the death overs he goes for a lot of runs. But this season he has worked on it, and he has bowled well in the death overs as well. We all know he can bowl really well with the new ball. The only problem was in the death overs. But this year he has shown that he has those clear plans for death overs, and he has executed those plans beautifully.”Vettori would have Shami even without that death-bowling improvement. “It shows that Test-match bowling works for the first sort of 16 overs of a T20 game,” Vettori said. “He normally relies on heavy lengths, and a little bit of seam movement. We talked about how [Mohammed] Siraj has lost the ability of seam movement because of his seam position. Shami’s seam position is impeccable.”It is what all young fast bowlers should look at. His release and his ability to hit a consistent area and then letting the ball do the work. He is not asking too much of the ball. He is not trying to swing it too far. He just hits such lengths. And the improvement and maturity that we are talking about in the death bowling. Whereas in the past Shami could be hit or miss like Umesh Yadav. But now he actually has strong plans and backs himself to hit that yorker.”Arshdeep Singh has the best death-overs economy rate of any bowler who has delivered at least eight overs in that phase this season•BCCIBoth Chawla and Vettori had Shami in their first India XI, but disagreed on the third quick.”If you talk about his [Shami’s] current form, he definitely looks like one of them [three picks for an India pace attack],” Chawla said. “He has got pace, he has got that seam movement, the seam position and the wrist position is so amazing that even when there is nothing on the pitch he gets something out of it. Definitely, the way he is bowling, he should be one of the picks.”Vettori wouldn’t even bowl Shami at the death, but would have Bumrah and Harshal do the job. “I think Bumrah and Harshal Patel have to be in the team because of their death bowling,” Vettori said. “What they bring to the table. Harshal can bowl through those middle stages. The third seamer is tough to pick but Shami is potentially clearing out because of his ability to take wickets in the powerplay, bowl aggressively through the middle stages and with the back end taken care of by Bumrah and Harshal.”For Chawla the difficult choice is between Harshal and Arshdeep. He was full of praise for the Punjab Kings left-arm quick. “For me I think I still pick between Harshal and Arshdeep,” Chawla said. “The way Arshdeep has bowled this tournament. He has just been outstanding at the death. He is somebody who doesn’t use new ball much. There would be a pick between Harshal and Arshdeep, and Bumrah and Shami for sure. The powerplay is really important, and it is important to pick up wickets. Gujarat Titans have picked wickets in the powerplay, and that shows in the points table.”Among the 23 bowlers who have bowled a minimum of eight overs at the death during this IPL, Arshdeep has the best economy rate of 7.14, over 14 overs. Bumrah is second with 7.46 in 14.2 overs. Harshal has gone at 9.46 an over but has picked up more wickets than Arshdeep and Bumrah.

Ronaldinho attended stadium groundbreaking and witnessed dominant Greenville Triumph's 3-0 victory over defending champions

Ronaldinho participates in BridgeWay Station stadium groundbreaking ceremonyGreenville Triumph secures impressive win against Union OmahaBrazilian icon's presence highlights growing ambitions of USL League One clubWHAT HAPPENED

Brazilian soccer icon Ronaldinho made a surprise appearance at Greenville Triumph's match against Union Omaha on March 12, capping off a historic day for the USL League One club. The 2002 World Cup winner first attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the team's new stadium at BridgeWay Station in Mauldin, before witnessing Greenville's emphatic 3-0 victory over the defending league champions.

Greenville Triumph head coach Rick Wright expressed his excitement about the day's events: "The day was definitely one of the highlights of this club's history. You could feel the excitement in the air today, and it translated to a great performance on the field. The players rose to the occasion and we had a great team performance on both ends of the field."

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Ronaldinho joined the club's ownership group through his brother and business partner, Roberto Assis, as well as his Grupo Ronaldinho business management firm in October 2024, bringing his global star power to the third tier of American soccer. The Brazilian star has expressed his desire to support soccer's growth at all ages and levels in the Upstate community.

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WHAT’S NEXT?

Greenville Triumph will look to build on this momentum as they prepare for their next match, an away fixture against Asheville City SC in the opening round of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup on March 19. The club will aim to continue their impressive form and make a deep run in the tournament.

Leeds United have made the perfect start to their Championship campaign this time around, sitting top of the table after the first 17 outings in 2024/25.

Daniel Farke’s side appear to have put last season’s play-off final heartbreak behind them, looking a step above the vast majority of sides in the division.

The Whites have only tasted defeat twice, against Burnley and Millwall, winning ten matches in the process, which includes a six-game run of consecutive victories at Elland Road.

Last night was no different, with goals from Joel Piroe, Sam Byram and Dan James securing yet another three points, strengthening their grip on top spot at the summit of the table.

However, their recent success has been even more impressive after their transfer window in the summer following their failure to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.

Leeds’ transfer window in the summer of 2024

Crysencio Summerville played a vital role in Leeds’ success last season, setting the Championship alive week in and week out with his mesmerising performances.

The 23-year-old scored 20 times whilst registering nine assists in the process, leading the club to a play-off place before their eventual defeat to Southampton at Wembley.

Given their failure to return to the top flight, coupled with his Championship Player of the Year award, it was highly unlikely he would remain in Yorkshire, joining West Ham United for a fee in the region of £25m.

He wasn’t the only star to depart Farke’s side, with fellow attacker Georginio Rutter departing to join Brighton and Hove Albion for £40m after his own run of seven goals and 15 assists – with the latter the highest of any player in the division.

Youngster Archie Gray was the third major sale that window, joining Tottenham Hotspur for around £30m after his breakthrough year, which saw him feature in a variety of roles, such as central midfielder and even right-back.

Whilst the three departures saw the club bank over £100m – a staggering figure for a second-tier side – it left huge holes all over the pitch and cast doubt over their promotion aspirations for the current campaign.

However, a portion of the money was reinvested back into the playing squad, with one of the new additions setting the Championship alight after his summer transfer.

The player who has become a bargain for Leeds

Before his summer move, very few Leeds supporters would have heard of the name Ao Tanaka, but it’s safe to say a couple of months into his spell in Yorkshire that he’s slowly becoming a fan-favourite.

The 26-year-old Japanese star joined in a £3m deal from German side Fortuna Düsseldorf over the off-season in an attempt to provide added squad depth in the midfield department.

However, injuries to Ethan Ampadu and Illia Gruev have catapulted him into the limelight, giving him the opportunity to demonstrate his skill set.

Tanaka has been one of the stars of the side so far this campaign, with analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing the talent as “one of the best signings in the Championship” this summer, with his display last night evidence of why he’s been so impressive.

During his 90-minute display in the win over Luton, he completed 114 passes – the most of any player in the division to date, and the most of any Leeds player since 2013/14, according to Opta.

He also achieved a tally of 133 touches, winning four duels and two tackles as he helped Farke’s side extend their current winning run on home soil.

Minutes played

90

Touches

133

Passes completed

114/119

Duels won

4/8

Tackles won

2

Interceptions

2

Fouls won

2

The boss was full of praise for his midfielder after the final whistle, dubbing him an “unbelievable signing” – a statement hard to disagree with given his impact in the absence of two crucial first-team members.

Given his recent form for the Whites, the likes of Ampadu and Gruev will massively struggle to dislodge Tanaka from his current role, potentially holding the key to any potential success come the end of the campaign.

However, his form will undoubtedly attract major interest over the coming months, with the Japanese ace potentially becoming the next star to depart Elland Road for a mammoth fee should they fail to win promotion once more this year.

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