Manchester United have received a double injury boost as Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez are back in training ahead of facing Arsenal.
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The January transfer window is just around the corner and Leeds United may dip into the market to bolster their playing squad next month.
Daniel Farke is reportedly looking to add to his forward options as the Whites continue to battle for an instant return to the Premier League by winning promotion out of the Championship.
It was recently reported that the Whites and Italian side Salernitana are both interested in a possible swoop to sign Haugesund forward Sory Ibrahim Diarra.
The Yorkshire-based outfit could land an upgrade on Patrick Bamford and an exciting partner for Georgino Rutter if they are able to win the race for his signature ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
So far this season, the former England international has made 12 appearances as a substitute and is yet to contribute with a goal or an assist.
He has racked up 1.53 xG (Expected Goals) but has failed to find the back of the net on any occasion. The 30-year-old has not provided any threat at the top end of the pitch.
This has come off the back of his return of four goals from 8.61 xG across 28 Premier League appearances for Leeds during the 2022/23 campaign.
These statistics show that the English attacker has significantly underperformed in front of goal since the start of last season, which is why Farke may look to replace him in January.
The 23-year-old ace, Diarra, could come in as an upgrade on Bamford if he is able to translate his form over the last few years over to English football.
Throughout 2023, the 6 foot 1 marksman has produced eight goals and three 'big chances' created for his team in 25 Eliteserien appearances. He has also managed one goal and two assists in three cup matches for the Norwegian side this year.
Diarra arrived in Norway from Romanian side Petrolul, where the talented youngster racked up 16 goals and five assists in 29 matches. This included 15 goals and five assists in 22 outings during the 2021/22 campaign.
These statistics show that the Haugesund marksman has been in fine form in front of goal in recent seasons, whereas Bamford has consistently underperformed in the final third for the Whites.
Diarra could thrive alongside Rutter at the top end of the pitch at Elland Road as the French whiz is a sublime creator who could provide the forward with the chances he needs to score.
The 21-year-old magician has created a staggering 16 'big chances' and assisted eight goals in 19 Championship starts for Leeds so far this season.
He ranks within the top 1% of forwards in the division for assists (0.44), Expected Assisted Goals (0.41), and shot-creating actions (4.30) per 90 this season.
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These statistics show that the ex-Hoffenheim gem is one of the best, if not the best, creative talents in the Championship due to his ability to consistently unlock opposition defenders with his incisive play.
Therefore, Rutter could be the perfect player to help Diarra hit the ground running as he has the quality to put chances on a plate for the Mali-born finisher to carry his impressive goalscoring form over to England to become Farke's much-needed Bamford upgrade.
A Kylian Mbappe-less and youthful Paris Saint-Germain side rounded off their Ligue 1 season with a comfortable 2-0 win away at Metz on Sunday night.
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Chelsea will be disappointed as to how their season is unfolding again, staring at a mid-table spot in the Premier League on Christmas Day to the dismay of everyone connected with the Blues.
An inconsistent December to date has seen wins usually followed up by losses, unable to string together a positive sequence of results in order to propel them up the division and compete with the likes of fellow London clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at the top-end of the table.
Chelsea have given a number of their young talents a go this campaign in one positive, out with the old and in with the new very much the overriding mantra at Stamford Bridge now with the likes of Malo Gusto and Cole Palmer benefitting from this change of approach.
Chelsea could look to sign a promising young left-back to further delve into the market of promising gems if rumours are correct, the player in question a major upgrade on an ageing Ben Chilwell.
Past rumours have suggested that Chelsea are keen on signing Barcelona hot-shot Alejandro Balde this January, with a report in one Spanish publication last month stating that the Blues and Manchester United are both actively pursuing the 19-year-old talent to persuade him to come to England.
This has further been backed up by FootballTransfers, who state that the rich west London outfit could play on Barcelona's current financial instability to land the Spanish prospect next month.
It's a position Chelsea do need to strengthen in soon, lacking numbers in the left-back spot with both Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella sidelined with injury.
Even if both options were available, Balde would walk into the side on his arrival to west London as a fresh and exciting defender more in-keeping with the forward-thinking Blues side still being constructed.
Balde is the definition of a modern-day full-back, adept at venturing forward with blistering pace to burn and weaving runs as much as he is competent in tracking back and showing defensive grit.
The statistics are overwhelmingly in his favour on FBRef, which showcases his prowess in attack, receiving a staggering 9.56 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the last year at the Camp Nou.
In stark contrast, when Chilwell has been fit and selected by Chelsea over the same time period, the 27-year-old falls short of Balde's ridiculous total with 7.41.
In other comparisons, Balde continues to blow the ex-Leicester City man out of the water.
The teenage Barca sensation has averaged 4.69 progressive carries to Chilwell's inferior 2.74, further adding insult to injury by trumping him again with 2.09 successful take-ons to his Chelsea counterpart's weak 0.70.
Balde's exuberant performances this year have seen his current La Liga club slap an extortionate £865m (€1bn) release clause above his head, in an attempt to detract a suitor coming in and stealing a player that could be a future icon at the club.
Referred to as a "gem" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – who has further showered the 19-year-old with outlandish labels such as Balde being "one of the best left backs in Europe" in the past – Chelsea should go all in on signing the hot property in January.
Not quite the finished article by any means – falling short of Chilwell in tackles just with 1.43 compared to 1.46 – Balde will hope he can learn and grow at Stamford Bridge alongside his rough around-the-edges team to then go on and achieve greatness together.
Everton look to have landed a major boost in their pursuit of a player on a permanent deal after it emerged that he is keen to become part of the furniture at Goodison Park.
Despite putting on a valiant display away to Tottenham Hotspur, Andre Gomes' late strike ended up being nothing more than a consolation for the visitors as goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min gave Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham side a 2-1 victory over the Toffees in north London on Saturday.
Bringing an end to a run of four straight Premier League victories, Everton now sit 16th in the table with 16 points gained from their 18 matches played, four ahead of Luton Town, who occupy 18th place in the division.
Notably, if it weren't for the Toffees' points deduction, they would actually be sitting tenth and only three points off Manchester United in seventh position, something that would've put them in with a shout of competing for continental qualification.
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Nevertheless, Sean Dyche vented his frustration at Dominic Calvert-Lewin's disallowed goal for a foul from Andre Gomes on Emerson Royal in the build-up, saying:
"I'm a big fan of VAR but I don't know where that one lives today because I think VAR has over-reffed the moment. The referee and the linesperson has an amazing view, they've made the decision with all their experience of doing it. It goes out of the window because they can find contact."
Despite their misfortune, Dyche has done a magnificent job of shifting the narrative at Everton and also has allayed fears that their points deduction could lead to relegation and he could now be on the end of a major boost regarding his pursuit of a player as per latest reports.
As per earlier reports this month, Dyche is said to be keen to sign Jack Harrison on a permanent basis following his commendable start to life at Goodison Park on loan from Leeds United.
|
Jack Harrison's stats at Everton – all competitions (Transfermarkt) |
|
|
Appearances |
15 |
|
Goals |
1 |
|
Assists |
3 |
|
Jack Harrison's key stats – Premier League (WhoScored) |
|
|
Shots per game |
1 |
|
Successful dribbles per game |
1.2 |
|
Key passes per game |
1.1 |
Now, Football Insider claim that the player himself is keen to sign on the dotted line on Merseyside in what will come as a boost to Dyche. Despite not having an option to buy inserted into his loan deal, there is a release clause in his Leeds contract that the Toffees could look to activate regarding the 27-year-old.
Any permanent deal will depend on Everton's ongoing takeover situation and their appeal against their points deduction, which has, for now, put expensive transfer dealings on the back burner.
Labelled one of the most "incredible" players Jesse Marsch has ever coached, according to the man himself, the former England Under-21 international has been a great signing for Everton and it seems to make sense that they now want to see him commit his future for the long-term, making this one to watch in 2024.
Tim Weah came on as a substitute as Juventus mounted a furious three-goal comeback to earn a 3-3 draw with Bologna.
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Jude Bellingham showed just what Champions League success means to him in an emotional interview following Real Madrid's win over Borussia Dortmund.
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Celtic will be hoping to kick off 2024 in style as they travel away from Parkhead to take on St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership this evening.
The Hoops head into this match off the back of three straight wins in the top-flight and are eight points clear at the top of the table, albeit having played two more matches than their closest rivals.
Brendan Rodgers' side ran out 2-1 winners in the Old Firm clash last time out as goals from Paulo Bernardo and Kyogo Furuhashi secured all three points.
However, the Northern Irish head coach is now set to be without Daizen Maeda and Reo Hatate as they head off to play for Japan at the Asia Cup, although Kyogo has not been selected for his country.
The former Leicester boss could now make some alterations to the starting XI that beat Rangers on Saturday. With that in mind, here is FFC's predicted Celtic XI to take on St Mirren…
Joe Hart
Rodgers could stick with Joe Hart as his number one once again. The former England international has kept eight clean sheets in 20 appearances so far this term.
Celtic have been touted with an interest in Ipswich Town goalkeeper Vaclav Hladky and that could motivate the English stopper to improve his performances to convince the club to avoid dipping into the market to sign a new goalkeeper.
Anthony Ralston
The first change to the XI could come at right-back as Alistair Johnston could be taken out of the firing line to provide Anthony Ralston with a chance to shine.
Johnston's performance against Rangers was embroiled in controversy as his alleged handball when contesting Abdallah Sima in the box has led to the opposition requesting audio from VAR to explain why no decision was made.
The Canada international was also somewhat fortunate not to receive a second yellow during the second half as he was penalised for an elbow on Sima whilst also on a booking.
Ralston could now come in to replace the defender. The Scottish full-back has made nine Premiership appearances this season and made 1.7 key passes per match.
Maik Nawrocki
The second alteration could come at the heart of the defence after Stephen Welsh was forced off during the first half on Saturday with a shoulder injury.
This forced Rodgers to bring Maik Nawrocki into the match after just 35 minutes but the Polish defender did not take any time to get into the match as he went on to enjoy a fantastic performance.
The summer signing made four clearances, three blocks, two interceptions, and two tackles in just 55 minutes of action at Parkhead.
|
23/24 Premiership |
Maik Nawrocki (via Sofascore) |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Three |
|
Starts |
Two |
|
Interceptions per game |
2.2 |
|
Tackles per game |
1.7 |
|
Duel success rate |
58% |
As you can see from the table above, the 22-year-old colossus has been rarely used in the Premiership this season but has impressed when called upon with vital defensive contributions, which is why he should be rewarded with a start against St Mirren.
Liam Scales
Alongside Nawrocki, Rodgers should once again select Liam Scales on the left side of the central defensive pairing. The Irish ace won 100% (4/4) of his ground duels against Rangers as he snuffed out any danger from Cyriel Dessers on the deck with ease.
Greg Taylor
Another player who could keep their place in the starting line-up is left-back Greg Taylor. The Scotland international was dominant on Saturday as he won an outstanding 100% of his nine duels, including five on the deck and four in the air.
Paulo Bernardo
In the middle of the park, Paulo Bernardo deserves to keep his place in midfield. The Portuguese starlet scored his second goal in as many matches with a terrific volley to open the scoring against Rangers.
He also showed grit and determination with three tackles won and seven of his 12 duels won, which shows that the young gem can get stuck in as well as being able to provide quality in the final third.
Callum McGregor
Callum McGregor is another player who should start once again. The Celtic leader and captain completed 94% of his attempted passes and created two chances against the Gers in what was a composed performance.
Matt O'Riley
Matt O'Riley had to battle through the game on Saturday as his nose was left bloodied and needed treatment. The Denmark international stuck with it and did not allow the blow to affect his performance.
Liel Abada
The third and final change to the XI could come on the right wing as Liel Abada could finally be unleashed after his injury issues this season.
He made his return off the bench against Rangers and that was his first appearance for the club in any competition since the start of September.
Abada, who was once hailed as a "revelation" by Alan Hutton, could replace Maeda, who struggled on the wing at Parkhead on Saturday.
The Japan international lost six of his eight duels and failed to complete a single dribble or create a chance for his teammates in 83 minutes.
Abada produced one goal, one assist, and two 'big chances' created in his first four league appearances of the campaign before his injury and could provide a spark out wide on the right for the Scottish giants.
Kyogo Furuhashi
Kyogo Furuhashi should lead the line for the Hoops this evening after his wondergoal at the weekend. The Japan international produced an outrageous left-footed effort into the top corner from the edge of the box to beat a fully-stretched Jack Butland to make it 2-0 at the time.
He has plundered eight goals in 21 league matches so far this term and will be hoping that his derby brilliance will help him to kick on and hit a rich vein of form over the coming weeks and months.
Al-Hilal superstar, Neymar, has been accused of "sliding into [the] DM's" of Bryce Hall's Instagram model girlfriend Mikaela Lafuente.
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The 2023/24 Premier League season has been a rather middling one for Crystal Palace, as despite picking up some impressive wins over the likes of Manchester United and drawing away to Manchester City, they find themselves down in 14th place and out of the FA Cup already.
Roy Hodgson's side don't look in any real danger of being relegated, but neither do they really look like challenging those above them, and a significant reason for that is their lack of goals.
The Eagles' 22 goal haul is the third-worst in the league, so it is not surprising to see the club sniffing around a new striker who could bench Odsonne Édouard and has been likened to the legendary Didier Drogba in the past.
According to the Standard, Crystal Palace are interested in adding some more firepower to their underwhelming frontline this month and have identified Krasnodar's Jhon Córdoba as someone who could do just that.
The report has revealed that the twice-capped Colombian was recommended to the club by midfielder and compatriot Jefferson Lerma and that while the Eagles would prefer a loan move, an option to buy the 30-year-old could also be included in any deal.
However, the South Londoners aren't alone in their admiration of the former Espanyol man, as the Standard has also named Nottingham Forest and Everton as other sides circling the in-form striker.
Regardless, while the finances might not be a problem for Palace, the fact that this deal would include a Russian side might be, as transfers from the country to British clubs have been practically impossible in the last couple of years.
That said, if a deal can be worked out, the goals that Córdoba could bring would surely fire the Eagles up the table.
|
Jhon Córdoba Track Record |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Club |
Starts |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2023/24 |
FC Krasnodar |
16 |
8 |
1 |
|
2022/23 |
FC Krasnodar |
22 |
14 |
5 |
|
2021/22 |
FC Krasnodar |
12 |
6 |
4 |
|
2020/21 |
Hertha Berlin |
17 |
7 |
1 |
|
2019/20 |
FC Koln |
23 |
13 |
2 |
|
2018/19 |
FC Koln |
22 |
20 |
1 |
|
All Stats via WhoScored |
||||
Now, Édouard is undoubtedly a talented footballer. After all, in his final full season at Celtic, he scored 16 goals and provided three assists in just 23 league starts. Still, since making his way to England, he has been consistently underwhelming, with his current haul of six goals in 15 league starts being his best season in the capital.
There is certainly a place for him at Palace, but he just hasn't justified his position as one of the team's leading strikers, and while it would be fair to argue that signing a 30-year-old Córdoba wouldn't help in the long term, his current strike-rate would be a massive boost for Hodgson's side.
While in the Bundesliga, he was very open about who he styled his game on, saying: "Didier Drogba was my role model. A battering-ram type who would always ride roughshod over everyone."
While comments like that can often lead to ridicule and extra pressure, it seems as if there was a general agreement from those who watched and played with him that his style of play was similar to how people perceived the Ivorian great.
Former FC Koln teammate Simon Terodde described him as "the kind of player who can get the ball on the halfway line, run towards goal and score", which at this moment in time is precisely what Palace need.
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Moreover, the "explosive" forward, as described by former Espanyol sporting director Oscar Perarnau, has reached double digits for goals in three of his last five full seasons and looks well on his way to doing the same this year, which is not something that can be said for the Frenchman.
Ultimately, with Palace's need for a reliable goalscorer so acute, they should be pushing hard to get this deal over the line.