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Tottenham are monitoring Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson ahead of a possible summer swoop.

That’s according to The Daily Mail, with a number of Red Devils supporters reacting to the update on social media.

Henderson, on £120,000-a-week at Old Trafford, is under contract until 2025 but has told interim boss Ralf Rangnick over his wish to leave the club in search of regular game time.

The 24-year-old has made just two appearances in all competitions this season, with David de Gea re-establishing himself as first choice.

Rangnick informed Henderson he would rather keep him until the end of the campaign, with Spurs now keeping an eye on his situation ahead of the summer.

Antonio Conte’s side have Hugo Lloris out of contract at the end of June and possibly view Henderson as a long-term successor to the Frenchman, with current back-up option Pierluigi Gollini far from impressive.

United fans react

@utdreport shared the news regarding Tottenham and Henderson on Twitter. This is what these United fans had to say in reply, with many pointing to Antonio Conte’s affection for Red Devils players after he signed the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez at Inter…

“What a huge mistake we’re making”

Credit: @buche21

“Conte at it again with Manchester United players”

Credit: @YoFavWe_irdoUTD

“I’ll genuinely lose that little affection I still had for the club if we sell Henderson and keep De Gea”

Credit: @gashmufcv2

“God forbid selling a very good keeper to a new rival”

Credit: @3DHombreezle

“If Conte really wanted our players why couldn’t he wait a little and take the mufc job himself.”

Credit: @Mufc_Rayh

“Conte knows ball”

Credit: @TrickyTeun

In other news: ‘Wow’, ‘Surely not?’ – Many MUFC fans fume as ‘mad’ news emerges. 

Leeds United are stuck in a horrendous rut right now and if they don’t improve in the January transfer window, Marcelo Bielsa could lose his job with the Whites staring down the barrel of a potential relegation from the top-flight.

An added problem for Victor Orta and co is that the winter market is usually a tough one for Leeds to negotiate in with the famed Jean-Kevin Augustin move the nadir of the Spaniard’s work since arriving in Yorkshire.

What’s the word?

One area that Leeds desperately need to improve in heading into the New Year is in the middle of the park.

Kalvin Phillips enters 2022 injured while Mateusz Klich is desperately out of form too.

One player that they could sign is Macedonia international Ejif Elmas. That’s according to Talha Arslan via The Express who claim that Leeds are prepared to bid £15.3m for the Napoli midfielder.

However, that may fall some way short of the Italian club’s estimation of the 22-year-old with CIES valuing him at a mighty £59.2m.

The new Alioski

The comparisons with livewire and former Leeds player, Gjanni Alioski, are all too obvious.

For starters, they both hail from Macedonia, and secondly, they are both goal scoring wide players.

Although Elmas is capable of playing in the middle of the park too, he is a rampant threat when afforded the opportunity to play down the left flank, an area of the pitch that Alioski thrived in for Leeds.

The 29-year-old scored 22 goals and registered 19 assists while in Yorkshire but was never the most consistent of players.

That being said, he was a mainstay under Bielsa for years and developed nicely from an attacking winger into a full-back.

Elmas wouldn’t necessarily make the same transition but his ability to play in a multitude of positions, specifically in the centre of midfield, makes him an appealing proposition this winter.

However, his ability to score goals, like Alioski, is also a major plus point.

The North Macedonia international has bagged six times for Napoli this term while creating three goals for his teammates too.

Speaking about him in April, his agent commented: “I think Napoli have a jewel. A young footballer, a leader of his national team who often scores goals.”

With that sort of attacking threat in mind, he’d be a wise addition from the Leeds hierarchy this term and in the process, Bielsa could just discover his next Alioski; a vibrant and versatile attacking threat from Macedonia.

AND in other news, Orta can finally axe Leeds flop who left Bielsa “furious” by signing 28-goal “rocket”…

انتصر فريق شباب بلوزداد الجزائري على نظيره دجوليبا المالي، بهدفين دون رد، في المباراة التي جمعت الفريقين اليوم الجمعة بدوري أبطال إفريقيا.

شباب بلوزداد واجه دجوليبا، على ملعب الفريق الجزائري، في إطار إياب مواجهات دور الـ32 للبطولة القارية.

وسجل هدف بلوزداد الأول ميلود ربيعي في الدقيقة 27، وأضاف الهدف الثاني زميله عبد الرحمن بورديم في الدقيقة 79.

طالع | فيديو | الزمالك يسحق فلامبو بخماسية ويتأهل لمجموعات دوري أبطال إفريقيا

وكان الفريق الجزائري قد خسر مواجهة الذهاب في مالي بهدفين مقابل هدف.

بعد الفوز اليوم بهدفين دون رد، تأهل شباب بلوزداد إلي دور المجموعات لدوري أبطال إفريقيا بنتيجة 3-2 بمجموع مباراتي الذهاب والإياب.

يذكر أن المتأهلين إلى دور المجموعات حتى الآن، صن دوانز الجنوب إفريقي وبترو أتليتكو الأنجولي والزمالك، مع شباب بلوزداد.

On a day when the young Mahmudullah experienced the special joy of his successful baby steps in Test cricket, another young man sighed in relief thinking about his past. Ishant Sharma has been through tough times and though only the upcoming home series against South Africa will offer the real evidence of his escape from the hellhole, he reckons he is beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”I had never seen such hard times in my life,” Ishant said about those dark days when he lost form and his critics found their voice. “It was a really big challenge and I was so desperate to perform at that time. Nothing was working. Before that, for two to three years, I was just going up, up and up.” And then he crash landed.Last year, he only picked 10 wickets from four Tests at an average of 46.90, and let’s not even talk about his horrors in ODIs. In his last Test, before this series, he leaked 135 runs from 35 overs. He was overlooked for Sreesanth in the next Test (in Kanpur). Life would have been anything but beautiful.The first fall from success can be the hardest to handle, and Ishant is just 21. Insecurity can make you can feel very alone in those times. However, luckily for Ishant, he was given a shot at a comeback. “I would like to thank the management for giving me chances in the ODIs against Sri Lanka,” he said. “Even I didn’t feel I deserved the spot in those two games. I am really thankful for the confidence and support.”Virender Sehwag was the captain in both those games, in Cuttack and Kolkata. Ishant’s selection might just not be a coincidence, as he himself said. “I am very thankful to Veeru because he because he had a lot to do with me playing in the first Test [in Chittagong].”Ishant also talked about learning from those dark days. “You needed patience to get out of those times. I have realised that a cricketer has to go through those kinds of patches in his life and it has been a great learning experience for me. It was needed, I guess.”Through this series, one visual has been a recurring theme: Zaheer Khan chatting with Ishant during and at the end of the overs. Ishant said he was really grateful for the words of advice, “Zaheer has been always helpful. He always talks to me, whether I am bowling well or badly, and I am really thankful for such support.” He also responded to a direct question on the contribution of Eric Simons, India’s new bowling consultant. “Till now, it’s going good with him; he has given tips about my wrist position and bowling action.”There has been a definite improvement in the lines he bowled but since it came against a batting line-up which has shown a tendency to self-destruct, the stamp of seal can only come after his battles against South Africa.”I am bowling better, in better rhythm and it has been a very good start to the New Year. It feels good to do well and be confident going into next tough series coming up against South Africa.”

Crystal Palace have received a potentially significant injury boost over key defender Joachim Andersen after he picked up a thigh problem.

What’s the word?

The 25-year-old has quickly established himself as a key player for the Eagles following his arrival over the summer, starting 11 Premier League games in a row before his fitness struggle kept him out of the weekend’s defeat against Aston Villa.

However, Andersen was forced to watch on from the sidelines as Palace’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end at Selhurst Park.

But The Athletic’s Matt Woosnam was able to provide a positive update over the centre-back’s condition, providing hope that he will be able to make his return to first-team action sooner rather than later.

Following Saturday’s result, he tweeted: “Andersen’s absence with a hamstring problem not thought to be serious was a significant contribution to this defeat”.

Woosnam then added in a separate tweet: “Palace hopeful that Andersen will be back soon from what is understood to be a minor issue.”

Patrick Vieira will be buzzing

News that the Denmark international is not expected to be consigned to the treatment table for an extensive period of time will leave Patrick Vieira buzzing with relief.

Andersen’s partnership with Marc Guehi in the heart of defence has been pivotal to the south London outfit’s success this season, and his underlying numbers indicate why.

As per WhoScored, Andersen has averaged 1.5 interceptions per league game throughout 2021/22, 2.9 clearances and a whopping 6.3 long balls, placing him in the top three for each metric when compared to his teammates.

With the hectic festive schedule fast approaching, Vieira will be desperate to have his star defender back on the pitch as soon as possible, meaning Woosnam’s latest revelation will be warmly welcomed.

And, in other news…Palace “lining up” swoop for “complete” £12.6m-rated gem, Vieira surely buzzing

Newcastle are looking increasingly likely to sign Lazio goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

The form of Newcastle’s goalkeepers has been a real problem so far this season, contributing to the Premier League’s joint-worst defensive record.

If you go by the shot-stopping metric of ‘post-shot expected goals minus goals allowed’, Freddie Woodman (-3.7) and Karl Darlow (-3.3) both figure in the league’s bottom five.

Martin Dubravka, who finished last season as the Magpies’ number one, has returned to the substitutes’ bench in recent weeks after recovering from a foot injury.

However, Newcastle may also look to the transfer market for a solution, and crucially Strakosha is out of contract at the end of the season.

The latest

Il Messaggero claimed (via Sport Witness) that Strakosha is on his way out of the Stadio Olimpico.

The report added that he will ‘probably’ end up at Newcastle, although it’s not clear whether he’ll join midway through the season or next summer.

The verdict

All of Strakosha’s minutes this season have come in the Europa League, with Pepe Reina recognised as Maurizio Sarri’s first-choice in Serie A.

The Albanian has kept two clean sheets in his four outings in Europe, redeeming himself for an almighty howler against Galatasaray in September. BT Sport’s official Twitter account called it an ‘absolute nightmare’ and their clip of the incident was viewed 132,000 times as it went viral at the time.

However, it seems that Newcastle will look past that moment to forget. Overall, the 26-year-old has played 181 matches for the Rome-based outfit, recording 53 shutouts, while he was also labelled ‘explosive’ by former goalkeeping team-mate Silvio Proto.

Such praise and statistics would suggest that he could indeed be very shrewd acquisition on a cut-price deal or a free transfer by the Magpies.

In other news, one possible target for Newcastle at the other end of the pitch has emerged

While acknowledging the opportunity to shut out Pakistan had passed, fast bowler Chris Martin felt New Zealand’s 244-run lead was nearly enough

Cricinfo staff27-Nov-2009.Chris Martin said Peter Fulton was “unsure” whether he had hit the ball when he was given lbw•Getty ImagesNew Zealand’s plan at the start of the fourth day in Dunedin would have been to dismiss the tailenders as soon as possible, take a sizeable lead, and then bat Pakistan out of the Test. They achieved their first objective by capturing a 97-run advantage but their quest to accomplish the second was ambushed by Pakistan’s seamers and they limped to 147 for 8 before bad light ended play.However, while acknowledging the missed opportunity to shut out Pakistan, fast bowler Chris Martin felt New Zealand’s 244-run lead was nearly enough. “It wasn’t a direction we wanted the game to head in but the opportunity is there tomorrow,” Martin said. “We may have let an opportunity slip today by not batting them out of the game but, with the lead that we have and the runs that we’ve got now, the game is poised and is definitely there for us to take tomorrow.”Anything over 250 on a wearing wicket with variable bounce is going to be a big ask for them, especially if we do everything in a disciplined manner. In the past, our bowling has given us more opportunity to win games and I think that’s going to be the case tomorrow.”New Zealand’s troubles on Friday were caused by Pakistan’s fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer. They swung the ball conventionally, and reverse, cut it, seamed it and thoroughly examined the batsmen’s technique. And Martin said he and the other New Zealand bowlers had learnt “quite a lot” by watching the carnage from the dressing room.”They put us under pressure by bowling straight, making us make a lot of decisions and giving us very few opportunities to score,” Martin said. “They got some nip by hitting the wicket hard and got it to wobble around a bit to make it do a little. If we are a thoughtful side, our bowling line-up in particular, we’ll be able to take a lot from that and take it into tomorrow.”Martin also offered insight into a baffling moment during New Zealand’s innings. Peter Fulton, making his comeback to the Test team, appeared to get an inside edge on to his pad against Umar Gul but he was given out lbw, reducing New Zealand to 91 for 4. Curiously, he didn’t ask for a review and made his way off the University Oval.”He was unsure whether he’d hit the ball,” Martin explained. “It was a very fine edge and sometimes you think you hit your pad or your boot or the ground, it’s hard to know. It’s a new format and such a new part of the game that, like most things, it’s going to take a while to get used to it and to get better at it. I think next time if you’ve got a hunch you’ll pretty much go for it [the review].” New Zealand will want to make better use of the system on the final day.

Leeds United could revisit Eddie Nketiah in the January transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to TransferMarketWeb, the Whites have enquired about signing the former loanee on a permanent basis as he enters the final six months of his current contract at Arsenal.

However, Victor Orta and co face stiff competition from Premier League rivals West Ham United, who have also asked about the 22-year-old, and Crystal Palace as well as Bundesliga duo Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Monchengladbach.

The report claims the England U21 record-breaker could be available for as little as €12m (£10m) this winter.

Bargain

And that would be an absolute bargain for United to seal.

His loan stint during the 2019/20 season was hardly inspiring before an abrupt and premature return to north London, having scored only five goals in 19 appearances but that actually worked out to a goal every 133 minutes as he played second fiddle to Patrick Bamford.

There is an element of unfinished business here between the £10.8m-rated Gunners gem and Leeds.

According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay at the time, Marcelo Bielsa was left rather frustrated by his recall to Arsenal and that he “wanted him to stay,” so perhaps it can be second time lucky.

He did make a good impression on the Argentine during their time together, however.

“He’s a specialist great player with a lot of resources and our play is a collective way of playing and one player needs to adapt to this style,” Bielsa said.

“For this reason when we felt he was part of the team we thought that we were going to feel the same and that he would continue with us. He didn’t take this decision but he is a great player, an excellent professional and he had very good behaviour, he is a gentleman in every sense.”

The 5 foot 11 frontman has bagged 43 goals in Arsenal’s youth setup and carried that natural ability into Mikel Arteta’s senior side whenever given a chance, having scored 15 times, five of which have been in the Premier League.

Nketiah has also been compared to Jermain Defoe for his “very dangerous” nature inside the box by ex-United man Noel Whelan and dubbed “so incredibly prolific” by football scout Jacek Kulig.

For just £10m, Leeds could do no wrong in bringing the young forward back to Elland Road this winter. Orta and Bielsa must look to get it done.

AND in other news, Forget Raphinha: Leeds struck dream deal with £18m-rated “beast” who’s “got it all”…

When former Leeds United starlet Lewis Cook was bursting onto the scene, then-Whites manager Dave Hockaday waxed lyrical about the young prospect, saying: “if you chopped Lewis’ head off and put an older head on his shoulders, you wouldn’t be surprised”.

It was Hockaday who handed the midfielder his debut and first start for Leeds before he left the club, and some of the credit for Cook’s emergence surely must go to the former Whites boss for placing his trust in him.

Cook, who came through the academy at Thorp Arch, was someone who predominantly played in the middle of the park, but could also operate out wide just like he did in his final season at Elland Road in the 2015/16 campaign.

After making 85 senior appearances for the Yorkshire club, the Whites eventually cashed in on their young starlet, with Bournemouth paying a fee rising to £10m to lure him away from Elland Road.

Hailed as a “special talent” by former Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe, Cook’s time with the Cherries has been absolutely shattered by injury after injury; and earlier this year, he suffered another long-term knee injury which has kept him out of first team action until now.

It’s all meant that the midfielder has played just 120 times for the south coast club in his five years there (no Championship appearances since mid-March), and new Bournemouth manager Scott Parker recently admitted he could empathise with Cook’s plight.

He said: “I was a player a little while ago and I realise during injuries they’re the worst moments really, when you feel really low. Certainly long-term ones and to go and do the same injury like Lewis has, psychologically that probably would’ve been a big blow for him in that sense.

“I think I see that where he is currently as well. I’m sure it’s been some tough moments for Lewis, just in the nature of two injuries and long-term like they’ve been. But I’ve certainly been impressed with him where he is.”

It’s been a tragic downturn in fortune for the 24-year-old Cook, but from a purely business sense in respects to Leeds, they cashed in the absolute perfect time on a player who was rapidly rising through the ranks at Elland Road.

Nobody could have predicted the scale and extent of the injuries that he would end up suffering following his exit from Yorkshire, but the Whites got out when they could.

Meanwhile, Leeds must finally sell this first team player…

With Bruno Lage’s Wolverhampton Wanderers side heading into Saturday’s Premier League clash in an excellent run of form, the 45-year-old would have undoubtedly been hoping for yet another positive result against a struggling Leeds United side this afternoon.

With Wolves having taken the lead through Hwang Hee-chan’s early first-half strike, a lead that Lage’s side would maintain as the clock ticked over the 90-minute mark, the Portuguese may well have believed that his team had done enough to secure all three points at Elland Road, despite having not put on anywhere near their best display of the season.

However, a surging 93rd-minute run by Leeds’ second half substitute Joe Gelhardt caused late panic in the Wolves penalty area, with Nelson Semedo clumsily bringing down the 19-year-old and gifting Rodrigo the opportunity to level the scores with practically the last kick of the game, which the Spaniard duly did.

Indeed, Semedo’s carelessness in the dying moments of the match summed up the right wing-back’s afternoon rather aptly, as the 27-year-old was something of a liability in the Wolves defence.

Just 8 passes completed

Having made a £28.8m move from Barcelona to Molineux this summer, Semedo’s Wolves career has gotten off to a rather shaky start, with the defender impressing in some fixtures – such as in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur and the 1-0 win over Southampton – while he has looked some way off the pace in others, with this afternoon certainly falling into the latter category.

Indeed, over the course of the 90 minutes, the £25.2m-rated right-back completed a mere eight passes, failed with both of his attempted long balls, conceded one foul and gave away possession on 11 separate occasions.

However, it was undoubtedly the £84k-per-week defender’s carelessness at the death which let his side down the most on Saturday. If the Portugal international had kept a cooler head in the box – something Conor Coady illustrated perfectly a matter of minutes prior to Semedo’s foul, when the club captain simply shepherded Rodrigo away from goal after the forward had broken through – Wolves would have been celebrating yet another three points in the league tonight.

While there were other players in Lage’s side who turned in below-par displays on Saturday, with neither Leander Dendoncker nor Romain Saiss having their best games in a Wolves shirt, it was perhaps the player who journalist Nathan Judah dubbed “frustrating” who should be most disappointed with his performance.

In other news: Wolves’ £6.3m-rated “breath of fresh air” could cause Lage a major problem next season