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Wolverhampton Wanderers are reported to be eyeing one of their summer targets ahead of the January window, as Gary O’Neil looks to strengthen his side in preparation for the second half of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

There was worry as to how the Old Gold would start the season, however, the Englishman has the squad firing again, with the Molineux outfit currently sitting comfortably in 12th in the table.

Despite the encouraging form of late, O’Neil admitted earlier in the season that his squad is “£80m short” in quality, with the January window set to be an interesting one for the Midlands club.

Wolves transfer targets – Josh Brownhill

In the summer, a report from TEAMtalk revealed that Wolves had made an ‘approach’ to sign Burnley midfielder, Josh Brownhill.

Nothing came of the rumours the narrative has re-emerged ahead of the winter market opening, with talkSPORT reporting this week that O’Neil’s side are ‘monitoring’ the Englishman’s situation.

The 27-year-old’s contract is set to expire at Turf Moor next summer, with talkSPORT relaying that the Clarets hope to activate the option of an additional year to ward off his admirers.

Signed by Burnley for £9m from Bristol City in 2020, Brownhill could be the cost-effective acquisition that the Old Gold desire in January.

How Josh Brownhill compares to Mario Lemina

With two goals in 11 appearances in the Premier League, the £45k-per-week Englishman sits as Vincent Kompany’s second-highest scorer, reinforcing his importance to the struggling bottom-of-the-table squad.

From a Wolves perspective, signing Brownhill could add to the depth of the squad that was heavily depleted in the summer due to the need to generate profit from sales.

Aside from being a strong creator for the Clarets, averaging the second-highest rate of key passes per game (1.1), the midfielder could offer similar to one of O’Neil’s stars at Molineux.

As per FBref, the 27-year-old is statistically comparable to Wolves dynamo Mario Lemina, suggesting the firepower that he could add to the Old Gold’s midfield alongside the Gabon international.

Josh Brownhill

Mario Lemina

74.0%

84.0%

3.12

2.60

1.38

0.28

3.46

1.39

1.85

2.41

1.27

1.85

1.04

1.30

As highlighted in their statistics portrayed above, while the 30-year-old Molineux star is a more assured defensive asset, the Burnley ace offers more in the final third, giving O’Neil food for thought when reflecting on how to craft his midfield.

From Joao Gomes to Boubacar Traore, the Englishman is yet to work out his favoured combination to partner Lemina in the engine room, with interest in Brownhill suggestive of what he wants going forward in a pivot.

The former Bristol City whiz is showing signs that he could be the perfect fit to accompany the Gabonese gem, with his presence in midfield having the ability to offer O’Neil an added threat in the final third, as well as an assured figure to protect the back line.

It’s clear that Burnley wish to keep hold of their "sublime" asset, as lauded by journalist Josh Bunting, in what has been a nightmare start to their Premier League resurgence, with Wolves’ recurring admiration an interesting narrative to follow.

Leeds United will be hoping that the most recent international break hasn't spoiled their momentum ahead of tonight's Yorkshire derby clash against Rotherham United.

The Whites make the short trip to South Yorkshire in impressive form, winning six of their last seven matches while the hosts are winless in five and were thrashed 4-0 by Watford last time out.

If Daniel Farke's side needed any further incentive to pile more misery onto their county rivals, an opportunity to go five points behind the automatic promotion places with victory is the prize awaiting them.

In his recent press conference, the German tactician provided a disappointing update as striker Georginio Rutter is flagged as a "major doubt" while it's unlikely that Farke will risk left-back Sam Byram, who has just recovered from his injury.

The Englishman has played a starring role down the left flank this term and will be a huge miss if he is left out.

Sam Byram's season in numbers

When an academy graduate returns to the club where they began their career, there's no guarantee it works out, however, Byram has been a revelation since returning to West Yorkshire and has made that left-back spot his own.

Hailed for his importance to the side and possessing "quality" in abundance by Farke, the 30-year-old has started in 13 of their 16 Championship matches and has impressed with his energetic, tenacious and tough-tackling ability.

Byram's aggressive attacking displays and incredible defensive work have stood out this term, striking up a strong partnership with the Dutch dynamo Crysencio Summerville, while providing exceptional support down the left flank.

Statistic

Figure / Percentile rank

Touches (Att pen)

3.24 / top 3%

Shots total

1.20 / top 9%

Aerials won

2.48 / top 11%

Interceptions

1.71 / top 15%

Blocks

1.62 / top 16%

Non-penalty xG

0.07 / top 18%

Progressive passes

5.29 / top 20%

All stats via FBref

In a supremely attacking Leeds side, orchestrated by the German's tactical expertise, Byram is thriving in a similar role that Stuart Dallas played in their 2019/20 promotion campaign.

A driving force at both ends of the field, as delineated by the table above, the former Norwich City man is a threat in the final third and is difficult to beat down the left flank.

If he is forced into sitting out for this clash, it's likely that Junior Firpo will come in for his first start of the season.

Junior Firpo's Leeds career in numbers

Firpo arrived from Barcelona as a highly-rated full-back, who was known for his electricity and explosiveness, but the Spaniard is yet to provide the spark that he promised to deliver down the left flank.

Leeds United predictions & previews for upcoming fixtures

Football FanCast looks ahead to Leeds United’s next 6 fixtures as they aim to bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt.

ByMark Marston Nov 23, 2023

He struggled in the early stages of his career to translate his sensational form from Barca to Elland Road as highlighted by some of his performances last term, one of which was against Manchester City's Riyad Mahrez.

Described by journalist Dean Jones as having "some difficulties" adapting to the Premier League following that battle with Mahrez, Firpo was unable to match the physicality required in the top division, although he did impress towards the end of that relegation campaign.

The £60k per-week star was dubbed as "immense" for his form by Connor McGilligan on the One Leeds Fan Channel after ranking in the top 8% against his positional peers in the top flight for interceptions and top 9% for tackles, as per FBref.

After spending the majority of this campaign recovering from a long-term injury to his knee, Firpo could finally get his chance to show Byram the level of talent he's competing against for a spot in the team tonight.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou's search for a new centre-back has taken a pre-January twist with one "rapid" defender now keen on joining them.

Spurs in desperate need of more defensive cover

The north Londoners are in dire need of more squad depth defensively, especially after Cristian Romero was added to the treatment table with a hamstring strain.

Spurs could ease Romero blow by handing “terrific” teen a debut

Ange Postecoglou’s side have been beset with further woes on the injury front as they fight for form.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 28, 2023

Romero's absence was sorely felt as Spurs' winning run came to an abrupt end on Thursday evening, with Postecoglou's side losing 4-2 away to Brighton. Tottenham were forced to play a makeshift centre-back pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies against the Seagulls, much like they did when Romero was suspended for a period.

The Argentine is now out for around four to five weeks, making the need for an early centre-back signing all the more imperative next month.

Postecoglou, speaking in a pre-Brighton press conference, called on the Lilywhites to bring in another option.

"We just need another player in that position who can provide some more depth for us and the ability to change it up," said Postecoglou on signing another defender for Spurs.

"It won’t matter if it is left-sided or right-sided, it is more the profile and characteristics.

"We didn’t go looking for a left-sided centre-back at the start of the year, it just happened that Micky was the perfect centre-back. Even if we had another left-sided one, I still would have signed him. It is about looking at the right profile, the right characteristics and seeing what is available, then going from there."

Dejan Kulusevski

Suspended

Yves Bissouma

Suspended

Cristian Romero

Injured

Micky van de Ven

Injured

James Maddison

Injured

Ivan Perisic

Injured

Manor Solomon

Injured

Rodrigo Bentancur

Injured

Ryan Sessegnon

Injured

Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo is a top target for Spurs to solve this issue, according to reports, and it is believed they've even opened talks. However, the Frenchman isn't Tottenham's only target, with journalist Rudy Galetti claiming a couple of Premier League defenders are eyeing up a move to N17.

Lloyd Kelly "keen" to join Ange at Spurs

Indeed, as per the transfer reporter, one of them is Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly.

Kelly is believed to be "keen" on joining Tottenham in January, according to Galetti, and the 25-year-old is "also on the list" of names Spurs are considering in the winter.

The "rapid" defender (Jamie Weir), who can play both centrally and as a full-back, has made nine league appearances for Bournemouth this season and his contract expires in the summer of 2024.

Kelly's contract situation could make him a viable and affordable option when the window opens, as Bournemouth may want to sell before losing him for nothing later next year, making this one to watch.

Arsenal are enjoying another impressive season so far this year.

The club are still fighting for Premier League supremacy and have taken to the Champions League like a duck to water, already qualifying and topping their group before the final match.

Their guaranteed progression into the next round of the competition gives Mikel Arteta the luxury of rotating his squad for their final group game against PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday evening.

One player who must finally be given his first senior start for the club is the highly-rated Ethan Nwaneri.

#1 Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

2022: Brentford

#2 Cesc Fabregas

16 years, 5 months, 24 days

2003: Rotherham

#3 Jack Wilshere

16 years, 8 months, 12 days

2008: Blackburn

#4 Jermaine Pennant

16 years, 10 months, 15 days

1999: Middlesbrough

#5 Paul Vaessen

16 years, 11 months, 11 days

1978: Lokomotive Leipzig

#6 Ryan Smith

16 years, 11 months, 18 days

2003: Rotherham

#7 Gedion Zelalem

16 years, 11 months, 29 days

2014: Coventry

#8 Armand Traore

17 years, 16 days

2006: West Brom

Ethan Nwaneri's youth stats for Arsenal

Nwaneri made his senior debut for the club away to Brentford and became the youngest Premier League player in history in the process – 15 years, five months and 28 days – but the overwhelming majority of his performances have come at youth level, for Arsenal.

Described as "unplayable" by Arsenal's U18 coach Jack Wilshere for his impact in a 3-3 draw with Manchester United's U18 side last season, the Hale End prodigy has been wowing his coaches for years, and it is easy to see why.

In his 13 Premier League 2 appearances for the youth side, he has scored four goals and provided two assists, while in the U18 Premier League, he has scored seven goals and provided five assists in 16 appearances.

Matches

13

16

Goals

4

7

Assists

2

5

Goal Involvements per game

0.46

0.75

His most recent impressive feat came in the U18 FA Youth Cup on December 9th, when, in a game against Crewe Alexandria's U18s, he scored five goals – yes, five – as the young Guns ran out 7-1 victors.

If Arteta is looking for a reason to play the youngster, he can't really ask for more than that.

Ethan Nwaneri's youth stats for England

The Gunners' young "wonderkid", as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, hasn't just been impressing in the red and white of Arsenal, but he has also been making a name for himself with the England junior sides.

The 16-year-old made his debut for the U16s side on February 12th 2022, in an international friendly against Germany, before going on to make another five appearances for the side before being promoted to the U17s side under Tom Curtis.

Since making the move up, he has made 21 appearances, scored nine goals and provided two assists.

Matches

27

Goals

10

Assists

3

Goal Involvements per Game

0.48

Why Ethan Nwaneri must start vs PSV

Ultimately, Nwaneri's numbers at the youth level should be reason enough for Arteta to play the immensely talented youngster on Tuesday evening, but his ability to play as either a midfielder or on the right-wing means that the Spaniard could rest either Bukayo Saka or Martin Odegaard – two stars essential to his team's success this season.

The "golden" prospect, as described by Jacek Kulig, has played as an attacking midfielder 22 times, a centre forward eight times, and on the wings three times in the last three seasons, giving his manager the ability to add him into the side where he sees fit.

If this game was to decide where the club finished in the group or even to determine if they qualified, not playing Nwaneri would be totally understandable, but with essentially nothing but pride on the line, Arteta has to grab this opportunity to start one of the most exciting youngsters around. If not now, when?

What a time it is to be associated with Tottenham Hotspur, with the north London outfit continuing to march on under their infallible new boss, Ange Postecoglou, following a remarkable, unbeaten start to the 2023/24 Premier League season.

Currently resting atop the table – two points ahead of champions Manchester City and rivals Arsenal – all is well for the Lilywhites at present, with the club's most recent encounter having seen them secure a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Fulham on Monday night.

Amid what is a quick turnaround ahead of tonight's trip to west London to face Crystal Palace – who conceded four against Newcastle United at the weekend – Postecoglou may well need to shuffle his pack to keep his side fresh and firing against Roy Hodgson's men.

The changes Tottenham could make against Crystal Palace

Defensively, the north Londoners may well be sweating on the fitness of Destiny Udogie after the full-back was withdrawn around the hour mark earlier this week, with Postecoglou having revealed that the 20-year-old will have to be assessed ahead of this evening's fixture.

If the Italian is to miss out, his potential replacement, Ben Davies, did miss that clash with a knock of his own, although the former Celtic boss has since stated that the long-serving asset should be fine to return this time around.

As for the midfield ranks, the hope is that Pape Matar Sarr will be fit to feature from the start after also being taken off against the Cottagers amid a bout of illness, although Spurs do have the bonus of the returning Yves Bissouma, after the 26-year-old sat out Monday's win through suspension.

Further tweaks could also lie in store in the attacking ranks, with it set to be no surprise if Brennan Johnson is unleashed from the start ahead of Richarlison, while Bryan Gil – who is making his return from injury – could pose a threat to Dejan Kulusevski's starting berth on the right flank.

The reasons why Bryan Gil should start vs Palace

It may seem bizarre to suggest that the young Spaniard is called upon after making little impact in Lilywhite to date – with no goals and two assists in 31 games in all competitions – yet having now returned from his spell on loan in Spain last season, the 22-year-old could be worthy of a chance to impress.

Having missed much of the campaign so far through injury, the former Sevilla and Valencia ace has been back on the bench in the last two league games, albeit without earning a cameo appearance in either of those wins.

The playmaker is evidently a player Postecoglou is thinking about, however, with the 58-year-old stating last week that the returning ace could "get an opportunity", amid the hectic nature of the fixture schedule:

"He certainly has all the criteria to play in that position for is and his training is getting stronger now, he’s part of the group and I’m sure he’ll get an opportunity. We’ve a Monday night game and then a Friday night game, so we’ll need the squad to deal with those two games over the next five days.”

Despite failing to really impress in recent years at N17, Gil has earned lofty praise from the likes of Antonio Conte, with the Italian coach hailing him as "like Bernardo Silva" due to his "technical quality".

That comparison to a fellow left-footer bodes well for the impact that the Spaniard could make if given a run of games, with Silva – who has won trophies galore at Manchester City, including a treble last term – a truly gifted individual, having been described as "one of the best players" that Pep Guardiola has ever coached.

A key likeness between the two attackers is also their work off the ball, with Silva hailed for his "incredible" work ethic by Guardiola in the past, while Gil ranks in the top 14% among his European peers for tackles made, as well as the top 9% for interceptions per 90, as a sign of his ability to muck in defensively.

Postecoglou could utilise that strength this evening in place of Kulusevski, with the latter man hardly impressing against Marco Silva's men just a few days ago, as 90min's Sean Walsh wrote that the Swede's 'slow and ponderous decision-making threatened to derail Tottenham' on the night.

It would be a bold call to ditch the former Juventus man later today, but sooner or later Gil must be given a chance to shine under the new regime.

Over the last decade, Manchester United have gone from Premier League winners to a side struggling to gain a top-four place in England's top flight, with poor decisions off the pitch continuously catching up on the Red Devils. Those decisions could finally be coming to an end, however, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe's pending investment edges ever closer.

With his arrival, United may well find themselves making several changes from the very top to the bottom of the club and that could include some ruthless dismissals. Among those could be a staff member who has been at the club since 2013.

Ratcliffe to sack Man Utd man

The best way to avoid the continuation of the decisions that put them in their current position may well be through starting afresh with new personnel in charge at the club. United must bring an end to what has been a nightmare chapter in an otherwise successful Premier League history. Ratcliffe will hope that his arrival signals the start of things turning around and reports suggest that he won't be shy when it comes to making ruthless choices.

Man Utd could look to sign "extraordinary" star who loves David Beckham

A huge deal could soon be on the table.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 24, 2023

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Ratcliffe is set to sack Manchester United sporting director John Murtough after a decade at the club. Murtough initially started at the club in 2013 as the academy director, before landing the role of United's first-ever football director in 2021. His responsibility as football director has involved the appointment of managers and new signings.

This means that Murtough played a part in the hiring of Erik ten Hag and the arrival of the likes of Antony, Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount. It remains to be seen just who Ratcliffe will bring in to replace Murtough.

Murtough to get Man Utd axe

When it comes to recent arrivals, United have struggled to get it right under Ten Hag. The Red Devils splashed out to reach Antony's price tag, only for the winger to struggle. Antony's stats have reflected poorly on the likes of Murtough, with the former Ajax man scoring just eight goals in 53 appearances throughout his United career so far. Meanwhile, Jadon Sancho's stats have been similarly disappointing, given that he's only managed just 12 goals in 82 appearances.

United's recruitment issue is something that Ratcliffe is clearly keen to address, with Murtough reportedly facing the axe. It remains to be seen just who comes in, however, with the importance of a top sporting director growing every week. We've seen the likes of Dan Ashworth make impressive impacts on Newcastle United, who are now competing in the Champions League and a place in the Premier League's top four.

If the Red Devils are to avoid being left behind, then handing Ten Hag players capable of slotting straight into his system will be crucial, perhaps starting with improving an attack which has managed just 13 Premier League goals this season.

Chelsea have a number of players who are out of contract in the near future, but one of those could be set to sign a new deal at the club, according to a new update.

Which Chelsea players are out of contract?

The Blues have made an extremely underwhelming start to the season, continuing their struggles from 2022/23 and finding themselves desperately in need of some momentum. New signings are understandably taking some time to bed in, whether it be Axel Disasi, Moises Caicedo or Nicolas Jackson, but the hope is that their fortunes changes for the better as soon as possible, starting away to Fulham on Monday night.

Away from the new additions, there are some current Chelsea players whose time at the club could come to an end soon unless they extend their stay at the club. Thiago Silva is arguably the most high-profile individual, with his deal expiring at the end of this season, along with Ian Maatsen and young goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom, while Conor Gallagher's deal will be up in 2025.

Which Chelsea player could sign new deal?

According to Caught Offside, young Chelsea defender Ian Maatsen could be set to sign a new deal, with Pochettino an admirer of him:

"Sources close to CaughtOffside have made clear that manager Mauricio Pochettino’s position is not currently at risk, with the club keen to show awareness of the long-term nature of the project. Guided by that spirit, the Blues are looking to resolve two contractual situations: that of Ian Maasten and Conor Gallagher, whose terms are set to expire in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

"The former has opted to remain in London (despite attempts from Burnley to prise him away), with Chelsea decision-makers understood to be surprised by the qualities on show from the left-back."

This has to be considered good news for Chelsea, with Maatsen a talented young player who has shown character by wanting to stay put at Stamford Bridge this season and fight for his place, rather than head out on loan again.

Granted, it hasn't been easy for him to get much playing time under his belt in 2023/24 to date – he has only enjoyed 35 minutes of action across four Premier League appearances – but he will grow as a player with every appearance, and his age means that he should be viewed as a long-term prospect who can become a regular.

Chelsea need to be a in a position where they are blooding young talent like Maatsen and Levi Colwill, among others, and the fact that Pochettino is an fan of the former means it makes even more sense to retain his services, with the Blues boss saying of him:

"I am so happy with him. He is a player that can play in different positions. He has quality, he understands the game, and he is such a clever player."

Maatsen shone on loan at Burnley last season, playing a key part in them being promoted from the Championship to the Premier League, scoring four goals and registering six assists from left-back, and the 13-time capped Netherlands Under-21 international is someone who should only become more polished as the years pass.

At the beginning of the season, not many punters would have predicted Aston Villa to be ahead of the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal or Manchester United, but that's the reality of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

The Midlands club are flying at the moment and have found themselves locked in an early title race with league leaders Liverpool and European champions Man City. However, even the staunchest of Villa supporters would admit that their squad is punching above its weight at the moment.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

3

4

42

16

19

12

4

3

40

24

20

12

4

4

40

17

Nevertheless, the January transfer window offers Unai Emery the chance to strengthen his starting lineup ahead of the second half of the season.

Aston Villa transfer news – Nico Williams

According to the latest reports, Aston Villa are keen to battle it out with Serie A club Fiorentina for Hellas Verona's Cyril Ngonge before the deadline passes at the beginning of February. The Belgian moved to Verona last January and scored ten goals for I Gialloblu in 2023, finishing the calendar year as Verona's top goalscorer in all competitions, but is now being linked with a move to pastures new.

Aston Villa reach agreement to sign exciting new player for Emery – report

He’s put up some impressive numbers this season…

BySean Markus Clifford Jan 3, 2024

Regardless, if Villa fail in their pursuit to sign the 23-year-old, there is one other option that Emery could explore once more. It was reported by Spanish outlet Sport back in October that the Villans were interested in making a move for Athletic Club attacker Nico Williams once the winter window opened and had even decided to activate his £43m release clause.

To ward off interest from the likes of Villa, Real Madrid and Barcelona, the Basque club handed the Spain international a new four-year deal, keeping him at the San Mames until 2027 at the earliest. However, Williams' release clause figure remained untouched, meaning Villa could still trigger this before the January window closes.

Nico Williams' stats comparison vs Cyril Ngonge

One of Emery's conundrums this season has been who to partner star striker Ollie Watkins with. The England international has had a fine season leading the line for the Midlands club, having scored 14 goals and registered eight assists in 27 matches in all competitions under Emery.

Moussa Diaby and Leon Bailey have primarily occupied the spot behind the striker. Apart from Watkins, Bailey has been Aston Villa's most successful attacking player this season and has bagged 16 goal contributions in total, including nine goals and seven assists. However, the Jamaican's best position has been on the right wing where he has scored six goals and recorded four assists for Villa this term.

Meanwhile, Diaby has done reasonably well in his debut campaign, scoring five times and creating four goals. The Frenchman's biggest issue has been his consistency. Across his last eight matches, the £52m summer signing has produced one goal and one assist.

As a result, Emery is looking to sign Ngonge this month to add more quality on the flanks since Bailey has consistently been tasked with playing in a more central role due to Diaby's struggles. Ngonge is a much cheaper alternative to Williams, given he could be available for a reported £8.7m, but you get what you pay for and Williams is far superior to the Villa target when comparing the duo's statistics from the 2023/24 campaign.

Goals

0.31

0.33

Expected Goals

0.27

0.28

Assists

0.38

0.13

Expected Assists

0.36

0.11

Key Passes

2.48

1.44

Passes To Penalty Area

2.02

0.79

Crosses

7.08

3.2

Crosses To Penalty Area

1.16

0.5

Progressive Passes Received

11

7.27

Progressive Carries

5.81

3.24

Stats via FBref

Ngonge is more of a goalscoring player than Williams, as the stats proved, but the latter is far more creative and would be a dream for Watkins, who has already exceeded expectations in front of goal. Five of Watkins' goals this season have come from headers and with Williams out wide, constantly whipping in dangerous balls, this figure will likely rise.

Williams is still quite raw, hence why his brother Inaki described him as a "rough diamond", but he certainly has the potential to become a world-beater at the right club.

Leeds United are preparing to travel away to face Peterborough United in the FA Cup on Sunday as they enjoy a break from the rigours of the battle to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites are fighting to land a top two spot in the Championship in order to avoid needing to earn their spot back in the top-flight via the play-offs.

Daniel Farke's side are currently seven points adrift of Ipswich Town in second and have missed numerous opportunities to close that gap with just two wins in their last six games.

They were, however, able to record a comfortable victory over Birmingham City on Monday as they beat Wayne Rooney's side 3-0 at Elland Road, which led to the former England international being relieved of his duties.

Farke opted to unleash Georgino Rutter in a new role in that match as he operated behind Patrick Bamford, which allowed him to roam around the pitch to do damage in the final third.

Leeds transfer news – Josh Sargent

The Whites head coach could do that on a regular basis by reigniting his interest in a deal to sign his former striker Josh Sargent from Norwich City.

Football Insider reported last summer that Farke was eyeing up the USA international to bolster his strikeforce ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The outlet added that the 49ers were prepared to back a bid to snap him up from the Canaries, although there was no mention of how much it would have cost to secure his signature.

However, Sargent suffered a serious ankle injury against Huddersfield in August 2023 and that ended any chance of a move away from Norfolk at that time.

He recently made his comeback from that blow after missing a staggering 22 matches for the Canaries and his return has come alongside the opening of the January transfer window.

During his injury lay-off, the American ace put pen to paper on a contract extension with Norwich to take him through to 2028 and this could make it difficult for Leeds to tempt him away from Carrow Road.

However, they could use the prospect of a promotion push and the lure of working alongside Farke, who signed him for the Yellows in 2021, to convince him to make the move to Yorkshire before the end of the month.

He could then form a lethal partnership with Rutter, who the German tactician hailed as "nearly perfect" in his new role against Birmingham on New Year's Day.

Sofascore rating

7.7

Duels won

Nine

Dribbles completed

One

Chances created

Three

Shots

Five

Farke claimed that the French whiz has developed his game in order to be tidier on the ball, which has allowed him to play deeper in a number ten position as there is not as much of a risk of him losing possession easily compared to earlier in the campaign.

Rutter's season in numbers

The 21-year-old magician has been in terrific form this season for the Whites, both as a centre-forward and in his new role, as a creative spark at the top end of the pitch.

He has been one of the outstanding creators in the Championship since Leeds were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Jesse Marsch signed him from Hoffenheim in January 2023 and the then-20-year-old struggled in the top-flight during his first few months in English football, as you can see in the table below.

Appearances

11

Starts

One

Goals

Zero

Assists

One

Big chances created

Zero

However, the drop down to the second tier has allowed him to flourish in a Leeds shirt. He has started 24 league games for the club this term and contributed with four goals and nine assists.

Only Abdul Fatawu, for Leicester, has created more 'big chances' (19) than Rutter (17) in the Championship so far this season, which illustrates the quality of his passing in the final third.

In fact, the Whites star currently ranks within the top 1% of his positional peers in the division for assists (0.39), Expected Assisted Goals (0.37), and shot-creating actions (4.53) per 90.

These statistics show that the young dynamo is a sensational creative talent who has the ability to consistently unlock opposition defences to create high-quality opportunities for his teammates.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Sargent

Leeds could now land him a lethal partner at the top end of the pitch by securing a deal to sign Sargent from Norwich, who could lead the line for the club and allow Rutter to be permanently deployed as a number ten.

The USA international showcased his goalscoring quality at Championship level during the 2022/23 campaign as he plundered 13 goals in 40 appearances.

However, only 19 of those matches came as a centre-forward – his preferred position – and the young marksman scored nine goals in those games.

Centre-forward

19

Nine

Right winger

11

Two

Attacking midfielder

Three

One

Central midfielder

Two

One

Left winger

Two

Zero

Second striker

One

Zero

Left midfielder

One

Zero

His 13 goals also came from just 10.41 xG (Expected Goals) and this shows that the Canaries star was ruthless in front of goal with the chances that did come his way.

Despite his horrendous injury, Sargent also boasts an impressive record in front of goal in the Championship during the 2023/24 campaign.

The 23-year-old star has produced four goals and one assist in six league appearances, which includes four starts, for Norwich this term.

He has four goals from 2.62 xG and this means that the Leeds target has plundered 17 goals from 13.03 xG in the division since the start of last season.

These statistics suggest that Sargent is a lethal EFL centre-forward who could make the most of Rutter's creativity. Whereas, Patrick Bamford has one goal from 1.96 xG and Joel Piroe has nine goals from 10.27 xG this season.

Therefore, Farke should reignite his interest in the £26k-per-week ace, who was hailed as a "phenomenal" talent by teammate Ashley Barnes, as he could form a terrific partnership with the French whiz with their respective qualities in the final third.

Sunderland's play-off train had derailed in recent weeks, suffering three consecutive defeats at the hands of Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Leicester City.

This alarming slump in form was a cause for concern, however, that was removed on Saturday as the Black Cats romped to a 3-1 victory over Norwich City to move to within one point of sixth place Cardiff City.

Tony Mowbray has seen several stars shine this term, including fleet-footed winger Jack Clarke, who is subject to Premier League interest, midfield maestro Dan Neil and solid centre-back Dan Ballard.

Unfortunately, one area that hasn't seen an individual stand out this term is the striker position.

Since the departure of clinical finisher Ross Stewart to Southampton in the summer – who scored 40 goals in 80 games for the club – neither Mason Burstow, Luis Semedo nor Nazariy Rusyn have taken the bull by the horns and filled the void left behind by the Scotsman.

Nazariy Rusyn's season by numbers

When eyeing up replacements for Stewart in the summer, instead of splashing the cash on one striker, Mowbray decided to spread the funds across three different forwards.

Rusyn was signed from Zorya Lugansk for a reported €2.5m (£2.2m), Mason Burstow was acquired on loan from Chelsea and Luis Semedo arrived as a highly-rated striker from Benfica.

With a blend of pace, strength and an eye for goal between the aforementioned trio, Mowbray must have felt he had done enough to resolve Sunderland's goal-scoring conundrum.

Mason Burstow had scored ten goals in 25 Premier League 2 appearances for Chelsea last term, while Rusyn plundered 21 goals in 49 matches for Zorya and Semedo was clinical for Benfica's U23s, netting 21 in 44 matches.

The above records point towards three clinical strikers and at the time, it looked as though the club had done some solid business to prise three talented youngsters to the club, however, 14 matches later and zero goals between them, that couldn't be any further from the truth.

With frustrations ever-growing, Mowbray could use some of the Stewart cash to bring in another striker in January, or he could unleash promising teenager, Harry Gardiner from the academy.

The 20-year-old has been scoring goals for fun in Premier League 2.

The player who could replace Nazariy Rusyn

Sunderland are accustomed to unearthing talented youngsters from their academy having thrown Dan Neil and 16-year-old Chris Rigg into the first-team set-up.

It is, therefore, imperative that Mowbray continues to pluck youngsters from the U21s and throw them into the senior team, with Gardiner making a strong case to become the next academy revelation.

The clinical finisher, who was nominated for September's Player of the Month award in PL2 after bagging four goals in three games against Manchester United, Derby County and Aston Villa, has showcased his predatory instincts in the box.

After his hard work and sensational form earned the recognition he deserved, U21's manager Graeme Murty took to the Sunderland official website to speak about his progress.

He said: “He is in a rich vein of form at the moment. We are constantly bigging him up with humility and hard work. There is a good group around him who will always look to feed him, especially inside the area. We ask him to get in there and he is very focused on getting goals.”

That outstanding form in September wasn't out of the ordinary for Gardiner. He's been tearing through opposition defences for years now, having posted 18 goals in 47 appearances across Sunderland's underage groups.

Hailed by journalist Josh Bunting as "excellent" for his form last term, the young striker is banging down Mowbray's door for a first-team opportunity and if his current crop of strikers continue to fire blanks, he'll have no other choice but to unleash the powerful poacher.