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Sunderland are plugging along in the Championship and new manager Michael Beale has managed to guide the side back into the playoff spots. However, the Black Cats are clinging on by just a point.

The same issue continues to crop up under Beale as it did during Tony Mowbray's tenure concerning the Wearside club's struggles in front of goal. Sunderland are inside the bottom half of the table regarding goals scored in the league this season.

Nevertheless, with the January transfer window open, Beale could dip into the market to add much-needed quality to his attacking department.

Sunderland transfer news – Jay Stansfield

Over the past few days, Sunderland have been linked with a move for Bournemouth centre-forward Kieffer Moore, with The Sun revealing that the Black Cats currently lead a race with several other Championship clubs for the Wales international.

A couple of days before the winter window commenced, it was reported that Sunderland were keen to bring Fulham centre-forward Jay Stansfield to the Stadium of Light to be Beale's first-choice striker for the remainder of the campaign, ending his loan spell with Birmingham City.

However, it had been widely claimed that Ipswich Town were set to come out on top in the pursuit of the 21-year-old's signature. Nevertheless, no move has come to fruition yet with the Tractor Boys, meaning Sunderland still have a chance of capturing the young striker.

Said to be on just £10k-per-week on his current deal, Stansfield could be a very affordable option on loan until the end of the season.

Jay Stansfield's stats this season

Right now, Sunderland need a centre-forward with experience in the Championship and one who can score goals at this level. Stansfield ticks both of these boxes. Amid Birmingham's woes on the pitch, particularly during Wayne Rooney's tenure at St. Andrew's, the former Exeter City loanee has found the net seven times and recorded two assists in 23 appearances in England's second-tier.

The number nine position has been the weakest part of Sunderland's team this season. The ex-Premier League outfit currently have five different frontmen on the books this campaign; Nazariy Rusyn, Mason Burstow, Eliezer Mayenda, Hemir Semedo and Jewison Bennette. Between them, they have scored one goal which came from Rusyn in a 2-0 win over Preston North End on New Year's Day.

Jack Clarke has been the club's talisman this season, having bagged 12 goals in 26 matches and is directly responsible for 33.3% of Sunderland's league goals. Beale needs to add quality up top to ease the goalscoring burden off Clarke.

While Moore has been a prolific goalscorer in the Championship in the past, having found the net 47 times in 155 matches in the second tier, he is now on the wrong side of 30 and boasts worse stats than Stansfield this season.

Goals

7

2

Expected Goals

4.9

1.1

Assists

2

0

Progressive Carries Per 90

2.67

0.91

Shots

54

10

Shots On Target

17

4

Goals Per Shot

0.13

0.2

Key Passes

24

1

Stats via FBref

Stansfield is younger, hungrier and looks like a natural finisher already, with Fulham boss Marco Silva even claiming that the forward "can score easily" which has been backed up by his seven goals already this term.

To keep in line with the club's recruitment strategy in recent years of signing young players, the Black Cats should throw the kitchen sink at Fulham to take Stansfield on loan for the rest of the campaign.

Celtic are well underway regarding their transfer business and have now reportedly opened talks to bring a striker to Parkhead this month as Brendan Rodgers looks to bolster his squad.

Celtic's transfer priorities…

Scottish Premiership champions the Hoops will be optimistic that they can retain their crown this campaign by the time all is said and done in May; however, Rodgers will know that his side's activity on the transfer front this month will go a long way to deciding the destination of the Scottish title.

In all honesty, the Hoops have been quiet in the market so far, like is the case with many clubs at this stage in the campaign, though Rapid Vienna winger Nicolas Kuhn looks set to be their first addition of the window. Finer details of the deal are currently under discussion and the 24-year-old has missed out on a mid-season camp friendly against Weiner SC to keep himself fit before moving to Glasgow.

Celtic to spring out of nowhere for “flamboyant” £3.4m target – report

It’s been quiet on the transfer front for months, but Celtic could now come alive.

ByDavid Comerford Jan 13, 2024

Taking to social media platform X, Football Scotland journalist Mark Hendry has indicated that reinforcements at left-back and centre-forward could be next on the agenda at Parkhead.

Reports elsewhere claim that Bologna will look to part ways with Dutch striker Sydney van Hooijdonk after they take on Cagliari in Serie A on Sunday and Celtic have been mentioned as his potential next destination. Now, another striker has entered the frame as a source of goals Rodgers could look to acquire in the January transfer window, according to a fresh report.

Celtic open Mathias Kvistgaarden talks…

According to Football Insider, Celtic have opened talks with Brondby regarding striker Mathias Kvistgaarden amid their need to add further attacking options due to Oh Hyeon-gyu, Daizen Maeda and Yang Hyun-jun being away on Asian Cup duty.

Mathias Kvistgaarden Superliga stats in 2023/24 (Sofascore)

Big chances created

6

Shots per game

2.1

Shots on target per game

1.1

Touches

37.5

Balls recovered per game

2.5

Average match rating

7.18

The outlet claim the versatile 21-year-old has emerged as an option due to his standout performances in Denmark this campaign and could be accompanied by a central midfielder in Glasgow, with Rodgers keen to also boost his options in the engine room.

Labelled "fantastic" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Denmark Under-21 international has registered seven goals and seven assists in 21 appearances across all competitions this term (Kvistgaarden statistics – Transfermarkt).

Celtic are in need of a different avenue to utilise in attack over the next few weeks and Kvistgaarden could provide some firm competition for Kyogo Furuhashi if he does indeed move to Glasgow this month, making this one to watch.

Leeds United were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the 2022/23 campaign after three years at the top table of English football.

The Whites were promoted under Marcelo Bielsa in 2020 and stayed up under the Argentine boss and then Jesse Marsch. However, a combination of Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce failed to keep them up last term.

An instant return to the top-flight is now on the agenda for the Yorkshire-based outfit and German boss Daniel Farke has been brought in to secure it.

The impressive tactician won two Championship titles during his time with Norwich City earlier in his career and is now looking for a third promotion to the Premier League.

Points

94

97

Goals for

93

75

Goals against

57

36

Games won

27

29

Farke's Championship title-winning seasons with Norwich (via Sky Sports):

However, his squad was dealt a number of blows as the likes of Tyler Adams, Rodrigo, Max Wober, Robin Koch, Jack Harrison, Luis Sinisterra, and Marc Roca moved on either permanently or out on loan.

One decision that the German head coach made that may come back to haunt him, though, is the one to loan out talented young midfielder Sam Greenwood, who has outscored Wilfried Gnonto, Dan James, and Jaidon Anthony this season.

Why Leeds could lose Greenwood permanently

The Whites could lose the ex-Arsenal prospect on a permanent deal at the end of the 2023/24 campaign as they included a purchase option within his loan deal with Middlesbrough.

It was recently reported by The Athletic that Boro negotiated an option to sign Greenwood for £1.5m during next summer's transfer window if they decide the fit is right by that point.

This means that, essentially, Farke and Leeds have little say in what happens with the midfield technician next year as his current club have the chance to snap him up permanently if they want to.

If Middlesbrough do decide that they want to activate that £1.5m buyout clause and the Whites do not want to lose him then they would need to convince the player to turn down the opportunity to return to Teesside.

This could be a difficult task when you consider that Leeds were willing to sanction a possible permanent exit for him last summer and decided that he was not ready for their first-team.

Greenwood has been shown faith by Boro and may, therefore, prefer a switch to Michael Carrick's side over coming back to Elland Road if it comes down to it next summer.

Sam Greenwood's statistics this season

The 21-year-old whiz, who former Leeds ace Noel Whelan hailed for his "immense" ability, endured a slow start to life at Middlesbrough as his first four appearances for the club came as a substitute in the Championship.

However, he has since broken into the starting XI and has started each of their last four league matches, which has allowed him to showcase his quality out wide.

Greenwood has been deployed on the left of an attacking midfield trio behind the main centre-forward and has caught the eye with his recent attacking contributions.

The right-footed wizard has scored two goals in four starts, both of which came within the last three games, and the latest of those came in their 2-1 win over Norwich City on Tuesday night.

He produced a fantastic display against the Canaries earlier this week with a Sofascore rating of 7.7, which was the highest score of any player for either side.

The English dynamo scored the opening goal for Boro as he arrived in the right place at the right time to finish from close range after Norwich gave possession away on the opposite side of the pitch.

Greenwood also won seven of his 12 duels and completed all three of his attempted dribbles. These statistics show that the talented gem offered strength out of possession and helped to carry his team up the pitch with his dribbling quality.

To the latter point, the former Sunderland academy ace has completed 15 progressive carries in his last four matches for Boro and this shows that, alongside a goal threat, the Leeds loanee can provide value in transition.

Farke may now be looking at the gem's recent performances and wondering whether or not it was a mistake to part ways with the 21-year-old ace, particularly when he looks at how his current wing options have performed in front of goal.

Wilfried Gnonto's statistics this season

Gnonto has scored one goal in six Championship starts, with one further appearance off the bench, throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.

The Italy international was brought back into the starting XI against Stoke on Wednesday night and failed to make the most of his opportunity to shine. He failed to provide a single shot on target, completed dribble, or chance created for his teammates in 70 minutes on the pitch.

Chances have not been particularly hard to come by for the 19-year-old whiz as he has already missed two 'big chances' and taken 1.6 shots per game, which suggests that his current return of one goal has been an underperformance.

Whereas, Greenwood has taken 1.3 shots per match and has not missed a single 'big chance' in front of goal to go along with his two league strikes.

Gnonto is not the only Leeds forward who has been outperformed in front of goal by the Boro star, though, as Anthony and James have also only scored one goal each in the league so far this season. The latter has, at least, provided four assists but the Bournemouth loanee is yet to register a single assist.

Meanwhile, Ian Poveda, Patrick Bamford, and Joe Gelhardt were all kept around to be part of the squad and have combined for zero goals and zero assists in 15 league appearances between them.

These statistics suggest that Leeds could have benefitted from keeping the 5 foot 11 dynamo as part of their squad to bolster their attacking options out wide.

The Whites have not had a steady stream of goals from those positions, outside of Crysencio Summerville's four strikes, and this was illustrated on Wednesday as Anthony and Gnonto started out wide and failed to make an impact in the final third as Farke's men lost 1-0 to Leeds.

He might still be in the job, but it feels like time has run out for Graham Potter at West Ham United.

The Englishman has been the club’s manager since January, and instead of leading them into an exciting new era, the team have regressed under him.

He has overseen 25 games with the Hammers, winning just six, drawing five and losing a staggering 14, which has seen him amass just 0.92 points per game.

The situation is so dire now that there is a real chance of relegation unless something changes, so it’s probably a good thing West Ham are now linked with someone who could be their new Sam Allardyce.

West Ham target Potter replacement

With just how badly they’re playing at the moment, it is surprising that Potter is still in the West Ham dugout, but with the number of coaches linked with the club, that could soon change.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

One of the managers most heavily touted for a move, or in his case, a return to the club, is Slaven Bilic.

However, considering he hasn’t managed in a top league for around five years, we are unsure whether he’s the right option.

Nuno Espírito Santo, on the other hand, would be a seriously exciting appointment, but as he has only just left Nottingham Forest, we aren’t sure this is a move all that likely to transpire.

Interestingly, another name has popped up, someone who would be a better fit than Bilic and more likely than Nuno: Sean Dyche.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the former Everton and Burnley boss is someone the club have been in contact with in case they fire Potter.

While he might not be the most inspiring choice, he is reportedly “itching” to return to top-flight management and could be just what West Ham need, an Allardyce figure, if you will.

Why Dyche would be West Ham's new Allardyce

So, it would be fair to say that describing someone as a club’s new Allardyce might not be the best way to make fans excited about a potential appointment.

Moreover, while he didn’t send them down, and did a far better job than plenty of their recent managers, the West Ham faithful weren’t particularly enamoured with Big Sam during his four years at the club over a decade ago.

However, with the club down in the relegation zone, morale at a considerable low in the fanbase and this season’s newly promoted sides looking dangerous, what the Irons need is stability and someone to ensure the worst doesn’t happen.

That is what the former England manager was a specialist at doing and what Dyche would be able to do if he was hired to replace Potter.

The “remarkable” manager, as dubbed by former professional turned pundit Ally McCoist, was called in by Everton to save them from the drop in January 2023, and he did just that, before being replaced once the club was stable.

24/25

16th

23/24

15th

22/23

17th

21/22

18th

20/21

17th

19/20

10th

18/19

15th

17/18

7th

16/17

16th

14/15

19th

That is why he could be an excellent option for the Hammers, as he could come in for this year, get the fans back onside, make the team more difficult to play against and then make way for a more progressive coach in the summer.

Moreover, even though he was brought in to save the Toffees from going down, the Englishman’s record there was far better than Potter’s is in East London.

Games

83

25

Wins

26

6

Draws

24

5

Losses

33

14

Points per Game

1.23

0.92

For example, the former Burnley icon oversaw 83 games for the Merseysiders, of which 26 were wins, 24 were draws and 33 losses, resulting in a pretty decent points per game average of 1.23.

Ultimately, Dyche wouldn’t be the most inspiring of choices, but like with Allardyce back in the day, he’d be a safe pair of hands to ensure the worst doesn’t happen this season.

Bilic upgrade: West Ham approach "incredible" manager admired by Mourinho

The experienced manager would be a brilliant hire for West Ham United.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 22, 2025

While they are still in the relegation zone, things are starting to look up for West Ham United.

In his first game in the dugout, Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a spirited fightback that saw the Hammers pick up a point away to Everton.

Moreover, while they lost against Arsenal, they were not blown away as they probably would’ve been under Graham Potter.

However, there is still more to come from the side, and while Jarrod Bowen continues to impress whenever he is on the pitch, another West Ham player could get back to his best and in the process become Nuno’s new Morgan Gibbs-White.

Changes Nuno can make for the next game

While it will take some time for Nuno’s tactical changes and philosophy to really sink into the side, there are a few changes he could make ahead of the next game that may lead to some instant results.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

For example, while at his best, he can be a fulcrum for the attack, it might be time for Niclas Füllkrug to be taken out of the team, as he offered no threat whatsoever in the last two games.

Moreover, against the Toffees, he managed to lose ten of his 14 aerial duels, so on top of not worrying opposition defences, he’s also not holding the ball up enough.

Appearances

20

7

Minutes

877′

385′

Goals

3

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

175.4′

N/A

In place of the German, Callum Wilson could be given a start, or if the manager wants to be bold, he might go for an academy player like Callum Marshall or maybe even Josh Landers.

Another change that might be worth making is in the six position, as while Soungoutou Magassa is undoubtedly talented, he is clearly still adapting to the pace and power of the league.

The Frenchman only completed ten passes against the Gunners, lost Declan Rice for the opener, and lost three of four duels.

So, with a home game against Brentford after the international break coming up, it might be the perfect opportunity to hand Freddie Potts his first start for the club, as in his half an hour at the Emirates, he looked reasonably impressive.

However, while these changes might have a moderate impact in the short term, Nuno could see a more significant impact should one of West Ham’s best players rediscover his best form, someone who could become his new Gibbs-White.

The West Ham star who could be Nuno's new Gibbs-White

While Bowen will undoubtedly continue to be the superstar of this team, the player who could end up being a Gibbs-White style star for Nuno is Lucas Paqueta.

The former Lyon gem hasn’t been at his best in every game this season, but when he’s on track and things are going his way, it’s easy to see how he could have a similar impact on the team that the Englishman did at Nottingham Forest.

At his best under his former manager, the Tricky Trees’ talisman was a silky attacking midfielder who was as capable of scoring a sensational goal as he was of creating them for his teammates.

For example, in 38 games last season, totalling 3142 minutes, he racked up a tally of seven goals and ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

Now, while the Irons’ Brazilian “magician,” as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, hasn’t quite hit numbers like that since moving to East London, he has gotten reasonably close before.

For example, in 23/24, he chalked up an impressive tally of eight goals and seven assists in 43 games, totalling 3478 minutes.

That came out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.86 games, or every 231.86 minutes.

Now, if the 28-year-old was able to put up numbers like that in the past, there is no reason he can’t do so again, especially with Nuno in charge, who has a track record of getting more out of his attackers.

​​​​​​​

Finally, the last reason Paqueta could become West Ham’s own Gibbs-White is that, when confident, he is, as talent scout Jacke Kulig puts it, a “pure joy to watch,” and that is how many a Forest fan would likely describe their talismanic midfielder.

Ultimately, this could be a long season for West Ham as they look to get back to their best. However, if the manager can utilise his star midfielder in the same way as his last one, it might not be so bad.

Nuno can drop Fullkrug & Wilson for West Ham's 20-year-old "goalscorer"

The promising youngster could be Nuno’s answer to his Füllkrug & Wilson problem at West Ham.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 9, 2025

A “powerful” Sunderland player will not only miss the weekend clash with Swansea City but could also be out for the next 13 matches, as confirmed by manager Regis Le Bris.

Latest Sunderland news

The Black Cats’ form has stalled a little in recent weeks, with only one win in their last six Championship matches, following such a blistering start to the season.

Le Bris’ fourth-place Sunderland side are back in league action on Saturday afternoon, making the trip to a Swansea team who are currently sitting ninth in the table. It promises to be another test of their promotion credentials, with further dropped points casting doubt over their hopes of reaching the Premier League automatically this season.

Kristjaan Speakman has spoken positively about the potential for January reinforcements, however, which could be needed to give the Black Cats the added quality that they crave: “We’ve just got to be really diligent in the moment, able to react and action things really quickly within the month of January. I’m really optimistic about what we can achieve.”

Injuries can have the potential to derail any team’s season, though, with Sunderland not without fitness issues this term, and now a fresh blow has emerged.

Injury blow for "powerful" Sunderland ace

Speaking on Thursday, Le Bris confirmed that Sunderland winger Tom Watson is expected to be out injured for around two months, meaning he could miss as many as 13 games leading up to the middle of February.

This is a huge blow for Watson and Sunderland, with the 18-year-old impressing so much for such a young player, scoring twice in six Championship starts so far this season.

Swansea City (A)

December 14th

Norwich City (H)

December 21st

Blackburn Rovers (A)

Boxing Day

Stoke City (A)

December 29th

Sheffield United (H)

New Year’s Day

Portsmouth (H)

January 5th

Stoke City (H) – FA Cup

January 11th

Burnley (A)

January 17th

Derby County (A

January 21st

Plymouth Argyle (H)

January 25th

Middlesbrough (A)

February 3rd

Watford (H)

February 8th

Luton Town (H)

February 12th

With Jack Clarke departing to Ipswich Town during the summer transfer window, he has really stepped up, with Le Bris heading praise on him, saying: “When you have a winger with the ability to run inside and outside and cross, it’s a gift for a coach and a team. He works well.

“The system is well designed for him. We can use him very quickly and play to his main strengths. He’s powerful, he can dribble, he can move inside and outside and he scored. He’s very strong, a very good winger in this league.”

While Watson isn’t necessarily one of the first names on Le Bris’ team sheet, he is still going to be a massive loss in the coming months, having done so well for a player so young.

Sunderland have hit gold on "diamond" who may be sold for more than Clarke

Sunderland could soon cash in on this star for a high amount.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 13, 2024

It means Sunderland immediately lose an attacking threat out wide, with the teenager shining in a left-sided role, and it could be an an extra excuse for the club to look for a new face in the January window.

Newcastle United have conducted a scouting mission on a “stunning” Sunderland star ahead of the January transfer window, according to a report.

Newcastle looking to sign a defender

Back in November, Alan Shearer gave an overview of the positions he feels Newcastle need to strengthen this winter, saying: “I would definitely be targeting a centre-forward, a right-sided forward and probably a centre-half. Those are the three priority positions.”

Since then, the Magpies have stepped up their interest in a number of centre-backs, with Lens’ Abdukodir Khusanov becoming their top target in that area of the pitch, in light of his impressive performances in Ligue 1 this season.

Eric Garcia has also emerged as a target for Eddie Howe, with Barcelona willing to let the defender leave in January, should a potential suitor be willing to stump up a fee of around €25m (£21m) for his services.

Newcastle United now leading the race to sign £30m "special talent"

The Magpies have their sights set on a new winger.

ByDominic Lund Dec 21, 2024

Newcastle are looking at a number of options from players across the continent, however there are now indications they could make a move for a player from much closer to home, much to the discontent of their local rivals.

According to a report from The Boot Room, the Magpies are one of a number of that have scouted Sunderland’s Daniel Ballard, but there will be significant competition for his signature.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are now pushing to sign the centre-back, while Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Crystal Palace and Fulham have also conducted scouting missions, which displays how impressive his performances have been so far this season.

As such, it may be difficult to win the race for Ballard’s signature, and the rivalry with Sunderland will certainly do Newcastle no favours when it comes to potentially entering transfer negotiations.

Newcastle United’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (h)

December 26th

Manchester United (a)

December 30th

Tottenham Hotspur (a)

January 4th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (h)

January 15th

AFC Bournemouth (h)

January 18th

Ballard impressing for the Black Cats

Sunderland are pushing for promotion back to the Premier League and Ballard has emerged as an important player, particularly in the last couple of months, cementing himself as a consistent starter and even providing a goal in the 3-2 win against Swansea City.

Lauded as “stunning” by journalist Josh Bunting, it is clear to see why so many top-flight clubs are keen on signing the 25-year-old, but a move to St. James’ Park seems an unlikely scenario, given the circumstances.

It would be extremely unusual for Sunderland to sanction Ballard joining their main rivals, particularly when they’re in a promotion race and there are a number of other interested parties who they could sell him to.

As such, Newcastle may be better off prioritising the signing of more realistic targets, such as Khusanov or Garcia, particularly considering the latter player will be allowed to leave Barcelona in January, making negotiations a lot easier to conduct.

Chelsea have been hunting for their prolific number nine over the past few years, notably since their £97.5m move for Romelu Lukaku backfired, only making 44 appearances in his second stint with the Blues, scoring 15 goals and providing one assist.

Since then, Kai Havertz was often deployed as a striker under Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter, with other signings such as Pierre Emerick-Aubamayang and David Datro Fofana not going as planned.

This now leaves the current options as Nicolas Jackson, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu, who have scored 17 goals between the three of them in 2024/25.

How Chelsea's main strikers compare

Jackson has started this campaign as the starting striker in Enzo Maresca’s team, scoring six goals and providing three assists in 901 minutes. His all-round play, ability to run the channels and work hard for the team, has seen him heavily trusted by the new boss, specifically over Nkunku.

The France international has still been used effectively this season, starting cup competitions, and coming from the bench in Premier League games, making 17 appearances, netting ten goals and registering one assist in 688 minutes.

Guiu, who was signed from Barcelona this summer for just £5m, has scored once in his seven appearances, showing promise as a hard-working centre-forward, who is a handful for defenders and looks to press from the front, winning the ball back in the opposition half.

Goals

0.63

1.08

Assists

0.31

0.12

xG

0.65

1.07

Progressive Carries

1.98

2.62

Progressive Passes

1.56

3.33

Shots Total

2.60

3.01

Key Passes

1.25

1.43

Touches (Att Pen)

4.79

6.43

Aerial Duels Won

0.52

0.95

The metrics above show Nkunku’s quality in and around the box, with a higher shot volume, more goals per 90, and a higher xG generated per 90. The Frenchman is a clinical finisher and has excellent movement to pair his instincts in dangerous areas.

However, whilst Nkunku betters Jackson in many of these per 90 metrics, what the Senegal international offers Chelsea is a real presence when running the channels, relentlessly making runs and being a nightmare for defenders, linking play and then driving forwards.

But one thing both of these strikers lack, is aerial prowess, both winning less than one aerial duel per 90 (Jackson with 0.52 and Nkunku with 0.95).

This is a clear hole in their squad building, and the Chelsea scouting department is looking to fix that in the coming windows.

Chelsea looking at Nkunku upgrade

According to reports from GIVEMESPORT, Chelsea are interested in Ipswich striker, Liam Delap, and could make a move for him next summer.

The report states that Chelsea’s scouts have been regularly watching Delap this season in his impressive run for struggling Ipswich.

The former Man City forward only left permanently last summer but has made a rip-roaring start to life in Suffolk, now being valued at £33m.

Making 12 appearances for Ipswich this campaign, he has scored six goals and provided one assist in 796 minutes played. His six goals in the Premier League have come from just 2.4 xG, therefore outscoring his xG by +3.6. It’s safe to say he’s truly delivering on the “unplayable” status he was given at Hull City by The Daily Mail’s Baz Cooper.

The 21-year-old forward offers a bigger and stronger build than both Jackson and Nkunku, winning 1.05 aerial duels per 90, and standing at 6 foot 1. Whilst he is the same height as Jackson, Delap has a stocky build, with a strong upper body, and the ability to bully defenders using his frame.

These are traits Chelsea want in their next striker option, to complement the qualities of Jackson, and add extra box threat to the squad, something that is currently lacking, especially when teams drop into a low block against the Blues.

Whether it is Delap, or someone else, Chelsea are definitely interested in adding a different-profile striker to their squad, in order to give Maresca extra options in games to turn the tide in their favour.

Chelsea must regret selling "sensational" star more than Hall & Livramento

Chelsea must regret offloading the talent given his recent form.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 20, 2024

Will Leeds blow it this year? The Championship has been a cruel mistress to the Elland Road outfit down the years but they are now top of the league after 17 fixtures.

It’s been a brilliant recent patch for the Whites who are hoping to exorcise their demons of last term when they were beaten to automatic promotion by Leicester City and remarkably by Ipswich Town who achieved phenomenal campaigns.

Daniel Farke’s men battered Norwich in the play-offs but came unstuck against Southampton, failing to even score in that defeat at Wembley.

Since then, they have bounced back phenomenally well. Their promotion hoodoo, for the second time in the last five years, could be about to end.

Gone is Crycensio Summerville. Gone is the skipper, Liam Cooper, and gone is talented teenager Archie Gray.

However, as their dominant 3-0 win over Luton on Wednesday evening showed, they needn’t worry about their departures for much longer.

Leeds’ best performers against Luton

This was about a dominant performance as you can get from Farke’s side who cemented their lead at the top of the second tier in quite some style.

This is a Luton side who have been way below par under Rob Edwards this term but they are a recent relegated team all the same. To beat any recent Premier League outfit 3-0 is impressive.

The deadlock was broken after ten minutes when Sam Bryam, an unlikely goal scorer found the net with a lovely scissor kick, before Joel Piroe – arguably flattering to deceive as the main striker – made things a great deal more comfortable by scoring just before the break.

Things were rounded off late on by substitute Dan James who is in quite the run of form right now having also provided two assists in the remarkable 4-3 win against Swansea last Sunday.

The goalscorers will no doubt get praise but midfielder Ao Tanaka was exceptional once more, registering 133 touches, the highest of anyone on the field and completing a whopping 113 passes, the second most on the pitch.

That second statistic was only bettered by captain Pascal Struijk who in keeping a clean sheet boasted 116 accurate passes and 132 touches. If that wasn’t enough the Dutchman also won seven duels.

Touches

132

133

Passes completed

116

113

Long passes completed

5/7

5/7

Duels won

7/10

4/8

Dribbled past

0x

2x

It wasn all plain sailing for Farke and Co but one selection dilemma, in particular, deserves attention.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

What to do with Brenden Aaronson

Brenden Aaronson’s tale as a Leeds United player has been a strange one, let’s put it that way.

Signed by fellow countryman Jesse Marsch when they were still in the Premier League, things began promisingly for the attacking midfielder when he scored a late winner against Chelsea.

It feels like from that very moment things have never quite worked out as the American would have hoped.

A loan spell in the Bundesliga last term did bring back some confidence, although it was a surprise when Farke decided to revive the player’s career over the summer, reintroducing him into the squad.

Last season he was involved in just four goals for loan side Union Berlin and to the 24-year-old’s credit he has already bettered that in Leeds colours since returning to the setup, scoring four times in 2024/25 and registering one assist.

Sadly, the USA international isn’t quite delivering at the moment and regularly frustrates the masses at Elland Road.

That was the story once more on Wednesday evening when Aaronson struggled despite the 3-0 win.

Farke suggested that his work rate was “unbelievable” but that delusion just provoked understandable groans from the Leeds supporters.

Ultimately he was not that impressive, handed an average 6/10 match rating by Leeds Live reporter Beren Cross who wrote that there were ‘some good bits and bad bits from the American’ which rather sums up his career at the club.

Minutes played

84

Touches

60

Accurate passes

35/41 (85%)

Key passes

2

Crosses

1/3

Long balls

0

Shots on target

1

Dribble attempts

1/3

Ground duels won

3/10

Aerial duels won

0/1

Possession lost

15x

Fouled

2x

During his 84 minutes on the field, Aaronson did produce two key passes but in a game where the hosts had 20 shots, only one of them came from his boot.

Perhaps the worst two stats where the number of duels he won (4/13) and the number of times he gave away the ball (15).

With Blackburn to come at the weekend, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him back in the starting XI given Farke’s praise. However, it should be the time to drop him to the bench.

Better options await in the shape of James, Mateo Joseph or Largie Ramazani.

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Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea side made it four wins on the bounce, beating Southampton 5-1 in the Premier League.

Goals from Axel Disasi, Christopher Nkunku, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer and Jadon Sancho secured victory for the Blues, adding another three points to their tally.

Chelsea now sit second in the Premier League, winning eight times, drawing four times, and only losing two from their opening 14 games. The Blues sit on 28 points, seven away from Liverpool in first, which continues to beg the question of whether they are in the title race this season.

There were plenty of top performances from the Blues, but one that stood out, was Nkunku, who started ahead of Nicolas Jackson up front and didn’t disappoint with his performance.

Christopher Nkunku's performance in numbers

The Frenchman was able to add to his growing goal tally, despite playing as second fiddle so far this season to Jackson upfront, now netting 12 times in his 21 appearances, also with two assists in his 882 minutes played.

Alongside his goal and assist, the Frenchman completed one of his two dribble attempts, made two key passes, took four shots, and completed 14 of his 15 passes (93% completion).

Despite the brilliant performance from the 27-year-old forward, he wasn’t the best player on the pitch, as another one of Chelsea’s French talents shone, returning to the side after missing the last few games.

Malo Gusto's performance in numbers

Malo Gusto played once again in his inverted right-back role, joining Moises Caicedo in midfield, and forming something of a 2-2-5-1 shape on the ball for Maresca’s Blues.

His performance earned him a 7/10 match rating from The Standard, after another dynamic display from the Frenchman.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

The 21-year-old has become a key figure in Maresca’s tactical plans, using his positional flexibility to configure different shapes against different opposition, in order to give Chelsea the advantage in games.

So far this season, Gusto has made 13 appearances, providing two assists, and totalling 880 minutes played.

Minutes

90

Touches

91

Accurate Passes

70/72

Assists

1

Key Passes

2

Long Balls

1/1

Ground Duels Won

7/7

Tackles

7

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Gusto was brilliant defensively in this game, making seven tackles and winning all seven of his ground duels (100%). His ability to recover and defend whilst retreating, defend 1v1 areas out wide, and also counter press when the ball is lost, certainly gives Chelsea an edge out of possession.

But the defender also offers security on the ball, circulating play nicely, keeping it simple to bring his teammates into play, and even providing an assist towards the end of the game.

The blend of athleticism and off-ball qualities with his technical security and ability on the ball is exactly why Maresca uses him so frequently to solve problems.

With Tottenham up next at the weekend, the decision for Maresca will be whether to return to Caicedo playing as an inverted full-back to get all three of him, Roméo Lavia and Enzo Fernández in the team together, or whether Gusto will retain his spot, meaning one midfielder has to make way instead.

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