Leeds United have had their fair share of impressive number nines over the years and current head coach Daniel Farke has two superb forward options at his disposal.

Georgino Rutter and Joel Piroe have combined for nine goals and six assists in the Championship so far this season as part of the club's dynamic front two.

The likes of Patrick Bamford and Chris Wood in relatively recent second division campaigns gone by have also been superb goalscorers for the Whites.

One excellent marksman who supporters may not immediately think of when they look back on the club's best strikers at this level is towering centre-forward Matt Smith.

Matt Smith's goal record at Leeds

The 6 foot 5 titan was signed from League One side Oldham ahead of the 2013/14 campaign after a return of six goals in 34 games in the third tier.

Leeds snapped him up and it turned out to be a fantastic piece of business as the giant finisher enjoyed a fantastic season in front of goal at Elland Road.

Smith racked up 12 goals and six assists in 39 Championship appearances as a star for the Whites, to go along with one goal and one assist in four cup matches.

His impressive performances for the Yorkshire-based side led to a £500k move to Fulham, who had just been relegated from the Premier League.

They loaned him straight out to Bristol City and the ex-Leeds man went on to score 13 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions for the Robins before a return of five goals and two assists in 15 games for the Cottagers during the second half of the season.

Matt Smith's goal record this season

After spells with Queens Park Rangers and Millwall at Championship level, Smith secured a transfer to Salford in January 2021 and he has gone on to be consistent scorer for his current club in recent years.

Appearances

102

102

Goals

23

21

Assists

12

Nine

The 34-year-old marksman has plundered an eye-catching 34 goals and five assists in 91 games for the League Two outfit, having dropped down from the second tier.

This season, Smith is enjoying a career-year as his 14-goal haul in just 18 league matches is already the best tally he has ever managed in a single league season at first-team level. His previous high was a return of 13 goals in 41 Championship outings for Millwall during the 2019/20 campaign.

The veteran striker, who Salford journalist Lewis Gray claimed is in "red hot" form, has also registered two assists and chipped in with one goal in two EFL Cup clashes.

This means that Smith has racked up 15 goals and two assists in all competitions this season, whilst no Leeds player has managed more than Crysencio Summerville and Piroe's respective tally of six goals each.

It is good to see that the experience centre-forward has been able to forge a strong career for himself, with respectable spells in the Championship at QPR and Millwall after his time with Bristol City and Fulham, following his exit from Leeds in 2014.

Liverpool suffered two worrying injuries to key players in the 1-1 draw with Manchester City, and journalist James Pearce has provided an update on the influential pair.

Liverpool's injuries vs Man City

The Reds picked up an impressive result in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, battling their way to an excellent point away to the reigning champions.

Prior to the game, City had won all 23 home matches they have played in all competitions in 2023, but Jurgen Klopp's men proved to be a match for them at the Etihad, showing off their title credentials in the process.

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Erling Haaland opened the scoring before half-time, making the most of some questionable defending to fire past Alisson, and it looked as though Liverpool could be on their way to a damaging defeat in Manchester. Thankfully, Trent Alexander-Arnold equalised with an inch-perfect finish with time running out, however, earning his side a hard-fought draw at the home of last season's Champions League winners.

There were two negatives to take from the game, though, with Diogo Jota leaving the field with an injury in the second half, and Alisson then going down in the dying seconds, with both looking like they may have potentially suffered hamstring issues. It is a big concern ahead of the festive fixtures, with Klopp needing as many of his key figures available as possible.

James Pearce drops Liverpool injury update

Taking to X after the game, Pearce confirmed that Liverpool pair Alisson and Jota are both "set for scans" on the injuries they picked up at City.

This is clearly concerning news for Liverpool, and the fact that scans are needed to determine the severity of the injuries does suggest that neither simply suffered cramp in a high-intensity encounter.

The idea of the Reds losing Alisson for a sustained period doesn't even bear thinking, considering the Brazilian is seen by many as the best goalkeeper in the world, and his influence has possibly been unrivalled at Anfield this season.

Even against City, on a day when he was far from his best, he still made a crucial save to deny Haaland just seconds before Liverpool went up the other end and equalised through Alexander-Arnold, and he is a colossal presence between the sticks.

Meanwhile, Jota would be another big miss, with the Reds forward scoring eight goals overall this season, and he is someone who does seem to pick up injuries on a frustratingly regular basis.

The hope is that the scans reveal that both Alisson and Jota have only suffered minor issues, potentially not even missing a Premier League game, but that could be wishful thinking, and it is easy to envisage Klopp having to make do without both for a chunk of action.

Not having Alisson available for a lengthy spell would be particularly galling for Liverpool supporters, with Caoimhin Kelleher a solid backup option but not someone a title-chasing team wants in their starting lineup every week, but the Reds do at least have Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo to call upon in attack without Jota around.

As the January transfer window grows closer and closer, Arsenal will be eyeing suitable reinforcements to ensure Mikel Arteta’s squad can maintain their credentials as Premier League title challengers.

Injuries have tainted the manager’s options to field the Gunners’ best XI consistently, adding pressure to the club’s need to hire additional bodies in the winter window to rectify the quality available in the squad.

The strike department is one of the notable areas needing extra resources, with Gabriel Jesus’ injury record unreliable, and Eddie Nketiah’s conviction in front of goal also unreliable, leaving Arsenal short of inspiration in the final third.

Luckily for the north Londoners, the January transfer window is not far away, and the Gunners have already been linked to a host of players that could find sanctuary at the Emirates in the near future.

While Jesus leads the way as Arteta’s favoured number nine, the former Manchester City whiz isn’t what some would call a clinical forward, having never scored more than 14 Premier League goals in a season during his eight-year stay in the top flight.

The Brazil international’s lack of proficiency when it matters could be the difference between Arsenal and other title challengers, and as a result, a handful of targets have been tipped to replace the 26-year-old.

1 Dusan Vlahovic – Juventus

A report from Football Transfers earlier this month reinforced that Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic, remains Arteta’s primary choice for a new number nine ahead of the January window.

The report adds that the Gunners were interested in the Serbian prior to his move to Juve in January 2022, when he made the move from Fiorentina to the Bianconeri after excelling with the Viola from the youth ranks.

At the age of 23, Vlahovic already has 99 domestic goals to his name, supporting his claim to being a strong asset for Arsenal to target in the bid to capture themselves a reliable source of goals in the winter.

While the 6 foot 3 dynamo stole the headlines for his 44 goals in 98 Serie A appearances for Fiorentina, he has failed to hit similar levels since making the move to Turin, where the Serbia international has only netted 21 goals in Serie A in almost two years.

Once lauded as being “everything you need” in a striker by Micah Richards, the €80m-rated (£70m) ace has been starved of the creative outlet he once received at Fiorentina, which has been detrimental to his form, as explained by Alessio Tacchinardi, via Football Italia.

Arsenal’s creative geniuses could unlock the past form of the forward, who is statistically comparable to Erling Haaland, and get the best out of the notoriously clinical forward.

2 Santiago Gimenez – Feyenoord

Another sensation in Europe that is said to be capturing the Gunners' eye is Feyenoord hitman, Santiago Gimenez.

Back in September, a report via 90min relayed that Arsenal had sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old in action, with his goalscoring form since his move to the Eredivisie something hard to ignore.

In the summer of 2022, Feyenoord signed the Mexican striker from Cruz Azul after he’d shown high potential for his direct playing style and five goals in five games in the 2022/23 league campaign prior to his exit.

The Dutch outfit hit the jackpot in acquiring his signature, seeing him score 23 goals in all competitions last term, ending his first spell in the Eredivisie as the third-highest scorer in the league.

While last season was impressive, the Mexico international looks to be on an even higher trajectory this term, having already scored 15 goals in 15 games, 13 of which have come in just 12 Eredivisie appearances.

At the start of the season, Gimenez scored in eight consecutive matches following the opening day, explaining why Feyenoord are said to value their hero at €100m (£87m) ahead of the opening of the transfer window, via 90min.

Dubbed a “machine” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his clinical streak, the 2001-born gem averages a goal every 74 minutes in the league this campaign, posing as the ideal upgrade on Jesus, whose scoring frequency sits at 372 minutes in the 2023/24 Premier League.

With two goals in two Champions League appearances so far, Gimenez has proven himself among Europe’s elite, suggesting that he could be a player who would flourish in playing at the level of the English top-flight.

3 Ivan Toney – Brentford

While both Vlahovic and Gimenez are clinical in their sides, fellow Arsenal target Ivan Toney could be the missing piece to Arteta’s puzzle in attack.

The Englishman has been mentioned with reference to the Gunners predominantly after his feature on the Diary of a CEO podcast, in which he named the north Londoners as a team he “liked” when asked about potential new clubs.

In January, the 27-year-old’s ban from football will expire, leaving Brentford braced to receive a wave of interest in their talisman, who is said to be valued at £100m by the Bees, as per The Mirror.

Arsenal were mentioned in that report as the side that Thomas Frank’s side will hope to ‘block’ interest from, with his presence an undeniably attractive force that would bolster Arteta’s options in the number nine role.

Toney would be the most suited striker to the Gunners due to his experience in the Premier League, an attribute that becomes a gamble when hiring players from abroad with little guarantee that they will adapt to the demands of the English game.

To put into perspective what the England international could offer to the Emirates, the Northampton-born talisman has scored 32 Premier League goals over the past two seasons, with Jesus only scoring 28 in the previous three.

In the top-flight last campaign, Brentford’s leading forward recorded a goal conversion rate of 21%, an upgrade on the Brazilian’s 14% conversion rate during his first season at Arsenal.

Arteta could thrive in adding the pace, power and Premier League-proven attributes of Toney to the squad, in a move that could bridge the gap between the Gunners and treble-winners Manchester City.

Ipswich Town cemented their stronghold on the automatic promotion positions with a 3-2 home win against Swansea City just before the International break, eight points now separate Kieran McKenna's Tractor Boys and their nearest challengers Leeds United who occupy third.

Scoring a league-best 36 goals for the Championship, Ipswich have been enthralling to watch going forward – forwards such as Nathan Broadhead and Conor Chaplin unnerving second-tier defences with their potency so far this season, whilst other unexpected figures in the first-team set-up have also chipped in with goals to give Ipswich a continued element of surprise in attack.

Omari Hutchinson has helped when needed too, the Chelsea loanee joining Portman Road in the summer in the hopes of learning the ropes at senior level fast and excelling with the Tractor Boys.

The 20-year-old has two goals and three assists from 19 games in all competitions since making the short-term switch from Stamford Bridge, one of those goals helping his new employers overcome Southampton 1-0 away at St Mary's.

Ipswich will hope they can add to their squad with more useful loanees if possible, even going back to Chelsea and potentially recruiting another couple players from the Blues when the transfer window re-opens.

Here are three Chelsea players that could follow in Hutchinson's footsteps in relocating to Suffolk…

1 Jamie Cumming

Ipswich could do with adding fresh blood into the goalkeeper positions at the club, first-choice shot-stopper Vaclav Hladky underwhelming in between the sticks with 21 goals conceded from the 16 Championship games he's featured in.

Goalkeeper Jamie Cumming could well be a welcome addition from Chelsea on a loan deal for the Tractor Boys therefore, who do already have Cieran Slicker as a young back-up purchased from Manchester City this summer.

But, the Blues keeper is far more experienced figure than his ex-Man City counterpart – the 24-year-old a recognisable figure to EFL fans at this point in time, featuring for Stevenage, Gillingham and MK Dons out on loan.

The 6 foot 2 goalkeeper would even win Player of the Year whilst at Milton Keynes in League One, Cumming keeping 14 clean sheets in total across all competitions last season.

McKenna could look to the 24-year-old as a useful utility figure to sign if Hladky continues to leak goals at his current rate, the Chelsea man eager to get back out there and gain more experience with a new club.

2 Josh Brooking

Named on the bench in the Premier League against Fulham in October, 21-year-old Chelsea talent Josh Brooking could be ready for his first loan move ever away from Stamford Bridge to get a taste of senior football.

Brooking has amassed 75 appearances as a centre-back for both the Chelsea U21s and U18s, helping himself to two goals from the back along the way.

McKenna could swoop in for the young English defender to bolster his centre-back positions and give first-teamers Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess some friendly competition, both players in question always guaranteed starters under their manager.

When the fixture schedule becomes congested towards the end of December, Brooking's potential addition could prove to be a masterstroke and allow the Ipswich manager more freedom with his line-up selection in the New Year.

3 Leo Castledine

The standout performer for Chelsea U21s from this current Premier League 2 campaign, Leo Castledine could be in line for a loan move away to an EFL club soon to show off his talents at a senior level.

Casteldine's numbers for the youthful Blues are staggering, contributing to ten goals this season for Chelsea from only eight games played – scoring four times and assisting a further six goals, the attacking midfielder arguably outgrowing his current age bracket.

McKenna's side could do with some reinforcements in central attacking midfield, Chaplin is operating there at this current point in time in a second striker style role but Castledine would – much like Brooking – keep another first-team figure on his toes if he was signed.

The 18-year-old is tipped to have a very bright future in the game, Ipswich Town in their current free-flowing state going forward also a perfect environment for the teenager to come into and grow from.

Glasgow Rangers have been dealt a blow after learning that they could be without one of their first-team stars through injury for Thursday's Europa League game vs Aris.

Rangers injury news

The Light Blues are set to host Akis Mantzios’ side this evening at Ibrox, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time, and whilst they will be hoping to gain a positive result, they will have to try and do so without several squad members for various reasons.

Philippe Clement currently has Nicolas Raskin, Ryan Jack and Kemar Roofe on the sidelines with their own respective problems, while Connor Goldson is suspended and Leon Balogun and Ridvan Yilmaz won’t be available for selection either.

Davies starts & "wonderful" talent benched in predicted Rangers lineup v Aris

Rangers will be hoping to bounce back by securing three points against Aris

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 29, 2023

Back in February 2021, Scott Wright first joined the club from Aberdeen and during his two years in the Scottish Premiership, he’s become a regular feature of the first-team squad, but this season, the right-winger has very much been in and out of the team.

Scotland’s former youth international has made one start and the same number of substitute appearances in the Europa League (WhoScored – Wright statistics), and if the following update is to be believed, the 26-year-old might be facing a wait to make his next outing too.

Scott Wright could be ruled out

Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, Clement confirmed that Wright might not be available to face Aris for tonight’s important encounter on home soil.

As quoted by Rangers’ official account on X, he said: “We have a few players out as not selected in the European squad. Raskin and Jack will not be back yet. Scott Wright is a doubt for tomorrow with a muscular issue.”

Rangers missing a real "driving force" in Wright

Whilst Wright has been missing from the matchday squad on eight occasions in the league since the start of this season, he’s still previously shown what he’s capable of having posted 16 goal contributions, nine goals and seven assists, during his time at Rangers (Transfermarkt – Wright statistics).

The Aberdeen-born talent is also a versatile operator having been deployed in seven different positions following his arrival on the professional scene, including three roles across the frontline and four roles in the midfield, so his ability to adapt makes him a great option to have in the squad.

Right Winger

40

Left Winger

32

Attacking Midfield

26

Centre-Forward

6

Central Midfield

2

Right Midfield

1

Left Midfield

1

Clement’s forward has even helped to contribute to silverware whilst wearing the blue shirt having been part of the group that was crowned Scottish Premiership winner and Scottish Cup champion, so he will possess a winning mentality that the manager could have done with having at his disposal.

With Wright being described as a “driving force” by journalist Josh Bunting, his possible absence would therefore be a real blow for the boss, who will want to have his strongest squad available to give them the best chance of securing a victory under the lights.

With Sunderland sitting ninth and just three points adrift of the Championship play-off places, Tony Mowbray was dismissed in a bold decision from the Black Cats. The former Blackburn Rovers boss guided Sunderland into the top six in the previous campaign before they lost to eventual Wembley winners Luton Town in the semi-final.

It looked as though Mowbray’s side were on course to compete for a shot at promotion once more too, only for Sunderland to bring the manager’s tenure to an end after their 1-1 draw against Millwall. Now, the search is on for the next man to enter the hot seat at The Stadium of Light, with one particularly impressive name reportedly entering the shortlist.

Sunderland manager news

After relieving Mowbray of his duties, Sunderland released a statement on the club’s official website thanking the manager. Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman said:

“All at SAFC have thoroughly enjoyed working with Tony and he is quite rightly held in high regard by our players and staff, and our supporters. After arriving at an uncertain time, he helped guide us to the Sky Bet Championship Play-Offs and played an important role in developing our team. This was a difficult decision to make, but we remain loyal to our ambition and our strategy, and felt that now was the right moment to take this step.

“We are now focused on identifying the right candidate and we will continue to support our coaching team and players throughout the interim period.”

Sunderland could hire 3-5-2 manager who's never beaten the Black Cats

Sunderland could look to appoint this out of work manager, putting the ongoing Mowbray manager saga firmly to one side.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 6, 2023

The focus now turns to finding their next manager, with reports suggesting that one specific name has entered the shortlist. According to reliable reporter Ed Aarons of The Guardian, Reims manager Will Still has entered the shortlist to replace Mowbray at Sunderland. The Englishman has earned plenty of plaudits in Ligue 1 and Sunderland’s owner, Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has reportedly been impressed.

“Extraordinary” Still would be better than Mowbray

There’s no denying that Mowbray did an excellent job at Sunderland, but if they are to push on, then Still could be the perfect next step in the club’s push to return to the Premier League. The Reims manager initially stole the headlines last season when the news emerged about Reims’ £22k fine. The French club were paying the fine every week due to the fact that Still didn’t have a UEFA Pro License.

Persisting with their manager despite the fines, the Ligue 1 side finished 11th and have continued their rise, climbing to as high as fifth in the current campaign. Still has earned plenty of praise for his work, including from HLTCO, who posted on X:

"I know Will Still has become a meme on here since rising to prominence in France but I wholeheartedly recommend giving this interview a watch. Given his level of “fame” if you can call it that, he’s remarkably unaffected. He’s just an ordinary bloke doing an extraordinary job."

Whether the Reims man makes the move to Sunderland remains to be seen, but Still certainly appears to have the credentials to take his place in the Black Cats’ technical area. With a busy festive period coming up, those at The Stadium of Light may want to ensure that their search for a new manager ends sooner rather than later.

You'd have to be pretty nuts to buy a football club, and if you aren't already, the stress would get you there. A lot of people think that because they've been successful in one business, they're bound to be successful in another, but football is a harsh mistress.

From trying to change a club's entire identity to running onto the pitch with a gun, Football FanCast counts down the top ten craziest owner moments.

Vincent Tan changes Cardiff City colours to 'lucky' red

Cardiff City, 2012

The man with the moustache, Vincent Tan himself. Cardiff City fans won't soon forget the owner who tried to change almost everything about the club they had loved and supported for generations. The Malaysian businessman was meant to be the person to lead them to a brave new era as an established Premier League club. Instead, he didn't have a clue.

Tan became Cardiff City owner in 2010 after a consortium bought 30% of the club's shares, and right off the bat, he wanted change. The consortium said they would invest £100m into expanding the stadium and improving the training facilities, so long as fans agreed to change the colour of the home shirt from Cardiff's traditional blue to red, his "lucky colour". The proposal was rejected out of hand.

He didn't care, though. Two months later, the club went ahead with the rebrand regardless of continuous fan backlash. Not only did the shirt colour change, but the badge did, too. Tan decided it was a good idea to get rid of the bluebird and replace it with a red dragon in an attempt to make the club more intimidating. It didn't work and the club were relegated after one season in the Premier League in 2013/14.

Cardiff City have since changed the colour of their home shirt and the badge back to what they were always meant to be.

Ken Bates installs anti-hooligan electric fences at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea, 1985

Ken Bates is the man who saved Chelsea. Before Roman Abramovich and Todd Boehly were sinking billions of pounds into the club, Bates bought it for £1, rescuing them from bankruptcy and potential insolvency. Having said that, it's fair to say Bates had his quirks.

In 1982, the year he purchased the club, football hooliganism was rampant and Chelsea were one of the country's worst offenders. Opposing fans would meet up before a game to kick each other's heads in before heading to the ground to 'support' their team. It got so bad, that Bates thought it would be a good idea to install electric fences around the stands to stop fans invading the pitch.

"It works on my farm," Bates insisted, but local councillors weren't too impressed by the idea. While the fences were erected, they were never switched on. Bates would later sell the club for a cool £140m and use his profits to buy Leeds United, who were at the time in a similar financial struggle. He wasn't as well received and is universally hated by Leeds fans.

Delia Smith delivers infamous 'Let's be 'avin' you!' half-time teamtalk

Norwich City, 2005

It's a staple of 'Football's Most Shocking Moments' DVDs across the country, you can almost hear a D-list comedian talking about it every time it's brought up. Celebrity chef and television presenter Delia Smith rose to prominence in the 70s, and did what any fan would want to do if they were rich – buy the football club they love.

When Smith bought Norwich City in 1996, the club was struggling. Smart investment helped the club back to the Premier League, and while they may have seen their fair share of relegations, they're now a stable club with a recent history of bringing through exciting young talents.

2005 was one of those years Norwich were relegated from the Premier League, and Smith said the words that will eternally be used to mock her and the club.

"A message for the best football supporters in the world: we need a 12th man here. Where are you? Where are you? Let's be 'avin' you! Come on!," she said at half-time during their game against Manchester City. Unfortunately, her rallying call didn't work and Norwich lost 3-2.

Smith and her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones, are still majority shareholders of the club and have reportedly rejected numerous takeover offers. With no sign of letting up, they are by far the most competent owners on this list.

PAOK chief confronts referee with gun in pocket

PAOK, 2018

PAOK owner and rumoured friend of Vladimir Putin, Ivan Savvidis, has a bit of a temper. We've all been annoyed with officials, but Savvidis took it a little bit too far in 2018 when he stormed onto the pitch with a gun on his hip.

Unhappy with the officiating, he had finally had enough when a late PAOK goal against title rivals AEK Athens was disallowed. He went on to the pitch to confront the referee, with the game still being played, to vent his frustrations. This would have been unacceptable even if he didn't have a loaded revolver on him.

An arrest warrant was issued for Savvidis and the game was obviously abandoned. It was so serious that the Greek Deputy Minister for Sports, Giorgos Vassiliadis, decided to suspend the Greek Super League indefinitely. After talks with UEFA, Savvidis received a three-year ban. A light punishment for such an incident.

PAOK were also awarded a 0-3 defeat and deducted three points, which essentially swung the title in favour of their opponents.

Sam Hammam sets bizarre contract requirement

Cardiff City, 2001

It was hard to decide which of Lebanese businessman Sam Hammam's shenanigans to add to this list. His time in English football is riddled with obscene anecdotes. It's said that he added a clause into Wimbledon manager Bobby Gould's contract that would allow the owner to change the lineup 45 minutes before kick-off. He never acted upon it.

One of the weirdest things he did, though, was insist on having players eating sheep testicles being written into their contracts. Such an example was Cardiff City's Spencer Prior, whom Hammam came to a compromise with after apparently hoping he would eat them raw.

Dons fans have less fond memories. In 2000, Hammam sold the last 20% of his shares following their relegation from the Premier League, profiting from the sale of Plough Lane – a move that would lead the club to homelessness. Hammam bought Cardiff City later that same year.

Mohamed Al-Fayed installs Michael Jackson statue at Craven Cottage

Fulham, 2011

Manchester United have statues of their famous 'Holy Trinity' outside the entrance of Old Trafford to commemorate three of the club's greatest-ever players, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best, and Denis Law. Arsenal have numerous statues of past and present heroes dotted around the Emirates, something repeated more recently at the Etihad, among others. In 2011, Fulham unveiled a statue of popstar Michael Jackson.

Jackson was reportedly a good friend of then-owner Mohamed Al-Fayed, and had even attended a game at Craven Cottage, but those are pretty loose reasons to give him a statue outside the stadium. Fulham fans were not impressed. They believe it made the club look daft, which it did, and begged Al-Fayed to get rid of it.

The statue was eventually taken down, but only after Al-Fayed had sold the club to Shahid Khan in 2013. It now stands proudly in the National Football Museum in Manchester.

Andrea Radrizzani causes uproar with embarrassing badge proposal

Leeds United, 2018

Leeds United are a fiercely proud club. They have an immense history and a fanbase that loves the club like no other. A club's badge is a sacred thing, so what ex-owner Andrea Radrizzani did (or tried to do) has to be considered sacrilege.

Radrizzani's purchase of the club led to the end of Massimo Cellino's tumultuous tenure, and the new boss wanted fans to know it was a new era. He decided the best way to do that would be to create a new badge. Not a bad idea in theory, but what they came up with was so dreadful, that not a single fan was on board.

It kept the famous white, yellow and blue, but instead of a Yorkshire rose, the 'LUFC' and defined lines, it had a person doing the club's salute with a clenched fist over their heart. It was almost instantly dropped and the club retained their old badge.

Aurelio De Laurentiis insults 'cretin' Lionel Messi

Napoli, 2011

The current Serie A champions have a lot to thank Aurelio de Laurentiis for, but to say he's unpredictable is an understatement. Like ex-Wimbledon owner Hammam, he has had a litany of odd occasions during his time as Napoli president. Unveiling players in lion masks is one thing, but calling the GOAT a cretin is a step too far in our book.

Before he lifted the World Cup at Qatar 2022, Argentina had a history of underutilising their best player, Lionel Messi, and De Laurentiis had big opinions about it. He thought Messi should have refused to play for his country at the Copa America in 2011, and said that he was a cretin for agreeing to it.

"If I were Messi I would say I am not coming," he told Sky Sport Italia. "Messi is a cretin. He disgraced himself by going to the Copa and he made a mistake," he added.

Disgraceful Berlusconi offers players reward with sexist 'joke'

Monza, 2022

The fact that Silvio Berlusconi has had such an impact on Italian football is ridiculous. The womanising ex-president was AC Milan owner and his money ushered in an era of unprecedented success for the Rossoneri. As success demanded more money, he decided to sell the club in 2018, unable to fund the club to the extent that it needed.

His time out of football didn't last long, though, and he took over at Serie C club Monza just 18 months later. Monza have since established themselves as a Serie A side, and Berlusconi was elated – so elated that he decided to incentivise his players to help continue their meteoric rise by promising a "bus full of wh*res" should they beat top teams AC Milan and Juventus.

His sexist outburst outraged the wider footballing community, but Berlusconi was unrepentant.

Flavio Briatore slams his own club's fans

QPR, 2010

Queens Park Rangers have had some terrible luck with owners, but Flavio Briatore might just be the worst. A good boss understands that he can't do everything, Briatore wasn't a good boss. The Italian businessman even once insisted that he would sit in the dugout at Loftus Road to advise the manager. He wasn't happy with what happened next.

QPR fans booed their incumbent owner, and like a child who threw all their toys out of the pram, Briatore threatened to sell the club if those fans' names weren't given to him. Unsurprisingly, it turned out to be nothing more than an empty threat, and he would eventually leave the club in 2010 after a miserable two-and-a-half-year stay.

Premier League clubs have often been known to splash the cash like there’s no tomorrow – even during the mid-season transfer window. January deals have a reputation of their own for requiring inflated transfer fees, chiefly down to the short turnarounds required to bid, sell and replace players before the deadline arrives.

The money has gone bonkers in recent years, with the English top flight’s biggest January moves all taking place in the past decade.

Whether selling or buying, English clubs have been able to exchange funds freely despite the looming threats of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations and the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability Rules, which both purport to limit the amount of spending by even the richest in the land.

But who have been the Premier League’s most expensive winter movers? Here are the top 12 January window deals…

#

Player

Date

Left

Joined

Fee

Philippe Coutinho

Jan 2018

Liverpool

Barcelona

Enzo Fernández

Feb 2023

Benfica

Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk

Jan 2023

Shakhtar Donetsk

Chelsea

Virgil van Dijk

Jan 2018

Southampton

Liverpool

Jhon Duran

Jan 2025

Aston Villa

Al-Nassr

Bruno Fernandes

Jan 2020

Sporting CP

Manchester United

Omar Marmoush

Jan 2025

Eintracht Frankfurt

Manchester City

Oscar

Jan 2017

Chelsea

Shanghai Port

Christian Pulisic

Jan 2019

Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea

Aymeric Laporte

Jan 2018

Athletic Bilbao

Manchester City

Diego Costa

Jan 2018

Chelsea

Atletico Madrid

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Jan 2018

Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal

12 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Arsenal £56m from Borussia Dortmund, 2018

Arsenal outlaid a whopping £56m to sign Borussia Dortmund’s prolific frontman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the 2018 January transfer window.

The north Londoners had only just signed Alexandre Lacazette the previous summer for a club-record £46.6m but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was clearly keen to add further firepower to his ranks.

Aubameyang enjoyed a fruitful four-year spell with Arsenal, netting just shy of a century of goals across 163 appearances, though his time did come to a sour ending.

Arsenal released a statement just weeks before he would eventually leave for Barcelona, which read: “Following his latest disciplinary breach last week, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will no longer be our club captain, and will not be considered for selection for Wednesday’s match against West Ham United.

“We expect all our players, particularly our captain, to work to the rules and standards we have all set and agreed.”

11 Diego Costa to Atletico Madrid £57m from Chelsea, 2018

Diego Costa completed a mega-money move away from Stamford Bridge in favour of a move back to former club Atletico Madrid in January 2018.

After netting 20 league goals during the 2016/17 campaign, helping Chelsea to win their sixth Premier League title, Costa was frozen out over the summer.

Atleti’s transfer ban meant they couldn’t sign the Spaniard until the new year, but he eventually made his long-awaited second debut for the Madrid-based club on 3rd January 2018, scoring in a Copa del Rey last-16 tie against Lleida Esportiu.

The forward endured a difficult second spell with Los Colchoneros, managing a league-best of five goals, before cancelling his contract six months early in January 2021 due to personal reasons.

10 Aymeric Laporte to Manchester City £57m from Athletic Bilbao, 2018

Manchester City broke their transfer record to sign the classy left-footed centre-half in January 2018, paying Athletic Bilbao £57m.

Aymeric Laporte quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League during his trophy-laden spell in England but ultimately lost his place in Pep Guardiola’s side towards the end, to the surprise of many.

Manuel Akanji’s arrival from Dortmund in 2022 appeared to be the turning point for Laporte’s City career, with the Switzerland international often the preferred defender in Guardiola’s system.

And that led to an exit in the summer just gone, signing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr – where Cristiano Ronaldo resides – in a deal worth £23.6m.

Nonetheless, City fans will remember his time at the Etihad fondly.

9 Christian Pulisic to Chelsea £58m from Borussia Dortmund, 2019

Chelsea forked out £58m to sign then-20-year-old Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund in January 2019.

The west Londoners loaned him back to the German outfit for the remainder of the season and he ended the campaign with seven goals and six assists across 30 appearances.

Whilst he did have his moments, his spell as a whole at Stamford Bridge was rather underwhelming, netting 26 times across 145 outings.

Having made just eight league starts last term, Pulisic’s Chelsea days looked numbered, and so it turned out to be, as he completed a permanent move to AC Milan in the summer.

#

Player

Left

Joined

Transfer fee

1

Christian Pulisic

Borussia Dortmund

Chelsea

£58m

2

Folarin Balogun

Arsenal

Monaco

£35m

3

Brendan Aaronson

Red Bull Salzburg

Leeds United

£24.8m

4

Tyler Adams

RB Leipzig

Leeds United

£20m

5

Sergino Dest

Ajax

Barcelona

£19m

8 Oscar to Shanghai Port £60m from Chelsea, 2017

Eyebrows were raised when Oscar departed Europe for the Chinese Super League in 2017, having just won the Premier League title earlier that year.

The Brazilian playmaker completed a colossal £60m move to Shanghai SIPG, now known as Shanghai Port, which at the time ranked as the seventh-highest transfer fee in history.

Oscar, speaking in 2017, gave his reasoning for leaving Chelsea: “When I made the decision to come here, I was thinking more of my family than of my career. I had other very good offers from big teams in Europe. But I thought a little more of my family, and after that – I am still young – I can return.”

It had been claimed he would earn £400,000 a week.

7 Omar Marmoush to Manchester City £63m from Eintracht Frankfurt, 2025

Manchester City went big on signing a challenger for Erling Haaland’s starting spot by bringing in Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt.

After dazzling in the first half of the 2024/25 season in Germany, Marmoush made the move to the Premier League after the clubs agreed on a £63m package, with £4m of that fee in add-ons.

He became the biggest Premier League incoming that winter and was one of four mid-season City arrivals.

6 Bruno Fernandes to Manchester United £47m (potentially rising to £67.7m) from Sporting CP, 2020

Manchester United landed the signature of Bruno Fernandes in 2020 for an initial fee worth £47m that could rise to £67.7m with add-ons.

The Portugal international has been a revelation for the Red Devils and is widely regarded as their best player, having scored 69 goals whilst laying on 59 assists across 207 appearances.

Erik ten Hag appointed the 29-year-old club captain at the start of the season, evincing just how highly thought of he is around Carrington.

Fernandes penned a new deal in 2022, keeping him at Old Trafford until 2026, with the option of a further year.

5 Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr £71m from Aston Villa, 2025

The biggest deal of the January 2025 winter window from a Premier League perspective was Jhon Duran’s exit from Aston Villa as he joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

The Colombian linked up with Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia after an eye-watering £71m move – not bad for an £18m move from two years prior.

4 Virgil van Dijk to Liverpool £75m from Southampton, 2018

Virgil van Dijk became the world’s most expensive defender when he completed a £75m move to Liverpool in January 2018.

The towering Dutch defender quickly established himself as one of the best players across the continent and even finished runner-up to Lionel Messi in the 2019 Ballon d’Or rankings.

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He was a central figure in Liverpool’s first Premier League title triumph during the 2019/20 season and famously went a reported 50 games without being dribbled past.

Previous Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson departed the Merseysiders in the summer and Van Dijk assumed the armband, evidencing his glowing status around the changing room.

The 64-cap Netherlands international has already cemented himself in conversations regarding the best centre-back in Premier League history.

3 Mykhailo Mudryk to Chelsea £89m from Shakhtar Donetsk, 2023

Chelsea continued their heavy spending under new owner Todd Boehly when they shelled out £89m for Shakhtar Donetsk’s rising star Mykhailo Mudryk earlier this year.

The fleet-footed wide player is still in the early stages of his Premier League career, but many would admit, perhaps including himself, that it’s been a pretty disappointing start to life in west London.

Mudryk has found the net just twice in 31 outings and looks to be pretty bereft of confidence, though, he has looked a real threat at times.

The 2001-born Ukraine international is still a fledgling professional footballer and has plenty of time to develop under the experienced wings of Mauricio Pochettino, so only time will tell how successful of signing he’ll be.

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Leeds United are set to be without another injured player alongside Sam Byram for this evening’s trip to Sunderland, Phil Hay reports.

Leeds injury news

The Whites head into tonight’s trip to the Stadium of Light in fine form under Daniel Farke, unbeaten in their last seven Championship fixtures – winning six of those. They have done it with a fairly settled side as well, with Archie Gray establishing himself at right-back, Joe Rodon and Pascal Struijk at centre-back and Byram at left-back.

However, Byram suffered another hamstring issue on the weekend as Leeds won 2-0 at Blackburn Rovers and now looks set to miss three weeks of action as a result. Junior Firpo is also currently sidelined, leaving Farke with a decision to make at left-back against the Black Cats.

Sam Byram injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Hamstring

40

2019/20

Knee

39

2018/19

Hamstring

15

2017/18

Hamstring

17

2016/17

Junior Firpo injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Knee

6

2023/24

Knee

7

2022/23

Ligament

4

2021/22

Hamstring

4

2021/22

One player who could have filled in at full-back is Jamie Shackleton, labelled as “brilliant” by former Millwall boss Gary Rowett, however, another injury update has emerged which isn’t good news for Farke and Leeds.

Hay took to X on Monday to relay comments from Farke’s pre-Sunderland press conference. When it came to injuries, the German said that Byram is out for three weeks and that Shackleton has a “glute injury” and also “won't be involved”.

Djed Spence at left-back

By the looks of things, summer arrival Djed Spence, naturally a right-back could be the man to fill in at left-back. The Spurs loanee was the man who replaced Byram at Ewood Park in the second half and featured at left-back as Crysencio Summerville scored a second in front of him to secure another three points for Leeds. It is a position that is unfamiliar for the 23-year-old, though, as can be seen below throughout his career.

Djed Spence career stats

Position

Number of games

Goals

Assists

Right-back

93

3

4

Right midfield

68

3

4

Left-back

5

0

0

Centre-back

1

0

0

Another option could be moving Struijk out to left-back and bringing Liam Cooper in at centre-back, but with Rodon and Struijk seemingly settled and finding solid form, Spence could be set or a run of games in the starting line-up at left-back, making this one to watch for tonight’s meeting.

With the January transfer window just around the corner as well, Leeds may need to just get to the New Year in good shape before targeting a left-back, with Hay relaying a hint from Farke on a new left-back addition.

"Farke indicating that he's giving through to recruiting at left-back in January – and was thinking about that even before Byram/Firpo got injured. Farke says Firpo is close to returning to training."

Newcastle United are reportedly battling two Premier League rivals for the signing of a "very interesting" player who has been dubbed a "great" in his position.

Newcastle suffer Nick Pope injury blow

The Magpies look like a team on their last legs at the moment, with so many tired performances on show, especially in Sunday's 4-1 defeat away to Tottenham. Eddie Howe has been dealt some terrible luck in the injury department since August, with so many key players unavailable throughout the campaign, making it hard to rotate and keep everyone fresh across various competitions.

Perhaps the most damaging injury setback of the season to date has been the one suffered by Nick Pope, with a serious shoulder issue expected to keep him out of action for many months. The Englishman has been a huge influence since arriving from Burnley, proving to be such a reliable figure between the sticks, and Martin Dubravka's uninspiring performance against Spurs arguably highlighted the need to bring in a new 'keeper during the January transfer window.

Former Manchester United stopper David De Gea has been linked as a target for Newcastle, with the Spaniard currently a free agent, while Crystal Palace's Sam Johnstone is also considered an option for the Magpies. Now, another name has been thrown into the mix, with an exciting young 'keeper believed to be on Howe's radar ahead of the January transfer window.

Newcastle want Giorgi Mamardashvili

According to a fresh transfer update from Spain, Newcastle are interested in completing the signing of Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The Magpies are not the only Premier League club who are keen on snapping up the 23-year-old, though, with Manchester United and Tottenham also believed to be admirers of his. Mamardashvili could be precisely what Newcastle are looking for to make up for the costly absence of Pope, with the Georgian a highly-rated player with most of his career still ahead of him at 23 years of age.

This season, the Magpies transfer target has started 16 matches in La Liga, winning one Man of the Match award from WhoScored in the process, and he is also a 14-time capped Georgia international, showing that he is an important player at international level, too. Legendary former Spain and Valencia 'keeper Santiago Canizares has heaped praise on him in the past, saying:

"He’s a great goalkeeper, he’s a very high-level player. And then in addition to that he’s very young. Goalkeepers improve year on year, so I couldn’t tell you what level he could reach. If he keeps improving at the current rate, it’s impossible to say how good he could get. He could be a very interesting target for any European club. And then the position that his club are in mean that it’s natural that he’d be on the transfer market."

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The lure of the Premier League could be great for Mamardashvili, and Newcastle could appeal the most, considering he would be almost certain to go straight into the side without Pope around, with Dubravka a step down in quality.