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This summer is huge for Leeds United if they are to maintain their Premier League status after securing promotion from the Championship at the end of the season.

The Whites secured the title after registering a total of 100 points, edging out Scott Parker’s Burnley on goal difference on the final day of the campaign.

However, Daniel Farke has a massive task on his hands to keep them in the top-flight, with each team promoted in the last two campaigns all dropping back to their second tier at the first attempt.

If the club are to avoid being the next team on that list, investment is desperately needed in the squad at Elland Road to try and be competitive in what’s becoming a tricky division to perform in for newly-promoted outfits.

With the summer window rapidly approaching, the hierarchy have wasted no time in making moves in the transfer market to hand the manager with the tools he needs to survive in 2025/26.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

With the gap growing year-on-year in the Premier League, quality and experienced additions are needed to help Leeds be on the right side of the dotted line come May 2026.

The likes of Kyle Walker-Peters, Vladimir Coufal and Sean Longstaff have all been linked with a move to Elland Road – with all three having key experience in England’s top-flight.

However, a younger option has also been thrown into the mix in the form of Manchester City’s James McAtee, that’s according to TEAMtalk’s latest update.

Their report claims that the Whites have returned with an enquiry to land the 22-year-old after previously trying to make a move to sign him on loan last summer.

It also states that Pep Guardiola’s side have placed a £35m price tag on his head ahead of the upcoming window, with Nottingham Forest said to be edging Farke’s side in the hunt for his signature.

Why Leeds’ £35m target could be Farke’s next Buendia

During Farke’s previous rodeos in securing promotion from the second tier, he often relied on Argentine midfielder Emi Buendia, who starred during his spell under the German.

The attacking midfielder spent three years playing under his management, undoubtedly playing the best football of his career when playing for him at the Canaries.

He registered 59 combined league goals and assists during his three years at Carrow Road, undoubtedly being the manager’s shining light and main source of creativity.

Buendia was even linked with a switch to link up with his former boss at Elland Road during the January transfer window, but a move never materialised with the 28-year-old moving to Bayer Leverkusen on loan instead.

However, he could be about to land his next version of the star this summer with a deal for McAtee, with the City ace having the tools to produce the goods in Yorkshire.

The 22-year-old, who’s been labelled “special” by current boss Guardiola, has scored seven goals across all competitions this campaign, able to hand the Whites the added threat in the final third.

His underlying stats have been just as impressive, registering 3.9 shots per 90, with 1.9 of which on target – highlighting his impressive nature in front of goal.

Games played

27

Goals scored

7

Pass accuracy

84%

Shots taken

3.9

Shots on target

1.9

Chances created

1.2

Touches in opposition box

5.8

He’s also managed to provide the goods for other teammates in the final third, completing 84% of the passes he’s attempted to date – creating 1.2 chances per 90, able to create carnage just like Buendia did under Farke’s guidance at Norwich.

Whilst £35m could be a huge fee for such a young talent, it’s a deal worth pursuing for the Whites, having the potential to burst onto the scene and explode under the manager’s guidance.

McAtee has already demonstrated with limited minutes at the Etihad this season that he’s capable of producing the goods, potentially taking his game to the next level with consistent minutes under Farke in Yorkshire.

Huge Byram upgrade: Leeds make contact to sign £15m-rated star for free

Leeds United could land an upgrade on Sam Byram by signing this Premier League defender.

1 ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

Chelsea have not held back in the transfer market under new owner Todd Boehly. The Blues have certainly been comfortable to splash the cash, aiming to build a new dynasty at Stamford Bridge, and particularly looking to strengthen in attack.

Over the past few seasons, they have signed several new attackers, including permanent deals for the likes of Pedro Neto from Wolverhampton Wanderers, and even a loan move for Jadon Sancho from Manchester United.

They even have three young attackers joining in the next couple of seasons, further strengthening their options in forward areas. That does not include summer targets for 2025, with Kenan Yildiz one player they are linked with.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of Yildiz

It seems as though the race to sign Juventus attacker Yildiz is on this summer, with Chelsea set to go head-to-head with one of their biggest rivals, Arsenal, to bring the 19-year-old to London. Whether he moves to West or North London, however, remains to be seen.

A recent report from Caught Offside suggests that the Blues have been ‘intensifying their efforts’ to bring the youngster to Stamford Bridge in the next few months. As well as facing competition from the Gunners, newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool, 13-time winners Manchester United and their rivals Manchester City could all show interest.

As for why Enzo Maresca’s side want to add Yildiz to their ranks, he has been impressive for the Old Lady this term. The Turkey star has eight goals and five assists across all competitions for Juve, and has played everywhere across the frontline. They are eye-catching numbers for such a young player.

With that in mind, his price might not come as a shock, though it is certainly a high fee Juve could demand. Caught Offside report that he is worth £85.2m, if he is to depart the Allianz Stadium this summer.

Incredibly, the Blues have an attacker worth even more than the 19-year-old sensation.

The Chelsea star worth more than Yildiz

Of all the attackers the Blues have bought, none has made the impression that Cole Palmer has. The England international has been in lean form for a few weeks, but his time at Stamford Bridge overall has been exceptional.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

The 22-year-old, who hails from Wythenshawe in Manchester, has an exceptional record in that famous Blue shirt of Chelsea.

He’s managed 39 goals and 24 assists in 85 games so far, and was crowned PFA Young Player of the Year for his 33 goals in as many Premier League games last term.

This term has been slightly slower for the former Man City star. He has managed 14 goals and nine assists in the top flight, although has now gone 12 games without a goal. In that timeframe, he has chipped in with three assists.

With that being said, his underlying stats from the past two seasons, courtesy of Sofascore, show just how talented he is. For example, the 22-year-old averaged 2.5 key passes per game last term, and a slightly better 2.6 key passes per game so far this term.

Goals and assists

1.2

0.7

Key passes

2.5

2.6

Big chances created

0.6

0.6

Dribbles completed

1.8

1.5

Expected goal involvements

0.93xGI

0.76xGI

When considering all that, it might not be a surprise to learn that Palmer is valued extremely highly by Football Transfers. They have him worth £100.2m, higher than any other player in the Chelsea squad.

Interestingly, that is around £15m more than the amount Juventus would be looking to charge for Yildiz this summer. If anything, this further highlights the importance of Palmer to the Chelsea side.

They certainly got lucky with Palmer when they signed him in 2023. He has proven to be a revelation, an “insanely consistent” player as Statman Dave called him. Despite his struggles in recent weeks, there is no doubt about the quality of Palmer.

He'd revive Palmer: Chelsea want to sign one of the best players in the PL

Chelsea are hunting a summer move for a Premier League star who could see Cole Palmer recapture his form.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 30, 2025

Newcastle United haven’t gotten going this season, not in the Premier League.

The form on the road is becoming a real concern for Eddie Howe’s side, whose victories this season have been limited to St. James’ Park, and who have lost four on the bounce when detached from that vociferous home support.

Change is needed, and while the turbulence of the summer transfer window has made a transitional period inevitable, it’s clear there are some on Tyneside who must be shipped out for the sake of tactical continuity.

The endangered Newcastle stars

Newcastle are struggling this season, and no mistake. However, Howe has transformed this club in the years since his arrival, and he must be afforded ample time to sort things out.

However, this might mean that several stars need to be shipped out next year, with a stagnancy crawling across the squad’s fabric this season.

Sven Botman was all over the place as United slumped to defeat at Brentford last weekend, but there is surely hope that the 25-year-old, who has endured a series of injury-riddled years, will recover his once imperious Premier League form.

He’s not been helped by the widemen; Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn are limited as a full-back pairing. The veterans do combine, after all, for an age of 68, and the lack of dynamism and width and energy has impeded the Magpies.

Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga, for example, have neither scored nor assisted in the Premier League this term, and likely cannot wait for the return of Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento as a duo.

How Howe approaches 2026, the January transfer window and the summer market after that, is anyone’s guess, but it’s clear changes are needed. And one of these changes will sting the Tyneside crowds, but sadly, this Newcastle mainstay is no longer at his best and is a clear weak link in the middle of the park, showing certain shades of Moussa Sissoko long before him.

Newcastle's new Moussa Sissoko

Sissoko is something of a cult hero on Tyneside. The versatile French midfielder played 133 matches between 2013 and 2016, so tenacious and powerful from the centre of the park or out at right midfield.

Now 36 and playing for Watford in the Championship, Sissoko has not played in black and white for a long time, leaving for Tottenham in a £30m deal in 2016, but the case of Joelinton is throwing certain similarities toward the spotlight.

Joelinton, 29, arrived in England but lacked the composure and finishing skills to succeed. He looked to be drifting toward anonymity before being refashioned into a robust midfielder.

It’s delightful to see the Brazil international hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, having featured 236 times across all competitions and played a defining role in lifting the Carabao Cup last year.

But his performances this season have left much to be desired, and United blogger Thomas Hammond has even suggested that this is “the start of the end” for the stalwart, who isn’t as sharp in his defensive duties as before; neither has he looked that effective in attack.

Sissoko was younger when leaving United for Spurs, but he too was inconsistent during that final, relegation-condemned campaign.

Joelinton has run himself into the ground over recent years, and now it might be time for Newcastle to cash in while they can and replace him with a fresher midfield cog to complement Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes.

For Joelinton to have been one of Howe’s mainstays at this golden age at Newcastle bears testament to his unwavering belief and drive.

But he can only drive forward for so long and it might be nearing the time to part ways with this all-action star and turn the page toward the new chapter.

They lost the ball 37 times: Newcastle duo must never start together again

Eddie Howe must never play this Newcastle United duo together again when Premier League action resumes.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 11, 2025

The MI-LSG deal will be the third trade that Thakur has been involved in over the years

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Nov-202511:57

Is time running out for Mayank Yadav at LSG?

India allrounder Shardul Thakur and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford have joined Mumbai Indians (MI) in the trading window ahead of IPL 2026.ESPNcricinfo has learned that MI reached an in-principle agreement with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to get Thakur via an all-cash trade deal, for INR 2 crore. MI acquired Rutherford from Gujarat Titans (GT) for INR 2.6 crore, the same amount for which GT bought him in the last auction.Thakur could now become a quiz question as this is the third trade involving him in the IPL; in 2017, Rising Pune Supergiant had bought him from Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), and before the 2023 season Kolkata Knight Riders procured him from Delhi Capitals. Both those trades were also all-cash deals.Thakur, who had gone unsold at the 2025 mega auction and was to join Essex in the County Championship, was picked by LSG as a replacement for Mohsin Khan at his base price of INR 2 crore. It seemed like a good investment on the part of LSG’s mentor at the time, Zaheer Khan, as he took six wickets in his first two matches in IPL 2025. Thakur, however, struggled after that, playing only ten matches and taking 13 wickets with an economy rate of 11.02.The move to MI is a homecoming of sorts for Thakur. He was a support bowler for MI from 2010-12 and was also appointed Mumbai captain in domestic cricket for this season.Rutherford is now headed to his fourth IPL side, after representing Delhi Capitals (2019), RCB (2022) and GT last season. He was also part of the MI squad in 2020 and KKR in 2024, but didn’t get a game in those seasons. He had played 13 games for GT earlier this season, for 291 runs at an average of 32.22 and strike rate of 157.29.MI set to release Arjun Tendulkar to LSGMI and LSG have also agreed on a separate trade deal involving Arjun Tendulkar, who has been playing for MI since IPL 2023. It is learnt the left-arm fast bowler, who was bought by MI for INR 30 lakh last year, has been traded to LSG. It is also learnt that MI have decided to release Tendulkar so he could possibly get more playing opportunities at LSG.Tendulkar was first bought by MI in the 2021 auction for INR 20 lakh and made his debut in the 2023 edition, when he went on to play four matches in the league. Overall, he has featured in five IPL games for three wickets at an economy rate of 9.36. In the domestic circuit he started with his T20 debut for Mumbai in early 2021 before moving to Goa before the 2022-23 season, when he made his first-class and one-day debuts.

Aminul Islam has been re-elected as the BCB president at the board election on Monday. He will serve a four-year term, after having been in the same role for the last four months. Faruque Ahmed, the former president who Aminul had replaced in May, and Shakhawat Hossain, will be the vice-presidents.The day-long election, which included physical votes and e-ballots, was held in a hotel in Dhaka. A total of 23 directors were elected and two government representatives were announced later to form the 25-member body. The election commission said 115 votes were cast out of the 156 eligible voters.The election process is two-fold. The voters, called councillors, elect 23 board directors in three separate categories. Aminul was one of ten directors elected from the first category, which includes only the divisions and districts of the country. The second category is the all-powerful Dhaka clubs who elect the majority of 12 directors. The third category includes representatives from different institutions, former cricketers, captains, and several other organisations.The election commission announced the names of the board directors at 6.30pm, before the new 25-member body held an election among themselves to choose the president and two vice-presidents. Aminul, Faruque and Shakhawat were elected unopposed in these posts.Three former captains are now in the board of directors, including Aminul, Faruque and Khaled Mashud. Former Bangladesh cricketer Abdur Razzak was nominated from the Khulna sub-category unopposed, becoming a board director. He had left his job as a senior men’s selector recently.While the voting was held without major incident on Monday, the election commission representatives made allegations of “intimidations”. The build-up to the election, too, had several controversies. Tamim Iqbal, the former Bangladesh captain, had withdrawn from the race after complaining of interference, when BCB chief Aminul issued a letter asking for fresh nominations for the elections’ first category. The letter was cleared by the country’s courts the day before the elections.After he was confirmed as the new president, Aminul said he wanted to continue in this role after “falling in love with Bangladesh cricket’s development”. When he was elected on May 30, Aminul had said that his short-term role would be like a “quick T20 innings”.Aminul played 13 Tests and 39 ODIs, and led the side during their maiden World Cup appearance in 1999.Category 1 directors: Aminul Islam, Nazmul Abedeen Fahim, Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury, Asif Akbar, Abdur Razzak, Julfiker Ali Khan, Mukhlesur Rahman, Hasanuzzaman, Rahat Shams, Shakhawat HossainCategory 2 directors: Ishtiaque Sadeque, Adnan Rahman, Fayazur Rahman, Abul Bashar, Amzad Hossain, Shanian Taneem, Mukhsedul Kamal, Nazmul Islam, Faruque Ahmed, Manjur Alam, Mehrab Alam Chowdhury, Iftekhar RahmanCategory 3 director: Khaled MashudGovernment representative directors: M Ishfaq Ahsan, Yasir Mohammad Faisal Ashique

Little known fact. Joe Root has never made a hundred in Australia.It will be the sub-genre of the summer. A much anticipated Ashes series, in which one of the greats of the game has the chance to complete a caveat-free career. An away win, and a full set of centuries in every Test-hosting nation he has played. Except for Bangladesh and the UAE. They don’t rate him in Dhaka.Matthew Hayden confidently made the claim that if Root didn’t end the Aussie summer with a Test ton, he’d strip nude to run around the MCG. But others aren’t so sure.”Wrists limper than a French handshake,” former Aussie legspinner and broadcaster Kerry O’Keeffe said on Fox Sports. “It doesn’t work in Australia.””The first two Tests are huge for Joe Root. They’re nickers’ Tests. Perth? They nick for fun there. And Brisbane day-night? Everyone nicks in Bris.”Joe Root is a nicker. When he was last here, in his first eight innings he nicked off. Australia knows this. What will be his defensive set-up? I’m very bearish about Joe Root.”O’Keeffe’s argument is that Root previously chose to stay inside the ball, as he was of the belief they wouldn’t target him with the offcutter, only for a different weakness to appear, that meant he was playing away from his body.It is a rare technical examination of a player who has averaged 58.00 since Brendon McCullum took over, but a prescient one given Australia’s recent tendency to produce pitches that favour their seam bowlers. Since the start of the 2021-22 Ashes, top-seven batters in Australia have averaged 30.22 per dismissal, compared to 38.14 in the four-year cycle before that. By contrast, England’s pitches have gone the other way. The average in the four years before McCullum’s appointment was 30.90; it has since been 38.94.”England play pretty well on the flatter wickets, the way they play,” Steve Smith said recently. “So, if there’s a bit in it like there has been the last three or four years, with our bowling attack, it certainly makes things a lot more difficult for their batters.”Nevertheless, Root sees no need to tamper with his technique. Arriving in New Zealand ahead of England’s three-match ODI series, it will be the final three hits he has before lining up against Australia in Perth.”A lot of that prep’s already started back home,” Root said, explaining how he’s balancing his preparation for an ODI series today with the carrot of the Ashes starting tomorrow.”I think how I’d prepare now is different to how I would have done 10 years ago. A lot more mental. I’ve clearly played against a lot of their guys now. Know how they operate, know what they’re likely to try to bring to the series.”I used to be very technical in how I prepared. I’d want to make sure that everything felt lined up and my feet were in the right place, my head was in the right place, whereas now I’m a little bit more concerned about how I’m looking at the game, how I’m going to approach different situations, whether that be the surface, whether that be different bowler types, different angles, and being able to manage those different angles when they come wide of the crease. Things like that.”Related

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• Williamson and England's Ashes players in focus as ODI series kicks off

This will be Root’s fourth Ashes tour. His individual record is respectable, averaging 35.68, but not befitting of a player of his own calibre. England’s record across that time, however, is diabolical: 15 matches, 13 defeats, two draws, zero wins.”They’re all different,” Root said of how the build-up to this series has compared to previous tours. “I look at it at this time and I’m in a completely different stage of my career. I’m no longer captain, I’m playing some really good cricket, and so are we. We’re playing in a really exciting way. We’ve got a great group of players that we can go there and hit them with different tools than we’ve had on previous tours, so when you look at it like that, it’s a really exciting prospect.”Clearly, Australia are really good in their own conditions, with a great record at home, especially against us, but that’s the exciting bit right? There’s an opportunity there to do something a bit different and hopefully achieve something really special.”Despite the ODI World Cup being two years away, these three matches against New Zealand are not without complete jeopardy. England are currently ranked eighth in the world after winning only eight of their last 23 fixtures. Failure to automatically qualify for the World Cup remains unlikely, but only if they nip in the bud a continued slide in the format.”I don’t think that’s necessarily anyone’s fault of what happened before,” Root said of the ODI group’s relative stability under Brook and McCullum, compared to previous leadership.”You look at the number of crossovers of Test series and one-dayers, it was physically impossible to get there. There was a one-day series against the Netherlands when we were playing a Test match at Old Trafford. You think how can that happen?”New Zealand themselves haven’t played an ODI since April, but remain ranked third in the world. The weighting of points in the ICC rankings is such that it presents a major opportunity for England to win some matches, and lift themselves away from any potential future problems.”I don’t think it’s arrogant to say you look at the quality that’s within our squad, and we’re not an eighth-in-the-world team,” Root said. “We should be competing and jostling for that top spot.”New Zealand are a very good team and if you try to sleepwalk into it or you’re preoccupied with what’s around the corner, then they’ll hurt us really badly. We want to keep making strides under Brooky after what was a difficult Champions Trophy. This is a great opportunity to build on what we started over the summer.”

English Football League pundit Don Goodman has shared his stance on rumours linking Haji Wright with Leeds United.

Coventry City have enjoyed a blistering start to the season, losing just one of their 14 opening games in the Championship. Under the guidance of Frank Lampard, Coventry are a well-drilled, intense side, one who have scored a staggering 39 goals in the second division already.

Wright, a striker who also plays for the American national team, has been integral to Coventry’s success. The forward has scored nine goals in all competitions, eight of which have come in 13 Championship appearances. Unsurprisingly, rumours over Wright’s future have started to circulate.

Premier League side Leeds United have been linked with a move for Wright, with Football Insider noting that the Whites would be ‘eager’ to complete a deal for the 27-year-old.

Goodman offers thoughts on Leeds interest in Wright

Speaking to Football League World, Goodman has played down suggestions Wright would turn down the advances of a Premier League side.

Leeds have picked up 11 points from their opening 10 matches in what is their first Premier League season since 2023. The Whites have, generally, looked like a solid, structured side in defence, though there are some question marks over their attack. Only Nottingham Forest and Wolves, who occupy two spots in the bottom three of the table, have scored fewer goals in the league (seven) than the Whites (nine).

Noah Okafor has enjoyed a promising start at Elland Road, whilst Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha’s physicality allows the Whites to play a brand of football incorporating long balls forward. It could be argued, though, that none of their attacking options are as reliable a goalscorer as Wright currently is.

Given Coventry’s own ongoing promotion push, it remains to be seen whether Wright, who has been dubbed a “dangerous” player by boss Frank Lampard, will depart the Sky Blues mid-season. As Goodman said, however, the allure of the English top flight may prove too enticing to ignore.

Leeds have new Okafor waiting in the wings

In an instant blow for new manager Vitor Matos, “top clubs” are now reportedly making moves in an attempt to sign Swansea City’s Harlan Perry, who has been the academy’s Player of the Year for four consecutive seasons.

It’s the last thing that Matos needs, with the pressure on to arrive and turn things around in Wales. As things stand, the Jacks sit 20th and only four points above the Championship’s dropzone with the manager’s debut against Derby County up next.

Upon arriving, the former Liverpool coach shared how optimistic he is that Swansea can turn their season around – telling the club’s website: “Swansea, for me, have always had a style. Something that distinguished the club from all the others.

“Somehow we have got a bit far away from what is the DNA of the club. So it will take steps, it will take a bit of time, but I really believe we can take steps in the right direction.

“For that, we will need everyone, the whole club, all the fans and us all to have the same vision. That’s what I want. I see the fans are still behind and pushing the team, we will need them and I see players who want to change the momentum and we need to find the right idea and the right vision to do it.

“That’s the most important thing. It is clear we need to win games and points, but we need to focus on the process and I really believe if we can play to our best then the more chances we will have to win. That’s the direction we need to have.”

It’s a DNA built from the first-team to the academy, but one that Swansea’s best young player may yet miss as contract concerns continue to emerge.

"Top clubs" now moving to sign Harlan Perry

As reported by Rudy Galetti, “top clubs” are now moving to sign Perry from Swansea in what would be a free deal. The 17-year-old has been the academy’s Player of the Year in the last four seasons, but is yet to sign a professional contract – opening the door for a potential exit.

Related Vitor Matos decides to take Swansea City job as release clause cost revealed

A major boost for the Swans.

Posts ByTom Cunningham Nov 20, 2025

The midfielder turns 18 this week – it’s then that clubs will be able to offer him a long-term contract to deal those in Wales a major blow.

Whilst Matos’ first priority should of course be turning results around, he must also ensure that Swansea keep hold of players with impressive potential like Perry, even if it means selling for a larger profit at a later date.

Instant blow for Matos as "one of Swansea's key players" could now leave

It seems like Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim has settled on his first-choice midfield pivot. His infamous 3-4-2-1 system has sparked plenty of debate, but with United now five games unbeaten, perhaps it is a sign of things improving.

Indeed, one of those reasons could be continuity in team selection. The midfield is one of those areas, with Amorim choosing captain Bruno Fernandes and the experienced Casemiro as the two pivot players. It has meant the likes of Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte cannot get a look in, with the United boss sticking to that pair.

However, the Red Devils might well dip into the transfer market in January to add to the depth in the centre of the park.

Man United's new midfield target

There are reportedly a few names on United’s list for a new midfielder. One of those is Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes, who could cost upwards of £44m, with a deal said to be in advanced stages.

However, the Brazilian is not the only midfielder United are looking at this winter with the likes of Elliot Anderson and Carlos Baleba high-profile targets from within the Premier League.

Alongside those players, Atletico Madrid and England midfielder Conor Gallagher has once again emerged as a target for Amorim’s side, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Indeed, talking to The United Stand, via TEAMtalk, he claims the former Chelsea man is a “definitive” target ahead of the transfer window opening in just over a month. The player is thought to be keen on returning to England in 2026.

This isn’t a deal that would come cheap, though. Atleti could demand a fee of up to £52.4m, as reported back in September, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace also interested.

How Gallagher compares to Gomes

It has certainly not been the easiest season for Gallagher in La Liga. He has struggled to break into Atleti’s starting lineup, playing 17 times in all competitions, but featuring for just 566 minutes in total. That is an average of just 6.2 full 90-minute games.

The 22-cap England star was more important under legendary Atleti boss Diego Simeone last season. He made 50 appearances across all competitions, chipping in with four goals and six assists and earning himself the nickname “Pitbull” for his energetic performances.

Of course, the Chelsea academy graduate has plenty of Premier League experience. He’s played 136 times in the top flight, becoming an established player for the Blues after a couple of loan spells. Gallagher certainly knows where the back of the net is and has 18 Premier League goals and 13 assists to his name.

If United were to bring Gallagher to the club, he might prove to be a better option than Gomes, the other top target in midfield. Of course, the Brazilian is currently plying his trade in the Midlands for rock-bottom Wolves, for whom he has played 15 times this season.

The Rio de Janeiro-born midfielder has played 104 times for the Old Gold, in a similar system to the one United play under Amorim. He’s even been known to chip in with a goal, bagging seven times in a Wolves shirt.

Yet, despite the familiarity the 24-year-old has with United’s system, Gallagher may well prove to be the better option. His on-the-ball quality exceeds that of Gomes, whilst he still offers plenty without the ball, to succeed in Amorim’s pivot.

Described as an “intensity monster” and as “one of the best midfielders in the sport when it comes to running long distances” by one notable analyst on social media, a look at the stats paints a more vivid picture of what to expect from Gallagher.

Analysing the data from the Englishman’s last season in the Premier League, compared to Gomes’ from last term, highlights the differences. For example, Gallagher created 1.5 chances on average and won 50.68% of his ground duels. In comparison, the Wolves man created 0.7 chances and had a ground duel win rate of 48.01%.

Described as a “relentless” midfielder by Statman Dave, 25-year-old Gallagher would provide tenacity off the ball and progression and final third quality with it.

That is certainly something he has over Gomes, and, thinking ahead, could be important for United as they hopefully start dominating games and have the ball more.

A fee of £52.4m is sizeable given it is the January window, but the Cobham graduate could help add quality to the United midfield, as they look to push up the Premier League table.

Man Utd now "leading the chase" to sign "special" Casemiro replacement

He has a massive future ahead of him.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 22, 2025

Jose Mourinho was far from happy with his Benfica side, as they scraped through the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal with a 2-0 win over minnows Atletico CP. The Special One unleashed an explosive post-match rant against his starting eleven, claiming he would have made nine substitutions at half time, if allowed. He went on to call some of his players' attitudes "unacceptable".

Benfica labour to cup win

The fourth round tie pitted one of Portugal's most vaunted clubs against relative minnows; Atletico are currently plying their trade in the third tier of the country's league pyramid. Despite the gulf in stature, the minnows frustrated a lacklustre Benfica side for the opening 45 minutes, keeping the game scoreless going into the break. 

That prompted Mourinho into a change of formation and four changes at the break. Benfica's superiority eventually told, with the record 26-time cup winners taking the spoils thanks to a 73rd minute header from Ricard Rios and a Vangelis Pavlidis penalty a few minutes later. 

Despite their progress in the competition, Mourinho gave his players both barrels in his post-match interview, lambasting their first half performance and questioning their commitment. 

The two-time Champions League winning manager, who started his second spell as the Lisbon club's boss in September 2025, was frank in his response when questioned if his message was getting through to his players. While he did not shirk his responsibility in getting a tune out of the squad, he suggested his players were falling short in their duty towards him and the club's fanbase. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMourinho's sensational rant against his Benfica squad

Mourinho said: "Atlético did an extraordinary job. I saw them play in Mafra in a league game, they played an extraordinary game and I realized they had the qualities to make the game difficult for us. But our first half was poor. And it was poor in the sense that it hurts me the most, which is the attitude. The attitude was poor. 

"There were many players who weren't serious and didn't approach things as they should have. At halftime I made four substitutions, but I wanted to make nine. With the players at halftime, I told the two who were taking the game seriously that I wanted to keep on the field. The other nine weren't. 

"In the second half we improved a lot, Atlético couldn't get out with the same quality anymore and it was only a matter of time before we scored. I was pleased with the second half because the attitude improved." 

When asked how he changed things tactically to accomodate the switch in personnel, he commented: "One thing has nothing to do with the other. What didn't work was the players who were on the field. I didn't want to single anyone out because that's something that should be done internally, but to remove some of the players I wanted to remove, it was necessary to change the system. And we had players who, from the first minute, weren't there. And that, to me, is unacceptable. I've already told some of them not to come knocking on my door asking why they aren't playing."

In response to questions about his message failing to reach his new charges, the ex-Chelsea coach said: "I think the message isn't just mine, it's a general one. From Benfica fans. In my case, I'm the coach and the one responsible. The players have a responsibility to me and to Benfica fans. And there are things regarding their attitude that are unacceptable." 

Mourinho's difficult start to life with Benfica

Mourinho took over at the Portuguese giants after the sacking of Bruno Lage. While Benfica have yet to lose a league game this season, a spate of draws, including three under Mourinho, have left them six points adrift of Porto in the Liga Portugal. 

Lage's dismissal came after they opened their Champions League campaign with a chastening 3-2 home defeat to Azerbaijani outfit Qarabag. Mouinrho has failed to engender a turnaround in European competition, with Benfica losing all three of their league phase games, most recently falling to a 1-0 defeat to Leverkusen at the Estadio da Luz.

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AFPCrucial fixtures wait for Mourinho's Benfica

Th ex-Real Madrid and Inter manager will hope his players react positively to his post-match comments, as they prepare for a crucial run of fixtures over the coming fortnight. Next Tuesday, the Eagles face off against Ajax in the Champions League. A Lisbon derby against Sporting on December 5 could determine who will mount a title challenge against Porto, while the arrival of Antonio Conte's Napoli on December 10 will present another stiff challenge in Europe.