Leeds United are thought to be ready to trigger a former Premier League forward’s release clause this summer, as the 49ers Enterprises and Daniel Farke prepare for a return to the top flight.
Leeds celebrate Championship title with huge parade
It has been a memorable few weeks for the Whites, who have enjoyed their last three Mondays by officially winning promotion, partying in front of fans at Elland Road and most recently parading the Championship title around the city.
Manor Solomon’s late injury time winner down in the south west against Plymouth Argyle in the final game of the season ensured Leeds would finish top ahead of Burnley. Both sides finished on 100 points, and Leeds players have since partied hard with an open-top bus parade which saw an estimated 150,000 supporters come out to celebrate.
Talking during the bus parade, Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe said: “I don’t think anyone realised, this wasn’t easy This was really hard to do. Two years of getting to this point, but all that hard work and all that difficulty, makes right now that much more rewarding and makes today so special. I hope I never forget this moment. I want to live in this moment as much as I can.
“This is a journey, this is not the end. We have to keep going, this is what Leeds does. We are going to have some difficulties, but we are going to get where we want to go and we are going to be one of the best clubs in all of Europe.”
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Marathe has also confirmed Farke will be continuing as Leeds boss in the Premier League after claims he could be sacked, and the pair appear to have their eyes on a new 26-year-old forward.
Leeds ready to pay release clause to sign Moussa Djenepo
According to reports relayed by Sport Witness, Leeds are ready to trigger Moussa Djenepo’s €2m (£1.7m) release clause this summer.
Currently on loan at Antalyaspor from Standard Liege, Djenepo doesn’t want to make a move to Turkey permanent, which may open the door for the Whites.
An approach has reportedly been made by Leeds for Djenepo, who made more than 70 Premier League appearances for Southampton between 2019-2023.
A Mali international, Djenepo is primarily a left-winger but can also turn out on the right as well as in an attack midfield role. During his time at Southampton, former teammate Nathan Redmond said: “He is a super-talented boy who is so open-minded and eager to learn every single day. He gets on well with everybody and has fitted in so well.”
He’s scored just two goals in 26 for Antalyaspor, but at £1.7m, a move to Leeds could be one to keep an eye on.
While there remains a slither of hope that this season ends in Europa League triumph for Tottenham Hotspur, there is no escaping from the fact that, at least domestically, it’s been diabolical.
Ange Postecologu’s side have lost 19 games in the Premier League, and it feels like a certainty that they’ll finish the season with 20 to their name.
However, for all the doom and gloom – of which there is plenty – there remains a reason to be hopeful about the club’s future: their youngsters.
The likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore look like superstars in the making, and if recent reports are to be believed, the club are looking to add another name to that list, someone who’d be a massive upgrade on Brennan Johnson, and has been tipped for Ballon d’Or glory.
Tottenham's transfer targets
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other youngsters who’ve been linked with Spurs in recent weeks, such as Dean Huijsen.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The Spanish international reportedly has a release clause worth £50m in his current Bournemouth deal, and while that is a lot to spend on a youngster, it could well be worth it, as he’s already made 32 appearances for the Cherries this term.
Another youngster from the South Coast who has been heavily linked with the Lilywhites this year is Tyler Dibling.
Southampton's TylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their third goal with Mateus Fernandes
The Southampton star has racked up a reasonable tally of four goals and three assists in 35 games so far this season and will be available for reportedly £35m.
Finally, the most exciting player, and the one who’d be a significant upgrade on Johnson, is Rayan Cherki.
According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs and Manchester United are now leading the race to sign the highly-rated Lyon youngster.
The report claims that the 21-year-old could be available for around €35m, which comes out to £30m.
It might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Cherki’s immense ability and potential, it’s worth fighting tooth and nail for, especially as he’d be a big upgrade on Johnson.
How Cherki compares to Johnson
So, as Cherki’s primary position is off the right, his main competition for game time at Spurs would be Johnson, but who comes out on top when we compare them?
Rayan Cherki in action for Lyon
Well, when it comes down to their raw output, it’s the Frenchman who comes out on top, and by quite some way at that.
For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, he’s scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games, or every 93.35 minutes.
In contrast, the Welshman has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2987 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 129.86 minutes.
Unfortunately for the former Nottingham Forest ace, the comparison remains just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.71
0.52
Non-Penalty G+As
0.88
0.60
Progressive Passes
9.31
3.03
Progressive Carries
4.17
2.47
Key Passes
3.33
0.82
Passes into the Final Third
4.46
1.08
Passes into the Penalty Area
3.33
1.52
Live Passes
52.7
26.2
Shot-Creating Actions
6.23
1.99
Goal-Creating Actions
0.93
0.30
Successful Take-Ons
2.11
0.82
For example, Lyon’s “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, comes out ahead in almost all relevant metrics, such as actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, while Johnson has been a useful player, it’s clear that Cherki would be a massive upgrade and, therefore, Spurs should do all they can to sign him this summer.
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It was a case of the same old for Arsenal in the Premier League on Saturday.
Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead against the visiting Bournemouth but ended up coming away empty-handed in a match that perfectly summed up their domestic campaign.
Moreover, while he provided an assist for Declan Rice, it was another uninspiring performance from club captain Martin Odegaard, who picked up a 5/10 match rating from GOAL’s Stephen Darwin and made a mess of marking Evanilson for the winning goal.
The Norwegian’s poor form is now a serious concern, but in positive news, the club might have found a solution in a player who could get the best back out of him, a player compared to Kylian Mbappé.
Arsenal's transfer news
While the transfer target in question is someone who could get the best back out of Odegaard in the coming seasons, the club have also been credited with interest in some players who could be seen as out-and-out replacements for the midfielder, like Florian Wirtz and Rayan Cherki.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former could reportedly be available for around £111m this summer, and while that is an outrageous sum of money, it might not be entirely unreasonable, as at just 22 years old, he has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists in 43 games for Bayer Leverkusen this term.
Cherki, on the other hand, could cost far less at just £30m, and that does seem like a bargain considering the fact he’s already scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists in 42 games for Lyon so far this season.
Rayan Cherki
However, if the Gunners want to get the best back out of their captain, they’d be better off acting on their interest in Eintrach Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitiké.
According to a recent report from journalist Christian Falk, as relayed by Caught Offside, Arsenal want the French forward this summer.
However, Liverpool are also said to want the free-scoring forward, and worse yet, the German side want around €100m for their star striker, which is about £85m.
It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given his immense ability, he is one worth fighting for, especially as he’d get the best back out of Odegaard, and he’s been compared to Mbappé.
Why Ekitiké could revive Odegaard
So, before we get into the reasons why Ekitiké could revive Odegaard, it’s worth examining this comparison to Mbappé and where it comes from.
It stems from journalist Graeme Bailey, who three years ago reported that there were some in France who thought that the young forward was set to become “the new Mbappé.”
Now, it’s fair to say he hasn’t quite hit the incredible heights of the Real Madrid man, but it’s not hard to see why people would make the comparison, as the Frankfurt gem is a young, exciting and pretty free-scoring forward who, according to The Athletic’s Alex Barker, likes to “drop into wider areas” and “can create a chance for someone from absolutely nothing.”
It’s these traits that make the comparison seem more reasonable, and then when you add them to his raw output, it’s not hard to see why he could help the Gunners captain get back to his best.
For example, this season alone has seen the 22-year-old monster score 22 goals and provide 11 assists in just 46 appearances, totalling 3466 minutes of action.
Appearances
46
Minutes
3466′
Goals
22
Assists
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.71
Minutes per Goal Involvement
105.03′
In other words, the sensational striker is averaging a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 105.03 minutes.
With a forward that prolific and creative starting ahead of him, the former Real Madrid wonderkid would undoubtedly see his goal and assist tallies soar.
Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike
Moreover, with the Reims-born star liking to drop back and drift out wide, opposition defenders would have to spend more time trying to cover him off and mark him in games, thus allowing the Drammen-born maestro more space to create.
Ultimately, while he wouldn’t be cheap, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Ekitiké this summer, as not only would he make the team more dangerous, but he could also help get Odegaard back to his imperious best.
He'd make Saliba & Gabriel unplayable: Arsenal to make bid for £25m star
Arsenal are wasting no time in making reinforcements ahead of the summer transfer window.
Liverpool are cruising toward the Premier League title, with a variety of scenarios meaning that Arne Slot’s side could have the quest wrapped up before the end of the week.
However, FSG and sporting director Richard Hughes will be hard at work on the transfer front, getting everything in order ahead of the summer window.
Although Liverpool have exceeded expectations this term, there’s a sense that the Reds carry a number of weaknesses that need to be ironed out ahead of Slot’s second season at the helm, with Mohamed Salah the architect of most of Liverpool’s success in and around the final third.
Mo Salah looks dejected for Liverpool
His contract has been renewed, but the 32-year-old’s form has also dipped, and it’s clear that work needs to be done in order to bring him back to his A-game ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.
Mohamed Salah's dip in form
Salah has gone six games without a goal in all competitions, with his performances in particular against Paris Saint-Germain and Newcastle United drawing criticism from some onlookers.
However, it’s hardly surprising that he’s plateaued of late, having carried the weight of a multi-title-challenging football club on his back for the lion’s share of the season.
Salah, for what it’s worth, has posted 32 goals and 23 assists across all competitions this season, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher saying he’s “one of the greatest players we’ve ever seen in the Premier League.”
Mohamed Salah for Liverpool
And anyway, it’s not as if he’s been dismal of late. As per Sofascore, the 32-year-old has created seven big chances since last scoring in the Premier League four games ago, hitting the woodwork twice during the recent victory over Leicester.
Salah remains head and shoulders ahead of his goalscoring rivals in the race for the Premier League Golden Boot, even though it’s been four fixtures since he last made the net bulge.
1.
Mohamed Salah
33
27
2.
Erling Haaland
28
21
2=
Alexander Isak
30
21
4.
Chris Wood
30
18
4=
Bryan Mbeumo
33
18
His Liverpool teammates haven’t been the most helpful in front of goal, with FSG set to bring in some fresh firepower this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Set to win the English title, Liverpool are gearing up to aim big, with one of Europe’s foremost players on the club’s radar.
Liverpool learn conditions for world-class forward
According to transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have learned that they could potentially sign Raphinha this summer, with financially-troubled Barcelona not against selling their most valuable asset.
With a vested long-term interest in the winger, Arsenal and Chelsea are both keen too and intermediaries have informed Premier League suitors that he could be available for around an £80m transfer fee.
Raphinha, 28, has indeed been one of the best players in the world this season and would significantly strengthen Liverpool’s robust attacking line, perhaps even restoring Salah to his absolute best.
Why Liverpool should sign Raphinha
If the money is indeed there to be spent on a rising sensation such as Raphinha, it feels like something of a no-brainer for a Liverpool side that will be desperate to consolidate its place at the top of the Premier League.
FC Barcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates scoring their third goal
Liverpool have dipped in form and fluency over the past several months, with Slot unwilling to utilise his wider first-team squad with the rotation that perhaps some fans have hoped for. But with a player like Raphinha, Liverpool’s frontline would only go from strength to strength, actually restoring talisman Salah to full strength.
Like Salah, Raphinha has adjusted his tactical approach to suit his burgeoning prolific ability. There’s no denying he’s a high-level athlete, with a powerful gait and fleet-footedness that once led his former Leeds United teammate Dan James to hail him as a “magician” of a footballer.
On that note, Raphinha is also Prem-proven, which is always a bonus. Littered with flops is the road toward superstardom on English shores.
But he’s never played as well as he is right now, within Hansi Flick’s attack-centric La Blaugrana set-up.
As per FBref, the Brazilian ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goal contributions and the top 9% for shot-creating actions per 90, perfectly illustrating his newfound place among the game’s top brass.
There’s also the matter of Raphinha’s Champions League campaign. With 12 goals and seven assists from 12 matches on the continental front, it’s clear why he’s among the favourites to win the Ballon d’Or, something Liverpool fans will hold onto hopes that Salah will claim.
FCBarcelona'sRaphinhacelebrates after Fermin Lopez scored their fifth goal
But with Barca challenging for a treble, there’s every chance that “Europe’s best player in 2024/25,” as he has been called by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley, will swipe the crown.
Hypothetically, if Slot could succeed in capturing and preserving Raphinha’s ridiculous output, unleashing it on the left flank at Liverpool, then there’s no telling how dynamic and deadly his title-defending frontline might be next season.
Right winger
70
19
21
0.57
Left winger
54
30
20
0.93
Attacking midfield
8
1
7
1.00
Central midfield
1
0
0
0.00
Such a balanced attacking force could be exactly what Salah needs to stay firing next season, with the in-form Luis Diaz potentially playing in a centre-forward role to accommodate both players.
Salah’s multi-dimensional output would only be reinforced by Raphinha’s arrival, and even though £80m would make him one of the most expensive players in the club’s history, it’s something FSG will want to consider.
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With just five games remaining and three points standing between themselves and the relegation zone, Portsmouth have been dealt another ill-timed injury blow as they look to confirm their Championship safety.
Portsmouth facing crucial run-in
Having achieved promotion back to the Championship last season, it would be an incredible success if Portsmouth managed to stay afloat at the first time of asking. On that front, John Mousinho’s side have still got a job to finish, however. As things stand, they sit 17th and a precarious three points above the dropzone ahead of a crucial few weeks.
Portsmouth vs Derby County
12/04/2025
Norwich City vs Portsmouth
18/04/2025
Portsmouth vs Watford
21/04/2025
Sheffield Wednesday vs Portsmouth
26/04/2025
Portsmouth vs Hull City
03/05/2025
Squaring off against two of the eight sides currently below them in the Championship standings ahead of their final five games, Portsmouth will hope to get back to winning ways as soon as possible after losing in the 94th minute against Coventry City last time out.
Mousinho had his say on the devastating last-gasp defeat, telling reporters: “It was a really difficult one. I was going to say what a really good point away from home at Coventry, a very, very solid performance, we caused them problems and nearly caught them at the very back end of the game.
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“The difference between that – the positivity – to where we are now. It’s obviously a solid display and then 10 seconds of madness.We have to be realistic about that. We can’t have those moments in games where we make really, really poor decisions because the ball ends up in the back of the net.”
What certainly didn’t help Pompey was the fresh injury news that they suffered in the build-up to the Coventry game, adding to their list of absentees alongside the likes of Connor Shaughnessy, Rob Atkinson and Ibane Bowat.
Milosevic adds to Portsmouth's injury woes
Now without four central defenders, Mousinho confirmed that Alexander Milosevic is set for a spell on the sidelines after suffering an injury in the build-up to Portsmouth’s defeat against Coventry. Left to call on Connor Ogilvie, who can play left-back or centre-back, and Regan Poole, Pompey are one more defensive blow away from a makeshift backline.
Mousinho confirmed Milosevic’s injury, telling reporters: “Alex picked up an injury in training so we are going to scan that on Thursday and see how he is.”
John Mousinho for Portsmouth.
Having arrived in March on a free deal, the 33-year-old is yet to make his Portsmouth debut and will now have to wait even longer just when Mousinho may have needed his services most amid an injury crisis.
Those around Fratton Park will simply be hoping to avoid another lengthy absence at a crucial time for the club. With just five games left to play, Portsmouth are so close to Championship safety and confirming that before a nervous game against Hull City on the final day would certainly come as a major relief.
Regardless of what division Leeds United find themselves in next season, this summer is a huge window for boss Daniel Farke to provide the added quality to the first-team squad.
The German has already made some shrewd additions in the transfer market, landing the likes of Ao Tanaka and Jayden Bogle, who have both been two of the Championship signings of the season.
However, he will have to replicate such dealings this summer – especially if they secure promotion to the Premier League, needing to invest if they are to secure survival in 2025/26.
The Whites already have serious quality within the current squad, helping them sit second in the division with just a handful of games remaining this campaign.
If they are to reach the next level, Farke will want to build on the progress made, with one player seemingly already on their radar ahead of the summer transfer window.
Leeds set to make offer for defensive star
According to Africa Foot, Leeds are set to make a €2m (£1.7m) bid for Porto left-back Zaidu Sanusi regardless of what division they find themselves in next season.
The Nigerian has only made six first-team appearances for the Liga Portugal outfit this season as he continues his recovery from the ACL injury he suffered last season.
Zaidu Sanusi in action for Porto.
However, Sanusi has already stated that no deal has been agreed after other rumours suggested a deal was already agreed for him to move to Elland Road.
This report claims no bid has yet been made, but the Sanusi could be open to a move to Yorkshire in the near future to gain more first-team minutes given his lack of action since his return from injury.
It would be a superb addition for the Whites, potentially being the next version of a former fan favourite who captured the hearts of many during his time at the club.
Why Sanusi could be Leeds’ next Ben White
Defender Ben White thrived during the 2019/20 season at Leeds, spending the season on loan from Brighton and Hove Albion, making 49 appearances across the promotion-winning campaign.
Ben White for Leeds United
He featured for every minute of the league campaign that season, highlighting the importance he held under Marcelo Bielsa in their return to the Premier League.
However, after promotion, the club tried to sign him on a permanent basis, but were unable to strike a deal with the Seagulls despite offering a £30m deal for his signature.
He’s since moved to Arsenal in recent years, featuring for the Gunners in the Champions League and thriving at right-back, taking his career to the next level.
The Whites could land their next version of White with a move for Sanusi, with the full-back being ranked as a similar player to the Arsenal star by FBref for his displays in Europe last campaign.
When delving into their respective figures, the Nigerian has matched or bettered the 27-year-old in various key areas, showcasing what a phenomenal addition he would be to Farke’s side.
Sanusi, who’s been labelled a “superstar” by one analyst, managed to win more tackles per 90 along with more interceptions made, highlighting the defensive quality he possesses – aiding Farke should he sign this summer.
Games played
4
10
Minutes played
307
754
Tackles won
1.2
0.6
Interceptions made
1.2
1
Clearances
1.8
1.2
Take-ons completed
1.5
0.5
Aerials won
2.7
1.1
He’s also managed to complete more take-ons per 90, whilst also winning more aerial battles, offering that all-round presence that may be needed should they achieve promotion this summer.
With Junior Firpo’s contract set to expire this summer, the club will need added reinforcements in the left-back area, with the Porto star certainly providing just that.
Should he get anywhere near the level produced by White during his time at Elland Road, he would be a superb addition – especially for the bargain fee touted for his signature.
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Liverpool have reportedly opened talks this week to sign a key reinforcement who Arne Slot loves ahead of Spanish giants Real Madrid in 2026.
Slot urges Liverpool to "remain humble"
Sunday’s 2-0 victory against West Ham United simply cannot be a false dawn for Liverpool or record signing Alexander Isak. After a disastrous run of form, the Reds must make it back-to-back victories by defeating Sunderland this evening.
Anything but three points would only spark further concerns about Slot’s tenure, as reports continue to suggest potential managerial candidates such as Ange Postecoglou.
Ahead of Liverpool’s clash against the Black Cats, Slot told reporters: “The challenge now will be to build on this win. We do not get to believe that a corner has been turned or that a recovery is under way.
“We have to remain humble, work hard and continue to fight. If we do this then maybe we can continue taking the small steps forward that are very much required.
“I would like to welcome Regis Le Bris, his players and staff as well as the supporters and directors of Sunderland to Anfield for tonight’s game. What they have done in the Premier League already this season reflects incredibly well on all at the club having earned promotion back in May.”
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It’s been the type of run that sparks serious questions about the January transfer window and the need for reinforcements – particularly on the defensive front. As things stand, Liverpool have just two senior centre-backs available, but have been linked with moves for the likes of Castello Lukeba and, of course, Marc Guehi.
Liverpool open talks to sign Marc Guehi
According to TeamTalk, Liverpool have now opened talks to sign Guehi this week in an attempt to get their deal back on track and land their No.1 defensive target ahead of Real Madrid.
The Reds came within hours of signing the Crystal Palace star in the summer, only for the Eagles to pull the plug on the deal at the death. Now, they’re attempting to jump ahead of the chasing pack by making their move as early as the January transfer window.
Those at Anfield are reportedly willing to offer a deal worth around £30m next month, whilst others wait in line to secure Guehi’s signature as a free agent in the summer.
Not even Slot could hide Liverpool’s admiration for Guehi when they missed out on his signature in the summer, telling reporters: “It would be ridiculous if I were to deny we were close to signing him.
“That is so out in the open. These things happen in football. We would have liked to have signed him, of course. If we feel we can strengthen the team, we never hesitate to do so.”
Whether Crystal Palace willingly part with their defender, who was described as a “monster in defence” by Palace reporter Bobby Manzi, remains to be seen, however.
Liverpool star is now very quickly becoming "the next Diaz" at Anfield
Leeds United are in a difficult position heading into the weekend as they are in the bottom three and heading to play Manchester City at The Etihad this afternoon.
The Whites have lost their last three matches in the Premier League, losing to Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, and now face a run of games against City, Chelsea, and Liverpool.
On top of the daunting fixture list, Daniel Farke also has several new injury issues to contend with before they kick off against Pep Guardiola’s side today.
The latest Leeds injury news
Anton Stach will not be in the squad because he has been unable to train this week through concussion protocols, after the German midfielder was taken off in the first against Aston Villa last weekend with a head injury.
The £17.4m summer signing from Hoffenheim will resume training on Sunday before coming into contention for the Chelsea match, and Ao Tanaka could start in his place this afternoon.
Reserve defender Sebastiaan Bornauw, who joined from Wolfsburg in the summer, is going to be a late call on whether or not he can make the bench today, per Farke.
Chalkboard
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Unfortunately, the German head coach also revealed that central midfielder Sean Longstaff suffered a calf injury and is due to be out of action for between four and six weeks, in a major blow for the Whites.
The summer signing from Newcastle has started ten of his 12 Premier League appearances for the club, creating six ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, and Farke will need to find a way to replace him this afternoon and for the weeks to come.
Instead of bringing Ilia Gruev, who is more of a deep-lying number six, into the side, Farke should unleash Brenden Aaronson in a new role to ease the Longstaff injury blow.
The new role that Brenden Aaronson should play in
Earlier this month, Farke said that the USA international “polarises and can be annoying” and then added that he “works his socks off, gives everything, relentless and leaves his heart on the pitch” in defence of the attacking midfielder.
Because of that work rate, it would be interesting to see how he would fare in Longstaff’s position as one of the two number eights ahead of Ethan Ampadu.
Aaronson, of course, was the main number ten for Farke in his 4-2-3-1 system last season before being moved to the right wing in the current 4-3-3 shape, which means that he is used to playing centrally under the German boss.
The 25-year-old star, who has scored one goal in the Premier League this season, has the creative qualities to soften the blow of losing Longstaff, who has created the most ‘big chances’ in the team, albeit as the main set-piece taker.
Goals
1
3rd
Shots per game
1.4
3rd
Key passes per game
0.9
3rd
Big chances created
3
2nd
xA
1.49
1st
Possession lost per game
8.4
8th
As you can see in the table above, Aaronson has been one of the most creative players in the team in the top-flight this season, without being one of the most wasteful in possession.
This, along with Farke’s comments on his work rate, suggests that the American midfielder could be the ideal player to fill in for Longstaff in the next few weeks, because the Whites would still have a hard-working and creative player in that role.
On top of that, moving Aaronson away from the right wing position would allow the manager to unleash Dan James on the right, and his pace in behind could be particularly useful in these next three games against superior opposition who will be expected to dominate the ball.
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Therefore, playing the USA international in this new role could be an excellent way to respond to Longstaff’s injury, which is why Farke should consider it this afternoon.
It is hard not to feel a little bit sorry for Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl after he watched his team ship three goals for the second time in four matches, albeit after extra time.
The Ibrox giants were beaten 3-1 at Hampden Park by their Glasgow rivals in the semi-finals of the League Cup on Sunday, but it was fairly impressive that they even took the game to extra time after going 1-0 down and down to ten men.
Rohl, who arrived to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, will have learned a lot about his group of players after his first four games in charge, with two wins and two defeats.
The former Sheffield Wednesday boss should be pleased with the fight this team showed on Sunday, although his side seemed to lose their legs in extra time, as shown by how slow the defenders were to react to Callum Osmand’s goal in the clip below.
Celtic’s young striker scored his first goal for the club in his second senior appearance, both of which have come under interim manager Martin O’Neill.
That shows that a fresh pair of eyes in the dugout can unearth a talent that was overlooked by the previous management team, which should be a lesson to Rohl, with the players in the Rangers youth ranks.
The academy problem Rangers have at Ibrox
The Light Blues have a problem with their academy at Ibrox because there has not been enough of a reward for the work being done with their youth teams.
Billy Gilmour
£18m
0
Nathan Patterson
£11m
27
Greg Taylor
£5m
0
Ross McCrorie
£2m
55
Lewis Morgan
£2m
0
As you can see in the table above, the five most valuable former Rangers academy players all play for other clubs, and none of them made more than 55 appearances for the first-team before they left.
Only two of them, Nathan Patterson and Billy Gilmour, being worth more than £5m suggests that the club are not doing enough to bring in or develop high-value players in their academy.
On top of potentially not bringing the right players through their academy system, an issue could also be the lack of a pathway to first-team football at Ibrox.
Osmand for Celtic is the perfect example. He did not play a single minute under Brendan Rodgers for the Hoops, after signing in the summer window, and he made an instant impact in a huge match when brought in by O’Neill.
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If Rodgers had stayed in post and continued to ignore the striker, Osmand’s development may have stalled, and he could have gone on to leave Glasgow and thrive or fail elsewhere.
Instead, O’Neill provided him with a chance to shine and, after his goal against Rangers, he may kick on to become a star for the Hoops in the coming months because of the opportunity that he has been given.
Now, on the other side of Glasgow, Rohl could unearth his own version of Osmand by finally unleashing Findlay Curtis as a starter for the Ibrox giants.
Why Danny Rohl should unleash Findlay Curtis for Rangers
The Gers academy graduate was given a chance by Martin at the start of this season, with starts against Panathinaikos, and he showed real promise, with an excellent first goal for the club.
It was a terrific run and finish from the “Boy Wonder”, as shown in the clip above, but he has not started a game in any competition since those two games against the Greek side.
Curtis added to his goal tally for the club with goals against both St Mirren and Alloa Athletic, in the Scottish Premiership and the League Cup. Both of those strikes, though, came as a substitute.
Panathinaikos (H)
75
1
Panathinaikos (A)
59
0
Viktoria Plzen (H)
5
0
Dundee (H)
13
0
Alloa Athletic (H)
6
1
St Mirren (A)
14
1
Club Brugge (A)
45
0
Celtic (H)
8
0
Hibernian (H)
13
0
Dundee United (H)
14
0
As you can see in the table above, the 19-year-old attacker has only made ten appearances in all competitions this season, starting two games, and has scored three goals in that time.
Per Sofascore, Curtis has been an unused substitute in seven of his last eight appearances in the matchday squad, with his only outing in that time coming off the bench against Dundee United in Stevie Smith’s game as interim head coach.
Despite his frustrating lack of game time on the pitch, only Djeidi Gassama (five) and James Tavernier (six) have scored more goals for Rangers in all competitions this season, per Transfermarkt, than the teenage winger.
Curtis has scored one goal in 49 minutes of action in the Premiership, across four appearances as a substitute, so far this season, per Sofascore, which shows that he has been effective with the minutes that he has had.
The Scottish forward, who produced four goals and three assists in eight matches for the B team, has delivered quality in the Premiership, in Europe, and in a domestic cup. He has shown that he can make an impact with the first-team.
Yet, as has seemingly been the case for academy players for far too long at Ibrox, Curtis has not been rewarded with regular game time to develop and improve in the senior team.
Rohl must change that by providing the 19-year-old attacker, who can play on the left or the right flank, with more chances to show what he can do on the pitch as a starter for the Light Blues.
Rangers saw firsthand what can happen when a young player is finally given a chance when Osmand found the back of the net against them, and they should learn from that lesson by finally unleashing Curtis.
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