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Leeds United transfer target Kai Wagner will ‘absolutely’ leave Major League Soccer for Europe in January, according to MLS insider Tom Bogert.

The lowdown

The Whites held talks over a deal for the Philadelphia Union left-back during the summer transfer window, as per CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs. Jesse Marsch, who has coached in MLS with New York Red Bulls and Montreal Impact, was apparently the ‘driving’ force behind the prospective deal.

Wagner’s contract with Phildadelphia is due to expire at the end of the calendar year, but his club have the option to extend it by a further 12 months.

The latest

Bogert says that Wagner will be on the move in the winter but it warned that it could be ‘difficult’ for Leeds to pull off the deal amid extensive competition.

He wrote on Twitter: “Sources: Expectation is that Philadelphia Union star LB Kai Wagner will ‘absolutely’ be sold to Europe this winter. Leeds United far from the only club interested, will be difficult for them now rather than the summer.”

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The verdict

Leeds lack specialist senior left-back cover for the injured Junior Firpo. Pascal Struijk has played there in the early part of the season but he is naturally a centre-back, while Leo Hjelde is only 19 and boasts a mere four senior Whites appearances.

Wagner could duly be the man to fill that glaring void in the Whites’ squad if Victor Orta can pull off a deal for the German defender.

Jacobs describes the 25-year-old as ‘very creative’, a label which is justified by his tally of eight MLS assists so far this season. That ranks him first in the Philadelphia squad, and joint-sixth in the division overall.

As Bogert warned, though, the timing may not work out in Leeds’ favour considering the added interest in the player.

Aston Villa are interested in a deal to bring Glen Kamara to Villa Park in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who claim that, following recent reports suggesting that Glasgow Rangers would be willing to part with the central midfielder for a figure in the region of £10m this winter, Steven Gerrard’s side are currently one of the most interested clubs in a move for the 25-year-old – alongside French outfit OGC Nice.

The report goes on to state that, with Morgan Sanson looking likely to depart Villa Park in January, coupled with Douglas Luiz appearing set to leave the club on a free transfer at the end of his contract next summer, Johan Lange has work to do in strengthening Gerrard’s midfield – with Kamara seemingly a very attainable target.

Dream Luiz heir

While it is true that the loss of Luiz would come as a blow to Gerrard and his side, especially on a free, should Lange manage to bring in Kamara as the Brazil international’s replacement in the middle of the park, it would certainly help to soften the blow of waving goodbye to the 24-year-old.

Indeed, the £6.75m-rated talent was a key part of Gerrard’s title-winning Rangers side back in 2020/21, with the midfielder making an average of 60.1 passes – at a success rate of 91% – 0.9 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and winning 4.1 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game over his 33 league appearances, with these returns seeing the Finland international average a SofaScore match rating of 6.99.

Furthermore, the £30k-per-week earner also impressed over his 14 appearances in Gers’ run to the Europa League final last time out, scoring one goal and registering two assists, in addition to making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 0.9 tackles, 0.6 key passes and winning 4.2 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per fixture.

It was this kind of performance level that saw Kamara become a firm favourite of the 42-year-old manager during his time in Glasgow, with the Liverpudlian stating of the midfielder back in 2019:

“He’s a terrific footballer in possession, always playing with his head up and looking to connect defence and attack. But what pleased me most is what I spoke about when we signed him in terms of how he’ll be out of possession.

“Will he hunt the ball back, be aggressive, work hard for the team and be a monster in the middle of the park? He showed signs of that against Kilmarnock and potentially he can become a top midfielder.”

As such, while Luiz – who has averaged SofaScore match ratings of 6.77, 6.87, 6.89 and 6.83 over his four Premier League campaigns at Villa Park – will not be an easy man to replace, Kamara would very much appear to be something of a dream heir to the Brazilian, especially for an extremely affordable fee of just £10m.

Leeds United bringing in Aston Villa forward Ollie Watkins ‘would excite’ supporters, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Watkins linked with Leeds

The Whites appear to be on the hunt for a new forward before the September 1 deadline and have been linked with a move for the 26-year-old.

Jacobs was the reporter who broke the news of Leeds’ interest in the England international earlier this month, saying that those from Elland Road are ‘monitoring developments’ amid rumours of unrest at Villa Park.

Watkins, who Michael Owen has called a ‘top, top player’, scored his first goal of the season in the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace over the weekend, adding to his two assists against Everton the week before.

The Latest: Jacobs’ comments

Talking to GiveMeSport about Leeds and Watkins, Jacobs said that a move to Elland Road for the 26-year-old ‘would excite Leeds fans’, although he added that a transfer may not be able to be finalised quickly.

The CBS reporter stated:

“I think Ollie Watkins is the one that would excite Leeds fans the most, but there’s nothing to suggest that they can get a deal done quickly.

“Between now and when the window closes – unless these Villa denials are more PR, there is an underlying tension and Watkins does want a fresh challenge at that point – perhaps Leeds will see a window of opportunity to capitalise.”

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The Verdict: Unlikely?

Watkins still has three years left to run on his Villa deal and is valued at a career-high £31.5m by Transfermarkt, so you’d expect that it would take a big-money offer to tempt the Midlands club into selling, especially to a Premier League rival.

The money is there at Elland Road for a marquee addition following a €40m (£33.7m) agreement for Charles De Ketelaere before he ultimately joined AC Milan, so it could be one to watch, although it does seem unlikely.

Everton have also made an approach of their own for Watkins, so Victor Orta could be better off looking abroad in search of better value for money, as Leeds have done with their six first-team signings so far this summer.

Leeds United are working on potential left-back signings in total secrecy, Graham Smyth of The Yorkshire Evening Post writes.

The lowdown

With a week to go until the competitive action begins, Leeds do look a little short in the left-back position.

Junior Firpo would likely occupy that role if he was fit, but he picked up an injury against Blackpool earlier in pre-season that could sideline him until mid-September.

Stuart Dallas is capable of playing there too, but he’s also on the sidelines with no prospect of a return in the near future.

After Leeds sold 22-year-old Leif Davis to League One outfit Ipswich Town, Marsch faces the possibility of using centre-half Pascal Struijk or winger Jack Harrison as a makeshift full-back.

The latest

Smyth, the publication’s chief football writer, says Leeds are hopeful of signing a new LB before they kick-off their Premier League campaign against Wolves on Saturday 6 August.

However, they are currently ‘tight-lipped on the identity of targets’ and ‘whatever deals are being worked on are yet to leak out’.

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The verdict

TuttoMercatoWeb (via Sport Witness) report that Leeds are ‘thinking’ about a deal for PSV Eindhoven’s Philipp Max, but in light of Smyth’s piece, that information seemingly hasn’t come from Elland Road.

And regardless, TMW cautioned that it would take a ‘crazy’ offer to land the 28-year-old German, and that may well discourage Leeds.

Perhaps that’s part of the problem they face as they operate under time pressure, with the new season so close and clubs likely reluctant to lose key assets.

Smyth writes that Leeds were always going to need a new LB this summer to provide cover and competition for Firpo, and so you could argue this should have been addressed weeks ago.

West Bromwich Albion have a track record when it comes to securing transfers for players from fellow English clubs, either on loan deals or permanently.

One such move which saw the Baggies take one promising young player away from a Premier League club is their 2020 swoop for Grady Diangana.

After originally signing the winger on loan from West Ham United in the summer of 2019, Albion signed him on a permanent deal the following year.

This move caused quite a stir at the London Stadium at the time, as Mark Noble took to Twitter to share his frustrations that the Hammers had let the player leave permanently, showing just how highly Diangana was rated there.

Now that the Baggies are in the midst of another summer transfer window, this period could give the Midlands club the chance to bring in their next version of the 24-year-old in the shape of another young Premier League prodigy.

In April, it was reported that Albion were one of the clubs interested in signing Newcastle United attacker Elliot Anderson.

Bruce needs him

With 56 appearances under his belt for Newcastle across their senior and youth teams, the 19-year-old has 23 goals and providing eight assists to his name.

During his loan spell with Bristol Rovers in the second half of last season, Anderson ended up scoring eight times and supplying five assists in 21 League Two appearances as he helped the Gas to win promotion to League One.

This backs up why Rovers manager Joey Barton hailed the £2.3k-per-week Magpies starlet as “outstanding” during his time at the club. It also mirrors the attacking prowess that Diangana showed throughout the 2019/20 season, when he racked up eight goals and seven assists in 30 Championship appearances as Albion won promotion to the top flight.

Bearing in mind how the Baggies found it rather hard to score at times last season, with West Brom experiencing 18 league games where they failed to find the net, adding a young and eager attacking talent like Anderson could be just what Steve Bruce needs to make his side a more dynamic team going forward.

Taking all this into account, with the player recently saying that he’d be willing to exit St James’ Park in an effort to get more regular playing time, this is something that the Midlands club should be all over before the transfer window shuts.

AND in other news: Bruce can secure his next West Brom masterclass by signing “immense” 103-goal dynamo

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Neco Williams, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club’s progress in their pursuit of the player.

What’s the latest?

Sports journalist for The Daily Express, Ryan Taylor, has revealed that Nottingham Forest have had a bid turned down by Liverpool for defender Neco Williams.

Taylor tweeted on Wednesday lunchtime: “Liverpool have rejected an opening offer from Nottingham Forest for Wales international right-back Neco Williams.”

Cooper will be gutted

The right-back role is something that needs to be addressed at Nottingham Forest with the departure of Djed Spence who took on the role during his season-long loan at The City Ground, so Steve Cooper will surely be gutted to see a bid turned down to source a replacement.

Forest have been linked with a move for Spence, however, Tottenham Hotspur have shown a strong interest in the player, clearly prompting the club to look elsewhere hence their bid for Williams.

The Liverpool player struggled for game-time at Anfield with Trent Alexander-Arnold comfortably covering the right back role in the team but was given the opportunity to show off his talents and ability during a six-month loan in the Championship with Fulham.

Williams scored two goals, delivered two assists and created two big chances, making one key pass, 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 1.6 interceptions, whilst completing the majority of his duels (53%) and being successful in the majority of his dribble attempts (51%) over 14 league appearances.

The 21-year-old’s performances have proven he has the potential to be a great asset in any team when given the opportunity to play consistently, something Nottingham Forest will be able to provide if they manage to get a deal done with the Champions League finalists this summer.

If not, Cooper will need to identify another player to come in and strengthen his defensive line ahead of their long-awaited return to Premier League next season, as losing Spence will leave a big hole in the team.

With that being said, the powers at The City Ground must not give up on Williams and come to an agreement that will suit Liverpool’s demands, otherwise they could be weakened in their first season back in the top flight.

AND in other news: NFFC expected to “entice” £9m-rated “spectacular” star, Cooper can “turn his head”

Wolves have suffered a potential blow in their quest to sign Matheus Nunes this summer, with Barcelona now reportedly interested in hijacking the deal.

The Lowdown: Nunes strongly linked with move

Bruno Lage is continuing to work hard on summer signings at Molineux and one player who has been strongly linked with a move in recent days is Nunes.

The 23-year-old has become a key midfield presence for Sporting CP, making 33 Primeira Liga appearances last season, as well as scoring three times in the competition.

But while some reports have suggested Wolves have even prepared a bid for the exact asking price, there may now be a new twist in the saga.

The Latest: Barca could hijack deal

According to Record [via Sport Witness], Barcelona are looking at the Portuguese maestro as a possible replacement for Frenkie de Jong.

It is still stated that Wolves are the ‘most likely destination’ for Nunes – they are willing to spend €45million (£38.6m) plus €5million (£4.2m) in add-ons for the Sporting man – but a switch to the Nou Camp can’t be ruled out as the Catalans have met with Jorge Mendes to discuss a deal.

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The Verdict: Possible big blow

There is certainly reason to be concerned about this update from a Wanderers perspective, given the lure Barca still have as one of the world’s greatest football clubs.

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Should they move for Nunes, it is easy to see his head being turned, but it is encouraging to see that Wolves still look to be the firm favourites to snap him up this summer.

The midfielder could be the perfect replacement for Ruben Neves at Molineux, bringing similar level of technical class – he enjoyed an 86.2% pass completion rate in the league last season, compared to the Wolves hero’s 84% – and making it a seamless transition in the middle of the park.

GiveMeSport columnist and transfer reporter Dean Jones has shared what could be another significant update as Manchester City continue their chase for Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips.

The Lowdown: Guardiola plotting summer moves…

After the Blues clinched a fourth Premier League title in five seasons, extending their English dominance in the most dramatic final-day win possible, manager Pep Guardiola isn’t resting on his laurels.

The departure of club legend Fernandinho has left a hole that needs to be filled in defensive midfield as Guardiola and sporting director Txiki Begiristain set their sights on the Brazilian’s heir.

Whites midfielder Phillips is believed to be a top target with reports suggesting an official bid is inevitable.

The Latest: Jones shares significant update…

Writing for GMS, Jones has now claimed that the Elland Road side are already preparing to lose their star man this summer.

This comes as City are ‘expected to make an offer’ for Phillips, and if it’s close to Leeds’ £50million demand, a ‘deal is expected to progress’ with an agreement possible.

The Verdict: Get it done?

£50m is fairly reasonable for an established England international who has been revered for his unique style, famously drawing comparisons to Italy footballing icon Andrea Pirlo.

Former Leeds midfielder Andrew Hughes, speaking to The Athletic last year, branded Phillips a ‘very special’ player and the homegrown ace’s numbers from 2021/22 back how he could fit in at Eastlands.

The tenacious player, as per WhoScored, averaged more tackles per 90 in the top flight that any of Guardiola’s current crop, highlighting how he could potentially add something different in a rotation with Rodri.

If a City agreement can indeed progress, the signing of Phillips wouldn’t be a bad way to follow the arrivals of both Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.

In other news: Man City emerges as ‘dream’ destination for ‘very exciting’ defender! Find out more here.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Brenden Aaronson.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the Italian journalist revealed that Leeds are closing in on a £28m deal for the RB Salzburg attacking midfielder, with the Whites having already agreed personal terms with the 21-year-old ahead of a proposed summer switch.

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In his post, the transfer insider said: “Leeds are closing on Brenden Aaronson deal, here we go soon. Full agreement reached with RB Salzburg and paperwork to be prepared soon, deal worth £28m as reported yesterday. Aaronson has already agreed personal terms with Leeds as he wanted Premier League move.”

Supporters will be buzzing

Considering just how talented a prospect Aaronson quite clearly is, the news that Victor Orta looks to be closing in on a deal for the USA international is sure to have left the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

Indeed, the £18m-rated talent played a key role in Salzburg’s title-winning campaign over his 26 Austrian Bundesliga appearances this season, scoring four goals, registering four assists and creating seven big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.0 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.5 dribbles per game.

The £19k-per-week forward also impressed over his eight Champions League outings, registering two assists, in addition to taking an average of 1.1 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles per match, while his 27.23 pressures per 90 also ranked him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s big five leagues over the last 365 days.

As such, with Leeds in rather desperate need of greater creativity and attacking impetus from midfield if they are to improve on their disappointing 17th place finish next time out, it would very much appear as if a player of Aaronson’s skillset would make a fantastic addition to Jesse Marsch’s current options in the position – not to mention a player who represents a huge upgrade on Tyler Roberts.

AND in other news: Orta must brutally axe “pathetic” £50k-p/w Leeds flop, he’s “papering over the cracks”

Leeds United have been dealt a fresh setback ahead of their upcoming Premier League meeting with Arsenal this Sunday.

What’s the latest?

Speaking after Arsenal’s 2-1 victory over West Ham United on Sunday afternoon (via the Evening Standard), Mikel Arteta revealed that Ben White, who missed the fixture due to a hamstring injury sustained in the 3-1 win over Manchester United a week prior, could be in line to make a return to action against Leeds this weekend – with the centre-back’s predicted return date being May 8.

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Regarding the defender’s absence against the Hammers, the Arsenal manager said: “Ben got injured against Manchester United, he felt a muscular problem and we checked him, and we will have to assess him in the next few days to see how he is.”

Marsch will be livid

Considering Leeds’ mounting injury concerns of their own – with Stuart Dallas being ruled out for the season after fracturing his kneecap in the 4-0 defeat to Manchester City, as well as Liam Cooper missing the game after sustaining his own knee injury in the warmup to the fixture – the news that Arsenal could be boosted by the return of White ahead of Sunday’s clash is sure to have left Jesse Marsch livid.

Indeed, following his £50m move to The Emirates last summer, the 24-year-old has highly impressed over his 31 Premier League appearances, helping Arsenal keep 13 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.4 tackles, 3.1 clearances and winning 4.4 duels – at a success rate of 59% – per game.

These returns have seen the £120k-per-week defender average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.94, ranking him as Arteta’s joint tenth-best player in the top flight of English football.

As such, it is clear to see just how important a player the £36m-rated England international is within the Arsenal defence, with the former Leeds loanee’s potential return ahead of Sunday’s meeting sure to come as a huge blow to the Whites’ chances of leaving north London with all three points.

And, following Everton’s 1-0 win over Chelsea last weekend – a result that saw the 18th placed Toffees climb to within two points of Leeds – Marsch’s side will be looking for any marginal gains they could possibly take advantage of ahead of their trip to the capital, something which White’s potential return is certainly not.

AND in other news: Huge update emerges on big-money summer deal, Leeds supporters will be devastated