Everton's transfer dealings in recent years have certainly been hit-and-miss, with the club splashing a lot of money on players who have failed to live up to expectations.

The financial issues at Goodison Park have seen the club resort to cheap additions and loan deals to piece together a squad that is capable of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.

Last summer, the club signed forward Arnaut Danjuma on a season-long loan from Spanish side Villarreal, with the Dutchman having high expectations after his successful stint at Bournemouth a couple of years ago.

However, his spell on Merseyside has been a disaster, making 14 appearances and scoring just once in the 2-2 draw with Sheffield United.

Despite the latest example of failed incoming, the club have also conducted excellent business in offloading players in the last year, including one player who has been frankly anonymous since he departed the Toffees last season.

Tom Davies' stats at Everton

After joining the club at the age of 11, midfielder Tom Davies rapidly progressed through Everton's youth setup, before making his first-team debut at the age of 17 under Roberto Martinez back in April 2016.

He showed glimpses of being the future of the club despite his limited starts, scoring his first senior goal in the 4-0 rout over Manchester City at Goodison Park during the 2016/17 campaign.

He made 33 Premier League appearances during the 2017/18 campaign, the most he managed during his time at the club, with Davies starting to live up to the hype given his great start to life in the first-team.

Davies was named as captain during the EFL Cup victory over Rotherham United at the start of the 2018/19 season, making him the club's youngest-ever captain – a sign of trust by then manager Marco Silva.

The midfielder would remain a constant first-team player up until the 2021/22 season, when the academy graduate suffered a knee injury that saw him miss 223 days and 31 games.

2015/16

2

0

2016/17

24

2

2017/18

33

2

2018/19

16

0

2019/20

30

1

2020/21

25

0

2021/22

6

1

2022/23

19

0

However, he would return to action for the 2022/23 season, but looking a shadow of his former self and only managing five starts in his 19 appearances.

He would subsequently depart Everton at the end of his contract last summer, in the hunt for more consistent game time – a brilliant decision from the club given his poor form this season.

Tom Davies' wage at Everton

Davies, who earned £39k-per-week during his final year at Goodison Park as per Salary Sport, has failed to nail down a starting place at Sheffield United since his move to Bramall Lane in the summer.

He's only started two Premier League games this season, being substituted at half-time in both, which is just 6% of all the Blades' league outings this campaign.

The 25-year-old has once again struggled with his fitness, missing 17 matches through injury, but also only being utilised as an impact player when fully fit.

Given his injuries and lack of impact, the club did the right thing in offloading Davies last summer, with his huge weekly wage allowing the club to save £2m a season in their battle against the Premier League's strict PSR rules.

Everton hit jackpot offloading Silva signing who cost them £19m in wages

He made 84 appearances for the Toffees.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 22, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O sonho de contar novamente com Renato Augusto pode estar mais perto da realidade no Corinthians. Apesar da dificuldade da negociação e dos entraves que precisam ser superados pelas partes, já há dentro do clube uma ala que demonstra otimismo em relação a essa volta do meia, que antes de qualquer coisa precisa rescindir seu contrato com o Beijing Guoan, da China.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansCorinthians se reapresenta e inicia preparação para pegar o Atlético-MGCorinthians13/07/2021CorinthiansFelipe Augusto agrada Sylvinho e jovem pode ganhar espaço no Corinthians: ‘Queria usar mais’Corinthians12/07/2021CorinthiansSeleção, Copa, identificação… Entenda o que pode ajudar a volta de Renato Augusto ao CorinthiansCorinthians12/07/2021

TABELA
> Veja classificação e simulador do Brasileirão-2021 clicando aqui

> Conheça o aplicativo de resultados do LANCE!

GALERIA
> Jemerson e Otero dão adeus! Veja quem já deixou o Corinthians em 2021

Segundo apurou o LANCE!, tanto a ala otimista quanto a pessimista optam por manter a cautela e deixam claro que não há nada acertado e nem próximo disso, pois não querem gerar falsa expectativa no torcedor, que já está empolgado com a possibilidade e ficaria frustrado demais com a negativa.

No entanto, aqueles que confiam em um desfecho positivo, acreditam que a vontade do jogador de voltar para a Seleção Brasileira e a identificação com o clube podem ajudar nas tratativas pela adequação salarial à realidade financeira corintiana. Esse entrave é algo que pesa bastante na negociação, até porque o jogador tem propostas e sondagens interessantes de fora do país.

Além disso, Renato precisa rescindir seu contrato com o Beijing Guoan, daChina, que tem validade até o fim deste ano. De acordo com a apuração da reportagem, o jogador tem valores atrasados a receber e poderia usar isso como forma de acertar um acordo amigável com os chineses. Somente com o meia livre no mercado é que o Corinthians agirá de forma oficial no negócio.

Recentemente, o Timão realizou um processo intenso pra “enxugar” a folha salarial do clube. Estima-se que com as saídas e empréstimos de jogadores, houve uma economia de R$ 4 milhões, espaço que gera alívio nos cofres e permite sonhar com reforços de alto nível. Vale destacar que esse dinheiro economizado nessa “limpeza” não irá totalmente para novas contratações.

Pelo Corinthians, Renato conquistou dois títulos: a Recopa Sul-Americana-2013 e o Brasileirão-2015. Entre janeiro de 2013 e dezembro de 2015, o meia fez 127 jogos e marcou 15 gols. No início de 2016 ele foi vendido ao Beijing Guoan.

continua após a publicidade

The ferocity of the assault was such that his score has been bettered only once in 11 seasons of the IPL

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Apr-2020

Brendon McCullum will begin his coaching career with the Knight Riders franchise•Getty Images

On this day in 2008, the IPL kicked off and a 26-year old Brendon McCullum lit up the opener with a breathtaking 73-ball 158 not out for Kolkata Knight Riders against Royal Challengers Bangalore. The ferocity of the assault was such that his score has been bettered only once – by another T20 superstar, Chris Gayle – in 11 seasons of the IPL.McCullum, who has now reunited with the Knight Riders as their coach, looked back on the evening that changed his life, and the T20 landscape as well.”You talk about sliding doors, and moments in your careers and in lives,” McCullum told . “That night, my life changed completely in the space of those three hours or actually, even an hour and a half.”Why was I the one who got that opportunity to be able to go and face [the] first [delivery] with Sourav Ganguly? How did I get a chance to play in the first game, have the first opportunity to bat in such a huge tournament for world cricket? How was I even able to grab that opportunity? How much luck did I have along the way? Honestly, I don’t know the answers to any of these, but what I do know is that it changed my life forever.”McCullum admitted that he never really thought he had it in him to pull off a feat like that. His first fifty took 32 balls, his second only 21, and his third a mere 17. While he alone smashed an unbeaten 158, the Royal Challengers folded for 82 in pursuit of 223.”I couldn’t have done it without my team-mates, that’s 100% sure,” he said. “It was just a surreal moment in time where you just look back and say, ‘How lucky was I?'”McCullum also recalled his then captain and opening partner Ganguly’s reaction to his incredible innings.” said, ‘Your life is changed forever,’ and I didn’t quite know what he meant at the time, but [in hindsight], I 100% agree with him,” McCullum said. “Shah Rukh [Khan, the KKR co-owner], in the months which followed or the days and the weeks and the months which followed, he said, ‘you’ll always be with the Knight Riders.'”McCullum had two stints with the Knight Riders, scoring 882 runs in 35 innings at a strike rate of nearly 121. He played for them from 2008 to 2010, then represented the now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala in 2011, before rejoining the Knight Riders for another two-season spell. McCullum then played for Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Lions and Royal Challengers before becoming coach of both the Knight Riders franchises in the CPL and IPL.

With the celebrations drawing to a close, Ipswich Town have reportedly begun to plot an ambitious summer move which would see them flex their newly earned Premier League muscles for the first time.

Ipswich transfer news

Kieran McKenna impressed many when he took Ipswich from League One back to the Championship. That achievement was satisfactory enough for the time being, but not for the former Manchester United coach. He didn't rest on his laurels and neither did his squad. And now, one season later, they are a Premier League side for the first time since the 2001/02 campaign.

Promotion secured and open-top bus tour complete, the Tractor Boys must now focus on staying in the Premier League now that they're back in the top flight, which is where the transfer window comes in.

Ipswich Town: The players who have reached the Premier League

The Tractor Boys secured a magical promotion to the Premier League just a year after escaping League One.

ByStephan Georgiou May 7, 2024

Reports are already circling over Ipswich's desire to keep hold of Chelsea loanee Omari Hutchinson, but it's elsewhere in London that those at Portman Road are plotting an ambitious move.

According to TeamTalk, Ipswich are keeping tabs on Eddie Nketiah in a "hugely ambitious" move, with the Arsenal forward allowed to leave if the right offer comes in this summer. Both Ipswich and Crystal Palace are reportedly interested as both clubs look to land a player who could go a long way in securing Premier League safety next season.

It won't be a cheap move, however. Nketiah reportedly earns a whopping £77k-a-week, which would instantly make the forward Ipswich's highest-earner by some distance (excluding loan players), above Axel Tuanzebe who currently earns a reported £18k-a-week.

A difference that would see the newly promoted side smash their wage bill, it's the price they will have to pay for Premier League quality. Nketiah's experience and proven ability to find the back of the net in the top flight may make that salary more than worth it from Ipswich's perspective.

"Incredible" Nketiah could reach peak under McKenna

If there were any doubts that McKenna is one of the best young managers in England, then this season's promotion should swiftly put them to bed. He has become a coach that most players should want to play for, especially when in Nketiah's position. The Arsenal forward remains out of favour and in need of a move this summer as a result, which is where Ipswich should emerge as an ideal destination.

Starts

10

Goals

5

Expected Goals

4.5

Assists

2

Scoring a goal every other game and outperforming his expected goals rate, Nketiah has earned deserved praise from Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta during his time under the Spaniard.

The Arsenal boss said last season: "What Eddie is doing is incredible. We cannot say that we saw that, we were hoping that he could do that because of the way he is, because of his mentality, because of his qualities and how those qualities fit within the team.

"Losing Gabby [Jesus] was a big blow, it is a big blow today, but Eddie is responding and the team I think in an exceptional way."

It's been a long road to bring Arsenal back to the precipice of Premier League glory for Mikel Arteta, and while he's generally got transfers right in his time, there have certainly been some duds along the way.

The Spaniard has brought in brilliant players like Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and Kai Havertz, but he has also signed the likes of Pablo Mari, Willian, and Runar Alex Runarsson.

That said, most of his lacklustre purchases have been sold on or released to free up space for better players to come in, apart from one early signing now worth nine times less than Ben White.

Cédric Soares Arsenal career

As one of Arteta's first signings, Cédric Soares moved to Arsenal on a six-month loan deal from Southampton in January 2020 before joining the Gunners on a permanent deal in August of the same year alongside fellow January loanee, Mari.

Due to a severe knee injury, the then-28-year-old only made five appearances for the north Londoners in his loan spell, in which he scored one goal. However, in his first full season at the club, he would go on to play a more significant role, making 24 appearances, although he couldn't nail down the position.

It was a similar story the following season. Despite making 26 appearances, the former Saints ace still found himself spending a lot of time on the bench, although considering that his performance against Liverpool in April of that season left Arsenal great Tony Adams feeling "scared," it was probably for the best.

Cédric's Arsenal record

Appearances

64

Average Appearances per Season

14

Goals

2

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.10

All Stats via Transfermarkt

With the writing clearly on the wall, the Portuguese full-back joined Fulham on loan for the latter half of last season. This term, he has been limited to just five appearances and hasn't even made the matchday squad on multiple occasions.

So, with a rather underwhelming body of work at the club and no path back into the first team, it's not surprising that his valuation is so low.

Cédric Soares valuation in 2024

According to the CIES Football Observatory, Cédric is now worth just €5m, which converts to £4m.

The valuations of Arsenal's full-backs

Place

Player

Valuation

1

Ben White

€40m (£34m)

2

Jakub Kiwior

€30m (£26m)

3

Oleksandr Zinchenko

€20m (£17m)

4

Jurrien Timber

€15m (£13m)

4

Takehiro Tomiyasu

€15m (£13m)

5

Cédric Soares

€5m (£4m)

All Valuations via the CIES Football Observatory

This dreadful valuation means he is the least valuable full-back at the club today.

As if that wasn't bad enough, he's priced around nine times cheaper than White, whom the CIES has priced at €40m or £34m.

It's a combination of his contract expiring this summer and a lack of game time that has led to the 32-year-old's woeful new price, while the Englishman's increasing importance to Arteta's system and brilliant performance this season is behind his ballooning worth.

For example, in his 50 appearances this season, the Poole-born "warrior", as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has scored four goals and provided five assists on top of his defensive duties, which have helped the Gunners create the best defensive record in the Premier League this season.

Moreover, while his right-back brother-in-arms has just a few months remaining on his contract, the former Brighton & Hove Albion man has just signed a new deal that has seen his wages rise to £150k-per-week and sees him tied to the club until 2028.

Ultimately, it's probably a good thing for all parties involved that Cédric's deal is set to expire in the summer. While he's a model professional, he hasn't succeeded at the club in any meaningful way, so with his valuation about as low as it could be, it's time he sailed off into the sunset come the end of June.

Related Arteta hit the jackpot with Arsenal star who's worth £22m more than Sesko

The brilliant ace has been tremendous since the turn of the year.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes May 16, 2024

The experimental format – featuring three teams in one game – will mark the return of cricket to the country in lockdown

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Jul-20203:55

What exactly is the 3TC?

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has rescheduled the experimental 3TeamCricket (3TC) competition, which will flag off the resumption of cricket in the country, to July 18 – also celebrated as Nelson Mandela International Day.Three teams – led by Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock and AB de Villiers – will all compete simultaneously in the same match for the Solidarity Cup at SuperSport Park in Centurion, with the game televised live. The line-ups and playing conditions remain unaltered.The announcement comes a day after the country’s sport ministry approved CSA’s plans of having the country’s national men’s and women’s team back in training.ALSO READ: Experimental 3TC format to kick off South Africa’s return to cricket”It’s very exciting to get live cricket, featuring our top players, back on our TV screens again,” CSA’s acting chief executive Jacques Faul said. “I can’t think of a more appropriate day on which to hold this game than Nelson Mandela Day, when its prime objective is to raise funds for those who have been badly affected by the coronavirus. It is still nearly three weeks away, so it also gives our players more time to prepare properly and to minimise the chance of injuries.”I would like to thank the government and our own medical team once again for everything they have done to make a return to training and playing possible. I would also like to add special thanks to the incredible sponsors involved in this event for their continued commitment towards the match and its beneficiary, the Hardship Fund.”The match was earlier supposed to take place on June 27 but had to be postponed as CSA hadn’t received government clearance for resumption of sporting activities.There has been no cricket in South Africa since the group stage of the domestic one-day cup was completed on March 15. The playoffs and final had to be postponed in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, with South Africa going into strict lockdown on March 27.Although South Africa’s lockdown has been eased over the last two months, the country is preparing for the peak of the pandemic, which is expected to hit between July and September, and could see stricter restrictions being applied in hotspot areas.The Gauteng province, in which SuperSport Park is located, is one such area and on Tuesday the country’s health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize warned that the province could return to an increased level of lockdown in the coming weeks. Professional sport is not permitted under those levels.

Rangers are tracking a "Rolls Royce" player who Michael Beale wanted to sign during his time in charge at Ibrox, according to a fresh transfer update.

Rangers transfer news

Philippe Clement knows how important a productive summer transfer window will be, during a period in which several players will likely leave on free transfers, including Borna Barisic, John Lundsram and Kemar Roofe.

Rangers are one of the clubs who are believed to be monitoring Macarthur youngster Raphael Borges Rodrigues, who currently plays in the A-League in Australia. Described as a "sensation" by journalist Pete O'Rourke, the winger could be seen as one for the future at Ibrox.

Meanwhile, West Ham utility man Ben Johnson is expected to leave the London Stadium on a free transfer this summer and the Gers are reportedly in the mix to snap him up. The 24-year-old has made 14 Premier League appearances this season, although only four have been starts, highlighting why he could move on.

It could be that Rangers also seal a permanent move for Abdallah Sima, who is on loan from Brighton currently, and journalist Dean Jones has talked up that move going through: "A few other Premier League clubs have had an eye on him in the past couple of years, I think he’s a great watch. But optimism does seem to be there that Rangers are going to tie this one up at a fee that is absolutely from the bargain basement."

Now, it looks as though a move for a long-time target also isn't out of the question, following a new transfer report that has emerged.

Rangers eyeing "Rolls Royce" Beale target

According to a report from The Daily Record, Birmingham City defender Dion Sanderson is a target for Rangers chiefs this summer, having shown an interest in him under Beale's watch: "Record Sport understands Rangers have had one eye on Birmingham defender Dion Sanderson for some time.

"The 24-year-old’s name was on a list of potential targets which was drawn up way back when Beale was still in charge and Sanderson remains a person of interest where the Ibrox club is concerned."

While any mention of Beale can cause negativity with some Rangers supporters, considering his disappointing spell as manager, he was right to see Sanderson as a good option, and he could be an excellent signing this summer.

The Englishman has started 36 matches for Birmingham in the Championship this season, and while his side are on the verge of relegation to League One on Saturday, he has enjoyed a strong personal campaign, averaging 3.3 clearances and 1.8 aerial duel wins per game in the competition.

Dion Sanderson's Championship stats this season	Total
Appearances	36
Starts	36
Goals	1
Assists	0
Clearances per game	3.3
Aerial duel wins per game	1.8
Interceptions per game	1.4

Former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson once called Sanderson "an absolute Rolls Royce" of a player, highlighting his ability during their time together at the Stadium of Light, and he could come in as a great centre-back option for Rangers, adding depth and quality for Clement next season.

In the last decade, Manchester United have hired numerous managers who all joined with the same goal: to bring trophies to Old Trafford on a consistent basis.

Louis van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all tried but ultimately succumbed to sacking, and Erik ten Hag looks set to follow in their footsteps.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS’ reign as the owners of the Red Devils will truly get underway this summer, and with the Dutchman’s future unclear, the search for a new boss may commence.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at who Man United have shortlisted to potentially become the new boss, with one manager in particular having a strong chance of turning Rasmus Hojlund into a monster.

Man Utd’s search for a new manager

Over the past month, plenty of managers have been touted to become the new United boss, but Thomas Tuchel has been the most frequently mentioned name.

However, as of Monday, German journalist Christian Falk has revealed that despite it previously being “very likely” that the former Chelsea boss could take over at Old Trafford, Bayern Munich are now attempting to retain their current boss.

Yet, the other name in the running for the job is Thomas Frank, as per a Telegraph report, who’s now become a “strong contender.”

It’s reported that United are keen to appoint a manager to aid with the rebuilding of the club instead of opting for a quick fix to success.

How Thomas Frank could turn Hojlund into a monster

Since taking over as head coach at Brentford in 2018 following a stint as the assistant manager, Frank has exceeded every single expectation, turning the Bees into a Premier League team.

The 50-year-old’s greatest managerial achievement will be without doubt earning promotion and cementing his side in the top division for three consecutive seasons, which is set to be four.

Understandably, the fact that Frank is a potential manager target for United may concern a handful of the Red Devils fanbase, especially considering his non-existent trophy history.

However, there are plenty of positives with signing Frank in particular, which could just prove to be vital for the proposed shift in culture of the club, and his signature could well get the very best out of Hojlund.

18/19

Neal Maupay

25

19/20

Ollie Watkins

25

20/21

Ivan Toney

31

21/22

Ivan Toney

12

22/23

Ivan Toney

20

23/24

Yoane Wissa

11

As you can see by the table above, it’s clear that Frank knows exactly how to get the best out of his number nine, whether that be Ivan Toney, Neal Maupay, or Ollie Watkins, and it is no shock to see that he's been described as "outstanding" by pundit Troy Deeney.

All three players hit at least 25 goals in each Championship season that Frank was in charge, and he’s also proved that his methods work in the top flight, as highlighted by Toney’s 20 league goals last season.

What’s interesting is that each profile that he’s worked with differs from the other, which means that regardless of the team’s approach or style of the player, he’s able to get results. Ratcliffe will hope that Frank could have a similar influence on his Danish counterpart Hojlund, whom the Brentford boss has previously labelled as “incredible.”

Unfortunately, Ten Hag hasn’t been able to consistently get the best out of the 21-year-old striker this season, with his eight league goals proving that they’ve been hard to come by, but the statistics highlight that it’s hardly Hojlund’s fault.

Just in the Premier League alone, the former Atalanta star has an xG of just 7.44, which underlines that Hojlund has been starved of service and chances all season long, especially when his stats are compared to other selected strikers in the league.

Goals

8

19

14

25

xG

7.44

16.63

17.80

26.84

Shots (per game)

1.3

2.9

2.3

4

Shots on target (per game)

0.7

1.3

1.2

2

Big chances missed

13

21

23

33

Overall, Frank’s track record of developing strikers and turning them into quality, reliable goalscorers is impressive, and he could just be the type of manager to turn Hojlund into an unstoppable machine.

Man Utd struck gold on £33m ace who'd be twice as valuable as Hojlund today

The world-class icon would be worth an eye-watering sum of money in 2024.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 23, 2024

Wilfried Nancy's Crew were the victims of goalkeeper chaos, Christian Benteke took the lead in the Golden Boot race and more.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Seattle thump Columbus 4-0
• LAFC draw Houston 0-0
• DC United defeat Chicago Fire 2-1, Benteke takes lead in Golden Boot race

• USA Today Images
  

  Giroud and LAFC struggle vs. Houston…again

  In the race for first place in the Western Conference, LAFC still trail the LA Galaxy by four points after falling flat in a 0-0 draw on the road against the Houston Dynamo.

  Olivier Giroud, who got his first MLS start, still hasn't fully gelled with his new team. The DP had just 36 touches, completed 64.3 percent of his passes and had three shots — none on target.

  Once again, the Dynamo proved to have LAFC in their web, following a 2-0 win in Los Angeles on Matchday 30.

  LAFC still have two games in-hand over the Galaxy, so the West could still be in grasp, but Steve Cherundolo's men are winless in their four of their last five MLS appearances. They meet the Galaxy next weekend in another edition of – a contest that will likely settle the conference.

Advertisement

• Goalkeeper chaos for Columbus, Miami's boost

  The Seattle Sounders defeated the Columbus Crew 4-0 on Saturday, but the match was anything but normal.

  The Crew were down to their fourth-string goalkeeper due to international call-ups for Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen and an injury to third-string keeper Evan Bush. Fourth-string goalkeeper Abraham Romero, recently acquired from LAFC, started but was sent off just before halftime for denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity. With no other goalkeeper available, midfielder Sean Zawadzki was forced to play in net for the remainder of the game. It went as well as one would expect.

  The Sounders took full advantage, scoring four goals and effectively ending the Crew's hopes for the 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield. Despite having two games in hand before Saturday, the Crew’s slim chance of contending with Lionel Messi's Inter Miami was dashed. Inter Miami now holds a 10-point lead over the Crew, making it unlikely for anyone to catch up as the season nears its end.

• USA Today Images
  

  Gillette Stadium stunner, RBNY teen star salvages point

  The New England Revolution nearly pulled off a remarkable home win over St. Louis CITY SC, but a late Simon Becher goal handed the hosts a second to secure a 2-2 draw. Record-signing Luca Langoni did, however, bag his first Gillette Stadium goal in front of the Revs faithful – a positive sign for a team looking to flip a switch in the Eastern Conference. The Argentine now has two goals and an assist in his first three MLS matches.

  South of Foxborough, MA in Harrison, NJ, the New York Red Bulls salvaged a point late against an Sporting Kansas City side fighting to keep their faint postseason hopes alive. Teen sensation Julian Hall, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea in Europe, scored an 89th minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw. It was the 16-year-old's second goal of the season.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• The strike of Saturday

  We love a GOLAZO from a defender. This one, from Chicago Fire's Andrew Gutman, is worthy of all the praise. The 27-year-old left back hit this volley so clean in a 2-1 loss to DC United.

  For the winning side, though, star forward and former Belgium international Christian Benteke stayed scoring. The ex-Liverpool man bagged his 18th goal of the season, taking the lead in the race for the 2024 MLS Golden Boot.

It is currently difficult for Leeds United's chiefs to make any concrete plans to bolster their playing squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Daniel Farke and his team do not yet know what division they will be playing in during the 2024/25 campaign and that could significantly impact their recruitment.

Players they may want for another season in the Championship may not be suitable for a Premier League term and players they could target for the top-flight may not be attainable, financially or in terms of their desire to join, if they remain in the second tier.

Their fate will be sealed by this time next week, though, as they have their huge play-off final clash at Wembley against Southampton this Sunday.

A win will secure their instant return to the Premier League but a loss will consign them to a second straight year in the second division, which speaks to the importance of this game.

If Farke and his side do come out on top and make their way back to the top table of English football, they could repeat the masterclass they played with Joe Rodon by swooping to sign another underused talent from Tottenham Hotspur.

Leeds urged to pursue deal for English dynamo

TEAMtalk writer James Marshment has urged Leeds to pursue a deal to sign Ryan Sessegnon on a free transfer from Spurs in the upcoming transfer window.

The former England U21 international is set to be released by the Premier League side this summer and the reporter has suggested that the Whites should swoop in to snap him up if they are promoted to the top-flight.

In the same article, TEAMtalk states that Rodon's priority is to complete a permanent move to Elland Road from Tottenham, and that a deal worth around £15m including add-ons should be enough to get a move over the line.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that there is plenty of interest from teams in England and in Europe to sign the versatile left-footed star, who is due to be a free agent.

The Italian journalist added, however, that the player's preference is to remain in the Premier League next season, which would be a boost for Leeds should they win the play-off final and decide to make a move for him.

Farke could now repeat the masterclass he played with the signing of Rodon from Tottenham by signing Sessegnon to bolster his squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The masterclass Leeds played with Joe Rodon

The Wales international had only made 24 appearances for Spurs in three years at the club prior to his initial loan move to Elland Road last summer.

He had spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with Rennes in Ligue 1, playing 16 league matches, and Leeds opted to gamble on him in the hope that the defender would hit the ground running and be a rock at the heart of their defence.

That is exactly what Rodon has been for the Yorkshire-based outfit this season as he has been in fantastic form at centre-back, and has proven that there can be big benefits to snapping up underused talent from big Premier League teams.

HIS performances in the play-offs have been particularly impressive, as the right-footed star won six of his seven ground duels and eight of his ten aerial battles in the two clashes with Norwich in the semi-final, helping his side to keep a clean sheet in both matches.

The 26-year-old titan's dominant defensive work was also on display during the regular season to help the team to finish third in the Championship, earning them a place in the play-offs.

Appearances

43

Clearances per game

4.5

Ground duel success rate

69%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

Clean sheets

17

As you can see in the table above, Rodon rarely lost a physical battle, on the floor or in the air, across 43 appearances in the regular Championship campaign.

These statistics, and his outstanding work in the play-offs so far, show that Leeds played a masterclass when they brought him to the club last summer.

They plucked out an underused gem from Tottenham on loan and turned him into a star at Elland Road, which is what they could do by signing Sessegnon on a free transfer.

Why Leeds should sign Ryan Sessegnon

Firstly, this would not be a risk-free addition for the Whites as he has missed 62 matches for club and country through injury over the last two seasons, mainly due to hamstring issues.

This means that Farke would be taking a gamble on his fitness and hoping that the defender can get back to playing consistently without any major problems during the season.

It was one they took with Sam Byram, who had played 30 league games in the previous three seasons with Norwich, and he has played 34 league matches – including the play-offs – for Leeds this term, which shows that those gambles can pay off.

Sessegnon, who can play at left-back or on the wing, has only made 57 appearances for Spurs since his move to the club from Fulham in the summer of 2019.

However, the 24-year-old ace, who was once hailed as "incredible" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, did play 17 times and start nine matches in the Premier League last season for Tottenham.

Expected Assisted Goals (0.12)

Top 20%

Shot-creating actions (2.55)

Top 19%

Progressive carries (2.66)

Top 21%

Successful take-ons (0.55)

Top 49%

Touches in attacking penalty area (2.99)

Top 7%

Non-penalty goals (0.22)

Top 4%

As you can see in the table above, Sessegnon caught the eye with his superb play in possession in those 17 games, as he ranked well above average against his positional peers as both a scorer and a creator from left-back.

The 5 foot 10 whiz, who scored two goals in the Premier League last term, was also only dribbled past 0.4 times per match on average, which shows that opposition wingers found it hard to get the better of him.

Whereas, current Leeds left-back Junior Firpo was dribbled past 1.2 times per game in the division last season and did not rank above the bottom 44% of full-backs in the league in any of the aforementioned statistics that Sessegnon excelled in.

Leeds have "inquired" about signing £55k-p/w star who'd thrive with Gnonto

The Whites are reportedly interested in a swoop to sign the soon-to-be free agent defender.

ByDan Emery May 22, 2024

This suggests that the potential is there for the free agent defender to come in as an upgrade on Firpo at Premier League level, due to his greater threat on the ball and stronger defensive work to avoid being dribbled past.

This is why Farke could repeat his Rodon masterclass with a move for the young star, who could be a fantastic addition if the gamble pays off and they can get him fit and firing.