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Conor McGilligan has admitted he doesn’t know what Rasmus Kristensen brings to Leeds United following his summer move.

The Lowdown: A poor start to Kristensen’s Elland Road career

Kristensen was one of many signings that former manager Jesse Marsch recruited during his tenure that either knew personally or had a connection with them via the Red Bull Group, whom he’d worked extensively with in the past.

The Denmark international joined Leeds fresh off the back of helping RB Salzburg from lifting the Austrian league title, making it three in a row for the right back,

However, that certainly hasn’t been the case as he’s started 13 league games and was dropped in Javi Gracia’s first game in charge against Southampton last weekend and Phil Hay highlighted how he was unconvinced by Kristensen quite early on into the defender’s Leeds career.

The Latest: Something has to change

McGilligan has ripped into Kristensen on his YouTube channel after the failed to impress at centre-back in Leeds’ FA Cup defeat at the hands of Fulham.

He said: (23:30) “I really don’t want to chime in on players but I don’t see his point and just an awful signing and an awful acquisition.

“I don’t know what he brings, I don’t know if he’s a Premier League player and I know a lot of people are going to come back and say [he plays for Denmark] and I understand that but anytime I’ve watched Denmark he doesn’t really get a lot of the ball and when he does he plays it inside, he plays it backwards and it’s not that difficult.”

The journalist then went on to suggest that there are several players more capable than Kristensen already at the club who should be playing ahead of the Denmark international.

He added: (24:30) “There’s no way he’s ahead of Ayling, there’s no way he’s ahead of Drameh for me, there’s a lot of people – who for some reason – still believe he’s technically the best right back in the side.

“Honestly, I must be watching a different game, the guy for me is stiff, rigid, he’s not physical and he’s bad on and off the ball. His positioning – we saw that with Mitrovic last night [Tuesday] when he just lost him.

“I really don’t see what Rasmus Kristensen brings to this Leeds United side and I hope he proves some wrong going forward but I just really don’t get it.”

The Verdict: Kristensen is flattering to deceive

Having cost Leeds £10 million last summer he needed to have performed better than he has done thus far managing to have contributed just one goal involvement all season and has been part of a back four that’s kept two clean sheets when he’s started a league game.

Given that Leeds just handed Luke Ayling a new contract and have a young and promising right back in the form of Cody Drameh, this could be a crucial period of time for Kristensen as to whether or not he’s cut out for both Leeds and the Premier League.

The Dane was likely always going to b afforded some time to adjust given he’d only played in Austria and his homeland of Denmark prior to his move to Elland Road, but given the season is now hitting its maturity, many questions will start to hover around the defender unless his performances improve.

West Bromwich Albion are a club that has enjoyed success in recent months, with Carlos Corberan’s leadership helping drag them from a potential Championship relegation battle to pushing for promotion.

It has been a tumultuous season, but one which now seems poised to bear fruit for a fanbase that has suffered in recent years.

One of the few shining lights of those campaigns was the emergence of academy graduate Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who reminded everybody that the Baggies still boasted a top-class youth system that was brimming with talent.

With the young midfielder having paved his way into the first team, it could provide a foundation for more local talent to burst onto the scene, following in his footsteps.

Should that be the case, Jamie Andrews will surely be due a call-up soon.

Could Jamie Andrews be West Brom’s next Chris Brunt?

A versatile midfielder with the ability to play out wide, it is hard not to draw similarities between him and legendary figure Chris Brunt.

The northern Irish stalwart featured 421 times for the Midlands outfit, cementing himself as a steely yet creative asset who would also record 49 goals and 89 assists across that period.

He revelled in a tough tackle, but with his wicked left foot always boasted the capability to deliver with precision.

Now, with two goals and six assists in just nine Premier League 2 games this season, it appears that the 20-year-old dynamo could be set to emulate his work.

This came after his half a season loan spell with Yeovil Town, where he made just eight appearances in what will have offered him vital experience in senior football to go with his one first-team appearance for his parent club.

It has been a year where the youngster has truly outlined himself as a creative leader for the U23s team, and surely if anyone is coming up on Corberan’s radar it is him.

Andrews even admitted at the start of the season that he was preparing to “take the next step”, and has since gone on to shine, even captaining his team too; a feat which his potential predecessor earned in the senior side for over three years.

With the success West Brom enjoyed by employing a classy yet workmanlike asset such as Brunt, finding his replacement could be imperative not only in securing promotion but ensuring their continued presence in the Premier League, just like when the 38-year-old used to grace the Hawthorns turf.

The Antonio Conte era at Tottenham Hotspur is coming to a predictably explosive end with The Athletic reporting that the club’s hierarchy have already drawn up a shortlist in the quest to find his successor.

With his contract expiring in late June and talks over an extension all but dead and buried, it seems rather likely that Spurs will have a new manager in the dugout next season.

That man could well be former Barcelona and Spain boss Luis Enrique, who has quickly emerged as a frontrunner to take over from the Italian, particularly because he is currently out of work, unlike some of the alternatives.

Aside from a last-gasp run at the top-four last season, beating arch-rivals Arsenal, Conte’s time in north London won’t be remembered for much, if anything at all.

He’ll leave behind an expensive mess of a squad, with players like £60m club-record signing Richarlison and £180k-per-week veteran Ivan Perisic failing to make the desired impact under the one-time Premier League winner.

How much does Ivan Perisic earn at Spurs?

The latter has been particularly shocking, considering his experience as a Serie A and Bundesliga champion, one that also has a Champions League and World Cup runners-up medal in his trophy cabinet too.

Tottenham’s exit from the UCL this week highlighted just how poor he has been, with 90min writer Sean Walsh claiming that the Croatian was “looking older by the week” after his half-time withdrawal against his old foes, AC Milan.

Whilst Perisic did not cost a penny in terms of a transfer fee during the summer, having been available on a free transfer, he did arrive at Hotspur Way on a pretty hefty contract, with only Harry Kane (£200k-per-week) and Heung-min Son (£190k-per-week) earning more amongst the current squad.

It means that chairman Daniel Levy and sporting director Fabio Paratici have already forked out nearly £6.5m on him alone and considering he remains under contract until the end of next season, they’ll have paid over double that by the time he’s off the books – at the very least.

That may not seem like a lot, especially as it’s around a fifth of what they paid to bring Richarlison to the club, it all adds up and such funds could have been invested elsewhere, such as finding a new no.10 or creative midfielder that is capable of pulling the strings to make Kane’s life easier up top.

Instead, Spurs have got themselves a player that ranks outside of Conte’s top ten performers in the Premier League this season, which to put into more context, sees him rank behind the calamitous exploits of Hugo Lloris and the departed Matt Doherty, via WhoScored.

Meanwhile, since the turn of the year, the 34-year-old has managed just one goal contribution in the top-flight, adding to the Lilywhites’ woes in the final third.

All in all, it’s fair to suggest that Perisic has been stealing a living during his time at Tottenham and if the opportunity arises to move him on in the summer, then whoever takes over from Conte must do exactly that to save himself a lot of money and frustration.

AND in other news, “People within Tottenham” – Insider “told” interesting managerial claim from inside Hotspur Way…

Arsenal fans have been reacting to the ‘epic’ news that Gabriel Jesus will be the subject of an exclusive mini-series titled ‘Come Back Stronger: The Return Of Gabriel Jesus’.

The Lowdown: Documentary confirmed

The Brazilian has missed the last 15 games for the Premier League leaders after sustaining a serious knee injury on international duty at the World Cup late last year.

The Gunners striker recently returned to training at the Emirates Stadium, and entered the field as a substitute for his first appearance back during the 3-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta and his side have since confirmed that they have produced an exclusive mini-series surrounding the 25-year-old’s road to recovery, with a release date soon to be announced.

The Latest: Arsenal fans react…

Taking to Twitter, Arsenal supporters were massively excited by the announcement that Jesus will be starring in his own documentary. They said:

“Epic! Where will it be shown?” – @ChrisMcCrypto

“Can’t wait for this!” – @saltimes

“This is clearly an Oscar nominee.” – @iguluigaga

“BRAZILIAN GOAT.” – @KrivaAFC

“The league is ours.” – @gobe_mafa

“He will lead us to lift the title.” – @njaa_tupu

The Verdict: An exciting watch

Arsenal have become well known for their public documentaries following the success of All or Nothing and Jesus’ mini-series is sure to be another excellent viewing for fans to enjoy.

The Sao Paulo native has been on fire ever since putting pen to paper in the capital, scoring five goals and providing seven assists in just 21 appearances prior to his absence.

When a player at any club is on the sidelines for a long period of time, supporters are only ever focused on how quickly their star will be able to return to action rather than what actually goes on behind the scenes.

Therefore, this in-depth documentary will be able to show Gunners lovers the step-by-step process of just how the forward has completed his rehabilitation, from the day of the injury to being reintroduced to the squad after months on the treatment table.

Speaking in his most recent post-match interview, Arteta admitted that the Adidas-sponsored star will have to fight to regain a starting place given the club’s success of late, but that’s undoubtedly a challenge he will more than be up for.

Jesus played a significant role in getting Arsenal competing at the top of the table before jetting off to Qatar and should he earn a consistent run in the team, he will be key to his side potentially getting their hands on the Premier League trophy.

Leeds United managed to pick up a huge win on Saturday afternoon away from home – but they certainly weren’t helped by a poor Brenden Aaronson display.

The Lowdown: Leeds find a way to win

It had been an incredibly difficult task of late for Leeds to find the back of the net under Javi Gracia, having scored just three in the league under the Spaniard’s watch, so to see them net four in one game was a surprise.

Despite racing into a 3-0 lead, Leeds certainly tried their best to throw it away as they allowed Wolves back into the game with goals from Jonny and Matheus Cunha, although a red card for the former made it an calmer end to the game for Leeds.

Someone else who didn’t make Leeds’ task any  easier was Aaronson – a man who’s started every league game under Gracia – as he left Patrick Bamford ‘raging’ after failing to pass to the England international during one particular moment in the game.

The Latest: Aaronson struggles once again

Aaronson was a big-money signing over the summer, so a lot was expected of him. However, he has not exactly been an undoubted success, and Saturday’s outing did nothing to impress Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross.

Handing the ex-Leipzig man a matching of 5/10, he said: “Another frustrating afternoon of poor decisions and weak challenges by the American. Needed more from him in the final third.”

The Verdict: Gracia must get more out of Aaronson

Given that the United States international cost Leeds an eye-watering £25m, they would’ve wanted more from him by now, and after a bedding-in period, it’s been a rather underwhelming season from the midfielder.

Aaronson has just three goal involvements to his name this season, so it’s almost bizarre that Gracia is persisting with the American in his starting lineup.

If Leeds are to survive this season, it’s going to be a team effort from everyone at Elland Road, including their big-money signings, otherwise, they could be jumping ship come the summer should they get relegated.

Leeds United have struggled since returning to the Premier League, and despite their first-season success have endured two campaigns since riddled with the prospect of relegation.

However, since Javi Gracia's appointment, it is clear that his competence and pragmatism has already left an impact on the fans of the club, assuring them that there is a feasable reality where safety is assured with comfort.

It marks a huge change from their year-long spell under Jesse Marsch, whose chaotic brand of football lacked any structure to make it sustainable.

One of the darkest points of the Americans' reign was during the summer following their survival, where Barcelona forced their hand to sell their prized asset Raphinha. It feels like ever since then there has been a gaping hole where he once starred.

That could be a vacancy that is soon to be filled, however, as young Amari Miller continues his rise through the ranks likely with one eye on a spot in the first team.

Who is Amari Miller?

Having joined from Birmingham City with rave reviews, the tricky teenager had only just forced his way into the first team before moving to Elland Road.

It was expected that he would soon be on a pathway to the first team, but new signings, poor form and the general struggles of the team often left the conditions far from conducive to his emergence.

However, he remains brimming with potential as he has been a mainstay for the U21s despite his youth.

The 20-year-old has suffered somewhat this campaign, with the wide man yet to offer a goal contribution across seven Premier League 2 games. However, it was last year where he truly showed the necessary quality that suggests he could emulate the mercurial Brazilian who came before him.

Scoring three and assisting a further two, he would also impressively score in their heavy defeat to League Two side Tranmere Rovers.

It has not been the easiest transition for the youngster, but before leaving, his manager at the time Lee Bowyer hinted at the sparkling future he would have. He noted: "I want to look at him and see if he can start a game next season for us because he has got potential.

“[He adds] Goals, assists, pace, something that we probably lack a bit is pace. He’s at that age where he is fearless. When he came on against Stoke, he got himself into an area and wasn’t afraid to go at the defender."

Raphinha himself did not immediately become a fan favourite upon joining. It took time and hard work before he became revered, scoring 17 and assisting 12 in just 67 appearances.

He was hardly the most prolific, but this fearlessness and desire to beat his man speedily made him adored. Miller boasts many of the same qualities that could see him thrive.

Perhaps the introduction of a calmer presence like Gracia might make the environment far more accepting for youngsters to break through, without the stress of a relegation battle potentially plaguing their early years in senior football.

Arsenal are leading the race to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice in the summer transfer window, according to the latest report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Rice on the move?

It appears as though Rice will be on the move this summer, given that West Ham appear to have made no progress in talks to extend his contract beyond 2024, meaning the upcoming window could be their last big opportunity to cash in on the midfielder.

There are no shortage of top Premier League clubs eyeing moves for the Englishman, with it recently being reported that Chelsea have a good chance of signing him, while Manchester United are also said to be in the race.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed that the Gunners ‘really appreciate’ the West Ham captain, and they will be even more impressed after his performance from England on Thursday night, scoring the opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Italy.

The Latest: Arsenal in pole position

According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal are leading the race to sign the central midfielder in the summer, and they could hold one key advantage over Man United in the battle for his signature.

The 24-year-old is keen to remain in London beyond the summer, while his ambition to play in the Champions League could sway him to pick the Gunners over Chelsea, given that the Blues are not currently on course to qualify for Europe’s elite competition.

Chelsea are still pursuing a deal for their former youth player, however Arsenal are currently leading the race.

The Verdict: Make it happen

The England international is likely to set any suitor back a lot of money, given that Man United had a £100m bid rejected last summer, however he would be a real statement signing for Mikel Arteta’s side.

Teddy Sheringham recently hailed the maestro in the wake of his performance for England against Italy, saying: “If you add a couple of goals to Declan’s game, not a couple but six or seven, with what he’s got at the moment, you’re talking about an absolute world beater of a player.

“He can go anywhere, wherever he goes he’s going to make that team a better team.”

It is hard to disagree, given just how well he has performed for the Hammers over the past year, ranking in the 91st percentile for his pass completion rate and the 96th for interceptions per 90, when compared to other top midfielders.

As alluded to by Sheringham, the one aspect of the £60k-per-week earner’s game that is perhaps lacking is his goal-scoring, netting just twice in the Premier League this season, but he showed a good eye for goal against Italy on Thursday, on a night where he was rated by Sofascore as the Three Lions’ best-performing player.

Rice would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s squad in the summer window, capable of taking Arsenal to the next level as they look to establish themselves as Champions League regulars once again.

Fresh from their weekend win at St James' Park, Newcastle United continue their push for Champions League qualification by taking on relegation strugglers West Ham United later today, with Eddie Howe's men having the chance to strengthen their place in the top four.

Sunday's 2-0 triumph over rivals Manchester United has moved the Magpies into third with just over ten Premier League games left to play, with the hope being that the northeast side can maintain this momentum over the coming weeks.

If the Tynesiders are to remain at their rampant best, however, Howe may need to make notable alterations and tweaks amid this hectic fixture schedule, with the depths of the Englishman's squad likely to be well and truly tested.

With Miguel Almiron currently sidelined with injury and with Ryan Fraser having been banished to the U21s, it does appear that options are rather limited on the flanks, in particular, with rotation likely required to avoid further injury setbacks moving forward.

One man who will likely be chomping at the bit to start this evening is January arrival, Anthony Gordon, with the £45m man having returned off the bench against the Red Devils, following a brief spell out with an ankle issue.

With the former Everton sensation having produced a lively cameo after entering the fray in the closing stages – having enjoyed 'some dangerous moments' according to the Chronicle's Lee Ryder – the 22-year-old may well have justified a starting berth for the trip to the London Stadium.

Will Gordon play against West Ham?

With Allan Saint-Maximin looking "back to his best" against Erik ten Hag's men – as per Northern Echo's Scott Wilson – it is likely that it would have to be Jacob Murphy who makes way for Gordon on the right wing, despite the 28-year-old having "impressed" in flashes at the weekend, according to journalist Dominic Scurr.

Hailed as "outstanding" by his manager following the win last time out, Murphy did offer a relentless presence down the flank after contributing three key passes on the day, albeit while winning just one of his five total duels in that 68-minute outing.

The former Norwich City man was hardly given a glowing endorsement for his performance by the aforementioned Ryder, who stated that the winger 'gave it his best shot', while the Independent's Jamie Braidwood wrote that the Englishman was 'quite limited in his final product'.

That has been a theme throughout Murphy's time at the club as he has just six goals and ten assists to his name in 140 appearances across all fronts, having rarely been able to offer that killer pass or clinical finish when it matters most.

As such, it could be time for young Gordon to be unleashed this time around, with the "fearless" ace – as per club legend Alan Shearer – having offered his side 'more energy' after his introduction on Sunday, according to Braidwood.

The Liverpool-born menace certainly made his mark in that 22-minute appearance as he won four of his five ground duels as a marker of his tenacious nature in attack, with it easy to see why the £10k-per-week man ranks in the top 4% among his European peers for tackles made.

Equally, while Murphy has just one league goal to his name this season, Gordon scored three times in the first half of the campaign for the Toffees, showcasing that a run in the side could see him begin to replicate that form in his new home.

Having invested heavily in plucking the player from Goodison Park just a few months ago, Howe needs to begin to put faith in dynamic forward and give him a chance to shine from the start, even if it comes at Murphy's expense.

Manchester United's latest triumph at home to Brentford saw Marcus Rashford prove the match-winner yet again for the top four hopefuls, with the Englishman having now scored 28 goals in all competitions this season – 18 more than any other United player.

The 25-year-old's remarkable hot streak has perhaps helped to mask the goalscoring deficiencies of those around him, with the centre-forward duo of Wout Weghorst and Anthony Martial, for instance, having scored just eight goals between them this season across all fronts.

That limp return is simply not good enough for a side who are likely to harbour title ambitions next season, hence the recent reports that the Old Trafford outfit are weighing up a potential move for Tottenham Hotspur talisman, Harry Kane or Napoli sensation, Victor Osimhen.

For those leaning towards the latter man – who could reportedly cost as much as €150m (£132m) – the 24-year-old would represent a potential long-term fit due to his age, acting as an attacking figurehead whom Erik ten Hag could build his side around for the years to come.

That being said, however, the signing of the Nigerian would not be without its risks, with the Red Devils unable to afford to make another costly mistake in the transfer market.

Would Osimhen be a good fit for Man United?

The recent win over the Bees saw the aforementioned Martial make yet another cameo appearance off the bench following his recent return from injury, with the 27-year-old seemingly still not ready to feature from the start despite having been welcomed back into training a few weeks ago.

The Frenchman's fitness woes have been a constant source of frustration this season as he has been restricted to just 16 appearances in all competitions, with Ten Hag's patience looking like it is wearing thin amid reports that the former Monaco man could be part of a squad clearout this summer.

The concern will be that while Osimhen has been in red-hot form this season – after scoring 21 Serie A goals for Luciano Spalletti's side – the highly-coveted menace is also rather injury-prone, having repeatedly spent time on the treatment table during his spell in Naples.

As per Transfermarkt, the former Lille machine has been out for 209 days due to a variety of fitness and injury woes since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, with that totalling around 46 games in which he has been unavailable for selection, while Kane, by contrast, has missed just five games at club level in that time.

As The Athletic's James Horncastle noted on the recent Totally Football Show podcast, there is a perception in Italy that the 6 foot 1 marksman is somewhat "brittle", with United wise to have doubts over splashing the cash on a player who could prove rather unreliable.

Of course, injury woes can rarely be helped, although Osimhen's recent track record should have alarm bells ringing at the Theatre of Dreams, with United desperately needing to avoid signing another Martial.

Leeds United could look at former Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as a ‘credible last-minute option’ to replace Javi Gracia, according to The Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor.

What’s Taylor said about Leeds and Hasenhuttl?

Gracia took over at Elland Road back in February after the club parted ways with Jesse Marsch weeks earlier. The Spaniard penned a flexible contract in Yorkshire and has so far won three of his eight Premier League games in charge of the Whites, with the club just two points above the relegation zone.

However, Leeds have recently suffered heavy back-to-back home defeats against Crystal Palace and Liverpool, with the club already conceding a whopping 16 goals this month.

Taylor shared a story for The Daily Express in the last 48 hours, looking at four possible short-term candidates who could be considered if Gracia was sacked in a last-chance saloon.

One of those was Hasenhuttl, with Taylor saying he was a serious contender to replace Marsch and that ‘his experience battling survival in previous seasons with Southampton could make him a credible last-minute option if Gracia's situation does not improve’.

Stick with Gracia?

Hasenhuttl has been hailed as ‘outstanding’ in the media and has managed over 150 games in the Premier League with Southampton.

The 55-year-old, who likes to play a 4-4-2 system, has been out of work since leaving St Mary’s in November and has seemingly been on the radar of a number of top-flight sides including relegation rivals Crystal Palace, Everton and Leicester.

However, with just seven Premier League games remaining, you could say that Leeds have made their bed and need to lie in it when it comes to Gracia, with another change in the dugout potentially doing more harm than good.

Bringing in a new manager so late in the season has historically had very little effect on the team’s overall position, so the Whites may be keeping everything crossed they remain in the top flight under Gracia and take stock of the managerial position in the summer.

Andrea Radrizzani faces losing out on £270m if the club are relegated, so he’ll be desperate for a positive outcome before looking likely to sell up to the 49ers Enterprises. You’d expect that both Radrizzani and the 49ers will be in constant dialogue when it comes to all things Leeds, and it would be a real surprise if they were to bring in another new manager for the remaining fixtures.