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Leeds United are heading into the hectic festive calendar in difficult circumstances after Marcelo Bielsa was hit with yet another injury blow during their 6-2 beating this weekend.

The Whites have now lost their skipper, Liam Cooper, to injury as he hobbled off at Manchester United on Sunday, which means the Argentine is now without any of his senior central defenders going into this weekend’s encounter with Burnley.

Diego Llorente and Robin Koch are already on the treatment table, and now their industrious talisman is too.

Indeed, there is a major defensive crisis emerging at Elland Road right now.

Bielsa has turned to the versatile Luke Ayling in his time of need, but now he’s certainly going to have to drop into the youth team to find him a partner unless he wants the 29-year-old back in his natural right-back position, then he’ll need to find two options.

He went with 5 foot 8 left-back by trade Leif Davis for the final 18 minutes of the match, and he helped stop a rampant United scoring anymore past Illan Meslier.

Having two diminutive full-backs in central defence against Chris Wood, who Leeds know all too well, ultimately, already spells disaster for Bielsa.

Instead, the 65-year-old mastermind ought to turn to teen sensation Charlie Cresswell after an impressive display for the U23 squad this week.

The youngster’s performance caught the attention of many supporters, and as a result, they have launched desperate calls for Bielsa to start him against the Clarets this Sunday.

LeedsLive claimed the 18-year-old ‘starred’ for the youth team as they stuck seven goals past a helpless Fulham academy outfit. They wrote in their post-match ratings:

“Charlie Cresswell – 9/10 – If Leeds had secured a clean sheet, this would have comfortably been a 10 out of 10 performance from the youngster. Cresswell set the tone for the game by going close to connecting with the ball at an early corner, but made no mistake at his second attempt, crashing one into the back of the net.

“His security on the ball was convincing, even indulging in a Cruyff turn inside his own defensive third to evade danger in the second half. Perhaps the best action of his during the game was the frequent interceptions he made. Cresswell read the play excellently, seizing on forward passes as Fulham looked to break, turning the visitors’ attacks into countering opportunities for the Whites.”

At 6-foot, he’s a far more imposing option to have in the backline than either Ayling or Davis, and that’ll be what’s needed to thwart all 6 foot 3 of Wood at Elland Road.

Cresswell made his debut in the Carabao Cup earlier this season as Leeds went out on penalties to Hull and soon signed a new contract extension to keep him at the club through 2023.

It would be a fine reward for his recent form if he were to come straight into the senior starting XI in the Premier League.

Former Whites talisman Noel Whelan is a big fan of the defensive starlet too, he told Football Insider last month:

“Fantastic. It’s a contract that I’m very happy to see signed. He is the future. At that centre-half position, he’s got great attributes. He’s very calm on the ball, a great size to him, he’s quick, he can head, he can pass. He’s the modern-day, young-centre half.”

There isn’t a better time to see Cresswell in action than now.

Bielsa is desperate, and by pulling off this calculated risk, he could unleash a secret weapon that’ll only bolster their chances from now on.

Forget Davis. The 18-year-old must start vs Burnley.

AND in other news, “Be a great signing” – Exclusive: Leeds tipped to land £27m-rated defender who “catches pigeons”…

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According to a report from the Daily Mail, a big transfer could still be on the horizon for Tottenham, with Norwich City defender Max Aarons still attracting interest. 

Aarons, who was targeted by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy earlier this year, is apparently still on Tottenham’s radar despite the club’s recent acquisition of Matt Doherty in a £15m deal. 

Aarons transfer twist

The signing of Doherty, as well as Spurs’ decision to keep Serge Aurier in a battle for the right-back slot, appeared to diminish all hope of landing Aarons this window, but the Mail claimed that Levy is still interested in a move for the Norwich defender.

Jose Mourinho wanted to reinforce his full-back positions over the summer, landing both Doherty and Spanish international Sergio Reguilon to feature on either flank.

Touted as a move which could ‘raise a few eyebrows’ earlier this year, it appears that notion could still be relevant six months later as the club weigh up a potential swoop for Aarons. Speaking on Spurs’ links with Aarons, former Tottenham striker Darren Bent claimed he would be a ‘great signing for Spurs’ – and Levy could still land him given his Championship status.

However, if Tottenham want to make a surprise deal happen, they will have to act quickly given the EFL bonus window shuts at 5pm on Friday.

Transfer Tavern take

Starting 36 Premier League matches for the Canaries over 2019/20, despite failing to help them steer clear of relegation, Aarons was a standout performer, leaving little wonder as to why Spurs are keeping a watchful eye on him.

The 20-year-old would undoubtedly seem a great signing, but whether or not Tottenham go through with a late move remains to be seen.

Spurs fans, do you still want Aarons at the club? Have your say in the comments section below…

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

In the middle of February 2012, Sheffield Wednesday acquired the services of wide man Michail Antonio on loan from Reading until the end of the season. At the time, the London-born ace had yet to really make his breakthrough in the game. It was well before he became the Premier League regular he is today and this was one of a number of loan spells he was sent on by the Royals.

It was a deal that immediately paid off from an Owls point of view, as in just 14 appearances for the club he scored five goals and provided two assists, helping them earn promotion from League One to the Championship.

His contribution was enough to convince Wednesday and their manager Dave Jones to bring him in on a permanent basis ahead of the 2012/13 campaign, with the club forking out £810,000 to get him. The ex-Wolves boss was delighted with the purchase, claiming that whilst Antonio was “nowhere near the finished article” he did have “a lot of talent,” (BBC Sport).

It is fair to say that he picked up where he had left off upon his return to Hillsborough and in his first full term with the club he managed to score seven times whilst also racking up 11 assists in 37 Championship appearances (Transfermarkt).

His form continued into the 13/14 season too, where he added a further four goals and six assists to his tally in 27 more league outings.

Unfortunately for the Owls, Antonio then became a little fed up at Hillsborough. Indeed, he claimed that he had become ” a bit too comfortable” in South Yorkshire and needed a new challenge.

As a result, he was sold to fellow second tier outfit Nottingham Forest, who paid £1.71 million to take him to the City Ground. That meant that Sheffield Wednesday made a profit of £900,000.

Looking back, it is fair to say that SWFC signed Antonio at exactly the right time. It was at Hillsborough where he really kick started his career and he helped the club win promotion back to the Championship and consolidate their position in the second tier.

Overall he played 84 games in the blue and white stripes, netting 17 goals and providing 19 assists, so he was certainly a success on the pitch which in turn meant that he was a success off it too, bringing in a healthy profit upon his departure.

Since leaving he has gone from strength to strength and he is now a regular in the top flight for West Ham United, where he recently made history by become the first Hammers player to score four goals in a Premier League away match.

Owls fans, how did you rate Antonio’s spell at Hillsborough? Let us know in the comments below…

Victor Orta could land Leeds an absolute bargain this summer if latest reports are to be believed.

According to LancsLive, reported United target Bright Osayi-Samuel is available for just £5m amid interest from Burnley and fellow Premier League new boys West Brom.

Back in May, AllNigeriaSoccer claimed that the Championship winners were keen on the winger, also citing the likes of Everton and West Ham too.

On the face of it, a new wide option isn’t something the Yorkshire giants necessarily need, especially considering Jack Harrison’s extended loan deal and the recent emergence of former Man City starlet Ian Poveda.

But strength in depth in the top-flight shouldn’t be frowned upon, particularly in these sorts of positions and at just £5m, it would be a filthy robbery.

Just think, West Brom splashed £22m on Hull City talisman Jarrod Bowen in January whilst Neal Maupay cost Brighton £16m last summer.

This season, the 22-year-old has provided an inconsistent QPR side with six goals and nine assists and has also racked up better figures than Leeds’ mainstay right-winger Helder Costa.

He’s just a third of the price of the £15m Portuguese ace.

The young Nigerian starlet has averaged more dribbles (2.9) and key passes (1.2) per game as well as a better passing accuracy (83.9%) than Costa. In addition to that, he’s won his side more free-kicks as he’s fouled 1.9 times per appearance (via WhoScored).

Osayi-Samuel’s Rs boss Mark Warburton has regularly waxed lyrical about his exploits throughout the campaign, claiming that the winger is a “real handful,” is “outstanding” and has “sheer pace which terrifies defenders”.

You’re not going to get a better talent at a cheaper price, so even if he doesn’t hit the ground running, at just £5m, it’s such low-risk – Orta must land Bielsa the tricky speedster this summer.

AND in other news, Leeds could regret selling this STAR 12 months on…

يجري الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” محادثات مع السلطات القطرية بشأن إلغاء متطلبات التطعيم الإلزامية لـ فيروس كورونا، في كأس العالم 2022 بقطر.

رئيس الوزراء القطري الشيح خالد بن خليفة بن عبد العزيز آل الثاني، أعلن في يونيو الماضي أنه سيطلب من أي مشجع يرغب في حضور البطولة، تلقيحًا كاملًا ضد فيروس كورونا، لكنه لم يذكر أي شيء بخصوص اللاعبين حتى الآن.

وكالة “APNews” العالمية، أكدت أن الاتحاد الدولي يناقش مع السلطات القطرية، إمكانية أن يتمكن المشجعون واللاعبون والمسؤولون من تقديم دليل على التعافي من فيروس كورونا أو تقديم اختبارات سلبية، لحضور بطولة كأس العالم القادمة.

ولم يرد منظمو مونديال قطر والحكومة القطرية حتى الآن، في انتظار إصدار الاتحاد الدولي لوائح البطولة في الأسابيع المقبلة لكأس العرب التي ستنطلق من 30 نوفمبر وحتى 18 ديسمبر، كحدث اعتباري في ملاعب كأس العالم.

وأكد الاتحاد الدولي في بيان رسمي أنه يثق في أن قطر ستوفر الضمانات اللازمة لحماية صحة وسلامة جميع المشاركين في المسابقة، موجهًا طلبًا لجميع الحاضرين اتباع إرشادات السفر من السلطات القطرية وأحدث الارشادات الصادرة من وزارة الصحة ومنظمة الصحة العالمية.

وشجع الاتحاد الدولي لأول مرة، يوم الأحد الماضي، اللاعبين على تلقي اللقاح، مؤيدًا موقف منظمة الصحة العالمية، من أجل الوصول الآمن والعادل لجميع البلدان.

Manchester United have suffered a huge blow as Borussia Dortmund have agreed to buy Jude Bellingham from Birmingham City this summer.

Bellingham, 17, will follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho when he moves to the Signal Iduna Park.

The teenager broke the record previously held by Trevor Francis as Birmingham’s youngest player, and had been linked to Man United and Chelsea, but he opted to move to Germany instead.

According to Fabrizio Romano, via The Guardian, Dortmund have agreed a £22.75m deal to sign the midfielder.

He established himself as a first-team regular with the Blues and even enjoyed a tour of Carrington led by none other than Sir Alex Ferguson earlier this year.

Romano reports Bellingham has passed all his medicals and the contract has been signed on the dotted line, meaning a move is all but complete.

Despite the red carpet treatment, he has rejected the Red Devils in favour of Dortmund, which will be a big blow for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as he had been chasing him for several months.

This isn’t the first time that the Bundesliga challengers have usurped Solskjaer in the transfer market, as he missed out on signing Erling Braut Haaland last year.

Naturally, many United fans slammed the transfer update on social media, with one calling Dortmund “criminals” as they have got Bellingham for a relatively low fee but are reportedly asking the Red Devils to pay £117m for Sancho. Meanwhile, several supporters bizarrely branded Bellingham “average at best” and “overrated,” despite his impressive track record this season.

Scroll through some of the scathing reactions so far…

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward will regret missing out on Jude Bellingham? Let us know down below!

Leeds United utility man Stuart Dallas has shed some light on the training programme the squad have been put on during lockdown, in an interview with the BBC.

What did he say?

Dallas has been central to Leeds’ promotion push this season, starting all 37 of their Championship fixtures in a variety of different roles.

Like the rest of the squad the suspension of the football season has seen players stuck at home, where they have had to manage their own fitness levels and stay in shape.

Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa is also renowned for his exacting standards in training and Dallas has revealed that the players have been told to send in pictures of their weight every day.

“For me, no. It’s how much you want it, you have to take it upon yourself to be professional in what you do,” he told the BBC.

“If you’re going into the fridge and snacking all the time, of course you’re going to put weight on. So, you’ve got to be professional, stick to what you would do.

“I go back to a routine, I get up in the morning, have my breakfast and I like to get my exercise done early, so that it’s similar to what it would be at training.

“Having to send our weights in every day, keeping in contact with the nutritionist and the sports science guys, it’s really helpful and keeps you on track.”

Quiz: Can you remember Leeds’ last season in the Premier League?

World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%

Model professional

Dallas has proven himself as a real model professional this season, playing week in week out in a variety of different positions, including central midfield, full-back and on the wing.

Having the Norther Ireland international fully fit for the season’s return will, therefore, be crucial and it will be a big boost for fans of the Elland Road club to hear that the 28-year-old is following Bielsa’s instructions.

يخوض منتخب إيطاليا بطل يورو 2020، مباراة اليوم الخميس أمام بلغاريا، في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم قطر 2022.

ويتواجه منتخبا إيطاليا وبلغاريا على ملعب أرتيميو فرانكي “فلورنسا”، بالجولة الرابعة لدور المجموعات بالمجموعة الثالثة.

طالع | تشكيل إيطاليا أمام بلغاريا في تصفيات كأس العالم

منتخب إيطاليا يتصدر مجموعته برصيد 9 نقاط، حيث حقق الفوز في الثلاث مواجهات السابقة له، ويليه سويسرا بـ 6 نقاط، ثم أيرلندا الشمالية بنقطة واحدة، وبلغاريا في المركز الرابع بنقطة واحدة أيضًا، وتتذيل ليتوانيا المجموعة بلا نقاط. موعد مباراة إيطاليا وبلغاريا

تنطلق المباراة اليوم الخميس في تمام الساعة التاسعة إلا ربع مساء اليوم الخميس بتوقيت القاهرة، العاشرة إلا ربع مساءً بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة إيطاليا وبلغاريا

تذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN sports 1HD Premium. معلق مباراة إيطاليا وبلغاريا

يعلق على المباراة رؤوف خليف . تشكيل إيطاليا المتوقع ضد بلغاريا

حراسة المرمى: دوناروما.

خط الدفاع: دي لورينزو، أتشيربي، بونوتشي، إيمرسون.

خط الوسط: باريلا، جورجينيو، فيراتي.

خط الهجوم: كييزا، إيموبيلي، إنسيني.

يمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا.

After signing for £62.8 million last summer, showing huge promise for Atletico Madrid as an extraordinary passing midfielder and potential heir to Fernandinho, some Manchester City supporters were unimpressed with his performance in their 1-1 draw at home to Shakhtar Donetsk. 

Ilkay Gundogan finally opened the scoring for City with his bundled effort before Israeli international Manor Solomon equalised following a stunning move – with Rodrigo then making way for Phil Foden after seemingly having minimal impact going forward.

Despite what you could consider to be a sub-par performance, the Spaniard has still made a fine start to life at Eastlands since his mega move – fulfilling that label of ‘the ultimate passing midfielder’ which suits Pep Guardiola’s philosophy to a tee.

So far, the 23-year-old has amassed an incredible 92% pass success rate in the league and has an even better percentage of 94.5% in Europe, as per WhoScored.com – highlighting his wizardry when it comes to distribution.

However, some sceptics argue that he isn’t energetic or robust enough to fully take the mantel from Fernandinho as City’s midfield anchor – with some shining the light on his Shakhtar performance as proof.

Here’s what supporters had to say on Twitter.