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In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who made 280 Premier League appearances, has claimed that people don’t realise how good and important Kalvin Phillips has been for Leeds United.

Phillips has been an ever-present when fit in Marcelo Bielsa’s side as he operates as the sole holding midfielder in a 4-1-4-1 formation which allows Leeds to get so many players forward.

The 25-year old has already got seven England caps and seems guaranteed to have a place in Gareth Southgate’s side for the European Championship’s this summer, potentially even being in the starting XI if Jordan Henderson fails to recover from his injury.

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Speaking on why Phillips is so important to Leeds and how a lot of people underestimate the work he does for the team, Lee exclusively told FFC:

“Yeah, I rate Kalvin Phillips very highly and I think he’s another player, like Declan Rice, who’s young but does that job which many people don’t realise is difficult to do.

“If you’ve got someone who can sit back, read the game well, break things up, pass it simply and is a good athlete then it helps the team because the other players can get forward and try to score goals, much like Leeds do as they fly forward.”

Leeds have struggled all season when Phillips has been injured and out of the nine games the midfielder has missed, Leeds have won just two.

The Whites have enjoyed an impressive first season back in the Premier League with fears of relegation quickly swept aside with Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking style of play.

Former Scotland defender now BT Sport pundit Alan Hutton believes Helder Costa may leave Leeds United this summer, due to not adjusting to Marcelo Bielsa’s style of play.

The Lowdown: Lack of playing time

The Whites have enjoyed a superb return to the Premier League, looking like an established top-flight outfit throughout the campaign.

There have been some star players who have stood out, from Raphinha to Patrick Bamford, but Costa hasn’t been one of them.

The 27-year-old has been limited to just 13 starts in the league, scoring three times in his total of 22 appearances in the competition and often finding himself on the substitutes’ bench.

The Latest: Hutton tips Costa to leave

Someone who believes Costa may have played his last game for Leeds is Hutton, who told Football Insider that Bielsa may not see him as the right fit anymore:

“Possibly. It’s difficult for a winger to really take on board what Bielsa wants in a way.

“You know what wingers can be like, they can switch off, they don’t want to do the hard yards. He wants them to do that but also be an attacking threat. You need a certain player to be able to do that.

“It’s not easy to run like that for 90 minutes. Maybe he just doesn’t suit that style of football. I think that’s maybe what it comes down to. He is a good player but Bielsa asks a lot from his players, defensively and offensively.

“Maybe that’s where it’s just not quite worked out. He’s picked up some injuries, probably due to the intensity of it.

“I think he’s a good squad player but I don’t think he’s going to be that guy who is going to play week in, week out. It’s really going to come down to him whether he fancies that or he wants a move somewhere else to play more regularly.”

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The Verdict: Time for a fresh challenge

Costa is a talented winger, possessing quick feet and trickery, but it does feel like the right time for him to move on.

The brutal truth is that Raphinha and Jack Harrison both represent better options for Bielsa, working harder and registering 13 goals involvements apiece between them in the league this season.

Leeds should be able to receive a decent fee for Costa, considering he is 27 and his current deal doesn’t expire until 2024, so it makes sense to move him on and look for an upgrade this summer.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with another winger ahead of the summer transfer window. Find out who it is here.

According to a report by Italian journalist Ciro Venerato, speaking to Kiss Kiss Napoli (via Calcio Napoli 24), Gli Azzurri boss Gennaro Gattuso has now been placed on the managerial candidate list for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Italian job…

Another day, another new name emerges from Italy linked with the Tottenham managerial vacancy.

The likes of Maurizio Sarri and Gian Piero Gasperini have previously been linked with the Spurs job, as well as Simone Inzaghi and even six-time title winner Massimiliano Allegri.

Sources closer to home, however, dismiss these reports touting Spurs with the possible appointment of an Italian coach (football.london) – with the media in England and Italy still at odds as they drop conflicting claims.

The Latest: Gattuso emerges as new Spurs candidate

Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss (via Calcio Napoli 24), journalist Venerato has dropped a rather bold claim and thrown Gattuso’s hat into the Spurs managerial ring.

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The former AC Milan legend took over from Carlo Ancelotti as head coach of Napoli back in late 2019, but continued speculation mounts over his future at the Stadio San Paolo.

Venerato now believes that the 43-year-old is yet another Italian being eyed by Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy.

The journalist also explains that Levy is a huge admirer of the World Cup winner and has even scouted him personally.

“Lazio and Juventus are on Gattuso, but the news of the day is that Tottenham have put Gattuso on the list of candidates for the next coach,” stated the reporter.

“The English club has been dealing with Conte over the last month, but they also like Gattuso.

“Tottenham president Daniel Levy has seen many Napoli matches and has watched Gattuso closely.

“He was impressed by the quality of the game and the quality of the ideas, seeing the matches against Roma and Milan.”

The Verdict: Bold claim…

When it comes to managers from Serie A being linked to Spurs, Gattuso arguably stands out as fitting most into the mould of Tottenham’s reportedly ideal manager.

Former Milan sporting director, Massimiliano Mirabelli, also lauded the coach as ‘very underrated’ and an ‘innovator’ when speaking to Italian television channel 7 Gold (via Be Soccer).

And it is claimed by the press that Spurs are looking for someone ‘young’ and ‘dynamic’ (The Daily Mail), with Gattuso certainly falling into those categories.

One major caveat, though, could be his style.

The former international’s 4-3-3 formation at Napoli is said to be a more defensive version of ‘Sarri-ball’ and this contradicts what Spurs are apparently looking for on the pitch.

Tottenham are allegedly searching for an attack-minded tactician to take the reins in north London (The Guardian), with Gattuso debatably not fitting this label.

However, given the noise surrounding Gattuso’s future, we’re surprised he hasn’t been linked until now.

In other news: Spurs could now be offered this £250,000-per-week star for Kane, find out more here.

Former England international Gabriel Agbonlahor believes Romain Perraud would be an excellent signing for Leeds United this summer.

The Lowdown: Perraud linked with Leeds move

Left-back is an area of the pitch that the Whites need to address in the coming months, with Ezgjan Alioski’s time at Elland Read coming to an end.

Leeds have been linked with a host of options in that position and Perraud’s name has cropped up numerous times, including this week, although some have claimed a deal is off.

The Stade Brest defender registered seven assists in Ligue 1 this season, which is the same as Patrick Bamford managed in the Premier League in 2020/21.

The Latest: Agbonlahor talks up signing

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor called for Leeds to complete the signing of Perraud in the summer transfer window, potentially making the team even more balanced:

“100 per cent. It’s a position where they need to do something.

“Alioski’s done well filling in there but he’s not a left-back. Imagine how well they’d do with a real left-back in there.

“I totally agree and I’m sure they’ll get something sorted.”

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The Verdict: Ideal addition for Whites

Perraud looks the perfect acquisition for Leeds, with his aforementioned goal-making ability outlining his quality in the final third and willingness to get forward.

The 23-year-old is also a beast at the back, however, averaging 1.7 tackles per game, as well as 1.3 interceptions and 1.8 clearances, suggesting he could be an upgrade on Alioski on the defensive side of the game.

Perraud’s age means he would be considered a long-term acquisition, too, potentially filling the left-back void for years to come.

In other news, one pundit believes a current Leeds player could be upgraded this summer. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool could land their ideal heir to Roberto Firmino in highly-rated Red Bull Salzburg striker Patson Daka this summer.

What’s the story?

According to Zambian Football, the 22-year-old is available for around £25m over the upcoming transfer window, with several Premier League clubs fighting for his signature.

The report claims that West Ham United are in pole position for Daka, while Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal and Jurgen Klopp’s charges are also keen on the forward.

Next Firmino

Liverpool’s disappointing 2020/21 campaign owed largely to long-term injuries to their first-choice  centre-backs, but it was also epitomised by the form of their struggling forwards.

Although Mohamed Salah had another sensational season, bagging 31 goals in all competitions for the Anfield outfit, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino both struggled in front of goal.

The Brazilian’s unique role in Klopp’s system means the South American is deployed in the false nine position and is tasked with providing regular opportunities for teammates alongside his goalscoring duties.

Nevertheless, he is still expected to put the ball in the back of the net with regularity, although that’s an area where the 29-year-old has struggled over the last couple of years. A return of 18 top-flight goals since the start of 2019/20 only marginally betters his total of 15 back in 2017/18 alone, illustrating the decline of the Brazil international.

While the impressive Diogo Jota was able to come into the starting XI for Mane on several occasions, the lack of centre-forward options available on Klopp’s bench meant that the German was forced to persist with an underwhelming Firmino in the recently-concluded campaign.

Divock Origi has scored some hugely important and memorable goals throughout his Liverpool career, but the Belgian has failed to consistently perform at the required standard for the last two years.

Therefore, a new striker to offer an alternative option to Firmino is needed at Anfield, and Daka could be the ideal option for the 19-time English champions.

“He is a modern centre-forward, quick, capable of working hard and making the difference because he is skilful and has good movement,” said former Zambia head coach Herve Renard of the youngster.

“I brought him to Lille on trial when he was 17, he had to wait for his chance, and then, unfortunately, I was sacked in the meantime. He is truly one to make a note of because he is a very, very promising player.”

Daka, who has won 22 caps for Zambia, bagged an incredible 34 goals in 42 games for Salzburg in 2020/21, providing a further 12 assists for his teammates, and the clinical marksman would provide a perfect alternative to Firmino for Liverpool as they aim to wrestle back their Premier League crown. Bringing him to Anfield would be a masterclass from sporting director Michael Edwards.

In other news… Edwards must avoid Liverpool’s next El Hadji Diouf in £25m-valued flop 

Stoke City have been dealt a blow to their chances of keeping Nathan Collins at the bet365 Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claimed that Sean Dyche’s Burnley have retained their January interest in the 20-year-old centre-back ahead of the upcoming market.

The Clarets had a number of bids for the £1.8m-rated defender turned down by Stoke in the winter window, although it would seem as if the Premier League side have no intention of moving on to a new target this summer.

Fans will be gutted

Considering just how impressive Collins – whom Republic of Ireland under-21 manager Jim Crawford dubbed a “leader” – has been for the Potters this season, as well as how highly rated the youngster is at the club, the news of Burnley’s continued interest in the youngster is likely to come as a sickener to both Michael O’Neill and fans of the club alike.

Indeed, over his 22 Championship appearances for Stoke this season, Collins helped his side to keep nine clean sheets, as well as averaging 1.2 interceptions, 1.1 tackles, 2.7 clearances and winning five duels per game. The 20-year-old was also impressive in an attacking capacity, scoring two goals and providing one assist in the league.

These metrics saw Collins earn an impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.90, ranking him as O’Neill’s ninth-best performer in the league.

As such, losing a player with the obvious talent and potential of the £5,900-per-week defender this summer would undoubtedly dent the Northern Irishman’s hopes of putting together a side capable of mounting a push for the play-offs next season, while also depriving Stoke fans of seeing an academy graduate of the club blossom into a key member of their first team squad over the coming years.

In other news: Coates must sanction Stoke swoop for “excellent” £8m beast, O’Neill would love him

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly strongly interested in signing Lucas de Vega in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Tottenham made bid last summer

As per Sport, Spurs made a ‘great offer’ to try and sign de Vega in last summer’s window, which was rejected.

It is thought that the North London club are going to come in again with another offer, but it is unlikely that any deals will be approved until a new permanent manager comes through the door.

The Latest: Tottenham eye de Vega again

According to Sport, the Lilywhites have maintained a strong interest in signing de Vega, and could return again to try and sign him again, although a new formal offer has not been made yet.

There is also interest in his signature from both Cartagena and Zaragoza, with a decision on his future set to be made very soon.

The Verdict: Long-term signing

Although signing younger players with potential should not really be the priority for THFC in the market, as they need to get proven players in first to get them back into the UEFA Champions League, de Vega is certainly someone that they should not pass up on if they have the chance to land him.

Interestingly, the Brazilian reportedly dreams (via La Verdad) of a move to Tottenham, and so one would assume that he would certainly give his all if he signed.

At 21 years of age, de Vega has a lot of potential, and has already shown maturity despite being so young by being able to play in a variety of different positions, whether that would be in the centre of midfield, more advanced in the middle of the park or on both wings (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, if they can get him cheaply, Spurs should seriously consider snapping de Vega up before another big club come calling.

In other news, find out what Daniel Levy insight has been shared on a potential THFC swap deal here!

Leeds United youngster Oliver Casey is reportedly in talks to join Blackpool this summer, allowing him regular football away from Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Casey impresses in academy

The 20-year-old has been a key performer in the Whites’ academy in recent years, making a total of 23 appearances for the Under-23s.

The 6 foot 2 centre-back has also appeared three times for Leeds’ first team, with his first game coming in the Championship in 2019/20.

There is no denying that minutes are going to be hard to come by for Marcelo Bielsa’s side, however, given the centre-back depth at the manager’s disposal.

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The Latest: Blackpool linked with move for youngster

According to Football Insider, Blackpool want to sign Casey, having secured promotion to the Championship.

They see the youngster as a promising talent who would represent a good option in the second tier, and the Whites are happy for him to leave on a permanent deal.

A Thorp Arch source has allegedly told the outlet that negotiations are now underway to see the young talent leave the club for good this summer.

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The Verdict: Right time to leave

While it is also nice to see young players make the grade at Leeds, for Casey’s sake, a move away makes far more sense at this stage in his career.

In Diego Llorente, Robin Koch, Liam Cooper and Pascal Struijk, Bielsa already has four strong centre-back options to call upon, meaning the Englishman could stagnate if he stays put.

Casey could find his level in the Championship, proving to be a key man for Blackpool and going on to enjoy a strong career – perhaps the Whites can even insert a buy-back clause in case his development in the second tier is really impressive.

In other news, Leeds could be pipped to the signing of one player this summer – find out who it is here.

Flocking to Twitter, many West Ham United fans have gone wild as the club announced that manager David Moyes has penned a new three-year deal – coming after Everton showed an interest in the 58-year-old.

The Scotsman guided West Ham to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League over 2020/2021, securing their qualification for the Europa League group stage next season. 

An arguably remarkable achievement given they narrowly avoided relegation the season before, West Ham have now seen fit to reward Moyes for his brilliant job at the London Stadium.

The announcement had been predicted sooner than this weekend, with reliable club insider ExWHUemployee expecting it to be confirmed last week (Twitter).

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The delay prompted some concern given Everton were said to be eyeing a move for their former boss, but with the news now official, it’s safe to say plenty of Hammers are ecstatic.

Find all of their best verdicts on the development down below.

West Ham fans go wild for new Moyes deal

“OHH YESSSSSSSSS”

Credit: @JoshVernege

“It’s coming home”

Credit: @Woodgeorge16

“Huge W”

Credit: @DerenChakWHU

“Absolutely over the moon Moyes has finally signed a new deal and wants to continue building on the season we have had. Truly deserved that he got this deal and new contract, let’s hope the board can back him properly this transfer window.”

Credit: @AzamWHUFC

“IROOOOOONS”

Credit: @AaronPStephens

“Fantastic news”

Credit: @TheChar10

“Absolutely best bit of news this year for all who are connected to West Ham. Onwards and upwards now!”

Credit: @Thehoss84

“Excellent news, outstanding performance this season”

Credit: @PBviews2020

In other news: ‘According to some sources…’ – Journalist relays enticing West Ham transfer development, find out more here.

Michael Ball believes that appointing Duncan Ferguson as the new Everton manager is the only way to win the fans back.

Everton are reportedly set to name Rafael Benitez as their next boss, which has led to a huge backlash from the Toffees faithful due to his Liverpool connections.

The Spaniard spent six seasons at Anfield from 2004 to 2010, winning both the Champions League and FA Cup, with Everton supporters having been left angry with the imminent appointment.

This comes after ex-Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo was on the verge of replacing Carlo Ancelotti in the Goodison Park dugout, but attention quickly turned to Benitez.

It’s been almost three weeks since the Italian left to re-sign for Real Madrid, and Ball has suggested that only club legend Ferguson is capable of reuniting the fans.

Ferguson impressed during a caretaker stint prior to Ancelotti’s appointment back in December 2019 but has no other experience of management.

However, Ball exclusively told Football FanCast that Ferguson would bring the club back together:

“Duncan, I feel that’s a good one, and one the fans would want.

“The fans have lacked watching the players with desire and passion over the last few years and that’s what Duncan would bring, so I feel right now to get the fans back on board, that’s the only option for the board.”