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Leeds United shareholders, 49ers Enterprises, are readying a full takeover at Elland Road, according to The Times.

The Lowdown: Option to buy

The 49ers Enterprises currently hold a 44% stake in the Yorkshire outfit after Andrea Radrizzani initially sold them a 10% stake back in 2018.

A full takeover has been on the cards, though, with the 49ers having the option to take full control from the Italian in a deal worth in excess of £400m. The American giants have until January 2024 to exercise that agreement.

The Latest: Takeover update

Chief sports reporter for The Times, Martyn Ziegler, took to Twitter on Wednesday evening to provide a significant takeover update.

He said that the 49ers Enterprises are gearing up for a full Leeds takeover and ‘US banking sources say’ that investment is now in place after movement in recent weeks.

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The Verdict: Exciting

Some Leeds supporters would have been hoping for an update on a potential takeover, especially as there has been unrest with the current setup in recent weeks.

Time is ticking in regards to the 49ers exercising their agreement, but it looks as if there has been recent movement over buying out Radrizzani.

Leeds fans will be hoping that the American investors can take the club to the next level, and providing the Whites remain in the Premier League for the 2023/24 season, it seems as if they may enter a fourth successive top-flight campaign with new owners.

West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for Atalanta star Ruslan Malinovskyi recently and the Ukrainian could be similar to an £86m talent.

Italian news outlet Calcio Mercato claimed earlier this month that the attacking midfielder is preparing to leave the Serie A side with a host of clubs having already made contact over his availability.

As well as the Hammers, Olympique Marseille, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur are also credited with an interest, with the Italian club expected to demand an offer of at least €30m (£26m) to prise him away from the Gewiss Stadium.

West Ham already spent big on an attacking midfielder in the summer, with Lucas Paqueta joining the club in a club-record deal worth £51m, but the Brazilian has struggled to have too much of an impact in his limited appearances thus far.

The former Lyon man boasts no goals and just two assists in 12 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Moyes bring in another creative option in January.

WhoScored suggests that Malinovskyi, who earns £21k-per-week at Atalanta, excels at dribbling, key passes, long shots and set pieces, so it certainly seems as if he could add some creativity into West Ham’s ailing attack.

FBRef also shows that the “stunning” Ukraine international – in the words of journalist Josh Bunting – scores above the 90th percentile when compared to other attacking midfielders across Europe in shots, expected assists, shot-creating actions and progressive passes, which emphasises his ability to create moments out of nothing.

The website also suggests that the most similar player to Malinovskyi is Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman, who was valued at £86m according to Sky Germany (via Metro), by the Bundesliga champions when Premier League sides came knocking in the summer of 2021.

The Frenchman has won multiple titles and the Champions League in his short career and has 50 goals and 61 assists in 246 appearances for Die Roten, so he is certainly not a bad player to be compared with.

This season has seen the two players register extremely similar statistics with regard to goals per shot (both 0.07), goals per 90 (0.18 vs 0.17), passes received (274 vs 275) and expected assists (two vs 0.9).

Therefore, it is clear that both players can be influential in the final third and play in a similar way, so if West Ham are looking to turn their poor start to the season around, GSB should look to bring in a player similar to the mega-money Coman in Malinovskyi.

Considering the exposure gained in the Premier League, there is an argument to suggest that if the Atalanta man furthers his game even more, he could be worth a similar amount in the future.

Tottenham Hotspur have been backed to make a move for Borussia Dortmund and Germany World Cup gem Youssoufa Moukoko, according to Spurs expert John Wenham.

The Lowdown: A rising star

Moukoko, 18, has been a name to keep tabs on for years now, having telegrammed his name in Europe after he broke a Bundesliga U19 goalscoring record at the age of 15.

In that season, Moukoko scored a mesmerising 34 goals in 20 games for Dortmund’s development side – an early indication of his potential. 

The starlet has done enough to become a member of the German national set up and has already turned out for the side in this illustrious World Cup tournament, owing to his solid return of six goals and three assists in 14 Bundesliga games for Dortmund this term.

The Latest: Wenham wouldn’t be surprised 

As per a piece from Football Insider, Spurs expert Wenham claims he would not be surprised if the club ended up making a move for Moukoko.

“I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Tottenham made a move for him. He would be told that he would be part of the first-team squad but would also play every game for the Under-21s to build up his understanding of English football.

“He has a contract that expires in the summer and I expect clubs to be in for him in January. I can see the logic of Tottenham signing him and putting him in the scenario where he would be back up to Kane but also playing for the Under-21s.

“I think signings of that level are needed to make sure our Under-21s aren’t relegated. We aren’t just going to watch that happen without trying to do anything.”

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The Verdict: Nice try…

Wenham’s ideology surrounding Moukoko comes from an astute and developmental place of thinking, but a move to Tottenham could be unrealistic.

Moukoko, who could be available for just over £26million in the New Year, has started eight games for Dortmund this season and has appeared 14 times in the Bundesliga from a possible 15. 

He is a regular for Dortmund and is in Qatar as mentioned and as such, you could say that a transfer to Spurs to rival Harry Kane and play in the U21s when needed is unlikely.

Aston Villa added some serious talent to their squad in the summer, with the likes of Boubacar Kamara, Diego Carlos, and Philippe Coutinho all arriving on permanent deals under former manager Steven Gerrard.

It could have been even better too, as the club scouted Portuguese midfielder Otavio in August according to A Bola (via Sport Witness) ahead of a potential move, but it didn’t happen and the club may have regretted it ever since.

It was believed during the summer that a fee of around £38m would have been enough for FC Porto to sell, and it is the Portuguese side who have emerged victorious, managing to keep the player. Now, he is now staring at the World Cup.

During Portugal’s opening 3-2 win over Ghana, Otavio started in the midfield and contributed towards an important victory. The 27-year-old was only on the pitch for 56 minutes but achieved a hugely impressive SofaScore rating of 7.5/10, took 50 touches, and made one key pass and won five ground duels during his time on the pitch.

It was a solid performance and he could be a key player for the team during the remainder of the competition, especially since he has brought his club form to Qatar.

This season, the midfielder has an incredible average rating of 7.65/10 for Porto in ten league appearances, and it’s no wonder Aston Villa were scouting him during the summer.

He has averaged 2.5 key passes per match – more than any Villa player – and with 67.3 touches of the ball on average each game, he never shies away from the action, constantly looking to get involved and making a mark on the match.

Attacking-wise, the player has been exceptional, especially compared to positional peers in Europe’s big five leagues. He ranks in the top 3% for progressive passes (6.20 per 90), top 2% for touches in the opposition penalty area (3.59), and in the top 1% for shot-creating actions (5.42) proving he is clearly one of the finest players, statistically anyway, in Europe at the minute.

Journalist Alex Goncalves dubbed him “phenomenal” earlier this year after impressing for Portugal and Villa must seriously regret not pushing further and bringing him to the Premier League.

There’s no doubt his value will rise significantly post-World Cup and this may price Unai Emery out of any potential January move. The club certainly had a mare in the summer over the 27-year-old sensation.

Many football fans will be surprised to hear that Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is still only 23 years old given the twists and turns that have already occurred in his eight years playing professional football.

In 2014, 15-year-old Odegaard was thrust into the limelight, having become the youngest player to represent the Norwegian national team. He had scored three goals and provided five assists in the Norwegian first division for Stromsgodset in just sixteen appearances. This led to the youngster becoming a household name as he became Europe’s most sought-after wonderkid, appearing on every big club’s radar.

Real Madrid would win the race to sign the future star in January 2015 for a reported €4million. Odegaard said “it’s a dream come true,” and that it was “a bit unreal that (he was) at the biggest club in the world”, whilst his father would also get a role coaching in the youth setup.

It seemed like a win-win for both parties. Real Madrid had signed a future Galactico for a relatively low fee and a young Odegaard was at his dream club.

However, it rarely is that simple in football. Odegaard was in a new country, under intense media scrutiny and had the weight of an £80,000-a-week salary at just 16-years-old.

Real Madrid is not a team well known for bedding in youngsters, frequently spending eye-watering fees for players rather than developing them. Therefore, the reality for Odegaard was that if he was not good enough to play for the first team, he would have to go elsewhere to get top-flight experience.

That led to the next six years, where Odegaard was stuck in the Real Madrid reserves and loan system, spending time in the Eredivisie with Heerenveen and Vitesse Arnhem, La Liga with Real Sociedad and then in the Premier League with Arsenal.

Odegaard was largely unremarkable in his two years for Heerenveen, netting just three goals and providing four assists. However, the first glimpses of Odegaard’s star potential started to show in 2018/19 for Vitesse, where he notched 21 goal contributions and 10 man-of-the-match awards in 35 appearances.

Rune Marthinsen, long-time friend of the Odegaard family, said “it was a big mistake at Real Madrid” but that “it says something about his character and personality he was able to rise up again after he took a step back in Madrid.”

These mental attributes have been what separated Odegaard from other past wonderkids who failed to live up to such high expectations, such as Bojan Krkic, Ravel Morrison and Hachim Mastour, who all couldn’t deal with the pressure placed upon them in their youth.

Not only did Odegaard have immense technical ability from a young age, he was also tactically very smart. In May 2022, Jamie Redknapp branded Odegaard as “a manager on the pitch.” This sentiment was echoed by the Norwegian national team manager, Ståle Solbakken, who said: “He knows what is best for the team and he can bring the messages, tactics and ideas of the coach onto the field”.

Solbakken made Odegaard the captain of the national team a year before Arteta did the same for Arsenal.

Odegaard has repaid Arteta’s faith with his performances so far this season. In 13 appearances, Odegaard is the Gunners’ top scorer with six goals and is a key factor in Arsenal’s surprising brilliance this season, leading to them sitting top of the Premier League.

Michael Beale could be set to hand Queens Park Rangers a double blow in January, as reports have suggested that the former manager could look to take Lyndon Dykes with him to Glasgow Rangers.

The 44-year-old swapped Loftus Road for Ibrox last week, having only joined the Hoops during the summer, in a move which has understandably frustrated fans given their impressive start to the Championship season.

Beale had affirmed his commitment to QPR only a few weeks ago when Wolves came knocking but felt that he couldn’t turn down Rangers, which leaves the Hoops currently managerless ahead of the Championship’s resumption this weekend.

If reports are to be believed, then the former Aston Villa assistant may be planning a raid of his former club in next month’s transfer window, with Dykes one player who could join the Scottish giants.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that the former Livingston man could certainly be on Rangers’ radar in the winter transfer window, which would represent another blow to QPR’s hopes of returning to the Premier League.

He told This Is Futbol: “It’s one that does have obvious links. You’ve got Lyndon Dykes who has played under Michael Beale and scored goals in the Championship for Queens Park Rangers.

“Rangers possibly could be in the market for a new striker and especially if Alfredo Morelos was to leave the club as well so I’m sure Lyndon Dykes is somebody that would definitely be on the radar for Rangers if they do need to bring in a striker.”

The “excellent” 27-year-old is currently joint-top of QPR’s goalscoring charts this season, with six Championship goals to his name, while his solid 6.77 average rating from WhoScored ranks him as the 10th-best performer at Loftus Road, so it is clear that he is an important member of the squad.

Former Hoops boss Mark Warburton was full of praise for the Scotland international’s performances last season, saying: “He has all the physical attributes and an eye for a goal but we have done loads of work on his touch.”

Beale is already unpopular amongst QPR fans but he will only tarnish his reputation further if he takes Dykes with him to Ibrox in January, as it would represent another significant blow to the west London side.

New Glasgow Rangers boss Michael Beale appears to be already plotting moves to strengthen his charges at Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window, with recent reports having claimed that the Ibrox outfit are keen on a move for Algerian sensation, Ahmed Kendouci.

According to Football Scotland’s Mark McDougall, the Old Firm outfit have “made contact” regarding a swoop for the ES Setif midfielder, with the Light Blues believed to be eyeing a loan deal for the 23-year-old next month.

While the Glasgow giants are expected to face competition for the player’s signature, there is believed to be confidence that a deal can be struck to bring the playmaker to Scotland, even if his current side would prefer a permanent move.

The fleet-footed gem has seemingly been a long-term target for the club – and rivals Celtic – having been touted as a possible option earlier this year, with the “complete midfielder”, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, having caught the eye with his form in his homeland of late.

The “elegant” ace – as also dubbed by Kulig – has provided 41 goal involvements in 107 games for his current side to date, having proven a truly creative asset in his attacking midfield role and as a makeshift left-back.

A player with a “left foot made of gold”, as per Kulig, the 5 foot 11 dynamo could well help to fill the void of former Gers star Joe Aribo in the current side, with the Nigeria international having left a sizeable hole following his £10m exit to Premier League side Southampton.

That is the verdict of pundit Frank McAvennie, who suggested that Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s “biggest problem” was failing to secure a replacement for the 26-year-old, with the former Charlton Athletic man having been one of the club’s “best players”.

That quality was illustrated last term as Aribo ended the campaign with an impressive haul of nine goals and ten assists form his advanced midfield role, notably scoring in the Europa League final defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt.

The “dynamic” gem – as described by Van Bronckhorst – had racked up a total tally of 51 goals and assists in 148 games following his arrival in 2019, memorably playing a pivotal role in the 2020/21 title-winning campaign, after recording ten goal involvements in the top-flight.

The left-footed menace has proven a hard act to follow since then, although the addition of another creative spark such as Kendouci could well prove the answer for Beale in 2023.

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Benfica sensation Goncalo Ramos of late as the Red Devils continue their quest to replace Cristiano Ronaldo.

What’s the word?

Manager Erik ten Hag has already confirmed that he is on the lookout for a new centre-forward following Ronaldo’s recent departure, with the 37-year-old having left Old Trafford by mutual consent following a sour end to his second spell at the club.

According to journalist Fabrizio Romano, the veteran’s Portugal team-mate Ramos is believed to be a player whom United are scouting at present, albeit with any move set to come at a cost as the 21-year-old’s current employers reportedly value him at around €120m (£103m).

Transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has now provided an update on the Premier League club’s apparent interest, with the journalist telling Football FanCast that the 6 foot 1 marksman is a player on Ten Hag’s radar ahead of a possible summer swoop.

He stated: “Benfica do normally end up selling their star players and I’m sure Ramos will be one of them. A number of Premier League clubs, as well as top European clubs, will be looking at Ramos if he continues his goalscoring exploits this season.

“And if Manchester United did fail to bring in a recognised number nine in January, I’m sure Ramos will definitely be on the list for the summer”.

Striking solution

While the aforementioned Ronaldo may not have left too great of a void – having only scored one league goal this season prior to his exit – there is certainly a need for an extra body in attack, particularly with Anthony Martial having been dogged by injury so far this term.

The addition of Ramos would certainly be more than just an ‘extra body’, though, with the “prolific” youngster – as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig – seemingly emerging as a truly leading presence in European football of late.

That has been evident as a result of the five-cap gem’s stunning start to the campaign at club level, netting 14 goals and providing six assists in just 21 games so far. That’s a far greater record than United’s current leading scorer Marcus Rashford, who has just eight goals to his name by comparison.

That hot streak has now been replicated in front of a wider audience, with the exciting talent having netted a clinical World Cup hat-trick on what was his first start for his country, with that treble helping to clinch a remarkable 6-1 triumph over Switzerland in the round of 16.

Such an “incredible” moment – as lauded by Gary Lineker – has announced Ramos as a real force to be reckoned with, while also earmarking him to be the long-term successor to Ronaldo for Fernando Santos’ Portugal side.

The eye-catching talent could well also step into the former Real Madrid man’s shoes at club level if he were to make the move to the Theatre of Dreams, with that signing likely to be a seamless and much-craved solution to Ten Hag’s striking problem.

Arsenal reportedly want to sign Juventus and France central midfielder Adrien Rabiot ‘immediately’.

The Lowdown: Impressive World Cup

Rabiot comes back into club football off the back of an impressive FIFA World Cup with France, where he ranked as the finalist’s sixth-best performer, scoring one goal and making one assist in six appearances in Qatar (WhoScored).

Hailed as ‘outstanding’ by football analyst John Molinaro, he is out of contract at Juve in the summer, meaning that he can leave as a free agent, or sign for another club for a cut-price in the January transfer window.

the Latest: Arsenal interest

As per La Repubblica (via Sport Witness), the Gunners want to  ‘immediately’ bring Rabiot to the Emirates Stadium, and to do that, they are ready to sit down at the negotiating table with the Old Lady.

Despite manager Massimiliano Allegri’s desire to keep him until the end of the season, Juventus have set a price tag of €15m (£13.2m) to sign him in January, and Rabiot’s mother, Veronique, who is also his agent, is demanding €10m (£8.8m) per year in salary.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Signing 27-year-old Rabiot for a cut-price is surely a no-brainer, but Mikel Arteta’s side may have their reservations.

The central midfielder has received criticism in the past, notably from Premier League legend Paulo Di Canio, who has bizarrely likened him to a ‘footballing giraffe’ for the way he loses duels to smaller players despite his six-foot-two stature.

Indeed, he only ranks in the 79th percentile for aerial duels won per game of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues, and in the 40th for interceptions (FBRef).

However, Rabiot does excel in other areas, ranking in the 84th percentile for non-penalty goals and 81st for tackles per match (FBRef).

He is not the perfect all-round midfielder, but would still add quality to Arsenal’s squad depth as they look to chase down the top-flight title.

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that Liverpool have not placed a bid for midfielder Enzo Fernandez due to his ‘crazy’ transfer valuation.

What’s the latest?

After a brilliant World Cup where the Benfica man not only won the tournament but was also named the competition’s best young player, the 21-year-old has been linked with a big January move.
For instance, according to reports in Italian media, Liverpool were preparing a notable bid for Fernandez in the hopes of signing him this winter.
However, any rumours of the club’s interest reaching that stage may have been a little premature. Indeed, according to Jacobs, the Reds ‘never went in’ for the player due to the expected cost.

He told the Born And Red podcast: “Liverpool never placed a bid. I know there are some reports out there that say to the contrary, but my Liverpool sources have categorically stated that they never went in for Enzo Fernandez because they know the valuation is crazy.”

£106m player?

Reports suggest that Benfica have a £106m release clause – having only signed the River Plate for an initial €10m (£8.8m) last summer – as they had no intention of selling him any time.
Even so, after his stunning displays in Qatar at the World Cup, Fernandez has become one of the hottest properties in the game. What’s more, Liverpool have long been said to be in the market for a new midfielder.

Still, it seems as though the Argentine just isn’t a realistic target for the Reds and so he may well be about to join Premier League rivals Chelsea instead. At least there is still hope for Jude Bellingham of course.