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Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has revealed that the Yorkshire club have received a transfer enquiry for Whites midfielder Mateusz Klich. 

The Lowdown: Klich linked with Leeds exit

This season has seen the 32-year-old make 13 senior appearances for the Elland Road outfit across the Premier League and Carabao Cup, albeit with only two of those seeing him included in the starting XI (both in the latter competition).

Earlier this month, it was reported that Major League Soccer outfit DC United are keen on signing the midfielder and have been in advanced talks over a possible transatlantic move for him.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, Marsch has shared some behind-the-scenes details regarding the Poland international’s status.

The Latest: Marsch reveals Klich enquiry

Speaking in his latest press conference (via Leeds Live) ahead of the club’s upcoming Premier League clash against Manchester City, Marsch shared that Klich has been the recipient of an enquiry, going on to talk up the player’s importance at Elland Road.

The Leeds manager said: “There has been an enquiry for Mateusz but I think from all sides, we’re still cautious about picking that it might be time for him to leave. I think he’s still been really important here.

“One of the interesting things is he’s played the fifth most matches for me since I’ve been here, he’s played 25 and 28 games since I’ve been here. So, for me, he’s one of my favourite personalities of anyone I’ve ever coached and we have a really good relationship, we’ve been open with each other in all these moments along the way.

“I’m not sure, again, that it’s the time for him to leave, but with the 2 of 28 games, they haven’t all been starts and I know that sometimes players would like to play a little bit more.

“I think we’ve had good dialogue about his role within the team and continued role within the team. So I think that that’s not necessarily set in stone and he’s obviously a guy that I still very much like and we think is still a big part of this team.”

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The Verdict: Leeds should keep hold of Klich

With 192 appearances for the club to his name, the midfielder has undeniably been an important figure for Leeds over the past few years.

Even though Klich does seem to be rather low in the pecking order at Elland Road this season, having not started in the league, the club should not consider letting him leave next month.

Should an injury blow befall the likes of Tyler Adams or Marc Roca, that is when Marsch would have to turn to the 32-year-old to add cover in the midfield engine room.

However, with the Elland Road stalwart set to enter the final year of his contract next summer, that could be the ideal time for him to leave before he becomes a free agent, especially if his playing situation doesn’t change throughout the remainder of the current campaign.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Sofyan Ambrabat recently and now a reliable source has given an update on the player’s future ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the latest?

According to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, the Fiorentina and Morocco World Cup hero has put himself “in the shop window” after his performances on the international stage.

Sheth told GIVEMESPORT: “All of the noises he’s making are that he’s happy at Fiorentina, he’s happy with the owner, he’s happy with the staff, he’s happy with the coach and he’s happy with everything there at the minute.”

“Fiorentina, as you’d expect, are very happy with him. But he has put himself in the shop window and those performances in the World Cup were absolutely fantastic.”

Thiago heir

It is no secret that Liverpool are plotting a midfield rebuild at Anfield – with several players linked to moves to the club in 2023.

Both Jude Bellingham and Enzo Fernandez have been reportedly targeted by the Merseysiders with reports suggesting that the Premier League giants lead the race for the talented duo.

Indeed, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and James Milner will be out of contract – as it stands – at the end of the season, so it makes perfect sense for the club to be assessing their options in the centre of the pitch.

However, many members of the successful squad are coming to the latter stages of their careers with Thiago Alcantara, in particular, well into his 30s and will ultimately be out of contract in 2024.

As a result, Jurgen Klopp could land his very own Thiago heir with the signing of Amrabat in the January transfer window, as the £44m-valued midfielder could add depth to the deep-lying roles in the heart of the team.

The Moroccan gem – who was hailed as being a “different class” by journalist Lorenz Kohler – took the World Cup by storm this winter in Qatar, playing an integral part in his national team’s record-breaking progression to the semi-finals of the prestigious tournament.

Over seven World Cup appearances, Amrabat tallied up a 92% pass completion rate in his own half, as well as averaging 2.3 tackles per game, 1.4 clearances and 3.4 duels won per game.

All of that eventually saw him named in Football FanCast’s Team of the Tournament, voted for by readers on Twitter.

Not only that, when you compare the 26-year-old’s season so far in the Serie A to Thiago’s season for Liverpool, the pair share many similarities.

Amrabat came close to his positional peer in many attributes including pass completion rate (90% v 86.6%), shot-creating actions (19 v 19), tackles and interceptions won (26 v 32) and aerial duels won (40% v 43.5%).

With that being said, the signing of Amrabat could be a great piece of business for sporting director Julian Ward as bolstering the midfield with quality depth should be an immediate priority in the new year.

Tottenham Hotspur could land an exciting talent in mooted transfer target Andreas Skov Olsen, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

In recent weeks, the north London outfit have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old dynamo, with Belgian outlet Nieuwsblad revealing that Spurs had sent scouts to watch him at the ongoing World Cup in Qatar.

He, and his national side Denmark, struggled to make much of an impression, leading to Danish tabloid B.T. to slam his performance in their final group stage defeat to Australia. They questioned his ability on the world’s biggest stage after failing to inspire much in the final third.

However, despite this disappointing display, O’Rourke believes that Spurs could still do little wrong in swooping for the Club Brugge sensation.

“He’s a very talented player, Skov Olsen,” he told Football FanCast.

“He’s playing in Belgium with Club Brugge at the minute and helped them win the title last year, and now also helped them qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League, which is an incredible feat for the Belgian club.

“Very highly regarded in Denmark. We obviously didn’t see the best of him at this World Cup where he got a few chances but obviously, Denmark weren’t able to qualify.”

Whilst his exploits for De Rød-Hvide won’t have left Lilywhites scouts too impressed, there is no denying at just 22, Skov Olsen is a talent for the future.

Such publications are quick to forget his involvement at Euro 2020, where Denmark reached the semi-finals of the competition. His ability and quality even led Danish legend Brian Laudrup to laud him as a “crowd-pleaser” and a “real creative force.”

That’s exactly what Spurs have been missing in the final third in recent seasons.

The £18m-rated attacker has been in electric form domestically this campaign, having registered eight goals and four assists across 21 appearances, including contributions against Bayer Leverkusen and FC Porto in the Champions League, as per Transfermarkt.

Skov Olsen is clearly capable of impacting a game at the front end of the pitch, so it would be foolish to write off his ability based on one mid-season international tournament, in which bigger stars such as Christian Eriksen and Joakim Maele underwhelmed.

O’Rourke is right in his appraisal of the 22-year-old gem and as such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must continue to monitor him heading into the January transfer window.

Manchester United are looking ahead to the future as Erik ten Hag eyes up a swoop for a Premier League goalkeeper…

What’s the news?

According to TEAMtalk transfer expert Graeme Bailey, the Dutchman is interested in signing Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez as a replacement for David De Gea.

“Robert Sanchez has proven himself as one of the best keepers in the Premier League over the last 12 months. He’s one of those who has pushed David De Gea out of Spanish contention,” said Bailey on the shot-stopper. “Brighton will demand a big price, little doubt,” he then added.

De Gea’s contract expires at the end of the current season and would likely have to take a wage cut to extend his deal.

Ten Hag can boldly ditch De Gea

There is no doubt the Spaniard has been a club stalwart for United, joining back in the summer of 2011, however his form recently suggests that a change may be required between the sticks for the Old Trafford side.

Last season, the 32-year-old kept just ten clean sheets in 46 matches, conceding a staggering 66 goals in all competitions as the Red Devils struggled yet again.

In contrast, Sanchez kept 11 clean sheets, conceding 45 goals, all while playing just one match fewer than his compatriot.

The 25-year-old has continued his fine form from last term into the current season, conceding 19 goals (one fewer than De Gea) while also having a higher save percentage (68.8% to 66.7%).

Former Brighton manager Graham Potter lavished praise on Sanchez following an impressive performance against Burnley in 2021, saying:

“He is a monster in terms of his physicality.

“He’s not just big but he is powerful, he is fast.

“In terms of attributes as a goalkeeper, he has got everything to be a top goalkeeper.” Going by his recent displays and the fact he has been called up to the Spanish World Cup squad, Potter’s assessment appears to be spot on.

Brighton will demand a big fee for one of their star talents, however, with Ten Hag looking to put his own stamp on this United side, he may well splash the cash on the talented Spaniard and boldly ditch De Gea in the process.

Leeds United took part in a spectacular Premier League fixture on Saturday afternoon, with Jesse Marsch’s side coming from two goals down to seal a breathless 4-3 win over AFC Bournemouth.

The Whites could not have hoped for a better start, with Marcos Senesi bringing down the electric Crysencio Summerville in the box with just three minutes on the clock, before Rodrigo sent Mark Travers the wrong way from the spot to give the home side the lead.

However, the Cherries fought back in astonishing fashion, with Marcus Tavernier drawing the visitors level just four minutes later, before Philip Billing fired Gary O’Neil’s side ahead on the 19-minute mark, with Bournemouth going on to dominate the remainder of the first 45.

When Dominic Solanke made it 3-1 shortly after the break, Leeds supporters would have been forgiven for thinking their side were staring down the barrel of a fifth defeat in six matches.

This was not to be the case, with second-half substitute Sam Greenwood curling a beauty beyond Travers with an hour gone, before Greenwood turned provider for the equaliser, with Liam Cooper heading home the 20-year-old’s corner with 20 minutes left to play.

Leeds were not finished there, with another of Marsch’s second-half substitutes in Wilfried Gnonto bursting forwards and playing in Summerville. Just like at Anfield last weekend, the Dutchman proved to be the Whites’ match-winner, with the winger coolly slotting home in the 84th minute to seal a comeback which will live long in the memory.

However, despite the thrilling victory, Marsch will nevertheless be disappointed with a number of his players’ performances in the first half, with Marc Roca and Robin Koch both having games to forget against the Cherries.

It was yet again the display of Jack Harrison, though, which will be the manager’s biggest cause for concern from Saturday, with the winger once more failing to make any impact on the match whatsoever.

Indeed, over his 45 minutes on the pitch, the £23m-rated attacker offered the Whites very little going forwards, having 37 touches of the ball, completing just 19 of his 28 attempted passes (a 68% success rate) taking no shots at the Bournemouth goal and losing possession 13 times, meaning that the winger lost the ball with every 2.8 touches.

These returns not only meant that the £60k-per-week wide man averaged a below-par SofaScore match rating of 6.8 but also saw him extend his run of games without a goal or assist to 10.

As such, with so much exciting attacking talent currently breaking into the first team, yet another disappointing display against Bournemouth will have done Harrison’s chances of retaining his spot in Marsch’s starting XI no good whatsoever, with the winger once again failing Marsch’s trust on Saturday afternoon.

Arsenal are reported to be tracking Mykhaylo Mudryk ahead of a potential move in the January transfer window.

That’s according to a recent report by The Sun, who claim that Mikel Areta’s side are one of a number of Premier League clubs – including Brentford, Everton and Newcastle United – keeping tabs on the 21-year-old ahead of launching a potential swoop for the winger in the upcoming winter market.

However, the report goes on to state that it is OGC Nice currently leading the race for the Shakhtar Donetsk starlet – with the French side reportedly willing to offer £25m plus add-ons for the attacker – despite the fact that the Gunners had reportedly agreed terms of a £21m move for the Ukraine international towards the end of the summer transfer window.

Following this development, Mudryk made no secret of his desire to secure a switch to north London, with the forward stating back in September (via The Sun): “My dream is to play in the Premier League, of course. Arsenal are a very good team, very good manager – so from my side, I can’t say no to Arsenal!”

And, considering just how impressive the winger has been for Shakhtar so far this season, it would appear extremely advisable for Edu to once again launch a bid for the winger when January rolls around – despite the fact the 21-year-old now boasts a reported asking price of around €50m (£43.5m).

Indeed, after scoring two goals and providing seven assists over just 11 Premier Liga appearances last season – averaging a direct goal involvement every 70 minutes of football played – the £13.5m-rated talent has once again been in exceptional form over his four league outings in the current campaign, having already registered four assists in the Ukrainian top flight.

However, it has undoubtedly been Mudryk’s incredible performances in the Champions League that have caught the eye the most so far in 2022/23, with the 21-year-old having already bagged two goals, provided two assists and created one big chance over his two appearances in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

The youngster has also taken an average of one shot – boasting a shot-to-goal ratio of 100% – made an average of two key passes and completed an average of two dribbles per game, with these returns seeing the winger average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.50 – currently ranking him as the joint 43rd-best player in the tournament.

So impressive has Mudryk’s form been this season that the Shakhtar director, Darijo Srna, went as far as to state his belief that the eight-cap international is now the third-best winger in European football.

In an interview with CBS Sports back in September, Srna stated: “Mudryk is a serious talent. After Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, he’s the best player in Europe in his position. If someone wants to buy Mudryk they must spend a lot, a lot, a lot of money and respect our club and our president.”

Indeed, it is clear for all to see just how exciting a prospect Mudryk undoubtedly is, leading us to believe that Edu simply must do everything he can to convince the 21-year-old of a switch to The Emirates this winter – as the Ukrainian sensation very much looks to possess the potential to go on and become a real world-beater under the guidance of Mikel Arteta.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have a big problem when it comes to scoring goals, especially over the previous 18 months or so.

In the Premier League last season, the Old Gold netted just 38 goals, the fourth-lowest in the division. Due to an excellent defence, which conceded only 43 times, they managed to finish 10th in the final table.

Raul Jimenez and Daniel Podence shared the top scorer honours with six goals each, and this was an area that Bruno Lage was desperately looking to improve during the summer transfer window.

The Molineux side purchased Sasa Kalajdzic from Stuttgart in the hope that he could remedy their woes in front of goal, but a serious injury on his debut led the manager to delve into the free agent market and sign Diego Costa on a free transfer.

It could have been so much better for Wolves, however, as they had an opportunity to sign a striker who has excelled in Serie A throughout his career…

Wolves missed out on Belotti

In August, it was reported that the Old Gold had made an attempt to sign Italian forward Andrea Belotti as he was a free agent. AS Roma were his preferred choice, but with Lage urgently needing more attacking reinforcements, a move was made.

It wasn’t to be for Wolves, with Jose Mourinho winning the race for the 28-year-old’s services. It will come as an opportunity missed opportunity for the Black Country outfit, especially with just three goals scored in seven league matches so far this season.

The £74k-p/w hitman is a proven goalscorer, and at a high level too, netting 106 times in Serie A during the course of his career, while adding 12 for the Italian national team.

Former AC Milan coach Fabio Capello once dubbed the striker “better than Batistuta” when he was at Torino.

Of course, Gabriel Batistuta is one of the greatest number 9s of all time, scoring a ridiculous 299 goals during his club and international career. Belotti shares the Argentine’s brute strength and power, while also having the capacity to score from just about anywhere.

Lage missed a big opportunity to bring a genuine goalscorer to the Premier League, and on a free transfer too. How much might he rue this mistake come the end of the season?

Leeds United have reached an agreement with UD Ibiza regarding a loan deal for attacking midfielder Mateusz Bogusz.

The Lowdown: Bogusz at Leeds

Bogusz made the move to Elland Road from Poland back in 2019 in a deal worth £90,000. Since then, the attacking midfielder has made three senior appearances for the Whites but has spent the last two seasons out on loan in Spain.

The 21-year-old turned out for UD Logrones in 2020/21 and UD Ibiza in 2021/22, making a combined 46 first-team appearances.

The Latest: Another Ibiza loan

According to Polish outlet SportoweFakty, Bogusz was wanted by several sides in Poland but is set to head back to Spain.

They claim a loan deal has been agreed between Leeds and UD Ibiza for the current campaign.

The Whites have since confirmed a loan deal on their official website.

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The Verdict: End of his Leeds career?

Bogusz’s spell at UD Ibiza last season was hampered by injury, with the player undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury back in February.

Jesse Marsch recently stated that the attacker could become an option for Leeds after returning to training, however, it doesn’t look as if that will be the case.

The player is also out of contract in Yorkshire at the end of the current campaign, so this could be the beginning of the end for the Pole when it comes to his Leeds career.

Leeds United have made contact over a move for Blackburn Rovers forward Ben Brereton Diaz, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz links

The Whites were first linked with the Chile international last year, with speculation returning this summer.

Reports stated back in June that Leeds officials discussed the possibility of signing Brereton Diaz and even watched him in action during pre-season.

Transfer insider Dean Jones recently labelled Brereton Diaz as a back-up option in the club’s hunt or a new forward, but it looks as if Leeds have firmed up their interest.

The Latest: Leeds register interest

The Sun name-checked Leeds in an update on Brereton Diaz in their live transfer blog on Wednesday (17 August, 15:27pm).

They claimed that Fulham have joined the race for the South American but said that Leeds, along with Bournemouth and Everton, have ‘registered their interest’.

An offer in the region of £12m-£15m could reportedly tempt Blackburn officials in the final weeks of the window.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Brereton Diaz, called ‘sensational’ by journalist Josh Bunting and a player who’s ‘on fire’ by Paddy Kenny, has already netted twice in the Championship this season.

He scored a career-best 22 league goals last season and can also turn out on the wing if required, so appears to be a smart target at a reasonable price.

The 23-year-old would give Jesse Marsch a much-needed versatile attacking option to challenge both Patrick Bamford and Joe Gelhardt at Elland Road, and with time ticking, it could be wise to look to push through a potential transfer. Victor Orta will seemingly need to pip a number of Premier League rivals to Brereton Diaz, so time is of the essence.

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has delivered his ‘worrying’ response to the issue suffered by Leeds United midfielder Adam Forshaw. 

The lowdown: Cruel blow

Having returned to the fold last season after missing 71 games with a long-standing hip problem, Forshaw was ruled out of the final weeks of the 2021/22 campaign after fracturing his knee cap during training at Thorp Arch.

The 30-year-old missed six matches in the run-in as the Whites beat the drop on the final day and was looking to build up fitness ahead of the new term when picking up an injury in the 1-1 pre-season friendly draw against Crystal Palace, an encounter that also saw summer signing Luis Sinisterra limp off with a hamstring problem.

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After the match, Leeds boss Jesse Marsch confirmed that the cultured midfielder had ‘tweaked his knee’ following numerous collisions, although the nature of this latest problem is less of a concern than the ongoing trend for one knowledgeable onlooker…

The latest: ‘More worrying…’

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery – who runs the Premier Injuries site and regularly contributes to Sky Sports – suggested that Forshaw could be suffering on a ‘personal level’ after picking up another injury.

He said: “The injury itself isn’t such a concern but the background at Leeds is more worrying. We will have to wait and see on the severity of the injury. We sometimes don’t want to read too much into what we see in pre-season. You hope that this was more of a precautionary measure.

“It will be gutting for him on a personal level. We are on the cusp of a new season and he missed the last four or five weeks of last season. He would have been hoping to get off to a good start, but this could impact that.”

The verdict: Problem solved?

After losing Kalvin Phillips to Manchester City and Forshaw to a spate of injuries, Leeds wasted little time in bolstering the engine room of the Elland Road ranks, signing an abundance of conventional midfield options in Marc Roca, Tyler Adams and Darko Gyabi, essentially dealing with the potentially problematic area immediately.

Despite the reinforcements, Marsch will hope to have the £1.8million valued man at his disposal when the season gets going against Wolves and indeed thereafter.

Last season, Forshaw – who was described as a ‘class player’ by Leeds reporter James Marshment upon making his return to the side – made 26 appearances across all competitions for the Whites and will no doubt be viewed as an important member of the first team plans given his 300 matches worth of experience.