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Leeds United fans may have been rocked by the reported news from earlier this week, which suggested that top scorer Rodrigo would be keen to depart Elland Road this summer should the Yorkshire outfit suffer relegation to the Championship.

Could Rodrigo leave Leeds this summer?

An upturn in form under new manager Javi Gracia has seen the Whites move out of the relegation places, with seven points from a possible 12 leaving them in 14th position in the Premier League.

However, they are just two points clear of West Ham in 18th and with a game against leaders Arsenal to come this weekend, it is clear that they are still firmly in the relegation battle this season, and should the worst happen, it would not be a surprise to see some of the biggest names at Elland Road depart this summer.

According to Football Insider, Rodrigo could quit the club should they return to the second tier, which would be a big blow for the Yorkshire outfit when considering his impressive performances so far this term.

Despite an ankle injury ruling him out in recent weeks, the Spain international is still far and away the leading scorer in Leeds' squad this season, boasting 11 goals and one assist in just 20 Premier League appearances, with Crysencio Summerville his closest competitor with just four.

Only Pascal Struijk has earned a better average rating than the Spanish forward so far this campaign, which emphasises how important he is in Gracia's squad, so to lose him this summer would undoubtedly be tough to take.

With Patrick Bamford and January signing Georginio Rutter both struggling for consistency in a Leeds shirt, with just two league goals between them this season, the Yorkshire outfit may have to turn to the academy in their search for a potential Rodrigo heir.

Fortunately for Gracia, the Spaniard may have an ideal replacement for his current top scorer in teenage forward, Sonny Perkins.

Could Sonny Perkins replace Rodrigo at Leeds?

Perkins joined from West Ham United last summer and has caught the eye with his performances in the Premier League 2 so far this campaign, notching an impressive nine goals and two assists in just 15 appearances.

He affirmed his quality in front of goal with a late equaliser in Leeds' FA Cup draw against Cardiff City, and already has three senior appearances under his belt, so is clearly considered a big prospect at Elland Road, with U21 boss Michael Skubala labelling him a "goal-machine" just a few weeks into his time at the club.

If the 19-year-old can live up to his obvious and immense potential, then Leeds may not need to spend millions on a Rodrigo replacement, as Perkins could be relied upon to bang in the goals should the worst happen and Gracia's side go down this summer.

Presenter Joe Thomlinson has suggested that Julen Lopetegui should bring Rayan Ait-Nouri back into the Wolverhampton Wanderers starting lineup whilst Jonny Otto is suspended.

What's going on with Ait-Nouri?

The Algerian left-back has made 26 appearances this season, but has not started any of Wolves' last six league matches.

Jonny picked up a red card in their defeat to Leeds United and faces a suspension, and there is now hope that the 21-year-old will be selected to replace the Spaniard.

Speaking on Football Daily's YouTube channel, Thomlinson praised Ait-Nouri's talent by labelling him Wolves' best under-21 product, and is excited to see him potentially return to the starting lineup.

He said: "Rayan Ait-Nouri is really highly rated. Manchester City were looking at this guy as a potential left-back option last season amongst Marc Cucurella, and I think we should have seen more.

"We haven't really seen an awful lot of him under Julen Lopetegui, have we, which is a little bit of a surprise, but I think it's two or three starts under Lopetegui in the Premier League – he's obviously preferred Jonny, who is a little bit more solid in that position.

"Now, Jonny is banned – hopefully, we get to see a little bit more of Rayan Ait-Nouri, because I think he's an extremely highly talented player."

Should Ait-Nouri play more?

The £10k-per-week wonderkid has already made 77 appearances for the club since joining from Angers in 2020, despite having to compete with Jonny and Hugo Bueno.

His dribbling particularly stands out, ranking in the top 1% of fullbacks for successful take-ons in Europe's top competitions over the past year as per FBref, whilst he also ranks highly for tackles and goals.

The stats suggest he is developing into a left-back who is strong on the ball and dangerous going forward, and this might be what attracted Manchester City last summer.

However, Jonny's selection over him may be due to his senior's defensive abilities. Ait-Nouri ranks in the bottom 1% of full-backs for blocks – a statistic where Jonny ranks in the top 6%. This stark difference may be what makes Jonny a more reliable pick for Lopetegui, and Ait-Nouri now has to wait for his chance.

The Spaniard's suspension should mean Ait-Nouri slots straight into the side, and if he performs well, he could yet retain a regular starting spot ahead of the 29-year-old.

If Ait-Nouri can iron out the defensive deficiencies in his game, we agree that he can develop into an extremely well-rounded full-back.

Newcastle United will be hoping to end a run of three straight draws in the Premier League as they host Liverpool at St James’ Park this evening.

The Magpies have not won in the top flight since their 1-0 triumph over Fulham in mid-January, and they come up against a Reds team who have lost three of their last five games in the division but returned to winning ways against Everton earlier in the week.

Eddie Howe’s men were held to a 1-1 draw by Bournemouth in their last game in the league, and the 45-year-old looks set to need to make at least one change to his starting XI from that clash.

Joe Willock was forced off in the first half at the Vitality Stadium, and Howe has since confirmed that the 23-year-old is a big doubt for this evening’s match, although the £80k-per-week gem should be fine for the Carabao Cup final next weekend.

Will Anthony Gordon start against Liverpool?

The former Arsenal midfielder’s injury is not ideal, given that Bruno Guimaraes is set to serve the final match of his suspension against the Reds, but it does provide another player with an opportunity to showcase their quality on the pitch.

With this in mind, Howe must replace Willock by unleashing January signing Anthony Gordon from the start, after the forward came off the bench to replace his compatriot against Bournemouth.

Whilst he is a winger by nature, the 21-year-old could play alongside Joelinton and Sean Longstaff in midfield and pop up in various areas across the pitch, whilst potentially switching with Allan Saint-Maximin at times to keep the opposition guessing.

Gordon’s running and sharpness in possession could help the Magpies to counterattack quickly and expose any space that Liverpool leave at the back with their customary high line.

Journalist Luke Edwards hailed the former Everton wizard’s pace last month, tweeting: “Others have pointed this out so not an original observation but getting strong Craig Bellamy vibes about this one. Gordon very much a Howe type of player too. Will run all day. Don’t judge him on last six months at Everton. He’s raw but vast potential. Bit of the devil about him.”

Gordon has also shown flashes of his quality in the final third this season with three goals and 11 chances created in 12 Premier League starts, after scoring four goals and creating 35 chances in 25 starts for Everton last term.

This shows that the 21-year-old has the potential to make an impact at the top end of the pitch, whilst also offering plenty of running and effort in midfield, and that is why Howe must unleash him to replace the stricken Willock this evening.

Southampton are reportedly in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Villarreal winger Nicolas Jackson.

The Lowdown: More signings to come?

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has recently claimed that Southampton could make two or three more signings before the transfer window shuts, and shared that Jackson was one player that they were looking at.

They have already made two new signings in the form of Mislav Orsic and Carlos Alcaraz, as Nathan Jones looks to bolster his squad for the second part of the season, where they go into a Carabao Cup semi-final against Newcastle United, and fight for survival in the Premier League.

The Latest: Jackson talks

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth says that the Saints are in ‘advanced talks’ to sign Jackson, although there is ‘work to do’ on the deal, which could cost up to €25m (£22m):

“Southampton in advanced talks with Villarreal over signing of forward Nicolas Jackson. Work to do on deal worth €25m. Jackson has started 8 league games this season but hasn’t featured in the squad for any of Villarreal’s last 4 games in all competitions.”

The Verdict: Get it done!

Southampton need all the help in attacking areas that they can get, given that they have only managed to score 17 goals in their opening 20 games in the Premier League, the fourth-fewest in the division.

Jackson has managed three goals and three assists in 24 matches in total over all competitions so far this season (FBRef).

Dubbed ‘the new Sadio Mane’ by sections of the media, and a player with ‘bags of potential’ by journalist Ashley Preece, the 21-year-old is thought of very highly, and would be a welcome addition at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta could be about to repeat one of Massimo Cellino’s disastrous transfer mistakes at Elland Road…

What’s the word?

According to The Sun journalist Alan Nixon, Championship outfit Middlesbrough are lining up a move for young Whites gem Charlie Cresswell, who is currently impressing on-loan to Millwall in the same division.

Boro would be able to sign him permanently before deadline day on January 31st if Leeds agree to an exit, and it’s thought that as little as £4m would be enough to make it happen.

Meanwhile, fellow second-tier outfit Sunderland are also keen to sign him but only on loan.

Shades of Cook exit

With current first-team boss Jesse Marsch a big fan of the Preston-born 20-year-old and his defensive issues obvious, it would surely be a major mistake to let the centre-back depart on a permanent basis.

“Personality [he] is not afraid of anything. Even the first session we had he was the loudest player on the pitch,” the American once said. “[He] does not shy away. He needs to play.”

Before Orta was appointed, the Yorkshire giants were run quite poorly under former owner Massimo Cellino and one of his worst errors was sanctioning the departure of Lewis Cook to AFC Bournemouth.

At the time, ex-manager Steve Evans was adamant the then-teenager, who was evidently played a key role, was not for sale but the livewire Italian went against his word, selling him for a measly £6m.

Now 25 with bags of Premier League experience under his belt, Cook was once valued at a whopping €20m (£18m) by Transfermarkt, making a mockery of the decision to sell him so prematurely.

This same scenario could happen with Cresswell, who has enjoyed a taste of first-team action (seven appearances), in which he has never let the club down.

One game against West Ham United saw plenty of praise bestowed on the Thorp Arch graduate. Podcaster and presenter Joe Wainman heaped praise on him, by claiming:

“That boy, for me, was unbelievable and I don’t think he should come out of the side. He’s a mainstay now, for me. I thought Cresswell was class, genuinely class.”

The self-proclaimed “leader” is also a bit of a pass-master, which would make him an ideal fit for both Marsch and the English top-flight, given the way in which the modern game often sees teams playing out from the back.

Therefore, it seems awfully foolish mistake to make, particularly as the club have been stung in letting prospects leave too early many times in the past. As such, Orta must avoid making the same blunder as Cellino heading into the final week of the January transfer window.

AND in other news, Orta could repeat Gnonto masterclass with Leeds move for “unbelievable” 19 y/o maestro…

TalkSport’s Alex Crook has said that Crystal Palace have the advantage in their pursuit of Aaron Wan-Bissaka due to the club’s connection with the player. 

The Lowdown: Talks of Wan-Bissaka return to Palace

TalkSport reported last month that Palace joined the race alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers to sign the full-back.

Wan-Bissaka was with the Eagles before he was sold in 2019 to fellow Premier League side Manchester United, costing the Red Devils £50m.

And it appears the personal connection the player has with Crystal Palace could well mean he’s open to a return to Patrick Vieira’s side.

The Latest: Eagles in ‘box seat’ for Wan-Bissaka

Crook spoke on TalkSport and said that Palace are ‘confident’ that they would be in the ‘box seat’ to secure a reunion with Wan-Bissaka, due to the 25-year-old’s connection to the south London side.

He stated: “I’m told that if United agree to let Wan-Bissaka go this month, Crystal Palace, given their connection with the player, they’re very confident they would be in the box seat and I think he’d be a good signing for Palace.”

The Verdict: Wan-Bissaka would be great defensive option

We believe that a return to Selhurst Park would be great for both Crystal Palace and Wan-Bissaka.

The 25-year-old poses a strong defensive game, and in fact, possesses some of the best stats in Europe from the past year. He ranks in the top 3% for tackles made and the top 1% for interceptions across Europe’s top competitions (FBref).

Furthermore, the Palace faithful would certainly be open to seeing the player return to the club, with Vieira admitting that Wan-Bissaka is loved by the supporters.

And if Palace get their way, the fee may not set the Eagles back much at all, having previously thought to have valued the player at around £10m, so they’ll hope that will be enough to bring him back to south London, having reportedly struggled to settle in Manchester.

Tim Vickery has claimed live on Sky Sports that Aston Villa star Philippe Coutinho isn’t going back to Brazil.

The Lowdown: Exit not looking likely

Coutinho hasn’t featured too regularly under new Villa boss Unai Emery and many may have thought it was the end of his time in the Midlands when former teammate Steven Gerrard was sacked.

However, the midfielder has come out swinging in recent times insisting on social media that talk of him looking to leave Villa was not true and that he was only focused on helping the team.

The midfielder was being tipped to make a sensational return to his home country of Brazil but that now appears to certainly no longer be a possibility.

The Latest: Coutinho not looking to leave

Vickery was asked about Coutinho’s future live on Sky Sports and admitted while there is interest from Brazil, the midfielder isn’t keen on any such move as he said:

(3:35) “Well there was huge excitement in Brazil, especially when Steven Gerrard left company with Villa because Coutinho was very much seen as a Gerrard project, so the Corinthians club in Sao Paulo got very very excited and they were putting the maths together and seeing if they could do it.

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“It would be very very complicated, how could they finance this move, could they get sponsors on board and so on, but it seems that Philippe Coutinho’s agent has poured scorn on this one, he’s said that’s not going to happen and he’s not looking to leave Europe at the moment.”

The Verdict: Villa must utilise their star attacker

Despite starting just 16 games in the Premier League last season Cotuniho still managed to finish the season with 0.54 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, which was the fifth-best in the entire Villa squad (FBRef).

This shows just how talented he can be used if in the correct mindset and used in the right way, so Emery has a task on his hands to ensure he gets the most out of Coutinho as having a player labelled as ‘special’ by his former boss can only be a good thing.

It would be a huge shame if Coutinho had headed back to Brazil as he clearly still has something to offer either the Premier League or just European football in general and the fact he’s come out and squashed any rumours shows how committed he appears to be under Emery.

Manchester United are reportedly ‘overtaking’ Liverpool in the race to sign Benfica and Argentina central midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

The Lowdown: In demand

Fernandez is certainly a player in high demand heading into the January transfer window, with Portuguese newspaper O Jogo (via Foot Mercato) reporting that the Red Devils, as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, Paris-Saint Germain, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, ​​Atletico Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Inter Milan, have all ‘sounded out’ the representatives of Fernandez as they hold agent talks over a potential move.

Further reports from Portugal have even claimed that Liverpool have already reached an agreement with Fernandez’s agent over a move, and are now the ‘priority’.

The Latest: United ‘overtaking’ Liverpool

Taking to Twitter, journalist Bruno Andrade has revealed that United are now ‘overtaking’ Liverpool in the race to sign Fernandez, and there are ‘ongoing conversations’ between all parties over a possible switch to Old Trafford:

“Manchester United are overtaking Liverpool in the race for Enzo Fernández. There are already ongoing conversations between all involved. Red Devils are even willing to beat the 120 M clause € and avoid any competition.”

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The Verdict: Big statement

The fact that Erik ten Hag’s side have seemingly moved ahead in the race for Fernandez is a big statement from the club to their rivals.

Lauded as a ‘beast‘ by CBS Sports broadcaster Ives Galarcep after winning the FIFA World Cup with Argentina, the 21-year-old also won the Young Player Award at the tournament, and was his country’s fourth-best performer overall, scoring one goal and supplying one assist in his seven appearances (WhoScored).

At club level with Benfica, Fernandez ranks in the 99th percentile of all midfielders in Europe’s top leagues over the past year for expected goals and expected assists combined, as well as for passes attempted and progressive passes per match (FBRef).

Nonetheless, the fact that the Red Devils are willing to pay his whopping €120m (£105.8m) release clause shows just how rightly they rate him, and it could certainly be a deal that could pay itself off over the next few years.

Wolves are reportedly interested in signing Manchester United full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka and the 25-year-old could solve a big issue in Julen Lopetegui’s side.

It has been widely reported in recent days that the Old Gold are keen on signing the former Crystal Palace man when the transfer window reopens in January, with a loan deal seemingly on the cards.

Wan-Bissaka looks almost certain to leave Old Trafford in January after making just one substitute appearance under new manager Erik ten Hag in the first half of the season, and Wolves could be the ones to benefit.

Since making his £50m switch to Old Trafford in 2019, the right-back, who earns £90k per week, has gone on to make 127 appearances for the Red Devils, contributing two goals and ten assists in that time.

While he has come under criticism for his lack of attacking output during his time with the club, he has always been considered a very tough player to beat one-on-one, and it is his strong defensive abilities that could make him so valuable to Lopetegui.

In 2019, the young defender was labelled “unstoppable” by journalist Dave O’Grady, while Jamie Carragher dubbed him “the best one-on-one full-back in the world,” which emphasises what he could add at Molineux.

Right-back has been a problem area for the Midlands club since Matt Doherty’s exit in 2020, with Nelson Semedo and Jonny both struggling there so far this season, emphasised by WhoScored ranking them as the eighth and 18th-best performers at Molineux.

If the Old Gold are to get out of trouble this season, they need to rediscover the defensive form they showed in the first half of the last campaign, which had them challenging for a European spot despite their lack of attacking prowess.

It is telling that Wolves’ two wins this season have both come via 1-0 triumphs at Molineux against Southampton and Nottingham Forest respectively, so keeping clean sheets has to be the aim for Lopetegui when Premier League fixtures resume.

Wan-Bissaka’s form last season at United, when he ranked top for tackles and interceptions per game in the Red Devils’ squad, suggests that he can be key to solving Wolves’ defensive woes in the second half of the campaign.

Therefore, Lopetegui should definitely bring the 25-year-old defender to Molineux in next month’s transfer window.

Scottish champions Celtic are reportedly eyeing a move for Jeonbuk striker, Gue-sung Cho, with manager Ange Postecoglou keen to bolster his attacking options.

What’s the word?

According to the Scottish Sun, the Parkhead outfit are said to have ‘joined the race’ for the South Korean international’s signature, with the Hoops said to be one of ‘several’ clubs across Europe who are keeping tabs on his progress.

The report suggests that the 24-year-old is someone whom Postecoglou will know all about having scored against the Aussie’s Yokohama F. Marinos side in an Asian Champions League clash back in February 2020.

As per the report, the latest suggestion is that the Glasgow side are eyeing a new centre-forward in January, with that search potentially set to be intensified amid the uncertainty surrounding Giorgos Giakoumakis’ future with the Old Firm side.

Cho is ‘shining’ at the World Cup

It looks as if the Bhoys’ title-winning coach could well tap into the Asian market once again, with the 57-year-old having enjoyed notable success with securing the likes of Reo Hatate, Daizen Maeda and Kyogo Furuhashi from Japan in his tenure thus far.

Adding Cho into the mix could well be the prolific figure that the Scottish Premiership side are in need of, with the 6 foot 2 ace having notably scored 21 goals in just 35 games during the latest K-League campaign.

The impressive forward – who boasts a total club career tally of 51 goals in just 136 games in all competitions – has also showcased his talent on the international stage of late, having been “shining” at the World Cup thus far, in the words of journalist Jason Lee.

The former FC Anyang man was particularly impressive in his nation’s eventual 3-2 defeat to Ghana in their second group game, having scored twice to help drag his side level after the break, only for the highly-coveted Mohammed Kudus to seal the points for the Black Stars late on.

While that brace ultimately came in vain, it proved a real marker of the striker’s potent finishing prowess, having first produced a stunning glancing header to reduce the deficit, before powering in at the back post with another impressive header to equalise.

That display – which saw the dynamic asset record a remarkable 8.3 match rating, as per Sofascore – also showcased Cho’s all-round quality, as he notably won six aerial duels and won three fouls for his side, while also recording four shots on target as a sign of willingness to make an impact.

That involvement also ensures that the £1.2m-rated man now has six goals in just 18 appearances for his country at senior level, having seemingly proven himself as a truly ruthless presence for both his national side and for his club in his career so far.

On the evidence of that latest showing, Celtic could well have a real gem on their hands if they can wrap up a deal in the near future.