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An update has emerged on Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, regarding his current injury situation…

What’s the latest?

Whites head coach Marcelo Bielsa has revealed that the England international has encountered a setback in his recovery after sustaining a hip injury, whilst also dealing with muscular problems in his calf.

Phillips missed the 1-0 defeat to Southampton and it now remains to be seen how long he will be out for, with the Argentine refusing to set out a timeline on the midfielder’s return.

He told Leeds Live:

“In the case of Phillips, in the two weeks after the Watford game, he was working with an injury that was bothering him, that was a muscular problem in his calf.

“During those days, for a while now he’s had a problem in his hip and those two joined together, and even if he was close to being able to play the game, the conditions weren’t the necessary ones for him to play.”

Devastated

Leeds fans will surely be left devastated by this update from Bielsa as it appears to come as a major blow to both Phillips and the club. He has proven himself to be a quality player at Premier League level and he is sorely missed when he is unavailable to play.

The Englishman has been absent for two Premier League games this season and the Whites lost them both with a combined score of 6-1, as they were beaten by Manchester United and Southampton away from home. It is worth noting that their record with him in the side is currently one win, three draws and two defeats in the top-flight.

Last season, the £35k-per-week powerhouse averaged a sublime SofaScore rating of 7.21 in the Premier League. He made an eye-catching 4.2 tackles and interceptions along with 1.2 key passes per game across 29 appearances, highlighting the level of quality he can bring to the midfield. Phillips has the ability to break up the play in the middle of the park, whilst also being able to spread the ball around and create chances for his teammates.

This is why Leeds fans, firstly, will be concerned by this update from Bielsa. With no date given on his return, supporters could fear that he will be out against Wolves in the Premier League next weekend, which could harm the team’s chances of picking up points given their recent record without him.

Therefore, they will be devastated that Phillips has sustained a second injury to go along with his calf problem. The fans will surely be praying that he is able to return as quickly as possible, as his inclusion in the XI could give the side a lift as they go in search of crucial top-flight points.

AND in other news, “I see no sense”: Phil Hay drops key Leeds transfer claim that’ll leave fans delighted…

It’s safe to say that Liverpool have had a fairly successful week after obliterating their bitter rivals Manchester United by an eye-opening scoreline of 5-0 at Old Trafford, followed by beating Preston North End in the Carabao Cup to cruise through to the quarter-finals of the competition.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Jurgen Klopp’s side are set to take on Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League at Anfield, with one player potentially making his return to the side.

What’s the news?

With this match against Graham Potter’s side in mind, it seems as though the good mood around the club is set for another boost, with midfielder Thiago Alcantara returning to first team training on Thursday after being out for the previous few weeks with a calf injury.

Liverpool signed Thiago in September 2020 from German side Bayern Munich on a four-year deal for a reported fee of £20m. Since then, the 30-year-old, who is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt, has made 35 appearances for the Merseyside club across all competitions, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

Despite having a slow start to his time with the Reds in terms of goals and assists, the Spaniard ended his first season at the club as their third-highest rated player in the Premier League with an overall performance rating of 7.12/10 according to WhoScored, proving why Klopp will be thrilled to have the midfielder back in training and potentially available for selection for the Brighton match.

Furthermore, with Thiago racking up an average of 1.3 key passes per game as well as an average accuracy passing percentage of 90%, along with 2.5 tackles per game in his Premier League appearances last season, this shows how well-rounded a midfield option he is for the Reds and hints at how massive a boost it could be to have him available for selection once more.

Looking ahead to the Brighton game, if he is deemed fit enough to start, he should definitely be in Klopp’s thinking when he’s putting his starting XI together to try and secure a win against the Seagulls, who are currently fifth in the table with 15 points on the board after nine games played.

In other news: Possession lost 21x: “Dangerous” Liverpool lightweight badly let Klopp down against Preston

Tottenham insider John Wenham has made an interesting claim on Christian Eriksen possibly returning to the club under Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Creative issues; Eriksen’s absence

As we all know, Tottenham parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo on Monday after just 10 Premier League games in charge. Conte has today been appointed as the man to replace him in the Spurs dugout, and one of his first tasks will be to click Tottenham back into gear in an attacking sense.

Spurs rank 19th in the Premier League for goals scored and 17th for xG, and one man who could help to remedy that is Eriksen, who contributed to 159 goals during his six-and-a-half years in north London.

The Latest: Premier League return, Wenham reacts

A report from The Telegraph towards the end of October suggested that Eriksen could go back to the Premier League due to Italian health rules stopping him from making a playing return with Inter Milan following his cardiac arrest during Euro 2020.

This is what Spurs insider Wenham had to say to Football Insider regarding a potential return, seemingly backing Conte to go after Eriksen:

“If Conte comes in, there is one transfer I would love to see.

“I’m just speculating here. Would Christian Eriksen fancy coming back?

“There is a story going around about him not being allowed to play in Italy.

“Obviously it’s amazing that we can even talk about him coming back because what happened to him during the Euros was awful.

“Tottenham should be exploring that and how it could work. If I could bring back one former player from the last 10 years, he’s the man.

“I hope Tottenham are looking into that and have the lawyers doing their due diligence on whether that would be possible.

“I would watch out for this one.”

The Verdict: Smart move?

Tottenham’s first team squad appear to be stuck in a bit of an attacking rut, so bringing in a player who knows plenty of the current squad and has had success in north London could be a wise move.

Eriksen scored 69 times and registered 90 assists for Tottenham, but the 29-year-old is yet to play this season.

On that basis, it could take the attacking midfielder a while to get back up to speed in England, but his arrival could give Spurs a much-needed boost.

In other news: Spurs meet with club of £45m-valued ace with 14 goals in 17 games ahead of possible January move. 

A number of Wolves supporters are fuming after defender Max Kilman was left out of England’s squad for their upcoming internationals.

Kilman has enjoyed a strong start to the season for Bruno Lage’s men, starting all 10 of his side’s Premier League games and not missing a single minute of action. He has scored once and racked up an impressive 2.1 tackles per game, per Whoscored.

The 24-year-old’s form has led to some hope that he could be called up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but that hasn’t proved to be the case.

On Thursday, Kilman was omitted from the Three Lions’ latest squad for the games against Albania and San Marino [via England’s official Twitter account], although teammate Conor Coady was again named in it.

It looks as though the Wolves centre-back will need to keep performing at this level for a while longer before his form is fully recognised.

Wolves fans react to Kilman omission

These Wolves fans took to Twitter to show their unhappiness at the news, claiming Kilman merited a call-up, pointing in particular to the form of Tyrone Mings, who was recently dropped by his club.

“No Kilman. What a joke”

Credit: @Alfiewwfc_

“Mings over Kilman my word man”

Credit: @adenwwfc_

“What has Kilman done to Southgate?”

Credit: @PedroBackOfNeto

“Max Kilman robbed”

Credit: @fpl_gabe

“Mings and Maguire both absolute pants at the moment, Max Kilman smashing it out of the park – guess who’s in the England squad?”

Credit: @MrPauloGoodman

“No Kilman after his start to the season is criminal & Mings still being included.. someone please make it make sense”

Credit: @WwfcAj_

In other news, some Wolves love an official club tweet that has emerged. Read more here.

Antonio Conte wants Tottenham Hotspur to sign Weston McKennie, who is a very familiar name to sporting director Fabio Paratici…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Gazzetta dello Sport, who claim the 52-year-old manager ‘appreciates’ the Juventus midfielder ‘a lot’ and envisions him becoming ‘the new [Arturo] Vidal’ under his stewardship.

At one stage, the 27-cap American looked destined to leave the Serie A giants this January but an exit is a little less certain after a breakthrough into the starting XI under Massimiliano Allegri in recent months.

However, the report claims that ‘anything can happen’ if Juventus receive a good offer for his services. It remains to be seen what sort of fee that could be, though Transfermarkt currently value him at £22.5m.

Watch out Skipp

Whilst Conte is said to be a massive fan of young Hotspur Way graduate Oliver Skipp, the arrival of McKennie in north London would certainly put his place amongst the starting XI at risk.

That ‘Vidal role’ is similar to what Mousa Dembele was so expertly deployed in during his time at the club, and the 23-year-old could certainly become a comparable player to the Belgian if he joins the club.

Described as an “outstanding talent” by former Schalke 04 boss David Wagner, McKennie is capable of being an absolute powerhouse across the engine room. “In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga,” he added.

No other central midfielder is averaging a better WhoScored rating (6.73) for Allegri this campaign, whilst he attempts 2.2 tackles, makes 1.2 interceptions and manages 1.3 dribbles per 90 in the Italian top-flight.

This shows that not only is he a dominant ball-winning maestro but one that can drive the ball forward to contribute in the final third, much like Dembele under Mauricio Pochettino all those years ago.

Also dubbed a “leader” by Wagner and a “rock” by ex-Juve boss Andrea Pirlo, McKennie would be. an astute signing for sporting director Fabio Paratici to make but the consequence may fall at Skipp’s feet due to the two players occupying the same position.

It would be hard for Conte to axe Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg as he is currently their best-performing player in the Premier League, earning a 7.15 rating, which is even more than top goalscorer Heung-min Son.

Therefore, it’s likely that the 21-year-old gem is most at risk, having garnered a rating of just 6.46, even if that’s a little unfair on his true performances.

Although, later down the line a duo of Skipp and McKennie could grace the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for years to come. It’s just in the short-term that he could be impacted severely, should the American join in January.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals behind-the-scenes Antonio Conte claim that Spurs fans will love…

Newcastle United have now been backed to sign Dele Alli by Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Alli on Newcastle’s radar

As per Football Insider, the Magpies are already making plans to bring three new faces to the northeast in the January transfer window.

One of those will reportedly be a central midfielder, as a recruitment source told Football Insider that Alli is one player listed for that position.

It remains to be seen whether Tottenham Hotspur would let the 25-year-old go to a Premier League rival, but it looks as if the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium will try their best to lure him to Tyneside.

The Latest: McAvennie reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, former Premier League striker McAvennie has urged the Magpies to sign Alli, admitting that it is a move he can see happening. The 61-year-old said:

“I think Dele Alli would be the ideal signing for Newcastle.

“If he went there, there would be nowhere to hide. He would play every game and maybe that pressure would help him find his form.

“He’s not played a minute under Conte so maybe he’s not convinced by him yet.

“Newcastle have this money to spend. Alli might be on his way out.

“If they want Premier League quality players, look no further. He’s brilliant on his day.

“Eddie Howe might have issues with his attitude. But if you can solve those issues, you have one hell of a player on your hands.

“I can see that happening if Alli doesn’t work his way back in at Spurs, which is entirely possible.”

The Verdict: Avoid

Alli is not the player he once was. He was absolutely top-class for Spurs between 2015 and 2018 in particular, when he managed 37 goals and a further 29 assists over three consecutive seasons in the Premier League, but those kind of numbers have since dried up for him (Transfermarkt).

Now he is not played a single minute yet under Antonio Conte.

With players like Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Joe Willock at Eddie Howe’s disposal, it is unclear how Alli would fit into the Newcastle team, so spending on him in January could turn out to be a real waste of money.

With the likes of Adrien Rabiot and Philippe Coutinho also being linked, there are plenty of other midfield options out there for the Magpies to consider.

In other news, a former EPL goalkeeper has been speaking about this potentially ‘big’ NUFC transfer news

Reports have suggested that Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips could favour a move to Liverpool instead of Manchester United, due to the Whites’ rivalry with the latter club.

The Lowdown: Phillips on the move?

The 25-year-old has matured into one of the most influential midfielders in the country, not only thriving for Leeds but also winning England’s Player of the Year award and playing a central role in their run to the final of Euro 2020.

Phillips’ quality, couple with the Whites’ struggles so far this season, may suggest that his head could potentially be turned by a move at the end of the campaign.

The Leeds midfielder has been tipped to join Liverpool in the past, and a fresh rumour has now emerged regarding the situation.

[freshpress-quiz id=“375277″]

The Latest: Liverpool over United?

According to The Daily Star, Phillips believes that a mooted £60m move to Manchester United would leave too much bad blood at Leeds, considering the dislike that both clubs have for one another.

It is mentioned that Liverpool could duly be viewed as a better option, with the midfielder potentially joining the Jurgen Klopp revolution at Anfield.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-25/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Verdict: Hard to keep him

While it is painful for any Leeds fan to accept the idea of Phillips wanting to move on – England manager Gareth Southgate has hailed him as ‘magnificent’ – he may feel that he has come as far as he can at Elland Road.

His loyalty cannot be questioned and it wouldn’t be a massive shock if he saw out his contract until 2024 out of respect for the Whites, but it feels most likely that he will move elsewhere soon.

Having acquitted himself so well on the big stage for England during the summer, Phillips belongs at a Champions League-playing club in order to go up another gear. Liverpool would be ideal, with their pressing and possession-based game perfect for the Leeds hero, who is averaging an 83.7% pass completion rate and 2.6 tackles per game in the league this season.

In other news, another Leeds player has been tipped to join Liverpool. Find out who it is here.

Leeds United could seal a dream deal after being linked with a move for Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Leeds Live (who cite Spanish outlet Fichajes), the Whites are considering a move for the 28-year-old over the coming months as manager Marcelo Bielsa looks to bolster his forward line.

Diaz is reportedly desperate for more minutes on the pitch between now and the end of the season after struggling for regular game-time, so a move to Elland Road could be on the cards.

Victor Orta could seal a dream transfer

Enticing the Real Madrid forward to west Yorkshire over the winter window would represent a dream transfer for Leeds’ director of football Victor Orta, given the 28-year-old’s previous exploits.

After rising through the ranks with the capital club, Diaz departed the Santiago Bernabeu in 2017 after finding the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karin Benzema impenetrable ahead of him in the pecking order.

The Dominican Republic ace joined Lyon in a £7.2m deal and proved to be an instant hit at the Ligue 1 giants. In 45 appearances in all competitions, Diaz bagged an impressive 21 goals, providing a further six assists for his grateful teammates, earning the praise of assistant manager Gerald Baticle.

“He’s a real goalscorer,” said Baticle to Eurosport (as relayed by Goal). “When others might want to make a pass, his first idea is to find an angle to shoot towards goal. All his play is in the centre towards goal.

“Of course, with his first touch, he has to raise his head more often to take in more information and make better choices. But in individual raids, he’s good because he’s capable of piercing the lines.”

His success in French football saw Real Madrid exercise their £33m buyback clause after a single season away from Los Blancos, but Diaz has struggled to replicate his best form back in Spain.

Since the beginning of 2018/19, the £9m-rated hitman has only started nine La Liga fixtures, receiving just one of those under new manager Carlo Ancelotti in the current campaign. However, his proven track record of finding the back of the net on a regular basis could make him the ideal signing for Bielsa’s struggling side.

With star striker Patrick Bamford out injured for most of the campaign so far, Leeds have only scored 13 goals in 14 Premier League games, an issue that Diaz could certainly help to address.

In other news…”It’s likely..”: Leeds handed major injury boost vs Brentford, Bielsa will be buzzing

Many Sunderland fans criticised the performance of Leon Dajaku in their 1-0 loss to Oldham Athletic in the Papa John’s Trophy on Wednesday night.

A second half goal from Harry Vaughan for the visitors was enough to eliminate a fairly youthful Black Cats team from the competition, ending their hopes of retaining the trophy, and while some of the youngsters put in a decent effort, several supporters were not happy with Dajaku’s performance.

The man on loan from Union Berlin lost out on five of his duels and also failed to record a single shot on goal, clearance, interception, tackle, key pass, accurate cross or long ball. He was guilty of losing possession on 11 separate occasions in the match, the joint-fifth most out of any of his teammates (SofaScore).

Sunderland fans on Dajaku display

These Sunderland supporters slammed Dajaku’s performance on Twitter, with a couple going as far as to claim that he was ‘awful’:

“He might be a nice lad and very enthusiastic around the place. But Leon Dajaku has got to be one of the worst footballers I think I’ve ever seen. I’d love him to be able to improve and prove me wrong, but my word, he’s awful.”

Credit: @BradleyDSharp11

“Dajaku got to be up there with one of the worst players we’ve ever had? And that’s saying something because we’ve had a lot…”

Credit: @GWoods94

“Dajaku has been awful so far”

Credit: @GreggSAFC

“Leon Dajaku absolutely won a competition to play football. I don’t believe anyone could ever see him play and think “aye he’s a footballer”.”

Credit: @patrickscottlad

“How bad can Dajaku be?”

Credit: @Mcewan1320David

“Dajaku disaster class”

Credit: @sunderlandlads1

In other news, many Sunderland fans slammed this man’s performance v Shrewsbury

Wolves making a move for Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli in January would not be a wise decision, according to journalist Luke Hatfield.

The Lowdown: Alli’s career on the slide

There was a time when Alli seemed like the golden boy of English football, but his reputation has diminished in recent years, with the midfielder making very little impact at Tottenham.

Alli has been limited to six Premier League starts and he is struggling to force his way into new manager Antonio Conte’s plans currently, leading to speculation over his next destination, with Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson linking him with a possible move to Wolves.

Indeed, Spurs could look to cut their losses on a player who has been described as ‘fantastic’ by Ian Wright, with the 25-year-old someone who Hatfield has been quizzed about.

The Latest: Hatfield doesn’t want move to happen

Speaking to Give Me Sport, it was clear what his stance on the matter is, with the journalist urging Wolves to stay away from any possible deal:

“For the player, I could understand the move, but not for the club. I couldn’t understand Wolves making a move for Dele Alli, to be honest.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“375704”]

The Verdict: Avoid it, Wolves

Alli looked like he would be a world-beater as a youngster, scoring 18 league goals for Spurs back in 2016/17, not to mention netting in the 2018 World Cup quarter-final for England against Sweden.

Sadly, he just hasn’t kicked on, however, and while he is still only 25 years of age, it would be extremely risky for Wolves to sign him.

The fire seems to have gone out with Alli, with his impact on matches so often unnoticeable – he has only scored one league goal since 2019/20 – so he could be more of a hindrance than an effective signing.

In other news, some Wolves fans have erupted over a transfer claim. Read more here.