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Leeds United are still interested in signing striker Ben Brereton Diaz but may have to wait until the summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Brereton Diaz flying for Blackburn

The 23-year-old has arguably become one of the Championship’s most feared attacking players in recent years, excelling with his performances for Blackburn Rovers.

Brereton Diaz has scored nine goals and registered three assists in the league so far this season, while his overall tally for Blackburn is 41 strikes in 153 matches.

The Chile international has been linked with a move away from Ewood Park in recent times, and Leeds are seen as potential candidates to sign him.

The Latest: Leeds ‘looking at’ Brereton Diaz

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs has said that the Whites are still keen on a move for Brereton Diaz, although they may need to show patience.:

He stated

“There are others as well that Leeds United are looking at, and I think that one of them is still going to be Ben Brereton Diaz who’s at Blackburn.

“And Brereton Diaz has already vowed to stay at the club until next summer, so they might have to play a longer game on that one. But we wait and see whether or not Leeds can influence that situation in any way shape or form.”

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The Verdict: Can he make the step up?

Brereton Diaz is clearly a prolific young striker with bags of talent – he has been described as “amazing” by his former Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray – so he could be an inspired signing for Leeds if they land him.

There is always the risk that a Championship player can struggle to make the step up to the Premier League, but the Blackburn man has proven himself at international level, scoring four times for Chile.

It is a shame that Leeds look like they won’t be able to sign Brereton Diaz in January, considering how badly they need added firepower when you look at Patrick Bamford’s atrocious injury record, but the 23-year-old should be considered a strong summer option for Victor Orta and co.

Aston Villa could potentially suffer a setback ahead of their Boxing Day tie against Liverpool, as goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez is unlikely to be available following his World Cup heroics, helping Argentina win the trophy.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke discussed the availability of the 30-year-old ahead of the crucial festive schedule while speaking to Football FanCast:

“Yeah, I can’t see Martinez being back available for that game.

“Obviously, we all know that their celebrations look like they will go on for a few more days in Argentina and get the players to switch back to domestic action.

“I think it is going to be pretty hard for all managers of players who have tasted success with Argentina at the World Cup so I think we probably won’t see Martinez maybe until January as well.

“And I’m sure Aston Villa have been preparing for that anyway, for the players who maybe went to the later stages of the World Cup.”

This will undoubtedly represent a blow for Unai Emery, especially considering Martinez’s form in Qatar. The goalkeeper kept three clean sheets across his seven matches played, while also making three penalty shootout saves in the wins over the Netherlands and France.

He was in solid form before jetting off to Qatar, making 2.7 saves per match, a success rate of 67%, and keeping three clean sheets in 15 games.

Emery will have to call upon backup keeper Robin Olsen, and this might send shivers down his spine considering just how bad he was in his only Premier League appearance this season.

The Swede played just 55 minutes against Newcastle United back in October, conceding four goals in that time, making just 1.0 passes, and saving just 2.0 shots in a terrible performance.

Emery will be hoping he can improve against Liverpool on Boxing Day; however, the quicker Martinez is back, the better.

West Ham United are now targeting a move for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a link that has excited former BBC radio pundit Noel Whelan.

The Lowdown: West Ham target right-back

West Ham are believed to be drawing up plans to bring a new right-back to the London Stadium, due to concerns over the performances of Ben Johnson and Thilo Kehrer, while Vladimir Coufal has been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen.

Given that Wan-Bissaka is out of favour at Manchester United, featuring for just four minutes in the Premier League this season, he has now emerged as a potential loan option for David Moyes, as reported by club insider ExWHUemployee earlier this week.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

When asked by Football Insider whether a move to the Hammers would interest the 25-year-old, Whelan said:

“There’s no doubt, he’s not in the plans of Ten Hag.

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“I don’t think he fits into the style of play at Man United. He lacks that bit of a cutting edge in the final third.

“But defensively, I’ve not seen too many people beat him in a one-v-one. He’s got a lot to offer a club like West Ham.

“We know he’s a London boy, he came through at Crystal Palace – so he wouldn’t be too far from home.

“I think it’d be a great deal for all parties, and he’d be a solid buy for West Ham if they can sort out a loan-to-buy deal.

“He’s not done an awful lot wrong at Man United, he just doesn’t give you that bit of quality in the final third that Ten Hag is looking for.”

The Verdict: Get it done?

While Whelan is right to point out that the Englishman’s attacking attributes are limited, as exhibited by his zero assists in the past year, he could be more tactically well-suited to West Ham, where he would not be expected to push forward in the same way.

If given a strictly defensive focus, the former Crystal Palace man would be a serious upgrade at right-back, displaying his tackling abilities with an average of 3.03 per 90 over the past year (97th percentile), while 2.48 interceptions over the same timeframe puts him in the 99th percentile compared to his positional peers.

Football reporter Charlotte Duncker has previously claimed that the enforcer is ‘exceptional’ and that is no doubt indicated by his defensive acumen, which vastly surpasses the likes of Coufal, who has averaged 1.86 tackles per 90 in the same time period.

A move back to London is likely to be very appealing for Wan-Bissaka, and West Ham should prioritise his signing in the January window.

Manchester United have maintained interest in a summer transfer target who is now soaring in Qatar…

What’s the word?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Dean Jones reported that the Red Devils are still interested in Josip Juranovic, with the right-back playing an integral role for Croatia, who have made it to the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.

Jones said: “Manchester United have had a close eye on him for sure. 

“To be honest, his valuation is going to depend on which level of club comes in for him, because if it’s Man United, you hike it up. But if it’s a West Ham, then you’re not going to be getting as much.”

According to the Daily Mail, United boss Erik ten Hag has held an interest in the 27-year-old since arriving at the club in the summer, and with the full-back position an area the club wish to strengthen, the Dutchman is now seemingly preparing a winter bid. 

Bad news for Dalot 

United may be scouring the market for new additions, but with Diogo Dalot excelling on the world stage with Portugal, questions arise over whether the signing of the 27-year-old Juranovic would be the best avenue for the club and the respective players.

As per Sofascore, both players have been enjoying marvellous campaigns in Qatar, playing important roles for their nation and both steering towards the quarter-finals.

Juranovic has recorded a rating of 7.15, starting all four matches, while the Portuguese Dalot has been sensational, recording an average rating of 7.8 across the past two fixtures, notably producing a wondrous performance in the 6-1 round-of-16 demolition of Switzerland.

And in the Premier League, Dalot has remained a consistent performer, making an average of 2.1 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per match, whereas the 25-cap Croatian has managed just 1.1 tackles and 0.6 interceptions for Celtic this term.

Although Chris Sutton has described the Croat as “outstanding”, a superlative that aptly sums up his World Cup, Juranovic’s performances this season at club level have earned some unwanted criticism, with pundit Tam McManus labelling him “too inconsistent”, having just mustered one goal and assist apiece for the Glasgow giants and failed to leave a positive mark regarding his defensive duties.

Despite playing well in Qatar, the Celtic ace has been overshadowed by Dalot, and to evict him from his starting role when he is just starting to roar into life would be ludicrous.

If Aaron Wan-Bissaka was to move back to Crystal Palace, something that has been rumoured, after failing to stamp his authority into the club, then a move may be more viable, but with Juranovic likely demanding regular first-team minutes, Dalot’s progress might just be hampered. It’s a move that only spells bad news for the ever-impressive Portuguese wing-back.

Everton are one of the Premier League clubs interested in signing Watford winger Ismaila Sarr. 

The Lowdown: Sarr’s season so far

This season has seen the 24-year-old score six goals and deliver three assists in 17 Championship appearances, making him Watford’s joint top scorer.

Having then gone on to play in all four of Senegal’s World Cup games, scoring one goal in the process, Sarr will soon be back in action for the Hornets.

With the January transfer window on the horizon, the attacker has been linked with a move back to the Premier League.

The Latest: Everton eyeing Sarr

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Ignazio Genuardi revealed that Everton, alongside other English sides, could make a January move to sign the winger, who is set to see his current contract at Vicarage Road expire in the summer of 2024.

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Genuardi also mentioned that Sarr could well be in the middle of a bidding war during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Verdict: An exciting signing for Everton

In addition to his goals and assists in the Championship this season, the 52-cap Senegal international has also racked up more shots at goal (35) than any other player at Watford.

Also, only one other player at the club has delivered more crosses into the 18-yard box than Sarr (8), which further highlights how much of an attacking threat he carries.

Described as a “scary” player by Ben Foster, Sarr has 50 Premier League appearances to his name, across which he has scored 10 goals and delivered eight assists, which shows the top-flight experience he has and how quickly he could potentially settle in at Everton.

Taking all of this into account, we feel that signing the Watford star would be a very exciting signing for Everton and a rather necessary one given how only five clubs have registered fewer attempts at goal than the Toffees (157) in the league this season.

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 City will benefit in more ways than one with the contract extension of Pep Guardiola.

The Lowdown: Pep commits…

In some absolutely brilliant news for the Premier League champions, their trophy-laden boss and fan favourite Guardiola has now put pen to paper on fresh terms tying him to the club until 2025.

With Guardiola committing his future to the Cityzens for another two years, the knock-on effect could see the likes of £131 million gem Jude Bellingham make the switch back to England – knowing that Manchester City can “guarantee the framework remains in place.”

The Latest: Bellingham boost

That’s according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who claims tying down Pep to a new deal was the natural next phase in rebuilding the side.

Now, high-profile players have been given somewhat of a ‘guarantee’ that the Spaniard’s winning formula will still be present at the Etihad Stadium.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jones said: “City have been hoping to get this Pep contract tied down so it would help with the next phase of rebuilding the team.

“It means they can turn to Bellingham or Moukoko or any other amazing young talent and guarantee the framework remains in place.

“It’s a really big moment and bad news for their rivals.”

The Verdict: A game-changing deal

Manchester City were always ranked highly in the race to sign England’s World Cup star, Bellingham.

With their beautiful brand of mass-possession football, combined with their winning mentality and respective capture of former Borussia Dortmund teammate Erling Haaland, the Cityzens could arguably be leading the race.

The doubts surrounding Pep’s future at the club served as the only potential stutter around this deal, but with the boss committing to another two years, the stability at the Etihad has been restored.

There is now clarity in what Jones rightly described as a “really big moment” for the club and “bad news for their rivals.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will not leave the club before they win the Champions League, according to talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor. 

The Lowdown: Guardiola’s contract situation

Guardiola’s future at the Etihad Stadium has been the topic of discussion for some time as his current deal at the club is set to expire at the end of the season.

Earlier this month, the Spaniard revealed that the situation surrounding his future is under control and that he will make a decision with the club about it at the appropriate time.

Now with domestic football on hold to accommodate the World Cup in Qatar, the topic of the 51-year-old’s future has been the subject of discussion, with Agbonlahor giving his verdict on the matter.

The Latest: Guardiola to stay for Champions League victory

Speaking to Football Insider, the talkSPORT pundit and former Aston Villa player thinks that Guardiola will stay:

He said: “I think he will continue. There is no rush for Pep to try and move.

“I can tell you that he’ll have unfinished business because I don’t think they’ll win the Champions League this season and he’ll want to win it with them before he leaves the club.

“I have Real Madrid winning it again. They’ve strengthened from last season and are better than what they were, Antonio Rudiger has come in.”

The Verdict: City must keep hold of Guardiola

In addition to winning numerous domestic titles with the Citizens, Guardiola has taken the club to their first ever Champions League final back in 2021.

This season has seen the Manchester club make their way into the last 16 of the competition, after going unbeaten in the group stage.

While it’s safe to assume that Guardiola would love the chance to win the Champions League with City, it would be interesting to see if he would be willing to continue his journey at the Etihad if they don’t manage to win it this time around.

In terms of seeing the club offer the manager a new deal, we feel that this should be their top priority given how successful the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach has been since his arrival in 2016.

Football Insider pundit Frank McAvennie has been reacting to an Aston Villa transfer update involving Unai Emery.

The Lowdown: Emery green-lights January move

The 51-year-old has enjoyed an excellent start to life in charge at Villa Park, winning his first two Premier League games against Manchester United and Brighton.

The Spaniard is set to be backed with a ‘huge’ budget in the January transfer window and has personally green-lighted a move for Villa to bring in a new A-list versatile forward.

The Latest: McAvennie’s comments

Speaking to Football Insider regarding the transfer news, McAvennie said that it ‘would be a great piece of business’ by Villa and Emery if they manage to land a ‘top striker’.

The former Villa marksman said of Emery: “I think he is a great manager. He is well-respected, well-renowned and plays the game the way it should be. I do not know if he complicates it too much.

“But they need to bring in somebody that can bang in the goals. Aston Villa is a huge club. People tend to forget that, they are absolutely huge. It would be a great piece of business if he brings in a top striker.”

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The Verdict: Exciting times for Villa

Danny Ings was among the goals on the weekend, taking his Premier League tally to five for the season, with four of those goals coming after Steven Gerrard’s exit last month.

He looks set to be a key member of the squad for Emery in the second half of the season alongside Ollie Watkins, although bringing in another high-quality forward could help take Villa to the next level.

Everyone associated at Villa Park will be hoping that Emery can take the club into Europe, so landing a marquee forward could be the perfect first step in his transfer window at the helm.

Leeds United failed to maintain their recent upturn in form on Wednesday evening, with Jesse Marsch’s side losing 1-0 to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Carabao Cup meeting under the Molineux lights.

However, despite the loss, the 48-year-old manager will not be too disheartened by the result, as there were a number of positives to take from the clash in the West Midlands.

Indeed, 19-year-old defender Leo Hjelde impressed alongside Diego Llorente at centre-back, while 18-year-old central midfielder Darko Gyabi also comfortably outshone Mateusz Klich in the middle of the park.

However, it was undoubtedly the 18-year-old forwards Sonny Perkins and Mateo Joseph who most caught the eye on Wednesday evening, with the Whites U21 pair already looking to have formed a deadly attacking duo.

Both youngsters have been in incredible form for Michael Skubala’s side this season, with summer signing Perkins having bagged eight goals over 12 Premier League 2 and Papa John’s Trophy fixtures, while Joseph has scored 12 goals and provided one assist over his 11 appearances in the same competitions.

As such, both players were well worth their first team debuts at Molineux, with Joseph being handed his first senior start on the left wing, while Perkins was handed his Leeds debut in a free-flowing number 10 role, switching positions with centre-forward Joe Gelhardt throughout the match.

And, while neither of the teenagers were ultimately able to get themselves on the scoresheet, there were nevertheless some extremely encouraging signs that the duo could go on to become a real force for Leeds in the not-too-distant future.

Indeed, Perkins’ two key passes, one dribble and four duels won demonstrated his creativity, his comfort with the ball at his feet and his strength, while Joseph’s three shots at goal, one key pass and one dribble highlighted his deadly nature in the final third, his ability to play a defence-splitting pass and his skill in possession of the ball.

Rather understandably, the youngsters came in for a significant amount of praise for their respective displays against Premier League opposition, with the Spaniard being dubbed “sprightly” by Phil Hay and “really bright” by Matty Hewitt, while René Marić singled the “explosive” Perkins out in his post-match remarks, stating:

“With Sonny, we have a player who is talented and eye-catching, that mixture of physical posture and his ability on the ball is rare.”

It is some statement to make but, considering the duos’ positional versatility – with both Joseph and Perkins able to play anywhere across a front three – creativity and clinical edge, perhaps Elland Road could be witnessing the birth of the new Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp – the pair who directly linked up for 18 league goals and bagged 200 top-flight goals between them for Arsenal in the early 2000s.

Indeed, the Arsenal duo would play off each other in mesmerising fashion, with Perkins and Joseph already showing signs at youth level of establishing a similar sort of connection, albeit not on the elite stage.

Either way, the 18-year-olds look to be two exceptionally talented young forwards who Leeds supporters will undoubtedly be seeing a great deal more of in the months and years to come – with the future looking extremely bright for the Whites.