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Leeds United have been plunged further into crisis following Sunday's shambolic defeat away to AFC Bournemouth, with recent reports suggesting that manager Javi Gracia – who only took on the job back in February – could already be set for the scrap heap.

For all the scrutiny that will be on the under-fire Spaniard, the players themselves must surely take a fair chunk of responsibility for the club's ongoing woes, with the backline, in particular, having been culpable so far this season.

The Elland Road outfit currently have the worst defensive record in the division having shipped 67 goals in just 34 Premier League games to date, with that grim tally having not been aided by recent, dismal showings against the likes of Liverpool, Crystal Palace and the Cherries.

That latter, 4-1 result proved another rough day for struggling centre-back, Robin Koch, with it perhaps time for the Whites to simply admit that the German defender is just "not good enough" – as per pundit Gabby Agbonlahor – and remove him from the side with immediate effect.

How did Koch perform against Bournemouth?

With recent reports suggesting that the former Freiburg man – who has just over a year left on his current deal – could be set to depart the club this summer, amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur, it may well be a real blessing if the 26-year-old is shown the door ahead of next season.

Previously lambasted as being "horrible to watch" by journalist Beren Cross, the £11.5m addition was again something of a liability against Gary O'Neil's men on Sunday, notably failing adequately to clear his lines in the build-up to the hosts' third goal of the day.

The manner in which the eight-cap dud clumsily tried to intercept Dango Ouattara's rather tame pullback truly did epitomise his overall woes, with Leeds Live's William Jackson writing that the 6 foot 4 man 'never looked comfortable in the backline and committed a number of needless errors.'

Also described as having looked 'shaky' by the Yorkshire Evening Post's Graham Smyth, Koch's shortcomings were showcased by the fact that he was dribbled past on three occasions and lost possession nine times on the day, having also made just a solitary tackle.

Unsurprisingly, the £40k-per-week brute recorded a dismal match rating of just 5.7, as per Sofascore, with only teammate Illan Meslier (4.5) having recorded a worse rating among any player for either side at the Vitality Stadium.

With the Yorkshire side – who also shipped a staggering 79 goals in the top flight last season – in desperate need of results over the final four games of the season, it should well be time that Koch is ruthlessly ditched from the starting lineup, having endured yet another horror show on the south coast.

Fulham are closing in on the signing of Torino right-back Ola Aina, who will be available on a free transfer at the end of the season, according to a recent report from Tuttosport.

What's the latest Fulham transfer news?

The Cottagers have little to play for at this stage of the season, given that they are in no danger of being relegated, but in no position to make a late push for Europe, and manager Marco Silva has already started work on improving his squad.

Silva has been handed a boost in his pursuit of PSV Eindhoven midfielder Erick Gutierrez, as it has recently emerged the central midfielder could now be available this summer, while Mateus Uribe could also be targeted in the same position.

Fulham signed Cedric Soares on loan at the end of the January transfer window, however he has struggled for game time since arriving at Craven Cottage, and the club could re-enter the market for a new right-back in the summer market.

According to a report from Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), the Cottagers are insistent on signing Aina in the upcoming window, at which point he is set to leave Torino, upon the expiration of his contract.

The £30k-per-week right-back is one of ten players who are ready to leave the Serie A club at the end of the season, and he is now close to joining Fulham on a free transfer.

The Nigeria international spent the 2020-21 season at Craven Cottage, during which he made 31 appearances in the Premier League, and he now appears to be poised to make a return.

Should Fulham sign Ola Aina?

Fulham fans will know all about the "brilliant" 26-year-old's various qualities, most notably his attacking threat, ranking in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year, and in the 87th for progressive carries.

However, the full-back would not be an improvement on Kenny Tete defensively speaking, with Tete averaging far more tackles, interceptions and blocks per 90 in the same time period, while also weighing in with more assists.

Given Cedric's aforementioned inability to cement a place in the starting XI, it appears unlikely Silva will make a move for the Arsenal man in the summer, and therefore the Cottagers will need a new option at right-back.

However, Aina should only be brought in as a back-up for Tete, rather than as a regular first-team player.

Leeds United defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux to send the travelling Whites into rapture, having secured a coveted victory to alleviate the concerns of relegation and advance to 14th in the Premier League.

United had started the day 18th in the table, but the congested nature of the bottom half of the division means that there are a melange of outfits endangered as the season approaches the business end, with Crystal Palace 12th and just four points above West Ham United in the drop zone.

Jack Harrison added to his goal and assist last weekend, against Brighton & Hove Albion, by placing the ball past Jose Sa and taking the early lead against the Wanderers, with further strikes from Luke Ayling and Rasmus Kristensen cementing what looked like an assured three points.

The Old Gold fought a gallant fight, with a wondrous volley from Jonny Otto preceding a deflected goal from Matheus Cunha, but the hope of a comeback dispersed after Jonny's red card, with 13-goal talisman Rodrigo coming off the bench to hammer home the priceless result in the dying embers of what was a positively enthralling encounter.

How did Aaronson perform against Wolves?

The victory is certainly what matters for Javi Gracia and co, but the tame showing of dynamic midfielder Brenden Aaronson will not have pleased the Spanish manager.

Leeds Live journalist Beren Cross gave the player a lowly 5/10 match rating after the match, lamenting his display and saying: "Another frustrating afternoon of poor decisions and weak challenges by the American. Needed more from him in the final third."

His insipid performance joins a growing list over recent weeks, with Football FanCast previously illustrating his ineffectiveness over past weeks, and if he cannot muster a more cohesive and promising spell of form he might find himself exiled from the starting fold.

Journalist Joe Donnahue even went so far as to say that Patrick Bamford was left "raging" after Aaronson wasted "a really good opportunity."

As per Sofascore, the £45k-per-week ace could only muster a match rating of 6.6 – the lowest of any offensive Leeds player on the pitch – taking 46 touches but only managing one off-target strike and losing possession 18 times.

Aaronson failed with all three of his attempted crosses and completed none of his four dribbles, being dribbled past once and winning five of his ten ground duels.

The "poor" – as branded by one source – performance continues a woeful spell of form, with Aaronson's average rating throughout the league campaign now at a measly 6.51.

Greener pastures tantalise on the horizon for Gracia and his squad, and with Leeds now having a foothold on their destiny in the English top-flight, Aaronson must be dropped, his inability to effectively contribute is now a detriment to the Whites' success.

Manchester United are one of several clubs potentially interested in signing Barcelona and France winger Ousmane Dembele, according to a new transfer update.

The Lowdown: Dembele on the move?

The 25-year-old is currently sidelined with a hamstring issue that has kept him out of action since the end of January, curtailing what was a strong season until that point.

Dembele’s pace and directness have been key for Barca in 2022/23 and he has registered 10 goal contributions (five goals and five assists) in 18 La Liga appearances, as well three (one goal and two assists) in the Champions League.

The £199,000-per-week star’s future is up in the air at the moment, however, with his current deal expiring in the summer of 2024 and no new extension agreed at this point.

Dembele’s persistent injury problems may be a possible reason for this – he has never started more than 22 league games in a single season in his career – and Barca could feel that this summer is a good time to cash in on him.

He has been linked with a move to the Premier League and now a fresh claim suggests that England could be his next destination once this campaign comes to an end.

The Latest: United in the mix

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Dembele is seen as an ‘attractive’ option for United, as they look to bring in significant attacking reinforcements.

They are not alone in being mentioned in the report, however, with Newcastle United and Chelsea also in the conversation, while Inter Milan and Barcelona may be unable to pay his €50million (£44.2m) release clause.

The Verdict: Top player but potential risk

Dembele is clearly a top-level footballer who has been rated extremely highly for some time now, having been signed by Barca for a whopping £135.5million back in 2017, at the age of just 20.

The four-goal France international has been compared to Neymar by Xavi, such is his quality, and he has scored 40 goals and registered 41 assists for his current club.

Dembele could be a more devastating wide option for United than Antony, who has flattered to deceive this season, assisting just twice in all competitions, and his pedigree is undeniable, having started the 2022 World Cup final.

The one risk would be both his injury record and rumoured questionable attitude, but if Erik ten Hag believes he can sort those issues, he could be a very exciting summer arrival at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa correspondent Ashley Preece has been reacting to the club’s reported talks with sporting director Antonio Cordon.

The Lowdown: Cordon for Lange?

Johan Lange is the current sporting director at Villa Park and has been since 2020. The 43-year-old has worked alongside Dean Smith, Steven Gerrard and now Unai Emery, but reports towards the end of 2022 said that his job is hanging by a thread.

Villa have now been linked with a move for Cordon and have held discussions with the sporting director after he announced he was to step down from his role at Real Betis.

The Latest: Preece reacts

Preece took to Twitter on Wednesday afternoon to share the news on Cordon. The Birmingham Live reporter described it as ‘quite a big deal’ and said Cordon is ‘the man behind Real Betis’ incredible success in recent seasons’, adding that there could be competition from Barcelona.

“Quite a big deal this as AVFC hold talks with Antonio Cordon, the man behind Real Betis’ incredible success in recent seasons, after he stepped down from his sporting director role this week. Villa face competition from Barca.”

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The Verdict: All change…

Christian Purslow is expecting an extremely busy summer at Villa in regards to incomings and outgoings, and it looks as if Cordon could help oversee those changes in place of Lange – he may have been in contact with Villa just last month in the transfer that took Alex Moreno from Real Betis to the Midlands.

As Preece mentions, Cordon signed a number of impressive players during his time at Betis, including Villa-linked Luiz Henrique, so it doesn’t come as a complete shock that Villa are in talks over a move to England, especially following speculation over Lange’s future in recent months.

Leicester City have picked out Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson as a major summer transfer target, according to a recent report.

The Lowdown: Leicester’s goalkeeper options

Leicester goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel completed a move to Ligue 1 side Nice in the last summer transfer window after 11 years with the club, leaving Brendan Rodgers with Danny Ward and Daniel Iversen to choose from between the sticks.

Ward has been the first choice for the Foxes, making 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Rodgers is now looking for a younger replacement for Schmeichel, with Patterson seemingly fitting the bill.

The Latest: Patterson targeted

According to a report from The Sun, Leicester have made the Sunderland shot-stopper a major target, although they will face competition for his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers said to be interested.

It is also claimed that the Black Cats could look to cash-in on their keeper for a fee of around £10m if they fail to get promoted from the Championship this season.

The Verdict: Get it done

In the top flight this term, Ward has shipped 37 goals, the second-highest total of any goalkeeper in the league, and while the Leicester backline is also culpable for the poor defensive record, there are indications that the Welshman is not up to the required standard.

Journalist Rob Tanner has suggested that the defence do not trust their goalkeeper, with this comment following the claim that he has had a ‘tough start’ replacing Schmeichel, and so the Foxes should look to bring in a younger option in the summer.

Hailed as ‘phenomenal’ by Nicky Crosby, Patterson has been in exceptional form for the Black Cats this season, recently making three saves from inside the box and receiving the highest match rating of any player in a 2-0 win against Middlesbrough.

The Sunderland youth product is averaging less goals against and a better save percentage per 90 than Ward over the past year, and given that he is just 22, he has plenty of time to develop into a top goalkeeper, capable of making the starting spot his for years to come.

Injury expert and Sky Sports contributor Ben Dinnery has given his verdict on the injury suffered by Leeds United’s Liam Cooper.

The Lowdown: Cooper misses training

Phil Hay of The Athletic said that the defender wouldn’t be available for their Premier League match with Brentford last Sunday, but that manager Jesse Marsch was hopeful he will be back training next week.

Cooper has played 12 league games this season for the Whites, scoring his only goal of the campaign in Leeds’ tight 4-3 victory against Bournemouth back in November.

Prior to his latest setback, the Whites skipper had put together a decent run of games before suffering an injury in training last week, which saw him miss Leeds’ FA Cup replay against Cardiff City.

The Latest: Dinnery gives Cooper injury verdict

Speaking on the Premier FPL Injuries YouTube channel, Dinnery touched on the injury suffered by Cooper and claimed that Marsch had initially expected him to be involved against the Bees.

He stated: “Liam Cooper was out of the matchday squad. Jesse Marsch had spoken about this minor issue he picked up while warming up in training, said he fully expected him to be involved.

“However, when he tried to put him through his paces in training on the Saturday, he felt that, and that’s why January signing Max Wober came in for his full Premier League debut.

“The expectation is that he will be on the training pitches this week; he could start in the FA Cup, but again, that remains to be seen.”

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The Verdict: Stick with Wober

New signing Maximilian Wober, who joined at the start of the month from Red Bull Salzburg for around £11m, was given the nod by Marsch to start in Leeds’ latest Premier League clash.

The Leeds boss has raved about his new January addition in a recent press conference (via Leeds Live), stating that the player has fitted in ‘seamlessly’ at Elland Road.

We believe that Whites should stick with Austrian in the centre-back position going forward, as he excels over Cooper in most defensive areas.

Wober averages 2.74 tackles per 90 minutes over the last year as well as making 2.15 blocks, while Cooper’s numbers in those categories come out at 2.02 and 0.75 respectively.

Leeds have shipped 33 league goals this season, the fourth-worst total in the Premier League. If they want to tighten up at the back, we believe Wober is a better option than Cooper, as his evident ability to stop the opposition on the ball and willingness to get his body in the way are the types of traits the club will need in a relegation fight.

Hopefully, the new Whites ace will be more reliable from a fitness point of view, too.

Arsenal want to sign FC Barcelona winger Raphinha at all costs, according to Spanish outlet Sport.

The Lowdown: Missing out on Mudryk

The Gunners and Mikel Arteta appear to be keen on adding to their attacking ranks this month with a move for a wide forward.

Mykhailo Mudryk seemed to be the club’s top January target, however, London rivals Chelsea came in and secured a €100m deal for the 22-year-old.

Sporting director Edu Gaspar appears to have a list of alternative targets, though, with speculation emerging on Raphinha and Bayer Levrkusen’s Moussa Diaby.

The Latest: Raphinha news

Spanish outlet Sport shared a story on Wednesday regarding Arsenal and Raphinha, claiming that the club insist on signing the Brazilian this month.

The report adds that contact has already been made with the player’s representatives, however, Raphinha, who is sponsored by Adidas, is not clear about leaving the Nou Camp as he wants to fight for a position in Xavi Hernandez’s side.

The Verdict: Things can change…

Although a transfer looks unlikely at this stage due to the player’s stance on remaining in Spain, it could still be one to keep an eye on in the final weeks of the window.

Arsenal learned first-hand how a transfer can turn on its head with their pursuit of Mudryk, and reports last month stated that Barcelona are considering selling the winger.

Therefore, if the Spanish giants no longer want the 26-year-old, hailed as a ‘magician’ by former Leeds team-mate Dan James, then perhaps a move to the Emirates could materialise.

He proved himself in the Premier League with Leeds last season, contributing to 14 goals in 35 games, so he could be a smart addition in 2023, if the club can persuade the winger over a potential move.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been provided an update on the future of Lucas Moura by transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Moura’s Tottenham future

Moura’s Tottenham contract does not expire until June 2024, however he has evidently started to fall down the pecking order at the club, with Antonio Conte giving him far less game time than he has become accustomed to.

The winger made 34 Premier League appearances last season, but this term he has only been selected for a total of 90 minutes across eight league outings, being utilised as more of an impact player, in part due to a calf injury that ruled him out for eight games.

The Latest: Romano’s update

Romano took to Twitter to dispel the rumours from the last few weeks that the Brazilian has been in talks with boyhood club Sao Paulo, but he details that he could leave at the end of the season, saying:

“There are no talks between São Paulo and Tottenham for Lucas Moura, as things stand.

“Brazilian winger could stay at Spurs until the end of the season and then leave as free agent in June, this is the expectation.”

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The Verdict: Right move?

With Dejan Kulusevski being ruled out of the game against Aston Villa on New Year’s Day, it is the correct decision for Conte to keep Lucas at the club until the summer, as he is still a good back-up option to have

Lauded as ‘outrageous’ at his best by journalist James Ducker, the 30-year-old has averaged 0.32 assists per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 84th percentile compared to his positional peers, highlighting that he is still very much a threat going forward.

Moura is still injured at the moment, with Conte unable to provide any concrete date on when he is likely to return, but when he is back to full fitness, he will be a helpful player for Tottenham in their push for the top four, and the club can then sign a younger replacement in the summer.

Manchester United are one of a number of clubs who are keen on signing Borussia Dortmund youngster Youssoufa Moukoko, according to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs.

The Lowdown: Moukoko shines at Dortmund

The 18-year-old is already making a name for himself in Germany, despite his tender years, with 14 Bundesliga appearances already coming his way this season.

In that time, Moukoko has scored six goals and also chipped in with three assists for good measure, shining alongside fellow prodigious talent Jude Bellingham.

The Nike-sponsored prodigy is out of contract at the end of the season, however, and there looks set to be a scramble for his signature.

The Latest: United keen on move

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that United are one of the clubs interested in signing Moukoko:

“Manchester United are one of those. They’ve tracked him for quite some time. They haven’t entered into any kind of advanced talks yet.

“Liverpool and Spurs are ones to watch and don’t rule out a move to La Liga and Barcelona either. Barcelona’s position is very much that they’re working on the player’s side to try and persuade him not to sign a new contract in the hope they’ll get him for free.

“As soon as transfer fees come into it, it wouldn’t surprise me if they back off the race. So, lots of suitors here.”

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The Verdict: Big talent for the future

At 18, Moukoko is clearly still a footballer learning his trade, but he has a massive ceiling and could be an exciting addition to Erik ten Hag’s United squad.

To already be a regular for one of Europe’s biggest clubs is a testament to his quality and he has even been hailed as ‘amazing’ and the ‘biggest talent in the world’ by Erling Haaland in the past, which speaks volumes.

The lure of United could be great for Moukoko, especially with Ten Hag turning their fortunes around, and he could be part of a long-term attack that also features the likes of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Marcus Rashford.