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Leeds United head coach Javi Gracia is still waiting for a work permit to be approved and looks unlikely to be in charge against Southampton.

The Lowdown: Work permit process

Gracia was officially named as Jesse Marsch’s successor at Elland Road on Tuesday, however, he hasn’t been able to take training as of yet due to needing a work permit.

It appears to be a fairly long process that may need to go to an ‘exceptions panel’, although The Daily Mail said that Gracia is ‘almost certain’ to receive a work permit following his time in charge of Watford.

When that will be remains to be seen, with time ticking until the club’s bottom-of-the-table Premier League clash against Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

The Latest: Gracia claim

LUFCFANZONE took to Twitter on Thursday evening to share what they’ve heard from a ‘source close to Javi Gracia’.

“In the UK these issues are very complicated and Javi is still waiting. But we trust this will be gained.â€

They add that it is unlikely the Spaniard will be in the dugout as a result.

The Verdict: Frustrating

Michael Skubala looks set to remain a part of the first-team setup at Leeds under Gracia, so he may be called upon for a fourth successive game to take media duties and be the main man in the home dugout following this recent frustrating claim.

It isn’t ideal, especially as the club agreed on terms with Gracia earlier in the week, hoping he would be able to take charge against the Saints.

However, he may have spoken with Skubala during the week in regards to tactics he could look to implement at Thorp Arch ahead of the must-win meeting, especially as part of Gracia’s presentation to Leeds included analysis of Southampton’s win over Chelsea last weekend, as per Phil Hay.

Arsenal hold a strong interest in a summer move for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, insider Dean Jones has claimed.

What’s the word?

The Englishman looks set to leave the London Stadium after previously admitting he wants to play in the Champions League, and he will have just a year left on his contract.

A lot of clubs are reportedly interested, but Arsenal have made him their top target for a summer move, and could be further spurred on after missing out on a January deal for Moises Caicedo.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones highlighted the heavy interest from Mikel Arteta’s side in a deal.

“The Declan Rice interest is very serious, I’m told,” he stated.

“I was very doubtful about the authenticity of that rumour at first but I’ve checked it out several times with different sources and they are definitely going to have a crack at signing him.”

A statement deal

Arsenal are on track to win their first Premier League title since 2004, and if they end up lifting the trophy, it would also seal their return to the Champions League for the first time since 2017, they could perhaps attract Rice with the lure of joining the title-winners.

Signing an England international, who has been hailed as a “monster”, in a big-money deal would confirm Arsenal’s transfer pull as one of the elite clubs, and their squad would be in excellent shape to compete for Europe’s biggest honour.

With Jorginho joining the club in the late stages of the January transfer window, Arsenal are now well-stocked with quality in the middle of the park, but Rice would be both an immediate and future signing as Arteta continues to build a young team.

Had Arsenal succeeded in bringing in Moises Caicedo to the club with a big-money transfer, perhaps plans to recruit Rice would have been shelved. However, Brighton’s stubbornness over that deal – as well as having avoided breaking the bank for Jorginho – could allow the Gunners to reassess ahead of the summer, at which point, the West Ham ace may yet emerge as the more desirable target.

West Ham United have been offered the chance to bring Mykola Matviyenko to the Premier League in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a recent report by 90min, who claim that Shakhtar Donetsk have offered David Moyes the opportunity to sign the centre-back for a figure in the region of €25m (£22m), with both Brentford and Leicester City also believed to have been contacted by the Premier Liga side regarding a potential deal for the 26-year-old.

However, a further report by the Daily Mail would appear to suggest that it is Brighton & Hove Albion who are currently leading the race for the Ukraine international, with the Seagulls said to have submitted a £14m bid for the defender.

“World-class”

Considering just how impressive Matviyenko has been for Shakhtar so far this season, the argument that Moyes simply must do all he can to beat Brighton, Brentford and Leicester to the centre-back’s signing this winter is an extremely easy one to make.

Indeed, over his six appearances in the Champions League this term, the £10m-rated talent was truly world-class in the heart of the Shakhtar backline, making an average of 1.7 tackles, 1.5 interceptions, 5.5 clearances and winning 3.0 duels – at a success rate of 67% – per game.

The defender also impressed in possession of the ball, enjoying an average of 86.8 touches, playing 3.2 long balls, making 3.7 chipped passes and completing 65.5 total passes – at a success rate of 89% – per match.

These returns saw the 26-year-old average an extremely impressive Sofascore statistical rating of 6.90, ranking him as Shakhtar’s fifth-best performer in Europe’s most prestigious club competition – a rather remarkable feat considering the Premier Liga side were in a group alongside Real Madrid, RB Leipzig and Celtic.

Aside from these eye-catching metrics, Andrew Todos – a British-Ukrainian sports journalist – also revealed in a recent interview with Sussex Live that Matviyenko is capable of operating in either a back four or a back three, stating:

“Matviyenko is a composed and experienced centre-back, who comes across as very assured, especially when playing alongside younger teammates. As he started his career as a full-back, he’s got more pace than an average centre-back and this aids him quite a lot in recovery challenges.

“He rarely goes in for wild tackles that might result in bookings or penalties and one of his main strengths is blocking crosses or goalbound shots. He’s also very good at playing balls over the top, playing out from the back, and he’s versatile.

“In my opinion, he can be world-class when he plays in a formation with three defenders. If he plays in a back four, he should play alongside a tall defender who can help him. He is good as a centre-back but the best matches of his career were when he was in a back three and he played next to wing-backs.”

As such, with Matviyenko very much appearing to be a player who would suit Moyes’ tactical set-up at the London Stadium down to the ground, coupled with the player who Todos also claimed is “ripe for a move to a top league” being available for an extremely affordable £22m, it would indeed appear an extremely wise move for the Hammers to launch a bid for the potentially world-class centre-back.

Aston Villa have been deemed the perfect location for Borussia Monchengladbach’s want-away talisman Marcus Thuram, who is approaching the final months of his contract with the German Bundesliga outfit and could be available for as little as £10m.

This is according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor, who told GIVEMESPORT that the Claret & Blue do indeed hold an “interest” in a lightning-hot striker linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Taylor continued by explaining he “could be really good for Villa” and that’s certainly an assessment we agree with.

Emery’s catalyst

Villa have seen an upswing in form and fluidity since the arrival of Emery in October, with his four victories from six Premier League outings an indication that his blueprint is both a success and being adhered to.

However, in order to ride the trajectory that the 51-year-old Spaniard desires, fresh faces are indeed paramount, and the acquisitions of Alex Moreno from Real Betis and Jhon Duran from Colorado Rapids are moulding the clay to Emery’s shaping; the signing of Thuram, however, would be the gleaming spearhead to lead the ascension.

This season, the nine-cap Frace international has been in blistering offensive form, scoring 13 goals and providing four assists from 17 appearances, and his cutting edge in front of the opposing net could pay dividends for Villa as the key to the outfit’s success.

Hailed as “clinical” by Raj Chohan, the 25-year-old is a fearsome forward boasting both physicality and electric pace, with trademark flicks and enigmatic movement dumbfounding hapless defenders left tasting dust in his wake. 

As per FBref, the “beast”, as once labelled by Atul Kasbekar, ranks within the top 6% of forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 6% for dribbles completed and the top 9% for total shots – illustrating an innate goalscoring knack that will only enhance the Villa ranks.

And with the statistical site also comparing his attributes to those of Robert Lewandowski and Victor Osimhen, to name a few, it is crystal clear that Villa Park would be rocking with his inclusion.

His arrival could also signal the end for Danny Ings, who signed for the Midlands outfit for £25m in 2021 and has scored only 14 goals across 52 appearances.

Ings is a reliable goalscorer, having netted seven times from 21 outings this season, however, he has not quite reached the heights at previous outfit Southampton and consequently could lose his place in the squad having been linked with a move away already this year.

Amidst Thuram’s potential arrival, the ex-Liverpool man has only started twice in the Premier League since Emery took the reins of the club for the first time in a 3-1 victory over Man United.

With Chelsea and United indeed among the suitors, the “world-class” Thuram’s pedigree is without question, as once lauded by Wolfsburg director Marcel Schafer, and should Villa pull off the monumental signing, it would signify a huge leap in the right direction, a destructive frontal catalyst to ensure the tip of the club’s sword is razor-sharp for seasons to come.

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou appears intent on bringing in a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, with the uncertainty surrounding the future of Giorgos Giakoumakis having only heightened the need for a new striking addition.

The Parkhead giants appear to have turned their attention towards Rosenborg marksman Casper Tengstedt as one potential solution this month, with Football Scotland reporting at the end of December that the Old Firm giants are considering a move for the 22-year-old.

The suggestion is that the Scottish champions are set for ‘initial conversations’ with the player’s camp ahead of a possible switch, albeit with any move potentially set to prove difficult with the Dane also attracting interest from clubs in both Germany and Italy.

The prolific ace – whose existing deal is set to run until 2026 – has been in scintillating form in Norway in recent months, having scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in just 14 league games for his current side thus far, after previously netting 20 goals and laying on ten assists in only 57 games for Danish side AC Horsens.

Such “ridiculous” numbers, as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, have unsurprisingly captured the attention of clubs across Europe, with the Denmark U21 international having proven himself a truly ruthless presence in front of goal.

Were Postecoglou and co to bring the one-time Midtjylland man to Glasgow it could well allow Tengstedt to form a ferocious forward partnership with Portuguese gem, Jota, with the latter man having been a leading figure for the Hoops in recent years.

The 23-year-old may have gone seven league games without providing a goal contribution, although he still boasts an impressive haul of five goals and six assists in the top flight this term, after also netting twice in just four Champions League group stage appearances.

Prior to that, the former Benfica wizard had also sparkled during his debut campaign at the club after providing 13 goals and 14 assists across all fronts last term, proving vital in the Bhoys’ title success.

The “scary” talent – as lauded by pundit Tam McManus – clearly possesses a knack for both scoring himself but also creating openings for his teammates, as he ranks third in the division for chances created per game (2.31), while also averaging 1.9 key passes per 90.

To have such a creative figure operating on the flanks and with the lethal Tengstedt through the middle could well prove a truly devastating combination, with the latter man likely to thrive of such elite service.

It may take a sizeable bid for Celtic to get the Rosenborg ace through the door, although such an acquisition would seemingly be a notable coup for the club.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly monitoring Sao Paulo defensive midfielder Pablo Maia ahead of the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Defensive midfielder wanted

Given recent links to the likes of Franck Kessie and Sofyan Amrabat, it is clear that Antonio Conte wants to bring in a new defensive midfielder to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Spurs conceded 21 goals in their opening 15 games of the Premier League season, and have the 10th best defensive record despite sitting in fourth (Premier League), suggesting that their defence is not getting enough protection from the midfielders sitting in front of them.

Thus, strengthening in that position could well be on the cards in January.

The Latest: Maia monitored

Co-writing in his piece for 90min, transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed that the North London club are monitoring Maia’s development at Sao Paulo, while London rivals Fulham have already had a bid rejected for the Brazilian.

Another London rival West Ham United have also held talks with Sao Paulo over a deal for Maia, although both clubs are yet to agree on the structure of a possible move.

The Hammers would ideally like to loan Maia first with a view to a permanent move, but Sao Paulo’s preference is to sanction a permanent deal for the 20-year-old straight away in January.

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The Verdict: Get it done

Lauded as a ‘Mini-Casemiro’ by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, in comparison to the five-time UEFA Champions League winner, Kulig also lists Maia’s strengths as ‘passing, vision, tackling, positioning, anticipation, work rate’, many qualities that should ensure that he would thrive in the Premier League.

He ranks in the 96th percentile for pass completion, 90th for blocks and 85th for aerial duels won per match for all defensive midfielders outside of Europe’s top five leagues over the last year (FBRef), which is even more impressive considering that he is only 20.

Nonetheless, Maia certainly has a bright future, and the Lilywhites could really benefit from doing a deal so early on in his career.

Aston Villa are going to be one of the busier Premier League clubs during the January transfer window, according to transfer expert Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Emery set to work his magic

Unai Emery has spent the World Cup break getting more in-tune with his new surroundings, having replaced Steven Gerrard as Villa’s new manager.

The Spaniard has a good squad at his disposal already but he will clearly want to bring in his own players, too – individuals who he believes can improve the quality in the squad but also suit the needs of his specific plans.

It is only a few weeks until the winter transfer window opens and it would be a big surprise if it was a quiet month at Villa.

The Latest: Busy January predicted

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Villa are viewed as one of the most likely to have a busy January, meaning agents will actively promote links to the Midlands:

“I’m told there are going to be lots of links coming up as agents are targeting Villa as a club that could be tempted to make a few changes in January.

“So, we might be bombarded with a few different names and different types of players. But let’s consider the type of player that Emery is likely to go for here and we’ll carefully go through them when they start to land.”

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The Verdict: Exciting times

This is an exciting new era at Villa, with Emery a proven manager in some of Europe’s top leagues and plenty of money available for him to spend on new signings.

The Villans could do with strengthening in various key areas, including centre-back and centre forward – Tyrone Mings and Ollie Watkins can be improved upon, for example – making the spine of the team more formidable in the process.

In a world where transfer windows are such a big and exciting part of modern football, Villa fans are certainly likely to get their money’s worth next month, and January should end with their team looking even stronger.

Leeds United snatched defeat from the jaws of victory this afternoon, as a late Rodrigo Bentancur brace saw Tottenham Hotspur run out 4-3 winners over Jesse Marsch’s side in what was a pulsating encounter in north London.

For all the negativity that will surround that frustrating collapse, there were no doubt still notable positives to take from the game as a whole, with the Whites boss likely to have been pleased to see Crysencio Summerville and Rodrigo continue their stunning goalscoring form, with the pair having netted in each of their past four Premier League games.

That devastating duo were not the only stars from the forward line, however, with summer signing Brenden Aaronson showcasing his quality once again in his playmaking role, having made a bright start to life at Elland Road thus far.

The former Red Bull Salzburg starlet – who arrived in Yorkshire on a £24.7m deal in the recent window – had gone into the game having only recently earned an inclusion in USA’s squad for the upcoming World Cup, with followers of his nation likely to have been pleased to see him sign off for his club with a strong showing.

The 22-year-old’s most telling contribution came early on to tee up the aforementioned Summerville for the away side’s opener – the youngster’s third goal involvement of the season so far – while also producing a “superb” through ball, in the words of journalist Beren Cross, to set up the Dutchman again, only for the winger to see his effort saved by Hugo Lloris.

Having not recorded a goal or an assist since the draw with Everton back in August, such an impact was no doubt vital for the player’s confidence, with that again set to be a positive as he looks to showcase his quality on the Global stage in the coming weeks.

The 5-foot-10 sensation did also catch the eye with his all-round display after registering two key passes from his 54 touches, while also recording two tackles and one interception, as well as winning two fouls.

While Aaronson did lose possession 11 times against Antonio Conte’s side, that is perhaps to be expected of a player in such a creative berth, with it seemingly a positive to see the American gem trying to take risks against such elite opposition.

The one-time Philadelphia Union man will no doubt be fully aware that he will need to bolster his attacking contributions moving forward when club action resumes at the end of December, although in the short term the exciting talent can head to Qatar on a personal high, despite the collective disappointment of defeat.

Leeds United U21s head into this evening’s Papa John’s Trophy meeting with Bolton Wanderers in an exceptional run of form, with Michael Skubala’s side having won seven and drawn one of their eight fixtures in all competitions so far this season.

Arguably the youth side’s most impressive victory this term came in their first EFL Trophy fixture of the campaign, when a strong U21s side – including Joe Gelhardt, Sonny Perkins, Sam Greenwood, Wilfried Gnonto, Darko Gyabi and Cody Drameh – blew away League Two side Tranmere Rovers 5-3 under the lights at Prenton Park earlier this month.

Indeed, should Skubala once again be free to pick a number of Jesse Marsch’s young first-team starlets over their remaining Papa John’s Trophy fixtures against Bolton this evening as well as Crewe Alexandra on November 1, the Whites would appear to have a great chance of qualifying for the knockout stages of the competition – and perhaps enjoy something of a cup run.

And, one player who it would appear an absolute must for Marsch to make available for this evening’s fixture is Gelhardt – the 20-year-old forward who has struggled for first-team minutes so far this season – as a tricky match against a seventh-placed League One side in Bolton could be the perfect opportunity for the England U21 international to impress.

Indeed, so far this season, the £8.7m-rated talent has played just 206 minutes of football over his eight appearances for the first-team, despite the fact that both Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo have missed a number of games due to injury – with the general consensus being that the youngster simply must be given more game time in order to continue his development.

And, while it would appear as if Gelhardt is already a level above U21 football – scoring 20 goals and providing six assists over his 30 outings for Skubala’s outfit – a run out against Bolton’s seasoned defence would undoubtedly provide the 20-year-old with a fantastic chance to prove to Marsch that he is more than capable of starting for Leeds’ senior side.

However, considering the £16.5k-per-week gem’s returns in first-team football, it looks as if Gelhardt already deserves a chance from the off, with FBref ranking the 20-year-old in the top 20% of forwards in Europe’s big five leagues for assists per 90, as well as the top 27% for non-penalty xG, the top 24% for shots and the top 14% for dribbles completed over the last 365 days.

Either way, unleashing the player who Graeme Bandeira dubbed a “bullish kid” and Phil Hay claimed is “one of the club’s biggest talents” tonight would appear a win-win for Leeds, as Gelhardt would undoubtedly provide the U21s’ chances of beating Bolton with a huge boost, while also affording the 20-year-old a worthwhile challenge against a League One defence.

Crystal Palace were linked with a move for Stade Rennais right-back Hamari Traore during the summer and considering the lack of defenders available to Patrick Vieira right now, he will surely regret not signing him.

Reports suggested during the summer that Rennes were preparing for the loss of club captain Hamari Traore, with Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Palace all credited with an interest in the 30-year-old.

Vieira rotated between Joel Ward and Nathaniel Clyne as his first-choice right-backs last season and after the latter’s injury earlier this season, he has been forced to deploy Ward there in every game recently.

While the 32-year-old has been an excellent servant for the Eagles during his ten years at the club, his 6.62 average rating from WhoScored this term suggests that he is a solid rather than spectacular option for Vieira to have.

Although Palace’s creativity mainly comes from their free-flowing attack, which includes exciting talents such as Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, marauding full-backs are a big part of modern football which Palace don’t seem to benefit from.

Tyrick Mitchell, Clyne and Ward have just one goal contribution between them in the Premier League this season, which suggests that Vieira could have used a more attacking option in his wide defensive positions.

Traore could have provided exactly that, as the Mali international featured 33 times in Ligue 1 last season and contributed with three goals and an impressive ten assists from right-back, earning a solid 7/10 average rating from WhoScored.

He also ranked joint-fifth for most assists in the whole league, not far behind the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, which emphasises how dangerous he can be going forward, which is definitely something Vieira lacks in his current full-back options.

Traore certainly doesn’t struggle defensively, as he has largely matched Ward’s defensive stats from this season, averaging more interceptions (1.1 vs 1) and a similar number of tackles (1.5 vs 1.8) and clearances (2.6 vs 3.3) than the Englishman.

Therefore, Vieira may well regret not pushing harder to sign the “instrumental” Rennes star during the summer, as it seems clear that he could be an upgrade on the Frenchman’s current options, particularly from an attacking perspective.