Newcastle United have their fair share of injury problems at the moment, and Sky Sports man Keith Downie has dropped a key update regarding the prognosis of yet another issue.

Newcastle injuries going from bad to worse

Eddie Howe's side return to Premier League action on Saturday evening, making the trip to a Wolves side who are impressing under manager Gary O'Neil.

It has the potential to be a tricky contest for Newcastle, who continue to battle for another top-four finish, but there is no doubt that they have the quality to pick up all three points at Molineux.

That being said, the Magpies have numerous injury problems to contend with at the moment, with a host of key players unavailable. The likes of Jacob Murphy and Alexander Isak are among those who are currently sidelined, and there is also the news that Sandro Tonali is banned for the next ten months.

Now, Howe has been dealt another blow in the fitness department, as things go from bad to worse in the treatment room.

Elliot Anderson injured until Christmas

Taking to X, Downie shared news from Howe's press confernece that midfielder Elliot Anderson could be missing for around two months of action, which would take him right up until Christmas:

"Elliot Anderson facing 8 weeks out with a stress fracture in his back. Jacob Murphy — shoulder dislocation. May need an operation, seeing specialist today. Alex Isak – groin injury & getting scan today. Not anticipated to be too bad."

This is a massive blow for Anderson, who has been really finding his feet this season, proving to be a genuinely reliable squad player who has contributed positively a number of times.

Anderson's stats show that he has featured in all nine Premier League matches to date in 2023/24, registering one assist in that time, and the 20-year-old has also enjoyed an 83.2% pass completion rate.

Former Newcastle chief scout Graham Carr has waxed lyrical over the youngster in the past, comparing him to past greats and saying:

"You can go out and sign as many young players as you want, you will be doing well to get any better than Elliot Anderson. He receives the ball like Peter Beardsley. He kills it and moves it all in one motion. That is a gift. He’s the best young player I have seen in a long time.

"Newcastle haven’t produced anyone like him, in terms of his technical gifts, probably all the way back to Gazza. He plays with a swagger. Every time he got the ball you knew something was going to happen. He always wants to dribble and moves off quickly. He knows he’s good, but there’s no harm in that."

Newcastle

41

Premier League

32

Scotland Under-21s

1

This highlights what a big loss Anderson could be for Newcastle over the next few months, at a point when he was really maturing as a player, but on the plus side, the Magpies have a special talent in their ranks who could be a huge part of the club's future.

When Jurgen Klopp took the helm at Liverpool in 2015, few foresaw the magnitude of his appointment and the far-reaching effects it would have on a city desperate for more.

Of course, Liverpool is separated by a contrast of colour, a schism slicing red and blue, but while Everton have been moored in the murky abyss over recent years, the Reds have risen to the fore and secured silverware across a multitude of fronts, notably winning the Champions League and the Premier League in successive seasons.

It hasn't been without a hitch, with the 2020/21 season's slide from title contention a by-product of mounting injuries and the absence of support due to coronavirus restrictions.

And, who could forget, the misery of last season, when a team so mighty suddenly felt startingly sapped of its life and energy, with ageing legs and many years as a unit starting to take its toll, and the intense, high-octane nature of Klopp's system suddenly wasn't implemented in a befitting manner.

Moves were made over the summer, however, to devise an apt solution, which came in the form of a comprehensive midfield restructure. Out with the old; in with the new.

While the Anfield side watches from afar as teams compete in the Champions League, the Europa League presents an opportunity to glean the final piece of elusive silverware to have escaped Klopp's clutch.

And while the current Liverpool team is altered from the imperious outfit of several years back, it undoubtedly boasts enough talent to emulate Klopp's former feats.

Amid all of the alteration, Trent Alexander-Arnold remains at the centre of the project, having graduated from the academy and served as one of the fulcrums of the Klopp era.

How good is Trent Alexander-Arnold?

Ever since an 18-year-old, Alexander-Arnold fired home a free-kick against Hoffenheim in a 2017/18 Champions League qualifier, the Liverpool support have known that they hold a gem in their hands.

And he has indeed proved to be a glittering sensation for his boyhood club, having played an important role in every piece of silverware won under Klopp's leadership, earning praise for his devastating delivery and passing prowess.

Having now completed 280 appearances for his outfit, Liverpool's vice-captain has plundered 16 goals and 73 assists and is regarded to have "qualities that are not far off Lionel Messi" by talkSPORT's Tony Cascarino, who was referencing his ball-playing skills.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 3% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for attempted passes and the top 6% for progressive passes per 90 – very much one of the foremost creators in the game.

Player

No. of assists

Steven Gerrard

92

Mohamed Salah

62

Steve McManaman

58

Trent Alexander-Arnold

55

Andy Robertson

53

The £180k-per-week full-back has cemented himself among the most creative players in world football, let alone Liverpool's squad, and his particular set of skills would be welcomed by the lion's share of European outfits.

Given that he went on a remarkable purple patch in the late days of the 2022/23 season, clinching seven assists across his final ten outings of the Premier League campaign, to take his total tally to ten, it's interesting that a former Liverpool flop managed to equal his tally.

Ryan Kent barely made a scratch at Anfield before moving on after a sole showing, but he has since forged a praisable career for himself.

Why did Liverpool sell Ryan Kent?

In 2019, Liverpool sold Kent to Rangers for an initial £6.5m with a further £1m attainable through add-ons, ending a lengthy stay on Merseyside after joining the Reds aged seven and progressing through the academy.

Long admired for his pace, trickery and effectiveness across both wings, Kent only earned one senior appearance for the club – having scored nine goals and provided six assists across 30 outings for the development squad.

Spending the majority of his early days as a professional out on loan, the Ibrox side sealed a one-year loan deal in 2018 while he was 21 years old, which proved to be the key point of significance in his career so far.

Kent had just won the PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year award during his loan stay with the Gers, having posted six goals and assists apiece from just 21 starts in the Scottish Premiership that year.

In fairness, Liverpool were probably right to sell Kent, talented as he may be, he did not boast the full gamut of qualities requisite for success under Klopp's ambitious tutelage, and the monetary reward for his sale was well worth the sanction.

Had he remained at the club, inescapably in the shadow of players such as Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, basking in the light would simply have been impossible, and he would have languished during a time when kickstarting his career was the most auspicious move.

How is Ryan Kent performing now?

Having spent five campaigns at Ibrox, Kent joined Turkish giants Fenerbahce on a free transfer after his Rangers contract expired in the summer.

So far, he has been used sporadically but has still posted a goal and two assists from just five starting showings across all competitions.

Once hailed as a “wizard” by former teammate Leon Balogun, the 26-year-old had been an implacable offensive weapon for Rangers, finishing his time at the club with 33 goals and 56 assists from 218 displays, winning the Premiership and Scottish Cup for his travails.

Last season, he secured ten assists himself, matching Alexander-Arnold's seasonal collection; now, of course he does not boast the same level of creative genius as the Liverpool phenom, but it is an illustration of his quality.

Evidently, Liverpool do not miss Kent and have done just fine since his departure, but it is pleasing to witness the increase in quality stemming from the club's academy across recent years, with other stars such as Raheem Sterling, Anthony Gordon and Jack Harrison enjoying themselves in the Premier League after once playing their early days at the side.

And while Kent's creativity deserves applause, he's no Alexander-Arnold, and Liverpool will count their lucky stars that time and energy was invested in nurturing the 25-year-old into the player that he is today.

Everton could consider sending one of their summer signings out on loan in January, but only on one specific condition, according to a fresh report.

Who are Everton linked with?

The Toffees have most recently been linked with a move for Manchester City’s defensive midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan, whilst reports have suggested that there has been an offer submitted for Corinthians forward Wesley, who is also attracting interest from rivals Newcastle in the Premier League.

Looking at who could depart, Andre Gomes and Dele Alli are two players who continue to be backed to complete their exits having fallen significantly out of favour, alongside Amadou Onana, who was previously the subject of an approach from Manchester United, so that could be one to keep an eye on in the near future.

A fourth player who could leave, albeit only on a temporary basis, is Youssef Chermiti, who joined the club over the summer from Sporting CP this summer. It’s fair to say that the strike hasn’t really been given a fair opportunity yet to prove what he’s capable of, having played second fiddle to Beto and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

In the English top-flight, Portugal’s youth international has made zero starts and just three substitute appearances, playing a total of 27 minutes (WhoScored – Chermiti statistics), and it sounds like the 19-year-old might be handed the chance to increase his game time elsewhere from January.

Youssef Chermiti transfer update

According to The i newspaper ,who have shared a transfer update on Youssef Chermiti, Everton might think about sanctioning a loan move for the teenage centre-forward in the new year should their proposed takeover go through:

“i understands that if the 777 Partners takeover progresses, theoretically releasing funds for squad building, Chermiti could be allowed to leave on loan to collect first-team minutes. But he remains a long-term project that the club are committed to.

"On Tuesday night against a talented England team, he will get an opportunity to catch Everton’s eye. The club will have representatives in Milton Keynes and a strong performance will help press his case.”

How good is Youssef Chermiti?

According to talent scout Jacek Kulig, Chermiti is a “superb prospect” with bags of potential, but having yet been able to fully find his feet at Everton, Sean Dyche and the rest of the hierarchy allowing him to go and gain more exposure to regular senior football would be completely the right decision to make.

The Vila Do Porto native, who earns £30k-per-week (Everton salaries), has eight contributions, six goals and two assists, to his name in 52 appearances throughout his career, so he’s certainly got work to do on his finishing, but competitive minutes will help him to improve (Transfermarkt – Chermiti statistics).

Furthermore, Chermiti currently ranks in the 97th percentile for touches in the opposing penalty box per 90 minutes, so he loves to get involved with the action in dangerous areas (FBRef – Chermiti statistics). Hopefully, he’ll be able to go and strengthen his end product before returning to make a more instant impact at Goodison Park.

He’s battled more injuries than most, and the allrounder who was touted as a future Australia captain by Justin Langer has the opportunity to take a step towards that goal

Varun Shetty in Bengaluru01-Sep-2018As far as injury stoppages go, Australia allrounder Mitchell Marsh has racked up quite the number during his international career. Since his ODI debut in 2011, Marsh has played in a combined 90 matches across formats for Australia, far fewer than might have been expected from someone who, even seven years on, is considered one of Australia’s most talented players. As of Saturday, on the eve of Australia A’s first unofficial Test against India A in Bengaluru, their captain has missed five months of professional cricket with an ankle injury.This lay-off might have been especially frustrating for Marsh who, in the few months leading up to it, had finally begun to find his feet as a Test batsman. During Australia’s 4-0 thrashing of England in the last Ashes series, Marsh had returned from shoulder issues to make two hundreds in winning causes, on either side of a grind at Melbourne, where he batted more than three hours in Steven Smith’s company for an unbeaten 29 to draw the Test. Not long after, Marsh made an impressive 96 while batting with the lower order to set up Australia’s only win in a controversial Test series against South Africa.”Yeah I’ve had my fair share of injures to come back from,” Marsh said with a smile. “In that scenario you just lean on your past experiences, get your rehab done and get back as soon as possible. It’s been a long lay-off, five months. Fortunately for Australia, we haven’t had that much cricket compared to what we usually have, so I haven’t missed a lot of cricket.”While that is true to the extent that Australia haven’t played any Tests since South Africa, the biggest miss for Marsh was a scheduled county stint with Surrey, where he was set for a full season as an overseas professional after opting out of IPL 2018.”[Surrey] was an awesome opportunity for me that I was really looking forward to. Playing cricket over in England through the whole summer would’ve been awesome. Bowling and batting with the Duke ball, having the experience outside the cricket to live in a place other than Perth – which is a pretty small place – I was really looking forward to that opportunity. But as they say, injuries happen.”Marsh didn’t take part in the quadrangular one-day series that concluded earlier this week, with India B beating Australia A in the final, and only flew in a couple of days after it had ended. So, while he’s “bowling full tilt” and suffered no setbacks during rehab, he won’t be rolling his arm over till the second Test, which begins on September 8.With an away series against Pakistan coming up in October, Marsh is among many in the Australia A side who are looking to impress the selectors, particularly with an extra spot opening up for the first match, thanks to Matt Renshaw missing out due to a mini hamstring strain.”Apart from Renners [Renshaw] who’ll be out with a hamstring injury and be back next game, we’ve sort of got our 12 and we’ll make up our minds tomorrow.”It’s a great vibe around this group, you get a sense everybody’s hungry to perform. There’s plenty of opportunities in Australian cricket at the moment. As a team, we’ve got a focus that we want to win this little mini-series and start something as a group.”Among the many opportunities that Marsh speaks of is the leadership situation, where both in limited-overs cricket and in Tests, Australia are in a state of flux following the bans of Smith and David Warner. And with the situation as it is, Western Australia coach Justin Langer’s call to include Marsh in the Perth Test during the Ashes might have had a level of prescience. Langer had described Marsh as a future captain when he said he was “needed” for the Perth Test – where he made 181 – and while Langer couldn’t possibly have meant this early, Marsh could genuinely have an outside chance of being a national team captain some time soon. As Western Australia’s captain during their JLT Cup triumph last year, he has the experience.”It’s not something I think about too deeply. If the opportunity arrives I’ll grab it with both hands but ultimately that’s out of my hands. At the moment I’m really looking forward to captain in these conditions, which I don’t experience much playing at the WACA every second week. It’s going to be a whole new experience for me and it’s something to look forward to.”First things first is to get back playing some cricket and just enjoy being back playing, being back at work. Obviously in the Australia A series there’s a lot of time to solely focus on yourself and [try to] score runs, but ultimately, we want to create a culture in this team that we want to come here to win. Just trying to do my best to make sure that happens. For me it’s about trying to spend time out in the middle with the bat, but we want to win for Australia.”

All is not well at Manchester United at present, with the Red Devils having endured a dismal start to the campaign that has left them firmly outside the top four berths, having already suffered an early exit from the Carabao Cup in midweek.

While throwing money at the problem has rarely been the correct solution for such an expensively assembled squad, it may be the case that fresh recruits will be needed in January, in order for Erik ten Hag to help shift the doom and gloom surrounding Old Trafford.

One area that United appear to be keen to strengthen is at right-back – despite the presence of Diogo Dalot and Aaron Wan-Bissaka – with recent reports indicating that the club are showing an interest in Galatasaray star, Sacha Boey.

Man Utd transfer news – Sacha Boey

As per prior reports coming out of Turkey earlier this week, the Premier League outfit are believed to be keeping a close eye on the promising Frenchman, with a potential departure from Istanbul on the cards in 2024 with just 18 months left to run on his existing deal.

The belief is that even if the 23-year-old is not sold in January, it is considered 'highly likely' that an exit will occur next summer, opening the door for Ten Hag and co to pounce in the near future.

That search for a new option on the right side of the defence comes with Wan-Bissaka currently into the final year of his contract – albeit with the option of an extension – while teammate Dalot has failed to convince of late, despite signing a new long-term deal earlier this year.

The stats that show why Sacha Boey would be a good signing for Man Utd

While valued at just €10m (£9m), according to CIES Football Observatory, Boey is certainly no mere bargain option, with the former Rennes man having already proven his quality against the Red Devils in the Champions League this season.

Lining up against Marcus Rashford in United's 3-2 loss last month, the in-demand defender hardly gave his opposite number a sniff with an all-action display at full-back, notably winning eight duels on the night as a marker of his defensive prowess, while providing two key passes and earning three fouls – showcasing the impact he can make in the final third.

That latter strength was particularly evident as he arguably "made fun of Rashford" at one stage – according to Turkish journalist Furkan Bozoglu – having expertly nutmegged the Englishman down the right channel.

While one moment of genius, or one complete performance, is not enough to highlight the quality of a player, the evidence would suggest that Boey could be an upgrade on Dalot, in particular, for Ten Hag.

How Sacha Boey compares to Diogo Dalot

The recent defeat to Newcastle United in midweek laid bare the frustration surrounding the hosts' Portuguese right-back, with the 24-year-old notably failing to track Miguel Almiron for the Magpies' opener, before being hooked at the break.

As ESPN's Mark Ogden noted during the match, the £85k-per-week asset is an "example of Man United’s flawed recruitment", with his recent contract extension having been a "long-term reward for mediocrity".

While meant to be the more attacking option in contrast to Wan-Bissaka – who is arguably the "best in the world" at one-on-one defending, according to James Maddison – Dalot has hardly proven his worth in the final third over the years, registering just four goals and six assists in 122 games for the club in all competitions.

Stats

Boey

Dalot

Games

3

3

Starts

3

3

Goals/assists

1

0

Key passes per game

1.7

0.7

Tackles and interceptions per game

5.0

2.0

Aerial duels won

64%

50%

Total duels won

62%

46%

Average match rating

7.40

6.60

Stats via Sofascore

Boey, for instance, has already recorded three goals and four assists from just 71 games for his current side, while in a defensive sense, his average of 4.3 tackles and interceptions per game in the Super Lig this term is far beyond that of his United counterpart in the Premier League (2.8 tackles and interceptions per game).

That would suggest that if Ten Hag is keen to upgrade on the struggling Dalot in the New Year, the Dutchman should certainly consider looking the way of the Galatasaray ace.

MatériaMais Notícias

Chamado de “Rei dos Clássicos”, Bruno Henrique não conseguiu balançar as redes neste sábado, em clássico contra o Botafogo, no qual o Flamengo venceu por 1 a 0, no Estádio Nilton Santos e pela 24ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. E o atacante saiu com uma notícia ruim: sentiu dores no tendão posterior do joelho direito. O clube informou ainda que ele será reavaliado nesta segunda.

RelacionadasFlamengoATUAÇÕES: Everton Ribeiro garante vitória do Flamengo, e Gustavo Henrique é expulso no fimFlamengo05/12/2020BrasileirãoEverton Ribeiro dá vitória ao Flamengo contra o Botafogo e agrava o drama do rivalBrasileirão05/12/2020

Bruno Henrique deixou o gramado do Niltão quando o Flamengo já vencia por 1 a 0, com gol de Everton Ribeiro. O camisa 27 deu lugar a Vitinho, aos 32 minutos da etapa final, mancando e pondo a mão no local das dores.

O atleta Bruno Henrique sentiu dores no tendão posterior do joelho direito. Será reavaliado na segunda-feira (07.12). #CRF

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) December 5, 2020

> Confira a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

O atacante será reavaliado pelo departamento médico do Fla na reapresentação do elenco, no Ninho do Urubu. Os comandados de Rogério Ceni terão uma semana cheia para treinamentos, já que o próximo compromisso será só no próximo domingo, diante do Santos, no Maracanã.

Leeds United continued their excellent form in the Championship with an incredible win away at runaway second-tier leaders Leicester City on Friday night, Georginio Rutter the difference maker as his poacher-like instincts ensured the Whites left the King Power Stadium with all three points.

Inflicting the Foxes to only their second defeat of the season to date, Daniel Farke’s men will now hope that Ipswich Town start to falter in order to make up some ground on the Tractor Boys in that coveted second automatic promotion spot.

The likes of Joel Piroe, Crysencio Summerville and Ethan Ampadu continue to impress the Elland Road masses, but it’s young Archie Gray – great nephew of Leeds icon Eddie Gray – that is standing out in the first team ranks at only 17 years of age.

The teen prodigy could well be Leeds’ next Stuart Dallas in the making, versatile in being able to play both centrally and at full-back and hopefully as reliable and as key as the 32-year-old has been to all major successes experienced by the Whites in recent years when called upon.

Dallas’ numbers for Leeds

Dallas was an integral part of the Marcelo Bielsa machine when the eccentric Argentine head coach galvanised Leeds to break out of their Championship mediocrity back to the promised land of the top flight, the Northern Irishman was excellent for the most part under Bielsa’s esteemed tenure.

Swapping between playing as a full-back, a winger or as a central midfielder, Leeds’ number 15 very rarely made a glaring error with his full-throttle performances winning him plaudits.

He would score five goals and assist a further three in the memorable 2019/20 promotion campaign up to the Premier League, netting on the final day versus Charlton in a 4-0 win with the champagne flowing at full-time.

Gray will hope he can follow in the footsteps of Dallas, the wide-eyed youngster already making an impact for the Whites’ first team this campaign despite still learning the ropes at senior level.

Gray’s numbers this season

Labelled as having “something very special” for such a young footballer by Leeds United journalist Phil Hay after starring in pre-season, Gray has shone in the cut and thrust of the Championship this campaign to reinforce this glowing praise.

Performing at a level way above anyone’s wildest predictions at 17, Gray has been a constant in Farke’s first-team plans – transitioning to full-back recently after starting the season centrally, with shades of Dallas’ game apparent in the teenager’s displays.

Archie Gray's season in numbers

Games Played

14 (12 starts)

Key Passes

0.6 per game

Pass Accuracy

80%

Interceptions

0.7 per game

Tackles Won

2.2 per game

Ball Recoveries

5.1 per game

Successful Dribbles

0.7 per game

Stats via Sofascore.

Playing the full 90 minutes versus Leicester at right-back, Leeds’ number 22 excelled on the big occasion. Gray would win four of his five ground duels at the King Power per Sofascore, whilst remaining fearless on the ball throughout with 19 of his 23 passes on the night accurate.

He was equally as daring versus QPR at the start of October, successful with both dribbles attempted as his side went on to narrowly overcome the visitors from West London 1-0. That all-round nature that Dallas possesses is clearly also brewing inside the teenager.

Clocking up 16 first-team appearances this campaign, mostly as a midfielder, Gray is steadily becoming part of the furniture with Leeds with fans and coaches alike hoping that he goes on to have a sustained and successful career at Elland Road.

Flexible in where he’s selected by Farke, the 17-year-old is demonstrating a remarkable maturity far beyond his years – unfazed by the bright lights and media attention, his football doing the talking. The German head coach will hope he can continue to rely on his teenage starlet to perform, the world Gray’s oyster at this moment in time.

Mauricio Pochettino admitted that Reece James's season might be over as he also provided an update on Christopher Nkunku's condition.

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James might miss the remainder of the seasonUnderwent surgery in DecemberPochettino provided update on NkunkuWHAT HAPPENED?

The Chelsea boss claimed that he is not aware of James' condition and suggested the Blues skipper's season might be over. The English defender underwent surgery on his injured hamstring in December and was expected to be sidelined for three to four months, but with April on the horizon a return is not imminent.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Pochettino further provided updates on Christopher Nkunku's condition – who has missed the majority of the season due to multiple injuries – and revealed that players like Robert Sanchez, Carney Chukwuemka and Trevoh Chalobah are also among the 11 Blues players who are currently out injured.

WHAT POCHETTINO SAID

When asked in a press conference whether James would feature again in 2023-24, the Argentine said, "No, I don’t know. It’s difficult to say something because I don’t want you to go ‘but, oh, [you said this]'. We will assess it week by week and we will see. We hope yes, we hope that he will be available for the end of the season."

He added: "Sanchez suffered a problem when he landed in one action against Leicester. We will see if he is available, but I think he is not available for the weekend. Carney was good after the game [against Leicester], but he suffered a small injury with the national team when he wasn’t with us. Trevoh is doing well in the last few days and we will see [on Friday] and we will assess and see if he can be available. The percentage is high Trevoh will be available, it is not a big issue."

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

The west London side will be next seen in action on Saturday as they take on Burnley in a Premier League encounter. They will hope to build some momentum with a win and push into the top half of the table.

Manchester United have entered the running to secure the services of up-and-coming teenager Leny Yoro, but a fresh report has revealed that they are set to face a lot of stiff competition ahead of January.

Who is Leny Yoro?

Erik ten Hag’s side have made an extremely mixed start to the new Premier League campaign, having won five and lost four of their opening nine fixtures, finding themselves eighth in the table.

Wolves (1-0)

Tottenham Hotspur (2-0)

Nottingham Forest (3-2)

Arsenal (3-1)

Burnley (1-0)

Brighton and Hove Albion (3-1)

Brentford (2-1)

Crystal Palace (1-0)

Sheffield United (2-1)

The Red Devils could therefore be looking to bolster and more importantly improve a lot of areas across the pitch during the upcoming transfer window in January, but it would appear that chiefs have set their sights on a player who would be more of a signing for the long-term future of the club considering his age.

Lille centre-back Yoro, who is just 17 years old, has worked his way up through his outfit’s various youth ranks to get promoted to their first-team last summer, where he’s so far already made 27 senior appearances under Paulo Fonseca (Transfermarkt – Yoro statistics).

The France youth international still has just under two years remaining on his deal (Lille contracts), but having impressed during his performances since making the step-up to the highest level in Ligue 1, he’s grabbed the attention of the hierarchy, not only at Old Trafford but also other clubs in the top-flight in England.

Latest transfer news on Leny Yoro

Taking to X, Graeme Bailey confirmed that Man United are keeping tabs on Lenny Yoro.

“Chelsea have joined the chase for Lille sensation Leny Yoro. Liverpool and Manchester United both well aware of the 17-year-old defender – who is also being checked on by Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.”

Expanding in his column for 90min, however, the reporter added that club chiefs are “yet to advance their interest”, alongside Jurgen Klopp’s outfit on Merseyside.

Whilst Man United aren’t developing their admiration at this stage, Yoro is most definitely a player who is “world-class material”, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, so Ten Hag should consider making an approach to discover the conditions of a deal in January.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Saint-Maurice’s native is currently averaging 3.1 clearances and two aerial wins per league game for Lille, alongside recording an impressive 90.6% pass success rate (WhoScored – Yoro statistics), highlighting what a fantastic physical and composed presence he can be at the heart of a backline.

Additionally, Yoro, who also has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in defensive midfield, is even capable of contributing to efforts in the final third having scored two goals and provided one assist in his 27 senior appearances, so this really is a no-brainer of a move to pursue at the beginning of 2024.

Joe Root, England’s Test captain, and Jos Buttler have signed to play for Sydney Thunder in the 2018-19 Big Bash League. Both players will be available for seven games before heading to the West Indies with England in January.The move is particularly significant for Root, who was overlooked when entering the IPL auction earlier in the year. He has previously spoken about his desire to improve in the shortest format but has had few opportunities to develop his game since taking on the Test captaincy, and was dropped from England’s T20 XI last month.Root will link up again with Shane Bond, the former New Zealand bowler who is Thunder’s head coach. Bond worked with England’s Test squad as bowling coach during last winter’s Ashes.”Everyone you speak to that has played in the Big Bash finds it a really interesting tournament and watching it you can see that,” Root said. “You want to be involved in it and I’m really excited to get that opportunity with Sydney Thunder.”I’ve had some really good experiences with Shane Bond in the past when I’ve worked with him and I’m really looking forward to doing that again.”Buttler, by contrast, is one of most sought-after players in T20, having enjoyed a stellar 2018 IPL with Rajasthan Royals. He returns to Sydney Thunder after scoring 202 runs in six innings during last year’s BBL.”I loved my time there, there’s a great atmosphere in the group,” Buttler said. “There’s a lot of young guys but some experience in there as well, including Shane Watson who I really enjoyed getting to know and playing under his captaincy. It’s a great part of the world and a really fun dressing room.”England’s winter shedule allows centrally contracted players such as Root and Buttler a rare window to play in the BBL. Their tour of Sri Lanka concludes on November 27, and they do not leave for the Caribbean until January 11.