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With suggestions that Leeds United are after a new centre-half in the summer transfer window, Marcelo Bielsa may be better off thinking again, and looking to one of the club’s burgeoning academy prospects: Charlie Cresswell.

Reports in recent days and weeks have claimed that the Premier League side are interested in Torino centre-back Nicolas Nkoulou, whose contract with the Italian team is set to expire come the end of the season, thus allowing him to join on a free transfer.

But, rather than bringing in a soon-to-be 31-year-old, Leeds could in actual fact unearth their next Ben White, in Cresswell.

White was a huge presence for Leeds in their promotion-winning campaign last season, playing the full 90 minutes in every single game in the Championship.

In Cresswell, he appears to be tailor-made to step into those shoes given his style of play as a ball-playing centre-half.

Speaking about Cresswell earlier this season, Noel Whelan was glowing in his praise about the youngster, saying: “He is the future, he’s one for the future. At that centre-half position he’s got great attributes, he’s very calm on the ball, a great size to him, he’s quick, he can head, he can pass. He’s the modern-day, young centre-half.”

The 18-year-old is one of the rising stars of the Whites’ academy system, and only penned a new contract with the Elland Road side back in November, signing a new two-and-a-half year deal.

And, after the U23s beat Fulham 7-1 this term, Leeds Live hailed the centre-back in their post-match player ratings: “His security on the ball was convincing, even indulging in a Cruyff turn inside his own defensive third to evade danger in the second half.

“Perhaps the best action of his during the game was the frequent interceptions he made. Cresswell read the play excellently, seizing on forward passes as Fulham looked to break, turning the visitors’ attacks into countering opportunities for the Whites.”

That ability to read the game and make interceptions is somewhat reminiscent of White’s performances at Elland Road last season, who averaged 2.5 interceptions per game in the Championship.

So, rather than bringing in another centre-back into the ranks, Bielsa could be pleasantly surprised by promoting Cresswell into the fold. He’s got all the attributes that made White a big success at Elland Road, in terms of being the “modern-day, young centre-half” as Whelan says.

Now is just about being given an opportunity to shine at the highest level.

Meanwhile, Leeds could hire Bielsa’s dream successor in this 36 y/o…

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United are one of several sides said to be hot on the heels of Everton’s £1.8m-rated centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite.

What’s the word?

Branthwaite, who is currently on loan at Blackburn Rovers, finds himself on the Red Devils’ radar after excelling in the Championship this season thus far.

The 18-year-old has caught the eye after impressing at Ewood Park and it is believed a number of other unnamed clubs have kept tabs on the young centre-back.

The Mail have claimed Solskjaer wants to fend off the stiff competition for Branthwaite’s signature. His contract at Goodison Park is set to expire in 2022.

Eventual successor to Harry Maguire?

Despite his age, Branthwaite has arguably led from the back during his loan spell at Blackburn, just like Harry Maguire did at Sheffield United, racking up seven appearances for the Rovers since joining the club in January.

Maguire has now established himself as an integral part of Solskjaer’s side, marshalling his troops from the heart of the defence – this season alone has seen him start and feature in every single Premier League fixture so far.

In the teenager, Solskjaer could find someone very similar to the 27-year-old, despite their obvious differences in age, especially when you consider just how well he has performed for Tony Mowbray’s side this season.

The England U19 international is averaging an impressive 2.7 tackles and 2.3 interceptions per game, which ranks him very favourably when you compare him to the club captain, who himself has only managed 0.8 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League, via WhoScored.

In fact, only Aaron Wan-Bissaka has averaged more tackles per match with 3.1, while no other player can better his interception success rate.

But Ed Woodward may have his work cut out should he try to bring him to Old Trafford in the summer, as Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly a ‘big fan’ of the teenage prospect.

By getting him, however, he could land a player who has shown that he is fully capable of playing second-fiddle to the likes of Maguire and Victor Lindelof for a fraction of the price it would’ve cost to sign a player like Dayot Upamecano.

AND in other news, Forget Kingsley Coman: Man Utd should sign Jadon Sancho instead…

Liverpool crashed out of the FA Cup and continued their dreadful start to the new year as they were beaten 3-2 by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday afternoon.

A brace from Mohamed Salah was not enough for Jurgen Klopp’s side, as goals from Mason Greenwood, Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes earned the home side the victory, to set up a fifth-round tie with West Ham.

Whilst young Rhys Williams struggled on his return to the side, it was perhaps the performance of Andrew Robertson that will concern Jurgen Klopp the most, with the Scottish international nowhere near his best on Sunday afternoon.

As per SofaScore, the left-back would pick up a dreadful 5.9 rating for his display, which was the second-worst of any player on the pitch, with only Williams rated lower.

The 26-year-old was caught way out of position for United’s first goal of the game and couldn’t get back to stop Greenwood from scoring, and resorted to shouting at the young forward, presumably in an attempt to put him off.

It seems as if Greenwood had the better of Robertson throughout the game, as he was rated as United’s best player, earning an 8.3/10 for his performance.

The former Hull City man was also dribbled past on four occasions, suggesting that he struggled defensively during the game at Old Trafford.

Robertson also failed to win any of his five duels during the game, meaning he was the only outfield player from either team who started the game and didn’t win a single duel.

The £67.5 million-rated left-back also struggled when going forwards, as he lost possession on 11 occasions, played no key passes and failed to find a Liverpool shirt with any of his crosses.

For comparison, the Scottish defender has averaged 1.9 key passes per game in the Premier League this season, emphasising that United were able to completely nullify his attacking threat on Sunday afternoon.

Therefore, whilst Williams struggled, he is only 19-years-old and was thrown into a pressure situation by Klopp so it was always going to be tough for him, whereas Robertson has plenty of experience in these sorts of matches but he also produced a really poor display, one that Klopp would not have been expecting.

And, in other news… one ex-PL player suggests Klopp should try to re-sign this former Liverpool star…

One of Daniel Levy’s summer transfer decisions has turned out to be an absolute stroke of genius for Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs needed a back-up striker to play second fiddle to Harry Kane before the 2020/21 season got underway and as a result, they were mooted with many names across Europe.

Indeed, the north London outfit suffered in the Englishman’s absence last term – following his injury on New Year’s Day, they crashed out of both the FA Cup and Champions League and only won three of eight matches in the Premier League.

On his return, he bagged seven goals, five of which coming in the final three matches to launch Spurs into European qualification.

So to ensure that didn’t happen again, a new forward was high on the agenda – eventually, they settled with a very wise loan-to-buy deal involving Benfica colossus Carlos Vinicius.

His hat-trick in the FA Cup last weekend showed exactly why they got the decision right. In resting Kane, the Brazilian powerhouse stepped up to the plate, making it six goals and three assists from only ten appearances this campaign, per Transfermarkt.

But it could’ve been so much different as Spurs were among the names linked with a move for former Gent talisman Jonathan David.

After scoring 23 times last term, it’s no surprise to see why so many teams were keen to sign him, including the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United, though it would be Ligue 1 outfit Lille that won the race, splashing out a record €30m (£27m).

Levy can count his lucky stars that he didn’t sanction that sort of transfer as he’s quickly become a massive flop. David has clearly struggled with the difference in quality between the Belgian top-flight and one of Europe’s elite five leagues.

He has scored just twice all season and has failed to bag in the Europa League despite starting all six group games, per Transfermarkt. The 21-year-old has seen a decrease in shots and dribbles per game in the competition too, which reinforces the above viewpoint.

We’ve seen in recent windows that the likes of Wesley and Mbwana Samatta struggled to hit the ground running in the Premier League, so it is certainly a bullet dodged for Spurs.

Despite being dubbed a “phenomenon” by former coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck, David has cost Lille around £14m per goal, when also factoring in his reported £46.5k-per-week wages.

A total waste of money.

Even Vincent Janssen was more worth his salt despite a tumultuous stint in N17 – in a largely bit-part role, he scored six goals in 42 appearances having cost a fraction of the price at £17m.

Could you imagine if Levy pulled the trigger at £27m only for him to struggle behind Kane?

That would have been devastating, all in comparison to the shrewd acquisition of Vinicius, who is only costing a €3m (£2.7m) loan fee upfront with an option of €45m (£40m) as per Benfica’s official statement, via The Sun.

Six goals for just £2.7m upfront looks a masterstroke in comparison to David costing Lille £14m per goal thus far.

Levy certainly dodged a massive bullet in not following through with Spurs’ interest in the Canadian flop this summer.

AND in other news, £140kp/w “revelation” was SO costly in Spurs’ draw with Fulham…

Glasgow Rangers will return to action for the third time in the space of a week when they travel to Paisley to take on St. Mirren in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday afternoon.

Steven Gerrard faces some tough decisions as he will want to avenge their defeat to the Saints after their Betfred Cup exit earlier this month.

Despite this, the Ibrox boss is expected to rotate his squad, with Scott Arfield and Ryan Jack facing a race to prove their match fitness.

With that in mind, here is Football FanCast’s predicted starting line-up for this afternoon’s action, which sees Gerrard make four changes to the team that edged past Hibernian at Ibrox.

Arguably for the first time this campaign, Gerrard faces his toughest test yet as he will want to avoid a second defeat to John Goodwin’s side in the space of little more than a week.

The Light Blues will make the trip to Paisley and they’ll be desperate to continue their newfound momentum, having won three consecutive games in a row across all competitions.

Gerrard has a few injury concerns, with both Arfield and Jack unlikely to be available for selection, which means he is likely to make several adjustments from the side he selected for the 1-0 win over Hibs with a clash with Celtic on the horizon.

It’s too early to tell exactly which players will be in the firing line but he’s likely to bring Alfredo Morelos, Filip Helander, Calvin Bassey and Bongani Zungu back into the fold.

We reckon Allan McGregor will keep his place in goal behind a much-changed back four consisting of Bassey, Helander, Connor Goldson and James Tavernier, which will give Borna Barisic a break before the second Old Firm derby of the season.

As is often the case, Gerrard will stick with his preferred 4-3-3 formation and deploy a midfield three of Joe Aribo, Glen Kamara and Zungu, with Steven Davis dropping out to make room for the South Africa international midfielder.

Ryan Kent offered little against Hibs, so switching Ianis Hagi back to the left and sticking Kemar Roofe on the right-wing could prove to be a tempting option, while Morelos will most likely lead the line. Hagi previously played on the left flank against Lech Poznan in the Europa League, scoring a header after Cedric Itten opened the scoring.

Itten could be in contention to start but the Colombian star striker will no doubt be chomping at the bit to break his goal drought, as he has so failed to score since the 3-3 draw with Benfica in Lisbon last month.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers must unleash Calvin Bassey vs St. Mirren…

West Brom could be looking to upgrade their engine room this January if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to Football Insider, the Baggies are eyeing up a winter swoop for Celtic powerhouse Olivier Ntcham having held an interest in signing him throughout the summer transfer window.

It is claimed that the 24-year-old Frenchman is one of several players that could potentially leave Parkhead to raise funds whilst Southampton are too keen on his signature.

With 18 months remaining on his current deal, Ntcham is valued at £12m by the Hoops hierarchy, though that price may drop by next month.

Livermore upgrade?

If Albion are wanting to bolster their midfield department on the cheap, then they should really look no further than Ntcham.

Despite not being a regular starter under Neil Lennon, the former Manchester City starlet has still impressed each time he’s on the pitch – in the Europa League alone, he has averaged 2.3 dribbles, 1.5 shots, 1.3 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and one key pass per game, via WhoScored.

This merely signals his industrious ability as a box-to-box monster, thoughts which are echoed by the Bhoys chief himself.

“Olivier Ntcham is an excellent player and it’s really up to him to keep that consistency. He’s a great trainer and already he’s made a significant start to the season.

“When he is in the mood, he’s fantastic. If we can just get that consistent level from him, we’ll have one hell of a player on our hands – as we already do,” Lennon told Celtic View (via 67hailhail).

Whilst ex-Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers, the man who signed him originally, is also a massive fan of his talents, dubbing the Frenchman a “terrific talent” in 2018.

Such a move could signal the end for Jake Livermore, who hasn’t featured in any of the Baggies’ last two Premier League outings nor has he played the full 90 minutes since the middle of October, per Transfermarkt.

No player in the Premier League is recording more fouls (2.5 per game) than Livermore right now, and with an average rating of just 6.26, he ranks as the worst starter for Slaven Bilic.

Ntcham, who also delivered eight goals and four assists last season, would be the perfect upgrade, especially for a fee reduced from £12m. Luke Dowling should look to get this done.

AND in other news, West Brom dodged a £80k-per-week bullet in once “FEARLESS player”…

Fulham and Newcastle United have both been linked with a January move for Schalke midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, but the Cottagers must avoid signing him.

According to the Sunday Mirror (via Tribal Football), both clubs are taking an interest in the Algerian international ahead of the January transfer window.

The former Spurs man spent the second half of last season on loan with the Toon but struggled to have much impact whatsoever, averaging a disappointing 6.47 rating across his 12 appearances in the top-flight (per WhoScored).

His performances this season have been even worse, with the 26-year-old averaging a shocking 6.12 rating from his seven appearances in the Bundesliga so far this campaign.

The midfielder was dropped to Schalke’s U23 side last year for disciplinary reasons, whilst back in 2016, German newspaper Sports Bild (via Sport Witness) labelled the Algerian as a “slacker” and criticised his “arrogance”.

Therefore, it seems strange that Fulham may be considering a move for the 26-year-old, as he has clearly been a bad influence and a troublemaker at times during his spell with Schalke.

Since joining Die Königsblauen in a permanent deal in 2017, having spent the previous season on loan, he has managed just 105 appearances for the club, contributing 19 goals and nine assists (per Transfermarkt).

Whilst this isn’t the worst record, his transfer value in recent seasons has significantly decreased, suggesting that he is no longer the player he was in his early days with the Bundesliga side.

Fulham are arguably already well-stocked in central midfield, so adding the £3.6 million-rated Bentaleb would surely just give Scott Parker a selection headache.

As well as this, the 26-year-old’s contract with Schalke is set to expire at the end of the season, suggesting that it would also make no financial sense to sign him for a fee in January when they could potentially sign him on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Therefore, Tony Khan would do well to avoid signing Bentaleb, who earns €96k (£86k) per week at Schalke, in January, as there is very little to suggest that he would be a worthwhile addition to Parker’s squad.

And, in other news… one Fulham star badly let Scott Parker down against Manchester City…

Tottenham Hotspur could have rounded off a perfect summer of business with a swoop for one of Jose Mourinho’s former players…

What’s the word?

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), the north Londoners had a bid rejected for Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma during the transfer window with their local rivals wanting around €45m (£40m) to let him leave Stamford Bridge.

It’s claimed that the 26-year-old wouldn’t have been against an exit with Premier League rivals Everton also having an offer rebuffed.

However, Zouma has since gone on to cement his place down under Frank Lampard, forming a formidable partnership with veteran Thiago Silva.

Levy fail

Mourinho originally signed the French international for the Blues in 2014 but it has taken until now to truly see his potential come to fruition.

In seven league starts, Zouma has averaged 5.1 clearances, 3.3 aerial duels won, 1.3 interceptions and a 90.2% passing accuracy, via WhoScored.

Upon his arrival, the Special One claimed the central defender was a player with “big potential” before quickly suggesting that he would be a “big player for Chelsea for many years” just a few months into his maiden campaign.

Spurs know about him all too well too as he was part of the side that silenced Harry Kane last season – in fact, he absolutely terrorised the England talisman.

Frank Lampard won both matches over his old boss, but it was the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which stood out most. Zouma made four clearances, two interceptions, won 100% of his aerial duels and of course, kept Kane quiet, via SofaScore.

With Davinson Sanchez heavily out-of-favour at Spurs, not being named in their last three league squads, and Joe Rodon seemingly not yet ready for a crack at the big time, a £40m swoop for Zouma is something that Daniel Levy should’ve absolutely done.

Mourinho knows him well, so he could’ve fit straight in as an option beside Eric Dier or Toby Alderweireld.

AND in other news, Spurs may forever regret not signing their next Dele Alli in 2019…

David Moyes’ decision not to sign Ryan Manning for West Ham United this summer has backfired drastically after Queens Park Rangers sold the full-back to Swansea City in a bargain Domestic Deadline Day deal.

What’s the word?

Swansea confirmed the capture of Manning on Friday after agreeing to a rumoured £250,000 deal with QPR, that sees the 24-year-old join the Swans on a three-year contract.

The Irishman has not made an appearance in this season’s Championship campaign under Rs boss Mark Warburton due to the uncertainty which surrounded his future at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, where Manning’s contract was due to expire next summer after refusing offers of a new deal.

West Ham had been touted as a potential destination for Manning earlier in the window, with the Daily Star proposing that Moyes was considering a £5million swoop as he looked to bolster both his full-back and midfield options.

But the Irons ultimately did not push through with plans to sign the left-back who provided four goals and seven assists in the Championship last season, as claims soon surfaced that Moyes “doesn’t rate him” despite long-term links.

Ultimately, West Ham’s decision not to sign Manning – likely below the £5m fee claimed – backfired as the Irons ended the summer market without either a new full-back or midfielder joining.

Was Manning the answer?

While Moyes was claimed to no longer rate Manning despite scouting the goal-scoring full-back last season, his bargain Domestic Deadline Day move shows that a deal was on the cards while his output last term showed what he could offer.

Manning was also called up to the senior Republic of Ireland squad for the first time during the October internationals, following nine outings in his national side’s Under 21s in which he struck three goals and penned two assists.

A senior debut for the Boys in Green has been touted for years by those who have worked with Manning, with former QPR boss Ian Holloway telling The Herald, via quotes by the Irish Mirror, in 2017: “I see Ryan day in, day out. I have had some wonderful players and, in my view, Ryan is up there with them.

“I don’t know who else Ireland have to pick from but it’s only a matter of time before he gets into the international team, never mind the squad, he is that good. He is a special talent. He can play Premier League and international football, without a shadow of a doubt. I have no doubt about that.

“That left foot of his – which is a wand, by the way. He has athleticism, a desire to get down the pitch. I am not sure where he is going to end up playing, in central midfield as part of a three, but he could play anywhere down the left, as an attacking full-back, a bit like Seamus Coleman.”

Manning ultimately established himself as a left-back with QPR, but recorded two of his seven assists in last season’s Championship campaign during five outings at left-midfield while also earning minutes in a central midfield role.

Certainly, then, for any fee close to the £250,000 paid by Swansea, West Ham have missed a real bargain deal in Manning.

AND in other news, West Ham potentially saved £16m in being snubbed by a summer target.

According to a report from Spanish outlet AS, via Sport Witness, Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has personally contacted Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon over a potential move to north London – and the defender’s pedigree leaves little wonder why the club are now taking an interest. 

Indeed, per this report, Reguilon is attracting interest from Spurs, Chelsea and Man United – with the Lilywhites now allegedly on the ‘lookout’ over his signature.

Spending last campaign on loan at Sevilla, the youngster thoroughly impressed under manager Julen Lopetegui, starting 29 La Liga matches for the club and helping them to a Europa League triumph over Inter Milan.

Now, due to his noteworthy outings, clubs are considering a move despite his £31.7 million valuation – and AS now claim Mourinho is attempting to jump ahead in the queue.

The paper report, as relayed by Sport Witness, states that Tottenham’s manager is personally trying to persuade Reguilon over a move, and it’s little wonder why considering the Portuguese has been a big fan in the past.

When doing punditry work, covering two El Clasicos back in 2019 for beIN Sports via molineuxmix, Mourinho chastised many of the Real Madrid players’ performances over the defeats to Barcelona – but one man who received his admiration was none other than Reguilon.

Indeed, the ex-Chelsea boss praised his ‘desire’ during the encounter, and now it appears Mourinho would like to bring that same energy to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

A marauding full-back who is adept on the overlap, Reguilon averages more crosses into the box than Spurs star Son Heung-min, potentially evidence that he can also provide much needed-threat going forward (WhoScored).

Tottenham fans, should your club spend £31.7 million on signing a left-back? Join the discussion by commenting below…