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Leeds United have been boosted in their chances of signing FC Basel striker Arthur Cabral amid speculation linking him with a move to Elland Road.

What’s the story?

Reports in recent weeks had suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were one of several Premier League clubs interested in signing the £13.5m-rated star, and there’s now been a significant development surrounding his future at Basel.

According to Italian publication Corriere dello Sport, Cabral has called off talks with Basel over a potential new contract, with his existing deal with the Swiss club coming to an end in less than two years time.

He’s got shades of Mark Viduka

In a piece for Leeds Live, Jon Howe wrote about Viduka: “He was an ominous physical specimen, an old-fashioned centre forward in many respects, but mixed a formidable presence with a delicate technique that made him the purest example of a ‘good touch for a big fella’ player you are ever likely to see.”

Standing at 6 foot 1, Cabral has the same kind of physicality about him, winning 4.7 duels per game in the Swiss Super League this season, while a scouting report on him is very encouraging.

FocusonLeeds said: “His ability to find space and shoot with power and accuracy is really impressive. He really comes alive in the box and a calmness about him when in goal scoring positions. At 6ft 1 he also provides an aerial threat with 6 off his 18 goals coming from headers.

“Arthur isn’t overly quick in terms of his speed however, he also isn’t slow. Due to his movement in and around the box, he still finds himself in shooting positions a lot. If you combine this with his dribbling ability and quick feet, this helps him work room to gets shots off at goal.”

That blend of movement, strength and clinical finishing marks him out as a potentially exciting parallel to Viduka, while he may already have a link to Leeds were he to arrive.

The man with 71 goals over his entire club career thus far will also now know Raphinha, with Cabral having been called up to the Brazil squad for the recent international break, being named on the bench for the clash against Venezuela – that was the game that saw the Leeds man of course come off the bench as a substitute and change the game with two assists.

Cabral could be an exciting Viduka-esque addition to Leeds’ ranks.

Meanwhile, this Leeds United star is now attracting big interest…

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has claimed that Leeds United’s potential investment over the coming transfer windows could come from the 49ers Enterprises buying some more shares.

What’s the story?

Marcelo Bielsa’s side had a fairly quiet summer transfer window compared to their first one after promotion to the Premier League last year, signing only Junior Firpo and Dan James as new first-team additions – Jack Harrison of course saw his move finally made permanent too.

Now, in response to a question from a fan about what the plans could be for next summer, Hay brought in the potential role the 49ers Enterprises could have.

He said: “Hard to predict that at this stage because it depends on factors – is Bielsa staying, how have individuals played etc. And the budget. But yes, they will need investment as the seasons go on.

“It’s most likely to come from 49ers Enterprises via the purchase of more shares, or that’s my view anyway. But while staying up this season would be fine, to push on they will have to address aspects of the squad. No doubt about that.”

Exciting times for the future

Hay’s claim followed on from comments made by Leeds supremo Andrea Radrizzani, who said: “Now we are partnered with 49ers, this is fundamentally very important because it will be very difficult to stay in the Premier League, but if we stay in it this year I think we can go much more than last year and go into the top six.

“Start to renovate the stadium and continue to grow the value of this club.”

The summer just gone by saw the Whites take a more reserved approach to the transfer market, but another season of staying in the Premier League would surely allow them to loosen the purse-strings.

Leeds fans will no doubt be watching the likes of Newcastle being taken over by new owners and the prospect of massive amounts of investment, and will be longing for a similar kind of spending spree in the future.

If the 49ers can help with that by extending their involvement in the club by purchasing some more shares, than Leeds could well push for some more marquee signings sooner rather than later.

Unsurprisingly, that would probably leave the Elland Road faithful buzzing.

Meanwhile, Graham Smyth has dropped an update on Marcelo Bielsa…

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has delivered an exciting claim surrounding the 49ers Enterprises recent investment in Leeds United…

What’s the word?

Speaking on this week’s episode of ‘The Phil Hay’ podcast, the ever-reliable journalist said:

“From what I’m told about the 49ers’ latest investment that’s taken them up from 37% to 44%, so an increase of 7% but it’s also the second investment of the year.

“There was the much bigger investment back in January, it was done in December but announced in January, that took them much closer to 50%, which everybody sees as the kind of magic number for the switch from Radrizzani to the 49ers.

“From what I’m told this has been planned for a while and we’ve spoken about it on a few podcasts about the fact that this was potentially coming and the expectation was that the transfer of shares would continue.

“The indication is that it doesn’t necessarily change the plan for January, but it does provide an injection of cash and you would think that they would be better placed now to do something in January if they need to.”

January boost?

The Yorkshire giants have spent pretty well in the transfer market since their return to Premier League football, signing no fewer than ten players for a total in the region of £150m.

In the summer, Andrea Radrizzani and co broke the club’s record transfer with the £30m arrival of Dan James from Manchester United.

Other reports have suggested that the Italian supremo does not have the funds to continue to keep the Whites on this upward trajectory – there are plans to expand Elland Road and they will need to keep spending in the transfer market to remain competitive in the big time.

“Leeds have spoken about expanding Elland Road to 50,000-60,000 capacity – that is going to cost money,” recently revealed finance expert Kieran Maguire to the ‘Price of Football’ podcast.

He added: “I don’t think Radrizzani has those resources himself whereas the 49ers are more likely to be able to tap into American markets for that so you can see the logic of what they’ve done.”

It’s easy to see why the Leeds owner has seen his total shares decrease from 100% to just 56% in the space of just a few years, and that could continue.

But that is a hugely encouraging thing for the club and as Hay mentions, the club are now better placed to do something in January.

Considering Marcelo Bielsa’s side find themselves at the wrong end of the table in 15th, just three points above the relegation zone, it could be a much-needed boost.

They would have wanted to build on last season’s ninth-place finish, so there is plenty of work still left to do on the pitch and that can be bolstered by this fresh cash injection ahead of the winter window.

Therefore, the Elland Road faithful must be absolutely delighted and excited by this big claim from Hay.

AND in other news, Leeds suffer fresh injury blow this international break, Marcelo Bielsa will be fuming…

Taking to Twitter, Italian reporter Daniele Longo has dropped a three-word Tottenham Hotspur transfer message involving Juventus winger Dejan Kulusevksi.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Kulusevski move…

As per recent reports, Tottenham have now entered the race to sign the Swedish youngster, with Antonio Conte, Fabio Paratici and even Daniel Levy apparently impressed by him.

Calciomercato first claimed that the Spurs chairman may open his purse strings in pursuit of the player and could be ‘serious’ about signing him. Meanwhile, according to TUTTOmercatoWEB, both Conte and Paratici believe that the 21-year-old is a ‘gem’ and share the same ‘esteem’ for his talent.

In an update, Calciomercato reporter Longo has responded to news account The Spurs Web with an exciting three-word message.

The Latest: Longo drops three-word claim…

Taking to social media, the Italian reporter reiterated Tottenham’s interest while sharing a fresh development. Indeed, according to his information, contact has now been made for Kulusevski as the Lilywhites ramp it up.

Responding to his own piece of news that Spurs want the Swedish talent, as shared by The Spurs Web, he simply stated: “Contacts in progress“.

The Verdict: What Spurs need?

There is currently an abundance of talent coming through at N17, with the likes of Oliver Skipp, Dane Scarlett and Troy Parrott recently emerging from Hotspur Way’s glittering academy.

However, that hasn’t stopped them from taking to the market in search of Europe’s most prestigious gems, with Paratici also holding an interest in Club Brugge talent Charles De Ketelaere (Calciomercato).

Already capped 19 times by Sweden at such a young age, Kulusevski has certainly been turning many heads, with footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo once calling him a ‘great talent’.

As Spurs make contact, potentially singing the youngster would come as a real coup.

In other news: Spurs close to signing ‘monster’ of a player as Conte seeks to solve severe problem, find out more here.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has admitted that Patrick Bamford’s injury situation is a big concern, talking up a potential January signing in the process.

The Lowdown: Bamford missing for a long spell

The Whites were beaten 2-1 at Tottenham in the Premier League on Sunday, with a lack of firepower again on show in the absences of Rodrigo and Raphinha as youngster Joe Gelhardt had to lead the line.

Marcelo Bielsa has been without Bamford since the middle of September, with the Englishman nursing an ankle injury which is still keeping him out and the manager recently opting not to put a timescale on a potential return date.

The 28-year-old has been a big loss, with his pedigree in the final third highlighted by 17 goals and seven assists in the top flight last season.

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The Latest: Kenny concerned by Bamford’s absence

Speaking to Football Insider, Kenny bemoaned Bamford’s continued absence from the Leeds XI and said that a new attacker may need to be added to the squad in January. He outlined:

“It doesn’t look good. It sounded like he was going to be back after the last international break and he’s still not fit now.

“I’m sure Leeds will look to strengthen that area. They only have 11 goals in 11 games. They are missing Bamford massively, with the goals and assists he contributed 25 goals or something like that last season.

“Leeds just don’t have anyone who seems comfortable putting the ball in the net. The fact Bamford has been out for so long is really worrying. He’s barely played.”

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The Verdict: Increasingly huge loss

It was always likely that Bamford would be missed, but as each game passes, the England international’s continued absence is being felt ever more acutely. Leeds have now scored just 12 times in as many league games this season, whereas this time last year they had found the net on 17 occasions.

Without their main marksman to call upon, not only has the Whites’ goal threat diminished, but they also don’t have anyone as adept at holding the ball up and bringing others into play, affecting their all-round performances greatly.

It’s hard to disagree with Kenny that the 28-year-old’s layoff has affected the team massively, and if Bamford is still sidelined going into the New Year, the Whites may indeed have little option but to try and recruit in that position.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly eyeing up a move for a striker. Find out who it is here.

Liverpool have had no issue when it comes to scoring goals this season with 35 netted in 12 Premier League games and 15 scored in five Champions League encounters.

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool’s two main goalscoring threats are wingers Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah who have contributed to 18 of those 35 league goals.

The duo are both currently at the age of 29 and their current contracts at the Merseyside club are set to expire in the summer of 2023.

With this in mind, it seems as though the Reds could have their eye on potentially bringing in a younger winger to the club as a potential long-term replacement for one of their current deadly duo.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by El Nacional that Liverpool and Spanish club Barcelona are interested in signing Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £150k-per-week according to Spotrac.

Chelsea struck a deal for the American international back in the 2019 January transfer window from German club Borussia Dortmund worth a reported fee of £58m.

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After spending the rest of that season on loan with the Bundesliga side, Pulisic made his debut for the west London club in August 2019 during their 4-0 defeat against Manchester United in the Premier League.

Overall, the 23-year-old, who is currently valued at £45m according to Transfermarkt, has made 83 appearances for Thomas Tuchel’s side across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and providing 14 assists in the process.

With his attacking prowess in front of goal, it’s easy to see why Liverpool are reportedly interested in adding Pulisic, who has been described as a “great competitor” by Tuchel, to their squad as an extra goalscoring option from the wing.

Also, with Pulisic having played across a number of attacking positions throughout his career, this could make him a dream signing for FSG and Jurgen Klopp if they manage to get him out of Stamford Bridge in the future given how many versatile attacking players they currently have in their squad.

Taking all of this into account, if Mane and or Salah were to leave the Merseyside club by the time their current contracts expire, Pulisic could be a great heir for them, particularly Mane given how Salah has stated that he would not want to play for any other team.

In other news: Fewer touches than Alisson: Liverpool dud who won just 35% duels wasted his big chance – opinion

Despite sitting in third place in the Championship table, West Brom have only managed to score 29 goals in their 21 games so far this season, fewer than any other club in the top five places in the league table.

With this in mind and the fact that the January transfer window is on the horizon, the Midlands club could perhaps explore the possibility of bringing in a player that could guarantee them goals going forward and push them to promotion by the end of the campaign.

One potential candidate that fits this criterion that would be a familiar face to a lot of West Brom fans is Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle.

The Toon attacker has been linked with a potential January move to The Hawthorns next month to help add a bit of experience and goalscoring talent to Valerien Ismael’s squad.

During his time with West Brom, Gayle managed to score 24 goals and provide eight assists in 41 appearances across all competitions.

Throughout his career, the 32-year-old has managed to rack up a total of 59 goals and 16 assists in 100 Championship games, showing the sort of experience he could offer the team.

Also, with summer loan signing Jordan Hugill only managing to score one goal in the league so far this season and reportedly set to return to his parent club Norwich City in January, this could pave the way for Gayle to slot into the squad and potentially fire them to promotion.

Even though Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has recently claimed that Gayle is in his plans for the future at St. James’ Park, West Brom should definitely explore the possibility of signing him on loan in January. After all, the promise of regular game time could be huge considering he’s only made three substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season and none since Howe took over.

Having previously been described as an “invaluable” player in the past regarding his goalscoring ability by former Magpies boss Steve Bruce, it seems that he has been anything but invaluable to them this season, which could work in West Brom’s favour if they do approach him in January.

In other news: Valerien Ismael could be sacked before Christmas

A number of Liverpool supporters are over the moon after Roberto Firmino returned to training on Thursday, following a lengthy injury absence.

The Reds are back in Premier League action on Saturday afternoon, with Jurgen Klopp’s side hosting Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa.

It is sure to be an emotional occasion on Anfield but Liverpool must focus on the job in hand and pick up another three points in the title race.

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Klopp’s injury woes have eased significantly in recent weeks, and on Thursday, he was further boosted by Firmino returning to training, as confirmed by the club’s official Twitter account.

The Brazilian hasn’t played since the 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid in early November because of a hamstring issue.

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Liverpool fans delighted with Firmino return

It is undoubted good news for Liverpool – the Brazilian has racked up an impressive 163 goals plus assists in 303 showings for the Reds – and these fans took to Twitter to express their delight at the update.

“LET’S GO BOBBY”

Credit: @theKop1952

“Bobby’s back. No stopping us now”

Credit: @starwart1

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @dededekko

“I love this from LFC. Out of nowhere, Bobby is back. We are cooking well. Love this”

Credit: @jmarah_arnold1

“Look who’s back”

Credit: @esebit

“This is the best news I’ve heard in a while!”

Credit: @Brayden_W11

In other news, some Liverpool fans have been reacting to a Reds transfer claim. Read more here.

According to reports by Gazzetta dello Sport (via SportWitness), Tottenham are looking at Dušan Vlahović alternatives, leading to the monitoring of Sassuolo’s Gianluca Scamacca.

The Lowdown: Spurs need goals

Ever since Fabio Paratici arrived in London, Spurs have been linked with a move for Fiorentina’s Vlahović. The 21-year-old striker is in fantastic form this season, having scored 15 goals in 17 Serie A appearances, making him the league’s top goalscorer. Fabrizio Romano has claimed that it will take a bid of £59.5m to lure the youngster away from the Italian side.

These links emerged after Manchester City offered £125m for Harry Kane in the summer. Spurs of course rejected this offer, but retrospectively this seems like a hasty decision. Kane has struggled this campaign, having scored just one goal in 13 Premier League appearances.

At 29-years-old, the Englishman is in the prime years of his career. If Tottenham did decide to sell the striker, they may never receive an offer anywhere near this previous sum, and perhaps that is why they are searching for cheaper alternatives to Vlahović.

The Latest: Spurs monitoring Scamacca

According to a report by Gazzetta dello Sport (via SportWitness), Tottenham remain extremely interested in the signing of Vlahović.

However, the newspaper claim that Sassuolo’s Scamacca is currently being monitored by a couple of major English teams, and is deemed ‘popular’ in the Premier League.

Tottenham are allegedly one of the teams interested in the player, especially if Kane parts ways with the Lilywhites in 2022.

The Verdict: Sound alternative?

Vlahović is also on Manchester City’s radar, as Pep Guardiola remains without a proper striker. If the Premier League winners decide to not go in for Kane in the summer, it is expected that they will pursue the Serbia international, and perhaps that will take the decision out of Paratici’s hands.

However, Scamacca could prove to be a good alternative. Despite scoring just five goals in 17 appearances this season, the youngster has shown enough potential for Davide Ballardini, one of his managers at Genoa, to liken the 22-year-old to a young Christian Vieri.

The 6 foot 5 Scamacca is described by Whoscored as strong in the air and someone who ‘likes to tackle’, so perhaps he could be the perfect man to spearhead Antonio Conte’s new look Tottenham, performing the sort of role that Romelu Lukaku did for the manager last season at Inter.

Manchester United are yet to hold talks with Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong over a move to Old Trafford, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: De Jong on the move?

The Dutchman hasn’t enjoyed the happiest time of things in Spain since joining from Ajax, with Barca in disarray at times and losing Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain.

De Jong has been linked with a move away from the Catalan giants, in order to enjoy a fresh challenge and get away from the current situation at the Nou Camp.

United have been tipped to make a move for the 24-year-old, but a fresh update has now been provided on the matter and it’s perhaps not what the fans in Manchester would have been hoping for.

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The Latest: Romano provides key update

Taking to Twitter on Thursday evening, Romano claimed in a 14-word verdict that a move to Old Trafford next month isn’t yet on the cards, as is the case with PSG as well:

“Manchester United have not opened any talk to sign Frenkie de Jong in January.”

Romano says we are simply ‘waiting to see what happens in the next months’.

The Verdict: Big battle on the cards

De Jong is clearly an outstanding player, even though he hasn’t necessarily excelled at Barca, with legendary midfielder Xavi describing him as an ‘extraordinary’ footballer.

He is someone who could make an enormous difference to United’s midfield, not only bringing world-class quality on the ball but also a strong work ethic off it.

De Jong has averaged a 91.4% pass completion rate in the league this season – only Jesse Lingard (92.9%) has a better tally for United but from a tiny sample size – as well as making 1.5 tackles per match.

This combination of technical skill, reading of the game and physicality could mark him out as the perfect long-term replacement for someone like Paul Pogba, whose contract is still ticking down, and United fans will surely be hoping the club takes action after Romano’s somewhat disappointing update.

In other news, some United fans are fuming at an exit rumour regarding one player. Find out who it is here.