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Liverpool are unlikely to do anything drastic in the January transfer window after such heavy spending in the summer, with Jurgen Klopp's side firing on all cylinders and performing admirably despite several setbacks to key members throughout the campaign.

The Premier League pace-setters saw numerous changes to the midfield before the start of the term after finishing fifth last year and consequently missing out on the Champions League.

Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez had arrived over the previous three windows to strengthen the offensive ranks in what facilitated full focus on the engine room.

But with Joel Matip's season-ending ACL injury in December, the long-discussed concerns regarding Liverpool's defence were heightened, and now bolstering the backline is surely the imperative.

That said, Jarell Quansah's rise to first-team prominence this season has eased fears in the short-term and the 20-year-old looks fit for purpose under Klopp's wing for many years to come – as such, a new centre-back will probably arrive at the end of the campaign.

Liverpool transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

According to Friday's edition of French newspaper Nice-Matin – via Paisley Gates – Liverpool have the 'advantage' over Manchester United in the race to sign OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, with Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain also interested in the player.

Todibo is considered to be the Red Devils' No. 1 defensive target but will require a €60m (£52m) outlay to welcome him to the squad this month, which has dissuaded the named suitors from making their move thus far.

Having wedged his way into the France national set-up ahead of the European Championship this summer, Todibo might prefer to stay put for the time being, which would allow Liverpool to swoop in after the season's conclusion.

How Jean-Clair Todibo compares to Virgil van Dijk

It's believed that Todibo, aged 24, views Liverpool as the most attractive option, should he leave Nice in 2024, with a legendary manager in Klopp, the prestige and awe of Anfield and a first-class playing squad seemingly convincing the player of his preferred destination at this stage.

But Man United have links to Les Aiglons following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS affiliation with the French side; simply, United have technical means to edge the race and Liverpool will need to rely on the allure of the club to prevail.

There's a reason that many top European outfits are fighting for Todido's services, with the Frenchman described as a "Rolls-Royce" defender by journalist and U23 scout Antonio Mango, kickstarting his career across 117 appearances with Nice after a failed spell as a youngster with Barcelona.

This season, with Nice second in Ligue 1 after 17 matches and boasting the division's best defensive record (nine goals conceded), Todibo has been a rock in the defence, starting 14 matches, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 1.3 tackles, 3.2 clearances and 7.9 ball recoveries per game while succeeding with 71% of his dribbles and 65% of his aerial duels, as per Sofascore.

Making a frankly obscene rate of recoveries each outing is an illumination of the player's remarkable skill set, and it is not surprising at all that a player of his protean ability is now destined for a move to the Premier League.

Klopp could ruin Endo with Liverpool move for £30m "monster"

Jurgen Klopp may well return for this former target in 2024.

ByAngus Sinclair Jan 12, 2024

As per FBref, the 6 foot 3 titan ranks among the top 15% of centre-halves across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and progressive passes, the top 6% for passes attempted, the top 7% for successful take-ons, the top 16% interceptions and the top 10% for tackles per 90.

Let's explicate: the metrics above highlight the two-cap Les Bleus star's eye-catching ball-playing ability while simultaneously underscoring the robustness and athleticism that has been so important to his game.

#

Player

Club

1

William Saliba

Arsenal

2

Pau Torres

Aston Villa

3

Ezri Konsa

Aston Villa

4

Gabriel Magalhaes

Arsenal

5

Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool

*Sourced via Football Transfers

Moreover, he is tenacious in his defensive duties and protects his goalkeeper with an iron-clad resolve in the rearguard, as shown through his tackling statistics.

With such a rounded skill set, it's no wonder that Liverpool are interested in landing the colossus, especially given the likeness he shares with Virgil van Dijk – just imagine having a new version of the Netherlands captain welcomed to the fold.

Imagine Jean-Clair Todibo & Virgil van Dijk

Liverpool signed Van Dijk from Southampton for £75m in December 2017 and he revolutionised Klopp's squad, instilling confidence, cohesion and security across the backline and beyond, utterly magnificent in his duties and integral to the silver-laden successes of the past years.

The 32-year-old flattered to deceive last year but has returned to his apex since the summer, now donning the captain's armband, and has been immense in the English top-flight, completing 91% of his passes, averaging 5.0 ball recoveries and 4.5 clearances per fixture and winning 78% of his duels – which, to be honest, is absurd.

Todibo is not at Van Dijk's level and it would be foolhardy to assume that he could perform at the same imperious standard, but that's not to say that he couldn't reflect some of the skipper's glowing qualities and even make improvements to edge toward a similar level in the future.

Stat (per 90)

Todibo

Van Dijk

Matches played

14

18

Goals

0

1

Pass completion %

90.5%

90.5%

Tackles

1.99

1.50

Blocks

1.47

1.39

Interceptions

1.32

1.39

Clearances

3.31

4.74

Aerial success %

62.5%

82%

Progressive passes

4.85

5.43

Progressive carries

0.74

0.98

Successful take-ons

0.74

0.06

Shot-creating actions

1.47

1.68

*Sourced via FBref's player comparison tool

At a glance, the table above suggests that Van Dijk towers over the Nice ace, and while he bests him across many qualities, both are crisp and creative in possession and progressive with their ball-carrying.

Todibo's stunning ratio of successful take-ons (which means how often a player beats an opponent while in possession of the ball) is also a singular and distinctive quality that only deepens the argument that he should be signed.

With improvements over the coming years, Todibo's already impressive metrics across the park could gain even more merit and allow him to perform at the same level as Van Dijk.

And with both titans performing alongside each other under Klopp's guidance, who knows how mighty Liverpool's defence could be.

Liverpool are not interested in bringing Monaco sporting director Paul Mitchell to the club this summer, according to reliable journalist David Lynch.

The Lowdown: New sporting director needed

The Reds are having a tough season on the pitch, with both performances and results simply not good enough and a top-four finish in the Premier League now looking more unlikely by the week.

Away from the field, Liverpool have also been going through a rocky patch, however, having been run so seamlessly during previous years of success at Anfield.

The influential Michael Edwards left his role as sporting director last year and was replaced by Julian Ward, in what looked like a natural and strong transition.

Things took a dramatic and disappointing twist when Ward announced late last year that he too would leave Liverpool at the end of this season, though, suggesting that all is not well in his role.

It means the club are now working hard on finding a successor, with Monaco’s highly-rated sporting director Mitchell recently reported as a front-runner.

The Latest: Liverpool don’t want Mitchell

According to Football Insider‘s Lynch, however, Mitchell is ‘not in the running’ for the soon-to-be-available position at Liverpool. The 41-year-old has confirmed that he will depart Monaco once this season reaches its conclusion but he won’t be heading to Anfield.

He is ‘not among the names being considered’ currently and Tottenham are thought to be eyeing up a potential move for him instead.

The Verdict: Massive appointment this summer

The role of a sporting director is so vital in the modern game, as Edwards showed during his time at the club, enjoying such a great working relationship with Jurgen Klopp and proving to be key to the signings of the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, among others.

He saw something in the pair that he felt was perfect for Liverpool, and having arrived as good players, they are now among the greatest attacking players in Reds history.

Perhaps it is a coincidence, but it is no surprise that Klopp’s side have struggled since Edwards’ exit, and with the Ward news also thrown in, some stability is badly needed this summer.

Mitchell looked to be a strong option, given his reputation as an influential figure at Monaco, but whoever the club bring in as sporting director, it has to be the correct appointment, as Liverpool look to kick on and forget about this grim season.

Everton’s summer business was largely quite astute given their financial woes, but there remains one failed target that Sean Dyche could live to rue given recent developments regarding Demarai Gray.

Why is Demarai Gray leaving Everton?

Gray’s proposed move to Saudi Arabia has been well-documented, with journalist Alan Myers having noted of interest even back in mid-July.

So, when Deadline Day came and went without the Toffees bringing in any wide reinforcements, it seemed like the Jamaica international was poised to be reintegrated back into the squad after days of training alone.

The winger had other ideas. A questionable Instagram story gave his feelings on the stuttering Saudi switch, as he seemingly aimed a dig at Dyche.

The former Burnley boss then responded with his views on the matter, in an interview with the club: “Demarai made it clear that he felt he was getting a move and he told us a move was done, which was interesting to hear from a player.

“We reminded him of the truth of the fact that no moves are done without this club’s say so. That’s the truth of it.”

Ashley Young (Aston Villa)

Free

Arnaut Danjuma (Villarreal)

Loan

Youssef Chermiti (Sporting CP)

£15m

Jack Harrison (Leeds United)

Loan

Beto (Udinese)

£25.8m

All fees via Sky Sports

Despite that, it now seems like Gray will get his wish and finally depart Goodison Park, leaving them incredibly light on the wings and no transfer window to hand them some respite.

If only they had succeeded in their continued pursuit of Wilfried Gnonto.

Did Everton nearly sign Wilfried Gnonto?

In an effort to clearly replace the former Leicester City wantaway, Dyche put all his eggs in Gnonto’s basket.

The Merseyside outfit saw three bids rejected, the highest of which reached £25m (via Sky Sports live transfer blog), and despite the 19-year-old even handing in a transfer request, it was a failed venture in the end. He remained in Yorkshire, with Leeds United coming out on top.

His presence would have made for a sensational piece of business now, given Gray’s imminent exit, as not only would he offer the club some much-needed depth, but it could even be argued that the Italy international marked an upgrade on the 27-year-old.

After all, both battled well for relegation-threatened sides, and offered key goal contributions that helped in their pursuit of safety.

With two goals and four assists in the Premier League, Gnonto capped off a fine first year in England by capturing the attention of many. Journalist Phil Hay sought to outline him for praise: “Massive hit on Gnonto who is just electric every time he gets the ball.”

Meanwhile, not only was Gray’s tally of four goals and one assist lower, it must also be noted that two of his strikes came from the penalty spot; also, given his age, he is unlikely to improve at the rate that the Whites’ trickster likely will do.

After all, in his 75 appearances for Everton, he has managed just 18 goal contributions since joining for just £1.7m in 2021.

Despite all that, Dyche is set to be without either, still searching for that first Premier League win of the season. The hope will be that they can get to January still afloat in time to either return to this transfer saga or look elsewhere in the market to secure safety once again.

Liverpool have tabled yet another fresh bid for highly-rated young Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, having seen a £46m offer rejected, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

How much does Romeo Lavia cost?

The Reds' interest in the 19-year-old has been one of this summer's biggest transfer sagas, as they look to make further midfield signings ahead of the new Premier League season.

While Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have come in as exciting-looking additions, no other signings have been made, despite losing Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain at the same time.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

It is Lavia who is seemingly considered Liverpool's No.1 option to come in and replace Fabinho in the defence midfield role, however, and on Monday they saw a third offer worth £46m turned down by Southampton, as the Championship side continue to hold firm.

Saints are demanding somewhere more in the region of £50m for the Belgian's services, and it looks as though the Reds may have finally bid that amount, following a new update.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Liverpool?

Writing on Twitter on Monday night, Jacobs claimed that a fourth bid for Lavia has now been made by Liverpool almost immediately after the third, as they wait to hear Southampton's latest response:

"Understand Liverpool have already made another improved offer for Romeo Lavia after Southampton rejected their last £46m bid."

This whole situation has become rather painful at this point, with Liverpool making a mountain out of a molehill, in terms of continually bidding below the asking price when it is clear that Southampton aren't going to budge. The Reds must either stump up the £50m needed to get Lavia, or walk away from the deal and look at bringing in a different option in the No.6 role.

For Liverpool to be heading into their Premier League away to Chelsea on Sunday with no recognised defensive midfielder in their squad is a fairly ludicrous situation to be in, and even if Lavia does arrive before that game, it seems highly unlikely that he will feature, considering how late the Reds have left it.

Should this latest bid be accepted, though, the Merseysiders would be acquiring the services of a hugely exciting young footballer with a very high ceiling – one who Pep Guardiola has described as "incredible" in the past, with journalist Jacob Tanswell hailing him as "ridiculous".

At 19, it would be unfair to expect too much from Lavia straight away, as he gets used to playing for such a massive club – another No.6 with a little more experience is needed, too, but it remains to be seen if that will happen – but he showed last season that he can excel in the Premier League, arguably outperforming every other Southampton player and doing his best to keep them in the top flight, prior to their relegation.

An average of 2.1 tackles per game across 29 league appearances highlights his off-the-ball quality, but he is also a class act in possession, proving to be good in tight spaces and receiving the ball on the half-turn, completing 86.4% of his passes in a struggling Saints team last term.

Michael Beale was backed by the Glasgow Rangers board throughout the summer transfer window as nine new signings came through the doors at Ibrox.

How much are Rangers' summer signings worth?

The Light Blues have attempted to bolster their side with a number of additions across the park to bounce back from their failure to win a single trophy during the 2022/23 campaign.

Leon Balogun

£213k

Jack Butland

£1.3m

Sam Lammers

£1.7m

Kieran Dowell

£1.7m

Dujon Sterling

£2.4m

Cyriel Dessers

£4.3m

Abdallah Sima

£5.1m

Danilo

£5.6m

Jose Cifuentes

£10.3m

Valuations via Transfermarkt.

Eight of those players arrived on permanent deals, whilst Abdallah Sima joined on a season-long loan – with no option to buy – from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, and they have an average value of £3.62m.

As with any transfer window, supporters may, however, look back at the summer and wonder what could have been with some of the players who were linked with a move to Ibrox before eventually moving elsewhere.

One reported target who could have been an excellent signing by Beale for the Scottish giants is Ross Stewart, who was playing for English Championship side Sunderland. Indeed, he may well have been a better option than Sam Lammers.

Were Rangers interested in Ross Stewart?

At the end of July, TEAMtalk named Rangers as one of a number of clubs interested in signing the Scotland international from the Black Cats.

The report claimed that the forward had turned down offers of a contract extension with Tony Mowbray's team, which made him an attainable target as his deal was due to expire in the summer of 2024.

Championship sides Stoke City, Middlesbrough, and Southampton were also touted as possible destinations for the 6 foot 3 marksman, who appeared to be on his way out of the Stadium of Light.

However, Rangers seemingly decided against a deal for the 27-year-old as they ended up signing Cyriel Dessers, Danilo, and Lammers before Stewart eventually joined Southampton.

They had reportedly been battling the Light Blues for his signature earlier in the summer, but he stayed south of the border, moving to St Mary's for an initial fee of £8m that could rise to £12m with add-ons.

How many goals did Ross Stewart score for Sunderland?

The Scottish finisher, who was reportedly on £2.7k-per-week at the Stadium of Light, racked up an outstanding 40 goals in 80 competitive matches for the Black Cats before his move last week.

He proved himself to be a consistent and reliable scorer for the club at League One and Championship level during his time with the English outfit.

Stewart spearheaded their promotion to the second tier during the 2021/22 campaign with an exceptional 26 goals and three assists in 49 matches, which included three play-off appearances.

The towering centre-forward averaged a sublime Sofascore rating of 7.25 in that time and created nine 'big chances' for his teammates, suggesting that the creative number nine was let down by his fellow attackers at times as he only ended up with a minimal number of assists.

No Sunderland player averaged a higher Sofascore rating than him, indicating that he was the team's top performer as they won the play-offs.

Stewart was able to carry this form over to the Championship as he averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.40 across 13 appearances in the division last season, whilst only two players – Ryan Manning and Oliver Norwood – averaged a higher rating within the entire league.

The 27-year-old racked up a phenomenal ten goals and three assists during those 13 games, which only included 11 starts, highlighting his impressive ability to find the back of the net on a consistent basis.

How many goals has Sam Lammers scored for Rangers?

Stewart's statistics suggest that he could have been a far better option than Lammers, who has scored onlt one goal and provided one assist in nine matches for the Light Blues since his summer switch from Atalanta.

The 26-year-old has also failed to create a single 'big chance' for his teammates in four Scottish Premiership outings and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 – the just 14th-highest within the team.

His lack of an end product in the final third should not come as a surprise, though, as Lammers has not scored more than two goals in a league season since the 2018/19 campaign.

The Dutch attacker, who also stands at 6 foot 3, managed four strikes in 50 Serie A matches for Atalanta, Empoli and Sampdoria combined during his time in Italy and endured a difficult spell in Germany as he produced two goals in 22 matches on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Should Rangers have signed Ross Stewart?

The numbers prove that a mistake may well have been made here by not signing the now-Southampton star. Indeed, their respective records show that Stewart would have been a far better option than Lammers.

Stewart, whose Sofascore rating of 7.40 would have placed him third within the Gers squad last term, would have offered far more than the former PSV prospect at the top end of the pitch and could have adapted quickly as a Scotsman who has already played Premiership football.

The Scotland international, who was once dubbed a "revelation" by former teammate Alex Pritchard, is currently out of action with an Achilles injury that was sustained earlier this year but despite that, it could have been better for Rangers in the long term to take the short-term hit with regards to availability.

There is little sign of the summer signing from Atalanta producing anywhere near the level of form that Stewart did for Sunderland in recent seasons meaning Beale dropped the ball by deciding to pursue other targets.

Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.

Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016

The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.

Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.

A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.

However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”

“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”

Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display

The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.

Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

ByDominic Lund 7 days ago

However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.

Granit Xhaka’s key stats vs Newcastle

Number completed

Ground duels (won)

3 (2)

Aerial duels (won)

3 (3)

Clearances

4

Tackles

2

The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.

The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.

Leeds United head across Yorkshire to face Rotherham United in the Championship on Friday night as they look to move closer to the automatic promotion places.

A win for Daniel Farke's team will put them five points behind Ipswich Town and Leicester City before they play their respective matches this weekend.

The Whites currently sit third in the league table and are on course to challenge for either an automatic promotion or play-off place as they go in search of an instant return to the Premier League.

Leeds were relegated from the top-flight at the end of last season and that led to a host of first-team players exiting Elland Road, either permanently or on loan, as the likes of Rodrigo, Tyler Adams, Jack Harrison, Marc Roca, Robin Koch, and Max Wober, among many others, moved on.

However, the club's impressive form at Championship level so far may not prevent them from losing more of their star performers when the January transfer window comes around.

Other teams are reportedly eyeing up some of Farke's top players ahead of the second half of the year and the Whites could lose some key talents at the start of 2024.

However, selling big assets could also provide funds for the German tactician to splash in the transfer market to bolster his side's promotion push.

With this in mind, here are three players who could end up departing from Yorkshire in January and, in turn, fund a spending spree for Leeds.

1 Pascal Struijk

The towering central defender – Pascal Struijk – has enjoyed a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign and has been a key figure at the back for Farke at Championship level, which has earned him interest from elsewhere.

Struijk has started 15 of the club's 16 league matches this term and showcased his defensive skills – helping his team to keep six clean sheets.

The left-footed titan has made 6.9 ball recoveries per game and won 59% of his duels in total, which shows that the young gem is able to consistently win possession back for his side whilst also coming out on top in the majority of his physical battles.

He has also made zero errors that have directly led to a shot or goal for the opposition and is yet to concede a penalty. This highlights how reliable the 24-year-old colossus has been for the Whites in defence this season.

Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri recently claimed that Club Brugge are keen on a deal to sign the Leeds star in a potential €15m (£13m) deal in January.

However, there is no guarantee that the Whites would be willing to sell him midway through the season, or for that fee, so there is no immediate concern over his future.

If the club do decide that they want to raise money to bring in more additions for their squad, though, Struijk could be an option if Club Brugge actualise their interest with an offer.

2 Crysencio Summerville

Another player who has been linked with a potential move away from Elland Road at the turn of the year is the impressively talented forward Crysencio Summerville.

The Dutch magician has been in phenomenal form so far this season and clubs at a higher level have taken notice of his performances in the second tier.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that two unnamed Premier League sides are interested in the Leeds youngster, who was signed from Feyenoord in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa.

The outlet also stated that the Whites value him at a minimum fee of £25m and believe that his price will rocket up if they win promotion to the top-flight, which is they are reluctant to cash in during the upcoming January window.

Summerville has been an outstanding contributor at the top end of the pitch for Leeds as he currently leads the club for goals (six) and assists (five) in the Championship, with Joel Piroe (six) and Georginio Rutter (five) joint-top with him for goals and assists respectively.

The 22-year-old whiz has also provided the most key passes (2.8) per game within the squad and is joint-top with Rutter for dribbles completed (2.4) per match.

He has been exciting to watch his his terrific forward play and losing him would be a significant blow, based on these statistics, which is why the club will be keen to keep him.

However, £25m is a hefty sum of money and they could have their resolve tested by Premier League sides in January, who could provide the Whites with an opportunity to reinvest that back into their squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

3 Wilfried Gnonto

Finally, Wilfried Gnonto could be sold in January after a difficult start to the season as he been touted with an exit from the Yorkshire-based side at the turn of the year.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of October that Everton, Lazio, and Roma are all interested in a possible deal to the sign the Italy international, who is said to view a move as being possible in January.

The outlet claimed that the 20-year-old talent had agreed to sign for the Toffees during the summer transfer window but Leeds refused to sanction a transfer.

It is now stated that the Whites are looking for a fee within the region of £25m for the former Zurich star, which could take the total potential incoming sum of money to £63m if the club decided to cash in on Gnonto, Struijk, and Summerville for the reported fees.

Gnonto may be the most realistic sale at this moment in time as he has not had the impact on the pitch that the other two have been able to have so far this term.

The Italian dynamo has produced one goal and one assist in ten Championship appearances, including six starts. He has missed two 'big chances' and not created a single one for his teammates, to go along with his dismal 0.5 key passes per match for his fellow attackers across those ten games.

These statistics show that the Everton target has not been a consistent performer this term and raking in a £25m fee could be a fantastic piece of business by Leeds, who could then reinvest that money to improve their squad.

There has been a lot of talk about ins and outs regarding the goalkeeping department at Manchester United. One man who could still be moved on, according to Dean Jones when he spoke to GIVEMESPORT, is Dean Henderson.

Could a City Ground return be on the cards?

At one point in his career, there seemed to be the perfect route to the top for Dean Henderson. As David de Gea got older and his form declined, Henderson could have presented with the golden opportunity of starting in goal for Manchester United.

For one reason or another, it didn’t work out for the former Shrewsbury Town man and the Red Devils’ buying Andre Onana from Inter Milan tells you all you need to know really.

Henderson didn’t enjoy a perfect loan spell at Nottingham Forest last year either due to both injury and the opportunity arising for them to sign three-time Champions League winner Keylor Navas for the remainder of the season.

The Independent are reporting that he could return to the City Ground on a loan deal with an option to buy as he battles to establish himself as a starting shot-stopper in the best league in the world.

Matt Turner has just been bought by Forest from Arsenal for a fee in the region of £7 million as the USMNT number one himself goes in search of regular minutes.

Young academy graduate George Shelvey has been the starter in pre-season showing that the club were and still are keen on spending in that position. Turner and Henderson would provide strong competition for each other as the Reds attempt to remain in the English top-flight once again.

What is Dean Jones' update?

“Suzuki not heading to Old Trafford is an interesting one in terms of how United now look at their backup situation between the sticks.

“People might expect Henderson to take on that role at face value, but I have heard it won’t be that easy and that a transfer this month for him is still very plausible. Kovar won’t come into the frame to be that man, so I expect United to sign another goalkeeper in this window.

“Of course, they still have Heaton, and he has certainly not had a bad pre-season in terms of showing the club he is worth having around for this season.”

Who else could pursue Henderson?

When it comes to teams rivalling Nottingham Forest for Dean Henderson’s signature, the reports are very thin on the ground. It would seem that the majority of Premier League teams are content with their options in the goal as well as maybe not wanting to do business with Manchester United.

The latter point becomes apparent as reports emerge of the Red Devils being tentative to deal with Forest at the time of writing. This line in the Mirror is very damming: “Forest are keen to put the England international through a rigorous medical, which United fear could aggravate his injury, and as a result won't sanction it, reports The Sun.”

Henderson suffered a tear in this thigh back in January and so Steve Cooper’s side are clearly keen to ensure that it won’t be a recurring issue if they are to spend a sizable fee on the Manchester United goalkeeper.

The summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday night and Manchester United are in the market to add a left-back to their squad before that happens.

What's the latest Manchester United transfer news?

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Red Devils are eyeing up a number of options in that position to cover for Luke Shaw, who is set to be out for a number of weeks with a muscle injury.

The reporter has named Tottenham Hotspur full-back Sergio Reguilon as one of the names on Erik ten Hag's list following the Spanish defender's spell on loan at Atletico Madrid last season.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

However, it remains to be seen whether the club are eyeing up the £53k-per-week battler for a season-long loan or a permanent deal to bolster their squad.

The news comes amid United's chase of Marc Cucurella at Chelsea, who appears to be the leading contender to fill their left-back void.

Personal terms are agreed and it seems as though a move could well be completed before transfer deadline day.

How good is Sergio Reguilon?

The 26-year-old dud's form in recent seasons does not suggest that he would be a good option for United to bring in and Ten Hag could repeat his Tyrell Malacia blunder by securing a swoop for the Spurs outcast.

Reguilon has not been able to convince Ange Postecoglou to bring him back into the first-team fray in north London and is yet to feature in a matchday squad for his side this term.

This comes after a dismal spell with Atletico in Spain during the 2022/23 campaign. He averaged a disappointing Sofascore rating of 6.63 across 11 LaLiga appearances and made 0.8 tackles and interceptions combined per game, which shows that the Spanish liability rarely made an impact on the pitch.

His time in his home country came after 52 Premier League outings in two seasons with Tottenham, which is a strong sample size of games of which to judge his displays.

The lightweight, who was once described as "so average" by Spurs insider John Wenham, lost 51% of his ground duels in his debut campaign with the club and then lost 50% of them throughout his second year in London.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.74 over 26 top-flight starts during the 2020/21 season and this shows that the left-footed flop failed to produce consistently good performances whilst also being a liability out of possession due to his lack of strength in physical contests against his opponents.

A score of 6.74 would have placed him 20th within the United squad last term and his 6.63 rating during his loan spell with Atletico would have ranked him 21st.

Therefore, Reguilon could be Malacia 2.0 for United as the Dutch left-back was brought in last summer and has suffered due to his inconsistent displays and a lack of strength at the back.

The 24-year-old dud averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.80 across 22 Premier League matches for the Red Devils last season, which was the 16th-best score on the team.

Malacia also lost 52% of his battles on the ground and this shows that, like Reguilon, the Netherlands international is a lightweight who is unable to dominate opposition attackers.

This suggests that Ten Hag could repeat his blunder from last summer by signing another left-back who does not deliver consistently impressive performances or win a high percentage of their duels to win or maintain possession for the side.

Wolves host Brighton & Hove Albion this weekend, with the home side hoping to get off the mark in their second Premier League game of the season.

They were narrowly beaten 1-0 by Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday evening, but it was an encounter marred by a controversial decision.

Fans and pundits within the media thought the West Midlanders were the better side and unlucky not to at least come away with a point.

There was a stoppage-time collision between United goalkeeper André Onana and Wolves forward Sasa Kalajdzic, which many believed should have constituted a penalty. But after a brief VAR check, the penalty was not awarded, to the surprise of many.

Meanwhile, the Seagulls opened up their account with a thumping 4-1 victory over Premier League new boys Luton Town.

Roberto De Zerbi's side, who finished sixth last term, are expected to be back in and amongst the European spots once more, so they'll be a difficult test for Wolves on Saturday.

Ahead of the clash, Football FanCast has decided to take a look at the stats between the pair and how they've fared against each other over the years.

Wolves vs Brighton: Who has the better head-to-head record?

The pair have only faced each other 40 times throughout their long histories. Often, they've been in different divisions, so there have been periods where they've had long stints without meeting.

Perhaps quite surprisingly, Brighton dominate this statistic. The Seagulls have only conceded defeat on eight occasions – with 18 meetings resulting in victory.

What's perhaps even more surprising is that their first meeting didn't come until a League Cup third-round fixture in September 1969.

So considering Wolves had a lot of their success in the 1950s when they won three top-flight titles, this stat begins to make more sense.

Wolves wins: 8 Draws: 14 Brighton wins: 18 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has more wins at Molineux?

Considering the overall head-to-head statistic, it should come as no surprise that the south coast club come out on top in this one, too.

Though, you would expect the majority of Wolves' wins to have come at Molineux – but that isn't the case.

Just three wins from 19 games for Wolves have come at their home ground. It appears the Seagulls are most definitely their 'bogey team'.

Wolves wins: 3 Draws: 7 Brighton wins: 9 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has more wins on the south coast?

Brighton's home turf – be it at the Amex, Withdean Stadium or the Goldstone Ground – has produced a slightly more even affair between these two sides throughout the years. Of course, it is again the Seagulls who win this head-to-head statistic, but they only just edge it.

Wolves have picked up more of their victories on the south coast, so on Saturday, they'll be hoping to balance this out with a win at home.

Gary O'Neil's side will want to get off the mark as soon as possible as they bid to avoid a second successive relegation battle.

Brighton wins: 9 Draws: 7 Wolves wins: 5 Wolves vs Brighton: Who has the better domestic cup record?

It's the West Midlanders who win this statistic. There has been just the two meetings between the pair in domestic cup competitions, with one coming in the FA Cup and the other in the League Cup.

Interestingly, both affairs ended in 3-2 away victories for Wolves, with the first dating back to the 1969/70 campaign and the other in 1978/79.

Brighton have never won either the League or FA Cup, whereas Wolves have won the latter on four separate occasions. However, they are yet to win the former throughout their 146-year history.

If there come up against Brighton this year, though, history would at least be on their side.

Wolves wins: 2 Draws: 0 Brighton wins: 0 Wolves vs Brighton: What were the last five meetings?

29th April 2023 – Brighton 6-0 Wolves: De Zerbi's side recorded the club's biggest-ever top-flight victory and continued their push for a European spot.

They carved the away side open with ease as three players in Denis Undav, Pascal Gross and Danny Welbeck all registered braces.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui offered an apology to his fans following the match.

5th November 2023 – Wolves 2-3 Brighton: 10-man Wolves, managed by interim manager Steve Davis, suffered a sinking defeat on Bonfire Night after Gross netted the winner for Brighton with seven of the 90 minutes remaining.

The result left the West Midlands club in 19th, two points adrift of 17th-placed Aston Villa in safety.

30th April 2022 – Wolves 0-3 Brighton: Wolves' boss at the time, Bruno Lage, said this was his side's 'worst performance' of his tenure.

Brighton romped their way to a comfortable away victory thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Trossard and Yves Bissouma, all of whom no longer play for the club anymore, interestingly.

Despite the sizeable defeat, Wolves remained in a healthy league position, as they sat eighth, five points clear of their opposition. Though, they ultimately ended that season in 10th, behind Brighton on goal difference.

15th December 2021 – Brighton 0-1 Wolves: Romain Saïss ended Wolves' five-game run without a win as his side picked up a 1-0 away victory at the Amex to fire themselves up to eighth.

They hadn't actually scored in the previous four matches, remarkably, so this victory was certainly needed.

Meanwhile, Brighton, who were managed by Graham Potter, may have just started to look over their shoulders, as they dropped down to 13th, nine points above 18th-placed Burnley and having played a game more – while going winless in 13 games across all competitions.

9th May 2021 – Wolves 2-1 Brighton: Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who now plays for Nottingham Forest, scored a 90th-minute winner to clinch the three points in a dramatic encounter.

Brighton were down to 10 men for much of the second half after Lewis Dunk received a red card for pulling back Fabio Silva as he ran through on goal.

It was the West Midlanders' first top-flight win over the Seagulls in the club's history.

Who has played for Wolves and Brighton?

Rajiv van La Parra (Wolves 2014-2016; Brighton 2015-2016): The Dutch winger had a 57-game career at Wolves after signing on a free transfer in 2014 from SC Heerenveen. He scored two goals for the club whilst laying on 11 assists.

Meanwhile, he spent less than two months on loan at the Seagulls from Wolves, making six appearances and scoring two goals.

Perhaps his most memorable spell in England was during his stint at Huddersfield Town, where he helped the West Yorkshire club to a shock promotion to the Premier League.

Keith Andrews (Wolves 1999-2005; Brighton 2013-2014): The 32-cap Republic of Ireland international began his career at Wolves after graduating through the academy. He made a total of 72 appearances for the club.

He had a season-long loan spell at Brighton during the 2013/14 season, where he made 37 appearances, helping the club reach the play-off semi-finals before suffering a thumping 6-2 aggregate defeat to Derby County.

Sam Vokes (Wolves 2008-2012; Brighton 2012): The towering centre-forward was on Wolves' books for four years, but much of that time was spent out on loan. He was shipped out to six separate clubs before Burnley signed him on a permanent deal in 2012.

Brighton were one of those six clubs, but his short time on the south coast wasn't particularly fruitful, as he netted just three times in 15 appearances.

Ade Akinbiyi (Brighton 1994; Wolves 1999-2001): The Nigerian forward had a short spell on loan at Brighton, where he scored four goals in seven appearances.

His two-year stint in the West Midlands saw him find the back of the net 16 times in 40 outings before he was snapped up by Leicester City, who paid a club-record £5.5m to sign him.

Steve Claridge (Wolves 1998; Brighton 2004): The forward made a total of six appearances during his five-month spell at Wolves and only five during a one-month stretch with Albion.

What is Wolves' biggest win over Brighton?

28th December 1991 – Wolves 2-0 Brighton: It's been over three decades since Wolves' biggest victory over the Seagulls, which was actually not a thrashing by any means.

Mark Burke opened the scoring in the second minute before Andy Mutch, who was well known for his strike partnership with Steve Bull, added a second.

The victory came during the 1991/92 season in the second tier. The West Midlanders finished the campaign in 11th, whilst Albion suffered relegation, finishing 23rd.

What is Brighton's biggest win over Wolves?

29th April 2023 – Brighton 6-0 Wolves: Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned 6-0 drubbing last season is Brighton's biggest win over Saturday's opposition.

It was a result that continued Brighton's assault on the European places, with the victory keeping them within touching distance of the likes of Aston Villa and Tottenham, who they would eventually usurp come the season's end.

The gap in quality between the two sides over the last 12 months has started to widen, and it could be another tough afternoon for Wolves at the weekend if the current trends continue.

Key match stats It will be the 41st meeting between the pair Wolves have only beaten Brighton once in the top flight Brighton have won their last four matches against Wolves The last three fixtures between these two sides have produced 14 goals