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Leeds United fans have been suggesting names for their Player of the Season, which has led to The Athletic’s Phil Hay making a bold claim about one member of Marcelo Bielsa’s squad…

What’s he said?

The Whites are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship standings, holding a seven-point advantage to those in the playoffs with just nine games remaining in the season.

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Barring a null-and-void season, the west Yorkshire outfit are the only ones standing in the way of a promotion at this stage.

Their season so far has been rather phenomenal as they appear set to end a 16-year wait for top-flight football, so understandably there have been plenty of candidates for the award.

One supporter offered Kalvin Phillips’ name in a recent Q&A, and Hay replied with the following…

Two top talents

It’s certainly a bold claim to suggest that City loan star Jack Harrison has been somewhat better than Phillips, but he could be onto something – at least in terms of their progression.

The defensive midfielder has been on a meteoric rise ever since Bielsa converted him into that role to the point where England boss Gareth Southgate has scouted him for his Three Lions squad.

But Harrison has improved his figures drastically on last season. So far, he has managed one more goal and a massive four more assists whilst also averaging over double the number of key passes per game from just one in 2017/18 to 2.1 this term, via WhoScored.

In addition, the 22-year-old has increased his attempts at goal (1.7 shots) as well as doubling the number of dribbles per game (1.8).

Either way, both Harrison and Phillips have played instrumental roles for Bielsa and it would be mighty hard to split these two top talents – and that’s excluding the likes of Ben White, Stuart Dallas and Mateusz Klich, too.

AND in other news, Leeds fans react to Marcelo Bielsa throwback footage…

According to the man himself, Josh Maja didn’t want to leave Sunderland.

However, after half a season where he scored 15 goals in League One, he was packing his bags for French football.

Arriving in Bordeaux, the forward had left the Stadium of Light in rather controversial circumstances. Not given the right terms he wanted to extend his deal, the youngster decided to leave before his contract expired in the north-east.

There would have been clear worries about the future of Sunderland’s attack once he left. After all, only Aiden McGeady hit double figures (14) for goals in 2018/19.

However, the Irishman is no more a Black Cats player, at least temporarily. Now playing for Charlton on loan after being alienated by Phil Parkinson, it’s Chris Maguire who has taken it upon himself to become the Mackems’ main man.

Finding a replacement for Maja was always going to be hard. Symbolic of his rare talents on Wearside, the 21-year-old has found the back of the net five times in Ligue 1 this term.

The man who is making up for his goals isn’t quite as good, neither is he an exciting rising talent. However, Maguire gets the job done in a professional energetic manner.

The 31-year-old has scored ten goals in 2019/20 but has also provided creativity in abundance, conjuring up nine assists for his teammates.

Coincidentally, Maguire has more goal contributions (19) at this point of the season than Maja (17) had by the time he departed mid-way through last term.

The winger might not be a natural striker but there is clear evidence to suggest he’s stepped up when it matters. A centre-forward by trade, Maja was the go-to man in attack but now trust has been placed in Maguire.

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He only scored nine times last season but has taken on the mantle magnificently. His running stats are up and Sunderland stand a brilliant chance of achieving promotion.

The Black Cats longed for an attacking force once Maja walked through the exit door. Initially, it could have been £4m Will Grigg. Indeed, it should have been.

However, the true replacement for his goals ended up being Maguire.

Meanwhile, Sunderland are playing a RISKY game with Jon McLaughlin…

Sunderland flop Will Grigg is a transfer target of Blackpool, according to The Sun’s Alan Nixon.

What’s the word?

The striker has had a tough time in the north-east since joining a year ago and now finds himself out of the team having contributed just one league goal all season.

Despite his lack of form the Seasiders are still interested in making a move for the £4m man, with Simon Grayson perhaps interested in partnering him alongside Nathan Delfouneso or Armand Gnanduillet.

However, Nixon reports that there is one hurdle in the way of a possible deal being agreed – Grigg’s wages – and he suggests that Sunderland may have to cover a portion of his salary as Blackpool are likely unable to meet his demands.

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Cut their losses

The Northern Ireland international has been nothing short of a disappointment at the Stadium of Light and his torrid time is showing no hope of ending any time soon.

In that case, it’s best if the club gets rid of him while it still can so they can still fetch some kind of transfer fee, that’s if a permanent deal is being sought.

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A loan move is another option which could benefit all parties involved. Grigg clearly isn’t suited to Sunderland’s style of play but the fact he has scored 25 and 20 goals in two separate League One seasons shows he isn’t short of quality.

As a result, some time away from the club to rediscover his mojo would be very useful and could help out the Black Cats long-term, as he may be able to start scoring goals for the team on his return.

Either way, he is below Charlie Wyke in the pecking order and possibly Marc McNulty too, as the loan man was picked ahead of him by Parkinson to come on against Fleetwood last time out.

Grigg has no doubt been hugely underwhelming with eight goals in 48 games, and though everyone at Sunderland would love it if he started performing, that seems unlikely to happen. Therefore Stewart Donald and co. should consider helping Blackpool to sign the 28-year-old.

In other transfer news, a player who has previously played for Phil Parkinson has recently been training with the club.

According to a recent report from AS, Isco’s future is far from certain heading into 2019. The Spain international currently plays his football at European champions Real Madrid and has done so since leaving Malaga back in 2013, although a lack of regular game time under current boss Santiago Solari has plunged his future at the Bernabeu into doubt.

And that’s because reports suggest that the 26-year-old could be on his way out of the La Liga heavyweights in the near future, with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City one side reportedly keen on the midfielder, but given Tottenham’s prior interest in the £81 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt), alongside his apparent unhappiness at Real, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy surely won’t get a better chance to lure the midfielder to the North London club.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, there may well be quite the overhaul of the midfield ranks in Mauricio Pochettino’s squad in 2019, what with Mousa Dembele’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and no agreement seemingly close, while Victor Wanyama’s recurrent injury problems clouds his long-term future at the club.

And with the duo striking up a sensational partnership in Pochettino’s midfield to help Tottenham finish second in the Premier League back in 2017, there is little doubt that losing the pair would be a big loss to the North London club, regardless of how well the likes of Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, and Eric Dier have done in their absence.

And while that trio is very talented and has several key traits needed to succeed in the middle of the park in the Premier League, they are lacking that genuine star quality – star quality Isco has in abundance.

The Spain international, who can play pretty much anywhere across the midfield be it out wide or in the number ten role, made the move to the Bernabeu back in 2013 after impressing at fellow Spanish side Malaga, and it didn’t take him long to translate that form into his Real days with 11 goals and nine assists in his first season at the La Liga giants.

Several impressive displays, goals, assists, and trophies have since followed for Isco at the Bernabeu to underline just what a special talent he is, with his tally of 46 goals and 52 assists in 257 games for the club equating to a direct contribution every 161 minutes, which is an excellent return.

And having also shone for Spain down the years, the 26-year-old is certainly in that world-class central midfielder bracket – the calibre of player Tottenham simply have to land if they are to bridge the gap to England’s, and indeed Europe’s, best teams.

Yes, beating City to his signature could prove to be a problem, but his clear frustration with life at Real Madrid offers up the chance for Levy and the Spurs hierarchy to make a move – they simply won’t get a better chance to land a player they have been linked with for some time now.

Tottenham fans… what do you think? Let us know!

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Arsenal have won their last six matches across all competitions but a major transfer decision risks derailing all of the hard work completed by Unai Emery’s side.

Shock reports state that Arsenal have pulled out of contract negotiations with Aaron Ramsey, who currently earns £110,000-a-week according to the Daily Star, and the Wales international is therefore set to leave on a free transfer at the end of the season when his current deal expires.

The likes of AC Milan, Juventus, Lazio, Manchester United and Chelsea are all attributed with an interest in a bargain deal for a 27-year-old that is valued at a whopping £40.5m by TransferMarkt and the fact that Arsenal could get nothing for his services is a major blow.

It’s deja vu for Arsenal, who saw Alexis Sanchez move to Old Trafford in similar circumstances earlier this year, and a big question now needs to be asked as to whether the Gunners should push for a sale in January in order to get a fee.

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With the Gunners now having the same financial power as the likes of Manchester United and Manchester City, selling Ramsey when the window reopens would be a good way to provide a boost in Unai Emery’s funds.

Do you agree Arsenal fans? Have your say in our poll below…

Rangers fans are getting excited about the latest transfer news, as reports suggest they have made a bid for Championship defender Jake Cooper.

According to The Daily Record, the Gers have submitted an official bid of around £3m for Millwall’s Cooper, after the young defender made 38 Championship appearances last season.

The 23 year-old could become Steven Gerrard’s tenth summer signing, after young stars Umar Sadiq and Lassana Coulibaly joined on season-long loans on Tuesday.

Cooper, who started his career at Reading and has developed quite the reputation for scoring goals from the back, has two years left on his contract at The Den.

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The 6 ft 5 defender scored four times in the Championship last season, and he averaged one goal about every ten league games during his time at Reading.

He is a no nonsense defender that loves getting up and challenging for the ball, and fans will adore his fight and tenaciousness.

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There is plenty of excitement on social media about the £3m bid, and you can find some of the best Twitter reactions down below…

According to reports in the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds United defender Charlie Taylor is set to join Premier League side Burnley.

The left-back’s contract with the Championship outfit is due to run out this summer and despite being offered a new two-year deal, he looks set to move to Turf Moor with a compensation fee due to be decided by a tribunal.

It will end a 14-year association with the Yorkshire outfit for the 23-year-old having come through the academy, and his future was essentially decided when he refused to be involved for their final day fixture against Wigan Athletic last season.

Leeds supporters were quick to have their say on the news of Taylor’s destination via social media, and they were far from impressed that he had swapped Elland Road for Turf Moor, while others feel he may regret his decision to leave in the future.

Here is just a selection of the Twitter reaction…

Two goals from England international Dele Alli saw Tottenham end Chelsea’s 13-game winning streak in fantastic fashion last night. The goals came on either side of half-time and were enough to move Spurs to within seven points of the Blues at the top of the table.The first chance of the match arrived in the 5th minute when Nemanja Matic delivered the ball over the Spurs defence and it fell to Eden Hazard, only for the Belgian playmaker to drive his effort wide of the post.Both teams continued to press forward in search of the opening goal, but it wasn’t until the 45th minute that it arrived after Christian Eriksen delivered a brilliant cross into the box for Alli to head into the far corner of the net.Alli then sealed the victory in the 54th minute through the same combination that brought the first goal – Eriksen delivered an inch-perfect cross for Alli to nod home to end Chelsea’s 13-game winning run.It was an entertaining game and here are THREEÂhuge positives the victors can take from it…

Dele Alli is a genius

Alli was the cream of the crop for Tottenham as his two goals helped the club to defeat Chelsea. The midfield maestro has already scored ten times in the league this season and seven of those have come in his last four matches!

The PFA Young Player of the Year continues to establish himself as an important member of the Tottenham squad, and looks to be back to the form he showed last term.

He had a wonderful game for Spurs against Chelsea and he was rewarded for his performances with two well-taken goals.

If Spurs are to challenge for the title this season, the 20-year-old will have a key role to play. He looks ready, too!

Title race is blown open

Had Chelsea won the match, they would have opened up an eight-point lead at the top of the table, which could have all but put the title race to bed. However, other Premier League clubs have Tottenham to thank for defeating the Blues.

Following the defeat, Chelsea are just five points clear of second-placed Liverpool and are seven points ahead of third-placed Spurs, whose form over the festive period has made them quiet contenders for the big prize

Spurs are on fire

Tottenham had a slow start to the season but they are now back on track. The Lilywhites have won their last five Premier League matches and the future really does look bright.

In those five, they scored a total of 15 goals and have conceded only three times, they possess a manager who is one of the best coaches in the world and have a young talented squad who are desperate to play for him.

Spurs may not win the Premier League this season but they will surely be around the top with the big boys come the end of the season.

It just goes from bad to worse for Chelsea. After a woeful start to the season, where they’d won just two of their opening seven games, a home game against Southampton was supposed to the perfect chance to start putting things right again.

But despite Willian giving Jose Mourinho’ side the lead in the 10th minute, Southampton refused to give up and deservedly got themselves back in the game through a Steven Davis finish just before the end of the first half.

Saido Mane gave Southampton the lead mid-way through the second half thanks to some suspect Chelsea defending, and then Graziano Pelle wrapped up the three points for the visitors.

The result leaves Chelsea in 16th position with just eight points from their opening eight games – no team has ever finished higher than fifth after a start like that. It’s another week of disappointment for Chelsea, but also another week of learning from their strange fall from grace.

So here’s what we learned today…

Ivanovic must be dropped

The big Serb has been a shadow of his former self all season and there have been calls to drop the defender for weeks now.

But Jose Mourinho stuck with him again today and his side paid the price. Ivanovic was made to look silly by a number of Saints players on a number of occasions.

The sheer fact that Mourinho hasn’t tried to rectify his side’s poor defending of late by removing one it’s biggest problems has been one of the most alarming aspects of Chelsea’s plight.

The fans have finally turned…

There was a feeling Chelsea fans would begin to get pretty restless if this run of poor form continued, but it was a little bit of a surprise to see fans calling for Mourinho’s head midway through the game on Saturday.

Almost immediately after Mane had put Southampton in the lead following some awful defending from Chelsea, Blues fans took to Twitter to demand the manager’s sacking.

It’s a really strange one because, with all the Portuguese’s antics off the pitch and his questionable team line ups recently, you wonder how a side with so much latent can ever turn it around with such a drastic change.

It may perhaps be a bit premature, but the simple fact is that Chelsea are in very big trouble right now.

Chelsea are out of the title race

Their latest defeat leaves Chelsea a huge 10 points behind league leaders Manchester City after just eight games. That, quite simply, puts them out of the title race and ends their chances of successfully defending their crown.

Some may remain optimistic, but when not a single team has finished about fifth in the league after taking just eight points from their first eight games, which tells you a lot about the task at hand for Chelsea.

Can Mourinho turn it around? He’s certainly good enough to do so, but you get the sense that so much has happened both on and off the field that he may not get the chance to do so.

Either way, Chelsea won’t be winning the Premier League this season.

Liverpool have approached the agent of Xabi Alonso to discuss the prospect of the Bayer Leverkusen boss replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield this summer.

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Liverpool looking for Klopp replacementReds have made approach for AlonsoLeverkusen expect coach to snub offerWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds have made a request to Inaki Ibanez, Alonso's representative, according to The Spanish coach's current side have already been informed of the approach and the top figures at the BayArena are confident the former midfielder will turn down his ex-club in favour of staying at Leverkusen.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Alonso was appointed Leverkusen head coach in October 2022, when they were second-bottom of the table after eight matches, and guided them to a sixth-place finish in the Bundesliga. This season, they are the shock, unbeaten leaders in the Bundesliga, holding a eight-point advantage over reigning champions Bayern.

DID YOU KNOW?

Liverpool are not the only contenders to lure Alonso away from Leverkusen this summer, as German rivals Bayern have also been linked with a move for their former player as Thomas Tuchel will depart at the end of the season. Leverkusen, however, will hope to hold onto Alonso until the end of his contract, which expires in 2026.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ALONSO?

Before he considers a possible summer departure from Leverkusen, Alonso will hope his team can boost their hopes of winning their first ever Bundesliga title by beating Koln on Sunday. They will then turn their attention to their Europa League tie against Qarabag.