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Nuno Santo was happy the day before he announced he was leaving Wolves. That’s the word of club legend Steve Bull who spoke exclusively to Football FanCast this week.

However, a rift behind the scenes has put the club as we know it in doubt. Nuno has departed the Midlands under a cloud of smoke following an argument over club finances.

It’s thought that Jeff Shi came to him with a plan to strengthen the club this summer but that involved selling their best players and working on finding cheaper replacements.

The Portuguese boss didn’t like it and consequently, he handed in his notice and headed for the departure lounge.

Within days of his exit, Ruben Neves has been linked with a £35m exit while the future of Adama Traore remains in doubt.

If the Spaniard stays at Molineux, he will be a pivotal player for any new manager coming in. One head coach linked with the vacancy is Paulo Fonseca.

Another manager to hail from Portugal, Fonseca is rather unsurprisingly a client of Jorge Mendes.

Though, he’s more than qualified for the job. He took Roma to the Europa League semi-finals this season and won the domestic league with Shakhtar Donestk in Ukraine in three consecutive seasons.

Fonseca has developed an attacking style of play, one that in his own words requires himself and the team to be “brave.”

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The 48-year-old prefers an energetic and intense brand of football, one that sees the ball moved forward in double-quick time.

For someone like Traore, this would game-changing. The Spain international is one of the quickest players in the division and managed to record more successful dribbles than anyone else in the top-flight this term.

He is a radiant ball of fun, an unstoppable force who can create panic among even the very best defences in the Premier League.

His numbers, however, haven’t been impressive this term. Traore scored just two goals and thus, improvement is needed.

Fonseca could help the winger to finally discover some consistent end product. The work he did with the group of attackers at Shakhtar was eye-catching.

The coach had the pleasure of managing Brazilian trio Taison, Marlos and Junior Moraes in Donetsk. They all flourished under the guidance of Fonseca as he witnessed them score a combined 88 goals in three years.

Besides Raul Jimenez, this Wolves attack hasn’t registered the most vibrant of numbers in recent years.

The Mexican scored 27 last term but only managed 11 appearances this season due to a fractured skull.

Fabio Silva scored just four goals in all competitions while Pedro Neto top-scored with five strikes. As a consequence, the trio could improve considerably under Fonseca’s watch.

Neto has proven himself to be an impressive performer this season but there is still a lot of potential to be extracted from Traore.

It never really felt like Nuno was able to get the best from him; perhaps Fonseca can change his fortunes.

AND in other news, Shades of Nuno: Shi will condemn Wolves to more mediocrity by hiring stubborn 49 y/o…

Liverpool have been handed a potential blow to their summer transfer plans after Brighton and Hove Albion reportedly slapped a £50 million price tag on Ben White.

What’s the story?

According to the Daily Mail, the Seagulls are hoping to fend off interest from several of the Premier League’s top teams following the centre-back’s call-up to the England squad for Euro 2020.

The report claims Jurgen Klopp’s charges, Manchester United and Arsenal are all keen on the 23-year-old after his impressive maiden top-flight campaign ended with a place in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad.

Klopp may be gutted

White made 39 appearances in all competitions for Brighton in 2020/21, playing a pivotal part in their respectable 16th placed finish.

He was the subject of a series of bids from Leeds United last summer, reaching the £25m mark after enjoying a successful loan spell at Elland Road the previous campaign.

However, Brighton held firm and kept hold of their prized asset, allowing the south coast side to enjoy their academy graduate on the biggest stage.

White’s splendid displays earned many plaudits throughout the recently concluding campaign, including that of his former manager Marcelo Bielsa.

“Ben White has shown he is a Premier League player. All of us here admire him as a player, ” said Bielsa.

“We respect him and love him as a human being. He was an excellent professional, as well as a teammate. I hope his career allows him to grow because he deserves it.”

It should come as no surprise then that the youngster has caught the eye of some of England’s most successful clubs, but it’s unlikely that he’ll be leaving the Amex Stadium over the coming months.

The financial impact of the ongoing pandemic means many sides are working on a limited budget this summer, and splashing out £50m on a defender with only one Premier League season under his belt may be a risk Liverpool want to avoid.

Liverpool’s centre-back’s all suffered serious injuries last season, highlighting the need for reinforcements in that area of Klopp’s first-team squad.

Nevertheless, the arrival of Ibrahima Konate for just £34m, added to Brighton’s huge asking price, may mean that a move for the £51,000-per-week White is off the cards at this moment in time.

And, in other news…Edwards masterstroke: LFC could seal their next Coutinho in “exceptional” £17.5m gem 

Leeds United have planned talks with Club Brugge attacker Noa Lang at the end of the season, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Lang makes Brugge loan permanent

Lang was first linked with a move to Yorkshire earlier this month. Mike McGrath of The Telegraph shared the news, revealing Lang turned his loan from Ajax into a permanent deal, penning a deal until 2024 with Brugge.

It seems as if Brugge could be in it to turn a quick profit, though, with a host of sides across Europe targeting the Dutchman.

Leeds appear to be stepping up their interest, with a huge development shared on Wednesday morning.

The Latest: Talks planned

According to Football Insider, who have been informed by a Leeds source, the Whites have scheduled discussions with Lang after the campaign finishes this weekend.

The report claims that Marcelo Bielsa is looking for a versatile forward in the 18-23 age bracket who can play out wide and down the middle, is quick and has an eye for goal.

Lang, 21, can play on the left, right or through the middle and has scored 16 goals and registered 11 assists in all competitions this season, so he’s just what the boss is searching for.

Leeds want to bring in competition for Jack Harrison, Raphinha and Patrick Bamford, so Lang seems as if he ticks Bielsa’s boxes.

The Verdict: Just what the Whites need

The potential acquisition of Lang is just what is required at Elland Road ahead of the 2021/22 season.

It seems as if the club will be happy to move Helder Costa on over the coming months, and should he depart, someone like Lang may well be perfect for the Whites.

He’s predominantly a left-winger, although he is right-footed and can play anywhere across the frontline as mentioned. Lang seems to be at the top of his game and his market value has rocketed from £3.15m last summer to £18m.

Bielsa, as we have seen with other young attackers like Bamford, could take Lang’s game to another level, and at just 21 years of age, a £20m deal could actually prove a bargain in the long run.

In other news: Leeds linked with move for Colombian winger, find out more here. 

Tottenham Hotspur legend Graham Roberts insists that the club will not let Tanguy Ndombele leave the club on the cheap amid links with Real Madrid.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that the Spanish club are keen on signing the France international this summer.

Spurs are said to have been approached by Real, with the club well aware of their heightened interest in the midfielder.

Ndombele has endured a relatively inconsistent season, making 28 starts in the Premier League, but completing the 90 minutes just six times.

He has scored three goals and registered two assists but has struggled for minutes in recent weeks, playing just 34 minutes in the final four games of the season. He was not included in the squad against Leicester City on the final day of the season as Spurs won 4-2.

Roberts, though, says that Spurs will not let Ndombele go on the cheap, having paid £53.8m to bring him in from Lyon.

Speaking exclusively to This Is Futbol, he said: “I think there’s a few who can go. But it all depends on the manager.

“The manager is going to come in, they’re not going to sell Ndombele for £20 million. They’ll want their money back.

“If Real Madrid think he’s that good, they’ve got to pay the money.”

In recent comments, FIFA agent Massimo Grillo has claimed that the Leeds United manager, Marcelo Bielsa, would be a great fit for Serie A side, Napoli.

Having guided Leeds to the Championship title last season, Bielsa’s side have highly impressed in the Premier League so far this term, with the Whites currently sitting in 10th place in the top-flight standings while playing extremely entertaining football – having scored 49 goals, one less than fifth-placed Chelsea, while also having conceded 49 goals, seven more than 18th-placed Fulham.

As a result of his team’s style of football, Bielsa has received a great amount of praise for the job he has done at Elland Road, with the Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, recently stating his belief that the Argentine’s side are a joy for world football, as well as the 65-year-old continually receiving plaudits from the club’s own fanbase.

However, speaking recently to Per Sempre Napoli (via Sport Witness), Grillo suggested that Bielsa’s style would be a perfect fit for Napoli, who are expected to be looking for a new manager at the end of the season.

He said: “I am a great admirer of Bielsa, currently on the Leeds bench he is a coach who has a very spectacular game system. I would see him really well on the blue bench, I am convinced that he would show captivating football.”

Transfer Tavern Take

With Bielsa’s contract set to expire at the end of the season, and, at present, there being no agreement reached with Leeds regarding an extension, the Argentine leaving Leeds this summer does remain a possibility – something which would devastate his adoring fans at Elland Road.

However, with it being reported that the 65-year-old is close to signing a new two-year deal with the Whites, the possibility of his departure is hopefully, for the sake of Whites fans, extremely slim.

Unfortunately for Grillo, we suspect he may have to wait a little while longer to see Bielsa in Naples.

In other news: £26k-p/w Leeds star attracting significant summer interest; £14.6m fee quoted – find out more here!

Jamie Carragher may have coined the game as “awful”, but in the end, Leeds will certainly be happy with taking a point from their Premier League clash against Manchester United on Sunday.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side came into the game off the back of two impressive results against Liverpool and Manchester City respectively, and followed that up with another solid display at Elland Road to avoid defeat against another one of the proposed European Super League’s breakaway clubs.

Kalvin Phillips enjoyed a superb game at the heart of midfield, stopping Bruno Fernandes from really dictating things for United, and it was something he said was part of his assignment after the game: “We do it all game to be fair, we have different markers every game. My task was Bruno. So, I tried to keep him quiet and luckily he didn’t pop up with a goal.”

But while Phillips was undeniably outstanding and was named by the club as the man of the match, Luke Ayling arguably outshone him, and emerged as Bielsa’s real hero from the clash against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.

As per Sofascore, he won 11 duels on the day, the joint-most of any Leeds player, tied with Phillips, and also made a whopping seven tackles too – Ayling has been a reliable figure for the Whites this season, but he more than out-performed himself, with his season averages seeing him win 7.2 duels and make 2.8 tackles per game in the top-flight.

The right-back was a key reason behind why Marcus Rashford had an awful time down the United left, losing possession 20 times (the second-most for them) and recording the lowest match rating of any player on either side with a 6.3. Ayling was touch-tight whenever he needed to be and stopped the England international from picking up a full head of steam and running at him.

As well as being defensively solid, Ayling was also involved a lot in the build-up play for Leeds, with his 78 touches the most of any player for Bielsa’s side.

And, in his post-match player ratings for Leeds Live, Beren Cross gave him a joint-high nine, adding: “Exceptional match from one of a few who seemed to read the match expertly. Snuffed out a lot of danger and won his duels in the most part. Some big tackles.”

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While Phillips may be the name in the headlines, Ayling produced a monstrous display to help keep out United.

Meanwhile, Leeds could sign their own Andy Robertson in this starlet…

Another game, more points dropped and another defensive mistake. That’s very much been the tale of Tottenham Hotspur’s tumultuous season.

On Easter Sunday, Jose Mourinho’s side squandered the chance to move back into the Premier League’s top four after Newcastle United fired home a late equaliser at St James’ Park.

This time, as it often has been, it was Davinson Sanchez who made the critical blunder as he clattered into central defensive teammate Joe Rodon, allowing Joe Willock to ghost in unmarked to score just five minutes before full-time.

It’s now time for Mourinho to give him the ‘Eric Dier’ treatment…

On the Chalkboard

Spurs have now lost 15 points from winning positions over the course of the 2020/21 season. Had they seen out those matches, the north Londoners would be sat behind league leaders Man City in second place and four points ahead of Manchester United in third.

The majority of this boils down to errors in the backline and, according to the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, Mourinho is after a defensive leader as a top priority in the summer transfer window.

He also claims that ‘there has been a clear lack of cohesion at times in the backline and leadership’ and, despite being the most vocal of all Spurs’ options, Dier has found himself now out of favour.

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Indeed, the 27-year-old England international is no longer first choice and has actually been snubbed from the starting XI in their last six league outings. It seems as if the West Ham defeat was the final straw for Mourinho.

However, it’s clear now that Dier was not the problem, or at least isn’t an anomaly.

Against the Magpies, Sanchez was the only player to grade worse than a mediocre 6.5 rating, as per SofaScore figures.

Just last month, ex-Sheffield United midfielder Curtis Woodhouse took to Twitter to launch a scathing attack on the Colombian, claiming that he’s “just not a very good defender” and that he “probably costs you 20 goals a season.”

Similarly, pundit and former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara suggested that Sanchez was part of one of the worst defensive partnerships in the division following their north London derby defeat, soon after slamming him as “disgraceful” and the “worst player” despite scoring in the Everton FA Cup loss.

The latest criticism came after this weekend’s fiasco, as former Republic of Ireland captain Kenny Cunningham dubbed him a “real liability” when he’s at his worst when speaking on the OTB podcast.

It’s unfair that Dier continues to be ostracised when these game-altering mistakes keep cropping up from the Colombian. It’s also farcical that Toby Alderweireld has been overlooked despite the uncertainty over both the Englishman and Sanchez.

The £31.5m-rated South American must now get the same treatment as Dier. He has no business starting for the club heading into the summer, especially if Spurs land a new defensive arrival.

AND in other news, Exclusive: Spurs legend reacts to new Dane Scarlett deal

There has no been ‘no contact’ from clubs showing an interest in Leeds United star Raphinha, according to The Athletic‘s Phil Hay.

The 24-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic season for the Whites, arguably standing out as his side’s star man.

Raphinha has chipped in with six goals and assists apiece in the Premier League, with his pace, dribbling and unpredictability making him a nightmare for opposition defenders.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Brazilian’s form has seen him linked with some of the top clubs in the country, with Liverpool one of those tipped to sign him.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Hay provides key Raphinha update

Hay has given a positive update from a Leeds perspective, however, telling David Ornstein that there has been no concrete interest in Raphinha yet:

“In terms of Raphinha, the last time I asked about him there had been no contact of note.

“For all the links to the various clubs, particularly the top four in England, there was nothing behind it.

“But you have to be sensible enough to know it all depends on who bids what and when they bid.”

Transfer Tavern take

The thought of Leeds losing Raphinha just a year after he arrived is a worrying one, considering what a huge impact he has made.

If Marcelo Bielsa’s men want to go up another level in the league, they need to be keeping hold of their biggest players and the silky wide man is certainly one of those.

His aforementioned 12 goal involvements are proof of that and his level of threat means opponents often focus on him, opening up space for teammates to run into.

It would also leave a sour taste in fans’ mouths, given the kind of cult hero Raphinha has already developed into thanks to his frankly ridiculous moments of skill – such as the nutmeg on Gary Cahill.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with a potentially game-changing signing this summer. Find out who it is here.

A number of Glasgow Rangers fans have been reacting to the news that Ryan Jack has been forced to withdraw from the Scotland squad for the international break.

Jack has not played a single minute since 21 February (Transfermarkt), so it was a surprise to see Steve Clarke call up the 29-year-old in the first place. However, it became clear quite quickly that he would be in no position to represent his country, so the former Aberdeen man has now left the Tartan Army squad to return to Glasgow (Daily Record).

Jack, who has played 10 times for Scotland, has been an important part of the Gers’ campaign, making 24 appearances in all competitions for them. However, he has suffered with calf and knee issues throughout the campaign, so hopefully, this international break will now allow him more time to recover so that he can play a part between now and the end of the season.

The news attracted plenty of attention from Gers fans, some of whom took to social media platform Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Jack news below

“You have ruined my evening Scotland”

Credit: @willreilly72

“Huge blow. Should be first name on team sheet. People really underestimate how vital he is defensively to Scotland.”

Credit: @David_Davy_Dave

“Brilliant. Concentrate on the teddy bears games”

Credit: @rino1872

“Good news . He’s come back twice from international duty injured and his lack of games is concerning. Shame though it is about missing the Euros he would be better suited getting properly fit as his priority is to Rangers not Scotland.”

Credit: @IBoyd1966

“Good.”

Credit: @billyni99933742

“The lad hasn’t played for his club for weeks so why on earth he was called up in the first place was pathetic. After the @Scottish Fa lack of support for @GlenKamara4 I hope no @RangersFC players play for Scotland again.”

Credit: @Blabber08756401

In other news, this Rangers man has been tipped to be the club’s Player of the Year.

Newcastle may have ‘dodged a bullet’ by refusing the takeover offer from Bin Zayed International, according to Rob Lee.

It was reported back in May 2019 that Sheikh Khaled’s group were in negotiations with Mike Ashley over the £350m purchase of the club. The previous year, they had apparently expressed interest in buying Liverpool before being rebuffed by Fenway Sports Group.

The Mag’s Jonathan Drape-Comyn wrote at the time that the prospective deal had the ‘potential to be the best thing ever to happen to Newcastle United’, but ultimately no breakthrough was made and Ashley was left publicly questioning the true extent of their wealth.

Sheikh Khaled’s Derby bid unravelled

Bin Zayed International then moved onto other options in their pursuit of a club. Last November, an agreement with Derby County was reached in principle.

It was said that confirmation was imminent, and Khaled was even involved in the appointment of Wayne Rooney as permanent manager at Pride Park (via BBC Sport).

Howver, after ongoing delays in the completion of the deal, The Telegraph reported earlier this month that it had been scrapped, leaving Derby ‘furious’.

Former Newcastle midfielder Lee spoke to Football FanCast about the matter and believes that the Magpies may be fortunate that the prospective takeover never happened, saying:

“We won’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. Mel Morris is in charge of Derby and maybe the same sort of thing [happened].

“We’ll never know, we’ll be guessing forever. We could’ve dodged a bullet.”

Transfer Tavern verdict

As Lee says, the details are murky. We don’t know, for instance, whether the Group would have sought to retain Rafael Benitez.

Initial reports suggested that they were intent on keeping the Spaniard, only for Ashley to later blame them for the Spaniard’s departure in June 2019.

An adequately-backed Benitez would theoretically have been a force on Tyneside, but can we really say, based on the chaotic picture we’ve been given of the takeover attempts, that this change of ownership would have ushered in a period of stability at St James’ Park?

In other news, Newcastle players are reportedly raging at one of their team-mates after his recent comments.