All posts by h79snht.top

Leeds United could be involved in a familiar tale at Elland Road as one of their players is being lined up for a loan exit in January, according to recent reports.

Leeds United's new era under Daniel Farke

Despite suffering relegation last term amid a backdrop of uncertainty at Elland Road, Leeds United have reacted superbly to life in the Sky Bet Championship as Daniel Farke continues to put his stamp on the Yorkshire-based outfit. Winning nine and drawing four of their opening 16 matches in the English second-tier, the Whites sit third in the league standings and have put themselves in contention for promotion to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Nevertheless, Ipswich Town hold an eight-point advantage over Leeds United in the hunt for automatic access to the riches of the Premier League and Farke's men will need to put together an imperious run of form to catch the Tractor Boys. Part of the precariousness that surrounded Leeds United heading into 2023/24 was down to the sheer number of players that left the club in the summer, either on a loan basis or permanently.

In particular, some of the loan departures caused some debate among the Elland Road faithful, who weren't all keen to see some of their best assets leave the building not long after the club spent considerable money to acquire their services in the first place.

Leeds United's summer loan departures

Player

Club loaned to

Robin Koch

Eintracht Frankfurt

Sonny Perkins

Oxford United

Jack Harrison

Everton

Cody Drameh

Birmingham City

Sam Greenwood

Middlesbrough

Marc Roca

Real Betis

Rasmus Kristensen

Roma

Luis Sinisterra

Bournemouth

Max Wober

Borussia Monchengladbach

Brenden Aaronson

Union Berlin

All details courtesy of Transfermarkt

Now, the mood has changed due to Farke's sterling work in the transfer market, which has helped to adequately replace some of those who chose to seek refuge elsewhere. However, they could be about to embark on a familiar tale, according to a fresh report involving one of their players.

Lazio eye Wilfried Gnonto loan deal

According to Calcio Style, Lazio are keen on Leeds United attacker Wilfried Gnonto and could look to enact an initial loan deal with a potential option to activate a buyout clause for the Italy international in the summer for a fee totalling around €15 million. The report states that Gnonto would be open to a move elsewhere and is looking around for alternative destinations as he seeks to perform at the highest level possible.

Once labelled "special" by former Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch, Gnonto has endured a frustrating time of things this term for his current employers, registering one goal and a solitary assist in 11 appearances across all competitions (Gnonto statistics – Transfermarkt).

Despite this, the Verbania-born forward has managed to record an average of 1.1 shots taken and 1.4 completed dribbles per match in the English second-tier, demonstrating his potency in attack (Gnonto statistics – WhoScored).

Leeds will be keen to avoid being stuck in an awkward position regarding Gnonto's future, though it will be intriguing to see if he is still at Elland Road beyond January.

في إنجاز جديد يضاف إلى سجل إنجازاتهم الحافل، نجح منتخب مصر لكرة اليد في تحقيق فوزٍ عريضٍ ومستحق على نظيره الأرجنتيني في أولمبياد باريس 2024.

والتقى منتخب مصر مع الأرجنتين، اليوم الأحد ضمن منافسات الجولة الخامسة والأخيرة لدور المجموعات ببطولة الألعاب الأولمبية باريس 2024.

وقد شهدت المباراة إثارة وندية كبيرتين بين الفريقين، حيث تبادل الفريقان التقدم طوال أحداثها، وبالرغم من تقدم الأرجنتين في الشوط الأول بنتيجة 15-14، إلا أن منتخب مصر دخل الشوط الثاني وعزيمة قوية وعاد لتسجيل سلسلة من الأهداف المتتالية، ليفرض سيطرته على مجريات اللعب وينهي المباراة لصالحه بنتيجة 34-27.

هذا الفوز الثمين يؤكد قوة وفاعلية منتخب مصر لكرة اليد، وقدرته على المنافسة بقوة على الميداليات الأولمبية، كما أنه يعكس المستوى الفني العالي الذي يتمتع به اللاعبون المصريون، والروح القتالية.

ويعد هذا التأهل هو الثامن لمنتخب مصر في تاريخ مشاركاته بالأولمبياد، حيث سبق له المشاركة في نسخ 1992، 1996، 2000، 2004، 2008، 2016، و2020. وهذا يؤكد مكانة منتخب مصر لكرة اليد كأحد أفضل المنتخبات في العالم، وقدرته على المنافسة على أعلى المستويات. أهداف مباراة مصر والأرجنتين في أولمبياد باريس

Barring recent slip-ups, Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a fine start to life at Tottenham Hotspur, putting them back in contention to finish inside the Premier League's top four. The manager did well in the summer to recruit reinforcements after the departure of star man Harry Kane. Creating a foundation with the potential to build into a great success, the Australian has now reportedly turned his attention towards the future when it comes to additions.

If the Lilywhites want to ensure future success in order to finally end their wait for silverware, then welcoming players who seem destined to reach increasingly high potentials may well be the way forward, which could result in the arrival of one reported target.

Spurs transfer news

The first task at hand for Postecoglou was to ensure that Spurs spent any money gained through the sale of Kane in adequate fashion. Now a few months into his tenure and it's fair to say that he completed that task. The likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have slotted straight in, whilst a change of role for Heung-min Son has paid dividends. The long-term task that Postecoglou has is to build for the future, which could see the North London push on for a particular player.

According to TeamTalk, Spurs are eyeing a move for Lennon Miller, who has impressed at Motherwell both this season and in the previous campaign. The 17-year-old midfielder is reportedly not short on potential suitors, with Rangers, Celtic, Aston Villa, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion, West Ham United and Brentford all keeping an eye on the midfielder alongside Spurs.

Postecoglou got an up-close look at Miller earlier this year when Motherwell travelled to face Celtic in a game that saw the teenager handed an appearance from the bench as his side earned a 1-1 draw.

Spurs interested in "brilliant" Miller

Even after recently putting pen to paper on a new deal until 2027 at Motherwell, interest has reportedly continued to come for Miller, who has become an important part of the Scottish Premiership side. Miller's versatility is also a huge bonus, given that he can play both in defensive and attacking midfield, as well as on the right-hand side. And this has already resulted in 13 starts for his club this season, in which he has scored and assisted once. At 17-years-old, he should only get better with time, too, potentially handing Spurs or another suitor a crucial player in the middle of the park.

Such is his talent, Miller has been at the centre of praise and this includes the words of teammate Liam Kelly, who said via The Herald:

“Everyone’s saying how young Lennon is and trying to play it down. But it’s at the point where he’s just a brilliant player – forget about his age.

“He’s just a really good player. He’s really capable of playing at the level. There aren’t many sitting midfielders in the country better than him. Him and Harry have a brilliant partnership in front of our back-line. So, with his age you just want to play down his performance and try to keep him grounded. Ultimately, though, he’s just a brilliant player. So, there’s no harm in admitting that.”

MatériaMais Notícias

Flamengo e Bahia duelarão pela 26ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro neste domingo, mais precisamente a partir das 18h15, no Maracanã. No embate do primeiro turno, a partida contou com nada mais nada menos que oito gols e foi vencida pelo lado rubro-negro por 5 a 3.

RelacionadasFlamengoFlamengo divulga relacionados para o duelo contra o Bahia com novidadeFlamengo19/12/2020Brasileirão‘A pedidos da Globo’, jogo entre Grêmio e Flamengo é reagendado; veja data e horárioBrasileirão19/12/2020FlamengoCom Diego à disposição, Flamengo finaliza a preparação para receber o BahiaFlamengo19/12/2020

Para este jogo, Rogério Ceni, em busca do topo, terá a volta de Diego Ribas, mas ainda não as de Willian Arão e Thiago Maia (este ainda distante do retorno). Já da parte dos visitantes, que não vencem há seis jogos na temporada,Mano Menezes é a baixa mais significativa, uma vez que o treinador não poderá reencontrar o ex-clube por conta de suspensão via STJD.

Confira mais informações da partida:

FLAMENGO X BAHIA – 26ª RODADA DO BRASILEIRO
Estádio: Maracanã, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Data: 20de dezembro de 2020, às 18h15
Árbitro:Flavio Rodrigues de Souza (Fifa-SP)
Assistentes:Marcelo Carvalho Van Gasse (Fifa-SP) eDanilo Ricardo Simon Manis (Fifa-SP)
Árbitro de vídeo:Jose Claudio Rocha Filho (SP)

> Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

Onde ver: Premiere e Tempo Real do LANCE!

FLAMENGO (Técnico: Rogério Ceni)
Diego Alves; Isla, Rodrigo Caio, Natan e Filipe Luís; João Gomes, Gerson, Everton Ribeiro e Arrascaeta; Bruno Henrique e Gabigol.

Desfalques:Thiago Maia e Willian Arão (lesionados)
Suspensos:-
Pendurados:Rogério Ceni, Filipe Luis, João Gomes, Isla, Gerson, Vitinho, João Lucas e Gabigol.

BAHIA (Técnico: Mano Menezes)
Douglas, Ernando, Anderson Martins, Juninho e Juninho Capixaba; Gregore, Edson e Ramon; Índio Ramirez, Élber e Gilberto.

Desfalque: Ronaldo (força contratual)
Suspenso: Mano Menezes
Pendurados: Gregore, Clayson, Edson, Rodriguinho, Juninho, Marco Antonio e Clayson.

PALPITES:Na redação do LANCE!, 70% acreditam em vitória do Flamengo, 20%, em triunfo do Bahia. O restante, 10%, apostam em empate.

Australia are bolstered by Big Bash stars, including Chris Lynn who is making another return from shoulder problems

Daniel Brettig24-Oct-2018

In 2013, Chris Rogers finished his first full Test series and within a handful of days was back playing for Middlesex in the County Championship. Battling through scores of 8 and 2 against Somerset at Lord’s, he found himself far more exhausted than expected, having realised the mental toll of the game’s longest form.Five years on and Aaron Finch finds himself about to lead Australia’s T20 side just four days after the conclusion of his own first Test series, where he performed creditably in the touring team’s 1-0 defeat by Pakistan, who now seek to defend their No. 1 ranking in the 20-over format.It was a task Sarfraz Ahmed’s side accomplished with aplomb in a Zimbabwe triangular series earlier this year, but Finch has now been bolstered by plenty of talent from the Big Bash League, not least Chris Lynn, fit enough to be considered after missing the mid-year tour with his persistent shoulder problems. Pointing out that he was the lone survivor of the Test top six, Finch reckoned any “baggage” would be at a minimum.”There’s nine fresh guys that have come into our squad from the Test series, so there’ll be no baggage from them whatsoever. I think I’m the only batsman out of the top handful that was here for the Test series,” Finch said in Abu Dhabi. “So I think in that regard they’re just going to come in and play their natural game. They’re all really good strikers of the ball, but I don’t think batting outweighs bowling in any way, I think your defensive bowling is the most important thing, along with your batting.”Teams who take wickets in the Powerplay tend to win games, and teams who when they get a team on the ropes really squeeze them I think goes a long way to winning the game. We’re going to have our game plans on how we approach it and how we plan out our game, so it’ll be an exciting three games. Both sides are very attacking, particularly in the Powerplay, both sides have plenty of power, so it’ll be a great series.”[Lynn] played nicely [against UAE], being injured for quite a while it’s always a bit uncertain with Chris in the field, whether he’s diving and stuff like that, but from all reports he’s 100%, he says he’s feeling great at the moment, it’s great to have him back. We’ve also got Ben McDermott who made his debut yesterday and played really well towards the end of the innings. When you have new guys coming in it’s really exciting, particularly on their debut.”In the Pakistan side, Finch said the threat posed by the wrist spin of Shadab Khan, returned from injury, would be keenly monitored by the Australians on surfaces likely to provide some assistance for the slow bowling craft. “He’s a world-class spinner Shadab, I thought we played him really well in Harare on a wicket that was spinning a little bit, especially towards the back end of that tri-series,” he said.”Both sides are pretty familiar with each other coming off that tri-series in July and also a Test series. There’s a lot of work that goes in from backroom staff and players individually preparing for each game and each series and each opponent individually, but as a collective there was some good knowledge on both sides from that tri-series. Their spinners play a big part in their plan as well, so we’re going to have to play well against them to be a chance and to win this series.”As for favouritism, Sarfraz has argued that Australia were No. 1 in the world based on their bevy of BBL stars. Finch, though, looked only upon the world rankings. “They’re all world-class players, they’re No. 1 in the world for a reason, and no doubts they go in with the favourite tag,” Finch said. “So I think there’ll be more pressure on them than there will be on us.””Any time you’re playing a series against another country is important, and everyone wants to win, so regardless of if the No. 1 ranking is on the line or if you’re playing anyone.”

تحدث بيب جوارديولا مدرب مانشستر سيتي عن تتويج فريقه بلقب كأس الدرع الخيرية أمام مانشستر يونايتد.

ونجح مانشستر سيتي بطل الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز في الفوز بركلات الترجيح (7-6) على مانشستر يونايتد، ليتوج بالدرع الخيرية اليوم الأحد.

وقال جوارديولا لقناة “ITV”: “استمتعت بالموسم ضد منافسنا في مانشستر والبدء باللقب أمر جيد، نحن سعداء حقًا”.

وأضاف: “لقد فقدنا الكثير من الكرات، إنهم خطيرون للغاية للسيطرة عليهم، ولكن في النهاية نجحنا في ذلك”.

وتابع: “من الجيد أن نلعب هذه المباراة لأنها تعني أنك فزت بشيء في الموسم السابق”.

وأردف: “الآن نرى كيف يعود اللاعبون، الهدف الآن ليس الفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، بل حسنًا، حاول الفوز بالمباراة القادمة، هذا ما يتعين علينا القيام به”.

وعن ركلة جزاء أكانجي، أوضح: “لقد أهدرها في بطولة أوروبا وأنا أحب أن تكون لديه الشخصية اللازمة لتسديدها”.

اقرأ أيضًا | تين هاج بعد خسارة مانشستر يونايتد أمام مانشستر سيتي: نشعر بالألم

وعن إيدرسون، أفاد: “إنه أفضل منفذي ركلات الجزاء لدينا، إلى جانب إيرلينج هالاند وكيفين دي بروين، الثلاثة هم الأفضل لدينا”.

وبشأن أوسكار بوب، أشار: “إنه جيد حقًا في المساحات الصغيرة وأخلاقياته في العمل، فهو عدواني حقًا في المساحات القصيرة والطويلة”.

وأكمل: “رأيت اليوم العديد من الأشياء التي أعجبتني، كانت أول 35 دقيقة أكثر من ممتازة بالنسبة للوقت الذي قضيناه معًا، ومع ذلك، نحن بعيدون عن أفضل ما لدينا، وهذا أمر طبيعي، من الأفضل الفوز بكأس واحدة ولكن الواقع هو أن شيئًا لم يتغير”.

واستطرد: “لقد لعبنا بشكل جيد للغاية وفي النهاية لم تكن الكرة مستقرة وأهدر كل اللاعبين الكثير من الكرات الطويلة”.

وأفاد: “مانشستر يونايتد خطير للغاية في سرعة الاستحواذ على الكرة بعد أن يفقدها خصمهم، إنهم جيدون حقًا وأحد أفضل الفرق في هذا”.

وعن لاعبه سافينيو، اختتم: “تأثيره جيد في اللعب على الجانبين، إنه جيد حقًا، انظر إلى الهدف الذي سجلناه، كان عدوانيًا، لقد كان جيدًا حقًا”.

Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell combined to take seven wickets as Tasmania earned their second win of the season

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Nov-2018

Tasmania overcame a superb rearguard hundred from Callum Ferguson and rain which threatened to scupper their hopes to secure a 189-run victory over South Australia.Ferguson had started the day at the crease and there was still there at tea, but South Australia were seven down after Jackson Bird and Gabe Bell went through the top order. However, rain delayed the resumption of the final session and when it relented 19 overs were left.Ferguson went to his century with the first ball he faced, his 219th delivery, after the break before Bird removed Nick Winter. Ferguson started to farm the strike with Kane Richardson for company but as the overs started to tick down he was pinned lbw by the impressive Bird.The match ended in the next over when Richardson was caught in the slips off Bell who finished with 3 for 44.Earlier in the day, wickets fell regularly as South Australia stumbled to 5 for 77. Debutant Alex Pyecroft continued his impressive start by having Jake Lehmann caught behind on the way to notable figures of 17-10-16-1.Ferguson and Alex Carey resisted in a stand of 55 in 13 overs, but when Carey and Joe Mennie fell in the space of two deliveries to Riley Meredith the end looked like coming swiftly. Ferguson had other ideas and nearly had a helping hand, but in the end it wasn’t quite enough.

Tottenham Hotspur's new era under Ange Postecoglou's stewardship has been blighted by a torrent of absences inflicted on the side over recent weeks, ruining an exemplary start to the Premier League season.

Having been so poor last season, it was quite remarkable that the former Celtic manager succeeded in pumping energy and confidence back into this Spurs side, who darted into a scramble at the top over the opening months of the campaign – actually topping the table after ten matches.

But the squad's thinness always threatened to be the sticking point and a 4-1 home defeat against Chelsea one month ago underscored the frailty of Postecoglou's team.

In particular, the defence needs attention in January after Cristian Romero's straight red card against the Blues; more detrimentally, influential £43m summer signing Micky van de Ven injured his hamstring in that match and will not return until after the new year.

Reinforcements are paramount, and Tottenham might just have identified the perfect winter addition to get the squad back on track.

Tottenham transfer news – Jean-Clair Todibo

According to a report from the Evening Standard earlier this week, Tottenham are looking to rival Liverpool and Manchester United for OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo in January.

The 23-year-old Frenchman has been excellent in Ligue 1 and is indeed being lined up for a move to the Premier League, though Les Aiglons will demand around £39m to grant his departure.

It's stressed that Spurs would not have an easy run in securing Todibo's signature, with Manchester United also interested, but given the urgency of bolstering the backline this winter, chairman Daniel Levy might pull the strings required to land their man.

Jean-Clair Todibo's season in numbers

Nice are ensconced in second place in Ligue 1 after 13 matches and are the only team in the division to have yet t daste defeat; they are just one point behind table-topping champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Most impressively, Nice have conceded just four goals in the league so far this season, with Todibo playing an instrumental role in creating this cohesive and formidable unit, having once been described as "solid as a rock" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

As per Sofascore, the £20k-per-week titan has started 11 games and remarkably taken an average of 99 touches per game – for reference, Manchester City's Ruben Dias takes 91.5 touches each outing in the Premier League this year.

Completing 90% of his passes, Todibo also averages a whopping total of 7.8 ball recoveries, two tackles, 1.4 interceptions and 2.8 clearances per contest, succeeding with 88% of his dribbles and 62% of his contested duels.

Mighty and menacing, the one-time Barcelona prospect is among the finest defenders in France and boasts a modern scope of skills to make him a fantastic fit at Tottenham.

Jean-Clair Todibo's style of play

As per FBref, Todibo ranks among the top 20% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 9% for passes attempted, the top 18% for progressive passes, the top 7% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90.

Effectively, this showcases an extraordinary level of distribution and his robustness in his defensive work, frequently disarming surging attackers and driving forward himself, influencing attacking patterns from deep.

Jean-Clair Todibo: Similar Players

Player

Club

Fikayo Tomori

AC Milan

William Saliba

Arsenal

Antonio Rudiger

Real Madrid

Sven Botman

Newcastle United

Andreas Christensen

Barcelona

*Sourced via Football Transfers

In an interview with Ligue 1 Uber Eats, Todibo's Brazilian defensive partner Dante waxed lyrical over his skill set and highlighted the developing maturity of his craft, now finding balance between creative risk-taking and solidity in his defensive work.

Dante said: "He always played a risky game, far too risky. Now he has found real balance in his game between taking risks, dribbling out from the back because it’s the best thing to do and having fun on the pitch! I’m not saying he should kick the ball out into touch, never! I’d rather he takes a risk. And he’s progressed in that domain!"

With Van de Ven currently sat on the sidelines and perhaps not returning until the later stages of January (or beyond…), Todibo could arrive to partner Romero in front of Guglielmo Vicario's goal.

Imagine Jean-Clair Todibo and Cristian Romero

Signed from Atalanta for £42m in 2022, Romero has now amassed 75 appearances for his English side and has been noted for his "incredible" displays this season by Spurs correspondent Alasdair Gold.

Related Ange could sign Spurs their next Romero in £7m titan

Tottenham will need to bolster the backline in January.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 10, 2023

He was even proclaimed to be the "best defender in the world right now" by Lionel Messi, with the duo instrumental cogs in Argentina's 2022 World Cup triumph in Qatar.

The 25-year-old ranks among the top 7% of centre-backs for tackles per 90 and is known for his ferocious, tough-challenging style, and could work in tandem with Todibo, who offers similar physical dominance.

With Romero breaking up attacks, sweeping away danger and generally just proving to be a thorny nuisance for any brave attacker risking a venture into his realm, Todibo's proclivity for offensive-instigating movements could be brought to the fore.

Such a duo really could send a frisson of excitement coursing down the N17, and Postecoglou would be wise to throw the kitchen sink at a deal, deepening his side's ranks with the perfect kind of acquisition.

While Van de Ven and Romero's partnership highlighted the duo's credentials as starting stars under Postecoglou's wing, it's clear that greater support is needed to cement Tottenham as a formidable force in the Premier League.

Especially when considering that the club dreams of a return to the Champions League, where rotation across the multitude of competitions is even more important.

Todibo's listed qualities suggest that he would be a fantastic fit for Spurs' fluid, innovative style, with the Frenchman's distribution and athleticism particularly eye-catching.

With the likes of Manchester United also circling, Tottenham must move swiftly to secure the former Barcelona centre-half's signature, aiding the club in its pursuit of prominence.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na manhã de sábado (9), o Corinthians realizou mais um treino no CT Dr. Joaquim Grava para a partida de quarta-feira (13), contra o Fluminense,às 21h30, na Neo Química Arena, pela29ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

Jogo até fevereiro! Veja o calendário do seu time até o final da atual temporada

Depois do aquecimento, orientado pelo preparador físico Flávio de Oliveira, no Campo 1, o técnico Vagner Mancini comandou um trabalho tático com a equipe no Campo 3. Durante a atividade, o treinador passou instruções aos seus jogadores.

A sessão de treinos do dia foi encerrada com um coletivo em campo reduzido.

TIMÃO CHEGA AO G6? SIMULE OS RESULTADOS DO CLUBE NO BRASILEIRÃO

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansXavier, do Corinthians, desperta o interesse de clube árabeCorinthians08/01/2021CorinthiansEntenda como Ronaldo Fenômeno ajudou o Corinthians a conseguir acordo com a BrahmaCorinthians09/01/2021CorinthiansSe mantiver aproveitamento com Mancini, Corinthians pode atingir posição no G7 do BrasileirãoCorinthians08/01/2021

O treino contou com a participação de duas novidades da base: o lateral esquerdo Biro, do sub-17, e o zagueiro Belezi, do sub-20. Eles completaram a atividade do dia como parte do plano de integração entre os departamentos de Formação de Atletas e de Futebol.

O Corinthians não entrou em campo neste meio de semana, para a 28ª rodada do Brasileirão, pois o seu adversário, o Palmeiras, teve compromisso pela semifinal da Libertadores, na terça-feira (5). O clássico foi remarcado para o dia 18 de janeiro, às 19h, no Allianz Parque.

O duelo contra o time das Laranjeiras, válido pela29ª rodada do campeonato, seria no final de semana. No entanto, ele foi remarcado para a próxima quarta-feira (13), para ser transmitido na TV aberta.

Contra o Flu, o único desfalque certo do Timão é Ramiro, suspenso pelo terceiro cartão amarelo. Em contrapartida, o zagueiro Bruno Méndez volta de suspensão e vai disputar uma vaga com Jemerson, que é o favorito e foi titular no treino da última quinta-feira (7).

Leeds United have missed on the opportunity to close the gap between themselves and the current top two over the last two gameweeks.

Daniel Farke's side have picked up just one point from games against Sunderland and Coventry over the past week, as they lost 1-0 to the former and were held to a 1-1 draw by the latter.

This has left them ten points behind Ipswich Town, who were held to a 2-2 draw by Norwich on Saturday, when the gap could have been closed to five points.

Regular starters Dan James and Joel Piroe failed to step up with any goal involvements in those two games and this meant that Leeds needed a lift off the bench from their substitutes.

Unfortunately, Farke's depth has left a lot to be desired as Patrick Bamford, Wilfried Gnonto, and Jaidon Anthony have combined for one goal and one assist in 37 substitute appearances between them in the Championship this season.

The German boss could improve his depth by finally ditching Wilfried Gnonto in order to reignite his interest in Genk star Joseph Paintsil.

Leeds transfer news – Gnonto and Paintsil

Football Insider have claimed that the Whites are now open to allowing the Italy international to depart from Elland Road during the upcoming January transfer window.

The report stated that he could be sold next month to bolster Farke's budget as it would allow him to dip into the market to bring in fresh reinforcements ahead of the second half of the campaign.

It was also reported that Gnonto is 'desperate' to play regular first-team football again as he has found himself on the bench more often than not so far this season.

Football Insider claimed that teams from both the Premier League and the Serie A are monitoring his situation ahead of a possible January swoop.

Leeds would, however, need to replace Gnonto with another versatile forward and Farke could finally ditch the Italian prospect by reigniting his interest in Genk star Joseph Paintsil.

The Athletic reported during the summer transfer window that the club made a €10m (£8.6m) offer to sign the right-footed whiz to improve their attack.

They did not get a deal over the line for him, though, as the Ghana international later revealed that he turned down Leeds and Southampton as his dream is to play Premier League football.

The exciting gem decided that staying at Genk was the best option for him at the time to earn himself a direct move to a top five European league further down the line.

However, Leeds – and Southampton – are competing at the top end of the Championship table and are eyeing an instant return back to the top-flight.

They could use their current position, in third place, to convince the Pro League star to ditch his current club to complete a move to Elland Road, with the prospect of playing Premier League football next season being the big selling point.

Wilfried Gnonto's Leeds statistics

The 20-year-old whiz joined Leeds from Swiss side FC Zurich in the summer of 2022 and has shown flashes of brilliance during his time in England.

Gnonto has showcased his potential with rare moments of quality but is yet to prove that he has the consistency to be a reliable option for Farke in the short term.

Last season, the young ace produced two goals, four assists, and three 'big chances' created in 24 Premier League appearances for the Whites as they were relegated to the second tier.

This was a promising start to life at Elland Road for the talented ace as he ranked within the top 19% of top-flight attacking midfielders and wingers for assists (0.27) per 90.

However, the right-footed winger has not been able to kick on and take his play to new heights with the drop down to the Championship this term.

Gnonto has managed one goal, one assist, and zero 'big chances' created in 16 league appearances – six of which have come as a starter – for Leeds this season.

He handed in a transfer request in an attempt to secure a move to Everton over the summer and is yet to prove that the Whites were right to keep hold of him instead of cashing in when they had the chance.

Farke could finally ditch the Italy international, who wanted out earlier this year, by signing Paintsil to replace him in January if the club can convince the Genk star this time around.

The statistics that show why Leeds should sign Paintsil

The 25-year-old dynamo, who was once lauded as an "ice-cold baller" by journalist Owuraku Ampofo, has been in impressive form since the start of last season and could be a big upgrade on Gnonto.

Last term, Paintsil caught the eye with his outstanding ability to contribute with both goals and assists on a regular basis from a wide position.

The Leeds target produced 17 goals and 11 assists in 36 Pro League outings and ranked within the top 3% or higher among his positional peers for assists (0.46) and non-penalty goals (0.54) per 90.

He has followed that up with a strong start to the current campaign. The 5 foot 6 wizard has racked up six goals, four assists, and eight 'big chances' created in 18 league matches.

Paintsil currently ranks within the top 9% of Pro League attacking midfielders and wingers for Expected Assisted Goals (0.37) per 90.

These statistics show that the impressive forward is a consistent ace who has the quality to chip in as a scorer and a creator of goals on a regular basis, given that he has proven himself over the last 18 months.

23/24 league season

Gnonto

Paintsil

Appearances

16

18

Goals

One

Six

Assists

One

Four

Big chances created

Zero

Eight

Sofascore rating

6.84

7.26

As you can see in the table above, Paintsil has the potential to come in as a significant upgrade on Gnonto for Farke during the second half of the season.

The Ghana international could provide real competition for James and Piroe in the attacking positions and provide the manager with a potent option off the bench, which is something that is currently missing from the squad.