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Leeds United pundit Noel Whelan has dropped an intriguing verdict on Whites youngster Joe Gelhardt [Football Insider]. The 19 year-old is yet to be seen in first-team action for the club.

The Lowdown: Leeds gear up for the 2021/22 Premier League campaign

As Leeds United get their ducks in a row for the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, signings from elsewhere will not be Marcelo Bielsa’s only priority.

In attack, the Whites have been linked with players like Eddie Nketiah and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as they seek to strengthen the depth around the likes of Raphinha and Patrick Bamford.

However, Whelan reckons that the Elland Road side may already have a new attacking outlet at Thorp Arch.

The Latest: Whelan drops an intriguing verdict on the Leeds youngster

In an interview with Football Insider, former Leeds player Whelan claimed that Gelhardt can force his way into the team.

“From the people I’ve spoken to Gelhardt is best in a number 10 role, not a number nine.

“I would expect him after an amazing season with the Under-23s to get his chance. He can only do so much with the Under-23s. You have to bide your time with Bielsa.

“Whether Tyler Roberts stays or goes, Gelhardt will fancy his chances of taking his spot in the squad next season. I think he could edge out Tyler Roberts.”

The Verdict: Time to shine

Upon reflection, the ex-pro turned pundit makes a compelling case for the inclusion of the youngster as a part of the Leeds United squad.

Rightfully pointing out his sparking form at Under-23 level, the 19-year-old scored 11 goals in 16 games for the Whites [Transfermarkt], contributing heavily to their Premier League 2 Division 2 triumph [SBNation].

On the books with the Whites until 2024, Leeds United should look to give Gelhardt some prominent game time early in the next campaign. If he shows signs of replicating the form he has produced at the youth level, it could prove to be a Bielsa masterstroke.

In other news, Leeds United have held talks with a 12-goal international winger.

After securing an impressive 3-1 win at home to Spurs last weekend, Leeds will be hoping to make it back-to-back victories in the Premier League when they take on Burnley on Saturday afternoon.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side ran out comfortable winners over the north Londoners thanks to goals from Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo, and it’s the latter who the Leeds manager must now finally unleash from the off.

Dubbed as “extraordinary” by former Barcelona boss Quique Setien, Rodrigo hasn’t been able to hit the ground running at Elland Road; and while he was quick to dismiss speculation that he wanted a move back to Spain, it has still been a rather disappointing debut campaign for him with the Whites.

He has managed just four goals and one assist in 23 games, while perhaps more frustratingly, his time in Yorkshire has been disrupted by niggling injuries. He last started a match against Leicester at the end of January.

However, after making a couple of cameos in the last two games after returning from his latest issue – including that goal-scoring display off the bench against Spurs a week ago – a clash against Burnley is surely the perfect time for Rodrigo to now start.

The Clarets have long been known as a team who are hard to break down under Sean Dyche, and the Spaniard’s movement off the ball could be the key to unlocking their defence.

Indeed, after an impressive performance against Arsenal earlier in the campaign, former Leeds striker Noel Whelan explained just how important Rodrigo is to Bielsa’s side, telling Football Insider: “He’s always looking for it, he’s never ever standing still, he’s always on the move and that’s what I like about him. He can’t be marked, he’s always looking for a space – very much the next Hernandez.

“He is a player that looks like he can make things happen. He’s very intelligent, he brings other people into play and makes space for them.”

Whelan also insisted that the £100,000-per-week Spaniard should be starting ahead of Tyler Roberts, saying: “If you ask 100 Leeds fans who they would prefer in that position, Rodrigo or Tyler Roberts, they would all say Rodrigo all day long.”

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Now that he’s back fit and has a couple of substitute appearances under his belt, Bielsa must unleash Rodrigo on Burnley. Given that he arguably has a point to prove to his manager, he will want to end his first season at Leeds on a high.

He could well be a game-changer for the Whites when they make the trip to Turf Moor this weekend.

Meanwhile, Leeds source drops exciting update on club’s transfer plans…

For one last time, West Brom lineup for a Premier League fixture as they head to Leeds United later this evening.

The Baggies’ relegation back to the Championship was confirmed over two weeks ago and since then, they have been edged out in close affairs against Liverpool and West Ham.

It also marks the final time that Sam Allardyce will lead Albion out after it was announced that the 66-year-old would be leaving his post at the end of the season.

He – and West Brom – could go out with a bang by shocking Marcelo Bielsa’s side, who themselves have enjoyed an incredible maiden campaign in the big time.

Big Sam could also do the club a massive favour by opting to start those that should be around next season in the second flight. There is little point in playing those that are either out of contract or are here on a temporary basis.

Whoever the next manager is, he could well be looking on during this encounter, so it would benefit the Midlands side tenfold if those players were to feature.

Karlan Grant is one of those names. He has quickly gone from £12m summer signing to a forgotten man at the Hawthorns.

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Once described as a “ruthless in front of goal” by former Huddersfield boss Danny Cowley and “natural goalscorer” by Charlton coach Jason Euell in interviews with The Athletic, the 23-year-old marksman has found life tough at the top level.

In 20 appearances, Grant has found the net just once, though he hasn’t started a game since early February and has only played a total of 1,125 minutes all season, as per Transfermarkt.

When joining last summer, the £8m-rated forward signed a long-term six-year £30k-per-week contract, so he’s certainly going to be a part of their long-term future and will surely play a major role in getting the Baggies back up.

His record in the Championship is rather respectable, after all, it’s such a record that led to Slaven Bilic pulling the trigger on his signature.

In a poor Terriers side, Grant found the net 19 times during 2019/20, which was more than Albion’s forward options in the very same division, which is why he must be given a look-in today.

Mbaye Diagne has only scored three goals since arriving in January and is surely not going to stick around for another season in the Championship, so it would benefit everyone if someone like Grant were to start instead.

Given he’s barely featured much in 2021, he could be a secret weapon, playing with a massive chip on his shoulder and that could subsequently hurt Leeds.

Big Sam can go out on a bang if he unleashes the forgotten beast today.

AND in other news, Dowling can revive West Brom by hiring 53 y/o “messiah” who Klopp dubbed “exceptional”…

Watford central midfielder Will Hughes has no intention of leaving Vicarage Road any time soon.

What’s been said?

That’s according to the 26-year-old himself, who, in a recent interview with The Athletic, claimed that he wants to extend his current deal with the Hornets, as well as has no plans to leave the club this summer – despite the report claiming there is likely to be interest in his services from a number of Premier League sides this summer.

He said: “I’m really happy here and settled back in the Premier League so there’s nothing better [and] that’s how I want it to remain. It’s as simple as that. There are no thoughts in my head about me moving elsewhere.”

When asked about extending his contract, Hughes added: “I’d like to, but that’s in my agent’s and the club’s hands. That’s not something I’m really concerned about and it’s not something that I’ve really thought about. I’ll give my all for Watford until my contract is up.”

Fans will be buzzing

So far this season, Hughes has impressed over his 29 appearances in the centre of the Watford midfield, with the 26-year-old scoring two goals and making an average of 1.2 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 0.6 key passes per game, culminating in an average SofaScore match rating of 6.94 – ranking him as the club’s 12th-best performer in the second tier.

As such, the news that the £30,000-per-week ace is more than happy at Vicarage Road is likely to delight both Xisco Munoz and fans of the club alike, as both parties will be hoping that Hughes and the rest of the Watford team can ensure that the club remain at top-flight team come the end of next season.

And, with a player whose determination was dubbed an “important” part of his game by Marco Silva in the Watford team, it is undeniable that the Hornets stand a better chance of surviving the Premier League relegation zone than if Hughes were to move onto pastures new this summer.

In other news: Giaretta must sanction Watford swoop for “special” £21k-p/w star likened to Harry Kane – opinion

Frank McAvennie has exclusively told Football FanCast that he hopes West Ham keep Said Benrahma but has warned the Algerian international to improve his discipline.

The attacker joined from Brentford last summer on loan with a view to a permanent deal, which was then confirmed as being part of a £20m swoop in January of this year.

However, the arrival of Jesse Lingard later that month has reduced Benrahma’s opportunities for West Ham, making just four Premier League starts since then.

And despite scoring 17 times in the Championship for Brentford last season, he’s yet to get off the mark in claret and blue, although he’s contributed six assists in 29 appearances in all competitions.

McAvennie recognises his talent, but told Football FanCast that he must take David Moyes’ instructions on board:

“It depends on his attitude. He was losing possession in the wrong areas and that’s what David, it was well known, had to talk to him about. David is good at talking to people.

“But I would like him to stay because, you need a good squad and he’s undoubtedly a good player, but sometimes he has got to learn when to go on his mazy runs, which is good for the crowd but not good for the manager.”

Aston Villa must seize their perfect chance to sell Bjorn Engels amid reported transfer interest from Royal Antwerp.

What’s the story?

The £55,000-a-week centre-back has been a complete outcast at Villa Park this season, barely featuring for Dean Smith’s side in the Premier League – in fact, he’s yet to make a single competitive appearance in any competition in 2020/21.

His time at the club could soon be over, with Belgian publication Voetbalkrant saying (via Sport Witness) that Antwerp are eyeing a summer move for the 26-year-old as they look to bring him back to his native Belgium.

The report added that a deal for Engels to leave is “inevitable”, and that Antwerp are at the front of the line for a deal. It was even suggested that Villa would be prepared to sell him for very little just to get him off their books.

Sawiris surely buzzing

It comes as no surprise, then, that former Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed that Engels’ career at the club is over, insisting that he just doesn’t have the qualities needed to succeed in the Premier League.

The 34-year-old said earlier this year: “It’s time for him to move on. The problem with the Premier League now is you have to have pace in defence. Unless you’re an unbelievable defender and you can read the game unbelievably you need to have the pace at the back.

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“That’s what Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings and Kortney Hause allow you. If they make a mistake they’ve got the pace to make up for it. If they’re left one-on-one they’ve got the pace to stop the attacker.

“The problem with Engels is that if he’s left one-on-one he hasn’t got that pace so he’s going to get found out a bit. That’s what it is, it’s one of those things.”

With Antwerp now showing interest in taking him off Villa’s hands this summer, Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens will surely be buzzing that one of the club’s highest earners could well be off their books way before his contract comes to an end in the Midlands.

Given that he’s yet to play at all this season for Smith, letting him go for whatever fee is presented just seems like the perfect eventuality for all parties concerned.

Meanwhile, Villa must sell this first team ace in the summer…

Celtic defender Greg Taylor has had his say on the possibility of Southampton winger Mohamed Elyounoussi making his loan move at the club permanent in the summer.  

The Norway international is approaching the end of his second loan spell in Glasgow. He has scored 15 goals and registered six assists in 40 appearances this season, with his standout displays coming against Lille and Motherwell towards the end of 2020.

Recent reports have suggested that the Saints could sell Elyounoussi in the summer to boost their transfer funds, with Ralph Hasenhuttl keen to take a look at the 26-year-old before making a decision.

Speaking to the Daily Record, Taylor admitted that the Celtic dressing room would be happy if Elyounoussi made his Parkhead stay permanent. He said:

“You need to ask Moi and the board what is going to happen. It is certainly not a decision for me.

“But we, obviously, always want to always keep our players. If there is an opportunity further down the line for him to stay at the club, then I’m sure the boys would be happy with that. Moi is a talented boy.

“You don’t move for the money he has in his career without being so talented.”

Transfer Tavern take

Elyounoussi’s Transfermarkt valuation stands at £10.8m and he still has more than two years remaining on his St Mary’s deal. However, reports in February suggested that his price tag could crash to just £5m this summer.

Should that be the case, we see a permanent deal as a no-brainer for the Hoops. Capable of playing on the left, behind the striker or as a centre-forward, Elyounoussi has proven his versatility and quality at Parkhead in what has been a disappointing campaign for the club.

He has averaged a goal or assist every 101 minutes in all competitions, taking his total Celtic tally to 62 appearances, 22 goals and 12 assists.

It seems as if he is approaching the prime of his career at 26, so if a £5m deal is achievable, it could be a smart idea to sign Elyounoussi up on a long-term basis, especially with his teammates seemingly on board with the idea.

In other news: Celtic could make embarrassing loss in Odsonne Edouard transfer, find out more here. 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Peterborough director of football Barry Fry has praised Roy Hodgson for the job he has done at Crystal Palace.

With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, Hodgson’s time at Selhurst Park could be coming to an end, and Fry has been quick to highlight the good work he has accomplished since arriving in south London back in 2017.

The 73-year-old was brought in to replace Frank de Boer after the Dutchman got the Eagles’ 2017/18 Premier League campaign off to a dreadful start and was able to make the desired impact at the club.

Palace went on to finish that season in 11th place, steering well clear of the relegation zone, before securing 12th and 14th-placed finishes in 2018/19 and 2019/20.

For Fry, much of the above was down to Hodgson, who he feels has done extremely well during his time as Palace manager. Speaking about the former England boss exclusively with FFC, Peterborough’s director of football said:

“Well, first of all, I think Steve Parish did brilliantly in appointing Roy. Everyone in football knows Roy’s a proper manager, man management, a proper coach, one of the most respected fellas in the game. I think he’s worked miracles at Crystal Palace because, you know, they don’t spend a lot of money, he just gets on with what he’s got.”

Given his current contract situation, Hodgson leaving Selhurst Park in the summer is starting to look like a real possibility. And he could be joined by the likes of Christian Benteke, Jeffrey Schlupp and Patrick van Aanholt, who also have expiring deals.

Jermaine Defoe’s contract with Rangers is set to expire at the end of the season and despite his lack of playing time under Steven Gerrard this season, Ross Wilson should give him a new deal to stay at Ibrox.

The former Tottenham Hotspur man joined Rangers from Bournemouth in January 2020 after an initial loan spell from Bournemouth and has contributed an impressive 29 goals and 10 assists in his 66 appearances for the Light Blues thus far.

Although the 38-year-old has barely featured so far this season, making just 14 appearances in all competitions, the majority of which have come from the bench, he has still managed four goals and two assists for Gerrard’s side.

In a recent interview, Defoe suggested that he was keen to play for another season so that he could finish his career in front of fans, which is something Gerrard and Wilson should definitely consider before they let the veteran forward leave the club on a free transfer in the summer.

Even if the former England international doesn’t feature much in Gerrard’s side next season, he could still have a big influence at the club in a player/coach capacity, as who better to coach Rangers’ current strikers and youngsters than one of the best finishers of the past two decades?

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Having an experienced player such as Defoe in the dressing room could also be key to helping Rangers defend their title next season, as well as adding some Champions League experience to their ranks, so there seem to be very few reasons why the striker shouldn’t be offered new terms if he is willing to take a lower salary.

Back in 2019, Alan Hutton was full of praise for Defoe, saying:

“Honestly the guy is unbelievable, to be 36 and be that fit…to keep himself in that good shape to be called upon at any time to come on and score, to be honest, it amazes me what he has done.”

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Defoe is undoubtedly still in top shape despite his age and even though he might not be a regular in Gerrard’s side next season, Wilson should offer him a contract extension simply because of the influence he can have both on and off the pitch.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Edmundson: Rangers signing £1.08m-rated beast surely bad news for 23 y/o

Liverpool’s Premier League woes continued on Sunday afternoon as they suffered a sixth consecutive home defeat, this time at the hands of Fulham.

Jurgen Klopp swept the changes for his line up at Anfield but the gamble did not pay off, with Mario Lemina’s goal enough to see the visitors claim victory on Merseyside.

Not a single Red imposed themselves on the game with Xherdan Shaqiri one of those who faced criticism from a section of the fanbase.

However, it was one of the regular stars though, Mo Salah, who let the side down with a drastically poor performance.

Starting the game on the right-hand side of the Reds’ attack, he earned the lowest WhoScored rating of anyone on the pitch at just 5.32 – an inexplicable drop-off from his season average of 7.07.

Currently the Premier League’s top scorer with 17, the Egyptian did not look like he was going to get on the scoresheet at all, rarely even threatening Fulham’s staunch defence.

Throughout the 90 minutes, he could only get one shot on target and produced only a solitary dribble – statistics that do not do his £108m rating justice.

He also looked on a completely different wavelength to his teammates, completing just 23 passes throughout the game, which is again the lowest of all of the starting Liverpool players, including goalkeeper Alisson.

Salah’s frustration continued to grow throughout the game as he was also personally caught offside twice, which is the same as every player on the pitch combined.

To make matters even worse, he was dispossessed on three separate occasions – one of those giveaways even leading to the Fulham goal. As Salah attempted to turn on the ball in his own box, Lemina was just far too strong, stole the ball and fizzed it into the bottom corner of the Liverpool net.

For a player usually so composed and threatening, the Egyptian was a liability to his side on the day.

Jurgen Klopp will certainly be expecting more from his mercurial wideman. He maybe hoped that taking Salah off against Chelsea would have fired the forward up, but judging on this performance, it may have done the opposite.

AND in more news, take a look at why Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly is a must-buy for the Reds in the summer…