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Sky Sports have claimed live on-air that Leeds United now have a shortlist of midfield targets ready for the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Orta wants two

Leeds have a shortage of available midfield options at this moment in time, with star man Kalvin Phillips ruled out until March with a hamstring injury.

As a result, director of football Victor Orta is now after two midfield additions during the winter window instead of one, with a defensive number six and attacking number eight on the agenda.

Phil Hay recently claimed that it was quiet at Elland Road when it comes to senior signings, however, it appears as if that may change going off Sky Sports’ latest update.

The Latest: Sky Sports reveal

Sky Sports claimed on Tuesday that the Whites ‘want to strengthen in midfield’ and provided a further update on Wednesday evening.

They shared a club-by-club round-up on Wednesday evening in their live transfer show and posted it on their transfer blog. (18:52)

When it came to Leeds, Dharmesh Sheth relayed the move for teenage striker Mateo Joseph Fernandez and said Orta and co now have a list of midfield targets.

“Leeds United made their first signing of the window yesterday. They have a shortlist of midfield options now.”

The Verdict: Slowly but surely

With an exciting young signing locked up and attention immediately shifting to senior additions, it seems as if Orta is working flat out behind the scenes to bring midfielders to Yorkshire, which can only be viewed as positive news.

Links to Cagliari’s Nahitan Nandez and Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara have surfaced online recently, so perhaps they feature on Orta’s shortlist.

Kamara is a defensive midfielder who can even play centre-back whereas Nandez plays further forward, so they would fit the bill when it comes to Leeds’ wishes for a double deal in the middle of the park.

Either way, it is clear that the enigmatic sporting director needs to offer up some reinforcements for Marcelo Bielsa and fast – the manager has just four options in the middle of the park including Phillips.

In other news: Orta now eyeing Leeds move for 6 ft 3 beast who stopped Ronaldo; he’s keen on a January switch.

Leeds United have been boosted in their attempts to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, with journalist Pete O’Rourke claiming a January move could happen.

The Lowdown: Leeds keen on signing McKennie

The Whites are searching for a new midfielder in the January transfer window, with Kalvin Phillips out injured for the foreseeable future and reports suggesting Victor Orta is seeking two additions – a number six and a number eight.

One player who Leeds have been linked with signing is McKennie, with the American not always a regular for Juventus this season, starting 11 out of 20 Serie A matches.

It appears as though Marcelo Bielsa could be pushing for the £22.5million-rated midfielder’s signature, with a fresh update emerging on the situation.

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The Latest: Journalist provides update

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke claimed a January move for McKennie isn’t out of the question:

“I think McKennie could be a target, whether you could get them away from Juventus to join a relegation battle will be another issue, but Juventus are open to letting McKennie go, so that maybe gives Leeds a bit of hope in that one.”

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The Verdict: Much-needed addition

The 23-year-old is exactly the kind of player Leeds could do with signing this month, with his profile ideal for what Bielsa is looking for.

His age makes him a long-term acquisition but he already possesses plenty of experience, scoring eight goals in 28 caps for the USA and making 65 appearances for Juve after racking up 91 games for Schalke.

According to the official Bundesliga site, the youngster is capable of playing pretty much anywhere in midfield and even in defence, making him the ideal signing in Orta’s search to add depth to the squad – he has played eight different positions in his career.

His former manager in Germany, David Wagner, hailed him as a ‘leader’, which is surely the type of personality Bielsa would want in a relegation dogfight.

McKennie was won an average of 1.6 aerial duels per game in the league this season, not to mention 1.1 tackles and dribbles apiece, highlighting his all-round expertise in the middle of the park.

In other news, Leeds have also been linked with another signing. Find out who it is here.

An update has emerged on Sunderland’s pursuit of Preston North End gem Jordan Storey…

What’s the talk?

According to the Lancashire Evening Post, the Black Cats are one of three clubs to have enquired about a potential deal for the defender.

The report claims that Preston are yet to receive an acceptable offer for him as they want a prospective suitor to take on the majority of his wages as part of any potential loan.

Get it done

Lee Johnson must ensure that Sunderland win the race for Storey’s signature, as he could be an excellent addition to the squad.

He is a proven Championship performer and this suggests that he could thrive in League One, as he would be dropping down to a lower standard of football. In the second tier this season, he has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.92, having achieved a score of 6.93 last term.

Storey has won 61% of his duels and made an impressive 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game in 17 matches this term.

In a recent Q&A with Yorkshire Live, Preston reporter George Hodgson outlined the centre-back’s standout attributes, saying: “When in charge at North End, Alex Neil described Storey as having all the raw tools to succeed. It’s always been about consistency with Storey and really putting his game together.

“He’s an athletic lad who likes to defend and does have the ability to bring the ball out from the back, when he’s at it. Storey is by no means soft but you do feel he is a player who needs to feel appreciated, otherwise his confidence can easily dip on the pitch.”

In League One this season, Tom Flanagan (7.12) is the only Sunderland centre-back who has averaged a higher SofaScore rating than Storey has in the Championship, which is a higher level. This suggests that the 24-year-old could come in and be an instant starter for Johnson’s side.

Therefore, the Black Cats must do everything in their power to bring the £3.1k-per-week gem to the Stadium of Light before the end of the month. He has shown that he can produce consistent displays in the second tier, and his strong performances could help the Wearsiders to push for promotion in the remainder of the campaign if he can improve their defence.

AND in other news, Johnson could get Stadium of Light rocking with Sunderland deal for “wonderful” 220-goal predator…

As if the transfer window hasn’t already been an exciting state of affairs for Aston Villa, it could yet end with even triumph and satisfaction for Steven Gerrard and the club’s supporters.

Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Digne have already arrived but a major name from within the game is now being closely linked to Villa.

What’s the word?

Reports emerged late on Tuesday evening that the Villans had tabled an offer to bring Suarez back to England and as a result of Gerrard, they were ahead of a number of Brazilian clubs in the race to secure his signature.

Now, the Villa boss and Johan Lange have been given further hope of concluding a deal by Spanish football expert, Alvaro Montero, who was speaking live on Sky Sports on Wednesday.

He claimed that Suarez was looking to leave his current employers, Atletico Madrid, and in a captivating four-word claim, suggested that Villa “could be an option” for the veteran striker.

The Uruguayan’s contract expires at the end of the season so there is a chance that the Midlands outfit could sign for free in the summer.

Fans surely buzzing

After the signings of Digne and Coutinho, fans will have rightfully been on cloud nine given their international experience and previous exploits in the game.

However, if you combine that with the potential for Suarez to arrive at Bodymoor Heath in the next six months, supporters will simply be ecstatic.

Of course, the forward is now 34 years of age now and is no spring chicken, but there is no escaping from the fact that he is still a wonderful goalscorer.

He has regularly beaten the goalkeeper throughout his career and at the top level no less, scoring 69 Premier League goals, while also racking up a phenomenal 195 strikes during his stay with Barcelona.

Furthermore, Suarez is an incredibly decorated player. This is someone who has won the Spanish top-flight on five occasions, an individual who has won Copa del Rey four times and has also taken home both the Champions League and Club World Cup.

That is quite the honours list and based on experience alone, he’d be a wonderful player to have in the dressing room.

On top of that, his superb ability to make something extraordinary happen out of nothing is almost second to none. He has terrorised English defences before and there is every chance he could do the same in the claret and blue of Villa.

A move still feels unlikely but what a coup he’d be if they could get a deal across the line. Coutinho was a landmark signing but this would surely blow that out of the water, consequently leaving supporters elated with their recruitment team.

AND in other news, Sky Sports journo drops exciting AVFC transfer update on live TV, fans surely buzzing…

A key Rangers update has emerged on Ibrox shot-stopper Jon McLaughlin, regarding his future at the club…

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Record, the Gers are close to agreeing a new contract with the goalkeeper as they look to avoid losing him for nothing at the end of the campaign.

The report does not claim how long the extension will be, but a deal is seemingly on the verge of being completed for him to remain in Glasgow.

Delight

Rangers fans will surely be delighted by this news as McLaughlin is a reliable operator who is a useful player to have in the squad. He has not let the club down whenever he has played this season and could remain as a dependable number two next term.

The 34-year-old has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.82 in the Premiership in the current campaign, saving 64% of the shots against him and making one penalty save from the sole spot-kick he has faced. This shows that he is a solid player at this level who is able to step in and perform when needed.

Allan McGregor’s contract at Ibrox expires in the summer and it remains to be seen whether or not the veteran, who turns 40 next week, is willing to extend his career. This means that pinning down the current number two to fresh terms could help to keep some continuity in the ranks if the ex-Hull stopper moves on, rather than leaving Rangers in the lurch between the sticks come the summer.

The Gers have been linked with a swoop for Benjamin Siegrist of Dundee United and the shot-stopper could come in to compete with McLaughlin. This could create a level of competition similar to what Van Bronckhorst currently has with his two goalkeepers at Ibrox this term, with both players battling for the number one jersey, which is why this update will come as a big boost for the head coach.

Therefore, fans will surely be delighted with this news, as it means that Rangers could be set to have a strong goalkeeping department next season instead of losing both of their first-choice ‘keepers and being left scrambling around to bring in two new additions. The Gers now need to ensure that they can get a deal over the line for Siegrist, or an alternative target, if McGregor decides to hang up the gloves in the summer.

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can jettison Rangers liability in swoop for “phenomenal” 18y/o with a “big future”…

Tottenham Hotspur’s new signing Dejan Kulusevski could become a better version of one of Antonio Conte’s former stars…

January swoop

The Sweden international signed from Juventus on deadline day, joining in an 18-month initial loan for an £8.3m fee, which has an option to buy set around £29.2m, as per the BBC.

He arrives in north London alongside fellow teammate Rodrigo Bentancur, who joins in a £15.9m permanent deal, which could rise by £5m before the end of his contract in 2026.

The pair would be Spurs’ only two arrivals this winter.

Shades of Eden Hazard

Kulusevski is hardly the sort of player that the Lilywhites were crying out for but he’s still a very exciting young talent who will offer Conte supreme versatility in the final third.

It’s that sort of ‘plug-and-play’ style that the Italian loves to have at his disposal – as we’ve already seen, he considers Steven Bergwijn to be a back-up option to Harry Kane up top, whilst there could be some similarities to Eden Hazard, an out-and-out winger who thrived in the half-spaces as one of two no.10s.

The 21-year-old is certainly capable of playing both roles as displayed during his maiden campaign at the Old Lady. Kulusevski was deployed in as many as seven different positions and he still provided 14 direct goal contributions across all competitions, which is remarkable for his age at a club of Juve’s stature.

Perhaps what is more astonishing was the way in which he dropped down the pecking order under Massimiliano Allegri but his loss is certainly Spurs’ gain.

“He has incredible physical strength. He reminds me of a young [Mo] Salah for the way he shakes off opponents in the first ten metres,” once claimed Italian coach Pierpaolo Bisoli, whilst former Aston Villa and Sweden striker Marcus Allback dubbed Tottenham’s new man “explosive” and “direct” to The Sun.

According to  Italian Football expert Nima Tavallaey Roodsari, Kulusevski will become an “absolute monster” under the stewardship of Conte.

Hazard provided 34 goals and 21 assists in 94 appearances under the Conte at Stamford Bridge, and the 52-year-old will be hoping that the £27m-rated dynamo can be a similar sort of attacking threat at Spurs this season.

Given the way in which the Belgian has fallen off in his career and the age that Kulusevski has arrived in N17, the Lilywhites’ new man could well emerge as an even better talent than the former Chelsea star in the future.

AND in other news, Antonio Conte concerns emerge at Spurs amid huge transfer claim…

A big update has emerged regarding Rangers striker Cedric Itten and his involvement at Ibrox in the forthcoming months…

What’s the latest?

The Gers have announced their squad for the knockout stages of the Europa League and they have decided to leave the Switzerland international off the list.

He has been omitted from the squad to face Borussia Dortmund alongside the likes of Filip Helander, Jack Simpson and Ianis Hagi. They have made this call in order to bring January signings Aaron Ramsey, James Sands and Amad Diallo into the mix, although new right-back Mateusz Zukowski has missed out.

Buzzing

Rangers fans will surely be buzzing with this news, as it means that Itten will be unable to play against the Bundesliga giants later this month. The £12.5k-per-week centre-forward has been a disaster in the Premiership since Giovanni van Bronckhorst opted to recall him from his loan spell with Greuther Furth in Germany.

In two starts against Livingston and Ross County, the attacker left plenty to be desired from his performances. Across the two matches, he lost 10 of his 13 individual duels and had just 51 touches of the ball whilst failing to manage a single goal or assist.

This shows that he has been far from good enough since his return to Ibrox, which is why fans will be buzzing with the fact that he will not be in contention to play in the Europa League this month,

Incidentally, Itten started against Dortmund in a Bundesliga game earlier this season and was dismal. As per SofaScore, he lost three of his four individual battles (75%) and completed just five passes before being substituted at half-time, with his team going on to lose the match 3-0.

This display is in line with what he has been delivering at Rangers since his return and indicates a pattern which suggests he does not deserve to be starting for the club. He is too weak in his duels and does not contribute enough in the final third to make up for the other issues in his game, which is why it is the right decision to exclude him from the squad.

Van Bronckhorst will still be able to call upon him in the Premiership but the attacker will need to show a massive upturn in form to prove that he is worthy of regular game-time in the coming months. As it stands, his performances have been woeful and the supporters will surely be delighted with his omission for the Europa League.

AND in other news, Forget Barisic: Rangers nightmare who lost 70% duels must never start again for Van Bronckhorst…

Leeds United regular Stuart Dallas looks set for a spell on the sidelines after being substituted in the early exchanges of the 3-0 defeat to Everton on Saturday.

What’s that latest?

The Northern Irishman was on the pitch at Goodison Park for just nine minutes before having to be withdrawn after the 30-year-old had hurt himself in a collision with Everton’s Alex Iwobi.

Dallas attempted to play on but ultimately had to come off just a minute before the Toffees opened the scoring through Seamus Coleman on an afternoon that the Yorkshire club will want to forget.

Speaking to LUTV after the match, Leeds winger Daniel James said that the injury to his teammate was “a major blow” before adding: “Stuey’s a great player and he plays all over the pitch. Hopefully he’s not out for too long.”

Bielsa will be furious

To lose any player is always a blow, but the prospect of being without Dallas for forthcoming matches will particularly annoy Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.

The 30-year-old has started every Premier League game for the Whites this season, with the only minutes missed before Saturday coming in the 1-0 win over Watford where the Northern Ireland international was withdrawn in the 78th minute.

Currently, there is little indication as to how serious Dallas’ injury is and how long he will be sidelined, but there is no doubt that everyone involved with Leeds United will be hoping that the situation isn’t serious.

Aside from being an ever-present in the current campaign, the 30-year-old is incredibly flexible when it comes to positioning, having played at left-back, right-back and central midfield this season, with the last three games seeing him line out at left-back.

In terms of backup options in that role, Junior Firpo is the only senior alternative, with the Spaniard making 17 appearances so far since his move from Barcelona last summer.

The 30-year-old has also been the Whites’ third-best player this term according to WhoScored performance metrics, winning more tackles per game (2.7) than any of his team-mates, which lays bare just how crucial he is to the side.

Granted, neither Leeds nor Dallas have matched the standard set last season as the Yorkshire outfit finished ninth in the top flight, with the Northern Irishman scoring eight goals and registering two assists as he started all 38 Premier League matches.

As for this campaign, Bielsa’s side are 15th and lay just six points clear of the relegation zone, with Dallas scoring just one goal and setting up one more in 23 league appearances.

With the Whites still very much in the relegation picture, Bielsa will require the services of all his senior players as Leeds search for the results which will carry them away from danger. The possibility of being without perhaps their most reliable servant in Dallas for a sustained period of time duly comes as a big blow, particularly given the team’s current predicament.

In other news: “Disinterested” Leeds dud with just 27 touches cost Bielsa dearly against Everton 

Wolverhampton Wanderers host Midlands rivals Leicester City this afternoon as they look to climb the Premier League table with European qualification still a very realistic target.

Bruno Lage’s side sit eighth in the top-flight after both Arsenal and Tottenham claimed victories yesterday, but can return to seventh place with victory over the Foxes.

The Portuguese manager also has a fully fit squad available for selection for the first time since he arrived at Molineux, but who will start this afternoon’s Midlands meeting?

Here is how Football FanCast thinks the Golden Boys will line up with two changes made.

As expected, there are no changes in the defence after another excellent display at the back last Sunday as Wolves secured a 2-0 away at Tottenham.

The favoured defensive trio of Romain Saiss, Conor Coady and Max Kilman is back after the former’s absence due to participation in the African Cup of Nations with Morocco, something Lage will be particularly delighted about.

In the midfield comes the first change as 19-year-old Luke Cundle drops out for veteran Joao Moutinho. Cundle was impressive on his full debut last week, but the return of one of Wolves’ key players after a two-match absence means that he’ll drop out.

It could be argued that the English youngster could take the place of Leander Dendoncker, but after the Belgian scored Wolves’ second against Spurs, it would be harsh to axe the 26-year-old.

The other change comes in attack, with Lage opting to use a 3-5-2 shape once again. Daniel Podence is yet to score in the league this season, and with Lage having a full roster to choose from, the £52k per-week Portuguese may be set for a spell on the bench. In the forward’s place comes Hee-Chan Hwang, who starts his first match in two-and-a-half months.

The South Korean returned from a hamstring injury last week with a brief cameo off of the bench in north London and should be ready to start against Brendan Rodgers’ side.

Hwang made a stellar start to his Wolves tenure, scoring four goals in his first six appearances for his then-loan club, with the 26-year-old’s move from RB Leipzig now permanent.

However, the forward hasn’t scored since late October, with a two-month absence being the main reason. Against a leaky Leicester defence, that duck could be broken on Sunday afternoon.

Every remaining game this season will be huge for Wolves as they look to secure European football. Having a fully fit squad available will certainly boost their bid.

In other news: Wolves made a major mistake by selling “magnificent” £33m-rated star

Wolves took a big knock to their hopes for securing European football by the end of the season after losing their midweek Premier League match against Arsenal thanks to a crushing last-gasp winner from Alexandre Lacazette.

As well as the disappointing result, Bruno Lage’s side were also struck with an injury blow in the second half when full-back Nelson Semedo was forced off with what Tim Spiers identified on Twitter as a leg issue.

Opportunity knocks

Assuming the injury the Portuguese defender picked up is a serious one that could force him to miss the Old Gold’s next game against West Ham United at the weekend, this could pave the way for one figure in Lage’s squad to come in and show what he’s capable of.

With just six league appearances and two starts under his belt this season, Ki-Jana Hoever has found regular game time hard to come by in this campaign, mainly as a result of Semedo’s prominence in the team.

Even though the 20-year-old hasn’t been in Wolves’ two previous matchday squads and Lage chose to pick Jonny Otto to replace the injured full-back against Arsenal last night, the 45-year-old should definitely consider bringing the Dutchman back into the frame, especially if Semedo isn’t available at the weekend.

Also, having made his return to action in midweek after a long-term knee injury, Jonny may not be the best option to start against the Hammers on Sunday compared to Hoever.

The former Liverpool youngster’s previous appearance in the league saw him start and play the full 90 minutes in their 0-0 draw against Chelsea back in December where he managed to show how capable he is on the ball by completing 23 passes and two successful dribbles.

He also managed to show his defensive talents by racking up four clearances, three interceptions and three tackles as well as winning five out of the nine duels he was involved in, ultimately earning himself a solid overall match rating of 7.1/10 from SofaScore.

Labelled as a player that can be “aggressive” on the pitch by Lage, Hoever may not have a better opportunity to really stake a claim to be in the team if Semedo can’t play and should therefore grab any chance he gets with both hands and make the most of it.

In other news: Forget Hwang: “Phenomenal” Wolves gem who won 77% duels was Lage’s shining light v AFC – opinion