All posts by n8rngtd.top

An update has emerged on Tottenham and their interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

According to The Mirror, Fabio Paratici is plotting a swoop to bring the defender to North London ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The report claims that Spurs view the £15.3m-rated man as a player with ‘huge potential’ and they are now considering whether or not to make an offer for him.

It is stated that he is viewed as a possible alternative to Inter centre-back Alessandro Bastoni, with a deal for the Italy international seemingly dead in the water.

Antonio Conte needs him badly

Paratici must ensure that he can reach an agreement with the Bundesliga club as Conte needs the young defender badly.

Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga both failed to prove to the Italian head coach that they are good enough to be the future of his defence at the club.

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In the Premier League last season, both players averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.52 or lower as they struggled for form and regular minutes. Conte clearly did not trust them enough to play week-in-week-out in the top-flight and that is why he is in dire need of a new, young, centre-back to be a rotation option for now with a view to breaking into the starting XI.

Hincapie’s form for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and Europa League suggests that he can be the man Spurs need to challenge the current centre-backs now and in the future.

In ten starts as a central defender in the two competitions, the machine averaged an eye-catching WhoScored rating of 7.00. He also showcased his versatility as he averaged a rating of 6.78 at left-back, suggesting that he can play at left centre-back or left wing-back in Conte’s system.

Journalist Jose de Jesus Ortiz once dubbed him “impressive” and a “prodigy” and these statistics for the German outfit at the age of 20 back those claims up.

The youngster has shown that he has the quality to put in excellent performances in a major European league, along with the Europa League, and the club believe that he has the potential to get better. This means that he can improve over time and eventually develop into a player who can start for them.

Therefore, he can be the centre-back Spurs need to replace Tanganga and Rodon for the 2022/23 campaign. He can push the starters whilst offering quality when he is called upon and that is why the club must snap him up from Leverkusen.

AND in other news, Conte can axe £80k-p/w “nightmare” as Spurs plot bid for £50m gem who “rarely misses”…

Everton are looking for ways to strengthen and improve their team ahead of next season, and now a new update has emerged giving the club the green light to sign a potential transfer target this summer.

What’s the latest?

According to The Telegraph reporter Matt Law, Tottenham Hotspur are set to hand Everton the green light to sign Lucas Moura this summer so long as they include Richarlison in any deal.

As per the report written by Law, Moura is going to be offered alongside Harry Winks as Spurs prepare to tempt Everton in agreeing on a reasonable exchange for their Brazilian winger in return.

The report also states that the Toffees value Richarlison at well over £50m.

Imagine him & DCL

Everton will need to prepare in the best way possible for the high chance that Richarlison will leave Goodison Park this summer and the offer from Spurs to include Moura in their deal for the player could be a huge coup for Frank Lampard.

The former Chelsea manager could unlock a brand new attacking partnership that could elevate Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s goal contributions next season with Moura by his side who can bring his experience of working with arguably one of the best strikers in the world, Harry Kane.

Moura who was hailed “unbelievable” by Ledley King has tallied up 38 goals and 27 assists in 201 appearances for Tottenham since he joined in 2018, with a goal contribution every 174 minutes, something that could prove to be extremely valuable to Everton who struggled to finish their chances last season.

Richarlison ended the season as the club’s top goal-scorer with 11 goals, however, Lampard’s side will need to be much more prolific in finding the back of the net if they don’t want to repeat the mistakes of last season and fall into another relegation battle.

Everton scored just 1.13 goals on average per game in their 2021/22 Premier League campaign compared to the 1.74 goals they conceded so this is a clear area of concern that Lampard will be desperate to improve upon next season.

The signing of £80k-per-week Brazilian wizard could be just what Everton and their forward line needs to add a fresh perspective on goal scoring and creating chances.

Thus, it is something that Farhad Moshiri will need to carefully consider as they progress in their talks with Spurs for the Richarlison deal. Although their current Brazil international has a vibrant partnership with Calvert-Lewin, it could just be time to welcome another member of Selecao to Merseyside.

AND in other news: Lampard “wants to land” the signing of “impressive” £4.5m-rated gem, Everton need him

Erik ten Hag is reportedly plotting a shock move for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer and if he were to join Manchester United, he could be Bruno Fernandes 2.0 at Old Trafford.

It was reported recently that United are keeping an eye on the England international’s contract situation at Stamford Bridge following their recent takeover, with suggestions that they have already made contact with the player’s camp.

They also suggest that ten Hag has been following his progress since a loan spell with Vitesse Arnhem, and claim that Mount would jump at the chance to move to the north-west.

If he were to make the switch this summer, then the 23-year-old could be a superb addition to ten Hag’s squad, and could even replicate the performances of Fernandes.

The Portugal international has contributed 50 goals and 39 assists for the Red Devils since joining from Sporting Lisbon in January 2020.

Fbref suggests that Mount is very similar to the Portuguese midfielder, while WhoScored suggests that both Mount and Fernandes’ strengths include key passes and long shots, while both prefer to play layoffs.

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The 23-year-old has established himself as a key player for Chelsea following an impressive loan spell with Derby County in the Championship, where he contributed 11 goals and six assists in 44 appearances.

He has since gone on to make 160 appearances for the Blues, in which he has notched 30 goals and 31 assists, an impressive return for someone so young.

Former Chelsea man Joe Cole was full of praise for Mount after he starred in the 7-0 demolition of Norwich last season, saying:

“He doesn’t [get the credit] he deserves – he does from people within the game. I’ve never met one ex-player or one coach who doesn’t appreciate him.

“He’s a top, top outstanding player, he’s becoming one of the most important players in the country.

“But there is an unusual level of fans – I don’t know if it’s rival fans or whatever – who don’t quite get it.

“You want to sit them down in front of a touchscreen and educate them and show them that what this kid does is just unbelievable.”

Reports have suggested that Mount is valued at £70m by Chelsea but considering he is only 23, and seems to perform on a similar level as Fernandes, he could prove to be a superb addition to ten Hag’s side.

And, in other news… MUFC now “interested” in signing “unreal” 52-goal star, just imagine him & Ronaldo

West Bromwich Albion failed in their first attempt to win promotion back to the Premier League after the Midlands club finished 10th in the most recent Championship season.

The Baggies won 18, drew 13 and lost 15 of their 46 matches, leaving them with 67 points on the board.

Despite this ultimately disappointing finish, one factor in their season in which they can take a bit of pride, and which Steve Bruce can use as a platform to build upon for next term, is their defence.

Albion conceded just 45 goals in the 2021/22 campaign, fewer than four of the nine teams who finished above them in the table.

One man who played a big part in this regard for the Baggies is Matt Clarke.

Signed on a season-long loan deal from Premier League side Brighton, the centre-back made 33 league appearances for the Baggies in the most recent campaign. He even managed to round off his loan spell at The Hawthorns by scoring on the final day of the season in their 4-0 win over Barnsley.

However, it was his defensive contribution which made him a solid figure for the team.

Having racked up more interceptions (60) than any other Baggies player, the 25-year-old also won 33 tackles in total and averaged 3.1 clearances per game, the second-highest in the squad behind Kyle Bartley (four).

Now that the season has drawn to an end, the upcoming summer transfer window could give the West Brom hierarchy to replicate their masterstroke of bringing Clarke to the club by securing a deal for Cameron Carter-Vickers.

The Baggies were linked with a move for the Tottenham defender back in February.

During his recent loan spell with Celtic, with whom he secured the Scottish Premiership title, the American showed just how capable a defensive figure he is, a bit like Clarke.

In 33 league appearances for the Hoops, the 24-year-old ended his season in Glasgow with more interceptions (43) than any other Celtic player, along with the highest average of clearances per game (4.2) in Ange Postecoglou’s squad.

This pretty much mirrors the sort of defensive abilities that Clarke showed during his time with the Baggies this season, and illustrates why it would be a great move for the club to sign the Spurs defender.

Described by Simon Donnelly as being “solid as a rock” for the Bhoys, the USA defender certainly has what it takes to improve what is already a rather sturdy backline.

With a reported price tag of £6m, the Spurs outcast could be well worth a punt if Bruce believes that the 24-year-old can help to get Albion closer to promotion.

In other news: Imagine him & Dike: Bruce can form scary WBA duo by signing “invaluable” 103-goal ace

Liverpool have been in hot pursuit of Aurelien Tchouameni with the player reportedly agreeing on terms with the club last week, and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has given a key update on the Monaco midfielder’s future, with Liverpool still interested in signing the player this summer.

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Romano tweeted: “Key week ahead for Aurelién Tchouaméni deal. Real Madrid had new contacts with club and player side during the weekend, before and after the Champions League final.

“Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are still on it – Real are now in direct talks with Monaco.”

Supporters will be excited

After a disappointing weekend for The Reds after the defeat in the Champions League final to Real Madrid, the news that a deal for Tchouameni could still be on the cards for Liverpool will surely leave supporters excited about the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old ace has been attracting a lot of attention from some of the biggest clubs in the world following an impeccable season in Ligue 1 with Monaco.

Tchouameni scored three goals, delivered two assists and created six big chances this season in 35 league appearances, but it is not just his creativity and attacking threat that has caught the eye of the powers at Liverpool.

The Frenchman had a 92% pass accuracy in his own half, made 2.9 interceptions, 2.5 tackles and took 75.5 touches on average per game, as well as winning the majority of his duels (64%) and has been successful in completing the large majority of his dribble attempts (73%).

With that being said, it is clear that the youngster can effectively offer reliability and consistency in both defensive and offensive play, making him a complete midfielder that could be a real force if he was deployed at Anfield alongside the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Fabinho next term.

Liverpool will need to work hard to come up with an offer that can tempt the player away from joining Real Madrid this summer as it is looking like the Spanish club are stepping up their interest.

However, if the Merseyside club could secure the signing it would be a major coup for Klopp.

AND in other news: Forget Mane: Klopp can land new LFC hero in deal for “tenacious” £100m “predator”

Divock Origi could finalise his move from Liverpool to AC Milan ‘this week’ and is ‘impatient’ about the transfer happening, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Origi leaving Liverpool

The Belgian will depart Anfield this summer after a memorable spell at the club, one which has seen him win plenty of silverware and score some iconic goals.

Origi struggled for game-time throughout the 2021/22 season, though, playing just 127 minutes of Premier League action (all as a substitute), and his contract expires next month.

Milan look set to be the 27-year-old’s next club, with a move to the San Siro now all but sealed.

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The Latest: Origi exit getting closer

According to Gazzetta dello Sport [via Sport Witness], Origi could now ‘could land in Milan and undergo medical examinations as early as this week.’

It is also stated that the Liverpool attacker is ‘impatient to start a new experience before going on vacation’, as he looks to move onto the next stage in his career. Villarreal are believed to have made a late move but it hasn’t changed his mind.

[freshpress-quiz id=“398089″]

The Verdict: A Liverpool hero

Origi will depart Anfield as both a cult hero and a legend, with the Belgium international hailed as ‘world-class’ by Jurgen Klopp, having played a significant part in the Reds’ success over the past few years.

Without his input, there would likely have been no 2019 Champions League glory, following massive goals against Barcelona and Tottenham, and he has also produced huge moments domestically, such as a legendary last-gasp Merseyside derby winner.

Now is the right time for Origi to leave, though, allowing him to be a regular for Milan and start a new chapter in the peak years of his career.

In other news, a fresh Liverpool transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped a claim regarding potential Leeds United transfer target Tyler Adams.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with the Que Golazo Podcast, the Italian journalist suggested that, following the news the Whites have had a bid accepted for Brenden Aaronson, Jesse Marsch could now turn his focus towards another of his former players – in the shape of RB Leipzig defensive midfielder Tyler Adams.

The transfer insider went on to state that the American manager’s relationship with the 23-year-old is fantastic, before claiming that the USA international could be a potential candidate to replace Kalvin Phillips – who has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City – in the heart of the Leeds midfield this summer.

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Concerning Leeds’ potential interest in Adams, Romano said: “His relationship with Marsch is great. There are no negotiations between the two clubs at the moment, but we know that the relationship is great and it could be a really interesting opportunity.

“Leeds need to understand what they want to do with Phillips because he’s on the list of many top clubs. So, let’s see what happens with Phillips and then we will understand if they jump into this Tyler Adams opportunity or not.”

Phillips heir

Considering just how talented a player Adams evidently is, should Phillips go on to secure a move away from Elland Road this summer, it would appear an extremely wise move for Victor Orta to activate the 23-year-old’s reported £34m release clause.

Indeed, FBref rank the £26m-rated American in the top 2% of midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90 minutes, as well as the top 18% for passes attempted, the top 25% for passes completed, the top 20% for pressures, the top 25% for progressive carries and the top 39% for aerial duels won over the last 365 days.

Furthermore, as Romano suggests, it is clear that Marsch is a huge fan of the £38k-per-week talent, with the 48-year-old stating of the defensive midfielder – who can also operate at right-back – during his time at RB Leipzig:

“The ceiling is massive for him, everyone can see that. I obviously played a part in Tyler and the relationship with the club and the eventual move to come here. I knew he’d do well.

“I think he’s exceeded my expectations, our expectations. There’s been some talk [saying that] I’ve done so much to help Tyler adapt and do well here. I don’t think it’s hurt, but Tyler is the reason Tyler has been successful.

“He’s a special person, he’s a special personality, he’s a special talent and the ceiling for him is massive. Massive here in Leipzig and in the Bundesliga and beyond. So I’m proud to be connected with him and to have played a role in his development and I can’t wait to see where he goes from here.”

As such, it is clear to see just how well suited Adams would be to Marsch’s setup at Elland Road, leading us to believe that, should Phillips indeed move onto pastures new in the coming months, Orta simply must sanction a Whites swoop for the “big-time” – in the words of Doug McIntyre – player this summer.

AND in other news: “Mentioned to me…”: Phil Hay drops big Leeds transfer claim, supporters will love it

Seamer looks back on the controversy of 2013, and the sequence of events it kicked off

Andrew Miller13-Jun-2023Admittedly, the Ashes rivalry hasn’t offered a lot to write home about from recent tours Down Under, but Australia in England on the other hand… now we are talking. From Edgbaston 2005, to the great escape at Cardiff four years later, all the way through to Ben Stokes’ miracle of Headingley in 2019, there’s scarcely been a summer of recent vintage that has not served up an all-time Anglo-Aussie classic. And ten years have now passed since one of the tastiest tussles of the lot.England’s 14-run win at Trent Bridge in the opening Test of the 2013 series had something for everyone… from Ian Bell’s masterful second-innings century to the bittersweet romance of Ashton Agar’s debut 98, all the way through to James Anderson’s tireless ten-for on a dry and unresponsive deck.But in spite of such rich pickings, the incident that truly endures is – from an Australian perspective – the one that got away. Or, as England’s fans might prefer to see it, the one that Stuart Broad got away with.England had conceded a first-innings deficit of 65, and were struggling second time around too before Broad and Bell came together in a match-turning seventh-wicket stand of 138. Without his doughty 65 from 148 balls that spanned the third afternoon and the fourth morning, there would have been no grandstand fifth-day finish.And yet, as Australians recall all too well, that effort should have ended on 37, when Agar tossed up a wide one, into the rough outside the left-hander’s off stump. Broad shaped to cut, the ball ended up in the hands of Michael Clarke at slip, and that should have been that.Aleem Dar, however, thought otherwise, and as Clarke glowered and gesticulated from behind his sunglasses, Broad donned his finest poker-face and stared down his accusers.”I was thinking, ‘we need more runs here, we’re 230 ahead,'” Broad recalled on the eve of the 2023 campaign. “If I get out, we lose the game. So I’m never just going to walk off and accept a loss. I looked up at Aleem and he said not out.”Moments later, in the Sky Sports commentary box, David Lloyd’s instinctive reaction to the first slo-mo replay rather encapsulated the furore that was about to break out. “Oh my goodness me,” he intoned, as the ball clearly kissed off the edge of the bat, onto the tips of Brad Haddin’s gloves, and away into Clarke’s hands… “speechless!””It was all absolute nonsense, wasn’t it?” Broad said. “It still follows me around. Everyone’s been convinced that I nicked it straight to first slip, which is remarkable really. Because even Brad Haddin said afterwards, ‘did you nick that?’, because it cannoned into his gloves and went to first slip.”Related

• Australia add three-time Ashes-winning coach Andy Flower to backroom staff

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• Moeen considering Test comeback after England Ashes call

• Is Broad brewing something spectacular ahead of the Ashes?

Broad has had a decade to contemplate the incident, and so it’s perhaps unsurprising that he’s done his research in the interim. By his reckoning, across that year’s home and away Ashes, there were 21 other instances of batters not walking for catches – including, it might be pointed out, Haddin himself, who would eventually be given out on review at the gripping climax to that Trent Bridge Test, when Anderson was shown to have found a thin inside-edge with Australia in touching distance of victory.However, the optics of an edge flying into the hands of first slip – albeit via a double deflection – were always likely to inflame sensibilities. And this was especially so because, as Broad has also posited, the presence of one of two of the so-called press-box “Dukes”, senior sportswriters with an angle to grind, meant the incident was ripe for sensationalism.”If it was just cricket writers in the press box. I don’t think it would have become a story because we’ve all watched a lot of cricket. But it was the weekend before the Premier League started, so it was the sportswriters in – your Ollie Holts, Martin Samuels. They were like, ‘let’s make a big story’. I don’t know if that’s absolute nonsense, but that’s how I’ve dealt with it. That was the reason why it became a talking point.”Broad’s certainly not wrong that the Dukes did go to town on it. “Did Broad injure cricket yesterday?” Samuel asked, rhetorically, in The Daily Mail “Sadly, he did. He didn’t mean to. He was just playing hard, playing to win.”Writing in , meanwhile, under the headline: “What he did wasn’t just disappointing. It was deeply, deeply embarrassing,” Holt said that the incident was reminiscent of “Rivaldo rolling around clutching his face when a ball kicked at him by a Turkey player had hit him on the arm”.”Let’s be honest,” he added. “It was hard to witness what happened without feeling a sense of sadness and contempt.”Broad, however, remains utterly unswayed by such sentiment. “I think I’ve only ever played with one true walker,” he said. “That was Graeme Swann, because he just hit the ball to cover anyway. It’s just not a thing in the modern game. I don’t know anyone that does it. And ultimately, if I had have just wandered off having been given not out, I think I’d have been criticised the other way, because we’ve lost the game.”Stuart Broad stands firmly by his decision not to walk•PRAll of which helped set the parameters for part two of an extraordinary grudge match, in Brisbane four months and three England Test wins later, when Australia’s media took up the cudgels ahead of a series in which Mitchell Johnson and Co. would deliver the ultimate act of vengeance with a 5-0 trouncing.Upon arrival in Australia, Kevin Pietersen had been the initial target of the Aussie media, with the Courier-Mail proclaiming on its front page: “He’s so arrogant not even his own team likes him”. However, when KP responded in a tweet that such attention was good for his ego, the seed of an alternative strategy was germinated, as the newspaper’s editor, Christopher Dore, later told The Guardian.”Stuart Broad earned the role of Ashes villain … by acting with complete contempt for the spirit of the game on that dark day in July,” Dore wrote. “We settled on calling him the ’27-year-old English medium-pace bowler’ in all our reports. We felt this was an even a graver insult than turning him into an asterisk and refusing to publish his image. What fast bowler wouldn’t be furious about being relegated to mediocrity?”It wasn’t just the papers who got stuck in though, as Broad recalled: “Darren Lehmann [Australia’s coach] didn’t help the cause, having eight beers and going on a podcast …”Lehmann, who had taken over from Mickey Arthur just two weeks before that infamous Trent Bridge Test, was cut from a very different cloth to his more schoolmasterly predecessor, and was clearly itching to lay down a marker for his first home campaign, as he addressed the radio station Triple M with a startlingly frank call to arms.”From my point of view, I hope the Australian public give it to him right from the word go, for the whole summer,” he said, to gales of on-air laughter. “I hope he cries and goes home.”Broad said: “A few of the Aussie players came and apologised for their coach, for what he said. But I didn’t cry …” Instead, his response merely added to his legend – and, dare one say it, the grudging respect that he’s long since earned over the course of eight previous Ashes campaigns.After shrugging off the catcalls and banners in the crowd to pick off a first-day five-for at the Gabba, Broad strolled into the press conference with a copy of the Courier-Mail under his arm. Whereupon he was re-christened “The Phantom Menace” for the rest of the Test … at least until Johnson’s fireworks came along to scorch the narrative.”I really enjoyed that Australia tour because it was feisty,” Broad recalled. “It was a bit niggly, I got booed, and all sorts of songs were sung. But that’s quite unique. You don’t boo a player you’re not bothered about, so that’s the way I took it, and that’s the positive I dragged from it.”Overall, however, were he given the chance to relive the events of that first Test of the English summer all over again, how would he play it?”I wouldn’t change it for anything,” Broad said. “Because we won the game by 14 runs, and if I’d have walked off, we’d have lost the game.”Stuart Broad was speaking at the launch of wine merchant Laithwaites’ partnership with England cricket. For exclusive offers on great wines this summer, visit laithwaites.co.uk

Leeds United will not head into the international break on the back of a positive result, but they will head into it off the back of a positive performance against Tottenham Hotspur.

The result did not fall their way, because of deflected goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, but it was a performance that should have left supporters feeling positive heading into the rest of October.

The Whites were incredibly unfortunate to come away from the clash at Elland Road with nothing because they created enough chances to potentially win the game, let alone to get a point.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was guilty of missing a huge opportunity to score in the first-half when he fired high and wide after Noah Okafor won the ball back in the Spurs box.

As you can see in the table above, that was one of four ‘big chances’ created by the hosts, and Okafor was the only player who managed to convert one.

That goal from the Switzerland international was ‘created’ by Brenden Aaronson’s shot that was spilled by Guglielmo Vicario, in what was another promising display from the USA international.

How Brenden Aaronson has revived his Leeds career

It is fair to say that there were doubts over whether or not the American attacking midfielder would be a useful player for Daniel Farke in the Premier League heading into the 2025/26 campaign.

As you can see in the graphic above, Aaronson failed to deliver a single goal or assist in ten appearances against the other five teams in the top six in the Championship last season, which shows that he struggled against high-quality opponents.

The 24-year-old lightweight also managed just one goal and three assists in 36 appearances in the Premier League for the Whites in the 2022/23 campaign under Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia, and Sam Allardyce, per Sofascore.

Farke changing the system from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-3-3 cast further doubt over Aaronson’s potential involvement this season, as he played as a number ten in last term’s promotion-winning side.

However, the former RB Salzburg star has found a home for himself on the right wing in the 4-3-3 system, starting four Premier League matches so far, and has shown signs of promise on the pitch.

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson is unfortunate not to have an assist to his name in the division, as he has created three ‘big chances’ in four starts so far.

The Leeds winger has also provided quality out of possession with his impressive work rate on the flank, winning 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game and the majority of his physical battles on the deck.

His work rate off the ball and the creativity that he has shown with the ball at his feet has helped him to revive his Premier League career with the Whites this season.

Aaronson is not the only player who appears to have revived his career at Elland Road, though, as another star has emerged as a surprise key player for Farke.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

An injury to summer signing Lucas Perri has provided Karl Darlow with a run of matches to prove himself in the Premier League, and he has shown that he can be relied upon to be the team’s number one.

How Karl Darlow has revived his Leeds career

The Wales international joined the Whites from Newcastle United on a permanent deal in the summer of 2023 to be the back-up to Illan Meslier in the Championship.

Darlow started one match in the Championship in the 2023/24 campaign, because Meslier was suspended, and started the 2024/25 campaign as the second-choice once again.

However, the Frenchman’s poor form between the sticks meant that the Welshman was eventually given an opportunity to shine. He kept four clean sheets and prevented 0.74 goals, per Sofascore, in seven outings in the second tier as Leeds earned promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites then swooped to sign Perri from Lyon for £15.6m in the summer transfer window to be their new number one, which suggested that they did not believe that Darlow could make the step up. Unfortunately, Leeds United’s new signing endured a difficult start to life at Elland Road, conceding 1.99 more goals than expected in his first three appearances, per Sofascore, before picking up an injury.

That injury has provided the Wales international with a chance to prove himself and he has grasped it with both gloves, impressing in several matches in the Premier League.

Darlow, who was hailed as “superb” by reporter Graham Smyth, was even nominated for save of the month for September with his terrific acrobatic stop to prevent Kevin from opening the scoring for Fulham.

During the 3-1 win over Wolves, Smyth claimed that the goalkeeper was doing his best Superman impression, as he “brilliantly” tipped a shot over the bar.

As you can see in the table above, Darlow has outperformed Perri in his outings in the Premier League this season, both as an out-and-out shot-stopper as well as with his distribution out from the back.

-1.9 goals prevented may not jump out as an impressive statistic for the Welshman, but it is worth noting that he ended the Spurs game with -1.40 goals prevented, which was harsh given that Pascal Struijk deflected both goals past the goalkeeper.

His overall statistics, though, show that he has been more effective than Perri between the sticks for Leeds, which is why Farke should keep him in the XI even when the Frenchman is back and available for selection.

Leeds eyeing Chris Wood return in January deal as Nottingham Forest future in doubt

The Whites are looking to complete a deal for an experienced forward.

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Oct 4, 2025

Therefore, Darlow has revived his career at Elland Road by stepping up and taking his chance when it came his way, delivering quality performances in the Premier League, and, hopefully, there is more to come from the 34-year-old.

Tottenham Hotspur star Pedro Porro was left disappointed after the club's second consecutive draw in the Champions League against AS Monaco this Wednesday, as he revealed that he called out his team-mates for a poor show, while warning them against making the situation worse in Europe. Porro has been a regular starter at the Premier League club under new manager Thomas Frank.

• Spurs slumped to second consecutive draw

  Tottenham have made an impressive start to their Premier League 2025-26 campaign as they have won four out of the eight matches they have played and are currently sixth on the table, tied on 14 points with Chelsea. This is a significant rise in their form since finishing 17th in the English top-flight last season as under Frank's tutelage, the team looks much stronger than before.

  In the Champions League, Spurs started their journey with a win over Villarreal but since then, they have played out back-to-back draws, which include a 2-2 stalemate against a much weaker Bodo/Glimt and a goalless clash against Ligue 1 giants AS Monaco earlier this week.

  Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario was the Tottenham hero on the night as the Italian custodian produced a heroic individual display to maintain a clean sheet. Vicario single-handedly stopped three efforts from USMNT star and former Arsenal forward Folarin Balogun to make sure his team remained unbeaten in Europe. 

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  Porro called out Monaco team-mates

  Speaking to , Spanish full-back Porro questioned his team-mates' mentality on the pitch, especially on a grand stage like the Champions League, as he revealed he issued a warning to them. 

  Porro said: "We’re not in a bad situation, but let’s hope the second win comes. The other day in the draw against Monaco, I said it in the dressing room: we don’t have the right mentality, and in this competition, they run you over and you don’t even realise it."

• Frank sounded worried after Monaco draw

  Reacting to the club's poor performance away from home, Frank had told reporters: "The intensity was not at the level we wanted to for whatever reason. I think it's something we've been very good to play with basically every game more or less. Today we couldn't go for whatever reason. That can be momentum, it can be a lot of things. Then I think on a general level we made too many mistakes. Decision-making and simple passes that didn't help on the day. It was a hard point won. I think it was a relatively even first half."

  The manager added: "Second-half our performance was not good and Monaco were better than us. It demanded a lot to keep the clean sheet which we did in the end. I think Vicario was very good but we didn't hit the performance level we wanted to, especially in the second half. We're definitely learning [in the] Champions League. Playing away in the Champions League is always difficult. We still need to defend a lot but on the flip side, I think we created some chances, but of course, I want more."

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  Porro a vital cog in Frank's side

  Porro has proved to be an integral part of the Tottenham side ever since Frank joined them from Brentford in the summer, replacing Ange Postecoglou at the helm. Frank has made the Spaniard his first-choice right-back and has established that he has full faith in Porro's abilities. In the current season, Porro has started in every single one of Spurs' matches in the Premier League and the 26-year-old has appeared in 13 matches across all competitions, providing two assists thus far.

  Porro's purple patch since last season has earned him a place in Spain's national team on a regular basis, as in 2025, he has featured eight times for the European champions, the most he has represented the national team in a calendar year since his international debut in 2021.

  The defender will hope that his pep talks inspire his colleagues and they get back to winning ways when they face Everton in a difficult Premier League away trip this weekend.