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Aston Villa are believed to be ‘keen’ on Leeds United winger Jack Harrison, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Three more signings?

NSWE promised Unai Emery a ‘huge’ January transfer budget, with the club making two additions so far in Alex Moreno and Jhon Duran. Those two deals have cost around €30m (£26.3m), but Villa could be busy in the coming days.

Reports have suggested that Emery still wants another striker, winger and midfielder before the deadline, and it seems as if Harrison could be a target.

The Latest: Harrison interest

Crook to Twitter on Saturday afternoon to share what he knows about Harrison’s future.

He expects Leeds to reject an opening offer from Leicester City but added that Villa are also ‘keen’ on the winger, saying that the 26-year-old’s name will be ‘one to keep an eye on in the final days of the window’.

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The Verdict: Impressive FA Cup display

Harrison has been hailed as ‘really direct, quick and exciting to watch’ by pundit David Norris and impressed in the FA Cup for the Whites against Accrington Stanley on Saturday.

The 26-year-old scored a thunderbolt to set Leeds on their way in that 3-1 win and has enjoyed success in a central attacking midfield role in the FA Cup, contributing to four goals in two games. Capable of also playing on either wing, he could be a shrewd versatile signing by those at Villa Park, although it may be a tricky deal to complete.

Jesse Marsch appears to be open to keeping Harrison at Elland Road, and with Leicester and Newcastle also interested, Villa may need to make a big offer to tempt Leeds into selling the winger so late in the month.

New Arsenal signing Jakub Kiwior will not start in Arsenal’s FA Cup tie away at Manchester City, journalist Charles Watts believes.

What’s the word?

The Polish defender arrived from Spezia earlier in the week, and has travelled with the squad to Manchester for what promises to be a tough encounter in the fourth round of the cup.

It remains to be seen how much Mikel Arteta will rotate his team, with the likes of Matt Turner, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Leandro Trossard all vying to start, but it seems that Gabriel Magalhaes will continue in the heart of defence rather than Kiwior.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts claimed that it was too soon for the 22-year-old to be thrown straight in, especially given the quality of the opposition.

“Maybe Kiwior will play for his debut? I can’t imagine it. I just think, do you really throw him in for his first game away against Manchester City at the Etihad, potentially up against Erling Haaland or even Alvarez?” He stated.

“I’m just not sure when he’s only been here for a week and getting used to his teammates. I’m not sure that’s an ideal situation to throw a player into his debut. So I personally think Gabriel will play.”

Gabriel a figure of consistency

Kiwior has clearly been signed with depth in mind, as a left-sided centre-back to cover for Gabriel.

The Brazilian has remarkably started 54 league games in a row for the Gunners, making him one of Arteta’s most important players, and the Poland International will provide much-needed depth as Arsenal aim to compete domestically and in Europe.

It is likely that Kiwior will have to wait for his full debut, which he could even make in the Europa League knockout stages in March, as Gabriel has his position in the side locked down.

Newcastle United could see Alexander Isak return to the squad on the weekend when West Ham United travel to Tyneside following his injury concern.

What’s the latest?

The Magpies booked their spot in the Carabao Cup final on Tuesday night with victory over Southampton at St. James’ Park but they did not come out of the game unscathed.

Bruno Guimaraes will be missing for the game against the Hammers on Saturday and the fitness of Isak is still unknown fully despite the expectation from Craig Hope for him to be involved.

After being hit by a James Ward-Prowse free-kick, it was reported the Swedish forward had sustained a possible concussion which saw him walk off in the second half.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Hope suggested he would expect to see Isak involved to some extent on the weekend after speaking to Howe on Friday:

(1:50) “We’ll have to wait and see on that one. But there wasn’t a definitive answer either way. And perhaps that also was part of the reason as to why the club wanted us out of the training ground pronto this morning.

“But is “fine”. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he is involved in some form tomorrow [Saturday].”

Potential involvement

Although there will be one eye on the Carabao Cup final, there are some important games coming up for Newcastle in the coming weeks as they look to strengthen their spot inside the top four spots.

And the game against a struggling West Ham could prove to be a potential banana skin of a game with David Moyes’ men in serious danger of facing relegation this season.

However, the possibility of missing Isak from the side could be a huge blow for Howe with the Swede already proving an incredibly reliable source of goals.

Despite missing the majority of the season already through injury, the 23-year-old has been able to provide a return of three goals in five Premier League games (via Transfermarkt).

And the latest goal came in Newcastle’s last home game in the league with the forward coming off the bench to score an 89th-minute winner against Fulham.

In comparison, Callum Wilson finds himself in the middle of a goal drought with the 30-year-old’s last goal coming back in October against Aston Villa.

With this in mind, Howe will be hoping Isak is fit to play in the game on Saturday but with it being a potential concussion it is something which the 45-year-old manager should not be gambling on.

Sunderland goalkeeper Anthony Patterson could be set to swap the Championship for the Premier League this summer, according to recent reports.

The Lowdown: Standout performer

The Black Cats shot-stopper has started all 29 games in the second tier this season and has established himself as Tony Mowbray’s number one with some brilliant performances between the sticks.

The 6 foot 2 gem’s contract at the Stadium of Light isn’t due to expire until 2026, but his displays appear to have caught the eye of two big-name clubs in particular who are considering an approach in the coming months.

The Latest: Patterson being monitored

According to The Sun, Leicester and Wolves have made Patterson a ‘major target’ for the summer transfer window, with the Premier League duo both set to ‘have a go for him’.

Should Sunderland fail to achieve promotion to the top flight this year, it’s reported that they ‘could cash in’ on the 22-year-old for a fee in the region of £10m.

The goalkeeper ‘may find other admirers come in’ as the season goes on, and he will then consider his ‘best options’ and weigh up his future on Wearside.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Patterson has been dubbed a ‘top class’ player by journalist Josh Bunting, and Sunderland need to do everything that they can to try and fend off interest and keep hold of him this summer.

The 22-year-old has kept eight clean sheets in the league so far this term and currently ranks in the 96th percentile for penalties saved and the 94th percentile for crosses stopped among goalkeepers in Europe (FBref).

Patterson is not only a commanding last line of defence, he also has an assist to his name this season. That shows his vision and ability to impact the game at both ends of the pitch, and even the thought of losing him must be a huge concern for the Black Cats.

Manchester United are set to sign ‘young talent’ Gabriele Biancheri from Cardiff City, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The Lowdown: Biancheri profiled

Biancheri is 16 years of age and is primarily a centre-forward but can play anywhere across the front three, and has represented Wales at U17 level.

He is known for his pace and has impressed in Cardiff’s academy this season, earning a call-up to the club’s U21s back in January. Biancheri scored an equaliser against Wolves on his debut for the U21s, with The Sun labelling him as a ‘wonderkid’.

The Latest: Romano’s post

Romano took to Twitter on Tuesday to share an update on Biancheri and a move to Old Trafford. The transfer expert described the forward as a ‘young talent’ and said that a four-year professional deal with Manchester United is completed and waiting for FIFA’s approval.

“Manchester United are set to complete the signing of young talent 2006-born striker Gabriele Biancheri from Cardiff City. Understand it’s 4 year pro contract now completed, just waiting for Fifa approval to finalise the deal.”

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The Verdict: Exciting news

Biancheri could well be a star in the making, so it is exciting to know that the Red Devils are on the verge of officially sealing a deal for the forward.

It is almost certain that Biancheri would initially go into the club’s academy sides, looking to progress through the ranks at Carrington. We have seen that United aren’t afraid to use their academy products, though, with Alejandro Garnacho the latest to star at Old Trafford in the first-team, so perhaps in years to come, Biancheri could follow in the footsteps of the Argentine, making him a gem to keep an eye on.

Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun has witnessed an immense rise in the last few months.

Last term, the 21-year-old was catching the eye but ultimately failing to find the net too often while on loan at Middlesbrough.

The Gunners prodigy beat the goalkeeper just three times during his time in the Championship and with that, another temporary spell was granted.

With Gabriel Jesus’ arrival and Eddie Nketiah’s new contract, it was clear that he wasn’t going to force his way into Mikel Arteta’s plans anytime soon but that could change heading into the 2023/24 campaign.

That’s because the American-born attacker has been rampant at French club Reims this term.

What are Folarin Balogun’s stats this season?

The England U21 international has been seriously impressive in Ligue 1 throughout this campaign, with a penalty miss last weekend the only blemish on his record so far.

To date, Balogun has found the net on 15 occasions in 23 league outings, with that tally only matched by Jonathan David and none other than Kylian Mbappe.

Showcasing his supreme pace, positioning and importantly, his finishing, the youngster is demonstrating why he has a huge future in the game.

That said, it’s hard to picture where he fits into Arsenal’s long-term plans.

Jesus and Nketiah, who have scored 14 goals between them this term, have not been too prolific but the all round game, especially of the former, has seen him emerge as a game-changing option for Arteta’s side.

How much is Balogun worth now?

Due to the presence of the aforementioned forwards in Arsenal’s ranks, another spell away from north London could be forthcoming for the Hale End graduate.

A loan spell, possibly to a top-flight side in England, would make the most sense and it doesn’t appear as though that has been ruled out.

Football Insider reported over the weekend that the Gunners expect his value to continue to rise over the coming months, potentially making him a £50m player in waiting. That would be an extraordinary fee to receive but baby steps are first required for the ever-impressive loanee.

The outlet’s sources state that “half the Premier League” could look to seal a temporary deal for the goal-scorer in the summer and that would be a fine reward for his immense displays across the channel.

With another loan in mind, Arteta could well repeat the trick he used with defender William Saliba.

It took three loan spells before the Frenchman was finally thrust into the senior ranks at the Emirates Stadium and the same situation could play out with Balogun next term.

Supporters may well be crying out for his immediate return but he won’t receive consistent minutes with Jesus and Nketiah in the way.

Even if they can’t find room for him, Arsenal have certainly struck gold by unearthing such a talented young player.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly set to open talks with Ryan Jack over a new contract at Ibrox after the Scottish League Cup final later this month.

The Lowdown: Was set to leave…

It was reported earlier this week that Jack was not expected to be given a contract extension, and was set to leave Ibrox with his deal expiring at the end of the season.

Both Steven Davis and Scott Arfield are in the same situation, while Malik Tillman could return to Bayern Munich after his loan spell, meaning that a mass overhaul in the midfield area should be expected come the summer transfer window.

The Latest: Twist in the tale

As per Football Insider, Rangers are now set to open talks with Jack over a new deal, after they play their cup final against Celtic on 26th February.

He is still seen as a ‘key member’ of the team, and is understood to be ‘keen’ to stay beyond this term.

The Verdict: Sign him up!

Jack has been such a great servant to the club, making 178 appearances in total over all competitions, and playing key roles in both the title-winning campaign and the road to the UEFA Europa League final last season.

This campaign, he has only missed one game under Michael Beale, with the new manager even admitting that Jack is in the ‘best eleven’ players at the club.

Nonetheless, at 30 years of age, the Scotsman still has a lot to offer, and so there is no reason for the Gers to let him go this summer.

Sky Sports News journalist Kaveh Solhekol has revealed that the bidders for Manchester United will not “pay crazy money” in any possible takeover.

What’s the latest on the Man Utd takeover?

With the Glazers potentially ready to sell the club for good, two official bids have already been tabled and are now under consideration by the current owners.

Indeed, Qatari-linked Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani and British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe are both in the running to take over as majority owners.

However, the Glazers have also been offered possible financing as well by US hedge fund Elliott Investment Management in case they don’t want to fully sell the club.

With that being the case, the owners have options and may feel as though they can start a bidding war for their asset. However, Solhekol has claimed that any bidders will not overpay for Manchester United.

While talking on Sky Sports News, he explained: “What we’re being told is that the bidders for United are not going to pay crazy money for the club.

“They won’t dance to the Glazers’ tune. They have a valuation of what they believe Manchester United is worth and they won’t pay more than that.”

What does the latest takeover news mean for Man Utd?

If it really comes down to money for the Glazers – which you suspect it will do – then it looks as though the Qatari bid could be the most likely offer to be accepted.

After all, they believe their proposal, which will wipe out all the club’s debts, is the best offer on the table in terms of price as well as a commitment to on and off-the-pitch development.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s proposal for 69% of United, however, doesn’t elaborate on the infrastructure of the deal and so it remains unclear as to how enticing that might be for the Glazers who would have to leave the club entirely if they were to accept the current terms.

There have been reports that the owners want as much as £8bn for their asset – which is double the world record paid for a sports franchise, set when NFL franchise Denver Broncos were bought for £4bn.

By the sounds of it though, no bidder will pay quite as much as that and so it will be interesting to see if any compromises can be reached in the near future.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to avoid another FA Cup fifth-round upset when they travel to Sheffield United this evening.

Antonio Conte’s side, who will once again be managed by his assistant Cristian Stellini, will be buoyed by their recent form under the Italian no.2 as they come in fresh off two successive Premier League victories, defeating a pair of London rivals in Chelsea and West Ham United.

In fact, the Lilywhites have not gotten past this stage of the competition since 2018 when they made the semi-finals, with two extra-time defeats and a loss on penalties in three of the last four years, so the squad will need to buck recent trends.

And they may well have received a massive boost heading into kick-off…

What’s the latest injury news ahead of Tottenham’s trip Sheffield United?

Ahead of this encounter at Bramall Lane, Blades boss Paul Heckingbottom has revealed some rather troubling news around his camp, claiming that several players could miss out due to illness, including veteran defender Ciaran Clark.

The 33-year-old is currently on loan from Premier League outfit Newcastle United and having racked up 214 appearances in the top-flight, his influence and experience would be crucial to their chances of pulling off a shock win over Spurs.

“Ciaran is ill. We have got illness going through the camp at the minute,” the Sheffield United boss told reporters (via YorkshireLive).

“He’s one of those who is not in today. We have got a few missing, so we will have to wait and see how everyone is tomorrow. Tomorrow we will then decide on the team off the back of that.

“It’s frustrating because we have got a few bodies back and with this tight schedule I know the team I want to pick but we’ll have to see now.”

Is this good news for Cristian Stellini?

Despite being limited to just nine league appearances since his temporary switch last summer, Clark remains among Heckingbottom’s top six performers in the Championship, per WhoScored figures.

Only a trio of players have subsequently averaged more headers and tackles won per game, and he’s among the centre-backs to have conceded the fewest number of fouls per game too, which suggests that his colossal and reliable presence will be an almighty miss for the Blades.

The United boss has also not been drawn into who else could be absent, which on his part is a smart decision but behind the scenes, it’ll surely be a major worry as he could well have several other key players missing for what is a great chance to get into the quarter-finals of this prestigious tournament.

Heckingbottom has already been without some important stars, including ex-Liverpool frontman Rhian Brewster, Rhys Norrington-Davies, Enda Stevens and George Baldock, so any further absences will only dent their dreams of delivering a scalp tonight.

For Spurs, though, this is an encouraging boost as the uncertainty of their opposition is only going to disrupt plans and given how poorly the north London giants have performed in the FA Cup over the past five seasons, they could finally get through into the last-16 for just the third time in a decade.

Stellini and co must now fancy their chances heading into tonight’s tricky encounter in Sheffield.

AND in other news, As well as Danjuma: Stellini must now unleash Spurs’ 20 y/o “huge talent” on Sheff Utd…

Chelsea could finally rekindle some of their former verve as the west London outfit prepares to take on relegation-threatened Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League this afternoon, and both sides will be eyeing all three points.

The mid-table Blues have fallen by the wayside this season, with manager Graham Potter boasting just two victories from the past 15 outings across all competitions, and the previous home encounter resulted in a chastening defeat to bottom club Southampton.

The Whites, in retrospect, defeated Saints in their previous divisional outing before falling to high-flying Fulham in the FA Cup, and new boss Javi Gracia will be quietly confident that the Yorkshire outfit can pull off a major upset to calm the roiling waters of their turbulent campaign.

With further woes eradicating all chance of a late surge for Champions League qualification, the Blues must now rally together, though they will have to complete the feat without Thiago Silva, who has been ruled out for six weeks with a knee injury.

Cobham graduates Reece James and Mason Mount are both nursing respective problems and might not feature, but Potter can take solace in welcoming back assiduous midfielder Mateo Kovacic to the fray.

What could Chelsea look like against Leeds?

Considering this, here is the line-up that Football FanCast predicts Chelsea will field against United, with three changes expected from the starting eleven that fell to defeat against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

4-3-3 – (GK) Kepa; (RB) James, (CB) Fofana, (CB) Koulibaly, (LB) Chilwell; (CM) Loftus-Cheek, (CM) Fernandez; (RW) Madueke, (AM) Felix, (LW) Mudryk; (ST) Havertz. 

The injury to Silva could warrant the inclusion of £75m titan, Wesley Fofana, while the Stamford Bridge faithful will be hopeful that James can overcome his issue with stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta still out due to concussion protocols.

As for the midfield, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and British record £107m signing Enzo Fernandez will continue to nurture their central partnership, with the respective skillsets already looking promising.

The “dream” Hakim Ziyech – as dubbed by Frank Khalid – will return to the bench, having featured prominently over the past few weeks. Replacing the Moroccan, Noni Madueke’s pace and directness could pay dividends against a robust Leeds defence; winter arrival Mykhaylo Mudryk could be offered a starting berth having yet to score or assist from six outings for the Blues.

Up front, Kai Havertz will continue to offer his dynamic abilities, although he will be hoping to score after netting just six times from 32 appearances across all competitions this season.