Tottenham Hotspur entered a new era last summer, having thrown an old narrative into the wastebin when defying the odds and beating Manchester United in Bilbao to lift the Europa League trophy.

But Thomas Frank has much to do if he is to succeed at the helm, with the general mood one of disgruntlement after reaching the midpoint of his first campaign in the hot seat down N17.

Those of a Spurs persuasion undoubtedly feel they are cut from the same cloth as those at the top of the Premier League pyramid, but there is a gulf in tangible success that needs to be bridged.

These things take time, but even Frank would admit that his side’s attacking play hasn’t been good enough this year.

Spurs lining up new forward

Tottenham have already waved goodbye to Brennan Johnson, who was sold to Crystal Palace in a £35m deal last week. It was Johnson, 24, who scored the winner in the Europa League final, but he has been well below standards this season, lacking energy and impetus and conviction in his play.

Now, with Mohammed Kudus having trudged off with a hamstring issue during the recent league draw to Sunderland, the need for wide quality has been accentuated. In the creative department, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are still out.

As per transfer insider Ben Jacobs, Tottenham are ready to battle a host of continental superpowers for RB Leipzig prodigy Yan Diomande, having learned that they will have to stump up a bid worth €100m (converting to about £87m) for his signature this month.

However, clubs feel a deal could be struck for a figure closer to €60m (£51m) during the summer transfer window.

Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has since reiterated Spurs’ interest, stressing that those close to the Ivory Coast international believe he has surpassed the level of many current Premier League up-and-comers.

Why Yan Diomande would thrive for Frank

Frank left Brentford along with Bryan Mbeumo during the summer, though the Cameroonian forward wound up at Old Trafford after a prolific campaign in the Premier League.

The right winger has been one of the brighter sparks of Manchester United’s campaign, but he’s missing Frank’s system, so well-woven at the Gtech. Diomande could become the Danish coach’s new Mbeumo at Tottenham.

He may only be 19, but Diomande has been brilliant in the Bundesliga this term, arriving from Leganes in La Liga last year.

Not just clinical in front of goal, Diomande also ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe for progressive carries, the top 12% for tackles won and the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

He’s still so young, but already there are similarities to be drawn between the teenager and Mbeumo, who scored 20 goals in the English top flight but provided Brentford with so much more.

Mbeumo (24/25) vs Diomande (25/26)

Stats (* per game)

Mbeumo

Diomande

Matches (starts)

38 (38)

14 (10)

Goals

20

6

Assists

7

2

Shots (on target)*

2.2 (1.1)

1.6 (0.9)

Big chances missed

9

2

Pass completion

74%

(83%)

Big chances created

17

2

Key passes*

1.8

1.0

Dribbles*

1.4

3.0

Ball recoveries*

4.1

4.1

Tackles + interceptions*

1.7

1.4

Duels won*

4.7

4.8

Data via Sofascore

Mbeumo has been a decent asset for Man United, but he hasn’t yet rekindled his level under Frank’s wing. At Brentford, he was a deadly finisher, but also a strong and unflinching team player down the right channel.

Subscribe for deep transfer insight on Tottenham targets Get the newsletter for data-driven analysis of Spurs transfer targets, tactical fits, and scouting metrics — coverage that decodes pursuits like Yan Diomande, explains how he would slot into Thomas Frank’s side, and explores implications across the Premier League.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Diomande shares attributes with him in this regard, capable of bringing the full package to his side. It is this mastery of completeness that he has been hailed as a “generational talent” by journalist Bence Bocsak.

Diomande is still so young. And yet, there is something special about this goalscoring, fleet-footed winger, who might just realise his potential in the Premier League if lifting Frank’s Tottenham set-up, becoming a talisman with a likeness to Mbeumo.

Currently plying his way through AFCON with Les Éléphants, and he has been immense, electrifying as he zips up and down the left wing.

Tottenham won the Europa League last season, but Frank needs to ensure that that victory, under Ange Postecoglou, does not become a millstone around his neck.

Diomande would be the kind of ambitious move to secure Tottenham’s future at the top of the tree, growing into a superstar and not only rivalling Mbeumo as Frank’s biggest star as a manager but surpassing him.

Related Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop Spurs star who lost 11 duels

Tottenham started 2026 with a draw against Sunderland in the Premier League, with home turf struggles continuing.

Posts 1 ByAngus Sinclair

Bhargav Bhatt’s four-for dismantled Tamil Nadu•Sivaraman Kitta

Baba Aparajith’s half-century was the sole innings of prominence for Tamil Nadu as they were dismantled for 176 by Andhra’s bowlers in Chennai. Bhargav Bhatt and Y Prithvi Raj shared seven wickets between them to run through TN’s batting line-up, while Bandaru Ayyappa and Shoaib Md Khan picked the rest.TN’s India players, M Vijay and R Ashwin, were both dismissed for single-digit scores, making 4 and 9 respectively. Vijay was the first wicket to fall, in the seventh over, and in the next over, Prithvi Raj dismissed Abhinav Mukund to leave the score at 15 for 2. Kaushik Gandhi and B Indrajith attempted to steady the innings with a 26-run partnership for the third wicket, but Bhatt thwarted them by dismissing Indrajith. Aparajith, meanwhile, anchored one end to take TN to 140, after which the tenth-wicket pair of Rahil Shah and Krishnamoorthy Vignesh helped lift them to 176.Andhra ended the day at 8 for no loss, with Prasanth Kumar (1*) and Srikar Bharat (7*) at the crease.A 199-run fifth-wicket partnership between Devendra Bundela and Shubham Sharma propelled Madhya Pradesh from 69 for 4 to a solid 268 for 5 against Baroda in Indore. Bundela was dismissed on 99 by seamer Atit Sheth off the last ball of the day.Madhya Pradesh were in the midst of a wobble after losing openers Waseem Ahmed (4) and Rajat Patidar (4) within the first ten overs, and slipped further when Naman Ojha (24) and Harpreet Singh (32) were dismissed before lunch. A middle-order charge from Bundela and Shubham made Baroda’s bowlers toil without reward until the end of the day, when 40-year old Bundela was caught by wicketkeeper Pinal Shah, thus missing out on his 27th first-class hundred.The first day’s play between Odisha and Tripura was washed out without a ball being bowled in Cuttack

Leeds United didn’t fall victim to a Christmas hangover whatsoever at Sunderland on Sunday afternoon.

Instead, Daniel Farke’s Whites battled well throughout against the Black Cats, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin popping up with yet another Premier League strike to hand the West Yorkshire outfit a well-earned 1-1 draw on the road.

On another day, Leeds could well have picked up all three points to dish out a first home defeat of the season to Regis Le Bris’ stern side, with Calvert-Lewin thankfully in the right place at the right time to steer home Brenden Aaronson’s incisive pass to, at least, snatch a share of the points.

Although both the ex-Everton attacker and Aaronson stood out when combining for the crucial equaliser, there were also some underperformers in the Leeds ranks that would have worried the German, ahead of more fixtures to come across the bumper winter fixture schedule.

Notable Leeds underperformers vs Sunderland

Away from the Sheffield-born menace, collecting his blistering seventh league strike across his last six encounters, other performers failed to leave their mark on proceedings.

Jayden Bogle, in particular, would have trudged off at the end a little disappointed with what he offered up, as he was caught out for Simon Adingra’s opener, after Granit Xhaka cut open the Whites’ defence with ease with a killer through ball.

The Ivorian would then curl home this tremendous effort past Lucas Perri, with Bogle also failing to register a single accurate cross or key pass when marauding forward, as per Sofascore.

The aforementioned Perri might also feel somewhat flat about his individual display, as another clean sheet passed him by, with a second Sunderland goal nearly beating him when Brian Brobbey ran through with pace to burn at the end of a lively first half.

Thankfully, the bulldozing Dutchman wouldn’t put Sunderland two goals ahead, as the Brazilian breathed a mighty sigh of relief.

There is another out-of-sorts Leeds performer who surely must be in line to be dropped for the Whites’ next league clash on New Year’s Day away at Liverpool.

The Leeds flop who must be dropped

Farke will almost certainly have to replace Joe Rodon for the trip to Anfield to start 2026, with the Welshman having to come off during the first half with a nasty injury sustained to his ankle.

Joining him out of the starting XI could also be Noah Okafor, with the former AC Milan attacker going yet another league game without a goal or an assist for Leeds at the Stadium of Light, as his last goal contribution in Premier League action fell all the way back in early October versus Tottenham Hotspur.

It just isn’t working for the number 19 at the moment, lining up alongside Calvert-Lewin up top, with his 77-minute cameo against Crystal Palace – which saw Leeds storm home to a comprehensive 4-1 win – also seeing him register zero shots at a shaky Eagles goal.

He was equally inaccurate in front of goal against Le Bris’ hosts, with his three efforts all being blazed off-target. Moreover, Okafor would only complete one of his four attempted dribbles on the day, as his grip on a starting spot has surely gotten weaker.

Okafor’s performance in numbers

Stat

Okafor

Minutes played

77

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

38

Shots

3

Accurate passes

16/18 (89%)

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

2/4

Successful dribbles

1/4

Total duels won

5/12

Stats by Sofascore

The table above doesn’t exactly show off the low-on-confidence 25-year-old in a better light, with Okafor weak when coming up against a combative Sunderland side, resulting in him losing seven of his 12 duels.

Subscribe for sharper Leeds United analysis and insights Unlock deeper context: subscribe to the newsletter for tactical breakdowns, player-form tracking and lineup debates on Leeds United and broader Premier League coverage. Ideal for readers who want clear, data-backed perspectives on team selection and form.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

This timid approach also saw Okafor only amass 38 touches of the ball, with Perri in between the sticks for the away side, even managing more, when finishing the match with a superior 54 touches next to his name.

With Wilfried Gnonto picking up an assist against Brentford when coming on for Okafor, it could be time for Farke to reintroduce the Italian into his starting XIs, rather than mainly utilising him as an impact substitute.

Moreover, there is Lucas Nmecha at the German’s disposal, who has four Premier League strikes next to his name, with the number 19 surely aware that he will be replaced soon, if he continues to offer very little.

All in all, Leeds do have plenty of positives to latch onto after this entertaining draw on Wearside, but when it comes to Okafor, he might soon be axed by his manager, as 2026 slides into view.

Related Rutter 2.0: Leeds battling to sign "exceptional" talent in January

This potential signing can strengthen Leeds ahead of their relegation fight

Posts ByJoe Nuttall

Rangers return to action at Ibrox tomorrow as Gio van Bronckhorst’s team look to make their way through to the next round of the Europa League.

The Gers beat Borussia Dortmund 4-2 in the first leg away from home and now play host to the Bundesliga outfit in Glasgow on Thursday night.

Dundee United managed to hold the Light Blues to a shock 1-1 draw in the Premiership at the weekend and the players will need to quickly erase that negative feeling from their bodies ahead of this match.

Forget Arfield

One change that must be made from that draw is the introduction of Fashion Sakala out wide. FFC published an article explaining why Scott Arfield should be dropped from the starting XI and the summer signing is the man who should replace him.

Sakala has enjoyed a respectable start to his Rangers career since arriving at the club last summer. He has not been able to nail down a regular spot in the starting XI, but he has been a useful squad player who has been able to provide quality when called upon and he must now receive the call from his boss for this match.

The £8.3k-per-week gem offers a different type of threat on the flank to Arfield. Whilst the Canadian’s movement off the ball is clever and he works hard for the team, Sakala’s raw pace and power make him a huge asset on the counter-attack on and off the ball.

He can sprint down the channel to get on the end of a pass or get the ball down at his feet and beat a defender in a one-on-one situation. This could be crucial in a game where they may not see the majority of the possession and breaking at pace could be key to achieving success in the final third.

To emphasise this point, earlier this season his manager van Bronckhorst said: “We know the qualities he has – he’s fast, he’ll run with the ball to create his own chances.”

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The 24-year-old attacker has also shown off his ability to score goals, with eight strikes and two assists for the Gers this term. This includes six strikes in seven Premiership starts for the club, with a further 14 appearances off the bench and only two starts in the Europa League.

Therefore, the Dutch head coach must finally unleash the Zambian from the start after so many cameos as a substitute and allow the attacker to make himself a hero at Ibrox against the German giants.

AND in other news,  Forget Amad: Gvb must unearth “exciting” 18 y/o Rangers dynamo who impressed Murty…

Wolves are in the midst of a chase to secure European football for next season, with the Old Gold currently sitting eighth in the Premier League table with 40 points on the board from 26 games played.

However, one notable factor about their campaign so far is their lack of goals scored compared to other teams around them in the table, with just 24 throughout the entire campaign. Only Norwich City and Burnley (both of whom are in the relegation zone) have found the back of the net less often, prior to the Lancashire club’s league clash against Leicester City tonight.

With that in mind, now could be the right time for Bruno Lage to unleash one figure at the Midlands club who has yet to be given a shot in the first team.

Hailed as a player who “scores goals” by the club’s head of coaching and football operations Jonathan Hunter-Barrett, 17-year-old marksman Nathan Fraser recently put pen to paper on his first professional contract with Wolves, having risen through the club’s ranks over the past nine years.

Having scored six goals in 17 appearances for the Old Gold’s under-18 side, the teenager has now started to feature for the under-23 team, showing how keen the club have been to progress him through the youth ranks based on his talent.

Raul Jimenez has only netted five goals in 24 league games this season and Fabio Silva failed to make the most of his opportunity by failing to have one shot on target in 90 minutes during Wolves’ recent 1-0 defeat against West Ham United, so perhaps taking a punt on Fraser could be just what the team needs.

In a tweet from Tim Spiers relaying the news about the 17-year-old signing his first professional contract, the journalist described the attacker as “one to watch,” which goes to show just how exciting a prospect he is and what he could go on to achieve if given the chance to do so.

Moving forward, while he may benefit from playing some more minutes with the under-23s first, unleashing the teenager in the first team at some point in the coming months should be in Lage’s thoughts from now on.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Given how the 45-year-old has shown that he isn’t against testing players from the youth academy in the first team this season, with Luke Cundle getting some senior minutes under his belt for instance, Fraser could well be the next academy graduate in the team at some point.

In other news: Journalist drops Molineux claim which “Wolves won’t want to hear”, fans will be sweating

Rangers have been dealt an injury setback over one of their attackers as Gio van Bronckhorst has provided a fresh update…

What’s the latest?

The Light Blues’ head coach has confirmed that on-loan winger Amad Diallo will be missing from the matchday squad once again this weekend due to injury.

He was also absent for the Premiership win in midweek and it remains to be seen when the Ivorian will be able to return from his knock.

Fuming

Rangers fans will surely be fuming with this news, as it is another blow for the winger in what is turning out to be a disaster of a move for the club.

The start of his debut offered much promise around the impact he could have during his loan spell at the club, but it has all been downhill since that moment. He got on the end of a clever ball across the penalty box from Joe Aribo to tap into an empty net against Ross County in the Premiership and he enjoyed a few fancy touches throughout the game to catch the eye.

Diallo was then handed a start against Celtic in his next match and had an abysmal 45 minutes before being hooked at half-time. As per SofaScore, he lost five of his six duels, failed with both of his attempted dribbles and was unable to provide a single key pass.

He has since come off the bench in two league matches and missed one ‘big chance’, whilst failing to provide another goal or assist for his team. This shows that his performances on the pitch have been underwhelming and not at a standard where it is logical to say that he has been a good addition to the squad.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

These latest injury issues are just another reason why this transfer has been a failure so far. Whilst you cannot blame Ross Wilson for a player sustaining a knock, fans must surely be frustrated with the deal overall, as the 19-year-old was struggling to get in the team even before getting injured.

It is a frustrating situation for all involved, as Diallo has not struggled through a lack of effort, and supporters will be hoping that he can turn it around and come good for the Gers before the end of the campaign. For now, though, they will be fuming with how it is going…

AND in other news, Van Bronckhorst can seal Rangers masterclass with “unbelievable” £6.5k-p/w gem, he’s a “class act”…

A huge Newcastle United injury relief has been issued on centre-back Fabian Schar…

What’s the latest?

Eddie Howe has allayed any fears that the Switzerland international has suffered any long-lasting damage after the 2-1 win over Southampton on Thursday night.

Schar went down to receive treatment on his groin during the match and the Magpies head coach has explained why it was not a major issue.

The Shields Gazette quote Howe saying: “Fabian’s had a groin issue for quite some time that he’s been managing, and has been able to play on with, and we hope he’ll be OK.”

Buzzing

Newcastle supporters will surely be buzzing with this for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it will allay any concerns they had over the defender after Thursday’s clash with the Saints. Fans could be excused for being worried about Schar’s status after he went down and required medical attention on the pitch, but Howe has now confirmed that it is not set to keep the 30-year-old out of action.

They will also be pleased because this update suggests that the defender will not be missing any upcoming matches as it stands. He has been in fantastic form since the turn of the year and it is a big boost to have him fit and available in spite of his recent blow.

In 2022, he has achieved a SofaScore rating of 6.8 or higher in seven of his nine matches for the Magpies in all competitions, including five scores of 7.4 or higher. He has maintained a high standard of performance at the heart of the defence, and Geordies will therefore be keen for him to stay fit for as long as possible.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Finally, supporters will be delighted that he is playing through the pain and managing this injury. It shows terrific commitment from the defender and proves that he is willing to put his body on the line for the club in order to help them avoid relegation to the Championship.

Hopefully Schar will be able to see out the rest of the season before taking action on the knock in the summer to put an end to his pain. He can potentially look for a long-term solution heading into the 2022/23 campaign, with Newcastle still not out of the woods yet in the Premier League and in need of his excellent performances for another little while yet.

AND in other news, 80% duels lost: £37k-p/w Newcastle dud was bailed out by Bruno, he’s “out of his depth”…

Leeds United will be without left-back Junior Firpo vs Wolves and some fresh news has now emerged on the extent of his knee injury, per The Athletic’s Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Firpo picks up injury

The defender was injured in the disappointing 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa last week, as his frustrating start to life at Elland Road continues.

Firpo arrived with a relatively big reputation because of joining from European giants Barcelona but he has flattered to deceive so far, only managing 15 Premier League starts.

The 25-year-old’s injury looked fairly serious at the time and a fresh update has now emerged regarding the situation.

[freshpress-quiz id=“383507″]

The Latest: Hay delivers the latest

Taking to Twitter, Hay confirmed that Firpo is expected to be out until at least early April, with Jesse Marsch having to make do without him during a key period:

“Firpo out for three to five weeks with a knee ligament injury.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-38/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Brutal…

Stuart Dallas should be fine to continue at left-back, as was the case in the win over Norwich City last Sunday, with the Northern Irishman an experienced head who knows how to shine in an auxiliary role.

In terms of squad depth and rotation, however, this is a big hit for Marsch, who has immediately been handed a taste of the injury crisis Marcelo Bielsa had to deal with this season.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The hope is that Firpo is back sooner rather than later and can play a part in the closing stages of the season – he has been hailed as ‘incredibly fit’ by Kevin Campbell in the past – but you have to wonder now if we will ever see the full-back in his best form in Yorkshire, given there are even talks he could leave the club.

In other news, Leeds have been backed to sign one player this summer. Find out who it is here.

Everton could be set for their most difficult summer for a while, with the club currently navigating financial troubles, as well as battling to remain in the Premier League for next season.

However, even if they do maintain their top-flight status, they will also face a difficult battle to keep ahold of a number of their key players, including Richarlison, who reportedly wants a permanent transfer away from the club.

What’s the news?

According to Goal, Manchester United could capitalise on the Brazilian striker’s situation at Goodison Park, and lure him to Old Trafford to bolster their attacking options, with Edinson Cavani, Marcus Rashford and Cristiano Ronaldo’s futures still unclear.

The Red Devils, who were rejected by the Everton star back in the January 2020 transfer window, will, however, be up against Spanish giants Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Difficult to replace

Despite going through a difficult spell of form over the last eight games, in which he has averaged a 6.6 match rating according to SofaScore, the 24-year-old remains as important as ever to Frank Lampard’s plans at Finch Farm, and to lose him would be a major disaster.

After arriving at Everton as a 21-year-old back in July 2018, for £35m, he has made 142 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 47 goals and assisting 12 more.

This season, he has netted just four Premier League goals in 20 appearances, setting up only three as he averages a 6.82 match rating this season, not helped by his 11% goal conversion rate and three big chances missed so far.

Once hailed as an “amazing talent” by former Watford manager Marco Silva during the forward’s time at the Hertfordshire club, his career has gone from strength to strength ignoring this campaign, having already made an impressive 32 appearances for Brazil and scoring ten goals.

According to FBRef, Richarlison remains one of the top pressing forwards in Europe, ranking in the top 6% among attacking-midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues and continental competitions for pressures per 90 (21.99), top 7% for tackles per 90 (1.40) and top 8% for interceptions per 90 (0.75).

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Rated at £49.5m by Transfermarkt, the former Fluminense prospect would be difficult to replace for Everton, and if they do end up in the Championship, fans will not want to get used to a replacement of far lower quality.

In other news: Everton can finally axe “reckless” £112k-p/w flop by unleashing Lampard’s next Kovacic

Nottingham Forest have a potential plan in mind if they cannot stop Joe Worrall from departing this summer.

What’s the news?

According to Claret and Hugh, Forest boss Steve Cooper has scouted West Ham’s Emmanuel Longelo on “several occasions” and he could be used as a “makeweight” in a deal that would see centre-back Worrall head the other way.

The report also claimed that the East Midlands club had a “ridiculously low” bid for the 21-year-old rejected back in January, but the Championship outfit remain keen on bringing him to the City Ground.

Time to replace Colback

Jack Colback has been filling in for Nottingham Forest at left-back, with Max Lowe currently out with a groin injury, and unlikely to return until late April.

The 32-year-old Sunderland youth academy graduate has earned praise for stepping in for the ex-Derby prospect, living up to the “bulldog” comparison made by teammate Phillip Zinckernagel earlier on in the season, averaging a 6.89 match rating according to SofaScore, in the second tier – playing in an unfamiliar position.

However, he may not have to fill in on the left side of defence for much longer, as the club eye up a transfer for Longelo.

Valued at £135k by Transfermarkt, the youngster could potentially prove to be excellent value for money – particularly if he is included as a sweetener in the Worrall deal.

A rapid full-back who loves to attack, in many ways he is similar to fan-favourite loaned-in Djed Spence – just operating on the opposite flank.

Described as “very impressive” by London Evening Standard journalist Jack Rosser, Longelo has made 14 Premier League 2 appearances this season, grabbing three assists and earning a start in the Hammers’ 1-0 home loss in the Europa League to Croatian outfit Dinamo Zagreb.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Having also been named as one of three players set for breakthrough years at West Ham by the Evening Standard in late December, alongside Sonny Perkins and Ben Johnson, it’s clear that the East London club rate him highly.

But, the promise of first-team football, even if Forest earn promotion to the top flight, could prove enough to persuade him to become a part of the Cooper project and East Midlands revolution.

In other news: Nottingham Forest plot bid for 23 y/o “real leader”, he’s an ideal Worrall replacement