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Leeds United could sign a new Ronaldo Vieira in Cagliari midfielder Nahitan Nandez this summer.

What’s the story?

Reports last summer suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were ready to activate the release clause of the Uruguay international, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline.

Now, Italian publication Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness) claim that the Whites are ready to “snatch” Nandez away from Cagliari in the upcoming transfer window, and that the club could sign him for much lower than his reported release clause.

A new Ronaldo Vieira

At the time of Vieira’s move to Sampdoria, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani made it clear that the deal simply had to be made given the Whites’ financial situation.

He said: “He was one of best players to come from our youth but I cannot put the club in danger in the future. Unfortunately to sustain a club in this league, we need to sell one or two players each year. We’ve invested a lot and it’s not enough to break even, so we had to manage the club and look at the future, not just today.”

The former Leeds midfielder’s break-out campaign at Leeds during the 2016/2017 season saw him establish himself as a real midfield dynamo, averaging 2.1 tackles and one interception per game in the Championship.

That defensive tenacity is exactly what Nandez would bring to the table were he to join up with Bielsa at Elland Road. As per Sofascore, Nandez’s heat-map is a clear indication of the kind of incredible ground that he covers game to game, popping up everywhere to close down and make tackles.

He has won a total of 6.3 duels per game and also makes 1.8 tackles per match too, and that physicality and aggression for someone who’s 5 foot 7 draws natural comparisons with someone like Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante. It’s no surprise that the Cagliari midfielder has even been described as an “a bit of an engine who gets up and down.”

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His all-action approach makes him a real dream for Bielsa, and it’s something his agent, Pablo Bentancur, feels also endears him into the hearts of fans too. He said: “Nandez is certainly a great player. The fans always like him because he leaves every last drop of sweat on the pitch.”

Leeds could well sign their new Vieira in the Uruguayan pocket dynamo this summer.

Meanwhile, a journalist has dropped a major Leeds United update…

Speaking to TMW Radio (via Inside Futbol), former player turned agent Massimo Brambati has lifted the lid on Tottenham Hotspur and their contact with Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini.

The Lowdown: The Italian Job…

Since Jose Mourinho was handed his marching orders last month, Tottenham have been linked with a host of Italian managers. This includes the likes of Gasperini, Maurizio Sarri, Antonio Conte, Massimiliano Allegri and Simone Inzaghi (football.london), who all have ample experience of managing in Serie A.

Indeed, as per reports, Spurs have been looking toward Italy for their possible next manager, but these claims are dismissed by sources closer to home (football.london).

The Latest: Agent lifts lid on Gasperini contact with Spurs

Speaking in an interview with TMW Radio, Brambati has insisted that contact has been made by Spurs for Gasperini despite the manager denying it himself recently.

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Brambati even says that Premier League manager Carlo Ancelotti has advised the 63-year-old to go to London.

“Tottenham and Monaco contacted him,” the agent explained (via Inside Futbol).

“At Atalanta he found the ideal environment, but going to London might be worth more. I know that he has been in touch with Ancelotti, who has advised him to go there, his football would be praised.

“For what he did at Atalanta, it is strange to me that he still has not had the chance to make the big leap.”

The Verdict: Appointment very unlikely…

As explained by Gasperini himself (football.london), the 63-year-old is happy at current club Atalanta – and it’s obvious to see why given the fine job he has done there since being appointed in 2016.

Under his reign, La Dea have qualified for the Champions League in the last two seasons, reaching the quarter-finals last year, and are on course to do so yet again this time around.

Indeed, Atalanta have established themselves as one of the top clubs in Serie A, with journalist Ian McGarry pointing out his ‘hyper-offensive’ footballing philosophy at the Gewiss Stadium (Transfer Window Podcast). They are the highest-scoring team in Serie A this season with 86 goals, having struck 98 in the division last term.

However, due to Gasperini’s public stance, Tottenham may have to look elsewhere for a new manager.

In other news: Tottenham exit talks for 66-cap ace emerge, find out more here.

Charlton Athletic midfielder Alex Gilbey endured a disappointing evening on Tuesday, despite the Addicks’ crucial League One victory.

Knowing that nothing short of victory against Lincoln City would have ended Charlton’s hopes of securing a top-six finish come the end of the season, Nigel Adkins’ side turned in a highly impressive display in a 3-1 win against the Imps, with goals from Jayden Stockley, Ryan Inniss and Chuks Aneke ensuring that the southeast London side remain in with a shout of clinching a play-off spot on Saturday.

The win means that the Addicks are now just one point behind Portsmouth in sixth place and level on points with Oxford United in seventh, meaning that Charlton will have to better Pompey’s result against Accrington Stanley, as well as Oxford’s against Burton Albion, when Adkins’ side face table-toppers Hull City in order to seal their place in the League One play-offs.

However, one player who will undoubtedly be hoping for a better performance on Saturday in comparison to Tuesday will be Alex Gilbey, as, despite his side’s victory, the 26-year-old turned in a disappointing display, with his SofaScore match rating of 6.3 ranking him as the club’s worst player on the night.

This lowly ranking is likely to be down to a number of factors, including his sloppy passing – completing just 20 of his 30 attempted passes, with his 67% accuracy rate ranking him as Addicks’ joint second-worst passer in the fixture – his six fouls – double the number of fouls conceded by the next highest Charlton player – and the fact that he lost possession of the ball on 15 separate occasions.

Charlton may have got the win they needed, but Gilbey’s individul performance let his manager down and he’ll need to be much better next week.

As such, with so much at stake in the game against Hull on Saturday, the £5,500-per-week man will certainly have to up his game if the Addicks are to have any chance of securing a result against the Tigers. If he doesn’t, the midfielder could well cost his side a shot at promotion.

Former Tottenham Hotspur captain Graham Roberts has told Football FanCast that Daniel Levy took the decision to sack Jose Mourinho so he could attempt to appoint Julian Nagelsmann as manager, although any move could now be in doubt after Bild reported on Monday that an agreement between RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich is close.

The RB Leipzig boss has been admired by Levy for some time, with FFC reporting after Mauricio Pochettino’s sacking that he was actually the chairman’s first-choice.

Those links have resurfaced in recent weeks, and The Daily Telegraph reports that the 33-year-old is again Levy’s first-choice.

However, there is a wrinkle in any pursuit given that Hansi Flick is set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, likely to become the German national team manager.

Bayern will thus be on the lookout for a replacement and Nagelsmann has been touted as a potential successor to Flick at the Allianz Arena.

As such, Roberts believes that Levy pulled the trigger on Mourinho on Monday in order to give Spurs a “chance” of appointing the young boss.

Leipzig are currently second in the Bundesliga, seven points behind leaders Bayern.

Speaking exclusively to FFC, he said: “At the moment, I have two or three names. I think this has all been done, for me personally, because the Bayern Munich manager is going at the end of the season.

“Bayern Munich have said that Nagelsmann is their number one target. We’ve always been in touch, been wanting Nagelsmann, and I think the club have thought, if Jose wins the cup, does he keep the job for next season?

“So Nagelsmann goes to Bayern Munich. Nagelsmann might already be Bayern Munich manager anyway, he might have already agreed, but I think they’ve given themselves a chance, Tottenham, to go and get him.”

Swansea City have been linked with Rochdale striker Stephen Humphrys recently and if he were to make the move to the Liberty Stadium this summer, he could prove to be the ideal long-term replacement for Andre Ayew.

According to The 72, the Swans have joined the race to sign the 23-year-old striker, who has impressed for the Dale this season despite their woes in League One.

However, the likes of Blackburn Rovers, Nottingham Forest and Preston North End have also been linked with a move for the former Southend United man, so he will certainly be in demand this summer.

Rochdale signed the powerful striker from Southend in the summer in the hope that his goals could help them stave off relegation to League Two following a summer that saw a number of first-team regulars depart due to the financial impact of the current viral outbreak.

Unfortunately, the young striker has endured long spells out injured which has contributed to the Dale needing a huge turnaround in their final few league fixtures if they want to stay up, although when Humphrys has been fit, he has produced some superb displays.

In 25 league appearances this season, the English striker has contributed 10 goals and three assists, averaging an excellent 7.09 rating, which ranks him as Dale’s second-best performer so far this season.

WhoScored suggests that Humphrys’ best attributes include his ability to dribble with the ball as well as holding it up, which suggests that he could play in a similar role to Ayew at Swansea, with the Ghanaian international often featuring as a target man who is also expected to link up with the midfield.

The 31-year-old has been Swansea’s best performer of the current squad in the league so far this season with 15 goals in 41 appearances, averaging a solid 7.16 rating.

However, his current contract is set to expire at the end of the season, so Swansea may have to look for a replacement if he doesn’t commit to a new deal.

Given that Humphrys is currently valued at just £225k by Transfermarkt and will most likely be available if Rochdale go down this season, he could be an affordable replacement for the former West Ham man in Cooper’s side.

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Certainly, the former Fulham youngster works hard and offers an all-round option up front and Cooper would surely love to have a player of his ilk in his Swansea side next season, so Julian Winter should do all he can to bring Humphrys to the Liberty ahead of next season.

And, in other news… Swansea’s season-defining injury to £3.6m-rated “leader” will leave Cooper worried

Keith Hackett has slammed the Professional Game Match Officials Limited’s (PGMOL) view on why Newcastle United did not get a penalty versus Burnley.

The foot of James Tarkowski appeared to be very high and in a dangerous position when Sean Longstaff was about to head the ball in the box, but nothing was given in the end after a check by VAR, after both Stuart Atwell at Stockley Park and Anthony Taylor on the field decided that the incident was not worthy of a penalty to the St. James’ Park faithful.

The PGMOL have since come out and explained their decision, stating (via Mark Douglas) that Tarkowski had ‘played the ball first’ and that Longstaff had ‘stooped and put his head into that area’.

Speaking to Football Insider, Hackett, who is a former referee in the Premier League, slammed the statement given:

“The most outrageous and stupid comment.

“I suggest whoever made it needs to examine the laws of the game.

“It’s just ridiculous, I just want to know who these people are who are making these statements.

“In football, in the laws of the game, you cannot use the ball as an excuse for a foul change.

“I don’t know who makes it. I shuddered when I listened to it.

“My emails and social media was going crazy with referees from around the world saying ‘Who is this person at the PGMOL making this statement?’”

Newcastle won in the end

It was lucky that Steve Bruce’s team managed to end up winning the game, otherwise a lot more may have been made of the controversial decision and subsequent explanation.

It begs the question over whether the officials are using the technology given to them correctly if a former referee in the top flight is strongly disagreeing with them, and luckily the on-field decision did not cost the North East club any points in the end.

Still, the explanation itself may be the most worrying aspect of the whole ordeal, even more so than the original decision, given that Hackett seems to suggest it doesn’t even abide with the laws of the game.

In other news, find out what inside claim Liam Kennedy has dropped on James Pallotta and the potential takeover here!

Steve Bruce can land Newcastle United’s new Salomon Rondon in VfB Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic, who Fabrizio Romano claims is a target for the St James’ Park natives.

What’s the word?

While speaking with Give Me Sport, transfer guru Romano confirmed that Newcastle are one of several Premier League clubs currently tracking Kalajdzic’s situation at the Mercedes-Benz Arena.

The Magpies were recently linked with a potential move for the 23-year-old by Tutto Juve, who cited Tyneside as well as Everton, RB Leipzig and Juventus as potential destinations for the striker dubbed the next Erling Haaland.

Stuttgart are reported to value Kalajdzic at between €20m and €25m (£17m-£21.5m) after the 6 ft 6 target man struck 13 goals in 25 Bundesliga games during his first year of German top-flight football to sit sixth in the scoring charts going into the international break.

Romano does not believe that Newcastle are currently leading the race for Kalajdzic’s signature, but expects opportunities to arise for the four-cap Austria international to test himself in the Premier League next season.

“I think yes, he has chances to join Premier League,” Romano said. “To be honest with you, I don’t know about the club because all the clubs you mention are scouting this player, he’s an amazing player.

“So, they are looking at him, like information about him, also what they say about the player and the potential. At the moment, there is still nothing advanced, but I think yes, he has chances to join the Premier League. A lot of clubs are looking at him.

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“So, he’s the typical opportunity and this kind of summer where we have after the pandemic, we are obviously in a difficult situation about economic and financial point of view. Having this kind of opportunity is interesting also for English clubs.

“So, I would say yes, I see him as a good opportunity in Premier League, but let’s see if they will pay what the club are asking. So, it’s still so long, but I think it’s an opportunity.”

Should Newcastle sign Stuttgart’s Kalajdzic?

Much can change between now and the end of the season but a move for Newcastle to sign Kalajdzic would appear somewhat unlikely, with Stuttgart valuing the forward in the region of £20m and United’s budget expected to be small – if there is any money with which to work.

However, Bruce should urge Toon owner Mike Ashley to fund a pursuit of Kalajdzic as the Stuttgart star can prove to be Newcastle’s new Rondon, who was named as United’s Player of the Year for the 2018/19 term during his season on loan from West Bromwich Albion.

Rondon won the hearts of Toon supporters during his year on Tyneside, and some fans have frequently shared hope on social media of the Venezuelan returning when opportunities have arisen.

The 31-year-old left a lasting impression having been highly influential under Rafa Benitez, with 11 goals and seven assists in 32 Premier League games including pivotal efforts against Bournemouth, Everton, Huddersfield, Watford and Manchester City. No player was involved in more goals for the Magpies than Rondon that season.

Kalajdzic has the potential to offer the same impact next term and in the years ahead, with Stuttgart not planning on offering the 23-year-old a new contract despite being their top scorer and helping fire the Baden-Wurttemberg club to ninth in the Bundesliga table.

The towering Austrian is tipped to explode in the near future and take his game to an even higher level too, despite Kalajdzic entering the international break on the back of scoring eight goals in as many top-flight games. That’s a run of form which Bruce would surely love for Newcastle.

Click here to see the full interview with Fabrizio Romano.

AND in other news, a “more than fantastic” 46-year-old is keen to replace Steve Bruce at Newcastle…

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie believes Ross Barkley would be a good permanent addition to Dean Smith’s squad.

Barkley, who reportedly earns £96,000-a-week, is currently at Villa Park on a season-long loan from Chelsea and was able to make a huge impact earlier in the campaign.

The 27-year-old scored on his debut for the club in that incredible 7-2 win over Liverpool and managed to net the winner the game after, a 1-0 victory against Leicester City. However, since picking up a hamstring injury, Barkley’s form has dipped drastically, with Smith leaving him out of the side for trips to Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Leeds United and the visit of Wolves.

Nevertheless, Hendrie is still keen to see Barkley’s loan move become a permanent one, confident the England international has a lot to offer. He told FFC:

“Ross came into the club and he really hit the ground running. He got the fans onside straight away and he had a great connection with Jack. You know, there was a great little bit of balance in that team, he was scoring goals and then he picked up his injury.

“Ross Barkley is a fabulous player, that’s for sure. And, at this moment in time, because Villa are not playing well, it’s hard for him to really stand out and be that attacking threat and [have] that confidence that oozes out when you play well. So, for me, to keep Ross, I think it would be a good addition.”

Barkley has been one of Villa’s biggest attacking threats this season, bringing creativity to Smith’s side.

The attacking midfielder is currently averaging 1.7 key passes per league game, the second-highest average in the Villans’ squad (via WhoScored). Averaging 3.4 key passes per league game, only Jack Grealish is outperforming him in that area. Ultimately, buying Barkley outright from Chelsea is an avenue probably worth exploring.

Former Premier League midfielder Rob Lee has suggested that Anthony Martial does not have the correct attitude to be a starter for Manchester United.

Speaking exclusively to Football Fan Cast, he said that it appears that the Frenchman “can’t be bothered” to play for the Red Devils.

That lack of motivation, combined with his ever-decreasing output at Old Trafford, should see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ed Woodward cut ties with the forward.

Martial initially burst onto the scene in his debut season following a big-money move from AS Monaco. He scored 17 goals during 2015/16 but since then has only bettered those numbers once.

He scored eight in 2016/17, 11 in 2017/18, 12 in 2018/19, with his highest-scoring season coming last term with a fantastic 23 in all competitions.

The Frenchman has not managed to keep that up though, with the current campaign looking like his worst with the Red Devils, having found the net just seven times so far.

That lack of importance to the Red Devils is highlighted when considering that Martial’s four league goals contribute to just 7% of the team’s total haul this season.

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That is easily bettered by the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani, whilst being equalled by midfielder Scott McTominay.

The lesser-played Daniel James and Paul Pogba are only just behind Martial, with the duo contributing just over 5% of the Red Devils’ goals.

For all of his promise and potential, Martial is really yet to really kick-on and establish himself as a star in the Premier League, mainly due to his inconsistencies.

That could be used as an argument to suggest that the £45m-rated Frenchman is the most disposable of United’s current striking options.

Couple that with his lack of attitude, and there are plenty of reasons as to why Woodward should consider cashing in on Martial sooner rather than later.

AND in more news, the Red Devils must avoid signing a Premier League stalwart this summer…

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to make it into the quarter-finals of the Europa League this evening when they head to the Croatian capital with a two-goal advantage over league champions Dinamo Zagreb.

But Jose Mourinho will surely be wary of the dangerous and cliched 2-0 scoreline, so there will certainly be a temptation to stick with a strong starting XI.

Though, given Spurs’ quality, the Portuguese boss should be able to rotate adequately and still put up a resounding display.

Which is why we’re backing Dele Alli to start tonight…

On the Chalkboard

The 24-year-old is still heavily out-of-favour in north London but has featured more frequently since his collapsed move to Paris Saint-Germain in January.

Alli has featured in five of their last six league outings, though just one of those has seen him start from the off. Whilst in Europe, the £26m-rated gem has started all three of their knockout matches, including a masterclass against Wolfsberger AC in the last round which saw him deliver one goal and two assists, via Transfermarkt.

“To have Dele back at this level is amazing,” said Mourinho after the match.

It’s often easy to forget that the attacking midfield still has a lot to give as he’s seemingly been around forever – he joined from MK Dons for just £5m in 2015 as an 18-year-old.

Throughout his career, he’s been likened to many a Premier League and England great, ranging from Steven Gerrard to Frank Lampard.

Spurs legend Darren Anderton dubbed Alli a “freak of a talent” in quotes, via Goal, whilst Roberto Carlos once claimed he was good enough to play for Real Madrid, as per The Sun (via Eurosport).

One player who did the reverse of that switch was Rafael van der Vaart, when joining Spurs from the La Liga giants in 2010 and he agreed with the aforementioned statement.

“He is still so young and already so eager, I like that a lot. He is fast, fluid and has a great skill set. He is special and if he keeps enjoying himself and the game, he may become a true great.”

Despite his lack of game time, Alli is putting up some good attacking returns with two goals and three assists in the Europa League alone, whilst his 1.4 key passes per game in the competition is only bettered by Harry Kane and Heung-min Son in the Premier League, so maybe Mourinho could do with utilising such creativity in the league more often.

Especially considering that was something they severely lacked during the north London derby on Sunday. Spurs managed only three shots on target and failed to create a big chance – Tanguy Ndombele was hooked just after an hour, having failed to make a key pass, via SofaScore.

Tonight’s encounter gives Mourinho a chance to rest the Frenchman, who has had fitness troubles in the past, and similarly, Lucas Moura could probably do with a rest after featuring as a no.10 in his last three appearances.

It also hands a rare opportunity to Alli to prove he can still be a major game-changer for Spurs.

AND in other news, why Mourinho must axe “very poor” Spurs calamity tonight…