The Manchester United job is difficult enough – try not to make it even harder for yourself.

That would be the advice Ruben Amorim should have heeded in his final days in charge, having made a string of head-scratching, in-game decisions.

Be it substituting goalscorer Joshua Zirkzee at half-time against Wolverhampton Wanderers, replacing Luke Shaw and Lisandro Martinez with just minutes to play against Newcastle United, or even refusing to deploy a back four when chasing the game against ten-man Everton at Old Trafford.

While the Portuguese coach has steered the club into sixth in the Premier League, the past month has showcased a string of missed opportunities, winning just one of the last five home league outings, a run that included largely favourable opposition.

Rather than letting things derail further, INEOS have struck swiftly and ruthlessly, with all eyes on just who will be named the 40-year-old’s long-term successor.

Top target emerges in race to replace Amorim this summer

Much like with the case of Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sackings in 2018 and 2021, respectively, United look to be seeking an interim, caretaker solution, before settling on a permanent appointment ahead of next season.

It would appear that that man Solskjaer is leading the race for the temporary role, with former colleague Michael Carrick also vying for his own Old Trafford homecoming.

In the case of Solskjaer, in particular, he is believed to be hopeful of doing enough to secure the job for the long-term, although the plan appears to be to go in a different direction, regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season.

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According to TEAMtalk, a new top target – alongside Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner – has emerged in the form of Marseille boss, Roberto De Zerbi, with the Italian previously interviewed for the role back in the summer of 2024.

The admiration from those at Old Trafford has remained since then, with De Zerbi himself said to be ready to leave France, viewing United as the perfect next step in his career.

It would appear that INEOS aren’t alone in their interest in him, however, with the 46-year-old also a candidate to potentially replace Thomas Frank at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Why De Zerbi could be another Amorim at Man Utd

Whether Amorim was aware of what was coming at that stage remains to be seen, although his explosive final outburst following the Elland Road stalemate highlighted his fractured relationship with the INEOS regime.

The former Sporting CP reiterated his desire to be the manager of Manchester United, and not the ‘head coach’, while pointing to the need for those above him to do their jobs.

Subsequent reports have suggested there was a schism regarding the club’s transfer dealings, with Amorim having been keen to sign the Aston Villa pairing of Ollie Watkins and Emi Martinez, ahead of Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens.

A heart on his sleeve kind of coach with a radical tactical approach, there is certainly a shared likeness between the ex-United man and his potential replacement, De Zerbi, with the former Brighton and Hove Albion maverick also likely to go toe to toe with the Old Trafford hierarchy.

Indeed, part of the reason for his exit from the Amex in 2024 came as a result of a significant disagreement over the Seagulls’ transfer policy, with recruitment led by those above De Zerbi at the club.

An early departure at the Stade Velodrome also looked on the cards back in March, with De Zerbi refusing to take training following a loss to Reims, with the enigmatic coach seemingly always on the brink of exploding.

Amorim’s First & Last Man Utd XIs

vs Ipswich

Position

vs Leeds

Onana

GK

Lammens

Mazraoui

RCB

Yoro

De Ligt

CB

Heaven

Evans

LCB

Martinez

Amad

RWB

Dalot

Casemiro

CM

Casemiro

Eriksen

CM

Ugarte

Dalot

LWB

Shaw

Fernandes

RAM

Dorgu

Garnacho

LAM

Cunha

Rashford

ST

Sesko

In terms of tactics too, his approach has irked those in France. While not wedded to a back three like Amorim, the former Sassuolo man does appear to be confusing his playing squad, having repeatedly flitted between different tactical approaches and set-ups.

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That was noted by Louis Vix on the recent episode of the Totally Football Show, with the Canal+ journalist describing De Zerbi’s team as “unpredictable” and capable of moving from one extreme to the other, while noting that his “constant tactical changes” are putting his players in “difficult situations”.

Such criticism certainly should have a few alarm bells ringing, considering the likeness to Amorim, even with De Zerbi hailed as “one of the best coaches in the world” by his Marseille group.

United’s squad can’t afford another chaotic, combustible coach, and nor can INEOS, with the Italian arguably more likely to plunge the Red Devils further into crisis, rather than steadying the ship as needed.

Related Arteta 2.0: The "best young coach in the world" open to joining Man Utd

Manchester United have a new manager in their sights after Ruben Amorim’s sacking.

Posts 1 ByEthan Lamb

Chelsea are keen on a pair of Premier League talents who would greatly bolster their attacking ranks as they close in on a new manager.

When Chelsea lifted the Club World Cup trophy in July, their second of two trophies won under Enzo Maresca, few people, if any, would have foreseen that the Italian would be unemployed just six months later. On New Year’s Day, the Blues announced that they had parted ways with their manager, with the club fifth in the Premier League and tensions rising in the weeks prior.

Chelsea have been stuttering since beating Barcelona in the Champions League at the end of November, winning just two games out of their last nine across all competitions. Even still, Maresca’s dismissal has come as a shock, as it appeared that the Italian had offered the Blues some much-needed stability following the early chaos of BlueCo’s ownership.

Though other names have been touted for Chelsea, it seems that Liam Rosenior is the front-runner to replace Maresca.

Working at Strasbourg in France, who share the same ownership as Chelsea, the Englishman guided the club to a seventh-placed finish last season in Ligue 1 and since then, he has established them as a favourite for the Conference League, finishing first in the league phase.

For all of the risks that could come with appointing Rosenior, one issue that the former defender would not have is a lack of financial backing.

Chelsea want both Rogers and Nwaneri

As per CaughtOffside, Chelsea would be keen on recruiting more attacking bodies this winter, with one such target being Morgan Rogers. The former Middlesbrough man is in the form of his life for Aston Villa, where he has developed into one of England’s brightest talents since moving to the Midlands in 2024.

Unsurprisingly, Villa do not want to part ways with their number 27, though Unai Emery’s side faced some well-documented PSR struggles in the summer. That could, in theory, force the Villans into making a big sale sooner rather than later, which the Blues are monitoring given that Rogers, who could cost at least £80 million according to football finance expert Dan Plumley, is “high up on Chelsea’s list” of targets.

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Also on the Stamford Bridge shortlist is Ethan Nwaneri. The youngster, who is comfortable operating either in central midfield or on the right wing, is one of several promising young talents at the Emirates Stadium, but has struggled for minutes this season. Such is his quality, that it may be Nwaneri departs North London in order to secure more minutes.

Whilst some may have expected Nwaneri, who is valued at £50 million according to Plumley, to leave Arsenal on a six-month loan, it would seem that in keeping with their current business model, Chelsea would pursue a permanent transfer which would have a better chance at success in the summer. Both targets are certainly ambitious for the Blues, but could be incredible additions for whoever Chelsea’s new manager will be.

Related Palmer will love him: Chelsea looking to hire "one of the best coaches ever"

This manager could be Chelsea’s ideal Maresca replacement

Posts ByJoe Nuttall

Newcastle United have been handed a much-needed injury boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the story?

After seeing Kieran Trippier need surgery, the last thing Magpies boss Eddie Howe needed was for another one of his right-backs to go down too, with Javier Manquillo missing the draw against West Ham.

But in better news for the Tyneside club, it appears he is now back in contention for the game away at Brentford at the weekend.

The Chronicle reported: “Howe initially feared the Spanish full-back could be out for an extended period over concerns for an ankle ligament injury, and Emil Krafth started in the 1-1 draw at West Ham.

“No return date has been given for Manquillo, but the 27-year-old was pictured back in full training on Wednesday, giving hope he could be fit to face the Bees.”

Huge boost for Howe

Having recently made his 100th appearance for the Magpies, Manquillo has been a player who’s perhaps gone slightly under the radar at St James’ Park.

The Spaniard certainly won’t be picking up any of the headlines anytime soon given how January signing Trippier has started life on Tyneside, but the reliable full-back has been a largely consistent performer for Newcastle.

An analysis piece done by The Chronicle earlier this week revealed: “In just 13 starts this season, Manquillo has made 40 tackles with only Sean Longstaff (41), Joe Willock (47) and Joelinton (51) making more. Those tackles have handed Newcastle possession of the ball 24 times – again, only the three players mentioned above rank higher.

“Manquillo tops the list in terms of tackles in the defensive third (26) and with the number of dribblers tackled (18) – a success rate of 56.3%.”

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With Trippier out for the foreseeable future, Howe desperately needed some positive news on the injury front when it came to Manquillo.

And with images showing him back in first-team training, it’s the kind of welcome boost that will give the Magpies another shot in the arm as they continue their resurgence under Howe.

Meanwhile, Newcastle could find their Shelvey heir in this star…

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s future is unclear – in terms of which position he may find himself playing in the next few years, with many seeing the Liverpool star capable of playing as a central-midfielder.

The England International has been trialled there before for his country, but didn’t look very comfortable playing in the position compared to the likes of Jude Bellingham – but there is no doubt he has enough ability and intelligence to transition there one day should Reds boss Jurgen Klopp want him to do so.

Should the right-back be deployed further up the field someday, it would leave a massive void at right-back, which could be replaced by loaned-out prospect Neco Williams – who has excelled at Fulham so far after joining a month ago today.

Already with two assists under his belt, including one to pick out Aleksandar Mitrovic for his Championship record-levelling goal, Williams is beginning to show some of the form that he has for Wales, which has led to fans calling him, “phenomenal”.

Having already put in some impressive shifts, with Virgil Van Dijk next to him in defence, for Liverpool, it’s no doubt that when Williams is called-upon to cover, he is a reliable option to slot in.

Fulham teammate Harry Wilson, who also played with him at Liverpool, also believes that the 20-year-old will continue to develop on-loan and that it was the right decision for his progression.

“I think he’s getting the games I think he needs,” said Wilson.

“Obviously, he was at Liverpool learning from the best in Trent [Alexander-Arnold], but I think at his age and where he is in his career, coming out and playing games on loan was what he needed.”

The Cottagers have only conceded two goals since the Welshman joined on-loan, and Williams has also been impressive defensively, making 2.6 tackles per game as well as 1.6 interceptions and 1.6 clearances.

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On attack, the loanee has also shown encouraging signs, as he has completed 1.4 crosses per game as well as having one shot and making one key pass every match also – with an average of 83% passing accuracy. With those stats in mind, it may not come as a surprise to see him described as the club’s “very own Gareth Bale” by journalist Ben Bocsak.

Should Alexander-Arnold transition into a central midfielder, or suffer an injury, Klopp would be able to rely on Williams, who will provide as much defensive security and also begin to develop more on the attacking side of his game, as opposed to splashing the cash on a new right-back.

In other news: Liverpool eye swoop for “world-class” £55m ace, he could force Salah out of Anfield…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Mamadou Coulibaly to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), who claim that Tottenham, Manchester City, Juventus and AC Milan have all made contact with AS Monaco regarding a move for the 17-year-old central midfielder – who looks set to become available on a free transfer at the end of the season upon the expiry of his current deal with the Ligue 1 side.

The next Camavinga

Despite being yet to make his senior debut for Monaco, there is a considerable amount of hype surrounding Coulibaly’s future in the game.

Indeed, Gazzetta dello Sport claim that the teenager is similar in profile to Eduardo Camavinga – the 19-year-old “wonderkid” who was linked with a move to Spurs before his €45m (£38m) switch to Real Madrid last summer.

Meanwhile, the Italian publication also goes on to suggest that Paolo Maldini, Milan’s technical director, views the Senegalese sensation as the long-term successor to another of Spurs’ reported transfer targets, Franck Kessie.

And, while it is undeniable that Kessie would be a more first-team-ready option for Paratici to pursue this summer, with the 25-year-old having established himself as an extremely important player in the AC Milan midfield over the last four and a half years, considering Coulibaly’s tender age – and much higher ceiling – perhaps giving Antonio Conte the opportunity to mould the 17-year-old into exactly the type of midfielder he requires would be a smarter move for Spurs.

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Indeed, should Coulibaly continue his current trajectory following a potential switch to north London, the teenager would undoubtedly have a much higher resale value than that of Kessie, something which, alongside his undoubted potential, leads us to believe Paratici simply must prioritise a move for the Monaco starlet in the summer transfer window.

AND in other news: Conte could land Spurs’ next £53m dynamo in “outstanding” 21 y/o “constant threat”

One of the biggest transfer deals of the January transfer window was undoubtedly Aston Villa’s highly unexpected loan capture of Barcelona’s £142million Philippe Coutinho.

Clearly the inspired deal bringing the 29-year-old Brazilian international back to the Premier League hung on the involvement of Villa’s new head coach Steven Gerrard, following their playing days together at Liverpool, and the little magician has wasted little time in showing fans he more than still has what it takes to succeed in the English top flight with four goals and three assists to his name in only eight starting appearances and PA sports betting wouldn’t be alone in giving you good odds on him improving that tally in the games that remain in the 2021/22 campaign.

Whilst he didn’t have the best of times out in Spain following his big money move to the Catalan Giants, his 70 starting appearances still returned 28 goals and with him quickly and seamlessly slotting back into the pace of the Premier League, although Gerrard’s side do have an optional buy clause in place for next summer and they will again be hoping that his relationship with Coutinho will be enough to seal the deal, his form will be attracting the attention of other potential suitors – especially with him apparently being available for a fee of only £33million.

Following his return to the English game, Tottenham Hotspur were quickly linked with having a potential interest in him for the off season and there was even some talk that they too had struck an optional buy clause agreement with Barcelona should Villa have ultimately passed on signing him – but those claims have been rebuffed from sources close to the club. However, in more recent times Arsenal have also been credited with having a strong interest in him as Mikel Arteta continues to try and improve the London side further and help turn them back into genuine title challengers once again.

It’s highly unlikely that the North London duo will be the only sides linked with him, and whilst some sides battling in the lower half of the division can be discounted, out of those teams looking up the table it’s only really Manchester City that can be discounted from having an interest owing to the calibre of players they already have available to them.

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For the rest, and particularly at that price, Coutinho’s quality and the uplift in a clubs points tally that would naturally result from his signing wouldn’t even make him a gamble – it makes him an even more enticing prospect so we can certainly expect an uptick in transfer speculation as the summer begins to near.

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani has taken to Twitter to react to Archie Gray’s goal for the Under-23’s in the week.  

The Lowdown: Gray’s first Elland Road goal

Just under 10,000 Leeds fans travelled to Elland Road on Tuesday evening to watch the club’s Under-23s against Manchester United. The Whites put on a show, winning 3-0 against their rivals, with Gray, Stuart McKinstry and Max Dean getting the goals.

Gray, nephew of Leeds legend Eddie Gray, sealed the win with a brilliant long-distance strike following a mistake from the opposition goalkeeper.

The Latest: Radrizzani reacts

Leeds posted Gray’s first goal for the club on Twitter, which is available to view here.

The official post received plenty of interaction, including from Radrizzani, who had this to say on the midfielder.

“The future is bright… another Gray in the house”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/latest-leeds-united-news-37/” title=”Latest Leeds United news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Exciting times

Gray has been named on the bench in the Premier League twice this season, with Jamie Redknapp believing he is ‘going to be a tremendous young player’.

He looks like he could be the next bright star to come through the club’s academy, and if he can have half the impact his uncle made in Yorkshire, then Leeds will be extremely happy.

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The 16-year-old has become a regular in the Under-23’s squad since November, and his next task will be looking to nail down a starting role under Andy Taylor.

In other news: Adam Pope: Leeds and Marsch may now be handed transfer embargo this summer as news emerges. 

Newcastle United are reportedly now leading the race to sign Sven Botman this summer.

The Lowdown: January failure

It was reported that the St. James’ Park faithful had made a bid for Botman in the January transfer window, before they signed Dan Burn from Brighton and Hove Albion instead.

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He did not end up leaving Lille despite interest also from Milan, and other clubs have now joined the race for his signature in the summer.

The Latest: Newcastle in pole

As per Football Insider, the North East club are now in ‘pole position’ to sign Botman for around £30m.

He has already agreed personal terms with them, and is ‘keen’ to play for them in the Premier League.

Despite also agreeing personal terms with Milan, the Tyneside outfit are now ‘confident’ that he will accept their contract offer.

The Verdict: No-brainer

If the Magpies have a chance of signing Botman this summer, then it is surely a no-brainer.

They have already seen the gems that they can unearth by dipping into the French market, having already signed Bruno Guimaraes from Lyon, and Botman is another player that is thought of very highly in Ligue 1, as per his agent Francesco Miniero, who has labelled him as a ‘golden boy’.

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Miniero also points out that Botman is ‘one of the strongest central defenders in the world’, emphasised by the 2.8 aerial duels won per game in the UEFA Champions League this season, among the best in that category for centre-backs.

It is crazy to think that the Netherlands international is still only 22 years of age, and so Botman could be a mainstay in Eddie Howe’s team for years to come.

In other news, find out which three positions NUFC will now ‘target’ this summer here!

Everton are reportedly plotting a summer move for Leicester City outcast Jannik Vestergaard.

It comes as no surprise that the Toffees are looking to strengthen defensively, having leaked goals all season and kept just five clean sheets in the Premier League.

What’s the story?

A source at Everton revealed to Football Insider that Vestergaard is firmly on the radar of Kevin Thelwell, the Merseyside club’s new director of football.

The news comes at a tough time for Michael Keane, who has faced scrutiny over his performances this season. Some believe that his performances this season are a large contributor to the Toffees’ ongoing issues at the back, with football journalist Richard Buxton labelling the £30m signing from Burnley “a genuine defensive liability”.

Whilst Keane has been labelled a liability, Vestergaard – despite struggling for minutes at Leicester this season – has been identified as a defensive “monster”.

Vestergaard could replace Keane 

Despite making just ten appearances in the Premier League this season, Vestergaard has been able to demonstrate how effective he is at the back for the Foxes. Similarly to Keane’s team-mate Yerry Mina, the Dae oozes composure when in possession, as evidenced by his average of eight passes under pressure per game, placing him within the 93rd percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

In this regard, he is the total opposite of Keane, who is not as sure in possession and is perhaps a defender who suits a playing style in which clearances from the back were the main priority. For passes under pressure, the Englishman is miles away from Vestergaard, who also pips him for tackles in the defensive third, with two per 90.

This is a metric which emphasises the defensive prowess of the Denmark international and sees him rank in the 97th percentile this season, placing him within the elite category in this area.

A move for the 6 foot 6 Vestergaard could see a brick-wall partnership blossom between him and the Toffees’ 6 foot 5 Colombia international Mina.

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The move would give Frank Lampard a genuinely monstrous centre-back pairing and enable him to axe the unreliable Keane for good.

In other news – Everton handed huge pre-West Ham boost which will have Lampard buzzing

Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham Hotspur manager got off to the perfect start back in August, as he won each of his first two Premier League games in charge.

The Dane collected wins against Burnley and Manchester City, with the latter being away from home, showcasing the excellent work he conducted during his first few weeks.

However, the last few weeks haven’t been plain sailing for the 52-year-old in charge of the Lilywhites, subsequently winning just one of the last seven games in England’s top-flight.

His side have subsequently dropped into the bottom half of the table, which could even lead to a repeat of last season’s dismal finish under Ange Postecoglou.

With the January transfer market now approaching on the horizon, the board have the chance to back the manager in the market to help him in his quest for success in North London.

Spurs keen on a move for a UCL superstar

Over the last few weeks, Spurs have been on the hunt for a new winger, subsequently leading them to Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo, but competition is high for his signature.

Fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United and Manchester City have also been credited with an interest, with the player leaning towards a switch to either one of the aforementioned clubs.

It’s been reported that the Ghanaian international currently has a £65m release clause in his contract until the 10th of January, with any interested party needing to act quickly to secure his services.

As a result, the Lilywhites have been hunting for other alternatives, subsequently leading them back to Rodrygo after previously wanting to land the Brazilian in the summer.

According to TEAMtalk, Frank’s men have ‘looked at’ signing the winger ahead of January, but it’s unclear if Real Madrid would be willing to sanction a move in the winter.

The report doesn’t state whether a move would be a temporary or permanent one, but it could hand Frank the added attacking reinforcements he’s been craving in recent times.

Why Rodrygo would be Frank’s own answer to Semenyo

There’s no doubt that a deal for Semenyo would improve the options within the Spurs attacking third, which in turn could allow the club to rise up the Premier League table.

He’s already featured against the Lilywhites this campaign, helping the Cherries win 1-0 in North London, and showcasing what Frank’s side are missing out on.

However, it’s evident that the player has his heart set on a move to Manchester, which could see him torment the Lilywhites in the Premier League for many years to come.

£65m would be an excellent fee given his tally of eight goals and three assists to date, but ultimately, other targets are now having to be considered in the coming weeks.

However, during the next meeting, Frank could have his own version of the attacker in the form of Rodrygo – with the Brazilian possessing many similarities to Semenyo.

Like the Ghanaian international, he can operate in either wide position in the final third, either cutting inside off the left or driving across goal with his stronger right foot.

However, his underlying stats too showcase his talents, with many of which make him an excellent option for the Lilywhites for the second half of the campaign.

Rodrygo, who’s been dubbed “one of the best wingers in the world” by Spencer Mossman, has completed 90% of his passes this season, whilst also creating 2.1 chances in the process.

Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Make smarter sense of transfer talk by subscribing to the newsletter—focused coverage, tactical breakdowns and player profiles turn rumors into analysis you can rely on, helping you weigh moves like Rodrygo or Semenyo within Spurs’ squad plans. Subscribe Subscribe to our newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Make smarter sense of transfer talk by subscribing to the newsletter—focused coverage, tactical breakdowns and player profiles turn rumors into analysis you can rely on, helping you weigh moves like Rodrygo or Semenyo within Spurs’ squad plans.

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Both tallies rank him in the top 15% of all players in LaLiga to date, showcasing the excellent attacking option Frank’s men would be getting in the January transfer window.

Rodrygo – stats for Real Madrid (2025/26)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

16

Goals & assists

2

Passes completed

90%

Chances created

2.1

Dribbles completed

2.1

Shots on target

1.3

Touches in opposition box

8.3

Possession won in final third

1.4

Stats via FotMob

He’s also completed 2.1 successful dribbles and notched 1.3 shots on target per 90, subsequently showcasing the threat he carries with the ball at his feet.

The Real Madrid talent has registered 8.3 touches in the opposition box per 90, whilst winning possession back 1.4 times per 90 in the final third – arguably being the perfect all-round attacker.

At this stage, it remains unclear whether the player himself would be open to a switch to North London, but it’s evident that Rodrygo would be a phenomenal addition this winter.

Missing out on Semenyo will likely be a bitter blow for Frank and the supporters, but if a deal is reached for the Brazilian in the weeks ahead – all will certainly be forgotten.

Related Even better than Semenyo: Spurs have held talks over signing £60m PL star

Tottenham Hotspur appear keen on making a move for one Premier League talent this January.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb