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YouTuber Conor McGilligan has been left buzzing after the news that Leeds United defender Diego Llorente is set to leave the club.

What’s the word?

As per Phil Hay in The Athletic, the Whites are set to loan their Spanish defender to Serie A side Roma for the remainder of the season before the January window shuts.

Indeed, the player is supposedly in Italy now to finalise the deal which will include the option – and potentially an even obligation – to buy for £18m in the summer.

In reaction to this latest transfer development, McGilligan couldn’t hide his excitement while speaking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, saying it was an “exquisite” bit of business by Leeds.

He said: “Diego Llorente – I’ve got a big grin on my face, everybody – it looks like he is Roma-bound. Now, this is arguably an exquisite piece of business by Leeds United.

“It looks like Leeds are pushing for an obligation. It’s going to be a loan fee initially, but it looks like Leeds are pushing for an obligation for Roma to pay us £18m at the back end of the window.

“It’s quite staggering that we’ve managed to recoup that business for that sort of player.”

Great deal

The defender arrived from Real Sociedad back in 2020 for £18m and he has only just signed a new contract with Leeds that was supposed to keep him tied to the club until the summer of 2026.

That new deal does go some way to explaining why the Whites may be able to get a decent transfer fee for the player but if Roma stump up the full £18m that certainly will be a remarkable bit of business.

After all, he’s not impressed at all this season. Indeed, Llorente last started a Premier League game in October and has lost his last three games in that competition, conceding 10 goals across those appearances (starting two of the matches and coming off the bench in one)

With that in mind, it’s little wonder McGilligan is so happy with the transfer fee being touted for the player. Of course, it’s not agreed upon just yet and the loan may be sorted without the obligation fee.

If it is included in the deal, however, Leeds may well end up laughing all the way to the bank.

Gab Marcotti has insisted on The Gabs & Jules podcast that many clubs hold an interest in Tottenham Hotspur ace Matt Doherty.

The Lowdown: Spurs must get players out of the club

Tottenham have only made one signing this month in the form of Arnaut Danjuma and that lack of activity may well be down to the fact they have a very bloated squad as things stand.

Spurs are said to be very keen on landing Pedro Porro from Sporting Lisbon who they’ll know very well having faced him twice in the Champions League earlier in the season, although it’s not been simple with Sporting wanting his full release clause.

If Antonio Conte wants to bring in a new right back – which he does amid talk with Porro – then at least one of the senior players already at the club must be moved on which could be and may be bad news for someone such as Doherty who’s only started seven league games this season.

The Latest: Doherty could be set for the exit door

Doherty was signed by Jose Mourinho for £15 million but has failed to nail down a regular spot in the starting lineup over the last few seasons, but that hasn’t stopped clubs from liking him, according to Marcotti.

He said: (10:05) “I think Doherty’s contract is winding down, I think he has 18 months left so I don’t think he’s difficult to move, a lot of people like him if that’s the guy you want to move.”

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The Verdict: Spurs have got to get busy

Conte has made it no secret that he wishes to get more signings through the door in this transfer window and further ones to come, so Daniel Levy certainly has to get busy and start working his magic to please the Italian boss.

However, Levy will point towards the fact that Conte’s squad is far too big for new players to arrive as it would force first-team players to be left out of the Premier League squad, which wouldn’t be smart from a business perspective.

It’s a tough situation as Doherty is getting on in his career, but that means he has a boatload of experience that Conte will love and he can still turn out a top display when he puts his mind to it as Sky Sports’ Jamie Wier tweeted about claiming the defender was a ‘menace’ against Leicester City last season.

Goal.com’s Arsenal correspondent, Charles Watts, has given his assessment of Martin Odegaard’s ‘poor’ performance this weekend.

The Lowdown: Anonymous showing

Arsenal’s latest Premier League clash ended in defeat thanks to a goal from Everton’s James Tarkowski, with Odegaard failing to make a telling impression in the game, registering zero tackles and blocks while making one interception.

In 19 league appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side, the Norwegian has scored eight goals and produced eight assists in the 2022/23 campaign.

This weekend’s blank was the first time the 24-year-old failed to pick up a goal contribution since the Gunners’ home clash against Newcastle United in January.

The Latest: Odegaard slammed

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Watts was left disappointed by the Arsenal man’s performance, as it was the first time in a while he’d played so badly.

Handing him a 5/10 rating, he stated: “Odegaard, I thought was poor, took a real big whack in the first half, he was limping, clearly wasn’t happy.

“I don’t know if he was playing with an injury after that, but he just wasn’t on it today.

“He’s been so good for so long now, but this was a disappointing performance from him.”

The Verdict: One of those days

We believe that it was just one of those poor days at the office as far as Odegaard is concerned, it proves that he’s only human.

The midfielder has had a fantastic season and has been at the heart of the goals for the Gunners in the 2022/23 campaign.

Jamie Redknapp labelled the Norwegian as ‘influential’ within the current Arsenal side when speaking to Sky Sports (via The Daily Mail).

In our view, Odegaard has been one of the star performers in the Premier League so far and his poor showing at Goodison Park doesn’t change that.

He’s certainly suffered setbacks in the past, but we back him to hit his stride once again following the 1-0 defeat.

Everton have been handed a fresh setback following their victory at the weekend with the injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

What’s the latest?

The Toffees were able to finally get some points on the board over the weekend in what was a dream debut for Sean Dyche against the league leaders.

However, it seems as if the win against Arsenal may have come at a cost with Everton’s first-choice striker, Calvert-Lewin, has picked up a hamstring issue.

Dyche has already suggested he does not believe the issue is a serious one, however, given their position in the table, any injury issue to a starter could prove problematic.

Speaking to Football FanCast, insider Dean Jones has claimed the Toffees will have everything crossed the results of the scan come back with some good news:

“Yeah, it’s a big setback because Calvert-Lewin himself just doesn’t seem to have much luck these days. So they definitely won’t want any bad news on this. There’s not much depth there. There’s not much backup.”

A negative trend

Injuries to the Englishman are now becoming a far too familiar issue at Goodison Park with the striker having already missed a big chunk of football this season.

And this comes after his struggles last season where he missed 125 days of action as a result of a fractured toe amid the struggles the Toffees endured against the relegation battle.

Adding to his injury struggles, the 27-year-old has struggled to find his feet in the Premier League since making his return from injury earlier in the season.

Across his 11 appearances in the top flight, Calvert-Lewin has only been able to return Everton with just one goal – a far cry from the return in his 2020/21 campaign.

These struggles with both finding the back of the net and staying fit only highlight Everton’s need to have signed a striker in the January window.

And following the first game after its closure, it seems as if the Everton board are facing the effects of not bringing in some competition for Calvert-Lewin.

Yes, Dyche has Neal Maupay to select, however, he has hardly proven to be a reliable option in front of goal so far since making the move from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Although the early signs were largely positive under Dyche, losing players to injury is the last thing he needs after a winter market of not signing any players.

Chelsea have made contact to sign Brentford goalkeeper David Raya this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Raya’s uncertain future

The Spaniard will be out of contract with Thomas Frank’s side in 2024, and having rejected two offers to extend his stay, his future is looking uncertain.

The Premier League shot-stopper has publicly admitted that he doesn’t think now is the right time to put pen to paper on fresh terms, which appears to have alerted Todd Boehly and Graham Potter.

The Blues had been credited with an initial interest in the 27-year-old earlier this week, but it sounds like the admiration has quickly developed into action…

The Latest: Chelsea open negotiations

According to Football Insider, Chelsea have now ‘made contact’ with Raya’s representatives regarding a potential £40m move this summer.

The Stamford Bridge outfit have ‘shortlisted’ the 6 foot star in their hunt for a new man between the sticks, with the recruitment team believing that he is ‘at the level’ of Manchester United’s David De Gea.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Raya has been described as an ‘underrated’ goalkeeper by journalist Luke Edwards but Chelsea have clearly noticed the level of his performances, so they need to get this deal wrapped up as quickly as possible.

The Barcelona native has kept 50 clean sheets in 145 appearances for Brentford, including eight this term, and he’s averaging 11.2 long balls per league game with three man-of-the-match awards to his name.

Raya also has an existing connection to Cesar Azpilicueta having represented Spain together at the World Cup last year, which could potentially give the Blues an advantage when it comes to trying to get a move over the line.

Alasdair Gold picked out Clement Lenglet for specific criticism after his sloppy display for Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Spurs fight for a huge win

Tottenham looked to be slugging it out and coming down to West Ham’s level in the first half with very few chances presenting themselves, although things certainly turned around for the better after half time.

Spurs came flying out of the traps and were duly rewarded with two goals that put to bed any thoughts of a potential upset, although it didn’t come too easy as Jarrod Bowen had two efforts fizzed at Fraser Forster one each half.

While Spurs did indeed keep a second consecutive Premier League clean sheet at home, not all of the defenders covered themselves in glory with on-loan ace Lenglet coming in for particular criticism from Gold.

The Latest: Lenglet flatters to deceive

The French international did indeed take a heavy whack to the head in the second half which didn’t appear to do him any favours during the victory as Gold slammed the defender in his player ratings.

He said: ‘A nervy start and was dispossessed a couple of times. Took a big whack to the head towards the end of the first half but improved as the game wore on. 6′

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The Verdict: The loan deal may not become permanent

It was a slightly bizarre deal that Tottenham struck up over the summer to recruit a defender that wasn’t even a regular for a poor Barcelona side last season that conceded 38 goals and could only afford Lenglet seven league starts.

Lenglet’s deal was just a straight loan deal with no option or obligation to buy and after showing some nervy moments in a pretty routine win at home, it would be surprising to see him stay beyond the end of this season.

While the big whack to the head wouldn’t have helped in any way and may well have been better getting subbed off for his own health, he did play on and put up some uninspiring numbers such as losing possession 20 times and not making one single tackle during the game (Sofascore).

Journalist Jacob Tanswell has revealed that he can’t find anyone behind the scenes who speaks poorly of Southampton interim manager Ruben Selles.

What’s the latest on Ruben Selles and Southampton?

With Nathan Jones sacked earlier in February, the Saints’ board are still on the lookout for a full-time option to come in and take charge of the teams.
For the time being, however, Selles has been promoted to caretaker manager and things have got pretty well immediately as he guided Southampton to a 1-0 away win at Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend.
Interestingly enough, the 39-year-old Spaniard seems intent on making the job his own in the long term. By the sounds of it, he’s already won over plenty of people behind the scenes at the club too.
Indeed, while speaking on Total Saints, Tanswell explained: “Everything about him, the way he’s spoken to players. He didn’t speak to players saying, ‘Right, I’m only here to Chelsea’ or this is a short-term fix. It was with months in mind, really.
“So yeah, Selles, the way he’s conducted himself in press conferences, shook hands with every journalist, the cameraman, the way he dressed. He didn’t look like a guy that wanted to be a caretaker, I think. He’s extremely impressive, the way he’s talked.
“I’ve tried to find people that don’t like him or people who have got a few words to say about him – just for balance, really. Like, surely people don’t like him this much. But honestly, I can’t find anyone.
“From coaches in the first team, in the academy, to players, to agents. They all speak really highly of him. And it’s fantastic. And I just can’t find anyone [who talks badly of Selles].”

What does the latest on Selles mean for Southampton?

It seems as though that win at Stamford Bridge has boosted Selles’ hopes of becoming permanent manager as certain bookies now have him as the favourite for the job.
And after a move for preferred candidate Jesse Marsch broke down last week, it remains unclear as to who else could come in and help guide the team amidst the very real threat of relegation.
On top of that, not long after Selles arrived as Ralph Hasenhuttl’s assistant in the summer, certain squad members were already keen for him to become the club’s manager (via The Athletic). While in the same article, a dressing-room source noted: “He has the ability to make players run through brick walls for him.”
While Selles doesn’t have experience on his side – having never managed a senior team in his coaching career before – he is at least well-known and evidently well-liked within the club already.
Taking it all into account, perhaps he is the best man for the job right now.

Journalist and Sky Sports contributor Joshua Barrie has claimed that he would like to see Todd Cantwell start for Rangers in their upcoming Old Firm clash.

How has Cantwell performed for Rangers?

The Englishman arrived in January, in what could turn out to be a smart deal for Michael Beale’s side, with the player previously linked with other European heavyweights following a promising spell in the Premier League a few seasons ago.

He has yet to open his account after five appearances, but he provided an assist in Rangers’ 2-1 win over Ross County, showing glimpses of his quality.

With the League Cup final on the horizon, it is a huge chance for Beale to secure his first piece of silverware as Rangers manager, and it remains to be seen what starting XI he will pick for the clash at Hampden Park.

Speaking on The Rangers Review YouTube channel, Barrie claimed that he would like to see Cantwell start in what would be his first Old Firm derby.

Discussing Beale’s potential team selection, he said: “I think Roofe’s unlikely because as we suggested, he’s not started a game since the last Old Firm game at Hampden, so it’d be a surprise if he’s thrown in when Sakala’s started I think 11 or 12 out of 14 games under Beale.

“I would like to see Cantwell start, but I think it is one of the two. We’re presuming that the structure will be the same, with your two midfielders behind one who’s an offensive midfielder.

“I think if Tillman’s fit, that will be the case. Maybe things will change if he doesn’t make the game, but fingers crossed, he does. I just think Sakala gives you variation, he gives you a goal threat.”

What should Beale’s aims for the season be?

With Celtic still nine points clear at the top of the table, a title challenge looks to be out of reach for Beale despite a strong run of form since his appointment.

Winning the League Cup against their rivals could provide a huge confidence boost to the players, fans and manager ahead of next season, where they will be expected to put in a strong challenge for the league title.

With Rangers also in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, the Englishman may have a cup double in mind, but will be wary that a loss against Celtic could derail their fine form which has seen them win their last nine games in a row.

Sunday’s game, therefore, carries a lot of pressure for Rangers, and Beale will need to get his selection spot on if he is to beat their bitter rivals.

Cantwell, who has been hailed as “wonderful” by Brian Laudrup, and midfielder Nicolas Raskin arrived as Beale’s first two signings at the club in January, and the boss will be hoping for an immediate impact from both. Whilst Cantwell’s place in the lineup is far from guaranteed for the cup final, Raskin looks almost certain to start following a solid start to life at Ibrox.

The English midfielder has not found his best form for a while following an unproductive loan spell at Bournemouth last season, but if Rangers can get him back to his best, then he could become a key player as the club challenges for silverware in the future.

Transfer expert Dean Jones says Newcastle United have retained their interest in signing Chelsea duo Christian Pulisic and Ruben Loftus-Cheek this summer.

The Lowdown: Lack of game time

Both Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek have suffered from a lack of game time so far this season, with just 21 and 23 appearances made respectively in total over all competitions, and eight other players in the squad featuring more (Transfermarkt).

On £150,000-per-week and £120,000-per-week respectively as well, Chelsea may consider letting them go in order to trim down their wage bill, and especially after the influx of players that they have signed in the last two transfer windows.

The Latest: Retained interest

Writing in his column for GiveMeSport, Jones notes that Newcastle have been linked with moves for Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek recently, and that interest has been retained ahead of the summer window.

Pulisic is an especially ‘intriguing’ player to them, but his wage may prove to be a stumbling block in terms of getting a deal over the line.

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The Verdict: Quality squad depth

Signing Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek would add quality squad depth for Eddie Howe going into next season.

His side look set to qualify for European football through their Premier League position, and so will need a bigger squad if they are going to fight on four fronts.

Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek have plenty of top-flight and European experience between them, and at 24 and 27 years of age respectively, are about to enter their prime.

Nonetheless, this would be a smart double deal to do, as the Magpies would also be weakening one of their Premier League rivals in the process.

Chelsea have the option to bring back Tammy Abraham in the summer as part of a clause in his contract which could cost the Blues around €80m (£71m).

 What is the clause in Abraham’s contract?

The 25-year-old striker left Stamford bridge for Roma over one-and-a-half years ago now and has been playing his football in the Italian capital since.

However, the Blues do have a clause that they could activate to bring him back to England in the summer if they wish to do so.

It is worth noting Chelsea are the only club to which this buy-back clause applies to meaning they have a first refusal on whether they would like to bring Abraham back to the Bridge.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has suggested this is one to watch ahead of the summer, but it is not something which is imminent.

He said: “Let me clarify that the clause is not valid for other clubs. It’s not valid for any other English or European club – just for Chelsea: [an] €80m buy-back clause. So Chelsea can bring the player back to Stamford Bridge for €80m in the summer.

“At the moment, from what I understand, nothing is advanced or concrete, so Chelsea have not communicated that they want to trigger that clause and bring the player back, but they have this possibility.

“Tammy Abraham is one to watch because let’s see what happens with this Chelsea clause or with any other proposal.”

Should Chelsea re-sign Abraham?

Since the striker made the move to Serie A, Abraham has impressed on the whole with a return of 17 league goals in his first campaign under Jose Mourinho.

However, this season has told a different story with the Englishman struggling to develop on his 2021/22 return having only found the back of the net six times in 25 league games.

With this in mind, it does leave the Blues with a decision to make given he has shown signs of what he is capable of but may need further coaching to get the absolute best out of him.

And considering the struggles Chelsea are enduring this season, spending over £70m on a striker who may not necessarily land and provide instant goals would be a big gamble.

Chelsea have already made that mistake in the last few years with Romelu Lukaku who made his return from Inter Milan only to provide eight league goals.

Since his move back to the Bridge, Lukaku has been loaned back to Inter and his future in London will likely be decided over the coming months.

It is apparent the Blues are missing an out-and-out goalscorer with their highest goalscorers this season, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz, having only netted seven goals each.

However, at that price and on the back of the form he is showing this season, re-signing Abraham feels like a huge gamble.