Wolverhampton Wanderers may not have signed anyone on deadline day, yet the key thing for Gary O’Neil was to not lose any more of his talented squad to bigger teams.

The Old Gold had sold Matheus Nunes to Manchester City during the summer transfer window, along with moving on Nathan Collins and Ruben Neves to Brentford and Al-Hilal respectively.

This has not dented their ambitions, however, with the club currently occupying tenth spot in the Premier League table and poised to challenge for a solid top-half finish come the end of the season.

Can O’Neil keep the vultures at bay this summer, however? Indeed, he will have to be sary as some of his team are attracting attention due to their excellent performances throughout the 2023/24 campaign thus far.

Pedro Neto is one name who may move on to bigger and better things sooner rather than later. The question is, how much can the Molineux outfit rake in for him when he eventually does depart the Midlands?

The teams who want to sign Pedro Neto

The Portuguese winger joined the club in 2019 from Lazio and was earmarked as a future talent who could shine in the English top flight.

Over the next three seasons, Neto scored 11 goals and registered 12 assists as he became a key member of the squad under both Nuno Espírito Santo and Bruno Lage and his form even saw him gain national recognition from Portugal.

An injury ruled him out of large chunks of the 2022/23 campaign – ensuring he missed out on Portugal’s 2022 World Cup squad – and while he returned before the end of the term, the youngster took some time to return to full fitness.

According to Football Transfers, both Arsenal and Manchester City are fighting to secure his signature and the lure of Champions League football may be too hard to turn down.

With a contract that does not expire until 2027, the Old Gold are in a favourable position and this means they will be able to secure the best possible fee for one of their prized assets.

With the season he has enjoyed, O’Neil could be set to rake in a stunning profit for the club this summer should he be sold.

Pedro Neto’s season in numbers

The 23-year-old worked on his fitness during pre-season and between August and October, he scored once and grabbed seven assists, showing an impressive return to form in the top flight.

A hamstring injury ruled him out for eight games, but since returning, he has netted another two goals and chipped in with three assists.

Indeed, he ranks third across the squad for goals and assists in the top flight (ten), along with ranking second for big chances created (six), first for key passes per game (2.3) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.9), clearly indicating how big an influence he is having on the squad.

Goals

0

2

Assists

0

8

Key passes per game

1.2

2.3

Big chances created

4

6

Successful dribbles per game

1

1.9

Should he finally leave the Midlands in the summer, will O’Neil turn to the transfer market to sign a replacement? Or can he delve into the academy and give more opportunities to a talented right-winger who is thriving; Tyler Roberts?

Pedro Neto has a replacement in the academy

20-year-old right-winger, Roberts, has yet to make his senior bow for Wolves but has made an impression during spells in the U18 and U21 teams over the previous few years.

Roberts – who can operate on either wing or as a centre-forward – netted 16 goals in just 37 matches for the younger age group, and while the jump to the U21 side has proven to be more challenging, netting five times in 30 games, there is no doubting his talent.

The youngster signed a new long-term deal last April to remain with the Midlands outfit until the summer of 2025 at least and his abilities were praised by Academy manager for football, Jon Hunter-Barrett, who was delighted to see him sign a new contract.

“We’re really excited to see Tyler sign his extension with Wolves. He’s an exciting player who gets people off their seats, so he’s certainly one we wanted to ensure has a future at Wolves.

“He brings energy, enthusiasm and drive to football which is what excites everyone about him. People will go to his pace and technique, but Tyler also has an excellent mentality to want to learn and want to improve. He’s very coachable and he wants to take information.”

The winger had even made his international debut for Jamacia once he turned professional at the Old Gold and O’Neil sent him on loan to Doncaster Rovers for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign.

15 appearances in all competitions for the League Two side indicated that senior football was a much bigger challenge than performing in the Premier League 2, yet he did exude glimpses of his talents across a few games.

Indeed, he may only have started two matches in the fourth tier for Doncaster, yet he still averaged 0.8 successful dribbles per game along with creating one big chance and taking 0.5 shots per game, indicating that he certainly has the desire to create chances.

During an EFL Cup match against Hull City in August, Roberts showcased his talents on the wing as he took 50 touches, made one key pass, won eight of his 14 ground duels, and was fouled four times, proving to be a nightmare for the opposition defence to keep quiet.

He may not have scored during his spell in League Two, yet the experience could prove vital in the coming years, especially if O’Neil is ready to give him his senior debut before the end of the season.

With Neto continuing to be linked with a move away from Wolves, the right wing slot could be vacant for someone to come in and snatch it with intent.

Roberts may not quite be at that level yet, but with some more development in the U21 side along with the odd opportunity for the senior team in the next few months, he could be an ideal long-term candidate for the role.

The Dutchman looks so much more comfortable and effective on the left flank, meaning his Colombian colleague could be sold for the right price

Cody Gakpo admitted towards the tail end of last season that he was "curious" to see what plans Arne Slot has in store for Liverpool. He's certainly not alone in that regard. There's an awful lot of uncertainty swirling around Anfield right now, with nobody quite sure what to expect from the post-Jurgen Klopp era.

By winning the Carabao Cup with kids and securing a return to the Champions League in his final season at the helm, the German certainly left Liverpool in rude health. The return of 'laptop guru' Michael Edwards and the appointment of the highly-rated Richard Hughes as the club's new sporting director have also strengthened the belief that the Reds can construct a new, winning team on the solid foundations that Klopp has left behind. Furthermore, Slot has already proven that he can upset richer rivals on a smaller budget in his native Netherlands.

However, the Dutchman is undeniably an unknown quantity at the very highest level, while there are ongoing doubts over the futures of Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold – all of whom have just one year left on their current contracts. It's also not yet known what Slot wants to do with the enigmatic Darwin Nunez, while Luis Diaz remains the subject of incessant transfer talk.

What's clear, though, is that Gakpo should be given a major role to play in the new era – and in his preferred position on Liverpool's left flank.

• Getty
  

  Playing in 'slow motion'

  After initially looking like Liverpool's new Roberto Firmino, Gakpo became a polarising player in the fans' eyes last season. Former defender Jamie Carragher even got himself embroiled in a rather ugly online spat with a fellow supporter after claiming that Gakpo "plays like the game is in slow motion".

  The insinuation was that the former PSV star wasn't just lacking in pace, but also urgency, and there were definitely times when Gakpo came off the bench during the second half of the 2023-24 campaign and failed to play with the kind of drive and determination that one would expect from a substitute hoping to reclaim a starting spot.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Klopp takes the blame

  Klopp explained, though, that it was a question of confidence rather than motivation, admitting that Gakpo had suffered because of his decision to try to play him in midfield earlier in the season.

  "The offensive part of that role he can definitely play, but with the defensive things which he was not used to, that cost him a bit of confidence in moments, you could see that," the former Reds boss told reporters in February.

  "The boy came here from PSV and was flying from day one pretty much and then, all of a sudden, you saw, okay that's now not exactly the same. These kinds of things happen. If you ask Cody he would not say it's the best season of his life, but we all know how good a player he is and he's always a threat."

• Getty
  

  Return to form

  The turning point came in March, during a sit-down between player and manager, with Klopp telling Gakpo that he had essentially misunderstood what was being asked of him.

  "When you’re trying something you actually don’t have to, you lose the rest of your game a little bit," Klopp said in May. "By stopping that, you can be yourself immediately again. It’s crazy because I think in the very next game, Cody came on and looked completely different."

  The net result was Gakpo finishing the season far better than many of his team-mates. However, while the mental aspect was obviously key, it was noticeable during the final few weeks of the campaign that Gakpo was doing most of his best work on the left-hand side.

  Technically, he was still leading the line, having reclaimed the central attacking berth from the increasingly wasteful Nunez, but he was often drifting towards – or starting from – wide positions. The feeling that Gakpo would be better deployed as a winger going forward only intensified after watching him in action for Netherlands in their Euro 2024 opener against Poland last weekend.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Strong start to the Euros

  Gakpo's influence may have faded late on, but for the 81 minutes he was on the field in Hamburg, he was the game's most dangerous attacker and a worthy recipient of the Man of the Match award. As well as scoring his country's equaliser, he created two clear chances, won more duels than any other player (15) and completed all five of his dribbles.

  Gakpo has stated in the past that he doesn't have a preference in terms of where he plays. "In the last three seasons, I’ve mostly played on the left, but during the World Cup, I also played more in the middle, as a No.10," he told UEFA last September. "I think it’s just important that I play."

  However, it's becoming increasingly clear that he's more comfortable and more effective on the flank. Of course, if Slot were to decide to put Gakpo on the left, that immediately raises the question: where will Diaz play? And the answer could be Paris or Barcelona.

Five Manchester United players partied in Las Vegas the day before their friendly against Borussia Dortmund last summer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd players partied during pre-seasonTen Hag stopped informing players of days offUnhappy with them going out before friendlyGettyWHAT HAPPENED?

The Athletic claim the unnamed United stars were spotted partying in Las Vegas last year during their tour of the United States. Ten Hag had reportedly given the players the day off before the friendly against Edin Terzic's Dortmund side at the Allegiant Stadium in Nevada. The five players went out to the famous Frai's nightclub, and when asked about their late-night excursion and whether it would be frowned upon, they told a partygoer that they 'wanted to have fun while in Vegas'.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Dutch manager believed that letting the players know when their days off in advance would cause more such scenarios, and therefore he and his staff stopped notifying the squad of their training schedule in advance. This was not appreciated by some senior pros, who felt penalised for the fault of those who partied.

Getty DID YOU KNOW?

As the campaign went on, Ten Hag reportedly softened his stance and the club now notifies the squad of their schedule at least 10 days in advance. That notice period is still way off what former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer implemented, as the Norwegian's staff updated the players at least a month ahead of time.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

Another issue Ten Hag had was how much travelling the squad did during their 2023 pre-season trip as they toured almost the entirety of the United States. This year they will only tour the West Coast before a game in South Carolina, after which they head back to the United Kingdom.

Both sides initially refused to take the bus at the scheduled departure time from the team hotel to the CAA Centre in Brampton

Peter Della Penna07-Aug-2019A player protest at the Global T20 Canada on Wednesday delayed a second round match between Toronto Nationals and Montreal Tigers by two hours. Both sides initially refused to take the bus at the scheduled departure time from the team hotel to the CAA Centre in Brampton and ESPNcricinfo understands it was a protest over unpaid wages.A press release from the organizers said, “The game between Montreal Tigers & Toronto Nationals on Wednesday, August 7th, 2019, was delayed due to procedural issues between the players, the GT20 league, and the franchise owners. All the stakeholders had a meeting and addressed the concerns.”TV coverage of the match made no mention of the protest. Global T20 Canada made a statement via their Twitter account at 12:40 pm local time, also making no mention of the protest. Instead, the account stated that the match had been “delayed due to technical reasons” and announced that it had been pushed back to a 2:30 pm local time start from the originally scheduled 12:30 pm and that it would remain a full 20-over contest. A source confirmed that team buses eventually left the hotel at 1 pm.The protest is also significant due to the involvement of Toronto Nationals, led by Yuvraj Singh. Toronto entered the day in fifth place on four points and needed a win in order to advance to the play-off stage so abandoning the match via protest would have ended their season. But they were apparently willing to take that risk in order to ensure their players were paid. League organizers had hosted a fundraiser on Monday night for his YouWeCan Foundation.ESPNcricinfo understands the protest is not limited to these two teams. Sources have said other squads have told team and league owners Bombay Sports Limited that they will refuse to take the field for the playoff stage beginning on Thursday if their unpaid wages have not been fulfilled.”We’re not gonna play until we get paid,” one player from another team, who asked not to be named, told ESPNcricinfo.According to the league’s contract structure provided by multiple sources, 10-15% of the players’ salaries was supposed to be paid before the start of the tournament while the next installment bringing the total to 75% was due by the end of the first round, which concluded on Sunday. However, sources state that the majority of players across all teams have not been paid any money.It is believed that a protest had been planned by Vancouver Knights and Winnipeg Hawks before Tuesday’s second round match before owners managed to facilitate a 45% payment to some, but not all, players. The match wound up being abandoned without a ball bowled due to a wet outfield.It’s the latest in a series of pay issues to have affected the tournament. A number of Canada players are reported to have been furious when their reserve prices were suddenly capped at US$7500 on the day of the draft without any explanation from organizers. Canada captain Davy Jacobs, who had set his initial reserve price at $25,000, was drafted by Edmonton Royals but withdrew on the eve of the tournament, posting a Facebook message to say he had decided to focus on his construction business instead.Sources have also told ESPNcricinfo that some player payments from the 2018 Global T20 Canada tournament are also outstanding. Specifically, some players who were named player of the match over the course of the season have not received their award payments.Bombay Sports Limited, the owners of the league, are also the organizers of the Euro T20 Slam, which is due to begin on August 30.

Charlie Hemphrey posts unbeaten half-century in uphill battle for hosts in Cardiff

ECB Reporters Network15-Jul-2019

Charlie Hemphrey notched a half-century•Getty Images

Middlesex set Glamorgan a mammoth target of 556 to win and, after losing six wickets in their second innings, the hosts sill trailed by 383 runs and faced their first defeat of the Championship season going into the final day in Cardiff.At one stage, Glamorgan were 106 for 1, before their middle order stumbled, yet credit to Charlie Hemphrey who batted resolutely for 66 overs and is unbeaten on 52.During the morning session Middlesex added a further 153 runs to their overnight score with opener Sam Robson scoring his second century of the season with an unbeaten 140 and becoming the first Middlesex player to carry his bat since Nick Compton in 2006. His first century this summer was also made against Glamorgan at Radlett last month.Glamorgan’s bowlers made early inroads when Rob White was caught behind off Michael Hogan in the second over of the morning then Toby Roland-Jones suffered the same fate off Marchant De Lange in the next over, but Tom Helm and Robson avoided any further alarms by adding 68 for the ninth wicket before Helm gave Marnus Labuschagne a return catchTim Murtagh, although not too happy against de Lange’s thunderbolts and eventually kept away from the seamer by Robson, tucked into some loose bowing at the other end driving Labuchagne’s leg spin for three successive boundaries.The last-wicket pair put on 76 as the lead stretched beyond 500, and with Dawid Malan showing no inclination to declare as Middlesex batted until 1.10pm before Murtagh skied to long on.Middlesex had 162 overs left to dismiss Glamorgan and Helm soon struck when Nick Selman was “strangled” down the leg side, flicking at an innocuous delivery that he could easily have left alone. Hemphrey and Labuschagne then settled against Middlesex’s predominantly seam attack with Nathan Sowter providing the spin option.Labuschagne, playing his final game for Glamorgan before joining Australia’s squad for the forthcoming practice game against Australia A, has had an outstanding season, and passed 50 for the seventh time in the last eight innings before he was trapped leg before by Roland-Jones. He was also the first player in the country to exceed 1000 championship runs and will surely return to the club next season, availability permitting.Wickets then fell regularly with another four batsmen adjudged lbw- David Lloyd to Sowter, Billy Root to Roland-Jones, Chris Cooke to Murtagh giving the Middlesex seamer his 800th first class wicket, and Dan Douthwaite who was unlucky to get an unplayable ball that barely got off the ground.

Leeds United will need to do their transfer business sharpish as deadline day begins to loom, the Championship promotion candidates are yet to add anyone to their squad with three fringe players – including Luke Ayling – allowed to head out of Elland Road on loan.

It's not as if the Whites haven't been linked with a whole host of incomings so far this January, but with an unsatisfactory 1-1 home draw against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup arguably exposing Leeds' lack of high-quality depth, many bodies could well be in through the door between now and the close of the transfer window.

There are two main priorities on the extensive Leeds shopping list if rumours are correct, with the duo in question teammates at international level in the past who could strengthen the Whites considerably.

Leeds in for Wales star

On top of wanting to reportedly bring AFC Bournemouth winger David Brooks to the building, the Whites are also targeting his fellow Wales compatriot Connor Roberts to finally add a new right-back to their ranks.

The full-back was labelled as being a 'concrete target' for Leeds by journalist Ben Jacobs who was speaking to GIVEMESPORT but a further report by Daily Mail journalist Simon Jones has now confirmed that Daniel Farke's men are indeed interested in signing the Burnley man.

Roberts is itching for more first-team action away from being placed on the periphery at Turf Moor this campaign.

With Roberts standing out as a full-throttle attacking full-back when Burnley won the second tier title just last campaign – scoring four times last season under Vincent Kompany – the 28-year-old could well spur Leeds on to further unsettle the established Championship top two.

If Brooks was purchased – as another right midfield option to ease concerns of Daniel James being in the Whites treatment room for some time – both players in question could make Leeds hard to thwart down that flank with Crysencio Summerville and Junior Firpo unplayable at points on the opposing left side.

How Roberts would fit into the Leeds team

With Archie Gray having to start at right-back 17 times this season, despite being more of a natural in midfield, Roberts would arguably walk into the Whites starting lineup currently.

His numbers at second tier level across his career to date back up why he'd break into the Leeds first-team and instantly make an impact, the Clarets defender accumulating 20 assists and 15 goals playing in the Championship over 173 appearances.

Coupled with Brooks' equally potent output in the Championship – which stands at nine goals and 11 assists from 69 appearances – both players could form an intimidating partnership at Elland Road if Leeds pull off a late flurry of signings.

Described as being an "excellent" player by his former Swansea City boss Steve Cooper during Roberts' stint with the Swans, Roberts would give Leeds that added nous too of what it takes to get promoted via the top two. That could well be invaluable with the Whites currently fighting hard to establish themselves as automatic promotion hopefuls.

Brooks and Roberts have been in sync pulling on a Wales strip in the past, with Ethan Ampadu also excelling on the international stage alongside the Leeds targets, and so it could well be a smart move landing both of these former second-tier stars to boost Leeds' automatic promotion chances this season.

Farke's men will feel precarious if no signings are made in this transfer window and injuries begin to trouble them more, with a swoop for both Brooks and Roberts making logical sense as a result.

A lack of consistency has cost Manchester United massively this season, with the FA Cup the only piece of silverware that can realistically be won.

One of the main reasons for this is that Erik ten Hag hasn’t been able to field the same starting XI frequently, with underperformance and injuries often causing rotation.

This has particularly been the case for the backline, with a handful of players failing to nail down a position, including an individual whose value has dropped since his arrival.

Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s start to life at Man United

Aaron Wan-Bissaka was supposed to be the heir to Antonio Valencia when the United captain left in 2019, as he was brought in that summer off the back of an impressive campaign for Crystal Palace, playing a key role in a defence that kept 12 clean sheets in the 2018/19 season.

The young right-back joined the Red Devils for a fee of £50m, which is still the Eagles’ biggest sale to this day, with the next highest figure being £25m.

At that point, Wan-Bissaka was one of the most promising defenders in England, with ex-United player Paul Parker even claiming that he was the best right back in the Premier League and better than Trent Alexander-Arnold.

He got off to a flyer in his first campaign at Old Trafford, as the former Eagles gem was nominated for the MUFC August Player of the Month award. Throughout the season, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer started the "machine," as per commentator Jim Beglin, in 34 matches, where he kept 11 clean sheets and picked up four assists.

Wan-Bissaka’s value in 2024

Fast forward to this season, and Wan-Bissaka has struggled to cement himself as Ten Hag's go-to right-back, starting just ten games in the Premier League.

Diogo Dalot is the preferred option on that flank, with his continuous availability and the fact that he "offers more in attack" – as per journalist Francis Abban – giving him the advantage over the 26-year-old, who has missed ten games this season with a hamstring injury.

Nonetheless, his lack of game time and lack of youth on his side have seen his value drop over the years.

Wan-Bissaka's Value Over Time

Date

Market Value

December 2019

£34m

October 2020

£34m

December 2021

£32m

November 2022

£15m

December 2023

£17m

Via Transfermarkt

Wan-Bissaka’s value peaked as he joined United, and he maintained that number until halfway through 2021. However, his estimated worth began to drop during United’s terrible 2021/22 season, which saw Solskjaer leave, Ralf Rangnick join, and the club finish sixth in the league.

The 6 foot gem's estimated value then decreased to its lowest point at the beginning of the Ten Hag era, with the English ace’s first start under the new boss coming against Burnley in December.

Luckily, he has started to feature more frequently, which has seen it rise back up slightly to £17m – as per CIES Football Observatory – but United still arguably overpaid for the defender originally in 2019.

If United decide to move the defender on at the end of the season, they would be looking at a rather large loss, and therefore, Wan-Bissaka’s move to Manchester has been far from a success.

The fans wanted to indulge him on his 29th birthday. The New Zealand captain ended up indulging fans instead

Andrew Fidel Fernando08-Aug-20190:56

Williamson cuts his birthday cake with fans

Just how wholesome can Kane Williamson get?He’s fielding in a ground in the northernmost reaches of Colombo, as New Zealand warm up for their Test series in Sri Lanka, which begins next week. His bowlers aren’t having a lot of luck on a surface that seems to have completely neutered quicks. It’s hot. It’s humid. It had rained earlier.These aren’t necessarily the ideal circumstances in which Williamson may have liked to spend his 29th birthday (a long day of batting might have been more to his liking). But his day, was, nevertheless enlivened by a smattering of fans that had come to watch the game, at Katunayake. Having learned that it was the visiting captain’s birthday, a group of spectators brought a cake to the periphery of the ground, and beckoned Williamson over.As soon as it was time for drinks which allowed a break in play, Williamson was seen happily trotting over to the fans, and to their joy, taking a bite out of the cake as a fan fed him, before the New Zealand captain took a piece of cake into his own hand and fed the man in return. Williamson gave high fives, posed for a video or two, and returned to the field as his teammates were getting ready to take their positions again.The recent World Cup won Williamson and New Zealand many admirers across the planet over the past few weeks. In Sri Lanka, though, New Zealand have long been a well-liked team. Their captain can only have won over more hearts on the island, as he indulged a few fans who had sought to indulge him.

Leeds United are back in Championship action once again this afternoon as they take on Plymouth Argyle at Home Park for the second time this month.

The Whites ran out 4-1 winners in Devon in the FA Cup as they needed extra time to secure the win, which earned them a clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the next round.

Daniel Farke's side are now going there in search of three points as they look to continue their march towards automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Every match and point is important as the Whites compete with Southampton and Ipswich to secure second place, whilst Leicester City appear to be uncatchable with a 12-point lead over the Yorkshire-based outfit.

Leeds head into this match off the back of an emphatic 4-0 win away at Swansea in Wales on Tuesday night, as they demolished Luke William's side.

With games coming thick and fast, and a huge game against Leicester on the horizon, Farke could make some changes to his team to keep players fresh.

With that in mind, the German head coach should move Georginio Rutter aside, after an underwhelming – by his standards – display on Tuesday, to unleash Daniel James alongside Wilfried Gnonto in the attack.

Georgino Rutter's performance against Swansea

The French gem has been one of the best creative talents in the Championship this season with his ability to consistently unlock opposition defences.

However, that was not on display in Wales earlier this week as the 21-year-old maestro failed to create a single opportunity for his teammates on the night.

The former Hoffenheim whiz also had four shots, totalling 0.32 xG, and did not find the back of the net, which meant that he ended the match without a goal contribution in the 4-0 drubbing.

Rutter, who did complete five of his nine attempted dribbles, is capable of far more than that when he is at his best as a number ten in the Championship.

The Leeds star currently ranks within the top 2% of forwards in the division for shot-creating actions (4.34) and Expected Assisted Goals (0.34) per 90 respectively, which shows that not many other players in his position create high-quality chances for their teammates as frequently as he does.

In 31 league appearances, Rutter has contributed with five goals and ten assists for his side, whilst the talented ace has also created a whopping 19 'big chances' for his fellow attackers.

These statistics show that the young magician has the quality to unpick defences with his fabulous passing, which is why his performance against Swansea was underwhelming.

This long trip to Plymouth could be the perfect opportunity for Farke to rest the Whites gem, ahead of next Friday's clash with Leicester at Elland Road.

That would open up the door for James to make his return on the right side of the attack, as Gnonto could be moved into a central position behind Joel Piroe at the top end of the pitch.

Wilfried Gnonto's recent form

The Italy international has been in sublime form for Leeds in recent weeks and is finally showcasing his quality in the final third on a regular basis.

He had only managed one goal and one assist in his first 21 appearances in the Championship, which included seven starts for the former Zurich whiz.

Gnonto has started the club's last three matches in the division and chipped in with three goals and one assist, to take his total to four goals and two assists in 24 games.

The 20-year-old ace also found the back of the net against Plymouth at Home Park in the FA Cup in the middle of that run of fixtures, which means that he has already made an impact on this ground this month.

Interestingly, that goal also came from Gnonto moving into a central position to receive the ball from Glen Kamara on the edge of the box, which allowed him to take a touch and fire the ball into the bottom corner.

His goal against Bristol City and his second against Swansea also came from him drifting into the middle to run onto a pass before unleashing a fine shot to find the back of the net, which is why moving him into Rutter's position today could be a good move by Farke.

Why Leeds should unleash Dan James

The German head coach should unleash James alongside Gnonto, and Crysencio Summerville, in the attacking three behind Piroe as the Welsh gem has the quality to be a difference-maker in the final third.

He came off the bench in the 4-0 win over Swansea for his first appearance since the 1-0 win over Norwich in January and could make his return to the starting line-up today.

Norwich City

Assist

Preston North End

Goal

Cardiff

Goal

Peterborough United

Assist

Birmingham

Goal and assist

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the former Manchester United winger was in fantastic form before his recent injury with at least one goal or assist in each of his last five appearances in all competitions.

James, who was hailed as "electric" by journalist Sanny Rudravajhala earlier this term, has been impressive throughout the 2023/24 campaign with his exciting play in the Championship.

The 26-year-old whiz has racked up ten goals, from 7.45 xG, and six assists, from 5.49 xA, in 23 league starts for Farke's side so far this term.

Only Piroe (11) and Summerville (15) have scored more goals than James in the second tier for Leeds this season, which speaks to how important his contributions have been at the top end of the pitch.

Ten goals to his name from 7.45 xG also shows that the Welsh dynamo has been ruthless in front of goal and more than made the most of the chances that his teammates have provided him with.

This suggests that Farke would not significantly weaken his team by ditching Rutter to unleash James alongside Gnonto and Summerville for this clash, which is why he can afford to rest the French whiz to hand important minutes to the 5 foot 7 winger to get him back up to full match fitness.

USMNT legend Tim Howard believes Gregg Berhalter should designate Tyler Adams as US captain throughout Copa America

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Howard speaks out ahead of Copa America 2024Argues Adams should be named permanent captainUSMNT to open group stage against BoliviaWHAT HAPPENED?

USMNT legend Tim Howard does not believe coach Gregg Berhalter has proper hierarchy in place for the team as it looks to face Bolivia in the group stage of the 2024 Copa America this weekend.

Writing in a column for the Daily Mail, the former U.S. goalkeeper – who played in the 2010 and 2014 World Cups – argued that the USMNT boss needs to appoint a designated captain for the duration tournament, and ideally, that would be Tyler Adams.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Copa America 2024 will be an important test for the USMNT on the global stage, as it serves as a prelude to hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup. There are high expectations for the U.S., and it's clearly important for the team to perform at a high level on home soil.

Howard was a member of the USMNT the last time they featured in the tournament, in 2016.

WHAT HOWARD SAID

"This USMNT seems to be a tight unit," Howard wrote. "They understand what it means to wear the US jersey. But heading into Copa America, Gregg Berhalter has no permanent captain. That doesn’t sit well with me.

"I am a firm believer that there has to be one voice and the communication hierarchy must be clear: manager, captain, senior players and then nobody else. Soccer is fragile and players are insecure.

"Confidence ebbs and flow with every result. So you need a figurehead – someone strong, someone who stands up in the hard moments, someone who teammates can count on. When you have that, it's amazing how everybody falls into line. Tyler Adams should have the armband – without question.

"Just look at how he operates on the pitch, his upbeat personality, his tenacity, and how well he speaks off the field. Under his leadership, this team can galvanize the country at Copa America. Sometimes it's as easy as just kicking the ball – sports can be healing, motivational and inspirational."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

USA Today ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR THE USMNT?

Adams and the USMNT begin their Copa America journey Sunday night against Bolivia in Arlington, Texas. They'll follow that with Group Stage matches against Panama and Uruguay.