All posts by hc12369.com

Daniel Farke is enjoying a renaissance at Leeds United at the moment, when he once looked almost certain to be sacked.

The once under-pressure German has now spearheaded an unbelievable seven match unbeaten run in the Premier League for the Whites, with Noah Okafor coming out to state that the ex-Norwich City manager is a “top coach” for the swift turnaround in fortunes in West Yorkshire.

This is a complete change of narrative from when Farke was regularly being tipped to be axed in October and November, as the revitalised boss now hunts down some January additions to solidify the feel-good factor and to avoid a slump in form.

Leeds hold talks with La Liga star

Farke has done extremely well to maintain this impressive run of form, with the likes of Joe Rodon out of the side owing to injury.

He could bring in Chelsea outcast Axel Disasi to strengthen at the back, as the commanding Welshman remains sidelined, with a deal reportedly in the advanced stages for the Frenchman to leave Stamford Bridge behind for new opportunities at Elland Road.

Leeds are some way off completing another deal for Real Madrid sensation Gonzalo Garcia, on the other hand, with TEAMtalk revealing that the Premier League newcomers have been rebuffed in their latest approach for the Los Blancos centre-forward.

Indeed, the report states that Leeds have been admirers of the young Spaniard for some time now, having even been noted – back in November – to be planning a £17m bid for the 21-year-old’s services.

Nothing has materialised, though, with the latest set of enquiries from Leeds, and their top-flight rivals in Sunderland, being met with clear rejection, as Garcia fights for a starting place at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Leeds’ long-standing interest means this is a deal that won’t just fizzle out, however, as the Whites could go the distance all window long in trying to tempt Garcia to England, with the Madrid-born striker arguably a bigger talent than the free-flowing Dominic Calvert-Lewin, already situated at Elland Road.

Why Garcia is a bigger talent than Calvert-Lewin

Of course, when initially taking this statement at face value, this does feel like a ludicrous comment to make, with Calvert-Lewin deep in a purple patch of form in the Premier League, which has seen him power home eight top-flight goals donning Leeds white.

But, there will be a worry lingering at the back of everyone’s minds at Leeds, that Calvert-Lewin is prone to a slip-up in form, as evidenced by the ex-Everton marksman only powering home three top-flight goals all of last season, as his injury difficulties took a firm grip.

At 28 years of age, as well, it’s clear that Calvert-Lewin will be winding down his playing days in the near future, even with the Sheffield-born striker now sticking out as an arguable late bloomer, having been a largely inconsistent scorer of Premier League goals since a very early age.

It would take the 11-time England international 43 outings at the very pinnacle of English football to reach five league strikes.

On the contrary, Garcia is already eight goals down for Xabi Alonso’s men from 30 senior appearances, with his manager hailing him as an “unbelievable” and “aggressive” attacker to work with, when making considerable strides in the men’s game in Madrid.

Garcia’s last run-out in La Liga versus Real Betis saw him power home a sensational hat-trick, with Alonso and Co. not put off whatsoever in their aims to win, even as Kylian Mbappe was missing from the starting lineup.

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Thankfully, their homegrown sensation stepped up and delivered the goods, instead, with the red-hot striker showing why he’s been hailed as “incredible” in the past by scout Jacek Kulig, when putting away a stunning four goals in Club World Cup action in pre-season – even when facing the likes of European giants Borussia Dortmund and Juventus.

Garcia’s Real Madrid record

Age bracket

Games

Goals + Assists

RM Castilla

73

30 + 7

Real Madrid

30

8 + 3

Madrid Youth League

16

6 + 3

Sourced by Transfermarkt

With his blistering goalscoring record clear for all to see in the table above, it’s not the wildest shout to suggest that Garcia could surpass Calvert-Lewin’s long-standing career at the very top in time, with the 21-year-old also boldly dubbed as a “world-class” finisher by journalist Zach Lowy.

For now, Leeds will bask in the glory of Calvert-Lewin’s goalscoring prowess.

But, in the long term, landing Garcia’s services, against all the odds, could put them in an even better position for success, as the Spain U21 regular is already a feared goal machine on some grand stages, at just 21 years of age.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson

Sunderland are pushing for a top-half finish at a minimum in the Premier League table. However, they are now targeting a January arrival who could put them in the picture for continental qualification.

Sunderland look to build on excellent Premier League form

Undoubtedly, Sunderland have been the surprise package of the campaign under Regis Le Bris and have proven that their form isn’t just a flash in the pan after being able to sustain some consistency during the Christmas period.

Sitting comfortably in the top half of the table, they are feasibly a few victories away from mathematically securing safety and have exceeded expectations, albeit with the help of some fantastic summer recruitment.

Now, the question will be centred around how far Sunderland can push expectations. Clearly, the Stadium of Light is an appealing destination for players, so it is almost a certainty that fresh faces will come in to add further squad depth.

It remains to be seen where fresh reinforcements are added, though Roma’s Artem Dovbyk is reportedly a target for the Black Cats, illustrating that their forward line may be subject to change between now and the end of the window.

Brentford, Everton, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Burnley represent some welcome upcoming fixtures for Sunderland in the next few weeks, potentially offering the ideal breeding ground for prospective new arrivals to get their first taste of action in the North East.

In what has become a really exciting period at the Stadium of Light, there is a feeling that they may be set to achieve something special this campaign, which a player currently starring at the African Cup of Nations may be about to experience.

Sunderland eyeing move for Paris FC winger Ilan Kebbal

According to Football Insider, Sunderland are in the mix to sign Paris FC winger Ilan Kebbal, who is also wanted by Fulham and Crystal Palace during the mid-season window.

Currently at the African Cup of Nations with Algeria, the 27-year-old has registered six goals and four assists in 16 appearances across all competitions this campaign, earning plaudits in the country of his birth.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson

Predominantly a right winger, Kebbal has created 40 chances in Ligue 1 this term and is capable of going in either direction, regularly beating his marker as proven by his tally of 18 successful dribbles.

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Of course, his presence in Morocco for now wouldn’t help Sunderland in the immediate term as Algeria fight it out for tournament glory, but he may be someone who is worth investing in after a series of superb performances in France.

Sunderland could also sell Paddy Roberts to Birmingham permanently, according to the outlet, offering a small cash boost that could help to see a deal for Kebbal over the line.