Leeds United supporters might feel a little frustrated with their side's transfer business come the end of the day, knowing that the likes of Georginio Rutter, Crysencio Summerville and Archie Gray all walked away for mega bucks during this transfer window.

The Whites haven't quite splashed the cash when it comes to their own incomings, however, with Ao Tanaka entering the building for a fee in and around the £3.3m mark on deadline day, which could prove to be a shrewd pick-up from Fortuna Dusseldorf down the line.

The Japan international might well end up shining at Elland Road, but he won't be joined through the door by this expensive new recruit, who Leeds reportedly were chasing before a rejection then firmly stopped them in their tracks.

Leeds had major bid rejected for Zagreb star

According to Croatian outlet Sportske, Leeds were at one point chasing the services of Dinamo Zagreb star Martin Baturina as a last gasp statement purchase, with a bid even being put forward by the West Yorkshire titans.

That bid was in the region of an eye-watering £25m according to the outlet, with Zagreb accepting that bumper offer, before Baturina then rejected the advances of the Whites, owing to the fact he didn't see Leeds as the best place to continue his footballing development.

This could well have been the out-there signing Leeds fans were crying out for, with the potential there for the 21-year-old to have been a bigger talent than Gustavo Hamer if the expensive capture was secured.

It looks unlikely that Leeds will win Hamer's services, with this ambitious deal for Baturina – which would have been a record-breaking buy for the Championship – also unfortunately falling to the wayside.

What Baturina would have offered Leeds

Once labelled as being a "jewel" according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, it's fair to say there's a lot of hype in the air surrounding Baturina's future in the game.

From 125 senior games in the Zagreb ranks to date, the Croat ace has bagged 16 goals and picked up 31 assists, with five of those assists coming during the infancy of this season alone, as Baturina starred in the Champions League qualifying stages and back in regular league action for his boyhood employers.

Baturina's numbers vs NK Istra 1961 – 24/25

Stat

Baturina

Minutes played

80

Goals scored

0

Assists

3

Touches

70

Accurate passes

40/47 (85%)

Key passes

5

Big chances created

3

Shots

3

Successful dribbles

4/5

Duels won

6/9

Stats by Sofascore

As can be seen looking at the table above, Baturina has now arguably outgrown his current location, with a devastating display going forward from the Zagreb youngster helping his side sweep past Istra on the opening day of the new HNL season with ease in a 5-0 demolition job.

Therefore, snapping up the electric attacking midfielder might well have been an excellent purchase to make to fill the void left behind by Rutter going to Brighton and Hove Albion, if a £25m move had indeed got off the ground.

Hamer is, of course, more well-adjusted to the demands of the EFL – when comparing side-by-side with Baturina who has only played in his native nation – but the Zagreb gem arguably has a higher ceiling than the 28-year-old.

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The former Coventry City man does have two goals and one assist already next to his name from five clashes this season, adding to his second-tier career total of 44 goal contributions from 125 contests, but splurging out on Baturina would definitely have been seen as a bigger signing of intent from the promotion-chasing Whites.

Daniel Farke and Co will just have to hope one or two more deals can get over the line, away from any other talk, as the clock ticks ever closer to the window shutting.

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Arsenal have a whole host of stars away on international duty this week as fans watch from behind the sofa in the hopes their squad returns to north London free of injuries, and one fan favourite will be coming away from national team duty with a spring in his step.

Arsenal players away on international duty

Mikel Arteta is already without Mikel Merino and Declan Rice in midfield for the north London derby against Tottenham, so will be praying his midfielders in particular return to London Colney in one piece.

On that note, Bukayo Saka featured for England as the Three Lions cruised past the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in Dublin on Saturday, and the winger was on the recieiving end of a couple of nasty tackles from Robbie Brady, but came away unscathed.

Martin Odegaard’s Norway meanwhile face off against Kazakstan and Austria, the former of which resulted in a disappointing 0-0 draw in which the skipper played the full 90 minutes.

Thomas Partey’s Ghana are in 2025 AFCON qualifiying action, as the 31 year-old played the full game in a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Angola last Thursday, with a chance to redeem themselves on Monday against Niger.

The standout result from this international break from a Gunners perspective is undoubtedly what Kai Havertz and Germany produced this weekend, crushing Dominik Szoboszlai's Hungary 5-0 in a Nations League group match, as Arsenal's 25 year-old found himself in a new role and shone.

German media praise Havertz in new number ten role

While his finishing left a little to be desired – the former Chelsea star missed two "big chances" and hit the woodwork twice – he did get on the scoresheet from the penalty spot, and it was his general play as a number ten that earned him praise from the press in his homeland.

As shared by TBR Football, Frankfurter Rundschau said Havertz's general performance was "world class" outside of his inability to finish his chances, while Sky Germany praised his "good movement" and "good ideas".

Kai Havertz vs Hungary

Stat (via Sofascore)

Pass accuracy

92 per cent

Shots total

Four

Big chances missed

Two

Penalties won

One

Duels won

Seven

Fouls drawn

Five

Havertz, of course, has been forced to make the striker role his own in north London after they neglected to sign an out and out centre-forward, and has also shone for Arteta in a left centre-mid role, but featured here as a true number playmaker, sitting just behind West Ham target man Niclas Füllkrug.

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Whether Arteta ever chooses to adopt a slightly different system than his usual 4-3-3 in order to fit Havertz into this playmaker role remains to be seen, but having a player so full of confidence thriving in a variety of positions can only be a good thing for the manager ahead of such a huge clash against rivals Spurs.

The chaos continues at Chelsea amid the growing chasm between Todd Boehly and Clearlake, yet on the field, it looks as if things are beginning to take shape under Enzo Maresca.

While the Blues were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to Crystal Palace last time out, Maresca's men were simply scintillating away at Molineux a week earlier, hitting six past a helpless Wolverhampton Wanderers side.

That eventual 6-2 thrashing saw talisman Cole Palmer get on the scoresheet once again while claiming a hat-trick of assists, with all three of those key passes teeing up his compatriot Noni Madueke – who took his account to four for the season in all competitions.

The former PSV Eindhoven starlet was duly rewarded for that strong start to the campaign with a first senior England call-up last week, before going on to make his presence felt on debut after registering an assist for Harry Kane's second against Finland on Tuesday night.

With his ex-England U21 boss Lee Carsley now at the helm, Madueke – who scored seven goals in 20 games at that age group – will be hoping to cement a regular place for himself in the Three Lions squad, having begun to find his feet following a tricky start to life in west London.

In stark contrast to the rising 22-year-old, one youngster who seemingly couldn't be any further from establishing himself for both Chelsea and the senior England side is Carney Chukwuemeka, with the former Aston Villa man now something of a forgotten figure at Stamford Bridge.

Chukwuemeka's record at Chelsea

Signed from Villa Park for a hefty fee in the region of £20m back in the summer of 2022, having been a mere teenager at the time, the now 20-year-old has endured a turbulent last two years in the capital, having struggled to cement a regular role for himself under a succession of managers.

To date, the promising playmaker has made just 27 appearances in all competitions for the club, while registering just two goals and a solitary assist in that time – hardly an inspiring return.

Hampered by a string of injuries ever since making the move from the Midlands – having made just 16 first-team appearances for the Villans – Chukwuemeka has had to endure a stop-start stint at the Bridge, with it difficult to see that situation changing any time soon.

While the suggestion is – as per The Athletic – that the midfielder will be reintegrated into Maresca's bloated first-team squad, the Italian did previously hint that the £20m man may find it difficult to gain regular minutes if he were to stay put at the club.

With interest looming from clubs in Turkey, it would be wise for Boehly and co to sanction his departure, ensuring that a costly figure is shifted from the wage bill.

Chukwuemeka's wage at Chelsea

Yet to feature at all so far this season across all fronts, the Austrian-born talent will face a real fight for game time if he does stay put until January, with the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia already battling for those midfield berths.

The prospect of Chukwuemeka wasting away on the bench or even in the stands on a weekly basis is far from the ideal situation for all parties, particularly considering the financial impact it would have were he to remain in Maresca's ranks.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

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As per Capology, the England youth international is said to be raking in an eye-watering £100k-per-week salary, placing him alongside the likes of Levi Colwill, Mykhailo Mudryk and Jadon Sancho who also take home the same wage.

For comparison, the aforementioned Madueke is reported to be on just £50k-per-week at present, despite the fact that the one-time Tottenham Hotspur academy asset is now a valued first-team presence under the former Leicester City boss.

Carney Chukwuemeka

While far from being the highest earner at the club, the fact that Chukwuemeka – through no fault of his own, it must be said – is taking home such a mammoth pay packet is rather head-scratching, with a solution needing to be found sooner rather than later.

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In an ideal world, the 6 foot 2 ace would go out and enjoy a temporary stint elsewhere to help reinvigorate his career, while in a financial sense, any interested party could potentially take on a share of his salary.

Chukwuemeka's 2023/24 PL season in numbers

9 games (2 starts)

1 goal

1 assist

19.4 touches per game

0 'big chances' created

0.4 key passes per game

86% pass accuracy

0.7 tackles per game

1.2 balls recovered per game

0.2 successful dribbles per game

33% total duels won

Stats via Sofascore

Equally, if the club could recoup anywhere close to the £20m fee that they paid for him initially via a permanent exit, that would also seemingly be a wise decision to take.

With limited windows still open across the globe, however, time is running out for either scenario to occur…

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Tottenham chiefs have been told exactly why they should recall a loanee back to the club in January, as he seriously impresses with some “incredible” form away from north London.

How Spurs players are faring out on loan

The Lilywhites currently have a host of players out on temporary spells right now, with Bryan Gil (Girona), Alejo Veliz (Espanyol), Alfie Devine (Westerlo), Manor Solomon (Leeds United), Dane Scarlett (Oxford United) and Ashley Phillips (Stoke City) standing out as the senior bunch.

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Veliz has been a fixture for his new team this season, starting the majority of league games, but the Argentine’s run of five consecutive starts came to an end when Espanyol were recently thumped 4-1 by Real Madrid.

Devine made his first start for Westerlo on Saturday, clashing with Toby Alderweireld’s Royal Antwerp in the Jupiler Pro League, where he contributed with five attempts on goal and one key pass in the final third – so the Englishman will be hoping that he can build upon an eventful display.

Gil has been having a tough time at Girona, though, having lost to Barcelona, PSG and Valencia in the space of just seven days. Solomon has been praised for his Leeds performances since arriving at Elland Road from Spurs, but missed their last clash against Coventry with a back injury.

Tottenham’s top goalscorers in all competitions – 2023/2024

Player

Goals scored

Son Heung-min

17

Richarlison

12

Dejan Kulusevski

8

Brennan Johnson

5

Cristian Romero

5

James Maddison

4

Unfortunately for Scarlett, after José Mourinho once compared him to Marcus Rashford, the young forward hasn’t exactly been setting the world alight at Oxford – failing to gain consistent opportunities in the first team.

Phillips is a regular for Stoke but was forced to sit out their last game against Hull City due to concussion protocol, so it’s been quite a mixed bag for Spurs’ loan crop, but one youngster who is really impressing on loan at Notts County is versatile right-back George Abbott.

Tottenham urged to bring George Abbott back in January

The Spurs Under-21s captain has been praised by both his County manager and pundit John Wenham, with Tottenham told to recall Abbott in January by the latter.

“I’m pleased that Abbott has joined Notts County,” Wenham said. “He’s a special player who can play a couple of positions, and he seems to be bossing it at the age of 19. I’ve seen that they’ve been comparing him to some of their most promising loan players. Therefore, if by January time he is continuing to excel, then we will need to reevaluate the loan.

“He is already 19, so it might be wise to move him up a division to continue his positive trajectory.”

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Notts County boss Stuart Maynard, speaking after Abbott made his first senior start, also called the teenager “incredible”.

“He’s got a very bright future. If you see his energy… his game understanding on the ball to come and play here today in front of probably just under 11,000 as your home debut, as a young lad, and to perform… he played like a mature player,” said Maynard.

“The way he handled the ball, the way he passed the ball, the way he presses and the way he understands the positions to pick up to go and press. It’s incredible for such a young lad and we’re very lucky to have him.”

As the Friedkin Group continue to contemplate Sean Dyche’s Everton future, they’ve reportedly held internal discussions about hiring a manager who has won all there is to win in English football.

Friedkin could ruthlessly replace Dyche

Finally set to emerge out of the storm that is Everton’s ownership problem, Dyche could now find his job at risk in ruthless fashion. The Toffees have endured a dire start to the campaign, picking up the habit of dropping points from two-goal leads, but at least eased some pressure on themselves by defeating Crystal Palace for their first Premier League victory of the campaign last time out.

That victory has done no harm for Dyche, but the pressure is still on amid reports that the Friedkin Group want to appoint the likes of Gareth Southgate or former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri.

The Italian has even reportedly identified Piotr Zielinski as a player he would bring to Goodison Park, should the new owners turn his way in the coming months. If it’s not Sarri, meanwhile, then the Premier League may just get the return of one of its biggest pantomime villains.

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According to Football Insider, the Friedkin Group have held internal discussions about appointing Jose Mourinho, despite the former Manchester United manager’s current role at Fenerbahce. Reports indicate that the so-called special one cannot be ruled out in what would be a sensational move from those at Goodison Park.

Dan Friedkin, of course, knows Mourinho well from their time together at AS Roma in a spell that saw the Italian side win the Europa Conference League. Now, they could be set to reunite and hand him what could be one last chance to leave an added mark on English football.

"Great" Mourinho would be blockbuster appointment

If Friedkin wants to steal the headlines, then appointing Mourinho is certainly the way to do it. Everywhere the manager goes, people watch, whether it’s Tottenham Hotspur, Fenerbahce or Roma. Now, as Everton prepare for the start of a new era at the new Bramley-Moore Dock stadium, they could start fresh on the pitch with what would be a blockbuster arrival.

There would be questions over whether Mourinho can still perform wonders in England’s top flight, but after he worked his magic to welcome European gold during his time in Rome, Everton’s bet would at least be one to watch.

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Earning high praise as a result of that Europa Conference League win, Mourinho earned the respect of Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti, who told Radio Serie A, via Goal: “He’s been successful even if the Giallorossi are not considered among the best teams. It’s not surprising because Mourinho is an honest person and a great coach, so he built an amazing connection with the fans, which is positive.”

With the exception of Spurs, and Fenerbahce as things stand, Mourinho has won silverware at every club he’s managed in what must surely be a selling point for Friedkin to chase his signature.

One Leeds United star has suffered a tough international break away from Elland Road, and was slammed by his own national media after another subpar performance which will leave Daniel Farke worried.

Leeds looking to get back to winning ways

After successive draws over the international break, Leeds are looking to get back on the right track as they kick off another week of Championship action against Yorkshire rivals and recently relegated side Sheffield United. Both sides are looking to secure an automatic return to the top flight, and the Blades are the only side in the Championship yet to taste defeat, having won six and drawn three of their opening nine games.

However, thanks to a pre-season points deduction, they are not clear at the top of England’s second tier, but rather level with Sunderland at the summit.

Farke’s side have not had such a strong start to the season, though they remain just three points behind Friday’s opponents after a harder fixture list, a gap that would have been just a single point had Illan Meslier not committed a major blunder in stoppage time to gift Sunderland a point in their last outing.

Now, there is concern about how the Elland Road outfit will cope having lost both Ilia Gruev and Ethan Ampadu to knee injuries in quick succession, before their plan to recruit free agent Cheikhou Kouyate fell through after the 34-year-old failed his medical at Thorp Arch. Meanwhile, it’s not been all rosy for the current Leeds players on international duty.

Forward comes under fire in national media

That comes as USMNT attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson endured a tough night in his most recent outing against Mexico. The 23-year-old was named in Mauricio Pochettino’s starting XI and played all 90 minutes as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Mexico.

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But his performance was ripped to shreds in the national media, with ESPN and GOAL both handing him a rating of 3/10, the lowest of any player on either side.

ESPN wrote that the youngster “was routinely dispossessed, often looking at the referee from the ground as Mexico went the other way with the ball”, while GOAL reported that “Aaronson’s first-half was about as bad as it could have been” as he was “unable to really handle the physicality, and the refereeing”. The stats make for pretty grim reading too for the Leeds man.

Aaronson’s performance vs Mexico

Minutes played

90

Pass Accuracy

67%

Possession Lost

20

Duel % won

50%

Fouls committed

1

Aaronson is unlikely to be named in Farke’s starting XI against Sheffield United, due to the game starting just 62 hours after the end of USA’s latest defeat.

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However, his continued struggles on the biggest stage will come as a concern to Leeds, who count his £45,000 a week salary among their highest earners, but are yet to truly see the rewards on their initial hefty investment.

Football has evolved a lot over the last few years, with the game seemingly becoming more technical than ever before. Players with brute strength are no longer commonplace, but rather a priceless commodity these days.

That means there are more players famed for their speed at the top level of the game. But who is the fastest player out there? Unfortunately, data collection for this is not exactly widespread, but we have scoured databases and websites from a variety of locations to discover who has recorded the fastest speeds this calendar year.

For this list, we’ve looked at the top 15 players in football. Leagues such as the English Premier League and German Bundesliga have this data easily accessible, so it may be skewed in their players’ favour for the moment. However, with a bit of digging, we have still determined a top 15 featuring players from across Europe and beyond.

All stats correct as of 15th October 2024.

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15 Fastest Football Players in the World (2024)

Rank

Player

Club

Top Speed

1

Karim Adeyemi

Borussia Dortmund

37.6 km/h

2

Micky van de Ven

Tottenham

37.38 km/h

3

Nuno Mendes

PSG

37.2 km/h

4

Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest

36.91 km/h

5

Jakub Moder

Brighton

36.84 km/h

6

Sirlord Conteh

Heidenheim

36.67 km/h

7

Carlos Forbs

Wolves

36.6 km/h

8

Nathan Ngoumou

Borussia Monchengladbach

36.53 km/h

9=

Achraf Hakimi

PSG

36.5 km/h

9=

Kylian Mbappe

Real Madrid

36.5 km/h

11

Moussa Diaby

Al-Ittihad

36.42 km/h

12

Alphonso Davies

Bayern Munich

36.41 km/h

13

Ansgar Knauff

Eintracht Frankfurt

36.38 km/h

14

Erling Haaland

Man City

36.32 km/h

15

Harry Wilson

Fulham

36.23 km/h

15 Harry Wilson (Fulham) Top speed: 36.23 km/h

Harry Wilson was Fulham’s fastest player in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, posting a top speed of 36.23 km/h during their 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United in April.

This wasn’t enough to rank among the highest speeds reached in the league last season, but given only a handful across some of Europe’s top leagues managed to reach 36 km/h, it’s still mightily impressive.

14 Erling Haaland (Manchester City) Top speed: 36.32 km/h

Finding out Erling Haaland was Manchester City’s fastest player is no real surprise, more perhaps that quite a few are capable of topping the Norwegian’s electric speed.

He recorded a top speed of 36.32 km/h last season during a 5-1 drubbing of Wolves where Haaland scored four – including two from the penalty spot.

Top 10 fastest Premier League players in 2024

Rank

Player

Club

Top speed

1

Micky van de Ven

Tottenham

37.38 km/h

2

Anthony Elanga

Nottingham Forest

36.91 km/h

3

Jakub Moder

Brighton

36.84 km/h

4

Carlos Forbs

Wolves

36.6 km/h

5

Moussa Diaby

Aston Villa

36.42 km/h

6

Erling Haaland

Man City

36.32 km/h

7

Harry Wilson

Fulham

36.23 km/h

8

Frank Onyeka

Brentford

36.13 km/h

9

Mykhailo Mudryk

Chelsea

35.73 km/h

10

Timo Werner

Tottenham

35.7 km/h

Data via Premier League

13 Ansgar Knauff (Eintracht Frankfurt) Top speed: 36.38 km/h

Frankfurt winger Ansgar Knauff became one of the fastest players in Bundesliga history when he posted a lung-busting speed of 36.38 km/h towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Knauff placed third overall last season in the German top flight, with the former Borussia Dortmund youngster now strutting his stuff for Dino Toppmoller’s impressive outfit.

12 Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich) Top speed: 36.41 km/h

One of only two players to run faster than Knauff in Germany last season was Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies.

His 36.41 km/h run in May was the joint-fastest in the Bundesliga last term. Only Heidenheim’s Eren Dinkci could keep up with Davies, though his effort came before the turn of the year.

Interestingly, Davies has previously run faster – he clocked 36.51 km/h back in 2020 during a game where Bayern secured the title.

11 Moussa Diaby (Al-Ittihad) Top speed: 36.42 km/h

Moussa Diaby may well be one of the quickest players currently in the Saudi Pro League, having made a summer switch to Al-Ittihad just a year after joining Aston Villa.

He made his mark in his one full Premier League season by running defences ragged with genuinely frightening pace – his 36.42 km/h clocked up against West Ham back in March has only been topped by two top-flight players in the current PL campaign.

10 Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid) Top speed: 36.5 km/h

Kylian Mbappe was almost always going to feature at some point – even if reliable Ligue 1 data is hard to come by when it comes to top speeds.

Luckily, the Real Madrid star showcased his quick-footedness during the summer’s European Championship, where he was the fastest player at the tournament.

His 36.5 km/h was comfortably higher than his closest competitor, Ferran Torres of Spain.

Top 10 fastest players at Euro 2024

Rank

Player

Nation

Top speed

1

Kylian Mbappe

France

36.5 km/h

2

Ferran Torres

Spain

36 km/h

3

Benjamin Sesko

Slovenia

35.9 km/h

4=

Nico Williams

Spain

35.8 km/h

4=

Leroy Sane

Germany

35.8 km/h

4=

Valentin Mihaila

Romania

35.8 km/h

7

Theo Hernandez

France

35.7 km/h

8=

Dan Ndoye

Switzerland

35.6 km/h

8=

Micky van de Ven

Netherlands

35.6 km/h

10

Rasmus Hojlund

Denmark

35.5 km/h

Data via uefa.com

9 Achraf Hakimi (PSG) Top speed: 36.5 km/h

Paris Saint-Germain may have bid farewell to Mbappe in the summer, but they still have some serious speed demons at the Parc des Princes.

Achraf Hakimi has recorded the fastest speed so far in this season’s Champions League, and only two players were able to better his run of 36.5 km/h in the entirety of last year’s competition.

Fastest players in the 2024/25 Champions League

Rank

Player

Club

Top speed

1

Achraf Hakimi

PSG

36.5 km/h

2=

Lois Openda

RB Leipzig

35.5 km/h

2=

Josha Vagnoman

Stuttgart

35.5 km/h

4=

Jeremie Frimpong

Leverkusen

35.4 km/h

4=

Nuno Mendes

PSG

35.4 km/h

6

Vinicius Junior

Real Madrid

35.3 km/h

7=

Federico Valverde

Real Madrid

35.2 km/h

7=

Wilfried Singo

Monaco

35.2 km/h

10=

Karim Adeyemi

Borussia Dortmund

35.1 km/h

10=

Mahdi Camara

Stade Brest

35.1 km/h

10=

Carlos Augusto

Inter

35.1 km/h

10=

Adam Daghim

RB Salzburg

35.1 km/h

Data via uefa.com

8 Nathan Ngoumou (Borussia Monchengladbach) Top speed: 36.53 km/h

Nathan Ngoumou’s lightning run earlier this season was the fifth-fastest in Bundesliga history, edging out the likes of Davies, Diaby and Hakimi from their respective stints in Germany.

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The Frenchman has the second-fastest run in the Bundesliga this term at the time of writing, and given who he’s up against, that’s some considerable running power.

7 Carlos Forbs (Wolves) Top speed: 36.6 km/h

At Molineux for this season on loan from Ajax, Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs has literally hit the ground running at Wolves.

According to the Premier League, his 36.6 km/h run from earlier this season is the second-fastest since the start of the campaign.

6 Sirlord Conteh (Heidenheim) Top speed: 36.67 km/h

Sirlord Conteh has had a rapid rise not too dissimilar to his own team. Just two years ago, Conteh was playing third-tier football for Magdeburg, and has recently featured in the Conference League for Heidenheim.

He also began the campaign by recording the fastest-ever speed by a Bundesliga player – 36.67 km/h – during a 4-0 win over Augsburg, pipping Karim Adeyemi’s record by 0.02 km/h.

Fastest players in the 2024/25 Bundesliga

Rank

Player

Club

Top speed

1

Sirlord Conteh

Heidenheim

36.67 km/h

2

Nathan Ngoumou

Borussia Monchengladbach

36.53 km/h

3

Karim Adeyemi

Borussia Dortmund

36.18 km/h

4

Derrick Kohn

Werder Bremen

35.81 km/h

5

Jeremie Frimpong

Bayer Leverkusen

35.74 km/h

6

Tim Skarke

Union Berlin

35.56 km/h

7

Hugo Ekitike

Eintracht Frankfurt

35.53 km/h

8

Jean-Matteo Bahoya

Eintracht Frankfurt

35.51 km/h

9

Eren Dinkci

Freiburg

35.44 km/h

10

Alphonso Davies

Bayern Munich

35.41 km/h

Data via bundesliga.com

One of the best things about Jurgen Klopp’s time at Liverpool was the number of academy graduates he brought through into the first team. Over time, the Reds’ academy has produced some stellar players, including the likes of Steve McMannaman, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher.

Indeed, during his time at the club, the German provided many academy players with a platform to showcase their skills and helped many of them become important first-team players for the Merseysiders.

Now, in Arne Slot’s side, there are as many as five academy graduates who could be considered first-teamers thanks to Klopp, with some younger players on the fringes.

Academy graduates in Liverpool’s first-team squad

Before focusing in more detail on some of the prominent academy products Liverpool’s legendary manager has faithfully rewarded with regular minutes, it is important to note that he gave over 40 players a chance in the first team. That includes the iconic “Klopp’s Kids” side who helped to win the Carabao Cup in the midst of an injury crisis, beating Chelsea in the final at Wembley.

The most notable Reds academy graduate in the first team today is Trent Alexander-Arnold. The right-back has been superb for his boyhood club and has an extraordinary record. He has played 320 times in that famous red shirt, with 19 goals and a very impressive 83 assists so far.

Curtis Jones is another man from Merseyside who has become a key player for the six-time European champions. He has played 140 games for the Anfield side, scoring 17 times and grabbing 15 assists. This term, the midfielder has featured seven times, with a goal and assist apiece to his name. He played a starring role against Chelsea in the Reds’ recent victory and has become an important player under Slot.

Amongst others, Conor Bradley is an academy graduate to pick out. He has played 34 times for the club, becoming a prominent player under Klopp last term. He has since gone on to make six appearances for Slot’s team this season, having played 169 minutes so far.

Given their first-team status nowadays, it may be surprising that Jones and Bradley have not had a pay rise which reflects that. The Liverpool number 17 reportedly earns just £15k-per-week, and Northern Ireland international Bradley even less, just £10k-per-week.

Even more surprising is the fact one Liverpool player, who has struggled for minutes this term, earns double the pair combined, despite the fact he does not seem to have a future at the club. That player is Wataru Endo.

Endo’s stats for Liverpool

Experienced Japanese midfielder Wataru Endo joined the Reds from German outfit Stuttgart for £16.2m last summer. With Liverpool needing strength and depth in midfield, he offered a cheap solution whilst also adding quality to their side.

His first campaign at the club saw him take on an important role. The Japan international featured 43 times under Klopp and became a key squad member.

However, the emergence of Ryan Gravenberch as a viable option as a number six has meant Slot has given Endo just four appearances and 85 minutes all term.

Endo stats in seasons at Liverpool compared (all comps)

2023/24

2024/25

Games

43

Games

4

Minutes

2758

Minutes

85

Number of 90s

30.6

Number of 90s

0.9

Starts

34

Starts

1

G/A

3

G/A

0

Stats from Transfermarkt

Although he has been on the bench for all but one of Liverpool’s games this campaign, it is clear that the 31-year-old is not in Slot’s long-term plans. They were thought to have turned down a bid of £11.6m from Marseille for the midfielder last summer.

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Surprisingly, the midfielder earns more than the likes of Jones and Bradley. He is believed to be on £50k-per-week at Anfield, double the amount of the Liverpool academy graduate pair, and over three times as much as Jones.

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Assuming he sees out the season at Anfield, he will have cost the Reds £21.4m, factoring in the transfer fee and £5.2m in wages across two seasons at the club.

Given the fact he is turning 32 in February and has not even played 90 minutes in total this term, there is not much to suggest the 65-cap Japan international has a future at the club – amid reports that he will be allowed to leave in 2025.

For all the money he is costing, it may be better for the club to reward Jones and Bradley with a new contract and double their wages, since they are the future of the club.

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Manchester United have made a £12.5 million offer for a defender who’s been called a “cheat code”, as Ruben Amorim eyes his first signing at Old Trafford, according to a recent report.

The Red Devils were very busy during the summer, adding five players to their squad in INEOS’ first summer transfer window. However, that was under Erik ten Hag’s reign, and the Portuguese will now have his eye on areas of the team he would like the board to strengthen.

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The left-back area has been a concern at Old Trafford for a while now, given the recent absences of Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia. United decided against buying a recognised left-back in the summer, instead opting to buy Noussair Mazraoui, who has been excellent since his arrival, but that appears to be an area that needs addressing, especially under Amorim.

The new boss will be looking to play a three-at-the-back system at Old Trafford, and therefore, he will need a left-back capable of playing the wing-back role. So, the Red Devils have identified Patrick Dorgu as a potential option, as he can play as a left-winger and full-back, fitting perfectly into the style of player Amorim likes to have.

Meanwhile, Amorim and United have made Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio a top target for next summer. They added Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt to their ranks in the summer, but Amorim appears keen to bring Inacio, who has been so important for him in Portugal, to Old Trafford with him next summer.

But Inacio is not the only centre-back that United are looking to sign, as they have reportedly made an offer for another European defender.

Man Utd make £12.5m offer for Andreas Christensen

According to reports in Spain relayed by Football365, Manchester United have made a €15m (£12.5m) offer for Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen. The January transfer window is still several weeks away from opening, but United have made their move for the defender who could become Amorim’s first signing at the club.

Christensen has been at Barça since July 2022, when he joined the club on a free transfer after leaving Chelsea. The Danish international, who has been described as a “cheat code” by journalist Domagoj Kostanjsak, played over 160 times for Chelsea and has been an important player for the Spanish giants since his move.

Amorim is keen to strengthen his United defence in the January transfer window, and according to this report, his first target is going to be Christensen, which aligns with reports on Inacio detailing he cannot move until next summer.

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The Red Devils have then made an early offer for the centre-back, who can also play as a right-back if needed. It is an offer that sporting director Deco is willing to consider too, as the player is not in Hansi Flick’s long-term plans.

Andreas Christensen’s Barca stats

Apps

75

Goals

4

Assists

3

Christensen, who earns 250,000 euros a week at Barça, which is roughly £209,000, has an uncertain future at the Spanish club as he’s only played once in La Liga so far this season. This offer from United presents Barça with an opportunity to bring some reinforcements to other areas of the team.

Wolverhampton Wanderers entered the international break having secured their first Premier League win of the season.

Gary O’Neil was under a lot of pressure, but goals from Pablo Sarabia and Matheus Cunha ended Wolves’ winless drought. Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel for the young manager.

He has a wonderful squad of players available to him. Now they have to kick on and go on a winning run which will move them away from the drop zone.

In Cunha, in particular, they have a player very much at the peak of his powers.

Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers

Without the Brazilian, who knows where the Old Gold would be? This season, he has scored five goals and grabbed two assists in the Premier League.

Not just content with scoring, Cunha has also created an impressive nine big chances in the top flight, while averaging 1.9 key passes and succeeding with 1.8 dribbles per game, showcasing his talents across a variety of attacking metrics.

The former Atlético Madrid star is certainly one of O’Neil’s key performers on the field. Without him, Wolves may have struggled even more than what they currently are.

If he keeps performing like this, there will be no shortage of admirers when the January window opens.

The Molineux side did have a player under Bruno Lage who struggled to live up to his potential, yet he is currently starring for his club this season and even outperforming Cunha…

The former Wolves star who's outperforming Cunha

In the summer of 2021, Lage signed Portuguese winger Trincao on a season-long loan deal from Barcelona in a bid to improve his attacking department.

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Former technical director Scott Sellars dubbed the youngster as a “really exciting player” upon his arrival, while comparisons were even made between himself and compatriot, Pedro Neto, as per his former coach, Vitor Castanheira:

As it proved, however, the youngster failed to hit such heights at Molineux. In 30 games in all competitions, he scored just three times while chipping in with a solitary assist. It wasn’t the greatest of loan spells, that’s for sure.

Two years later, however, Trincao is shining for Sporting CP this term as they bid to make it back-to-back league titles.

In 18 games for his club so far, the 24-year-old has scored three goals and registered a mammoth nine assists, meaning he has recorded five more goal contributions than Cunha.

Comparing Matheus Cunha and Trincao domestically this season

Metric

Cunha

Trincao

Goals

5

3

Assists

3

8

Big chances created

9

8

Key passes per game

1.9

2.5

Total shots per game

2.8

3.8

Successful dribbles per game

1.8

3.3

Stats via Sofascore

Domestically, the winger has created eight big chances, averaged 2.5 key passes and succeeded with 3.3 dribbles per game, underlining how vital he is to their cause.

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He is certainly thriving away from the pressures of La Liga or the Premier League, emerging as a vital cog in the wheel of Ruben Amorim’s Sporting side.

Amorim has now departed, joining Manchester United as their new manager. What will this mean for Trincao?

Only time will tell, but if he keeps performing to these current levels, then there is no doubt that plenty of interest will be shown in him when the transfer window opens in a few weeks.

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