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Leeds United have endured a tough and frustrating second season in the Premier League as they find themselves on the cusp of a relegation battle but amid the mounting injury crisis and disappointment on the pitch, there has been at least one positive.

Another one of the club’s promising academy starlets, Liam McCarron, made the most of Marcelo Bielsa’s busy treatment room on Saturday after he made his senior top-flight debut for the club.

The 20-year-old winger replaced fellow substitute Crysencio Summerville in the 81st-minute.

After the game, McCarron made note of his pride on Twitter, where he said: “Unfortunate not to be getting the results we deserve at the moment but delighted to make my premier league debut in front of these incredible fans, we keep pushing.”

The young prospect signed for the Yorkshire giants from Carlisle United in 2019 and has emerged as a bit of a utility player for Mark Jackson’s U23 squad.

Indeed, the 5 foot 9 dynamo has largely played as a left-back but can also play in central midfield and further up the wing. In some ways, this could echo the role of Stuart Dallas under Bielsa.

The Northern Irishman, despite being a midfielder by trade, is nicknamed the ‘Cookstown Cafu’, which only goes to show the level of performance he often achieves when deployed at full-back, rather than in his natural role.

McCarron has played 12 times for the U23s in the Premier League 2 this campaign, where he has contributed a goal and an assist from left-back, as per Transfermarkt.

Capped by Scotland at U19 level, the versatile gem could well follow in the footsteps of the 30-year-old in the first-team squad and he could prove to be a valuable asset to Bielsa considering the ongoing injury nightmare.

His former academy coach at the Cumbrians, Darren Edmondson, once described him as a player “with no ego, no airs and graces”, also claiming that “his work rate is unbelievable.”

After making his senior bow at the weekend, McCarron will be hoping he can continue to catch the eye of Bielsa during a desperate time of need. In the young dynamo, the Argentine could well discover another priceless Dallas-like presence.

He’s certainly one to keep an eye on.

AND in other news, Bielsa must now brutally axe £34k-p/w Leeds passenger, he’s not good enough for the Premier League…

According to Kicker (via Glasgow Live), Glasgow Rangers transfer target Salih Ozcan has agreed a new contract in principle with current club FC Koln.

The Lowdown: Rangers eye Ozcan

The Gers have been linked with a move for the 23-year-old midfielder this summer.

As it stands, the Germany under-21 international’s contract is set to run out at the end of this month (Transfermarkt), but it seems that there has been an update in that regard.

The Latest: Ozcan set to sign new contract at Koln

As per Kicker (via Glasgow Live), Ozcan is closing in on a new contract at the German club.

He has agreed a deal in principle, with the influence of new Koln manager Steffen Baumgart said to be an important factor in the midfielder’s decision to stay put.

The Verdict: Disappointment

You can certainly see why the Gers were in pursuit of Ozcan this summer. A 23-year-old with 64 Bundesliga appearances to his name, he started both the semi-final and the final of the European Under-21 Championships this summer as Germany won the trophy.

Valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, the Gers would have been able to secure a bargain if they could have captured his services on a free transfer. It appears that he is set to remain in his home nation, though, which means that Ross Wilson and co will have to go back to the drawing board in the search for midfield reinforcements.

In other news, Rangers are set to ramp up their interest in this 27-year-old.

Xisco Munoz’s Watford side are interested in bringing Ashley Young back to Vicarage Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, who revealed on Twitter that the Hornets have opened talks with the 35-year-old midfielder regarding a potential return to the club.

The Italian journalist also claims that, should Inter Milan chose not to extend his contract at the San Siro, there will be a “huge chance” of the switch to Watford going through.

Giaretta should not sanction swoop

So far this season, Young has been in decent form over his 23 Serie A appearances for Antonio Conte’s side, with the midfielder registering three assists and creating two big chances, as well as making an average of 1.1 key passes per match, culminating in an average SofaScore match rating of 6.73 – ranking him as the club’s 19th-best performer in the Italian top flight.

However, while Watford could well be in need of a new left-back this summer, with Achraf Lazaar looking likely to leave the club at the end of the season, and with Young demonstrating at his time at both Manchester United and Inter that he is capable of playing in the position, there is still one overarching negative to his potential signing.

Currently, the England international is reported to earn a whopping £91,000-per-week at Inter, an amount that would comfortably make him Watford’s highest earner – topping Troy Deeney’s weekly wage by around £14,000.

And, with the 35-year-old potentially arriving on a free transfer, along with Watford receiving a windfall of Premier League cash following their promotion from the Championship, it is not an unlikely scenario that Young would demand a higher wage than he currently takes home a week in Italy in his potential switch back to the club.

As such, an extremely substantial weekly wage for a player with not many years left ahead of him in his footballing career would not appear to be a very forward-thinking or cost-effective move from Cristiano Giaretta and the Watford hierarchy, regardless of how romantic a return to Vicarage Road may be for Young.

In other news: Get him gone – Xisco must ruthlessly axe £18k-p/w Watford flop with “great qualities” – opinion

Ralf Rangnick is interested in a deal to bring Kalvin Phillips to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist and transfer insider revealing during a recent appearance on The United Stand that, with David Moyes appearing adamant that Declan Rice will not be sold for anything under £150m this summer, Rangnick could instead pursue a deal for the Leeds United midfielder.

Regarding United’s potential interest in the 26-year-old, Romano said: “Phillips would be the solution for a normal fee, not a crazy fee. He’s a player who is appreciated by the Man United board, so he could be a possibility.

“But, he’s still not been discussed with Erik ten Hag. So, he’s on Manchester United’s list, he’s appreciated by Ralf Rangnick – I’m told – but, still not approved by Erik ten Hag.”

Supporters will love it

Despite Romano’s claim that Rangnick and the Manchester United board are yet to discuss a potential move for Phillips with Ten Hag, the suggestion that the club are interested in a deal to sign the England international is sure to be an update the Old Trafford faithful will love.

While it is true that Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign has been largely hampered by injury, the 26-year-old undoubtedly proved his ability at the very highest level of the English professional game last season.

Indeed, over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, the £45m-rated talent was in sensational form for the Whites, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week defensive midfielder also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls, 41 passes and 0.7 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Leeds fans have dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Leeds’ best performer in the league but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the division as a whole.

As such, it is clear for all to see that, should Manchester United not be able to afford a move for Rice this summer, Phillips would undoubtedly be a fantastic alternative to the West Ham talisman – not to mention a signing who would be a dramatic improvement upon Ten Hag’s current options in the middle of the Old Trafford pitch.

AND in other news: Man Utd plot bid to sign “amazing” £164k-p/w “genius”, he’s a huge McTominay upgrade

According to Asist Analiz (via Sussex Live), West Bromwich Albion are interested in signing Trabzonspor goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir.

Baggies eye Cakir

Cakir is currently on international duty with Turkey and has played an important part in his nation’s early 2022 World Cup qualifying success – they have won their first two matches and the 24-year-old saved a Memphis Depay penalty to help Turkey defeat Netherlands 4-2 earlier this week.

The report from Asist Analiz claimed that The Hawthorns outfit are interested in the shot-stopper, as are Brighton and Liverpool.

Too ambitious

It is at least a positive from West Brom’s perspective that they are linked with an in-demand, up-and-coming talent. Cakir was called “one of the best goalkeepers I have seen” by Leicester City’s head of recruitment Lee Congerton last year (Karadeniz Gazete) and he has been in impressive form for Trabzonspor this term – only Fernando Muslera (81%) has a higher save percentage rate than Cakir’s 79.5% in the Super Lig (fbref.com).

With Sam Johnstone being heavily linked with a move to Tottenham (Football Insider), West Brom could well need a new goalkeeper next term. Unfortunately, £14.4m-valued Cakir is likely to be out of their reach – the Baggies are currently 10 points from safety in the Premier League and look like they will be playing in the Championship next season.

Given the Turkey international’s ability, it is hard to see him making a move to the English second tier, so the Midlands side’s move for him could well depend on their ability to stave off relegation.

In other news, many West Brom fans were delighted with this club update.

West Ham United are the latest Premier League outfit to be linked with a move for Takehiro Tomiyasu but they’ll need to act fast to secure him…

What’s the word?

According to Gazzetta dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the Hammers have joined arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the race to secure the versatile Bologna defender.

It’s thought that just €20m (£18m) would be enough to prise him away from the Serie A side but reports elsewhere suggest that the north Londoners are closing in on his signature.

Therefore, GSB and David Moyes will need to get a move on if they truly hold an interest.

Two birds, one stone

Tomiyasu could help fix two emerging problems for Moyes thanks to his versatile nature.

The Japan international is capable of playing as a centre-back, as well as on the right-hand side of defence, meaning he can provide competition and cover right across the backline.

It’s believed that Moyes is seeking a top-quality central option as one of his top priorities this window, whilst the lack of depth behind Vladimir Coufal is worrying.

Ryan Fredericks does not seem up to the standard of the Premier League anymore, whilst Ben Johnson is still a young prospect finding the ropes.

In the 22-year-old Bologna man, the Hammers could get themselves a real star of the future, one who has been lauded as a “true Japanese warrior” by teammate Mitchell Dijks.

Tomiyasu performed to a high standard wherever he played last season, averaging 2.9 aerial battles won, 1.7 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and an 82.1% passing accuracy, as per WhoScored.

At 6 foot 2, it’s no surprise to see him do well in the air but he appears to be equally adept with the ball at his feet, which further bolsters his claims in being an option at full-back.

If Moyes wants to kill two birds with one stone, then a swoop for the £18m-rated Bologna ace makes a ton of sense, so he should look to get one ahead of Spurs before it’s too late.

That price tag seems like a bargain for a dual-threat defender.

AND in other news, “Got some information”: Journo drops huge transfer update that’ll worry West Ham fans…

Manchester City fans are unhappy at the news that Gabriel Jesus is a major transfer target for Juventus this summer.

This promises to be a busy summer at the Etihad Stadium after the previous term. It was a successful one on the whole as the Citizens won the Premier League and the League Cup, but the loss to Chelsea in the Champions League final in Porto could lead to the squad being refreshed.

That will also mean outgoings. Both Sergio Aguero (fcbarcelona.com) and Eric Garcia have departed City to join Barcelona and now, as per Gazzetta Dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Jesus could be joining them through the exit door. They say that the £54m-valued Brazil international (Transfermarkt) is Juve boss Max Allegri’s first-choice target, and Jesus would be open to making the switch.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about Jesus below

“No Gabby don’t go”

Credit: @GdpMcfc

“He’s too good to leave”

Credit: @paddymill

“We can’t lose Jesus I’m telling you we need to keep him at all costs”

Credit: @Furqan_ibrahim1

“Hope this doesn’t come back to bite us.”

Credit: @ChrisTomz123

“I hate this summer. Gabriel Jesus is very important to us. He always gives his all on the field. His pressing and defending is top notch. Very versatile too. Why is pep trying to sell our best players”

Credit: @RockyRhymes3

“Sad to see him go, and if he joins a side that sets up more to suit him I’m sure he’ll do well. Makes sense for him to leave at this stage, though. I’d think 40m and reinvest that straight in to one of the three striker options. Delap as the understudy for next season?”

Credit: @jparkes1991

In other news, Man City fans are delighted with this Grealish update.

Pep Guardiola and Manchester City look to have been handed a potential boost in their hopes of signing Tottenham Hotspur forward Harry Kane this summer, after it was revealed that the England captain will look to leave the North London club should they fail to qualify for the Champions League next season.

According to The Athletic, Kane is running out of patience at Spurs and will push for a move away this summer if they fail to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League.

It claims that the 27-year-old striker has become frustrated by a lack of trophies with the Lilywhites and is concerned by the prospect of a second successive season without Champions League football.

Jose Mourinho’s side have slipped down the Premier League table after a promising start to the season and blew their chances of winning the Europa League after a capitulation in the second leg against Dinamo Zagreb recently.

Manchester City are one of the sides who have been touted as a potential destination for Kane in the future and this summer could represent their best opportunity to bring him to the Etihad, although Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will undoubtedly still demand a huge fee for the Englishman.

The Spurs academy graduate has enjoyed a phenomenal season so far, contributing 19 goals and 13 assists in 29 Premier League appearances and averaging an incredible 7.82 rating for his performances, which comfortably ranks him as the best player in the top-flight this season according to WhoScored.

City’s vulnerabilities in attack were exposed on Saturday as they struggled to break down a Leeds United side who were down to 10 men for the entire second half, with Guardiola’s side regularly sending crosses into the box despite the lack of physicality and aerial presence offered by the front three.

Therefore, it seems clear that Guardiola needs to add a powerful striker such as Kane to his side ahead of next season to avoid losing games such as the one against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, and the “unbelievable” Spurs man would undoubtedly score a hatful of goals should he make the switch to the Etihad, so sporting director Txiki Begiristain should do everything in his power to sign him.

And, in other news… Forget Mendes: Txiki should seal City swoop for 25 y/o beast dubbed “one of the best” 

Liverpool could land their next Diogo Jota this summer after being linked with Leeds United winger Raphinha.

What’s the story?

Jurgen Klopp’s charges have reportedly been monitoring the Brazilian for several months, and his comments in a recent interview have sparked further speculation over a possible move ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

Raphinha revealed his close relationship with compatriots Alisson Becker, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho to Portuguese outlet UOL Sport, providing fresh hope that an imminent arrival at Anfield is on the cards.

“In Liverpool, there is Alisson who is from the South too, so everything stays the same. There is still Fabinho, who is from the same place as Firmino and I,” revealed Raphinha.

“In fact, did you know that Firmino was the first guy who texted me when I came here? He’s a great friend.”

The next Jota

The former Rennes winger has enjoyed a fabulous first campaign on English shores, bagging six goals and providing nine assists in 30 Premier League appearances for Marcelo Bielsa’s men.

His impressive displays earned plenty of plaudits throughout 2020/21, including the Leeds manager himself.

“I sincerely think that I can add very little to his game,” Bielsa said after a 3-0 victory over Southampton. “The best thing you can do with players who are so spontaneous is to let them be themselves.”

A move for Raphinha wouldn’t be the first time that Liverpool had turned to a mid-table team to fix their attacking issues.

Diogo Jota arrived at Anfield in a £41m move from Wolves last year and proved to be an instant success on Merseyside.

Despite a string of injuries limiting the Portugal international’s game-time, Jota contributed to 14 goals in all competitions for the Reds in the recently concluded campaign, and there’s no reason why Raphinha couldn’t have a similar impact if he moves to Liverpool.

The drop-off in form that Sadio Mane and Firmino suffered during a desperately underwhelming 2020/21 is a major concern for Liverpool which needs addressing over the coming months, and the £22.5m-rated Leeds maestro (Transfermarkt) may be a logical solution.

In other news…Edwards must seal LFC swoop for £40m star, he’s got a “wonderful footballing brain” 

Leicester City must be regretting the decision to sell Demarai Gray in January after he began life back in the Premier League with a bang following his arrival at Everton.

The 25-year-old winger joined Bayer Leverkusen halfway through the 2020/21 campaign in a £1.8m deal after falling down the pecking order at the King Power Stadium, but he swiftly returned to his homeland.

One that got away?

Gray’s talent and potential has rarely been in doubt. He was one of English football’s most exciting young prospects after rising through the ranks at boyhood club Birmingham City, earning a move to Leicester during their title-winning campaign.

Although he only played a limited role in the Foxes’ incredible 2015/16 campaign, Gray established himself in the first team over the subsequent years and occasionally caught the eye with some outstanding performances.

“He was excellent,” Brendan Rodgers said after a win over Bournemouth back in 2019 (as relayed by the Leicester Mercury). “He has been training very well. He is a big talent, and he showed that when he came in.”

However, showcasing his talent on a regular basis has been the real issue for the former England under-21 international.

The flying forward has often started well under a new manager or at a new club, scoring three goals in his first seven league outings under Claude Puel before failing to find the back of the net in his final 20 top-flight appearances for Leicester.

A similar pattern occurred during his six-month spell in the Bundesliga when he scored once and provided two assists in his opening three fixtures for Leverkusen but failed to contribute in his last seven games.

Gray is now repeating the trick at Goodison Park. Three goals already this season for the Toffees has seen him score just one fewer than the whole Leicester squad put together while on league duty, elevating Everton into fourth position in the table.

It’s hard to criticise Leicester director of football Jon Rudkin given the exceptional work he’s done during his time with the Midlands outfit.

He has often sold key players at the perfect time, maximising the profit from their departures before wisely reinvesting the proceeds in the transfer market, allowing the current FA Cup holders to continually punch above their weight.

However, Gray may well turn out to be his biggest mistake of the century. Selling a highly promising young player for under £2m just as he was approaching his peak years when he will hopefully mature refine his game seems a totally illogical decision.

It remains to be seen whether the £7.2m-rated Gray can find the consistency over an extended period of time at Everton, but on the evidence of the opening month of the new campaign, Leicester fans must be regretting Rudkin’s fateful call to part ways with the 25-year-old winger.

In other news… Wesley Fofana drops worrying revelation which may leave Leicester fans feeling gutted