This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
According to Gregg Evans of The Athletic, Aston Villa will pursue a winger more than a striker in January.
And that would be quite a surprising move on Dean Smith’s part.
What’s the word?
Much has been made of the club’s transfer activity as the January transfer window soon approaches.
Last month it was revealed that Villa were planning to set aside £20m for a marquee signing after they failed to add an attacking addition before the summer’s deadline.
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Further reports have also claimed that Jonathan Kodjia will be sold in the new year, which would leave Smith with just two senior strikers in his ranks – club-record signing Wesley and 21-year-old Keinan Davis.
Speaking on The Villa View’s podcast this week, Evans revealed the club’s intentions in January, he said:
“I’m led to believe that Villa want a winger more than a striker. If they can get somebody who is versatile and does both then that’s ideal.
“Suso knows the market in France and Spain much better than Dean [Smith] will, for example.
“There are a couple of targets they are looking at. Suso will put them into Dean, and if Dean doesn’t like them, then he’ll say and they’ll have a conversation between them.”
Surprising
When considering that Villa could be left thin in attack come the end of January, it seems surprising that the club will target a winger rather than a striker.
Out wide, they have three options in Anwar El Ghazi, Trezeguet, and Jota, and although the latter may be injured, he will surely have made his return by then.
Jack Grealish can also play there, and it’s a role he’s been thriving in ever since Smith pushed him forward, scoring two goals in three matches.
On the contrary, much of the weight is being thrown on Wesley’s shoulders, yet he’s still bagged four goals in ten appearances, which isn’t half bad for a team like Villa, who surely just want to remain in the Premier League this campaign.
The 22-year-old could do with some support and competition to elevate his game onto the next level, which will only help the entire team going forward, if not offer Smith some sort of plan B.
Late last month, Florian Lejeune made his return from a serious knee injury by turning out for Newcastle United’s U23 side against their Middlesbrough counterparts.
As expected, a number of the club’s fans took to social media at the time to show their delight as the 28-year-old took a huge step forward in his comeback bid.
And now Lejeune has revealed that his outing for the U23s against opponents Aston Villa on Monday night was his final piece of reserves football as he returns to the first team.
It is difficult to determine just when the Frenchman might be available for Steve Bruce’s side as the club will not want to take any risks.
Indeed, Lejeune has now suffered two serious knee injuries during his time with the Magpies, picking up the latest issue against Crystal Palace in April.
The Newcastle fans are delighted, though, as the centre-back has now completed a huge part of his rehabilitation as he closes in on a first-team return.
A selection of the Twitter reaction can be seen below:
Derby County will know that Pride Park needs to continue being a fortress this season if they want to safely secure their Championship status come the end of the gruelling 46-game campaign.
The Rams have picked up an impressive nine points so far from six matches, with three wins and three losses next to their name, as all the victories tallied up to date have come on their own patch.
Derby County manager Paul Warne.
Paul Warne will be hoping that his team don’t over-rely on their home form to get them out of trouble, however, but will be pleased with his side’s start all the same, with Kayden Jackson, in particular, standing out with his displays up top.
Jackson's form this season
Supporters that pack out Pride Park week in week out will already be heralding Jackson as a top buy, with the former Ipswich Town attacker costing the Rams nothing to get in through the door this summer, after his Tractor Boys contract had expired.
The experienced EFL forward, who has amassed 71 second tier appearances across his varied career to date, has netted three goals already this season in all competitions, which included this powerful strike against Bristol City finding the back of the net to send the Derby home masses into pandemonium.
He has fluffed his lines in Derby’s last two Championship encounters, with Jackson only managing a lacklustre 26 touches last time out versus Sheffield United in a 1-0 defeat, but plenty more will be expected of him as the season goes on and clashes become more meaningful.
Derby would love to have this former striker back on their books to aid Jackson up top, to alleviate some of the pressure on the former Ipswich man’s shoulders, with the ex-star in question now on the books at League One Wrexham who are taking the third tier by storm.
Marriott's form this season
That former hero is Jack Marriott, who is most widely known in Derby quarters to this day as the striker who bagged the Rams’ only strike in the 2019 Championship playoff final, when facing off against Dean Smith’s Aston Villa.
Where Are They Now
Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
Villa would, unfortunately, get the better of Derby 2-1 come the end of the entertaining final, as Frank Lampard’s side had to take their Premier League near miss on the chin, with an energetic Marriott then struggling to ever recapture his best form donning a Rams strip after this moment in the Wembley spotlight.
Club played for
Games
Goals
Assists
Sheffield Wednesday
13
0
0
Peterborough United
58
16
2
Fleetwood Town
48
13
2
Wrexham
25
5
0
Marriott has become a well-travelled presence up and down the EFL since his exit from Pride Park, which saw him leave for nothing in 2021 to move to Peterborough, but it’s his impressive form for Wrexham this campaign so far that has really caught the eye.
The 30-year-old has actually outscored Jackson at the Racecourse Ground, with four goals managed for the Red Dragons from eight games in all competitions, as the experienced attacker even picked up the League One Goal of the Month accolade for this sublime effort versus Wycombe Wanderers last month.
The much-talked-about Welsh outfit will just pray that Marriott can keep up this early electric form as back-to-back promotions begin to be eyed up, with the ex-Derby man even a previous golden boot winner at the level – having been hailed as “top class” by former boss Lampard.
If Marriott does continue to fire in goal after goal, Wrexham and Derby might well even face off against each other next season, if Warne’s men also manage to stave off relegation.
It will be an intriguing race to keep tabs on to see who scores the most goals for their respective outfit, with Derby banking on the fact that their shrewd buy can remain consistent in front of goal away from any talk surrounding Wrexham, to ensure they don’t drop immediately back down to League One.
Derby have struck gold on star who's worth more than Mendez-Laing & Cashin
Derby County have already struck gold with this new addition.
Glasgow Rangers do not have the best track record when it comes to bringing in talented young players to develop and then sell on for a profit.
Calvin Bassey is the only player the Light Blues have sold for more than £15m in their history, with a fee of up to £22.7m agreed for him to leave Ibrox in the summer of 2022.
The Gers have struggled to find and develop talent to be sold for huge sums of money on a regular basis and the sale of Todd Cantwell is perhaps the latest evidence of this.
Rangers signed the midfielder for £1.5m at the start of 2023, 18 months after he was valued at £40m by Norwich, but they failed to increase his value at Ibrox.
Todd Cantwell
The former England U21 international left to sign for Blackburn Rovers at the end of the summer transfer window for a fee of £500k, taking a £1m loss on him.
Another player the club failed to extract a profit from was talented wide man Ryan Kent, who enjoyed plenty of success at Ibrox before leaving for nothing last summer.
Rangers fumbled Ryan Kent profit
After a season on loan from Liverpool in Glasgow in the 2018/19 campaign, the Scottish giants swooped to sign the English forward for a reported fee of £7.5m in 2019.
The former Reds flanker produced seven goals and zero assists in 21 appearances in the Scottish Premiership in his first season with the club as a permanent addition in the 2019/20 term.
Kent stepped up his game in the following campaign, though, and caught the eye with his fantastic contributions to the club's title success under Steven Gerrard.
Appearances
37
Sofascore rating
7.23
Goals
10
Big chances created
9
Assists
9
Key passes per game
1.8
As you can see in the table above, the left winger provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Ibrox giants, with 19 direct goal contributions in 37 league outings.
It was then reported that he was a £15m target for Leeds United in the summer of 2021 but a move to Elland Road never materialised for Kent.
The forward then managed just five goals in the next two Premiership campaigns combined before moving on from Ibrox on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, signing for Turkish side Fenerbahce.
This shows that the Light Blues did not make the most of Kent's talent as they ended up with nothing in return for his exit after previously valuing him at £15m, following an exceptional season in the 2020/21 campaign.
Rangers have a player in their current squad who may have once been deemed to have been a bigger talent than Kent was at the same age after that title-winning season, in Romanian whiz Ianis Hagi.
Ianis Hagi was a bigger talent than Ryan Kent
Like the Englishman, the attacking midfielder initially joined the club on loan from Genk for the second half of the 2019/20 season, in which the youngster produced three goals and two assists in 13 appearances in all competitions.
After his six months on loan with the Gers, Hagi was snapped up on a permanent deal from the Belgian side for a reported fee of £3m in the summer of 2020.
The Romania international's form in his first full season with the Scottish giants suggested that he was an even bigger talent than Kent, as he outperformed the Englishman's exploits at the same age.
Appearances
46
43
Minutes played
2,801
3,438
Goals
8
6
Assists
15
9
As you can see in the table above, Hagi produced two more goals and six more assists in all competitions during the season he turned 22, which was the title-winning campaign, than Kent did in 2018/19.
The exciting midfielder, who was once named as one of the 50 best young players in the world by The Guardian in 2015, racked up seven goals and 12 assists in 33 games in the Premiership that term.
This shows that Rangers may have thought that they had a bigger talent than Kent by the summer of 2021, as the 22-year-old had outperformed the winger at a similar age in the same division.
Where Ianis Hagi is now
Unfortunately, a mixture of bad fortune and a decline in form meant that Hagi failed to fulfill his potential at Ibrox, at least to date, and he is now an outcast in the current squad.
He has not played a single game for Rangers this season and it has been claimed that one more appearance would trigger a wage increase of £6k-per-week, that would take him from £25k-per-week to £31k-per-week.
That is reportedly the reason why Philippe Clement has exiled him from the first-team squad and the midfielder rejected the chance to return to Romania before the summer transfer window slammed shut.
This comes after he spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Alaves to continue his recovery from a long-term knee injury that kept him out of action from January 2022 to January 2023 – forcing him to miss 69 competitive games for Rangers.
Appearances
15
Goals
2
Assists
0
Dribbles completed per game
0.8
Key passes per game
1.5
As you can see in the table above, Hagi's form after his superb exploits in the 2020/21 campaign took a hit, as he produced just two goal contributions in 15 appearances before his knee injury.
The versatile midfielder then managed two goals and two assists in 26 appearances for Alaves in all competitions during his loan spell, following his long-term absence.
Hagi, who won a penalty for Romania against Lithuania on Monday, has not been offered the chance to revive his Rangers career by Clement, due to the issue with his contract.
The £300k Rangers signing who was sold for more than Bajrami is worth
The Light Blues played a blinder by developing and selling this midfield wizard.
1 ByDan Emery Sep 11, 2024
The 25-year-old dynamo put a statement out last month revealing that he wants to play for the club and is willing to iron out the problem with his contract, but there has not been any update on his situation since then and he remains an outcast to the first-team squad.
It's not very fair is, it? Come on Erling, these people have families. The rampant Norwegian is proving to be the usual source of chaos, chaos that once all is said and done will probably see Manchester City beat Arsenal to the Premier League title for the third year in a row.
Haaland is a robot, an alien, a footballing juggernaut who destroys everyone and everything in his wake.
As Arsenal slumped to a 1-1 draw with Brighton in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off, Man City responded in emphatic fashion. Well, their striker responded.
Pep Guardiola's main man was at it again at the London Stadium to down West Ham in brutal, mesmerising fashion.
Haaland's performance against West Ham
The Norway international's hat-trick against Ipswich Town the weekend prior felt inevitable. Kieran McKenna's men performed some admirable business in the transfer window but very little can prepare you for the onslaught of Haaland.
The Tractor Boys went 1-0 up but the powerhouse forward responded by knocking three goals past them. Well, he was at it again against West Ham on Saturday evening.
Another hat-trick was notched up to take his early season tally to seven goals in three outings. For anyone who doesn't have him in their fantasy team, quite frankly, what are you playing at?
This is an unstoppable beast and the way in which he took his trio of goals in the capital two days ago was freakish. The second was a rasping crunching effort that soared past the goalkeeper and the third, out of nowhere, was quite magnificent.
Haaland ran in behind and comfortably slotted the ball past substitute goalkeeper and former Arsenal man Lukasz Fabianski as if he wasn't even in the net.
So, good luck Gunners. Truly, good luck finding a way to beat Man City when they have him up front.
How do they respond? Well, despite not adding a centre-forward to their ranks over the summer, they are beginning to build quite the weapon up front.
Arsenal's answer to Haaland
Now, hear us out, but Kai Havertz does have similar attributes to Haaland.
He may not have the goalscoring prowess – although that is improving – but he has a lengthy build that ensures he is a nightmare for defenders, boasts remarkable strength and is left-footed.
That last one is rather tenuous, admittedly, but like we said, hear us out for a few minutes, he has come a long way since his blase attitude was said to be "like Mesut Ozil" by Paul Merson.
Standing at 6 foot 4, the £65m signing from Chelsea is actually the same height as City's no.9. So, there's the first box ticked.
Where else are they similar? Well, they've got that style of play that looks rather effortless. The German has already been compared to a figure like Dennis Bergkamp and it's clear to see why.
He may not be as graceful as the great Dutchman but like Haaland, that wirey frame and the long strides they possess come in handy when looking for two things; someone to hold the ball up and someone to regularly hassle defenders.
Until recently, Havertz had been playing as more of a false 9 in the Arsenal team. Yet, in 2024/25, he's been given the keys to become the leading man. The way he took his goal against Brighton on Saturday was Haaland-esque, racing onto a ball in behind and plonking the ball over Bart Verbruggen.
Stylistically there are also clear differences. Haaland has pace. Havertz isn't blessed hugely in that department. The numbers do tell us something interesting though, even if we can't quantify their biggest similarity; strength.
Progressive carries
1.33
2.00
Progressive passes
1.00
3.33
Passes completed
6
15
Passes into final third
0.33
0.33
Shot-creating actions
1.67
2.67
Tackles won
0.67
0.67
Touches
16.7
32.3
As we noted above, there are clear differences in some areas. Havertz is more creative, boasting more progressive passes per 90 minutes. There is a reason former teammate Roberto Hilbert once declared the Germany international has "some things Ozil had". This time we're comparing the two Germans in a positive light.
That said, they aren't really too dissimilar in the carrying department. They don't complete an awful number of passes per 90 minutes and defensively they've actually been relatively on par this term, leading the press with 0.67 tackles apiece.
There is little chance that Havertz ends up ending the campaign as prolific a goalscorer as Haaland but both of them, with their languid and rangy playstyles, will prove key in the destination of this season's Premier League title.
Less touches than Raya: Arsenal must look to bench 5/10 star after Brighton
Arsenal dropped their first points of the season on Saturday lunchtime.
Aston Villa are believed to be showing an interest in the midfielder Arthur Melo amid this summer's transfer window despite his struggles at Anfield.
Following a disastrous spell on loan from Juventus at Liverpool last season, Arthur should be "careful" over picking his next move, believes Dean Jones, who thinks the midfielder could still work for another club.
Aston Villa transfer news – Arthur Melo
After already signing Youri Tilemans from Leicester City this summer, it looks as though Unai Emery's main aim this summer is reinforcing the midfield at Villa Park.
With that reinforcement could come the introduction of Arthur, too, if reports are anything to go by. Once completing a move to Juventus for €82m (£70m) from Barcelona, the Brazilian is now likely to be worth a fraction of that previous figure.
Nonetheless, Villa are reportedly keen on the 26-year-old – who has been slammed a "flop" by some – with Newcastle United also interested.
Perhaps a cheap alternative compared to others, Unai Emery must still see a solid option in the form of the Liverpool flop. Logic would suggest that the midfielder is more than capable, given the list of clubs he has turned out for – ranging from Barcelona to the Reds.
It would be an unexpected move, but reports are suggesting that the Villains are interested in welcoming Arthur this summer. It's certainly one to keep an eye on.
What has Dean Jones said about Arthur Melo and Aston Villa?
Speaking to Football FanCast, when asked about Arthur and Aston Villa, Jones said:
“He’ll have to be careful about what happens next, but just because he didn’t succeed at one English club, doesn’t mean it can’t happen somewhere else.”
How much does Arthur Melo earn?
If Arthur is to get a move to the Premier League, then his salary, which is £126k per week, according to Salary Sport, will prove to be a big talking point.
If the Juventus man was to take that wage to Villa Park, for example, then he could end up being their second-highest earner, just ahead of Philippe Coutinho and below Boubacar Kamara, as per Salary Sport.
Following his injury-ridden and unsuccessful spell at Anfield, entering another English club as one of the highest earners may not exactly end well. It would instantly place pressure on making things work at the second time of asking in the Premier League, that's for sure.
Tottenham Hotspur have now opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Which defender are Tottenham signing?
Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas has given an overview of Tottenham's potential defensive targets this summer, naming the likes of Tosin Adarabioyo, Edmond Tapsoba and Van de Ven as options for manager Ange Postecoglou.
Progress has also been made in Spurs' pursuit of Clement Lenglet, with an agreement in principle being reached over a three-year contract, meaning the last remaining hurdle is agreeing a fee with Barcelona, and a €10m (£8.6m) deal is being discussed.
Gleison Bremer has been named as another target for the Lilywhites, however Juventus' €50m (£43m) asking price is scaring off potential suitors from the Premier League, meaning the Brazilian is likely to remain in Turin for the time being.
In a new update on Twitter, Romano has now confirmed that Tottenham have opened "direct talks" with Wolfsburg over Van de Ven, and the 22-year-old is amongst the club's "top targets".
Such is Spurs' interest in the defender, they are set to submit a "verbal proposal" soon, with the player himself said to be "keen on the move".
Tapsoba remains on the Lilywhites' list of potential targets, however a deal for the Bayer Leverkusen star would be more expensive.
Is Micky van de Ven signing for Tottenham?
If Tottenham are to win the race for the centre-back, they will have to fend off competition from elsewhere, with Liverpool also being named as potential suitors, and Football Insider report the Reds have identified him as a key target.
It is no wonder some of the Premier League's top clubs are queuing up for the Wolfsburg ace, as he has a range of important defensive qualities, with football scout Jacek Kulig hailing him as a "tenacious tackler" and "dominant in the air."
Not only that, the former Volendam man is also assured in possession of the ball, ranking in the 90th percentile for progressive carries per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating a willingness to drive the ball forward.
Van de Ven is still very young, and he only made his breakthrough in one of Europe's 'big five' leagues in the Bundesliga last season, but he is showing all the hallmarks of a quality centre-back, and it is exciting news that Tottenham have stepped up their interest.
Tottenham Hotspur and manager Ange Postecoglou are thought to have "major question marks" over Richarlison as they seek new forward options, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.
Who could leave Spurs this summer?
As Spurs become linked with making summer signings for Postecoglou, as they seek to fight their way back into European qualification, the north Londoners must also shift deadwood.
There are many squad members, both already there and coming back from loans, who could depart N17 by the beginning of the 2022/2023 Premier League season.
Chairman Daniel Levy has it all to do in terms of balancing the books, with Hugo Lloris, Ivan Perisic, Davinson Sanchez, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Giovani Lo Celso, Sergio Reguilon, Tanguy Ndombele and Harry Winks facing uncertain futures (The Telegraph).
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, despite being a Spurs mainstay since joining from Southampton in 2020, could also leave as Postecoglou reportedly holds certain reservations over the Dane.
Richarlison, after a disappointing debut season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, has now been linked with a possible exit as well.
O'Rourke, writing for Football Insider, claims Postecoglou has "major question marks" over the Brazil international – specifically his goal output and general fitness.
This has prompted Spurs to look at options in the summer transfer market as Postecoglou seeks to add more potency to his forward line.
While they won't be signing Nicolas Jackson from Villarreal, with the forward apparently joining Chelsea, it is believed Tottenham are chasing alternatives.
How many goals has Richarlison scored for Spurs?
The former Everton star, after signing from Goodison Park in a £60 million deal in 2022, he arguably hasn't quite lived up to that price tag yet despite being called "very underrated" by journalist Josh Bunting.
He has starred for Brazil at international level, but for his club, he could do slightly more.
Richarlison enjoyed a few brilliant years on Merseyside, having managed at least 10 goal league contributions each campaign he was at Everton (WhoScored).
However, for Spurs, he hit just three goals and four assists across 35 outings in all competitions for the entire 2022-23 campaign.
Speaking to Football Insider last season, former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor hit out at Richarlison and his form.
"Richarlison has got to wake up," said the pundit.
“He wasn’t great against West Ham or Chelsea – and that’s been a theme of his season.
“When you watch him, you struggle to see what he’s good at. He’s got no standout attributes.
“He’s not quick, he’s not a great finisher, he can’t hold the ball up, he can’t pass that well.
“I feel that he could be someone that Spurs look to move on. He’s not showing himself to be good enough for where they want to go.”
Everton struggled to find a consistent source of goals in the 2022/23 campaign as their struggles at both ends of the pitch led to them to a 17th-placed finish in the Premier League.
The Toffees only just avoided relegation to the Championship and Sean Dyche must now use the summer transfer window to bolster the squad in key areas.
One of the first positions to strengthen should be a striker.
Demarai Gray, who also played out wide, ended the season as the club's top-scoring centre-forward with four goals, whilst the seemingly always injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin managed just two.
No Everton player produced more than seven goals in the league and this suggests that they failed to replace Brazil international Richarlison, who scored ten Premier League goals – five more than anyone else – during the 2021/22 campaign.
These statistics show that the Toffees did not do enough last summer to cover the goals that departed the club when the talented forward moved to rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Who is Yuri Alberto?
Alberto is a 22-year-old centre-forward for Corinthians who is a reported transfer target for Everton and Dyche could finally replace Richarlison by signing the 6-foot dynamo.
The Brazilian, who earned his first senior cap in March, is a promising young striker who could come in at Goodison Park and provide them with the goals that they were lacking from their forwards in the 2022/23 campaign.
Corinthians attacker Yuri Alberto.
Since the start of 2022, the talented attacker has plundered nine goals in 23 Serie A starts and produced four goals and four assists in ten starts in the Paulista Serie A1, which shows that he has a recent track record of being a reliable scorer.
The former Zenit Saint Petersburg marksman, who was once hailed as being “dangerous" and "complete" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also found the back of the net 30 times in 85 matches for Internacional in Brazil earlier in his career and was directly involved in ten goals in 15 outings during his short stint in Russia.
These statistics show that the 22-year-old whiz has been able to make a big impact in the final third wherever he has been, which suggests that the prolific ace could be able to translate his goalscoring form over to the Premier League, provided adjusting to life in England is not a major stumbling block for him.
Therefore, Dyche could finally replace Richarlison and have a reliable source of goals in the no.9 position after the struggles with Gray and Calvert-Lewin in the season just gone.
Leeds United are in the hunt for a new manager and West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan will be a 'serious contender' for the vacancy at Elland Road, according to journalist Dean Jones.
What's the latest manager news involving Leeds United?
According to The Athletic, Corberan is among the candidates for the manager position at Leeds United as they look to find the right man to lead them in the Sky Bet Championship next term.
The Daily Mail report that Leeds United have made 'early soundings' about the possibility of hiring the 40-year-old, who has a £2 million release clause written into is contract at West Brom.
Corberan has previously spent time at Leeds United in an assistant manager capacity and Whites' chiefs were keen to speak to him back in March following their decision to sack Jesse Marsch; however, West Brom stepped in to offer him an improved contract to fend off interest in his services.
As per Football Insider, West Brom are said to be 'braced for an approach' from Leeds United regarding Corberan, who is tied to his current employers until 2027 contractually.
BBC journalist Adam Pope has endorsed the possibility of Leeds United hiring Corberan on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, stating: “Financially, they’re in trouble [West Brom], we know that. So he needs another challenge. I think it makes a lot of sense Carlos Corberan coming in, whereas a couple of years ago people might think, ‘is he ready for that?’. He’s more than proved that I think.”
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has indicated that he expects Corberan to be in and around the favourites to take over at Elland Road.
Jones said: “Corberan is the one I've heard the most about for this job. I don't know if he's the favourite for the job, but of the names talked about, they definitely like him.
“They've considered him before and kept a close eye on his management style and how he deals with players. I think he'll be a serious contender.”
Would Carlos Corberan be a good appointment for Leeds United?
Given his previous relations with Leeds United and preference to play on the front foot, Corberan is someone who would be an exciting appointment in Yorkshire that would give the Whites some hope that they could challenge for the Sky Bet Championship next term.
Corberan, who was hailed as a "crazy" and is "absolutely obsessed" in a passage from the Athletic, has the ability to mix it up tactically, flickering between slow build-up play, fast transitions and a more direct approach reliant on crosses into the box to strategically outwit the opposition dependent on their style of play, as per Breaking The Lines.
carlos-corberan-west-brom-leeds-united
In his time at West Brom, the Spaniard has accumulated 52 points in the English second-tier, presiding over 16 wins, four draws and ten losses in 30 matches in charge, giving him an average points-per-game ratio of 1.73, as per Transfermarkt.
At Huddersfield Town, Corberan also led the Terriers to the Sky Bet Championship play-off final back in 2021/22, narrowly losing out to Nottingham Forest at Wembley Stadium.
Leeds United will need someone who knows what it takes to regularly claim results in what is a notoriously difficult division to get out of and Corberan is someone with a knack of doing that while playing an attractive brand of football.