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Leeds United have brought through a host of talented young prospects through their academy system at Elland Road throughout their history.

The likes of Kalvin Phillips, Lewis Cook, Charlie Taylor, Jonny Howson and Sam Byram are among the more recent successful graduates, whilst their youth setup previously churned out the likes of James Milner, the late Gary Speed, Aaron Lennon and Paul Robinson, among others.

Not every promising youngster who comes through the system ends up making a name for themselves in Yorkshire, though, and sometimes the club have decided to cash in on academy players instead of looking to develop them further.

One player with whom the Whites parted quite early in his career was young winger Jack Clarke, who was brought into the first team by Marcelo Bielsa in the 2018/19 campaign and made 24 Championship appearances – scoring twice – that season.

He was then sold to Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2019 for a fee in the region of £10m, and that deal has turned out to be a masterclass of a move by Victor Orta.

The 21-year-old made only four first-team appearances in three years at Spurs before being sold to Sunderland, who had just been promoted out of League One, for an undisclosed fee this summer.

This shows that he failed to prove his worth at Premier League level, as Tottenham did not see enough him to think that it was worth keeping him around in the long-term.

They were happy to cash in on him and cut their losses, if the undisclosed fee turns out to be less than £10m, and this indicates that he failed to live up to their initial expectations.

Journalist Josh Bunting previously described Clarke as a “luxury” player who would get “bullied” in League One and dubbed him “frustrating” due to his lack of end product after getting into good positions.

The lightweight was bullied in the air in the third tier last season as he lost 64% of his aerial duels, having come off second best in 75% of them during his loan spell with Stoke in the Championship in 2020/21.

Clarke has struggled to deliver in the final third on a consistent basis in his short career to date. The 21-year-old managed two goal contributions in 14 matches for the Potters and has chipped in with two goals in 26 appearances for Sunderland, whilst also setting up five.

These statistics, and Tottenham’s decision to sell him to a club in the Championship, suggests that Orta played a masterclass by selling him when he did.

He got £10m for a player who has since struggled to kick on, while Leeds have won promotion to the Premier League and stayed in the top flight for two seasons in the same timeframe, which shows that they have been on the up whilst Clarke has been on his way down.

Arsenal journalist Kaya Kaynak has now revealed some fresh injury news involving Cedric Soares ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League action.

The Lowdown: More injuries

Injuries seem to be piling up at the Emirates Stadium, with Emile Smith Rowe the latest casualty on a list that includes Thomas Partey, Mohamed Elneny and Reiss Nelson.

With their UEFA Europa League opener away at FC Zurich to come on Thursday night, it seems as if another first-team player will be joining that list.

The Latest: Cedric injury

Taking to Twitter, Kaynak has revealed that Cedric has picked up a ‘minor knock’, meaning that he is now ‘unlikely’ to be involved against Zurich, adding that he ‘wasn’t involved in training’ this morning:

“Understand Cedric is unlikely to be involved for #AFC vs FC Zurich tomorrow after picking up a minor knock. He’s recovering and wasn’t involved in training this morning.”

The Verdict: Another blow

Indeed, it is yet another injury blow for Mikel Arteta’s side, with Cedric set to make it five first-team players on the treatment table.

Having not featured for the North London club in the Premier League so far this season, the Portugal international would have hoped to get some minutes in the Europa League, while the manager would surely have liked to rest his first XI.

Nonetheless, the Gunners still have Takehiro Tomiyasu, as well as Ben White who has been playing at right-back this term, but this is another injury that Arteta will not want as his squad gets thinner and thinner and fixtures pile up.

Southampton will be handed a ‘massive’ opportunity to put points on the board when they take on Everton after the international break, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Hasenhuttl’s frustration

The Saints have had an underwhelming start to the new Premier League season, winning just two and drawing one of their opening seven games, leaving them three points above the relegation zone.

Ralph Hasenhuttl admitted that he was frustrated following the recent 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa, but his side now have the chance to turn their form around when they host the Toffees on October 1.

The Latest: Jones’ confidence

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jones insisted that Southampton’s game vs Everton will be the perfect opportunity to secure victory and get back on track.

“Massive in terms of style of performance as well as result. It’s a pretty good fixture to come back to, Everton are a team you would want to play at home at a time when you need a win.”

The Toffees are dealing with several injuries, as Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nathan Patterson have both suffered setbacks during the international break.

The Verdict: Positive track record

Hasenhuttl added ten fresh faces to his ranks over the summer so they will understandably need time to gel with the rest of the squad, but if the track record is anything to go by, it’s looking positive for the boss.

The Saints haven’t lost at St. Mary’s against Frank Lampard’s side since 2019, having won five of the last six meetings.

Everton are only one place above the south coast outfit in the table, so the Austrian will be hoping his team can leapfrog their opponents with a win in just over a week’s time.

According to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Tottenham manager Antonio Conte is a ‘big fan’ of reported transfer target Lautaro Martinez, which could mean that Spurs attempt to sign him during the summer.

The Lowdown: Martinez facing uncertain future

The Lilywhites were heavily linked with a £60m move for the 24-year-old last summer, but despite talks being held with Inter Milan over a potential switch, a deal wasn’t able to be completed because Romelu Lukaku was leaving to join Chelsea, as the Serie A champions wouldn’t allow both of their main strikers to depart.

As a result, the Argentine ended up committing his future to the Nerazzurri and put pen to paper on a new five-year contract which would keep him at the San Siro until at least 2026.

However, due to Inter’s current financial problems, it has been reported by The Times that they are now open to letting Martinez go and are said to have stuck a £70m price tag on him.

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The Latest: Conte a big admirer of Martinez

Speaking to GiveMeSport, O’Rourke revealed that Conte has always kept an eye on the Argentina forward amid claims that Spurs’ interest might be reignited.

The journalist said: “He’s a long-term target of Antonio Conte, Lautaro Martinez. He’s worked with him already at Inter Milan, he’s a big fan of him. Spurs have also shown previous interest in Martinez.”

The Verdict: Quality competition for Kane

The 37-cap international has enjoyed a highly successful spell during his time at Inter, with a total of 95 goal contributions in 177 appearances to date, as per Transfermarkt.

Once dubbed a “spectacular” player by his Argentina team-mate and Paris Saint-Germain star Lionel Messi, Martinez could prove to be the perfect attacking partner and provide some serious competition for Harry Kane, who is the only senior centre-forward in Spurs’ first-team squad at the moment.

The 5 foot 7 talisman worked under Conte during the latter’s two-year spell in charge of the Nerazzurri, so the chances of a reunion this summer very much appear to be a possibility, judging by that pre-existing relationship and O’Rourke’s comments above.

In other news… Conte has been backed  to strengthen one particular area in the upcoming transfer window

The representatives of Dominic Calvert-Lewin have reportedly now held talks over a potential move away from Everton in the summer.

The Lowdown: Exit bound?

Transfer insider Dean Jones has claimed that there is a ‘decent chance‘ that the 25-year-old will end up leaving Merseyside in the summer, with Arsenal thought to be among the clubs who are interested in his signature.

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The Goodison Park outfit find themselves in a relegation battle, and if they were to go down to the Championship, then it seems inevitable that the striker would be allowed to exit.

The Latest: Talks held

As per Football Insider, a source from St James’ Park has revealed that early talks have now taken place with Calvert-Lewin’s representatives and Newcastle over a potential move to Tyneside.

The striker’s future at Everton is thought to be ‘up in the air’, even if the Toffees stay up.

The Verdict: Depends on price

Hailed as an ‘amazing’ striker by team-mate Salomon Rondon, there is no doubting Calvert-Lewin’s importance to the Toffees, having scored more than 50 goals during his time with the club so far.

However, he has been hit with injury problems this season, and Frank Lampard’s side will not want that to continue going into the 2022/23 campaign.

Nonetheless, given that he is an England international and a good age at 25, they could demand a hefty transfer fee for him, especially from the mega-rich Newcastle owners, which could then be used to reinvest in the squad.

In other news, Everton now battling Liverpool to sign £9m-rated workhorse for free this summer

Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici, have seemingly set their sights on a move for Napoli attacker Piotr Zielinski.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes midfield move…

According to reports, Spurs head coach Antonio Conte is keen to upgrade his options in central midfield this summer, with as many as eight players potentially leaving north London.

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The Times reported that Sergio Reguilón, Emerson Royal, Steven Bergwijn, Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele could all be offloaded over the summer, with Conte eyeing replacements for the latter pair.

Youri Tielemans of Leicester City and former Lilywhites star Christian Eriksen are reportedly on Paratici’s radar as the Italian chief aims to back Conte.

As per journalist Gianluigi Longari, the Premier League club now have Napoli playmaker Zielinski in their sights.

The Latest: Longari makes Zielinski claim…

The Sport Italia TV reporter, backing news from fellow Italian source Alfredo Pedulla, claimed that the Poland international is ‘really appreciated’ by Spurs’ manager as the club, and by proxy Paratici, eye a move.

He explained (via Twitter): “#Tottenham are interested in #Zielinski who’s really appreciated by Antonio #Conte since Inter times. #THFC”

The Verdict: Make a move?

Zielinski reportedly has a £94m release clause in his most recent Napoli contract, which he signed in August 2020.

However, recent claims indicate that Azzurri president Aurelio De Laurentiis may be willing to sell for much less, albeit not exactly on the cheap at a mooted £60m.

The fact that Conte is a big admirer of Zielinski may be an indicator of the Poland international’s ability, with comparisons even made to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden in past seasons. Meanwhile, Flamengo boss and former Poland national team head coach Paulo Sousa has called him a ‘beautiful footballer’.

All these garlands point towards a player with real quality, but at such a high price, Paratici will need to weigh up a move very carefully.

In other news: Tottenham readying talks to sign 23-year-old ‘machine’ after claim he’s ‘very keen’ to play in London! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Dan Kilpatrick of The Evening Standard has now made an exciting transfer claim involving manager Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes major overhaul…

The Spurs head coach, after guiding his side to a previously unthought of finish in the Premier League top four, is reportedly plotting a major summer reshuffle behind-the-scenes.

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As per by reliable sources like The Times, Conte is said to have his eye on ‘at least’ six summer signings with as many as eight Spurs players heading out the other way.

The question marks have always been around whether chairman Daniel Levy and the club’s hierarchy will back the Italian and provide him with the resources necessary to compete next season.

The Latest: Kilpatrick shares exciting update…

Kilpatrick, sharing news on Twitter, now claims that the north Londoners are intent to give their full backing to the former Chelsea coach with ‘significant’ funds in the market.

He explained:

“Told Spurs are ready to back Conte with significant funds & prepared to make concessions over his desire to sign experienced players, too. Squad leaders Lloris, Dier & Kane believe club must seize the moment & not waste this chance to push on.”

The Verdict: Very promising…

This update from a reliable source in Kilpatrick comes as a very promising one indeed.

Following on from Nuno Espirito Santo’s sacking late last year, few would have envisaged the positivity at Tottenham nowadays and a major part of their transformation has been down to Conte.

It’s little wonder senior Spurs players are ‘desperate’ for the Italian to be appeased this summer ahead of his first full campaign in charge.

In other news: Tottenham now eyeing shock move for ‘unplayable’ star, Pochettino called him ‘huge’…find out more here.

Crystal Palace have identified FC Porto veteran Pepe as a potential target, according to transfer insider Dean Jones. 

The lowdown

The centre-back, who spent a decade of his career at Real Madrid between 2007 and 2017, turned 39 in February. He has played 664 games in his club career to date, scoring 34 goals, providing 34 assists and racking up 172 yellow cards and 13 reds.

Pepe, who has a further 124 caps at international level for Portugal, has one year remaining on his contract with Porto but is valued at just £900,000 by Transfermarkt.

Vieira’s current centre-back options include Marc Guehi, Joachim Andersen, Nathan Ferguson and James Tomkins. However, injury woes have restricted Ferguson to just one appearance for the club, while Tomkins is out of contract at the end of June.

The latest

Writing for GiveMeSport, Jones explained that Palace are ‘looking to make smart acquisitions that may also offer good value’.

He named Pepe as one of the players that the Eagles’ recruitment staff had ‘checked out’ ahead of a possible summer move.

The verdict

Pepe usually started whenever he was available for Porto in the 2021/22 season, and he may not want to forego the opportunity to play Champions League football once again. On the other hand, if he would like to experience the Premier League before he retires, he may view this as his last chance to do so.

He would bring immense pedigree to south London, having been named in the team of the tournament at three European Championships (2008, 2012 and 2016). In the latter, he was named man of the match in the final against hosts France, when his nation triumphed 1-0 after extra time.

Even Cristiano Ronaldo, his much-celebrated international team-mate, has referred to him as a ‘king’, and the 39-year-old could be an immensely popular player among the Selhurst Park faithful if he links up with Patrick Vieira and co.

In other news, Palace are also tracking this potential signing

West Ham United are reportedly keeping tabs on Red Bull Salzburg starlet Junior Adamu, with the striker also attracting attention from across Europe.

What’s the word?

As per the Daily Mail, the Hammers have entered the race for the Austria international and are said to be ‘monitoring developments’ with regards to the 20-year-old’s future at his current side.

The report suggests that the Nigeria-born marksman is attracting interest from the likes of Ajax, RB Leipzig and Premier League outfit Southampton, with his reported £12m fee seemingly an enticing prospect for those potential suitors.

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As for David Moyes’ side, the club are still on the lookout for a new forward addition, with Michail Antonio still the only recognised, senior centre-forward in the squad, having missed out on Benfica’s Darwin Nunez in January.

Next Haaland?

Adamu, who has been described by journalist Gimba Kakanda as a “low-key” talent, may not quite be the household name that Irons’ supporters are chasing, although he has already showcased his promise after an impressive last few seasons.

A brief loan stint at Swiss outfit FC St.Gallen saw the young starlet net six league goals in just 14 games during the tail end of the 2020/21 season, before he followed that up with an impressive nine goals in all competitions in the most recent campaign after returning to his parent club.

That tally included a shock opener in a 1-1 draw with Bayern Munich in the Champions League last-16, first-leg tie in Salzburg, in what was the hosts’ first-ever knockout tie in the competition.

That image of a young striker impressing at the elite level for the Austrian outfit stirs memories of a certain Erling Haaland, the Norwegian menace having burst onto the scene at the club, notably netting eight goals in his first five group stage appearances in the competition during the 2019/20 campaign.

A move to Borussia Dortmund soon followed, although after scoring 86 goals in just 89 games for the Bundesliga side, the 21-year-old has since been plucked by Manchester City, with the £135m-rated gem having arguably been the most coveted player in Europe, alongside Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe.

Like Adamu – who previously spent two-and-a-half seasons as a teenager at second-tier outfit FC Liefering – Haaland also rose from obscurity at the likes of Byrne and Molde back in Norway, with the duo potentially mirrored in their carefully plotted career paths.

Although Adamu has yet to hit anywhere close to the heights of the new City addition, his explosive form this term has showcased just what a potential talent he could become in the coming years, with the east Londoners set to have a real bargain on their hands if a deal can be struck.

Dubbed a “jewel” by Varsky Sports, the £1.1k-per-week prospect appears to have an incredibly high ceiling, much like that of Haaland, with Moyes and co set to relish the chance to nurture and improve him over the coming years.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Leeds United now want to sign West Ham forward Sonny Perkins, according to Phil Hay.

The Lowdown: Kristensen move

The Whites have wasted no time in adding to Jesse Marsch’s first-team squad by signing Brenden Aaronson. Leeds are now in talks with RB Salzburg once again over a deal for right-back Rasmus Kristensen.

The 24-year-old is thought to be ‘one step away’ from joining Leeds for a fee in the region of €10m, and Victor Orta is also not waiting around when it comes to adding to the club’s academy ranks.

The Latest: Orta getting busy

Along with Birmingham City’s George Hall, which has already been reported, Hay revealed on Thursday that Leeds also now want to sign Perkins.

The Leeds correspondent revealed for The Athletic that the club are lining up deals for both players to come in at Under-23 level, as Orta shifts focus to adding some of the country’s best youth talents to the ranks at Thorp Arch.

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The Verdict: Good move?

Perkins seems to be an extremely talented centre-forward, so a move to Elland Road could be an academy coup. The 18-year-old was a regular in West Ham’s academy side last season and was named Premier League 2’s Player of the Month for April.

Perkins, described as a ‘stand out’ player for the Hammers youth side, contributed to 16 goals in 24 appearances in Premier League 2 and the U18s Premier League.

He also made two Europa League appearances under David Moyes and even came on against Leeds in the Premier League back in January, with a move to Elland Road now a possibility.

In other news: Victor Orta now spotted 5.6 miles from stadium of ‘quality’ Leeds target dubbed the ‘new Drogba’.