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Leeds United defender Junior Firpo has admitted youngster Wilfried Gnonto has surprised him since joining the club back in the summer.

What did Firpo say about Gnonto?

The Italian made the move from FC Zurich in the summer and has made big strides early in his Leeds career which has seen him earn 16 appearances in the Premier League alone (via Transfermarkt).

However, his game time has been hindered slightly since the arrival of Javi Gracia who benched the 19-year-old for their recent games against Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion.

But it seems this decision may not have pleased all inside the club with Firpo admitting how much the youngster has impressed since arriving at Thorp Arch.

Speaking on the club's official podcast, the left-back spoke about the 19-year-old's ability and maturity despite having played less than a whole season in the English top flight:

"I think nobody expected from Wilfried. Nobody expected that when he first came, nobody expected. He was just a shy guy, didn't talk too much. He was even a little bit shy on the pitch as well in the training sessions.

"But as soon as he went on the pitch, he was unbelievable from day one. Since day one, he's matured. It's not normal for 19 years old.

"It's not normal how he plays, the maturity that he has, everything, it's unbelievable, to be honest."

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

Having been dropped to the bench by Gracia, the £20k-per-week Italian made an instant response by providing an assist in his last two games which included from the bench in the draw against the Seagulls.

And his ability at such a young age has been recognised by Roberto Mancini and the Italian national side who have shown a lot of trust in the 19-year-old.

Gnonto recently came off the bench in the game against England and then was rewarded with a start in their following game against Malta (via Transfermarkt).

The issue for Leeds is they are now left sweating over the fitness of their winger who was withdrawn through injury in the early stages of that game.

Given Gracia has not been scared to bench Gnonto already, it will be interesting to see how the Whites would get on if the young Italian was to be sidelined through injury.

In just 168 minutes of action under the Spaniard in the league, Gnonto has offered an impressive return of two assists which is the same as what Brenden Aaronson has offered all season.

Journalist Beren Cross has said the youngster has "dazzled" at times this season and it is easy to see why when the 19-year-old is in the top 10th percentile for progressive caries across the top five European leagues (via FBref).

And it is apparent the players at Thorp Arch have recognised this as much as anyone, especially Firpo who is likely coming up against him in training.

Journalist Craig Hope of The Daily Mail has made a pretty exciting Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Leicester City star James Maddison.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

While chaos currently engulfs the Premier League top-four chasers, there have still been plenty of transfer rumours circulating under the radar as chairman Daniel Levy searches for a new manager.

Indeed, Spurs' lack of a permanent Antonio Conte replacement is just one issue, with sporting director Fabio Paratici now also taking a back seat amid his 30-month worldwide ban from football. The Italian is currently on a sabbatical, pending his FIGC appeal hearing on April 19.

Meanwhile, there are concerns surrounding the future of star striker Harry Kane, who is yet to commit to fresh terms and could leave as a free agent when his contract expires next year. Tottenham's crucial next few months may well shape the success of their club for years to come, and to make matters more awkward for Levy, the summer transfer window is also slowly approaching.

The Lilywhites have been linked to signing a new centre-back or two, with Levy also believed to be personally determined over signing the £50 million Maddison from Leicester.

Spurs have arguably been without a central creative midfield presence since Christian Eriksen's departure in 2020, something the club are apparently determined to fix.

Now, as per an update by reporter Hope, speaking on Sky Sports (via The Boot Room), a pretty exciting claim has come to light on Maddison's potential Spurs move.

Commenting on his links to Newcastle, the journalist delivered both a mighty blow to the Magpies and some amazing news for Spurs, stating:

“I don’t expect James Maddison to go to Newcastle now, the noises I’m hearing, he will be going to Spurs."

Why Spurs need to sign Maddison

The Foxes playmaker, called a 'genius' by members of the media, has been nothing short of a shining light for his struggling side this season.

As per WhoScored, Maddison tops Leicester's charts for many different attacking stats – averaging more attempts at goal, key passes made and attracting their most fouls per 90 in the league.

The 26-year-old has 15 goal contributions to his name – again more than any Leicester player – with it being obvious why Spurs are taking such a keen interest.

News of him potentially being on the verge of a Tottenham move is surely a glimmer of light in an otherwise dark and uncertain time for fans.

Tottenham Hotspur have recently been plagued with slow, ageing managers who many could argue that modern football had surpassed.

Jose Mourinho remains one of the greatest to have ever graced a dugout, but his turgid football grows old quickly when the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City have earned such acclaim. These heavyweights have proven that pragmatism might work on occasion, but truly sustainable success is best forged with an offensive style that seeks to impose its will onto the opposition.

As such, Antonio Conte was another high-profile failure for similar reasons to the legendary Portuguese boss.

The similarities between the philosophies of these two top coaches are there for all to see, favouring defensive solidity over a free-flowing attack. As such, it can often limit their best players in forward areas, who ordinarily would be the focal point of a team.

With the current managerial vacancy crying out for Daniel Levy to fill, the CEO should not be rushed into another foolish appointment in a desperate search for silverware.

Perhaps instead he could seek to follow the mould that brought Mauricio Pochettino success, by instead opting for a young, hungry and exciting coach from lower down in the Premier League. With Brendan Rodgers now out of work, it marks the perfect opportunity.

Will Spurs appoint Brendan Rodgers?

Having been reported as the preferred choice for Levy earlier this month, the Northern Irishman would mark a stark alternative to those aforementioned names who failed in progressing the club.

Enjoying a possession-based and free-flowing style, his philosophy is propped up by the balance offered in a 4-3-3. This would offer far more offensive options than the previous three at the back employed by Conte, however, the 50-year-old has shown a flexibility that allows him to alter things to benefit those within his squad.

It is this ability to tweak things, rather than rigidly sticking to what he believes to be right, that sets him apart from Spurs' recent set of managers.

Not only that, but the former Leicester City man actually won the club their first-ever FA Cup during his tenure, a feat the Lilywhites could only dream of.

All these attributes, from his style to his ability to claim silverware (which his time at Celtic only exacerbated), serve to make him the perfect option for Levy. Writer Sid Lowe even went as far as to brand him a "football genius", with his intelligence likely to be a key factor in truly getting N17 rocking again.

Arne Slot is another name who continues to be linked, with the Dutchman actually adhering to similar philosophies as Rodgers.

Total Football Analysis writer Adam Scully once said of Slot's brand of football that the 'build-up play is really vertical, crisp and rapid', with that a clear stylistic similarity to the former Foxes chief.

The difficulty it might take to pry the Dutchman away from his title-chasing Feyenoord, however, would not be worth the hassle when a fine alternative is awaiting his next job for no compensation.

Indeed, he has already ended one club's long wait for a FA Cup, if he could do the same at Spurs, this managerial 'genius' would only help the club's swanky new stadium to rock with glee.

Journalist Charles Watts has slammed the media “pile-on” after Arsenal players were criticised for their lack of interaction with a young fan.

What happened between Arsenal players and the young fan?

The Gunners found themselves in the middle of an unexpected social media storm this week after behind scenes footage emerged from their recent trip to West Ham United.

The Premier League encounter did not end well for Mikel Arteta’s team as they went 2-0 up but then conceded twice to draw the game, losing two vital points in their push for the title.

Even so, for one young fan, it was a great opportunity to meet the whole squad and get a shirt signed – as shown in this clip shared by the club’s official Twitter account.

While it seemed like a fairly innocuous video, some people online were disappointed that the Arsenal players didn’t engage with the supporters enough.

For instance, TV presenter Nick Knowles wrote: “I suggest Arsenal you get her and her family back and give your players another go at being decent human beings – admittedly they’d have to be coached into it but it might be something that sticks with some of them if it’s pointed out.”

It developed into a major story – as outlined in the Daily Mail – but journalist Charles Watts has slammed it all as “utterly bonkers”.

Indeed, he took to Twitter to say: “This is so utterly bonkers. A totally unnecessary social media pile-on about a situation no-one had a clue about has created this sh*t show. Such a shame.”

How did this Arsenal social media fiasco end?

Backing up Watts’ point, the father of the young girl has since had to issue a response, saying that his daughter actually really enjoyed the experience.

To make things worse, he later explained that reporters had actually turned up at his house, which has now left him worried about his daughters’ enjoyment of football.

He said: “Thanks everyone for their kind messages today. We’ve tried to explain to my daughter what all the noise is about. Was mostly fine until we had reporters knock on the door. Hoping this doesn’t ruin her interest in Arsenal.”

The damage done by those reporters door-stepping the family home of this young child is no doubt far worse than what was initially causing concern.

It seems as though this has all been a bit of a storm in a teacup and the people online who opted to get offended on behalf of somebody else have actually caused more damage to this unfortunate young supporter than anything the Arsenal players actually did.

Chelsea are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona winger Raphinha this summer and the Brazilian's potential arrival at Stamford Bridge could see Todd Boehly finally ditch Hakim Ziyech.

Could Chelsea sign Raphinha this summer?

According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Chelsea have rekindled their interest in the forward having missed out on him to Barcelona only last summer after an impressive two seasons with Leeds United.

Boehly has already spent an eye-watering amount of money on new players at Chelsea and is blessed with a plethora of wide options at Stamford Bridge, but none of those wingers have stepped up to aid the Blues amid their barren run of form in front of goal.

With Chelsea having managed just 30 goals in 31 top-flight fixtures so far this campaign, attacking additions seem likely this summer and in Raphinha, the west London outfit would be signing a player they know can cut it in England.

In two years at Elland Road, the Brazil international would notch 17 goals and 12 assists in the Premier League, which saw him earn a £55m move to La Liga giants Barcelona last summer, despite heavy interest from the Blues.

During his time in Yorkshire, the £212k-per-week wide man would earn a huge amount of praise from former teammate Daniel James.

He said: "He’s a magician. He’s always been a great player – I played against him at United and he was always great – but he’s improved so much.

"He fully deserved his Brazilian call-up and I think since he got it, he’s pushed on even more, he’s even more confident. He can do absolutely anything on the pitch. It’s great playing with him."

Raphinha's debut campaign in Spain has produced six goals and four assists in 27 La Liga appearances with a WhoScored average rating of 7.02, which is more goal contributions and a better average rating than any of the attackers in Chelsea's squad.

Could Raphinha replace Ziyech at Chelsea?

As a left-footed right-winger, the 26-year-old would surely be an heir for wantaway wide man Hakim Ziyech, who has endured a nightmare spell at Stamford Bridge and was denied a loan move away in January after his move to PSG collapsed at the last minute.

The Morocco international has, in the words of Emmanuel Petit, looked "miserable" since the World Cup and has no goals and just one assist in his 14 Premier League appearances this season, with a woeful 6.44 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

The 30-year-old has never lived up to the form he showed at Ajax and will surely be a prime candidate to leave Stamford Bridge this summer.

A replacement will be required but Boehly could look to fix that problem by bringing in Raphinha as his direct heir.

Fulham are set to step up new contract talks with Marco Silva amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is under intense pressure to get his next managerial appointment right after Antonio Conte's tenure ended disastrously, with supporters also making their feels known.

Tottenham fans have been protesting the ownership of ENIC recently with Levy losing backing on a consistent basis. The Lilywhites won't be helped by a very turbulent last fortnight, either.

Spurs have lost sporting director Fabio Paratici after he was forced to resign from his post due to a worldwide ban from football, forcing Levy and co to spearhead the hunt for a new manager.

The north Londoners also suffered a major dent in their hopes of sealing a top four Premier League finish, having recently succumbed to a 6-1 hammering away at Newcastle.

The result cost ex-interim coach Cristian Stellini his job with Ryan Mason placed in temporary charge until the end of the season.

Levy quite simply must get Tottenham's next managerial decision spot on, with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique, Vincent Kompany, Arne Slot and Ange Postecoglou recently mooted as contenders.

Another coach to have been linked in the last month is Fulham boss Silva, snd according to reporter O'Rourke, the Whites are taking measures to ensure they don't lose their head coach.

Indeed, writing for Football Insider, the journalist claims that Fulham are 'set to intensify contract talks' with the 45-year-old amid 'interest from Tottenham'.

Sources with knowledge of his situation explain that talks will commence at the end of this campaign – and the club are 'hopeful' they can get it done.

What would Silva bring to Spurs?

The tactician has arguably been one of the managers of the season – leading Fulham to a solid league position after they were promoted from the Championship last year.

The 4-2-3-1 boss, we believe, could emerge as a strong outside contender if Levy opts to take Tottenham's interest further.

Silva has trophy-winning experience in Greece with Olympiacos and has been praised for his work in west London.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, commenting on the ex-Everton boss this season, claims Silva has done an 'incredible' job at Fulham and deserves more admiration.

If Fulham can't agree fresh terms with their manager, Spurs should certainly make an approach to gauge whether he could be interested in replacing Conte.

Arsenal have got a bit of a quandary on their hands in assessing the future of Emile Smith Rowe, an immensely talented and dynamic option struggling to reintegrate into the side following a lengthy injury.

The Gunners have been in stellar stead this season and have finally combined the pieces after several years of cautious progress under the tutelage of Mikel Arteta, who won the FA Cup in 2020 during his maiden managerial campaign, but had failed to qualify for the Champions League before the current term.

Indeed, the north London outfit perch in second place in the top flight and have waged a ferocious battle with Manchester City for the throne, spending 27 of the 34 match-weeks as the division's table-toppers before a recent four-match skid allowed the Citizens in, who are looking to complete a Premier League three-peat.

However, the improvements have been clearly discernible, with 78 points on the board, and with four matches still to play, the Gunners could conclude the season with 90 points – which would match their personal best in the Premier League.

One of the most prominent points of the club's resurgence this term has come in the form of Granit Xhaka, with one tactical analysis illuminating the importance he has to the outfit with his forward-thinking movements in the No. 8 role, maintaining a level of robustness and ubiquity in the centre but flourishing with penetrative darts and delivery from deep.

This is evidenced by the metrics, with FBref ranking the £120k-per-week Swiss among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's big five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking box, the top 15% for rate of goals, the top 12% for shot-creating actions and the top 17% for progressive passes per 90.

Does Smith Rowe have a future at Arsenal?

So how is this relevant to Smith Rowe's future? Well, according to Football.london, the graceful gem has been partaking in training sessions as a central midfielder recently, with Arteta seemingly convinced that the Englishman can play a part in a deeper, pivoting role over the coming years – something that could certainly play into his favour.

Arsenal are inundated with offensive options and murmurings on the transfer mill suggest that summer arrivals might be forthcoming, so deploying him in a new, centre-midfield position could be an auspicious move for all parties.

Smith-Rowe played a major part in his outfit's 2021/22 campaign, scoring ten goals and providing two assists from just 21 starts in the top flight, as the north Londoners narrowly missed out on a top-four finish.

Praised as a "gamechanger" by journalist Mark Mann-Bryans, the three-cap England international has not started in the Premier League this season and has registered just the one assist, but this is largely due to the groin surgery acquired early in the campaign, and his failure to break into the team can be put down to Arteta being wary of disrupting the harmony.

Should he find a home closer to the nucleus of the midfield, Smith Rowe might yet find his brightest days in Arsenal red lay ahead of him; as per WhoScored, the attacking midfielder has averaged one key pass per match and maintained a pass completion rate of 87.3% across the duration of his professional career.

Despite his main position being in the offensive area of the midfield, the "special player" – as heralded by Martin Keown – has the knack of masterful precision with his passing play. However, he will need to improve his defensive output if he is to succeed in Xhaka's current role.

As per Sofascore, the one-time Huddersfield Town loanee forged an average of 0.5 interceptions and 0.4 tackles last term, winning 50% of his duels and succeeding with 60% of his dribbles.

Such numbers need work, though Xhaka himself only averages 0.4 interceptions per outing and 0.9 tackles in the league this term, with a dribble success rate of 64%.

There are plenty of questions surrounding the ostensible decision to offer the £40k-per-week ace a fresh slate after a challenging year: does he boast the physicality to adopt the new role? Or the defensive aptitude? Or indeed, will he be able to adapt to the new role with the same level of quality that cemented him as such a promising prospect over the past few seasons, with Danny Cowley describing him as a player who "can find space in a telephone box" during his time with the Terriers.

As Smith Rowe acclimatises to his new deployment in training, the picture will swiftly become clearer and Arteta might indeed nurture his dream Xhaka heir without having to delve into the transfer market.

Newcastle United are ready to return for 18-year-old Ivan Fresneda after their approach in January was rejected by Real Valladolid.

What's latest update on Ivan Fresneda?

The Magpies attempted to sign the fullback in the winter transfer window but were rejected, and such is his promise that they will return for him this summer, making him a 'top target'. This comes from Football Insider's Peter O'Rourke – the journalist writes in his transfer column that plenty of turnover in terms of personnel is to be expected this summer.

Seven players will be sold to make space in the squad and to free up additional funds. PIF are expected to make a large sum available to Eddie Howe as Newcastle look to use this season's league success as a springboard to continue growing and transitioning into an elite side.

Fresneda is an exciting teenager and could learn a lot from Kieran Trippier next season – La Liga presenter Juan Arroita says the fullback has the "beastly" ability to deliver crosses from the right flank into the box.

Which teams want to sign Fresneda this summer?

Unsurprisingly, masters of recruiting young talent Borussia Dortmund are also interested in the teenager and are preparing a £20million deal. O'Rourke reports that Newcastle will "have to move quickly if they plan to hijack the move."

Howe has reportedly made it clear to the club's board that signing a right back this summer has to be a priority. Trippier is in dire need of adequate cover especially with Howe no considering January signing Harrison Ashby as starting quality.

Denzel Dumfries is also of interest but Fresneda is the main target at right back. If the 18-year-old opts to join Dortmund as many young players do, Newcastle will switch their focus to Dumfries after his impressive displays at the Qatar World Cup.

Newcastle need to add more quality to their squad as a whole if they are to be well-prepared for the demands of playing in the Champions League in addition to the Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

It's a lot of football to play especially for a squad as yet unaccustomed to the additional demand on the body that comes with playing twice a week consistently.

Liverpool are considering making a summer approach to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, according to reports.

What's the latest on Neves to Liverpool?

The Old Gold captain first arrived in the Premier League back in 2017 and has since gone on to make 250 appearances at Molineux, but his future heading into the upcoming window is in the air.

The Portuguese international will be out of contract at the end of the next season and reports have claimed that he is ready to quit and embark on a new challenge, so with this set to be the final chance for Julen Lopetegui’s side to cash in, potential suitors are already circling, including the Reds.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed in April that Jurgen Klopp does have the 26-year-old on his list of midfield targets but that a move was not “imminent”, though a fresh update has now emerged which suggests otherwise.

According to Spanish outlet Sport (via TEAMtalk), Liverpool, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal and Manchester United, are all “strongly considering” making an official approach for Neves. The Wolves skipper is “keen” on a move to Barcelona, who are also name-checked as admirers, but it’s the trio that are the ones “in the race” to secure his services. The Midlands outfit have set a price tag “in the region” of £40m for their prized asset, though there’s a chance that could be increased given the calibre of clubs chasing him.

Would Neves be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool have clearly been long-term admirers of Neves and it’s no surprise that he’s attracting interest being Wolves’ overall top-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.99, so he would certainly be a fantastic acquisition for FSG and Klopp.

The Nike-sponsored star, called "incredible" by his teammates, is naturally a defensive midfielder who sits just in front of the backline, which is proven by him ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances amongst midfielders, but he’s also capable of contributing to efforts in the final third.

The World Cup and Europa League participant has recorded a total of 72 shot-creating actions and 62 shots since the start of the current term which is higher than any other member of his squad, as per FBRef, not to mention that he’s got seven goal involvements to his name as a reward.

Finally, Neves has been dubbed a “beast” by the United States’ former professional Jimmy Conrad, so for all of the valuable qualities that he would add to the squad, he could be the perfect Fabinho successor.

Tim Sherwood has heaped praise on Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi amid reports that Tottenham Hotspur could appoint him to replace Antonio Conte.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

Spurs are still well and truly on the look out for a new permanent head coach after Conte's departure, which was nearly two months ago, but there is still no sign of an official appointment.

Former Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann is also now out of the running after a flurry of surprise reports last Friday, with The Athletic since detailing a shorter list of candidates for the job.

As per journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke, writing for the outlet, it is believed that those in contention to succeed Conte are now Arne Slot, Roberto De Zerbi, Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim.

Tottenham have also been repeatedly linked with the Seagulls boss before this update, with reports as far back as Conte's tenure suggesting he has been a manager of real interest to Levy.

It appears De Zerbi is well in contention to become the next Spurs boss, with Sherwood, speaking on Sky Sports (via Football Daily), absolutely raving over the 43-year-old.

He endorsed the Italian, who recently oversaw a brilliant 3-0 win against Arsenal to all-but end their hopes of sealing the Premier League title.

“I think he’s incredible. I think the way he plays progressive football. Potter did brilliantly at Brighton. But this guy’s more progressive. I think he’s more interesting to watch. And I think the Tottenham fans would appreciate that."

What could De Zerbi bring to Spurs?

Man City boss Pep Guardiola tipped De Zerbi to be a success as far back as October, tipping his impact to be "massive", with the former Sassuolo boss now seriously contending for a Europa League place.

“His impact will be massive in the future," explained Guardiola to the press.“He plays a different way to Italy, the clubs and national team. His Sassuolo was an example, no matter the quality or investment, if you believe in something 100%, the way your team plays, you can do it.”

De Zerbi could be about to guide Brighton to their highest ever finish in the Premier League, with Graham Potter's previous record of ninth looking well and truly beaten.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is another elite manager to have praised the work of his counterpart, branding De Zerbi "incredible" for his job at the Amex this season.