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This season certainly hasn't gone to plan for Richarlison at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Brazilian was signed for £60m from Everton last summer in the hope that he could compete with and support Spurs' formidable duo of Harry Kane and Heung-min Son but boasts just one goal in the Premier League so far this campaign.

How has Richarlison performed for Spurs?

After scoring his first top-flight goal in Tottenham colours off the bench against Liverpool, Richarlison was rewarded with starts against Crystal Palace and Aston Villa but showed very little in either appearance, earning 6.52 and 5.76 ratings from WhoScored for his performances.

Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, this has been a consistent theme across the season, with a woeful 6.43 average rating to his name across his 25 top-flight appearances, which ranks him as the 16th-best performer in Spurs' squad.

Considering the significant fee that was invested in him, something which has been a rarity under Daniel Levy, it is extremely disappointing that he has struggled so much, especially when you realise he managed three goals in four games at the World Cup as Brazil's starting striker.

Richarlison certainly isn't alone in being an underperforming attacker in Spurs' squad, as both Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son have failed to replicate their displays from last season, with just 23 goal contributions between them in the league, compared to 43 in 2021/22.

However, it is perhaps the poor attitude of the former Watford man which has meant he has spent much of the season on the bench, with Antonio Conte dubbing him "selfish" after his outburst following the Champions League exit against AC Milan.

Should Richarlison be dropped against Brentford?

The controversial frontman simply hasn't offered enough when he has been on the pitch for Spurs, as he ranks sixth for shots, seventh for key passes and seventh for dribbles per game in the Premier League.

While this season has been an unmitigated disaster for Spurs, with their top-four hopes over and their trophy cabinet still gathering dust, they could still salvage a Europa League spot with positive results in their final two games.

Brentford today won't be an easy game given the impressive job Thomas Frank has done with the Bees, but Mason cannot rely on Harry Kane to bail him out once again, and needs to give the England captain the best possible support in attack.

Therefore, after failing to repay his faith in the two most recent games, Mason must drop the £90k-per-week flop for this afternoon's game in north London.

Manchester City will have to try and claim a positive result against Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League fixture without Nathan Ake, as reported by CityXtra.

What is the Man City vs Real Madrid team news?

The Premier League outfit are tantalisingly close to another European final, with only Real Madrid in their path on the route to get there. Pep Guardiola’s outfit will have to overcome the La Liga giants before they can even begin to think about a potential place in the showcase fixture against Inter in Istanbul.

The club fared well in the first leg of the semi-final tie though, managing to come away with a 1-1 draw. It was Vinicius Jr who struck first, putting the Spanish team in front in the first half of the competition despite Erling Haaland having a couple of half-chances to give his own side the lead beforehand. However, the Premier League side kept on pushing and were rewarded in the 67th minute, as a fierce strike from Kevin De Bruyne flew into the back of the net and levelled the scores.

Karim Benzema had an excellent opportunity to give his side the lead again ten minutes from time, only for Ederson to produce a super save and with that, the match ended in a draw.

City gave a good account of themselves and will now fancy their chances, on an even keel, of pulling off a result in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium. However, ahead of the fixture, Pep Guardiola has revealed a blow to the side in terms of injury news.

Speaking to the press this week, via CityXtra, the Catalan revealed that the club are set to be without Nathan Ake for the match against Madrid. The defender didn’t feature in the first leg of the fixture through injury and he will be sidelined for the return tie now too.

It will be a positive though for City supporters to hear that, aside from the former Bournemouth man, Guardiola has given the rest of his team a clean bill of health. Speaking about his squad’s fitness ahead of the game, Guardiola said: “Except Nathan [Ake], everyone is fit."

How will Man City lineup against Real Madrid?

It will be a blow to not have Ake available again considering how highly he is rated in the game. Virgil Van Dijk, who features in the same national team with the Netherlands, has called the player "fantastic" in the past for example and he has only got better at City. There is not a whole lot the club can do about his absence though and they will have to work with what they've got.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Pep Guardiola pick a very similar team to the one that claimed the initial draw against Madrid, although the boss has hinted that he may switch things up for this next clash.

His side dominated possession, with a 55% share over the La Liga outfit, and they also passed the ball around with aplomb managing a 91% pass success rate over the course of the match. The only issue was their inability to create and finish chances, with the side having less big chances than Madrid and also having less shots in general than their Spanish rivals.

If Guardiola can get his team to make possession count in this next fixture, then it could go a long way towards helping the team to book their place in the final of the Champions League.

YouTuber Conor McGilligan claimed that majority owner Andrea Radrizzani won't leave Leeds United even if they get relegated.

What's the latest news on Leeds and Radrizzani?

It's been a hectic few days after the Whites last played in the Premier League game. Indeed, after losing to Bournemouth 4-1, that seems to have sparked chaos behind the scenes.

First of all, Radrizzani admitted he was "broken" and accepted responsibility for the club's terrible form. Since then, as per Fabrizio Romano, it's been decided that Javi Gracia will be sacked and replaced by Sam Allardyce. On top of that, however, director of football Victor Orta has left the club by mutual consent.

Amid all this mess, Leeds are strong candidates to be relegated as they sit 17th in the league but level on points with Nottingham Forest below them.

While speaking about it all on the One Leeds Fan Channel, McGilligan insisted that Radrizzani would remain at the club for financial reasons even if they were to go down.

He said (4:19): "I do think Radrizzani will still remain owner of Leeds United when Leeds do go down.

"Because I think he will want to revitalise, he will want to make some of that money back via parachute payments, player sales.

“But he has got to get this next appointment as director of football right. Because, for me, it shows that Radrizzani isn't clued up on many bits when it comes to football, hence why he gave so much power to Victor Orta.”

Will Radrizzani sell Leeds?

It is expected that Leeds’ chairman Radrizzani and majority shareholder will sell to 49ers Enterprises in the near future but it remains unclear when exactly that will happen.

As per The Athletic, the 49ers hold an option to acquire the Premier League club in January 2024 but in their report also claim "figures familiar with the deal and the discussions around it believe it will proceed by this summer, if not sooner."

If it is to happen sooner, that would potentially require a negotiation on the final selling fee. And this figure would likely drop if the Whites are relegated, so Radrizzani may be reluctant to immediately let go of his asset in that instance – especially as player sales and parachute payments can help him recoup some money, just as McGilligan explains.

In the meantime, however, it seems very important that the chairman gets things right regarding the next director of football at Leeds. After all, if they do drop out of the Premier League and can't get back up immediately, his asset will seriously diminish in value even more.

Liverpool have 'confidence' they can land Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer, says CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per Football Insider, Newcastle United expect Liverpool to pip them in the summer transfer window and beat them to the signing of Mount.

The same outlet also state that a contract for the 24-year-old to join Liverpool has been 'prepared and approved' as Jurgen Klopp eyes making a marquee addition to his midfield in the forthcoming off-season.

Nevertheless, The Evening Standard have reported that Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly has resumed negotiations with Mount over him signing a new agreement at Stamford Bridge following months of deadlock.

Boehly has asked the England international to agree to a one or two-year deal to extend his current terms that run out in 2024. At the same time, Chelsea are believed to value Mount at around £70 million in an attempt to ward off keen suitors, including Liverpool alongside Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle and Manchester City.

CBS Sports journalist Jacobs thinks that Liverpool have a good chance of bringing Mount to Anfield this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs said: "Liverpool will push there. He's definitely one of the big priorities and there is a confidence at Liverpool's end that they can get Mount for a bargain due to the contract winding down.

"Now we have to wait and see whether Chelsea's new manager impacts anything and what Chelsea do, in response to firm interest, to try and keep the player because, even though he hasn't had his best season, Chelsea still don't want to lose Mount. But obviously, they're not going to go beyond the summer if he doesn't sign a contract and risk not taking the fee."

Would Mason Mount be a good signing for Liverpool?

He'd certainly add some fresh ideas to the Reds' ageing midfield and could be the ideal foil for Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez in attack.

The 24-year-old has excelled compared to his positional peers in the art of shots on goal, having had 2.41 per 90 minutes over the last 365 days, meaning he ranks in the top 3% for this metric against other midfielders in Europe's top five divisions (via FBref).

In total, Mount has made 35 appearances for Chelsea this season in all competitions, notching three goals and six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Evidently, Mount has flickered in and out of periods of inconsistency in 2022/23; however, he still produces a lot of useful output from the middle of the park and could excel under Klopp if the German coach entices the midfielder to swap west London for Merseyside in the summer.

Javi Gracia has given Leeds United a new lease of life since his arrival at Elland Road, with the Spaniard overseeing vital wins against Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Nottingham Forest.

The Yorkshire outfit now look to be in a better position than most in the Premier League relegation battle but it is so tight that a poor run of form could easily see Leeds drop back down the table.

Gracia's instant impact on results has been impressive but his transformation of key attackers has also been vital to the upturn in form, with Luis Sinisterra arguably enjoying his best game since joining the club on Tuesday night when he scored the winner against Forest.

However, it has arguably been the form of Jack Harrison since Gracia's appointment that has been the most eye-catching change under the former Watford boss at Elland Road.

How has Jack Harrison improved under Gracia?

Although it was a strong start to the season from the former Manchester City man, as he notched three assists and one goal in the opening three fixtures, he would then endure a barren run of form that saw him fail to register a single goal contribution in any game for the rest of 2022.

While the 26-year-old winger did manage a goal and assist in the 3-1 win over Accrington Stanley in the FA Cup, he had a woeful record of no goals and just one assist in 15 Premier League games ahead of Marsch's sacking in February.

Gracia was appointed on February 21st and Harrison, who earns £50k-per-week at Elland Road, has been a key player for the new manager ever since then, kick-starting his and Leeds' revival with an assist in the 1-0 win over Southampton.

Other than in tough away defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, Harrison has been a constant threat to Premier League defences recently, hitting three goals and an assist in games against Brighton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest.

Leeds were very close to losing the English wide man in January when Leicester City came calling, but Marsch handed the Yorkshire outfit a parting gift by ensuring that Harrison remained at Elland Road, until the end of the season at least.

Marsch said: “Listen, all I’ll say is, I really like Jack first as a person. He’s one of the most incredible people I’ve ever coached.

“We like him here. We want to keep him. He’s performing really well. I think getting him fit and healthy has been a big key. He’s got flexibility in the way he plays.”

Harrison has certainly lived up to that praise following the American's departure and if he can maintain this impressive form, then he could be a key player for Leeds in their bid for survival.

Everton have enjoyed an upturn in form since Sean Dyche's appointment, with the 51-year-old taking over a squad admittedly lacking in quality and confidence and managing to steer them out of the relegation zone thus far.

Since the Toffees brought him in, they have yielded the fourth-most points, with only Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur having recorded more.

It marks a mini miracle, as the ex-Burnley boss seeks to continue this following the imminent conclusion of the international break.

However, disaster has once again struck for the Merseyside outfit, who were dealt a huge blow as their club captain Seamus Coleman was outlined as a doubt for his country's upcoming game.

The Irishman has seldom had much fortune when playing for the Boys in Green, with the 34-year-old suffering the worst injury of his career in a match against Wales where he sustained a broken leg.

Given that this potential ailment is of far less concern, despite him enjoying the best form he's had in recent years, it does now allow the returning Nathan Patterson to prove to the new boss why he is the perfect man to take over from him in the near future.

When will Nathan Patterson play for Everton?

Having joined for £16m back in January of 2022, the youngster has struggled for fitness throughout his tenure at Goodison Park. Just when opportunities seem to arise for him, the Scotsman is usually struck down with an issue of his own.

His latest came against Brighton and Hove Albion, where he suffered what Frank Lampard described as a "freak" injury that has seen him ruled out ever since.

But whilst one right back suffers on international duty, the other made his triumphant long-awaited return to senior football in a short cameo for Scotland.

The 21-year-old came on for the final portion of the game, having built up to a re-emergence by featuring for Everton's youth sides multiple times.

But by finally getting on the pitch again, for club or country, it bodes well for a strong finish to the season back at Everton.

Having only featured 13 times this season before the injury, Patterson's 6.74 average rating thus far in his debut Premier League season is impressive. He has already established himself as a capable defender, boasting three tackles and 2.1 interceptions per game (via Sofascore), but it is his youthful energy that marks him apart from the £55k-per-week "leader", as branded by journalist Paddy Boyland.

Although he has impressed this season, Coleman will eventually start to slow down. It, therefore, means that his young successor needs to be ready to step up, and this marks his huge chance to do so. With pundit Danny Murphy having lauded him as a "diamond" already for his displays in Royal Blue, should he find consistency then it could prove incredibly fruitful for Dyche and the club.

As ten-man Manchester United hung on to secure a point at home to Southampton at the weekend, one man who was instrumental in fending off the visitors was Argentine centre-back, Lisandro Martinez, with the World Cup winner again showcasing his class both in and out of possession.

Arguably the club's "best player" against the Saints, according to The Athletic's Carl Anka, the 25-year-old regularly bailed his side out of trouble after recording nine recoveries on the day, having also been remarkably composed on the ball – at one stage expertly turning his man just outside United's penalty area.

That standout showing has come amid what has been a stunning campaign thus far for the former Ajax man since his £56.7m arrival, with the 5 foot 9 warrior shaking off any early doubts over his suitability to the Premier League to become a leading figure in Erik ten Hag's side.

The relentless "animal" – as hailed by compatriot Emi Martinez – has already started 32 games in all competitions this season as a marker of his importance to the backline, with Ten Hag seemingly favouring a left-footed option at centre-back.

The problem for the Red Devils boss will be that lack of alternatives to the 15-cap machine in that role when required, with it perhaps somewhat unsustainable to have to use starting left-back Luke Shaw as something of a makeshift option in the centre of defence.

Therefore, finding a potential heir or understudy to Martinez could be vital for the Old Trafford outfit in the near future, with Ten Hag potentially having an ideal candidate for the role in the form youth star, Bjorn Hardley.

Who is Bjorn Hardley?

While likely not a name familiar to most United supporters, young Hardley has been on the cusp of the first team in recent times, despite having been left to wait to make his senior debut for the club.

The 20-year-old centre-back – who arrived at the club from NAC Breda in his homeland back in 2019 – was called up to first-team training by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer back in October 2021, having also again made the step up last month with Ten Hag keen to take a closer look.

The promising Dutchman mirrors Martinez in his ability to feature at the heart of the defence, as well as at left-back or in central midfield if required, having previously been hailed as a "special kid" by academy scout, Rene Moonen.

Equally, the 6 foot 2 ace has also been hailed as a "real leader" in the recent past by youth coach Neil Ryan, with such a trait again sparking a likeness with that of the Argentine, who has been praised by his manager for bringing "personality" and "character" to the club.

Hardley's quality has been evident so far this season as he has made 22 appearances in all competitions at U21 level – registering two goal contributions – having notably featured in all five EFL Trophy outings earlier in the campaign.

Those appearances in that latter competition saw the emerging gem average a solid 1.6 tackles and one interception per game from his defensive berth, with that record not too dissimilar to that of Martinez, who has averaged 1.8 and 1.2 for the same two metrics, respectively, in the league.

That should indicate that Ten Hag should truly consider giving Hardley a chance if he is to rotate his side in the near future, with the youngster seemingly possessing the necessary traits to be able to flourish in his compatriot's system.

Man City among the clubs ‘lining up’ to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham and the Premier League champions have been told his price tag.

The Lowdown: City linked…

Pep Guardiola’s team are one of the many elite sides to have been linked with a move for the 19-year-old in recent months, alongside the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Reports have suggested that City are in contention for the England international’s signature, coming as club captain Ilkay Gundogan’s future remains up in the air.

The German’s contract at Eastlands expires at the end of this season, potentially making sporting director Txiki Begiristain contemplate his successor.

The Latest: City given Bellingham price tag…

As shared by reliable journalist David Ornstein on Twitter, City are indeed ‘lining up’ for Bellingham as well as a queue of other suitors.

The Blues have also been told what it will take to land him with Dortmund setting a marquee price tag of around £132 million.

Writing in a piece for The Athletic, Ornstein and colleagues hint that City could see Bellingham as a replacement for Gundogan given the latter player may leave for free this year.

The Verdict: Perfect player…

Gundogan was Guardiola’s first ever signing at the Etihad and he has gone on to become a faithful servant, endearing himself to supporters with a real on-pitch leadership and crucial moments in big games.

However, if City are to say goodbye to him in 2023, Bellingham could be viewed as the perfect like-for-like successor.

The midfield ‘monster’, as dubbed by members of the press, has been a shining light for Dortmund yet again this season – standing out as their best player by some distance.

Bellingham ranks as their best-performer overall by average match rating, as per WhoScored, all while completing more successful take-ons and attempting a higher number of shots per 90 than any Dortmund player.

The all-round gem also has more tackles per game to his name than any other member of Dortmund’s squad (WhoScored) – further exemplifying his sheer quality.

A claim has emerged on Sunderland and one of their failed pursuits of a new striker to add to their squad during the January transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Hamburg centre-forward Andras Nemeth has confirmed that he rejected the chance to make the move to the Stadium of Light in favour of plying his trade in the second tier of German football – joining his current club for a fee in the region of €750k (£669k) from Genk.

Speaking to HSV24, the youngster said: “With Sunderland it was very concrete. But I made the decision to come to Hamburg because I think the project here is better for me and my development.”

The Sunderland Echo claimed that the forward was a ‘key target’ for the club as the gem had been identified as a ‘future star’ after extensive scouting in the build-up to the window, but Kristjaan Speakman was unable to convince him to sign for Tony Mowbray’s side after talks.

January howler

Speakman endured a howler with this failed swoop for the Hungary international as the Black Cats chief seemingly did not do enough to tempt the attacker into rejecting Hamburg.

Nemeth’s comments suggest that the German side mapped out a better long-term vision for his development as a player with that an indication Sunderland did not do enough to convince him that moving to Wearside was the best move for his growth.

Therefore, the club’s sporting director could potentially have done a better job of selling the prospect of playing for Mowbray’s side in the years to come.

Their error in doing so has only been exacerbated because of the events that have played out since the turn of the year. Indeed, Joe Gelhardt, who joined on loan from Leeds last month, is the only senior striker option heading into the second half of the season.

Ross Stewart has been ruled out of the remainder of the Championship campaign and Ellis Simms was recalled by parent club Everton, to help with their battle against relegation from the Premier League, at the start of January.

Gelhardt has played less than 100 matches in his senior career and the Mackems are asking a lot of the talented youngster to be Mowbray’s only number nine between now and May.

Bringing in another talented youngster,  particularly one such as Nemeth, could have eased the burden on the Leeds loanee by adding to the club’s options in the final third.

The 20-year-old Hamburg striker, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once hailed as “complete”, has already scored his first goal in the second division in Germany, despite playing 12 minutes of football, after scoring three goals and providing one assist in four starts in the Pro League for Genk since the start of last season.

Nemeth, who has scored once in his solitary appearance for Hungary at senior level, is a promising young marksman who has shown that he has the potential – after also finding the back of the net eight times in 11 matches for his country at U21 level – to be a reliable goalscorer as his development continues.

Therefore, Sunderland may live to regret their failure to sign the talented gem, in the immediate future and the long term, with Speakman now potentially left to ponder what else he could have done to convince the 20-year-old.

In 2018, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp would have been licking his lips in anticipation of the impending confirmation of Nabil Fekir’s transfer to the club, in a deal that collapsed like a dilapidated barn at the 11th hour.

Indeed, in June 2018, right before the World Cup in Russia, The Guardian reported that the Merseyside giants had agreed a fee to sign Olympique Lyonnais’ Fekir for €60m (£53m) following the club’s 3-1 defeat in the Champions League finale to the hands of the imperious Real Madrid.

Despite completing the lion-share of formalities and even conducting interviews ahead of the official announcement of the transfer, Fekir was left dismayed after Liverpool decided to pull the plug on the prospective acquisition, citing concerns over a long-term knee injury that has plagued the 29-year-old throughout the duration of his career.

Following the collapsed deal, Fekir would go on to play his final season in Ligue 1, scoring 12 goals and providing nine assists from 39 appearances across all competitions, before later moving to La Liga outfit Real Betis for an initial fee of only £17.5m, where he plys his trade to this day.

The exact reason that Liverpool decided to steer clear of the transfer remains a contentious topic, but undoubtedly, his dynamism and creativity from midfield would only enhance the current crop of beleaguered Merseyside players.

Liverpool’s desire for a midfielder has been a prominent fact this season, and one can’t help but wonder if Fekir had been granted his transfer in 2018, there might be a spark from the centre that the outfit does not quite wield right now.

Fekir, who has an impressive return of 96 goals and 72 assists across 327 appearances at club level, has cast aside the previous trepidation surrounding the strength of his knee and has managed to restrict his time shackled to the medical department to but a handful of matches each campaign, indeed emerging as one of Betis’ most integral cogs.

The £26m-rated playmaker, who has won the World Cup with France – weeks after the Liverpool deal collapsed – and the 2020/21 Copa del Rey with Betis, has recorded an impressive average career match rating of 7.26, as per WhoScored, indicating a stellar consistency that would have left Anfield “like fire” – in the words of Sadio Mane – with the burning intensity of his labours.

And over the past year, as per FBref, the “incredible” gem – as once dubbed by former Brazilian forward Malcom – ranks among the top 2% of positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions, 9% for dribbles completed and the top 12% for passes attempted – which highlights the level of progressive play and attacking emphasis that would only enhance the fortunes of the Reds.

With all of this in mind, Liverpool and FSG will undoubtedly rue their mistake as his particular skill set is exactly what Jurgen Klopp craves at present, and had they signed the ominous clouds that linger over Anfield may have never materialised.