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The arrivals of Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson at Chelsea for a combined £83m will go a long way to getting supporters excited for the new campaign, but the Blues have also made a couple of smart signings with a view to the long term.

Who have Chelsea signed this summer?

Nkunku was officially announced as a Chelsea player two weeks ago, with a deal having been in place with RB Leipzig for a number of months, while Jackson joined from Villarreal on Friday.

Two more recruits were added to the Blues' squad on Saturday, meanwhile, as Diego Moreira was signed from Benfica and Alex Matos came in from Championship side Norwich City.

Neither player is expected to feature regularly next season, if at all, but both players have already caught the eye at the age of just 18 and clearly have bright futures ahead of them.

Who is Alex Matos?

Matos is an attack-minded midfielder who can also play further up the field, having done so for Norwich at U18 and U21 levels last season, and has been labelled "a talent" by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

With the U16s, he averaged one goal involvement per game, scoring five and assisting six in 11 outings, before then making an impact at the next two age-grade levels up.

The talented teenager assisted a couple of goals across his 13 appearances in Premier League 2 last season, suggesting the goal involvement will not come quite as freely as his game matures.

Interestingly, there is a comparison to be made with former Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who announced his retirement from playing on Saturday after an illustrious career.

Fabregas was himself an attack-minded midfielder in his early days at Barcelona and even scored 30 goals in a season for the club's youth teams, before becoming more of a rounded player who could still chip in with key involvements.

The Spaniard swapped Barcelona for Arsenal and was just 16 when he made his debut for the Gunners, showing age is just a number when you have the talent.

Matos clearly shares a similar ambition to make it at the top, having decided against signing a contract at Norwich – or any other Championship team – to instead test himself alongside a midfielder like Enzo Fernandez. Combine that with a creative and goal-scoring nous and it's easy to see why there are comparisons to the now-retired Spaniard.

Mauricio Pochettino's short-term plan for Matos is unclear, but both the youngster and Chelsea will no doubt be quietly confident he can successfully take the next step in his career at Stamford Bridge.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been offered the chance to sign Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, if reports are to be believed.

What's the latest on Harry Maguire's future?

The 30-year-old has been the subject of talk surrounding his future this transfer window, with a number of clubs named to be circling the centre-back.

Journalist Ben Jacobs revealed whilst talking to the United Stand’s YouTube channel (41:03) that Wolves could be a “dark horse” in the race to lure the Englishman away from Old Trafford.

Speaking to Football FanCast, transfer expert Dean Jones revealed that to his belief the idea of signing Maguire has been “put to” the Midlands club, who could add defensive reinforcements this summer.

It’s expected to be a busy window for Julen Lopetegui, who will be operating proceedings on a budget, with one major talking point regarding the potential interest in the United captain being his £35m price tag, as reported by FootballTransfers.

Despite the hefty fee, Wolves may be open to negotiating a deal for the Englishman, especially considering their outgoings including once trusted centre-back Conor Coady, who is rumoured to imminently join Leicester City.

After nearly eight years at Molineux, involving a recent loan spell at Everton, the 30-year-old will depart after making fond memories in the Midlands, however, his presence at Wolves could be filled by a player of the experience of Maguire.

What could Harry Maguire offer to Wolves?

While the past few years have been cruel to the Red Devils captain, displaying poor form hindered by lack of confidence, the 30-year-old could seek new beginnings at Molineux, and rediscover his quality of the past in Lopetegui’s side.

Hailed as “world-class” by former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, Maguire was regarded as one of the league’s best central defenders after being snatched by United for £80m in 2019.

In his first season at Old Trafford, the former Sheffield United gem averaged impressive numbers in the Premier League, asserting his dominance as both his club and country’s number one centre-back.

As per WhoScored, in the 2019/20 campaign, the Sheffield-born defender averaged 1.9 interceptions, one tackle and a monstrous 4.1 clearances per game representing United, all while committing 0.9 fouls on average per game.

The Englishman’s professionalism and reading of the game has seen him lauded as “dominating and dictating” by manager Erik ten Hag, making him a potentially attractive addition to Wolves considering Coady’s departure.

As former captain at Molineux, the Liverpool-born defender was also a commanding figure on the pitch, however, could see his permanent absence mourned less should Lopetegui consider Maguire.

In his final season in the Midlands, Coady operated as a commander of the back line, but as told by the statistics, failed to hit the heights that Maguire did in his first campaign at Untied.

As per WhoScored, the 30-year-old averaged 0.8 tackles, 0.7 interceptions and 3.7 clearances in the 2021/22 season.

The transfer saga regarding the £200k-per-week defender will twist and turn, however, Lopetegui may consider the experienced Englishman to reinstate the dominance left by Coady at Molineux should the price be right.

Arsenal are now on the verge of completing a move for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.

Is Jurrien Timber joining Arsenal?

According to a report from The Mirror, Timber believes he has an agreement in place with Ajax that will allow him to make the switch to the Emirates Stadium, having turned his back on a move to Manchester United last summer.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed Arsenal are set to make another offer for the Ajax star, having already had one bid knocked back, as the player himself considers the project "perfect" for his aspirations.

Mikel Arteta is said to view the 22-year-old as a "priority target for this window", and the Gunners boss is now very close to completing a deal, according to a new update from Plettenberg.

Taking to Twitter, the Sky Sports reporter claimed the defender is on the "verge" of completing a switch to north London, as he "wants to join" and the verbal agreement is now "done."

Finalising the move now all comes down to the second official offer, and an "agreement is expected" for a fee of around €40m – €45m (£34m – £39m) plus bonus payments, which Plettenberg believes would be a "good deal for all parties."

"Jurrien Timber, on verge to join Arsenal! Bayern is not involved at this stage. The player wants to join Arsenal. Verbal agreement is done. All depends on the second official offer now. Agreement expected between €40-45m transfer fee + bonus payments. Would be a good deal for all parties."

What position does Jurrien Timber play?

The 5 foot 10 defender has most commonly been deployed at centre-back throughout his career so far, however, he is versatile and has made 49 appearances at right-back, another area in which Arteta is reportedly keen to strengthen.

Football Scout Jacek Kulig has hailed the Ajax academy graduate as "exceptional", as he makes up for his lack of height with his "understanding of the game, anticipation, pace and ball skills."

Last season, he averaged 1.2 interceptions per game in the Eredivisie, the joint-second highest figure in the squad, which indicates that Kulig is correct in his assessment about the Utrecht-born defender being able to read the game very well.

Over the past year, the Utrecht-born defender has also showcased his passing ability, ranking in the 99th percentile for passes attempted and his pass completion rate per 90, when compared to his positional peers playing at a similar level. Timber has proven that he is more than capable of making the step up to the Premier League, and it is exciting news that the deal now appears to be very close to completion.

An update has emerged on Arsenal and their interest in a swoop to sign Southampton ace Romeo Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are progressing in their pursuit of a deal to sign the central midfielder this summer.

The reporter tweeted: "Understand Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Roméo Lavia. Negotiations ongoing with Southampton and player’s camp, still no official bid. Southampton hope for their record fee for U21 player. Man Utd interested but priority is Mount; Chelsea, keeping close eye."

He then added that Premier League champions Manchester City have a buy-back clause that would enable them to snap the Belgian talent up for £40m before the summer of 2024, although it remains to be seen if they are willing to activate it.

Southampton's current club-record U21 sale came in 2014 when they sold Luke Shaw, who was 18 at the time, to Manchester United for a fee of £27m, that could rise to £31m, which means that £40m would meet their requirements for a deal.

This comes alongside a report from Sky Sports that has claimed the club are set to make a £90m bid to snap up West Ham United captain Declan Rice, with Romano confirming that the club's interest in the pair is not related. Indeed, it seems Mikel Arteta and the club are progressing on more deals in the background of the heavily reported Rice saga.

How did Romeo Lavia perform last season?

Southampton signed Lavia from Manchester City in a £14m package ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and the teenager enjoyed a strong first season in senior football in spite of his team's relegation to the Championship.

The Belgium international, who was hailed as a “monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick, had just two first-team appearances to his name prior to moving to the south coast and still only has 32 total games in senior football after 26 Premier League starts for the Saints.

However, he made 3.6 tackles plus interceptions per game and completed 86% of his attempted passes in the division, and his qualities in and out of possession are what made him so highly rated during his time at The Etihad.

Lavia particularly excelled at putting his body on the line for Southampton last term as the 19-year-old enforcer currently ranks in the top 4% of players in his position in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for blocks made per 90 (1.90).

Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously claimed that the teenage maestro had the ability to break into City's senior squad. He wrote:

"It is very clear why Pep Guardiola wants Romeo Lavia to be part of the Manchester City first team. He is an intelligent and aggressive presser of the ball in defense, a comfortable dribbler, adept passer of the ball, and physically strong. These traits are enormously important in the Pep Guardiola system, and Romeo Lavia possesses all the talent to break into Manchester City’s first team one day."

This suggests that the potential is there for him to make it at the top level and his experience at St. Mary's could be an important step on his way to success as the exciting youngster now has a good amount of Premier League matches under his belt.

It is all systems go at Leeds United as they begin a new chapter under the full ownership of 49ers Enterprise, potentially meaning some exciting new players arriving this summer.

In the days before and since confirmation of that takeover was made public, United have been linked with an array of players – some more attainable than others.

With no sporting director nor manager currently in place, there is still a period of uncertainty ahead at Elland Road. However, if recent reports are anything to go by, plans are already firmly in place to bolster their squad ahead of their first Championship season since 2019-20.

According to a report by SampNews24, 5 foot 10 Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks is among those being targeted by Leeds in what would be an audacious move on the face of it.

Where would Harry Winks fit in at Leeds United?

Winks spent the past campaign on loan with Sampdoria, who have ironically just been purchased by Radrizzani, and made 20 Serie A appearances.

With Sampdoria dropping into the second tier after finishing with just 19 points from their 38 matches, they are not expected to take up the option to sign Winks permanently, meaning he could be up for grabs this summer.

Dropping into the Championship would be considered a fall from grace for a player who seemingly had the world at his feet not so long ago. Indeed, Spurs team-mate Danny Rose described Winks as a "little Iniesta" in 2018 and backed him to become a key midfielder for England.

That has not quite been the case, with the most recent of his caps coming in 2020, but Winks will be eager to get his career back on track – even if that means taking a cut on the reported £20,000 a week he was earning last season.

Even accounting for his time with a struggling Samp side, Winks still ranks highly for interceptions (1.26 per 90), clearances (1.26) and progressive passes (6.14) over the past year, as per FBref, with that a better record than that of Marc Roca, for instance, who averaged just 0.89, 0.93 and 6.69 for the same two metrics, respectively.

It is fair to say a move to an elite club is unlikely for Winks this summer, assuming new Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou does not attempt to retain the midfielder, but their loss could be another team's gain – especially in the case of a Leeds side with ambitions of earning an immediate promotion.

United could do with a ball-playing midfielder, which is an area Winks thrives. The Spurs academy product averaged 45.7 passes per league game last season, as per WhoScored – only Tyler Adams (55.3) and Diego Llorente, who both look set to leave Elland Road, ranked higher among Leeds players.

Roca, the man Winks would likely replace, averaged just 37.8 passes, with the struggling Spaniard – who has been linked with a surprise move to Barcelona of late – having been described as "embarrassing" by content creator Conor McGilligan due to his dismal form.

Winks' ability to keep play ticking over earned him the nickname of "the washing machine" by Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport, and it is that calmness on the ball – plus the motivation to prove a point – that could seriously bolster Leeds' promotion hopes if they pull off the coup.

Football FanCast looks at the top ten most forgotten transfers at Newcastle United during the Mike Ashley era. From one-month emergency loans, scooping up ex-Premier League winners to signing players that never made a single domestic appearance for the club – this exploration into the wild transfer scene of the last 15 years unmasks the players who were buried in blurred memories.

10 Islam Slimani

The striker was brought to Newcastle by Rafa Benitez in the 2017/18 season on loan from Leicester to help solve the Magpies' goalscoring problems, with Joselu and Dwight Gale struggling. Yet, the only thing he spent his time doing was trying to solve how he managed to get banned for three games after only 132 minutes of Premier League football.

The Foxes bought the striker for a reported fee of £30m following his prolific time at Sporting CP, where he scored 48 goals in 82 matches, providing eight assists.

Upon his arrival, he stated, “It’s a great thing for me and Newcastle.”

However, the etymology of 'great' has to be explored here, as the now 34-year-old’s time on Tyneside was nothing but a forgotten memory for Newcastle fans. His record in the league of four games without a goal and an assist, alongside his suspension, also makes him one of the most useless NUFC transfers of the last decade.

9 Stephen Ireland

Despite Alan Pardew’s delight, this move was a disaster for the Republic of Ireland international.

At the time, the 24-year-old was praised for his “creativity” and his ability to contribute goals, with former Newcastle boss Pardew even suggesting he could’ve been a “big factor” in the Magpies’ season as he was described as a “real top player”.

Yet very little came of his loan spell back in January 2011, with the midfielder only making two appearances and accumulating just 52 minutes on the field due to a plethora of injuries he suffered during his time in the north-east.

In the 2008/09 season, aged 21, Ireland appeared to be a very talented player who was seemingly poised to make a significant impact in the Premier League. He contributed to 18 goals for Manchester City in 35 games that season. Yet, in his remaining ten years of being a professional player, he only scored a further five goals – ending his career at Stoke City in 2018.

8 Seydou Doumbia

This list wasn’t intended to be the worst Newcastle transfers, however, Doumbia is certainly not helping that cause.

Supposedly landing fit and ready to play from Italy, Steve McClaren signed the striker on a half-season loan from AS Roma on deadline day in January 2016.

However, Doumbia’s impressive record of six goals in his last five games against Premier League clubs in the Champions League was not built upon in the slightest. The only thing that was built upon was the growing confusion among the Newcastle fanbase as to why their club had bought a striker who later revealed that he “was not fit” during his time up north.

The Ivorian made his club debut for the under-21 team in a 2-1 defeat to Stoke City, but the only memorable event about his performance was his diabolical first touch from the kick-off, where the ball seemingly repelled from his foot as he attempted to dribble forward. Doumbia also only managed 45 minutes on the pitch, as he stunned fans with his rustiness.

Neither McClaren nor Doumbia made much of an impact on the club after that game, with the latter only making three appearances and accumulating just over 30 minutes of game time – while the Englishman was replaced by Rafael Benitez in March 2016.

7 Romain Amalfitano

French midfielder Amalfitano joined on a free from Reims in July 2012, with the overarching aim to bolster Newcastle’s squad ahead of a potential European campaign.

However, it was joked among fans that scouts landed the wrong brother, with Morgan Amalfitano performing credibly for Marseille at the time. Indeed, Romain was unable to replicate the performances of his sibling and contributed almost nothing to the Magpies.

Now 33, he told the media when he joined Pardew’s men that he was excited to play for such an iconic club and “took the opportunity to play in the Premier League”.

Although, for Amalfitano, that seemingly guaranteed chance of playing in the top flight never happened. The player failed to make a single domestic appearance for the club, only featuring in five Europa League games.

He was renowned for his versatility, though this was only exercised through his ability to sit on different areas of the bench during his time at Newcastle, before he was loaned out to French Ligue 2 side Dijon.

6 Mehdi Abeid

The defensive midfielder joined Newcastle in 2011 from Lens in France at just 18 years old.

Despite only making 21 appearances for the club, the Algerian put in some worthy displays and was unlucky to miss a significant number of games through injury. He later admitted in 2020 that he played through a broken toe with injections in a clash against Burnley and that after the game, “he couldn’t walk”.

One of the reasons his name makes the list is due to the midfield duo of Yohan Cabaye and Cheick Tiote, who, at the time, stole most of the limelight with their solid partnership.

Abeid, now 30 years old, plays for Khorfakkan in the United Arab Emirates Pro League. Perhaps a reunion between him, Steven Taylor and Mike Ashley awaits as the latter continues to help set up a new club in Dubai.

5 Danny Rose

Anyone else remember this?

The left-back joined on a half-season loan from Tottenham in January 2020. Yet, those who can recall the England international’s time at Newcastle won’t have been shouting from the rooftops about his performances. In fact, Geordies may likely remember the defender primarily for his lacklustre efforts, which coincided with Steve Bruce's tenuous tenure.

Rose told the media he was “over the moon” with his first win in over six months following Newcastle’s 1-0 away victory against Southampton in March 2020.

Yet, this was not echoed among the majority of fans. Many argued he never should have been in the starting XI

The former Sunderland player would only rack up 11 appearances for the Magpies before returning to Spurs and arguably only got his place through the injuries of Jetro Willems and Paul Dummett, who both missed a considerable number of games in the 2020/21 Premier League season.

His career then continued to spiral downhill as Daniel Levy failed to see a future for him in north London, with the player duly being scooped up by Watford on a free.

Then, when you think it couldn’t have got worse for the former Tottenham wonderkid, the Hornets proceeded to terminate his contract last September.

4 Jesus Gamez

The Spaniard became Benitez's inaugural signing after his appointment as manager. Arriving for an undisclosed fee, his primary objective was to aid the Magpies in achieving promotion back to the top division.

Gamez was a highly experienced defender who had played 31 games for Atletico Madrid in the season prior to his departure to the north-east. However, despite this, he only managed to accumulate ten appearances in all competitions over two years for Newcastle and had a minimal effect on United’s promotion campaign.

This was partially due to apparent early fitness issues he suffered, as well as breaking his collarbone in November 2016, which had seen him miss six weeks of football.

Although the player has seemingly not officially retired, he has not been seen playing at a professional level since leaving the club at the end of the 2017/18 season.

3 Sol Campbell

The former Tottenham captain made the move to Newcastle in July 2010 after rejecting a two-year contract offer from Celtic.

Campbell, who was 35 years old when he joined, made his first league appearance for Chris Hughton’s men in the League Cup against Chelsea – a match that turned out to be a 4-3 thriller, with Newcastle walking away victorious.

If the Toon had looked to sign the ex-Premier League winner earlier in his career, it would have undoubtedly been touted as a great signing. However, the defender that arrived at Tyneside looked a rather lethargic, worn-out version of the iconic centre-back fans were used to seeing.

And it wasn’t long after his arrival that Newcastle fans and football fanatics around the world would see the last of his playing days, as the Englishman was released for the very last time.

2 Andros Townsend

The winger’s time at the club seemed to flash by metaphorically and literally – he was incredibly quick.

Townsend joined Newcastle from Tottenham for £12m in January 2016, which was a sizable price tag for a player who had not completed 90 minutes for almost two years.

He contributed to four goals and two assists in 12 appearances for the Magpies under McClaren and Benitez, with his standout moment being a rather impressive free-kick against Crystal Palace – the club he would ironically join following his one-year spell on Tyneside.

1 Patrick van Aanholt

Finally, Football FanCast has decided that the most forgotten Newcastle transfer of the Ashley era goes to Van Aanholt, who joined the club as an 18-year-old on a one-month loan deal from Chelsea in the 2009/10 season.

The transfer was not planned in advance at all. The Dutchman was solely brought in to cover the left-back position while regular starter Jose Enrique recovered from a thigh injury.

During his time up north, the defender was effectively deployed, featuring in every match under Hughton, falling short of completing the full 90 minutes on only one occasion.

Following his impressive displays for Newcastle, the youngster would then depart back to the Blues where he completed the remainder of his season.

The defender now plays for Turkish giants Galatasaray in the Super Lig, where he has made ten appearances this season, contributing two assists.

Arsenal have been "informed" on the conditions of a potential deal to sign Galatasary defender Sacha Boey, namely that he is set to cost around £22 million this summer.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners and manager Mikel Arteta are looking to shore up a number of key areas of the squad, coming after they missed out on their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years.

Arsenal had been in pole position for much of the 2022/2023 campaign but were eventually beaten to the punch by champions Man City, who are also on course to potentially clinch an historic treble.

It's back to the drawing board in north London with Arteta and sporting director already drawing up plans to make major signings this summer.

"Our planning has already been done," said sporting director Edu in April (ESPN via 90min)."It has already reached the owners. Now, we're taking things step by step. We're focused on how we will finish the season, but we've put in the planning and I'm very excited."

In terms of who Arsenal could sign, it is believed that the Gunners are targeting multiple midfield additions, with West Ham's Declan Rice and Brighton star Moises Caicedo attracting serious interest.

Defensive signings are also firmly on the agenda, especially at right-back, with Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda and Boey being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Sharing an update on the latter target, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has some news for supporters.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Romano claims that Arsenal have been "informed" that they can sign Boey for around £22 million, but as of yet, there is yet to be any serious talks or contact with the player's agents.

"For Boey at the moment, I'm just told that they are informed on the conditions of the deal, €25m price tag."I'm not aware of any direct contract between Arsenal and his agent in terms of negotiations, so at the moment it's still a quiet situation."

Who is Sacha Boey?

The 22-year-old has been a key player for Galatasary, especially last season, with only Victor Nelsson and Fernando Muslera playing more league minutes (WhoScored).

Boey also averaged their joint-highest rate of tackles per 90 and second-highest number of interceptions domestically – emphasising his importance to the Turkish Super Lig side (WhoScored).

Former Gunners defender Bacary Sagna, commenting on the links to Boey recently, also believes that he would fit in "perfectly" under Arteta.

Manchester United are 'pushing' ahead in their efforts to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving Mason Mount?

As per The Guardian, Manchester United have 'reached an agreement' on personal terms with Mount and he is likely to link up with Erik Ten Hag at Old Trafford this summer.

The report states that Chelsea will seek at least £60 million to allow Mount to depart SW6 in the off-season. Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also expressed an interest in signing the midfielder.

Contractually, Mount is tied to Chelsea on a contract worth £80,000 per week and his deal in west London is set to run out in June 2024, as per Capology.

Pundit Roy Keane told Sky Sports quoted by The Daily Express that he isn't sure whether Mount would be able to have a major impact at Manchester United, stating: "I wouldn’t be hanging my hat too much on Mason Mount, in terms of improving United and closing the gap. I think he’s a good player but would he improve Manchester United? I’m not so sure. I know Mason Mount can bounce back and he’s got qualities, I was raving about him a few years ago, but he’s just gone missing this last year or two. Again, one or two injuries, the fact he can’t get in a bad Chelsea team.

Mount featured 35 times in all competitions for Chelsea in 2022/23 and registered three goals and six assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer guru Romano has detailed that Manchester United are pressing ahead to try and bring Mount to the North West this summer.

Romano said: "It should be around £50m, and so this is why at the moment it looks difficult. But, for sure, there will be some developments soon because Manchester United are pushing for Mason Mount."

Who else may Manchester United try to sign this summer?

Manchester United have been linked with several targets this summer as Ten Hag looks to bolster his squad ahead of 2023/24, where the Red Devils will compete in the Champions League.

Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane has been extensively rumoured with a switch to Manchester United and is reportedly open to moving to Old Trafford, as per The Sun.

L'Equipe claim that Bayern Munich full-back Benjamin Pavard is also of interest to the Premier League giants and could be a high-profile addition to the ranks in the off-season.

As per The Evening Standard, Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa is also in the frame to provide competition for David De Gea between the sticks.

In a time of excitement at Manchester United, plenty of new arrivals could help Ten Hag construct a bid for the Premier League title heading into next term.

Leeds United look set for a return to the Championship this summer following a disastrous 2023 which has seen two manager exits and one director of football parting ways.

Victor Orta was removed from his position on the Leeds board alongside Javi Gracia following the 4-1 defeat against Bournemouth in the Premier League, amid a number of disappointing signings from the Spaniard during his time at Elland Road.

Jean-Kevin Augustin and Georginio Rutter will stand out as the worst for obvious reasons, with Sam Allardyce failing to even recognise the club-record signing as a realistic striking option from the bench in last weekend's 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.

With Patrick Bamford and Rodrigo potentially both sidelined through injury for this weekend's crunch game against Tottenham Hotspur – when their fate will be confirmed – the experienced Englishman will perhaps be wishing that he could have called upon one of Leeds' brightest talents in Joe Gelhardt.

Should Leeds have loaned out Gelhardt?

Following the £35m signing of Rutter in January, it seemed clear that the former Wigan Athletic youngster wouldn't get into the side with three more senior options ahead of him at Elland Road.

However, Rodrigo's injury issues, Bamford's poor form in front of goal and Rutter's lack of minutes suggest that the West Yorkshire outfit may well have been better off keeping him at the club.

Since joining from Wigan in 2020, the young striker has gone on to make 41 appearances for the first team, contributing two goals and seven assists, while he also has 20 goals and six assists in just 31 games for the U21s.

Therefore, he clearly knows where the back of the net is and has already shown that he can have a positive impact in the Premier League, showcasing his impressive talent when winning a penalty against Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2021.

Adrian Durham praised Gelhardt on talkSPORT at the time (via MOT Leeds News), saying: "Joe Gelhardt for Leeds, was astonishing at the weekend. What a player this kid is going to be.

"Joe Gelhardt rescued Leeds and Bielsa, he was brilliant. By the way, he should be involved in far more games."

Unfortunately, Durham's thoughts on the 21-year-old wouldn't come to fruition, as he mustered just 201 minutes of Premier League action under Jesse Marsch before being sent on loan to Sunderland in the Championship.

There, he contributed three goals and three assists in 20 appearances, with a solid 6.72 rating from WhoScored – which is better than everyone bar Jack Harrison and Tyler Adams in the current Leeds squad.

Bamford, meanwhile, has managed just four goals in the top flight with a woeful 6.36 average rating, which is perhaps no surprise when you consider his recent misses in big games against Leicester City and Newcastle United.

The Englishman has proven himself to be extremely unreliable in front of goal, and had Orta kept Gelhardt at the club, it could have been him on the end of those chances instead of Bamford.

Given the attacking woes that Allardyce will have to deal with on the final day, he will surely be wishing that Gelhardt was still available for selection at Elland Road.

Julen Lopetegui will have a busy summer at Wolverhampton Wanderers as he attempts to strengthen his squad as his first Premier League season comes to a close.

The expected focus point ahead of the transfer window is for the Midlands side to acquire a seasoned goalscorer, as Lopetegui aims to turn his side’s fate in front of goal around.

Wolves are the league’s joint-lowest scorers this campaign, level with Championship-bound Southampton on just 31 goals in 37 games so far.

With the potential departures of both Raul Jimenez and Ruben Neves this summer, Molineux will see change next season, with players both arriving and departing.

Despite the transfer window boasting a host of attractive options for clubs to recruit, Wolves could save themselves millions just by looking at their academy, with Leon Chiwome tipped to have a promising future.

Who is Leon Chiwome?

17-year-old Leon Chiwome signed for Wolves’ academy last summer from Wimbledon Youth.

The Brighton-born forward has enjoyed an impressive first season in the Midlands, registering five goals in ten appearances in the U18 Premier League.

His rise to form has prompted a heap of praise from those at the club, as well as earning his first national team call-up for England’s U17s for this month’s European Championships.

The youngster has turned things around for himself in his budding career, after being released on trial by Brighton just two years ago, to playing for his country and catching the eye of many at Wolves.

After his first seven months at the club, he was rewarded with his first professional contract, with academy manager for football Jon Hunter-Barrett lauding the youngster for his ability.

Hailed as having “all the attributes” of a number nine and the ability to do “everything”, Hunter-Barrett admitted the forward has progressed quickly to the delight of figures “internally and externally” at the club – as per Wolves' official site.

At just 17-years-old, the forward is a raw talent, however after seeing the progression of other youngsters in the Premier League could have a point to prove to Lopetegui, particularly with the Euros coming up.

The forward made a statement at the end of last month, scoring his first U18 Premier League hat-trick against Leeds, showcasing his ability ahead of a decisive summer for Wolves.

With Jimenez almost certainly departing this summer, the Spaniard will have a vacancy in attack to fill, something that young players at the club should aspire to fill, including Chiwome who has gained attention at a perfect time.