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Adam Armstrong continues to be the main man up top for Southampton under Russell Martin, the proven Championship goalscorer is already into double figures for the Saints after 19 games played.

Southampton's ever-reliable number nine has scored 12 goals in the second tier to date, the 26-year-old helping himself to brace last match against Cardiff City as the Saints romped home to a convincing 2-0 win.

It could be argued, however, that Martin's men depend on Armstrong a bit too much to bail them out in tricky games.

Che Adams and Will Smallbone come in as the next joint top scorers for the Saints this campaign, but are way off Armstrong's hefty tally with a paltry three goals.

Ross Stewart's unfortunate time in a Saints strip to date hasn't helped Southampton share out the goal load effectively either, the Scottish attacker joined the promotion hopefuls from Sunderland in the summer but reoccurring injuries have gotten in the way from him making an impact so far.

Martin could think outside of the box to end his ongoing quest of finding another clinical goalscorer therefore, Saints flop Paul Onuachu potentially returning from a fruitful loan spell out in Turkey ready to be gifted another opportunity to impress up top.

Paul Onuachu's statistics at Southampton

Costing Southampton £18m last season from Genk, Onuachu was meant to the "significant signing" the Saints needed in their bid to mount a relegation escape, as per then-boss Nathan Jones – the Belgian striker hopefully firing in pivotal goals to help his new club stay afloat in the Premier League.

Instead, Onuachu would look out of his depth to the dismay of his new employers who felt ripped off.

The towering, 6 foot 7 striker is still goalless for the Saints, failing to find the back of the net in 12 appearances last season as Southampton sunk down to the Championship.

Folding on the big stage with the south coast club, Onuachu's unerring ability to finish chances without flinching for his previous club Genk was nowhere to be seen in England – the 29-year-old scoring an impressive 85 goals from 134 appearances for the Belgian side.

The disregarded Southampton striker has found a new lease of life away from the club this campaign out on loan at Trabzonspor, finding his shooting boots again.

This spell out in Turkey to date could potentially save his career at St Mary's from completely going down the drain, Martin watching on now with intrigue to see if Onuachu can keep up this newly found electric form.

Paul Onuachu's statistics at Trabzonspor

Onuachu has amassed seven goals already out on loan, from just ten appearances to date for his new short-term club – with journalist Dean Jones hinting that he could be deserving of "another opportunity" back at St Mary's at the end of the season.

Trabzonspor's number 30 has managed to put away seven strikes despite only accumulating an xG of 4.39 playing in Turkey, as per Sofascore, helped by an outrageous strike finding the back of the net against Konyaspor last month.

Onuachu acrobatically connected with a cross into the area to catch the opposing goalkeeper off-guard, Trabzonspor thankful for their loanee's moment of magic which allowed the team to get over the line and win 2-1.

Southampton fans will already be fantasising about Onuachu's return to St Mary's as a different beast, slotting effortlessly into the striker positions alongside the 5 foot 8 Armstrong to form a frightening partnership in attack – the old-school 'little and large' combination.

Yet, Saints fans have fallen victim to getting carried away about the ex-Genk "monster" before – as hailed by journalist Benjy Nurick – and they'll opt to temper their expectations somewhat in case he fails to deliver again.

But, Martin will still have his fingers crossed that the £18m Southampton dud can return and become a deadly striker for the club after such a disappointing start to life in English football.

Jurgen Klopp took a subtle dig at Arsenal while hailing Unai Emery for the "incredible" job he has done at Aston Villa.

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• Impatient Arsenal showed the door to Emery in 2019
• Was in charge for close to 18 months
• Has turned Villa's fortunes around

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Emery, who Arsenal sacked in November 2019 after 18 months in charge, has orchestrated a remarkable turnaround at Villa since taking over from Steven Gerrard in October 2022. During his time in charge of the Gunners, a string of poor performances, including a winless streak of seven matches across all competitions, led to his departure from the Emirates after succeeding legendary manager Arsene Wenger. Klopp, though, has suggested that was incredibly harsh.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  At Villa, Emery has transformed the team's fortunes. The Spaniard guided them away from relegation concerns to European football within the space of two seasons, with Villa now pushing for a Champions League spot. They remain in control of their own destiny in the race for fourth, given they have a seven-point advantage over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs do, though, have a game in hand.

• WHAT KLOPP SAID

  Klopp lauded Emery as one of the best managers in the business, highlighting his tactical acumen and track record of success with Sevilla, and attempted a veiled dig at Arsenal in the same breath.

  "He is one of the best we have in the business," said Klopp.

  "Some clubs weren't ready to wait for it, but looking back, maybe these clubs would have made different decisions. I've known him for so long. He always had a clear idea. Won plenty of times with Sevilla.

  "Really tricky with Villarreal. He always organises his team really well. The job he is doing is absolutely exceptional. We all know how difficult it is to qualify for the Champions League and that he will probably do that is absolutely exceptional."

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• DID YOU KNOW

  Emery's impact has been so significant that he was nominated for the Premier League's Manager of the Year Award. However, the 6-2 aggregate defeat to Olympiakos on Thursday night in the Europa Conference League will have been a disappointment, given the manager's previous success in Europe. Indeed, he won the Europa League three times with Sevilla, before winning it again with Villarreal in 2021.

It's reported this week that a player has been "practically sold to West Ham", but manager David Moyes appears unlikely to benefit from it.

West Ham tipped for busy January

Moyes' side are tipped to be one of the busier clubs when January comes around, with the transfer window's reopening on the horizon next month.

Club could be tempted to sell West Ham their "beautiful" Coufal alternative

Steidten could need to replace West Ham’s full-backs soon.

By
Emilio Galantini

Dec 16, 2023

Reliable media sources, like famous journalist Fabrizio Romano, expect West Ham to be very active in the winter market as technical chief Tim Steidten and the club's board plot to strengthen key areas.

“I expect West Ham to be busy in January as they’re looking at opportunities around," said Romano to Caught Offside. "Though it’s still too early to say anything about specific names. Nothing is advanced, but the owners and directors are working on it.”

The rumour mill is well and truly spinning ahead of January, with reports suggest that West Ham are eyeing a new striker. As per recent reports, Steidten could also make multiple signings for Moyes next month as the club look to strengthen numerous key areas of the squad.

A new defender is in the offing, as West Ham hold a keen interest in Kyle Walker-Peters among others as Moyes seeks to bolster his back line. According to a new report this week, the Irons could even be closing in on a new player already, but West Ham's manager is unlikely to benefit from it.

Robert Renan "practically sold" to West Ham

Indeed, that is according to journalist Joao Batista Filho, who's shared a pretty promising update on Zenit Saint Petersburg defender Robert Renan.

It's believed Renan is "practically sold" to West Ham, but there's a twist, as the transfer won't happen until mid-2024. This comes amid claims that Moyes is unlikely to stay to be offered a new contract, with the Scotsman's current deal expiring next summer.

The Brazilian would come with a glowing reputation, as written by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig on his website.

"A left-footed center back with remarkable ball playing prowess in addition to being very solid defensively," wrote Kulig.

"Robert excels technically, physically and has equally outstanding mental traits. The 19-year-old offers exceptional class and composure on the ball with a great first touch. Standing at 6’1, he is not exceedingly tall in comparison to other players in his position. As a result has not yet mastered getting the most of his height, successful in 37% of his contested challenges in the air but with time and experience I have no doubt that he will improve drastically in this regard.

"Anyhow, he makes up for it on the turf, coming out on top in around 62% of his ground duels with an average 2.1 won per 90 in large part because of his lanky legs and long reach."

After a promising first season at Manchester United, Erik ten Hag’s side seem to have lost their identity, as reflected by their exit from the UEFA Champions League and Carabao Cup already.

The Red Devils have also struggled for consistency in the Premier League, which has put them in sixth place after 16 matches, winning nine and losing seven! United are also the only team in the top flight to have not drawn a game this season in the league.

A lack of output in attack has seen them find it difficult to assert any dominance, netting just 18 goals, half of Liverpool’s tally. With that in mind, Ten Hag may look to acquire a fellow Dutch attacking full-back.

Man Utd transfers latest – Jeremie Frimpong

Jeremie Frimpong to Manchester United has been a well-reported transfer rumour over the last year, and Football Transfers has confirmed that the Red Devils’ boss admires the Bayer Leverkusen star.

However, the Netherlands international favours a move to Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta is also interested in signing the full-back.

The Bundesliga defender has a £34m release clause, which will be activated in the summer, meaning that any side that purchases Frimpong will have secured themselves a bargain.

Jeremie Frimpong’s style of play

Man United fans will be apprehensive about their club potentially signing an ex-Manchester City academy player from the Bundesliga, however, unlike the frozen-out winger Jadon Sancho, Frimpong would not join the side with an extraordinary price tag and expectation.

Despite them both being wide players with technical quality, their profile is quite the opposite, with the Leverkusen attacking full-back possessing superior speed and acceleration, which has been described as “breathtaking” by football scout Antonio Mango.

Xabi Alonso has deployed Frimpong as a right-wing back in a three-back variant this season, and the dynamic speedster has rewarded the boss with an excellent attacking output.

Across 20 games in all competitions, the number 30 has scored six goals and registered nine assists. Those stats show that attacking is his biggest strength and at the forefront of his mind, but the below table shows just how dangerous he actually is going forward.

The signing of Frimpong would also bring the best out of Antony, who has struggled to form a telepathic relationship with Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Diogo Dalot. With all the attacking threat highlighted by the stats just shown, the 23-year-old's width would provide the Brazilian with more space to cut inside onto his much stronger left foot, or the option to play the flying wing-back in on the overlap/underlap.

At just £34m, Ten must go all out on Frimpong. Not only would they solve their current right-back issues and make Ten Hag’s tactics more flexible, but they would also be signing one of the most promising stars in Europe.

Man Utd star who lost the ball 16x was as bad as Dalot vs Bayern

The Red Devils’ European adventure came to an end in limp fashion on Tuesday evening.

By
Robbie Walls

Dec 13, 2023

The club have undoubtedly been burned by the £73m signing of Sancho from the Bundesliga in 2021 – with the Englishman currently exiled after also contributing just 12 goals and six assists in 82 games for the club to date – yet Frimpong could well represent an even more exciting option on the flanks.

With the latter man – who boasts 46 goal involvements from 115 games for Leverkusen – currently thriving, Ten Hag would no doubt benefit from such an in-form addition.

The England midfielder broke the deadlock with a beautiful strike, setting the Red Devils on their way to a first major title for the women's side

Ella Toone's wonder-strike set Manchester United on their way to a first Women's FA Cup and a first major title for the women's team on Sunday, as the Red Devils comfortably defeated an underwhelming Tottenham side 4-0 at Wembley.

It wasn't a game of great quality, but the goal that break the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time certainly was, Toone's rocket of an effort flying into the top corner and once again showing that she loves a day out at the home of English football, this her fourth goal in seven appearances at the iconic venue.

It was from set-pieces that Marc Skinner's side caused real problems, though. Spurs struggled to cope with Katie Zelem's deliveries all day, and that would be the source of their second goal, with it third time lucky for Rachel Williams after she had connected with two of her captain's crosses in the first half but directed both wide.

Lucia Garcia put the result beyond doubt when she pounced on Tottenham goalkeeper Becky Spencer's loose pass and finished into an empty net just before the hour, and she would score again before the day was out as United avenged last year's FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea by lifting the trophy at the second attempt.

GOAL rates United's players from Wembley Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Mary Earps (6/10):

  Didn't have a shot to save or a cross to claim. Tidy on the ball when involved.

  Jayde Riviere (6/10):

  Battled well, though didn't make a great deal of impact on the attack.

  Maya Le Tissier (6/10):

  Reliable in possession without having too much defending to do.

  Millie Turner (6/10):

  Presented a real threat at set-pieces.

  Hannah Blundell (7/10):

  No one won possession back more on the day. Was brilliant on the ball, too.

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  Midfield

  Katie Zelem (7/10):

  Delivered consistently brilliant set-pieces that caused Spurs so many problems.

  Lisa Naalsund (6/10):

  A bit loose in possession at times, albeit without making any costly mistakes. Some nice touches here and there, particularly the one to tee up Garcia for her second.

  Ella Toone (8/10):

  Sublime strike to break the deadlock. Had been United's most creative player in open play before that too, slipping Galton through early on.

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  Attack

  Lucia Garcia (8/10):

  Worked incredibly hard and got her reward when her high press got her in position to score the third. Superb finish to make it four.

  Rachel Williams (7/10):

  Made amends for a big early miss when she headed in United's second of the day shortly after half-time.

  Leah Galton (5/10):

  Had a great chance early on but wasn't in the game much besides that, seemingly owing to a knock.

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  Subs & Manager

  Melvine Malard (7/10):

  Had plenty of time to make an impact, on just after half-time, and got involved in play right away, drifting in from the left. Probably should've had a goal.

  Nikita Parris (5/10):

  On just before the hour but couldn't really get involved despite United's dominance.

  Geyse (N/A):

  Provided a spark in a short cameo.

  Hinata Miyazawa (N/A):

  Only on for the final few minutes.

  Aoife Mannion (N/A):

  Came on to see the game out.

  Marc Skinner (7/10):

  Biggest call in his XI was to start Williams over players like Malard and Geyse, but it paid dividends with the problems she caused at set-pieces and the goal she eventually netted. His team rarely let Spurs trouble them in a comfortable win.

Everton were on an incredible run of form ever since losing 3-0 at home to Manchester United after the November international break. The Toffees managed to go on a four-game winning streak, keeping clean sheets in all four which was the first time the club managed to do so since November 2002.

However, the Merseyside club are now on a four-match losing streak and could find themselves inside the Premier League relegation zone within the next fortnight should this spell continue.

The side’s 3-0 defeat away at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday certainly brought Everton straight back down to earth and may have caused head coach Sean Dyche to question his starting lineup.

Nathan Patterson’s performance in numbers

One of the players who stuck out like a sore thumb for their dismal display at Molineux was Nathan Patterson.

Dyche switched his team up from the one that lost 3-1 against Manchester City in midweek, bringing Michael Keane back into the fold over midfielder Andre Gomes, changing his formation from a 4-4-1-1 to a 5-4-1. As a result, Patterson was deployed as a right wingback, but the tactical tweak certainly didn’t have the desired effect the manager hoped it would have.

During the game, Patterson lost 60% of his ground duels, was dribbled past once, made merely two passes into the final third and failed to whip a single accurate cross into the box, according to FotMob.

Furthermore, the Scotland international was beaten to the ball twice for Wolves’ first two goals and also picked up an early booking for a foul on Joao Gomes when the match was goalless, rendering him idle for the remainder.

Additionally, Patterson lost possession of the ball 13 times and managed to record fewer touches of the ball than the goalkeeper, with 43 to Jordan Pickford’s 47, before eventually being whipped off by the manager in the 63rd minute when the game was 3-0 to the hosts.

It was a night to forget for the 22-year-old, who was handed a match rating of 4/10 by the Liverpool Echo, but his replacement had a far more assured performance.

Seamus Coleman’s stats this season

Club captain Seamus Coleman made just his second appearance of the season on Saturday, coming on for Patterson with less than a half-hour remaining. However, Wolves didn’t score while he was on the pitch and were much more assured down the right.

The £73k-per-week defender won 67% of his ground duels during his time on the pitch and made five passes into the final third which was more than Patterson in half the time, while also making six ball recoveries in total.

The Republic of Ireland skipper has been a reliable servant for Everton since joining the club over a decade ago, with former manager Frank Lampard even describing Coleman as a “warrior” when he was in charge.

In addition, the veteran has played as a centre-back 11 times throughout his career. This means that Coleman offers Dyche a positional flexibility that Patterson doesn’t possess to switch between a back three and a back four in-game.

While Patterson may be the future of Everton, Coleman has proved that he can still do a job at Goodison Park and may have played his way into the starting lineup ahead of next week’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace.

Despite the Red Devils claiming a 2-0 win, they finished eighth in the table as a disappointing campaign in the league came to an end

Diogo Dalot and Rasmus Hojlund ensured a bright end to Manchester United's Premier League campaign as they beat Brighton 2-0 at the Amex on Saturday. The Red Devils will feel they had a bit of a lucky escape as Erik ten Hag's team had looked miserable for large spells. The visitors were overrun by their hosts at times and could have been annihilated had Brighton been able to find the net before Dalot got on the end of a great Casemiro ball and fired into the net.

Ten Hag's team could hardly get out of their half in the opening 45 minutes as Brighton did well to pressure them and cut off their passing options. United looked a bit more up for the fight as the second half began but the Seagulls settled quickly and were denied a goal when Casemiro blocked a shot on the line. Dominant and dangerous, the hosts should have been flying against the Red Devils but saw too many chances scuppered by blocks or poor finishing.

The introduction of Hojlund at the hour mark provided a much-needed lift to United as he fought for the ball and gave the Red Devils a target up front. As well as having a slight influence on the opener, he went on a good run and tucked into the net to make it 2-0 at the end.

With the FA Cup final against Manchester City coming up, Red Devils fans will be concerned about the shape of their team as they look to cause a massive upset against the English champions and end the season with a trophy.

GOAL rates United's players from the Amex…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (6/10):

  Pulled off a couple of decent saves to keep his team level.

  Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5/10):

  A bit of a lackadaisical display at right-back as Brighton had plenty of space to work with on that side.

  Casemiro (8/10):

  Swept up really well in the centre of defence while many of his team-mates struggled. Made a vital goalline clearance early in the second half and his pass created the goal.

  Lisandro Martinez (6/10):

  His first start since February and made some key interventions to cut out the dominant hosts. Still not at his best in a disorganised team but Ten Hag will be glad to have him back for the FA Cup final.

  Diogo Dalot (7/10):

  Didn't offer enough protection as Brighton kept coming at United but scored the crucial opening goal.

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  Midfield

  Kobbie Mainoo (6/10):

  Put in a lot of effort to drive United forward but did not have many good passing options or much help around him.

  Sofyan Amrabat (4/10):

  Kept on getting caught on the ball to give away possession in important areas, putting more pressure on his team.

  Amad Diallo (6/10):

  Dispossessed a few too many times and lost too many duels but put in a lot of effort to win the ball back.

  Alejandro Garnacho (6/10):

  Had a hard time getting time and space on the ball in the first half but had some bright moments.

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  Attack

  Scott McTominay (4/10):

  Did well to create a dangerous attack but sent the shot sailing over the bar and then wasted another chance in the second half.

  Bruno Fernandes (6/10):

  Saw a lot of the ball but couldn't do much to lift his overwhelmed team before he went off at the hour mark.

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  Subs & Manager

  Jonny Evans (6/10):

  Replaced Martinez at the hour mark and looked fine.

  Rasmus Hojlund (8/10):

  Replaced Fernandes and provided a lift for United. His fight for the ball prevented Brighton from clearing it, allowing Casemiro's pass to go through to Dalot for the first goal. Went on a good run and applied a nice finish for the second.

  Raphael Varane (6/10):

  Did a sound job beside Evans for the last 20 minutes of his final Premier League game for the Red Devils.

  Marcus Rashford (5/10):

  Didn't have much impact on the game having come off the bench after the goal.

  Christian Eriksen (6/10):

  Was brought on at the same time as Rashford and linked with Hojllund for the goal.

  Erik ten Hag (6/10):

  His team did not look up for the battle in the beginning and fans will be worried by how flat they look just a week out from the FA Cup final. His changes did, however, have an impact as United secured the victory.

Leeds United's full-back ranks could be significantly thinner come the end of the January transfer window. With less than a week gone, Djed Spence has already made an early return to Tottenham Hotspur after the decision was made to bring his season-long loan to an early end (BBC Sport).

And there could be another exit too as fellow Championship side Middlesbrough eye up a move for Luke Ayling (Sky Sports). Even if Ayling does stay beyond the January deadline, his long-term future is in serious doubt as he approaches the end of his contract at Elland Road in the summer.

All of this could force Daniel Farke into the market to replenish his options, and there's a new name cropping up on the Whites' radar.

Roberts could solve Farke's problem

Welshman Connor Roberts came through the youth ranks at Swansea and stayed at the club until 2021, when he made a £2.5m switch to Burnley (Sky Sports). He's gone on to register 86 appearances for the Clarets, including 14 this season.

Roberts has started eight Premier League games for Vincent Kompany's newly-promoted side, and while that sounds like a considerable tally on paper, he's recently fallen down the pecking order, failing to make the XI for any top-flight match since late October (Transfermarkt).

Leeds will hope that, in light of this decline, Burnley are willing to part company with Roberts in this window. According to Sunday Mirror Sports News Editor Darren Witcoop, Whites supporters should "keep an eye on" a "potential deal" to sign Roberts if indeed Ayling joins Middlesbrough. Leeds are "looking for a new full-back" after also moving on from Spence, and the Burnley man is emerging as a clear candidate.

Roberts offers Championship and international pedigree

Roberts might have dropped out of the team at Burnley, but he could be a real asset to Leeds given his vast experience of the Championship. He's played 173 games at that level (Transfermarkt), and looked like one of the best players in the division when on form.

Last season, Roberts scored four goals and provided six assists in the league to help Burnley win promotion as champions, and those displays earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year. Farke will of course be aware of this, and he'll hope it means Roberts can make an instant impact.

Of course, part of the challenge would be convincing him to drop down a level, but that's where Leeds winger Dan James could come in handy. Speaking in Wales' World Cup camp in Qatar in late 2022, Roberts spoke about his close bond with James after their time together at Swansea.

"We all sit together, eat together, we do everything together when we’re in camp," he told ITV Wales. "For me to see DJ [James] and Joe Rodon do really well, having seen them growing up playing for Swansea City – I’m not doing too bad – but to see my mates doing brilliantly, being a part of something amazing and playing for their country, is something special."

That was Roberts' second major tournament with his country, and he's now ticked beyond half a century of caps (54). Having scored for Wales in a 2-0 victory over Turkey at the last European Championships, he's proven he can rise to a big occasion too.

Alisha Lehmann is back from her holiday and has started training with the Switzerland national team ahead of their Euro 2025 qualifiers.

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• Lehmann trained with Switzerland
• Took time out to sign autographs
• Switzerland face Hungary in Euro 2025 qualifiers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Aston Villa star shared some photographs from Switzerland's training session as the national team prepare for the upcoming Euro 2025 qualifying matches. In one of the pictures, Lehmann can be seen signing autographs for the fans.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 25-year-old jetted off to Brazil with boyfriend and fellow Villans star Douglas Luiz for a holiday after the 2023-24 Women's Super League and the Premier League campaigns ended. The attacker, however, is now back to the grind and ready to don the national team colours.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lehmann had an underwhelming campaign with Villa, scoring just twice in 15 WSL appearances as the club finished seventh in the league.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALISH LEHMANN?

  Lehmann will be next seen in action for Switzerland as they take on Hungary in back-to-back Euro 2025 qualifying games on May 31 and June 6.

Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy are plotting a double swoop for former Borussia Dortmund pair Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski.

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• LA Galaxy want to sign Lewandowski
• Club also close to signing Reus
• Lewandowski signing could be difficult

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The MLS side had already been linked heavily with Reus following his decision to part ways with Die Schwarzgelben. As per Mundo Deportivo, they are now also targeting Barcelona's Lewandowski as they look to return to the levels they had set earlier.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lewandowski's influence on Barcelona has been dwindling over the last year after a good start to life under Xavi Hernandez. With Hansi Flick now having taken over at the Catalan side, it is expected that he will not be willing to let the Polish striker leave with the two having held a great relationship since their time at Bayern Munich.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Lewandowski has mentioned his idea of moving to the United States closer to the end of his playing career as he and his wife 'have always wanted to live' Stateside. The Pole also mentioned that before the COVID pandemic in 2020, he had thought about the potential move to the MLS.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR LEWANDOWSKI?

  LA Galaxy know the difficulties regarding the signing of Lewandowski this summer and they will eventually be planning to sign the striker in 2025.