Leeds United are reportedly closing in on a new club-record signing in the form of Hoffenheim forward Georginio Rutter.
Rutter, 20, played his junior football in France with Rennes before joining Hoffenheim as an 18-year-old in 2021.
After emerging as an impressive prospect this past season with 20 substitute appearances among his 33 total Bundesliga outings, he has now broken into the best XI, making 11 starts while taking part in all 15 league fixtures to this point.
The six-foot tall striker only has two goals and two assists to show for this campaign, but boasts an impressive highlight reel of intricate dribbling and playmaking in the final third, and has done enough to catch the eye.
TOP STORY – LEEDS LOOK TO HOFFENHEIM FOR POTENTIAL RECORD SIGNING
According to Sky Sports Germany, Rutter will cost in the range of €40million to pry away from Hoffenheim, while his contract ties him to the German side until 2026.
That figure is well clear of the €30.6m Leeds paid for Valencia forward Rodrigo in 2020, potentially shattering their club-record signing.
The report states a potential deal is close, and Rutter is expected to have a medical at Elland Road in the next 48 hours.
ROUND-UP
– Chelsea have identified 25-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach striker Marcus Thuram and 20-year-old PSV forward Noni Madueke as two key targets, per the Times.
– The Times is also reporting West Ham have renewed their interest in 25-year-old Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri, and will look to add him on loan for the rest of the season.
– According to Foot Mercato, Arsenal are getting closer to securing 21-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk for a fee believed to be around €100m.
– Tottenham will have to meet Pedro Porro's £36.7m release clause to secure the right-back this month, with The Guardian claiming Sporting are under no pressure to sell.
– Foot Mercato is reporting Wolves are interested in bringing in Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka on loan until the end of the season.
Leeds edge 'basketball game' at Swansea as Gnonto nets injury-time winner
Wilfried Gnonto's stoppage-time strike fired Leeds United to the Championship summit as they beat Swansea City 4-3 in a contest defender Joe Rodon compared to a basketball game.
Daniel Farke's team were twice forced to come from behind in South Wales as a Manor Solomon strike and a Ben Cabango own goal saw them respond to first-half efforts from Harry Darling and Liam Cullen.
Solomon's second put Leeds 3-2 up with 73 minutes gone, but Florian Bianchini's 90th-minute leveller looked set to keep them third in the table, behind Sunderland and Sheffield United.
However, substitute Gnonto tucked home following an assist from former Swansea winger Dan James, sending the travelling fans into raptures and securing Leeds' second straight victory.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Rodon – who began his career with Swansea – said: "It was like a basketball game! Credit to the boys.
"Every game we want to keep a clean sheet, but you know how it is in the Championship, and Swansea made it difficult for us."
Gnonto now has eight goal involvements in the Championship this season, scoring three and assisting five.
Only Norwich City's Borja Sainz (11 goals, two assists), Middlesbrough's Finn Azaz (five goals and seven assists) and West Brom's Josh Maja (10 goals, one assist) have more.
Cooper sacked by Leicester after winless run
Leicester City have dismissed manager Steve Cooper after a run of four Premier League games without a win.
Cooper, who previously managed Leicester's rivals Nottingham Forest, only took charge of the Foxes for 15 games in all competitions.
He was appointed in June, after Enzo Maresca left to join Chelsea following Leicester's promotion back to the Premier League.
After going six league games without a win at the start of the season, Cooper appeared to have steadied the ship with victories over Bournemouth and Southampton.
However, a winless streak of four top-flight matches, in which Leicester lost to Forest, Manchester United and Chelsea, while drawing with Ipswich Town, has seen Cooper lose his position.
In a statement released on Sunday, Leicester confirmed Cooper's assistants Alan Tate and Steve Rands had also left the club, with Ben Dawson set to take charge until a replacement is appointed.
Former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter was reportedly in talks to join Leicester prior to Cooper's appointment in the summer.
The Foxes are 16th in the Premier League on 10 points after 12 games.
Southampton 2-3 Liverpool: Salah brace sends Reds eight points clear
Liverpool went eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as they came from behind to seal a thrilling 3-2 victory over Southampton at St Mary's.
Two second-half goals from Mohamed Salah turned Sunday's game on its head after Mateus Fernandes had given bottom club Southampton a surprise 2-1 lead.
Dominik Szoboszlai had given Liverpool a 30th-minute lead by curling home via the far post after Flynn Downes' dreadful clearance landed at his feet inside the area.
However, the outstanding Tyler Dibling was felled by Andrew Robertson for a Southampton penalty on the stroke of half-time. Adam Armstrong's spot-kick was repelled by Caoimhin Kelleher, but the striker kept his nerve to tuck home the equaliser.
Armstrong then turned provider when Fernandes swept home Southampton's second in the 56th minute, but their lead would not last.
Salah cushioned a searching Ryan Gravenberch pass beyond a stranded Alex McCarthy for 2-2 in the 65th minute, then saw his inswinging cross handled by Southampton substitute Yukinari Sugawara seven minutes from time.
The Egyptian scored what proved to be the winner from the resulting penalty, and he almost got a hat-trick when he crashed a shot off the base of the post in the 88th minute.
Southampton remain bottom of the table, five points adrift of 17th-placed Wolves. Liverpool, meanwhile, are sitting pretty ahead of next week’s meeting with Manchester City, who were routed 4-0 by Tottenham on Saturday.
Data Debrief: Salah helps Slot into history books
Despite a lacklustre defensive performance, Liverpool earned their 10th victory in 12 Premier League games this season (one draw, one defeat), thanks primarily to Salah's quality in attack.
Salah has become the first Liverpool player to score in five successive Premier League games since the Egyptian himself did so in seven straight matches in October 2021.
His penalty, meanwhile, was his 100th goal away from Anfield for the Reds across all competitions.
Slot has now joined former Chelsea bosses Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti as the fastest managers to reach 10 Premier League wins upon their arrival in the division.
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