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Insider Dean Jones has expressed his confusion over why Graham Potter opted to substitute Joao Felix for Conor Gallagher at half-time in the recent Chelsea win.

What's the latest on Joao Felix and Chelsea?

With the pressure recently mounting on the Blues manager, the Englishman had a great week as he beat Borussia Dortmund to qualify for the next round of the Champions League.

Potter then followed that up with a 3-1 win over Leicester City in the Premier League with goals from Ben Chilwell, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic sealing the victory.

During the game, however, the Chelsea boss opted to bring off Felix for Gallagher, making the change at half-time much to the frustration of Jones.

Indeed, while speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, the insider voiced his bemusement at the decision.

He explained: "He [Potter] said I wanted another man in the middle. It was a tactical decision.

"And I'm looking at it, I'm like: No! Joao Felix is not getting subbed for Conor Gallagher… no way."

Why did Potter bring Felix off at half-time?

As alluded to by Jones, Potter seemed to suggest in his press conference after the game that Felix's substitution wasn't to do with any injury issue or for his role played in the Leicester goal, but rather just tactical.

The coach explained: “Tactically, I wanted to use an extra midfielder.

“I felt we needed someone who could ball-win, a different profile and I thought Conor was fantastic.”

As per SofaScore, it's fair to say Felix didn't exactly impress. Indeed, he finished the game with a 5.9 match rating (the worst of any player on the pitch). In comparison, Gallagher came on and picked up an 8.0 match rating (the best of any player on the pitch).

Seeing as Chelsea went on to win the game, it's hard to argue against Potter's decision even if many viewers such as Jones may have preferred to see what Felix could have potentially done in the second half to redeem his poor display.

Manchester United are monitoring the situation of Ajax forward Amourricho van Axel Dongen ahead of the summer with his deal at Ajax set to expire in the coming months.

Is van Axel Dongen available in the summer?

Currently, the 18-year-old is set to see his deal in Amsterdam come to an end at the end of the campaign which would make him a free agent.

However, there is a belief the Eredivisie giants are working on a potential new deal which would see his stay in Amsterdam extended.

But with no agreement in place for the youngster to put pen to paper on the deal which would see his stay through until 2027, it leaves some hope for the likes of United.

And speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has suggested Erik ten Hag would be keen to reunite with the young prospect this summer at Old Trafford:

"I have an exclusive update for you because there is a talent at Ajax who is really, really interesting. Out of contract in the summer 2023, Van Axel Dongen."

"Man United with Erik ten Hag, who knows the player very well – he was already in the first team sometimes with Erik ten Hag, so he's a big fan of young talents, we know, and Van Axel Dongen is one of them.

"So he's a player to watch because Manchester United are informed on the situation. At the moment, there is no bid, but Man United are keeping an eye on the situation."

What could Van Axel Dongen bring to Old Trafford?

There is seemingly a lot of promise surrounding the young Ajax forward with Ten Hag wanting to bring him over to the Premier League.

And this is a player who the Dutch manager will be familiar with from his time managing in Amsterdam and he was the man to provide the forward with his debut in the Eredivisie.

At just 17 years old, Van Axel Dongen was handed an opportunity by Ten Hag in an away game against FC Utrecht which Ajax ran out comfortable 3-0 winners.

And Ten Hag also provided the youngster with two opportunities in the KNVB Beker cup in which he started during the 9-0 victory over Excelsior.

However, Van Axel Dongen has not been so fortunate this season with his opportunities limited to the Ajax youth side.

The 18-year-old has made 12 appearances for Ajax's U21s and in those games, he has been able to provide a return of one goal and an assist (via Transfermarkt).

It is worth mentioning the youngster's season has been massively hindered by a ligament tear which he has only recently returned from.

Although the winger would be unlikely to arrive at United at dislodge someone like Marcus Rashford from the side, Ten Hag clearly feels the player could blossom under the potential guidance of the United star.

Liverpool are reportedly battling bitter rivals Manchester United to sign Anderlecht goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen in the summer.

The Lowdown: Verbruggen profiled

Verbruggen is one of the rising goalkeepers in European football, and has just come off the back of a man-of-the-match performance for Anderlecht in their UEFA Europa Conference League second leg last-16 tie against Villarreal on Thursday night.

Achieving a 9.5 rating on SofaScore, by far the highest of anyone on the pitch, the 20-year-old made a remarkable nine saves in total, with five of those coming from shots inside the box, as Anderlecht won 1-0 away in Spain to go through 2-1 on aggregate.

In the Belgian top flight, Verbruggen has only conceded 13 times in 12 appearances, keeping five clean sheets (first senior call-up to the Netherlands squad ahead of the upcoming international break.

The Latest: Liverpool interest

As per Belgian news outlet HLN, Liverpool are set to battle United for Verbruggen’s signature this summer, with both Jurgen Klopp and Erik ten Hag ‘charmed’ by him.

Anderlecht want to keep him if possible, after rejecting an offer from Vincent Kompany’s Burnley last summer, but there is a ‘real chance’ that he could leave for financial reasons.

Still, Verbruggen has a €10m (£8.8m) price tag over him, and Anderlecht are insistent that he will not leave for less.

The Verdict: Kelleher replacement?

The Merseysiders have reportedly put back-up goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher up for sale this summer, as he is not part of their long-term plans at Anfield.

This means that a goalkeeper position should open up next season, and Verbruggen could take that with open arms alongside number one Alisson.

HLN describe him as ‘excellent’ with his feet, making him a ‘huge weapon’ for teams that like to play out from the back:

“Verbruggen is an excellent line keeper, but is also excellent with the feet. A huge weapon for teams that like to build from behind.”

His team-mate and former Premier League defender Jan Vertonghen is also full of admiration for Verbruggen, claiming that he has the potential to become ‘one of the best goalkeepers in Europe’:

“Verbruggen has the potential for me to become one of the best goalkeepers in Europe. If you see where he is now at 20. We are also very close, we are practically neighbors in Antwerp. I’ve rarely seen such a personality at that age. Modest, but very driven and ambitious. If I’m a top European club and I have the money to spend, I wouldn’t hesitate.”

Nonetheless, Verbruggen looks to be a very capable understudy to Alisson for next season, should he move to the Reds.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to have shortlisted Mauricio Pochettino and Luis Enrique as potential successor for Antonio Conte and both are said to be keen to return to football.

When will Spurs sack Conte?

It is reported a possible early exit for the Italian and his backroom staff is now ominous after Conte's comments in his post-match press conference over the weekend.

Talks are believed to be taking place over a compensation package which would see the 53-year-old pack his bags ahead of his contractual departure at the end of the season.

A shortlist of managers is believed to have been drawn up by Fabio Paratici and two of them are said to be keen to make their return to management.

Indeed, speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed Pochettino and Enrique are both eager to get back into the thick of it amid their links to the job in N17:

"Mauricio Pochettino wants to return to training as soon as possible. Also, the same for Luis Enrique. He wants to be back coaching as soon as possible.

"So these two coaches are waiting to understand what kind of projects there will be around Europe – not just at Tottenham, but also other possibilities."

Who should Spurs appoint as their new manager?

If you are to narrow their options down to these two managers, there are some significant differences between what they could look to bring to Spurs.

One of the biggest issues for Spurs fans will have had with Conte's tenure is the dismal style of football which has been on display in north London.

And that is something which Pochettino would look to change, having previously played attack-minded football during his time at Spurs previously.

On the other hand, there could well be concerns as to whether Spurs have the players available to implement his possession-based style of football.

But what is perhaps even more intriguing ahead of the summer than who Spurs bring in as their new manager is the future of Harry Kane.

Pochettino is believed to have maintained a healthy relationship with the England captain since leaving north London back in 2019.

And it is possible Kane could potentially be persuaded to stay and sign a new deal by either manager with Enrique also bringing vast experience from his time with Barcelona and the Spanish national side.

But if Kane is to leave, it will leave Spurs with an even bigger project and it could potentially be seen as an opportunity to completely start again with a younger managerial option.

Tottenham Hotspur want to open talks with Julian Nagelsmann about taking over as manager, in light of the recent departure of Antonio Conte, according to a report.

What are the latest manager rumours from Tottenham?

Tottenham's interim boss, Cristian Stellini, will be given the opportunity to be in charge until the end of the season, but there are four or five managers on the shortlist to take permanent charge at the end of the campaign, as reported by Fabrizio Romano.

At one stage, Marco Silva was reported to be in pole position to take over, while last week Brentford's Thomas Frank was said to be the frontrunner for the job, so it is clear there are multiple people under consideration by chairman Daniel Levy. After Nagelsmann was sacked by Bayern Munich, Tottenham ended their interest in Roberto De Zerbi, instead making the German their priority target, with the club's hierarchy viewing him as an elite-level manager.

Now, as per a report from The Daily Mail, the Lilywhites could be set to formalise their interest in the former Bayern boss, as Levy wishes to personally speak to him about the now-vacant position. The club have drawn up a list of potential options as they look to land a replacement in the summer, with Mauricio Pochettino also said to be in the frame, although there is some opposition to his appointment internally.

Other names linked with the job include the likes of Frankfurt boss Oliver Glasner, and his preference for a three-at-the-back system with wing-backs could be a consideration, as the club have spent heavily to bolster those positions in recent times.

Would Julian Nagelsmann work at Tottenham?

The 35-year-old is reportedly open to talks about replacing Conte, but he may want a short period of time to decide on his next role, and with Stellini set to be installed as manager until the end of the season, taking over in the summer could be of great appeal.

Hailed as "fantastic" by sections of the media, the German won three trophies during his time with Bayern, and from the outside his sacking appears very harsh.

The reigning Bundesliga champions are through to the last eight of the Champions League, having defeated Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 over two legs, while they are just one point behind league-leaders Borussia Dortmund domestically. While he does not have prior experience in the Premier League, Nagelsmann is a top young manager, with a proven track record of winning trophies, and he would be a very exciting appointment for Tottenham.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that Arsenal right-back Ben White is "underrated" by those who do not watch the Gunners closely.

What's the latest on Ben White and Arsenal?

Mikel Arteta and his team took one step closer to securing the Premier League title at the end of the season with a vital win over Leeds United on Saturday.

Playing host to the Whites at the Emirates, Arsenal scored four goals and conceded just once as they thumped their opponents 4-1.

England defender White played a key role in the victory as he scored the second goal of the game and completed the full 90 minutes.

While speaking about the defender on his own YouTube channel, Watts couldn't help but sing the praises of the right-back.

Indeed, the journalist insisted that the £120k-p/w star is completely underrated, saying (11:02): “I love Ben White. I think he's so so good.

"He's such an underrated player outside of Arsenal. I think everyone at Arsenal knows how good Ben White is, how good a season he's had.

"But outside of Arsenal, I think a lot of people just don't really appreciate him. And they should because he's one hell of a player.”

Is Ben White underrated?

It seems international manager Gareth Southgate certainly doesn't rate him that highly. After all, he didn't pick him in the latest England squad – although that could be down to a non-footballing issue, as White left the Three Lions camp early during the World Cup for unspecified reasons.

So is White underrated? Well, when compared to other England right-backs, he seems to do pretty well. Indeed, as per FBREF, the Arsenal man has two goals and three assists in the Premier League this term.

This is one more goal and one more assist better than any of the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James, and Kyle Walker have managed – not bad considering White played last season as a centre-back and isn't known for his attacking prowess like the others.

He has also made more blocks, attempted more tackles, and completed more take-ons than any of the other three – although he has played that most minutes. The 25-year-old is also yet to make an error leading to a shot at goal. Trent Alexander-Arnold, for instance, has made two.

Perhaps the stat the most stands out is the simplest one. White is the first-choice right-back at the best team in the country right now, having started 27 league games for the Gunners, losing just twice.

With all that in mind, he's clearly one of the best, if not the best right-back in the league right now. So it's fair to say he probably is a bit underrated.

So often this season Tottenham have been the comeback kings. Most notably they came from behind to beat Bournemouth earlier in the campaign, scoring late on to secure a 3-2 win.Remarkably, the score was the same again on Saturday afternoon, just in favour of Gary O’Neill’s men this time around, as the two sides played out yet another thriller.A rare goal for Heung-min Son this term opened the scoring for Cristian Stellini’s men but they were pegged back by a strike from Mathias Vina. Dominic Solanke then gave the Cherries the lead shortly before half time, only for chaos to ensue at the death.Forgotten man Arnaut Danjuma scored a late equaliser for the Londoners with just two minutes remaining but up popped Dango Ouattara five minutes into injury time to score a winner.Spurs could well have won the game, however, if it wasn’t for two moments that summed up Richarlison’s career in north London.

What happened to Richarlison in Tottenham’s defeat to Bournemouth?

The Brazilian is still to find the net in the Premier League since his mega £60m switch from Everton last summer and against the Cherries this weekend, the wide man thought he’d finally ended his drought.

The ball bounced favourably to Richarlison inside the penalty area before he superbly found the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.

There was then heartbreak again for the forward who unmarked from a late corner, somehow headed wide of the target from just six yards out.

It was a terrible miss and one that would have undoubtedly sealed all three points for the Lilywhites.

As it happened, that chance would come back to bite them when Ouatarra went up the other end and found the net himself.

Unsurprisingly, a number of supporters felt it was an opportune moment to have a pop at the Brazil international, with some of the most amusing reactions below…

Liverpool have made their “first contact” with Premier League rivals Chelsea regarding a deal for Mason Mount, according to journalist Rudy Galetti.

What's the latest on Mount to Liverpool?

The Blues playmaker isn’t out of contract until next summer but he’s already facing an uncertain future having rejected a new deal to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge. Bayern Munich were recently linked with a move for the 24-year-old who was reportedly considering forming a reunion with his ex-manager Thomas Tuchel but it’s predominantly been the Reds that have emerged as his top potential suitor should he be on the move at the end of the season.

Football Insider have reported that the England international is a huge admirer of Jurgen Klopp and that he would indeed be open to completing the switch to Anfield, and it sounds like FSG have capitalised on this by taking the first official step towards a move.

Taking to Twitter, Galetti revealed that Liverpool have now held initial discussions with Chelsea to discover what they feel it will take to get a deal for their academy graduate #over the line during the upcoming window. He wrote:

“#Liverpool are interested in Mason #Mount: first contact with #Chelsea for preliminary info already done. A new MF is a priority for this summer: in addition to the #CFC player, on the #LFC's list there are #Rice, #MilinkovicSavic and #Caicedo.”

Would Mount be a good signing for Liverpool?

Jordan Henderson isn’t getting any younger (32) so Liverpool need someone with similar qualities to succeed him for the long-term, and having been lauded a “leader” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Mount would be the perfect candidate.

The Nike-sponsored star has posted 70 goal contributions (33 goals and 37 assists) in 192 Chelsea senior appearances and ranks in the 93rd percentile for most progressive passes, highlighting his desire to create and put away chances in the final third.

The Portsmouth-born ace would also add plenty of versatility to the side having operated in seven different positions since the start of his career where he’s comfortable playing anywhere across the frontline alongside in a variety of roles in the centre.

The £76k-p/w talent knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having helped the Blues secure three first-team trophies, including the Champions League, so would match the winning mentality of the current squad already on Merseyside.

Chelsea have held talks about signing A.C. Milan winger Rafael Leao this summer, according to recent reports from Portugal.

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

Having spent £600m on new players since the arrival of owner Todd Boehly, there have been indications that Chelsea will be unable to compete for some of their top targets in the summer transfer window.

The Blues now consider a deal to bring Victor Osimhen to Stamford Bridge "financially impossible", with Napoli set to demand over £100m for the striker, who had been considered a top target for the west London club.

Amid the financial struggles at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal are now in pole position to sign Declan Rice this summer, meaning Boehly will have to consider alternative central-midfield options, and Romeo Lavia is at the top of the shortlist.

Even though Chelsea may not be as active in the upcoming window as they have been previously, A Bola report (via Sport Witness) that they have held talks with Sporting CP officials to discuss the signing of Leao.

Despite the winger playing for A.C. Milan, discussions have taken place with Sporting as there is an ongoing dispute with the player's former club, as they are still owed €20.3m (£18.1m) following the termination of his contract in 2018.

The 23-year-old is in the process of renewing his contract with Milan, but the Blues believe they can sign him by offering to end the financial dispute with Sporting, giving the Portuguese club priority on the list of players they are selling in the summer.

Should Chelsea sign Rafael Leao?

It remains to be seen whether Chelsea can strike a deal with Sporting, however if an agreement to bring the Portugal international to Stamford Bridge this summer is possible, then he should undoubtedly be signed.

Hailed as a "monster" by members of the media, the A.C. Milan star is a fantastic dribbler of the ball, ranking in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons per 90 in the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

With 11 goals and nine assists to his name, no Milan player has weighed in with more goal contributions than the £28k-per-week winger so far this season, recently assisting in both legs of his side's Champions League triumph over Napoli.

Raheem Sterling has failed to reach the heights expected of him in a Chelsea shirt, now without a goal or assist in his last eight Premier League games, while Mykhaylo Mudryk has also flattered to deceive, and Leao could be a real upgrade at left-wing.

Leeds United did their survival hopes little good on Tuesday night as they could only muster a 1-1 draw against fellow relegation candidates Leicester City.

What happened in Leeds vs Leicester?

Leeds came into the game on the back of three defeats, with Dean Smith's side having earned a morale-boosting win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, and this game could certainly be considered a relegation six-pointer.

Javi Gracia's side were fortunate to not find themselves behind within ten minutes as Youri Tielemans' rocket was ruled out by VAR as Boubakary Soumare was offside before he set the ball up to his Belgian teammate.

In a frantic, fast-paced first half at Elland Road, it was the Yorkshire outfit who landed the first blow on Tuesday night, as Luis Sinisterra continued his fine recent goalscoring form by heading in Jack Harrison's wicked delivery at the back post.

Unfortunately, the Colombian was forced off through injury and Leeds lost some momentum as a result, with the Foxes looking dangerous throughout the second half until the talismanic Jamie Vardy found an equaliser from James Maddison's pass.

The veteran striker thought he had won it for Leicester only to be denied by the offside flag before Leeds rallied, with Marc Roca's header kept out at point-blank range by Daniel Iversen. Patrick Bamford then fluffed a golden opportunity in the final moments by sending his effort wide when left unmarked at the back post.

The result leaves Leeds deep in relegation trouble and Gracia's side could find themselves back in the bottom three by the end of the game week, with tough games against Manchester City, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur still to come.

Who was Leeds' worst performer vs Leicester?

While Bamford will be the scapegoat for a lot of Leeds fans after his late miss, it was arguably Junior Firpo who was Gracia's poorest performer last night.

As per Sofascore, the Spanish full-back would earn a disappointing 6.5/10 rating for his performance, with only Liam Cooper and Robin Koch (both 6.3) rated lower of the Leeds players to feature in the game.

Although he has often been labelled a "liability" from a defensive perspective – as per the Mirror's David Anderson – it was the former Barcelona man's shocking passing throughout the game which made him Gracia's main antagonist at Elland Road.

Firpo would complete just 11/24 passes with a woeful success rate of only 46%, despite having 41 touches of the ball in his time on the pitch, emphasising just how poor he was in possession.

For context, Illan Meslier would complete 13 passes on the night, while the £60k-per-week defender has averaged 27.9 passes in the Premier League so far this term, so he was even worse than usual.

The left-back lost possession on 15 occasions in total, while he was also unsuccessful with all four of his long balls and failed with his one dribble attempt, in what was a truly dreadful display at Elland Road where he failed to exert any composure on proceedings.

Gracia will be hoping that Max Wober is back fit for upcoming games after witnessing Firpo's performance on his return to the side against Leicester. He was truly let down by the full-back on this occasion.