All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City made history when they won the club's first treble in the 2022/23 campaign by securing the Premier League title, the FA Cup, and the Champions League.

It was also the first Champions League trophy for the Cityzens as Pep Guardiola and his men ran riot on all fronts to showcase their dominance domestically and in Europe.

Despite their incredible season, City opted to dip into the transfer market to splash the cash on new signings to bolster the manager's squad ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Josko Gvardiol, Jeremy Doku, Mateo Kovacic, and Matheus Nunes were all brought in, whilst Riyad Mahrez, Aymeric Laporte, and Cole Palmer were allowed to depart.

Whilst Gvardiol, who started 26 Premier League matches, and Kovacic, who played in 30 of the club's 38 league games, played important roles in the club's title success, Nunes did not enjoy as successful a debut season at The Etihad.

Guardiola could now land an upgrade on the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielders by securing a deal to sign one of the club's reported transfer targets.

Man City's interest in Premier League star

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester City are one of the teams interested in a potential deal to sign Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United this summer.

The report claims that the Brazil international had a release clause in his contract that would have allowed him to move on for a fee of £100m before the end of June.

That clause has now expired and any club wanting to sign the former Lyon starlet would need to negotiate a fee with the Magpies for his services.

TEAMtalk states that there is confidence from City sources that they would be able to secure an agreement with Newcastle for a fee in the region of £80m, £20m less than his expired release clause.

It adds that fellow Premier League title challengers Arsenal are also interested in the Brazilian maestro and also believe that they could sign Guimaraes for £80m.

However, the outlet reveals that the right-footed gem, who was signed from Lyon for £40m in January 2022, is currently happy at St. James' Park and is in no rush to seal an exit from Tyneside.

TEAMtalk reports that both Arsenal and City do believe that he would be interested in playing for them, though, and that a move to The Etihad is the most likely option for him if he does decide to call time on his spell with Newcastle.

If Guardiola can convince the talented whiz to join his squad before the end of the summer then he could come in as a big upgrade on Nunes in midfield.

Matheus Nunes' underwhelming season

The Cityzens reportedly splashed out a mega fee of £53m to sign the Portugal international from fellow Premier League side Wolves last summer.

Instead of hitting the ground running as a key first-team player for the Spanish boss, Nunes struggled to prove that he was ready to be a regular in the team.

The 25-year-old midfielder should be in the prime years of his career, as he is not a young player in the early years of his senior journey, but did not show enough to suggest that he is going to be crucial for City next term.

Appearances

19

Starts

9

Goals

0

Assists

2

Ground duel success rate

50%

Aerial duel success rate

44%

As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese flop only started nine of the club's 38 league matches and only featured in 19 in total – missing out on getting on the pitch in the other 19 games.

He only contributed with two goal involvements – two assists – in those 19 matches, which shows that the former Wolves ace struggled to make much of an impact at the top end of the pitch.

His lack of physicality out of possession was also evident with a duel success rate of just 49%. This shows that opposition players found it too easy to get the better of him in physical contests, on the deck and in the air.

That may have contributed to Guardiola opting not to use him week-in-week-out in the Premier League, as he could not be relied upon in duels or to contribute in the final third.

Why Man City should sign Bruno Guimaraes

The Cityzens should now swoop to sign Guimaraes from Newcastle on a permanent deal for £80m this summer as he is a proven performer who could come in and hit the ground running at The Etihad.

He has been a fantastic player in the middle of the park for the Magpies in recent seasons and played a crucial role in their qualification for the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign.

The Brazilian star produced four goals and five assists in 32 Premier League starts that term to help them to finish fourth in the division, sealing a place in Europe's premier cup competition.

Guimaraes followed that up with a string of outstanding displays in midfield for Eddie Howe's side last season, albeit they failed to finish inside the top four for a second season in succession.

Appearances

37

19

Goals

7

0

Assists

8

2

Big chances created

12

2

Tackles + interceptions per game

3.3

1.1

Duel success rate

57%

49%

As you can see in the table above, the Magpies sensation offered far more to his team in and out of possession than Nunes did for City in his first year with the club.

The Newcastle ace, who was described as "special" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, proved himself to carry a big threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals, which is something the Portuguese flop failed to do.

He also showcased his ability out of possession with 2.2 more tackles and interceptions combined per match and a higher success rate in his physical duels.

Man City willing to make first move for "incredible" £60m Grealish upgrade

The Citizens could hijack Tottenham’s move…

1 ByTom Cunningham Jul 10, 2024

These statistics suggest that Guimaraes would come in as an immediate upgrade on Nunes, as he is a better player who offers more on and off the ball in a central midfield role, and that is why City should swoop to sign him.

Leeds United have made four additions to their first-team squad during the summer transfer window, since they failed to earn promotion to the Premier League last season.

The Whites lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley in May and are now preparing for a second season in the Championship.

Daniel Farke swooped to bring in Joe Rodon on a permanent deal from Tottenham Hotspur after his spell on loan at Elland Road during the 2023/24 campaign, with Archie Gray going to Spurs in a separate deal.

Leeds then signed Alex Cairns to provide back-up to Illan Meslier and Karl Darlow, central midfielder Joe Rothwell joined on a season-long loan move from Bournemouth, and Jayden Bogle has been snapped up from Sheffield United.

Farke may want to make additions to his attacking options over the coming weeks, though, after his side struggled badly in front of goal in the second tier.

The West Yorkshire side racked up 82 goals from a whopping 94.57 xG in the Championship, which shows that the manager's side missed far too many high-quality chances.

Leeds' finishing struggles last season

The Whites underperformed against their xG by a significant amount as a number of their players endured frustrating seasons when it came to finishing off high xG opportunities.

Three of Leeds' four first-team striker options were within the top five Leeds players who underperformed against their xG, which illustrates a clear issue within the squad.

Georgino Rutter

16.05

7

-9.05

Patrick Bamford

11.11

8

-3.11

Joe Rodon

2.51

0

-2.51

Ethan Ampadu

2.3

0

-2.3

Mateo Joseph

2.43

1

-1.43

As you can see in the table above, Georginio Rutter and Patrick Bamford combined for an xG differential of -11.16. This was a staggering underperformance and may have been costly in the race for automatic promotion back to the Premier League.

Leeds finished third in the table and could have broken into the top two ahead of Ipswich Town or Leicester City, if they had matched their xG total, or even overperformed.

These statistics, therefore, suggest that Farke needs to bring in higher-quality finishers to bolster his squad in order to make the most of the high-quality opportunities that his team can create on a consistent basis.

With this in mind, Leeds must take notice of Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony's plea for the club to sign Blackburn Rovers star Sammie Szmodics, to guarantee promotion to the top-tier.

The Ireland international could come in as a dream signing for Rutter at the top end of the pitch, to make the most of the Frenchman's creativity.

Georginio Rutter's creative genius

The former Hoffenheim whiz is a fantastic creative talent who can consistently split open opposition defences to create chances for his teammates in the final third.

In fact, Rutter ranked within the top 2% of forwards in the Championship for Expected Assisted Goals per 90 (0.29) and the top 2% for assists per 90 (0.39), which shows that he was one of the best players in his position when it came to creating for others.

Not many forwards in the division created high-quality opportunities as regularly as the left-footed sensation did for Leeds during the 2023/24 campaign.

Appearances

45

Goals

6

Assists

15

Big chances created

22

Key passes per game

1.9

As you can see in the table above, his teammates did not make the most of the 'big chances' he created as they only scored 15 times from 22 of them.

His remarkable ability to spot and play a pass that cuts through the heart of a defence makes him a constant menace to opposition teams, who have to find ways to isolate him in matches. But, as you can see in his statistics, defenders rarely manage to keep him quiet in the second tier.

This suggests that Rutter could benefit from having a striker alongside him who knows how to finish at an exceptional rate, as Bamford and Joseph – as shown by their xG underperformance – are yet to prove that they are that player.

However, Szmodics could be that player if you take into account his performances for Blackburn during the 2023/24 campaign, as he proved himself to be a lethal finisher.

Why Sammie Szmodics could be a dream signing for Georginio Rutter

The Irish forward racked up a staggering 33 goals in 48 matches in all competitions for Rovers, despite the majority of his appearances coming as an attacking midfielder.

This immediately suggests that the Blackburn star is a terrific attacker who can find the back of the net on a regular basis whilst playing for a Championship club.

In fact, Szmodics ranked within the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the division for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.62), which speaks to how frequently he found the target compared to his positional peers.

At the age of 28, Leeds would be signing a player who is in the prime years of his career and could come in to hit the ground running for them next season, rather than gambling on a young prospect or a striker from abroad who has no experience in the Championship.

Appearances

44

xG

22.36

Goals

27

Minutes per goal

145

Conversion rate

19%

Big chances created

7

Duel success rate

42%

As you can see in the table above, Szmodics scored 27 goals from 22.36 xG in the league and that is a staggering overperformance of more than four goals.

This shows that the Irishman, who was hailed as "incredible" by ex-boss Jon Dahl Tomasson, has the finishing acumen to make the most of the high-quality chances that his team are able to create for him week-in-week-out.

Therefore, he could be the dream signing to play alongside Rutter as the French magician could provide him with ample supply to be a lethal goalscorer for Leeds moving forward.

Leeds could perfectly replace Kamara by signing £40k-p/w star

The Whites have been linked with a swoop for the defensive midfielder this summer.

ByDan Emery Jul 15, 2024

This is why Farke must now swoop to sign the Blackburn attacker to form a formidable pairing with Rutter in the final third at Elland Road next term.

Another season approaches and once again questions remain regarding the number nine berth at Manchester United, with a guaranteed supply of goals having yet to be found by Erik ten Hag and co.

As was the case following his arrival from Atalanta last term, it will be a belated start to the new campaign for Rasmus Hojlund due to injury, with the towering Dane – who ended 2023/24 as the club's top scorer with 16 goals in all competitions – facing a six-week stint on the sidelines.

With Anthony Martial finally out the door, the Red Devils have acquired a suitable replacement in the form of Joshua Zirkzee, albeit with the Dutchman hardly a sure-fire thing, having netted just 12 times for Bologna last time out.

With doubts surrounding Zirkzee's clinical nature – and with Hojlund absent – it is perhaps not out of the question that INEOS could dip into the market again to acquire another leading centre-forward.

Latest on Man Utd's search for a striker

According to Football Insider, the Premier League outfit are 'plotting a late-window bid' for Brentford talisman, Ivan Toney, with the 28-year-old among United's targets as they seek out a 'proven centre-forward'.

As per the report, the England international – who has just a year left on his deal – could be available at a discounted price, with the Bees dropping their asking price from £70m to £50m as the end of the window looms.

Why Ivan Toney would be a good signing

With 36 goals and 11 assists in just 85 career appearances in England's top-flight, the one-time Newcastle United man would represent the 'proven' option that INEOS are craving, even despite having scored just four league goals last season.

90 minutes

1 assist

1 'big chance' created

6 shots off target

3 shots on target

49 touches

1 key pass

4/6 ground duels won

3/8 aerial duels won

7.8 match rating

That dry spell was no doubt sparked by the striker's lengthy, eight-month absence due to suspension for betting breaches – that untimely hiatus having come after a season in which he scored 20 times to finish third in the Golden Boot race.

It was amid that impending return to action earlier this year that unsurprising comparisons were made to a certain Eric Cantona, with the legendary Frenchman having famously endured his own stint on the sidelines following that Kung-Fu kick on a supporter back in January 1995.

Unlike Toney, 'King Eric' made up for lost time after helping to propel Alex Ferguson's men to the title in the 1995/96 season, scoring 14 league goals following his return to action in the October.

While the Brentford man's comeback proved far less fruitful, his manager Thomas Frank does see a likeness between the pair in a different sense due to their brimming "confidence", with Toney the type of player who "believes he can score in every action".

Much like Cantona too, he is also something of a "maverick" – as hailed by NBC's Robbie Mustoe.

Cantona, of course, oozed charisma during his days as Ferguson's talisman, with the iconic coach himself having outlined the key traits which the forward brought to the club in 1992: "His presence, his confidence, his stature".

Toney has not yet proven himself to be of the same ilk, but there is that same swagger, bordering on arrogance, that supporters relish when it's backed up, with England fans and pundits alike having marvelled at his no-look penalty against Switzerland at Euro 2024.

As that composed spot-kick rubberstamped, the Northampton-born marksman is the modern day 'showman' – as described by The Guardian's David Hytner – possessing a self-assured nature which would seemingly relish the responsibility of pulling on the famed United shirt.

At a time when far too many players have wilted under the weight of the jersey over the last decade or so, Toney could represent a breath of fresh air at the Theatre of Dreams.

Man Utd could make 'cheeky bid' for "monster" £15m Hojlund alternative

He has less than 12 months left on his contract

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 6, 2024

Chelsea's pre-season has come to its conclusion, with a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge against Inter Milan.

Despite having 21 shots, forcing Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer into six saves, and having more possession, the Blues were unable to score until the 90th minute.

Lesley Ugochukwu, who came on for a brilliant ten-minute cameo at the end of the game, scored the equaliser, to rescue Chelsea from their third consecutive defeat in pre-season, and their fourth overall.

With the Premier League kicking off next week, this was Enzo Maresca's last chance to see his side in game action, before picking his side next weekend to face Manchester City in their opening fixture.

The latest on Samu Omorodion's move to Chelsea

Fabrizio Romano broke the news last week that Samu Omorodion would join Chelsea from Atlético Madrid, signing a seven-year contract for the London club.

The Spanish striker landed in England on Sunday, according to Romano, and will undergo the final steps of his move.

The 6 foot 4 Spaniard adds a box threat to the Chelsea squad, winning 2.75 aerials per 90, managing a 0.52 xG per 90 (top 15% among strikers in the top five leagues), and taking 3.02 shots per 90 on average.

Omorodion made 36 appearances last season for Alaves (and Atletico Madrid), scoring nine goals, providing one assist, and totalling 2,096 minutes played.

Based on the performances of his positional competitors on Sunday, he may not find it too hard to walk into the starting lineup.

Jackson & Marc Guiu vs Inter

Guiu played the first 56 minutes of the game, leading the line, and looking really hungry in the press. His intensity out of possession was excellent, charging down Sommer on multiple occasions, and sparking Stamford Bridge into life, especially early on in the game.

However, of the chances that fell to him, Guiu managed three shots, two of which tested the keeper, and the other being blocked. The 18-year-old only managed just 14 touches – fewer than goalkeeper Robert Sanchez's haul of 27 – and struggled to have a real impact on the game outside those few chances spurred.

Despite a promising pre-season from the youngster, it remains to be seen if the Blues can rely on him to score regular goals, and it might be a case of continuing his development with substitute and cup appearances, or even a loan move.

Minutes played

56

34

Touches

14

9

Accurate passes

5/7

2/2

Shots

3

1

Dribbles

0

0/1

Duels won

2/6

2/5

Possession lost

3x

4x

Fouls

4

0

Chelsea fans got their first look at Jackson in pre-season against Inter Milan today, coming on for the final 34 minutes of the game. Whilst he was shaking off the rust, he only managed nine touches, had one shot which was off target, and lost possession four times.

Now this is expected in his first minutes, coming back from an injury he's been nursing throughout pre-season.

However, if Jackson is going to take time to get up to speed, and Guiu is currently looking promising, but without that final bit of finesse in the box, Chelsea will be looking to bring Omorodion into the fray as soon as possible.

If Chelsea continue to create a host of chances, having 21 shots today, and forcing Sommer into six saves (five from inside the box), a striker with the xG creation of Omorodion will give the Blues that extra chance of converting high-percentage chances, and not relying on a 90th-minute equaliser.

Watch out Omorodion: Chelsea want PL ace who's a bigger talent than Solanke

The Blues are still looking to improve their forward line this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 11, 2024

Leeds United are believed to be in pole position to sign a Premier League defender in the final days of the summer transfer window.

Leeds transfer rumours

It is set to be a busy end to the transfer window at Elland Road, as the 49ers Enterprises look to seal a plethora of new signings following a number of exits.

In the last seven days, Largie Ramazani has put pen to paper on a permanent Leeds contract, joining from Almeria, whereas Manor Solomon has signed on loan from Tottenham. The duo will look to fill the void left by Crysencio Summerville and Georginio Rutter, with Solomon admitting he is fit and ready to go following an injury-hit campaign with Spurs last time out.

“As soon as the interest from Leeds came, I started to look for the players, for the coach and I've spoken with the manager and he explained to me about the style of playing, about the players that there are in Leeds.

“I know there is a group of great lads, young people with great desire, with great techniques and I'm looking forward to playing with them and to help them in the best way I can. I just want to get going.

“Obviously I had a really tough season last season. I had an injury that happened in the beginning of the season and then for the majority of the season, I couldn't play football. But now I am fit and I'm ready to go, I'm ready to show myself again.

“I'm ready to go back to the biggest levels again and hopefully we'll have a great season here at Leeds. We have one goal and everyone knows our goal, hopefully we'll do it together."

Sky Sports: Leeds now also in talks to sign new £7m+ forward after Solomon

Three more signings could be made.

ByCharlie Smith Aug 28, 2024

Now, at least another midfielder and a full-back are on the to-do list, according to The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, and it looks as if the club are revisiting previous targets.

In midfield, the Whites are in advanced talks to sign Ao Tanaka from Fortuna Dusseldorf, whereas AFC Bournemouth full-back Max Aarons is also of interest. A surprise loan approach was made for Aarons last week, and a new update has emerged in the last 48 hours.

Leeds favourites to sign Max Aarons

According to TEAMtalk, Leeds appear to be leading the race to sign Aarons before the deadline as they are ‘emerging as favourites’ for his services.

Aarons made 23 appearances for Bournemouth last season but was left out of the squad for the Premier League opener against Nottingham Forest, with Andoni Iraola recently saying on his situation: “He's trying to get more minutes like the others. I think you can be out of the squad and next day you start.”

TEAMtalk add that the Whites are ‘confident’ of landing the £35,000-a-week defender, who actually pulled the plug on a move to Leeds last year in favour of the Cherries.

That could soon change, though, with Aarons potentially on his way to Yorkshire this time around to rival Jayden Bogle and Junior Firpo at both right-back and left-back.

Tottenham Hotspur made up for their opening weekend blunder last Monday with an incredible display of attacking football against Everton at home on Saturday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou's side were under plenty of pressure, but they rose to the occasion and reminded the rest of the league just how good they can be when at their free-flowing best.

What made it even more impressive was that they were without their new star striker, Dominic Solanke, who could be out until after the international break with an ankle injury.

It's not an ideal situation and highlights how light the club are in certain areas, although with the transfer window still open for another few days, Daniel Levy still has time to strengthen Postecoglou's attacking options.

The club wouldn't even have to look that hard, as they were linked with an ideal signing earlier this month, although the player in question would probably be bad news for Richarlison's game time.

Why Spurs signed Solanke

Now, for as wildly entertaining as Spurs were at points last season and as many goalscoring opportunities as they created through Postecoglou's attacking brand of football, they only scored the seventh most goals in the league.

Worse yet, according to Understat, they underperformed their open-play expected goals figure by a massive 5.55, a problem that needed attention if the team were going to take another step forward this season.

So, once the window opened a few months ago, Levy and Co went to work looking for a new number nine to help them make the most of the chances they create, eventually settling on Bournemouth's Solanke.

They eventually paid the Cherries a whopping £65m for the Englishman. While that is an enormous sum of money, it's probably justified, as in 42 appearances across all competitions last season, he found the back of the net on 21 occasions and provided four assists for good measure.

This would have made him the top goalscorer and the second most productive player overall in the Lilywhites squad last season, so it's easy to see why the North Londoners opted to break the bank to secure his services.

Appearances

42

36

31

34

Goals

21

17

12

5

Assists

4

10

4

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

0.75

0.51

0.44

However, his minor ankle injury now means Postecoglou has to rely on his other attacking options, and that includes Richarlison; although, based on his performances for the club following his transfer two seasons ago, it could be time to move on from him, and the perfect upgrade has already been touted for a move to N17 this summer.

How David compares to Richarlison

Yes, the striker in question is LOSC Lille ace Jonathan David, who has been heavily linked with the Lilywhites all summer and was again linked in an article from football.london's Alasdair Gold late last week.

If Spurs did act on their interest in the Canadian international, it wouldn't require a huge sum of money either, as due to his contract expiring next summer, reports have claimed he could be available for as little as £20m.

With that said, how does he stack up to Richarlison? If he were to move to North London, it would likely be to replace the Brazilian as the backup striker, at least to start with anyway.

Unfortunately for the former Everton man, there isn't much competition at all when it comes to the pair's raw output.

For example, while the Nova Venécia-born forward was reasonably impressive last season, racking up 12 goals and four assists in 31 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 1.93 games, he was outclassed by the Lille ace.

Appearances

47

31

Goals

26

12

Assists

9

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.74

0.51

In his 47 appearances last season, the "mind-blowing" poacher, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 26 goals and provided nine assists, meaning that despite playing more matches, he maintained a more impressive average of goal involvement every 1.34 games.

Moreover, like the former Watford ace, the Brooklyn-born goal machine can play in several positions from centre-forward to attacking midfield and even second-striker, suggesting that Postecoglou could supercharge his frontline by playing him alongside Solanke when he's fit again.

Ultimately, Spurs undoubtedly improved their attack by signing the Bournemouth star this summer, but his recent injury has shed light on how thin the striker position is in the squad. Therefore, Levy and Co should go out and make one more signing before the window closes and bring David to North London.

Spurs could take Maddison to new heights with late move for £50m PL star

The incredible midfielder would perfectly balance Postecoglou’s team.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 27, 2024

West Ham United certainly haven’t been hanging around during the summer transfer window, securing deals for the likes of Max Kilman, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Füllkrug.

Julen Lopetegui means business, and it looks as though the club have secured yet another signing, as Carlos Soler has agreed to make the move from Paris Saint-Germain to London.

How much West Ham could spend on Carlos Soler

On transfer deadline day, the Irons secured a deal to sign Soler from the Ligue 1 club.

The initial move will be a season-long loan, and he will be replacing James Ward-Prowse, who has left to join Nottingham Forest in a similar move.

If a move for the Spaniard wishes to be made permanent next summer, however, he could cost around £17m according to Fabrizio Romano, which may turn out to be a bargain for Lopetegui.

Much will depend on how he performs in the Premier League, but the manager already has one player who is worth more than Soler in the squad and will likely initially start ahead of him.

Tomas Soucek’s market value at West Ham United

Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek joined the Irons permanently back in the summer of 2020 for a fee of £19m from Slavia Prague after impressing during an initial loan spell at the club.

Since then, he has gone from strength to strength, winning a European trophy for the London side in 2023, and he will likely play a key part under Lopetegui, battling alongside Soler for a place in the squad.

Season

Games

Goals

Assists

2023/24

52

10

3

2022/23

50

3

6

2021/22

51

6

1

2020/21

41

10

1

2019/20

13

3

0

Last season, the 29-year-old missed just one Premier League match across the entire campaign for the Hammers.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

He stepped up in an attacking sense, scoring seven goals, grabbing two assists, creating four big chances and averaging 1.2 shots per game. Adding these sorts of attacking skills to his repertoire has given him a much greater role in the first team.

Defensively, Soucek was also impressive. When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the former Slavia Prague star ranked in the top 2% for clearances per 90 (2.91) and in the top 1% for aerial duels won per 90 (3.5), showcasing his range of skills in the top flight last term.

On that evidence, it is no wonder that David Moyes thought he was "sensational". So great has the player been that his value has risen since moving to east London.

Indeed, acccording to Transfermarkt, the midfield maestro is currently valued at €30m (£26m), which means that he is worth £7m more now than what the club paid to sign him four years ago.

Not only that, but the midfielder is worth more than Soler, signifying how important he is to the club as they look to reach European competition after missing out this year for the first time in three seasons.

Many wondered whether Lopetegui was the right man to lead the club forward. Given his transfer business, the Spaniard could be about to achieve something very special at West Ham if everything works out well.

West Ham hit gold on star worth more than Fullkrug & Summerville combined

He’s been quite the sensation over the past several years…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 5, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur are going through something of a rebuild under Ange Postecoglou, but over the last ten to fifteen years, they have been lucky enough to watch some genuinely sensational footballers.

For example, while he’s not quite the player he once was, club captain Son Heung-min will unquestionably go down as a modern legend, and his former strike partner Harry Kane may well have been the best forward to ever grace the Premier League.

However, before those two came to define a period in Spurs’s recent history, the star of the show was a certain Welsh superstar, Mr Gareth Bale.

The Cardiff-born winger was an absolute monster for the Lilywhites, and it looked like they may have found his replacement a few years ago, only for that player to leave for nothing this year.

Bale's Spurs career

Back in the far-flung year of 2007, Spurs paid Southampton £10m – including add-ons – for their exciting up-and-coming young full-back called Bale – yes, he started at left-back.

At the time, there was an expectation that he would become a Premier League-level player, but people weren’t sure just how good he would be.

However, despite a bright start in his first five games for the club, which included a goal against Arsenal, he damaged a ligament in his ankle, and when he came back eight months later, he struggled.

In fact, he didn’t win a game for the club until his 25th appearance, and reportedly, Sir Alex Ferguson told Harry Redknapp to drop him from the team because he was becoming a bad luck charm. Fortunately, the Englishman didn’t listen to him, and when things started to turn around, it was he who moved the young talent to the left wing.

After that, the 6 foot 1 dynamo exploded, and in the 2012/13 season, he reached a genuinely world-class level, racking up a frankly absurd haul of 26 goals and ten assists in 44 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.33 games from the wing that season.

Unsurprisingly, this insane form led Real Madrid to pay a whopping £85m for his services that summer, and over the next seven years, he would win everything there was to win in club football, before coming back to Spurs on loan for the 20/21 season and then retiring a few years later at MLS side LA Galaxy.

Overall, the Welshman has a genuine shout for being the most talented Spurs player of the last 24 years, alongside the likes of Kane and Son, and just a few years ago, some believed that they might have just found their new Bale.

Appearances

237

Goals

71

Assists

53

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

What went wrong for Ryan Sessegnon?

Yes, the former Spurs player in question is Ryan Sessegnon, and while it may sound utterly absurd today, there were comparisons between the Englishman and Bale in the years before the North Londoners opted to splash £25m on him in the summer of 2019.

For example, just two years prior, football.london’s then Fulham writer Ryan O’Donovan claimed the full-back ‘could be one of the best English players in the country one day’ and that he could ‘see him being exactly like Gareth Bale’ in the sense that he would develop into a superstar wide attacker.

Moreover, just a year later, Matt Target, who was a teammate of Bales at Southampton and was a teammate of Sessegnon at the time, told the Independent that the young full-back was “definitely right up there with the likes of Luke Shaw, Gareth Bale” when talking about young prospects he had played with.

Now, to be fair to those who made bold comparisons in the past, the Roehampton-born talent was immense for the Cottagers at the time. He ended the 17/18 campaign with a haul of 16 goals and eight assists, then scored two goals and provided six assists in just 35 Premier League appearances the following season – his first in the competition.

It looked for all intents and purposes that he would take off once he settled in North London following his move in 2019, but unfortunately for all involved, that just didn’t happen.

Appearances

57

Goals

3

Assists

4

Injuries

9

Days Out Injured

751

During his five years as a Tottenham player, he would suffer five hamstring injuries, among other fitness issues, spend a season on loan with German side Hoffenheim and make a grand total of 57 competitive appearances for the North Londoners in which he scored three goals and provided four assists.

Ultimately, after five years of mostly downs, Sessegnon left Tottenham this summer and returned to Fulham on a free, and while he may still end up having a top-flight career to be proud of, he’s never going to reach the levels that Bale did – although we don’t think many could.

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Arteta first joined Arsenal from Man City when the club were a shadow of their former selves, but the tactician has since transformed them into genuine title contenders and one of England’s most elite sides once again.

Their star front quartet of Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard can take a lot of the plaudits for this – having scored a combined total of 59 goals in all competitions last season – as Arsenal finished 2023/2024 with 89 top flight points on the board.

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Club captain and chief creator Martin Odegaard is sidelined through injury right now, but the Norwegian has been pivotal as well these last few seasons. Club record-signing Declan Rice, who played in all of Arsenal’s 38 games last season as a general in Arteta’s midfield, is also a shining light in the team.

Further back, star defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have formed an exceptional partnership at the heart of Arteta’s defence since the former was introduced into the first-team fold in 2022.

Saliba has been linked with a move to Real Madrid as a result, with Carlo Ancelotti’s European champions in the market for an elite-level centre-back.

Saliba could be open to joining Real Madrid from Arsenal

According to reports out of Spain this week, Saliba could be open to joining Real from Arsenal one day, but the Galacticos will run into a brick wall considering the north Londoners have adopted a firm not-for-sale stance at this moment in time.

The France international, if he were to make his interest in joining more formal in the future, may have to twist Arsenal’s arm for it to happen – as Edu and Arteta deem him untouchable and rightly so.

Arsenal will command a price tag north of £100 million to even consider selling their “superstar” defender, according to some reports, and it isn’t something that supporters could have to seriously worry about at this moment in time.

“Whether it’s PSG, Real Madrid or another top European club, it’s very hard to see them being able to prise Saliba away from Arsenal,” said CBS reporter Jonathan Johnson to CaughtOffside recently.

“He’s one of their top talents at the moment, and one of the best defenders in world football, and after a strong showing at the Euros he’s shown he’s in that world class bracket. I think now that Mikel Arteta’s future has also been cleared up, I think Saliba will be looked at as a player that the Gunners hope to keep as a key cornerstone for the team.

“For the moment, I can’t see anyone going in for Saliba while he remains such a key part of that Arsenal project, but, depending on what happens this season, who knows, perhaps a scenario could develop that presents an opportunity for one of these top European clubs to sound out his situation.”

The future hasn’t always been bright for Tottenham Hotspur but under Ange Postecoglou he is building something with a lot of potential.

Let’s forget about that disastrous 3-2 defeat to Brighton for a moment and look at what’s still to come.

Indeed, this Spurs team have a crop of young players who could well become pivotal parts of where Postecoglou’s side land, providing the craggy-faced Aussie sticks around long enough.

Over the summer, the Lilywhites welcomed promising teenager winger Wilson Odobert to the club and they further dipped into the Championship to bring one of English football’s hottest young talents in Archie Gray to London.

You’ve also got Lucas Bergvall to add to the equation and perhaps the finest young prodigy of them all, Mikey Moore.

Mikey Moore's emergence at Spurs

What a young talent this boy is. At just 17 years of age, Moore is already making waves in the senior game and looked like quite the star in the making against Ferenvcaros in the Europa League last week.

Up to then, the teenager had only been afforded a few cameos from the bench but this was his first start in a competitive fixture. How he took his opportunity.

Spurs won the game 2-1 and Moore should have had an assist if colleague Timo Werner was at the races. The academy star dashed down the right-hand side and laid the ball on a plate for the German on the edge of the box. He took a horrific touch and then slid the ball into the side netting. He was one-on-one with the goalkeeper but fluffed his lines.

Coincidentally, it could well be the teenage sensation who ultimately ends up taking Werner’s place in the side.

Moore, who regularly played as a striker at youth team level, played on the right against Ferencvaros and then actually played ahead of Werner down the left in the last few minutes at the Amex last Sunday.

A scorer of 19 goals in just 24 outings for the U18s, there is clearly a natural finisher in there and it surely won’t be long before he becomes a more prominent asset in the Spurs squad.

Whether or not he is the natural heir to Harry Kane’s throne, only time will tell, but Postecoglou has high hopes for him.

Yamal may well be the gold standard for all of the budding teenage footballers out there but until Moore develops a little bit more, Spurs do already have a Yamal-like talent who’s brimming with confidence and playing his best football for the club.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Tottenham's very own Yamal

Barcelona superstar Yamal has had an outrageous 2024 to date. There’s no other way of putting it really. This kid has already been nominated for the Ballon d’Or and had a breathtaking Euro 2024 campaign in which he helped Spain take home the trophy.

During the continental competition, the 17-year-old scored once – a stunner against France – and registered four assists.

This season he’s continued where he left off for his country with four goals and five assists already in LaLiga action. Barca have found a Messi regen and it’s rather unfair to be totally honest.

Still, we must marvel at his skillset, his incredible attributes that are taking the global game by storm.

He might not be cut from quite the same cloth but believe it or not, Spurs have a player who’s registering similar numbers this term and that man is Dejan Kulusevski.

Said to be a star who could become a £80m-£100m player by Gary Neville last term, the Swede is certainly starting to live up to that billing this season.

He is one of the best supply lines around and created a whopping nine chances in that impressive 3-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford a week and a bit ago.

Kulusevski has been supreme and although the base numbers only show a haul of one goal and two assists for his efforts this season, there is much to admire. Before last weekend’s action, he was top of the charts and level with Cole Palmer for chances created from open play in the Premier League this season with 15.

So, let’s dig a little deeper into that comparison with Yamal, shall we? According to FBRef’s similar players tool, the Spaniard is the fourth most similar attacking midfielder/winger to the former Juventus ace. Why? Here’s what the stats tell us.

Progressive carries

4.92

5.38

Progressive passes

6.10

5.50

Pass success %

73%

77%

Key passes

3.56

2.25

Passes into final 3rd

2.88

2.75

Expected assists (xA)

0.20

0.26

Through balls

0.51

0.63

Shot-creating actions

6.48

5.50

Carries into final 3rd

2.71

3.38

There are some distinct differences. Yamal is by far a better carrier of the football but it’s worth paying particularly close attention to some of the passing metrics here.

When it comes to expected assists, through balls and passes into the final third, they are very alike. In fact, when analysing things closer, it becomes apparent just how similar they are for chance creation.

In this season’s LaLiga, Yamal has so far created a total of 17 chances for his Barcelona teammates. Kulusevksi is ahead, but not by much, creating 21 chances in the Premier League, according to Opta.

With such a stat in mind, Dominic Solanke and Co must be licking their lips at the thought of what’s to come from the Swede. He’s still only 24 – much older than Yamal – but it’s still incredibly young in football terms.

If the Spurs star is creating this many chances at this age, you can only imagine how good he could be once he hits his prime. Postecoglou is certainly unearthing a star here.

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