All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

West Ham United's possible late move for Juventus wing-back Filip Kostic has taken a late transfer twist with a report from Italy sharing some news.

Who could West Ham sign on deadline day?

The Irons and manager David Moyes can be fairly satisfied with their summer business overall, having completed marquee deals for Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and in-form Ghana star Mohammed Kudus.

West Ham's latter new player perhaps represents one of their biggest, if not the biggest, coup of the window – as explained by an ecstatic Moyes.

“I’m delighted we’ve been able to bring Mohammed to West Ham United,” said the manager.

“He’s a terrific young talent, who has already shone at the very highest level for Ajax in the Champions League and made well over 150 senior appearances at the age of 23 – so it was no surprise to see so many top clubs chasing his signaturethis summer.

“The fact we’ve been able to attract a player of his undoubted quality to London Stadium shows the pull West Ham have now – the Board and Tim deserve huge credit for getting this one over the line.”

Moyes' new aforementioned quartet come in to really strengthen their options following West Ham's already-strong start to this season, with the east Londoners currently sitting second and unbeaten.

West Ham take on Luton Town tonight at 8pm, but while they gear up for another clash, some important developments have been occuring behind-the-scenes on deadline day.

The Irons have been chasing late deals for the likes of Hugo Ekitike, who Paris-Saint Germain appear willing to offload, while the likes of Divock Origi have also been linked in parts.

Kostic has also been mentioned by sections of the media, with a report from Italy now sharing the latest on West Ham's last gasp attempts to prise him away from Italian giants Juventus.

According to Calciomercato, Moyes' side have "come forward" with the most intent to strike a deal for the defender, and their serious push has come in "in the last few hours".

Contacts with West Ham apparently "continue", presumably meaning talks are ongoing, and it is believed Kostic's club are quite eager to sell.

Juve, for their part, are "doing everything" to avoid losing West Ham's interest in Kostic as they seek a buyer. However, both sides face a race against time as the 11pm cut off fast approaches.

Juventus technical director Cristiano Giuntoli expects to collect around £12.8 million for the 30-year-old.

How good is Filip Kostic?

The Serbia international is a mainstay for his country and has been for years; racking up over half a century of caps.

At club level, Kostic has been equally as impressive for Juve in the last 12 months – having managed three goals and eight assists over 37 Serie A appearances last campaign (WhoScored).

Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri, who heaped praise on his "excellent" control, had this to say on the former Bundesliga star last summer:

“Player who crosses very well, with excellent ball control, he arrived two days ago making back and forth from Frankfurt. I still have to decide between him, McKennie and Cuadrado will play two. I’m very happy with him, he’s a footballer, Vlahovic will benefit from it."

Glasgow Rangers did not hold back in their recruitment over the summer transfer window as they added a host of players to Michael Beale's first-team squad.

Who did Rangers sign this summer?

The Light Blues head coach snapped up nine new recruits to bolster his options across the pitch with the view of competing for trophies during the 2023/24 campaign.

Cyriel Dessers

Permanent

Danilo

Permanent

Sam Lammers

Permanent

Jose Cifuentes

Permanent

Kieran Dowell

Permanent

Dujon Sterling

Permanent

Leon Balogun

Permanent

Jack Butland

Permanent

Abdallah Sima

Loan

Eight of the additions came in on a permanent basis, with four of those being free transfers. Sima, meanwhile was brought in on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Three strikers were signed by Beale to improve his forward line after Alfredo Morelos and Antonio Colak departed Ibrox earlier this summer; with Dessers, Lammers, and Danilo arriving from Cremonese, Atalanta, and Feyenoord respectively.

Rangers were linked with a number of other centre-forward options throughout the summer transfer window and one player they were touted with an interest in was Josh Maja.

Did Rangers nearly sign Josh Maja?

According to a report from Football Scotland at the end of June, the Light Blues had the Nigeria international on their list of targets after they had already snapped up Dessers and Lammers.

The outlet named him alongside Danilo as two number nines who were on Beale's radar as the English head coach wanted to add a third striker to his squad before the window slammed shut.

Instead of moving for Maja, Rangers ended up securing a deal to sign the Brazilian attacker from Dutch side Feyenoord for a reported fee of up to £6m and that was the last piece of business that the Scottish giants did in terms of adding to their attacking arsenal.

Where is Josh Maja now?

After the Gers opted to go with another target, the Nigerian dynamo went on to sign for English Championship side West Bromwich Albion.

He was available on a free transfer after his contract with Bordeaux in Ligue 2 expired following their failure to earn promotion back to the top flight of French football, which opened the door for him to return to his country of birth.

The 24-year-old finisher has endured a difficult start to life in England this year, however, as he has failed to break into the starting XI for the Baggies, with four appearances as a substitute so far.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.70 across those four outings and has been unable to do enough to convince Carlos Corberan that he is ready to start, with one 'big chance' missed and zero 'big chances' created for his teammates. Clearly, he has done very little when actually afforded a chance.

The 5 foot 11 striker has also lost 100% of his aerial battles and, therefore, struggled with the physical tests that the Championship provides.

Maja also failed to find the back of the net in the last four matches of the Ligue 2 season last term for Bordeaux, which means that he is currently on a goalless run of eight competitive games.

How many goals has Maja scored?

The new Baggies striker did plunder 16 league goals for the French side in 34 outings in total last season but that was an outlier for the Nigerian marksman in recent years.

He produced a solitary strike in 15 Championship matches on loan at Stoke City during the 2021/22 campaign and that came off the back of five goals in 32 Premier League and Ligue 1 games combined for Fulham and Bordeaux the previous term.

In total, Maja has scored 60 goals in 208 appearances throughout his youth and senior club career to date, which also includes his time with Sunderland at academy and first-team level.

Danilo, on the other hand, had shown himself to be a consistent scoring threat throughout his time in the Netherlands and, on paper, was always better option than the English-born ace.

How many goals has Danilo scored?

The Brazil U23 international has racked up 89 goals, along with 18 assists, in 183 club career matches so far, which works out as a strike every 2.06 outings on average.

Whereas, Maja has averaged a goal every 3.47 games throughout his career, indicating that Danilo has the potential to offer far more when it comes to being a reliable scorer for the Light Blues.

The 24-year-old produced ten goals and three assists in 14 Eredivisie starts for Feyenoord last season and his form for the Dutch club came after an incredibly prolific spell with Ajax's youth teams.

Rangers' summer signing fired in an outstanding 47 goals in 73 U19 and U21 matches combined, which is one every 1.55 appearances on average, whilst he also managed nine goals in 20 appearances for their first team.

How many goals has Danilo scored this season?

The former Feyenoord ace has scored two goals in nine outings for the Gers so far this term, which includes one goal in one Scottish Premiership start. Evidently, he has not enjoyed a prolific start to life in Scotland.

However, his impressive statistics in the Netherlands suggest that there is far more to come from Danilo as he has been a reliable scorer throughout his career and has already shown glimpses, with his two strikes, of his attacking prowess for the Ibrox giants.

The Brazilian hotshot, whose winning goal against Greenock Morton in the League Cup is shown above, has had a more impressive start to life for Rangers than Maja has had for West Brom, given their respective records.

Their career goal tallies also suggest that Danilo has more potential as a consistent scorer than the Nigeria international would have done if Beale had snapped him up.

Therefore, the Gers head coach certainly dodged a bullet by deciding to go with the £6m-rated ace instead of signing the Sunderland academy graduate. Hopefully, his decision will continue to be vindicated throughout the season and over the years to come.

As Newcastle United marked their return to the Champions League with a commendable goalless draw away to AC Milan on Tuesday evening, it proved to be a relatively unhappy return to San Siro for Magpies midfielder, Sandro Tonali.

How did Tonali perform against AC Milan?

Signed from the Serie A giants on a £55m deal this summer, the Italy international was the most high-profile addition of the window for Eddie Howe's side, with the Tynesiders looking to kick on from their impressive fourth-place finish last term.

Despite the excitement surrounding the prospect of partnering the 23-year-old alongside Bruno Guimaraes in the centre of the park, it has not been the dream start for the playmaker thus far, even after netting on debut in the 5-1 victory over Aston Villa.

The one-time Brescia maestro subsequently started in the defeats to Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion – while being substituted in all three – having also sat out the recent win over Brentford, in preparation for the return to Milan.

That 'homecoming' did not go smoothly, however, with Tonali 'rather useless in possession as he failed to pose a threat to his former team' – according to GOAL's Peter McVitie – with his lack of impact showcased by the fact that he made just 20 touches in his 72-minute outing, while also losing the ball on nine occasions.

Having also committed four fouls and won just one of his six total duels, as per Sofascore, it may be time for Howe to consider shaking things up by removing his new man from the side, as 'midfield questions continue to be asked' – according to The Chronicle's Lee Ryder.

Who could replace Tonali?

Against Stefano Pioli's side, the northeast side had lined up with a midfield trio of Sean Longstaff, Guimaraes and Tonali, prior to the latter man being withdrawn in the closing stages in favour of promising youngster, Elliot Anderson.

72 minutes played

20 touches

7/10 passes completed

9x possession lost

1/6 duels won

4 fouls

0 key passes

1 shot blocked

6.4 match rating (worst of any starting player)

Stats via Sofascore

The former Bristol Rovers loanee – who has been likened to Paul Gascoigne in the past – has featured in every game so far this term and even started against the Bees at the weekend, having been handed his chance amid injuries to the likes of Joe Willock and Joelinton.

With 35 first-team appearances under his belt for the St James' Park outfit, the 20-year-old does only have a solitary assist and no goals to show for it thus far, ensuring that he still has work to do to establish himself as a regular fixture in the side.

The Whitley Bay-born starlet – who has courted the attention of both England and Scotland at senior international level – is not the only academy asset who could be worthy of a chance to shine, however, with young Lewis Miley also a figure that Howe may look to despite his relative youth.

Who is Lewis Miley?

Rather than turning out for Newcastle's U19s in the UEFA Youth League, the 17-year-old was included as part of the matchday squad for the senior side's trip to Milan, showcasing just how highly regarded he is by Howe and his staff.

While the teenager was not able to get on the pitch for the midweek clash, he has already made his senior debut after coming on as a late substitute in the 1-1 draw away to Chelsea on the final day of last season.

That promotion to the first-team set-up has been warranted amid the youngster's fine displays in the youth ranks in recent times, having notably contributed seven goals and assists in just 13 appearances for the club's U21 side.

The England U19 international – whose brother Jamie is also on the books at St James' Park – was rewarded for such form after being handed his first professional contract back in May, having even featured for Howe's side during the World Cup break last year against Riyadh.

Such great strides would suggest that Miley is not too far away from being given a proper chance to prove himself at first-team level, with the likes of Tonali – and Anderson – needing to watch out as their starting berths could be under threat sooner rather than later.

How good is Lewis Miley?

The fact that at 17 the Englishman is already in the manager's thinking is a clear indication of his talent, with respected insider Ryder having previously hailed the academy star as a player who has "bags of potential", following the announcement of his new deal.

Young Miley was also the recipient of hefty praise from Daily Mail journalist Craig Hope after starting in the pre-season friendly clash with Chelsea back in July, with the reporter providing a glowing review of his performance in that 1-1 stalemate:

"Lewis Miley has been Newcastle's best player so far. And that isn't in the context of him only being 17 years old. He's just simply been their best player. So elegant on the ball & brave in how he uses it."

A silky and classy operator in possession, the Stanley-born sensation could offer a real creative spark to the Magpies as a link between the midfield and attack, with journalist Mark Carruthers having hailed the emerging superstar as "a powerful runner, [with] good close control and can pick a pass".

As Carruthers also stated, it looks as if Newcastle have a "real player" on their hands with regard to the 6 foot 1 maestro, with the wait now on to see if his chance will come in the first-team this season, amid the club's current midfield woes.

Of course, it would be a gamble to turn to such a raw and youthful talent as the answer to Howe's concerns in that department, yet the fact that Miley was included for the trip to San Siro shows that he is certainly in the thoughts of the Newcastle boss.

Liverpool were in discussions to sign an exciting new defensive midfielder over the summer, but a fresh report has confirmed that he’s now joined another club.

What's the latest transfer news at Liverpool?

The Anfield outfit announced this week that Ben Doak has signed a new long-term contract with the club, and Trent Alexander-Arnold could soon be set to follow in his footsteps by committing his future having made a breakthrough in talks over an in-house agreement.

Outside of Merseyside, Jurgen Klopp has been heavily linked with moves for West Ham United’s Jarrod Bowen and Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie, but whilst club chiefs are focusing on targets for next year, an update has emerged regarding a pursuit from before the window closed on September 1st.

Over in Qatar, Fabricio Diaz has recently been unveiled as an Al-Gharafa player having completed his switch from Liverpool Montevideo just last week, though he is still to make his first appearance for his new side.

The Uruguay youth international, who is naturally a defensive midfielder, put pen to paper on a five-year deal with Pedro Martins’ outfit so that isn’t set to expire until 2028, but before choosing his destination, the 20-year-old could have been on his way to the Premier League.

Are Liverpool signing Fabricio Diaz?

Taking to X, Graeme Bailey revealed that Liverpool were one of the clubs to have considered a move for Diaz, but the tough tackling wonderkid eventually set his heart on Qatar. He wrote:

“Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Brighton and Brentford amongst sides who looked at Uruguay's Fabricio Diaz prior to his surprise move to Qatari outfit Al-Gharafa. Barcelona were also keen on the 20-year-old midfielder.”

Expanding in his column for 90min, the reporter confirmed that FSG even “held talks” with their target’s former side, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.

How good is Fabricio Diaz?

According to members of the media, Diaz is an “anchorman” for the way that he holds everything together in the centre of the park, and for a player who is valued at just €6m (£5m) by Transfermarkt, he could be a real future bargain for Klopp and Liverpool if they decide to make a move down the line.

The La Paz native posted 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) in 122 appearances for Montevideo which shows how much he loves to get involved with the action in the final third, but it’s not just his high standard of performances at club level that would have caught the eye of the boss over the summer.

He was one of the standout performers that helped his country win the U20s World Cup earlier this year, and having also captained his nation at youth level, this represents the natural leadership qualities that he possesses, potentially making him a heir to the recently departed Jordan Henderson.

Finally, Diaz has the ability to operate slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his usual role sitting just in front of the defensive backline so he provides welcome versatility, making him a target that simply has to be the subject of another approach in the future despite the board’s failed initial attempt.

Although it may have taken a few weeks to earn some consistency in their performances, at last Leeds United have found their rhythm under Daniel Farke in the Championship, with their promotion push officially starting now.

Admittedly, with the pedigree the German boasted at this level, it always seemed like a matter of time before his side gelled to start playing some wonderful football. And that is exactly what they have done.

Saturday's clash with Watford marked one of the standout displays of their tumultuous opening few months, in which the Hornets boss Valérien Ismaël even noted: "Leeds deserved to win. Nil-nil at half time, we were lucky. In the second half we changed things and were more stable but we concede the goal and afterwards it was difficult. For 90 minutes, the opponent was much better."

The feelgood factor is slowly seeping back into Elland Road, with new and old faces starting to put in performances worthy of the title push fans are craving.

In fact, arguably his greatest achievement to date is that even Daniel James is starting to shine in a Leeds shirt, despite the winger having struggled ever since joining under Marcelo Bielsa's regime.

How much did Leeds United pay for Daniel James?

Given they had tried to sign the Wales international in the past, it likely came as no surprise to see them try again as the youngster fell further and further down the pecking order at Old Trafford.

However, few expected that they would unload the fee they did, given the 25-year-old had done little to merit anything near to the £25m expended.

Having played 74 games for Manchester United, his 18 goal contributions marked an admittedly poor figure, even with his inexperience offering some form of a valid excuse.

And yet, there was largely an air of positivity about Bielsa and Victor Orta's decision to sign him, as they sought to build on an incredibly positive return season in the Premier League, where they roared to a ninth-placed finish.

What made the lucrative deal even worse is that they willingly handed him a mouth-watering long-term deal too, with the club forced even to send the £50k-per-week dud out on loan last season as Jesse Marsch tried to put his stamp on the side with limited success.

At the very least, Farke could now be set to squeeze some value out of him, as he seeks to recapture the form that merits the wave of praise sent his way upon first signing.

What was said about Daniel James when he signed for Leeds?

Despite the huge fee expended, many pundits rushed to praise Bielsa, who admittedly could seemingly do no wrong as he continued to defy the odds at Elland Road.

Former Liverpool shot-stopper David James was one such fan, who suggested that the Argentine would link up well with James: "I think it’s a fantastic deal," he noted. "When you look at the way Dan James plays. He’s rapid, attack-minded, has played over 50 games for United in the Premier League and he will suit the Leeds style.

“People are scared of their work ethic and pace and I think James fits perfectly into that. Obviously Ronaldo joining United now makes him more surplus to requirements. He’s still 23 years old so he still has plenty of time on his side and Bielsa could take advantage of that.”

This was a notion supported by pundit Alan Hutton, who told Football Insider: "They’re actually getting a more rounded player at the moment who still has room for development. That’s a great thing. It ticks all the boxes for Leeds, it’s a great move for everybody involved. I’m sure Bielsa is happy to finally get this done."

However, possibly the most ridiculous praise thrown his way actually came just before he joined, as various sections of the media sought to emphasise the similarities between the Red Devils forward and Kylian Mbappe of all people.

Given the Paris Saint-Germain forward boasts 220 goals and 98 assists in 265 for the French giants, and has become an integral figure for his nation that has reached back-to-back World Cup finals, winning the first, such a comparison is an insult to the 24-year-old.

It was the Hungarian national team manager Marco Rossi who was one of the first to make this claim, noting: "I have never seen someone in the last period as fast as him, maybe Mbappe. He’s unbelievable."

Whilst it is not completely farfetched, that is about where the comparisons end, which James does agree with: "They tweeted it, didn’t they? Comparing me to Kylian Mbappe! It’s a bit crazy. Nah, I had some good things from it and my Twitter feed went a bit mad for the next two or three days. But, no, I can’t be compared to him in any way."

How is Daniel James playing now?

To be fair to the 44-cap international, having been rashly branded a "waste of money" by talkSPORT's Simon Jordan, his start to the new Championship season offers a glimpse into the talent they first invested in.

After all, his 7.42 average Sofascore rating gives way to his four assists in just five starts, with that pace and dynamism finally giving way to some technical quality to unlock defences at this level.

Unsurprisingly, Farke is delighted with the start his speedster has enjoyed under fresh leadership: "I think he was excellent," he claimed after their draw with Birmingham City. "He created so many good situations for us and brought his pace into the game. He brought himself in many, many good situations, certainly sometimes the goalkeeper was there with outstanding saves."

It seems that already the former Swansea City star is poised to surpass any of his previous years, having already accumulated 36% (four assists) of his 11 goal contributions whilst at Leeds, in this season alone.

Although his was a fee that will likely forever remain a questionable one, at the very least James could now help propel them towards promotion and start paying it back with consistently stellar performances.

Everton are believed to be one of a number of Premier League sides interested in signing a “skilful” new forward who could be available on a free transfer.

What’s the latest Everton transfer news?

The Toffees and Sean Dyche bolstered their squad over the summer by bringing in a number of new players, the majority of which were attackers. Alongside versatile full-back Ashley Young, forwards Beto and Chermiti also arrived on permanent transfers, whereas wingers Arnaut Danjuma and Jack Harrison made the move to Goodison Park on loan from Villarreal and Leeds United.

The club did end up making a profit in the recent transfer window, though, with exits for Moise Kean and Alex Iwobi the two big-money departures. On the pitch, though, goals and results have once again been a struggle, with just six goals and one win from the opening seven top-flight fixtures. As a result, attention already appears to be on new signings, potentially under new owners 777 Partners, with an update coming to light on forward Jota.

According to 90min, plenty of clubs are keeping an eye on Jota’s situation with Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad, despite only making the move to the club from Celtic in the summer. Jota hasn’t been registered to play in the Saudi Pro League by his current employers, with talks ongoing to find a resolution, one possibly being a contract termination.

The Portuguese attacker could therefore, become a free transfer, should he get his wish, with Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou keen on a reunion. Alongside Spurs, though, Everton, Brentford, Crystal Palace, Fulham, and West Ham are also monitoring the situation, however, the player’s preference would be Tottenham.

Where does Jota play?

Jota can play on the left wing or right wing and has even turned out in a central role at points during his career, so he would offer Dyche a versatile attacking option, if a move was to go through. The 24-year-old, who doesn't have a weak foot and appears to be in his prime with a career-high valuation, as per Transfermarkt, starred for Celtic last season, contributing to 21 league goals in 29 games, so you can see why Al Ittihad were happy to pay a big fee for his services earlier this year.

Reporter Dominik Diamond named the forward among Celtic’s best players earlier this year, when discussing who should be named Player of the Year, describing him as "ludicrously skilful", whereas new Portugal manager Roberto Martinez believes Jota is only getting better and better, saying:

"What I would say is that his evolution has been very impressive. I would say that the last four months especially he is growing into a very mature role at his club. He's always involved in the big moments, and that's important."

Jota’s situation could well be one to keep an eye on over the coming months ahead of the New Year, and if he does become a free agent, Everton could look to make their move, however, it looks as if they would face plenty of competition for his services.

Manchester United are showing an interest in a “world-class” defender who is valued at €50m (£43.3m), however they aren’t the only side keen.

Man Utd transfer news…

The Red Devils were busy in the transfer market over the summer, with eight new players arriving ahead of Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge at Old Trafford. Money was splashed on a new goalkeeper, midfielder and forward in Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, however, funds weren’t set aside for a new marquee defender. Jonny Evans returned to the club on a free transfer and Sergio Reguilon made a loan move to Old Trafford, with the club hit with an injury crisis at the back.The likes of Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Reguilon and Tyrell Malacia have all been missing in recent weeks, and by the looks of things, a new defensive addition appears to be on the Old Trafford agenda.

Man Utd injuries – Player

Possible return date

Lisandro Martinez

Early 2024

Raphael Varane

October 21st

Luke Shaw

November

Kobbie Mainoo

October 21st

Sergio Reguilon

October 21st

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

November

Amad Diallo

End of October

Tyrell Malacia

Unsure

Calciomercato shared a Federico Dimarco transfer update in the last 48 hours, where Man Utd were named. It was claimed that Inter Milan are ready to renew the defender’s contract, although there is interest from United and Paris Saint-Germain. The report adds that ‘the Red Devils are looking for a lateral player and Dimarco's profile could be the right one for a real attack’, with Inter Milan valuing the player at €50m (£43.3m).

Federico Dimarco profile

Dimarco is primarily a left-back but can also turn out as a centre-back or as a left midfielder and is valued at a career-high €45m. The Italy international, sponsored by Adidas, has progressed through Inter’s academy and has spent time out on loan with a number of clubs in Italy and FC Sion in Switzerland. (Federico Dimarco profile – Transfermarkt)The 25-year-old has now established himself as a regular for Inter, though, making more than 100 appearances for the Italian giants, scoring nine times and providing 18 assists. (Federico Dimarco stats – Transfermarkt)He was hailed by Carlo Garganese last year as a result, with the reporter labelling Dimarco as “world-class” and a “goal threat”.“Has there been a player who has proved more people wrong over the last year than Federico Dimarco? Been Italy’s best player in these 2 games. His delivery, crosses, set pieces and corners are world-class, and he is a goal threat.” Therefore, it could well be one to keep an eye on over the coming months, however, Dimarco’s possible Old Trafford arrival could push one of Shaw or Malacia down the pecking order.

Tottenham Hotspur have one player who's now completely "changed opinions" under new manager Ange Postecoglou, says a pundit on ESPN.

How have Spurs played this season?

The Lilywhites have undergone an absolutely stunning transformation under Postecoglou; winning seven out of their opening nine Premier League games while playing some scintillating football. It was business as usual for Tottenham after the international break, reigning victorious once again with a routine 2-0 win at home to Fulham on Monday. Goals from Son Heung-min and summer signing James Maddison wrapped it up in the first half, with the pair building upon their very deadly partnership going forward.

Maddison in particular has been a revelation since joining the north Londoners for around £40 million in the summer transfer window; scoring three goals and assisting five others in nine full starts for Postecoglou. The England international's champagne form has earned serious recognition, with Scottish football legend Graeme Souness, even preferring Maddison to Real Madrid's in-form sensation Jude Bellingham.

“I am an enormous fan of James Maddison," said Souness earlier this season.

"I think there is room for Maddison and Bellingham in this midfield. If you look at Maddison’s numbers, his stats of scoring goals and creating chances, and you compare them to Bellingham. He shoots Bellingham off the park.

"He is far better than Bellingham in creating chances and scoring goals. He is choosing Bellingham because he plays for Real Madrid. I think there is room for two of them – if he (Bellingham) is going to play off Harry Kane, then I don’t think he is as good as Maddison at that.”

The 26-year-old's praise doesn't end there, as the likes of Spurs hero Glenn Hoddle and former Arsenal striker Ian Wright have also professed their admiration for him this term.

James Maddison praise

If Maddison continues on this upward trajectory, it wouldn't be atoll surprising to see him in PFA Team of the Year come the end of 2023/2024. The playmaker is exactly what Spurs have been crying out for since ex-star Christian Eriksen departed for Inter Milan in 2020, with previous bosses Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte arguably lacking a serial creator in their Tottenham squads.

Now, ESPN pundit Shaka Hislop believes Chelsea made a real mistake by refusing to sign him in the summer because of their age limit, which is what he's heard. He goes on to say that Maddison, after his switch to Spurs instead, is now proving everybody wrong as he changes the opinions of everybody around.

Gets fouled often

Likes to cut inside

Likes to dribble

Plays the ball long

Likes to lay-off

Plays the ball off the floor

“Maddison was a good player in an average team," said Hislop on ESPN.

"You saw that at Leicester when he wasn’t able to do much. Those concerns are absolutely genuine, but he has been outstanding, he really has. He drops so deep and then also finds himself on Son’s shoulder. Chelsea apparently refused to sign him because 25 is their limit and he’s 26.

“Well, if that’s their policy that’s their policy. I just don’t think given where Chelsea were and a genuine feeling about James Maddison, he probably wouldn’t fit the bill, but now, all of a sudden, a lot of people shared that opinion of James Maddison, and he has changed opinions.”

Manchester City are believed to be keen on a mouthwatering transfer involving one of the brightest talents in all of world football, according to reports.

Man City news: Brighton victory, De Bruyne update, Phillips transfer news

On Saturday, City recorded a deserved 2-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Etihad Stadium as goals from Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland cancelled out a reply from the visitors courtesy of Ansu Fati. Speaking in the aftermath of their triumph, Citizens boss Pep Guardiola afforded special praise to Belgian winger Jeremy Doku for his role in securing all three points, stating:

"After the West Ham game he didn’t play one or two (games) because of doubts he has to play game, game, game and he is not used to it. He is an exceptional winger.

"Jeremy is so smart in defensive areas and after, he has the quality. He got to the byline and got us the first goal and there were many actions. It’s the start of many years for him in this house."

In other news, a Kevin De Bruyne update from Football Insider claims that the midfielder could be made to wait for a new deal at the Etihad Stadium as concerns continue to mount regarding his injury record. The Belgium international is expected to be out until the New Year with a hamstring issue and there is reportedly "no urgency" from the Premier League champions to sit down for talks over a contract renewal, despite the fact that his current deal expires in the summer of 2025.

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has issued a Kalvin Phillips update on the future of the midfielder, saying: "Understand both City and player side consider Kalvin Phillips’ January exit ‘very likely’ at this point. Kalvin will still fight to play as much as possible in the next two months but his plan is to be regular starter elsewhere in 2024."

Manchester City's next five fixtures – all competitions

Competition

Opponent

Venue

Champions League

Young Boys

Wankdorf Stadium

Premier League

Manchester United

Old Trafford

Premier League

Bournemouth

Etihad Stadium

Champions League

Young Boys

Etihad Stadium

Premier League

Chelsea

Stamford Bridge

Man City transfer update – Jamal Musiala

According to a Man City transfer update from Football Insider, it is believed that the Citizens are now exploring a deal for Bayern Munich midfielder Jamal Musiala, who also has interest in his services from Liverpool amid frustrations with his playing time under Thomas Tuchel.

One recruitment figure close to the situation has described the Germany international as a "potential world beater" to the outlet as his stock continues to rise at the Allianz Arena.

Champions League winner Musiala has managed to feature nine times in all competitions for Bayern Munich across all competitions this term, registering one goal and three assists in the process (Musiala statistics – Transfermarkt).

Maintaining an average WhoScored match rating of 7.06/10 for his exploits in the Bundesliga this campaign, Musiala is an extremely bright young player who could add another layer of elite quality to the Citizens' star-studded side.

Arsenal could be set to lose one of their up-and-coming stars next year, with a fresh report revealing that he is being targeted by a huge club overseas ahead of January.

Arsenal's summer departures

The Gunners sanctioned the permanent sales of eight players over the summer, with some of the bigger names to depart being the likes of Granit Xhaka, Folarin Balogun and Nicolas Pepe, whilst they also sent a further six stars out on loan for the remainder of the season to increase their game time. However, Edu and Mikel Arteta will already be assessing their options ahead of the next window opening and in order to make room for new signings, they could let go of even more squad members, with Juventus targeting both Thomas Partey and Jorginho in an attempt to prise them away from the Premier League.

The Emirates Stadium outfit also face losing the services of Charlie Patino, who having made just two senior appearances in the capital, has been sent out on development loans to Blackpool and Swansea City, where he is now (Transfermarkt – Patino statistics).

The young central midfielder has made an impressive start to the new season on the road having emerged as Michael Duff’s overall second-best-performing player so far with a match rating of 7.00 (WhoScored – Swansea statistics), though this form has caught the eye of a new admirer overseas.

AC Milan eyeing Charlie Patino

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), AC Milan are plotting a swoop for Patino in January. The Champions League side have highlighted the 20-year-old as a target in their search to recruit younger talents and chiefs believe that he has shown the "characteristics" needed to succeed at the San Siro Stadium.

With Arsenal having reportedly triggered an option to extend their prized asset's contract until 2025, it's believed that it would take an offer of at least €25m (£21m) to sanction his sale, something which is being considered.

During his spell at Swansea so far, Patino has posted five contributions (four assists and one goal) in his opening 11 appearances in the Championship, so with the potential that he has to offer clear to see, Arsenal should give him a chance in the senior fold upon his return. Sponsored by Adidas, the left-footed ace is also a versatile operator having been deployed in four different positions across the centre of the park since the start of his career, so his ability to provide cover in roles outside of his own makes him a great option to have available.

Gets fouled often

Plays the ball off the ground often

Likes to play long balls

Likes to shoot from distance

Likes to tackle

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Patino is a “golden” talent with a massively bright future ahead of him, therefore, the hierarchy could be making a huge mistake by letting someone of his calibre leave at the start of next year.