All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Just hours after Manchester United confirmed their second deal of the summer transfer window, an update has been forthcoming on a potential third as life under Sir Jim Ratcliffe kicks into overdrive.

United complete Leny Yoro deal

With Joshua Zirkzee's arrival already confirmed, Manchester United stepped up their transfer business once more on Thursday with the arrival of Leny Yoro from French side Lille.

Erik ten Hag's side saw off competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and European champions Real Madrid to complete a deal, which is believed to have set them back around £53m and has seen Yoro sign a lucrative £113,000 a week deal at Old Trafford valid until 2029.

Speaking to the club media on his arrival, Yoro explained: “Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour.

“Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project, and showed a lot of care for me and my family.

“I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started.”

Man Utd want to sign £84m "superstar" who's more exciting than Yoro

Manchester United are closing in on their second signing of the summer.

ByMatt Dawson Jul 17, 2024

Yoro's arrival offsets the departure of Raphael Varane, who left the club on a free transfer at the end of the season, and while Manchester United are still open to signing another defender this transfer window, attention has currently turned to midfield with Casemiro having struggled towards the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

Midfielder agrees personal terms

Now, it has emerged that their hunt for reinforcements in the centre of the pitch could be concluded soon too, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano providing an altogether positive update on their chase of PSG's Manuel Ugarte.

The midfielder only arrived at the Parc des Princes 12 months ago, with PSG beating off competition from Chelsea to land the Uruguayan midfielder and handing him a contract worth £100,000 a week, which runs until 2028.

How Ugarte compares to Casemiro (domestic league 23/24)

FBref

Manuel Ugarte

Casemiro

Appearances

25

25

Tackles and interceptions per 90

6.42

4.59

Clearances

1.16

3.23

Pass accuracy

91.2%

81.8%

Fouls committed per 90

2.14

1.36

Yellow Cards

5

7

Though he had a tough season with PSG under Luis Enrique, he was dubbed a "really promising defensive midfielder" by journalist Zach Lowry on X back in May, but appears to have fallen out of favour in the French capital.

As a result, they are open to his departure, and United are ready to pounce. Romano explained on X that the Red Devils have "agreed personal terms" with the midfielder, though a fee is still yet to be negotiated with the French champions.

For his part, Ugarte is said to be "keen on moving to United even without Champions League football", and that talks between the two clubs are continuing. Could he be the long term heir to Casemiro in the Old Trafford engine room?

It was a slow start to the summer transfer window for Arsenal but it does appear as though the Gunners have now woken up.

Just a few days ago they confirmed the arrival of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and they are now reportedly closing in on Mikel Merino's signature.

A £25m fee has allegedly been agreed between Arsenal and Real Sociedad, a bargain fee for a player of his quality.

So, what's next on the agenda for Edu and Co before the window slams shut later this month?

Arsenal target Premier League sensation

The Gunners are also focusing their efforts on bolstering the forward line this summer. Knowing they need cover for Bukayo Saka, the likes of Pedro Neto and another Spain international in Nico Williams have been targeted.

There's also that elusive striker. Will they? Won't they? Kai Havertz's displays in the back half of last season shunted Arsenal's priorities a tad.

Still, they continue to be linked with players such as Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen. Might there be an opportunity to repeat their Gabriel Jesus masterclass, however?

talkSPORT report this weekend that Arsenal have 'expressed an interest' in signing Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez this summer.

The Argentine, who has competed at both Copa America and the Olympics, has been the subject of a lot of speculation in recent weeks, with Chelsea another interested party.

City are now thought to be braced for a potential bid from Arsenal, however.

What Alvarez could offer to Arsenal

Goals and assists; plenty of them. The Argentina international played as the focal striker for a large part of last season with Erling Haaland on the sidelines but it's just off the centre forward, in the pockets, where he can wreak havoc for defences.

The scorer of 19 goals and creator of 13 assists in 2023/24, he was on fire for Pep Guardiola's side but with the lingering threat of Haaland there, he could depart like Jesus did in search of more consistent starts.

A truly wonderful player, the World Cup winner could be the added firepower and creativity to get Arsenal over the line in their pursuit of Premier League glory.

He knows the division, knows how to win trophies and at the age of 24, is yet to even reach his prime. This is a player with the potential to become one of the best in the world in his position.

At the moment, Arsenal's system doesn't particularly cater to his role as more of a no.10 but it would cater for a false 9, the position Havertz thrived in under Arteta's wing last season.

With that in mind, he could create quite the combination with another potential arrival in Merino.

It's believed that the Spaniard will occupy the Xhaka role as the 8 in Arteta's side, meaning that he is likely to link up heavily with whoever plays up top.

Last term, the Sociedad star contributed with eight goals and five assists but his ability to provide progressive passes warranted more goal involvements than that.

He ranked inside the top 15% of LaLiga midfielders for progressive passes per 90, meaning that more often than not, Alvarez would be in position to receive the ball. Also sitting inside the best 23% for through balls per 90 minutes, the Man City star wouldn't just demand the ball to feet, but also in behind, knowing Merino is likely to find him.

2020/21 (River Plate)

46

24

15

2021/22 (River Plate)

26

18

6

2022/23 (Man City)

49

17

5

2023/24 (Man City)

54

19

13

So, there's one potential upside. What's another? Well, his style of play has been compared to Arsenal great Dennis Bergkamp by pundit Martin Keown.

Speaking last season, the former defender said: "He reminds me of Bergkamp because he starts as a striker and he just sort of wanders into that [midfield] position, and you're wondering who is going to pick him up. It's his intelligence of movement really, when he wanders into that little spot [in the midfield]. He's always looking for that little space."

The Dutchman really was a master of that position, hailed as "the greatest number 10" in Premier League history by Micah Richards and "a dream for a striker" by Thierry Henry, he could conjure up moments of magic and like Alvarez, could score and assist.

He left Highbury behind having scored 120 goals and provided 112 assists in 420 matches for the Londoners. If Alvarez arrived, it would take quite something to live up to that billing but they certainly possess similar attributes and characteristics.

Talks held: Arsenal target dream Martinelli rival in £25m sensation

The “world-class” winger would be an excellent pickup for the Gunners.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 3, 2024

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea have clearly informed one club that they will make a move for their £100m-plus star before deadline day.

Busy window at Chelsea with more signings expected

Yet again, Todd Boehly and BlueCo have orchestrated another busy transfer window at Stamford Bridge, as they financially back new manager Enzo Maresca with a plethora of new additions.

£162k-per-week star tempted by Chelsea as two ex-players urge him to join

They’re attempting to persuade him behind the scenes.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Aug 16, 2024

Most recently, Chelsea confirmed the signing of Premier League winger Pedro Neto in a £54 million deal from Wolves, coming after the Portuguese was heavily linked with an exit from Molineux all summer.

Neto could even make his English top flight debut for Chelsea on Sunday as they prepare to face-off in their opening game of the season against Man City, alongside other new senior additions like Filip Jorgensen, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tosin Adarabioyo.

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Beyond the clash against City, there is every reason to believe that a couple of new faces could also be in line to feature for the first time in a Chelsea shirt, if Boehly and co can get the heavily-linked names over the line.

One of those is Napoli star Victor Osimhen, and his possible switch to Stamford Bridge is closely tied with that Romelu Lukaku. It is believed that Lukaku has agreed a three-year deal to join Napoli, while Osimhen could trade places with the Belgian by moving to Chelsea.

Chelsea directly inform Napoli they will move for Osimhen

Writing in a Dailybriefing, Romano has shared an update on the saga and Chelsea's intentions regarding the former Lille star.

He says that Chelsea have clearly told Napoli that they will move for Osimhen, but it is unclear what fee they're willing to fork out for him, or if it is anywhere close to his £100 million-plus release clause.

"We know that Lukaku has an agreement with Napoli for a three-year contract, the salary is okay and the player is already talking with Antonio Conte. He wants to go to Napoli, but work is still ongoing," wrote Romano this week.

"During these conversations I can tell you, once again, that Chelsea told Napoli clearly that they have Victor Osimhen on their list and they want to make a move for him, but as of now, Chelsea have still not presented a contract proposal to the player.

"So, I would say we are still at the early stages of the Osimhen story, but at the advanced stages of the Lukaku story.

"As I always told you, Osimhen will not go on loan and will not reduce his salary from €11m net, so Chelsea still need to do some work on the player side before saying ‘okay, we are now at the key stages of the Osimhen story."

The 25-year-old has been one of Serie A's most prolific scorers ever since he moved to Italy in 2020, with Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola calling him a "devastating" forward player.

While they ultimately ended the campaign empty-handed, it would be fair to say that, on the whole, Arsenal took another step forward last season.

Mikel Arteta's side came within two points of Manchester City in the Premier League and put in a good showing in the Champions League.

However, for all the stars who saw their stock rise at the Emirates, a few players endured a disappointing year.

One of those was Gabriel Martinelli, who struggled to kick on from his impressive showing in 2022/23, and that could cost him a place in the team this season, as based on recent reports, Edu Gaspar and Co could be about to land an incredibly exciting winger who may be the perfect upgrade on the Brazilian.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are interested in signing Bayern Munich's Kingsley Coman this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona are also interested in the Frenchman. However, the good news is that while he'd be happy to move to England or Spain, he is 'particularly keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.'

The report has revealed that the German Behemoths value the 28-year-old between €30m and €40m, which converts to between £26m and £34m. Interestingly, they would also be willing to let him leave on loan this season.

In all, if Arsenal can secure Coman on loan, then this deal seems like a no-brainer, and even if they have to pay a fee, the reported prices aren't unreasonable, although his potential arrival could be bad news for Martinelli.

How Coman compares to Martinelli

Okay, so the first thing to point out is that while Coman has started plenty of games off the right of a front three in his career – 118 to be precise – he's spent more time playing off the left – 169 starts – so were he to make a move to North London this summer he'd likely do so with the intention of playing on the left.

Moreover, last season, Arteta made it quite clear that he was happy and willing to make changes on the left, whereas it's abundantly clear that Bukayo Saka's place in the starting lineup is practically guaranteed, although you can understand why, given his tally of 34 goal involvements in 47 games last season.

Therefore, one of the Bayern ace's main competitors in this Arsenal side would be Martinelli, but how do the pair stack up to one another?

Well, to be honest, when it comes to pure output last season, neither one had a particularly impressive campaign.

For example, the Gunners number 11 racked up 13 goals and assists in 44 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 3.38 games, while the former Juventus star produced eight in just 27 matches, meaning he maintained a marginally more impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.37 games.

However, when we look at their underlying numbers from last season, the difference is far starker, and unfortunately for the former Ituano gem, it is not in his favour.

For example, in practically every metric, the Paris-born dynamo, whom former Bayen Sporting Director Matthias Sammer once described as "one of the biggest talents in European football," comes out on top, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, passes and passes received, passing accuracy, passes and crosses into the penalty area, key passes and shot and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.53

0.58

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.49

0.45

Progressive Carries

6.05

5.67

Progressive Passes

5.81

2.90

Progressive Passes Received

16.9

15.4

Shots

2.75

2.59

Passing Accuracy

81.6%

77.9%

Key Passes

2.34

2.05

Passes into the Penalty Area

3.31

1.47

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.65

0.31

Shot-Creating Actions

5.09

4.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.57

0.49

Aerial Duels Won

0.48

0.67

Ultimately, while Martinelli is an undeniably talented winger and someone who could rediscover his form this season, the "formidable" Coman, as dubbed by former coach Patrick Gonfalone, massively outperforms him when it comes to the pair's underlying numbers, suggesting that were he to join Arsenal this summer, he'd be a far more useful player to have out on the left.

Therefore, if Edu and Co have the chance to sign him this summer, they should take it, even if they have to pay a fee upfront.

Arsenal could banish Nketiah by signing "one of the best CFs in the world"

The incredible striker would be an excellent addition to the squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 13, 2024

Fabrizio Romano says a high-earning and big-name player, and one who Arsenal have apparently discussed signing, could make a "surprise" late move.

Arsenal still targeting new forward in late window swoop

Following Eddie Nketiah's £30 million move to Crystal Palace, which has been reported by an array of reliable media sources, including Romano and David Ornstein, it is believed that the Gunners are scouring the market for a new forward.

Arsenal eyeing cheaper striker option than £85m Osimhen and £70m Ferguson

Arsenal are in the market for a new striker.

ByBrett Worthington Aug 27, 2024

Arsenal have just completed the signing of midfielder Mikel Merino in a £32 million deal from Real Sociedad, following weeks of talks to get it over the line, but sporting director Edu Gaspar and the recruitment team may not be done with the Spain international.

Mikel Arteta has seriously strengthened his left-side with the addition of Merino, who provides big-game experience, tenacity and a towering 6 foot 2 presence in the manager's ranks, and Arteta has already expressed his delight at the 28-year-old's arrival.

Appearances

242

Goals

27

Assists

30

Yellow cards

56

Red cards

2

Minutes played

19,449

via Transfermarkt

“Mikel is a player who will bring us huge quality with his experience and versatility," said Arteta on the arrival of Merino.

"He has played at the top of the game at both club and international level for a number of seasons now. Mikel will make our squad significantly stronger, with his technical ability, together with his strong and positive character and personality.

“As we all saw in the summer, Mikel is also a winner, with his strong performances throughout the Euros helping Spain win the tournament. We are delighted to welcome Mikel and his family to the club and can’t wait to start working with him.”

After Merino, and the deal for Nketiah to join Palace, next on the agenda for Arsenal could be a brand-new attacker. Edu has also been looking at back-up alternatives to Bukayo Saka this summer, according to various reports, and it is something that they're apparently still pursuing.

They've been linked with an interesting option very recently – Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman. According to reliable journalist Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport, Arsenal and Spurs chiefs have discussed signing Coman in a late-window move, with Romano providing an update on the £276,000-per-week winger's future.

Coman could make surprise late Bayern exit amid Arsenal interest

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the respected reporter claims Coman could make a "surprise" late Bayern exit amid reported interest from Arsenal.

“A player to watch in the final 24 hours, 48 hours, 56 hours or whatever. In the final days is Kingsley Coman because interest in Coman is still there," said Romano. “It’s a strong interest from Premier League clubs, from Barcelona. Barca are considering Coman and Federico Chiesa.

“Kingsley Coman has several possibilities also in England. So he’s going to be one to watch for the final days because there is still an expectation for Coman to leave Bayern. There could be a surprise with Coman.”

There are suggestions that the Frenchman could cost up to £42 million to prise away from the Allianz Arena, but it is unclear just how much Arsenal would be willing to pay if they decide to make a move.

Leeds United supporters will be hoping that the wave of new signings that have entered through the door this summer gel well with the rest of the team moving forward, as a horror start to the new Championship season gets pushed firmly to one side.

Already, the signs have been positive, with new loanee Manor Solomon assisting Mateo Joseph's clever strike to break the deadlock versus Hull City last time out, whilst both Largie Ramazani and Ao Tanaka also impressed from off the bench.

Daniel Farke will just be keeping everything crossed that none of his new buys end up becoming notable flops in West Yorkshire down the line, like Helder Costa ended up being, after costing the Whites an eye-watering £16m to purchase permanently back in 2020.

Helder Costa's career at Leeds

Initially impressing Marcelo Bielsa and Victor Orta during Leeds' triumphant promotion season, the Whites would break the bank to land Costa when moving up to the Premier League, which would then turn out to be a colossal waste of money.

The Angola international would help himself to four goals and six assists from 43 Championship clashes during the 2019/20 season, before finding his minutes lessen in the top flight, with only 22 games handed to him in the Premier League.

By the time the 2021/22 season rolled around, Costa had fallen way down the pecking order, with loans out to Valencia and Al-Ittihad delaying his eventual permanent exit from Elland Road.

It's not as if the Whites dud was on a cheap wage either, with his pay packet during his final campaign with the club coming in at a high £32.5k-per-week, as per Capology, which saw him rake in more than the likes of Wilfried Gnonto, Crysencio Summerville and other key first-teamers in the process.

The expensive former Leeds man did have moments of magic like the strike above against Fulham up his sleeve, but these sublime goals were very rare to come by towards the end of his stint in West Yorkshire, with Costa's time in England finally ending last year when Portuguese outfit G.D. Estoril Praia snapped him up.

His once staggering £16m valuation has since plummeted, however, with the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker's price tag now far less.

Helder Costa's transfer value in 2024

According to Football Transfers, Costa's value has taken a considerable hit, with the ex-Leeds number 17's estimated worth now standing at a meagre £750k.

The 30-year-old forward hasn't helped his own cause by managing no goals or assists from his first four games donning an Estoril strip, as his career continues to peter out even when he's far away from Leeds.

2024

£750k

2023

£1.4m

2022

£4.7m

2021

£8.3m

2020

£16m

It's not as if this has been a sudden decline for Costa, however, with his value decreasing at a rapid pace year after year, with £8m falling off his price tag just 365 days into his doomed Whites career.

Wolves will just feel glad that they managed to offload their former attacker to Leeds, knowing that he could well have flopped at Molineux instead of Elland Road, after once costing the Old Gold an extortionate £13m in 2017.

It's no real shock that Costa isn't held in high regard by those with associations to Leeds now, but former Leeds man Noel Whelan ripped into the overpriced dud when he was still struggling at the club, labelling him a "massive flop" in 2021 when speaking to Football Insider.

Farke will pray that the likes of Ramazani and Tanaka aren't spoken about in a similar scathing manner at any stage during their stays in England, as Leeds look forward to Championship football kicking off again after the international break is up.

No goals in 19 months: Leeds flop is struggling big time after leaving

This Leeds United dud has never been able to get going again after leaving Elland Road.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2024

Eddie Howe has given an injury update regarding Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak, following his side’s 2-1 win over Wolves on Sunday afternoon.

Newcastle clinch comeback win at Wolves

The Magpies faced another key game in the Premier League on Sunday, with Howe’s team making the trip to Molineux, looking to make it 10 points from a possible 12 to start the season.

As has been the case for much of the campaign to date, Newcastle’s performance wasn’t necessarily wholly convincing, but they managed to get over the line, highlighting their team spirit and belief.

Mario Lemina’s first-half strike gave Wolves a half-time lead, and given the nature of the Magpies’ rather limp display, it was hard to see them getting back in the game. Fabian Schar equalised with a speculative long-range effort that deflected off Craig Dawson before Harvey Barnes’ outstanding strike sealed a previous victory for the visitors.

The win means Newcastle are sitting pretty in third place in the Premier League table, behind Manchester City and Arsenal, and the most encouraging thing for supporters is that there are further gears to find. There was an injury for Alexander Isak to contend with, however, with the striker replaced at half-time, acting as a concern.

Howe provides Isak injury update

Taking to X after Sunday’s game, injury expert Ben Dinnery explained that Isak was substituted after suffering from blurred vision, also sharing Howe’s quotes on the situation:

Losing Isak for an extended period of time would be a disaster for Newcastle, given his status as one of the most impressive attacking players in the Premier League currently.

The 24-year-old hasn’t necessarily hit absolute top form yet this season, only scoring once in his first four appearances in the league in 2024/25, but he is arguably one of Howe’s most important players, with the Magpies boss saying of him recently:

“For me, I think the biggest thing is would I swap him with anybody else? No, I wouldn’t. When you look at his age profile and what’s to come, you look at his attributes and his qualities, he’s some talent.”

Hopefully, the fact that it was an eye issue that led to the blurred vision means that it was an impact injury that will heal in no time at all, but it is understandable why there would be concern from fans about their star attacker being out for a lengthy period.

Howe must drop 5/10 Newcastle man who lost 100% of his duels

Newcastle United just about got the better of Wolverhampton Wanderers away at Molineux.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 16, 2024

If Isak can stay fit for most of the season, there is every chance that he could be one of the leading scorers in the Premier League, and him being back in the starting lineup for Saturday’s trip to Fulham would be a huge positive.

And breathe. It was far more nervy than it ought to have been, but Arsenal maintained their latest title charge by securing a last-gasp win over Leicester City on Saturday afternoon, with the Gunners shaking off a limp second-half display to claim all three points.

With rivals Manchester City having ceded ground earlier in the day away at St James’ Park, the north London side needed to capitalise against the Foxes and looked almost certain to do so at half-time, having gone in at the break with a two goal advantage following goals from Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli.

This is the Premier League, however, and there are no easy rides – not even against a side chasing their first win of the season – with a James Justin brace, including a stunning second, pulling the visitors level just before the hour mark.

Staring down the barrel of a second successive draw in the league, up stepped that man Trossard to prod home – via an unfortunate Wilfried Ndidi – following yet another set-piece late into stoppage time, before Kai Havertz bundled home at the death to put the icing on the cake for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Spaniard will no doubt be feeling a palpable sense of relief following those late heroics, although he will have some thinking to do following a mixed bag of performances from his side.

Arsenal's key performers vs Leicester

There’s no better place to start than with Mr Reliable himself, Trossard, with the Belgian wizard coming up clutch again amid his involvement in the ‘winner’ on the day, while also racking up three key passes in total as he sought to fill Martin Odegaard’s creative void in the side.

Creativity is also a word to be used for his ever-consistent teammate, Bukayo Saka, with the Englishman having looked to have picked up a sixth assist in as many league games this season – only for Trossard’s late strike to instead be awarded to Ndidi.

Regardless, the 23-year-old was at his brilliant best even as the Gunners toiled at times, racking up a ridiculous haul of eight key passes, while also successfully completing eight dribbles and winning 11 ground duels.

101 touches

93% pass accuracy

8 key passes

6/11 crosses

4 ‘big chances’ created

8/12 dribbles

11/22 ground duels won

20x possession lost

9.4 match rating

On the opposite flank, it was also a welcome return to the scoresheet for Gabriel Martinelli, with the Brazilian speedster – who also teed up Trossard on the stroke of half-time – now boasting three goal involvements from his last two outings.

A great day then for Arteta’s attacking unit, although the impact of Trossard and co may well have clouded the performance of Thomas Partey, with the Ghanaian fading once again in the centre of the park.

Thomas Partey's performance vs Leicester

On the face of it, it looked to have been a serene day for the experienced destroyer, with the 31-year-old having racked up 105 touches and recorded a 92% pass accuracy, while also winning five of his eight ground duels.

That said, the stats don’t tell the full story, with Partey notably culpable for the away side’s second, having seemingly not done enough to prevent the cross which led to Justin’s venomous volley.

The sight of the former Atletico Madrid man ambling along has become all too familiar for the Emirates faithful of late, with club legend Ian Wright having notably voiced his criticism after the midfielder appeared to be merely “jogging back” in the build-up to Brighton and Hove Albion’s equaliser back in late August.

With options limited in midfield due to the absence of both Odegaard and new man Mikel Merino, Arteta has been almost forced to keep faith with Partey thus far, although whether he can be relied upon week in, week out is another matter.

As football.london’s Kaya Kaynak stated – after awarding the £200k-per-week asset a 6/10 rating – he appeared to ‘tire massively’ after the break, before being withdrawn in the closing stages.

With Arsenal going on to seal the win without Partey on the field, perhaps there is an argument for him to be ousted from the side moving forward, amid the hope of seeing teenage playmaker, Ethan Nwaneri, feature more frequently.

That alteration would force Declan Rice to take on the sole, number six berth, yet with Partey’s legs appearing to fade, the Gunners can’t afford to carry any passengers in their bid for the title.

Not just Nwaneri & Porter: Arteta must unleash Arsenal's incredible 17 y/o

The incredible talent has a bright future ahead of him.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 25, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur’s poor start to the season almost got significantly worse on Wednesday night.

Ange Postecoglou’s side took on Coventry City in the League Cup, which should have been a straightforward win to boost morale around the club. Instead, it became perhaps the worst performance of the Australian’s reign thus far and ended with a last-minute smash-and-grab.

It was certainly a night to forget for the North Londoners and their travelling fans, but they have the perfect opportunity to make amends tomorrow afternoon as they host Brentford in the Premier League.

The bad news is that the Bees seem to be in great form at the moment and came close to earning a point away at Manchester City last week and comfortably beating Southampton the weekend before that.

So, if the Lilywhites are going to get anything out of the game, they’ll need to put in a performance far better than the one they gave on Wednesday, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see the manager make up to eight changes to help that happen.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

So, starting in goal, we already have the first change: number one Guglielmo Vicario comes back into the side in place of Fraser Forster, who looked shakey during the week.

Vicario hasn’t had the best start to the season himself, but with more minutes under his belt, he could get back to his shot-stopping best.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

On the right of the back four is another change, as 18-year-old Archie Gray makes way for Pedro Porro.

The young Englishman looked bright here and there against Coventry, but the Spaniard is a sensational right-back who is integral to Postecoglou’s ultra-attacking style of play.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the Don Benito-born star scored four goals and provided seven assists, equating to a goal involvement on average every 3.36 games.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

To the left of Porro will almost certainly be the club’s co-vice captain, Cristian Romero.

The Argentine international came in for some deserved criticism following the defeat to Arsenal last week, but there can be no doubt about his quality, especially when Lionel Messi described him as “the best defender in the world”, and he probably knows a thing or two about football.

Moreover, we often see the best in the combative centre-back when the going gets tough.

4 CB – Micky van de Ven

Alongside the World Cup winner will be Dutch centre-back Micky van de Ven.

The former Wolfsburg star was rested for the match on Wednesday, which was probably the right call given his injury record, but in tomorrow’s must-win game, he has to start.

The incredible speed he can reach makes him an integral part of the manager’s playing philosophy, as it’s this rapid pace that allows him to run back and cover from the team’s high line.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

The final player to make up the back four is the only one to keep his place from the last game, Destiny Udogie.

However, the Italian full-back didn’t put in his best performance and was actually hooked at half-time.

Still, given how well he played in the league last season and the manager’s reluctance to use Djed Spence apart from a rare time on Wednesday, it would be shocking if he didn’t start.

6 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

The first name in midfield is another survivor from the fiasco against Coventry, Rodrigo Bentancur.

Like the rest of his teammates, the Uruguayan international didn’t do much of any note in that game, but with Yves Bissouma only returning to training today, it seems certain that he’ll start again.

That said, like plenty of his teammates, the former Juventus ace is incredibly talented, and in a side with more regular starters, he could get back to somewhere near his best – at least that’s what the manager will be hoping.

7 CM – Dejan Kulusevski

The first change in midfield sees one Swede replace another, as 18-year-old Lucas Bergvall comes out for Dejan Kulusevski, who has looked good in central areas recently.

Now, the youngster didn’t look bad on Wednesday, but he couldn’t quite take a hold of the game either, and while that’s understandable at his age, it’s also an indication he shouldn’t be starting in a tough league game either.

Moreover, Kulusevski is one of Postecoglou’s most technically gifted players and, with a record of 36 goals and assists in 101 Spurs games, he’s also one of the most dangerous.

8 CM – James Maddison

The second change in midfield sees James Maddison come back into the lineup in place of Pape Matar Sarr.

The Englishman has been getting some understandable criticism of late for some underwhelming performances, but even when he’s not at his very best, the “influential” midfielder, as dubbed by former manager Brendan Rodgers, is still useful.

For example, in his 32 league matches for the Lilywhites, the former Leicester City star has scored four goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he’s averaged a goal involvement every 2.13 games.

Appearances

28

4

Goals

4

0

Assists

9

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.46

0.50

9 RW – Brennan Johnson

Brennan Johnson, the first of the three attackers, comes in for the injured Wilson Odobert.

It’s been a tough season for the Welshman so far, but he did make a difference in the game on Wednesday by keeping his composure and scoring the 92nd-minute winner to save the club and Postecoglou from an embarrassing defeat.

It will be tougher against Brentford tomorrow afternoon, but he clearly has the backing of the manager, and 15 goal involvements in his debut season for the club suggests there is a talented player there.

10 ST – Dominic Solanke

Starting up top and keeping his place in the team is the £65m man, Dominic Solanke.

The former Bournemouth ace hasn’t had the best of starts to life in North London, as in three appearances, he has yet to open his account with a goal or assist, but in his defence, his actual play has been quite good.

Moreover, he played like a man possessed last season and racked up a superb 21 goals and four assists in 42 appearances for the Cherries, so it feels more like a matter of when and not if he starts to find the back of the net in white.

Appearances

42

Goals

21

Assists

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

It has been a great start to Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea reign. The Blues have made positive strides under the Italian manager so far, and entered the weekend sitting 4th in the Premier League table. Maresca’s men have 13 points to their name already, having won four, drawn one and lost one.

Impressively, the Blues have scored a league-high 15 goals, an average of 2.5 goals per game. The seven goals they have conceded so far mean they have an impressive goal difference of eight.

There have certainly been some standout players who have contributed to this impressive start under Maresca. Unsurprisingly, one of those players is Cole Palmer.

Palmer’s stats in 2024/25

After a quite extraordinary debut year at Stamford Bridge from Palmer last season, he has continued his form into the new campaign. In all competitions last term, the Englishman scored 27 goals and grabbed 15 assists in 48 games.

The Manchester City academy graduate led the way for combined goals and assists in the English top flight last term. His 33 goal involvements beat former club teammate Erling Haaland and England teammate Ollie Watkins, who both had 32 to their name, as per Statmuse. Palmer capped the season by taking home the PFA Young Player of the Year award.

Every winner of the PFA Young Player of the Year award since 2000

Cole Palmer has deservedly taken home the 2023/24 Young Player of the Year award – following in the footsteps of several Premier League stars.

ByLuke Randall Aug 20, 2024

His start to the new season has been extraordinary. The 22-year-old, who scored in the Euro 2024 final against Spain over the summer, already has six goals and four assists in six Premier League games. That included a remarkable four goals in one game against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

Gameweek

Opponent

H/A

Score

Goals

Assists

1

Man City

H

0-2

0

0

2

Wolves

A

2-6

1

3

3

Crystal Palace

H

1-1

0

1

4

Bournemouth

A

0-1

0

0

5

West Ham

A

0-3

1

0

6

Brighton

H

4-2

4

0

The attacker’s start to the 2024/25 campaign has been nothing short of marvellous. Palmer is thriving once again and could become even better if Maresca unleashes Pedro Neto against Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon.

Why Neto should start against Forest

Despite injury issues hampering his career so far, 24-year-old Portuguese winger Neto has shown flashes of sheer brilliance during his time in the Premier League. He cost the Blues £54m from Wolverhampton Wanderers over the summer and has made a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge.

The Portugal international was superb for the Old Gold in 2023/24, scoring two goals and grabbing nine assists in 20 games in the Premier League. His assist tally was the joint-fourth-best in the top flight last term, which is especially impressive given he played substantially fewer games than those around him.

Neto has started off strongly for the west London outfit. He has played nine games in all competitions so far, grabbing two goals and an assist, including a strike against Gent in the Conference League. That is even more impressive when you consider he has played just 440 minutes, equivalent to 4.8 games.

Given the winger’s creativity and fast start in front of goal for Chelsea, it certainly seems like he could strike up a deadly partnership with Palmer. The English attacker has a licence to drift around the pitch under Maresca, allowing him to float around and link up with attackers all over the pitch.

Neto is a very creative player, as his stats from last term show. The fact he is playing with one of the best attacking players in the league in Palmer could lead to a partnership that thrives if given time to evolve by Maresca.

They have played 270 minutes together across six games so far, but have yet to combine for a goal. However, that does not mean it won’t happen as they get more used to their respective ways of playing.

Neto, who was described as “electric” by football statistician Statman Dave, is one of the most potent creative threats in the Premier League, and with Palmer’s ability to score goals from almost anywhere on the pitch, it seems like it could be a match made in heaven if Maresca unleashes the pair together against Forest.