PSG now make Newcastle star their priority target; £83m move possible

Paris Saint-Germain have now made a Newcastle United star their priority target for the summer, and an offer of £83m could be possible, according to a report.

Newcastle braced for departures

Newcastle have a real fight on their hands when it comes to trying to keep hold of a number of their star players, particularly considering the financial restrictions they are working under, which has significantly slowed down their progress.

Alexander Isak’s future at St James’ Park remains in major doubt, with Premier League rivals Arsenal believed to be keen, having now identified the Swede as their number-one striker target.

However, the Gunners are not the only option for Isak, with PSG willing to do everything they can to sign the forward, identifying him as an ideal signing for the Luis Enrique project.

Isak is not the French club’s main target, though, with reports from Spain now revealing that signing Bruno Guimaraes is their priority objective – and they are willing to make a huge offer to get a deal over the line.

The reigning Ligue 1 champions could make an offer of €100m (£83m) to secure the Brazilian’s services in what could prove to be one of the biggest signings of next summer.

As expected, Newcastle will not let Guimaraes leave easily, viewing him as fundamental to their plans to compete in the Premier League and Europe, though whether they could be tempted by a big offer is unclear.

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Such is the 27-year-old’s ability, he has been lauded as “world-class” by ex-Magpies defender Jose Enrique, so it is no surprise that PSG have identified him as a major target for the summer transfer window.

Bruno Guimaraes celebrates for Newcastle

Eddie Howe has also agreed with the notion that Guimaraes is world-class, saying: “I think he is. I don’t say that lightly because it’s easy to say, but you have to believe what you’re saying. And I do.

“I think he has unbelievable qualities that we see on a daily basis. He is versatile, fundamentally he has an unbelievable attitude to life and football. He can produce moments of magic like he did against Nottingham Forest.”

The Newcastle star’s attacking talents have been on show for all to see over the past year, ranking in the 96th percentile for assists per 90 and the 97th percentile for successful take-ons when compared to his positional peers (as per FBref).

Since joining the club, the former Lyon man’s attacking output has improved each year:

Bruno Guimaraes goals & assists per season

Season

Total

2021/22

6

2022/23

10

2023/24

17

2024/25

6 (so far)

The Magpies’ struggles to abide by the Premier League’s financial rules mean that cashing in on the Brazil international could be a huge help, but he would be extremely difficult to replace in central midfield.

As such, Newcastle should resist PSG’s approach unless Guimaraes unexpectedly pushes for an exit that forces them to cash in.

He’s like Gundogan: Man City could re-sign £42m star on loan in January

Manchester City could well have turned a corner, with a horrendous run of five games without a win having been followed by successive victories against Leicester City and West Ham United.

The Citizens were able to end 2024 on a high note, beating the Foxes 2-0 at the King Power Stadium, prior to putting four past the hapless Hammers to kick off 2025 with a bang.

The reigning Premier League champions are now unbeaten in their last three games, having also drawn 1-1 at home to Everton on Boxing Day.

Manchester City's KevinDeBruynecelebrates scoring their second goal with teammates

There were changes made for each of those games by Guardiola, with veteran midfielder Ilkay Gundogan barely featuring in recent weeks.

Gundogan’s 2024/25 season

It has been something of a tough season for German midfielder Gundogan. After a year away from the Etihad Stadium, playing for Barcelona for a season, he returned to the club on a free transfer in the summer.

ilkay-gundogan-transfer-gossip-josh-brownhill-burnley-leeds-united-farke

Upon his return to the club, the treble winner has certainly had a big involvement for the Citizens this term but hasn’t quite made the greatest of impacts in a Sky Blue strip. He has played 25 times in all competitions, scoring twice in the Champions League and grabbing one assist in the top flight.

Indeed, things have not worked out as smoothly as Gundogan may have hoped. At times, the German has not looked like the player he was during his first stint at the club. Earlier in the season, football analyst Umir suggested he “lacks a bit of sharpness” to his game.

The void that Gundogan is having to fill in the absence of Rodri is certainly taking its toll on him, and his teammates. City could do with reinforcements in the middle of the park, and they have been linked with some who is a similar player to the German.

Man City's midfield target

The player in question here is Juventus and Brazil international midfielder Douglas Luiz. The former Aston Villa man has struggled for regular game time at his current club Juventus, and the Mirror reported on New Year’s Day that a move for the midfielder ‘has been discussed as a loan option’.

Juventus' Douglas Luiz in action with Hellas Verona's Reda Belahyane.
Reuters/Daniele Mascolo

Indeed, he has not had quite the involvement in Turin he might have thought after a £42m move. Luiz has played 12 times in all competitions, with nine of those games coming in Serie A. Perhaps surprisingly, he has played just 343 minutes across competitions for the Old Lady.

With that being said, there is no doubting the Brazilian’s talent in the middle of the park. His record for Villa is impressive given he played as a deeper-lying midfielder at times. In 204 games for the club, he scored 22 goals and registered 24 assists.

Douglas-Luiz-Aston-Villa

His performances were so good that football statistician Statman Dave described him as the “best box-to-box CM in the Premier League” back in February 2024. Indeed, his final season in Claret and Blue, 2023/24, definitely caught the eye with Luiz scoring nine goals and grabbing five assists in 35 top-flight games.

Similarities can certainly be drawn between Luiz and Gundogan. Firstly, if he were to sign for City, it would also be a return to the club like the German. The Juve man joined the Mancunian side in 2017, although never actually played a game.

You can also draw statistical comparisons between the pair via FBref too. Although the sample size is small, the numbers they are putting up per 90 minutes are similar. For example, Luiz has played 6.06 progressive passes and made 4.24 ball recoveries this term.

In comparison, Gundogan averages 5.65 progressive passes and completes 5.08 ball recoveries in 2024/25. They are alike in many areas of their play styles.

Luiz & Gundogan key stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Luiz

Gundogan

Progressive passes

6.06

5.65

Key passes

2.73

1.69

Tackles and interceptions

2.73

1.94

Progressive carries

3.94

2.5

Ball recoveries

4.24

5.08

Stats from FBref

This may be a fantastic deal for the Citizens to complete. Not only would they be adding quality depth to their squad in the short term, but also bringing in a similar player to Gundogan. That would reduce workload and perhaps bring out the best version of him, too.

Given it is only a loan, this seems like a smart deal for City to do, and could certainly help them get back to winning ways regularly.

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Harry Kane kept at bay as Bayern Munich miss huge chance to all-but wrap up Bundesliga title in dramatic Der Klassiker draw against Borussia Dortmund

Die Roten failed to extend their lead at the top of the table as they were held to a 2-2 draw by their struggling rivals on Saturday night

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  • Bayern fail to capitalise on Bayer Leverkusen draw
  • Harry Kane misses late chance to win derby
  • Vincent Kompany's side remain six points clear
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    Bayern began the derby with the intention of building their lead at the top of the Bundesliga, with nearest rivals Bayer Leverkusen being held to a 0-0 draw by Union Berlin earlier on Saturday. However, a lack of end product prevented either side from opening the scoring in the first half, despite Michael Olise looking sharp on the ball with Thomas Muller and Harry Kane waiting for service in the middle.

    Josip Stanisic headed over the bar while Olise tested Gregor Kobel when played through, but it was Kane who had the best opportunity of the opening 45 minutes, seeing his fierce shot batted away by the visiting goalkeeper minutes before the half-time whistle was blown.

    Dortmund had threatened in spurts but it was still a shock when they opened the scoring in the 48th minute. Niko Kovac's side raced away on the counter-attack and Maximilian Beier arrived at the back post to out-jump Kim Min-jae and head in Julian Ryerson's deep cross.

    Shocked to be behind, Vincent Kompany made changes from the bench and was so nearly rewarded with an equaliser when substitute Raphael Guerreiro's cross was almost put into his own net by Waldemar Anton, the ball looping over Kobel and onto the crossbar. It was Guerreiro who finally netted the goal Bayern's dominance deserved as he whipped in Muller's lay-off in the 65th minute.

    Things got even better soon after when substitute Serge Gnabry drove down the left, evading some limp Dortmund challenges, and fired Bayern into the lead with a cool finish into the bottom corner. However, Dortmund responded almost instantly as Bayern failed to clear their lines from a corner and Anton prodded in after Jonas Urbig's last-ditch save.

    Kane struggled to make the most of his opportunities throughout the game and missed a gilt-edged chance to put Bayern ahead again, seeing his volley hit the post when he could have stooped to head it in. No winner arrived as both teams had to settle for a 2-2 draw, with Bayern missing a glorious opportunity to all-but wrap up the title.

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    Bayern had fallen behind by the time Gnabry was introduced from the bench and it was the Germany international who put the hosts into a strong position. The winger was involved in the first goal as Guerreiro curled in and then took advantage of some statue-esque defending to put Bayern into the lead. It didn't prove enough for the win, but Gnabry's contribution was greater than what either Olise or Leroy Sane could offer.

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    THE BIG LOSER

    After his big miss against Inter in the Champions League in midweek, Kane would have been desperate to make his mark in Der Klassiker, especially after defending title holders Leverkusen dropped points earlier on Saturday. However, the England captain spurned his two best opportunities from close range and wasn't at his sharpest with the ball at his feet, completing only 70% of his attempted passes.

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  • WHAT COMES NEXT?

    After this draw, Bayern now look ahead to the second leg of their Champions League quarter final against Inter, having suffered a 2-1 defeat at home in the first fixture earlier this week. Dortmund also have a deficit to overturn, having been beaten heavily by Barcelona.

Newcastle in strong position to sign 18 y/o who scored SJP youth hat-trick

Newcastle United are believed to be in a strong position to complete the signing of a “special” Premier League player in 2025, according to a new transfer claim.

Latest Newcastle news

The Magpies are looking to strike some potential business this month, with a host of players emerging as possible additions at St James’ Park. One such figure is young Barcelona striker Vitor Roque, who has fallen out of favour at the La Liga giants, and they may be willing to sell him.

Meanwhile, Newcastle continue to search for a new right winger to act as an upgrade on current options Jacob Murphy and Miguel Almiron, with Bournemouth ace Antoine Semenyo linked with a move to the club. He is seen as an alternative option to Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo in that position.

Centre-back is still an area of the pitch that needs to be addressed, in terms of depth and bringing in a long-term option who is younger than their players there, and AC Milan’s Fikayo Tomori has emerged as a strong choice there. He is thought to be open to the idea of returning to the Premier League, perhaps in order to aid his chances of forcing his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans with England.

At the other end of the pitch, Everton marksman Dominic Calvert-Lewin is still being mentioned as a transfer target, with Newcastle eyeing him up on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Newcastle in strong position to sign "special" ace

According to The Daily Mail, Newcastle are in a good position to complete the signing of Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling in the summer window, following an impressive first half to the season by the 18-year-old.

He once scored a hat-trick at St James’ Park in a youth team game for Saints Under-23 at the age of just 16, and the Magpies are reportedly “being kept abreast of his situation” and “retain a strong interest” in him.

Dibling could be an exceptional long-term addition for Newcastle, coming straight in as an exciting squad player but also a long-term acquisition who could develop into a superstar over time.

The teenager has shone in a Southampton side that already looks doomed this season, scoring twice in the Premier League and being lauded by Danny Murphy, who said of him last month:

‘It is the quality he has got – the belief in himself and the physical power. He just goes past people with ease. He has got a lovely left foot. He is very brave on the ball and his decision-making is good. It is difficult to get too over the top with these young players, because he has just come on to the scene, but he is going to be something special.”

Signing Dibling is an absolute no-brainer for Newcastle, with his natural ability and long-term ceiling meaning he will end up at another huge club if it’s not the Magpies.

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Snapping him up would be a real statement of intent by Paul Mitchell and Eddie Howe, so supporters could be desperate to see the transfer happen in the summer.

VIDEO: Trying to sh*thouse the king of sh*thousery! Sergio Ramos overcomes goalkeeper's bizarre mind-game antics to convert penalty for Monterrey

Sergio Ramos faced a truly bizarre goalkeeping strategy when he took a penalty for Monterrey against Tigres at the weekend.

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  • Takes penalty against Tigres
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    During Monterrey's dramatic 2-1 defeat to Tigres, Ramos took a penalty to give his side a 1-0 lead early in the second half. Known for his repeatedly controversial defensive tactics throughout his peak in Spain, Ramos was faced with a bizarre strategy from goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman, who turned his back on the former Spain international as he prepared to take his kick.

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    Ramos looked confused by Gomez's tactics but he converted the penalty anyway. It was not enough for Monterrey, however, as they fell to a late defeat. Tigres were reduced to 10 men in the 47th minute, but Monterrey saw both German Berterame and Oliver Torres sent off later in the second half before goals in the 90th and 96th minutes sealed a remarkable comeback for their opponents.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    Ramos is now 39 and has a contract until December 31. It remains to be seen if he will be given an offer to extend his stay.

The next Stewart: Sunderland could land an "insane" Connolly replacement

Only two points outside of the automatic promotion spots in the Championship table at this moment in time, Sunderland will be hoping 2025 is the year they finally make their long-awaited return to the Premier League happen.

Falling all the way down to League One at one point, the Black Cats are very much now back in promotion contention in the second tier away from any of those nightmares still lingering, with two wins from two picked up in the league so far in January.

Regis Le Bris will hope he gets backed in the January transfer window in order to boost his side’s chances of a dream promotion, with a potent striker very much on the radar.

Sunderland's search for a striker

As reported earlier this week, Sunderland remain in the race to try and sign Stoke City sharpshooter Tom Cannon this month, with his parent club Leicester City perhaps prepared to send him out elsewhere away from the lowly Potters.

Sheffield United are also keen on the clinical 22-year-old’s services, so it remains to be seen whether the Black Cats will come out on top, or if Chris Wilder’s men do indeed have the edge in this ongoing transfer tussle.

If the Wearside outfit were to land the current Stoke hero, fans packed inside the Stadium of Light would be praying that the Republic of Ireland international is a forward of a similar ilk to former goal machine Ross Stewart, who Sunderland have arguably never replaced.

He could also gift the Black Cats another valuable option up top – away from any bold comparisons – with it looking likely that reserve figure Aaron Connolly will be leaving for Millwall this window, with Wilson Isidor no doubt kept on his toes by the loanee’s arrival.

What Cannon can offer Sunderland

Cannon has been a lethal finisher of chances for Stoke this season, even as the Staffordshire side’s season has gone off the boil, with nine strikes tallied up in Championship action. To add further context, Isidor is one short of that total in the league as the Black Cats’ leading man in attack.

With a known reputation for being a reliable poacher now in the EFL, considering the “insane” marksman – as he was labelled by football journalist Pete Smith earlier this season – has fired home 19 career goals in the Championship during a number of fruitful loan moves, it feels likely that he would be a success at Sunderland lining up alongside creative faces like Jobe Bellingham.

Alongside these second-tier heroics, Cannon also fired home a ridiculous 51 goals in total playing for many of Everton’s youth sides before a move to Leicester came to be, with a potential there for the 5 foot 11 ace to become the Black Cats’ next Stewart when assessing their similar deadliness in-front of goal.

Indeed, Stewart was a ruthless attacker for Sunderland when he was still on the books of the Wearside club, with a seriously impressive 40 strikes notched up from 80 clashes, before a move to Southampton was then hampered by recurring injury demons.

Stewart’s league goal record by season at Sunderland

Season

Games played

Goals scored

22/23

13

10

21/22

49

26

20/21

12

3

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Amazingly, even during an injury-disrupted final campaign at the Stadium of Light, the constantly dangerous Scotsman still managed to bag ten strikes from 13 league contests, with his scoring frequency coming in at a devastating 104 mins.

Cannon can equally light up tight games at a moment’s notice, seen in his early strike against Sunderland last time out in the FA Cup, with barely four minutes shy on the clock before he tucked home a cool penalty.

tom-cannon-transfer-gossip-everton-leeds-united-farke-jermaine-beckford

With Connolly’s departure soon to be announced, Le Bris does need more options up top, and he could get the best possible replacement in the form of Cannon if a move does get off the ground.

Sunderland could be set for Jack Clarke repeat by cashing in on £20m ace

Sunderland will hope they don’t have to sell on this star this month.

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Mauricio Pochettino should have stayed: Tottenham legend claims Daniel Levy was wrong to sack USMNT boss with Sir Alex Ferguson's words of wisdom given as reason

Mauricio Pochettino should have stayed at Tottenham, as Teddy Sheringham believes Daniel Levy was wrong to sack the USMNT boss.

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  • Tottenham are having a rough season
  • Uncertainty looms over Postecoglou's future
  • Sheringham claimed Spurs should have kept Pochettino
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Pochettino was sacked in November 2019 after a disappointing start to the season that saw Spurs in 14th place. Since Pochettino’s departure, Tottenham have gone through four permanent managers, including Jose Mourinho, but none of them have matched the consistency and progress seen under the Argentine.

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    Despite a promising start, Ange Postecoglou now finds himself under immense pressure as Spurs continue to slide down the Premier League table. Currently sitting in 15th place, they risk finishing in their lowest league position in over a decade.

    Meanwhile, Pochettino recently reflected on his time at Tottenham and didn’t rule out the possibility of a reunion.

    He said: "Look, when I left the club I always remember one interview I said I would like one day to come back to Tottenham and that is of course. I am in the USA, I am not going to going to talk about that, but what I said then still after six years or five years, I still feel in my heart that, yes, I would like one day to come back. We see the timing, like Daniel said."

  • WHAT SHERINGHAM SAID

    Sheringham voiced his disbelief over chairman Levy’s decision to end Pochettino’s five-year tenure, which culminated in a historic Champions League final appearance.

    Speaking candidly in an interview with , Sheringham said, “I still don't know why they got rid of Mauricio Pochettino in the first place. I think he was the right fit for Tottenham."

    Sheringham believes Spurs missed a vital opportunity to push forward following their Champions League final against Liverpool. Instead of strengthening the team, the club remained stagnant, and that, he says, was a fatal error. Quoting the wisdom of Sir Alex Ferguson, Sheringham added, "I think back to the time when they played in the Champions League final against Liverpool and then after that there was no movement in the transfer market to really enhance the club.

    "Sir Alex Ferguson always said if you stand still with the players you’ve got – you're falling behind. So you always need to keep striving to be better. That wasn't the case with Tottenham at that particular moment. They just didn't look to go further. Whether that was Pochettino’s idea of not wanting to buy anyone or Daniel Levy's that he didn't want to spend any money on new players, who knows? But it's definitely a time when you need to enhance the squad, when you're doing well."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

    Despite leading the team to the semi-finals of the Europa League with a hard-fought victory over Eintracht Frankfurt, Postecoglou is under no illusions about his job security. “You’ll have to put up with me a bit longer,” he joked, but Spurs’ hierarchy is reportedly already planning for life after the Australian if European success doesn’t materialize. With the league campaign in tatters and their European dreams hanging by a thread, Postecoglou’s men face a stern test when they welcome high-flying Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Easter Monday.

West Ham offered "intelligent" £21m Barcelona ace with January contact made

West Ham United have an opportunity to strike a January deal with Barcelona, as manager Graham Potter attempts to shore up key areas of his squad.

West Ham in talks to sign midfielder and striker for Graham Potter

As per reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, the east Londoners are maintaining their negotiations to bring in both a new midfielder and striker before the deadline.

West Ham in ongoing talks over signing "top-quality" England international

Graham Potter’s side sense an opportunity.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jan 22, 2025

It was believed that West Ham had agreed a deal for Ezechiel Banzuzi, with that news even reported by Sky Sports, but Ex has since poured cold water over this and insists that they remain in talks with OH Leuven.

“We submitted a bid two weeks ago which was rejected with his club saying they didn’t want to sell him until the summer and would demand a lot of money for him to move now,” stated Ex (via West Ham Way).

West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (away)

January 26

Chelsea (away)

February 3

Brentford (home)

February 15

Arsenal (away)

February 22

Leicester City (home)

February 27

“Karen Brady was thought to have taken a lead with this transfer and has continued with talks with the players agent. We have remained in contact with the club and talks have continued without a formal bid being proposed or of course accepted since the original offer. This is a transfer that could be revisited again soon.”

Amid their pursuit of the Dutch midfielder, it is also believed that West Ham are in negotiations to sign Andre Silva from RB Leipzig on loan until the end of the season, which may eventually include a buy-out option.

“We had continued our talks with Andre Silva over a loan move to the summer,” said Ex again.

“The loan deal would potentially have an option at the end of it to make the deal permanent. Talks will continue today but at the moment other options are being considered as well. As I’ve been saying for a while now I think this is the easiest deal to complete and one we may chose to do as a temporary measure that could turn out to be a bargain.”

Now, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, West Ham could have an opportinity to reinforce their defence.

West Ham offered Barcelona defender Eric Garcia

Writing for The Boot Room, Bailey claims that Barcelona defender Eric Garcia has emerged as an option for Potter. The Spaniard, formerly of Man City, has played more of a bit-part role under Hansi Flick at the Camp Nou this season – leading to reports that Barca could sell him this window for around £21 million.

Barcelona'sEricGarciareacts

West Ham have been offered Garcia by intermediaries, who’ve contacted the Irons to let them know about his availability. As well as West Ham, it is believed Tottenham, Brighton, Wolves, Newcastle and Aston Villa have been approached as well.

Garcia can actually play in defensive midfield as well, so if a move for Banzuzi fails, then the 24-year-old could be a solid alternative.

“Eric is a very intelligent boy – more than a boy,” said City director of football Txiki Begiristain. “He is a good character, a solid leader.”

Millie Bobby Brown attends Liverpool clash with Tottenham as Stranger Things star hopes to see her favourite side win Premier League title at Anfield

Stranger Things actor Millie Bobby Brown was in attendance at Anfield to witness her favourite club Liverpool win the Premier League title.

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  • Millie Bobby Brown attended Spurs clash at Anfield
  • Liverpool took a 3-1 lead at half-time
  • Reds secured their 20th English top-flight title
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Brown was present in the stands at Anfield for Sunday's Premier League clash against Tottenham Hotspur as the Reds were just a point away from winning the English top-flight for a record equalling 20 times. The Stranger Things star was also joined by British TV series Adolescence's teen star, Owen Cooper.

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    Brown is a Liverpool supporter and had previously stated that she is a fan of former Reds star Philippe Coutinho. The actor had earlier attended the Merseyside club's victory over Manchester City on New Year's Day in 2016 at Anfield.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    The hosts were taken aback at the start of the match as Dominic broke the deadlock for Spurs in the 12th minute. But Ange Postecoglou's side could hold on to their lead for just four minutes as Luis Diaz equalised for the Anfield outfit. Alexis Mac Allister then put his side in front before Cody Gakpo added a third goal to the team's tally to as Slot's side took a 3-1 lead at the break.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

    Liverpool will hope to hold on to their lead in the second half to secure their 20th league title, thereby equalling rivals Manchester United's tally. They will be back in action in the Premier League on May 4 as they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

He’d send Dragusin packing: Spurs in contact to sign £42m sensation

Tottenham Hotspur managed to pick up a much-needed and hard-fought win in the Europa League on Thursday night, but any hope of an uptick in form was quickly squashed on Sunday afternoon.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played out a dismal 2-1 defeat to the relegation-threatened Leicester City in the Premier League, and it’s starting to look like the club could genuinely be pulled into a relegation battle.

In the manager’s defence, he has been forced to play a makeshift backline consisting of a young midfielder in Archie Gray, an ageing full-back in Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin, who is now clearly below the standard required to even be a backup for the Lilywhites.

Fortunately, recent reports have touted a far more accomplished centre-back for a move to the club, a centre-back who could send the Romanian international packing.

Tottenham target defensive titan

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several teams to have registered their interest in Feyenoord star David Hancko.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League side Chelsea have also asked the Dutch side for information on the Slovakian, while Juventus and Atlético Madrid are also mooted as potential suitors.

However, the report explains that the Eredivisie outfit are adamant that their defender is not for sale this month but is expected to have an asking price of around €50m for him in the summer, which is about £42m.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given how well Hancko has played in recent seasons and the dismal form of Dragusin, it’s one well worth pursuing.

How Hancko compares to Dragusin

So, the first thing to say is that, when fit, the starting centre-back pairing for Tottenham next season will almost certainly still be Cristan Romero and Micky van de Ven, as the nous and leadership of the former and the breathtaking speed and athleticism of the latter make them a truly formidable partnership.

However, with both of them being somewhat injury-prone and playing an incredibly intense style of football under Postecoglou, the need for a reliable and skilful backup who does not drop the level too much is a necessity, and we have seen over the last year or so that Dragusin is most certainly not that.

Therefore, should Daniel Levy and Co sanction the signing of Hancko in the summer, he’d initially come in to challenge and hopefully usurp the Romanian as that first-choice backup, but how do the two centre-backs stack up when we take a look under the hood and compare their underlying numbers?

Unsurprisingly, it’s the Feyenoord star who comes out victorious and, unfortunately for the Spurs man, it’s not even close.

For example, the Slovakian titan comes out ahead in almost every metric, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, passing accuracy, key passes, passes into the penalty area and final third, shot and goal-creating actions, tackles won, interceptions, clearances and more, all per 90.

Hancko vs Dragusin

Statistics per 90

Hancko

Dragusin

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.20

0.03

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.19

0.03

Progressive Passes

5.71

2.53

Progressive Carries

1.71

0.37

Passing Accuracy

86.9%

85.8%

Key Passes

0.57

0.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.43

0.16

Passes into the Final Third

4.14

3.26

Live Passes

51.9

57.3

Shot-Creating Actions

1.43

0.53

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.05

Tackles Won

0.94

0.41

Interceptions

1.06

1.01

Clearances

5.14

4.16

Blocks

1.43

1.79

Errors Leading to a shot

0.00

0.32

Successful Take-Ons

0.57

0.05

Ball Recoveries

2.71

3.47

Aerial Duels Won

0.71

2.21

All Stats via FBref for 24/25

Moreover, while the 27-year-old has the height to be a central defender, coming in at 6 foot 2, he’s no slouch with the ball at his feet, with respected analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “freak technician” who’s no stranger to “carrying the ball from deep,” “interchanging with midfielders,” and “driving into the box,” which makes him sound like the perfect player for Postecoglou.

Finally, he has worn the captain’s armband a number of times for Feyenoord this season, and with 48 senior caps to his name as well, he’s no stranger to the biggest stages.

Ultimately, while Dragusin has put in some reasonable performances for Spurs over the last year, they have been far and few between, and if the club want to progress, they’ll need stronger options at the back.

Therefore, while it would represent a significant investment, Levy and Co should do what they can to sign Hancko this year.

Better than Solanke in 23/24: Spurs move close to signing £25m "powerhouse"

The international striker might be just what Spurs need this season.

2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 27, 2025

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