All posts by z3u9t.icu

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been keeping one eye on what has been happening in Germany as Euro 2024 heads into the final round of group matches this weekend.

The club have yet to make a signing so far this summer as the Spaniard prefers to wait until slightly later to do his business. Might this change this year?

City appear to be showing interest in a player who is taking part in the competition this summer and Pep might be keen on making his move sooner rather than later.

Man City eyeing up move for Italian defender this summer

According to The Athletic journalist, James Horncastle, City are showing some interest in centre-back Riccardo Calafiori.

He currently plays for Bologna but has attracted attention from several European giants amid his performances last season. Indeed, the likes of Juventus – now managed by his old manager at Bolgona, Thiago Motta – and Bayern Munich are clubs who could be tempted to make a move for the player.

He will cost around £34m according to reports, which wouldn’t break the bank at City, far from that. If Italy goes far at Euro 2024, however, might this price tag increase in the coming weeks?

Pep could do with some strength in depth defensively, but Calafiori could become a wonderful partner alongside Manuel Akanji at the heart of the City defence.

What Riccardo Calafiori could bring to Man City

Hailed as an “aerial monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson for his prowess in the air, Calafiori could give the City defence some added protection next term.

Indeed, he won 2.5 aerial duels per game last term in Serie A – a success rate of 71% – which suggests it takes a lot for an opposition player to get the better of him in the air.

He does show a tendency to push forward often too. When compared to his positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues, the Bologna defender ranks in the 1% for assists (0.19) and the top 3% for shot-creating actions (1.76) per 90.

Not only that, but the 22-year-old even ranks in the top 8% for successful take-ons (0.5%) per 90, again, further evidence of his keenness to move the ball forward at any given opportunity.

Slotting him alongside Akanji, who ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries and for pass success rate in Europe’s top five leagues, could give Guardiola a defensive duo who love to play out from the back and start attacks deep in their own half.

Calafiori may have scored an own goal against Spain on Thursday evening, but he was praised for his display in the opener against Albania by former Juventus defender Gianluca Zambrotta, who said:

Accurate passes

99/106

Touches

117

Total duels won

6

Tackles made

1

Interceptions

3

Successful dribbles

2

Key passes

1

Via Sofascore

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things yesterday.”

There is no doubt that the youngster looks the part. Could a move to the Premier League come sooner than expected to partner Akanji at the back?

He could provide a dominant aerial force and progressive presence in possession next to the Swiss international during the 2024/25 campaign and beyond.

It has been pleasing to see West Ham United show proactivity in the transfer market this summer, instead of biding time and being forced into reactive moves after one disappointing development or another.

Technical director Tim Steidten clearly held some positive talks at the maiden stage with Julen Lopetegui, who has replaced David Moyes, for teenage winger Luis Guilherme has been signed for £25.5m and centre-back Max Kilman has been welcomed to the rearguard for £40m.

More is yet to come. The fact remains that signing a striker is the east London outfit's most pressing concern, and if reports are to be believed, the transfer cannon has been levelled in that direction.

West Ham bid for new striker

West Ham have submitted a bid to sign FC Metz striker Georges Mikautadze, who was one of the standout performers for Georgia during their impressive Euro 2024 campaign.

It was Football Insider with the reveal, though they do stress that interest is thick and it would take an offer of €25m (roughly £21m) to convince the Ligue 1 outfit to sell.

With a throng of suitors eyeing up the dynamic striker, Steidten better kick on with negotiations to ensure that Mikautadze moves to the London Stadium.

The Georgian isn't the only striker the Irons could bring to the capital this summer, however, with Aston Villa's Jhon Duran a player said to be on their radar. Fabrizio Romano has even suggested that personal terms have been agreed with the player.

What Mikautadze would bring to West Ham

Rumour has it that Danny Ings is heading back to Southampton, with the respective Premier League sides currently haggling over a £6m figure. The 31-year-old hasn't exactly been brilliant for the Hammers, scoring four goals from 52 appearances.

Moreover, Divin Mubama has left the club after his contract expired and Michail Antonio is now 34, starting just 21 Premier League matches last year as he battled against injuries.

Mikautadze, 23, would be a brilliant addition to shape the frontline with fresh clay, ranking among the top 11% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

The Georgian ace was in prolific showing in the French top flight last year, scoring 13 goals and supplying four assists across just 20 appearances, averaging 1.1 key passes, 2.1 dribbles and 4.3 successful duels per game to boot, as per Sofascore.

If there have been concerns in the past concerning how the nimble star's skills would translate to life on the major stage, he has dispelled such notions with his talismanic efforts in Germany over the past month, hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as the "living legend" of his nation.

Georgia, a nation with less than half the population of London, earned the loftiest of laurels during their historic run to the round of 16, defeating Portugal to rise from the group stage for the first time in their history. They achieved this illustrious feat not through regimented pragmaticism, but through the breezy, free-flowing football of an awe-inspiring side.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia deservedly takes the plaudits as Georgia's prized possession, but Mikautadze proved that he is a figure of similar importance, notching three goals and an assist across four outings.

It might not be the easiest of deals to engineer, with Monaco pressing to complete a deal and a host of further suitors lingering, but West Ham will hope that the allure of the Premier League and the promise of a starring role as the Irons spearhead could tempt the 5 foot 9 forward to make the move to London.

Matches played

4

Matches started

4

Goals

3

Assists

1

Pass completion

83%

Shots per game

1.5

Key passes per game

1.3

Dribbles per game

1.8

Duels won per game

4.5

Given Mikautadze's athletic ability, he must be prioritised as the top target to fight for a place as United's focal frontman, and Lopetegui must discard interest in Sevilla's Youssef En-Nesyri to get the move over the line.

How Mikautadze compares to En-Nesyri

As per Spanish reports in June, West Ham have been considering a swoop for their long-term target, who has been transfer-listed for an affordable €20m (£17m) by the Spanish club with his contract set to expire in one year.

The 27-year-old has been described as a "pure goalscorer" by Kulig and indeed would arrive off the back of a sharp scoring season, posting 20 goals across 41 fixtures in all competitions.

He's an imposing target man at 6 foot 3 but not quite the most mobile of players, and as the chart below will show, the Morocco international is one of the lowest-ranking forwards regarding his passing metrics.

Lopetegui will strive to implement more of a passing focus at West Ham than that of his predecessor, with a balanced but flexible structure opening up fluid passing play.

Mikautadze would be the perfect player to add to the mix in this regard, not least because of his crisp and creative emphasis. The Georgia star, further to the point, is progressive and would be able to effectively influence attacking sequences through his driven, penetrative approach into the final third.

Furthermore, the electrifying support of stars such as Mohammed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and the earlier-mentioned Guilherme makes for the perfect, balanced frontline that would see Mikautadze thrive.

While West Ham have already been active in the transfer market this summer, there's no hiding from the fact that signing a new centre-forward is the priority.

Mikautadze could be the poster boy for years to come, with so much yet to give but so much already showcased. Steidten and Co need to get this one completed with dispatch.

West Ham enquire about £32m striker who'd make Kudus unplayable

East London could finally land a top-class centre-forward by sealing this signing.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 5, 2024

We are just days away from the final of the 2024 European Championships, and while the world will be watching on to see whether it's a first title for England or a fourth one for Spain, scouting departments across Europe will be keeping an eye out for potential acquisitions.

Both sides are packed to the brim with players touted for moves this summer, such as Nico Williams and Dani Olmo for La Roja or Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze for the Three Lions.

However, if recent reports are to be believed, another star in the Spanish team has caught Arsenal's eye, a star who could well be the Gunners' next Granit Xhaka.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Real Sociedad's midfield star Mikel Merino ahead of a potential move this summer.

Alongside the Gunners, the story has revealed that several other Premier League sides are also keen to bring the Spanish international to England, but as things stand, it is the North Londoners who are the most interested and, therefore, currently the most likely to secure his services.

There is no mention of a potential price, but a separate story from earlier this week revealed that he could be available for around £21m due to his contract expiring next summer.

In all, it looks like a remarkably straightforward transfer to get over the line for Arsenal, and with his impressive form for Sociedad and comparisons to Xhaka, one that they shouldn't miss out on.

Merino's comparisons to Xhaka

So, first things first, where does this comparison to Xhaka come from? Well, it stems from data analyst Ben Mattinson, who claimed that Merino had the talent and skill set to "play the exact role Xhaka did previously."

However, he went one step further, arguing that the Spaniard could "bring better defensive ability" to the role thanks to his "better aerial dominance" and "quality clipped passes."

This might sound like quite a leap to some, given the Swiss captain's incredible displays last season and genuine importance to Arsenal the campaign before, but based on the Sociedad ace's underlying numbers, he looks like he could be the perfect left eight for the Gunners.

Aerial Duels won

5.99

Top 1%

Non-Penalty Goals

0.20

Top 6%

Touches in the Opposition's Penalty Area

2.89

Top 7%

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.16

Top 12%

Clearances

2.02

Top 12%

Tackles

2.66

Top 17%

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the 6 foot 2 "monster", as dubbed Mattinson, sits in the top 1% of midfielders for aerial duels won, the top 6% for non-penalty goals, the top 7% for touches in the opposition's penalty area, the top 12% for non-penalty expected goals and clearances and the top 17% for tackles, all per 90.

Moreover, according to Squawka, he was the only player in Europe's top seven leagues to win more than 300 duels last season – 326, to be exact.

Lastly, in 45 appearances for the Basque outfit in 2023/24, the former Newcastle United ace scored eight goals and provided five assists, which is a more than passable tally for someone playing as the team's eight and evidence that he could help influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch as well.

Ultimately, with impressive defensive and offensive figures, combined with his height and all-around experience, Merino looks like he'd be the ideal man to fill the void left by Xhaka in 2023.

Arsenal struck gold on amazing star who's worth way more than Lamine Yamal

The incredible star is worth his weight in gold.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 10, 2024

West Ham United are gearing up for the 2024/25 Premier League campaign under new manager Julen Lopetegui, with the aim of bettering their ninth-place finish last season and returning to the European qualification spots.

They have already been busy in the market, acquiring Wolves defender Max Kilman, and highly rated Brazilian, Luis Guilherme, but the transfer activity doesn't look set to conclude there.

The Hammers continue to be linked with a host of players, in a host of different positions, including recent links to Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Füllkrug, who scored two goals at Euro 2024 for Germany.

West Ham's search for a striker

According to reports from Bolavip Brasil, West Ham are ready to make their first official offer to Corinthians for talented striker, Yuri Alberto. The report suggests the Hammers have made recent inquiries about the player, and are expected to make that interest official.

The report also indicates Everton were interested in the 23-year-old forward. However, no official offer was made by the Toffees, and other names have been prioritised by Sean Dyche and co.

Alberto made 36 appearances in all competitions last season for Corinthians, scoring 17 goals, providing three assists, and totalling 2,679 minutes of football.

Why Alberto can be West Ham's new Carlos Tevez

Alberto has been dubbed as a "complete forward" by Jacek Kulig, praising his powerful, athletic qualities and killer instinct. His ability to be a nuisance up top, using that athleticism, speed and tenacity, brings the comparison of a certain Carlos Tevez.

Tevez made 29 appearances in all competitions for West Ham in the 2006/07 season, scoring seven goals and providing four assists to help steer the club clear of relegation, with his overall work rate and effort – which saw him described as "like a terrier" by Sir Alex Ferguson – subsequently earning him a move to Manchester United.

West Ham could be looking for lightning to strike twice, acquiring another striker from Corinthians (same as Tevez), who can provide a wide set of skills to the Hammers forward line.

Stat (per 90 mins)

Alberto

Fullkrug

Non-Penalty Goals

0.26

0.32

Shots Total

3.04

2.36

Shots on Target

1.05

0.92

Progressive Carries

1.44

0.76

Aerials Won

1.96

3.49

While a lesser-known target, that comparison to Tevez should make Alberto a worthy option to consider for the Hammers and a perfect alternative to the aforementioned Fullkrug as the club's new number nine.

Fullkrug made 46 appearances for Dortmund in all competitions last season, scoring 16 goals, providing ten assists, and totalling 3,605 minutes, proving to be an important player in their Champions League run, finishing runners-up.

Both strikers bring different assets. Fullkrug is more of a hold-up play centre-forward, bringing others into play, using his 6 foot 2 frame, winning aerial duels as seen by his 3.49 aerials won per 90 metric, and being a threat in the box.

Alberto is smaller at 5 foot 10, but is a more complete archetype of striker, running the channels and being a counter-attacking threat, linking up play, while proving very instinctive and clinical around the box, but also good in the air for his height.

The 23-year-old Corinthians striker offers the extra shot volume in attack for the Hammers, averaging 3.04 per 90, whilst bringing that complete centre-forward play to the club, allowing him to link up with the wide men, who offer such a huge goal threat of their own.

As stated above, Alberto may be something of a left-field choice, but as the Irons found with the signing of Tevez, looking to the South American market can prove fruitful.

West Ham could forget all about Fofana by signing an “extraordinary player”

He’s interested in a move to the Premier League.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 29, 2024

With their FFP worries now firmly behind them, Newcastle United are set to enter the transfer market this summer in pursuit of new players to bolster Eddie Howe's defensive unit.

Newcastle need defenders this summer

If the Magpies' early activity in the transfer market is anything to go off, the club are serious about solidifying their backline going into the next Premier League campaign.

Top target: Newcastle want title-winning 52 y/o if Howe quits for England

Pep Guardiola thinks he’s “excellent”.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 21, 2024

The first name through the door at St James' Park was Llloyd Kelly who arrived on Tyneside in a free transfer after his contract with Bournemouth expired last month. Penning a five-year deal with the Toon, Kelly will be a versatile asset to Howe's side owing to his ability to play as either a central defender or a left back.

Newcastle have also agreed deals to bring two new goalkeepers to the club in the form of John Ruddy and Odysseas Vlachodimos. Whilst the former is unlikely to be starting many games for the Toon, the latter arrives from fellow top flight side Nottingham Forest and could provide competition to current number-one Nick Pope.

Despite already making a number of signings in this area of the pitch, the Magpies are still in the market for new defenders with AC Milan's Fikayo Tomori the name most commonly touted for a move to St James' Park. Reports late last month suggested that the Toon had been in contact with the Rossoneri about the former Chelsea man who could be available for around £40million this summer.

With Newcastle still eyeing moves for defensive stars, it now appears that the club have come back in for one of their former targets.

Newcastle return heavily for Malick Thiaw

As relayed by NUFC blog, Sky Sports Italy are claiming that Newcastle have returned heavily for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw. Reports from earlier this month stated that the Toon had made the first move to sign the 22-year-old during the transfer window. This new development suggests that the Magpies may have upped their interest in the player and it could be down to the man now at the helm of the club's transfer activities.

The report claims that the German is well-liked by Paul Mitchell who recently left AS Monaco to become the Toon's new Sporting Director and has approved a potential deal. Although AC Milan are yet to receive an official offer from Newcastle it is stated that the Magpies' new transfer chief has given his approval to bring the player to St James' Park.

With a figure between £25million and £35million reportedly needed to tempt Thiaw away from the San Siro, Mitchell's first big task in his new role may be to negotiate a good deal for the player.

After making 30 appearances in all competitions for AC Milan last season, there is no doubt that Thiaw is a player who could be able to adjust to life in the Premier League with relative ease and play a part in Howe's side next season, making this one to watch once more.

Celtic, having so far failed in their pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Hugo Bueno, have reportedly turned their attention to a Premier League gem for Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic transfer news

As the Scottish Premiership campaign approaches, Celtic have still got work to do on the transfer front, having so far welcomed just three reinforcements. Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo and, most recently, Paulo Bernardo have all arrived to boost Rodgers' side in pursuit of defending their Scottish Premiership throne.

Left-back seems to be the current area of focus on that front, with the Bhoys reportedly looking to sign Wolves' Bueno on loan, only to fail in their attempts. The Premier League defender has fallen out of favour under Gary O'Neil thanks to the form of Rayan Ait-Nouri and may now get the chance to earn crucial minutes elsewhere. That said, those minutes seem unlikely to come at Celtic Park as things stand.

Instead, those in Scotland have seemingly shifted their focus to elsewhere. According to reliable Merseyside reporter Lewis Steele for The Daily Mail, Celtic want to sign Owen Beck on loan from Liverpool in a move that would see the Reds' academy graduate return to Scotland following his spell at Dundee last season. However, the Reds would prefer a permanent sale, so a deal, like Bueno, could prove tricky.

Celtic turn attention to £3m star who'd be a better signing than Idah

The Hoops are reportedly interested in a swoop for the Premiership star this summer.

4 ByDan Emery Aug 1, 2024

Still just 21 years old, the left-back certainly has plenty of potential and already has crucial experience in Scotland's top flight. On paper, the Liverpool man may even be a better fit than Bueno, given Celtic's earlier interest last season. With a matter of weeks left until the transfer window slams shut, however, the Scottish champions haven't got long to seal a deal.

"Brilliant" Beck needs loan move

Although some will see Arne Slot's arrival as the chance to break into the current Liverpool side, Beck is among the players who could do with another loan move. As things stand, Slot has Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas and Joe Gomez to call on at left-back, which will naturally limit opportunities for Beck to make an impression.

Instead, he could steal the headlines once again at Celtic under former Liverpool boss Rodgers. Those in Scotland were certainly impressed with the youngster during his last loan spell, with Dundee manager Tony Docherty telling the club's media channels via BBC Sport: "He’s made such a positive impact in the first half of the season both on and off the pitch. When we got confirmation from Liverpool yesterday that he could come back to Dundee everyone at the club was so excited, the coaches, the players, and all the other staff at the club.

"I know the fans will be overjoyed that Owen is back as they loved watching him play in the dark blue of Dundee. We are just looking forward to getting Owen back to what Owen is. He is a brilliant boy, a fantastic member of a really good squad and everyone is really looking forward to having him back."

Ipswich Town supporters will hope their side can show the same level of spirit and fight away at Manchester City in their next Premier League fixture that they displayed versus Liverpool, dreaming that a shock result could be potentially pulled off.

The Tractor Boys would eventually tire against Arne Slot's Reds, who showed their class in the second 45 minutes to pick up a 2-0 win, but it wasn't a drubbing by any stretch of the imagination, as many positives were taken away from the game from Kieran McKenna's perspective.

McKenna would have been impressed by Jacob Greaves' debut in particular, as the former Hull City star settled into the Ipswich back four extremely well against the daunting task of Liverpool.

Luke Woolfenden could be fearing for his starting spot next to the new Tigers man consequently, if Ipswich target more new recruits in the heart of defence, despite the Suffolk-born centre-back also shining bright against the might of the Reds.

Woolfenden's rise at Ipswich

It wasn't that long ago that Woolfenden was lining up for his hometown club in the lower depths of League One, before Ipswich unbelievably won back-to-back promotions to now compete with English football's top dogs.

The rise of the Tractor Boys under the transformative work of McKenna, and the ascent of Woolfenden's career, have gone hand-in-hand with each other, as the 6 foot 4 defender has only missed ten league games from the last possible 93 games available to him under the former Manchester United coach.

McKenna stuck by his dependable number six for the opening day fixture at Portman Road and was rewarded for his unwavering loyalty, with Woolfenden only misplacing five of his 52 passes as a calming presence, even with Mohamed Salah coming at him.

Still, there will be a want from the Northern Irishman to add more numbers in this spot of the pitch, fearful of injuries potentially mounting up, with Cameron Burgess the only recognised centre-back figure on the bench last time out.

The Ipswich boss won't want to make too many rash additions, aiming to not disrupt the harmony of the core XI that played against Liverpool by going overboard, but this new defender would be a welcome addition all the same.

Ipswich could land dream signing for Greaves

As reported by Ipswich oriented website TWTD last week, the newly promoted side are attempting to snap up the services of Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodžić to bolster at the back.

A wanted man by Wolverhampton Wanderers also, according to Football Insider, Ipswich will need to flex their muscles again in the transfer window again to land their desired target, having recently made some statement purchases in the form of Sammie Szmodics and Kalvin Phillips.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Ahmedhodžić

Greaves

Games played

34

43

Goals scored

6

2

Assists

2

4

Touches*

52.7

91.8

Big chances created

4

4

Accurate passes*

27.4 (75%)

67.6 (89%)

Clean sheets

16

11

Total duels won*

5.0

7.3

Looking at their respective defensive games side-by-side starring in the division below, both Greaves and Ahmedhodžić would complement each other well in the heart of defence at Portman Road, with both defenders comfortable on the ball and able to create openings, whilst also being brave enough to launch into duels without hesitation.

The £30k-per-week defender – as per Capology – will just hope he can raise his game again for the Premier League, having suffered a brutal relegation with the Blades last campaign from the division, with an abysmal 104 goals shipped as a collective.

That could well happen lining up next to his new teammate, who was a man mountain in the first half against Liverpool and completely unbothered by the step-up in class, with six duels bravely won.

Described as a "great competitor" by his former Blades boss Chris Wilder in the past, he could well have to fight it out for a starting centre-back spot in Suffolk, as McKenna tries to add in more quality to his troops between now and the end of the month.

With Greaves only just coming through the door, it could be the long-serving Woolfenden who is left fearing for his place in the side.

Ipswich could seal a dream move for Szmodics by signing £30m PL striker

Ipswich Town are on the hunt for more new signings after a promising opening day display in the Premier League.

1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 18, 2024

It's been a while since a player was welcomed to Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea last signing Joao Felix in a £46m deal just over one week ago.

There's going to be some more movement before the market slams its shutters, with the Blues trawling through the list to identify a prolific centre-forward.

Todd Boehly, Behdad Eghbali and Co are opportunistic fellows, and while Chelsea have an exciting attacking mix, Raheem Sterling is expected to leave, and there's a target who would love to take his place at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea transfer news

Sterling is one of the Premier League's most decorated players, but he doesn't fit into Enzo Maresca's vision. The Italian head coach has been refreshingly candid about that, and so a solution seems probable.

Manchester United have held exploratory talks with the England international, which could pave the way for Jadon Sancho to join Chelsea.

Courted by Juventus, the winger, 24, is reported to be holding out for a move to west London, according to The Guardian, with Sancho available for a reported £40m fee.

What Jadon Sancho would bring to Chelsea

Long-lost prodigious potential, where have you gone? Sancho joined Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City as a teenager and quite quickly got people talking.

Once dubbed a "phenomenon" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 17-year-old rejected a professional deal at the Etihad and sought to make his name in Germany, with an outfit venerated for its youth production and unique fan-club connection.

He made significant headway in the years leading to a £73m transfer to Old Trafford, sending English football into a furore.

The winger, fleet of foot and fast of mind, hasn't been able to bring it all together with Man United, only scoring nine Premier League goals since his arrival three years ago and even being branded a "complete waste of money" by pundit Paul Parker.

But oh there's a player in there. Sancho was ostracised from Erik ten Hag's first team last year before returning to Dortmund for a short-term loan spell in January, but he posted six goals across 21 Premier League starts in 2022/23 and did manage to make something of an impression.

It was enough to suggest that he could have a prosperous future in his homeland, with FBref recording his performances to be similar to those of Bukayo Saka, that term.

Goals scored

0.32

0.40

Assists claimed

0.16

0.31

Shot-creating actions

4.65

4.56

Progressive passes

4.06

3.09

Progressive carries

4.71

5.07

Successful take-ons

1.76

1.73

Ball recoveries

5.83

3.60

Saka, Arsenal superstar, is one of European football's hottest commodities and has been the attacking nucleus of Mikel Arteta's Emirates reign, with the 23-year-old's stylistic approach working wonders.

But as you can see above, the last time Sancho tried his hand in the Premier League with any meaningful consistency highlighted an underlying tenacity through ball-carrying and -passing metrics, also demonstrating his athleticism through a notable number of recoveries.

Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus once pronounced Sancho to be the "perfect player", such is his level, such is his talent. He's demonstrated on the biggest stage that he has the quality to succeed at the height of the game, and given his Saka-like properties, Chelsea might just find success in bringing him to Stamford Bridge.

It's a risk, sure, but the potential plunder could stretch to high-stacked piles, and with Sterling headed the other way, five years Sancho's senior, this could be a brilliant move for a Chelsea team starting to rise.

The next Madueke: Chelsea could forget Sancho by signing £35m sensation

He would thrive alongside the Englishman at Stamford Bridge.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 29, 2024

It's been a mixed start to the Premier League season for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year.

Ange Postecoglou's side drew 1-1 away to Leicester City in their opening game of the campaign, then smashed Everton 4-0 at home the following weekend before falling to a 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle United last week.

However, while the results certainly haven't been ideal, the performances have given fans reasons to be hopeful, and just like he was last season, Son Heung-min looks like he's going to be one of the club's biggest goal threats this year.

However, as talented as the South Korean superstar is, he is also 32 years old. Therefore, the Lilywhites have to start thinking about a long-term replacement for him, although the good news is that they may well already have one.

Son's Spurs career

Tottenham fans have been blessed with some incredibly talented players in their recent history, from Luka Modrić and Gareth Bale over a decade ago to Harry Kane and Son in recent years.

However, while the others eventually left, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace has remained in N17 and has established himself as a bonafide modern-day legend amongst the fanbase, and for good reason.

Since making his £22m move to the club in 2015, the Chuncheon-born dynamo has made 411 appearances, in which he has scored a staggering 164 goals and provided 84 assists to boot, meaning that he has averaged a goal involvement every 1.65 games since his arrival – talk about world-class.

Appearances

411

Goals

164

Assists

84

Goal Involvements per Match

0.60

In fact, he is such an elite goalscorer that in the 2021/22 season, he won the Premier League Golden Boot alongside Mohamed Salah, but what's so impressive is that none of his 23 league goals that season were penalties.

In all, Son is an icon of the Premier League and will go down as one of the Lilywhites' best-ever players, but at 32 years old, the club must plan for his eventual departure or decline, and while he's got enormous shoes to fill, the North Londoners might already have the perfect heir in their academy.

Why fans should be excited about Mikey Moore

The youngster in question is Spurs' academy gem, Mikey Moore.

The 17-year-old has been a tour de force in the Lilywhites' youth sides in recent years and, in just 33 appearances, has already racked up a seriously impressive haul of 20 goals and 15 assists, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 0.94 games, or 1.06 per match.

The "outstanding" talent, as dubbed by Postecoglou, has been so impressive in the junior sides that he has now made two senior competitive appearances despite still being just 17 years old.

Appearances

33

Goals

20

Assists

15

Goal Involvements per Match

1.06

However, while his small cameos in the Premier League this season show how highly the club rate him, his performances in preseason showed how special a player he is.

For example, the Southwark-born star scored against Hearts and Vissel Kobe during the summer, and while they were friendlies, it's still a massive step up from playing against kids.

Interestingly, the "brilliant" youngster, as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, has played in a variety of positions, from centre-forward to attacking midfield, for the Lilywhites' youth teams.

However, his most played position remains left-wing, meaning that he could potentially come off the bench for the captain at points this season, in a bid to get more first-team minutes.

Ultimately, Moore is still a kid, and Son looks like he could play at the top level for another couple of years, but when he does eventually need to be replaced, Spurs should already have the perfect candidate.

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Sunderland will aim to keep their early unbeaten streak in the Championship going when travelling to John Mousinho's Portsmouth later today, with three wins from three managed so far.

Regis Le Bris' side haven't even leaked a goal yet in league action, with the shut-out of Scott Parker's Burnley last time out the most impressive result so far, managing to get the better of the Clarets by a single goal after the Lancashire outfit put nine past Luton Town and Cardiff City prior to their subdued visit to the Stadium of Light.

Still, even with the mood in the camp at an all-time high going into today's next league contest, there might well be a few changes to come for the tricky trip to the South Coast, with Chris Rigg in danger of dropping out of the Frenchman's starting XI at Fratton Park.

Rigg's performance vs Burnley

The Sunderland boss will have to rejig his line-up for sure, despite his side's flawless record in the division to date, owing to Dan Neil's late dismissal against Burnley.

Rigg could well be sacrificed for these changes to take place, having put in a sub-standard performance for his lofty standards in the 1-0 win, when contrasted next to his standout display versus Sheffield Wednesday the match before.

Minutes played

78

72

Goals

0

0

Assists

0

0

Shots

3

1

Touches

40

20

Accurate passes

22/25 (88%)

6/12 (50%)

Key passes

3

0

Total duels won

3/10

2/6

Stats by Sofascore

Glancing at his numbers above from those two clashes, Rigg did impress more during Sunderland's emphatic 4-0 victory over Danny Rohl's Owls, with two times more touches managed from the 17-year-old against the Black Cats' South Yorkshire opponents than against Parker's away side, on top of only completing a dire six accurate passes all afternoon versus Burnley.

His twenty touches against the Clarets actually saw him take fewer touches than Black Cats goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, who amassed 41 throughout the contest.

Sunderland know, looking back at last season, that it can be potentially harmful to a youngster's development to overplay them and not to give them regular breathers, as seen in Jobe Bellingham constantly playing week in week out, despite also still being a growing teenager learning the ropes.

Although Bellingham could be pushed further forward into Rigg's spot for the trip to Fratton Park, it looks unlikely that this will be the case, as a fresh option off the bench is touted to start in the 17-year-old's place instead.

Sunderland's best replacement for Rigg

This could, therefore, see Alan Browne be given the nod to start in that attacking midfield spot behind Eliezer Mayenda, after coming on late versus Burnley here.

The summer signing from Preston North End is very much an experienced performer when it comes to knowing the ins and outs of the second tier, having amassed 348 appearances at the level with the Lilywhites, before moving on surprisingly to the Stadium of Light.

Browne netted 46 goals in total for Preston before making the free transfer switch to Wearside, and could well open his Sunderland account versus Pompey if given a chance to impress from the start, after looking promising late on against Burnley.

The 29-year-old midfielder would better Rigg with one key pass from just 18 minutes of action, as Le Bris goes about shifting his line-up slightly to deal with Neil's suspension.

Date

Result

1. 22nd January 2022

1-0 Sunderland W

2. 2nd October 2021

4-0 Pompey W

3. 9th March 2021

2-0 Sunderland W

4. 24th October 2020

3-1 Pompey W

5. 1st February 2020

2-0 Pompey W

Looking at the table above, Sunderland don't have the best recent head-to-head record when facing off against Pompey, losing three of the last five match-ups that have taken place between the two sides, including a crushing 4-0 away defeat in 2021.

With Le Bris also having to deal with a selection conundrum when it comes to who replaces Neil if Rigg is dropped, it should make for a fascinating early-season affair.

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