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Chelsea head into their crunch tie against Manchester City off the back of a confidence-boosting 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur earlier in the week.

Of course, this was against nine men, but the three points will hopefully be a catalyst for Mauricio Pochettino’s men as they chase a European spot.

The Blues haven’t exactly enjoyed the most encouraging of starts under the former Paris Saint-Germain boss, winning just four Premier League matches so far this season, losing to the likes of Brentford and Nottingham Forest in the process.

The Argentinian spent vast sums in the summer transfer window in order to bolster his squad, yet it has taken some new arrivals longer to settle down than others.

Cole Palmer has arguably been one of the better signings since joining from City, scoring three goals and grabbing four assists, but Chelsea’s struggles in front of goal this term could see Pochettino delve back into the transfer market in the coming months.

Chelsea transfer news

The 51-year-old is seemingly keen to strengthen his squad and according to TEAMtalk, the Stamford Bridge side are interested in making a staggering move for PSG forward Kylian Mbappe.

Pochettino worked with him during his spell in charge of the French club, yet they face serious competition if they are to bring him to England.

Real Madrid are seen as the obvious favourites to secure his signature at the end of the season once his contract at the Parc des Princes expires, yet Chelsea have been named alongside three other Premier League clubs as competition for him.

City, Newcastle United and Liverpool are the other three teams keeping tabs on his situation and there could be a major battle for his services in the coming months.

The capital club rejected a world record offer of £257m from Saudi club Al-Hilal during the summer and despite the player being valued at €136m (£119m), according to Football Transfers, it looks as though he will be available for free come next summer.

Chelsea’s highest scorer this season is Nicolas Jackson, who has scored six goals in 13 matches, yet it is clear that Mbappe would be a major upgrade on the former Villarreal forward.

The stats that show Kylian Mbappe would be a good signing for Chelsea

It feels as though Mbappe has been around forever, and it's remarkable to think he is still only 24-years-old.

Having enjoyed a breakthrough season at AS Monaco during the 2016/17 campaign, he secured a move to PSG and the French sensation has hit new heights in the capital.

He has since gone on to win five Ligue 1 crowns along with scoring 224 goals across just 274 matches, establishing himself as one of the finest players in the world.

The Champions League has alluded him thus far, yet Mbappe became the first teenager to score in a World Cup final during the 2018 tournament while just failing to win another world crown last year, as Lionel Messi powered Argentina to a first triumph since 1986.

His form has led many coaches and players to lavish him with praise, most notably from Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti back in 2022 after PSG defeated the Spanish giants.

He said: “Mbappe is the best player in European football.

“Mbappe is unstoppable, we have tried to control him. [Eder] Militao has done very well, but he is a player who always invents something.”

When compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, the 24-year-old currently ranks in the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90 (4.71) along with ranking in the top 1% for touches in the opposition box per 90 (9.09) and in the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 (5.06), indicating how impressive he has been in an attacking sense.

Compare these stats to Jackson’s and it's evident there is a big difference in quality. Indeed, compared to his peers, Jackson ranks in the top 12% for shot-creating actions per 90 (3.35) while ranking in the top 11% for touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 (6.25) and the top 7% for progressive carries per 90 (2.84), demonstrating that Mbappe would be a major upgrade should he join Chelsea.

Kylian Mbappe’s statistics for PSG this season

The Blues signed another Frenchman – Christopher Nkunku – from RB Leipzig ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, yet he suffered a serious knee injury prior to the season starting, and it was a big blow for the club.

He managed to score 23 goals for Leipzig during 2022/23 and was one of the most in-demand forwards in Europe, with Chelsea eventually winning the race for his signature.

10

5

1

0

3

1

2.1

1.4

2.1

1.8

Mbappe managed to score more than his compatriot, however, netting 41 times across all competitions, and he has carried this form over into the current season.

The forward has featured on 14 occasions for PSG during 2023/24 and has already scored 12 goals, with there no doubt he could break through the 40-goal barrier once again.

In Ligue 1 for PSG, the former Monaco starlet currently leads the way for goals and assists (11), while also ranking first for shots on target per game (2.1), second for successful dribbles per game (2.1) and third for big chances created (three), suggesting that he has arguably been their finest attacking option during the current season.

He will be hoping to win the Champions League with the French club by the end of the campaign, thus securing the only trophy that is still eluding him at club level.

Pochettino has worked with Mbappe before and this could potentially be an advantage with regard to making a move for the superstar, although Madrid will still be the favourites to sign him.

The Blues urgently need a consistent goalscorer if they wish to have any success in the near future and Mbappe is the ideal candidate, especially with a midfield bulging with talent ready to create plenty of opportunities for him.

Nkunku will give them a major boost when he eventually returns from injury and he and the PSG gem could even form a formidable duo alongside one another for the Stamford Bridge side.

Plucky Peshawar make it two in twoDespite the tired, yet inescapable narrative of departments reigning supreme against regions in the Quaid-e-Azam trophy, Peshawar continue to defy the odds in the second round. Fresh from an upset victory in the first round against KRL, they put in another commanding performance as they took down another departmental powerhouse. This time it was HBL who fell victim to Peshawar, who cruised to a six-wicket victory.Peshawar’s start is all the more remarkable for a side completely devoid of big-name talent; the starting eleven does not have a single Test cap. Indeed, there’s only one international cap amongst the eleven, awarded to Sahibzada Farhan, who played a solitary T20I earlier this year. He played a crucial role in the fourth innings, scoring 46 as he put on a century partnership with Ashfaq Ahmed, who was unbeaten on 68, as they chased down what could have been a tricky target of 159.Pitch standards under scrutiny againLast season’s Quaid-e-Azam trophy was replete with complaints of pitches that were not ready for first-class cricket, and it didn’t take too long to have the first two-day finish in the 2018 season. It came at the embattled Diamond Club Ground in Islamabad, the same venue that earned Imran Farhat’s ire and an accusation that a bug infestation there had sent more than half his team to the hospital.It was on the pitch, however, that batsmen struggled to stop the bleeding as wicket after wicket fell on the first day, and well before the second session was up, the home side had been skittled out for 88. In the circumstances, KRL put on a nearly impregnable 176 thanks to a half century by Usman Arshad, doubling the first innings score. Rawalpindi didn’t fare much better the second time around, and as their innings wrapped up for a sorry 118, KRL had only 31 runs to chase down to register their first points on the board. They did so without the loss of a wicket, and before half-time had been reached in this four-day game, it was time to go home.A giant awakes from its slumberTraditional giants SNGCP will have been disappointed with only a draw in the opening round, which saw them fail to get off the mark in terms of points. Wounded into action, they put on a fearsome display in this round, routing FATA by an innings and 52 runs. All the damage was done in the first innings, as Imran Butt and Iftikhar Ahmed scored 111 and 145 respectively to help their side amass 461. And while FATA were spirited in their response, Samiullah scoring a hundred of his own, it wasn’t enough to prevent his side conceding a 195-run lead to Mohammad Hafeez’s men.Hafeez, who was recently omitted from the squad for the Asia Cup that begins on Sunday, had promised he would not retire, and instead earn his place in the national side back through performances on the domestic circuit. He couldn’t have wished for a better start, as in the second innings he took six wickets for 62, helping bowl FATA out for 143 and earning his side an innings win.Butt stars in WAPDA winThere was a time 18 months ago when Salman Butt was on the verge of making a spectacular return to the international side. When the QeA began last year, it was still conceivable he could be called up, depending on how he performed. As it turned out, he had an underwhelming year, Imam-ul-Haq burst onto the scene, and Butt’s moment passed.While the chances of an international call-up look extremely bleak anytime soon, Butt has, to his credit, kept plugging away on the domestic circuit. As captain of WAPDA, he led from the front to help them bounce back from a first round loss against Karachi Whites, scoring 68 and 49 as they beat Multan by 7 wickets. He didn’t top-score in either innings though. Adnan Raees led the charge in the first innings with 91, while wicketkeeper-batsman Ali Shan played arguably the most important knock of the game in the fourth innings, his unbeaten 96 seeing WAPDA comfortably chase down a not inconsiderable target of 175.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly prepared to offer a "magician" of a player around eight-times his current wages to join Ange Postecoglou at Spurs.

Spurs form under Postecoglou

The north Londoners are enjoying one of their best ever starts to a season under Postecoglou, and their most fruitful since the 1960/1961 campaign. Spurs actually won a domestic double that year, prompting real excitement at their drastic change in fortunes since chairman Daniel Levy's new manager arrived from Celtic in June. The Australian has taken everyone by surprise. Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, also heaped praise on his players for wanting to change the "destiny" of their club.

"I don't think it is fair to compare to last season, and speak about what happened then. It is all credit to the players, the way they have bought into what we are trying to do.

"We are really tight as a group, which you see because not only are we winning games, but apart from the football, which has been good, the resilience we have shown has been great. The players want to change the destiny of this club and that is what they are trying to do on the pitch."

Tottenham's electric form has also motivated praise from some pundits, like a former Arsenal striker and Gunners legend, who said the "underrated" Postecoglou has shocked everyone.

"It’s underrated,” said Ian Wright to Premier League productions recently.

“It’s an underrated effort he is doing, at the minute. Major Ange Postecoglou fans. I remember people saying at the start that ‘he needs to start well’. With the players he has got, you want them to do well and win some games and stuff. But I didn’t expect it to be in the grove it is now and so quickly."

While the Postecoglou hype is well and truly in full flow, there are still suggestions that Tottenham may look to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window. Their lack of depth behind in-form centre-back pairing Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven has led to reports that the likes of Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen star Edmond Tapsoba are being considered as new defensive options.

Brentford's Ivan Toney has been mentioned as a target to potentially replace star striker Harry Kane in 2024, with Postecogolou also reportedly keen to sign a foil for Dejan Kulusevski. The likes of Al-Ittihad winger Jota and Galatasaray star Kerem Akturkoglu are linked, and a new report from Turkey has news on the latter.

Kerem Akturkoglu transfer update

Sharing an Akturkoglu transfer update, FotoSpor suggest that Spurs could now be prepared to offer eight times the midfielder's £5,000-per-week salary to join Postecoglou in north London. This comes after the "magician", as translated in the report, rejected the offer of a new deal at his current club. It is believed an offer could come in from Tottenham to Akturkoglu of around £40,000-per-week, which would dramatically upgrade his current terms.

The 24-year-old, who's currently playing alongside former Lilywhites defender Davinson Sanchez in the Turkish Super Lig, has netted three goals and assisted four others in the top flight alone so far this season. However, Tottenham are not alone in their admiration of Akturkoglu, as West Ham may also consider offering the Turkey international a huge pay rise.

Slater, the 26-year-old opening batsman, is in the middle of a productive season for Derbyshire

George Dobell02-Jul-2018

Ben Slater contributed a half-century•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire are closing in on the signing of Derbyshire’s Ben Slater.Slater, the 26-year-old opening batsman, is in the middle of a productive season for Derbyshire – he is averaging 43 in the Championship – and was understood to have attracted the interest of several counties. Only three men in Division Two of the County Championship have scored more runs this season.Nottinghamshire have lost several top-order batsmen – the likes of Greg Smith, Michael Lumb, James Taylor and, from red-ball cricket, at least, Alex Hales – over the last year or two. While Slater is solid in the red-ball game, he also has a fine record in List A cricket where he averages in excess of 50 and recently made a century against a strong Yorkshire attack.Meanwhile, Kent are understood to have shown strong interest in Nottinghamshire’s Matt Milnes and Leicestershire’s Neil Dexter.

Sophie Ecclestone has been preferred as the left-arm spinner in a 14 player squad for the first two ODIs against South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jun-20181:47

‘The hardest thing for England is winning after winning’

Left-arm spinner Alex Hartley, who played an important role in England’s World Cup final victory over India last year, has been left out of the one-day squad for the first two matches against South Africa.Sophie Ecclestone, the 19-year-old left-arm spinner, has been preferred having taken eight wickets in the three-match series against India in April during which Hartley took one wicket in the three games. Hartley claimed 2 for 58 at Lord’s last year, including the key wicket of Harmanpreet Kaur, when England beat India by nine runs to lift the World Cup.England are able to recall the experienced pair of Katherine Brunt and Sarah Taylor who both missed the tour of India. Brunt was recovering from a back injury while Taylor was left out as part of the management of her anxiety condition.Georgia Elwiss, Laura Marsh and Lauren Winfield also return having missed the trip to India. From the squad that travelled to India, Kate Cross, Alice Davidson-Richards, Tash Farrant, Fran Wilson, Bryony Smith and Katie George have been left out.”It should be a really exciting summer against two of the best teams in the world,” Mark Robinson, the head coach, said. “South Africa are an up-and-coming team with some really dangerous players. They pushed us close the last time we met them and we will have to be at our best to beat them.”It’s obviously great to have Katherine and Sarah back, and Lauren and Laura’s recent form has earned them recalls.”The South Africa series forms part of the ICC Women’s Championship and marks England’s first steps on the way to qualification for the 2021 World Cup. After the one-day series there is a triangular T20I tournament also featuring New Zealand before a one-day series against New Zealand in July.Squad Heather Knight (capt), Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Georgia Elwiss, Jenny Gunn, Danielle Hazell, Amy Jones, Laura Marsh, Anya Shrubsole, Nat Sciver, Sarah Taylor, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt

West Bromwich Albion failed to find a regular source of goals throughout the 2022/23 Championship season as their top scorer ended up with seven strikes.

Brandon Thomas-Asante and Daryl Dike both found the back of the net seven times and Carlos Corberan will be hoping that one of them, or new signing Josh Maja, is able to score with greater regularity this term.

Who are West Brom's most expensive signings?

The Baggies have spent a lot of money over the years in an attempt to find a consistent goalscorer and that is evidenced by four of their five most expensive signings in their history being centre-forwards.

Player

Fee paid

Salomon Rondon

£14.6m

Karlan Grant

£14.1m

Nacer Chadli

£13m

Oliver Burke

£13m

Jay Rodriguez

£11.7m

Fees via Transfermarkt.

West Brom have been willing to shell out significant transfer fees in search of a prolific number nine and one of their failures in that respect was Brown Ideye, who arrived at the club in the summer of 2010.

How much did West Brom pay for Ideye?

Alan Irvine, who was the team's manager at the time, swooped to sign the centre-forward from Dynamo Kyiv for a reported fee of £10m in 2014, which made him the most expensive player in the club's history at that point.

The likes of Rodriguez, Grant, and Rondon have since been bought for more than Ideye but there is little doubt that the Baggies had a shocker with that signing as he ended a rough time in England.

Irvine had described the former Dynamo star as a "powerful" and quality marksman and seemingly believed that the £10m addition would be the go-to man for goals at the top end of the pitch.

He arrived at The Hawthorns off the back of an excellent spell in Kyiv as the Nigeria international plundered 42 goals and 11 assists in 103 matches in all competitions. This included 34 goals in 78 Premier League outings as he showcased his ability to find the back of the net on a regular basis.

Ideye had also enjoyed a strong stint with Sochaux in France prior to his move to Ukraine. The £10m-rated forward had scored 15 goals in 35 Ligue 1 appearances during the 2010/11 campaign, which promoted his transfer to Dynamo.

He started his career, however, with Neuchatel Xamax FCS in Switzerland. The attacker scored 30 goals and provided 16 assists in 61 clashes for the club in all competitions after making the breakthrough from academy football.

These statistics show that West Brom were signing a player who had scored goals for several different clubs in multiple countries, including 15 goals in a major European league in France.

Therefore, it is not difficult to understand why they were confident enough to splash out a club-record fee to secure his signature as they believed that he would do the same in England.

How many goals did Ideye score for West Brom?

However, that was not the case as the Nigerian finisher struggled throughout his time in English football and left the Baggies after scoring seven goals in 31 appearances in all competitions.

Ideye endured a rough debut season in the Premier League as he only scored four goals in 24 matches after his big-money move from Dynamo, which was considerably worse than the 15 he managed in France for Sochaux.

He averaged a dismal WhoScored rating of 6.36 in that time and that was the 22nd-highest score within the squad, out of 26 players – with three of the four players below him failing to start more than one game – and this highlights how disappointing his performances were.

Ideye also ranked fifth and second within the team for how many times he was dispossessed and gave the ball away through poor control respectively per game.

These statistics show that the former Sochaux star struggled to deal with the quality on display at the top level of English football as opposition players found it far too easy to take the ball off him and he did not make up for it with enough goals at the top end of the pitch.

The Nigerian forward later revealed that he felt "overwhelmed" by the expectation that came with being the club's record signing and lambasted the lack of patience people had with him as he attempted to adapt to life in England and the Premier League.

His struggles may also have played a part in Irvine's eventual sacking in December of 2019 as the Scottish tactician's huge summer signing failed to make the desired impact on the pitch.

Tony Pulis came in to replace him in January but was also unable to get Ideye firing to the best of his abilities and that led to the striker's exit in the summer of 2015 as the Welsh boss opted to allow him to leave instead of attempting to give him another season to find his feet.

How much did West Brom sell Ideye for?

The Baggies reportedly cashed in on him for a fee of €6m (£5m) at the end of the 2014/15 campaign as Greek giants Olympiacos came in with an offer to take him away from The Hawthorns after just one year.

This means that the West Brom flop's market value plummeted by a whopping £5m in just 12 months as his poor Premier League form resulted in his price halving from the £10m that the club initially paid Dynamo in 2014.

Therefore, Irvine had a howler with the signing of the Nigeria international, who scored six goals in 27 caps for his country, as the move did not have the desired effect on the pitch, as evidenced by his aforementioned statistics, and it came at a significant financial loss for the club.

Ideye went on to score 28 goals and assisted ten in 65 appearances for Olympiacos, which included 23 goals in 43 Super League outings, as he rediscovered his form in front of goal.

The 34-year-old marksman was most recently with Al-Yarmouk SC in Kuwait and endured a difficult spell in Turkey with Goztepe prior to that move. He scored three times in 36 matches for the Turkish side and two of those came in his 35 league games between the 2020/21 and 2021/22 campaigns.

Aston Villa has been the home for a host of talents over the years, with players that have provided precious memories in the Midlands throughout the club's rich history.

With a new wave of quality arriving through the doors of Villa Park this summer, the stage is set for a fresh set of stars to write their name in history.

Not many have been as influential in the Premier League era to the Villans as Jack Grealish, who was sold by the club for a blockbuster £100m back in 2021, making Villa a fortune after excelling through the academy ranks.

Another player who made the Midlands side a rather healthy amount of profit was the well-loved Christian Benteke, who was captured as an unknown and sold on as a prolific scorer in claret and blue.

How much did Aston Villa sign Christian Benteke for?

Signed for £7m back in 2012, Christian Benteke’s arrival at Aston Villa required a note of backing from manager at the time Paul Lambert, as his calibre was doubted at a time of need for quality.

Just 21 years old at the time, the Belgian arrived in Birmingham on the back of a ten-goal season in the Jupiler Pro League with Genk, and was purchased by the Villans to bring the goals to Villa Park.

The season prior, Villa had been subject to a relegation battle in the Premier League, finishing 16th in the 2011/12 campaign which led to Lambert’s arrival to replace Alex McLeish as boss.

Benteke’s arrival was at a difficult time, and a time when results had to come fast with little margin for error, which is exactly what the attacker delivered.

How many goals did Christian Benteke score for Aston Villa?

The £7m settlement for the former Genk starlet soon looked to be a bargain, as he adjusted to life in England with ease, as supported by his terrific numbers in his debut campaign.

It’s common for players to require an adaptation period when moving to the Premier League, however, the striker seemed to have found sanctuary at Villa Park, contributing to 30 goals in all competitions in his debut year.

A breakdown of 19 Premier League goals and four league assists, as well as netting four and assisting three in only five league cup games for his new club, rounded up a memorable first spell at Villa, via Transfermarkt.

Christian Benteke record in England:

Club	Appearances	Goals	Assists
Aston Villa	101	49	12
Crystal Palace	177	37	12
Liverpool	42	10	6

Lambert had the last laugh when it came to his capture of Benteke, heralding his man as an “absolute steal” following his first taste of life in England. It was an emphatic way to silence any doubters.

A combative and towering figure to have in the front line, the 6 foot 3 target man was previously lauded as a “machine” by former teammate Fabian Delph, who also described the talisman’s talents as “explosive” at Villa Park.

101 appearances later and the forward had found the net a total of 49 times for the club, as well as recording 12 assists in all competitions to communicate the threat he added to the final third.

In an interview relayed by Villa’s official site, the Belgian recalled his time in the Midlands as being the “best time” of his career, where he truly established himself as a recognised marksman in world football.

What happened to Christian Benteke?

In his final campaign at Villa Park in 2014/15, the striker scored 13 goals in what was a worrying season for the club, as they finished 17th and narrowly missed the relegation zone after a dreary term.

Benteke’s contribution to Villa despite their struggles didn’t go unrecognised, and in the summer of 2015, his story in Birmingham came to a close as he headed for pastures new elsewhere in the Premier League.

A £7m arrival was turned into a £32.5m exit in a matter of three years, as Liverpool captured the then 24-year-old’s signature to join Brendan Rogers’ side. It marked phenomenal business by the Villans with the forward's price increasing by a margin of 364%.

The Belgian only lasted a single season at Anfield, scoring nine Premier League goals before being shipped away to London, where he signed for Crystal Palace just the summer after his arrival on Merseyside.

While a quiet spell in front of goal for his standards was less memorable at Liverpool than his time at Villa, the Belgian still produced loud moments, netting an overhead kick at Old Trafford that will remain in Premier League folklore.

Despite experiencing a lull with the Reds, Benteke rediscovered his form with the Eagles, netting 15 league goals in his debut campaign in 2016/17, going on to score a total of 37 goals for the club during his six-year stay.

Arriving a nobody and leaving the Premier League with 280 appearances and 86 goals registered the Belgian's legacy in England, with his journey beginning and proving most prolific in the Midlands.

Where is Christian Benteke now?

The striker called it quits on his time in England last summer, where he ventured to MLS to play for DC United.

Similar to his experiences during his debuts in the Premier League for all three clubs, the 32-year-old got off to a fast start in the United States, scoring ten goals in his 25 appearances so far in the 2023 campaign. He even found room to replicate that famous overhead kick.

With 45 international caps to his name, as well as 18 international goals, Benteke still represents Belgium when called upon, however was not selected to feature as part of his country’s World Cup squad.

A dip in form warranted the former Villa man’s exclusion from the side, however, the indications are there that Benteke is in the process of locating his quality once more in the States.

Earlier this week, the Belgian played a man-of-the-match performance against Chicago Fire, where he netted a brace and grabbed an assist to boost Wayne Rooney’s side’s hopes of being in the playoffs.

There’s plenty yet to come from Benteke, with his attention firmly on adding to his goal tally in the MLS, as well as having the potential to find a way back into the national team.

One thing for certain is the dynamic forward will never be forgotten at Villa Park, or at least the Premier League, where he has written himself into the headlines on countless occasions over the years.

Arsenal's purchase of Declan Rice last month sent shockwaves throughout the Premier League.

This was a potential England captain in waiting joining arguably a sleeping giant in English football.

It has nearly been 20 years since the Gunners won the league, but Rice has joined with the beast showing signs of awakening from its slumber.

They fell five points short of Manchester City last term but with Rice and co now, excuse the pun, in their arsenal, they look well poised to challenge again.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Amid Jurrien Timber's devastating ACL injury, Edu and Mikel Arteta could look at bringing in another defender.

Amongst possible targets are Benjamin Pavard and Kyle Walker-Peters.

That said, another attacker could well arrive as Arsenal hunt a back-up to the effervescent Bukayo Saka.

Last summer, one of their priority targets was Wolves winger Pedro Neto, but after an injury-hit spell that interest appears to have vanished.

Now valued at just £10m, as per Football Transfers, it's a transfer that journalist Ben Jacobs spoke about recently to GIVEMESPORT: "I think Arsenal have looked at Neto previously, but I'm not aware that they've gone back to the table for him at this stage," he said.

What are Pedro Neto's strengths?

Neto has spent a great deal of time on the sidelines in recent years, notably last campaign when he missed 21 matches between October and February with an ankle injury.

Set-pieces

Finishing

Through balls

Aerial duels

Crossing

Physicality

Dribbling

That said, there is still a phenomenal talent inside the Portuguese and given Arteta's qualities as a coach, he could surely extract more.

Indeed, the 23-year-old showed as much during Wolves' opening league match of the season against Manchester United.

The young forward looked back to his best during their 1-0 defeat, notably playing four key passes, five crosses and completing four of his six dribble attempts.

In a nutshell, that encapsulates what Neto is best at. The "explosive" talent, as per AFTV's Robbie Lyle, is a creative force and one who on his day is incredibly difficult to stop.

Like Saka, he favours cutting inside onto his dangerous left foot to wreak havoc, and that's precisely what he did against United.

Having scored just 11 goals in 113 outings for the Old Gold, a lack of end product is perhaps a concern but at such a young age and ravaged by injury in the last few years, there is still plenty to come.

Such a move, of course, could well see the Gunners raid their fellow English sides again. They have done so three times already this summer, bringing in Kai Havertz from Chelsea, Rice from West Ham and David Raya from Brentford.

Declan Rice

West Ham

£105m

Kai Havertz

Chelsea

£65m

David Raya

Brentford

Initial loan

Gabriel Jesus

Man City

£45m

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Man City

£30m

Ben White

Brighton

£50m

Aaron Ramsdale

Sheffield United

£30m

The north Londoners have seemingly been keen to flood their squad with Premier League experience. It's obvious to see why; they have proven success in the division and won't take long to settle in.

Rice was never going to come cheap but paying as much as £105m speaks volumes. When they have a track record of playing immensely well in England's top flight, you will have to pay a premium.

At 24, he is just one year older than Neto and has already hit the ground running at the Emirates.

A lung-busting recovery run to dispossess Bernardo Silva in the Community Shield caught the eye before he came very close to opening his account for the club when he struck the post against Nottingham Forest.

Should a move for Neto be revived, it is hoped he would take little time to adjust either. Arsenal have long been searching for a player who will give them license to rest Saka, and in the flying Wolves star, they may well find their answer.

Liverpool suffered from the failure to sign Chelsea-bound duo Romeo Lavia and Moises Caicedo this month, but Jurgen Klopp is looking to right the wrongs and ensure his outfit can thrive this season.

What's the latest on Wataru Endo to Liverpool?

According to a wealth of sources – including Fabrizio Romano – Liverpool are homing in on the signing of Wataru Endo from German Bundesliga side Stuttgart for roughly €18m (£15m).

This one's moving pretty quickly, with the Japanese midfielder undergoing his medical on Merseyside today and poised to sign to bolster Liverpool's midfield.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

The Anfield side lost James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in June after their contracts expired, while Fabinho and Jordan Henderson were sold to Saudi Arabian sides for a combined £52m, leaving the Reds desperate for depth, and Endo could be the industrious presence to enhance the club's centre.

Who is Wataru Endo?

Let's not beat around the bush, 30-year-old Stuttgart midfielder is not among the names that Liverpool supporters have been craving over the past days and weeks, but this "proper warrior and leader", as he has been proclaimed by Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard, could prove to be the most astute of signings.

There will, of course, be an expectation from the fans that another, perhaps more lucrative signature will be brought in to replace Fabinho and ensure the club have a midfield anchor to hold up against the Casemiro's, Declan Rice's and Rodri's of the Premier League, but then Liverpool have oft opted for the shrewder route.

Endo, nonetheless, is a tenacious and unrelenting midfield force, and those who have watched him in action over the past several seasons will sing his praises resoundingly.

As per Squawka, the 50-cap international has made the most clearances, aerial duel wins and possession wins in the defensive third since the start of the 2021/22 league season.

Indeed, the 5 foot 10 ace ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for clearances and the top 5% for aerial wins per 90, as per FBref, highlighting a tenacity and presence unfelt at Anfield for a while now, with Fabinho, who was at the epicentre of the club's plight last year, ranking among the top 36% and 34% for the same metrics.

The "terrific" midfield "monster" – as Endo has been called by Bundesliga commentator Dan O'Hagan – would provide Liverpool with the stability and assiduousness to rekindle the vigour and intensity, and while he is not a 'world-class' phenom that the club covets, he will surprise more than a few.

Endo would also prove to be a masterful signing when considering the possible success of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister, with the Argentine signing for Liverpool for £35m this summer, having been hailed as "outstanding" by an awestruck Klopp already.

The 24-year-old machine ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for progressive carries and the top 14% for successful take-ons per 90,

The £150k-per-week dynamo can also play in the pivot role in midfield, as he did against Chelsea in the season opener at Stamford Bridge, and while he impressed during that match, completing 88% of his passes, winning seven of his 11 ground duels and making three tackles, his creativity is best utilised further up the pitch.

Endo could be the solvent to hold the ship together, and serving as a veritable brick wall in the centre, blocking the advances of the opposition and sweeping the danger aside, Mac Allister could be emboldened in his efforts and unlock the full scale of his potential on Merseyside.

Leeds United need offensive additions fast, but Daniel Farke must be wary to avoid failures of the past in his transfer haste…

Who else will Leeds United sign this summer?

Already this summer has been a tumultuous one for the Whites, with the hope that their new four additions brought quickly offset by the numerous departures of many of their key first-team stars.

If anything, the Whites simply need bodies in at this point, given that their recent Championship clash with Birmingham City saw them only name eight substitutes, two of which were goalkeepers.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

In an effort to bolster their ranks, they could reignite a transfer rumour of old, with their interest in AC Milan's Divock Origi having only been referenced back in July.

However, with the Belgian having struggled since swapping Liverpool for Milan, perhaps the Yorkshire outfit should look elsewhere rather than opting for the shiniest name being sold from the biggest club. The 28-year-old is valued by FootballTransfers at €8.4m (£7m).

How many goals did Divock Origi score for Liverpool?

Having only moved to the San Siro last summer, to see him touted for another transfer so soon is a damning indication of his recent form in Italy.

The former LOSC Lille star was handed plenty of opportunities to shine during the 2022/23 campaign, with 36 appearances across all competitions. However, for whatever reason, the former Reds favourite could only muster two goals.

Such profligacy on a £84k-per-week wage is the last thing Farke needs, given he is already suffering from some of the club's high-profile failures of the past.

One such name that remains at Elland Road is Dan James, who was brought in from Manchester United back in 2021.

Signed for a mouth-watering £25m fee, the Welshman was an outcast at Old Trafford and has hardly taken to life in Yorkshire with ease either.

It was a doomed deal from the start, and by signing Origi from a similarly huge team would mark a repeat given his clear exile from the first team.

A club like Leeds, who crave an upturn in their fortunes and a brighter future, should be focusing on investing shrewdly in the unknown, with data backing up their purchases. Then, given the quality and frequency of games in the Championship, these unproven stars can be allowed to adapt and one day shine.

Bringing in these stalwarts might seem like the attractive option, but the chances are it would only end poorly.

Especially when using James as an example, with the winger having made just 43 appearances, scoring a measly four times.

Such abhorrent form even saw the 25-year-old shipped out on loan, where he fared no better for Fulham.

This has been a financial disaster for the club, who have a history of imploding when tumbling down the divisions.

The only benefit that Origi and the huge fiscal burden he would bring has relies on fans misremembering his time at Anfield, as whilst he scored important goals, he was hardly proficient.

A tally of 41 goals in 175 games made it abundantly clear whilst he was never a starter, yet his Champions League semi-final brace against FC Barcelona, and subsequent strike in the final, has understandably made him the "cult hero" that pundit Laura Woods suggested he was.

However, he does not have that consistent scoring touch to offset the reasons against such a signing, which would once again see Leeds take a big club's unwanted dud.