All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea are already making their presence known ahead of the January transfer window and could now be set to enact a blockbuster move for Nottingham Forest star Elliot Anderson, under certain conditions.

The Blues have enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign under Enzo Maresca, despite having to find their way a little at Stamford Bridge, leaving them third in the Premier League standings as the international break unfolds.

With a notably young squad after a summer transfer spend of nearly £300 million, it was never going to be easy for them to adapt, albeit they have managed to create a sense of stability on the pitch and could stake a claim for the title if their current form persists.

Half the battle is being able to sell a vision to new recruits. In the case of Estevao, the young Brazilian has revealed that he had a private conversation with former Chelsea star Thiago Silva before opting to put pen to paper in West London.

He said via Sky Sports: “That’s right, after the last Brazilian Serie A game in 2024. We had a brief conversation, he came and spoke to me, and told me (I would like the club a lot), that the club had an incredible structure. For sure, we are seeing that now that the club has everything I need and an incredible set up, incredible people that work there.

“So yeah, I spoke to him after the game. I was really happy because Thiago Silva is an idol of this club, it was an incredible opportunity. So for the rest of that year I was anticipating it. I watched a lot of Chelsea games so I could see who I would be working with here, and thanks to God it’s all going well here.”

In truth, BlueCo have shown a real penchant for snapping up some of world football’s most elite young talent, and that extends far beyond Estevao.

While Chelsea are frontrunners to sign Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, they are also reportedly becoming a genuine contender to acquire one of his competitors for a slot in the England starting line-up.

Chelsea keen on Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson

According to Mark Brus in his Daily Briefing via CaughtOffside, Chelsea have laid some groundwork over signing Forest’s Anderson through extensive scouting missions, and could look to act after his excellent start to the top-flight campaign.

Lauded by Thomas Tuchel as “one of the best midfielders in the Premier League”, the 23-year-old has notched a solitary goal and an assist apiece in 14 appearances this term, but his performances at the City Ground have earned rave reviews.

However, they may not be able to complete any move for the Whitley Bay-born star until they sell a player to clear expenditure, and it is unlikely that Enzo Fernández will be sacrificed to make way for the ex-Newcastle United man.

Manchester United are also in pursuit and may be one to watch in the race for his signature, albeit Kobbie Mainoo is an alternative name that could fill any vacant midfield berths at Stamford Bridge.

Conceivably, there could be a few moving parts to this story, but Chelsea's strong interest in Anderson could pave the way for another big-money incoming if Maresca's side feel he is worth the risk. Chelsea are also ready to perform a last-minute hijack to land a Real Madrid star

Nuno Espirito Santo is now reportedly ready to launch his first transfer move in charge of West Ham United to sign Bristol City’s set-piece specialist Scott Twine.

The Hammers could certainly do with a busy January transfer window. Whilst results have improved recently, their 2-2 draw against Bournemouth in a game that they led 2-0 exposed their problems once again.

After watching on as his side let go of their 2-0 lead gained through Callum Wilson’s goals, Nuno told reporters: “It’s a very tough place to come. The first half was us – we took advantage of the straight ball, of the second ball, we managed the tempo of the game, we managed to control Bournemouth, and we achieved a good lead.

“In the second half, Bournemouth did exactly the same that we did [in the first]. They managed better the circumstances of the game, we couldn’t go out, they put us against the ropes, they engaged five players in the last line.

“The boys were organised but were missing the pass to go out of pressure, to really hurt them with space, under tough circumstances. But the positive is that I think the team was resilient, was organised, was compact and was really committed.”

After the dramatic draw, West Ham have at least escaped the dropzone, albeit only on goal difference. With the visit of Liverpool up next, they’ll be hoping to compile the champions’ recent misery and escape the relegation zone in the process.

It goes without saying that the January transfer window would be a lot easier if West Ham were approaching it without the bottom three in mind. It would hand Nuno the perfect opportunity to welcome first-choice reinforcements and potentially take the Hammers onwards and upwards.

On that front, the former Nottingham Forest manager already has certain additions in mind, according to reports.

West Ham and Nuno ready to launch Scott Twine move

According to Sports Boom, Nuno is now ready to launch West Ham’s move to sign Twine from Bristol City in the January transfer window. The set-piece specialist would be an instant upgrade on James Ward-Prowse, who has been frozen out by Nuno, and would cost West Ham just £8m.

Minutes

1,244

958

Goals

6

3

Progressive Passes

41

71

Ball Recoveries

52

53

Although it is in a league below the Premier League, Twine has shown plenty of promise compared to Lucas Paqueta this season. Based on those numbers, £8m could quickly turn into a bargain for the London club.

Whether Bristol City allow one of their key men to leave so easily remains to be seen, however. Robins manager Gerhard Struber recently praised his midfielder – telling reporters: “Scott (has) outstanding technical power with his monster leg.

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

“It helped us to score in this way but I like his energy at the moment – his work ethic on the field to invest everything. You do not see it that often that players on this level work really hard against the ball but this was the key – players with high technical level were involved in our defensive pressing moments.”

West Ham now make enquiry to sign Champions League CF with eight goals in 25/26

Arsenal have held initial talks with the representatives of a budding midfield talent after his rapid rise, according to a new report.

Arsenal look to bounce back against bottom-side Wolves

Arsenal return to Premier League action on Saturday evening against bottom-side Wolves at the Emirates Stadium in a classic David vs Goliath encounter.

The Gunners saw their advantage at the summit trimmed to just two points following last weekend’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, where Emi Buendia’s last-gasp strike ended their 18-match unbeaten run.

Man City’s victory over Sunderland has intensified the pressure on Mikel Arteta’s side, though Saturday’s late kick-off offers an opportunity to extend the gap to five points before City face Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Arsenal responded impressively to that Villa disappointment with a commanding 3-0 Champions League triumph at Club Brugge on Wednesday evening.

Noni Madueke put in a sensational performance, scoring twice, including a stunning 25-yard strike, while Gabriel Martinelli added another beauty to maintain their perfect European record.

Arteta says "really special" Arsenal star has been so good in training lately

The Spaniard is thrilled with him.

ByEmilio Galantini 3 days ago

The victory all but secured automatic qualification for the knockout stages as one of the seeded teams, but Wolves present an entirely different challenge.

Arriving in north London still searching for their first victory of the campaign, Rob Edwards’ side remain rooted to the foot of the table with just two points from 15 games, sitting an alarming 13 points from safety.

Their Monday night 4-1 home humiliation against Man United extended Wolves’ losing streak to eight consecutive defeats, matching their worst run in Premier League history.

Only QPR in 2012/13 and Sheffield United in 2020/21 have endured longer winless starts to a Premier League season than Wolves’ current nightmare.

Their two points also represent a joint-low after 15 games in top-flight history, highlighting the severity of their catastrophic start.

Arsenal boast an intimidating record against Wolves, winning eight consecutive meetings with an aggregate scoreline of 17-3. The north Londoners remarkably haven’t failed to score against them since February 1979, a remarkable 35-match run, so Edwards’ men are certainly the underdogs heading into this one.

Away from the pitch, sporting director Andrea Berta is continuing his mission to identify top talent for Arteta.

Reports this week suggest that Arsenal have held talks with Yan Diomande’s entourage ahead of a potential move for the teenage RB Leipzig winger, and now the same can be said of Polish sensation Oskar Pietuszewski.

Arsenal hold talks with Oskar Pietuszewski's camp

That is according to TEAMtalk, who report that Arsenal have held discussions with the representatives of Pietuszewski, even if City threaten to hijack their pursuit of the 17-year-old starlet.

Berta dispatched senior Arsenal scouts to Poland on multiple occasions to watch the Jagiellonia Białystok talent in action this season, alongside Chelsea and City, with all three Premier League giants ‘hugely impressed’ by the teenager’s performances.

Arsenal have engaged in preliminary talks with Pietuszewski’s camp as they assess whether to launch a formal bid for one of Poland’s ‘most complete teenage talents in years’.

However, City have intensified their interest by sending their head of emerging talent to Poland, holding their own discussions with Pietuszewski.

Their aggressive approach appears to have positioned them ahead of Arsenal and Chelsea in the three-way battle, but that doesn’t mean Berta should give up.

Pietuszewski has dazzled in the Polish first tier this season, bagging three goals and two assists across 16 appearances, and according to Transfermarkt, he’s now the Ekstraklasa’s ‘most valuable player’ by transfer value.

Primarily deployed as a left-winger, the versatile youngster can operate as a holding midfielder or anywhere across the forward line.

Arsenal have been informed they must pay a minimum of £13m to secure Pietuszewski’s signature, a figure that could rise with performance bonuses and shatter Jagiellonia’s outgoing transfer record.

Born in Białystok, Pietuszewski rose through Jagiellonia’s academy before breaking into the senior squad last season.

His international breakthrough came with four goals in six caps for Poland’s Under-21 side, underlining his rapid ascent.

While open to a Premier League move, Pietuszewski wants first-team minutes. European rivals including Ajax, PSV, Lille, Bologna and Barcelona have also scouted him, so the player could have a long list of suitors knocking at the door very soon.

Wasn’t that all a little inevitable? Time and again, this Manchester United side proceeds to fluff their lines, having failed to take advantage of the chance to move fifth in the Premier League following Thursday’s draw with West Ham United.

Much like a week ago in the dismal defeat to ten-man Everton, there was a real lack of energy and urgency about the hosts at Old Trafford this time around, with Ruben Amorim’s side merely letting the game drift for much of the first half.

Even after Diogo Dalot had nudged the home side ahead just before the hour mark, there was a distinct lack of a killer instinct, with Amorim’s raft of pragmatic changes ultimately backfiring in the closing stages.

Up against a team firmly in the relegation mix, the Red Devils – after failing to push for a second – were served up arguably what they deserved, with Soungouto Magassa poking home for his first goal for the Hammers to draw things level.

Despite two late attempts from skipper Bruno Fernandes, there was to be no stirring finale in front of the Stretford End, with the stop-start nature of United’s campaign showing no sign of ending.

Man Utd's worst performers vs West Ham

Two moments of quality aside in Sunday’s narrow win over Crystal Palace, it’s fair to say that it’s not been a good week for United’s captain, with Fernandes again rather erratic on Thursday evening.

He may, as usual, have been in the thick of the action with six total shots and five key passes registered, but the Portuguese notably regressed as the game progressed, squandering the ball meekly far too frequently.

Indeed, the 31-year-old lost the ball 22 times in all, as per Sofascore, while his delivery from wide areas was also unusually off the mark, having successfully completed just two of his eight attempted crosses.

The former Sporting CP star wasn’t alone in struggling on a difficult, turgid night for the hosts, however, with surprise inclusion Ayden Heaven hooked at the break, following a shaky first Premier League start of the season up against the experienced Callum Wilson.

Far more will have been expected of those operating at the opposite end of the pitch for United too, with the returning Matheus Cunha somewhat anonymous in his number ten berth, before being withdrawn late on, while Joshua Zirkzee failed to build on his weekend heroics after producing another limp showing through the middle.

Rounding off that trio was emerging talisman, Bryan Mbeumo, with the usually dynamic winger putting in arguably his worst performance for the club to date, following his £71m switch from Brentford.

Man Utd star produced his worst performance under Amorim

Right from the off, during the opening weekend defeat to Arsenal, Mbeumo has provided the spark in United’s attacking ranks, netting six times already across league and cup, including in key away performances against both Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

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The Premier League’s Player of the Month for October has been riding high even amid a turbulent season for the club, although – with AFCON looming – his form appears to have stagnated, having failed to record a goal or assist in each of his last three outings.

That may be a case of a lack of service, although the Cameroonian was hardly able to create much for himself either on Thursday evening, registering just one key pass and attempting just two shots in all – albeit while forcing Alphonse Areola into a sprawling, clawing save early on.

Touches

52

48.8

Pass accuracy

78%

79%

Key passes

1

1.5

Successful crosses

0/1

1.5

Successful dribbles

1/1

0.8

Ground duels won

3/4

2.6

Aerial duels won

0/5

0.3

Possession lost

15

15.5

Sofascore rating

6.3

7.00

The 26-year-old, like many of his teammates, was particularly ineffective as the game developed, looking weary late on as he failed to make things stick after moving into a central role, following the withdrawal of both Cunha and Zirkzee.

Like Fernandes, the left-footer regularly squandered potential openings after losing the ball on 15 occasions from just 52 touches, while failing to win a single aerial duel up against a physical visiting backline.

Such has been his impact in recent months, Mbeumo has set a high bar and raised expectation levels regarding his performances, although this was certainly not him at his best.

Typically the outlet for United when the going gets tough, the one-time Troyes man appeared to go missing late on, looking leggy and lethargic as Amorim’s men allowed the visitors back into the game.

With just over a week to go until the £150k-per-week star is set to head to international duty, Amorim needs him to find his best level again.

Let’s face it, while Mbeumo may have looked distinctly off it last night, even on his worst day, he still appears United’s biggest attacking threat.

Bad news for Mainoo: INEOS readying £30m Man Utd offer to sign "monster" CM

There appears to only be one outcome in the future of Kobbie Mainoo at Manchester United.

1 ByRobbie Walls Dec 4, 2025

Southampton decided to part ways with head coach Will Still after the former Lens boss only won two of his 13 matches in charge of the club in the Championship.

Interim manager Tonda Eckert has won both of his league games in the dugout so far, including a 3-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday last time out, but it remains to be seen what the future holds for him.

Irrespective of what happens now, Eckert has delivered back-to-back wins that were much-needed after a dismal start to the campaign, which led to Still’s dismissal.

Why Will Still was unfortunate to be sacked by Southampton

The Belgian-born tactician won two of his 13 league matches and averaged 0.92 points per game, per Transfermarkt, which is why it was not a surprise to see him lose his job.

However, per FotMob, Southampton rank sixth in the table for xPTS and are currently 11 places lower in the division than they would be if every game was decided by who created the higher-quality chances.

Of course, football is not played on paper and it is, ultimately, a results-based business, but these statistics suggest that performances from individuals let him down, as the Saints have underperformed their xG and conceded more than their xGA suggests that they should have.

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Whilst it is hard to know what goes on behind the scenes, perhaps Still was unable to motivate a team to win consistently, as he finished between 11th and 8th in his three seasons as a manager in France, which means that he is not used to competing at the very top of a league.

This is why Southampton could find a major upgrade on the former Lens boss by hiring reported target Brendan Rodgers as their new manager during the break.

Why Southampton should hire Brendan Rodgers

The Northern Irish manager resigned from the Celtic job last month and he could be the dream appointment for the Saints if they can convince him to drop down to the Championship.

Rodgers, who was once dubbed “world-class” by Gabriel Agbonlahor, may have the perfect track record for the situation that Southampton find themselves in, because he has experience in the Championship, the Premier League, and the Premiership.

The 52-year-old coach won promotion via the play-offs with Swansea in the 2010/11 campaign, which is relevant for where the club is now, and helped them to stay up with an 11th-placed finish in the Premier League the following season, which should be Southampton’s long-term goal.

Premier League

312

1.56

Premiership

173

2.43

Premiership top six split

15

2.20

Championship

94

1.49

Championship play-offs

3

2.33

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is a proven Premier League manager who has excelled at Swansea, Liverpool, and Leicester City in the top-flight, which is why he would be the perfect appointment for now and in the future.

On top of that, the Northern Irishman is also a proven winner. Per Transfermarkt, he won four Scottish Premiership titles, four Scottish League Cups, and four SFA Cups with Celtic, along with an FA Cup and a Community Shield with Leicester.

This means that Rodgers has won a whopping 13 trophies in his career as a manager, whilst Southampton have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup success in 1976.

Overall, the former Celtic manager would be a major upgrade on Still, who has only managed midtable success and has no trophies under his belt, because of his career record, his history in the Championship and the Premier League, and his proven track record of winning trophies.

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If they can convince him to take the job, Rodgers could be the ideal candidate to get the Saints out of the Championship, as well as to establish them in the Premier League.

Excitement is building ahead of Sunday’s Old Firm derby; let’s hope it is better than the last!

When Glasgow’s big two most recently met in August, Russell Martin and Brendan Rodgers were in the respective dugouts, but both are now gone, meaning it’ll be new Rangers boss Danny Röhl against Martin O’Neill at the weekend.

The Irishman is more than double the German’s age, retiring as a player five years before Röhl was even born.

Well, under their new 36-year-old head coach, Rangers might just be on a roll, enjoying back-to-back Premiership victories for the first time this season, beating Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox and then Hibernian 1-0 at Easter Road on Wednesday.

If Röhl is going to claim a statement victory in his first-ever Glasgow derby, he simply must unleash Rangers’ “creative” star at Hampden.

Connor Barron's absence vs Celtic explained

As was widely reported this week, Connor Barron will miss Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against Celtic due to suspension.

That’s because the midfielder has been booked during both League Cup fixtures this season, coincidentally cautioned in the 78th minute against Alloa Athletic and then Hibs, thereby serving a one-match ban.

Barron started for the first time under Röhl in Leith on Wednesday, actually giving away a late penalty, bringing down Junior Hoilett, but, thankfully for him, Jamie McGrath’s attempt from 12 yards was dramatically saved by Jack Butland.

Despite this, speaking during Sky Sports’ coverage, Scott Allan asserted that Barron “had a fantastic game tonight… I thought he was excellent”, while Kris Boyd noted he was going to be awarded man of the match, prior to this almost costly foul.

So, Barron’s unavailability will be a blow, but Röhl has a more than able deputy waiting in reserve.

Rangers' creative star who must start vs Celtic

With Nicolas Raskin a guaranteed starter, the Belgian one of the first names on the team sheet, the question is who should partner him in midfield?

Well, there is surely only one man for the job, namely Mohamed Diomandé.

The Ivorian international has only featured in one of Röhl’s three matches in charge to date, suspended for the hammering at the hands of Brann, starting against Kilmarnock last Sunday before, surprisingly, remaining an unused substitute at Hibs.

The 24-year-old has had a bit of a stop-start season, albeit he’s not the only one, but last season’s statistics very much emphasise his importance.

Minutes

4,028

3rd

Goals

6

4th

Assists

9

3rd

Shots

61

5th

Big chances created

14

2nd

Key passes per 90

1.2

5th

Tackles per 90

1.6

6th

Interceptions per 90

0.9

6th

Average rating

7.19

6th

As the table documents, only captain James Tavernier and the departed Jefté played more minutes than Diomandé for Rangers across all competitions last season.

Meantime, all three players who scored more goals than him have also gone, namely Cyriel Dessers, Václav Černý and Hamza Igamane, twice on target against Celtic, netting in December’s League Cup Final and March’s memorable win at Parkhead.

On top of this, he ranked highly for assists, big chances created and key passes, as well as in the top six for tackles and interceptions, underlining that he is an all-round midfielder.

Upon his arrival in Glasgow from Nordsjælland, then director of recruitment Nils Koppen praised the Côte d’Ivoire international’s “creative play and strong defensive work”, adding that he would add a “high level of athleticism” to the Rangers team.

Meantime, Stefan Bienkowsk of Transfermarkt labels him one of the most ‘accomplished [young] central midfielders’ in European football, while Joshua Barrie of the Rangers Review documents how he can cover a lot of ground, concluding that his best attribute is his ‘ability to receive between the lines’.

Against a Celtic team who will be equally up for this huge cup tie, Diomandé’s out-of-possession work rate and in-possession quality makes him a must in Röhl’s team.

This is especially the case given that Röhl is forecast to go with a 3-4-2-1 formation, up against Celtic’s midfield trio, giving the duo in there, likely to be Raskin and Diomandé, extra work and added responsibility.

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Following Rangers’ 1-0 victory over Hibs at Easter Road on Wednesday, one star proves he is more undroppable than Danilo

ByBen Gray Oct 30, 2025

Middlesbrough have made a manager with “an impressive CV” a top target to replace Rob Edwards, and it would be a “significant coup” if they can get a deal done.

Edwards confirmed as Wolves boss as Middlesbrough receive £3m

Wolves confirmed the appointment of Rob Edwards as their new head coach on a three-and-a-half year deal on Wednesday.

The 42-year-old left the Riverside and agreed a contract until 2029 with Wanderers after they sacked Vitor Pereira earlier this month. It is reported Boro will receive around £3million in compensation after Edwards only joined them in June on a three-year contract.

Edwards, who managed Luton in the Premier League, begins a fourth spell at Wolves after making 111 appearances as a player as well as enjoying time as a coach and interim boss. He will be joined by assistant head coach Harry Watling after the pair worked together at Middlesbrough, with the rest of his backroom staff to be confirmed in the near future.

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi said: “I know Rob very well and I have seen his growth in different jobs. He’s a very good person, he knows the club very well, he knows the city, the fans and he is very talented.

“When he was a youth coach here, he showed his tactical awareness, but after he took first-team jobs he started to grow his own identity, character and leadership.

“We need to refresh the whole club with a new coach’s philosophy, bringing his own identity and ideas, and we can build on that. We are at a new chapter for the club and Rob will be a key piece of that.”

For Boro, it is now about finding a swift replacement as they aim to continue their Championship promotion push without Edwards.

Middlesbrough make Steven Gerrard a top manager target

As reported by Rousing the Kop and journalist Graeme Bailey, Steven Gerrard is among the top targets for Middlesbrough to replace Edwards.

Steve Gibson is a long-term admirer of the former Rangers and Aston Villa boss, who is out of work after leaving Al-Ettifaq in January.

Gerrard almost returned to Ibrox last month and is open to a return to the dugout, with a move to the Riverside something that could appeal to him.

Gerrard has never managed in the Championship, with his most successful period as a manager coming in Scotland, winning the league title with Rangers.

Club

Games

Points per game

Rangers

192

2.15

Aston Villa

40

1.18

Al-Ettifaq

55

1.33

The 45-year-old primarily plays an attacking 4-3-3 system and is closing in on 300 games as a manager. Could that benchmark come at the Riverside?

Leeds United’s winless run in the Premier League continued at the hands of Manchester City yesterday, with Daniel Farke’s side suffering a 3-2 defeat at the Etihad.

At one stage, it appeared as though the Whites would endure another battering, as they did at Arsenal, but it was anything but that against Pep Guardiola’s men.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha both hit the back of the net in the second half, subsequently restoring parity after trailing by two goals going into the break.

However, Phil Foden’s strike in stoppage time took some of the gloss off the impressive second-half showing, which should have earned Farke’s men a crucial point.

Despite the fightback, numerous players chosen by the manager at the Etihad struggled to produce the goods, which could lead to yet more changes in their next clash.

Leeds’ poor performers against Man City

Wilfried Gnonto is a player who the Leeds fans have been crying out to start in recent weeks, having only featured in five outings before the trip to face Man City yesterday.

However, the Italian was handed his chance to shine, but struggled to take full advantage of the opportunity handed his way, as seen by his tally of zero crosses and dribbles completed.

He was even fortunate not to be sent off, with his high challenge on Tijjani Reijnders somehow going unpunished – before being replaced at the break by Farke.

Gnonto wasn’t the only player who struggled against Guardiola’s men, with centre-back Pascal Struijk coming under fire for numerous errors throughout the contest.

The Dutchman was only able to win 50% of the aerial battles he entered at the Etihad, often being dominated in the air and resulting in added chances for the hosts.

He also nearly produced a costly mistake after slipping on the greasy turf, but luckily for the player and the team, his error only led to a corner rather than a goal.

The Leeds star who needs to be dropped after Man City

Going away to the Etihad and trying to get a result is no mean feat, with the former champions boasting one of the best home records in the division over recent seasons.

It’s a feat achieved by the Whites in years gone by, but unfortunately for Farke, he was unable to match the achievements previously achieved by Marcelo Bielsa.

As previously mentioned, there are certainly positives for the manager to pick out from the contest – as seen by their response to get themselves off the canvas in the second half.

However, multiple players’ showings will be a cause for concern for the German, which could certainly result in shape and personal changes ahead of their next top-flight outing.

Jayden Bogle is a player who has been a consistent starter for the Whites in 2025/26, as seen by his total of 13 appearances – subsequently not missing a single game to date.

Despite the faith shown in him by Farke once again yesterday, he was unable to produce one of his best showings, and often struggled to contain Jeremy Doku.

The Englishman’s underlying stats from the defeat further showcase his struggles, which could see the manager shuffle his pack and drop the 25-year-old as a result.

Minutes played

90

Touches

46

Passes completed

63%

Possession lost

14x

Dribbles completed

0

Long balls completed

0

Crosses completed

1

Tackles made

0

He only managed to complete 63% of the passes he attempted, subsequently losing possession on 14 separate occasions – highlighting his struggles with the ball at his feet.

Other numbers, such as zero dribbles, zero long balls and just 46 touches of the ball – a tally that was fewer than goalkeeper Lucas Perri, who managed 56 – showcase his lack of impact on proceedings.

Out of possession, Bogle was just as disappointing, as he was unable to make a single tackle, whilst making no blocks and just a single interception in his 90-minute display.

There’s little disputing that the full-back has been an excellent option for Farke in 2025/26 to date, but he will no doubt be concerned by the lack of impact against City.

As a result, the German should look to shuffle his options around in midweek, with a huge reaction needed to make amends for the disappointing defeat yesterday.

Bielsa 2.0: Leeds prepare for Farke replacement with "elite" boss in frame

Leeds are reportedly preparing to possibly replace Daniel Farke in the dugout with a LaLiga boss in the frame.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 28, 2025

Aston Villa are now circling to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League striker in the January transfer window, with his club open to a sale.

Villa "want to sign a new striker" next month

Ex-scout Mick Brown has made it clear his former club are looking to bolster their options at centre-forward this winter, saying: “Aston Villa want to sign a new striker in January,”

“Emery wants somebody to challenge Watkins and score regular goals, because they’ve lacked that so far this season, and they want to do it when the window opens.

“The problem is, there aren’t many strikers available, and the ones that are cost big money.”

While there may not be a plethora of options available, some exciting targets have been identified, with it being revealed Igor Thiago is highly likely to leave Brentford in January, amid interest from Unai Emery.

Bologna star Santiago Castro is another striker of interest to the Villans, with the Argentinian striker outscoring Ollie Watkins this season, although a deal could be on the expensive side at around £44m.

A slightly cheaper centre-forward has also emerged as a target, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states Aston Villa are now circling to sign Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee next month, following a new update on the Dutchman’s future at Old Trafford.

Although Ruben Amorim wants to keep hold of Zirkzee, in light of his versatility, Man United are now open to sanctioning a departure, and Villa’s Premier League rivals could look to hold out for a fee of around £35m.

A whole host of clubs are in the race for the Netherlands international, however, with the likes of Sunderland, Brighton, Everton, West Ham United, Inter Milan and Juventus also being named as potential suitors.

Emery's a fan: Aston Villa willing to make mega-money bid for £52m "baller"

The Villans are lining up a winter move for a new midfielder.

ByDominic Lund 5 days ago "Unbelievable" Zirkzee back amongst the goals

The 24-year-old hasn’t had the easiest of rides at Old Trafford, failing to make it off the bench in seven Premier League matches this season, but he has impressed at times, with Sky Sports analyst Statman Dave hailing his mentality earlier this year.

The former Bologna man also returned to form in front of goal at the end of November, scoring the equalising goal to start Man United’s comeback in their 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace.

That said, Villa should have major reservations about signing Zirkzee, considering his very poor record in front of goal, netting just eight times in 58 outings for Man United, while also receiving heavy criticism from content creator Alex Turk this season.

Nottingham Forest are now pursuing a January move for an “outstanding” British player, having monitored him closely over the past few weeks.

Forest looking to improve defence after Everton setback

Forest have certainly made progress since the arrival of Sean Dyche, now sitting two points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, and they have often looked solid from a defensive point of view, keeping four clean sheets in their last seven matches in all competitions.

The Tricky Trees aren’t in the clear just yet, however, being brought back down to earth with a 3-0 defeat against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium last time out, with Dyche critical of some aspects of his side’s performance, saying: “We were nowhere near it on the physical side. We had the ball in many places but the decisions went against us.”

The manager also added: “The players deserve a lot of credit, but they have to fight and play to their shape. We were well short of that.”

With Dyche perhaps looking to make his own mark on the squad he inherited, Nottingham Forest are now pursuing a January move for a new defender, namely Sassuolo’s Josh Doig, according to a report from Tuttomercatoweb (via Sport Witness).

However, the Italian side have no interest in sanctioning a departure this winter, as Doig is regarded as one of their most important players, so it may be difficult to tempt them into a sale.

The Scottish defender has been monitored closely over the past few weeks, but there are some doubts over whether the Tricky Trees need to bring in a new left-back, with Neco Williams and Oleksandr Zinchenko already on the books, and Botafogo’s Cuiabano set to return next month.

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The Tricky Trees are looking to sign a new centre-forward next year.

1 ByDominic Lund 4 days ago "Outstanding" Doig impressing in the Serie A

Lauded as “outstanding” by coach Neil Critchley, the Scot has certainly impressed in the Serie A over the past year, ranking very highly across a range of defensive statistics, when compared to other full-backs.

Josh Doig’s key statistics

Average per 90 (past year)

Interceptions

1.53 (92nd percentile)

Blocks

1.53 (87th percentile)

Aerials won

1.62 (91st percentile)

Former Hibernian teammate Lewis Stevenson has also waxed lyrical about the Sassuolo star in the past, saying: “He has the potential to go to the top level. He is 6 foot 3, fast, strong. Even just looking at him with his top off – without meaning to sound creepy – he looks like Ronaldo, with that kind of physique. He just is an athlete.”

The Edinburgh-born defender has been a key player for the Italian side so far this season, making 13 Serie A appearances, and he earned his first cap for Scotland in a 4-0 victory against Liechtenstein in the summer.

That said, given that Dyche already has Williams and Zinchenko at his disposal, bringing in a new left-back shouldn’t be a priority this winter.