All posts by z3u9t.icu

Crystal Palace are five games into the new Oliver Glasner era, and while it might not have quite brought with it the excitement that many were hoping for, it has brought an upturn in form.

The Austrian manager has seen his side pick up six points from a possible 15, and while that's not ideal, it is better than the three they picked up from Roy Hodgson's final five games at the club.

It certainly feels like the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss has the ability to take Palace to new heights, but one player who probably won't be around for the ride is Odsonne Edouard.

Odsonne Edouard's stats this season

The Eagles spent around £14m signing Edouard from Scottish Giants Celtic in the summer of 2021, and while it wasn't a massive fee, there was some excitement that he'd be able to forge a great career in English football thanks to his record of 87 goals and 38 assists in 179 games for the Hoops.

Season

2021/22

2022/2023

2023/24

Appearances

31

37

25

Goals

6

7

7

Assists

3

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

0.24

0.28

Unfortunately, despite looking impressive here and there over the last two and a half years for the south Londoners, the Frenchman has never really looked like he was going to recreate his Celtic goalscoring form south of the border.

This year has been a particularly disappointing campaign for the 26-year-old. He's made just 25 appearances all season – 19 of which have been starts – in which he's scored seven goals and provided no assists.

This means he's averaging a goal involvement every 3.5 games, which is significantly worse than Jean-Philippe Mateta's average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games.

Moreover, it is apparent that Glasner views Mateta as his number one striker as he's started the last five games. In contrast, the former Celtic man has started just two of the previous five games – both as an attacking midfielder.

It certainly looks like the striker's time at Selhurst Park is ending, especially as an academy talent with a brilliant youth-level record is cutting his teeth out on loan this year and could stake a claim for a role in the first team next season.

Why fans should be excited about Ademola Ola-Adebomi

The youngster in question is 20-year-old centre-forward Ademola Ola-Adebomi, who joined Palace's academy set-up at just eight years old in 2012 and has since fought his way up through the various youth sides and even made it onto the bench for the first team's League Cup clash at Old Trafford in September.

At the youth level, the "exceptional" academy prospect, as described by U23 scout Antonio Mango, was in a league of his own. He scored 34 goals and provided six assists in 65 appearances across the U18 and U21 teams, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.6 games.

Team

Palace U18s

Palace U21s

Burton Albion

Appearances

33

32

11

Goals

18

16

1

Assists

4

2

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.66

0.56

0.27

This scintillating form earned him the right to go out on loan and test himself in the senior game, and so, in January of this year, he signed a short-term deal with League One outfit Burton Albion. In 11 appearances, he has scored one goal and provided two assists, although only six of those have been starts.

It might not be quite the return he would have been hoping for, considering his performances at the youth level, but a goal involvement every 202 minutes in his first season of senior football is still impressive.

Moreover, he has made an impact on Burton's manager, Martin Paterson, who described the forward as "technically really good", "a real threat in the area" and one of Palace's "top talents."

Crystal Palace hit the jackpot on ace who's worth more than Wharton

The talented Palace star has seen his value rapidly rise over the last few years.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 27, 2024

Ultimately, while he's unlikely to replace Mateta in the starting lineup next season, there is no reason that Ola-Adebomi couldn't take Edouard's place as the backup striker in Glasner's squad, especially with another couple of months of experience with Burton under his belt.

Nottingham Forest failed to make it back-to-back wins in the Premier League after falling to a 3-1 defeat away at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday evening.

The Reds fell behind after an own goal from Brazilian centre-back Murillo before Chris Wood made it four goals in as many games with a brilliant instinctive finish after great work from Anthony Elanga and Neco Williams down the right-hand side.

However, crushing strikes from Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro secured three points for Ange Postecoglou's side, with Forest still lingering dangerously close to the relegation zone – the club only above Luton Town on goal difference with six games to go.

The game in north London was a good opportunity for Nuno Espírito Santo's side to re-establish their gap above the drop zone, but they failed to do so, with one player in particular having a disappointing game.

Ryan Yates' stats against Tottenham

After an unchanged side from the victory over Fulham last Tuesday, midfielder Ryan Yates took the armband and led the Reds out looking to claim all three points.

The Forest academy graduate was given the task of man-marking attacking midfielder James Maddison, with Yates' relentless pressing style a potential way to combat the England international.

However, the 26-year-old was run ragged by the former Leicester City man, with the Reds midfielder committing four fouls within the first 15 minutes and picking up a yellow card for his troubles.

Yates lost seven out of his nine duels – the Forest man unsuccessful in 78% of the duels he contested – before committing a further foul, taking his tally to five throughout his display.

He was also dribbled past once, with Yates often being bypassed by the play and looking out of his depth during the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Minutes played

81

Fouls committed

5

Duels lost

7

Dribbled past

1

Shots

1

Passes

28/32 (88%)

Undoubtedly, the midfielder plays with his heart on his sleeve and is committed to succeeding for his boyhood club, but today was another example that the 26-year-old isn't technically up to the demands of the Premier League.

He was given a rating of 5.5/10 by Nottinghamshire Live Forest correspondent Sarah Clapson, with the midfielder failing to get a hold of the in the middle of the park.

Forest play again in less than seven days and Nuno should look to replace Yates with another member of the Reds squad who looked more suited to his system after coming off the bench during the weekend's defeat.

The man to replace Yates going forward

The Reds have some excellent options in the middle of midfield, with Nicolas Dominguez more than deserving of another run in the starting lineup.

The Argentinian came on in the 68th minute and completed all 15 of the passes he attempted, whilst winning 100% of the duels he contested after coming on.

Dominguez was also a threat as the Reds tried to claw back the two-goal deficit, the 25-year-old also managing to get a shot on target with the former Bologna man a nuisance at both ends after his introduction.

He was harshly dropped after the Brighton defeat, with the Argentinian coming off the bench in the last four games. Dominguez did have a solid partnership alongside Brazilian Danilo, meaning Nuno needs to play the duo together against Wolves at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.

Celtic are still fighting to secure two trophies before the end of the season as they look to wrap up the Scottish Premiership title and the SFA Cup over the coming weeks.

Focus will then turn to the upcoming summer transfer window and possibly improving the playing squad for Brendan Rodgers ahead of next term.

However, the Hoops may also have to fight to keep hold of their best players, as Leeds have recently been linked with an interest in star midfielder Matt O'Riley.

Celtic are no strangers to cashing in on their top talent, including the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Victor Wanyama, Odsonne Edouard, and Jota, and they hit the jackpot when Neil Lennon sold Kieran Tierney for a club-record fee.

Kieran Tierney's Celtic career in numbers

The Scotland international came through the academy system at Parkhead and first became a regular in the Premiership during the 2015/16 campaign, with six assists in 23 outings.

Tierney went on to rack up eight goals and 37 assists in 170 matches for the club in all competitions during his time in the first-team for the Hoops.

2014/15

2

0

1

2015/16

23

1

6

2016/17

24

1

8

2017/18

28

3

6

2018/19

20

0

5

As you can see in the table above, the 5 foot 11 left-back provided an attacking thrust down the left flank with a fantastic return of assists each season, given his defensive position.

His fantastic form for Celtic led to interest from Arsenal in the summer of 2019, and Lennon – who was the manager at the time – eventually greenlit a move to the Premier League.

After a £15m bid was rejected earlier in the window, the Gunners eventually landed their man on deadline day for a staggering £25m – a club-record for the Hoops.

Kieran Tierney's current market value

At the time of writing (22/04/2024), Transfermarkt has Tierney's current market value at just €12m (£10m), as he currently plays for Real Sociedad on loan from Arsenal.

This means that the Scottish full-back's value has plummeted by a staggering £15m from the £25m that the English giants paid for him, within the space of less than five years.

At the age of 26, the left-footed dynamo should be heading into his peak years as a player but is, instead, sitting at his lowest market valuation since the summer of 2019 – when he left Celtic.

Tierney, who played 124 games for Arsenal before his temporary move to Spain, has only started 11 league matches for Real Sociedad this season, after six starts in the Premier League last term.

Injuries have hampered his development, with 74 matches missed for club and country since he moved on from Parkhead, and that is reflected in his lack of starts in recent years.

The Scottish star, whose strength was once hailed as "unique" for a young player by Brendan Rodgers, has not nailed down a regular starting spot in the Premier League or LaLiga, which may be why his market value is plummeting.

The "future star" who left Celtic for £0 is now worth more than O'Riley

The Hoops watched the now-Premier League starlet move on from Parkhead for nothing.

ByDan Emery Apr 5, 2024

Overall, Celtic hit the jackpot with Tierney as they sold him for a record fee and have watched on as the academy graduate has failed to kick on over the subsequent years, with his current value now £15m less than what they sold him for.

Even if Manchester United had beaten Burnley 1-0 in Premier League action, the pressure still wouldn't have been off Erik ten Hag's shoulders.

The Clarets drawing 1-1 in the end at Old Trafford courtesy of a last-gasp penalty kick just adds more fuel to the fire for those who want the Dutchman to be relieved from his duties at the end of the campaign, with a whole host of names being lined up to now replace the ex-Ajax manager.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the powers that be at the Theatre of Dreams could move in a different direction to lead Man United into a potentially more successful new era.

Man United manager news

Even with Ten Hag still clinging onto his job post for the time being, that hasn't stopped the rumour mill at Old Trafford from going into overdrive speculating who could eventually be the unpopular 54-year-old's successor.

Current Borussia Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic was rumoured to be in the running to oust the Dutchman according to a report from TEAMtalk, whilst further rumours suggested Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi was also being talked up to come in after the season is over and done with.

Yet, the new 'favourite' – according to the Guardian – is surprisingly England manager Gareth Southgate.

Who could benefit from Southgate's appointment?

This is a move that would surely be welcomed by ex-Chelsea man Mason Mount who has starred under the former Middlesbrough boss' watchful eye on the international stage in the past.

Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw also wouldn't object to the 53-year-old walking through the door either, as Southgate potentially leaves England behind to return back to the firing line of club football.

Mount was given his senior England debut by Southgate back in 2019, the-then 20-year-old attacking midfielder with the world at his feet after exploding into life at Chelsea.

Now 25, he has since gone on to gain 36 caps for his country, picking up five goals and five assists along the way before being turned away from the England picture in the midst of his Blues career falling by the wayside and a turbulent move to Man United transpiring.

Mount will want to recapture his Chelsea best at Old Trafford, having only made 13 Premier League appearances this season to date under Ten Hag with recurring injury issues stopping him in his tracks.

Southgate could well be the manager Mount desires to put an arm around him to get more out of the forgotten number seven, who has shone brightly in patches this season when fit.

Mount's strike against Brentford back in March found the back of the net despite the ex-Blues midfielder only being on the pitch for ten minutes, breaking his Red Devils duck in the process.

Deployed down the left wing during this impactful cameo from the bench, Mount would benefit from an extended run in the United XI in a more central spot and Southgate could gift him that based on his preference for where he slots the 25-year-old into his past England sides.

The current Three Lions boss – who was praised as being "amazing" by Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham recently – has only ever played Mount down the flanks twice during his 36 caps, with all of his goal contributions coming from a more central position.

Club

Games managed

Wins

Draws

Losses

England

93

59

18

16

England U21s

33

27

3

3

Middlesbrough

151

47

41

63

Sourced by Transfermarkt

It would be an almighty risk appointing Southgate based on his previous managerial record at Middlesbrough (seen in the table above) but the appointment could work wonders for the English personnel already at the Theatre of Dreams who will want to run through brick walls for the 53-year-old at club level if he is seen as the correct fit after ten Hag.

Man Utd eyeing Ten Hag upgrade who could be "like Ange Postecoglou"

The Man United target has lost 12 games fewer than Erik ten Hag this season.

ByTom Lever Apr 26, 2024

Whilst rumours over Alexander Isak's Newcastle United future have continued to steal the headlines, his exit could at least hand the Magpies a welcomed boost coming in the other direction, according to reports.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies have wasted no time before getting their transfer business underway, with reports suggesting that they've reached an agreement to sign Lloyd Kelly on a free deal upon the expiry of his Bournemouth contract at the end of the season. The defender, who can play both centre-back and left-back, should significantly boost Eddie Howe's defensive depth and cover for injuries to both Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman.

Newcastle hit gold signing PL icon who'd be worth more than Mbappe in 2024

He went on to be one of the Premier League’s best-ever players.

ByEthan Lamb May 11, 2024

Meanwhile, further reports have also indicated that Tosin Adarabioyo could follow suit in another free deal for those at St James' Park. The Fulham defender could join Kelly to start Newcastle's summer transfer window in the best way possible. It seems clear so far that the taste of top-four failure is not one that PIF are keen to experience on a consistent basis in the Premier League. But it's not all good news.

According to Sport in Spain, Barcelona are eyeing up a move for Isak in a deal that could see Andreas Christensen move to Newcastle in the opposite direction, presumably alongside a fee as well. Whilst adding Christensen to Howe's side would solve any strength in depth problems in his backline once and for all, losing Isak would be a major blow.

The Swedish forward, nominated for the Premier League Player of the Season award, is fairly irreplaceable and keeping hold of his far outweighs the need to welcome a player such as Christensen.

If the Magpies could find a way to sign the Barcelona defender without Isak involved, however, then it is a deal they would be wise to pursue in the coming months.

"Fantastic" Christensen would be major upgrade on Lascelles

Signing Christensen could suddenly leave Newcastle with three solid centre-back options, with arguably one more needed to truly cover for any future injury issues. The arrival of the Dane may also put an end to any reliance on Lascelles, who is a drop-off from Fabian Schar and Botman's quality and may not return to his best form after suffering an ACL injury.

Progressive Carries

23

8

Progressive Passes

107

31

Tackles Won

14

9

Ball Recoveries

96

53

A former Chelsea player, Christensen was particularly impressive under Antonio Conte, who once told Sky Sports: "Christensen is having a fantastic season and he is showing great maturity. His performance was wonderful. I trust Christensen. I think this player is the present and also for the future for Chelsea. He can also become the captain of this team."

Since enduring a mixed spell at Barcelona, the Dane could now get a Premier League return through Newcastle, who would need to negotiate terms to meet his hefty reported salary of £173k-a-week.

Leeds United do not yet know whether they will be competing in the Premier League or the Championship when the 2024/25 campaign begins in August.

The Whites are currently in the play-offs in the second tier and will need to come out on top against Norwich City in the semi-finals before winning at Wembley later this month to secure a place in the top-flight for next season.

Daniel Farke's side finished six points off the automatic promotion places and lost four of their last six matches in the league before the end of the regular campaign.

This means that the Yorkshire-based outfit head into this two-legged clash with David Wagner's Yellows off the back of a poor run of form in the division.

Despite the players and coaching staff currently needing to focus on matters on the training pitch ahead of their trip to Norfolk on Sunday, the Whites are reportedly already looking at players to potentially bolster their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Leeds United's interest in defensive midfielder

A recent report from Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad, as relayed by Sport Witness, claimed that Leeds are one of a number of teams interested in a swoop for defensive midfielder Mandela Keita.

The 21-year-old star is currently on loan at Royal Antwerp from OH Leuven, having initially joined the club on a temporary basis in January of last year.

The report stated that there is a mandatory purchase clause if certain conditions are met in his loan deal, but did not reveal whether or not those conditions have been met by this point.

However, it did add that Mandela is interested in making a move away from Belgium to make the switch to England this summer, amid interest from a number of teams.

The outlet named Leeds, Blackburn Rovers, and Norwich as three of the sides eyeing up the talented ace, as they are all said to be tracking Keita's situation in the Pro League.

Leeds and the Canaries, of course, face off against each other in the play-offs and the winner will earn a place at Wembley, which will then give them a chance to seal promotion to the Premier League.

Earning a spot in the top-flight could give that team an advantage in the race to land Keita as they would be able to offer Premier League football, and possibly higher wages given the uptick in revenue from getting promoted.

If the Whites can win the race for his signature, whether they are in the top division or the Championship, Farke could brutally ditch Ilia Greuv as a starter for the club, with the Antwerp star coming in to replace him in the lineup.

Ilia Gruev's form for Leeds this season

The Bulgaria international arrived at Elland Road on a permanent deal from Werder Bremen last summer and has had mixed success throughout the season.

He did not immediately force his way into the starting XI under the German head coach as Ethan Ampadu and Glen Kamara were the preferred pairing, with the ex-Bundesliga ace making nine appearances as a substitute during the first half of the campaign.

However, when Ampadu was called upon to play at centre-back next to Joe Rodon, a space opened up in midfield at the start of 2024 and the midfield ace has been a regular fixture in the lineup when available.

Gruev ended the regular season with 20 league starts to his name and he showcased some good and bad qualities in the middle of the park.

Assists (0.05)

Bottom 31%

Shot-creating actions (1.37)

Bottom 12%

Pass accuracy (90%)

Top 3%

Progressive passes (4.36)

Top 47%

Progressive carries (0.56)

Bottom 15%

As you can see in the table above, his play in possession has had positives and negatives, with a high completion rate and above-average progressive passing, but well below average when it comes to creating shooting opportunities for his teammates and carrying the ball forward.

LeedsLive's Beren Cross awarded Gruev a player rating of 4/10 for his most recent display against Southampton in the league, citing that he looked rusty and off the pace, as the midfielder lost three of his four duels on the day.

Farke could now land an upgrade on the Bulgarian gem and ruthlessly ditch him from the starting XI next season by securing a deal to sign Keita ahead of Blackburn and Norwich.

Why Mandela Keita could replace Ilia Gruev

The 5 foot 11 star could be a fantastic signing to take the former Werder Bremen maestro's place in the lineup if he can translate his form from the Pro League over to English football next season.

Firstly, Keita ranks within the top 38% of Pro League midfielders for assists per 90 (0.12), the top 31% for progressive passes per 90 (5.58), and the top 42% for progressive carries per 90 (1.34), to go along with a pass success rate of 89.4%.

This suggests that the 21-year-old dynamo offers more than Gruev in possession as he completes his passes at a similar rate whilst progressing the ball more, through passes and carries, and assisting his teammates more frequently.

The Belgium international has the quality to progress play on a regular basis from a defensive midfield position, which can help to break down low blocks as he plays the ball between the lines to find his team's attackers in dangerous positions.

As you can see in the table below, Keita, who was lauded as an "exceptional" talent by U23 scout Antonio Mango, also has the potential to be an upgrade on the Leeds dud with his work out of possession.

Appearances

26

29

Tackles per game

2.5

1.6

Interceptions per game

1.7

0.9

Ball recoveries per game

6.9

3.1

Duel success rate

57%

56%

Error led to shot or goal

0

0

The Pro League star has won a higher percentage of his defensive duels whilst also making significantly more tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per game to cut out opposition attacks.

Overall, Keita appears to offer more to his side on and off the ball than Gruev does to the Whites, which is why Farke could ruthlessly drop the 4/10 dud to the bench next season by swooping for the Norwich and Blackburn target.

Crystal Palace ended their Premier League season in emphatic fashion last weekend, putting five past fourth-place Aston Villa to really drive home the dramatic transformation that has occurred at the South London side following the arrival of Oliver Glasner earlier this year.

However, it's a two-way street, and as impressive as the Austrian is, he is certainly lucky to have a plethora of talented players to work with, players like Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise, Adam Wharton, and even Jean-Philippe Mateta.

The French striker has been electric in the last few months, and his hat-trick against the Villans on Sunday was just another reason why he should be considered a serious contender for the Golden Boot next season.

However, a former Palace flop has outscored him this year and is on track to win the Golden Boot in another top-five league.

Sørloth's time with Palace

The Eagles paid around £9m to Danish side FC Midtjylland in the 2018 winter transfer window to bring Alexander Sørloth to Selhurst Park, and while the fee was pretty reasonable, there was a fair bit of excitement surrounding his arrival, considering he had racked up 15 goals and nine assists in just 26 games in the first half of the campaign.

However, his first six months in England did not go particularly well. He made just four appearances under Roy Hodgson, in which he failed to score a goal, and was excluded from the squad entirely for four games as well.

The following season was just as bleak for the Norwegian. In the first half of the campaign, he scored one goal and provided one assist in 16 appearances before being sent out on loan to Belgian outfit Gent in a desperate bid for him to find form. However, he would return to South London in the summer with just five goals and three assists to his name in 22 games.

With it clear that the Trondheim-born ace wasn't going to get any more game time in England, the club agreed to send him on loan to Turkish side Trabzonspor in August 2019, where he finally found some form and ended the season with a seriously impressive haul of 33 goals and 11 assists in 49 games.

This red-hot form saw Bundesliga side RB Leipzig take notice and pay around £18m for the striker in 2020, which Palace had to split 50-50 with Trabzonspor as the loan they had agreed the previous summer was supposed to be a two-year deal.

Appearances

20

22

49

Goals

1

5

33

Assists

1

3

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.10

0.36

0.89

In all, the 6 foot 5 marksman made 91 senior appearances in the years following his arrival in South London. Unfortunately, just 20 of those were for the Eagles, in which he scored one goal and provided one assist – talk about leaving a legacy.

Sørloth's form this season

Despite coming off the back of a blockbuster campaign in Turkey, the Norwegian forward's next few years weren't particularly notable.

He would go on to score six goals and provide three assists in 37 games for Leipzig before spending the next two seasons on loan with La Liga side Real Sociedad, scoring 24 goals and providing five assists in 90 games for them.

Finally, after his second year in the Basque Country, Leipzig decided to sell the striker and, following his reasonably good performances in San Sebastián, fellow Spanish side Villarreal opted to take a chance on the former Palace flop, and what a decision that was.

In just 41 appearances across all competitions this season, the "physical" number nine, as described by Leipzig's former sporting director Markus Krösche, has scored 26 goals and provided six assists, meaning he's averaging a goal involvement every 1.25 games for the Yellow Submarines.

In comparison, Mateta, who has been unbelievable of late, has scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 39 games, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.62 games this season.

Appearances

41

39

Goals

26

19

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.78

0.61

Ultimately, Palace weren't wrong to sell Sørloth when they did, as when he was given the chance to play for the first team, he was underwhelming at best. However, his story serves as a great example of why we shouldn't just write players off after a few bad seasons; they might just go on to fight for La Liga's Golden Boot.

Crystal Palace star is becoming Glasner's best player alongside Olise & Eze

The incredible ace has been in superb form this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 9, 2024

Tottenham chiefs are believed to be considering a summer move for an "incredible" British youngster with a big future in the game, according to reliable journalist Ed Aarons.

Tottenham transfer news

The upcoming summer transfer window is a crucial one in north London, as Ange Postecoglou looks to take his team up a gear and make them a Premier League top four outfit. That won't be easy, considering the level of competition at the top of the table, but new faces will certainly help.

Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a great option to come in and finally fill the void left by Harry Kane, following a season that saw him score 23 goals for the Dutch giants in the Eredivisie. There is the threat that new Liverpool manager Arne Slot could look to take the Mexican to Anfield, although that remains to be seen, and Spurs are seen as the current favourites to snap him up.

Another exciting signing for Postecoglou is reportedly Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who could feel that this summer is the ideal time to move on and enjoy a new challenge at a bigger club. He could feature prominently at Euro 2024, should he make England's final squad, giving Spurs fans a good chance to see him more regularly but also perhaps raising his price tag.

It looks as though the north Londoners are looking to add firepower in attacking areas this summer, with Serhou Guirassy also linked with a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Incredibly, the Guinean scored 28 goals in just 25 Bundesliga starts for VfB Stuttgart in 2023/24, highlighting what a ruthless addition he could be.

Tottenham want "incredible" British teenager

According to Aarons on X, Tottenham are "interested" in signing Sunderland ace Jobe Bellingham for at least £20m this summer, among other Premier League clubs, but the Black Cats are holding firm.

"Understand that Sunderland are determined to try and keep Jobe Bellingham this summer. Tottenham, Brentford, Crystal Palace and several clubs in Europe are interested in the 18-year-old, with Sunderland believed to want a fee in excess of £20m if they are to sell."

The Bellingham name has become world-renowned because of the incredible rise of Jude Bellingham, but his younger brother is an outstanding prospect in his own right, already impressing so much for Sunderland at just 18 years of age.

Last season, he started 43 of the Black Cats' 46 Championship matches, scoring seven goals from midfield in that time, while former Sunderland Republic of Ireland striker Niall Quinn has hailed him as "incredible".

While Bellingham's current club will do all they can to keep hold of such a prized asset, the lure of moving to Spurs could be great for him, feeling that he has already outgrown Sunderland and is now ready to chance his arm at a Premier League side.

England Under-19s

5

0

England Under-18s

9

2

England Under-17s

8

0

England Under-16s

1

0

Planning for the long-term is vital for Postecoglou, and if he could sign Bellingham, Tottenham could have a key midfielder sorted for the next decade or so, at least.

With the current financial situation looming overhead at Goodison Park, manager Sean Dyche may find it difficult to improve his Everton squad during the transfer window.

The Toffees have been plagued with numerous financial setbacks over the past couple of years, including two separate breaches of the Premier League’s PSR rules for the 2022/23 season.

Unsurprisingly, the situation has seen drastic changes on Merseyside, with Dyche’s side still needing to raise funds before June 30th if they are to avoid another potential points deduction during the 2024/25 Premier League season.

Whilst it’s unclear how much will need to be raised within the next month, the club will likely have to part ways with big-money talent, with Amadou Onana constantly touted with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal.

Financial Fair Play: What is PSR, how does it work and who's in trouble?

Leicester City have become the latest club charged with an alleged PSR breach, but what could happen next?

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 16, 2024

Regardless of whether the Belgian departs Merseyside this summer, the Toffees appear to be edging closer to the signing of one midfielder who could potentially follow in the footsteps of another Everton talent at Goodison Park.

Everton close to signing midfielder with huge potential

According to Football Insider, Everton have agreed a £10m deal with fellow Premier League side Aston Villa for talented midfielder Tim Iroegbunam.

The young Englishman is set to swap the Midlands for Merseyside in an attempt to receive more game time, with the midfielder managing just nine league appearances as the Villans finished fourth in the Premier League.

Both clubs are in a battle to raise funds to prevent a points deduction next season, but Everton appear as though they are willing to splash the cash on a player who could prove to be a bargain should he reach his full potential.

The report claims the 20-year-old is highly rated by Unai Emery, with Dyche’s side reaching a breakthrough in talks, in a move that would see him potentially partner another player who moved to Merseyside from Villa.

Why Iroegbunam could be Idrissa Gueye 2.0 for Everton

Following Villa’s relegation to the Championship back in 2015/16, Everton pounced to sign talented midfielder Idrissa Gueye for a fee in the region of £7.1m after triggering the Senegalese player’s relegation clause.

However, the Toffees sold him for £30m to PSG in 2019, before re-signing him for a minimal fee and a second stint, with the now 34-year-old being an excellent servant whilst making the club a great deal of money.

He’s made 171 appearances to date, scoring eight goals, including one against Nottingham Forest last season that started the club’s magnificent end-of-season run that saw Dyche’s side win five out of their last eight matches.

Iroegbunam could follow in Gueye’s footsteps this summer, trading the Midlands for Merseyside, with the Englishman producing some excellent stats that could see him actually partner the Senegalese star next season.

Although he’s only been an impact player at Villa Park, Iroegbunam has produced some excellent numbers that would benefit Dyche’s side massively.

Games

9

Pass accuracy

93%

Dribbles completed

60%

Tackles won

70%

Duels won

42%

The “sensational” talent, as described by one Villa source, has registered a 93% pass completion rate and won 71% of the tackles contested – demonstrating his quality in and out of possession.

The club have previously conducted excellent business in signing midfielders from Villa, with hopefully Iroegbunam set to be the next success story at Goodison Park after joining from the Midlands outfit.

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The Toffees will be looking to strengthen this summer despite the looming PSR threats.

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La Liga giants Real Madrid have set their sights on signing a £146,000-per-week Chelsea player to replace one of Carlo Ancelotti's first team regulars.

Players who could be sold by Chelsea this summer

The west Londoners, as revealed by Sky Sports and other reliable media outlets, are under no pressure to sell players before June 30 of this year.

Boehly now prepared to sell £175,000-per-week Chelsea star after Maatsen

The Blues could orchestrate an overhaul this summer.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 20, 2024

The original consensus was that Chelsea were under pressure to make sales before the end of this month or risk PSR sanctions, with the Premier League only allowing clubs to make a £105 million loss over a rolling three-year period.

However, it is believed Todd Boehly and co are safe from the deadline and actually complying for this calendar year in terms of finances. They will have to sell players before 2025's June 30 deadline, though, and there are many who look set for the transfer list.

Moises Caicedo

£115 million

Enzo Fernandez

£107 million

Mykhalo Mudryk

£88 million

Wesley Fofana

£72 million

Marc Cucurella

£58 million

Thiago Silva has already departed for Fluminese, saying his goodbyes to the Stamford Bridge faithful after four years of faithful service. Chelsea have also agreed a deal to sell Ian Maatsen to Aston Villa, with Unai Emery's side beating Borussia Dortmund in the race for their exciting young left-back.

After Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher, Malang Sarr, Trevoh Chalobah, Omari Hutchinson and Conor Gallagher have all been linked with the Chelsea exit door as well. Indeed, new boss Enzo Maresca could watch on as co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley orchestrate an overhaul.

“We’re likely to see departures at Chelsea this summer, particularly with the players who are currently out on loan," said Fabrizio Romano on Stamford Bridge exits to GiveMeSport recently.

“As previously reported, the plan is for Armando Broja to be sold once he comes back from his loan at Fulham, and Hakim Ziyech can already be considered to have played his last game for Chelsea. For the others, we have to wait and see what happens.”

Real Madrid set sights on Kepa Arrizabalaga to replace Andriy Lunin

As per reports from Spain, it appears Chelsea may have a good opportunity to offload goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga as well.

The £146,000-per-week shot-stopper spent last campaign on loan at the Bernabeu, and it is believed that Ancelotti wants to reunite with him next season. One Spanish media source relays that Real Madrid have set their sights on Kepa to replace Andriy Lunin – who often competed with the 29-year-old for a place in-between the sticks.

Lunin made 32 appearances for Madrid in all competitions last season, but the Ukraine star's deal expires next year and there is no sign of an agreement on fresh terms. The Madrid hierarchy apparently view Kepa as an ideal solution, if they have to offload Lunin this summer, and Chelsea would also be getting a high-earner off their books.

Kepa is apparently determined to leave Chelsea and was rumoured to be planning crunch talks with Maresca over the matter, so this is a transfer which would suit everyone down to the ground.