All posts by z3u9t.icu

A player praised for his lightning-quick speed is said to have been in “constant contact” over potentially joining Arsenal via his representatives, with transfer chief Edu Gaspar and co casting their eyes on the January window after a productive summer.

Arsenal planning for 2025 after £100 million summer transfer window

In their bid to usurp Man City and win their first Premier League title in over two decades, Mikel Arteta’s side splashed just over £100 million on five new recruits before summer deadline day on August 30.

Arsenal in talks with "exciting" £84m player and his reps ahead of January

The Gunners have reached out for discussions.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 19, 2024

David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, Mikel Merino, Neto and Raheem Sterling all put pen to paper on moves to north London, with the latter making his debut off the bench in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Tottenham last Sunday.

Merino fractured his shoulder in training, and will have to wait for his first appearance in an Arsenal jersey. Meanwhile, Calafiori is back from a calf injury and could play against Atalanta in the Champions League this evening.

However, Arsenal’s injury crisis of late has highlighted the fact that Arteta could still do with extra bodies in key areas. The club is reportedly putting transfer plans in motion ahead of 2025 as a result, with a few interesting names linked in the past fortnight.

Lille striker Jonathan David is a target for Arsenal heading into January, as Edu contemplates a cut-price deal for the clinical forward who is out of contract next summer as things stand.

While Kai Havertz has continued to shine in a makeshift centre-forward role this season, already bagging two goals and an assist over his first four Premier League games, Arsenal continue to be linked with strikers in particular.

Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres’ agents have held talks with Arsenal, following the Swede’s electric start to 2024/2025, and the same can be said for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko.

Benjamin Sesko in "constant contact" over joining Arsenal

As per TEAMtalk, it is believed Sesko has been in “constant contact” over joining Arsenal, via his agents, with the Slovenia international having a gentleman’s agreement to leave Leipzig next year or in 2026 (Fabrizio Romano).

The 21-year-old scored 18 goals in all competitions for Leipzig last season, attracting attention from Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United, but Sesko snubbed all of their summer proposals in favour of staying at his current club for another campaign (Fabrizio Romano).

It appears the £92,000-per-week ace chose to further his development in the Bundesliga before deciding on a possible Premier League move in future. If or when Sesko does decide the time is right to go, it looks as if Arsenal will be at the front of the queue for his services.

“Benjamin Šeško is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

Birmingham City’s big spending habits have been well documented now, with the Blues acquiring a whopping 17 new faces this summer.

Jay Stansfield rejoining the Blues permanently after a bright loan spell in the Championship was the purchase that stole the headlines, and for good reason, with the ex-Fulham striker leaving behind Craven Cottage for good for an eye-watering £20m fee.

He has already proven himself to be a deadly striker at League One level, with Wrexham and Rotherham United already feeling the 21-year-old’s goalscoring wrath in league action.

Stansfield's form this season

Stansfield already has three strikes next to his name playing in the third tier, with a double coming his way on his League One debut back with the Blues against Phil Parkinson’s Red Dragons.

The much-talked-about youngster then backed up that excellent showing at St. Andrew’s with another standout display away at the Millers, as the electric Blues number 28 looped an effort over the Rotherham goalkeeper’s head in the first half to set his team on their way to a confident 2-0 win.

The expensive summer buy will aim to keep up this top form across the season to come, as Birmingham also strive to make their stay in League One as short as possible, by instantly winning promotion back up to the Championship.

Whilst the ambitious Blues look to have got the purchase of Stansfield spot on, they haven’t always reaped the rewards of every deal that has got off the ground, with this striker joining with a big reputation in 2021 who unfortunately underwhelmed.

Scott Hogan's transfer to Birmingham

Scott Hogan once cost Birmingham’s arch rivals Aston Villa a hefty £12m to get into the building in 2017, after he had garnered a reputation for being an ice-cold goal machine in the EFL at Brentford.

Firing home 21 goals from 36 games for the Bees before this switch to Villa Park, Hogan would then struggle in his new pressurised surroundings, with a lacklustre goal return of ten strikes from 61 games, before making the controversial move across enemy lines to St. Andrew’s official.

23/24

28

1

2

22/23

40

10

2

21/22

37

10

1

20/21

34

7

0

19/20

18

7

1

Hogan was never quite able to recapture his Brentford best at Birmingham, with another move not exactly going to plan for the now 32-year-old striker, who very much struggled last campaign as the Blues fell down to League One.

He only managed three goal contributions the entire second tier season, as Stansfield upstaged the ageing attacker with 12 league strikes from 43 clashes.

In the end, Hogan would only manage to register a disappointing 36 strikes from 158 games in total, with the former Bees man never quite living up his billing as a statement signing in the form of Stansfield.

With Birmingham going in a different direction this summer with lavish buy after lavish buy, Hogan would end up seeing his contract be ripped up in the West Midlands, as the veteran EFL presence now finds himself unemployed and on the search for a new club to call home.

He did also have many moments of magic donning a Birmingham strip, but there was no place for sentimentality on the end of Davies’ men this summer, as the Blues aim to make promotion back up to the second tier look like a breeze with Stansfield now up top.

9/10 Birmingham star is quickly becoming as undroppable as Stansfield

This Birmingham City star shone last time out against Rotherham United.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 23, 2024

After a worrying start to the season that saw them drop points to Leicester City, Newcastle United and Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur have turned things around.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have won four games on the spin, and with a favourable tie against Hungarian outfit Ferencvárosi TC to come tonight, there is a great chance that run extends to five.

However, with the fixtures starting to pile up and an international break right around the corner, the Australian has to make some changes to his starting lineup, which means dropping the inform Dejan Kulusevski.

Why Kulusevski should be dropped

Okay, so before the pitchforks come out, we are not suggesting that Kulusevski should miss out on tonight’s game due to poor form, as, if anything, the opposite is true.

After a mediocre campaign last year, the Swedish international has found a new lease of life in midfield this season and, in turn, has become arguably Spurs’ most important player in recent weeks, racking up one goal and two assists in eight appearances thus far.

However, his most impressive display to date for the club came on Sunday afternoon, when, along with the rest of his team, he played Manchester United off the park at Old Trafford while becoming the first away player in twenty years to create nine or more chances in a single game.

In short, the former Juventus ace is finally starting to play to his full ability and, in turn, should be rested for a game like tonight’s, as even though it won’t be easy, the North Londoners should have enough in the locker to beat the Hungarian giants without risking their best players, especially when there are so few chances to rest players these days.

Moreover, the bench is staked with exciting young talents who are more than capable of doing a job, including one whose chance to impress was ruined last time in the Europa League.

Why Lucas Bergvall should start tonight

Yes, while there are a number of youngsters who should, and probably will, start tonight, it’s the Swedish phenom who should come in to replace his fellow countryman.

The talented 18-year-old got his chance to start a European game this time last week, but a stupid red card in the seventh minute from Radu Dragusin saw him sacrificed early in the first half to allow Destiny Udogie to come on and shore up the defence.

However, while his misfortune last week is undoubtedly one argument for why he should be given the nod tonight, it’s not the only one, as his raw talent is as good a reason as any.

For example, despite being so young, the Stockholm-born future “captain”, as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has plenty of first-team experience, as just last season alone, he made 19 appearances for Swedish side Djurgården, in which he scored six goals and provided five assists.

This means that the “super creative” midfielder, as Mattinson described him, was averaging a goal involvement every 1.72 games in a season in which he was just 17 years old until early February.

Appearances

19

Goals

6

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.57

Ultimately, Spurs have a lot of games on the horizon, and with the international break not offering much of a break at all, they need to find ways to rest their most important players like Kulusevski; while tonight won’t be an easy game, the level of opposition is undeniably lower than it would be in the Premier League.

Therefore, Postecoglou and Co should do the smart thing and give the former Juventus star a chance to rest by starting the incredibly exciting Bergvall in his place, as the youngster looks more than ready to take his chance.

O'Hara thought Spurs ace was really "bad" last season, now he's undroppable

The incredible international has looked so much better this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 2, 2024

In recent years, Ligue 1 side Stade Rennais have developed a strong reputation for producing and developing some of the hottest talents in European football. Roazhon Park has previously been home to a host of young stars like Eduardo Camavinga, Ousmane Dembele, Jeremy Doku, Raphinha, Desire Doue, and Mathys Tel – all of whom were sold on to bigger clubs for huge sums of money.

This summer alone, Rennes sold over £115 million worth of talent, including midfielder Doue, who joined Paris Saint Germain in a deal worth £42 million. Now, a number of their current stars are again attracting attention from some of Europe’s most famous teams.

Rennes players in demand again

One of those Rennes players who is wanted elsewhere on the continent is striker Arnaud Kalimuendo. Previously linked with a move to Leeds United, the 22-year-old has in recent months been linked with a move to Serie A, with both Juventus and AS Roma understood to be among those interested. Another Rennes star who is in demand is defender Christopher Wooh.

According to TBR Football, the 23-year-old defender, who moved to Rennes from Lens in a deal worth £8.5 million in the summer of 2022, is wanted by Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers. TBR Football claim that Wolves have been “keeping an eye on” the player, though it’s unclear how serious their interest is, nor how much Rennes would want for Wooh.

Wooh’s former Lens coach Franck Haise once described him as an “intelligent” player. “He has real potential for Ligue 1,” Haise said of the defender back in 2022. “I have complete confidence in him.”

Wolves need defensive reinforcements

While its unclear whether Wolves will move for Wooh, one thing that is clear is that the Midlands club desperately need some defensive reinforcements. Gary O’Neil’s side are currently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League having picked up one point from seven games, conceding a whopping 21 goals in the process – six more than any other team in the division.

Wolves lost central defender Max Kilman to West Ham in the summer, and their former captain has been a huge miss in the heart of their back four, with O’Neil now forced to rely on the veteran Craig Dawson, 34, and Portugal international Toti Gomes.

Colombian youngster Yerson Mosquera had been a regular feature along with Dawson up until September when he picked up an ACL injury in Wolves’ 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa. He’s now expected to miss the rest of the season.

Speaking about Mosquera’s injury at the time, O’Neil said, according to TBR Football: “He’s a great kid and I’m absolutely devastated for him because of the energy [he brings].

“No matter how things go each week, he gives absolutely everything and he always attacks things and does things in the right way,” he added. “It’s a big loss to us. It’s a big blow to the team but it brings an opportunity to others.”

Aston Villa will look to make it three wins from three in Europe’s most esteemed competition tonight, as Champions League football returns to Villa Park.

Of course, the last time such an occasion happened under the lights of Villa’s noisy home ground, Unai Emery’s men managed to topple the might of Bayern Munich, as super-sub himself Jhon Duran won the game late on with a smart finish past Manuel Neuer.

It’s a different task for the Premier League side tonight, however, as they’re very much not the underdogs for a clash with Bologna, as Emery also ponders some changes in personnel for the mid-week affair with the Serie A side.

One change could see Leon Bailey drop out of the lineup, who struggled to get going as Villa convincingly beat Fulham 3-1 last time out in the league.

Bailey's performance vs Fulham

The Jamaican winger could find he has to settle for a place amongst the substitutes for the clash with the Italian outfit tonight, having failed to spark into life for his side even as Villa picked up a comfortable 3-1 win.

From his low-key 61 minutes on the Craven Cottage turf, Bailey would only muster up a meagre 38 touches of the ball and register 13 accurate passes, as the ex-Bayer Leverkusen man continually struggled to create openings for his full-throttle side.

In contrast, Youri Tielemans controlled the game from the centre of the park – away from Bailey fading in and out of the game – with the Belgian managing a far heftier 94 touches.

Only managing one shot on Bernd Leno’s busy goal too, it could be a night for a different option down the right flank, not just with Bailey being axed, but also with Matty Cash being sacrificed for a fresher face in the full-back spot.

Cash's performance vs Fulham

It was a torrid afternoon in truth down Villa’s right channel, with the Poland international at fault for the Fulham penalty – which was thankfully saved by Emiliano Martinez to spare Cash’s blushes – alongside other shaky moments in defence.

He wasn’t directly responsible for Raul Jimenez’s opener, however, as Pau Torres was brushed aside far too easily for the ex-Wolverhampton Wanderers man to fire home, but his general numbers still make for some uninspiring reading.

Stat

Cash

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

68

Accurate passes

35/38 (92%)

Possession lost

13x

Clearances

4

Interceptions

1

Tackles

1

Total duels won

5/7

Squandering possession 13 times across the 3-1 win at Craven Cottage, it certainly wasn’t Cash’s most polished display, with the 27-year-old only managing to put in just one tackle when faced with stopping the likes of Alex Iwobi and Emile Smith-Rowe for the hosts.

With Cash just back from a long-term layoff owing to injury too, it could be for the best if Emery does shuffle his pack and drops the defender, who was handed out a low 5/10 match rating by Birmingham World journalist Charlie Haffenden after the game.

He could revert to a similar lineup that managed to pull off an unthinkable win versus Vincent Kompany’s men, with Cash absent from that famous win, which could see Ezri Konsa take his place for the test of Bologna.

Moreover, another seamless alteration could see John McGinn come into the XI down the right flank to replace an out-of-sorts Bailey, with the Scotsman already captaining his side in Europe’s biggest competition this season to date as he picked up an assist away at Young Boys in Switzerland.

Whatever lineup does take to the field, Emery will be hoping his side don’t buckle under the pressure of another big occasion in the Champions League, with his team taking any pressures that have come their way in their stride this season so far.

2 changes expected: Aston Villa predicted lineup & team news vs Bologna

Unai Emery could tweak with his Aston Villa side slightly for their next Champions League showdown.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 22, 2024

Chelsea are now prepared to make a “significant” bid for one Barcelona star, with head coach Enzo Maresca looking to shore up one key area of his squad.

Chelsea and Barcelona's potential transfer dealings

In the last week, reports have claimed that Barca and Chelsea could be involved in a few transfer dealings – as we slowly approach the winter window.

Chelsea now think "fantastic" player is trying to leave behind their back

He’s got an array of suitors.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 23, 2024

Indeed, it is believed the La Liga heavyweights are very keen to strengthen their options in the middle of the park – leading to their interest in a trio of Chelsea players including Carney Chukwuemeka, Romeo Lavia and even Enzo Fernandez.

Journalist Simon Phillips wrote on his Substack that Barca have made contact with Chukwuemeka’s representatives ahead of January, with the 20-year-old up for sale. Barca are also keen on Lavia, but Chelsea and Maresca have adopted a very firm ‘not for sale’ stance – meaning they’re not interested in conducting any business with the Catalans over their promising young midfield ace.

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Man United (away)

November 3

Arsenal (home)

November 10

Leicester City (home)

November 23

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Fernandez is on Barca’s radar as well, but there is little to report on that right now, other than them being admirers of the Argentine. In any case, a deal for Chukwuemeka to head to the Camp Nou looks like a real possibility.

While Hansi Flick’s side eye up a winter move for the ex-Aston Villa midfielder, Chelsea are in the market for centre-backs and could look to South American options to bolster Maresca’s defence.

“Chelsea will be looking to bring in a new centre back or two in the next couple of transfer windows,” wrote Phillips again earlier this month (via Substack).

“And there is a real possibility of seeing a new one arrive in the January window should an opportunity present itself.

“SPTC sources understand that Chelsea are doing a lot of shopping and scouting in the South American region this season, taking a look at a number of centre backs. Not only in that region though, but players who have come from that region.

“Chelsea scouts have been stationed in a number of South American countries already from last season, but there is a real focus in the Brazilian Serie A this season as they also keep a watchful eye on the progress of pending new Chelsea player Estevao Willian.”

Taking this into account, links to Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo could hold real weight.

Chelsea prepared to make a "significant" offer for Araujo

According to a Spanish media report, Chelsea are prepared to make a “significant” offer for Araujo, with the Uruguay international’s deal expiring in 2026 and no new contract signed as things stand.

Araujo is valued at around £83 million, but if he doesn’t pen fresh terms, Barca may have to come down considerably from this price tag in the next few windows. Man United are also believed to be monitoring his situation in Spain, and they’re willing to make a sizable bid as well.

Barcelona legend Carles Puyol certainly rates Araujo highly, saying of him last year: “He’s in extraordinary condition. I’ll stick with what they’ve told me, because I don’t know him personally, but he’s very professional, humble, he always gives his best in training and matches and that’s where his performance is.

“Right now, if he’s not the best central defender in the world, he’s among the top three. He’s young, he still has room for improvement and I think we have a very good central defender at Barcelona for many years to come.”

Leeds United are now in the automatic promotion places in the Championship after they secured a superb 3-0 win over Plymouth Argyle on Saturday.

The Whites scored all three of their goals in the first-half of the clash against Wayne Rooney’s side, as Dan James, Joel Piroe, and Brenden Aaronson all got on the scoresheet.

Daniel Farke’s side have only lost one of their opening 13 games in the division, a 1-0 loss to Burnley at Elland Road, and will be hoping to push on and secure automatic promotion.

The West Yorkshire outfit just missed out on the top two at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, as they finished third, and then lost to Southampton at Wembley in the play-off final.

Their failure to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking meant that a number of players pursued exits from Elland Road during the summer transfer window.

Georginio Rutter moved to Brighton & Hove Albion, Rennes swooped to sign Glen Kamara, Tottenham Hotspur snapped up Archie Gray, and Crysencio Summerville joined West Ham United.

Summerville’s exit, in particular, was a big blow for Leeds and Farke after the Dutchman’s sensational form in the Championship last season.

Crysencio Summerville's form in 2024

In the 2023/24 campaign, the former Feyenoord youngster caught the eye with a sublime return of 19 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances in the second tier during the regular season, and was crowned the Championship Player of the Season.

In 2024 specifically, Summerville played 25 times in the Championship, including the play-offs, and produced nine goals and three assists, with one goal and zero assists in three play-off outings.

His form in the second tier convinced Premier League side West Ham to swoop in to sign him for a reported fee of £25m plus add-ons during the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately, for the Hammers, though, the 23-year-old has not hit the ground running in the top-flight and is yet to prove that it was money well spent on his services.

Appearances

9

Starts

2

Goals

1

Assists

0

Key passes per game

0.6

As you can see in the table above, Summerville has only started twice in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal, and has offered very little in the way of creativity.

There is still plenty of time for him to improve and find his feet at the top level, given he is only 23, and hopefully the Dutchman’s form improves over the coming months and years.

He has racked up ten goals and three assists in 34 league matches across the Championship and Premier League combined in 2024, which is still a very solid return from the winger.

However, there is one former Leeds United midfielder who has performed even better than the Dutch attacker throughout 2024 – Polish ace Mateusz Bogusz.

Mateusz Bogusz' time with Leeds

Victor Orta swooped to sign the teenager from Polish side Ruch Chorzow in the January transfer window in 2019 for an undisclosed fee, and he initially linked up with the U21s.

Between the 2019/20 season and the first-half of the 2020/21 campaign, Bogusz made three first-team appearances under Marcelo Bielsa – two in the EFL Cup and one in the Championship.

The central midfielder was then sent out on loan to Logrones in the second tier in Spain, and he produced one goal and one assist in 23 matches during the second half of the 2020/21 term.

Bogusz then spent 18 months on loan with Ibiza in the second division of Spanish football, with a return of six goals and seven assists in 46 appearances in total.

His form during his only full season on loan with the LaLiga 2 outfit was particularly impressive, albeit it was not enough to convince Orta and Bielsa to bring him back to Elland Road.

Appearances

20

Goals

4

Assists

6

Key passes per game

1.3

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.2

As you can see in the table above, Bogusz contributed with ten goal involvements in 20 appearances for Ibiza, whilst also making 2.2 tackles and interceptions per game.

After his loan spell in Spain was up, MLS outfit LAFC came in to sign him for a reported fee of €1m (£840k) at the start of 2023, which has turned out to be a howler from Orta.

Mateusz Bogusz' form in 2024

After a return of three goals and four assists in 23 games in the MLS during the regular season in 2023, Leeds may not have regretted their decision to cash in on him too much.

It was a solid, but unspectacular, return from the attacking midfield but his form since the turn of the year has been extraordinary and there may be some wondering what could have been for him at Elland Road.

As aforementioned, Summerville has produced ten goals and three assists in 2024 to date. Bogusz, meanwhile, has plundered a staggering return of 19 goals and ten assists in 45 appearances in all competitions this year.

He has been deployed in a variety of roles by LAFC, as a centre-forward, a right winger, and an attacking midfielder, and thrived in every position.

Appearances

33

xG

8.76

Goals

15

Big chances created

8

Key passes per game

2.1

Assists

7

As you can see in the table above, Bogusz has hugely outperformed his xG in 2024, scoring 15 times from 8.76 xG, and provided his team with plenty of creativity.

The 23-year-old star, who was described as “dangerous” by reporter Greg Beacham, has also seen his value soar during his time in America, as he was reportedly valued at £8m amid interest from Celtic during the recent summer transfer window.

This shows that Orta messed up by selling him for less than £1m in 2023, because has been in fantastic form on the pitch – outperforming Summerville in 2024 – and is now worth considerably more than what Leeds sold him for.

The 8/10 Leeds star who was even better than James for Farke

The Leeds United maestro who was the real star of the show against Plymouth.

ByDan Emery Nov 2, 2024

For the second international break in a row, Tottenham Hotspur entered the two-week layoff with a defeat after losing 2-1 to newly promoted Ipswich Town.

The previous break saw them enter the period after a collapse against Brighton, which saw Spurs lose the game 3-2 despite leading the hosts by two goals at the break.

Ange Postecoglou will want his side to once again bounce back upon the return to Premier League action at the weekend, as they aim to secure a place in the top four at the end of the season.

Whilst most of the players have been away with their respective nations, the Aussie would have had time to work with the squad to try and resurrect their recent fortunes on the pitch.

However, some of the players have been able to start for the country in recent days and have started potentially allowing them to return to club football with a bang.

Spurs players who starred on the international stage

Winger Brennan Johnson has enjoyed a successful start to the season, scoring in six consecutive Spurs matches at one point, after deactivating his social media account following abuse early on in the campaign.

He’s since starred for Wales under Craig Bellamy, producing an excellent display in the 4-1 win over Iceland last night.

The 23-year-old registered a goal and an assist in the win, single-handedly securing the three points in the UEFA Nations League, achieving promotion to the next group.

The winger also completed 24 passes, achieving a 100% success rate with the two dribbles he attempted whilst winning eight duels – the most of any player in the meeting.

Ben Davies also impressed in the same fixture, making seven clearances and winning four duels as he played a crucial role within the backline, with the Spurs duo having an impact at both ends of the pitch.

It could allow the 31-year-old to regain his starting role under Postecoglou after only featuring for 29 league minutes throughout the entire campaign.

However, it was another first-team member that caught the eye for his nation, making a huge impact on their victory last night.

Spurs star drops perfect 10/10 display for his country

Sweden international Dejan Kulusevski has often featured in a central role under Postecoglou for Spurs, with Johnson taking his place off the right-hand side.

The 24-year-old has registered two goals and two assists in the league so far this campaign, taking to his new role like a duck to water and cementing his place in the heart of the side.

He continued his good form for Sweden during the current international break, starting in the 6-0 thumping over Azerbaijan last night.

Kulusevski once again featured in a central role, taking his game to the next level, scoring twice and providing one assist for the in-form Viktor Gyokeres who bagged four goals for himself.

Apart from his goal contributions, he also produced some impressive numbers, helping Jon Dahl Tomasson’s side secure a third straight victory.

Minutes played

90

Touches

113

Goals

2

Assists

1

Passes completed

56/68 (82%)

Dribbles completed

4/4

Key passes

8

Fouls won

4

Duels won

9

The Spurs ace registered an immense total of 113 touches during the win, completing 82% of the passes that he attempted, whilst achieving a 100% success rate with his dribbles.

Kulusevski also completed eight key passes and won nine duels as he made an impact at both ends of the field during the victory.

As a result of his superb display, the midfielder was handed a perfect 10/10 match rating by Sofascore – the highest of any player on the pitch along with the four-goal Gyokeres.

Spurs fans will be hoping that he can maintain his excellent form when they face champions Manchester City on Saturday evening.

Their next Dele Alli: Spurs want to sign "incredible" Mikey Moore rival

The sensational attacker would be another exciting addition to Spurs’ young squad.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 19, 2024

West Ham United and Julen Lopetegui could be heading into a must-win game against Newcastle on Monday evening, with the 58-year-old Spaniard’s job on the line, as pressure continues to mount.

The Hammers sit 14th in the Premier League on 12 points, whilst the Magpies sit ninth with 18 points. A win for West Ham wouldn’t immediately affect their league position, but it would take them six points away from the dreaded relegation zone.

Lopetegui’s side haven’t beaten Newcastle at St James’ Park since 2021, when they won 4-2 under David Moyes. Since then, the Irons have drawn three and lost two in their Premier League fixtures against the Magpies both home and away.

But who is available for West Ham in this clash, and who will be absent?

The latest West Ham team news

West Ham will remain without their summer signing, Niclas Füllkrug, who is out with “achilles tendon irritation”. The 31-year-old has only managed four appearances since joining the club, and is yet to provide either a goal or an assist in his 137 minutes played.

However, the biggest omission for the Hammers is, of course, Mohammed Kudus, who is still suspended after his red card against Tottenham.

Kudus was a key figure last season, scoring 14 goals and assisting six, but Lopetegui could have the exact man for the job to replace him, with summer signing, Crysencio Summerville.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

West Ham's best Kudus replacement

Back in June 2024, Newcastle were reportedly interested in Leeds winger, Summerville, when highly-rated Yankuba Minteh was set to join Brighton.

One month later, however, it was West Ham who had signed Summerville from Leeds, for a fee of around £25m plus add-ons.

Summerville has previously been labelled as “world-class” by journalist Jake Winderman, and has gone on to win the Championship POTY last season, making 43 appearances, scoring 19 goals and providing nine assists in 3,525 minutes played.

He’s evidently a great player but it just hasn’t clicked for him during the infancy of his Irons career.

Goals

0.18

0.26

Assists

0.00

0.13

xG

0.24

0.38

xAG

0.16

0.11

Progressive Carries

2.89

5.00

Progressive Passes

1.84

2.70

Shots Total

1.40

3.64

Key Passes

1.84

0.68

Shot-Creating Actions

3.68

3.38

Successful Take-Ons

1.32

3.78

Whilst the metrics above show Kudus provides a slightly more direct approach, driving at players more frequently (3.78 successful take-ons), getting a high shot volume off in each game, and providing real direct goal threat, Summerville brings a different, more intricate style.

The Dutchman is a bit more elegant with his movement, looking to find clever passes, be creative with his angles and put others in positions to succeed. His key passes per 90 (1.84) and shot-creating actions (3.68) both show this, alongside his 0.16 xAG per 90 (expected assisted goals).

Lopetegui could look to have Jarrod Bowen – another Irons player previously liked with Newcastle – playing more directly in the absence of Kudus, whilst Summerville becomes that slightly deeper creator on the left side, providing the team with balance and looking to exploit the Newcastle high press.

The former Leeds star could be the one who comes back to haunt Newcastle, having been linked with a move there in the summer, before making a move to the Hammers instead, which would make it very poetic if he seals the winner against the Magpies.

Lopetegui could save his job by unleashing West Ham's £35m "animal"

West Ham must unleash this “animal” in order to stop Alexander Isak on Monday.

1 ByConnor Holden Nov 24, 2024

Southampton need to turn around their fortunes and fast, with Russell Martin’s men alarmingly sinking to an immediate return to the Championship at their current trajectory.

Of course, there’s plenty of football still to be played for the South Coast strugglers to try and beat the Premier League drop, with the winter months notorious for fixtures coming left, right and centre.

Martin will also be keeping one eye on this coming January in terms of the transfer window swinging back open, with the Saints’ success rate in the transfer department this summer rather mixed.

Southampton's summer transfer activity

Transfer activity at St. Mary’s around this period was somewhat busy, with Martin and Co happy to see both Flynn Downes and Taylor Harwood-Bellis return on permanent deals after lighting up the Championship on loan.

Both have taken to the step-up of the Premier League rather well, despite their team’s lowly league standing, with Harwood-Bellis even winning himself an England call-up off the back of standing out for the division’s basement club.

Including those two new buys, the Saints added nine fresh faces to their squad ahead of the challenge of the Premier League, with the likes of Cameron Archer and Ben Brereton-Diaz going down as disappointing purchases so far.

At least Archer has bagged two strikes in the Premier League to break his goalscoring duck, but his Chilean counterpart is frustratingly still yet to get off the mark for his new employers, despite costing a hefty £7m to snap up.

Aaron Ramsdale also joined as another notable addition to Martin’s ranks, with the former Arsenal shot-stopper crucial during Southampton’s only league win of the season to date, having made five saves to keep Everton at bay in the slim 1-0 win.

Despite a whole host of signings arriving on the South Coast, more new bodies could soon be welcomed in, which could include this exciting new talent joining from Brazil.

Southampton interested in "dangerous" new winger

As per a report by GIVEMESPORT, Southampton are keen on adding Vasco De Gama youngster Rayan to their roster this January, but won’t be alone in their advances for the 18-year-old attacker.

The report further elaborates that both Brighton and Hove Albion and Ipswich Town are also keeping tabs on the South American forward from the Premier League, with his current employers expected to be wanting in the region of £15m to consider parting ways with their teenage ace in 2025.

Rayan just so happens to be the same age as a certain Tyler Dibling, who has been equally as tricky and slick as the Brazilian has been whilst at St. Mary’s. That said, it’s the Vasco star who could be even more captivating to watch for Southampton supporters if a move is reached.

The Vasco number 27 has more senior experience with the club than Dibling has managed to receive in England to date, with Rayan helping himself to three goals and one assist whilst playing in the senior ranks in Brazil.

Meanwhile, his fellow 18-year-old attacker has only a solitary strike next to his name playing senior football alongside two assists.

Dibling’s numbers might not necessarily look the most impressive on paper here, but the 18-year-old has long been touted for greatness at St. Mary’s, having scored 19 goals playing for the B Team and the U18s in the past.

The raw youngster just has more to learn before becoming a top performer for the Saints week in week out, having only made his first-ever senior appearance for his boyhood club last campaign.

As we can see, Rayan appears to be producing a greater level of consistency, living up to the billing of a wonderkid.

CF

8

3

0

RW

3

0

1

RW

2

0

0

SS

2

0

0

Evidently, the teen has slotted into the main team and shone in many different positions in his native Brazil.

Therefore, the “dangerous” South American – as has been described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his blistering pace when patrolling forward – could potentially be handed more chances in the first-team set-up over Dibling if he arrives this January, even offering the likes of Archer more competition in the striker spot in the process.

Of course, Martin will still utilise the raw energy and directness of Dibling, but Rayan feels as if he could be a worthwhile addition too in a bid to try and re-energise his downbeat group.

The original Dibling: Southampton wonderkid is now playing in non-league

This former Southampton academy player was meant to be their original Tyler Dibling.

1 ByKelan Sarson Nov 19, 2024