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Liverpool are flying high this term, and are looking like serious candidates to win the Premier League at this stage. Arne Slot’s men sit at the top of the tree at Christmas, with 39 points to their name and a game in hand.

Their star man this term has, of course, been Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian star has scored 18 times and has 15 assists to his name in 24 games across all competitions. He has been exceptional. Ryan Gravenberch has also thrived this term, in a new role as a number six. Peter Crouch explained he has been “first class all season” as a deeper midfielder.

To complement the Dutchman, Liverpool are eyeing up a new addition in midfield as they continue their title charge.

Liverpool’s midfield target

The player in question here is Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez. It has been an impressive season so far for the midfielder in Portugal, and he has now been linked with a move away from the club.

According to a report from Anfield Watch, Liverpool scouts have been ‘have been completely blown away’ by the 22-year-old midfielder. The report explains it was assumed that the Reds went to watch his teammate, Alan Varela, but Gonzalez has caught the eye.

Originally a graduate of Barcelona’s esteemed La Masia academy, there is a buyback clause in his deal for the La Liga giants. That fee is believed to be around £50m, and it could cost Liverpool a similar fee if they wish to pry him away from Porto themselves.

Described as a “big talent” and the “heir to Busquets” by Spanish football expert Domagoj Kostanjšak, the Reds would be getting a crafty player here.

Why Gonzalez would be a good signing

Upon hearing that Gonzalez is a La Masia graduate, that may well pique Liverpool fan’s interest in the player.

It is no secret that the talent to come out of Barca’s academy is other-worldly. He also comes from a prestigious footballing family. His father, Fran Gonzalez, is a Deportiva La Coruna legend, playing 559 times for the club in some of their best years.

Moving the focus back to the 22-year-old, his talent is undeniable, and he is having a fantastic season for Porto. A versatile midfielder, he has played 24 times, scoring five goals and grabbing a handful of assists too.

Gonzalez is a high-energy player who can play in multiple positions as a midfielder. One of his best traits is his pressing ability. The Spaniard will not stop running and pressuring the opponents, something which led to his goal against Arouca earlier in the season.

The centre of midfield was a position Liverpool were hoping to strengthen in Slot’s first summer transfer window. They were chasing another Spanish midfielder over the summer, Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi. However, the player decided to stay where he was and rejected the offer.

Now, it seems the Reds are turning their attention to his countryman Gonzalez. Whilst the Porto man is a lot more versatile and enjoys getting forward more, they are not too dissimilar statistically, consequently noted as ‘similar players’ by FBref in last term’s Champions League.

Numerical comparisons can be drawn from their numbers in that prestigious competition. Firstly, tackles and interceptions are something Zubimendi slightly edges, with 3.16 per game compared to 2.4 for Gonzalez.

The Real Sociedad man also made slightly more progressive passes per game on average, with 5.44 compared to 2.8 for the Porto number 16. However, he created slightly more chances, with 1.6 on average. In contrast, Zubimendi created 0.63 chances per game.

Tackles and interceptions

2.4

3.16

Ball recoveries

3.6

6.71

Aerial duels won

2

1.77

Progressive passes

2.8

5.44

Chances created

1.6

0.63

Certainly, the similarities are there between the two players. If the Reds make a move for Gonzalez, it would be reminiscent of the attempt at signing Zubimendi last summer and shows their intent at strengthening in midfield.

However, you can argue due to his versatility, it is actually a better deal for the Merseysiders. He will allow Slot to have far more tactical flexibility, with Gonzalez, who thrives as an eight, able to fill in as a six or even a 10 as well.

Regardless, for around £50m this could be a great move for the Reds. Gonzalez was described as a “pure joy to watch” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and this move could be the thing Liverpool needs to help them get over the line in the title race.

Liverpool could lose "world-class" star to Spurs in awful Sterling repeat

Tottenham could be interested in signing one of Liverpool’s key players in 2025.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 23, 2024

Aston Villa are now very interested in signing a “clinical” £40m Premier League player, according to a report.

Villa planning on making multiple January signings

It could be a busy month at Villa Park, with Unai Emery planning to make up to three signings in the January transfer window, and one target is Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen, who could be available for a fee of around £25m.

Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui is another option for Villa, with Emery clearly keen on strengthening in attacking areas this winter, but he could also look to bolster his squad in other areas, and a new midfielder is of interest.

The Villans are keen on signing Chelsea’s Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, with the Englishman’s career at Stamford Bridge yet to work out, but there could be competition for his signature from a number of other Premier League clubs.

Aston Villa's most expensive sales of all time

A look at Aston Villa’s record departures.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 3, 2025

Dewsbury-Hall is not the only Premier League player on Emery’s list of midfield targets, however, with Football Insider reporting that Aston Villa are very interested in re-signing Carney Chukwuemeka from Chelsea.

The Blues are willing to sanction Chukwuemeka’s departure this winter, and they would be looking to receive a fee of around £40m, a figure that Villa would not be willing to match.

However, the midfielder remains a concrete target if he is available at a lower price, having failed to make the match-day squad for any of Chelsea’s Premier League games so far this season.

The 21-year-old moved to Stamford Bridge for a fee of £20m back in August 2022, but with the move not working out, he could be on his way back to Villa Park this month.

Aston Villa’s upcoming Premier League fixtures

Date

Leicester City (h)

January 4th

Everton (a)

January 15th

Arsenal (a)

January 18th

West Ham United (h)

January 26th

Wolverhampton Wanderers (a)

February 1st

Chukwuemeka needs to leave Chelsea

The youngster is not getting a look in under Enzo Maresca, but he was showing promising signs prior to his move to Stamford Bridge, and a move back to Villa Park could help him get his career back on track.

Former Chelsea man Marcel Desailly clearly rates the Austria-born midfielder very highly, saying: “I like Carney Chukwuemeka because he is like an artist who comes onto the stage. He has got the ball. Now is my moment. Shine. You see the dribbling. He is sure about what he is going to do and he is clinical. I love it.”

That said, while the former Villa man is showing great potential, the alleged £40m asking price is too steep, given that he is yet to prove himself in the Premier League.

Chukwuemeka has made just 37 appearances in the competition in total, appearing for just 223 minutes across the whole of last season. As such, Aston Villa should try to negotiate a lower fee with Chelsea this winter, which is more similar to the £20m they sold him for back in 2022.

Leeds United progressed through to the fourth round of the FA Cup on Saturday with a narrow 1-0 win over League Two side Harrogate Town at Elland Road.

A second-half header from Largie Ramazani, who was assisted by a fine cross from Manor Solomon, secured the victory for the home side and booked them a place in the next round.

Their next match in the FA Cup is not until February and this means that the Whites can fully turn their attention back to the Championship and ensure that they do not let their place in the automatic promotion spots slip.

The West Yorkshire outfit are currently one point ahead of Sheffield United and Burnley in second and third in the Championship and this means that they do not much in the way of wiggle room at the top of the table.

Daniel Farke’s side take on Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich, and Burnley – all top-half teams – as part of a three-game week coming up and will need to be spot on to keep their place in the top two.

The January transfer window also provides Leeds with a chance to bolster their squad to give them a lift ahead of the upcoming matches, with the club reportedly eyeing a Championship star this week.

Leeds United eyeing Championship full-back

According to LeedsUnitedNews, versatile Plymouth Argyle full-back Bali Mumba has emerged as a target for the Championship leaders this month.

The report claims that the Whites have sent scouts to watch the former England youth international in action in the second tier this season, whilst they also had him watched in their 1-0 win over Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday.

Mumba won nine of his 14 duels and was not dribbled past a single time to help his side keep a clean sheet against the Premier League side, which suggests that the Leeds scout may well have been impressed by what they saw.

The outlet adds that Leeds are now considering a bid to sign the 23-year-old star to bolster Farke’s options in the full-back positions ahead of the second half of the season.

Mumba is also a player the German head coach already knows well from their time together at Norwich City. Farke, who once described him as “outstanding”, signed the defender from Sunderland in the summer of 2020.

The English dynamo went on to play nine times in the first-team for the Canaries and made his Premier League debut in the 2021/22 campaign under the now-Leeds boss.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Ironically, Farke could sign Mumba this month to come in as an upgrade on another full-back he signed for Leeds after working with him at Carrow Road – Sam Byram.

Sam Byram's performances for Leeds

The veteran defender returned to Elland Road in the summer of 2023 for a second spell in West Yorkshire and for a second stint working with the manager, who signed him for the Canaries from West Ham ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

His versatility has been particularly useful to the Whites over the past 18 months or so, due to his ability to play comfortably at right-back, centre-back, and left-back, which has allowed him to plug gaps across the backline when needed.

The 31-year-old played 33 times in the Championship during the regular season last term and contributed with two goals and one assist, whilst predominantly playing on the left side of the defence.

Byram has followed that up with 11 starts in 21 appearances in the second tier so far this season, which shows that he has still been an important member of the squad.

Appearances

21

Assists

1

Key passes per game

0.3

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.7

Duel success rate

57%

As you can see in the table above, the former Norwich man has not offered creativity from a full-back position and has been far from outstanding defensively, with less than two tackles and interceptions combined per game.

By securing a deal to bring Mumba to Elland Road from Plymouth this month, Farke could land an upgrade on Byram from a defensive and offensive perspective.

Why Leeds should sign Bali Mumba

Firstly, the 23-year-old whiz is eight years younger than Byram and this means that Leeds could sign him as a long-term investment, as well as a short-term upgrade for the team.

Farke, as he did during his time at Norwich, could look to develop Mumba and help him to fulfill his potential over the years to come to turn him into a valuable asset, whereas the current

His performances in the Championship this season for Plymouth already suggest that he could come in as a big upgrade on Byram from a defensive perspective, as shown in the table below.

Appearances

21

25

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.7

3.0

Clearances per game

1.0

1.8

Duels won per game

2.8

5.0

Key passes per game

0.3

0.6

The former Sunderland and Norwich starlet could offer more defensive protection, whilst – like Byram – being able to play at left-back or right-back to cover both flanks, by winning tackles and duels and making clearances and interceptions.

Mumba also has the potential to offer more at the top end of the pitch as part of a dominant team, which he has been unable to show in a struggling Plymouth team, and the current Leeds man has not provided much – as aforementioned – in that respect.

In their title-winning 2022/23 campaign in League One, the flying defender scored six goals and provided seven assists in 37 starts for the Pilgrims, which shows that he can be an attack-minded full-back who bursts forward to make an impact in the final third.

Therefore, Farke could unearth a big upgrade on Byram by signing Mumba and helping him to rediscover his attacking flair whilst keeping the defensive qualities that have caught the eye in his performances for Plymouth this season.

Leeds eyeing Bamford upgrade who's a "20 to 25 goal-a-season striker"

Leeds United have been linked with an interest in the Championship attacker.

ByDan Emery Jan 13, 2025

It is now down to the club to act upon their interest in the Championship star and to agree a deal to bring him to Elland Road before deadline day passes next month.

A “top class” Rangers player is believed to be on the verge of leaving Ibrox for good in the January transfer window, according to a new update.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers enjoyed a routine 5-0 win at home to Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup fourth round on Sunday, but there is also plenty of focus on potential January transfers in the next couple of weeks.

Allan Campbell has been mentioned as an option for Rangers in the current window, with the Scot currently on loan at Charlton Athletic from Luton Town. The Hatters won’t stand in his way if the right offer comes along, with the likes of Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian also mentioned as options for him.

Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron has also been linked with a switch to the Gers in January, with the 22-year-old considered an exciting long-term option for the Scottish Premiership giants. In fact, they are even said to be in advanced talks to complete that signing, suggesting a move could happen sooner rather than later.

There have also been rumours linking Rangers players leaving the club this month, with Vaclav Cerny thought to be of interest to Premier League side West Ham. The 27-year-old would be a big loss for Philippe Clement, having scored nine goals in the league this season, although the Hammers may at least wait until the summer due to the complications of cancelling his current loan deal.

"Top class" Rangers player set to leave

According to Football Insider, Alex Lowry is set to leave Rangers in the January window, with League One side Wycombe Wanderers “closing in on a deal” to snap up the 21-year-old. The youngster is out of contract at Ibrox at the end of this season, meaning that this month is the Gers’ final opportunity to receive a fee for him, rather than lose him on a free transfer come the summer.

Selling Lowry this month feels like the most logical decision for everyone concerned, even though he has been described as “top class” by Rory Wilson in the past, with Michael Stewart also waxing lyrical over him, saying: “You only need to watch the kid for a few minutes to realise that he’s a proper football player.

“Really intelligent, two good feet, good balance, and he’s always looking to make things happen. His work rate, closing down. Constantly getting himself in a position to receive the ball as well.”

Lowry hasn’t featured at all for Rangers this season, and only 14 appearances have come his way in total for the club, having broken through after years in the club’s youth system.

At 21, the midfielder is at a point in his career where he needs to be playing regularly, in order to continue developing as a footballer, and it doesn’t look like Clement and those high up at the Gers consider him a future part of their plans.

Clement can ease Danilo blow by unleashing £21k-p/w Rangers star

Rangers face Highland League side Fraserburgh in the Scottish Cup today

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 19, 2025

The fact that Rangers can receive money for Lowry in January only makes it more sensible to sell him now, with the Scot unlikely to play much of a role between now and May anyway.

At this point, even the most optimistic of Tottenham Hotspur fans would likely admit that this season has been a disaster.

Ange Postecoglou has led his side to the club’s worst start to a season in the last decade, and unfortunately for the Australian, it’s not particularly close either.

The North Londoners currently sit 15th in the Premier League with a meagre points haul of just 24, and the only positives are that they remain in three cup competitions, the development of their youngsters and the evolution of Dejan Kulusevski.

Games

22

6

4

1

Wins

7

3

4

1

Draws

3

2

0

0

Losses

12

1

0

0

Points

24

11

/

/

Goals For

45

11

9

3

Goals Against

35

7

5

0

The 24-year-old has, for the most part, been Spurs’ best player this season and shown that he must be the centrepiece of Postecoglou’s rebuild over the next few years, so recent reports touting a Champions League-winning player compared to the Swede for a move to the club should excite fans.

Tottenham target Premier League star

According to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are one of several sides keen on signing Manchester City star Jack Grealish, whom they view as someone who could add quality and versatility to the attack.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that German giants Borussia Dortmund and Italian royalty Inter Milan are also interested in landing the English attacker this month, which could complicate things.

How much the 29-year-old might cost the interested parties is not established in the story, but given his diminishing importance to the Premier League champions, the estimation of £30m from Football Transfers does not seem too unrealistic.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, and the fans might not be behind it right away, but we’ve seen what Grealish can do when given a chance to express himself, and in a Postecoglou system, he could get back to something like that, and the fact he’s been compared to Kulusevksi can only help.

How Grealish compares to Kulusevski and why Spurs should sign him

So, before we look at a couple of the reasons Spurs might want to sign Grealish this month, let’s examine this comparison to Kulusevski and where it’s come from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in the Premier League this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the sixth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Swedish dynamo.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, expected and actual assists, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.36

0.45

Shots on Target

0.59

0.66

Expected Assists

0.22

0.18

Actual Assists

0.15

0.20

Passes into the Final Third

2.35

2.69

Shot-Creating Actions

5.91

5.69

Goal-Creating Actions

0.30

0.46

Carries into the Final Third

2.65

2.79

On top of the statistical similarities between the pair, they also share the ability to play in midfield or on the wing, depending on what their manager and team need from them, which is just one of the other reasons the Lilywhites might want to sign the City ace.

With that said, his lacklustre form this season, which has seen him rack up just five goal involvements in 21 games, cannot be ignored, but it also cannot be viewed in isolation and as a tool to suggest he’s not got what it takes to play for a ‘big six’ side anymore.

To see that the Champions League winner, whom Jamie Redknapp once said has “got everything,” can still make it at the top level, we only need to look at his last couple of years with boyhood club Aston Villa.

In his penultimate season with the Birmingham side, the “superstar” playmaker, as dubbed by presenter Dan Bardell, scored ten goals and provided eight assists in 41 games for the relegation-threatened side, and then did even better the following campaign, racking up seven goals and ten assists in just 27 games, which is an average of a goal involvement every 1.58 games.

Ultimately, fans might be hesitant over the potential signing of Grealish this month, but if the ultra-aggressive Postecoglou can take the shackles off and get him back to his silky best, then Spurs will have a sensational footballer on their hands.

Their answer to Saka: Spurs heavily involved in race to sign £30m PL star

The special talent could be unreal for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 22, 2025

Manchester City are keeping tabs on a £67 million-rated Netherlands star who snubbed Paris Saint-Germain this month, according to a new report.

Man City back on track ahead of monster Real Madrid clash

Following a dismal start to the season, City look to be getting back to at least somewhere near their best. After sweeping aside Chelsea in the Premier League last week, Pep Guardiola’s side survived a scare to beat Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday night and secure their spot in the competition’s knockout phase play-offs.

City went behind on the night thanks to a goal from Raphael Onyedika just before the break, but second-half goals from Mateo Kovačić and Savinho, as well as an own goal from Joel Ordonez secured a 3-1 win.

“In the second half we lifted our soul and our hearts were free,” Guardiola said after the game. “For today, we are in the next round, that’s good. The first half was so academic, we didn’t have the spark to do it against a team that defends really well.”

Their answer to Rice: Man City exploring late move for "elite" £42m star

Manchester City are seeking midfield reinforcements, so could they sign a number six many believe to be better than Arsenal’s Declan Rice.

ByBen Gray Jan 29, 2025

Defender Manuel Akanji hinted after the win over Brugge that he believes City can now go on to win the competition, just as they did in 2022/23. The Cityzens will face Real Madrid in next round.

“Obviously Real Madrid and Bayern Munich aren’t the teams you want to face but, whoever it is, we are looking forward to the challenge and I think we can beat every team in Europe,” he said. “Whoever comes, we are ready for the challenge. Even though we didn’t play as good as we used to do, I think no team wants to face us.”

City eyeing Leipzig star Simons

While City are undoubtedly in their best form of the season, Guardiola will likely feel the need to further strengthen his squad to restore the club to its former glory. Having already spent a combined £123 million on Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis this month, City’s January transfer business appears to be complete.

However, according to journalist Christian Falk, the club is already planning ahead for the summer, with RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons emerging as a key target.

The Dutchman joined Leipzig on a permanent deal from PSG earlier this month, having snubbed a return to the French captial amid fears he wouldn’t be guaranteed game time by manager Luis Enrique. Falk reports that despite Leipzig having only just secured his signature on a permanent basis, the German club would be willing to sell him at the end of the season for a fee of between £59 million to £67 million.

City are keeping tabs, claims Falk, but will face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool, who are also interested in the midfielder.

Xavi Simons Bundesliga Stats 2024/25

Games

11

Goals

4

Assists

3

Chances Created

21

Successful Dribbles

16

FotMob Average Rating

7.66

Stats per FotMob. (As of January 31, 2025)

Simons has been one of the Bundesliga’s outstanding players since initially joining Leipzig on loan in 2023. In 60 games for the Red Bulls, the 21-year-old has scored 15 goals and produced 19 assists. He was also a standout player for the Netherlands as they made it to the semifinals of last year’s European Championships.

With Chelsea’s heavy spending under Todd Boehly after his takeover back in 2022, it was always unlikely that every signing would be a success, with numerous of the American’s additions not going as he would’ve planned.

Raheem Sterling was one of his first big-money signings, moving in a £45m deal from Manchester City back in the summer of 2022 with expectations of transforming the club’s forward line.

However, the move for the experienced England international has been nothing short of a disaster, scoring just 19 times in 81 appearances, becoming the club’s highest-paid player at one stage.

Robert Sanchez is just another addition who’s failed to reach the levels expected after his move from Brighton, proving to be a constant source of errors as seen against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.

The same can’t be said for one player who’s massively caught the eye in the Premier League for the Blues, looking to be worth every penny of the fee splashed out for his signature.

Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea since joining

After looking as though he was set for a loan move to Burnley, Chelsea decided to fork out £40m for the signature of Manchester City winger Cole Palmer in the summer of 2023.

Not many people would’ve known what to expect from the youngster, but it’s safe to say he’s exceeded beyond the wildest imagination of any supporter – being the go-to man for action in front of goal over the last two seasons.

The 22-year-old registered 25 goals and 15 assists during his debut season in West London, the most of any player, helping secure the club a place in the Europa Conference League.

This season, the talented star has continued his trend of being the star man in attacking areas under Enzo Maresca, notching 14 goals and six assists in his 27 appearances – helping the club challenge for a Champions League spot.

Despite his superb form since his move, he still earns a whole heap less than one player who pockets a small fortune whilst providing little to no positive impact for the Blues.

The player who earns more than Palmer at Chelsea

After joining the club for a reported £71.6m in the summer of 2018, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived with high expectations of being a star for Chelsea after costing a world-record sum for a player in his position.

In total, he’s made 163 appearances for the club since his arrival, before joining Real Madrid on loan last summer for the 2023/24 campaign – before linking up with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side on loan for the entirety of this season.

He’s made 17 appearances for the Cherries in their unexpected push for a European spot, keeping five clean sheets – averaging 3.7 saves per 90 down on the South Coast in 2024/25.

However, the 30-year-old still remains a Blues player after only leaving on a temporary basis, having 18 months left on his current deal as things stand.

Despite his impressive form away from the club, Maresca should look to permanently sell the Spaniard in the summer, especially when taking his extortionate earnings into account.

According to Capology, Kepa earns a mammoth £150k-per-week, which sees him take home £7.8m a year – earning a whopping £39m in wages alone during his time at the club, not including loan spells away from the club.

1

Reece James

£250,000

£13,000,000

=2

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

£10,400,000

=2

Ben Chilwell

£200,000

£10,400,000

4

Christopher Nkunku

£195,000

£10,140,000

5

Enzo Fernández

£180,000

£9,360,000

6

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

£9,100,000

7

Pedro Neto

£160,000

£8,320,000

8

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

£7,800,000

=8

Kepa Arrizabalaga

£150,000

£7,800,000

9

Cole Palmer

£130,000

£6,760,000

When coupled with his hefty transfer fee, he’s cost the club a staggering £111m, a huge waste of money given his lack of impact, with his last impression undoubtedly being his penalty shootout antics which have seen him refuse to be substituted whilst also missing a crucial spot-kick.

Kepa, who’s previously been dubbed “shocking” by one social media star, also earns more than current first-team star Palmer, who only earns £130k-per-week despite his impressive form, with the goalkeeper currently earning £20k-per-week more.

Given the amount spent on the shot-stopper, there’s no denying that the club need to part ways with him this summer, as he heads into the final year of his contract.

Undoubtedly, the goalkeeping situation is still an issue for Maresca, but Kepa simply isn’t the answer, needing to offload him to raise funds and invest in a new number one ahead of 2025/26.

Chelsea have a 17-year-old "future Ballon d'Or winner" to replace Nkunku

Christopher Nkunku’s career at Chelsea could be ended by the talented youngster.

ByDan Emery Feb 11, 2025

It would be hard to describe this season as anything other than a failure for Tottenham Hotspur.

The North Londoners have had to deal with an astounding number of injuries to key players, but even then, their domestic form has been nothing short of shambolic, with a run to the League Cup semi-final their only saving grace in that respect.

Moreover, while the club backed Ange Postecoglou with three first-team additions in the winter transfer window, we can’t help but think he needed one or two more.

Alternatively, perhaps the club were too quick to sell a player in the summer who has since won comparisons to the incredible Jude Bellingham.

Spurs' 2024 departures

Quite a few first-teamers finally left Spurs during the summer, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth seeing how a couple of them got on, starting with Emerson Royal.

The Brazilian full-back joined the Lilywhites in August 2021 but was never quite able to justify his £25.8m price tag and, after consistently underwhelming, eventually became something of a scapegoat, with former Tottenham player turned pundit Jamie O’Hara going as far as calling him a “liability.”

He was finally sold to AC Milan for around £13m in August, and it would be fair to say that his start to life at the San Siro was somewhat rocky, with Italian football expert James Horncastle writing that his move looked ‘like the biggest donation in the history of Fondazione Milan as the club charitably tries to make his wish to become a footballer come true.’

Appearances

26

Starts

22

Wins

14

Draws

5

Losses

7

Points per Game

1.81

Goals

0

Assists

0

However, he has since become a reasonably important part of the first team, and before his recent calf injury, he had made 26 appearances across all competitions, of which 22 had been starts.

Another defender who left the club in the summer was Joe Rodon, who moved to Leeds United on a permanent deal for around £10m after spending last season on loan with the club at the same time as Archie Gray went the other way.

Thus far, it looks like a move that has panned out perfectly for the Welshman.

Thus far, the centre-back has started 100% of league games for the Whites and played 100% of the minutes, which, when combined with his one start in the FA Cup and League Cup, means he’s made 35 appearances this season for a team that looks destined to win promotion at the second time of asking.

With that said, while both Rodon and Royal are doing well for their respective teams, we can’t imagine Ange regrets letting them leave, which might not be the case for a player who has won comparisons to Bellingham.

The former Spurs ace compared to Bellingham

As a modern midfielder, there probably isn’t a more complimentary modern-day comparison than that of Jude Bellingham, as the former Birmingham City gem has already established himself as one of the best in the world and played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and Champions League triumphs last season.

So, it might surprise some Spurs fans that their former player, Giovani Lo Celso, who was eventually sold back to Real Betis for just £8m in the summer, has recently been likened to the Englishman.

The comparison primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in La Liga this season, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the former Borussia Dortmund star is the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Argentine dynamo.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.45

0.49

Shots

2.09

2.16

Completed Medium Passes

17.0

17.3

Goal-Creating Actions

0.43

0.50

Tackles + Interceptions

2.96

2.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.22

1.38

Carries

41.0

43.6

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, goal-creating actions, tackles plus interceptions, successful take-ons, carries and more, all per 90.

On top of their statistical similarities, the pair can also fulfil a few different roles in the middle of the park, such as attacking, central, or even, at times, defensive midfield.

However, away from the comparison to one of the game’s most exciting superstars, the former Spurs ace has also been having a great season from an output perspective, as even though he’s playing for a midtable side, he’s been able to rack up a haul of eight goals and one assist in just 20 appearances, totalling 1363 minutes.

That comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 2.22 games, or every 151.44 minutes.

Ultimately, Spurs had to clear out a number of players over the summer, so while it was probably the right choice in the long term, we imagine Postecoglou would love to have Lo Celso in his squad today.

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2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 20, 2025

Aston Villa secured passage to the FA Cup quarter-finals with a battling win over Championship strugglers Cardiff City on Friday night.

It wasn’t a vintage performance, but Unai Emery’s side were in control throughout and now step into the last eight of England’s top cup competition for the first time in a decade – and doesn’t Emery just love a knockout-style trophy.

The Bluebirds were resilient and thwarted Villa Park’s hosts before the interval, with Ollie Watkins and Marcus Rashford missing great chances to put Villa in front, but it was Marco Asensio once again who came up with the goods to avoid a cup upset and shift one step closer.

Marco Asensio strikes again

Aston Villa welcomed Asensio from Paris Saint-Germain in January, bringing him to England on loan until the end of the term.

After scoring twice during last weekend’s dramatic victory over Chelsea, the 29-year-old was benched at Selhurst Park as Villa were thrashed by Crystal Palace, but he proved his clinical worth once again in the FA Cup.

Sharp positioning and cutting finishing left the second-tier opponents unstuck, thwarting a determined defence and giving Emery something different in attack when Watkins doesn’t have his shooting boots laced.

Minutes played

82′

Goals

2

Touches

53

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

Accurate passes

30/35 (86%)

Key passes

2

Dribbles

1/2

Tackles

1

Duels won

3/6

That’s four goals from six matches for the Spaniard, who’s proving to be a real asset as Aston Villa step into the business end of the season.

However, he wasn’t the only one to shine in the FA Cup, with a much younger teammate showing the signs of becoming a top player.

Emery's new £39m star in the making

Dutch defender Lamare Bogarde has been at Aston Villa since joining the academy from Feyenoord in 2020, with his technical quality and strong defensive skills seeing him become an increasingly familiar face in Emery’s first team.

Cardiff were limited in their attacking play, but he was composed and cultured, very much settled among his more experienced teammates.

As per Sofascore, the 21-year-old was willing to get on the ball, taking 89 touches, winning three of four contested duels and making three clearances. He was crisp in possession too, completing 96% of his passes (79/82).

Birmingham Live’s John Townley was impressed by the young centre-half as he reprised his starting berth, handing him a 7/10 match rating and praising him for his partnership with Ezri Konsa, chasing back effectively when Cardiff attempted to play in behind the home side’s high line.

Konsa has risen from good to great over the past few years, regarded as a “Rolls-Royce” of a defender by former boss Dean Smith, but since becoming an enviable cog in a rounded and thriving team.

His versatility is one of the things that makes him so impressive, and Bogarde is demonstrating similar positionally flexible virtues, as you can see below.

Defensive midfield

44

4

5

Centre-back

41

0

1

Central midfield

18

0

3

Right-back

6

0

0

In fact, Bogarde’s noteworthy ranking among the top 4% of positional peers for pass completion and the top 5% for tackles per 90, as per FBref, has seen him drawn as one of Konsa’s most comparable players right now, among those in Europe’s top five leagues.

According to Football Transfers, the 27-year-old Konsa is valued at £39m, a measure of his progress since signing from Brentford for £12m in 2019.

But in actuality, Aston Villa would be within their rights to field enquiries totalling much more.

In Bogarde, Emery may well have a new young prospect to fashion into a top-class star. He will face tougher tests over the coming months but has come up trumps in recent weeks to help combat injury issues and indeed keep the trophy dream alive.

During the heavy defeat at Selhurst Park, Bogarde still won five of eight duels on the evening, making four clearances and preventing the likes of Ismaila Sarr from dribbling past him even once.

There’s real potential with this one.

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ByBen Gray Feb 28, 2025

For the second time in as many seasons, Aston Villa suffered a heavy defeat away to Crystal Palace. This time, they were defeated 4-1 at the hands of Oliver Glasner’s side, in a very disappointing collapse.

After going into the break 1-0 down via a goal from Ismaila Sarr, Villa equalised fairly quickly after the interval thanks to a lovely goal from Morgan Rogers. However, the Eagles retook the lead just before the hour mark, then added a third and fourth, including another goal from Sarr, to seal a fantastic win for the Eagles.

It was a dismal performance from Unai Emery’s side, who struggled to handle the destructive Jean-Phillipe Mateta.

Aston Villa’s struggles against Mateta

There has not been a striker more in form in the Premier League in 2025 than Mateta. According to TNT Sport, no player in the English top flight has more goals than the Frenchman in this calendar year so far, with eight strikes.

Unfortunately for the Villans, they were on the receiving end of Mateta’s dominant form on Tuesday night. Despite playing with three centre-backs for the first time this season, the West Midlands club couldn’t handle Mateta.

Indeed, Birmingham Live journalist John Townley gave all three of Villa’s centre-backs, Lamar Bogarde, Axel Disasi and Ezri Konsa, a 4/10 rating at full-time. He explained that the Villans backline ‘was pulled apart’ after the halftime interval, which was certainly true given the four goals they conceded.

If anything, the Palace striker’s goal highlighted the struggles that Villa experienced at the back. Mateta was able to drift into acres of space, getting onto a loose ball and firing a shot home from inside the Villa box, relatively unchallenged.

It was a baptism of fire for Emery’s side, coming up against the Premier League’s most in-form player. Frustratingly, the West Midlands side perhaps sold their own version of the Palace striker.

Aston Villa already sold their own Mateta

Ollie Watkins is a fantastic player and has been crucial for Villa this season. The England international has 13 goals and ten assists in 37 games under Emery this term.

However, he can’t do it all alone, and perhaps Villa made the wrong call in selling his understudy in January.

Jhon Duran’s move from Villa Park to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr made the Villans a fortune. He made the move to Cristiano Ronaldo’s side for upwards of £71m in the January transfer window.

However, there is no doubt that his departure has left a bit of a hole in the squad. The Colombian was scintillating for Villa, scoring 20 goals in 78 games.

However, he played just 2272 minutes in that famous Claret and Blue shirt, the equivalent of 25 full 90-minute games. He was deadly in front of goal, a “true monster” according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Selling Duran might seem like a strange decision on reflection, given just how good of a goalscorer he is.

However, Jamie Carragher explained in January that he thought Villa should “go against the grain” and sell their striking sensation. Of course, they did just that.

Interestingly, over the last two domestic league seasons, Duran and Mateta are actually quite similar statistically on FBref.

For example, the Frenchman averages 0.39 goal-creating actions per game, compared to 0.4 by Duran, and both average 0.25 goals per shot.

Stat (per 90)

Duran

Mateta

Goals per shot

0.25

0.25

Goals per shot on target

0.55

0.52

Expected goals

0.56

0.45

Shot-creating actions

2.43

2.37

Goal-creating actions

0.39

0.4

Moving Duran on in the winter transfer window was a bold call from Villa. At the start of February, Emery and co were actually linked with a move for Mateta in the summer, as per journalist Graeme Bailey.

Perhaps they could have saved themselves a fortune by keeping one of the hottest prospects in football instead.

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