All posts by z3u9t.icu

And so, there it is, the end of the transfer window, with Manchester United closing the curtain on this summer with the belated addition of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Manuel Ugarte.

The Uruguayan destroyer – who only joined the Ligue 1 outfit last summer – has signed on the dotted line to provide competition and cover for the ageing Casemiro in the holding role, with the powers that be, perhaps wisely, putting paid to any notion of a return for FA Cup final hero, Sofyan Amrabat.

There will always be a sense among supporters that more is needed – hey, a few may have even talked themselves into wanting Raheem Sterling (naming no names) – but on the face of it, it has been a relatively smooth summer for the Red Devils, with the spine of the side having been significantly strengthened.

For once, the Old Trafford side resisted the temptation to splash out on the big names, instead turning to young and hungry talents, as well as those with something of a point to prove – namely ex-Bayern Munich and Juventus man, Matthijs de Ligt.

That approach has been rather refreshing to witness, as too has been the ruthless nature of the outgoings, with Scott McTominay and Jadon Sancho arguably the two most high-profile exits of the window.

Man Utd's deadline day exits

The summer began with the likes of Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial departing at the end of their contracts and subsequently ended with two further noteworthy departures, in the form of Sancho and McTominay.

For the former, a move away appeared inevitable following his public dispute with Erik ten Hag last season, with any notion of reconciliation having been squashed by the Englishman's absence from the matchday squad for the first two Premier League games of the campaign.

Now the latest attacking talent attempting to be a success at Chelsea, the 24-year-old departs with few fond memories of life at Old Trafford, having registered just 18 goals and assists in 83 games in all competitions – a grim return for a £73m signing.

Few tears will have been shed over the winger's Stamford Bridge switch, but even the most stoney-faced supporter may have suffered a twitch of the eye at McTominay's departure, with the lifelong United man set for an exciting new challenge in Italy.

Yes, the 27-year-old had his limitations – previously dubbed "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane – but boy was he effective, notably finishing last season with career-best figures of ten goals in all competitions.

There would certainly have been wisdom in keeping him around, but having had a year left on his contract, a £25m offer from Napoli proved too good to turn down, with United also set to rake in roughly a similar figure (£20-£25m) for Sancho's initial loan switch to west London.

Two calculated and shrewd sales – not words that have often been associated with the club in recent times – the new regime put sentiment aside to pull off those late deals, with focus now turning to those remaining at the club who will be attempting to kick on this season.

Among those who will again be crucial to Ten Hag's plans is the ever-improving presence of Diogo Dalot.

Diogo Dalot's market value in 2024

When discussing the best transfers at United in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, the obvious port of call is Bruno Fernandes, with the Portuguese playmaker having been the shining light in a largely turbulent time for the club, after chalking up 79 goals and 67 assists in 236 games in all competitions to date.

And yet, whisper it quietly, but should Fernandes' compatriot also now come into that conversation, with the versatile full-back having arguably been the club's standout figure last term – even claiming the Players' Player of the Year award.

It took time for the former Porto man to get going in English football, having been sent on loan to AC Milan under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2020, yet under new management, the defender now looks like an "elite-level" talent, as described by Statman Dave.

There still remain shaky moments, including his reckless foul against Chelsea in the 4-3 collapse last season, but on the whole the 25-year-old is looking more and more like an astute capture, having cost just £19m back in 2018.

36 games (35 starts)

2 goals

3 assists

5 'big chances' created

1.1 key passes*

84% pass accuracy*

3.3 tackles & interceptions*

5.4 balls recovered*

2.7 clearances*

0.6x dribbled past*

0.9 successful dribbles*

57% total duels won

11.2x possession lost

Dubbed the "best full-back in Europe" in his age group by Jose Mourinho at the time of his arrival, the £85k-per-week star is now a nailed-on pick in the starting lineup, with his importance notably bolstered by his ability to slot in at left-back.

That importance is reflected in his rising value, with Transfermarkt calculating that he is now worth around €35m (£29m), placing him ahead of both Sancho and McTominay, in relation to their touted transfer fees.

Perhaps, that figure should be even higher, although unless the club are looking to sell any time soon – which seems unlikely – an asking price or price tag matters not.

What that rise in value does indicate, however, is that Dalot can be considered one of the rare success stories of United's recruitment in recent times, with the right-back an example of just how patience and persistence can pay off.

So often forced to play second fiddle to Aaron Wan-Bissaka in the early years – having made just 36 appearances under Solskjaer – the 22-cap international has taken his chance, and then some, under Ten Hag's watch.

Long may it continue.

INEOS have already struck gold on Man Utd gem who's worth more than Ugarte

Erik ten Hag has undergone a moderately successful transfer window

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 31, 2024

Over the years, Crystal Palace have been blessed with numerous attacking talents who have captured the hearts of the fanbase.

Wilfried Zaha will be the name that stands out to the younger generation, making a combined 448 appearances for the Eagles over various spells at the club, scoring 93 goals in the process.

Striker Andy Johnson is another example of a player who was a roaring success at Selhurst Park, making 140 appearances over a four-year stint, scoring 74 goals – featuring for the club in the first and second tier of English football.

Since promotion back to the Premier League in 2013, the club have employed a variety of different options in attacking areas, helping them secure their top-flight status for each of the last 11 seasons.

They are currently blessed with a crop of talented attackers, with two of Oliver Glasner’s current forward options impressive massively in the league over the last 12 months.

Mateta & Eze’s stats in the 2023/24 campaign

Striker Jean-Philippe Mateta was never seen as a prolific goalscoring option during his early days as a Crystal Palace player.

The Frenchman only managed a total of ten goals in his first 67 appearances for the Eagles, but the arrival of Glasner last season saw a huge increase in his output in the final third.

The 27-year-old has registered 21 goals in his last 43 appearances, which included 16 in the Premier League, allowing the club to register a top-half finish.

Mateta’s goalscoring exploits were undoubtedly helped by the quality of Eberechi Eze behind, with the talent enjoying one of the best seasons of his professional career last campaign.

The 26-year-old registered 17 goal contributions in 2023/24, the second most of any player behind Mateta, with his good form not going unnoticed over the summer.

Eze received a call-up to the England national side for Euro 2024, cementing his place as a regular in the setup with another all-up during the recent international break.

However, despite their recent goalscoring exploits for Palace, they’ve both been outscored by one player who previously failed to impress during his time at Selhurst Park.

The player who outscored Mateta & Eze since leaving

Striker Christian Benteke arrived at Palace with huge potential to be a success after his previous spells at Aston Villa and Liverpool.

The Belgian moved to South London in a £27m deal from the Merseyside outfit, a club-record deal at the time, but unfortunately for him and the supporters – the move never lived up to expectations.

Benteke registered 37 goals in 177 appearances – an average of one goal every 4.8 matches – but ultimately wasn’t worth the big-money fee spent to bring him to the club.

He subsequently left Palace back in the summer of 2022, joining MLS side DC United, a move that has allowed the 33-year-old to recapture his excellent goalscoring form.

Since moving to America, Benteke has scored 35 goals – a tally that is higher than both Mateta and Eze, who could only manage 23 goals each.

Christian Benteke

35

Jean-Philippe Mateta

23

Eberechi Eze

23

Odsonne Edouard

15

Michael Olise

12

Jordan Ayew

9

Given his recent performances in front of goal, the club may potentially regret allowing the centre-forward to leave, with the Belgian still clearly able to find the back of the net.

Albeit, he’s achieved these figures in a significantly lower division, but he would have still been a more than capable option for Glasner’s side – potentially benefiting from an upturn in form as seen with Mateta in recent months.

Crystal Palace flop left in 2020, now he's outscoring Nketiah by a mile

Crystal Palace may have regrets over the way they handled this exit.

ByConnor Holden Sep 6, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur look to be steering in the right direction after an up-and-down start to the campaign, but now face Manchester United at Old Trafford in a Premier League clash that both teams desperately need to win.

United, who won the FA Cup before the summer, have not started well under Erik ten Hag, thrashed on home turf already by Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

The Red Devils and Spurs are level in points in the standings – seven after five matches – though Tottenham have scored nine goals to tomorrow’s opponents five. Ange Postecoglou will hope to utilise that ostensible attacking advantage to score a statement win.

14/01/2024

Premier League

2-2 draw

19/10/2023

Premier League

2-0 loss

12/03/2023

Premier League

3-2 loss

04/10/2020

Premier League

6-1 win

04/12/2019

Premier League

2-1 loss

Postecoglou’s side beat Qarabag 3-0 in their Europa League opener on Thursday evening despite playing the majority of the contest with ten men after Radu Dragusin was sent off early on.

Skipper Heung-min Son hobbled off in the second half in what could be a significant blow to the visitors’ attacking fluency. Will he make it to the starting lineup? We reckon Postecoglou could ring six changes for the match at the Theatre of Dreams, following the midweek triumph.

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Guglielmo Vicario has not missed a minute in the Premier League since he was signed from Serie A side Empoli for an initial £17m fee in August 2022.

That won’t change on Sunday.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Rested for the midweek Europa League tie, Pedro Porro’s completeness will be crucial against Man United, with the Spaniard set to tussle against one of Alejandro Garnacho or Marcus Rashford.

He scored on the opening day of the term and has averaged two key passes and 2.6 tackles per game in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore.

3 CB – Cristian Romero

Postecoglou spoke of some “fresh guys” who had been rested for the continental clash, and Cristian Romero is one of them. A tough-tackling titan if there ever was one, he’s a monstrous presence in defence and will strike fear into the hosts’ attacking line, who have not yet found their shooting boots in 2024/25.

4 CB – Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven continues to exceed expectations. The Dutch defender is as dynamic as he is dominant in the backline, though he has struggled to hit the same sharpness in the duel so far this season, winning just 38% of his ground battles. That needs to change.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

He was given a rest against Qarabag, but Destiny Udogie ended up playing around 80 minutes of football on Thursday, replacing youngster Lucas Bergvall after 12 minutes following Dragusin’s dismissal.

A physical specimen with pace and power in abundance, Udogie will be a constant thorn in Man United’s flank.

6 CM – Pape Matar Sarr

Reprising his role in the middle of the park after a goalscoring display against Qarabag, Pape Matar Sarr hasn’t actually played over 45 minutes of football in the English top flight since the opening day of the season.

Minutes played

90′

Goals

1

Touches

60

Shots (on target)

2 (1)

Accurate passes

46/50 (92%)

Long balls

2/2

Ball recoveries

3

Tackles + interceptions

2

Total duels (won)

4 (2)

He scored in the Europa League, though, and will bring the energy and drive to Postecoglou’s midfield that will be needed to overcome United’s efforts.

7 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

With Sarr looking to keep his starting berth, Postecoglou will need to choose between Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentancur to complete his midfield, and he should well opt for the latter.

The Uruguayan, aged 27, is an all-encompassing star, and having completed 92% of his passes in the Premier League this term, will bring the control that his team need to leave Manchester with a positive result.

8 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

The best player of the campaign so far? There’s a case for it. Dejan Kulusevski brings something unique to Postecoglou’s side, and though he’s been fashioned into a central midfielder for the early matches of the year, Son’s injury could see him revert to his typical right-flanking role.

The £110k-per-week star is Tottenham’s lifeblood in attack. He works and works and works. Tireless. Sky Sports’ Jamie Weir is a big fan, summing up his importance: “Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart.”

9 AM – James Maddison

James Maddison has endured a challenging 2024, but he’s started the current campaign with conviction and was virtually unplayable as the Lilywhites defeated Brentford in the Premier League last weekend.

Ranking among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and progressive passes and the top 3% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref, he could be the catalyst tomorrow.

10 LW – Brennan Johnson

With Son probably set to start from the bench – having been dubbed a doubt by Postecoglou – Brennan Johnson will be tasked with performing on the left wing. The Wales international came under fire for his early-season performances but has responded emphatically, scoring in each of his last three matches.

As the pressure continues to build on Erik ten Hag, INEOS reportedly sent scouts to watch a surprise candidate to replace the Dutchman as his side picked up an impressive victory.

Ten Hag is a man under pressure

No matter how often his trophy haul is reiterated at Manchester United, Ten Hag is simply struggling to impress at Old Trafford and is under growing pressure to turn things around. The Dutchman no longer has the excuse that he wasn’t backed with the right players or that the hierarchy behind him is in poor shape in its own right, with Dan Ashworth arriving alongside a plethora of fresh faces to steer a sinking ship in the right direction in the summer.

Instead of Fernandes: Man Utd's "most important player" must now be captain

The Red Devils have endured a tricky few weeks on the field.

1 ByEthan Lamb Oct 5, 2024

The new sporting director welcomed new signings such as Joshua Zirkzee, Matthijs de Ligt, Nousssair Mazraoui and Manuel Ugarte to improve the Red Devils all across the pitch in the summer, but is yet to see the rewards for his recruitment. Instead, it’s been a case of fresh faces, same Manchester United under Ten Hag, whose side are currently winless in four games in all competitions, having recently drawn 3-3 against Porto despite taking a 2-0 lead.

Recent rumours have hardly helped Ten Hag either, with a fresh candidate now emerging to replace the former Ajax boss. According to Swedish outlet Aftonbladet, via Sport Witness, INEOS are now plotting a surprise move for Oscar Hiljemark, having sent Manchester United scouts to watch Elfsborg’s recent 1-0 victory over AS Roma in the Europa League, as the manager’s 3-4-3 system enjoyed another success.

Just 32 years old, Hiljemark would be one of the youngest managers in Europe’s top five leagues in a move that would see Manchester United follow a similar path to that of Brighton & Hove Albion, who hired 31-year-old Fabian Hurzeler in the summer.

Hiring Hiljemark would be huge risk for Man Utd

The Manchester United role is one of the biggest in Europe and one that has only been made more pressurised thanks to the failure of every single manager that has dared to follow Sir Alex Ferguson.

David Moyes was supposed to be the successor, only for the Scot to just be the beginning. Louis van Gaal soon followed, only to suffer a similar fate in what some will still argue was a harsh decision. Even Jose Mourinho couldn’t take the Red Devils back to the top of English football. Now, Ten Hag looks destined to become the latest failure. So, if INEOS turn towards a 32-year-old manager for the vacant role, they’d be taking their biggest risk yet.

In many ways, the argument could be made that those at Old Trafford have exhausted every tactic when it comes to selecting their managers, from former players to serial winners, so why not turn to the next generation? But, for Hiljemark, the risk would also be one to take into consideration, given how failure would stop his progress in its tracks.

Ipswich Town have enjoyed a meteoric rise under the guidance of Kieran McKenna over the last couple of years after the Northern Irishman took the club from League One to the Premier League with back-to-back promotions.

However, despite his success at Portman Road, the 38-year-old will face his toughest task yet in management by trying to keep the Tractor Boys in the top flight beyond this season.

This year will live long in the memories of the fanbase, spending their first season in England’s top division for the first time in 22 years.

Meetings with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United will ignite the supporters’ hopes of sustaining their Premier League status and ensuring that they don’t go another two decades without top-flight football.

As a result of their shock rise over the last two seasons, heavy investment was needed during the off-season, which led to the club signing one player with bags of Premier League experience.

Kalvin Phillips’ move to join Ipswich Town

After a failed loan move to West Ham United that saw the midfielder feature just ten times in all competitions, Kalvin Phillips had a huge choice over his next move to help ignite his once-promising career.

The 28-year-old enjoyed a successful spell with Leeds United, featuring 234 times for his boyhood club, before joining Manchester City in a £45m deal during the summer of 2022.

However, the move has been a disaster for the former England international, featuring just 31 times and failing to dislodge Rodri from his starting role in defensive midfield.

As a result, Phillips accepted a proposal to join Ipswich on a season-long loan during the transfer window, with his top-flight experience vital to McKenna’s squad.

The midfielder has made 77 appearances in the competition to date, with his skill set hopefully giving the Tractor Boys that cutting edge in those cagey affairs.

However, they are yet to see the best of the one-time £45m signing, with the 28-year-old only on the pitch for 303 minutes in the league as he looks to regain his full fitness.

Whilst he undoubtedly has the quality to be a monster hit at Portman Road, the club may have been better off pursuing a deal to re-sign a player who’s previously thrived in East Anglia.

The man who Ipswich missed out on this summer

Ipswich’s hunt for new additions took them all over Europe, but they also targeted numerous players close to home, including former Tractor Boy, Flynn Downes.

McKenna’s side made an attempt to sign the 25-year-old after he helped Southampton secure promotion back to the Premier League after their play-off final victory over Leeds United at Wembley.

However, they missed out on a permanent deal to re-sign the midfielder, with Downes securing a £18m move to join Russell Martin’s side – with Ipswich moving onto other targets including Phillips.

Games played

7

4

Pass accuracy

91%

79%

Progressive carries per 90

1.7

0.6

Passes leading to shots per 90

1.9

1.2

Tackles won per 90

1

0.9

Aerials won

70%

33%

When delving into the pair’s respective stats from the current campaign, it’s clear that the current Southampton man has outperformed the Ipswich loanee, potentially seeing McKenna’s side regret not pushing harder for his signature.

The “monstrous” Saints star, as described by his current boss, has excelled in possession, achieving a much higher pass completion rate, whilst also averaging more progressive carries per 90.

Out of possession, Downes also has the upper hand, winning more tackles per 90 whilst winning more aerial battles – demonstrating the qualities he would’ve added in regaining the ball for McKenna’s side.

Undoubtedly, Phillips will provide a solid short-term option for the club, but with the long-term also in mind, Downes would’ve certainly been a better addition for the Tractor Boys.

His quality is evident, as demonstrated by his figures this season, potentially handing the East Anglian that added edge in their battle to avoid relegation this season.

Left for £5m: Ipswich hit gold offloading star who's now without a club

Ipswich Town cashed in at the best possible time when this former star left Portman Road.

1 ByKelan Sarson Oct 8, 2024

Arsenal scouts have been left impressed by a 20-year-old target who could potentially be the successor to Thomas Partey in north London, according to one report.

Arsenal set for midfield reshuffle in 2025

Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side have bought at least one midfielder every single season since the Spaniard’s arrival as head coach, and are almost certain to continue that trend in 2025 as they search for a successor to Thomas Partey.

The Ghanaian arrived from Atlético Madrid in a deal worth £45m back in 2020, but has only shown glimpses of the player he appeared to be in Spain during an injury-hit time at the Emirates Stadium.

He has only managed more than 24 appearances in a Premier League campaign once, and has missed vital chunks of almost every season through various issues. Turning 32-years-old at the end of this season, his £200,000 a week deal in north London will also be up, and it has been reported that he will not be offered fresh terms at Arsenal, leaving as a free agent when his contract expires.

Meanwhile, Jorginho will be 33-years-old and also out of contract, though in his case there is an option to extend his deal by a further year. Nonetheless, there will be a clear gap in Arsenal’s ranks with club-record signing Declan Rice seemingly preferred further forward by Arteta.

Arsenal must regret signing high-earning flop who's now worth just £8m

He’s been a blip in Arsenal’s recent exemplary work in the transfer market.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 21, 2024

It means that the club have been looking for replacements, and may well now have just found the perfect option.

Arsenal scouts impressed by 20-year-old gem

That is according to The Boot Room, who claim that Arsenal have been left impressed by Brighton youngster Carlos Baleba, and are “scouting” him ahead of the January transfer window.

They are one of several clubs that have been “impressed with Baleba’s recent form” and have to this point “maintained a watching brief” on the 20-year-old, who has kept Brighton’s summer signing Mats Wieffer out of the side with a series of strong performances at the base of midfield.

Still well short of his prime, the Cameroonian midfielder is already giving Thomas Partey a run for his money according to stat site FBRef.

Carlos Baleba vs Thomas Partey 24/25 Premier League

Carlos Baleba

Thomas Partey

Appearances

7

8

Shots on target per 90

0.55

0.25

Shot creating actions per 90

2.93

1.78

Tackles and interceptions per 90

5.09

4.18

Progressive passes per 90

5.45

5.57

Carries into the final third

1.82

0.89

Pass accuracy %

88.5%

87.5%

Key to Brighton’s high-flying form, which sees them just two points behind the Gunners, a move in January seems almost certain to be off the cards, with a summer deal far more likely. However, he won’t come cheaply, with the Seagulls having developed a reputation to extracting the maximum fee possible for their players, something that Chelsea have found out with both Marc Cucurella and Moises Caicedo.

Should he continue to impress, he could be a costly signing, but one that sets Arsenal’s midfield up for the next decade and seamlessly replaces the departing Partey.

Arsenal insiders have responded to whispers that they’ve held talks over signing a once-£137 million star for manager Mikel Arteta, ahead of a potential transfer opportunity in 2025.

Arsenal transfer chiefs seeking fresh wide options

A few star wingers have been linked with moves to north London recently, with Bukayo Saka’s injury scare pushing Emirates Stadium transfer chiefs into looking at alternatives to the £195,000-per-week star.

"Incredible" Arsenal ace now "close" to injury return in boost for Arteta

There’s been good news this week.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 30, 2024

Bryan Mbeumo is a target for Arsenal ahead of January, according to some reports, while it is believed Arteta is a real admirer of Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo – who they’re contemplating a move for at the end of this Premier League season.

Saka returned to the starting eleven against Liverpool, opening the scoring in a 2-2 draw on Sunday, but was absent for their previous clashes against Bournemouth and Shakhtar Donetsk after injuring his hamstring on international duty with England.

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

While the 23-year-old is back fit, and set to play a major role in their title challenge, his brief spell on the sidelines brought attention to Edu Gaspar’s need to sign quality back-up options to Saka – not to mention other key members of Arteta’s squad.

The Spaniard has been forced to deal with a host of injuries to important members of the squad this season, and if their trouble with player fitness continues, it could seriously threaten to derail their hunt for a first league crown in 21 years.

Former recruitment chief Mick Brown, who is well-connected from his spells working for Premier League sides, suggested recently that Arsenal are planning to bring in quality alternatives for mainstay stars, including Saka.

“I’ve heard the Arsenal hierarchy have held discussions about what happens if certain players get injured, and that includes Saka,” said Brown to Football Insider.

“They want to get to a point where they have a solid backup for every player in their starting XI. Long-term, they’ll be planning to strengthen in every position.”

Brown, in another interview with Football Insider this week, stated that he believes Arsenal have their eyes on Leroy Sane – who looks set to leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season.

He claims Arsenal have been working on a deal for Sane “in the background”, sparking whispers of potential talks for the Germany international could be snapped up at zero cost.

Arsenal respond to "talks held" over deal for Leroy Sane

Today, a report from The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey shared the Gunners’ response to this.

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal have played down that they’ve “held talks about a deal” for Sane, and they claim that their priorities lie elsewhere despite his agents attempting to secure him a move away and informing sides that he’ll be a free agent next year.

Arteta knows Sane well from their time together at Man City, where he once commanded a seismic £137 million price tag, and the pair enjoyed quite a stay at Eastlands where they won trophies galore.

On a reported £320,000-per-week, and nearing the age of 30, it is perhaps clear why Arsenal are hesitant – even if Sane has showcased his quality on world football’s biggest stages time and time again.

Tottenham Hotspur insiders are refusing to rule out the sale of an “important” star in Ange Postecoglou’s squad – and there is little doubt his departure would be seen as pretty disappointing by supporters.

Players who could be sold or let go by Tottenham in 2025

As they near the ends of their contracts at Spurs, a quartet of bit-part or surplus players in Sergio Reguilon, Ben Davies, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman appear set to leave N17 next summer.

Bayern Munich on alert as £100m Tottenham star expresses worry over staying

They’re targeting another Spurs favourite after Eric Dier and Harry Kane.

6 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 1, 2024

Reguilon, who spent last season on loan spells at Manchester United and Brentford, is currently training with the senior team, but is yet to make a single appearance in all competitions and has taken just one spot in a matchday squad.

The former Real Madrid starlet is now attracting interest from La Liga as a result, with Getafe interested in snapping up Reguilon on a free transfer next summer. Meanwhile, Davies appears set to bring the curtain down on his 10-year stay at Tottenham, and it is currently unclear what the future holds for him.

Appearances

335

Goals

9

Assists

23

Bookings

43

Red cards

0

Minutes played

25,802

Elsewhere, Tottenham are leaning towards letting Timo Werner leave when his loan deal expires rather than trigger his £8.5 million option-to-buy clause, while reports also claim Archie Gray could be loaned out by Spurs in the January window.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are believed to be keeping tabs on Cristian Romero, as the Argentinian is yet to pen a new contract, with Real Madrid and Serie A champions Inter also watching closely.

It is imperative that Postecoglou manages to retain Romero, who has formed an exceptional partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of Tottenham’s defence, with pundit Paul Robinson praising rumours of a potential new deal for the ex-Atalanta star.

“If you’re going to give a player a pay rise, you can’t do that without extending their contract, which is good news for Tottenham,” said Robinson to Football Insider.

“He and Micky van de Ven have been key. He brings grit and determination, and that little bit of bite they might not have otherwise. I think he’s a leader on the pitch, though not vocally. To tie him down to a longer-term contract is only good news.”

While Spurs appear very keen to keep Romero out of the clutches of Europe’s elite, they are more willing to do a deal over star right-back Pedro Porro.

Tottenham refuse to rule out selling Pedro Porro

According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are refusing to rule out the possibility of selling the Spaniard in the event of a sizeable offer amid awareness that his market value may have significantly increased.

Joining from Sporting CP last year, Pedro Porro has since gone on to become imperative in Postecoglou’s system as an attack-minded wing-back alongside Destiny Udogie.

Both men are indispensable to the Australian, with pundit Stephen Warnock calling Porro and Udogie their “most important” stars. Tottenham have slapped an £80 million price tag on the defender’s head as a result, per GMS, amid interest from both Man City and Real.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will surely be using the last international break of the year to plot ways for his team to improve on the pitch.

The Light Blues are third in the Scottish Premiership table and a whopping nine points behind their rivals, Celtic and Aberdeen, after a dismal start to the campaign.

They have already lost three times in the division, once each to the two teams above them and once to Kilmarnock, and failed to qualify for the league phase of the Champions League at the start of the season.

Clement’s team did, however, secure their place in the final of the League Cup, beating Motherwell 2-1 in the semi-final at Hampden Park, and have racked up two wins and one draw from four matches in the Europa League.

This shows that it is now all doom and gloom for the Scottish giants but they will not be happy with their situation in the Premiership and it could result in changes being made to the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

The January transfer window opens for business in just under two months and the Light Blues are already reportedly considering making one bold decision that could help to change their fortunes.

Rangers preparing to sell star

According to Football Insider, Rangers are preparing to cash in on captain and star James Tavernier at the end of the 2024/25 campaign to raise money for new signings.

Transfer Focus

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The report claims that his ‘underwhelming’ performances on the pitch have convinced the board that the timing is right for the Englishman to be moved on from Ibrox.

It states that his ‘declining’ displays have been noticed behind the scenes and next summer would be their last chance to extract good value from him, as his current contract is due to expire at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Whilst it does not appear as though they are desperate to make it happen instantly, in January, it is said that the club are weighing up potential signings to come in and replace Tavernier in the upcoming transfer window.

This is a decision that will not have come lightly as the veteran full-back is in his tenth year at Ibrox, and is the captain, but his declining performances – as stated in this report – may have forced their hand.

At the age of 33, time may have just caught up with Tavernier and it could be the right moment for a parting of the ways to ensure that his legacy remains intact, rather than several more years of declining displays potentially tainting his time in Glasgow.

James Tavernier's Rangers decline

The veteran star has been a terrific performer and servant for the Light Blues over the years and has racked up an eye-catching 126 goals and 132 assists in 479 matches in all competitions.

In the 2023/24 campaign, Tavernier produced a superb 24 goals and 12 assists in all competitions from a right-back position, which proves that he made a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

However, former Gers right-back Steven Whittaker claimed, during the season, that the English full-back could improve defensively and that he “needs” to look at that side of his game. His most notable error was in the opening minute against Celtic in April, as you can see in the clip below.

Unfortunately, Tavernier’s attacking play has declined and his defensive mistakes have remained, which has resulted in more scrutiny over his position in the side.

Appearances

11

Goals

0

Assists

3

Possession lost per game

20

Pass accuracy

79%

As you can see in the table above, Tavernier has only provided three goal contributions in 11 appearances in the Premiership so far this season, whilst losing the ball a staggering 20 times per match on average.

He has been incredibly wasteful in possession and his lack of quality on the ball this season means that he is not making up for his defensive slip-ups, which may be why the club have decided that now is the right time to move on from him.

Instead of signing a direct replacement for him in January, though, Clement could strike gold by unleashing Dujon Sterling as his successor at right-back.

Why Rangers could hit gold with Dujon Sterling

The former Chelsea man has played 52 matches since the start of last season for the Light Blues but has rarely had a chance to shine in his natural position.

In those 52 appearances, Sterling has started just four times as a right-back for the Scottish giants, whilst he has started matches at left-back, defensive midfield, central midfield, and right midfielder as well.

The 25-year-old ace, who was hailed as “exceptional” by Andy Halliday last year, is not as attack-minded as the captain and would provide more of a solid presence in the right-back position.

Tavernier has provided a great goal threat throughout his Rangers career, with a whopping 68 penalties scored and 18 missed throughout his career.

There are plenty of players who could step up from the spot instead of him, though. Cyriel Dessers has scored 13 of his 17 penalties in his career, whilst Nedim Bajrami has a 100% record with nine from nine, and Ianis Hagi has scored 11 from 16.

This means that Tavernier’s exit could allow some of the midfielders and attackers to step into the spotlight, whilst Sterling comes in to offer defensive solidity instead of wanting to give possession away 20 times per game with shots and crosses.

Position

Right-back

Sofascore rating

7.3

Tackles + interceptions

3

Blocks

1

Ground duels won

3/5

Aerial duels won

3/3

As you can see in the table above, Sterling caught the eye with his play out of possession after Tavernier was dropped for him to start in his natural position against Olympiacos in the Europa League last week.

The former Chelsea man dominated the Greek side in the air, whilst the skipper has lost 50% of his aerial duels in the Premiership, and could provide the dominant presence at the back that the 33-year-old has been unable to.

Therefore, Clement could strike gold for Rangers by refusing to bring in another right-back and, instead, unleashing Sterling for an extended run in his favoured position.

Clement can solve low-block issue by unleashing rarely-seen Rangers ace

The rarely-seen Rangers magician should be unleashed from the start this evening.

ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2024

This could help the team to improve defensively, due to Sterling’s quality in physical duels to stop attackers from creating chances, whilst also potentially improving the confidence of the attacking players by allowing them to take control of games instead of the bulk of the play going through Tavernier.

A Tottenham Hotspur star has reportedly signalled his intention to rip up his current contract in N17 and leave as a free agent as he desperately seeks a new club, perhaps even before the January transfer window opens.

Spurs shine with emphatic win over champions

Spurs enjoyed a thumping 4-0 win over Manchester City on Saturday, which Ange Postecoglou described as “outstanding.”

While it was James Maddison who stole the headlines on the night thanks to his superb brace, it was Spurs’ defensive duo of Ben Davies and Radu Dragusin that impressed Big Ange the most.

The pair, who are standing in for injured first-choices Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven, were heavily criticised after Tottenham’s recent 3-2 defeat to Galatasaray in the Europa League.

Against City, however, they both made strong cases to keep their places in the team.

“I thought they were all great,” Postecoglou said after the win when asked about the pair’s performances.”You have to be against City because obviously they’ve got big Erling [Haaland] up there, but the way they deliver the ball, the areas they consistently probe, you’ve got to be focused the whole time and I thought Ben and Radu were really focused.

“I think when you play City, you can’t rely on individuals to find solutions out there and collectively, I thought we defended really well.”

Spurs outcast wants out

Spurs’ defence has been vital to their good form this season. The Lilywhites are currently sixth in the Premier League, three points behind third-placed Chelsea, and have conceded just 13 goals in 12 games. Only three teams – Liverpool, Arsenal, and Newcastle United – have conceded fewer.

Though Postecoglou has mostly started with a back four of Destiny Udogie, Romero, Van de Ven and Pedro Porro, he’s also given minutes to Davies, Dragusin, Archie Gray and Djed Spence. One man who hasn’t had a sniff, however, is Sergio Reguilon.

The Spain international has been selected by Postecoglou for one matchday squad this season, that being in a 3-2 EFL Cup third-round win over Coventry City back in September, where he was an unused substitute.

Amid his lack of game time, Reguilon is now, according to the Sunday Mirror (via Football.london), ready to terminate his Tottenham contract in order to force a move away from north London in January.

The Mirror reports that Reguilon, who reportedly earns £120,000 per week at Spurs, wants the club to agree to a mutual contract termination amid interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

Reguilon joined Tottenham from Real Madrid for a fee of £25 million in the summer of 2020. Though he enjoyed a decent first two years in England, he’s since been an outcast at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, spending the last two years out on loan with Sevilla, Manchester United and Brentford.

2020/21

27

0

3

2021/22

31

2

3

2022/23

0

0

0

2023/24

0

0

0

2024/25

0

0

0

Reguilon’s last appearance for Spurs came all the way back in April 2022. According to Spanish media, Reguilon could be offered a route back to his home country by way of La Liga side Getafe, who are viewed as candidates to sign the defender and give him a new permanent home.