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Newcastle United chiefs have been sending scouts to keep track of an exciting young midfielder ahead of the summer transfer window, having been forced into a quiet January by Financial Fair Play restrictions.
After fending off a number of surprising exit links, Eddie Howe was happy to see the January transfer window slam shut with the core of his Newcastle side intact. But while the North East outfit managed to keep hold of in demand stars Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson and Miguel Almiron, the lack of incomings has left the club needing to make a number of additions this summer.
Currently sitting ninth in the table, the top four finish last season and subsequent Champions League campaign feel like distant memories for Newcastle as they battle to keep themselves in the running for the European places. With just one win from their last six league games, the pressure is on Eddie Howe to build a team able to replicate last season's success.
Sandro Tonali's ongoing ban for gambling offences will mean he will be unavailable until next season, and fan favourite Joelinton's contract is set to expire in the summer of 2025, leaving the Premier League side in desperate need of midfield reinforcements. With reported losses to the tune of £155 million limiting their transfer spending this season, the top of Newcastle's to-do-list for the summer will be to address concerns in the middle of the park.
The Magpies' well documented January window woes have left the club already making their plans for the summer window. Sources have told Football Insider that Newcastle have compiled an extensive scouting dossier on Everton's Amadou Onana ahead of a potential deal for the Belgian international.
PIF's scouts are apparently very impressed by what they've seen too, as the club are now "very keen" on a deal and believe Onana is a "big upgrade" on some of their current options in the centre of the park.
Since arriving on Merseyside, the 22-year-old has earned significant plaudits, with current boss Sean Dyche glowing over his power, aerial ability, and timing to arrive in the box, as well as praising his "ugly side of the game with his hard work and positional sense".
With the futures of Newcastle's midfield duo hanging in the balance, any incoming players will have to match both the progressive output of Tonali and the defensive qualities of Joelinton. A strong tackler who can carry the ball and cause chaos in the opponent's box, there is no doubt that Onana could be the successor to the midfield at St James' Park, ranking in the 93rd percentile for aerial duels won by midfielders in Europe's top five leagues (Onana stats – FBRef), as well as creating 39 shooting opportunities for he and his teammates this term.
|
Amadou Onana 2023/24 |
Total |
|---|---|
|
Tackles |
45 |
|
Shot Creating Actions |
39 |
|
Aerial Duels Won % |
71.2% |
|
Fouls Drawn |
31 |
A Swiss Army Knife of a footballer, Onana can adapt his game to compliment his teammates. Able to offer defensive support to the more attacking Bruno Guimarães or take on the progressive onus in the presence of the physical Joelinton, there is no wonder why Newcastle are making early moves to get this deal over the line.
After a fee of £33 million first brought Onana to England in August 2022, Everton will be eager to see a return on their investment in the former LOSC Lille midfielder. With further sanctions hanging over their heads and uncertainty over which league they will be playing their football next season, their hand could be forced to part ways with some of their prized assets this summer. With countless clubs circling the situation at Everton, Newcastle's early pursuit of one of the league's most promising players could see them complete the deal early into the next transfer window.
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John Stones spoke highly of England's performance against Slovenia as they qualified for the Euro 2024 knockout stage as group winners.
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Aston Villa’s season has been absolutely immense, with the side confident of securing Champions League football and the UEFA Conference League trophy.
Unai Emery has been the main influence in helping the Villans rise up the table to fourth, but it's not just the team as a whole that he’s having a positive impact on.
The likes of Ezri Konsa, Douglas Luiz, and even Ollie Watkins have all progressed massively over the past two seasons, but there is one player that has stood out in particular.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at the star whose value has soared since the arrival of the Spaniard.
Boyhood Villa gem Jacob Ramsey has been at the club since U9’s level, progressing through the ranks to become a key player.
The 22-year-old made his debut in 2019 against West Bromwich Albion in the Championship, when he replaced Conor Hourihane as a half-time substitute.
The England star had a very short loan spell at Doncaster Rovers before returning to Villa after just seven games, where he scored three goals.
In the 2020/21 season, Ramsey enjoyed his breakthrough campaign, featuring 22 times with an average of 28 minutes per game. Under Steven Gerrard in the following season, he scored six goals and developed into a constant figure in the starting XI.
Since Emery has been at the helm, Ramsey has developed into one of the most exciting midfielders in the Premier League, with Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig labelling him “amazing.”
It was last season when the number 41 really took off, and he was an instant hit under the current boss, as in his first game in charge, Ramsey scored and assisted in a 3-1 home win over Manchester United.
Over the campaign, the 5 foot 11 gem played 35 Premier League matches, scoring six goals while also providing seven assists, which is his best record to date.
In the summer, he was thriving in the England U21 team that eventually went on to win the European Championship before picking up an injury against Portugal in the quarterfinal, and the start of this season has been hampered by an injury that saw him miss eight games.
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Villa's Squad Value Ranking |
|
|---|---|
|
Player |
Estimated Value |
|
Diaby, Luiz |
£68m |
|
Watkins, Torres |
£51m |
|
Ramsey |
£43m |
|
Bailey, McGinn |
£34m |
|
Kamara, Konsa, Tielemans, Cash |
£26m |
|
Via CIES Football Observatory |
|
As you can see from the table above, Ramsey is one of the most valuable assets in the Villa squad at £43m and the highest-valued player to have come from the academy. This is a £19m rise since Emery joined the club, which just further highlights the impact he's had on Ramsey's progress.
The tables notably indicates that the Englishman is also worth more than both Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans, two players who also cost the club nothing after joining on free transfers in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
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With Kamara, who is now sidelined with injury, having particularly shone of late – notably being hailed as an "incredible player" by Luiz – it is a testament to Ramsey's rise that he is still seemingly worth more than the French maestro.
It’s clear that Villa truly hit the jackpot with Ramsey, and he is arguably the best product of the academy since Jack Grealish. In truth, they’ll be lucky to keep hold of the maestro over the next few years, but if they do sell him, then the Villans will be in for a huge payday.
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West Ham United ended a period of struggle emphatically last weekend after Jarrod Bowen's hat-trick inspired a rousing 4-1 victory over Brentford in the Premier League.
David Moyes has been under heavy pressure of late, with his Hammers side slumping in form and failing to secure victory in any competition in 2024 before the win over Thomas Frank's side, falling in the FA Cup against Championship team Bristol City back in January.
There have been calls for the Scotsman to close the door on his illustrious reign in east London and the West Ham hierarchy were even said to have halted contractual negotiations after an abject afternoon against Arsenal, who romped to a 6-0 victory at the London Stadium in the Premier League.
As things stand, Moyes will leave the club when his deal expires in the summer but there is every chance that the stability and consistency that he brings will convince owner David Sullivan to present him with fresh terms, despite segments of the fanbase expressing discontent with his perceived pragmatic style.
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But is this really prudent? Moyes might not provide the most free-flowing brand of football but he succeeds at the highest level, his tactical set-up mostly effective.
Moreover, he has created a truly sensational squad of players, with the aforementioned Bowen arriving not long after the 60-year-old's reappointment back in December 2019 and perhaps proving to be the most influential star since.
West Ham completed the £20m plus add-ons acquisition of Bowen back on January deadline day in 2020, with the winger impressing with Hull City in the Championship and looking every bit the successful forward in the top flight.
He started his new life in London with promise as Moyes looked to root his reign with a successful swerve of relegation, Bowen aiding his side in that feat with one goal and four assists across 13 Premier League outings.
He's somewhat flipped the switch at present, now regarded for his finishing ability and menacing presence in the final third, with his three-goal haul against Brentford taking him up to 14 strikes in the league this season, behind only Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah.
|
Premier League 23/24: Top Scorers |
||
|---|---|---|
|
# |
Player |
Stat |
|
1. |
Erling Haaland |
17 |
|
2. |
Mohamed Salah |
15 |
|
3. |
Jarrod Bowen |
14 |
|
3. |
Dominic Solanke |
14 |
|
3. |
Ollie Watkins |
14 |
|
Source: Premier League |
||
Noted for his "electric" ability in front of goal by journalist Rahman Osman, the England international is one of English football's standout forwards, having also scored the winning goal against Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final last June to crown the Moyes era in gold.
Of course, while the 27-year-old's dart and drive into the danger area, preceding a sumptuous placed finish, was crucial to the club's lifting of the trophy – conclusive, in fact – he wasn't the only player to have crafted silver-laden success.
It was Lucas Paqueta's delightful threaded ball to send Bowen wheeling toward goal, with the Brazilian playmaker possibly even a cut above the Hammers' prolific talisman.
This season, West Ham had been in fine fettle before a slump in form throughout January and February, and Paqueta has been one of the linchpins, posting five goals and six assists across 28 matches in all competitions.
The player made the move to London back in 2022, joining in a club-record £51m deal that confirmed to the division that West Ham were indeed striving for the top, not resting on their laurels after making progress and reaching the continent under Moyes' stewardship.
And while he only scored five goals and supplied seven assists over 43 outings last term, his influence and intellect in his movement and guiding of the play transcended the expectations set by the blinkered view of a player's worth assessed only through their direct output.
That through ball to send Bowen through on goal was representative of his ball-playing quality, probably the most elegant and effective of any player in the squad, with former teammate Declan Rice awestruck by Paqueta's “mind-boggling” attributes.
As per FBref, Paqueta also ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 1% for tackles, the top 16% for interceptions, the top 13% for clearances and the top 75 for aerial duels won per 90.
While some might question whether the £150k-per-week phenomenon's metrics have been distorted by his fluctuation between an attacking midfield role and the very centre of the pitch, he has in fact only played in central midfield on three occasions across all competitions this term, thus strengthening the argument that, yes, he is indeed one of Europe's elite distributors.
His all-action prowess had even attracted the attention of Manchester City last summer, with Pep Guardiola's side launching a series of bids to secure his signature, even offering £80m to convince West Ham to part ways, though the likely-accepted approach never saw the next phase, that eventuality slammed shut after the emergence of an FA betting investigation into possible breaches from the player.
Still, the saga underpins Paqueta's value and quality that has left the best team in world football scrambling to augment their ranks with his talent.
Bowen might be the man of the moment right now but Brentford's drubbing was also Paqueta's first match back from injury that – surprise, surprise – coincided with an alarming drop in form. He's first-class. He's the cream of the crop.
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There is a spirit about Tottenham Hotspur that was not on display last season, and that stems from Daniel Levy's decision to appoint Ange Postecoglou as first-team manager.
Recent years have seen more high-profile names such as Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte come unstuck, and last season's disappointing eighth-placed finish called for change, else slip further away from those at the forefront of the Premier League.
Harry Kane's sale to Bayern Munich in August was a bitter pill to swallow but one that was expected, with the Three Lions captain about to enter the final year of his contract and understandably seeking pastures new at 30 years old, with no European football and no silverware throughout a record-breaking career down N17.
Still, Son Heung-min and Richarlison are hardly struggling to find the back of the net, and signings such as James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner have compensated, with Tottenham fighting for the top four with fresh life under Postecoglou's management.
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However, the real success of this early-stage Spurs system lies in the backline's revival, fortified with steel after a woeful 2022/23 campaign that saw an inpour of goals ravage any hopes of achieving their objectives.
Last season, things fell apart down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the crux of this issue was indeed the leaky defence, rectified and then some with the summer acquisitions of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario and athletic centre-half Micky van de Ven to slot into Postecoglou's system.
Van de Ven in particular, signed from Wolfsburg in a deal worth £43m, has been a bonafide success so far, described as "absolutely exceptional" by Arsene Wenger since his arrival on English shores.
As per Sofascore, he has completed 95% of his passes across 17 Premier League appearances so far, averaging 5.9 ball recoveries and 2.9 clearances per game as well as succeeding with 63% of his dribbles and 68% of his ground duels. It's no coincidence that Spurs' slump before Christmas ran in tandem with the Dutchman's period of recovery from a hamstring injury.
His partner, Cristian Romero, might have been rooted at the heart of the problems last season, but there's no denying his world-class skills, with a confident peer alongside him working wonders.
|
Cristian Romero: PL Stats 23/24 |
|
|---|---|
|
Stat |
# |
|
Matches played |
21 |
|
Clean sheets |
5 |
|
Goals |
4 |
|
Pass completion |
92% |
|
Tackles per game |
2.0 |
|
Ball recoveries per game |
6.0 |
|
Clearances per game |
3.1 |
|
Duels won |
5.1 (69%) |
|
Sourced via Sofascore |
|
After all, as per FBref, Romero ranks among the top 3% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for pass completion, the top 14% for progressive passes, the top 7% for tackles and the top 12% for interceptions per 90.
This impressive spread of qualities makes it patently clear that the 2022 World Cup winner is one of the Premier League's finest, and while some might raise an eyebrow at his Argentinian compatriot Lionel Messi's praise that he is "the best defender in the world right now", the legendary forward isn't that wide of the mark.
The future is bright, and while these senior signings are exciting, the real success of this new flowering chapter at Tottenham is the remarkable wave of academy talent, with Luka Vuskovic possibly the pick of the bunch.
One of the first to ride this wave of activity among the formative ranks at Tottenham, Vuskovic was announced to have signed for the club in September 2023 when he was still only 16 years old, with his arrival scheduled for 2025 and the deal expected to cost around £12m.
For the time being, he remains in his Croatian homeland with Hajduk Split, where he will continue to nurture his ability and develop into a Premier League-quality defender, having already been described as a "truly amazing" youngster by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Despite his tender age, Vuskovic is proving to be quite the prospect and has chalked up 11 senior appearances this season: six for Hajduk Split and five for current loan outfit Radomiak Radom in Poland.
As per Sofascore, the young titan has been impressive in the Polish Ekstralasa after scoring twice from just four starting appearances, also averaging 3.6 ball recoveries and 5.6 clearances per game while succeeding with 100% of his dribbles and winning a whopping 71% of his aerial battles.
For certain, the 17-year-old will move to London next year to bolster a Tottenham youth squad that has more than a few players capable of making a mark within Postecoglou's senior setup.
He's not the only youngster to have been signed of late, with Lucas Bergvall one of the most exciting up-and-comers around, but Vuskovic is every bit as big a talent, and the omens bode prosperity down the line for the Lilywhites.
U21 stars such as Jamie Donley and Alfie Dorrington look like proper prospects, while Levy hijacked Barcelona's move for teenage midfielder Lucas Bergvall in January, with the talent linking up with the squad this summer.
Bergvall has been described as a "generational" talent by one analyst and has certainly caught the eye in Sweden, completing 88% of his passes and 68% of his dribbles in the top flight this season.
Vuskovic, though, is younger and has proved his skill set stretches into different facets of the defensive game, with the athleticism, progressive qualities and defensive solidity making for something of a hybrid between Van de Ven and Romero.
Moreover, imperious Premier League champions Manchester City had a big interest in the player before he chose Spurs, highlighting just how high his ceiling could be.
Ultimately, it's going to be a few years before Vuskovic finds himself earning a regular starting berth down N17, but he has the trappings of a world-class centre-back, and with Bergvall fashioning openings ahead of him, Tottenham might just be on the cusp of a golden age.
The English FA has given its approval for the appointment of a foreign manager as Gareth Southgate's successor.
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