All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Are Manchester City back?

On Sunday, the Sky Blues smashed Ipswich Town 6-0 at Portman Road; Phil Foden bagging a brace, while Mateo Kovačić, Jérémy Doku, Erling Haaland and James McAtee were all also on target in Suffolk.

This is Man City’s joint-most emphatic top-flight away victory of all-time, previously hammering Watford 6-0 in September 2017, a scoreline that sees them move up to fourth on goal difference, above Newcastle, unbeaten in six across all competitions ahead of Wednesday’s crucial Champions League trip to Paris Saint-Germain.

Off the field too, the Citizens continue to be busier than any other club this January window, set to complete the signings of Vitor Reis, Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush this week, costing a combined £120m.

But their spending is not done yet, with Pep Guardiola looking to bolster his midfield options too.

Manchester City looking to re-sign midfielder

According to a report by David Ornstein of the Athletic, Manchester City are “considering” re-signing Douglas Luiz on loan for the remainder of the season, while Juventus are only willing to sanction such a deal if an “obligation to buy” is included.

Luiz only joined la Vecchia Signora from Aston Villa as recently as last summer for a reported £42.5m, with Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior moving in the opposite direction to Villa for a reported £18m, as the Villans aimed to avoid a potential PSR breach.

However, as described by Adam Digby of Forbes, Luiz’s time at Juventus has gone disastrously, with the front page of Gazzetta dello Sport labelling him ‘a flop’ as early as October.

This came after the most high-profile of his missteps, giving away a penalty for handball mere seconds after being introduced as a substitute against RB Leipzig in the Champions League, spared further scrutiny because ten-man Juve scored twice late on to snatch victory in Saxony.

In total, Luiz has seen just 474 minutes of action in a Bianconeri shirt, that’s little over 18% of their total minutes, coming on for the final 15 minutes against both Atalanta and AC Milan this week, but Thiago Motta clearly does not view him as a key figure.

Both his former club Aston Villa as well as Nottingham Forest have reportedly shown an interest in securing Luiz’s services, but surely Man City would be at the front of the queue if he were to return to the Premier League.

How Douglas Luiz would improve Manchester City

The Brazilian actually spent two seasons on Man City’s books, signing from Vasco da Gama for a reported £10m in 2017, but he never made an appearance for the Sky Blues, spending two seasons on loan at Girona, making 46 appearances for another club owned by City Football Group, before being sold to Aston Villa in 2019 for £15m.

During his time at Villa, Content Strategy Consultant Adam Gilks described Luiz as “one of the best sixes in the Premier League”, impressed by his “great vision and… fantastic work rate”.

This sale included a 20% sell on clause, which proved to be a nice little earner for the Citizens last summer, while Man City also had a buy-back clause that Jake Bayliss of the Manchester Evening News believes “expired in 2021”, emphasising that the four-in-a-row Premier League champions have long thought Luiz was capable of playing for their first team one day. However, that could well be set to change in 2025.

Transfer Focus

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

As has been widely documented, Manchester City’s downturn in form this season has primarily been due to Rodri’s ACL injury suffered against Arsenal in September, with Guardiola describing the reigning Ballon d’Or winner as “irreplaceable”.

İlkay Gündoğan and Kovačić are doing their best to fill Rodri’s enormous void, the Croatian starting 12 of the 17 Premier League matches since the Spaniard’s injury, including each of the last six, but the duo clearly need help, so let’s see how Luiz and Kovačić compare.

Appearances

74

80

Minutes

4,854

5,194

Goals

9

8

Assists

10

2

Attempted passes

3,156

3,362

Pass completion %

85.9%

93.5%

Touches

3,527

3,737

Tackles

86

90

% of dribblers tackled

50.6%

50.6%

Interceptions

30

44

Blocks

41

44

Clearances

32

26

Ball recoveries

246

174

% of aerial duals won

58.5%

57.1%

As the table shows, Luiz is much more of a goal threat than Kovačić, albeit that isn’t what Man City are looking for from a midfield addition this month.

More pertinently, Luiz and Kovačić are comparable when it comes to passes, pass accuracy and all the out-of-possession metrics, tackles, interceptions and blocks, with the Brazilian ranking higher for ball recoveries as well as aerial duals won.

This is impressive considering Villa finished 21 points below Man City last season, while Luiz has seen very little action since swapping Birmingham for Turin, with these numbers suggesting he’d slot into the Sky Blues’ team seamlessly, eight years after first joining the club.

Worth way more than Marmoush: Pep has struck gold on Man City "superstar"

Man City have a youngster in the squad who is worth more than Omar Marmoush

ByRoss Kilvington Jan 18, 2025

Incoming Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is now intent on signing a “world-class” duo in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Berta drawing up plans for the summer

Although Berta is yet to be officially announced as the Gunners’ new sporting director, there have been suggestions the Italian has already started identifying a number of potential targets ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 53-year-old is believed to be a huge fan of Atletico Madrid midfielder Pablo Barrios, as a result of the time they spent working together at the La Liga club, while he will also try to sign Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes.

The north Londoners are now in talks over a deal for Guimaraes, with Berta ‘in love’ with the Brazilian after trying to sign him for Atlético Madrid on a number of occasions.

Better than Sesko: Arsenal in talks to sign "one of the best in the world"

Arsenal could sign one of the best forwards in the world on a free transfer.

2 ByMatt Dawson Mar 23, 2025

As such, the 27-year-old has now emerged as a key target for Arsenal, which could perhaps indicate Martin Zubimendi is no longer as high up the list, but a new report from GiveMeSport suggests otherwise.

According to the report, Berta is still intent on signing Zubimendi this summer, with the former Atlético Madrid man particularly keen on the Spaniard, alongside Wolverhampton Wanderers star Matheus Cunha.

Cunha provides a goal threat and creativity in attack, which makes the Brazilian a necessary addition to Mikel Arteta’s frontline, but he will not come cheap, given that he has a £62m release clause included in his contract.

Previous reports have stated Zubimendi will be a little cheaper at £51m, meaning Arsenal may have to shell out the huge sum of £113m to get the two deals over the line.

However, it is also detailed that Arteta’s side could listen to offers for Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli this summer, which may boost their budget significantly.

Zubimendi and Cunha could be "world-class" additions

Cunha has shown signs of year-on-year development since signing for Wolves, having already beaten his Premier League goal tally from last season by netting 13 times in 26 appearances this term, while also providing four assists.

The Brazil international has thus been hailed as “world-class” by members of the media, and Kieran Tierney has stated Zubimendi is in the same category.

“You have world-class players like [Martín] Zubimendi, [Mikel] Merino, Brais [Méndez]. It’s not that people don’t think they’re good; it’s just that if you’re only watching the Premier League every week, it’s hard to know. They’re world class.”

As such, the duo could be fantastic signings for Arsenal this summer, but Cunha should be Arteta’s priority, given that the manager is light on out-and-out centre-forwards, and the 25-year-old has proven himself as a reliable goalscorer in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest are considering making a move to sign a “skilful” £20 million star in the summer, according to a new report.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

The Reds have nine games to go in the Premier League to fulfil their dream and secure a place in next season’s Champions League. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have been outstanding all campaign, with midfielder and captain Morgan Gibbs-White at the heart of that.

Nottingham Forest join battle to sign "monster" Gibbs-White replacement

He’s one of Europe’s most impressive young talents.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 16, 2025

His performances have caught the attention of some of the big teams in the Premier League, but according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, Forest will “do everything they can” to keep hold of the Englishman this summer. O’Rourke goes on to add that securing Champions League qualification will put the Reds in a stronger position to retain their best players.

As they look to keep hold of Gibbs-White, according to TEAMtalk, Forest are keeping a close eye on Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham ahead of the summer.

Forest are among the Premier League teams keeping a watchful eye on the Black Cats midfielder and could be ready to pounce should Sunderland fail to seal promotion. However, the Championship side are not looking to sell or negotiate with any team, meaning a big offer may have to arrive for them to be tempted.

Nottingham Forest considering move to sign £20m+ star

It is not only a new midfielder the Midlands side want, as according to reports from Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest are weighing up a move to sign defender Fikayo Tomori from Italian giants AC Milan.

The report claims that there is a concrete possibility that Milan look to sell the English defender this summer as long as they receive a €25 million transfer fee, which is roughly £21 million. Forest are keeping an eye on his situation, but they are not alone, as Newcastle United are also weighing up whether to make a move or not.

However, they may hold a small advantage, as Tomori already knows two Forest players in Ola Aina and Callum Hudson-Odoi, as he played with the pair at Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Tottenham could also be potentially interested in a deal for Tomori after they looked to sign the centre-back during the January transfer window. The Italian giants already have in mind replacements for Tomori should he leave the San Siro.

Apps

14

Starts

11

Clean sheets

1

Interceptions per game

0.8

Tackles per game

1.6

Balls recovered per 90

3.0

Clearances per game

2.2

Touches per game

56.7

Passing accuracy per game

45.4 (93%)

The 27-year-old has been with Milan since July 2021, and while he was an instant regular in the team, this season he has lost his place, playing just 14 times in Serie A. Despite the disappointment of this season, Tomori has been largely successful in Italy, with him being described as a “skilful” defender by Franco Baresi.

He previously told The Daily Mail: “He is young and has played well so far when he’s had the chance. He is skilful and has great physical attributes. He is still adapting to the Italian league, and I think he can only grow as a defender and help us out.”

Manchester United have now made a proposal of Rasmus Hojlund plus cash to sign “the best striker in the world”, and his club would be open to a deal of that nature, according to a journalist.

Hojlund struggling in the Premier League

Hojlund has regularly found himself on the scoresheet in the Europa League, netting five times in the league phase, but the majority of the Dane’s goals came against relatively weak opposition in Bodo/Glimt and Viktoria Plzen.

The 22-year-old has struggled against tougher teams in the Premier League, netting just two goals in 23 appearances this term and failing to find the back of the net since scoring in the 3-2 defeat against Nottingham Forest back in December.

Summer signing Joshua Zirkzee has also been an unreliable source of goals, scoring six in 42 games in all competitions, so it is little wonder Man United are looking to bring in a new striker when summer comes around.

Man Utd could now move for "outstanding" £84m striker instead of Osimhen

The Red Devils have identified a potential alternative to the Nigerian.

ByDominic Lund Mar 11, 2025

Napoli’s Victor Osimhen has emerged as a target for the Red Devils, and journalist Luca Cerchione has now dropped an interesting update on their pursuit of the Nigerian, suggesting a proposal has already been made.

Cerchione said: “Keep an eye on the Rasmus Højlund trail, which was reported to me last week.

“United have proposed Højlund to Napoli as part of the deal that could bring Victor Osimhen to Manchester United. In order for Osimhen’s price tag to drop, they will also talk about Højlund, who Conte likes a lot. We’ll see, we’ll follow this lead. €40m, plus Højlund, would be a deal in favour of Napoli.”

Osimhen is known to have a £62m release clause in his Napoli contract, but United are seemingly keen on a deal of a different nature, which would allow them to get an underperforming striker off the books.

Osimhen could be "the best striker in the world"

It would be a shame to see Hojlund leave United so soon, considering he is still young at 22 and may go on to become a top striker, but Ruben Amorim’s side cannot pass up the opportunity to sign the Nigeria international, should Napoli be keen on a swap deal.

The 26-year-old was lauded as “the best striker in the world” by members of the media during his time with Napoli, and he has since gone on to impress on loan at Galatasaray this season, netting 23 goals in 29 games in all competitions.

There are also signs of interest on the player’s end, with previous reports suggesting the Galatasaray star is open to talks over a move to Old Trafford this summer, indicating a move could be a real possibility.

It is imperative Man United sign a striker this summer, given their current options’ struggles in front of goal this season, so it is exciting news they have now made a proposal for one of the world’s best.

Leeds United face Millwall in the fourth round of the FA Cup this afternoon looking to extend their current unbeaten run across all competitions.

Daniel Farke’s side are currently on a 14-game unbeaten run, including a 1-0 win over local rivals Harrogate Town in the previous round of the competition at Elland Road.

The Whites come into the encounter off the back of a 2-0 win against Coventry City in the Championship, with goals from Joel Piroe and Jayden Bogle securing all three points at the CBS Arena.

However, with today’s outing being a cup game, it could allow the German boss to make some alterations to the starting eleven, potentially dropping one player after his display in midweek.

Brendan Aaronson’s display against Coventry for Leeds

American midfielder Brenden Aaronson started his 29th league game of the season in the victory a couple of days ago but was unable to produce a performance to remember against the Sky Blues – potentially opening the door to him being dropped.

The 24-year-old could only muster 44 touches throughout the victory, also losing possession 11 times throughout the contest, whilst also failing to complete any of his attempted crosses – unable to aid any other attackers in getting on the scoresheet.

It was another example of his hot and cold displays, either being one of the most creative players on the pitch or unrecognisable in large parts, drifting through the motions as seen on various occasions in 2024/25.

He’s a hugely talented player who will always work his socks off for himself and the team, but his lack of end product in certain moments can be frustrating – potentially walking away with far more goal contributions than his current tally of 10 to date.

Given the meeting with the Lions is a cup clash, Farke could see the meeting as an opportunity to rest the former RB Salzburg star, handing a first senior start to one young player as a result.

Farke could hand Leeds debut to one academy star

Over the years, Leeds have handed numerous academy players starring roles within the first team, with certain talents going on to exceed all expectations.

Kalvin Phillips came through the ranks in Yorkshire, before playing a key role under Marcelo Bielsa in the promotion-winning campaign, before leaving for Manchester City for £45m in the summer of 2022.

Farke has the opportunity to hand a similar opportunity to 17-year-old academy gem, Rhys Chadwick, handing the youngster a reward for his impressive displays in 2024/25.

Despite his tender age, the midfielder has been a regular in the U21 Premier League 2 this season, making 12 appearances and impressing within the final third of the pitch.

Rhys Chadwick

8

Luca Thomas

7

Alfie Cresswell

3

Josh McDonald

2

Joe Snowdon

1

Max McFadden

1

Sam Chambers

1

Chadwick has registered five goals and three assists despite playing numerous years above his age group, highlighting the quality he possesses – more than deserving of a jump into the senior squad at some stage in the near future.

He’s also featured twice in the FA Youth Cup in 2024/25, taking the armband and leading from the front, registering two assists, further showcasing his attacking qualities.

There’s no denying that the jump from youth football to the professional game is a huge one, but given his form over the last couple of months, it’s only fair that Chadwick is handed an opportunity to prove himself.

Given the cup game and the recent below-par showing from Aaronson earlier in the week, it could be the perfect chance to see what the youngster is capable of – staking his claim for a regular starting role under Farke in the coming weeks should he impress.

He's outscoring Piroe & Solomon: Leeds must regret selling outstanding star

Leeds United might regret allowing a clinical attacker to slip through their net too soon.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 7, 2025

Nottingham Forest are in dreamland. The East Midlands club are halfway to Champions League qualification, and it certainly seems like they are in with a great chance of reaching the competition and playing among Europe’s elite once again for the first time in decades.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are currently third in the Premier League, with only Arsenal and Liverpool ahead of them. They are four points inside the top four, which also includes Newcastle United, and are certainly in a strong position for Champions League qualification this term.

Defensively, they have been fantastic, letting just 20 goals in, with Arsenal the only side to concede fewer goals with 19. Their attack has also been deadly this term, with Callum Hudson-Odoi part of that attacking force.

Hudson-Odoi’s 2024/25 season so far

It has been an incredibly profitable season so far for the attackers donning that famous Garibaldi Red shirt. Chris Wood has been on fire with 13 goals, and winger Anthony Elanga has scored and assisted eight times.

Hudson-Odoi has perhaps underwhelmed in terms of his goals and assists compared to his attacking teammates. The former Chelsea star has scored twice and provided two goals for his teammates in 19 Premier League games.

However, he has shown just how good he can be in a Forest shirt over the 55 games he has played for them so far. The England international has ten goals and four assists so far for the East Midlands club, including a famous goal away to Premier League leaders Liverpool earlier in the season in a 1-0 win.

There have certainly been some impressive moments from Hudson-Odoi this term, although he has arguably left a little to be desired, and Nuno’s side could perhaps benefit from more attacking output, despite his incredibly hard work.

Thus, it might not be a surprise that the East Midlands outfit have been linked to another winger this January.

Forest could land dream Hudson-Odoi upgrade

The player in question here is Galatasaray winger Baris Alper Yilmaz. According to a report from Turkish news outlet Fanatik, via Sport Witness, earlier this week, the East Midlands side ‘have been watching the Turkey international’, and could make a move for him in the January transfer window.

Further reports indicated interest from a raft of the Premier League clubs, with a fee of around €30m (£26m) having been suggested.

The 24-year-old has been in sensational form for the Turkish giants this term, which could well mean he moves away from the club this January.

Across all competitions, he has 11 goals in 27 games, including 10 goals in 18 Turkish top-flight games. He scored both goals in Galatasaray’s 2-1 win over Istanbul Basaksehir last weekend.

One thing that the 24-year-old Galatasaray man will add to the Forest attack is versatility. This term, he has played nine games as a right-winger and eight games as a left-winger and has even played as a full-back at times. That will be excellent flexibility for Nuno to rely on.

When looking at the statistical comparisons between Hudson-Odoi and Yilmaz, there are clear differences that stretch further than goal and assist numbers, which is perhaps further evidence that a move from Forest might be smart.

The clinical and creative nature of the Turkey star really shines through when looking at his stats on Sofascore. He has an impressive conversion rate of 23% and has created 4 big chances this term.

In comparison, Hudson-Odoi’s Sofascore stats show an 8% conversion rate and the fact he has created three big chances.

Stat

Yilmaz

Hudson-Odoi

Goals and assists

11

4

Conversion rate

23%

8%

Big chances created

4

3

Dribbles completed per game

1.6

1.4

Duels won per game

6.4

2.8

Liverpool stalwart Virgil van Dijk is one player who has vouched publicly for Yilmaz’s ability. After facing him for the Netherlands at Euro 2024, Van Dijk explained he made it “difficult for every defender” in the Dutch side, showing just how talented the Turkish winger is.

At just £26m, Yilmaz might be the perfect upgrade for Hudson-Odoi. Whilst their creative numbers are similar and the Englishman is a hard worker off the ball, Yilmaz’s goalscoring threat would add an extra dynamic and could be a big difference-maker as they hope to get Champions League football.

Imagine him & Anderson: Nottingham Forest targeting "ball-carrying machine"

Nottingham Forest are targeting another addition to bolster their Premier League title ambitions.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 16, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly eyeing Real Betis midfielder Guido Rodriguez, as Julen Lopetegui seeks a midfield rebuild this summer.

The Spaniard bid farewell to Portuguese duo Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho this window, and will now look to find reinforcements to fill the void left by the former Molineux maestros.

Could Wolves sign Guido Rodriguez?

As reported by journalist Cesar Luis Merlo this week, Wolves are eyeing the LaLiga gem, who remains under contract at Betis until next summer.

Merlo confirmed the Old Gold’s interest in the 29-year-old midfielder, claiming that negotiations are ‘underway’ between the two clubs, over the player valued around £17m by FootballTransfers.

While he added that the deal isn’t close to being finalised, the Midlands outfit's interest comes at a time when Betis may prefer a sale than for the player to depart as a free agent next year.

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

It’s integral for Lopetegui to identify a sufficient replacement for the departed duo Neves and Moutinho, who were key figures in Wolves’ journey in the Premier League.

The Spaniard could land the perfect solution to the two exits in obtaining Rodriguez, who was identified as a “monster” by analyst Marcus Bring for his exploits in LaLiga.

Signed by Betis from Mexican side America back in the 2020 winter window, the Argentine could be on the move this summer, with a move to the Premier League a possibility.

Heralded for his defensive contributions, the midfielder could be the ideal replacement for Moutinho, who closed the lid on his five-year stay in the Midlands at the expiration of his contract at the end of last season.

While the long-serving 36-year-old veteran was primarily deployed in central midfield rather than the deeper areas that Rodriguez inhabits in Spain, the averages recorded by the Argentine last term suggested that he could be a sufficient ball-playing replacement.

As per FBref, the 29-year-old maintained a pass completion rate of 86.7% in LaLiga last season, as well as making an average of 4.17 final third passes per 90 to showcase his assured presence in the central channel.

Moutinho recorded similar averages to the World Cup winner, maintaining a completion rate of 80.4% in the Premier League and averaging 5.31 final third passes per 90.

Their numbers signify that the Betis enforcer could be a like-for-like trade for Lopetegui’s side, as a player with similar efficiency in distribution.

The most prominent area of Rodriguez’s game is his defensive contributions, averaging a monstrous 3.60 tackles per 90 in LaLiga, ranking him in the top 2% of midfielders in the league, via FBref.

Moutinho fell short of the 29-year-old machine in such areas, averaging 2.58 tackles for Wolves, as well as recording 0.91 interceptions to the Betis star’s 1.32 per 90.

Possessing the innate balance between defensive and distribution strengths in the engine room, Lopetegui could fill the vacancy left by the Portuguese veteran in the middle of the park.

It’s expected that the Midlands side will have to make additional sales to make such moves in the window, despite accumulating around £80m in departures so far, only time will tell if the deal will prevail.

Newcastle United have made contact over the signing of a hugely experienced international midfielder this summer, according to a fresh transfer claim.

Midfielders who could sign for Newcastle this summer

The Magpies will be hurting after their FA Cup exit to Brighton on Sunday, but on the plus side, they are being linked with plenty of potential new signings, as Eddie Howe has been given the green light to add to his squad in the summer window.

The Howe comment that made Al-Rumayyan green light Newcastle summer spend

Newcastle United are planning for a busy and expensive summer transfer window.

ByBrett Worthington Feb 27, 2025

Lille midfielder Angel Gomes is reportedly tempted by a move to Newcastle at the end of the season, having been a top target for Paul Mitchell in January. A return to the Premier League could aid the former Manchester United player’s chances of forcing his way into Thomas Tuchel’s plans with England.

Juventus ace Douglas Luiz is another midfielder who has been backed to seal a move to the Magpies, with the Brazilian possessing plenty of Premier League experience from his Aston Villa days. The 26-year-old has been limited to just three starts in Serie A this season, highlighting why a fresh challenge may appeal to him, especially at this stage in his career, not wanting to waste his peak years.

Newcastle pushing to sign Xavi-like ace

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], Newcastle have made contact over the signing of Inter Milan playmaker Hakan Calhanoglu.

It is stated that the Magpies have “carried out some surveys” for the 95-cap Turkey international, with Bayern Munuch also showing a willingness to snap him up.

Calhanoglu is a player who possesses so much natural ability, enjoying a great career that has seen him win one Serie A title, two Coppa Italias and many other trophies.

The Turk has always been renowned for being one of the best free-kick takers in world football, while Nihat Kahveci has even compared him to Barcelona and Spain legend Xavi, saying: “If we do 60% of what we did against Gibraltar against Montenegro, we will win. In this match we did everything. And Hakan Calhanoglu made those passes like Xavi used to do.”

Calhanoglu would certainly represent an exciting signing because of the talent in his locker, but there are certain things working against him. For starters, the midfielder is now 31 years of age, meaning he may no longer quite be in his prime, or be able to cover the kind of ground required in the Premier League, meaning Newcastle would be taking a risk.

For that reason, it would arguably make more sense for the Magpies to bring in a younger alternative – someone who could be a key man from the off, but also remain that way for the foreseeable future.

Outclassed by Minteh: 3/10 Newcastle star was not fit to wear the shirt

Newcastle exited the FA Cup at the hands of Brighton.

1 ByConnor Holden Mar 2, 2025

If Calhanoglu did end up joining Newcastle, it wouldn’t be a bad thing by all means, with some wonderful moments potentially coming supporters’ way, but the likes of Gomes could be smarter investments, especially considering the England international will be out of contract.

Manchester United are in dire need of improving their poor form this season having now slumped to 15th in the Premier League, and although relegation seems unlikely, they are set for a record-low finish in the Premier League.

United’s most recent game saw them make their final trip to Goodison Park to face Everton. The Toffees were the better side for much of the 90 minutes, but United managed to claw back a 2-0 deficit to draw, thanks to an inspirational performance from Bruno Fernandes.

It was not just United’s captain who stood out, with new signing Patrick Dorgu also impressing.

Dorgu's time at United so far

The Red Devils made Dorgu the first major signing of the Ruben Amorim era at the back end of the January Transfer window. They signed him from Serie A strugglers Lecce, for £25m up front and a further £4.1m in add-ons.

So far, the wing-back is just three games into his United career. His debut came in the FA Cup against Leicester City, where he featured for the first half. He has also played two games in the Premier League, getting 90 minutes under his belt against Tottenham Hotspur and, most recently, Everton.

The Denmark international was certainly one of the better United players against the Toffees. The Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst was impressed by his performance, giving him a 7/10. He explained that Dorgu ‘has not been ground down by the pressure of playing for United’ so far.

Goals and assists will surely follow soon, too. Before his move to Old Trafford, the young wing-back scored three times and grabbed one assist for Lecce this season, showing his threat in front of goal.

In fact, that is as many goal involvements as a former United full-back, who perhaps Amorim wished he could call upon if he was still in his prime.

Former Man United star is now on par with Dorgu

There are plenty of former Red Devils stars performing well since leaving the club. One of the best recent examples of this is Antony, who has five goal involvements in six games since his loan move to Real Betis.

Well, another player who is doing well after leaving United is Ashley Young. Make no mistake about it, the former club captain was exceptional during his time wearing the famous red shirt, and only left in 2020 on a free transfer to Inter Milan, when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge of the club.

The former England international made more appearances for United than he did any other club over his career.

He played 261 games, scoring 19 goals and grabbing 32 assists. Perhaps his best game came against Arsenal in the famous 8-2 win in 2011, where he scored two and assisted three.

The further he got into his United career, Young’s role in the side changed. He went from dynamic and tricky winger to marauding full-back, capable of playing either side. His versatility became key for the managers he had at Old Trafford.

Left midfield

74

12

10

Right-back

56

2

4

Left-back

55

1

7

Left-wing

29

3

9

Right midfield

20

0

1

Right-wing

6

0

0

Second striker

3

0

0

Central midfielder

2

0

0

Centre-back

1

0

0

Now plying his trade for Everton, Young also has four goal involvements this season, just as Dorgu does for Lecce. However, the former England international has one goal and three assists for the Toffees, playing as a flying full-back. At 39 years of age, the former United number 18 is still going strong.

It does make you consider how much Amorim would have appreciated Young this season if he was still at Old Trafford. Given the versatility of the former United skipper, the ability he has to whip in a deadly cross, and the fact he is still contributing to goals, he could have been an ideal wing-back.

Better than Dorgu: Man Utd must regret selling "monster" star for just £5m

Manchester United once sold a defender who is even better than Patrick Dorgu.

4 ByDan Emery Feb 24, 2025

It has been a busy transfer window so far for Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side have made three new first-team signings, and have not been afraid to spend big money. The most notable addition has been Omar Marmoush, who joined the club for £59m from Eintracht Frankfurt.

They have also made two new additions at centre-back. One of those was Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov, who cost £33.6m up front with add-ons on top of that. City also bright in young Brazilian centre-back Vitor Reis from Palmeiras, who cost the Premier League champions £29.6m.

The Citizens might not be done with transfer business yet, however, because they have recently been linked with a new addition in midfield.

City target new midfielder

The player in question here is Porto and Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez. The 23-year-old has impressed with the Portuguese side this season and now could be in line for a departure before the January transfer window slams shut on Monday.

According to a report from journalist Fabrizio Romano, the reigning Premier League champions have made a ‘formal approach’ to Porto to enquire about signing the Spaniard this month.

However, this may be a tough deal for the Citizens to get over the line. Porto are hoping to keep their midfielder beyond the 3rd of February and will demand an ‘important transfer fee’ or he will stay at the club.

Gonzalez – who reportedly earns £18k-per-week, as per Capology – has a £50m release clause in his contract, and it seems like City will need to meet this to sign him.

Why Gonzalez would be a good signing

It has been an impressive season for Gonzalez so far for Porto. In 29 games for the Dragons this season, he has seven goals and six assists, good numbers from midfield.

Perhaps his most important goal contribution came against Sporting in the Supertaca Candido de Oliveira, the Portuguese Super Cup. He scored a crucial goal in a 4-3 win, helping his side to the trophy.

Gonzalez, an “elegant” midfielder according to football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, came through Barcelona’s esteemed La Masia academy. He played 37 times for the La Liga giants, scoring two goals and two assists before departing the club, first on loan to Valencia and then making the permanent move to Porto.

If the Citizens got this deal over the line, he could be the second coming of Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has been injured for much of the season, although he is “the best midfield player, currently, in the world by far” according to Guardiola.

It has been an extraordinary few years at City for Rodri. He has played 260 times for the club, chipping in with 56 crucial goals and assists.

Undoubtedly his most important strike came in the 2022/23 Champions League final against Inter, where the midfielder scored the only goal to seal the treble for City.

There are certainly similarities between the two midfielders, even if Gonzalez is a more offensive player than Rodri. Both are Spaniards who have had experience playing at a big club in La Liga before making a move to further their career. Of course, the similarities could extend even more if Gonzalez joins City.

Even though they are different types of players, with Gonzalez a more advanced midfielder, you can still see some statistical comparison between the pair, from the 2023/24 Champions League, courtesy of Squawka.

For example, the Porto man had an average pass accuracy of 87.01% and won five ground duels per game. In comparison, Rodri managed a 91.88% pass accuracy and won 4.2 ground duels per game.

Stat (per 90)

Gonzalez

Rodri

Pass accuracy

87.01%

91.88%

Ground duels won

5

4.2

Lay-offs completed

1.5

1.2

Tackles made

2.4

1.9

Ball recoveries

3.4

6.8

There are lots of similarities between Gonzalez and Rodri, even if the pair are not stylistically the same. They both look after the ball well and work hard without possession, and, of course, both hail from Spain.

Although £50m is a big investment for City, this could be a brilliant signing to add to the quality in midfield.

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