All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

New Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has a huge job on his hands in the next couple of months if he is to turn around the mess left by former manager Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils currently sit in 13th place, with a total of just 12 points from the opening ten matches – their worst start in their Premier League history.

Such form saw Ten Hag lose his job, with Amorim set to take over on November 11th, with the Sporting Lisbon head coach hoping to make the difference upon his appointment.

His first game at the helm will see him lead his new side to Portman Road on the 24th of November, looking to take advantage of the Tractor Boys’ early season troubles, whilst steering his new side in the right direction.

If the former Portugal international is to make an immediate impact in charge, he may be reliant on one player upon his return to action in the coming weeks.

Why Mainoo could be crucial for Amorim

Academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo has taken to first-team football like a duck to water since his Premier League debut back in November 2023, often being the player to get supporters off their seats.

The 19-year-old has impressed with his ball-winning abilities, as demonstrated by his tally of 2.1 tackles won per 90 so far this season, but also in transition, starring in a box-to-box role under Ten Hag.

Mainoo has achieved an 88% pass accuracy also completing 74% of his attempted dribbles, demonstrating composure way beyond his years and showcasing his ability to find a teammate.

New boss Amorim operates two box-to-box midfielders in his 3-4-3 system, with a real impetus on being strong defensively but also having the ability to play the ball into forward areas and create opportunities for forward-thinking players.

As seen with the aforementioned stats, Mainoo has all the tools to be a hit with the newly appointed United boss, handing him the opportunity to become an immediate fan favourite at Old Trafford.

However, not everyone will be the 39-year-old’s cup of tea quite like Mainoo and he will be busy judging who should be on the chopping block in January. One such player earns as much as six times more than the dazzling midfielder.

The player Amorim needs to get rid of in January

Centre-back Victor Lindelof arrived at Manchester United back in the summer of 2017 in a £31m deal with real expectations of becoming a hit at the club and solving their defensive woes.

However, fast forward seven years, the 30-year-old Sweden international is no longer a regular starter at the club, often having to settle for a place on the substitutes bench, filling in when other players are injured.

The former Benfica talent has notched a total of 265 appearances for the club but has often failed to impress, as seen by the Red Devils’ recruitment this summer which saw two new centre-backs join the Premier League outfit.

2017/18

29

0

0

2018/19

40

1

1

2019/20

47

1

1

2020/21

45

1

2

2021/22

35

0

2

2022/23

35

0

0

2023/24

28

1

1

2024/25

6

0

0

Total:

265

4

7

Lindelof, who’s previously been dubbed as “shocking” by YouTuber Mark Goldbridge, has struggled with the demands of the Premier League, often prone to a mistake or two as demonstrated in the recent Carabao Cup victory over Leicester City.

He still pockets a huge wage despite his lack of impact in Manchester, earning £120k-per-week as per Capology – a figure that is six times higher than youngster Mainoo who only earns £20k-per-week despite his recent rise at his boyhood club.

Given his lack of positive output during his time in Manchester, Amorim must look to brutally part ways with Lindelof, a decision that will save the club a huge amount on a yearly basis in their recent cost-cutting efforts.

The new manager has a plethora of other defensive options at his disposal, with the Swede no longer having the quality needed to be a serious starter in a side looking to mount a push for the top four.

Amorim can revive Man Utd star who dropped a horror 3/10 display v Chelsea

The sensationally talented “superstar” could become a real force for Man Utd under the Portuguese manager.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 4, 2024

Tottenham are believed to be weighing up the idea of making an offer for a £12.5m player from Premier League rivals Arsenal, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

Tottenham transfer news

Spurs continue to be linked with possible new signings to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s squad, with Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney emerging as a reported target. A January move for the 22-year-old has been mooted, with Newcastle United also thought to be showing an interest in him.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap is also reportedly wanted by the north Londoners, who are even said to be in pole position to acquire his signature. The 21-year-old has impressed for the Tractor Boys this season, despite their struggles as a team, scoring five goals in eight Premier League starts.

Meanwhile, Real Valladolid winger Raul Moro has been mentioned as an option for Spurs, with the 21-year-old a bright young attacking talent, but Manchester City are providing competition, which always acts as a concern.

Jamie Bynoe-Gittens is another young player of whom big things are expected, and he is another rumoured target for Postecoglou’s men, having shone at Borussia Dortmund this season, netting three times in as many Champions League appearances.

Tottenham eyeing £12.5m Arsenal player

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham are among the clubs interested in signing Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein, in a move that would be controversial, given the rivalry between the two clubs. He is currently on loan at Real Valladolid, moving to Spain during the summer transfer window.

It is stated that Spurs have “entered the market” along with Chelsea in the battle to snap up the 22-year-old, and are willing to possibly make a bid, with the Gunners willing to sell if their asking price of between £12.5m and £16.6m is met.

Whether Arsenal would be willing to sell to Spurs remains to be seen, even if he is a player who they see no future for at the club, but he could be a shrewd addition if they do get their man.

The Gunners stopper is an influential figure at international level, already winning 34 caps for Estonia at the age of just 22, and he has even been praised by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez recently, who said of him: “He has a good build, a very good goalkeeper.”

Hein has started all 11 La Liga games for Valladolid this season, winning one Man of the Match award from WhoScored in the process, and he looks like a young goalkeeper with a lot of potential.

Granted, there is a reason why Arsenal don’t seem desperate to keep hold of him, but his performances this season have highlighted his ability and Spurs should always be looking to bring in exciting young talent.

Pundit names "exciting" Tottenham gem overshadowed by Moore and Lankshear

He’s loved at N17 and by England.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 26, 2024

Guglielmo Vicario is clearly first-choice between the sticks for Postecoglou currently, but added competition for places can never be a bad thing, and Hein could be viewed as a long-term starter in north London, should he continue to improve in the manner that he is.

Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers was able to move a number of players on from the fringes of his first-team squad during the summer transfer window.

Mikey Johnston, Hyeon-gyu Oh, Sead Haksabanovic, and Tomoki Iwata all left on permanent deals, to West Bromwich Albion, Genk, Malmo, and Birmingham respectively.

Those exits helped to allow the Hoops to bring in the likes of Arne Engels, Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, and Kasper Schmeichel, among others.

However, there was at least one player who Rodgers may have wanted to keep, and one dud who he would have wanted to move on, with the former being Matt O’Riley.

Matt O'Riley's exit from Celtic

Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to sign the Denmark international for a Scottish record transfer fee of more than £25m.

That came after the left-footed magician enjoyed a terrific campaign in the middle of the park for Celtic in the Scottish Premiership, as he showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Sofascore rating

7.91

1st

Goals

18

1st

Assists

13

1st

Big chances created

14

1st

Key passes per game

2.5

1st

As you can see in the table above, O’Riley was the manager’s biggest source of goals and assists in the league last season, which attracted interest from Brighton.

Rodgers would surely have preferred to have kept such a talent, who was reportedly on £14k-per-week in Glasgow, but the Hoops opted to accept the huge offer from the Seagulls.

Meanwhile, a player the Northern Irish manager would surely have wanted to have moved on from the squad – James McCarthy – remained at Parkhead.

James McCarthy's Celtic career in numbers

Ange Postecoglou signed the Ireland international on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, after his contract with Crystal Palace had come to an end that summer.

The Hoops reportedly handed the midfielder a wage of £14k-per-week, as much as O’Riley earned at the club, and it has not turned out to be great value for money thus far.

He has earned around £728k-per-season so far, £2.18m in total across his three full seasons at Parkhead – along with roughly £220k since the start of July this term. This means that Celtic have spent around £2.4m in wages on the Irishman since his arrival in 2021.

The veteran midfielder has only made 27 appearances in all competitions since his move to the club, and 22 of those came in the 2021/22 campaign.

McCarthy, who was described as “lost” on the pitch by pundit Frank McAvennie in 2022, has not featured in a matchday squad for the Hoops since November 2022 and has not made an appearance for Celtic since October 2022. There is even some confusion over whether he is actually still on the books, or not, having been removed from the squad list on the club’s official website.

Regardless, this means that the former Wigan star has earned over £1m in wages, at £14k-per-week, since his last outing in a competitive game for the Scottish giants, which speaks to how much of a flop the signing has been.

Celtic have not got value for money for the wages they have spent on the midfielder, as illustrated by the huge impact O’Riley had on the pitch for the club last season whilst earning the same weekly wage.

Celtic messed up with rarely-seen signing who's now worth less than Scales

The Hoops had a nightmare when they brought the central defender to Parkhead.

ByDan Emery Oct 10, 2024

Therefore, Postecoglou had a nightmare by bringing the Irishman to Glasgow in 2021 and the Bhoys have wasted £2.4m and counting on the dud, whose contract does not expire until next summer.

Amid an excellent start under Arne Slot, Liverpool have reportedly turned their attention towards La Liga as they sound out potential replacements for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is currently set to leave as a free agent next summer.

Liverpool transfer news

The Reds couldn’t have asked for a much better start to life under new manager Slot, with just one loss and four goals conceded in eight games in all competitions. The latest instalment of the post-Jurgen Klopp era came this weekend as the Reds scraped past a resolute Wolves side to win 2-1 courtesy of Mohamed Salah’s penalty. It wasn’t their finest performance of the campaign, but Liverpool got the job done once again.

However, despite sitting top of the Premier League, Liverpool aren’t without their problems. As things stand, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are set to become free agents and leave Anfield next summer in three major potential blows to Slot. And whilst none of the trio have outright said they want to depart, the fact that new contracts are yet to be announced should be a cause for concern.

100% duels won: 8/10 Liverpool star is fast becoming as important as Salah

Liverpool man becoming as important as Salah

ByConnor Holden Sep 29, 2024

The Reds do at least have a plan in place if Alexander-Arnold leaves next summer. According to CaughtOffside, Michael Edwards is keeping tabs on Juanlu Sanchez, who Sevilla reportedly value at just €25m (£21m) ahead of 2025.

Alas, Liverpool aren’t the only side eyeing a move. Reports have also linked Arsenal and West Ham United to sign the 21-year-old Spaniard. Given the Reds’ potential need to find a replacement for Alexander-Arnold, it is a busy race that they could be desperate to win when next summer arrives. Replacing Alexander-Arnold would be a near-impossible task, but Sanchez certainly has plenty of potential.

"Great" Sanchez would have impossible Liverpool task

The argument could be made that a direct replacement for Alexander-Arnold doesn’t exist down the right-hand side, handing Liverpool the ultimate task. Seemingly turning towards Sanchez, it would be a lot to ask the Spaniard to replicate Alexander-Arnold’s stunning passing range, but he could certainly step in and hand the Reds a different element within Slot’s back four.

Starts

11

25

Goals

0

3

Assists

2

4

Ball recoveries per 90

5.11

7.36

Sanchez is someone who would have to grow into such a role, given that he’s still just 21, but that should hand Slot an advantage. The Dutchman would be in a position to mould the full-back into the perfect heir to Alexander-Arnold’s Liverpool throne.

Praised for his “great” game against Barcelona by Spanish journalist Angel Perez last season, Olympic gold medallist Sanchez should be one to watch. When 2025 arrives, the battle between Premier League sides should be one to take note of, especially if Trent Alexander-Arnold fails to sign a new contract at Liverpool and leaves as a free agent next summer.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared just how highly-regarded one member of the Chelsea squad is by the Stamford Bridge hierarchy, following some excellent displays in training at Cobham.

Chelsea preparing for West Ham after victory at Bournemouth

The west Londoners return to action in just two days, as they prepare for a London derby trip to West Ham United and the early Saturday lunchtime kick-off.

£80m Chelsea star dealt bad news after injury with return a while off

It’s a serious concern for Enzo Maresca.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 18, 2024

Chelsea go into the contest on a promising run of form, with their only defeat of the new season coming courtesy of Premier League champions Man City on the opening weekend.

Since then, Enzo Maresca has guided his side to two wins and a draw, including a convincing 6-2 win over Wolves at Molineux. They were unlucky not to beat Crystal Palace considering they dominated the overall play and created many chances, but Eberechi Eze’s curled equaliser from just outside the penalty area meant they had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

West Ham (away)

September 21

Brighton (home)

September 28

Nottingham Forest (home)

October 6

Liverpool (away)

October 20

Newcastle (home)

October 27

Their first game back from the international break culminated in a hard-fought 1-0 win at Bournemouth last weekend, with summer signing Jadon Sancho laying on an assist for Christopher Nkunku, who won the game with an expertly taken low finish just minutes from added time.

Chelsea were without Malo Gusto through injury, who missed the clash alongside Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Enzo Fernandez and Romeo Lavia.

However, the good news ahead of their visit to West Ham is that Lavia could return for Chelsea after his hamstring problem, with Dewsbury-Hall and Fernandez back in training as well after their recoveries from illnesses. Gusto is available for Chelsea selection again too, so Maresca has been handed a quadruple injury boost before a tough contest in east London.

There will also be more competition for a place in Maresca’s starting line-up as a result. An array of reports this week have shed light on the Chelsea players who have been most eager to earn Maresca’s favour behind the scenes, with Sancho impressing Chelsea chiefs after going the extra mile to make a good impression at Cobham.

Defender Levi Colwill is also Chelsea’s most consistent trainer right now, according to GiveMeSport, but Romano says another member of the team has been turning heads on the training pitch long before them.

Chelsea chiefs blown away by Noni Madueke in training

Speaking on his YouTube channel this week, the esteemed reporter claims that the player in question is £50,000-per-week winger Noni Madueke.

Romano states that Chelsea have been impressed by Madueke in training, with Blues chiefs believing he is “special” – resulting in the club snubbing interest from Newcastle United this summer.

“It was the end of June, so to be honest, in the confused moment of financial fair play, you remember those days especially with Newcastle very busy trying some swap deals around England to make the financial fair play rules work for them,” said Romano on Newcastle’s summer interest in Madueke.

“So Madueke was one of the main targets for Newcastle, then what happened? After all of that, Chelsea, internally, saw how special Noni Madueke was in training and then in the official games under Enzo Maresca.”

Chelsea have been rewarded for their faith in the 22-year-old Englishman, who’s impressed over his three Premier League appearances so far. Madueke even bagged a stunning hat-trick at Wolves three weeks ago, so it looks as if the ex-PSV Eindhoven starlet could make a real impact this term.

Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s attacking linchpin, having risen from the lower levels of Hale End to establish himself as one of football’s biggest talents.

Mikel Arteta deserves so much praise for resurrecting the Emirates Stadium and putting Arsenal back in contention for the biggest prizes in the game, though you can’t help but feel that had Saka not emerged, things wouldn’t have fallen into place just so.

Hailed as “one of the best players in the Premier League” by Plymouth Argyle manager Wayne Rooney, the England star has already scored a goal and posted four assists from as many matches in the Premier League this season as the Gunners aim to topple Manchester City on the throne.

Saka, aged 23, is one of the finest players to emerge from Arsenal’s academy, but he’s not the only one to make his mark under Arteta’s wing.

Premier League

174

48

39

Europa League

25

5

9

FA Cup

11

1

1

Champions League

10

4

4

Carabao Cup

9

1

2

Community Shield

2

0

2

Indeed, there was a fellow north Londoner who, not too long ago, carried the same prodigious potential as his friend, but Emile Smith Rowe no longer plays for Arsenal and dreams of becoming a superstar under Arteta’s guidance have faded away.

What was once said about Emile Smith Rowe

Smith Rowe, 24, made his senior debut for Arsenal at home in the Europa League against Vorskla Poltava in September 2018, scarcely one month into his 18th year. Incidentally, Saka also made his debut against the Ukrainian side, though his debut arrived two months later in the away fixture of the group phase.

A versatile, creative and cultured attacking midfielder, Smith Rowe has featured across a range of roles but is at his multi-talented best when deployed as a roaming number ten.

Blessed with crisp technical qualities and sharp intelligence, the Englishman was regarded as a playmaker who could have bloomed into the focal creative role in north London, even being praised by pundit Jamie Carragher in the past as the “best player in the league running with the ball at his feet”.

Arsenal’s resurgence of the past several years was swept forward by a tide of improvements. The transfer strategy was streamlined and the Spanish manager’s tactics dovetailed into the overarching vision. Now, Arsenal have finished second across the past two Premier League campaigns and pushed Pep Guardiola’s City to the brink on both occasions.

Smith Rowe, sadly, played nothing more than a bit-part role, with his glittering beginnings dulled by injuries and Arteta’s stylistic preferences, this latter issue had arisen from his fitness struggles, in fairness, precluding him from building the form and fluency to play a starring part.

23/24

13 (3)

0

2

22/23

12 (0)

0

2

21/22

33 (21)

10

2

20/21

20 (18)

2

4

19/20*

2 (1)

0

0

18/19*

0 (0)

0

0

The 2021/22 campaign was a year of significant strides for Arsenal. It ended in misery as a late-season slump pulled the club away from a top-four finish and handed Champions League football to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur, but it was clear that something was being built.

Smith Rowe was instrumental, scoring ten top-flight goals and leading Danny Cowley, who coached him while on loan at Huddersfield Town, to remark that he “has potential to be world-class” and is “like Dennis Bergkamp but with pace”.

Having earned the nickname ‘the Croydon [Kevin] De Bruyne’ in his home borough, you’d have a decent understanding of the player’s quality without actually watching him play. But you must. It’s an artistic pleasure.

He plays with a sort of footballing poetic license, not stuck in one role but performing with unfettered freedom, gliding past defenders and wreaking chaos with sharp shooting and silky passing.

He carried the No. 10 embossed on the back of his shirt, like Bergkamp, one of his heroes. The retired Dutch maestro is one of the Premier League’s finest-ever forwards. A dignified and elegant player, Bergkamp’s close control and dribbling were truly first-class, capable of conjuring magical things at Highbury.

Smith Rowe will probably watch back at these past two years ruefully. He’s an immense talent and beloved by the Arsenal faithful, but he’s gained little from staying on the periphery of Arteta’s high-flying squad.

As hard as it was, selling him this summer was probably the right decision.

Smith Rowe is reborn at Fulham

The best things in life are the most difficult to let go. But Fulham paid Arsenal an initial fee of £27m, rising to £34m with add-ons, for the one-cap England international. The Gunners’ club-record sale – ever – is the £35m transfer of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool in 2017.

And now he’s flying. Smith Rowe has only played five matches for the Cottagers in the Premier League so far but he’s scored twice and assisted another.

As per Sofascore, he’s completed 91% of his passes in the Premier League this term, also averaging 0.8 interceptions and 1.8 tackles per game, emphasising that technical skill and tenacity.

Will Arsenal ever see their former prospect playing at the Emirates in red once again? Who knows, but he has been promising throughout the opening weeks of the 2024/25 campaign and will only improve as the matches go by, building form and fluidness under Marco Silva.

Given that the club recouped some £27m for his sale despite having scarcely enjoyed his ability over the past few years, it can only be regarded as a successful move.

But Bergkamp 2.0 once promised so much, looked to be the future superstar at the nucleus of Arteta’s project. Given the regard Arsenal fans hold him in, there will be plenty of hope from north London that he reaches that lofty level, even if it’s not on the grass that the outfit had hoped for.

Arteta must axe 4/10 Arsenal ace earning as much as Raya & Gabriel combined

It’s time the experience ace moves on.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 20, 2024

Newcastle United may have enjoyed a solid start to the 2024/25 campaign, yet Eddie Howe must still be stewing after failing to strengthen his side much during the summer transfer window.

The Magpies missed out on several key targets which would have bolstered their starting XI, thus potentially giving them a better chance of returning to the top four of the Premier League this season.

One of the main transfer sagas was that of Marc Guehi, with the club showing plenty of interest, but a move failed to materialise in the summer.

The Marc Guehi saga

As the transfer window was approaching the final few weeks, Newcastle made a third bid of around £60m which was rejected by Crystal Palace.

The English centre-back remains at the London side, until January at least, and his value could potentially drop if he forces a move North.

Guehi has played in all three of Palace’s league matches so far this term, winning a staggering 76% of his total duels per game, while being dribbled past on just 0.3 occasions each match, showcasing his defensive abilities.

Despite the good start, Howe will always be looking to strengthen his squad and Guehi represents an upgrade to several of his current defenders.

Accurate passes

48.3

Tackles

1

Interceptions

0.3

Clearances

6.3

Total duels won

5.3

Possession lost

8.7

Will he make another approach in January? Only time will tell. The Magpies did sell a centre-back a few years ago who, interestingly, would be worth the same value as Guehi in 2024 money – Jonathan Woodgate.

Jonathan Woodgate’s value in 2024 money

After spending just 18 months at St James' Park, Woodgate was attracting attention from Real Madrid in the summer of 2004.

Hailed as a “perfect” signing when Bobby Robson brought him to the club in January 2003, it was clear the advances of La Liga royalty weren’t going to be swatted away.

An offer of £13.4m was too good to turn down, which saw the English defender swap Newcastle for Madrid.

It wasn’t to be the best of spells for him in Spain – notably scoring an own goal and being sent off on debut – but it was evident that the Toon hit the jackpot on Woodgate, particularly when you consider what his value would be in the modern market. How have we established that? Well, the guys at Totally Money have lent a hand.

So, in 2024 money, this lowly £13.4m transfer fee would now be worth a staggering £60m if he made the same move just now.

Although Palace rejected Newcastle’s £60m bid for Guehi, they could be tempted to do a deal at that price in the next few months, which would see him valued the same as Woodgate was 20 years ago.

Despite making only 37 appearances during his time on Tyneside, Robson struck gold by selling him for more than he paid just 18 months prior.

Woodgate played just 14 times during his spell in Madrid before returning to England where he finished his career.

The future of Guehi is still unclear. If he goes on having another solid few months at Palace, it surely won't just be Newcastle banging on the door at Selhurst Park.

Newcastle could regret selling £1.8m ace who outscored Gordon in 23/24

He’s gone on to have a successful career away from St James’ Park.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 8, 2024

Aston Villa’s start to the 2024/25 season has been something of a mixed bag for the Midlands club so far. They won their first game, securing all three points in a tough away trip to West Ham United, thanks to goals from Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran. However, their first home game of the campaign ended in a 2-0 defeat against Arsenal.

The Villans have a huge season ahead, with a return to the Champions League, and have already made eight signings as they look to improve their squad.

Aston Villa were targeting Serie A striker

The player in question here is AS Roma and England international striker Tammy Abraham.

According to a report from Football Insider, the Villans had been plotting ‘a formal move' to hijack Abraham’s proposed switch to AC Milan, if Jhon Duran departed Villa Park, suggesting that an offer could arrive for the Serie A-based marksman.

The Midlands club ‘believe the striker will choose them’ if they manage to agree terms for a deal with Roma to sign their former loanee, who is deemed to be at the top of their list to replace Duran.

Sadly, any such move will now not come to fruition with the player agreeing a move to Roma in the final hours before deadline day.

Why Abraham would have been a good signing

Unfortunately for the 26-year-old, he missed much of last season with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which he picked up at the start of the campaign. He did make it back to full fitness for the final few games of the season, playing eight Serie A games and getting a goal and an assist.

The season prior to his injury saw the England international in fairly good form. In 2022/23, Abraham managed to find the back of the net on eight occasions in 38 Serie A games, also registering four assists in that time.

As has been previously alluded to, the Roma centre-forward has had a spell at Villa Park before, on loan from Chelsea in 2018/19 when they were in the Championship. It is fair to say the striker was superb, playing 40 games, scoring 26 times and registering three assists. There are certainly good memories of the attacker for Villa fans during his first spell at the club.

Had he returned to the club this summer on a permanent deal, he could have formed a deadly partnership with Morgan Rogers. The enterprising attacker has had a superb start to the season. He put in a “phenomenal” performance against Arsenal last Saturday, as former England goalkeeper Ben Foster said on his YouTube channel, CyclingGK.

Rogers could have been a dream option in behind Abraham, who has a natural instinct in front of goal, as he showed the Villa Park faithful during his first spell at the club. Against the Gunners, the former Man City academy player played two key passes and created one big chance as per Sofascore.

Stat

Number

Touches

48

Passes completed

19/28

Ground duels won

8/10

Dribbles completed

5/7

Key passes

2

Big chances created

1

Getting Abraham – who has been dubbed "outstanding" by journalist Henry Winter – on some of the end of those chances would have been a recipe for success under Unai Emery.

He is a “superb centre-forward”, as football talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, and has elite movement off the last line and inside the penalty box. Given Rogers’ superb creativity in the final third and Abraham’s excellent goalscoring record in a Villa shirt, the pair no doubt would have linked up beautifully together.

Rogers ran the show against one of the best sides in the league, and pairing that up with the Roma striker could have helped them a great deal in their quest to reach the Champions League knockouts and finish in the top four once again.

Onana repeat: Aston Villa have discussed signing "monster" striker

He has 12 months left on his contract and could move before the deadline.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Aug 28, 2024

Leeds United are back in action again tonight, with fans likely raring to witness another clash after claiming their first Championship win of the season on Saturday.

Who could start for Leeds United tonight?

However, the competition shifts for today's Tuesday night match, as the Whites travel to Salford City in the hopes that they can enjoy a deep run in this year’s iteration of the EFL Cup.

As understandably heavy favourites for the clash, given they face off against a League Two side, much of the pressure will rest on Daniel Farke’s team to take the game to the hosts and dictate the play.

However, it will remain a huge banana skin, especially given the German will likely want to rotate his side given the gruelling schedule they face following their relegation.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

As such, it is expected that some of the star youngsters could be given a run in the side, with towering defender Charlie Cresswell surely meriting a place in the side and an opportunity to stake his first-team claim.

How good is Charlie Cresswell?

Having spent the last year on loan with Millwall, the 21-year-old is actually more well-versed than most of the current squad when it comes to Championship football.

As such, he featured 30 times for Gary Rowett’s side, maintaining a 7.13 average rating throughout a gruelling campaign that nearly culminated in a playoff finish.

2022/23

Third Round (loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers)

2021/22

Fourth Round (loss to Arsenal)

2020/21

Second Round (loss to Hull City)

2019/20

Second Round (loss to Stoke City)

2018/19

Second Round (loss to Preston North End)

This stellar figure was upheld by his six goal contributions, alongside 1.3 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

Such fine form was always foreseen though, with there being no bigger believer in his bright future than himself.

He was particularly reflective back in 2021, noting just after signing a new contract: “I’ve been at the club since I was 11 and so to sign a new deal here is just fantastic.

"I'm confident, I'm a leader, I like to play and I like to head it! “There's lots of players in the first team that I look up to, the likes of Coops, Bill, they lead by example and that is what I want to try and follow.

“My targets for the next few years are obviously to try and get in the first team eventually, but in this moment I have got to go in day to day and just push every day to the best of my ability and hopefully that takes me somewhere.”

It seems like he is set to get his chance to achieve the latter goal, but nerves will likely play a big part given this will be just his third start of the term.

Having been out on loan all last year, Cresswell has actually only made two starts in 23 months, with his last coming back in September 2021.

Not only this, but their ropey start to the league season defensively could offer an opportunity should he shine tonight, as they have conceded seven goals in just four games.

The Thorp Arch academy graduate, who is valued at around £6m by FootballTransfers, now has the perfect chance to prove his worth for the new boss against a tricky opposition, pushing himself into contention as the fixture list piles up.

Everton remain desperate for attacking reinforcements as they endeavour to improve their performances in the Premier League this season.

Fortunately, an update has emerged on a late move for a potential transfer target.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Everton are one of the clubs interested in signing PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko.

Tavolieri took to social media to reveal:

"It's getting tighter for Johan Bakayoko! An offer from PSG sent to PSV is expected early next week around €25M [£21m]. Everton wants to get into the fight."

How good is Johan Bakayoko?

There is no doubt that Sean Dyche will be pushing to add more quality to his attacking line over the remaining days of the transfer window, with pressure mounting on the manager following a disappointing start to the season.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE..

In their opening three Premier League fixtures, the Toffees have failed to pick up a single point and have scored zero goals which has left them rock bottom of the table, something that further demonstrates their desperation for a consistent and reliable man up top to make an impact.

As a result, the signing of Bakayoko could be exactly what Dyche needs to boost the creativity and goal threat in the final third. In fact, he could even be a much better signing than Wilfried Gnonto.

The Leeds United ace has been strongly linked with a move to Goodison Park throughout the transfer window, however, nothing has materialised beyond talks with the west Yorkshire club and rejected bids, although after being isolated from the squad due to a request to leave, Gnonto returned to action in the Championship last weekend.

Over 23 Eredivisie appearances last season, the left-footed Bakayoko – once hailed a "wonderful talent" by scout Jacek Kulig – scored five goals, registered five assists and created six big chances, as well as successfully completing 63% of his dribbles and winning 51% of his duels combined, as per SofaScore.

When comparing the 20-year-old output to Gnonto's last season, the PSV star comfortably outperformed his positional peer in a number of key attributes, notably including goal contributions which the former came out on top on, 13 to 6.

Bakayoko is clearly a more rounded package at this stage of the player's respective careers, registering more shots on target rate (42.6% v 33.3%), shot-creating actions per 90 (4.85 v 3.32), successful take-ons (59.2% v 27.3%), aerial duels (48.1% v 30.8%) and boasting a better pass completion rate (77.6% v 72.3%), as per FBref.

It has also been reported by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano that despite slow progress, Demarai Gray could still potentially be on the move to the Saudi Pro League over the coming days, so securing the signing of another forward will be absolutely imperative if the winger does exit.

With all considered, if Everton could complete a deal for Bakayoko before Friday's deadline it would be a major coup for the club and could significantly improve their attacking presence as the Toffees fight to retain their top-flight status at the end of the season.