All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has personally U-turned over selling one Spurs player who's already been subject to a bid this month.

Postecoglou thrilled with January transfer window

The north Londoners have moved swiftly and efficiently, to both trim Postecoglou's squad and seal much-needed upgrades in key positions.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Chairman Daniel Levy backed him with the early-window signings of attacking midfielder Timo Werner and defender Radu Dragusin, who came in to shore up Postecoglou's central defensive and forward options.

The Tottenham head coach, commenting on the club's transfer window ahead of their FA Cup clash with Man City this evening, expressed his happiness over how it has gone.

"Yeah, look, in terms of the rest of the transfer window, I was really pleased that the initial objectives we had in our head, which are someone in at centre-half and someone in the forward positions, that we ticked those off pretty early," said Postecoglou.

"And it’s not just been that we did them early, but they’re two guys who have really benefitted from having 10 days in the building with us, training, adjusting and all that. Both Timo and Radu are both in a really good place to help us going forward.

"As for what happens with the rest of it going forward, as I said last time, we’re always alert and doing work and if we can improve the squad we’ll look to do that. And if there are potentially any outgoings, we’re ready for that depending on what happens."

Postecoglou's last line is particularly intriguing, as he suggests more Spurs exits could be on the cards before February 1.

Timo Werner

RB Leipzig (arrival, loan)

Radu Dragusin

Genoa (arrival, permanent)

Djed Spence

Genoa (exit, loan)

Ashley Phillips

Plymouth (exit, loan)

Sergio Reguilon

Brentford (exit, loan)

Japhet Tanganga

Millwall (exit, loan)

Ivan Perisic

Hajduk Split (exit, loan)

Eric Dier

Bayern Munich (exit, loan)

The likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Bryan Gil are facing uncertain futures at Tottenham, with both men repeatedly linked to leaving and attracting late window interest.

Meanwhile, defender Emerson Royal also has admirers in Saudi Arabia, with Al Nassr making a widely reported offer to sign the Brazilian recently.

Postecoglou pulls Emerson U-turn

Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke have shared an update on the 25-year-old's future, and they claim Postecoglou has pulled a U-turn over Emerson's future and now wants to keep him.

The South American has proved useful for Spurs in recent months, even being deployed as a makeshift centre-back in the absences of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero earlier this season.

Spurs were willing to let Emerson go last summer, but Postecoglou has decided to keep him at N17 as the north Londoners chase Champions League qualification.

The former Real Betis starlet has made 16 league appearances for Spurs this season, including seven starts and nine cameos off the bench.

The last month or so has been an emotional rollercoaster for Chelsea fans, as they watched their team dismantle Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Wednesday evening after watching them get battered in the two Premier League games prior.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side have been incredibly inconsistent so far this season, and while their defence certainly needs a lot of work, their inability to put away chances is more of a pressing issue.

As things stand, only summer signing Cole Palmer has reached double figures for the Blues across all competitions this year, which is a pretty woeful state of affairs for one of the biggest teams in the country.

However, the fact that a player they sold for just £1m a couple of years ago has been having an even better season than the former Manchester City gem typifies the problems at the club.

Chelsea's sale of Giroud

The player in question is none other than France’s all-time top goalscorer and World Cup winner, Olivier Giroud.

The Blues signed the lethal frontman from cross-city rivals Arsenal in January 2018 for the relatively modest fee – at least by today’s standards – of around £18m, after his game time in N5 had been seriously reduced with the arrival of Alexandre Lacazette the summer prior.

During his stint in west London, Giroud made 119 appearances for the Pensioners, scoring 39 goals and providing 14 assists, meaning he was averaging 0.44 goal involvements per match – a respectable return for the price tag.

While he was never the most popular or most impressive player at the club, his time with Chelsea did coincide with their second Champions League triumph, and though he didn’t play in the final, his six goals on the way there certainly meant he played his part.

However, shortly in that same summer, it was announced that he had been sold to AC Milan for the paltry fee of £1m, and while it was probably seen as reasonable at the time given his age, his performances since suggest there should have been at least a zero after that one.

Giroud's Milan record

The former Arsenal man wasted no time settling in when he arrived at the San Siro and enjoyed a tremendous first season in Italy, where he played a crucial role in the Rossoneri winning their first Scudetto for 11 years.

The Italian giants needed a point from their final-day game against Sassuolo after Inter Milan won theirs, and the Frenchman scored a brace to help them collect all three.

In all, the “top-level” forward, as former manager Arsène Wenger described him, has scored 44 goals and provided 20 assists for Milan in the 112 games he’s played for them, meaning that he averages a goal involvement once every 1.75 games, a frankly remarkable statistic for a 37-year-old striker in one of Europe’s top five leagues.

What’s even more remarkable is that he isn’t slowing down and has been more productive than Chelsea’s best player this season, Palmer.

For example, the “exceptional” striker, as described by Gary Lineker, has scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in 27 appearances, meaning he’s averaging 0.77 goal involvements this season.

Giroud

Palmer

27

30

12

14

9

7

0.77

0.70

In contrast, Palmer’s 14 goals and seven assists in 30 appearances mean he is averaging slightly less, around 0.70 goal involvements per match.

Poch's next Dele Alli was as good as Palmer in Chelsea's win vs Villa

The 24-year-old has the ability to explode under Pochettino.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 8, 2024

Ultimately, the Blues have an extremely talented player on their hands in the Wythenshawe-born gem, but how much better off would they be this season with Giroud in the team?

After sacking Darren Moore at the beginning of the week, Huddersfield Town have commenced their search to fill their vacant managerial role, reportedly making their first move to sign a former Championship boss.

Darren Moore sacked

With just three wins in 23 games to his name, Moore's exit looked on the cards for some time at Huddersfield before it eventually came. Huddersfield owner and chairman Kevin Nagle said via the club's official website after the decision: “We have to make this decision to give us the best chance of maintaining our Sky Bet Championship status come the end of the season.

“Darren is a fantastic man, and he has worked tirelessly since taking the job back in September. I know I speak for everyone at the club in wishing him the very best for the future.

“We appointed Darren on the strength of his credentials as a manager, but it is now clear that this has not worked as we envisaged and hoped. There have absolutely been mitigating circumstances, such as the high number of injuries that Darren has had to cope with, but we have still not seen enough on the pitch in terms of results or the direction of travel in playing style and performances.

“I believe that our current squad is capable of more, particularly on the back of the work we have carried out in this transfer window, and we’re quickly moving to identify the right person to lead them through a crucial period of the season. We hope to make that managerial appointment soon.”

Now, reports suggest that the Terriers have made their first move to welcome a new manager. According to TEAMtalk, Huddersfield have made contact with John Eustace over the vacant managerial role. Eustace's last role ended in controversial fashion when Birmingham City opted to replace him with Wayne Rooney despite competing for the play-offs. Having since sacked Rooney following a disastrous spell, Birmingham now sit just four points clear of the relegation zone.

"Excellent" Eustace should be top target

Still without a job after Birmingham, Eustace should be Huddersfield's number one target, with his Championship experience speaking for itself. Given that the West Yorkshire side already played in Eustace's preferred formation of 3-5-2 under Moore, it may not take them too long to adjust to what would still hopefully be an improved system at The John Smith's Stadium.

Games

64

Wins

21

Losses

28

Draws

15

Points per game

1.22

Many were left shocked by Birmingham's decision, but it is one that Huddersfield can now take full advantage of. Among those surprised was The Telegraph's Alan Biggs, who posted on X:

As Huddersfield's search continues, they may well hope that their reported contact results in a move for Eustace in the coming days as they look to avoid Championship relegation.

Last month, it emerged that Erik ten Hag and Manchester United are keeping an eye on Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who's just returned from an eight-month ban for breaking gambling rules.

Brentford want £100m to sell Toney, and aren't prepared to drop much lower in negotiations, so it remains to be seen whether United are priced out of a deal or whether they launch a blockbuster move at the start of the Jim Ratcliffe era. The Red Devils also have alternatives in mind, including, as it turns out, the player Brentford view as their ideal replacement for Toney.

United in touch over Jonathan David

According to Football Transfers, Manchester United have made contact over a deal for Jonathan David, registering their interest in the Canadian striker. Alongside Brentford, fellow Premier League sides Aston Villa, Chelsea and Newcastle are all keen too.

The Bees are firm admirers of David, with Thomas Frank impressed by what he saw when Lille visited Brentford for a pre-season friendly last summer. The German apparently believes that he has what it takes to be Toney's successor at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Luckhurst reveals what INEOS think will happen with Ashworth and Man Utd

United want Ashworth to be their new sporting director.

ByDavid Comerford Feb 14, 2024

Lille have set out an asking price of around €50m (which is equivalent to about £43m) for David's suitors, and while they're "reluctant" to let him go, he's thought to be "desperate" to play in the Premier League.

United fans will love David's Liverpool comments

David, who has scored 13 goals and provided six assists in his 30 appearances this season, has made no secret of his aforementioned desire to move to the English top-flight.

Speaking during Canada's World Cup campaign in 2022, he said: "The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think every player would want to play there some day."

Player

Goals

Assists

Rasmus Hojlund

11

2

Alejandro Garnacho

7

2

Marcus Rashford

5

5

Anthony Martial

2

1

Antony

1

1

He actually gave that answer when asked directly about supposed interest from United, and while he wouldn't comment on the club directly, he has already ticked one important box for the Old Trafford faithful. During his time with previous club Gent in Belgium, he singled out Liverpool, who are of course United's arch-rivals, as the one Premier League side he doesn't particularly like.

He said: "I love all teams in the Premier League: Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, but also Southampton, Crystal Palace, Everton … I like nice teams. I’m just not a big fan of Liverpool."

United and Brentford are entangled in something of a transfer web at the moment as they plan to make striker signings in the summer. There could be a scenario where the London club reject an offer from Ten Hag's side for Toney, and then find themselves battling with the 20-time champions for the signature of David.

After another afternoon to forget in the Premier League, Mauricio Pochettino failed to provide a positive update on the return of one of Chelsea's key players to further compile the Blues' misery.

Chelsea injury news

In a week to forget, Chelsea lost the Carabao Cup final against a young Liverpool side, before edging past Leeds United in an unconvincing performance and drawing 2-2 in a similarly shaky display against Brentford. Stuck in the Premier League's mid-table, Pochettino is running out of solutions and his injury list certainly isn't helping.

Wesley Fofana

03/06/2024

Christopher Nkunku

30/03/2024

Reece James

30/03/2024

Benoit Badiashile

11/03/2024

Carney Chukwuemeka

11/03/2024

Romeo Lavia

11/03/2024

Lesley Ugochukwu

No Return Date

With the visit of Newcastle United up next, the Blues will have to cope without a number of players once again as they battle to somehow turn their season around. Now more than ever, Pochettino needs a result after Chelsea fans aired their discontent over his tenure alongside Todd Boehly's in their 2-2 draw against Brentford.

One man they'll have to cope without is Reece James. Pochettino failed to provide a return date for James, who posted an update on social media recently. The Chelsea boss said via Football London: "We don't know. I cannot say the date of when it is possible."

James, of course, was just as cryptic with an update of his own, posting a picture on Instagram with the caption: "All these setbacks I took would break you. The comeback is coming."

As things stand, however, Pochettino and Chelsea are unsure when exactly that comeback will be.

"Impressive" James is vital to Chelsea

There will be no one more frustrated by his injury history than James himself. The Chelsea captain just can't get a consistent run of games under his belt, which has created quite the problem for Chelsea. Even during Thomas Tuchel's tenure, the full-back found himself providing an injury boost by returning to earn the praise of the German.

Tuchel said back in 2022 after James returned from injury via The Sport Review: “We missed him for such a long time that you get used to it. It was nine weeks and in this time we had something like 25 matches so we were constantly trying to find solutions and we did it as a team.

“We managed to win games and even titles in this period but once he’s back and plays three times, today the first time from the beginning you see what you missed. It’s such huge quality and very impressive how decisive he is in training and now even in the games.

With the Euros coming up this summer, not only will the right-back be eyeing a Premier League return, but also a place in the England team as he faces a race against time to make the tournament fully fit.

Celtic turn their attention back to the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they prepare to welcome St. Johnstone to Parkhead on Saturday afternoon.

The Hoops head into this match off the back of a 4-2 win over Livingston in the quarter-finals of the SFA Cup last weekend, thanks to a hat-trick from Daizen Maeda and one strike from Kyogo Furuhashi.

That win created a semi-final tie with Aberdeen next month and the Bhoys will now look to secure a domestic cup before the end of the campaign, having been knocked out of the League Cup by Kilmarnock back in August.

For now, the attention should be on the Premiership as Celtic are currently two points behind Rangers, who do not play until Sunday, at the top of the table.

A win would send the Hoops up to first, at least until their rivals play, and would be a much-needed response to the 2-0 defeat to Hearts last time out in the division.

Brendan Rodgers could look to make some changes to the starting XI that lined up against Kilmarnock and one alteration he should make is to bring Daniel Kelly in for Paulo Bernardo, amid the club's injury issues in that position.

Latest Celtic injury news

The Hoops look set to be without their captain against St. Johnstone on Saturday as Callum McGregor continues to deal with an Achilles issue.

Rodgers recently stated that he is hoping that the Scotland international will be ready to return from his absence after the international break, which starts next week.

The Celtic skipper has not featured for the club since he scored in the 7-1 drubbing of Dundee at the end of last month, and it remains to be seen whether or not the central midfielder will make an appearance in March.

McGregor is not the only Hoops star out through injury, though, as Reo Hatate remains out with the calf injury he sustained whilst on international duty with Japan.

The manager recently confirmed that the talented dynamo is due to return to team training during the international break, with the hope that he can feature against Livingston in the Premiership at the end of this month.

These injury blows mean that Rodgers is limited in what he can do with his midfield trio against St. Johnstone on Saturday, as Kelly and Odin Thiago Holm were his only substitutes for those positions last time out.

Holm has been an unused substitute in each of the club's last five matches in all competitions and has only made eight appearances – with two of those coming as a starter – in the Premiership since his permanent move to Glasgow last summer.

Kelly must now finally be unleashed from the start in the Premiership as the Norwegian youngster is seemingly out of favour, and Bernardo has struggled in recent games.

Paulo Bernardo's recent struggles for Celtic

The 22-year-old whiz, who is currently on loan from Portuguese giants Benfica, has been fairly unimpressive in his recent performances for the Scottish giants.

Bernardo started against Livingston last time out in the SFA Cup but was substituted with the score at 2-2 in the 61st minute after failing to score or assist any goals in just over an hour on the pitch.

That display came after the young gem had also started against Hearts at Tynecastle in Celtic's last Premiership match. His outing that day only lasted 45 minutes as Rodgers opted to haul him off after an uneventful first-half display.

He failed to register a shot on target or create a single chance for his teammates, which highlights how little the midfielder offered in possession. Bernardo was also dribbled past (twice) as many times as he completed tackles, as the Jam Tarts players found it too easy to get the better of him.

Appearances

15

Starts

10

Goals

2

Assists

2

Key passes per game

0.5

Duel success rate

48%

As you can see in the table above, the attacking midfielder has rarely provided quality at the top end of the pitch, with both of those assists coming in one match against St Mirren on New Year's Day, particularly with less than one chance created per game.

Rodgers must now unleash the teenage whiz – Kelly – from the start due to Bernardo's underwhelming displays and the injuries to Hatate and McGregor.

Daniel Kelly's Celtic stats this season

The 18-year-old talent has burst onto the scene in the first-team this season and has shown glimpses of quality in his limited minutes for the side so far.

He has made four appearances as a substitute for the Scottish giants, with two outings in the Premiership and two in the SFA Cup – including coming on for Bernardo against Livingston last time out.

Kelly, who was recently hailed as a "real powerhouse" by Scotland U18 boss Billy Stark, has already scored his first senior goal for the club with a fantastic finish against Dundee in the 7-1 win for Celtic last month.

Minutes played

45

Goals

1

Pass accuracy

83%

Dribble success rate

100%

Interceptions

1

Hyun-jun Yang cut the ball back across the box for the naturally left-footed whiz to curl the ball into the back of the net with his weaker right foot.

That strike came after the teenage dynamo had scored three goals in 22 games for Celtic at youth level during the first half of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Hoops youngster could, therefore, offer a similar or greater goalscoring threat in comparison to Bernardo, who has only scored two goals in 15 Premiership matches.

Kelly has not made his full first-team debut for the club yet, with only cameo appearances under his belt to date, and Rodgers must finally unleash him from the start to see what the talented maestro can produce.

Bernardo's recent performances do not suggest that he deserves to keep his place in the starting XI and the injuries to Hatate and McGregor have provided the manager with the perfect opportunity to bring the B team star in for what could be his breakthrough moment in the senior team.

Leeds United are back in action in the Championship this afternoon as they take on Millwall at Elland Road after Ipswich Town played on Saturday.

The Whites know that all three points will take them back into the automatic promotion places as they battle it out with Leicester City, the Tractor Boys, and Southampton to secure a place in the top two.

They are aiming to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, following their relegation at the end of last season, and a win against Neil Harris' side today would be another step in the right direction.

Daniel Farke's men come into this match off the back of a 2-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough in the second tier, having beaten Stoke City in their previous league outing.

Despite the win in their last game against the Owls, the German head coach must make at least one change to his XI as Crysencio Summerville should be brutally ditched from the team to be replaced by Dan James.

Crysencio Summerville's stats against Sheffield Wednesday

The 22-year-old wizard has not been at his sparkling best in recent weeks and that was clear in his disappointing display against Wednesday.

He lined up on the left flank as part of the attack alongside Georginio Rutter, Wilfried Gnonto, and Patrick Bamford but failed to make an impact in the final third.

In 83 minutes on the pitch, Summerville only created one chance for his teammates, which was not a 'big chance', and ended the game with 0.11 xA.

His fellow attackers were, however, able to provide him with a terrific opportunity in front of goal. Gnonto played the ball through to the winger to send him one-on-one against James Beadle, and the former Feyenoord failed to finish as the young shot-stopper made the save.

This meant that Summerville, who also lost both of his aerial duels, came off the pitch with one key pass, one 'big chance' missed, and zero goals and assists to show for his efforts.

He has now gone six matches in all competitions without a single goal or assist on the left flank, which suggests that the well has dried up in front of goal for him.

In those six outings, Summerville had 13 shots at goal and missed two 'big chances'. The attacker was wasteful with the opportunities that came his way, and should now be brutally ditched from the XI.

It has been a sustained – with over around 436 minutes since his last goal contribution – dip in form and Farke must react by dropping the talented forward to the bench, in the hope that it will bring a reaction from him off the bench or in the future matches.

Leeds will want the Dutchman to be back at his best as they know that he can be an explosive and devastating force to Championship defences when he is in full flow.

Crysencio Summerville's Championship stats

The Whites star, in spite of his recent struggles at the top end of the pitch, has been one of the best forward players in the division as both a scorer and a creator of goals for his side.

In fact, only three players – Adam Armstrong, Morgan Whittaker, and Sammie Szmodics – have scored more goals than the 22-year-old dynamo (15) in the Championship this term, which shows that he has been one of the biggest goalscoring threats in the league.

Summerville also ranks third in the division for Expected Assists (xA) with 9.73 but has only been rewarded with eight assists for his efforts, which suggests that his teammates have not taken advantage of the quality of chances he has been able to create for them throughout the season.

Sofascore rating

7.79

1st

Expected Goals

13.38

1st

Goals

15

1st

Expected Assists

9.73

1st

Assists

8

2nd

Key passes per game

2.8

1st

As you can see in the table above, the impressive magician has been an outstanding performer for the Whites in a host of key attacking metrics, which speak to his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

However, that ability in the final third has not been on display in recent weeks, with his six-game drought, which is why James should be unleashed ahead of him against Millwall.

Dan James' Championship stats this season

The Wales international should replace Summerville in the starting XI as he also has the quality to score and create goals from a wide position, but has been in better form than his teammate of late.

James has produced one goal and one assist in his last five appearances for Leeds in all competitions, with the winning goal in the 1-0 win over Stoke and an assist in the 3-1 success over Leicester.

Minutes played

90

Sofascore rating

7.5

Goals

1

Key passes

4

Dribbles completed

1

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh gem created four chances to go along with his winning goal, which was a well-struck but deflected effort into the corner.

The former Manchester United forward, who was hailed as "really clinical" by Farke earlier this season, has scored 11 goals from 8.90 xG in 24 Championship outings. This shows that he has been lethal in front of goal and made the most of the chances that have come his way, as he has outperformed his xG by around two.

James has also showcased his quality as a creator of goals for others. The £30k-per-week whiz has created 11 'big chances' and assisted his fellow attackers on seven occasions, which suggests that his teammates have let him down at times with wasteful finishing.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old speedster is similar to Summerville in the sense that they both offer a duel threat in the final third, albeit the Dutchman has provided goals and assists more frequently over the course of the campaign.

Therefore, it would make sense to replace the 22-year-old – who is in poor form – with James for this afternoon's clash with Millwall at Elland Road, as he could do a similar job down the left flank to cause the away team constant problems with his running and quality on the ball.

Aston Villa secured a sensational 4-0 victory over Ajax in the second leg of their Europa Conference League tie in midweek and the result could give them plenty of momentum heading into their weekend clash against West Ham United.

Villa lost 4-0 to Tottenham Hotspur last weekend in a result that threatened to derail their bid for a top-four finish in the Premier League, but Unai Emery must be confident heading into tomorrow’s clash.

In the reverse fixture, the Midlands side defeated the Irons 4-1 and another result like this would surely make the Spaniard a happy man.

With the clash coming just three days after their European exertions, it is clear there could be a change or two among the team in order to add some freshness to the side.

With this in mind, here's a look at the starting XI that Emery could unleash against the Hammers…

1 GK – Emiliano Martínez

The World Cup-winning goalkeeper did not put a foot wrong against the Dutch giants in midweek, keeping his 12th clean sheet of the campaign.

Truth be told, he didn’t actually have to do much, making zero saves during the clash, as Villa eventually ran away with it, and he could sit back and admire how well they were playing.

The former Arsenal man will be aiming to add another clean sheet against West Ham tomorrow.

2 RB – Matty Cash

Cash played the full 90 minutes against Ajax and delivered an excellent performance. Not only did he finish the game with a 93% pass success rate, but the defender showed his willingness to get involved by taking 67 touches along with losing possession just seven times.

Emery will be hoping for a similar display against the Hammers and he will retain his place on the right side of the defence.

3 CB – Pau Torres

The Spaniard won 100% of his ground duels against Ajax, and he has impressed for Villa this term since joining from Villarreal.

Indeed, he has only been dribbled past on 0.5 occasions per game in the top flight, while the defender has won 54% of his total duels contested.

Keeping a clean sheet in midweek will have given him a confidence boost as he keeps his place for the weekend.

4 CB – Clement Lenglet

Diego Carlos started against Ajax; however, he was taken off in the 74th minute due to injury, with Lenglet replacing him.

The on-loan centre-back has made just 21 appearances for the Midlands side since arriving last summer, and it took until the 22nd of December for him to make his league debut.

Since then, however, Lenglet has started every single Premier League match and this won't change ahead of the West Ham clash.

5 LB – Lucas Digne

Alex Moreno was chosen as the starting left-back for the second leg against the Eredivisie outfit, yet his performance was certainly below par.

He lost possession 17 times, while completing just 75% of his passes, and it was a poor display all-round.

This opens the door for Digne to take his place against West Ham, and it would be just his second league start of 2024 following last week’s defeat.

6 RM – Leon Bailey

The former Bayer Leverkusen winger scored his 12th goal of an excellent campaign against Ajax on Thursday, and he has arguably been one of the standout performers this season for Emery.

Bailey has also registered 11 assists across all competitions and against West Ham, the Spaniard will deploy him on the right of the midfield in what will likely be a 4-4-2 formation.

7 CM – Youri Tielemans

Captain John McGinn misses the next few matches due to suspension following his red card against Spurs last weekend and this will see Tielemans take his place.

The Belgian has often been deployed in a more advanced role or out on the left, but with McGinn missing combined with Boubacar Kamara’s injury, Emery may have little choice but to unleash the former Leicester gem.

Surprisingly, the 26-year-old has started only ten league matches this term. Expect tomorrow to be his 11th.

8 CM – Douglas Luiz

The Brazilian has been the life of this Villa side throughout the 2023/24 campaign, registering 20 goal contributions – ten goals and ten assists – for the club.

Once again, he will take his place at the heart of the midfield, with Tielemans as his partner against West Ham.

9 LM – Jacob Ramsey

Morgan Rogers was given the nod to start on the left against Ajax, but he took just 13 touches, won one duel, and failed to have a shot on target.

He was hooked at the break for Tielemans and against the Hammers, Emery may go with Jacob Ramsey on the left.

The £70k-per-week gem has started just eight league matches this term as he has battled a few injury problems.

Hailed as a player who could be “top class in the future” by Jamie Carragher, Ramsey has had a season he would soon rather forget as he focuses his attention on the 2024/25 campaign.

10 ST – Moussa Diaby

The Frenchman hasn’t quite had the impact many expected upon his move from Germany last summer, as he has scored just seven times in all competitions.

He managed to score against Ajax, however, and this should give him a boost ahead of tomorrow's tie, where he will retain his place in the starting XI.

It's been a decent week for Arsenal in the Premier League. Their draw away to Manchester City and wins at home to Luton Town have kept them within touching distance of league leaders Liverpool.

Mikel Arteta's side will need to win most, if not all, of their remaining games to lift the title this season, but with their goalscoring form since the turn of the year, that's entirely possible.

However, at the start of next term, Gabriel Jesus could find his game time more limited; at least, that looks like it could be the case based on recent reports linking the club to a new number nine who has been compared to Harry Kane in the past.

Latest Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Arsenal are among several top fight clubs across Europe interested in signing Bologna's talented striker, Joshua Zirkzee, this summer.

The report revealed that while AC Milan would likely be the forward's preferred destination, he would not be opposed to moving to the Premier League, with both the Gunners and Manchester United being the most interested English clubs.

Bayern Munich has a buyback clause worth around €40m – £34m – but it appears clear that neither party is interested in making that happen, so the Rossoblu will be able to name their price once the window opens.

The Italian report claims that Bologna considers Zirkzee's situation similar to Rasmus Hojlund's last summer. So, a price tag of around €75m has been discussed for clubs outside of Italy, which comes to about £64m. While that would be a serious investment from Arsenal, he might just be worth it.

How Zirkzee compares to Jesus

So the first and arguably most important thing to consider with any new potential striker signing is how their output compares to the forward they could replace, and in this case, Zirkzee comes out just ahead.

Appearances

31

27

Goals

11

8

Assists

6

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.54

0.48

In his 31 games this season, the Dutchman has scored 11 goals and provided six assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.8 games. In contrast, Jesus' return of eight goals and five assists in 27 appearances means he averages a goal involvement every two games.

Okay, so what about their underlying numbers, then? Well, here it is a lot closer, and it's actually the Brazilian who just about edges it in the most relevant metrics for a starting number nine.

Expected Goals + Assists

0.51

0.63

Goals

0.40

0.30

Assists

0.12

0.22

Progressive Passes

2.69

2.67

Progressive Carries

1.70

2.22

Shots on Target

1.03

1.26

Goals per Shot on Target

0.31

0.24

For example, the former Manchester City ace produces higher expected goals and assists figure, provides more actual assists, completes more progressive carries, and takes more shots on target per 90.

However, it isn't all that one-sided, as Bologna's "insane athlete", as data analyst Ben Mattinson described him, scores more goals, completes more progressive passes, and has a better conversion rate from his shots on target, all per 90.

Moreover, while it seems from the surface that Jesus is the better creator, Mattinson has argued that it is the ineffective attack of Bologna that is hampering the 6 foot 4 titan's creative numbers and that, in reality, his "his intelligence as a creator & facilitator is out of this world."

The respected analyst has drawn comparisons to former Tottenham Hotspur forward Kane, in that Zirkzee is burdened with the vast majority of the creative work in his current side and if he was placed in a team with goalscoring wingers and midfielders, his "productivity would sky-rocket."

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Ultimately, Arsenal have a great forward in Jesus, and he's likely to play some sort of role at the club for a number of years to come, but if they have the opportunity to sign Zirkzee this summer and bring him into a team with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka out wide, they absolutely should.

Having seen the havoc that Kane – who boasts 213 Premier League goals – has wreaked across north London, snapping up a similar figure would be a welcome treat for the Emirates side.

Unless Liverpool produce a miraculous comeback against Atalanta in the Europa League on Thursday night, Jurgen Klopp will manage his side for only seven more matches before leaving as manager for the final time.

To say change s afoot would be something of an understatement for an outfit that has risen from the rubble to enjoy the most illustrious period of its modern history under the German's wing, but he is leaving, and a successor is needed.

Luckily, Liverpool have worked hard to appoint a worthy heir and, while nothing is set in stone, the pointers confidently suggest that Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim will be the man to take the baton.

The 39-year-old has worked wonders in Portugal's capital to defeat the Porto slash Benfica monopoly and win one league title and three domestic cups since his arrival in 2020. Moreover, he's four points clear in Liga Portugal this term with a game in hand, awaiting one of Porto or Vitoria FC in the Taca de Portugal final in May.

Amorim does not play the same brand of pressing and counter-pressing football that Klopp has woven intrinsically into Anfield's DNA, but he's tactically savvy with a wonderful ball-focused style of play, almost exclusively fielding a three-man backline.

It would be something different, but there's every chance it could be an auspicious appointment. Here's how the starting line-up could look at the start of the 2024/25 season.

1 GK – Alisson Becker

It's been a frustrating campaign for Alisson Becker, who has languished on the sidelines with various injuries for chunky portions, but he's still one of the finest goalkeepers in the business and he's going nowhere next term.

2 CB – Ibrahima Konate

While he's not had the greatest of weeks, Ibrahima Konate remains a high-level centre-back and he would excel in a tweaked defensive set-up, with his ground-covering brilliance, technical skills and monstrous physicality likely to work wonders next season.

3 CB – Virgil van Dijk

Virgil van Dijk has won silverware in his maiden season as Liverpool captain and while recent results have threatened the crucial final phase of Klopp's swansong, he's been imperious and will continue to serve as the Premier League's standout defender under new management.

4 CB – Goncalo Inacio

The interesting new asset and the man who will be the fulcrum of Liverpool's shift in shape under Amorim's tutelage, we are predicting Goncalo Inacio to finally make the leap to English shores following Liverpool's vested interest in the dynamic defender last year.

Multiple reports suggest that the Reds can snap the ball-playing specialist up for just £40m this summer, with his singular style perfect for slotting in an extra man alongside Van Dijk and Konate.

As per FBref, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 20% of central defenders across divisions similar to Liga Portugal over the past year for goals, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for passes attempted and progressive passes, the top 10% for progressive carries and the top 11% for successful take-ons per 90.

5 RWB – Trent Alexander-Arnold

He seems destined for a future in the centre of the park and perhaps that will occur under Amorim, but for now Trent Alexander-Arnold's masterful qualities will be needed down the right channel in a role that might actually suit him perfectly.

Bolstering by three centre-halves, the influential England international could find his creativity reach even loftier heights, having created 13 big chances and averaged 2.5 key passes and 6.4 ball recoveries across just 19 Premier League starts in 2023/24, as per Sofascore.

6 LWB – Andy Robertson

Andy Robertson is used to playing in a back four but he is blessed with so much energy and enthusiasm that there's no doubt he'll be able to adapt to a wing-back role, simply provided a greater license to overlap and whip fierce balls into the box. After all, he has featured in that role for Scotland on occasion.

7 CM – Alexis Mac Allister

Signed from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m last summer, Alexis Mac Allister has probably been Liverpool's best season this season and you can bet your bottom dollar that he'll play an orchestrating role in the centre for Amorim.

8 CM – Martin Hjulmand

Wataru Endo has been a brilliant surprise signing for Liverpool in holding midfield and invariably works his socks off, but Amorim could be convinced to return to Sporting Lisbon to sign Martin Hjulmand, who has been a monster in the middle for his title-chasing team this season.

Matches played

25

Matches started

23

Goals

3

Assists

2

Pass completion

87%

Key passes per game

0.8

Tackles per game

1.9

Ball recoveries per game

5.1

Duels won per game

4.0

Like Inacio, the 24-year-old Dane has been touted with a move to Merseyside this summer, following his current manager's footsteps.

9 RW – Michael Olise

The big one. While the thought of Mohamed Salah leaving Liverpool leaves a gnawing sense of dread at the core of every supporter, the 31-year-old is out of contract in 2025 and Amorim might be inclined to cash in while he still can, with the Reds rejecting a £150m proposal from Al-Ittihad last summer.

Crystal Palace's Michael Olise would be the perfect man for the job, and with Liverpool linked with a move for the rising winger back in January, who has a £60m release clause in his contract, it could be the move to make.

He's been hailed as a "wizard" by writer Muhammad Butt, having clinched six goals and three assists from only nine starting displays in the top-flight this term, also averaging 1.9 key passes, 2.3 dribbles and 6.2 successful duels per game to underscore his robustness.

10 LW – Luis Diaz

Paris Saint-Germain have recently been linked with a move for Luis Diaz but with Salah possibly on the move, it's unlikely that the Colombian will leave too, especially given how well his qualities would meld into Amorim's tactical set-up.

Diaz is electric-paced and boasts a kind of clockwork cohesion in his unceasing runs down the left channel. He's not the most clinical of players but he will do so much work to ensure the new era on Merseyside is filled with success.