All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

West Ham United are at the end of an era, with the club confirming this week that David Moyes will leave by mutual consent when his contract expires this summer.

Julen Lopetegui is Moyes' cut-and-dried successor – albeit not officially announced yet – with the Scotsman having left the squad in a fantastic position to maintain the growth and promise of recent years – notably including three campaigns on the continent, with last year's Conference League conquest ending in silverware.

While the first team is blessed with some high-level quality, playmaker Lucas Paqueta has been linked with a £85m transfer to Manchester City. If only West Ham had prudently secured a replacement last summer, coming close to landing Cole Palmer.

West Ham's interest in Cole Palmer

Paqueta's move to Manchester City was only foiled due to the Brazilian's charges following an FA betting investigation, still unsettled, and while that fell through, perhaps the Hammers should have forged ahead with a deal for Palmer, who's enjoying a pretty decent breakout season.

Palmer transferred to Chelsea for an initial £40m fee last summer to take the Blues' spending under owner Todd Boehly past the £1bn mark, but sift through all the wayward signings at Stamford Bridge and find right here a bona fide diamond.

Palmer, aged 22, has scored 24 goals and added 13 assists across 42 matches for Chelsea and has been praised as "exceptionally talented" by presenter Gary Lineker for an incredible individual campaign.

1.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

25

2.

Cole Palmer

Chelsea

21

3.

Alexander Isak

Newcastle United

20

4.

Ollie Watkins

Aston Villa

19

5.

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

18

5.

Dominic Solanke

Bournemouth

18

Given Palmer's sensational rise to prominence in his first campaign as a regular in the Premier League, West Ham could have found a new level of success altogether had he been signed, with Moyes revealing that a move was "close" and that he was in "regular contact with his agent" before the pieces fell out of place – likely due to Paqueta remaining in east London.

Palmer isn't the only player to have narrowly missed the flight so to speak, with Sporting Lisbon sharpshooter Viktor Gyokeres also coming close to linking up with Moyes' project last summer.

Imagine Cole Palmer & Viktor Gyokeres

The Sweden international's inclusion at centre-forward would almost certainly have handed Moyes the requisite tools to go that little bit further in the Premier League this season and ensconce themselves in a European-qualifying position.

Gyokeres completed a £20m transfer to Sporting CP – despite interest from the Hammers in 2023 – after an exemplary campaign in the Championship with Coventry City, reaching the play-off final and posting 22 goals and 12 assists.

He's transcended his previous form under Ruben Amorim, bagging 41 goals and 15 assists from 47 matches across domestic and continental competitions, with his first-rate performances as the attacking focal point all but securing the Liga Portugal title.

Analyst Ben Mattison has emphasised the severity of missing out on the 25-year-old, also describing him as "a powerhouse", with his elite athleticism, hold-up play and incisive movements making him the perfect style of striker for the Premier League and a robust outfit like West Ham.

With Michail Antonio out of contract this summer and Danny Ings reported to have been transfer-listed for just £6.5m, there's no doubt that Lopetegui is going to prioritise signing a shiny new forward this summer.

Gyokeres is valued at no less than £86m by his Portuguese outfit and, should he move, it would be to a team at the very forefront of the European game (with Arsenal and Chelsea among those intrigued), so the door might just be closed on this one.

West Ham must cash in on 3/10 star who just condemned Moyes

The Hammers sank to a dismal defeat at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

ByAngus Sinclair May 5, 2024

What a shame for Moyes and his legacy, which has fizzled out like a disappointing firework after such illustrious heights – it all could have been so different…

Wolverhampton Wanderers return to Premier League action this afternoon, taking on Crystal Palace at Molineux in what is their final home game of the season.

If the Old Gold win their final two games, they could snatch a top-half finish, yet it could depend on other teams' results whether this happens.

Regardless, Gary O’Neil has enjoyed a solid debut campaign in the Midlands as he will be aiming to take six points from six in the next two games, albeit while facing the frustration of having to pick a side without the likes of Pedro Neto and Craig Dawson due to injury.

Could there be a change or two in the starting XI? As several players performed poorly against Manchester City last weekend – including Boubacar Traore.

Why Boubacar Traore could be dropped against Crystal Palace

The promising starlet started the game in the heart of the midfield three, alongside Mario Lemina and Joao Gomes, yet failed to really assert his influence throughout the clash.

Indeed, he may have finished the game with a 92% pass success rate, yet the youngster failed to deliver a key pass or create a big chance when he did have the ball.

Additionally, Traore also lost possession four times, succeeded with just one dribble and was dribbled past once in what was a fairly underwhelming showing.

Accurate passes

35 (38)

Total duels (won)

7 (4)

Key passes

0

Dribble attempts (successful)

2 (1)

Possession lost

4

He was even given a match rating of just 4/10 in 90min for his display, and it looks as though he could drop back to the bench for the clash against Palace today.

Thankfully, O’Neil has the perfect replacement – Tommy Doyle.

Tommy Doyle’s statistics for Wolves this season

The youngster wasn’t in the squad for the 5-1 defeat to City due to being on loan from the Champions, but the Old Gold have made his move permanent ahead of next season, activating the option in his loan contract.

The Englishman has certainly enjoyed a fruitful loan spell in the Midlands, making 30 appearances across all competitions, scoring once during an FA Cup tie against Brentford.

Hailed as “fantastic” alongside Cole Palmer and Liam Delap by talent scout Jacek Kulig in 2021, Doyle failed to really make the grade at City, playing only seven times for the senior side.

A move to Wolves has certainly reinvigorated the midfielder, and he could turn out to be a shrewd investment, especially as they could cash in on him a few years down the line should Doyle utilise his talents.

Among his teammates, Doyle currently ranks seventh for accurate passes per game (32.3) in the top flight, along with ranking third for accurate long balls per game (3.1) and eighth for interceptions per game (0.5), showing his talents off across a range of metrics.

He is still only 22, which means the midfielder will continue to get better and better the more he plays in the Premier League.

City’s loss is Wolves’ gain as the £10k-per-week ace could turn out to be a superb piece of transfer business. The youngster will be well rested ahead of the Palace tie and this could see O’Neil unleash him in the starting XI in place of Traore.

Palace have been in solid form of late, securing a stunning 4-0 win over Manchester United in midweek. If Wolves want all three points, they will have to perform at their very best.

O'Neil could ditch Semedo to unleash "sensational" Wolves gem in 24/25

Wolves had a perfect replacement for Nelson Semedo who has shone out on loan

ByRoss Kilvington May 10, 2024

A European club is working on a deal to sign one £14.5 million player from Leeds United in the summer transfer window, coming after his exceptional campaign.

Farke preparing for Championship play-off final with Leeds

The Whites face off against Southampton at Wembley today in a season-defining clash, and one which will determine whether manager Daniel Farke can guide Leeds back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Leeds United in pole position to sign 25 y/o international

Leeds are already eyeing key squad improvements in the transfer window.

ByJosh Barker Apr 27, 2024

The Championship promotion hopefuls will be contending with Russell Martin for that same prize, with both the Saints and Leeds relegated to England's second tier in 2023 and narrowly missing out on an automatic spot.

It's one of the most tense, entertaining games football has to offer – and Farke is determined to reign triumphant as he eyes a return to Europe's most competitive, prestigious division.

"Nobody is more motivated than me," said Farke on the Championship play-off final.

"I wouldn’t sign a contract for any other club on this level. I don’t judge my time at Norwich as unfinished business, we were in the Premier League, last year I was in the Bundesliga, my aim is to work on the Premier League level. This is my big motivation, to work there again with an exciting club, it’s very special in different ways. If it was easy then it’s not my job. I always like challenges, where you can create something special.

Leeds 4-0 Norwich

Norwich 0-0 Leeds

Leeds 1-2 Southampton

QPR 4-0 Leeds

Middlesbrough 3-4 Leeds

"If possible to create a bit of a legacy. There are coaching legends here at Leeds, we all know their names, hopefully in a few years when we can bring the club back, I can be proud I played a little part in the history of this club. First step is to return back to the Premier League.

"Play-off final is always special because it’s a do-or-die game, you can’t repair mistakes. You can repair over 46 games with some other good results. Cup games you have to be spot on, the focus is pretty special and the concentration level is very high."

The result of his hugely anticipated encounter will also have a real bearing on their transfer plans. Leeds want to sign Joe Rodon permanently, for example, with player sales also key to bolstering their summer kitty.

Max Wober has enjoyed an excellent temporary stint at Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany, so he could be a candidate to bring in funds.

Gladbach working on deal to sign Wober from Leeds

As per Kronen Zeitung, as relayed by Sport Witness, Gladbach want to sign Wober from Leeds permanently and are working on a deal. The versatile "leader", as dubbed by Jesse Marsch, bagged two goals and three assists across 25 Bundesliga appearances last season.

Wober is tipped for stardom with Austria under Ralf Rangnick at the Euros by Kronen Zeitung following his excellent campaign, but other reports suggest Leeds will be demanding around £14.5 million to let him go for good.

Joe Rodon will have been despondent come full-time at Wembley with how his loan spell with Leeds United was ending, concluding with the bitter disappointment of a Championship play-off final defeat, instead of the script everyone involved with the Whites wanted in the form of promotion.

The Welshman's future back at Tottenham Hotspur remains unsolved, but with Leeds still languishing in the second tier as a result of this latest play-off misery, it could be unlikely that the defender is sanctioned another loan switch back to West Yorkshire or even a permanent move to call Elland Road.

This will understandably be a bitter pill to swallow for everyone connected with the second-tier giants, as Rodon was a brick wall at times last campaign in an intimidating partnership with Ethan Ampadu in the heart of defence.

Rodon managed to collect 17 clean sheets of his own in a Whites side that looked destined to be returning back to the Premier League at one stage, but instead, the 49ers could now be shopping in the loan market once more to bolster their team.

Leeds looking at top youngster

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Daniel Farke's nearly-men are eyeing up a loan swoop for Chelsea defender Alfie Gilchrist this coming transfer window, who has been handed plenty of first-team opportunities this season at Stamford Bridge.

Making 11 first-team appearances in the league is an impressive number for the 20-year-old to have accumulated, considering this campaign is when he truly began to make waves at a senior level, after years of strictly playing Premier League 2 football for the youth side minus the odd bench call-up every now and then.

He even scored off the bench against Everton after merely two minutes, whilst also playing against Leeds United earlier in the season in an FA Cup 3-2 humdinger in Chelsea's favour that saw the Whites push a youthful Blues team all the way.

Leeds aren't a lone suitor interested in Gilchrist, however, with further interest coming from fellow Championship sides Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End.

Games played

43

Average touches

83.7

Accurate passes per game

66.0 (91%)

Clean sheets

17

Balls recovered per game

4.2

Clearances per game

4.5

Stats by Sofascore

Yet, Leeds' success story with Rodon, with his numbers mightily impressive when taking in the table above, could sway Chelsea into believing a stint in West Yorkshire could be a formative next step for the 20-year-old in his development, who has shown signs of his bright potential this season, even when things haven't been all smooth sailing at the Blues.

Gilchrist's season in numbers

Gilchrist will hope that if his time with Leeds went well, that he could take even bigger strides in the senior mix back at Chelsea, becoming a starter for the club potentially down the line, a dream considering he has been in and around the Blues since 2014 as a child.

Only helping his side pick up one clean sheet from his 11 first-team outings in the Premier League to date in the men's team, with only two of those actually being fully fledged starts, his most promising display in the cut and thrust of the elite division came against Tottenham Hotspur at the start of May when that solitary shut-out was registered.

Shining in a rejuvenated Chelsea side that beat Ange Postecoglou's inconsistent Spurs 2-0, Gilchrist would last 85 mins on the Stamford Bridge turf and made the most of his rare start.

Making a combined nine clearances, interceptions and tackles in the game, the 20-year-old would also only surrender possession seven total times as a composed and smooth passer of the ball from out the back.

Playing all of these games at right-back, with his captain presence for the U21s only exclusively seeing him line up in the heart of defence as opposed to down the flanks, Leeds might well be able to offer him extended periods in his preferred centre-back spot as opposed to filling in gaps back at Chelsea.

Rodon's exit would also mean Leeds are on the hunt for a new partner to shore up the back four centrally alongside Ethan Ampadu, with the former Chelsea youngster presumably crossing paths with Gilchrist once upon a time at his parent club, during his topsy-turvy development in West London, before calling Elland Road home.

Imagine Ethan Ampadu and Gilchrist

Not missing one single game of league action for Leeds, even in the high intensity of the play-offs, Ampadu was arguably even more of an integral cog in Farke's side last season than Rodon was.

After being chucked out on loan all across various unique locations when on the books at Chelsea – with destinations ranging from Leipzig to Spezia to Sheffield – Ampadu will hope he remains fixed in West Yorkshire ahead of an up-in-the-air campaign next time around, even if many of his teammates from last season relocate.

Leeds

54

0

90

Spezia

32

0

86

Venezia

29

3

79

Sheffield United

25

2

84

RB Leipzig

3

0

26

Sourced by Sofascore

Feeling valued at Leeds after a mixture of up-and-down loan stints, Ampadu could be the perfect mentor to Gilchrist – who has gone on to be successful after coming through the youth ranks at Chelsea – and a perfect partner for him to bounce off of as a result.

With Ampadu excelling more in his duo with Rodon in terms of tenacity and energy as a ball-winner, seen in him averaging 6.9 ball recoveries per match, Gilchrist could come in and be as level-headed as Rodon on the ball as a calm and measured operator seen in him averaging an 85% when it comes to passing accuracy per game.

Signing a new deal at Stamford Bridge recently to keep the dream alive he can make the grade at his boyhood employers, the time is right, therefore, for Gilchrist to earn his stripes with a loan move away.

Many stars of past and present in West London have benefitted from short-term moves away, with Conor Gallagher announcing himself to the Premier League on loan at Crystal Palace amongst other examples, even if Ampadu struggled on his own conveyer belt of stints away from Chelsea.

Leeds will just keep their fingers crossed that Gilchrist can be their next Rodon or indeed their new Ampadu, with the "unbelievable" defender as labelled by John Terry, potentially set to arrive at Elland Road.

Leeds make enquiry to sign dream Kalvin Phillips alternative

Leeds United are looking at this midfield talent who has similarities to Southampton star Will Smallbone.

ByKelan Sarson May 30, 2024

Philippe Clement knows that in order to bring in his own transfer targets to Glasgow Rangers this summer, he will be expected to move on several first team players.

This may be easier said than done, especially as there appears to be interest in a player who spent the second half of last season out on loan in the Netherlands – Sam Lammers.

Beale signing could be set to leave Rangers

The Dutchman joined FC Utrecht in January and proceeded to score 11 goals in just 20 matches for the Eredivisie side between then and the end of the campaign, putting his dismal showings in Glasgow firmly behind him.

This led to links that they were going to make the move permanent when the summer came around, although Lammers would have to take a pay cut in order to make a move happen.

Now, according to Dutch outlet Voetbal international, Twente are now lining up a move for the former Atalanta forward in order to bolster their squad.

The Light Blues are seeking a fee of around £2.5m in order to part ways with Lammers, which means they will lose around £500k on the Dutchman, having spent £3m to sign him last summer.

Selling the 26-year-old is the best for both parties this summer, allowing Lammers to continue his remarkable form while giving Clement a licence to go out and sign a more able replacement.

Sam Lammers' total cost at Rangers

The Ibrox side were in desperate need of some attacking reinforcements last summer as Michael Beale lost the likes of Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos. This meant a move for Lammers, who joined in June, but it was a move which soon turned sour.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt gem was taking home around £18k-per-week, as per Salary Sport, with that figure notably more than both Abdallah Sima (£8.5k-per-week) and John Souttar (£8.1k-per-week) combined.

That is startling considering on-loan hero Sima netted 16 times in all competitions last season after cementing himself as a leading figure at Ibrox, while Souttar held the fort defensively after making 41 appearances in all competitions.

Metric

FC Utrecht

Rangers

Goals

10

2

Assists

3

1

Big chances created

5

1

Shots per game

3.4

2.5

Key passes per game

1.1

0.3

Lammers made 31 appearances for the Gers yet managed to find the back of the net on just two occasions, both coming in the Premiership.

Among his teammates, the forward ranked just 13th for goals and assists (three) in the league while also ranking in a lowly 18th position for big chances created (one), 28th for key passes per game (0.3) and sixth for successful dribbles per game (1.1), clearly proving that he wasn’t good enough succeed in Glasgow.

Rangers can fund rebuild by selling a flop who's worth more than Cantwell

Rangers must sell a player they only bought last summer to fund a summer rebuild

ByRoss Kilvington May 20, 2024

Additionally, Lammers cost Rangers £1.5m per goal scored, which is yet more evidence of just how poor a signing he turned out to be.

This doesn’t mean that he is a bad player, far from that. His form in the Netherlands has demonstrated that when Lammers is playing within his comfort zone, he can be excellent.

Clearly, Scottish football proved to be far too physical for him to really showcase his wonderful technical abilities and this was his downfall.

Recouping £2.5m for him might be one of the best pieces of transfer business Clement does this summer, especially considering how badly he performed at the Light Blues.

Chelsea chiefs have identified a new top transfer target who they think has the ideal profile for Enzo Maresca, coming as a deal for Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran appears less likely now.

Chelsea hold Duran talks but stall over Villa deal

The west Londoners have been in club-to-club talks over a deal for the 20-year-old for this last week, as backed by multiple reliable outlets in the media, with Duran said to be very keen on a move to Chelsea.

"Special" £40 million ace wants to join Chelsea and partner Nicolas Jackson

He thinks he’d be perfect for Maresca.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2024

The young Villa marksman scored just eight goals across 37 appearances in all competitions under Unai Emery last season, and struggled with continuous injury problems throughout 2023/2024.

This has resulted in criticism towards Chelsea over considering a move for Duran, with there being a danger of co-Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley taking another risk on a raw but largely unproven talent at Stamford Bridge.

Aston Villa 3-3 Chelsea

8.36

Aston Villa 3-1 Crystal Palace

7.48

Aston Villa 4-0 Liverpool

7.38

Man City 4-1 Aston Villa

6.90

Aston Villa 3-2 Burnley

6.80

Villa are also demanding around £40 million for Duran, and while advanced talks over a deal have been ongoing, Chelsea are now hesitating to formally sign-off on the move as they consider alternatives as well.

Reliable Chelsea journalist Simon Phillips also claimed onTuesday that Chelsea are prepared to walk away from a move for Duran, even if there is still a chance this deal gets done.

"SPTC sources have heard Chelsea are ‘preparing’ to walk away from the deal, perhaps putting pressure on Villa to reduce their asking price for him," wrote Phillips on his Substack (via Tribuna).

"As of last night, talks had continued yesterday, and I do believe talks will continue again today. There is still every chance this deal gets done, but it will need one side to fold on their stance. Villa are not only asking for £40m for Duran, but they are also asking for too much of the fee up front.

"SPTC sources have now heard Chelsea could soon walk away from this one and turn attentions elsewhere. Chelsea have been speaking internally on other options they could go for this week."

Chelsea identify £85 million Duran alternative in Lois Openda

According to TEAMtalk, who themselves suggest the Blues have actually already abandoned the Duran deal, Chelsea are taking a real liking to Euro 2024 star Lois Openda.

The RB Leipzig striker bagged 28 goals in all competitions last season, averaging one every 124 minutes, with the Bundesliga slapping a reported £85 million price tag on his head this summer.

His contract includes a £70 million release clause which won't become active until 2025, so it will take a sizeable sum to convince Leipzig to do a deal this year. Chelsea have identified Openda as a new top transfer target for Maresca, as they believe he has the ideal profile for their new head coach.

The 24-year-old's record will be enticing to supporters who wish to see a prolific new frontman, but it remains to be seen how much Chelsea are willing to pay for Openda.

Since promotion to the Premier League, Nottingham Forest have had their fair share of players who have tried to fill the void at left-back.

Players such as Harry Toffolo, Renan Lodi and Nuno Tavares have all tried to cement their place on the left-hand side of the Reds’ defence, with the Brazilian loanee coming the closest to being the long-term full-back on Trentside.

However, the club decided not to permanently sign him after his temporary stint at the City Ground, leaving a gaping hole in the side which desperately needs filling.

Ola Aina has attempted to take over the role, operating in an unnatural role, usually featuring as right-back, but filling in for Nuno Espírito Santo during 2023/24.

However, this summer, his side could finally land the perfect player to nail down the left-back position on Trentside.

Nottingham Forest reignite interest in talented defender

According to L’Equipe via Sport Witness, Nottingham Forest have re-entered the race to sign Stade Brestois left-back Bradley Locko.

The 22-year-old, who plies his trade in France, enjoyed an excellent 2023/24 campaign featuring 33 times in the league and starting 97% of their outings that season.

Locko managed to contribute with three assists in Ligue 1, subsequently being included in The Athletic’s Team of the Season – alongside teammate Pierre Lees-Melou.

However, the Reds aren’t alone in their pursuit of the £17m-rated Frenchman, with fellow Premier League sides Manchester United and Chelsea also credited with an interest in the talented full-back.

Given their recent interest in Locko, the Reds shouldn’t waste any time in securing his services, with the youngster having the ability to be a massive upgrade on a player currently within the Forest squad.

Why Locko would be an upgrade on Aina

After joining on a free transfer last season, Nigerian full-back Aina has succeeded more than any Forest fan could ever have predicted –

excelling in an unnatural role at left-back.

However, despite his excellent form in his 22 Premier League appearances, if Nuno’s side are to reach the next level and avoid a relegation battle next season, they will need to invest in a new talent, with Locko the perfect upgrade on Aina.

In Ligue 1 last season, the Frenchman managed nearly two times the amount of progressive passes and 30 more progressive carries – demonstrating his abilities at playing the ball forward, benefiting the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga.

He’s also managed a better pass completion rate, whilst being just as impressive out of possession, with the “monster” as dubbed by scout Daniel Scouting on X, winning over two times more tackles and interceptions than the current Reds man.

Games

22

33

Goals + assists

2

3

Progressive passes

68

129

Progressive carries

53

83

Pass accuracy

75%

83%

Tackles

47

97

Interceptions

18

40

As you can see in the table above, the potential is there for the Tricky Trees target to offer more than the former Chelsea man in and out of possession, with his progressive passing and fantastic defensive work.

Aina has been an excellent player for Nuno since his return from AFCON, but, with a player of Locko’s quality available for such a low figure, it would be a huge mistake if Nuno let the talented youngster slip through his grasp.

Following the departure of Wilfred Ndidi, Leicester City have reportedly turned their attention towards handing Steve Cooper an £8m replacement ahead of next season.

Leicester transfer news

Of course, the Foxes are due some good news following such a tumultuous start to the summer, which has seen manager Enzo Maresca and star man Kiernan Dewsbuy-Hall both jump ship to join Chelsea. The former has at least since been replaced by former Nottingham Forest manager Cooper, but Leicester are yet to welcome a replacement for a player of Dewsbury-Hall's calibre.

With potential FFP sanctions on their way too, things are unlikely to get any easier for those the King Power Stadium next season, making their summer business all the more important. Replacing players will be the key, and that's not just Dewsbury-Hall, with Ndidi's departure also leaving a gaping hole in Leicester's midfield.

The Nigerian would have brought plenty of Premier League experience and quality to Cooper's midfield next season, but the new manager must now look elsewhere for options, which may see a Ligue 1 ace arrive.

According to L'equipe, Leicester City are now eyeing a move to sign Amir Richardson from Stade Reims alongside Everton and Udinese, but none of the three interested parties are willing to match the French side's reported €10M (£8m) price tag as things stand.

Imagine him & Fatawu: Leicester keen on signing ex-Messi teammate

Leicester City could pull off a very impressive free transfer deal with this summer buy.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 4, 2024

Leicester and Everton must both be careful with their spending these days, but for just £8m, it's a deal that could be worth pursuing for the Foxes as they look to replace Ndidi. Still just 22 years old, Richardson is a player who is likely to step up a level with such an opportunity, perhaps making the investment worthwhile this summer.

"Unique" Richardson can fill Ndidi void

Replacing a midfielder of Ndidi's calibre is no easy task, but given the praise of footbal writer Bence Bocsak, Richardson is certainly capable of doing just that at Leicester next season.

Bocsak was full of praise for the midfielder on X earlier this year, saying: "He’s already won the U23 AFCON with Morocco last year. Such a unique profile in terms of a midfielder – extremely tall at 1.95 metres and springy – he defends and goes forward with the ball really well. So good on the ball. Just 21 years old."

Minutes

1,352

2,127

Progressive Carries per 90

1.87

1.74

Progressive Passes per 90

4.80

4.32

Ball Recoveries per 90

5.73

4.41

Whilst Richardson didn't receive the same amount of minutes as Ndidi last season, he proved in a smaller sample size exactly what he's capable of, outperforming Ndidi in a number of areas.

So, whilst they have their PSR concerns to think about, Leicester should pursue Richardson this summer in a deal which could cost them just £8m to kickstart their transfer window. The young midfielder has shown plenty of signs that he's one to watch.

Since the takeover by the Saudi PIF back in 2021, Newcastle United have conducted excellent business in the transfer market that has seen the club transform from relegation candidates to European hopefuls.

Eddie Howe, the man at the helm for the Magpies, has done an excellent job in creating a settled side with all the investment, with the vast majority of the signings making a huge impact at St James’ Park.

Alexander Isak has undoubtedly been the best addition out of the bunch, scoring 35 times in his 67 appearances for the club since his £60m move to Tyneside from Real Sociedad.

Winger Anthony Gordon has certainly proved to be worth every penny of his £45m fee that the club forked out for his services in January 2023, achieving 21 goal contributions in the Premier League last season – reaching double figures in goals and assists for the first time in his professional career.

The aforementioned duo contributed with a combined 44 goals in the 2023/24 campaign, but unfortunately, it wasn’t enough for Howe’s side to secure a second consecutive season of Champions League football at St James’ Park.

However, the Magpies boss is looking to rectify their failures next season, with the 46-year-old targeting one player to catapult his side back into European contention in 2024/25.

Newcastle interested in world-class attacking talent

According to journalist Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT, Newcastle are eyeing a cut-price deal for Lille’s Canadian striker Jonathan David this summer.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a stellar campaign in Ligue 1 last season, scoring 19 times in his 34 appearances – an average of one goal every 1.7 games in which he featured in.

David, who also has interest from fellow Premier League side Chelsea, finished the campaign as the league’s joint-second top scorer, with only new Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappé scoring more goals.

The report states that despite his phenomenal campaign in Ligue 1, the striker could be available for just £25m – an absolute bargain, with David the ability to form a deadly partnership with current Newcastle star Isak.

Why David and Isak would be perfect together at Newcastle

No one could have envisioned the impact striker Isak would have had at Tyneside, with the Swede a huge part of the club’s success in recent seasons.

His goals have provided Howe’s side with a needed focal point, with his all-round game a struggle for Premier League defenders to contend with.

However, the potential arrival of David could allow the former Sociedad star to reach the next level, with the Canadian providing healthy competition as well as an option for the Magpies boss to switch to a two-man forward line instead of his preferred three-man system.

When comparing the duo from the most recent campaign, the Lille attacker, who’s previously been dubbed as “one of the best strikers in the world” by broadcaster Tony Marinaro, has matched or even bettered the current Newcastle number 14 in numerous key areas.

The pair both managed to achieve the same number of goal contributions, with David finishing the campaign with a 7% better shot-on-target rate than Howe’s main talisman.

Games

34

30

Goals + assists

23

23

Shot on target %

57%

50%

Pass accuracy

82%

78%

Progressive passes

79

71

Aerials won

24%

20%

David also produced a better pass accuracy rate, whilst completing eight more progressive passes – potentially allowing Howe’s side to play a more possession-based system, with the Lille striker able to feature on either wing as well as a central role.

He would undoubtedly further improve the Magpies’ already impressive frontline, boosting their chances of a return to Champions League football.

The £25m fee touted for his services is an absolute bargain, with Howe needing to pursue a move for the 24-year-old if the club are to return to the levels they’ve previously showcased.

Danny Rohl will know there's plenty to still work on back at the training ground after Sheffield Wednesday's poor friendly display out in Austria, losing 4-0 to RB Salzburg in a sobering pre-season clash.

Before that reality check, the mood around Hillsborough was one of pure ecstasy and jubilation at the number of signings through the door, but it will take time for this new group full of gems to come together and truly perform when push comes to shove.

Rohl will just hope any nervy performances are ironed out of the Owls game by the time the first ball is kicked to start the new Championship campaign, with the German manager keeping his fingers crossed that this new striker will be leading the line for his side come August.

Wednesday handed possible transfer boost

It's no secret this summer that Wednesday are actively trying to tempt Ike Ugbo back to South Yorkshire away from current employers Troyes, and based on new developments, the Canadian attacker could now have had his head turned by a reunion.

Ugbo was left out of Troyes' recent friendly squad, as per the French club's social media, which has sparked vicious rumours now that the ex-Chelsea youth product could be on his way back to the Owls shortly.

Of course, there have been other interested parties from the EFL in the form of Birmingham City sniffing about, but his previous love affair with the second-tier side should stand Rohl's men in good stead in clinching a dramatic deal.

How Ugbo and Windass could benefit Wednesday

Ugbo will be striving to help Wednesday finish near the top positions in the division, as opposed to settling for safety again, if he does rejoin the ranks, with the potential for the 25-year-old and returning Owls star Josh Windass – who was feared to be leaving the building before putting pen to paper on an extended stay – to cause havoc up top together.

The 6 foot 1 centre-forward was vital for Wednesday during their relegation predicament last season, popping up with some vital strikes, netting seven strikes from 19 games playing at Hillsborough in all competitions.

He would become an instant fan's favourite as a result, and over the course of a full campaign to come, the 25-year-old could become an even more terrifying prospect for Championship defences to keep a handle on, especially if Windass is linking up with the ex-Chelsea man to devastating effect. Supplying 1.1 key passes per game last term, the current Owls star could be the man to extract more from a willing Ugbo.

Games

41

28

Goals

11

7

Assists

2

2

Shots per game

1.3

2.3

Key passes per game

0.4

1.1

Windass was a man-possessed for Wednesday at the turn of the year, helping himself to five goals from 11 games after an injury disrupted first portion of the campaign, to become as crucial as Ugbo's arrival on the scene.

The former Accrington Stanley man would score three of his overall strikes during the final three games of the tense Championship season, living up to the tag given to him by Rohl before this purple patch as being a potential "game changer", with an audacious strike against Blackburn Rovers the pick of the bunch.

The feel-good factor in the air at Hillsborough will no doubt only grow stronger if Ugbo were to return, even after such a demoralising pre-season defeat to Salzburg, as Wednesday fans dream of an outside chance of a promotion charge if everything slots into place.

If Rohl can mastermind an escape from relegation in the manner he did last season, funnier things have happened in football, and so that pipedream might not be as unattainable as some think.

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