Wolves are among the teams considering a transfer swoop for a free agent defender, according to a new report. Picking up just one point from a possible 12 so far this season, the Old Gold are seeking reinforcements outside of the transfer window.
Wolves signed Dendoncker instead of elite PL star who's now worth £67m
They could have had a treble-winner in their side
ByJoe Nuttall Sep 17, 2024 Wolves star singled out for praise despite terrible start
Wolves looked set for their first win in the league on Sunday as they took the lead against Newcastle United, but unfortunately Gary O’Neil’s side were unable to hang onto the lead and see out the game.
Despite eventually losing 2-1, one Wolves player was on the receiving end of some big praise for his work in Mario Lemina’s goal. Joao Gomes won the ball back in the middle of the park and played the ball forward to Matheus Cunha, before producing a moment of magic in the box by letting the ball through his legs for Lemina to tap home.
The move and in particular the dummy from Gomes left Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson amazed, labelling the skill as “unbelievable” and even comparing Gomes to the great Lionel Messi.
But that goal wasn’t enough for Wolves to claim all three points, and with the wait for a win still on, it seems that O’Neil might be prepared to turn to the free agent market to bolster his squad further.
Wolves considering free transfer swoop for "fantastic" player
According to HITC, Wolves are among the clubs considering making a move to sign free agent Joel Matip. Matip has been without a club since the end of last season when he left Liverpool, and now the West Midlands side are looking into a possible deal.
ousmane-diomande-joel-matip-liverpool-opinion
However, they are not the only team interested in the defender, who was once labelled as being “fantastic” by Jamie Carragher. AFC Bournemouth and Fulham are in the mix, while he’s also held talks with French and German sides already too.
Matip turned 33 in August and did have some injury problems during his last campaign at Anfield, as he only played 14 times last season, but the defender brings a wealth of experience with him and could be a welcome addition for a team like Wolves who are fighting at the foot of the table at this present time.
Apps
201
Goals
11
Assists
6
Matip, who is valued at €8m, which is roughly £7m, would add competition to a defence that already consists of Toti, Santiago Bueno, Yerson Mosquera, Craig Dawson, and Bastien Meupiyou.
Far removed from Leeds United’s approach in the recently closed transfer window, which saw the Whites spend within their means to pick up talents such as Largie Ramazani and Ao Tanaka, the West Yorkshire outfit used to significantly splash in the cash when in the Premier League.
The frantic window before a ball was kicked ahead of the 2022/23 season saw the likes of Brenden Aaronson and Luis Sinisterra join for bumper amounts, before Georginio Rutter arrived in January, costing the then top-flight Whites a club record amount of £35.5m to win.
Leeds were very much vindicated with that example, however, as the tricky Frenchman left for Brighton and Hove Albion earlier this year for £5m more, after an exceptional 2022/23 campaign in the Championship.
However, not every purchase around this time was a rip-roaring success, with Marc Roca entering the building definitely now going down as a dud buy.
Roca's transfer to Leeds
Roca would join with plenty of intrigue attached to his name, with the Spaniard arriving from Bayern Munich for £10m.
Making 24 appearances in total for the Bavarian giants before sealing this unexpected switch to Leeds, the holding midfielder was potentially expected to fill the void that had opened up at Elland Road in those positions too, considering Kalvin Phillips had just packed his bags for Manchester City.
Much like the aforementioned Sinisterra, however, Roca’s time at Leeds would come and go in a flash, with only 36 appearances tallied up for the Whites in the end across a forgettable stint.
One particular display from the holding midfielder against Liverpool during his one full season donning a Leeds shirt even saw Whites content creator Conor McGilligan brand Roca as “embarrassing”, with then manager Javi Gracia – who was in charge for a mere 12 games during the 22/23 season – watching on stunned as the Reds tore his hopeless side to shreds 6-1.
Leeds United defender Marc Roca.
Roca definitely didn’t trudge off the Anfield turf with his head held high on that occasion, with a complete lack of his steel present in his game, as the ex-Spain U21 international then walked away from the toxic environment at Elland Road at the end of that season to move back to La Liga initially on loan.
Real Betis ended up securing a permanent deal for the Leeds flop this summer, after a bright loan stint, with the Whites having to then take a significant hit just to get him off their books for good.
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Roca's value in 2024
Roca exited West Yorkshire for a cut-price in the end, as the La Liga outfit acquired his permanent services for only £3.7m.
Leeds will have to hope new midfield talents that they managed to snap up themselves this summer make Roca’s departure look like even more of a correct call, with Tanaka joining for just £3.4m towards the close of the busy window to bolster Farke’s men in the holding midfield spots.
Games played
6
Average minutes*
88 mins
Goals scored
0
Assists
1
Touches*
62.8
Accurate passes*
45.5 (90%)
Ball recoveries*
5.0
Total duels won*
3.5
The ex-Bayern man has impressed those back in his native Spain so far this campaign, away from his wobble in England, with an impressive 90% pass accuracy averaged per La Liga match.
But, the promotion-chasing Whites will have just been relieved to get the 27-year-old off their roster when they could, with the midfielder – who was once boldly touted to be a Xabi Alonso heir for Bayern when still playing in the Bundesliga – falling way short of his expectations.
Leeds will have learnt a lesson with Roca, with no extravagant spending taking place this summer, as Farke aims to win promotion back up to the Premier League with his current crop of players away from the Spaniard.
Leeds wanted to sign "unstoppable" star for £33m but got Dan James instead
The Whites had been keen on the winger before Marcelo Bielsa pulled the plug.
Preparing to make up for a frustrating summer transfer window, one Newcastle United insider has shared an exciting message amid Paul Mitchell’s decision to send scouts to two specific countries.
Newcastle transfer news
A rethink was needed at St James’ Park after Newcastle ended the summer transfer window without reinforcement within their backline and without an attacking addition to replace the likes of Miguel Almiron and the injury-prone Callum Wilson.
It is failure that Mitchell is well aware of after his first window at the helm, explaining in a recent interview relayed by The Athletic: “There are things we got wrong in our strategy, for sure. If we could have signed a player that we actively felt could make a really good squad better, would we? Of course we would have done.”
International manager drops hint over "excellent" Newcastle star's injury
More frustration for the Magpies…
ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2024
Amid the constraints of PSR, the Magpies, for all their riches these days, found themselves limited on the spending front before failing to agree deals for the likes of Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi. In a summer-long pursuit, Newcastle went all-in on Guehi, only for the England centre-back to stay put at Selhurst Park.
Summing up their struggles, Mitchell and Newcastle have since been forced to have a rethink it seems. According to Mark Douglas of iNews, Mitchell has picked out Germany and France for Newcastle to scout intensively, with one insider revealing that the Magpies want to be “best in class” when it comes to recruiting, developing and either utilising or selling young talents from around the globe.
Newcastle are also hiring a full-time psychologist to work with the loans team in an attempt to boost their young players and loanees. They expect the development of a massive pool of Yankuba Minteh style talents to help avoid any future PSR sanctions – Liverpool’s £50m+ influx from selling Fabio Carvlaho and Sepp van den Berg to Brentford this summer is seen as the perfect example.
Finding a way past the rules that limited them in the summer would, of course, be the key to further arrivals in 2025.
Newcastle must get 2025 transfer windows right
After suffering as a result of their squad depth – or lack thereof – last season, Newcastle should have had a plan in place. Months later, of course, it quickly became apparent that any plan had been scuppered by PSR concerns and all their eggs had been thrown in one basket for a Guehi deal which they never managed to get over the line.
Things must be different in 2025. The likes of Mitchell should match the strong start of Eddie Howe’s side with key additions that may even bring the Magpies back to the Champions League level they found themselves at just a couple of years ago.
The rumours have already started on the reinforcements front too. The likes of Jonathan David have especially stolen the headlines, with the Lille forward set to become a free agent upon the expiry of his current contract to ring the alarm bells of clubs looking to land a top striker and avoid spending big.
Canada's Jonathan David
Following the tough fallout of his first window in charge, there’s no doubt that Mitchell will be keen to earn instant redemption at St James’ Park, whilst once again avoiding the dreaded PSR sanctions.
West Ham finally got back to winning ways in the Premier League, smashing Ipswich 4-1 for their second win of the campaign.
The Hammers had 53% possession, generating 3.79 xG, and scoring four goals, with Michail Antonio, Mohamed Kudus, Jarrod Bowen and Lucas Paqueta all on the scoresheet.
Victory for Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham took them to 12th in the league table, now sitting on eight points after seven games played, having scored ten goals and conceded 11 times.
The Hammers attacking quartet vs Ipswich
The Hammers lined up with Bowen and Kudus on the flanks, Paqueta in the central attacking midfield role, and Antonio leading the line against Ipswich. It’s safe to say it worked a treat for the club’s Spanish head coach.
All four of the attacking quartet got themselves on the scoresheet, including a first of the season for Antonio who nearly ran riot at the London Stadium, missing two big chances including one which struck the woodwork.
Bowen managed to get himself a goal and an assist, taking five shots in the game and making five key passes, whilst Kudus – who had started the season fairly slowly – also took five shots, made one key pass, and also hit the woodwork.
This is the highest xG West Ham have generated in a Premier League game this season, with their forwards finally clicking, and finding their shooting boots, but it wasn’t just the forwards who performed well.
Jean-Clair Todibo's performance in numbers
Jean-Clair Todibo put in a superb performance against Ipswich, making it back-to-back Premier League starts for the Frenchman. He was awarded an 8/10 match rating by West Ham insiders Claret and Hugh, who alluded to his “decent” partnership that is forming with Max Kilman.
In the game, Todibo made five clearances, two interceptions, two tackles, won four of his five ground duels, and won one of his three aerial duels, putting in a big defensive shift for the Hammers. But he also added a lot of quality on the ball, with a 95% passing accuracy, and a 100% dribble success from two attempts.
Minutes
90
90
Clearances
5
4
Interceptions
2
1
Tackles
2
0
Dribbled Past
0
1
Touches
72
83
Pass Accuracy %
95%
92%
Long Balls
2/4
5/10
Successful Dribbles
2/2
1/1
Ground Duels Won
4/5
1/2
Aerial Duels Won
1/3
2/4
The partnership of Todibo and Kilman is finally blossoming, with Lopetegui finding that balance between his two central defenders. Kilman is slightly more ball-dominant, having a bit more responsibility to pick passes further forward -indicated by long pass volume – and having more touches.
However, his centre-back colleague adds brilliant athleticism to the backline, and more mobility for defending both on the front foot and recovering, plus he can use his athletic frame to carry the ball out, giving West Ham more options to progress play.
Jean-Clair Todibo for West Ham
Allowing these two to build and form a connection in central defence is Lopetegui’s best bet at finding defensive balance for his side, whilst also retaining a good level of on-ball tools for progression, both with passing and carrying.
West Ham face Tottenham next in the Premier League, who have scored 12 goals in six games so far, so it will be a good test for the Hammers’ new defensive duo against a potent attack like Spurs.
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One of the most influential men during Manchester City’s domination of European football is Txiki Begiristain. The Spaniard is the club’s Sporting Director, a position he has held since October 2012, and he has overseen unfathomable success at the Etihad Stadium. That includes the treble in 2022/23, and six Premier League titles outside of that.
The 60-year-old has also been a crucial part in recruiting some of City’s best players over the past decade, and the recruitment of Pep Guardiola, whom he worked with at Barcelona. In the wake of his departure at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, the Cityzens have needed to find a replacement, and have appointed Sporting’s Hugo Viana as his successor.
Unsurprisingly, with the former Barca Sporting Director’s departure now confirmed, it has thrown Guardiola’s future into doubt too.
Guardiola’s future at Man City
Over the past few seasons, there has been constant speculation over Guardiola’s future at the helm of the Cityzens. He has done an unbelievable job during his time at the club, although with his contract set to expire at the end of the campaign, the season could be his last opportunity to add to his silverware.
He explained in a press conference in late July that he “would love to stay”, confirming that he would not rule out staying at the club. However, the Spaniard did say he wants it “to be sure it’s the right decision” for himself and the club.
With his long-time Sporting Director Begiristain set to depart the club this summer too, it could only make the 53-year-old more inclined to seek pastures anew. He has shared the majority of his managerial success with his countryman; they have won six Premier League titles and the Cityzen’s first Champions League trophy together.
Manchester City managerPepGuardiolabefore the match
His record as manager at City is, unsurprisingly, exemplary. Guardiola has managed 483 games and has picked up 357 wins in that time, drawing just 60 games and suffering 66 losses. His side have scored an eye-watering 1227 goals and conceded just 435. His charismatic personality is infectious and adds an extra layer of depth to the footballing cinema he masterminds.
With that being said, there is no guarantee of Guardiola’s future, and he could depart the club at the end of his contract. There are reports of a replacement already being lined up by the City board.
The man who could replace Guardiola
The man who could replace the Spaniard at the Etihad Stadium next season is Sporting manager Ruben Amorim. According to a report from The Guardian, the Cityzens are ‘strongly considering’ a move for the Portuguese boss in case of the departure of their current manager.
Ruben Amorim for Sporting Lisbon
Should the former Portugal international midfielder move to the Etihad Stadium ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, it would see him link up with former Sporting Director Viana once again.
The pair have had a lot of success working together in Lisbon, and Leoes have become the dominant force in Portugal, having claimed the 2023/24 league title.
Stat
Number
Matches
224
Wins
158
Draws
33
Losses
33
Goals for
492
Goals against
196
Trophies
5
Having that pre-established working relationship for City could be a crucial factor in who they appoint once Guardiola moves on. The footballing world has seen the dominance exerted by the former Barcelona colleagues, and they would look to continue that trend by bringing two people in who also have prior successes together, hence the potebntial co-appoinements of Viana and Amorim.
Aside from that, the former Braga boss is one of the most exciting young managers in the world. He was described as a “fantastic young coach” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, which has been proven by his eye-catching and fluid style of play.
The Portuguese manager – whom journalist Lewis Steele hailed as “Europe’s most wanted” coach – favours a 3-4-3 system, focusing on playing out from the back and operating with a centre-forward who has a penalty box presence, like Viktor Gyokeres, meaning Erling Haaland could well thrive.
If Guardiola was to depart the club this summer, Amroim could be the ideal replacement. Not only would he be joining up with a former colleague with whom he has had great success – in turn forming the next Guardiola and Begiristain combination – but he is a fascinating manager with a modern style of play and a proven track record.
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The Man City board appear hopeful that a new approach will help them keep a key figure.
A mystery Saudi side are now making West Ham United an £83 million offer to sign one of Julen Lopetegui’s star players, with PIF looking to bolster the Pro League’s ranks with another noteworthy talent.
West Ham prepare for Man Utd as ten Hag and Lopetegui battle for jobs
The Hammers and Red Devils go head-to-head on Sunday at the London Stadium, as both Lopetegui and the under-fire Erik ten Hag battle to potentially save their jobs amid lacklustre starts to their Premier League campaigns.
Steidten eyeing West Ham move for once-£75m ace as club negotiate his exit
He’s wanted by some pretty big clubs.
ByEmilio Galantini Oct 25, 2024
West Ham have lost half of their top flight games and languish 15th in the table, winning just two, while United have really struggled for consistency. Reports have suggested that INEOS could replace ten Hag at Old Trafford if results continue in this manner.
Match
Date
Opponent
Competition
Result
#10
19/10/2024
Tottenham (A)
Premier League
4-1 loss
#9
05/10/2024
Ipswich (H)
Premier League
4-1 win
#8
28/09/2024
Brentford (A)
Premier League
1-1 draw
#7
25/09/2024
Liverpool (A)
Carabao Cup
5-1 loss
#6
21/09/2024
Chelsea (H)
Premier League
3-0 loss
#5
14/09/2024
Fulham (A)
Premier League
1-1 draw
#4
31/08/2024
Man City (H)
Premier League
3-1 loss
#3
28/08/2024
Bournemouth (H)
Carabao Cup
1-0 win
#2
24/08/2024
Crystal Palace (A)
Premier League
2-0 win
#1
17/08/2024
Aston Villa (H)
Premier League
2-1 loss
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg shared news earlier this week that West Ham are considering Edin Terzic, their former assistant coach, as a possible successor for Lopetegui if they do decide to part company with the Spaniard.
The indications are that both Lopetegui and ten Hag are not safe in their positions as things stand, so Sunday’s clash represents a very important game for the managerial duo, as does every single encounter with the microscope firmly on them.
West Ham are also in danger of losing star players in the coming months, who may not want to be part of the ride or their possible downturn. One of them, star winger Mohammed Kudus, has already been linked with an exit from east London.
Kudus is believed to be attracting interest from Barcelona, alongside other elite clubs, and the Ghanaian could well be tempted by the offer of a prestigious move abroad.
Saudi side offer £83 million to sign Kudus from West Ham
According to a Spanish media report this week, clubs in the Middle East are now also throwing their hat in the ring. Indeed, an unnamed Saudi side is bidding £83 million to sign Kudus from West Ham. That amount is apparently “being proposed as an offer” by Saudi, and the 24-year-old forward could be one of the next big faces to land in the Pro League.
Mohammed Kudus celebrates for West Ham
This season, Kudus has stood out as a key player for Lopetegui, attempting more shots at goal per 90 and completing more dribbles per match than any other West Ham player in the Premier League according to WhoScored.
The African’s started every game so far, and will likely continue to do so, unless injury or suspension befalls Ajax’s ex-rising star.
“Kudus has a much firmer technique and knows where he is going,” said Dutch footballing legend Marco van Basten, making a comparison between Kudus and Antony during their time together at Ajax.
“Antony may be faster, but Kudus is smarter and more technical. He is much more of a footballer and an all-rounder for the team.”
Aston Villa suffered a disappointing defeat at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday afternoon. The Villans, who could have moved into the top four with a win in North London, suffered a calamitous 4-1 loss, and are now sixth in the Premier League with 18 points to their name, one point off the Champions League spots.
Surprisingly, despite domination from the home side in the first 45 minutes, it was Unai Emery’s men who took the lead. In-form Morgan Rogers got himself on the scoresheet, firing home a loose ball to give the Villans a lead at halftime.
Ange Postecoglou’s side bounced back almost immediately into the second period. Wales international Brennan Johnson, who has been in sparkling form of late, scored again, getting on the end of a teasing cross from captain Son Heung-min.
Spurs’ second and third both came from summer signing Dominic Solanke. The England international scored his first with a cute chip over Emiliano Martinez after a smart run in behind the Spurs defence, and his second from six yards out, tapping it into an open net. James Maddison added a fourth late on for the Lilywhites.
It was a devastating collapse from the Villans who had the lead despite a lack of control of the game. There were several frustrating performers, including Pau Torres, who struggled at the heart of defence.
Pau Torres’ stats vs. Spurs
It was a bad day at the office for Spanish defender Torres against the Lilywhites on Sunday afternoon. Normally so calm and composed, he made a critical error on the ball and struggled defensively against Solanke.
Indeed, he received a rating of just 4/10 from John Townley, Villa correspondent for Birmingham Mail. The journalist explained that Torres had a ‘difficult afternoon’, noting he ‘gave possession away when trying to play out from the back’, an action that led to Spurs’ third goal of the day.
His stats on Sofascore show just how tough of an afternoon it was for the 27-year-old. He made one error that led to a shot, and one error that led to a goal. Normally so safe in possession, Torres lost the ball ten times and had a pass accuracy of just 82%. It was certainly not the best performance.
Despite the fact Villa’s number 14 is such a trusted player for Emery, someone he also coached at Villarreal, he may well decide to drop him ahead of their next game. The Midlands side faces Club Brugge in the Champions League later today, and after a poor performance, he could certainly be on the chopping block.
That pressure is increased more after one player’s excellent outing in the Carabao Cup last week, and he could prove to be a perfect replacement.
The Aston Villa star who could replace Torres
The player in question here is England international Tyrone Mings. It has been a long road to recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but in his first game back – which remains his only appearance of the season – the 31-year-old impressed against Crystal Palace in the cup.
Townley was certainly impressed with the defender’s efforts against the Eagles last week. He gave him an 8/10, explaining he ‘looked sharp’ and praising a ‘really promising performance’ on his return.
The “dominant” defender, as football statistician Statman Dave once described him, certainly had good stats on Sofascore. He won seven out of eight aerial duels and made five clearances, completing 57 of 71 attempted passes along the way.
Stat
Number
Touches
86
Pass accuracy
80%
Passes completed
57/71
Aerial duels won
7/8
Clearances
5
Blocks
4
Key passes
1
Mings is certainly a candidate to replace Torres in the starting lineup against the Belgian side. Not only is the Spaniard coming off the back of a poor performance, but the Englishman – who is still waiting to make his debut in Europe’s premier competition – must surely be feeling confident after a commanding showing following his long spell on the sidelines.
It certainly leaves the Villans boss with a selection headache ahead of a critical Champions League clash, but it might be hard to ignore Mings’ impressive form, especially after Torres’ disappointing effort last weekend.
As bad as Watkins: Emery must drop 4/10 Aston Villa star after Spurs
Aston Villa suffered an almighty collapse on the road against Tottenham Hotspur.
Everton manager Sean Dyche will only be too aware that his side face Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in December.
That’s a run of opponents that would strike fear into any club in the Premier League – including all of the aforementioned. For the Toffees, it’s especially concerning, not least because they are 16th in the standings after 11 matches, only three points above Ipswich Town, who sit in 18th.
Not to be pessimistic, but the Toffees’ present attacking fluency simply will not do. The wintry period is bound to inflict adversity upon the Merseysiders, and the frontline must raise its level.
Everton's flagging frontline
Everton are beset with some rather uninspiring attacking metrics this season, having been one of the least effective attacking outfits in the Premier League.
16.
Manchester United
153 (55)
17.4
12
16=
Ipswich Town
108 (33)
10.1
12
18.
Everton
131 (43)
11.9
10
19.
Crystal Palace
157 (50)
13.8
8
20.
Southampton
112 (31)
11.9
7
Some of this struggle owes itself to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s inability to harness the prolificness that we know lies latent within his skill set, but it is more indicative of Dyche’s style as a whole.
This is hardly an anomaly either. Last term, though Everton were comfortable despite being hit with an eight-point deduction, they scored just 40 goals across 38 league fixtures, better than only bottom-finishing Sheffield United.
Everton stars Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin
Everton need something… more. Calvert-Lewin is obviously excellent on his day, provides a focal presence. Iliman Ndiaye is an electric and exciting winger, while Dwight McNeil has hit a new layer of potency this term.
But the Blues need to up the ante in the final third if they are to finally break the bonds that have shackled them to endless frustration around the relegation zone over the past several years.
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Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.
Ademola Lookman would be perfect, but the Atalanta forward hasn’t played for Everton in quite a while now.
Everton flop is now rivalling Messi & Kane
90min’s Sean Walsh has described Lookman as a “superstar”, and it’s probably an apt thing to say, in truth, for the versatile forward has been brilliant in recent years and scored a hat-trick to dismantle Bayer Leverkusen in the Europa League final last season, sending Xabi Alonso’s immortal team into a tail-spin.
Rewarded for his triumph by being placed 14th in the Men’s Ballon d’Or final rankings, awarded earlier this month, Lookman has certainly come a long way since his struggles to assert himself with Everton in English football.
Indeed, Lookman scored four goals across 48 outings for Everton, having joined the club from Charlton Athletic in a deal worth £11m back in 2017, aged 19.
In fairness, while Lookman didn’t manage to bring his raw qualities together at Goodison Park, he did depart for a pretty penny, with RB Leipzig signing the rising star for a £22.5m fee in 2019, having previously taken him into their German brood in 2017/18 – where he posted five goals and four assists across only 11 Bundesliga appearances.
He’s since gone from strength to strength, with his hat-trick for La Dea last season completing a haul of 17 goals and ten assists across all competitions.
The 27-year-old hasn’t exactly slowed down this year, already boasting eight goals and five assists across 14 matches for Atalanta, instrumental in helping Gian Pieri Gasperini’s second-placed side challenge for the Serie A title.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 5% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 1% for tackles per 90.
Clearly, he’s not just a goalscorer. He’s not even just a well-rounded, multi-faceted attacking outlet. Lookman is a force to be reckoned with for the Italians, operating beyond the confines of expected positional virtues, instead producing performances that encompass so many areas of the pitch.
Well, would you take a look at that. Lookman’s keenly clinical edge is seeing him put in some pretty impressive conversations, with CIES Football Observatory conveying a list – via Wyscout’s statistical system – that reveals his goal-contribution rate is up there with the best.
Namely, Lionel Messi and Harry Kane.
Omar Marmoush and Lookman
Neither forward needs an introduction, but the very fact that Lookman’s vein of performance has been sustained and directed at Atalanta, to a point that puts him alongside such names (as well as Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski) is a rueful thing for Everton, who might have helped him realise his potential on Merseyside in some alternate football reality.
1
Alan Shearer
441
260
0.59
2
Harry Kane
320
213
0.67
3
Wayne Rooney
491
208
0.42
4
Andy Cole
414
187
0.45
5
Sergio Aguero
275
184
0.67
This summer, top European outfits such as Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain were interested in signing the Nigerian, and Atalanta responded by demanding €70m (£59m) recompense for the loss of their trophy-winning talisman. This, obviously, dissuaded the parties in question.
Even so, he’d have fetched a pretty penny. Perhaps another suitor, in different circumstances, would have forked out a greater fee for this mercurial talent.
Ademola Lookman
It could have been so much more for Everton, who need a striker of Lookman’s quality, and could definitely do with banking on such an illustrious star.
Everton must regret selling star who's now worth £45m & outscoring Salah
Everton appear to have offloaded the talent way too prematurely.
With under two years left on his current contract, Rangers are now reportedly the top suitors in the race to replace James Tavernier by signing a League One defender in 2025.
Rangers transfer news
It’s been a season full of bad news so far for the Gers, who find themselves third and nine points adrift of both Aberdeen and Cetlic who have formed an unexpected title race in the Scottish Premiership. As the top two continue to go stride for stride, Rangers’ return to form hasn’t seen them regain their place in the top two in a campaign which already looks destined to end in failure from a league perspective.
Only adding to their woes recently was Rangers’ finance report which revealed an operating loss of £17.2m, which is set to limit Philippe Clement when searching for much-needed reinforcements in 2025. Suddenly, transfer targets such as Darius Olaru no longer seem viable in a major blow for the Scottish giants.
That’s not to say there’s not a single piece of positive news, however, with the Gers recently linked to a reinforcement who may be slightly more affordable than the European star.
According to Rangers News, Rangers are now the top suitors in the race to sign Ryan Barnett ahead of Championship sides Preston North End and Stoke City. The right-back has impressed for Wrexham in League One to earn the attention of those at Ibrox, who have been keeping tabs on the 25-year-old. Now, they could line up a move to sign an heir to Tavernier’s right-back throne in Glasgow.
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The Rangers captain is on course to leave as a free agent in 2026 and the Scottish side would be saving themselves a lot of trouble by finding a replacement in either January or the summer transfer window rather than moving with panic in 2026.
"Tremendous" Barnett is good enough to replace Tavernier
Replacing a modern-day Rangers legend would be no easy task, but Barnett’s form suggests that he’d be more than capable of stepping up at Ibrox. The Wrexham right-back has five assists and one goal to his name in 16 appearances in all competitions so far this season, which is more goal involvements than Tavernier’s five in 20 appearances in the current campaign.
It’s recent form that would not have caught Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson by suprise given his previous praise for Barnett. Speaking after his side defeated Notts County 1-0 back in February, Parkinson told the club’s official YouTube channel: “If they go to a back four, Cameron will be up against Barney (Ryan Barnett), you know centre half playing left back.
“Give the ball to Barney because he’s tremendous in those situations and he produced some real good quality first half and second half.”
Unlike some of Rangers’ recruitment last summer, meanwhile, Barnett is not a player waiting to reach his peak, he is in it at this very moment. As the Gers potentially line up a 2025 move, the right-back should be high on Clement’s shortlist of targets.
Crisis, what crisis? Arsenal backed up their impressive performance against Nottingham Forest on Saturday with a stunning victory away to Sporting CP in the Champions League last night.
The North Londoners found themselves 3-0 in the first half, and despite a slightly sticky patch early in the second, eventually ran out 5-1 winners.
Unsurprisingly, poster boy Bukayo Saka was at his exceptional best, but there was another starter who was just as good.
Saka's performance in numbers
It’s become relatively simple in recent seasons: when Saka plays well, Arsenal play well, and that was certainly the case last night.
The Hale Ender was a constant threat off the right, providing a perfectly placed pass for Kai Havertz to double the team’s lead in the 22nd minute and putting away his penalty in the 65th to quell any concerns of a Sporting comeback.
It was a sublime display and one that impressed the Standard’s Simon Collings, who awarded him a 9/10 at full time and described him as ‘dangerous all night.’
Minutes
92
Goal
1
Expected Goals
0.91
Assists
1
Expected Assists
0.77
Shots on Target
2
Shots Blocked
1
Touches
65
Key Passes
1
Long Balls (Accurate)
2 (2)
Big Chances Created
1
Fouls Won
2
Tackles
2
It might sound hyperbolic, but it’s not, as, in 92 minutes of action, the 23-year-old dynamo scored, provided an assist, took two shots on target, produced 0.77 expected assists, took 65 touches, was accurate in 100% of his long balls, won two fouls and made two tackles.
Overall, Saka’s performance was sensational, but he wasn’t the only player who looked unreal on the right-hand side.
Performance in Numbers
Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.
The Arsenal star who was as good as Saka
So, the good news for Arsenal is that there were several players who could claim to have been as good as Saka last night, but the one we are talking about is Jurrien Timber.
The Dutchman started at right-back for the second game in a row due to Ben White’s absence, and he was utterly superb.
The former Ajax star was more than capable in defence, playing a pivotal role in helping William Saliba deal with the incredibly dangerous Viktor Gyokeres, but he was also an incredibly useful attacking outlet.
Unsurprisingly, the talented international left quite an impression on the watching press, with The Athletic’s Aaron Catterson-Reid describing his display as “insane,” and Collings awarding him a 9/10 on the night.
Like the Gunners’ number seven, the Utrecht-born star’s statistics from the match were seriously impressive and backed up all the praise he’s received since.
Minutes
92
Expected Assists
0.50
Duels (Won)
6 (4)
Touches
84
Passing Accuracy
57/61 (93%)
Crosses (Accurate)
1 (1)
Clearances
1
Interceptions
2
Tackles
1
Key Passes
3
Dribbles (Successful)
2 (2)
Big Chances Created
1
In his 92 minutes of action, he produced an expected assists figure of 0.50, won four of six duels, took 84 touches, completed 93% of passes, was accurate in 100% of his crosses, made one clearance, two interceptions and one tackle, completed 100% of his dribbles and created one big chance.
It was a complete performance from the tremendously exciting defender and one that should leave White a little worried about his future place in the team.
Ultimately, Saka will get the majority of attention due to his goal and assist, but fans should not overlook or forget the special display from Timber.
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