All posts by z3u9t.icu

Leeds United missed out on promotion to the Premier League in one of the worst ways possible last month as they were beaten in the play-off final at Wembley.

An entire season of effort culminated in a drab 1-0 defeat to Southampton, thanks to a first-half goal from Adam Armstrong, and the Whites must now prepare for a second year in the Championship.

Head coach Daniel Farke will look back on the 2023/24 campaign and identify ways to improve his side to ensure that they do not fall short for a second time.

Georginio Rutter

16.05

7

-9.05

Patrick Bamford

11.11

8

-3.11

Joe Rodon

2.51

0

-2.51

Ethan Ampadu

2.31

0

-2.31

Mateo Joseph

2.43

1

-1.43

As you can see in the table above, three of his strikers underperformed against their xG and two of them, Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter, significantly underperformed – by a combined 12.16 xG.

Therefore, the German boss could dip into the market to bolster his attack during the summer transfer window, which officially opened for business earlier this month.

Work on that front already appears to be underway as the West Yorkshire side have been linked with an interest in a forward from the Bundesliga.

Leeds United battling to sign £12m attacker

According to the printed edition of The Sunday Mirror (23/06/24), as relayed by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds are one of the sides battling to sign Bayer Leverkusen ace Adam Hlozek this summer.

The report claims that the Whites and Premier League outfit West Ham United are just two of the teams keeping tabs on his situation with the Bundesliga champions.

It states that the versatile forward is set to move on from Xabi Alonso's side before the 2024/25 campaign and Farke is seemingly looking to take advantage of that with a swoop for his services over the coming weeks.

The outlet reveals that Leverkusen are prepared to demand a fee within the region of £12m for the Czechia international, who is currently competing for his country at the 2024 European Championship.

It now remains to be seen, however, whether or not Leeds are willing to offer the £12m that is apparently required to secure his services before the end of the transfer window, or if the player is keen on dropping down from the first division in Germany to the second tier in England.

If they can secure a deal to sign him, though, then they could land an exciting partner for Rutter in the final third next season in the Championship.

Georginio Rutter's creative brilliance for Leeds

As illustrated in the xG table earlier, the French youngster endured an incredibly poor campaign in front of goal with his wasteful finishing for the Whites.

There is no hiding away from the fact that Rutter must improve his finishing quality next year as he spurned far too many high-quality opportunities for Farke's side.

However, the 22-year-old magician did do a lot of brilliant work in possession when it came to creating chances for other players to find the back of the net.

The former Hoffenheim starlet ended the season with a staggering 15 assists and 22 'big chances' created in 45 league appearances for Leeds, which shows that he consistently looked to set up his teammates.

That is backed up by fantastic underlying chance creation numbers as the right-footed wizard ranked highly amongst his positional peers in the division.

Assists (0.39)

Top 2%

xAG (0.29)

Top 2%

Progressive passes (4.46)

Top 3%

Shot-creating actions (4.41)

Top 2%

Successful take-ons (3.06)

Top 1%

As you can see in the table above, he ranked among the best in his position at creating high-quality chances for his fellow attackers in the Championship.

These statistics show that the Leeds magician has the quality to constantly split open opposition defences with his creative and incisive passing from a number ten position.

This could make him an exciting partner for Hlozek at Elland Road as the young Czechia star has the potential to be a lethal finisher as well as an impressive creator in the Championship next season.

Why Leeds should sign Adam Hlozek

Firstly, he only turns 22 next month and this means that the club would be bringing in a talented young starlet with time to develop and improve throughout his time in Yorkshire.

Farke could work with the youngster, who was described as a "diamond" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, to help improve his performances on the pitch and, as a result, increase his value for the Whites to potentially make a profit on him further down the line.

Secondly, Hlozek has the finishing quality to be a reliable option for the German head coach in the final third, unlike Bamford, Joseph, and Rutter.

In his two seasons in the Bundesliga with Leverkusen, the 6 foot 1 marksman, who was dubbed "towering" by Mango, scored seven goals from an xG of 5.72 – an overperformance of 1.28.

The talented dynamo, who scored three goals in four DFB Pokal outings, has shown that he can finish at an impressive rate in a major European league, which suggests that he could be a ruthless finisher who could thrive with Rutter's creativity at Leeds.

Appearances

19

29

48

Goals

15

8

23

Assists

8

13

21

As you can see in the table above, he arrived at Leverkusen off the back of two fantastic league seasons with Sparta Prague in his home country.

Hlozek racked up a staggering 44 direct goal contributions in 48 matches and Farke could look to unlock his creative quality, with 21 of those contributions being assists, to go along with his superb finishing.

He could, therefore, be an exciting partner for Rutter at the top end of the pitch for the Whites next term as his ability in front of goal could make up for the Frenchman's struggles in that department.

He's like Grealish: Leeds could sign "dangerous" EFL star to replace Piroe

The Whites manager could stop playing the Dutchman as a number ten by signing this target.

ByDan Emery Jun 19, 2024

It is now down to the club to win the battle for his signature and bring him to Elland Road to bolster Farke's attacking options for the 2024/25 campaign.

Aston Villa could look a rather different team when they take to the pitch for their first Premier League game against West Ham United compared to the final game of last term.

This is due to the club having to sell players in order to comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR) before June 30, otherwise, they could face various sanctions.

Unai Emery is clearly working hard to avoid such penalties, as Douglas Luiz, Omari Kellyman and Tim Iroegbunam are either close to departing or have already left the Midlands side in recent weeks.

These sales will allow the manager to complete a deal for players such as Ian Maatsen, who looks set to join from Chelsea, with plenty more in the pipeline over the coming weeks.

Despite raising some funds already, could Emery perhaps cash in on another one of his prized assets this summer? Particularly as there is a chance he could receive a fee which might be too hard to turn down.

Aston Villa could sell Ollie Watkins this summer

Why would Emery want to sell Villa’s highest goalscorer from last season? A player who is currently in England’s Euro 2024 squad and still has so much to offer.

Well there are a few reasons. Firstly, there appears to be no shortage of interest in the centre forward.

Arsenal are a club who have shown plenty of admiration for the player in recent months as Mikel Arteta seeks to bolster his attacking options, while Chelsea were showing some interest late last year in a bid for the Englishman.

He will turn 29 midway through the 2024/25 campaign, which indicates that he might not get much better than what he is now. Could this give Emery a licence to sell him during the current window?

Watkins currently has a market value of €52.6m (£44m) according to Football Transfers, which has been rising steadily ever since the start of last season.

There is no doubt Emery will want a higher fee than that should interest in Watkins remain over the next few weeks, especially going by his record last season.

Indeed, the 28-year-old found the back of the net 27 times last term, chipping in with 13 assists as he emerged as one of the biggest stars in a Villa team which secured fourth place in the Premier League.

Goals

19

5

Assists

13

0

Scoring frequency (minutes)

170

151

Shots on target per game

1.3

0.9

Big chances created

11

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

0.5

Key passes per game

1.2

0.9

Not only does he know the league, but his finishing skills could prove to be a game-changer for the likes of Arsenal and Chelsea.

Should an offer arrive, Emery must surely strike when the iron is hot. Especially considering there could be a perfect replacement available…

Aston Villa's dream Ollie Watkins replacement

According to i News, Villa are among a host of English sides eyeing up a move for LOSC Lille striker Jonathan David this summer.

Manchester United currently lead the race as they have already made contact with his representatives, but with Champions League football to look forward to, could this potentially swing the odds in Villa's favour?

With just one year left on his current deal, it appears he could be departing the French side this summer. Lille president Olivier Letang has confirmed that bids of around £25m could be enough to secure his services ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

There is no doubt the Midlands side need some added quality and bringing a player such as David to the club in the summer could give them a massive boost.

Why Jonathan David would be a good signing for Aston Villa

His statistics from last season prove that the Canadian is one of the finest centre-forwards on the continent.

Across 47 games in all competitions during 2023/24, the 24-year-old scored an impressive 27 goals while grabbing nine assists too.

Across Europe’s top five leagues, David ranked in the top 17% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.58) when compared to his positional peers, while also ranking in the top 3% for pass success rate per 90 (82%), which shows that he is more than comfortable linking the play with those who are playing behind him, which could prove useful for Emery next season.

U23 scout Antonio Mango lauded David for being “absolutely insane” when it comes to his scoring record, while further praise came from Canadian journalist Tony Marinaro, hailing the Lille marksman as "one of the best strikers in the world", no mean feat in today’s game.

Among his teammates last season in the French top flight, David ranked highly in a number of metrics, notably first for goals and assists (23), shots on target per game (1.4) and penalties won (two), while ranking fourth for key passes per game (0.9) and third for big chances created (eight), showcasing his all round game.

Not only would David be a solid presence in the final third for Villa next season, but he is also able to drop slightly deeper to link up well with fellow teammates, creating chances for them going forwards.

Cashing in on Watkins might be the last thing on the minds of supporters, but it is clear that David can offer a well-rounded game.

Combine this with the fact he would cost just £25m, not yet reaching his prime, and a move for the Canadian centre-forward is looking more and more attractive.

He is currently representing his nation at the 2024 Copa América, scoring the winner for Canada in a 1-0 win against Peru, which puts them in a good position to reach the quarter-finals of the event.

If he continues to impress in the competition, Villa may have to battle against more than just Man United with regard to signing the talented striker, as there are plenty more European heavyweights out there who could certainly do with a player just like him.

If Emery can bring him to the Premier League, it would be seen as a massive statement of intent, that’s for sure.

Aston Villa want to sign a "monster" who's similar to Bellingham

Unai Emery eager to sign this talented midfielder this summer.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 26, 2024

With the appointment of Regis Le Bris finally ending Sunderland's search for a new manager, the club can now look to bring in the new players that they hope can take them back to the top six of the Championship next season.

Sunderland target new talents this summer

The latest news out of the Stadium of Light has focused on the club bringing young stars to the club. Former West Ham man Divin Mubama is one name linked with a move to Wearside after the 19-year-old left his boyhood club at the end of last month.

Report: Sunderland want to seal summer reunion with 25 y/o defender

He is one of the best players in his current league.

ByHenry Jackson Jun 28, 2024

Sunderland are also said to be one of a host of second tier clubs attempting to sign Crystal Palace winger Jesurun Rak-Sakyi on loan this summer. Whilst the Black Cats will face stiff competition to secure the services of the 21-year-old, the club's record of developing young talent could be what tips the scales in their favour.

Whilst rumours of Sunderland signing new players will excite much of their fanbase, the news of Chris Rigg's new contract at the Stadium of Light could be the club's best business of the summer. The 17-year-old academy graduate has agreed a new deal to keep him at the club until 2027.

With young players clearly important to Sunderland's strategy this summer, the club are also in the market for established second tier talents.

Sunderland interested in former Sheffield United star

As first reported on the X account of reliable Sunderland journalist Michael Graham, the Black Cats hold a very serious interest in signing experienced free agent Oliver Norwood. The 33-year-old was released by Sheffield United upon the expiration of his contract and Sunderland are now poised to make a move for the midfielder.

Graham claims that the Black Cats will face stiff competition from fellow second tier outfits West Bromwich Albion and Watford to secure Norwood's services this summer.

Norwood featured 27 times in the Premier League last season as the Blades suffered relegation back down to the second tier. Whilst the 33-year-old struggled against some of the top flight's elite talents in the middle of the park there is no doubt that his 381 appearances in the Championship would be a huge asset to Sunderland next season.

Whilst Norwood has been something of a journeyman across English football throughout his career, the midfielder started out as a product of Man United's youth academy. Despite never breaking into the first team at Old Trafford, Norwood made 33 appearances for the Red Devils' under 21s and even earned the praise of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Speaking to The Athletic back in 2020, former Man United reverses manager Warren Joyce recalled Sir Alex's admiration of Norwood telling the outlet: “The gaffer (Ferguson) really liked Norwood. He saw him as a good man, a genuinely good character. So, he came on to me and suggested I get in touch with Scunthorpe."

Whilst a career at the Theatre of Dreams never quite materialised, Norwood has gone on to become a proven performer at Championship level and could be a vital part of a Sunderland side that will no doubt be looking to make the playoffs next season.

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are closing in on the first signing of the INEOS era, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd’s summer transfer window so far

The Red Devils are yet to make a marque addition ahead of the 2024/25 season, with Ratcliffe and INEOS’ only major decision in recent weeks being keeping manager Erik ten Hag. In fact, the Dutchman has now signed a new Old Trafford deal through until 2026 and said:

"I am very pleased to have reached agreement with the club to continue working together. Looking back at the past two years, we can reflect with pride on two trophies and many examples of progression from where we were when I joined.

"However, we must also be clear that there is still lots of hard work ahead to reach the levels expected of Manchester United, which means challenging for English and European titles. In my discussions with the club, we have found complete unity in our vision for reaching those goals, and we are all strongly committed to making that journey together."

The club have since added Rene Hake and former Red Devils striker Ruud van Nistelrooy as assistant managers, with the only player signings so far coming at academy level.

Man Utd in pole position to sign £25m "menace" who starred at Euro 2024

The Red Devils have set their sights on another defender…

ByTom Cunningham Jul 12, 2024

Teenagers Silva Mexes, the son of former Cardiff and West Brom striker Rob Earnshaw, Australian James Overy, Reading’s Camron Mpofu and Crystal Palace gem Samuel Lusale have all either arrived or are close to arriving at Carrington, and it looks as if the Red Devils are now set to make their first major first-team signing under INEOS and Ratcliffe.

Man Utd agree Joshua Zirkzee deal

The main attacking target at Old Trafford in recent weeks has been Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee. The Netherlands international has been at Euro 2024 in recent weeks amid rumours over a move to Manchester, but it looks as if a deal is now set to go through.

According to transfer expert Romano in the last 24 hours, Man Utd will not pay Zirkzee’s €40m release clause, but instead, Ratcliffe and INEOS will pay a fee slightly more than that over three years.

Zirkzee has already agreed a five-year deal at Old Trafford, and Romano provided more details on Friday morning, including a meeting with Ten Hag, a €42.5m (£35.7m) fee and a medical being underway.

“Joshua Zirkzee day has started with medical tests for new Manchester United player. Face to face meeting with Erik ten Hag will follow then he's gonna sign contract until June 2029 with option for further season. €42,5m fee to be paid in three years to Bologna.”

Zirkzee now looks set to rival or play alongside Rasmus Hojlund, filling the void left by Anthony Martial, who departed as a free agent last month.

West Ham United appear to be closing in on two new signings this summer as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of the new Premier League season, it has been revealed.

Hammers closing in on Duran deal

Widespread reports suggest that Julen Lopetegui's side are closing in on a move for Aston Villa forward Jhon Duran, though there remains a lack of clarity over just how far away a deal is to completion.

Fabrizio Romano has reported that the Hammers "have offered £30m plus one young player" for the striker, who managed just three Premier League starts last campaign. He adds that negotiations are "ongoing" over an agreement for the Colombian striker.

Imagine him & Summerville: West Ham make contact to sign Havertz 2.0

A host of Premier League teams are interested in a deal.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 24, 2024

Duran meanwhile has fanned the flames by admitting he "hopes" something happens. “The fact my name is being mentioned by such big teams, it is very important for my career. I’m happy that there are these rumours & let’s hope that something concrete happens”, he explained.

And sources in his homeland have suggested that a deal is "close" and that a "verbal agreement" has been reached between the two clubs, with a £35m deal expected to be ironed out in the "near future".

Should he arrive, he would be the club's fourth signing of the summer and the second from a fellow Premier League side, with the Hammers having already raided Lopetegui's former side to sign Wolves captain Max Kilman. They've also pounced on relegated goalkeeper Wes Foderingham, while they brought in young talent Luis Guilherme from Brazilian outfit Palmeiras. And they are showing no signs of slowing down in their hunt for new faces.

West Ham agree deal for full-back

Now, it has been reported that West Ham have agreed a deal with Bayern Munich to sign right-back Noussair Mazraoui after being in talks with him last week.

As per Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, the two sides have "reached an agreement" for the Moroccan to join West Ham in a deal worth €15.5m (£13m) up front, plus a further €4m (£3m) in add-ons.

There is also understood to be a "verbal agreement in principle" between the 26-year-old, on a massive £130,000 a week at the Allianz Arena, and the Hammers, though it is added that it is "not a done deal yet" because "important financial details" need to be sorted.

Mazraoui's current salary would make him the second-highest-paid player at West Ham were it to be matched at the London Stadium.

West Ham's highest earners (via Capology)

Player

Weekly Wages

Lucas Paqueta

£150,000

Kurt Zouma

£125,000

Danny Ings

£125,000

Alphonse Areola

£120,000

Jarrod Bowen

£120,000

The deal comes after it was revealed that fellow fullback target Aaron Wan-Bissaka turned down a move to the London Stadium as he holds out for a move to Serie A champions Inter.

Mazraoui brings plenty of pedigree of his own should he arrive, having lifted the German title with Bayern Munich in his first season at the club. His arrival would be yet another indication that the Hammers have lofty goals under Lopetegui this season.

Nottingham Forest are now thought to be interested in signing a young defender ahead of Leeds United.

Nottingham Forest summer signings so far

It has been another busy transfer window at The City Ground overseen by owner Evangelos Marinakis, with six new players already signed, sealed and delivered ahead of Nuno Espirito Santo's first full season in charge.

Elliot Anderson

Newcastle United

€41.2m

Nikola Milenkovic

Fiorentina

€14.3m

Jota Silva

Vit. Guimaraes

€7m

Marko Stamenic

Red Star Belgrade

€5.5m

Carlos Miguel

Corinthians

€4m

Eric da Silva Moreira

FC St Pauli

€1.5m

The latest to arrive was forward Jota Silva, with Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson telling the club's official website after a deal was confirmed: “We can see how excited Jota is to continue his career journey beyond Portugal where he has enjoyed such a strong period in the Primeira Liga with Vitoria Guimaraes, which resulted in him earning his debut for the Portuguese National Team back in March.”

Rumours have continued in regards to who could be next through the door, with the club also working to bolster their academy ranks. It has been claimed that Forest have agreed a deal to sign 15-year-old goalkeeper Ally Graham from Dundee United, pipping rivals Newcastle United to a transfer.

Nottingham Forest have hit gold on ace who's worth more than Silva & Sosa

The youngster has exceeded all expectations at the City Ground.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 4, 2024

Forest also appear to be battling the Magpies for Fiorentina winger Nico Gonzalez, with an enquiry made for his services, whereas Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez is another target and the club could soon make an offer for the Mexican.

Now, it looks as if the Reds are keen to sign a new in-demand teenage centre-back, but they may not have it all their own way.

Nottingham Forest interested in Bruno Ogbus

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Nottingham Forest are keen on signing Freiburg defender Bruno Ogbus ahead of Championship side Leeds United, however, the German side don’t want to sell the 18-year-old centre-back.

As can be seen, AC Milan have also shown an interest in Ogbus and have even made an offer for the Switzerland youth international earlier this month.

However, Freiburg have seemingly given clubs a hands-off warning when it comes to the defender, so a deal could be extremely tricky to complete this summer. Ogbus, who moved to Freiburg back in 2022 from Zurich, is yet to make his first-team debut, turning out instead for the U19s and reserve side.

Forest, meanwhile, have five senior centre-back options in Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Andrew Omobamidele, Wily Boly and Joe Worrall.

One Crystal Palace player is ready to pack his bags and leave south London this summer after telling the club of his desire to leave, it has been reported.

Crystal Palace facing interest in stars

It has been an anxious summer for Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner following their strong end to the 2023-24 Premier League season, with speculation surrounding several of their stars ahead of the new campaign.

Talismanic figure Michael Olise has already left, joining Bayern Munich in a deal worth £60m after turning down the chance to join Chelsea for the second summer in a row. But interest remains in more of Palace's talents, with Eberechi Eze having been linked with Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal amid claims that £60m could be enough to secure his signature.

Meanwhile, Marc Guehi is subject of interest from Newcastle United, who have opened negotiations over signing the Palace skipper this summer, while Liverpool are also thought to have joined the race for the EURO 2024 standout's signature.

Down to the final two years of his contract at Selhurst Park, Palace would be willing to reluctantly cash in on him this summer to avoid losing him for free in the years to come, but are set to demand around £60m to do so.

He's Haaland-esque: Crystal Palace can land dream £59m Mateta replacement

Crystal Palace eye interesting Mateta replacement

ByConnor Holden Aug 4, 2024

Their own business has been reasonable, with Daichi Kamada arriving on a free transfer and Real Betis defender Chadi Riad signed for £10m. They have also signed former Watford winger Ismaila Sarr to fill the void left by OIise and were either Guehi or Eze to leave they could likely move to replace them.

But now, they may have to replace another squad player.

England man wants to leave Crystal Palace

That comes as England international Sam Johnstone has reportedly told the club that he wants to leave in search of first-team football.

The shot-stopper was set to be part of England's squad for EURO 2024 only for a shoulder injury to keep him sidelined for the tournament, meaning that he couldn't add to his four caps for the Three Lions.

The 31-year-old signed for Crystal Palace on a free transfer in 2022, putting pen to paper on a five-year deal worth £40,000-a-week. However, he made just nine appearances in his first campaign and a further 20 in the 2023/24 season, which saw him briefly dropped in favour of Dean Henderson before getting injured.

Sam Johnstone's Crystal Palace struggles

Appearances

29

Save %

65%

Clean sheets

9

When he did play, he put in some strong performances, with Roy Hodgson singling him out for praise after one outing against Leeds United in the 2022-23 campaign.

“Sam deserves an awful lot of credit, especially having had to battle through injuries, watching Vicente Guaita play in front of him,” he said. “This was a great opportunity to show what a good quality goalkeeper he is — and he took that. We know he’s good, we see him in training and know his character. Today, he produced the saves you want your goalkeeper to produce.”

But HITC report that the 31-year-old is looking to leave the club after making it "clear" to Palace that "he does not want to spend the season on the bench in South London".

He is thought to be in demand too, with Nottingham Forest among those chasing his signature. No price is mentioned in the report, but any fee would see Palace profit on the goalkeeper were he to move on, though they would have to find a replacement for the England man who was four senior caps for the Three Lions.

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be ready to offer up one of their own stars in a fresh attempt to sign Manuel Ugarte this summer, it has emerged.

Man Utd off to winning start

A late winner from debutant Joshua Zirkzee handed Manchester United a hard-fought three points to kick off their 2024-25 Premier League campaign under Erik ten Hag.

Facing Fulham at Old Trafford, United missed a series of good opportunities before Zirkzee emerged from the substitutes bench to announce himself by scoring the only goal of the game in the closing stages.

Better than Berge: Man Utd could sign Casemiro upgrade who's like Pogba

He has impressed at his current club.

ByJoe Nuttall Aug 18, 2024

It was a game in which new signings made a strong impression, with Noussair Mazraoui also enjoying an excellent first game in Manchester United red, while ex-Ajax, Bayern Munich and now Manchester United teammate Matthijs de Ligt didn't put a foot wrong when replacing him late on.

But there could still be plenty of movement in the final days of the transfer window at Old Trafford, and deals may be set to get creative to get transfer targets in, with a player exchange potentially on the cards.

Swap deal touted between PSG and Man Utd for Ugarte

That comes courtesy of London World [via Man Utd News], who suggest that talks are ongoing between the Red Devils and the Ligue 1 champions for Ugarte and that a potential swap deal has been mooted.

In this case, such a deal would see United and Ratcliffe finally land midfield target Ugarte, while PSG could take Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho to the Parc des Princes. Despite his reconciliation with Ten Hag, Sancho is yet to really nail down a spot in the United starting XI, while Ugarte has endured a tough 12 months in Paris.

A swap deal may make sense for all parties. Ugarte was left out of PSG's squad for their opening Ligue 1 clash as they thrashed Le Havre 4-1, and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Ugarte "wants to join Manchester United" as soon as possible as he looks to end his Parisian nightmare, and reports have previously claimed personal terms have already been agreed.

Meanwhile, Sancho was also left out of Manchester United's squad courtesy of a reported ear infection, while Romano has claimed that the winger's "future remains open" in the final weeks of the transfer window despite the Englishman still having two years left to run on his £250,000-a-week deal at Old Trafford, a salary that puts him among the club's highest earners.

Manchester United highest earners (Via Capology)

Player

Weekly wage

Casemiro

£350,000

Bruno Fernandes

£300,000

Marcus Rashford

£300,000

Mason Mount

£250,000

Jadon Sancho

£250,000

Antony

£200,000

With PSG interested in Sancho but unwilling to pay the asking price, and Manchester United feeling the same way about Ugarte, a swap deal may make sense with each side valuing their star at around £50m.

Any deal could even follow the same blueprint as earlier "swap" deals this summer, where each player was signed individually for a set sum, in order to allow both sides to maximise the benefits from a financial fair play standpoint.

The summer transfer window officially slams shut on Friday night and this means that Glasgow Rangers do not have much time left to complete their incoming bits of business.

Philippe Clement has brought in Vaclav Cerny, Hamza Igamane, Robin Propper, Connor Barron, Jefte, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly, Oscar Cortes, and Mohammed Diomande so far.

The Light Blues failed to qualify for the Champions League, which may have impacted their dealings due to a loss of potential earnings from the competition, but could still dip into the market in the next few days.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen and Clement are still hard at work to bolster the playing squad and are reportedly eyeing a new winger for the group.

Rangers eyeing up wing addition

According to journalist Mohamed Elgazar, Rangers are lining up a late swoop to sign Pyramids FC winger Ibrahim Adel to add to their options on the flank.

The reporter claims that the interest from the Scottish giants comes after the player's "brilliance" at the Olympic Games for Egypt earlier this summer.

Meanwhile, the Daily Record backs up the claim that the Light Blues are keen on the winger and reveals that they would have to splash out a fee of £5m to sign him.

The outlet adds that Ipswich Town and Leicester City are also eyeing him up and the player's preference would be a move to the Premier League, but an Ibrox transfer has not been ruled out.

This update could come as bad news for current Rangers forward Ross McCausland, as the Scottish Premiership side are looking to recruit in his position.

Why this is bad news for Ross McCausland

The academy graduate made his breakthrough at senior level last season and started 15 of his 29 appearances in the league for the Gers.

However, he has not been able to kick on at the start of this term and has come off the bench in both of his outings in the Premiership, which suggests that McCausland has fallen down the pecking order under Clement.

This suggests that the arrival of another winger could see the Northern Ireland international struggle for minutes, particularly when you consider their respective form last season.

Appearances

29

17

Goals

3

6

Big chances created

3

2

Assists

4

2

Dribbles completed per game

0.9

1.2

As you can see in the table above, Adel produced more direct goal contributions (eight) than McCausland (seven) managed in 12 more league appearances.

The 23-year-old dynamo, who was hailed as "impressive" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, also caught the eye with three goals and 1.7 key passes per game in six appearances at the Olympic Games for his country.

These statistics suggest that the Pyramids star, who has scored 34 goals in 134 matches for his club, has the potential to offer more quality than McCausland at the top end of the pitch if he can translate his form over to the Premiership, which is why the interest in him should come as bad news to the Northern Irish youngster.

Prso 2.0: Rangers could make late move for exciting £34k-p/w star

Rangers need another one or two signings to bolster their squad before the window closes

ByRoss Kilvington Aug 27, 2024

Chelsea have been extremely busy under their next manager Enzo Maresca this summer, bringing 11 players to the club, letting go of 11 on permanent deals, and allowing 13 to head out on loan.

The Blues have let go of youth talents such as Lewis Hall, Ian Maatsen and Omari Hutchinson this summer, as well as selling one of their best players last season, 24-year-old Conor Gallagher, who came through the Cobham pipeline.

Chelsea have already been known to sell youth talents "too early" in the past, one brilliant example being Jamal Musiala being sold to Bayern Munich for £170k back in 2019.

However, there's another who Boehly and Co may well regret selling so cheaply…

Hudson-Odoi's stats at Chelsea

Callum Hudson-Odoi came through the ranks at Cobham, widely seen as one of the most exciting prospects at the time. Making 55 appearances for the Chelsea U18 and U21 teams, the youngster managed to score 30 goals and provide 17 assists in those games.

The youngster was described as Chelsea's "wonderkid" back in 2018 by reporter Nizaar Kinsella, after scoring and assisting on his first start for the Blues against PAOK and it was during this season (2018/19) that he impressed new manager at the time, Maurizio Sarri, becoming a regular in the squad.

The English talent went on to make 126 senior appearances for the Blues, netting 16 times and providing 21 assists in that time, but it could have been very different if it wasn't for his big injury.

At the back end of the 2018/19 season, Hudson-Odoi suffered an Achilles tendon rupture, keeping him out for 143 days. But at such a young age, it began to seem hard for him to trust his body again, suffering multiple more injuries in the following seasons, including hamstring, hip, ankle and Achilles heel injuries.

Many put his stop-start Chelsea career down to that initial problem, taking the steam out of him before he fully got going, and struggling to ever get back to full fitness and trust in his body.

Fast-forward to 2023, and Hudson-Odoi made the move to Nottingham Forest for just £3m, a measly fee for a player who was still only 22 years of age and had huge upside potential, which had already been previously seen at Chelsea at such a young age.

Hudson Odoi's transfer value in 2024

Hudson-Odoi made 35 appearances for Nottingham Forest last season in all competitions, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 2,252 minutes played.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Since joining The Tricky Trees, the 23-year-old seems to have recaptured his confidence, managing his most minutes in a season of senior football.

Amid interest in the attacker's services this summer, Forest valued him at an eye-catching £40m, which is already 13 times the amount Chelsea sold him for, after just one year on Trentside.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Hudson-Odoi

Mudryk

Goals

0.39

0.29

Assists

0.05

0.11

Progressive Carries

5.39

5.26

Progressive Passes

2.82

2.57

Shots Total

1.84

2.00

Shots on Target

0.97

0.69

Goals/Shot

0.21

0.14

Key Passes

1.75

1.83

Shot-Creating Actions

3.98

3.43

Successful Take-Ons

2.09

2.23

When you compare the numbers from last season of Hudson-Odoi and Mykhailo Mudryk, the Englishman comes out on top in six of the ten metrics we've selected, including goals per 90, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, goals/shot ratio, and shot-creating actions per 90.

Mudryk cost Chelsea around £62m as an initial fee, compared to the £3m Hudson-Odoi was sold for. With the Ukranian's value tumbling to around £29m, as per Transfermarkt, it which makes you wonder if Chelsea should have held onto the Englishman.

Chelsea flop left on a free transfer, now he's outscoring Osimhen

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