Son Heung-Min watched LAFC's Leagues Cup victory over Tigres UANL at the team's BMO Stadium ahead of his record-breaking move to the club.
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Southampton face a stern test this weekend, as they host the league-toppers Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta brings his side in blistering form, having won nine this season and lost just once. Meanwhile, the Saints are coming off the back of a fine victory, but only their first in seven Premier League games.
Against Leeds United, the Gunners suffered as they were strangled in the midfield as they scraped through with a 1-0 win.Â
It is arguably the toughest test they have faced this season, as Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka were restricted to 6.8 and 6.9 SofaScore ratings respectively.
Therefore, Ralph Hasenhuttl must focus on this as the area with which to hopefully snatch something from the game.
To do this, he must return the relentless presence of Ibrahima Diallo to the starting line-up alongside James Ward-Prowse.
The 23-year-old is a bundle of energy every time he plays, and when sat beside the captain the burden of creativity will be relieved.
Whilst Ainsley Maitland-Niles will have to be dropped due to the game being against his parent club, regardless his performance in midweek was one which warranted a return to the bench anyway.
He must be replaced by the young Frenchman who has had limited chances this season, with an average of 46 minutes per game under the Austrian.
When handed opportunities, however, he has averaged 2.15 tackles, 1.51 interceptions and 18.24 pressures per 90. If he is on top of his defensive game, he can be the midfield powerhouse to cause Arteta untold problems.
It is clear that Hasenhuttl thinks highly of him, and with this enforced change, he might now have to rely on him to prove his praises correct.
Back in January of last year, he said about the midfielder:
âI must say also Ibra was amazing. He is a fantastic signing from the summer. He knows what he has to do. He knows what itâs about to play in our six positionâ
Diallo will now face one of the toughest tests of his career against the most in-form side in the league but if he can be at the top of his game, he will be key to any chances Hasenhuttl has of a result.
The ÂŁ12m brute could be the man to ask questions of the Gunners’ head coach, Mikel Arteta, on Sunday afternoon.
Manchester City have a more ‘important’ prodigy than on-fire summer signing Erling Haaland, according to reporter Dean Jones.
The Lowdown: Haaland from heaven…
Since putting pen to paper on his summer move from Borussia Dortmund, the Norway superstar has been an absolute revelation – already breaking countless Premier League records at Eastlands.
Alan Shearer, the division’s best ever goalscorer, has already had one of his snatched away by Haaland.
The Match of the Day pundit did hold the record for most hat-tricks in as many top flight games, bagging three in ten league matches, but City’s new superstar has managed to half that number.
Indeed, Haaland has already managed three hat-tricks in five so far, smashing Shearer’s previous record.
The scintillating 22-year-old could have many more in his sights, but according to Jones, City starlet Phil Foden may actually be seen as a more significant prospect in Manchester than the former Salzburg powerhouse.
The Latest: Journalist makes Foden and Haaland comparison…
Speaking to GiveMeSport, the reporter says Foden could be seen as ‘more important’ than Haaland given his cultural significance and what he represents as a boyhood fan.
“Foden is the local hero. To some, he is even more important than Haaland because of what he represents to the area. Fodenâs going to be around for a long time; Haaland probably wonât. City wonât have Haaland forever.
âTo be honest, theyâre privileged to have him for this period of his career and theyâre aware of that. They donât know if heâs going to be there for two years, three years or five years.â
The Verdict: Exciting times…
Regardless of whom will be remembered more ten years from now, City supporters will feel very lucky to watch both men play under one of the best managers of all time, Pep Guardiola.
So far, the pair have struck a devastating understanding – scoring a combined 19 goals and five assists in the English top flight alone (WhoScored).
As highlighted by City’s 6-3 drubbing of arch rivals Man United in the latest derby, Foden and Haaland are truly unplayable when at their imperious best.
Considering both are just 22-years-old, their form is truly frightening.
Tottenham Hotspur are in advanced talks to sign recruitment expert Jeff Vetere, according to Football Insider.
The Lowdown: Vetereâs career
Vetere has not held a senior recruitment position since being sacked as Birmingham City’s director of football in March 2018, which came at the same time as manager Steve Cotterill losing his job in a major club reshuffle.
The 56-year-old has extensive experience in Premier League recruitment, having worked for the likes of Charlton Athletic, West Ham United, Newcastle United and Fulham whilst they were all in the English top-flight.
He also has experience working as a scout for Real Madrid, aided by the fact he speaks five languages.
The Latest: Close to joining Spurs
According to a report by Football Insider, Tottenham are now in advanced talks with Vetere with the view for him to come in and oversee their Under-21s recruitment.
It is claimed he is a close ally of Spurs managing director Fabio Paratici, who has given the green-light on the appointment.
Negotiations are said to be close to completion, with Vetere ready to join the north London club immediately.
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The Verdict: Academy needs a reshuffle
The Lilywhites have faced criticism in recent times having failed to bring through a number of top talents from the academy all the way to Antonio Conteâs first-team.
This criticism became all the more prominent last week when Tottenham academy graduate Marcus Edwards stunned his boyhood team whilst playing for Sporting CP as they beat Spurs 2-0 in the Champions League.
Edwards was even awarded the player of the match for his dazzling display, throwing in the question as to why the north London club allowed his departure in the first place.
Therefore, Paratici will have high hopes in Vetereâs reshuffling of the academyâs operations, because, at the moment, it is failing in its production.
Manchester City have been handed an injury boost as Pep Guardiola confirmed that Kalvin Phillips is set to return for Sundayâs Premier League clash vs Newcastle United.
The Lowdown: Phillipsâ injury concern
The Sky Blues maintained their perfect start to the 2022/23 campaign after securing an emphatic 4-0 victory over newly-promoted Bournemouth at the Etihad last weekend.
The 26-year-old was deemed unfit to be involved in the match-day squad for the game against the Cherries after picking up a minor injury in training earlier that week, but the boss has now shared some positive news on the midfielderâs situation.
The Latest: Guardiolaâs fitness update
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Guardiola confirmed that Phillips has returned to action and will be available for selection to face Eddie Howeâs Newcastle.
As quoted by Cityâs official website, the Spaniard said:
“Cole [Palmer] is back. Kalvin [Phillips] is back. Some niggles for some players but the rest are okay.”
The Verdict: Boost for City
Having Phillips back at his disposal will come as a massive boost for Guardiola and City as a whole.
The England international, labelled a âRolls Royceâ by sports journalist Josh Bunting, has only made one brief appearance for the reigning champions having come off the bench in the opening day fixture vs West Ham, but offers the manager more flexibility with fellow defensive midfield specialist Rodri.
Pep will be keen to get all of his new summer signings involved and into his plans as soon as possible to ensure that they gel with the rest of the team, and Phillips is a player whoâs likely to have proved impactful come the end of the season.
Manchester City playmaker Jack Grealish ‘might end up back’ at Aston Villa if his performance levels don’t improve this season.Â
That’s according to former Villa striker Tony Cascarino, who was speaking to talkSPORT.
City paid a British record transfer fee of ÂŁ100m to sign Grealish from Villa last summer, but on paper the 26-year-old didn’t set the world alight in his first season at the Etihad Stadium, notching just six goal involvements in the Premier League (three goals, three assists) and 10 overall (six goals, four assists).
For context, seven different Villa players – Ollie Watkins, Danny Ings, Jacob Ramsey, Philippe Coutinho, Emiliano Buendia, Matty Cash and John McGinn – recorded more goal contributions in last season’s top flight.
Cascarino reckons that City could run out of patience with Grealish if he fails to live up to his price tag this season.
He thinks that the England international, who has too often produced ‘six out of tens’, could find himself on the loan or transfer list come next summer, and that may present an opportunity for his former club.
Cascarino said of Grealish: “At the end of the season, if he doesn’t pick up his standards, what we know he’s capable of and why they paid ÂŁ100m for him, he’ll probably be loaned out or he might end up back at Villa.
“He’s not playing well enough consistently for Man City. I’m not talking about being OK, six out of tens. He should be eight or nine. He’s got so much quality.”
There may be some Villa supporters who dream about the prospect of Grealish returning to the Midlands.
The 26-year-old, who scored 32 goals and provided 43 assists for the club, made the Championship Team of the Year when they got promoted in 2019 under Dean Smith and won Villa’s Player of the Year prize after helping them to survive in the top flight the following season.
He has also expressed his admiration for Steven Gerrard in the past, tweeting in 2014 that the then-Liverpool captain was an ‘unreal’ player whose ‘passion is the best’.
Furthermore, he insisted following his departure from the Midlands that he would ‘always be a Villa fan’, and perhaps he privately plans to make a comeback towards the end of his career.
However, Grealish’s underlying statistics in his first season at City suggest that he could make a much bigger impact this term.
Only three players – Kevin De Bruyne, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah – could better his record of 0.3 expected assists per 90 last term, and if his team-mates are more clinical this time around, his headline numbers could improve dramatically.
If they do, City definitely won’t be entertaining the idea of letting him go back to his former stomping ground.
Tottenham Hotspur could make another two or three new signings this summer transfer window…
That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge, who delivered a fresh update live on air on Tuesday afternoon. He said on the Sky Sports Transfer Centre:
“I think maybe two or three more [new signings].
“Djed Spence is widely known [as a target], they want at right wing-back, they’re still negotiating a fee with Middlesbrough. The player wants to come, so Spurs and I imagine Chris Wilder and Boro want to get this done as quickly as possible.
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“Djed Spence wasn’t part of Middlesbrough’s pre-season training camp in Portugal, so I expect that to happen.
“I think they want a more attack-minded central midfielder – someone a bit more creative.
“I thought maybe at the start of the summer that might have been Christian Eriksen but hearing from a couple of people that they think Christian Eriksen is looking for maybe a new challenge. Spurs is maybe not a new challenge for him as he was there for seven, eight years.”
With the Lilywhites competing in the Champions League this season, it would make sense to add strength in depth to the squad, enough to make them challenge on all fronts.
It would allow manager Antonio Conte to rotate his side without losing out on quality. The toll of two matches per week, after a rigorous pre-season camp, could easily take its toll by Christmas.
Spurs have already added some key names to the side, such as Richarlison from Everton and Yves Bissouma from Brighton. Two experienced Premier League talents that only bolster already-stacked departments.
Meanwhile, the likes of Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet provide the Italian with solutions to gaps in the squad.
In total, the north Londoners have made five signings, so if Bridge’s claim turns out to be true, then sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy could well hit the seven or eight mark, for the first time in a very long time.
Spence is likely to be one of those additions, as Bridge explains, whilst a new no.10 or creative-minded midfielder wouldn’t go amiss given the struggles of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso, who could both leave permanently, too.
Either way, Conte has been backed to the hill this summer and their spending spree isn’t done yet, so you have to presume that he’s absolutely buzzing with their business.
AND in other news, After Djed Spence: Journo drops exciting Spurs transfer claim…
Following talk that West Ham United manager David Moyes is plotting multiple new additions this summer – having already wrapped up deals for Nayef Aguerd and Alphonse Areola – supporters may understandably getting excited as to who else could be coming through the door at the London Stadium.
One name who has perhaps set pulses racing more than most is Villarreal talisman Arnaut Danjuma, with Fabrizio Romano reporting earlier this week that the Hammers were in talks with the La Liga club regarding the Dutch winger.
The speedster is set to be available for a fee in the region of ÂŁ40m owing to a release clause in his existing deal but a deal is now proving problematic, with negotiations thought to be off due to personal terms.
The clamour for his signature has been sparked by what can only be described as an explosive debut campaign in Spain last term, with the former Bournemouth man netting ten goals and providing three assists in the league for Unai Emery’s team.
The six-cap Netherlands international had only joined the ‘Yellow Submarine’ last summer after a two-year stint with the Cherries, having scored 17 goals and provided seven assists in the Championship during the 2020/21 campaign.
The most recent campaign saw the ÂŁ25k-per-week machine – who has been dubbed a “nightmare for defenders” by pundit Kevin Phillips – particularly catch the eye in the Champions League, notably handing Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot a torrid time at Old Trafford last September.
He netted six league goals in his team’s remarkable surge to the semi-finals of the competition, scoring against both Juventus and Bayern Munich, with that tally seeing him rank among the top 11 scorers in the tournament.
One such player in that elite group was Paris Saint-Germain sensation Kylian Mbappe, with the Frenchman having also plundered six goals in the competition prior to the Ligue 1 giants’ round of 16 exit at the hands of eventual champions Real Madrid.
Despite his lofty status in the game as a World Cup winner and highly-coveted asset, the 23-year-old seemingly shares a number of stylistic and statistical similarities to the aforementioned Danjuma, according to FBRef.
That is some comparison considering that Mbappe has scored 181 goals and provided 79 assists in 263 career games for club and country (as per WhoScored), with the former Monaco marksman arguably one of the best players in the world right now.
To think that Danjuma could even be anywhere near that level would be enough to spark wild excitement among Irons supporters; as would the player’s own recent admission that he has “unfinished business” in the Premier League, having only made six starts in the top flight during the 2019/20 season at the Vitality Stadium.
Should Moyes be able to fend off rival interest and get negotiations back on the table, the West Ham manager could well have his own Mbappe on his hands in the Villarreal star.
AND in other news, Moyes plotting move for âspecialâ ÂŁ45m âballerâ, heâd be a âsuperstarâ for West Ham
Burnley centre-back Nathan Collins is still a summer transfer target for Wolves ahead of next season, journalist Alan Nixon has claimed.
The Lowdown: Collins linked with Wolves move
The 21-year-old had an impressive season for the Clarets, proving to be one of the few bright sparks in a campaign that saw them relegated from the Premier League.
Collins looks likely to remain in the top flight and join another club this summer, considering his current level is arguably too good for the Championship, ranking as Burnley’s fourth-best player in top-flight action last season.
Wolves have been linked with a move for the defender and it is a rumour that is refusing to go away.
The Latest: Journalist provides fresh update
According to Nixon on his Patreon [via The Lancashire Telegraph], Wolves remains keen on bringing Collins to Molineux this summer.
It is claimed that Burnley are asking for a sizeable ÂŁ40million for the Republic of Ireland international’s services, however, with Newcastle United and Leeds United also interested.
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The Verdict: Great option for Wanderers
While Collins’ transfer fee is admittedly high, he is someone Wolves should definitely be looking at this summer if they can bring that number down a touch, as Bruno Lage looks to replace the departed Romain Saiss.
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Sean Dyche described the youngster as ‘excellent’ last season and he made an average of 4.3 clearances per game in the league, as well as winning 3.1 aerial duels per match. In Wolves’ current squad, only Saiss made more clearances per game and only Toti won more headers.
At 21, Collins would be a long-term acquisition who could potentially be Max Kilman’s long-term partner at the back, assuming the latter stays put at Wolves.
In other news, a Premier League side are keeping tabs on one Wolves player. Find out who it is here.
A claim has emerged regarding Leeds United and their current situation surrounding Kalvin Phillips’ future at the Yorkshire club.
What’s the talk?
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook had this to say on the matter.
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He said: “I think there is, behind the scenes, a sort of resignation that Kalvin Phillips will probably leave this summer, and actually, it might not be a bad thing for Leeds because it will give them a lot of money then to be able to revamp the squad and sign the players Jesse Marsch wants.”
In recent weeks, the midfielder has been linked with a move away from Elland Road with fellow Premier League clubs Manchester City and Liverpool rumoured to be circling around the player.
Awful news for Leeds fans
As one of Leeds’ youth products, the 26-year-old has gone on to become a crucial figure for the team.
With 234 senior appearances under his belt for the club, Phillips has seen his side go from being in the Championship to securing their place in the Premier League for a third successive season.
To highlight how important the England international is to the Whites, out of the nine league games he missed last season, Leeds lost seven of them and conceded 17 goals in total.
It was the same case this season as the Elland Road outfit lost 12 of the 18 games he didn’t feature in, once again how vulnerable the team are defensively when they don’t have Phillips on the pitch.
With that in mind, it would be an awful thing for the Leeds fans to potentially see their midfield star wave goodbye to Elland Road this summer.
However, as Crook mentioned, should the Yorkshire club end up selling the midfielder in the coming weeks for a substantial transfer fee, this could give Marsch a big pot of cash to spend on the team and make sure that Phillips’ potential absence won’t be as much of a problem as it could be.
If the people behind the scenes at Leeds are resigned to seeing the 26-year-old leave the club, then they need to make sure that they get the best deal possible in terms of the finances.
In other news: âLeeds are..â: Romano drops big transfer update thatâll leave supporters buzzing