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Manchester City kicked off their latest defence of the Premier League title with a relatively comfortable 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Erling Haaland, of course, scored the first goal of the season for Pep Guardiola's side by bulldozing his way into the box and brilliantly lifting the ball over and past Robert Sanchez.

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic then showed his former employers what they have been missing with a terrific interception, drive forwards, and finish from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 in the second half.

It was not a perfect performance from City, who were troubled and needed Ruben Dias and Ederson at times to keep the Blues at bay, but it was enough to secure all three points.

Savinho made his debut on the flank but was substituted with a minor injury concern at half-time and there could be more debuts to come for City, as they are reportedly in the market to bolster their squad.

Julian Alvarez recently completed his permanent move to Spanish giants Atletico Madrid and the Cityzens are now reportedly looking to take a player away from LaLiga, having just sent the Argentina international to Spain.

Man City's interest in Real Madrid star

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are lining up a swoop to sign Real Madrid forward Rodrygo before the end of the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Brazil international is on the club's radar as they weigh up what to do in the next ten days or so before the deadline passes.

It states that the Cityzens are considering their options after Oscar Bobb broke his leg and Savinho suffered a fitness concern against Chelsea on Sunday.

Football Insider reveals that Guardiola did not want to lose Alvarez to Atletico Madrid this summer and his exit could tempt the club to dip into the market to secure a replacement.

The outlet claims that Rodrygo is one of the players the Premier League champions are interested in signing and that it would take a fee of at least £70m to secure his services.

This would not be an easy deal for City to complete in the coming days, however, as the Brazilian whiz is said to be happy and ready to fight for his place at Real Madrid, which means that he may take some convincing to make the move to England.

Football Insider also says that sources would be 'surprised' if the Cityzens were prepared to splash out £70m to sign the forward this summer, and that suggests that it may take some negotiating with Real Madrid to bring the price down.

However, if the English giants can get a deal over the line for the winger then that could help Guardiola to forget all about Alvarez this season.

Julian Alvarez's form for Man City last season

The World Cup winner signed for Atletico for a whopping £81.5m earlier this month after two years in England, where he was a key player for City in the 2023/24 campaign.

Guardiola found a way to fit Haaland and Alvarez in his starting XI, with the latter deployed in an attacking midfield role, as the Argentine star started 31 of the club's 38 Premier League games.

The 24-year-old sensation embraced his new role by showing off his quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for City in the top-flight, to contribute to another league title success.

Appearances

36

xG

13.12

Goals

11

Big chances created

7

Key passes per game

1.9

Assists

9

As you can see in the table above, the young forward was directly involved in 20 goals in 36 appearances in the division, which shows that he was a reliable attacking option for Guardiola.

Alvarez also produced an eye-catching five goals and two assists in seven outings in the Champions League, scoring those five goals from just 1.74 xG.

These statistics show that the Argentine attacker provided a big threat at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League and the Champions League for City, which is why it is easy to understand why Guardiola did not want to lose him this summer.

However, the Spanish tactician could forget all about the Atletico Madrid signing if the club can bring in Rodrygo to star for the Cityzens this season.

Why Man City should sign Rodrygo

The Premier League giants must swoop for the Brazilian whiz to bolster their squad and ensure that Guardiola does not end up rueing Alvarez's departure.

Despite featuring in a team that included the likes of Vinicius Jr, Kylian Mbappe, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham, among many other stars, Rodrygo was the star for Real Madrid in their opening match in La Liga on Sunday night.

The young attacker scored the only goal of the game for the Spanish giants in a 1-1 draw with Mallorca, brilliantly curling an effort into the far corner from just inside the box.

Last season, the 23-year-old ace showcased his quality in LaLiga and in the Champions League for Real Madrid whilst playing on the right flank.

Rodrygo contributed with five goals and two assists in 13 matches in Europe's premier cup competition as the Spanish side went on to win the trophy, beating Borussia Dortmund in the final at Wembley.

Appearances

34

Goals

10

Big chances created

5

Assists

5

Key passes per game

1.4

As you can see in the table above, the £70m-rated star also hit double figures for goals in LaLiga for Carlo Ancelotti, to go along with five assists.

Rodrygo, whose finishing was once described as "terrifyingly good" by journalist Sam Tighe, also managed 19 goals and 11 assists in all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign, including nine goals and nine assists in LaLiga.

These statistics show that the Brazilian maestro is a consistent and impressive performer in front of goal as both a scorer and a creator, having proven himself in a major European league and in the Champions League.

Man City could land dream signing for Haaland in swoop for £60m star

The Cityzens have been linked with an interest in the forward this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 6, 2024

Therefore, Guardiola could forget all about Alvarez by landing another phenomenal young attacker who can make a big impact in the final third for City.

Opener reaches 97, Harry Brook scores fifty as visitors go to stumps 358 for 8 at Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network15-Apr-2021Yorkshire reached 358 for 8 at stumps against Kent on a fluctuating first day in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury, Adam Lyth their top-scorer with 97 and Harry Brook making 54.Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens celebrated being named as one of Wisden’s Cricketers of the Year by taking 3 for 52 and Matt Milnes claimed 2 for 63, including the prize scalp of England Test captain Joe Root for 11, while wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson took five catches.The visitors had regained control by the close of play in the Group Three fixture thanks to Steven Patterson and David Willey, who were unbeaten on 34 and 25 respectively, leaving Yorkshire with four bonus points and Kent two.Yorkshire won the toss and opted to bat in numbingly cold conditions, racing to 28 without loss before Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell for 14 to the final ball of the fourth over, glancing a leg-side delivery from Stevens to Robinson.The visitors continued to score at more than six an over for the first hour and Lyth reached his fifty before noon, from just 43 balls, before Kent slowed the run rate. Harry Podmore then removed Tom Loten for 27, tempting him to prod at a leg side delivery that was caught behind, leaving Yorkshire 128 for 2 at lunch.Kent claimed four wickets in the afternoon session, including Root, who became Robinson’s third victim, when he was lured outside off stump by Milnes. Lyth then fell three short of his century, nicking Milnes to Robinson and Brook produced an innings of controlled aggression before he was lbw to Miguel Cummins.With Podmore off the field with an injury, occasional bowler Jack Leaning took a wicket with his first ball when he had Jonathan Tattersall caught at slip by Stevens for 11, leaving the visitors on 240 for 6 at tea.Dom Bess and Jordan Thompson batted through the first hour of the evening session before Stevens removed both, Bess lbw for 36 and Thompson caught behind for 34, reducing Yorkshire to 299 for 8, only for Patterson and Willey to frustrate Kent’s bowlers with an unbroken partnership of 59 for the ninth wicket.

حقق بايرن ميونخ فوزًا هامًا على نظيره فرايبورج، بثنائية مقابل هدف، ضمن منافسات الجولة 19، من بطولة الدوري الألماني للدرجة الأولى “بوندزليجا”.

تقدم هاري كين في الدقيقة 15، ليعزز صدارته لترتيب الهدافين، مستغلًا رحيل منافسه المباشر عمر مرموش إلى مانشستر سيتي الإنجليزي.

وانتهى الشوط الأول بتقدم بايرن ميونخ، قبل أن يعزز كيم مين جاي النتيجة في الدقيقة 54 لصالح الضيوف.

طالع أيضًا | تشكيل مانشستر سيتي أمام تشيلسي في الدوري الإنجليزي.. عمر مرموش أساسيًا

وفي الدقيقة 68، سجل ماتياس خينتر هدف فرايبورج الأول، وظل أصحاب الأرض يحاولون من أجل تسجيل التعادل، ولكن حكم المباراة أطلق صافرته ليعلن تعزيز بايرن ميونخ لصدارته.

واستغل بايرن تعثر باير ليفركوزن الذي تعادل بهدفين لمثلهما أمام ريد بول لايبزيج، ليصبح رصيد العملاق البافاري 48 نقطة بفارق 6 نقاط عن ليفركوزن.

بينما فرايبورج ظل في المركز التاسع برصيد 27 نقطة، وبفارق 4 نقاط عن المراكز المؤهلة للبطولات الأوروبية الموسم المقبل. أهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وفرايبورج اليوم في الدوري الألماني

It was the Lucas Digne and Adrien Rabiot show at San Siro on Sunday as France downed Italy 3-1 to top their Nations League group.

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• France win 3-1 against Italy at San Siro
• Digne has a hand in all three goals
• France top group over Italy on goal difference

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• TELL ME MORE

  France and Italy entered their final Nations League A Group 2 clash knowing that they had already secured their place in the two-legged quarter-final of the tournament set to be played in March. However, both sides knew top spot was still up for grabs. While Italy entered the clash with a three-point lead over France, Didier Deschamps' men knew that a two-goal win at San Siro would see them finish first.

  France made a perfect start as Adrien Rabiot scored in the second minute of the game after heading Lucas Digne's corner past Guglielmo Vicario. Despite the shaky start, Italy soon started to attempt to control the game, however, France's heavy press meant Gli Azzurri were unable to do so.

  After a scruffy 30 minutes of play, Christopher Nkunku was brought down by Davide Frattesi outside the Italy box, which prompted France to have their first real attack since Rabiot's goal. Digne stepped up and struck an almost perfect free-kick which hit the underside of Vicario's goalpost, ricocheted into the Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper's back and then pinged into the net to give the visitors a two-goal lead.

  However, the healthy advantage didn't last too long as Dimarco and Sandro Tonali combined. The former let in a perfect cross from the by-line which just went over the head of Frattesi but was met by Andrea Cambiaso, who perfectly slotted a volley past Mike Maignan. What followed was a barrage of Italian attacks, however, Luciano Spalletti's men failed to equalize before the half-time whistle.

  And in the second half it was yet another set-piece situation that broke Italy down yet again. Digne and Rabiot recreated a similar move as they had in the second minute of the clash as the defender's pinpoint cross was able to find the Marseille midfielder, who headed the ball past a stranded Vicario.

  The game was then a case of Italy going gung-ho at Maignan's goal as Gli Azzurri knew that reducing their goal difference would mean Italy could take the top spot, however, it wasn't to be as France's 3-1 win was enough for them to finish first.

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  THE MVP

  Deschamps has Digne to thank for the victory over Italy. The Villa star racked up two assists and was very solid defensively against Frattesi and Cambiaso. The Aston Villa left-back has been in top form for Unai Emery's side as well this season and was given a run out at left-back for Les Bleus ahead of Theo Hernandez. The former Barcelona and Everton star may now have put some pressure on Deschamps to consider him as a potential number one for the left-back spot.

• THE BIG LOSER

  Italy's set-piece coaches will need to have a long hard look at the set-up Gli Azzurri use when defending dead-ball situations. The last six goals that Spalletti's team has given up, including all three against France tonight at San Siro, have come from set pieces. Spalletti will need to work out a way to iron out such a big flaw in his team before they take on their quarter-final clash in March.

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• WHAT COMES NEXT?

  Italy and France will now have to wait until November 22 to figure out who they will face off against next in the quarter-final of the Nations League. Thanks to their group win, France will play at Stade de France in the second leg. Meanwhile, Italy will have to play at San Siro in the first leg as they finished as runners-up.

The new season kicks off in less than a month for Celtic and they are yet to dip into the market to make their first signing of the summer transfer window.

Kilmarnock await the Bhoys at Paradise in the opening match of the 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign and it remains to be seen whether or not there will be any new faces for the supporters to look forward to seeing in action.

A new number one is on the agenda for the Hoops after Joe Hart officially retired from professional football at the end of May, following three seasons in Glasgow.

Newcastle United's Martin Dubravka and Croatia star Dominik Livakovic have both been linked with transfers to Parkhead to fill the vacant position.

Along with a new first-choice shot-stopper for Brendan Rodgers, the Premiership champions could also look to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season.

Celtic were held to a 1-1 draw by lower league side Ayr in their first pre-season friendly, with their only goal coming via Kyogo Furuhashi's penalty, and they may want to improve their firepower before the window slams shut.

Celtic pursuing deal for Irish striker

According to the Daily Record, the Hoops are 'confident' of securing a deal to sign centre-forward Adam Idah on a permanent basis from Norwich City.

The report does not, however, reveal what their next step is with the Canaries or how much they are prepared to pay to land the Ireland international.

BBC Sport reported last week that the English Championship side officially rejected an offer of between £4m and £5m from the Hoops for the 6 foot 3 attacker.

The outlet added that the Yellows are not actively looking to cash in on their talented academy graduate, as Johannes Hoff Thorup – who replaced David Wagner this summer – is keen to take a look at him in pre-season.

HITC then published a claim that it could take a fee of up to £8m to sign the 23-year-old marksman from Norwich, who are said to be open to selling the attacker for the right price.

This latest report from the Daily Record states that the club are confident, though, and this suggests that they feel they can reach an agreement with the Canaries.

They may either be ready to splash out £8m to make it happen or they could reach a compromise and pay a fee between £5m and £8m to secure his services.

If the Bhoys can eventually get a deal over the line for the Irish sensation then they could repeat the masterclass they played with the signing Odsonne Edouard from Paris Saint-Germain.

Celtic's Odsonne Edouard masterclass

The Hoops initially signed the French centre-forward on loan from the Ligue 1 giants for the 2017/18 campaign and he enjoyed a solid debut season at Parkhead.

Edouard ended the term with a return of nine goals and three assists in 22 Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants, with three goals and one assist in three top-six split matches.

His form during that loan spell convinced the Bhoys to splash out a club-record transfer fee of £9m to sign him from PSG on a permanent deal in the summer of 2018.

Odsonne Edouard as permanent Celtic player

Premiership

Appearances

Goals

Assists

18/19

32

15

6

19/20

27

22

11

20/21

31

18

6

21/22

4

2

1

Total

94

57

24

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Edouard then went on to prove himself to be a prolific scorer for the Premiership side over the next three-and-a-bit years.

He averaged more than one goal every other game in the league for Celtic over just over three seasons as a permanent player, following his loan, and that attracted interest from elsewhere.

In the summer of 2021, Premier League outfit Crystal Palace swooped in to sign the French marksman in a £14m deal that could rise to a whopping £18.5m.

This shows that they pulled off a masterclass with the signing of Edouard as they made a significant profit on the £9m they spent to snap him up after his initial loan stint.

Therefore, their bold decision to smash their club-record transfer fee to ensure that they landed him on a permanent deal turned out to be a blinder.

Why Adam Idah could be Odsonne Edouard 2.0

Whilst the £8m figure touted for Idah would not break the club's transfer record, signing the Norwich ace looks set to take a huge amount of money for Celtic and they should now press ahead to sign him as the Irishman could turn out to be Edouard 2.0.

At the age of 23, they would be signing a centre-forward who has plenty of time left on his hands to develop and improve over the years to come.

This means that the £23k-per-week attacker could grow whilst working with Rodgers on the training pitch and increase his value by performing well on the pitch for Celtic.

That could then attract interest from elsewhere and land him a big-money move back down south to net the Hoops another huge payday, which was also the case with Edouard.

Idah's form for the club during his loan spell at Parkhead in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign suggests that the potential is there for him to follow in the Frenchman's footsteps to become a consistent and lethal scorer in the Premiership.

23/24 Premiership

Adam Idah

Appearances

15

Starts

5

Goals

8

Big chances missed

7

Conversion rate

27%

Minutes per goal

76

Assists

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Ireland international racked up a staggering eight goals in just five league starts for the Scottish giants.

Idah, whose ability was hailed as "incredible" by Rodgers, averaged a goal every 76 minutes – more than one every 90 minutes – and that was considerably better than Kyogo's return of one goal every 179 minutes in the division.

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Therefore, Celtic must now sign the Norwich gem on a permanent deal this summer in the hope that he can carry that form over to a full season in Scotland and push on to become Edouard 2.0 at Parkhead.

A friend of Vinicius Junior appears to have confirmed reports that the Real Madrid star has not won the Ballon d'Or as he criticised the news.

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Vinicius and Madrid boycotting Ballon d'OrBrazil star reportedly misses out on trophyHis friend posted message on social mediaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The final Ballon d'Or rankings have reportedly been leaked, with Manchester City star Rodri believed to be the winner before the results are announced at a ceremony in Paris on Monday evening. The news has sparked an angry reaction from Real Madrid, with the whole club boycotting the ceremony in response to Vinicius missing out on the prize.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite a Ballon d'Or executive insisting that he is only one of two people who know the final results, many expect Rodri's name to be read out, and Vinicius' friend and musical act MC Maneirinho has taken to social media to speak out in support of his fellow Brazilian.

WHAT WAS SAID

"I love you, brother, the best in the world. You do much more than just play soccer. People who come from where we came from don't have to do twice as much, but 10 times as much every day," he wrote on Instagram. "But the fact that this award isn't going to you just shows the mentality of those who are afraid of our presence. I was there for your professional debut and I was sure that this day would come.

"Once again, we came up against the evil of the sugar mill owners who took what is ours. But nothing can erase what you did. I'm proud, brother, proud from the bridge to here. Your family, your friends here and the whole world have already elected you the BEST IN THE WORLD. You don't need status and I know that won't shake you. You are the greatest example of overcoming that I have the honor of calling a friend. I love you, my friend. The best in the world."

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Even if it turns out that the 24-year-old has not won this year's award for the world's best player over the last season, he will likely be in contention to claim the trophy in the future amid his starring role for European and Spanish champions Real Madrid and the Brazil national team.

Julen Lopetegui is striving to build up his West Ham United side after David Moyes' tenure reached its culmination. Luis Guilherme has already been signed to add some exciting depth and potential to the flanks.

However, with Mohammed Kudus pushing for a move away from the London Stadium and Lucas Paqueta's footballing future uncertain, more depth is needed up top.

Moreover, likely defensive exits have led to a concerted effort toward signing Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that talks are being held to sign him.

However, West Ham would be wise to seek out alternatives, indeed fixing upon another talented defender.

West Ham transfer news

As per Football Insider, West Ham are rivalling newly-promoted Premier League rivals Ipswich Town for Hull City's Jacob Greaves, having held talks ahead of a possible deal.

The Athletic have revealed that the Tractor Boys have presented a £10m proposal to Hull but this will be swiftly rejected. Others, seemingly West Ham, are monitoring.

Why West Ham are pursuing Jacob Greaves

Greaves has been described as a "top-class" player by Championship-centred podcast host Ryan Dilks, even being crowned Hull's Player of the Season after his exemplary 2023/24 season.

As per FBref, the 6 foot 1 star ranked among the top 8% of centre-backs in the Championship last term for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 25% for tackles and the top 4% for aerial battles won per 90.

It's no wonder that football writer Alex Osborn hailed him as "the best CB in the Championship last season", having played a significant role in the Tigers' albeit unsuccessful push for promotion.

Jacob Greaves vs Max Kilman: 23/24 Stat Comparison

Statistic

Jacob Greaves

Max Kilman

Matches played

43

38

Matches started

43

38

Goals

2

2

Assists

4

0

Clean sheets

11

5

Pass completion

89%

86%

Key passes per game

0.5

0.4

Tackles per game

1.8

1.2

Clearances per game

4.3

4.7

Ball recoveries per game

4.4

4.7

Duels won per game

7.3 (69%)

4.2 (63%)

All stats via Sofascore

While Lopetegui hopes to sign Kilman after spending a season with the 27-year-old at Molineux, Greaves is capable of emulating the Wolves captain in creativity, combativeness and sharpness, with the table above really highlighting the myriad similarities between the respective stars.

Kilman, moreover, is not going to come cheap. Valued as high as £50m by Wolves, he would exhaust significant resources at a time of pressing need for additions across the board.

Greaves has all the skills to succeed in east London and he could be a real bargain for a West Ham side in transition, clearly aligning with Lopetegui's preferred style given his striking similarities to Kilman.

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The transfer window doesn't officially open until Friday, but that hasn't stopped clubs from getting to work on deals beforehand, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.

Daniel Levy and Co clearly recognise the need to provide Ange Postecoglou with a new clinical number nine if the team are to climb back into the Champions League places next season, and based on recent reports, it looks like they might have found just the player.

However, while it's good news for the Australian and fans, it may well spell the end of the road for Richarlison in N17.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain (via TEAMtalk), Tottenham Hotspur are incredibly interested in signing Sevilla's star striker Youssef En-Nesyri this summer, and have already made an offer the player is 'ready to say yes to.'

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims there is interest from the Saudi Pro League and Manchester United are preparing an offer of their own in the coming days.

The Spanish giants are said to want at least €20m – £17m – for their reliable marksman, which, if true, could make him one of the best value-for-money signings this summer.

While the interest from other sides is far from ideal, the low asking price and revelation that En-Nesyri is eager to join Spurs means Levy and Co need to dot the i's and cross the t's as soon as possible on this deal, even if his arrival sees Richarlison's gametime dramatically shrink.

How En-Nesyri compares to Richarlison

So, with En-Nesyri potentially moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium in the coming weeks, how does he stack up to Richarlison? Does his record in Spain suggest he'd waltz into the lineup and relegate the Brazilian to the bench?

In short, yes, yes, it does.

For example, over the last two seasons, the "pure goalscorer," as talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him, has scored 38 goals and provided four assists in 89 games, meaning he's averaged a goal involvement every 2.11 games for two years straight.

Appearances

48

35

Goals

18

3

Assists

1

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

0.20

Appearances

41

31

Goals

20

12

Assists

3

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.56

0.51

In comparison, the former Toffees ace has scored 15 goals and provided eight assists in 66 games across the same period, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 2.8 games.

However, it's not just his goalscoring that would make the Fès-born marksman the ideal upgrade; it's also his availability, which is, of course, the best ability.

Over the last two seasons, he has missed just three games through injury. Even if you go back to the start of the 2018/19 campaign, he's still missed just 27 games, and 16 of those were due to one muscle injury.

On the other hand, the Nova Venécia-born forward has missed 21 games through injury in the previous two campaigns alone and a whopping 41 matches since the start of the 18/19 season.

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Ultimately, while Richarlison has been better this year, he's still not been overly convincing during his time in North London and if Postecoglou is going to take the team back to the very top, then he's going to need a reliable goalscorer, which is exactly what En-Nesyri is.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a huge triple signing this summer after talks between a well known Red Devils director and another club's sporting director took place in recent days.

Man Utd transfer news

Few summer transfer windows have felt more important at Old Trafford than the one that will take place in the coming months, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe has the first opportunity to chance his arm. United's part-owner will want to make his presence felt and show that he is right to be in charge of transfer activity, and endless rumours continue to link them with exciting signings.

Wolves attacker Matheus Cunha is one player who has been backed to come in and add firepower for the Red Devils next season, with the club willing to double his current £60,000 per week wages. He has been compared to Marcus Rashford, not to mention being seen as a player who could get the best out of the Englishman.

Anthony Martial's departure this summer will require a new striker to come in, not to mention Rasmus Hojlund requiring more competition for regular minutes at United, and RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko has been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, in defence, Sporting CP centre-back Ousmane Diomande is being looked at as an ideal replacement for Raphael Varane, coming fresh off the back of Primeira Liga title title glory with his current club.

There are also concerns that United could lose key players, however, not least Bruno Fernandes, who is reportedly wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich. His agent is believed to have held talks with both European giants.

Man Utd eyeing huge triple signing

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are eyeing the triple signing of Marc Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise this summer, with the Crystal Palace trio all seen as potential additions.

In fact, that aforementioned club director in question is Sir Alex Ferguson, and the legendary former Red Devils manager "has met with Dougie Freedman in London to explore Crystal Palace’s position" on arguably their three most prized players.

Whether Guehi, Eze and Olise all end up at United this summer remains to be seen – they have a combined value of £124m, according to Transfermarkt – but if Ferguson and Ratcliffe managed to mastermind the signing of all three of them, it could be some of the most significant business they have done in years.

In Guehi, the Red Devils could be signing a long-term solution at the heart of their defence – one who is currently seen as an option to start ahead of Harry Maguire for England at Euro 2024, especially with the latter struggling with injury problems currently.

Eze is also part of the Three Lions' squad, and could add so much creativity to Erik ten Hag's midfield, registering 15 goal contributions (11 goals and four assists) in 24 Premier League starts in 2023/24. Meanwhile, Olise could be an ideal upgrade on Antony, providing far more end product from a right-sided role and netting twice against United in Palace's 4-0 win at Selhurst Park last month.

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In many ways, Guehi could almost be the most important signing, given the need for centre-back reinforcements – Varane is leaving and Maguire is now 31 years of age – but the aim should be to sign all three together in one window.

Wolverhampton Wanderers defied many people’s expectations this season, with plenty of football fans and pundits predicting them to get relegated, including BBC Sport journalist Phil McNulty. He had them in 19th in his pre-season predictions, explaining that he had a “very, very worrying feeling” about the Midlands side.

However, Gary O’Neil’s side managed to finish in an impressive 14th in the Premier League table, 20 points clear of relegation. In fact, they were just three points off a top-half finish, with tenth spot claimed by Crystal Palace, who got 49 points.

Wolves actually overachieved this season, according to Understat’s expected points metric. As per the expected points table, the Midlands side achieved seven points more than they should have, with their expected points total of 39xPTS.

This is certainly impressive from boss O’Neil, whose side became a fluid and transitional team this season, with the likes of Matheus Cunha, Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-chan particularly thriving.

With such an impressive platform laid, it gives O’Neil and his side the opportunity to use it as a springboard and climb even higher in the Premier League table next season, plus potentially gather momentum in the cup. Already, Wolves have been linked with a new signing who could replace one of their current stars if he leaves.

Wolves target South American winger

The player in question here is CA Talleres and Paraguay international Ramon Sosa. The 24-year-old could well be set for a big move to Europe this summer, after playing well in top-flight football in Argentina.

According to reports in Paraguay, Wolves are thought to be one of the sides most keen on bringing Sosa to European football. However, they would face stiff competition from Londers Chelsea, Newcastle United and the City Group, who own Manchester City, should they want to get a deal done.

According to the report, Sosa’s current club, CA Talleres, value the winger at approximately £16m. They are in line to make a healthy profit on the 24-year-old, given they spent just £1.8m on him in January.

As aforementioned, a deal for Sosa from Wolves would likely occur should Neto leave the club. Newcastle and City are also interested in bringing the Portuguese international to their respective clubs. However, Wolves would demand a large fee, thought to be in the region of £60m, according to John Percy of The Telegraph.

How Sosa and Neto compare

Sosa’s numbers in top-flight football for CA Talleres this season have certainly been impressive. The 24-year-old has scored four goals and registered four assists for his side in just 12 league appearances.

Neto has played slightly more games in the Premier League due to injury issues. However, the winger has also put up some impressive numbers. The Portuguese, who will be heading to Euro 2024, has scored two and registered nine assists in 20 games for Wolves.

Stylistically, the pair are very similar players, too. Neto is a lightning-quick winger, who uses his pace to his advantage, running at opposition defenders relentlessly. Sosa is a tall, quick two-way winger who can go on the inside or the outside of a defender, adding an unpredictable nature to his game.

It is important to see how they stack up statistically, too. As per Fbref, Sosa is one of the best dribblers in the world. He averages 7.22 take-ons per 90 minutes and 3.89 complete take-ons per 90 minutes, which places him in the top 1% for each metric, meaning he is, statistically, one of the world’s best with the ball at his feet.

In contrast, according to Fbref, Neto averages just 5.22 attempted take-ons per 90 minutes and 2.2 completed take-ons per 90 minutes. This ranks him in the top 20% and top 22% respectively. Either way, they're still incredibly high numbers.

Sosa vs Neto dribbling stats compared

Stat (per 90)

Sosa

Neto

Take-ons

7.22

5.22

Successful take-ons

3.89

2.2

Stats from Fbref

The Paraguayan is a deadly dribbler, described by football analyst Ben Mattinson over on X as a “problem every time he gets the ball”. Mattinson then goes on to explain that Sosa has great “unpredictability on the ball”.

Sosa’s explosive dribbling and willingness to get on the ball and make something happen is a luxury that Wolves also have with Neto. That makes him an ideal candidate to replace the Portuguese this summer if he departs Molineux.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair May 24, 2024