Kenedy still not consistent enough to be a hit at Arsenal

As reported by Goal.com, Arsenal are interested in signing Chelsea winger Kenedy this summer.

What’s the story?

This summer is one of transition for the Gunners after Unai Emery replaced Arsene Wenger as manager and the club are expected to do plenty of business in the transfer window as the Spaniard looks to reshape the first team squad.

One player that could arrive at the Emirates is Chelsea winger Kenedy, who must recently had a spell on loan at Newcastle United.

That’s according to Goal, who say that Arsenal are interested in his services alongside RB Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich.

Rated at £6.3m by Transfermarkt, is he a player Arsenal should be moving for this summer?

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Good enough for Arsenal?

While Kenedy undoubtedly has a lot of potential and is progressing well in the Premier League, he isn’t quite at the elite level that Arsenal require to become challengers for major honours once again.

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With two goals and two assists for Newcastle in 13 Premier League appearances, he did help them steer clear of relegation, but did have dips in form and wasn’t the most consistent player in his loan spell there.

At 22 years of age, that’s perhaps to be expected, but the Gunners should be looking at other transfer targets this summer that can immediately improve their first team.

West Ham signing Ryan Shawcross would be a catastrophic start to Pellegrini’s reign

According to reliable West Ham United club insider @ExWHUemployee on his latest West Ham Way blog, the east London club are considering making a summer move for Stoke City centre-back Ryan Shawcross following the Potters’ relegation to the Championship.

What’s the word, then?

Well, @ExWHUemployee says that new Irons boss Manuel Pellegrini wants at least one, and possibly two centre-backs this summer, and Shawcross is one target that they have been monitoring.

@ExWHUemployee claims that the Hammers, who must move quickly to sign a 6ft 4in England international if Chelsea complete huge £45m deal, like the 30-year-old because he is British, brave and a leader, and they feel that he could potentially replace James Collins following his official departure at the end of this month when his contract is due to expire.

How did Shawcross do last season?

It was a tough campaign for the 6ft 3in tall centre-back as the Potters struggled down the wrong end of the division, while he also suffered from a few injury knocks.

The 30-year-old made 27 Premier League appearances in total, scoring one goal and providing a further assist, but he often looked a shadow of his former self from a defensive point of view as his team ended the campaign with the joint-worst – with West Ham – top flight defence having conceded 68 goals in their 38 games.

Would he be a good signing for West Ham?

He certainly wouldn’t be.

The Irons already have a similar player at a similar age in Winston Reid who looks to be on the decline, and they surely need someone a little younger with potential to improve.

While he may be a leader, if he lacks the quality then it doesn’t matter and if Pellegrini wants to strengthen a leaky backline this summer, it is difficult to see how the 30-year-old would be a good addition given Stoke’s defensive record last term.

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Bringing the centre-back to the London Stadium would ultimately be a mistake, and would signal a calamitous start to Chilean manager’s reign with the east London outfit.

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Potential consequences: Tottenham Hotspur selling Mousa Dembele

According to Football FanCast sources, Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele is on the verge of signing for Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Guoan.

The Belgium international only has a year remaining on his contract with the north London outfit, and rather than see out the final 12 months Football FanCast sources believe the player is set to choose a move to Asia, having wanted the transfer since last summer.

Personal terms have been all but agreed and it now just a transfer fee that needs to be sorted between the two parties before a deal goes through, as manager Mauricio Pochettino, who has been urged to sign a £22.5m 2018 World Cup attacker after his opening display in Russia, begins a summer overhaul of his squad.

So, how would selling the Belgian truly impact Spurs? Football FanCast take a look at the potential consequences of the major summer deal for Tottenham…

He could lead an exodus of the old guard

If Dembele does leave Tottenham this summer he could lead an exodus of some of the old guard, with Toby Alderweireld, Moussa Sissoko and Victor Wanyama all potentially following him through the exit door for the right price if reports in The Mirror are to be believed.

While Dembele, Alderweireld and Wanyama have been key players for them in the past, it seems as though Pochettino is ready to start looking to the future in his bid to lead the north London outfit to glory and trophies, and the move into their new stadium could begin a new era in more ways than one.

Tottenham sign Ndombele

If Dembele does go, it seems certain that Pochettino will bring in a top replacement for him, and he has been heavily linked with a move for Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele.

The 21-year-old is set to join the Ligue 1 club permanently this summer following a season-long loan spell from French rivals Amiens, but they may struggled to hold on to him following some brilliant all-round midfield displays last term.

L’Equipe report that Lyon could be tempted by a €60m (£53m) offer for the France U21 international, and it might be a price the north London club pays if they bring in good money for the players they are open to selling.

Harry Winks wants out

Following a frustrating 2017/18 campaign because of injury issues and struggling to get into the starting XI ahead of the likes of Dembele and Eric Dier, the 22-year-old would have been hopeful of his chances of getting more minutes on the pitch this season if indeed the Belgian and some of his midfield teammates go.

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However, the links to Ndombele, who would almost certainly be a starter, and Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish suggest that his situation could be unchanged, and it could lead to him becoming frustrated and leaving in search of regular first-team football – whether only on loan or on a permanent basis.

So, Tottenham fans, is Pochettino making the right decision by selling Mousa Dembele? Let us know by voting below…

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HYS: Should West Ham dump Anderson chase to sign Lozano?

West Ham are still being strongly linked with a move for Lazio winger Felipe Anderson, but should they change course and target one of the World Cup’s most impressive performers?

The deal for Lazio’s Anderson seems to be dragging on forever, as reports of bids and talks have been going on for weeks.

West Ham fans would certainly love to sign the pacey Brazilian, as they look to atone for the loss of Manuel Lanzini.

The crafty little Argentine could miss the entire season with the devastating knee injury he suffered on international duty, and Andersons’s creativity would certainly help fill the void.

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One name that is attracting a lot of interest from the Premier League though is Mexico’s Hirving Lozano, who could be an even better signing than the Brazilian.

Lozano grabbed an assist in Mexico’s 2-1 win over South Korea on Saturday, adding to his winning goal in their win over Germany.

The little winger plays his club football for PSV, where he scored 17 league goals last season, 13 more than Anderson, albeit in an easier league.

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While the speedy 22 year-old will no doubt have plenty of suitors this summer, could the allure of living in London and working with Manuel Pellegrini tilt the scales in the Hammers’ favour?

West Ham fans, let us know your thoughts by voting in the poll below…

If Gerrard could raid Liverpool again, he’d be making Rangers’ smartest signing in years

New Rangers boss, Steven Gerrard has worked quick in the transfer market to sign up seven new players to his squad. The former Liverpool man has already back to his former club to his former club to sign the Ovie Ejaria and has been linked with Ben Woodburn.  So Tavern fans, let’s see who the next Liverpool player could be to join Gerrard’s Ranger’s revolution. 

A star at youth level for Chelsea, Dominic Solanke made his move to Liverpool last summer on a free transfer but struggled to stake a starting spot due to Liverpool’s devastating front three.

The under-20 World Cup winner, has long been thought of as one of the best talents in England but has struggled to get first-team football.

The Scottish Sun reported earlier this month that Solanke was at the top of Gerrard’s list of summer reinforcements and is keen bring him to Scotland on a season-long loan deal.

The 20-year-old forward is also keen to move north in search of more minutes and Klopp may not be against sending on loan for the season.

The report also states that Gerrard is keen to have the forward in the squad before the Europa League qualifier, Klopp may want to gauge the fitness of his three forwards before sanctioning a move.

Recently, the youngster praised Gerrard while also stating that he was eager to see what he would do in Scotland.

“Gerrard’s a legend. He has done so much for Liverpool and

for football.”

“I’m happy he has got the Rangers job and it will be good for him. I’m intrigued to see how he’s going to do.”

Rangers fans, do you want this striker at your club next season? 

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Are new look Spurs finally shedding their skin?

Spurs look to be doing what they do best – being Spurs. No matter what they do they just can’t shake it. Like a snake who just can’t shed its skin, Spurs just can’t stop being Spurs.

Every year something changes. A manager, big signings, the general philosophy around the club, but every year it comes back to the same-old – an acceptable opening few weeks before kicking on, giving their fans hopes of Champions League football only to disappoint them before the end of the season.

It’s too early to speculate whether this season will be any different – there’s some reason to believe that it could be, and I’ll come to that later – but Saturday’s match against Manchester United sums up what Spurs are like. A fluent team filled with happy warriors, threatening to upset the odds and delight their fans, before falling away and ultimately disappointing.

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If Spurs want to go places this season they’ll have to be the Spurs of the first 20 minutes of that game for much longer into games. Against United the played well until an unfortunate own-goal  knocked the wind out of their sails.

Towards the end of the game there were encouraging signs too: Pochettino’s pre-season fitness obsession made Spurs look very dangerous in the final few minutes of games last season, and on Saturday they came to life at the end again. Whether that was fitness or simply a need to try to break down a Manchester United side who were happy with a 1-0 victory is hard to say, but it is at least encouraging that Spurs can keep that fitness and heart going this season. It was a positive for them last time out, so they need to be able to build on it.

And that’s what Spurs have been doing in this pre-season: building. The old Spurs, the typical Spurs would have spent lots of money on ‘exciting’ players, like Eriksen and Lamela – although probably in response to the sale of a big star. Still, Spurs teams of the past had a penchant for a big signing. Pochettino seems to prefer actually training his team up to do well rather than buying a ready-made team. He clearly has confidence in his coaching abilities and his ability to mould his current team into a side that can play the way he wants them to play.

And that’s why there’s reason to believe that Spurs may have shed their skin this summer.

They’re still looking for offensive recruits to help out Harry Kane – the latest from France today is that Clinton N’Jie could leave Lyon for Tottenham for a fee of €14m, which could eventually reach €17m. Someone to create goals for Kane is important, but someone to help him score the goals is also hugely important for Spurs, too.

Last season Harry Kane’s goals directly led to 24 points for Spurs. If you take away those points, Spurs just about reach the magic 40 point mark. Not that Spurs wouldn’t have been able to finish every move that Kane managed to finish, but it’s a fair bet to say that they wouldn’t have managed quite as many of them as they did. He needs help this season, especially as he himself could have an off-season. And if he does, the press will call him a one-season wonder.

But the main improvement is at the back. Despite their reliance on Kane, Spurs were simply woeful in defence last season. They conceded the same number of goals as relegated Burnley, and more goals than relegated Hull. Essentially, that’s what killed Spurs’ top four challenge last season. This time they’ve brought in capable defenders, but not for a whole lot of money. They’re simply defenders who Pochettino believes can play in the way he tells them to play. Organisation is the key, rather than individually brilliant defenders, and one look at a Tony Pulis team can show you just how effective that can be.

And yet it’s so very un-Spurs. Buying players who don’t excite, but who will incrementally improve the squad. Bit by bit, Pochettino is improving the squad. They may not be ready for an assault on the top four this season, but next season might just be the aim. In order to do that, Spurs will have to continue to play like the first 20 minutes of their match on Saturday. But bit by bit they will. Maybe by Christmas they’ll manage to play like it for a full half. By the end of the season for most of the game.

Gradual change is the order of the day for Tottenham, and Pochettino seems to know this. It’s not exciting it’s not typical Spurs, but it will be effective in the long run. There are few quick fixes in football, even with bags of money players need to gel and settle in; they’re only human. So why not buy young players who will grow together and gel at the same time? Pochettino will work on their fitness and their organisation, and that’s what will help long term. Spurs need a new look, and they’re shedding their skin to get it.

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Liverpool urged to replace Rodgers with ex-Bundesliga boss (not Klopp)

Recently departed Borussia Monchengladbach boss Lucien Favre could be a better option for Liverpool if they lose patience with Brendan Rodgers than Jurgen Klopp, according to Bundesliga expert Cristian Nyari.The Reds are now without a win from their last four games in Premier League action following a 1-1 draw at home to newly-promoted Norwich, which has heaped pressure on their Northern Irish boss – whose position in the Anfield dugout was questioned following a woeful 2014/15 campaign.Klopp, who stepped down as Borussia Dortmund chief at the end of last season, was subsequently linked with a switch to Merseyside before Liverpool’s American owners (Fenway Sports Group) elected to give Rodgers time, and has once again found his name in the mix of late.WANT MORE? >>ÂLiverpoolÂtransfer newsÂ|ÂLatest transfer newsHowever, Nyari – an expert on the BuLi – believes that should the Kop outfit look towards German football for their next manager, former Gladbach boss, Favre, would be a better option after his recent decision to quit the club:“In Klopp and Favre two world class coaches are available that all of Europe will be after.†He tweeted.“Favre took over a Gladbach facing relegation, turned them into one of the best in Germany and reached the CL for the first time in over 30 years.“Wherever Favre goes I’m positive he’ll be a great success. Definitely a more realistic choice for Liverpool as well instead of Klopp.â€

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Three things we learnt from Spurs’ convincing win against Aston Villa

Although there was a five-minute spell in the final third of the game in which Aston Villa were on top, Spurs ran out comfortable winners against the Midlands side at White Hart Lane. Coming into the game much of the talk was about Remi Garde’s arrival, but as the Frenchman watched on from the stands the Londoners poured cold water on any hopes the travelling supporters may have had for an inspiring showing with a goal within three minutes from Mousa Dembele, which was then followed by a composed Dele Alli effort before half-time.Jordan Ayew sparked a mini revival with around quarter of an hour to play when his shot deflected in off Jan Vertonghen, however, Harry Kane netted deep into injury time to make it 3-1 and leave Villa rock bottom and ease Spurs to a 10-game unbeaten run.After all that, here are THREE things we learnt…

Garde has a big job on his hands at Villa

Remi Garde would have known that he has a huge task waiting for him at Villa, but the level of work he must put in surely dawned on him as he watched on from the stands at White Hart Lane. His new side barely woke up until the last 15 minutes when a Jordan Ayew shot deflected in, and despite a late rally the problems are clear and plentiful.

Garde will have to inject some confidence into his side while working with a restricted budget and a lack of power in transfer dealings. As well as this, the Villans’ defence looks shaky when under pressure, the midfield appears to lack balance and up front Gabby Agbonlahor seems pretty ineffective – he completed only seven passes (two of which were kick-offs) in the first 45 minutes.

Good luck, Remi.

Spurs have stumbled onto the perfect midfield pairing…

At the start of the season few would have predicted that Eric Dier and Dele Alli would make such a promising double-act in the centre of midfield. Alas, the converted defender and the 19-year-old appear perfectly suited, with the former prepared to sit deep and anchor the engine room, while the latter drives on in more of a box-to-box capacity. Alli netted what proved to be a vital goal this evening against Aston Villa, while Dier is proving to be ‘undroppable’ nowadays. Is there any way back for RyanÂMason or Nabil Bentaleb now?

Gestede could be the key to survival at Villa…

As the stats show, Rudy Gestede is an absolute monster. We all knew how good the Benin star was in the air from his Blackburn days, and in a less physical Premier League he appears to be almost unbeatable when the ball is lofted into his vacinity. Although Garde may want to play progressive football, it could be worth going back to basics for a while and making full use of Gestede’s physicality. There’s not doubt that the game swung in the Villans’ favour once he was introduced…

Does this young Championship star represent a smart move for West Ham?

Despite reigning over a rather strong looking squad throughout the course of the current campaign, Slaven Bilic is just like any other Premier League manager when it comes to strengthening his team across the January transfer window.

Every side currently operating in the Premier League could in-fact be bolstered with a selection of new winter additions this January, even if the mid-season transfer period invariably proves a lot less fruitful than its far more hectic counterpart in the summer.

So then, as Carl Jenkinson has seemingly lost his place among the starting XI at Upton Park this season, could 22-year-old Leeds right-back Sam Byram represent a decent acquisition for West Ham this January?

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As Everton have also seen their name linked with the promising young Englishman in the run up to the winter transfer window, Sam Byram is someone who could easily find himself playing in the Premier League far sooner than most initially expected.

The rapidly emerging Elland Road favourite, who has been coveted by a whole host of top sides throughout his career with Leeds United thus far, has recently drawn a great deal of praise for his sheer versatility along the right-flank.

Whether it be at right-back, right-midfield, or even up alongside the strikers in the right-wing position – this is a player who has certainly impressed a fair amount.

The 22-year-old Leeds man has also drawn rather muted comparisons with Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale this season, simply for his pace up and down the right wing and desire to take on opposing defenders. Whilst such an analysis may seem a tad premature, the immediate future looks somewhat promising for Sam Byram.

After all, West Ham shouldn’t be put off by signing players from the Championship, for it wasn’t long ago that Aaron Cresswell first signed at Upton Park on the back of his prior form for Ipswich Town. The Hammers left-back certainly didn’t take long to adjust to the Premier League last season, meaning Sam Byram could also take to the top-fligh with relative ease.

However, as Leeds United are apparently holding out for £8million for their star right-back this January, maybe Slaven Bilic would be better served in looking elsewhere if the Championship outfit refuse to drop their initial asking price. Although he certainly looks like a decent player at this stage, Byram arguably fails to represent an £8million player with all things considered.

WANT MORE? >> West Ham transfer news | Latest transfer news

It seems Leeds United’s recent valuation is just another case of a young English player being vastly over-priced in the early stages of his career. The Hammers managed to sign Dimitri Payet for just a few million more than what Steve Evans’ side currently want for Byram – which seems a tad ridiculous.

West Ham do require a new right-back sooner rather than later, however, as although James Tomkins has certainly impressed when filling in at full-back this season, Bilic arguably needs to find someone better suited to the role this January.

Carl Jenkinson has fallen down the pecking order rather quickly as of late, and because Joey O’Brien is next in line for the Hammers should Bilic witness a further injury or two in the full-back department this season, something surely has to be done at Upton Park in order to give West Ham the best chance possible of finishing higher up the league table this term.

So, unless Leeds United eventually see fit to lower their current valuation of Byram before the closure of the January transfer window, maybe West Ham must cast their attention elsewhere this winter to avoid being considerably ripped off by the Championship outfit.

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Football FanCast’s alternative Premier League Team of the Half-Season

It may seem like only yesterday the 2015/16 Premier League campaign kicked off, but believe it or not, we’re now just two games away from the exact midpoint of the season.

Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry used this week’s edition of Monday Night Football to pick their Team of the Season so far and barring a few suspiciously biased selections from the Arsenal legend, it’s hard to disagree with their line up; Jack Butland, Hector Bellerin, Toby Alderweireld, Chris Smalling, Nacho Monreal, N’Golo Kante, Ross Barkley, Riyad Mahrez, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Jamie Vardy.

But we at Football Fancast believe some of the Premier League’s less high-profile stars deserve their share of the credit as well, and thus, we’ve created our own Alternative Team of the Half-Season utilising a fittingly alternative 3-5-2 formation – the only stipulation being that it can’t include any members of Sky Sports’ chosen Xi.

Do you agree with our picks? Is there somebody we’ve glaringly missed out? How would our XI fare against Sky Sports’? Let us know by commenting below!

GOALKEEPER – HEURELHO GOMES

We may be doing David De Gea a slight disservice, considering the Manchester United No.1 has been as superlative as ever this season, whilst Petr Cech has substantially fortified Arsenal’s defence since arriving from Chelsea during the summer.

But former Spurs flop Heurelho Gomes has been conducting heroics on a weekly basis at Watford, barring a few predictable howlers here and there. He’s keep the most clean sheets of any Premier League goalkeeper, eight, and ranks a respectable joint-fifth in the saves charts with 42.

CENTRE-BACK – RYAN SHAWCROSS

Others might feel slightly aggrieved considering injuries and suspensions have limited Ryan Shawcross to just seven Premier League appearances this season. But the fact Stoke City have conceded just two goals and kept six clean sheets with the English centre-back in their starting line-up – most notably against Chelsea and Manchester City – speaks for itself.

Compare that to the 14 goals they’ve conceded in their 10 games without him, and the impact the 28-year-old skipper’s had on the Potters since his first league outing in October becomes even more evident.

CENTRE-BACK – LAURENT KOSCIELNY

Unfortunate to miss out on Sky Sports’ XI, we had to give a slot to Arsenal centre-back Laurent Koscienly.

The France international has established himself as one of the best centre-backs in Europe over the last few years and he’s maintained that reputation again this season, helping Arsenal concede the joint-fewest goals of any Premier League side, 14, with averages of 2.6 successful aerial duels, 5.3 clearances, 1.5 tackles and 3.8 interceptions per match.

No defender has claimed more interceptions than the 28-year-old this year, whilst two goals in 14 Premier League appearances leaves Koscielny just one shy of matching his best ever return in the English top flight.

CENTRE-BACK – SCOTT DANN

Scott Dann inexplicably missed out on a place in last season’s PFA Team of the Year and has carried his form into the current campaign, missing just one fixture amid Crystal Palace’s rise to sixth in the Premier League table.

The 28-year-old has been nothing short of monolithic at the back for Alan Pardew’s side, helping them record the fourth-best goals conceded record in the division, whilst his offensive contribution has also caught the eye – bagging three goals and one assist in 16 outings.

RIGHT MIDFIELD – GERARD DEULOFEU

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Re-signing Gerard Deulofeu during the summer – albeit allowing Barcelona a cheeky buy-back clause – has proved an incredibly shrewd move on Everton’s part.

The prodigious Spaniard’s blistering pace has caused continuous problems for Premier League defences this season, whilst he’s second in the division’s assists charts with an impressive seven from 15 outings.

Six of those set-ups have gone straight to Romelu Lukaku, making the Toffees duo the most frequent goal-assist combination in the top flight.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – YOHAN CABAYE

Somehow not even mentioned as Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher constructed Sky Sports’ XI, the £10million arrival of Yohan Cabaye has been the catalyst behind Crystal Palace’s impressive transformation into top six contenders.

Indeed, the Frenchman has brought the guile and class to the Palace engine room that many assumed when he signed during the summer. But it’s his output and industriousness that has impressed us at Football Fancast most, bagging five goals and one assist in 16 appearances whilst averaging 3.8 tackles and 3.8 interceptions per match.

CENTRAL MIDFIELD – DELE ALLI

We simply couldn’t overlook Dele Alli’s sensational rise since representing MK Dons in League One just six months ago, going on to establish himself as one of the first names on the Tottenham team-sheet and a recurring fixture in Roy Hodgson’s plans for the England squad.

An all-action midfielder, the 19-year-old has performed well as a holding player, a centre-mid and a No.10 this season, bagging four goals and two assists in twelve Premier League starts – not to mention that absolute stunner against France whilst on Three Lions duty in November.

Also averaging 2.4 tackles, 2.2 interceptions and 1.1 created chances per match, Alli has quickly emerged as one of the most exciting home-grown prospects in the Premier League.

LEFT MIDFIELD – DIMITRI PAYET

Jamie Carragher’s disbelief at Alexis Sanchez making it into Sky Sports’ select XI over Dimitri Payet says it all. The France international was nothing short of incredible for West Ham during the first few months of the season before picking up a lengthy injury layoff at the start of November, bagging five goals and three assists in twelve Premier League appearances.

He’s still only second to Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil in the Premier League’s chance creation rankings – a whopping 3.9 per match – and was integral to the Hammers’ spate of wins against the Premier League’s big boys at the start of the campaign, namely Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City. In fact, Slaven Bilic’s side are yet to win a league game without the 28-year-old in the starting XI.

ATTACKING MIDFIELD – KEVIN DE BRUYNE

Perhaps a return of four goals and six assists should be expected of an attacking midfielder plying his trade in a side as talented as Manchester City’s, overflowing with pace and attacking prowess.

But it’s the ease in which Kevin De Bruyne has transitioned to life at the Etihad, despite not joining the Citizens ranks until late August and arriving with a £55million club-record fee over his head, that’s left us at Football Fancast so impressed.

Club-record signings have developed a knack for flopping spectacularly in the Premier League or, at the very least, initially struggle to live up to their billing – Angel Di Maria, Mesut Ozil and Erik Lamela being the more obvious examples.

Many feared a similar outcome for the Belgium interational, especially considering how he failed to impact at former club Chelsea, but he’s already emerged as a key element in the City line-up and one of the best creators in the division, ranking third in that respect with 3.2 chances per match.

STRIKER – ROMELU LUKAKU

After an underwhelming 2014/15 campaign, Romelu Lukaku is firmly back to his best. Only Jamie Vardy has surpassed the Everton frontman’s 13-goal haul in the Premier League this season whilst his four assists is the joint-most of any striker in the division.

That return has seen the Belgium international join an elite club of just five players who have netted 50 Premier League goals before their 23rd birthday and he’s emerged as a very complete goalscorer this season, bagging three goals with his right foot, six with his left, four headers and one from outside of the box.

STRIKER – ODION IGHALO

Following closely behind Lukaku in the scoring charts is Watford’s Odion Ighalo, whose partnership with Troy Deeney has been one of the stories of the season in the Premier League.

He’s bagged twelve goals and two assists in 17 outings for the Hornets, propelling them to a shock seventh-place in the table, and his partnership with the Watford skipper is steadily putting 4-4-2 back into fashion.

More than simply an expert finisher, however, it’s the Nigerian international’s pace, power and trickery that the rest of the Premier League has failed to deal with this year. He’s been awarded six Man of the Match awards by stat enthusiasts Whoscored.com – only Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil has more throughout the Premier League.

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