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Derby County might well have won their last League One encounter 1-0 away at Charlton Athletic, but injury news in the direct aftermath of the narrow win at the Valley could still hinder their automatic promotion aspirations.

Already losing Tyreece John-Jules to injury in attack recently, the goalscorer in the away win versus the Addicks in Nathaniel Mendez-Laing could also face a lengthy spell in the treatment room after hobbling off 38 minutes in.

The piling injury concerns become even more of a sore topic when you consider new Rams recruit Corey Blackett-Taylor wasn't fit enough for a reunion trip to Charlton either, with Paul Warne potentially having to look towards the current crop of youth talent at the League One club to help mend the nightmare situation unfolding.

A young star who could benefit from Derby's injuries

Although Mendez-Laing started as a makeshift striker in the slim victory, the accomplished Derby man is usually chosen by Warne to start at right wing.

This is where 21-year-old Alex Gibson-Hammond could come to the rescue, the ex-Nottingham Forest youngster excelling when switching over to Forest's arch-rivals in Derby from down the channels.

Whilst still at the City Ground, Gibson-Hammond would contribute to 12 goals from 40 appearances in the U21 set-up which saw Derby swoop in to land him as a free agent rather surprisingly.

Forest U23s head coach Andy Reid labelled the progress Gibson-Hammond was making at the time as "fantastic", only for him to leave for pastures new in Derbyshire.

Adept at playing down the left wing also, alongside even competently putting a shift in at right back and in central midfield, Warne could rely upon Gibson-Hammond to be a valuable utility option further with Blackett-Taylor's own fitness concerns.

This season in the Premier League 2 for the youthful Rams, the 20-year-old has scored two goals and managed one assist from ten games overall.

Both of those strikes would come in just one contest against Brighton, despite the youngster only being on the pitch for a meagre 17 minutes.

It could well be too much of a step-up for Gibson-Hammond at this moment in time – only having his first taster of senior football this season courtesy of a short-term loan switch to non-league Buxton – but Warne might feel that an injection of youth could add something to his experienced and injury-ridden squad anyway.

Alex Gibson-Hammond could become a key Derby player

It could be argued that Warne is overly reliant on ageing members of his squad to come up trumps, with James Collins the main Rams talisman in attack at 33 years of age.

Adding in something fresh to proceedings via Gibson-Hammond's introduction into the first-team fold could work wonders for the promotion-chasing Rams, by helping to give these veterans a rest when they're showing signs of lethargy.

As a result, the 21-year-old could then burst into life as an aggressive presence in attack from off the bench in place of the likes of Mendez-Laing.

This could well mean the Rams aren't further picking up niggles involving key individuals and adding to their ever-extended injury list as a direct consequence, helping them out in the run-in towards potential automatic promotion glory.

Gibson-Hammond won't come into the first team and leave his mark instantly, but Warne will need to start looking towards the future talents at Pride Park soon and could well pull off a masterstroke by giving the former Forest youth player more minutes.

Arsenal haven't been short of goals in recent weeks, scoring 11 in their last two Premier League outings – with Hale End Academy graduate Bukayo Saka netting four times.

Mikel Arteta's side have scored 58 times in the league so far this season – a tally only bettered by Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool who have managed 59.

It's not just the final third where the Gunners have impressed this season, but also at the back, with Arteta's side boasting the best defensive record in the league conceding 22 times in their 25 Premier League outings this season.

Despite their brilliant record at both ends of the field, Arsenal still remain second in the Premier League, just a couple of points off the summit with 13 games remaining this season.

The club are aiming to end a 20-year drought without a league title and potentially could've benefitted from the signing of a player who the club were linked with back in 2019.

Arsenal missed out on a huge talent in 2019

According to Goal, Arsenal were interested in signing striker Erling Haaland before the Norwegian eventually joined Austrian side RB Salzburg back in 2019.

The striker was a hot prospect that summer after his spell at Molde, where Haaland scored 20 times in 50 appearances for the homeland side Molde – with clubs such as Manchester United and Liverpool also interested.

However, the promising attacker swapped his home country for Austria, where like in Norway he couldn't stop scoring once again which drew interest from sides all over the world.

Haaland scored 29 times in 27 appearances for Salzburg in a season where he starred in the league and in the Champions League earning him a big move to Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

The deal may have been a risk for any Premier League sides, but former Molde scout John Vik was shocked no English side took a chance on Haaland.

"Liverpool could have got him. Arsenal could have got him. Everyone was there to watch him but these clubs were seeing a No.9 who was tall and broad and, ‘Oh, he’s going to be a target man’. I couldn’t for the life of me see why they had narrowed him down that way."

Erling Haaland's stats after being linked with Arsenal

After Liverpool and Arsenal missed out on the striker, he eventually joined Manchester City from Dortmund in 2022 – taking the Premier League by storm in his first campaign in England.

Haaland scored 36 times in 35 Premier League outings – a tally that broke the record for the most goals scored in a single top-flight campaign in England . The striker has missed spells so far this season through injury, but that hasn't stopped his prolific form in front of goal.

The Norwegian has scored 16 times in his 19 league matches, a tally that sees him top the charts once again despite missing nearly six weeks of the season. That's even more than Saka this season, with the Arsenal winger bagging 12 in 24 league outings.

The "superhuman" forward has a unique play style that would benefit any side in the world, let alone Man City who romped to a treble last term courtesy of Haaland's exploits. His power, pace and finishing ability are unmatched in world football, with the former Dortmund striker now valued at a staggering £214m – as per Football Observatory.

The striker left Molde for a fee in the region of £17m – a wedge of cash that would have been a bargain to Arsenal had they taken a risk on him just four years ago. He would undoubtedly have improved the Gunners' frontline, possibly ending their lengthy drought without a Premier League crown.

Those high up at Rangers are worried that a "special" Ibrox player could look for a move away from the club in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

Rangers transfer news

The Gers are still excelling in the Scottish Premiership this season, with Saturday's 5-0 drubbing of Hearts ensuring they remain two points clear at the top of the table.

Regardless of what happens between now and the end of the season, though, new signings have to come in during the summer transfer window, allowing Philippe Clement to take his team to the next level with players specific to his needs and system.

Oscar Cortes arrived on loan from Lens back in January, but recent reports have claimed that Rangers intend to make his move a permanent one in the summer, assuming he does well in the coming months.

Sheffield United striker Oli McBurnie is also seen as an option to come in and make the Gers' attack more fearsome, and the attacker will be available on a free transfer when his contract at Bramall Lane runs out at the end of the campaign.

It is also imperative that Clement manages to keep hold of important current players, though, and a key update has now been provided regarding one influential Ibrox hero.

Rangers chiefs worried Todd Cantwell will leave

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones said that Rangers chiefs are concerned that Todd Cantwell could leave this summer, even though he appears to be happy at the club currently.

"I think Cantwell, he seems to be anyway, loving life at Rangers. I would be surprised if he left the club in the summer. But obviously, one of Rangers' big fears will be that Premier League clubs are looking at his situation and decide to put some big money on the table. It's certainly not out of the question, given how well he's been playing at times."

The idea of Rangers losing Cantwell this summer is a worrying one, considering the positive impact he has made since arriving on a permanent deal from Norwich City last year.

The 25-year-old has added techincal quality in midfield, possessing an ability to keep the ball in tight areas, but he is also a hard-working presence, giving his all for the cause. A tally of five goals and three assists in the middle of the park is a good return in the Championship in 2023/24, and his former youth team coach Gary Cockaday has hailed him as a "special" talent in the past.

As Jones alludes to, Cantwell does appear to be happy at Rangers, so a move away would arguably come as a shock, but there is reason to be concerned about his head being turned by a move back to England.

The games Todd Cantwell could now miss for Rangers after hamstring injury

A significant fitness setback for the Gers.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 24, 2024

Scottish Premiership glory this season could make the Englishman believe that Ibrox is his best destination moving forward, and he is going to play a massive part in any potential success that comes the club's way once he returns from injury.

There's no coincidence that when Daniel Ballard hobbled off in the second half of Sunderland's last game away at Southampton, the Black Cats completely caved in.

The Sunderland number five's absence was felt towards the end of the contest, especially when Joe Rothwell for Russell Martin's men scored a quickfire double to hand the Saints a 4-2 victory and dished out yet another defeat to Mike Dodds in the interim hot-seat.

The underperforming Black Cats, who have now experienced six defeats on the trot in the Championship, will pray that Ballard isn't out for a significant amount of time.

If the suspected hamstring knock does sideline the ex-Arsenal youngster for the foreseeable, Dodds could well look towards the youth available to him at the Stadium of Light to boldly add more bodies to the heart of defence.

The young talent who could replace Ballard

It's not as if Dodds is afraid to give those starlets coming through at Wearside a moment to shine, showcased in 16-year-old Chris Rigg starting the interim manager's last two games in the Championship in the middle of the park.

18-year-old centre-back Henry Fieldson could be the next to be thrust into the spotlight, with the teenage defender starring this season for the U21s.

After making a splash for the U18s by making 50 appearances, scoring two goals along the way when venturing forward from the back, Fieldson has taken to the jump up to the U21 mix swimmingly over the past few campaigns.

Fieldson has made nine appearances this season in that age bracket, with one appearance even seeing the homegrown talent slot into the XI at defensive midfield against Nottingham Forest.

Described as possessing the attributes of a "real leader" by Academy manager Robin Nicholls when putting pen to paper on a professional Sunderland contract last year, Dodds might well fancy seeing what Fieldson is made of now if he were to plunge the 18-year-old into the thick of it in the Championship.

With Luke O'Nien also out with a suspension for Sunderland's next game, and Ballard's injury yet to be revealed in its full severity, you could well see Fieldson given this opportunity sooner rather than later as this weekend's crunch clash with Queens Park Rangers comes into view.

Everything good coming out of Sunderland now, even with their predicament looking dreary in the second tier, is arguably stemming from the emergence of top young talents at the Stadium of Light.

Jobe Bellingham in particular continues to be a shining light amongst all the doom and gloom on Wearside, with the ex-Birmingham City teenager firing in a delightful effort last time out even as his side succumbed to a disappointing loss.

If Bellingham can thrive in the first-team set-up at the same age as Fieldson, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary to see the promising centre-back be given moments here and there to show his class away from Premier League 2 action soon.

Dodds will of course be wary about giving too many starlets too many minutes in quick succession, with the lack of wins at the Stadium of Light making for grim reading currently, but Fieldson might well burst onto the scene and give Sunderland more options regardless especially if Ballard is revealed to be a long-term casualty to the treatment room.

Much of the credit for Arsenal's return to Europe's top table deserves to go to their recruitment, having rebuilt in North London to form a team that could end the season as Premier League champions. But that's not where their work will stop. Reports now suggest that the Gunners have turned their attention towards a future star.

Arsenal transfer news

Ahead of the summer window, most of the headlines have been centred around Ivan Toney and Arsenal's search for a striker with the killer instinct that Gabriel Jesus arguably lacks. Back from suspension, the rumours will undoubtedly continue to circle regarding a potential move for the Brentford forward. That said, he's not the only option for those at The Emirates.

According to recent reports, Arsenal are also eyeing moves to sign Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and Viktor Gyokeres, who has starred at Sporting CP this season. Even if they are crowned Premier League champions ahead of the summer, rumours suggest that the North London giants will only get even better before the start of the next campaign.

Away from Europe's current stars, meanwhile, Mikel Arteta and co have seemingly set their sights on a future star. According to Football Transfers, Arsenal are eyeing a move for Douglas Mendes, who is currently at RB Bragantino on loan from Red Bull Salzburg.

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The teenage centre-back reportedly has a fan in Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar, as the Gunners eye a move in the coming months. The deal itself certainly has its complications, however, with potential work permit issues standing in the way of the 19-year-old joining up with the Arsenal squad right away. Instead, Mendes would likely have to gain more first-team action in Europe before he can get a work permit to play for the Premier League giants.

In a move that would see Arsenal add to their Brazilian contingent, Arteta could be getting a future star.

Mendes is one for the future

It's not often that Red Bull Salzburg get things wrong in the transfer market, with a certain Erling Haaland a prime example of that, and that's a positive sign for Arsenal when it comes to Mendes. That said, it will be interesting to see whether the central defender has done enough to earn his place when he returns to the Austrian club from his loan spell back in Brazil this summer.

If that doesn't prove to be the case, then logic suggests that Arsenal will be set for far simpler negotiations. The move would make sense for Mendes too, who could learn from Gabriel Magalhaes – one of the best defenders in the world these days. At 19, there's no better time for Gabriel to tutor the young defender.

He could slot straight into the dressing room as well, given that Arsenal already have Jesus and Gabriel to turn to when it comes to Brazilian players. So, as the summer approaches and the headlines focus on Toney and others, it could be Mendes who steals the attention away from Arsenal's search for a forward in a deal with the future in mind.

Perhaps not without pathos, but Liverpool supporters have accepted lionised manager Jurgen Klopp's departure at this point, with the German targetting one last hurrah and battling for silver-laden success in the Premier League and Europa League, with the Carabao Cup already bagged.

Harder to embrace, however, would be the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is out of contract in 2025 and has, as it stands, not entered negotiations for a fresh deal.

The Scouse-born Liverpool vice-captain is the homegrown star that every fan adores, the celestial playmaker with jaw-dropping creative ability – he's a "genius", as has been said by reporter Neil Jones.

Alongside full-back pal Andy Robertson, the 25-year-old is the highest-assisting defender in Premier League history, and supporters can only envisage a future with him at the centre of the Anfield pitch – figuratively and, perhaps, literally, given his inevitable and inexorable shift into the centre of the park from right-back.

His is not the only contract FSG's CEO of Football Michael Edwards and Liverpool's sporting director Richard Hughes need to deal with though, with Mohamed Salah's contract also expiring at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

Mohamed Salah's season in numbers

Salah has been at Liverpool for some time now, instrumental in the whole gamut of silverware secured under Klopp's management, and while he's no longer the dribble-happy player of seasons ago, the 31-year-old is polished and sharpened to a fine point.

It's remarkable, really. This season, the Egypt international has posted 21 goals and 13 assists for Liverpool across all competitions, despite starting just 25 games.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored and touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 1% for assists and the top 20% for progressive passes per 90, utterly deadly in the final third.

While there have been a myriad of Liverpool players who have enjoyed meteoric rises under Klopp's wing – Alexander-Arnold very much at the forefront – none surpass Salah, who arguably slots into the all-time Premier League starting 11.

Mohamed Salah's rise in value at Liverpool

Signed from AS Roma for £34m, a few eyebrows were raised when Liverpool forked out a sizeable sum in 2017 for a winger who had previously failed to make the grade at Chelsea.

But having now decorated himself in hordes of honours, both for the team and individual, Salah is regarded as one of the eminent forwards of his generation.

Alan Shearer

260

0.59

Harry Kane

213

0.67

Wayne Rooney

208

0.42

Andy Cole

187

0.45

Sergio Aguero

184

0.67

Frank Lampard

177

0.29

Thierry Henry

175

0.68

Robbie Fowler

164

0.43

Jermain Defoe

162

0.33

Mohamed Salah

154

0.61

To emphasise this point, Liverpool warded off interest from the Saudi Pro League for their £350k-per-week maverick last summer, with Al-Ittihad launching a £150m bid late into the window.

Liverpool snubbed the feeble approach; no amount of money would compensate for the talisman's departure right before the start of the campaign, but such opulent outfits retain a vested interest in Salah's services and given he's out of contract in 2025, Liverpool will need to agree to new terms with the player, lest he leave for free at the end of his deal.

And given that that £150m figure marks a 341% increase in value since he joined from Serie A, it would be ludicrous to allow such a thing to happen.

Without question, Salah is one of the finest attacking players in Liverpool's history, and Edwards and co better get to work swiftly, losing him or Alexander-Arnold at the predawn of a new era would be a calamity.

Celtic are fighting it out to secure the Scottish Premiership title for a third season in succession as they currently sit one point clear at the top of the table.

The Hoops travel away from Parkhead to take on their closest rivals in the division, who also have a game in hand over Brendan Rodgers' side, on Sunday, and could either move four points clear or drop down to second.

Having been knocked out of the League Cup and all European competitions during the first half of the season, Celtic only have two more chances – the Premiership and the SFA Cup – to lift silverware before the end of the campaign.

The Scottish giants have not been at their best in the league this term, with five draws and three defeats already, and they reportedly already have one eye on the summer transfer window with a view to improving the quality within the current playing squad.

Celtic interest in English Championship star

It was recently reported by Football Insider that the Hoops are interested in a possible deal to sign Blackburn Rovers sensation Sammie Szmodics.

At the end of last month, the outlet claimed that Celtic and Premier League side Brentford are both set to battle it out to land the Republic of Ireland international ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

The report also stated that other teams from the bottom half of the top division of English football could be in the race to land his signature in the upcoming transfer window.

Football Insider then posted an update at the start of April that claimed that Celtic will find it incredibly difficult to get a deal done for the forward, due to the financial advantage the teams in the Premier League have over them in regards to a transfer fee and wages.

The update added that Blackburn will find it hard to keep hold of their star forward, due to the interest in his services, but did not reveal how much it would take to get a move over the line in the summer.

There is, however, no guarantee that the interested teams from the Premier League make a concrete move for him, and this means that there is still a chance that the Hoops could swoop in to get a deal done if an opportunity arises over the coming months.

Rodgers could, if Celtic do snap up the Rovers star, land a dream upgrade on faltering forward Kyogo Furuhashi, who has struggled at times this season.

Kyogo Furuhashi's struggles this season

The Japan international came into the current campaign off the back of a sensational return of 27 goals in 31 Premiership starts under Ange Postecoglou last term.

He earned the PFA Scotland Men's Player of the Year award for his efforts throughout the season, which speaks to how impressive the former Vissel Kobe gem was for the Hoops.

Celtic may have hoped that his prolific scoring would have carried over into Rodgers' second tenure at Parkhead, but that has not been the case.

Appearances

31

36

Starts

25

31

Goals

10

27

Big chances missed

20

16

Minutes per goal

206

86

As you can see in the table above, Kyogo's form in front of goal has dropped off a cliff as the Japanese forward has been far more wasteful with the chances that have come his way – with four more 'big chances' missed in five fewer appearances so far.

In fact, the 29-year-old striker has scored ten goals from an Expected Goals (xG) of 14.21. No player within the Hoops squad has underperformed their xG by as much as Kyogo (-4.21), with Daizen Maeda's underperformance of -3.69 the second worst.

This shows that the experienced number nine has received plenty of service in the box this season but has not done enough with the quality chances that have been created for him by the likes of Luis Palma, Matt O'Riley, Alistair Johnston, and others.

Along with his wasteful finishing, the 5 foot 7 forward does not offer much in the way of a physical presence as he has lost 61% of his duels and only won 1.5 per game on average, which means that the attacker does not make up for his attacking struggles with strong hold-up play.

Why Sammie Szmodics could be a Kyogo Furuhashi upgrade

Like the Japan international, Szmodics, who stands at 5 foot 6, is not a traditional – tall and strong – number nine who is going to hold the ball up and bring others into play.

The 28-year-old star is a versatile forward, who has been deployed as a striker and as an attacking midfielder at times this season, who could either lead the line or play behind 6 foot 3 Adam Idah, should he also sign for Celtic on a permanent basis, as Kyogo has this year.

This would make him a dream signing to take the former Premiership Player of the Year's place, as he can be deployed in multiple positions across the frontline.

Blackburn's star attacker has lost 58% of his duels and only won 2.5 per match on average, which shows that he is similar to the current Hoops marksman in that respect, as they both struggle with the physical side of the game.

When it comes to scoring goals and finishing chances, however, there is one clear winner between the two throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far, which shows why Celtic could land an upgrade on their current marksman.

Appearances

38

31

Goals

23

10

Big chances missed

14

20

Minutes per goal

146

206

Assists

4

4

As you can see in the table above, Szmodics has been on fire in front of goal as a scorer in the English Championship for Rovers this season, with 13 more goals and six fewer big chances missed in comparison to Kyogo.

The Irish sensation, who has scored 29 goals in all competitions for his club this season, has found the back of the net 23 times from xG of 17.9 in the second tier.

This means that the 28-year-old star, who journalist Josh Bunting claimed is "dangerous" at finding space in the box, has outperformed his xG by 5.1, whilst no Celtic player has outperformed their xG by more than 1.74 so far this season in the Premiership.

These statistics suggest that Szmodics, whilst being a huge upgrade on Kyogo, would also come in as the most lethal and efficient finisher in Rodgers' squad.

Therefore, the Northern Irish boss must push to secure a deal for his services, if a Premier League team does not snap him up first, in the summer to improve his attacking options.

With Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles now set to miss part of next season on top of the rest of the current campaign through ACL injuries, Newcastle United have seemingly turned their attention towards a bargain reinforcement this summer.

Newcastle transfer news

There's no doubt that the Magpies' transfer focus should be on welcoming central defenders this summer, given that Fabian Schar is the only recognised player in that role as things stand, with Dan Burn naturally a left-back. And that has already seen them linked with names such as Dean Huijsen, who has impressed on loan at AS Roma from Juventus. Still a teenager, the central defender appears to have a bright future.

Newcastle join the race to sign "monster" £45m Almiron upgrade

He’s excelled in the league so far this campaign.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 10, 2024

Those at St James' Park will need more than one extra option, however, such is the extent of their injury crisis at the back. Further reports have linked them with the likes of Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Englishman has led Gary O'Neil's backline in the Midlands incredibly well this season and has more than earned a potential big move this summer. But away from the Premier League, PIF could land the ultimate bargain.

According to Graeme Bailey for HITC, Newcastle have made contact with Mario Hermoso over a potential summer move. The Atletico Madrid defender will be out of contract come the end of the season, allowing Newcastle to land a free deal. They're not the only club interested, however, with Aston Villa and West Ham United also reportedly making contact with the defender, whilst Inter Milan, Napoli and Juventus are interested too.

A player who has plenty of experience at the very top, Hermoso could be one of the bargains of the summer no matter where he ends up in the coming months. Amid their defensive crisis, Newcastle may well be hoping to put together a convincing enough pitch.

"Revelation" Hermoso would end Newcastle's crisis

Whilst it has got to a point in which Newcastle need reinforcements no matter the experience, signing a leader at the back could quickly prove to be a transformative move for Eddie Howe this summer. That leader should be Hermoso too, with a bargain deal available for a player who knows all about playing at the heart of a top side in Atletico Madrid.

Progressive Carries

27

0

Progressive Passes

145

35

Tackles Won

21

13

Blocks

23

20

Interceptions

24

9

Atletico Madrid will be disappointed to see Hermoso heading for the exit door, but it's now Newcastle who may benefit this summer. The defender has earned impressive praise during his career, including from Zach Lowy, who posted on X during Hermoso's time at Porto:

Although they face competition for his signature, Newcastle may need to ensure that the battle to sign Hermoso is one that they win this summer if they are to solve Howe's defensive crisis.

The passage of Premier League action passed Tottenham Hotspur by last weekend, with their fixture against Manchester City rescheduled due to their opponents' involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals, and Ange Postecoglou will have spent some time working on ways to improve.

Outside first-team training and tactical tweaks that could see Spurs hit a purple patch in the late phase of the current top-flight campaign, fighting to trump Aston Villa in qualifying for the Champions League, sights will be set on bolstering effectively during the off-season.

The indomitable glow to Postecoglou's squad during the early stage of the season lost its sheen back in November, injuries ravaging the fanciful title aspirations, but this is a club with the trappings of success once more after several years of suffering.

Influential signings such as Guglielmo Vicario, Micky van de Ven, James Maddison and Brennan Johnson have worked a treat for a club still in transition, but more work is needed to close the gap on those at the front of the Premier League.

While the defence has been much-improved this term, Tottenham are still looking to improve and the perfect new signing might have been lined up.

Spurs eyeing Bundesliga raid

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Edmond Tapsoba is attracting interest from top clubs once again after Tottenham and Manchester United expressed a concrete interest in the Bayer Leverkusen centre-back last summer.

Now a German Bundesliga champion within Xabi Alonso's high-flying system, Tapsoba could be on the move in a matter of months, with Romano confirming that Spurs sent scouts to observe the Burkinabé defender in action against Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

While an accurate price tag has not surfaced during this latest chapter in the transfer saga, last summer he was reported to have a £40m valuation, so in all honesty, Tottenham would probably need to cough up even more after such a superlative season.

Edmond Tapsoba's season in numbers

Tapsoba, who is 25, has spent the majority of his professional career in Leverkusen after signing in an €18m (£16m) transfer from Vitória Guimarães as a 20-year-old, fast establishing himself as one of the division's most promising young stars.

Having now amassed 176 appearances for Die Werkself, Tapsoba has cemented himself as a key player within an illustrious year in the club's history, winning the German Bundesliga for the first ever time, also into the DFB Pokal final and the Europa League semi-finals.

This season, he's played 38 times in all competitions and has led scout Antonio Mango to hail him as a "monster" such is the titanic proportion of his displays, yet to taste defeat in 2023/24.

Hailed for his "press-shattering" and "line-breaking" passing ability by journalist Jack Fawcett, Tapsoba fits the bill and could thrive at Tottenham, progressing the play from the back to enhance Postecoglou's system while maintaining a robust defensive skill set.

Let's delve into a bit more detail.

How Edmond Tapsoba would fit in at Spurs

As per FBref, Tapsoba ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for progressive passes, the top 2% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

Clearly, he's a player who knows his way around a pass, with this elite distribution so integral to the success of Alonso's unbreakable brand of football.

Moreover, his high-level athleticism and immense ground-covering quality make for a very singular and window-opening dimension from the back. Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate and Manchester City's John Stones are superlative in this regard, closing down ground and charging their forward-placed teammates' efforts.

With an ice-cold temperament and an eagle-eyed reading of the game, the Burkina Faso international might just be the final piece of the puzzle in Tottenham's backline. He might even be a better player than Van de Ven within Postecoglou's team.

Van de Ven has been excellent this season since joining Tottenham from German side Wolfsburg in a £43m deal, but the 22-year-old still has much to learn and does not quite offer the same complete style as the Leverkusen star.

Indeed, Spurs' Dutch defender ranks among the top 2% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, but he also ranks among the bottom 9% for shot-creating actions and just the top 71% for progressive passes per 90.

Cristian Romero, on the other side of the central defence, is far more rounded and vigorous in his performances, and while this fact does not negate Van de Ven's brilliant campaign and faculty for high-quality output, it bears testament to Tapsoba's playing style that he might actually be a better stylistic fit.

Matches played

21

24

Matches started

21

19

Clean sheets

4

6

Goals

2

0

Assists

0

1

Pass completion

95%

93%

Touches per game

77.7

76.4

Key passes per game

0.0

0.3

Tackles per game

1.9

1.1

Clearances per game

2.7

1.8

Duels won per game

4.6 (61%)

3.3 (55%)

Ball recoveries per game

5.7

6.4

Dribbles per game

0.5 (61%)

0.5 (79%)

From the table above it can be inferred that while both players are impressive, Tapsoba is more active and enterprising in his performance, if not so crisp in defensive clashes. He supplies more key passes and has a higher rate of successful dribbles – certainly idea for 'Ange-ball'.

The fact that the Bayer Leverkusen phenom is almost on par with Van de Ven in his distribution accuracy while being far more willing to take risks and carve open gaps for the forwards to exploit is remarkable.

Based on all of this, it might be a great move for Tottenham to forge ahead and secure Tapsoba's services, augmenting the squad with a different-styled star to continue the growth under new leadership.

Spurs line up move for £60m star who'd be their new Eriksen

The Spurs target would be a rival for James Maddison.

ByTom Lever Apr 17, 2024

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has dropped a key update regarding Manchester United's pursuit of an "amazing" manager who Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants at the club.

Man Utd manager latest

Ratcliffe has made an immediate impression at Old Trafford, having become co-owner of the club earlier this year, making some important backroom changes, with the latest being Jason Wilcox coming in from Southampton. The hope is that Dan Ashworth arrives from Newcastle United soon, assuming an agreement is reached by all parties, with the Englishman coming in as sporting director.

Another big decision that Ratcliffe has to make revolves around the manager situation, with Erik ten Hag under pressure to keep his job after an underwhelming season. The Dutchman is far from certain to be sacked at the end of the campaign, but failure to reach the Champions League, which looks highly likely, could give those high up a reason to move him on.

It's fair to say that United have been linked with plenty of managers in recent months, with former Brighton and Chelsea boss Graham Potter seen as an option to bring in. Then there's current Seagulls manager Roberto De Zerbi, who has been described as a "genius", working wonders at the Amex Stadium and playing some superb football along the way.

Antonio Conte has also been linked with the job, having picked up lots of Premier League experience with Chelsea in the past, but his more defence-minded brand of football may not go down as well with the supporters.

Romano drops Man Utd manager update

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Romano provided an update on United making Gareth Southgate their next manager. Named as Ratcliffe's top target last month, Romano has now admitted that he is focusing on England duties for the time being, with no contact made at this moment in time.

"For Gareth Southgate, he doesn't even want to have any conversation about his future before the Euros. So, I think the situation is really slow around Southgate. It’s not as concrete as we can see in many media outlets. From what I understand, the situation is still very quiet. Southgate is fully focused on the Euros, and no contact is being made with Manchester United."

In truth, bringing in Southgate as United's next boss would feel like a risk, even though Ratcliffe is believed to want him, rating him highly in the process, with Jude Bellingham also saying of him: "I think Gareth has done an amazing job in easing me in."

There is no doubt that he has done an excellent job in charge of England, guiding them to the final of Euro 2020 and creating a together group of players, but has never proven himself fully at club level, and the size of the Red Devils job is enormous.

Ratcliffe keen: Man Utd’s interest in “monster” is “increasingly insistent”

A replacement is already being looked at by his club.

ByHenry Jackson Apr 21, 2024

United have to absolutely nail this next decision, assuming Ten Hag is relieved of his duties in the near future, and Southgate is too much of a gamble at this point. The likes of Potter, De Zerbi and Conte have all shown that they can succeed in the Premier League, meaning they represent more sure-fire bets.