All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

There was so much positivity regarding Manchester United heading into the new season.

Erik ten Hag’s feet were now firmly under the desk having guided the Red Devils back into the Champions League and won a trophy in his first season.

This was, therefore, meant to be a campaign that extended on those good vibes, but seven games in and United are staring down the barrel of their worst start to a season in 34 years.

Ten Hag is searching for an answer, yet that aforementioned desk is no longer very organised.

It’s covered in coffee stains, filled with scrunched-up bits of paper and torn-up post-it notes. His best-laid plans and blueprints are out the window and his side resembles a sinking ship.

The Dutchman may well have navigated back-to-back wins over Burnley and then Crystal Palace in the cup in midweek, but their troublesome form prior to those wins reared its ugly head on Saturday afternoon.

A consecutive game with Palace was on the menu, but it did not taste so sweet this time. Rather, Ten Hag and his side were left with a bitter taste in the mouth following Joachim Andersen’s scorching effort that ensured the Eagles left the north west with a 1-0 victory.

The finger of blame could be pointed at many things. Defensive injuries haven’t helped, neither have off-field issues.

Marcus Rashford can’t seem to find his form of last term and Rasmus Hojlund, as energetic and exciting as he has been, is still adjusting to English football.

The former is one man they should be able to count on more often, but the fact of the matter is that United are being let down by their senior players. Case in point; Casemiro.

How is Casemiro playing this season?

Last term it looked as though the Red Devils could not cope when the Brazilian was missing from the side.

Indeed, as of April 2023, Ten Hag’s squad had lost four of the eight games Casemiro was absent from.

When he played, they had only lost three of 19 fixtures. The issue, therefore, was trying to find someone to fill his boots.

A calming influence who could also pack a punch in the middle of the park, United need their £350k-per-week man to rediscover the form that saw him named as the best holding midfielder in the world, according to Fifpro.

The former Real Madrid star stood out against Roy Hodgson’s side only a few days ago, scoring and laying on an assist.

In fact, Casemiro has been a fantastic asset offensively throughout the embryonic stages of 2023/24.

He bagged twice against Bayern Munich in Europe and even found the net against Nottingham Forest. Clearly, there is little to scrutiny when analysing how well the 31-year-old is playing when he gets forward.

However, the abilities that saw him celebrated as one of the best defensive midfielders on the planet are missing.

Last term, Casemiro prevailed in a whopping 81.4% of his duels. His regression this season has been remarkable, winning just 28.1%.

That speaks volumes of a player who simply isn’t offering United enough in the areas they really need.

One United content producer, Casey Evans, perhaps put it best, saying on social media: “It’s hilarious how Casemiro is our only goal threat but he’s also a massive liability doing what should actually be his job on the pitch.”

How did Casemiro play against Palace?

After starring against the Londoners in midweek, he truly let his manager down on this occasion, squandering possession and failing to break up the play adequately.

He was given a horrendous 4/10 player rating by the MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst, who reserved some particularly damning words:

‘Booked early on in the game and seemed to play within himself against a team he was sent off against last season. Played some inexplicable passes.’

That inexplicable and wasteful nature was best summed up by Casemiro’s 18 concessions of the ball.

For a player of his quality and stardom that is a remarkable number. For context, on average this season he is losing the ball 13.3 times per game.

Compare that with his peers across the top-flight and it makes for grim reading. Declan Rice has lost the ball just 6.3 times per match, Rodri 7.7 occasions and Yves Bissouma slightly higher at 11.9.

They have done the dirt work fantastically well this season and it will come as no surprise to see their sides leading the way in the Premier League this season.

When it comes to ball recovery, both Bissouma (6.7 per game) and Rodri (7.5) better Casemiro too, who makes six per match on average.

In that area, he still evidently thrives but in the main, his defensive play this season has left plenty to be desired. He may have made four successful tackles and won seven ground duels at Old Trafford this weekend but he also gave away four fouls.

You may well suggest with such a desire to contest in physical battles, the law of averages dictates you’ll give away plenty of fouls. Yet, last season, he only gave away 1.7 per match. Clearly, something is going wrong for Casemiro this season.

It may well be the overall chaos at the football club right now, but either way, Ten Hag needs his defensive midfielder to do more of what he’s really been signed for. After all, when on song as he was in 2022/23, United are a great deal harder to beat.

In the summer of 2016, new Everton owner Farhad Moshiri sought to make a statement of intent in the transfer window by unloading a war chest of funds on several players.

Unfortunately, their business in that summer would foreshadow what was to come as a misfiring transfer strategy continues to be at the forefront of their demise seven years later.

The only two success stories to come from that window were the £1.5m acquisition of striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin from Sheffield United and the £7.1m shelled out for Aston Villa's all-action midfielder, Idrissa Gueye.

The rest of the personnel that arrived all drastically failed in an Everton shirt as Ashley Williams, Morgan Schneiderlin and Ademola Lookman bled the club dry across their spells at the club.

Yet, the most disappointing name on that list was Yannick Bolasie, as the explosive winger was captured from Crystal Palace for a reported club-record fee.

The fee Everton paid for Yannick Bolasie

Described by former manager Alan Pardew as "exciting", Bolasie had Premier League defences on strings for years at Selhurst Park with his searing pace and exceptional trickery, so when Ronald Koeman splashed £30m on the player, Everton may have felt like they were getting their money's worth.

The DR Congo international spent a successful four years at Palace terrorising defences, forming an indispensable partnership with fellow electric winger Wilfried Zaha as that destructive duo helped the Eagles soar back to the top flight in 2013, recording 26 goal contributions between them.

After destroying the Championship, Bolasie would become a thorn in the back of Premier League defences, utilising his pace and athleticism to carve through teams on the counter, without having the goal contributions to show for it.

He did not manage to score and only chalked up four assists across the 2013/14 season, however, the explosive winger would soon turn his sensational build-up play into dynamite in the following term, supplying 11 assists and four goals with Jamie Carragher labelling his performances as "outstanding".

By the time the Toffees snapped him up in 2016, Bolasie had established himself as one of the most exciting wingers to watch in the division, with the Athletic aptly describing him as "Palace's entertainer".

During his association with the South London club, he produced some sensational moments worthy of getting supporters excited, including the profound 'Bolasie flick' and the role he played in the 'Crystanbul' draw with Liverpool.

The Goodison Park faithful envisaged seeing him take Merseyside by storm with his eye-catching and powerful performances, but they were to be disappointed.

Yannick Bolasie's performance at Everton

The hair-raising and magical Bolasie would soon turn into a shell of his former self, perhaps falling victim to the huge expectations and pressure applied on his shoulders.

There was always a question of what Bolasie's ceiling was, impressing with his excellent approach play and ability to glide past defenders, while his output in the final third was severely lacking.

Everton's manager at the time, Koeman, would have felt he could have transformed the 50-cap Congo international into a goal-scoring phenom, which would have propelled him towards the upper echelon of Premier League wingers.

However, he was incredibly unfortunate to have ruptured his ACL early on in his Toffees career in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United. This horrendous injury sidelined him for just over a year and saw him miss a total of 63 games.

Bolasie never quite recovered from this huge setback, seeing his progress in Blue stall as he only scored two goals and supplied four assists in 32 appearances across five years.

A handful of new bosses followed, as did an influx of players and this saw him loaned out to several clubs, including Middlesbrough, Aston Villa and Anderlecht.

He was released by Everton in 2021 and is now a free agent following a prosperous spell at Turkish side Caykur Risespor, rolling back the years with 20 goals in 55 appearances.

The capture of Bolasie, who ended up departing on a free transfer, turned out to be a huge blunder on Koeman's behalf as his exciting £30m signing failed to make a significant impact on the pitch and left for nothing.

Enzo Maresca's Leicester City have enjoyed an unbelievable start to the Championship this season, sitting top of the tree in the second tier at the time of writing with 13 wins from 16 matches – at one stage, the Foxes had won nine games in a row before Leeds United spoiled the feel-good factor and defeated the formidable Foxes.

That defeat to the Whites was then followed up with another narrow 1-0 defeat on the road at Middlesbrough, Michael Carrick's men getting the better of Leicester at the Riverside Stadium.

Showing chinks in their collective armour, Maresca will look to January as a time where he can bolster his squad with a couple of new additions especially if the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall leave the building.

Here's what a predicted Leicester XI could look like come the end of the January window…

1 GK – Mads Hermansen

Only missing one game under his Spanish manager this season since joining from Brøndby IF this summer, the young Dane has been fantastic in goal this Championship campaign for the Foxes.

The 23-year-old has only conceded ten goals from 16 second-tier matches to date, Hermansen solving the issue of Leicester not being able to successfully replace Kasper Schmeichel by giving the club another terrific Scandinavian shot-stopper.

2 RB – Ricardo Pereira

The Portuguese right-back is a given to retain his spot in Maresca's starting eleven regardless of January incomings or outgoings, the 30-year-old reliable in defence whilst remaining attack-minded when needed.

Pereira this campaign so far has shone even when the Foxes have a rare off-day, winning five of his six ground duels last time out in the 1-0 loss to Middlesbrough per Sofascore.

3 CB – Jannik Vestergaard

Hailing from Denmark much like his goalkeeper, Vestergaard is also a key component to Leicester's steely defence this campaign alongside Hermansen.

Averaging a 7.38 Sofascore rating this season in the second tier, Vestergaard has stood out in terms of his tireless work at the back with Leicester's number 23 recovering the ball an average of 5.4 times per game so far this season.

4 CB – Wout Faes

A regular first-team figure in the Premier League for the relegated Foxes, Faes has only cemented his spot in the team further since Leicester suffered the drop with the Belgian centre-back excellent at thwarting Championship strikers.

His display in Leicester's 3-0 triumph over Preston North End at the start of October exemplified Faes' overall game – winning two of his three ground duels, whilst accurately picking out teammates with six of his nine attempted long balls as per Sofascore.

5 LB – James Justin

Heralded as the next best thing in English football after signing a deal to join Leicester back in 2019, Justin is one of the first names on Maresca's team sheet currently with his contributions at full-back key.

Much like Vestergaard alongside him in the back four, Justin very rarely has a poor game. This was apparent in the away loss at the Riverside suffered last weekend, the Foxes number two winning four successful tackles across the 90 minutes per Sofascore unfortunately to no avail for his side.

6 CM – Hamza Choudhury

At Leicester since 2005, working his way up the ranks with plenty of loans away from the King Power Stadium, Choudhury is now in and around the first team centrally and will remain in the midfield trio under Maresca even if other individuals are potentially pinched.

With Wilfred Ndidi and the aforementioned Dewsbury-Hall both rumoured to be out of the door, Choudhury will be even more crucial to Maresca's plans if Premier League suitors swoop in for his top talents.

7 CM – Harry Winks

An experienced presence in the centre of the park for the Foxes, notching up over 200 appearances for Tottenham in the first team, Harry Winks has only missed seven minutes of Championship football to date this campaign since leaving Spurs behind.

He's even scored a screamer for his new employers in league action, hitting a thunderous strike into the back of net versus QPR to the rapturous adoration of the die-hard Leicester away fans packed into the Loftus Road away end.

8 CM – Lewis Fiorini

Maresca does look to be facing a losing battle to keep Dewsbury-Hall at the King Power past this January, with interest in his wanted man intensifying in recent weeks from the likes of Fulham wanting to add the talented midfielder to their ranks.

Maresca could well flex his previous Manchester City connections by replacing Dewsbury-Hall with current City man Lewis Fiorini, the Scottish 21-year-old a hit out on loan in the Eredivisie at NAC Breda and also lower down the EFL pyramid with Lincoln City.

Scoring 16 goals from central midfield in his career to date, Fiorini's next destination simply has to be Leicester to replace an expected departee in Dewsbury-Hall.

9 RW – Jhon Arias

Linked with Leeds United on top of other interested parties, the Foxes could break hearts at Elland Road by signing Jhon Arias from under the noses of Daniel Farke's men.

Lacking a fixed right winger option at this moment in time – with Pereira played further forward in the loss at Middlesbrough to accommodate – current Fluminese man Arias would be the perfect, explosive attacker signing Maresca would want to take his Foxes team to another level altogether.

The South American forward has managed nine goals and 14 assists from his year to date out in Brazil, ready to be unleashed onto the Championship if signed.

10 ST – Ben Brereton Diaz

Ben Brereton Diaz is being lined up for a return to Championship football just months after departing Blackburn Rovers for Villarreal, the Chile international yet to score for the La Liga side with the Spanish club impatient and unsatisfied with the striker's impotency.

Leicester City could offer the ex-Blackburn man a lifeline, leading the line for the Foxes to cruise home to an automatic promotion spot and return to the Premier League again.

Netting 22 goals during the peak of his Rovers powers during the 2021-22 season, Maresca would be overjoyed with his addition to the group.

TalkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara has showered a Tottenham target with praise and said "we'll take him" after a Spurs transfer boost this week.

Players tipped to potentially join Spurs

Lilywhites boss Ange Postecoglou has suffered from a real lack of squad depth over this last month, forcing the Australian into some innovative on-field decisions at times.

Spurs "set their sights" on "dominant" centre-back after "weekly" talks

The north Londoners are determined to bring in a centre-back.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 12, 2023

Micky van de Ven's hamstring injury and a recent suspension for Cristian Romero prompted Postecoglou to use both Emerson Royal and Ben Davies as makeshift centre-backs for a period, highlighting his real lack of faith in Eric Dier.

Previous fringe players Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil are also seeing more match action amid Spurs' recent shortage of cover, but that is an issue which sporting director Johan Lange and chairman Daniel Levy are reportedly looking to rectify in January.

Tottenham are looking to sign a new centre-half as one major priority (Sky Sports), leading to reported interest in Genoa star Radu Dragusin, Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite and other defenders linked with Spurs recently. Lange also holds a keen interest in Samuel Iling-Junior (Juventus), as Postecoglou and co allegedly scour the market for new wide options (Sky).

Amid some doubts over the futures of Lo Celso and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, there are some suggestions that Tottenham could reignite a move for Premier League midfielder Conor Gallagher as well.

The Mail reported this week that Spurs still want to sign the 23-year-old, and could well be boosted in their chase as Chelsea consider a "shock" sale of Gallagher to fund their own transfer plans.

O'Hara thrilled by Gallagher after Spurs transfer update

Following this update, when asked about it live on talkSPORT (via The Boot Room), O'Hara said he'll certainly "take" Gallagher at Spurs.

Praising the "high energy" star, who's now fought his way into becoming a key player for Pochettino, the ex-Tottenham midfielder also concedes that it will be a difficult one to pull off.

“Listen, I really like Conor Gallagher I think he’s got brilliant energy, high energy, he gets around the pitch," said O'Hara. "He lacks a little bit of what [James] Maddison’s got in terms of star quality but he’s got energy and you’ve seen with Ange Postecoglou’s side he likes a bit of fitness, he likes someone with high energy.

“I’d be surprised if Chelsea let him go to be honest, I think he’s been quite a big part of their side this season. In terms of one of their half-decent performers only him, Cole Palmer and [Raheem] Sterling have actually done anything good for them really. I’d be surprised if they let him go but if they want to then yeah we’ll take him.”

The former Crystal Palace star struggled at points last term but is now an important cog in Pochettino's midfield. Previously, his best season came when on loan at Palace, where he managed eight goals and three assists in 34 league appearances in 2021/2022.

Manchester United are now ready to trigger the release clause to sign an “incredible” midfielder, having recently held talks over a deal, according to a report.

Man Utd searching for a playmaker

While Bruno Fernandes is enjoying an impressive campaign on a personal level, picking up 17 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, few other players have contributed to Man United’s attacking output.

The Red Devils have looked particularly devoid of ideas in the Premier League, having created 59 big chances throughout the campaign, which is just the 13th highest number in the division and below the likes of Fulham, Brentford and Crystal Palace.

As such, it is clear that Ruben Amorim needs a new creative spark in midfield, and work has started to bring in a new number 10, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha edging closer towards completing a move to Old Trafford.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: £40m PL star now keen on signing for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to land another star forward alongside Matheu Cunha.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 29, 2025

United are also leading the race for Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who could be available for the bargain fee of £30m this summer, amid the French club’s ongoing financial issues.

There have been suggestions that Man Utd could be willing to take a punt on Franco Mastantuono too, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the 17-year-old.

According to a report from TyC Sports (via Sport Witness), INEOS and Man Utd are now ready to trigger the €45m (£38m) release clause in Mastantuono’s River Plate contract, having recently held talks with the Argentine club.

However, rather than shelling out £38m outright, the Red Devils want to pay in installments, and it is unclear whether River Plate would be willing to agree to a deal of that nature.

Moreover, the teenager isn’t showing many signs that he is keen on a move to Old Trafford, with Real Madrid believed to be his preferred destination, despite talks over a move to the Spanish club breaking down last year.

"Incredible" Mastantuono destined to be future star

Compatriot Enzo Fernandez clearly believes the youngster has what it takes to succeed in Europe, saying: “He’s showing that he has a European future. You can see it.

“He’s an incredible player. He’s doing very well and has shown great talent. In my opinion, he’s a star.”

It is little wonder the starlet could soon be in line for a move to Europe, having put in some top performances for River Plate, most recently scoring a stunning free-kick in the Superclasico against Boca Juniors.

The maestro has also impressed across a range of key metrics for attacking midfielders over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, most notably placing in the top 1% for successful take-ons.

Statistic

Average per 90

Shot-creating actions

6.20 (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.33 (81st percentile)

Successful take-ons

3.63 (99th percentile

Mastantuono is showing all the hallmarks of a future star, and Man United will be hoping a Europa League triumph could convince him to move to Old Trafford this summer.

Leeds United have salvaged a solid start to the Championship season after enduring relegation from the Premier League last year, with Daniel Farke's side a distance away from the top two but firmly in the mix for promotion at this stage.

Appointing Farke was a decision made to strengthen the Whites' prospects of returning to the top flight at the first time of asking, with the German manager having won the Championship on two occasions previously with Norwich City.

However, the task was never going to be easy despite the club's stature and the ostensible quality filling the ranks, with a mass exodus removing many former members during the summer.

Plenty of fresh faces have arrived, but pundit and former England midfielder Carlton Palmer has tipped "more to come" from the Whites in January, with sights set on closing the gap on frontrunners Leicester City and Ipswich Town.

Leeds United transfer targets

According to journalist Diego Firmino – via Sport Witness – Leeds are following the situation of Joaquin Piquerez from Palmeiras, with the exciting full-back attracting attention from multiple European clubs following his performances in Brazil.

Numerous outfits are indeed supposedly interested, with Premier League sides Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur both receiving tentative links, but Leeds could offer the 25-year-old a starring role and a platform to build from in West Yorkshire.

The cost of a transfer has not yet been made apparent, but there is no denying that Piquerez boasts qualities that would slot right into Elland Road's starting squad and that Farke and 49ers Enterprises will pounce if given the chance.

The dynamo is currently valued at around £6m by Football Transfers' valuation model, and this ballpark fee would likely be required to prise him away from Palmeiras.

Why Leeds want Joaquin Piquerez

Leeds have been impressive in maintaining a charge on the top of the division despite a range of injury problems, and there may be optimism among supporters that a few well-placed winter acquisitions would work wonders in closing the gap on the front of the pack.

Piquerez would open up a range of possibilities with his thunderous shooting skills and his direct, barrelling approach, having recently starred at the centre of Palmeiras' 5-0 drubbing over Sao Paulo.

As per Sofascore, he has scored three goals and supplied four assists from 21 matches in the Brasileiro Série A this season, completing 85% of his passes, creating 0.9 key passes per outing and also making 6.7 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles and 1.6 clearances per game, highlighting his impressive multi-functional ability.

Piquerez has also become a regular member of Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay squad, starting four of the last five matches since the beloved former Leeds boss took the reins earlier this year.

Given the stunning football that was pumped into the Leeds squad under the distinguished Argentinian boss, it's no wonder that the Whites are apparently intrigued by the possibility of signing a player that Bielsa has swiftly deemed an integral part of his national side's setup.

Sam Byram is the current host on the left side of the Whites backline, and while he has impressed since the summer, Farke is probably doing the right thing in searching for a successor to dominate for the foreseeable future.

Why Joaquin Piquerez is better than Sam Byram

Byram joined Leeds on a free transfer in the summer after his contract with Norwich expired, having previously kicked his career off at Elland Road after rising through the youth ranks.

The experienced defender, now aged 30, has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, with Sofascore recording his performances in the English second tier, having completed 79% of his passes, made 4.4 ball recoveries, 1.8 tackles, 1.7 clearances and 1.4 interceptions per game and scored a goal and an assist apiece.

He is an industrious part of the squad and one who has served well in the absence of Junior Firpo, with the former Barcelona player yet to feature this season due to injury – frankly, few expected he would have remained at the club following the summer.

As per FBref, Uruguayan star Piquerez ranks among the top 4% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Brasileiro Série A over the past year for goals, the top 16% for assists and the top 17% for pass completion per 90, illustrating his natural attacking prowess and his crispness in possession.

Content creator Nathan Joyes was among those to be impressed by United's reported interest, saying: "Would be great business. Tidy left-back, likes to press forward and can certainly pick a pass. Great coup for Leeds if it happens."

This high-octane approach is something that really would slot into Farke's system like a dovetail joint; the 46-year-old likes to implement a possession-based style with an emphasis on intelligent, quick transitions and an understanding of the desired patterns to electrify the opposition on the counter.

Given that Piquerez bombs forward like a machine, he could be the engine on the wing, playing a starring role to catapult the Elland Road side right back into the top flight, serving as the dream heir to Byram.

Byram is a solid and dependable member of Farke's team and offers a balanced skill set across both defensive flanks, ranking among the top 19% of full-backs across leagues similar to the Championship over the past year for shots taken, the top 9% for touches in the attacking penalty area and blocks, and the top 8% for aerial wins per 90.

The links attached to Leeds' interest are admittedly somewhat tenuous, but there is no question that prioritising the left-back position would be a prudent move in the long term.

Byram has been a good signing and has earned praise for his "important" role in the team by Farke, but age is not on his side and Piquerez could be the perfect addition to dominate the left channel for many years.

Firpo's situation is also somewhat indeterminate, and by landing a free-scoring, robust new star in Piquerez, Farke may yet acquire the tools to break back into the Premier League and then cement a position of prominence.

Everton travelled to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday afternoon, having won four consecutive games in the Premier League for the first time in three years.

It was also the first time since 2002 that the Toffees won four games in a row without conceding a single goal. However, Sean Dyche’s men were unable to come away with anything from the game as two early strikes from Richarlison and Son Heung-min sealed the win despite a late fightback by the visitors.

While Dyche was aggrieved by certain refereeing decisions, the manager will also be disappointed with some of his players’ displays in London and one man in particular may be forced out of the side through injury.

Idrissa Gueye’s game in numbers

It’s not been a great week for Everton’s double-pivot of Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana. The pair missed their penalties on Tuesday as the Merseyside club bowed out of the EFL Cup in a shootout against Fulham but started together once more at the weekend.

Nevertheless, Everton were two goals down within 18 minutes. The duo played a massive helping hand in both of Spurs’ goals.

Both Gueye and Onana failed to adequately close down Pape Matar Sarr as he slid the ball into Brennan Johnson whose cross reached Richarlison for the opening goal. Meanwhile, the midfield partners were the two closest players to Son as he bagged Spurs’ second and didn’t react quickly enough to stop his rebound strike.

Both men were handed a dismal 4/10 match rating by the Liverpool Echo for their performances in the middle of the park which reflects worse on Onana considering Gueye limped off in the 24th minute.

The Belgium international committed three fouls, was dribbled past once, and lost 56% of his total duels and 50% of his tackles, according to FotMob.

Minutes Played

24

79

Passing Accuracy

63%

85%

Touches

9

38

Passes To Final Third

1

4

Tackles

1

1

Defensive Actions

1

7

Recoveries

1

4

Dribbled Past

1

1

Gueye and Onana look awkward as a pair together and will likely be broken up when Manchester City come to town on Wednesday, particularly since Gueye went off injured, although this does mean that Onana may keep his place. Nevertheless, this could work in Everton's favour as it did on Saturday following one man's return.

Andre Gomes’ game in numbers

Andre Gomes’ time at Goodison Park has been blighted with a series of serious and recurring injuries. This season, the former Barcelona man had spent practically the entire campaign on the sidelines but recently began making a return to action with Everton’s U21s.

In a 5-0 win for the reserves against Southampton at the beginning of December, Gomes stayed on the pitch for 60 minutes, with U21s boss Paul Tait describing him as a “top-class player”, commending his composure and quality on the ball.

Nevertheless, due to a hamstring injury to Abdoulaye Doucoure, Everton’s midfield depth was looking quite bare on the bench, meaning Dyche had to throw Gomes into the deep end and the Portugal international certainly swam, grabbing the side’s only goal of the game which was the catalyst behind a potential late comeback by the Toffees, although it wasn’t to be in the end.

However, Gomes showed both Onana and Gueye up, having created two chances during his 66 minutes on the pitch and played six passes into the final third. Additionally, Gomes put a shift in defensively for his side and made five ball recoveries which was the same number as Gueye and Onana combined, as per FotMob.

Touches

41

Passing Accuracy %

81

Chances Created

2

Expected Assists

0.11

Expected Goals

0.07

Passes Into Final Third

6

Defensive Actions

3

Dribbled Past

1

Ball Recoveries

5

Despite his limited game-time this season, the £120k-per-week star looked levels above Everton’s starting double pivot, and with Gueye potentially out through injury, the 30-year-old could find himself back in the starting lineup quicker than anticipated, with Dyche's side set to take on league champions Manchester City on Wednesday night.

Liverpool have received a huge boost after learning that one of their sidelined players has returned to training ahead of Saturday's highly-anticipated encounter vs Manchester City in the Premier League, according to a reliable journalist.

Liverpool injury news

The Reds currently have Andrew Robertson, Thiago Alcantara, Stefan Bajcetic and Conor Bradley out on the sidelines with their own respective problems as it stands, although there has recently been some more positive news regarding three other squad members.

At Anfield, Ryan Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Joe Gomez are all expected to stage their comeback during this weekend’s fixture at the Etihad Stadium, and if the following update is to be believed, they might not be the only ones stepping back onto the grass.

Liverpool legend is now "turning heads" at Anfield ahead of possible return

Have they found Klopp’s successor?

ByHenry Jackson Nov 20, 2023

Despite being called up to represent France, Ibrahima Konate had to withdraw from his nation’s squad for the international break due to sustaining a hamstring injury which initially will have no doubt caused concern among supporters.

There were fears that Jurgen Klopp’s centre-back wouldn’t be available for selection for the club’s return to domestic action, but it would appear that isn’t in fact the case, with the 24-year-old already having his boots back on as he builds up his fitness.

Ibrahima Konate returns to training

Taking to X on Thursday, The Times' Paul Joyce confirmed that Konate has returned to training, alongside a few other of his teammates as Liverpool prepare to travel to Man City with a healthy squad on Saturday.

He wrote: "Liverpool’s South American contingent, Curtis Jones, Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konate all training today ahead of Manchester City game."

Klopp boosted by positive update on "outstanding" Konate

Despite having only made five starts this season in the Premier League, Liverpool will know what an integral feature Konate can be when at the top of his game, so the fact that he’s likely to be back at Klopp’s disposal this weekend will be a huge boost.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the colossus was averaging 2.6 clearances and 1.9 aerial wins per top-flight game prior to his absence (WhoScored – Konate statistics), showing what a rock he is at the heart of the backline and the physical presence that he’s able to provide.

Likes to play short passes

Passing

Concentration

Likes to dribble

Aerial duels

Discipline

Likes to tackle

Tackling

Commits fouls often

The Paris native, who pockets £70k-per-week (Liverpool salaries), is currently recording a 92.3% pass success rate which shows how extremely calm and composed he is in possession, therefore taking control of the play when he’s got the ball at his feet.

According to journalist Josh Bunting, Konate is an “outstanding” player and one who works wonders when playing alongside Virgil van Dijk, but regardless of whether he’s named in the starting line-up or not dependent on where he is with his fitness, the fact that he could be back in the squad is welcome news.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly set their sights on an "exciting" new £52 million target, and he could leave his club "immediately".

Spurs transfer targets for January

Ange Postecoglou's sensational beginning to 2023/2024 has seen him make the best start ever by a new manager in the Premier League, with Spurs tasting victory in seven out of their last nine top-flight encounters. Unbeaten in that period, it's the club's best early-season run since they clinched a domestic double in 1961, but that hasn't stopped rumours of potential transfer activity in January.

The north Londoners have been linked with signing a new defender as an alternative to both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, who've proved pivotal at the heart of Postecoglou's backline. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly, Bayer Leverkusen ace Edmond Tapsoba, Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah and Club America stalwart Sebastien Caceres have all been mooted as Spurs transfer targets for the role.

Elsewhere in the team, Tottenham could sign a striker to replace Harry Kane next year, with the likes of Ivan Toney (Brentford) and Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord) mentioned most recently. One of Postecoglou's transfer priorities, though, is signing an alternative to left-winger Dejan Kulusevski. The Swede has been in rip-roaring form alongside the likes of Son Heung-min and James Maddison going forward, but Spurs must consider the lack of depth behind him.

As a result, it has been reported in recent weeks that Tottenham are considering both Al-Ittihad winger Jota and Athletic Club starlet Nico Williams. The wide position could be one to watch heading into the winter window, with a report from Italy now sharing some news on a new player Spurs could target.

Tottenham want Chiesa "very much"

According to information from Calciomercato.it this week, Postecoglou's side "very much" want Juventus star Federico Chiesa. The Italy international, who's scored four goals in eight Serie A appearances under Massimiliano Allegri so far this season, is really admired by Spurs amid doubts surrounding his future in Turin.

Both Chiesa and striker Dusan Vlahovic are candidates for the Juve exit door. The former in particular could "immediately say goodbye" as January approaches, with both Tottenham and Newcastle named as contenders to sign him. It is believed both sides have the "right budget at their disposal" to "snatch" Chiesa away from Juve.

Sporting director Cristiano Guintoli, if faced with a figure of £52 million, would apparently sell for that amount. The 26-year-old has been called an "exciting" player by journalist Dean Jones, who commented on his summer links to Arsenal.

Holding on to the ball

Passing

Through balls

Dribbling

Long shots

"I love Chiesa and I've always hoped he would one day land in the Premier League. It will be interesting to see how this summer window pans out for him," Jones told GiveMeSport.

"He's obviously had some injury problems in the not too distant past. He's such an exciting player. You can imagine he would be awesome in that Arsenal attack too. I'm not convinced it'll be that easy to sign him though, I'm really not."

Tottenham Hotspur ended a run of three successive defeats in the Premier League with a hard-fought draw against Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, but will now need to return to winning ways to fight for a top-four spot.

Ange Postecoglou has worked wonders in north London since leaving Celtic for the Premier League in the summer. Still, while Spurs blitzed into form in the early stages of the season, the squad's thinness has unravelled the progress across recent weeks.

The injury-ravaged side is still only two points off fourth-placed Aston Villa and will have been galvanised by the point claimed at the Etihad Stadium.

However, the January transfer window must be utilised, and while the backline requires the most urgent attention, Postecoglou will be eager to strengthen his attacking options too.

Tottenham transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto

According to a piece from Football.London at the end of last month, Tottenham have shown an interest in signing Leeds United's Italian forward, Wilfried Gnonto.

According to Calciomercato, Leeds would look to recuperate €30m (£26m) for the 20-year-old, and whether Spurs would agree to such an outlay remains to be seen, despite the youngster's undoubted talent.

Gnonto handed in a transfer request in August as Everton pursued his signature for £25m and presented four official offers, and while efforts were rejected, there is now a clear sense that the Whites would grant his departure if their valuation was met.

Wilfried Gnonto's style of play

Gnonto was one of the bright sparks at Elland Road last season as Leeds crashed out of the Premier League, with the dynamic forward hailed for his "electric pace" and knack for being an "absolute nightmare for defenders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Signing for Leeds from Swiss side FC Zurich for £4m in 2022, Gnonto only bagged four goals and assists apiece in his maiden term in England but succeeded in convincing a host of outfits of his quality, leading to a frenzy of activity for his signature this year.

The 13-cap Italy starlet ultimately remained in Yorkshire, however he has not been handed a regular starting berth under Daniel Farke's leadership and has started just six Championship matches, scoring one goal and supplying one assist.

Nonetheless, he is a tremendous talent and would be a fantastic addition to Spurs' budding dynasty, with Postecoglou perhaps initiating the next wave of attacking might down the N17 by completing a transfer.

Spurs' attacking segment is probably more secure than several other areas of the field, with the backline particularly flimsy and in need of reinforcements, but Gnonto would offer a special slice of quality to be moulded into something spectacular over the coming years.

And with Heung-min Son, aged 31, now shifted into the role of focal frontman – to great effect, by the way, scoring nine goals and providing two assists from 11 games in the English top-flight up top – there is space for such a player to make the move and earn a place against the likes of Brennan Johnson.

Why Tottenham should sign Wilfried Gnonto

Gnonto boasts pace and power and, principally placed on the left wing, could prove to be the perfect heir to Son's position in the team in the future, especially with Richarlison still flattering to deceive.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across divisions similar to the Championship over the past year, showcasing his aptitude as a "pocket rocket" – as has been claimed by pundit Tam McManus – barrelling into the danger area with attacking abandon.

His even spread of goals and assists for the Whites further evidences the protean ability that could replicate Son's prowess, with the South Korean machine posting 154 goals and 82 assists across his Spurs career.

With someone of Alejo Veliz's calibre awaiting a breakthrough to the starring centre-forward spot in the future too, Spurs really could hit the jackpot here.

Veliz, also aged 20, signed from Argentinan club Rosario Central for £13m in the summer and has been touted as the "complete" striker by Kulig, which could lead him to succeed Harry Kane as Spurs' talisman in the long-term.

Kane has been praised as a "phenomenon" by Bayern Munich sports director Christoph Freund after destroying German football since moving from Tottenham in the summer and ranks among the top 1% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 13% for assists and the top 19% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.

Competition

Apps

Goals

Assists

Bundesliga

12

18

5

Champions League

5

4

2

DFL-Supercup

1

0

0

*Stats sourced via Transfermarkt

This evidences the 'complete' skill set that has cemented him as one of the finest players of his generation, and while they are big boots to fill, Veliz is viewed as a prospect with the potential to emulate the Lilywhites' record scorer, having been purchased as he departed.

For his part, the Argentinan ace ranks among the top 15% of forwards for goals, the top 1% for clearances and the top 12% for aerial wins per 90, which really does underscore the multi-functionality that became such an effective trademark of Kane's brilliant career at Tottenham.

With Veliz's natural ease in the striking role and Gnonto's marauding brilliance, Spurs really could unearth a strikeforce of immense quality for years to come.

With Son still plying his trade at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and capable of offering his guidance and skills to the respective pair, this could be a prudent investment that would pay off handsomely.

Conte's "special" £25m Spurs signing is now worth more than Son

This dynamic Lilywhite is a truly thrilling talent.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 1, 2023

Postecoglou and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will now need to juggle the club's needs and decide whether £26m could be spared for a player such as Gnonto this winter – or indeed if negotiations could whittle down the price, with Rodon used as a bargaining chip – but certainly, it might be a brilliant move that could be lauded down the line.