All posts by n8rngtd.top

Celtic have reportedly held talks to sign an in-demand teenage attacker who is set to leave his current club this summer.

Celtic transfer speculation

The Hoops and Brendan Rodgers are yet to make a summer signing following a Scottish Premiership and Scottish Cup triumph last season, although the Northern Irishman did admit back in February the club could look to be braver with their signings, presumably starting this summer.

“I would go with supporters thinking we could maybe be a little bit braver in terms of bringing in another level of player. But that’s up to me to try and fix that over the course of my time here. You look at the strategy here and you have to be careful because in some ways it has worked. You bring in players for a minimal fee and then they go out and make the club a lot of money.

Celtic could sign "crazy" Idah alternative in biggest deal since Jota

The Hoops are reportedly interested in signing the talented young centre-forward.

1

By
Dan Emery

Jun 23, 2024

“What I want to hopefully balance in my time here is that we can still do that, because it is an important part of the modern game. But we also want to be brave enough to hang our hat on a ready-made player.”

That ‘another level of player’ Rodgers is talking about signing could be a big-money deal for Croatia international Dominik Livakovic. The Hoops are after a new first choice ’keeper following Joe Hart’s retirement and have reportedly submitted a big £7.6m bid for his services to Fenerbahce.

Alongside a goalkeeper, a new winger and striker are also wanted at Parkhead. In regards to specific attacking targets, the likes of Panathinaikos’ Fotis Ioannidis, Motherwell’s Theo Bair and last season’s loanee Adam Idah have all been linked with moves to Glasgow.

Now, a much younger attacking target has emerged on the radar at Celtic Park.

Celtic hold talks for teenage striker

According to The Secret Scout on X, Celtic are one of six clubs who have held talks to sign forward Ajay Matthews, who is set to leave Middlesbrough this summer.

Alongside the Hoops, rivals Rangers have also been in discussions, alongside four Premier League clubs who are also hoping to win the race for Matthews’ services. Impressively, Matthews scored 16 goals in 17 starts for Middlesbrough’s youth side last season, and it looks as if a number of clubs are aware of his talent and are looking to seal a cut-price deal as a result.

The 18-year-old may not be too far from first-team football, should he carry on his prolific form in front of goal at youth level, and who knows, we could see him turning out under Rodgers in years to come, should Celtic win the race for his services this summer.

The underwhelming Europa League draw with Fenerbahce became the latest in a long list of poor performances as the Dutchman muddles on

It feels as though Manchester United are never too far from disappointment at present, and they took their latest backwards step by throwing away a lead to draw with Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce on Thursday night in the Europa League. The Red Devils' nasty habit of throwing away leads in Europe reared its head again, as Christian Eriksen's opener was almost inevitably cancelled out.

A third-straight draw leaves Erik ten Hag's side – among the favourites to lift the trophy – way down the standings in the new-look competition and facing the very real prospect of humiliation if they don't buck up their ideas, and that may well require a change of manager.

This was another performance that was symptomatic of their long-standing problems under Ten Hag, and even though United avoided defeat there is a sense that the beleaguered Dutchman is clinging on by his fingertips as INEOS delay the inevitable. This is not a side that looks capable of lifting the Europa League trophy come May.

• AFP
  

  'We showed we are hard to beat'

  Ten Hag has a habit of being misinterpreted, with his English not always perfect, but his message after the draw in Istanbul was pretty clear: this was an acceptable result in difficult circumstances.

  There is undoubtedly some truth to that as United toiled to a point against the backdrop of the cacophonous and hostile atmosphere of the Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, but after draws with Twente and Porto, fans were surely expecting more from one of the favourites to win the competition against a side who sit fourth in the Turkish league, eight points off top spot.

  "I think when you take the two points, Porto and Fenerbahce away, it showed we are a team who's hard to beat, and we showed it again today," Ten Hag told after the match. "So we can take confidence again from this game and take this on into the league."

  Pressed on whether this kind of result is acceptable, he admitted: "We have to win. We created the chances but we have to be killing more. We let the opponent get away with a point." He later added: "Now we have two games at Old Trafford [in the Europa League]. We have to win if we want to progress in Europe."

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Bizarre experiment

  Even before kick-off, the Dutchman had sparked more bemusement when the line-ups were released. Amid a raft of injuries, he had opted to field nominal right-back Noussair Mazaraoui in the No.10 role despite still having Amad Diallo and Casemiro at his disposal.

  "We have some injuries and a suspension with Bruno, so we had to be creative. Also, we had some players who have a short turnaround to West Ham, so we've made some changes there and a different set-up, but not so much different because we want to keep consistency," the manager explained. "We bring Mazraoui into the No.10 position. I know him from before, sometimes played him there for Ajax, also playing him as a full-back, and also in our system he's playing in the half spaces."

  It was a tactical decision that left Man Utd legend Paul Scholes flummoxed. "I’m confused by it," he said on . "I even think his explanation of it was confusing… I think Eriksen is perfect for that. I hope Mazraoui understands better what he has to do than I do. I found it difficult to understand Ten Hag’s explanation. I don’t see him as a No.10."

  Although he did play a role in United's goal, Mazraoui unsurprisingly looked out of place so far up the pitch and was eventually shifted back. Reflecting on the decision, Ten Hag said: "Experiment? We would never come up with this if we didn't have issues. It's a long time ago [that] he played there but he's capable to do it and we have seen today, in the lead-up to the goal he plays the role but also to strengthen the midfield, support the pressing, he was doing quite well in that position so [I'm] pleased with his performance."

• AFP
  

  'It's a good result for Man Utd'

  After the 1-1 draw, the man in the opposite dugout was under no illusions as to who deserved to win the game. Mourinho had been fired up throughout the encounter, earning himself yet another red card as he was sent to the stands for storming out of his technical area to remonstrate with the fourth official over the non-award of a penalty.

  While backhandedly complimenting United goalkeeper Andre Onana for a stunning double save when the Red Devils were 1-0 up, the prickly Portuguese made his feelings on the game abundantly clear.

  "Onana made two incredible saves in our fantastic initial period," he told . "Come on, he saved the result. My keeper didn’t make a save, he made two impossible saves. I think he was the most decisive player. He didn’t make 20 saves but two were incredible, Onana can do it.

  "We were better than them so it’s a good result for Manchester United. They got a point against us, we didn’t get a point against them. We played amazing. We will destroy every team if we play like this in the league. United are a superior level, the Premier League has more quality, more intensity, more everything."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Risk of humiliation

  Whether or not he has a good rapport with Ten Hag, Mourinho was clearly trying to aim something of a parting shot with his suggestion that United left Istanbul with their tail between their legs, and this was the latest instance in what has been a humbling European campaign to date for one of the continent's biggest names.

  Second favourites to go all the way in the Europa League behind domestic rivals Tottenham by virtue of the fact that Champions League teams will no longer drop down into the secondary competition, Man Utd find themselves 21st in the standings in the new league phase after three consecutive draws – already four points off the automatic last-16 qualification places and six behind leaders Lazio. If results don't pick up, they will face the ignominy of a knockout round play-off to progress.

  Whether that humiliation is a realistic prospect remains to be seen; United's toughest league phase fixtures are technically out of the way, with games against PAOK, Bodo/Glimt, Viktoria Plzen, Rangers and FCSB to come – matches they will be fully expected to take maximum points from. That said, only Greek side PAOK are currently below the English giants in the table.

  The draws against Twente – who are 28th – and Fenerbahce will not fill supporters with confidence, and neither will their surrender of a two-goal lead in the dramatic 3-3 in Porto. United have developed an unwanted habit of failing to secure victory from winning positions in Europe, with that the outcome in six of their last eight games across the Europa League and last season's disastrous Champions League campaign.

Arsenal fans are unhappy that Martin Odegaard has received a Norway call-up just days after his recover from injury.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Odegaard gets Norway call-up
• Arsenal fans unhappy
• Gunners held to a 1-1 draw by Chelsea

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners captain got his first start since August on Sunday as he provided the assist for Gabriel Martinelli's goal in the team's 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the Premier League. The midfielder has received a national team call-up for Norway's upcoming Nations League clashes which has angered a section of the Arsenal fans. Speaking to , Norway boss Stale Solbakken confirmed Odegaard's call-up as he said, "I spoke to him late yesterday. He is on his way to Oslo, so we can take it from there."

Advertisement

• WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Odegaard damaged his ankle ligaments while playing for Norway on August 31 and has spent the last two months on the sidelines. Now that he once again returns to national team duty just days after regaining his full fitness, Gunners supporters feel that the club should not have allowed the player to leave.

  An X handle named Antonio Zeca wrote on the platform, "Damn! We haven’t learned our lesson man!"

  Acetyl CoA wrote, "What???? I thought we had an agreement with them to exclude Odegaard from this international break matches????"

  This Arsenal fan, with the handle Chubie_Ujah, angrily wrote, "But why exactly is he going? It makes no sense at all."

  A fan named Matt wrote on X, "This is an utter joke. Only just come back from an injury he picked up with Norway which has ruined our season, and the moment he’s fit again they want him to travel but might not even play him? Arteta has to step in here, surely? It’s just silly."

  Rebecca Tyson feels that Declan Rice should also stay back at the club along with their skipper as she wrote, "Why do we seem to be the only team that panders to the international teams? Rice shouldn’t be going either."

• WHAT THE MANAGER IS SAYING

  Speaking on the 25-year-old after the match, manager Mikel Arteta said, "I don’t know another player that is capable of playing at that level after six weeks out. How physically and mentally connected he was with the team… it was unbelievable."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the North London side picked up a crucial point in Sunday's league clash, they remain winless in their last three games across all competitions and currently find themselves fourth in the league, nine points behind leaders Liverpool.

It's been quite the week for Nottingham Forest, who managed to maintain their profit and sustainability innocence whilst landing a rising star in the form of Elliot Anderson. And now, they're reportedly set to welcome another incoming.

Nottingham Forest transfer news

Elliot arrived to become Forest's third signing of the summer, which also saw out of favour goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos head in the opposite direction to Newcastle United. The midfielder followed both Marko Stamenic and Eric da Silva Moreira through the City Ground doors to represent a hectic start to the window for those in the Midlands.

Speaking for the first time since sealing the move, Anderson told Forest's official website: “I’m buzzing. I think it’s a massive club with big history and I can’t wait to get started. It’s the club and the city. I’ve always been very fond of Nottingham Forest and I think it’s a great place to display what I can do and go onto try and help my career.”

Nottingham Forest open talks to sign "fantastic" record-breaker for Nuno

He’s a future star.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 29, 2024

Forest have wasted no time before turning their attention towards another arrival, however. According to Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Nottingham Forest are now set to sign Carlos Miguel from Corinthians in a deal worth a reported £4m this summer. the 6 ft 8 goalkeeper will instantly compete with 32-year-old Matz Sels before potentially stepping in to replace the veteran for years to come.

Miguel will be Forest's fourth signing of the summer if he completes a move, as those at the City Ground look to seal their Premier League survival for a third consecutive campaign. The Arrival of Miguel could certainly go a long way towards that top flight survival next season too.

"Outstanding" Miguel can displace Sels

Standing at a sensational 6 ft 8, Miguel can instantly take Sels' place in Nuno Espirito Santo's side next season, especially when considering the fact that he is just 25 years old and entering the best years of his career.

What's more, the Brazilian already knows star defender Murillo well, having played alongside the Forest man for Corinthians. Praised for his "outstanding" reflexes by Nathan Joyes, Forest could have quite the shot-stopper on his way this summer.

Of course, Forest struggled to really establish a number one last season, with Matt Turner and Sels sharing the minutes throughout the campaign to leave the door open for a fresh, though unproven, option to emerge this summer.

It's an opportunity that Miguel can grasp hold of to quickly turn his reported £4m arrival into a bargain deal in the coming months. The youngest of Espirito Santo's three options, the Brazilian also has the chance to take hold of that number one spot for years to come rather than the limited time that both Sels and Turner may have on their playing careers.

Potentially adding to what has already been a busy summer of arrivals, Unai Emery now reportedly wants to sign one particular Aston Villa target after Amadou Onana.

Aston Villa transfer news

Just when it seemed as though Emery would be forced to replace Douglas Luiz internally this summer, reports emerged that Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Everton's Onana. According to Fabrizio Romano, the deal will be worth £50m plus add ons and the Beglian is set to undergo a medical ahead of officially completing a move to the Midlands.

The midfielder is set to join the likes of Ian Maatsen, Ross Barkley and three others in Villa's list of incomings this summer as they prepare for life in the Champions League come August. But even after Onana, the Midlands club may yet welcome another fresh face who Emery reportedly personally wants to sign.

Aston Villa now submit player plus cash offer to sign £15m gem for Emery

The Villans are willing to lose a player in the deal.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jul 12, 2024

According to AS via Sport Witness, Emery has already told Viktor Tsygankov that he wants to sign him this summer and Aston Villa are now drawing up their plans to sign the Girona winger who has a €30m (£25m) release clause.

Girona reportedly want to keep hold of the 26-year-old, but it remains to be seen whether he will be able to turn down the temptation of Premier League football next season. Given recent doubts over Moussa Diaby's future in the Midlands following links to Saudi Arabia, it's no surprise that the Villans have reportedly set their sights on another winger in the prime of his career and off the back of an impressive campaign.

"Outrageous" Tsygankov can replace Diaby

Like Villa, Tsygankov and Girona enjoyed a season of upsets last time out in La Liga to qualify for the Champions League in a similar tail of underdog heroics. Now, however, the Spanish club could lose one of the most prominent figures behind that success as Villa continue to plot their move. And if Diaby does choose the riches of Saudi over staying put at Villa Park, then Girona could be left resigned to losing one of their star players.

The Ukraine international enjoyed a similar season to Diaby's too, scoring eight goals and assisting a further seven in La Liga to better the Villa star's six goals and eight assists in his debut Premier League campaign. It's a rise that Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig saw coming, given that he dubbed Tsygankov's numbers at 22 years old as "outrageous".

For just £25m, Villa could be getting themselves quite the bargain for a player who Emery, himself, is reportedly keen on signing.

The Ballon d'Or runner-up failed to make an impact again as Dorival Jr's side dropped more points in Salvador

Vinicius Jr's underwhelming Brazil form continued as the Selecao needed a wonder goal from defensive midfielder Gerson to snatch a point in their 1-1 draw with a well-drilled Uruguay side on Tuesday.

Brazil poked, pried and prodded throughout the first half, but could never carve out a clear opening. Vinicius, as ever, was their most apparent threat, but found himself constantly nullified by the two – or even three – defenders routinely thrown his way. Igor Jesus, Dorival's preferred option at centre-forward, never made his mark, either.

And Uruguay capitalised, as Vinicius' Real Madrid team-mate Valverde curled home a wonderful strike from outside the box after 55 minutes to make it 1-0. The Selecao equaliser was equally impressive, however, as Gerson volleyed into the bottom corner to level things on the hour.

Brazil pushed for a winner, but no clear chances emerged as every Vinicius cut-back from an impossible angle landed at a grateful Uruguayan boot. By full-time, the home side were once again left to rue dropped points having won just three of their last nine World Cup qualifying matches.

GOAL rates Brazil's players from Fonte Nova Arena…

• Getty
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Ederson (6/10):

  Couldn't do anything about Valverede's goal. Was a spectator, otherwise, save for a few well-timed clearances.

  Danilo (5/10):

  Allowed Valverde too much room to smash home the Uruguay opener.

  Marquinhos (5/10):

  A bit loose on his side of the pitch, as he was dragged out of position too often.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (7/10):

  Won his headers, and did a job keeping Nunez quiet in the first half.

  Abner Vinicius (6/10):

  Kept it tight at the back, and ensured that nothing happened down his side.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Midfield

  Bruno Guimaraes (6/10):

  Solid, scrappy, aggressive, but beyond frustrating when he had the ball. He just can't pick a pass sometimes.

  Gerson (8/10):

  Blasted home a wonderful equaliser to complete an impressive midfield showing.

  Raphinha (6/10):

  Scarcely involved as Uruguay pretty much crowded him out.

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Savinho (6/10):

  Tried to make things happen, but was closed down before he could produce anything special.

  Igor Jesus (4/10):

  Pretty much anonymous. It's difficult to see what he offers over Endrick.

  Vinicius Jr (7/10):

  Never stopped running at the defence, and picked up all sorts of interesting positions, but his final ball – or moment of magic – was lacking. His Brazil frustrations continue.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  Subs & Manager

  Lucas Paqueta (6/10):

  A few nice touches, but could never make anything concrete happen.

  Gabriel Martinelli (6/10):

  Stretched the game a bit with his running.

  Andre (N/A):

  Baffling to bring on a defensive midfielder when drawing 1-1.

  Luiz Henrique (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Estevao Willian (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Dorival Jr (4/10):

  Another pretty miserable night. Unclear why he doesn't start Paqueta, and he really can't get a tune out of his best player. Not good.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement has not been afraid to make plenty of changes to his playing squad since the end of the 2023/24 campaign.

The Belgian boss failed to guide the club to the Scottish Premiership title and is now looking to work with the head of recruitment at Ibrox to build a team that can secure the trophy next term.

Seven signings have already been made by Rangers, with Jefte, Connor Barron, Clinton Nsiala, Liam Kelly, Mohammed Diomande, Oscar Cortes, and Hamza Igamane penning deals in Glasgow.

Their desire to bring in new recruits to bolster their options across the park meant that players needed to move on from Ibrox, and John Lundstram, Jon McLaughlin, Borna Barisic, Kemar Roofe, and Ryan Jack all departed as free agents at the end of May.

They may not be the only ones to move on from Ibrox before the end of the summer transfer window, though, as other first-team stars have been linked with transfers elsewhere in recent weeks.

Attacking midfielder could leave Rangers

Football Scotland recently reported that attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell could be moved on this summer if an acceptable offer comes in for his services.

The outlet named him alongside Kieran Dowell and Tom Lawrence as one of the players who Rangers may want to cash in on to make room for new signings.

Earlier this month, The Scottish Sun claimed that Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah are keeping tabs on his situation at Ibrox ahead of a potential swoop for his services.

That report went as far as to say that the former Norwich City playmaker will be allowed to move on from Glasgow during the current transfer window, but did not reveal whether or not the Saudi Arabian club are prepared to formalise their interest with an offer for his services.

Cantwell has also been offered to Italian side Lecce by his agent Jose Enrique, who had – incredibly – accidentally messaged a fan page instead of the Lecce head coach in an attempt to facilitate a transfer.

All of these reports come together to suggest that there is a decent chance that the former England U21 international will be plying his trade away from Scotland by September, given the interest in his services and the club's reported desire to move him on.

It will then be down to Koppen and Clement to replace Cantwell and that could be a hard task given his contributions in the 2023/24 campaign.

What Todd Cantwell brings to Rangers

The 26-year-old playmaker is an energetic and forward-thinking midfielder who thrives as a number ten who has the license to drift around into various positions to knit play together.

He is reliable in possession, with an 84% pass success rate in the league last season, and has the quality on the ball to make things happen in the final third.

As you can see in the table above, Cantwell chipped in with 12 direct goal contributions in 30 appearances in the Premiership during the 2023/24 campaign.

This shows that he has the ability to provide a presence as a scorer and a creator of goals in a number ten position for the Light Blues, as he has already proven himself in the division.

That also came after the ex-Norwich ace produced six goals and four assists in 16 league games under Michael Beale during the second half of the 2022/23 season.

Despite his evident ability on the pitch as an attacking force in the top-flight, Rangers and Clement are seemingly willing to allow him to move on.

It appears to be a bold and brave call on paper and that makes finding an adequate replacement for him all the more important, to show fans that things are moving in the right direction.

Rangers could land dream Todd Cantwell replacement

Clement could land a dream successor to Cantwell in the number ten position by securing a deal to sign reported target Bobby Clark from Liverpool.

DaveOCKOP claimed earlier this month that the Light Blues are one of the clubs in the mix to land the 19-year-old sensation on loan from the Premier League giants.

RB Salzburg, RB Leipzig, and Norwich City are also said to be interested in a swoop to land the former Newcastle United youngster for the 2024/25 campaign.

The teenage whiz could be a dream replacement for Cantwell as his form for Liverpool at youth and senior level suggests that the potential is there for him to provide an attacking threat whilst also being solid out of possession.

Whilst it was a small sample size, Clarke's performances in the Europa League last season offered a glimpse at what he could offer Rangers, with two goal contributions and a dominant 82% duel success rate in two games.

This, alongside his four tackles and interceptions and 63% duel success rate in one EFL Trophy game last term, suggests that he is a talented technician who can also be combative and aggressive in duels.

At youth level, Clark racked up five goals and six assists in 37 games for Liverpool's U21s and 13 goals and five assists in 27 outings for the U18s, which shows that the potential is there for him to offer quality as a scorer and a creator of goals – like Cantwell.

The young maestro, who made five Premier League appearances last term, could, therefore, be a fantastic attacking midfielder for Clement due to his ability to make an impact in and out of possession – keeping the team's shape solid whilst remaining creative on the ball.

Clark, who was described as "very impressive" by journalist Josh Bunting, could also be a relatively cheap signing as a loan, rather than splashing millions on a permanent addition, and that is another reason why he could be a dream replacement for Cantwell.

Rangers could brilliantly replace Lundstram in swoop for SPFL "machine"

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in a deal to sign the central midfielder.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 16, 2024

Ruud van Nistelrooy reportedly sent in a final "demand" to Manchester United players after he was ousted upon the arrival of Ruben Amorim.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Van Nistelrooy impressed during his interim stint
• Relieved from his duties on Monday
• Urged players to rally behind Amorim

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Initially appointed as assistant manager just four months ago, Van Nistelrooy swiftly transitioned into the interim manager's role following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal. Though he served in this position for only four games, he left a lasting impression on both the dressing room and fans as the Red Devils won three matches and drew one under his guidance.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to Van Nistelrooy anticipated his departure as soon as it was announced that Amorim would take over the reins and bring his own set of backroom staff. He left his role at Old Trafford with a heartfelt message to the squad, urging them to rally behind their new head coach and give their best to restore United’s legacy under Amorim’s leadership.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  However, Van Nistelrooy was reportedly pragmatic about the new manager’s need for autonomy. "Ruud made clear to the bosses he wanted to stay at United because he loves the club. But he was also pragmatic and expected that Amorim would want total control of things, including his backroom staff," a source told

  "He told the players he was very happy to have come back and to have had the chance to manage the club for four games. It has helped his managerial career, increased his already strong ties with United and he hasn’t given up on the idea that he might be back one day. He made all that clear to the players and demanded that they give their all to the new manager."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  With Van Nistelrooy’s departure, all eyes are now on Amorim as he prepares for his first game in charge. The Portuguese will debut as United head coach on November 24 in a Premier League clash against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.

After a topsy-turvy Premier League campaign that saw them ultimately qualify for the Europa League, Tottenham Hotspur must get their recruitment right this summer to help Ange Postecoglou realise his ambitions in North London.

The Australian had the Lilywhites playing some scintillating football at points last year.

Still, a cavalcade of injuries and loss of form towards the end turned what could have been a frankly unbelievable season into a promising one.

Fortunately, reports suggest Daniel Levy and Co have been hard at work in recent weeks looking for the right players to come in and help the club take the next step, and the latest name touted for a move to N17 could do precisely that – oh, and he'd been compared to Bukayo Saka.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from SportMediaset via Calcio Napoli 24, Tottenham target Federico Chiesa will join the club this summer.

The report has claimed that while there was plenty of interest in the talented winger in his homeland this summer, he has opted to move to England and is now "close to Tottenham for 30-35 million euros."

This fee converts to between £25m and £29m, which seems like value for money for a player of Chiesa's quality.

Moreover, while the Spurs' faithful might not be his biggest fans for rivalry reasons, the fact that he has been compared to Saka in the past is certainly not a bad thing.

Why Chiesa would be a great signing and his comparison to Saka

So, before we look at the main reasons why Chiesa would be an excellent signing for Spurs, let's look at his comparison to the talisman of their North London rivals, Saka.

While there are obviously some positional similarities between the two internationals, this comparison stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions at Euro 2024, created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and concluded that the Englishman was the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Italian at the tournament.

This was not based on the eye test but more so on how closely the pair ranked for several underlying numbers, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, live passes, completed long passes, touches and touches in the attacking third, and ball recoveries, all per 90.

However, this comparison to the England international isn't the only impressive thing about the "unstoppable" wideman, as dubbed by Giorgio Chiellini.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the 26-year-old dynamo scored ten goals and provided three assists, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games and would've made him the fourth most productive Spurs player last season.

Ultimately, for the money being reported, this deal for Chiesa seems like a total no-brainer for Levy and Co, and the comparisons to the Arsenal ace reaffirm that fact.

Spurs hit gold on "masterclass signing" who's worth way more than Eze

The Lilywhites already have a left-sided player worth a king’s ransom.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 25, 2024

GOAL explores the pros and cons of a hypothetical MLS transfer for former Manchester United, Juventus star Paul Pogba.

Juventus recently terminated Paul Pogba's contract following his 18-month suspension for a doping violation, reduced from an initial four years. The decision frees the 31-year-old to return to competitive soccer in March, raising questions on what is the future for the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner and former recipient of the 2013 Golden Boy award. The main one is where. Where does he go from here? The answer, potentially, is Major League Soccer.

Why not follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Olivier Giroud, Marco Reus and ex-France stars Thierry Henry, Blaise Matuidi and Hugo Lloris?
One of the biggest superstars in the world at one point, Pogba is one of the most talented midfielders of the current generation. He has had a few roadblocks, including injuries and form issues on top of his doping suspension, but he's looking to come back out on top now.

Could MLS be the place where he revitalizes his career? GOAL explores the pros and cons of a hypothetical move stateside.

Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Pro: Career revival

  After nearly 18 months away from the game, come March, the Frenchman – wherever he lands – will need a rebrand. There will be critics who will focus on his doping allegations and there will be coaches and sporting directors who will doubt his ability to return at a high level.

  He needs to lean into that and use it as motivation. Whoever takes a chance on him is giving him the opportunity to re-launch his career, and he needs to grab that bull by the horns and ride it until he has nothing left. Aged 31, he still has nearly a decade left in his boots if he chooses so, and at his peak, he was a top five midfielder in the world. It's hard to imagine he will ever reach that level again, but there is still magic left in his boots, he just needs to find it.

  MLS presents him that opportunity. Messi is still thriving on the international stage with Argentina, despite crafting his trade stateside. Footballers like Thiago Almada, Diego Gomez, Mateusz Bogusz, Joseph Paintsil and Denis Bouanga are all regulars with their national teams – whom compete against the world's best – while in MLS, too.

  The league presents him with the opportunity to compete outside of Europe, while completely rebranding himself at the same time. There is less media and fan pressure in soccer in North America as opposed to what he would face in the old continent.

  It's a move that makes plenty of sense for both the league and the Frenchman – it now just comes down to how on if the two parties are actually interested in each other.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Con: Expensive

  Paul is a player who has had success at the highest levels of both the domestic and international game, he's not going to come cheap.

  His last contracted salary with Juventus was reportedly an $11m per-year deal that had him inked through 2026. In the wake of his suspension, though, it was reduced to $44k per-month until the recent termination of his deal. For context, in 2024, only two players in MLS – Messi and Lorenzo Insigne – had higher year-round compensation deals than him, though the Italian winger is rumored to be departing Toronto FC this offseason.

  If he were to be signed on a similar deal, he would immediately be one of the highest-paid players in the league, and those figured typically tend to be handed toward goal-scorers or creators in the final-third rather than a box-to-box midfielder. However, the direct comparison would be Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami, who is on a Designated Player contract at $8.74m per-year. That figure seems to be a more ballpark area to work around for a potentially interested MLS side.

  That's a lot of compensation to throw at a player who has not seen the pitch in 18 months.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Pro: Name recognition

  For nearly seven seasons, Pogba was arguably the world's best central midfielder. He was one of the most recognizable players on any day, due to his natural flare in the middle of the park, or his trademark outside-the-boot shot that wowed spectators. From his days in Italy to his time in England to his international performances with , he was an absolute star who people all over the world admired.

  Even in 2024 – nearly five years after his last truly stupendous season – that still means something.

  If an MLS team were to take a gamble on him, they would be bringing the name-factor and star-power of a World Champion, Champions League finalist, Europa League Winner and more to the pitch. He's a name who sells, whether that's kits, marketing deals, partnerships or tickets, he has the name to draw an audience – and that alone may be worth the gamble for some teams.

  European midfielders like Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Rafa Marquez and Andrea Pirlo all made the move to MLS in their 30s – could Pogba be the next?

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  Con: Is MLS the right place for a comeback?

  With opportunity comes responsibility, though, and Pogba has to ultimately prioritize his legendary career with whatever step he takes next. If he struggles or fails, the backlash will not be kind – regardless of if that is fair or not. He has a lot riding on this choice, with FIFA handing him a second chance in his career two and a half years earlier than expected.

  If a move to MLS came about though, he wouldn't be the only party at risk. With the amount his contract would command, and the sheer amount of marketing that would go into making him the face of a franchise, the hypothetical team would be putting a lot of trust in him as well. Frankly, neither party would benefit from any negative aspects of a move to MLS.

  Pogba needs wherever he ends up to be a league and a club that trusts him and gives him time, while on the opposite side of the table, there needs to be patience with him in that aspect as well. Regardless of location though, he is putting him self at risk by thrusting himself into the limelight. As likely the highest earner of an MLS team he would join, the spotlight would be heavily on him.