All posts by z3u9t.icu

After two seasons of challenging Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, Arsenal can no longer be ignored: they are the real deal.

However, while Mikel Arteta has helped transform the Gunners into genuine contenders, they still need to take that final step and finally end their two-decade title drought, which will require more investment.

For all the valid criticism that has been laid at the feet of the Kroenkes in recent years, they haven't scrimped on transfers, and they look set to spend big once again this summer as the player lined up as the dream alternative to Martin Zubimendi isn't going to come cheap.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Mirror, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Newcastle United's star midfielder, Bruno Guimarães.

The story has revealed that due to rules around profit and sustainability, the Magpies could be forced into selling one of their stars. As the Brazilian has attracted interest from Manchester City and Liverpool alongside the Gunners, he could be the player sold.

The former Lyon ace reportedly has a £100m release clause inserted into his contract, and according to the Mirror, the North Londoners are set to 'consider triggering' it.

It would be yet another serious investment in the team, but with reports suggesting the club's other midfield target, Zubimendi, is unconvinced about leaving Spain, it seems like an investment worth making, especially as he looks more impressive than the Spaniard anyway.

How Guimarães compares to Zubimendi

Now, the first thing to say is that both players have proven themselves to be very talented midfielders this season, but if Arsenal can only sign one, there are a couple of reasons why they should go after Guimarães, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig described as having "world class potential."

The first, is that when comparing their underlying numbers, the Toon ace emerges victorious in almost every relevant metric including, non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, shot and goal-creating actions, ball recoveries, tackles and tackles won, all per 90.

In his defence, the San Sebastian-born star does come out on top for statistics like clearances, passing accuracy, interceptions and aerial duels won, all per 90, but that's pretty much it.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals and Assists

0.31

0.14

Non-Penalty Goals

0.19

0.14

Assists

0.22

0.03

Progressive Passes

7.80

5.15

Progressive Carries

1.79

1.15

Shots

1.32

0.75

Shots on Target

0.44

0.37

Passing Accuracy

83.9%

85.7%

Shot-Creating Actions

3.94

1.87

Goal-Creating Actions

0.52

0.14

Tackles

2.42

1.66

Tackles Won

1.46

0.92

Blocks

1.43

1.12

Interceptions

0.94

1.25

Clearances

0.55

1.83

Ball Recoveries

6.50

5.73

Aerial Duels Won

0.47

1.49

Aside from his overwhelming superiority in terms of their underlying numbers, the second reason Arteta and Co should opt for the Brazilian "leader," as Kulig dubbed him, is his Premier League experience.

If the North Londoners were to sign the Magpies midfielder, they could do so confident in the knowledge that he can thrive in the English game, because that is exactly what he's been doing for the last few years.

On the other hand, signing a midfielder from La Liga who has never played outside of Spain will always be more of a risk.

Even if the Sociedad man adapted to English football, it probably wouldn't be instant, and when Arsenal are competing with a team like City every year, they cannot afford for any of their star players to start slowly.

Ultimately, while Zubimendi looks like a quality player, his unsureness about a move away from Spain is the perfect excuse for Edu and Co to go all guns blazing to sign Guimarães, as the Brazilian looks to be the far superior midfielder anyway.

Arsenal can forget about Sesko by signing "incredible" £85m "powerhouse"

The prolific striker could be the perfect alternative for Mikel Arteta.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 7, 2024

Last season, Oliver Glasner took the reins at Crystal Palace halfway through the campaign, leading the Eagles to a brilliant tenth place finish in the Premier League.

However, so far this season, the loss of Michael Olise, some injury issues throughout the squad, and just a slow start overall has led Palace into 18th place, currently languishing in the relegation zone.

Palace averaged 41.6% possession last season, took 12 shots per match, and conceded just 12.1 shots per game. However, so far this term, the Eagles have averaged 44.6% of the ball, taken 14.3 shots per match, and allowed 13.7 shots per fixture.

The numbers tell us they haven’t actually been as bad as their league position suggests, and a few injured players returning, adding some extra quality, could start to see a shift in results and allow them to climb out of the relegation zone.

Crystal Palace team news before Newcastle

Glasner will remain without Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca, who are both out with long-term injuries, Franca suffering a rib fracture, and Riad suffering from a knee injury.

Adam Wharton is expected to remain out, as he is recovering from a groin injury which he had surgery to address. The Eagles are hoping to have the English midfielder back in the coming weeks.

Daichi Kamada also remains out through suspension, after his straight red card against Fulham. However, one man who’s capable of replacing Kamada in the team could return from injury for this game, as Eberechi Eze looks set to play a part against Newcastle for the first time in a month.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Fantastic Crystal Palace star must return to the lineup

Speaking in a recent press conference the manager confirmed that Eze is on the verge of returning to the match day squad, with last week’s clash against Aston Villa providing to be soon for the England international.

Despite injury, Eze has been the hub of creativity for Palace this season, a burden that was often shared between himself and Olise in the past. Scout Jacek Kulig described Eze as “fantastic” back in 2020, and the 26-year-old is now a consistent member of the national squad.

Kamada has often played in his advanced role this season, and Palace fans will be glad to see Eze back, adding more variation to their attacking play in those advanced zones.

Goals

0.34

0.21

Assists

0.26

0.21

xG

0.33

0.09

xAG

0.11

0.09

Progressive Carries

3.00

1.88

Progressive Passes

5.00

5.65

Shots Total

4.14

1.58

Key Passes

1.78

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

4.67

3.33

Successful Take-Ons

1.89

0.29

The metrics above show how much more effective Eze has been in creation for the Eagles, averaging more key passes, more shot-creating actions, more progressive carries per 90, and better output in both goals and assists this season.

The summer signing only ranks ahead of the former QPR man in one metric analysed above, and that is progressive passes per 90. This is most likely due to the deeper midfield role the Japan star has played on several occasions in the absence of Wharton, giving him more build-up responsibility in their own half.

The return of Eze could be exactly what Palace needs to start converting their chances and find that extra creative edge in games. With the Englishman in tow, they stand a far better chance of climbing their way out of the relegation zone and saving Glasner’s job.

Exciting Crystal Palace academy star could be their next Zaha

This Crystal Palace academy star can finally replace Zaha.

ByConnor Holden Nov 28, 2024

Glasgow Rangers are back in action once again in the Scottish Premiership this evening as they prepare to take on Kilmarnock away from Ibrox.

The Light Blues are looking to finally get back to winning ways after frustrating draws with Falkirk and Dundee United in their last outings in the league under Danny Rohl.

A 98th-minute penalty from Nedim Bajrami salvaged a point against Dundee United, and the Gers head coach may want to make several changes to the team after that disappointing showing, including dropping Bojan Miovski from the side.

Why Bojan Miovski should be dropped

The Macedonia international has been a regular starter in the Premiership, starting nine of his 11 appearances in the league (Sofascore), and led the line on Wednesday night.

Miovski lost three of his five ground duels and four of his five aerial duels, per Sofascore, against Dundee United, whilst he also missed his only ‘big chance’ in front of goal, which sort of sums up his season so far.

The former Aberdeen marksman has lost 69% of his duels and missed five ‘big chances’ to go along with his one goal in his 11 league outings, per Sofascore, which shows that he has struggled physically and in front of goal in a Gers shirt.

These statistics show that the 26-year-old striker has not delivered enough quality on the pitch, in or out of possession, which is why Rohl should drop the forward from the starting line-up for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening, to give Danilo or Youssef Chermiti a chance to lead the line.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Miovski is not the only player who should be dropped from the side that started against Dundee United, though, as Connor Barron should also be ruthlessly ditched.

Why Connor Barron should be dropped

Rohl should drop the Scotland international from the starting line-up because his performances in the last two league games have not been at a high level.

Barron started against Falkirk and Dundee United alongside Nicolas Raskin in the middle of the park, ahead of Mohamed Diomande, but failed to offer enough quality on or off the ball.

Minutes

76

90

Pass accuracy

90%

83%

Big chances created

0

0

Tackles made

0

1

Fouls committed

2

1

Ground duels won

3/6

1/5

Aerial duels won

0/1

0/2

As you can see in the table above, the former Aberdeen star lost the majority of his physical duels across both games, including 86% against Dundee United, whilst he did not create any ‘big chances’ for the team.

This shows that Barron has been a lightweight in his duels in recent games, as opposition players have found it too easy to get the better of him, which has made the Rangers midfield too easy to play against.

On top of struggling out of possession, the 23-year-old central midfielder has no goals, no assists, and no ‘big chances’ created in 12 appearances and seven starts in the Premiership this season, per Sofascore.

He does not offer much of a threat at the top end of the pitch and that has played a part in Rangers scoring just one non-penalty goal in 180 minutes against Falkirk and Dundee United.

Rohl has Diomande, who scored in his last league start against Livingston, available for selection and should bring him into the team to replace Barron for this clash with Kilmarnock this evening.

The Ivorian talent, who is off to the African Cup of Nations later this month, produced five goals and nine assists in midfield for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, which shows that he has the quality to make an impact in the final third when he is at his best.

Raskin repeat: Rohl lining up Rangers move to sign exciting "unicorn"

Rangers are reportedly eyeing up a move for a star who could be a Nicolas Raskin repeat.

ByDan Emery 7 days ago

It is down to Rohl, though, to unleash him alongside Raskin against Kilmarnock tonight to provide him with another chance to remind the supporters of his quality before his absence due to international duty, because Barron has not done enough in his place.

Everton are keen to bring in some fresh blood during the January window and could now be lining up a multi-layered deal to acquire a former star at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Everton left frustrated after heavy defeat against Newcastle United

Despite holding home advantage, Everton were beaten convincingly by Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday and will feel a sense of frustration at their poor defensive display, a rarity under the stewardship of David Moyes.

After a joyous victory away at Manchester United on Monday, despite having ten men for much of the affair, the Toffees failed to show the same resilience against Eddie Howe’s men and paid the price under the lights at their new stadium.

Speaking post-match, the Scot had no excuses for his side being unable to trouble the Geordies and made it clear that their European experience was a factor that helped shape a difficult night for the hosts.

He said: “We were beaten by a far better team. We go again, you move on but Newcastle were much better than us. You can see the experience they are gaining from playing in European games. They were just much more powerful than us all night.”

Even with a decent start to the Premier League campaign under their belt, Everton are building for January and could target FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju to try and arrest Thierno Barry’s goal drought since arriving on Merseyside.

Everton line up January move for England international who Alan Shearer called "world class"

The Toffees have spotted a low-cost opportunity.

ByHenry Jackson Nov 22, 2025

Celtic’s Daizen Maeda is also a wanted man and may be attainable, though they could also be willing to strengthen further back on the left-hand side if recent developments were to come to fruition.

Everton could look to re-sign Antonee Robinson

According to Alan Nixon on Patreon, Everton are keen to re-sign Fulham captain Antonee Robinson and believe £25m could be enough to secure his signature in January.

Armed with several formulas to potentially complete a deal, Vitaly Mykolenko has been mentioned as a potential swap option, with the Toffees unlikely to meet the Cottagers’ £40m valuation of the United States international.

Lauded by Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley last season as being “one of the best left-backs in the world”, Robinson has made just four appearances for Fulham this term and has struggled with knee problems, which have seen him miss six Premier League matches in a row as he looks to get back to fitness.

Having come through the youth system at Everton before joining Wigan Athletic and then going on to move to West London, he is acutely aware of the club’s culture and would be a seamless fit, though it remains to be seen if the Blues can push a deal over the line.

While West Ham United have certainly signed some real talents over the last few years, they’ve unfortunately made more than their fair share of poor signings.

For example, the likes of Andy Irving, Mads Hermanssen, and Gianluca Scamacca are either failing to make the grade or have already failed, and that’s just from the last few summers.

Yet, perhaps the most disappointing addition the East Londoners have made in recent years is Niclas Füllkrug.

Fortunately, it looks like the German could be moving on sooner rather than later, although West Ham should make sure they get rid of another flop at the same time, someone former manager David Moyes was particularly excited about.

Füllkrug's West Ham disaster

When West Ham splashed £27m on Füllkrug last summer, there was a fair deal of excitement from some in the fanbase, as while he was certainly on the older side, he had just come off a stellar season for Borussia Dortmund in which he reached the Champions League final and chalked up 15 goals and provided ten assists in 43 appearances.

As if that wasn’t enough, he had also just spent the summer playing for Germany in the Euros.

Unfortunately, even those with the lowest of expectations for the veteran striker have since been disappointed with his efforts in East London.

In his first campaign with the club, injuries limited him to just 20 appearances, totalling 877 minutes, in which he scored just three goals and provided two assists.

This season has not been much better, as before his current injury, the 32-year-old had failed to score a single goal or provide a single assist in seven appearances, totalling 385 minutes.

Appearances

20

7

Minutes

877′

385′

Goals

3

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

175.4′

N/A

So, with the former Dortmund star being both woefully ineffective and injury-prone, most fans weren’t too upset when news broke of his desire to leave the club in the winter window.

It now looks like such a move will occur, with several Bundesliga sides readying offers to take him off the Hammers’ hands.

Füllkrug will probably end up doing alright back in Germany, but his departure would be best for all parties involved, which is also the case for another West Ham dud Moyes once thought would be a success.

The West Ham star who must be sold

Aside from Füllkrug, the West Ham player most in need of being sold in the winter window is, unfortunately, James Ward-Prowse.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

The expectations around the Englishman’s £30m move in the summer of 2023 were even higher than for the German’s arrival, with then-manager Moyes highlighting his “leadership qualities” as a reason why he could become a “big voice” in the dressing room.

Now, to his credit, the former Southampton captain didn’t have the worst of starts during his time in the capital and actually ended his first campaign with a reasonable enough tally of seven goals and 12 assists in 51 appearances.

However, the wheels very quickly came off the following season as new manager Julen Lopetegui didn’t fancy him in his midfield and sent him away on loan to Nottingham Forest.

Unfortunately, Nuno, who was in charge of the Tricky Trees, also quickly realised he did not want the Englishman in the heart of his midfield and barely gave him any game time.

So, the Irons recalled the 31-year-old, and under Graham Potter, he once again became an important part of a team.

However, whether it was age, poor form or something else entirely, the former Saints star came back and looked miles off it and continues to look off the pace into this season.

He simply didn’t have the physicality or athleticism to do the defensive work required of a central midfielder, and he also became far more ineffective going forward.

So when Nuno was appointed manager in September, it was not a surprise to see the Portsmouth-born ace left out of the squad entirely.

Since the Portuguese manager has been in the dugout, the 11-capped international has not even featured in a match-day squad, and it is therefore fair to say his time at the London Stadium is well and truly over.

Therefore, like with Füllkrug, West Ham should sell Ward-Prowse as soon as possible.

West Ham star with "KDB-type quality" looks like Nuno's new Gibbs-White

The incredible talent could play a massive role in helping Nuno keep West Ham United in the Premier League this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 11, 2025

West Ham United manager Nuno has now commented on the ownership protest, which took place after the 3-1 victory against Newcastle United on Sunday.

West Ham picked up just their second Premier League victory of the season at the weekend, defeating Newcastle at the London Stadium, courtesy of a long-range Lucas Paqueta strike and a Sven Botman own-goal, before Tomas Soucek put the game beyond doubt in injury time.

Nuno managed to get his first win on the board despite a backdrop of discontent, with supporters planning a sit-in protest against the board, having reached the end of their tether with David Sullivan and Karren Brady.

The players seemed unaffected by the off-field issues, however, with Alfie Potts, who had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside in the second half, praising his teammates after the match, saying: “We all fought for the shirt, and we came away with three points, which I think was deserved.”

“I feel like everyone today showed that we’ve got the character and the challenge to come back from positions that we have been in the past, and we can win games, especially against teams like Newcastle who attack really well.”

Nuno directly asked about West Ham fans' protest

The West Ham manager was directly asked about what he thought of the supporters’ protest on Sunday, and he took the time to praise the Hammers faithful, saying: “I think the fans saw something in the team today and this is what we want, this is how we should look at the situation.

“How can we as a team, show to our fans that we want to fight, we want to change [the] situation.

“We want to make things tough for our opponents. We want to change our game, we want to improve our game. The fans [we] cannot thank them enough.”

Of course, the 51-year-old can’t directly criticise the ownership, especially considering some of his recent experiences, with the former Nottingham Forest manager being dismissed after admitting his relationship with Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated.

However, Nuno’s assessment that the supporters were buoyed on by an encouraging performance is certainly accurate, with the Irons showing signs they are more than capable of getting out of relegation trouble.

West Ham were more than deserving of their victory, as despite the visitors dominating most of the possession, they failed to create any big chances in the match, while the hosts crafted two.

Nuno will be hoping his side can now start to build momentum, with an early six-pointer at home against Burnley pencilled in for next Saturday.

West Ham player ratings as Nuno secures first victory West Ham player ratings v Newcastle United as Nuno secures first victory

The Hammers returned to winning ways with a 3-1 win against Newcastle this afternoon.

ByDominic Lund Nov 2, 2025

Managers being hired and fired is very much a part of life in football, and the managerial merry-go-round is in full swing during the 2025/26 season.

There have already been sackings in the Premier League and Championship, with Ange Postecoglou’s 39-day tenure in charge of Nottingham Forest arguably the main managerial story of the season.

All 20 Premier League managers' salaries (lowest to highest)

How much each Premier League gaffer earns.

ByCharlie Smith Oct 21, 2025

Here is a full list of dismissals from the Premier League and EFL.

Manager

Club left

Date

Nuno Espirito Santo

Nottingham Forest

9th September

Ruben Selles

Sheffield United

14th September

Mike Dodds

Wycombe Wanderers

18th September

Michael Flynn

Cheltenham Town

20th September

Graham Potter

West Ham

27th September

Steve Bruce

Blackpool

4th October

Matt Bloomfield

Luton Town

6th October

Paulo Pezzolano

Watford

8th October

Ange Postecoglou

Nottingham Forest

18th October

Darren Ferguson

Peterborough United

25th October

Noel Hunt

Reading

26th October

Vitor Pereira

Wolves

2nd November

Will Still

Southampton

2nd November

Liam Manning

Norwich City

8th November

Alan Sheehan

Swansea City

11th November

David Hughes

Newport County

15th November

1 Nuno Espirito Santo Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo was the first manager sacked in the top four leagues, despite leading Nottingham Forest to Europa League football.

A breakdown in relationship with those above him at the City Ground resulted in his departure, with Nuno taking the West Ham jobs weeks later and Forest not having any luck with his replacement.

2 Ruben Selles Sheffield United

After parting ways with Chris Wilder, Sheffield United brought in Ruben Selles, believing he was the man to take the Blades back to the Premier League.

However, Selles lost all six of his games in charge and was out the door in mid September, with Wilder returning shortly after.

3 Mike Dodds Wycombe Wanderers

Former Sunderland assistant Mike Dodds was in charge of Wycombe for seven months. One win and five defeats in their opening eight League One games saw Dodds depart, with Michael Duff being named as his replacement.

4 Michael Flynn Cheltenham Town

Michael Flynn was sacked by Cheltenham Town in September after losing nine matches from 12 across all competitions.

Rock bottom of the 72 EFL sides at the time of his dismissal, Flynn was replaced by Steve Cotterill, who managed the Robins between 1997-2002.

5 Graham Potter West Ham

After taking over at West Ham at the beginning of 2025, Graham Potter couldn’t see the year out at the London Stadium after a woeful start to the 2025/26 season.

Sacked on a Saturday two days before a game, the Hammers moved quickly to appoint Nuno Espirito Santo.

6 Steve Bruce Blackpool

Steve Bruce’s return to management with Blackpool lasted 12 months, with the experienced former Premier League boss losing seven of 11 League One games in 2025/26.

The 64-year-old was replaced by Ian Evatt, who spent seven years as a player at Bloomfield Road.

7 Matt Bloomfield Luton Town

Matt Bloomfield couldn’t keep Luton Town in the Championship in the 2024/25 season, and a poor start to the League One campaign resulted in his sacking.

The Hatters moved swiftly after parting ways with Bloomfield, bringing in former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere.

8 Paulo Pezzolano Watford

It is very rare these days that Watford go through a season without making a managerial change, so Paulo Pezzolano’s departure wasn’t exactly a shock.

The Hornets, in one post on X, shared the news of Pezzolano’s exit and the return of Javi Gracia.

9 Ange Postecoglou Nottingham Forest

Ange Postecoglou’s time in charge of Nottingham Forest was short and not so sweet at all, failing to win any of his eight games.

After a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and just 39 days in charge, Evangelos Marinakis brutally parted ways with his second manager of the season, bringing in Sean Dyche days later.

10 Darren Ferguson Peterborough United

Darren Ferguson’s fourth spell as Peterborough United manager came to an end in October after winning three of the Posh’s opening 13 games.

He previously won four promotions with the club but had the club bottom of League One at the time of his departure.

Newcastle United have been pushed forward as if by a steel spring in recent days, defeating Arsenal in the Premier League after dumping Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup.

Alexander Isak is alive, putting a slow start to the season behind him and reminding Europe that he is one of the finest centre-forwards around. Eddie Howe must be delighted.

However, the contractual concerns regarding the Swede are inescapable and must be resolved.

Alexander Isak's contract situation

Isak is 25 years old, approaching the prime years of his career. He’s into his third campaign on Tyneside, having overcome injuries throughout his first year to post 25 goals from 40 appearances across all competitions in 2023/24.

There’s no immediate concern: Isak is contracted at St. James’ Park until 2028. Even so, interest in his signature is incipient but fierce, and if he does not follow Anthony Gordon in penning new terms, he and his suitors will have increased leverage as time goes on.

Callum Wilson is out of contract at the end of the campaign, and thus, club legend Alan Shearer feels that the Magpies should move to bolster their frontline with a first-class signing, one who might even be more talented than Isak.

Newcastle could sign new striker

Newcastle could do with some added firepower up top, and who better to sign than Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, who is one of the hottest commodities in Europe right now?

With Ruben Amorim leaving Sporting Lisbon imminently to turn the ship around at Manchester United, Premier League supporters will inevitably look at the Sweden international as the natural star to follow to Old Trafford.

However, Newcastle’s financial power and growing need for another striker could see them rival their divisional competition, and Shearer believes that indeed they must.

Discussing Newcastle’s probably transfer plan in a Q&A with The Athletic, the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer suggested that Gyokeres should be the first-choice target:

Amorim has already allayed the Portuguese champions’ fears that they will suffer a winter exodus by stating that he will not be bringing any players with him in January.

Given that, as Guillem Balague claims, Sporting wish to cash in on Gyokeres, Newcastle – who were linked with the centre-forward back in January – must surely be contemplating lodging a bid, with his team rumoured to be ready to field official bids worth £60m.

Gyokeres would be an Alexander Isak upgrade

Gyokeres once sat in the Brighton & Hove Albion reserves, and after failing to earn a single appearance in the Premier League, routinely out on loan, joined Coventry City in the Championship.

Prolific endeavours under Mark Robins culminated in waves of interest from some rather high-profile suitors, but it was Sporting who he chose to sign for in 2023, an avenue that has proved to be most auspicious for a player now regarded as “one of the most feared strikers in Europe” – as said by reporter Harry de Cosemo.

Last term, as Sporting conquered the Portuguese top flight, Gyokeres was utterly mesmerising in his efforts, posting 43 goals and 15 assists across 50 matches in all competitions. This year, it’s not even December, and he already has 23 goals to his mountainous pile.

Many Magpies supporters will indeed feel that their outfit is blessed with a singular attacking talent, but everything suggests that Gyokeres is riding a level that surpasses even that of his compatriot at the moment, which truly is quite a thing.

Oh for sure, he’d do well to dislodge his countryman Isak from the number-one spot in Newcastle, but Gyokeres’ efforts over the past few years suggest that he could hold the quality to do just that.

Matches (starts)

8 (8)

10 (10)

Goals

3

16

Assists

1

1

Touches*

30.1

41.2

Shots (on target)*

2.9 (1.3)

4.9 (2.6)

Big chances missed

4

7

Pass completion

72%

80%

Key passes*

0.9

2.0

Dribbles*

0.6

2.5

Total duels won*

2.5

6.3

Those statistics speak for themselves, for Gyokeres is outstripping Newcastle’s talisman across almost every metric. Of course, the Premier League carries a higher level than that of Liga Portugal, but crane yourself back to midweek, when Amorim’s side defeated Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League, Gyokeres bagging a hat-trick.

As per FBref, the 26-year-old ranks among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to Liga Portugal for goals scored, shot-creating actions, progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90, highlighting just how frightening his threat really is.

Isak is a top player in his own right, riding a colourful purple patch right now, but it’s hard to argue against his Sweden teammate being the man of the moment right now, with free-scoring performances that set him apart from all but a smattering of strikers across Europe.

Described as a “powerhouse” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, Gyokeres has the athleticism, muscular physique, sharp movement and natural finishing to rival the likes of Isak and Erling Haaland for power as the star striker in the Premier League.

Even if Isak remains with the Toon over the coming years, this would surely be the optimum move to make, allowing Howe’s project to reach new heights and solidify a place in the Champions League, pushing for the shiniest silverware too.

The next Lewis Miley: Howe has a "huge prospect" brewing at Newcastle

Howe could find the next version of Lewis Miley in Newcastle’s “huge prospect”.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 8, 2024

Manchester City have now moved into pole position in the race for a “superstar”, and they are now ready to make a bid of over £65m.

Pep eyeing long-term additions to his defence

Pep Guardiola has made it clear he is a huge admirer of Matheus Nunes this season, saying: “He can be an incredible right-back,”

“Matheus is a holding midfielder with incredible physicality and as much as he is focused, he can become one of the best [right-backs].

“He has special attributions to play in the sides, and in the last two or three games he has played unbelievable.”

Nunes has remained a key player for Man City in recent weeks, starting the last three games, with Abdukhodir Khusanov also capable of slotting in at right-back, doing so in the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen back in November, while also impressing against Arsenal.

Despite Pep being blessed with a number of options in defence, the City boss remains keen on making long-term additions to his backline, according to a new report from TEAMtalk, which states he views Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento as the complete package.

The Blues have now moved into pole position in the race for Livramento’s signature, despite interest from a number of Premier League clubs, and they are ready to make a bid of more than £65m, which could include add-ons, while summer signing James Trafford may also be used as part of a swap deal.

"Superstar" Livramento may find it difficult to dislodge Nunes

Lauded as a “superstar” by Newcastle content creator Kendall Rowan, there are signs the right-back could be a good fit in a Guardiola system, with his passing ability particularly impressive over the course of the past year.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Pass completion %

85.9% (90th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.17 (87th percentile)

Pep has been keen on signing the full-back for quite some time, and he is now vastly experienced in the Premier League, having made 103 appearances in the competition, while he has also tested himself in the Champions League for the second time this season.

The 23-year-old could be able to push for Nunes’ place in the starting XI before too long, but it will be difficult to dislodge the Portugal international, given that the City star is arguably a more well-rounded right-back at the moment.

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The 27-year-old has displayed a keen eye for creating chances this season, chipping in with one goal and three assists in the Premier League, while Livramento has just four goal contributions in 93 games for Newcastle.

As such, the Engand international may have to improve the attacking side of his game if he is going to take Nunes’ shirt.

Aston Villa just missed out on a Champions League spot at the final hurdle last season in the Premier League.

In the end, goal difference would be the sickener that separated Newcastle United and Villa in the fifth and sixth spots in the tough division, as Unai Emery and Co. prepare for Europa League football now, instead of sitting around Europe’s more exclusive table.

Emery will hope he can guide his team back into those elusive top five positions this forthcoming campaign, with plenty of new signings presumably needed to make this dream a reality.

Aston Villa contacted over deal for new attacker

First and foremost, however, Villa will be praying a number of their first-team superstars remain in the West Midlands past this summer’s hectic transfer window.

Already, the Villans have managed to tie down Boubacar Kamara to a fresh deal, but it remains to be seen whether Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers will stay put right up to September’s early deadline.

RB Leipzig goal machine Lois Openda looks to already be on the Premier League side’s radar in case Watkins does depart, alongside another prolific attacker reportedly catching Emery and Co’s eye as they look to add in more reinforcements up top.

Indeed, an exclusive report by journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that Villa have been contacted over striking up a deal for Fulham marksman Rodrigo Muniz, as he weighs up his potential options amid ongoing Cottagers contract talks.

Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur have also had intermediaries at their door from Muniz, with Leeds United also named in the past as an onlooker keen on snapping up the Brazilian, who already has 17 Premier League goals next to his name at Craven Cottage.

Villa will hope they can get even more out of Muniz if he decides to relocate to Villa Park shortly, hopeful that he could become their next Jhon Duran in the process, having had to wave goodbye to the Colombian rather prematurely.

Why Muniz can become Villa's next Duran

Villa would have been silly to turn down Al-Nassr’s advances last summer, however, as the Saudi Pro League outfit coughed up a whopping £65m for the South American’s services.

That is quite the steep price to pay for an attacker that had only managed to register 16 strikes in the West Midlands from 78 games, but Duran’s unique ability to come off the substitute bench at a moment’s notice and cause havoc, with his teammate in Rogers even describing him as a “handful”, meant Al-Nassr had to cough up some significant bucks to land their desired target.

Games played

78

97

Games started

16

47

Minutes played

2981

4078

Goals scored

20

26

Assists

1

3

Amazingly, despite only amassing 16 starts in England, Duran would still tally up a lethal 20 goals for his side, with Muniz showing a similar cutting edge in front of goal last season for Marco Silva’s men.

The ex-Flamengo striker only started eight Premier League contests in total, yet still managed to show off a similar potency that became an effective weapon for the Cottagers to latch onto, with a whirlwind eight strikes registered.

The in-demand number nine could well become even more of a threat if he is given the reins to become Villa’s leading man very shortly, having also been hailed as “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” on his day by Craven Cottage teammate Willian.

Even if Watkins were to stay, this feels like a deal that would be worth signing off on, especially if Muniz is also content with the idea of being a scorching hot option off the bench in the West Midlands.

His potential role as the new Duran is also enhanced by the fact that the pair produced a statistically similar performance during the 2023/24 Premier League season, as per FBref.

With Rogers also potentially by his side, the “strong” centre-forward – as he’s been labelled by Premier League icon Alan Shearer – should be able to reach even loftier heights, with Villa fans keen to cheer on another goalscoring hero if a deal is secured.

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