All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Despite all the noise around the Chelsea ownership, their transfer model, and the recent form of Chelsea, one thing they have successfully achieved is lowering the wage budget drastically.

When they joined, many stars were earning between £200-300k per week, now the Blues only have three players on £200k or more, with many closer to the £80-120k per week figures.

The owners clearly want the players to earn their pay increases and bonuses on merit, as both Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson were rewarded for their superb campaigns in the 2023/24 season, with pay increases.

Chelsea's current wage situation

The current highest earner at Chelsea, excluding Raheem Sterling who is on loan at Arsenal, is Reece James, who is earning a staggering £250k-per-week.

The other two who earn £200k are Ben Chilwell and Wesley Fofana. Whilst some of the lower earners in the senior squad include Noni Madueke on £50k, and Romeo Lavia on £45k.

Newer signings seem to be kept within the £80k to £120k bracket on average, with some earning slightly more, and some earning slightly less. Palmer recently saw his wage increase and is now earning £130k, whilst star striker Jackson also received a salary bump.

Reece James

£250,000

Ben Chilwell

£200,000

Wesley Fofana

£200,000

Christopher Nkunku

£195,000

Enzo Fernández

£180,000

Marc Cucurella

£175,000

João Félix

£170,000

Pedro Neto

£160,000

Moises Caicedo

£150,000

Cole Palmer

£130,000

Chelsea’s midfield pair, which cost over £198m between them, are earning £180k and £150k per week respectively, which is to be expected for their record signings.

However, with many new signings joining on long-term deals, with smaller initial wage packages, the Blues owners have managed to massively decrease the overall wage bill, something they deserve praise for.

Palmer and Madueke form

Two players who have started extremely well under Enzo Maresca and certainly deserve their weekly salaries are Palmer and Noni Madueke.

Both players have an excellent bond on and off the pitch, and it has really started to translate with their performances, especially in the 6-2 thumping against Wolves, where Palmer assisted Madueke three times.

Palmer had a superb first season at the club, making 45 appearances for the Blues, scoring 25 goals and providing 15 assists. He then started the new campaign in this same rich vein of form, scoring six goals and providing five assists in just nine appearances so far.

Madueke, on the other hand, had a stop-start campaign under Pochettino, only making 34 appearances in all competitions, scoring eight goals, providing three assists, and totalling 1,593 minutes.

However, the 22-year-old has been a favourite under the new boss, making eight appearances, scoring five goals.

The England duo are becoming undroppable for Chelsea, forming a connection on that right-hand side, and often finding each other in attacking zones to combine, but there was once a Chelsea star who earned more than the two combined, and many would argue he didn’t perform to those standards.

Romelu Lukaku at Chelsea

Chelsea signed Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan in the summer of 2021 for a whopping £97.5m fee, becoming the club’s record signing.

In his two spells at Chelsea, Lukaku made 59 appearances for the Blues, scoring 15 goals and providing two assists in 3,186 minutes on the pitch.

In his second spell at the club, the Belgian striker was taking home around £325k on a weekly basis and a yearly salary of £16.9m, making him the highest-paid player at the club.

Incredibly, this is more than what Palmer and Madueke are making combined, and after the controversy of his interview, and the little output he offered at the time, this could be one of the worst-value deals of all time.

Lukaku was signed by Thomas Tuchel after Chelsea’s Champions League triumph in a bid to fire them to the top of the Premier League, adding an out-and-out goalscorer upfront, due to the lack of goals in their frontline in the 2020/21 season, with Tammy Abraham and Timo Werner scoring 12 each in all competitions that season.

However, with all the controversy following Lukaku after he said in an interview about returning to Inter Milan just months into his Chelsea return, things quickly spiralled, with the striker being dropped, before being sent on multiple loans, and eventually sold this summer to Napoli for around £25.2m.

Lukaku vs Palmer & Madueke

When you compare the output Lukaku provided in the 2021/22 season for the Blues, considering his sizeable wage package, with the output of both Palmer and Madueke, you can instantly see where the better value is.

Not to mention, the £40m fee paid to Manchester City for Palmer, and the £29m fee paid to PSV for Madueke, is also much less than the £97.5m fee paid for Lukaku, which makes the value even worse.

Goals

0.45

0.91

0.71

Assists

0.00

0.76

0.18

xG

0.41

0.67

0.36

xAG

0.18

0.58

0.21

Progressive Carries

1.60

3.64

5.47

Progressive Passes

1.27

7.12

2.45

Shots Total

2.64

3.48

4.46

Shots on Target

0.94

1.52

1.61

Goals/Shot

0.16

0.22

0.16

Shot-Creating Actions

2.92

5.91

3.02

Touches (Att Pen)

5.94

3.18

6.60

Aerials Won

2.74

0.00

0.57

Of all the metrics analysed above, the only one Lukaku wins is aerial duels won, and this is to be expected considering his 6 foot 3 frame. Output efficiency, shot volume, progressive stats, even touches in the penalty area, are bettered by either one or both of Palmer and Madueke.

This is both a poor reflection on Lukaku’s return to Chelsea and also a positive reflection on how Maresca is getting the best out of Palmer and Madueke as a duo.

Things could have been very different for the Belgian had he not done the interview, maybe becoming the figurehead of Chelsea’s attack. However, the way things went down, it is clearly one of the worst deals in recent history, costing the club around £114m when taking his yearly salary into account.

Chelsea want to sign £34m Jackson upgrade who's outscoring Harry Kane

Chelsea are interested in an “electric” star from the Bundesliga.

ByConnor Holden Oct 10, 2024

West Ham are now holding internal talks over an audacious transfer to add more firepower to Julen Lopetegui’s side, it has been claimed by a fresh report.

West Ham lack options in attack

A poor start to Lopetegui’s stint at the London Stadium has seen him become the first Hammers manager to ever lose his first three home games in the Premier League, and they have struggled to live up to the expectations placed upon them at the beginning of the 2024/25 campaign.

Those expectations largely came thanks to their activity in the transfer market, with the east Londoners some of the most active in the summer transfer window, signing eight new players.

Three of those were in attack, with Niclas Füllkrug arriving from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £22.5m, while Crysencio Summerville also arrived for £25m, with the pair expected to refresh a tired-looking West Ham attack.

There were also high hopes for teenage talent Luis Guilherme, who arrived from Palmeiras. However, none of the trio have yet made an impression in east London, and none of them have registered even a goal or an assist in a tricky start to their careers at their new club.

West Ham’s attackers 24/25 (before Man Utd)

Player

Appearances

Starts

Goals/Assists

Danny Ings

3

0

1

Jarrod Bowen

8

8

4

Niclas Füllkrug

3

0

0

Michail Antonio

8

7

2

Luis Guilherme

1

0

0

Mohamed Kudus

8

2

0

Lucas Paqueta

8

7

2

Crysensio Summerville

7

1

0

To complicate matters further, there is uncertainty around the futures of both Danny Ings and Michail Antonio, whose contracts expire at the end of the current campaign, while Mohamed Kudus has been linked with a move away from the club on several occasions.

More fresh blood in attack may well be needed as a result, and now the Hammers may have identified a potential key target.

West Ham discussing move for European champion

That comes as GiveMeSport report that Tim Steidten and co are holding internal discussions over a potential West Ham move to sign Atalanta hero Ademola Lookman.

The Nigerian forward, who has previously been on the books of Everton, Leicester City and Fulham, wrote his name into history with a hat-trick in the Europa League final last season to help La Dea lift the trophy at the expense of Bayer Leverkusen.

It capped off a strong season for Lookman, who finished the campaign with 17 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, and he has begun this season in similarly strong fashion with five goals and five assists in 10 games for Atalanta.

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ByRoss Kilvington Oct 27, 2024

He was linked with moves to Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool and PSG last summer, but no move ultimately materialised. But now, Lookman has less than two years to run on his £37,000 a week deal in Bergamo, and West Ham are ready to pounce.

That is according to the report, which outlines that the club have “held internal discussions about the possibility of signing the player”, before adding that West Ham are “one of the more likely clubs that could eventually acquire Lookman”.

It comes with the Hammers seeking “a versatile attacker”, with Lookman able to play across the front three, though he is unlikely to be available on the cheap given his form for Atalanta.

With several European giants having been considering a move last summer, West Ham would likely have to make a significant offer to both the club and player to pull off the signing ahead of clubs that can offer European football.

Newcastle United fans have, at this stage, accepted that the 2024 summer transfer window was one of survival, and survive the Magpies did.

Though top targets were not signed, the club’s most talented players, coveted though they were, were kept at St. James’ Park. Frustratingly, though, a right winger was not signed, something that still rankles even if fans have put the struggles behind them.

Miguel Almiron and Jacob Murphy jockey for purchase on the flank, but neither bear the kind of quality that aligns with Eddie Howe’s lofty visions.

Efforts were made to sign Anthony Elanga from Nottingham Forest in August, though the Tricky Trees shut down United’s £50m proposal on deadline day. Now, Howe’s attention has turned elsewhere.

Newcastle eyeing new right winger

According to a recent update from Football Insider, Bournemouth are hoping to collect around £50m for the sale of Antoine Semenyo in 2025, with Newcastle joined by Tottenham Hotspur in their interest.

Semenyo swept up Bournemouth’s Player and Goal of the Month awards earlier this week as he continues his red-hot start to the season, only furthering the argument that his skillset is tailor-made for a starring role under Howe’s wing.

Whether the Cherries are able to maintain such demands remains to be seen, but the “very intelligent player”, as described by analyst Ben Mattinson, has been brilliant under Andoni Iraola, posting three goals and an assist across eight Premier League appearances in 2024/25.

Football Insider hold the belief that £50m might be a stretch too steep for suitors like the Magpies, and they must be rueing a sale for a player who already carries many of the 24-year-old’s properties in the up-and-coming Yankuba Minteh.

Howe has already sold his own Semenyo

The shadow of financial repercussions loomed over Tyneside this summer, and cashing in on the 20-year-old Minteh – whom talent scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed a “jewel” – was recognised as a sure-fire way to escape from danger.

Brighton & Hove Albion won the race, signing the electric-paced winger in a deal worth £30m, with Newcastle turning quite the profit for a player who had never kicked a ball in black and white.

Signed from Danish side Odense Boldklub in July 2023 for about £6m, Minteh was loaned out to Arne Slot’s Feyenoord last term and caught the eye, notching 16 goal contributions across 26 matches.

Given that analyst and BBC contributor Raj Chohan has praised Minteh’s “Vinicius quality” ball skills, it’s clear that Newcastle might have made a fatal error, particularly as FBref deem him to be a similar player to Semenyo, among those in Europe’s top five leagues.

The £40k-per-week star’s defensive prowess and pacy quality, allowing him to lance through opposing defensive lines, mirrors that of Semenyo, and when comparing the players’ metrics across the past year, you can see that the wingers are indeed strikingly similar.

Goals scored

0.29

0.35

Assists

0.15

0.11

Shot-creating actions

3.06

3.25

Progressive carries

3.93

3.68

Successful take-ons

2.62

2.02

Tackles + interceptions

2.62

1.41

Blocks

1.46

1.87

Aerial duels won

2.05

1.17

One thing’s for certain: either player would mark an upgrade on Almiron, who has been linked with a move away from Newcastle for most of the year and, aged 30, has fallen by the wayside.

Four substitute appearances in the Premier League this season speak of his diminished role, and though the industrious Murphy offers balance and energy, there are myriad upgrades that could be welcomed to the city – one of them being Minteh.

Surely there was another way to circumvent PSR problems, one that didn’t require the sale of the club’s biggest talent, hailed for his “special” qualities by one Danish scout.

Maybe Newcastle will succeed in their venture to sign Semenyo, but they might have let go of their own version, one who could far outstrip the Bournemouth winger, in Minteh, now residing on the South Coast.

Newcastle star Howe thinks is "outstanding" set to miss multiple games

He was initially on his way back to full fitness…

ByTom Cunningham Oct 25, 2024

Whilst Chelsea are beginning to turn a corner, one player is at risk of being left behind with the Blues now reportedly willing to entertain offers for his signature in Enzo Maresca’s latest ruthless act.

Chelsea transfer news

Linked with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Jamal Musiala in recent weeks, Chelsea once again seem unlikely to waste any time when the transfer window arrives. Intent on building on Maresca’s recent progress and discovering a repeat of Cole Palmer’s success rather than previous transfer struggles, Todd Boehly and his new manager will need to be ruthless once again next year.

During the last transfer window, of course, it was academy graduates such as Trevoh Chalobah and Conor Gallagher who were shown the door, whilst Ben Chilwell has found himself cast aside after failing to find a move away from Stamford Bridge. With such a big squad to choose from, Maresca has so far completed the task that Mauricio Pochettino and Graham Potter arguably failed to show the ruthlessness for and is beginning to reap the rewards as a result.

Chelsea battling Aston Villa to sign "great" £20m+ La Liga gem for Maresca

He’s a man in-demand…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 3, 2024

Now, the Blues could be set to bid farewell to further players. According to Foot Mercato, Chelsea are now willing to entertain offers for Benoit Badiashile, who only arrived in January of 2023 for a reported £35m. Now almost two years on, the £90,000-a-week defender could find himself heading towards the exit door in January after struggling to impose himself in Maresca’s side.

The Frenchman had his problems laid bare in his last start against Newcastle United in the Carabao Cup, as Alexander Isak led his side to victory against a changed Chelsea line-up at Stamford Bridge.

The form of Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill on top of his own disappointing run may well leave Badiashile on course for an inevitable exit if the right offer arrives.

"Outstanding" Badiashile needs fresh start

Although Maresca has impressed in many aspects during his time at Stamford Bridge so far, he has yet to show that players have the chance to earn a second chance under his management. Chalobah was quickly shown the door, as was Raheem Sterling and Chilwell frozen out and not handed an opportunity ever since. One you’re out of the current Chelsea side, that seems to be it in a fate that Badiashile may soon suffer.

Many will argue that the talent is still there, however. After all, the Frenchman is still just 23 years old and is still the player who earned such high praise from former AS Monaco coach Joao Tralhao.

Thierry Henry’s former assistant told Sky Sports: “In terms of personality, he is very cold. He does not shake if he is playing against Mbappe or Neymar, if the stadium is empty or full. He is a very balanced boy. His character is outstanding. He focuses on what he must do to perform. It is one of his best qualities.

“He has that maturity and that emotional control. That impressed Thierry a lot and he had no hesitation to play him. Some questioned that. He was 17 and centre-back is a position that requires some experience. Now we can say Thierry was right to bet on him.”

Tottenham are now reportedly ready to make a splash in the January transfer market as they look to bolster Ange Postecoglou’s options in defence following a tough start to the Premier League season.

Tottenham consistently inconsistent

Heading into the November international break, Tottenham continue to blow hot and cold under Ange Postecoglou. Currently 10th in the Premier League, they have recorded impressive wins over Manchester United and Manchester City (in the Carabao Cup), but have also given first wins of the season to Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town, losing to the Tractor Boys 2-1 at home in their most recent outing.

The upshot of that is that they have lost five of their first 11 games, winning another five and drawing just once, a run of form that leaves them three points outside the top six as things stand.

Spurs join race to sign £30,000-p/w Marmoush teammate Kulusevski knows well

He could be just what Ange Postecoglou’s side need to add to their ranks.

ByBen Browning Nov 11, 2024

As was the case across the 2023/24 campaign, issues in north London are particularly obvious when first choice defenders Cristian Romero or Micky van de Ven are sidelined, and Radu Dragusin has not made the desired impact in the 12 months since arriving from Genoa, with the Romanian defender yet to challenge either for a first team spot when everyone is fit.

Elsewhere, Ben Davies continues to flatter to deceive when asked to step into the breach, and with reported interest from Real Madrid in Romero and persistent injuries to Van de Ven, the Spurs defence is facing a pivotal few months. Now, they are ready to bolster it with a new addition in January.

Spurs ready move for "monster" defender

That comes as a report from Italy claims that Spurs are ready to offer up to 30m euros (£25m) for Inter defender Yann Bisseck in January.

The Cameroonian defender has started just four Serie A games this season for the Nerazzurri, but impressed in the Champions League against Arsenal as he helped Simone Inzaghi’s side to a 1-0 win over Tottenham’s north London rivals.

He was hailed as a “monster” by football analyst Pythagoras in Boots on X, who praised his “good athleticism complemented some good positioning” in the victory. Though right-footed, he is comfortable playing on either side of defence as part of either a back three or back four, and is under contract until 2028 at San Siro.

It has been claimed that he is set to sign a one year extension to that deal, but Inter.Live claim that Tottenham are ready to try and lure him out of Milan as soon as January.

Yann Bisseck 2024/25

Appearances

11

Goals

0

Assists

0

Yellow Cards

1

Pass Accuracy

89.3%

Tackles and interceptions per 90

1.78

It is claimed that Tottenham would be willing to shell out £25m, a fee that would see Inter make a massive profit on the £7m they shelled out to bring Bisseck to Italy.

Should he arrive in north London, Bisseck would be able to provide some much-needed cover and competition for both sides of Postecoglou’s defence, and would also leave Spurs less vulnerable should Real Madrid opt to pursue their early interest in Cristian Romero.

Newcastle United’s success has been wonderful. Supporters could never have dreamt of Champions League nights and consistent attacks toward the uppermost echelon of the Premier League table while languishing under Mike Ashley’s rule.

But the tycoon has been gone from Tyneside for several years now, and the pointers suggest that the Magpies are going to enjoy lofty heights for many years to come.

Eddie Howe has fashioned an outfit that it greater than the sum of its parts. St. James’ Park is home to some top-class players, of course, but the crop has grown as one through these exciting seasons of growth.

Newcastle have burgeoned, and while he’s not the… flashiest player in the squad, Joelinton embodies the development of his side, for he too has reached a level unseen after the dreary early days of his United career.

Joelinton's Newcastle resurgence

You’d have to credit Steve Bruce with the creation of this hybrid form of Joelinton, who was a flop, the floppiest of flops, in the seasons following his club-record £40m transfer from Hoffenheim.

Well-known manager Julian Nagelsmann had heralded the Brazilian as a “beast who is a nightmare to defend against” back in his German days, but he fell by the wayside in the Premier League, unable to adapt to the pace and intensity of the English game.

The striker-turned-roving-number-eight has been a fundamental part of Newcastle’s football under Howe’s wing, bringing a monstrous and unyielding style to charge the midfield and serve as a counterpoint of sorts to the music that Bruno Guimaraes creates with his technical command.

An effective Premier League striker he was not, but the 28-year-old has now completed 107 appearances under his manager across a four-year period, and is patently a midfielder of real importance within the Toon set-up.

His influence is emphasised through the data revealed by FBref. Over the past year, Joelinton ranks among the top 17% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for goals scored, the top 16% for progressive carries, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for tackles per 90.

Effective in front of goal now that it’s not his chief responsibility and capable of bull-like penetrations into the danger area, Joelinton has been hailed for his reshaping by journalist Antonio Mango, who said: “the way he’s transformed himself is extraordinary.”

He’s also a key defensive component, for he has averaged 2.5 tackles and 5.9 successful duels per Premier League match, as per Sofascore, this season.

The complete midfielder? It certainly feels like he has it all in his locker when he’s on his a-game in black and white, and Howe must be chomping at the bit to repeat the club’s feat in sculpting such a player from raw parts.

Though he’s hardly struggling in his current deployment, Lewis Hall could be the next Magpie to bloom into a fresh role down the line.

Lewis Hall could be Howe's own Joelinton

Hall is doing quite the job at left-back for Newcastle, with Alan Shearer even claiming that he was “blown away” by the 20-year-old during his negation of Bukayo Saka’s quality during the 1-0 victory over Arsenal just shy of a month ago.

Sources close to Newcastle suggest that Hall has been told that his immediate Newcastle future will remain at left-back, despite the ace having plied most of his youth trade in central midfield. But he can thrive in the engine room again; it’s something that Howe should consider.

He’s showing that, like Joelinton, he can make the requisite tweaks to become a polished player capable of operating in the centre of the field, with analyst Raj Chohan already noting that the dynamo’s “defensive level is rapidly improving.”

Assists

0.10

Top 32%

Shot-creating actions

2.67

Top 18%

Passes attempted

71.71

Top 8%

Progressive passes

5.96

Top 13%

Progressive carries

1.85

Top 42%

Ball recoveries

5.55

Top 11%

Tackles + interceptions

3.60

Top 35%

Blocks

1.85

Top 4%

Clearances

3.29

Top 25%

Aerial duels won

1.64

Top 13%

His statistical data, pulled from Premier League performances this season, show that Hall is turning into a robust and reliable option down the left channel, not the most active ball carrier but not shy of wading into the deep end when called upon.

The nuts and bolts of his skill set stem from technical quality and creativity, mixed against an ever-improving defensive spread that makes a telling comment on his faculty for success in midfield.

​​

Hall, hailed for his “sensational” showings by content creator Pete Davey, might spend some time on the defensive left flank over the coming campaigns, but he’s still so young and has all the properties required to become a superstar in the centre.

Newcastle’s decision to sign him from Chelsea, who he cut his teeth with as a youth, for a £28m fee in August after he spent the 2023/24 season on loan at St. James’ Park is proving to be a brilliant one, even if it was met with scepticism initially.

Chalkboard

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

With nine top-flight starts to his name already this term, averaging 1.3 key passes and 4.5 ball recoveries per game, Hall is becoming one of Newcastle’s most important members.

Who’s to say that he couldn’t emulate Joelinton though, and step into midfield down the line to help propel Newcastle even further forward?

Perfect for Gordon: Newcastle can replace Almiron with "insane" £51m winger

Newcastle are looking to replace Miguel Almiron with a new right winger this January.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 27, 2024

It’s safe to say that Arsenal’s defence has come a long way under the stewardship of Mikel Arteta.

Flash back to the dark days of Arsene Wenger’s last few years with the Gunners and you’ll unfortunately remember some error-stricken defenders who weren’t up to the task.

The likes of Shkodran Mustafi, Sebastian Squillaci and David Luiz aren’t remembered too fondly by supporters at the Emirates Stadium and rightfully so.

Mustafi was perhaps the worst of the lot with some of his mistakes in the 2019/20 season preventing Unai Emery’s men from sealing Champions League football.

Thankfully, players like that are no more. Arteta now has one of the finest defences in European football at his disposal with the likes of Gabriel and William Saliba two colossal figures at the back.

Last term, Arsenal shipped just 29 goals in their 38 league games; the best record in the entire division.

While Saliba is the Rolls-Royce of the duo, Gabriel brings a bit more aggression and a couple more horsepower. He’s like the stylish Range Rover. A man for all occasions, for all weathers.

Gabriel's season in numbers so far

The Brazilian, signed for £27m from Lille back in 2020, has proven to be one of the very best signings of the Arteta era to date.

He is a man mountain and has already scored four goals from set-piece scenarios this term. His latest two came during the club’s last couple of matches, powering home a header at the back post against Sporting in midweek before scoring a more deft header at the near post when Arsenal thumped West Ham 5-2 on Saturday.

Gabriel, although withdrawn at half-time, was one of the stars of the show as he so often is and he’s finally stepped out of Saliba’s shadow.

He is perhaps the best defender in the Premier League, certainly when it comes to the offensive phases of play.

So, why is he so good? Well, it helps that the Gunners are the best corner-takers in the land.

Gabriel’s headed goal against the Hammers this weekend turned out to be Arsenal’s 20th from a corner in the league since the beginning of last season. For context, no team have scored more from such situations over that time. Furthermore, Gabriel’s haul of five goals from corners are more than any other Premier League defender during the same time frame.

If you want even more numbers to marvel at, since the Brazilian arrived in England in 2020, no centre-back has scored more in Europe’s top five leagues than the 26-year-old’s 17.

He’s pretty damn good, isn’t he? Well, what if there was a defender with even more goals for Arsenal? Yes, that player does exist.

Chalkboard

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

The only Arsenal defender with more goals than Gabriel

Back in July 2010, Arsene Wenger used the club’s chequebook to sign a Frenchman. Surprise, surprise.

On this occasion, however, it was not a player of Thierry Henry’s calibre, nor was it a player of the calibre of a certain Robert Pires.

Instead, it was a defender. Laurent Koscielny penned terms after moving from Ligue 1 side Lorient for a fee of just £8.5m. As it turned out, that was one of the biggest bargains the great Wenger secured during his time in north London.

Why? Well, it wasn’t just Koscielny’s longevity that stood out but his leadership and his ability to score some pretty important goals shone through, just as it has with Gabriel in Arsenal colours.

For a moment, we want to put aside the controversial way in which the centre-back eventually left. Club captain, he was announced as a Bordeaux player by ripping off an Arsenal shirt. It was bizarre, right?

But anyway, the France international should be remembered for what he actually brought to the pitch during a time when Wenger’s side were far from amazing defensively.

He eventually left the club with a whopping 353 appearances in all competitions and in the words of Rio Ferdinand in 2015, he was the very best the English top-flight had to offer at that time.

Fine praise indeed from a defender who wasn’t a bad player during his pomp either. So, where does the now 39-year-old rank among Arsenal defenders? Right up there.

1. Koscielny

22

11.1 games

2. Gabriel

17

8.3 games

3. Vermaelen

13

8.4 games

4. Gallas

12

8.4 games

=4 Adams

12

21.2 games

6. Toure

9

25 games

As you can see, Koscielny happens to be the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history for Arsenal.

Yes, the dominant Gabriel is currently finding the net with greater regularity but it cannot be understated just how good the former Lorient star was during his time at the Emirates.

He scored a thumping goal away at Manchester City, the winner in a comeback victory against Everton and perhaps most memorably, scored the equalising goal in the FA Cup final against Hull City.

All in all, it’s safe to say that was £8.5m well spent, don’t you think?

Not just Saka: £27m star is becoming one of the best in Arsenal's history

One of Mikel Arteta’s signings is fast becoming one of the best players we’ve ever seen at Arsenal.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2024

It’s been almost a year and a half since Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

The Australian has undoubtedly had his issues in North London, but it would be fair to say he has successfully brought attacking football back to N17 after José Mourinho and Antonio Conte subjected fans to years of dire displays that were no more successful.

However, while the majority of fans were happy to see the back of the latter last year, he was at least responsible for a few successful signings, including one who’s now being compared to a £60m superstar.

Conte's other star signing

So, before we get to the player in question, let’s look at another of Conte’s best signings he made while at Spurs, Dejan Kulusevski.

The Swedish international joined the Lilywhites on an initial 18-month loan deal with an obligation to buy in January 2022, which was made permanent in the summer of 2023.

However, it was under the Italian manager that the incredible talent first made his way to North London, and while there have been a few issues along the way, it would be unfair to describe his time with the club as anything other than a roaring success.

In all, the former Juve gem has made 116 appearances for the club, in which he’s scored 17 goals and provided 26 assists, equating to a goal involvement every 2.69 games, and based on his form this season, we wouldn’t be surprised to see that average continue to improve.

We say that because, even though he has been an essential player throughout his time at the club, Postecoglou’s decision to move into midfield more regularly this year has seen him become practically undroppable.

For example, of his nine goal involvements this season, seven of them have come when he’s played in attacking or central midfield, and it was in the middle of the park that he became the first away player since the 03/04 season to create nine chances from open play at Old Trafford.

Overall, signing Kulusevski was undoubtedly one of the very best things Conte did while at Spurs.

However, signing another first-teamer, now being compared to one of the best in his position, was a close second.

Spurs' megastar in the making

So, the player in question is right-back Pedro Porro, who, like Kulusevski, initially joined Tottenham on a loan deal under Conte, only this time it was in January 2023, and the deal included an obligation to buy for £40m.

The Spaniard didn’t get much time to play with the former Chelsea boss, as he left that March, but he still enjoyed a reasonable first six months in London, making 17 appearances, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Fortunately, Postecoglou opted to keep the “titanic” defender, as dubbed by The Athletic’s former Spurs correspondent Charlie Eccleshare, in his team, and across all competitions last season the Don Benito-born dynamo made 37 appearances, in which he racked up a seriously impressive tally of four goals and seven assists.

It’s been more of the same this year as, in just 16 games, the 25-year-old has already scored twice and provided two assists, which is the sort of form that makes his comparison to the sensationally talented Trent Alexander Arnold, who has a career tally of 102 goal involvement, unsurprising.

Yes, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the most similar full-back to the Spaniard across the last 365 days.

Progressive Passes

5.54

5.19

Progressive Carries

2.85

2.21

Assists

0.08

0.10

Attempted Passes

63.8

64.1

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.00

1.73

Live Passes

52.3

50.9

Shot-Creating Actions

3.24

3.07

Successful Take-Ons

0.31

0.48

While their incredibly attacking ability is already a massive similarity between the pair, we can gain a better understanding of how FBref has reached its conclusion by examining the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, such as progressive passes and carries, assists, live and attempted passes and shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Now, seeing one of your starters compared to someone widely regarded as one of the best in their position is already reason enough for Spurs to celebrate, but it also suggests that the former Sporting ace could be worth a small fortune.

For example, according to FOTmob, the Liverpool star is currently worth around €72m, which is about £60m, and if Porro is the same age, playing a similar role, and producing incredibly similar underlying numbers, why shouldn’t he be worth just as much?

Ultimately, while Conte got a lot wrong during his time at Tottenham, signing the Spanish full-back was not one of them, and if the club are ever to sell him for a massive profit, they may owe him a thank-you.

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Sunderland have received a boost in their pursuit of an “immense talent” ahead of the January transfer window, as he is set to be made available by his current club, according to a report.

Sunderland planning for January after impressive start

As we approach the half-way stage of the Championship season, it would be fair to say that Sunderland are faring very well, currently sitting fourth in the table, within touching distance of the automatic promotion places.

That said, if Régis Le Bris’ side are to go all the way and secure promotion back to the Premier League, the manager may need to strengthen his squad this winter, and reports have indicated the manager is planning to be very busy this January.

The Black Cats are willing to sanction the departures of Adil Aouchiche, Abdoullah Ba and Nazariy Rusyn in January in order to create space for new additions in the squad, with all three players finding it hard to get game time so far this season.

If Le Bris is able to get that trio off the books, there may be room for some exciting new arrivals, including Aston Villa forward Louie Barry, who has been impressing on loan at League One Stockport County this season.

Sunderland’s upcoming Championship fixtures

Date

Blackburn Rovers (a)

December 26th

Stoke City (a)

December 29th

Sheffield United (h)

January 1st

Portsmouth (h)

January 5th

Burnley (a)

January 17th

Sunderland keen on Louie Barry

According to a report from The Sunday Mirror (via Sunderland News), Villa have now made the decision to recall Barry from his loan spell at Stockport in the New Year, before immediately sending him out on loan to a club in the Championship.

The Villans are keen for the forward to gain experience in the second tier, having now proven himself in League One, and there are a whole host of clubs lining up for his signature.

There is set to be a transfer battle between the Championship’s top clubs, with Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Burnley also named as potential suitors for the young loanee, who could help them secure promotion back to the top flight.

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The 21-year-old has developed significantly during his time with Stockport, helping them secure promotion with nine goals and four assists in 20 League Two games last term, before going on to prove himself as one of League One’s top players this season.

The Englishman is the top scorer in the third tier with 14 goals to his name, four more than his nearest rival, indicating that he could be ready to take the step up to the Championship this winter.

Having been lauded as an “immense talent” by members of the media, if the youngster is able to hit the ground running in the Championship, he could be decisive in the promotion race, meaning it is important that Sunderland win the race for his signature.

A worrying new Liverpool exit claim has emerged, with one star player now reportedly close to completing a deal to join another club.

Liverpool contract concerns

While Reds supporters will be hoping to see new faces arrive at Anfield in January and next summer, the contract situation of three star players is dominating the headlines currently.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at Liverpool at the end of this season, at which point the iconic trio will be allowed to leave on a free transfer. They are even able to strike a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January 1st.

It remains to be seen how many of the three will sign extensions with the Reds, but as things stand, it arguably looks as though Van Dijk and Salah are the most likely to. Both are now in their 30s and there are no specific clubs being mentioned as alternative options for them, so the hope is that their futures are sorted sooner rather than later.

With Alexander-Arnold, however, there is constant speculation linking him with a move to Real Madrid, with the reigning Champions League winners seeing him as a perfect option to come in and be Dani Carvajal’s long-term successor at right-back. That’s not to say that a new contract won’t be signed, and one has been offered, but it feels far from a given currently.

Alexander-Arnold close to leaving Liverpool for Real Madrid

According to AS [via Sport Witness], Alexander-Arnold is edging closer to joining Real Madrid from Liverpool, with an agreement ‘almost complete’.

A January switch is preferred by the La Liga giants but could be unlikely; however, there is confidence at the Bernabeu that they can strike a summer deal for the services of the 26-year-old.

This isn’t an update that any Liverpool fan will enjoy seeing, considering Alexander-Arnold is arguably someone with more ability than any other full-back in world football.

At 26, his prime years are also potentially about to arrive, unlike Van Dijk and Salah, so to lose their vice-captain at this point in his career would be an almighty blow. He is irreplaceable in terms of his technical ability and creativity, with Neil Jones saying of him back in 2022: “He may be flawed, but he’s still a genius. But then you knew that anyway, right?”

Ultimately, the decision rests with Alexander-Arnold, who has to weigh up whether to remain at Liverpool and possibly end up becoming captain of his boyhood club, or succumb to the lure of Madrid, playing alongside some of the biggest names in world football.

In fairness, it is easy to see why he may feel conflicted, considering he has won all there is to win for the Reds, with a fresh challenge at his peak appealing to him.

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The likes of Steve McManaman and Michael Owen did the same in their careers, however, and it arguably affected their reputations among Liverpool supporters, which he may be wary of.