All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Liverpool meet Manchester United on Sunday afternoon. It’s a fixture typically freighted with emotion, one of the biggest and fiercest rivalries the Premier League has ever hosted.

But for the Anfield side, they know they need a big performance regardless, having fallen to three successive defeats before the October international break. These are uncharted waters for Arne Slot, both during his Liverpool tenure and previously in his Dutch homeland with Feyenoord and AZ Alkmaar.

Despite slipping in the final stages of successive matches against Crystal Palace and Chelsea, Liverpool have fallen just one point behind league leaders Arsenal, and now they are back at Anfield.

The Red Devils have come away from Anfield with the spoils shared across both of the past two top-flight terms, but their own struggle for form under Ruben Amorim’s wing this season suggests that this is a fantastic chance for the defending champions to remind the Premier League what they are made of.

Who Slot should start up front vs Man Utd

Alexander Isak might have been called “the best striker in the Premier League” by pundit Jamie Carragher last season, but the debacle that was his summer transfer saga has disrupted his start to the season.

And Hugo Ekitike has only been too happy to take advantage and kickstart his own career in Liverpool. Having joined from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial £69m fee in July, the Frenchman has scored five goals and assisted one more across ten matches so far this season, starting eight of those games.

Newly blooded in Didier Deschamps’ Les Bleus set-up, Ekitike boasts a rare attacking profile, deadly in the final third but also mobile and intelligent and electric on the ball.

The Frenchman’s red card for taking his shirt off in celebration, already on a yellow, having scored the winner in Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Southampton, likely knocked him down a peg in Slot’s estimation, and he only made a cameo during the defeat at Stamford Bridge, having previously been suspended for the loss at Crystal Palace.

Will Isak reprise the starting berth he held against Chelsea? It was a tough evening for the visitors, but the Sweden international showed off his quality to claim the assist for Cody Gakpo’s second-half equaliser.

With the cogs not exactly whirring across Liverpool’s frontline right now, it feels like the chance to rise in stature is there for the taking.

Indeed, Slot does have the option to go down a different track, should he choose. Without a doubt, Isak and Ekitike are Liverpool’s most talented and effective centre-forwards, but there’s another who should play a part against Chelsea and even overshadow Ekitike.

Liverpool play Man United this weekend, and this particular Redman could call upon the spirit of former star Xherdan Shaqiri at Anfield.

Liverpool's new version of Shaqiri

Whether Slot decides to deploy him from the opening whistle or as part of a second-half wave that, on the basis of evidence, may be needed, there’s no question that Federico Chiesa will be primed to play his part against Liverpool’s most notorious rivals.

The 27-year-old has been one of the sharper forwards in the Anfield squad so far this season, bouncing back from a testing maiden year in England, struck by injuries and overlooked by Slot after arriving from Juventus for a cut-price £12.5m fee.

But he’s so far been among the most clinical players at Slot’s disposal this season, bagging the winner on the opener against Bournemouth, netting again at Selhurst Park and setting up both Isak and Ekitike’s strikes during the win over Saints.

Hugo Ekitike

10

5 (1)

Mohamed Salah

10

3 (3)

Federico Chiesa

6

2 (2)

Cody Gakpo

10

2 (2)

Alexander Isak

6

1 (1)

Rio Ngumoha

5

1 (0)

Hailed as a “wizard” of a footballer by broadcaster Roger Bennett for his efforts with Juventus, Chiesa has that special ability to make things happen when his team needs him most.

And in this way, he could be the next version of Shaqiri on this important weekend. The Swiss international, now 33 years old, only played 63 matches across three campaigns for the Merseysiders, but he certainly left his mark, instrumental in beating Barcelona on that most historic of nights in the Champions League and popping up with some big moments in the Premier League too.

It was super-sub Shaqiri who came off the bench to score twice and help Liverpool along to a 3-1 win over Manchester United in December 2018, as Jurgen Klopp went neck-and-neck with Pep Guardiola at the height of his City dynasty.

Liverpool ultimately fell short that year, but triumph on the continent certainly helped cushion the blow. And anyway, Liverpool would triumph in the Premier League one year later, with Shaqiri in amongst the celebrations.

Like Shaqiri, Chiesa is an injury-prone forward, but he has immense quality and is now showing an ability to retain his quality in the English game.

Might he steal Ekitike’s thunder against the Red Devils? The Italy international will surely be hoping to grace the field after Slot kept him on the bench against Chelsea. After all, he has, on a number of occasions already this term, looked to be Liverpool’s focal threat.

Last season, opportunities were few and far between for Chiesa at Liverpool. However, he has proved himself as a testament to tenacity and unwavering self-belief. Now, the Italian is a secret weapon for Slot’s side.

In the past, Shaqiri came up trumps for Klopp when facing Man United. Now, Chiesa could repeat that trick.

Better than Semenyo: Liverpool plot bid for "one of the best RWs in the world"

Liverpool need to begin plans to replace Mohamed Salah on the right wing.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 15, 2025

Rangers’ miserable away form continues.

On Thursday, the Light Blues were held to a 1-1 draw by Dundee at Dens Park, conceding inside six minutes, before Václav Černý smuggled home an equaliser on the half-hour mark but, despite having 77% possession, they could not find that all-important second, actually ending the night with a lower xG than the Dee: 1.01 to 0.73.

As a result, Philippe Clement’s team are now a humongous 15 points adrift Scottish Premiership leaders Celtic, winless in four away matches. This isn’t a new trend, considering the Gers have won just three of 11 away league games this season, scoring a miserly 13 goals in these fixtures, three of which came at Easter Road on Sunday – and they still didn’t beat Hibs in Edinburgh.

With crucial Europa League fixtures against Manchester United and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise right around the corner, supporters are calling for signings, with pressure mounting on both Clement and newly-appointed Chief executive officer Patrick Stewart.

Rangers seeking defensive reinforcements

According to a report by the Daily Record, defender Ryan Porteous – who was linked with the Gers back in 2023 – is “unhappy” at Watford, while the Hibs Observer added that Hull City are also interested in his services.

Craig Moore, who made 187 appearances for Rangers across two spells, has tipped his former club to pounce on the situation, having told the Go Radio Football Show earlier this week that Porteous “will be one of a few options I am pretty sure Rangers will be looking at”, adding he is “certainly one to consider”.

The defender joined Hibernian as a 13-year-old, making 157 appearances for the Hibees’ first team, before being sold to Watford for a reported £500,000 in January 2023.

During his time at Vicarage Road, Porteous has been lauded by manager Tom Cleverley as one of the club’s “real class leaders in the dressing room”, although he has endured a sticky time of it of late.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Now 25 years old, he has played 80 times for the Hornets, albeit he was left on the bench for their most recent EFL Championship fixture against Sheffield United, having been hooked at half-time at Cardiff a week earlier.

Meanwhile, he’s not featured for Scotland since being sent off during the Euro 2024 opener against Germany, a match Scotland were humiliatingly hammered 5-1, so Porteous could push for a move as he seeks regular game time at club level to force his way back into Steve Clarke’s plans.

This potential move to Glasgow could be controversial, considering Porteous isn’t particularly popular with the Rangers support.

After Hibs beat the Gers 3-1 in the League Cup semi-finals at Hampden in November 2021, the defender mischievously said “do we look happy? Don’t ask silly questions then”, parodying an interview given by then Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, also to reporter Emma Dodds, a month earlier, mere days before he jumped ship for Aston Villa.

Nevertheless, this would all be water under the bridge if he arrived and helped turn Rangers’ form around.

How Ryan Porteous would improve Rangers

Right now, Rangers are faced with a defensive injury crisis.

Captain James Tavernier, Dujon Sterling, John Souttar, Leon Balogun and Neraysho Kasanwirjo all sat out the mid-week trip to Dens Park, meaning 20-year-old Clinton Nsiala was handed his senior debut, with writer Michael McEwan on Twitter, slightly tongue in cheek, comparing him to “prime Franco Baresi”.

The former AC Milan starlet was certainly solid, if not unspectacular, on his first-team bow, making six clearances and producing four blocks, with there perhaps hope that he can nail down a starting berth moving forward. That said, the Light Blues need instant solutions, not just long-term potential.

Indeed, Rangers are yet to properly replace Connor Goldson, who unceremoniously departed last summer for Aris Limassol, having made 309 appearances for the Ibrox side.

So let’s see how Porteous and Goldson compare?

Statistics

Porteous

Goldson

Appearances

80

66

Minutes

6,800

5,888

Passes attempted

2,870

529

Pass completion %

82%

82%

Tackles

101

16

% of dribblers tackled

54.9%

47.4%

Interceptions

117

45

Blocks

80

17

Clearances

185

65

% of aerial duals won

59.6%

75%

Yellow cards

27

15

As outlined in the table, Porteous is much more of an all-action defender than Goldson, whose numbers across his final two seasons at Rangers are actually not that outstanding.

On the flip side, Porteous’ statistics are impressive, meaning he looks to be just what the Gers are looking for, so, if he does become available this month, the Glasgow-based side should be all over that.

A ‘leader’ – as Cleverley hinted at – the wantaway Watford man could fill the shoes of Goldson more than adequately, should talk surrounding a move to Ibrox become more concrete.

Rangers eyeing move to sign 6 ft 2 player in Igamane-like January transfer

Rangers’ pursuit of signing a new defender takes a fresh turn.

ByBrett Worthington Jan 9, 2025

West Bromwich Albion have produced a number of top-quality youngsters through their academy, with one look at Carlos Corberan’s regular starting lineup this season in the Championship already exposing two homegrown talents who are front and centre of his first-team plans.

Both Tom Fellows and Alex Palmer have fought hard to rise up the ranks in the West Midlands all the way to the first team, with Fellows registering five assists in the second tier this campaign, whilst his counterpart has kept an impressive tally of seven clean sheets from 13 league games.

Away from these rip-roaring successes, some academy starlets have unfortunately slipped through the net before West Brom could give them their moment to shine in the senior mix, with many examples haunting the Baggies.

West Brom's famed academy

Immediately, Morgan Rogers’ name springs to mind as one former West Brom academy player who has gone on to reach unbelievable heights away from the Hawthorns.

The Baggies were ultimately powerless to prevent Rogers from moving onto Manchester City in 2019, as the allure of the Premier League champions won the young attacking midfielder over. He is is now a consistent first-team performer for West Brom’s near neighbours in Aston Villa many years on from his exit.

The exciting Villa number 27 has three goals and three assists from 13 games in all competitions this season to date, which included scoring his team’s opener last time out versus Tottenham Hotspur before Ange Postecoglou’s men ran riot in a 4-1 win.

Other notable faces include the likes of Chris Wood and Tim Iroegbunam who are both on the books of clubs in the division above West Brom currently, with Wood firing home a stunning eight goals from ten games this campaign for Nottingham Forest.

When Wood was on the roster at the Baggies, he managed to register just three strikes from 27 clashes, before going on to become a deadly goal machine later on in his career.

There is another former academy player who could go on to be the biggest regret from West Brom’s perspective, with the starlet in question already receiving some top praise so early into his playing days.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

The former West Brom man who could be "England's future"

The starlet in question here is Lino Sousa, who is still only 19 years of age but has been hyped up for some time now.

Valerien Ismael allowed Sousa to leave the Hawthorns in January of 2022 for Arsenal, where he instantly settled in as a bright spark who had the arguable ability to go on to become a future first-team star at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal U21s

37

5

1

Arsenal U18s

11

0

2

West Brom U21s

1

0

0

West Brom U18s

21

2

1

West Brom will now worry that they’ll be forgotten about when it comes to Sousa’s eventual explosion in the game, with five goals and one assist registered by the teenager in the Arsenal U21 ranks after leaving the Baggies.

Such was his bright form that it led to football data analyst Ben Mattinson boldly declaring that the youngster was “England’s future LB” when he left for Villa in January of this year.

Corberan and Co will just hope lightning doesn’t strike twice when it comes to a former academy prodigy going on to make a name for themselves at Villa, akin to Rogers’ rise, with the teenager also labelled as “really exciting” by then-Plymouth Argyle boss Ian Foster last season when briefly on loan at the Pilgrims.

Mikel Arteta’s side will also hope they aren’t made to look foolish for allowing Sousa to go, with Mattinson’s crystal ball prediction potentially coming true if everything clicks into place at Villa Park.

Away from lamenting about future stars they heartbreakingly lost before their prime, West Brom will just hope the likes of Palmer and Fellows can steer the Baggies to another playoff finish come the end of this campaign.

West Brom had Golden Boy nominee alongside Mbappe, now he’s in League Two

West Bromwich Albion once had this promising youngster in their ranks who never lived up to his full potential.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 29, 2024

Crystal Palace have struggled to score goals this campaign, scoring 25 goals in 22 games so far this season, making them the joint fifth-lowest goalscorers in the Premier League.

This is despite taking 13.9 shots per game (10th most in the division) with their average xG per shot being 0.12.

With their striker options being Jean Philippe Mateta and Eddie Nketiah -who was a big-money signing in the summer – the Eagles could instead look to add goals to their squad behind the striker, aiming to replace the output of Michael Olise who left in the summer window.

Crystal Palace looking at new forwards

According to reports from Italian outlet Firenze Viola in recent days, Crystal Palace have emerged as potential suitors for Botafogo winger, Luiz Henrique.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Other interested clubs include Fiorentina, who made an offer of around €20m (£16.8m) to Botafogo, but the Brazilian side have not been convinced by this bid.

The reports suggest a fee of around €30m (£25m) would be needed to prise the 24-year-old winger away from the club in the January window. However, it is unknown whether Palace would be willing to meet such an asking price.

Henrique has made 55 appearances since joining Botafogo in 2024, scoring 12 goals and providing six assists.

How Henrique compares to Romain Esse

On Saturday it was confirmed by the Eagles that they had officially signed Romain Esse from Championship side Millwall.

He has made 26 appearances so far this season, scoring five goals, providing one assist and totaling 2,165 minutes played.

Esse is, of course, five years younger than Henrique, and would demand a lower fee, but you would also be gambling on him making the jump from Championship to Premier League football seamlessly. That being said, Henrique has played in LaLiga and the Brazilian Serie A, so he would also be making a change and could potentially struggle with the physicality to begin with.

Goals

0.30

0.21

Assists

0.14

0.04

xG

0.29

0.10

xAG

0.13

0.20

Progressive Carries

2.94

1.65

Progressive Passes

2.66

3.26

Shots Total

2.14

1.38

Key Passes

1.21

1.21

Shot-Creating Actions

3.52

3.13

Successful Take-Ons

2.91

2.28

When comparing the two wide player’s metrics this season, Henrique has much better output, both with goals and assists. However, Esse has shown his ability to create chances for his team, with a higher xAG (expected assisted goals) which could lead to his assist numbers being higher when surrounded by better finishers.

Henrique and Esse both average 1.21 key passes per 90, as well as over three shot-creating actions per 90, showing their ability to create chances. The 24-year-old (Henrique) does offer more potency and goal threat though, having a higher shot-volume to go alongside his higher goals per 90.

The Brazilian was labeled an “absolute sensation” by scout Jacek Kulig, when playing for Brazil in the World Cup qualifiers. The quality of Henrique is clearly huge, but the biggest challenge would be settling into one of/if not the most physical league in the world.

The aim for either one of these players if they both arrived this January would be to replace some of the assets that Palace lost in the summer, specially when one of their jewels in the crown, Michael Olise, left the club. Both players have elements to their game, adding attacking spark, but whether they can provide enough output straight away remains to be seen.

Crystal Palace could land 'the Reading version of Olise' in EFL sensation

Crystal Palace can finally land their Olise replacement with EFL star

ByConnor Holden Jan 16, 2025

His tenure might not have ended in the best way possible, but Mauricio Pochettino turned Tottenham Hotspur into a sensational side during his five years at the club.

The Argentine took charge in 2014, turned a mediocre team into genuine title contenders, and even led the club to their first Champions League final.

This was achieved through a combination of brilliant tactics and astute recruitment, with players like Son Heung-min, Toby Alderweireld and Dele Alli all joining the club under the 52-year-old’s watch.

However, for all the incredible players he brought to N17, Pochettino was also responsible for his fair share of dud signings, including one who proved to be a massive mistake and earned as much as star attacker Brennan Johnson does today.

Pochettino's worst signings

Before we get to the offender in question, let’s look at some of the other poor signings made under Pochettino’s reign, starting with a striker who couldn’t score: Vincent Janssen.

Yes, the Dutch centre-forward joined the North Londoners for £17m in the summer of 2016 following a sublime season with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, in which he scored 32 goals and provided seven assists in 49 appearances.

Unfortunately, the Heesch-born poacher seemed like a totally different player in England and after a few years which saw him go out on loan to Fenerbahçe for a season, the 30-year-old left N17 for just £6m, with six goals and four assists in 42 appearances to his name.

Another striker who failed to live up to expectations under Pochettino was Clinton N’Jie, who joined the club for £12m in August 2015, following a promising campaign with Lyon in which he scored eight goals and provided nine assists.

However, as with Janssen, the Cameroonian marksman seemingly lost the ability to score following his move and would eventually leave the club two years later following a loan move back to France, with no goals and just one assist to his name in 14 appearances for the Lilywhites.

That said, while N’Jie was a bad transfer, he didn’t cost the club anywhere near as much as the following transfer.

Pochettino's costly mistake

The player in question is former Spurs full-back Serge Aurier.

The North Londoners opted to pay Paris Saint-Germain £23m for the Ivorian defender in August 2017, and while the move raised a few eyebrows at the time due to him receiving a suspended sentence for assaulting a police officer a year earlier, his performances on the pitch were deemed good enough.

For example, in 32 appearances for the French giants in the 16/17 campaign, he produced a reasonable tally of five assists, including one against North London rivals Arsenal in the Champions League.

Unfortunately, instead of getting a reliable and effective attacking right-back, the Lilywhites got an unreliable and “erratic” liability, as dubbed by former icon Teddy Sheringham, who managed to get himself sent off on his first Premier League start for the club.

The Ouragahio-born enigma would get himself sent off for a second time just a couple of years later in a league game against Southampton, and when he gave away a pointless foul in the 2021 League Cup final that led to Manchester City’s winner, Jamie Carragher blasted him.

Truth be told, the criticism was incredibly scathing with the Sky Sports pundit labelling him as “one of the biggest liabilities in Premier League football” and the kind of player who would “put you off management with the amount of crazy decision he makes.”

It was in the aftermath of the defeat that his contract, which saw him earn £80k-per-week in his first season at the club and £70k-per-week for the next three, was finally terminated by mutual consent, with him having scored eight goals and provided 17 assists in 110 appearances.

So, when combined, the former PSG ace earned a whopping £15m in wages from the Lilywhites, meaning his total cost to the club, including his fee, was an enormous £38m, which does not seem like fair value considering the performances he put in.

Transfer Fee

£23m

Total Wages

£15m

Appearances

110

Cost per Appearance

£345k

Goals

8

Cost per Goal

£4.7m

Assists

17

Cost per Assist

£2.2m

Goal Involvements

25

Cost per Goal Involvement

£1.5m

When broken down, that comes to £345k-per-appearance, £4.7m-per-goal, £2.2m-per-assist and £1.5m-per-goal-involvement.

Ultimately, while he was able to put in some good performances here and there, the poor discipline, huge costs, and disastrous foul in the League Cup Final make it hard to look at Aurier’s transfer as anything other than a massive failure, especially when he earned as much as Johnson is today.

Incredible Spurs star sold by Mourinho is now outscoring Maddison & Son

The sensational international has been on a journey since leaving Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 19, 2024

Out of all the promoted sides that came up at the end of the enthralling 2023/24 season in the Championship, Ipswich Town will believe they have the best possible chance of staying up in the Premier League past this campaign.

At the moment, they boast the best points total when weighed up next to Leicester City and Southampton at 15, whilst also being fresh off an unexpected 2-0 victory over Chelsea right at the end of 2024 that will have given them some much-needed confidence.

Still, there will be many twists and turns ahead that will test Ipswich’s resolve, meaning this January transfer window could be key in enabling them to add more quality to a squad desperate to survive.

If the top-flight underdogs could pull off this rumoured swoop, Kieran McKenna would no doubt feel more self-assured that his team stands a fighting chance at remaining put in the elite division.

Ipswich targeting move for Premier League starlet

As per Sky Sports presenter Dharmesh Sheth on X, Ipswich are interested in picking up Jaden Philogene-Bidace at some stage this month.

Of course, in the summer, the Tractor Boys had actually agreed a deal to snap up the tricky winger from Hull City, only for the Villans to reign supreme last minute.

His lack of game-time at Villa Park – which has seen him make just two starts in the Premier League – could mean he’s allowed to leave Unai Emery’s men on a loan basis very soon, with Ipswich keeping an eye on the situation subsequently in case he is let go of.

What Philogene could offer Ipswich

Once noted for having “ridiculous” ability on the ball by ex-Hull boss Liam Rosenior, this could be a move that gets fans out of their seats at Portman Road on an even more regular basis, with the deal also perhaps seeing Ipswich pick up another star in a similar mould to Omari Hutchinson.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Ipswich supporters would certainly be hoping for the same magic Hutchinson provided on a regular basis last season as a loanee from Philogene, with the electric 22-year-old an absolute star for the Tigers in the Championship.

Away from the audacious strike above that saw him be in the running for a Puskas award, Philogene would fire home a further 11 goals for Hull before Villa came calling, alongside picking up six assists as a nuisance for second-tier defences to try and thwart.

Stat – per 90 mins*

Philogene

Hutchinson

Games played

32

44

Goals scored

12

10

Assists

6

5

Shots*

3.6

1.5

Big chances missed

6

4

Big chances created

7

7

Hutchinson operated in a similar way for Ipswich when the club were also situated in the Championship, with the now-permanent Tractor Boys man bagging ten goals and picking up five assists on the way to promotion being achieved.

Arguably, his counterpart’s numbers are more impressive, however, when you consider the Tigers fell just short of the playoff picture, but the 22-year-old managed to still shine so brightly.

Therefore, if given more opportunities to impress in the top flight away from the stifling environment of Emery’s camp, he could well be a success, much like Hutchinson has been in spurts.

The Ipswich number 20 even fired home against Chelsea last time out to get the better of his old employers, with McKenna left licking his lips at the prospect of playing Hutchinson down the right wing, whilst Philogene gets the nod down the left.

Another major plus of this deal would be the fact the wantaway Villa attacker can also play down the right if needed, having played here 11 times for Hull, with Hutchinson also versatile enough to play in a number ten spot.

Whilst it might seem strange that Ipswich would target new reinforcements going forward, considering the firepower already present, adding in the 5 foot 11 ace could help McKenna’s men pick up even more scalps to push away from the bottom three.

Ipswich could sign a perfect Delap replacement in "sharp" EFL star

Ipswich Town will be searching for new strikers in case Liam Delap leaves this month.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 1, 2025

To say Manchester United have made errors in the transfer market would be doing the whole topic a disservice.

Antony for £82m? Good grief. Harry Maguire for £80m? Wow. United have spent a shed load over the last decade or so and it’s not got them anywhere.

Erik ten Hag may have tasted FA Cup and Carabao Cup success since joining from Ajax but supporters want the Premier League, they want regular Champions League qualification.

It has been over a decade – 2011/12 – since the Red Devils last won the league. How they must crave the Halcyon days of Sir Alex Ferguson again.

He was certainly a better operator in the transfer market. No other United manager would have been able to stroll over to Arsenal and prise away Robin van Persie. It’s unlikely many other managers would have been able to secure Wayne Rooney’s signature as a teenager before turning him into an all-time great.

Perhaps he would have kept a certain Angel Gomes around too, learning from the mistake of letting a young Paul Pogba go before re-signing him.

Why Angel Gomes left Man Utd for free

The date was July 2012. Man Utd had just released Pogba after his failure to sign a new contract with the club. He went on to enjoy a fabulous time with Juventus before heading back to Old Trafford to the tune of a mega £89m transfer fee in 2016.

This time, the date is June 2020. Gomes is the midfielder in question walking away having been released by United. Now, in 2024, there are rumours they want him back, just like Pogba. It’s funny how football works, isn’t it?

So, why did the Englishman leave in the first place? Well, despite being made what was described as a ‘very good offer’ by The Athletic, talks broke down after many months due to a continued absence from the first-team picture.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer assured him that chances would be forthcoming but Gomes did not believe that and headed elsewhere. Lille came calling which is where he’s enjoying his football now.

2024 has been a breakout year for the talented ace who is now 24 years of age. He’s a true England superstar in the making.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Angel Gomes' numbers for England

Now with 123 appearances under his belt for Lille, Gomes is only going from strength to strength for Lille and it surely won’t be too long before he gets a major move.

His performances for the Three Lions certainly suggest he deserves one. Handed a first international start in the last break against Finland by Lee Carsley, Gomes started for the second time for his country against the Fins again on Sunday evening. His performance was of a first-class standard.

He linked up beautifully with Jack Grealish for England’s opener. Receiving the ball in a tight pocket of space just outside the penalty area, he delightfully turned the ball around the corner into the path of the Manchester City winger who finished with ease.

It was one of many glimpses of the 24-year-old immense talent as he went on to amass a whopping 108 touches and 97 accurate passes during his 80 minutes on the field. Only Marc Guehi completed more passes, while only Guehi and Trent Alexander-Arnold had more touches of the ball. His influence, therefore, was colossal.

Gomes also looked tidy on his previous start where his 116 passes were 34 more than the next highest player and his 130 touches were 15 more than second-best Alexander-Arnold.

England have been looking for a player in his mould for ages. They have the fancy players in Bukayo Saka, in Jude Bellingham, in Cole Palmer, but they lack the simple player, the midfielder with the ability to keep things ticking over.

Lille

123

9

19

Boavista

32

6

6

Man Utd U21

27

10

7

Man Utd U18

26

15

7

Man Utd UEFA U19

13

4

3

Manchester United

10

0

0

Total

231

44

42

They lacked that player so much that Gareth Southgate and his assistant, Steve Holland, delivered presentations to the FA detailing the type of player they wanted to see coming through.

“Someone who has those skills to receive the ball with their back to goal to start the play and keep control. We’ve seen Rodri do it for Spain and Man City. That’s one profile that we would be trying to promote within our country to try and improve,” Paul McGuinness, Gomes’ former Man Utd youth coach told Sky Sports. “We searched within the FA to try and improve that type of midfield player. That’s the type of player Angel is.”

The young Lille gem may not be of the same sort of calibre as Rodri yet but this is an individual on his way to the top. Considering how much premium midfielders get sold for in the modern market, and English ones too, he could quite comfortably be valued incredibly highly in the future.

His England colleague Declan Rice was sold for a £105m fee to Arsenal in the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo went for £115m, Romeo Lavia headed off for £53m. Gomes is not in the same boat as Rice or Caicedo but he’s comfortably ahead in his development of Chelsea ace Lavia. Split the difference through the middle and you have what could be an £80m player in waiting. Watch this space; the former Red Devil is only going to get better.

The next Mourinho: Man Utd now chasing "Europe's most wanted" manager

Could Jose Mourinho 2.0 be on his way to Manchester United?

1 ByMatt Dawson Oct 13, 2024

West Bromwich Albion supporters would have been worrying going into this new Championship season that there wasn’t enough firepower in the striker positions at the club, with Brandon Thomas-Asante jumping ship to Coventry City weakening the Baggies up top.

Now, however, those concerns have very much dissipated with the emergence of Josh Maja as the main leading man in attack for Carlos Corberan’s table toppers, after he managed to bounce back from an injury-ravaged first campaign at the Hawthorns.

Corberan will just hope those injury demons don’t come back to haunt the former Sunderland man moving forward, who was on the scoresheet yet again for the West Midlands side last weekend versus Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle.

Maja's start to the season

Amazingly, the goal-shy 25-year-old who only picked up one Championship goal from 12 games last campaign now has six to his name this season from as many league clashes, as second-tier defences begin to be scared stiff by the clinical nature of the Baggies number nine.

He only needed 26 touches of the ball against the visitors from Devon to tap home the winner, after new summer recruit Uros Racic put it on a plate for the 5 foot 11 forward to win the tight clash deep into the second 45 minutes.

West Brom will just be delighted that their patient approach with Maja’s injury issues has now paid off, with the promotion hopefuls needing to exercise a similar calmness with striker Daryl Dike soon, who is now back training himself after a long time out in the Hawthorns treatment room.

Whilst Corberan’s men have undoubtedly won with Maja in the here and now, there’s a botched deal from four years ago that will still bother those at the Baggies, with the striker in question – that was once very much on West Brom’s radar – now worth an unbelievable £40m.

When West Brom missed out on Ivan Toney

In conversation on talkSPORT earlier this year, Peterborough United chairman Darragh MacAnthony and Luke Dowling revealed how West Brom turned down the chance to sign then EFL sharp shooter Ivan Toney in 2020 for just £10m, with Brighton and Hove Albion and Celtic also interested at the time.

Dowling said: “We did have a conversation with them about the great Ivan Toney which in hindsight you look back. You’d look back now and say you’d pay it all day long [£10m fee].

“What we thought at the time, we’d just got promoted to the Premier League and we weren’t brave enough to take a player from League One. Is he going to score us the goals to keep us in the league? It wasn’t the right time.”

He more than showed that he could handle the pressures of the top-flight when moving onto Brentford though, after a goal laden few campaigns in Cambridgeshire, with a mightily impressive 72 strikes notched up in total for the Bees across 141 games.

Whilst Toney managed to improve more and more under Thomas Frank’s guidance – with the Brentford manager even labelling the senior England international as “remarkable” last year when discussing his rise with the club – West Brom struggled in the Premier League to be a threat in attack after missing out on the deadly finisher and were relegated straight back to the second tier at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

1. Matheus Pereira

10

2. Callum Robinson

5

3. Kyle Bartley

3

4. Mbaye Diange

3

5. Semi Ajayi

2

West Brom would only manage to have one player on their roster hit double digits during that term in the form of Baggies favourite Matheus Pereira, as Toney fired home a ridiculous 33 goals in the division below to further add insult to injury.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

The former Peterborough man would then go on to be a wanted figure by the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea among other Premier League suitors, with his predicted price tag once coming in at an eye-watering £70m according to reports.

He would leave eventually depart West London for a lesser £40m, as Saudi Arabia came calling in the form of Al-Ahli this summer, where Toney continues to show off his clinical prowess in-front of goal with a brace on his debut in the Middle East.

West Brom would have loved to have been one club Toney played for on the way to his path to stardom, but they just weren’t prepared to gamble.

Of course, not every punt does pay off like this, as Corberan’s side now just focus on winning promotion back to the Premier League, to then perhaps be more risky in the transfer market.

West Brom could axe star who earns more than Maja & Johnston combined

Carlos Corberan could look to move on this forgotten West Bromwich Albion man soon.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 23, 2024

A Manchester United player who Ruben Amorim and INEOS are happy with could leave Old Trafford in 2025, according to Sky Sports.

Players who may leave Man Utd in 2025

The Red Devils are now in another new era under head coach Amorim and have made a positive start under the Portuguese coach, winning two and drawing one of their first three games.

Real Madrid talking to Man Utd about £85k-p/w ace who Amorim thinks is key

Real Madrid are keen on signing a Manchester United player who has become a key player in recent seasons.

ByBrett Worthington Dec 2, 2024

Fans have already been seeing signs of a change in playing style under Amorim, and in the transfer market, there could also be plenty of movement in 2025.

In regards to exits, a number of players are out of contract at Old Trafford at the end of the season and will therefore be able to talk to clubs outside of England in January over a pre-contract agreement.

Man Utd players out of contract in 2025

Amad Diallo (Option for a further year)

Harry Maguire (Option for a further year)

Christian Eriksen

Jonny Evans

Tom Heaton

As can be seen, five players on the books at Man Utd are on course to become free agents, although a new deal for Amad Diallo appears to be in the pipeline.

Unfortunately for Christian Eriksen, it looks as if his days as a Red Devils player are numbered, with Eriksen likely to leave Man Utd for free at the end of the season. Now, it looks as if another player who is still under contract for a number of years could join him in a 2025 exit.

Altay Bayindir could leave Man Utd – Sky Sports

According to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, Man Utd goalkeeper Altay Bayindir could leave Old Trafford in either January or in the summer.

Despite Amorim and INEOS being “very satisfied” with the ‘keeper, Plettenberg states that Bayindir “is simply too good to be a number two behind Andre Onana and currently has no prospects for regular playing time”.

Bayindir arrived in Manchester from Fenerbahce for £4.3m in September 2023 following David de Gea and Dean Henderson’s Old Trafford exits.

The Turkey international has rivalled Onana since moving to Old Trafford but has found game time hard to come by, making just three appearances in all competitions.

Under contract until 2027, Bayindir has played in United’s two EFL Cup games in 2024/25, but by the looks of it, an exit in the New Year could be on the cards for the £35,000-a-week shot-stopper.

Should a permanent exit away from United materialise, it will be looked back on as a transfer to forget, with former director John Murtough previously hailing Bayindir after he signed, saying:

“Altay is an excellent addition to our squad and adds further quality to our already strong group of experienced goalkeepers. Having consistently performed at a high level in a strong European league, he has the qualities to support us in achieving our ambitions across all competitions this season and beyond.”

Crystal Palace currently sit in 18th place in the Premier League on only seven points after 11 games played, winning just one game, drawing four and losing six times.

Oliver Glasner’s side is averaging 45.8% possession, the seventh lowest in the division, but have only scored eight goals, the second-fewest in the division despite taking the sixth most shots per game (14.4).

The Eagles aren’t struggling to get shots off, but evidently, the quality of shot and chances being created isn’t the best. Therefore, Glasner could be inclined to make a risky change in order to add more creative spark across the forward line.

Tthe time for that change could be now, with multiple injuries, and the suspension of Daichi Kamada, who won’t be available for their clash with Aston Villa on Saturday.

Why Kamada needs replacing

Kamada was sent off against Fulham in their 2-0 loss at Selhurst Park, receiving a straight red card for a tackle on Fulham’s Kenny Tete.

Before his dismissal, the 28-year-old had already lost possession seven times, lost four of his five ground duels, lost both of his aerial duels and was dribbled past twice.

Signed on a free transfer over the summer, Kamada has made 14 appearances for the Eagles, scoring two goals, providing two assists and totalling 853 minutes.

He has impressed on the whole but won’t be available this weekend in a big blow for Glasner and Co.

Chalkboard

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

Crystal Palace's Kamada solution

Glasner may already have the perfect replacement in the pipeline, with 19-year-old Asher Agbinone, who could provide an extra spark in attack.

The 19-year-old forward has made two appearances totalling four minutes from the bench for Palace so far this season, coming on in the last two minutes against both Nottingham Forest and Fulham. Agbinone has also made five appearances for the Palace U21 side, scoring one goal across 435 minutes.

Agbinone can play as a left-winger, a right-winger, and even an attacking midfielder, with his best trait being the blistering speed the youngster possesses, which has even been mentioned by Glasner himself, saying: “he has lots of pace, he can run in behind and dribble”.

Goals

0.21

Assists

0.21

Progressive Carries

1.88

Progressive Passes

5.65

Shots Total

1.58

Key Passes

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

3.33

Successful Take-Ons

0.29

Tackles + Interceptions

3.71

The metrics above show what Agbinone would be tasked with replacing, as Kamada has offered high levels of creativity for Palace so far this season, averaging 5.65 progressive passes, 1.88 progressive carries, 1.74 key passes, and 3.33 shot-creating actions per 90.

Agbinone could certainly bring an increased level of carrying, adding far more 1v1 threat – Kamada only averages 0.29 successful take-ons per 90 – but the question would be the level of final product from the youngster when he gets himself into the areas to deliver.

In the absence of Kamada, this could be the perfect time to unleash Agbinone, give the fans a boost by giving a deserving academy graduate significant minutes, and see if it can spark some better chance creation in the attacking third for the Eagles.

Their next Olise: Crystal Palace could have a £100m + star in the making

Crystal Palace could have their next Olise with £100m ace in the making

ByConnor Holden Nov 16, 2024