All posts by n8rngtd.top

Journalist Conor McGilligan is not worried about Maximilian Wober's potential Leeds United exit and believes the club already have a capable replacement in Pascal Struijk.

Is Wober leaving Leeds?

Having been omitted from Leeds' squad to face Monaco in the club's 2-0 pre-season friendly defeat, new boss Daniel Farke admitted that Wober's absence was due to a potential departure.

The German coach stated after the match: "Max Wober (absence) is to do with the transfer situation and also the contract situation and we will wait and see what the outcome is over the next days."

Despite having only arrived from RB Salzburg in January last season, a move that set Leeds back approximately £11m, the Austrian may already be leaving Yorkshire having failed to help keep the Whites in the Premier League.

The centre-back has been linked with Farke's former club Borussia Monchengladbach, a move that may be too tempting for Wober to turn down given Leeds' Championship status.

However, despite the reaction of some supporters, journalist McGilligan is not "bothered" by Wober's exit and believes that current Leeds defender Struijk is a better long-term option anyway.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, McGilligan said: "Someone like Wober at Championship level, he's only been at Leeds six months, £10m – I think he will attract attention.

He added: "Am I bothered about Wober in the Championship? No. Am I bothered about losing him? No.

"What we need to understand is that now just because he's potentially leaving Leeds United, and this is off the back of Daniel Farke saying yesterday that he's involved in some transfer thing at the minute hence why he wasn't involved yesterday, which is evidently him paraphrasing him saying he's leaving the club, you know was he good enough before you found out, in your opinion, that he was potentially leaving yesterday?

"You know, was he good enough for the Championship? Of course he's good enough, but is it just this transfer now that suddenly now everyone's turning around and going he's not good enough? I've sort of stayed consistent constant with Wober, he's alright, he's a decent player. He's hyped up way too much."

McGilligan went on to voice his opinions when comparing Wober to Struijk, the latter currently looking set to stay with Leeds, and he believes that Struijk has a much higher "ceiling" than Wober.

"I've always said this one here, Pascal Stuijk, it's been such a shame with what's happened to him as a left-sided centre-back because the ceiling that he's had.

"Struijk's ceiling, if you can get him playing, if you can get Pascal Struijk with that mentality that he had under that period under Marcelo Bielsa for around about 12 to 18 months, if you can get him playing like that again, if you're able to beef up some of his attributes when it comes to his mentality, his physicality and his leadership skills as well if he's got some locked down there, he's a much better player in my opinion [than Wober]."

Wober managed 19 games for Leeds last season and made a positive impact in an albeit leaky defence, impressing supporters with his attitude and commitment to the cause. That commitment looks less significant now with the 25-year-old set to call time on his short stint at Elland Road.

Meanwhile, Struijk has been at Leeds since 2018 and has risen from the U21s into the first team. He made 31 appearances in all competitions last term for the Whites and has been used as both a left-back and centre-back by the club, often failing to find consistent form.

Who is better – Wober or Struijk?

When comparing the two in the Premier League last season, it's obvious that Struijk has a lot more experience at the highest level despite being two years younger than Wober, although he did feature mainly at left-back last term. He played 29 matches to Wober's 16 – just under two times as many.

However, both defenders share similar numbers when it comes to blocks, interceptions and clearances, despite Wober playing far less. The Austrian also boasts a 1.4% better successful tackle percentage and looks the more developed player at present.

Struijk does pose a more attacking threat though, scoring twice and getting one assist, while Wober failed to register any goal contribution in the top flight. The 23-year-old also has a superior pass accuracy (79.2% to 70.6%), showcasing that he is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and progressing play.

Given his age and more modern defensive style, Struijk is perhaps the better long-term option for Leeds to invest in.

With Burnley gearing up for their return to Premier League football, manager Vincent Kompany has already acted swiftly to bolster his ranks ahead of the new season, having wrapped up eight summer signings thus far – with a ninth seemingly on the way in the form of Hoffenheim's Jacob Bruun Larsen.

The former Manchester City skipper has notably recruited the likes of Nathan Redmond, James Trafford and Zeki Amdouni over the past few weeks, while most recently snapping up Espanyol teenager, Luca Koleosho on an initial £2.6m deal.

The addition of the 18-year-old Italian does not look likely to be the end of the club's summer spending spree, however, with the Northern Echo reporting that the Lancashire side have had a £10m bid rejected for Sunderland's, Jack Clarke.

While the belief is that Kompany and co have not been put off by that setback in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, it may be wise for the newly-promoted side to consider potentially attacking alternatives to the Englishman…

What are the latest Burnley transfer rumours?

As revealed by the Daily Mail last week, the Turf Moor outfit are believed to be among the clubs who are interested in signing Manchester United starlet, Amad Diallo, with both Leicester City and Sheffield United also keen on the 21-year-old winger.

The former Atalanta man – who signed for United on an initial £19m deal back in January 2021 – notably spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan with the Black Cats alongside Clarke, having been a key figure in the side that reached the play-off semi-finals.

While the £29k-per-week sensation is currently part of the Red Devils' pre-season tour squad, it is yet to be seen if the youngster will have a part to play in Erik ten Hag's first-team plans next season.

Should Burnley sign Amad Diallo?

It does appear at present that it is Clarke who has caught the attention of Kompany and his staff, with the former Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur wideman having sparkled for Tony Mowbray's side last term after finishing atop the assist charts in the Championship, racking up 12 in total.

Having also plundered nine league goals in the second tier in 2022/23, it is easy to see why the York-born dynamo is of interest to those at Turf Moor, with the Clarets potentially able to offer him the chance to prove his worth at a higher level.

That being said, however, Burnley could easily forget all about the former England youth international if they were to turn their attention to Amad instead, with the latter man having also dazzled in the Championship last season.

Lauded as a "joy to watch" by journalist Josh Bunting – who described him as "one of the best players" that Sunderland have had "in years" – the one-time Rangers loanee scored 14 goals and provided three assists in the league, proving himself "an absolute wizard", in the words of journalist James Copley.

The Man United man's quality on the ball is also showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 2% among his peers in the Men's next eight competitions for pass completion, while Clarke, by contrast, ranks in just the bottom 34% in that regard.

In a defensive sense the four-cap international also shone as he ranks in the top 6% for interceptions made, with that again a superior record to that of his ex-Sunderland teammate, who ranks in just the top 28% for that same metric.

Clearly something of an all-round talent, Amad would certainly be a worthwhile capture for Burnley next season – even if just on loan – allowing Kompany to find a perfect alternative to top target, Clarke.

Chelsea have tabled a "formal bid" in the hope of signing Brighton and Hove Albion goalkeeper Robert Sanchez this summer, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Is Robert Sanchez leaving Brighton?

The Spain international is an academy graduate of the south coast side having carried out two loan spells at Forest Green and Rochdale only to return to get promoted to their first-team back in 2020, and during his three years in the senior fold, he’s gone on to become a regular feature.

In the Premier League last season, Roberto De Zerbi’s shot-stopper started 23 games having spent the final five top-flight matches on the sidelines through injury, and having established himself as the club’s official number one between the sticks, Todd Boehly has had his eye on him for quite some time at Stamford Bridge.

Read The Latest Chelsea Transfer News HERE…

Speaking to GiveMeSport in January, Simon Phillips, who is a reporter for the Blues, revealed that the 25-year-old was a keeper that was “high up on the list” of targets in the capital and it’s believed that chiefs were “taking a closer look” at him alongside Brentford’s David Raya, but obviously a deal failed to come to fruition at the time.

However, if the following update is to be believed, The Amex outfit are now looking to sanction a permanent exit for their first-choice which could give Mauricio Pochettino the perfect opportunity to take a second bite at the cherry and secure the club’s long-term focus, even though he still has two years remaining on his contract.

Are Chelsea signing Robert Sanchez?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that Chelsea have made an opening offer for Sanchez and are in discussions with Brighton regarding a summer deal, whilst also delivering an update on their pursuit of his defensive midfield teammate Moises Caicedo. He wrote:

"Chelsea have sent formal bid for Robert Sanchez to Brighton. Negotiations are ongoing — told Sanchez has already accepted Chelsea as destination. #BHAFC Brighton hope for Sanchez to leave this summer. Chelsea and Brighton remain in talks also for Moises Caicedo."

How many clean sheets has Robert Sanchez kept?

In the 2022/23 Premier League season, Sanchez kept six clean sheets from 23 top-flight games which is a decent return having shared the gloves with Brighton’s number two Jason Steele, and Chelsea are clearly serious about signing him to make an official approach, so should they be successful in their attempt, it would be a huge boost for Pochettino.

The Seagulls’ 6 foot 6 “monster”, as dubbed by former manager Graham Potter, made 47 saves from 71 shots on target against during the previous campaign, giving him a success rate of 64.8%, via FBRef, which was higher than Edouard Mendy’s 64.1%, showing he’d be an upgrade on the goalkeeper who recently joined Al-Ahli.

Sanchez, who pockets £25k-per-week, won’t assume that he’d become number one straight away if he was to put pen to paper, but there’s no doubt that he’d be the perfect candidate to challenge Kepa for his spot heading into the start of the new campaign.

Everton's transfer window finally appears to be gaining steam, and manager Sean Dyche is now hoping to fortify his offensive ranks with a swoop for Juventus teenager Samuel Iling-Junior.

The Toffees have only signed Arnaut Danjuma on loan and Ashley Young on a free transfer, and while a £13m deal has been agreed for Sporting Lisbon striker Youssef Chermiti, more work will need to be done to avoid another perilous season battling against relegation from the Premier League.

What's the latest on Samuel Iling-Junior to Everton?

Italian outlet il BiancoNero revealed one week ago that Everton have displayed a concrete interest in Iling-Junior following El Bilal Toure's rejection of the Goodison Park side in favour of Atalanta.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

More recently, Tuttomercatoweb have claimed that Everton and Premier League rivals Aston Villa are in pursuit, though the OId Lady would only sanction a sale if their €25m (£21m) valuation is met, with the player penning a new long-term deal last December.

Who is Samuel Iling-Junior?

Everton's director of football Kevin Thelwell has his work cut out to ensure that the club finally construct a team capable of challenging for a place higher up the ladder in the English top-flight.

After years of issues, the maladies on Merseyside could be cured with the crafting of a team brimming with first-class talent; Chermiti, aged 19, certainly looks a future star, while Iling-Junior holds the tools to build a successful career.

A dynamic and explosive winger, Iling-Junior scored once and supplied two assists from 18 outings for Juventus last season, only starting on three occasions.

Once lauded for his "high energy and work volume as well as dreamy ball skills" by scout Antonio Mango, the 19-year-old already ranks among the top 5% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 1% for assists, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 20% for progressive carries and the top 9% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref – though it's important to note that this is based off little match action.

Nevertheless, it illustrates his natural striking instinct and skill as a bouncing, energetic force on the flanks, with journalist Michele Neri already heralding the starlet as an "assist machine".

When discussing Iling-Junior's style, Neri also said:

“In these qualities, you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leão when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. Of course he is certainly less impactful today than Leão is and has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese’s level."

The AC Milan phenom is definitely not a bad choice to mould one's game off, with the Portuguese talent, who has been dubbed a "phenomenon" by Italian sporting director Fabio Cordella, scoring 16 goals and providing 15 assists across all competitions.

The £105k-per-week gem ranks among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals, the top 11% for assists, the top 11% for progressive carries and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.

Given Leão's progressive prowess and electric presence, Iling-Junior could flourish with Everton – boasting a similar profile, he could devastate on the Toffees' flank and grow into one of Europe's leading stars.

Leeds United shouldn't be worried about Patrick Bamford's absence for the start of the season as the team are "worse off" with the striker in the starting eleven, according to Peacocks fan and host of the One Leeds Fan Channel, Conor McGilligan.

Leeds United news – Patrick Bamford's injury

It's been a rough few months for fans of the South Yorkshire club. First came their relegation from the Premier League, which was closely followed by an exodus of first-team players looking for top-flight football away from Elland Road, and then just last week, the side lost three of their strikers to injury, Georginio Rutter, Mateo Joseph and Bamford.

The former England international picked up a hamstring injury in the club's final preseason friendly against Scottish side Hearts, which could be a massive blow to new boss Daniel Farke's bid to gain immediate promotion back to the top tier.

The German told BBC Radio Leeds (via BBC Sport) that the 29-year-old wouldn't return to the team before the first international break of the campaign, which gets underway on September 7.

Read the latest Leeds United transfer news HERE…

There has been at least some positive news for fans of the Whites recently as they managed to fight back from 2-0 against Cardiff City in their opening game of the Championship season last weekend, proving that the loss of the former Chelsea man might not be quite as bad as some might've thought.

In fact, some fans like McGilligan, host of the One Leeds Fan Channel YouTube channel, would rather the striker didn't play for the side at all, arguing that his presence in the side makes them "worse off."

He explained his position on the One Leeds Fan Channel, saying:

"We're worse off with Patrick Bamford in that starting eleven, and you might say, 'oh, there's a number nine up top,' but that doesn't matter with him. We all know this; we've all seen the constant chances, misses. He may occupy a defender, but what is the expectation? What is the standard?

"What is the curtain raiser with Patrick Bamford, to just stand in the box? I mean I can do that if they want me to, just ring me up and I'll get down to Elland Road and stand in the box and occupy a defender."

How good is Patrick Bamford?

Is McGilligan right in his assessment of Bamford? Are Leeds genuinely better off finding another number nine to plug that gap, or is he being somewhat dramatic?

Well, despite having that brilliant year in the Premier League under Marco Bielsa, McGilligan is spot on in his assessment that the £70k-per-week forward is probably no longer good enough to help Leeds fight for promotion.

In his 28 Premier League appearances for the side last season, he scored just four goals, provided only two assists, maintained a shockingly poor passing accuracy of 69.9% and averaged a disappointing match rating of just 6.36, per WhoScored.

And unfortunately for the 6 foot 1 striker, his underlying numbers are equally poor and suggest that his recent poor returns are nothing to do with poor luck and all to do with general poor play.

According to FBref, which compares players across Europe's top five leagues, the former Premier League striker sits in the bottom 31% for successful take-ons, the bottom 30% for progressive carries, the bottom 28% for non-penalty goals, the bottom 13% for expected assists and the bottom 12% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Ultimately, it would seem that should the club want to move on and reach the top flight once again, it might be best for all parties to try and find a buyer for Bamford, as he clearly isn't good enough for the Yorkshire side anymore.

Manchester United's latest "priority" target "wants to go" to Old Trafford this summer, and with the club happy with his £82,000-a-week wages, the possibility of a deal is "very concrete", per transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.

Manchester United transfer news – what is the latest?

It's been an excellent summer for the United faithful so far this year.

The club have spent big yet again in a bid to back manager Erik ten Hag in his second year in charge of the team, and in doing so, they have seriously improved the squad.

First through the door was Chelsea star and former fan favourite Mason Mount, who joined the club in a deal worth £55m after a protracted transfer saga.

Read the latest Manchester United transfer news HERE…

Following the England international was Inter Milan's highly-rated Cameroon international Andre Onana. The keeper joined from the Champions League runners-up in a deal worth £47m, coming straight in as the club's new number one after the departure of David de Gea.

The latest big signing to make their way to the Theatre of Dreams was Danish wonderkid Rasmus Hojlund, who left Serie A side Atalanta for the Premier League in a deal worth £72m.

While that is already a pretty good summer's worth of incomings, it looks like the Red Devils want more, specifically in defence, as it seems increasingly likely that former captain Harry Maguire is on his way to West Ham United this summer.

The defender most heavily touted for a move to United recently has been Bayern Munich star and World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.

And according to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, the player is incredibly keen to make the move before the window shuts and has already informed the Bavarians of his intentions.

He explained the situation live on The United Stand's YouTube channel, saying:

"The Pavard deal is something very concrete in terms of the player's side at the moment because I am hearing that the player is really keen on joining Manchester United. He wants to get this opportunity to go to the Premier League to try new a chance; he knows also that Erik ten Hag is a big fan of his ability to play in different positions because Pavard can help as a full-back and not just as a centre-back and this is important for United to have a defensive full-back like Pavard into the squad, it could help in some crucial moments in the season.

"So the feedback between Pavard and United is excellent. The player wants to go, and also, Man United feel the conditions of the salary are correct. So, the agreement on personal terms is not a problem at all; it's about Bayern now.

"Man United approached Bayern Friday last week, and from Bayern, they were not really keen on the transfer of Benjamin Pavard because they still want to keep him. He's an important player for Tuchel. But, from what I am hearing during the weekend and even today [Monday], and I think this will continue, Pavard has been really clear with Bayern, with the board, with the manager he wants to go. He's not going to sign a new contract, his contract expires in summer 2024 and is not extending, and so he believes for both sides, player and for the club [this] is the best way to find a solution and to go to Man United.

"So Pavard is pushing for the move, let's see what happens between United and bayern. But for sure, this is the priority at the moment for Man United."

How old is Benjamin Pavard?

Born March 28th 1996, in Maubeuge, France, Pavard is 27 years old and has spent the last four and half seasons playing for Bayern and, unsurprisingly, winning the league every single year, as well as picking up the Champions League trophy in the summer of 2020.

He has been a brilliant player for the Bavarians over those four-and-a-half years, and it's easy to see why ten Hag is so keen to bring him to Old Trafford this summer.

In his 27 starts for the Bavarians last season, he found the back of the net on four occasions, provided one assist, took 1.1 shots per game, maintained a passing accuracy of 89.8%, won 2.1 aerials duals a game and picked up two Man-of-the-Match awards along the way, all while averaging a match rating of 7.17, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also seriously impressive and suggest that the step-up to the Premier League shouldn't have too significant an impact on his output.

According to FBref, which compares players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, the £82,000-a-week man sits in the top 1% for attempted passes and progressive passes, the top 2% for total shots, expected assists and progressive passes received, the top 3% for non-penalty goals and shot-creating actions, and the top 4% for touches in the oppositions penalty area and non-penalty expected goals, all per 90.

Described as a "top team player" by manager Thomas Tuchel, if United can get this deal over the line, it would significantly improve the team both at full-back and centre-back and would represent brilliant business.

Everton have made four signings during the summer transfer window, and of those, it is perhaps Jack Harrison who could make the biggest impact.

The former Leeds United winger enjoyed an excellent season during 2022/23, despite suffering relegation. The 26-year-old registered 12 goal contributions – five goals and seven assists – in the Premier League.

This led him to rank second across the Leeds squad for goal contributions while also ranking first for big chances created (nine), key passes per game (1.5) and successful dribbles per game (1.3), and there is no doubt he could significantly bolster the stagnant Everton attack.

Sean Dyche may also be close to securing a move for another attacking option – and one that could see Harrison thrive on the wing for the Toffees.

Could Everton sign another player?

According to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Everton are showing interest in Paris Saint-Germain striker Hugo Ekitike ahead of the final weeks of the transfer window.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

This follows on from Fabrizio Romano stating that the Goodison Park side were looking to secure his services on an initial loan deal with an option to buy, although no fee was mentioned.

Despite signed attack-minded players such as Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma, Dyche has only secured one striker this summer in Youssef Chermiti – and there is no doubt there could be at least one more to arrive at the club.

How good is Hugo Ekitike?

Ekitike is undoubtedly talented, or PSG wouldn’t have signed him from Stade Reims last summer, and at just 21 years old, the future is extremely bright.

The 6 foot 2 gem netted 11 goals and grabbed four assists for Reims during the 2021/22 season, which led to the French giants moving for him, and although he scored just three goals across all competitions, playing alongside the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will have been a crucial learning experience.

By moving to Everton, not only will he get more opportunities in the starting XI, but he could get Harrison flying on the wing – while the Frenchman could benefit enormously himself.

The PSG gem has been lauded as having “bags of talent” by journalist Lee Davey, while his former manager at Reims, Oscar Garcia, even hailed the youngster as “special”.

Judging by his meteoric rise to playing for one of the biggest teams on the continent, that praise is certainly justified.

Harrison has registered 28 assists across the previous four seasons, and given how impressive Ekitike can be in front of goal, he will be aiming to improve on his total of seven from last term.

It could be a match made in heaven, and given just how poor the club have been in terms of scoring goals during the last two campaigns – netting 34 last term and 43 the year before, it’s evident that in order to avoid yet another relegation battle, Dyche needs players who could change their fortunes in the final third.

Harrison is a solid signing by Dyche, yet by making a concrete move for Ekitike before the transfer window shuts, the former Burnley boss could secure a gamechanger for Everton as they look to enjoy a better season than they did in the previous two.

Liverpool's need for midfield reinforcements in no secret, even after they overcame the odds to defeat Newcastle United at St James' Park and extend their unbeaten run to start the season to three Premier League games.

The Reds were, of course, on their way to a fairly successful transfer window, with the arrival of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but the departures of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho to Saudi Arabia threw a spanner in the works.

Since then, they have welcomed Wataru Endo, but it could be argued that a more high-profile name is still needed.

With that said, though, the club have reportedly ruled out signing one particular midfielder.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

As the summer transfer window edges closer and closer to slamming shut, Liverpool are scrambling for the extra reinforcements needed to ensure that Jurgen Klopp has a side capable of returning to the Premier League's top four, after missing out last season.

The name at the forefront of their current list of targets seems to be Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch, who the Bavarians could reportedly soften their stance on in the coming days.

As Gravenberch rises to the top of Liverpool's list, however, it is Sofyan Amrabat who has reportedly been ruled out altogether.

According to Manchester Evening News, who were reporting on Manchester United and Liverpool's interest in Amrabat, the Reds have clarified that they will not be making a move for the Fiorentina man this summer.

This news comes at a time when Amrabat has been frozen out at the Serie A club, with La Viola dropping the Morroco international from both first-team games, and training until his future is resolved, as per Fabrizio Romano.

Should Liverpool sign Sofyan Amrabat?

Liverpool's stance on Amrabat is a surprising one, given their need for midfielders, and Fiorentina's reported price-tag of just €30m (£25.6m) this summer.

Statistically speaking, too, the Moroccan would be an upgrade on the options that Klopp waved goodbye to this summer.

According to FBref, Amrabat outperformed Henderson in some key areas throughout the previous campaign.

Meanwhile, the 27-year-old earned plenty of praise during the 2022 World Cup, as he helped Morroco to reach the semi-final stage, in the surprise of the tournament.

Alan Shearer praised the midfielder, saying on BBC's Match of The Day, via the Liverpool Echo: "He gets it and then he can feed the ball in, and you can see him go back there. He’ll be reluctant to get forward as he wants to protect, he’ll want to do that.

"He really enjoys that and he’s really good at that – ‘get off the ball, I’m having it’ – and he’s setting his team forward. He’s been key. He does that, he protects, he can get out there and help his full-backs, and that’s what he’s in that role to do – to stop, and be a spoiler – he’s excellent at it. Then he drives forward and they’re on their way. He’s been magnificent, he really has."

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Nonetheless, despite the praise and the stats, Liverpool reportedly remain unlikely to push ahead for Amrabat's signature this summer.

Manchester United are keen on a deal for Bayern Munich’s Ryan Gravenberch, but a fresh report has revealed that they aren’t the club in pole position to secure his services this summer.

What position is Ryan Gravenberch?

Gravenberch is primarily a central midfielder who only put pen to paper at the Allianz Arena last summer from Ajax, but his debut season didn’t go anywhere near as well as he would have hoped having been handed just three starts in the Bundesliga for Thomas Tuchel’s side.

Due to his severe lack of game time and how low down in his manager’s pecking order he is, the 21-year-old has reportedly told chiefs that he wants to leave and complete a move to the Premier League before the end of the window, and there are two potential suitors waiting to snap him up.

Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that whilst the Bavarian club don’t want to sell, the Red Devils and Liverpool have both “called” to remain informed on the conditions of a deal should his side have a late change of heart over sanctioning his sale.

TEAMtalk claim that Fiorentina’s Sofyan Amrabat still very much remains Erik ten Hag’s top target in the centre of the park, but should he fail to land his first choice ahead of September 1st, Netherlands’ youth international has been identified as an alternative having worked under the boss during his time at Ajax in the Eredivisie.

Are Man United signing Ryan Gravenberch?

According to 90min, Man United are “interested in striking a deal” for Gravenberch this summer, hijacking a possible Liverpool transfer, with those at Anfield in talks with Bayern that are, as it stands, at a “more advanced stage”.

Munich’s star is “keen to leave” to give himself the best chance of representing his country at the EURO 2024 tournament, and it’s stated that Tuchel’s men are “softening” their stance and have placed a price tag of around £20m on his head in a new development.

How tall is Ryan Gravenberch?

Standing at 6 foot 2, Gravenberch would add a completely different dimension to the midfield with his height and be a real physical presence in the centre, especially with him potentially being available for a fee of £20m, Man United could table an offer to test the water and see if they can hijack Liverpool’s move.

Since the start of his career, Amsterdam’s native has posted 69 goal contributions (36 goals and 33 assists) in 221 appearances whilst ranking in the 94th percentile for most shot-creating actions, highlighting that he’s much better at impacting the game at the top end of the pitch rather than defensively.

Read The Latest Man United Transfer News HERE…

Sponsored by Adidas, the talisman also recorded an 89.3% pass success rate last season which would make him the second-best achiever in Ten Hag’s squad, with only Victor Lindelof out of the regular starters able to top that (93.2%), displaying his excellent calmness and composure on the ball in possession.

Bayern’s “indispensable” player, as dubbed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, even knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured seven senior trophies since first bursting onto the scene, so he would be able to match the winning mentality of the current group who are already at Old Trafford.

Manchester United may have tied up the majority of their transfer business this Deadline Day, but there still seemingly remains one deal they are set to make…

What else could Manchester United do on Deadline Day?

With Sofyan Amrabat the starring capture for Erik ten Hag today, he will be delighted to welcome ample midfield cover alongside a backup goalkeeper and left-back in Altay Bayindir and Sergio Reguilon.

However, they have done business elsewhere too, extending Jonny Evans' short-term stay by turning his deal into a one-year one.

The Red Devils confirmed the news on social media.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

This deal comes after the northern Irishman saw his stay at Leicester City come to an end, who allowed his £100k-per-week deal to expire as they fell into the Championship.

How good is Jonny Evans?

Such a swoop marks a wholly uninspiring acquisition, given his age and unlikelihood to play. It makes little to no sense for the Red Devils to bring him in, even if Raphael Varane has been known to suffer from injury woes.

The chances are, even in the toughest injury crisis, Harry Maguire would always be preferred over Evans given his time spent at the club and the money they paid for him, even if it was something fans continue to ridicule.

This could make the swoop somewhat of a blunder, and even if no fee is involved, it's a move that has hallmarks of their 2019 swoop for Maguire. Even if they did break the world record for a defender when he made his £80m move, at least the England star has featured.

Hampered by the weight of such an enormous price tag, the 30-year-old could never truly have lived up to the level that such a figure imposed upon him. However, he somehow managed to lower expectations with each passing year as his poor displays continued, exacerbating the initial cost.

Darren Bent, speaking on talkSPORT, went as far as to suggest he was one of the worst-ever Premier League signings: "I'm probably being a bit harsh here, when I spoke about him being probably, value for money the worst signing in Premier League history."

With 175 appearances for the club under his belt, the former Sheffield United dud has failed to announce himself as someone worthy of his fee, with his lack of speed an alarming characteristic that has let him down on occasion. Richard Dunne even branded him "painfully slow" nearly a year ago, which is a trait that Evans unfortuantely shares.

Indeed, as far back in 2013 before the defender started dwindling in age, journalist Chris McKenna wrote: "Jonny Evans looked so slow there."

Building on this, during the 2021/22 season it was revealed that Maguire supposedly made as many as 16 mistakes leading to goals in one campaign, as if to emphasise his confidence crisis that has persisted throughout his time at Old Trafford.

Should Evans instead play, which seems unlikely anyway, he would almost definitely suffer from the same kind of issues that Maguire has done throughout his career. Pundit Mark Goldbridge outlined his qualms with the initial short-term deal, noting: "I can't see why we would keep Jonny Evans."

He continued: "I watched him a few times last season and he is washed. There's no way you play Jonny Evans in Premier League games against most of the Premier League now, he's done. If Manchester United and Erik ten Hag are going to keep Jonny Evans and not buy a centre-back, that terrifies me."

This comes with the 35-year-old having played a tiny role for Leicester last season as they were relegated, with his talents worryingly not good enough for that level. He is far from the star that writer Henry Winter once lauded as a "leader" almost four years ago.

It seems that Goldbridge's fears are now set to be realised, with the continued frugality of the Glazers leaving their Dutch manager short-changed once again in a vital position.