Paul Pogba trains hard as he eyes return from doping ban amid speculations over his next destination.
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Manchester United are reportedly keeping a close eye on a pair of German superstars as they look to catapult themselves back up towards the top of English football and challenge for the Premier League again.
Manchester United's summer business under scrutiny
Despite spending significant sums over the summer, Erik ten Hag is under massive pressure and Manchester United are 14th in the Premier League, having scored just five goals in their seven games so far. It comes in the wake of a summer in which the club once again backed the Dutch manager, shelling out £180m on five new players headlined by the arrivals of Manuel Ugarte from PSG and Leny Yoro from Lille.
Despite the heavy spending, United’s CEO Omar Berrada has suggested that the Red Devils won’t be able to challenge for the title until 2028.
“It’s not a 10-year plan. The fans would run out of patience if it was a 10-year plan. But it’s certainly a three-year plan to get there”, he revealed.
“To think that we’re going to be playing football as good as Manchester City played against Real Madrid last season by next year is not sensible. And if we give people false expectations, then they will get disappointed. So the key thing is our trajectory, so that people can see that we’re making progress.
“I think it’s the club’s 150-year anniversary in 2028… if our trajectory is leading to a very good place in that sort of timeframe then we’d be very happy with that.”
Despite the realistic rather than optimistic goal, the club will still be aiming to recruit the best talent in world football to Old Trafford, and now are reportedly monitoring a potentially massive double deal.
Manchester United plot De Ligt & Mazraoui repeat
That comes as Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg has revealed that Manchester United are once again looking to snatch unwanted stars from Bayern Munich. This summer, the Red Devils shelled out around 60m euros to bring Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui to Old Trafford from Bavaria, and are now looking to repeat the trick for two of their former title-winning teammates.
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That comes in the shape of Leroy Sané, who is out of contract at the end of the season as things stand, as well as out-of-favour midfielder Leon Goretzka, who has featured just once in the Bundesliga under Vincent Kompany this season and was publicly dubbed unwanted over the summer.
The report claims that the club are “monitoring” the duo, and that Goretzka is an “interesting candidate” for a potential winter move, while former City winger Sané is free to enter negotiations over a free transfer in the same window.
It is added that both are keen to stay at Bayern as things stand, but with Goretzka unfavoured by Kompany and Sané likely to have to take a pay cut to do so, that could change quickly.
When fit, the Germany winger has been a key man for Bayern, with Jamal Musiala dubbing him “one of the best wingers in the world” earlier in the year. Even if both he and Goretzka were to come cheaply, their wages would be another stumbling block, with the pair taking home a combined £612k per week at the Allianz Arena.
With both earning around £300,000 a week, it would put them among Manchester United’s highest earners were they to be paid the same in the northwest.
Manchester United’s highest earners
Player
Wage per week
Casemiro
£350,000
Bruno Fernandes
£300,000
Marcus Rashford
£300,000
Mason Mount
£250,000
Antony
£200,000
There is the added complication of European football, with United not currently on course to be playing Conference League football next season, let alone the Champions League football that the pair have become accustomed to.
Pulling off a deal for either would be a major coup, but given the recent history of big signings at Old Trafford, it would be another suggestion that nothing new has been learned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co.
This summer has been a huge change for West Ham United, with numerous new signings at London Stadium alongside a new manager taking the reins.
Julen Lopetegui came into the club to take over from David Moyes, splashing over £100m on new transfers to try and push for another European finish in the Premier League this season.
However, the Spaniard has endured a tricky start to life as Hammers boss, winning just one of the opening three league outings with the club currently occupying 13th place.
As well as incomings, Lopetegui has also made some key departures, freeing up potential transfer funds whilst clearing some of the players who unfortunately are no longer at the level required in England’s top flight.
Despite the recent sales, there’s one player who’s often looked past his best. That man remains at the London Stadium a couple of years after his big-money transfer to East London.
After moving from Aston Villa in a £15m move during January 2023, striker Danny Ings arrived with huge expectations of bringing much-needed goals to the West Ham side.
However, his switch to the capital has been anything but that, failing to make a huge impact despite his big-money move and hefty wages. The 32-year-old, who earns £125k-per-week as per Capology, has made 53 appearances for the Hammers, scoring on just four occasions.
Ings has often been utilised as a bit part player during his time at the club, but after the arrival of Niclas Füllkrug, he could find himself as the third choice slotting in behind the German and Michail Antonio.
He’s only managed five minutes of first-team action so far this campaign, with his market value dropping as a result.
That said, he still boasts a higher price tag than former wonderkid Grady Diangana, a fact that illuminates the remarkable fall in stock of their academy graduate.
Winger Diangana had huge potential to be a success at West Ham after breaking through the academy and enjoying a successful spell out on loan at West Brom.
He registered 14 goal contributions during the 2019/20 campaign, prompting vast interest from the Baggies on a permanent basis – to the displeasure of many at the club.
Club legend Mark Noble expressed his disappointment with the transfer on social media, but Diangana swapped London for the West Midlands in a deal that reached £18m including add-ons.
However, his move to Albion has been anything but successful, only registering 14 goals over the last five seasons – with his market value taking a hit as a result of his poor form.
|
Diangana’s stats since leaving West Ham |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
2020/21 |
20 |
1 |
0 |
|
2021/22 |
41 |
2 |
1 |
|
2022/23 |
31 |
4 |
3 |
|
2023/24 |
36 |
7 |
8 |
|
2024/25 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
The 26-year-old is now only valued at just £3.3m as per Transfermarkt, with the aforementioned Ings still valued at £6.7m despite his own lack of goals for the Hammers.
Whilst at the time it may have been seen as a terrible decision to sell the forward, his recent lack of form in the Championship proves it was the right call to cash in on Diangana whilst his stock was at its highest.
As for Ings, his lack of goals will be a concern for the club – especially considering his hefty wages – with the club desperately needing to address his situation at the next available opportunity.
It’s safe to say that both players’ careers haven’t gone in the direction they were wishing for.
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Sep 10, 2024
West Ham United have agreed a £20 million-plus deal to sign a striker, but the deal hinges on terms with the player being struck, according to a new report.
The Hammers have been extremely busy this summer with nine new arrivals and that has meant expectations are high on the club, as they try to compete for a place back in Europe.
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1
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Aug 26, 2024
Julen Lopetegui has been very much backed in his first transfer window at the club and with three days remaining, it appears as though the club’s business may be about to continue after the club picked up their first league win of the season on Saturday afternoon.
West Ham appear to be working on a few transfers before the close of the window on Friday, with it already being reported that the London side are “locked in negotiations” with French side PSG over a deal for midfielder Carlos Soler. The Hammers are said to have been leading the race to sign the player for some time now, but talks over the structure of the deal continue, as PSG want around £20 million for the midfielder, but are willing to sanction a loan deal.
|
West Ham's summer signings |
Signed from |
|---|---|
|
Max Kilman |
Wolves |
|
Crysencio Summerville |
Leeds United |
|
Niclas Füllkrug |
Borussia Dortmund |
|
Luis Guilherme |
Palmeiras |
|
Aaron Wan-Bissaka |
Manchester United |
|
Guido Rodriguez |
Real Betis |
|
Wes Foderingham |
Sheffield United |
|
Jean-Clair Todibo |
Nice |
|
Mohamadou Kante |
Paris FC |
As well as looking at Soler, West Ham are also said to be among the clubs potentially interested in signing Newcastle United defender Kieran Trippier. This comes as a surprise as the Hammers have only just brought Aaron Wan-Bissaka to the club from Manchester United, but according to The Telegraph, West Ham are monitoring the situation.
The England international is said to be on a weekly wage of £120,000 at St James’ Park, so should he join West Ham, he could be on significantly more than new arrival Wan-Bissaka. But as well as West Ham looking to sign these two players, the Irons are also in the market to add to their forward line.
According to Calciomercato’s Daniele Longo, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have agreed a deal with Italian side AS Roma to sign striker Tammy Abraham. The report states that the Hammers have agreed to an initial loan deal worth €2 million and an obligation to buy at €22 million, which is over £20 million.
This comes after it was reported on Monday that West Ham had made a bid for Abraham, and it was close to the asking price that Roma wanted.
Abraham is said to be open to the idea of joining the Premier League side, but the concern is that West Ham cannot reach the forward’s current salary of €6 million (£5 million) per season. However, the report states that talks are ongoing over his salary, as Roma are keen for the player to join West Ham so they can bring in Danso.
Abraham has been with Roma since August 2021 and has been a prominent figure when fit and available, but last season he fell down the pecking order, playing just eight times in Serie A. Overall, the forward has played 120 times for the club, scoring 37 goals and chipping in with 13 assists.
With just five days left to welcome crucial incomings, Crystal Palace have reportedly set their sights on a Premier League defender in a move that could see the Eagles spend the money gained from the sale of Joachim Andersen to Fulham.
Amid two defeats in two games against Brentford and West Ham United, the last thing that Oliver Glasner and Palace needed was Andersen's exit. But Fulham came swooping in nonetheless and off the Dane went in a deal worth around a reported £30m. His exit could at least mean that Marc Guehi's future, for this season, remains at Selhurst Park despite a reported bid of £65m from Newcastle United.
Even with Guehi seemingly set to stay put, however, Palace may have plenty of work to do before the window slams shut, having been linked to the likes of Max Lacroix and Raheem Sterling in what could be one of the most surprising deals of the summer.
Before they potentially steal the headlines by landing the Premier League winner though, they've reportedly set their sights on another reinforcement. According to Alan Nixon on his Patreon via Molineux News, Crystal Palace are now eyeing a move to sign Rayn Ait-Nouri from Wolverhampton Wanderers, who value their defender at more than £30m.
The left-back was reportedly the subject of interest from Liverpool earlier in the window, but as we know, a move never materialised. Now, those at Selhurst Park could take full advantage to land competition for Tyrick Mitchell and perhaps even reportedly use Sam Johnstone in a player-plus-cash deal, given Wolves' interest in the goalkeeper.
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That said, a deal is likely to be a difficult one for Palace to seal ahead of deadline day, given that Wolves are direct rivals in the battle to avoid Premier League relegation and push towards the top half. What's more, the fact that the Midlands club already allowed left-back Hugo Bueno to leave on loan to Feyenoord this summer suggests that Ait-Nouri will not be up for sale.
Of course, it's not just Mitchell that Ait-Nouri would compete with if Palace did manage to land his signature this summer. His ability to play left-midfield as well as in the number 10 role and on the right-hand side means that Glasner could yet get the chance to work with a player capable of making an impact all across his current side.
Alas, Wolves boss Gary O'Neil won't be too keen to lose his defender, having been full of praise for Ait-Nouri last season. O'Neil told the club's official website: “I’m enjoying working with Rayan, I think he’s an incredible talent, a great guy and he brings a real enthusiasm and life to the place. We can use him anywhere so, unfortunately, at the moment we have to because we don’t have many others.
“But he is talented enough when we roll him in and play him in midfield a few times and we played him as a right 10 in the second half today, and he’s come on loads – his work rate and everything about him."
Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has ruled out the possibility of signing a back-up for Harry Kane in the January transfer window.
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Kane has missed Bayern's last four gamesSuffered injury against Borussia DortmundBayern won't sign backup in JanuaryFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The England captain has missed Bayern Munich's last four matches across all competitions after sustaining an injury in his team's 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund at the end of November. The German giants hoped he would be fit in time for Saturday's Bundesliga match against Mainz, however, he was left out of the squad as Vincent Kompany's side went down 2-1.
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Bayern have now lost two out of the four matches which Kane missed and on Saturday the team's attack looked pale and toothless in front of the goal. Sporting director Eberl, however, ruled out the possibility of signing a new striker in January as a backup for the Englishman as he claimed that the club do not want to waste money.
WHAT MAX EBERL SAID
Speaking to , Eberl said: "Because we think we have a squad that has the quality to achieve the goals we have set for ourselves. As the saying goes: Bayern aren't money-wasters either. But we have great numbers because we always think economically."
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gettyWHAT NEXT FOR HARRY KANE?
Kompany provided an update on the 31-year-old's condition as he claimed that the striker is expected to return to action by next week and could start against RB Leipzig in the club's upcoming Bundesliga fixture on Friday.
Christian Pulisic hopes to inspire kids in the U.S. by helping AC Milan reach the latter stages of the Champions League.
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Pulisic wants to 'inspire kids back home'Reveals Champions League ambition with AC MilanAC Milan take on Slavia Bratislava on TuesdayFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The United States men's national team star has become a mainstay in the AC Milan lineup ever since he moved to Italy from Chelsea. Pulisic is hopeful of inspiring the next generation of youngsters in his homeland to pursue the sport and dream of making it big in Europe as he bids to help the Rossoneri compete for Champions League glory.
AdvertisementWHAT CHRISTIAN PULISIC SAID
In a chat with UEFA.com, the winger said: "I'm really proud to be an American. I hope that what I do on the pitch is really inspiring kids back home in the US and saying: 'You know what, maybe I can go over to Europe and I can do it too.' I had some Americans who played in Europe that I looked up to, but not a lot playing at the highest level.
"Now you can see already that there are more and more players coming through, Americans playing in Europe. To see the support back home, to see how the sport has grown since I've been in Europe the last ten years, back in the US, it's really special to me. [I'm] definitely proud to represent my country."
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When asked about his ambitions and targets with the Rossoneri on their 125th anniversary, the 26-year-old added: "It's a club that's always striving for success. We want to win titles. I think you can feel it around the building. It's an important aspect to this club. With all the history of the club, you feel it every day when you walk into the training ground that we're here to have a good time, but we want to win.
"The Champions League is always right up at the top as far as the competitions that you play in. So we want to continue to perform there and give ourselves an opportunity to go far in the competition."
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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR AC MILAN?
Paulo Fonseca's side will next be seen in action in Europe on Tuesday as they take on Slovan Bratislava in a Champions League clash away from home.
Pep Guardiola is already thinking about adding "more trophies" to the Manchester City cabinet after signing a fresh contract.
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Guardiola extends his stay at EtihadHas signed a new two-year dealGeared up to win more trophies with CityFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Guardiola has reaffirmed his commitment to Manchester City by signing a new two-year contract, which will extend his tenure at the club to an impressive 11 seasons. The Spanish manager, who joined City in 2016, has overseen a period of unprecedented success, capturing six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups, and a Champions League trophy. With the new deal in place, Guardiola has expressed his desire to keep building on this legacy and bring even more silverware to the Etihad Stadium.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
In an announcement video he said: "So honestly I think myself, my staff and friends, I think we deserve to be here. I am sorry to say. I am not arrogant to say, but it’s the truth. I think we deserve after four defeats in a row to bounce back and try to turn the situation. In that moment, in the period, I had the feeling you have to take the right decisions for the future and I want to take it. Since the beginning of the season I’ve been thinking a lot. I want to be honest, I thought this [season] should be the last one. But the problems we had in the last month, I felt now was not the right time to leave. I didn’t want to let the club down. I felt I could not leave now, simple as that. Don’t ask me the reason why. Maybe the four defeats was the reason why I felt I cannot leave. Manchester City means so much to me. This is my ninth season here – we have experienced so many amazing times together. I have a really special feeling for this football club. That is why I am so happy to be staying for another two more seasons.”
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While the announcement of the new contract brings optimism, Guardiola finds himself navigating one of the most challenging periods of his City career. For the first time under his leadership, the club have suffered four consecutive defeats, a streak the club hasn’t experienced since August 2006, during Stuart Pearce’s tenure.
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR GUARDIOLA?
As the club looks to end its current losing streak, Guardiola’s renewed contract serves as a reminder of the management's enduring belief in the manager and his potential. He will next lead his troops against Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Tottenham Hotspur and technical director Johan Lange by extension are ready to green-light an exit for a "key" £60 million player this summer.
Players who could be sold or loaned out by Spurs
A succession of players have already departed N17, either on loan or temporarily, as Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou attempts to rebuild the squad ahead of the Australian's second full season in charge.
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Ryan Sessegnon, Japhet Tanganga, Eric Dier and Ivan Perisic were first out the door at Tottenham, following the expiry of their contracts at N17, with Spurs also electing to terminate Tanguy Ndombele's contract one year before it was due to expire.
The former club-record signing has since joined OGC Nice in Ligue 1, and Wales international defender Joe Rodon soon followed Ndombele. The centre-back put pen to paper on a £10 million move to Leeds, as English sensation Archie Gray moved in the opposite direction for around £40 million.
Son Heung-min
7.30
James Maddison
7.17
Pedro Porro
7.05
Cristian Romero
7.04
Dejan Kulusevski
7.03
Ratings via WhoScored
A few more players could be set to join the aforementioned players in seeking pastures new. Indeed, uncertainty currently surrounds the likes of Giovani Lo Celso and Bryan Gil, with both men scarcely getting a chance under Postecoglou last season.
Meanwhile, both Milan and Borussia Dortmund have been chasing a deal for Emerson Royal, who was forced to play second-fiddle to Pedro Porro for the majority of 2023/24 – or fill in for injured first-teamers in makeshift roles.
There is also the matter of striker Richarlison. The Brazilian, who's reportedly attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and PIF, actually finished last campaign as Tottenham's second-highest goalscorer in all competitions.
He chalked up 12 goals and registered another four assists, largely due to an impressive mid-season purple patch, but Tottenham remain in the market for a prolific new striker to replace Harry Kane regardless. The Lilywhites' rumoured hunt for a centre-forward casts doubt on Richarlison's future, with HITC now providing an update on the 27-year-old.
Lange ready to green-light Tottenham exit for Richarlison
The outlet backs Saudi interest in the former Everton star, and they go one step further by writing that Tottenham are ready to green-light Richarlison's sale this summer.
It's added that they would want £60 million to reach a deal, which is the same price they paid to bring the "key" forward from Goodison Park two years ago. Richarlison has personally told the Saudi Pro League he'd be open to joining one of their clubs as well, so it's a move that could get his approval.
The South American endured a regrettable first full season under Antonio Conte at Spurs, but rediscovered his best form in flashes last season working with Postecoglou.
All in all, Richarlison has racked up 15 goals and eight assists across 66 appearances in all competitions since putting pen to paper on a move from Merseyside.
With the transfer window now officially open, Tottenham Hotspur must work fast to bring in the players Ange Postecoglou needs to make a real push back into the top four next season.
Luckily for the Australian, Daniel Levy and Co are doing precisely that, as the club have been linked to names like Eberechi Eze and Ivan Toney in the last few days.
However, the latest player touted for a move to N17 has been likened to Alexander Isak and could be the perfect Richarlison upgrade.
According to a recent report from the i, Tottenham are one of several clubs interested in signing LOSC Lille's Jonathan David this summer.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that West Ham United, Aston Villa, and Manchester United are all keen on the Canadian, with the latter having already contacted the player's representatives.
While the interest from other sides is far from ideal, the good news is that, according to the i, the forward will be available for as little as £25m due to his contract expiring next year.
It may prove challenging to get ahead of the other interested clubs, but at that price, Spurs cannot afford to miss out on the opportunity to upgrade Richarlison with David, especially when he's been compared to Isak.
So, before we look at how David compares to Richarlison, let's first examine this comparison to Isak, which primarily stems from FBref.
They look at every player in Europe's top five leagues and then construct a list of the ten most similar players for each position, and according to them, the Newcastle United star is the seventh most similar forward to the Lille man in the top five leagues.
This can be seen best in some of their underlying numbers, such as non-penalty goals, progressive passes, shots on target, goals per shot, and shot on target and shot and goal-creating actions, all per 90.
|
David & Isak |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats per 90 |
David |
Isak |
|
Non-Penalty Goals |
0.58 |
0.64 |
|
Progressive Passes |
2.71 |
2.83 |
|
Shots on Target |
1.47 |
1.44 |
|
Goals per Shot |
0.22 |
0.22 |
|
Goals per Shot on Target |
0.40 |
0.44 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
2.64 |
2.87 |
|
Goal-Creating Actions |
0.31 |
0.40 |
|
All Stats via FBref the 23/24 Premier League Season |
||
So, with his similarities to the Swedish international cleared up, how does the "absolutely insane" marksman, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, compare to the Lilywhites Brazilian number nine?
Well, when it comes to the most essential aspect of a forward, their output, it's a win for the Lille man, and it's not even close.
In his 47 appearances this season, he scored 26 goals and provided nine assists, averaging a goal involvement every 1.3 games.
In comparison, the former Everton man managed a reasonable but nowhere near as impressive haul of 12 goals and four assists in 31 games, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.9 games.
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The “beautiful” talent could propel the Lilywhites into the Champions League places next season.
By
Jack Salveson Holmes
Jun 20, 2024
Ultimately, while Richarlison is a talented player, he has not been clinical enough in the two seasons he has been at Spurs, so if David is available for just £25m, signing him to replace the 27-year-old seems like a no-brainer.