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Santos e WTorre assinarão contrato sobre a construção da nova Vila Belmiro nos próximos dias. A tendência é que a situação seja sacramentada bem antes do fim do ano, quando termina o mandato do presidente Andres Rueda.

As partes se reuniram na tarde desta quarta-feira (16), e a conversa foi considerada positiva, como vinha sendo nos últimos meses. Ainda restam pequenas arestas a serem aparadas no contrato, que ainda não é o definitivo.

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Ainda não há uma data exata para o início das obras. Porém, o clube do litoral paulista trabalha com a projeção de que elas comecem no primeiro semestre de 2024. Inicialmente, Rueda desejava que a construção tivesse o pontapé inicial na reta final de seu mandato.

O NOVO ESTÁDIO E ONDE O SANTOS JOGARÁ DURANTE AS OBRAS

A nova Vila Belmiro terá capacidade para receber em torno de 30.108 pessoas. Isso é praticamente o dobro da realidade atual, pois o estádio conta com 16.068 lugares.

O acordo entre Santos e WTorre é semelhante ao do Palmeiras com a empresa, que administra o Allianz Parque, casa palestrina. O Peixe mantém posse do terreno e não arca com a reforma. Em contrapartida, a corporação do setor imobiliário fica com a concessão e se torna responsável pela administração do estádio durante 30 anos. É estimado que a WTorre gaste cerca de R$ 300 milhões com o projeto.

As obras demorariam cerca de dois anos para serem concluídas. Neste período, a ideia do Peixe é utilizar como casa provisória o Canindé, caso o estádio tenha as condições estruturais necessárias. Outra possibilidade é o novo Pacaembu, que tem previsão para ser reinaugurado em 2024. Essa é a tendência, mas o martelo ainda não está batido.

After Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH)’s fourth successive defeat in IPL 2025, this one against Gujarat Titans (GT), former India player Ambati Rayudu says their bowling is a bigger concern than their batting.Rayudu feels if they are to turn their fortunes around, they need to pick up wickets in the middle overs. In five games, SRH have taken 12 wickets in that phase (overs 7 to 16), with their average (41.33) and economy (9.92) being the third-worst among the ten teams.”I think more than their bowling, it’s their batting that is struggling,” Rayudu said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “In the middle overs, they don’t have anybody who can pick up those crucial wickets and put the opposition under pressure – like how GT have done with Sai Kishore, Rashid [Khan] and Prasidh Krishna. They really tightened the screws.Related

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“I don’t see SRH trying to take wickets. They are just about being defensive and trying to stop batsmen from scoring boundaries. You don’t win the IPL with mediocre middle-overs bowling. You need some really good middle-overs bowlers to pick up those wickets.”On the batting front, before the season started, many expected SRH to post the first 300-plus total of the tournament. They started with 286 for 6 against Rajasthan Royals in their first game, but since then, their ultra-aggressive approach has backfired. While they did score 190 for 9 against Lucknow Super Giants, their scores in the last three games have been 163, 120 and 152 for 8.Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have failed to give the team good starts. While Head has scores of 67 and 47, Abhishek has managed just 51 runs in five innings. In the last four games, SRH’s best opening partnership has been 15. Rayudu, though, does not think Abhishek’s form is a cause for serious concern yet.”I think he just needs a shift in his mindset,” he said. “Just hit those few boundaries along the ground, beside mid-off, [or] mid-on; run those singles; get your 10-15 runs; [and] get your blood flow going. Then the big shots will always come because you have trained for it. You are there to hit them, and they will come. Just spend a little time on the basics. I think SRH will have to come to basics now.”All their top three actually like [good] length a lot. So they are looking to clear the infield and hit those sixes off length, which they have been practising of late. Their backlifts have changed. Abhishek Sharma’s backlift has changed, Ishan Kishan does that. They are lifting the bat much higher so that their hands are higher and they can go for those big shots.”So now what teams are doing is they’re bowling really full to them. Still, these guys are trying to hit over the infield. I think they need to be slightly smart and just hit the gaps, because these are actually half volleys that people are bowling to them. I think a little shift in their mindset [is required], saying, ‘Okay, if it is full, generally as a batsman we are all taught to wait for a full ball.’ So that’s all they need to do: wait for a full ball, hit the gaps, and then let them come and bowl those lengths or short balls, and then you can get after the bowling. They just need to ebb a little bit and then flow.”

Aston Villa have experienced a far from ideal summer transfer window.

Indeed, Unai Emery’s Villans were rocked early on by PSR-related worries, with Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers routinely linked away from Villa Park to try and cough up some much-needed money.

In the end, Jacob Ramsey was sacrificed, as the homegrown midfielder waved the West Midlands goodbye for £43m to join Newcastle United.

In terms of incomings, it has hardly been the most exciting environment, either, with moves for both Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson to leave Chelsea behind for another Premier League shot at redemption going awry.

It could well go down to the wire as the clock ticks down to 7pm on Monday evening, with a dramatic last-gasp move in the offing.

Aston Villa's last-minute business

Strap in to the deadline day rollercoaster; it might well be an intense one for fans of a Villa persuasion.

Indeed, it’s not out of the question that Emiliano Martinez could be leaving Villa Park behind, with reports emerging on Sunday that Manchester United are looking at him to replace error-prone Andre Onana, as the Argentine’s name reappears on their shopping list.

In case Martinez leaves, Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa has emerged on their radar, as has Senne Lammens at Royal Antwerp.

But, the most eye-catching rumour of them has little to do with the ‘keeper department, as Villa prepare a last-gasp swoop for forgotten Red Devils winger Jadon Sancho.

Despite largely impressing last season on loan at Chelsea, Sancho looks to be on the way out of Old Trafford before deadline day is up.

According to the Athletic, the possibility of the £31m-rated attacker coming to Villa Park is being explored as part of a deal that sees Martinez relocate to the Theatre of Dreams.

This could be quite the last-ditch move in the West Midlands, with Emery potentially working his magic on yet another much-maligned United presence, like he did with Marcus Rashford last season on loan.

How Sancho can be Emery's new Rashford

Rashford was in dire need of a confidence boost when walking into Emery’s camp last season, after seeing his Red Devils reputation tarnished in front of his eyes.

After being pushed out of Ruben Amorim’s starting XI in Manchester, it might well have been hard for the 27-year-old to get back to letting his football do the talking.

However, he managed that in style under the Spaniard’s wing, with a sublime four goals and six assists coming his way from just 17 clashes.

Games played

41

Minutes played

2419

Goals scored

5

Assists

10

Trophies

1x

Sancho also silenced some of his vocal naysayers on loan at Stamford Bridge last campaign when deployed regularly down Rashford’s usual left flank, with five goals and ten assists next to his name after 41 games in West London, as a Europa Conference League trophy was even lifted off the back of his short-term heroics.

Hailed as a “special” player by Enzo Maresca, Emery could perhaps the correct manager to raise his game to another level beyond his impressive Chelsea stint, having just proven himself to be the spark that Rashford needed to breathe life back into his own faltering playing days.

The Villans require some more options down either flank, too, with Leon Bailey another notable departure this summer.

That’s where Sancho could come to the rescue, having lined up down either channel for Chelsea last season, as Emery hopes his side can kick on past a turbulent window to be a success story in the Premier League once more.

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After the sale of Jacob Ramsey handed them some wriggle room on the PSR front, Aston Villa are now reportedly eyeing a fresh approach to sign a player who Unai Emery loves.

Emery "accepts" PSR rules in frustrating summer

Aston Villa were finally forced to face their PSR concerns and sell an important member of Emery’s squad in Jacob Ramsey. The academy graduate completed a move to Newcastle United, who are likely to compete with Aston Villa for a place in the top six this season. It’s a move that needed to happen financially, but one that captain John McGinn has already aired his frustration about.

As frustrating as Ramsey’s sale will be for all involved at Villa Park, however, Emery has “accepted” PSR rules and reiterated the pride that he has in his side.

The Spaniard told reporters: “No, I’m not frustrated. I accept the rules, I accept where we are and how we are competing and how we are being ambitious in our capacity to compete with the better teams in the Premier League and in Europe.”

“I think you have to be proud of everything we are doing. But of course, everything we did for me is done now, we have to do it again and again and again and it’s starting again for me to beat these teams and to build, through the result, good performances and try to get our title we have.”

Meanwhile, what Ramsey’s departure has done is hand Villa some room to make some moves of their own, which could yet see them welcome a Premier League rival this month.

Aston Villa eyeing Jackson loan deal

Whilst they’re in no position to match his €60m (£52m) price tag, those at Villa Park could yet bypass FFP rules in a fresh approach to welcome Nicolas Jackson this summer. According to Sky Sports’ Florian Plettenberg, Aston Villa are now eyeing a loan deal to sign Jackson after he was dropped by Chelsea following their own impressive additions.

Emery is reportedly a huge admirer of Jackson, who worked under the Villa boss during their time together at Villarreal, and may yet get the chance to strike a reunion before the transfer window slams shut.

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Dubbed “confident” by former Chelsea and Aston Villa midfielder Joe Cole last season, Jackson could have the perfect opportunity to leave his Stamford Bridge woes behind, courtesy of those in the Midlands.

Aston Villa are now keen on signing a “quality” £40 million striker who former Arsenal striker Ian Wright is a big fan of, according to a new report.

Alejandro Garnacho now open to Aston Villa transfer

The Villans have been very quiet in this transfer window so far, adding just two new players to their squad having been forced to work around PSR requirements before they could pursue any deals.

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Now that issue has passed, and the Premier League edges closer to getting underway, Villa could be about to start making an impact in this transfer window. The Villans are keen to add more power to their forward line, and one player who has emerged as a target is Manchester United’s Alejandro Garnacho.

The Argentine is expected to leave Old Trafford this summer, as the Red Devils don’t consider him a part of their plans, and he’s been left behind in Manchester as the club have jetted off to Chicago for their pre-season preparations.

It was reported last week that Villa made an approach to Garnacho about a move to Villa Park, as United look to get around £70 million for the winger. Now, in a boost to their pursuit, Garnacho is said to be open to the idea of playing for Aston Villa and working under manager Unai Emery. It just remains to be seen if the club can agree a transfer fee with United.

Aston Villa and Wolves in race for Mika Biereth

As the club works on a potential deal for Garnacho, according to Caught Offside, Aston Villa are also interested in signing striker Mika Biereth from AS Monaco.

The report states that Biereth’s fine form since joining the French side has now caught the attention of not just Villa but Newcastle United, Wolves and Everton from the Premier League. Indeed, the forward joined Monaco in January and scored an impressive 13 goals in 16 Ligue 1 games.

Despite the fact that he is under contract until 2030, Caught Offside reports that Biereth can leave Monaco for a fee of £40 million, which would mean Monaco would make a huge profit after paying Sturm Graz just €13 million (roughly £11 million) six months ago.

The 22-year-old is already known in England, as he started his career at Fulham, and while he didn’t play for the first team, he earned a move to Arsenal. Biereth didn’t play again in the first team, but he scored 11 goals in 21 Premier League 2 games in the 2021/22 season.

Apps

16

Starts

16

Goals

13

xG

11.32

Left-footed goals

1

Right-footed goals

12

Shots per game

2.6

Chance conversion

31%

Assists

2

Big chances created

8

During his time in the UK, Biereth had a spell at Motherwell, during which he was dubbed “quality” by manager Stuart Kettlewell. Meanwhile, after his spell at Arsenal, Ian Wright was left very impressed by his performances and stated he was “incredibly proud of him”.

حقق حرس الحدود، الفوز على نظيره زد، بهدف نظيف، في اللقاء الذي جمع بين الفريقين اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

واستضاف الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي زد، نظيره حرس الحدود على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، في إطار منافسات الجولة التاسعة من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

طالع| فيديو | زد يفوز على الاتحاد السكندري ويقتحم المربع الذهبي في الدوري المصري

وجاء هدف حرس الحدود الوحيد، في شباك زد، عن طريق إبراهيم عبد الحكيم برأسية من ركلة ركنية نفذها أحمد الشيخ في الدقيقة 39.

وأشهر حكم المباراة بطاقة حمراء لمحمد أشرف روقا لاعب حرس الحدود في الدقيقة 89 من زمن الشوط الثاني.

وبهذه النتيجة، ارتفع رصيد فريق حرس الحدود إلى النقطة الحادية عشر في المركز التاسع، بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وعلى الجانب الآخر، توقف رصيد زد عند النقطة الثانية عشر في المركز السابع، بجدول ترتيب الدوري المصري الممتاز. أهداف مباراة حرس الحدود وزد

Chelsea are on the verge of finalising an “excellent” player’s exit from Stamford Bridge, according to one media source, and it could be a move which seriously suits all parties.

Enzo Maresca has a seriously bloated squad that needs trimming, especially factoring in their recent fine from UEFA for breaking FFP rules.

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The likes of Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are taking home six-figure pay packets each week but are currently nowhere near the first team, with Borussia Dortmund director Sebastian Kehl recently confirming the club’s intention to re-sign the latter.

“We will definitely have some more discussions in the next few days about his situation,” said Kehl.

“We will try to keep him because he’s a very good player.

“It’s always easier to loan a player than to buy one, especially within Carney’s [price] range, but let’s see. We are not that far advanced [in talks] at the moment, but I can tell you that we are pretty close to the player, and he loves Dortmund.

“Everything else will be decided between Chelsea and us. That won’t be tomorrow. That won’t be on Tuesday. I think it will take some more days.”

Sterling’s £325,000-per-week wages are proving a serious drain on Chelsea in particular, with Fulham reportedly considering a move for the 30-year-old if they can navigate the finances involved.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season

Average match rating

Cole Palmer

7.33

Moises Caicedo

7.02

Enzo Fernández

6.95

Nicolas Jackson

6.88

Noni Madueke

6.82

via WhoScored

However, journalist Simon Phillips reports that Sterling’s desire to remain in London is making it difficult for BlueCo to sell him.

Alongside the aforementioned names, Lesley Ugochukwu, João Félix, Renato Veiga, Christopher Nkunku, David Datro Fofana, Armando Broja, Axel Disasi, Noni Madueke, Nicolas Jackson and Djordje Petrovic are other players who could leave Chelsea this summer.

Of course, there are those promising young players who simply need to leave the club on a temporary deal to acquire more game time, with a view to a potential first-team slot in future seasons.

One of them, according to Sky Sports Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, is goalkeeper Mike Penders.

Chelsea "close" to agreeing Mike Penders loan deal to Strasbourg

Taking to X this lunchtime, Tavolieri reports that Penders’ loan to sister club Strasbourg from Chelsea is now “close” to being finalised.

The 19-year-old, who Chelsea signed from KRC Genk last summer, remained in the Jupiler Pro League for another season before officially linking up with Maresca this summer.

Penders was also named in Maresca’s Club World Cup squad, securing a spot on the bench for Chelsea’s games against Esperance, Benfica, Palmeiras and Fluminense, but the towering 6 foot 7 shot-stopper now appears close to sealing a temporary exit to further his development.

Some reports have previously claimed that BlueCo hold high hopes for Penders, who they privately liken to ex-Chelsea star Thibaut Courtois, with Malmo’s head academy goalkeeping coach, Matt Pyzdrowski, sharing his main strengths.

“Commanding his area is what he’s best at,” Pyzdrowski said to The Athletic.

“He’s really, really excellent at taking an aggressive position and very comfortable coming and taking high balls into his penalty area, even right up to the edge of the box. His timing is very good, and he loves to catch the ball rather than punch.

“That’s why I call him a mix between Ederson and Courtois, because Ederson has that aggressiveness commanding his box but Courtois has the hands to catch and hold the ball.”

Newcastle United are now exploring a move to sign an “extraordinary” £35 million defender ahead of Leeds United, according to a recent report.

Newcastle confident of landing Kudus after missing out on key targets

It has so far been a difficult transfer window for the Magpies, even though they secured a place in next season’s Champions League. Eddie Howe’s side have already missed out on signing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, as the Cameroon international closes in on a move to Manchester United, and they have now missed out on Joao Pedro, as he joins Chelsea.

Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga is also another target of Newcastle’s, but they have already seen a bid rejected, and the Reds are determined to keep their winger. That means Newcastle are having to identify alternative targets, and according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Newcastle are now confident they can sign Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

The Hammers are looking to sell the attacker in this transfer window, and therefore, they are likely ready to accept less for him than his £85 million release clause.

Newcastle explore move to sign £35m defender ahead of Leeds

As the Magpies weigh up a move for Kudus, according to reliable reporters Craig Hope and Simon Jones of The Daily Mail, Newcastle are looking into a move to sign defender Leonardo Balerdi from Marseille.

The Magpies are in need of a new centre-back this summer, and their search has now taken them to Balerdi, who is the captain of the French side.

The report states that Juventus have been looking into a move for the player, but given their financial situation, Newcastle sense an opportunity to pounce and beat them to his signature. However, they also face Leeds United in this race for the Argentine international, as back in May, they were given a boost in their pursuit as the player refused to rule out a move in this transfer window.

The 26-year-old played 27 times in Ligue 1 last season under former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, and given he is under contract until the summer of 2028, Marseille are looking to get around £35 million for his services should he leave this summer.

The French side are back in the Champions League next season, but the Magpies will hope the offer to play in the Premier League can help bring the Argentina international to St. James’ Park.

Apps

27

Starts

27

Clean sheets

4

Passing accuracy per game

87.4 (94%)

Key passes

0.3

Interceptions per game

1.4

Tackles per game

2.0

Clearances per game

2.7

Ground duels won

3.5 (59%)

Aerial duels won

1.5 (63%)

De Zerbi has only worked with the defender for a season, but the Marseille boss was left impressed by his performances last season, as he labelled Balerdi “extraordinary”. He said: “Balerdi? I hope that the big European teams don’t realise that he exists. I say every night before going to sleep that I am happy that he is going under the radar of the big teams. He is an extraordinary player.”

Manchester City’s spending spree is only just getting started.

On Monday, the Sky Blues unveiled Rayan Aït-Nouri as their first summer signing, arriving for a reported £31m from Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the Algerian international left-back eligible to debut in the Citizens’ Club World Cup opener against Wydad Casablanca in Philadelphia next Wednesday.

Meantime, widespread reports suggest that Tijjani Reijnders will arrive from AC Milan for £46.3m, with more signings on the way too, so could a high-profile Man City stalwart be on his way out, possibly to a Premier League rival, to make way for these new recruits?

What Rayan Cherki will bring to Manchester City

David Ornstein of The Athletic reported last week that Manchester City had ‘reached an agreement’ with Olympique Lyonnais over the signing of Rayan Cherki, agreeing to pay around £34m.

Rob Dawson and Julien Laurens of ESPN claimed that Man City were hoping to finalise the deal in time for Cherki to feature during the Club World Cup group stages, with that move having now been confirmed by the club ahead of the deadline.

In terms of what City’s latest arrival will bring to the Etihad, Stuart James and Tom Williams of the Athletic believe that the 21-year-old possesses a mesmeric ‘capacity to enthral’, labelling him ‘precociously talented’ and citing former Lyon manager Fabio Grosso, who asserted that “god has given him incredible qualities”.

Those traits were notably on show during Lyon’s gripping Europa League quarter-final tie with Manchester United earlier this year, with the youngster scoring a last-gasp equaliser in the first leg, prior to also netting a stunning, driven effort from range in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford.

Described as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, the fleet-footed genius looks destined to be a star under Guardiola’s watch over the coming years.

And so, with such a high-quality midfield talent on his way to the Etihad, could a current Man City star be forced out?

The Man City star destined to depart

As noted by Mark Critchley and Ben Burrows of The Athletic, Jack Grealish has been left out of Manchester City’s squad for this summer’s Club World Cup, thereby not set to travel to the United States, suggesting he is highly likely to leave the club this summer.

Back in December, Richard Jolly of the Independent outlined how, during his four years at the club, Grealish had gone from ‘one of the most exciting attacking players in world football’ to now a player ‘who is neither exciting nor attacking’.

The table below highlights the England international’s decrease in importance.

Appearances

39

50

36

32

Starts

31

41

26

16

Matches an unused sub

11

5

12

15

Minutes

2,730

3,487

2,114

1,521

Goals

6

5

3

3

Assists

4

11

3

5

England caps

11

9

4

3

As the table notes, Grealish was an integral player for Man City during his first two seasons, but the last two he has been nothing more than a peripheral figure.

David O’Brien believes he was “exceptional” during his early years at Man City, but Alex Brotherton of BBC Sport notes that now ‘is the right time to move on’ as he seeks to save his career.

The fact he was an unused substitute in the FA Cup Final, a match they lost 1-0 to Manchester City, is widely considered to be the final nail in the coffin – as too is the arrival of another playmaker in Cherki.

For instance, Cherki racked up 32 goals and assists in all competitions in 2024/25 at Lyon, including 19 goals and assists in league action. Grealish – as noted in the table – was only able to record eight goals and assists, only two of which came in the Premier League. A move away now appears an inevitability.

Indeed, reports in Spain suggest that Newcastle United ‘have set their sights’ on signing him, looking to lodge a bid that would comprise an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy of around £67m.

Ben Jacobs of Talk Sport also claims that both Tottenham and Everton ‘hold a genuine’ interest in signing Grealish too, with Gillian Kasirye of Total Football Analysis documenting how his ‘exceptional ball-carrying ability’ would make him perfect for Spurs.

Thus, Grealish’s Man City exit is likely to be one of the stories of the summer but, regardless of where he ends up, he has surely played his last game in sky blue, with Cherki a readymade, exciting replacement.

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It’s safe to say no Leeds United fan could have envisaged the impact midfielder Ao Tanaka would have had during his debut campaign at Elland Road.

The Japanese international joined the club in a £3.5m deal from German side Fortuna Düsseldorf, a transfer that now appears to be a bargain given his importance to Daniel Farke’s side.

He managed to register 43 appearances in the Championship during 2024/25, scoring five goals in the league, including one against Sheffield United, which was crucial in their promotion battle.

Such displays led to the 26-year-old being included in the Championship Team of the Season, being joined by teammates Jayden Bogle and Daniel James.

If the side are to secure survival in the Premier League next season, they will need to conduct shrewd business, with bargain deals needing to be replicated – just as it was for Tanaka 12 months ago.

The latest on Leeds’ hunt for new signings this summer

With just a couple of weeks until the transfer window opens, Leeds have already started work on numerous deals and are targeting various players across the globe.

James McAtee and Sean Longstaff are just two midfielders who have been touted with a switch to Yorkshire this summer, with their Premier League experience likely to be vital.

However, other targets have been on their radar, including Borussia Mönchengladbach star Julian Weigl, that’s according to a report in Germany, via Sport Witness.

The 29-year-old, who’s been a target in recent months, has once again appeared on their radar, with the report claiming that Farke is keen on a reunion after their stint in the Bundesliga together.

It also states that he may be lured to Elland Road by his compatriot with the opportunity to be a regular starter in their hunt for survival, said to be in any negotiations.

Why Leeds’ latest target could be even better than Tanaka

The chances of securing Premier League safety in 2025/26 will be a tough task for Farke’s men, that’s especially if recent seasons in the top-flight are anything to go by.

Each of the last six teams to reach the promised land have all suffered immediate returns to the Championship, such is the gap between the two divisions.

Such a feat highlights the need for crucial investment, prioritising quality over quantity to build on the impressive work conducted by the German in recent seasons.

Transfer target Weigl would certainly do just that, with the 29-year-old having key experience at the top level, as seen by his stint at Borussia Dortmund over a four-year period.

When comparing his stats to those of Tanaka from the current campaign, he’s managed to match or better him in numerous key areas, highlighting the quality he possesses.

Games played

33

43

Minutes played

2881

3584

Pass accuracy

90%

88%

% of tackles won

61%

50%

Blocks made

1.7

1.2

Interceptions made

1.5

1.4

Take-ons completed

88%

41%

Aerials won

67%

62%

The German, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Toni Kroos, has registered more passes completed this campaign, whilst completing more take-ons, showcasing the threat he poses in possession.

He’s also managed to win more of the tackles he’s entered, whilst completing more interceptions – handing the Whites an added defensive presence in what’s likely to be a difficult campaign.

Weigl has also won more aerial duels, potentially posing a threat from set pieces, offering a different dimension as the club looks to buck the recent trend in the Premier League.

It’s unclear how much a deal for the Mönchengladbach star would set the hierarchy back this summer, but from the stats he’s produced, he could prove to be a superb addition.

If he’s able to get anywhere near the levels produced by Tanaka in recent months, he will be an excellent option in the top flight and potentially provide the difference between safety and relegation.

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