Arsenal willing to pay £90m+ to sign “energetic” £205,000-a-week star

Arsenal are believed to be willing to make a £94m offer to sign an “incredibly energetic” star this summer, according to a fresh transfer update.

Arsenal transfer news

Mikel Arteta has assembled arguably one of the Gunners' most impressive squads of all time, ensuring that they are still fighting for both Premier League and Champions League glory in April. That doesn't mean that more top-quality signings aren't needed in the summer transfer window, in order to make the north Londoners an even more daunting proposition moving forward.

Bologna attacker Joshua Zirkzee is one player who has been linked with a move to the Emirates, even being called "better than Erling Haaland", summing up how highly he is rated. He has 13 goal contributions (10 goals and three assists) in 26 Serie A starts in 2023/24 to date.

Another reported target is Martin Zubimendi, who Arteta is believed to be a huge fan of, with his compatriot shining at Real Sociedad currently, starting 27 La Liga matches this season and scoring four goals in the competition.

Martin Zubimendi

Arsenal could also look to add to their attack in the summer, in order to have a more prolific striker leading the line than Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, and both Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have been backed to join in the coming months.

Arsenal want "incredibly energetic" Real Madrid star

According to a new claim from Defensa Central, Arsenal are willing to spend as much as €110mm (£94m) to sign Real Madrid midfielder Edouardo Camavinga. The £205,000 per week midfielder's current deal doesn't expire until the summer of 2029, however.

The Gunners believe he can be an even greater force in the Premier League than in Spain, in terms of the attributes he possesses in his game.

In truth, Arsenal could find it hard to snap up Camavinga, considering what a prized asset he is at Madrid currently, arguably standing out as one of the finest midfielders in Europe. At just 21 years of age, he is already a key man for the European giants, showcasing his versatility by excelling at left-back, too.

Carlo Ancelotti has made it very clear how highly he thinks of the France international recently, saying of him:

"This is exactly what he's shown since arriving here, that he can make more of a difference coming off the bench. He is incredibly energetic. Eduardo is very young, he has to improve and learn more about how positioning, but he is still very important to us."

It is so encouraging to see Arsenal even in the conversation for such a brilliant footballer, outlining how much progress has been made under Arteta in recent years, and Camavinga could be a sensational addition to the squad.

Arsenal ready contract offer for striker called "better than Haaland"

He could earn just under £100,000-a-week at the Emirates.

ByCharlie Smith Apr 7, 2024

He is a player who may go on to become world-class for a long time, assuming he avoids serious injury, but it would be a surprise if Madrid were willing to part ways with him any time soon unless he suddenly decides that he wants a fresh challenge. It'll be interesting to see if Arsenal launch a huge bid, though.

Another Lioness in the NWSL? Angel City teases Katie Zelem signing after England midfielder's Manchester United exit

Lionesses midfielder Katie Zelem has been teased as the latest signing for NWSL side Angel City, after leaving Manchester United earlier this summer.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Man Utd captain Zelem left club this summerStill no news on England midfielder's next moveBut Angel City have now teased the Lioness' arrivalWHAT HAPPENED?

Despite captaining the Red Devils for the last five years, Zelem's expiring contract was surprisingly not renewed by the club at the end of the 2023-24 season. A former youth player with Man Utd, the midfielder returned to the club when they relaunched a women's senior team in 2018. She helped them win promotion to the Women's Super League in that first season and then lifted the FA Cup, a first major title for the women's side, back in May.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Zelem's next destination has been up in the air for some time, with strong rumours of interest in the England international coming from overseas over the last few months. The announcement of that new chapter is now imminent, after NWSL side Angel City teased a new signing.

WHAT ANGEL CITY POSTED

On Thursday, the club shared a clip which included a voice note from its new signing and social media was quick to recognize the distinctive Mancunian accent despite the identity of the player being hidden.

"Hey everyone, it's [name bleeped out] here," the new arrival said. "I'm so excited to have joined Angel City FC. I can't wait to see you all at BMO Stadium. See you soon LA."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

DID YOU KNOW?

Zelem will not be the first Lioness to move stateside this summer. Esme Morgan, the former Manchester City defender, was announced as a new signing for the Washington Spirit back in June, with Jess Carter then making the switch from Chelsea to Gotham a couple of weeks ago.

Ipswich could soon soften Moore exit by unleashing Al-Hamadi rival

Ipswich Town, despite not picking up a win in their last three Championship fixtures, surprisingly still find themselves at the very top of the second-tier summit.

Kieran McKenna's men have stunned the league this season, winning promotion up from League One and taking the division by storm to be placed above Leicester City and Leeds United, two clubs who were playing Premier League football at the same time the Tractor Boys were facing off against the likes of Fleetwood Town and Burton Albion.

Additions to the Suffolk-based club's ranks this January have undoubtedly helped to strengthen this unlikely promotion push, with Kieffer Moore signing on loan from AFC Bournemouth a fantastic deal for Ipswich as the Welshman has bagged six goals from 15 league games since joining.

Beating promotion rivals to Moore's signature, Ipswich will have to soon worry about who can fill his boots when the Cherries man returns to his parent club with this forgotten-about Tractor Boys attacker patiently waiting for his time to shine.

Gassan Ahadme's time at Ipswich

Making only eight appearances to date for Ipswich, Gassan Ahadme might not be the most instantly recognisable name to supporters of the Championship title candidates at first glance.

Netting just once from his brief time in the first-team in Suffolk, the former Norwich City youth player has failed to really set the world alight since relocating to the Canaries' arch-rivals.

Ipswich didn't just go after Ahadme with no adequate planning in place however, the 23-year-old had become a feared striker with Burton at League One level before moving to Portman Road by netting nine goals from 29 games at the Pirelli Stadium.

Ahadme has managed to pick up from where he left off in a Brewers shirt back at that level this season, becoming a potent goalscorer once more whilst donning a Cambridge United strip on loan.

Ahadme's statistics with Cambridge

The fringe Ipswich man could well have breathed life back into his stuttering Tractor Boys career with the goals he's managed with the U's this campaign, firing in 12 goals from 29 games in all competitions this season.

Described as an "outstanding" talent by previous Cambridge boss Mark Bonner before his sacking, Ahadme remains Cambridge's top scorer this season as well despite missing large chunks of the campaign owing to injury difficulties.

It might viewed as a risk, with this information in hand, to throw him into the deep end of playing for Ipswich soon, considering McKenna's men know all too well about strikers pulling up with injuries in George Hirst who has been out of action since the end of December.

Yet, Ipswich will hope that Ali Al-Hamadi's success story in rising up from League Two to play for an Ipswich side teetering towards the Premier League can be replicated somewhat by the forgotten figure of Ahadme on his return from Cambridgeshire.

Al-Hamadi has taken to the jump-up in quality admirably well, helping himself to four goals in the depleted centre-forward positions in Suffolk after lining up for AFC Wimbledon in the fourth tier not too long ago.

Ali Al-Hamadi

McKenna will no doubt want more bodies to pick from up top next season whether Ipswich do seal an unbelievable promotion or stay put in the second tier, with the Tractor Boys potentially giving Ahadme a clean slate at Portman Road in the process after failing to utilise him effectively in the past.

With Moore potentially ditching Ipswich to return to the South Coast, and the likes of Kayden Jackson and Freddie Ladapo being moved on as reserve options up top, it might well finally be Ahadme's big break at Ipswich if everything aligns.

Ipswich struck gold with “fantastic” gem who's now worth more than Davis

Ipswich Town played a blinder signing this gem when they did.

ByKelan Sarson Mar 13, 2024

Waqar Hasan, last link to Pakistan's inaugural Test XI, dies at 87

Waqar played more than a decade and a half of first-class cricket, and also served as a national selector

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Feb-2020Waqar Hasan, the last surviving member of Pakistan’s inaugural Test team, which played India in Delhi in October 1952, has died in Karachi at the age of 87.A middle-order batsman, Waqar’s first outing in Test cricket wasn’t too auspicious, as he scored 8 and 5 in an innings defeat, but he ended the five-Test series as Pakistan’s highest run-maker, with 357 runs at an average of 44.62, including three half-centuries. Waqar went on to play 21 Test matches during the course of a first-class career that spanned more than a decade and a half, from 1948-49 to 1965-66.He finished with 1071 runs in 35 Test innings, an average of 31.50, and hit a century and six half-centuries. His first-class average was 35.64.”Waqar Hassan was an attractive strokemaker, who was ideal in a crisis and and a fine field either at cover or further out,” Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote of Waqar in .ALSO READ: ‘Pakistan’s first tour of India was my most memorable'”It gives me immense satisfaction to have achieved many firsts for Pakistan: first to score a half-century in each innings of a Test [Bombay, 1952-53], first Test half-century in England [Lord’s, 1954], first Test half-century at home, and first to score two half-centuries in a home Test [Dacca, 1954-55], first century partnership [with Hanif Mohammad, Bombay, 1952-53], first double-century partnership [with Imtiaz Ahmed, Lahore, 1955-56],” Waqar recounted in an interview with in November 2012, by which time he had started splitting his time between Karachi and London.Originally from Lahore, Waqar shifted to Karachi in 1945 after being offered a job with the Public Works Department, and by the early 1960s, he launched a textile machinery business. The reason, as he explained, was financial. “I had lost my regular place in the Test team but my main reason for quitting cricket after the 1959-60 season was financial,” he said. “I opted out at the age of 27 to establish my business. I had seen the likes of Amir Elahi and Wazir Ali living not-so-happy lives in their later years.”He did, however, return to the game for a brief fling as a player. “In 1963-64, after being out of first-class cricket for four years, on the insistence of the officials of the Karachi cricket association, I agreed to captain the team,” he said. “I played only three more first-class tournaments in two years but we achieved remarkable results. We won all the three first-class tournaments – the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy [twice] and the Ayub Trophy.”In the 1963-64 Quaid-e-Azam Trophy final, my second-string Karachi Blues defeated the Karachi Whites, who had in their line-up five Test captains of the past and future. I played for fun with no ambition of making a Test comeback.”Waqar also served as a national selector, in spells during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Barcelona turn to Bayern Munich winger as they are frustrated in Nico Williams transfer pursuit

Barcelona may turn to Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman after being left frustrated in their pursuit of Nico Williams.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Barca could consider signing ComanFrustrated in their pursuit of WilliamsComan has offers from several clubsWHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona have been linked with a move for the young Spanish attacker all through the summer, however, Athletic Club recently dropped a hint that the winger would stay put. The Catalan giants are looking to bolster their squad ahead of the 2024/25 season and are desperate to add another attacker alongside Dani Olmo.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Now Fabrizio Romano reports that the Blaugrana have started discussing alternative names and could turn to the out-of-favour Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman. The Bavarian club have already informed the Frenchman that he has been deemed surplus to Vincent Kompany's demands and is free to leave Allianz Arena this summer.

DID YOU KNOW?

While Coman does have offers from multiple clubs in Europe including Paris Saint-Germain, he could consider moving to Camp Nou as manager Hansi Flick is known to be an admirer of the player.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyWHAT NEXT FOR BARCELONA?

Flick's side will be next seen in action on Monday against AS Monaco in the Joan Gamper Trophy final before starting their La Liga season against Valencia on Saturday.

Leeds hit the jackpot on “monster” who’s now worth 3x more than Phillips

Leeds United have been blessed in the forward positions this season in the Championship as they strive for an immediate return to the Premier League, with the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James terrorising second tier defences for fun.

Combined, the Dutchman and the Welshman have scored an impressive 31 goals in all competitions operating down the flanks as tricky and slick wingers.

That's before the dazzling nature of Georginio Rutter is even mentioned, the Frenchman starring for large portions of this season as a creative force with a staggering 18 assists this campaign in total.

But, it's with the ex-Feyenoord winger where Leeds have really hit the jackpot considering they once paid a measly sum of £1.3m to get a far younger and raw Summerville in through the door in 2020.

Crysencio Summerville's time at Leeds

Summerville has been something of a slow burner, but this season in particular, it's fair to say the 22-year-old attacker has exploded into life for Farke's men.

Before 2023/24, Summerville had only scored five goals and contributed with a further three assists across three campaigns.

Now, as a crucial first-team presence however, the electric Whites number ten has 17 goals and eight assists just this season with Farke hopeful that his star's continued excellence can steer Leeds back to the promised land of the Premier League.

It's why Summerville has been labelled as being a "monster" for the automatic promotion candidates, given that tag by football analyst Ben Mattinson late last year.

It's made the £1.3m Leeds paid to tempt the Dutchman over to England four years ago look like an absolute bargain, particularly when you evaluate the hefty price tag the Whites have now put above Summerville's head amidst transfer rumours linking with him a major switch away from Elland Road.

Leeds United'sCrysencioSummerville

Crysencio Summerville's transfer value in 2024

Leeds now value their star man at £45m, according to a report from Football Transfers, which sees the dynamic winger come in now as being worth three times what former Whites legend Kalvin Phillips is currently worth struggling out on loan at West Ham United.

Whilst Summerville's value has skyrocketed, it's fair to say Phillips' own worth has fallen off a cliff ever since he decided to relocate to Manchester City.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

According to FootballTransfers, Phillips is now worth just €15.5M (£13.2m) which pales into insignificance contrasted with Summerville's bumped-up price from the powers that be at Leeds.

In the current Leeds squad, the one-time Whites icon would find himself way down the list of the most valued assets at Farke's disposal.

Illan Meslier, Ethan Ampadu and Wilfried Gnonto all boast higher worths now than Phillips, alongside the in-demand Dutch forward.

1. Illan Meslier

€24.2m (£20.6m)

2. Ethan Ampadu

€23.9m (£20.4m)

3. Wilfried Gnonto

€20.3m (£17.3m)

4. Archie Gray

€19.8m (£16.9m)

5. Crysencio Summerville

€17.9m (£15.3m)

Scanning the table above, with the knowledge that Leeds now want £45m to even begin thinking about parting ways with their 22-year-old gem, Summerville would be the most valued asset by some distance in the Whites camp.

West Ham midfielder Kalvin Phillips

Summerville's future in a Leeds shirt could really come down to whether or not the West Yorkshire club clinch promotion back to the top flight or fail in their mission, but with how rocky Phillips' career has been since departing Leeds to show the grass isn't always greener, the agile 5 foot 9 forward shouldn't leap into whatever deal first comes his way.

When can Leeds United get promoted? Latest standings, fixtures, results & dates

Leeds are still in the hunt for promotion, but only just…

ByLuke Randall Apr 29, 2024

Umar Akmal facing punishment after misbehaving at fitness test

He is said to have exposed himself in frustration and faces the prospect of being kicked out of the next domestic tournament

Umar Farooq02-Feb-2020Umar Akmal is likely to find himself in hot water with the PCB once more after he is said to have misbehaved with staff during a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy (NCA). The junior Akmal is believed to have exposed himself in frustration during one test, and now finds himself facing the prospect of being kicked out of the next domestic tournament.Akmal’s elder brother Kamran is also expected to land in trouble after both brothers failed their fitness tests by significant margins. Salman Butt, too, could be in trouble with the authorities, after he stormed out of a fitness test when his request to have it rescheduled was denied.The shortcomings of the Akmal brothers around their fitness regimes has been a talking point for several years now, with Umar last falling foul of the PCB management on this count under former head coach Mickey Arthur; he was sent home on the eve of the Champions Trophy in 2017 after a failed fitness test. Kamran, meanwhile, has not played for Pakistan since 2017, with his lack of athleticism in the outfield a major reason for his prolonged exclusion.The perception that the Akmal brothers have never quite bought into the importance of maintaining rigorous fitness standards hasn’t helped their chances, and for all the changes that Misbah-ul-Haq has sought to bring since taking over from Arthur, the management’s commitment to high fitness standards remains undiluted. Misbah has sought to impose the same high standards in domestic cricket, with each provincial side required to regulate fitness tests on a quarterly basis.ESPNcricinfo understands Umar’s behavior fell short of the mark during the skin-fold test, when he exposed himself completely in front of the trainer and is said to have asked him “Where is the fat?” According to Kamran, Umar did it in mischief and said it was simply a “misunderstanding”. The PCB confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that they were fully aware of the matter, and looking at potential punishments in the context of bringing the game into disrepute. Umar could potentially be axed from the upcoming domestic one-day cup.Kamran, meanwhile, skipped two fitness tests, before ending up failing in nearly all departments when he finally did take one. Central Punjab’s squad was called up at the NCA in batches, with Kamran scheduled to appear for his test on January 11. He skipped that test, purportedly because he had a photoshoot with Peshawar Zalmi. His test was then pushed back to January 20, only for him to opt out, informing the management he was suffering from a bout of fever. He would undertake his test on January 28, alongside his brother, with both falling well short of the required benchmarks.”I had informed the management each time I didn’t come,” Kamran told ESPNcricinfo. “I had reasons and I came on January 28 for the test. As far result is concerned, you will see an improvement in the next test after the PSL.”Misbah has been repeatedly asked about Kamran’s absence from the national side, most recently for the Test squad to face Bangladesh in the first Test at Rawalpindi Stadium on Saturday. “Both of our openers have scored runs, and obviously you only recall a player when there is a place for him,” Misbah had responded. “Certain players are performing so you have to wait.”Both Akmal brothers and Butt have not signed any contracts with their provincial teams, nor with the PCB, and were playing domestic cricket without any contractual obligation.

Public health crisis needs to get 'drastically better' before England play – Moeen Ali

“Very difficult” to feel motivated behind closed doors, says allrounder

George Dobell29-Apr-2020Moeen Ali has suggested the public health situation in the UK would have to “get drastically better” before players would consider a return to cricket.While Moeen accepted that both players and the wider public want a return to action as soon as possible, he believes it “would be very difficult to get players to play [while] things are not safe”.At present, the ECB have announced there will be no professional cricket before July 1 as they attempt to deal with the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. But while they continue to look into the feasibility of hosting games in bio-secure environments, there is widespread expectation that further delays to the season look likely. Moeen, at least, does not envisage a swift return and has already called for the launch of the Hundred to be delayed a year.ALSO READ: Five key issues for the ECB in face of Covid-19 disruption”Of course we want – everyone wants us – to be playing cricket but if things are not safe it would be very difficult to get players to play,” Moeen said.”At the moment it’s too early. 500 people dying [a day] is still a big number. That would have to get drastically better for players to consider playing.”There’s still some time to go. In my mind there’s probably three or four weeks – maybe a couple of months – that it would take for us to start training.”The ECB are very open with us and we’re having a lot of dialogue. Hopefully sport will be back on soon but when the time is right, everyone is safe and the players don’t feel like they’re going out to play and they might get it. With so many people dying around the world – and in this country in particular – it’s difficult for the players to really switch on.”Moeen also expressed reservations about playing behind closed doors, but accepted it will “probably have to be the case for a while.”The final rounds of PSL group games were played without fans•AFP”We played the last two or three games in the PSL with no-one in the crowd and it was so bad,” Moeen said. “It’s different and it’s not quite the same. It was actually very difficult to play in an empty stadium.”If was very difficult to get yourself up for the game. I don’t know what it would be like in an international game but it was so different. It felt like those warm-up games you play before a big series. It’s not ideal, but it will probably have to be the case for a while.”ALSO READ: Moeen ‘probably now ready’ to make Test returnIn the longer term, however, Moeen is now committed to try to fight for a recall to England’s Test side and says a chance to “put things right” in an away Ashes series remains a motivation. Moeen endured a tough Ashes tour in 2017-18 – he averaged 19.88 with the bat and 115 with the ball – and, having subsequently taken a break from the Test game, knows there are now several people ahead of him in selection terms.”In the back of my mind it’s still there,” he said. “I would want to go out and put things right if I was going to play Test cricket in the Ashes. I definitely learned a lot from last time going out there. The type of bowling required out there was different to how I was bowling at the time. It is in the back of my mind but it is still a long way away. And things could change drastically for that as well.”I still back myself to get back into the side and some stage. It’s obviously worked out that no games were played in Sri Lanka and I know the guys selected for that tour are ahead of me. The door is still open to perform and get back in.”

WSL aiming to tap into 'Taylor Swift fanbase' as English women’s football chief executive Nikki Doucet stresses need to 'create different content'

English women’s football chief Nikki Doucet has revealed plans to tap into the 'Taylor Swift' fanbase in a bid to grow the Women's Super League.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Plans underway to grow WSLHoping to tap into Taylor Swift-style fanbaseNew WSL season to kick-off in SeptemberWHAT HAPPENED?

The summer has brought significant changes to the women's game as a new company, Women's Professional Leagues Limited (WPLL), has taken over the Women's Super League and Championship and promised a "new era". Nikki Doucet is leading the charge to continue the growth of the women's game and has outlined some plans for the future.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Doucet told the Guardian that the aim is to "build the most distinctive, competitive and entertaining women’s football club competition in the world", which will require significant investment and an ability to understand the fanbase to grow it further. The new chief feels there are three distinct types of fans: hardcore supporters, those who regularly attend men's games but take their children to more "family friendly" women's matches and a third 'Swifties'-type demographic that remains untapped.

WHAT DOUCET SAID

Doucet said: "In the middle, you have a fan that’s come in through the Lionesses, untethered to the men’s game. They’re not tribal and they’re learning about us. They’re trying to find highlights, they love the players and that’s the biggest group that the football ecosystem doesn’t know enough about. That’s your ‘Taylor Swift fanbase’ for that particular analogy. And I don’t think anyone talks to them in the way that we need to. We have a responsibility to.”

The job is so far proving difficult, with Doucet highlighting the differences with the men's game. She added: “It’s harder than I thought. Because women’s football has to do more to prove the return on investment, so even though we have stats that are comparable to other sports, other challenger sports and other challenger brands, you’re constantly having to prove that there’s a market.

“It’s different to men’s football. It’s easy to sell men’s football today. So we have to invest and learn how to talk to a fanbase that we don’t talk to normally and we have to create different content.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty/ GOALWHAT NEXT FOR THE WSL?

Clubs are currently in pre-season and preparing for the start of the new 2024-25 WSL campaign. The season is due to kick off in September in style with a blockbuster clash between Arsenal and Manchester City. Meanwhile, defending champions Chelsea will begin life after Emma Hayes against Aston Villa.

Spurs must finally cash in on 3/10 flop who’s earning more than Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur know that their fate hinges on their ability to create a winning streak in the closing stage of the Premier League, with the fifth-placed side currently six points behind Aston Villa in the top four, albeit with two games in hand.

The London club's form has been disappointed chequered since a blistering start to life under Ange Postecoglou back in the early phase, though improvements have been made this season and this is the foundation of – hopefully – a prosperous new era.

Ange Postecoglou

Regardless of whether Spurs will clinch a spot in Europe's elite competition next year, there have indeed been tantalising glimpses of what is to come, with the £43m signing of defender Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg last summer proving to be one of the catalysts of the campaign forged – and the likely linchpin of the success yet to come.

Micky van de Ven's season in numbers

Van de Ven might only be 22 years old but he has enjoyed a barnstorming maiden year in England, with his performances leading respected journalist Henry Winter to describe him as one of "the buys of summer."

As per Sofascore, the Dutchman has completed 21 Premier League appearances so far, scoring twice, completing 95% of his passes, winning 61% of his duels and averaging 1.9 tackles, 2.7 clearances and 5.7 ball recoveries per outing.

He's the real deal and Tottenham will go from strength to strength with him and Cristian Romero holding down the fort in central defence.

But he's being let down this season, not covered effectively in his backline role. Indeed, Yves Bissouma is starting to present himself as a liability and he must be sold this summer.

Why Spurs must cash in on Yves Bissouma

Once described as a "monster" by journalist Aaron Stokes, Bissouma is losing his way at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, culpable for some poor performances over recent months.

Yves Bissouma for Tottenham

There's no question that he's a highly talented player, ranking among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 14% for successful take-ons, the top 5% for tackles and the top 7% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

But statistics can be deceiving and the Mali international is not protecting the defence and charging the attack with the fluid fortitude needed.

He's not the highest earner in Tottenham's ranks but his £55k-per-week salary does surpass that of Van de Ven (£50k-per-week), and it might be prudent to relieve the wage bill of his signature, freeing up space to move for an improved star.

Newcastle United (A)

4-0 loss

3/10

Nottingham Forest (H)

3-1 win

6/10

West Ham United (A)

1-1 draw

7/10

Luton Town (H)

2-1 win

5/10

Fulham (A)

3-0 loss

3/10

As the table conveys, Bissouma has been on a downward spiral in recent fixtures, his early-campaign imperiousness long in the past, and is failing to hold his own in the engine room as Postecoglou's side fight for Champions League qualification.

This is reflected in his current market value of just £11m, as per Football Transfers, lower than the prices of peripheral midfield teammates such as Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and Tottenham might seek to cash in this summer.

While it's unlikely that Daniel Levy would recoup the same £35m figure that was parted with for Bissouma's signing from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022, when Nuno Espirito Santo was at the helm, there's every chance that Tottenham will move for a new specialist No. 6 in the months to come.

Should this happen, Bissouma will sink further into the fringe, and his valuation might diminish further. He must be sold to continue the revival under Postecoglou's leadership.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus