Robbie Mustoe believes that Roberto De Zerbi would be a great David Moyes successor at West Ham.
The Lowdown: Pressure growing on Moyes
The pressure is certainly growing on David Moyes with every passing week and every passing Premier League fixture at least as the Hammers find themselves outside of the bottom three but only via goal difference.
While West Ham are very impressive in Europe this season having won every game in the Conference League, if they end up winning that competition but get relegated, not many people will be impressed.
Despite West Ham’s poor run of form this entire season, there have been no grumblings from inside the club with reports suggesting Moyes does indeed still have the backing of the board.
The Latest: De Zerbi would be a top appointment
While nothing appears to be imminent in terms of sacking Moyes, Mustoe has admitted on The 2 Robbie’s podcast that Brighton’s De Zerbi would be a top replacement for Moyes having shown his ability this season averaging 1.44 points per game in the Premier League.
He said: (59:30) “If I was Director of Football at West Ham I would be like, let’s stick with David Moyes, trust him to get us out of it as he’s done it before but in the summer let’s have a look around a little bit.
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“De Zerbi, Roberto De Zerbi I think there’s quite a lot [of potential managers] but how good would he be for West Ham by the way.”
The Verdict: West Ham have a huge decision on their hands
The idea of bringing in De Zerbi to West Ham will be exciting and something the Hammers faithful would likely love to happen, but given where Brighton and West Ham are in the table, it would be a big decision for him to leave the Seagulls.
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As things stand, Brighton are on the cusp of securing European football for the first time in the club’s history and that would likely be too good to ignore and not want to build on for next season from De Zerbi’s point of view.
Even if Moyes is able to turn West Ham’s season around, it would be quite a surprise for them to stick with the Scott heading into next season, just because he seems unable to get the most out of an expensively assembled squad under his watch.
Leeds United have been linked with Standard Liege midfielder Nicolas Raskin recently and the 21-year-old’s potential arrival at Elland Road could allow Jesse Marsch to finally ditch Adam Forshaw.
According to recent reports, Standard Liege are likely to cash in on the young Belgian in January after he refused a new contract with the club, as his current deal is set to expire at the end of the season.
Raskin is attracting interest from the likes of Leeds, Rangers, Barcelona and Marseille this month and all would be free to open negotiations with the young midfielder, with the view of signing him on a Bosman transfer in the summer when his contract runs out.
The youngster’s impressive performances as a defensive midfielder in the Pro League so far this campaign suggest that he could be a big upgrade on Forshaw should he arrive at Elland Road, when considering the 31-year-old’s performances, age and injury issues across recent seasons.
The Belgian midfielder was catching the eye as early as 2019, with journalist Bob Faesen full of praise for Raskin ahead of Standard Liege’s Europa League tie against Rangers.
He said:
“He is still only 19, but he has really shone. He is a box-to-box midfielder. He can play in every position in the middle of the park. He is technically gifted, but he is also a bit of a pitbull. He can run a lot, is powerful and has a good shot. He has been one of the big surprises in Belgium football this season and will be a key player for Liege who Rangers will need to be wary of.”
This season has seen Raskin make 16 appearances in Belgian top-flight, in which he has contributed four assists and earned an impressive 6.91 average rating from WhoScored for his performances.
Forshaw, meanwhile, has no goal contributions in five Premier League appearances this season and has averaged an extremely disappointing 6.15 rating from WhoScored.
Raskin also averaged far more tackles (3.3 vs 0.4), interceptions (0.4 vs none) and key passes (1.1 vs 0.4) per game than Forshaw, which suggests that he would be a significant upgrade in Marsch’s side this month.
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The former Brentford man has been at Elland Road for five years now but has mustered just 84 appearances in that time, with injuries sadly plaguing his time with the Yorkshire outfit.
While he can be a useful squad player on his day, the experienced Englishman’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season and it is surely time that his association with the club was brought to an end.
Therefore, Victor Orta should definitely look at bringing Raskin to the club, either this month or in the summer, as he could prove to be a great replacement for the Whites.
West Bromwich Albion fell to yet another defeat last night, as they were well beaten by Bristol City in front of a miserable Hawthorns.
This result seems to outline that Saturday’s win over Reading was nothing more than a fluke, as they were tactically outdone by a side that has pulled away from them now in the table.
It leaves the Baggies with just one win in their last nine Championship fixtures, and they once again find themselves looking down as they are just one point from safety.
Yet another miserable result, it further emphasises their need to find a long-term replacement to relieve Richard Beale of his duties as interim manager.
Although, he was badly let down today by a few key figures.
Having dragged off Jake Livermore at half time, his midfield stalwart had put up a miserable 6.2 SofaScore rating that was only worsened by Alex Palmer in goal.
However, the true villain of last night’s misery has to be Grady Diangana, who continues to offer little to nothing on that left flank.
Despite his side dominating 58% of the ball, and having 14 shots, not a single one was on target.
He unsurprisingly was given the same rating as Livermore, and too was dragged off on the hour mark.
The 24-year-old only managed to touch the ball 34 times and was particularly wasteful when in possession. He only managed one attempted dribble, in which he was unsuccessful, and also only completed 15 passes. Goalkeeper Palmer even managed to complete more, with 16.
He made no key passes, attempted no crosses or long balls, and somehow even managed to offer even less defensively.
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The toothless winger lost 87.5% of his eight duels, both ground and aerial.
It boggles the mind how Diangana’s form seems to completely have fallen off a cliff, and he continued his poor form tonight.
15 Championship games this season have yielded just two goals and three assists for him. Whoever the new manager is will have a big task on his hands to revitalise this underperforming dud.
Santi Aouna has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Nicolo Zaniolo.
What’s the latest?
In a recent post on Twitter, the Foot Mercato journalist revealed that, following a number of reports linking Fabio Paratici with a move for the AS Roma midfielder this summer, the Italian sporting director is set to enter into fresh negotiations with the Serie A side over a deal for the 23-year-old this week.
In his tweet, Aouna said: “Info: New discussions planned this week between Roma and Tottenham for Zaniolo.”
Supporters will be buzzing
Considering just how exciting an addition Zaniolo would undoubtedly make to Antonio Conte’s options in the middle of the park next season, Aouna’s update concerning Paratici’s talks with the Giallorossi regarding a deal for the Italy international is sure to have left supporters buzzing.
Despite having already suffered two serious cruciate ligament injuries in his career, the £33.5m-rated talent more than proved last season that he is back on track to become one of the most talented Italian midfielders currently playing the game.
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Indeed, over his ten appearances in Roma’s Europa Conference League campaign last time out, the £76k-per-week centrocampista highly impressed, scoring five goals, providing four assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.0 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.
These metrics saw the former Inter Milan starlet – who is also more than comfortable operating from attacking midfield, as well as on either wing – average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as Jose Mourinho’s sixth-best player in the Giallorossi’s European triumph. With that in mind, it’s clear to see why he’d be such an exciting signing to Conte’s ranks this summer.
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Furthermore, although his returns were not quite as spectacular domestically, the 23-year-old still impressed over his four big chances for his teammates – playing a key role in his side securing a sixth-place finish in the Italian top flight.
As such, with it being reported that Conte would still like to add a new attacking midfielder to his Tottenham ranks prior to kick-off against Southampton on Saturday afternoon, Zaniolo would very much appear something of a perfect fit for the 52-year-old and his Spurs side – leading us to believe that Paratici must do everything he can to get a €50m (£42m) deal over the line for the nine-cap international in the coming days.
Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell has backed Liverpool to complete a surprising swap deal involving Sadio Mane and Serge Gnabry this summer.
The Lowdown: Both players out of contract next year
The 30-year-old is approaching the final 12 months of his current contract at Anfield, and according to Sky Germany, Bayern Munich are interested in signing the Reds forward during the upcoming transfer window.
Gnabry’s deal with the German giants at the Allianz is also set to expire at the end of next season, and following reports that he is considering a Bundesliga exit amid interest from potential suitors around Europe, this has created the possibility of an exchange between clubs, if both players do indeed leave their current teams.
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The Latest: Swap deal on the table?
When asked during an interview with Football Insider whether or not there could be any good value in a swap deal for the Merseyside outfit, Campbell said it would be a ‘great signing’.
“That could be worth pursuing.
“Gnabry is going to be a sought-after player this summer. I know there is a lot of clubs who like him.
“He is a player who will be hotly pursued because he is still relatively young. We are talking about a Germany international who can play on either side, score goals, is quick and direct.
“He would be a great signing for Liverpool. There will be a lot of competition for Gnabry though. I think Arsenal would like to speak to him if there is an opportunity.”
The Verdict: Would be a shock to lose Mane
There’s no doubt that Gnabry would be a great signing for any team considering how much of a threat he can pose in the final third, having already found the back of the net 17 times and registered ten assists across all competitions for Bayern so far this season, as per Transfermarkt.
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However, despite not getting any younger, Mane would be a huge loss to Jurgen Klopp, as he has been part of the furniture in the Reds’ starting XI since joining in a £34m move from Southampton back in 2016.
During his time at Anfield, the Senegalese superstar has made a staggering 267 club appearances and has recorded 167 goal contributions, and even though the likes of Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota have now provided serious competition for places upfront, Mane still has a hugely integral role to play in leading the line for Liverpool for at least a few more years to come.
In other news… an exciting Reds youngster looks set to leave the club this summer.
Southampton are now eyeing Russell Martin as a replacement for Will Still, who was dismissed on Sunday night, but there could be competition for his signature from their Championship rivals.
After being relegated from the Premier League last season, the Saints were expected to mount a promotion push, but it has been nothing short of a terrible start to the campaign, having taken just 12 points from their opening 13 matches.
The 2-0 defeat at home to Preston North End was the final straw for Sport Republic, who relieved Still of his duties on Saturday, and Under-21s head coach Tonda Eckert has now emerged as a contender for the first-team manager’s job.
It would be a gamble to appoint Eckert, however, given that he is just 32-years-old and yet to prove himself at senior level, and an external appointment is also being considered…
Southampton eyeing Russell Martin to replace Will Still
According to journalist Alan Nixon (via GiveMeSport) Southampton are now eyeing former manager Martin as a replacement for Still, with the 39-year-old on standby for a swift return to management, having recently been dismissed by Scottish giants Rangers.
The Saints are not the only Championship club that hold an interest, however, with it being revealed that Norwich City are also considering the Englishman, given that there are doubts over Liam Manning’s future.
The Brighton-born manager is available without any compensation, which means he is an appealing option for the two Championship clubs, who could do battle for his services.
In truth, the former Rangers manager’s spell at Ibrox was a complete disaster, being sacked after just 17 games in charge, making him the shortest-serving permanent boss in the Scottish side’s history.
That said, the “exciting” manager, as hailed by analyst John Walker, could still be a good appointment for Southampton, considering the work he did at St. Mary’s previously, guiding them to promotion in the play-off final in the 2023-24 campaign.
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The ex-Swansea City boss, who prefers to implement a 4-3-3 system, is also very experienced at Championship level, having taken charge of 138 second tier matches.
Russell Martin’s Championship record
Games
138
Wins
60
Draws
34
Losses
44
Points per match
1.55
That said, it would arguably be a backwards step to appoint Martin, given that he was sacked by the Saints less than one year ago, after being unable to make the step-up to the Premier League, with his side losing 13 of their opening 16 Premier League games.
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Leeds United are now believed to be right in the mix to complete the signing of an exciting young Premier League player in the summer transfer window.
Who are Leeds trying to sign this summer?
Nikola Krstovic has emerged as a rumoured transfer target for the Whites this summer, with the returning Premier League outfit even reportedly tabling a £29m offer for his services. The Lecce attacker scored 11 goals in 37 Serie A appearances last season, and could add much-needed firepower to Daniel Farke’s squad.
Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz has also been linked with a move to Leeds before next season gets underway, with the Turin giants willing to move him on, despite his quality. He could be a signing of real intent by the Whites, having shone for Aston Villa previously.
Douglas Luiz in action for Juventus.
Meanwhile, Joe Gomez has been backed to join Leeds if he wants to leave Liverpool this summer, but unfortunately, he has seemingly committed his future to the Reds on Instagram:“It’s been a blessing to be a part of the different dressing rooms and getting to create such special memories over the years with so many great players & staff.
“I felt it was important to share my thanks to you all for the support throughout the years, it’s always meant the world and I will never take it for granted. A decade in red… and still hungry to keep going.”
Leeds pushing to sign "incredible" Premier League ace
According to a fresh update from Marca [via Sport Witness], Leeds are battling Feyenoord for the signing of Wolves left-back Hugo Bueno this summer. The 22-year-old spent last season loan at the Eredivisie side, and they are now keen on turning his temporary move into a permanent switch.
Hugo Bueno
Bueno could be exactly the type of shrewd squad signing that Leeds are after this summer, coming in and providing squad depth, having proven himself as a solid squad player in the Premier League.
The Spaniard has made 43 appearances in England’s top flight, while former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs has lauded his impact from a very young age at Molineux.
“Since joining us as a 16-year-old number 10, the work that Hugo and the coaches have put into changing his position, and the acceptance he had of doing that, shows what a good pro he is. To be able to get his head around a new position and develop at the rate he has was incredible.
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“Hugo’s one of the huge success stories of the club. Bringing him in from a grassroots team in Spain when he was just 16, and he’s now 21, playing in the Premier League and being a regular Premier League player, it’s testament to everyone involved.”
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Bueno could provide stiff competition for Sam Byram at left-back next season, and given his age, there is no reason why he won’t blossom more as a player as the years pass.
Manchester City’s last outing was a hugely disappointing 3-1 defeat in the Champions League against Real Madrid. It saw the Citizens crash out of the premium European club competition in a frustrating manner, losing 6-3 on aggregate.
A phenomenal Kylian Mbappe hattrick was enough to sink Pep Guardiola’s side, with the French forward scoring three superb goals, including a lob over goalkeeper Ederson and a lovely strike from range with his weaker left foot to seal the treble.
City lost John Stones just minutes into the game, with the England international succumbing to injury. It was a bit of a makeshift defence for City, which included new signing Abdukodir Khusanov at right-back.
Khusanov’s performance vs. Real Madrid
So far, the Uzbekistan international has played a bit-part role in a Man City shirt. The January signing from French outfit Lens has featured four times, with his start against Madrid the first time he has played in the Champions League for City.
Abdukodir Khusanov in action for Man City
However, it was a tough night at the office for Khusanov against Los Blancos. Defending against Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, a quartet often quite fluid in their rotations, you could not have really asked for a tougher assignment.
In fact, the youngster received a 3/10 for his performance against the Spanish giants, courtesy of Goal. Richard Martin said Khusanov ‘was tortured from start to finish’ by the likes of Mbappe and Vinicius.
Chalkboard
When the Frenchman received the ball for his second goal, it came to him after City’s number 45 had the ball poked through his legs by Rodrygo.
It was certainly a baptism of fire in the Champions League for the first time donning that famous Blue shirt. It will be interesting to see if Guardiola keeps him in the side for the heavyweight clash with Liverpool on Sunday.
The same thing could be said for another City defender, who also struggled against Madrid.
The City player who could be dropped against Liverpool
When you’re defending against the likes of Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius and Rodrygo, it is never going to be easy. Khusanov found that out first-hand, but perhaps no one can relate more than Josko Gvardiol.
If Khusanov had a tough night, then Gvardiol certainly did. He was, in many ways, embarrassed by Madrid’s hattrick hero, who sat him down for his second goal, moments after the Uzbek defender was nutmegged by Rodrygo.
With Gvardiol sliding in for a challenge on Mbappe, the Madrid number nine simply shifted the ball from his left foot to his right, and watched as the Croatian defender slid past him and ended up on his back. Gvardiol could only watch as Mbappe slotted home,
It was a poor performance from City’s left-back at the Santiago Bernabeu. He received a 4/10 from Martin, which was justified when looking at his stats on Sofascore.
He won just five out of 14 ground duels and was dribbled past twice, including for Mbappe’s second goal.
Gvardiol stats vs. Real Madrid
Stat
Number
Touches
69
Pass accuracy
90%
Ground duels won
4/12
Aerial duels won
1/2
Tackles won
2/4
Number of times balls lost
8
Fouls committed
3
Stats from Sofascore
Sadly for Gvardiol, there will be no respite this weekend against the Premier League leaders, Liverpool. Should he get the nod at left-back again, he will have to face one of the most in-form players in the Premier League, Mohamed Salah.
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The Reds’ number 11 has 29 goals and 20 assists in just 37 games in all competitions this season, playing as a right-winger. That means Gvardiol will come up directly against the Egyptian international.
Liverpool's MohamedSalahreacts
Perhaps Guardiola will decide not to risk his number 24. After being embarrassed by Mbappe, there is no reason to say why the same will not happen against another world-class attacker.
This is a crucial game for City in their fight for a top-four spot, and perhaps the City boss will want a more watertight defence.
It would not be hard to argue against dropping Gvardiol for the clash at the Etihad Stadium. The left-back has not been playing to the high levels he can hit, and City might need someone else in better form to help keep someone like Salah quiet.
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Leeds United moved up to third in the Championship table after they secured a superb 2-0 win against Sheffield United at Elland Road on Friday night.
Their opponents had kept six successive clean sheets in the second tier ahead of the clash but could not keep out Daniel Farke’s side, who won with relative ease.
Whilst it took until the 69th minute for them to open the scoring, through Pascal Struijk, the away side did not have a shot on target all game and did not create a single ‘big chance’.
Leeds, meanwhile, created three ‘big chances’ and had four shots on target in total, scoring from two of them, as they managed to break down a stubborn defence.
After Struijk opened the scoring, the Whites looked the more likely team to get the second in the game, rather than the Blades grabbing an equaliser, and Mateo Joseph made sure of the win with a composed finish in the 90th minute.
That goal from the academy graduate means that Joseph and Joel Piroe have now combined for six goals and six assists in the Championship this season, which means that Leeds are getting more than value for money from them.
Leeds United's highest earners
Per Capology, both strikers only earn £15k-per-week and are far from being among the top earners in the squad for the the 2024/25 campaign.
Only three players, Isaac Schmidt, Joe Rothwell, who is on loan from Bournemouth, and Alex Cairns are on less money, and all three of them are back-up options when all players are fit and available.
This means that Joseph and Piroe are the two lowest-paid regular starters, although Rothwell is currently enjoying a run of starts with Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev out through injury.
Leeds United’s top ten earners
24/25 season
Weekly wage
Patrick Bamford
£70k
Junior Firpo
£60k
Manor Solomon
£60k
Dan James
£50k
Pascal Struijk
£50k
Brenden Aaronson
£45k
Ethan Ampadu
£40k
Joe Rodon
£40k
Max Wober
£35k
Wilfried Gnonto
£30k
Wages via Capology
As you can see in the table above, Joseph and Piroe do not rank within the top ten earners at Elland Road, and earn half as much as the tenth-highest – Wilfried Gnonto.
Meanwhile, the highest-paid player in the squad, per these figures, is Patrick Bamford on a staggering £70k-per-week, more than twice as much as the other two strikers combined.
Daniel Farke, who has been linked with a swoop for RB Salzburg’s Adam Daghim, must now ruthlessly ditch the English forward from the squad when the January transfer window opens for business, if there are any suitors.
Why Patrick Bamford should be sold
The one-time England international has simply not done enough on the pitch to justify his huge wages, and it has been reported that he is open to leaving.
Patrick Bamford
Football Insider recently claimed that the left-footed marksman is considering an exit from West Yorkshire at the end of the 2024/25 campaign, despite having a contract through to the summer of 2026.
The 31-year-old attacker is said to have grown frustrated with his lack of minutes on the pitch under Farke, as he has only made four appearances as a substitute in the Championship this season, and the club are open to letting him go.
Bamford has been behind Piroe and Joseph in the pecking order, and rightly so given their combined 12 goal contributions, and struggled when he was getting regular minutes last term.
23/24 Championship
Patrick Bamford
Appearances
33
xG
9.52
Goals
8
Big chances missed
9
Key passes per game
0.4
Assists
1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, the experienced forward let himself down in front of goal last season by missing nine ‘big chances’ and underperforming against his xG.
He also rarely contributed as a creator for his teammates with less than one key pass every other game and only one assist in 33 Championship games.
Patrick Bamford in action for Leeds United in the Championship.
Bamford is not the only forward who should be brutally binned by Farke in January, however, as Joe Gelhardt should also be moved on by the German head coach, due to his lack of impact whilst earning as much (£15k-per-week) as Joseph and Piroe.
Why Leeds should sell Joe Gelhardt
The young attacker is now 22 and is still yet to establish himself as a regular for Leeds, having initially made his breakthrough in the first-team in the 2021/22 campaign, with two goals in 20 Premier League outings.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Gelhardt showed plenty of signs of promise in the top-flight in his teenage years, with two goals and four assists in 35 matches in the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.
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However, he has not kicked on since that initial show of promise and it may now be time for the Whites to cash in on him in January, if there are any interested parties.
Celtic transfer target Joe Gelhardt in action for Leeds United.
The 22-year-old was sent out on loan to Sunderland to play regular minutes in the second half of the 2022/23 campaign and only scored three goals in 18 Championship matches.
Despite his lack of production during his time with the Black Cats, Farke opted to keep the young attacker in his squad for the 2023/24 season, having arrived at the club in the summer to lead the team back to the Premier League.
Joe Gelhardt
23/24 Championship
24/25 Championship
Appearances
10
2
Starts
2
0
Goals
0
0
Assists
0
0
Key passes per game
0.2
0
Big chances created
0
0
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Gelhardt has been rarely-seen at Championship level for the Whites since he returned from his loan with Sunderland in the summer of 2023.
The versatile forward has only played 12 times in the division and has not produced a single goal, assist, or ‘big chance’ created for the West Yorkshire outfit.
He is two years older than Joseph, who has already scored two goals and provided three assists in the league this season, and it seems unlikely, given their respective performances, that he is going to overtake the Spaniard any time soon.
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Therefore, Farke should look to cash in on the English dud when the next transfer window opens for business, and move him on alongside Bamford.
Tottenham are now thought to be the most serious side about signing a £70 million defender who's been called "similar" to star centre-back Micky van de Ven.
Ange admits Spurs could sign another centre-back after Dragusin
The £25 million signing of Radu Dragusin from Genoa in January was thought to be a significant deal for Spurs, as they were starved of quality alternatives to van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the time.
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The latter star's hamstring injury last November seriously exposed Spurs' lack of defensive depth. Indeed, van de Ven's absence midway through 23/24 prompted a brief but poor run of form, and perhaps alerted Lilywhites transfer chiefs to the glaring weakness in Ange Postecoglou's squad.
A move for Dragusin was then swiftly completed in the winter window, with the Romanian seriously helping to bolster Postecoglou's back line. His presence also allowed Spurs to cover for the injured Destiny Udogie at the end of last season, with van de Ven moving to left-back and Dragusin taking his usual spot in the centre.
Radu Dragusin's best league games for Tottenham last season
Match Rating (via WhoScored)
Sheffield United 0-3 Tottenham
6.98
Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham
6.67
Tottenham 2-1 Luton Town
6.61
Tottenham 0-2 Man City
6.49
Fulham 3-0 Tottenham
6.28
However, despite the 22-year-old's arrival at N17, Postecoglou has previously admitted that Spurs could look to sign another centre-back this summer – as they eye even more cover.
“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, the Tottenham manager said.
“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.
Radu Dragusin competing for Tottenham
“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”
Tottenham made an offer to Tosin Adarabioyo before he joined Chelsea, as revealed by club insider Paul O'Keefe at the time. Spurs also held an interest in signing Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer from Bournemouth, but the Englishman is on his way to Newcastle United instead (Simon Stone, BBC).
With both free deals out of the window, Spurs apparently have their eyes on a far more expensive option in Nottingham Forest star Murillo.
Tottenham most serious side in race for Murillo
The Brazilian, who starred for Forest over his 32 Premier League starts, is also being chased by their north London rivals.
Murillo for Nottingham Forest.
That is according to Football Transfers, who also claim that Tottenham have shown the most interest in signing Murillo at this point. They may need to stump up a considerable transfer fee, though, and it could be as high as £70 million.
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FT have also called Murillo "similar" to van de Ven, which is an enticing comparison when considering just how crucial the 23-year-old is to Spurs.