Newcastle’s business has been minimal in many senses of the word.
For a club that needed large investment in multiple areas, particularly up front, Newcastle have only brought in three players. The most expensive of the trio being Martin Dubravka who joined for a £3.6 million fee according to Transfermarkt following his loan spell with the club.
Mike Ashley has been operating on a very tight budget and has informed Rafa Benitez that the club must sell before they buy. Recently the club completed a deal to send Chancel Mbemba to Porto and as per their transfer strategy, the club will reinvest his fee back into finding a replacement.
This week the club had been linked with a move for Swiss international, Fabian Schar and former Porto man Diego Reyes.
According to multiple reports, Schar is due for his medical at Tyneside this week while the Magpies have lost out to Bordeaux in the race for Diego Reyes according to L’Equipe.
The Breakdown
While it seems Mike Ashley is up to his wheeler-dealer ways, a £3 million fee for Fabian Schar may just prove excellent business.
The 26-year-old has plenty of experiences, is a physical presence and just about to enter his prime years.
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While many may see the move for Schar as an alternative to Reyes, Newcastle seemed to have picked the better player. Moreover, considering Reyes is currently a free agent, while Schar will cost £3 million, that tells you what the penny-pinching Mike Ashley thinks of the two players.
Roberto Mancini is building a Manchester City squad capable of challenging for honours next season. The arrival of Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid only increases the competition for places in City’s attack but what is their ideal strike partnership?
City currently have seven Premier League standard strikers within their squad but for the sake of convenience and probability I am going to consider how first choice strikers (and those most likely to stay for now) Mario Balotelli, Aguero and Edin Dzeko could work together. The likes of Craig Bellamy, Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz are out of favour and look to be close to an exit whilst Carlos Tevez’s transfer saga continues to role on.
Who starts City’s first game of the season may depend a lot on Mancini’s choice of formation. He has been criticised in the past for being too defensive with the Italian often liking to employ just one lone striker. The more defensive option would be a 4-2-3-1 with the more attacking choice a 4-3-3.
Whatever formation Mancini employs, new boy Aguero must be at the heart of City’s tactics. Despite the comparisons to Tevez with his eye for goal, skill and reasonable strength, I am not sure whether Aguero could lead the line on his own for City. It may leave the Argentine isolated and constricted to one position. Mancini will get the best out of Aguero when he allows him the freedom to drop deep and run at defenders. One of Tevez’s best qualities was also his work rate and Aguero doesn’t have the same industrious style of play that is needed to lead the line. Another possibility would then be to play Aguero off a target man, most likely Balotelli or Dzeko. This would give Aguero the freedom to pick off loose balls and terrorise defenders from deep.
The more natural choice for a lone striker would be Dzeko. He is a more natural target man and possesses the height and presence to cause defenders problems when the ball is whipped into the box. But the Bosnian’s dreadful run of form since his arrival in Manchester would mean Mancini was taking a huge risk is putting his faith in a striker lacking confidence. However if Mancini can get the best out of Dzeko and help him recreate his Bundesliga form then he could be the perfect foil for Aguero.
Apart from convincing him about the advantages of living in Manchester, Mancini will also have to work out how to get the best out of unpredictable Italian Balotelli on the pitch. The young striker’s talent is undoubted and at times he is unplayable. But Balotelli doesn’t possess the awareness or team ethic to lead the line and Mancini would be best suited to keep Balotelli out wide (like he often has before) where he can cut inside and run at defenders. On paper Aguero and Balotelli sound like the best strike partnership in the Premier League but in reality Mancini may have trouble playing the two together.
As he is still at the club it is also worth quickly noting Carlos Tevez’s role at City if he were to stay. Despite looking like he was signed as a replacement, Aguero and Tevez could play together. Despite possessing similar styles of play, their familiarity with each other’s game at international level could be a great advantage and Tevez’s work rate combined with Aguero’s skill would make a deadly partnership.
Although having a strong and large squad is a fantastic advantage during a long Premier League season, Mancini faces a headache in choosing his strike partnership. I don’t think the often cautious Italian would completely change his style and play all three so one will unfortunately miss out but whatever tactics Mancini employs, new boy Aguero should be at the heart of City’s style next season.
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Who do you think Mancini should start in attack? If you want to read more of my bite size, 140 character views and thoughts follow me on Twitter @jennyk5
The January transfer window always marks a period of comings and goings for most clubs. This is especially true for Celtic; Neil Lennon is still building a team that he feels can compete for titles both at home and abroad. Lennon who was appointed full time manager in early June is approaching the 6 month mark and has learned during his spell at the Glasgow club that there is room for improvement, thus signaling a busy January for the Northern Irish man.
Robbie Keane has already enjoyed a short spell at Celtic earlier on this year. Keane’s situation at White Hart Lane has deteriorated since the Irish man returned from his fruitful stay at the Glasgow club, and the striker could maybe find himself back the club come January.
There’s no secret Celtic still haven’t found a suitable replacement to the departed Artur Boruc. With Shay Given not enjoying his time at Manchester City could the Republic of Ireland International be the man to fill the void? It is believed that Given, who once was on the books of Celtic would be open to the idea of a return to the club.
Another Irish player has recently been linked with a move north of the border, and that’s Aston Villa’s out of favour midfielder Stephen Ireland. The Scottish club are rumoured to be keen on signing the Irish international on loan for the rest of the season, as they look to challenge Rangers for the Scottish Premier League title.
Steven Taylor is another potential recruit come January as Celtic look to strengthen their inconsistent defence. Celtic have once before tried to sign Taylor on loan and The Daily Mail says a second attempt to take Newcastle contract rebel Taylor on loan is still an option as Neil Lennon seeks to address major concerns over his central defence.
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Celtic have also been heavily linked with Nottingham Forest’s Kelvin Wilson since the summer and it would not surprise me if Wilson is unveiled to the Celtic faithful when the transfer window opens. It was reported that The Hoops will make a renewed attempt to sign Wilson in January after seeing two bids rejected in the summer. Wilson, 25, has rejected a new contract offer at Forest and is a free agent at the end of the season.
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Former Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva has delivered his verdict on how Martin Zubimendi has taken to life at the Emirates Stadium.
Gunners off to a flying start to the season
After coming second in the Premier League three years on the spin, Mikel Arteta identified the need to strengthen his squad considerably in the summer transfer window, and spent heavily, bolstering his options in a number of key areas.
Viktor Gyokeres was arguably the statement signing, amid widespread demand for Arteta to bring in a new striker, and the Sweden international is off to a solid, if not spectacular start, having scored three goals in his opening seven league games.
Folllowing the departure of Thomas Partey, it was also vital to strengthen in midfield, and Zubimendi was among the most notable additions, with the Spain international starting six of the seven Premier League games up to this point.
Arsenal let "one of the best finishers of the last 15 years" leave for £0
This former Arsenal forward would be an upgrade on the current frontman at Arteta’s disposal.
ByAngus Sinclair
As such, the Spaniard has clearly managed to impress Arteta, and he has also caught the eye of Gilberto Silva, despite the Brazilian admitting he wasn’t aware of who he was before the Gunners finalised a summer deal.
Zubimendi establishing himself as key player for Arsenal
It is no surprise that Arteta has started the Spain international so consistently, considering he has put in some fantastic performances in the Premier League, averaging a 7.33 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest figure of any Arsenal player.
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The 26-year-old also won the Guinness Goal of the Month award for September, courtesy of a phenomenal strike in the 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest, during which he scored two goals in one game for the first time in his career.
There were some concerns that Zubimendi’s new midfield partner, Rice, may have been ruled out due to injury, but the 26-year-old featured in England’s 3-0 victory over Wales, meaning he looks on course to be available for the trip to Fulham next weekend.
Tottenham Hotspur salvaged their season in the most glorious fashion last month, beating Manchester United in the Europa League final to end 17 agonising years of searching for silverware.
However, it wasn’t enough to save Ange Postecoglou, who Daniel Levy dismissed at the start of the month following a wretched Premier League season that concluded with Spurs completing a miserable 17th-place finish.
But with Thomas Frank brought in to replace the Aussie, there’s hope yet that Tottenham can use the past year as a springboard for future success, having already targeted Bryan Mbeumo, who is expected to leave Brentford this summer and has expressed a preference to go to Old Trafford, although Spurs’ new manager could tempt him to change direction.
It’s the kind of signing that simply wouldn’t have been possible had Tottenham failed to clinch the Europa League. But now, the door is very much open for what would be a marquee move.
Why Spurs want Bryan Mbeumo
Mbeumo has truly established himself as one of the most threatening forwards in the Premier League, vital for Frank’s side’s success over the past several years.
His shooting marks the most salient part of his skill set, for sure, but Spurs would also be getting their hands on a dynamic and layered player who, as per Sofascore, created 17 big chances in the league, and averaged 1.3 tackles and 4.7 successful duels per game.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
Brennan Johnson holds down the fort on the Tottenham right wing, but for all the Welshman’s potency in the final third, he’s shown to drift in and out of games, his influence waning all too often.
As such, a player like Mbeumo would prove a marked improvement, someone refined and talismanic who could serve as a leader and an example to follow.
However, while Tottenham will be buoyed by Mbeumo’s supposed change of stance in considering their offer now that Frank is at the helm, it would be foolish to put all their eggs in one basket after he previously made it clear that he wants to move to Old Trafford.
Premier League 24/25 – Top Scorers
#
Player
Apps
Goals
1.
Mohamed Salah
38
29
2.
Alexander Isak
34
23
3.
Erling Haaland
31
22
4.
Chris Wood
36
20
5.
Bryan Mbeumo
38
20
Data via Premier League
The Cameroonian has proved himself to be one of the most prolific forwards on English shores, but if he does opt to become a Red Devil, the Lilywhites may have found the perfect alternative.
Spurs lining up another Premier League forward
As per Caught Offside, Tottenham have been scouting Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert, with the report stating that the Londoners are currently weighing up an official offer.
Bournemouth's JustinKluivertcelebrates scoring a goal
Curiously, Man United are also interested in signing the Netherlands international, clearly following a similar train of thought as Spurs. Arsenal and Liverpool are also in the mix.
Bournemouth don’t want to sell their dynamic attacker but would, of course, for the right price, with that tag seemingly set at around €55m (£47m), although it remains to be seen whether or not Spurs would be willing to meet their demands.
Why Spurs want Justin Kluivert
Kluivert has proven himself across two seasons as being worthy Premier League material, instrumental for Bournemouth across their impressive campaign under Andoni Iraola’s wing.
Justin Kluivert for Bournemouth.
Tenacious and technically talented, Kluivert, 26, brings a dribble-centric game that has been refined to establish him as one of the most impressive goalscorers in English football, scoring 12 times in the division last season.
The exciting part is that he is clinical with his chances, thus proving he could be the perfect Mbeumo alternative, with Frank labelling his star Brentford forward as being “unplayable” at times.
Justin Kluivert – Premier League Stats
Stats (* per game)
23/24
24/25
Matches (starts)*
32 (26)
34 (29)
Goals
7
12
Assists
1
6
Shots (on target)*
1.8 (0.6)
1.9 (0.9)
Big chances missed
7
6
Pass completion
72%
81%
Key passes*
0.7
1.4
Ball recoveries*
2.8
2.3
Dribbles*
0.8
1.1
Duels won*
2.9
2.9
Data via Sofascore
There’s no question that the Dutchman has gone up a gear over the past year, and who’s to say that he wouldn’t raise his game once again under Frank’s wing down N17?
Kluivert has truly become one of the most dangerous shooters in the Premier League, so economical and precise with his finishing, capable of drifting into space from close or indeed firing from range.
As per FBref, Kluivert actually finished the 2024/25 Premier League campaign ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals and assists per 90 (0.69), which even led to him being considered a player of statistical likeness to Mbeumo.
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Though Mbeumo is a right-sided forward, and Kluivert tends to operate in a central attacking midfield berth, the Cherries man has been singled out for his pace and energy in the past and indeed has a wealth of experience on the flanks, scoring 55 goals and providing 47 assists across 221 career appearances out wide.
Moreover, he’s been hailed for his “incredible” finishing this season by writer Ifreke Inyang, scoring Premier League hat-tricks against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.
If Frank can get the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison performing at the top of their respective playmaking games, Kluivert could find himself reaching even loftier tallies than he has so far achieved.
The versatile forward’s vibrant, physical style suggests he could be the perfect Mbeumo alternative, still providing Tottenham with exciting new qualities while playing in such a way that could see Frank turn him into his new version of Mbeumo.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.Override
It’s the kind of shrewd signing that might just see Tottenham go from strength to strength.
Their next Werner: Spurs in battle to sign "special" £25m man for Frank
Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.
Fair to say, in the last decade or so, some ultra-talented players have come through Manchester City’s academy.
As noted by Miguel Delaney of the Independent, Cole Palmer, Roméo Lavia, Morgan Rogers and Liam Delap are all flourishing elsewhere in the Premier League right now, having either been sold or discarded by Man City as youngsters in recent seasons.
Manchester City's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their first goal
Rob Dawson of ESPN adds Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jadon Sancho and Brahim Díaz to this list, while Sam Lee of the Athletic would include James Trafford, Gavin Bazunu, Sam Edozie, Juan Larios, Pedro Porro, Shea Charles and Tommy Doyle to those who’ve been sold for big fees.
So now, at a time when Man City have, as Jamie Jackson of the Guardian puts it, an “ageing squad”, they’ve sold off their best young talent, so are unable to refresh the team, but could the next generation of youngsters change that fact?
They’ll be looking towards Arsenal for inspiration, that’s for sure…
Ethan Nwaneri's amazing impact at Arsenal
During Sunday’s 5-1 demolition at the hands of Arsenal, Manchester City experienced first-hand the value of keeping your best young talent at the club and putting them in the first team when Ethan Nwaneri spanked home the fifth, really rubbing salt into the wounds.
A year ago, Football Insider reported that Man City actually attempted to sign Nwaneri, but Gooners everywhere are delighted that this did not come to pass.
That’s because the teenager has seven goals to his name this season, becoming the second-highest Arsenal scorer in history for goals scored at the age of 17 or younger, behind only John Radford, whose goals came in 1964/65, one shy of his tally of eight.
Nwaneri has earned rave reviews, with James McNicholas of the Athletic noting during a recent Arsecast Extra how extraordinary and unique it is for a 17-year-old to have a “trademark goal”.
He has also become only the third Premier League player to score seven or more goals before celebrating their 18th birthday, after Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, both of whom were strikers, and both had pretty decent careers didn’t they?
Yousef Teclab of Breaking the Lines described Nwaneri as a “prodigious talent”, while Ali Tweedale in Opta’s The Analyst believes Arsenal supporters should be “very excited” about his talent.
So, could Pep Guardiola learn a thing or two from his former assistant when it comes to unleashing top teenage talents?
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Manchester City are brewing their own Ethan Nwaneri
As alluded to earlier, Manchester City have, as Neil Leigh puts it, quite the “conveyor belt” when it comes to academy talent, so could Reigan Heskey be the next cab off the rank?
Born in January 2008, we know, we feel old too, he joined Man City’s academy at the age of eight, and is the son of former Leicester, Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey, who won 62 caps for England, scoring seven goals.
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Heskey junior has come in for rave reviews, with scout António Mango on Twitter stating he is “flourishing” and that his talent “can’t be ignored”, while Bix Williams, who writes about Man City’s Academy for Salford Now, states that it’s “only a matter of time before he makes that big jump”.
A winger by trade – like Nwaneri – the 17-year-old has been in phenomenal form this term notably scoring 20 goals in 24 games. So, let’s assess how Heskey and Nwaneri compare at youth level.
Heskey vs Nwaneri youth career comparison
Competition & statistics
Heskey
Nwaneri
UEFA Youth League appearances
7
1
UEFA Youth League goals
3
1
EFL Trophy appearances
1
4
EFL Trophy goals
1
0
Premier League 2 appearances
3
24
Premier League 2 goals
3
11
FA Youth Cup appearances
3
7
FA Youth Cup goals
1
8
Under-18 Premier League appearances
16
16
Under-18 Premier League goals
13
7
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt
As the table shows, Heskey compares favourably to Nwaneri for a lot of statistics, especially his output in this season’s UEFA Youth League, scoring a brace against Feyenoord as the Sky Blues reached the round of 32, set to face Midtjylland next week.
By the time he made his breakthrough at Arsenal, Nwaneri had much more PL2 experience than Heskey currently has, still predominantly plying his trade at U18 level, but it is clear that Man City have a hot prospect on their hands, one that they’ll have to give an opportunity to in the first team, or he’ll simply become just the latest player to leave.
Huge Nunes upgrade: Pep must surely regret selling Man City star for £21m
Man City continue to have issues at right-back; with Walker departing, Matheus Nunes is filling-in there, but they already had one of the world’s best
Newcastle United are showing serious interest in signing a player who has been compared to Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah, according to a new transfer report.
Newcastle transfer news
The Magpies continue to be linked with new signings, considering a relatively underwhelming summer transfer window, with Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo emerging as a rumoured target. The Cameroonian has enjoyed a highly impressive start to the new Premier League season, scoring five goals in six appearances.
Borussia Dortmund ace Karim Adeyemi has also been mentioned as an option for Newcastle, with sporting director Paul Mitchell believed to be battling his predecessor Dan Ashworth for his signature, as the latter looks to bring him to Manchester United.
Karim Adeyemi for Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Monaco attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche has also been backed to join the Magpies in the near future, with Mitchell knowing the 22-year-old well after working alongside him at the Ligue 1 club, prior to moving to St James’ Park in the summer.
In terms of the futures of current Newcastle players, a recent report has claimed that the club are looking to tie Sean Longstaff down to a new deal alongside Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, as they look to retain the services of key figures moving forward.
Newcastle want to sign "outstanding" player
According to a new claim from Give Me Sport, Newcastle are among the clubs interested in signing Omar Marmoush from Eintracht Frankfurt, with West Ham and Aston Villa also in the mix. The 25-year-old’s “prolific performances during the early stages of the campaign” are seen as the reason for such a willingness to snap him up, as he potentially moves “to the English top flight for the first time in his career next year”.
Marmoush would be such an eye-catching signing by Newcastle, with his performances so far this season showing exactly what he is capable of. The Egyptian has six goals and three assists in just five Bundesliga appearances, as well as netting once in the Europa League.
His current manager, Dino Toppmoller, has heaped praise on him:“He’s very difficult to defend due to his pace and how fast he can run deep. He can also sneak in from close range, exhibit a great touch and play some great balls. He’s in outstanding form at the moment, and he’s feeling comfortable. That’s the key to his success these days. He feels comfortable with this club and the group, and is thus a key component for us.”
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The fact that Marmoush has been compared to Liverpool legend Salah says so much about his ability, being backed as his heir for Egypt at international level, and Newcastle should see him as a brilliant attacking option.
Newcastle to scout two countries as insider shares exciting 3-word message
Promising signs for the Magpies…
ByTom Cunningham
Capable of thriving out on the left wing or in an attacking midfield role, the Frankfurt hero is at the perfect age to come in and hit the ground running at St James’ immediately, so Mitchell should do all he can to strike a deal in one of the upcoming transfer windows.
There’s no hiding that the centre-back spot at Manchester United has arguably been their most vulnerable position this season.
Prior to the first kick off the ball against Wolverhampton Wanderers back in August, the Red Devils had seven options for the role, but that’s not been the case as of late.
Harry Maguire
Injuries have been the main cause of Erik ten Hag’s downfall, as he’s even been forced to play Casemiro at the back due to a lack of options – reports now indicating that the Dutchman will be sacked no matter the outcome of Saturday's FA Cup final.
With that in mind, it’s vital that Sir Jim Ratcliffe signs a new centre back this summer to help kickstart what could be a new era under a new manager, and he’s already eyeing one up who could replace Raphael Varane.
Man United's search for a new defender
According to reports from Argentina – as per Planet Boca Juniors – Man United 'are willing to do anything' to sign highly-rated Aaron Anselmino.
The report mentions that the Red Devils have been monitoring his progress for months, and 'it would not be strange for [them] to make an offer' – a deal that could make him the first addition post-Ten Hag.
The defender has recently signed a new contract at Boca Juniors, extending his stay at the club until 2028.
In order to acquire the young Argentine, a fee in the region of £21m is said to be enough, which could prove to be a bargain in years to come.
Anselmino could be United’s Martinez clone
Since arriving from Ajax with Ten Hag, Lisandro Martinez has quickly become a fan favourite who’s a vital cog in the Man United side.
Unfortunately, his absence this season through injury has been catastrophic, hence why United ended the campaign with a -1 goal difference.
Manchester United's Lisandro Martinez.
The number six missed an astonishing 36 games through injury this campaign, starting just eight Premier League matches. But his influence is unquestionable, with United not losing in any of his last seven appearances.
However, the Argentine could soon be playing alongside his clone, Anselmino, who has plenty of similarities to the 26-year-old.
Anselmino & Martinez's Most Recent Match
Stats
Anselmino
Martinez
Touches
75
45
Passes completed
59
36
Pass accuracy
94%
92%
Clearances
4
2
Tackles
1
1
Duels won
6/7
2/2
Via Sofascore
Anselmino has barely featured for Boca since breaking through into the first team, with a hamstring injury holding his progress up.
However, the teen’s performance in the Copa Sudamericana against Trinidense proves just how “special” he truly is, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson.
The first aspect of the 19-year-old’s game that stands out is his immense technical ability, which saw him produce 59 passes with an accuracy of 94% while also taking 75 touches.
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United’s World Cup winner is also known for his ability on the ball, as proven by his 45 touches and 92% pass accuracy against Brighton & Hove Albion, but the similarities don’t end there.
The right-footed prospect is also an extremely proactive defender who has great “timed aggression, positioning, and anticipation,” as per Ben Mattinson, which certainly sounds like Martinez.
Yet, unlike the former Newell’s Old Boys academy ace, Anselmino stands at 6-foot-1, which means he could become the perfect partner for his Argentine counterpart in the future, given his aerial dominance, which helped him score the winner in his most recent outing.
Overall, with Varane leaving the club, this summer provides the perfect opportunity to bring in a youthful talent like Anselmino, and he could just lock down the right centre-back role at United for the foreseeable future.
Man Utd very keen to sign £102m Casemiro upgrade who's like Scholes
The Man Utd target has been described as an “insane” talent.
Arsenal have gone from cloud nine just a couple of weeks ago to a mini-crisis after their 2-0 loss to Liverpool on Sunday, their third defeat in a row. Where they were top of the Premier League table on Christmas day, the Gunners now find themselves in fourth place and five points off the Reds.
One of the biggest reasons for Mikel Arteta's side's fall off since Christmas has been the abysmal finishing of his frontline, which is made very clear by the fact that they ended each of the previous three games with a higher expected goals figure than their opponents but scored just one goal in all three games.
This lack of lethality in the strike force has clearly been a concern for the club, as one of the players they have been linked with recently has been scoring for fun and has been likened to former captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.
Arsenal's hunt for a striker in January
According to a report from the Daily Mail last month, Arsenal are on the lookout for a new striker in January, and one of the names that has made it onto their list of targets is Villa's Watkins.
The former Exeter City sensation is sure to cost the Gunners a pretty penny, with journalist Pete O'Rourke telling Football FanCast previously that any deal would likely cost in the region of £70m, which sounds about right considering he signed a new long-term contract with the Claret and Blue in October last year.
However, the north Londoners have something significant in their favour: Watkins has always wanted to play for the club.
In an interview with the Sports Gazette in 2020, the then Brentford striker was open about his desire to pull on the red and white of the Gunners, saying: "That's the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it's a long shot."
While it would be a complicated deal to complete, the knowledge that the sensational striker wants to play for the club should encourage Edu and Co to push on.
How Ollie Watkins compares to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gabriel Jesus
Now, while Aubameyang ultimately left the club under a cloud of controversy and didn't enjoy a particularly fruitful final season and a half in north London, it should not be forgotten just how good he was when things were going well at the club.
For example, in the summer of 2020, he became the fastest player in Arsenal history to reach fifty Premier League goals, and then in the same season, he scored against Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final before scoring a brace in the final to win the entire competition.
So, FBref's claim that the Gabonese superstar is the fourth most similar player to Watkins across Europe's top five leagues should be viewed as a favourable comparison, especially as the 34-year-old is currently in the top 1% for assists in Europe's top five leagues – while the Villa man has racked up ten assists in all competitions.
Moreover, with the "phenomenal" Watkins, as described by BBC Sport pundit Farah Williams, seemingly scoring for fun this season – with 14 goals thus far across all fronts – he could replace Gabriel Jesus in the starting XI and even go on to replicate some of the goalscoring form that led to Aubameyang getting the captaincy during his spell with the club.
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When comparing the pair's underlying numbers, it is very apparent that the Brazilian would have to seriously up his scoring rate or vacate his position in the starting XI.
Ollie Watkins vs Gabriel Jesus
Stats per 90
Watkins
Jesus
Goals
0.46
0.29
Assists
0.41
0.10
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.67
0.60
Goals per Shot on Target
0.39
0.21
Goal-Creating Actions
0.77
0.48
All Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season
The Arsenal fan scores more goals, provides more assists, requires fewer chances to score and produces more goal-creating actions per 90 compared to Jesus – who has just three league goals this season, in contrast to Watkins' nine.
Ultimately, while this would be an expensive deal to complete and potentially upset Jesus, the team is in need of a clinical finisher, and Watkins' performances this season suggest he could be that for the Gunners.
Heart of Midlothian have seen a decent start to the season descend into a poor run of form and perhaps the international break has arrived at the best time.
Steven Naismith secured a spot in the Europa Conference League playoff round following a wonderful aggregate victory over Norwegian giants Rosenborg but the previous few weeks have been anything but promising.
Since defeating Partick Thistle in the League Cup last 16 on 20 August, the Gorgie outfit have proceeded to lose their next four matches, scoring just once while conceding eight goals in the process.
Two Premiership defeats to Dundee and Motherwell alongside losing 6-1 on aggregate to PAOK means Hearts enter the international break occupying eighth spot in the table, winning just one of their four league matches so far.
Would their results have differed had Naismith been able to call on the services of Barrie McKay for the previous few matches? He has proven that he is among one of Hearts' finer performers when fit.
How long is Barrie McKay injured for?
The left-winger has started just one match this season as he recovered from an ankle injury which kept him out for six games at the end of the 2022/23 campaign and into the current term.
During their 2-1 home loss to PAOK a few weeks ago, however, McKay sustained a knee injury and Naismith gave an update on the injury shortly after, saying:
"Barrie, I think it's worse than a couple of days or a couple of weeks. We're still waiting to hear back from the specialist. He will probably be out a bit longer than we had hoped. It was strange. He felt it in his knee but the symptoms were showing it might have been calf or hamstring. I think it is more something to do with the knee. Until we hear what the specialist has to say, we aren't going to speculate.”
They have certainly missed him recently and since arriving back in Scotland in the summer of 2021, he has been a consistent performer.
How much did Hearts sign Barrie McKay for?
The one-cap Scotland international began his career at Rangers, making 140 appearances for the Ibrox side before moving south of the border to join Nottingham Forest in 2017 for a fee of around £500k.
Barrie McKay
German club RB Leipzig showed interest in the player in January of that year, coming close to tabling a £6m bid for the player, yet he left for a fraction of that just six months later and his time in England wasn’t as productive as anticipated.
He made 118 appearances for Forest, Swansea City and Fleetwood Town during his four years down south, playing across the Championship and League One, yet he scored only 13 goals during those four years.
Having departed the Welsh club due to his contract expiring, Hearts swooped and secured McKay for nothing in what was a relatively risk-free gamble, and he came with prior experience of the Scottish top flight.
What is Barrie McKay worth now?
His first season at the Jambos was a success as the 28-year-old scored twice while grabbing 12 assists across 38 matches in all competitions.
The 5 foot 8 dynamo even ranked third in the squad for his league performances, receiving a Sofascore rating of 7.15 while also ranking second for goals and assists (12), first for big chances created (15) and key passes per game (2.5) along with ranking second for successful dribbles per game (1.2) with these performances having led Hearts to a third-place finish that season.
Due to Rangers reaching the Europa League final that term, Hearts were guaranteed group-stage European football during the 2022/23 campaign, and they ended up playing in the Europa Conference League group stage.
McKay carried on his wonderful form for the Tynecastle side as he ranked second in the squad for key passes per game during their European adventure, while also finishing top of the pile for successful dribbles per game (2.2) and it certainly proved that not only was he starring domestically, but the winger was exuding his excellent attacking abilities on the continent to great use.
Once again, he also reached double figures for goals and assists last term in the league campaign (ten) alongside completing 1.5 successful dribbles per game and these figures ranked him third and first across the squad as Hearts finished fourth, dropping a place from the season below.
These performances have seen the 28-year-old restore his reputation with Football Transfers now valuing him at €1.7m (£1.5m), which suggests Hearts could make a solid profit should they decide to sell the Scot at the end of the season.
How much does Barrie McKay earn?
The former Rangers gem was lauded by journalist Joel Sked during their win over Rosenborg in August, who said: “Cameron Devlin! As emphatic a finish as you’ll see. A huge goal for Hearts with Barrie McKay making a positive impact off the bench already.”
Barrie McKay
He is currently one of Hearts’ highest earners, taking home £3.5k-per-week, yet there is no doubt he is worth every penny, especially considering the form he has shown since joining the club two years ago.
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His market value was once an impressive €5.3m (£4.5m) and this was after just six months at Forest, as he looked to help them try and secure promotion to the Premier League.
His spell in England didn’t quite work out, but this has been Hearts’ gain, with McKay arriving at Tynecastle with a point to prove, and his two-year stint has given him the chance to showcase his wonderful talents which were on show during his time at Ibrox.
The quicker Naismith is able to select him in his starting XI the better as the club have endured a tough few weeks on the pitch.
They will regroup during the international break while hoping McKay is only out for a matter of weeks, not months.
There will be no midweek distractions this term and hopefully this will see the Jambos retake that third spot which was snatched off of them by Aberdeen during the final few weeks of last season.
With McKay fit and firing, it is more than achievable.