Tag Futebol

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.

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.

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.

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.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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

Expand Collapse

It’s the kind of shrewd signing that might just see Tottenham go from strength to strength.

Related Their next Werner: Spurs in battle to sign "special" £25m man for Frank

Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.

Posts 1 ByJack Salveson Holmes

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.

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.

Expand Collapse 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.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

Related 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

Posts ByBen Gray

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.

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.”

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

Related Newcastle to scout two countries as insider shares exciting 3-word message

Promising signs for the Magpies…

Posts 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.

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.

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.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

Related Man Utd very keen to sign £102m Casemiro upgrade who's like Scholes

The Man Utd target has been described as an “insane” talent.

Posts ByTom Lever

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.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

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.”

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.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

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.

Crystal Palace have placed Mike Tresor on their transfer radar this summer, according to a report from Het Laatste Nieuws, via Sport Witness.

Is Mike Tresor joining Crystal Palace?

The 24-year-old currently plies his trade in Belgium and has produced some incredible goal contribution numbers for Genk over the course of the 2022/23 season. Playing in 34 league games this campaign, he managed a haul of eight goals in total. What's extraordinary however is his assist total, which stands at 21 and means that player managed 29 goal contributions in just 33 starts for the club. Despite his expert ability to tee up his teammates though, his side could manage only a second-place finish in the Belgian league this season.

Playmaking seems to be the specialty of the forward too, with Tresor producing a further seven last season, although he bagged no goals. Back when he played for Wilem II in the Netherlands as well, he managed a haul of 14 assists in 44 starts and had a further two in ten for NEC Nijmegen before that.

His displays have now led to interest from both the Premier League and Ligue 1. According to a report from Het Laatste Nieuws via Sport Witness, Tresor is on the radar of both Crystal Palace in England and Lille in France and both could make moves to land the player this summer.

No official bids have been made as of yet, but it looks like any potential move for the player would cost an interested suitor around 25 million Euros (or £21m). Whilst Genk would also no doubt like to hold onto their leading assist maker, the report adds that they seem resigned to losing the attacking midfielder during the transfer window, with the Eagles shopping for a replacement for Wilfried Zaha.

When does Mike Tresor's contract expire?

Tresor has a deal with the Belgian side that currently expires in 2025 and the club would no doubt like him to see out the remainder of that deal with them. However, his performances mean that he may now end up at another club this summer.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

He's certainly caught the eye of the football world now, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig stating that the player has managed "crazy numbers" and also adding that he has had an "absolutely sensational" campaign for his club.

Crystal Palace then could do a lot worse than replacing Zaha with a player like Tresor, who is young, relatively proven and may not break the bank for someone with remarkable end product.

talkSPORT pundit Gabby Agbonlahor says that the reported £70m price tag for Liverpool transfer target Alexis Mac Allister is ‘ridiculous’.

The Lowdown: Liverpool interest

As per Football Insider, Liverpool have registered their interest in signing Mac Allister this summer, with ‘sources’ close to the Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder claiming that he is ‘ready to go’ to a ‘bigger’ club.

However, Brighton do not want to sell the FIFA World Cup winner for less than their £70m asking price.

The Latest: ‘Ridiculous’

Speaking to Football Insider, Agbonlahor claims that the £70m asking price for Mac Allister is ‘ridiculous’ and ‘silly’, and in spite of how good of a player that he is, he is not worth that much:

“I don’t think Mac Allister is worth £70million.

“To me, he’s a £30-40million player. I think these numbers are getting silly now.

“Anyone who has a good season is instantly a £70-100million player.

“I think it’s ridiculous.

“Yes, he’s had a good season with Brighton and he’s won the World Cup with Argentina.

“But I feel that £70million is far too expensive. Liverpool are in need of midfielders, though, and that could price them out of some transfers.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/liverpool-transfer-news-and-rumours/” title=”Liverpool Transfer News and Rumours” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/cropped-2021-03-07T155652Z_1459311687_UP1EH3718ASBK_RTRMADP_3_SOCCER-ENGLAND-LIV-FUL-REPORT.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Have to pay a premium…

Unfortunately with the way that transfer fees are becoming more inflated by the year, with the Premier League recording a record spend in the January transfer window, clubs have to pay a premium if they want to sign quality players like Mac Allister.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Brighton are also renowned for getting top fees for selling players, and so would be tough negotiators in terms of barging from their asking price.

Thus, Liverpool may just to have to bite the bullet with this one, with their need for new midfielders apparent.

After scoring and assisting in the 4-0 thumping of West Ham United on Saturday afternoon, Mac Allister now has eight goals and one assist in total over all competitions so far this season, and at 24 years of age, would offer fresh legs and an ideal alternative to the ageing James Milner and Jordan Henderson.

Newcastle United have identified OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram as a potential January transfer target. 

The Lowdown: Thuram’s career so far

After working his way through the youth ranks at AS Monaco, the midfielder joined Nice back in the 2019 summer transfer window.

Since then, the 21-year-old has gone on to make 114 appearances for the French club across all competitions, scoring six goals and delivering seven assists along the way.

With the January window close to opening, the Frenchman has found himself on Newcastle’s transfer radar after an impressive start to the campaign which has seen him play in every single Ligue 1 game so far.

The Latest: Newcastle eyeing Thuram

In a recent Twitter post, journalist Craig Hope revealed that the Tyneside club have Thuram as one of their potential January transfer targets.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-7/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”] 

Jonjo Shelvey’s future is now in doubt due to his latest injury setback – impacting his ability to trigger the one-year extension in his contract – and the Magpies are ‘looking’ at midfielders with Thuram ‘on (the) radar’.

The Verdict: A risk PIF should take?

This season has seen the midfielder, who has been described as a “diamond” for his mixture of physical traits and elegant ball-playing abilities by European football expert Antonio Mango, show how much of a capable he player he is in and out of possession.

For example, as well as having the second-highest number of progressive passes (42) at Nice, Thuram also has the fourth-highest number of shot-creating actions (23) at the club.

 

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Then from a defensive point of view, the 6 foot 4 Frenchman, who Mango has also described as “staggering” for his size and strength, has the fifth-highest combined total of tackles and interceptions (35) as well as the fourth-highest number of recoveries (57).

Taking all of this into account, Thuram certainly has the talent to be a useful midfield addition to Eddie Howe’s squad.

His young age means it could be a risk to throw him straight into a Champions League race, but given he is already shining in a top European division, we feel it is a risk worth taking.

Alasdair Gold has dropped an update on the future of Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte.

What’s the latest?

In a recent video posted on his YouTube channel, the football.london journalist revealed that, despite a number of reports claiming that the 52-year-old Spurs manager would be tempted by a move back to Juventus should Massimiliano Allegri be relieved of his duties, the Italian is currently happy in north London – suggesting that an imminent departure is not on the cards.

Gold went on to state that, even if the Serie A side were to make an approach for their former manager, Daniel Levy and Fabio Paratici hold an option to extend Conte’s current contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium – which is set to expire at the end of the current campaign – for a further year – something that provides the club with an extra layer of protection regarding the coach.

Regarding the future of the former Chelsea, Inter Milan and Italy manager, the journalist said: “Digging around, I’ve got confirmation today that it’s Tottenham that hold this option. So Tottenham are the ones who can decide to extend, and they can do so whenever they choose to do it before the end of the contract.

“So that gives Conte a little bit more protection, and if a side like Juventus do come in, they’d have to pay a lot more money. But from what I understand, Conte seems to be quite happy at the moment. He seems to be quite settled.”

Great news for Spurs

Considering the rather remarkable job Conte has done at Tottenham since his appointment in November of 2021, Gold’s claim that the Premier League side hold an option to extend the 52-year-old’s current deal for a further year, in addition to his suggestion that the Italian appears to be happy in north London, is undoubtedly great news for Spurs.

Indeed, following his arrival at the club, the tactician achieved an astonishing turnaround in form, with Tottenham winning 17, drawing five and losing just six of their 28 Premier League fixtures under his management, despite having won five and lost five of their opening 10 games of the season while Nuno Espírito Santo was at the helm.

These results saw Spurs climb from ninth in the table prior to the 52-year-old’s appointment to fourth by the end of the 2022/23 campaign, with the Italian ensuring that Tottenham would be playing Champions League football for the first time since 2020 – beating north London rivals Arsenal to fourth with a 5-0 win over Norwich City on the final day of the season.

Furthermore, Conte has also overseen a sensational start to Tottenham’s 2022/23 Premier League campaign, with the Lilywhites currently sitting third in the top flight standings – having won five, drawn two and lost none of their seven league fixtures so far this season – just one point behind the Gunners in first and level on points with reigning champions Manchester City in second.

FootballFanCast General: Subscribe and never miss what matters Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

However, the 52-year-old’s impact is even more impressive when looking at the bigger picture as, since the beginning of 2022, only Liverpool and Manchester City (60) have picked up more Premier League points than the Italian’s side, with Tottenham currently sitting in third on 58 points – while City (71) are the also only team to have outscored Spurs (65) this year.

As such, considering the fact that Conte has achieved these results despite having only been at the club for a little under 11 months, the prospect of the 52-year-old staying on for a further year and a half is sure to be an incredibly exciting one for everyone involved with Spurs – proving why Gold’s latest update is undoubtedly great news for the club.