All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Wolverhampton Wanderers head coach Gary O’Neil is a man under pressure. The 2-2 draw against Brighton last week proved that the Old Gold have the fight in them to finally secure a Premier League win.

A clash against Crystal Palace awaits them this weekend. Oliver Glasner’s men aren’t exactly enjoying the best of seasons either, but they did beat Tottenham Hotspur last week to move up to 17th place in the top flight.

O’Neil will have to unleash his strongest team on Saturday evening at Molineux, with Matheus Cunha being the key figure in the side.

Matheus Cunha’s season in numbers

The Brazilian was arguably O’Neil’s most consistent performer last term, top-scoring with 14 goals across all competitions.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Despite Wolves’ poor start to 2024/25, Cunha appears to be carrying the form he demonstrated last term into the current campaign, already notching four league goals.

Not content with scoring goals, the former Atlético Madrid star has also created five big chances in the Premier League, averaging 1.7 key passes per game and 1.7 successful dribbles per match.

If he maintains this form, Cunha could score more than 14 goals this season. Giving him that freedom in an attacking midfield slot will be crucial over the next few weeks as the club looks to move away from the relegation places.

Goals

4

Assists

0

Big chances created

5

Shots per game

3

Key passes per game

1.7

Goal conversion %

15%

Via Sofascore

Could this see O’Neil make a few tweaks to his system? Perhaps bringing in someone who could dominate the midfield and offer plenty of defensive support?

If so, bringing Andre into the starting XI for the clash against the Eagles, after he was a substitute against Brighton last time out, could work wonders for both Cunha and Wolves.

Andre must be unleashed for Wolves

The summer signing arrived to much hype and fanfare, having made nearly 200 appearances for Fluminense, winning the Copa Libertadores during his time with the Brazilian side.

The midfielder may have only started five Premier League games for Wolves, but during his appearances, the 23-year-old has averaged a pass success rate of 95% along with recovering 3.6 balls, making 1.4 tackles, and winning three total duels per game – a success rate of 66% – for the Old Gold.

These statistics demonstrate that the youngster can circulate the ball well while being able to contribute effectively from a defensive point of view.

Having a player like Andre playing behind him, moving the ball around the pitch, and stopping any potential attacks could give Cunha more freedom to push forward whenever possible.

Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed Andre in 2023, saying: “We can’t talk about André without talking about his physicality. At 5’9” you’d think he’s not the most physically imposing but that’s far from the truth. André is a typical South American midfield dog. He loves to get stuck in and is very strong & aggressive in duels.”

If he can bring this sort of tenacity to the table against Palace, then Wolves may just win the midfield battle. This will give Cunha more opportunities to create chances and score a goal or two.

Wolves now making early move to sign 36-goal attacker in January

Wolves look to be trying to get a head start for January as they make contact with a transfer target. 

ByBrett Worthington Oct 30, 2024

It would be an understatement to say that this season has already been a roller coaster for Manchester United fans.

The team started the campaign with a respectable win over Fulham, but cratering form in the Premier League and Europa League eventually saw Erik ten Hag relieved of his duties in the dugout.

Former Red Devil Ruud van Nistelrooy is in temporary charge, but it’s the highly-rated Ruben Amorim who will have the task of delivering glory to the Old Trafford faithful once more.

However, to do that, he’ll likely want and need to make several changes and additions to the first-team squad, and recent reports have linked the club to a striker who could be his new Viktor Gyokeres, and big trouble for summer signing Joshua Zirkzee.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report out of Spain, Manchester United are one of several ‘European giants’ interested in FC Porto star Samu Omorodion.

The story claims that following his sensational form for the Portuguese giants this season and the sky-high potential many believe him to have, the former Chelsea target has become a player of particular interest to the Red Devils.

However, there are two significant obstacles to completing this signing: Paris Saint-Germain’s interest and the striker’s lofty release clause, which stands at around €100m, which is about £84m.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but if Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co can find a way to lower the asking price, then Omorodion would be an excellent signing and could develop into Amorim’s new Gyokeres.

The Zirkzee upgrade who could be Amorim's new Gyokeres

So, before we get to how Omorodion compares to one of his potential rivals at United, Zirkzee, let’s examine his similarities to Gyokeres, starting with the biggest: where he plays.

Yes, like the Swedish powerhouse, the former Atlético Madrid prospect is currently plying his trade in Portugal’s top flight, and he’s doing so with almost as much success as the former Coventry City star, currently sitting two behind him in the league’s goalscoring charts.

Their two other similarities are that they’re both right-footed marksmen and come in at over 6 foot, with the Sporting star measuring 6 foot 2 and the Porto poacher a mammoth 6 foot 4, which should help him adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League.

With all that said, how does he stack up to the Red Devils Dutch summer signing? If he moves to Old Trafford in 2025, he’ll have to compete with the former Bologna star to establish himself as Rasmus Hojlund’s main rival for a place in the starting lineup.

Well, when it comes to output, the most important metric for a number nine, the Spanish “monster”, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is the clear winner, racking up 11 goals in 11 games this year, compared to one goal and two assists in 15 matches for the Schiedam-born forward.

What about their underlying numbers? Is it just as one-sided when we take a look under the hood? Unfortunately for the former Bayern Munich prospect, it is.

For example, aside from shot-creating actions and progressive passes, Porto’s goalscoring “beast”, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, comes out ahead in every relevant metric, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes received, shots and shots on target, goal-creating actions and aerial duels, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.85

0.62

Actual Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

1.54

0.53

Progressive Passes

1.25

2.70

Progressive Passes Received

4.86

3.97

Shots

3.91

2.46

Shots on Target

1.96

1.07

Shot-Creating Actions

2.66

3.02

Goal-Creating Actions

0.42

0.32

Aerial Duels Won

2.64

1.90

Ultimately, Omorodion looks like he could develop into an elite centre-forward, and if United can convince Porto to accept a lower fee, then they should do what they can to bring him to Old Trafford, even if it could spell the end for Zirkzee.

Amorim setting sights on signing "cheeky" £90m Antony upgrade for Man Utd

The new manager isn’t wasting any time…

ByTom Cunningham Nov 3, 2024

A “sneakily good” Arsenal player has now formally told the club that he wants to leave N5, with the January transfer window fast approaching.

Players tipped to leave Arsenal in January

Beyond January 1, clubs will have an opportunity to revamp their squads and bring in much-needed upgrades in key areas, with a view to finishing this campaign in strong fashion.

Arsenal make approach to sign £160k-per-week star who Wenger wanted in 2015

The player admitted that Arsenal’s ex-manager wanted him in north London.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 13, 2024

Arsenal are usually quiet in January when it comes to incomings, but amid the ongoing injury crisis sweeping Mikel Arteta’s squad, it could be wise to push summer plans forward – even in the absence of influential sporting director Edu Gaspar.

Jason Ayto will take Edu’s role at Arsenal on an interim basis, with the official travelling to the US this week for an imperative Gunners meeting. This sit-down, which also includes the Kroenkes, Arteta, managing director Richard Garlick and director Tim Lewis, is a yearly scheduled summit to discuss transfer planning for 2025.

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Man United (home)

December 4

Fulham (away)

December 8

Everton (home)

December 14

It is highly possible that exit deals are a regular topic of discussion at this meeting, and there are a few players who the North London club must make decisions over.

Thomas Partey and Jorginho are both out of contract and set to leave the club next summer as things stand, so Arsenal must decide whether to sell in January, extend their deals or let the duo depart for free.

Arsenal may decide to sell Takehiro Tomiyasu in two months as well, according to some reports, with the £100,000-per-week defender enduring a nightmare when it comes to injuries this season – playing just six minutes all season.

Meanwhile, Kieran Tierney is almost certain to leave, and fellow left-back Jakub Kiwior’s future appears far away from the Emirates.

Kiwor tells Arsenal that he wants to leave

Many reports have linked the Poland international with an exit in the last few days, with The Boot Room now claiming that Kiwior has formally told Arsenal that he wants to leave, amid interest from Serie A.

A return to former club Spezia is on the cards, as well as a potential reunion with Thiago Motta at Juventus, with the prospect of Kiwior ending his two-year stay in north London growing more likely.

The 24-year-old is a bit-part player under Arteta, and that doesn’t look to be changing any time soon, which is a shame considering the promising start he made in 2023.

“I’m going to give out my underappreciated performer of the week, I’m chucking it out there early, Jakub Kiwior,” said Robbie Earle on NBC Sports about Kiwior last year, via The Express.

“He could have had a bad start with the handball, the penalty, it looks like it brushes off his knee or whatever. I think we got to the right decision. No drama, to go to Newcastle with that atmosphere, with that forward line, with that type of game with very little Premier League experience.

“People have asked ‘why hasn’t he come in?’ with the Saliba situation and Holding. He looks calm, he looks composed. No massive dramas, no massive mistakes.

“I wouldn’t say he’s been brilliant, but to not say anything about him is a compliment, you didn’t really notice him. You’re up against [Alexander] Isak on one side and Callum Wilson, who know their way around, they’re physical, good players. I just think he’s a sneaky good little signing who might be sneakily good for the future.”

Manchester United are going all in to sign a Chelsea “monster” for Ruben Amorim in a £50 million transfer, according to a recent report.

The January transfer window is only five weeks away from opening, and the Red Devils appear to have their eye on a few players who they could look to sign if the right deal is available for them.

Amorim can axe Maguire for "exciting" teen who’s not played for Man Utd

The Man Utd youngster is highly rated

1 ByJoe Nuttall Nov 23, 2024 Man Utd transfer rumours

Money is likely to be tight at Old Trafford in the New Year, as their heavy spending during the summer means they may have to move players on before they can bring anyone to the club.

One player who could be moved on by United is striker Joshua Zirkzee, as a report has claimed that he could be offloaded by Amorim in January. The Dutchman has struggled since moving to England, scoring on his debut against Fulham, but has failed to make a significant impact since then. Zirkzee has been linked with a move away in January and if he were to leave, whether it be on a permanent basis or a temporary one, it could allow United to make a transfer of their own.

Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite remains a top target for the Red Devils, and a move could occur for him in the New Year if United are able to get the finances right, as Everton are still demanding £70 million for his departure. But as well as looking at Branthwaite, United also have their eye on an attacker, who looks increasingly unhappy with his situation at his current side.

Man Utd going all in to sign "monster" attacker for Amorim in £50m transfer

According to a report from Spain, Manchester United have made Christopher Nkunku a top target, and they are willing to make an offer to sign him for Amorim. The Frenchman has been at Chelsea since July 2023, but it hasn’t been plain sailing for the forward, as injuries last season meant he played just 11 times in the Premier League, as well as two games in the FA Cup and one in the Carabao Cup.

Nkunku, who has been dubbed a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has already beaten his games from last season, as his appearance from the bench against Leicester City on Saturday made it 11 league games, and he has also featured heavily in the cup competitions. However, the striker is unhappy with his lack of game time at Stamford Bridge, as he’s only started one league game in this campaign.

This report now states that Man Utd are willing to go all out to secure the signing of Nkunku and are ready to offer a figure of €60 million, which is roughly £50 million. This price tag is not considered excessive, as Nkunku could have a very good impact on the team, as he’s got great vision and creative ability as well as an eye for goal.

Apps

18

Starts

8

Goals

10

Assists

1

Furthermore, Nkunku’s ability to play in different positions would make him an ideal player for Man United and Amorim, as the Portuguese looks to change the tactical approach of the club. Chelsea are said to be “evaluating” the offer from United, which could allow him to leave as he searches for more regular football.

Wrexham are now plotting a shock swoop to sign a new striker for Phil Parkinson as they look to secure promotion to the Championship at the first time of asking.

Wrexham chasing third straight promotion

Having only been promoted to League One in May 2024, Wrexham are on course for a third successive promotion as the Welsh side look to work their way back up the Football League.

Parkinson’s side currently sit second in England’s third tier, a point above big spenders Birmingham City, though the Blues do have two games in hand on them, while they trail Wycombe by two points though again, they have played a game more.

Nonetheless, the Red Dragons are targeting a return to the Championship this season, and are currently in with an excellent chance of success either through automatic promotion or through the play-offs, where they currently have a seven-point cushion to seventh-placed Bolton Wanderers.

They face a favourable run of fixtures in the final games of 2024 too, up against sides in the bottom half of League One and, should they be able to string a series of wins together, they could be in a really strong position come the turn of the year.

Opponent

Current League position

Burton Albion (Away)

23rd

Cambridge United (Home)

22nd

Bristol Rovers (Away)

16th

Blackpool (Home)

12th

Wigan Athletic (Home)

17th

Though Wrexham boast the meanest defence in the division with just 11 goals conceded, they lag a little way behind both Wycombe and Birmingham in the goalscoring charts despite having played more games, having managed just 27 in their 18 outings.

Now, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney now want to fix that with an exciting new forward.

Wrexham want to sign Manchester United talent

That comes as Wrexham are one of two sides showing a strong interest in signing Manchester United academy talent Ethan Wheatley on loan in January, according to a fresh report.

The teenage forward was handed his debut by Erik ten Hag last season, but has since returned to the youth setup and has scored five times in seven games in the PL 2 so far this season.

He remains a potential star in the making despite his limited senior game time, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a “clinical” striker who is similar to Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres in his style of play, offering “typical hold-up, link-up and channel running” for his side.

The biggest touchline meltdowns in football history

There’s a long list of managers making fools of themselves on the touchline…

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 4, 2024

As per transfer expert Graeme Bailey, “Wrexham have put Wheatley on their list of striking targets heading into January” as they look to bolster their low-scoring attack, though they face competition for his signature from fellow League One promotion chasers Stockport County, who would offer a more local loan option for the teenage forward.

Any move would be a low risk one, similar to that which initially bought goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo to Wrexham from Arsenal on loan, where he has since excelled and moved permanently.

Should Wheatley arrive and have even half the impact that the former Gunners shot-stopper managed, he could quickly become a fan favourite at Wrexham.

Although Aston Villa have turned a corner in the Premier League with two recent wins tallied up, Unai Emery’s men are without a victory from their last two encounters in the Champions League.

A 1-0 loss to Club Brugge was a bizarre defeat to take, as Tyrone Mings’ comical incident when picking the ball back up resulted in the Brugge winner, whilst a goalless draw with Juventus last time out for the Villans could have been another great win at Villa Park in Europe if it wasn’t for the intervention of VAR ruling out Morgan Rogers’ late goal.

Emery will just be praying that Villa getting back into their groove in the league means a positive performance and result is coming later versus RB Leipzig, with a number of standout performers impressing the Spaniard in the top-flight.

Aston Villa's key performers in the Premier League

After eight winless games in a row in all competitions, the relief was palpable when Villa beat Brentford towards the start of the month, as Emery’s men showed no signs of rust in toppling Thomas Frank’s Bees 3-1.

Rogers was especially on top form in that confidence-boosting win, with a stunning goal next to his name setting Villa on their way to the three points, on top of the fact he also managed to amass two successful dribbles and three key passes as an attacking livewire.

Ollie Watkins also chipped in with a strike from the penalty spot in the convincing victory, with Emery hopeful that the England international can exploit the Leipzig defence in some capacity, having sat out the 1-0 win over Southampton.

But, his replacement on the day could get the nod to start again versus the German hosts, with Jhon Duran potentially being deployed as Villa’s very own Benjamin Sesko to counteract Leipzig’s firepower, after scoring this decisive winner against the Saints.

Aston Villa's very own Sesko

It goes without saying now to the Villa faithful that Duran is a potent finisher of chances, having bagged five Premier League goals this season from just one start, which funnily came against Russell Martin’s lowly visitors.

That total betters Sesko’s own goal haul in league action for Leipzig by one, despite the fact the Slovenian striker has accumulated 13 starts in contrast and has previously been noted as a “monster” in front of goal by football analyst Ben Mattinson.

Still, at the very peak of his game, the Slovenia international can be as deadly as fellow youngster Duran when breathing down on goal, with the strike above in Champions League action earlier this campaign versus Juventus demonstrating his coolness in taking just one touch before emphatically firing home.

The Colombian loves scoring similar goals that come like a bolt from the blue for opposition defenders to contain, with his strike against Southampton seeing him pressure the South Coast side into making an error defensively, before calmly slotting away the opportunity that then came about.

Minutes played

20

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Touches

13

Total duels won

6/8

Looking at the table above too, the “special” 20-year-old – as he was labelled by Emery last campaign – has had lots of joy against Bundesliga teams this season to date, as the winner fell his way against Bayern Munich back in October from just 13 touches of the ball.

Imagine what the explosive attacker could possibly be capable of over a full 90 minutes away in Leipzig, with Marco Rose’s men susceptible to a leaky display at the back as well, by conceding ten goals from five Champions League contests.

If he isn’t at his clinical best from the start, Emery can just unleash Watkins when he wants to, as a third straight victory in all competitions remains firmly on the ex-Arsenal boss’ agenda.

Better than Duran: Aston Villa's "outstanding" 8/10 star stole the show

Aston Villa secured their second league win this week

ByRoss Kilvington Dec 8, 2024

Manchester United suffered their second consecutive Premier League defeat at the hands of Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

After a good start to Ruben Amorim’s reign, unbeaten in his first three games, United have stuttered recently and questions have once again been asked about the quality of the squad at his disposal.

There is no doubt a major rebuild is required at Old Trafford and with the sudden departure of sporting director Dan Ashworth, transfer plans could have been made that little bit more difficult for the Portuguese boss.

One area that has been identified as needing major strengthening is that of the centre forward position. Manchester United have scored just 19 Premier League goals this season, a record only worsened by four clubs: Everton, Crystal Palace, Ipswich and Southampton.

It seems a goalscorer could well be on the January wishlist.

Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund replacement lined up

Rasmus Hojlund has struggled to improve on his first season in English football scoring just five goals in all competitions this season. Joshua Zirkzee has also found life hard in his first season at the club, scoring just three times including an opening day winner over Fulham.

These low numbers from their strikers have been a major factor in Manchester United struggling for goals this term and that may have caused boss Amorim to go looking for reinforcements.

According to reports in Italy, via TEAMtalk, United are plotting a January move to sign Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, who is believed to have a £62m break clause in his loan contract from Napoli.

It is believed Napoli would like to raise some funds in January to bolster their own Serie A title charge and Osimhen has openly admitted he would like to play in the Premier League.

Osimhen stated: “I am working so hard to achieve my dream of playing in the Premier League one day.”

Osimhen one of Europe's sharpest shooters

Osimhen is regarded as a “world-class” striker by Jose Mourinho and his numbers and style of play may just be exactly what Man United are looking for in order to turn around their fortunes.

In comparison to United’s current striking options, Osimhen is a clear upgrade on Zirkzee and Hojlund – outperforming the pair in many of the major striking metrics.

Goals

7

3

2

Goals & Assists per 90

1.38

0.61

0.3

Shots per 90

6.06

2.27

1.04

Shots on target per 90

2.34

1.21

0.59

Fouls drawn

14

2

10

It is clear to see that not only is Osimhen outscoring both United strikers but is also creating more chances with higher goals and assists per 90 and a significantly higher number of attempts at goal per game.

Furthermore, Osimhen interestingly draws more fouls than Zirkzee and Hojlund, highlighting his ability to be a focal point in attack and lead the line on his own – something both of Amorim’s current options have come under fire for.

Many have recognised that Man United have struggled to replace Robin van Persie since his departure from the club back in 2015. Lots of different strikers have come in and out the door at Old Trafford since, many with differing success. None, however, quite matched the 26 goal Premier League campaign he had in the north west.

Odion Ighalo

23

5

1

Wout Weghorst

31

2

3

Edison Cavani

59

19

6

Romelu Lukaku

96

42

12

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

53

29

10

With Osimhen’s record at Napoli standing at 133 appearances, 76 goals and 18 assists, it is clear that the Nigerian striker would certainly hold his own should he walk through the famous Old Trafford doors.

Man Utd could forget Hojlund & Zirkzee by signing amazing £63m striker

Man United could sign an upgrade on their two striker options in January.

ByGeorge Light Dec 9, 2024

Celtic are said to be interested in striking a pre-contract agreement with an “unbelievable” player in January, prior to signing him for free next summer, in a new development.

Celtic transfer news

The Hoops continue to push for new signings, with former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson claiming that a move for Kieran Tierney is “highly likely” to happen in January: “It’s achievable. That’s probably what both parties would want, even Arsenal wouldn’t stand in his way.

“Like you say, injuries, not playing, he’s not been part of Mikel Arteta’s squad going forward. [Him leaving] frees that space up in Arsenal’s squad, [and] for Tierney, it’s a great fit. For Celtic, it seems a great fit. That one looks like it’s got highly likely potential of happening in January.”

Celtic are also believed to have made an enquiry over the signing of Manchester City youngster James McAtee, who made a positive impact against Leicester City on Sunday, coming off the bench and playing a key role in Erling Haaland’s goal.

Chelsea pair Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Carney Chukwuemeka has also been linked with a move to Celtic, with neither managing to play important roles for the Blues this season, finding themselves below several top-quality players in the midfield pecking order.

Celtic change tact to pre-contract agreement for Tierney

According to a new report from Football Insider, Celtic are now “working on a deal” to sign Tierney in a pre-contract agreement in January, in a development from Robinson’s comments above.

It is common knowledge that the Hoops are eyeing a reunion with the 27-year-old, having struggled to become a key player at Arsenal in recent years, even being loaned out to La Liga side Real Sociedad.

Bringing Tierney back to Celtic would be great news, and while some will be impatient and want to see him arrive in January, signing him for free in the summer instead could make more sense.

There is no desperation for the Hoops to bring in a new left-back currently, so waiting for a few months longer and snapping up for no transfer fee is the better outcome.

Kris Boyd has lauded the Arsenal man for his on-pitch relationship with Andy Robertson for Scotland, saying: “Now, the understanding they have is unbelievable. The understanding they have all over the pitch is brilliant and you can see why the assists have come from that left-hand side.”

Hopefully, Tierney will jump at the chance to return to Celtic, where he won five Scottish Premiership titles first time around, enjoying a successful second stint.

Not just Engels: 135-touch Celtic star now has to start in the Old Firm

Celtic powered to another thumping 4-0 win on Sunday afternoon

ByRobbie Walls Dec 29, 2024

He is a popular figure at Parkhead, despite leaving to join the Gunners, with his team ethic and attitude always standing out, not to mention the attacking quality he provides from left-back. Bringing him back would feel like a real coup for Celtic, especially as he is still very much in his peak years.

Manchester City have struggled this campaign, currently finding themselves sixth in the Premier League, coming off the back of four consecutive Premier League titles. Pep Guardiola’s side look a long way off retaining their crown, and making it five in a row.

Guardiola’s men have averaged the most possession in the division this season, with 61.6%, have taken the most shots per game, with 17.5, and have conceded the fewest shots per game, with 9.3.

However, despite conceding the fewest shots per game, Manchester City are conceding the highest xG per shot in the division, with 0.18.

Since the injury to Rodri, the midfield balance has been a real issue for City, and when you mix that with a lack of legs and ageing personnel in the entirety of the squad, it becomes even more apparent that the squad needs a rebuild, which could see the wheels begin to turn in the January transfer window.

Man City looking at Kevin De Bruyne replacement

According to reports from The Times last weekend, Jamal Musiala is one name on the radar for Manchester City heading into the new year. However, further reports from Football Insider, have claimed Bayern Munich have no intention of letting the 21-year-old leave in the mid-season window.

With the German currently in limbo regarding a new contract with the Bundesliga giants, Manchester City will believe there is a good chance to prise him away. Other clubs interested include Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

Musiala has made 22 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring 14 goals, providing six assists and totalling 1,609 minutes played.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

How De Bruyne compares to Musiala

One of Guardiola’s key men is clearly Kevin De Bruyne, who spent a couple of months on the sidelines with a hamstring injury. Guardiola’s comments when the Belgian returned show how integral he still is to this City side, with the Spaniard stating “I am so happy he is back”.

The 33-year-old has made 17 appearances so far this season, scoring two goals, providing two assists and totalling 898 minutes played.

However, as the Belgian is ageing, his availability is becoming less reliable, and bringing someone like Musiala through the door could prove to be the quality replacement needed for the superstar midfielder.

Goals

0.33

0.77

Assists

0.17

0.39

xG

0.24

0.48

xAG

0.51

0.35

Progressive Carries

2.70

4.17

Progressive Passes

10.1

6.22

Shots Total

3.58

3.72

Key Passes

3.10

2.50

Shot-Creating Actions

6.70

5.96

Successful Take-Ons

0.80

3.14

When comparing the two, you can see Musiala would provide an extra carrying quality to City, with an ability to pick up the ball in deep channel pockets and drive the team forwards, with 4.17 progressive carries per 90, but also 3.14 successful take-ons per 90, which is hugely important when facing man to man pressing schemes in the modern game.

Musiala doesn’t quite have the same passing range as De Bruyne, but he is still efficient with his key passing, making 2.50 per 90 (slightly less than De Bruyne’s 3.10), showing a good understanding of his decision-making when passing. Jacek Kulig has described the German as an “unbelievable” player, after showing his impact for Vincent Kompany’s side so far this season.

Of course, replacing a player who averages 10.1 progressive passes is always going to be tough, but Musiala provides 6.22 of his own, plus bringing other qualities such as his carrying prowess. In regard to Manchester City’s rebuild, the £90m-rated Germany sensation could be the start of a new generation for the Citizens.

Forget Phillips: Man City have an "ideal Rodri back-up" out on loan

Manchester City may already have their perfect Rodri deputy, but it’s not Kalvin Phillips

ByBen Gray Dec 31, 2024

It continues to be a busy January transfer window for Manchester City.

Last summer, the Sky Blues’ only noteworthy edition – aside from the return of İlkay Gündoğan – was Savinho, signed from within the City Football Group for a reported £30m.

However, following the sales of Julián Álvarez (£81.5m), João Cancelo (£21m), Liam Delap (£20m), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (£20m) and others, they recorded a profit of around £126m, so are now able to splash the cash this month.

As a result, wide-spread reports suggest that the Citizens are close to bringing in both Abdukodir Khusanov from Lens and Eintracht Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush, but the Egyptian forward isn’t the only die Adler player they have their eye on.

Manchester City targeting midfield reinforcements

According to a report by GiveMeSport, Manchester City and Arsenal ‘are battling it out’ as the Premier League rivals seek to sign Frankfurt midfielder Hugo Larsson.

TEAMtalk reported back in November that Liverpool and Tottenham also have the 20-year-old on their radar, who, according to the same outlet, is valued at around £70m.

Larsson joined Allsvenskan champions Malmö as a 12-year-old, winning a domestic double and making 61 appearances for the Sky Blues, before joining Bundesliga club Frankfurt for a reported €9m (£8m) in May 2023.

Fair to say, he has quickly established himself as a key figure in Dino Toppmöller’s team, racking up 1,515 minutes across all competitions prior to the winterpause, starting 18 of 24 matches, scoring four goals, two of which have come in the Europa League.

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Despite only having eight senior international caps to his name, Per Lagerström of Viaplay has claimed he is one of the “hottest” prospects in the Bundesliga.

How Hugo Larsson would improve Manchester City's midfield

Sticking with the theme of rave reviews, data analyst Ben Mattinson on Twitter believes Larsson is stylistically “very similar to [Jude] Bellingham”, which is certainly high praise indeed, so let’s see how the duo compare?

Statistics

Hugo Larsson

Jude Bellingham

Appearances

64

82

Minutes

4,059

7,035

Goals (per 90)

0.13

0.46

Assists (per 90)

0.04

0.31

Shots (per 90)

0.78

1.94

Goals – xG

+1.3

+12.1

Passes attempted (per 90)

39.53

44.74

Pass completion %

86.9%

87.4%

Tackles (per 90)

1.44

1.51

Interceptions (per 90)

1.44

0.86

Touches (per 90)

48.05

54.68

Of course, Bellingham’s attacking numbers significantly outweigh those of Larsson, with the Englishman scoring 36 goals since the start of last season, compared to the Swede’s six, albeit the Real Madrid man has massively overperformed his xG, doing so by more than 12 goals, suggesting this may not be sustainable.

Where Larsson is comparable to Bellingham is when it comes to passing and out-of-possession statistics, registering very similar pass completion percentages, touches and tackles per 90, while the Frankfurt midfielder has the edge in terms of interceptions.

That last point underlines why Larsson could prove such a shrewd addition for Manchester City.

The Citizens have not been the same since Rodri ruptured his ACL in September, with Pep Guardiola calling the Spaniard “irreplaceable”, adding that no other team “plays with a central midfielder who has a Ballon d’Or”.

So far, neither Mateo Kovačić nor Gündoğan have been able to fill the void vacated by Rodri, but Larsson has all the credentials to suggest he could do just that, so his signing could spark the beleaguered champions into life.

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