All posts by z3u9t.icu

While Tottenham Hotspur have caught the eye on numerous occasions this season and have made considerable progress under Ange Postecoglou's leadership, they do sit outside the top four after the Premier League term's midway point.

Of course, Spurs are just three points behind third and fourth-placed sides Arsenal and Aston Villa, having recovered from a slump before the festive period, welcomed back injured stars and made a couple of astute January signings to strengthen the cause.

Radu Dragusin (defender) and Timo Werner (forward) have indeed both joined the ranks this month but Postecoglou is still on the prowl for a midfielder, and if Tottenham are to complete further business by next week then this will be the focussed position.

That doesn't mean that efforts haven't been taken to map out plans ahead of the summer, however, with Harry Kane still not directly replaced as the team's focal frontman.

Spurs' search for a forward

Postecoglou opted against signing a star centre-forward in the summer and while Werner was welcomed earlier in January, the former Chelsea man is more versatile than he is prolific and the goalscoring onus will not be placed on his shoulders.

One prominent name reportedly on the radar is Brentford's Ivan Toney, but with the England international attached to a price tag of £100m, securing his signature might be somewhat infeasible.

As such, it's exciting to hear that Daniel Levy could be working toward a deal for Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee, with Tutto Mercato Web reporting that Tottenham are in the mix for the dynamic forward along with divisional rivals Arsenal and Aston Villa.

Zirkzee is understood to have a €40m (£34m) release clause in his contract and has attracted the attention of frontrunners AC Milan, with fresh reports also suggesting that Manchester United have held formal discussions for the Dutch player's possible transfer.

Why Spurs & Arsenal want Joshua Zirkzee

Zirkzee burst onto the scene as a youngster with Bayern Munich and scored four goals from just three starts during the 2019/20 German Bundesliga season, announcing himself as a prodigious talent.

However, he didn't manage to cement a starring spot in Bayern's illustrious outfit and was transferred to Bologna in 2022, completing an inauspicious season in Serie A, scoring just two goals across five starting displays, hampered by injury and ineffectual performances.

Now clicking together, he has returned with vigour this term and so far yields a healthy return of eight goals and four assists across just 19 starts in all competitions, praised for his "extraordinary qualities" by his manager Thiago Motta.

The striker has complemented his goalscoring exploits with 1.3 key passes per game in the Italian top-flight, as per Sofascore, also creating eight big chances for his teammates.

The £19k-per-week whiz excels through his elegance on the ball and in his link-up play, imposing at 6 foot 4 and intelligent in his movement and spatial awareness in the box.

As per FBref, Zirkzee ranks among the top 14% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 18% for successful take-ons and the top 19% for clearances per 90.

Given his dynamism and protean threat as an offensive force, Zirkzee could be the perfect fit for Postecoglou's fluid, multi-faceted system at Tottenham.

He is also considered a similar player to Marseille striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, (as per Football Transfers' Player Comparison model) who was once an absolute menace on English shores for Spurs' rivals Arsenal.

How Joshua Zirkzee compares to Aubameyang

Once described as a “phenomenal” talisman by Gunners boss Mikel Arteta, Aubameyang might be 34 years old now but he is still scoring for fun on Europe's major stage, netting 13 goals and providing seven assists from 27 matches for Marseille this term.

Enjoying some of the best days of his career at the Emirates Stadium, the Gabonese striker was well-regarded for his pace but an underrated and equally integral aspect of his skill set lay in his off-ball movement and innate understanding of his role in attacking sequences.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp once said of his erstwhile Borussia Dortmund student: “He's one of the best players for the counter-attack that you can find on this planet because of the timing of the runs and the really outstanding finishing record in situations like that.”

21/22

21

9

2

20/21

39

15

4

19/20

44

29

3

18/19

51

31

8

17/18

14

10

4

Zirkzee is starting to showcase his skills as a high-class centre-forward and can emulate such attributes; he might not have the same kind of searing speed but he is ruthless on the break and drifts into promising openings with remarkable regularity.

He's also shown himself to be one of the more creative strikers the European game has to offer and this is something that Aubameyang has embraced in recent years after witnessing the wane of his pace.

Indeed, Aubameyang ranks among the top 1% of positional peers for assists per 90 to showcase his skill across various facets of the striking game.

Zirkzee was once praised for his "prolific" beginnings at the Allianz Arena by Kulig and is now showing signs of rekindling this cutting edge in Italy, with a complete style of play to ensure that he has a myriad of weapons to inflict damage on opposition.

And if the rangy ace can continue to build on the gains made during his time at Bologna and make the move to Tottenham, there's a good chance that he could take his game to the next level and provide Postecoglou with the kind of all-encompassing talisman to offer shades of Arsenal's former hero in Aubameyang, but actually surpass his ability with a blend of clinical shooting and creative ingenuity.

Jurgen Klopp revealed last week that he will depart Anfield at the end of the 2023/24 season after just shy of nine years in charge of Liverpool.

Liverpool's search for Klopp's replacement

According to The Times, the Reds will make a decision on his successor through data, rather than emotion, and they name Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi as a candidate.

The report claims that the Italian chief, who predominantly uses a 4-2-3-1 formation, will be considered by FSG as they plot their next move ahead of the 2024/25 campaign to carry on Klopp's great work.

The Daily Mail added that Xabi Alonso and the Seagulls tactician are two of the names at the top of the club's shortlist of options at this moment in time.

FSG, however, must be wary that they do not find Brendan Rodgers 2.0 in a move for De Zerbi, as he is a manager who has not proven himself at the very top level.

Brendan Rodgers' trophyless Liverpool spell

The Northern Irishman was appointed as Liverpool's manager in the summer of 2012 with no major trophies won in his career to that point, having managed Swansea, Reading, and Watford previously.

Rodgers kept the Swans up in the Premier League in the 2011/12 campaign and the Reds reacted to his performances with the midtable side by bringing him to Anfield.

However, his inexperience at the very top level ended up being his downfall as the 51-year-old tactician left Merseyside in 2015 after just over three years and zero trophies won at the club.

He has since gone on to win silverware with Celtic and Leicester, including the FA Cup with the Foxes in 2021, but failed to do so with the Reds.

De Zerbi's top level inexperience

The 44-year-old, who was described as "fiery" by journalist Josh Hayward, has caught the eye with his impressive work at Brighton since he arrived at the AMEX in 2022 to replace Graham Potter, who joined Chelsea.

He led the Seagulls to sixth in the Premier League last season, which secured Europa League football for the club, and currently has his team in seventh after 21 matches.

Darfo Boario

Zero

Foggia

One

Palermo

Zero

Benevento

Zero

Sassuolo

Zero

Shakhtar Donetsk

One

Brighton

Zero

As you can see in the table above, De Zerbi has not enjoyed a trophy-laden managerial career to date, with a Serie C cup and a Ukrainian Super Cup the only pieces of silverware that he has obtained.

This means that they would be making an appointment similar to the one they made with Rodgers by snapping up an inexperienced manager from a mid-to-upper-table Premier League side.

Whereas, Klopp had won five trophies with Borussia Dortmund, including two Bundesliga titles battling against Bayern Munich, prior to his move to Liverpool.

The German wizard has gone on to win seven trophies with the Reds, including the Champions League and the Premier League, and will, hopefully, add more before the end of the current campaign.

Liverpool went out to get a proven winner to replace Rodgers, and it has paid off for them over the past nine years or so, which is why they should look to avoid the potential mistake of appointing another inexperienced head coach in De Zerbi as there is the risk that it could be Rodgers 2.0.

Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali has personally set his sights on a title-contending manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino, with pressure growing on the Argentine after yet another poor Premier League campaign at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea booed in Wolves defeat

The Blues' latest league defeat to Wolves saw them drop to the bottom half, with the Old Gold leapfrogging them into 10th after they secured a 4-2 win over Pochettino's side in west London.

"The worst…" – Media slam one Chelsea player against Wolves

It was not a good day at the office for Blues.

ByHenry Jackson Feb 4, 2024

Boos rang around the ground as Chelsea suffered two humbling consecutive defeats while conceding eight goals in the process, and there have been reports that those within Chelsea are not aligned when it comes to Pochettino and some of his decisions this season.

Lesley Ugochukwu

6.20

Noni Madueke

6.47

Malo Gusto

6.50

Mykhailo Mudryk

6.55

Axel Disasi

6.63

Chelsea have lost nearly half of the top-flight matches they've played this season while conceding more goals than every other side above them in the table – numbers which make for grim reading after they spent nearly £400 million last summer in an effort to back Pochettino.

The prospect of European football seems far-fetched at this point, but Pochettino does have an opportunity to clinch some much-needed silverware as they gear up for an EFL Cup final against Liverpool soon.

Nevertheless, Chelsea's on-field form has been poor yet again, and chairman Todd Boehly is under mounting scrutiny alongside Pochettino. Chelsea have even been linked with managers to replace Pochettino, with one coach turning heads all over the continent and now at Cobham.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who is also a widely reported contender to replace Klopp at the end of this season when he departs Anfield, is currently unbeaten at the top of the Bundesliga and could usurp serial winners Bayern Munich to the German top-flight crown.

Eghbali eyeing Alonso to replace Pochettino

French news outlet Sport Zone have an update on Chelsea's interest in the Spaniard. Indeed, it is believed high-ranking Chelsea chief Eghbali wants Alonso to replace Pochettino, but fellow board member Boehly "tempers" the move.

The 42-year-old tactician has worked wonders at Leverkusen, first taking over when they were in real trouble yet transforming them into league-leading dominators. Right-back Jeremie Frimpong, speaking early last year, was effusive in his praise for Alonso after he first helped to turn the tide.

"He is a great coach, he came and gave us new energy, it was a fresh start. Everyone wanted to impress. When he arrived it was like we forgot about the start of the season and we focused on improving because there was still a lot of the season left," said Frimpong.

Celtic have made a habit over the years of bringing in exciting young talent and selling them for profit after they have helped the club to achieve success on the pitch.

The likes of Virgil van Dijk, Jota, Moussa Dembele, and Odsonne Edouard, among others, were sold for significant fees, per Transfermarkt, after being developed at Parkhead.

Jota was sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad last summer in a £25m deal, which made him the joint-most expensive sale in club history alongside Kieran Tierney's £25m move to Arsenal in 2019.

That record may not stand for too much longer as journalist Anthony Joseph, on The Celtic Exchange Podcast (02/02/2024), recently revealed that Celtic want a club-record fee for Matt O'Riley and suggested a valuation of up to £30m could be on the cards.

How much Celtic paid for O'Riley

The Scottish giants struck gold when they swooped to sign the impressive young midfielder from English League One side MK Dons for a fee reported to be £1.5m in January 2022.

He had produced seven goals and five assists in 26 third tier appearances during the first half of that season, and arrived as somewhat of a gamble for the Hoops.

There was no guarantee that the Danish whiz would be able to translate his form from the third division in England to the top-flight in Scotland but that is exactly what he did.

O'Riley managed four goals and two assists in 16 Scottish Premiership matches during the second half of that term and went on to rack up three goals and 12 assists in 38 league matches for the club last season.

O'Riley's current record valuation

As aforementioned, Joseph revealed that Celtic value O'Riley at a record fee of up to £30m, amid interest from Atletico Madrid and Leeds at various points throughout the season.

That £30m valuation means that his market value has soared by a staggering 1,900% from the initial £1.5m the club paid to sign him from MK Dons, and it will be interesting to see whether any teams decide to take the plunge to secure his services for that figure in the summer.

He has been in phenomenal form in the Premiership for Celtic so far this season and his attacking contributions could make him an attractive target for clubs, as the magician has the quality to impact matches on a regular basis.

Goals

Ten

First

Assists

Seven

Second

Big chances created

Six

Third

Key passes per game

2.4

Third

Sofascore rating

7.85

First

As you can see in the table above, O'Riley ranks highly within the current squad in a number of key attacking statistics, which perfectly illustrates how important he is to Brendan Rodgers as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

Therefore, it is understandable that Celtic value him at a record fee as he is crucial to what they do on the pitch, from an attacking perspective, from a central midfield position.

At the age of 23, the Denmark international also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve, which means that any prospective buyers would be getting an outstanding performer who also has the potential to get better.

Celtic struck gold when they snapped him up from MK Dons at the start of 2022 as he has been a key player on the pitch and, as a result, an extremely valuable asset ahead of the summer transfer window, with a club-record sale possibly on the cards for the exciting maestro.

Tottenham are already pushing hard to sign a £75 million player ahead of Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid, as the La Liga giants and Spurs contend for his sought-after signature.

Spurs showcase transfer pull with major January signings

The last window wasn't just a successful one for manager Ange Postecoglou in terms of securing more quality, but it also showcased the club's growing pull.

Tottenham "expected" to sign "A-list" Harry Kane heir with 27 y/o available

Spurs are eyeing a new striker this year.

ByEmilio Galantini Feb 14, 2024

This was best demonstrated by Tottenham hijacking Barcelona's deal for teenage sensation Lucas Bergvall on deadline day, with the Spaniards thought to have all but sealed a move for the Swede before Postecoglou's men came knocking.

"Everyone says he is a great player and Deco has been monitoring him for months," said Barcelona president Joan Laporta before Spurs officially confirmed Bergvall's arrival earlier this month.

"We have sent a formal proposal for him and are waiting for an answer. The English clubs have a lot of resources and sometimes it’s difficult for us to compete with them. We know Tottenham want him too and they offered way more money than we do. We have a lot of extremely talented 17-year-olds and there are certain things that we, as a club, can’t offer."

Fellow January signing Radu Dragusin also chose north London over Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, dealing an almighty blow to Harry Kane's side who eventually settled on a loan deal for Spurs outcast Eric Dier.

Radu Dragusin

Arrival

Timo Werner

Arrival

Lucas Bergvall

Arrival

Djed Spence

Exit (loan)

Eric Dier

Exit (loan)

Japhet Tanganga

Exit (loan)

Sergio Reguilon

Exit (loan)

Ivan Perisic

Exit (loan)

Alejo Veliz

Exit (loan)

Ashley Phillips

Exit (loan)

“Yes, that is right. I chose Tottenham because I felt it was the right step for me and I had a really good conversation with the coach," admitted Dragusin on why he chose Spurs over Bayern.

“I saw that they wanted me from a long time ago, like one month before the transfer window, so I thought this is the right choice for me. I really believe in this team and that it is a good environment for me to continue my career and to progress in [Tottenham’s] incredible stadium and [with these] team-mates."

The top-four chasers, after a turbulent last season under Antonio Conte, are appearing to reap the rewards off the field for their appointment of Postecoglou. Tottenham's rejuvenated form, and the general pull of Premier League football, has helped them beat some of world football's biggest clubs to their transfer targets. And now, it is believed they are aiming to pip Real Madrid to Everton starlet Jarrad Branthwaite.

Tottenham making "most concerted effort" to sign Branthwaite

According to The Daily Mail, Spurs and Man United are already "pushing more than most" to sign Branthwaite, with both making the "most concerted effort" ahead of this summer.

Ancelotti's Madrid are also contending and have made an enquiry, but the Lilywhites are believed to be moving forward with more intent at this stage.

Branthwaite's been called a "complete" player by Rudd van Nistelrooy and has starred under Sean Dyche at Everton this season – leading to reports he could cost around £75 million to prise away from Goodison Park.

With Arsenal's need for a centre forward well documented, it appears that Edu Gaspar has now turned away from previous targets and is interested in one of Europe's most promising strikers.

Arsenal's search for a striker

Don't let the eighteen goals in their last four Premier League games fool you, Arsenal are still in dire need of a number nine. This season has seen Mikel Arteta opt to play without a traditional centre forward for much of the campaign, relying on goals to come from his wingers.

The Arsenal star who outshone Jorginho vs Newcastle

Arsenal were back to their best after defeat against Porto in midweek.

ByMatt Dawson Feb 25, 2024

Whilst Bukayo Saka's thirteen league goals are impressive and Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard have all chipped in, it still feels that the Gunners are missing the leading man to take them to the next level. Players initially signed to fulfill these duties have not gone to plan with Gabriel Jesus struggling with injury and the aforementioned Havertz adopting a deeper role.

Despite the clear need for a striker, Arteta made it clear such a move was not possible this January, telling beIN Sports that: "At the moment it doesn't look realistic. My job is to improve the players we have."

Whilst the Gunners' boss declines any interest in a new number nine, it hasn't stopped the rumour mill from turning. A strong return following his ban has seen Ivan Toney's name back in contention for the vacancy however, reports now suggest that Arsenal have an interest in a teenage talent who could be a better alternative to the Brentford man.

Edu eyes exciting Toney alternative

According to Football Insider, sources within the club have said that Brighton forward Evan Ferguson is on Arsenal's radar with Edu's talent spotters at the Emirates regarding him as a "huge talent" who will go on to become a world beater.

Making his debut for Brighton in early 2022, the 19-year-old has had a rapid rise on the South coast, scoring 12 Premier League goals in just 44 appearances. The most impressive of this catalogue was the Irishman's hat-trick against Newcastle that saw Ferguson tipped to go all the way by his current boss Roberto De Zerbi:

"He can become big, big, big. His qualities are enough to become a great player. He can become one of the best, the top scorer in Europe. He was born in 2004, he's 18. I don't know how many players are young, that score like him."

Eight years the junior of Toney, Ferguson would offer the kind of player better suited to the project Edu and Arteta are building in North London. Boasting the third-youngest squad in the league, it would be within their interests to go for the younger option.

Whilst Toney would deliver the short-term impact needed to deliver immediate success, a club as process driven as Arsenal would see the benefits that Ferguson would bring in the long run. Giving one of Europe's most promising talents the chance to develop would prove far more beneficial overall than signing a proven goalscorer who may have only a few seasons left in the tank.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is already keen on signing two in-demand talents this summer, according to a new report.

Oliver Glasner’s start at Crystal Palace

The Austrian replaced Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park last month and got off to winning ways in the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Burnley. The victory eased fears of relegation, and Glasner’s side then put in another spirited display away to Champions League-chasing Tottenham Hotspur last time out.

Crystal Palace struck gold on Hodgson signing who's worth more than Olise

The dazzling Palace ace is a joy to watch.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 8, 2024

Eberechi Eze’s free-kick put the visitors in front in the second half, however, Palace conceded three times late on to hand Glasner his first defeat in charge of the Eagles.

The manager was impressed with what he saw from his side against Spurs, though, saying: "It's a disappointing result but a performance that gives us confidence and hope for the next weeks. We gave the goals too easy to Tottenham. You must play perfect to win here. We did well for a long time but should have done it over 95 or 100 minutes."

Attention now turns to a crucial top-flight fixture at home to Luton Town on Saturday afternoon, and should Palace win, some may say that their Premier League status is all but secured for another season.

Palace could then look at possible summer signings, with Fenerbahce’s Bright Osayi-Samuel, someone who Eze knows from his time at QPR, a target. More European additions could also be of interest to Glasner and Palace, going off a new update.

Glasner eyeing Rapid Vienna duo

According to HTC and journalist Graeme Bailey, Glasner is looking to his native country and specifically Rapid Vienna for potential Crystal Palace signings. He claims that the Eagles boss is personally keen on talents Leopold Querfeld and Matthias Seidl this summer, however, Palace aren’t the only club interested.

The report states that Premier League rivals Burnley, Fulham, and Wolves, Championship leaders Leicester City and Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers have watched the pair in action.

But who are the two players in question? Starting with Querfeld, who is just 20 years of age and is primarily a centre-back who can also turn out as a holding midfielder if needed.

The Austria U21 international has progressed through Rapid Vienna’s academy and has been a regular in recent seasons, even scoring three goals during the current campaign.

Valued at a career-high €3.5m by Transfermarkt, Querfeld will soon be entering the final 12 months of his current Rapid Vienna deal, so the summer could be the perfect chance for Glasner to bring him to Palace.

Games

61

103

Goals

4

46

Assists

1

22

Meanwhile, Seidl is three years older than his teammate at 23 and only made the move to the club last summer after starring for former side Blau Weiss Linz, contributing to 22 goals during the 2022/23 season.

A three-cap Austria international and capable of playing with both feet, Seidl can turn out in an attacking midfield role or as a central midfielder.

Ivan Perisic has enjoyed an excellent career but there's a good chance he looks back on his time at Tottenham Hotspur somewhat ruefully.

Signed on a free by Antonio Conte in 2022 after his contract with Inter Milan expired, the veteran playmaker showed flashes of quality in testing circumstances before seeing his time in London cruelly ended last September after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.

The 35-year-old's contract was set for expiry at the end of the campaign but he was granted a loan move to his Croatian homeland in January, joining Hadjuk Split with the view to making the move permanent in the summer.

He's old and battered by an unfortunate injury and it's only natural that his market value would plummet, especially given his contract situation, but believe it or not he's still worth more than Alex Pritchard, who has really fallen by the wayside after a promising beginning with Spurs.

Why Spurs sold Alex Pritchard

Snapped up from London rivals West Ham United as a youth, Pritchard was on the books at Tottenham but only featured twice for the seniors during this phase of his career, making his Premier League debut under Tim Sherwood against Aston Villa back in 2014.

GK – Hugo Lloris

RB – Kyle Naughton

CB – Michael Dawson (C)

CB – Vlad Chiriches

LB – Danny Rose

CM – Paulinho

CM – Sandro

RW – Glyfri Sigurdsson [A. Pritchard, 83']

LW – Christian Eriksen

ST – Emmanuel Adebayor

ST – Harry Kane

An attacking midfielder with bags of skill, Pritchard earned praise from fellow graduate Harry Kane around that time, though Kane has seen his career go down a different track since.

“He’s a flair player, exciting to watch and every time he gets the ball you are waiting for him to take a player on or do a trick or two. He’s also got a great delivery and can finish, so he has all the ability.”

While Pritchard, now aged 30, had some promise, he'd never really demonstrated it with the regularity that would have earned him a regular spot in the senior Spurs squad, so it was somewhat surprising when Norwich City swooped in and secured his services for £8m back in 2016, with Mauricio Pochettino taking the squad to a new level and finding no place for this ace.

It might have been something of a disappointment for the former England U21 international at the time, but his pathway since has proved that shipping him out was the right move, and, moreover, the fee collected surpassed anything near the apt figure that the Canaries should have presented.

Alex Pritchard's market value in 2024

Pritchard has had something of a nomadic career, playing for four different outfits and principally playing his football in the Championship, indeed plying his trade for Birmingham City at present.

According to Football Transfers' player valuation model, Pritchard is currently worth just £1.2m, which marks a significant 85% decrease from the fee Tottenham collected nearly eight years ago.

This small figure places him below Perisic's current value of £1.8m and just slightly above 36-year-old Fraser Forster's £1.1m projected price tag, hardly speaking of a quality fit for the Premier League.

For an attacking midfielder, five direct goal contributions from 48 Premier League fixtures is a return that underscores the success Tottenham found in selling Pritchard for an £8m figure that, while small in itself, was more than Norwich should have paid.

While Pritchard had earned praise for his "fiery" personality and "unique" qualities by manager Tony Mowbray, he's unfortunately only eked out a portion of the quality that was dreamt of when impressing during his fledgling phase at the Lilywhites youth academy.

Spurs' decision to sell was, in hindsight, a brilliant move – Daniel Levy's powers of negotiation sure shone through with this one.

While it cannot be used as an excuse to cover up what has at times been a disappointing and frustrating campaign for Manchester United, there's no denying that Erik ten Hag has not been helped by the plethora of injuries that have hampered his side throughout the season.

The Dutchman has notably had to make do without his former Ajax star, Lisandro Martinez for almost the entirety of 2023/24, with the World Cup winner having been restricted to just ten appearances in all competitions thus far.

Those woes have not been helped by separate issues for the likes of Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, Raphael Varane and Victor Lindelof at various periods in the season, ensuring there has been a real sense of turbulence in the centre-back ranks.

It is, however, at left-back where arguably the biggest and most sustained problem lies, with the Red Devils losing Luke Shaw with an injury that could keep him out until the end of the season, while understudy and forgotten man Tyrell Malacia has yet to feature at all this term due to his own injury hell.

Player

Injury/Reason for absence

Potential return date

Luke Shaw

Thigh

11/05/2024

Lisandro Martinez

Knee

06/04/2024

Amad Diallo

Suspension

04/04/2024

Tyrell Malacia

Knee

?

Jonny Evans

Other

30/03/2024

Altay Bayindir

Muscle strain

30/03/2024

Casemiro

Muscular injury

30/03/2024

Anthony Martial

Groin/Hip/Pelvic

30/03/2024

With Sergio Reguilon seeing his loan deal cut short courtesy of a break clause in January – and with Alvaro Fernandez moving to Benfica on an initial temporary deal – Ten Hag has a real dearth of options in that role, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka the latest makeshift solution during the recent win over Liverpool.

While United will now likely hope to stumble on before recruiting a new left-sided defender this summer, Ten Hag may wish to consider looking to his academy ranks, with one certain teenager potentially able to replicate the rise of Arsenal's, Bukayo Saka.

Bukayo Saka's record at Arsenal

United supporters may not be too willing to give much acknowledgement regarding the form of a rival star, yet it is hard to ignore the remarkable impact that Saka has made at the Emirates of late, becoming the figurehead for Mikel Arteta's title hopefuls.

Still only 22, the England international already has 54 goals and 55 assists to his name in 216 games in all competitions to date for the Gunners, having already chipped in with 31 goals and assists across all fronts this season.

If Arsenal are to enjoy any form of success either this season – or beyond – Saka is almost certainly set to be right at the heart of it, with the wing wizard having that knack for simply terrorising defences down the right flank.

Why is this relevant to United you ask? Well, as memory serves, the Three Lions ace did in fact spend much of his early stint in the Gunners first-team at left-back, notably playing in that role on 17 occasions in the 2019/20 season.

Having flitted between operating in that defensive berth or in a more advanced role in the youth set-up, Saka – who made his full debut for the club at the age of just 17 in 2018 – was able to plug a gap at full-back initially, prior to transitioning into the devastating right-winger that Premier League defences fear today.

Man Utd must rue losing a "wonderkid" who's now worth as much as Mainoo

The incredibly talented youngster left Old Trafford looking for first-team football.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 19, 2024

Interestingly, as far as United are concerned, the club could potentially have an emerging talent who can follow Saka's pathway in the form of Bendito Mantato, with the teenager certainly creating a buzz at present.

Bendito Mantato's season in numbers

While hopes of featuring in the first team in the near future may seem premature as Mantato is just 16, as previously stated Saka himself was only a year older when he was handed a chance at the Emirates, ensuring it may not be too long before the United man does feature under Ten Hag.

As the Manchester Evening News recently revealed, there is notable interest in Mantato at present from rival clubs, with the report noting the comparison between the youngster and Saka, due to his ability to feature at left-back or on the right flank.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The exciting "wonderkid" – as per U23 scout Antonio Mango – looks like he won't be going anywhere if the latest reports are to be believed, however, with the indication being that he has already verbally agreed scholarship terms with his current side.

Tieing Mantato down to a new contract would certainly be in United's interests, not least for his likeness to Saka, with the future star having caught fire this season after scoring five goals in just five games in the U18 Premier League.

That included a dazzling four-goal haul in the recent comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers, with Mantato's first goal showcasing his Saka-esque nature as he expertly weaved his way into the area, before cutting in onto his favoured left foot and lashing home.

At a time when Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are shining in the senior ranks, Mantato has already been pictured in first-team training in recent weeks, further raising hopes that he is set to be the next star off the club's conveyor belt of talent.

Of course, much of the excitement may be surrounding his current brilliance on the wing, yet amid United's left-back predicament – and with Shaw's repeated injury issues posing a long-term problem – the teen ace could represent a wildcard solution.

He has lined up in that role on multiple occasions this season for England's U16 side, making his promotion certainly something to consider for Ten Hag – with Mantato only recently making his U21s debut against West Bromwich Albion.

Putting faith in one so young may represent a risk, yet after looking at the examples of Mainoo, Garnacho, and Saka at Arsenal, turning to the academy ranks is so often a wise decision.

As that man Mango stated, Bendito Mantato – "remember the name"….

Manchester United’s campaign so far has been filled with plenty of ups and downs, and only an FA Cup triumph or a Champions League spot can salvage it.

However, the latter does seem to be an all-but-impossible task, with fourth-placed Aston Villa currently nine points ahead of Erik ten Hag’s team.

In truth, the best part of the season thus far has been the rise of Kobbie Mainoo, who’s developed into such a key player for the Red Devils this season.

After making his first England start at 18 and earning an 8/10 rating – as per Sky Sports – the talk is expected to be all about the midfielder, but a certain Brazilian wonderkid, Endrick, has stolen the limelight over the international break, and United may just have their own version of the diminutive attacker in the pipeline.

Endrick‘s performances for Brazil in numbers

At just 16 years of age, Endrick became the most expensive Brazilian to have ever signed for Real Madrid in a deal worth £60m back in 2022.

However, the attacker will only move to the Santiago Bernabeu in July of this year, when he turns 18. The Los Blancos faithful have only just seen glimpses of the talented youngster over this international break, having starred for his nation.

Despite only coming on as a 71st-minute substitute against England, the 17-year-old scored the only goal of the game after tapping the ball home into an open net.

Endrick was once again left out of the starting lineup in Brazil’s friendly against Spain this week, but he was called upon at halftime, and just four minutes later, he found the back of the net once again, scoring in the stadium he would soon call home.

The hype surrounding the 5 foot 8 attacker is extreme, but the Red Devils may already have their answer to Endrick, waiting to showcase his talent to the world.

Man Utd could have 21y/o Maguire successor who plays with “no fear”

The young centre half could have a big role to play next season.

ByTom Lever Feb 22, 2024 Shea Lacey could be the next Man United superstar

Shea Lacey may not be a name that the majority of the United fanbase will have previously heard about, but he’s certainly a talent that could make a huge breakthrough in the not-so-distant future.

The 16-year-old is a talented winger within the Red Devils academy who’s even been called a “Phil Foden regen" by journalist Jack Kenmare.

This description of the United prospect is rather accurate, with Lacey being known for having a wonderful left foot, while having the ability to play on both wings and as an attacking midfielder.

However, the progress of the versatile ace has been put on hold this season, having missed months of action due to an injury, meaning that he’s only played eight games this campaign, scoring twice and picking up four assists.

Minutes

26

Assists

1

Shots on target

1

Long balls

2/2

Successful dribbles

1/2

Was fouled

3

Duels won

4/7

Interceptions

2

That said, as you can see by the table above, Lacey has already shown glimpses of his quality, particularly when he was subbed on as a 64th-minute substitute in Man United’s 3-0 win over Galatasaray in the UEFA Youth League.

The “very special” talent, as dubbed by journalist Alex Turk, displayed his well-rounded catalogue in such a short cameo, with vast passing, chance creation, dribbling, and the ability to deal with off-the-ball duties all on show.

There’s doubt that Lacey’s ceiling is extremely high, and with Ten Hag clearly showing a willingness to give the youth a chance if they deserve it, it may not be long until the teen star is involved in the first-team setup.