All posts by z3u9t.icu

This article forms part of our Profit Players feature series, which is where Football Transfer Tavern takes a look at how well a player has fared since being signed or sold, using statistical figures and statements from pundits to prove how good of a deal the club managed to achieve.

It all started in the summer of 2016, Queens Park Rangers had finished the season languishing in mid-table of the second-tier in English football, and Matt Phillips needed a new club. In came West Brom, and after agreeing on a fee of just £6m, the English-born player made the move to the Midlands.

After his brilliant start to the Championship season, Phillips is proving to be a crucial player for West Bromwich Albion this season. The winger has already matched his tally of five goals from last season in just 12 games compared to 30 games last year. His hunger to get on the end of chances this year have been apparent with Phillps averaging the second-most shots per game in the West Brom squad.

Goals against Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers and Huddersfield Town have won the league-leaders six points this season, showing his knack for being in the right place at the right time.

Manager Slaven Bilic has lauded his contribution to the attack this year compared to last. He said: “He likes to be around the box, but I said to him sometimes he wasn’t in the box enough.”

“We’ve seen this season that, most of the time, when the ball comes in from the other side, he’s inside the box. At the moment he’s doing it well, long may it continue.” (Source: Express and Star)

His output has already seen his transfer value rise to just over the £6m that was paid for him, as per Transfermarkt, and with the Midlands side in a strong position for Premier League promotion that could skyrocket given the value of promotion to the top-flight.

According to Deloitte (via The Daily Mail), promotion to the top-flight is valued at over £170m, and if Phillips’ goals can contribute to the cause, there’s no reason why his value won’t increase beyond the £6.3m it stands at.

West Brom fans, can Phillips aid your promotion push this season? Let us know your thoughts!

Manchester City fans have a split opinion on signing Rodrigo Bentancur from Juventus.

According to a recent report from Corriere dello Sport (via Calciomercato), City had a bid rejected for Bentancur and could yet return with an improved offer.

The Uruguayan has struggled to secure a permanent starting role with the Italian champions throughout his career with the club. This season, Bentancur has started only four Serie A games, after he started just 21 last season.

Juventus are far from short in midfield options with the 22-year-old amongst seven big names who could slot into the Old Lady’s midfield.

As a result of such star-studded choices in the centre of the pitch, prising away Bentancur might not be such a hard task. However, not all City fans are on board with this idea, as a lot of them want to see a centre-back join after Aymeric Laporte’s injury.

One fan also referred to the fact that City are well-equipped themselves, with the likes of Phil Foden, Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Fernandinho in midfield.

On the other hand, one fan said he could be David Silva’s replacement, whilst some other supporters don’t expect him to be so cheap.

Here’s what a select few have had to say about these rumours…

Hoping to get one over on their former sporting director, Newcastle United now reportedly want to sign a Premier League teenager ahead of Manchester United and Dan Ashworth in 2025.

Newcastle transfer news

The Magpies felt the full impact of Ashworth’s departure in the summer in what turned out to be a nightmare few months for new sporting director Paul Mitchell. On the hunt for reinforcements, those at St James’ Park ended the summer with their best signing being Lloyd Kelly on a free deal having failed in their pursuit to sign both Marc Guehi and then Anthony Elanga late on.

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The talent has developed rapidly in a short space of time under Howe.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 19, 2024

Unsurprisingly eager to move on, however, Newcastle have seemingly set their sights on making up for lost time in 2025, with recent reports linking the Magpies with moves for the likes of Leroy Sane.

The Bayern Munich star would be an arrival to silence any doubters once and for all and would arguably be Newcastle’s biggest signing since Alexander Isak. Whilst potentially welcoming the former Manchester City man, however, those in Tyneside could sign a player with a lower profile but someone with plenty of potential.

According to GiveMeSport, Newcastle now want to sign Tyler Dibling from Southampton ahead of Manchester United and Ashworth. Although the Saints youngster is currently on course to stay put at St Mary’s for the time being, he’s certainly one to keep an eye on after he stole the show against the Red Devils despite a 3-0 defeat last weekend.

Just 18 years old, Dibling showed all the confidence of a veteran winger against Manchester United in the type of performance that was always going to grab the interest of those chasing the European places in the Premier League.

"Special" Dibling can make an instant impact

Dibling still has a lot of work to do before he reaches his best of course, but that should only be seen as a positive given that he’s already causing sides like Manchester United plenty of problems at just 18 years old. One can only imagine the player he’s on course to become if this is the level he already finds himself at in a struggling Saints side.

Southampton boss Russell Martin has been quick to recognise Dibling’s quality too, saying via the Southern Daily Echo after the Saints narrowly lost against Nottingham Forest last month: “Tyler was brilliant. He was our biggest attacking threat. He was on the pitch for 15 minutes and he’s 18.

“We need a bit more of that mentality, that freedom to go and create, but he’s a really special talent. We just have to take our time with him. But, yeah, we probably need a little bit of help in that area, I would suggest.”

Chelsea spent around £200m this summer, acquiring a host of players such as Pedro Neto, João Félix, Kiernan-Dewsbury Hall, Filip Jorgensen, Mike Penders, Aaron Anselmino, Renato Veiga, Caleb Wiley, Marc Guiu, and Tosin Adarabioyo.

But there was another surprise addition on deadline day, with Jadon Sancho joining the club on an initial loan, with an obligation to buy. The fee will be £20m fixed plus £5m of add-ons, confirmed by Fabrizio Romano.

Sancho made 24 appearances last season for Manchester United and Dortmund, scoring three goals, providing three assists, and totalling 1,593 minutes played.

As you can see, his form has taken a nosedive since those dizzy days at Borussia Dortmund. He was a trailblazer, pathing the way for English talent to move abroad in the modern era and thrive.

Fikayo Tomori is one to follow in his footsteps, trading the Premier League for a top-five European league.

Fikayo Tomori's breakthrough at Chelsea

Tomori broke into the Chelsea first team under Frank Lampard after making 33 appearances for the Chelsea U21 side and spending time on loan with Derby County (also under Frank Lampard).

He eventually made 27 appearances for the Chelsea first team, scoring two goals and providing one assist in that time, totalling 2,133 minutes played at senior level for the club.

However, after falling out of favour under club legend Lampard, eventually Chelsea cashed in on the English defender, who made the move to AC Milan in 2021 for around £25m which was an option after his successful loan spell with the club.

How Tomori has played at AC Milan

Tomori has made 145 appearances for Milan since joining the club, scoring seven goals, providing one assist, and totalling an impressive 12,168 minutes played for the Rossoneri.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

Described as a "fantastic" transfer by scout Jacek Kulig, the 26-year-old is now valued at around £34m by Tranfermarkt, gaining value since joining from the Blues back in 2021.

To put that into context, he is rated more highly than the aforementioned Sancho and to offer more perspective, he is valued higher by Transfermarkt than the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Romeo Lavia and fellow defender Benoit Badiashile.

Speaking of which, how does the English centre-back compare to Chelsea's current options?

Goals

0.13

0.07

0.05

Progressive Carries

0.63

1.05

0.20

Progressive Passes

2.91

3.90

3.09

Pass Completion %

90.7%

90.0%

90.8%

Tackles

1.99

1.15

1.41

Blocks

1.55

0.91

1.41

Interceptions

1.17

0.59

1.01

Aerials Won

1.27

2.51

1.88

So, when comparing Tomori to some of Chelsea's current central defenders, the English defender clearly excels in defensive actions over the French pair, completing more tackles, more blocks, and more interceptions per 90. Considering the sheer volume of defending the Blues had to do last term, that's rather impressive.

Being the smallest of the three, standing at 6 foot 1, Tomori does win fewer aerial duels compared to Disasi, who stands at 6 foot 3, and Badiashile, who stands at 6 foot 4.

All three of the defenders average similar pass completions, all within the 90% spectrum, with Disasi averaging 90% on the dot, Tomori averaging 90.7% and Badiashile averaging 90.8%. In this regard, clearly they are similar.

Like their pass completion, the trios' progressive passing metrics are also fairly similar, Tomori averaging the least with 2.91 progressive passes per 90, Disasi averaging 3.90, and Badiashile averaging 3.09.

The Milan star does bring more goal threat, which has to be said is impressive considering he is the smallest of the trio, and winning the fewest aerials per 90.

That said, the main thing Chelsea could do with, that Tomori brings in abundance, is recovery speed, especially with the way Maresca likes to play, being aggressive out of possession, and dealing with balls in behind the backline at times.

It's fair to say there may be a tinge of regret in how this sale panned out.

Sold for £3m, now worth 1,233% more: Chelsea could rue selling Cobham star

Chelsea sold academy star too cheap as he begins to shine again

ByConnor Holden Sep 5, 2024

Everton have begun the 2024/25 campaign – their final one at Goodison Park – in dreadful fashion. Not only have they lost their opening two games of the Premier League season, but the Toffees have conceded seven goals without reply.

Hardly the start Sean Dyche was aiming for. This may force his hand to make a couple of signings before the summer transfer window closes on Friday evening.

Could this see the manager turn towards La Liga, as he eyes a move for a World Cup winner…

Everton chasing swoop for World Cup winner

According to reports in Spain (via Sport Witness), the Goodison Park side have joined the chase to sign Sevilla defender Gonzalo Montiel.

Another update has come from Argentine journalist Uriel Lugt, who said via X: "Everton and Borussia Dortmund add to the interest in Gonzalo Montiel. There are already talks underway for the full-back to leave Sevilla definitively. Nottingham Forest is also in the bidding."

It certainly looks as though the 27-year-old is keen on leaving Spain. Will it be a temporary deal? Or will the Toffees make a solid proposal to fend off other interest and bring him back to the Premier League?

Player

Club signed from

Jake O'Brien

Lyon

Tim Iroegbunam

Aston Villa

Asmir Begovic

QPR

Jesper Lindstrom

Napoli

Iliman Ndiaye

Marseille

Gonzalo Montiel’s 2023/24 season in numbers

The Argentinian made just one appearance for Sevilla last term before joining Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan deal.

Overall, he made 19 appearances for the club, grabbing three assists, as he eventually worked his way into the Argentinean side for the Copa América, held this summer.

The 5 foot 11 defender, who was hailed as an “animal” by former coach Julen Lopetegui, started just eight times in the top flight, but he did show glimpses of his attacking qualities.

Indeed, the right-back created four chances, averaged 0.6 key passes per game and succeeded with 100% of his dribble attempts, not bad for a player who averaged only 58 minutes per game.

These forward-thinking capabilities could make him a dream signing for Jack Harrison, who has operated on the right wing in Everton’s opening two matches of the season.

The Englishman scored four times and grabbed three assists last season, but this could increase if he has someone like Montiel playing Harrison into better positions, rather than the ageing Ashley Young or Seamus Coleman.

Indeed, when compared to his positional peers in the Premier League last season, Montiel ranked in the top 12% for assists per 90 (0.22), while ranking in the top 7% for tackles, underlining how effective he was bursting forward up and down the right flank.

This could allow Dyche the chance to partner him with Harrison on the right wing, which should ensure plenty of goalscoring chances come from out wide, especially if the duo click together.

The next few days will be mightily important for Dyche, even more so considering the poor start to the season Everton have had.

Another signing or two may just boost the morale at the club heading into September.

Report: Everton eye loan move for "incredible" 4x Footballer of the Year

He would be a high-profile addition for Sean Dyche.

ByHenry Jackson Aug 24, 2024

Italian football is blessed with an abundance of midfield talent.

Their Euro-winning side saw the likes of Marco Verratti, Jorginho, and Nicolo Barella play starring roles, whilst Sandro Tonali, Manuel Locatelli, and Davide Frattesi are also stupendously rising to international prominence.

Another dazzling prodigy that has emerged from the Azzurri production line is Chelsea’s Cesare Casadei.

Who is Cesare Casadei?

The 2003-born titan joined the Nerazzurri in 2018, where he swiftly moved through the youth ranks, winning a national U17 Championship the following year and being promoted to the U19s, despite being two years younger than the rest of the squad.

During the 2021/22 season, the 6 foot 1 ace made 30 appearances in the Italian Primavera Championship for Inter, the nation’s youth league, and notched 18 goal involvements.

The Blues then agreed to a £12.6m deal for the youngster to come to Stamford Bridge. He has begun his career in West London brightly, with netting five times in 13 outings for Chelsea U21s.

Most recently, in May 2023, the former Inter prodigy was included in his country’s squad that participated in the U20 World Cup. In Argentina, he was simply magnificent, as he scored seven goals, registered an 80% pass accuracy, made nine key passes, nine successful dribbles, and won 50 duels as his side lost in the final to Uruguay.

However, this was still deserved recognition for his string of imperious performances as he received the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, as the most valuable player and the top scorer of the tournament.

Maurizio Viscidi, Italy’s National Youth Team Coordinator, who has witnessed Casadei’s extraordinary growth, said: “He’s a modern midfielder, because out of all the youth team midfielders he’s been the one with the greatest aptitude for attacking runs and goalscoring.

“He’s also strong in the air, something that’s unusual among younger players. Given his ability to enter and give a presence in the area he’s the strongest player currently within the Azzurri’s youth sector.”

Due to his reputation as an outstanding free-scoring midfielder, an obvious comparison has been made to club legend Frank Lampard.

The Englishman scored 211 goals from his deep-lying, box-to-box midfield berth, and Casadei’s similar height, physicality, frame, and athleticism means he is more than capable of repeating some comparable feats.

Whilst it would be foolish to suggest that anyone could replicate Lampard’s record-breaking statistics, there is nothing to disprove Casadei’s limitless potential from the middle of the park.

Described as someone with “crazy potential” and a “diamond” by Andrea Zanchetta, Inter’s U18 coach, Casadei is destined for unadulterated greatness and his transfer has been a rare victory for Chelsea’s new ownership.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou could start life in London with a bang by completing the signing of Bristol City teenager Alex Scott.

What's the latest on Alex Scott to Aston Villa?

According to journalist Dean Jones – speaking to GIVEMESPORT – Tottenham have invested time and attention to the development of Scott this year and could now look to make their move to tie up a deal with the transfer window in full swing.

He said: "One of the stories to look out for this summer involves Alex Scott. He has been coveted by loads of Premier League teams previously, including Tottenham and Leeds, but at the moment, no one seems willing to offer the £25m Bristol City want for him.

“He’s a really good player, so I think it's only a matter of time before something happens.”

Tottenham have been credited with an interest in the 19-year-old since March following Bristol City's defeat to eventual champions Manchester City in the FA Cup, earning praise for his "fearless" performance by The Times' Henry Winter.

Bournemouth, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also vying for his signature, but Postecoglou will be determined to sign a prodigious talent who could catalyse the club's desired resurgence.

Should Tottenham sign Alex Scott?

Hailed as the "Guernsey Grealish" for his striking resemblance to the City phenom, Jack Grealish, Scott has exhibited his prowess in dribbling and ball-carrying, with his display against the Sky Blues setting him apart from the swathes of hopefuls, earning a Sofascore match rating of 7.0 after succeeding with four of his five attempted dribbles and winning 11 of his 15 attempted duels,

Given that Manchester City's £100m man also remarked that Scott is a "top talent", he seems to have the approval of a man distinguished and admired as one of the Premier League's most naturally talented players around, capable of petrifying opposition with his gliding gait.

This season, he recorded an average league rating of 6.83, making 40 starting appearances, scoring one goal and supplying four assists, completing 79% of his passes and making 1.8 tackles per game.

As per FBref, given that he ranks among the top 11% of midfielders across Men's Next 8 divisions for progressive carries and the top 17% for successful take-ons per 90, he could well emulate Grealish as he continues his burgeoning rise.

Grealish, comparatively, ranks among the top 3% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive carries per 90, which only further illustrates the superlative company Scott finds his name likened to.

While Tottenham have failed in their endeavours this season and concluded the campaign with an eighth-placed finish, thus confirming an absence from European competition to strike a detrimental blow to hopes of brighter fortunes.

Scott's acquisition could be a turning point, unleashing a new wave of prosperity on a proud football club desperate for silverware once more.

Celtic have suffered a blow in their pursuit of Leighton Clarkson, with news from Football Insider reporter David Lynch that Aberdeen are now leading the race for the player's signature.

Are Celtic linked with Leighton Clarkson?

The current Liverpool player was given the chance to shine out on loan in the 2022/23 season, joining up with Aberdeen on a short-term basis to get valuable first-team minutes. He went on to manage more games than ever before in his career, featuring on 34 occasions as the side finished in third place. The 21-year-old also managed a haul of five goals and eight assists along the way – career best totals for the youngster.

Prior to his spell in the Scottish Premiership, his only other gametime had come during a loan with Blackburn. He managed only seven league games for the Championship side though and couldn't produce any goals or assists.

Given plenty of minutes in Scotland, he impressed many and there is now a race for his signature. Celtic are one of the clubs that had been mentioned as having a keen interest in the player this summer, with the Hoops eager to add him to their ranks.

Even though the club have been managerless, Brendan Rodgers is now close to securing the job and he could have been one of the first signings to arrive for the new boss.

However, according to a report from Football Insider, Celtic – and perhaps Rodgers – will not get their wish.

That's because Aberdeen are believed to now be leading the race to sign him above the league winners and it means that they could now miss out on his signature. Having had the player on loan last season, the Dons have the advantage of knowing the youngster well and it would likely not take much for him to slot back in.

Has Leighton Clarkson played for Liverpool?

The 21-year-old has never managed to play in the Premier League for Liverpool and it now appears that he could be off in pursuit of regular first-team football. It's unclear how much he would cost the interested parties, although CIES Football Observatory suggest his value is around 5 million Euros (or £4.2m).

It means that any deal would likely not break the bank for Clarkson and he could be a bargain deal for any club that does sign him. Considering the player is now experienced in Scotland and has the ability to both score and assist in the league, he looks like he could be a solid purchase for any club – and Celtic likely wouldn't be happy to therefore see him join Aberdeen.

Arsenal have been linked to a number of players ahead of the transfer window, with a potential option at right-back emerging as Mikel Arteta aims to bolster his squad this summer.

The Gunners will be keen to make improvements in the window, after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City this season.

Adding depth in quality to the squad is key for the Spaniard over the summer, something that he could begin by signing the latest player in question.

What’s the latest on Sacha Boey to Arsenal?

As reported by the Telegraph late last month, Galatasaray right-back Sacha Boey has gained interest from north London after a strong season in Turkey.

Since the initial news broke regarding Arsenal’s interest, GIVEMESPORT have revealed via Fabrizio Romano that the club are ‘informed’ on the conditions surrounding the €25m (£22m) price tag placed on the defender by the Turkish champions.

Despite multiple news sources linking the player and club, Romano noted that the situation remains ‘quiet’, with no direct contact made between the Gunners and the players’ agent yet.

What could Sacha Boey bring to Arsenal?

Hailed as “tireless” by journalist Cetin Cem Yilmaz, the 22-year-old has been a revelation for the Turkish giants since signing from Rennes in the summer of 2021.

The young defender could be a revelation for Arsenal and could not only challenge the likes of Ben White defensively but could take Bukayo Saka to the next level in forming a partnership on the right flank.

At just 21 years old, the English forward has been one of the Premier League’s best players this season, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11 in 38 appearances, via FBref.

There are many elements to the wingers’ game that see him thrive in Arteta’s set-up, however, his partnership with White has played a significant factor in his growth this campaign.

Lauded as providing “top class” runs to support Saka out wide in attack, the English duo have unlocked a new side to Arsenal, making them one of the most threatening duos in the league from the wide areas.

However, as claimed by Football Insider, Arteta could hand White a new role centrally next season, which could open doors for Boey who in theory could take Saka to a new level if he takes the reins from White.

The Frenchman is a danger from the back when getting forward, which benefits the Arsenal forward, who ranks in the top 2% of wingers in Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to receiving progressive passes, with an average of 14.61 per 90 – as per FBref.

While White has been direct in Saka’s progression, Boey ranks better in creative scenarios than the Englishman, averaging one key pass per game to the former Brighton man’s 0.7, and creating eight big chances to his six – as per Sofascore.

There is still room for progression for the formidable youngster, who could reach the heights of Mohamed Salah who was integral to Liverpool’s title win in 2020, who averaged a monstrous 0.50 goals per 90, with Saka averaging 0.33 this season – as per FBref.

His improvement could be the difference in Arsenal’s ability to win the title next campaign.

Having a style of play that identifies his favour to play short passes, as per WhoScored, the Galatasaray gem could form a deadly partnership with Saka, who could become even more unplayable in his presence as a significantly strong attacking full-back.

Joao Felix has dropped a possible hint about one day maybe playing in MLS as his future remains undecided having returned to Atletico Madrid after his loan at Chelsea.

Who will Joao Felix join this summer?

The 22-year-old didn't quite live up to the hype in the Premier League and he leaves the Blues have picked up one red card, scored four goals, and delivered zero assists in 20 games across all competitions.

Despite that, there will likely still be a number of teams who want to sign the player as manager Diego Simeone has suggested that Felix could be off in the summer.

He told Partidazo Cope (via Goal): "It is necessary to see if economically it is good for the club. I no longer enter there. He is a boy who has qualities, who plays well, who everyone talks about and hopefully he can crush it. With us he has always had peaks, he has had bad luck with injuries."

On top of that, though, Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has stated that Chelsea won't be signing Felix permanently and so his future remains up in the air.

The Portuguese international has been active on social media recently, and the images could suggest he's keen on playing in MLS one day – even if that's not likely to happen particularly soon.

Indeed, Felix posted several photos of himself playing tennis in a Charlotte FC shirt on his Instagram page.

Why was Felix wearing a Charlotte FC shirt?

In the photos, the 22-year-old can be seen wearing a shirt with the name Nuno Santos on the back – he is Felix's former Benfica team-mate who now plays for Charlotte.

And so, perhaps this is just a reunion of old friends as opposed to any major transfer hint that might tell us which step the player will take next in his career.

Even so, you can never rule anything out in football. What's more, even if Felix doesn't head to America this summer, his now evident connections with MLS could mean a move might happen at some point in the future.

For now, though, it does seem more likely that he'll either remain in Madrid or find another big European club to impress at next summer.

For instance, one recent rumour suggests he could be heading back to the Premier League but this time he'll get a chance to impress with Newcastle United.