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Arsenal sporting director Edu is personally pushing for the club to sign a £70 million player, with the help of his close advisor and chief scout Paulo Xavier.

Edu identifies Arsenal targets for summer transfer window

The Brazilian, who works in tandem with manager Mikel Arteta, has long identified their possible signings for this looming summer window – which is set to open on June 14, the same day Euro 2024 kicks off.

Arsenal starlet now set to leave as Bayern Munich enter advanced talks

He was “on fire” last season.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2024

Friday is set to be a very significant day in the footballing calendar as a result, and it's a date which Edu has firmly had in mind since January.

The transfer chief admitted to TNT Sports that he's been working on Arsenal's summer plans for that length of time, and also claimed in a later interview with Estadao (via football.london) that he often works his way through 180-page reports on potential targets.

"You can’t sign players for the sake of signing," said Edu.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

"This has to be a process that takes weeks and weeks. There on my desk, I have reports with more than 180 pages on a player.

"It’s really detailed stuff. Physical, technical, mental profile, if you have Premier League experience, if you will be able to adapt. It has everything. We analyse our weaknesses, where we can improve, where we can invest and then we go in search of that new name. What I am going to do now, we have been discussing since January. It’s not my decision or Mikel’s alone. It belongs to a whole group."

A significant member of Edu's recruitment staff is Xavier, who formerly worked at Real Madrid. He joined Arsenal last year, arriving in north London with a glowing reputation, and has already recommended some interesting players.

Xavier is one of Edu's closest advisors at Arsenal, and even told the club to make a potential move for young Brazil full-back Yan Couto following an excellent campaign at Girona. Now, it appears both Edu and Xavier have another Brazilian on their radar, in the form of Nottingham Forest defender Murillo.

Edu pushing to sign Murillo for Arsenal

That is according to Football Transfers, who claim Edu is pushing to sign Murillo for Arsenal, with the 21-year-old thought to be on Xavier's radar for a long time. That bodes well for the Gunners, considering Real's ex-scout was responsible for bringing in the likes of Vinicius Jr and Endrick to the Bernabeu.

Murillo, who could cost as much as £70 million to prise away from the City Ground, was a key player under both Steve Cooper and Nuno Espirito Santo last season – starting 32 Premier League games and helping to steer Forest away from the drop zone.

"You can just see the quality that he possesses. He’s going to be a real fan favourite," said Sky pundit Jamie Redknapp.

“He possesses a lot of weapons in his armoury – he’s got a lovely left foot which I think gives you a massive advantage."

The Glasgow Rangers squad could look very different next season if Philippe Clement has his way and is able to bring several new players to the club.

Combined with a few current first-team players being sold, this summer could be the biggest turnover of players in recent memory, something which has been a few years in the making.

Giovanni Van Bronckhorst tried to reshuffle things at Ibrox in 2022, before being sacked just a few months later. While Michael Beale suffered the same fate.

Clement appears to be a bit more savvy in the transfer market than those two and this could see plenty of young talent join the Gers in the coming weeks.

Who will arrive? Who will depart? These are the key questions which will be answered across the summer, including what the dream starting XI may be ahead of next season.

1 GK – Jack Butland

The Englishman was arguably the finest signing the club made last summer, saving the Light Blues on numerous occasions last term.

He will play a big part throughout 2024/25 as Clement looks to topple Celtic domestically and deliver a first championship title in four years.

2 RB – Reuell Walters

The Arsenal youngster has been linked with a move to the Gers recently, who could seal his signature on a free transfer, as it appears that Walters has turned down a new deal at the Gunners.

Could this move finally mean James Tavernier will be sold this summer? The interest in the captain comes from Steven Gerrard, who wishes to bring his former player to the Middle East this summer.

Tavernier will turn 33 in October and this summer could be the final chance for the club to really cash in on the defender, who failed to lead the Light Blues to either the Scottish Cup or Premiership title last term.

Walters might be young, but his ceiling is extremely high, and he could develop rapidly in Glasgow.

3 CB – John Souttar

The Scot bounced back from an injury-plagued debut season in Glasgow to make a total of 41 appearances last season, and he could move into his preferred right centre-back role ahead of the coming season.

Connor Goldson is also being targeted by Gerrard with regard to a potential move, and it feels like this is the right time for the club to sell the defender.

With two years left on his deal, the Ibrox side could demand a decent fee, which, in turn, would fund future purchases for Clement.

4 CB – Clinton Nsiala

The talented defender will join Rangers from AC Milan in July on a pre-contract, having agreed a move last week.

The 20-year-old may not have made a senior appearance for the Italian side, but he is highly regarded at the club and the move could prove to be a smart investment by Clement.

It remains to be seen how much involvement he will gain in the first team, but giving him regular game time will allow him to vastly improve.

5 LB – Ridvan Yilmaz

The Turkish defender has endured plenty of ups and downs during his two years at Ibrox, but under Clement, Yilmaz finally began to show some consistency.

Rangers may have signed Jefte, a young Brazilian left-back, but it looks as though the 23-year-old will be the first choice heading into the new season.

6 CM – Mohamed Diomande

The Ivorian joined on an initial loan deal in January which will be made permanent this summer. He shone during his first six months in Scotland, scoring twice in 19 appearances while showing a willingness to get stuck into the defensive side of things at the heart of the Rangers midfield.

Could a new signing become his main partner next season? As Clement looks like he is closing in on a Scottish talent…

7 CM – Connor Barron

The Aberdeen midfielder is being courted by several clubs on the continent and in England, while Rangers are also keen on keeping him in the country.

Indeed, the Gers have reportedly tabled an offer for the youngster in a bid to prevent him from falling through the net. Clement will need to sign more local talent, especially in a bid to meet homegrown quotas in Europe, and Barron fits the bill perfectly.

8 RW – Ross McCausland

The winger enjoyed a breakthrough season at Ibrox during 2023/24, scoring four goals and grabbing five assists in 39 games for the club.

He may only be 21, yet this experience will stand him in good stead ahead of the new season, which could see him retain his place on the right wing.

9 AM -Todd Cantwell

The Englishman enjoyed plenty of purple patches under Clement, but becoming more consistent will be his main goal for next term.

He did score eight times and notched seven assists, but if it weren’t for injuries, he could well have reached double figures on both metrics.

10 LW – Yusuf Kabadayi

It looks as though the Bayern Munich youngster could be the next player to arrive through the doors at Ibrox in the next week or so.

He will cost the Gers around £1m, which could turn into a wonderful piece of transfer business considering how impressive he has been during his stint in Germany.

The club need a pacy winger who can create chances in order to fill the void left by Abdallah Sima, and Kabadayi is the ideal candidate.

Liverpool have now received the green light to make their move for a defensive reinforcement in the January transfer window, according to reports.

Slot: Teams "think they can get a result" against Liverpool

It wasn’t a disaster at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to rescue a draw against Sunderland, but it was hardly an inspiring performance from the Premier League champions yet again.

Despite breaking their transfer record to sign Alexander Isak in the summer, the Swede was back to his subdued ways just days after netting his first Premier League goal for the club against West Ham United. And whilst Florian Wirtz at least played a part in the equaliser and looked bright throughout, Liverpool’s attack was a far cry from their scintillating best of past campaigns.

What should concern Arne Slot the most is his own admission that teams now believe they can “get a result” against his Liverpool side. That should never be the case at the home of the champions, but the Dutchman also denied that Anfield’s fear factor has evaporated this season.

He told reporters: “No, not Anfield. For sure. But it’s clear that teams that play us now think they can get a result. Not only think, because that has been shown this season.

“And even in the games we’ve won, they also fuelled the confidence for other teams like, ‘Hmm, something is possible’ because the wins we had at the beginning of the season weren’t easy ones as well.”

The only positive for Slot to take from the Sunderland game is that his side, whilst found wanting in attack, were harder to break down defensively. With fixtures coming thick and fast, that defensive foundation will be important but so will any depth that Liverpool add in that area in January, especially if they sign Joel Ordonez.

Liverpool receive green light to make Ordonez move

As reported by TeamTalk, Liverpool have received a green light to make their move for Ordonez after maintaining contact with the defender’s camp. Racing alongside Tottenham Hotspur in pursuit of the Club Brugge defender, the Reds could land an ideal alternative for Marc Guehi.

Fewer touches than Alisson & only 2 passes: Liverpool flop must be dropped

Arne Slot has a huge call to make about one player after his showing for Liverpool last night.

2 ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2025

Despite reportedly reopening talks to sign the Crystal Palace man, Liverpool may be forced to wait until next summer when his contract expires to secure his signature. If that does prove to be the case, then those at Anfield should turn to Ordonez.

Although Como scout Ben Mattinson aired caution around Ordonez’s “aggressive” nature last year, it’s the exact trait that Liverpool have been lacking this season. The Reds have been physically outmatched and the arrival of the 21-year-old would go a long way towards solving that problem.

Jamie Carragher slams £280k-p/w Liverpool star who had no "excuses" vs Sunderland

There’s no denying that Chelsea employed a scattergun spending approach in the early days of BlueCo’s ownership, but that has since been streamlined over the past few years, with Enzo Maresca proving the perfect man for the job.

Sunday’s Premier League clash is a big one, with Stamford Bridge playing host to a top-of-the-table clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. The second-place Blues will narrow the deficit to just three points with a win.

This is a team building toward a period of sustained success, and the tactical readings suggest that Chelsea are already one of the most exciting attacking outfits in the division, even if there is a sense that there are several levels still to be scaled.

Chelsea

2nd

22.1

Man City

3rd

21.8

Arsenal

1st

20.7

Crystal Palace

5th

20.2

Man Utd

10th

19.9

However, a question mark lingers over number nine, with Liam Delap yet to prove he is the answer. Could Chelsea be looking to sign an upgrade?

Why Chelsea are searching for a striker

In fairness, Delap has spent a sizeable portion of his first months in west London in the infirmary. Still, since returning from a hamstring injury that has kept him out for much of the autumn, the English striker has started twice in the Premier League and failed to break his duck on both counts.

That said, he did net his first goal of the campaign for the Blues against Barcelona in midweek, coming off the bench and coolly converting to seal the 3-0 win after neat interplay between Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.

However, the £30m summer signing from Ipswich Town has yet to prove he has what it takes to nail down a berth at the front of Maresca’s system, and co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart are searching for a potential upgrade.

They may have found one. According to Sky Germany, Chelsea are among the outfits to have been informed that Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy is worth about €50m (£44m), applicable for a number of top European outfits.

Chelsea are in the mix, and though Delap and Joao Pedro make up a dynamic central strike force in west London, Guirassy’s clinical record suggests he could add an interesting dimension to a title-challenging side.

What Guirassy would bring to Chelsea

Guirassy, 29, might not fit the age profile Chelsea have focused on targeting in recent years, but his experience and maturity in the final third would serve as a neat counterpoint to the younger generation.

Delap caught the eye for Ipswich last season, a shining light as he scored 12 goals across 37 Premier League outings. Kieran McKenna’s side were relegated, but so many teams swarmed for Delap’s signature, and Chelsea won the race.

The 22-year-old has a future at Stamford Bridge, but Maresca’s side need someone in the now who can maintain a fight against Arsenal, while pushing deep into the Champions League too.

Guirassy is “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to German legend Lothar Matthaus, and he ranks among the top 11% of strikers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored per 90, as per FBref.

25/26

10

5 + 1

24/25

30

21 + 2

23/24

28

28 + 2

22/23

22

11 + 0

He’s hardly just a mindless poacher, with silky footwork and intelligent positioning that allows him to roam around the attacking half and link up with teammates.

But, at his core, Guirassy is indeed a goalscorer, and Chelsea may find that Delap earns fewer minutes with the Guinean striker in the mix.

It’s a tough one, but given the promising position Maresca’s side have placed themselves into, it might just be the move to make.

Maresca must finally sell Chelsea "passenger" who was like Estevao at 18

The international superstar may have once played like Estevao, but he’s now a problem for Chelsea.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

There has now been a major new update on Emiliano Martinez’s Aston Villa future ahead of the January transfer window, amid recent praise from manager Unai Emery.

Martinez was very keen to leave Villa during the summer window, amid interest from Manchester United, but he ultimately ended up staying put at Villa Park, with Ruben Amorim’s side opting to bring in Senne Lammens instead.

The Argentina international was left out of the squad for the 3-0 defeat against Crystal Palace, given the doubts over his future, with Marco Bizot getting the nod between the sticks, but he has since been able to force his way back into the side.

Upon his return in the 0-0 draw against Everton, the 33-year-old received high praise from Emery, who said: “Today, his comeback has been fantastic. We have to protect him and feel him inside the group so he is comfortable and confident. He was fantastic.”

However, there has now been a major new update on the shot-stopper’s Villa Park future, which suggests a move could be on the cards very soon…

Aston Villa willing to accept January bids for Emiliano Martinez

According to a report from Football Insider, Aston Villa are now willing to accept January bids for Martinez, as they continue to explore replacements for their long-serving goalkeeper, who has been stripped of the vice captaincy.

Speaking about that decision, Emery said: “The first captain is John McGinn. We decided how we are, as well as managing the next captain. Usually, we have another captain, Emi Martinez, as second captain. But now, after speaking with him, I prefer to get him back. Konsa is the next one. Tyrone Mings, with Ollie Watkins too. Normally, we are managing it like that.”

The Villans recently identified Manchester City’s James Trafford as a potential target, with the Englishman being kept out of Pep Guardiola’s starting XI by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Man United retain an interest in the Villa star, so there may be interest during the January transfer window, with Amorim personally requesting a winter deal back in October.

Should the 57-time Argentina international decide he wants to leave, there is no point Aston Villa standing in his way, but it would be a shame to let him go, given the level of some of his performances over the past few weeks.

The former Arsenal man has kept clean sheets in three of his last four matches in all competitions, most recently keeping a clean sheet after denying Antoine Semenyo from the penalty spot in the 4-0 victory against AFC Bournemouth.

The World Cup-winning goalkeeper remains under contract until 2030, so Aston Villa should be able to command a good fee for his services if they do decide to cash-in, but it would be a risk to sell one of their most experienced players.

Emiliano Martinez has been named as one of the best goalkeepers in the world The Best 15 Goalkeepers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who’s number one of the best number ones in the world?

1 ByCharlie Smith Nov 28, 2025

Chelsea got back to winning ways on the weekend.

Enzo Maresca’s side took on Tottenham Hotspur away from home, and as they tend to do in this fixture, left with all three points.

From front to back, the Blues looked back to their best, and more importantly, Joao Pedro got back on the scoresheet.

The Brazilian has the quality to be a hugely important player for Chelsea, and one of the club’s most exciting youngsters could help him one day reach Cole Palmer’s numbers, and no, it’s not Estevao.

Pedro's future at Chelsea

When Chelsea completed the £60m signing of Pedro from Brighton & Hove Albion, there was plenty of understandable excitement, as sections of the fan base assumed the club had their new long-term number nine.

Chalkboard

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

This idea was further reinforced during the pre-season, as Maresca started him up top for three consecutive games during the Club World Cup, during which he scored three goals.

However, things quickly changed once the season began, as following the first game against Crystal Palace, the manager played the 24-year-old as a second striker for two consecutive Premier League games, in which he scored two goals and provided two assists.

Unfortunately, following Liam Delap’s hamstring injury, the former Brighton star was once again forced to lead the line.

So far, in the seven league games he has started there, he has scored just once and provided one assist.

In short, it has become abundantly clear that while hugely talented, the former Watford star is at his very best either as a second striker or a slightly more aggressive ten.

Now, for those fans who watched him on the south coast, this shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise, as while he did make 16 appearances up top last season, he also made 12 between second striker, attacking midfield and left-wing.

Centre-Forward

16

Second Striker

8

Left Winger

2

Attacking Midfield

2

So, if Maresca wants to get the most out of Pedro, he’ll have to start him behind another striker, and fortunately, someone who might help him reach Palmer-levels is joining Chelsea for next season.

The player who could help Pedro reach Palmer-levels

Now, while someone like Estevao could help Pedro up his output in the coming seasons, the 18-year-old is undoubtedly at his best out wide.

Therefore, what the former Brighton ace needs is another prolific forward to come in and start ahead of him, someone who will help not only boost his assist numbers, but also his own goal tally.

Fortunately, Chelsea might have just the young talent to do just that, joining in the summer: Dastan Satpayev.

The Khazak phenom is set to join the Blues at the end of this season, and while he’s still young and therefore a long way from the finished product, he looks like a superstar in the making.

With that said, why could he help Pedro put up Palmer-level numbers, though?

Well, simply put, while he can play in several positions, he is primarily a centre-forward, and a seriously exciting one at that.

For example, despite still being just 17 years old, the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by one analyst, scored 16 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2409 minutes last season.

That works out to an incredible average of a goal involvement every 1.37 games, or every 100.37 minutes.

Just imagine a forward as dangerous as that competing for a place with Delap ahead of a Pedro who has had a year to get used to life at Stamford Bridge.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but if Satpayev is even half the player many believe him to be, then he could certainly help the former Brighton man reach the creative and goalscoring levels of Palmer in the near future.

Maresca must drop Chelsea star who had fewer touches than Sanchez vs Spurs

Chelsea just about got over the line on Saturday evening as slim 1-0 victors at London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 2, 2025

After sacking Will Still, Southampton have now reportedly set their sights on hiring Stoke City manager Mark Robins, who scores well in their data-driven recruitment model.

The Saints have had a nightmare 18 months. Following relegation from the Premier League, which very nearly saw them break Derby County’s record-low points total, they turned to Still in an attempt to bounce straight back. Things didn’t quite go as planned, however, and the former Reims boss has now been relieved of his duties.

Releasing a statement after sacking Still, who won just two Championship games, technical director Johannes Spors said: “Will is a great person who gave everything to try and improve performances and results.

“Ultimately that process has taken longer than any of us would have liked. By making a change now we believe it gives us the best chance of turning things around this season and climbing back up the league table.”

Sitting as low as 21st in the Championship, the Saints can’t afford to get their next appointment wrong. Already, names like Russell Martin have been mentioned in a return that is likely to spark mixed reactions.

The former Saints boss was sacked by Rangers earlier this season following a dire spell in charge, but could yet get the chance to restore his damaged reputation at St Mary’s.

Frank Lampard has also been mentioned as a potential candidate following the work that he’s done at Coventry City. Alas, the Sky Blues currently sit top of the Championship and luring Lampard away at such a promising stage of his project would be no easy task.

Instead, another manager that Coventry fans know all too well could yet arrive to steer the Saints in the right direction.

Southampton now eyeing Mark Robins

According to talkSPORT, Southampton have also set their sights on Mark Robins. The Stoke City boss has scored well on their data-driven recruitment model as they look to hire the perfect next manager. Whether they can lure him away from Stoke is another question, however.

Having taken Coventry to the play-off final in the past, Robins has more than proved his ability to compete at the top of the second tier. And that has only continued at Stoke, who sit as high as third in the league after playing 13 games.

The fact that the 55-year-old turned Coventry into a side capable of reaching Wembley across a long-term project should make him a standout candidate for Southampton, who need a transformation themselves.

Unsurprisingly, Robins earned plenty of praise during his time at his former club. Former Coventry player Garry Thompson told reporters when the club sacked the veteran manager: “He got on with his job nice and quietly, he did a fantastic job.

“I’d be very surprised if he’s out of a job for another three or four months because he did such a good job at Coventry, a lot of clubs when they are looking for a manager will look towards Mark Robins.”

Southampton set sights on Russell Martin return

Aston Villa were steadily getting back to their best across October.

Indeed, five straight wins had been collected by Unai Emery’s men, with three of those victories falling in October, before a trip to Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles fell on the calendar in the Europa League.

Yet, even with Evann Guessand netting after just four minutes had been played, the Eredivisie hosts would collect a surprise 2-1 win come full-time, as Emery and Co. cursed their luck away from Villa Park.

On another night, Villa might well have at least collected a share of the points. Unfortunately, though, Emiliano Buendia noticeably underperformed throughout, with a second-half missed penalty from the ex-Norwich City midfielder only further confirming that it was the hosts’ lucky day.

Buendia's poor showing against Go Ahead Eagles

Before his Europa League hiccup, Buendia had very much shown Emery why he was deserving of more consistent first-team minutes.

It was widely reported this summer that Buendia was on the brink of a move away from the West Midlands, with his future at the club still remaining uncertain if Villa need to cash in on an asset here and there to satisfy PSR troubles.

Despite all this distracting chatter, Buendia had managed to let his football do the talking as of late, with a standout haul of three goals and an assist from 11 appearances.

However, his poor day at the office in the Netherlands does have the potential to trouble his concrete starting position.

The out-of-sorts number ten would spurn another big chance away from missing that vital spot-kick, with Buendia also uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet, with possession surrendered a worrying 17 times.

Off the back of this individual showing, leaving a sour taste in Emery’s mouth, the Spaniard could look to alternate options in the number ten spot when Premier League action returns, with Morgan Rogers an easy fix here.

He might not be afforded a spot down the left wing, either, with Guessand scoring from this spot on the pitch against Melvin Boel’s hosts, as the ex-OGC Nice forward was in the right place, at the right time, to poke home a rebound.

Emery will want all of his attackers to be as instinctive as the Ivorian when Manchester City come to town next, with this other notable Villa first-teamer fearful of his starting spot subsequently, after another quiet game passed him by mid-week.

Emery must axe Villa star who is "off it"

The former Arsenal boss isn’t blessed with plentiful options in the centre-forward department anymore, with super sub Jhon Duran now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League, after once being seen as an ideal second-in-command figure.

This has ramped up the pressure on Ollie Watkins’ shoulders, arguably, with his forgettable season so far displaying a striker in clear decline, with talkSPORT’s Troy Deeney even calling out the England international as being way “off it” back in September, when his goal output had already begun to disastrously dry up.

Games played

12

Minutes played

822

Goals scored

1

Assists

0

Since this scathing assessment from the former Watford centre-forward, Watkins has only gone on to pick up an unsatisfactory one strike for the Villans from 12 matches, with Emery clearly losing patience with his usual reliable starter when benching him last time out in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur.

Villa didn’t look lost without their 88-goal man leading the line, either, with ex-Borussia Dortmund man Donyell Malen filling in as the main marksman somewhat competently, as the likes of the aforementioned Rogers and Buendia stole the show with goals from the midfield areas.

Watkins didn’t exactly bang the door down to reclaim his top-flight starting spot with his shoddy showing against Go Ahead Eagles, with what should have been a confidence-boosting night only sapping the 29-year-old’s belief even more, as three shots failed to find the back of the net from his minimal 17 touches of the ball.

Guessand might even be the face that Emery chooses to start up top against Pep Guardiola’s challengers, if he wants to experiment away from a goalless Malen, with eight goals actually collected by the versatile Ivorian from this position for Nice, as Watkins fears another spot warming the bench is going to come his way later today.

£868m release clause: Aston Villa now willing to bid for "world-class" star

The Villans are prepared to make an offer for a new forward, who is now looking to leave his club.

ByDominic Lund Oct 24, 2025

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has his work cut out for him at Parkhead after a frustrating first match in charge of the club against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday.

A 2-1 defeat to the league leaders proved that the Frenchman has plenty of issues to solve and plenty still to learn about the squad of players that he has at his disposal.

The former Columbus Crew head coach has a big group of players to work with in Glasgow, and there are a number of stars who he should give an opportunity to in the coming weeks.

The rarely-seen Celtic stars Nancy should unleash

Kelechi Iheanacho, for example, was an unused substitute against Hearts after returning from injury, and he should be given a chance to lead the line after Daizen Maeda missed two ‘big chances’, per Sofascore, on Sunday.

The Nigerian centre-forward has scored three goals in eight appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Sofascore, and could emerge as Nancy’s first-choice number nine.

Another rarely-seen star who could benefit from the change in shape to a 3-4-2-1 could be Dane Murray, who has started two league games this season, as he is a naturally right-sided centre-back who can provide balance when playing out from the back.

Auston Trusty played in that role on Sunday, as a left-footed player, and was slow to bring the ball forward and progress the play, as he was on his weaker side, which could open the door for Murray to come in and take that spot.

Colby Donovan was also snubbed in Nancy’s first game, playing zero minutes, but he could emerge as the manager’s own Kieran Tierney in the right wing-back position, having been set to leave in the summer window.

Wilfried Nancy is brewing the next Tierney

The 19-year-old academy graduate was “set to join Dundee on loan for the season”, per journalist Josh McCafferty, in the summer transfer window, before an injury to Alistair Johnston meant that he was needed as a first-team option at Parkhead.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Donovan has gone on to play 716 minutes across 12 appearances for the first-team, per Sofascore, since the decision was made to keep him at the club, instead of sending him out on loan, and he has shown real promise.

The Scotland U21 international is looking to follow in Kieran Tierney’s footsteps in Glasgow, as the left-back came through the academy to provide a big threat down the left flank as an attacking full-back.

In his first spell with the club, as shown in the graphic above, the Scotland international provided an eye-catching 37 assists in 170 matches for the club, and Donovan has the potential to provide a similar threat in this new system.

Hyun-jun Yang started at right wing-back against Hearts. However, Nancy could move him over to the left and unleash the academy graduate on the right to provide crosses on that side.

xA

0.14

Top 28%

Assists

0.28

Top 1%

Long pass accuracy

46.2%

Top 23%

Chances created

1.12

Top 39%

Successful crosses

1.12

Top 25%

Touches in opposition’s box

2.80

Top 14%

Donovan, as shown in the statistics above, has stood out as one of the most impressive creative right-backs in the Premiership this season under Brendan Rodgers and Martin O’Neill, whilst playing as a right-back.

Playing as a wing-back under Nancy would give him even more opportunities to push forward and show off his creativity in the final third, which could improve his output as a creator and make him a Tierney-esque threat on the right-hand side.

Whilst Johnston is still to return from his injury eventually, unleashing Donovan in this new role could provide him with a chance to nail down a regular starting spot in the team to become the next academy graduate to become a star at Parkhead, like Tierney.

His emergence in the first-team this season, after being set to go out on loan in the summer, is perhaps a lesson that Celtic can learn from, as they could give more opportunities to their academy players to see if they have what it takes to play for the senior side before letting them move on, permanently or on loan.

Worse than Yang: Nancy must bin 3/10 Celtic dud who once had "the X factor"

This Celtic star who had “the X Factor” should be ruthlessly dropped from the starting line-up on Thursday.

ByDan Emery 3 days ago

Wolverhampton Wanderers will be looking to make it three wins from as many games under the leadership of Vitor Pereira as they face Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this afternoon.

Wins over Leicester City and Manchester United have moved the Old Gold out of the relegation zone and hopes are high the club can maintain their top-flight status under the new manager.

Against the Old Trafford side, the majority of the starting XI played rather well as they secured all three points, but there were a couple of players who underperformed.

Goncalo Guedes was deployed alongside Matheus Cunha as an attacking midfielder but didn’t have the same impact as the Brazilian.

Goncalo Guedes’ game in numbers vs Man Utd

The 28-year-old has scored five goals and grabbed four assists in all competitions for the Molineux outfit this season, but his display on Boxing Day wasn’t his best of the campaign.

The Portuguese star failed with both of his dribble attempts, registered just one shot on goal and failed to make a key pass or create a big chance in the final third.

Stat

Highest Ranked

Accurate passes

Matt Doherty and Andre (59)

Key passes

Kobbie Mainoo (3)

Shots on target

Matheus Cunha (2)

Ground duels won

Matheus Cunha (13)

Tackles

Toti Gomes (5)

Guedes also lost nine of the 13 ground duels he contested during his time on the pitch, along with losing possession a staggering 16 times and it is clear Pereira must make a change ahead of the clash against Spurs.

He was replaced by Hwang Hee-chan with just 15 minutes remaining and the South Korean star scored the decisive second goal which wrapped up a 2-0 win for the home side.

With this in mind, Hwang should be unleashed in place of Guedes this afternoon as he could cause the Spurs’ defence plenty of damage.

Pereira must unleash Hwang Hee-chan against Spurs

The forward hasn’t exactly enjoyed the most productive of seasons throughout 2024/25, with his goal against United his first of the season.

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He has only started three games all campaign, but this should change today, as Pereira looks to continue the club’s impressive momentum of late.

Hwang was hailed by former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in 2021, who said: “He has got everything [Hwang], he has got pace, skill, touch and awareness and he’s always driving to get into the box.”

These attributes were on show last term, as the South Korean maestro ended up scoring 13 goals for the Old Gold while also creating four big chances, averaging 0.6 key passes per game and succeeding with 1.2 dribbles each match in the Premier League.

When compared to his positional peers in the top flight last season, Hwang even ranked in the top 9% for successful take-on percentage (52.2%) per 90, showcasing his dribbling skills.

If unleashed against Spurs, he will be keen to carry on where he left off against the Red Devils. Another goal or assist would certainly give him a great chance of forcing his way into Pereira’s starting XI, and he might just help move Wolves further away from the drop zone.

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