Brazil hosted their greatest footballing rivals, Argentina, on Tuesday night in a qualifying game for the next World Cup. And it was a Superclasico which did not disappoint with the current World Cup-holders inflicting Brazil's first-ever defeat at home in the World Cup Qualifiers.

The three points went the way of the visiting team thanks to a second-half goal from defender Nicolas Otamendi, who headed home a corner from Tottenham Hotspur's Giovani Lo Celso. Although the goals were not exactly flowing at the Maracana, it was a game which was not short of incidents both on the pitch and in the stands. Football FanCast have gathered some of the talking points which may not make the standard highlights reels…

Gabriel Martinelli on fire for Brazil

The Arsenal winger has been in fine form in the early stages of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign and he has certainly carried that into the international break. Just last week, Gabriel Martinelli opened his account for his nation in their dramatic game against Colombia.

At the age of just 22-years-old, Martinelli has racked up nine appearances for his country but the goal last week was the first time he has been able to find the back of the net. And he was clearly still brimming with confidence in their clash with Argentina as he took on two players down the line, including Tottenham's Cristian Romero.

Newcastle's Joelinton shown red card

It has been a turbulent start to the campaign for Newcastle United's Joelinton who was forced to sit out a number of games through injury earlier in the campaign. However, he still received a call-up to the national squad for the November international break.

He did start the game against Argentina on the bench but replaced Arsenal's Gabriel in the second-half. And his appearance proved to be nothing more than a disaster as nine minutes following his introduction, he was shown a straight red card…

Romero denies Martinelli with stunning clearance

Tottenham's Romero will be missing for the next couple of games in the Premier League through suspension, but he was certainly a busy man on Tuesday night. The current World Cup-holders were able to keep a clean sheet against their arch rivals and the Spurs defender can be handed a lot of the credit for his heroics at the back.

One of the more noteworthy moments from the centre-back was his clearance off the line from a Martinelli shot, which had beaten Emi Martinez.

Julian Alvarez amused by Raphinha fail

Raphinha's future at Barcelona is under growing speculation with some reports suggesting a potential return to the Premier League could be on the cards for the Brazilian. The former Leeds United winger's stock will not have been helped on Tuesday night when he attempted to beat Julian Alvarez with an 'elastico', which seriously backfired with the ball going out of play.

To rub salt into the wound, the Manchester City forward was unable to hold back his amusement at Raphinha's failed skill move and was seen covering his own laughter as his side won the throw in.

Romero kicks out at Jesus

Although Romero put in an impressive defensive display, it would not be a true Cristian Romero showing without a bit of controversy. Just a matter of weeks after being shown a straight red card for a reckless challenge on Enzo Fernandez in the Premier League, he was spotted leaving a little bit in on Jesus on Tuesday.

Granted, the Arsenal forward made the most of it – potentially in hope of seeing Romero booked or worse – but it has to be said the Spurs defender did manage to catch the striker with his boot.

Martinez gets involved

It wasn't just on the pitch where there was a heated battle, as the Brazilian police were seen clashing with a section of the Argentina fans in the stands. And it was quickly apparent that the players were not willing to sit back and watch it unfold, with Aston Villa's Emi Martinez spotted jumping and attempting to prise a policeman's baton away from him.

The scenes in the stands did not make for pleasant viewing, but Martinez tried to do his best before being ushered away by stewards.

Everton are mired in controversy at the moment due to their recent 10-point deduction; however, Sean Dyche doesn't look to have been stopped in his quest for new arrivals and he is now believed to be keen on strengthening a key area at Goodison Park.

Everton's current storm…

Everyone connected with the footballing world will now be aware of Everton's 10-point deduction ruling after the Premier League side were found to have breached the English top-flight's financial rules, which the Blues plan to appeal in due course. Clubs in the top-flight are permitted to lose £105 million over a three-year period. Nevertheless, Everton recorded losses of £124.5 million in the 2021/22 campaign, which has led to the Toffees being docked 10 points and plunged into the relegation zone amid a whirlwind of opinions on the matter from fans and pundits alike.

Burnley, Leicester City and Leeds United have all reportedly laid out plans to sue Everton for a sum in the region of £300 million, with all three looking to bargain for a compensatory fee valued at around £100 million, which would cover the loss of earnings they believe they may be entitled to after being relegated to the Championship.

On the field, Everton now face the challenge of elevating themselves back up the table after being lowered from 14 points to four points, putting them 19th in the division, sandwiched between Burnley and Sheffield United. Everton face Manchester United next weekend at Goodison Park as they look to get back to some form of normality and they could go unbeaten in five if they secure a positive result from the affair.

Everton's last five results – all competitions

Competition

Opponent & result

Venue

Premier League

Crystal Palace 2-3 Everton

Selhurst Park

Premier League

Everton 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion

Goodison Park

EFL Cup

Everton 3-0 Burnley

Goodison Park

Premier League

West Ham United 0-1 Everton

London Stadium

Premier League

Liverpool 2-0 Everton

Anfield

In the transfer market, Dyche is now believed to be keen on strengthening an important area of his side once the market opens for business come the New Year.

Everton look to bring in a midfield addition…

According to Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke, Everton are plotting to sign a central midfielder in January as Dyche plans to use Abdoulaye Doucoure as an attacking midfielder at Goodison Park.

Amadou Onana and Andre Gomes could also leave the club in 2024, leaving Idrissa Gueye, James Garner, and Tyler Onyango as options in the engine room for Dyche. Nevertheless, Dyche is also believed to have designs on bringing two wingers to the club to bolster his assets on the flanks.

Mali international Doucoure has been in notably good form for Everton this term, registering four goals and one assist from 15 appearances across all competitions (Doucoure statistics – Transfermarkt).

With there being no sign of the 30-year-old being moved back into a deeper position, Dyche now looks as though he will turn to the market to ensure he has adequate cover in central midfield for the second portion of the campaign, making tis one to watch despite the ongoing saga in the boardroom.

Following reports of an ankle ligament injury for midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, it's now believed another Tottenham star is set to be out till 2024.

Spurs injury list growing and growing

As many as ten Spurs players are currently unavailable, with one suspended and a seismic eight on the treatment table. Cristian Romero is serving a match ban, but the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Ashley Phillips, Pape Matar Sarr and, now, Bentancur are all sidelined through injury.

At the start of November, Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou was enjoying a 10-game unbeaten run after winning consecutive Manager of the Month awards. Now, the Australian is fresh off the back of three losses in a row, and a plethora of his squad members are unavailable for selection.

Bentancur's ankle problem will come as an especially sore one to take for supporters and Postecoglou, as the Uruguay midfielder had only just returned from a nine-month injury absence sustained last season.

"It wasn't a great tackle," said Postecoglou on Bentancur after Tottenham's loss to Villa.

"I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game. He's such a creative player. It's the last thing we needed, another injury. So disappointed to lose him but we're yet to see the extent of it."

The South American could've provided some real steal in the Spurs midfield for looming encounters against league champions Man City and London rivals West Ham, not to mention Champions League qualification rivals Newcastle United.

Solomon now out until 2024

This week, Spurs appeared to be slowly approaching the return of winger Solomon at one point, but now the Isreali will join Bentancur as a sidelined star till 2024. The Standard previously estimated a December return for Tottenham's summer signing, but the same outlet and journalist Nizaar Kinsella have some bad news on that front.

Indeed, they claim Solomon is now expected to miss the rest of 2023 and won't return until the new year. The former Fulham winger has provided two assists over his limited appearances in a Spurs shirt and would've been a wonderful option to call upon in the festive period.

Alas, Postecoglou will have to cope without Solomon's presence for a while longer yet, as the Tottenham boss also ponders how to get the very best out of his limited squad.

The 24-year-old has been praised as a "special" player by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, but he'll be forced to watch on from the Spurs sidelines until next year.

Being called "among the best" for his one-v-one ability, Postecoglou really could've done with him.

“Manor is a special player; he was excellent at Fulham,” said Grant to Ynet. “I spoke with him, and he’s thrilled to be at Tottenham; he has improved his killer instinct. What sets him apart is his amazing one-on-one ability; he’s among the best. He is a Premier League player in every sense."

A Premier League match being played in the summer feels like a bizarre complex now but June 20th 2020 is a poignant moment for many at Arsenal.

On a sunny day at the Amex Stadium, Neal Maupay clashes with Bernd Leno, injuring him in the process and provoking one of the strangest domino effects we've seen in football.

The German goalkeeper's injury was a nasty one sustained to the knee as he was ruled out for the rest of that ill-fated season during the pandemic.

His replacement is now a household name in Emiliano Martinez. His career has changed astronomically since Leno's injury over three years ago, grasping his opportunity between the sticks with aplomb.

That term, the Argentine stopper was key to Mikel Arteta claiming his first silverware as Arsenal manager; an FA Cup.

However, Martinez was quickly out the door, joining Aston Villa in search of first-team football with Leno remaining as number 1 at the Emirates. The former's resurgence since has been remarkable. He's won the World Cup with his country and is now officially the best goalkeeper in the world, being crowned as such at the recent Ballon d'Or awards.

Leno couldn't cling onto his jersey, however, leading to Aaron Ramsdale's arrival in the summer of 2021.

Aaron Ramsdale's downfall at Arsenal

When the goalkeeper arrived from relegated Sheffield United for a fee of £24m, eyebrows were raised for all the wrong reasons.

Ramsdale's CV counted back-to-back relegations, something that for understandable reasons didn't sit right with supporters.

However, the former Chesterfield loanee quickly displaced Leno and would become the number 1 stopper for the next two years. His radiant personality, ability to wind up the opposition and make jaw-dropping saves saw him become a cult hero incredibly swiftly.

It looked as though Arsenal had a goalkeeper at their disposal who would sit there competently for the next ten years. Whether it was that ridiculous save to deny a James Maddison free-kick at Leicester or his double stop in the dying embers to keep out Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate at Anfield last term, the 25-year-old has been immense for the Gunners.

Sadly, his ability has now been called into question. It started last term with a series of mistakes – notably playing out from the back. Both happened to come against Southampton. In the away fixture he was seemingly distracted by a pigeon at his near post, leading to poor positioning. The second, in a pivotal home match that was drawn 3-3, he passed the ball straight to a Saints player which led to a goal.

This term, too, he has been questionable when given an opportunity. In the Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham, the England international looked all at sea and then versus Brentford in the Premier League last weekend was dismal.

He had Declan Rice to thank for a goal-saving block after Bryan Mbeumo robbed him of the ball inside the area and then moments later threw the ball straight to a Brentford attacker after it slipped from his hands. Bizarre indeed.

It's for moments like that which loan signing David Raya has been preferred. He is more assured at coming for crosses and indeed, is more composed at inviting the press from close to his goal.

However, there is now another former loanee who happens to be outperforming Ramsdale in a number of important areas. That happens to be the forgotten Mat Ryan.

Why Arsenal needed to sign Mat Ryan

In the January window of 2021, with Leno out injured, Arsenal required goalkeeper cover. They turned to a surprising face in the shape of Ryan, who had fallen behind Robert Sanchez in the pecking order at Brighton.

It was a shrewd move, luring a boyhood Arsenal fan to north London at low cost on loan. Ryan did little wrong either, although he did play just three times before moving on again later that year. That was when Ramsdale entered the chat.

Since then, the Australian has hopped about to various reaches, leaving Brighton for Real Sociedad, before joining Copenhagen. He now plays his football for AZ Alkmaar who are currently third in the Dutch top-flight.

How Mat Ryan compares to Aaron Ramsdale

Let's get this straight, Ramsdale is undeniably the better goalkeeper. He encompasses the modern style of 'keeping, sweeping out for through balls and is relatively competent with the ball at his feet. The Sheffield-born stopper's ceiling is also a great deal higher.

However, at this moment in time, it's the Aussie who trumps Arsenal's no.1 in some of the areas that Ramsdale has been most criticised for, notably for keeping the ball out of the net and coming for crosses.

1.23

0.83

1.03

68.5%

80.81%

70.7%

30%

41.7%

37.5%

2.63

7.92

5.25

-1.72

1.32

3.19

71%

77%

82%

0.60

1.44

1.18

6.4%

10.5%

10.2%

Of course, there is more to football than a series of numbers but the stats on this occasion do not make for great reading on Ramsdale's behalf.

Raya is evidently the best goalkeeper of the lot in 2023/24, with his save percentage, ability to claim crosses and launch the ball forward with accuracy eclipsing his colleague at London Colney and Ryan.

However, what is equally as damning for Ramsdale is that their former loanee significantly outperforms him in some areas.

Ryan has been particularly impressive at AZ, preventing a whopping 3.19 goals courtesy of his excellent shot-stopping ability while his 82% pass accuracy suggests this is a man who knows how to play out from the back.

It only feels like a matter of time before the former Bournemouth man is moved on. January seemingly cannot come soon enough for a figure who looks more and more dejected each time he's seen.

Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League dream looks all but over, after being held to a 3-3 draw in Istanbul. It was a must-win game for Erik ten Hag and he will be scratching his head as to how his team didn’t walk away with a vital three points.

The Red Devils took a two-goal lead twice in the game, but as shown already this season in Europe, if they concede one, the floodgates open, players seem to panic, and the basics of the game are discarded.

To score three goals in all three of their European away games this season and only collect one point is ridiculous, which could lead to Ten Hag re-thinking which personnel deserves their spot in the starting XI.

Victor Lindelof’s stats vs Galatasaray

The player under the spotlight for the wrong reasons is Sweden’s Victor Lindelof. The defender’s performance on Wednesday evening earned him a 6/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, with the occasion and hostile atmosphere swallowing him up.

According to Sofascore, Lindelof alarmingly had ten fewer touches than Andre Onana, with the goalkeeper used more in the build-up than the centre half. He gave the ball away eight times, despite playing mainly safe passes throughout the ninety minutes.

Furthermore, the defender was dribbled past in the first half which led to a goal-scoring opportunity for the hosts. A positive for the Sweden international is that he won all five of his aerial duels, although Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens didn’t contest with much urgency.

Although impossible to display by statistics, Lindelof’s lack of physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness makes him far too easy to play against.

Andre Onana drew attention away from how poor 6/10 Man Utd man was v Gala

This 6/10 man let Manchester United down alongside Andre Onana in the side’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.

ByAdam Scully Nov 30, 2023

He is often caught out of position by entering ground duels that he is not going to win, which leaves gaps in dangerous areas for the opponent to exploit as he lacks recovery speed to retreat in time. This was clear to see against Galatasaray, with the number two having a 0% ground duel win rate.

The player who could replace Victor Lindelof

When on the field, Raphael Varane is typically extremely reliable, however, his availability has been a huge issue, with the French defender prone to injuries. Since joining United in 2021, Varane has endured eight different injuries, with the latest occurring towards the end of August.

Ten Hag looks to be carefully managing the fitness of the 30-year-old, yet he may be forced into starting him more frequently than he would probably like to at this stage.

2023/24

Unknown

27 days

2022/23

Foot

24 days

2022/23

Leg

23 days

2022/23

Ankle sprain

5 days

2021/22

Muscular problems

18 days

2021/22

Covid

8 days

2021/22

Abdominal problems

4 days

2021/22

Hamstring

50 days

2021/22

Groin

15 days

Data via Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately, Varane hasn’t played enough minutes in the Premier League to have a scout report on FBref this season, but we can still compare his Champions League report to Lindelof’s.

It is instantly obvious that Varane is a much more dominant defender, losing 0% of his challenges and making 1.41 tackles per game, whereas the 29-year-old is yet to make a successful tackle in four appearances. The former Real Madrid player is also superior at reading the game and being proactive out of possession, making 1.06 interceptions per game, compared to Lindelof’s 0.3.

Furthermore, from an in-possession perspective, there isn’t a massive upside to starting Lindelof over Varane either, with the Swede boasting sub-par statistics in touches and carries according to FBref.

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has also previously labelled Varane a ‘calming influence’ and his experience of playing in enormous matches may just have got United over the line yesterday. Lindelof, on the other hand, had been labelled a "liability" on too many occasions.

Overall, if it wasn’t for Varane’s lack of reliability he would be starting, but this piece further highlights the need for centre-back reinforcement in the transfer window.

It is fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur have performed admirably despite losing talisman Harry Kane over the summer, with new skipper Heung-min Son leading the charge at the top end of the pitch as the club's leading scorer this season.

While the South Korean sensation has looked at home in his new, unorthodox number nine role, the question remains as to whether he is a long-term fit through the middle, with teammate Richarlison also still dividing opinion after scoring just five league goals for the club to date.

With Ange Postecoglou likely still hoping to fill the void that was left behind by the club's all-time top scorer – Kane – following his departure to Bayern Munich, it is then no surprise that the Lilywhites have been touted to make a high-profile swoop in January.

Spurs could sign Son a "terrifying" £75m partner who loves Harry Kane

Postecoglou will look to add a true striker to his side.

ByTom Lever Dec 13, 2023

One striking target who has been mooted of late is none other than Brentford star, Ivan Toney, with the 27-year-old likely to spark something of a transfer battle, either in the new year or next summer.

Spurs transfer targets – Ivan Toney

As per a recent report from the Mirror, Spurs are said to be 'in the running' for Toney's signature ahead of the upcoming transfer window, with London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea also believed to be plotting a move for the one-time Newcastle United man.

The indication is that Postecoglou is 'optimistic' of securing a new centre-forward next month, albeit the jury is out on whether the England international will be that man, with the Bees likely keen to keep hold of their prize asset until the summer.

Equally, any deal for the former Peterborough marksman – who is currently sidelined due to a betting ban – is likely to cost an arm and a leg, with a fee as high as £100m having been suggested.

For a player currently valued at just €20m (£17m), according to CIES Football Observatory, that may appear rather steep, yet Toney's prior Premier League success should make him a worthwhile investment.

The stats to show why Spurs should sign Ivan Toney

Still seeking to replace the 30 league goals that Kane plundered last term, Postecoglou could well forget all about the England captain by turning to Toney in 2024, with the latter man proving his top-flight credentials with 32 league goals since Brentford's promotion in 2021.

While the £20k-per-week hitman – who fired Thomas Frank's side out of the Championship with 33 goals in 2020/21 – has been out of action this season, there should not be too many fears over his ability to hit the ground running once he can return to the pitch.

If a deal is agreed for the "proven goalscorer" – as described by pundit Jermaine Pennant – then Spurs could find their answer to a certain Ian Wright, with the beloved pundit memorably trading Crystal Palace for another north London outfit, Arsenal, back in 1991.

That is the view of Pennant, at least, who recently described Toney as like a "modern era Ian Wright" amid reports of a possible move to the Emirates, albeit with the hope being that the in-demand ace choose the Lilywhites over the Gunners in the near future.

In the case of Wright, the prolific striker made the step up from Palace to the Gunners just prior to entering his peak years at the age of 28 – similar to Toney – joining for a then-club record fee of £2.5m.

Such a deal was a huge success for Arsenal as he went on to bag 185 goals in just 288 appearances in all competitions over the next seven years, cementing his status as an undisputed Gunners legend.

3

1

0

5

0

1

3

0

1

5

1

2

2

2

0

3

1

0

Much like Wright – who was a relatively late starter in professional football – Toney has not had a smooth ride to the top amid various stints in the EFL after leaving St James' Park, yet now could be his chance to really blossom at a truly elite club.

As far as Postecoglou is concerned, the hope will be that the Northampton native, unlike Wright, goes on to perform heroics in Lilywhite, rather than the colours of their rivals.

West Ham United are enduring a mixed season so far this year. They aren't in danger of getting relegated, but they don't look likely to challenge for a Champions League place either.

An impressive win away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last week was followed up by a 5-0 thrashing away to Fulham on Sunday, which only goes to demonstrate the topsy-turvey nature of the Hammers' form.

However, while they are stuck in ninth place in the league, they are joint top of their Europa League group and are once again flying on the continent. However, with only Manchester United scoring fewer goals than them in the top half of the league, David Moyes' men will need to start finding the back of the net more regularly to move up the table.

West Ham transfer update on Dominic Solanke from Fabrizio Romano

The Bournemouth striker has been a long-term target at the London Stadium.

ByChloe Chadwick Dec 11, 2023

So recent links to Chelsea's Armando Broja should excite the West Ham faithful, although it should no doubt worry Michail Antonio.

West Ham United transfer news – Armando Broja

According to Steve Kay of Football Transfers, Chelsea striker Armando Broja is a January transfer target for several Premier League clubs, including West Ham United who are 'leading the way.'

The publication claims that the Albanian international has an estimated transfer value of €20.5m, which works out to around £18m, which, for a player who has Premier League experience, sounds like a reasonable enough fee.

The "complete forward", as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled for game time in recent seasons, and while that has been primarily down to an unfortunate run of long-term injuries, his inconsistent form hasn't helped his cause.

However, during his loan spell at Southampton in the 2021/22 season, he showed the league glimpses of what he could do were he given the chance to lead the line for a topflight team, scoring six goals in 21 starts for the Saints.

One player who might not be so enthused about this link is Antonio, as the Jamaican striker would likely be the man to make way for the 22-year-old.

Armando Broja would take Michail Antonio's place

Antonio has been a reliable, if not spectacular, servant to the Irons for eight years, signing from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for a fee of £7m.

In the years since, he has played as a winger, a full-back and a striker for the club and has even claimed the title of West Ham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.

However, he scored just five goals in 33 league appearances last season and has found the back of the net only twice in 12 matches this season, which just isn't enough if the Hammers want to progress as a club.

When comparing Broja's underlying numbers to his potential new teammate, it becomes clear that he would be the better option up top for the Eastenders.

Broja

Antonio

0.27

0.20

1.92

2.78

0.77

1.11

2.31

1.00

87.5%

59.2%

1.92

1.89

3.08

3.78

0.77

1.44

While he doesn't necessarily blow Antonio away in the areas where he comes out on top and actually comes out second best for progressive carries and passes, the fact that he is 11 years his junior and so highly thought of makes the choice a no-brainer.

With a run of games in a settled team, the "devastating" forward, as described by former Juventus defender Sergio Porrini, is sure to come good and start banging in the goals.

One Celtic player is starting to become a target overseas ahead of the New Year, with another club making an offer for his services.

Celtic transfer update

The Hoops were busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a number of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Celtic summer window signings

Fee

Gustaf Lagerbielke (IF Elfsborg)

£3m

Odin Thiago Holm (Valerenga)

£2.5m

Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

£2m

Hyun-Jun Yang (Gangwon)

£2m

Hyeokkyu Kwon (Busan I-Park)

£1m

Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw)

£4.3m

Tomoki Iwata (Yokohama F. Marinos)

Undisc.

All fees according to Sky Sports

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club actually made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As well as Jota, Celtic also received fees for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and by the looks of things, the club could soon bring in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the move back to Japan earlier this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League want to secure his services on a permanent deal.

However, in a new Celtic transfer update from Japan, relayed by The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already received an offer from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese side Vissel Kobe are also said to have made a "formal offer" for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi's career at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow back in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has missed a number of games through injury since putting pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in green and white. His injury issues have continued while on loan at Avispa Fukuoka.

Yosuke Ideguchi injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Broken ankle

17

2022/23

Fitness

12

2022/23

Knee

7

2021/22

Unknown

10

2020/21

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped praise on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an outstanding person with great character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he came back from that serious injury. What impressed me most was the way he was working during his time out with the injury.

“It was just unbelievable, almost like soldier. He showed such a great attitude and positive approach. He was extremely disciplined, took in every additional training session of physical rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting back as soon as he possibly could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t seen that version of the player enough, so a permanent exit could make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.

Leeds United will hope 2024 is the year the Whites return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, triumphantly re-entering the top flight under the expert guidance of Daniel Farke after a disastrous relegation had killed the feel-good mood around Elland Road.

Farke could well need to add positive reinforcements to his squad this transfer window to aid this promotion push, adding in fresh blood to complement the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James already firing on all cylinders in West Yorkshire.

Farke could even boldly go back in for this failed summer buy this month, with former Leeds target Nadiem Amiri itching for a move away from Bayer Leverkusen now.

Leeds transfer latest – Amiri pursuit

Leeds felt sick to their stomach when Amiri refused to join the Whites late on in the summer transfer window, the deal all but done before the German attacking midfielder spectacularly pulled the plug last second.

The Championship promotion hopefuls could well go back in for the Leverkusen man this month despite this humiliating rejection however, TEAMtalk reporting in November that a deal could be back on with Amiri pushing for a move away from his current Bundesliga club after limited game time this season.

Leeds wouldn't be alone in their pursuit however, with German football website BILD further adding fuel to the fire by stating that French clubs Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon are also interested in signing the unsettled midfielder in an article last month.

The Whites will hope that potentially signing Amiri – who they could land at a bargain £5m price-tag – can supercharge Georginio Rutter's goal numbers, the Frenchman taking a back-seat with his assist output for the new 5 foot 11 arrival to shine instead.

Amiri's style of play

Frozen out of Xabi Alonso's plans this season – the ex-Liverpool player turned successful Leverkusen boss starting the 27-year-old in zero games this season in the league – Farke could well see something in Amiri that he can reignite on his arrival to Elland Road.

In his prime for the current top-flight leaders in Germany, Amiri was a dangerous attacking midfield prospect to contain – notching up 15 assists across his first two seasons at the BayArena, before experiencing a dip in form.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig even described the nimble midfielder as "superb" when Amiri starred for the German U21s back in 2019, further praising the now 27-year-old's "versatility" with Amiri capable of playing as a more traditional central midfielder too if needed.

Skilful and silky at his best for the German giants, the fringe figure of Amiri now did manage to pick up an assist in DFB-Pokal action recently when given a rare start – helping Leverkusen convincingly beat SV Sandhausen 5-2 at the start of November.

Amiri could well give Joel Piroe healthy competition if the 27-year-old did finally put pen to paper on a Championship move, the former Swansea star fading in and out of games in the last few weeks with zero successful dribble attempts managed away at West Brom to close out 2023 for Leeds.

Whereas, his slick counterpart excels in carrying the ball forward with intricate deftness – Amiri completing 2.78 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the last year according to FBRef, with 1.71 successful take-ons another stellar statistic sticking out.

Amiri could well be the creative maverick Leeds need in that attacking midfield spot to begin catching teams out more regularly, instead of settling for goal-shy performances seen in back-to-back 1-0 defeats on the road before a big win against Birmingham City was secured.

Rutter could also explode into life in front of goal and begin to add more strikes to his slim season tally of four goals as a direct consequence of this move, knowing he doesn't have to do the heavy lifting anymore and constantly be a focal point to create openings for other teammates.

Tottenham Hotspur may end up waving goodbye to another fan-favourite star before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

At the start of June, The Telegraph reported that club captain Heung-min Son could move on from London after leading the team to the Europa League trophy this season.

The outlet claimed that the South Korea international could be sold by Spurs in order to generate funds to bolster the squad ahead of their return to the Champions League, amid interest from teams in the Saudi Pro League.

Son has racked up an eye-catching haul of 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 appearances in all competitions for the club since signing from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015.

The experienced forward’s departure this summer would mean that all three of Mauricio Pochettino’s iconic attacking line-up will have moved on, following Dele Alli and Harry Kane’s exits from the club in recent years.

All three stars were key players for the former Spurs head coach at the top end of the pitch, and Alli’s contributions should not be overlooked.

Why Dele Alli was a star for Spurs

The London-based club reportedly splashed out a fee of £5m to sign the attacking midfielder from League One outfit MK Dons in 2015, and Pochettino brought him into the first-team squad for the 2015/16 campaign.

Alli hit the ground running in the Premier League, bypassing the Championship, with a return of ten goals and eight assists in 33 top-flight games in his first season with Spurs.

The England international went on to plunder 67 goals and 59 assists in 269 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham before his move away from the club in 2022.

These statistics show that the former MK Dons talent provided plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Spurs during his time in London, whilst he also offered Pochettino a lot of flexibility in the way that he could be deployed within the starting line-up.

Attacking midfield

158

42

40

Central midfield

48

9

5

Left midfield

36

14

8

Centre-forward

8

2

1

Defensive midfield

2

0

2

As you can see in the table above, Alli was deployed in several different positions for Tottenham, mainly playing as a central or attacking midfielder, or off the left flank.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who now plays for Como in Italy, was a star for Spurs due to both the quality he provided at the top end of the pitch and the versatility he offered the manager.

Spurs may now be about to unearth their next version of Alli, who was a key member of the attack that included Son and Kane under Pochettino, as they are expected to sign a Premier League star.

Spurs expected to sign Premier League midfielder

West Ham United outlet HammersNews reports that the Premier League side expect Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jacob Ramsey to sign for Tottenham this summer.

The Hammers are interested in a deal to sign the former England U21 international to bolster their own squad this summer, but the club believe that the 24-year-old talent is on his way to another team in London.

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Speaking to HammersNews, the ‘top spokesman’ for the West Ham owners said: “I think the player (Ramsey) is going to Spurs.”

Spurs were recently linked with an interest in the Villans starlet, who could be on his way out of Villa Park this summer, and this latest update suggests that they are set to win the race for his signature.

Earlier this year, The Boot Room reported that Manchester City are also interested in the attacking midfielder, who is valued at a fee of around £50m by Aston Villa.

However, it remains to be seen exactly how much Spurs will end up paying for the English talent if they do end up signing him, as West Ham expect.

Why Spurs should sign Jacob Ramsey

The Lilywhites should push ahead with a deal to sign the 24-year-old star in the coming weeks because he could arrive at the club as Thomas Frank’s own version of Dele Alli.

Ramsey may not seem like an obvious signing for Spurs, given that he has only scored two Premier League goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, but his form in the past for Villa suggests that there is a quality player who could be unearthed.

The Villans maestro’s performances in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns suggest that he has the potential to develop into a top performer for Tottenham if Frank can get the best out of him.

Ramsey, who was once dubbed “sensational” by Seb Stafford-Bloor, plundered 12 goals and eight assists in those two seasons, and was particularly impressive in front of goal in the 2022/23 campaign, with six goals and seven assists to his name that term.

Non-penalty xG

0.20

Top 16%

Non-penalty xG

0.17

Top 14%

xAG

0.17

Top 14%

Assists

0.24

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

2.77

Top 40%

Progressive carries

3.21

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, the English star caught the eye as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Villans, ranking highly among midfielders in the Premier League in several key attacking metrics.

Like Alli, Ramsey’s top three most played positions are central midfield, attacking midfield, and left midfield, which means that he can offer Frank the same positional flexibility that the former Spurs star did for Pochettino, as a playmaker who can play centrally or come in off the left.

His form in the 2022/23 season also suggests that he has the potential to provide an impressive threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from those three positions, which is exactly what Alli did throughout his time in North London.

Therefore, Frank could unearth his own version of the former England international by securing a deal for Ramsey, before helping him to get back to the kind of form he displayed at the start of his Villa career.

A bigger talent than Eze: Spurs make enquiry for "sensational" £40m star

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1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 28, 2025