We've seen Scottish Premiership giants Celtic pick up multiple young talents from English clubs and add them to their B-team ranks in recent years. There were two such deals in the summer of 2021 as striker Joey Dawson joined from Scunthorpe United's under-18s, and centre-back Bosun Lawal, now on loan at Fleetwood, arrived from Watford's under-18s.
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Then, 18 months ago, they recruited another defender, this time from a Premier League side, as Justin Osagie made the switch from West Ham. After focusing primarily on promoting in-house players last summer, they now have their eye on another gem from south of the border.
Casey now in Celtic's sights
According to journalist Pete O'Rourke, Celtic are now keeping tabs on Patrick Casey at Charlton Athletic. In a report for Football Insider, he adds that the "prolific forward" is apparently regarded as "one of the best young prospects to come through at The Valley in recent years".
Celtic scouts have made regular trips to watch him in action, but he's also attracting interest from Premier League Brighton and Belgian Pro League duo Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Club Brugge.
Casey is a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, but Northern Ireland and England are both hopeful that they convince him to declare his allegiances as part of a "huge" international tug-of-war.
Casey can follow footsteps of Joe Gomez
As a marker of the excitement Casey is generating in London, he made his League One debut as a late substitute in a game against Oxford United on New Year's Day, only a couple of weeks after he'd turned 18. As you can see in the table below, that makes him one of the 10 youngest players to feature in the English third-tier this term. What's more, it ranks him as one of the 30 youngest appearance-makers in Charlton's entire history.
Rank
Player
Club
Age (Y/M/D)
1
Jake Richards
Exeter City
16/1/1
2
Jack Shorrock
Port Vale
16/7/28
3
Tom King
Cheltenham Town
16/10/16
4
Micah Mbick
Charlton Athletic
17/1/1
5
Harvey Watts
Shrewsbury Town
17/2/2
6
Travis Hernes
Shrewsbury Town
17/9/1
7
Freddy Wilcox
Cheltenham Town
17/9/12
8
Fabio Jalo
Barnsley
17/10/11
9
Patrick Casey
Charlton Athletic
18/0/13
10
Dajaune Brown
Derby County
18/0/15
"Prolific" is certainly an accurate label when you consider that he thundered in 42 goals at various levels last season and has followed that up with another 31 already in 2023/24. No wonder, then, that the Republic of Ireland called him up to an under-19 training camp last summer and Charlton handed him his first professional contract, with academy director Steve Avory raving about his "huge potential".
Recent Charlton youth products include Joe Gomez, who's become a European and English champion at Liverpool, Ezri Konsa, who's started 23 league games this year for an Aston Villa side chasing the top four, and Ademola Lookman, who won Atalanta's player of the season award for 22/23. Casey will want to enjoy similar success in his career, and he's more likely to achieve that at Celtic or Brighton than he is at Charlton.
Liverpool players appeared to be falling like flies, with Curtis Jones and Diogo Jota both leaving the Gtech Community Stadium pitch in the first half with injuries.
But Jurgen Klopp's side prevailed, producing a delightful attacking performance that maintains pole position in the Premier League after 25 matches, dispatching Brentford 4-1.
The injury-hit Reds are indeed scrapping for fitness right now but it did not matter against Thomas Frank's team, who were brushed aside by some clinical finishing, not exactly helping themselves with some questionable defensive awareness at times.
Darwin Nunez opened the scoring with a delicious chipped finish after latching onto Jota's placed header in the centre, with the returning Mohamed Salah lapping up a goal and assist apiece after the break to remind English football of his world-class ability.
There were some lovely attacking sequences and even nicer goals to take Liverpool one step closer to the Premier League title, but for all the offensive efforts it was the unseen work of Virgil van Dijk in central defence that secured victory, standing firm and stamping his dominance into the defensive third.
Virgil van Dijk's performance vs Brentford
On his 250th appearance for Liverpool, Van Dijk produced a colossal display in the rearguard, captaining his side to a convincing victory over a Brentford side desperate for some respite, pulled ever closer to the dreaded dotted line after a dismal run of form.
In the later stage, Ivan Toney might have bagged his fourth goal in five Premier League matches since returning from long-term suspension, but it was too little too late as Liverpool's incisive attacks overpowered the Bees.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk.
Vital was the command of Van Dijk in defence, allowing the Salah's and Nunez's of Liverpool's team to bypass Mark Flekken's net.
As per Sofascore, the Netherlands star won 100% of his aerial duels and lost possession just seven times on a successful afternoon in the capital, completing 90% of his passes from 80 touches and creating one big chance for his forward-surging peers.
The towering titan also rattled the crossbar with a last-gasp header following Andy Robertson's corner in what would have cherry-topped a commanding effort, but it wasn't to be on this occasion.
Nonetheless, Van Dijk illustrated once again why he stakes a very good claim for the accolade of the Premier League's finest centre-half, with The Athletic's James Pearce heralding him as Liverpool's "most transformative signing" in modern history post-match.
Writing in his post-match player ratings, the Liverpool Echo's Ian Doyle handed the 32-year-old an 8/10 match rating for his display, writing: 'Solid enough and helped Liverpool repel Brentford threat at set-pieces first half and initiated opener. No-nonsense when required after break and dominated in the air, hitting crossbar in injury time.'
It is concerning that Liverpool have been hit with a deluge of injury concerns in the prelude to next weekend's Carabao Cup final against Chelsea, but with Van Dijk producing such iron-clad showings in defence, there is every chance that the Reds will succeed in their silver-laced ambitions this term.
Newcastle United have been through a roller-coaster of emotions over the last couple of seasons. From being freed of the restraints of Mike Ashley, to being knocked out of the Champions League group stages and finishing at the bottom of their group.
There have been many ups and downs, but, most would argue that since their takeover, the Magpies have had something of an upward trajectory. One way to showcase this is the signings that the club have made.
Since Eddie Howe took over from Steve Bruce, the former Bournemouth manager, has taken on Newcastle leaps and bounds.
This is not only due to his managerial style and tactical choices but, the players he has brought in to help bolster his squad. One player in particular has adapted to life in Tynside extremely well and has completely changed the team.
Since joining the club in 2022 for a whopping £40m, the player's value has been increased by a staggering 112%, and it shows no signs of slowing down despite Newcastle's underperformance this year.
Newcastle United forward Jacob Murphy.
The club currently reside in ninth place in the Premier League table and, at the time of writing, have 33 points. This total puts them 13 points adrift of the top four spots they were out to achieve at the start of the season.
Granted, their misfortunes can largely be put down to the sheer amount of injuries that they have sustained, but, they should have more than enough quality to be higher up the table.
Newcastle star sees value soar by 112%
The player whose value has been raised by 112% after signing for Newcastle is that of Bruno Guimaraes. The Brazil international has undoubtedly been PIF's stand-out signing whilst at the club.
This is proven by the statistics he has managed to generate during his two-year stint with the Magpies. Since joining in the 2022 January transfer window, the midfielder has played a total of 90 games across all competitions and contributed to 23 goals.
kieran-trippier-bruno-guimaraes-newcastle-opinion
Bear in mind that, although these numbers wouldn't be the most eye-catching for an attacking midfielder, the Brazil international has played the majority of his games in defensive midfield.
Before accepting a move to Newcastle, Guimarares was allegedly one of the most sought-after players in world football. He had been setting Ligue 1 alight as an Olympique Lyon player and even managed to get six assists for his team.
The current valuation of Bruno Guimaraes
CIES Football Observatory currently value the Brazil international at €100m (£85m) which is around £45m more than what the Magpies paid for him just two years ago.
Although the 26-year-old was sought-after by many across the 2021/22 season due to the talent he possesses, he has somehow become an even better player than the one who joined the club two years ago.
#1 Bruno Guimaraes
£85m
#2 Alex Isak
£85m
#3 Joelinton
£51m
#4 Anthony Gordon
£51m
#5 Sandro Tonali
£43m
He has been described in the media, notably by Toon reporter Craig Hope as "special" and his talents have not gone unnoticed by his current manager, who has lauded the midfielder as a "top player."
"You need your top players to play really well when you’re in a situation like this that we’re in at the moment, and I think Bruno has certainly done that," Howe said in December 2023.
douglas-luiz-bruno-guimaraes-liverpool-opinion
"He’s such an important person to that part of the game for us that it is hard work for him physically, but he’s able to repeat those physical exertions that we need him to, so I think his game’s in a very good place. It has to be for us to perform well because he’s at the fulcrum of everything really."
This praise from Howe alone outlines how much of an impact that Guimaraes has had on the squad. Without him, Newcastle would likely not have been as fortunate to qualify for the Champions League last season. They have well and truly hit the jackpot with this move.
Sheffield Wednesday will want to end January how they started the month when Watford come to town, victorious on their own patch after now going three matches on the spin without a win in both the Championship and the FA Cup.
On another day, if Danny Rohl's side weren't so toothless in front of goal with just two on-target efforts from 16 shots, the Owls could have progressed through against Coventry City with a replay now awaiting both sides to add even more congestion to a busy fixture schedule.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Danny Rohl.
Although Djeidi Gassama spared Wednesday blushes last match with a solo strike late on to secure a 1-1 draw, the Owls are arguably in need of some new striker reinforcements with a left-field move for this striker rumoured to be in the pipeline.
Wednesday pursuing exciting attacker
Having two bids already rejected according to Sheffield Star journalist Joe Crann, the Owls are in talks and now planning a third bid for Orlando City striker Duncan McGuire to try and land the breakthrough American striker before the imminent close of the transfer window.
With the report further revealing that McGuire would be open to relocating to England – with the 22-year-old now even rejecting a new contract to stay put in America according to the Star – this is a deal worth pursuing for Wednesday to finally land a potent centre-forward.
Drawing similar comparisons to ex-Owls youngster George Hirst, who had gone on to be Ipswich Town's star man this campaign before injury stopped him in his tracks, the second-tier side will hope McGuire can come in and be a vital breath of fresh air that can help Wednesday keep their heads above water in the division and secure safety.
How Duncan McGuire compares to George Hirst
Hirst feels like the one that got away from the South Yorkshire side's perspective, the homegrown Wednesday talent never flourishing into a clinical first-team striker whilst at Hillsborough before blossoming elsewhere.
The 24-year-old had been crucial for Kieran McKenna's Tractor Boys this season before picking up an untimely injury, helping himself to six goals and seven assists in all competitions from 26 games played.
McGuire, playing out in the MLS last season, did however better Hirst's goal total – the 22-year-old bagging 13 goals for Orlando from 29 MLS appearances, whilst also showcasing his unselfish and creative side with three assists.
It led to Orlando manager Oscar Pareja describing his deadly attacker as "lethal", the centre-forward possessing a clinical edge that would be invaluable to Wednesday's current predicament.
There are many similarities between both McGuire and Hirst, with FBRef showing a likeness between the current Ipswich man and the Owls transfer target in many different areas.
Both players in question go toe-to-toe with shots on target averaged per 90 minutes over their respective seasons, with the 6 foot 1 Orlando star just bettering his Tractor Boys counterpart with 24 shots on target from 33 overall efforts to Hirst's 20 from 45 efforts.
Moreover, both are eerily similar when it comes to shot-creating actions per 90 minutes over the same time period with Hirst just edging McGuire with 2.08 shot-creating actions to the American striker's 2.07.
Wednesday will have felt aggrieved losing Hirst when they did – the Sheffield-born striker only ever bursting into life in the senior game away from Hillsborough – but Rohl's men could well land their next goalscoring hero in the form of McGuire who could even help the Owls stay up this season.
Leeds United will hope this season ends in a triumphant promotion straight back up to the Premier League, with Daniel Farke's side currently four wins from four in the Championship in 2024 to start the year in the best way imaginable.
The Whites have only leaked one goal along the way when picking up those victories, hoping to make it a flawless sequence of results in January by progressing into the next round of the FA Cup against Plymouth Argyle tomorrow.
To elevate Leeds to even loftier heights, in an effort to bridge the gap between the Whites and Ipswich Town currently in second spot instead of settling for the playoffs, Farke and Co could attempt to sanction a deal for this attacking star before the transfer window slams shut.
Leeds going after Championship promotion winner
It's no secret that Leeds have been attempting to add a number of players to their squad this January to propel them into the top two, linked with the likes of Ben Davies, David Brooks, and more to try and add in some top-quality additions.
Leeds' interest in Burnley winger Manuel Benson has also been well publicised, with football journalist Sacha Tavolieri offering a development on Thursday about the West Yorkshire side's continued pursuit of the 26-year-old – stating that the second tier outfit are 'still pushing' for a deal to happen.
The explosive forward is an in-demand figure however, with Southampton apparently leading the race to sign Benson ahead of Leeds according to Football Insider who have revealed that an agreement has been reached between the Clarets and the Saints.
Yet, there could still be various twists and turns to come before deadline day and Leeds won't just fade away.
The Whites will press on and will still attempt to sway the Belgian gem away from relocating to St. Mary's for the rest of the season, Benson a potentially game-changing purchase with the Clarets man a previous promotion winner at the level.
How Benson could take Leeds to the next level
Benson was unplayable at points for Vincent Kompany's second tier champions last campaign, dazzling Championship defences with deft footwork often then followed up with a stunning strike finding the back of the net.
Scoring 12 times last season – including a strike against arch-rivals Blackburn Rovers sealing the division title – Benson also notched up three assists as a vital part of Burnley's terrific 101-point haul that saw the Lancashire club stroll to the top honour.
Described as being "electric" by EFL pundit Sam Parkin after netting a brace against Middlesbrough that same season, this is a deal that could really make promotion an easier feat to achieve for Leeds.
The Belgian attacker will also come to Leeds with a point to prove, frozen out of the first-team plans by Kompany when making the step-up to the Premier League after once being a dependable hero the Clarets manager relied upon.
Moreover, having the likes of Daniel James, Wilfried Gnonto, and Crysencio Summerville at your disposal already before even adding the £25k-per-week Burnley forward into the mix, the Whites could end up just bulldozing teams with the amount of flair and talent in their forward positions.
Winning the race for his signature as they push to bring him to Elland Road would also prevent Southampton, who they are competing with for a top two position, from landing him. This would stop them from signing a fantastic attacking talent who could improve their chances of securing promotion.
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Leeds will have to keep level-headed, however, knowing that the lottery of the playoffs can be a cruel mistress if automatic promotion isn't achieved, but will be cautiously optimistic about their chances of sealing a ticket back up to the top-flight in convincing fashion if Benson joins.
Denting Southampton's own ambitions in the process too, this is a transfer Leeds must persist with to give Farke's men an almighty edge in the promotion race.
In a season which has seen Manchester United already turfed out of the Champions League and League Cup, alongside slipping firmly out of the mix for the top four, it has been hard to pinpoint the major issue that has inhibited Erik ten Hag's side.
Much attention has, of course, been centred on an attack which has netted just 24 times in 21 Premier League games so far in 2023/24 – the fourth-worst record in the division – while defensively, the Red Devils have remained rather shaky, notably shipping eight goals in just their last four league outings.
For all those woes at opposite ends of the pitch, the midfield has also come under intense scrutiny ever since the narrow opening weekend win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, with club legend Gary Neville stating that the pairing of Mason Mount and Casemiro were "torn to shreds" in that nervy 1-0 triumph.
While that duo have since been hamstrung by injury in recent months, those who have replaced them have also been particularly underwhelming, with Scott McTominay – who ranks in just the bottom 8% among his European peers for progressive passes per 90 – hardly the most comfortable on the ball, while summer signing Sofyan Amrabat has "disappointed" thus far, in the words of journalist Dean Jones.
A shining light has undoubtedly been the mature displays of 18-year-old sensation, Kobbie Mainoo – who has been dubbed an "unreal" talent by ex-teammate Anthony Elanga – although his experienced colleague Christian Eriksen has been put firmly under the microscope alongside him, notably being hooked before the hour mark against Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
With the 31-year-old Dane also recording the lowest success rate for duels won among all Premier League midfielders, the time may have come to find a more youthful, long-term solution in the centre of the park – something Ten Hag and co may have already turned their attention to.
Man Utd eyeing Eriksen upgrade
According to a report from Football Transfers, United are said to have 'moved a step closer' to sealing the signing of Benfica sensation, Joao Neves, having already struck a deal that will see Alvaro Fernandez head in the opposite direction on an initial loan deal.
The suggestion is that the Old Trafford side are hopeful that such an agreement can help to build positive relations with the Lisbon outfit amid their bid to sign Neves, with the 19-year-old said to be the club's 'leading midfield target'.
Benfica midfielder Joao Neves.
The report reveals that the Portuguese starlet does have a €120m (£103m) release clause in his existing contract that can be activated, although United are seemingly keen to 'enter talks' in the hope of avoiding paying that hefty sum.
While there is no suggestion that a deal can be struck this month, the hope will be that the Red Devils can get their man ahead of next season, helping to rejuvenate a somewhat ageing midfield department.
Joao Neves' style of play
Despite being a rather slight figure at just 5 foot 9, Neves has proven himself to be a fierce operator in the centre of the park for Benfica of late, with data analyst Ben Mattinson describing him as a player who has a "lot of aggression in duels" and is "hard to win the ball off".
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That is evidenced by the fact that the teenager ranks in the top 7% among his peers in leagues comparable with the Primeira Liga for tackles won per 90, as well as in the top 2% for blocks made, indicating that willingness to put his body on the line.
Interestingly, even with his diminutive stature, the in-demand youngster also ranks in the top 11% for aerial duels won, further proof of the battling presence that he can provide to Ten Hag's ranks.
It is on the ball, however, where Neves appears to thrive, with Mattinson stating that the three-cap Portugal international reminds him of "[Paul] Scholes in some ways", having been described as someone who would bring "tenacity and technical ability" to this floundering United side.
That likeness to the United icon – who is also just 5 foot 6 – is certainly high praise indeed, with Scholes arguably having been the "best midfielder of his generation", according to Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola.
Much like Mattinson's prior assessment of Neves, the Englishman was also a tough yet silky operator when in his pomp, with current Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez previously stating:
“Scholes is a spectacular player who has everything. He can play the final pass, he can score, he is strong, he never gets knocked off the ball and he doesn’t give possession away."
Trying to emulate the success of a player who won a plethora of major honours in a glittering spell at the Theatre of Dreams is a tough task, although such a comparison merely demonstrates the young diamond that United could have on their hands.
How Joao Neves compares to Christian Eriksen
As stated previously, a key issue with Eriksen of late has been his lack of athleticism and fragility in the centre of the pitch, with the former Spurs man winning just 32% of his total duels this season in the Premier League, including winning just 29% of his aerial duels.
Neves, meanwhile, is far more robust having won 58% of his total duels and 57% of his aerial duels in the Portuguese top flight, ensuring he could offer a more natural defensive presence than the current United man, if a deal was to be agreed.
17 games (15 starts)
1 goal
1 assist
3 'big chances' created
0.6 key passes per game
3.4 tackles & interceptions per game
6.7 balls recovered per game
58% total duels won
90% pass accuracy rate
1.4 successful dribbles per game
7.51 avg. match rating
Stats via Sofascore
On the ball too, Neves also seemingly has the edge in certain metrics, notably possessing the ability to drive forward from deep as he averages 1.4 successful dribbles per game from his 17 appearances, while Eriksen averages just 0.2 in that regard from 15 league outings.
The pair both have one goal and one assist apiece, yet Neves edges his veteran counterpart with regard to chances created (three v one), while surprisingly, it is also the Portuguese gem who appears to be more composed in possession with a pass accuracy rate of 90% – far ahead of the Dane (83%).
Despite his relative youth, all the signs point to the Benfica teen being a potential upgrade on Eriksen if a deal is to be struck this summer, with United having potentially found the figure who can partner Mainoo for the foreseeable future in Manchester.
While that reported £103m fee is rather eye-watering for one so young, Neves' current form – and apparent likeness to Scholes – explains why he is such a worthwhile target.
Southampton are showing an interest in signing an "absolutely brilliant" Premier League player in the January transfer window, according to a new report.
Southampton transfer news
The Saints are flying on the pitch at the moment, thumping Sheffield Wednesday 4-0 on Saturday afternoon, and they also continue to be linked with new signings who could aid their Championship promotion push between now and the end of the season, with Bournemouth midfielder Joe Rothwell looking likely to be the first loan arrival of the month.
Ussumane Djalo is one player who has emerged as a potential target for Southampton, with the 19-year-old midfielder currently playing for Porto, and Aston Villa youngster Lamare Bogarde has also been backed to move to St Mary's Stadium. On the flip side, there are certain players who could move from Saints this month, including striker Che Adams, who has recently been linked with a move to Premier League side Wolves.
It looks as though the south coast club are looking to England's top tier for a possible new addition to Russell Martin's side, however, after a new transfer claim emerged.
Southampton want Ben Johnson
According to Football Insider, Southampton are one of many clubs interested in signing Ben Johnson, alongside promotion rivals Leeds, with a move away from West Ham potentially happening for the defender this month.
Leeds United transfer target Ben Johnson before a Premier League game with West Ham.
"Rangers, Leeds United and Sheffield United are among the sides keen on landing West Ham star Ben Johnson this month, sources have told Football Insider. It is believed Southampton are also in the mix for the 23-year-old – who could leave the London Stadium on loan before the 1 February deadline.
"Johnson is entering the final six months of his West Ham contract and is keen to play regular first-team football after struggling for game time with David Moyes’ side."
Johnson is someone with proven experience at Premier League level, making 57 appearances in the competition for West Ham, not to mention chipping in with two goals for good measure, so he could be an excellent signing by Southampton.
The 23-year-old would bring experience and potential quality to the defence, not to mention putting his versatility to good use, with the Hammers ace capable of turning out as a centre-back, right-back, left-back or even a midfielder.
Former England and Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has hailed him as "absolutely brilliant" in the past, and he will surely be open to bringing an end to his time at the London Stadium.
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At 23, there could still be so much more to come from Johnson, who has won 10 caps for England's Under-21s, showing what a highly-rated prospect he has been in the past, and he may really stand out in the Championship, helping Southampton seal a return to the Premier League in the process.
The Englishman, who also shares the same agent as Kyle Walker-Peters, is also a UEFA Europa Conference League winner with West Ham, and this winning mentality could do no harm at the Saints, should they pip others to his signature before the month comes to an end, making this one to keep an eye on.
Rangers defeated Motherwell 3-1 in what could be a crucial win as the race for the Scottish Premiership title continues into the final month.
Rangers started brightly and opened the scoring via an own goal from Motherwell keeper Liam Kelly, cruelly denying Scott Wright the opener.
The game was changed massively when Leon Balogun was sent off following a clumsy challenge and the momentum briefly swung in the home side’s favour as Glen Kamara lost the ball when he should have made a simple clearance which gave the Steelmen an opportunity to score, which Graham Alexander’s side duly took.
The Ibrox side came out after the break determined to prolong the title race and goals from Wright and James Tavernier gave the away side a win that looked unlikely after 45 minutes.
The majority of Gers players got pass marks, but Kamara was poor yet again under Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
The midfielder lost possession eight times during the tie, with one such occasion allowing Motherwell to score, and he looked like a passenger during his 68-minute spell.
In possession, Kamara only had 46 touches, made one long pass, and failed to complete any dribbles, showing his somewhat conservative nature.
With only one tackle and one interception, he was miles off it from a defensive point of view and the 26-year-old would have been expected to take up added responsibility following Balogun’s dismissal – with his returns seeing him earn a disappointing SofaScore match rating of 6.6.
It was a slack performance from Kamara, with many believing that this could be his last season at the Ibrox side.
The club signed him in January 2019 for a measly fee of £45k from Dundee and has been a key member of the squad which won the league title last season.
This campaign has been markedly different, however, and with former boss Steven Gerrard linked with the midfielder, it may be time for Rangers to cut ties in the summer.
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Chelsea could be very busy in these final few weeks of the transfer window.
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Earlier this week, Enzo Maresca was backed with the signing of Ajax left-back/centre-back Jorrel Hato, who will provide cover for Marc Cucurella whilst also bolstering the heart of Chelsea’s defence.
Cole Palmer
7.33
Moises Caicedo
7.02
Enzo Fernández
6.95
Nicolas Jackson
6.88
Noni Madueke
6.82
via WhoScored
In traditional Chelsea fashion, the Netherlands international has agreed a long-term seven-year contract and is undergoing a medical today, before the club announce him as their next major signing of the summer.
Meanwhile, talks remain ongoing for RB Leipzig playmaker Xavi Simons, which is taking longer than initially thought.
A report from The Sun, via GOAL, claims that Chelsea have offered multiple players to Leipzig, including Carney Chukwuemeka and Armando Broja, in an attempt to sweeten negotiations, offload players and lower the Dutchman’s overall asking price.
RB Leipzig'sXaviSimonsreacts after the match
Super agent Ali Barat is heavily involved in these discussions as he tries to facilitate Simons’ potential move to Stamford Bridge, and according to other reports, Chelsea could still move for Man United winger Alejandro Garnacho.
A swoop for the Argentine, who Ruben Amorim’s side are actively trying to sell, is believed to be independent of the Simons deal, with Chelsea in the market for another left-winger after Jamie Gittens (talkSPORT).
This is backed up by The Telegraph’s Matt Law, who’s shared a detailed update on Garnacho to Chelsea this week.
Chelsea expected to bid for Alejandro Garnacho
Accordong to Law, Chelsea have completed extensive background checks into the 21-year-old’s personality profile, and they have zero concerns over his attitude, despite Garnacho’s questionable conduct at Old Trafford.
Chelsea are expected to make a bid for Garnacho too, and Simons’ potential arrival won’t shut the door on him as BlueCo look to tempt the former Atlético Madrid academy ace with a move to London.
Personal terms shouldn’t be an issue either, with Chelsea believed to be Garnacho’s “first choice” destination should he leave Manchester.
United are under some pressure to sell the winger as we enter the final weeks of this transfer window, with reports suggesting that they’ve slashed his asking price from £70 million to £40 million.
Garnacho racked up 11 goals and 10 assists in 58 appearances for United last season, and won the 2024 Puskas award for a stunning overhead kick against Everton at Goodision Park the year prior.
“He has a lot of personality, he doesn’t give up, and he’s always on the ball. He never gives up in one-on-one situations,” said former Argentina international Javier Saviola at the end of 2024/2025.
“Now he’s adding goals to his game, something he was lacking a bit before, and he’s appearing closer to the box.”
Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Sunday as Tottenham Hotspur came from behind twice to secure a point.
It was a good day for struggling forwards as Rasmus Hojlund and Marcus Rashford were both able to get their names on the scoresheet during the first 45 minutes.
The pair have now managed six top-flight goals between them in 29 combined starts for Erik ten Hag this season, which illustrates one of the big problems the club has had – scoring goals.
Scott McTominay
18
Five
Marcus Rashford
20
Four
Alejandro Garnacho
19
Three
Bruno Fernandes
20
Three
Rasmus Hojlund
16
Two
13 teams have scored more than the 24 league goals that United have mustered up during the 2023/24 campaign, and this suggests that the Dutch head coach is in dire need of more firepower at the top end of the pitch.
Man United's hunt for a striker
The Red Devils appear to be in the market to add another number nine to their squad before the end of the January transfer window, which has been open for business for two weeks now.
A report in Spain has named United as one of the possible destinations for Al-Ittihad star Karim Benzema, who could be on his way back to Europe after less than a year in Saudi Arabia.
Firstly, the outlet claimed that Real Madrid would be interested in a swoop to bring the French centre-forward back to Spain – having left the Bernabeu last summer.
The report also stated that another one of the striker's former clubs – Lyon – would also be open to signing him on loan until the end of the season to bolster their attack in Ligue 1.
Finally, it was reported that Manchester United are the third team in the race to land Benzema on a short-term deal to improve their options at the top end of the pitch during the second half of the campaign.
It was claimed that ten Hag would like to bring in another centre-forward to compete with Hojlund for his position in the team and the Al-Ittihad ace has been identified as a potential option.
The Dutch head coach could now repeat the masterclass that the club played with the signing of Zlatan Ibrahimovic back in the summer of 2016 by securing a deal for Benzema before the end of the window.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's world-class impact at United
He arrived at Old Trafford at the age of 34 and came with a proven pedigree at the very top level after a distinguished career playing for a host of huge clubs.
Ibrahimovic scored 392 goals in 677 career games prior to his transfer to England and arrived off the back of a return of 156 goals and 62 assists in 180 matches for Paris Saint-Germain.
Despite his age, United knew that they were signing a world-class number nine who would come in and fire them to success in some way, shape or form.
That is exactly what happened in his very first match for the club. Ibrahimovic scored a late header to secure a 2-1 win in the Community Shield against Leicester City on his debut at Wembley – an instant trophy for the Sweden international.
The veteran forward went on to plunder an eye-catching 28 goals and ten assists in 46 appearances in all competitions as United secured both the League Cup and the Europa League by the end of the campaign.
He scored four goals in five League Cup appearances and two of those strikes came in a 3-2 win over Southampton at Wembley, which meant that the ex-Barcelona star scored trophy-winning goals at Wembley twice in his debut season at United.
Ibrahimovic hit the ground running in England as a world-class number nine who helped the club to win three trophies in one season, which is the kind of impact Benzema could have – albeit on a smaller scale due to the season being halfway complete – if ten Hag is able to sign him this month.
Benzema is a world-class number nine
His former manager Zinedine Zidance once claimed that the French marksman is "the best no.9 in the world" and it is very hard to argue with that statement.
Benzema won the Ballon d'Or at the end of 2022, which suggested that he was the best player in world football at the time, after a return of 44 goals and 15 assists in 46 matches for Real Madrid during the 2021/22 campaign.
Appearances
12
Sofascore rating
8.05
Goals
15
Big chances missed
Two
Assists
Two
Big chances created
Five
The 36-year-old match-winner followed that up with 31 goals and six assists in 43 appearances for the Spanish giants last season, which led to a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.
He has racked up nine goals, five assists, and 13 'big chances' created in 15 league outings for his new club, and this shows that his quality in the final third is still shining bright.
At the age of 36, Benzema remains one of the top players in the world. In fact, over the last 365 days, the world-class attacker ranks within the top 1% of his positional peers in the Men's Top Five Leagues and European competitions for non-penalty xG and Expected Assisted Goals (0.95) per 90.
This shows that he is a constant threat to opposition defences as a scorer and a creator of goals, and his impressive statistics mean that FBref have listed PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe as the most similar player to him over the last 365 days.
These statistics show that Benzema is still at an incredibly high level and comparable to the very best in the world, as Ibrahimovic was at the time of his move to Old Trafford.
Therefore, United could repeat their Zlatan blinder by bringing in another world-class veteran centre-forward who could help ten Hag's side to achieve success with his immense attacking talent during the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.