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Everton welcomed five new faces to the club this summer, as Sean Dyche continues to work on steering the Toffees away from a third consecutive relegation battle in the Premier League.

In the past two campaigns, the Blues have taken their bid for survival to the final day of the season, with the 2023/24 term carrying huge importance with reference to the club’s ability to progress.

The 2022/23 season was both hectic and anxiety-riddled for the Toffees, with tensions added to in the January transfer window as academy graduate Anthony Gordon protested his desire to leave the club amid the chaos on the pitch with the Blues in the relegation zone at the point of his departure.

How much did Everton sell Anthony Gordon for?

After joining Everton at the age of 11, Gordon’s strategy to force a move to Newcastle United was not received well by fans or most associated with Goodison Park.

The 21-year-old refused to train with the squad upon hearing of the Magpies’ interest, action that led to him handing in a transfer request in the bid to leave his boyhood club.

Just prior to deadline day, Eddie Howe secured the signature of the winger, paying Everton a monstrous £45m fee to obtain his services, a deal that was widely questioned at the time considering the price paid for a fairly inexperienced and unproven player.

The Liverpool-born talent made the move across Merseyside to join the Blues from Anfield in 2012 as an academy hopeful, a move that benefitted the Toffees who received a £45m profit from his eventual sale.

How much is Anthony Gordon worth now?

Gordon left Goodison having scored seven goals in 78 appearances, which theoretically isn’t a bad return for a 21-year-old who spent half of his time with the first team on a sporadic role, but not so forgivable for a £45m acquisition.

In his final season, the Englishman scored three goals in 16 Premier League appearances, before making the move to Newcastle where he faced a difficult start to life up north.

Writing in his BBC column, Premier League and Newcastle legend Alan Shearer dubbed the winger as 'pretty poor' during his first season at St James’ Park, reinforcing the degree of profit that Everton gained from his sale.

"Poor" was also the word used by Sky Sports journalist Dougie Critchley back in April, with the respected source going on to state that the Tynesiders had splashed out £45m on a "a League average winger".

This campaign, the 22-year-old seems more settled in his new surroundings, having scored twice in 10 appearances in all competitions so far, an improvement on his debut spell with the Magpies.

In the second half of the 2022/23 term, Gordon managed to score once in 16 appearances in the league for Newcastle, making some question just how the Blues managed to receive a sum nearing £50m for his signature.

Prior to his move, journalist Ethan Ball took to Twitter X to include Gordon as a part of the “least talented front-line” he’d seen at Everton, adding his disbelief that it had been voiced that the winger had been valued at £50m.

When revising the England U21’s stars current expected transfer value (xTV), it makes for even more of an interesting read for those at Goodison, with Football Transfers documenting the forward’s value at just €26.5m (£23m).

While it was never a desired outcome to lose an encouraging academy graduate, generating £45m for Gordon saw the Toffees receive a price that amounts to £6.4m-per-goal he scored in blue, making the pill far easier to swallow.

Wolverhampton Wanderers' summer was marked by considerable levels of upheaval at Molineux, Julen Lopetegui leaving the club after a short stay in England whilst key first-teamers such as Matheus Nunes, Ruben Neves and Nathan Collins all followed suit out of the building to Manchester City, Al-Hilal and Brentford, respectively.

It's left new boss Gary O'Neil with a tough old job to come into, many predicting Wolves to suffer even more on the pitch with relegation fancied by neutrals and Wolves fans alike.

But, at this present moment in time, the West Midlands-based outfit are performing above all expectation – occupying a commendable 12th spot in the Premier League so far, recent wins include a 2-1 victory over the team who sacked O'Neil in the summer in AFC Bournemouth and a smash-and-grab Molineux win over champions, Man City by the same scoreline.

Even with these promising results to kickstart the season, Wolves will be looking to strengthen their still depleted squad when January comes along – one potential signing in the form of Facundo Pellistri could be on the cards even on just a loan basis.

Are Wolves interested in signing Facundo Pellistri?

As reported by LR Uruguay – via Fabian Bertolini – and further on Molineux News, Wolves were interested in snapping up the Manchester United talent on loan this summer with the Red Devils wanting their young £20k-per-week gem to get more game time away from Old Trafford.

Luton, Burnley and Bournemouth all put their hat into the ring to potentially sign Pellistri also – as per the report above – but a move wasn't forthcoming in the summer.

Could Wolves reignite their interest in the Uruguayan when the transfer window reopens at the start of 2024?

Impressive in spurts for Man United – Pellistri making 16 appearances to date for the Red Devils, including six in the Premier League this season – Wolves' squad would be significantly boosted with this potential addition.

How good is Facundo Pellistri?

Signing for the Red Devils in the summer of 2020, featuring for Peñarol previously in his birthplace of Montevideo, the 21-year-old is highly thought of in Man United quarters.

Scoring three times for the Man United U21's in nine matches after initially moving to England, the Uruguayan midfielder has managed to gradually work his way into Erik Ten Hag's first team plans recently – one beneficiary of the recent up-and-down form experienced by Ten Hag's men, given opportunities to the likes of Pellistri ahead of underperformers.

Labelled as "scintillating" after a brief but impactful spell in a Europa League last-16 tie against Real Betis last season by football journalist Alex Turk – Pellistri having a part to play in Wout Weghorst's game-clinching fourth goal in a 4-1 win – the youngster has also further excelled in Cup competitions this year too.

The Uruguayan's work rate in a recent EFL Cup win versus Crystal Palace was highlighted as a major positive by football pundit Danny Webber, praising the collective "full-throttle" approach of the much-changed eleven fielded by ten Hag which saw Pellistri play the full 90 minutes.

Wolves could well look to Pellistri as a potential upgrade on Pablo Sarabia, the silky Spanish midfielder for the Old Gold is now 31 and his minutes in the first team have been cut under O'Neil's management – having started just two league games this season.

The former Paris Saint-Germain ace clearly has quality, with four assists to his name in all competitions to date in 2023/24, although three of those came in the League Cup clash with lower league side, Blackpool, having subsequently been "anonymous" against Premier League opposition – according to journalist Alex Richards.

If O'Neil and co do swoop in for the young Man United star again, Wolves would have an explosive and direct talent on their books who could usurp Sarabia's place in the squad, with the experienced asset just not cutting it at present.

If Pellistri were to impress, he could find himself knocking on the door for even more first-team opportunities at Old Trafford in the near future, or potentially move to cement a permanent stay at Molineux.

Arsenal have made a stellar start to the 2023/24 campaign, although Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar will be wishing time away to get to the January transfer window.

The Gunners sit just one point from the summit after 12 games played in the Premier League, however, injury has plagued the squad in the early moments of the campaign to resurface the issues relating to depth that cancelled the north Londoner’s plans of winning the league last term.

With key members of the XI absent, the upcoming January transfer window could shed some light on where Arsenal see their need for recruitment being, with the midfield said to be one of the primary areas to be assessed at the start of 2024.

Aside from the midfield, a recurring theme of the Gunners’ shortcomings in the side is the lack of potency in leading the line, with Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus the only two recognisable centre-forwards in the first team.

The January window could come at a perfect time for Arteta to strengthen his options going forward, with a few names already linked with a move to the Emirates.

Arsenal's January transfer targets

According to Football Transfers, Juventus talisman Dusan Vlahovic is the manager’s ‘preferred’ number nine target, with the 23-year-old renowned for his impact in the final third in Italy.

The report touches upon Arsenal’s past interest in the Serbian, who was linked with the Premier League outfit prior to his move to Juve in January 2022.

With a market value of €80m (£70m), the Serie A dynamo could be an expensive forward to acquire, particularly following his dip in form since his move to Turin, in which he has only netted 21 league goals for the Bianconeri in almost two years.

Closer to home, a more trusted figure could be an option for the Gunners to select to lead their line in the future, with links to Brentford’s Ivan Toney resurfacing.

After speaking highly of the north London club during the Diary of a CEO podcast, the Englishman has emerged as a potential talent for Arteta to eye, with several news outlets reporting Arsenal’s apparent interest.

A report from journalist John Cross, via The Mirror, back in September claimed that both Arsenal and Chelsea are eyeing the 27-year-old’s services in January, when his ban from football for betting infringements will expire.

Adding to the initial report, The Mirror relayed earlier this month that the Bees were to slap a £100m price tag on their star man to ward off interest from Arteta and Edu, however, things could take another twist.

This week, 90min reported that Toney is ‘demanding’ a release clause in his current contract that could allow interested parties to swipe him from Brentford’s grasp if the agreed fee is met.

The report also mentioned that both Arsenal and Chelsea have ‘held talks’ with the striker’s representatives, making his movements in the future an interesting narrative to follow.

Ivan Toney’s career in numbers

Once lauded as “remarkable” by manager Thomas Frank, it’s no surprise that Brentford want to keep hold of their forward, who has contributed heavily to the west London club since his arrival in 2020.

From League Two, to League One, to the Championship, to the Premier League, Toney has passed the tests of the top-four tiers of English football, scoring 165 career goals while representing a handful of clubs.

Appearances

Goals

Assists

53

11

5

165

65

21

45

31

10

68

32

9

Often, players are unable to replicate their form shown in the leagues below the top-flight, however, the Northampton-born star defies such woes having emerged as one of the most deadly forwards in the Premier League since the Bees’ promotion.

In his debut season at Brentford, the forward fired his new club to the top-flight, contributing to 41 goals in 45 appearances, scoring 31 and assisting ten to introduce himself to west London in stylish fashion.

Across his two campaigns in the Premier League at the Gtech Community Stadium, Toney has netted 32 goals, claiming 12 in his first term and 20 last season, ending the 2022/23 calendar as the league’s third-highest scorer behind Erling Haaland and Harry Kane.

With pace, power, strong finishing ability and most importantly, a proven spark in the top flight, the £100m price tag on the England international could prove to be priceless for Arsenal.

Why Ivan Toney would be a strong signing for Arsenal

It’s obvious that Toney would be a firm upgrade on the Gunners’ current strike options based on his scoring record alone, with his 32 Premier League goals in two seasons far beyond the capacity of Jesus and Nketiah.

The former Manchester City gem has netted 28 goals in his previous three full seasons in the league, while the 24-year-old is yet to hit 20 goals in his 101 appearances, reinforcing the added firepower that the Brentford man would provide.

Arsenal haven’t had an established striker since Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, who is the first Gunners centre-forward to hit over 20 league goals since Robin van Persie in 2011/12, with winger Alexis Sanchez the only other player to overcome the 20 goal hurdle, via Transfermarkt.

While the north Londoners were in transition with managers, players and outside of the top four during the Gabon international’s time at the Emirates, his goalscoring streak provided the squad with a reliable outlet to show for the creativity within the side.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Ivan Toney

22

20

124 min

148 min

1.1

1.3

23

16

23%

21%

In signing Toney, Arteta could replicate the clinical streak of the former Borussia Dortmund talisman to his current squad, who are already making waves in the Premier League without the assistance of a prolific number nine.

Aubameyang arrived when the squad was in re-build and scored goals, whereas the 27-year-old could arrive at a time where he would be the missing piece to the manager’s puzzle, in a move that could transform Arsenal’s hopes of re-establishing themselves within Europe's elite.

A hefty price tag and a club that aren’t willing to give up hopes of keeping hold of their forward easily are what stands in the way of the Gunners securing Toney’s signature, leaving the Gunners with a lot to consider when weighing up the strength of their pursuit for the Englishman.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a blow after learning that another one of their players could be facing a spell on the sidelines alongside Rodrigo Bentancur, according to a fresh report that has emerged.

Spurs injury news

The Lilywhites have James Maddison, Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic out of action with their own problems as it stands, but they were recently joined in the treatment room by another squad member.

During Sunday’s 2-1 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa, Bentancur was forced off the pitch on 32 minutes after being on the receiving end of a dangerous challenge from Matty Cash, so there will be concerns surrounding his fitness, having only just returned from a long-term knee injury.

Latest Tottenham injury news, expected return dates, suspensions

FFC keeps you up to date with all the latest Spurs news involving injuries as they prepare to take on Chelsea.

ByMark Marston May 4, 2024

So far this season, Pape Matar Sarr has started 11 out of the 13 games in the top-flight showing how much of an integral feature he’s become under Ange Postecoglou (WhoScored – Sarr statistics), but the central midfielder might also have to wait a while before he makes his next appearance.

The Senegal international didn’t train with the first team on Friday due to sustaining a hamstring injury over the past fortnight, meaning that he didn’t feature in Sunday's encounter in the capital, and an update has now emerged regarding the 21-year-old’s situation at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Pape Matar Sarr injury update

Taking to X, Paul O Keefe confirmed that Saar has picked up an injury, but at this stage, the extent of his problem is unknown, just like the exact amount of time he’ll be facing on the sidelines for Spurs.

“Don’t know how bad it is yet. He came back from international duty complaining he felt a problem.”

Despite being a central midfielder, Sarr has been strong in the offensive aspect of his game this season having provided two assists and scored one goal in 12 appearances in the Premier League (Transfermarkt – Sarr statistics), and the fact that he could be facing a spell on the sidelines will be a blow for Spurs.

The Thiaroye native has also been extremely calm and composed in possession, where he’s recording a 90% pass success rate at this moment in time, highlighting his ability to dictate and control the game from his natural position when on the ball.

Postecoglou’s £10k-per-week earner (Tottenham salaries), even has the versatility to operate in defensive, central and attacking midfield, making him a wonderful option to have in the building because he is able to easily adapt to the manager‘s demands should he need cover for any other injuries.

According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Sarr has shown what “delicious” chances he can create for his fellow teammates in the final third, so there’s no doubt that everyone associated with the club will be hoping that he won't be away from the action for too long and that he can stage his comeback to the pitch sooner rather than later.

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly have their eyes on a "special" centre-back alongside the heavily linked Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo.

Postecoglou makes defender admission ahead of January

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has brought attention to the club's lack of centre-back depth on more than one occasion over the last month. The Australian's currently bereft of star options behind favoured pairing Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, with the former still out injured due to a hamstring problem.

International could push to join Spurs for one key trait Postecoglou has

The Australian is seriously tempting Tottenham’s transfer target.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 23, 2023

Makeshift centre-back Ben Davies has partnered Romero to great effect at the heart of Postecoglou's defence in recent weeks, as Spurs win three of their last three Premier League games.

However, just one or two more defensive injuries could put Tottenham in a very precarious situation. Postecoglou expressed his desire to sign a centre-back at Spurs earlier this month, but also explained to Sky that whoever comes in must be the perfect fit.

"When you think about it, we let Davinson Sanchez go after the [summer] window closed," said Postecoglou on Tottenham signing a new defender.

"We kind of knew we were taking a bit of a risk; we couldn't get the extra centre-back that we were trying to get in, and for the early part of the year that was fine.

"But once we lost Micky [van de Ven], and Eric Dier's had some issues as well, we don't have another centre-back. Young Ash Phillips had just joined the club, so it's fair to say that we can't run the risk of that happening again, so that's obviously a priority for us in January.

"But again, we've got to get the right person. It's not just about bringing another body in, it's about getting the right one in and hopefully that'll happen."

In terms of named targets, one player they're already moving for is Todibo. The 23-year-old, according to reliable media sources, has held talks over joining Tottenham with the January window just days away from opening.

Tottenham eyeing Tosin move ahead of January

However, while Spurs are seriously pushing ahead for Todibo, the Frenchman is by no means the only option on Postecoglou's radar Indeed, Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is another defender very much liked by Spurs.

Journalist Rudy Galetti, taking to X, says Tottenham are "working" and have eyes on Tosin alongside Todibo. The Englishman has started to feature more under Marco Silva recently whilst also impressing, and his contract is set to expire in the summer as things stand.

Proven in the Premier League and a potentially cheaper option, the 26-year-old has also been called a "special player" by his manager.

Pundit Frank McAvennie has U-turned over a "wonderful" West Ham United player, after originally calling his signing a "stupid" one by manager David Moyes.

West Ham fixtures and results

The east Londoners, over a mixed start to this new Premier League season, have sealed impressive results against the likes of in-form Brighton and big-spending Chelsea but appeared to fall by the wayside in their most recent domestic encounter against Aston Villa. Moyes' 4-1 defeat away to Unai Emery attracted real criticism, especially given the hapless nature of West Ham's defending at times.

Overall, West Ham have won four, lost three and drawn two in the league. However, they've only reigned victorious once in their last five games domestically. That is a record Moyes will be keen to rectify and very quickly, as he seeks to build upon the club's historic Europa Conference League triumph at the back end of last term.

That being said, there are certain members of the Hammers starting eleven which have stood out as real success stories so far. Jarrod Bowen, who recently signed a new contract at West Ham, has been absolutely excellent alongside summer signing James Ward-Prowse. The latter has been called one of the bargains of the summer, with Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards praising the "amazing" midfielder recently:

“I’ve banged on about Ward-Prowse now for so long and nobody was taking me seriously," said the Sky pundit.

"I was literally saying, he’s in a struggling team that don’t have a style of play and once he goes somewhere where he can express himself more, he’s got more than just taking free-kicks. He’s a comfortable footballer.

“When he’s played for England he’s not really took his chance so everyone sort of questions is he good enough for the highest level. But he is. He’s an amazing player."

There's also been praise for Lucas Paqueta by McAvennie, but the former West Ham striker has now moved to admit he was very wrong about one player who hasn't even started that many games for Moyes this season.

McAvennie U-turns over "wonderful" Benrahma

Irons midfielder Said Benrahma, who's made seven league appearances for West Ham, but mostly off the bench, possesses just one assist to show for his efforts so far this season. The Algeria international, signed from Brentford in 2020, has racked up over 140 appearances all competitions over his spell at the London Stadium, scoring more than 20 goals and bagging nearly as many assists.

A tricky dribbler, the ex-Brentford star can be easy on the eye when at his very best, with McAvennie praising Benrahma for his contribution overall – admitting he was wrong to call his signing "stupid".

“At the time I thought it was stupid because there was a young player everyone was raving about in the exact same position, and they sold him and brought in Benrahma and I’m thinking really," said the pundit to West Ham Zone.

“But he proved me wrong, he’s a great talent, a wonderful, wonderful talent. So it just shows you David Moyes knows what he’s doing.”

Glasgow Rangers are back in action this evening as they travel away from Ibrox to face fifth-placed Dundee under the light in the Scottish Premiership.

The Light Blues head into this match five points off their rivals at the top of the division and could cut down that gap if Celtic fail to pick up all three points in their game.

Philippe Clement has won both of his first two league matches in charge of the club – against Hibernian and Hearts – and the latest of those wins came at Ibrox against Steven Naismith's side on Sunday.

Lawrence Shankland scored the opening goal with a fine header after five minutes but two goals in stoppage time from James Tavernier and Danilo secured all three points.

The Brazilian striker's goal won the match for the Scottish giants and Clement must now unleash him from the start against Dundee this evening, in place of Cyriel Dessers.

Dessers' performance against Hearts in numbers

If a performance ever typified a player's season it was this one from the Nigeria international as he struggled in and out of possession throughout the first half.

Dessers played the opening 45 minutes before being hauled off by the Belgian head coach, who had seemingly seen all that he needed to from him.

The experienced marksman did not win a single duel for the team and only completed six passes in total, to go along with one 'big chance' missed from his two efforts on goal over the course of that 45 minutes.

It summed up his struggles this term as the 28-year-old flop has lost 71% of his duels and missed nine 'big chances' in ten Premiership outings so far this season, to go along with two goals.

He has, quite simply, not offered enough on or off the ball and should be ditched from the starting XI against Dundee this evening so that Danilo can be unleashed.

Danilo's performance against Hearts in numbers

The summer signing from Feyenoord replaced Dessers at half-time and produced an impressive display in the second half that was capped off with his winning goal.

He won four of his eight duels on the pitch and this shows that the talented whiz was able to put himself about and compete to win physical battles for the team, in a way that the man who started was unable to.

Danilo also created one chance for his side, from nine passes completed, and rose well to meet Tavernier's cross to head in the winner in stoppage time.

The 5 foot 9 ace, who was hailed as an “amazing instinctive finisher” by analyst and Eredivisie expert Melvin Dupper, has scored three goals in two Premiership starts and seven appearances in total for the Gers.

He has also won 41% of his duels, in comparison to Dessers' aforementioned 29%, and this suggests that the gem could provide more physicality in the number nine position.

Therefore, Clement must finally unleash Danilo, who is yet to start under the new boss, and move the Nigerian striker aside for tonight's game to give Rangers a greater goal threat at the top end of the pitch.

Crystal Palace are interested in signing a new Premier League player who has enjoyed success against the Eagles in the past, according to Sky Sports.

Crystal Palace January rumours

Roy Hodgson has guided the Eagles to five top-flight wins this season, with Palace currently finding themselves six points clear of the relegation zone. A much-needed 3-1 win over Brentford brought an end to 2023, and with the January transfer window now open, Steve Parish and Dougie Freedman have the chance to bolster the Palace squad for the second half of the season.

January transfer window: All the deadline day deals from England and Scotland

Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.

ByCharlie Smith Feb 1, 2024

Hodgson admitted last month that winter window additions could be on the cards, with those behind the scenes seeing how the squad has been depleted due to injury.

“I would think perhaps we are in that position a bit more than some other clubs. But in terms of the work that goes on behind the scenes, which is orchestrated by Doug Freedman, and lots of people are scouting, and by Steve Parish himself, that's definitely an ongoing process.

“I know that the people in that position would like in January to provide some sort of reinforcements because they've seen how the squad has been depleted."

Reports have claimed that Palace would like to sign a new central midfielder and left-back before the month is out, and in attack, a new target has merged in West Ham’s Danny Ings.

Crystal Palace eyeing Danny Ings move

According to Sky Sports, Crystal Palace are keen on signing Ings from West Ham this month. Wolves are also credited with an interest, whereas Southampton looked at a deal but Ings would prefer to stay in the top flight. However, they add that due to the Hammers’ injury issues in the final third to Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen, a transfer is looking unlikely at this stage.

With Antonio and Bowen out, Ings is currently the only available senior centre-forward available to David Moyes, with teenager Divin Muamba also on the books.

Therefore, should a move to Selhurst Park materialise, Palace may need to wait until the Hammers bring in an attacker of their own, meaning a move across London could happen later in the month.

If it does happen, the 31-year-old, who has been labelled as “clinical” in the media, could be a shrewd addition who would offer Hodgson’s side plenty of top-flight experience.

Ings may have played just 423 minutes of football this season, failing to score or provide an assist, but he has netted 70 times in 215 Premier League fixtures, five of which have come against Palace.

Danny Ings record vs Crystal Palace

Appearances

13

Wins

4

Goals

5

A move for the Englishman could therefore be one to keep an eye on over the coming weeks, but Parish and Freedman may need to play the waiting game for now.

The jury is still out for Chelsea's summer transfer window, with Mauricio Pochettino's business proving to be a mixed bag so far, though there are plenty of positives.

Certain variables, like the long-term injury inflicted upon Christopher Nkunku in pre-season, make it difficult to form a convincing opinion – but the Frenchman's past exploits in the Bundesliga certainly tantalise a successful career to come.

Nicolas Jackson's performances have certainly left much to be admired, with the Senegalese striker largely struggling in front of goal and despite scoring seven this term, three of those did come when Tottenham Hotspur were reduced to nine men.

Club-record signing Moises Caicedo, meanwhile, has shown glimpses of why he was regarded as one of the best-holding midfielders in the league and set the Blues back a staggering £115m, but the 22-year-old still needs to add more consistency to his performances in order to repay that price tag.

By contrast, Cole Palmer has been sensational and is comfortably one of the most admired young players in the Premier League having taken to life at Stamford Bridge like a duck to water.

Although it is hard to disagree that Palmer hasn't been a resounding success, Chelsea have struggled as a whole and following a disappointing 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United on Saturday, the west London outfit are already 12 points behind fourth-place Aston Villa.

Pochettino's young squad have a mountain to climb and if they are to stand any chance of launching a challenge on their European aspirations, they will need to continue to add first-class quality to the squad, with Victor Boniface the latest player to enter the narrative.

Chelsea transfer news – Victor Boniface

Whilst a move for long-term target Victor Osimhen would be possible in January, Napoli value their prize possession at a staggering £120m.

Considering Chelsea paid £115m for Caicedo in the summer, UEFA's financial fair play regulations would be breathing down their necks if they were to shell out a three-figure sum on one player for the third transfer window running.

With Osimhen seemingly unattainable in the winter, Calciomercato – as relayed by the Hard Tackle – state that the Blues have identified Osimhen's countryman, Victor Boniface, as a potential target.

The Bayer Leverkusen striker, who has scored 11 goals and supplied six assists in all competitions this term, could provide the Blues with a long-term solution to their prolificacy having struggled with strikers of late.

Since Didier Drogba left in 2015, and arguably Diego Costa departed in 2017, Blues fans have been waiting for a prolific forward and Boniface – as demonstrated by the above scoring exploits – could be the answer to that glaring problem.

With a value of €50m (£43m), according to the CIES Football Observatory, the 22-year-old would be an attainable target, unlike Osimhen, and boasts similar attributes that were readily associated with Drogba in his heyday, namely his strength to shrug off defenders, his explosive pace and world-class finishing.

Victor Boniface's style of play

Ever since cutting his teeth in the game at Real Sapphire in his homeland, Boniface has been touted for greatness and has been lauded as "amazing" by former Nigerian superstar, Jay-Jay Okocha.

He made his breakthrough in the European game at Norwegian giants Bodo/Glimt, where he posted a respectful 23 goals and eight assists in 66 games between 2019 and 2022.

After earning a move to Belgian side Union Saint-Galloise in the summer of 2022, the goals continued to flow, hauling an impressive 17 strikes and 12 assists in 55 competitive appearances for Union, including a hat-trick on his debut in a UEFA Champions League qualifying game against Klaksvik.

Since switching to Leverkusen in the summer, he's continued showing that red-hot form in the Bundesliga and such performances have seen him earn a description of a "defenders nightmare" by scout Antonio Mango due to his ability as an all-round centre forward.

Compared to one of the greatest strikers of this generation, Robert Lewandowski, by the Bundesliga official website, Boniface is adept at using both feet, physically powerful, strong in the air and surprisingly silky with the ball at his feet, whilst sharing his clever movement and ability to lose his marker with the Polish superstar.

Victor Boniface's statistics this season

As alluded to previously, Boniface has been in scintillating form this term with seven goals and five assists in the Bundesliga as Xabi Alonso's swashbuckling side sit at the top of the table.

Through his immense scoring power and incredible all-round attributes, Boniface has posted similar attacking metrics to the likes of world-class talents, Kylian Mbappe, Lewandowski and Romelu Lukaku in the past year, as per FBref.

Statistics

Value / Percentile rank

Non-penalty xG

0.78 / top 1%

Shots total

4.98 / top 1%

Assists

0.45 / top 1%

Successful take-ons

2.89 / top 1%

Progressive carries

3.11 / top 4%

Touches (Att pen)

7.02 / top 5%

Shot creating actions

3.34 / top 10%

All stats via FBref

The above table depicts where Boniface ranks among his positional peers across Europe's top five leagues and considering he places within the top 1% for non-penalty xG, total shots, assists and successful take-ons, the Nigerian superstar is transforming into an unstoppable machine who is matching, if not, bettering the best strikers on the planet.

It only further fuels Chelsea's interest, with Pochettino and co undoubtedly taking note of his quick integration to life on German shores; given how successful one fellow African turned out to be in west London, it might be an auspicious road to go down.

Chelsea's next Drogba

In the Jose Mourinho era, Drogba established himself as one of the most prolific strikers on the planet and fired Chelsea to consecutive Premier League titles in 2005 and 2006.

After signing from Marseille for £8m in 2004, the Ivory Coast machine scored an eye-watering 164 goals and served 88 assists on a platter for his Blues teammates as he wreaked havoc, with Mourinho lauding him as "unstoppable".

At the peak of his powers, Drogba certainly proved the special one correct by plundering 29 goals and supplying 13 assists in the 2009/10 Premier League campaign before capping a first spell at Stamford Bridge in the best way possible by scoring in the winning penalty to lift the Champions League against Bayern Munich in 2012.

Whilst remaining at Leverkusen is an attractive proposition currently given they are battling with Bayern for the Bundesliga title, if Boniface has aspirations of cementing his legacy as one of the best strikers in the world, he should take the plunge and move to Chelsea.

As Drogba found out, there's no better way to achieve the above than unleashing his scoring powers in the Premier League.

The idea of a footballing heir is a weighty subject. It can make or break characters, whether, for instance, it be Dan Crowley's Jack Wilshere comparison at Arsenal, perhaps even Jordan Rossiter's stray Steven Gerrard comparison, or Jude Bellingham striding across the Bernabéu pitch with Zidane's infamous number five worn comfortably on his back. It's certainly a daunting hurdle that gifted youngsters approach at the highest level.

Unfortunately for this article's subject, this player finds himself on the Crowley and Rossiter end of the spectrum when it comes to fulfilling his potential as the next Cesc Fabregas at the Emirates Stadium.

Who was the next Fabregas?

After consistent world-class showings for both club and country, Cesc Fabregas' Arsenal spell ended with a transfer to Barcelona in 2011. The World Cup winner's figurative shoes were likely a size too big to fill on the face of it. A size that would make the average player innumerate, given the midfielder's growth into one of the finest playmakers around.

You don't replace a Fabregas with a snap of the fingers. You don't replace him with a youth player either – unless that star quality is glaringly bright, lapping at the heels of the first team.

Yet, while Arsene Wenger looked over a group of players under his employ, a glint caught his seasoned eye. It danced in the shadowed slot where Fabregas, as well as an also-departing Samir Nasri, once lived. That spec of light was Gedion Zelalem.

How did Gedion Zelalem come onto the scene?

Zelalem seemed like a gifted footballer who developed exponentially despite a certain time of adversity. Born in Berlin to Ethiopian parents, the tragedy of his mother's death saw him and his father move to the United States in 2006.

He made the transatlantic trip at just nine years old. However, he played football from the age of five. Plus, education in the Hertha Berlin academy, meant that his skill transferred to Washington's suburbs with ease.

The humble beginnings of MSC United and Bethesda SC progressed to the elite side at Olney Rangers in 2011. Two years was enough, the youngster was noticed by Arsenal's North American scout, Danny Karbassiyoon.

It's been said that there are many American youth players are talented enough to bridge the Anglo-American divide, but they aren't permitted to travel. Yet, as Zelalem was born in Germany, his EU passport was a green light for Arsenal who signed him after a two-week trial in 2013.

“I saw Gedion in a training session. Technically he was very, very gifted, he rarely looks like he’s under pressure and always has a way out. I hadn’t seen that in players in the US, his intelligence and awareness were on another level.” (Karbassiyoon, 2016)

From fledgling Fabregas to the Eerst Divisie: Where is Zelalem now?

Zelalem's ascent continued on arrival at London Colney as onlookers continued awe-struck. The gifted talent flew through the ranks. U16, U18, the reserves. Then, all of a sudden he was cropping up in senior sessions.

This brought inclusion in the 24-man squad for Arsenal's Asia Tour. Performances against an Indonesia Dream Team, Vietnam, and Japan's Nagoya Grampus saw him quickly become a favourite. It was after this, that the praise grew and the lofty media comparisons flowed. "Arsenal's next Fabregas?" the Guardian questioned.

Alas, no. It seemed Zelalem's "great talent" as Wenger had labelled, had prematurely peaked.

Where positives like 2014's full Arsenal debut and fruitful Rangers loan the following year duly arrived – there was also mediocrity. Where Wenger had mentioned a potentially great player, in the same breath he also underlined a need for mental strength as well as physical conditioning. In a somewhat foreboding fashion, the Frenchman spoke of Zelalem's progress:

"If he manages to develop his physique and keep his qualities, he can be a very important player. Let's hope he will do it. (…) Today it is too early for him to play for us, but I would say in one year we will know more about him." (Wenger, 2014)

He got more than a year. Yet, he didn't emerge as a talent befitting of Arsenal, let alone fulfilling Cesc Fabregas' legacy. In 2017, after a poor showing at VVV Venlo on loan – making only eight appearances – Arsenal decided it was enough and let him return to America for free.

Stints at Sporting Kansas City and New York City FC subsequently came and went for the American.

Since January of 2023, Den Bosch of the Dutch second division come as Zelalem's newest club. Time is still on his side though for the 26-year-old. Maybe that "important player" is deep down in there somewhere, just waiting to emerge.