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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.

Sunderland have been through the wringer over the last ten decade or so, fighting against relegation from the Premier League valiantly on a regular basis before dropping out of the top flight in the 2016-17 season and never returning since.

Back-to-back relegations down to League One saw a dark cloud hang over the Stadium of Light that never looked like lifting, with the club staying put in the third tier as a big fish in a small pond for three successive gruelling campaigns before promotion was finally sealed via the playoffs in 2022.

20th position in the Premier League – 2016-17

24 points

24th position in the Championship – 2017-18

37 points

5th in League One (promoted) – 2021-22

84 points

Fast forward to now, Tony Mowbray's side are very much in the promotion reckoning this season – fighting it out for a playoff spot amongst a whole cluster of teams dreaming of making the step-up to the promised land of the Premier League possible.

With the current wave of positivity at Sunderland infectious, the hardened Black Cats faithful will have blocked out memories of past players who flopped during those tough times that saw the club fall down to the third tier.

Jack Rodwell is a name that has been understandably lost to the past, the ex Manchester City man a notable dud at the Stadium of Light.

How much Sunderland signed Jack Rodwell for

Sunderland would break the bank to bring Rodwell into the building in 2014, signing the central midfielder for £10m after a short-lived spell at the Etihad.

Rodwell would never justify that price tag when pulling on the Black Cats strip however, a move plagued by off-field issues that saw him become a pantomime villain for the Sunderland fans to routinely jeer at.

It even led to Chronicle Live journalist James Hunter – at the time of his departure from the club – labelling Rodwell as the 'worst signing in Sunderland's history' – a title Rodwell certainly won't wear like a badge of honour looking back on this period of his career.

Jack Rodwell's statistics at Sunderland

Rodwell's disastrous time at Sunderland did start with the midfielder showing signs of his quality, scoring three goals from 23 appearances during this debut top-flight season with the club.

However, when Sunderland succumbed to relegation to the Championship, Rodwell's time with the club started to unravel.

The former number eight was even demoted to the U23 ranks amidst the club's period of freefall to the second tier and lower, notably falling out with Sunderland boss Chris Coleman during that depressing time span.

Rodwell would only go on to make just three more appearances for the club in their doomed Championship relegation campaign, leaving the club after this season with his contract was torn up before the League One season got underway.

Earning a reported £70k per week – on top of costing £10m – Rodwell goes down as a colossal waste of money for what he offered the Black Cats during an ill-fated stay.

Sunderland star who left in 2021 is now outscoring every striker at the club

Sunderland will look back on this sale with regret now, especially as the current crop of Black Cats attackers continue to fire blanks.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 27, 2023

Yet, the now 32-year-old is still playing well into the twilight of his career at Sydney FC regardless of this bruising experience.

What Jack Rodwell did after leaving Sunderland

In the immediate aftermath of his Sunderland exit, Rodwell was on the books at a number of EFL clubs – trialling with Watford, whilst going on to win deals with Blackburn Rovers and Sheffield United.

Making only two appearances for the Blades, Rodwell did fare better at Ewood Park – scoring one goal from 22 appearances for Blackburn.

Relocating to Australia however has seen Rodwell reignite his career slightly, playing for both Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC in recent memory.

The 32-year-old even has a goal from limited appearances for Sydney FC to date, playing further back in the A-League as a centre-back option.

Rodwell – now valued at just £172k by Football Transfers' xTV model – has seemingly found his feet again after the move to Sunderland had the potential to swallow him whole completely and leave him disenchanted with football altogether, whilst the Black Cats continue to search for a return to the Premier League after years in the wilderness.

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.

Former Lancashire allrounder Arron Lilley has signed a two-year contract with Leicestershire

George Dobell01-Oct-2018Arron Lilley has joined Leicestershire on a two-year-contract. Lilley, an offspinning allrounder, was released by Lancashire at the end of the season and joins seamers Chris Wright, from Warwickshire, and Will Davis, from Derbyshire, in signing for Leicestershire.Lilley developed through the Lancashire system and has a decent record in all forms of the game. Due to Lancashire’s strength in spin bowling, however, he struggled for opportunities – he has played only one first-class and one List A match in the previous two seasons – and saw most of his appearances come in T20 cricket, where he has batted in the top-order and sometimes opened the bowling.He was a member of the Lancashire side that won the T20 Blast in 2015 and will join left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson, who also developed through the Lancashire Academy, at Leicestershire.The club hopes the signing of Lilley will go some way to filling the chasm left by the departure of Ben Raine, who has returned to Durham. Zak Chappell has also left, signing for Nottinghamshire, while Ned Eckersley, Richard Jones, Tom Wells, Mark Pettini and Rob Sayer were released at the end of the season. The club have also been in a long-running dispute with Michael Carberry, who has not played since he was deposed as captain in May. It seems most unlikely he will return.Leicestershire also confirmed last week that Pakistan seamer Mohammad Abbas, who had an outstanding 2018 season, will be returning next year.”Arron will add great value to our side,” Leicestershire’s head coach, Paul Nixon, said. “He is a three-dimensional cricketer who will be valuable in all formats. Lancashire are renowned for producing high-class spinners, and he wants to compete for a place in all three competitions.”Arron also has a very good white-ball record and will add to our plans nicely. Arron is a hard-hitting batsman, fine off-spinner and tremendous fielder, and we’re delighted to have him on board for the 2019 season.”Lilley said: “I am delighted to be joining up with Paul Nixon and the squad. I am keen to develop my game in all three formats and am confident that Grace Road is the best place for me to do that. I can’t wait to get started.”

Cameroon could be banned from international tournaments if Wilfried Nathan Doualla is proven guilty of 'age cheating'.

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• 62 players suspended by Cameroon's football federation
• Doualla was in Cameroon AFCON squad
• Indomitable Lions face potential international ban

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Cameroon's participation in international football tournaments hangs in the balance following allegations of age fraud involving Doualla. The Cameroonian Federation, known as FECAFOOT, has taken decisive action by suspending 62 other players including Doualla – who was the youngest member of the squad for January's Africa Cup of Nations.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The 17-year-old midfielder from Victoria United was a surprising addition to Rigobert Song's squad for the tournament held in Ivory Coast. However, FECAFOOT alleges that Doualla misrepresented his age, leading to his disqualification from participating in the Elite League's play-off games. Doualla's true age still remains undisclosed, adding to the controversy surrounding the issue.

• WHAT VICTORIA UNITED SAID

  Meanwhile, Victoria United has vehemently denied allegations of double identities involving Doualla and his teammate Nji Richmond.

  "We believe that this might be an error from the Fecafoot," a club statement read. "We call on our supporters to remain calm as we have submitted the necessary documents to justify that the players do not have a double identity."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  This is not the first time Cameroon have faced scrutiny over age-related issues. In fact, it marks the third consecutive year that the nation has been embroiled in controversy surrounding age fraud. The regulations set by the Nations Cup stipulate severe consequences for such violations. If fraud or forgery is proven, the national association in question faces suspension from participating in the following two editions of AFCON. If due to an administrative error, however, the suspension will be applicable just for one edition.

The fast bowler has recovered from the heel injury that has kept him out since the New Year’s Test against India, but will not get any chance to prove his fitness in a first-class game with the Titans leaving him out of their squad for the final fixture o

Firdose Moonda21-Mar-2018Dale Steyn’s chances of playing any part in the ongoing series against Australia have all but disappeared after he was not named in the Titans’ squad for the final fixture of the season, which starts on Thursday. Steyn, who has not played any cricket since injuring his heel in the New Year’s Test against India, has resumed bowling but needed to prove his fitness by playing in a first-class match. He was not ready to play in last week’s round of matches, and has been left out of the Titans squad.Before the series, selection convener Linda Zondi made clear that Steyn, who has suffered significant injuries in the last three years, needed to come through some domestic cricket before bidding for an international return. Faf du Plessis echoed those thoughts when discussing how quickly players should return to action after time on the sidelines.”With a bowler you’ve got to look at the individual,” du Plessis said. “Dale is obviously on the side and we have to be a little bit more cautious. He has been injured, so for him it’s probably a little bit more important to get back and play a game to see that he can bowl quite a few overs. When he gets through that he will obviously be back in the mix.”Should Steyn continue to be sidelined for this series, his next chance of playing international cricket will come in July-August when South Africa tour Sri Lanka. Before then, Steyn may look for a county stint after going unsold at the IPL auction. But there is still hope to see Steyn in action – he was given a new national contract, which will run until April 2019 – and he has expressed a desire to return to the highest level. Steyn is three wickets from overtaking Shaun Pollock as South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in Tests.

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.

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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.

Liverpool are thought to be “negotiating” a move to sign a "very strong dribbler" in 2024, according to a fresh update.

Liverpool eyeing more midfielders

Much was made of the Reds' midfield business during the summer, in what was one of the most significant transfer windows of Jurgen Klopp's tenure to date, as the manager completely changed his personnel after a dire 2022/23 season.

It had become clear that Fabinho and Jordan Henderson had drifted past their best, no longer covering ground like they once did, while James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departed on free transfers. In their place came Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, all of whom have made a positive impact.

Despite four big names being brought in, it looks as though Klopp and FSG could still be looking to bolster the club's midfield options in the approaching transfer window, with a proper defensive midfielder a possible target. Fluminense star Andre has been linked with a move to Liverpool numerous times, while Nice enforcer Khephren Thuram has been seen as a target for the Reds since the summer.

It remains to be seen if another midfielder arrives in January or if the club wait until next summer, but with Thiago out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season, a new face could be needed to make up for the loss of him, even though injuries have prevented him for playing at all in 2023/24 to date.

Liverpool "negotiating" Khephren Thuram move

According to a new claim from Corriere Torino [via Sport Witness], Liverpool are "negotiating" a move for Thuram over a switch to Anfield, as they appear to be in talks with Nice over their star midfielder.

The report also states that the Reds are in a strong financial position to complete the signing of the 22-year-old, with fellow suitors Juventus needing to sell players in order to be able to afford Nice's €35-40m (£29.9-34.2m) asking price.

These reports regarding Liverpool and Thuram just refuse to go away, which suggests that the Merseysiders do see him as a strong option to come in and add even more quality to the midfield.

The Reds transfer target has made 12 appearances in Ligue 1 so far this season, completed 89.2% of his passes in that time and also averaging 1.3 key passes per game. He isn't an out-and-out No.6, however, so he wouldn't necessarily solve that issue in Klopp's squad, with someone more in the mould of Fabinho at his peak needed.

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The Reds have been touted with an interest in the talented midfielder ahead of January.

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It certainly wouldn't be a bad thing if Thuram came in, but it does feel as though Liverpool could spend their money more wisely, considering they already have Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Endo, Gravenberch, Curtis Jones and Harvey Elliott as good midfield options.

That being said, Aaron Ramsey has called the youngster a "very strong dribbler on the ball", having played with him at Nice, and he is someone who could easily mature into a spectacular midfielder as the years pass.

Arsenal have had the pleasure of seeing an abundance of attacking talent sport the cannon over the years, with Arsene Wenger, Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta all having a scorer of some potency throughout their tenures.

The most notable of the Premier League era is of course the Gunners’ all-time leading goalscorer Thierry Henry, who scored 228 goals in 377 appearances during his time in north London, seeing him now cast in bronze at the Emirates.

While the Frenchman remains at the benchmark for others to attempt to reach, Arteta’s young and hungry talents of today are proving that they could be in good stead to hand Arsenal some well overdue major silverware.

The likes of talent of Bukayo Saka was unearthed in house at Hale End, however star forwards such as Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard were collected in the transfer market, all prevailing to be effective captures.

Emery and Arteta struck gold with their signings, who have contributed to a mass of goals so far in their careers at the Emirates, however not every signing has experienced such success at Arsenal.

Ironically it was one of Wenger’s attacking captures that failed to live up to expectation, as in 2016, all the hope was there for the legendary Frenchman to have discovered his next prolific source in the transfer window.

Lucas Perez's arrival at Arsenal in 2016

During the summer of 2016, it was announced that Arsenal had signed La Liga talisman Lucas Perez from Deportivo La Coruna for a fee of £17.1m.

The striker, who was 27 years old at the point of his arrival, admitted he was “flattered” when he heard of Arsenal’s interest, as the Gunners looked for a new face to bolster their attack after relying solely on Olivier Giroud the season prior.

Wenger’s side had finished second in the 2015/16 campaign to Leicester City, giving the north Londoners fuel to improve their squad in the summer in order to continue the upward trajectory, however, this was far from the case.

The reasons why Arsenal signed Lucas Perez

Perez was signed after Arsenal had been unable to grasp their primary targets Jamie Vardy and Alexandre Lacazette, making critics gather quickly around the assumption that the Spaniard was the result of a ‘panic buy’.

Spanish football expert and journalist Guillem Balague was quick to defend the Gunners’ acquisition, explaining that the Premier League side had been “following Perez for a year”, branding the move a “top signing” for Arsenal.

In La Liga the season prior to his transfer, the 27-year-old had directly contributed to 27 goals in 26 appearances for La Coruna, scoring 17 and assisting ten in the league to showcase just what he could offer to Wenger’s front line.

The scene was set for the Spaniard to offer Arsenal a refreshed source for goals, after fans had become frustrated by the inconsistency of Giroud, and with an impressive scoring tally in Spain’s top-flight in 2015/16, the Gunners were poised to welcome the striker with open arms.

The impact of Lucas Perez at Arsenal

After all of the excitement of Perez’s arrival in what was a fairly inconclusive transfer window for Wenger’s side, things were quickly seen differently as the reality of the situation was realised.

The Spaniard made his Premier League debut in September against Southampton, however that start was just one of three starts that he secured for the Gunners during his year-long stay at the Emirates.

From lack of performance, to injury, to slipping down the pecking order, Perez failed to live up to expectation at Arsenal, and admittedly was given little chance to show his true potential in Wenger’s side.

The striker scored seven goals and registered five assists during his 21 appearances for the club, making the best out of what was a situation that starved him of game time due to competitions within the squad.

A hat-trick in the Champions League group stages against FC Basel was the highest point of the Spaniard’s time with the Gunners, however, he made it clear that he wasn’t at the Emirates to assume a sporadic role, despite being branded as "poor" by journalist Mattias Karen for his end product.

The reasons why Lucas Perez left Arsenal

A year after his arrival, Perez was sent back to La Coruna on a season-long loan, to grant his wishes of more game time after the north Londoners sealed the signing of long-term target, Alexandre Lacazette.

The forward made it clear that he was unhappy at Arsenal, telling Spanish media that the club had treated him badly, with the final straw being an “ugly gesture” in which Lacazette was handed Perez’s number nine shirt without asking, as relayed by Sky Sports.

On his return from his loan, the forward was prepped and ready to leave the Gunners, which he did, only by relocating to the other side of London, where he signed for West Ham United in a £4m deal.

History seemed to repeat itself, as Perez was handed only a slim chance to shine, leaving the London Stadium after just one year, having secured four Premier League starts that season, netting a total of six goals in 19 appearances in all competitions for the Hammers.

Lucas Perez's form since leaving Arsenal

After leaving England, Perez returned to his homeland, where he has remained since his exit from east London in 2018.

West Ham handed the out-of-favour striker to Deportivo Alaves, where he has since represented Elche and Cadiz, before this summer returning to his home club Deportivo La Coruna.

England

Spain

Goals

13

73

Assists

5

45

Via Transfermarkt

Currently playing the third tier of Spanish football at the age of 35, Perez has found sanctuary in his home country, as highlighted by his form at the point of his La Coruna return as he found himself among the goals with Cadiz in La Liga.

While things didn’t work for Perez at Arsenal, they certainly work for the striker in Spain, with him actually outscoring the Gunners’ current hitman Gabriel Jesus during the 2022/23 campaign.

Last term, the forward played half of the season with Cadiz, before joining La Coruna in January, where over the course of the football calendar he scored 13 goals and provided eight assists.

Jesus scored 11 goals and replicated Perez’s record of eight assists in 2022/23, finding the net two times less than the former Arsenal outsider to put into perspective just how difficult it is for some players to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

Jesus is far better suited to Arsenal, just as Perez is far better suited to the game in Spain, however one thing that’s for sure is that the Gunners learned from their mistake of recruiting the Spaniard, with their striker signings since his arrival proving to have improved significantly.

From Jesus, to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, gone are the days of lacklustre acquisitions in the strike department at the Emirates, and unfortunately for Perez, he had to be the final dud to change the trajectory in the transfer window for Arsenal.

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.