This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…
Riyad Mahrez arrived with great expectation when he joined Manchester City for a then-club record fee of £60m. His astonishing time at Leicester City established him as of the best talents around and the fact he was recently included on the Ballon d’Or shortlist speaks volumes about his standing in the game.
However, the Algerian, with his tricky nature on the wings, struggled to adapt to his new surroundings in his opening season. Man City fans were far from overwhelmed and there were even suggestions that a greedy attitude was serving as a hindrance to the side.
Although, this season, statistics from Understat have shown there might be a significant stylistic tweak.
Last season, the former Leicester man averaged just 1.62 key passes per Premier League game but has seen this rise to an impressive 3.99. Also, his shots per 90 minutes has gone from 3.65 and 2.99, which suggests he is placing a greater emphasis on creativity rather than finding the net.
Perhaps Pep Guardiola has directly altered his style of play this season but the arrival of Rodri is also pertinent to note here. Mahrez was the club-record signing last season, the man of whom so much was expected, a player who was so desperate to impress that he even took the responsibility of taking a late penalty at Anfield in an early season title decider. We all know what happened next.
But the signing of Rodri has naturally taken the limelight away from the Algeria international and, with a year’s worth of experience at City under his belt, he appears to be more comfortable with his surroundings and emulating the type of form that stunned English football during his time at Leicester.
However, despite his clear increase in creativity, Mahrez has still managed to pitch in with goals for the Premier League champions.
The return of Kevin De Bruyne, a player who was absent for the majority of the previous campaign, also appears to have sparked an improvement. The two creative players have linked up very well for Guardiola throughout the season so far down the right-hand channel, teasing and tantalising with their nimble-footed and intricate creativity.
De Bruyne has a tendency to drift into the right channel and whip balls into the box and his presence appears to be having a profound impact on the quality of Mahrez’s output.
It seems City are finally seeing the calibre of player they thought they were getting at the beginning of the previous campaign.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…
Amidst all of Aston Villa’s transfer business across the last 12 months, one of Dean Smith’s lower-profile acquisitions is proving to be a something of a revelation at Villa Park after an impressive start to the 2019/20 campaign.
Although the club shelled out over £130m on 13 new players after their victory in the Championship playoff final against Derby County, the arrival of Frederic Guilbert, who had been confirmed as a new recruit in January, has proven to be a shrewd addition to Smith’s defensive options.
The Frenchman did not feature in his side’s first two Premier League games but has since emerged as a mainstay in the starting XI – starting all of Villa’s last nine league fixtures.
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Although the West Midlands side have shipped 18 goals so far this season – with only the occupants of the relegation zone having conceded more – it is Guilbert’s contribution to his side’s attacking endeavours that has underlined his importance towards Villa’s bid to retain their top-flight status.
The 24-year-old’s importance to Villa’s attacking efforts is best defined in his involvement with his side’s attacking play. Having received 144 passes since making his Premier League debut, Guilbert sits top of any Villa defender – with Matt Targett in second with 94.
The right-back has also attempted the most take-ons (18) from any of Villa’s defensive options – over triple of the second-highest player in Tyrone Mings, with 5.
For successful passes in the final third, this is one area where Guilbert does not rank at the summit from his side’s defenders with 18, but he is only three behind Targett with 21.
These statistics point to a player whose duties are far more than defensive within Smith’s squad, and given Villa’s increasingly impressive proficiency in scoring goals – having scored more than any other side in the bottom nine – it will be vital that Guilbert continues this form in assisting his side for the 2019/20 campaign.
But for now, although the likes of Jack Grealish and John McGinn are performing admirably and rightfully gaining plaudits for their ten goal involvements, the former Caen man is going about his business in an impressive and efficient manner during his debut season in the top-flight.
A "top class" attacking player from Tottenham Hotspur has just sealed an out-of-window move to Europe, as news comes directly out of N17 in the last 24 hours.
Spurs offload host of players in Postecoglou's summer rebuild
The north Londoners agreed to sell or loan out many players over the summer transfer window, with 14 departing in total as chairman Daniel Levy and technical director Johan Lange seriously trimmed Ange Postecolgou's squad.
Tottenham offered Europa League's 2021 top goalscorer on free transfer
He’s also yet to reach the prime of his career.
ByEmilio Galantini Sep 5, 2024
Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga, Alejo Veliz, Manor Solomon, Bryan Gil, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Joe Rodon, Emerson Royal, Oliver Skipp, Ashley Phillips and Dane Scarlett all left Spurs on permanent or temporary deals, bringing in around £46 million in total, as the majority were free transfers or loans.
Hojbjerg's exit to Marseille will land Tottenham a further £17 million, as the Ligue 1 side have an obligation to buy the Denmark international next summer after his initial loan move. Skipp's switch to Leicester City comes as Levy's most profitable sale of the summer, with the Englishman joining them in a £20 million deal, plus a further £5 million in potential add-ons.
Timo Werner
RB Leipzig (loan)
Dominic Solanke
Bournemouth
Archie Gray
Leeds
Wilson Odobert
Burnley
Lucas Bergvall
Djurgarden
Min-hyeok Yang
Gangwon FC
Tottenham also saved plenty of cash on their wage bill in the process, freeing up space for Timo Werner, Archie Gray, Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert to join Postecoglou, as the quartet of major signings look to help Spurs compete at the top-end this season.
While the UK transfer window is officially closed, with deadline day this time last week, there is still time for Levy and Lange to facilitate more exits from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The Greek and Turkish windows remain open until the end of next week, so it is believed out-of-favour defender Sergio Reguilon could still leave Spurs as Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce register a rumoured interest in the Spaniard.
Regulion has been training with the first team, but is yet to be included in a matchday squad by Postecoglou in the Premier League this season. The Lilywhites could also look to loan out some of their most promising youngsters to further their development, with highly-rated attacking midfielder Alfie Devine now doing just that.
Alfie Devine seals Westerlo switch as Tottenham confirm loan deal
Indeed, Tottenham have now officially confirmed that Devine has joined Westerlo on loan for the remainder of 2024/2025.
The 20-year-old, who Spurs signed from Wigan Athletic four years ago, has made just two senior appearances for the club in that time – with the bulk of his cameos coming for Tottenham's Under-23s.
Tottenham teenager Alfie Devine.
Devine has enjoyed productive loan spells at Plymouth Argyle and Port Vale as well, but Westerlo will pose a different test for the England Under-20 international who is set to try his hand at top flight European football.
"Watched Alfie for a couple years & he’s top class," said Sky pundit Jamie Carragher after Tottenham first signed Devine in 2020.
"Just gutted Wigan couldn’t keep hold of him after the great work they’ve put into developing him & all their other prospects. Absolute disgrace what them owners have done."
In ten days' time, the transfer window will have slammed shut, and while fans have understandably shifted their focus back to the Premier League, some clubs still have quite a bit of work to do in the market, including Arsenal.
At the moment, Riccardo Calafiori has been the only new face added to the Gunners' first team this summer, and while Mikel Merino's move is supposedly right around the corner, we've been hearing that all month.
However, there is good news, as recent reports linked the club with one of the most exciting attackers in Europe last season, someone who could be the ideal Leandro Trossard rival and someone who has won comparisons to Bukayo Saka to boot.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in Atalanta star Ademola Lookman this summer.
Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Premier League hopefuls Liverpool are also keen to sign the former Everton ace before the window slams shut next week.
A potential price is not mentioned in the story, but a report from earlier this summer revealed that the Nigerian international could be available for €60m, which converts to around £51m.
Ademola Lookman for Atalanta
It could be a complicated transfer to get done due to the interest from the Reds, but given his form last season and the fact he's been compared to Saka, it is one worth pursuing, especially as he could provide excellent competition for Trossard.
How Lookman compares to Saka and Trossard
Okay, so before we look at how Lookman stacks up to Trossard and how he could challenge him for a place on the left, let's examine this comparison to Saka and where it comes from.
It primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League over the last 365 days, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for everyone, and from there, they have concluded that the Englishman is the sixth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Nigerian.
You can better understand how they came to this conclusion by looking at some of the underlying metrics in which they rank very closely, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions and interceptions, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.68
0.65
Shots
3.18
3.14
Passing Accuracy
75.8%
75.6%
Goal-Creating Actions
0.67
0.65
Interceptions
0.43
0.46
It's not just in the underlying numbers that the two attackers are alike, though, as in the aftermath of the Nigerian's masterclass performance in the Europa League final last season, former professional Owen Hargreaves said that "he reminds me of (Bukayo) Saka in the way he sets people, gets them off balance, and he's always got a picture in the way he wants to finish."
So then, with the right-footed dynamo's similarities to the Gunners' superstar seven clear, how does his output from last season measure up to Trossard's? Due to his ability to play on the left, he may well be fighting with the Belgian for a place in the lineup should he make the move to North London.
The good news is that it would be a close fight, as in 45 appearances last season, the “blistering” ace, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.66 games.
In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion dynamo scored 17 goals and provided two assists in 46 appearances, equating to a still impressive but notably worse average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games.
Some may argue that the Premier League is a more challenging league than Serie A, but even if that were true and the Atalanta star saw his output reduce somewhat in England, it would still be close to, or better than the Belgian's.
Ultimately, Arsenal need to bring in another attacker this summer, and following his incredible campaign last season and the flattering comparisons to Saka, Lookman may be the perfect player to sign before the window slams shut, especially as he could help push Trossard to be even better.
Fabrizio Romano says £26m player has agreed to join Arsenal with Merino
Glasgow Rangers have just over a week to sell a few unwanted players while making a couple of signings before the summer transfer window slams shut.
Philippe Clement may have made nine signings for the Ibrox side, yet only a few have really showcased their worth thus far.
Phillipe Clement
In order to bring in another few bodies before next Friday's deadline, it is clear that several members of the first team squad will have to be sold first.
One name who has recently been linked with a move away from the Light Blues is Rabbi Matondo. The Welsh winger is wanted by Blackburn Rovers before next week and moving on the former Schalke starlet could allow Clement to raise some money for future arrivals.
Rangers winger Rabbi Matondo.
No fee has been mentioned regarding a potential transfer, but even if the Light Blues scoop between £1m-£1.5m for the player, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, especially given his rather large wages of around £23k-per-week.
There are a few wingers on Clement’s radar as the final seven days of the summer window approach. Could he raid the English Championship for a new signing if Matondo does leave?
Rangers chasing move for Championship starlet
According to Football Scotland, Norwich City winger Abu Kamara is on the shortlist of potential Rangers transfer targets heading into the final week of the summer window.
He is reportedly being tracked by scouts from the Gers following a solid campaign out on loan at Portsmouth last term. The youngster could be available for as little as £2m, yet this may well depend on who Clement is able to shift out of the door in the coming days.
The Belgian could have some competition, as there are a number of Championship teams eyeing up a potential move for Kamara. Will the chance to play in European competition and win trophies be the dealbreaker? The next few days may prove crucial.
There is no doubt the club need some better options out wide, as the likes of Scott Wright simply aren’t good enough to merit a place in the first team squad.
Scott Wright’s Rangers statistics
The winger hasn’t exactly endured a productive spell in Glasgow since arriving from Aberdeen midway through the 2020/21 campaign.
While he may have won all three domestic prizes on offer at the Light Blues, his tally of 12 goals and seven assists across 120 matches represents another story, one of failed potential.
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2023/24
33
4
0
2022/23
34
0
2
2021/22
37
7
3
2020/21
13
1
2
Upon signing for the club, Wright was looked at as a solid option for Steven Gerrard to call on, especially as he met the homegrown quota for European squads.
Rangers winger Scott Wright.
As the years have gone on, however, his impact on the pitch has been barely recognisable. Yes, he may have netted the clincher in the 2022 Scottish Cup final against Hearts, while netting in the semi-final against the same opposition in the League Cup 18 months later, but he has done nothing else of note.
During 2023/24, Wright scored just four goals, while creating only one big chance, averaging 0.6 key passes per game and succeeding with 0.4 dribbles per match, hardly jaw-dropping numbers in the top flight.
Kamara may be a few years younger, but he would certainly be an upgrade on the Scot, who should have left Rangers a season or two ago.
Abu Kamara’s season in numbers
The 21-year-old made his debut for the Canaries during the 2022/23 campaign, playing three times for the club, but it was clear a loan spell would give him the game time he needed to get up to speed with senior football.
Kamara didn’t have to wait long for his chance, joining Portsmouth on a temporary deal for the 2023/24 season. The right-winger demonstrated his class for the south coast side, registering 21 goal contributions – ten goals and 11 assists – in 52 games for the club across all competitions.
Metric
Kamara
Wright
Goals
8
2
Assists
10
0
Big chances created
8
1
Key passes per game
0.9
0.6
Successful dribbles per game
1.2
0.4
Total duels won per game
4.5
1.9
Shots per game
1.3
1.1
Among his teammates last term, Kamara ranked third for goals and assists (18) in League One, along with ranking fourth for big chances created (eight) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.2), statistics which went a long way in helping Pompey gain promotion back to the second tier.
Assistant manager Jon Harley praised Kamara for his performances in League One, saying: “Abs’ form recently has been outstanding, he’s such a great lad, he wants to learn and is really humble.
“He can go outside, he can come inside, and he has an end product now, which, credit to him, is something he’s really been working on and really improved on as the season has progressed.
“Abu has been excellent and outstanding for us. Hopefully this can continue for the remainder of the season at least.”
High praise indeed for a player who was taking part in his maiden senior league season. Upon his return to Norwich in the summer, the 21-year-old had to rely on appearances from the bench in Norwich’s opening two league games.
He was given a start against Stevenage in the EFL Cup during midweek, however, and really showcased his talents.
Not only did he get on the scoresheet, but the winger managed to grab an assist, make one key pass, won seven of his 11 ground duels and was fouled four times, looking lively during the 4-3 victory.
The Canaries sensation looks like he could fit in rather well at Ibrox should a move be completed over the next few days.
There will be a lot of variables which may impact a potential swoop, notably Clement’s ability to shift out the deadwood.
With interest in Matondo high, selling the Welshman and bringing in Kamara would be a perfect piece of transfer business.
Moving on Wright would also free up some of the wage bill, especially as his contributions have been far below the standard required for success in Glasgow.
The next seven days will make or break Rangers' 2024/25 campaign. If a few new signings can be made, it might just improve the atmosphere.
Clement could forget about Rrahmani in Rangers move for £1.7m starlet
Philippe Clement is lining up another few signings before the end of the month…
Journalist Josh Bunting has praised Rangers and their signing of forward Sam Lammers from Atalanta, calling it an “interesting” move by the club.
What’s the latest Rangers transfer news?
Michael Beale and the Teddy Bears have undergone a major summer overhaul thus far, with many former first-teamers departing Ibrox in late May.
Indeed, ex-mainstays like Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent, Allan McGregor, Scott Arfield, Filip Helander and Steven Davis all departed at the end of their contracts, leaving Rangers with the almighty task of replacing them.
They’ve done an exceptional job of it thus far, completing deals for Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland and now Lammers for a fee of around £3 million.
The Dutchman has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at Rangers, with Beale now signing a replacement for Morelos and potentially astute addition.
Eintracht Frankfurt's former striker Sam Lammers.
Reporter Josh Bunting, writing on Twitter after the Gers confirmed his capture, is completely aware of Lammers’ ability and believes the club have pulled off a major coup.
The journalist detailed exactly what supporters can expect from Lammers, namely his technical ability, sweet left foot and in-game intelligence.
How many goals has Sam Lammers scored?
The 26-year-old, who stands a towering 6 foot 3, could have the physicality suited for Scottish football and some of his past numbers suggest he could do well under Beale.
Lammers spent the 2022/2023 campaign on loan at Sampdoria, where he bagged just one goal and an assist, but his previous spell at SC Heerenveen in 2019 indicates there is a real goalscorer waiting to be unearthed.
During the 18/19 season, Lammers bagged an impressive 16 goals and five assists on loan at Heerenveen in the Dutch top flight, which may have prompted Atalanta to later snap him up from PSV Eindhoven.
While his career arguably didn’t work out there, Lammers has been handed another chance to succeed at Rangers and showcase his true ability.
Heerenveen boss Kees van Wonderen has also praised the attacker.
“What you get from him as a player is first and foremost a superb work ethic. He’s a left-footed striker and is good technically,” said van Wonderen.
“He’s a player who has an eye on the tactical aspects of the game, he appreciates how the game is played, where the spaces are and how to deal with circumstances on the pitch.”
Liverpool should focus on bringing in two more midfielders whose main attributes are their dynamism and athleticism according to Redmen TV presenter Ste Hoare.
The club recently confirmed the signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton & Hove Albion, and will now push to bolster the midfield further ahead of the next campaign.
Liverpool transfer news – midfielders
Liverpool is set for a major midfield overhaul after a disappointing season which resulted in Europa League football for the first time in eight seasons.
The club has already completed the signing of Mac Allister on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee, but reports state the fee is around £35m as the Reds activated a clause in the Argentines contract.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Liverpool is set for talks with the agents of Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone following the completion of the Mac Allister transfer.
kephren-thuram-premier-league-liverpool-transfers
There have also been reports on the Red's interest in Southampton's Romeo Lavia, Bayern Munich's Ryan Gravenberch and Celta Vigo's Gabri Veiga.
It is clear based on the reports and rumors that the Merseyside-based outfit is targeting young midfielders who can come into the current squad and play their part whilst also having the potential to grow into a regular starter.
What does Hoare think of Liverpool's midfield situation?
When asked on the midfield situation, Hoare told Football FanCast: "In terms of who is next, I think they probably need two more midfielders.
"The one thing Mac Allister doesn’t offer that we are probably still in need of is more dynamism and athleticism. He’s a very good player, and he puts in a lot of work, but I think Liverpool probably lacks a bit of physicality still in the midfield, and we saw that at times last season."
Who should Liverpool sign for midfield?
As the Redmen TV presenter stated, Liverpool needs to bring in midfielders that offer more "dynamism" and "athleticism" than the current options at the club, and both Thuram and Kone fit those descriptions.
The 22-year-old from Nice made 35 appearances in Ligue 1, scoring two and assisting four en route to averaging a rating of 6.91 according to WhoScored.
The 6 foot 4 midfielder is a fantastic creative force, averaging 0.18 xAG as well as 3.25 progressive carries and 1.63 successful take-ons per 90, which ranks him alongside some of the best midfielders in Europe, according to FBref.
Kone is a more defensively dynamic option, with the man who was dubbed a "one-man army" making 30 appearances for his club last season and averaging a rating of 6.81 according to WhoScored. The French youth international averages 2.55 tackles per 90 as well as 1.10 interceptions per 90 showcasing his defensive prowess, as per FBref.
If Liverpool are able to bring in both French youngsters, their midfield will arguably be as dynamic and athletic as ever.
Sheikh Jassim Hamad Bin Al Thani's Nine Two Foundation could walk away from the Manchester United ownership race if they feel that they will not eventually win the battle, journalist Ben Jacobs has claimed.
What's the latest on Man United's ownership situation?
There is still no clear picture on who will eventually win the battle to acquire ownership of Man United, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe's consortium's bid potentially allowing the Glazer family to retain some shares, whilst Sheikh Jassim's bid would see his group complete a full purchase.
It has now been mooted that the Nine Two Foundation, Jassim's group, could eventually pull out of the race, rather than waiting to be rejected, if it does not appear that their bid will be successful.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs revealed that the drawn out process could lead to them ending their pursuit of Man United.
"I don't think the Nine Two Foundation will necessarily want a scenario whereby they're rejected," he stated.
"I think it's more likely that they'll do everything in their power to win. If they feel like the process is just not geared towards them winning because the Glazers want to stay, and with time running out because they don't want this to overshadow the whole of the summer window, at that point I can see the Nine Two Foundation feeling like it's more in their interests to just walk away.
"That would be normal because they're looking at making a world record sale and are pushing to get in as soon as possible because they know how important the early part of the window is.
"If it gets to a point where they no longer feel like they can buy the club because the Glazers are looking in a different direction or the process is just not geared towards getting anything done that benefits them, and quickly, at that point I don't think the Nine Two Foundation would just wait to watch somebody else come in and be rejected. I think they would pull out of the process first."
What next for Man United?
Erik ten Hag's side will be aiming to build upon their season of progress, which has seen them win the Carabao Cup, secure a top-three finish and reach the FA Cup final, but they will need reinforcements in the transfer window.
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
The ownership situation will need to be resolved quickly in order to facilitate this, as they aim to complete a number of big signings, and the outcome of the takeover could determine who they target in the window.
Ten Hag's top priority is Harry Kane, whilst there have also been strong links with Mason Mount, and it has been mooted that if Jassim's group wins the battle, the Qatari owners could target Neymar.
A quick resolution from the Glazers is necessary, regardless of the decision, as the process continues to drag on with no end in sight.
Tottenham Hotspur have made a formal job offer to Leicester City’s former manager Brendan Rodgers, according to reports.
What's the latest manager news at Spurs?
Back in March, Antonio Conte was sent packing by the hierarchy following his public outburst during a post-match press conference and was replaced by his assistant Cristian Stellini until the end of the season, but even his reign was ended prematurely after the 6-1 Premier League defeat to Newcastle United, so Ryan Mason is now in charge as interim boss before being succeeded by a new long-term appointment over the summer.
BBC Sport played down suggestions that Bayern Munich’s former coach Julian Nagelsmann is one of the candidates being considered and Daniel Levy’s latest blow has come in the form of Feyenoord’s Arne Slot who has ruled himself out of the running and reaffirmed his commitment to seeing out the project in the Eredivisie.
The Lilywhites have since been linked with several names, including Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou and Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim, but a surprising contender is Rodgers who has been out of work since April having been sacked by Leicester City, and it would appear that he’s already a preferred choice among the board having reportedly been gifted the opportunity to take to the dugout in the capital.
Is Brendan Rodgers joining Spurs?
According to Football Transfers, Tottenham have "formally offered" Rodgers the chance to become the new permanent manager in N17. The Spurs hierarchy are "trying to keep a low profile" by not announcing that they have taken this big step to "avoid any further embarrassment", should the 50-year-old turn them down.
The Northern Irishman is "not a favourite" of Levy, but the rest of the chiefs are "otherwise all for" bringing him on board. Should their new target reject the proposal, it's stated that Graham Potter and Luis Enrique are the two other names on the "shortlist" of options.
Leicester City's former manager Brendan Rodgers.
Tottenham could be better off appointing someone who already has Premier League experience and Rodgers has plenty of that having taken charge of 312 matches in total, and having also been hailed a “class” character off the pitch by journalist Josh Bunting, he may well prove to be an ideal candidate for Spurs to take a chance on ahead of the 2023/24 term.
The Carnlough-born coach, whose preferred formation is a 4-2-3-1, has a solid track record of facing Spurs having won eight and drawn one of 17 meetings, so if he is able to get a visiting team performing like that, imagine what kind of magic he could work with the calibre of players like Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min at his disposal.
Rodgers, who knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured nine trophies throughout his managerial career, is also a free agent on the market, so no compensation would need to be paid to acquire his services, therefore making this even more of a strong case to end the club's lengthy search for a new manager.
Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly reached an agreement with Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, according to reports.
Who is Victor Nelsson?
Nelsson is a Danish international who first arrived at the Nef Stadium from FC Copenhagen back in August 2021 and he’s since gone on to make 78 appearances to date, 31 of those being starts this season from 33 games in the Super Lig.
The Lilywhites have Clement Lenglet out of contract at the end of the campaign upon the expiration of his season-long loan from Barcelona, so should he not make his move permanent, Ryan Mason’s successor could be on the hunt to find a new centre-back, and the 24-year-old appears to have been identified as an ideal target in N17.
Are Tottenham signing Nelsson?
According to T24 (via Sport Witness), Tottenham “came to Galatasaray with a €25m (£21m) offer”, with the Turkish side now “working” on sanctioning his sale. The club's president Erden Timur “made a trip” to London to hold “transfer talks” with several clubs, one of those being Spurs, and despite not wanting to let him go, they have “softened their stance” as a result of him showing his “desire to leave”.
The report adds that Spurs chiefs have had a meeting with the Denmark international, where it has been claimed they have “reached an agreement”, presumably on personal terms.
Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson.
Prior to joining Galatasaray, Nelsson was dubbed a “monster” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, and considering the extremely high standard of his performances that he's continued into this season, Tottenham could be recruiting a fantastic centre-back should this deal get 100% finalised.
The World Cup participant currently averages 3.4 clearances and 3.1 aerial wins per league game, via WhoScored, so is a real rock at the heart of the backline, but he’s also capable of contributing to his team’s efforts at the opposite end of the pitch.
Nelsson, who has the versatility to operate slightly higher up in defensive and central midfield alongside his natural position in the backline, has scored one goal and also provided an assist across all competitions this term, so can be useful when it comes to set pieces and long balls in the final third.
Whether Tottenham’s new permanent manager will have his eye on the same targets as Daniel Levy is highlighting now when appointed yet remains to be seen, but regardless, Nelsson may make for an impressive signing no matter which candidate finds themselves in the dugout in the capital ahead of the 2023/24 term.