This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…
Jose Mourinho is desperate to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham Hotspur, per The Daily Telegraph.
What’s the word?
Mourinho was appointed Spurs manager on Wednesday morning.
And the report states that the former Manchester United and Chelsea boss is adamant that the striker must not be allowed to leave the club in the coming transfer windows.
He is said to have told Daniel Levy that he will not need to spend huge sums of money in order to win trophies at the club, but is adamant that Kane must be kept at the club.
He rates the 45-cap England captain as one of the best strikers in world football and
A report from Spanish outlet El Desmarque earlier this week had claimed that Real Madrid had entered into talks over a deal for Kane that would see Karim Benzema go the other way, but the Telegraph reports that chairman Levy values the Spurs star at £250m and is also determined to keep him.
An intriguing link-up
It remains to be seen how this will work.
Mourinho has worked with some top forwards throughout his career, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Didier Drogba.
But, as Football FanCast has previously detailed, only two players have ever scored more than 22 league goals in a single league season under his management.
Thus, he may have to change his approach to bring the best out of Kane, though this report will be encouraging for Spurs fans.
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The signs are there that Mourinho believes Kane can be a key player for seasons to come as he bids to bring silverware to north London, in order to maintain his record of winning a trophy at every single club he has managed since Porto.
He will need the England international to hit the net with regularity in the coming weeks and months if he is to have any chance; the pressure is on for the forward but he has been so prolific in recent seasons – winning back-to-back Golden Boots in 2015/16 and 2016/17 – that it is difficult to imagine him wilting.
West Ham United have not started the 2024/25 campaign on strong footing, but Julen Lopetegui has inherited a talented squad that has the capacity to carve out a successful campaign.
One win from six Premier League matches has left the Irons lodged in 15th place, but the absence of a clear identity has been more concerning. Compound that with the fact that West Ham have created the fewest big chances in the division, and there’s just cause for concern.
16th
Bournemouth
5
9
17th
Southampton
5
9
18th
Leicester City
6
8
19th
Wolverhampton Wanderers
6
8
20th
West Ham United
6
5
This is pretty concerning when considering that Lucas Paqueta sits at the heart of the team, but then the Brazilian playmaker has been short of his best over the past few months to be sure.
Of course, fans would love to have seen West Ham blitz into a rip-roaring start to a new era, but this is a luxury that cannot be expected as much as desired. What rankles is the lack of coherence and formula. Added impetus is needed, but it won’t come from Maxwel Cornet, that’s for sure.
Why West Ham signed Maxwel Cornet
When Cornet arrived in east London to seal his move to West Ham, he was one of the hottest properties from the lower echelons of the Premier League. Burnley had been treated to pure wonders from this mercurial winger.
West Ham flop Maxwel Cornet
The Hammers paid £17.5m to land Cornet in the summer of 2022, and there was plenty of excitement at the time. Indeed, he’d enjoyed quite the campaign with the Clarets, scoring nine times in the top flight across just 21 starting appearances. Pundit Alan Shearer had praised his “dangerous” aura for Sean Dyche’s side.
He was also a proud creator, demonstrating a multi-functionality that made him a real unit for a team seeking to stave off the threat of relegation – they failed, but the Ivory Coast international could hold his head high.
As per FBref, Cornet ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers during the 2021/22 Premier League season for crosses and the top 16% for ball recoveries per 90.
Unfortunately, that all fell flat under David Moyes. Transfer insider Dean Jones remarked that Cornet was “wasting his time” at the club, having scored one goal and added six assists across 37 matches in two years of service, before moving to Southampton on loan this summer, where he has started indifferently.
Why did West Ham sign him though? He’d been brought in to replace Andriy Yarmolenko, while Felipe Anderson had departed for good the year before. West Ham were on the hunt for a top-class new winger, and, after all, they had to find a contingency route after missing out on Luis Diaz.
West Ham missed a trick with Luis Diaz
Diaz, as most will know, has been one of the most in-form players in the Premier League this season, with five goals and an assist from his first six matches for Liverpool, whose win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend has shifted them into first place.
Luis Diaz celebrates
The Colombian is a winger of pace and sublime technique, and after an ebb and flowy 2023/24 campaign, scoring only eight top-flight goals from 37 outings, he’s now providing the prolificness that Arne Slot’s side need to challenge Manchester City and Arsenal for the title.
Journalist Jack Collins once said that the 27-year-old was “going to be a superstar” back when he played for Portuguese giants Porto, and despite some hurdles, he’s proving as much on Merseyside. If only West Ham signed him.
Luis Diaz for Liverpool
Back around the time Liverpool paid Porto an initial fee of £37m for Diaz in January 2022, the Irons had also been sniffing around. The veracity of these claims is strong, straight from the horse’s mouth.
“I spoke to Luis Diaz on the phone, we were quite far down the line to sign him,” Moyes said. “My understanding was that Liverpool planned to come in in the summer, so we thought we’d try and get him in January.”
Matches (starts)
37 (32)
6 (6)
Goals
8
5
Assists
5
1
Touches*
43.8
41.8
Shots (on target)
2.5 (0.9)
2.3 (1.3)
Pass completion
85%
89%
Key passes*
1.8
1.5
Ball recoveries*
3.4
3.7
Dribbles (completed)*
1.8
1.7
Tackles + interceptions*
1.0
1.5
Total Duels won*
4.6
4.0
As his stats from last season show, Diaz might not have been the free-scoring sensation that his skillset suggests is within his locker, but he maintains a high level of athletic output, and contributes across many different aspects of the role.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.
His roundedness is something that would have lifted the fortunes of those around him. Bowen has been West Ham’s best forward over the past several years, and he could have formed a wonderful bond with the Liverpool man. Moreover, just imagine the success that Paqueta could have found behind the fleet-footed winger, playing surgical passes through lines for Diaz to latch onto.
It’s no question that West Ham fumbled the bag with this one. Liverpool’s decision to bid for him in January seems to have been pushed forward from summer plans due, partly at least, to Moyes’ interest.
But given that he’s now worth upwards of €75m (£63m), which was the price tag Liverpool slapped on this summer amid interest from Barcelona, it looks like West Ham have missed their opportunity – it would take an extraordinary effort from Tim Steidten to pull such a deal together.
Of course, some might point toward the signing of Kudus one year later as a reason to have held off, but the Ghanaian isn’t only effective on the left flank, and could have been utilised as part of a deadly and electrifying strikeforce.
West Ham must axe flop who earns more than Kudus & Summerville combined
The Hammers may need to shift one costly asset in January…
Man United are said to be planning a “big bid” for a superstar at Crystal Palace, in what could be seen as a worry for manager Oliver Glasner given the temptation of a high-profile move away from Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace stay winless after defeat at Everton
The Eagles’ 2-1 defeat at Everton made it six Premier League games without a single victory, and reports have even since emerged casting doubt over Glasner’s future as Palace manager.
Why Crystal Palace board are angry as Parish makes Glasner sack decision
The Eagles are yet to win a single top flight game this season.
1 ByEmilio Galantini Oct 1, 2024
However, it is still very early days, and the south Londoners have a much-changed squad from last season, with star winger Michael Olise making a multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich.
The consensus is that Palace chairman Steve Parish will hand their boss the benefit of the doubt with Glasner given more time to turn things around at the club, but the Austrian will be desperate to get that first win on the board quickly.
Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 0-0 Man United
Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester City
Chelsea 1-1 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham
Brentford 2-1 Crystal Palace
In-demand star Marc Guehi actually gave Palace an early lead against Everton, but a quick-fire brace from Dwight McNeil in the second half ended their hopes of coming away from Merseyside with a much-needed victory.
“Over 70-75 minutes we controlled the game but you must be focused all game,” said Glasner after Palace’s defeat to Everton, bemoaning his side’s costly errors.
“It is a big strength of Everton’s in set-plays. They do it well and we defended it most of the time really well. It was always the second phase. It is important to always keep your focus high.”
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi
Guehi is set to attract interest from the likes of Tottenham at the turn of the year after Newcastle failed with multiple widely-reported offers to sign him in the summer window.
The England international isn’t the only player who Glasner could have a concern over losing either, with rising star Adam Wharton in that bracket as well.
Man United planning "big bid" for Adam Wharton
The midfielder, who earned a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024, has seriously impressed since joining Palace from Blackburn Rovers and is widely regarded as one of the country’s rising stars.
According to TEAMtalk, this hasn’t gone unnoticed at Old Trafford, with Man United planning a “big bid” to sign Wharton from Palace in 2025. The 20-year-old has started all six of their league games this season, and it is believed the Red Devils are preparing to ship out Christian Eriksen to make room for Wharton in their squad.
It is unclear just how much Parish will want for the player, but he’s at least shown that Palace are no pushovers by rejecting constant approaches for Guehi.
“He’s an incredible player to play with,” said fellow exit-linked star Eberechi Eze.
“Playing with him at Palace, I’ve got used to seeing the way he plays and understanding him. He’s very calm, composed, and a joy to play with. For someone so young, he’s very mature and very wise. When you speak to him, it feels like you’re speaking to someone older than you, that’s the type of person he is. He’s an incredible player.”
It perhaps comes as no surprise that Unai Emery has led Aston Villa to a wonderful start to the new season.
Across seven matches in all competitions, the Midlands outfit have won six games, only suffering defeat against Arsenal in the Premier League.
Much of this has to do with his excellent ability to move players on for decent fees, while also bringing in the best possible talent.
This summer, Douglas Luiz and Moussa Diaby departed the club, yet the supporters clearly aren’t missing them, especially given how impressive the new arrivals have been.
Amadou Onana looks like a player who will only get better under Emery, while Ian Maatsen has shone in his brief appearances for the club.
Emery isn’t perfect, however, as not all of his signings have demonstrated their true qualities. Nicolo Zaniolo is a prime example of this. Last summer, he arrived on a season-long loan deal from Galatasaray in the hopes of adding some quality to the Villa midfield.
The reality was very different, as the Italian failed to nail down a regular berth in the starting XI.
Nicolo Zaniolo’s Aston Villa’s statistics
Emery spent big during his first summer transfer window, bringing in the likes of Diaby and Pau Torres, which worked wonders for the Spaniard as he led Villa to a fourth-place finish in the Premier League, thus, securing Champions League qualification in the process.
While big money was spent, Zaniolo was a largely cost-effective signing, yet it didn’t quite work out as well as the fans wanted.
Goals
2
Assists
0
Key passes per game
0.4
Big chances created
0
Shots per game
1.1
Total duels won per game
2.4
Across the entire 2023/24 campaign, the Italian midfielder made 39 appearances for Villa, yet only 13 of them were from the starting XI. He only managed three goals all term, highlighting how little an impact the 25-year-old made in England.
In the top flight, Zaniolo ranked in a lowly 13th position for goals and assists (two), while also ranking eighth for big chances missed (three), 14th for key passes per game (0.4) and 12th for successful dribbles per game (0.4).
It is clearly evident that he was underwhelming during his temporary spell. Thankfully, Emery could call upon other players, which meant his ineffectiveness wasn’t a deterrent in the squad.
Before the Spaniard secured his signature, Villa were linked with a young talent who would eventually move to the Premier League…
Aston Villa missed out on Jeremy Doku
According to reports at the time, Villa were reportedly keen on securing a move for Jeremy Doku, having submitted a bid of around €30m (£25m), which was rejected by French side Stade Rennais.
Belgium forward Jeremy Doku.
During the 2022/23 campaign, Doku starred for Rennes. Across 35 games in all competitions, the winger scored seven times while chipping in with five assists, clearly capturing the attention of Villa in the process.
When it was clear the Midlands side were out of the running for the talented Belgian, Manchester City swooped in, signing him for a fee in the region of £55.5m, which would have been a club-record transfer for Villa – who ultimately ended up landing Zaniolo.
It is clear given his performances in Manchester that Emery missed a huge opportunity in failing to bring the Belgian international last summer.
Jeremy Doku’s Man City stats
While City may have won ‘just’ one trophy last term, retaining their Premier League title, Doku was one of their star performers, fitting into Pep Guardiola’s side with apparent ease.
Not only did he score six goals for City, but he also registered 11 assists, showcasing his prodigious talents in the process.
michael-olise-jeremy-doku-liverpool-opinion
The winger was previously hailed as “frightening” by former Premier League defender Anton Ferdinand in 2022 and certainly displayed qualities which had defences terrorised up and down the country.
When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Doku ranked in the top 1% for progressive carries, successful take-ons and touches in the opposition penalty area per 90.
Combine this with the fact he ranked in the top 2% for shot-creating actions and in the top 5% for assists in the previous 365 days, underlining how impressive he was in the final third.
So far this term, Doku has scored once in seven games, but given he is only 22, the winger can only get better and better.
Jeremy Doku’s market valuation
His performances for City last season saw his market value rise. According to Transfermarkt, Doku is now currently valued at €65m (£54m), which will only continue to rise should he keep delivering wonderful displays on the pitch.
Not only that, but the winger is the 26th highest-valued player in the Premier League. Considering he has only been in England for just over a year, it is quite an achievement.
While Villa did qualify for the Champions League last term, could they have perhaps gone further in the Conference League or won a domestic trophy if they had Doku at their disposal?
It will go down as a major case of what if for Emery, with his success at City rubbing salt into the wounds, no doubt about that.
Reaching the group stages of Europe’s premier club competition will give the manager plenty of leeway to secure some of the finest talent on the continent.
Doku clearly fits into that bracket. Villa won’t want to miss out on talents of this calibre in the future, that’s for sure.
One that got away
The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.
The main thing for Emery now is to keep doing what he is doing in the transfer market, bringing the best talent to the club in the hope they can end their 30-year major trophy drought.
Missing out on the Belgian has proven to be a big blow, but he won’t be the only talented attacker Emery has his eye on.
Aston Villa thought they may have the next Messi, then he left for just £7m
Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane has reached a personal "agreement" to join Bayern Munich and won't be tempted by any other side, according to Sky Sports Germany's Florian Plettenberg.
Will Harry Kane leave Tottenham?
Spurs are facing the distinct possibility of losing their talismanic forward within these next 12 months, either this summer or next depending on developments.
Kane is out of contract in 2024, meaning Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy must weigh up whether to sell him this year or let him leave for nothing next summer – if fresh terms can't be agreed.
The 29-year-old was seriously linked with a transfer to Premier League heavyweights Man City two years ago, with Pep Guardiola's side lodging £100 million bids in the summer of 2021.
Those offers did little to sway Levy into a deal, as Spurs were in a very strong position given he still had three years on his contract at the time.
harry-kane-tottenham-hotspur
The situation now is far more precarious, and given Kane's desire to win silverware, it has been reported that German giants Bayern Munich are trying to tempt him to the Bundesliga.
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, speaking to the press recently, admitted he has received no assurances over Kane's future at N17.
"No, I haven't had any assurances [over Kane's future] and I wouldn't expect any assurances because with these kind of things you're never dealing in definites or certainties," said Postecoglou.
"I'm trying to concentrate on the things that I know right now, and what I know right now is that Harry's part of this squad. He's looking forward to coming back to training, getting among the players back in here and we start working together."
Sharing an update on his future, reporter Plettenberg of Sky has some news on Twitter, with Kane apparently reaching a Bayern "agreement" behind-the-scenes.
The England star is apparently "convinced" he can win the Champions League with former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel in Bavaria.
"As reported: Harry Kane made 100 % clear that he only wants to join FC Bayern," said Plettenberg.
"He’s not considering a move to another club abroad. It’s an agreement between Kane & Bayern.
"Kane is convinced that he can win the Champions League with Bayern & Tuchel."
Adding to that, Plettenberg has since Tweeted that Levy has met up with some Bayern officials.
He said: "Yes, some Bayern bosses have visited Daniel Levy in London yesterday – confirmed. Understand it was a good meeting, good atmosphere."
He added: "It was important for Bayern to show respect to Levy. Kane was informed of the visit."
What's been said about Harry Kane?
The former Leyton Orient loanee has broken both Jimmy Greaves' all-time goal-scoring record at Tottenham and Wayne Rooney's previous best haul for England.
Kane is, without doubt, Spurs' most crucial asset and losing him would be an almighty blow.
"I am happy for him because we are talking about a world class striker,” said former Spurs manager Antonio Conte on Kane.
“He deserves the best because he's a great worker, hard worker… this is not normal because usually the players that have talent many times don't like to work hard because they have talent.
“In my career I didn't have great talent [so] for this reason I worked hard. What I liked about him from the first time was his ability. He was a big example for his team-mates.
“When you see him work in this way, and for sure you have the desire to continue to work, to work very hard. For this reason, I want to tell him thanks because he's always a big example for everything."
A tumultuous and troubled campaign for Leeds United, which oversaw three different managers, culminated in a bitterly disappointing relegation back to the Championship.
But now, the Whites can finally look forward. Daniel Farke has been appointed to provide much-needed stability and direction to a highly dysfunctional set-up.
As well as a new manager, Elland Road will also host new ownership as the 49ers Enterprises are to take over from Andrea Radrizzani sold his majority stake.
The previous regime failed to adequately prepare Leeds for top-flight life – they signed an array of inexperienced youngsters, who failed to acclimatise to the demands of a fast-paced environment, and instigated a managerial merry-go-round that left a team lacking identity.
But Farke, who achieved two promotions from the second tier with Norwich City, will likely fill the Yorkshire faithful with new-found optimism.
Now the mission is to pinpoint the correct targets to curate the ideal promotion-chasing outfit and Joel Piroe would be the perfect way to kickstart this.
What’s the latest on Joel Piroe to Leeds United?
According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay, Leeds is one of several clubs who are 'on the trail' of the Swansea star.
Previously, Southampton, who also suffered relegation last season, are also chasing Piroe, who would only cost a modest £12m.
Who can Joel Piroe replace at Leeds United?
The 23-year-old joined Swansea from the Netherlands in 2021 and has become established as one of the Championship’s most dangerous and effervescent prospects.
In 88 outings, he has netted a commendable 41 times. This included 19 goals last season, at a rate of 0.45 goals per 90, the fourth-highest in the division.
With Leeds in search of a reliable and potent goal-scoring force, the answer lies in Dutchman.
His former manager Russell Martin described him as an “excellent athlete” and added: “He is so clinical with both feet, and he is a great technician.
“He shows composure, he is calm, and he just focuses on his technique, something that all top strikers possess.”
Piroe would be a smart addition, and he has the potential to be a better option than Patrick Bamford.
The Englishman was a pivotal figure in Biesla’s Leeds outfit that cantered to the 2020 Championship title and secured a phenomenal ninth-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League.
However, the 29-year-old has endured a torrid time in the past two years, and his admirable form has been ruthlessly halted by a series of unfortunate injuries. He has only started 25 of the last 76 domestic games, scoring just six goals.
Leeds United'sPatrickBamfordfails to score from the penalty spot
It has been difficult for the former Chelsea graduate to forge any kind of consistency as his physical endurance has deteriorated in recent times, affecting his performance on the pitch.
On 13 May, with Sam Allardyce’s men desperately needing a win and with a 1-0 advantage, they were awarded a penalty, but Bamford’s effort was dramatically saved by Nick Pope, which ceded momentum and ascendency to the high-flying Magpies. After that miss, he had the biggest underperformance of xG in the Premier League at that stage in the campaign.
It seems harsh to criticise Bamford due to his torrid luck. However, these fine margins are what define the outcome of a season, and his continuous absence and lack of form ultimately hindered Leeds’ survival bid.
Therefore, in a new era for the club, the signing of Piroe to compete and potentially displace Bamford could be the required factor to propel Leeds back to where they belong.
Manchester City have built an unbeatable squad over the last few years and it finally paid off for Pep Guardiola when his impressive side completed the treble, winning the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup last season.
It's hard to believe that the Sky Blues would be in the market this summer but the ruthless operation at the Eithad has been a testament to their success as they continue to acquire the services of some of the best talent in the world.
Mateo Kovacic became the first signing of the summer transfer window for City and will hope he can make the desired impact on his move to the North West, but it seems like the former Chelsea star hasn't been the only midfielder that Guardiola has been chasing.
The Premier League champions made an attempt to sign West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice, as reported by David Ornstein they made a massive bid to rival Arsenal earlier this week:
However, the Gunners upped their bid which quickly led to Man City pulling out of the race and now the England star is set to complete his move to the Emirates imminently.
Whilst Guardiola is unfamiliar with missing out on transfer targets, he could now be set to seek out a cheaper alternative this summer and recently linked Marcelo Brozovic could be the perfect short-term solution at the Etihad next season.
Should Man City sign Marcelo Brozovic?
The Inter Milan midfielder's future has been up in the air for the last few weeks with not only a move to the blue side of Manchester speculated, but has also earned interest from Barcelona and Saudi Arabian clubs.
Brozovic is now 30 years old and whilst he can't provide the longevity that Rice could have given to City, he could provide a great output in the centre of the pitch that would be valuable at the Etihad next season.
Over 28 Serie A appearances last season, the Croatian star – hailed "unbelievable" by journalist Dean Jones – scored three goals, registered five assists and successfully completed 63% of his dribbles, displaying solid attacking attributes in his versatile role.
Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic.
When comparing Brozovic's output with Rice in league football over the latest campaign, the pair shared many similarities including their pass completion rate (87.7% v 86.5%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.95 v 2.75) and take-on success rate (59.3% v 55.6%), proving that the Inter Milan midfielder could be a worthy cheaper alternative for Guardiola.
With that being said, if reports are to be believed it would only cost €25m (£22m) to secure the services of Brozovic for next season which would be a steal in comparison to Rice and could make him one to watch for City this summer.
Everton could do with landing an exciting player to get supporters in the mood for next season's Premier League campaign, but a move for one such option appears to be off the cards.
The Toffees had been tipped to move for Udinese striker Beto after showing an initial interest in the January window, though Italian outlet Tutto Udinese suggests they have yet to make an approach.
Instead, Serie A champions Napoli are considered to be the frontrunners for the 25-year-old, albeit with their initial €20m (£17m) offer said to be some way off the €30m (£26m) Udinese are holding out for.
However, with Sean Dyche unable to rely on injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Ellis Simms seemingly next in line to lead the attack, Everton should reconsider making an offer for Beto.
Who is Udinese forward Beto?
The Portuguese attacker arrived at Udinese from Portimonense in the 2021 summer transfer window on an initial loan basis, which the Italian side happily took up the option to make permanent last year.
Beto scored 11 goals in his first Serie A season with Udinese and followed that up by hitting double figures again last season with 10 in 33 games as the Bianconeri finished in a comfortable 12th.
To put Beto's scoring rate into some perspective, his 0.42 goals per 90 minutes in the Italian top flight last season, as per FBref, is a near identical rate to that of Ollie Watkins in the Premier League with Aston Villa (0.43).
Everton centre-forward Ellis Simms.
His ability to cause unrest has also been noted by football writer Sam Tighe, who described Beto's ability to "spook defenders" as "amazing".
The Udinese number nine is ranked in the top 13% of all forwards across Europe's top five leagues in terms of touches in the opposition box, putting him on a par with Newcastle United's Alexander Isak, as per The Analyst.
Beto is a player who can get on the ball in dangerous positions and indeed find the net at the highest level, then, which is something Simms has so far been unable to do.
After impressing with seven goals in 17 Championship appearances with Sunderland in the first half of last season, Simms scored just once in 11 Premier League outings – albeit a late equaliser away to Chelsea – after being recalled by Everton.
The 22-year-old did show the odd encouraging moments but, as put by football writer Josh Bunting, he "just is not ready for the Premier League" and looked "out of his depth" in Everton's 2-0 Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool in February.
Even when factoring in that Simms spent half of last season playing at a lower level, he is still unable to match Beto in terms of key attacking metrics such as shot-on-target percentage (33.3 v 27.5 respectively), successful take-ons (1.35 v 0.53) and aerial duels won (52.2% v 44.6%).
There was little between the pair in terms of shot-creating actions per 90 (2.07 v 2.06) – used to measure factors such as passes and take-ons leading to a shot – and pass-completion rate (63.5% v 63.7%), while Simms will naturally get better in other areas as he ages.
But Everton are after a player for the here and now, and in Beto they can sign someone who has already registered successive seasons of double figures for goals in a major European league. Do that, and supporters may just have a little more hope for what is ahead.
Aston Villa have been offered the chance to sign Benfica forward Goncalo Ramos, with the player’s agent approaching those at Villa Park.
What’s the latest Aston Villa transfer news involving Ramos?
Villa have already made a start on their summer transfer plans by reaching an agreement with Youri Tielemans, who will officially become a Villa player on July 1 when his Leicester City contract expires.
The club have now brought in former Sevilla sporting director Monchi as Villa’s president of football operations and he will work closely with manager Unai Emery.
A new attacker was previously the club’s top transfer priority, and it looks as if a new striker could arrive over the coming months to rival or possibly partner Ollie Watkins during Emery’s first full season in charge which will include Europa Conference League football.
According to The Sun, Portuguese super-agent Jorge Mendes is working hard to get Ramos a Premier League move, with Manchester United offered the striker’s services.
However, Mendes has also approached Aston Villa, Newcastle, Tottenham and West Ham, with Benfica set to demand £80m for Ramos, a figure which would smash the transfer record at Villa Park.
Ramos is just 21 years of age and is an out-and-out centre-forward who has seen his Transfermarkt valuation rocket from €8m to a career-high €50m over the past two years.
Sponsored by Nike and under contract until 2026, the Portugal international progressed through Benfica’s academy and has now made over 100 senior appearances for the club. He has scored 41 goals and provided 16 assists during that time, with 19 of his goals coming in Liga Portugal last season.
Ramos, dubbed a "monster" in the media, has also starred on the international stage, scoring a hat-trick in last year’s World Cup in Qatar after replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in the starting XI.
You can see why a move for Ramos could appeal to those in the Midlands, especially with Watkins linked with a move to Manchester United in recent days. Villa enjoyed a brilliant resurgence under Emery but scored just 51 goals in their 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, the fewest out of the top 10 sides.
Therefore, bringing in someone like Ramos to bolster the club’s attacking ranks could be an extremely shrewd move, however, should a move materialise over the coming months, you’d expect he would arrive at a big cost, with many expecting immediate results.
Arsenal are set to make an offer for Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo, having held positive talks, according to a report from Football Transfers.
Is Joao Cancelo leaving Man City?
Cancelo left Man City to join Bayern Munich on loan during the January transfer window, with Pep Guardiola confirming his departure was due to a lack of game time, after the manager changed his side's play-style following the World Cup.
There were also reports the defender had a training ground bust-up with his manager, which led to his shock move to Bayern, however the German champions are set to reject the chance to sign him on a permanent basis this summer.
City proved they are more than capable of succeeding without the Portugal international, finally winning the Champions League on Saturday night, and he could be on the move this summer, having already held talks about a move to Arsenal.
According to a report from Football Transfers, those talks are progressing positively, so much so that Mikel Arteta is set to launch an opening bid of around £35m in the coming days, although that may not be enough to secure 29-year-old's signature.
Man City are asking for around £45m for the defender, £10m more than the Gunners are set to offer, but the indication is that they could table a higher bid, should their opening offer be rejected.
The report details that the £250k-per-week earner would become the starting right-back at the Emirates Stadium, allowing Arteta to use Ben White as cover in that area of the pitch.
Will Joao Cancelo sign for Arsenal?
The aforementioned report claims that Guardiola wants to get rid of the Portuguese full-back, and he does have a previous history of selling players to rival Premier League clubs, with Raheem Sterling joining Chelsea for £47.5m last summer.
As such, it would by no means be a surprise if Arsenal sign the Man City ace, and he could be a quality addition to the squad, having been hailed as "sensational" by Bayern Munich director Hasan Salihamidzic.
For a full-back, the Barreiro-born star is very impressive on the front foot, ranking in the 99th percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, and in the 98th percentile for successful take-ons, when compared to his positional peers.
Not only that, the former Benfica man is also solid defensively, ranking first in the Man City squad for average interceptions per game in the Premier League last season.
Cancelo could be a great signing for Arsenal, and it is fantastic news that Arteta is ready to test the waters with an opening bid.