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The champions are still reeling from losing four games in a row, but buying a midfielder to fill their Rodri-shaped hole could get them back on track

Pep Guardiola has never hidden his love for international windows, and he has continued a habit of using the November break to consider his future by agreeing to a one-year extension on his Manchester City contract.

Certainly, the Catalan hasn't been put off by a punishing period leading into the break for the coach and his City side, as for the first time in his 17-year coaching career, Guardiola slumped to four successive defeats in all competitions. City lost at Tottenham to exit the Carabao Cup, suffered a first defeat in the Champions League for more than two years when they were beaten by Sporting CP and fell five points behind Liverpool in the Premier League by losing at Bournemouth and then Brighton.

The two-week hiatus in club action gave City some much-needed respite and some time for their many injury-stricken players to recover. But it will not solve their biggest issue: the continued absence of Rodri. While John Stones, Jack Grealish, Manuel Akanji, Phil Foden, Matheus Nunes, Nathan Ake, Jeremy Doku and Ruben Dias could all make their respective comebacks against Tottenham on Saturday, the Ballon d'Or-winning Spaniard still faces a long way back from the knee injury he suffered against Arsenal in September, and is not due to return to action until June.

City have a win rate of 74 percent with Rodri in the team, which falls to 67 percent when he is not. If that does not seem like a huge drop-off, consider this: Guardiola's side were unbeaten in each of the 34 Premier League games the midfielder played last season. Of the four games Rodri missed, City lost three. Between losing to Brentford in November 2022 and the FA Cup final to Manchester United in May 2024, the team were never beaten with Rodri in the line-up.

"There is no-one in the City squad like him, so in the short-term he is irreplaceable," wrote Jamie Carragher in earlier this month. "The blow can be likened to when Liverpool were denied Virgil van Dijk when defending the title in 2021. It is my belief Jurgen Klopp would have won his second Premier League crown had Van Dijk been fit. There are some players who are so fundamental to a side’s chances of success, the team is unrecognisable without them. Rodri is such a player."

There is one way for City to replace Rodri, though, and that is to go out and buy a top-class midfielder in the January transfer window. City are definitely not short of money after making a profit of €116m (£97m/$122m) in the transfer market last summer, not to mention a club-record €826m (£690m/$873m) in revenue last year. The club might have been reluctant to use the January window in the past, but doing so now could be the difference between winning a fifth-successive Premier League title and surrendering their crown, as well as having a huge impact in their bid to win the Champions League.

GOAL takes a look at the club's best options as the transfer window approaches…

• Getty
  

  Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad)

  Zubimendi is the most obvious replacement for Rodri as he filled in for him in the second half of the Euro 2024 final against England and has continued to perform admirably in the City lynchpin's absence, including scoring the only goal against Denmark last month.

  The 25-year-old was on the verge of joining Liverpool when the Merseysiders activated his £51m ($64m) release clause in the summer, only for Zubimendi to opt to stay with boyhood club Real Sociedad. City have reportedly been watching Zubimendi closely since, and although the player said last month he wanted to "stay and grow" with La Real, his resolve could be tested with another seductive offer from the Premier League and the chance to work with Guardiola.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich)

  "When I speak about Joshua Kimmich, I only say good things," said Guardiola in 2016. "He has absolutely everything and can achieve whatever he wants. He wants to learn and has passion. I love this kid."

  The Catalan brought Kimmich to Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig when he was just 20 and used him across the pitch, at right-back, in midfield and even at centre-back. He only got to coach him for one year, but there is a good chance the pair could be reunited.

  Kimmich is the latest Bayern player to run down his contract, and in January he will be free to speak to other clubs about joining them for free in the summer. City could bring a potential move forward by six months by offering Bayern a reduced transfer fee, and it would be more than worth it if Kimmich can help them reverse their current slide.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Ederson (Atalanta)

  No, we're not suggesting that the City goalkeeper moves into midfield, as gifted as he is with his feet! His compatriot and namesake has quietly turned into one of the most consistent midfield operators in Serie A since moving from Salernitana to Atalanta in 2022. He played a crucial role in Atalanta's Europa League triumph, taming Florian Wirtz in the final.

  The Brazilian is renowned for his physical strength, aerial prowess, tackling and anticipation. as well as his passing range and, like Rodri, chips in with goals, scoring six times in the league last season. He is valued at around £35m ($44m) and would represent a good long-term move as he is only 25.

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  Morten Hjulmand (Sporting CP)

  City fans from England will know all about Denmark international Morten Hjulmand's ball-striking ability after his missile against the Three Lions during Euro 2024, but his qualities as a holding midfielder are more relevant. The 25-year-old has taken the long road to the top, starting out at little-known Austrian side Admira Wacker and then helping Lecce win promotion back to Serie A. He is one of many players to have thrived at Sporting CP under Ruben Amorim, seamlessly replacing Manuel Ugarte as the coach's top defensive midfielder, a year after he had to part ways with Joao Palhinha.

  Hjulmand, who has an €80m ($66m/$84m) release clause, has been described as "a more cerebral destroyer" than the Uruguayan and the Portuguese, contributing more in attack than his predecessors and making fewer risky tackles due to his anticipation skills.

  "He reminds us of the defensive midfielders of the past, who controlled the entire game, who led the teams," said Denmark coach Brian Riemer. "His character, his leadership, his personality his communication are not very common in today’s football."

Tottenham could be set to take a hefty loss on one of their players to make space in the squad for new additions, it has been revealed.

Spurs targeting new defenders

Tottenham conceded 61 goals across the 2023-24 Premier League campaign, and though they have a largely settled first choice back four, the options waiting in the wings when injuries hit flattered to deceive in Ange Postecoglou's first season.

They have already begun trimming their ranks, with loanee duo Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga securing permanent departures to Leeds United and Millwall respectively, while the arrival of Archie Gray from Elland Road may help add depth at right back.

But there is still work to be done, with Emerson Royal having openly revealed his desire to leave amid interest from AC Milan.

"I am not a player [who’s happy] to stay on the bench. I want to play. If it’s not here, I get it. But let me go to a place where I play", he explained. “[The club and I] are talking. I want to play in the Brazilian national team, play in a World Cup. In the last few years I’ve always been called up, with Tite, with Diniz.

"But I understand that those who do not play for their club hardly play in the national team. So I have to look for new club or, if I stay at Tottenham, have a good proposal to play. Let’s see what’s best for me and also everywhere.”

But there is another defender whose future needs sorting too.

Talks being held over full back

The player in question, of course, is left-back Sergio Reguilon, who spent last season on loan with Manchester United and then Brentford.

Signed for £27m back in 2020, the Spaniard is once again on the hunt for a new club as he is clearly not in Postecoglou's thinking.

Spurs now favourites to land "superstar" Johnson upgrade for £60m

The incredibly exciting winger could add so much to Postecoglou’s side.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jul 12, 2024

And one journalist has tipped Borussia Dortmund to make a surprise move for the defender.

“The only thing I would say in terms of a new suitor is that I’ve heard in the last 24 hours that Dortmund could be one to watch,” former CBS journalist turned transfer insider Ben Jacobs said.

“We know that Dortmund wanted Ian Maatsen, he’s now a Villa player and Dortmund are therefore looking for a player in that position and internally they have discussed Reguilon as a possibility.”

Another option could be a return to Manchester United, according to Football Insider, with the club on the hunt for low-cost cover for Luke Shaw and Reguilon thought to be priced at around £10m this summer.

However, that move seems less likely. On loan for the first half of the season, Reguilon only started four games for the club, despite fellow left-back Luke Shaw missing 10 games during the Spaniard's stint at Old Trafford.

With Ten Hag clearly not favouring Reguilon and having just been handed a new contract in Manchester, Dortmund feels a far more likely destination out of the pair.

Leeds United are expecting to part ways with another one of their stars this summer after the sale of Archie Gray to Tottenham, it has emerged.

Gray joins Tottenham

After a whirlwind few days, Leeds' teenage talent Archie Gray has joined Tottenham in a deal that will help alleviate some of the financial burden faced by the Yorkshire club this summer.

Gray enjoyed a fantastic debut season under Daniel Farke, playing 44 times en-route to the Championship play-off final, and was in tears after failing to secure promotion for his boyhood club. However, given the interest around him, it always felt likely that he would move on this summer.

Initially set for Brentford, Gray and Leeds both opted to accept Tottenham's offer, which consisted of around £40m and the opportunity to bring Joe Rodon back to Elland Road in a seperate deal worth around £10m, something that the club had been keen to explore all summer following his successful loan spell last season.

Spurs have been chasing Gray since his time at Thorp Arch academy, with the Lilywhites reportedly having tried to snatch him from Leeds before he signed his first professional contract and eventually getting their man this summer.

His sale, £40m of pure profit on the accounting sheet, is "believed to be enough to make Leeds compliant with profit and sustainability rules", which will make the task of keeping stars such as Crysencio Summerville or Wilfried Gnonto easier.

However, Gray isn't expected to be the only exit from Elland Road this summer.

Leeds expect to sell full back

Now, it has emerged that Leeds are "expected" to part ways with fullback Junior Firpo this summer, despite an impressive campaign from the former Barcelona man.

The 27-year-old defender grabbed 7 assists in the Championship last season, and though his defending was questioned at time throughout the season, he was a standout during their playoff thrashing of Norwich City.

Farke could land an "exciting" Piroe upgrade for Leeds

The Whites have been linked with a swoop to sign the attacking midfielder this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jul 2, 2024

Firpo grabbed an assist in their 4-0 win over the Canaries, as well as working to keep Norwich talisman Gabriel Sara quiet, and was handed a 9/10 by the Yorkshire Evening Post for his performance.

But the fullback is down to the final 12 months of his £60,000 a week deal at Elland Road, and Leeds do not want to risk losing him for free in 12 months' time. As a result, the Daily Mail report that the Whites are "expected" to sell the defender this summer, though no further details are given.

A sale would be a further boost to Leeds, with Firpo among the higher earners at Elland Road but far from a nailed on starter under Farke, while they could also part ways with Patrick Bamford for the same reason, both of whom would free up significant funds in Yorkshire.

Former Tottenham and Brazil midfielder Sandro has come out of retirement to join non-league side Harborough Town.

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• Sandro comes out of retirement
• Joins Harborough Town
• Played for Tottenham and West Brom

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Thirty-five-year-old Sandro, who last played for local Portuguese club B-Sad, retired from professional football in September 2023. However, the defensive midfielder has now staged a sensational comeback, signing a surprise deal with Harborough – who currently play in the seventh tier of English football.

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• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  After roping in the vastly experienced player, manager Mitch Austin told the club's official website: "What an unbelievable signing for the club, I really cannot express how I am feeling. I had a chance conversation with Sandro a couple of weeks ago and we got talking about football, told him about Harborough Town FC and the journey we are on and he has been messaging me ever since to sign on, totally unbelievable and gobsmacked is how I would describe this signing.

  "These sort of signings don’t happen every day but when you get a chance to sign an ex-professional footballer who has played at the highest level in the Premier League and Internationally with Brazil, you just cannot turn it down."

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sandro made his senior debut for Brazilian club Internacional in 2007 and three years later he joined Tottenham. At the Premier League side, he appeared in 106 games across all competitions and spent four years in north London. Later in his career, the midfielder played for clubs like West Brom, QPR and Genoa. He represented Brazil in 17 international matches between 2009 and 2012 and scored one goal.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SANDRO?

  The veteran star could make his debut for Harborough on Saturday as they take on Royston Town in a League clash away from home.

England kickstarted their Euro 2024 campaign in less than convincing circumstances last Sunday in Gelsenkirchen.

The Three Lions are among the favourites to claim continental glory this summer but could only come away from their opening clash against Serbia with a dreary 1-0 win.

Jude Bellingham was the scorer – of course he was – nodding home a vicious header inside the opening quarter of the game.

Besides Harry Kane hitting the bar that was about as good as it got for Gareth Southgate's men.

The England boss has already taken a barrage of criticism. Why can't he get more from Phil Foden? Why do they seem to play so negatively? Why leave, X, Y and Z at home?

Quite. This wasn't the most exciting of starts to a major competition but there is plenty of time to grow into things. That starts with their clash against Denmark on Thursday evening.

So, what does Teddy Sheringham make make of all of it? Well, thankfully we have the answer.

What Teddy Sheringham said about Phil Foden

The Euro 2020 finalists looked like the real deal in the early exchanges of the game but couldn't match the same tempo and energy the longer the game went on. The second half was certainly a slog with Serbia penning their opposition back and enjoying a lot more possession.

So, what went wrong? Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of Poker Sites, Sheringham said:

"I thought it was quite disjointed. There seemed to be square pegs in round holes – I don’t like it. However, with that in mind, I thought it was quite a comfortable performance. We didn’t really look like we were going to concede, and we mostly controlled the game – even if it got a bit hairy in the final 20 minutes. I thought we were kind of comfortable throughout, really."

England were forced back deep late in the match but ultimately the Serbs struggled to carve out many chances of note. For a defence missing Harry Maguire and Co, it was a very solid display at the back.

That said, the attacking performance left much to be desired, largely due to the efforts of the aforementioned Foden.

The Manchester City star won the Premier League's Player of the Season award for 2023/24 but has struggled to get going for his country. That was evident on Sunday evening.

Sheringham, the winner of 51 England caps, was keen to voice his feelings on the City man. Speaking about what Southgate should do to improve the attacking midfielder, he commented: "You need to bring Phil Foden inside and let him have the freedom to go where the likes of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice do, and let those three alternate in midfield.

"You’ve got three very clever midfield players there. I don’t like him out on the left wing – he could perform on the right wing at a push, but Bukayo Saka’s got that position nailed down, for me. I would play Foden inside and let someone else go wider."

The 24-year-old started on the left flank in England's opening clash but that didn't work. What could the solution be? Well, other options in Germany include Newcastle's Anthony Gordon and Crystal Palace sensation Ebereche Eze.

However, is there an option at home who could have solved the problem? Sheringham seems to think so.

Serbia 0-1 England: Player ratings from Three Lions' Euro 2024 opener

England began their Euro 2024 campaign against Serbia.

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 16, 2024

Sheringham thinks Jack Grealish should be there

The biggest surprise when Southgate named his squad for this summer were the ommissions of Jack Grealish and Marcus Rashford.

Both have been hugely important parts of recent campaigns, Rashford notably now in possession of 60 caps for his country and Grealish in possession of 36.

That said, neither enjoyed the best of seasons for their respective Manchester clubs. The United forward contributed just seven league goals while the effervescent City winger only found the net on three occasions.

Despite that, could you still make a case for either being there? Sheringham was certainly surprised the latter wasn't on the plane.

Telling FFC, the former Man United and Spurs striker noted: "I would say they’ll regret leaving Jack Grealish out of the squad – more so than Rashford for me."

Why? The former attacker continued: "I think Grealish does a job – he retains possession in the final third, he takes people on, he draws players to him and players want to kick him and foul him. He realises when they do that, and he then releases the ball well. If there’s two or three players on him then there must be teammates spare on the other side of the pitch. I think he is really clever in realising that, so I’m quite surprised that he’s not there."

Whether Southgate's decisions pre-tournament come back to bite him, time will tell. For now, however, he will be content with the crop of players at his disposal.

Worse than Trent & Trippier: England could drop 5/10 star after Serbia

England flattered to deceive in their opening game of Euro 2024, defeating Serbia 1-0.

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 17, 2024

The Herons' stars showed up, but Brad Guzan's heroics kept it close in Friday's postseason clash

The scoreline was close but it probably shouldn't have been as Inter Miami edged Atlanta United 2-1 at home in Game One of this best-of-three series.

If not for Brad Guzan's heroics for Atlanta, Lionel Messi and Miami's stars would have run up the score. Instead, the Supporters' Shield winners had to sweat out their MLS Playoff opener just a bit more than anyone could have really expected.

Messi didn't get on the scoresheet, although he will feel like he should have. The Argentine had to settle for a mere assist, as Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba were the goalscoring heroes in the win for the home side.

Suarez opened the scoring within two minutes, giving the home crowd a signature playoff moment right as the game got going. It began a sustained period of Miami dominance, as the Herons created chance after chance as wave after wave of attacks were thrown at Atlanta United.

Guzan, the Atlanta United goalkeeper, was undoubtedly the Man of the Match, making nine saves to keep Miami at bay. And it looked like he might just succeed, too, as Saba Lobzhanidze's goal just before halftime sent the two sides into the locker room level.

There was no stopping Miami, though, and, in particular, no stopping Alba. The fullback's long-range stunner was the game-winner the Herons needed, sealing a win heading towards Atlanta for Game Two.

This wasn't Miami's best performance, but it was Guzan's. The Herons will feel that they'll be just fine going forward. Game One is behind them as Inter Miami's road to MLS Cup began with a well-deserved win.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium…

• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Drake Callender (5/10):

  Was only tested once by Atlanta, and that was their goal. Unfortunate for him, but also a credit to those in front of him.

  Jordi Alba (9/10):

  Vintage Jordi. An absolutely ridiculous goal from the Barcelona legend, who gave Miami the moment of magic they needed to escape this opener with a win.

  Hector Martinez (8/10):

  Just about perfect. Great on the ball, rock-solid defensively and nearly got a goal of his own. A fantastic game.

  Tomas Aviles (6/10):

  Fell asleep just a little bit on Atlanta's goal. Outside of that, was very, very good.

  Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

  A bunch of running, but not much danger created. Did have a few looks at goal, though.

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• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Federico Redondo (6/10):

  Did well to keep it moving when off the ball, but did lose five of his seven duels when asked to defend. Overall, not too much to complain about, though.

  Sergio Busquets (8/10):

  What do you expect? Completed about 95 percent of his passes and was right there with Alba for most touches of the ball. The perfect metronome, and he added a bit defensively, too.

  Yannick Bright (8/10):

  Overlooked so often. Not tonight. Provided the energy this midfield needed and hardly misplaced a pass. Such an important player for this team, even if he doesn't have the star power of his teammates.

• Apple TV
  

  Attack

  Diego Gomez (7/10):

  A fantastic assist on Suarez's goal as he combined so well with Alba on that left-hand side. Was a little wasteful as the game went on, but he did what he had to do early.

  Luis Suarez (8/10):

  Typical Suarez, in more ways than one. A fantastic finish early and then plenty of mind games as the game went on. The Uruguayan legend is just so, so good at this.

  Lionel Messi (7/10):

  It's almost unfathomable that he didn't score given the amount of chances he had. Credit to Guzan for keeping him out but, even with that, Messi was dangerous all night. He assisted Alba's banger while creating five further chances. Had four shots on target and two more that went close. Not quite at his best, but pretty close.

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  Subs & Manager

  Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):

  Good energy off the bench, and he had a few chances to really put the game away.

  Ian Fray (6/10):

  Heartbreaking. After previously suffering three ACL tears, Fray went down again with another non-contact injury. Everyone involved will be hoping for the best for a player that deserves so much better.

  Noah Allen (N/A):

  Replaced Fray in the final moments after his injury.

  Gerardo Martino (7/10):

  Stuck with his stars and got the win. Will he rotate at all for Game Two, or really try to bury the

Real Madrid stars Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal got special mentions in Carlo Ancelotti's Coach of the Year acceptance statement.

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• Ancelotti mentions Vini in acceptance statement
• Named Coach of the Year at the Ballon d'Or ceremony
• Real Madrid boycotted the awards

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid decided to boycott the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris at the last moment after they found out that Rodri would be handed the Golden Ball instead of their star winger Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian did finish second in the race behind the Manchester City midfielder, however, Ancelotti was named the Coach of the Year for guiding Los Blancos to La Liga and Champions League titles in 2023-24.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Italian coach did not travel to Paris to accept his award in person, but he took to social media to share an acceptance statement. The Real boss thanked his family and the entire club and gave special mentions to Vinicius Jr. and Dani Carvajal. Per One Football, there is a feeling at Los Blancos that both the stars were robbed of the award after grabbing a goal each in the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Carvajal was also an integral part of the Spain side that lifted the European Championship in Germany.

• WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  On X (formerly Twitter), Ancelotti wrote: "I want to thank my Family, my President, my Club, my Players and above all Vini and Carvajal."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  After a major setback in El Clasico last weekend, the reigning Spanish champions will be back in action on Saturday as they take on Valencia away from home.

Aston Villa appear to be on the track toward weaving past Premier League profit and sustainability (PSR) rules, with Douglas Luiz expected to join Juventus.

Homegrown product Tim Iroegbunam is also expected to join Everton for around £10m, with certain other deals being worked toward beneath the surface.

Fears that have been bubbling away over recent months have no doubt been allayed by the exciting news that a deal has been agreed with Chelsea for Ian Maatsen, expected to cost around £35-40m.

Strengthening further is key though, with Unai Emery masterminding a top-four finish that has rolled out the carpet for Champions League football. Signs are positive heading into a crunch period.

Aston Villa transfer news

Luiz's transfer to Juventus has been in the pipeline for some time now but a hitch has arrived in the form of Weston McKennie, one of two players – along with Samuel Iling-Junior – expected to head to Villa Park in a part cash, part player swap deal. The USMNT midfielder, however, now looks unlikely to be involved.

However, according to Fabrizio Romano, Villa are in negotiations to bring Enzo Barrenechea instead, with positive talks between all parties suggesting a deal could be concluded soon.

Romano continues to state that the Argentinian midfielder wants the move, and now it is simply up to Villa to close the deal.

Enzo Barrenechea's style of play

Born in Cordoban-province city Villa Maria (a good omen, perchance?), Barrenechea has been on Juventus' books since signing from Newell Old Boys for €3m (£2m) in the summer of 2019, with the 23-year-old only featuring five times for the senior squad but flourishing out on loan last season.

Frosinone might have been relegated last term – finishing 18th with 35 points, one fewer than 17th-placed Empoli – but Barrenechea successfully showcased his skills and used the experience to announce himself to the major stage.

Analyst Ben Mattinson hailed him as "one of the most intelligent prospects in Italian football", with his notable defensive skills marking him as a top-tier player in the making. As per FBref, the imposing midfielder ranks among the top 14% of positional peers for blocks and the top 17% for aerial duels won per 90.

He's less impressive than Luiz in regard to attacking play but 0.7 key passes per game for a lowly team that scored more goals than nine divisional rivals despite falling speaks of his impact, maintaining a measure of fluency that kept the team competitive.

The 6-foot Juve star would perhaps benefit Villa greatly in that regard. Luiz has already been replaced to a degree by Ross Barkley, who notched nine goal contributions from 30 Premier League starts for Luton Town last season, while the multi-purpose Conor Gallagher remains on the radar, albeit holding his reservations.

Luiz, while combative, tasked with holding the engine room together, proved to be a devastating attacking outlet under Emery's wing, clinching ten goals and adding ten assists in all competitions as Villa qualified for the Champions League.

The 26-year-old, to further evidence this point, ranks among the top 16% of central midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for non-penalty goals and the top 17% for shot-creating actions per 90.

But, moreover and more pertinently, Luiz is a brilliant all-action player, with The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell even describing him as "one of the Premier League's most complete midfielders."

As per Sofascore, the Brazil international completed an average of 1.7 tackles, 5.3 ball recoveries and 4.2 successful duels per game in the English top flight last season. Indeed, the absence of his presence at the anchor of the midfield calls for a player of equal – or perhaps, even, superior – athleticism, calls for Barrenechea.

While the Turin-based talent wasn't Emery nor Monchi's first pick, he may well prove to be a bona fide success at Villa Park, surpassing any impact that McKennie would have made.

McKennie, firstly, is not a holding midfielder. The American has a range of skills but frequented the right flank with regularity during the 2023/24 campaign, with his creative qualities seeing him play in a more advanced position. With the aforementioned Barkley signing and John McGinn and, possibly, Gallagher on the books, is this the best move?

Or is, in fact, it wise to strengthen the defensive department? Not least because Boubacar Kamara is recuperating from a knee injury and will not be available until the latter months of the year.

McKennie, secondly, flattered to deceive during his loan spell at Leeds United across the second half of the 2022/23 term, starting 16 top-flight matches but being branded "terrible" by pundit Gabby Agbonlahor, spiralling into the second tier with Elland Road.

Barrenechea could be that perfect figure, still raw and unrefined but blessed with all the requisite traits for a prosperous Premier League career, even hailed as a “physical specimen” by journalist Antonio Mango.

Villa Park boasts a healthy squad of different talents, but Barrenechea has the skills to cement a starring role and could prove to be a masterful addition in a few years.

What Aston Villa’s starting XI could look like after £105m spending spree

Aston Villa will be looking to build on their momentous 23/24 campaign, having qualified for the Champions League.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 6, 2024

After months of speculation, Leeds United’s worst fears were realised as talisman Raphinha made his long-awaited move to La Liga giants Barcelona, joining the Camp Nou outfit on a reported £55m deal after two years in England.

That departure has brought with it the need to find a suitable replacement, with Arsenal winger Nicolas Pepe believed to be one of those names who could well come through the door to try and fill the void left behind by the outgoing Brazilian.

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Signed from Lille on a mammoth £72m deal in 2019, the Ivorian gem has failed to live up to expectations at the Emirates thus far, having struggled to establish himself as a regular fixture of Mikel Arteta’s side, notably making just five Premier League starts last term.

Despite the obvious disappointment regarding his move to north London – which has culminated in the Gunners reportedly being willing to cash in for as little as £25m this summer – the 27-year-old has no doubt shown glimpses of his talent in recent seasons, with there a sense that he had been deserving of greater game time of late.

The 2020/21 season proved particularly impressive for the France-born speedster as he chipped in with ten top-flight goals, while also providing ten goal contributions in just 13 games in that season’s Europa League run.

The “exciting” talent, as described by teammate Granit Xhaka, possesses a number of special attacking qualities, with one source stating that he is “lightning fast with beautiful technical ability`’.

Perhaps one of his greatest traits is his devastating ability to cut onto his favoured left foot from the right flank before unleashing a shot, with that quality seemingly reminiscent of Dutch legend, Arjen Robben.

That claim is not unfounded, however, with former Lille boss Christophe Galtier even suggesting that the pair possess similar attacking traits, while reports a few years ago suggested that Bayern Munich were interested in Pepe as a like-for-like replacement for the departing veteran.

Now retired after a brief, injury-plagued stint back at Groningen, Robben had enjoyed a hugely successful career at the elite level, turning out for the likes of PSV, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern and seemingly always delivering.

A winner of a plethora of major honours, the 38-year-old was a truly lethal force in his pomp, racking up 209 goals and 165 assists in 613 games in all competitions across his club career, while also scoring 37 times in 96 appearances at international level.

Much of his success came from that innate knack for cutting inside and unleashing an often composed, carefully placed finish, with the 5-foot-11 menace having honed his craft to such an extent that he was simply unstoppable at times, with defenders unable to prevent his genius despite knowing exactly what he intended to do.

Although it’s only been seen in flashes thus far during his time with Arsenal, the belief is that Pepe has the quality in him to produce Robben-like levels of performance, with it perhaps a risk worth taking for sporting director Victor Orta and manager Jesse Marsch to try and land the one-time Angers man.

AND in other news: Victor Orta plotting Leeds bid for “formidable” £19m sensation, he’s “one of the best”

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now fighting a number of clubs in the UEFA Champions League to try and bring Oscar Gloukh to Ibrox.

The Lowdown: Scouts sent

Speaking on the Heart & Hand podcast’s The Transfer Show (via Rangers News) a couple of weeks ago, podcaster and Gers supporter Andy Barnett – who is based in Israel – claimed that scouts from the Gers were ‘looking’ at Gloukh play for Israel’s under-19s in their 4-2 win over Austria last month.

The Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder also played in the European Under-19 Championship final for Israel against England and scored a brilliant opening goal on that occasion.

The Latest: More competition…

As per The Sunday Mirror (via Glasgow Live), Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team now have some added competition when it comes to potentially signing Gloukh.

Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund and Ajax, who will all be playing in the 2022/23 Champions League, as well as Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma, are all thought to be interested in Gloukh, who is valued at around £10m.

The Verdict: Aribo replacement?

After Joe Aribo joined Southampton, Rangers will surely be looking for another attacking midfielder to fill the void left by the Nigeria international.

At just 18 years of age, Glouk is one of the most promising players coming through in world football. Indeed, journalist and podcaster Sam Tighe has even claimed to get a ‘whiff of Ozil’ about the teenager’s creative style, likening him to the 2014 World Cup winner and former German Player of the Year (Transfermarkt).

That is a very big compliment indeed, and respected outlet ESPN (via The Daily Record) go further in their praise, claiming that he is ‘technically brilliant’ and a ‘brilliant dribbler’ with an ‘exquisite touch’, even going as far as to say that he is ‘unplayable’ at times.

Nonetheless, to beat all of the European heavyweights to Gloukh’s signature would be a huge coup for the Teddy Bears.