Wolves already have their next Morgan Gibbs-White lying in wait

One of the most exciting projects in the Premier League at the moment is that of Wolves. Gary O’Neil’s side have been one of the surprise packages in the competition this season, having been tipped by many to get relegated at the start of the campaign.

However, they are currently in 12th, on 46 points, but are just three points behind ninth place West Ham United. In 36 matches so far this season, Wolves have won 13, drawn seven, and lost 16.

O’Neil has turned them into a very tricky side to come up against. At Molineux, they have won eight of their 18 matches, whilst away from home, they have won five times, according to Understat.

They also have some deadly players in transition, who O’Neil has certainly got the best out of. Namely, they are Hwang Hee-chan, who has 12 goals and three assists in the Premier League, Pedro Neto who has scored twice and has nine assists, and Matheus Cunha who has a superb 11 goals and seven assists in the top flight.

Pedro Neto

No doubt, Wolves are one of the deadliest sides in transition, with Cunha and Neto wonderful ball carriers and superb creators, whilst Hwang has superb instinct in the penalty area and is clinical in front of goal.

However, Wolves did previously have another excellent transitional player on their books, who they let go of last season.

Morgan Gibbs-White's season in numbers

The player in question here is Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White. The 24-year-old joined Forest for £42.5m in the summer of 2022, and is a key player at the club, under former Steve Cooper and current manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

It is fair to say there is no love lost between Gibbs-White and the fans of his former side. In a Carabao Cup tie last season, he scored a penalty in a shootout which he celebrated by putting his fingers in his ears right in front of the Wolves fans. This season, he antagonised them further, by repeating his celebration and kissing the Forest badge.

Ironically, Gibbs-White could have been superb under O’Neil, had he stayed at Wolves last season. He has been Forest’s best player this season, having scored five goals and registering eight assists.

Not only that, he has created the most chances, with 15, averages the most key passes per 90 minutes, with two, and completes the third most dribbles per 90 minutes, with 1.2, as per Sofascore.

Morgan Gibbs-White rank among Forest players this season

Stats

Number

Rank

Goals & assists

13

=1st

Chances created per 90

15

1st

Key passes per 90

2

1st

Dribbles per 90

1.2

3rd

Stats from SofaScore

Gibbs-White’s superb carrying ability would have been excellent for Wolves in 2023/24, potentially slotting in perfectly into this current Wolves side, helping them move further up the table.

With that being said, he made his decision to leave in the summer of 2022, before O’Neil’s tenure. Whilst he would have been excellent under the Englishman, they may have someone else coming through into the first team who could be just as good as Gibbs-White.

Luke Cundle's season in numbers

Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle is currently on loan at Stoke City, as well as being at Plymouth Argyle in the first half of the season. He is an exciting academy product who could well break into Gary O’Neil’s first team next season.

He has five goals and seven assists in the Championship this season for both clubs and has certainly impressed on loan so far.

In one particular game for Stoke, a 4-0 victory over Bristol City, Cundle was given a 9/10 rating by Stoke On Trent Live journalist Peter Smith. He explained the Wolves man played with “energy, skill and commitment”, with his “one-touch play and movement” being “integral” to the way the Potters played.

Indeed, Cundle is a very creative force, this season averaging 1.88 key passes per 90 minutes, as per Fbref, which ranks him in the top 10%. This is just slightly less than Gibbs-White’s two key passes per 90 minutes.

Wolves youngster Luke Cundle.

The youngster is highly thought about, with his former manager Rusell Martin at Swansea, a club he was previously on loan at, explaining that he is “a player to be excited about, he is technically gifted, and intelligent."

There is no doubt that, in Cundle, Wolves have an exciting attacking midfielder coming through. He has already played four times in the Premier League, and after a successful 2023/24 season in the Championship – a division Gibbs-White thrived in prior to his Forest move with 12 goals and ten assists for Sheffield United – he could well get another shot in the top flight next season.

Wolves made a bigger mistake than Gibbs-White by selling "incredible" star

Wolves made a big mistake selling a player last summer…

By
Ross Kilvington

Apr 15, 2024

Emery could drop Diaby to unleash Aston Villa’s 6 ft 1 "handful"

Aston Villa have plenty of incentive heading into this evening's clash against Liverpool as a win will guarantee them a place in the Champions League next season.

Along with the riches that come with qualification, Unai Emery will also be able to lure higher quality players to his side during the summer transfer window.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

The Spaniard will be hoping for a much-improved display than what was on offer against Olympiacos last week as the club slumped to a 2-0 defeat.

A couple of players underperformed, most notably Moussa Diaby and his place in the starting XI could be at risk.

Moussa Diaby’s game in numbers vs Olympiacos

The Frenchman started on the left of a four-man midfield, yet really struggled to get going in a match which required a fast start from the visitors.

Not only did the winger fail to register a single shot during the match, but he also created zero big chances and made no key passes while succeeding with just 25% of his dribble attempts.

Moussa Diaby's stats vs Olympiacos

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

29

Total shots

0

Possession lost

11

Via Sofascore

This lack of attacking enthusiasm was combined with a lacklustre approach defensively. Despite being on the pitch for just 58 minutes, Diaby managed to lose possession 11 times while winning just one of his five contested ground duels, showing how easily bullied off the ball he was.

The player to replace Moussa Diaby vs Liverpool

The 24-year-old was replaced by Jhon Duran and perhaps the Colombian deserves a chance in the starting XI against Jürgen Klopp’s men?

The prodigious talent has not exactly enjoyed the most fruitful of seasons, but this has been down to the incredible 27-goal haul from Ollie Watkins.

Emery tends to use the Englishman as a lone striker, resulting in Duran having to settle for a place on the bench.

Against Liverpool however, the Spaniard should opt for a 4-4-2, a formation he has used a few times this term. This could see Diaby dropped to the bench while Duran partners Watkins up top.

The 6 foot 1 “handful” – as so dubbed by Gary Neville in 2023 – has scored six goals in 35 appearances this season, which isn’t exactly prolific.

Factoring in how many starts he has had – nine in all competitions – it doesn’t look as bad, relying on opportunities off the bench, especially in the Premier League.

Despite averaging just 19 minutes per game in the top flight, Duran has netted three goals, succeeded with 40% of his dribble attempts and averaged 0.7 shots per game. Not outstanding stats by any stretch of the imagination, but if he could secure a place in the starting XI more often, they would no doubt increase.

He could certainly be a wildcard option for Emery to use against the Anfield side this evening. With Champions League qualification there for the taking, the Villa players will surely need no further incentive than to go out and win the match.

The Reds have won just two of their previous six Premier League games and this should give Emery plenty of hope heading into the clash.

Lionel Scaloni admits Lionel Messi & Angel Di María are 'irreplaceable' as Argentina boss hints at ushering in 'different' style of play after ex-Real Madrid star's retirement

Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni has admitted Lionel Messi and Angel Di María are "irreplaceable" while hinting at ushering in a "different" style.

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  • Di Maria won second Copa America in the summer
  • Retired from international football on a triumphant note
  • Scaloni will be forced to try a different style

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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Di Maria walked away from the international stage in the summer after inspiring Argentina to their record 16th Copa America title by beating Colombia 1-0 in the final. The former Real Madrid winger was also a key figure at the 2021 Copa America, scoring the winner in the final and went on to get his name on the scoresheet in the 2022 World Cup showpiece as Argentina secured their third global title.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Scaloni hailed Di Maria after the 2024 Copa America final and labelled his performance as "one of the best" in his career. The manager had hoped to convince the winger to rethink his retirement decision with the 2026 World Cup in sight but his efforts were in vain.

  • WHAT SCALONI SAID

    Scaloni admitted that he cannot replace either Messi or Di Maria but will try to play "differently" in the absence of the Benfica star.

    "They are irreplaceable," he stated in an interview with . "They are not players that can be replaced, it is impossible. There is no chance, both Fideo and Leo are unique players.

    "In the case of Fideo, we will not look for a replacement. It would be a mistake to look for a player who can do the same as him, he doesn't exist. It is true that he gave us width both on the right and on the left. We will try to find a player who can provide that width. Then the 1v1, understanding the play and getting out of the galley incredible plays only he had it. I'm not saying that the team should reset itself, but why not play differently because Ángel is not there."

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    WHAT NEXT FOR ARGENTINA?

    It has been suggested that Messi could follow Di Maria into retirement in the near future, though the Inter Miami star has not yet ruled out playing at the 2026 World Cup. Argentina are leading the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying table with 18 points from eight matches. They will be back in action during the October international break against Venezuela and Bolivia.

Aston Villa hit gold on "deadly" ace who’s worth as much as Ronald Araujo

The 2023/24 season has been an incredibly successful time for Aston Villa. Unai Emery’s side achieved their goal of Champions League qualification, securing fourth place ahead of Tottenham Hotspur by two points.

The basis for that was set by Aston Villa’s impressive summer transfer window in 2023 and was spurred on with the addition of Morgan Rogers in January. The Villans spent £97m last summer, according to Sky Sports, with nine teams spending more.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery

The signing of Youri Tielemans from Leicester City on a free transfer was an astute piece of business for Villa to conduct. The Belgian took his time to bed in at Villa Park but soon became a key player under Unai Emery.

Not only that, they brought Emery’s former defender at Villarreal, Pau Torres, into the club from the Spanish outfit. The left-footed centre-back became integral to Emery’s system at Villa and cost an initial £33m.

The addition of Nicolo Zaniolo on loan from Galatasary was a smart piece of business, as was the signing of Rogers from Middlesbrough in January, who took to the Premier League like a duck to water. He cost the Villans up to £16m.

Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers celebrates

However, there was one other summer signing, who could well have proven to be Villa’s best in the summer of 2023.

Moussa Diaby’s stats in 2023/24

The man in question here is French winger Moussa Diaby. He joined Villa last July from Bayer Leverkusen, who won the Bundesliga in remarkable fashion this season, going invincible all campaign.

Villa paid £51.9m to bring Diaby to Villa Park, a deal which smashed the club-record transfer. The previous club-record deal was that of Emiliano Budenia, who signed for Villa for a fee of £38m move from Norwich City in June 2021.

Moussa Diaby

Since moving to England, Diaby has gone from strength to strength under Emery. The Frenchman scored ten goals and registered nine assists in all competitions this season, with 14 of those 19 goal involvements coming in the Premier League.

Indeed, Diaby reunited with his former Leverkusen teammate Leon Bailey this summer when he joined the Villans. The pair played together 51 times for the German side, and have since extended that tally to 84, having now combined for 11 goals, including three for Villa.

Diaby and Bailey joint-goal involvement

Club

Games

Goals

Leverkusen

51

8

Villa

33

3

Total

84

11

Stats from Transfermarkt

That will no doubt have been a duo Villa fans were excited to see in action for their side this season. It was a pair that was previously described by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig as “deadly”, following their 51 combined goals and assists in 2020/21.

Diaby’s market value in 2024

Given his excellent form this season, it may come as little surprise that Diaby’s transfer value has risen greatly. In fact, Diaby is now valued higher than any of his Villa teammates, with only Douglas Luiz as high as him.

Indeed, the 24-year-old is valued at £68m according to CIES Football Observatory, more than the likes of Ollie Watkins, who is worth £51m after a stellar season, and Bailey, who is valued at £42.5m.

Interestingly, Diaby’s value is the same as one of Villa’s primary summer targets, if the rumours are to be believed.

According to reports in Spain, Villa’s manager Emery, and Sporting Director Monchi were in Spain recently to watch Ronald Araujo of Barcelona.

This comes alongside the rumour that “they were interested in the Uruguayan footballer's situation and noted their desire to present a formal transfer proposal”, and now they have secured Champions League football, is a move they could make, according to the report.

This would be a costly deal and would cost tens of millions of pounds. Araujo is valued at £68m by CIES, just as Diaby is. It could well be a transfer that shatters the transfer record they set when buying the Frenchman last summer if it goes through.

Barcelona defenderRonald Araujo.

Regardless, the deal to sign Diaby has proven to be a successful one. He has an impressive amount of goal involvements and has seen a spike in his transfer value which would offer good profit to Villa should they hypothetically decide to sell him.

It is great business from Emery and Monchi, and they will be hoping to build upon that in the Champions League next season.

Aston Villa eye up "extraordinary" signing to partner Barkley

He has Champions League experience

By
Joe Nuttall

May 22, 2024

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso praises USMNT star Christian Pulisic ahead of AC Milan's UCL match with Bundesliga champions

The Leverkusen manager is preparing for Pulisic ahead of Milan's UCL clash with the German side

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  • Milan to play with Leverkusen Tuesday
  • Xabi Alonso praises Pulisic ahead of match
  • American in fine form with Milan
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Christian Pulisic's sensational form of scoring in five-straight games for club and country has Xabi Alonso preparing for the American – and those around him – ahead of his side's clash with the USMNT star on Tuesday.

    On Matchday 2 of the UEFA Champions League campaign, AC Milan travel to Germany to take on reigning Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen, and Alonso has high praise for Pulisic.

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    WHAT ALONSO SAID

    “He’s in very good form, he’s an important player for Milan because he has a huge impact on the team," Alonso said of Pulisic. "He gets between the lines, he’s fast, but I can’t just focus on him, I’m also thinking about people like [Rafael] Leão or [Álvaro] Morata.”

    “We will have to be focused throughout the match," Alonso added. "We don’t want to let them dominate the game, they are good at counterattacking. In the last match they scored three goals in five minutes… That’s Milan, with all their great players. They have speed and quality, for us it will be a great match but in the Champions League all the opponents are of a great level.”

  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Pulisic is the lone member of the to bag a goal in the UCL this season, and his shooting boots have carried over since. Their leading scorer so far this campaign, Paulo Fonseca has turned the American into an integral part of his attack in both an attacking midfield and winger role.

    In total, he has five goals and two assists in just seven games for Milan across all competitions so far this season.

    In the 2023-24 edition of the UCL, Pulisic scored one goal and recorded one assist during the 's entire campaign. With a strike already checked off his list, he'll look to add on to it Tuesday while surpassing last year's totals.

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    WHAT NEXT FOR PULISIC?

    Tuesday's match kicks off at 3 p.m. ET, with Pulisic and Milan searching for their first victory of the UCL campaign after a disappointing showing in a 3-1 loss to Liverpool on Sept. 17.

    Pulisic, meanwhile, will be looking to make it six-straight games with a goal for both club and country when he takes the pitch against the reigning Bundesliga champions.

Argentina offer mixed injury updates on Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has provided an update on Lionel Messi and Alexis Mac Allister's fitness ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifiers.

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  • Duo in squad for World Cup qualifiers
  • Messi has returned from ankle injury
  • Argentina lead qualification standings
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Messi hasn't played for his country since injuring his ankle in the Copa America final win over Colombia in July. That injury led to a three-month layoff, from which he returned to action with a bang, and he's now set to wear his country's colours again in Argentina's upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia. However, Alexis Mac Allister is a doubt after sustaining a problem against Crystal Palace.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Even at 37, Messi remains Argentina's most important player, and his absence was felt in their most recent match – a 2-1 loss to Colombia last month that cut their lead at the top of the 2026 World Cup qualifying standings to just two points. While there's no concern about missing out on the tournament in North America, Messi's return for the upcoming fixtures is a major boost for the Albiceleste.

  • WHAT SCALONI SAID

    "Leo is fine," Scaloni said at a press conference. "He played several games before coming here. That's what he needed. He is fit and will be part of the team."

    Scaloni also spoke about Alexis Mac Allister: "He is training separately. We'll see if he makes it to the first game. For now, he hasn't been able to join us, and, well, we'll make the decision if he's part of the squad or on the bench or if he plays on Thursday. But it's difficult for him to make it today. I think we have to take care of him. He's a guy who has a lot of games under his belt and that's the situation today. We hope we don't lose any more players because the situation can change later."

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  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Messi hasn't missed a beat since returning to action with Inter Miami last month, scoring five goals in six appearances and earning a nomination for the MLS MVP award.

Birmingham could hire Mowbray successor who’s perfect for James

The new owners at Birmingham City, SCL, could well decide one statement appointment hasn't quite been enough during their bumpy tenure to date, hopeful that lightning won't strike twice and their next managerial choice will not backfire like Wayne Rooney's.

Only mustering up two wins in the Blues hot-seat from a dire 15 games in charge, Tom Wagner and Co could now look to appoint one of Rooney's trusted England international teammates to further put Birmingham on the footballing map, even with the West Midlands club now lingering in League One for the first time in 29 years.

This appointment could well work wonders on the pitch besides from just grabbing headlines over being a notorious name, with Jordan James licking his lips at the prospect of working under said manager's guidance, as opposed to walking away in the summer in the aftermath of relegation.

Birmingham interested in former midfield great

It was revealed that former Chelsea midfield great Frank Lampard was in the running for the Birmingham job when being spoken of on an episode of the Keep Right On podcast, with one of the hosts Alex Dicken – who is also a journalist for BirminghamLive – stating that he would be a "credible candidate" to take on the reins after Mowbray.

This would be a departure from talk focusing on Alex Neil being the major frontrunner, with the Blues eyeing up another coup appointment based on the manager in question's playing days, alongside the fact Lampard has also been successful in the past with Derby County in the EFL.

The bold appointment of the 45-year-old would also be music to the ears of the youngsters attempting to cut their teeth at St. Andrew's, with Lampard a similar style of player for Chelsea as James is now for Birmingham, alongside the fact his Rams side was brimming with top young talents who have since gone on to star further up the football food chain.

Why Lampard would be great for Birmingham

Away from talk of his "disaster" second spell at Stamford Bridge – as it was described by football writer Casey Evans – Lampard would be perfect for the aforementioned 19-year-old.

James took the Championship by storm last season, even during his side's dreadful demise down to League One, with eight goals managed from 47 appearances to be a constant bright spark when the mood was gloomy otherwise.

James vs Lampard & Jude Bellingham's first full seasons

Stat

James (23/24)

Lampard

Bellingham

Games played

47

31

44

Goals scored

8

5

4

Assists

0

1

2

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Beating both Lampard and Bellingham's numbers from their first breakout campaigns for both West Ham United and the Blues, the world really is James' oyster, but he might not want to instantly throw himself into the limelight like Bellingham with a big move if Lampard rocks up to St. Andrew's to tutor him further.

Reportedly eyed up by the likes of Lampard's former Hammers, and even from far-away Atalanta, James will also look and see what the ex-Derby manager did for Mason Mount in such a short span of time at Pride Park as further grounds to stay rooted at his boyhood employers.

Mount excelled as an attack-minded midfielder in the Rams side constructed by Lampard, that would eventually shock Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United all the way to a Championship play-off final, scoring 11 times from 44 games, including this hat-trick against Bolton Wanderers.

Going on to flop at Manchester United – scoring just once all term – Mount hasn't quite ever gone on to reach the heights expected of him after bursting onto the scene in Derbyshire, but James will just hope he can set League One alight in a similar fashion to what the current Red Devil managed in the second-tier.

Birmingham midfielder Jordan James.

As much as Lampard's reputation as a manager has taken a bruising, he could get his tainted career as a boss back on track at St. Andrew's, especially if he wins promotion at the first time of asking.

SCL could hire "brilliant" Mowbray successor who's beaten Birmingham twice

Birmingham City’s owners could show how ambitious they are with this Tony Mowbray successor coming in.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 2, 2024

Rangers can repeat Cantwell masterclass by signing "clinical" target

Glasgow Rangers suffered massively under the management of Michael Beale, but the Englishman certainly did make a few decent signings.

Todd Cantwell, Jack Butland and Dujon Sterling were all signed by the Englishman and have enjoyed success in Glasgow.

Jack Butland

Could Philippe Clement repeat Rangers’ Cantwell masterclass by signing another talent from the English Championship this summer?

Rangers eyeing up move for Scottish striker

According to the Daily Record, the Light Blues are looking at making a potential swoop for Bristol City striker Tommy Conway in a bid to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season.

The Scot was recently called up by Steve Clarke to the Scotland squad for Euro 2024, replacing Lyndon Dykes, and a solid showing at the tournament could get tongues wagging.

Tommy Conway for Bristol City.

With one year left on his current deal, the Gers could land the striker on a pre-contract agreement in January or spend £300k if he runs his contract down at the Championship side.

It is clear reinforcements are needed to strengthen the attack this summer and the Bristol Post claims that the Robins could be open to offers for the player.

Tommy Conway could be Cantwell 2.0 at Rangers

Cantwell also joined Rangers from the second tier in England after leaving Norwich City and has made quite an impression in Glasgow over the previous 18 months.

Todd Cantwell's stats last season for Rangers

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

7

1

Assists

5

0

Big chances created

7

0

Key passes per game

1.7

0.5

Successful dribbles per game

1.2

2.3

Via Sofascore

The Englishman has made 64 appearances for the club, scoring 14 goals while registering 12 assists in that time, showcasing his creative talents regularly during his role as an attacking midfielder.

Conway, meanwhile, has shone for Bristol City since making his debut during the 2020/21 campaign. Since then, the striker has scored 25 goals in 92 appearances, enjoying a breakthrough season in 2022/23, and he has gone from strength to strength since.

Among his teammates, the 21-year-old ranked first in the squad for goals and assists (11) along with ranking first for shots on target per game (0.7) and second for penalties won (1), indicating how clinical he has been in the final third.

Tommy Conway celebrates for Bristol City.

Statman Dave has lauded the 6 foot 1 youngster as being “clinical” during a stunning FA Cup display against West Ham United in January, while his former manager Nigel Pearson compared him to Jamie Vardy previously.

Signing Conway would give Clement another option to utilise as opposed to relying on Cyriel Dessers all the time, and he surely won't be the only arrival in that department this summer.

If Rangers want to beat Celtic to the Premiership title next term, they will have to make sure they end the season having scored more goals than their rivals.

Across the previous three campaigns, the Ibrox side have scored 260 league goals compared to 301 by Celtic, which is a big difference.

Bad news for Dessers: Rangers plotting bid for Scotland international

The Light Blues are reportedly interested in signing the Scottish centre-forward.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 13, 2024

Conway may not be the finished article yet, but his potential is clearly high, which could see him shine for the Glasgow side.

Clement is targeting players from different markets, but sometimes signing a player closer to home is the best course of action.

Erling Haaland surpasses Neymar & matches Didier Drogba with two more Champions League goals in Man City rout of Sparta Prague

Erling Haaland surpassed Neymar and matched Didier Drogba in the Champions League goalscoring ranks as he struck twice against Sparta Prague.

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  • Haaland scored two excellent goals
  • One a remarkably athletic finish
  • Matches Drogba and surpasses Neymar
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Haaland scored twice as City thumped Sparta Prague 5-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday evening. One of those goals was a ridiculous back-heel volley, leaving fans stunned. It means that, at the age of 24, he has scored 44 Champions League goals, the same number as Didier Drogba and more than the likes of Neymar and Alessandro Del Piero.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    Haaland has some way to go to match the top scorer in Champions League history: Cristiano Ronaldo. The Al-Nassr star netted 141 goals in the competition, and the only other player to crack 100 is Lionel Messi, who scored 129. Robert Lewandowski now has 97 goals after scoring for Barcelona in their 4-1 thumping of Bayern Munich.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Haaland has scored his 44 Champions League goals in just 42 games. Of course, he has already won the competition, playing a key role in City's historic treble in 2022-23.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    City face Southampton this weekend before facing Tottenham in a Carabao Cup fixture. Their next European game comes against Sporting CP on November 5.

Man Utd lead race to sign £50m Branthwaite upgrade

As always, Manchester United have been linked with numerous players already this summer as Sir Jim Ratcliffe looks to transform the club.

However, the most concrete name to have been mentioned is Jarrad Branthwaite, who currently plays for Everton.

The English defender is valued extremely highly and unless the Toffees' valuation drops, a move is unlikely.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a United centre-back target who could be just as good as Branthwaite.

Man Utd want to sign a centre-back

As per a report from TEAMtalk, Man Utd are interested in signing Marc Guehi of Crystal Palace.

It’s said that United are currently ‘front of the queue’ to sign him due to the fact that Aaron Wan-Bissaka could go the other way as part of a swap deal.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

A fee in excess of £50m will be required, but that number will come down in the event that the former Eagle is included in any deal.

Luckily for the Red Devils, it’s mentioned that Guehi is open to the move as he looks to progress his career.

How Guehi compares to Branthwaite

Ever since moving to Palace in 2021, Guehi has cemented himself as one of the most reliable centre half’s in the entire Premier League.

Last season, the England international featured 25 times for the Eagles, but a knee injury in February disrupted the second half of his campaign.

Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi.

The former Chelsea man missed 88 days and 13 games in total, but he recovered just in time for the end of the season and, most importantly, for the Three Lions’ European Championship camp.

Thankfully, Guehi was able to impress Gareth Southgate and was included in the final selection, and due to the absence of Harry Maguire, the number six started alongside John Stones in their 1-0 opening victory over Serbia.

Guehi vs Branthwaite

Stat

Guehi v Serbia

Guehi PL

Branthwaite PL

Touches

60

61.6

52.2

Passes completed

51

45.3

31.4

Possession lost

3

7.4

8.7

Pass accuracy

96%

87%

80%

Clearances

2

3.5

4.5

Dribbled past

0

0.4

0.5

Tackles

1

1.1

1.9

Duels won

2

3.6

5.3

Via Sofascore. PL stats = per game.

Stepping up to play on the biggest stage was absolutely no problem for the defender, even becoming a hero for his exceptional performance, which earned him a 7/10 rating from FFC.

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

The defender was composed throughout, playing a key role in buildup, rarely losing possession, and remaining solid at the heart of the England backline.

This gives a huge indication that he’s more than ready to play for a Champions League-level club week in, week out, but as you can see from his averages in the Premier League, his quality is nothing new.

Marc Guehi for England

What you can also see from his overall statistics is that he’s just as good as Branthwaite, particularly in possession.

Their defensive approach is slightly different, with Guehi often only making challenges when necessary, and the environment he plays in will have an impact on the stats.

Furthermore, considering whoever United sign will play alongside Lisandro Martinez, Guehi may prove to be a better fit, due to the fact that he’s a right-footed centre-back, unlike Branthwaite.

On top of that, it’s crazy to think that Guehi is only 23 years old, especially due to his maturity and leadership qualities that he shows while wearing the armband at Selhurst Park.

Overall, the two Englishmen are fantastic, and not much separates them at all, but given that Guehi would be a cheaper option and he’ll likely continue to shine for England, he could prove to be a better option.

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Marcus Rashford doesn’t make the best eleven.

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By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

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