All posts by z3u9t.icu

Everything now appears to feel settled at the King Power Stadium this summer, with the shock of Enzo Maresca's exit to Chelsea disorienting those with Leicester City connections momentarily.

Now, everyone associated with the newly promoted Foxes will hope Steve Cooper can be a success from the dug-out, with his first task – at a minimum – centring in on him attempting to keep his new side up in the Premier League.

The Welshman will find achieving this almighty task easier if he is given more freedom in the transfer market to come, with ambitious moves for the likes of Juventus starlet Matias Soule rumoured to be in the pipeline.

Yet, it already looks as if Leicester have other targets in mind in case they can't tempt the South American attacker to join the King Power ranks.

Leicester eyeing up Matias Soule alternative

As per an exclusive report by SportItalia, Leicester are very much interested in trying to snap up Alexis Saelemaekers this summer, who starred out on loan last season in Serie A with Thiago Motta's Bologna.

Other reports suggest that the Foxes could win the services of the Belgian winger for a fee in the region of £10m-£12.5m, which is far less than the eye-watering £30m+ price tag put above Soule's head at this moment in time.

The AC Milan attacker is also being watched by Cooper's ex-employers in Nottingham Forest, as the new Foxes boss prepares to go to battle with his former club over a new buy to bolster the top-flight club in the middle of the park.

Already strengthening with the likes of Michael Golding joining from Chelsea centrally, more cover down the wings is clearly an area that is now a priority position to improve in, even with Abdul Fatawu finally confirming his move back to the East Midlands recently.

Saelemaekers could be their desired target, therefore, as his current employers attempt to get him off their books as soon as possible, amidst all this frenzied interest.

What Saelemaekers can offer Leicester

The 12-time Belgium international will go down as an underwhelming buy from the perspective of the Italian giants you imagine, even if he is sold on to recoup some of their money back, with an unsatisfactory 24 goal contributions coming his way from 140 contests.

Saelemaekers did impress last season with Bologna, however, where he picked up four goals and three assists from 32 games, playing predominantly down the Serie A outfit's left flank.

Position played

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

RW

94

8

12

RM

64

2

8

LW

42

6

6

RB

14

0

1

LM

6

0

0

AM

4

0

0

SS

1

0

0

CF

1

0

0

LB

1

0

0

Across his varied career to date, which has seen him play for the likes of Anderlecht in his native Belgium alongside playing in Italy, Saelemaekers has garnered a reputation for being a flexible and versatile talent, as can be seen clearly when looking at the table above.

Cooper would love to have the in-demand 25-year-old at his disposal ahead of a challenging season to come, therefore, knowing that he could have selection issues all over the pitch when crunch games begin showing up on the intense fixture schedule.

Even described as being an "elite" footballer when at his peak for Milan – before he fell down the pecking order at the San Siro – by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he could play a key role next campaign for his new side in attempting to keeping them around in the Premier League.

A more shrewd purchase than Soule, that won't completely dent the Foxes' bank account, alongside offering more flexibility than the Argentine forward, Saelemaekers could prove to be a very smart purchase addition by Leicester if pulled off.

Leicester plot a move for £40,000-p/w ace who Mourinho called "phenomenal"

The Foxes are on the hunt for a proven Premier League talent.

ByTom Coates Jul 17, 2024

Arsenal are working hard to stop an "in-demand" Gunners gem from leaving, as European heavyweights Bayern Munich push to steal him.

Players who could be sold by Arsenal this summer

So far, in terms of Arsenal exits, both Mohamed Elneny and defender Cedric Soares departed upon the expiry of their contracts late last month – with a few more players following them since then.

Real Madrid man's entourage urge him to leave as Arsenal make offer for him

He’s being told to depart the Galacticos.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 17, 2024

Young striker Mika Biereth re-joined Austrian side Sturm Graz in a £4 million permanent deal last week, while both midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga and left-back Nuno Tavares moved elsewhere on loan.

Lokonga put pen to paper on a season-long stint at Sevilla, while Tavares signed a five-year contract at Lazio despite only joining on an initial temporary deal. The agreement includes a mandatory £7.5 million buyout clause, meaning the Portuguese will inevitably depart for good.

Many more squad members have been tipped to follow the likes of Lokonga and Tavares out of the Arsenal exit door, including some pretty big names. Emile Smith Rowe, Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale, Reiss Nelson, Gabriel Jesus and Kieran Tierney are other players who Arsenal could still sell this summer, according to various reports.

One man they're very keen to keep hold of, though, is highly-rated starlet Chido Obi-Martin.

Arsenal working hard to keep Obi-Martin as Bayern push

The 16-year-old has been in absolutely scintillating form at academy level, scoring 32 goals in just 18 league appearances for Arsenal's Under-18s last season.

His stellar performances have attracted attention from Europe's elite. Bayern Munich are pushing to sign Obi-Martin from Arsenal, but the Gunners are working hard and determined to keep him at the Emirates with a first professional contract the moment he turns 17.

That is according to journalist Charles Watts, who shared an update on Obi-Martin's future for CaughtOffside.

“Arsenal are working hard to try and keep Chido Obi Martin at the club,” Watts said.

“We’ve seen strong links to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund this summer, and it’s no secret that both German clubs are pushing to lure Arsenal’s bright young talent away after his exceptionally prolific form at youth level.

“But Arsenal remain in talks with Obi Martin’s camp and as far as I’m aware nothing has been decided yet when it comes to the striker’s future. Arsenal do not want to lose him and they have made that clear during recent talks. A first professional contract is on the table that could be signed the moment he turns 17.

“But he is not 17 until December and so Arsenal remain vulnerable to the in-demand striker leaving before then. They are hoping, however, that all the groundwork that has been done over the last few months will prove successful and he will stay and continue his development in North London.”

With over a month still to go in the summer transfer window, West Ham United supporters must be pretty happy with their outfit's ambition, having provided new head coach Julen Loeptegui with the tools to succeed.

Yet to part with any of last season's first-team regulars, West Ham have signed talented Brazilian winger Luis Guilherme, 18, from Palmeiras and have strengthened at the back with Max Kilman, who played under Lopetegui at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Uncertainty around Lucas Paqueta's future continues to rumble, while a host of players may yet be sold, but there's one star who simply has to be plying his trade at the London Stadium come September – after all, he's so valuable, he's worth more than two prospective Irons signings combined.

West Ham's transfer plans

West Ham aren't resting on their laurels, having addressed two key points of concern already this summer. Indeed, as per Fabrizio Romano, the east Londoners are circling in on signing Jhon Duran from Aston Villa after protracted negotiations.

But moreover, as Sky Sports' Florian Plettenberg reports, the long-standing pursuit of a right-back appears to be coming to a head, with an agreement reached with Bayern Munich for the transfer of Noussair Mazraoui in a deal rising to €20m (£17m).

If technical director Tim Steidten is able to get said transfers over the line, this would be a bona fide success for a United side solely focussing on the domestic front next year, with both players more than capable of cementing starring spots in the first team.

Altogether, the signings will come in at around £60m, with Mazraoui's fee rising to £20m and the package involving Lewis Orford heading to Villa Park totalling £40m all told – which is a significant outlay for a side that has already spent big on Guilherme and Kilman.

Another sale or two might be necessary, but it certainly mustn't be Mohammed Kudus, who is still being linked with a move to Liverpool.

Why Mohammed Kudus must not be sold

Kudus has only been with West Ham for one year, joining from Ajax for £38m last year, but he's definitely left his mark on English and European football since the move, with his deadly attacking skills and electrifying ball-carrying ability earning him plenty of acclaim.

With 14 goals and six assists to show for his maiden campaign in England, Kudus is rightly the most valuable player in the West Ham squad, with his current market value, in Steidten's eyes, surpassing that of Duran and Mazraoui combined by a significant amount.

He's a marvellous player, one of the very best dribblers in the business, even described as a "generational talent" by journalist Gary Al-Smith, and he's ranked among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90 too, as per FBref.

1.

Mohammed Kudus

West Ham United

124

2.

Savinho

Girona

102

3.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Napoli

96

4.

Leroy Sane

Bayern Munich

93

5.

Matias Soule

Frosinone

90

If a team like Liverpool does wish to sign him, they would have to pay an astronomical fee. Claret & Hugh claim to have recently spoken with a high-ranking Hammers official, who has flat-out rejected any notion that the Ghana international will be sold.

In the infinitesimal chance that Kudus does indeed leave this summer, it would require a record fee surpassing the £105m that Arsenal paid to secure Declan Rice's services one year ago.

Kudus is a brilliant player, one of West Ham's finest wingers in a long time. A raw, athletic bundle of brilliance, he would cost an arm and a leg to pull away from the club, easily worth more than Duran and Mazraoui combined.

Imagine him & Kilman: West Ham very keen on "exciting" defender

West Ham looking for perfect Kilman partner

ByConnor Holden Jul 24, 2024

Leeds United supporters will hope that their side hits the ground running from minute one of this new Championship season, with newly promoted Portsmouth first up on the bumper fixture list.

Of course, last campaign saw the Whites go winless across their first three games before clicking into gear, as Daniel Farke prays that a comfortable win comes his side's way after the opening clash is over and done with at Elland Road, instead of another rude awakening.

The German boss will also hope he can sign a couple more new talents between now and the end of the month to help keep his team near the top of the competitive league too, regardless of any more departures taking place.

Leeds eyeing up loan swoop

As per a report by Football Insider, Liverpool are now willing to allow 19-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark to leave Anfield on a loan deal this summer, with Leeds previously being credited as an interested party in the Reds youth player.

Norwich City are also reportedly keen on adding Clark to their Championship squad ahead of another challenging second-tier season kicking off, alongside Red Bull Salzburg, but Farke will hope he can get one over on his former side and any other suitors in his club's pursuit of the loan target.

Clark would be able to offer the Whites another body in the middle of the park if signed, which could prove to be useful with no Glen Kamara around anymore in the Elland Road camp.

What Clark could offer Leeds

His versatility to play in a number of different positions in the middle makes his game feel somewhat reminiscent of the now departed Archie Gray, who is amazingly one year younger than the Reds number 42, but is now lining up for Tottenham Hotspur as a major £30m buy.

Clark could come on leaps and bounds in and around the ranks at Leeds next season, having shown signs of his quality last season when thrown in at the deep-end by Jurgen Klopp, with this goal in the Europa League his first professional strike for the top-flight giants.

The now ex-Liverpool boss would go as far as to describe the up-and-coming teenager as "exceptional" off the back of that strike against Sparta Prague, with a formative loan move away from the comforts of his current employers now firmly on the agenda.

CM

52

6

10

LM

18

8

3

AM

3

0

0

DM

3

1

1

LW

3

3

0

RW

1

0

0

RM

1

0

0

Clark could soon become Farke's next Gray when you glance at the number of positions he's able to play in, with the temptation to even give him a run-out down the left flank for the Whites if he is signed, to weigh up the options here away from Crysencio Summerville.

Although, it's abundantly clear from the table above that he would shine in the centre of the park if called into action here too, with eight goals and ten assists managed from 52 Liverpool clashes in this spot, when predominantly playing in the youth teams. As a result, this could lead to Leeds' chase of FC Koln midfielder Dejan Ljubicic going cold.

Clark would be able to enter the building on a loan deal, which would enable Leeds to splash their cash elsewhere away from adding more midfielders to their ever-growing group.

On the contrary, his Austrian counterpart would reportedly cost an eye-watering £6.8m to prise away, with Ljubicic also failing to set the Bundesliga alight last campaign with zero goals from 26 clashes, as Koln suffered relegation.

Therefore, if Farke wants an injection of youth to come in and offer great depth like Gray used to, signing Clark during this transfer window feels like the best possible move he can make.

Forget about Rowe: Leeds could make move to sign "remarkable" PL winger

The Whites could decide to swoop for the talented youngster this summer.

ByDan Emery Aug 8, 2024

With Nottingham Forest’s new campaign getting underway later on today, Nuno Espírito Santo will be looking to build on the impressive end to last season that saw the Reds win two of their last three outings.

The former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss has already bolstered his side with various additions across the board, with winger Ramon Sosa the latest to arrive on Trentside after the club completed a deal for his services on Friday night.

The deal with Argentinian side Tallares will see the Reds pay an initial £10m plus a 15% sell-on fee for his services, with Sosa penning a five-year deal at the City Ground.

Sosa will provide added firepower in wide areas, whilst also challenging the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga for a starting role on Trentside.

He could potentially form a deadly partnership with one player who has also been on the club’s radar over the last couple of weeks.

Nottingham Forest could land £35m talent this summer

In an attempt to avoid a battle with relegation this season, owner Evangelos Marinakis has once again splashed the cash to allow his club to compete in the Premier League.

The Reds have already spent around £57m on additions, with Porto forward Galeno potentially the next in line for a move to the club.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed earlier this month that Forest had an approach rejected for the Brazilian, with the Portuguese side demanding €40m (£35m) to part ways with the 26-year-old.

He’s already hit the ground running in 2024/25, scoring in the first league outing of the season against Gil Vincente alongside a double in the Portuguese Super Cup final against Sporting CP.

However, it’s his stats from the previous campaign that caught the eye, ranking similarly to one star who’s taken the Premier League by storm in recent times.

Why Galeno could be Forest’s own Foden

Manchester City forward Phil Foden has been a crucial part of Pep Guardiola’s side in recent years, being a pivotal part of the squad that made it four Premier League titles in five years after their triumph last season.

The 24-year-old registered 27 goal contributions in his 35 league appearances – finishing behind Erling Haaland as the club’s top scorer.

He’s also excelled in Europe for City, helping them win their maiden Champions League trophy, with his displays in the competition in 2023/24 seeing him noted as a similar player to Galeno, as per FBref.

The “imperious” Brazilian, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, matched the Englishman for combined goals and assists, whilst averaging more progressive carries – showcasing his ability to take the ball into attacking areas before finding a teammate or the back of the net.

Games played

7

8

Goals + assists

9

9

Goal per shot taken

0.31

0.15

Progressive carries

3.5

3

Shot-on-target accuracy

69%

36%

Take-ons attempted

3.9

2.1

He also attempted more take-ons and averaged a higher goal-per-shot rate than Foden, handing Forest that added attacking edge that Nuno and Marinakis have been searching for this summer.

The Reds were too wasteful in the final third last season, missing 51 big chances – with the club desperately trying to rectify such a record ahead of the new campaign.

Whilst he would be an expensive addition, the playmaker would provide the added goal threat the club have been looking for, while also handing the likes of Sosa – who scored seven goals in 203/24 – more frequent chances to increase their own goalscoring records.

This campaign is the club’s third successive season in the Premier League after a 23-year absence, with Galeno potentially linking up with Sosa and providing more quality in attacking areas that would hugely increase Forest's chance of securing survival once more in 2024/25.

After Sosa: Nottingham Forest's £30m target can make Danilo unplayable

The Reds are aiming to improve their forward line this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2024

Celtic have made a bid worth more than £6m to sign a new midfielder who has already said yes to a Parkhead move.

Rodgers urges Celtic to splash the cash after selling O’Riley

The Hoops are set to be in for a frantic end to the transfer window, with Matt O’Riley’s big-money move to Brighton & Hove Albion finally going through. Brendan Rodgers’ side have made a perfect start to the Scottish Premiership campaign and are looking to add to their four signings so far – Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Viljami Sinisalo and Kasper Schmeichel.

Alongside Engels: Celtic can ease O'Riley blow by signing "remarkable" gem

The Hoops have been linked with an interest in the young attacker this month.

ByDan Emery Aug 27, 2024

With money seemingly there to spend after cashing in on O’Riley, Rodgers appeared to urge the club to splash the cash in the final days of the market.

“We can't be happy just to make our money and build our pot because the bottom line is on the pitch. That's the bottom line. The supporters, they pay the money. I look back to the Covid times here, the Celtic supporters sold the stadium out and they weren't allowed in it.

“So we have the duty to put the best team on the pitch. That's what we'll do and look to do. It's taken a bit longer than I would have liked. But if we can do it by Friday, strengthen the squad, we'll be in a really, really good place.

“The team is in a good place, mentally, tactically, how they're playing. But we want to strengthen and have that depth. It's taken a lot longer than I would have liked as the football manager. That's my brutally honest answer on it. But I will repeat this. If we get them in, then there's still a long season ahead. So it's important that we do get that. And I have belief that we will do.”

Now, it looks like they are willing to do just that.

Celtic make £6.5m bid for Arne Engels – Sky Sports

Celtic have been pushing to sign FC Augsburg midfielder Arne Engels and according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, the two parties have already agreed on personal terms ahead of a move to Glasgow.

Now, according to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, a £6.5m offer has been made to Augsburg for Engels, although Plettenberg recently claimed he is valued at up to £10m.

The 20-year-old has picked up 30 caps for Belgium's youth sides across four different age groups and appears to be going from strength to strength at Augsburg, with his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing to a career-high €9m in May.

Engels would offer Rodgers and Celtic a versatile option as, despite being a central midfielder primarily, can also turn out as a right midfielder or as a right-back, and by the looks of things, he could be on his way to Scotland before the deadline.

Arsenal kickstarted their Premier League campaign in brilliant fashion this season and appear to have simply picked up where they left off last year.

Mikel Arteta's side calmly dispatched Wolverhampton Wanderers at home in their opening game, and they managed to right the wrongs of last season by coming away from Villa Park with all three points over the weekend.

The North Londoners' attacking stars have been in fine form as well, with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka picking up a goal and an assist in the first game, while the Englishman also provided an assist for Thomas Partey's goal against the Villans.

However, despite starting both matches, Gabriel Martinelli still looks way off the incredible form he showed two seasons ago, and if he doesn't improve soon, he's in real danger of permanently losing his place in the lineup to Leandro Trossard.

The good news for the Brazilian is that the club have been linked with a last-minute move for an incredible goalscorer who could revive his form and get him back to his very best.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal have reignited their interest in Brentford star Ivan Toney.

The report claims that after waiting in the wings and agreeing on the sale of Eddie Nketiah, the Gunners are now planning to make a 'shock late move' for the talented striker.

A potential price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this week revealed that the Englishman may end up leaving the Bees for around £40m due to how late in the window it is, although there is a chance that this new interest from the North Londoners could cause a short bidding war with Chelsea and Al-Ahli.

While it could be costly, bringing Toney to the Emirates would be an excellent idea. At his best, the 28-year-old is one of the best strikers in the league, and he could even help players like Martinelli get back to his best.

Why Toney could revive Martinelli

So, to get straight to the point, there is one primary reason that Toney could help Martinelli get back to his electrifying best at Arsenal: his output.

If you discard last season due to the Brentford ace missing most of it through his betting-related football ban, he is undeniably one of the best goalscorers in the entire Premier League.

For example, in his first top-flight campaign following promotion with the club, he scored 12 goals and provided five assists in just 33 league appearances. Then, in his second season, he exploded, scoring 20 goals and providing four assists in just 33 league appearances.

Appearances

33

33

17

Goals

12

20

4

Assists

5

4

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

0.72

0.35

That means that in his first two Premier League seasons with the Bees, the "unplayable" centre-forward, as dubbed by Alan Shearer, averaged a goal involvement every 1.94 and 1.37 games, respectively.

Just imagine a marksman as clinical as this playing alongside the Gunners' number 11. He'd see so many more of his chances end up in the back of the net, and we can be confident in that as, according to Understat, he underperformed his expected assist in the league last season by 1.32 and by a massive 4.35 the season prior, meaning he has no problem in creating opportunities.

Moreover, if the Brazilian saw his assist tally improving with the former Newcastle United ace in the team, his confidence would naturally improve as well, and that can only do him good in the long run.

Ultimately, Arsenal are running out of time to improve their attack this summer, and while some may see Toney as a panic buy, he is an incredibly talented striker who should bring a mountain of goals with him to North London, which should, in turn, help Martinelli get back to his best. Therefore, Edu and Co should do what they can to get this deal over the line before someone else does.

Shock move: Report claims Arsenal want £73m dream Havertz rival

It would be a seismic transfer.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 28, 2024

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign a high-profile player who is demanding huge wages after his representatives reached out directly to the north London side, according to reports.

Arsenal face squad depth issues early in the season

Despite a summer in which the club spent almost £100m, there are already early season problems for Mikel Arteta to navigate as they look to land their first Premier League title in 20 years. They return after the international break with a trip to north London rivals Tottenham, which promises to be a tough game for the Gunners, and it will be made even harder by absences.

New signing Mikel Merino injured his shoulder in his first training session thanks to a collision with Gabriel, which is set to sideline him for at least another six weeks. He watched his side from the stands with his arm in a sling against Brighton. The draw with the Seagulls was costly too, with Declan Rice now suspended for the north London derby courtesy of his controversial second yellow card early in the second half.

There is also concern over Martin Odegaard, who Norway boss Stale Solbakken revealed picked up "another bang" on international duty, though Odegaard later insisted he was fine.

It means that as it stands, Jorginho and Thomas Partey will be playing in midfield against Tottenham, which will be a concern for Arsenal fans given their ages (31 and 32 years old respectively) and the duos relative lack of athleticism, which has been showcased on several occasions across the past 12 months.

With Merino sidelined long term, Arteta will undoubtedly be looking for short term solutions to the problem, and now he may have just been offered one.

Free agent offers himself to Arsenal

That comes as prominent free agent Adrien Rabiot has reportedly offered himself directly to Arsenal and other top English clubs. The Frenchman left Juventus at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, but is yet to have accepted any offer to play for another side and remains a free agent, something that national team Didier Deschamps described as "a somewhat embarrassing situation".

92% passing: National media wowed by Arsenal star playing in different role

He played deeper for his country than he does for the Gunners and put in an excellent display.

1 ByBen Goodwin Sep 8, 2024

Rabiot has turned down chances to play in both Saudi Arabia and Turkey as he looks for a new club, and now The Boot Room claim that "talks have taken place with every major club in England", and that "Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have been approached" by his agents in an attempt to place him in the Premier League.

The 29-year-old has an impressive CV, having played at both Juventus and PSG while also being a mainstay in the French national team across the last two major tournaments. However, he is currently thought to be demanding around £220,000 a week to make any move, which would place him above several of Arsenal's standout stars, including international teammate William Saliba.

Arsenal's top earners

Player

Weekly wage (via Capology)

Kai Havertz

£280,000

Gabriel Jesus

£265,000

Declan Rice

£240,000

Martin Odegaard

£240,000

Thomas Partey

£200,000

With that in mind, plus the ageing midfielders already on Arsenal's books, a move for the Frenchman looks unlikely regardless of any approach to the north London side.

With the January transfer window a matter of months away, Newcastle United’s scouting department are reportedly tracking a South American reinforcement who’s already become a star in Europe.

Newcastle transfer news

Those at St James’ Park have plenty of making up to do in 2025 on the transfer front after a monumental failure in the summer saw Eddie Howe’s side left short on fresh faces. You wouldn’t know it, however, with the former Bournemouth boss currently getting the very best out of the side at his disposal. The Magpies have so far won three from four Premier League, with the only time they’ve dropped points coming against the Cherries.

That said, when the fixtures begin to come thick and fast over the festive period, Newcastle may have their squad depth, or lack thereof, exposed for all to see in the Premier League, leading to some January reinforcements. On the transfer front, those in Tyneside have already been linked to the likes of Leroy Sane, who would be quite the apology gift for Paul Mitchell and co. to present to St James’ Park alongside a potential midfield reinforcement.

According to TNT Sports in Brazil, Newcastle’s scouting department are now tracking Ederson at Atalanta in hopes of luring the Brazilian away from last season’s Europa League winners. They’re reportedly not alone in their interest, however, with competition from Manchester United and Juventus suggesting that a tight battle is set to commence for Ederson’s signature in 2025.

Sources at Newcastle have just shared 5-word update on Eddie Howe's future

Is the Magpies boss in danger of losing his job?

2 ByHenry Jackson Sep 17, 2024

With Sandro Tonali back in action to sit alongside Bruno Guimaraes, the prospect of Ederson’s arrival to complete such a midfield is certainly a mouth-watering one for those at St James’ Park. Forming that trio, alone, may well make the midfielder’s reported £40,000-a-week salary worth paying.

"Machine" Ederson would unleash Guimaraes

Without a defensive midfielder of similar calibre sitting next to him, Guimaraes has been unable to unleash his attacking quality since the early days of his Newcastle career in a significant blow for Howe’s side. The arrival of Ederson, accompanied by the return of Tonali, would finally allow Guimaraes to become the creator from the Magpies’ midfield, however.

Progressive Carries

32

65

Progressive Passes

214

283

Tackles Won

49

53

Ball Recoveries

188

237

Guimaraes’ numbers, for starters, simply reflect just how incredible a player that Newcastle have at their disposal. Whether it’s going forward or sitting in front of the backline, the Magpies have one of the best midfielders in the Premier League.

Ederson, meanwhile, more than holds his own, especially off the ball with his ability to recover possession particularly standing out. Placing the Brazilian alongside his countryman at club level would be an act of genius by Newcastle, who must win the race for his signature in 2025.

Dubbed a “machine” by Italian football expert Carlo Garganese after the Europa League final, the Atalanta star is one that Newcastle’s scouting department is watching and one that the rest of the Premier League should be keeping a keen eye on in 2025.

The rise of Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United has coincided with vast improvements to the youth academy. This bears testament to the wall-to-wall progress since the PIF takeover.

Sean and Matty Longstaff had emerged before the transformational period, but these homegrown stars stand as outliers from a barren era. Newcastle’s youth scene very much had a semblance of an arid desert, with several exciting prospects failing to live up to the hype.

One such talent is named Rolando Aarons – remember him? The fleet-footed winger positively crackled with electricity as he boomed into senior action, but now he’s a distant memory, having endured a bitter plummet from short-lived grace.

Rolando Aarons' prodigious beginning

Way back when, former Magpies manager Rafa Benitez had called for investment, displeased with the lack of inspiration and investment within the Tyneside formative fold.

Emerging stars were few and far between. Before the Longstaffs, Adam Armstrong had swam up from the youth ranks but only completed 21 appearances and failed to score before moving away.

Armstrong is a Premier League player today, but Aarons has endured a more luckless career since, falling by the wayside after his prodigious beginning.

And it really was quite the beginning. Across the 2014/15 campaign, Aarons emphatically announced himself to the major stage, posting two goals and an assist across just six matches – including a goal and assist apiece off the bench against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

He scored in an incredible victory over Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium in the League Cup, but an excellent emergence was blighted by injuries that limited him to a bit-part role. Still, the precocity was clear and the Magpies faithful were ecstatic, for they had unearthed the brightest of gems.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope even said that he was ‘strikingly similar in build and size’ to Raheem Sterling, who is now one of the most decorated Englishmen of his generation.

Peter Beardsley, Newcastle’s development manager at the time, said: “He’s like a flying left winger with good ability – really good ability. He’s one that we’ve got high hopes for in the first team. He’s probably the main one. We expect him to do good things.”

Sterling, now playing for Arsenal, has scored 123 goals in the Premier League and has even been praised in the past as “an extraordinary player” by Pep Guardiola, instrumental in winning hordes of domestic silverware during the earlier iteration of the Manchester City juggernaut.

Aarons’s career has been the opposite. It’s very much a case of ‘what if?’

Rolando Aarons' market value in 2024/25

Aarons completed a string of loan spells across various levels before his Newcastle contract concluded in 2021 and he moved away in search of pastures new.

Now 28 years old, the two-cap Jamaica international has wandered across Europe and England’s pyramidal divisions without finding more than a tincture of the success that was suggested in those maiden days.

The versatile winger concluded his time at St. James’ Park with four goals and three assists across 27 matches for the senior side. Sadly, despite last featuring in the 2017/18 campaign, he has netted just five goals since.

Newcastle United

2014/15 – 2020/21

27

4

3

NK Celje

2023/24 -2024/25

22

1

3

Slovan Liberec

2018/19

13

0

0

Wycombe Wanderers

2019/20

13

2

0

Motherwell

2019/20

11

2

0

Hellas Verona

2017/18

11

0

0

Sheffield Wednesday

2018/19

10

1

1

According to Football Transfers’ player valuation model, Aarons is now worth less than £100k, which truly paints the picture of how far he has fallen. Upon his breakthrough, the likes of Arsenal were keen on making a move after Aarons put a hold on contract talks with the Toon some nine years ago.

What could have been. Once considered to be cut from the same cloth as the renowned Sterling, Aarons faded into the abyss, but Newcastle fans will always carry fond memories of a briefly flickering flame at the core of a dark time.

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