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Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules are often controversial in football, given the amount of money involved in the sport these days. Clubs must ensure that they run a tight ship to avoid any potential breaches.

Of course, the biggest case we've seen regarding FFP is with Manchester City. The treble winners charged back in February, with the case currently ongoing.

Meanwhile, their neighbours, Manchester United, have had similar luck after being hit with a fine for a small breach of FFP rules in a disappointing moment for the Red Devils.

They'll certainly want to avoid any more breaches of the rule.

Why were Man United fined by FFP?

As per Simon Stone of BBC Sport, the Red Devils have been fined €300k (£257.02k) for a minor breach of FFP rules. The club is said to be disappointed, with the fine a result of changes in the way that UEFA treated losses suffered during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In full, he explained: "Man Utd fined €300,000 by UEFA for 'minor' FFP breach. Club disappointed re this. Say fine due to change in way UEFA treated COVID-19 related losses. Utd 'continue to support enforcement of rules to promote FFP + sustainability across domestic + Euro football'."

United reportedly reiterated their desire to support the enforcement of the rules to promote FFP, and sustainability across European and domestic football.

With that said, it seems as though United are keen to avoid any further breaches, given their disappointment over receiving the fine.

United's statement in full, via The Athletic, said: “While disappointed by the outcome, Manchester United accepts this fine for what UEFA acknowledges to be a minor technical breach of its previous Financial Fair Play rules.

“This reflected a change in the way that UEFA adjusted for COVID-19 losses during the 2022 reporting period, which allowed us to recognise only €15m of the €281m of revenues lost due to the pandemic within the FFP calculation.

“Post-pandemic, the clubs’ revenues have recovered strongly and are forecast to reach a record level in the current financial year. The club continues to support the enforcement of rules to promote financial fair play and sustainability across domestic and European football.”

Manchester United's losses

During the pandemic, the Manchester club suffered a net loss of £92.2m in 2021, according to the Financial Times, with revenues falling by 3% compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, failing to bounce back in the 21/22 season, the club announced a net loss of £115.5m, but with a revenue increase of 18%.

United aren't the only club to be hit with a fine, either, with Barcelona also receiving a €500k (£428.36k) fine for wrongly reporting profits on non-player sales.

Fortunately for the Red Devils, as explained in The Athletic, the fine is related to past issues, so it will not damage their transfer budget this summer, as Erik ten Hag looks to build from the foundation set in his debut campaign last season.

Regaining a Champions League spot, United's revenue should receive a boost from featuring among Europe's elite once more, perhaps leading to far better numbers come the end of next season.

So far this summer, they've signed just one player, with that being Mason Mount. The England international arrived from Chelsea for a reported £55m.

It remains to be seen who else Ten Hag welcomes through the Old Trafford doors this summer, however.

Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Mido has been left thrilled by one "brilliant" Spurs player he was originally "really worried" about.

Luton Town 0-1 Tottenham

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou guided his high-flying Lilywhites to yet another Premier League victory at the weekend. The north Londoners sealed a hard-fought, scrappy 1-0 win away to league newcomers Luton Town last Saturday, with defender Micky van de Ven nicking the only goal of the game. Postecoglou's side made it six wins from a possible eight and remain unbeaten heading into the international break.

This is Tottenham's best start to a season since the 1960s, and their best start ever to a Premier League campaign. In fact, no Spurs side have enjoyed a better beginning to a season since 1960/1961 specifically, when the club went on to win a domestic double. They're now neck-and-neck with north London rivals Arsenal at the summit of the division, with the table-toppers having many reasons to smile right now.

They secured all three points against Luton Town despite having a star player in Yves Bissouma sent off for two bookable offences late in the first half, with the Spurs boss later praising a big collective effort from Tottenham to clinch the win at Kenilworth Road. Here's nearly every word Postecoglou said on Tottenham's win.

“Two different halves, I thought we played some great football in the first half. I thought it was as good as we’ve played and we probably should have been two or three up,” Postecoglou said.

“Obviously the red card changes the game but again I thought the lads handled it really well. They stayed calm and composed. In the end just the sheer will and effort of them to make sure we won, not just the starters but the guys coming on, it was a great collective effort. Biss made a mistake. He has been brilliant for us this year. He made a mistake and the good thing is how he reacts to these things.

“His team-mates made sure that mistake didn’t cost us and I’m sure when Biss gets back in the team he will reciprocate and make sure that whatever else happens he can get us over the line. With all these things I always look at reactions. What are we doing about it? I thought the reaction was outstanding.”

How has Micky van de Ven played for Spurs?

One summer signing to have made a real difference at Spurs, and again on Saturday, is van de Ven – coming after his multi-million pound transfer from Wolfsburg. The Netherlands international has formed an imperious partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of Tottenham's defence, and his winner against Luton perhaps highlights his exceptional start at N17.

Former Spurs striker Mido, speaking to talkSPORT on van de Ven, has suggested that he was completely wrong about the centre-back who's been "brilliant" for them. Here's what's been said about van de Ven, as transcribed by TBR:

“I understand the idea of Ange [Postecoglou] that he wants a left-footed centre-back to start from the back and to have a better angle to see the whole of the pitch playing the ball between the lines and the diagonals. But defensively, I was really worried that this guy would struggle in the Premier League. I know in the Premier League that you always play against big guys up front and the likes of [Erling] Haaland and [Ivan] Toney, all the big guys, it’s very difficult to defend.

“It’s not like the Dutch league, it’s different, it could be a shock for him. But to be honest to the lad, he’s been brilliant."

Tottenham Hotspur could reportedly decide to pursue a deal for a new full-back in January, and recently appointed technical director Johan Lange already knows him from a previous job in the Premier League.

Spurs form and best players…

Ange Postecoglou’s team have made a remarkable start to the new campaign having won six and drawn two of their opening eight games, meaning that they are joint top of the table and level on points with rivals Arsenal, with these being the only two clubs left in the division to remain unbeaten.

The Lilywhites currently have several star players away on international duty representing their nations, including Son Heung-Min with South Korea, James Maddison with England and Dejan Kulusevski with Sweden, and this break in domestic action will have allowed club chiefs to start assessing their transfer options ahead of next year.

One of the players that the N17 hierarchy could pursue is Aston Villa right-back Matty Cash, who has made a total of 109 appearances for Unai Emery’s side since putting pen to paper from Nottingham Forest back in 2020 (Transfermarkt – Cash statistics).

The Poland international still has another four years on his deal (Aston Villa contracts), but having emerged as his club's second best-performing defensive player so far this season (WhoScored – Aston Villa statistics), the 26-year-old is attracting interest.

Matty Cash transfer update

According to GiveMeSport, who have delivered a transfer update on Matty Cash, Spurs have been named as a club who could potentially make a surprise approach for the star in January due to his connection with Lange:

"Another Aston Villa player that Lange could look towards is the adventurous right-back, who has impressed during his three-year spell at Villa Park thus far. Cash is very good at getting forward to support attacks, and this could fit with the new Spurs boss' ethos that puts a lot of importance in the full-backs.

"There are two senior options when it comes to the right-back position for Tottenham – Emerson Royal and Pedro Porro – but with both players having struggles at various stages in their respective Spurs careers, there is always room to upgrade.

"Royal finds himself as the back-up option in the early stages of the season, meaning the Brazilian could seek a new challenge in the near future and this would open up a position for a right-back to come in and Cash could be a very solid option."

What is Matty Cash's salary?

Cash currently pockets £80k-per-week in the Midlands, which he has more than earned during his three years at the club (Aston Villa salaries), so should he ever put pen to paper at Tottenham, it would be a massive coup for Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.

The Slough-born talent has made 21 tackles so far this season which is the joint-highest number in his squad along with Boubacar Kamara (FBRef – Aston Villa statistics), but he’s also capable of using his pace to burst down the flank and create chances for himself and his fellow teammates.

Emery’s attacking “threat”, as hailed by pundit Alex McLeish, has racked up 51 contributions – 27 assists and 24 goals – in 264 career appearances, and having won the Player of the Year award at both Villa and Forest, Cash’s individual positive impact is clear to see.

Erik ten Hag dragged Manchester United from a sixth-place finish when he took the reins back in 2022 to third in the Premier League, two finals and even managed to end the club's six-year trophy drought by winning the EFL Cup in February.

One of the keys to United's success last term under the Dutchman was a well-balanced midfield, primarily consisting of Casemiro, Christian Eriksen and Bruno Fernandes, although Fred and Scott McTominay played their part as well.

However, due to unforeseen injury issues this season, Ten Hag has struggled to find the right balance in the middle of the park and now the Red Devils' Brazilian general has been ruled out of action for several weeks with a hamstring problem.

Nonetheless, Ten Hag has a glaringly obvious, yet risky solution staring him in the face.

Why Man Utd's midfield are struggling

In the opening two games of the 2023/24 campaign against Wolves and Tottenham Hotspur, the Dutch coach opted to deploy summer signing Mason Mount and club captain Fernandes in front of Casemiro in the midfield but both teams carved United open a worrying amount. The English giants lost possession of the ball 88 times in the middle third across these two fixtures, according to Opta.

Regardless, Ten Hag refused to admit that the midfield was the issue after the 2-0 defeat to Spurs back in August. Instead, the former Ajax boss felt as though the frontline's pressing and the lack of stability at the back were the primary culprits. Still, the club secured the loan services of midfielder Sofyan Amrabat until the end of the season but the arrival of the Moroccan hasn't fixed the team's issues, with club legend Paul Scholes even calling Eriksen a "much better footballer" than Amrabat.

Win or lose, the midfield balance has come under the microscope in almost every game this season. Against Manchester City in the derby over a week ago, the manager decided to take Amrabat off at half-time after his booking in the first half. City ran United ragged after the interval. Pundit Gary Neville criticised this decision, claiming that "Amrabat coming off emptied the midfield".

Ten Hag has tried almost every combination possible in midfield, but there may still be one more trick up the Dutch tactician's sleeve, a return for Kobbie Mainoo.

Kobbie Mainoo's stats at Man Utd

Stockport-born Mainoo made his Premier League debut for Manchester United last season in the Premier League at home to Leicester City and was even handed his first-ever start for the club in a 3-0 win over Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup back in January. However, it was a pre-season game at the MetLife in New Jersey where Mainoo really stood out from the crowd.

Partnering with Casemiro in a double-pivot until half-time, the teenage sensation bossed the midfield against the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Kai Havertz, assisting the opening goal of the game, and ending the match with a 7/10 rating, as per Sofascore.

After the game, club legend and former skipper Bryan Robson called Mainoo a "top player" and insisted that Ten Hag "must trust him" this season. Meanwhile, Fernandes heaped praise on Mainoo, claiming he is "good on the ball, strong, he can defend and attack". In a 45-minute performance against the Gunners, the young midfielder held a 96% passing accuracy, made one key pass and one interception, and won 100% of his defensive duels.

In Mainoo's one and only competitive start for the Red Devils, at home to Charlton in the League Cup last term, the youngster boasted an 82% passing accuracy over the course of his hour on the field. What's more impressive is that the academy product registered five passes into the final third in that game while creating one chance, according to FotMob. Piling on the praise, Anthony Elanga, Mainoo's former teammate at Old Trafford, recently labelled the 18-year-old as "unreal".

Unfortunately, Mainoo picked up a nasty ankle injury in a game against Real Madrid in pre-season which has kept him out of the team for several months. However, Mainoo is back in training and even made it onto the bench during United's dismal derby defeat to Man City recently.

With Ten Hag running out of options, perhaps Mainoo could be the perfect answer to the manager's woes in the middle of the park.

The recent years at Everton football club have been marked with considerable upheaval at Goodison Park. Multiple managerial casualties, relegation battles and a misfiring transfer strategy have all contributed to the Toffee's plight.

If this current difficult position is going to improve on and off the pitch, it is imperative that 777 Partners acquire the entirety of owner Farhad Moshiri's 94.1% shareholding in the club.

According to the Liverpool Echo, their deal to acquire the Toffees is going through the process of obtaining regulatory approval, however, the Premier League, Football Association and Financial Conduct Authority all need to be satisfied that 777 Partners would be appropriate owners of the club, and have the necessary funds to complete the deal as well as a clear plan moving forward.

Whilst the departure of Moshiri would heighten the mood around the club, it would be dampened significantly if Everton were to be handed a 12-point deduction for breaching Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules, as has been suggested.

Despite this news, the Merseyside outfit have been linked with several names to bolster their squad in January, including Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips.

Signings that Everton could make in January

Earlier this month, it was reported by the i that Everton and several other clubs are interested in taking Phillips on loan from the Etihad in January.

The publication revealed that the midfielder is becoming increasingly frustrated over his lack of game time and wants to play regular football, which the Toffees would be able to provide.

In an ideal world, Everton's takeover would be completed followed by Phillips' signing, however, with multiple big clubs interested – including Bayern Munich, West Ham United, Newcastle United, and Liverpool – a deal looks difficult to complete, as revealed by journalist Paul Brown to GiveMeSport.

He said: “I just find it hard to believe that Kalvin Phillips would want to give up Champions League football and the chance to win what could be a bucket load of trophies again this season with Manchester City for Everton."

Everton's position in the table doesn't make a deal any easier to complete but if they were able to prise him to Goodison, he would be an upgrade on current midfielder, James Garner.

The stats to show why Phillips would be an upgrade on Garner

Everton captured the highly-rated former Manchester United midfielder for £15m in September 2022 and the Englishman has since established himself at the heart of Sean Dyche's plans this term.

Garner is a natural ball-playing midfielder, an aggressor of sorts, who can spray passes at will and keep the cogs in Dyche's midfield ticking over.

The 22-year-old has featured in all nine Premier League matches so far and has averaged the fifth-highest Sofascore rating in the Everton squad (7.18), underlying his importance.

Whilst he is undoubtedly an important member of the team for the industry and the tenacity he brings to the engine room, Phillips has proven, especially in his performances for Leeds United, that he would be a huge upgrade on Garner.

In the 2021/22 campaign, the one that ultimately earned him the £42m move to Manchester, the 27-year-old – who was described by Italian icon Andrea Pirlo as a "rock" – established himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the league, ranking in the 10% against his positional peers for tackles, top 20% for interceptions and top 4% for blocks while placing in the top 1% for ball recoveries per 90, as per FBref.

He was an instrumental figure in the Whites's survival that season, anchoring the midfield exceptionally with his passing range and utilising his ability to read the game to sweep up possession.

By contrast, Garner's defensive metrics this term, when comparing them to Phillips in the 2021/22 campaign, paint a picture of someone who is unable to eclipse his English compatriot. He's recorded fewer tackles (2.55/3.05), blocks (1.53/2.09) and interceptions (0.38/1.35), as well as a worse pass completion (70.8%/80.9%).

If Dyche is looking to solidify his midfield with someone who has experience of galvanising a team to Premier League survival while offering "superb" defensive attributes – as lauded by Barcelona legend Xavi – he should look no further than the £18m-rated Man City star.

Manchester United picked up an impressive point at Anfield last weekend as they held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw, which puts the Red Devils in seventh place in the Premier League.

That was the first time since January that Jurgen Klopp’s side failed to score at home, with poor finishing and heroic defending allowing the visitors to get a result.

However, Erik ten Hag’s biggest issue is still in front of goal, with United scoring just 18 goals in 17 matches. With that in mind, the boss may look to the transfer market to secure a new forward.

Man Utd transfers latest – Mauro Icardi

According to Football Transfers, Man United are interested in signing Argentine Mauro Icardi, who rather embarrassed Andre Onana when Galatasaray recently won at Old Trafford in the Champions League.

Indeed, the striker scored a delightful strike against the Red Devils, racing through on goal before sitting the United 'keeper down and cooly dinking it over his head.

It is rumoured that Icardi is intrigued by the prospect of joining the English club, and he would be willing to move to Manchester. The deal would be a loan until the end of the season, with a potential option to buy clause.

How Mauro Icardi could transform United's attack

At 30 years of age, Icardi is still performing at a relatively high level, as shown by his 12 goals and five assists in 15 Turkish Super Lig appearances this season.

The ex-Inter star is the focal point of Okan Buruk’s Galatasaray, and his move away from PSG has provided him with an opportunity to regain his form and confidence.

The 5 foot 11 attacker is the typical centre-forward player, a fox in the box who focuses on only putting the ball in the back of the net. He is a composed, experienced finisher who has excellent movement and a proactive approach. The Argentine has previously been labelled a “goal machine” by Jonathan Johnson of CBS Sports Golazo, which is exactly what United need.

The Red Devils have been rather shocking in front of goal to date this term, with a mixture of missed opportunities, a lack of confidence, and minimal supply costing the side dearly. Ten Hag did address this issue in the summer, signing Rasmus Hojlund for a large fee, but the young Dane has struggled to adapt, scoring zero goals in 13 Premier League appearances.

Scottish midfielder Scott McTominay is United’s top scorer in the league this season, with 80% of his goals coming in two matches, suggesting Ten Hag certainly needs more firepower. Indeed, this is how Icardi compares to the Red Devil’s top scorers in the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

Icardi

15

12

McTominay

14

5

Fernandes

16

3

Rashford

16

2

Dalot

16

1

As you can see, Icardi wipes the floor with all of United’s attackers with his clinical nature. He would bring goals and experience to the striker role at Old Trafford, although the move seems like a short-term fix to a much bigger issue, and we saw how that was unsuccessful last season with the loans of Wout Weghorst and Marcel Sabitzer.

Overall, this move could work out to be successful should it lift the burden from Hojlund, but a permanent deal for a slightly younger forward should be the ultimate way forward.

After flirting with relegation last season, before dramatically winning the Europa Conference League, West Ham United have steered clear of the dropzone and continued their European exploits in the current campaign. After comfortably easing past Manchester United too, the Hammers now sit inside the top six in the Premier League and are on course to once again qualify for the Europa League to sum up the excellent job that David Moyes is doing at the London Stadium.

Things could yet get even better when the January transfer window swings open in just over a week, meanwhile, with the Hammers reportedly eyeing a move to land one particular rival player.

West Ham transfer news

Despite losing Declan Rice to Arsenal, West Ham arguably came out of the summer transfer window far better than they went in thanks to their successful recruitment. The likes of Edson Alvarez and Konstantinos Mavrapanos have slotted straight in, whilst Mohammed Kudus and James Ward-Prowse have so far been revelations for Moyes. Kudus has especially impressed, with his goal against Manchester United the latest moment for West Ham fans to savour at the London Stadium. If they can add even more firepower to their side next month, the sky could be the limit for West Ham, however.

According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, West Ham have set their sights on a move to sign Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah in the January transfer window. The forward is most likely to leave at the end of the campaign, but a winter move reportedly cannot be ruled out as Arsenal could be prepared to sell as they look to raise funds for improvements of their own.

If the Hammers do want to land their rival's forward, they will have to reportedly fend off interest from Brentford and Crystal Palace and fork out as much as £40m in what would be a hefty deal.

"Incredible" Nketiah could be an upgrade on Antonio

Whilst Michail Antonio has struggled with injuries this season, his impact has lessened when he has been available to lead the line for West Ham, arguably creating the need for a fresh option in Moyes' attack. Nketiah could be the perfect option to turn to, even for the high price of £40m in January or next summer.

The Arsenal forward has struggled to establish himself as Mikel Arteta's first choice over Gabriel Jesus but has consistently been a reliable goalscorer at The Emirates whenever asked to step up in the last year or so. Nketiah's stats show just how clinical he can be in front of goal compared to Antonio.

Player

Goals

Assists

Expected Goals

Goal-Creating Actions Per 90

Eddie Nketiah

5

1

3.7

0.74

Michail Antonio

2

2

1.8

0.55

Earning the praise of Arteta as a result of his performances, the Arsenal manager labelled Nketiah, who has scored twice against the Hammers in the past, as "incredible".

“It was a great goal but I think overall his performance was incredible. The way he understood the pressing, his intensity, the way he counter-attacked certain spaces, the composure he showed. And then he stayed patient. And in the box he produced a moment of real quality to win us the game.”

Leeds United were, unfortunately, relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season after three years at the top table of English football.

The Whites were unable to extend their stay in the top-flight despite the efforts of sporting director Victor Orta, who changed the manager twice throughout the campaign.

Jesse Marsch started the season in charge but the American tactician was dismissed in January of this year and replaced by Javi Gracia, who was later moved on in favour of Sam Allardyce.

Matches

32

Wins

Eight

Defeats

15

Points

33

None of these moves by Orta helped to avoid the drop and some may point back to the sale of Raphinha during the summer of 2022 as the start of their downfall.

Marsch and the Spanish chief cashed in on the Brazil international ahead of the 2022/23 campaign as Barcelona swooped in to secure his services.

How much did Barcelona pay for Raphinha?

The LaLiga giants reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £55m, with an initial £49m without add-ons, to sign the exciting winger after his impressive performances for Leeds over the previous two seasons.

Raphinha revealed that it was a dream come true for him to sign for Barcelona and Sky Sports reported the club were planning for his departure before the Catalan side secured his services.

This suggests that it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, for the Whites to convince the former Rennes ace to remain at Elland Road.

He had given the club two fantastic years of service at Premier League level and helped to keep them in the division, which resulted in big-money interest from elsewhere.

The Whites were able to make a significant profit on the initial £17m that they paid Rennes for the Brazilian maestro back in the summer of 2020.

Therefore, it would be harsh to blame Marsch or Orta for sanctioning his exit as it was a logical one at the time. Denying Raphinha a 'dream' move to Barcelona for a gigantic transfer fee could have turned out to be a disaster if it upset the player and caused his form to dip or he then picked up an injury that devalued him and his performances on the pitch.

The howler was, in fact, how they used that money to replace their star forward as the club splashed the cash to make a number of signings that summer.

Who did Leeds sign ahead of the 2022/23 season?

Leeds brought in the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Wilfried Gnonto, and Luis Sinisterra to bolster their attacking options in the wake of Raphinha's exit.

Orta and Marsch reportedly spent around £25m to sign Aaronson from the American tactician's former club RB Salzburg, whilst they also paid a reported £22.3m to sign Sinisterra from Dutch outfit Feyenoord.

This meant that the Whites spent almost all of the money they were due to receive for Raphinha on those two signings and they failed to replace the impact that the brilliant Brazilian had on the pitch.

The left-footed whiz scored 11 goals and provided three assists in 35 Premier League outings for the club throughout the 2021/22 campaign, which came after he managed six goals and nine assists in 30 league matches during his debut season at Elland Road.

How many goals did Raphinha score for Barcelona last season?

He hit the ground running in Spain and enjoyed a terrific first year with his dream club as the Brazil international racked up ten goals in all competitions.

The 26-year-old wizard, who was once hailed as a "magician" by former teammate Dan James, showcased his ability to provide a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals from out wide.

Raphinha ended the campaign with ten goals and 12 assists in 50 appearances across the Champions League, Supercopa, Europa League, Copa Del Ray, and LaLiga.

He also had a fair reason to be frustrated with his teammates last season as they did not make the most of his creative quality. The former Leeds star created 17 'big chances' and registered 9.35 xA in LaLiga – only to be rewarded with seven assists for his efforts.

This suggests that the talented ace's numbers could have been even better if his fellow attackers were more ruthless and clinical in front of goal.

Nevertheless, the £55m-rated phenomenon enjoyed a fantastic season and, as it turned out, managed to outperform every single Leeds player during the 2022/23 campaign.

Who was Leeds' top scorer last season?

Rodrigo finished last season as the club's top goalscorer in all competitions with 15 strikes to his name, 13 of which came in the Premier League.

The Spaniard outscored Raphinha by five goals but only managed two assists for his teammates. This meant that he was directly involved in 17 goals, in comparison to the Barcelona star's 22.

Aaronson also failed to step up to the mark after his big-money switch from Salzburg as the USA international scored two goals and provided three assists in 41 appearances in all competitions.

Jack Harrison, like Rodrigo, came relatively close to matching Raphinha as the English ace scored six goals and assisted ten for the Yorkshire-based side.

Sinisterra was brought in to bolster Marsch's options out wide and the Colombia international was unable to replicate the Brazilian's impact on the pitch as he contributed with seven goals and one assist in 22 matches.

No other Leeds players scored more than six goals and no one managed more than Harrison's seven Premier League assists for the club last season.

These statistics show that Raphinha outperformed every single Whites player throughout the 2022/23 campaign as the talented dynamo was involved in at least five more goals than all of them.

Therefore, this shows that Marsch and Orta failed to adequately replace the left-footed maestro in the summer of 2022 as they were unable to bring in forwards who could impact the game on a regular basis within the final third.

Their dismal transfer business after Barcelona's swoop for their 5 foot 9 star man left a lot to be desired and, ultimately, contributed to the club's relegation back down to the Championship, which is where they are now whilst Raphinha is playing week-in-week out for a European giant.

An "exciting" World Cup player has his eyes on a move to Arsenal in the January transfer window as sporting director Edu and co reportedly take action.

Arsenal operating under financial restrictions

According to reliable news outlets, manager Mikel Arteta wants winter signings, but Arsenal will be forced to operate with a slightly limited budget due to FFP restrictions (The Independent).

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Indeed, after spending north of £200 million in the summer window, with over half of that going on club-record signing Declan Rice, it appears Arsenal will have to carefully hand-pick which players to move for this month. Fabrizio Romano, commenting on the Gunners' transfer activity last week, said he thinks that Arsenal are most likely to sign a new right-back in January.

“A new full-back for Arsenal? Yes it is a possibility, it is a possibility for Arsenal to bring in a new full-back in January," said Romano on Kick.

"They have to see what opportunity they can find, if it’s a loan deal, but Arsenal are exploring options in that position, they are in the full-backs market, I can confirm that, there is a possibility, there is a chance, we will have to see, but I think it’s a possibility."

They had been linked with the possible signing of a midfielder, as Thomas Partey has barely played so far this season due to injury problems.

The Ghanaian, who missed out on a place in his country's AFCON squad due to a reoccurring hamstring problem, has also been tipped to leave Arsenal in recent months.

While Arsenal are slightly shackled by FFP, and will be limited regarding what they can do, a new report this week by Belgian transfer journalist Sacha Tavolieri suggests they could still bring in a midfielder.

Edu opens Arsenal talks for Onana who is "keen"

Indeed, according to the reporter, that man could well be Everton star Amadou Onana. The Belgium international, who played at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is a player of real interest as Arsenal open talks to sign Onana.

Tavolieri adds that the 22-year-old is also "keen" on a move to the Emirates Stadium before January 31.

Onana has been a mainstay under Sean Dyche this season, playing 16 league games, with former Belgium manager Roberto Martinez once calling him a "really exciting footballer".

Burnley 0-2 Everton

8.52

Everton 3-0 Bournemouth

7.69

Brentford 1-3 Everton

7.42

Everton 1-2 Luton

7.33

West Ham 0-1 Everton

7.30

“Really exciting footballer,” said Martinez to Sky Sports.

“I know that sometimes when we speak about players, it’s very difficult to measure their potential. I think we are talking about a 20-year-old boy, who is probably one of the most talented at that age in European football, and that’s how excited we are in Belgium."

Gary O’Neil will be left to rue Wolverhampton Wanderers’ consistency problems after their 3-2 defeat to Fulham in the Premier League.

Having secured wins over Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur already this term, a meeting with the Cottagers looked like the perfect chance to continue their good form, but they failed to impress.

There were several players who didn’t play well at all, with Nelson Semedo being the main culprit for the Old Gold.

Nelson Semedo’s game vs Fulham in numbers

The Portuguese right-back was utilised slightly further forward against Fulham by O’Neil, operating on the right of a five-man midfield.

The experiment didn’t quite have the results the 40-year-old was anticipating, however, as Semedo completed just 61% of his passes along with winning only one of his five total duels contested and losing possession a staggering 19 times during the encounter.

The defender has featured in all but one of Wolves’ 13 Premier League matches this season, yet following the dismal performance on Monday evening, O’Neil may have to go back to the drawing board.

Overall, it was a display which deserved to secure at least a point on the board, but it wasn’t just Semedo who failed to impress…

Mario Lemina’s game vs Fulham in numbers

The midfielder has played in 12 of the 13 top-flight matches this season for the Molineux outfit, scoring twice in the process, and his experience at the heart of the midfield has been vital.

Against Fulham, however, he wasn’t quite at the races. The 30-year-old took just 49 touches during the encounter and when he had it, he completed just 76% of his attempted passes (29 out of 38) proving to be lackadaisical with the ball.

He did make one key pass and take two shots during the tie, indicating that he tried to make things happen in an attacking sense, but his performance on the ball from a defensive viewpoint wasn’t great.

The midfielder contested a total of ten duels, yet won just three and he also lost possession 15 times during the tie, meaning Lemina lost possession once for every 3.2 touches of the ball, a shocking statistic.

The Wolves man was given a rating of just 5/10 for his display by TNT Sports and this just about sums up his performance in a game in which Wolves had an excellent chance of winning.

The Old Gold will now take on Arsenal at the Emirates and, given the fact they have taken points from City, Spurs and Newcastle United this season, they could spring another surprise in London on the weekend.

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ByHal Fish Jul 31, 2024

If they are to secure anything from the game, however, O’Neil must be ready to make a few changes along the way and Semedo should be the first person to drop out of the team.

Lemina may well be given another chance due to his previous solid displays in the top flight, yet he was careless in possession and when he did have the ball, didn’t seem to do much right either.