All posts by z3u9t.icu

Championship promotion-chasers Leeds United are said to be keen on signing Liverpool youngsters Calvin Ramsay and Mateusz Musialowski. They've been in touch with the Reds to express their interest in a potential deal for the latter, and the Reds have confirmed the former is available.

Leeds are one of "several" clubs pursuing the signature of the young Pole in particular, who's out of contract at the end of the season and could therefore be available for a reduced price. The Whites, though, are "firmly in the race" and could give Daniel Farke the "attacking reinforcements" he's seeking before the end of the transfer window.

Musialowski could make "fantastic" Leeds move

Speaking to Football Insider, BBC pundit Alan Hutton has offered his verdict on the latest Leeds transfer news surrounding Musialowski. He reckons that the forward could truly launch his career at Elland Road after failing to make a breakthrough on Merseyside, with Farke enjoying the full extent of his potential.

"He’s playing for Liverpool, so he’s obviously got something about him. He’s not playing first-team football, but he’s really versatile, he can play across the front and his numbers for the youth ranks are exceptional.

"There’s an opportunity for him to take if he goes to Leeds.You’re giving him a platform to show us what he’s capable of. He has bags of potential, so a team like Leeds that are flying high and have lots of young talent playing there, it gives you that freedom. That’s the opportunity he needs and that he’ll be looking for. This could be a fantastic move for him and I think he’d do well at Leeds."

Musialowski starring against under-21s and senior sides

As Hutton points out, Musialowski is capable of playing in a variety of roles, whether that's as a central striker, a winger or even an attacking midfielder. In the short-term, that will improve his chances of getting into the team at Leeds, but it remains to be seen whether he can find his true specialism in the years ahead.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

And it's also true that he's putting up some "exceptional" numbers at the under-21 level this season. He's only played 11 games, but he's notched eight direct goal contributions with six goals and two assists. His Premier League 2 form even earned him a nomination for the Player of the Month award in October.

Crucially for Leeds, he's also shown he can deliver against senior opposition too. In the EFL Trophy, which pits Premier League academy sides against teams in League One and League Two, he's found the net three times, ranking him joint-sixth in the competition and joint-first among academy players.

Jurgen Klopp has given minutes to the likes of Ben Doak (18), Kaide Gordon (19) and Bobby Clark (18) in Musialowski's positions, but the 2020 signing hasn't even made a matchday squad yet. The time is right, then, for him to pursue pastures new.

Aston Villa failed to win their third game on the bounce at Goodison Park this weekend, as they were held to a drab 0-0 draw by Everton.

This was Unai Emery’s 11th away match of the season, yet they’ve only won four, which is extremely poor compared to their home form this campaign.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

4

3

43

25

21

13

4

4

43

16

20

12

4

4

40

17

How Everton v Aston Villa played out

Villa thought they had taken the lead in the first half through a powerful strike from Alex Moreno, but the goal was ruled out for offside. The game was even in the first half, however, Emi Martinez will be thanked for his vital stop against Dominic Calvert-Lewin in a 1v1 scenario when the English attacker simply had to score.

In the second half, the Villans dominated the tie and racked up 0.81 xG, but they failed to really test Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal. The best chance of the half fell to Matty Cash, who had his low effort blocked inside the box.

The Spaniard will be disappointed that his side were unable to pick up three points and further distance themselves from those fighting for a top-four spot. Some individuals were particularly frustrating in Merseyside, but in truth, it was a bad day at the office for all involved.

Leon Bailey had a relatively quiet afternoon and failed to impress, but John McGinn was the player who was far from his best and struggled against the physical Toffees midfield.

Leon Bailey’s game vs Everton by numbers

Bailey was fielded in his usual right midfield role in the 4-4-2 variant, but the Jamaican was marked out of the game by the relentless Vitaily Mykolenko, who didn’t give the forward an inch.

The winger wasn’t particularly wasteful in possession, as he had 79% pass accuracy, but other than one key pass, he failed to cause Sean Dyche’s backline any issues. This is highlighted by his xG of 0.07 and his expected assists (xA) of 0.05.

Bailey failed to make a single successful dribble in the game, and he also lost all three of his duels. The 26-year-old was ultimately subbed just after the hour mark, which sums up his level of threat throughout the game.

John McGinn’s stats vs Everton

McGinn is usually the energetic midfielder who demands high standards of himself and those around him, which is why he wears the captain’s armband. However, his performance against Everton was one of his worst this season.

Indeed, John Townley of Birmingham Mail offered the following summation at full-time: "McGinn is always dangerous on the half turn, but he was sloppy in possession today."

The Scotland international received a 6.8 rating via Sofascore, with the dynamic and hard-working Everton midfield trio running all over him. The table below highlights his performances using a handful of stats.

Possession lost

16x

Tackles

0

Interceptions

0

Duels Won

5/11

Key passes

0

The biggest concern in the game was how wasteful the midfielder was in possession, especially when attempting to force the issue down the left-hand side. This led to him giving the ball away 16 times, the second most for a Villa player behind Moreno.

Furthermore, McGinn is usually tenacious out of possession, but today he failed to make a single defensive action bar one clearance. The 29-year-old also failed to win half of his individual battles on the field, as shown by the five out of ten ground duels won.

Nothing will come from this performance in terms of McGinn’s place in the side, but it was certainly an afternoon to forget for the Scottish midfielder.

Gary O’Neil will be pleased with the progress his Wolves side has made this season.

The Old Gold have shown a togetherness that allows them to play as a team rather than individuals, and that was on show against Brentford in the 1-1 FA Cup draw last weekend.

Despite being 11th in the Premier League, the Wanderers will look to strengthen their squad in January.

Wolves transfers latest – striker hunt at Molineux

According to The Athletic, Wolves are interested in signing Danny Ings on loan from West Ham.

The Wanderers have been keeping an eye on Ings’ situation, but talks are yet to begin between the clubs. As a result, we may have to wait until later in the winter window to see if things develop into a formal offer for the player.

The deal is allegedly dependent on Michael Antonio’s recovery from injury, with the Irons forward reportedly out for the best part of six weeks.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 How Danny Ings compares to Raul Jimenez

Sasa Kalajdzic was the latest player signed in an attempt to replace the goals that Raul Jimenez brought in the 2019/20 Premier League season (17). However, the 6 foot 6 striker has just joined Eintracht Frankfurt on loan after failing to secure a place in the starting XI. He joins a pretty wretched list of forward players who have simply failed to make the grade in the Midlands.

Raul Jimenez

67

13

Patrick Cutrone

4

0

Fabio Silva

72

5

Willian Jose

18

1

Hwang-hee Chan

84

20

Sasa Kalajdzic

14

3

Matheus Cunha

41

8

Diego Costa

25

1

Therefore, Ings could be drafted in as a short-term fix to a long-term issue, who coincidentally is a similar player to Wolves icon Jimenez according to FBref’s similar players model.

The former Liverpool player has struggled with injuries throughout his career, but he has only missed one game since the start of 2021.

Despite being available, the 31-year-old has failed to nail down a spot in the starting XI at West Ham, with either Antonio or Jarrod Bowen being preferred in the number nine role, which has led to Ings playing just 108 minutes in the Premier League this season. Wolves, therefore, could offer him a valuable short-term exit.

The West Ham striker would bring experience and goals to the Wolves attack, as according to one football writer Ings is a “clinical finisher," and in fairness, the table below does prove that he knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, notably in the Premier League.

2022/23

35

8

2

2021/22

30

7

6

2020/21

29

12

4

2019/20

38

22

2

2018/19

24

7

3

Ings is the definition of a goal-scorer, but his technique and ball-striking ability are what make him so dangerous.

Indeed, if the striker gets half a chance, he will most likely bury it, which is needed when playing for a side like Wolves, who have created the 12th most big chances in the Premier League this season. This makes him like Jimenez, who has overperformed his xG this season for Fulham.

But just how do they compare specifically? Well, when it comes to how involved they are in the play, where they take their shots from, passing and carrying, there's not much to separate the pair.

Expected Goals (xG)

0.06

0.32

Average shot distance

14.1 yards

13.8 yards

Pass Success rate

63%

66%

Passes into penalty box

0.63

0.57

Touches

32

35

Successful take-ons

0.63

0.65

Carries

17.5

19.8

Overall, the potential signing of Ings is by far from one that the Wolves faithful will be extremely excited about, but given the fact that Hwang Hee-chan will be their only available striker for the rest of the season (when he returns from the AFC Asian Cup), the move does seem smart.

AFC Asian Cup 2023: Every Premier League & Scottish Premiership player going

With the AFC Asian Cup 2023 now upon us, FFC takes a look at which players from the Premier League and Scottish Premiership will feature.

ByLuke Randall Jan 2, 2024

Even if he doesn’t feature heavily. This transfer has absolutely no risk attached, and therefore, there can only be an upside to the loan.

After convincingly beating automatic promotion rivals Ipswich Town 4-0 just before Christmas, Leeds United crashed back down to reality away at Preston North End in their next Championship encounter, with the Whites succumbing to a 2-1 defeat late on at Deepdale.

Daniel Farke's men weren't helped by Illan Meslier in goal, the Leeds shot-stopper lashing out at a Preston man meaning the second-tier giants played the majority of the second 45 minutes with ten men.

Leeds weren't at their potent best going forward either in the contest, way off the standards set in the demolition job of the Tractor Boys previously – only mustering up two shots on target on an off-day for the likes of Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter.

Farke could, therefore, attempt to sign this tricky winger in January to further help out the forwards at Elland Road and share the goal-load away from heavily relying on Crysencio Summerville to conjure up moments of magic to get his team out of many sticky situations.

Leeds lightweight who lost nine duels let Farke down badly alongside Meslier

The young defender endured a difficult afternoon at Deepdale on Boxing Day.

ByDan Emery Dec 26, 2023

This signing could also soften the blow of Wilfried Gnonto's expected departure from West Yorkshire when the transfer window reopens, this transfer into the building an upgrade on the diminutive Italian attacker.

Leeds transfer latest – Ryan Kent

Last month, TEAMTalk reported on the possibility that Ryan Kent's current club Fenerbahce would be open to loaning the ex-Rangers man out in January – the 27-year-old winger failing to acclimatise to his new surroundings in Turkey after joining on a free transfer.

Frenzied interest in Kent's services from a number of suitors could be forthcoming therefore, being able to land the English attacker on a short-term basis to positively enhance your team a no-brainer move to attempt to pull off.

Leeds and AFC Bournemouth were named as interested parties, according to the report, the Whites hopeful of jumping to the front of the queue owing to Gnonto potentially leaving.

Football Insider have recently reported that Farke's men are open to selling Gnonto now, after batting away interest in their number 29 from Everton in the summer.

Signing Kent would appease any Leeds masses disappointed by Gnonto leaving immediately, Leeds hopeful of getting the best out of the left winger again even after a torrid time in Turkey to date.

Ryan Kent's style of play

Kent's relentless focus on venturing forward with pace and trickery would fit Farke's side down to a tee, Leeds routinely blitzing opponents with their gung-ho approach when on song.

Gnonto's effectiveness has taken a back-seat this season, however ,when it comes to helping his teammates score goals for fun, only helping himself to one goal and one assist from 18 appearances.

Kent has also been going through a difficult spell in his career in terms of goal output – the 27-year-old only managing one goal and two assists from 15 appearances for Fenerbahce this campaign – but the attacker would be a different beast altogether in the Championship if Farke puts an arm around the misfiring winger on his arrival to West Yorkshire and believes in him.

At the peak of his powers playing in Scotland, the slick £33k-per-week forward – as per Capology – was a creative machine who had a killer knack of finding the back of the net also – assisting ten goals in his final full season at Ibrox, amassing 33 goals scored and 56 assists during a long-standing affinity with Rangers which was then severed.

His time with Rangers even saw talkSPORT pundit and ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O'Hara claim that Kent should be playing in the Premier League instead of the Scottish Premiership, labelling the dynamic attacker as a "top player".

With Gnonto – who only boasts 17 goals and 15 assists in his senior career to date during his time at Elland Road and for FC Zurich – snapping up a far more experienced and proven asset like Kent could well see Farke secure an upgrade on the young Italian.

Leeds could well be the destination that re-energises the ex-Liverpool man's stuttering career this January, bolstering the squad with another impactful presence who would go toe-to-toe with Dan James on his arrival and enable Gnonto's exit to be simply shrugged off and forgotten about.

With Leeds United heading into the final day of the Premier League season knowing that, whatever happens elsewhere, they simply must pick up all three points against Brentford if they are to have any hope of securing survival, Jesse Marsch will undoubtedly already be plotting out his potential starting XI for the trip to west London.

And, with all of Stuart Dallas, Adam Forshaw, Tyler Robers and Crysencio Summerville being ruled out of Sunday’s fixture due to injury, while both Luke Ayling and Daniel James will also be sidelined as a result of suspension, it is true that some of the 48-year-old manager’s team selections pick themselves.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-leeds-united-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more-2″ title=”Read the latest Leeds news, transfer rumours and more!”]

This is not the case in attacking midfield – a position which the £58k-per-week Rodrigo usually fills. However, following the 31-year-old’s disastrous performance in the 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last time out – not to mention a number of further disappointing displays in the weeks prior – whether or not Marsch will stick with the Spaniard this weekend is very much up in the air.

And, with Sam Greenwood sitting on the bench – a player who it is well known that Marsch is a huge fan of – it would seem as if the American coach not only possesses the answer to his attacking midfield conundrum for the Brentford game, but also following Rodrigo’s touted departure from Elland Road this summer.

Indeed, while it is true that the 20-year-old is naturally a centre-forward, he has often been deployed in the number 10 role for the U23s this season, striking up a deadly partnership with fellow Whites prodigy Joe Gelhardt in attack, with the duo having racked up a combined 16 goals and eight assists over 29 appearances for the Premier League 2 side.

And, regarding the positioning of Greenwood and Gelhardt, Marcelo Bielsa commented on the former’s ability to play a slightly deeper role, stating back in December: “His main position is as a centre forward. Normally he plays in conjunction with Gelhardt in the team.

“Gelhardt is a player that when he is close to the box is very dangerous and Greenwood is a player who has a lot of capacity to arrive into the free spaces. They can play either with Gelhardt in front and Greenwood behind or the other way round.”

As such, with it looking likely that Gelhardt will once again be deployed at centre-forward in the potential absence of Patrick Bamford this weekend, Marsch could well take advantage of the chemistry developed between the youngsters by deploying the “phenomenal” 49-goal Greenwood behind his U23 striking partner.

Indeed, with Rodrigo having been “non-existent” – in the words of Michael Dawson – in recent weeks, Greenwood would very much appear to be the man to take Leeds forward in attacking midfield – not only on Sunday but for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Leeds dealt fresh setback in relegation fight, supporters will be gutted

Tottenham Hotspur will look to solve Antonio Conte’s wing-back woes with Joakim Maehle this summer…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, the north London outfit are lining up a move for Atalanta star, who is viewed as a perfect fit for the Italian head coach and after striking success with Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski, sporting director Fabio Paratici could return to the Serie A for another signing.

It remains to be seen how much the 24-year-old would command, though CIES Football Observatory value him at €50m (£45m).

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-and-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news!”]

Dream Conte wing-back

Conte has endured a torrid time with his wide options this campaign.

On the left, injuries have seen both Sergio Reguilon and Ryan Sessegnon struggle to sustain a consistent run in the side, both also lacking in form, whilst on the right, Emerson’s maiden campaign in the Premier League has largely been woeful with Matt Doherty’s season ended by an MCL injury.

The Denmark international first caught the eye of many during Euro 2020 as he impressed at left wing-back on their way to the semi-final, where they were defeated by Harry Kane’s England.

He has delivered nine goals from 25 caps at international level.

Meanwhile, a career average of 0.9 key passes, 0.9 shots and 1.1 dribbles per game, via WhoScored, further highlights his attacking credentials as a marauding wing-back.

Maehle is capable of getting into the final third often but that doesn’t come at any defensive expense, having also averaged 1.4 tackles and 1.1 interceptions throughout his career.

Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has been impressed by his De Rod-Hvide counterpart, once describing him as a “machine” after their 4-1 win over Russia at last summer’s major tournament.

If Conte wants to land an upgrade on the left or right side of the pitch, then they should look no further than the Danish dynamo, who ranks inside the top 10% of all players in his position for progressive passes received (3.67 per 90), thus making him something of a dream option for the Tottenham head coach.

Paratici and co must look to seal Maehle this off-season.

AND in other news, Forget Son: “Sensational” Spurs titan who had 11 clearances stole the show at Anfield…

Amid all the excitement over Benjamin Sesko’s potential arrival, Real Madrid have now reportedly sent their scouts to watch one of Manchester United’s best players as they plot a blockbuster move.

Sesko chooses Man Utd over Newcastle

It’s been a successful summer for Manchester United so far, all things considered. The Red Devils have welcomed both Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to hand their frontline a major boost, whilst also enjoying an impressive pre-season.

In their latest friendly, the Red Devils eased past Bournemouth in the Premier League Summer Series in a 4-1 victory which featured a much-needed goal from Rasmus Hojlund.

After getting his name on the scoresheet, the Dane also took the chance to add some clarity to his future, telling reporters: “I think the most important (thing) for me is just to keep working hard and stay focused and then obviously we’ll see what happens. I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens.”

That said, fighting for that spot could be about to become far more difficult amid reports that Sesko has now set his sights on moving to Manchester United this summer.

The RB Leipzig forward has been the subject of a £65m transfer battle between Manchester United and Newcastle, but now reportedly prefers a move to Old Trafford.

If INEOS complete their third big-money move of the summer, Ruben Amorim’s frontline will suddenly be transformed. From blunter than ever, United will have three impressive goalscorers to choose from next season. And that would make all the difference.

As one big-money signing potentially arrives, however, one big-money exit could deal Amorim an almighty blow.

Real Madrid set sights on blockbuster Mainoo move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now plotting a move to sign Kobbie Mainoo in a blockbuster deal worth as much as £70m. Scouts have already reportedly been sent to watch the England international at Old Trafford and new manager Xabi Alonso has earmarked both Adam Wharton and the Carrington graduate as midfield targets.

Bad news for Onana: Man Utd make contact for "incredible" star after Sesko

Manchester United are making huge moves in the transfer market this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Jul 31, 2025

It’s bad news for Amorim, who will be aware like most that Madrid often get what they desire in the transfer market. The Manchester United boss knows exactly how talented Mainoo is, too. It was only last week that the former Sporting Club manager spoke about how his midfielder could help captain Bruno Fernandes.

At 20 years old, Mainoo is not a talent that Manchester United will want to lose anytime soon, which should spark plenty of concern about Real Madrid’s presence.

Fulham are interested in a loan swoop for a “sensational” £80,000 star, according to a new report. The Cottagers will be looking to get back to winning ways on Thursday, as they host Brighton at Craven Cottage. Marco Silva’s side have been brushed aside by Wolves and drawn with Tottenham Hotspur in their last two league games.

Fulham now pushing to sign £30k-p/w "complete package" for Silva in January

He could be a sensational signing at Craven Cottage.

1 ByBen Browning Nov 25, 2024 Fulham transfer news

It has been an impressive campaign for Silva’s side so far, and January represents an opportunity for them to further strengthen their side as they try to fight for a place in the top half at the very minimum.

January is fast approaching, and Fulham are already being linked with potential new additions. One player the Cottagers are interested in signing is Evan Ferguson from Brighton, as the striker looks set to be available on a loan in the New Year. The Irish international has struggled for regular football so far, and several Premier League teams are keen on signing him on a temporary basis.

As well as Ferguson, Fulham are also interested in signing Wataru Endo from Liverpool. He is another player who has struggled to get regular minutes this season, and he seems unwanted under Arne Slot. Liverpool would be looking to get around £12-14 million for the player, as other Premier League teams also keep an eye on his situation.

But Endo is not the only midfielder on Fulham’s radar, as they have an interest in a player who could be available for a loan.

Fulham considering January swoop for Chelsea outcast

According to TBR Football, Fulham are interested in signing Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on loan from Chelsea in January. The 26-year-old joined the Blues in the summer transfer window, following Enzo Maresca in making the move to Stamford Bridge from the King Power Stadium.

The midfielder, who was dubbed “sensational” by Brendan Rodgers, was excellent for the Foxes last season, scoring 12 goals and recording 14 assists in 44 Championship games, as he helped Leicester City seal promotion to the Premier League. But in this 2024/25 campaign, it hasn’t been as successful for the midfielder, as he’s played just 12 games in all competitions, four of which have come in the league.

Now this report states that Fulham are among the teams interested in signing Dewsbury-Hall on loan in January. Maresca remains a big fan of the player, but his limited game time means a temporary move away could be on the cards.

Apps

63

Goals

3

Assists

4

Brighton and Brentford, as well as Fulham, are interested in taking Dewsbury-Hall, who earns £80,000 a week at Chelsea, on loan. However, the deal may not be straightforward to do, as Chelsea would rather keep hold of the midfielder and let other players leave the club in the New Year.

Dewsbury-Hall has yet to start a game in the league, which will be rather difficult to swallow for a player who was so vital at Leicester, but a move to Fulham could be easier to complete, as Dewsbury-Hall’s agents, Wasserman, also represent Fulham defender Antonee Robinson, potentially paving a path for smooth negotiations.

Millwall are building for another tilt at the EFL Championship and could look to sanction a permanent deal for another talented operator in the engine room, according to reports.

Millwall set to sign Massimo Luongo imminently

Alex Neil has begun work on shaping his squad for the new campaign and successfully delivered the arrivals of Zak Sturge, Josh Coburn, and Max Crocombe, with plenty more new faces set to join up at The Den before the window closes.

Coming as a two-pronged update, Millwall are set to announce both Massimo Luongo and Fulham goalkeeper Steven Benda imminently, with the latter arriving on a loan deal from their London rivals.

On the other hand, Luongo is an experienced campaigner who spent the last two years at Ipswich Town before leaving Portman Road on a free transfer.

Former Queens Park Rangers defender Morgan Fox was on Millwall’s radar and is now a free agent, though it remains to be seen whether Neil will decide to add another left-sider after Sturge completed a move from Chelsea.

Whatever happens, Don Goodman is adamant that the Lions must retain Japhet Tanganga and Mihailo Ivanovic if they genuinely intend to earn promotion this season.

Millwall’s opening five Championship fixtures

Norwich City (A)

Carrow Road

Middlesbrough (H)

The Den

Sheffield United (A)

Bramall Lane

Wrexham (H)

The Den

Charlton Athletic (A)

The Valley

When pressed on the subject, he stated: “That would be an emphatic yes. Ivanovic and Tanganga, you could make a case to say they’re the two best players at Millwall. If they want to kick-on, and the signs are that they do, with the signings they’re making, the appointment of Neil, then keeping your best players is of paramount importance.”

Excitingly, Millwall appear to share a level of ambition that could see them enter the promotion picture if their latest reported target were to sign on the dotted line.

Millwall eyeing permanent deal to sign Tottenham Hotspur youngster Alfie Devine

According to Dan Marsh on X, Millwall are set to target a permanent deal for Tottenham Hotspur youngster Alfie Devine once Luongo completes his move to South London.

He stated: “Exclusive: Massimo Luongo is undergoing a medical ahead of joining Millwall. 32 y/o midfielder has been on trial + former Ipswich man now set to sign permanently. Lions also interested in a perm deal for Tottenham midfielder Alfie Devine”

Millwall make first move to sign "fantastic" 20 y/o on a free transfer

Millwall could land a bargain in the transfer market.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 11, 2025

Labelled as someone who “applies himself brilliantly” by former Plymouth Argyle boss Ian Foster, Devine shone out on loan at KVC Westerlo last term, registering six goals and an assist in 32 appearances across all competitions.

With the Warrington-born man set to struggle for regular minutes at Spurs, being able to remain in London while thriving at The Den may be an ideal scenario for all parties.

The 20-year-old is highly-rated among his peers and a switch to Millwall could see the youngster tread a similar path to Tanganga, who is now courting interest from several Premier League clubs.

Since taking the Arsenal job, when the club were at their lowest point in a generation, Mikel Arteta has made some seismic changes.

Some of the most significant have come in the transfer market, as the Spaniard spent a massive sum of money building a squad capable of challenging for major honours domestically and on the continent.

In doing so, the former captain has signed an enormous number of players over the years, and while some haven’t exactly panned out, like Willian, Pablo Mari and Nuno Tavares, others, like Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Magalhaes and David Raya, certainly have.

In fact, it would be fair to say that one of Arteta’s acquisitions is now comfortably the club’s best signing since Mesut Özil joined the team over a decade ago.

Özil's Arsenal career

It’s a moment that no Arsenal fan who was around at the time will forget, Özil being announced on transfer deadline day 2013, in what was a club-record £42.4m deal at the time.

The German international was leaving Real Madrid to come to the Emirates, and saying that fans were excited about it would be a colossal understatement.

It didn’t take long for the mercurial midfielder to make good on his transfer fee either, as on his debut, away to Sunderland, he provided a brilliant assist for Olivier Giroud.

Throughout his stint in North London, the World Cup winner made 254 appearances for the club, scoring 44 goals, providing 75 assists, and playing a significant role in three FA Cup triumphs.

Unfortunately, after signing his bumper £350k-per-week deal in 2018, things started to go wrong, and he began to face criticism for his perceived lack of work rate, which worsened when Arteta took charge.

However, while things ended poorly, and he eventually left for nothing to join Fenerbahçe in January 2021, it cannot be forgotten that in his pomp, Özil was an incredible footballer to watch and, had the club built around him, he may have led them to league glory.

There have been some great signings made in the years since he left, but one potentially era-defining acquisition under Arteta could be fairly described as the club’s best since the German.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Arsenal's best signing since Ozil

As we mentioned above, Arteta has made his fair share of impressive signings since taking the job at Arsenal, but in terms of needle-moving purchases, the spotlight falls on one player: Declan Rice.

The former West Ham United captain moved to the Emirates for a club-record fee of £105m in the summer of 2023, and while there was a mountain of pressure on him, he’s since surpassed every expectation people had of him.

In fact, the fans often sing about signing him for half-price, and while that is somewhat tongue in cheek, there is likely an increasing portion of the support that is genuinely starting to believe it.

Appearances

94

Minutes

7640′

Goals

14

Assists

18

Goal Involvements per Match

0.34

Minutes per Goal Involvement

238.75′

For example, since moving to North London, the “world-class” midfielder, as dubbed by journalist Tom Marshall-Bailey, has made 94 appearances, in which he’s scored 14 goals and provided 18 assists, despite moving between the six and eight positions.

We saw just how devastatingly effective the Englishman can be last night when he scored two stunning free-kicks against Real Madrid to give his side an incredible opportunity to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since the 08/09 season.

On top of his impressive level of output, the 26-year-old also has some sensational underlying numbers.

For example, FBref places him in the top 4% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, the top 6% for assists, the top 7% for goals plus assists, the top 8% for shot-creating action from dead-ball passes and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Arsenal would have expected Rice to perform to a high level considering his price tag, we are not sure they nor anyone else expected him to be this good, and that’s why he’s their best signing since Ozil.

Arsenal have struck gold on "unplayable" star who's their own Bellingham

The incredible talent looks destined for greatness with Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 9, 2025