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With just over three weeks until the Premier League returns, clubs across the continent are busy with pre-season and planning their next course of action in the transfer market, and Tottenham Hotspur are no different.
It's been a promising summer for Ange Postecoglou's side thus far. The signing of Archie Gray is a clear sign that his project is a long-term one, and the wins over Hearts and Queens Park Rangers are encouraging indicators of the squad's current fitness.
However, with the market staying open for another five weeks, there is still plenty of work to be done, and it looks like the club are going to make the most of that time.
Recent reports have linked them with an exciting young player who could be Destiny Udogie's ideal rival and has shades of Gareth Bale about him.
According to a recent report from Italian publication Calcio Lecce, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in signing Danish left-back Patrick Dorgu.
Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that Arsenal and Napoli have been in contact with Lecce to discover the youngster's price tag, while Chelsea could soon do the same.
This level of competition is obviously far from ideal for Spurs, but the good news is that if they get ahead of the chasing pack, they'll only have to pay around €30m, which is about £25m, to secure the 19-year-old's services.
This may still sound excessive for a player so young, but given his performances last season, the way he is spoken about by those in the know and the similarities to Bale, it could be a bargain.
Now, before looking at how Dorgu stacks up against Udogie, let's first look at how he could be compared to a younger Bale.
The primary reason is that, like the Welshman in his younger days, the Dane is an incredibly progressive left-back who could easily be transformed into a winger in the right system, akin to the former Spurs ace.
For example, U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as possessing a great deal of "pace and power," giving him "almost equal presence at both ends of the pitch." This is incredibly beneficial for the team as "his reading of offensive situations is mighty impressive."
Moreover, according to Mango, he is also "adept at taking defenders on" thanks to his impressive "close control" and "absurd acceleration."
This all sounds an awful lot like the kind of player Bale was during his pomp, the sort of player who'd spot the space, drive into it at breakneck speeds, and then either rifle the ball into the back of the net or lay off a teammate.
So, with the similarities with the iconic full-back turned winger, how would the 19-year-old "diamond", as dubbed by Mango, fare as a rival for the Lilywhites' current first-choice left-back?
Well, when it comes to comparing the relevant underlying numbers, the results are surprisingly even, with the "explosive" Dane, as Mango described him, coming out ahead in nine metrics and his potential teammate doing so in eight.
|
Dorgu vs Udogie |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats per 90 |
Dorgu |
Udogie |
|
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists |
0.21 |
0.17 |
|
Non-Penalty Goals |
0.11 |
0.08 |
|
Progressive Passes |
2.82 |
5.83 |
|
Progressive Carries |
2.13 |
3.12 |
|
Shots |
1.04 |
0.34 |
|
Shots on Target |
0.40 |
0.19 |
|
Passing Accuracy |
79.8% |
85.8% |
|
Key Passes |
1.03 |
0.90 |
|
Passes into the Penalty Area |
0.75 |
0.49 |
|
Goal-Creating Actions |
0.06 |
0.26 |
|
Shot-Creating Actions |
2.30 |
2.15 |
|
Successful Take-Ons |
0.86 |
0.90 |
|
Tackles Won |
1.26 |
1.24 |
|
Blocks |
0.92 |
1.02 |
|
Interceptions |
0.52 |
1.39 |
|
Ball Recoveries |
4.48 |
6.35 |
|
Aerial Duels Won |
1.55 |
0.83 |
|
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season |
||
Interestingly, the Lecce gem emerges victorious in more attacking metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals, shot-creating actions, shots and shots on target, and key passes, all per 90.
In contrast, the former Udinese star looks better in more defensive areas, such as tackles won, ball recoveries, blocks, and interceptions per 90.
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Ultimately, while it is still too early to say whether Dorgu could surpass Udogie as Spurs' starting left-back, it is clear to see that he would offer a real challenge for a place in the starting lineup and that, alongside his comparisons to Bale, make signing him a no-brainer.
After losing one of their jewels in the crown, Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner will have a huge task this summer to replace Michael Olise after his move to Bayern Munich.
Palace finished tenth in the Premier League last season, and the challenge will now be for Glasner to improve upon this after a good second half of the year when he was appointed to take over from Roy Hodgson.
Reinforcements have already been made, with the signings of Chadi Riad from Real Betis, and Daichi Kamada from Lazio, but the next step is replacing Olise, and bringing in a forward who can offer a similar level of output, which the Frenchman bought for the team.
According to reports from LondonWorld, Crystal Palace are in discussions to bring Marseille winger Ismaila Sarr to the club. This would be a return to the Premier League for Sarr, who previously played for Watford from 2019-2023 in the top flight, and the Championship.
Marseille are said to be willing to let Sarr leave the club for "the right price", as new manager Roberto De Zerbi looks to build his own squad in his image. Sarr is said to be keen on a return to the Premier League, as his agents and Palace look to find a solution.
That solution appears to be edging closer with personal terms agreed between club and player already according to the Athletic.
Sarr made 35 appearances in all competitions last campaign for Marseille, scoring five goals, providing six assists, and totaling 2,074 minutes.
To compare the output of both, you need to look at Olise's numbers last season for Palace. The Frenchman made 19 appearances for Palace in 2023/24, all coming in the Premier League, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in 1,278 minutes.
In Glasner's system, Olise was often deployed as the right attacking midfielder, somewhat of a hybrid between a right-winger, and a number ten. This role, of course, has some different requirements than a touchline winger, and this could actually suit Sarr, and allow him to increase his output.
|
Sarr vs Olise comparison |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90 mins) |
Sarr |
Olise |
|
Non-Penalty xG |
0.27 |
0.33 |
|
Progressive Passes |
2.39 |
5.51 |
|
Progressive Carries |
3.01 |
4.80 |
|
Touches (Att Pen) |
5.54 |
5.65 |
|
Fouls Drawn |
2.72 |
3.04 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
Now, whilst Olise excels in pretty much all metrics over Sarr, you are talking about an elite talent that has just signed for Bayern Munich. The likelihood of finding a player of that level that is ready-made is extremely unlikely.
Instead, you need to approach the transfer market differently, especially with a club like Crystal Palace who need to spread their funds and assess other areas too. Sarr offers a similar threat on the counter as Olise, being able to offer himself as an outlet receiver, winning fouls and dragging his team up the pitch.
Sarr is also extremely fast, offering that on the break, and can use that to his advantage when progressing the ball via his carrying, which is a more direct style than the coordinated style of Olise.
The 26-year-old also has good non-penalty xG numbers, which could be further exploited in that inside forward role under Glasner. Let's also keep in mind that while his output at Marseille wasn't huge, he did once contribute with 16 goals and assists for Watford in the 2022/23 season. That was form that subsequently saw Ben Foster label him as a "freak".
What Sarr doesn't offer to the level of Olise, is the creative passing and shot-creation for not only himself, but for others. However, as we said, this is where you need to find other ways to replace those metrics, and this has been done with the signing of Kamada.
Kamada brings an average of 5.44 progressive passes per 90 to the squad, and 1.25 key passes per 90, which gives Palace an extra creative boost, with the loss of Olise.
This move and having big boots to fill could bring the best out of Sarr, as Jean-Louis Gasset made the claim that "he will become a very big player" when talking about Sarr last season.
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With Liverpool now less than two weeks away from their Premier League curtain raiser against Ipswich Town, the Reds look finally ready to enter the transfer market and bring in some fresh faces.
Whilst this summer has so far seen no new players arrive at Anfield, the latest rumours suggest that Liverpool could be making some big moves in the latter stages of the window. The name most prominently touted for a move to Merseyside is that of Anthony Gordon, who appears desperate to join the Reds this summer.
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The boyhood Liverpool fan was first offered to the Reds as a way to ease the financial concerns of Gordon's current club Newcastle United. Despite the Toon solving their struggles through other means, it appears that Liverpool are now set on bringing the player to Anfield at some point.
The latest development regarding this deal has seen Fabrizio Romano confirm that Liverpool are still interested in signing the England international this summer despite the Magpies insisting on a fee in the region of £75million.
Another of the Three Lions' stars on the Reds' radar is Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi. A report from last month suggested that Arne Slot's side were confident that they could seal a deal for the 24-year-old, although more recent rumours have suggested that Newcastle could be a likely destination for the defender.
With Liverpool's transfer window looking likely to kick off at any moment, it appears that the Reds have made contact over signing a highly-rated young talent.
Mariano Antico, a reporter for major Argentine outlet TyC Sports as well as local Lanus radio in Buenos Aires, has shared an update on Liverpool's interest in Lanus defender Julio Soler.
The Reds view the 19-year-old as a long-term replacement for Andy Robertson and have even gone as far as to make contact with Soler's current side about a potential transfer, which they are "likely" to formalise into an opening bid very soon.
Antico states that Lanus are looking for around £13million for the teenager and it is "very feasible" a deal will be agreed if FSG stump up that number.
On top of his domestic exploits Soler also caught the eye of his national team, making his debut for Argentina's Under 23s side back in June. The 19-year-old was also selected for his country's squad for this summer's Olympic games. Under the management of former Anfield favourite Javier Mascherano, Soler featured four times, grabbing one assist in the process.
With the previously mentioned Robertson still struggling with an injury he sustained during EURO 2024, a new left back may be high on the Reds' list of priorities this summer. Kostas Tsimikas has been a reliable back up in recent seasons, however at 28 years of age, Slot may be in the market for a younger model to support the Scotsman.
With Liverpool likely to take much of their business right up to the August 30th deadline, a deal for Soler could be one to watch as the window enters its final weeks.
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Manchester City had a strong English representation at Euro 2024. They initially had four players named in the provisional squad, but that was trimmed down to three when it was announced that Jack Grealish did not make the final cut for the Three Lions. It is also worth pointing out that Cole Palmer, who made the squad, is a City academy graduate.
The three Cityzens who made the full squad were John Stones, Kyle Walker and Phil Foden. The trio all played a vital part as England reached the final of the tournament, where they were defeated by Spain, as club colleague Rodri lifted the trophy.
As per FBref, City’s trio of players in Germany were three of seven Englishmen who played in all seven of the Three Lions’ games, with Stones being the only ever-present of the three. None of them registered a goal involvement, which, from Foden’s perspective, was rather surprising given his exemplary form in 2023/24, where he scored 19 goals and registered eight assists in 35 Premier League games.
Crystal Palace were actually the side with the highest number of players in England’s Euro 2024 squad after Gareth Southgate selected six in total. However, the Cityzens have been linked with one of those players and could make a move to sign him before the transfer deadline.
The player in question here is Palace’s England international attacker Eberechi Eze. The 26-year-old versatile attacker has been linked with a move away from Selhurst Park all summer, after impressing at Euro 2024 and during the 2023/24 season.
According to a report from Football Transfers, City view the former QPR man as ‘a concrete target’ this summer, with the article stating Pep Guardiola and his side are ‘enthusiastic about the prospect’ of potentially doing a deal this summer.
However, they are not alone in their interest of the talented attacker. According to a recent report from The Times, North London side Tottenham Hotspur ‘like Eze’, and could look to beat the Cityzens to his signature and do a deal for the Palace number 10 this summer.
Eze’s price, however, complicates matters for both City and Spurs. The Eagles’ star man has a £60m release clause in his deal, with the South London side seemingly unwilling to negotiate any cheaper than that. Football Transfers confirmed that there are ‘some concerns’ about the price tag, but City will still look to sign Eze.
The 26-year-old was superb under Oliver Glasner last season. Eze played 27 games in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals and grabbing four assists, as well as getting two assists in the Carabao Cup.
Under Palace’s Austrian manager, the England international featured in 11 games and got himself on the score sheet six times, as well as registering four assists. That included two goals and one assist in the 5-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on the final day of the season.
Should City sign Eze this summer, he could prove to be an excellent alternative to Jamal Musiala – the man whom FBref marks as his most comparable player in Europe's top five leagues.
Guardiola’s side were linked with the Bayern Munich star towards the end of last season, but they do not seem likely to pursue a deal for the former Chelsea academy player.
However, Eze could certainly prove to be a perfect alternative to the German attacker. Like Musiala, who glides with the ball at his feet, the Eagles' number ten is a silky dribbler, who rides challenges so well and has lightning-quick feet. England teammate Declan Rice called him a “wizard”, and it is easy to see why when watching him in full flow.
Indeed, their similarities when dribbling are also reflected when comparing the pair’s FBref numbers. The Eagles attacker completes an average of 3.03 take-ons per 90 minutes, with Musiala slightly more at 4.46. Eze, however, completes more carries into the opposition’s penalty box per game, with 1.89 compared to the German’s 1.69.
|
Eze vs. Musiala dribbling stats 2023/24 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Eze |
Musiala |
|
Take-ons completed |
3.03 |
4.46 |
|
Take-on completion % |
49.3 |
56.5 |
|
Progressive carries |
2.98 |
5.28 |
|
Carries into final third |
2.68 |
3.08 |
|
Carries into penalty box |
1.89 |
1.69 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
City would also not lose out on creativity if they sign Eze as an alternative to Musiala. The Palace attacker averages more key passes than the Bayern Munich man per game, with 2.37 compared to 2.15 for Musiala.
Whilst £60m is a lot of money, the Cityzens have it at their disposal after selling Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid earlier this week. If they are looking for a carry-first profile who can add creativity and dynamism to shake up their attack, Eze could be the dream signing for City now they seem unable to get Musiala.
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A Manchester United player who Jurgen Klopp has described as "world-class" is the subject of talks with another huge club this summer, according to a new update.
The Red Devils have less than a week to do more summer transfer business as Erik ten Tag hopes to see at least one more fresh face added to his squad. There have already been excellent signings made, including Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt, but further quality is needed, particularly in midfield.
United are believed to be in talks to sign Fluminense midfielder Andre, who was once a transfer target for Liverpool and is a Brazil international. He could be viewed as an alternative option to Manuel Ugarte, with the club still pursuing a move for the Paris Saint-Germain ace.
Chelsea left-back Ben Chilwell has also been linked with a move to United as they look to provide more backup for Luke Shaw, who continues to be a hugely injury-prone player. Granted, the Blues defender has had fitness issues of his own down the years, but less so than Shaw, and the fact that he isn't wanted at Stamford Bridge could mean he would be open to a move to Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, Juventus winger Federico Chiesa is reportedly being looked at by the Red Devils in the coming days, potentially arriving as an upgrade on Jadon Sancho, whose time at the club has been far more underwhelming than was expected when he arrived.
According to a fresh claim from HITC, Juventus "have engaged in talks" with Manchester United over the signing of Sancho, which could mean he heads in the opposite direction to Chiesa this summer.
The Englishman doesn't appear to be part of the Red Devils' plans moving forward, so a switch away from Old Trafford looks on the cards. However, Nico Gonzalez and Francisco Conceicao are also wide targets for Juve, so there is no guarantee that they will sign the United man.
Sancho has been a disappointment for United, given his reputation when he arrived, never getting going and finding himself loaned back to Borussia Dortmund last season. 12 goals and 6 assists in 83 appearances is such a poor return.
Quite why the 24-year-old has struggled so much is up for debate, and only the player himself will know the full reasons behind it, but he has had long enough to prove himself, and it feels like a move away is the best outcome for all concerned.
It is a huge shame that the £250,000-a-week Sancho hasn't been the superstar signing that so many thought he would be back in 2021, with Klopp hailing him as "world-class" and saying he "has all the things you need to become one of the best players in the world in the future," but it simply hasn't worked out.
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United can still receive good money for the winger considering he is relatively young and rated by many, using the funds to sign a superior option in wide areas instead.