Joao Palhinha could reportedly become Vincent Kompany's first signing as Bayern Munich manager – with the deal potentially sealed before the Euros.
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Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich and reuniting him with his former manager Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford.
The United boss is thought to be very keen on the idea of working with De Ligt again after their stint together at Ajax, although any move will of course depend on whether he's still in the job by the summer, with the Red Devils currently languishing down in seventh place in the table.
It's possible that the centre-back could become one of his top transfer targets for 2024 as he considers his future in light of limited game time at Bayern, where he's only started four of the ten Bundesliga games for which he's been available this season. And now, Ten Hag has received further encouragement from Germany.
According to Sky Sports, Man Utd target De Ligt could leave Bayern this year. If the reigning Bundesliga champions receive a "suitable offer", it's "likely" that he'll be allowed to move on, and that means his "chapter" at the club could soon be "history". Bayern bosses are aware of the player's current dissatisfaction, and that makes him a "candidate" to move on in the off-season.
Over in Manchester, United are "watching developments closely", and it's very much "conceivable" that De Ligt links up with Ten Hag again in the Premier League unless anything major changes between now and the end of the campaign.
The next question is how much Bayern will demand for De Ligt. It was only 18 months ago that they paid up to £60m to sign him from Juventus, and already there's talk of a departure. That move ranks as one of the ten biggest defensive transfers in football history, and incidentally, De Ligt also occupies third place after his £77m move from Ten Hag's Ajax to Juve in 2019.
He's still relatively young at 24, and his contract runs until 2027, so all these factors point to sizeable demands, possibly comparable to the £57m outlay for Lisandro Martinez in 2022. That's in addition to the player's reported £263k-per-week salary, which is thought to be one of the highest at the club.
However, if De Ligt remains outside Thomas Tuchel's first-choice XI in the coming months and Bayern express an openness to offers, that naturally reduces the strength of the club's negotiating position because he'd appear a less valuable asset.
One intriguing subplot here is that both United and Bayern have shown an interest in Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo. Tuchel has already added Tottenham's Eric Dier to his squad this month, but he's after another reinforcement in defence, with PSG's Nordi Mukiele also considered.
In a strange way, it might actually be wise for United to let Bayern have a free run at Araujo and hope they can secure his services, before pouncing on De Ligt, who by that point would be categorically surplus to requirements. The stage is set, then, for a game of transfer poker.
Manchester United have long been criticised for their dwindling infrastructure, however, that is about to change with upgrades revealed.
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Chelsea are set to make a first move for Karim Benzema today ahead of a possible Stamford Bridge transfer, according to reports.
The Blues have been linked with a number of forwards during the January transfer window as Todd Boehly looks to bolster Mauricio Pochettino’s current attacking ranks. Nicolas Jackson has been away with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, leaving Armando Broja as the only fit and available centre-forward.
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.
By
Luke Randall
Feb 1, 2024
However, it looks as if Chelsea are open to selling the Albanian before the deadline, with Crystal Palace, Fulham, West Ham and Wolves all expressing an interest in the 22-year-old, who is valued at £35m. Should Broja depart, then a short-term solution could be looked at by the Blues, especially as a move for top target Victor Osimhen is looking more likely in the summer.
One of those players who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge for the second half of the season has been Al-Ittihad forward Benzema, with Chelsea holding internal talks over a deal. Now, it looks as if they are ready to make their move.
The Daily Express shared an update in their live transfer blog on Wednesday morning, claiming the Blues are closing in on Benzema and are expected to make contact over a deal today.
“Chelsea are today expected to make contact with Karim Benzema over a move to the club – with a loan move the favoured option for both parties. Benzema has reportedly submitted a formal request to leave Al-Ittihad, having been made to train alone after returning late from his holiday.”
Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, is now 36 years of age and made the move to the Saudi Pro League last summer after leaving Real Madrid. He has continued to find the back of the net on a regular basis with his new side and has over 450 goals for club and country during his career.
|
Karim Benzema career stats |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Real Madrid |
648 |
354 |
165 |
|
Lyon |
148 |
66 |
27 |
|
Al-Ittihad |
20 |
12 |
5 |
|
France |
97 |
37 |
20 |
The Frenchman has, as expected, come in for plenty of praise during his career, including from pundit Joe Cole, who said:
“The levels this lad is hitting are unbelievable. Him and (midfielder Luka) Modric have been almost a decade together and they know each other so well. He's just a joy to watch.”
Meanwhile, Steve McManaman added:
“People across Europe are really starting to view him (as a great player). He's not just a good finisher, he's an extraordinary football player.”
Therefore, on a short-term solution, Benzema could well be open to playing in the Premier League for the first time in his career, and Chelsea are seemingly keen on the idea of having the striker on their books for the remainder of the campaign, making this one to watch.
Ollie Palmer has swapped Hollywood royalty for the future King, with the Wrexham striker rubbing shoulders with Prince William at Euro 2024.
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Manchester United failed to sign attacking reinforcements in January, with the club only seeing outgoings occur.
Last night, Erik ten Hag's team were dragged over the line by 18-year-old Kobbie Mainoo in a 4-3 victory over Wolves.
The youth is yet to let the boss down, and he could turn to the academy once again to strengthen the side.
Marcus Rashford has been far from his best this campaign, with the forward only netting five goals in 21 Premier League games this season. In fairness to the United number ten, his form as of late has significantly improved, but his recent external shenanigans have tainted his development, with the focus being swayed away from the field.
Furthermore, there has also been the recent news that PSG are interested in signing Rashford as their Kylian Mbappe replacement in the summer, and although Ten Hag has rubbished such claims, the England international looks far from settled at his boyhood club.
This season, Ten Hag's hand has been forced into relying upon the youngsters to step up, and in all honesty, the likes of Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have become undroppable from the United starting XI, which is a credit to them and the boss for providing them with an opportunity.
Willy Kambwala, Omari Forson, and Daniel Gore are other examples of young players being given minutes in the first team this season, and the next star to follow suit could be 18-year-old Ethan Williams.
The winger has become a key player for United's youth teams, which earned him the right to train with the first team earlier this campaign. The table below shows some of his stats from this season.
|
Williams' 2023/24 Stats |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Competition |
Games |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Premier League 2 |
7 |
3 |
0 |
|
U18 Premier League |
6 |
4 |
4 |
|
UEFA Youth League |
4 |
2 |
1 |
|
EFL Trophy |
2 |
0 |
1 |
|
FA Youth Cup |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
|||
As you can see, the forward is the definition of a modern-day winger, who can not only provide for those around him but also put the ball in the back of the net himself, which is why United Academy coach Travis Binnion described the English ace as a huge "goal threat."
The Mancunian is a left-sided winger who has the ability to use both feet with ease, which makes him unpredictable out wide and deadly in the box. Garnacho is also a left-winger by trade, but he has started four of the last six on the right after scoring twice in that role versus Aston Villa on Boxing Day. Therefore, if Williams were to progress into the first team picture, the right-wing spot could become the Argentine's new full-time position.
Like any young talent, Williams still has lots to learn and develop, but based on his output and academy showings, it shouldn't be too long until he's in the matchday squad and even featuring in the side if Rashford does decide to swap Manchester for Paris.
Sports television presenter Laura Woods will go from covering Euro 2024 to the Olympics in Paris amid a 'busy' summer schedule.
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Celtic decided to bring Brendan Rodgers back to Parkhead for a second spell in the dugout last summer after Ange Postecoglou moved on from Scotland.
The Hoops board then opted to back the Northern Irish head coach in the summer transfer window by bringing in a host of new signings to bolster the squad.
Hyeok-kyu Kwon, Hyun-jun Yang, Nat Phillips, Odin Thiago Holm, Paulo Bernardo, Maik Nawrocki, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Luis Palma, and Marco Tilio were all snapped up, either on loan or on a permanent basis.
Not all of those signings have gone to plan so far, though, as Kwon and Tilio were both sent out on loan, to St Mirren and Melbourne City respectively, in January.
One player who has been a successful addition to the squad, however, has been Palma as the Honduras international has been an impressive performer at the top end of the pitch since his arrival at Paradise.
The right-footed winger has caught the eye with his output in the final third and his market value has soared as a result, which currently has him worth more than January signing Nicolas Kuhn.
At the time of his transfer to Parkhead at the end of August 2023, Transfermarkt placed his market value at €2.5m (£2.1m) after an excellent spell with Aris in Greece.
He attracted attention from a number of clubs ahead of the 2023/24 campaign due to his fantastic performances for the Greek side over the previous 12 months.
Palma has since revealed that his agents made him aware of interest from fellow Scottish side Rangers during the summer transfer window but that Celtic was the only place he wanted to go once a move to the Bhoys was on the table for him.
This means that Rodgers fought off competition from the club's nearest rivals to secure a deal for the 24-year-old magician, who started this season on fire for Aris.
The Honduras international produced two goals and three assists in five matches across the Super League and Europa Conference League qualifiers.
That came after Palma had racked up 13 goals and eight assists in 36 matches in all competitions for the Greek outfit throughout the 2022/23 campaign.
Impressively, the forward only missed one 'big chance' in front of goal across 29 appearances in the Super League last season, on his way to 11 goals in 20 starts, which shows that he was clinical with the chances that came his way.
At the time of writing (18/02/2024), Palma's current market value on Transfermarkt has shot up to €4.5m (£3.8m) and that is an 80% increase on his valuation at the time of his move to Celtic (€2.5m).
This shows that Rodgers hit the jackpot by signing the talented whiz from Aris last summer as he has become a valuable asset on and off the pitch.
His value has soared over the course of the season, possibly thanks to his excellent performances on the left flank for Rodgers in the Scottish Premiership.
Palma has started 17 times in the top-flight for Celtic and chipped in with an exceptional five goals and nine assists, which is a goal or assist every 1.42 starts on average.
This shows that the young wizard, who was hailed as "tremendous" by Chris Sutton earlier this term, has consistently provided quality in the final third with his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals on the left flank.
He has also created a staggering 12 'big chances' for his teammates with his creative quality. No other player within the squad has managed more than seven, with Greg Taylor having created the next-most, which illustrates how impressive his passing and crossing has been.
To that point, Palma has made 3.0 key passes per match for his fellow attackers in the final third, which is 0.8 more per game than any other player – ahead of Matt O'Riley with 2.2.
These statistics show that Palma has been a difference-maker at the top end of the pitch for Celtic as their outstanding creative threat, whilst also having the quality to chip in with five goals on top of his sublime creativity.
His fantastic performances on the left wing for the Scottish giants have caused his market value to soar, and he is worth considerably more than Kuhn, who was snapped up last month in an attempt to bolster Rodgers' options out wide.
At the time of writing (18/02/2024), Transfermarkt values the January signing from Austrian side Rapid Wien at just €1.5m (£1.3m), which is €3m less than Palma's valuation.
Kuhn has not hit the ground running in Scotland in the same way that the Honduras international did at the start of the season but it is harder for a player to do that midway through the campaign, which does provide some mitigation.
|
23/24 Premiership |
Nicolas Kuhn |
Luis Palma |
|---|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Four |
21 |
|
Goals |
One |
Five |
|
Assists |
Zero |
Nine |
|
Big chances created |
Zero |
12 |
|
Key passes per game |
0.5 |
3.0 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
||
As you can see in the table above, the German winger has struggled to produce much in the way of creativity since making the move to Scotland in January.
Although, he did get himself on the scoresheet in the 1-1 draw away at Aberdeen as his deflected effort found the bottom corner after Adam Idah's clever pass.
Whereas, his creative quality was on full display in the Austrian Bundesliga during the first half of the 2022/23 campaign, as he created 11 'big chances' in 16 appearances, to go along with 1.8 key passes per game and five assists.
The former Bayern Munich and Ajax prospect has a long way to go before he can be described as being as successful as the signing of Palma has been.
However, his creative output for Rapid Wien suggests that the potential is there for him to improve upon his start to life at Celtic, which could then lead to his market value soaring past his current €1.5m valuation.
At this moment in time, Palma is the main man on the wings for the Hoops, who struck gold by signing him, and, based on his current statistics, it will take a lot from Kuhn to shift the impressive forward from that position.
The Real Sociedad man headed home with just over 60 seconds of extra-time remaining to claim a dramatic – but deserved – 2-1 win for La Roja
The best team at Euro 2024 are through to the semi-finals of Euro 2024 – but only just. Spain's winning goal in Friday's absorbing last-eight encounter with Germany only arrived in the 119th minute, while they finished with 10 men following Dani Carvajal's red card, but nobody would dare dispute that La Roja deserved to progress.
Luis de la Fuente's men played the better football for the majority of the game and dealt brilliantly with the blow of losing Pedri to injury after just eight minutes – and the injustice of not seeing Toni Kroos sent off long before Carvajal's dismissal.
Once again, Rodri ran the show for Spain, but Dani Olmo was their game-changer, with Pedri's replacement converting Lamine Yamal's low cross to open the scoring before creating the winner for Mikel Merino, after Florian Wirtz had forced extra-time with an 89th-minute equaliser.
Below, GOAL rates all of the Spain players on show after a cracking quarter-final in Stuttgart…
Tottenham Hotspur have produced a number of impressive young players from their academy who have gone on to forge impressive careers for themselves.
Ollie Skipp, who has made 20 appearances in all competitions this season, is the only regular first-team player at the moment who came through the youth set-up.
However, Harry Kane, who left to join Bayern Munich last summer, is perhaps the best example of a player breaking through the academy to become a star for the club.
The England captain racked up 278 goals and 64 assists in 430 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions before his switch to Germany.
Ange Postecoglou should now be looking to the current crop of youngsters to unearth the next Skipp or the next Kane over the coming months and years.
One player, however, who slipped through their grasp at a young age was Chelsea centre-forward Armando Broja, who had been part of the Tottenham academy.
In an interview with Chelsea's website, Broja once revealed that he spent two years with Spurs from U8s through to the end of his U9s season.
He stated that Blues scouts were impressed by his performances against them and they decided to snap him up after his two campaigns with the Lilywhites academy.
This meant that Tottenham lost the promising striker for nothing as they were unable to convince the prospect to continue his development in North London.
Of course, there is no telling how a player will develop and grow, both technically and physically, at such a young age but Chelsea being interested in him suggests that he was showing great potential at that point.
Perhaps if Spurs could have kept him if they had fought harder to keep hold of Broja and made it clear that they were the best place for him to continue his progress, with a clear pathway to eventually make it through to the older age groups and, then, the first-team many years down the line.
This is all, however, with the benefit of hindsight as the Albania international has gone on to forge a Premier League career for himself and still has plenty of time left to develop further.
Tottenham may look back on their failure to keep him as a howler, given his progression since his move across London, and they should use it as a warning for the next time a club attempts to snap up one of their prospects at a young age, and possibly fight harder to retain them.
Having left Spurs for £0, Broja has worked his way into senior football over the last few years and is currently valued at a whopping £35m by Chelsea.
TalkSPORT reported on deadline day at the start of this month that the Blues wanted that figure to sell him permanently during the recent January transfer window.
However, they allowed him to join fellow Premier League side Fulham on loan until the end of the season, in a deal that could cost the Cottagers up to £4m based on his appearances.
Marco Silva's side decided to bring him in to bolster their forward line as he has previously showcased his quality at the top level with Southampton and Vitesse.
After a superb return of 16 goals and five assists in 35 matches for Chelsea's U18 team, Dutch side Vitesse secured his services on loan for the 2020/21 campaign.
The then-teenager, who was once described as "magnificently unique" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, caught the eye with his performances in the Netherlands as he scored 11 goals and provided three assists in 34 appearances in all competitions.
Broja's Eredivisie exploits caught the eye the attention of the Saints, who swooped to bring him to lead the line for them in the Premier League the following season.
|
2021/22 Premier League |
Armando Broja |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
32 |
|
Starts |
21 |
|
Goals |
Six |
|
Big chances missed |
Five |
|
Big chances created |
Two |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, the young marksman enjoyed a solid first season in the top-flight of English football with more goals scored than big chances missed, which suggests that he performed well in front of goal with the opportunities that his teammates provided him with.
A significant knee injury, that kept him out for 39 matches during the 2022/23 campaign, has stunted his development since those two seasons with Vitesse and Southampton.
Broja has scored one goal in six starts in the Premier League so far this season and will be hoping to get back to his best at the top end of the pitch during his time with Fulham.
Overall, Spurs missed out on a very valuable talent, who is now 22 and already valued at £35m with plenty of experience under his belt, and that is why they had a howler with his departure to Chelsea at a young age.
The Lilywhites will now be hoping that their current U21 centre-forward – Jamie Donley – fulfills his potential and can emerge as a talent as valuable as Broja.
Postecoglou has handed him three appearances in the Premier League already this season and his record at youth level suggests that the quality is there for him to be a future star for the club.
The 19-year-old starlet has racked up an eye-catching six goals and 12 assists in 12 appearances for the club's U23s throughout the 2023/24 campaign.
|
23/24 EFL Trophy |
Jamie Donley |
|---|---|
|
Appearances |
Three |
|
Goals |
Two |
|
Assists |
Three |
|
Big chances created |
Two |
|
Key passes per game |
3.3 |
|
Stats via Sofascore |
|
As you can see in the table above, Donley was on fire in the EFL Trophy earlier this season with his ability to both score and create goals as a centre-forward.
The teenage whiz, who scored 26 goals in 40 matches for Tottenham's U18s, has an impressive record in front of goal at youth level and is starting to be integrated into the first-team, with his three league cameos this term.
Spurs will now be hoping that Donley can progress and translate his incredible academy form over to the senior team in the coming months and years, so that they can forget all about the howler they had with Broja and uncover another star striker from the youth team.