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While success hasn’t always followed, West Ham United have had some genuine world-beaters represent the club over the years.

For example, the likes of Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst are more than just club legends; they are true icons of the English game.

Then, in the modern day, while he’s not quite matched their achievements, Jarrod Bowen is in with a real chance of being the club’s greatest ever Premier League player.

However, there is another man who might have an equal shout for that title: Dimitri Payet.

The Frenchman was utterly incredible during his time with the club, and in great news, Nuno Espírito Santo has someone in his current squad with shades of the midfielder in his game.

Payet's West Ham career

West Ham signed Payet from Marseille for a fee of around £10.7m, and while the move received little media attention at the time, it would soon be looked at as one of the best deals that summer.

It didn’t take long at all for the mercurial midfielder to make his mark, as on his debut, against Arsenal, he provided an assist for Cheikhou Kouyaté from a well-taken free-kick.

From that point onwards, the Saint-Pierre-born genius would continue to turn up for the Hammers, and by the end of the season, he had racked up a brilliant haul of 12 goals and 15 assists in 38 games, totalling 3223 minutes.

Unsurprisingly, such an incredible debut campaign for the club saw him named the Premier League Player of the Year at the 2016 London Football Awards, shortlisted for the PFA Players’ Player of the Year and named West Ham United Player of the Year.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and after telling the club he didn’t want to play for them anymore, he left for £25m in January.

Appearances

60

Minutes

4981′

Goals

15

Assists

22

Points per Game

1.52

It’s hard to overstate how brilliant Payet was to watch at West Ham, and while there isn’t anyone just like him in the current squad, there is someone with shades of him in their game.

West Ham's star with shades of Payet

Now, there are a number of players in this current West Ham side who could go on to do great things at the club, as Bowen already has.

Chalkboard

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

However, when it comes to someone who has shades of Payet in their game, it’s hard to look past Crysencio Summerville and the potential he has.

It’s important to say the word potential, as it would be crazy to suggest that the former Leeds United star has reached the levels the Frenchman did at the club.

However, that is not the point, as this isn’t a comparison to say he will be as good as the 38-year-old; it’s to point out the elements of his game that feel Payet-esque.

One such element is his brilliant ability with the ball at his feet, specifically when it comes to dribbling and beating opponents.

This was on full display in his Man of the Match-winning display against Everton on Monday night, as the Dutchman was able to complete three of five dribbles, which was the most of anyone on the pitch, including Jack Grealish.

More than that, he utilises this ball-carrying ability to create numerous chances for his teammates, whether through winning fouls or outmanoeuvring opponents.

SCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.52

Top 1%

Fouls Drawn

2.58

Top 3%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.10

Top 4%

Pass Completion % (Medium)

88.1%

Top 5%

SCA (Take-On)

0.72

Top 7%

GCA (Fouls Drawn)

0.10

Top 8%

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions coming from fouls won, the top 4% for penalties won, the top 7% for shot-creating actions coming from take-ons and more, all per 90.

Finally, while his output hasn’t been ideal since his move to East London, there is undoubtedly a star waiting to come out in the “unstoppable” game-changer, as dubbed by Statman Dave.

This was on show in his final campaign with Leeds, when he racked up 21 goals and ten assists in 49 games and won the Championship Player of the Year.

Ultimately, Summerville isn’t as talented as Payet, but with his ability on the ball and dynamism, there are certainly shades of the Frenchman in his game.

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ByEmilio Galantini Oct 1, 2025

An Arsenal target now has his heart set on joining Manchester United, due to his deep respect for former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and the club’s traditions.

Man Utd's standards have slipped since Ferguson's retirement

Man United are well-known for their rich history and traditions, which included wearing suits when arriving ahead of matches, but Wayne Rooney has revealed that standards started to slip after Ferguson’s retirement back in 2013.

Rooney said: “I remember we went to the League Cup final and players were wearing the suits with big, bright yellow trainers and stuff like that.

“I remember we went to the League Cup final and players were wearing the suits with big, bright yellow trainers and stuff like that. I went to Mourinho and said, ‘Listen, I’ve spoken to the players and you need to have a word here and to keep the standards. We can’t have that going to Wembley into a cup final.’

“He’s like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I’ll speak to them’. And then as we came down to leave, I’ve seen Jose there and he’s got a zip-up top with no tie on. I was thinking, “What’s the point?”

With Rooney going on to reveal that players are allowed to wear whatever they want nowadays, one of United’s traditions has arguably been eroded, but that hasn’t stopped an up-and-coming star setting his sights on a move to Old Trafford.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal target Kirill Glebov, who currently plays for CSKA Moscow, has his heart set on joining Man Utd and dreams of a transfer, citing the Old Trafford atmosphere, the club’s traditions, and his deep respect for Ferguson as the key reasons.

Glebov is currently valued at just €1.5m (£1.3m), but the winger’s price tag could rise considerably if he continues his current form, having started the season very well, which has attracted the attention of the likes of Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Brighton.

Glebov could be future star for Man Utd

At this stage, United don’t appear to have a great deal of interest in the Russian, but there are indications he has plenty of potential, having made a flying start to the 2025-26 campaign for CSKA Moscow.

The 19-year-old already has four goals and two assists to his name in all competitions, which recently earned the teenager a first call-up to the Russian national side, making his debut in the 0-0 draw against Jordan last week.

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That said, Glebov is still at a very early stage of his career, and having strengthened their attack considerably in the summer, signing Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, Man United should now focus on bringing in a new central midfielder instead.

There is certainly no shortage of options on the shortlist, with Al Hilal’s Ruben Neves, Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson all believed to be of interest.

While it might be something of a cliché, this season does feel like it’s going to be Nottingham Forest’s most important in a very long time.

Nuno Espírito Santo’s side will need to prove that their form in the Premier League last year was no fluke, and on top of that, they’ll want to go as far as they possibly can in the Europa League.

Fortunately, there’s no reason to suspect that the Tricky Trees won’t be as good as they were last season, especially since the talismanic Morgan Gibbs-White is set to remain at the City Ground for the foreseeable future.

Moreover, while losing Anthony Elanga isn’t ideal, the club now look set to land someone who could be the perfect replacement.

Forest target perfect Elanga replacement

While the Gibbs-White saga has understandably dominated the headlines when it comes to Forest this summer, the club have made several smart additions to Nuno’s team so far.

Transfer Focus

Jair Cunha, for example, looks like he could develop into a useful defender for the side, while Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus produced a combined tally of 25 goal involvements last season, which could make all the difference this year.

However, there are still just over two weeks until the window slams shut, and the Tricky Trees seem intent on making the most of that time, reportedly set to welcome Ipswich Town’s Omari Hutchinson to the club, alongside Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Yet, according to a recent report from mainland Europe, Forest are also closing in on signing Dilane Bakwa.

The Belgian journalist has revealed that, while the club have seen their €26m + €5m (£22m + £4m) rejected by Strasbourg, the two clubs are now much “closer to an agreement” than before, and the transfer is now “almost there.”

While Tavolieri does not mention what the final fee for the French winger is likely to be, a story from L’Équipe from earlier this month claimed that the French side value him at up to €35m, which is about £35m, and while that is a lot of money, Bakwa would be worth it.

Why Bakwa would be a perfect Elanga replacement

So, while there is no debating that Elanga was brilliant for Forest last season and one of their most important attackers, it certainly appears that not only would Bakwa be a great replacement, but potentially even an upgrade.

For example, when it comes to their pure output last season, which is fundamentally what matters most for any attacker, it’s the Frenchman who comes out on top.

In his 31 appearances for Strasbourg, the dangerous “diamond,” as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, scored six goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.06 games.

In contrast, the Swedish international scored six goals and provided 12 assists, but did so in 43 appearances, which comes out to a far less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.38 games.

However, it’s not just their output that paints the 22-year-old in a better light, as he comes out comfortably on top when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers.

In fact, it’s not even close, as the Créteil-born gem comes out ahead in almost every single relevant metric, including but not limited to non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shot-creating actions, tackles, interceptions and more, all per 90.

In other words, the Ligue 1 ace looks to already be a relatively complete winger, who is as capable of creating chances as he is scoring them, and has no problem tracking back to do his defensive work either.

Ultimately, while he might cost them a little more than they were planning, Forest should be doing all they can to sign Bakwa as soon as possible, as not only does he look like the perfect replacement for Elanga, but he is also a potential upgrade.

Their new Gibbs-White: Nottingham Forest in race to land £30m star on loan

The hugely exciting gem could be a game-changer for Forest this season.

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Jack Salveson Holmes

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With the deadline approaching, Aston Villa have reportedly set their sights on a shock late hijack to sign a player who is already in the final stages of a move to Manchester United.

Latest on Aston Villa targets

It’s been a difficult summer for Aston Villa. Not only have they been limited by PSR issues, but they’ve also missed out on targets when they have attempted to welcome incomings – the latest of which being George Mikautadze. Reports emerged that Villa had agreed personal terms with the Lyon forward, before Villarreal swooped in to agree a late deal.

The fact that Unai Emery revealed that he wants two players in every position indicates that Villa could work on further deals before the end of the window, but it remains to be seen just who arrives.

The Spaniard told reporters: “The club are working hard to get our structure as strong as possible with the players in the squad, trying to get two players for each position. There is still work to do, maybe even some players leaving more and we will have to sign and complete the squad with some players.

“The first reason now why we are missing something other in our structure and in our squad with our players because some players left one week or two weeks ago when we were expecting to a deal before.”

Since those words, rumours have suggested that former loanee Marco Asensio could be on his way back to the club, whilst a shock hijack on Manchester United could also take place.

Aston Villa eyeing late Lammens hijack

As reported by The Daily Telegraph’s Mike McGrath, Aston Villa are now eyeing a last-ditch move to sign Senne Lammens ahead of Manchester United. Earlier reports from Sacha Tavolieri revealed that the Royal Antwerp goalkeeper is closing in on a move to Old Trafford and the transfer is in the “final stages”. The door, however, is still ajar for Villa to swoop in.

It would be an almighty blow for the Red Devils, but an excellent hijack by Aston Villa. The talented shot-stopper would instantly become the long-term successor to Emiliano Martinez, whose future is far from guaranteed in the Midlands these days.

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The Villans mean business…

ByTom Cunningham Aug 29, 2025

Given how advanced United’s deal reportedly is, though, Villa chiefs will need to act fast if they do want to pull of a sensational hijack. As the deadline approaches, the goalkeeper continues to be one to watch.

Paris Saint-Germain director Luis Campos has revealed that Neymar was given a shock farewell back in the summer of 2023 by the head coach Luis Enrique. The Parisians were set to embark on a new project under the Spaniard, which would focus on utilising youth prospects rather spend lumpsums on star players.

What did Luis Enrique say to Neymar?

Enrique was appointed as the new PSG manager in 2023 and a month later, Neymar was sold to Saudi Pro League giants Al-Hilal for €90 million. The Brazilian, who had joined PSG back in 2017 from Barcelona, was handed a harsh farewell by Enrique himself, who said at that time that it’s good that he is leaving. Campos said to : "Luis Enrique was the first to tell Neymar: 'It's good that you're leaving.' He told him face to face. Because he thinks about football differently, playing as a team, playing whoever was the best in training during the week."

AdvertisementAFPNeymar failed to win Champions League with PSG

The Brazilian won five Ligue 1 titles across his six-year stay in the French capital but despite the presence of him, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, PSG were unable to win the Champions League until after all three were gone. In their first year without any of the star trio, Enrique guided the club to European success as well as a clean sweep of domestic trophies.

New era under Enrique and Campos

After their maiden Champions League title – won with a record 5-0 victory over Inter in the final – PSG are hopeful of maintaining their domestic and continental dominance after taking a new direction with their transfer strategy. 

Joining the club in 2022, Campos has spearheaded the change in strategy. He said recently: "We're going to protect PSG. We always want to play well and win matches. With this policy, everyone understands that the coach doesn't give priority based on a player's status or background. It's not your background that will make you a starter at PSG. That's our policy."

He added: "We have a lot more direct play today. We need to get height, a player comfortable on the ball. We need more solutions and variables. The star is the club, it's the whole squad. That's what we put in place with the agreement of the management. We don't rule out recruiting a star, but it's up to them to adapt to the PSG machine. We're helping Luis impose this philosophy."

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Getty Images SportWhere is Neymar now?

Neymar is currently playing for his childhood club Santos in the Brasileirao. However, despite being fit enough, he wasn’t named in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad for the September international break.

وجه أحمد بلال مهاجم الأهلي الأسبق، انتقادات قوية للإعلامي مدحت شلبي بسبب تصريحاته الأخيرة ضد محمود الخطيب رئيس القلعة الحمراء.

وقال أحمد بلال في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “النهار”: “الأيام الماضية شهدت العديد من النقاشات، حيث تحدث الكابتن مدحت شلبي وتطرق إلى الكابتن محمود الخطيب، مع كامل احترامنا وتقديرنا لمدحت شلبي، الذي يمتلك خبرة تمتد لخمسين عامًا في الإعلام، وهو شخصية مهنية محترمة جدًا، إلا أنني أود قول كلمتين”.

وأكمل: “كابتن مدحت حتى الآن لم تعتذر للكابتن الخطيب، لم تقل أنا آسف أو حقك عليّ أو تجاوزت في حق الكابتن الخطيب، وهذا الكلام لم يصدر منك، رغم أنك إعلامي محترم ومحبوب، ونثق بك ونستمع إليك، والناس تأخذ بكلامك وتتأثر به، لذلك ليس من المنطقي أن يتم إيقاف برنامجك خلال 24 ساعة بسبب هذه الافتراءات”.

وواصل: “محمود الخطيب رجل محترم ومهذب جدًا، لا يصدر عنه أي كلام جارح، يتعامل بالقانون والأوراق الرسمية، وهو رجل ملتزم يحمل النادي الأهلي على كتفيه، وحقق نجاحات كبيرة جدًا، فلماذا هذا الهجوم؟ وما الداعي؟ ولماذا هذا التوقيت؟ لماذا يتم الطعن في الخطيب بهذا الشكل؟، ماذا فعل الخطيب لك شخصيًا حتى تتحدث عن أحداث من عام 2012 و2013، وتذكر أنه قال إنه مريض”.

وأردف: “أنت إعلامي محترف، لديك خبرة طويلة، واعٍ ومثقف، لكن يبدو أنك لم تستمع جيدًا للنصائح، ولم يحذرك أحد من الدخول في هذا الموضوع الحساس، والترند ليس بهذه الطريقة يا كابتن مدحت، هل هذا أسلوب إعلامي، وهل يصح أن يُقال هذا الكلام على التلفزيون؟ هناك أناس يصدقون ما يُقال، ويتابعون ويثقون للأسف”

وزاد: “هذا هو النادي الأهلي وهذا هو محمود الخطيب، الذي يملك ظهيرًا قويًا يدافع عنه، ربما يقبل الخطيب الاعتذار غدًا، لكن يجب أن تعتذر أولاً، وتحدثت عن خسارة الأهلي 120 مليون جنيه بسبب ريبيرو وكولر، وتساءلت عن دور الدولة ومن سيحاسب الأهلي، ولكن ألم تحسب المكاسب التي حققها الأهلي”.

خاص | حكم مباراة الأهلي والزمالك في الدوري المصري

واستطرد: “هل تريد أن يصبح الأهلي مثل أندية أخرى تواجه أزمات مالية مثل الزمالك، الذي تحدث نائب رئيسه عن ديون بقيمة 2.5 مليار جنيه، وألا يصعب عليك حال الزمالك، هل تريد الأهلي أن يصبح مثل الزمالك أو الإسماعيلي أو غيرهما من الأندية التي تعاني”.

وأضاف: “نحن نريد أن تكون جميع الأندية مثل الأهلي ملتزمة، تدفع مستحقات اللاعبين والمدربين، ولا تواجه إيقاف قيد، واسم مصر يجب أن يبقى نظيفًا، لا أن يشتكي الأجانب من أنديتنا، الأهلي يلتزم بعقوده، ويحقق أرباحًا، وفي عام واحد، حقق الأهلي دخلاً يتراوح بين 14 و15 مليون دولار”.

وأتم: “الأهلي باع لاعبين مثل وسام أبو علي وكذلك حصل على 9.5 مليون دولار من كأس العالم للأندية، و2.5 مليون دولار من بطولة إفريقيا، وإذا كان عليه 120 مليون جنيه، فهو قادر على سدادها دون أزمة، والأزمة الحقيقية هي عدم الدفع، أو أن يشتكي النادي في الفيفا، أو يواجه إيقاف قيد، والمفروض أن نشيد بالأهلي لالتزامه، لا أن نهاجمه بهذا الشكل”.

Tottenham have now made an intriguing promise to top target Mohammed Kudus in talks with the Premier League star, and West Ham are expecting an imminent new bid for him as the transfer saga rumbles on.

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Spurs are in “ongoing” negotiations to sign a forward.

2

By
Dominic Lund

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Kudus is now a priority signing for Spurs, as reported elsewhere, but chairman Daniel Levy will need to dig deep into the club’s coffers to reach an agreement, having already seen a £50 million offer rejected (BBC).

The former Ajax star, who made quite a splash during his debut campaign in England, didn’t quite live up to those heights during his second season at the London Stadium, but Thomas Frank and co appear convinced that Kudus could get back to his very best by joining them.

Even though club-to-club talks are proving complicated, with West Ham holding out for the best deal possible as they look to reinvest the cash in their own summer recruitment drive, Spurs are boosted by Kudus’ desire to make the move to N17.

The 24-year-old only has eyes for Tottenham right now, and isn’t interested in joining any other club as things stand.

If the transfer materialises, it would be the two sides’ first agreed deal since Scott Parker’s switch to Spurs in 2011 – ending an unofficial transfer embargo between West Ham and the Lilywhites.

Now, very reliable West Ham insider, ExWHUemployee, has shared his own update on the story.

Tottenham make Mohammed Kudus promise with new bid imminent

According to Ex, Chelsea’s issue with the plethora of non-homegrown players in their squad has opened the door for Spurs to strike a deal ahead of the west Londoners.

Tottenham have also “promised” Kudus that he’d be the “main man” if he were to join Frank’s side, and those within West Ham are expecting them to make an imminent improved offer for the African.

“Chelsea have been in contact with the club but have yet to offer the financial package that the club wanted,” said the insider, via West Ham Way.

“At the moment no other club has bid. It appears that Arsenal have turned their attention elsewhere to the homegrown Noni Madueke from Chelsea. Chelsea have their own issues with an abundance of non-homegrown players, and it has enabled Spurs to push ahead.

“Liverpool were thought to be Kudus’ preferred choice, but West Ham have yet to receive an offer from them or any real suggestion that they could. Of course, Liverpool have other things on their mind to deal with due to the tragic news surrounding their club this week and may be putting all business temporarily on hold whilst they come to terms with the loss.

“We spoke to our top source at the club within the last half hour and asked for an update and we were told: Spurs, sadly, only bid £50m. We hope other clubs will come in. There are very few clubs that buy players for £50m/£60m and need a RW.

“West Ham are expecting Spurs to come back with an improved offer in the next day or so and will hope at least one other club will compete.

“Kudus is said to be happy to move to Spurs. He will get Champions League football and has been promised he will be the main man, whereas at Chelsea he would be one of many for example.”

How to stop the rot? In fairness, it’s perhaps unfair to assess Ruben Amorim at this early stage of a potentially long Manchester United tenure. The Portuguese tactician needs this pre-season to implement his teachings.

In fairness, the 46-year-old left a Sporting Lisbon side which he grew into a comparative superpower, surpassing Porto and Benfica and now two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions. He didn’t lift the title for a second time, but it was his team, his framework.

In fairness, Amorim took over an Old Trafford side in disrepair, and judgment should be reserved until a few months into the 2025/26 Premier League season.

Matheus Cunha has been added to the first-team ranks; a brilliant signing. Heading out the door, Jonny Evans, Christian Eriksen and Victor Lindelof have all gone, and Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Alejandro Garnacho are all wide forwards touted for exits.

But who else might the Red Devils be looking to reel in?

Man United's summer transfer plans

It’s taking a while, but Bryan Mbeumo should sign from Brentford to Man United this summer. Sights remain fixed on the goalscoring winger, with a series of bids already rejected.

Whether Rasmus Hojlund stays or goes remains to be seen, but it’s clear attacking investment is the club’s priority. However, it’s not the only port of call, with Jason Wilcox pushing to strengthen Amorim’s midfield too.

Well, former Nigeria international, Julius Aghahowa, believes that Leicester City’s Wilfred Ndidi would like to join Man United this summer, despite growing interest from Everton.

Aghahowa said: “While Everton and Al Ahly are clearly interested, Ndidi hopes to join Manchester United. He wants to take a step up by signing for a big club like Manchester United. This would be an excellent move for someone I consider one of the best African midfielders of recent years.”

Ndidi is still only 28 and has a vast wealth of experience at the highest level. The Foxes might have fallen by the wayside last term, but he maintained a high standard and would be a shrewd signing indeed, valued at just £5m amid summer interest from United.

Why Man United want Wilfred Ndidi

United are forking out a fair bit of cash this summer, but then they need to. Last year’s woes must not, cannot, be repeated, lest this behemoth of the English game sink into an unescapable pit.

But the transfer progress is slow but steady, and Ndidi would be an effective and pragmatic addition, for sure. Once described as an “incredible” talent by Brendan Rodgers and an an “absolute monster” by ESPN’s Colin Udoh, the Nigeria international has been at the King Power Stadium for a minute, joining from Belgian club Genk for £15m in January 2017.

He’s hit some highs, winning the FA Cup, and indeed suffered some lows, being relegated from the Premier League twice in the past three seasons. However, Ndidi is a tough-tackling and intelligent midfielder, with robust athleticism and an eye for goal.

Given that Bruno Fernandes often plays a bit deeper these days, this could be the perfect move to ensure the Portuguese skipper maintains his high level, having notched 19 goals and 19 assists apiece in 2024/25.

Fernandes’ creativity could also help the number six toward promotions his own attacking game, Ndidi having ranked among the top 13% of central midfielders across Europe last season for touches in the attacking box and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

But, of course, the £75k-per-week talent’s bread and butter is his combative quality, his protective presence in front of the backline.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

As per Sofascore, he averaged three tackles, 4.5 ball recoveries and 6.1 duels per Premier League match last year – you can only imagine how far Leicester would have sunk without his presence in the centre.

This is perfect for a player like Fernandes to skip from the centre toward the danger area, advancing with winged feet to thread passes through to the forwards. Despite United’s struggles for creativity last season, Fernandes stood strong as one of the most effective playmakers in the country.

1.

Bruno Fernandes

91

2.

Mohamed Salah

88

3.

Cole Palmer

86

4.

Enzo Fernandez

75

5.

Bryan Mbeumo

70

But then we know Fernandes. We know he’s great.

He needs support, though, and Ndidi could prove the perfect player to arrive and add some stability to the centre of the park, reinforcing Amorim’s midfield with steel but also adding to the ball-playing focus, adding to the forward flow.

Cunha 2.0 for Amorim: Man Utd in talks to sign "unstoppable" £35m star

Manchester United are still planning to make some attacking signings this summer.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Jul 8, 2025

When it comes to great Tottenham Hotspur players of the last 15 years or so, you have plenty to choose from.

The likes of Harry Kane, Mousa Dembélé, Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen might not have won anything at the club, but they more than made their mark on English football and the Premier League for the North Londoners.

One star from that era who was arguably one of the best players in the country at his peak was Dele Alli.

The Englishman was a tour de force at points, racking up 35 goal involvements in the 16/17 season, so fans should be excited about reports linking the team to a player who was compared to Dele in the past.

Tottenham transfer news

Before we get to the player in question, it is worth looking at some of the other talented stars linked with a move to Spurs in recent weeks and months, like Leroy Sané and Angel Gomes.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

With his contract ending this month, the former would be a shrewd free signing, as in just 2376 minutes across 45 games this season, the Bayern Munich ace has scored 13 goals and provided six assists.

Interestingly, Gomes would also be a free addition to the North Londoners squad, and based on reports from earlier this week, they’ve already submitted a proposal to the Englishman, who has made four senior appearances for the Three Lions and 134 for LOSC Lille.

However, neither of these players have been compared to Dele in the past, unlike Jack Grealish.

Yes, according to a recent report from Football Transfers, Spurs are now interested in the Manchester City star.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have begun talks with the Englishman’s representatives as they ‘explore the possibility’ of bringing him to North London this summer.

The good news is that the report claims the player is, in fact, open to the idea of moving to N17 now that the club will be in the Champions League next year, but the bad news is that City would want an offer of up to £43m to let him go.

It would be a somewhat costly transfer to get done, but Grealish could be the sort of maverick player Ange Postecoglou needs in his attack next season, and the fact he was compared to Dele in the past is a great bonus.

Why Spurs might want Grealish

So, before we get to some of the other reasons why Spurs might want to sign Grealish this summer, let’s examine these comparisons to Dele, with the first coming from Lee Hendrie all the way back in 2018.

At the time, the young talent was just making a name for himself at Aston Villa, and Hendrie was seriously impressed with his ability to get “past players with ease” and was full of praise for “creative” abilities, which he claimed were similar to “the Dele Alli’s of the world.”

Just a couple of years later, Dean Smith was making the comparison between the Englishmen, claiming that the then-Villa gem shared the same goalscoring “star quality” that the former MK Dons gem had in the early years of his Tottenham career.

Aside from what players and pundits have said, both players have represented the Three Lions at major tournaments, and both, at one point in their careers, had that ability to make something happen out of absolutely nothing.

In fact, it’s the chance to resurrect this skill in the “unbelievable” City star, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, that is surely driving the Lilywhites’ interest in him.

Even though he played a bit-part role in the Cityzens’ campaign this season, he was still able to amass a decent tally of three goals and five assists in 1521 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 190.12 minutes, and his underlying numbers are even better.

For example, FBref places the 29-year-old in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries, pass completion, shot-creating actions from live passes, progressive and total carrying distance, carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for goal-creating actions from defensive actions, fouls drawn, the top 8% for key passes and more.

Progressive Carries

7.71

Top 1%

Pass Completion

87.7%

Top 1%

SCA (Live-ball Passes)

4.69

Top 1%

Total Carrying Distance

335.61

Top 1%

Progressive Carrying Distance

200.53

Top 1%

Carries into the Penalty Area

4.61

Top 1%

GCA (Defensive Action)

0.08

Top 2%

Fouls Drawn

3.10

Top 2%

Passes Completed

44.33

Top 6%

Carries

43.91

Top 6%

Key Passes

2.60

Top 8%

Shot-Creating Actions

5.45

Top 8%

Shots Blocked

0.17

Top 9%

In short, while the Champions League winner’s raw output hasn’t been great for several years, his incredible underlying numbers indicate that he could flourish in the right system, which could be Postecoglou’s.

Ultimately, it would be something of a gamble, but in Grealish, Spurs could have themselves a genuine maverick who can make something out of nothing – akin to Dele in his prime.

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A former Premier League manager, who once did “fabulously well” in the top flight, now wants to replace Michael Carrick as Middlesbrough boss, according to a report.

Carrick's future in doubt after missing out on play-offs

Boro were well-positioned to reach the play-offs for large parts of the campaign, but a poor finish to the season ultimately ended up costing them, winning just one of their last six Championship games, meaning they ended up in 10th place.

Those at the Riverside Stadium had been hoping to end their eight-year exile from the Premier League, but having missed out on a shot at promotion, questions are inevitably going to be asked about Carrick’s future.

After the 2-0 final-day defeat against Coventry City, the 43-year-old insisted he expects to remain in the role next season, saying: “I’m carrying on. We’ve got a good squad. My focus is carrying on to what I can say to the boys today, tomorrow, moving forward to get ready for another good season.”

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However, according to a report from EFL Analysis, the manager’s future is now in doubt, given that his side were too inconsistent throughout the campaign, and former Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Gary O’Neil is interested in replacing Carrick in the Boro dugout.

O’Neil has thrown his name into the ring and made it clear he would be keen on taking over, with Boro chief Steve Gibson set to assess Carrick’s future over the course of the coming days and weeks, having already considered replacing him mid-season.

At that time, Steve Cooper was among the main options on the shortlist, and Middlesbrough are still interested in the former Leicester City boss, alongside England U21 coach Lee Carsley.

O'Neil did "fabulously well" in the Premier League

The 41-year-old’s time at Wolves did not end the way he would’ve liked, being sacked with his side in 19th place, but his impact after originally taking over at Molineux suggests he could still have a lot left to give as a manager.

Rio Ferdinand was left particularly impressed by the former Wolves boss last season, saying: “I think Gary O’Neil [has stood out], I had Wolves as relegation candidates at the beginning of the season. I think O’Neil has come in and done fabulously well, him and Shaun Derry have been brilliant and changed things around there.”

The English manager, whose preferred formation is 3-4-2-1, also led AFC Bournemouth to Premier League safety in the 2022-23 campaign, and his experience in the top flight could serve him well as Middlesbrough manager.

That said, O’Neil has no experience managing a team with aspirations of fighting for promotion, so it would be a gamble for Boro to appoint him this summer, especially considering Cooper, who led Nottingham Forest to the Premier League, is also available.