وبرر سلوت قراره بإجلاس محمد صلاح على دكة البدلاء في تصريحات نشرتها” ديلي ميل”: “دائماً يكون من الصعب استبعاد صلاح ولكن عندما استبعد لاعبين آخرين يكون الأمر صعبًا أيضًا”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. رقم سلبي غير مسبوق لـ محمد صلاح في مسيرته مع ليفربول منذ 8 سنوات
وأضاف: ” أعجبتني الطريقة التي أنهينا بها المباراة ضد مانشستر يونايتد وقد خلقنا العديد من الفرص”.
وواصل حول غياب ريان جرافنبيرخ: “علينا إعادة هيكلة الفريق قليلاً، إجمالاً قررنا البدء بهذه الطريقة، لدي لاعبون قادرون على البدء والتأثير على مجريات اللعب من مقاعد البدلاء”.
وعن إشراك إيزاك وهوجو إيكتيكي في التشكيل الأساسي أجاب سلوت: “ما نحتاجه اليوم هو محاولة خلق فرص جديدة كما فعلنا في الأسابيع القليلة الماضية ومن المفيد جداً أن يكون لدينا لاعبان في الفريق قادران على التسجيل”.
وختم: “نأمل ونتوقع أن يقدم فريمبونج إبداعات لهذين اللاعبين من الجهة اليمنى وأن يحاول جاكبو فعل الشئ نفسه من الجهة اليسرى، مع إبداع فيرتز في العمق، يمكنهما اللعب معاً وأظهرا ذلك ضد مانشستر يونايتد على الرغم من أنه كان في الشوط الثاني”.
ولأول مرة منذ انضمامه لنادي ليفربول في عام 2017، لا يشارك محمد صلاح في التشكيل الأساسي للريدز في مباراتين متتاليتين في دوري أبطال أوروبا.
Celtic are running out of time before the end of the summer transfer window, as they look to reinforce their attack before the deadline passes at 11 pm.
Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph claims that the club have made a loan approach to sign David Datro Fofana from Chelsea to bolster their centre-forward options, with Adam Idah on his way to Swansea.
David Datro Fofana.
The journalist claims that the Ivorian marksman is one of two strikers wanted by the Hoops before the deadline, as Brendan Rodgers looks to find his new main number nine.
Celtic agree deal to sign winger
New strikers are not the only thing on the agenda for the Scottish Premiership champions, though, as they are also looking to bring in another wide player.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to the aforementioned Joseph, Celtic have agreed a fee with Hammarby IF to sign winger Sebastian Tounekti in a deal that is worth up to £5.2m.
The reporter claims that a deal has been agreed “in the last hour” after their first two offers for the attacker were turned down by the Swedish outfit.
Joseph adds that the Hoops are now in a “race against time” to complete all the documents, and that personal terms are not expected to be an issue, which suggests that the player is keen to make the switch to Glasgow before the window slams shut.
What Sebastien Tounekti could bring to Celtic
The Tunisia international is a versatile forward who mainly plays on the left, but can also play on the right, and he could be an exciting partner for Fofana if the club can get both of those deals over the line.
Fofana scored four goals in 15 Premier League matches for Burnley in the 2023/24 campaign, and ranked up 15 goals in 24 games or Molde in 2022 before his move to Chelsea, per Sofascore.
These achievements show that he does have the potential to score goals at the top level, and to score goals consistently when selected, and Tounekti is a player who could help him get back on the goal trail.
Goals
2
Top 37%
Chances created
22
Top 16%
Dribbles completed
41
Top 3%
Pass accuracy
85%
Top 15%
xA
4.53
Top 3%
Assists
5
Top 9%
As you can see in the table above, the Tunisian maestro has been one of the most creative wide players in the Allsvenskan in 2025, ranking very highly for xA and assists.
This suggests that he is the kind of winger who strikers love to play with because he is constantly looking to create high-quality opportunities for them in front of goal.
Now, imagine Tounekti supplying Fofana with chance after chance in front of goal at Parkhead. It may be better to watch than what Celtic supporters have been put through recently, with zero goals scored in three of the last four games in all competitions.
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However, nothing is done until it is done and Celtic still have plenty of work to do before they can start to seriously think about having both of these players in the XI to face Kilmarnock.
Hurricanes have stamped themselves genuine BBL title contenders with a fifth straight win courtesy of a brutal unbeaten 68 from Tim David
AAP10-Jan-2025Tim David fired for the second time in as many matches to steer Hobart Hurricanes to a convincing win over Sydney Thunder and top spot on the BBL table.Hurricanes ran down Thunder’s 164 for 6 at Ninja Stadium on Friday night with 19 balls to spare, with David finishing unbeaten on 68 from 38 balls.David, elevated to No. 5 after Ben McDermott suffered hamstring soreness while fielding, came to life in the two-over power surge, hitting 26 from six balls. David iced the win with a six off Wes Agar, his sixth six of the match.The 28-year-old played an almost identical hand in Hurricanes’ win over Adelaide Strikers in their previous match with an unbeaten 62 from 28 deliveries.Hurricanes have won five matches in a row to stamp themselves as genuine title contenders with three games remaining before the finals. They have missed the finals in the past two seasons and are one of two teams yet to lift the BBL silverware.They overcame an injury scare in the field when skipper Nathan Ellis crashed head-first into an advertising board in the 15th over when diving trying to stop a boundary. He was assessed by medical staff and remarkably returned to the field soon afterwards and continued to bowl.Thunder drop from first to third on the ladder with four wins from eight games. Earlier, David Warner top scored for them with an unbeaten 88 off 66 balls in an innings that took time to get going.Thunder didn’t hit a boundary until the fifth over and grafted to 85 for 3 after 13. But they picked up the pace towards the back end, with Sam Billings contributing 28 from 15 balls.Warner, who snapped his bat early on, looked more comfortable the longer he went and took the long handle to Ellis in a final over that went for 17 runs.Young gun Sam Konstas failed to fire for Thunder after a whirlwind two Tests against India and was out for 4 from nine balls, gloving a short ball from Riley Meredith.Openers Mitchell Owen and Matthew Wade got Hurricanes off to a flying start in the chase with the latter hitting George Garton out of the ground.Hurricanes lost three wickets to keep Thunder somewhat in the hunt before David and Chris Jordan steered them home.
Over the years at Manchester City, a celebrated few have managed to bag a goal on their debut for the Premier League giants.
Notably, both Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland registered goals on their first appearance in City’s sky blue, with Tijjani Rejinders now a part of this exclusive club after stroking a superb effort home against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
He was also directly involved in the opener when delicately laying it off to Rico Lewis to assist the aforementioned Haaland, before putting it on a plate for the deadly Nordic centre-forward himself to close the one-sided game at 4-0.
Already, it looks as if City have struck gold on a Premier League-ready star, with the hope now that another statement signing can also go through before September’s deadline to try and replicate the immediate success of this £42.5m deal.
Man City make £86m superstar their main target
City aren’t having it all their own way in the chaotic transfer window.
It seems as if they will miss out on long-term target Xavi Simons, with the in-demand RB Leipzig attacking midfielder reportedly more interested in a switch to Chelsea than moving to the Etihad.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
That won’t knock their confidence for too long, as another statement move looks to be in the offing to further enhance City’s potent attacking personnel that tore Wolves to shreds.
Indeed, as per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, City hold Real Madrid attacker Rodrygo in high esteem, with Pep Guardiola and Co singling out the £86m-rated Brazilian as a main target, if Savinho does decide to leave City behind for Tottenham Hotspur.
City will hope that the entertaining South American attacker can be an instant hit in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League, much like Reijnders displayed at Molineux, with the pair holding many similarities, away from just potentially lining up alongside each other in England.
How Rodrygo can be Reijnders 2.0
Before embarking on this new adventure in Manchester with Guardiola’s men, Reijnders had managed to establish himself as an easy-on-the-eye midfield figure in some tough European terrains.
AC Milan's TijjaniReijndersreacts
Across 232 appearances for both AZ Alkmaar and AC Milan, the much-talked-about Dutchman would tally up a mightily impressive 56 goals and assists, leading to him then picking up a goal and assist on a magical debut in the Premier League, with football pundit Chris Powell naming him as City’s “star-man” post-match.
Rodrygo has similarly lit up the pitches of La Liga with dynamic displays from the midfield ranks, as seen in his bumper 68 goals and 51 assists across 270 clashes in Madrid, with the Brazilian also capable of playing as a centre-forward, away from being a comfortable performer down either wing.
Reijnders has also shown off a similar adaptability across his playing days to date, with a standout five-goal contributions coming his way from only 16 career appearances on the left flank.
Away from just this similarity, the numbers below again show correlations between the two players and their constant desire to make openings and goals happen.
Total shots
2.54
21.5
Shot-creating actions
4.56
3.13
Attempted passes
50.35
44.37
Pass completion %
85.7%
88.2%
Progressive passes
4.69
6.35
Progressive carries
5.07
3.02
Successful take-ons
2.15
1.02
Touches in the attacking penalty area
5.84
2.33
Progressive passes received
11.33
3.53
Rodrygo’s arrival on the scene could see the goals rain even heavier at the Etihad, with the Brazilian attacker far less focused on the build-up play – compared with the brand new City number 4 – and more focused on driving forward with purpose, as seen in him averaging more shots and shot-creating actions over the last year per 90 minutes than the 23-time Netherlands international.
The two new signings together in Guardiola’s XI could push City to stay at the summit, with Rodrygo’s blistering exploits at the Santiago Bernabeu even seeing him be dubbed “world-class’ by Madrid teammate Luka Modric, on top of being labelled as a “jewel” by one analyst.
Man City now targeting "fantastic" Chelsea gem who Maresca wants to keep
West Ham United really struggled to get going last season in the Premier League, even after Graham Potter took on the reins.
The Hammers did manage to bow out of their unmemorable 2024/25 campaign in the top flight with back-to-back away victories at Manchester United and Ipswich Town. Still, the ex-Chelsea manager will have his work cut out for him to turn his fortunes around, with those two away-day wins making up a large chunk of his meagre five wins as Irons boss.
He will hope he’s given adequate time to leave his mark on the Hammers set-up, having only lasted a rash 31 games in the Stamford Bridge hot seat, with the likes of Kyle Walker-Peters already entering the building this summer, marking the start of West Ham’s makeover.
Up next, the Hammers could welcome in some attacking additions, with one target already in mind who might well be the top-flight club’s second coming of Jarrod Bowen.
West Ham prepare offer for £6m sensation
Of course, the Hammers are likely to be on the hunt now for an immediate Mohammed Kudus replacement, after the one-time fan favourite in East London defected over to enemy lines to join Tottenham Hotspur for £55m.
James McAtee might well be the replacement for Kudus that West Ham have up their sleeve, alongside Potter and Co. also reportedly showing interest in the services of Shakhtar Donetsk ace Georgiy Sudakov as their net widens out to Ukraine.
Manchester City'sJamesMcAteecelebrates after the match
A new, up-and-coming centre-forward might also be on their agenda – even after Potter’s recent comments played down the importance of bringing in fresh talent up top – with West Ham-oriented website Claret and Hugh relaying information that the Hammers are reportedly considering an offer for breakout Wycombe Wanderers star Richard Kone.
Already this summer, Kone has been subject to a £6m bid from Luton Town, on top of interest coming from Brentford, Celtic, and Crystal Palace, but it’s West Ham who now allegedly lead the charge for the former non-league attacker.
Hull City
131
54
14
Hereford Town
8
1
1
Bowen also once found himself in the non-league scene with Hereford Town, before going on to solidify himself as a Premier League-worthy talent in the EFL with Hull City, as Kone now braces himself for that next gigantic step in his own career after a whirlwind campaign with the Chairboys.
Why Kone can be West Ham's next Bowen
Nobody at the London Stadium would have anticipated how vital Bowen would eventually become to the West Ham cause when he first joined the camp for £22m back in 2020.
There was a lot of excitement in the air that he would be a success story, though, having fired home a clinical 54 strikes for the Tigers in the demanding Championship, but even Bowen wouldn’t have anticipated that after 238 clashes in East London, he would be captaining the side after amassing an astounding 125 goals and assists in total for his Premier League employers.
Bowen has even become a regular on the international stage for England, with Kone surely harbouring his own dreams of representing the Ivory Coast if a move to West Ham comes to fruition, off the back of a potent season leading the line for Wycombe.
Having still been on the books of non-league outfit Athletic Newham last year, it’s a remarkable rise Kone has undergone in such a short space of time, with Bowen acclimatising to the EFL equally well when jumping ship from Hereford to Hull.
Games played
41
Goals scored
18
Assists
3
Goal conversion %
18%
Touches*
34.0
Accurate passes*
11.1 (65%)
Total duels won*
5.9
As can be seen looking at the table above, the Ivorian excels when being utilised as a poacher, with his venomous 18 league strikes coming about from just 34 touches of the ball on average per League One affair.
Bowen might well be whipping in many a cross in for Kone to latch onto, therefore, with the 22-year-old’s prowess in the air – which saw him win an impressive 5.9 duels on average in League One – also making him a suitable fit for the Premier League’s intense nature.
Labelled as a striker who “has got everything” by Wycombe great Joe Jacobson, it wouldn’t be the wildest shout to expect Kone to grow even more confident if East London came calling, mirroring Bowen’s sharp ascent in the process.
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Glasgow Rangers’ busy summer transfer window just continues to click into gear at Ibrox.
With the start of European qualifying now less than four weeks away, new Gers manager Russell Martin is reshaping his new squad.
Southampton manager Russell Martin.
Plenty of new signings have already arrived at Ibrox, with more still to follow, but could the Light Blues be about to lose a key figure, or perhaps even two?
Rangers striker on the move?
On Wednesday, Rangers unveiled new signing Max Aarons, with the right-back joining on a season-long loan from Bournemouth.
Lyall Cameron was also presented last week, having signed a pre-contract in January, while the Light Blues are also chasing the signatures of both Conor Coady and Owen Beck.
In less good news, however, French publication RMC Sport are reporting that Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille are “in talks” with Rangers over a possible move for Hamza Igamane, adding that the Moroccan striker has “agreed to personal terms”.
Having lost star striker Jonathan David on a free transfer, les Dogues are currently in the process of reshaping their attack, with Jeff Carlisle of ESPN reporting elsewhere that they’ve ‘made an approach’ to sign LAFC centre-forward Olivier Giroud.
In terms of Igamane, Gavin Berry of the Daily Record believes that Rangers “have set” a £20m price tag on the striker, which would make him one of the biggest sales in the club’s modern history.
On the pitch though, this would be a major blow, especially considering it’s set to be all change in terms of Rangers centre-forwards this summer.
Why Hamza Igamane will be a bigger loss than Cyriel Dessers
Igamane is not the only striker seemingly on his way out of Ibrox because, as has been widely reported, Cyriel Dessers is set to join AEK Athens.
The latest reporting from Ewan Paton of the National states that the Greek side are currently offering £4m, while Rangers are holding out for £5m, but that a deal is close, with new manager Martin already ‘looking at replacements’.
Between them, Igamane and Dessers scored 45 goals last season, while the only other player to bag more than six was Václav Černý, who also won’t be at the club next season, having returned to VfL Wolfsburg, following his loan spell.
Thus, there are currently serious question marks over who will be leading the line against Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying on 22 July, but which of the pair will be the bigger loss?
Igamane vs Dessers 2024/25 comparison
Statistics
Igamane
Dessers
Appearances
46
55
Minutes
2,651
3,423
Goals
16
29
Assists
3
7
Goals – xG
+2.7
-2.5
Shots per 90
3.88
3.22
Big chances missed
7
31
Touches per 90
51
29
Touches in the area per 90
5.2
6.7
Average Sofascore Rating
7.08
6.81
Stats via Transfermarkt, FBref, Sofascore & Squawka
As the table outlines, despite the fact Dessers scored 13 more goals, doing so in around 800 more minutes, all of Igamane’s underlying statistics are more impressive.
The most interesting statistic is the goals – xG metric where, in last season’s Europa League, the Moroccan finished second with +2.7, behind only Malick Fofana, while Cyriel Dessers was fourth-bottom on -2.5, out of all 712 players who attempted at least one shot in the competition, this according to FBref.com.
The table notes that Dessers missed a whopping 31 Opta-defined big chances across the Scottish Premiership and Europa League, hence why fans are pleased to cash in on him.
Igamane on the other hand, supporters will be sad to see him depart, but it would be for a fee the club simply cannot turn down.
When they won the league under Steven Gerrard, and then reached the Europa League final under Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Rangers should have cashed in on prized assets such as Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and Borna Barišić, instead choosing to hold onto them as a sign of ambition, before they ultimately left for free.
Just a year after arriving from AS Far for a reported fee of £2.5m, Igamane’s stock is very high, with writer Kai Watson asserting that he is “destined for big things”, while Samuel Hutchinson of Total Football Analysis outlines his ‘meteoric rise’, believing he ‘performed exceptionally’ in an otherwise mediocre Rangers side.
Thus, Igamane could turn out to be a bargain for Lille at £20m while, for Rangers, this is the right time to sell, but their focus has to be working out how best to spend that money, because finding a replacement in a short period of time will be far from easy.
After Aarons: Rangers open talks to sign £1m star who could be Kent 2.0
After signing Max Aarons, Rangers are in talks to repeat their Ryan Kent trick at Ibrox.
Manchester United are now confident of agreeing deals for two new attacking signings in the coming weeks.
Man Utd lining up replacements for Ten Hag signings
Now that the transfer window is back open, teams such as Man United can get back to work on finalising their squads in time for pre-season to begin. Given how last season went for the Red Devils, club chiefs will be keen to have a lot of their business done as early as possible so they can give Ruben Amorim the best chance of success.
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There are multiple positions Amorim and co. want to strengthen this summer, but none may be more important than in goal, given the mistakes Andre Onana made throughout last season.
The Cameroon international was linked with a move to Saudi Arabia a month or two ago, but that talk has now gone quiet. However, that hasn’t stopped United from looking at potential replacements, and according to Caught Offside, United are now in talks with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez over a possible transfer this summer. The Argentine is said to be open to a move to Old Trafford, as his time at Aston Villa looks to be coming to an end.
Martinez is not the only goalkeeper on United’s radar, as according to a new report, the Premier League side are also interested in signing Marco Carnesecchi from Atalanta. The 24-year-old has impressed for the Serie A side in the last 18 months, and his performances have caught the attention of United – it’s said that Atalanta would want around £34 million for their goalkeeper.
Man Utd confident of signing Mbeumo and a new striker
As the Red Devils work on a new goalkeeper, according to the Manchester Evening News, Man United are confident of agreeing a deal to sign Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo celebrates after the match
The report states that Mbeumo has told friends he only wants to join United but has not ruled out a move to Tottenham Hotspur. Spurs are said to be pushing for Mbeumo and are prepared to offer a higher salary, but United are considered to be the frontrunners for the £60 million star.
As well as working on a deal to sign Mbeumo, Manchester Evening News also adds that they are lining up a deal to sign a striker afterwards.
The report doesn’t state which striker, but this comes as Inter Milan are reportedly working on a deal to sign Rasmus Hojlund, which has made United look for replacements.
The Red Devils are interested in a deal to sign Hugo Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt and have already made contact with the German side over a possible deal. Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen is another player on the radar, and it’s been reported that talks have been held between the club and the striker’s representatives over a potential transfer this summer.
Ekitike, Osimhen and Gyokeres’ 24/25 league stats
Ekitike
Osimhen
Gyokeres
Apps
33
30
33
Goals
15
26
39
Assists
8
5
8
Ekitike and Osimhen could be United’s potential striker targets, as Viktor Gyokeres has now prioritised a move to Arsenal over the Red Devils.
Tottenham Hotspur find themselves under a new manager in Thomas Frank and he could now pounce to bring one of his favourites to N17, according to a report.
Frank's aim to build on Tottenham Hotspur's Europa League success
Winning the Europa League was a watershed moment for Tottenham after 17 years of waiting, but the mission for all connected with the club now is to build on the foundations that Ange Postecoglou laid come next term.
Daniel Levy took exception to a poor Premier League points tally from the Australian. However, Thomas Frank now has a magnificent platform to build on, courtesy of Spurs qualifying for the Champions League off the back of their success in Bilbao.
Opting not to sugarcoat things, Chris Sutton proposed the theory that Frank will be under pressure to deliver immediately at Spurs, claiming the different expectation levels Brentford and Tottenham leave the Dane with little leeway to work with in N17.
He stated: “Thomas Frank has done a brilliant job at Brentford, but this is a whole different kettle of fish. Because of the expectation at Tottenham, Frank won’t get time to get his feet under the table. He will be under pressure from the off.”
Later, he added: “The aim for Frank will be to keep them in the Champions League, and whether that is by making the top four or five, that is not going to be easy.”
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Brentford duo Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa could join Tottenham, if Frank opts to go down the route of raiding his former club for talent, though it is hard to imagine the Bees letting either of their star men leave on the cheap.
Nevertheless, it appears that the 51-year-old could instead look to another of his favourites at the Gtech Community Stadium if reports are to be believed.
Tottenham preparing bid to sign Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard
According to CaughtOffside, Tottenham are preparing a bid for Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard and the Denmark international is viewed as a priority addition by Frank to strengthen his engine room.
Spurs are set to submit an offer between the £17-20 million mark, though the Bees are reluctant to see the 31-year-old depart this summer and could inflate his price to ward off interest.
Christian Norgaard’s reliability under Thomas Frank
Appearances
249
Goals
18
Assists
22
Winning an extraordinary 163 duels on Premier League duty last term, the Brentford captain is someone who has an ‘exceptional’ understanding of Frank’s system, making him indispensable in West London regardless of who is in charge.
Portugal's Bruno Fernandes in action with Denmark's Christian Norgaard and Portugal's RafaelLeao
Stockpiling in key areas would be a wise idea for Spurs amid their injury crisis last season, which rarely saw Postecoglou having a full-strength side to pick from in a tumultuous campaign.
Norgaard is a symbol of reliability for Brentford, and it makes sense to recruit experience if circumstances allow for it, though the Bees may prove to be too tricky to deal with in the end.
It’s been a tale of two halves for Everton this season.
The mood was dour when Sean Dyche’s side dragged themselves to the Premier League campaign’s midpoint, 16th after successive losses against Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, their 15-goal haul better only than Southampton, a team that have since failed to pull themselves from the pit of the division, utterly miserable throughout.
A different trajectory for David Moyes’ Everton, though. The Scottish manager replaced Dyche shortly after those aforementioned defeats and has now sealed a 13th-place finish, far more optimism, far more fluency, and a new sense of hope that simply wasn’t there during the Farhad Moshiri era.
Everton manager DavidMoyes
However, Dyche left the club in a somewhat stable fashion. No doubt, he needed to go, but defensive foundations had been laid and solidified, and one or two positive additions were welcomed last summer – namely, the £15m signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille.
Moyes will also thank his lucky stars for Jarrad Branthwaite, who has grown into his role as one of the country’s most talented defenders over the past few years.
Jarrad Branthwaite is Everton's biggest star
A formidable presence, Branthwaite might only be 22 years old, but he’s shaped into one of the most powerful and precise centre-backs in the Premier League.
Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite
Described as an “absolute monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, Branthwaite has continued to prove himself Everton’s defender par excellence, more athletic and accurate than James Tarkowski and with an underrated technical side too.
Dyche and Moyes’ tactical approaches preclude fluid ball playing with the regularity that Branthwaite perhaps wants (he will be frustrated at having been left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad), but interest from the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United make a telling comment on the high regard he is held in by possession-focused outfits.
Matches (starts)
35 (35)
30 (28)
Goals
3
0
Assists
0
1
Clean sheets
12
8
Touches*
52.2
51.9
Pass completion
80%
83%
Ball recoveries*
5.2
3.1
Tackles + interceptions*
3.3
2.1
Clearances*
4.5
6.3
Duels (won)*
5.3 (68%)
3.9 (63%)
As you can see above, he’s maintained a brilliant level across the past two campaigns, and it’s no surprise he was absent through injury during the 2024/25 season’s opening, when Dyche’s Toffees were at their nadir.
But would you believe it, he hasn’t actually been Everton’s best defender this season. Moyes will thank his stars for Branthwaite and Ndiaye and so on, but Jake O’Brien may well have been the most astute signing of them all.
Why Jake O'Brien has been even better than Branthwaite
When analysing the role O’Brien has played for Everton this season, it becomes clear that he’s been an instrumental part of the club’s success in steering away from relegation danger and erecting a framework for a promising new era under the wing of The Friedkin Group.
Jake O'Brien celebrates for Everton
Everton signed the Republic of Ireland international from Lyon last summer for a £17m fee, but he failed to make more than a smattering of appearances for Dyche, playing two cameos in the Premier League before Moyes’ first match in January against Aston Villa.
Since coming off the bench at Goodison Park on that day, the 24-year-old has started 16 top-flight fixtures, principally at right-back, missing just one game due to injury.
He’s scored crucial goals in 1-1 draws against Brentford and West Ham United and has kept four clean sheets, winning 55% of his duels and averaging 4.3 clearances per game, as per Sofascore. He hasn’t made a single error.
Typically a central defender, O’Brien’s emergence on the right has been something of a masterstroke from Moyes, with Ashley Young and Seamus Coleman, who have a combined age of 75, both approaching the end of their contracts and lacking the powerful physicality and mobility of this rising star, whose defensive roots actually align with Moyes’ vision too.
Hailed “an absolute revelation” for the Merseysiders by TNT Sports commentator Adam Virgo, O’Brien has indeed proved his positional dynamism, his roundedness and his willingness to provide his services in any way Moyes sees best fit, and to a high standard at that.
As per FBref, he ranks among the top 13% of Premier League full-backs this season for goals scored, the top 2% for clearances, the top 5% for aerial battles won, and the top 7% for long passes completed.
Everton's Jake O'Brien
That final metric, his ranged distribution, is an interesting one. The 6 foot 6 O’Brien might be perfunctorily categorised as a hulking defender, good in the air and solid against onrushing forwards, but lacking on the technical side.
However, this simply isn’t the case. His crisp forward passing opens up a dimension for Moyes, who is rooted in his pragmatic style but open to advanced tinkering, creating a layered style that has worked a treat for Everton as they prepare to transition to the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Jake O'Brien
It’s probably fair to say that Everton would have been in a spot of bother, had Moyes failed to: a) recognise O’Brien’s potential as a moonlighter at right-back or b) find he had the Irishman in his squad to begin with.
O’Brien has been brilliant, adding a defensive dimension that has kept Coleman and Young on the back burner. With Nathan Patterson unreliable on the fitness and, consequently, form fronts, his performances have maybe even been instrumental.
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Aston Villa may not end the 2024/25 season with a trophy, but Unai Emery could still lead them back into the Champions League courtesy of a top-five finish in the Premier League.
The Spaniard now needs to add some depth to the current Villa squad this summer, especially if they do reach the promised land once again.
Securing a permanent deal for Marcus Rashford – now out for the season through injury – and Marco Asensio could be an excellent way to start his summer business.
It is another Premier League midfielder who Emery has recently targeted, however, and this could be a game-changer.
Why Aston Villa want to sign Kevin De Bruyne
According to Sky Sports last week, Villa have held internal discussions regarding a sensational move for Kevin De Bruyne once his Man City contract expires in a few weeks.
He wouldn’t cost a penny, therefore it could be one of the best bargains of the summer should a potential move go ahead.
Kevin De Bruyne
After 11 years at City, where he won six league titles and the Champions League, the Belgian is now looking for a new challenge.
He will be 34 by the time the 2025/26 season begins, yet according to Transfermarkt, he is still valued at €27m (£23m) after registering 13 goal involvements this term.
It’s safe to say he’s been one of the most elite playmakers we’ve ever seen in the English top-flight.
A six-time Premier League winner, a Champions League winner and the assister of 121 goals in the Premier League, few have been better when it comes to supplying chances and creating magic than the Belgian.
This is the type of quality Emery needs. Although there is someone who plays in his position that is valued nearly twice as much as the Belgian.
Aston Villa's very own De Bruyne
When Villa spent just £15m on bringing a certain Morgan Rogers to the Midlands from Middlesbrough in the 2024 winter transfer window, it was deemed a signing for the future.
Three goals and an assist in his first 13 top flight games, however, cemented Rogers as one of the finest young talents in the Premier League.
Goals
8
4
Assists
8
2
Big chances created
13
5
Key passes per game
1.3
1.3
Successful dribbles per game
1.8
1.6
This season couldn’t have gone any better for the Englishman who is now following in the footsteps of De Bruyne, creating and scoring goals aplenty while shining on the European stage too.
Across 50 matches so far, he has amassed 27 goal involvements – 14 goals and 13 assists – with seven of these coming in the continent’s premier club competition, the Champions League.
The former Man City starlet even made his England debut against Greece towards the end of 2024 and was called up for Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad for the games against Albania and Latvia.
Following his display against the latter, Glenn Hoddle hailed the midfielder as “wonderful” and his future at both club and international level looks bright indeed.
He ranks 14th for big chances created (13) and eighth for successful dribbles per game (1.8) in the Premier League this season, just rubberstamping those comparing to De Bruyne.
These displays have, unsurprisingly, seen a staggering rise in his market valuation over the previous 12 months.
As per Transfermarkt, Rogers is now valued at €50m (£43m) and this is nearly double what De Bruyne is worth at the time of writing.
If Emery does persuade the City dynamo to join Villa, hopefully it won’t be to the detriment of Rogers, who certainly has the number ten position locked down with a string of excellent performances.
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