Nottingham Forest are ready to make a sizeable offer to complete the signing of a new centre-back this summer, according to reports in the player’s homeland.
Nottingham Forest's Champions League hopes damaged
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side blew a wonderful opportunity to jump back to third in the Premier League on Thursday night, losing 2-0 at home to Brentford. Forest’s performance looked nervy throughout the evening, with the team and the supporters aware of the magnitude of the occasion, and they simply couldn’t produce the desired display and result.
Nottingham Forest managerNunoEspiritoSantobefore the match
The Reds’ defeat leaves them sitting sixth in the league table with four matches remaining, as they prepare to make the trip to Crystal Palace on Monday evening, which is another tough game against a side who have just reached the FA Cup final.
Granted, Forest are only behind fifth-place Chelsea on goal difference – a top-five spot will seal a place in next season’s Champions League – but Nuno’s men are clearly wobbling and are in need of a big result.
Nottingham Forest willing to make offer for Gatti
According to TuttoSport [via Sport Witness], Nottingham Forest are willing to make a big offer to sign Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti this summer. Everton and West Ham are also mentioned in the report, though it is stated that the 26-year-old is happy to stay put at Juve, despite it being financially beneficial to move on and earn more than his current £42,000 per week.
Federico Gatti for Juventus
It looks as though Forest will need to present quite the package to both Juve and Gatti to tempt them into a move, and if the situation changes he could be a fantastic addition at the heart of the defence.
Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo have been outstanding throughout this season, forging a great understanding at the back, but increased competition for places is still essential in that area, especially if one of the centre-backs leaves this summer.
Gatti is now an experienced player who has made 103 appearances for one of the biggest clubs in Europe in Juve, and Danilo once described him as “humble”, saying: “Gatti is an example for all of us, a humble boy who works a lot. He has had difficult moments, but he is strong, and he showed Juventus until the end.”
Appearances
28
Starts
26
Minutes played
2188
Goals
1
Assists
0
Clearances per game
2.6
Aerial duel wins per game
1.3
Pass completion rate
95.2%
Gatti’s quality on the ball is highlighted by a 95.2% pass completion rate in Serie A this season, while his defensive expertise is oultined by an average of 2.6 clearances per game in the competition.
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For now, it looks like Forest will have to look elsewhere for defensive reinforcements, but the hope is that Champions League qualification gives them a better chance of signing Gatti.
Monday was the day. Leeds United officially confirmed their promotion to the Premier League at the second time of asking at the start of this week.
The Whites knew that they had a chance to get out of the Championship if they beat Stoke City, and they ran out emphatic 6-0 winners against the Potters.
Five of their goals came in the first half, before Wilfried Gnonto got in on the act in the second 45, and that result meant that they could cheer Burnley on against Sheffield United in the evening kick-off.
The Clarets beat the Blades 2-1 at Turf Moor in a result that confirmed Leeds and Burnley’s places in the Premier League for the 2025/26 campaign, whilst the two teams must still battle it out in the final two matches to see who wins the title.
Daniel Farke
Daniel Farke can now start to think about his preparations for next season and how his team will attack the top-flight; the players who will remain key to the starting XI, and those who may not be up to the task of stepping up.
One player whose future will be interesting to see unfold is centre-forward Joel Piroe, who has struggled at times this season but provided a reminder of his quality against Stoke.
Why Joel Piroe could be replaced this summer
The former Swansea City marksman is a terrific finisher at Championship level, that cannot be denied, as he has scored 19 goals from 16.41 xG and only missed 12 ‘big chances’ in the division this term.
Piroe scored four goals from four shots, totalling 1.35 xG worth of chances, against Stoke on Monday, showcasing his ruthless edge in front of goal.
However, he found himself completely unmarked in the box for all four of those chances, as the Stoke defenders left a lot to be desired with their performances, and the striker may not get that kind of time and space in the Premier League.
The left-footed forward had failed to score in his previous nine Championship starts, leading to doubt about his place in the team before his exceptional showing on Easter Monday, and Farke may question whether or not he has the attributes to be the club’s starting number nine in the top-flight.
Appearances
44
Dribbles completed per game
0.3
Dribble success rate
33%
Ground duels won per game
1.7
Ground duel success rate
27%
Aerial duels won per game
0.6
Aerial duel success rate
20%
As you can see in the table above, Piroe’s work off the ball has left a lot to be desired in the Championship this term, as he has been dominated by opposition defenders on the ground and in the air.
The 25-year-old striker is too lightweight at times, as shown by his dreadful success rate in duels, and that is a big concern ahead of a Premier League season where Leeds will be with their backs against the wall and fighting to avoid relegation.
Joel Piroe
All three newly-promoted teams, assuming Ipswich do not win all five of their remaining games and West Ham lose all of theirs, are being relegated from the Premier League this year, as they were the year before, which illustrates how difficult it will be for the Whites.
This means that Leeds will likely need a centre-forward who can alleviate pressure on the team by holding the ball up, duelling with defenders, and by running the channels to stretch the play and open up space for the midfielders to work.
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Unfortunately, Piroe’s physical data suggests that he will not be cut out for thatrole in the Premier League, which is why Farke could replace him with a new signing this summer.
One star from the 6-0 win over the Potters who should not be replaced in the starting XI for next season, though, is right-back Jayden Bogle, who has been an even better signing than Piroe.
Why Bogle has been a better signing than Piroe for Leeds
The English full-back was reportedly signed for a fee of £5m from rivals Sheffield United last summer, whereas Piroe was signed from Swansea for a reported fee of more than £10m in the summer of 2023.
Despite costing less than half as much as the Dutchman, Bogle has been far more consistent in his performances over the course of this promotion-winning campaign at right-back, showing that the club hit the jackpot with their deal for the defender.
Piroe has dipped in-and-out of the team at times, coming off the bench on ten occasions, and has gone through dry spells, with zero goals in nine games prior to the Stoke match, as well as struggling with his lack of physicality consistently throughout the season.
Bogle, on the other hand, has started all 42 of his appearances in the division, averaging 87 minutes played per game, which illustrates how much Farke has relied on him week-in-week-out.
Tackles + interceptions
3.2
xG
5.09
Ball recoveries per game
3.5
Goals
6
Ground duel success rate
55%
Big chances created
9
Aerial duel success rate
53%
xA
5.63
Error led to goal
0
Assists
4
As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old full-back has shown that he can mix defensive quality and strength with outstanding attacking contributions from a defensive position.
Bogle, whose pass to Piroe against Preston was dubbed “tremendous” by Aidy White, has the drive and quality to motor down the right flank to deliver goals and assists – assisting Piroe’s second against Stoke.
The ex-Sheffield United star has also won the majority of his duels on the ground and in the air, without making any errors that have directly led to goals against for Leeds.
Therefore, Bogle is a complete full-back who seems to have the qualities required to make the step up to the Premier League in Farke’s current team, because he has the physicality and the technical ability to deal with the step up.
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This is why he was an even better signing than Piroe because he can handle both sides of the game, making him a player with top-flight potential, and he cost less than half as much, which shows that Farke hit the jackpot by signing him from the Blades.
Fulham have a good chance of signing an “incredible” midfielder this summer, with it now looking increasingly likely he leaves his club, according to reporter Christian Falk.
Cottagers keen to strengthen in multiple areas
The Cottagers have been inconsistent in recent weeks, which has hampered their European push somewhat, but they are likely to look back on this campaign as a success regardless, given that they are on course for a top-half finish in the Premier League.
However, Marco Silva may fancy his side’s chances of qualifying for Europe next season, should he make the right additions to the squad in the summer transfer window, and targets have been identified in a number of key areas.
Amid doubts over Antonee Robinson’s future, Werder Bremen’s Felix Agu could be brought in to bolster Silva’s options at left-back, while Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters has emerged as an option on the opposite side of the defence.
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Panathinaikos striker Fotis Ioannidis and AC Milan forward Samuel Chukwueze are among the targets in attacking areas, with the west Londoners also keen to strengthen in the engine room, according to BILD reporter Falk.
Speaking to BILD, Falk has now revealed Fulham have a good chance of bringing Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha back to Craven Cottage this summer (via Sport Witness), but there could be competition from their London rivals.
Bayern Munich's JoaoPalhinhalooks dejected as he walks off after receiving a red card
West Ham United are also in the race for Palhinha, who is now looking increasingly likely to leave Bayern at the end of the season, given that he has struggled to force his way into the side since completing a €51m (£44m) move last summer.
Falk believes the Portugal international could be keen on a move back to England, adding: “I think he would consider, if an offer comes in, whether it makes sense for him to perhaps return to the British Isles.”
"Incredible" Palhinha could reignite career at Fulham
The 29-year-old may have struggled to make a name for himself in the Bundesliga, but he put in some top performances during his time at Craven Cottage, with journalist Kyle Bonn once comparing him to Manchester United midfielder Casemiro.
Silva knows he can depend on the 6-foot-3 colossus, given their time working together, and he has continued to impress at times when given the opportunity at Bayern, ranking highly across some key defensive metrics over the past year.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
3.70 (97th percentile)
Blocks
1.74 (90th percentile)
Aerials won
1.96 (92nd percentile)
It is promising news that Fulham could stand a good chance of signing Palhinha this summer, and they should be well-positioned to beat West Ham to his signature, given that they have vastly outperformed their London rivals in the Premier League this season.
Aston Villa are currently preparing for one of their biggest matches in recent history with a trip to play Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals of the Champions League this evening.
The Villans come into the first leg clash off the back of a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park in the Premier League on Saturday, thanks to goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.
Unai Emery must be ruthless with his team selection and one brutal decision that should be made is the one to drop Ollie Watkins from the starting line-up.
Why Ollie Watkins should be dropped
The England international is on a barren run of form in front of goal and would not come into this evening’s clash with PSG full of confidence and ready to help the team pick up a historic result.
Watkins has scored one goal in his last nine matches in all competitions for the Villans, which came in a 1-0 win over Brentford towards the start of March.
Shots on target
2
1
0
0
0
Goals
1
0
0
0
0
Key passes
0
0
0
0
0
Assists
0
0
0
0
0
Pass accuracy
53%
50%
100%
50%
50%
As you can see in the table above, the 29-year-old striker has offered little at the top end of the pitch whilst also being incredibly wasteful with the ball at his feet in the last five matches, completing just half of his passes in three of those five matches.
With this in mind, Emery must ruthlessly axe Watkins from the team, after he offered next to nothing in the win over Forest, to bring Marcus Rashford back into the side.
Why Marcus Rashford is Aston Villa's answer to Ousmane Dembele
The big threat for the Villans to deal with this evening is likely to be Ousmane Dembele, who has scored 32 goals and provided eight assists in 40 matches in all competitions for PSG this term.
Ousmane Dembele scores for PSG
He has played started 17 matches on the wing and 15 games as a centre-forward, highlighting his versatility, and uses his pace and ability on the ball to cause constant problems to opposition defenders.
Rashford is similar to Dembele in many ways, starting seven games on the wing and three times as a striker for Villa, with his versatility at the top end of the pitch as well as his ability to create chances for himself with his pace and the timing of his movements off the shoulder of the last defender.
As you can see in the clip above, the England international showcased his pace and ability in front of goal with his maiden Premier League strike for the Villans against Brighton.
Rashford, once hailed as “unplayable” by analyst Raj Chohan, has scored three goals and provided one assist in his last four matches for the club in all competitions, showing that he is far more in form than Watkins at this moment in time.
His recent goal burst also suggests that he is the kind of player PSG would also be wary of ahead of tonight’s game, in the same that Villa be wary of Dembele, which is why Emery must unleash him from the start after he was on the bench against Forest.
Interestingly, Rashford has played the most games (four) and scored the most goals (three) against PSG out of all of his appearances in the Champions League in his career to date, suggesting that they are a favourable match-up for the English forward.
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The 27-year-old marksman has punished the Parisian side in the past and Emery must ditch Watkins to put Rashford in a position to break French hearts in the Champions League once again.
With the summer transfer window approaching, Crystal Palace are now reportedly looking to shock a mega rich club in the race to sign one particular attacking talent for Oliver Glanser should he stay put.
Crystal Palace face Oliver Glasner concern
In his first full season in charge at Selhurst Park, it’s fair to say that Glasner’s impressive spell at Crystal Palace has not gone unnoticed. The Austrian is reportedly among the names on RB Leipzig’s radar as they look to welcome their replacement for the sacked Marco Rose. Having previously managed in Germany, there will be plenty of concern surrounding Glasner’s future in South London.
The Eagles have already suffered one major departure away from the pitch in the form of Dougie Freedman and the last thing that Steve Parish needs is to be left replacing both his sporting director and manager.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time that Europe’s top clubs came swooping in for Palace’s top talents. Just last summer, the headlines surrounded Michael Olise, who eventually swapped Selhurst Park for Bayern Munich.
Now, on top of Glasner, Eberechi Eze has also been linked with a summer exit amid links to the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Given that Palace sit above both those sides in the Premier League this season, losing Eze to either would represent the most frustrating blow for Crystal Palace.
Eberechi Eze for Crystal Palace.
Potentially preparing for the worst, however, Palace have reportedly turned their attention towards a move to sign one particular Bundesliga talent ahead of Newcastle United.
Crystal Palace battling to sign "complete" Merlin Rohl
According to Bild in Germany, Crystal Palace are now shock contenders to sign Merlin Rohl from SC Freiburg this summer in a deal that will cost a reported €25m (£21m). With Liverpool and Newcastle also interested, there’s no doubt that the Eagles would be landing an impressive coup by signing the attacking midfielder in the coming months.
What would be most impressive if Rohl joined Palace over Newcastle specifically is how the finances of both clubs compare. These days, thanks to PIF, those at St James’ Park represent one of the richest clubs in world football and could put that billionaire status to good use this summer having managed their PSR issues over the last year. Meanwhile, Palace are often forced to sell before they can buy.
SC Freiburg'sMerlinRohlin action
Just where Rohl’s next destination is remains to be seen, but his arrival would certainly ease any potential Eze exit blow for Crystal Palace this summer. The 22-year-old has earned plenty of praise during his Bundesliga rise over the years, including from former Ingolstadt coach Tomas Oral, who said: “Merlin’s the complete midfielder. He can do it defensively and offensively.”
With the Premier League calling, Palace will be desperate for Rohl to make his choice and join up with Glasner’s side this summer.
This summer has to be a massive one for Tottenham Hotspur.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have seriously struggled this season through a combination of poor form and a torrent of injuries, so much so that they’ve lost more games than they’ve won in the Premier League.
However, as there were at the start of last season, there have been signs that the Australian could make things work with more backing, and based on reports from the last few weeks, Daniel Levy and Co appear to be looking to make signings in the coming months.
Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy.
One of the players most heavily touted for a move to N17 has been Southampton gem Tyler Dibling, although if he did join the Lilywhites, he’d be worth considerably less than one of his main rivals for game time.
Why Spurs want to sign Dibling
While Spurs’ interest in Dibling is now in the open, the North Londoners are not the only club keen to secure the youngster’s services, with fellow Premier League outfit Newcastle United also said to be interested.
So, why are a number of the league’s biggest clubs circling a winger from a club who look destined to be relegated to the Championship?
Well, simply put, he has been one of the very few bright spots for Southampton this year, and while he hasn’t necessarily lit the world alight, he’s done enough to suggest that his ceiling is extraordinarily high.
For example, despite being just 19 years old and playing for a genuinely awful Saints side, the Exeter-born “game-breaker,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored four goals and provided two assists in 30 appearances, which is not bad going for his debut season in the top flight.
Moreover, while his primary and best position is off the right, the young Englishman has also shown himself to be a versatile attacker, making five appearances as a centre-forward this season, five in attacking midfield, and one in right midfield.
Right-Wing
12
1
0
Centre-Forward
5
2
1
Attacking Midfield
5
1
2
Right Midfield
1
0
0
Finally, over the last year or so, Tottenham have clearly chosen to target up-and-coming talents in the transfer market, with moves for Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert.
So, in their case, signing Dibling would also fit nicely with their long-term vision for the team, and it seems more than likely that his €25m valuation from Transfermarkt, which is about £21m, will start increasing very soon.
Southampton's TylerDiblingcelebrates scoring their third goal with Mateus Fernandes
That said, if Levy and Co can bring the youngster to North London in the summer, he’ll have to work hard to match the valuation of his biggest competitor for game time.
The Spurs star worth millions more than Dibling
Now, when it comes to the winger options at Spurs, Postecoglou has a few players who can choose from on the left, but when it comes to the right, the only truly natural option he currently has is Brennan Johnson.
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The Welsh international joined the North Londoners from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, and while things haven’t necessarily been plane sailing since then, he has established himself as a useful attacking outlet.
For example, despite enduring a slow start to his first campaign in the capital, the 23-year-old scored five goals and provided ten assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2248 minutes. This comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.26 games or every 149.86 minutes.
This season has been even better, as in 39 appearances, totalling 2493 minutes, the “frightening” ace, as dubbed by content creator HLTCO, has scored 14 goals and provided four assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.16 games, or every 138.5 minutes.
Appearances
34
39
Minutes
2248′
2493′
Goals
5
14
Assists
10
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.44
0.46
Minutes per Goal Involvement
149.86′
138.5′
Impressively, despite getting so much stick earlier in the season that he deactivated his Instagram account, the Welshman is currently the club’s top goalscorer.
So, when you take all that into consideration, it’s not massively surprising that Transfermarkt values him at €50m, which is about £42m, or £22m more than Dibling is currently worth.
Ultimately, if the Spurs do sign the young Saints star, then they’ll have yet another promising prospect in their squad. However, seeing if he can take Johnson’s spot from him in the long run will be interesting.
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Tottenham Hotspur could be back on the hunt for another head coach a lot sooner than they would’ve wanted, and one candidate to replace Thomas Frank may find the job too good to turn down.
Pressure piles on Thomas Frank amid Tottenham slide
Frank’s tenure has reached boiling point following three consecutive defeats that have exposed major frailties and escalating supporter unrest.
After humiliating losses against Arsenal (4-1), PSG (5-3) and most recently Fulham (2-1), with just one victory to show from their last seven in all competitions, Spurs currently languish 12th in the Premier League table, boasting just one win at home all season.
Tottenham have suffered ten league defeats on their own turf in 2025, equaling their worst-ever calendar year record. With challenging fixtures against Newcastle, Liverpool and Crystal Palace due this month, starting against the Magpies this evening, things don’t get any easier for Frank.
16. Burnley
2
1
3
7
-1
17. Nottingham Forest
2
1
4
7
-5
18. West Ham
2
0
5
6
-9
19. Tottenham
1
2
4
5
-1
20. Wolves
0
1
5
1
10
Media sources also suggest that players have grown increasingly bewildered by Frank’s constant tactical alterations, with strategies frequently changed moments before kickoff or abandoned entirely during matches.
Saturday’s Fulham capitulation — conceding twice within six minutes before Mohammed Kudus’ consolation ultimately proved futile — exposed defensive fragility that has seen Spurs ship eleven goals across their last three encounters.
Relationships between supporters and players have also deteriorated dramatically, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario subject to constant booing against Fulham following his catastrophic error which gifted Harry Wilson their second goal of the game.
Frank criticised fans in the aftermath, calling the behaviour ‘unacceptable’, and this has only heightened tension between Spurs and Lilywhites loyalists in the stand.
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The tactician elaborated on this in his pre-Newcastle press conference, attempting to reassure supporters that their feelings matter but the north Londoners need to create a ‘fortress’ at home.
Reports are now emerging that Tottenham are beginning to make contingency plans in the event they decide to sack Frank, so nothing but a victory will do against Newcastle as the Dane looks to relieve the humongous pressure on his shoulders.
Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner
If Frank is shown his P45, one manager who’s very much in contention to replace him is Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner.
Former Palace chairman and talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan admitted back in September that he urged ex-Spurs chair Daniel Levy to consider appointing Glasner, and it isn’t hard to see why.
The Austrian, who guided Palace to their first ever major trophy after an historic FA Cup final win over Man City in May, also led the south Londoners to an unprecedented 19-game unbeaten run in all competitions this year — before it was ended by Everton at the Hill Dickinson.
This run was made all the more impressive given his very limited resources and the constant threat of losing star players, with Spurs believed to be real admirers of Glasner’s work.
That is according to TEAMtalk, who report that, while Frank is safe for now, Tottenham could make a move for Glasner and accelerate new manager plans if this slide continues.
They also state that Tottenham could prove ‘irresistible’ to Glasner as a managerial opportunity, with the 51-year-old’s future far from certain as his contract is due to expire at the end of June.
The former Eintracht Frankfurt boss, who won the Europa League with them in 2022, is a fine candidate to succeed Frank and his looming free agent status makes the prospect of a move all the more appealing.
Defending champions Liverpool moved up to eighth in the Premier League table after a 2-0 win over West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday.
Goals from Alexander Isak, who netted his first league goal for the club, and Cody Gakpo secured all three points for the Reds for the first time since the 1st November against Aston Villa.
Arne Slot will surely be pleased with the win and the clean sheet to end a run of three successive losses in all competitions, whilst the Dutch boss will also be buzzing with the performances of several of his players.
Ranking Liverpool's top performers against West Ham
When ranking the team’s top performers against the Hammers, it is hard to look past Gakpo as the standout star because he was directly involved in both of the goals, with a goal and an assist.
Ibrahima Konate also deserves credit for his colossal display at the heart of the defence, winning 100% (5/5) of his aerial duels and making a team-high ten clearances, per Sofascore.
Both the France international and captain Virgil van Dijk kept Alisson quiet with their dominant performances, but Konate was the standout centre-back with four more clearances and three more aerial duels won than his skipper.
1
Cody Gakpo
2
Florian Wirtz
3
Ibrahima Konate
4
Virgil van Dijk
5
Alexander Isak
As you can see in the table above, Isak also has to be in the top five performers on the pitch for the Premier League champions, as he netted his first league goal for the club with a brilliant first-time finish into the bottom corner.
You will also notice that £115m signing Florian Wirtz ranks in second place, just behind Gakpo, after he caught the eye whilst playing in a central position for the Reds.
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Recruitment analyst Jan Riha stated that the “incredible” Wirtz made him “feel about football the same way Thiago Alcantara” did at Liverpool, after his performance against the Hammers.
It is hard to argue with that assessment because his metronomic display at the London Stadium was incredibly impressive, even if it lacked the punch of a goal or an assist to add some extra flavour to his season.
Thiago ended his playing days with a 90% pass accuracy, per WhoScored, and Reds supporters got to enjoy his midfield majesty for three seasons, with plenty of exceptional raking passes and cultured through balls, as shown in the clips below against Man United in 2022.
Wirtz may not play in a deep-lying midfield role like Thiago did, but his technical ability is comparable to the Spaniard’s, and he showed it off plenty of times in the win over West Ham.
The Germany international has failed to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League this season since his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen, but his display on Sunday was a step in the right direction because it was his best of the campaign.
Sofascore rating
6.51
6.9
Passes completed
25
42
Pass accuracy
82%
93%
Passes completed in oppo half
18
32
Passes accuracy in oppo half
76%
91%
Passes accuracy in own half
86%
100%
As you can see in the statistics above, Wirtz’s use of the ball on Sunday was on another level to what he has previously shown in the top-flight for Liverpool.
Playing centrally, rather than being out wide on the left or the right, allowed him to float around and knit play together with his technical brilliance, much like Thiago used to do further back on the pitch during his time at Anfield.
Slot must continue to play the German star in the middle of the park, rather than out wide, because he could flourish as a metronomic number ten who is able to buzz around the pitch and control the tempo of the match.
The hope, then, would be that the goals and assists naturally follow as he becomes more comfortable and confident on the pitch in the Premier League.
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Whilst there will be understandable disappointment that a £115m attacking midfielder is yet to provide a direct goal contribution in the top-flight, Wirtz’s performance against the Hammers was his best of the season and he appears to be on the right track to become a success at Anfield.
Arsenal are set to be minus an “underrated” star for their looming North London derby against Tottenham and far beyond that, following some injury news out of the Emirates Stadium.
Mikel Arteta’s side host Spurs on Sunday in imperious form, but the manager is being made to sweat over several key players. The Gunners remain in pole position at the top of the Premier League table after a fantastic start to the campaign, which is made all the more impressive by the absences of numerous big-name attackers lately.
Arsenal currently sit top with eight wins, two draws and one loss from their opening 11 matches, boasting a phenomenal defensive record. They’ve conceded just five goals all season, the best of any team in Europe’s top five leagues, which has formed the backbone of their title challenge.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal
Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal
However, the international break has brought fresh concerns.
Left-back Riccardo Calafiori returned early from Italy duty due to hip pain, but encouragingly, Fabrizio Romano revealed that Arsenal’s medical checks confirmed that Calafiori will be available for the derby with no injury issues, just overload.
Calafiori has become an undisputed starter this term, chipping in with one goal and two assists from 11 games, even thwarting Myles Lewis-Skelly for a consistent place in the starting eleven.
Meanwhile, captain Martin Odegaard is continuing his recovery from a knee injury that has plagued him since October. The Norwegian, before his country’s 4-1 win over Italy, told TV2 that his recovery is progressing and he “will hopefully be back soon” — though it remains to be seen whether that could be against Tottenham.
His creativity has been sorely missed in Arsenal’s midfield, and elsewhere in the squad, Viktor Gyokeres has been struggling with a hamstring injury sustained at Burnley. He’s missed their last two matches against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, as a result, with Gyokeres believed to remain a doubt ahead of Spurs.
Noni Madueke is approaching a comeback after being sidelined for almost two months due to a knee problem, while Kai Havertz continues his recovery from knee surgery with a potential return on the cards “towards the end of the year”, according to Julian Nagelsmann.
Gabriel Martinelli is racing to be fit for this weekend, but the game comes too soon for his compatriot, Gabriel Jesus, who’s expected to be the last to return after his ACL injury at the start of 2025 (Simon Collings).
Amid this wave of Arsenal team news, it is another Gabriel who’s been making the headlines recently.
Indeed, star defender Gabriel Magalhaes, who’s been equally vital going forward as well as at the back, was taken off with a thigh problem during Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Senegal at the Emirates, and the early signs aren’t exactly cause for celebration.
Arsenal star Gabriel to miss "minimum four weeks" after thigh injury
According to journalist Sami Mokbel of The BBC, Gabriel could now miss a “minimum four weeks”, and some sources suggest that he could be out until January as the club wait for further scan results.
Gabriel has been the linchpin of Europe’s most water-tight defence, partnering both William Saliba and Cristhian Mosquera to devastating effect and making him irreplaceable in Arteta’s system.
The timing couldn’t be worse. Arsenal face a crucial run of fixtures beyond just Tottenham, with Bayern Munich in the Champions League and Chelsea awaiting them right afterwards.
Beyond defensive stability, Gabriel already boasts five goal involvements in all competitions this season, including a vital late winner away to Newcastle in September, highlighting his importance at both ends of the pitch. The 27-year-old gifts Arsenal a major outlet, and has been a significant part of their outstanding set piece record this season.
With Gabriel set to miss this weekend, Mosquera or Piero Hincapie will likely come in to replace him, with the summer signings now given a baptism of fire.
Leeds United travel away from West Yorkshire and Elland Road to face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League this afternoon.
The Whites are looking to win back-to-back matches in the Premier League for the first time this season, after they beat West Ham United in their last outing.
Daniel Farke’s side won, thanks to goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon, and Anton Stach did not play a single minute of the match at Elland Road.
Why Leeds should unleash Anton Stach
Despite beating the Hammers, Leeds can improve on their performance from last time out because they failed to put the game out of sight for the away side, which led to a nervy ending when they pulled a goal back.
After Rodon’s goal, the Whites did not create a single chance that was worth more than 0.14 xG, per Sofascore, and they allowed West Ham to get back into the game, albeit they were able to hang on for all three points.
Stach, who did not get on the pitch, has proven that he can provide a threat at the top end of the pitch from a midfield position, with one goal, 1.8 key passes per game, and two ‘big chances’ created in eight appearances, per Sofascore.
The summer signing from Hoffenheim has shown that he can be a difference-maker with his individual quality, which could help Leeds to capitalise on a shaky Brighton defence that has conceded 15 goals in the Premier League.
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In order to bring Stach into the starting line-up, though, Farke would have to ruthlessly ditch Ao Tanaka, whose performances he has recently defended.
Why Leeds should drop Ao Tanaka
After the win over West Ham, the Japan international stated that he is “not good enough at the moment” and that he will be using these experiences to improve as a player.
Asked about Tanaka’s honest admission, Farke said: “He had a really good start to the season with us. I didn’t expect him to be man of the match [vs West Ham], being in his first match after injury back in the starting line up, but I think he was quite solid and showed a really, really good performance.”
In spite of his defence of the central midfielder’s comments and performance, the German head coach should drop the midfield maestro from the XI because Stach may be able to offer more quality against Brighton.
Appearances
7
8
xG
0.16
0.79
Goals
0
1
Key passes per game
0.6
1.8
Big chances created
0
2
Ground duel success rate
18%
52%
Aerial duel success rate
43%
77%
Tackles + interceptions per game
0.7
2.3
As you can see in the table above, Tanaka has struggled to influence games in the Premier League this season, as he has offered little in the final third whilst being dominated by opposition players physically.
The Japanese midfielder is seemingly still adjusting to the step up from the Championship, which is understandable, but Stach has shown that he can make an impact offensively and hold his own defensively in his eight starts in the division.
Given Brighton’s defensive struggles this season, conceding 15 goals in nine games, it could be the right time to bring the German central midfielder back into the starting line-up to give the Whites the best chance of causing their defence problems.
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Therefore, Farke should ruthlessly drop Tanaka from the XI, despite his defence of the midfielder’s display against West Ham, because it may improve the team’s chances of winning this afternoon, given the context of the opposition.