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da cassino online： Troy Deeney has slammed Aston Villa’s “ego” problem and called out one of Unai Emery’s key players after their dry spell of form continued last weekend.

Villa winless after opening five games

da blaze casino： Very few fans would’ve predicted Villa to be in the Premier League relegation zone after their first five games, but they’re currently occupying 18th place, after drawing three and losing two, scoring just one goal in the process.

Most recently, the Villans came up short at the Stadium of Light, drawing 1-1, despite Sunderland being reduced to ten men in the first half, with Wilson Isidor cancelling out Matty Cash’s opening goal.

The problems have continued to mount at Villa Park, with it subsequently being confirmed that sporting director Monchi is set to leave, in what could be another major blow for Emery, amid widespread speculation surrounding the manager’s future.

As mentioned, one of Villa’s main issues up to this stage has been the failure to score goals, with Ollie Watkins yet to find the back of the net, and Deeney has now singled the striker out for criticism.

The former Birmingham City man said: “The biggest problem is lack of goals, lack of goals from Ollie at this moment in time.

“At this moment in time, you’re the only striker there, you’re the one they’re looking towards and for the start of the season, you’re not delivering.

The talkSPORT pundit also went on to add: “At the moment in time, he just looks off it, he looks comfortable.”

Not only is Deeney unimpressed with Watkins’ start to the campaign, but he is also concerned there may be an “ego” problem at Villa, saying: “It’s a weird one. I thought maybe with [Jadon] Sancho and [Harvey] Elliott coming in, there’d be a bit more dynamism to it. But they must not be fit enough as he’s not putting them anywhere near the starting line-up. It’s an ego thing now, a player-driven ego thing.”

“I think the manager is a very, very good manager, but you have to start looking now and saying: Why are the players trying to play inside the pitch? Why is Morgan Rogers not the focal point?”

Watkins needs to start firing after poor start

No one can deny the Villa striker has been a fantastic servant, having picked up 87 goals and 42 assists in 229 matches, but he must start firing sooner rather than later, having once again put in a poor performance against Sunderland.

The England international missed one big chance and touched the ball just 16 times throughout the match, finishing with a SofaScore match rating of just 6.3.

In fairness, the onus isn’t just on the former Brentford man to start improving, with fellow key player Morgan Rogers also failing to register a single goal or an assist this term, while Shay Given has called Emery out for labelling his players “lazy”.

It is a risky tactic for Emery to publicly criticise his players, but he will be hoping for a response from his side when their Europa League campaign gets underway against Bologna on Thursday.

da mrbet： Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a £60m opening bid for a “sensational” English star, who could now be open to a move to N17.

Tottenham looking to bolster attacking options despite Simons capture

da betobet： Tottenham managed to get a deal for Xavi Simons over the line in the final stages of the summer transfer window, with Thomas Frank eager to bring in a new playmaker, given that James Maddison has been ruled out with an ACL injury.

However, Bundesliga commentator Kevin Hatchard has since suggested there are some doubts over the signing of Simons, given that he was not always consistent enough in an RB Leipzig shirt due to concerns about his attitude.

It remains to be seen whether the Dutchman can adapt to life in the Premier League, but it appears as though ENIC are pressing ahead with a move for a different attacker regardless.

According to a report from The Boy Hotspur, Tottenham are now plotting a £60m opening bid for Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers, who is capable of playing on both wings and through the middle.

Spurs are said to be implementing a more aggressive transfer strategy following the departure of Levy, and they are now planning to test Villa’s resolve, although Unai Emery’s side are probably not inclined to accept £60m, given that they value Rogers at £100m.

The English attacker could now be open to a move to north London, with Frank’s side taking more concrete action towards securing his signature than Chelsea, who have also been named as potential suitors.

"Sensational" Rogers could kickstart new era at Tottenham

While ENIC have made it clear they have no plans to sell, Levy’s departure marks the start of a new era for Tottenham, who are now expected to be more willing to spend big in the transfer market.

As such, Spurs may be able to compete for Rogers’ signature, and there is every indication he could be a fantastic acquisition, having once again performed very well for Villa last season, picking up 19 goal contributions in 37 Premier League games.

Journalist Eduardo Hagn lauded the England international as “sensational” back in April, and he also proved himself in the Champions League, picking up four goals and three assists in 12 outings.

Rogers is clearly ready to take the next big step in his career, and with Tottenham planning to be more ambitious following Levy’s exit, a move to N17 could be ideal.

da cassino online： Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma is facing a very uncertain future under Thomas Frank, following a less-than ideal start to the Dane’s tenure in charge.

da 888casino： Off the field, ex-chairman Daniel Levy has dominated headlines, after the polarising official was pushed to resign from his post after 24 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era at Spurs.

ENIC are reportedly planning to pump more cash into the club, and this windfall could be reinvested into their transfer activity in a bid to get Tottenham competing with the Premier League six for major silverware (Sky Sports).

While supporters will be wary of that old saying ‘the grass isn’t always greener’, it is a very intriguing time for the Lilywhites, but it is unlikely Bissouma will be along for the ride long-term.

The Mali international is out of contract next summer and Frank has already penalised the player for persistent lateness to training, which resulted in Bissouma missing out on a place in Tottenham’s 22-man Champions League squad.

Tottenham’s Champions League fixtures – League phase

Date

Villarreal (home)

September 16

Bodo/Glimt (away)

September 30

Monaco (away)

October 22

FC Copenhagen (home)

November 4

PSG (away)

November 26

Slavia Prague (home)

December 9

Borussia Dortmund (home)

January 20

Eintracht Frankfurt (away)

January 28

He was also left out of the side which travelled to face PSG in the UEFA Super Cup last month, with Bissouma yet to make a single competitive appearance under Frank.

The transfer windows in Turkey, Mexico, Portugal and Saudi Arabia remain open for the time being, giving Spurs a chance to offload the £100,000-per-week ace even after the UK deadline on September 1.

Tottenham are open to offers for Bissouma, according to Sky’s Michael Bridge, but Fabrizio Romano says things have gone quiet when it comes to a potential exit for the 29-year-old and Frank’s side are not actively pushing to get rid.

Given the hectic fixture schedule awaiting Spurs, perhaps Frank is planning to keep Bissouma around in case of emergency as a squad player in the Premier League, with the ex-Brighton star fighting his way back to full fitness right now after sustaining an injury.

Bissouma held talks to join Galatasaray in the summer and fellow Süper Lig side Fenerbache also held an interest, but according to West Ham insider Claret & Hugh, Tottenham’s east London rivals were offered the chance to sign him too.

Tottenham offered Yves Bissouma to West Ham twice in a swap deal for Lucas Paqueta

C&H report, via an insider at West Ham, that Tottenham floated Bissouma towards the London Stadium on two separate occasions, with Spurs also proposing a straight loan swap deal for Brazil international Lucas Paqueta.

Before they sealed a £52 million deal for Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig, Spurs were actively pursuing a playmaker — seeing two very advanced moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze fall through in very dramatic fashion.

Paqueta was being targeted by Tottenham as an alternative to the duo, but the former Lyon star ended up staying with Graham Potter.

Spurs’ attempts to agree a swap deal involving Paqueta and Bissouma apparently had “no chance”.

The 28-year-old is now attempting to recapture the form he displayed from his early Hammers days, before Paqueta was embroiled in a spot-fixing scandal which derailed his career.

He would’ve been an intriguing signing for Spurs and only the third player to join them from West Ham in 14 years, after Scott Parker and Mohammed Kudus, but Simons’ sky-high potential has the fanbase very excited ahead of the Dutchman’s imminent debut.

da esport bet： Leeds United are looking to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch before the transfer window officially slams shut for another year this evening.

da prosport bet： The Whites were reportedly looking to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this week to add to their attacking midfield ranks, after he spent last season on loan at Leicester City.

Unfortunately, Chelsea decided to pursue a loan move for the Argentine playmaker and are now closing in on a deal to add him to their squad at Stamford Bridge.

Leeds were, of course, unable to compete with the Champions League football that Enzo Maresca’s side have on offer, and look set to miss out on Buonanotte.

Leeds have playmaker on their radar

The Championship champions are still in need of another option in the frontline after missing out on the Brighton youngster, and are reportedly looking further afield for an alternative.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to LeedsLive, Krasnodar attacking midfielder Eduard Spertsyan has emerged as a potential option for Leeds United on deadline day, as they could make a last-gasp move for the star.

The report claims that the Armenia international is one of a number of playmakers on the club’s radar as they look to bolster their options in that position before the window slams shut.

It adds that Bilal El Khannouss, Dilane Bakwa, and Manor Solomon are also being looked at by the Whites, as they look at traditional number tens and natural wingers on both sides.

Daniel Farke, though, worked with Spertsyan, who was linked with an £11m move to Southampton earlier this summer, and he may be a shrewd addition to the squad.

Why Leeds should sign Eduard Spertsyan

The West Yorkshire outfit should look to pursue a deadline day deal for the Armenian star because he could be an even better option than Buonanotte as an attacking midfielder.

Spertsyan has not experienced English football before, so it would be a risk in that respect, but his form for Krasnodar suggests that he has the potential to be an incredibly exciting addition to the squad.

The 25-year-old star, who was described as an “elegant” player by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is heading into the prime years of his career and could offer a huge threat at the top end of the pitch if he can adapt to the Premier League.

Spertsyan (Russian Premier League)

24/25

25/26

Appearances

28

7

Goals

11

4

Big chances missed

5

1

Key passes per game

2.1

3.9

Big chances created

6

5

Assists

6

8

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Spertsyan has delivered 15 goals and 14 assists in his last 35 appearances in the Russian Premier League, including eight assists in seven games this season.

These statistics show that the £11m-rated star is an incredibly creative player who looks to play key passes constantly each match, whilst he can also provide a significant threat as a goalscorer.

Meanwhile, Buonanotte has produced eight goals and three assists in 58 outings in the English Premier League in the last two seasons for Leicester and Brighton combined, per Sofascore.

This suggests that Spertsyan would be an even better signing for Leeds if they can get him to translate his performances for Krasnodar over to English football this season.

It would be a risky addition, given his lack of experience in England, but his immense form in Russia suggests that it could be worth the risk as an alternative to Buonanotte, who has not delivered consistently in the final third in his career to date.

da jogodeouro： To describe this summer as unprecedented for Arsenal would be an understatement.

da supremo： The Gunners have spent big in windows past, but they have never spent as much as they have this year, nor have they made so many quality additions to the side.

Mikel Arteta has been handed a new starting striker, a new starting six, the sensational Eberechi Eze, a host of quality squad options and may now get his hands on Piero Hincapié.

Yet, with the window open until next week, the club look set to make even more additions and are being linked with someone who might have more potential than Hincapié.

Arsenal target ace alongsid Hincapié

Arsenal fans were still getting over the excitement of the Eze transfer this morning when news broke that the club were looking to hijack another of Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer targets.

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This time, it was Bayer Leverkusen’s Hincapié, who had been touted for a move to N17 for some time this summer, but now looks like he could be donning red and white next month.

The versatile centre-back looks like he could be an excellent addition to the Gunners’ already formidable defensive unit, but now it looks like the club is keen on another ace who has an even higher ceiling.

At least that is according to a recent report from Europe, who has claimed that Arsenal are interested in Jeremy Jacquet.

The Belgian journalist has revealed that, alongside other sides such as Real Madrid and Al-Hilal, the Gunners are targeting the highly-rated French defender.

It does not state how much the Stade Rennes gem could cost the North Londoners, but as his £10k-per-week contract is set to run for another four years, he’s unlikely to come cheap, with previous reports stating their asking price is as much as £43m.

However, with the way he is spoken about by those in the know, and the experience he already has, he may well be worth splashing the cash on, especially as he could have even more potential than Hincapie.

Jacquet's sky-high potential

So the first thing to say is that if Arsenal sign Hincapie this week, he would represent an excellent bit of business and seriously strengthen the backline.

However, with him set to turn 24 during the season, we can see the player he is today, and while he will improve, it’s unlikely he’s going to dramatically improve in the coming years.

On the other hand, Jacquet has only just turned 20, is already playing in a top-five league and has caught the eye of top teams like the Gunners and Real Madrid.

In other words, there is a sense that the Frenchman could be one of the next great defenders in world football, much like William Saliba was considered back in 2019.

It might sound like hyperbole, but we aren’t the only ones saying this.

Take respected analyst Ben Mattinson, for example, who has called the youngster a “Rolls Royce” of players and the “world football’s next highly coveted CB.”

More than that, he has claimed that he “has the tools to be a ‘Top 5 in The World’ CB” and that he plays “with a level of composure which makes actions seem so effortless.”

The data backs up a lot of these predictions as well.

According to FBref, despite being so young, the Rennes gem ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues for tackles plus interceptions, just interceptions and long pass completion, the top 6% for percentage of aerial duels won, the top 7% for tackles won and more, all per 90.

Jacquet’s Scout Report

Statistics

Per 90

Percentile

Pass Completion % (Long)

79.7%

Top 1%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.57

Top 1%

Interceptions

2.28

Top 1%

Tkl+Int

4.55

Top 1%

Dribblers Tackled

1.30

Top 5%

Dribbles Challenged

2.03

Top 5%

% of Aerials Won

71.4%

Top 6%

xAG: Exp. Assisted Goals

0.07

Top 7%

Tackles Won

1.46

Top 7%

Tackles

2.28

Top 8%

npxG + xAG

0.13

Top 9%

Successful Take-Ons

0.49

Top 9%

Assists

0.08

Top 10%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.08

Top 10%

All Stats via FBref

These numbers paint the picture of a defender who’s nearly impossible to get past while also being brilliant with the ball at his feet.

For comparison’s sake, Hincapie ranks in the top 1% of just one metric for centre-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues: non-penalty expected goals plus assists.

In other words, while the Ecuadorian international is an exceptional defender, the data suggests his ceiling is not quite as high as the 20-year-old’s.

Ultimately, while he wouldn’t necessarily get lots of game time this season, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Jacquet before the window shuts.

He looks like he could be a future world-beater, and the last high-potential centre-back signed from Ligue 1 has done rather well for himself at the carpet.

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da bet vitoria： Having already seen one bid rejected, Celtic are reportedly expected to submit a second offer to sign a Premier League midfielder ahead of Old Firm rivals Rangers.

Celtic take early advantage over Rangers

da heads bet： After just two games in the Scottish Premiership, Celtic are already four points ahead of Rangers following the Gers’ two frustrating draws. Whilst Russell Martin’s side slipped up, the Bhoys defeated St. Mirren and Aberdeen with new signing Benjamin Nygren even netting his first goal for the club in the latter.

Only Hearts have matched the Scottish champions by winning both of their opening games, but Celtic will be hoping to pull away from any potential title rivals to continue their dominance under Brendan Rodgers this season.

After scoring his first goal for the club, the summer arrival told reporters: “That’s how I want to play. I can run a lot so I want to be involved as much as possible and help the team to win, so I’m very pleased with my performance and the team’s performance today.

“It was amazing (his goal) – a perfect cross from Kieran and a solid finish, and I ran over to celebrate with the fans and the team. I’ve said it many times but, for me, football is nothing without the fans. Celtic is such a big club with lovely fans so they’re a part of the team and part of the club, so I’m so happy to celebrate with everyone.”

Even after a solid start to their campaign, however, Celtic are reportedly still on the hunt for reinforcements and are expected to launch a second offer to sign a Premier League midfielder.

Celtic expected to submit second Irving offer

As reported by Claret and Hugh, Celtic are expected to submit another offer to sign Andy Irving from West Ham United after seeing an opening bid worth £2.5m turned down by the Hammers. The London club are reportedly holding out for £3.5m to sell their midfielder amid interest from the Bhoys and their rivals, Rangers.

A source told Claret and Hugh: “There’s a lot of interest but only one bid so far, and that was last month. I think they’ll get another offer soon.”

Despite their £3.5m asking price, it is also believed that West Ham would accept £3m to sell Iriving this summer. In a transfer tussle against their Old Firm rivals, that’s a price tag that Celtic should be able to match before deadline day arrives at the start of September.

Even as he has struggled to match the pace of the Premier League, Irving has still seemingly shown enough to earn the praise of Jarrod Bowen. The West Ham star told reporters in February: “Andy’s worked incredibly hard and been incredibly patient. I get on really well with Andy. I’ve had a lot of chats with him and always told him that I know his time will come because I’ve seen it in training.”

da pinup bet： After a long summer away, Arsenal finally got their Premier League campaign underway at Old Trafford yesterday afternoon.

da fazobetai： It certainly wasn’t a vintage performance from Mikel Arteta’s side, as Manchester United looked more dangerous for much of the game, but in a title challenge, all that matters is the three points.

However, there were still a few worrying aspects to the Gunners’ performance, notably their lack of threat and the underwhelming showing by Viktor Gyokeres on his competitive debut.

It’s safe to say it wasn’t the best of starts for the hulking centre-forward who failed to have a single shot, largely due to a lack of service provided by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Fortunately, Arsenal are now being linked with a dangerman who could be the answer to getting the Swedish international firing.

Arsenal target dream signing for Gyokeres

Since securing the services of Gyokeres for a fee of around £63.5m last month, Arsenal have been linked with a host of stars who could form brilliant partnerships with him.

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Perhaps the most prominent of those links was to Eberechi Eze, but it now looks more and more likely that he’ll be moving to Tottenham Hotspur, and Rodrygo, another supposed target, now looks closer to Manchester City.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as it appears that the North Londoners are now moving in on another Premier League star, someone who could get Gyokeres firing.

At least that’s according to recent reports, which have claimed Arsenal are now very interested in Antoine Semenyo.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Gunners have been making inquiries about the Bournemouth star, who is “totally keen” on making the move to the Emirates this summer.

However, he recently signed a one-year extension and was valued at £70m earlier this year, so prising the Ghanaian international from the South Coast could prove challenging.

With that said, if there is a chance Arsenal can sign Semenyo this summer, they have to take it, especially as he could get Gyokeres firing.

Why Semenyo would get Gyokeres firing

It might be somewhat simplistic, but there are two ways we can see Semenyo helping to get more out of Gyokeres this season, and the first relates to his ability to create chances, something that the Swede severely lacked on Sunday.

For example, FBref ranked the Cherries ace in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the Premier League last season for shot-creating actions stemming from his take-ons and shots and places him in the top 12% for successful take-on percentage.

In other words, through his brilliant ability to get past opponents, the Ghanian star is a chance-creating machine, and while it resulted in a goal on Friday, we saw that, if anything, he’s now more dangerous with the ball at his feet.

In all, the former Bristol City gem racked up seven assists in 43 appearances across all competitions, but we don’t doubt that number would be significantly higher were he playing alongside the former Sporting CP star.

The second reason Semenyo would be able to get the Gunners’ new number 14 firing this season is the fact that he is such a goal threat himself.

Semenyo’s 24/25

Appearances

42

Starts

39

Minutes

3562′

Goals

13

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvement

178.1′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

To go along with his seven assists last season, the Cherries’ “monster,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 13 goals, and despite playing against the defending champions away from home on Friday night, he’s already scored two this season.

This would massively help the Stockholm-born marksman open his account, as, with the 25-year-old off the left, opposition defenders would be worried about goals coming from every member of the Gunners’ front three.

After all, as useful as Gabriel Martinelli can be when tracking back, he’s not a particularly dangerous winger, nor one that really frightens opponents.

Ultimately, even though it’ll be a tough transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Semenyo this summer.

His ability to create chances for his teammates and the fear he’d instil in the opposition could be the key to getting Gyokeres up and running.

da poker： It’s an exciting time to be of a Chelsea persuasion. Enzo Maresca led the Blues to two major titles last season and finished fourth in the Premier League to open the doorway to this year’s Champions League proper.

da betway： And the signs throughout pre-season are promising. Though it’s important not to get carried away by the happenings of this off-season hinterland, Chelsea look fluid and dangerous in attack, with the summer signings widening the scope of Maresca’s tactical vision.

New players have arrived, and old players have locked their lockers at Stamford Bridge. Everything is primed for the 2025/26 campaign.

To lose one of the club’s superstars now would be a vicious blow, but, according to reports, that’s something Maresca and the board might have to contend with.

Chelsea receive record-breaking offer

Chelsea might fork out a fair bit each year, but they also recoup plenty of money from cashed-in surplus. Indeed, the Blues have mastered the art of pawning off unwanted players, thus mitigating their losses when Todd Boehly doesn’t receive bang for his buck.

While players such as Nicolas Jackson are touted to leave west London this month, moves are being made to welcome a series of further attacking signings.

If rivals feel that means one of Chelsea’s main men could be leaving, they are wrong.

But even so, Spanish sources have reported that Manchester City are preparing an audacious £200m +£50m in add-ons offer to sign Cole Palmer, having already seen an approach rejected for the England international.

In September 2023, Chelsea signed Palmer from Pep Guardiola’s side for £42.5m. He was unknown at the time, but now stands as one of football’s poster boys.

For all the money in the world, losing the 23-year-old at this stage of his career and this stage of Chelsea’s development is unacceptable.

Another Salah situation for Chelsea

Were Chelsea to sell Palmer, they would not, at least, be blighted in terms of depth. Not really. The Blues have welcomed many players into the fold over the past few years, and are in talks with RB Leipzig to sign versatile playmaker Xavi Simons for £60m, with Christopher Nkunku headed the other way.

But Palmer was named “the best player in the Premier League” by pundit Jamie Carragher last season, and indeed, he’s been nothing short of a revelation for the Blues, talismanic in winning the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season.

Across two seasons in all competitions, Palmer has scored 43 goals and supplied 23 assists across 97 matches for Chelsea.

Were BlueCo to let him leave and grow into an even bigger sensation with a Premier League rival, it might just prove to be Chelsea’s biggest mistake since selling Mohamed Salah to Roma in 2016.

Salah, as we all know, has since returned to the Premier League and cemented himself as one of the division’s greats with Liverpool, winning two top-flight titles and the Champions League among many other honours, posting 245 goals and 113 assists across 402 matches for the Reds.

As Arne Slot won England’s biggest prize in his debut campaign last year, somehow replacing the irreplaceable Jurgen Klopp, it was Salah who knuckled down and ensured the Anfield side claimed their prize, breaking the record for goal involvements in a 38-game top-flight season, notching 47 all told (29 goals, 18 assists).

Carragher might feel that Palmer is English football’s finest player, but it was Salah’s season. However, a decade the Chelsea star’s senior, there could be a passing of the torch in a short time, with Palmer dominating such conversations over the coming decade.

The nature of Chelsea’s transfer model means that letting certain stars-in-the-making slip through the cracks is unavoidable, but that’s why cashing in on Palmer would be such a bleak transgression.

Could it be that Palmer has the potential to become one of the Premier League’s greatest players of all time? One of the most revered and the most decorated in Chelsea’s long history? Big, bold claims, but not without substance. Palmer, to be sure, has started in such a vein, and if he’s started as he means to go on, there’s every chance such predictions could come true.

Transfer Focus

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

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At least Salah was sold to a team out on the continent, where he found his footing and cut his teeth on the Serie A scene, working toward elite status.

Now, he’s peerless at the top of the English charts. But Palmer is gaining, and he’s gaining fast. Since joining, Chelsea’s star attacking midfielder has notched just one goal involvement fewer than Man City’s Erling Haaland, who is the most prolific striker in the world and has assumed second place.

Most Goals + Assists in PL (23/24 & 24/25)

Player

Apps

Goals

Assists

G/A Total

Salah

70

47

28

75

Haaland

62

49

9

58

Watkins

75

35

23

58

Palmer

70

37

20

57

Isak

64

44

8

52

Data via Transfermarkt

Ultimately, Chelsea have shown that they can stretch out their financial arm and match the biggest hitters in the Premier League and across Europe in the transfer market.

Were £250m banked for Palmer, it stands to reason that several new offensive signings should be brought in.

But the Three Lions “superstar”, as he has been called by journalist Jonathan Northcroft, is a transcendental player, utterly brilliant and one-of-a-kind. To lose him would be to lose the nucleus of Maresca’s side, unthinkable when looking at the progress made: two trophies last season and a reclaimed seat at the Champions League table.

When Chelsea got rid of Salah way back when, he was a talented but unproven up-and-comer. To part with Palmer when he’s already one of the best players in Europe would be a far more egregious mistake.

da marjack bet： While Leeds United fell to a disappointing 1-0 loss on the road at Fulham on Saturday, Sunderland battled to a hard-fought draw at nearby Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

da apostebet： Regis Le Bris’ Black Cats have only lost one of their opening four matches in the league, too, with this battling draw away at Selhurst Park the first point picked up on their travels, which will surely only boost the confidence even more as they bid to beat the drop.

Granit Xhaka impressed once more from the middle of the park as Sunderland’s warrior centrally, with the decision to instantly gift the ex-Arsenal man the captain’s armband appearing to be a masterstroke.

Xhaka's performance in numbers vs Palace

The Swiss enforcer joining the building for £17m this summer did look to be a mightily impressive pick-up before the football had even got underway. After all, this is a player who had once scored nine and assisted seven goals in a solitary campaign for Arsenal.

Now, it certainly looks to be a top purchase for a Sunderland side attempting to make survival look a breeze.

Indeed, Xhaka backed up a standout performance against Brentford, which saw him pick up an assist, with a far more attritional effort away at the Eagles.

Indeed, alongside Robin Roefs heroically keeping the ball out of his net with six big saves, Xhaka would come up trumps, rolling his sleeves up and doing the dirty work, winning a high ten duels and completing eight clearances, meaning Palace were limited in their approach.

However, Xhaka wasn’t the only one figure after the dust had settled on the hard-fought draw that was receiving many a plaudit, with a new recruit defensively sticking out, having been heralded as an “unreal” bit of business by journalist Michael Graham after the full-time whistle was blown.

Le Bris' biggest coup after Xhaka

It was expected that Xhaka was going to be a success, considering the 32-year-old already had a mammoth 225 Premier League games in his back pocket.

On the contrary, Nordi Mukiele might well have been viewed as needing more time to acclimatise to the tough division, having only ever plied his trade in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, before making the late switch to England this summer.

However, it’s clear from his opening two games in the heart of Le Bris’ defence that the Frenchman was born for the fight of the Premier League.

Mukiele’s opening two matches in numbers

Stat

(vs Brentford)

(vs Palace)

Minutes played

90

90

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

84

72

Accurate passes

49/55 (89%)

43/50 (86%)

Clearances

9

7

Total tackles

5

2

Total duels won

12/16

3/4

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that adding Mukiele for just £12m could now go down as a sensational coup on the same level as Xhaka, with a remarkable 15 duels already won by the gritty 27-year-old across his first two near faultless starts.

With just 13 passes misdirected too, it’s clear that the ex-Bayer Leverkusen defender – who would have known Xhaka at the BayArena – is cut out for the tough fight ahead, having reduced Jean Philippe-Mateta, who is revered for being a handful, to just 31 touches of the ball and one paltry duel won at Selhurst Park.

Having previously shone in the Champions League, it shouldn’t be a shock that Mukiele has instantly settled in. The Premier League can be a tricky beast to adjust to, but the early proof indicates that it’s a phenomenal capture.

Roker Report journalist Andy Tomlinson certainly agrees, with a glowing 9/10 post-match rating handed to the brand new number 20 after he ‘completely shut down’ the threat of Mateta.

With the French defender further heralded as “outstanding” by the aforementioned Graham, the hope will be that both Mukiele and Xhaka can continue to be crucial parts of Le Bris’ machine, as survival is triumphantly secured without any real worries seeping in.

da cassino online： Nottingham Forest are the latest club to “join the race” for an “unstoppable” Premier League forward, who is valued at around €60m (£52m), according to reporter Sebastien Vidal.

Gibbs-White commits long-term future to Forest

da esport bet： Forest made a major statement of intent by agreeing a new contract with Morgan Gibbs-White, according to reporter Henry Winter, who said: “So important that Nottingham Forest and Evangelos Marinakis persuaded Morgan Gibbs-White to stay (club announce contract extension to 2028.”

“It’s more than an announcement, it’s a statement. Not only are they keeping one of their most important players, Forest are sending out a statement of continued ambition.”

The England international’s willingness to put pen to paper on a new deal is a very encouraging sign, and suggests that Evangelos Marinakis has grand plans to kick on even further, having already sealed a place in Europe for the 2025-26 campaign.

Related Nottingham Forest make contact to bring World Cup winner to the City Ground

The Tricky Trees want defensive reinforcements and have a World Cup winner in sight…

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Gibbs-White has chipped in with ten assists in each of his last two Premier League campaigns, underlining his creative talents, and it now appears as though the Tricky Trees want to bring in a new striker for the 25-year-old to provide for.

That is according to Vidal on X, who states Nottingham Forest are the latest club to “join the race” for Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, but a deal is likely to be on the expensive side, with the Blues said to be holding out for a fee of around €60m (£52m).

Nuno Espirito Santo is looking to strengthen his squad ahead of their upcoming European campaign, and Nkunku has now emerged as a target, with the forward keen to leave the west London club this summer, amid interest from Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

"Unstoppable" Nkunku could reginite career at the City Ground

The 27-year-old’s career has stalled since making a move to Stamford Bridge, having failed to hold down a regular place in the starting XI, but there are plenty of indications that he could be an exciting signing for Forest.

During his time with RB Leipzig, the attacker was lauded by journalist Zach Lowy, after impressing against Celtic in the Champions League.

The Frenchman’s attacking numbers were remarkable during his time in Germany, most notably averaging over one goal contribution every game in the 2021-22 Bundesliga campaign, picking up a combined 35 goals and assists in 34 outings.

That said, it could be very difficult for Forest to compete for Nkunku’s signature, given that he is keen on a move to Bayern Munich, while there may also be rival interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils confident they can strike a deal.