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Arsenal bounced back from what appeared to be a mini-crisis last weekend with a crushing 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

The boo boys were put back in their box and criticism surrounding their strikeforce quietened down at least for a few days.

However, the sad fact of the matter is that now with just a few days left in the January window, the Gunners are yet to acquire anyone.

Even if a five goal slapping showed Mikel Arteta his team can score goals, the long-term play should be to invest in a shiny new striker.

The idea of that happening in January has always felt unlikely unless late sales are made so it looks as though supporters will have to remain patient until the summer.

Arsenal's hunt for a new striker

Several players have been touted with a move to the Emirates Stadium over the last few weeks.

At one point Arsenal had submitted a bid to sign Getafe forward Borja Mayoral and they were also reportedly offered Karim Benzema on loan with his time in Saudi Arabia not satisfying the great Frenchman.

Arsenal could sign "the best No.9 in the world" to replace Gabriel Jesus

A striker tops Arsenal’s agenda during the January transfer window.

ByMatt Dawson Jan 14, 2024

However, there has been one constant this month and indeed in the build-up to January. Mr Ivan Toney.

The Brentford star hadn't kicked a ball all season until last Saturday's frantic clash between the Bees and Nottingham Forest. The reason? We all know it by now, but he was banned for betting offences.

Toney has worked hard to return and scored versus Forest, only piquing the interest further of those back at London Colney. Miguel Delaney of the Independent has previously claimed they "want" to do a deal. This feels very reminiscent of the Declan Rice move last summer. Edu and Co laid the groundwork in the months leading up to the summer before pouncing and sealing a £105m transfer.

A move this time around would still be an expensive one with an £80m price tag slapped on Toney's head.

What signing Toney would mean for Gabriel Jesus

Given Toney's recent ban, it might seem like a gamble (pardon the pun) to bring him in at such an expensive price.

That being said, Arsenal need goals and this is a man who scores them on a regular basis.

Before the club's win over Palace last week they had struggled significantly inside the opposition's penalty area. The three games prior to that meeting had only seen Arteta's side score once from 61 attempts at goal. It's pretty dismal stuff.

Therefore, signing Toney, a man who ranked in the top 2% of Premier League players for goals per 90 minutes last term, would be rather suitable.

Despite the England international's recent ordeal, let us not forget that he found the net on 21 occasions in all competitions last season, six more than Arsenal's triumvirate of top scorers in 2022/23.

#1 Erling Haaland

37

#2 Harry Kane

30

#3 Ivan Toney

20

#4 Mo Salah

19

#5 Callum Wilson

18

A "monster" forward, as described by his manager Thomas Frank, it does beg the question though of what it means for Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian took Arsenal to the next level when he signed from Manchester City in the summer of 2022. He wove midfield and attack together seamlessly, notably ranking in the best 8% of forwards in Europe's top five leagues for progressive passes received and the top 13% for assists per 90 minutes.

Yet, the fact of the matter is that Jesus doesn't score enough. This term he has found the net just three times in the Premier League for instance. if Arsenal want to win the league then finding that 20-goal-a-season man, a la Toney, would be the smart move.

Though, that doesn't have to mean the end for Jesus' Arsenal's career as he could be moved out wide.

Against Palace we saw the Brazil international drift into a position on the right-hand side with regularity. It was Jesus (seen below) who received David Raya's phenomenal distribution that set Arsenal away on the counter-attack for Leandro Trossard's goal that made it 3-0 in the second half.

As we can see, rather than Jesus being the man in the middle to receive the ball, he's acting as the provider. Well, this is something we could start seeing a lot more of if the Gunners sign a prolific centre-forward.

It's a task the 26-year-old undertook at Man City too where with Sergio Aguero charged with leading the line, Arsenal's current number 9 was used on the flanks.

It didn't happen often but he was rather prolific and has supplied ten goals from 24 outings on the right.

Centre-forward

255

112

49

1.5

Left wing

33

13

4

1.9

Right wing

24

8

10

1.3

It's important to raise the point that the right flank is totally locked down by a certain Bukayo Saka but with concerns surrounding fatigue and the amount of football the dazzling winger plays, Jesus could be a great alternative.

In this scenario, everyone wins. Arsenal sign their prized centre-forward, Saka gets a rest when he needs and Jesus still finds a way to get into the team. Make it happen, Arteta.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou refused to rule out late January transfer twists in a press conference on Tuesday (via Dan Kilpatrick), and rumours continue to flood in as we approach deadline day on February 1.

Spurs linked with signing new midfielder

The north Londoners, regardless of what happens next, can say they've enjoyed their most productive winter transfer window in recent memory.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team moved to shore up Postecoglou's defensive ranks by signing centre-back Radu Dragusin in a £25 million move from Genoa, while also sealing a loan deal to bring in Timo Werner from RB Leipzig.

Securing a top-class defender of Dragusin's ilk was particularly important, as Tottenham's real lack of central defensive depth behind Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero was brought to the forefront time and time again before the Romanian's arrival.

Timo Werner

Arrival (RB Leipzig, loan)

Radu Dragusin

Arrival (Genoa, permanent)

Djed Spence

Departure (Genoa, loan)

Ivan Perisic

Departure (Hajduk Split, loan)

Eric Dier

Departure (Bayern Munich, loan)

Sergio Reguilon

Departure (Brentford, loan)

Japhet Tanganga

Departure (Millwall, loan)

Ashley Phillips

Departure (Plymouth, loan)

Werner's signing also gifts Postecoglou another attacking option, and a versatile one at that. The Germany international can play both through the middle and out wide, with his best ever season being at Leipzig in 2019/2020 – when he bagged 28 goals and eight assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances.

A third January signing hasn't been completely taken off the table, either, nor has another exit. Tottenham are believed to be keen on signing another midfielder, and are known admirers of Chelsea star Conor Gallagher.

The 23-year-old is attracting late window interest from Spurs, coming after they also attempted to prise him away from Stamford Bridge in the summer.

He's been a key player for Mauricio Pochettino this season, leading the way with Cole Palmer in terms of league assists, and has started 20 Premier League games.

Tottenham could still make "shock" Gallagher signing

Commenting on Tottenham's interest in the 23-year-old, speaking to The BBC’s Transfer Gossip Daily this week (via football 365), Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards has shared a hopeful update.

He says Gallagher signing for Spurs "could happen" yet before the deadline, and it would be one of the "most shocking" transfers of the month.

“It’s really interesting. I said that it would be complete and utter madness for Chelsea to sell the player they have given their captain’s armband to under Pochettino," said Edwards.

“But it comes down to business logic. He has 18 months left on his deal and he has been made available, a soft availability is what I call it. The world of football has known Conor Gallagher, if you pay the right money he will be allowed to leave.

"Tottenham have had a long standing interest, Tottenham sold Harry Kane for pure profit and they have got the room to do stuff this month that other clubs haven’t.

“I think that would be one of the most shocking, the most talked about, the most headline grabbing transfers. It’s been rumoured all month.

“If Tottenham are going to make their move they will have to do it in the next 48 hours but that’s definitely one of the more controversial transfers that could happen.”

Edwards also states to The BBC that he could see Chelsea accepting a bid in the region of £50m for Gallagher.

Fans mocked Mikel Arteta as he wins Best Premier League Coach at Global Soccer Awards despite Manchester City winning the title.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Arteta won Best Premier League Coach award
• Fans mocked Arsenal boss after clinching prize
• Gunners ended 2023/24 season without a trophy

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 2023/24 Premier League title race went down the wire as Arteta's Arsenal fought tooth and nail against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City. However, it was the Cityzens who emerged victorious on the final matchday and bagged the trophy for a fourth consecutive season.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  Despite Arsenal finishing the campaign with no silverware, Arteta bagged the Best Premier League Coach prize at the Globe Soccer awards. Fans, however, did not spare the Spaniard as they mocked him on social media.

  An X account named Jack Bartlett pointed out that the Gunners did not win anything in the 2023/24 season. "Came 2nd & won nothing….. Interesting."

  An Everton fan wrote, "Arsenal getting sympathy awards now."

  An account named ishowsloww said: "Pep won the league. Had more points. More big chances created. More goals. More shots. Better by almost every metric. But we know it’s a pity award to compensate Arteta."

  Hansen wrote: "Best Premier League coach without a trophy? This Globe soccer award is a big joke."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  City have dominated the Premier League in recent times, with only Liverpool giving them a run for their money and breaking up their supremacy in the 2019/2020 campaign. However, Arsenal came second last season and took it to the last day this term.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  Arteta and Co will be back in action in July as they are set to travel to the US for pre-season where they will face Manchester United and Liverpool.

Leeds United are back in Championship action once again as they play host to Coventry City at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon in Yorkshire.

The Whites are hoping to bounce back from the disappointment of their 1-0 loss to Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night.

Jobe Bellingham's second half header secured all three points for the hosts on the night and it was a result that has left Daniel Farke's side ten points adrift of the automatic promotion places.

Leeds will look to return to winning ways and the German tactician could make some alterations to the starting XI that lined up against the Black Cats.

With this in mind, here is a predicted Whites line-up, with three changes to the side, to take on Mark Robins' Coventry this weekend…

1 Illan Meslier

Starting off between the sticks, Illan Meslier could keep his position in goal as he has started all 21 of the club's Championship matches this season.

The French stopper made a terrific first-half save from Bellingham with a full-stretched diving stop before the teenage attacker got the better of him for the winning goal in the second half.

2 Luke Ayling

The first change to the XI could come at right-back. Farke has Sam Byram and Junior Firpo out injured and this has limited his options at full-back.

Archie Gray could, therefore, be rested for this match ahead of the busy festive schedule to avoid fatigue and burnout as the 17-year-old has already started 18 games this season.

He showed signs of fatigue against Sunderland as the young defender was dribbled past three times and lost four of his seven duels, which suggests that this would be a good opportunity to bring Luke Ayling in for a rare appearance.

The experienced right-back has not started since the 1-0 win over QPR in October but has been a reliable option when called upon, with 2.8 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 53% across 14 appearances.

3 Joe Rodon

Joe Rodon should, once again, keep his place at the heart of the Leeds defence as the Tottenham Hotspur loanee has been in fine form this season.

The Wales international has won 63% of his duels and completed 91% of his attempted passes over 18 Championship appearances for the club.

4 Pascal Struijk

On the left of the central defensive pairing, Pascal Struijk could captain Farke's side. The Dutch colossus won 100% (3/3) of his duels and made two blocks against the Black Cats.

5 Djed Spence

The aforementioned injuries to Byram and Firpo have left the Whites without a natural left-back option and that meant that Djed Spence started as the number three against Sunderland.

He enjoyed a solid display given it was in an unnatural position as the former Middlesbrough ace won nine of his 12 duels and made five tackles and two interceptions throughout his 82 minutes on the pitch.

6 Ethan Ampadu

Wales international Ethan Ampadu should start at the base of the midfield for Leeds as the impressive summer signing from Chelsea has been superb this season.

The 23-year-old battler has consistently won possession back for his team with 3.5 tackles and interceptions per game over 21 league starts.

7 Glen Kamara

Farke should stick with his trusted midfield pairing of Ampadu and Glen Kamara for this clash with Coventry, particularly after the Finnish whiz enjoyed a solid performance last time out.

The former Rangers maestro won three tackles and made two interceptions to go alongside a pass success rate of 92% against the Black Cats.

8 Wilfried Gnonto

The second change to the line-up could come on the right side of the attack. Wilfried Gnonto could be unleashed in place of winger Dan James, who struggled against Sunderland.

The Wales international lost three of his five duels and failed to manage a single effort on target, completed dribble, or any key passes for his teammates.

21-touch Leeds star who was worse than Meslier let Farke down

One Leeds star struggled throughout the game on Tuesday night.

ByDan Emery Dec 13, 2023

Whereas, Gnonto came off the bench with 15 minutes to go and completed 100% of his attempted dribbles (1/1) and passes (15/15) to go along with a 67% duel success rate (2/3).

These statistics suggest that the 20-year-old whiz offered more than James in his short time on the pitch, which is why he could be unleashed on Saturday.

The Italy international, who was once hailed as a "diamond" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has produced one goal and one assist in six Championship starts so far this season.

9 Mateo Joseph

The third and final alteration to the XI could see U21 star Mateo Joseph finally unleashed as part of the attack in place of Dutch forward Joel Piroe.

With the busy festive schedule coming up, Farke could look to rest some of his players to ensure that they do not suffer any muscular injuries and the former Swansea ace's performance against Sunderland has opened the door for him to be ditched for this game.

He failed to score and did not create a single chance for his teammates in 90 minutes on the pitch, and this lacklustre display could allow the manager to drop him to the bench.

This could then present Joseph with the chance to start a first Championship match after coming off the bench in the last two outings. The 20-year-old marksman has recorded two goals and two assists in three U21 games in all competitions so far this season.

10 Crysencio Summerville

Farke could keep his star forward in place out on the left wing as the Dutch whiz has been a fantastic performer for the club so far this season.

Crysencio Summerville has contributed with nine goals and six assists in 18 matches in the league and could be the difference-maker against Coventry.

Pattinson is in line to play seven County Championship matches and the full Royal London Cup campaign

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Mar-2019James Pattinson will continue his push for a place on the Ashes tour with a return to Nottinghamshire in English county cricket.Pattinson is in line to play seven County Championship matches and the full Royal London Cup campaign, although that could change if he is included in the Australia A squad for the tour which precedes the Ashes and is shaping as a key in the selectors’ final decision-making.He has had another disrupted season in Australia following his return from major back surgery – a side strain curtailing his Big Bash season for Brisbane Heat – but has been in eye-catching form since returning for Victoria in the Sheffield Shield with a five-wicket haul against New South Wales and more scalps against South Australia.During his previous spell with Nottinghamshire in 2017, Pattinson took 32 wickets at 12.06 in five Championship matches.”James had a successful first spell with us and it’s great to get the chance to welcome him back this season,” Nottinghamshire director of cricket Mick Newell said. “His pace and international pedigree make him an exciting addition to our squad. If he performs anything like he did during the previous spell, we’ll be very happy.”What you want from an overseas player is someone with the right attitude who throws themselves into playing their cricket for Nottinghamshire. That’s certainly something James did for us in 2017 and that’s why he was so popular among the members and supporters, as he was with the players and coaching staff.”Pattinson said: “I loved my time with Nottinghamshire in 2017. It will be great to join up with the lads again. I’m excited to get back on the field and helping the team chase a couple of titles.”Pattinson’s first appearance is set to be against Lancashire in the Royal London Cup on April 19

Sunderland suffered a setback in their hunt for the Championship playoff positions last night, succumbing to back-to-back defeats as Darren Moore's Huddersfield Town travelled to the Stadium of Light and pulled off a shock 2-1 win at the expense of Tony Mowbray's lacklustre Black Cats.

The Terriers won the match courtesy of an instinctive finish from attacker Delano Burgzorg late on, persistence paying off for the away side after a mazey run initially unsettled the Sunderland backline, before Burgzorg fired home past Anthony Patterson for the decisive match-winning goal.

Mowbray's men will feel aggrieved that they didn't at least pick up a point from this contest, the statistics from the match pointing in the direction that Sunderland should have romped home to a comprehensive victory instead of coming up short.

Sunderland's game in numbers

Sunderland on another night, playing at their free-flowing best, would have confidently beaten the Terriers without even batting an eyelid – Mowbray's misfiring group registering 27 shots on goal to Huddersfield's lesser nine attempts.

Yet, the Black Cats continually fluffed their lines on the night with only of nine those efforts going down as shots on target. Whereas, Huddersfield were far more effective and clincial by scoring two of their five shots on target at the Stadium of Light to pull off a surprise win.

This loss brings into view even more the necessity for Sunderland to finally sign a new striker this January to replace Ross Stewart, the Black Cats spurning countless chances that should've nestled into the back of Chris Maxwell's opposing goal with an xG of 2.73 overall as per Sofascore.

3 strikers Sunderland could sign to finally replace Ross Stewart

Sunderland have never replaced the potency Stewart showcased on a regular basis at the Stadium of Light.

By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 22, 2023

It was also something of an off-day for the exciting Jobe Bellingham in the midfield as the teenager 'looked leggy throughout' – in the words of the Chronicle's James Hunter – while the Sunderland Echo's Phil Smith noted that the former Birmingham City man was also 'fairly quiet and didn't create much'.

The 18-year-old wasn't alone in underwhelming, however, with the typically reliable rock that is Dan Ballard also underperforming.

Daniel Ballard's game in numbers

Sunderland's number five struggled all evening up against Darren Moore's Terriers, losing 66.7% of his duels versus Huddersfield in an uncharacteristic display – Ballard before this match winning 5.5 duels on average per 90 minutes this campaign.

He would only win two all evening in this one, while also losing possession on nine occasions, Huddersfield buoyed by Ballard's sub-standard showing at the back.

The former Arsenal youth prospect also failed to put in a single tackle all evening to thwart the Terriers when they darted forward, alongside ducking further defensive responsibilities by not making a single clearance all night too.

On another night, a more dogged display by Ballard and the rest of the Sunderland defence would have kept Huddersfield at arm's length and ensured the Black Cats picked up three points instead of coming away from the home game empty-handed.

It led to Dominic Shaw, football journalist for the Northern Echo, giving Ballard a 5/10 in this player ratings article directly after the 2-1 loss, stating that Ballard was 'well short of his commanding best'.

The Northern Ireland international – as well as Bellingham – will dust himself off after this below-par display and will hope he can get back to his best in Sunderland's next Championship match away at Millwall.

Mowbray will be asking for his promotion-chasing group to up their performances away from just Ballard, Sunderland now four points off the playoffs after two consecutive losses.

Rangers face nine games between now and January 2 in what is the busiest spell in the calendar and the Ibrox side have the chance to secure progression to the knockout stages in Europe along with winning the League Cup during that run. This should be more than enough incentive for Philippe Clement’s men to push as hard as they can until the winter break and bring some more silverware to Ibrox.

The squad doesn’t appear to be at the required level for Clement and with the January transfer window just around the corner, there will surely be another new face or two arriving in Glasgow.

It looks as though the Gers have been busy prior to the winter window opening, however, as the club recently announced Nils Koppen as their new Director of Football Recruitment, and he won't have long to get stuck in about improving the squad.

He won't arrive at the Gers until the beginning of January, but he will already be planning ahead to improve the player trading model along with making sure the first-team squad is as good as it can be.

While Clement will have his own transfer targets, could the Light Blues perhaps return for a player that they had shown interest in during the summer transfer window? Indeed, Harry Souttar would be an ideal signing for the club.

Harry Souttar to Rangers

During the final few weeks of the summer transfer window, Michael Beale was intensifying his search for a new defender and journalist Geoff Peters claimed that the Gers were reportedly keen on signing Souttar.

He said: “Rangers are interested in taking Harry Souttar on loan from Leicester City. Souttar was an unused sub against Coventry at the weekend and not in the 20-man #lcfc squad tonight at Burton. Other clubs also monitoring the situation. His older brother John joined Rangers last year.”

While it was mooted that it would be a temporary deal rather than a permanent one, a potential move for the £41k-per-week centre-back failed to materialise.

This meant the former QPR manager went into the season having signed just one central defender during the transfer window in Leon Balogun.

With a new director being announced, could the Light Blues perhaps take another look at Souttar and his situation concerning a potential swoop?

Harry Souttar’s season in numbers

The Australian defender moved to Leicester City in January this year in a deal which could rise to £20m. Initially, he enjoyed a solid start to life at the club.

He had a productive World Cup just a few months prior to his big-money move to the Premier League, starting all four of Australia’s matches, and he was even lauded an “absolute beast” by journalist Sacha Pisani for his performances.

During his brief spell in the English top flight, Souttar won a staggering 86% of his aerial duels while also making 3.8 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game for the Foxes as they were relegated back to the Championship after a nine-year spell in the Premier League.

Despite these solid displays, he has been frozen out of the team during the 2023/24 season, making just one appearance in the second tier, and that was back in October.

Leicester managed to keep a clean sheet during this one game and Souttar won 100% of his total duels along with holding an 88% pass success rate and taking 92 touches during the match.

A solid display, especially considering he had been overlooked for every league match prior and this could work in the Gers favour.

It looks as though he doesn’t have the brightest of futures at the club under manager Enzo Maresca and it could be a good idea for Koppen to pay some attention to whether or not he could become available in the coming weeks.

Clement needs some improvement to his defensive options and the former Stoke City titan could become an ideal acquisition, in the process potentially becoming Connor Goldson 2.0.

Connor Goldson’s statistics at Rangers

The Englishman joined the Light Blues in the summer of 2018 as Steven Gerrard was aiming to bolster his squad ahead of challenging Celtic for domestic superiority.

Comfortable on the ball and strong in physical battles, he was the ideal choice of centre-back for the Liverpool icon and fast-forward over five years later, Goldson is still a mainstay at the club.

Since making his debut in July 2018, the centre-back has racked up 285 appearances for the Glasgow side while chipping in with 23 goals and 14 assists during that time, not a bad return for a defender, that’s for sure.

The Englishman has won a league title and Scottish Cup while helping the side reach the Europa League final in 2022, although he couldn’t prevent them from losing to Eintracht Frankfurt in Seville.

This season, Goldson has missed just one Premiership match and has proven how good he is with one-on-one battles, winning 70% of his total duels – which works out as 5.5 per game – and Souttar certainly has a similar style to Goldson, notably in the air.

Additionally, he would also be making the move from an English side, as Goldson joined the club from Brighton and Hove Albion, and he is Clement’s finest defender without a shadow of a doubt.

The problem is, who is the best choice of partner for him? Leon Balogun will likely be leaving the club next summer, while John Souttar (Harry’s brother) struggles with injury issues and can't be relied on for a whole season.

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Related Koppen could land first blinder in Rangers swoop for £4.3m Dowell upgrade

The new director of football recruitment is due to join the club next month.

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Ben Davies has played infrequently this term and was close to joining Stoke City during the last few days of the summer transfer window, and it appears his future lies away from Ibrox.

With all this in mind, Clement and Koppen may decide that reigniting a swoop for the player might well be in the best interests of the club as they seek improvement.

Even on a temporary basis, Souttar would still add something different to the squad, and he could form a solid partnership alongside Goldson during the second half of the season.

Newcastle United's ongoing injury crisis is a sign that the club didn't strengthen enough in the summer.

Considering the Magpies were gearing up for their first Champions League campaign in two decades, only recruiting five new players has proven to be their downfall.

Aside from being six points behind fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, Eddie Howe's side are bottom of their Champions League group following consecutive defeats against Borussia Dortmund.

Whilst they can still salvage their campaign and reach the knockout stages, it is a difficult task and the Toon desperately need the January window to rectify a squad that has been decimated by injuries.

With Sven Botman, Dan Burn and Fabian Schar all sidelined, recruiting a new centre-back is a priority and Ousmane Diomande is top of their list of targets.

Newcastle transfer news – Ousmane Diomande

According to the Chronicle, Newcastle could test Sporting Lisbon's resolve by launching a £58m bid for their highly rated centre-back.

After setting a £70m release clause in his contract, Sporting are unlikely to budge on their valuation of the player, but the Magpies could test the waters with an initial bid.

His rise, like his valuation, has been rapid but Newcastle have shown they are prepared to leave the room if agents or clubs demand crazy money.

Considered the most promising African prospect playing in Europe, Diomande is a sought-after commodity and has several clubs chasing him, including divisional rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.

With a bidding war for the 19-year-old likely to ensue, either in January or next summer, sporting director Dan Ashworth will need to work more magic for the Toon to drive him towards St James' Park.

It is clear that Newcastle – like most clubs – are planning for the long-term with their transfers and having risen to stardom for the Portuguese giants this term, Diomande would be a huge upgrade on current defender, Burn.

The stats that show Diomande would be an upgrade on Burn

When Newcastle are blessed with a fully fit squad, Burn has been Howe's first-choice left-back, featuring in that position on 14 occasions this season after establishing himself as a key figure in the squad.

The 31-year-old, who arrived from Brighton & Hove Albion in January 2022, has transformed into a cult hero since joining, however, he could become surplus to requirements if the Magpies are to become regular European challengers.

With Newcastle shifting towards a more possession-based style this term, Howe is looking to add a ball-playing centre-back to challenge the likes of Schar and Botman.

Described as "immense" by journalist Antonio Mango with the ball at his feet, Diomande could be the perfect candidate for the job, having showcased his elegance and calmness in possession at Sporting.

By contrast, Burn's 6 foot 6 frame means he never looks comfortable with the ball at his feet and he's showcased his struggles as a ball-playing defender this term.

Ousmane Diomande vs Dan Burn 23/24 statistics

Statistics

Ousmane Diomande (Premeira Liga)

Dan Burn (Premier League)

Pass completion %

89.6%

82.4%

Shot-creating actions

1.72

0.76

Progressive passes

5.65

3.05

Successful take-ons

0.77

0.10

Carries into the final third

0.96

0.29

Passes into the final third

7.28

2.76

All stats via FBref

Despite operating predominantly as a left-back with the license to push forward, Burn doesn't come close to eclipsing the ability that Diomande has with the ball at his feet.

As delineated by the table above, the "unbelievable" youngster, as dubbed by Mango, beats the Englishman in every possession-based and ball-carrying statistic, including progressive passes, successful take-ons and carries into the final third.

With this in mind, Howe needs to plan for the future by ruthlessly ditching Burn for the Ivory Coast international.

MatériaMais Notícias

Operário-PR e Juventude se enfrentaram hoje (22), no Germano Kruger, pela abertura da 31ª rodada da Série B. Com pensamentos diferentes na tabela, foi o Fantasma quem se deu melhor e bateu os rivais por 3 a 0 com direito a um golaço de Rafael Oller. O resultado deixa os paranaenses tranquilos em relação a parte de baixo da tabela, enquanto o Juve não perde o G-4.

O Operário chegou aos 41 pontos e pelo menos temporariamente se encontra na 10ª colocação, posição que pode perder caso Cruzeiro, Brasil de Pelotas ou Confiança vençam na rodada. O Juventude se aproveita da ‘gordura’ acumulada e não perde o G-4 com seus 49 pontos. O quinto, Sampaio Corrêa, e o sexto CSA podem chegar a 48 pontos se vencerem nesta fase da Série B.

Agora o Operário só volta a campo em 2021, quando no dia 3 de janeiro vai enfrentar o Vitória no Barradão pela 32ª rodada. Pela mesma etapa, o Juventude ainda joga em 2020 onde vai medir forças com a Ponte Preta no Alfredo Jaconi, no dia 30 de dezembro.

COMO FOI O PRIMEIRO TEMPO

O duelo começou com os donos da casa ditando o ritmo do jogo e fazendo tentativas de ataques. O Juventude estava desorganizado, não conseguiu construir jogadas e pouco atacou até os 15 minutos. O Fantasma havia chegado em duas oportunidades neste período: uma após uma bola recuada na fogueira de Emerson para Marcelo Carné, mas o goleiro conseguiu afastar o perigo, e a outra em um chute que subiu demais efetuado por Tomas Bastos.

Metade do primeiro tempo e o jogo seguia em ritmo fraco para quem assistia, até que Ricardo Bueno resolveu acordar o torcedor com a abertura do placar. Aos 22 minutos, Douglas Coutinho cruzou na medida para o camisa 9 colocar a cabeça e não dar chances para Carné. Após o gol, o Juventude acordou após uma falha da defesa do Operário onde a bola sobrou para o lateral Igor, que assustou Martín Rodríguez. Foi o primeiro arremate dos gaúchos e aos 24 minutos. Oito minutos mais tarde, novamente o camisa 2 arriscou novo chute de fora da área que passou perto da meta do Fantasma.

Na reta final, o Juventude cresceu e passou a ter maior domínio da bola no campo de ataque, mas ainda faltava uma agressividade maior por parte dos atacantes. O único que realmente conseguiu abalar Martín nos até o apito final nos primeiros 45 minutos foi o lateral Igor.

COMO FOI O SEGUNDO TEMPO

O Juventude seguiu com o ritmo que terminou no primeiro tempo e continuou atacando, mas o problema da agressividade ofensiva com criações e chutes permaneceram. O Operário tinha remotas chances no ataque passando assim a administrar o resultado positivo no início do segundo tempo.

Aos 22 minutos, o Juventude teve uma grande chance com Capixaba em um balaço que o atacante mandou da entrada da área, mas a bola subiu mais que o esperado. Três minutos depois, Wallace Tarta em sua primeira bola no jogo cobrou uma falta do meio da rua e obrigou Martín a salvar o Operário.

Aos 30 minutos, um golaço do Operário feito por Rafael Oller. O camisa 11 pegou na direita e fez fila, onde passou por um, invadiu a área, pedalou e tirou de dois. Deixou Wellington no chão e na sequência deu um toque para o fundo das redes. Aos 39 minutos, Douglas Coutinho fechou o placar com mais um belo gol. Pedro Ken roubou a bola e serviu o camisa 7, que aproveitou a saída de Carné e tocou bem para o fundo do gol.

Por mais que o Juventude insistisse nas jogadas ofensivas, os jogadores pecavam nas finalizações e a derrota por 3 a 0 já era a realidade para a equipe que sonha com o acesso.

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Tottenham losing Harry Kane could have seen Spurs completely collapse, especially with a new manager at the helm in Ange Postecoglou who had zero Premier League experience as a head coach before taking on the job.

Yet, fast forward to ten games into the new top-flight campaign, Postecoglou's appointment has been a stroke of genius with the likes of Heung-min Son stepping up to the mark more than ever to fill in for their former star man leaving for Bayern Munich.

Still unbeaten with eight wins and two draws in the league, the South Korean forward's importance has intensified for Spurs – scoring eight times in these ten flawless matches, Kane's move to Bavaria pushed now to one side.

But, the high-flying morth Londoners would be threadbare in attack if Son was to pull up with a long-term injury.

Richarlison is another option as is new summer signing Alejo Veliz, yet Spurs could have a gem in their ranks who has been with the club since 2017 and could eventually displace both the Brazilian and Argentinian as the preferred back-up option.

Richarlison's numbers this season

An unsettled figure at Spurs under previous Tottenham head coach Antonio Conte – with the Italian routinely "scolding" the ex-Everton man after he asked for more game-time per an interview with talkSPORT – the 26-year-old has been granted his wish now under new boss Postecoglou to start more matches.

It doesn't mean the goals have followed suit, however, the Brazilian attacker only netting two goals so far for Spurs in all competitions.

His overall performances haven't been anything to write home about either, a 64-minute spell last time out against Crystal Palace saw Spurs' number nine trudge off disappointed with his own display at Selhurst Park – only winning two of ten ground duels on the night via Sofascore, alongside his only shot being dragged wide.

Costing Tottenham a sizeable £60m when arriving from Everton, his five goals and seven assists in total so far for Spurs do not justify this transfer fee from 46 games played.

It could leave Postecoglou searching for other players within his group to play up top, with 21-year-old Dublin-born striker Troy Parrott tipped for greatness.

Spurs' future Richarlison replacement

Scoring one goal every 37 minutes currently out on loan in the Netherlands, Parrott is certainly one to watch from a Tottenham perspective if Richarlison continues to misfire.

A journeyman in terms of the number of clubs he's starred with on loan – Excelsior Rotterdam is his current home, with the Irishman also featuring in the EFL with Milton Keynes Dons, Millwall and more – he'll hope and pray that his time to break into the Spurs first time mould comes soon.

Postecoglou will be keeping tabs on his player whilst he's an Excelsior loanee for sure, especially with Parrott's current goalscoring exploits in the Dutch first division.

He has three goals from seven appearances for his new Rotterdam-based outfit, often scoring late on as an impact substitute.

MK Dons

47

10

7

Preston North End

34

4

0

Ipswich

18

2

0

Milwall

14

0

1

Excelsior Rotterdam

7

3

0

Tottenham U18s

15

17

3

Tottenham U21s

14

5

1

Tottenham first team

4

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt.

It would only take the Spurs prodigy 18 minutes against Pec Zwolle to score, the 21-year-old left unmarked from a free-kick to fire home in an unfortunate 4-2 loss.

Tottenham could do with more bodies in attack, and in Parrott, they have an energetic, clinical goalscorer who could be more than ready for a first-team berth over Richarlison if he continues to shine at senior level on loan.