All posts by z3u9t.icu

Loads of Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been reacting on Twitter after fan account Spurs Web relayed a report by the print version of Il Messaggero, via Sport Witness, saying Lazio manager Simone Inzaghi was Daniel Levy’s first-choice option to replace Mauricio Pochettino, rather than Jose Mourinho.

The report says that Levy was ‘precisely thinking’ about bringing the Italian to north London, but it failed to happen as Mourinho was appointed in November less than 12 hours after Pochettino’s sacking was announced.

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Inzaghi has gone on to impress in Serie A again this term, leading the Rome-based outfit to second in the standings before the current break to proceedings.

The story is certainly an interesting one in many ways, as the 43-year-old appears to be far more similar to Pochettino than the current Spurs boss is, if they wanted to carry on in a similar vein and with a similar strategy to when the Argentine was at the helm.

Spurs supporters have been quick to have their say on the report, which has to be described as a surprise given Levy said on the announcement of the former Manchester United and Chelsea boss that he was “one of the most successful managers in football”.

Some fans have acknowledged that fact in suggesting the story isn’t true, but others have suggested they would like Inzaghi in the future.

Check out the reaction below…

In other Tottenham news, Stan Collymore has launched a scathing attack on Spurs & Daniel Levy after Tuesday announcement…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

The answer could be right under their noses.

Whilst there has been plenty of talk about Nottingham Forest shopping for a new forward in the transfer market and with help needed for Lewis Grabban, there is someone they could turn to possibly make the matter easier.

This is rather surprising because he’s someone that should be relatively familiar to the hierarchy at the City Ground, and that’s loanee Tyler Walker.

Walker has been having a relatively successful time at Lincoln City, with seven goals and two assists in 15 league appearances so far this season (via Transfermarkt), so clearly knows where the back of the net is.

Find out what happened when a world-record-holding freestyler attempting skills with the worst pair of boots available on eBay in the video below…

Anyone who comes in is going to be asked to play second fiddle to the main man Grabban, so there’s no point going out and signing a big name because it would just cause tension as they fight it out to see who can start each week.

Therefore, bring in someone that won’t want to cause a fuss and can chip in every now and then. Get someone who can develop underneath an experienced forward like Grabban and see how things are moving forward.

Playing at a higher level and being around Championship players will undoubtedly give Walker’s career development much more of a boost.

We’ve seen that he can produce at League One, now might be the perfect time to see if he can produce at a higher level.

It’s not just in terms of goals that Walker can help them out, but also in the bank. Bringing him into the side means they won’t have to shell out any extra money on either a transfer fee or to cover his wages, and they might even take the step of sending the underperforming Rafa Mir back to Wolves.

They can then use that money to spend on other areas of the pitch that might need improving. For instance a more reliable creative midfielder, rather than having to chop and change between the likes of Joao Carvalho and Tiago Silva.

Is he going to instantly come in and score the 10-15 goals that Nottingham Forest need to challenge for promotion? Probably not, but if he can chip in with the odd goal now and then when Grabban needs a little bit of rest then he will have served his purpose.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Transfer Focus series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent transfer news…

According to The Sun, Manchester United are “keeping tabs” on Burnley winger Dwight McNeil.

What’s the word?

The England U21 international was on the Old Trafford side’s books when he was 14, but was let go from the club because his set-pieces weren’t the best.

“I was released by Man United when I was 14. Funnily enough, one of the reasons I got released was because my set-pieces weren’t the best. It was quite an upsetting time for me. I was still at school as well, I was still learning.”

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Now, The Sun claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has sent scouts to keep an eye on the 19-year-old on numerous occasions, and that Burnley would be looking to receive a fee in the region of £35m for their prospect. Despite the arrival of Daniel James in the summer, it is further suggested that the United boss sees McNeil as someone who could play with the Wales international, rather than just compete for the one place.

Promising

Whilst McNeil’s name is unlikely to generate the same sort of reaction as Borussia Dortmund starlet Jadon Sancho would, there is no doubting the Burnley man is showing signs he could be a very good Premier League player indeed. The teenager really burst onto the scene last season, registering three goals and five assists, and he has enjoyed an impressive start to the campaign this year too.

The 19-year-old has scored once and racked up three assists already, whilst his underlying numbers also make for promising reading from a United perspective. He has averaged 1.3 shots, one key pass and 1.9 dribbles per game in the top-flight, and that ability to be direct and produce some end product is something the Red Devils could absolutely do with – that’s not to mention he’s doing it in the Premier League, whereas someone like Sancho hasn’t.

Speaking to the club’s official website back in October, Burnley manager Sean Dyche paid a glowing tribute to the huge strides the winger has made.

“I keep hearing all these stories about the other young men rolling around the Premier League – and rightly so. Dwight doesn’t get many mentions and I quite like that in a way because he keeps learning and keeps improving, but I will tell you, he is right up there, for me. He continues to grow and mature as a player and I think he is an absolutely top talent and a real positive for us.”

So whilst Sancho may be the star attraction, a swoop for McNeil could be the exciting under-rated signing that turns out to be top dollar for United.

Looking to end their summer with a bang, Leicester City reportedly made late contact to sign a Premier League defender, only to see their approach knocked back.

Leicester transfer news

Only time will tell whether Leicester's transfer window can be deemed a success. On paper, the arrivals of Oliver Skipp, Odsonne Edouard and Jordan Ayew add crucial Premier League experience that should prove to be pivotal in their fight for survival this season.

The latter has, of course, got off to the perfect start by scoring a sensational first goal for the Foxes in their Carabao Cup victory over Tranmere Rovers.

Former Crystal Palace teammate Edouard is also an interesting arrival, joining on loan from Selhurst Park, with Leicester strengthening Steve Cooper's attacking options late on in the window.

It wasn't just going forward that the Foxes wanted to welcome reinforcements, with one particular defensive addition eyed in what would have been a last-gasp move.

According to journalist Graeme Bailey for HITC, Leicester made a late move to sign Matt Targett from Newcastle United, only for the Magpies to knock back both theirs and Fulham's approaches. The left-back, now all but set to stay put at St James' Park, currently finds himself behind Lewis Hall and Dan Burn in the pecking order under Eddie Howe.

Had Leicester pursued Targett's signature earlier in the window, they may well have got their man, but any late move was always more unlikely to reach completion. That said, given the defender's current Newcastle role, he could be one to keep an eye on in January.

A player with plenty of Premier League experience, Targett would have slotted straight into the mould of players that the Foxes signed in the summer, following the likes of Edouard and Ayew.

"Outstanding" Targett would have competed with Kristiansen

By adding Targett, Leicester would have been welcoming instant competition for Victor Kristiansen, who lacks the same experience as the Newcastle man at just 21 years old. It's competition that the Dane would only have benefited from, given the lessons that Targett could teach the left-back in a packed Premier League campaign.

This, of course, isn't the first time that Targett has been at the centre of speculation, with Howe left speaking about the defender's future in 2022, only to respond with high praise.

The Newcastle boss said via TEAMtalk: "I’ll be sitting down with all my players and discussing the future – and it’ll be the same with Matt. He’s been outstanding. I view him as an integral member of the squad. We really, really like him. He’s gelled with the squad.”

The Magpies reportedly wanted Targett's full wages paid to sanction a late loan move before the summer window closed, but could not tempt either of Leicester or Fulham into such a deal. If that offer is still on the table in January, the Foxes may yet turn back towards the defender.

Wolves started the 2024/25 Premier League campaign slowly, losing two and drawing one of their opening three fixtures. However, the Old Gold had a tough start, facing both Arsenal and Chelsea in their first two games.

Gary O'Neil lost one of his most important players this summer, with Pedro Neto making the move to Chelsea for a fee of around £54m.

​​​​​​Neto made 24 appearances for Wolves last season in all competitions, scoring three goals, providing 11 assists, and totalling 1,729 minutes played.

It may well come to pass that they end up missing the electric winger. Do they miss Morgan Gibbs-White, though? He's certainly gone to a new level after leaving Molineux behind.

Morgan Gibbs-White at Wolves

Morgan Gibbs-White came through the Wolves academy, joining the club at eight years old. He played 17 games for the U21 side, scoring two goals and providing five assists, but it didn't take long for the English midfielder to break into senior football.

Making his first-team debut in 2017, Gibbs-White went on to make 88 appearances for Wolves, scoring three goals and providing one assist, but many of these minutes were from the bench, totalling 3,053 minutes.

Gibbs-White spent two spells out on loan, his first being with Swansea in 2020/21, but his most successful time came at Sheffield United in 2021/22, where he made 38 appearances for the Blades in all competitions, scoring 13 goals, and providing ten assists.

This successful stint for Sheffield United caused Nottingham Forest to make a move for the English midfielder, paying a £25m initial fee, with add-ons that take the deal to a total of £42.5m.

How Gibbs-White is playing at Forest

Since being sold by Bruno Lage to Forest, Gibbs-White has been a key man, making 83 appearances for the club, scoring 12 goals and providing 18 assists, totalling 6,949 minutes played. He has already doubled his minutes played in fewer appearances for Forest than in his time at Wolves.

Labelled an "underrated playmaker" by Statman Dave, the 24-year-old has made an immense impact so far this season. Indeed, the English midfielder has created the most chances from open play in the Premier League (9), joint with Chelsea sensation Cole Palmer.

Goals

0.31

0.34

Assists

0.00

1.38

Progressive Carries

2.33

3.45

Progressive Passes

7.00

6.90

Goals/Shot

0.11

0.11

Key Passes

3.00

3.79

Passes into Final Third

6.67

4.83

Shot-Creating Actions

5.33

7.24

Successful Take-Ons

2.00

1.03

As you can see from the metrics so far this campaign, Gibbs-White is performing extremely close to Palmer's level, even bettering him in some metrics. The 24-year-old is averaging seven progressive passes per 90, more than Palmer's 6.90.

He is also averaging nearly double the successful take-ons of Palmer, with two per 90 minutes, compared to Palmer's 1.03. Gibbs-White has a more compact and durable body composition, where his ability to carry the ball with power and a long stride helps him to get away from his marker/defender. It's perhaps not a surprise, therefore, to see that the two are now teammates at international level.

Contrastingly, Palmer is more controlled with his movements, using body feints and agility to get away from his man and create separation, and he does this effectively, averaging more progressive carries than the former Wolves man despite their different carrying styles.

Wolves could have done with the creation of Gibbs-White this season, especially after losing Neto this summer, and it seems clear that selling him may well have been a mistake as he looks on track for his best season yet.

Wolves hit the jackpot on "fearless" star whose value has risen 233%

He has been superb under Gary O’Neil.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 10, 2024

It's been a very busy summer for Manchester United this year, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co have wasted no time improving and overhauling the squad.

The Red Devils have already welcomed Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt, but based on recent reports, they are looking to make even more signings before the window slams shut next week.

One of the stars touted for a move to the club would be a game-changer for Erik ten Hag's midfield and a dream teammate for last summer's second most expensive purchase, Mason Mount.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Red Devils are pushing ahead to sign Paris Saint-Germain star Manuel Ugarte.

In fact, the report claims that the talks between the two clubs are 'very advanced' at this stage and that United Sporting Director Dan Ashworth is playing 'a leading role in negotiations.'

Interestingly, the report has also revealed that while the three-time European Champions initially walked away over the French side's valuation of £51m for the midfielder, they are now willing to pay that to get the deal done.

It's certainly a lot of money, but the £101k-per-week dynamo could bring a lot of stability to Ten Hag's midfield this season and, therefore, help get the most out of his teammates, including Mount.

Why Ugarte would be a dream teammate for Mount

Now, Ugarte could end up being a dream teammate for Mount for any number of reasons, from his impact in training, overall game or even just his personality, but there is one fundamental reason why he'd be so good for the Englishman's game, and that's his defensive output.

This is because, while the former Chelsea ace is a versatile player, it's clear that his favoured positions on the pitch are in central and attacking midfield, although, with 186 appearances in the latter, that's his most effective position overall.

So, if Ten Hag wants to get the absolute most out of him this season, he'll want his focus to be firmly on happenings at the sharp end of the pitch and not what's happening in his own half and with the PSG ace in his team, he won't need to.

In his career so far, the "defensive monster", as Statman Dave dubbed him, has started 177 games in defensive midfield, 11 in central midfield and one at centre-back, so there is very little ambiguity about his best position.

Moreover, some of his most impressive underlying numbers further cement that he is at his best when playing as a number six.

Tackles

4.19

Top 1%

Tackles + Interceptions

6.09

Top 1%

Ball Recoveries

8.10

Top 1%

Dribblers Tackled

1.85

Top 1%

Tackles Won

2.34

Top 2%

Interceptions

1.89

Top 3%

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, the 23-year-old "machine" as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, sits in the top 1% of midfielders for tackles, ball recoveries, tackles plus interceptions and dribblers tackled, the top 2% for tackles won, and the top 3% for interceptions, all per 90.

Lastly, while it is a lot of money to spend on someone who didn't play a lot of football last season, he's still relatively young. According to research by The Athletic, defensive and central midfielders do not hit their peak until about 25, meaning he has another two years before he should be at his best and at least another five after that until he noticeably declines.

Ultimately, if United want to get the most out of their attacking players this season, including Mount, then signing a mobile and combative six should be a priority. Therefore, Ratcliffe and Co should do what they can to get this deal for Ugarte over the line as soon as possible.

Man Utd won the lottery with "genius" star worth 12x more than Eriksen

The incredible talent is one of the club’s best signings in years.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 22, 2024

Newcastle have had some iconic kits over the years, notwithstanding some shockers too, but that's for another time, because Football FanCast has decided to rank some of their best, most fashionable kits since their first Premier League campaign in 1993.

The Toon have recently unveiled their latest jersey, complete with a new shirt sponsor as they prepare for a first Champions League campaign in two decades. What they will achieve in that strip remains to be seen, but there is much more than that to a fine first-team shirt, as these designs show…

10 Away kit 2010/11

Kicking off the list, Football FanCast has selected this Puma-made all-blue strip, modelled by former defender Steven Taylor in the image above.

It's just a really clean design. Pretty simplistic, but the touches of white throughout break up the blue nicely. The Northern Rock shirt sponsor was a smart and fitting partnership for the north-east club.

9 Away kit 2018/19

Another Puma-made jersey enters the top 10. Seemingly paying tribute to the iconic away strip in the 90s, this strip was a beauty, only let down by the betting shirt sponsor.

Ayoze Perez, pictured in the strip here, ended the 2018/19 season as Newcastle's top scorer after netting 12 times in the Premier League. Rafael Benítez worked his magic and steered the club to a 13th-placed finish despite limited resources, and subsequently left the club that summer.

8 Away kit 1999/00

Kevin Gallacher, the 52-cap Scotland international shown in the image above, was among those to sport this white Adidas away strip displaying the cherished Newcastle Brown Ale shirt sponsor.

The distinctive black collar adds a touch of class to the jersey, whilst the renowned three stripes running down the kit makes for a collector's item.

7 Home kit 2001-03

The first home shirt of the list, and it is a rather simplistic, yet trendy effort by Adidas. A timeless strip for Newcastle fans from the period Sir Bobby Robson's men challenged at the top end of the table, which has been evoked by the current crop amid their return to Premier League prominence and Europe's top table.

Indeed, Robson's men secured successive top-four finishes in this kit – something Eddie Howe's side will now look to emulate in the forthcoming campaign.

6 Home kit 2016/17

A sleek jersey produced by Puma. This kit was worn during Newcastle's title-winning Championship campaign after suffering relegation from the Premier League the season prior. The gold detailing on the strip is a particular highlight.

The kit may be associated with a season played outside of the top flight, but the Magpies sealed an immediate return in fine style, amassing 94 points and pipping Brighton & Hove Albion to Championship glory. Newcastle look a long, long way away from another season out of the big time, but the quality of their kits has remained throughout their recent history.

5 Home kit 2005-07

Joining the list in fifth is the Toon's home strip, worn most notably under manager Graeme Souness. The Magpies finished seventh under the stewardship of the former Blackburn Rovers boss, sporting this classy Adidas number with gold lettering and numbering complimenting the black and white stripes pleasantly.

It strikes the eye as a true classic of its time, and was worn by Alan Shearer when we broke the Newcastle goalscoring record, as well as his 260th and final Premier League goal.

As mentioned previously, the Northern Rock sponsor really does elevate this up a level.

4 Away kit 1998/99

Adidas-made kits have and will feature predominantly in these rankings. After all, they did manufacture Newcastle's strips from 1995 to 2010, producing some of their best looks to this day. And their away effort for the 1998/99 campaign is up there with the very best.

The Brown Ale sponsor, the three gold stripes and the V-neck hybrid collar – wow. A footballing shirt masterpiece. Certainly one for the football fanatics, who quite often spend hundreds of pounds collecting some of the swankiest and most stylish jerseys from across the globe.

Not to mention the gorgeous tone of blue. Unlucky to miss out on the top three, really…

3 Home kit 1998/99

Making the podium is another Adidas and Newcastle Brown Ale shirt… shock. The 1990s produced some tremendous shirts that have now developed into streetwear fashion, worn during today's trend-setting era.

Newcastle finished 13th that season, and after a poor start to the campaign, manager Kenny Dalglish received the sack with former Chelsea manager Ruud Gullit joining the club, leading the club to an FA Cup final.

Not the most memorable season for the Magpies, but fans won't be in a hurry to forget this gorgeous kit…

2 Away kit 1995/96

During a golden era for the Magpies, Kevin Keegan led his side, branded 'The Entertainers', to a second-placed finish. Of course, it could have been so much more given the lead Newcastle boasted at one stage, but they didn't half look good all year round.

Manchester United went on to win the Premier League, four points clear of Newcastle, but despite missing out on the title, the Toon rocked a magnificent away strip, that is still a highly sought-after item today.

You know you have an iconic kit on your hands when it influences future designs, as this one appeared to a couple of decades later. The fortunes of those respective sides may have been contrasting, but here's hoping another title challenge from the Tynesiders isn't too far away. Maybe it's time for another maroon-navy combo?

1 Home kit 1995-97

Football FanCast thinks Newcastle United's 1995-97 home strip is their best during the Premier League era. A classy, iconic, timeless, trendy, fashionable and gorgeous kit all rolled into one. The aforementioned 'Entertainers' paid tribute to this fabulous kit by playing some of the most attractive football in the division.

Those seasons may not have ended in silverware, but that would surely have been a climax to a promising period befitting of the kits they played in during this mini-golden age.

Hats off to Adidas!

Celtic former manager Brendan Rodgers has been lined up for a sensational return to Parkhead and it would be 'interesting' to see if the 50-year-old could 'get things back on track' at the club following his controversial exit in 2019 to Leicester City, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Celtic and Brendan Rodgers?

According to The Daily Mail, Celtic chiefs Michael Nicholson and Chris McKay flew to Majorca by private jet to hold 'face-to-face' discussions with Rodgers over a sensational return to Parkhead as the Scottish giants hunt for a new manager to replace Ange Postecoglou.

The report states that the 50-year-old has 'reservations' about taking on the role for a second spell in charge; however, Celtic's major shareholder Dermot Desmond has thrown his support behind Rodgers and the former Leicester City coach is now said to be weighing up a move with further talks expected later this week.

As per The Daily Record, Rodgers has not dismissed the possibility of coming back to Glasgow despite initially planning to take a break from football before returning to either a Premier League club or a stint abroad.

Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca, out-of-work manager Daniel Farke, Bodo/Glimt's Kjetil Knutsen and former Alanyaspor boss Francesco Farioli have also been linked with the managerial vacancy at Celtic.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that despite the sour ending when Rodgers left Celtic for Leicester City back in 2019, the Hoops may look to 'rekindle' their relationship with their ex-manager ahead of 2023/24.

Jones told FFC: "Rodgers himself has always said he would be open-minded to this, but you think about the way it played out after he left. It wasn't pretty the way it ended and it wasn't that long ago. It'd be interesting to see how open he really was to a situation like this and if he's the man they want. He's obviously at the moment getting his head around the fact that things went sour at Leicester and he's got to find his feet again and get back into a challenge. I'm not sure, to be honest, that it's a great idea to go back and I think that if Brendan Rodgers bides his time, there are going to be some other really exciting opportunities for him, but if they can put their little trouble behind them that they did have at the end there, then, who knows? Celtic and Rodgers could look to rekindle and see if they can get things back on track again."

Would Brendan Rodgers be the right fit for Celtic?

When he was at Celtic last time, Rodgers, who was hailed as a "genius", had an unblemished domestic record and won seven domestic trophies from seven available and established himself as a serial winner in Scotland, as per Transfermarkt.

His European achievements at the Hoops can be quantified in different ways depending on what the general public deem as successful. However, he did manage to achieve qualification to the Champions League group phase twice from the qualifying route and took Celtic to a third-place finish in 2017/18 at the expense of Anderlecht on goal difference and a subsequent passage to the knockout rounds of the Europa League.

In terms of recruitment, Rodgers did make some excellent signings at Celtic, especially the likes of Moussa Dembele and Scott Sinclair in his first season at the club, who both went on to be major players in the Scottish giants' invincible treble in 2016/17.

To summarise, Rodgers being appointed as Celtic boss probably wouldn't yield the same fanfare as he did in 2016; however, he is about as safe a bet as you can get to continue delivering domestic dominance in Glasgow's east end.

While an FA Cup final triumph could well be the icing on the cake for Manchester United, even without a Wembley win it has already been a rather remarkable campaign for the Red Devils, with Erik ten Hag guiding the club to a third-place finish and securing Carabao Cup glory during his debut season at the helm.

Such a positive year hardly looked possible amid the early season defeats to the likes of Brighton and Hove Albion and Brentford, with that latter, 4-0 thrashing having no doubt had supporters fearing the worst at the time.

One key factor in the turnaround in fortunes from that grim day in west London was the subsequent £70m signing of Brazilian maestro, Casemiro from Real Madrid, with the experienced ace having reportedly stated his desire to "fix" United's problems after witnessing that defeat to the Bees.

The 31-year-old has seemingly gone on to do more than just that after emerging as a "massive player" for the club, according to Ten Hag, with the former Ajax boss also hailing his marquee summer signing as the "cement" in the side earlier in the campaign.

As club legend Gary Neville stated, one issue that has come about as a result of the midfielder's standout form is the drop in standards or quality when he has been rested or suspended this season, with the treble-winner stating that the "jump in Manchester United’s quality of performance is enormous" if the £350k-per-week titan is available for selection.

With there no suitable understudy for the five-time Champions League winner in Ten Hag's squad, it is no surprise that Ten Hag is believed to be eyeing a 'younger' midfield recruit ahead of next season, in order to provide increased depth and longevity.

Amid that need to find an ideal heir to Casemiro, the Old Trafford outfit could well have already identified a dream candidate in the form of Leeds United's, Tyler Adams.

Should Man United sign Tyler Adams?

According to Football Insider, the Red Devils are interested in prising the United States international from Elland Road, with a fee of around £35m having been suggested amid the Whites' recent return to the Championship.

As per 90min, the former RB Leipzig man – who only arrived in Yorkshire on a £20m deal last summer – is all but certain to be moving elsewhere ahead of next season following that drop into the second tier, with United believed to be among those ready to pounce.

While Adams did miss the final 12 games of the season through injury, prior to that the one-time Red Bull Salzburg ace had been a colossal presence at the base of the midfield for Leeds, having been described as a "tackling machine" by pundit, Kevin Campbell.

That ball-winning quality ensured that despite the American's lengthy absence, the £55k-per-week warrior still ended the season with the joint-fourth most tackles in the division (89), equalling the tally that was achieved by Casemiro.

That likeness between the pair is also showcased by the fact that while the current Old Trafford star averaged 3.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game from his 28 league appearances, Adams enjoyed a remarkably similar record after averaging 3.7 tackles and 1.5 interceptions from his 24 league outings.

The pair also seem to share the ability to make an impact in an attacking sense too, as the Leeds "monster" – as described by analyst Alexi Lalas – averaged one key pass per game as a marker of his creative talent, while Casemiro also averaged one key pass per game.

Of course, Ten Hag won't be contemplating replacing the latter man any time soon, although it would undoubtedly be wise to secure some quality competition and cover in the form of his heir-apparent, Adams.

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has decided he does not want to keep Juventus loanee Denis Zakaria, according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano.

Which Chelsea players are leaving?

Pochettino is planning a huge overhaul of his squad this summer, with The Daily Mail reporting up to 15 out-of-favour players are set to head for the exit, including Joao Felix, who is poised to return to Atletico Madrid after his loan spell.

With six players set to return from loans elsewhere, Pochettino's squad is set to become even more bloated this summer, and the new manager will have to create some space in the squad by allowing a number of players to leave.

The aforementioned report names Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Hakim Ziyech, Christian Pulisic, Edoaurd Mendy and Callum Hudson-Odoi as the main players expected to move on, while the situation surrounding a number of other first-team players remains unclear.

Taking to Twitter, Romano has now clarified that Zakaria will move on in the summer, with Pochettino coming to the conclusion that he is surplus to requirements. The transfer guru said:

"Mauricio Pochettino has decided also on Denis Zakaria: Swiss midfielder’s set to leave Chelsea in June, he’s not part of the plans."

"Chelsea will not trigger the buy option clause, Zakaria will return at Juventus and then will assess his options."

Should Chelsea let Denis Zakaria leave?

Chelsea bolstered their midfield options during the January transfer window, bringing in Enzo Fernandez for a British-record £106.8m fee, and they have since been linked with a number of other players, including Romeo Lavia and Manuel Ugarte.

As such, the Blues have no real need to keep hold of Zakaria, particularly considering he failed to hold down a consistent place in the starting XI, often being utilised as a substitute or benched.

The Switzerland international did manage to impress at times, being lauded as "fantastic" by members of the media for his performance against Manchester City back in January, but too often he failed to make an impact on the game.

In his most recent outing, the 26-year-old was ranked as the worst-performing player on the pitch by SofaScore, failing to win any of the four duels that he contested, and that display meant he did not make another appearance during the remainder of the campaign.

It appears to be the right call from Pochettino to let Zakaria leave, and the manager's focus should now be on bringing in a top-quality replacement.