All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Sunderland would have been obviously disappointed to lose star man Jack Clarke this summer, but ultimately relieved that there was no mass exodus from the Stadium of Light away from his exit.

Last campaign could have led to many key first-teamers wanting to relocate – as a revolving door of new managers culminated in the Black Cats not even finishing in the top half of the Championship table – but only Clarke's departure was a high-profile one.

There would have been a fear in the air that Dan Neil was going to eventually push for a move away from his boyhood employers, with reports suggesting he was unsettled this summer before Regis Le Bris' appointment as the club's new boss was announced.

But, he ended up staying put and continues to be a reliable performer in the middle of the park for his side, even now wearing the captain's armband.

Neil's importance at Sunderland

Away from missing the Wearside outfit's last Championship clash owing to suspension, the 22-year-old has been a mainstay of Le Bris' lineups in the league since the already popular 48-year-old's arrival.

Neil has been very rarely not picked over the years by whatever manager is occupying the dug-out, since his emergence into the senior fold back in 2020, with 152 first-team appearances now under his belt.

When he hasn't been sidelined due to a red card, Neil has helped contribute to his side's flawless start in the Championship, with three duels won and two tackles completed against Sheffield Wednesday last month ensuring his energetic team kept a clean sheet in an emphatic 4-0 victory.

Of course, the Black Cats captain will want to chip in with some of his own goals and assists moving forward too away from helping his side be rock solid defensively, with ten goals and 17 assists registered from his 152 Sunderland appearances to date.

As a direct result of his continued importance to the first-team cause, Neil's transfer value is just going up and up – according to Football Transfers – with his valuation now standing at a steep £7m, when it was just at £3.9m back in April.

There is another member of Le Bris' squad who is worth even more than Neil now, however, as Trai Hume also continues to excel for the early second-tier pace-setters.

Hume's value for Sunderland

Hume, unlike Neil, is yet to miss a single minute of league action for Le Bris' men this season so far, with his spot very much remaining concrete in the main Sunderland XI moving forward.

The 22-year-old's performance on the opening day against Cardiff City saw the Northern Irishman at his blistering best venturing forward, with two key passes notched up, whilst also ensuring he defended valiantly to help his side pick up their first clean sheet of the campaign in Wales.

Date

Value

September 2024

£7.9m

October 2023

£5.7m

April 2022

£927k

January 2022

£168k

Sourced by Football Transfers

Previously snapped up from Linfield for a reported fee of just £200k back in 2022, the once unassuming defender has turned into an absolute beast in the Championship over the last two years, with his value now all the way up at £7.9m, as per Football Transfers. That represents an increase of 3850% in relation to his initial fee.

It's no surprise that the likes of Aston Villa and Leeds United have been recently rumoured to be keen on snapping up the entertaining right-back, therefore, but Hume – much like Neil – didn't move to pastures new during the last transfer window.

Even captaining his nation during the international break, the "outstanding" defender's career – as he was labelled by football journalist Josh Bunting last season – could well soar to even loftier heights this season for his current employers, if Le Bris' men end up winning promotion.

Sunderland will just pray they've not raced out of the blocks too quickly and eventually lose steam, but Neil and Hume will believe they can steer their side back up to the Premier League, alongside other standout performers at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland could soon unleash their next Dan Neil in 19 y/o academy star

Sunderland are continuing to produce some top talents for the future.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 9, 2024

Aston Villa came from two goals down against Everton, to secure their third win of the Premier League campaign, putting them on nine points from a possible 12 so far, and leaving them currently 3rd in the table.

Everton started fast, finding themselves two goals up after just 27 minutes, with Dwight McNeil, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin on the scoresheet for the Toffees. Ollie Watkins fired back with his first in the 36th minute, and a second in the 58th minute.

The winner was scored yet again by Jhon Duran, who also scored decisive goals against West Ham and Leicester, both of which ended in 2–1 victories. Duran has scored three goals already this season, despite only playing 103 minutes of football.

Ollie Watkins's performance against Everton

Coming from 2-0 behind, Watkins scored Villa’s first and second goals, to bring them back level. These were the forward’s first two goals of the new campaign, having not scored in his previous three games.

Duran has outshone Watkins so far to start this season, taking the limelight, and scoring the big goals in big moments. Even after scoring a brace to get Villa back in the game, the Colombian stole the headlines with his wonderstrike to win the game.

Watkins is coming off of a sparkling 2023/24 campaign, where the England international made 53 appearances in all competitions, scoring 27 goals, providing 13 assists, and totaling 4,323 minutes played.

Hopefully, his brace against the Toffees will now provide him with the confidence to return to his best form in the coming weeks and months.

Youri Tielemans' masterclass

Given a player rating of 8/10 by GIVEMESPORT (only bettered by Watkins’ 9/10), Youri Tielemans ran the show in midfield, managing 147 touches, which was the most on the pitch for both teams.

The 27-year-old has been a key figure for Unai Emery to start this season, playing all 360 minutes of Premier League football so far, and he controlled the tempo of the game for Villa against Everton.

Stat

Tielemans

Minutes

90

Touches

147

Passes

126/136

Pass Completion %

93%

Key Passes

2

Long Balls

2/4

Big Chances Created

1

Ground Duels Won

5/9

Tackles

4

The Villains held 73% of the ball, making nearly triple the number of passes as Everton, Villa making 665 passes, and Everton making 240. A huge part of this dominance was the control of the Belgian in the Villa midfield, having his fair share of the ball.

Tielemans, who took 147 touches, and made 126 successful passes of his 136 attempted, had nearly quadruple the number of touches as the Everton midfield duo, Idrissa Gueye and Tim Iroegbunham.

The ex-Leicester star also made more than five times the number of successful passes than the pair, who only made 22 successful passes out of 25 attempts between them.

That dominance in midfield was what allowed Villa to get back into the game, controlling proceedings largely down to the midfield maestro pulling the strings. But it was not just his on-ball work, as Tielemans also made four tackles, and won five of his nine ground duels, doing a good job at breaking up play in the middle of the park.

Whilst Watkins and Duran will get most of the plaudits for their goals, winning the game, Tielemans deserves huge praise, after a midfield masterclass for Emery’s side.

Glasgow Rangers failed yet again to win an Old Firm derby under Philippe Clement. This was the fifth time the Belgian had led the Ibrox side into this fixture, coming out with just one draw for his troubles.

The stark reality is, Rangers' fierce rivals in Celtic were far too good. The Light Blues started brightly, yet once Daizen Maeda scored the opener, there was never going to be a way back into the tie for the Gers.

The international break perhaps comes at the right time for Clement, who will need to have a long think about what is continually going wrong in these matches.

Several of the players who shone vs Ross County last weekend were dismal when the pressure was on, particularly Rabbi Matondo.

Rabbi Matondo’s statistics vs Celtic

The Welsh winger shone against County, scoring twice while grabbing two assists, but playing Celtic at Parkhead is a completely different story indeed.

Matondo was unleashed on the left wing over the weekend, with Clement hoping he could replicate his feats from the previous match.

He only lasted 38 minutes, hobbling off holding his hamstring, but his time on the field lacked any meaningful impact.

The 23-year-old had one shot (off target), missed a big chance, failed with his only dribble attempt and took just nine touches overall.

This plus his injury combined to make it a horrible experience for the player. It remains to be seen how long he will be missing, but his spell at Ibrox has failed to yield any sort of consistency.

Goals

0

Assists

0

Accurate passes

4/5

Touches

9

Key passes

0

Possession lost

3

Aside from his excellent display against County, Matondo has been off the pace so far this season for the Ibrox side. Perhaps it is time for Clement to unleash Oscar Cortes when he is fit instead.

Rabbi Matondo’s statistics this season

His performance against the Highland side has certainly skewed his statistics, as across the other three Premiership matches, Matondo has been poor.

The winger has missed two big chances already this term, winning only 36% of his total duels per game along with being dribbled past on 0.8 occasions each match. His displays are a far cry from that wonderful goal he scored against Celtic last term. Why can't we see more of that?

Add in the fact he has lost possession 27 times after just four games, and it is clear that while Matondo’s pace might be a great asset, defensively, he is failing to contribute when required.

Cortes appears to be near a return to full fitness. Hopefully, by the time the Light Blues take on Dundee United in the league once the international break is over, the Colombian will be ready to be unleashed.

Although less experienced than Matondo, the 21-year-old has shown flashes of his abilities during his time in Glasgow. A run in the starting XI could allow him to build his confidence, establishing himself as the main option on the left flank.

It is all fine starring against the likes of Ross County, but when it comes to high-pressure games such as the Old Firm, Matondo has failed to showcase anything near his best form.

Fewer touches than Butland: Rangers must drop a star who lost 9/9 duels

The Light Blues attacker may have just played his way out of the starting line-up.

ByDan Emery Sep 2, 2024

West Ham United are keeping their eye out for some younger talent this transfer window and have now added Keisuke Goto to their wanted list, according to a report from The Daily Mail.

Who is Keisuke Goto?

Having come up through the academy with Jubilo Iwata in Japan, he has already been given his first-team debut for the club despite being just 18-years-old. He has played on a total of 17 occasions in the 2023 season, but only five of those have been starts.

Considering his youth and the fact he has had to come off the bench, it is even more impressive then to hear that he has bagged five goals and one assist along the way. It means that he has a rate of 0.64 goals per 90 – a very respectable amount for the youngster.

Goto has also been capped for his country's youth sides, but has yet to make the step up to their first-team squad. If he carries on in this vein of form though – and hits his potential – it could be a case of when and not if for that.

Are West Ham United signing Keisuke Goto?

Now, according to a report from The Daily Mail, the forward may have a chance to prove himself in England soon. That's because Premier League side West Ham are now keeping a close eye on the striker, with Goto having caught the eye with his displays in Japan.

He is now on their transfer wishlist it seems, as David Moyes want to try and bring in some younger talent to ensure they have a good amount of long-term potential in the squad.

The report adds that they also want some taller players to boot, and he certainly fits that bill. Standing at 6 foot 3, Goto would certainly be a giant of a player – so he ticks both boxes that the club are currently looking for in the window.

Even though he is still well into his teens, Goto is already viewed as having a lot of potential. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a "superb talent" already and even added that may soon be called the "Japanese Haaland" because of his ability and brute-like physicality.

It suggests that the youngster is already capable of producing the goods and has a high ceiling – so if West Ham do manage to sign him, it could be a shrewd bit of business by the club.

Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery has two months left of the summer transfer window to build a squad that will be capable of matching or improving on their seventh-place finish in the Premier League last season.

The Villans have already snapped up Belgian international midfielder Youri Tielemans on a free transfer from relegated Leicester City and they are now closing in on a new central defender.

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that the club are set to sign Villarreal star Pau Torres for an initial fee of €32.5m (£28m), with his medical set to be completed in the coming weeks after the Spaniard returns from his holiday.

Emery could land a dream partner for the left-footed ace by signing reported transfer target Gleison Bremer, who is valued at around €50m (£43m), from Juventus.

What is Gleison Bremer's style of play?

The Brazil international is a throwback defender who excels at box defending without being exceptional in possession, which is why he could work perfectly with Torres.

Bremer ranks in the bottom 5% of players in his position among the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for progressive passes per 90. The £28m Spaniard, however, ranks among the top 4% and is in the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, while the Old Lady ace is within the bottom 16% in that regard.

These statistics suggest that Torres is one of the best centre-backs in Europe when it comes to progressing play out from the back to advance his team up the pitch, through dribbles or passes, whereas the Juventus stopper seemingly plays it safe more often than not.

However, the 26-year-old Brazilian, who averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.11 in the Serie A last season, makes up for his lack of quality on the ball with his excellent defensive attributes.

Bremer, who former Torino team-mate Mergim Vojvoda described as an "animal", has averaged 5.69 interceptions, blocks, and aerial battles won per 90 over the last 365 days, in comparison to Torres' 3.18 for Villarreal.

The Spain international ranks below the average among his positional peers in all three statistics, whereas the Serie A titan is above the average in all of them – including in the top 12% for blocks.

This could make them the perfect central defensive pairing for Villa as they would have a right-footed defensive-minded stopper who can defend the box expertly next to a cultured left-footed ball player who can start attacks with his ability in possession.

Sadio Mane hasn't exactly hit top form since joining Bayern Munich from Liverpool last summer, having endured a difficult first season.

Looking to replace Robert Lewandowski last year, the Bundesliga turned to a Premier League, Champions League and Golden Boot winner in a transfer costing just £35m. If that didn't look like good business at the time, then we're not sure what does.

One year later, however, that transfer has been utterly underwhelming. Indeed, it's been a fairly disastrous spell for the forward so far in Germany.

What went wrong for Sadio Mane in his first season at Bayern Munich?

It seemed controversial at the time, when Liverpool so willingly let Mane leave the club. But, ultimately, this was and still is a player on the decline, as shown at Bayern.

During his first season in Germany, the Senegal international scored just 12 goals in 38 games, whilst also recording just six assists. Injury issues may have gotten in the way at times, but numbers like that for a star signing remain a disappointing read.

If the statistics weren't damming enough, a bust-up with teammate Leroy Sane really summed things up for Mane, who got into a physical confrontation after Bayern's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League last eight, before being fined and suspended by the club.

For Bayern, as a whole, it was a strange season, however, it must be said. The Bavarians ruthlessly dismissed Julian Nagelsmann late in the season and were very nearly made to pay as Thomas Tuchel only just guided the club to a dramatic title win on the final day.

Mane voted most disappointing player by fellow players

In what is a rather brutal vote, as shared by Kicker (via Reddit), fellow Bundesliga players take part in a Player of the Season vote, which sounds fairly standard, before you realise that it also includes a vote for the biggest disappointment of the season.

Picking up that unwanted 'award' in the season just gone was Mane with a staggering 41.7% of the votes. Something tells us the next team meeting will be an awkward one at Bayern.

The forward was one of five Bayern players to make the vote, with Joshua Kimmich receiving 7.5%, Sane receiving 3.6%, Goretzka 3.2%, and Dayot Upemecano tallying up 1.6% of the votes.

It seems that, despite ultimately winning the title, the champions of Germany had themselves a pretty difficult season.

Elsewhere, Randal Kolo Muani picked up the best Player of the Season accolade with 24.2% of the vote.

Arsenal look set to undergo a summer overhaul ahead of next season as Mikel Arteta aims to add some much-needed quality to his first-team squad.

Not only are the likes of Kai Havertz and Declan Rice being strongly linked with potential moves but there are also some players who could be saying goodbye to the club in the coming weeks.

Granit Xhaka looks set to leave Arsenal this summer, with Bayer Leverkusen interested in luring him back to the Bundesliga, while fellow midfielder Thomas Partey could also be departing the Emirates, with Fabrizio Romano stating: “Understand there’s concrete chance for Thomas Partey to leave Arsenal this summer. Clubs are interested and there are discussions about his exit.”

With two key players from last term looking like they won’t play again for the Gunners, it will now be up to Arteta to replace them properly. Southampton starlet Romeo Lavia could be the ideal replacement for the Ghanaian, with Romano claiming that “talks already took place” in regard to a potential move for the youngster.

Could Arsenal sign Romeo Lavia this summer?

Bolstering his midfield has to be the Spaniard’s priority this summer, especially with Xhaka and Partey potentially leaving, and a move for Lavia could certainly numb the blow of losing those two.

Despite the Saints being relegated from the Premier League, ending their ten-year spell in the top flight, Lavia was arguably one of their only bright sparks during a woeful season.

The former Manchester City starlet particularly showcased his defensive abilities, ranking second for tackles per game (2.1) and seventh for interceptions per game (1.1) across the Southampton squad, while also achieving an overall Sofascore rating of 6.8/10, enough to place him eighth in the first team, a solid enough showing considering he only turned 19 in January.

The teen also features alongside some fairly illustrious company in terms of winning possession in the midfield third across Europe’s top five leagues, finishing second behind Moises Caicedo, while ahead of Jude Bellingham having won possession 114 times in that area of the pitch, showcasing his ball-winning qualities.

Having this defensive solidity in the heart of the midfield could be key for Arsenal next term, and would allow the likes of Martin Odegaard to flourish, giving them more freedom going forward, knowing that Lavia will be there sweeping everything up and screening the defence.

The midfielder is valued at £45m by the south coast side, yet having been lauded as someone who is “always calm on the ball” by Jean Kindermans, the head of the Anderlecht academy, and dubbed an “absolute monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick, it’s evident Arteta should be making his move sooner rather than later.

Arsenal remain interested in a number of key men, with a fresh update having been dropped on Tuesday…

What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?

Writing in The Telegraph, journalist Sam Dean sought to outline the summer transfer plans of Mikel Arteta and Edu in what could be a groundbreaking window to shorten the gap between them and the treble-winning Manchester City.

Whilst the main information in the report is regarding Nicolas Pepe's supposed exit, as well as the nearing completion of the Declan Rice deal, it does also suggest that once the West Ham United star is welcomed to north London, they will turn their attention towards prying Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, with an offer being prepared.

Their interest remains from those two failed bids in January, and despite the Ecuador international having signed a new deal since, the Seagulls will reportedly demand at least £70m.

To sign both of these Premier League midfield monsters would be a huge statement of intent from the Gunners.

How good would Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice be together?

With the notion that these two will join as a midfield partnership together, it is easy to see why Arteta sees them as complementary assets who would bring out the best in one another.

As Rice has grown in stature over the years, shining as captain of the Hammers and an instrumental cog in the England setup, his creative qualities have been emphasised this term too.

It is this offensive impetus that would offer a fine balance alongside Caicedo, who would offer a platform for such exploits.

The 24-year-old scored five goals and assisted four more in all competitions as the Irons comfortably avoided the drop and won the Europa Conference League. It seems like the fairytale ending for the England international, who can now depart the London Stadium having truly given his all to the club that first gave him a football career.

However, if he is to shine as the centrepiece of this new-look engine room, bursting forward towards the penalty area with aplomb, the 21-year-old alternative cannot be ignored for the work he will get through behind Rice.

A tireless yet classy presence in the heart of midfield, Caicedo's 7.08 average rating this term gives way to 2.7 tackles, 1.2 key passes, and 1.5 interceptions per game, via Sofascore, with such defensive aptitude potentially allowing Rice to go about his business in the final third.

Such relentless energy even led South American football expert Tim Vickery to brand him a "terrific athlete".

To place these two in midfield would be yet another Arteta masterstroke, pairing hard work and quality with both defensive and attacking boosts.

This is even without mentioning their youth, and the fact they could hold down their spots for the next decade of what could be a dominant period should they topple Pep Guardiola's history makers.

Newcastle United are considering a swoop for Manchester City outcast Kalvin Phillips, with the Tyneside club looking to bolster the ranks after qualifying for the Champions League.

What's the latest on Kalvin Phillips to Newcastle?

According to the Telegraph, Toon technical director Dan Ashworth is pursuing a move for the England international but has been left frustrated by the player's desire to stay at the Etihad Stadium and fight for his place next season.

Recently touted at £35m, the 27-year-old has only started for Pep Guardiola's outfit four times across all competitions this term after completing a £45m transfer from Leeds United last summer.

Despite the midfielder's public desire to remain in Manchester, the Magpies' offer of a starring role could be too enticing to resist as the transfer window takes centre-stage, especially if Guardiola is unable to provide Phillips with assurances over the number of minutes he will be provided next year.

Should Newcastle sign Kalvin Phillips?

Despite flattering to deceive with the Premier League champions – though his impact at the club was hampered by detrimental early injury issues that sidelined him for much of the first phase of the season – Phillips is a proven midfield titan on top-flight soil.

Instrumental for Leeds in reclaiming a spot among England's elite and starring during a resounding 20/21 term where the entertaining Whites clinched ninth place – just three points away from European qualification – the £160k-per-week ace cemented himself as one of the most robust midfielders in the division.

Indeed, across those two campaigns, Phillips completed 82% and 84.5% of his passes, 2.6 and 2.7 tackles per game and 1.2 and 0.5 key passes per outing, as per WhoScored.

Former teammate Barry Douglas said, "as a defensive midfielder with an array of passing skills, Kalvin Phillips is probably the best I’ve played with", while former Whites boss Neil Redfearn remarked, "Bielsa has made Kalvin an expert deep-lying midfielder but he could do both roles.”

With Magpies boss Eddie Howe seeking to bolster his midfield this summer, Phillips could be a shrewd alternative to touted West Ham United star Declan Rice, with the £100m-valued man attracting attention from a plethora of top European outfits, including Newcastle, ahead of the forthcoming transfer window.

Rice has been lauded as an "absolute monster" by ESPN UK editor David Cartlidge and ranks among the top 20% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 5% for interceptions and the top 17% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.

Phillips is capable of replicating such metrics, evidenced in the Premier League with Leeds, notably ranking in the top 8% of midfielders in the division throughout 2021/22 for tackles and interceptions combined.

Provided license to cement a prominent role at St. James' Park, he might just harness the full might of his skill set.

Newcastle United could be set for another summer of spending to bolster their impressive squad after securing Champions League football next season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Tino Livramento?

According to The NUFC Blog, Newcastle are plotting a move for Southampton star Valentino Livramento this summer.

As per the report, the club's hierarchy have been in contact with representatives of the talented full-back and are also interested in his teammate Armel Bella-Kotchap.

Livramento is represented by the same football agency – Wasserman – as Eddie Howe and Newcastle stalwart Ryan Fraser, so it is claimed that clear lines of communication have been made in pursuit of the player.

Would Livramento be a good signing for Newcastle?

It is no secret that Howe is a big believer in nurturing young English talent, something he proved during his tenure at Bournemouth and has started to implement in his current team with England U21s international Anthony Gordon the latest to join the fold at St James' Park.

As a result, the signing of Livramento – who has a reported price tag of £40m – would make perfect sense for the Magpies manager and could even be the rightful heir to Kieran Trippier's huge role in the team.

Unfortunately, the 20-year-old – hailed a "great talent" by former Spurs ace Ledley King – suffered an ACL injury in April 2022 but did manage to return to the final two games of the season when Southampton had already confirmed relegation from the Premier League.

The rising star – who graduated from Chelsea's famous Cobham academy – played a key role in his breakout season with Saints over his 28 top-flight appearances, scoring one goal, registering one assist and creating four big chances, as well as averaging 1.7 interceptions, 1.9 tackles, 1.1 successful dribbles and 5.1 duels won per game, proving that when fit he is a consistent all-rounder on the right flank.

Indeed, the youngster is unlikely to come in and steal the starting spot from Trippier next season if he was to join the club this summer, however, with the England international now 32 years old and Livramento easing his way back into football after a horrific injury it could be the perfect opportunity to bring in an understudy who already has huge potential and top-flight experience.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Livramento would be a fantastic signing for the Magpies this summer and would give them a ready-made Trippier heir who can develop his craft and learn from one of the most experienced right-backs in the league to fulfil his true potential.