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Chelsea can officially start to make moves during the summer transfer window after it opened for business on Sunday, and that includes exits as well as incomings.

Towards the end of last month, the Daily Mail reported that Crystal Palace could make a move to bring Trevoh Chalobah back to Selhurst Park, after they qualified for the Europa League by winning the FA Cup.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Blues would be willing to part ways with the academy graduate, whom they recalled in January, but they were willing to send him out on loan to Palace last summer.

Chalobah started the Conference League final against Real Betis, but was also an unused substitute in the last two Premier League games as Chelsea chased a top-five finish.

Chelsea eyeing deal for new centre-back

The 25-year-old defender, whose sale would represent pure profit for the Blues as a homegrown player, could find himself on his way out of Stamford Bridge amid talk that the club are interested in bringing another centre-back to the club.

He is already behind Tosin Adarabioyo, Levi Colwill, and Wesley Fofana, when available, which suggests that the addition of another player in that position could send him too far down the pecking order.

Transfer Focus

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

With a move for Liam Delap all but sewn up, now according to The Guardian, Chelsea are ‘considering’ a swoop to sign England international Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the Blues are eyeing up a deal for the English centre-back, who is ‘widely expected’ to move on from Selhurst Park ahead of next season.

The Guardian recently reported that Palace value Guehi at a fee of around £65m, although it remains to be seen whether or not Chelsea would be willing to pay that much for their former defender.

Why Chelsea should sign Marc Guehi

The Conference League champions should swoop to sign the £65m-rated England international this summer because he would arrive as a big upgrade on Trevoh Chalobah, due to the defensive qualities that the former Cobham star can bring to the side.

Guehi, who has previously been hailed as “unbelievable” by podcast host Aaron Moniz, is a proven Premier League performer who has been there and done it and could hit the ground running at Stamford Bridge.

As a former academy graduate, he would also not need much time to adapt to life at Cobham and with some of the players with whom he would already be familiar, like the captain Reece James, which could work in his favour.

Appearances

34

25

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.6

2.4

Clearances per game

4.6

4.2

Blocks per game

0.2

0.1

Duels won per game

4.9

4.2

Duel success rate

59%

59%

As you can see in the table above, Guehi’s performances in the Premier League this season also suggest that he would be a big upgrade on Chalobah as an out-and-out defender.

Whilst the individual statistics may not show a big difference, with only 0.4 more clearances per game or 0.2 more tackles and interceptions per game, it is the fact that he is ahead of the Chelsea defender in every category that stands out.

This means that Guehi could come in and offer more to Enzo Maresca’s side as a centre-back in every aspect of defending, from winning duels, to making blocks, to being in the right place at the right time to make vital clearances.

He is also less prone to making mistakes. Chalobah made two errors that led to goals in the Premier League, whilst Guehi did not make a single error that led directly to a goal, which suggests that the Palace star would be more reliable at the heart of the defence.

Big Sancho upgrade: Chelsea step up move for 'one of the world's best'

Chelsea could be ready to land an upgrade on Jadon Sancho this summer

1 ByRobbie Walls Jun 1, 2025

Therefore, Chelsea should press ahead with a deal to sign the £65m-rated English star this summer because he could come in as a big upgrade on Chalobah to improve Maresca’s defence next season.

Throughout the 2024/25 Premier League campaign, Arne Slot has utilised a strong core of players to help his Liverpool side claim the Premier League title.

The Reds have to ensure that work is done over the summer to bolster the squad and ensure that he has enough depth to mount another charge for top spot.

It was unthinkable that the Dutchman would be able to achieve such a feat during his debut campaign at the helm, especially after taking over from fan favourite Jürgen Klopp.

However, next season presents a whole new prospect, going from the hunters to the hunted, with the former Feyenoord boss setting the bar as to what’s expected during his spell in charge.

With the transfer window now just around the corner, work has already commenced behind the scenes to hand the manager the best chance of retaining their crown.

The latest on Liverpool’s hunt for new talent this summer

Left-back Milos Kerkez has been on their radar over the last couple of months, with the Hungarian enjoying a season to remember in the Premier League with Bournemouth.

It’s been confirmed in recent days that talks are progressing for the 21-year-old star who could be available for around the £45m mark during the off-season.

However, the defender isn’t the only player in England’s top-flight that’s caught the hierarchy’s attention, with Brighton’s Joao Pedro a target, according to Ben Jacobs.

The journalist confirmed that the Reds are big admirers of the 23-year-old forward after notching ten goals and six assists in just 27 games for the Seagulls.

He also stated that the Brazilian is seen as a potential replacement for Darwin Núñez, who’s been linked with a move away from Anfield, but any transfer could set them back around £60m.

Why Liverpool’s £60m target could be Slot’s next Mac Allister

Midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has been a key component to Liverpool’s success this campaign, cementing his place at the heart of the side alongside Ryan Gravenberch.

The Argentinian international has featured in 35 of the 37 league outings to date, having a huge impact in attacking areas – as seen by his tally of five goals and five assists.

However, he’s also starred without the ball, winning 61% of the tackles he’s entered, along with 5.9 duels won per 90 – offering Slot the perfect box-to-box option in his midfield.

Such performances have led to calls for him to be included in the division’s Team of the Season, highlighting the impact he’s had in the Reds’ title triumph.

His £35m deal from Brighton in the summer of 2023 now appears to be a bargain, with Slot having the opportunity to replicate such a deal with Pedro this summer.

The Brazilian, who’s been labelled “ridiculous” by one analyst, has been a key reason in the success endured under Fabian Hürzeler this campaign, able to transfer such a skillset to Anfield.

His underlying stats highlight how impressive he’s been at the AMEX, registering 2.2 shots per 90, with one of which per game directed on target – handing the manager the added attacking presence he desires.

Games played

27

Goals scored

10

Assists

6

Pass accuracy

75%

Shots taken

2.2

Shots on target per 90

1

Chances created

1.4

Dribbles completed

1.4

Aerials won

1.9

The Brazilian also managed to complete 75% of the passes he’s attempted, along with 1.4 chances created per 90, offering other attacking players around him the chance to thrive.

Pedro’s talents don’t stop there, completing 1.4 dribbles per 90 and winning 1.9 aerial duels per 90, with his all-round talents aiding the club in their quest to retain the title in 2025/26.

£60m may seem a hefty fee for the striker, but he’s already showcased that he’s capable of being a success in the Premier League – subsequently not needing to adapt to the demands it presents.

Should he get close to the levels produced by Mac Allister on Merseyside in recent months, it would be yet another super deal and one that could be a key factor in any future success.

Slot's own Firmino: Liverpool in talks for "monster" £84m Isak alternative

Liverpool could land a star who could replicate the talents of Roberto Firmino at Anfield.

ByEthan Lamb May 21, 2025

With the clock ticking down to the end of extra time at the Stadium of Light, it looked as Sunderland and Coventry City’s nail-biting Championship playoff clash was going to be decided by the agonising lottery of penalties.

However, with the tense game deep into added on time at the close of the 120-minute marathon, Daniel Ballard became the Black Cats’ dramatic saviour when his last-gasp header cannoned past a startled Ben Wilson.

This handed Regis Le Bris’ ecstatic hosts a slender 2-1 victory on aggregate to the dismay of Frank Lampard’s hard-done-by Sky Blues.

But, aside from the bruised visitors, Ballard would put in a valiant performance across both legs, away from stealing all of the limelight with his heroics on Tuesday night.

Ballard's performance in numbers vs Coventry

Indeed, the first leg at the CBS Arena saw Ballard have to stand firm throughout whilst Coventry piled on the pressure, with the 25-year-old very much succeeding when having to stifle many a Sky Blues attack.

Staggeringly, the Northern Irishman would win all 12 of his duels during the 2-1 win, with his well-known prowess in the air obviously helping him back on home soil when Enzo Le Fee’s corner kick was expertly converted.

The Stadium of Light would erupt after his header was thumped home, with Ballard actually up to three goals for the season overall now, despite some injury issues leaving him with a low total of 23 Championship appearances.

Further ensuring Coventry didn’t gain any more footholds in the second leg when making a mammoth 19 clearances, Le Bris will pray Ballard can be at his battling best once more when facing off against an intimidating Sheffield United side at Wembley to give his team a fighting chance at promotion.

But, whilst Ballard will be sure of his starting spot against Chris Wilder’s Blades, an underperformer in attack could now be axed for the crucial game to come.

5/10 Sunderland dud must be axed

In truth, it wasn’t the most electric performance by Sunderland all across the second leg, with Coventry managing to register 20 shots on Anthony Patterson’s goal to the hosts’ slightly lesser 16.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

In the end, the Sky Blues’ superiority in attack didn’t matter as Ballard bailed out Le Bris’ hosts, but another out-of-sorts display in attack at Wembley just won’t do if Sunderland are serious about leaping up to the Premier League.

Consequently, the experienced Patrick Roberts could find his starting spot down the left flank is taken up by a fresher body.

Minutes played

95

86

Goals scored

0

0

Assists

0

0

Touches

35

27

Shots

1

1

Accurate passes

15/17 (88%)

10/14 (71%)

Possession lost

10x

8x

Successful dribbles

0/4

1/1

Total duels won

3/12

3/5

Whilst the ex-Celtic man was largely ineffective during the first leg – seen in Roberts only registering one shot on goal from 86 minutes of action – his performance in the second leg was far harder to stomach from a Sunderland perspective.

Across his dire 95 minute spell on the Stadium of Light turf, Roberts didn’t complete a single successful dribble from four attempts, on top of also failing to catch out Wilson in the Coventry net again with a single on-target shot.

With his goals and assists notably drying up towards the end of the regular campaign too, it could well be the best possible time to reinstate Romaine Mundle to the starting XI over Roberts, with Le Bris surely wary of another no-show from his number ten at Wembley.

To add salt to the wound, Roker Report journalist Andy Tomlinson blasted Roberts’ attacking quality throughout as “dreadful”, amidst a low 5/10 post-match rating heading his way.

Whilst Le Bris and Co will still be rightly dizzy off the last-gasp heroics conjured up by Ballard, they will be aware that their best possible team must start against the Blades in order to try and come out on top during the promotion-deciding affair, meaning Roberts must now be dropped on the biggest stage.

Sunderland star has now proven he's their best signing since Defoe

Sunderland could now have stumbled upon their best buy since Jermain Defoe.

ByKelan Sarson May 13, 2025

Chelsea have been in constant contact to discuss the signing of an “unbelievable” Barcelona player who they absolutely love, according to a report.

Blues' summer transfer plans taking shape

The Blues’ form in the second half of the Premier League season has been patchy to say the least, but they have returned to form in recent weeks, securing two wins on the spin to ensure they are firmly in contention for the Champions League places.

As such, Enzo Maresca should be well-positioned to attract some top players this summer, and the manager appears to be especially keen on signing a new striker, with Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy and Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap among the targets.

Maresca is also eager to bolster his options at the opposite end of the pitch, with a new centre-back of interest, and the west Londoners are now believed to be the favourites to sign AFC Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen, having proposed a seven-year contract.

Chelsea now have "strong" chance of signing £206k-per-week Barcelona star

Enzo Maresca’s side have thrown their hat in the ring.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Apr 26, 2025

Huijsen is attracting widespread interest, however, which means Maresca may have to move on to alternative targets, and a report from The Boot Room has revealed Chelsea absolutely love Barcelona defender Jules Kounde.

The Blues have been in constant contact with Kounde’s agents, such is their level of interest, with the Frenchman’s future now up in the air, given that he is yet to commit to a new contract to extend his stay at the Camp Nou beyond 2027.

Barca want to keep hold of the defender, and talks have been held over a new deal, but a move could be possible if the two parties are unable to make any progress, with Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool also in the picture for his signature.

"Unbelievable" Kounde could upgrade Maresca's backline

It is little wonder the Blues are so keen on signing the France international, given that he has been a vital player for a Barca side on course to win a treble this season, after defeating Real Madrid 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.

Kounde scored the winning goal with just minutes left to play in extra time, finding the back of the net for the fourth time this season, while he has also showcased his attacking threat by picking up eight assists.

The 26-year-old has predominantly featured at right-back, but he is also very much capable of playing in the centre of defence, and he has impressed manager Hansi Flick with his fitness levels, which were lauded as “unbelievable” earlier this season.

The £223k-a-week defender could be a fantastic signing for Chelsea this summer, but it looks like it could be difficult to pull off, given that he has been one of Barcelona’s most important players this season, and his recent performance against Real Madrid may make them even more hesitant to sanction a departure.

There is a big task ahead for Daniel Farke and the recruitment team at Leeds United after the 2024/25 season ended with promotion to the Premier League.

The Whites lifted the Championship trophy at Home Park after they beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 on the final day of the campaign, thanks to a last-gasp winner from Manor Solomon.

They ended the season with a staggering 100 points on the board, beating Burnley to the title on goal difference, and can now prepare to play in the top-flight next term.

The three newly-promoted clubs have all been relegated from the Premier League in each of the last two seasons, which paints a picture of how difficult it is going to be for Leeds, and Burnley, next term.

They will need to nail their recruitment to build a squad that is capable of following in the footsteps of the six teams that have fallen before them, which makes the summer transfer window absolutely vital.

Leeds need to land top-quality players who can come in to make an instant impact in the first-team, as they did when they once splashed the cash on Rio Ferdinand.

Why Rio Ferdinand was a great signing for Leeds

Back in November 2000, the Whites swooped to sign the England international from West Ham United for a reported fee of £18m, which was a British record fee at the time.

Although Ferdinand was only 22 at the time of the move, Leeds knew that they were signing a quality operator at the heart of the defence because he had already played 155 times for the Hammers in their first-team.

The English colossus made 32 appearances in all competitions during his first season at Elland Road, including seven in the Champions League, before he hit his stride in his second year in West Yorkshire.

Ferdinand went on to play 41 times in all competitions in the 2001/02 campaign and was named in the PFA Team of the Year in the Premier League for his performances at centre-back, which speaks to how impressive his displays were.

His form for Leeds in those two seasons led to interest from elsewhere, and Manchester United swooped in to sign him for a British record £30m in the summer of 2002.

This shows that the defender was a great signing for Leeds because he was one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League in his second season, as shown by his inclusion in the Team of the Year, and they made a substantial profit on him within two years of his arrival.

Leeds could, now, find their next version of Rio Ferdinand by moving to sign a new central defender this summer, amid reported interest in a Ligue 1 star.

Leeds eyeing move for Ligue 1 star

According to The Sun on Sunday’s print edition (4 May, page 55), as relayed by MOTLeedsNews, Leeds have sent scouts to watch Marseille defender Leonardo Balerdi in action this season.

The report claims that the West Yorkshire outfit have made the centre-back one of their top targets heading into the summer transfer window, following their promotion to the Premier League.

It states that Marseille are looking for a fee in the region of £20m for the 26-year-old defender, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Whites are willing to pay that much money for him.

The outlet also reveals that the Argentina international, who currently plays under Roberto De Zerbi in France, would be interested in a move to England, which should come as a boost to Leeds in their pursuit of the £20m-rated star.

Transfer Focus

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

It is now down to Leeds to enter talks with Marseille, if they decide to press ahead with their interest in the Argentine ace, to wrap up a deal for Balerdi before any other teams enter the race for his signature.

If the Whites can get a move over the line for the Ligue 1 colossus in the summer transfer window, the right-footed titan could be Rio Ferdinand 2.0 for the club.

Why Balerdi could be the next Ferdinand for Leeds

As aforementioned, part of what made Ferdinand such a great signing for Leeds was that he was already an experienced player at the top level who could slot straight into the side.

Balerdi has played 161 times for Marseille, 124 times in Ligue 1, and has been capped six times by Argentina at international level, which shows that he has plenty of experience at the top level.

This means that Leeds would not be signing a young player with little experience in Europe’s major leagues and taking a big gamble on a promising gem, they would be signing a star who is ready to make an instant impact in the Premier League.

Balerdi’s performances in Ligue 1 for Marseille this season suggest that he could come in as an instant upgrade on Joe Rodon, despite the Welsh star’s solid showings in the Championship.

Appearances

24

46

Tackles per game

2.0

0.9

Interceptions per game

1.3

0.6

Duels won per game

5.0

4.4

Aerial duel success rate

65%

60%

Ball recoveries per game

6.1

4.0

As you can see in the table above, the Argentina international has made more defensive actions – recoveries, tackles, duels won, interceptions – per game than Rodon has on average, whilst also being more dominant in the air.

These statistics suggest that he could make an instant impact at Elland Road because he has already outperformed the Wales international at a higher level, which suggests that he could be an upgrade on him.

In March, De Zerbi described him as an “extraordinary” player and hoped that “big European teams” forgot about him in the summer transfer window.

This suggests that Leeds would also be signing a player who could be on the radar of ‘big’ European sides in the future, which could see him sold on for a profit further down the line if he is a success in the Premier League.

Better signing than Solomon: Leeds lining up move for £25m "machine"

Leeds United could land an even better signing than Manor Solomon by signing this £25m star.

ByDan Emery May 2, 2025

Balerdi could, therefore, arrive as Ferdinand 2.0 as a proven top-level centre-back who could hit the ground running before being sold to a huge club in the future for a profit on the £20m that could be spent on his services this summer.

Of all Mikel Arteta’s signings as Arsenal boss, there has perhaps been none as controversial as Kai Havertz.

Since the German joined the club for £65m in the summer of 2023, he has faced his fair share of criticism from fans and pundits alike, and considering his slow start to life in North London, scoring one goal and providing one assist in his first 12 Premier League games, it’s wasn’t hard to see why.

However, once he moved up top, things started to look much, much better, and before his hamstring injury in February, the German international had amassed a tally of 32 goal involvements in 47 appearances there for the club.

Yet, if recent reports are to be believed, even a rate of return such as that might not be enough to keep him in the starting lineup, as the club are now confident of signing one of Europe’s most exciting strikers.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the striker in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other top poachers Arsenal are reportedly interested in ahead of the summer transfer window, such as Benjamin Sesko.

The Slovenian international could be available for around £58m at the end of the season and with a tally of 20 goals and six assists in just 41 appearances, that could prove to be value for money.

Closer to home, the Gunners have kept Aston Villa star Ollie Watkins on their shortlist.

Transfer Focus

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

The Englishman is a player liked by new Sporting Director Andrea Berta, and, with a haul of 29 goal involvements in 49 games this term, it’s not hard to see why, although he’s still some way off the club’s most exciting target: Viktor Gyokeres.

According to a recent report from Spain, the North Londoners have maintained their strong interest in the Sporting CP monster and are now ‘confident’ of securing his signature.

However, there is still the small case of his fee, which, according to the report, would be around €70m, which comes out to about £60m.

While that’s a sizable sum of money, this is still a transfer Arsenal should do all they can to get over the line, as Gyokeres could be transformational for them, even if he’d be bad news for Havertz.

How Gyokeres compares to Havertz

Should Arsenal get this transfer over the line and bring Gyokeres to the Emirates next season, it would undoubtedly be with the intention of having him start as many games as possible.

So, that would also mean that, when fit again, Havertz would be his primary competition for regular game time, but who comes out on top when we compare them?

Well, despite his decent rate of return in the last year or so, the Sporting CP star wipes the floor with the former Chelsea ace when it comes to their raw output, which is, of course, the most important metric for a number nine.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling 3700 minutes, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 47 goals and provided 11 assists.

That means he’s currently averaging 1.26 goal involvements per game or one every 63.79 minutes, which only lends credence to ESPN Head Writer Mark Ogdan’s claim that he’s “the hottest striker in Europe.”

Appearances

46

34

Minutes

3700′

2776′

Goals

47

15

Assists

11

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.26

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

63.79′

138.8′

In comparison, prior to his injury, the former Bayer Leverkusen star had amassed a tally of 15 goals and five assists in 34 appearances, totalling 2776 minutes, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.70 games or one every 138.8 minutes.

There is an argument to be made that the Portuguese league is an easier level, but given the extent to which the former Coventry City gem is outperforming the Gunners ace, we reckon he’d still be more prolific in a top-five league.

Ultimately, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Gyokeres this summer, they have to take it, even if it spells the end of regularly starting games for Havertz.

Better than Kiwior: Arsenal want to sign 'one of the best CBs in the PL'

The incredible international would be a brilliant signing for Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 23, 2025

Everton are believed to be interested in signing a player who is a “massive favourite” of David Moyes in the summer transfer window, a new update has claimed.

Moyes plans summer signings at Everton

The Blues’ Premier League season is starting to peter out a little in terms of important matches, with survival all but secured for another season. Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal was another good result under Moyes, though, with the Scot continuing to do an excellent job during his second stint at Goodison Park.

There will now be lots of focus on possible new signings for Everton this summer, with contact reportedly made with the representatives of SC Freiburg midfielder Merlin Rohl over a move to Merseyside. The 22-year-old has been affected by injuries in 2024/25, but he is a versatile player who could be a long-term signing.

Feyenoord defender David Hancko has also been mentioned as an option for the Blues once the current season reaches its conclusion, following another impressive campaign for the Eredivisie giants.

Lorenzo Lucca has been linked with a move to Everton as well, with the Udinese striker a towering 6 foot 7 inches tall, which is the same height as Peter Crouch. The Italian has scored 10 goals in 25 starts in Serie A this season, also picking up nine yellow cards, highlighting a tenacious side to his game.

Everton fighting West Ham for "very clever" Sunderland star Neil

According to a fresh report from Football Insider, Everton are in the race to sign Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil at the end of the season.

West Ham are thought to be providing competition for the signature of the Black Cats skipper, but the 23-year-old is a “massive favourite” of Moyes.

Sunderland are “bracing themselves for ample bids” from Premier League clubs, assuming the Championship side fail to earn promotion.

Neil may not be a top-flight player currently, which could naturally put some Everton fans off, but he could be a shrewd addition to Moyes’ squad. At 23, the Englishman has already become one of Sunderland’s most important players, captaining them at a young age, and Black Cats manager Regis Le Bris lauded him back in January.

“I think he did well during the first part of the season, but it wasn’t so obvious for the observers maybe, because he was really important in adjusting all the behaviour of his teammates. He’s very clever, very important to adjust the formation and balance the team.”

This season, Neil has started 39 of Sunderland’s 40 Championship matches, outlining his availability, and his quality and energy in midfield could be a real asset for Everton.

Everton struck gold on “constant threat” who’s worth more than Longstaff

Everton made a good investment with the signing

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 7, 2025

He could be seen as a long-term replacement for Idrissa Gueye, who is now 35 years of age and whose contract expires at the end of this season.

Tottenham Hotspur responded in stoppage time to cancel out Newcastle United’s controversial late penalty at St. James’ Park and arrest their losing run.

It was more of the same in the first half, with Spurs unable to test the goalkeeper for the fourth successive game before the break. But as in Paris last week, Thomas Frank’s side showed fight after the break, and this was typified by Cristian Romero as he scored twice to secure a point.

Bruno Guimaraes opened the scoring, but Anthony Gordon’s spot kick was a contentious call, and Arsenal correspondent Charles Watt even commented on the “madness” in seeing it given.

But the captain’s contribution also saw Tottenham end a run of four losses to the Magpies, and it gives Frank a foundation to build on throughout December.

Cristian Romero leads the Spurs' fightback

Romero is among the most aggressive and tenacious players in the Premier League. He led by example on Tyneside, scoring both goals with a brave header and dramatic bicycle kick in the dying embers.

On his return from suspension, Romero reminded the fans of the dimension he adds when on the field and wearing the armband.

Defensively, the Argentina international was something of a mixed bag, though, only winning six of 13 contested duels across the evening and being skinned by Harvey Barnes for the winger’s chance.

However, the 27-year-old made five ball recoveries and five clearances, also blocking two shots. He led by example.

Romero’s heroics will secure the headlines this morning, but there was arguably a Spurs man in front of him who played an even more impressive game, point-sealing strikes aside.

Frank has found Spurs' new Mousa Dembele

In testing times this season, 19-year-old Lucas Bergvall has stepped up and looked like one of Tottenham’s most promising players, purposeful on the ball and combative in the challenge.

He’s still so young, but the teenager’s maturity and natural technical flair indicate a certain likeness to former Lilywhites star Mousa Dembele.

His heart and passion are clear to see, and as he polishes his natural skillset, he could emulate Dembele’s all-controlling role in Mauricio Pochettino’s midfield, earning him so many plaudits.

Newcastle were on the front foot for much of the game, but Bergvall helped repel the hosts throughout.

One Spurs podcast host even remarked that the Swedish talent was “a class above the rest in the first half”, effortless on the ball and tenacious in a way which hasn’t been matched by his teammates (barring Romero).

How often was this the case with Dembele? his elegance and physicality made him a unique midfielder, and it was his effortless dribbling that led Belgian teammate Kevin De Bruyne to call him “the best in the world” during his heyday.

Bergvall isn’t there yet, but he’s shining in a Tottenham team which, at times, appears allergic to positive attacking play, inviting pressure on themselves with poor passing.

However, the club’s never-say-die attitude was embodied by players like the skipper and Bergvall, with the Scandinavian star showing off both sides of his game by winning his tackle and succeeding with both attempts to carry the ball forward.

Minutes played

77′

Touches

28

Accurate passes

13/17 (76%)

Unsuccessful touches

3

Dribbles

2/2

Recoveries

2

Tackles

1/1

Clearances

1

Duels won

3/4

Football.london gave him a 7/10 post-match rating and acknowledged Bergvall’s intensity in pressing against the Newcastle engine room and providing plenty of energy to keep the spirited fightback focused.

Bergvall has some way to go before he could say he is on a level with Dembele at his Tottenham best, but this is the kind of profile and the kind of performance that Frank needs from his team to start playing with an exciting identity.

Richarlison upgrade: Spurs line up bid for "one of the best STs in Europe"

Tottenham have left plenty to be desired in the final third this season.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Sunderland have laughed off the doom mongers who pointed out the fact that the last six teams to earn promotion to the Premier League have all been instantly relegated.

The Black Cats are, remarkably, sixth in the top-flight after 13 games, ahead of Man United and Liverpool, after a 3-2 win over Bournemouth at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Summer signing Granit Xhaka was, once again, vital with an impressive assist for Bertrand Traore’s goal, in what has been a phenomenal season for the Swiss star so far.

Where Granit Xhaka ranks among Sunderland's summer signings

Sunderland paid £13m to sign the experienced midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, and they have got their money’s worth from the left-footed star in the Premier League.

With 297 games for Arsenal under his belt, per Transfermarkt, the Black Cats knew what they were going to get from Xhaka as a proven performer in the top-flight.

The 33-year-old star has delivered one goal and four assists, per Sofascore, whilst winning 63% of his defensive duels across 13 appearances in the Premier League this season, which shows that he has made an impact in and out of possession.

1

Robin Roefs

2

Granit Xhaka

3

Nordi Mukiele

4

Noah Sadiki

5

Omar Alderete

As you can see in the table above, we have ranked him as the second-best signing made by the Black Cats in the summer, only behind the incredibly impressive Robin Roefs, who leads the league in goals prevented (3.28), per Sofascore.

Xhaka has stepped straight into the team as a regular starter and shown that he can be relied upon week-in-week-out, like Roefs has, which is why he has been one of the best signings made for Regis Le Bris’ team.

Whilst Sunderland should be delighted with their current position and the signing of Xhaka, they once had a star on loan who is now even more exciting than the Swiss ace and is one of the best players in the Premier League.

The Sunderland loanee who is now one of the Premier League's best

In January 2020, Antoine Semenyo signed for the club on loan from Bristol City for the second half of the season, and manager Phil Parkinson cited his “pace and power” as two of his main attributes.

Appearances

7

Starts

1

Goals

0

Key passes per game

0.4

Big chances created

1

Assists

0

Unfortunately, as shown in the table above, the Black Cats loanee was unable to use his pace and power to cause many problems for opposition defences, as he ended his time on Wearside without a single goal contribution.

After that, Semenyo went on to establish himself at Bristol City in the Championship before a permanent move in January 2023 to Bournemouth, which is where he has flourished in the Premier League.

The same player who struggled in League One with Sunderland has now scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in the top-flight for the Cherries since the start of last season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has been effective as both a scorer and a creator of goals.

In the Premier League this season, only Erling Haaland (15) and Igor Thiago (11) have more combined goals and assists than Semenyo (nine), per FotMob, which is an impressive statistic when you consider that he plays out wide.

Earlier this term, former Spurs and England star Chris Waddle dubbed Semenyo “the best winger in the country (England) right now”, and that still rings true, as he has at least two more goal contributions than any other winger in the top-flight, per FotMob.

This is why he is currently an even better and more exciting player than Xhaka, because the Ghana international has, statistically, been one of the most impactful players in the league with goals and assists to earn his team points.

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He may not have shown his potential during his brief time at the Stadium of Light, but it is clear to see, now, that Semenyo would be the club’s best player on current form.

Callum McGregor’s stunning winner for Celtic against St Mirren on Saturday night in the Scottish Premiership looks even more important with the benefit of hindsight.

Hearts went on to lose to Aberdeen on Sunday in their match, which means that the Hoops are only four points adrift of the Jam Tarts and have a game in hand over them.

Martin O’Neill has done a terrific job in interim charge, winning all of his Premiership matches so far, but some of the players who struggled under Brendan Rodgers have also struggled under him, including Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

Why Balikwisha looks like a misjudged signing by Celtic

The Hoops signed the Belgian forward from Royal Antwerp in a deal worth up to £5m during the summer transfer window, but it was an odd piece of business because Sebastian Tounekti, who plays in the same position, was also brought in from Hammarby.

Tounekti has since started all 12 of his appearances in the Premiership and the Europa League, per Sofascore, whilst Balikwisha has started twice in the Premiership and is yet to start in Europe.

In fact, the former Antwerp star has been an unused substitute for O’Neill in the last two league games against Kilmarnock and St Mirren, which suggests that he has failed to impress the Northern Irishman in training.

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Balikwisha has, therefore, been a bad signing for the Hoops because he has failed to earn a place in the team on a regular basis, and it was an odd move by the club given the deal they then clinched for Tounekti in the same area of the pitch.

The 24-year-old flop was not the worst attacking signing made by the Scottish giants in the summer, though, as that award may go to centre-forward Shin Yamada.

Why Shin Yamada was a worse signing for Celtic than Michel-Ange Balikwisha

He was a curious signing by Celtic in the summer transfer window because the Japanese forward only scored two goals in 21 J1 League matches in the 2025 campaign for his previous club, after a return of 19 goals in 38 matches in 2024, per Sofascore.

This suggests that the Hoops were signing a player who was on the decline, given his poor goalscoring record this year, and that made it a slightly puzzling move.

His time at Parkhead so far this season has done little to answer any questions around why the club decided to sign him on a permanent deal, as he has rarely featured or made an impact when given the opportunity.

Appearances

4

7

Minutes played

137

236

Goals

0

0

Big chances missed

2

0

Big chances created

0

1

Assists

0

1

As you can see in the table above, Balikwisha has played more matches and more minutes in the league, delivering one assist, than the former J1 League marksman.

Shin was also left out of the squad for the league phase of the Europa League, as Johnny Kenny, Kelechi Iheanacho, Daizen Maeda, and Callum Osmand were picked ahead of him in his position, whilst Balikwisha has made three appearances in that competition.

Brendan Rodgers said that Shin was a “strong player who can score goals and create for others” in his unveiling, but a return of two goals and one assist in 27 games for Kawasaki Frontale and Celtic combined, per Sofascore, in 2025 does not back that up.

The 25-year-old striker is yet to deliver a goal or an assist for the Hoops in six appearances in his first three months at the club, and appears to be well down the pecking order after being left as an unused substitute against St Mirren last time out.

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Therefore, as it stands, Shin is looking like an even worse signing for the Scottish giants than Balikwisha, who has at least provided an assist in the league and been included in the European squad list.