Arsenal's Riccardo Calafiori picked up a knee injury, and Mikel Arteta has provided an update on his availability for the Paris Saint-Germain match.
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Riccardo Calafiori injured in Leicester City win
Ben White also out injured for two games
Arteta believes both could be available for PSG clash
Getty Images Sport
WHAT HAPPENED?
Calafiori has started all three of Arsenal's recent games in all competitions, including clashes against Manchester City and Leicester City. The Italian appeared to jar his knee during the Foxes' visit on Saturday after an aerial battle with Odsonne Edouard, and he appeared to be in pain after the match as well.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Arteta has had a few injury concerns since the start of the season in defence, one of them being Ben White, who has missed Arsenal's last two matches against Bolton and Leicester City due to a groin problem. The Basque coach has now provided an update on the availability of both defenders ahead of Arsenal's pivotal Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
AFP
WHAT ARTETA SAID
Speaking to the media, Arteta said: "Those are the two players (Calafiori and White) that are in contention (for the PSG match) and we have to review today. We didn’t do any training session yesterday.
When specifically asked about Calafiori, Arteta said: "He was a bit emotional after the game. Let’s see how he is today."
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arteta's side will now take on Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, October 1 and the Spaniard will be hopeful that both Calafiori and White will be able to take part in the crucial clash at the Emirates.
An "outstanding" manager is interested in becoming Manchester United's next boss if Erik ten Hag is sacked, according to an update from journalist Ben Jacobs.
Man Utd manager latest
The future of Ten Hag at Old Trafford is one of football's big talking points currently, with the Dutchman under increasing pressure to keep his job. Monday's woeful 4-0 defeat away to Crystal Palace in the Premier League was the latest sign that time could be up for him, even though endless injuries can be used as an excuse, to an extent.
In recent weeks, so many different individuals have been mentioned as potential successors to the United boss, with Thomas Tuchel emerging as a strong candidate who finds United "appealing". The German is leaving Bayern Munich at the end of the season, but the fact that he has had a trophy-less season with the Bundesliga giants suggests that he could be a gamble.
Gareth Southgate and Roberto De Zerbi are two other managers who have been strongly mentioned, too, should the pair move on from their respective roles this summer.
Southgate's head could be turned by the United job after his Euro 2024 campaign with England ends – he has a good relationship with likely incoming sporting director Dan Ashworth – while De Zerbi could feel that now is the right time to enjoy a new challenge away from Brighton.
"Outstanding" manager eyeing Man Utd job
Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Tuchel isn't the only one fancying a move to Old Trafford, as Graham Potter would like to manage Manchester United should Ten Hag be relieved of his duties:
"I think it's fair to say that Graham Potter would be very tempted by the Manchester United role, if he was offered an interview, should a vacancy arise. Potter was under strong consideration at one point for Nice so, historically, there is a connection there.
"The connection between Gareth Southgate and Manchester United would be presuming everything gets done with Dan Ashworth because of their time working together at the FA. But the connection between Potter and Manchester United is INEOS and the fact that he was considered for Nice."
Graham Potter as Chelsea manager
Potter jumps out as an intriguing option for United, even though his stock has fallen after a doomed stint in charge of Chelsea that lasted just seven months.
Chelsea
31
1.42
Brighton
134
1.28
Swansea City
51
1.45
Ostersund
224
1.71
In fairness to the Englishman, the Stamford Bridge job is a poisoned chalice, as Mauricio Pochettino has found out this season, and it is better to judge the 48-year-old for the superb job he did at Brighton, being called "outstanding" by none other than Manchester City icon Pep Guardiola.
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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is a big "admirer" of Potter, which further adds fuel to the fire, and the fact that he played eye-catching possession-based football with the Seagulls, often in a 3-4-2-1 formation similar to Tuchel but with more attacking impetus, suggests that he could get United fans off their seats again.
Bangladeshi left-arm fast bowler Qazi Onik has been banned for two years for failing a dope test during the National Cricket League in November 2018. After failing the test, he was removed from every BCB programme that he was part of.According to a BCB media release, Onik tested positive for Methamphetamine during an NCL match in Cox’s Bazar. He admitted to the offence and accepted a two-year suspension for an anti-doping rule violation involving his use of a prohibited substance.The substance is included as a stimulant, prohibited under section S6a of the 2018 ICC Prohibited list and consequently prohibited under the BCB Anti-Doping code 2.1, which has adapted the ICC Anti-Doping code.His two-year ban started from February 8, 2019, the day of formal notification of the player’s adverse analytical finding and the day upon which he accepted a provisional suspension. He will therefore be re-eligible to participate in cricket-related activities from February 7, 2021.Onik was Bangladesh’s highest wicket-taker in the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand, with 10 strikes at an economy rate of 4.58. In senior cricket, he has taken 15 wickets in four first-class matches, 41 wickets in 26 List A games and 11 wickets in nine T20s.
Tottenham have received a reply after tabling an offer for a "special" player, as chairman Daniel Levy and the Spurs recruitment team make early summer moves.
Postecoglou looking to upgrade in key positions at Spurs
Reliable media outlets have claimed that the north Londoners are ready to back manager Ange Postecoglou again this summer, despite their disappointing end to the Premier League campaign.
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On Wednesday, journalist Tom Allnutt wrote a report for The Times, sharing that Spurs are set to try and provide Postecoglou with three major signings in a new striker, centre-back and midfielder when the transfer window reopens.
The Lilywhites are prepared to hand their manager the necessary funds to upgrade his squad, coming after Postecoglou recently stated that serious change is needed at Tottenham. The Australian is also on record stating that Spurs will indeed look to bring in another central defender.
Top five Premier League sides
Goals conceded
1. Arsenal
28
2. Man City
33
3. Liverpool
38
4. Aston Villa
53
5. Tottenham
58
“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.
“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here. I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen."
Tottenham have displayed interest in Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly as one target, with the Englishman set to leave on a free deal this summer. Another bargain option could be Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, who is in the same position as Kelly, and has been pivotal for Fulham since returning to the first team.
Tottenham make Tosin offer with reply received
According to reliable Spurs news source Paul O'Keefe, Tottenham have actually now made Tosin an offer to join them on a Bosman deal.
However, it is bad news, with the £47,000-per-week Englishman refusing their approach. It remains to be seen if they come back in for him, but the evidence suggests he could be worth a second punt.
“He is a key player for us. He is one of the leaders in our dressing room and we need these guys to step in in the right moments and he did it,” said Marco Silva on Tosin's excellent 23/24 form.
“We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation. The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back).
“For three months we missed him but he has just played the last four or five games and he is getting better and better. A great performance from him against Everton and to be able to take the last decision to be deciding the game he deserves all the credit.”
Neil McKenzie, Bangladesh’s batting coach, has said that Tamim Iqbal’s game is in need of a slight adjustment. The left-hander has not given any hint of being out of form after returning from his short hiatus from international cricket, but his anchor role has, in some quarters, been misinterpreted.In the first ODI against Zimbabwe, for example, Iqbal took 43 balls to make just 24 runs. While that suggests he is slowing down at the crease, in the end, Bangladesh got to a total of 321 for 6 which proved plenty more than enough. McKenzie, who has worked closely with all of Bangladesh’s frontline batsmen in the last two years, stressed that Iqbal is an important cog in laying the platform for a big total, but perhaps needed to hit a couple of more boundaries in the Powerplay to give himself a better strike-rate.”Tamim knows what he needs to do,” McKenzie said. “It is boiled down to the specifics. We feel he needs two more boundaries in the Powerplay. Where he is going to get it, and what he is going to do, is his approach. No one is going to bat for Tamim, he will bat for himself. I don’t see it as batting too slow or quickly.”We know how important he is for the platform. He plays good shots to quality bowling. We probably just want an extra shot or two in the Powerplay. He has that covered; we know what he can do. We saw in the BPL last year, when he got that big hundred.”McKenzie said that Iqbal is well aware of his role in the team, and doesn’t need any guidance on how to construct an innings. “He knows his gameplans. We are not school masters here. We don’t tell anybody what to learn or what to do. We give opinions, thoughts and technical advice, and then it is upto the player to implement it into his game. We are not talking about a young guy. We are talking about a senior man. Believe me, he knows it before you guys or any of us do that he has made a mistake.”Tamim puts a lot of pressure on himself. He values his wicket a lot. It is what has made him successful. Maybe it is about trying to loosen him up for one or two balls. If he can get one or two more boundaries, all you guys will get off his back.”ALSO READ:Can in-form Bangladesh look past Mashrafe retirement drama?McKenzie was also pleased with how Liton Das understood that he needed to curb his shot-making in order to bat longer periods. “We didn’t tell him to play less shots. We have given him ideas of how we want the team to play. We don’t want to take away his natural instinct as a player. It is heartening for me to think that he has gone away and thought, ‘you know what, I have to match up risk versus reward. I keep getting out for twenties and thirties, I have to put that shot away.'”You saw yesterday how many times he kept the ball on the ground, and he got a hundred. It is good for Liton.”McKenzie dispelled the idea that Bangladesh are having it too easy against Zimbabwe, and won’t be tested against this bowling attack. He said that kind of complacency is what he wants the Bangladesh players to avoid at all costs.”You have to be hungry. You have to look for the badge or country you are playing for. Whether it is Zimbabwe or Australia, it is international cricket. These guys are hungry to do well for Bangladesh. You can only play against the opponent in front of you. There’s no opponent you can take lightly,” he said.”I think as soon as you are talking in that attitude, we don’t want that in Bangladesh cricket. Whether we are facing Australians, South Africans, Zimbabweans or the Afghans, you are playing for Bangladesh, representing millions and millions of people.”
Chelsea will be looking to return to winning ways at Stamford Bridge this evening when they face Sean Dyche's Everton side, who are fighting for their Premier League status.
The Blues could only manage a 2-2 draw away at bottom-of-the-table Sheffield United last weekend, with Mauricio Pochettino's side throwing away all three points after a late goal from Oli McBurnie.
Goals from Noni Madueke and Thiago Silva saw the Blues lead 2-1 until the 93rd minute when the Blades' striker popped up to secure a huge point for Chris Wilder's men.
Chelsea now sit ninth in the Premier League, six points off the top seven, with Pochettino's side having two games in hand, one of which comes tonight at Goodison Park.
However, they will be without Axel Disasi, who hasn't trained since the draw in Yorkshire, with the Blues boss needing to replace him with one man if they are to claim all three points.
Disasi set to miss Everton clash
The game at Bramall Lane would have been a bitter pill to swallow for Pochettino's side after leading the encounter for such large periods, but they need to bounce back against the Toffees tonight.
However, the Blues may have to do so without two of their key players. Boss Pochettino confirmed that Enzo Fernández and Disasi were doubts for the clash in his pre-match press conference.
Enzo Fernandez in action for Chelsea.
"We'll see. They are under assessment,” said the manager. "They have different types of issues. We don't believe they are big issues but we will see if they can be available.
"At the moment, they have not trained after Sheffield and that is why we don't know."
Disasi has enjoyed a brilliant run in the Chelsea team recently, starting all of the last 17 games for the club, but that run may come to an end given his current injury situation.
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The Blues are already stretched for options, with the likes of Ben Chilwell and Reece James currently spending time on the sidelines. However, Pochettino must look to bring one player back into the side after being left out during the trip to face Sheffield United.
The man to replace Disasi against Everton
Fellow French centre-back Benoit Badiashile has endured a stop-start stint at Stamford Bridge during his time at the club, before starting to pick up some solid form in recent weeks.
He started two games in a row against Manchester United and Burnley, before dropping to the bench against the Blades.
Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile in Premier League action.
However, given the club's latest injury blow, Badiashile should be brought back into the heart of the Chelsea defence with the 23-year-old boasting some impressive stats.
The "elite" talent, as described by scout Jacek Kulig, has averaged a 91% pass completion rate in the Premier League this season, as per FBref, with the centre-back also averaging 3.6 progressive passes from the back.
Badiashile's also won 2.2 aerials and 1.6 tackles per game with the defender showcasing his ability on and off the ball for Pochettino's side during 2022/23.
He's more than deserving of a consistent starting role without injuries, but given the club's desperate situation, the Chelsea boss must select Badiashile tonight, with the Frenchman capable of putting a consistent run of form together between now and the end of the season.
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The Tottenham Hotspur faithful have witnessed plenty of quality midfielders play for the beloved club in recent years, with the likes of Christian Eriksen and Moussa Dembele springing to mind.
That’s also the case this season, with Pape Matar Sarr, James Maddison, and Yves Bissouma all impressing under the influence of Ange Postecoglou.
James Maddison with Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou in the Premier League.
However, despite having an extremely well-balanced midfield that provides attacking threat and defensive security, the latter could be improved, as highlighted by the fact that Spurs have only kept six clean sheets all season.
With that in mind, there is one potential summer signing who could help improve that statistic while also making the Lilywhites a much harder side to compete against.
Tottenham’s search for a new midfielder
According to a recent report from Graeme Bailey, Tottenham are interested in signing Wilfred Ndidi this summer.
The defensive midfielder currently plays for Leicester City, but his contract is set to expire in the summer, meaning he could be acquired on a free transfers.
Due to the news that the Nigerian is likely to leave the club regardless of whether the Foxes are promoted or not, many Premier League clubs are now on alert.
Ndidi has the potential to become a bargain for any side that picks him up having played in 192 top-flight matches for the Foxes, but Spurs may already have the perfect role lined up for him alongside Bissouma.
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ByDan Emery Apr 9, 2024 Ndidi could unleash Bissouma in a new role
Bissouma has been a key member of the Spurs midfield this campaign, starting 22 times in the Premier League.
The number eight has often been fielded as the defensive-minded midfielder in the double pivot of a 4-2-3-1, playing alongside Sarr, who’s given the freedom to roam.
Yves Bissouma.
The Mali international is an incredibly important player for the Australian boss, sitting slightly deeper to control the game and regain possession for the team, as shown by his 92% pass accuracy and three tackles per game.
However, Bissouma has shown glimpses of having much more to offer than the role he’s playing right now, and the signing of Ndidi could see his shackled attributes unleashed.
Ndidi's 20/21 PL Stats
Stats (per game)
Ndidi
Interceptions
2.3
Tackles
3.7
Clearances
2
Duels won
7.1
Pass accuracy
87%
Touches
71
Via Sofascore
As you can see by the table above showcasing his average statistics from the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, it’s easy to understand why Ndidi is known for being a defensive “machine,” as per analyst Raj Chohan.
The midfielder is extremely strong in the duel, covers ground extremely well, and sniffs out danger with ease, and between him and Bissouma, the Spurs midfield would be extremely difficult to bypass.
However, from an in-possession perspective, the added security of the 27-year-old could potentially enable Bissouma to express himself on the ball much more frequently, especially in the final third.
Last weekend’s game against Nottingham Forest highlighted Bissouma’s urge to impact the game in the attacking phases, unleashing four shots in the first half from range.
Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma.
Furthermore, during the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star was allowed to show his creativity and technical quality, as displayed via his two big chances created and 1.2 key passes per game.
Overall, the potential signing of Ndidi on a free would be a great pickup for any club, even if he didn’t slot into the best XI, but he could certainly have a great impact in the Spurs midfield, enabling Bissouma to be unleashed further forward.
Following Super Sunday's result between title rivals Manchester City and Liverpool, Arsenal are back atop the Premier League table.
Mikel Arteta's side have fought back brilliantly from their festive period slump and have given themselves a real chance of ending their two-decade title drought come May.
That said, the game against Brentford on Saturday was hard work, and while Kai Havertz finally gave the north Londoners the lead, it was a game that was calling out for Gabriel Martinelli's influence.
He should be back from his recent injury in time for the game at the Etihad, although a talented Hale End gem could endanger his long-term future at the club.
Gabriel Martinelli's performances for Arsenal
Arsenal signed Martinelli from Brazilian outfit Ituano for just £6m in the summer of 2019, in what has to be one of the best deals the club has ever completed.
The talented youngster would make his full debut just a couple of months later – despite being just 18 years old – and score a brace as the Gunners ran out 5-0 winners against Nottingham Forest.
Starting XI on Gabriel Martinelli's full debut
Arsenal 5 – 0 Nottingham Forest: September 2019
GK – Emiliano Martínez
RB – Calum Chambers
CB – Shkodran Mustafi
CB – Rob Holding
LB – Kieran Tierney
CM– Joe Willock
CM – Lucas Torreira
CAM – Mesut Ozil
LM – Reiss Nelson
RM – Emile Smith Rowe
ST – Gabriel Martinelli
In the seasons since, the "sensational talent," as U23 scout Antonio Mango described him, has made 162 appearances for the club. In these, he has scored 41 goals and provided 24 assists, meaning he averages a goal involvement once every 2.4 games, which is undeniably impressive for a 22-year-old player.
Last season was his best yet, as the dynamic Brazilian scored 15 goals and provided six assists in just 46 games.
That said, the Guarulhos-born gem might need to improve his game further in the long term, as Hale End looks set to gift Arteta another wide talent who could take his place in a few years.
Why fans should be excited about Amario Cozier-Duberry
So the next Hale End gem who could fight their way into Arteta's first team over the next few years, and at the expense of Martinelli at that, is Amario Cozier-Duberry.
The London-born prospect joined Arsenal in September 2019 and, after putting in three years of impressive performances for the youth sides, signed his first professional contract in June 2022.
So far, the "unplayable" 18-year-old, as described by U18 coach Jack Wilshere, has made 77 appearances across the U18s, U21s and UEFA Youth League teams, in which he has scored 24 goals and provided 17 assists, meaning he averages 0.53 goal involvements every game.
This consistency has seen him make it onto the first-team bench eight times over the last two years, and while he might not make an appearance this season, it feels like a matter of when and not if.
Amario Cozier-Duberry's positional versatility
Positions
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Right-wing
37
17
6
Left-midfield
17
3
6
Left-wing
6
1
3
Attacking-midfield
2
0
0
Right-midfield
2
0
0
Defensive-midfield
2
1
0
Central-midfield
1
0
0
Centre-forward
1
0
0
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Described as "Hale End's finest" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Cozier-Duberry's positional versatility may help him make it into the first team, as the youngster has started a significant number of games on the left-wing, right-wing and left-midfield.
It's this ability to perform out on the left that could see him battling it out with Martinelli in the years to come for a starting spot in the first team.
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Ultimately, the young Brazilian from Ituano is probably safe in Arteta's starting XI for the next year or so. Still, over the long term, as Cozier-Duberry continues to develop, he could have a real fight on his hands – which can only be a good thing for the Gunners.
The players trudged off the pitch, aggrieved by their own enervated struggles as Wolverhampton Wanderers completed a league double. It's hardly a crisis, but Tottenham Hotspur clearly need to raise their game.
Fifth-placed in the Premier League, with Ange Postecoglou at the helm, Spurs have recruited shrewdly across the Australian's two transfer windows and there is an almost tangible sense that a new era of promise could have dawned in north London, but no one would argue that the road has not been laden with bumps thus far.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou.
Tottenham have conceded first across five of the past six fixtures in all competitions, and while the likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven returned from injuries in January that had ruled them out for several months, there is a lack of synergy that could derail a promising season if not rectified.
Postecoglou will have to work internally to come up with a solution, but that's not to say that chairman Daniel Levy hasn't been plotting ahead of the summer, identifying players capable of joining the fold, hopefully with the allure of Champions League football come autumn.
Spurs summer transfer targets
Richarlison has scored nine goals from his past ten matches in the Premier League and has started to look like the clinical goalscorer Tottenham hoped they had purchased from Everton for £60m back in 2022, but noise suggests that an out-and-out centre-forward is a priority position for summer.
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The Australian is a big fan.
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Not the only touted area for investment, the Lilywhites have fought hard to sign Conor Gallagher from Chelsea since Postecoglou's arrival but are still empty-handed, but a centre-midfielder will be signed this year, with recent reports suggesting as such.
Indeed, according to TEAMtalk, Everton's James Garner has been lined up as the dream Gallagher alternative, though with other Premier League outfits such as Newcastle United interested, Levy will need to essay a compelling case.
Everton midfielder James Garner.
The Toffees mainstay has been integral under Sean Dyche, impressing with his all-action ability, and could make for an astute acquisition to complete Tottenham's midfield.
James Garner's season in numbers
This season, James Tarkowski is the sole outfield player to have completed more minutes for Everton than Garner, who has been praised for working his "socks off" by The Athletic's Patrick Boyland.
As per Sofascore, he has completed 82% of his passes across 24 Premier League appearances this season, averaging 1.3 key passes, 2.8 tackles, 5.3 ball recoveries and 1.5 interceptions and clearances per game while 58% of his dribble attempts and contested ground duels.
An impressively versatile player, has played in every midfield role conceivable this season, both centrally and out wide, with steady success whatever the deployment. He is an invaluable tool for Dyche and had the natural positional fluidity to slot right into Postecoglou's system.
Garner had not enjoyed the same fruits across the 2022/23 campaign, failing to start any of the first 30 matchweeks in the top-flight after his move to Goodison Park, but Dyche has recognised his innate talent and now he's flourishing.
James Garner's style of play
Once hailed as an "absolute beauty" of a player by pundit Martin Keown, Garner moved to Everton from Manchester United for £15m back on transfer deadline day in 2022, a move that looks more of a bargain by the week on Merseyside.
The aforementioned versatility is something that only a select few players master but the £30k-per-week star certainly looks to be headed in that direction, perhaps emulating the likes of James Milner in that regard.
Strengths
Weaknesses
Ball retention
Finishing
Interceptions
Crossing
Tackling
Source: WhoScored
Postecoglou has a fine midfield; he has creativity in Maddison, defensive mettle in Yves Bissouma, match intelligence and technique in Rodrigo Bentancur, and prodigious energy in Pape Matar Sarr, but Garner would bring an industriousness and discipline that could finally complete the pack.
With an anticipated return to European competition on the horizon, this is the kind of profile required to fire on all cylinders, indeed why such a vested interest has been focussed on Gallagher's signature, and while Everton will be reluctant to part with their dynamo, Levy will be confident of snapping up his man.
James Garner.
Might it be a case of one out, one in? This crop of players is hardly small and with Oliver Skipp likely to retain a spot in the squad – teenage star Lucas Bergvall also officially joining from Djurgårdens IF later this year – someone likely needs to leave.
That's without even mentioning Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, whose exit would surely facilitate a swoop for Garner.
How Garner compares to Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
Hojbjerg signed for Tottenham from then divisional rivals Southampton for just £15m (the same fee Everton paid for Garner) back in 2020, with his crisp technique and robustness in the engine room fitting into Jose Mourinho's set-up.
Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
And indeed, while he has fallen by the wayside under Postecoglou, the Denmark international has maintained such strengths, ranking among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90.
But he's only started six times in the Premier League this season and even then only when Postecoglou is bereft of options, and with an average of just one tackle, 3.5 ball recoveries and 2.1 successful duels per game, he's hardly showing the kind of mobility and energy needed to flourish in the high-octane system.
As such, it's hardly a surprise that he's been deemed expendable, with a move to French club Lyon only falling through in January due to the player's rejection of the contract.
Out of contract in 2025, it seems natural that he will be urged to make a transfer away from north London this summer and that opens the door for Garner's arrival, with Hojbjerg's £100k-per-week salary a big burden off the weekly bill too.
Garner trumps Hojbjerg across nearly every metric of value and is young and improving at Everton. He'd be a treat under Ange's stewardship and must be signed this summer to continue the revival down N17.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola would take just one player from the Manchester United squad as it stands, it has been revealed, in a damning indictment of just where the once kings of the Premier League have fallen to.
Ratcliffe aiming to knock City "off their perch"
Since the departure of legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, United have fallen from their perch at the top of English and European football. With only minor silverware to their name in the last decade, they have seen Manchester City overtake them as the unstoppable force in club football, with Guardiola's side having matched the iconic treble of 1999 last season.
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Recent results have only served to demonstrate the gap clearly too, with United having beaten their noisy neighbours just twice in their last nine attempts, and watching them win four of the last five Premier League titles.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe now taking charge at Old Trafford, they will be hoping that the power dynamic shifts once more in Mancheste – the INEOS chief vowed to knock City and Liverpool "off their perch" – but Guardiola has offered a damning assessment of just how low the quality in the Red Devils squad is right now.
Guardiola keen on one Man Utd star
Now, a Football Insider report has claimed that given the choice, Pep Guardiola would take just one Manchester United star for his own squad, with everyone else believed to 'not have the capacity' to play in his system.
The Spaniard would only be keen on signing Marcus Rashford, with the Spaniard understood to rate his talent and style of play, while his pace and directness could offer something that would combine aspects of Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish's game.
Manchester United's Marcus Rashford.
Rashford has struggled this season after an excellent 2022-23 campaign, and he has found the net just five times in the Premier League, while his off-the-field attitude has been questioned after he skipped training following a night out in Belfast, something that he has since apologised for. However, the report details that Ratcliffe is determined to keep the winger at Old Trafford.
Premier League stats
Rashford in 2022/23
Rashford in 2023/24
Goals
17
5
Expected goals
15.4
5.9
Shots on target
49
16
Shot accuracy
45.4%
30.8%
Assists
5
2
United fans have also criticised his work rate on the pitch, most recently for his attempted pressing against Luton Town, a clip that went viral on social media.
Despite this, there has of yet been no indication that any party would be interested in the move. Rashford came through the Manchester United academy and is unlikely to follow in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho or Carlos Tevez in swapping one side of the city for the other, while City would likely be reluctant to pay the massive fee that any move would almost certainly demand.
The Englishman penned fresh terms at Old Trafford just last summer and his contract is up in 2028 as things stand, with the arrival of Ratcliffe and the INEOS group not set to change their stance on the winger.