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Victor Orta has revealed that Leeds are likely to be quiet in the January transfer window and some fans are puzzled by the thinking of those at the club.The Director of Football suggested that he has little belief in the winter window as the majority of new recruits do not turn out to be successful additions, while he is also satisfied with the squad in place.In particular he has praised the defence and stressed the importance of continuity, but many supporters feel there are two aspects of the team which need addressing, and soon.Watch Leeds United Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

One is the lack of strength in depth, a problem which proved Leeds’ undoing last year as Marcelo Bielsa’s high-intensity regime took its toll on the players’ fatigue towards the end of the campaign.

Alongside that there is a worry about the goalscoring capabilities of the side, and the trust that is being placed in Patrick Bamford, who has returned just five goals from 16 league games.

Some, therefore, want more firepower up-front. Here are some of the reactions to Orta’s comments.

Liverpool have been handed a blow after it emerged that one of their star men is now a doubt for their upcoming clash against Bournemouth, handing Arne Slot a selection headache ahead of welcoming the Cherries to Anfield.

Liverpool looking to regain momentum

The Reds were stunned by Nottingham Forest in their last Premier League outing, falling to a 1-0 defeat in front of their own fans. A late goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi proved the difference between the two sides, and sent the Midlands side back to the City Ground with a landmark three points, leaving Liverpool left ruing their missed opportunities.

Trademark Callum Hudson-Odoi 🤌

Our winning goal at Anfield 😍 pic.twitter.com/bfYzP75kbI

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) September 14, 2024

It looked as though they may be consigned to another defeat when they fell a goal down minutes into their Champions League opener against AC Milan, but goals from Virgil Van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai proved enough to take all three points in a dominant midweek display.

Quickly back to winning ways, the Reds have a chance to close the gap at the top of the Premier League table once more, with a win this weekend moving them level with Manchester City on 12 points before the Cityzens welcome Arsenal to the Etihad stadium in a game where at least one of last season’s top two will leave having dropped points.

Liverpool reject has been even better than Diaz since leaving for just £15m

Klopp sold this talent after he failed to escape a bit-part role in the first team.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 20, 2024

In their way stand a Bournemouth side who have lost just once so far this season – a 1-0 home defeat against Chelsea coming after they had dominated much of the ball and seen a penalty saved. Now, it is Liverpool’s turn to try and get past Andoni Iraola’s side, and they have been handed an early blow in their preparations to do so.

Slot confirms Liverpool injury worry

That comes as Reds boss Slot has confirmed that goalkeeper Alisson is a “doubt” for the game on Saturday. Liverpool are already without midfielder Harvey Elliott, who was sidelined last week with a broken foot, and now look set to play without their no.1 shot-stopper.

“Alisson is a doubt to see if he can train today and if he can’t, then he will probably not play. We will have to wait and see”, Slot explained to the media, revealing muscle tightness as the source of the problem.

Since he signed from Roma, the Brazilian has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world, with journalist Rory Smith dubbing him “flawless” back in January.

“He has been the standout performer in the Premier League. He will never it it [Footballer of the Year] because he’s a goalkeeper. But that’s slightly unfair. I think he’s the standout player in the Premier League thus far. I think he’s been flawless.”

Alisson in the Premier League 2023-24

Appearances

28

Goals conceded

30

Clean sheets

8

Save %

73.4%

Still with three years left to run on his £150,000 a week deal at Anfield, the Brazilian is set to have new competition next summer following the signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili over the summer, with the goalkeeper set to arrive in the summer of 2025.

For now, it is Caoimhin Kelleher who will be turned to, with the Republic of Ireland goalkeeper already having made his desire to quit Anfield clear on several occasions including over the most recent international break.

Well, it might have been a competitive match, but Arsenal’s League Cup clash against Bolton Wanderers last night felt more like a training exercise.

Mikel Arteta might have made eight changes to the team that fought tooth and nail for a point at the Etihad on Sunday, but that made little difference to the result, as the Gunners ran out 5-1 winners against the League One side.

Unsurprisingly, given the scoreline, there were several stand-out performers for the North Londoners, although 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri and one of his fellow Hale Enders stood out.

Nwaneri's performance vs Bolton

There has been a lot of excitement around Nwaneri and his potential ever since he became the youngest Premier League player of all time two years ago, and while it’s far too early to be definitive, his first competitive start for Arsenal was a smashing success.

Yes, the opposition was a third-tier side, but you can only play who’s in front of you, and the Hale End gem looked entirely at home in the first team and may well have played himself into the side for Leicester City on Saturday.

The Enfield-born dynamo was seemingly everywhere he needed to be on the pitch, picking up a goal in both halves and had he been a bit more selfish in certain moments, he could have scored a hat-trick.

Football.london’s chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, was equally impressed with the 5 foot 9 ace, awarding him a 9/10 on the night, writing that the inexperienced youngster ‘looked totally at home’ throughout.

Unsurprisingly, his statistics from the game are also incredibly impressive. In his 94 minutes on the pitch, the electrifying midfielder took 44 touches, maintained a passing accuracy of 93%, played two key passes, was accurate in 100% of his long balls, took two shots on target and even made two tackles to boot.

Minutes

94′

Touches

44

Goals

2

Passing Accuracy

26/28 (93%)

Key Passes

2

Long Balls (Accurate)

1 (1)

Shots on Target

2

Tackles

2

In all, it was practically the perfect debut for Nwaneri, and while he will deservedly get most of the headlines today, one of his fellow debutants was equally impressive.

Myle Lewis-Skelly's performance vs Bolton

Yes, alongside Nwaneri, another 17-year-old prospect made a seriously impressive full debut: Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale End product caught the attention of the rest of the league on Sunday evening when he got under Erling Haaland’s skin for talking to David Raya behind the goal and came on for the closing minutes, but last night was his first competitive start for the club, and it was a special one.

Despite playing the majority of his junior games in a midfield role, Arteta opted to play the versatile prospect at left-back, although given the level of opposition and the flow of the game, he was able to get forward and come into the middle of the park without much trouble.

While his close control and general calmness were incredibly impressive for someone his age, the stand-out moment came in the 37th minute, when he played a sublime ball through almost the entire Bolton team, ultimately resulting in Nwaneri’s first goal, for which podcaster Will Balsam dubbed him a “different beast.”

Unsurprisingly, Kaynak was also very impressed with the Islington-born dynamo, awarding him an 8/10 on the night and writing that he looked ‘superb’ and that ‘more first team opportunities beckon.’

Minutes

62′

Touches

76

Fouls Won

4

Aerial Duels (Won)

2 (2)

Passing Accuracy

55/61 (90%

Long Balls (Completed)

3 (2)

Key Passes

1

Tackles

1

Like his fellow debutant, his statistics from the night back up this glowing appraisal. In his 62 minutes on the pitch, he took 76 touches, won four fouls, won 100% of his aerial duels, maintained a passing accuracy of 90%, completed two of three balls, played one key pass and made one tackle.

Ultimately, both Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly were superb last night, and while they are still so young, Arteta simply has to involve them more often from here on out; they are ready.

Arteta must finally axe Arsenal dud who earns more than Trossard & Raya

The talented international has been so unlucky in North London.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 24, 2024

Chelsea have been home to numerous elite-level strikers over the years, helping the club cement themselves as a top-end Premier League outfit.

Didier Drogba and Diego Costa have undoubtedly been two of the most successful forwards in the club’s recent history – capturing the hearts of the fanbase with their all-round talents in forward areas.

However, in 2024, the club lack that kind of presence up front, with Nicolas Jackson a striker who likes to play on the shoulder rather than as a player who can hold the ball up and bring other teammates into play.

The club tried to combat such an issue over the summer transfer window, but were unable to secure any new additions. They aimed to secure a move for one player but eventually missed out on a deal after long-standing interest in the centre-forward.

Chelsea’s interest in Victor Osimhen this summer

After wanting a departure from Italian side Napoli following the transfer of Chelsea flop Romelu Lukaku, the Blues were in the race to sign Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen.

The 25-year-old has been a constant source of goals for the Serie A side, scoring 76 times in his 133 appearances for the club – an average of 0.6 goals per game during his four-year stint.

However, Enzo Maresca’s side weren’t able to secure a deal for the striker, with the Blues in a constant battle with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli over a move for Osimhen.

Neither side secured a permanent transfer for the Nigerian, as the striker moved to Galatasaray on a season-long loan after the closure of the window in England and Saudi.

He would’ve cost the Blues a huge sum, potentially affecting their current PSR standing, but undoubtedly would have provided that added quality that the club have been crying out for.

However, the club may have made a mistake in allowing one player to leave Stamford Bridge, with the striker finding his feet in the Premier League in recent years.

Chelsea's Dominic Solanke regret

After coming through the club’s academy, striker Dominic Solanke had real high hopes of being a success in West London, scoring 35 goals at youth level and winning the 2015 FA Youth Cup in the process.

However, he would only make one first-team appearance for the Blues, featuring for a total of 17 minutes, before leaving for Liverpool in a measly £3m deal during Antonio Conte's reign in 2017.

Solanke’s career has taken a sharp upturn after his departure from Stamford Bridge, starring for Bournemouth in the Premier League, earning him a £65m move to Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

The transfer comes after the Englishman netted 21 goals in all competitions last season, a tally higher than summer target Osimhen, who could only register 17 goals for the Italian side.

Erling Haaland

27

Cole Palmer

22

Alexander Isak

21

Dominic Solanke

19

Phil Foden

19

Ollie Watkins

19

Given his recent success away from the club, Chelsea must regret allowing such a clinical striker to leave the club for a tiny fee early on in his development.

Maresca could’ve benefitted from Solanke in 2024, with the 26-year-old’s eye for goal undoubtedly improving the options available at his disposal.

However, it will remain a case of what could have been for the Blues, with Solanke’s talent improving rivals Spurs and potentially dealing the club a blow in their own hunt for Champions League qualification under Maresca this season.

Chelsea flop left on a free transfer, now he's outscoring Isak & Toney

He’s found his goalscoring boots after departing Stamford Bridge.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 9, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy personally favours Napoli striker Victor Osimhen as a potential replacement for Spurs star Harry Kane.

Will Harry Kane leave Spurs?

Kane, with his contract expiring in just 12 months, is rumoured to be attracting very serious interest from Bayern Munich as their manager, Thomas Tuchel, pushes for a move.

The 29-year-old has been linked with a Spurs exit before, namely two years ago, when treble-winners Man City were actively pursuing Kane to solve their past striker problem.

Pep Guardiola's side, according to Sky Sports at the time, placed bids in excess of £100 million on the table but Levy refused to budge – despite a "gentleman's agreement" with Kane that he could leave that summer.

Fast forward two seasons later, with City eventually signing superstar Erling Haaland in arguably the transfer of this decade, Kane appears closer and closer to leaving Spurs on a free transfer.

Tottenham have apparently offered the England international a "huge" new deal to remain in north London, though Kane is in no rush to sign it while the transfer window is still open.

Amid Bayern's interest, it is not seen as likely that Spurs will crumble and opt to offload their prized asset, but on the off-chance they do, there have been suggestions that they have their eyes on one player to succeed him.

According to Sport Bild, Napoli's star forward Osimhen is on Levy's personal radar to potentially step into Kane's shoes, but they may face an issue in persuading the Nigerian to join.

The 24-year-old is named as Levy's "favourite replacement" for Kane, but this report states that Osimhen may not opt to sign him for them given the conditions to win trophies aren't quite there yet.

As such, this could make matters even more difficult for Bayern, who really want to back Tuchel with Kane's signing this summer.

How many goals did Victor Osimhen score last season?

The African superstar has lit up Serie A with Napoli since his move from Lille in 2020.

Osimhen bagged 26 goals and four assists in 32 Italian top flight outings last season, standing out as Napoli's best-performing player by average match rating, as well as Serie A's best-performer overall (WhoScored).

In that time, he averaged a very impressive and threatening 4.2 attempts at goal per 90 – again the highest number of any player in Serie A (WhoScored).

The forward has been praised by members of the media for his excellent form over the past 12 months, with ESPN reporter Colin Udoh calling him a "monster" player.

"Such a monster of a player, Victor Osimhen," said Udoh.

"The technique to haul the ball in, the strength and close control to to shake off the first defender, the speed and technique to smoke the second. Such a complete player."

However, if Spurs are to mount a serious bid for Osimhen and convince the player to join, in the event of Kane's departure, they will have to pay a marquee fee for him.

Indeed, reports suggest Napoli chairman Aurelio De Laurentiis could demand as much as €120 million (£103m) for his services.

Newcastle United are interested in signing Sporting CP's teenage defender Ousmane Diomande and could look to rival a Premier League giant for his signature.

What's the latest on Ousmane Diomande to Newcastle?

That's according to a report from Caught Offside, which claims that Eddie Howe's Magpies are poised to battle Arsenal for the 18-year-old centre-back, who has caught the eye in Portugal this term.

He's not thought to be a priority at present, however, and given that the Leões have placed a £68m price tag on his head, it is unlikely that he will move for such an exorbitant valuation, but should negotiations prove successful, United sporting director Dan Ashworth might be able to orchestrate a deal for a precocious talent with a lofty ceiling.

Newcastle did qualify for the Champions League last season and have the affluence to pull off a transfer, but whether the cogs fall into place does still remain to be seen.

How good is Ousmane Diomande?

The aforementioned report states that while Sporting are under no pressure to sell their starlet, who is contracted to the club until 2027, he is "seduced" by the idea of plying his trade for a Premier League outfit.

And he certainly fits the mould for an aspiring ace looking to thrive in the English top flight, with FBref ranking the centre-half among the top 10% of positional peers across the divisions below the top European five for goals, the top 1% for passes attempted, the top 2% for progressive passes, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for tackles per 90.

He is also listed as the most comparable player to Ajax's Jurrien Timber, who is closing on a £40.5m move to Arsenal – effectively, this could indicate Newcastle are eyeing the superlative options to cement their backline over the next decade, rivalling the Gunners and more in their ambitions for silver-laden success.

He has even left talent scout Jacek Kulig waxing lyrical over the ace's ability, who said: "You rarely see a player with such high ball-playing and pure defender skills. There are some tactical improvements but I'm quite sure this kid will play for the best teams in the world. The signs of elite talent."

Diomande would enter as an unknown prospect but could swiftly emerge as the number one option to partner Sven Botman at the heart of the St. James's Park defence, with the Dutch defender excelling since moving to the club from Lille for £35m, earning praise for his "colossal" impact by journalist Josh Bunting.

With Botman the centrepiece of a thriving defence – the Premier League's joint-best last term, having conceded 33 goals (alongside Manchester City) – Diomande would have the perfect partner to absorb the fruits of his labour and continue his burgeoning rise.

And the variegated skill sets would also provide Howe with a dynamic defence, utilising Botman's aggressiveness and no-nonsense approach while harnessing the ball-playing skills of Diomande.

Given the trajectory which Newcastle are riding at present, Diomande could be a stellar signing to make, and despite his youthful years and inexperience, the signs of a first-class defender are there and the Toon side must make their move.

Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be assessing Juventus defender Gleison Bremer's availability as they mull over swooping for the Brazilian this summer.

What's the latest on Gleison Bremer to Tottenham?

According to The Telegraph, Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou seeks to fortify the backline after the outfit's poor season, largely due to defensive disarray – and Bremer could be the perfect new addition.

Believed to cost around €60m (£51m) to prise him away from the Old Lady, Tottenham will have to compete against Premier League rivals Manchester United to secure the 6 foot 2 ace's signature.

The 26-year-old is an untested commodity on English soil but has been impressive in Serie A over the past several seasons, and could be a good signing as the north London club look to rebuild after falling by the wayside this year.

How good is Gleison Bremer?

Having shipped 63 goals in the Premier League this past season and consigned themselves to a first campaign without European football since 2009/10 after languidly falling to an eighth-placed finish, Tottenham's requirement for defensive reinforcements is paramount.

And signing a dynamic and robust option in Bremer, who has been praised as a "high-level" gem by Brazil boss Tite, could be a fantastic way to rekindle the verve that has evaporated this year, with the former Torino ace playing 43 times across all competitions in 2022/23, scoring five goals.

As per FBref, the £153k-per-week titan ranks among the top 13% of centre-backs for pass completion, the top 8% for goals, the top 5% for touches in the attacking box, the top 12% for blocks and the top 19% for aerials won per 90, which has led the statistics-led site to draw comparisons to Liverpool's star central defender Virgil van Dijk, who Bremer could emulate with the Lilywhites.

Van Dijk signed for Liverpool from Southampton for £75m in late December 2018, and has since been instrumental in the club's illustrious success over the past several years, notably winning the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

He has been hailed for his distinctive set of skills by the iconic Ronaldinho, who said of the Dutchman: "[You] play with elegance and command the defence like a maestro."

And given that the £220k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 18% of positional peers for goals, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 1% for touches in the attacking box and the top 8% for aerials won, Bremer could sculpt his game to the distinguished 31-year-old's mould.

Described as an "animal" of a defender by Torino’s Mergim Vojvod, Bremer would bring tenacity and an imposing presence to Tottenham's defence and would likely rekindle some of their former vigour, and despite Postecoglou being unable to offer instant European endeavours, the tantalising prospect of a central role at a club seeking a renaissance could be enough to complete a transfer.

Chelsea may be set to lose N'Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic this summer, but they could well already have a ready-made replacement of sorts in 19-year-old prodigy Andrey Santos.

What is the latest with Chelsea's Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos?

Between splashing out huge sums to sign Enzo Fernandez, Mykhaylo Mudryk, Benoit Badiashile and Noni Madueke in the January transfer window, the Blues also confirmed the signing of relatively unknown youngster Santos.

Brought in for an undisclosed fee, though to be in the region of £18m, Santos was denied the chance to make any sort of impact in the second half of the 2022/23 season as he was unable to obtain a work permit.

However, as reported by the Evening Standard, the teenager has now been given the green light to begin training for Chelsea. It is claimed in the report that new head coach Mauricio Pochettino, a man known for giving youngsters a chance, is ready to cast a close eye on the Brazilian during pre-season.

Can Andrey Santos be an instant hit at Chelsea?

Santos' short career to date has been spent exclusively with Vasco da Gama, where he returned in March for three months after being blocked from representing Chelsea.

The young Brazilian caught the eye from a young age at Vasco, scoring eight goals in 33 Brasileiro Serie B games in 2022. Santos' reputation would further grow at the South American U-20 Championship, with the Rio native captaining Brazil to an undefeated title triumph and finishing as joint-top scorer with six goals.

As pointed out by The Athletic reporter Simon Johnson, "it was very smart of [Chelsea] to get a deal done" prior to the tournament taking place, with his fee only set to rise further on the back of his starring displays.

Santos arrives at Premier League heavyweights Chelsea at a point in which replacements are being sought for Kovacic and Kante, who have been linked with Manchester City and Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad.

Kante barely featured for Chelsea last season due to injury, but Kovacic started 33 times in all competitions – the same number of starts Santos managed last year with Vasco.

While the quality of the two leagues must be factored in, the statistics give an indication of what Chelsea can expect from Santos, who differs from Kovacic in some areas but is similar in others.

For example, Santos averaged 0.25 direct goal involvements per 90 last year, as per FBref, compared to 0.12 for Kovacic. The former is far more accurate with his shots, finding the target 36.2% of the time, which is an increase on Kovacic's return of 9.4%.

Santos won 1.97 tackles per 90, compared to 1.11 for Kovacic, while they were alike for interceptions per 90 – 0.83 v 0.87.

As he has shown for Brazil U20, Santos – who Lyon legend Juninho Pernambucano hailed as "complete" and dubbed a "monster" – is confident with carrying the ball forward and is capable of putting it in the net, which is further highlighted by his aforementioned goal return last term.

While he may lack the experience of Kovacic, who is a decade older, Santos has all the qualities to quickly win over Chelsea supporters in what they will hope is a brighter future than last season suggested.

If anyone can develop a promising talent into a first-team star, then it's certainly Pochettino and it seems like Santos will stand a good chance of being involved come the start of the 2023/24 campaign.

There has been an update regarding Manchester United's pursuit of Chelsea contract rebel, Mason Mount…

What's the latest on Mount to Man United?

As per various sources, the Red Devils are believed to have had a £40m bid knocked back by the Blues in their attempts to land the 24-year-old this summer, although CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has now revealed that United are expected to return with an improved offer, with the player himself open to the move.

Writing on Twitter, the transfer insider stated: "Manchester United will be back for a second bid for Mason Mount. #CFC rejected the initial £40m offer near-instantly. There remains a high probability Mount will leave and he's keen on the #MUFC move. Chelsea sticking to their valuation for now and #MUFC won't go above £60m."

As Jacobs stated above, the sticking point at present does appear to be the difference in valuation between the two Premier League clubs, with the Stamford Bridge outfit said to be demanding around £70m despite the Englishman having just 12 months left to run on his existing deal.

Would Mount be a good signing for Man United?

The addition of the Three Lions ace could no doubt help to offer a more youthful, quality alternative to the likes of Christian Eriksen and Fred in that number eight role at Old Trafford, with the one-time Derby County loanee also offering the flexibility to feature on the flanks or in a number ten role if required.

While Mount was part of a Chelsea side that finished 12th last season after contributing just three goals and two assists in 24 league games, the 36-cap ace does boast an impressive haul of 70 goal contributions in 195 games in total for the west Londoners, proving himself a real weapon in the final third.

The Portsmouth-born maestro would also benefit Erik ten Hag as he is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with reported Newcastle United target, Nicolo Barella, according to FBref, with the Italian ace believed to be closing in on a £50m switch to St James' Park.

The Euro 2020 winner has been described as "one of the best players in Serie A" by journalist Dean Jones, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has also lauded the 26-year-old as a "top class player" with that a marker of the midfielder's talents.

To then find their own version of the Inter Milan ace with the signing of Mount could be a real masterstroke for United, with the pair no doubt alike due to their relentless and energetic presence in the centre of the park, with the Englishman hailed as a "perpetual motion machine" by journalist Nizaar Kinsella, while Klopp has hailed Barella as a player who can "run for ages".

The pair both have the creative quality to match their seemingly endless engine, with the latter man notably ranking in the top 11% among his European peers for progressive carries and the top 8% for progressive passes received, while Mount ranks in the top 15% and the top 4% for those same two metrics, respectively.

As such, with it looking like rivals Newcastle are already set to strengthen their ranks ahead of next season by acquiring the Inter star, Ten Hag and co could hit back by landing their own version of the 5 foot 9 ace with the addition of Mount.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Manchester City centre-half Aymeric Laporte this summer, with the French-born Spain international reportedly "available" for transfer this summer.

That's courtesy of a recent report from 90min, which claims that while there are other clubs in the running for his signature, Spurs could look to tie up a deal to solve their defensive quandary.

The north London side shipped 63 goals in the Premier League this season, a tally bettered by every team in the top 14, which illustrates exactly where new manager Ange Postecoglou needs to prioritise as he looks to manufacture a winning mentality to return to European competition and end a 15-year trophy drought.

Laporte is valued at around £40m by the Citizens, and while he still has two years remaining on his current deal at the Etihad Stadium, limited game time has left the general consensus that he will leave for new pastures when the transfer window swings its door wide open, and Tottenham could benefit.

How good is Aymeric Laporte?

Having signed for the Sky Blues from Athletic Bilbao for £57m in 2018 – then a club-record acquisition – Laporte has chalked up 179 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four Carabao Cups, with the Champions League final but a day away.

He would bring experience and aptitude to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a defender for one of the best teams in world football for half a decade, perhaps instilling his winning mentality into an outfit desperate to clinch a slice of silverware after an interminable period without silver-laden success.

While Tottenham's backline hasn't been at the races this term, star centre-back Cristian Romero remains a formidable rock, albeit somewhat haphazard in his approach at times, branded "emotional" by Rio Ferdinand and "reckless" by Chris Sutton.

The robust Argentinian only featured 27 times in the Premier League this season but recorded an average Sofascore rating of 6.97 – the highest of any Spurs central defender – and completed 88% of his passes, also averaging 2.5 tackles, 3.6 clearances and 1.6 interceptions per game.

The £165k-per-week has been heralded as a "Rolls-Royce" by Martin Keown this season and is undoubtedly a sparkling prospect.

With Laporte beside him, the 25-year-old World Cup champion could finally demonstrate his full might for his club side, already ranking among the top 5% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles, the top 20% for interceptions and the top 17% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

An unyielding colossus with a "street-wise" attitude – as remarked by Jamie Carragher – Romero could benefit from the composure of Laporte, who has been hailed as the "best left-central defender in the world" by City manager Pep Guardiola.

Indeed, the 20-cap international ranks among the 3% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 1% for attempted passes, progressive passes and progressive carries, and the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, which could provide Postecoglou, who favours a "positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play" – according to chairman Daniel Levy – with the perfect orchestrator from the heart of the defence.

Romero's tenacious grit and Laporte's "exceptional" talents, as praised again by Guardiola, could work seamlessly upon the City ace's integration, and Spurs must now tie up a deal for Laporte, unleashing a dynamic new backline to cast aside the cobwebs of the 2022/23 campaign and chart a course for success unseen in what feels like a perpetual cycle of near-misses and years mired in obscurity.