All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Chelsea are not in talks with Paris Saint-Germain for striker Kylian Mbappe, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The 24-year-old is in the final year of his PSG contract.

What is the latest Mbappe transfer news?

The Frenchman looks set to leave PSG this summer.

Last summer the French international signed a new deal that was reported to be a three-year deal. However, the deal wasn't a full three-year contract, but rather two guaranteed years with the option of a third that could only be activated by the player before July 31st 2023.

Mbappe released a letter in June detailing that he would not be taking up the option to extend his contract, with many inside the club believing that the forward had already set plans in motion for a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024.

In response, PSG have told the forward that he will be sold, so the Parisians don't lose the player for free after spending £166m on the player in 2018. A number of clubs have reportedly registered interest in the Frenchman, with three Premier League sides submitting an enquiry, which were Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur.

Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal have submitted a world-record bid of £259m which has been accepted by the French side, with the deal said to be a one-year contract for Mbappe, which would allow him to leave for Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 on a free transfer. The deal also reportedly would net the French forward €700m (£600m) for one year, making him the highest paid sports star on the planet.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that despite rumours of a bid, Chelsea are not pursuing a deal for Mbappe due to three main factors: "Chelsea guys, we had rumours of a bid from Chelsea for Kylian Mbappe, but I’m told there is absolutely nothing at this point. This is about many reasons; Not having Champions League football, the financial fair play and also about the players will. At the moment sources from Chelsea believe there is nothing concrete with Mbappe. At the moment, Chelsea remain very quiet on this file, with the focus on Moises Caicedo

What positions should Chelsea sign instead?

The Blues have bigger problems that need to be addressed instead of buying Mbappe this summer.

Chelsea's midfield currently suffers from a real lack of experienced depth. According to reports, talks for Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Moises Caicedo have stalled after the London club had a second bid rejected for the Ecuadorian worth £70m. Beyond Enzo Fernandez, the most experienced player is currently Conor Gallagher, who is heavily linked with a potential move away from the club this summer, with the likes of West Ham United and Tottenham interested. Carney Chukwuemeka would be the next option, however, he has only played 30 games of senior football. The club desperately need to bring in some midfielders ahead of the next campaign if they want to return to their normal standards.

Central defence is another problem area for the Blues. Currently, Wesley Fofana will be out for the foreseeable future after suffering a major ACL injury, whilst fellow French defender Benoit Badiashille is also recovering from a long-term injury and will miss the start of the season. That leaves Chelsea with just Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill available, however, Chalobah could be departing this summer with Champions League finalists interested in adding the Englishman to their squad. Should that move go through, then Chelsea would have just two senior centre-backs for the start of the season, with one being 38 years old and unable to play week in and week out like in previous years.

Ultimately, whilst Mbappe would be an incredible signing, Chelsea simply have to address other areas in the squad first, making the outlay required for the Frenchman unattainable.

West Ham United are now ready to test Harry Maguire's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Manchester United, with the centre-back high up on David Moyes' list of centre-back targets, according to a report from The Telegraph.

Is Harry Maguire leaving Manchester United?

Journalist Ben Jacobs believes that Maguire may seek pastures new this summer, despite the fact Erik ten Hag may want to keep hold of him as a back-up option, recently saying:

"Obviously, ten Hag's perspective is that Maguire is going to get diminished game-time, but he is valued as a leader at the football club. Maguire may look to go elsewhere because he has to start thinking about the Euros and, ultimately, the long-term England game-time."

There have been several Premier League clubs linked with moves for the England international, with Wolverhampton Wanderers, Fulham and Sheffield United recently being named as potential suitors by transfer insider Dean Jones.

Jones also details that £35m could be enough to seal a deal for the centre-back, although some of his sources believe that Man United will ot be able to receive that figure, so they may have to consider selling him for a lower fee.

According to a report from The Telegraph, West Ham are now ready to test the defender's resolve to stay and fight for his place at Old Trafford, with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez now above him in the pecking order.

The Englishman believes he can force his way back into the Man United starting XI, and he is currently happy at the club, but he is now emerging as one of Moyes' top targets to bolster the centre-back area.

The offer of first-team football would give the 30-year-old a huge decision to make ahead of the European Championships next summer, with the Hammers looking to bring him in on loan at this stage, rather than on a permanent basis.

How good is Harry Maguire?

The Man United defender, hailed as "fantastic" by former teammate David de Gea earlier this year, has received heavy criticism over the past few years, and he has admitted he has found it difficult to ignore the critics at times, but a lot of it has been unwarranted, given the level of some of his performances.

At the 2022 World Cup with England, the former Leicester City man averaged a 7.34 SofaScore match rating, the second-highest figure in the squad, showcasing that he is still very capable of competing at the top level.

The Sheffield-born centre-back only received limited game time for the Red Devils last season, making a total of 16 Premier League appearances, but he did impress at times, ranking in the 88th percentile for aerials won per 90, and the 89th percentile for blocks in the past year.

A move to the London Stadium could be exactly what Maguire needs to reignite his career, particularly if he wants to keep his place in the England team for next summer's Euros, and West Ham should undoubtedly pursue a deal. However, a loan move is probably wise, as it may be difficult to match the defender's £200k-per-week wages if he is signed on a permanent basis.

Erik ten Hag has been given a boost in Manchester United’s pursuit of Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat as it now appears as though he is ready to depart the Serie A club for pastures new this summer.

How much will Sofyan Amrabat cost Manchester United?

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport (via Man United News), the midfielder has now asked to leave the club in order to move elsewhere and further his career.

Fiorentina did previously set an asking price of €35m (£30m), however they have now reportedly lowered this to €30m (£26m) and considering United’s budget for this transfer window is £100m according to The Athletic – without taking into consideration any player sales – then signing a player such as Amrabat for that aforementioned fee could be shrewd business conducted by the club.

The Moroccan international worked under Ten Hag during their time at Dutch side FC Utrecht, forging a solid relationship and this could allow him to settle in easily at the Red Devils should he move to the Premier League.

However, Amrabat could prefer a move to La Liga, with Spanish giants Barcelona also keen on signing him during the transfer window.

Could Sofyan Amrabat improve Manchester United?

For the Viola last season, Amrabat ranked second across the whole squad for accurate passes per game (45), second for accurate long balls per game (4.6) and sixth for tackles made per game (1.3) clearly evidencing his wonderful passing ability, while also trying to win the ball back often and this could allow him to forge a solid partnership with Mason Mount next term.

The Englishman will likely play in an attacking midfield slot for United, and he could thrive playing ahead of the 26-year-old, who will find him on a regular basis with his strong passing abilities and will also be able to sweep up anything that gets through Mount, giving the former Chelsea starlet much more freedom.

With the player ranking in the top 8% across Europe’s big five leagues for progressive passes per 90 (7.93) and the top 5% for pass completion percentage per 90 (88.8%), this further emphasises just how effective he is at circulating the ball and with Ten Hag looking for his players to be excellent with the ball at their feet and retain possession, Amrabat could be an ideal signing.

Mount ranks in the top 4% across the big five European leagues when compared to fellow midfielders for progressive passes received and this will allow him to take the ball from the Moroccan often and work his magic further up the pitch and having registered 111 goal contributions already in his senior career, he will be hoping to add many more for the Old Trafford side.

Journalist Muhammad Butt lauded Amrabat as “criminally underrated” following his performance in the Europa Conference League final against West Ham United in May, and combining his prior relationship with Ten Hag along with his relatively low price tag, making a move for him this summer should be a no-brainer by the Dutchman.

In doing so, the former Ajax boss could seemingly find a perfect partner to Mount in midfield…

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.

Manchester United are interested in Benfica youngster Joao Neves as Erik ten Hag looks to add another player to his squad following the deal to bring Mason Mount to Old Trafford.

What’s the latest on Joao Neves to Manchester United?

The saga surrounding Mount is finally coming to an end as United eventually agreed a deal which will cost them £60m in total – and Ten Hag shows no signs of slowing down.

According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the Red Devils are keen on luring Neves to the club this summer as the Dutchman looks to bolster his midfield options.

One key stumbling block could be a potential fee for the player, as he could be set to see his release clause raised from €60m (£52m) to €100m (£86m) due to a new contract being proposed for the youngster, which could be signed once he returns from the U21 European Championship.

Who is Joao Neves?

The 18-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough season during 2022/23, becoming another youth prodigy to burst onto the scene at Benfica having made his debut in December last year.

A move for Neves could be extremely similar to that of the deal to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford 20 years ago.

The United icon was also 18 years old when Sir Alex Ferguson signed him having enjoyed a breakthrough season at Sporting CP, with the Portuguese forward scoring 145 goals over two spells at the club.

Neves likely won't quite hit those scoring heights as he tends to operate as a central midfielder, although his adaptability could be a bonus for Ten Hag, as the teen gem can also sparkle in a more advanced role or drop slightly deeper if required.

Despite being in the embryonic stages of what could be a fantastic career, Neves is shining across a range of metrics for the Portuguese side, showcasing his passing and defensive skills.

Indeed, over the previous 365 days, Neves ranks in the top 4% for passes attempted per 90 (73.65), top 2% for tackles per 90 (3.83), top 1% for blocks per 90 (2.21) and top 6% for aerials won per 90 (2.06) of those playing at a similar level in his position within Europe, indicating that not only does he try and circulate the ball as often as possible, but he can utilise his aerial ability and tenacious nature to protect the defence on a regular basis.

Dubbed as “highly talented” along with a string of fellow Benfica youngsters by talent scout Jacek Kulig last year, his introduction to the first team has certainly garnered attraction from potential suitors.

Having enjoyed success in the Portuguese market over the years, with the aforementioned Ronaldo plus Bruno Fernandes shining since arriving from Sporting CP in 2020, it appears Ten Hag wants to replicate these success stories with a move for Neves this summer.

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.