All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Manchester City have been blessed with some incredible midfield gems over the years with the end of Kevin De Bruyne’s unbelievable journey with the Premier League giants now in sight.

With 108 goals and 177 assists next to his name, the Belgian will surely bow out as one of City’s modern day greats, with other stars that used to strut their stuff from the middle of the park in a similar dazzling way including David Silva and Yaya Toure among many others.

Now, it’s up to Pep Guardiola to find his next pool of exceptional midfield gems in the upcoming transfer window, with one target perhaps going down as a new take on Toure if everything aligns nicely.

Man City's pursuit of a new Toure

Before delving deeper into how City’s new target could go on to achieve greatness like the Ivorian, there are an extensive list of midfield names on Guardiola’s shopping list growing by the week.

Indeed, both German superstar Florian Wirtz and Nottingham Forest talent Morgan Gibbs-White have been incessantly linked with a big-money move to the Etihad, with Sporting CP winger Francisco Trincao also reportedly on City’s radar alongside arch rivals Manchester United.

Transfer Focus

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

But, their focus might now have switched to sealing the signature of West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta, with reports from Spain suggesting that Guardiola and Co have set their sights on landing the enigmatic Brazilian this summer.

The Irons midfielder has been on the club’s radar for a while now, notably seeing a £60m bid rejected back in 2023, before they registered further interest in 2024.

Paqueta has been embroiled in a whole host of controversies at the London Stadium, but when assessing his midfield capabilities in isolation, he has the potential to become the Spaniard’s next Toure, with the South American a skilful, but tough presence centrally much like the ex-City number 42.

How Paqueta could be Guardiola's next Toure

It will be extremely hard for the Hammers number 10 to ever become as beloved as the now-retired midfielder, considering Toure would end his esteemed stay at the club with three league titles next to his name after picking up 125 goal contributions in total.

But, Paqueta – now valued at £30m via Transfermarkt – could slot into Guardiola’s main XI as a similarly lively presence anyway.

Indeed, the 27-year-old has garnered a reputation for being an entertaining figure in the heart of the West Ham midfield ever since his move to the London Stadium in 2022.

After all, even with a betting scandal weighing heavily, Paqueta has still managed to chip in with five goals this season in all competitions for Graham Potter’s lowly Hammers, which included a nicely-worked move being finished off by the 55-time Brazil international during Potter’s debut match from the dug-out.

Toure’s goal tally was always grander than just five for Guardiola’s men – with his lowest for a season coming in at the heftier seven – but Paqueta’s 18 goals and 14 assists overall for his current employers definitely makes him stick out as a tenacious yet attacking presence in the centre of the park akin to the former City icon.

CM

Toure

231

58

32

DM

Toure

210

24

20

AM

Toure

75

11

13

DM

Paqueta

5

0

0

AM

Paqueta

134

27

19

Much like the ex-Barcelona man before him too, Paqueta can either be unleashed as an attacking “maverick” – as he was once labelled by David Moyes – or slot into the side as a more defensively-minded midfielder, with his high tally of 6.3 duels won per game this season in the league sticking out in this regard.

City will just have to hope any scandals next to the Brazilian’s name begin to dissipate on his arrival to Manchester, with the serial trophy winners finding themselves burnt here in the past when Toure exited the club in 2018 after being reportedly shunned on his birthday.

Whilst it’s obvious the 27-year-old is a similarly flamboyant character, everyone at City will just pray the “incredible” talent – as he was also lauded by Moyes – lets his football do the talking like Toure also successfully managed.

Their answer to Wirtz: Man City preparing bid for "world-class" £85m star

Manchester City could still win their answer to Florian Wirtz by signing this superstar instead.

ByKelan Sarson May 8, 2025

Manchester United are now ready to trigger the release clause to sign an “incredible” midfielder, having recently held talks over a deal, according to a report.

Man Utd searching for a playmaker

While Bruno Fernandes is enjoying an impressive campaign on a personal level, picking up 17 goals and 18 assists in all competitions, few other players have contributed to Man United’s attacking output.

The Red Devils have looked particularly devoid of ideas in the Premier League, having created 59 big chances throughout the campaign, which is just the 13th highest number in the division and below the likes of Fulham, Brentford and Crystal Palace.

As such, it is clear that Ruben Amorim needs a new creative spark in midfield, and work has started to bring in a new number 10, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha edging closer towards completing a move to Old Trafford.

He'd be incredible with Cunha: £40m PL star now keen on signing for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to land another star forward alongside Matheu Cunha.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 29, 2025

United are also leading the race for Lyon attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, who could be available for the bargain fee of £30m this summer, amid the French club’s ongoing financial issues.

There have been suggestions that Man Utd could be willing to take a punt on Franco Mastantuono too, and there has now been a new update on their pursuit of the 17-year-old.

According to a report from TyC Sports (via Sport Witness), INEOS and Man Utd are now ready to trigger the €45m (£38m) release clause in Mastantuono’s River Plate contract, having recently held talks with the Argentine club.

However, rather than shelling out £38m outright, the Red Devils want to pay in installments, and it is unclear whether River Plate would be willing to agree to a deal of that nature.

Moreover, the teenager isn’t showing many signs that he is keen on a move to Old Trafford, with Real Madrid believed to be his preferred destination, despite talks over a move to the Spanish club breaking down last year.

"Incredible" Mastantuono destined to be future star

Compatriot Enzo Fernandez clearly believes the youngster has what it takes to succeed in Europe, saying: “He’s showing that he has a European future. You can see it.

“He’s an incredible player. He’s doing very well and has shown great talent. In my opinion, he’s a star.”

It is little wonder the starlet could soon be in line for a move to Europe, having put in some top performances for River Plate, most recently scoring a stunning free-kick in the Superclasico against Boca Juniors.

The maestro has also impressed across a range of key metrics for attacking midfielders over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, most notably placing in the top 1% for successful take-ons.

Statistic

Average per 90

Shot-creating actions

6.20 (97th percentile)

Progressive passes

5.33 (81st percentile)

Successful take-ons

3.63 (99th percentile

Mastantuono is showing all the hallmarks of a future star, and Man United will be hoping a Europa League triumph could convince him to move to Old Trafford this summer.

One of the areas in the squad that Manchester United will need to strengthen this summer is in midfield. The Red Devils are set to lose Christian Eriksen at the end of the campaign, with the Dane hinting that he will depart the club back in March, explaining that the “collaboration will stop” between him and the 13-time Premier League champions.

Casemiro is another player who could be in line to depart Old Trafford. However, his performances in recent weeks have picked up, and he explained that “it’s too soon to talk about next season” in a recent interview.

The Red Devils have already been linked with new options in the centre of the park, including a move for one midfielder currently plying his trade in Serie A.

The Serie A midfielder United want to sign

It will certainly be interesting, to say the least, to see where Atalanta midfielder Ederson ends up at the end of the 2025 summer transfer window. The Brazilian has been constantly linked with a move away from the 2023/24 Europa League winners.

Transfer Focus

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

Now, according to reports from Spain, United are one of the sides who are considering a move for the Brazilian this summer. They ‘have set their sights’ on bringing Ederson to Old Trafford over the 2025 summer window, with the view of strengthening in midfield.

However, they will not be the only club looking to add him to their squad. United’s East Mancunian rivals, Manchester City, are also targeting a move, with the pair ‘willing to enter into a fight to secure his services’. That said, the report claims that it is United who have moved ahead, as the ‘contacts with his entourage are advanced’.

Should a deal get over the line, he could cost a reported £52m if he were to depart Atlanta this summer.

How Ederson compares to Manuel Ugarte

For Ederson, it has been an impressive season under Italian boss Gian Piero Gasperini in Bergamo. The Brazilian has been a key part of his midfield, happy to sit at the base and do the dirty work off the ball.

The 25-year-old has featured 43 times across all competitions this season, scoring four goals and grabbing two assists in that time, showing his merit in the opposition box.

One of those goals came in a 2-2 draw against Barcelona in the Champions League.

One of the reasons that Ederson’s transition to Old Trafford could well be seamless is the similarity in system. At Atalanta, Gasperini employs different versions of a back three, just as Ruben Amorim does at Old Trafford.

His job will be similar in both, despite the slight tweaks to the overall system. That is to say, he will be instructed to win the ball back and play it on to the likes of Bruno Fernandes, or get it out wide to the flying wingbacks.

That, in essence, is the job of Manuel Ugarte in the Red Devils lineup. He was signed last summer, although Ederson was an alternative, despite the fact that United never actually placed a bid for the Brazilian.

So far, the Uruguay international has made 37 appearances in that famous Red shirt, albeit with his only goal thus far a stunning volley against Everton to secure United a draw.

However, several key metrics, courtesy of Squawka, suggest Ederson would be an upgrade in midfield to the former Sporting CP star. For example, the Brazilian is better in possession, averaging 17.4 forward passes per game compared to 9.1 for the United number 25.

However, Ugarte does complete more ball recoveries each game, with 6.3 to Ederson’s 5.9.

Open play passes completed

49.7

36.7

Forward passes

17.4

9.1

Fouls committed

1.1

2.1

Ground duel success rate

53.59%

52.88%

Ball recoveries

5.9

6.3

As the numbers suggest, it seems like Ederson will be an upgrade on Ugarte in the centre of the park. He is more progressive and positive on the ball, whilst being just as effective a ball winner, if not more.

£52m is a lot of money for United to invest in their midfield for another summer, yet Ederson could well be worth that investment. It may well be a signing that strengthens Amoirm’s options in the middle of the midfield.

After all, Fabio Capello described him as “out of this world”, and for Man United, there might not be a better fit.

Upgrade on Rashford: Man Utd leading the race to sign £30m "monster"

Man Utd are looking for attacking reinforcements this summer

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 16, 2025

The wait to clinch the Scottish Premiership title will have to drag on even longer, with league leaders Celtic missing the chance to close in on that crown following Sunday’s shock defeat to bottom side St Johnstone.

A victory for the visitors would have ensured that a further win against Kilmarnock next week at Parkhead would have been enough to seal the deal, yet a rare off day for those in green and white has now delayed that title party.

Right from the off, Brendan Rodgers’ side didn’t appear to be at the races, with the hosts grabbing what was a deserved lead following a fine flicked header from centre-back, Daniel Balodis.

Typically, the Hoops tend to find a way in such fixtures, even when falling behind, yet up against an inspired Andrew Fisher in the home goal, the Old Firm side were unable to break down their stubborn opponents, with the Englishman notably keeping out James Forrest and Luke McCowan in expert fashion late on.

While that result matters little in the grand scheme of things, not least with title ‘rivals’ Rangers losing at home to Hibernian, there are some worrying signs creeping in among the high profile stars in Rodgers’ ranks.

Celtic's worst performers vs St Johnstone

The dismal nature of Celtic’s display was epitomised by the Northern Irishman’s decision to hook both Jeffrey Schlupp and Nicolas Kuhn at the break, with the latter man having been particularly poor once again amid his ongoing woes in 2025.

While the German winger still boasts 32 goals and assists in all competitions in 2024/25,he has now gone seven Premiership games without scoring for the champions elect.

Against the Saints, the former Rapid Vienna star was notably denied in the first half with the goal gaping, while also at one stage producing what Sky Sports commentator Ian Crocker described as an “awful” wayward attempt after cutting in onto his favoured left foot.

It would be unfair to suggest that the 25-year-old was the only villain on the day, however, with 30-goal man Daizen Maeda also rather muted after registering just 19 touches in total, as per Sofascore, while fellow forward, Jota, was far from at his brilliant best after completing just one of his six attempted crosses, and completing just two of his five attempted dribbles.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, club-record signing Arne Engels also failed to grab a foothold in the game prior to his withdrawal just after the hour mark, while the returning Auston Trusty endured a difficult afternoon after winning just seven of his 12 total duels.

Touches

Trusty (144)

Accurate passes

Carter-Vickers (119)

Key passes

Hatate (4)

Duels won

Carter-Vickers (11)

Aerial duels won

Carter-Vickers (9)

Possession lost

Fisher (27)

Defensive actions

Balodis (15)

Dribbled past

Kuhn (4)

The American centre-back may find himself ousted by the resurgent Maik Nawrocki next time out, with Reo Hatate another figure who should finally find himself on the substitutes bench.

The Celtic star who now needs to be dropped

It’s fair to say that Hatate looked like a player who has only scored once in his last 11 league outings, with the Japanese playmaker having been particularly profligate in front of goal at McDiarmid Park.

While the 27-year-old did pose a threat at times for the Hoops, he was simply far too wasteful, having fired three shots off target in total as the away side went in search of an equaliser.

In truth, the midfield maestro may have been somewhat fortunate not to be among those replaced by Rodgers in the second half, with Hatate’s woes particularly laid bare as he lost the ball on 20 occasions from his 82 touches – effectively losing the ball once every four touches.

That erratic display on the ball did yield four key passes for the diminutive playmaker, although little came of those openings, as he also failed to attempt a single dribble during his 90-minute outing.

With young Paulo Bernardo now waiting in the wings, it does beg the question as to why Rodgers continues to put faith in Hatate instead, with this stage of the season perhaps offering the ideal chance to shuffle the pack and experiment.

With the aforementioned McCowan – who replaced Engels in the centre of the park – putting in another lively cameo, including his late prod towards goal, it could well be that both the Scotland star and Bernardo come into the side next weekend.

As for Hatate, if the £16k-per-week star continues to blow hot and cold, he could find himself on borrowed time at Celtic Park, having showcased a real lack of urgency and athleticism on Sunday afternoon.

Chalkboard

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

Kuhn, it must be said, is the obvious figure in decline at present, yet it could be argued that Hatate is quietly proving even more disappointing in the engine room.

Celtic could now sell £16k-p/w ace who doesn't want to play under Rodgers

Celtic are prepared to offload several players this summer.

BySean Markus Clifford Apr 5, 2025

Eddie Howe didn’t name a weakened Newcastle United side against Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday in the Champions League, despite the Tyne-Wear Derby looming large.

Indeed, the 48-year-old went full strength, as he picked the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, and Anthony Gordon, even as his team’s tense showdown with Sunderland comes onto the overloaded fixture list on Sunday.

Going all out with his team selection didn’t mean a convincing win was forthcoming, though, as Newcastle’s frailties away from St James’ Park reared their ugly head once more in a 2-2 draw at the BayArena.

Unfortunately, many of Howe’s top performers throughout the season struggled in Leverkusen, as an 88th-minute equaliser from Alejandro Grimaldo proved to be a sickening end to a night that was meant to boost the Toon’s confidence, before travelling to the Black Cats.

Newcastle's worst performers vs Leverkusen

It was a well-worked move that saw the Spanish defender slot home past Aaron Ramsdale, but the lax marking of the full-back will have angered Howe at the full-time whistle, as Tonali looked nowhere near his energetic best once more.

The Italian just casually jogged about the pitch when the move was being orchestrated, with the ex-AC Milan man also falling victim to a sluggish display on the ball when giving up possession eight times.

As journalist Luke Edwards put it at the close of the 2-2 draw, he’s meant to “bring control” to contests late on, but looked haphazard on the flip side.

Moreover, Howe could now be second-guessing whether Malick Thiaw should start what will surely be a heated contest at the Stadium of Light, with the clumsy German fortunate not to receive a red card when bringing down Patrick Schick early into the first half, just before he could fire a shot at Ramsdale’s net.

Thankfully, the 24-year-old evaded the referee’s wrath, with the hope that he can get back to his rock-solid best on Wearside, having further come up short uncharacteristically on three of his eight duels away from St James’ Park.

Guimaraes was also left red-faced during the clash when he unfortunately put an own-goal past an unsuspecting Ramsdale, but he did more than enough at BayArena to keep his first-team spot, as seen in him notching up a hefty five key passes, as per Sofascore.

The same, however, can’t be said for one of his declining teammates…

The Newcastle star who must now be axed

Hailed as an “unbelievably frustrating” night from a Toon persuasion by Sky Sports’ Andy Sixsmith, it will be intriguing to see what changes Howe makes to his starting XI now for the demanding Tyne-Wear face-off to come.

Chalkboard

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

Joelinton dropping out feels like an obvious alteration, as the underperforming number seven limped off with a clear injury issue on the hour mark.

To make matters worse for the waning Brazilian, his replacement, Lewis Miley, scored within 14 minutes of his introduction into the lively game, leading one content creator to state that the young Englishman has now “claimed his starting space.”

Minutes played

60

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches

33

Shots

1

Accurate passes

20/23 (87%)

Key passes

0

Total duels won

2/9

Even if the lethargic South American didn’t have his injury issue to contend with, he would likely be fearful of the axe when looking at his poor numbers from the Leverkusen score draw in more detail, as the 29-year-old, who used to be known for his verve and determination centrally, ended up only winning two of his nine duels on the night.

On top of that, he also very much fell victim to fading in and out of the match, having come off at the hour mark with only 33 touches accumulated, unlike his midfield partners in Guimaraes and Tonali, who amassed a weighty 121 touches between them.

Even Ramsdale in between the sticks would tally up more touches, ending the 2-2 affair with a slightly higher 39.

Having lost his spark in the Premier League this season, too, with zero goals or assists next to his name from 13 league outings, it does feel like a straightforward swap to bring in Miley for some freshness against Sunderland, as the homegrown prodigy licks his lips at the prospect of facing the Toon’s fiercest rivals.

Dropping Joelinton is unlikely to be the only tweak at the Stadium of Light, as Howe does everything in his power to pick the strongest XI that hands his team the bragging rights on Sunday.

As bad as Tonali: £75k-p/w star had his worst game in a Newcastle shirt

This Newcastle star struggled in their 2-2 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen

ByJoe Nuttall 1 day ago

Tottenham’s unbeaten Champions League run came to a dramatic end at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night against PSG, but there were positives to take from the thrilling encounter.

The European champions were rocked by Thomas Frank’s plucky Spurs side, who gave Luis Enrique a real nightmare, with PSG mounting two separate comebacks to secure a pulsating 5-3 victory.

Midfielder Vitinha claimed a memorable hat-trick, with PSG having to rely on moments of sheer quality just to overcome the north Londoners in France.

Frank’s men stunned the home side by taking a deserved lead on 35 minutes through Richarlison, who headed home from close range after brilliant build-up play involving youngsters Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray. The Brazilian’s opener looked set to give Spurs a halftime advantage, but Vitinha crashed in a spectacular 25-yard equaliser via the crossbar just before the break.

Randal Kolo Muani

8.7

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

8.4

Vitinha

8.4

Willian Pacho

8.1

Joao Neves

8.0

via WhoScored

Tottenham regained their lead five minutes into the second period when Randal Kolo Muani fired home against his parent club, converting the rebound after Gray’s effort was cleared off the line. However, PSG responded immediately with a devastating 13-minute blitz that turned the contest decisively in their favour.

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Spurs want to back their under-fire manager.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 26, 2025

Vitinha curled home his second goal after being afforded excessive space to cut inside, before Fabian Ruiz completed the turnaround six minutes later following a costly turnover from Pape Matar Sarr outside his own penalty area. William Pacho then extended PSG’s advantage to 4-2 after Tottenham failed to clear Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s corner adequately.

Kolo Muani bundled his way through to drill home his second goal with 18 minutes remaining, briefly offering Spurs hope of salvaging something from the match. Those aspirations were dampened moments later, when Cristian Romero’s handball gifted PSG a penalty, which Vitinha confidently converted to complete his hat-trick and seal all three points.

The loss was Tottenham’s first in nine Champions League matches and leaves them sitting 15th in the league phase standings. Despite showing attacking intent and twice taking the lead, Frank’s young side were ultimately undone by defensive lapses during crucial moments in the second half.

Kolo Muani’s man of the match display against PSG, a club he’s still under contract with, gave Spurs major hope that they could have the answer to their striking problems after all.

The Frenchman, who’s suffered repeated injury setbacks since joining on loan, bagged his first goals for the Lilywhites and proved a real mence against one of the continent’s top sides.

However, Kolo Muani wasn’t Tottenham’s only bright spark on the night.

Thomas Frank praises "very impressive" Archie Gray in Tottenham loss to PSG

Speaking in his post-match press conference, Frank reserved special praise for Gray, who linked up with Bergvall for Spurs’ opening goal of the contest and provided real energy in midfield.

The 19-year-old has spent most of this season out with a calf injury so far, and before that, found it hard to get consistent first-team minutes with Joao Palhinha, Rodrigo Bentancur, Pape Sarr and Bergvall all ahead of him in the pecking order.

Much like last season, Gray responded with a solid performance when called upon last night, and it could be time for the Englishman to earn Frank’s starting nod much more often.

The former Leeds United sensation was given a baptism of fire under Ange Postecoglou last season when asked to play multiple unfamiliar roles during Spurs’ 24/25 injury crisis, and he’s done arguably done enough to earn the club’s favour.

With the 2026 World Cup just round the corner, Gray will be hoping that he can potentially stake his claim in Thomas Tuchel’s squad, but he’ll need Frank’s faith with more game time.

And so Tottenham Hotspur put the brakes on their campaign for the third time this season, having played out a frenzied draw with Manchester United in the Premier League.

And so Tottenham sit fifth in the standings, 18 points from 11 matches and eight points behind table-topping rivals Arsenal. Thomas Frank will be frustrated with the manner of this side’s dropped points last weekend, Matthijs de Ligt nodding home right before the final whistle after Richarlison had struck moments before and wheeled away in topless celebration.

How to dissect the details of Spurs’ season? Improvements have been made since Frank replaced Ange Postecoglou after that Europa League triumph last season, a strange repulsion between the continental elation and the sour taste of a 17th-place finish in the Premier League.

But Tottenham lack confidence and coherence and quality in the final third. To dare is to do. Are Tottenham doing enough? That is one of the biggest contentions of the campaign so far, and Frank simply has to find a formula to his side’s offensive struggles as the season heads into the wintry midpoint.

How Frank can fix Spurs' attacking problems

Tottenham have found a way to secure a greater number of points under Frank than they typically managed under his predecessor. However, more goals and created chances are needed if the Londoners are to hit the heights anticipated.

But this is a long-term project, and overnight success was never going to be on the cards. What Frank can do, though, is consider ditching Richarlison, even though the Brazilian scored with a deft header against United at the weekend.

We would be remiss not to acknowledge the cameo of Mathys Tel at the weekend, too. The young striker spun and scored after replacing Xavi Simons off the bench. It started the comeback that ultimately didn’t cement itself, but demonstrated the potential of a versatile forward whose talents could yet be fashioned into something special and suitable for life at the peak of the Premier League.

Dominic Solanke continues to languish in the infirmary, a frustration that has undoubtedly had an adverse effect on Frank’s start at the helm. Had the former Bournemouth striker been fit and in the form of his previous chapter across these past few months, Tottenham would have had a focal outlet from which to channel creativity.

It’s been an issue for the strikers, though, and there’s one man in particular whose campaign has been sent into a spin, even though some have acknowledged he has a bit of Jermaine Defoe about him.

Spurs' "Defoe-esque" star is becoming a big problem

Defoe was a proper Premier League striker. Something of a journeyman, he was always prolific and scored 143 goals across 363 matches in a Lilywhite shirt.

Tottenham

363

143 (31)

West Ham

104

40 (4)

Sunderland

100

37 (3)

Rangers

74

32 (10)

Bournemouth

64

23 (2)

Portsmouth

36

18 (5)

Toronto

21

12 (3)

Quick feet, attacking smarts and a natural-born instinct in front of goal made him a force to be reckoned with.

And now, some feel Spurs have found a similar profile in Randal Kolo Muani. Indeed, presenter Ben Bowman hailed Kolo Muani for his “Defoe-esque” attacking play after the weekend match.

In August, Kolo Muani joined Tottenham on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, but he has struggled for fitness across his opening months in England, left waiting until midway through October for his Premier League debut, and has yet to score or assist in four matches since.

Disaster has struck once again, with the 26-year-old having fractured his jaw during the draw against the Red Devils. Now he is set to see a specialist to ascertain the severity of the setback.

Given the nature of Spurs’ attacking problems, with the injuries, yet again, piling up, it’s fair to say that Kolo Muani is presenting quite the conundrum to Frank’s desk, with this being a “strong, fast and powerful” centre-forward, as said by one analyst, endowed with all he needs to succeed in the Premier League, yet one whose time in England may be short-lived and unsuccessful on the grass.

His time in the French capital was somewhat turbulent, having failed to nail down his presence after transferring from Eintracht Frankfurt in 2023 for a whopping £76m fee. However, a short loan spell with Juventus last season led to ten goals and three assists from only 22 appearances.

Linking this back to the aforementioned Tel, Kolo Muani’s second injury of his Spurs stint could provide the Frenchman with the chance to nail down a regular starting berth.

Couple that with Solanke’s much-anticipated return and the wonders that could work on creating a more solid and dynamic attacking spread, Kolo Muani may be a striker on borrowed time as he struggles to acclimatise before the end of the season, when he will surely close the door on his loan stay down N17 without a sharp upswing in fortunes that look unlikely to materialise at this stage.

Tottenham have some issues, to be sure, but they have also shown themselves to have what it takes to make incremental improvements this season and beyond.

With Kolo Muani now sidelined once again, however, Frank’s scope at number nine has been narrowed. How big a blow will this prove to be? Whatever the verdict, the Les Bleus star is becoming a problem for the London-based outfit.

Spurs flop who's been "swallowed in the PL" must be dropped for Odobert

Thomas Frank can unleash Wilson Odobert by ruthlessly dropping this Spurs flop.

2 ByDan Emery Nov 10, 2025

Liverpool are now reportedly ready to launch an offer worth over £35m to sign a key defensive addition instead of Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi in 2026.

Carragher admits it's "crisis time" at Liverpool

Liverpool look out on their feet. Mentally and physically, they have simply not competed in the last month. Defeat against Crystal Palace was a warning sign, before games to forget against Chelsea, Manchester United and now Brentford arrived to compile the Reds’ misery.

Off the back of four Premier League defeats in a row, the Premier League champions no longer look inevitable. They look like one of the most beatable sides in the top flight. It has been an inescapable disaster for Arne Slot in the last month, who couldn’t help but admit that even he’s not sure how to solve his side’s current problems after defeat at Brentford.

Meanwhile, Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher went as far as to say that it’s “crisis time” for those at Anfield: “To see the champions lose 4 games in a row in the Premier League with the expenditure in the summer, I think we’re in crisis time for Liverpool right now.”

Serious questions have now been asked about Liverpool’s summer spending. They finally broke the bank, handing Slot the keys to the kingdom with a spending spree worth over £400m.

They broke records to sign Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz while also welcoming Hugo Ekitike and Milos Kerkez, among others, all arrived. It was, barring Guehi’s collapsed move, the perfect summer.

Yet, months later, and only Ekitike has shown signs of real instant quality and the Reds have seemingly been forced back to the drawing board in need of defensive improvements.

Liverpool ready to launch Ordonez offer

As reported by South American outlet Bolavip and relayed by Sport Witness, Liverpool are now ready to launch an offer to sign Joel Ordonez ahead of Inter Milan worth over €40m (£35m) in 2026.

Liverpool lining up January move for starting calibre centre-back wanted by Real Madrid

Would this be a dream addition for Arne Slot?

ByHenry Jackson Oct 27, 2025

The Club Brugge defender would act as an alternative to Guehi, who has interest from Anfield and elsewhere ahead of becoming a free agent next summer.

With Ibrahima Konate yet to sign a new deal and Virgil van Dijk approaching his final year, Liverpool desperately need to organize the future of their backline. If they are to miss out on Guehi, then they must go all out on an alternative like the Ecuador international.

Minutes

532

742

810

Progressive Passes

4.83

4.51

6.22

Tackles Won

0.52

1.22

0.44

Successful Aerial Duels

2.41

4.27

5.11

Whilst there should be concerns about Ordonez’s aerial ability, his work in possession would at least help provide a solution for Liverpool, who have struggled to progress play without Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Described as “hyper aggressive” by analyst Ben Mattinson, the 21-year-old will be one to watch if Liverpool miss out on Guehi and Konate departs in 2026.