All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

West Ham United are thought to be leading the likes of Aston Villa and Newcastle United in the race to sign an international defender who Michail Antonio already knows.

West Ham still eyeing more signings after busy summer

The Hammers, led by technical director Tim Steidten, backed new manager Julen Lopetegui during the recent transfer window, signing 10 new players ahead of the Spaniard’s first season in charge at the London Stadium.

West Ham summer signings

From

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Mohamadou Kante

Paris FC

Undisclosed

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Man Utd

€18m

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free transfer

Guido Rodriguez

Real Betis

Free transfer

Jean-Clair Todibo

Nice

Loan transfer

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan transfer

West Ham summer departures

To

Fee (Transfermarkt)

Flynn Downes

Southampton

€17.85m

James Ward-Prowse

Forest

Loan

Maxwel Cornet

Southampton

Loan

Nayef Aguerd

Real Sociedad

Loan

Said Benrahma

Lyon

€14.4m

Angelo Ogbonna

Watford

Free transfer

Thilo Kehrer

Monaco

€11m

Nathan Trott

FC Copenhagen

€1.5m

Ben Johnson

Ipswich Town

Free transfer

Joseph Anang

St. Patrick’s Athletic

Free transfer

However, on the pitch, things aren’t going to plan for Lopetegui, who has won just one of his first five Premier League games incharge of the Irons. Four points from a possible 15 sees the Hammers in the bottom half of the table, with improvements clearly needed over the coming months.

Talking after the 3-0 defeat to Chelsea last time out in the league, Lopetegui said: “The message for supporters is first to say we are sorry about today. We had a big expectation today, and we are going to do all that we can to do our best, to work more and to change things, for sure, because the season is going to be very, very long, very long and I am sure that this team is going to change a lot of things. But okay, I think it’s a moment to work, to not talk a lot, and to look forward.”

Away from the pitch and behind the scenes, despite the transfer window shutting, West Ham have still been linked with more signings, using the free agent market to bolster Lopetegui’s defensive options.

The likes of Joel Matip has been a mooted target, with rumours earlier this month suggesting that West Ham had offered the former Liverpool defender a two-year deal. John Egan was another linked with a free switch to the London Stadium but has since moved to Burnley, and by the looks of things, a new defensive target has emerged on Steidten’s radar.

West Ham leading race to sign international defender

According to HITC, West Ham are leading the race to sign Richard King from Cavalier FC, who are the Jamaican Premier League champions for 2023/24.

The 22-year-old defender already knows West Ham forward Antonio due to playing alongside each other for the Jamaican national side, with the Irons in pole position to secure his services.

Lopetegui must axe West Ham man who earns more than Summerville & Todibo

This Hammers talent is approaching the end of the line…

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 24, 2024

Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United are also name-checked with an interest in King, who stands at 6ft 1, but the report states that they are behind West Ham in the transfer race.

King has won 19 caps for his country and has played just under 90 games at club level. He could be one name to keep an eye on as we head into 2025, potentially being seen as competition for the likes of Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo and Konstantinos Mavropanos.

West Ham United are thought to be preparing a £30m+ offer to sign a “crucial” new Premier League attacker.

Liverpool 5-1 West Ham

The Hammers’ poor start to the new campaign continued on Wednesday evening, suffering a heavy defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup days after a 3-0 loss to rivals Chelsea. Manager Julen Lopetegui once again apologised to West Ham supporters following the defeat at Anfield, a game in which the Irons actually took the lead in.

Lopetegui said: “Today, there are two parts. We did very well until 70 minutes. After the red card [for Edson Alvarez], it was another kind of match. We lost 5-1, it’s true, but we had good things. We have to keep the good things.

“Above all, for our fans, we are very disappointed. We had 6,000 fans that travelled. They are going to travel a lot of hours now, maybe tomorrow they are going to work.

“It is a pity, because we would have liked to give them one win. But that’s why we say ‘so sorry’ to them and be ready to do our best in the next match against Brentford [in the Premier League on Saturday]. It’s going to be a very important match for us.

“After the red card, it is a different match. But even with 10 players, we can be better. We have to keep the good things, to look forward to Brentford, and to be able to compete in the Premier League.”

He was as bad as Alvarez: Lopetegui must instantly drop 4/10 West Ham man

The Hammers fell to yet another crushing defeat last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Sep 26, 2024

This weekend’s clash against Brentford is the perfect chance for the Hammers and Lopetegui to bounce back after three defeats in four, but away from the pitch, work is still going on in the transfer market. Technical director Tim Steidten brought in 10 new players over the summer and has already been linked with adding to the squad in 2025.

Recent reports have claimed West Hama are in pole position to sign Jamaica defender Richard King, but in the attacking third, a new name is believed to be on the Irons’ radar.

West Ham preparing offer to sign Julio Enciso

According to a report from Spain, West Ham are preparing an offer worth up to €40m (£33.3m) to sign Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Julio Enciso.

It is claimed that several teams in Europe are interested in signing the Paraguay international, but it is West Ham who seem to be the most determined to secure his services.

The 20-year-old has been on the books with the Seagulls since 2022 and is primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play as a winger or second striker. Valued at €22m by Transfermarkt, Enciso has made 46 senior appearances for Brighton, scoring four goals and registering six assists.

Called a “crucial” player by former boss Roberto De Zerbi after helping the club qualify for the Europa League, Enciso could be a player to keep an eye on over the coming months ahead of a potential London Stadium switch in 2025.

Chelsea have undergone a huge midfield rebuild in recent years, phasing out the old guard of N’Golo Kante, Mateo Kovacic, and Jorginho.

Under Thomas Tuchel, that midfield configuration won the Champions League in 2021. However, as all three were ageing, the Blues knew that a rebuild in that area of the pitch was looming.

This has led to a huge spending spree on that area of the pitch, acquiring Moises Caicedo, Roméo Lavia, and Enzo Fernández for a combined total of €299.10m (just over £250m).

Fernandez made 40 appearances for the Londoners last season, scoring seven goals and providing three assists, Moises Caicedo made 48 appearances, scoring once and supplying four assists, whilst Lavia only managed one appearance, due to injury struggles.

One of those who was phased out by Todd Boehly to accommodate these new faces was Scot, Billy Gilmour.

The first impressions of Billy Gilmour

Chelsea signed Gilmour back in 2017 from Rangers, buying the 15-year-old at the time for around £500,000. The midfielder quickly became prominent in the Chelsea youth ranks, making 79 appearances for the U18, U19, and U21 teams.

Gilmour earned his senior call up under Frank Lampard, appearing in pre-season for the Blues in 2019, before making his Premier League debut in August 2019, and starting his first game for Chelsea, in the EFL Cup against Grimsby in September.

Another Chelsea academy graduate, Patrick van Aanholt, praised Gilmour calling him “basically N’Golo Kante” in a performance for Scotland, and maybe Chelsea missed a trick by selling him for such a small fee, even if they did rake in a huge profit, with the former academy man joining Brighton for just £9m in 2022.

Billy Gilmour's stats since leaving Chelsea

The young Scot made 60 appearances for Brighton, quickly establishing himself as a key player for Roberto De Zerbi after Graham Potter left to take over Chelsea, weeks after Gilmour’s arrival. The midfielder even stated it’s “amazing” to play for De Zerbi, saying his tough love spurred him on to perform better.

Gilmour made 41 appearances for Brighton in the 2023/24 campaign in all competitions, providing two assists, and contributing to nine clean sheets in his 2,926 minutes played.

Goals + Assists

0.06

0.29

0.11

Progressive Carries

1.62

2.12

0.85

Progressive Passes

7.68

8.57

5.44

Shots Total

0.96

1.90

0.44

Passes Attempted

84.2

76.0

66.6

Pass Completion %

90.8%

84.5%

90.0%

Key Passes

0.83

1.31

0.72

Passes into Final Third

7.09

7.22

5.53

Tackles

1.03

2.04

2.86

Interceptions

0.52

0.73

1.10

Comparing Gilmour to Chelsea’s midfielders last season shows how closely he actually ranks in many metrics. Firstly, Gilmour averaged the most pass attempts per 90, with 84.2, compared to Fernandez’s 76.0 per 90, and Caicedo’s 66.6 per 90.

He also averages the highest pass completion rate, with these passing stats showing his comfortable he is on the ball, and a willingness to control the game with high pass volume and touches.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

The Scotland international does rank lowest in defensive metrics. However, being only 5 foot 7, his athleticism and power aren’t a key component of his game, and usually this would be provided by a midfield partner, in order to strike balance.

Gilmour’s impressive Brighton spell has earned him a move to Napoli, joining them this summer for an initial fee of £12m, with add-ons worth a potential further £4m.

The 23-year-old is yet to enter his prime years, and could still end up being a huge mistake for Chelsea, letting the talented midfielder go for so cheap.

Better than Mudryk: Chelsea have a teen who could be their next Hazard

He’s already demonstrated his qualities away from Stamford Bridge.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 13, 2024

Wolverhampton Wanderers have conducted shrewd business in the transfer market in recent times, signing players for a cut-price before either making a huge impact on the first team or making the club a tidy profit.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is just one example of the former, joining the club in a £12.8m deal last summer, producing many moments of magic, which includes his excellent strike against Nottingham Forest last weekend.

Pedro Neto is another excellent talent who has made the club a lot of money, joining from Lazio for around £18m in 2019, before leaving this summer in a £54m deal – making the club a £36m profit in the process.

Boss Gary O’Neil will be hoping new big-money addition Andre can replicate such deals, after joining for £21m from Brazilian side Fluminense.

He could potentially form an excellent partnership with one player who’s also started after his own move to the Premier League in recent times.

Joao Gomes’ stats for Wolves

During the January window in 2023, Wolves dipped into the South American market to secure the £15m signing of Brazilian ace Joao Gomes from Flamengo, with the youngster flourishing after his move to English football.

Since his transfer, the 23-year-old has cemented himself as a key player in Gary O’Neil’s side, making 52 appearances for the club – scoring on three separate occasions.

His subsequent form has seen interest from the likes of Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Tottenham – an indication of how impressive he’s been since his move to Molineux.

The addition of Andre could allow O’Neil to operate with an all-Brazilian centre-midfielder partnership, with the pair having the talent and potential to thrive together and push the club back towards a top-half finish in 2024/25.

However, despite the recent excellent dealings, they must regret letting go of one player who’s taken his game to another level after leaving the West Midlands two years ago.

Joao Gomes' market value in 2024

After coming through the club’s academy, midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White had huge expectations of being a monster talent at Molineux.

He enjoyed a stellar campaign on loan at Sheffield United during 2021/22, registering 20 goal contributions in his 35 appearances – with a place in the club’s first-team to be expected after such a successful stint.

However, he completed a £25m move to newly promoted Forest – a decision that, two years on, the club may have a "tinge of regret" about, according to journalist Neil Moxley.

Appearances

37

1st

Goals + assists

15

1st

Assists

10

1st

Chances created

74

1st

Big chances created

16

1st

Possession won in final third per 90

0.6

2nd

FotMob rating

7.24

1st

The “incredible” Gibbs-White, as described by former teammate Billy Sharp, received his first senior England call-up last week, a reflection of his impressive form at the City Ground, with the Tricky Trees subsequently demanding around £50m over the summer.

His subsequent value is higher than that of current Wolves star Gomes, who was deemed to be worth over £40m in the recent window, after his own impressive run in the Premier League.

After his achievements under former Wolves boss Nuno Espírito Santo at Forest, it’s understandable that many would regret the departure of the midfielder.

He has the ability to operate in tight attacking areas and create a moment of magic out of nowhere, something which O’Neil’s side often lacks in the final third in recent times.

Whilst they made a huge profit on an academy graduate, his talents would be perfect in the current Wolves, potentially handing them the perfect opportunity to push for a top-half finish this season.

Worth more than Neto & Kilman: Wolves hit gold on “one of the best players"

He’s been incredible for the Molineux side…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 26, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur's talismanic Harry Kane is open to giving the new boss Ange Postecoglou a chance in north London, claims journalist Alex Crook.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Harry Kane?

It was a disappointing Premier League campaign for Spurs last season, seeing three different managers take charge of the club only to finish down in eighth and outside the European places.

It's perhaps no surprise then that the north London outfit have already made a big splash in the transfer window, bringing in the reinforcements they need to avoid another season like their last.

James Maddison and Guglielmo Vicario have already joined the club, with Israeli international Manor Solomon set to complete a medical in the coming days. However, the primary objective for this window isn't an incoming, instead, it appears to be to prevent the sale of Harry Kane.

The England captain has just a year left on his current deal and has unsurprisingly attracted the interest of top clubs, including Erik ten Hag's Manchester United and European royalty Real Madrid.

However, it's Bundesliga champions Bayern that appear to be making the most substantial effort to sign Spurs' all-time top scorer, with the Bavarian side already having an initial bid of £60m plus add-ons rejected by the Lilywhites.

The Daily Mail has reported that the Germans are preparing a second bid worth over £80m, but even that isn't expected to be enough as the Spurs' icon seems reluctant to kick up the same level of fuss as he did two years ago over a proposed move to Manchester City, per journalist Alex Crook.

Speaking on TalkSPORT's YouTube channel, he said:

"I don't think Tottenham feel like they need showdown talks this summer with Harry Kane because I don't think it's a similar scenario to a year ago when he was hankering for that move to Manchester City. Of course, he effectively went AWOL from training, didn't report back for duty on time. Spurs aren't predicting or envisaging a repeat of that.

"I think Harry Kane is happy to give Ange Postecoglou the chance to prove himself and to prove this Tottenham reveloution can move the club forward, but according to our sources in Germany, Bayern Munich aren't giving up the fight just yet. They're readying a big money bid for Harry Kane, but I think it would take a huge money offer to persuade Daniel Levy to cash in on the England captain."

Did Harry Kane try to force a move two years ago?

As Alex Crook explains, there seems to be very little effort on the side of the player or his representative to force this deal through, at least to those of us on the outside.

Often when a player is the subject of a transfer saga, they can speed things along by either handing in a transfer request or outright refusing to participate in team activities like training or pre-season tours.

This, to a certain extent, is what Kane did in the summer of 2021 when the distinct possibility of a move to City arose.

According to the Guardian, during that summer, the "world's best striker" actively informed the club of his desire to leave north London over an increasing frustration at the team's inability to win major trophies.

The situation worsened as the season approached, with the superstar refusing to turn up for training after the club rejected Pep Guardiola's £100m bid.

Ultimately it was the player that blinked first in that situation and eventually rejoined the side before going on to continue his prolific goalscoring, so perhaps it's not that surprising that he is reluctant to once again go down that road, preferring instead to remain quiet and potentially leave on a free next year.

Manchester United have made an enquiry for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to reports.

What’s the latest Declan Rice transfer news?

Rice’s future has been a hot topic of conversation during the transfer window, with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal seemingly his preferred destination.

The 24-year-old, who former West Ham defender James Collins has hailed as "outstanding" and "incredible", allegedly agreed on personal terms over a move to the Emirates Stadium at the beginning of the month, however, shaking hands on a transfer fee has proven tricky.

The Gunners have had two offers for the West Ham star turned down already, the second of which was worth an initial £75m fee plus a further £15m in add-ons.

Premier League champions Manchester City also appear to be in the race for the central midfielder, and it looks as if those at Old Trafford have made their first move for Rice.

The Daily Mail’s Chief Football Reporter Sami Mokbel shared an update regarding Rice’s future on Thursday evening, where the Red Devils received a mention.

He claimed that Man United have made an enquiry for Rice in recent days and are considering offering a £40m fee plus defender Harry Maguire and winger Anthony Elanga. The reporter adds that United are outsiders in the race, with Arsenal in pole position for the England international’s services.

Are Mason Mount and Declan Rice best friends?

The Red Devils appear to be closing in on signing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in a deal worth £60m after further talks between the two clubs.

The England international has agreed on a five-year deal in Manchester worth £200,000-a-week, and it looks as if United officials are now looking into bringing Mount’s best friend to Old Trafford.

Mount and Rice have been boyhood best friends since the age of 12 after coming through the academy at Chelsea but have only been able to play in the same side at senior level when representing England. Therefore, should United’s ambitious move for Rice come off, you’d expect the pair could feature heavily in midfield under Erik ten Hag on a weekly basis.

However, United still have a lot of work to do before that materialises with Rice and West Ham, and you’d expect that the Hammers may want more than £40m, even if a potential move included Maguire and Elanga after turning down a £90m offer from Arsenal, making this one to watch.

Liverpool could be set to add some more exciting young talent to their ranks this summer, with Calciomercato in Italy reporting that Patrick Dorgu is on the club's wanted list.

Who is Patrick Dorgu?

The 18-year-old has yet to make a first-team appearance over the course of his career but has still stood out because of his showings in the reserves. He currently plays for Lecce's Under-19 side and managed 33 outings in the Primavera 1 over the course of the 2022/23 season. It amounted to a solid return of four goals along the way for the left-back.

Prior to his Italy move, he played in his home country of Denmark for FCN Youth and then Nordsjaelland's Under-19 side. He's also been given gametime with his national side's youth teams, playing for their Under-19 and Under-18 sides as well. With the former of the two, he has a healthy return of two goals in five games.

In spite of all this though, Dorgu is yet to break into the first-team picture at any of his clubs and has had to made do with reserve team football.

However, he hasn't needed senior minutes to catch the eye of Liverpool. The Reds have been watching the player on a handful of occasions according to Calciomercato, and Jurgen Klopp's side are now ready to make a move.

How much is Dorgu worth?

It's unclear just how much Lecce would demand for Dorgu if a deal was to go ahead and there is no fee currently mentioned in regards to a move from Liverpool. Transfermarkt suggest that his value could be around £400,000, which would be a decent sum for the Italians to generate from a player who has yet to feature in their first-team. It would though, be mere pocket change to a Premier League outfit such as the Reds.

He should, perhaps, rake in slightly more though considering his perceived potential. Danish Scout on Twitter for example shared a clip of the left-back driving through the opposition and tucking home a smart finish, and stated that he is an "extremely dynamic" player and is the "star" of that Lecce reserve side.

It appears as though he has some real talent then and if Liverpool can bring him to England, then they could have a future starter on their hands – although he would likely have to make do with more reserve team action in the interim for the Reds.

Mykhailo Mudryk has supposedly impressed new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino with his attitude by stating his desire to represent Ukraine’s U21 side.

What does Mauricio Pochettino think of Mykhailo Mudryk?

The season is now officially over for the Blues and many will be delighted by this as it will allow them to put a terrible campaign behind them, having finished 12th in the Premier League – their lowest-ever final position in the division.

Perhaps more than most, Mudryk will also be relieved to be done with English football for a short while, having really struggled to adapt to his new environment since his £88.5m January move from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Indeed, the £97,000 per week winger has scored zero goals and had claimed just two assists in 17 matches since arriving and has been subjected to plenty of criticism for his underwhelmed displays.

With that in mind, you might think he'd prefer to take a big break away from the game over the summer but according to The Telegraph, he hopes to play for Ukraine at this summer’s European Under-21 Championship in a bid to rediscover his best form.

The article explained: "Mudryk’s desire to try to recapture his form and confidence with the Under-21s is thought to have impressed new head coach Mauricio Pochettino and his staff ahead of the Argentine officially starting work at Chelsea on July 1."

Can Mudryk play for Ukraine Under-21s this summer?

Mudryk had actually already had a couple of weeks off since Chelsea's season finished but he did start in Monday’s friendly against Germany, even forcing an own goal off Antonio Rudiger in the 3-3 draw.

The article adds, however, that despite being in the senior Ukraine squad, the 22-year-old is also still eligible for the Under-21s for this summer’s tournament in Romania and Georgia.

With that being the case, he hopes to use this as an opportunity to "find some rhythm at a critical time" having not played an awful lot of minutes for Chelsea in the final stages of the season.

Interestingly enough, Chelsea’s Callum Hudson-Odoi once rejected the opportunity to play for England’s Under-21s after appearing for the senior side – which left Gareth Southgate unimpressed – and so Mudryk's decision shows the very opposite attitude.

There's no doubt, Ukraine's winger has failed to live up to expectations since arriving at Stamford Bridge but he's still so young there is plenty of time for him to develop with the right coaching and this willingness to play for his nation during the summer certainly shows he's really committed to fulfilling his potential at Chelsea.

Sky Sports have confirmed that a Manchester United takeover is no closer to completion, despite recent rumours of a deal involving Sheikh Jassim.

What’s the latest Man United takeover news?

It has been an eventful few days when it comes to Old Trafford takeover rumours, with speculation from Qatar suggesting that Jassim was successful in his bid to take full control from the Glazers.

As to be expected, that claim gathered plenty of attention in the media as claims emerged on both sides of the story, with journalist Ben Jacobs for example one of those arguing against the rumours on an agreement being reached, saying on Tuesday morning:

"Lots of speculation on the MUFC sale process, and an out-of-hours stock price surge reacting to that. But as of last night no group had been informed they are successful. Not expecting anything public or groundbreaking in the next few days. If that changes will update you."

Sky Sports have now confirmed that it was in fact Jacobs in the right and not the reports sending United fans wild, with chief reporter Kaveh Solekhol sharing news from “sources”. He said on Tuesday evening that the rumours regarding Jassim are false, adding:

"Man United fans will want an update on what is happening with a takeover. Is anything happening? Are we closer to any resolution?

"We’ve checked with all sides, with all our sources, and they’re telling us no update at the moment."

Jassim already planning Man United transfers?

Although Jassim is unaware if his fifth and final bid has been successful to take charge in Manchester, he already appears to be eyeing up a marquee signing for Erik ten Hag’s side.

Recent reports have claimed that the Qatar group are planning a stunning move for Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe. Jassim feels that the French superstar “belongs at Man United”, with PSG valuing the player at £170m.

However, with the transfer window now officially open, every passing day without a takeover resolution could impact United’s plans in the market. For example, back in March, some inside Old Trafford were worried that the ongoing saga would affect the club's planning in the window.

Hopefully, there will be a development soon for either Jassim or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but no off-field news continuing could spell trouble for the Red Devils and cause unrest among the club's supporters.

Arsenal have enjoyed some glorious days across their rich history, yet the start of Mikel Arteta's reign threatened to derail those years of success under Arsene Wenger.

Unai Emery had struggled to offer an instant impact following the legendary Frenchman's retirement, and so the hierarchy traded one Spaniard for another and instead put their trust in youth.

Despite a tumultuous opening two years, his most recent term has provided all the rewards their loyalty has merited. However, they are far from reaching their ultimate goal of toppling Manchester City and reclaiming that Premier League title.

It is common knowledge that to do this Edu will need to invest heavily once again this summer, adding more depth to a starting XI that could likely compete with anyone across Europe when fully fit.

In an effort to conjure the success of past regimes, perhaps the Brazilian sporting director could seek to replicate the key stars from those older periods of glory.

Fortunately for him and Arteta, the availability of Orkun Kokcu at just €40m (£35m), and their reported interest from last month, could see them emulate Cesc Fabregas' early days in north London.

Does Orkun Kokcu play like Cesc Fabregas?

Before he reverted to a metronome-like figure in the engine room of Barcelona and Chelsea, the Spaniard was an all-action box-to-box star, who would claim goals and assists from deep.

In Fabregas' first full year in the first team, the now 36-year-old would record 11 goal contributions, before taking that figure up to 17 the year following.

The apex, however, arguably came during the 2009/10 season, as he scored 15 and assisted a further 15 in the league alone, with 38 goal contributions to his name across all competitions from midfield.

It was no surprise that at the time Wenger claimed: "I have seen a lot of young players start in the game and he is one of the best I have ever seen. He gave a few final balls, set up the first goal and there were a series of key moments in which he was involved. It is very pleasing."

In Kokcu, they would gain another young goalscoring star from deep, given how his offensive exploits have fired Feyenoord to an unlikely title win in Holland.

The 22-year-old boasts 12 goals and five assists this term and has been dubbed "the best in his league" by former Juventus star Mohamed Sissoko, to emphasise his pedigree akin to Wenger's earlier praise.

His numbers are dressed up in a similar all-action play style that saw Fabregas shoot to fame, as when compared to other midfielders across Europe he ranks in the top 3% for progressive carries per 90 and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90, via FBref.

It is perhaps no surprise then to see such similarities drawn by analysts in the game, with Nick Gada stating during the infancy of the Turk's career: "Can see why Arteta is after Orkun Kokcu. His passing ability for a 19yo is unreal. A lot of similarities to a Fabregas / Cazorla."

In this dynamic Turkish superstar, therefore, Edu could hand Arteta some added firepower to replace the outgoing Granit Xhaka and allow the 41-year-old head coach to mould him even further in the image of his legendary compatriot.