All posts by n8rngtd.top

Leeds United are finally rid of Andrea Radrizzani, and his exit brings hope for a brighter and more sustainable future in Yorkshire for this prestigious club.

Despite being the man to lure Marcelo Bielsa to Elland Road, leading them back to the Premier League, the Italian former chairman made some questionable decisions during his ownership which drew scrutiny from the fans. By placing their home stadium up as security in a bid to buy Sampdoria, he had burned his final bridge.

However, the 49ers were willing buyers of such a staple of English football, with their desire to gain an instant return to the top flight surely high on their list.

This is a task that will not come easy given the diminished allure of their outfit, so perhaps a shrewd acquisition in the mould of a top Championship player could be a more intelligent investment.

Fortunately for the Whites, Bright Osayi-Samuel is one such name who reportedly wants a return to English football after a spell in Turkey. Leeds could give him just that, given their interest.

Who is Bright Osayi-Samuel?

Although he left Queens Park Rangers for Fenerbahce back in 2021, the 25-year-old dynamo remains a highly-rated asset who boasts fine experience in the division.

Given the struggles faced in that right-back spot last term for the Whites, he could mark a top option to make them immediately solid in a position of weakness.

Whilst he has struggled somewhat this year, the Nigeria international did maintain a 6.89 average rating the campaign prior, upheld by an 88% pass accuracy, 75% dribble success rate and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.

For comparison, Luke Ayling could only muster a 6.60 average rating, somehow outdoing his torrid 6.61 rating from the 2021/22 season.

Having spent two years in Blackpool and a further four in the capital, Osayi-Samuels' experience is vast despite remaining quite young.

Through the words of his former boss too, it is easy to understand why this would be such a masterclass by the 49ers, as he has shown form of shining within the Championship.

Mark Warburton once claimed:

"I thought he was very, very good. If you remember Bristol City away earlier in the season he gave the full-back a torrid time. He's been very good in spells in games but today he was consistent from the first whistle to the 75th minute. I'm not sure many teams have that blistering pace. As long as he knows how to use it and that's the key for him learning the game."

He continued:

"He's working so hard. He's got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and when he uses it wisely like he did today he looks a real handful. Today he was outstanding and deserved the applause."

The £15k-per-week whiz clearlt has all the attributes of an electrifying winger, but the added intelligence to defend staunchly now.

He could utilise all these skills to return to England and help reinstate Leeds into the Premier League, marking a true transfer coup to help them cruise out of this division.

Arsenal are reportedly leading the race for a Bundesliga ace, as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his side this summer.

The Gunners have been linked with a host of talent following the official opening of the transfer window last week, with one player showing signs of a once-loved hero in north London.

As reported by French outlet L’Equipe, relayed by Get French Football News last week, Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby has been linked with a move to Arsenal.

The news suggested that the Londoners are ‘ahead’ of Premier League rivals Newcastle United in the race for the 23-year-old talent, who is valued at £65m by his club as reported by Evening Standard last month.

What could Moussa Diaby offer to Arsenal?

Lauded as “electrifying” by journalist Aaron Stokes, the right-winger could add essence to Arteta’s squad of a player that was once adored at Arsenal.

Indeed, Alexis Sanchez lit up Islington during his four seasons at the club, recording an outstanding 87 goals and assists in 122 Premier League appearances after signing from Barcelona in the summer of 2014 for £35m.

The winger was integral to Arsene Wenger’s plans at the club at the time, acting as the star man in a steadily progressing side.

Hailed as a “fighter” by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, the Chilean gave the club some of the best moments of the Emirates era before controversially departing for Manchester United with two FA Cups to his name.

While his departure hurt in the capital, the talent and excitement that Sanchez provided won't be forgotten, and could be emulated in the near future by Diaby.

As highlighted by WhoScored, both Sanchez and Diaby share similar attributes. Chiefly, they are both deployed as wide players, with strengths in dribbling and attacking the final third.

In his final season at Arsenal, the Tocopilla-born gem averaged 3.6 shots per game, as well as 2.1 dribbles and 2.7 key passes per match, showcasing his fine abilities as a winger in his prime in the Premier League, via WhoScored.

At just 23-years-old, Diaby has recorded numbers that imply he could live up to the heights of Sanchez one day, as per WhoScored, the Frenchman recorded 2.4 shots, 1.8 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game in the Bundesliga.

Still quite a raw asset, the Frenchman will need to improve his game to become a more creative player but it's clear that Leverkusen's star man has a lot of talent in his arsenal, as highlighted by his threat in front of goal.

As per FBref, the Paris-born ace averages 0.35 non-penalty xG per 90, placing him in the top 8% of wingers in Europe in this area. Like Sanchez, therefore, he is a potent threat capable of generating magic in the final third.

To make matters even more exciting, he could arrive as one of the quickest players in the team, with his top speed of 36.10 km/h trumping that of Gabriel Martinelli's 35.85 km/h but falling slightly below Bukayo Saka's 36.36 km/h.

Arteta could add to the talent that he already possesses at the club by signing Diaby, who is already demonstrating attributes similar to Sanchez during his time at Arsenal. However, with Newcastle also eyeing the forward, only time will tell if a deal materialises for the lively speedster.

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane could be subject to another bid from Bayern Munich, with the Bundesliga club "working hard" to secure his signature, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham?

Kane has reportedly reached an agreement in principle to move to Bayern Munich, with his agent holding talks with the German champions in recent days, however their £60m bid was swiftly rejected by Tottenham.

The offer falls way short of Spurs' valuation of their talisman, with CBS reporter Ben Jacobs recently tweeting: "Spurs have rejected Bayern's €70m plus add-ons offer for Harry Kane. Daniel Levy in no mood to sell, and certainly not for under £100m."

Although his contract is set to expire next summer, Levy is driving a hard bargain, and there have been reports the 29-year-old could be willing to let his current deal run out, before leaving the club on a free transfer in 2024.

At the moment, however, Bayern appear to be undeterred in their pursuit of the England international, and transfer insider Dean Jones has told GiveMeSport he believes they could come back to the negotiating table soon:

"Information coming out of Germany is that Bayern have been working hard behind the scenes to understand the personal drive and ambitions of Harry Kane, and after weeks of exploration around his situation at Spurs, they had enough confidence to step forward and begin the bidding process to try and sign him.

"They know how difficult a deal like this might be, but they need a striker and want full clarification around the chances of getting him before they move on to their other prime targets Randal Kolo Muani and [Victor] Osimhen. The first offer is low but that just makes me think they will be back with another bid."

How much will Harry Kane cost?

According to The Telegraph, Tottenham may choose to cash-in on the Englishman, should they receive an offer of £80m from an overseas club, which indicates Bayern may not be too far off, leaving Levy with a huge decision to make.

It would be a risk to keep the £200k-per-week striker at the club for another year, in the hope that he is persuaded to sign a new contract, as losing him for free would be a real blow.

That said, even if Spurs do receive big money for Kane, it is extremely unlikely they will be able to find anyone capable of replacing him, considering his fantastic goal-scoring record, finding the back of the net 280 times in a total of 435 appearances for the club.

As such, Levy should hold firm for the time being, and only sanction the forward's departure if a bid comes in that is simply too good to refuse.

Tottenham Hotspur seem to be closing in on yet another fine addition to bolster Ange Postecoglou's team…

What's the latest on Micky van de Ven to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to The Mirror's John Cross, who took to his Twitter to detail an update on their pursuit of Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch defender has been linked with a north London switch for a few weeks now, but only yesterday was a breakthrough seemingly reached.

Writing on Twitter, the journalist detailed the specifics: "Tottenham are set to sign Wolfsburg defender Micky van de Ven in a £30m deal."

How good is Micky van de Ven?

Although a relative unknown the 22-year-old has been a stalwart for Wolfsburg recently. In tempting this star from such a club, perhaps they will also mimic Manchester City's success when they acquired Kevin De Bruyne from the German outfit.

Having just won the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League within one season, Pep Guardiola has once again written himself into the history books as a record-breaking manager who has completed a feat only done in England once before.

At the heart of that success was the Belgian creator, who has been an integral cog of the vast success earned at the Etihad in recent years.

Across all competitions last term he posted ten goals and a further 31 assists, adding even more silverware to his already sprawling cabinet. The 32-year-old has now won five Premier League titles, two FA Cups, five EFL Cups and that coveted European trophy too since moving.

It might seem unfathomable for anyone to match such success, but Postecoglou will surely have grand ambitions of forging a dynasty of his own in north London.

Van de Ven could mark the platform with which this success could be attained, as a defensive pillar with all the key attributes to hold down the Australian's back line for the next decade.

Last year in the Bundesliga, he would maintain a 6.85 average rating, upheld through his 88% pass accuracy, 70% dribble success rate, 1.4 tackles and 3.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

For comparison, the latter figure would have seen him rank as the third-best in that field within Spurs' squad, with his pass completion again making him joint third-best of those who have played more than five games.

However, it is not merely his technical assets that would allow him to shine. His physical attributes make him something of an anomaly, as despite standing at 6 foot 4 he also boasts frightening speed.

Marcel Schäfer, Wolfsburg’s managing director for sport, sought to detail this: "Left foot, extreme speed, plays every second. Micky [has performed] consistently very well throughout the season. He’s a player with huge potential and this season in particular has shown incredible development, playing himself into the spotlight with his performances."

The future is bright for this young defender, and perhaps a move to England under a coach that would help skyrocket his career would only bolster the fine foundations of this future star.

If he is to have half the success De Bruyne has earned in Manchester since moving from Wolfsburg, he would still be considered a wild success in north London.

Chelsea may have already signed Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku this summer, while Romelu Lukaku is due to report back to the club for pre-season training, but Mauricio Pochettino is seemingly after at least one more striker.

Which players are coming to Chelsea?

The Blues will inevitably be linked with countless players between now and the end of the transfer window, but there seems to be some traction regarding speculation surrounding Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic.

Following widespread reports last week that Chelsea had made a move for the Serbia international, it has now been suggested by Dean Jones – via GiveMeSport – that a second bid has been lodged.

Juventus are said to be taking their time over a decision, however, with talks planned with other Premier League clubs. It has now emerged that Chelsea could instead get the opportunity to land arguably an even better player in Arsenal gem Folarin Balogun.

How many goals has Folarin Balogun scored?

Balogun netted 21 goals in 37 Ligue 1 appearances last season while on loan with Reims – only three other players scored more in the division, with Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe (29) leading the way.

However, no player in the French top flight last season contributed to more goals for their club than Balogun, who scored 47% of Reims' 45 goals, as per WhoScored. Next on that list was Alexandre Lacazette for Lyon (42%) and Habib Diallo for Strasbourg (39%).

Little wonder Reims head coach Will Still described Balogun as an "unbelievable" talent earlier this year, albeit while jokingly criticising the youngster for how little French he had learned at the time.

The 22-year-old, who recently switched international allegiance from England to the United States, is now back at Arsenal but is expected to move on.

Balogun is said to only be interested in playing for a team where he is a regular starter, which may not be the case at Arsenal with Gabriel Jesus in place, while a loan exit has also been ruled out.

That could be good news for Chelsea as Football Transfers reports that Balogun's representatives have spoken to the Blues about a possible transfer between the London rivals.

Any deal could set Mauricio Pochettino's side back £50m, yet that would still be the same amount they would be paying for Vlahovic.

While Vlahovic is undoubtedly a talented player, his figures have dropped at an alarming rate since recording 0.92 goals or assists every 90 minutes with Fiorentina in the second half of the 2021-22 season, as per FBref.

That led to a £66.6m switch to Juventus, and after registering 0.67 in the second half of that season, it dropped to 0.56 in his first full campaign at the Allianz Stadium.

That 0.56 return compares to 0.69 for Balogun, in what must be said is a weaker side, while the former Reims loanee also comes out on top for shots on target percentage (41.3 v 30.8) and successful take-ons (1.05 v 0.65), among other metrics.

It may well be that Arsenal refuse to sell to a direct Premier League rival, but the deal certainly makes sense from Chelsea's perspective. Because whereas Vlahovic – who only scored ten goals in Serie A last term – appears to be on the way down, Balogun is very much on the way up.

Manchester United are in the middle of a 'very complicated' situation regarding a potential takeover of the club but 'things are happening' at Old Trafford with regard to the process, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest takeover news at Manchester United?

According to The Guardian, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani is 'increasingly uncertain' that the Glazers plan to sell Manchester United despite the club being up for auction since last November.

The report states that the Qatari businessman, who is heading up the Nine Two Foundation's bid to take control of the Premier League giants, has yet to hear back from the Glazer family concerning his fifth bid for control of the Red Devils, which is said to stand at around £6 billion.

Sheikh Jassim's main bidding rival, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS, are also still in the running to take over Manchester United and Ratcliffe has given an update on their bid to stump the Qatari businessman in a recent interview cited by The Manchester Evening News.

Ratcliffe spoke about the process in a book launch at Knightsbridge, stating: "We obviously can't say too much because we've signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and we respect that but there's still a process and we're in the process. "We have a good offer – we've met the Glazers a couple of times and we had a good conversation but at the end of the day it's their decision … we would still very much like to do it. I also believe we would do a good job and do it for the right reasons. We keep very focused on it."

As per The Daily Mail, Ratcliffe either wants to buy 69% of the club or a stakeholding of just over 50%, which could enable Joel and Avram Glazer to stay on in minority roles. On the flip side, Sheikh Jassim wants to assume 100% control without any involvement from other parties.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Romano has revealed that the battle for control at Old Trafford is still a 'very complicated' situation.

Romano said: "Things are happening, for sure, behind the scenes. This is 100% confirmed."

What next for Manchester United?

When the takeover process at Manchester United will conclude is anyone's guess and will not be something that Erik Ten Hag wastes too much time thinking about as he aims to refine his squad for 2023/24.

On a positive note, Manchester United have officially announced Mason Mount as their first summer signing for an initial fee in the region of £55 million, with add-ons potentially raising the sum paid to £60 million, as per Sky Sports.

In other news, the Red Devils have submitted a bid for Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana worth £38.5 million as a new signing in the goalkeeping department remains a key priority at Old Trafford, as reported by Sky Sports.

The Daily Mail claim that discussions are continuing with both Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Randal Kolo Muani over potential moves to Manchester United, signifying that the remainder of the transfer window may be an exciting time for the Red Devils.

Aston Villa have reportedly been offered the chance to sign La Liga starlet Nicolas Gonzalez, as Unai Emery bids to rejuvenate his side this summer.

The Spaniard has already hired talent from his homeland this transfer window, with Pau Torres making the switch from Villarreal to Villa earlier this month.

Now, it seems that the Midlands club aren’t finished with their shopping in Spain, if recent reports are to be believed.

Could Aston Villa sign Nicolas Gonzalez?

As reported by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo earlier this week, Gonzalez has attracted interest from the Midlands, with both Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers named as potential suitors.

The 21-year-old’s agent Jorge Mendes is reported to have offered the player to the clubs, with the possibility of him departing Barcelona this summer with his role in the squad next season unclear.

Valued by FootballTransfers at €14.3m (£12m), Emery could snatch a bright talent for a bargain this transfer window.

How good is Nicolas Gonzalez?

Lauded as a “diamond” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 21-year-old has returned to his boyhood club following a trialling loan spell at Valencia last term.

In a testing campaign for Los Che, the Spaniard gained some valuable minutes in La Liga, following on from his breakthrough season at Camp Nou.

A product of the infamous La Masia academy, Gonzalez is a player identified to have “excellent technique” and the ability to act as an “orchestrator” in the middle of the park, as described by Kulig’s scouting report of the talent.

For Villa, links to the rising star could come at a pivotal time of Emery’s reign, in which the Spaniard has the room and funds to tailor the squad to his liking ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

While the Villans are blessed with a number of gifted midfielders, capturing a La Masia product that’s valued by a club as influential as Barcelona could be a sign of things to come in a deal that could prove to be a very worthy investment.

The 6 foot 1 midfielder could prove to be the heir to Villa’s hero Douglas Luiz, who was the club’s best performer last season based on his average Sofascore match rating of 7.10.

The two bear many similarities expanding beyond their combative style of play and identical positions in game.

While Luiz rose to the top as the better defender between the two based on FBref comparisons from their respective 2022/23 league campaigns, the 21-year-old excelled in his distribution and threat going forward.

Averaging 2.24 tackles and 1.23 interceptions per 90, the Brazilian was an assured figure in Emery’s midfield who could one day be surpassed by the young Villa target, who averaged 1.73 tackles and 1.22 interceptions per 90.

The Barcelona DNA imprinted onto the Spaniard’s playing style is evident through his numbers, averaging a pass completion rate of 86.9% and making 5.19 progressive passes on average per 90.

Luiz followed closely behind in his passing numbers, averaging an 82.5% pass completion rate and 4.55 progressive passes per 90 in the Premier League, showcasing exactly how bright the talent of Gonzalez could be in Villa’s system one day.

The hope will be that Emery can once again utilise his La Liga connections to get a deal over the line…

Crystal Palace are now considering a shock move for Aymeric Laporte, with the defender unsettled at Manchester City after falling down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report from The Daily Star.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

Palace may need to bring in a couple of new centre-backs this summer, amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi, and journalist Dean Jones thinks they would do well to keep hold of the duo, recently saying:

"At this moment in time, keeping those two together would probably be Palace's biggest statement in terms of signings over this summer because they've done a brilliant job. I mean, Guehi, they're trying to price out the market and Andersen, they're just hoping he decides to stay with them."

It appears as though the plan is to keep hold of the two centre-backs, but if they are forces into sales, they could make a move for Torino defender Perr Schuurs, with it recently being reported they are in advanced talks over a deal for the 23-year-old.

The Daily Star now report that Laporte is also being eyed by Roy Hodgson, in what would be a shock summer transfer, with Pep Guardiola's side ready to accept a loss and sell the centre-back for a fee of around £35m.

The defender cost Man City £58m back in January 2018, however he has recently become unsettled at the Etihad Stadium, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably in recent times, potentially opening the door for a move to Selhurst Park.

Hodgson wants to strengthen the centre-back area ahead of the new season, and the manager is focussing on bringing in players who are assured in possession, and also possess top-flight experience.

At the moment, the Eagles are reluctant to match City's asking price, and they would prefer to launch a bid later in the transfer window.

How good is Aymeric Laporte?

The Man City ace certainly ticks plenty of boxes for Palace, given that he has made 120 appearances in the Premier League, and he is very assured in possession of the ball.

Although his game time was heavy limited last season, making just 24 appearances across all competitions, the Spaniard impressed with his passing ability whenever he got the chance.

Over the past year, the France-born centre-back has averaged a pass-completion rate of 92.7% per 90, which places him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he also ranks in the 99th percentile for number of passes attempted.

The 29-year-old has been lauded as "fantastic" by journalist Simon Bajkowski, who has also praised him for his ability to set up opportunities for his teammates, previously saying: "Aymeric Laporte showing again why he is the best defender City have got for creating chances from the back."

It is certainly ambitious for Palace to be considering a move for Laporte, however he has proven he could be an excellent replacement for Guehi and Andersen.

Wolverhampton Wanderers 'are likely to enter the running' to sign Southampton forward Che Adams this summer, according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

Which clubs are keen on signing Che Adams?

According to journalist Alan Nixon on his Patreon channel, Wolves and Bournemouth are among the favourites to acquire Southampton striker Adams this summer.

Nixon claims that Southampton would be looking to hold out for a fee of around £10 million for the Scotland international, who is in the final year of his £30,000 per week contract at St Mary's Stadium, as per Capology.

The Daily Mail indicate that both Fulham and Crystal Palace have enquired about the possibility of offering Adams a route back to the Premier League and he is said to be 'keen' on staying in the English top flight to secure his place at EURO 2024 with the Tartan Army.

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui will also have to enter the market for a new striker following news that Mexican marksman Raul Jimenez has completed his move to Fulham for a fee in the region of £5 million, as per BBC Sport.

Last term, Adams, who has been hailed as "fantastic", made 35 appearances in all competitions for Southampton, registering ten goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Sean Dyche's Everton have joined the chasing pack to try and land Adams as Southampton gear up to lose several star players between now and the close of play in the window, according to The Sun.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express reporter Taylor expects Wolves to enter the running to sign Adams this summer as a solution to their goalscoring deficiencies.

Taylor stated: “Yeah, I think one of the strikers that Wolves are likely to enter the running for is Che Adams. He’s attracted a lot of interest from the Premier League, certainly in the last 18 months. Nottingham Forest have looked at the player, Leeds looked at the player as well. Other clubs as well have been monitoring him including Everton, but I think that would be a smart signing as he is someone to build around.

“Although his goalscoring record has been quite disappointing, I think he’s an athlete, an attacker, he can hold the ball up, and he can go in behind, so I think that’d be a smart signing if they could get a deal struck with Southampton, although Adams is probably likely to feature as part of Russell Martin’s plans as well.”

Who else could Wolverhampton Wanderers look to bring in this window?

Journalist Nixon has also reported that Wolves are keen to bring Manchester City youngster Tommy Doyle to Molineux this summer on his Patreon; however, he is said to have stated to friends that he wants to be utilised in a starting role before making the move.

West Ham United full-back Aaron Cresswell could also be on his way to the West Midlands for a fee of around £2.5 million, with both parties in talks over a prospective deal, according to The Daily Mail.

As per Football Insider, the Old Gold are in advanced talks to sign Borussia Monchengladbach defender Nico Elvedi in a transfer that will amount to £7.7 million.

Other Premier League sides such as Tottenham Hotspur had expressed an interest in the Switzerland international; however, he looks set to join Lopetegui's men ahead of 2023/24 getting underway competitively.

Arsenal had seemingly tied up the bulk of their summer business, and yet rumours persist suggesting they could still swoop in late for another big-money acquisition…

Is Romeo Lavia leaving Southampton?

That's according to journalist Miguel Delaney, who wrote in his piece for the Independent that a number of Premier League clubs are considering an eleventh-hour move to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton, who has been under intense transfer scrutiny from Liverpool of late.

Having seen two bids rejected for his services, it has seemingly allowed the Gunners to return for the Belgian youngster, reigniting their interest alongside Chelsea and Manchester United.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Mikel Arteta, it has already been suggested, will likely have to sell before he can buy again. The suggestion within this report is that the 19-year-old midfielder will be his first purchase once he shifts on some of the deadwood.

The Saints are reportedly holding out for £50m for their young gem.

How good is Romeo Lavia?

To enjoy such a fine debut campaign in the Premier League at such a tender age has unsurprisingly earmarked the ace for future success, with some of England's finest clubs now vying for his signature.

However, of all the suitors showing interest, the north London outfit are arguably the most advanced in their road to dominating the division. Just last season saw them fall painfully short of toppling Manchester City in the league against all the odds, and they have already bolstered that squad heavily.

Now, with the introduction of Lavia, Arteta could perfect his outfit ready to challenge not just in the upcoming term, but for the next decade given their shared youth.

Bringing in such a busy, relentless defensive midfielder will be a keen addition not just to offer them more control in the engine room, but to help screen a backline that was often left exposed following William Saliba's injury.

With the Frenchman back and ready to thrive once more, having the Manchester City academy graduate just in front of him could offer the necessary security not just to take his ball playing to the next level, but also make his job defending far easier.

Early on last season, some pundits sought to strike up a rivalry between Arsenal's 22-year-old centre-back and Virgil van Dijk, who has enjoyed many successful years since his Anfield switch.

Whilst it was a debate certainly worth having, the general consensus remained that the Dutchman reigned supreme.

After all, the Premier League and Champions League winner remained as cool on the ball as ever despite the struggles Liverpool felt last year; he still maintained a 91% pass accuracy, a 100% dribble success rate, and therefore an average rating of 7.10 in the league, via Sofascore.

Meanwhile, Saliba could only muster a 6.96 average rating, yet did also manage a 91% pass accuracy and 90% dribble success rate of his own, via Sofascore.

The two share frightening similarities in terms of stature and play style, yet whoever Lavia chooses to move to could make the difference in shifting the tide between them.

Especially given he posted a 6.80 average rating in the league as his Saints side finished rock bottom, buoyed by an 86% pass accuracy, 68% dribble success rate, 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.

He was his club's eighth-highest-rated player despite his youth, and his tackling would have ranked him joint-first among Arsenal's players last campaign.

Journalist Benjy Nurick sought to supplement such a notion:

"Romeo Lavia was an absolute monster tonight. Quite possibly the best midfielder on the pitch. Seemed to win everything, so clean in possession, and controlling so much of the game."

Perhaps a switch to the Emirates could now see Saliba reach new heights, beyond that of Van Dijk, and in turn, allow Lavia to grow into a consistently stunning midfield general under Arteta for the foreseeable future.