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Wolverhampton Wanderers have agreed a transfer fee that will see them sign a Premier League player with international experience, according to a new report.

It has been a quiet transfer window for the Midlands side so far, but with just over two days left of the transfer window, things could soon start to heat up for Gary O’Neil’s side. Given that Wolves have started the campaign with back-to-back defeats, the club may be looking to do a bit more business as they try and get their season up and running.

Better than O'Shea: Wolves looking at late move for "dominant" defender

He is rumoured to have a release clause in his contract

By
Joe Nuttall

Aug 28, 2024

Wolves transfer news

Wolves have so far brought three new players to the club over this summer, as well as adding Tommy Doyle, who spent last season on loan at Molineux, on a permanent deal. But O’Neil is probably looking to do more business, as he will want his squad as strong as possible as they look to build on last season.

One area that Wolves seem keen on adding to is their defence, as the Premier League side were keen on signing Dara O’Shea, but they have missed out on him, as he’s now joined Ipswich Town. But according to a fresh update, Wolves have now turned their attention to Sheffield United defender Anel Ahmedhodzic. They are said to be ready to “step up” their pursuit of the international defender after missing out on O’Shea.

But as well as looking at improving defensively, Wolves are also said to be interested in signing former Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha. It has been claimed that Wolves have joined the race to sign the winger, who currently plays for Turkish side Galatasaray. Given that Wolves have sold Pedro Neto and Max Kilman, they have some money to spend, and they are now among the clubs interested in bringing Zaha back to the Premier League.

It is believed that Galatasaray are looking to get around £9 million for the former Manchester United and Palace winger, but first they've wrapped up a deal for a reinforcement at the back.

Wolves agree £10m fee for Sam Johnstone

According to Sky Sports News, Wolves have now agreed a £10 million fee with Crystal Palace to sign 4-cap England goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

It is being reported that advanced negotiations are still ongoing, but the deal is getting closer to being completed. Wolves have reportedly faced competition from Southampton, but have won the race for the England international.

The 31-year-old has been with Palace since July 2022, when he joined the club on a free transfer from West Brom. He has gone on to play 34 times for the South London side, with 20 of those games coming last season in the Premier League, as he conceded 27 goals and kept six clean sheets in the process.

Johnstone was a standout performer during his time with West Brom, as he was described as being “sensational” by former England striker Gary Lineker back in 2021.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire says new boss Ruben Amorim is the "total opposite" of former manager Erik ten Hag.

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• Amorim replaces Ten Hag at Man Utd
• Maguire compares two managers
• Backs Amorim for success at Old Trafford

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Amorim has taken over from Ten Hag at United but has endured a tough start to life at Old Trafford. The Portuguese coach has already admitted he could be sacked after seeing his team lose their last three matches in a row in all competitions to sit down in 14th place in the Premier League table and with a tough run of fixtures to come.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Maguire has lifted the lid on life under Amorim and says the new coach is completely different to Ten Hag. Amorim has already brought a fresh approach on the pitch, with his 3-4-2-1 formation, and has also taken a tough stance on Marcus Rashford – leaving the forward out of his last four matchday squads. Maguire says that Amorim knows exactly what he wants but has warned supporters the transition period will be "tough."

• WHAT MAGUIRE SAID

  He told Sky Sports: "The thing is with the managers and the styles, it is not like they have come in and they have similar styles. They are the total opposite in terms of what they want and what they demand. So the transition period is going to be tough. We all have great belief in the manager and all his coaching staff. I am sure things are going to turn around. He knows exactly what he needs to do to get this club back. He has come in and done everything he needs to do. He is really demanding. He is a winner, so I am sure he will be because he hates losing games. It is frustrating. We want to win football matches and make our fans happy because so far this season it has not been good enough."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD

  United are in dire need of a result but take on an in-form Newcastle next and will be without captain Bruno Fernandes due to suspension. The Red Devils then head to Anfield in the Premier League to face leaders Liverpool, before an FA Cup third-round clash at Arsenal.

Leeds United picked up their first win of the 2024/25 campaign with a 2-0 victory away at Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Friday night.

The Whites had drawn both of their opening games in the Championship, 3-3 with Portsmouth and 0-0 with West Bromwich Albion, and finally picked up three points in Yorkshire.

Brenden Aaronson opened the scoring with a composed finish in the first half of the match before Dan James' dinked hit secured the win in the second 45.

Mateo Joseph, who won the Sky Sports Player of the Match award, enjoyed a fantastic evening with his all-round centre-forward performance for Daniel Farke's side.

Mateo Joseph's performance against Sheffield Wednesday

The Spain U21 international has been tasked with leading the line for Leeds at the start of this Championship season and looked assured in the role on Friday.

He was heavily involved in the build-up to Aaronson's opener as he made a terrific run down the side of the defender and then chopped inside, drawing contact for what could have been a penalty, to lay the ball off for the midfielder to score.

The 20-year-old ace then provided a more deliberate assist for the second goal for Leeds as his sensational through ball split open the Wednesday defence and sent James one-on-one with James Beadle.

Whilst the academy graduate enjoyed a superb and productive night at Hillsborough, Joseph was not the only star performer for Farke as central defender Pascal Struijk was just as important to the team.

Pascal Struijk's excellence on Friday

The towering central defender lined up alongside Joe Rodon at the back and caught the eye with his calmness in possession and his dominance off the ball.

Struijk had a game-high 133 touches of the ball and completed 94% of his attempted passes, whilst creating one chance from centre-back, and this shows that he was comfortable and reliable with the ball at his feet, which helped Leeds to control the tempo of the game.

Out of possession, the left-footed titan won 88% (7/8) of his defensive duels, on the deck and in the air combined, and contributed to the clean sheet with a number of vital interventions.

As you can see in the table above, Struijk outperformed his centre-back partner for duels won, clearances, tackles, and interceptions against Wednesday.

This suggests that the Dutch ace, who was handed a match rating of 8/10 by LeedsLive reporter Jack Flintham, was the star performer at the back for Farke, as he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time to stop promising attacks for the opposition.

Therefore, the former Ajax man was as important as Joseph on Friday night as his superb defending helped to keep a clean sheet – for the second league match in succession – and provided the attackers with a solid platform to build from and win the game.

Farke could forget about Rutter in Leeds swoop for "magnificent" wizard

The Whites have been linked with an interest in the attacking midfielder this month.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 23, 2024

A free agent’s representatives have contacted Aston Villa over a possible transfer, according to a recent report. The Midlands side endured a very busy summer transfer window, as manager Unai Emery was keen to ensure his squad was good enough to compete in the Premier League and the Champions League, but have now been gifted the chance to add one more player to their ranks.

Aston Villa should've cashed in on star who earns 3x more than Duran

The Colombian has been in excellent form so far this season.

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By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 4, 2024

Aston Villa miss out on deadline day signing

As the transfer window came to a close, Villa finished it having brought in eight new players, with their biggest arrival being midfielder Amadou Onana from fellow Premier League side Everton.

But if Emery and Villa had their way, there could have been nine additions over the summer, as they had their eye on another player. They decided to let midfielder Leander Dendoncker leave the club on loan and join Anderlecht, but they were hoping to get a replacement through the door.

It was reported that Villa made a late move to sign midfielder Giovani Lo Celso from Tottenham Hotspur. However, the attempt was a failure, as he rejected the chance to remain in England because he was keen on a move back to Spain.

Lo Celso joined La Liga side Real Betis in a deal that also allows Spurs to have first refusal on Johnny Cardoso. Villa were unable to find a replacement for Dendoncker in what remained of the transfer window at the time, so it possibly means they are short in midfield, and they could turn to the free agent market, where a more attack-minded player than the Belgian is said to have already offered his services.

Free agent’s representatives make contact with Aston Villa

According to HITC, Yusuf Yazici has made contact with Aston Villa via his representatives over a possible transfer. The Turkish international has been without a club since leaving Ligue 1 side Lille at the start of the summer following the end of his contract.

The report states that Galatasaray are leading the race to sign the midfielder, who scored 12 goals last season in all competitions. But there are also a host of Premier League teams interested in the player, such as Manchester United, Newcastle United, Wolves, Southampton, Tottenham, Fulham, and West Ham United.

As mentioned, Yazici scored 12 goals last season, which was his best return in a Lille shirt. In fact, it was his best goal return in his career, as he was among the goals in the league, Conference League, and Coupe de France.

The 45-cap Turkey playmaker leaves Lille having scored 29 goals and chipping in with 15 assists in 135 games in all competitions. This is the player’s best return for games played and goals scored in his career, with him playing 120 times for Trabzonspor and scoring 27 goals in the process.

Yazici has also established himself on the international stage, scoring three goals for his country and featuring at this summer's EURO 2024 tournament, as his versatility allows him to get up and down the pitch from various positions in midfield.

The Dutchman has made a seamless transition in succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, vindicating the Reds' decision to pick him over the Portuguese

Last April, Arne Slot and Ruben Amorim were involved in title races in the Netherlands and Portugal, respectively. But in the background, the two coaches were facing off in the race to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.

Amorim was believed to be the frontrunner and in early April he moved to deny that he had conducted an interview with Liverpool or signed any agreement, insisting his only focus was on the Primeira Liga title race. Later in the month, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes flew out to Rotterdam to meet Slot, who then confirmed that negotiations were taking place and that he was "in the waiting room".

Now, nine months after Slot won the battle for the Anfield hotseat, he will meet Amorim for the first time time when a haggard Manchester United take on an all-conquering Liverpool. And the Reds' decision to pick the Dutchman over the Portuguese is looking like a masterstroke.

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  Guided by data

  Liverpool had a head start in their search to find a replacement for Klopp as the German first told them he would be leaving at the end of the season back in November 2023, two months before he officially announced his departure. And just as when they appointed Klopp in 2015 even after a disastrous final campaign with Borussia Dortmund, they were guided by the data.

  Liverpool's resurgence under Klopp had been underpinned by a data revolution led by head of research Ian Graham, with encouragement from sporting director Michael Edwards. The search for the German's successor was overseen by Will Spearman, who earned a PhD in physics from Harvard and previously worked in nuclear research before becoming Liverpool's lead data scientist, and ultimately succeeded Graham in 2022. Edwards, who left the club in 2021 but then returned as football CEO in March 2024, also had a key say, along with Hughes.

  According to , Spearman had been working on an algorithm that evaluates coaching performance according to a number of metrics such as playing style, player development and compatibility with different types of players. Slot scored highest. Hughes, who had previously worked for Bournemouth, had also studied Slot's work closely during the process of signing Marcos Senesi for the Cherries from Feyenoord.

  Slot's Feyenoord were found to be the most similar team to Klopp's Liverpool in Europe in terms of numbers of possessions per game, average pass length and speed of moving the ball upfield.

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  Not worth the risk

  Slot has tweaked Liverpool's style of play in a number of ways, such as giving them greater control by playing Ryan Gravenberch in holding midfield, making the full-backs narrower to reduce counter-attacks, turning Cody Gakpo back into a left winger and playing Luis Diaz as a striker, but he is ultimately staying on the same path as his beloved predecessor. And that is why Liverpool had reservations about Amorim.

  The Portuguese was considered and analysed as part of Liverpool's robust process given his stellar work with Sporting, but his strong alignment to a certain tactical style, namely using a back three, raised concerns over whether he would fit with the Reds' squad. It is one of the main reasons why he was never offered the job, along with the fact that Slot was deemed the outstanding candidate.

  Hiring Amorim would have meant starting all over again, when Liverpool already had a winning formula. It was a risk they did not need to take. After all, the Reds were in the thick of the title race last season until April, when injuries destroyed their bid.

  By contrast, Amorim's clear vision and charismatic personality understandably appealed to United after enduring their worst-ever season in the Premier League and making a miserable start to this campaign. They needed a fresh start, but they are finding out the hard way that their squad does also not fit with Amorim's style, which relies on energetic midfielders and highly athletic wing-backs.

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  Incompatible squad

  The current squad's incompatibility with Amorim's style of play was laid bare in the lifeless first-half performance against Newcastle, when the midfield was comprised of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, each aged 32. Joshua Zirkzee doesn't have the pace or technical ability to play as one of the narrow wingers behind Rasmus Hojlund, and Noussair Mazraoui, deployed as wing-back, didn't know whether to defend or attack and ended up doing neither.

  Watching United toil against Newcastle, it was easy to understand why Ten Hag abandoned the positional play from his years with Ajax and geared his team around counter-attacking and exploiting the pace of both Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho. Neither, though, fits into Amorim's style of play.

  Only Diogo Dalot, Amad Diallo and Harry Maguire seem like natural fits for the way Amorim wishes his team to play.

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  No time, no money

  For Amorim to be a success, he needs money to purchase the right players and time to put his ideas into practice. At the moment, however, he has neither.

  United are dangerously close to their Financial Fair Play limits and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is making cutbacks at every level, which is making for a toxic atmosphere around the club. Amorim has admitted they can only do business in January if they sell players. The coach insists he needs more time to "sell my idea", but he has scant training sessions due to playing twice per week.

  For the first time in his short tenure he now has time on the training ground, with six days after Newcastle to prepare for the Liverpool game and then seven days before facing Arsenal in the FA Cup. But then the grind of two games per week returns, with United playing seven matches in the space of 21 days until the start of February.

  Amorim acknowledged in his first press conference that you get no time at a big club and you need results now. And his side need results urgently as they drift closer and closer towards an unthinkable battle with relegation.

With a recent injury crisis threatening to expose their squad depth, Arsenal are reportedly intensifying their interest in one midfielder who has already proven himself next to Declan Rice.

Arsenal transfer news

The Gunners have endured a frustrating start to the season on the injury front, with Martin Odegaard’s recent knock the biggest blow of the lot. The Norway international picked up an ankle injury whilst away on international duty and could now miss up to four weeks. Meanwhile, the Gunners are also missing new signings Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino to add to their recent woes.

Emmanuel Petit says one thing about Arsenal has worried him "for ages"

The Gunners legend is deeply concerned.

1

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 15, 2024

It’s the type of injuries that Mikel Arteta hasn’t had to deal with over the last two seasons, creating a new problem for his side as they look to dethrone Premier League champions Manchester City at the third time of asking.

If those in North London fail to cope with the mounting absentees, then questions will undoubtedly begin to come over whether the Gunners strengthened enough in the summer transfer window; the type of questions that recent rumours may have answered.

In pursuit of further depth, those at The Emirates are reportedly leading the race to sign one midfielder. According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are now intensifying their interest in Angel Gomes, who is set to become a free agent upon the expiration of his Lille contract at the end of the season and are ahead of the likes of Aston Villa, Newcastle, Napoli, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in the transfer race.

Gomes, of course, is a Manchester United academy graduate who would be completing quite the controversial move by returning to the Premier League courtesy of rivals Arsenal. Nonetheless, it is a move that he would be wise to take and one that would see him partner a familiar face in Rice, given that Gomes recently partnered the Arsenal star on his full England debut against Finland.

The 24-year-old certainly didn’t look out of place next to Rice either to only ignite the rumours even further.

"Impressive" Gomes can partner Rice for Arsenal and England

The arrival of Merino should offer Arsenal a quick solution when finding the right partner for Rice at the heart of their midfield, but at 29 years old, he is arguably not a long-term option. Instead, they could turn towards Gomes on a free next summer. Just 24 years old, the midfielder has worked his way back into the spotlight courtesy of his time at Lille and is now ready for a Premier League return.

It’s a return that would far from surprise analyst Ben Mattinson who dubbed Gomes “always impressive” last December amid early links to a move away from France.

Gomes looked more than comfortable next to Rice for England in what could be a sign of things to come on the international stage, and may well find himself playing the same role at Arsenal next summer.

Jurgen Klopp has begun work as head of global soccer at Red Bull by attending Paris FC, who the business have a stake in.

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• Jurgen Klopp has begun work as Red Bull chief
• Attended Paris FC v Amiens on Saturday
• Energy drink business have a stake in the club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Klopp was in attendance to watch the Ligue 2 side continue their promotion push against Amiens on Saturday. The former Liverpool boss is set to have some involvement at the club, who are aiming to challenge Paris Saint-Germain's monopoly over the capital and French football overall.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Paris FC were taken over by the Arnault Family – who topped Forbes' list of richest billionaires in 2024 – in November, with Red Bull taking a minority stake in the club. That move means Klopp is likely to have a say in their development, as well as with RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, New York Red Bulls and Red Bull's other teams around the world after controversially taking on a role with the company. Club president Pierre Ferraci told in December: "What he [Klopp] did at Liverpool is the kind of thing we should be inspired by but not try to copy. He has the technical vision and the aura."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR KLOPP AND PARIS FC?

  Paris FC are inside the top three of Ligue 2 and in a good position from which to win promotion at the end of this season. Klopp will work on helping the club fulfil its potential as the second-biggest in Paris from a distance, with fellow German Mario Gomez taking on the role of Red Bull's specifically-assigned figure at the club.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers was able to make further changes to his playing squad in the recent summer transfer window, which officially slammed shut last month.

It was his second summer in charge of the Hoops, during his second stint in Glasgow, and the board backed him in the transfer market with a number of signings.

Adam Idah, Paulo Bernardo, Alex Valle, Kasper Schmeichel, Viljami Sinisalo, Luke McCowan, Arne Engels, and Auston Trusty were all brought in by the Scottish giants.

They did, however, lose star midfielder Matt O’Riley. The Denmark international completed a move to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion for a reported fee of more than £25m.

Rodgers also cashed in on some of the fringe players in his squad. Mikey Johnston, Sead Haksabanovic, Hyeon-gyu Oh, and Tomoki Iwata were all allowed to leave on permanent deals to make room for new additions.

That came after the Hoops boss had been able to ditch David Turnbull, Liel Abada, and Yosuke Ideguchi on permanent deals during the January transfer window.

David Turnbull's time with Celtic

In the summer of 2020, Celtic swooped to sign the attacking midfielder from Motherwell in a deal that was reportedly worth up to £3.25m – a record fee for their Scottish Premiership rivals.

The Bhoys wanted to sign the Scottish youngster in the summer of 2019 but it was revealed that he needed to have surgery on a knee injury, which ended up restricting him to two appearances in the 2019/20 campaign, and they came back the following year to finally complete a deal.

Turnbull hit the ground running at Parkhead with a return of eight goals and seven assists from central midfield in 31 Premiership appearances for Celtic during the 2020/21 season.

However, Ange Postecoglou arrived at the club in the summer of 2021 and the Australian’s 4-3-3 system limited the Scotland international’s involvement.

In the manager’s two seasons with Celtic, Turnbull only started 26 Premiership matches – four fewer than he managed in his debut campaign with the Scottish giants.

Rodgers replaced Postecoglou in the dugout in the summer of 2023 but the Northern Irish head coach’s arrival did not result in regular starts for the midfielder.

As you can see in the table above, Turnbull started nine times and came off the bench as a substitute in seven games during the first half of last season, contributing with an eye-catching seven goals.

Despite his impressive goalscoring record for Celtic, Rodgers decided that the central midfielder was surplus to requirements in the January transfer window.

The 25-year-old dynamo eventually secured a permanent exit from Parkhead as Championship side Cardiff City swooped in to sign him for a reported fee of £2m, which meant that the club made a loss on the deal that they agreed with Motherwell.

Things could have been different for Celtic, however, if they had signed a player they had recommended to them before they opted to sign Turnbull.

Celtic's chance to sign Moises Caicedo

In the summer of 2023, the Daily Mail reported that the Hoops were once told to swoop for Moises Caicedo, who was playing for Independiente del Valle in Ecuador at the time, in 2020.

A talent spotter for the Scottish giants told Neil Lennon to sign the teenage defensive midfielder and claimed that he would have been available for a fee of around £1m at the time.

Celtic did have money to spend that summer. They spent £4.5m on Vasilis Barkas, £5m on Albian Ajeti, and the aforementioned £3.25m on Turnbull, which shows that they would not have had any problems spending £1m on Caicedo.

However, for reasons unknown, Lennon and the club did not opt to act upon that recommendation and, ultimately, passed up on the chance to sign the midfielder for a fee of just £1m – signing Turnbull as their only central midfield addition that summer instead.

One that got away

The transfers that nearly happened but never did. This article is part of Football FanCast's One That Got Away series.

Less than one year later, Brighton & Hove Albion swooped to agree a £4m deal with Independiente del Valle, and he spent six months on loan with Beerschot VA in Belgium before his breakthrough in England.

Since his emergence down south, the 22-year-old star has gone from strength to strength and appears to be one that got away for the Scottish side.

Moises Caicedo's market value

In the summer of 2023, Premier League giants Chelsea agreed a staggering, British-record, transfer fee of £115m to sign the Ecuador international from Brighton.

This means that a player Celtic could have signed for £1m in 2020 was then worth £114m more just three years later, which suggests that they missed out on the chance to develop and sell-on a hugely talented player who could have made the club a gigantic profit.

Instead, Lennon signed Turnbull and the Scottish midfielder struggled to start games on a regular basis under Postecoglou and Rodgers before being sold for a loss.

Caicedo made eight Premier League appearances, and scored one goal, just 18 months on from when Celtic were told to pursue him, as Brighton integrated him into their side.

The battler, who was described as “exceptional” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, went on to play 53 games in all competitions for the Seagulls between the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns, before Chelsea swooped in for him in 2023.

He started 33 matches in the Premier League for the Blues last season and showcased his defensive quality with 3.7 tackles and interceptions per game, winning 56% of his duels in total.

As you can see in the table above, Caicedo has also enjoyed a strong start to the current campaign for Chelsea, with an incredible 6.0 tackles and interceptions per match.

For context, no Celtic midfielder has averaged more than 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game in the Premiership so far this season, which shows that the £115m star is an outstanding defensive talent who can consistently win the ball back for his side.

His superb performances in the English top-flight, his incredible value, and Turnbull’s struggles at Parkhead, suggest that Caicedo is one that got away for the Hoops.

Celtic star was branded "terrible" after signing, now he's undroppable

The Hoops struck gold when they brought the special attacker to Parkhead.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 24, 2024

The changing face of the English football landscape is affecting top-flight clubs regardless of their size and stature

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In May 2017, the final Premier League table for the season made for grim reading from a competitiveness point of view. Finishing in the top six positions were Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United. In some order, they were the favourites to take up those spots before a ball had been kicked, even despite Leicester City winning the title the year before, this seen as restoration of the status quo after a once-in-a-lifetime miracle.

Lagging eight points behind sixth-placed United were Everton, who were stranded on an island between those teams and the rest having finished a whopping 15 ahead of the team in eighth, Southampton. Only six points separated the Saints and Watford in 17th. The Premier League was a closed shop split into two sections – the challengers and the rest.

This was the Premier League's 'Big Six' power axis at its strongest; a top-heavy division at its lopsided apex. The 2010s were almost exclusively dominated by these clubs, and this trend followed into the next decade.

Alas, there is at last some reversal. Television money from the league's obscene broadcasting deals has filtered through to the 'other 14'. Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR), though flawed, have levelled the playing field slightly. Traditionally smaller teams are thinking outside the box and working much smarter than they used to in order to close that gap, while those above are burning cash like their lives depended on it. The 'Big Six' era is over.

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  'Big' origins

  The cartel of 'big' clubs has gone through some changes during the Premier League era, with a five-some – Arsenal, Liverpool, United and Spurs, plus Everton fresh from their trophy-laden adventures in the 1980s – helping get the breakaway from the Football League off the ground in the first place. The great irony was only champions United made up the top five of the inaugural 1992-93 season, with Aston Villa, Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers and QPR following immediately behind them.

  The Red Devils, managed by pre-knighthood Alex Ferguson, swept through the formative years of the Premier League, claiming five of the first seven titles and finishing as runners-up in the other two. It would raise their global profile to the level it stands at today, the dominant force in the first true age of footy on the telly.

  Blackburn, bankrolled by local businessman Jack Walker, were the second different team to win the title, taking the glory in 1995, but it wasn't until Arsene Wenger's arrival on British shores a year later that United's power truly came under threat. Together, United and Arsenal – the 'Big Two' – took home every title from 1996 to 2004, as well as the majority of other domestic honours.

  But beneath them, potential contenders were getting their acts together. Liverpool's alternative treble in 2001, which helped Michael Owen take home the Ballon d'Or, propelled them back into the top-table picture, while Chelsea's re-qualification to the Champions League in 2003 and subsequent takeover by Roman Abramovich, with the unprecedented spending that followed, expanded the bracket from 'two' to 'four'.

  The Premier League pounced on this newfound dynasty of dominance. We had 'Grand Slam Sundays' in which the 'Big Four' would face off against one another. The latter stages of the Champions League were also swarming with Premier League clubs, ultimately leading to the first all-English final in 2008 between United and Chelsea. The product was booming.

  It was growing too. Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, and their first port of all was to sign rising Real Madrid starlet Robinho from under the noses of Chelsea. By 2011, City had reached the Champions League, and 12 months later they snatched their first league title in a generation away from United with the last kick of the season.

  Meanwhile, Tottenham clawed their way into the picture too. Martin Jol took them to fifth in successive seasons, Juande Ramos won the 2008 League Cup (their last trophy to date, of course) and then Harry Redknapp led them into the Champions League. A run of 11-straight finishes in the top six, a couple of title challenges and a first-ever trip to a Champions League final followed, even if silverware did not.

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  Years of dominance

  From 2010 to 2024, the 'Big Six' ruled with an iron fist. Only 12 times out of a possible 90 combined scenarios in that period did a member miss out on finishing sixth or higher. They had the wealth and the prestige, even with Financial Fair Play rules implemented to thwart Chelsea and City-style spending sprees.

  The gap to the rest of the league became a chasm. In 2018, City became the first top-flight team in English history to break the 100-point barrier. The year after, both the Champions League and Europa League finals were all-Premier League affairs. In the three years after Leicester's title win in 2016, none of the chasing pack got close to a whiff of European football's top table.

  Around the same time, the 'Big Six' weren't just ruling the roost over the players' transfer market, but for managers too. Liverpool attracted Jurgen Klopp when they were languishing in mid-table. Arsenal were the party to call time on Wenger's reign of over two decades. United rotated their way through a series of high-profile names despite internal unrest. Tottenham held off the advances of Real Madrid and United to keep Mauricio Pochettino.

  These cycles don't last forever, though. It wouldn't be too long until most of the 'Big Six' ran into real adversity.

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  The gatecrashers

  Leicester's title pushed the reset button for Premier League royalty. Those who needed to clean house and start over did so. Their adjacent and parallel declines were aligned, even if the rebirths weren't.

  When the Foxes looked a safe bet to crash the top four – and even top three – again in 2019-20 by the time the world went into lockdown, similar alarm bells started ringing. With Liverpool running away with the title and City at a safe distance in second, the onus was on United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Arsenal to reclaim what they felt was theirs. In the end, Brendan Rodgers' men collapsed during 'Project Restart' and wound up fifth. The same happened the following season, again pipped to the post on the last day of the season.

  That was another warning sign for the near future. West Ham flirted with the top four under David Moyes, with his second tenure at the London Stadium peaking with Europa Conference League glory. That same 2022-23 season, Newcastle wrestled themselves free from Liverpool to finish fourth and secure a return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence.

  It was a novelty seeing such matches back at St James' Park, even if a monstrous 4-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain proved a false dawn and Eddie Howe's side were eliminated in the last-ever group stage. But their successful domestic venture paved the way for Aston Villa to follow in 2023-24, fighting off Tottenham to take the last Champions League spot. The Magpies and the Villans were the protagonists to the prelude of today.

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  'No easy games'

  The world of football cliches has only been emboldened and empowered by the Premier League's global influence. Of the hundreds and thousands in our lexicon, one is resonating above all others right now – .

  So why is that? Why are we going through a concentrated version of this line as opposed to yesteryear? There are a few key factors.

  For those wanting to find a way to blame Pep Guardiola for the traits and quirks of 'modern football', well, you may be onto something. It's not as if he invented playing from the back, but he certainly played a role in popularising it and showing it's a needed vehicle for results. How the sport is played now across all levels is much, much different to the days of even the 'Big Four'.

  The added layer to this shift in philosophy is teams are still finding ways to play the game with their own idiosyncrasies. Brentford and Brighton, for example, consistently punch above their weight, yet their tactical approaches are wildly contrasting, with the Bees more direct and fast-paced compared to the pass-and-move ways of the Seagulls.

  Bottom-half and mid-table sides also don't shrink in the spotlight as much as they used to. Scalps are slightly more commonplace, if in part because of ball-playing has led to an increase of ways to score at both ends of the pitch (thanks again, Pep).

  Put it this way. During the 2016-17 season referenced at the top, the 'Big Six' averaged 79.5 points between them. The lockdown-hit 2019-20 term saw that number drop to 71.2. As it stands, 2024-25 will tank out at 64.6.

As Arne Slot’s men ran riot at Old Trafford last month, the central issue for Manchester United looked to be an obvious one – Casemiro.

The veteran Brazilian – who had been touted for a move to Saudi Arabia over the summer – had squandered possession needlessly for Liverpool’s opener, before then seeing his pocket picked as the away side nabbed a second. He was duly hooked at half-time.

With new signing Manuel Ugarte paraded on the pitch ahead of that 3-0 defeat, it looked to be a changing of the guard for Erik ten Hag’s side, with the Uruguayan acquired on deadline day with the aim of resolving United’s midfield woes.

On the early evidence, however, the Red Devils may well have merely switched one problematic midfielder for another in that deep-lying role, with the former Paris Saint-Germain man having made a shaky start to life in Manchester.

Manuel Ugarte's start at Man Utd

Having been given the nod against FC Twente and Barnsley, Ugarte’s first real test came on his first Premier League start against Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with the 23-year-old lining up alongside Kobbie Mainoo for the visit of the Lilywhites.

It is, of course, still early days, yet the one-time Sporting CP star appears to have simply provided more chaos than any kind of control in the centre of the park, having notably failed to prevent Micky van de Ven’s surging run, while also making three fouls on the day.

As analyst Alex Keble wrote upon the midfielder’s arrival at the club, the warning signs were there: ‘Ugarte is a classic destroyer, not a Rodri-like progressive ball-player. He is an up-and-at-them tackler, and nothing like Erik ten Hag’s initial target last summer, Frenkie de Jong…

‘…By signing Ugarte, Ten Hag is doubling down on quick transitions, on fast and direct football. His success at Old Trafford could be defined by that decision, which means the signing of Ugarte is a crucial one.’

If Ten Hag is to be ‘defined by that decision’, then on the early evidence it could prove to be his undoing, with it perhaps becoming clear why Luis Enrique and co were so willing to offload him from the Parc des Princes this summer.

The hope will be that Ugarte can find his groove sooner rather than later, although questions will be asked as to whether United should have looked elsewhere to find Casemiro’s successor, or indeed kept hold of one potential rising star…

Man Utd sold Casemiro's dream successor

Alongside a raft of senior departures – including the likes of Jadon Sancho, Donny van de Beek and Anthony Martial – the summer window also saw United cash in on a handful of youth assets, with Willy Kambwala, Hannibal Mejbri and Alvaro Fernandez all moving on to pastures new.

In the case of all three of those – including Fernandez, who has notably impressed at Benfica – the Red Devils wisely included a buyback option as part of their moves elsewhere, with the same also true of promising defensive midfielder, Maxi Oyedele.

A relative unknown to most of a United persuasion, the England-born, Poland youth international failed to make a senior appearance for United prior to leaving for Legia Warsaw back in August, having only enjoyed minimal experience on loan at the likes of Altrincham and Forest Green Rovers.

Just 100 minutes into life in the Ekstraklasa and the 19-year-old has already been awarded a senior call-up by the Polish set-up, with talent scout Jacek Kulig stating that the nation “hasn’t had a DM with such potential and profile in years”.

That ‘potential’ was notably on show during pre-season under Ten Hag’s watch, with Oyedele awarded a 7/10 match rating by MEN’s Samuel Luckhurst for his performance against Rangers back in July, having impressively surged forward before teeing up Joe Hugill to fire home in the second half.

Likened to Arsenal’s Thomas Partey as an industrious yet composed operator in the centre of the park by Kulig, the teenager did impress last time out against Gornik, winning five of his seven total duels and enjoying an 88% pass accuracy rate, while also providing one key pass and completing four tackles from his deep-lying midfield berth, as per Sofascore.

Also lauded as a player with “great leadership qualities” despite his age by Altrincham boss Phil Parkinson during that 2023 loan stint, the rising star may well have been a valuable asset for Ten Hag this season.

Thankfully the club do have the presence of that buyback clause, albeit they did only cash in on the academy graduate for a ‘fee contingent based on appearances’, as per the Athletic.

According to Transfermarkt, the youngster is currently worth just £250k, a figure 168 times less than the initial £42m that was spent on Ugarte.

Alas, it is Toby Collyer whom Ten Hag has given the chance to this season to follow in Mainoo’s footsteps, yet with Oyedele more of an out-an-out defensive midfielder, perhaps he would have been a wiser choice as Casemiro’s long-term successor.

Man Utd have already sold ideal Bruno Fernandes replacement for just £200k

Bruno Fernandes hasn’t been at the races over the last week.

By
Matt Dawson

Oct 1, 2024