Leeds United youngster Wilfried Gnonto wants to exit the Whites and join Everton this summer, and a new report has even revealed what the player has told Blues chiefs.
How old is Wilfried Gnonto?
The Italian is still only 19 years of age, but his reputation has already been greatly enhanced over the past 12 months or so, having moved to Elland Road during last summer's transfer window.
While he couldn't do anything about Leeds trading the Premier League for the Championship in 2022/23, Gnonto caught the eye more than most of his teammates, looking to provide a much-needed attacking spark.
Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…
In total, the teenager chipped in with four goals and assists apiece in all competitions, and while that may not sound like too healthy a return, to get eight goal contributions in a struggling team, and at such a young age, has to be considered an impressive effort from the winger.
With Leeds now back in the second tier, however, Gnonto has been strongly linked with a move away this summer, in order to make a quickfire return to the Premier League, or a top division of some kind.
It is Everton who have seemingly emerged as the front-runners to sign him before deadline day at the end of the month, and another positive rumour has now emerged, in that respect.
According to Football Insider, Everton are now "pushing hard" to get a deal over the line this summer, with Gnonto demanding an exit from Leeds and even contacting Everton to approve the move:
"Wilfried Gnonto has told Leeds United he wants to leave immediately and join Everton, sources have told Football Insider.
"Personal terms are unlikely to be an issue and Gnonto is pushing hard to secure a move to Goodison Park in the coming weeks and has informed the Toffees of his desire to make the move to Merseyside this summer.
"Talks have been continuing for some time but Gnonto has grown frustrated with the length of time a deal is taking to get over the line."
This feels like further important progress in regard to Everton acquiring the signature of Gnonto in the current transfer window, with a move looking like it is edging closer all the time.
It is clear that the Italy international doesn't want to be stuck in the Championship this season and the Blues could be a great option, allowing him to be a regular starter and becoming a potential crowd favourite with his pace, trickery and generally unpredictable nature.
Gary Neville has admitted in the past that he is a "huge admirer", with the former Manchester United and England right-back knowing more than a thing or two about what makes a dangerous left winger, and he has also called him "absolutely fantastic" on another occasion.
At 19, Gnonto is clearly not the finished article yet, but he is improving at such a rapid rate and he could give Everton that sparkle in the final third that has so often been lacking, hopefully linking up with fellow new signing Youssef Chermiti, as the Blues' attack gets a pleasing makeover.
Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill is a summer transfer target for Wolves and journalist Dean Jones has dropped an intriguing update on the potential move.
How old is Josh Brownhill?
The 27-year-old has been a solid performer for the Clarets since moving to Turf Moor from Bristol City in 2020, arguably proving to be an underrated part of their midfield.
Brownhill has made 133 appearances for Burnley along the way, scoring ten goals and registering 14 assists, and he started 41 matches in the Championship last season, as Vincent Kompany's side won the title and returned to the Premier League.
It could be that he moves on during the current transfer window, however, and Wolves have been linked with a move for him, as they look to do some late business after a disappointing start to the season that has resulted in no points after two games.
Burnley midfielder Josh Brownhill.
Are Wolves signing Josh Brownhill?
Speaking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Jones reacted to Wolves' possible move for Brownhill, saying he would come straight in as a key player:
"Wolves’ interest in Brownhill is interesting, and while I have seen some fans suggesting that he would likely just be a backup option, I don’t get the feeling that is so much the plan. This is a player O’Neil knows well from his playing days, and further than that, he looked into signing him when he was Bournemouth manager.
"When a new manager comes in, he wants to make his mark on the squad, and one way to do that is to add players with a certain character that reflects what you are looking for in the overall squad.
"So, I think it’s an interesting link and makes sense as we see this latest version of Wolves' first-team squad emerge. He has been slightly affected by the arrival of Sander Berge at Burnley, but he isn't someone that would shirk a challenge in that sense.
"He has been an important part of the Burnley squad, and they don’t want him to leave. But I’m told it’s still not going to be quite as straightforward as that and to keep an eye on how this one plays out."
Brownhill may not be a player who makes the headlines week in, week out, but he is a consistent performer who has brought understated quality and control to Burnley midfield over the past three years, being described as a "fabulous" football by former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie in the past.
The Englishman could be a really shrewd signing by Wolves between now and the end of the month, with their midfield opened up at will in Saturday's 4-1 defeat at home to Brighton, with Matheus Nunes' lack of disciplined highlighted by his sending-off.
With Brownhill, you know what you are going to get as a player, with a combination of defensive nous and reliable use of the ball – he averaged 2.2 tackles per game in the Championship last season and completed 83% of his passes.
Mikel Arteta will be delighted with his Arsenal squad at present having taken seven points from nine at the start of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign, along with defeating Manchester City on penalties in the Community Shield.
The north London outfit came second in the top-flight last term after spending six seasons languishing below the top four, with the club's Spanish manager making astute, well-placed moves on the transfer front to revitalise the Emirates ship.
While the side feels more balanced and refined, news has filtered in this week of interest in Brentford striker Ivan Toney, as Arteta and co look to add another dimension to the squad.
What's the latest on Ivan Toney to Arsenal?
According to The Times, Arsenal and Tottenham are both interested in signing Toney from the Bees in January, with the prolific talisman currently suspended until the new year following a breach of FA betting rules.
Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…
The report states that Thomas Frank's side would only grant his departure if their £80m valuation is met, but the Gunners will be emboldened by the knowledge that Brentford are braced for bids and accept they might lose their star man.
How good is Ivan Toney?
The one-cap England international has been described as possessing the "mindset of a lion" by Frank, with such a claim corroborated by a simply tremendous record on the pitch over the past several seasons.
After plundering 33 goals as Brentford secured promotion to the Premier League in 2020/21, Toney recorded a 12-goal season in the top flight before following up those exploits last year with 20 strikes from 33 matches.
Praised as a "monster" by Manchester United content creator Ryan Haber, the 27-year-old recorded an impressive average Sofascore rating of 7.25 last year, complementing his strike record with 2.8 shots per game and creating 12 big chances across the campaign, which illustrates his prowess as a multi-dimensional focal frontman, not just an endpoint in attacking transition.
This is particularly impressive when considering that the sharpshooter created twice the amount of chances Gabriel Jesus made last term, with the Brazilian renowned for his dynamic creativity.
With Toney at the centre of the frontline, Bukayo Saka could well ascend to the next level, with the prodigious right-winger's skill set likely blending seamlessly with the Brentford forward's.
Saka was immense last year, scoring 14 goals and assisting 11 more in the Premier League, earning praise for his dynamism and "electric" presence by Statman Dave.
The £195k-per-week phenom ranks among the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 17% for assists, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 4% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, as per FBref.
With Saka darting into the danger area and thriving through his directness and creativity, the "sensational" Toney – as he has been called by Simon Stone – could bounce off such a frightening talent.
And while Arteta will be content with his team and the options at his disposal, the club will likely intensify their attention on Brentford's star man if negotiations regarding the exorbitant price tag prove promising.
Nike have dropped a bizarre video featuring Richarlison to celebrate the release of the new Tottenham Hotspur third kit for the 2023/24 season.
Are Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup?
It had been an oddly bright start to the campaign for Spurs in the Premier League. After all, despite losing icon Harry Kane to Bayern Munich, the club have looked strong on the pitch.
Indeed, new manager Ange Postecoglou had managed to steer the club to two wins and one draw from their opening three league fixtures.
However, some of the good mood around Spurs evaporated on Tuesday night when they were dumped out at the second round of the Carabao Cup.
Coming up against London rivals Fulham, Tottenham fell behind thanks to an own-goal from Micky van de Ven but Richarlison did equalise as the game eventually went to penalties.
In the resulting shootout, only Davinson Sanchez failed to net his spot-kick, as the Cottagers netted five from five to end Postecoglou's first hope of bringing silverware finally back to their side of North London.
Incidentally, during that defeat, eagle-eyed viewers would have noticed that Tottenham were actually wearing a new kit for the first time this season.
Well, even though it's not quite in the shops just yet, the kit was launched this week but the actual Nike video hasn't gone down too well with fans.
It centres around the idea of some young supporters birdwatching in London before they spot Richarlison – the rare "Brazilian Pigeon" – standing on top of the stadium, doing his trademark celebration and wearing the new Tottenham Hotspur 2023/2024 third kit.
You can watch it via Instagram below:
As per the official Spurs website, the kit's colour is "Taupe Haze, complemented by black trim". This is also the first time in the club’s history that they have worn this colour on the pitch, and it goes on sale next month.
However, after the video release, many supporters might not be flocking to the shops to get the shirts. Indeed, comments under the video were less than complimentary…
One fan said: "It can't get more Spursy than this."
Another added: "Might be the worst thing I’ve ever seen and I’m a Tottenham fan
A third said: "As a Spurs fan that is so cringe."
"That’s embarrassing," someone else wrote.
While another pointed out the irony of it all, writing: "Making a video based around a "trademark celebration" from a player who has scored a single goal for their club."
Even the compliments were backhanded: "So bad it might be good"
How many games did Richarlison play for Everton?
When the Brazilian joined Spurs on a five-year deal last summer, they paid Everton a whopping £60m transfer fee. Evidently, the club felt they were justified in paying so much as Richarlison had been pretty impressive for the Toffees.
Indeed, in 152 appearances for Everton, he scored 53 goals and also bagged 14 assists. However, he has not been able to carry that form over to Spurs.
Indeed, in his debut campaign for the North London outfit, he scored just three goals in 35 appearances. At least he got off the mark for the new season against Fulham in the cup. But with his poor form, it's no wonder the video has come in for a bit of stick as it's centred around Richarlison's rarely-used goalscoring celebration.
Nottingham Forest made headlines on transfer deadline day when they announced a total of seven new incomings to their squad.
Among the new arrivals was Belgian international and former Liverpool forward, Divock Origi, who has joined the City Ground on an initial season-long loan from AC Milan.
The 28-year-old was officially announced as a Tricky Trees player in the early hours of Saturday morning after the club were granted extra time to complete the paperwork for the deal after the 11pm deadline.
How much are Forest paying for Divock Origi?
European football journalist and transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has now detailed more information regarding the move on social media, in which the true cost that ambitious owner Evangelos Marinakis will have to pay was revealed.
"Divock Origi has just completed formal steps of his move to Nottingham Forest with stadium presentation," he tweeted around 48 hours after the window slammed shut, also adding: "Loan deal includes buy option clause. €4.5m buy clause not mandatory. Salary 100% covered by Forest."
That salary is thought to be around £120k-per-week, which equates to £6.24m for the whole year, as per Capology.
How good is Divock Origi?
Origi returns to England after a season in Milan in which he appeared 36 times for the Rosseneri but only managed to find the net on two occasions. The striker is remembered more fondly for his previous spell in the Premier League at Liverpool, where he built a reputation on stepping up for the big occasion.
After joining Liverpool in 2014, Origi would play 175 times, scoring 41 goals.
The Belgian famously scored a brace in Liverpool’s 4-0 comeback win against Barcelona in May 2019 to send them through to the final of the Champions League, in which he would again score the winning goal as they beat Tottenham 2-0 to lift the famous trophy for the sixth time.
Other achievements from his Liverpool career include his involvement in their Premier League success in 2020, as well as featuring in the 2022 FA Cup and Carabao Cup double.
On the international stage, Origi has been capped 32 times for Belgium and scored three times, one of which came in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Despite still being available for national team selections at this stage of his career, he has not featured for Belgium since March 2022 and was not included in the squad for the upcoming international friendlies this September.
Will Divock Origi start for Nottingham Forest?
Regarding his new side Nottingham Forest, they currently sit ninth in the Premier League table after four games played, winning two and losing two. They most recently picked up three massive points in a 1-0 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, ensuring they go into the break on a positive note.
Origi will have strong competition at Forest upon his arrival with several players being able to lead the line, including Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi – the latter having scored or assisted in each of his four league appearances so far this season, though Origi can offer his valuable experience of winning major titles to the current squad.
The former Liverpool "monster" – as once regarded by Burnley boss Vincent Kompany – could be a vastly experienced and worthwhile addition to the frontline and perhaps a true successor to the departed Brennan Johnson, who joined top-flight rivals Tottenham Hotspur the very same evening.
Sheffield United may not be the biggest club in Yorkshire but they certainly boast a notable number of celebrity supporters. It’s a club that generates local passion, after all – and that’s seen in those who grew up there.
Athletes, actors, musicians, and one Argentinian footballer all feature on a list of those struck by the Blades. Here is our pick of the bunch for Sheffield United’s most famous supporters.
8 Juan Sebastián Verón
Veron for Manchester United
Let’s get the strangest one out of the way first. Former Argentina international Juan Sebastián Verón was a Sheffield United fan in childhood and openly admitted wanting to play for them.
There’s a good reason for it, too. Verón’s uncle, Pedro Verde, spent time there at the tail-end of his career and it sparked interest in the young footballer-to-be.
“I was a fan of Sheffield United but I sadly never had the chance to play for them, but I would have wanted to!” Verón went on to say. Oh what could have been…
7 Jessica Ennis-Hill
An Olympic champion and a three-time World champion – Jessica Ennis-Hill is one of the most successful individual athletes to come out of Britain in recent years. She’s also born and raised in Sheffield.
Ennis-Hill is a Blades fan, too, and even had a stand named after her post-Olympic gold. However, that did change in 2015 when it was instead named after a sponsor.
6 Kell Brook
Sticking on the wildly successful athlete theme, Kell Brook is a Sheffield native who went on to hold the IBF Welterweight title for nearly three years between 2014 and 2017.
Brook is a lifelong fan of the Blades, as with just about everyone on this list, and even fought at Bramall Lane back in 2017.
“I’ve imagined this for weeks and I’ve dreamt about this since being a young kid,” he said ahead of that fight.
“I never thought I’d see a boxing ring on the pitch at Bramall Lane, but I’m ready and I’m determined and I’m excited. I’ve got a lot of memories of watching the Blades, my uncle used to throw me up in the air when we scored and at the weekend I want to be throwing my belt above my head once again.”
5 Joe Elliott
Joe Elliott, as the lead singer of Def Leppard, is in the discussion for the most successful person on this list. The band was formed in Sheffield back in 1976. Elliott is from the city and has called United his team all his life.
Sheffield has had more than their fair share of world-renowned music acts and Def Leppard are arguably the biggest. That other group that has an argument are all Wednesday fans, if you’re wondering.
4 Paul Heaton
Paul Heaton was born on the Wirral but moved to Sheffield when he was very young. He and his brothers all struck up an interest in football but while they all went with Wednesday, Paul followed United.
Heaton would go on to form the Housemartins and The Beautiful South, with massive success in the ’80s and early ’90s. And in terms of Blades fans, he might be one of the biggest on this list.
3 Joe Root
Former England Test Cricket captain Joe Root is another from Sheffield and has made no secret of his love for United. In fact, Root has appeared on the club’s social media channels several times, while one of the first interviews he gave after receiving the captaincy was at Bramall Lane.
His support runs through the family, too, it seems. “I’ve always been a Blade,” Root told the Athletic in 2020. “There were three generations of Roots there when I watched my first game. Myself and my brother, dad and grandad.”
Root, of course, will go down as an all-time great Test batsman – yet one more wildly successful name on this list, then.
2 Michael Palin
Sheffield United striker Cameron Archer.
Michael Palin might be a bit of a controversial one on this list as he’s very openly talked about also wanting Wednesday to do well. The comedy legend is from Sheffield and grew up supporting the Blades – but he’s a little bit more about the city doing well than his club.
Here’s what he told When Saturday Comes back in 2000:
“United were the club I supported when I was growing up, mainly because their ground was the nearest to our house. I used to see Wednesday supporters as a different type of person, just… deeply disturbed. But then I was always excited when either club was involved in a big game and Wednesday tended to be involved in bigger games. When I first came to London, it was 1966 and Wednesday were in the Cup final, so I couldn’t say I wasn’t interested because they were from my city. Eric Idle was a big Chelsea fan and I used to go there to see either Sheffield team play. I found myself being sucked in as a sort of associate Wednesday fan, though I would have been disemboweled in Sheffield if they’d known that.”
Fans can make their own minds up whether they’re accepting that one or not.
1 Sean Bean
We thought we’d save the most famous Sheffield United fan until last. Sean Bean isn’t just the most famous person on this list, after all, but he’s also incredibly public with his love for them.
Bean has tattooed his support on his shoulder, while he’s also competed in charity matches and above all, served on the club’s board in the 2000s. He als, chewed-out manager Neil Warnock after the club were relegated from the Premier League back in 2007 – though, Bean claims this wasn’t as aggressive as the manager claimed in his book.
“Yes, I was looking for him after we were relegated – and I wasn’t the only one,” he said, per the Mirror. “We were all devastated. But I didn’t storm into Warnock’s office and confront his wife as he claims in his book. I was outside in the corridor when I told her what I thought of him.
“What I didn’t know was that his kid was behind the door and when someone pointed that out to me, I immediately apologised.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur star Erik Lamela is "fascinated" to see whether one Spurs talent can make his way into Ange Postecoglou's plans.
Latest Tottenham news
It is quite an exciting time to be a Spurs supporter as Postecoglou's exciting, attack-minded brand of free-flowing football continues to dazzle on-lookers.
Coming in to replace Antonio Conte, there had been some doubts over the Australian's credentials given his lack of experience in Europe's top five leagues. However, Tottenham's manager has gone to prove all naysayers very wrong so far.
After their dramatic, last-gasp 2-1 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, Spurs maintain their unbeaten start to the new Premier League season with four victories out of five.
Former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.
In that time, Postecoglou's side have score 13 goals and stand out as the division's third-highest goalscorers; just behind high-flying Brighton and last season's treble-winners Man City.
The likes of Yves Bissouma, Pape Matar Sarr, James Maddison, and Dejan Kulusevski – among others – have thoroughly impressed with Postecoglou's arrival seemingly gifting the club a new lease of life.
Spurs' imperious form could mean that certain players may find it difficult to force their way into the first team; as Postecoglou looks to have nailed a winning formula so far.
Some squad members, though, possess some potential to become a part of the manager's plans – like young attacking midfielder Bryan Gil who is currently sidelined after having groin surgery.
The Spaniard, partly due to his injury, is yet to play a single minute under Postecoglou this season.
Ex-Spurs winger Lamela, speaking to Spanish outlet Estadio Deportivo, says he is very interesting to see if the 22-year-old can battle his way into Postecoglou's first team.
“Gil can play on any flank. I am fascinated to see if he can make his way into Postecoglou's thinking," said Lamela.
Further praising the midfielder, Lamela adds that he would love to see him make a return to Sevilla and link up with Gil.
When asked if he would take the Tottenham talent, Lamela explained: “I would love to, because of the person he is. He is a great companion, I get along great.”
The former Sevilla star arrived at Spurs in the summer of 2021 with a stellar reputation, with Conte even once comparing him to Man City star Bernardo Silva.
“It was really important, you know about Bryan Gil we are talking about a player who was born to play football," said Conte in January.
"He understands football quickly. He’s so clever, so intelligent to understand the situation. Then you know this league is difficult, because you have to be good in quality and be fast and to have good endurance and he has this type of quality.
“But at the same time you have to be strong physically. I think compared to last season Gil is improving a lot also under this aspect. He has to become stronger physically. I compared him to Bernardo Silva, at Manchester City, because in my opinion they are really, really similar."
Gil has also been branded a "magician" and it will be interesting to see what his role will be upon a return from injury.
With a draw and two wins in their previous three games, there was a sense that Tottenham Hotspur had turned a corner in recent weeks.
Unfortunately, their dire display away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League made short work of any such optimistic ideas.
From practically the first minute until the last, Thomas Franks’ side were outplayed and on another night could have lost by more than three.
There were terrible performances across the pitch for the North Londoners, including from one starter who ended up taking fewer touches, Guglielmo Vicario.
Spurs' poor performers against Forest
Starting in defence, it was a poor showing from the usually brilliant Micky Van de Ven against Forest.
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The Dutchman looked panicked in possession, playing more than a few loose passes, and was really quite passive in defence, making just one tackle and losing two of his four ground duels.
Likewise, the immensely talented but often frustrating Pedro Porro was another issue for the Lilywhites.
For example, while he took 81 touches and tried to make things happen, he lost the ball 23 times and failed to play a key pass or create a single big chance.
It was more of the same further up the pitch, as while Mohammed Kudus was busy, he was entirely ineffective, coming off in the 80th minute after misplacing eight of nine crosses and losing the ball 23 times.
Last but not least, it’s impossible not to mention Vicario.
Yes, the first goal feels more like an Archie Gray mistake, but much of the blame for the second goal has to fall at his feet.
After all, he appeared to be positioned all wrong to deal with it, and had the hosts not scored at that point, Spurs might’ve found a way back in.
With all that said, there was a starter who was even worse than the Italian, someone Frank should not start again.
The Spurs flop Frank must drop
Now, the unfortunate reality is that you could probably make the case for a number of Spurs players being axed from the team after that performance.
However, when it comes to the starter who offered the least of anyone on that pitch, it’s impossible to ignore Richarlison.
The Brazilian forward was, at times, utterly anonymous and at others a genuine hindrance to his team.
When he wasn’t offering any attacking threat whatsoever, he was losing the ball.
Minutes
96′
Expected Goals
0.11
Goals
0
Expected Assists
0.00
Assists
0
Shots on Target
0
Touches
16
Lost Possession
8
Dribbles
0
Key Passes
0
Accurate Passes
2/7
For example, in his 96 minutes of inaction, the former Everton ace registered an expected goals figure of just 0.11, failed to take a shot on target or play a key pass, didn’t even attempt a dribble, took 16 touches – 23 fewer than Vicario -, and completed just two passes all game.
It was genuinely one of the worst centre-forward displays all season across all teams.
That might sound hyperbolic, but it’s an opinion shared by the Standard’s Matt Veri, who gave the Brazilian a 2/10 match rating, writing that he was ‘abysmal’ and ‘spent far too much time complaining.’
Ultimately, while the entire team were poor, Richarlison was truly terrible for Spurs against Forest, and as a result, Frank should drop him from the team.
Spurs must sack Frank this week and hire the "best coach in the PL"
Tottenham Hotspur suffered arguably their worst defeat of the Thomas Frank era on Sunday.
Tottenham Hotspur boast an academy that could rival most in England, having produced some of England's finest over the years, and with a current crop certainly to be proud of.
Not only has the current football got fans enthralled with their new-look side, but Ange Postecoglou is in line to inherit one of the most talented group of youngsters in the club's history, from goalscoring dynamos to defensive stalwarts. However, they will all face a battle forcing their way into the first-team, given how blistering a start to the Premier League season they are enjoying.
Few could have possibly predicted that the former Celtic boss would hit the ground running with such pace, but his side now sits second in the table, unbeaten in the league and having battled for draws with Brentford and Arsenal, whilst beating Manchester United and Liverpool.
Not only are they claiming huge results against top opposition, but they are doing it in a way that has fans believing that they finally have their Spurs back.
The sky truly is the limit, and with a philosophy only set to continue evolving, who knows what the future holds for the Lilywhites, and how far they might go.
However, one thing is for sure: there will soon be a whole host of youngsters knocking on the senior door, should they all continue their sharp upward trajectory.
Whilst Jamie Donley, Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett and Troy Parrott might be the frontrunners to perhaps be the next to burst through, perhaps young George Abbott could be a more likely option to soon emerge, given his tactical intelligence and positional flexibility that lends him to the modern game.
Who is George Abbott?
Despite predominantly operating as a defensive midfielder, the 18-year-old stalwart actually enjoyed his breakout term last year, starring at right-back.
His starring assets are best outlined by SuperHotspur, who first sought to outline a fine attitude that lends to his quality across numerous roles: "As a defensive-midfielder George Abbott does well in front of the Spurs defence, and he is strong in the challenge and a player who covers a lot of ground in the central areas of the pitch."
Having joined the club at the tender age of just seven, it is fair to say that Tottenham is all the teenage starlet has ever known. So, it must have been a dream come true for the midfielder to make his senior debut at the back end of last term, enjoying a brief cameo in their final-day demolition of Leeds United.
Aside from that, last season saw Abbott finally emerge into the U23s squad too, featuring nine times in the Premier League 2 whilst also making 12 appearances in the U18s Premier League. A busy and largely transformative year for a boy who enjoyed stints across four different positions throughout the season.
With how popular inverted full-backs are becoming nowadays, given how Pep Guardiola has perhaps most famously used them to win every honour available to him with Manchester City, imitation is always the sincerest form of flattery.
As such, even the Lilywhites' north London rivals Arsenal have started it, with Oleksandr Zinchenko having been employed from the Etihad to help instigate such a tactical shift.
Fortunately for Abbott, who clearly boasts the skillset to perform such a role, this is also an ideal that Posteoglou has flirted with in the past. Inverness boss Billy Dodds would speak after facing such a philosophy, outlining Celtic's version of the role: "I think you see the type of product that he [Postecoglou] brings. You see Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when he plays those inverted full-backs.
“I had to handle them on Saturday. [Greg] Taylor at times was playing as a centre-forward. So was [Alistair] Johnston, maybe not as high as Taylor."
With a penchant for the most fashionable trend in football at the moment already, perhaps the 58-year-old could now seek to reinvent it in north London, with Abbott as his perfectly malleable star.
How good is Oleksandr Zinchenko?
Perhaps he could kickstart such a shift in philosophy straight from the academy rather than having to spend the £32m that Mikel Arteta did to bring in the Ukraine international, even if that has proven a shrewd signing.
After all, not only did his arrival offer someone already in tune with his tactical setup, but also he would bring a fierce winning mentality that very nearly spearheaded their unlikely title charge.
Last campaign saw the 26-year-old maintain a 6.93 average rating, buoyed by his consistent creative presence that partnered well with the solidity that his tenure as a full-back brings. As such, he would record an 88% pass accuracy with 0.7 key passes per game, yet also managed 1.5 tackles per game too, via Sofascore.
His importance to the Emirates outfit cannot be understated, with Arteta seeking to outline it just last year: "He is a player who gives us everything that we want in that position. He gives us versatility and he gets a lot of attention, as well, and fills other spaces that, for us, is very important.
“I will especially highlight his mentality and what he brought. He has a real desire to make something special with this team and [the] experience that he has had in the past is very helpful to do that."
In fact, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, the £150k-per-week maestro actually ranks in the top 2% for pass completion per 90, and the 1% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref. Without his presence, it could be argued that much of what makes the Gunners successful would be lost.
Whilst Abbott will not offer that invaluable experience, perhaps given the elite honours that Postecoglou will soon hope to be challenging for, all he will need is to simply be around a side actually capable of competing at the apex of English football.
It took some time before their north London rivals had crafted a side capable of matching their lofty ambitions, and although they have enjoyed a fine start, the same will likely be endured with Spurs. However, with the fine foundation laid, there is no better time for a youngster to emerge into their feel-good atmosphere that seems to have no limits of late.
Aston Villa’s progression took a turning point when Unai Emery was appointed in October 2022, with the Spaniard unearthing a bolstered trajectory for his squad to follow.
At the point of his arrival, Steven Gerrard had failed to develop his side at Villa Park, leaving the squad in 16th place for Emery to inherit a tough project with reference to the remainder of the 2022/23 campaign.
It was a challenge that the former Arsenal boss accepted with open arms, leading the Villans to a 7th-place finish and a Europa Conference League spot for the 2023/24 season.
There is still a long way to go for the four-time Europa League winner, however, the future looks bright as he orchestrated a successful summer of business by welcoming five new faces of impressive calibre to the Midlands.
Aston Villa winger Moussa Diaby.
While one new face, in particular, has started well, with £51.9m capture Moussa Diaby already contributing to five goals in eight Premier League appearances, it’s still early days into the Frenchman’s career before his hefty price tag can be answered for.
Villa know all too well the repercussions of having high hopes for a new signing at first for them to not perform as expected, most notably with Philippe Coutinho arriving as a magician and leaving miserably to go on loan in Qatar this summer.
The Brazilian isn’t the first, and certainly won't be the last player to fail to prevail such high hopes at the point of signing, with another name currently on the payroll at Villa that has arguably not lived up to expectation.
When did Aston Villa sign Emiliano Buendia?
Signed in the summer of 2021 from Norwich City, Dean Smith secured a blockbuster signing in the form of Championship sensation Emiliano Buendia.
The Argentine arrived after a prolonged period of speculation over his future, with Arsenal also reported to have been admirers of the versatile attacker’s services.
The level of demand for Buendia that summer was unsurprising, as the former Real Madrid academy starlet had just inspired the Canaries to promotion to the top-flight, ending the campaign top of the league table and assists table.
In the 2020/21 season, the Argentine picked up a host of accolades including the Championship Player of the Season and Norwich City’s Player of the Season for his contributions to the Canaries’ promotion.
In 39 Championship appearances that term, the attacking midfielder secured 32 direct goal contributions, scoring 15 and assisting 17 to hold himself accountable for a huge chunk of his side’s success.
How much have Aston Villa spent on Emiliano Buendia?
For his dominating individual campaign in 2020/21, a club-record-breaking fee seemed feasible to obtain his signature, as Villa handed Norwich £38m for the 24-year-old dynamo.
Signed on a five-year deal, the midfielder was rewarded heavily for his brilliance in his final Championship season, highlighted by the lucrative contract he was handed by the Villans in comparison to the value of his salary with the Canaries.
Everton vs Aston Villa in the Premier League at Goodison Park in February 2023.
After leaving Getafe, Buendia was earning £8k-per-week when he first signed for Norwich, which rose to £25k-per-week in his final season with the club.
At Villa, Buendia was handed a weekly wage of £75k-per-week, amounting to £3.9m-per-year to showcase his progression on the pitch through his rise in salary value over the years of his career in England.
Just over two years since his arrival, the Argentine has collected almost £8m in wages, added to the £38m fee that Villa spent to secure his signature, amounting to the total cost the Midlands club have spent on him so far being £46m, excluding the fortunes he’s earned so far this term.
The then 24-year-old arrived at Villa Park among the club’s top-ten earners, signifying just how highly he was valued with reference to the impact he could have in the first team.
What was the reaction when Aston Villa signed Emiliano Buendia?
As expected, there was a lot of excitement at the point of Buendia’s arrival, with a host of big names in the media with a tie to Villa declaring their joy in Smith’s capture of the playmaker.
Stan Collymore took to Twitter X to explain how pivotal the signing could be with reference to Jack Grealish, saying that his “creative influence” could remove the pressure on the Englishman to be the prominent spark in the midfield.
emiliano-buendia-norwich
Things didn’t work as hoped for Collymore and many others, as Grealish signed for Manchester City before the window closed that summer, however pundit Noel Whelan told Football Insider that the £38m man could be “as important as Grealish”.
When speaking to Football Insider in October 2021, Buendia had already featured for the Villans, with Whelan describing his gameplay as bringing a threat in a manner that was “exactly how Grealish did” when he was at Villa.
The comments regarding his early days suggested that the Argentine could be the ideal figure to bridge the gap left by the £100m academy graduate, however the reality of his time at Villa has been far from as remarkable as first anticipated.
Has Emiliano Buendia lived up to expectation?
Whelan was one of many who was encouraged by Villa’s capture of Buendia, but also like many, the pundit has since voiced his frustrations with reference to the 26-year-old’s lack of progression.
Speaking to Football Insider in 2022, the former Leeds United striker admitted that the creative midfielder has “not really hit the heights” that were initially expected, adding that he was “supposed to be the Grealish replacement”.
Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia.
Whelan added that the £75k-per-week star had “not been consistent enough”, which was a fair call of judgement when reflecting on Buendia’s form since arriving in the Midlands.
In a total of 78 appearances for Villa, the former Championship sensation has scored on just nine occasions, as well as recording only nine assists, amounting to 18 goal contributions in 78.
To put into perspective, Buendia scored 15 goals alone in 39 appearances for Norwich in his final season, highlighting a severe decline in his contribution in the final third, with a drop in performance level also traceable in his all-round game play.
From August 2022 to January 2023, the former Getafe ace failed to score or assist a single goal in the Premier League, as pressure built for him to raise his level of performance in the Midlands.
As highlighted in the table below via FBref, the Argentine went from performing in the form of his life in the second tier, to struggling to find his feet at such levels in the Premier League, leaving a sour taste in Villa’s mouth over what could have been.
Emiliano Buendia stats per 90 comparison
Season:
2020/21 Championship
2022/23 Premier League
Non-penalty goals
0.38
0.19
Progressive passes
7.82
5.15
Progressive carries
2.66
2.24
Key passes
3.31
1.53
Via FBref.
While there is a feeling that Buendia should be producing more, there is still a lot of time for the 26-year-old to fully exert his ability at Villa Park, with glimpses of just how special he can be on his day.
The 2023/24 campaign started as a nightmare for the midfielder, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture during pre-season, leaving him sidelined for at least the first half of the term.
Everyone associated with Villa will be hoping that the £38m man can hit his full potential once more, especially after starting life so inconsistently with pressure added by his inability to play following his injury.