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Tottenham appear to be targeting a player who's pretty similar to James Maddison, according to a former Spurs employee.

Spurs eyeing new winger as major summer coup

According to recent reports, the north Londoners want a star winger as their "major summer signing" later this year (Miguel Delaney).

Suggestion Tottenham have now gone extra mile to tempt "beautiful" attacker

He was spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium recently.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 8, 2024

Tottenham currently possess an abundance of wingers, but uncertainty surrounds the futures of both Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon. Meanwhile, it is currently unclear as to whether they will trigger the £15 million buy-out clause in Timo Werner's contract.

There could well be space for Ange Postecoglou to sign another wide player this summer, and this has led to serious interest in the likes of Wolves star Pedro Neto among others.

Another star attacker who is thought to be on Spurs' agenda is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The Englishman, who's been praised for his performances at Selhurst over the last few seasons, has been called a would-be "fantastic signing" and one "a million times better" than Conor Gallagher.

"It would be a really good signing," said former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor to Football Insider last year.

“He’s completely different to Conor Gallagher – he’s a million times better. He can run with the ball at speed, change direction with skill, he’s adding goals to his game, can play in the number ten or off the wing – it’s a fantastic signing."

The 25-year-old is thought to be a target for both Spurs and Man City (Miguel Delaney), and amid the fierce competition for his signature, reports suggest Palace have placed a £77 million price tag on Eze's head.

Tottenham told they could make James Maddison-like signing in Eze

Speaking to Tottenham News, former club scout Bryan King has told Spurs that Eze is a similar player to star playmaker James Maddison – in what is a glowing bit of praise for the ex-QPR man.

“Eze is a good player, I have liked him ever since he was at QPR," said King.

“I like him and I like the way he plays his football. He reminds me of Maddison. He is the player who provides those cute little passes in attacking areas of the pitch for Crystal Palace.”

The midfielder has bagged six goals and one assist for Palace this season, but it would arguably be more if it wasn't for injuries. Eze's haul of 10 goals and four assists in the league last term is more reflective of his final third quality, with pundit Rio Ferdinand calling him "unique".

“His journey has been unique. He’s had disappointments in his academy life, released from clubs, found a new journey and a different pathway for himself. He’s got to this level and now he’s an England international," said Ferdinand to TNT.

“This kid, no disrespect to Palace, could go on and play for one of the top teams. He’s got that individual brilliance; he’s got the awareness when he’s dribbling to keep his head up and bring others into play. I speak to other players that play against him, and they say he’s such an elusive player."

Everything is looking rather rosey in the red half of North London at the moment.

Arsenal are on a seven-game winning streak in the Premier League, and aside from that slight blip in the Champions League, they look like one of the best teams in Europe.

Mikel Arteta has got his side firing on all cylinders at the right time of the campaign, and based on their dismantling of Sheffield United on Monday night, there's every chance they could be champions come May.

It was the sort of game in which it's impossible to pick a stand-out player, but one of the many brilliant performers was Ben White, and while his place in the team is secure for now, Hale End could be about to produce a youngster who could be the Englishman's heir.

Ben White's Arsenal career in numbers

White signed for Arsenal from Brighton & Hove Albion in July 2021 for a fee of £50m, and while that looks value for money today, it wasn't perceived as such at the time, with former Arsenal player William Gallas saying, "It's difficult for me to understand why Arsenal spent £50million on one player who is yet to prove himself at the top level."

In his first season in red and white, the former Seagulls ace made 37 appearances for Arteta, although at the time, he was viewed as a centre-back who could sometimes fill in at right-back, so 34 of those 37 appearances came at centre-back.

The following summer saw the introduction of William Saliba into the side, and while there was a concern among some fans that it would spell the end for White, he simply moved to right-back and hasn't looked back since.

The 6 foot 1 "warrior", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has since made 73 appearances as a full-back for the Gunners, in which he has scored four goals and provided seven assists.

In all, he has made his naysayers look rather foolish and become an integral part of a team that seems destined to win silverware, so it's pretty lucky that Arsenal may have the next White on their hands already.

The Hale End gem that could go on to replicate White's success in a few years is 19-year-old Reuell Walters.

Why fans should be excited about Reuell Walters

The Lambeth-born gem had an interesting journey in youth football before joining Arsenal in 2020. He spent several years at Tottenham Hotspur before a failed move to Manchester United left him without a club for 18 months.

Since joining the club, he has made 49 appearances for the U21s, 20 appearances for the U18s and five appearances for the UEFA Youth League side, but most interestingly, he has primarily played at centre-back and right-back – sound familiar?

It is this proficiency in both positions that led data analyst Ben Mattinson to claim that the youngster is "perfect for the RB/RCB role that White plays" and that he "looks like White at RB."

However, it's not just his positional versatility that should excite fans, as Mattinson also described the academy gem as "a ball-carrying monster", which, based on the way White has been getting increasingly involved in attacking phases of play recently, can only help.

Finally, the "physically gifted" teen, as dubbed by Mattinson, has clearly caught the eye of Arteta, as the Spaniard has named him on the bench 20 times over the last two seasons, meaning it must be a matter of when and not if he finally gets his debut.

The reason Emile Smith Rowe's Arsenal career could be over after 6-0 win

The talented Hale End gem could see his first-team opportunities dwindle further.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 5, 2024

Ultimately, White has proven to be a brilliant signing for Arsenal, and while he won't be losing his place in the team anytime soon, Arteta must be reassured to see a potential long-term replacement coming up through the ranks.

Manchester United's latest signing Leny Yoro has gotten straight to work following his move to the Premier League club.

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• Leny Yoro makes the move to Man Utd
• Takes part in first session at Carrington
• Set to travel with Ten Hag's side to the US

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United announced the signing of Yoro from Lille earlier this week in a deal that cost the Red Devils around £52 million ($68m). Yoro completed all his media commitments on Thursday following his deal's announcement and the Frenchman has already started training under Erik ten Hag.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  On the back of a very successful season with Lille, Yoro had received heavy interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Liverpool. However, the 18-year-old prodigy prioritised a move to Old Trafford instead and has now signed a five-year deal with the Red Devils.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR YORO?

  The Frenchman will be on the plane to the United States as United prepare for their pre-season tour, with friendlies against Arsenal, Real Betis and Liverpool.

Chelsea defender Levi Colwill has admitted that the Blues have made some mistakes during pre-season as he opened up on playing under Enzo Maresca.

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• Colwill speaks about life under Maresca
• Admitted Blues made mistakes in pre-season
• Will face Club America on Wednesday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Blues have failed to register a win in their first two pre-season friendly matches in the United States. After being held by League One side Wrexham to a 2-2 draw, they went down 4-1 against Celtic during the weekend. After disappointing results in back-to-back games, Colwill opened up about their difficulties in the pre-season while claiming that the team are still adjusting to the tactics of new head coach Maresca.

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• WHAT LEVI COLWILL SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the 21-year-old said, "There have been mistakes, but that's what pre-season is for. We are building with a whole different approach. It's exciting. I played left-back a lot last season and am willing to play anywhere to help the team. If the gaffer needs me to play in goal I'll do it!

  "I wouldn't say it's been a heavy pre-season. None of us are complaining. We want to be in the best form, and confident in the style of play. They have such good staff behind the gaffer and have been working with us individually and as units."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Colwill was involved in an ugly fight during their first pre-season friendly against the Red Dragons as he clashed with James McClean, which led to a mass brawl between both sets of players. Earlier in the summer, he was linked with a move to Bayern Munich, however, the German giants never formally approached the Premier League club.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  The West London side will play three more friendly games in the U.S. against Club America, Manchester City and Real Madrid on July 31, August 3 and August 6 respectively before heading back home.

Manchester United have been far from their best this campaign, especially after a promising first season under Erik ten Hag.

The Red Devils will now face an uphill battle to achieve Champions League football, with new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe hopeful that his club will achieve it.

Despite dealing with injuries all season and not signing anyone in January, United’s best form has arrived in 2024, winning five out of eight Premier League games.

Although it’s an improvement, there are still some players who are struggling to live up to their huge wage, unlike the ever-improving youngster Kobbie Mainoo, who is starring in the team.

Kobbie Mainoo’s salary

In January 2023, Mainoo made his first start as a Man United player, making his debut against Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup, but it would have been impossible to predict that just over a year later, he would become a vital player for Ten Hag.

The 18-year-old made his first Premier League start for United in November in the 3-0 win over Everton, but it may have been sooner if he hadn’t picked up an ankle injury in pre-season.

The midfielder has since started the last 12 Premier League matches for the Red Devils, performing to an extremely high standard, notably winning United’s January Player of the Month award.

Nonetheless, Mainoo remains one of the lowest earners in the United squad, taking home just £10k per week or £520k over the entire season,

In truth, that is nothing compared to what some of the top earners are getting paid at the club.

Man Utd now already have their best midfielder since Paul Scholes

The youngster has the potential to become a Man United legend.

By
Tom Lever

Mar 10, 2024

Casemiro’s Man United salary

The defensive midfield position was one that simply had to be improved when Ten Hag took over, which led to the signing of Casemiro for a colossal fee of £70m from Real Madrid.

During his first season, the Brazilian helped United win the EFL Cup, scoring a header in the final against Newcastle United while also being a consistent performer, starting 24 games and contributing to seven goals in the league.

However, that hasn’t been the case this campaign, with the "scary" number 18, as dubbed by Gary Lineker, missing 17 matches through injury and struggling to deal with the tempo and pace of the Premier League since, from both an in-possession and out-of-possession perspective.

The then-30-year-old arrived at Old Trafford off the back of a Champions League triumph, and in order to secure his services, United threw a huge contract at the midfielder. The amount in question makes him one of the highest-paid players in the entire division.

Unsurprisingly, this has also made Casemiro the highest earner at the club on a rather staggering £350k-per-week, which looks set to be a mistake after his showings this campaign, especially when you consider that he earns Mainoo’s annual salary in less than two weeks.

Casemiro’s wage is simply ridiculous for what he offers on the pitch, with Mainoo having better statistics in the Premier League this season.

What will concern Ratcliffe the most, is the fact that the Brazilian is now 32 years old and set to cost United £54.6m in wages over his three remaining years on his contract, which will look like even more of a howler if he continues to follow the downward trend of this season.

In truth, for the Red Devils to not be rinsed by Casemiro, they must look to sell the former Real Madrid star as a priority in the summer, with his performances not warranting such a lucrative contract.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

It may have taken a few rocky years and some sizable investments, but Arsenal are once again one of the best teams in Europe.

Mikel Arteta's side are top of the Premier League and have a real chance of winning the Champions League this year – should they finally get on over Bayern Munich, that is.

The Gunners have a team full of superstars, although it's one of the summer signings who could claim to be the most important, Declan Rice.

Declan Rice's valuation in 2024

Rice completed his long-awaited move to north London from West Ham United last July after what must've felt like a lifetime of back-and-forth negotiations for all involved.

There was a lot of pressure on the Englishman's shoulders to be the player to take the Gunners from last year's nearly men to this year's champions, and so far, it'd be fair to say he's hit those expectations if not exceeded them.

He's made 39 appearances for the side so far this season – and started 100% of league games – in which he has scored six goals and provided seven assists, becoming a key contributor in both defence and attack.

His brilliant form in red and white led to him captaining England for the first time on Tuesday night, and unsurprisingly, his valuation has steadily grown since his transfer.

According to Football Transfers' Expected Value Model, the 6 foot 1 titan was worth just €71m – £61m – in August 2023 but is now worth around €92m, which is about £79m, and while that's lower than the fee the Gunners paid for him in the summer, most fans were well aware that there was always going to be a premium upon his head should he leave the London Stadium.

However, his valuation is still significantly lower than the price that a former club great was sold for in the past, when converted to today's money.

Cesc Fàbregas' valuation in 2024

The player in question is former Spain international Cesc Fàbregas. While calling him a great of the club could be controversial given his move to Chelsea, there is no denying that when he wore the famous red and white of Arsenal, he was magnificent.

The Arenys de Mar-born phenom joined the Gunners from Barcelona as a child and became the youngest first-team player in the club's history when he made his debut in a League Cup clash in October 2003 at just 16 years and 177 days.

Over the next eight years, the "astonishing talent," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, made 303 appearances under Arsène Wenger, in which he scored 57 goals and provided 95 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.99 games, which, given his age, was remarkable.

However, while he was dearly loved by the club and its fans, the call to return to Barcelona was too strong.

In the summer of 2011, he finally rejoined the Catalan side for a fee that, thanks to the clever people at Totally Money, can be converted into today's money.

So, how much does it come to? Well, the £30m Arsenal received for the Spaniard in August 2011 would be a whopping £81m today, or around £2m more than Rice's current valuation.

Arsenal struck gold with a star who'd be worth more than Martinelli today

The former Arsenal man was a tour de force at the Emirates.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 27, 2024

Ultimately, while the club would surely have preferred to keep Fabregas at the club forever, the fee they received for him certainly looks generous by today's standards.

The winger botched his kick and then Jonny Evans blazed over to hand the first trophy of the season to their neighbours

Jadon Sancho must hate playing at Wembley, especially when it comes to taking penalties there, and his kick proved crucial as Manchester City snatched the Community Shield from United's grasp.

The winger was a late substitute and botched his kick when United were leading in the shootout, with Ederson thwarting him. Jonny Evans then ballooned his effort over the bar, allowing Manuel Akanji to seal City's victory.

The Blues dominated the early stages but United played the better football and, after Bruno Fernandes' wonderful goal was ruled offside, struck first in the 82nd minute thanks to a magnificent run and finish by Alejandro Garnacho.

City had been toothless in attack but scored with their first effort on target, a header from Bernardo Silva after a clever cross from the effervescent Oscar Bobb. To penalties it went, where Sancho was left cursing his luck again from the spot.

GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Wembley Stadium…

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  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Andre Onana (6/10):

  Very comfortable in possession. Barely had to make a save. Thwarted Bernardo but was powerless to stop the other penalties.

  Diogo Dalot (6/10):

  Threatened to be exposed by Jeremy Doku's trickery but steadied himself and defended intelligently.

  Harry Maguire (5/10):

  Did a decent job looking after Haaland but did not look fully fit.

  Jonny Evans (5/10):

  Looked shaky at times, especially when giving the ball away before McAtee hit the post. Made some good blocks and clearances but then hit a terrible penalty.

  Lisandro Martinez (5/10):

  Filled in at left-back, displaying his usual control in possession and combative nature. However, he lost Oscar Bobb at the crucial moment for the equaliser.

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  Midfield

  Kobbie Mainoo (6/10):

  Knitted the play together well although naturally looked a bit rusty given his short break. Understandably taken off early.

  Casemiro (8/10):

  A pleasant surprise after a concerning pre-season. His passing was spot-on and didn't look so vulnerable in this system.

  Bruno Fernandes (7/10):

  A typically all-action performance. Played some defence-splitting passes and netted with a wonderful strike but was offside.

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  Attack

  Amad Diallo (7/10):

  Exciting and daring. Responsible for two of the best moves of the match but couldn't find the final pass for the first.

  Mason Mount (4/10):

  Struggled to make an impact, over-cooking passes and not getting in the right attacking positions.

  Marcus Rashford (5/10):

  Still searching for his former spark and was frustratingly wasteful in front of goal. Curled wide after good build-up play and should have buried his one-v-one against Ederson, hitting the post instead.

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  Subs & Manager

  Facundo Pellistri (6/10):

  Worked hard in defence and made a crucial tackle on Kevin De Bruyne in injury time.

  Toby Collyer (6/10):

  Coped well in his first appearance at Wembley, looking calm and composed on the ball.

  Alejandro Garnacho (9/10):

  Simply stunning. Put one on a plate for Rashford only for the forward to hit the post, then jinked inside and expertly tucked home the opener. Scored his spot-kick in the shootout too.

  Scott McTominay (5/10):

  Not very effective.

  Jadon Sancho (N/A):

  Replaced Rashford in the 83rd minute and then was denied by Ederson from the spot after an unwise run-up.

  Erik ten Hag (7/10):

  Will be frustrated not to win but got his tactics right again against City and this 4-2-2-2 shape could be a good blueprint in the crunch matches.

With Sir Jim Ratcliffe preparing for his first summer at Manchester United, the rumours have already started circling regarding potential incomings, which could include a bargain deal in the coming months.

Man United transfer news

It's been another season to forget for Manchester United, with any progress made by Erik ten Hag last season coming to a crashing halt. Now, reports suggest that the Dutchman's job is at risk thanks to the arrival of Ratcliffe and talk of his desire to appoint the likes of Gareth Southgate or Graham Potter this summer.

Man Utd could finally drop Rashford by unleashing "unpredictable" star

The Man United star has improved massively in recent weeks and should be handed a start.

By
Tom Lever

Apr 13, 2024

In what could be a summer of change at Old Trafford, there could be some fresh faces in the form of players, too. Players such as Adrien Rabiot and Serhou Guirassy have stolen the headlines as of late, with both linked to a move to the Red Devils ahead of the summer window. In deals that would improve United's midfield and frontline, Ratcliffe could kickstart his tenure with a bang.

But it's not just these areas that could be handed a fresh coat of paint this summer, as reports are suggesting that those at Old Trafford are in line to potentially land a bargain deal.

According to TEAMtalk, Manchester United have made an approach to sign Tosin Adarabioyo in a free deal this summer, alongside Tottenham Hotspur. The Fulham centre-back is set to be a free agent upon the expiry of his current deal at the end of the season, handing United a chance to land a solid bargain in the coming months.

The central defender could replace Raphael Varane at Old Trafford, with the Frenchman's future still in doubt and his contract set to run out in the summer of 2025 to hand the Red Devils little chance to cash in on the World Cup winner.

"Great" Tosin can become bargain Varane replacement

Whilst replacing a World Cup winner is never going to be an easy task, Varane's injury history and struggle for consistency certainly makes things far simpler for Ten Hag this summer. If United can secure a bargain, allowing them to focus their funds elsewhere, it would be the perfect start to the summer window. And that's where Adarabioyo should come in.

Fulham boss Marco Silva will undoubtedly be among those frustrated to see Adarabioyo leave on a free deal this summer, having sung his praises earlier this season.

Silva told beIN Sports: “We missed him a lot, we missed him because he didn’t play the first three months of the season. Tosin is a special player for us, I can’t hide that situation. The way he can defend the box but also on the ball he is a special player for me, the way I want to play, the way he can build (from the back).

"For three months we missed him but he has just played the last four or five games and he is getting better and better. A great performance from him against Everton and to be able to take the last decision to be deciding the game he deserves all the credit.”

Chelsea beat Servette at home in the first leg of their Europa Conference League play-offs, and Enzo Maresca has revealed he was 'worried'.

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• Chelsea win 2-0 over Servette in UECL playoff
• Suffered late barrage from Swiss side
• Maresca reveals he was worried about conceding

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea won their first official game of the season under Maresca as they beat Swiss Super League side Servette 2-0, thanks to goals from Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke. However, Maresca has revealed that he was slightly worried towards the end of the game as Servette seemed to pick up the slack and challenged to halve the Blues' lead.

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  WHAT MARESCA SAID

  Speaking to the media after the win over Servette, Maresca said: "Yeah, I was a bit worried. In the last 10 minutes, we played a little bit with fire. As I said, we could manage the game in a completely different way but I also expected [it] because we are in a moment where we are learning things, so I think in the end it was a good thing because we didn't concede and from then we can learn."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Regardless of his worries, Maresca also praised his team for their efforts on the pitch as he told the media in his post-match conference: "It was important to win the game and have a clean sheet.

  "We did nine changes, we had players [who needed minutes] like Renato [Veiga], Axel [Disasi], Pedro [Neto], even Marc [Guiu], Filip [Jorgensen]. There were many good things.

  "At some moments I really liked the team, on and off the ball, especially at the beginning of the game. We were very aggressive and created some chances. We started the same way second half, aggressive on and off the ball. We played really well, but also there were some moments we can manage better, but that’s normal."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MARESCA?

  Chelsea will have a short turnaround period before they take on Wolves on Sunday, August 25 and the Italian boss will hope to get his first Premier League victory to get the Blues' domestic season started.

After an impressive first season for Erik ten Hag as Manchester United manager, in which he won the Carabao Cup and finished third, the Red Devils’ form in 2023/24 has taken a big nosedive.

This term, United have lost 12 Premier League games so far, and sit on just 50 points, and finished rock bottom of the Champions League group. Incredibly, United conceded 15 goals which is the most by a Premier League side in the group stage, as per Opta Joe.

Ten Hag’s side currently sit sixth in the Premier League, although they are significantly underperforming. According to Understat, United should be 13th according to expected points, on 37, and would be just eight points clear of the relegation zone.

There have been longstanding rumours that United’s new minority owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who owns a stake of 27.7% in the club, will look to bring in a new manager ahead of the 2024/25 season. Reports have suggested various names, including Ruben Amorim, who seems destined for Liverpool, although he has denied agreeing personal terms.

However, there could be one former Premier League manager, who won the Champions League with his previous club, in with an outside shot at getting one of the biggest jobs in club football.

A manager with a point to prove in England

According to Caught Offside, German boss Thomas Tuchel is an outsider to take over at Manchester United next season. Brus says “experienced” managers like Tuchel “are liked by United”.

With Tuchel set to leave Bayern Munich this summer, United could have a free run at the German manager, and would also not need to pay a release clause, which would save the Red Devils money.

It certainly feels like Tuchel has a point to prove. Having been sacked by Chelsea in 2022, after winning the Champions League in 2021, he moved to Bayern Munich. It has not worked out at the Allianz Arena for Tuchel, who failed to win the Bundesliga after Bayer Leverkusen ended their 11-year dominance emphatically.

However, Tuchel’s Bayern side did beat Ten Hag twice this season in the Champions League group stages, at the Allianz Arena and at Old Trafford.

Tuchel’s availability could present an opportunity which United could capitalise on next summer, with a potential sack incoming for Ten Hag, and no release clause to provide a stumbling block for the German.

How Tuchel’s style translates to Man United

So, how did Tuchel set up his Chelsea side at their best, and how that could translate over to United? The German manager took over an underachieving team and within months had won the Champions League and reached an FA Cup final.

Essentially, Tuchel did this by resting a defensively solid team who were athletic and fit enough to get back and stop counterattacks, with quick and direct attacking play, using wingbacks for maximum width.

Defensively, Chelsea under Tuchel were well drilled and had a good rest defence to prevent counterattacks, which had been an issue under Lampard. As explained by JJ Bull of The Atheltic in a YouTube video from September 2011, “If there is a turnover and they have to get back, they are back immediately”. Thus, they needed to be an athletic and fit side to get players back to help ensure they were not leaving their defenders exposed.

Going forward, Chelsea under Tuchel attacked with maximum width created by their wingbacks, and positional rotations which allowed for space in behind to attack with direct and vertical passes. These rotations included attacking players dropping deep to drag defenders with them and create space for teammates in behind an opponent’s backline.

Relating this back to Manchester United, some of the pieces of Tuchel’s Chelsea-style system fall into place. Mount is an obvious one, playing the same role he did at Stamford Bridge. Captain Bruno Fernandes might also be a good option to play next to the former Chelsea man.

Rasmus Hojlund would also offer an astute option at centre-forward, with Tuchel liking a striker of such a profile. Kobbie Mainoo would fit the role Mateo Kovacic played under Tuchel well, receiving the ball off the centre-backs and using his carrying skills to progress play, and Andre Onana is an easy pick in goal.

However, there are certainly some positions United must target. They would likely need at least one new fullback, and should also look to recruit at centre-back and in midfield to enhance their squad and fit Tuchel’s style.

Despite their direct nature, Tuchel’s Chelsea were a side who loved to keep possession of the ball. In 2021/22, they had the third-highest average possession in the Premier League, with 62.3%. Only Manchester City, with 68.2%, and Liverpool with 63.2%, had more than the Blues did in 2021/22, as per Sofascore.

This season, Manchester United have struggled to retain any substantial amount of possession under Ten Hag. They have the tenth most in the Premier League, with just 50%, according to Sofascore.

Therefore, you could certainly argue that United simply do not have the quality of player who can keep up with the demands of Tuchel’s high-possession game. However, it is worth bearing in mind that in Ten Hag’s first season in charge, they had the sixth most in the Premier League, with 53.8%, as per Sofascore.

Often this season, we have also seen United’s players, particularly in midfield, looking tired and unable to cover the copious amounts of space left open. Whilst Tuchel would surely not be so reckless as to leave big gaps in midfield, he will certainly place demand on his side to get back quickly to help prevent counterattacks, which they may struggle with.

Should the German take charge at Old Trafford, it would be fascinating to see what moves he makes in the transfer market, and how he would utilise the existing players at United.

Tuchel is clearly a wonderful manager who has struggled of late, described by Fabrizio Romano on X as “incredible” in 2020. He would certainly have a point to prove at Old Trafford, and only time will tell if, and how, he would fare as Manchester United manager.

Man Utd could now replace Ten Hag with "best young coach in Europe"

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By
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