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Tottenham Hotspur had an afternoon to forget on Sunday as they threw away a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 to Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Ange Postecoglou’s side had dominated the first half, going into the break with a two-goal advantage thanks to a sixth goal in as many games from Brennan Johnson and a strike from James Maddison.

But things quickly fell apart after half-time, with Brighton scoring three in just over 20 second half minutes through Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter, and finally Danny Welbeck to complete a remarkable turnaround.

Alasdair Gold spots Spurs star jogging back for Brighton equaliser

Unsurprisingly, Destiny Udogie was handed the worst of the criticism after a nightmare performance for the young talent. Alasdair Gold gave the Italian full-back only a 3/10 for what he called a “poor day at the office” in his post-match review.

“Back after missing the midweek match and he played well in the first half only to make a mess off trying to clear a cross and presenting the ball to Minteh to score,” Gold wrote of Udogie. “Put in a weak challenge on Rutter before he scored Brighton’s second and was poor again with the same player for the third, getting himself nutmegged and beaten.”

Fingers have already been pointed at who else was to blame for Spurs’ collapse however, and Gold took aim at Rodrigo Bentancur for his roles in Brighton’s second and third goals, handing the midfielder a measly 4/10 for his performance.

“A calm first half gave way to a lacklustre second period,” Gold wrote of the Uruguayan midfielder, who currently earns £75,000 per week at the London Stadium. “Jogged back for the second goal with no urgency and he was far too laidback in the build-up to Brighton’s third goal.”

Angry Ange rips into Spurs' "worst defeat"

Just as Gold was unimpressed with Tottenham’s implosion at the Amex, so was Spurs boss Postecoglou. In fact, he described the defeat as the worst he’s seen from his side since taking over as manager in June 2023.

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“Disappointing, frustrated and absolutely gutted with that. Worst defeat since I’ve been here. Unacceptable second half,” an angry Postecoglou told Sky Sports after the match. “Nowhere near where we should be. We got carried away with how were were going,” he said. “We kind of accepted our fate and it is hard to understand as we’ve not done that while I’ve been here. We paid the price.”

Postecoglou called the loss as bad as it gets: “We lost all our duels and if you’re not competitive it is not going to work, we were not competitive. They all go international duty the majority of them. They will process it individually and I will process it when everyone gets back.”

As a result of the defeat, Tottenham now sit in ninth place in the Premier League, level on 10 points with Nottingham Forest and Brentford.

Aston Villa are among the clubs keeping tabs on a potential future star for Unai Emery as they look to cement their spot among the elite of English football.

Aston Villa make Champions League return

After 41 years, Aston Villa finally made their return to Europe’s Premier competition as they beat Young Boys 3-0 at the Wankdorf stadium on Tuesday. Youri Tielemans had the honour of scoring their first goal in the competition, before goals from fellow midfielders Amadou Onana and Jacob Ramsey ensured that they ran out comfortable winners despite enduring a tricky opening 20 minutes.

It could have been an even more comfortable scoreline, with both Ollie Watkins and substitute Jhon Duran having goals ruled out by VAR for a pair of handballs, as Villa got their European campaign off to the perfect start.

In the Premier League, it has been a similarly impressive start to the campaign, with a defeat against Arsenal the only blot on their copybook after four games.

Though they are yet to blow any side away, they have secured one-goal wins over Leicester City and West Ham before they came from 2-0 down to beat Everton 3-2 in their most recent outing, courtesy of an excellent strike from Duran.

It comes after a long summer for the Villans, who were forced to part ways with Douglas Luiz for financial fair play reasons and signed eight new faces, several of whom have already hit the ground running.

Aston Villa’s new signings (summer 2024)

Player

Age when signed

Fee

Amadou Onana

23

£50m

Ian Maatsen

22

£37m

Cameron Archer

22

£14m

Jaden Philogene

22

£13.5m

Lewis Dobbin

21

£8m

Samuel Iling-Junior

20

£11.8m + add-ons

Enzo Barrenechea

23

£6.7m + add-ons

Ross Barkley

30

£5m

Part of their plan has been to sign younger players for the squad, with only one of their additions over the age of 23, and now they have been tipped to sign yet another young talent.

Aston Villa in race to sign teenage gem

That comes as local journalists in Brazil have claimed that Villa are among the sides watching Brazil U20 international striker Rayan Vitor Simplício Rocha (Rayan).

A member of the Vasco de Gama senior side, having been promoted from their youth side at the beginning of the Brazilian season, he has scored three goals and grabbed one assist in 32 appearances, with those outings largely coming off the substitutes’ bench.

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Out of contract in 2025, it is claimed that a move in January to sign the young talent could be on the cards as Vasco try to raise some much needed funds, with the teenager currently valued at £5m by transfermarkt.

“The player has attracted interest from teams such as Porto, Fiorentina, Milan, Betis, Aston Villa and Lyon”, it is reported, while Vasco “must sell an asset in the coming months to put its [their] finances in order”. They add that “Vasco and the player’s staff have already received some inquiries” for the youngster, though it is not specified whether Villa are among those to formalise their interest.

The teenager is certainly one to watch, with football analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him an “all-round powerhouse” on X, adding that “his first step can burn a defence for pace”. At just £5m, Villa could well deem it too good to pass up, and with the success of Duran since swapping the Americas for the Premier League, it may well be seen as a risk worth taking.

Celtic have enjoyed a sensational start to the 2024/25 campaign by winning all eight of their competitive matches in all competitions, conceding just four goals.

The Hoops have won all five of their games in the Scottish Premiership and are yet to concede a single goal, as Brendan Rodgers targets a second successive title since his return to the club last summer.

Because of the club’s success and the huge standards in the first-team squad, it is incredibly difficult for young players to make the breakthrough from the B team to the senior group.

One player who appeared to be on his way to bridging the gap was Ireland youth international Rocco Vata, before his exit from Parkhead in the summer transfer window.

Rocco Vata's potential

The 19-year-old starlet scored 23 goals in 34 appearances for Celtic B and was given opportunities in the first-team by Ange Postecoglou and Rodgers.

Vata scored his first goal for the senior side under the Northern Irish head coach last term, against Buckie Thistle, and ended his career at Parkhead with that being his only strike in six appearances.

The teenage whiz opted to turn down the chance to sign an extension at Paradise and signed for Championship side Watford, with compensation to be agreed between the two teams due to his age, and he came off the bench for the Hornets in their 2-1 League Cup defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Vata appeared to be a great prospect for Celtic, given his 23 goals for the B team and his smattering of first-team outings, but will now not have the chance to fulfil his potential at Parkhead.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Rodgers, however, may already have a bigger talent than the 19-year-old Irishman brewing in the academy in the form of centre-forward Daniel Cummings.

Daniel Cummings' goal record for Celtic

The 18-year-old star, who only turned 18 in April, has been in prolific form for the B team in the 2024/25 campaign, with a stunning 12 goals in eight appearances.

Cummings has scored ten goals in seven Lowland League games this term, and also fired in 12 goals in 19 Lowland League matches last season, which means that the forward has racked up 22 goals in his last 26 league appearances for the B team.

That works out as a goal every 1.18 Lowland League games on average, compared to Vata’s return of 23 goals in 34 matches for the same team – a goal every 1.48 matches on average.

The Scotland U17 international has scored two goals and provided one assist in six appearances in the UEFA Youth League, whereas Vata only managed one goal and zero assists in 12 outings in that competition for Celtic.

These statistics suggest that Cummings, who is a year younger than the Watford man, has the potential to be a greater goal threat as a centre-forward, as he outperformed his former teammate in the same competitions.

It is now down to the 18-year-old marksman to prove to Rodgers, if given the opportunity, that he has a future as a regular starter for Celtic, as he could be a star for the Hoops if his B team form can be translated to the first-team.

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Leeds United have now tasted defeat in the Championship after Scott Parker’s Burnley defeated an out-of-sorts Whites side 1-0 on Saturday.

Luca Koleosho’s breakaway strike in the first half would end up being the difference maker for the Clarets, with Daniel Farke cutting a frustrated figure on the sidelines throughout, as his Leeds team dominated the ball but just couldn’t find the strike to catch James Trafford out.

Wilfried Gnonto notably underperformed for his side at Elland Road, as every attacker donning Leeds white on the day – including the lacklustre Italian – continually fired blanks.

Gnonto's performance vs Burnley

Gnonto wasn’t at the races whatsoever for his team, alongside his partner in crime down the opposing flank in Manor Solomon, who slipped over for Koleosho to race through unchallenged to score the winner.

The lively Leeds number 29 would only manage one effort on target at Trafford’s net in the back-and-forth contest, whilst also only managing to amass 22 accurate passes in the defeat, in a game that saw Burnley capitalise on the home team’s errors constantly.

Also squandering possession 16 times in the narrow loss, Gnonto will just want to put this game to one side in his head and power on ahead this campaign, to help Farke’s men in their bid to be in and around the promotion spots once more.

His German manager won’t just drop him completely after this poor showing either, knowing what he is capable of away from dropping the odd off-performance here and there, having helped himself to an opening day strike versus Portsmouth.

Patrick Bamford might not be so lucky moving forward himself, in terms of entering back into the starting XI, as another game has ended up passing the former England international owing to recurring injury concerns.

Bamford’s excessive wage will also be troubling those in West Yorkshire, with the injury-prone centre-forward currently raking in double Gnonto’s pay-packet, as per Capology.

Bamford's wage at Leeds

According to the website, Bamford’s wage for the 24/25 season comes in at an eye-watering £70k-per-week, making the Whites number nine the highest earner in the camp at this moment in time.

That’s the case despite the unlucky 31-year-old only being present this season for two league games, averaging a meagre 11 minutes on the turf too when introduced into the action, with no place at all for the ageing attacker on the substitutes bench versus Burnley.

These injury issues aren’t just exclusive to the infancy of this campaign either, with Bamford missing for large chunks of games in the past too, with 68 games missed in total during his Whites career just through injury.

Even when he has been deemed ready for action, he hasn’t exactly been a goal machine, with only two seasons donning a Leeds jersey resulting in him hitting double figures.

Player

Wage

League games played

1. Bamford

£70k-per-week

2

2. Junior Firpo

£60k-per-week

5

3. Manor Solomon

£60k-per-week

2

4. Pascal Struijk

£50k-per-week

5

5. Daniel James

£50k-per-week

3

Sourced by Capology/Sofascore

As can be seen by glancing at the table above, the likes of Junior Firpo and Pascal Struijk – who have been everpresent members of the Leeds defence so far this up-and-down campaign – will feel aggrieved that they fall short of Bamford’s wage, earning £60k-per-week and £50k-per-week respectively.

Gnonto will also feel rightly annoyed about his lower salary, which sees him not even enter into the top five earners bracket, with the former FC Zurich man on a lesser £30k-per-week pay packet.

If Farke doesn’t feel like he can rely on Bamford to be fit, talk will have to centre soon on whether the 31-year-old should be moved on from Elland Road or not, with his contract up in 2026.

There were even speculative conversations in the air recently that suggested the experienced head would be given a new deal soon, but his frustrating injury record and his high wage suggest other plans of action should be taken.

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Therefore, Farke should permanently ditch Bamford from the squad and look to move him on at the next possible opportunity, whether that is in January or next summer, due to his injury troubles and lack of return on the pitch for the wages he is on.

Glasgow Rangers are preparing a second bid in an attempt to bring Feyenoord striker Danilo to the Scottish Premiership, according to reports.

Is Danilo leaving Feyenoord?

The Brazilian only arrived in Rotterdam from Ajax last summer, but having established himself as Arne Slot’s second top-performing offensive player during his 48 appearances in his debut season, has grabbed the attention of Michael Beale at Ibrox.

Dutch outlet 1908 recently reported that the Light Blues had submitted an opening offer for the 24-year-old but this is believed to have been swiftly rejected as a result of the two parties being far apart in their valuations, as reported by The Scottish Sun.

However, talks regarding a deal have been ongoing ever since to try and find a middle ground on the centre-forward’s price tag, and should he put pen to paper, he won’t be the only attacking reinforcement walking through the dressing room doors.

The Teddy Bears have already confirmed the arrivals of Sam Lammers from Atalanta and Abdallah Sima from Brighton, and they are also suggested to have completed a deal for Cremonese’s Cyriel Dessers following a long negotiation process, and the Eredivisie star could be about to follow in their footsteps.

Are Rangers signing Danilo?

According to The Scottish Sun once again, Rangers are “preparing an improved offer” for Danilo who has emerged as one of Beale’s “top targets” for the summer.

The Glasgow outfit are “ready to make a fresh bid” after seeing their £3.5m opening offer turned down, and it’s believed that the attacker has told his club that he “wants to quit and seal a move to Ibrox”.

The Light Blues boss is a long-term “admirer” of Feyenoord’s talisman and is hoping that the board will be more successful in their second attempt at striking a deal.

What could Danilo bring to Ibrox?

Rangers are clearly serious about securing the services of Danilo in order to be preparing a new proposal and it’s completely understandable when consdiering the amount of end product they're losing with the departure of Alfredo Morelos.

The striker would bring an extremely prolific threat to Beale’s attacking ranks should a deal get finalised in the coming weeks – Feyenoord’s £7k-per-week earner posted 13 goal contributions (ten goals and three assists) in 34 Eredivisie outings last season, form which saw him receive four man-of-the-match awards, but he even caused problems when the ball didn’t hit the back of the net.

The Sao Paulo native ranked in the 98th percentile for total number of shots and the 96th percentile for most attacking touches in the opposition’s penalty area – when compared with other players in his position – so he’s always looking to create dangerous moments for himself and his teammates.

Since the start of his career, the striker has not only helped to secure two trophies but he’s also been recognised for his individual efforts by twice being named the top goalscorer in different competitions and the edge that he adds to a side previously saw him lauded Ajax’s “best finisher” by then manager Erik Ten Hag, so it would be a massive coup should the boss successfully be able to land his long-term target.

West Ham United are currently in the driving seat when it comes to a potential deal for Yunus Musah, according to a report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness.

How many games has Yunus Musah played for Valencia?

The midfielder was given his league debut for current club Valencia back when he was just 17-years-old, which already showcases how much talent the La Liga outfit believed he had.

He went on to feature 32 times in that campaign, despite his age, as his side finished 13th. He has since gone on to establish himself as a regular member of their team and managed another 33 showings in Spain during the 2022/23 season, with two assists along the way. He has now racked up almost 100 appearances for the club – and is only just out of his teens.

Musah has also become an integral part of his national team too, playing 24 times for the USA. He did come up through the youth ranks with England, but opted to switch his allegiance to America and has been rewarded with regular minutes for their team.

Are West Ham United signing Yunus Musah?

Having become a key member of the Valencia team, he has now caught the eye of other clubs. West Ham have already been linked on a few occasions, as have other sides from the Premier League.

However, according to a fresh report from CalcioMercato, via Sport Witness, the Hammers are the team that are in "first place" in England in terms of securing his signature.

It won't be completely straightforward to land the American, with AC Milan also keen to snap him up. It seems the Italian side will be battling West Ham all the way for his signature, with the Serie A giants planning to use the funds from Sandro Tonali's sale to try and seal a deal for the 20-year-old. Valencia have set his asking price at just 20 million Euros (or £17.2m), so a fee will not be too steep for either team.

Musah is already highly regarded when you consider the praise he has received. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig called him a "jewel" for Valencia and added that he keeps getting "better and better" to boot.

Despite his age then, he already has shown his ability and the potential is clearly there for him to keep improving. If the Hammers can snap him up, then they could have both a player for the here and now and for plenty of years ahead too.

Tottenham Hotspur have “asked about” signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba and it’s “likely a deal will happen”, according to reports.

Will Spurs sign a defender this summer?

At the back, it was a season to forget for Spurs last campaign, with the Lilywhites conceding more top flight goals than any other side above 15th in the Premier League table.

One of new manager Ange Postecoglou’s main priorities will surely be reinforcing what has proven to be a fragile defence, with Tottenham also thought to be closing in on highly-rated Empoli goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario for £16.4 million.

Postecoglou, as per recent rumours, has given the green-light for his club to sign a star central defender this summer – leading to interest in the likes of Man City defender Aymeric Laporte among others.

Tapsoba, who has been a mainstay under Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso in the Bundesliga, is thought to be another top target.

The 24-year-old is at the centre of interest from Spurs, as backed by reliable sources like renowned transfer journalists like Fabrizio Romano, who says that he is one of the options shortlisted.

Now, The Daily Mail and journalist Simon Jones have a small update on the matter, claiming that Tottenham have “asked about” signing Tapsoba – presumably meaning there has been contact with Leverkusen.

The Burkina Faso international is apparently “eager to join” Spurs and it’s “likely a deal will happen” once an official approach is made.

It’s further added that Tottenham are long-term admirers of Tapsoba as Levy and co commence the hunt for fresh defensive options.

Who is Edmond Tapsoba?

The colossal defender featured over more league minutes than any other Leverkusen outfielder last season, with goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky coming as the only player to be selected more (WhoScored).

Tapsoba appears to be a crucial player for Alonso, and defensively, he is rock solid – with both him and Jonathan Tah making more clearances per 90 than any other Leverkusen player (WhoScored).

Presenter and pundit Jack Collins, writing on Twitter, has seriously endorsed the African in past seasons – branding him “absolutely sensational” for his performances all the way back in 2020.

It’s clear Tapsoba has starred at Leverkusen for quite some time, and this summer may well be the one where he finally gets his big money move, if Spurs do make that official approach.

Newcastle United are reportedly in talks to sign Leicester City midfielder James Maddison this summer – a transfer that will only help further unlock the potential of Alexander Isak.

Newcastle United transfer news – will they sign James Maddison?

After suffering relegation from the Premier League with the Foxes last season, Maddison's exit seems a guarantee this summer, given his proven quality at the top level.

With that said, according to Fabrizio Romano, the Magpies will 'insist' on a deal for the England international this week, who is a top target for Eddie Howe.

"Newcastle will insist on James Maddison deal this week as they don’t want a long saga — he’s top target but decision has to be made soon," he tweeted.

The northeast giants may need to act quickly to secure Maddison's signature, however, with Tottenham Hotspur reportedly still interested, with Romano adding:

"Tottenham are also working on player side, still pushing and into the race; no bid was submitted last week despite reports."

A deal for the Leicester man would cost Newcastle in excess of £50m, according to Sky Sports, in what would be their first transfer of the summer window.

How would James Maddison fit into Newcastle United's side?

When you take a look at the current Newcastle midfield, adding Maddison into the middle of the park almost spoils the on-watching fans at St James' Park.

Howe has already got Bruno Guimaraes and a transformed Joelinton at his disposal. Add Maddison into the mix, and you've suddenly got one of the most exciting trios in the Premier League.

Between them last season, they were involved in 37 goals in the last campaign, with Maddison scoring 10 goals and assisting a further nine, Joelinton scoring six and assisting three, and his Brazilian teammate scoring four and assisting five.

Speaking about Maddison back in 2020, then Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers saiD (via Sports Mole):

"He's got immense quality. You saw his right foot at Manchester City, he has that technique with both feet. That was a sensational strike tonight."

Maddison, in particular, can supply and score goals from midfield, as proven in a struggling Leicester side last season.

The former Norwich City "magician" – as lauded by analyst Statman Dave last year – managed nine assists without a potent striker in front of him, too.

As good as Jamie Vardy once was, he was a shadow of his former self for the Foxes last season, scoring just three Premier League goals.

The more you look at it, the more you start to believe that Maddison worked miracles to get nine assists to his name.

If he does make the move to Newcastle, however, then he'll be in assist dreamland.

Not only will he have 18-goal England teammate Callum Wilson to endlessly supply, but an always-improving Isak will also be on hand to tap home any pinpoint passes placed his way.

As per FBref, last season Maddison played 5.47 progressive passes per-90, which was 1.08 more than Joelinton managed. A player with his ability to play such passes should only increase the goals of Isak.

Last season, the Sweden international scored 11 combined goals for both Real Sociedad and Newcastle, with 1.29 shots per 90.

By comparison, with Maddison's progressive passing ability, Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho shot 3.04 times per 90.

With that said, it is clear that if the Englishman does make the move to the Magpies this summer, Isak will benefit from his passing range, getting more shots off, and, therefore, have the potential to score more goals.

Arsenal are reportedly eyeing a move for Leicester City full-back Timothy Castagne this summer as Mikel Arteta looks set to improve his defensive options.

What’s the latest on Timothy Castagne to Arsenal?

According to Belgian outlet Het Belang van Limburg (via Sport Witness), the Gunners are keen on making a move for the right-back this summer, although unnamed sides from Italy and Spain have also looked at the player and Arteta will be wary of this competition for his signature.

Due to the Foxes' relegation at the end of the season, Castagne will be available for between €15-20m (£13m-£17m) as per the report, which could represent a bargain for the Spaniard who clearly needs some reinforcements at right-back heading into next season, especially with the Champions League group stage beckoning.

Should Arsenal sign Castagne?

Last season, the north Londoners lacked serious depth at right-back, having to utilise Ben White out wide as opposed to his usual position at centre-back, although he did perform well, playing all 38 matches, registering five assists, creating six big chances and making 1.6 tackles per game, showcasing his attacking abilities.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, the backup full-back, didn’t enjoy the greatest of league seasons, ranking 18th in the squad for overall match rating, 19th for goals and assists, sixth for tackles per game and 15th for big chances created, suggesting he failed to leave an imprint on the first-team when he got his chance.

In contrast, Castagne ranked 7th in the Leicester squad for goals and assists, second for tackles per game and fourth for big chances created, suggesting he could offer a bigger attacking output than the Japanese player should he join Arsenal this summer.

Defensively, the Belgian ranked in the top 9% for clearances per 90 (3.04), top 17% for aerials won per 90 (1.52) and top 25% for tackles won per 90 (2.41) across Europe’s big five leagues over the previous 365 days, proving himself to be more than capable in the Premier League.

Tomiyasu did rank in the top 10% for tackles per 90 (3.22) and aerials won per 90 (2.29) while ranking a lot lower for clearances per 90 (1.86), although this could be skewed due to the fact he played only 1063 minutes compared to the 3254 minutes that Castagne played last term.

Jamie Vardy lauded the Belgian for being “brilliant” during his debut for the Foxes a few years ago and given his attacking qualities are clearly better than what Arteta has at the moment, it could be a shrewd investment to secure him before next season.

Arsenal are "looking at" signing Bayer Leverkusen defender Moussa Diaby in the upcoming transfer window, according to Daily Express journalist Ryan Taylor.

Who is Moussa Diaby signing for?

According to a report from The Evening Standard, Arsenal were interested in signing Diaby during the January transfer window, but Leverkusen were reluctant to lose one of their star players mid-way through the season.

However, now the winger has just over two years remaining on his contract, this summer may be the German side's last opportunity to cash-in, and there have been multiple Premier League teams named as potential suitors.

Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has claimed that Newcastle and Manchester United have also shown an interest in the Leverkusen star, with the Bundesliga club set to demand a fee of around €70m – €80m (£60m – £69m).

In an interview with GiveMeSport, Taylor has now provided an update on Arsenal's summer transfer business.

The Daily Express journalist said: "I'm not quite sure they have the financial muscle to pull off both Rice and Caicedo. But, at the same time, I do think we can expect Arsenal to be shopping in a market where they're looking at players that will also interest a lot of clubs.

"An example would be someone like Moussa Diaby, who is clearly highly-rated. Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain are also interested. He ticks that under-25 box and is a player that can reach a new level at Arsenal.

"That's what I expect to see, but I don't expect to see scattergun recruitment. It's going to be concise and I believe Arsenal already have a clear shortlist of targets."

How many goals has Moussa Diaby scored?

The France international racked up 14 goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen last season, including two in the Champions League, with that figure ranking him as the top scorer in the squad.

Not only that, the 23-year-old is also clearly a very creative player, weighing in with nine assists, the second-highest total behind Jeremie Frimpong, who has previously been linked with a move to north London.

Hailed as "incredibly dangerous" by former teammate Nils Petersen, the £37k-per-week dynamo is very well-known for his sprint speed, with football scout Jacek Kulig lauding his "electric pace" and "unreal acceleration".

That said, £69m is a large sum of money for a player who would not necessarily be a guaranteed starter, considering Bukayo Saka's output at right-wing last season, and Mikel Arteta may be better off strengthening other areas of the squad.