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It’s been about a year and a half since Ange Postecoglou was appointed manager of Tottenham Hotspur, and it would be fair to say that a lot has changed in that time.

There have been some undeniable positives, such as the more entertaining style of football, some big wins over Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United and the signing of players like Micky van de Ven and Dominic Solanke.

However, there have also been some significant problems, such as the team’s wildly unpredictable form and, on the recruitment side of things, the signing of Timo Werner on loan.

The German forward failed to establish himself in the team last season and has somehow endeavoured to be even worse this season, so recent reports linking the club with a player who could be the perfect replacement should excite fans.

Tottenham chase Premier League star

According to a recent report from the Independent’s Chief Football Writer, Miguel Delaney, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in Manchester United’s wantaway Marcus Rashford.

In fact, Delaney has revealed that the North Londoners have already made contact and held informal talks over the possibility of taking the Englishman on loan for the rest of the season.

However, in his report, he also claims that the United ace is likelier to go abroad and that his enormous £300k-per-week wage would pose an issue for the Lilywhites.

With that said, if they can convince Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co to cover a portion of his salary, then this could be a brilliant transfer for Tottenham, as even though he is someway off his best, Rashford would be an instant upgrade on Werner.

How Rashford compares to Werner

So, as things stand, it seems that Postecoglou’s go-to backup for Son Heung-min off the left is Werner, but as most fans will likely attest, he has been less than effective since moving to North London last January.

Therefore, were Rashford to join the club this month, he’d likely do so to compete with the German behind and for that to come in when the South Korean has to rest, and we reckon that is a competition he’d win hands down.

For example, despite being left out of the squad multiple times this season, the Manchester-born attacker has still scored seven goals and provided three assists in 24 appearances, totalling 1500 minutes.

That means that the “electric” 60-capped international, as dubbed by Statman Dave, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.4 games, or every 150 minutes for the Red Devils this season, which is perhaps better than some might have believed.

In contrast, the former RB Leipzig ace has only been able to score a single goal and provided three assists in his 26 appearances this season, totalling 937 minutes.

In other words, the Stuttgart-born forward is averaging a goal involvement every 6.5 games, or every 234.25 minutes this year, which simply isn’t good enough for a team like Tottenham.

Ultimately, if Spurs are to progress this season and potentially even lift some silverware, Postecoglou is going to need some more attacking reinforcements, and while signing him on a permanent deal would potentially be too risky, bringing Rashford in for six months could be just what the team needs.

Therefore, Daniel Levy and Co should do what they can to bring him to N17 this month, as even if his form remained the same, he’d be an instant upgrade on Werner.

He'd help to revive Son: Spurs plotting move for "explosive" £42m star

The exceptional talent would be an exciting addition to Spurs’ squad.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 13, 2025

Liverpool fans believe Trent Alexander-Arnold could stay at the club after he scored the winner against Leicester and celebrated wildly.

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• Alexander-Arnold scores winner
• Liverpool now three points off title
• Fans believe he could snub Real Madrid

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score the winner as Liverpool beat Leicester 1-0, relegating the Foxes, and confirming that Arne Slot's side need just three more points – or an Arsenal defeat against Crystal Palace in midweek – to win the Premier League title. The right-back has consistently been linked with a free transfer to Real Madrid, with reports claiming the deal is "done", but fans now believe that he may yet stay after his wild celebration, as he ripped off his shirt and sprinted to the away support.

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  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  @StokeyyG2 said: "Trent has his shirt off as he scores potentially the winner against Leicester… Could he be staying after all?"

  @LFC_Hamy added: "Does the Trent celebration mean he stays?"

  @Imzispoms said: "It's always Trent. Best player that club ever produced."

  @SamuelLFC joked: "The ‘King Power stadium’ is now renamed as The ‘Trent Alexander-Arnold stadium’."

  @LFCLeanne added: "That was an absolutely emphatic celebration from a man whose head is supposedly in Madrid. Stop playing with my heart, Trent."

  @Lfcnrj said: "Even girls don't give mixed signals like Trent!"

  @Oskrholic took a rather different viewpoint, however, saying: "Trent took his shirt off because that will be his last goal for us."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Liverpool have already convinced both Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk to commit their futures to the club but they may be fighting a losing battle with Alexander-Arnold, so common are the reports that he is set for a move to Spain. Nevertheless, a last-minute U-turn cannot be ruled out until he is unveiled at the Bernabeu.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Reds can win the league as early as Wednesday, if Arsenal lose to Crystal Palace. Otherwise, they will win the title if they beat Tottenham next weekend.

Could 2025 be a year of optimism for Everton after all?

On Sunday, David Moyes claimed the first win of his second stint in charge on Merseyside, overseeing a 3-2 victory against Tottenham, in which the Toffees raced into a 3-0 half time lead at Goodison; Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye both on target.

This propelled the Toffees four points clear of the relegation zone, desperately needing to retain their Premier League status, before moving into their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock in the summer.

As Moyes seeks to put together a squad strong enough to comfortably survive, now is his chance to bring in new recruits, so could the Blues sign a multiple-Premier League winner on a free transfer?

Everton looking to add a new winger

According to a report by Matt Law for the Telegraph last week, Everton have been “offered” the chance to sign Willian this month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The winger joined record, 47-times Greek champions Olympiacos in September, earning a reported £100k-per-week in Piraeus, but made only 11 appearances for the Red and Whites, scoring zero goals, hence why they were eager to terminate his one-year contract only halfway through, making him a free agent as of New Year’s Eve.

Willian is best known for his time at Chelsea, scoring 63 goals and providing 57 assists in 339 appearances, having arrived from Anzhi Makhachkala for a reported £32m in 2013, winning two Premier League titles, the FA Cup, an EFL Cup and the Europa League.

Fair to say, the Brazilian is a beloved figure at the Blues, but the same cannot be said of their London rivals Arsenal.

Upon his contract’s expiration in 2020, Willian joined the Gunners on a free transfer, but scored just one goal in 37 appearances, with journalist Phil Costa on Twitter describing him as “one of the worst professionals” in Arsenal’s history, while former striker John Hartson added he contributed “absolutely nothing” during his time at the club.

After a short spell back in Brazil with Corinthians, cut short after receiving countless death threats from furious supporters, he returned to English football with Fulham, and safe to say he’s rather more popular at Craven Cottage than in Highbury.

How Willian could help Everton

Willian bagged ten goals for the Cottagers, most notably scoring against his former side in a famous West London derby victory, revealing on BBC’s Football Focus afterwards that his daughters were sad because they both “love Chelsea”.

Speaking on Sky Sports’ Monday Night Football earlier this month, Fulham club captain Tom Cairney believes that Willian is the best player he’s ever played with, claiming the Brazilian to be one of the most “underrated” players in Premier League history, adding that he doesn’t get the “recognition he deserves”.

Thus, the Fulham faithful were upset to see the Brazilian depart last summer, showing that there is still a top-quality player in there somewhere, even if Arsenal supporters won’t believe you, suggesting Everton should take the plunge.

Even after Sunday’s three-goal haul, the first time the Toffees have scored multiple goals from open play in the same game all season, they still rank second-bottom of the Premier League for both goals scored (18) and expected goals (21.1).

Thus, Moyes certainly needs some attacking help, so could Willian have a similar impact at Goodison to that of James Rodríguez?

Another big name on big money after an illustrious career in Europe, the Colombian spent just a solitary season on Merseyside, but scored six goals and accumulated eight assists, helping them to a top-ten finish in 2020/21, ending up no higher than 15th subsequently, becoming a cult hero, despite only ever playing behind-closed-doors.

So, could Willian do something similar? Let’s compare the Brazilian’s spell at Fulham to the Colombian’s time with Everton.

Given that Willian had two seasons at Fulham, while Rodríguez was at Everton for only one, the latter provides a very small sample size, so we’re assessing statistics on a per-90 basis.

In short, the pair are largely very similar in many metrics, including shots and pass completion percentage.

James was though, much more of a goal threat, albeit he did significantly overperform his xG during his time at Goodison, which is obviously great, if not overly sustainable.

Willian meanwhile, ranks higher when it comes to dribbles and shot-creating actions, suggesting he could certainly add something extra to Everton’s attack; on a Bosman, he may be the low-cost, low-risk signing they’re looking for.

Everton's most expensive sales of all time

The Toffees have received some huge fees over the years.

By
Charlie Smith

Oct 3, 2025

Victor Osimhen has been billed as a “transformational signing” for Manchester United, with the Red Devils urged to snap up the “perfect” striker.

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• Red Devils have struggled for firepower
• Expected to spend big on another No.9
• Nigerian among those being considered

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Issues in the final third of the field have continued to plague collective efforts at Old Trafford during the 2024-25 campaign. Club captain Bruno Fernandes, who is more of a creative playmaker, tops United’s scoring charts with 17 efforts across all competitions.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Argentina international winger Alejandro Garnacho is the only other player to have reached double figures. Strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have just 15 efforts between them, leading to fresh calls for another No.9 to be signed.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United are being linked with various options in that department, but former frontman Louis Saha believes a raid should be launched on Napoli for a Serie A title winner that has hit 29 goals during a productive loan spell at Galatasaray.

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  WHAT LOUIS SAHA SAID

  Saha told : “I really like Victor Osimhen. He's definitely got the character, he's got the quality. He’s also got good European pedigree: he was a success in France, he was a champion in Italy with Napoli and he’s gone to Turkey with Galatasaray and been brilliant, a move that he probably didn't want, let's be honest.

  “He’s scored goals at every level. He’s got Champions League experience, and further more, he’s got the type of personality and charisma that this United squad could really benefit from.

  “I think he would be a transformational signing for Manchester United. If you think about the pressure that he was under at Napoli, firing the club to its first title in 33 years, then he’s the perfect man to lead the line for Manchester United. I think he would have a huge impact at United. I would love to see the club hierarchy move for him, I think he is exactly what we need.”

Manchester City roared back into some form over the weekend, coming from a goal down to eventually prevail over Chelsea with a 3-1 victory.

The win moves the club up to fourth place in the Premier League table, although they still trail runaway leaders Liverpool by 12 points, with the Anfield side having a game in hand.

Winning the league title might be out of their reach, but Pep Guardiola has used the January transfer window to sign a few players who could send the club into a new era.

Omar Marmoush was given his first start for the Etihad side against the Blues. He didn’t get on the scoresheet, but there is no question just how good a signing he could go on to be over the next few years.

Omar Marmoush’s game in numbers vs Chelsea

The Egyptian striker joined the Manchester side for a fee in the region of £59m in order to provide Erling Haaland with some competition up front.

Having scored 20 goals in just 27 games for Eintracht Frankfurt prior to his move to England, Marmoush had established himself as one of the finest centre-forwards in Europe.

Against Chelsea, Guardiola perhaps rather surprisingly gave the Egpytian star his first start, unleashing the 25-year-old on the left wing, hoping that he could replicate the form he had displayed in Germany over the previous few months.

It was a solid enough debut for Marmoush, who registered two shots during his time on the pitch, while attempting two dribbles, creating one big chance and making one key pass for City.

It was definitely an eye-catching start and one that Guardiola will hope continues over the next few games as the club seek to go on a winning run which will claw back ground on Liverpool.

Indeed, challenging for trophies and appearing regularly in the Champions League were, of course, massive incentives for Marmoush to make the move from Germany to England.

While these are what a footballer wants in their career, making the most money possible as they are performing at the highest level is another major incentive.

Upon joining City, the former Frankfurt striker soon one of the highest-paid players at the club, earning a staggering £295k-per-week at the Etihad.

Compare this to the £32k-per-week he was taking home during his spell with the Bundesliga side, and it becomes clear why a move to City was his preferred destination.

£295k a week is astronomical, but if Marmoush delivers on the pitch, then the manager will consider it money well spent.

That said, one player is taking home more than this every week, but failing to contribute effectively during games…

Man City must sell high-earner who takes home more than Marmoush

With just one week left of the January transfer window, might Guardiola sell Jack Grealish?

Since arriving at the Etihad for £100m way back in 2021, the attacker hasn’t quite managed to live up to this lavish transfer fee, that’s for sure.

Yes, he may have played a part in the club’s treble success during the 2022/23 season, but was he worth £100m? That remains to be seen depending on who you ask.

It now appears as though his immediate future is uncertain at City. According to the Sun, a whole host of clubs are reportedly chasing a move for the Englishman before the window slams shut.

Manchester United, Aston Villa, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur are keen on keeping Grealish in England.

It isn’t just clubs in the Premier League who are showing interest, however. Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund could be attractive options for the attacking midfielder as he eyes a new start.

With Marmoush now joining City, might this tempt Guardiola into selling Grealish this month?

Jack Grealish's season in numbers

The 29-year-old has featured just 22 times for the Manchester club this season, yet he has managed to start only 11 of those matches.

During his time on the pitch, Grealish has scored twice – one was a penalty against Salford in the FA Cup – while registering four assists in all competitions.

Those are hardly the contributions in the final third that Guardiola is looking for, especially with his team trailing in the Premier League and struggling in the Champions League.

Previously hailed as a “superstar” by presenter Dan Bardell during his final season with Aston Villa, but this praise has certainly worn off over the previous 12 months.

Across his 15 appearances in the Premier League, Grealish has created just two big chances, averaging 1.5 key passes per game while also succeeding with 0.9 dribbles per game.

The midfielder averages just 32.1 touches each match in the top flight, while he manages only 0.3 shots on target for City per match.

This is not ideal for a club chasing yet more success, and Grealish even earns more than their new signing Marmoush, despite failing to offer much during matches.

Kevin De Bruyne is the top earner at the club, taking home £400k-per-week, but Grealish isn’t far off, coming home as the joint-third highest earner at the Etihad, earning a staggering £300k-per-week.

This is even more than Marmoush and, given how well the respective players have performed this season, the striker should be taking home more than the Englishman, that’s for sure.

The transfer window closes in a week, which doesn’t leave long for Guardiola to get things in motion regarding player sales, but if there are teams interested, then Grealish should be his main priority over the next few days.

He won’t be able to recoup the £100m that the club paid three and a half years ago, but getting a decent fee for the attacking midfielder, plus getting his massive wages off the bill, would certainly go down as a major success. The next seven days could be very interesting indeed.

Better signing than Kimmich: Man City could land £70m Luiz alternative

Man City are interested in a move for a Serie A midfielder

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By
Ross Kilvington

Jan 26, 2025

Ruben Amorim has explained why Viktor Gyokeres could reject a transfer to Manchester United, admitting that the Sporting CP striker “won’t come”.

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• Swedish forward starring in Portugal
• Premier League switch speculated on
• Red Devils & Arsenal are both in the mix

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Swedish sensation Gyokeres has become one of the most sought-after talents in world football. The 26-year-old forward has hit 52 goals across all competitions this season, and 95 through 98 appearances during his time in Lisbon.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Brighton and Coventry frontman is now seeing a return to English football speculated on. Having previously worked with Amorim in Portugal, a reunion for the pair at Old Trafford has been mooted.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United are, however, languishing 14th in the Premier League table. They are into the Europa League semi-finals, where they will face Athletic Club, and ultimate glory in that competition would secure Champions League qualification for 2025-26.

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  WHAT RUBEN AMORIM SAID

  Amorim admits that the Red Devils need to be rubbing shoulders with the European elite in order to stand any chance of signing Gyokeres. He has said of a player that he knows well: “I didn't talk to him. But if a player only wants to come to Man United to play Champions League, then he won't come. We want players who want to represent United, not players who want to play certain competitions.”

Real Madrid have contacted Liverpool about signing Trent Alexander-Arnold early as they want the full-back for their Club World Cup campaign.

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• Madrid approach Liverpool over early transfer for Trent
• Full-back announced departure on Monday
• Madrid want him for Club World Cup campaign

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After several months of speculation, the English full-back has finally confirmed that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Alexander-Arnold penned an emotional statement on social media to announce his departure from his boyhood club.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It's no secret that the England international is now headed to La Liga as he is all set to join Real Madrid on a free transfer. As per usual rules, the defender can only formally join his new club once his existing contract expires, which is on June 30, 2025. However, according to Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol, Los Blancos have approached the Reds to allow the player to complete the move before the expiry of his deal as they want him to be part of the travelling Madrid squad to the U.S. for the FIFA Club World Cup. Their first game in the competition is scheduled on June 18 against the current Saudi Arabian champions, Al-Hilal.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Fans have vented their frustration at Alexander-Arnold over his decision to leave Anfield. The player has also reportedly been barred from entering a popular nightclub in Liverpool.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen if Arne Slot will include the 26-year-old in Liverpool's matchday squads for their final two Premier League games of the 2024-25 campaign against Arsenal and Brighton on May 11 and May 20, respectively.

Newcastle United are believed to be considering making a move for a 27-year-old goalkeeper in the summer, with the club expected to “move forward” in their efforts to sign him.

Latest Newcastle news

The Magpies are in a great place currently, having secured a place in the EFL Cup final earlier this week, seeing off Arsenal after a 2-0 home win in the semi-final second leg.

Next up for Eddie Howe’s side is a trip to Birmingham City in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday evening. While Newcastle will clearly be expected to progress, it has the potential to be a banana skin, with their opponents topping League One and enjoying a great season of their own.

The Magpies may have just bested Arsenal on the pitch, but a recent transfer rumour has claimed that the two Premier League clubs are also battling to sign Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert in the summer transfer window. The Dutchman famously scored a hat-trick at St James’ Park last month, as the Cherries ran out 4-1 winners.

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta has also been mentioned as a potential Newcastle transfer target, following another productive campaign for the Eagles – one that has seen him score 13 goals in all competitions.

Newcastle to make move for 27 y/o ace

According to reports in South America [via Sport Witness], Newcastle are set to “move forward in the negotiations” to sign Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri this summer. The 27-year-old Brazilian could cost as much as £25m at the end of the season, and he is said to be dreaming of sealing a move to the Premier League.

With Martin Dubravka’s time at Newcastle expected to come to an end soon, and Nick Pope not getting any younger, it is only right that the club should be focusing on possible goalkeeping reinforcements.

In Perri, the Magpies could have a great option to bring in, with the Lyon ace making 32 appearances for them to date, keeping 11 clean sheets in that time. While yet to represent Brazil at senior level, he has also won six caps at youth team international level – five for the Under-20s and one for the Under-23s.

Perri is contracted with Lyon until the summer of 2028, hence Newcastle being unable to snap him up on the cheap at the end of the season, but he is still relatively young in goalkeeping terms, so he would be considered a long-term investment.

Whether the Magpies feel the need to sign two ‘keepers remains to be seen, with Burnley stopper James Trafford a player who has constantly been mentioned as a target between the sticks.

Newcastle lining up Isak succession plan in "unbelievable" £80k-p/w forward

Isak’s future remains in doubt, with the striker yet to sign a new contract.

By
Dominic Lund

Feb 5, 2025

Regardless of whether he comes in or not, though, Perri should be considered an ideal target who can fill the likely void left by Dubravka, as well as pushing Pope for playing time.

Thomas Tuchel agreed with Arne Slot that Trent Alexander-Arnold needs to work on his defensive attributes.

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• Tuchel backed Slot's comments on Trent
• Advised the English full-back to improve defensively
• Liverpool face Crystal Palace on Sunday

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Slot made parting comments on outgoing full-back Alexander-Arnold that he needs to improve his defensive abilities, as the Dutchman claimed that he wasn't always impressed with the right-back's work ethic on the training pitch. Now, England boss Thomas Tuchel has backed the Reds manager's comments as he remarked, the 26-year-old does not give 'much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort'.

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• WHAT THOMAS TUCHEL SAID

  Speaking to reporters, Tuchel said: "I can see that sometimes he relies heavily on his offensive contributions and gives not so much emphasis on the defensive discipline and effort. This major impact that he had for Liverpool over so many years … if he wants to have this impact in the English national team then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.

  "Because when we are talking, especially about qualifying football and then tournament football, the one defensive error, the one moment where you are not 100% awake, can be decisive. It can be the moment where you pack your suitcases and go home."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Chelsea boss added: "We built [in] a back three [in his first England games against Albania and Latvia], with Kyle [Walker] or Reece James staying from the back four and having Myles [Lewis-Skelly] moving into midfield [from left-back]. From a 4-1, it became a 3-2 in possession.

  "That would not be ideal with Trent. It will not suit his strengths to be in the back three. It would suit his strengths from passing ability, passing range, but it will be too deep, and he would be in charge of recovery runs and being aggressive in the counter-pressing. That would just not suit his character. We need to find the role that suits him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

  The Real Madrid-bound defender could play his final game for his boyhood club on Sunday as Liverpool take on Crystal Palace in their final match of the season at Anfield.

Will Wolverhampton Wanderers beat the drop?

On Sunday, Vítor Pereira’s team put in a spirited display, but got nothing to show for their efforts, narrowly beaten 2-1 by run-away league-leaders Liverpool, after Matheus Cunha’s second-half strike set up a very nervy finish at Anfield.

Wolves have therefore lost five of their last six Premier League matches, victory over Midlands rivals Aston Villa earlier this month keeping them outside the relegation zone, two points clear of both Ipswich and Leicester.

Not so long ago, the Old Gold secured back-to-back seventh-place finishes, also reaching the Europa League quarter-finals, but even more recently than those glory days, they had a young Portuguese midfielder in their squad, who is now starring in the Champions League.

Wolves' best Premier League midfielders

When Wolves were at their best, qualifying for Europe and regularly beating the Premier League’s big boys, their midfield duo was at the heart of all their success.

Rúben Neves joined for a reported £15.8m in 2017, an EFL Championship record fee, making 253 appearances in old gold before departing for Al-Hilal, the Saudi Pro League champions paying a reported £47m.

Even more remarkable than seeing Neves in the Championship was the sight of João Moutinho in a Wolves shirt.

That’s because, it’s not often a player who’s won three Primeira Liga trophies, the Ligue 1 title with Monaco, the Europa League and the Euros, and would later become Portugal’s second-most capped player of all-time, joins a newly-promoted club.

Nevertheless, Moutinho would go onto make 212 appearances for Wolves, with John Percy of the Telegraph describing him as a ‘key figure’ in the success Nuno Espírito Santo’s side enjoyed, while then club captain Conor Coady stated “he’s special, and we’re very lucky to have him here”.

Meantime, Tim Spires of the Athletic believed Moutinho to be ‘underrated’ given his importance to the team, ‘playing metronomically efficient passes, setting the tempo and creating chances’, adding ‘Wolves fans adored him from day one’.

Former Welsh international Dave Edwards, who made 307 appearances for Wolves, described the Portuguese star as the “best player [to] play for Wolves in my lifetime”.

So, while the contributions of Neves and Moutinho will never be forgotten in the Black Country, another Portuguese central midfielder is now starring at the highest level, but one Wolves supporters may have forgotten ever played for them.

Wolves' forgotten Portuguese midfield maestro

If you don’t remember Vitinha’s spell at Wolves, it’s unlikely that you are the only one.

He arrived on a season-long loan from Porto in September 2020, making 22 appearances for the club, scoring one goal, this an absolute rocket in the FA Cup against National League North side Chorley.

Wolves did have a £17m option to buy, which they did not take up at the end of the season, a decision Steve Madeley of the Athletic described as a massive ‘missed opportunity’.

That’s because, after returning to Porto for a season, Paris Saint-Germain paid his release clause of €40m (£33m) a year later, and the now 25-year-old has been earning rave reviews for his performances with les Rouge-et-Bleu.

Following PSG’s Champions League victory over Brest last mid-week, manager Luis Enrique said that Vitinha “embodies the perfect midfielder”, describing him as “unique”, adding “he is vital for us in his pivot role”.

Meanwhile, after May’s Coupe de France Final victory over Lyon, Enrique also stated “Vitinha was undoubtedly our player of the season… all of our players here are good, but Vitinha is exceptional”, with Zach Lowy of PSG talk adding that his rise ‘has been nothing short of spectacular.’

Nacho Estrella Domínguez-Mompell of Fichajes notes that he has quickly become one of the ‘cornerstones’ of this PSG team. Tim Spiers and Peter Rutzler of the Athletic described him as a ‘starring.. midfield maestro’, while noting that he ‘was considered someone who could be as good as Moutinho once he developed physically.’

While he did not stay long enough to live up to that Moutinho comparison, let’s see how Vitinha compares to Wolves’ most-used central midfielder João Gomes so far this season.

As the table outlines, in a comparable number of minutes, Vitinha has massively outperformed Gomes this term, particularly when it comes to in-possession statistics, with the Brazilian, in fairness to him, having racked up more than twice as many tackles and the same number of interceptions.

This all shows that, unquestionably, Vitinha would improve Wolves’ team right now, and that they were wrong not to take up the option to buy when they had the chance, even if, had he stayed at Molineux, he may not have fulfilled his current potential.

Wolves' £16m flop is now outperforming Larsen & Ait-Nouri after leaving

This major Wolverhampton Wanderers flop has now found his shooting boots.

1

By
Kelan Sarson

Feb 18, 2025