USMNT star Christian Pulisic has been chosen to showcase AC Milan’s special classic kit which forms part of the club’s 125th anniversary celebrations.
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Serie A giants formed in 1899Have reached a notable landmarkAmerican ace starring in the presentFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The United States international has become a prominent figure at San Siro, with the Rossoneri benefiting from his natural ability and global marketing appeal. Pulisic has helped the Serie A outfit to boost their brand in America, with an ever-growing fan base being enjoyed in that part of the world.
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While Milan are looking to branch out into every corner of the planet, they are rightly proud of their heritage. The club was formed in 1899 by English expatriate Herbert Kilpin, with December 16 considered to be the date in which they came into existence.
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A notable landmark is now fast approaching for the Italian heavyweights, as they prepare to celebrate 125 years of sporting endeavour. Milan are recognising that achievement with the release of a throwback kit – with Pulisic helping to promote said jersey.
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The kit in question incorporates a bold stripe design, which offers a nod to the team’s international successes in the late 1980s and beyond. The Diavoletto (Little Devil) emblem is also synonymous with European Cup winning sides of that era. The badge displayed proudly on the front of the stunning shirt pays homage to the club’s very first.
West Ham United have had an extremely busy summer transfer window, already acquiring nine signings for new boss, Julen Lopetegui, as he targets a return to European football for the Hammers.
The club is currently trying to manage outgoings, in order to add a final few additions to the squad before the window slams shut, one of those being Kurt Zouma, who has been subject to interest from clubs abroad.
West Ham captain Kurt Zouma.
Zouma made 39 appearances for West Ham in all competitions last season, scoring three goals, and contributing to four clean sheets in his 3,379 minutes played.
West Ham transfer news
According to reports relayed by The Guardian, West Ham are reportedly interested in signing Galatasaray defender, Victor Nelsson. It is believed a deal could be done for a fee in the region of £12m, but the Hammers are currently reliant on sales before making a move.
Other interested clubs include Spanish side Sevilla, French side Lille and Italian side Bologna.
Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson.
Nelsson made 46 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions last season, scoring two goals, and contributing to 20 clean sheets in his 3,448 minutes played.
Current West Ham centre back options compared
Once described as "exemplary" by Jacek Kulig, the Danish defender has been highly rated for some time now, attracting interest from top European clubs.
The only current senior right-footed centre-back options at West Ham are Zouma (who could be on his way out) and new signing Jean-Claire Todibo. Therefore, if Zouma was to leave, West Ham would like to address the depth in this area, with someone more comfortable on the ball.
Zouma and Todibo in comparison
Stats (per 90 mins)
Zouma
Todibo
Progressive Carries
0.20
1.08
Progressive Passes
1.55
5.08
Passes Attempted
36.3
84.3
Pass Completion %
83.7%
89.6%
Tackles
0.76
1.97
Interceptions
0.96
1.27
Blocks
1.18
1.15
Aerials Won
1.89
1.32
Stats taken from FBref
From these metrics, you can see how Todibo is a better-suited centre back for Lopetegui's system, where he will be required to play out from the back. His 84.3 passes attempted per 90 compared to Zouma's 36.3, and his 5.08 progressive passes per 90, compared to Zouma's 1.55 show their stark contrast in passing ability.
Where Zouma does excel, is in aerial duels, winning 1.89 per 90, and physically imposing himself with his 6 foot 3, powerful frame. However, the difference between the two in the air isn't a big enough reason to prefer Zouma, when you compare the other factors needed for a Lopetegui defender.
Nice centre-back Jean-Claire Todibo.
This is where Nelsson comes in, who averaged 4 aerials won per 90, more than double the amount of Zouma, and 51.8 attempted passes per 90, whilst playing in the Süper Lig last season.
Whilst only being 6 foot 1, compared to the 6 foot 3 frames of Zouma and Todibo, the Danish defender still puts his stamp on the game physically, showing his ability to win aerial duels. But he also brings a more comfortable option on the ball than Zouma, which would be better suited to Lopetegui's system.
West Ham's ability to get rid of players surplus to requirements, and replace them with younger, more suitable profiles for their new brand of football, could be a season-defining moment for them, and make it a whole lot easier for Lopetegui to implement his ideas faster.
West Ham and Lopetegui eyeing move for "superb" £12m player alongside Soler
The Hammers could be in for a busy end to the window.
AC Milan striker Tammy Abraham was in complete awe of Rafael Leao after the Portuguese put on a splendid display in the Champions League.
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Abraham heaped praise on LeaoDuo helped their team beat Slovan Bratislava 3-2Winger scored Milan's second goalFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Tammy Abraham was full of praise for his AC Milan team-mate Rafael Leao following his exploits in the team's nervy 3-2 win over Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday evening. Leao came on as a substitute and scored the goal that put the Rossoneri ahead in the game.
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Leao had a sensational 45 minutes against Slovan Bratislava, coming on at half-time for Noah Okafor and scoring the goal that gave them a 2-1 lead in the 68th minute. Shortly after Leao's goal, Abraham made it 3-1 to give AC Milan some breathing space in their eventual 3-2 win.
It was a performance that will surely boost the Portuguese winger's confidence, given that he has found himself falling in the pecking order lately under coach Paulo Fonseca. Abraham, though, believes that Leao has no idea how impactful and effective he can be for Milan.
WHAT TAMMY ABRAHAM SAID
Abraham spoke to Sky Sport following the game and heaped praise on Leao. “Leao is a very important player for us," Abraham claimed (h/t Calciomercato). "I don’t think he knows how good he is. He can win games on his own, on his day he is unstoppable. We have to fill him with confidence and bring him on our path.”
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DAZNWHAT NEXT FOR RAFAEL LEAO?
Over the past few months, Leao's future at AC Milan has become increasingly uncertain, with reports emerging of the rift between the player and Fonseca widening. Therefore, the club is contemplating Leao's future at the club amid strong interest from Barcelona.
Leao will hope to build on his performance in the Champions League in Milan's upcoming game, in which they welcome Empoli at the San Siro on Saturday, November 30.
Aston Villa have been offered the chance to bolster their ranks with a decorated free agent this summer, according to fresh reports.
Aston Villa lead Premier League's transfer business
Unai Emery's side are in Europe's top club competition for the first time in over 40 years and are flexing their financial muscle ahead of the new Premier League season in a bid to ensure that they stay there for the long term.
Much of their focus has been on adding depth to their ranks, with eight new signings already having been made by the club. However, the squad is still lacking any real Champions League experience, with Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne the only players in Emery's side to have played more than 15 times in Europe's elite competition.
Champions League games played by Villa's new signings
Amadou Onana
8
Ross Barkley
6
Ian Maatsen
7
Samuel Iling-Junior
1
Enzo Barrenechea
1
Lewis Dobbin, Jadon Philogene and Cameron Archer
0
Though by no means a pre-requisite for success in the competition, European experience is useful as Premier League rivals Arsenal have found out in recent seasons. Now, Villa have been offered the chance to bring in a man who has plenty.
Aston Villa offered to sign free agent
That comes as journalist Graeme Bailey claims that Villa have been "offered" the chance to sign veteran attacking midfielder James Rodriguez this summer.
The two-time Champions League winner is a free agent after leaving Sao Paulo a year early and is reportedly "keen" on a move back to England, where he spent a season with Everton.
Imagine him & Williams: Aston Villa could sign a "clinical" star for £0
Unai Emery is in the market to sign a striker this summer…
ByRoss Kilvington Jul 22, 2024
He managed 10 goal contributions in a stop-start season for the Toffees, before leaving for Qatar and subsequently moving to Brazil. The ex-Real Madrid man boasts a mammoth 53 appearances in the Champions League, during which time he has found the net on five occasions and set up a further 11.
Villa are just one of the sides his representatives are thought to have contacted, with the likes of Midlands rivals Wolves and Nottingham Forest among those who have also been made aware of his availability.
Rodriguez could be Aston Villa's Coutinho 2.0
Of course, Aston Villa have just got rid of an attacking midfielder in their early thirties who boasts a Champions League trophy in his cabinet, but Rodriguez's performances in the most recent Copa America suggest that his arrival could play out differently were it to come to fruition.
While he brings a wealth of Champions League experience, he is also still performing on a regular basis, at least for his national side.
The Colombian attacker helped his side reach the final of the competition before they were eventually beaten by Argentina, grabbing a goal and six assists on the way.
Those six assists were enough to set a new record for the competition and land the 33-year-old the player of the tournament award ahead of the likes of Lionel Messi and Emiliano Martinez.
There are certainly question marks about whether that form can be sustained over the course of an entire season, but as he showed during the early stages of his stint with Everton, he has the ability to carve Premier League teams apart when he wants to. He could well be worth taking a risk on as a free agent, making this one to watch.
The season may not have ended in the fashion fans were hoping it would, but Tottenham Hotspur appear to have taken a step back towards playing exciting and entertaining football under Ange Postecoglou.
The Australian has banished the dreary displays fans were subjected to under José Mourinho, Nuno Espírito Santo and Antonio Conte, and while a Champions League place was within their grasp, the Lilywhites look well-placed to improve next season.
Ange Postecoglou
However, to do that, Daniel Levy and Co need to provide the manager with the right players, and based on recent reports, they could be about to add a winger who'd be the perfect rival for last summer's most expensive signing, Brennan Johnson.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to recent reports from Portugal (via Sport Witness), Tottenham Hotspur are interested in bringing former youth player and Sporting CP star Marcus Edwards back to N17 this summer.
Sporting winger Marcus Edwards.
The report claims that the North Londoners view the Englishman as a perfect solution to their current issues surrounding home-grown players.
Moreover, it shouldn't be a particularly expensive transfer to complete either, as the report has revealed that an offer of around €20m, which converts to about £17m, would be enough to tempt the Lisbon side into selling.
Former Vitoria star Marcus Edwards.
Moreover, with Edwards looking for a return to England, this move seems to suit all parties, and the extra competition for Johnson might push him to reach new heights.
How Edwards compares to Johnson
Now, Edwards, whom talent scout Jacek Kulig describes as "a joy to watch", has played in several positions in his career, including out on the left, but he has started the vast majority of his games as an out-and-out right-winger. So, with Johnson set to be one of his main competitors for game time if this deal goes ahead, how do the pair stack up against one another?
Well, from a pure output perspective, it's closer than many might imagine. Last season, the Sporting ace scored six goals and provided nine assists in 44 games, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 2.93 games. In contrast, the Lilywhites' winger returned five goals and ten assists in 38 games, equating to a goal involvement every 2.5 matches.
However, when looking at the 2022/23 campaign, the Welshman could only manage 13 goals and assists in 44 appearances for Forest, which is a goal involvement every 3.38 games, whereas the Sporting star racked up 26 goals and assists in 51 matches, equating to a goal involvement every 1.9 appearances.
Appearances
51
44
Goals
12
10
Assists
14
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.29
Appearances
44
38
Goals
6
5
Assists
9
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.39
How about their underlying numbers, then? Are the two widemen just as close to one another under the hood?
Interestingly, the Englishman comes out looking better in this comparison, and by quite some margin at that.
Stats per 90
Edwards
Johnson
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.74
0.73
Assists
0.27
0.39
Non-Penalty Goals
0.27
0.19
Progressive Passes
5.23
2.83
Progressive Carries
5.17
4.07
Shots
2.28
2.05
Shots on Target
0.94
0.74
Passing Accuracy
75.1%
71.7%
Shot-Creating Actions
5.96
2.98
Goal-Creating Actions
0.87
0.62
Successful Take-Ons
2.15
1.05
Miscontrols
3.42
1.51
Dispossessed
2.21
0.81
Ball Recoveries
4.30
3.33
For example, while he comes out second best in some metrics such as miscontrols, number of times dispossessed and assists, he comes out ahead in most others, including non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual non-penalty goals, progressive passes and carries, shots and shots on target, ball recoveries, goal and shot-creating actions, and successful take-ons, all per 90.
Of course, the "wonderful" Sporting ace, as dubbed by Kulig, is playing in a weaker league, but the numbers are impressive.
Sporting winger Marcus Edwards.
Ultimately, Johnson had a reasonably successful debut campaign for Spurs last season and showed a great deal of potential to improve in 2024/25.
However, considering the fee being reported and his comparison to the Welshman, bringing Edwards to the club this summer could provide the perfect competition for the former Forest star, which can only be a good thing.
He's like Isak: Spurs eye "insane" £25m Richarlison upgrade
The prolific striker could supercharge the Lilywhites’ attack.
Ruud van Nistelrooy has insisted that he was not the main cause of Manchester United's luck turning as they demolished Leicester in the Carabao Cup.
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United scored five goals to progress
Van Nistelrooy earned victory in debut as interim
Dutchman insisted United finally found 'luck'
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Van Nistelrooy was announced as the interim coach of Man Utd following Erik ten Hag's sacking this week and he celebrated his first game in charge with a 5-2 win over Leicester at Old Trafford. The result sent United into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, with the Red Devils' finally finding their scoring feet in front of goal after wasting a number of chances in recent games.
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Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes scored twice, with Alejandro Garnacho also netting as United won in Van Nistelrooy's debut in the Old Trafford dugout. The Dutchman is likely to be replaced by Ruben Amorim in the coming weeks once the Sporting CP coach finalises his deal to take over from Ten Hag.
WHAT VAN NISTELROOY SAID
Speaking to , Van Nistelrooy said: "I have to say we had some luck as well, I am so happy for Casemiro though and [Alejandro] Garnacho and Bruno [Fernandes]. Five goals but the chances against West Ham and Fenerbahce, we created so much and couldn't finish., All of a sudden we had some luck on our side and that made it a great night.
"It is always the target to react and attack. The reaction of players after the Leicester goals were excellent and they deserve the credit. I am glad the crowd go home happy."
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WHAT NEXT FOR VAN NISTELROOY AND MAN UTD?
United had been hoping to have had Amorim in charge by their next Premier League game against Chelsea this weekend but talks are still ongoing with Sporting CP and Van Nistelrooy is now expected to be in the dugout at Old Trafford on Sunday.
Hardik Pandya’s stunning 60 not out off 21 went in vain
Hemant Brar25-Oct-20203:15
Chopra: ‘Players like Stokes know how to swim in the deep end’
Ben Stokes finally came to the party with an unbeaten 107 off 60 balls as the Rajasthan Royals chased down Mumbai Indians’ 195 for 5 with relative ease in the end in Abu Dhabi. The win not only kept the Royals in the race for the playoffs – they are now sixth on the points table with ten points from 12 games – but also brought the curtain down on the Chennai Super Kings’ campaign.Earlier, Hardik Pandya’s 60 not out off 21 balls, studded with seven sixes and two fours, had lit up the evening. But that didn’t prove enough as Stokes and Sanju Samson added 152 off 82 balls in an unbroken third-wicket partnership to take the Royals home with ten balls to spare.Archer snares in-form de Kock earlyQuinton de Kock had scores of 53, 78*, 53 and 46* coming into this game. He looked primed for another good knock when he pulled a 149.6kph Jofra Archer delivery for a six to get off the mark. Archer, however, pitched the next ball a little fuller and a bit wider, and de Kock chopped on with an angled bat.From the other end, Ankit Rajpoot was a bit wayward and Ishan Kishan, opening once again in the absence of Rohit Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav took full advantage of that. In the sixth over, both of them hit Rajpoot for a six each to take the side to 59 for 1 at the end of the powerplay.Gopal double-strike pulls Mumbai backThe Royals turned to their two legspinners – Shreyas Gopal and Rahul Tewatia – after that and the move worked straightaway as the next two overs produced only eight runs. Yadav then tried to take Gopal on by going inside-out but ended up slicing it over point for four. He attempted the same shot on the next ball and this time ended up hitting it in the air towards deep cover. Tewatia charged towards the ball, put in the dive, got his fingers underneath the ball but couldn’t hold on to it.Kishan, who was struggling to score beyond a run a ball, then slashed at Kartik Tyagi. The ball flew towards third man where Archer misjudged it before plucking it one-handed over his head to leave his team-mates gasping. A couple of overs later, Gopal dented Mumbai further by removing Yadav and Kieron Pollard in the same over. While Yadav holed out to long-off, Pollard failed to read a googly and was bowled through the gate. That was the first time Pollard was dismissed since the opening game of the tournament.Hardik blitz gives Mumbai powerful finish3:07
Chopra: Such a Hardik Pandya innings was brewing for a while
Mumbai were 120 for 4 when Tewatia dropped Hardik on the last ball of the 16th over. This was a bit easier than the one he grassed earlier, the only difference being he was fielding at deep midwicket this time. Hardik made full use of the opportunity and smashed Rajpoot for four sixes in the 18th over, three of them off full tosses. Archer conceded only three in the 19th over but Hardik wasn’t done yet. After Krunal Pandya took a single off the first ball of the final over, Hardik unleashed himself on Tyagi. Standing deep inside his crease, he hit the next five balls for 6, 4, 4, 6 and 6 to take Mumbai to a daunting total, with 74 runs coming off the last four overs.Royals off to quick start despite Pattinson double-strikeBefore this game, Stokes had scored only 110 runs off 103 balls in IPL 2020. Questions were being raised if opening with him was the right thing to do, and if the Royals should move him down the order and open with Jos Buttler instead.The Royals needed a quick start to chase down 196 and losing Robin Uthappa in the second over, who mistimed James Pattinson to mid-on, didn’t help. With the Royals 13 for 1 at the end of two overs, Stokes was yet to face a ball. But he soon hit his stride with four fours off Trent Boult in the third over. Steven Smith, who promoted himself to No. 3, then struck a four and six off Jasprit Bumrah in the next over before Pattinson bowled him with an inducker. But Stokes hit the last two balls of the sixth over for fours, bowled by Krunal, to ensure the Royals didn’t bog down.The Stokes and Samson showStokes was now growing in confidence. In the eighth over, he slog-swept Rahul Chahar over deep midwicket for his first six of the season. The next ball was sent past backward point courtesy a reverse sweep. That allowed Samson to settle down as well. While the Royals reached 99 for 2 at the end of ten overs, they still needed another 97.A couple of quiet overs made it 89 required from 48 balls. It was then Samson who took the pressure off Stokes with some timely blows. On 19 off 18 at the end of the 12th over, Samson hit two sixes and two fours in the next two overs to bring it down to 52 needed from the last six overs. With both batsmen in top gear by now, that wasn’t a big ask. With Bumrah straying down the leg side, Samson took him for two successive fours and then brought up his half-century, off 27 balls, with a brace.A couple of streaky fours further ate away from the target. With ten required, Stokes was three short of his hundred. He reached the landmark in style by hitting Pattinson for a six over midwicket and then sealed the game with a four on the next ball.
Tottenham could smash their £63 million transfer record, which was spent on ex-flop Tanguy Ndombele, in a "huge" bid to sign a top flight rival's star striker.
Spurs set sights on Harry Kane replacement as summer window opens
The Lilywhites have set their sights on a replacement for club-record scorer Harry Kane this summer, coming nearly 12 months after he completed his multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich.
Tottenham could now offer Gil in swap move for prolific £17 million striker
This is an “attractive” proposal.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2024
Ange Postecoglou utilised Son Heung-min in a central striker role early-on last season, and the South Korean worked wonders before being moved back out wide. Richarlison also chipped in during his purple patch midway through the campaign, but the consensus is Tottenham will be bringing in a prolific new front man.
Spurs are lacking that standout 20-plus-goals-per-season presence up front right now, and that is something which chairman Daniel Levy and the wider recruitment team are looking to rectify as the window officially opens for business.
Tottenham's top scorers in all competitions last season
Goals
Son Heung-min
17
Richarlison
12
Dejan Kulusevski
8
Brennan Johnson
5
Cristian Romero
5
Doubts have surrounded Richarlison's ability to lead the line for quite a while, despite some excellent performances last season, with a few interesting names on Postecoglou's radar.
Sevilla star Youssef En-Nesyri has been heavily linked with Spurs in the last 10 days, as have both Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Roma's Tammy Abraham, with pundit Alan Hutton urging the club to bring in a proven striker to take them to the "next level".
“I said at the start of the season that I thought Richarlison could be the main Tottenham striker,” Hutton told Tottenham News.
“When Kane left, it opened up an opportunity for Richarlison but it wasn’t quite happening for him. Son has taken that mantle but I like him out wide, if I’m honest. I think even if Richarlison is firing on all cylinders like he was against Newcastle, I still believe Spurs need someone else.
“If Tottenham are going to go to the next level, they need to get a striker who you know is going to get them 20-plus goals a season. It’s something they still will be looking at.”
An ambitious target, according to Football Insider, is Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.
Tottenham could smash Ndombele record in "huge" Isak bid
The Swede bagged 25 goals for Newcastle in all competitions last term, alerting Lilywhites chiefs to a potential Kane heir.
Eddie Howe's side are likely to demand a premium, if they even consider an approach from any club. As per FI, Tottenham could smash their £63 million transfer record on a new striker, and there are whispers that Levy is planning a "huge" bid for Isak.
"His runs are superb. If you just watch how clever he is when he doesn't get the first pass played in, he then goes behind a defender to come back in and bend his run to make sure that he is onside, then he can make a really clever finish," said Newcastle legend Alan Shearer on Isak.
"He can also come deep and drop deep, so he is asking different questions of the defenders by saying: 'Are you going to come with me or are you going to drop off?' If you drop off, he has got the ability to hurt you there.
"He is just a constant threat all the time. His finishing is excellent and his penalty taking is as good as they come."
Carlo Ancelotti has pleaded for patience from Endrick as the Brazilian competes with Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr at Real Madrid.
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Real Madrid beat Espanyol 4-1Endrick comes off the bench Brazilian scored in UCL winFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Endrick has been reduced to a series of cameo performances for Real Madrid this season. Indeed, the 18-year-old has made six substitute appearances for the club but is yet to start a game. He impressed once again in limited action against Espanyol on Saturday, coming off the bench to win a penalty as Ancelotti's side ran out 4-1 winners, leading some to ask if he deserves more minutes.
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The former Palmeiras forward faces almighty competition at the Bernabeu, with Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo and Arda Guler all vying to start in attack. It's an enviable position for any manager to be in, but such depth can cause issues when egos are affected. Ancelotti has already admitted that Rodrygo could get jealous at the attention paid to Vinicius, Mbappe and Jude Bellingham, and Endrick will be desperate to play as often as possible after moving to Madrid in the summer.
WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID
"On the one hand, yes, I may be being unfair, because he is training well; he is someone with a lot of quality," Ancelotti said. "But in front of him are Vinicius, Rodrygo, Mbappe… it is necessary, for him to be a little patient."
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?
Endrick will hope to receive another chance to impress when Los Blancos, unbeaten in La Liga through six games, host Alaves on Tuesday evening.
West Ham United are going to part ways with David Moyes after the conclusion of the 2023/24 Premier League season, ending an illustrious partnership that has seen three European campaigns, winning the Europa Conference League last year.
Moyes has achieved great things in east London and has recorded successive top-seven finishes after West Ham recorded such a finish only once since the 2008/09 campaign – under Slaven Bilic in 2015/16.
Declan Rice's rise and rise from the academy to play a central role in the success has been one of the glowing successes of the Scotsman's reign, while a strengthened squad across all areas has set incoming manager Julen Lopetegui up for success.
But what does that look like? Hammers supporters are worried that appointing the Spaniard has been a circumspect decision, edging away from past interest in exciting Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim, aged 39, who plays delightful football and has won a wealth of silverware in Portugal to boot.
Amorim is understood to have a £13m release clause in his contract, perhaps dissuading Tim Steidten and co from accelerating interest. Time will tell if Lopetegui's experience will pay off for West Ham.
Moyes has tacitly resigned himself to his fate at this stage and indeed he cut a forlorn figure during his struggling side's 5-0 loss against Chelsea last weekend – it was the visage of a manager who has accepted their looming departure.
His £51m club-record signing, Lucas Paqueta, continued his dramatic decline as he awaits a probable transfer this summer. Should that happen, the incoming boss could strike gold immediately by dropping the Brazilian for an up-and-coming prospect.
Lucas Paqueta's season in numbers
Paqueta has been a sensational addition to the West Ham fold, instrumental in securing silverware last season and even playing the surgical threaded pass through to Jarrod Bowen against Fiorentina last June, who then bagged the late winning goal in the Conference League final.
His exploits last term led former midfield peer Rice to praise his "mind-boggling" ability, but he has raised his game even higher this season with displays that have colourfully highlighted Manchester City's interest.
In all competitions this season, the 26-year-old has scored eight goals and seven assists, blending attacking sharpness with defensive solidity – it is the balanced nature of his skill set that has skyrocketed him into a position as one of the Premier League's leading playmakers.
As per FBref, the Brazil international ranks among the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 2% for tackles and the top 4% for aerial duels won per 90.
Lucas Paqueta: PL Stats Comparison
Stat
22/23
23/24
Matches played
28
29
Matches started
27
29
Goals
4
4
Assists
3
6
G/A Rate
0.25
0.34
Pass completion
80%
75%
Big chances created
3
12
Touches per game
57.2
66.1
Shots per game
1.9
1.4
Key passes per game
1.1
1.5
Dribbles per game
1.2
1.4
Ball recoveries per game
6.0
6.4
Tackles per game
2.5
2.3
Duels won per game
6.1
7.8
All stats via Sofascore
Alternating between a wide and central attacking midfield role, Paqueta has proven himself and it's no wonder that Pep Guardiola's side view him as an "ideal" target despite his £85m release clause.
All this said, Paqueta's standards have fallen off a proverbial cliff recently, perhaps a by-product of this inevitable summer saga.
Against Chelsea, he was particularly sorry, branded with a 3/10 match rating by The Evening Standard's Malik Ouzia, who wrote that he 'looks to have phoned it in at this point'.
West Ham's Lucas Paqueta in action
This final phase of Moyes' tenure – league fixtures against Luton Town and Manchester City – are effectively dead rubber now, with a miracle needed to secure a top-seven finish.
Paqueta is patently disinterested and Lopetegui could indeed ditch him, unleashing George Earthy in the South American's stead.
Why Lopetegui should unleash George Earthy
Earthy's Premier League debut ended bitterly after the teenager replacing Michail Antonio with 82 minutes on the clock against Fulham in April, colliding with Edson Alvarez late on and being stretchered off the pitch with a head injury.
The talented midfielder, aged 19, was described as a "terrific footballer and a great little technician" by Moyes following the incident and his performances at U21 level speak of the quality that led to his first-team promotion.
Across 26 performances for the youth team this season, the No. 10 has scored 13 goals and added ten assists, with his prolificness winning over Moyes and suggesting that he has a big part to play in the years to come at the London Stadium.
In the EFL Trophy, against senior lower-league opposition, Earthy excelled across his five outings, scoring three goals, providing one assist, completing 90% of his passes, creating three big chances and averaging 1.4 key passes, 3.0 ball recoveries and 1.0 dribble per game, as per Sofascore.
His technical quality is evident and his dynamism and potency in attacking sequences suggest that he might indeed be the perfect young Hammer to make a real impression at West Ham.
Since Paqueta is on the out, in all likelihood, what has Lopetegui got to lose? Moyes has already demonstrated his eagerness to involve Earthy in the senior set-up, and by ditching the Brazilian for a homegrown prospect, he might just set in motion a chain of events that could see the club unleash its biggest talent since Rice.
Lopetegui must ditch 2/10 West Ham ace who was worse than Paqueta
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