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Philippe Clement faces arguably his most important five days in charge of Glasgow Rangers between now and the end of the transfer window.

While buoyed by Saturday's 6-0 thrashing of Ross County, the start of the season has been underwhelming, to say the least, as the first Old Firm clash of the campaign is fast approaching.

At this moment in time, however, this will be the farthest thing from his mind, especially considering he has days left to make another couple of signings for the Light Blues.

Clement may have to move on a player or two first if he wishes to add to his current first-team squad, and this is proving to be quite a problem for the Gers.

One player who has been linked with a move away from Glasgow is that of yesterday's two-goal star, Rabbi Matondo, who is attracting interest from the English Championship.

Rabbi Matondo’s future at Rangers

Last week, the Daily Mail reported that Leeds United were keen on luring Matondo south of the border in a bid to improve their squad, as the winger emerged as a potential option.

It now appears that fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers could be set to win the race for his signature, according to Football League World.

John Eustace has plenty of money to spend as Sammie Szmodics was sold to Ipswich Town for a fee in the region of £10m, giving the club a boost to their finances.

This could see the Rovers make a concrete move for Matondo before the end of the transfer window, as it looks as though Clement is keen to cash in on the youngster.

Securing a fee would give the Belgian an opportunity to perhaps sign another player for the Ibrox side before the end of the window.

Might the club be chasing a swoop for a Serie A winger?

Rangers chase move for Fiorentina winger

As reported in Italy earlier this week, Rangers are showing interest in luring Fiorentina winger Josip Brekalo to Glasgow before the end of the window.

It was claimed that the Ibrox side have enquired about a potential swoop for the 5 foot 9 dynamo as it looks like he could be on the move from Serie A.

Much will depend on whether Clement can get Matondo off the books in the next few days. Otherwise, it might be tough to sign Brekalo.

If a move did go through, however, the Croatian would be a stunning coup for the Gers, one that would give them a significant boost out wide.

Josip Brekalo’s season in numbers

The 26-year-old endured a difficult first few months of the 2023/24 campaign for the Italian side, as he made just 18 appearances for the club in all competitions, scoring once in the process.

The left-winger was duly loaned out to Hajduk Split in his homeland for the second half of the season, and it saw the winger at his very best.

He may have only made 16 appearances for the Croatian side, but Brekalo was one of their most effective attacking outlets, scoring twice and grabbing eight assists during his time at the club.

Not only did he finish first among his teammates with regard to overall Sofascore rating in the top flight (7.58), but the winger also ranked fourth for goals and assists (ten), third for shots on target per game (0.6), third for big chances created (four), first for key passes per game (2.6) and for successful dribbles each mate (1.9), showcasing his true talents in his native Croatia.

Despite his underwhelming start to the season for Fiorentina, Brekalo actually ranked in the top 8% when compared to his peers for shot on target percentage per 90 (44.4%), along with ranking in the top 11% for progressive passes received per 90 (9.52) in the top flight.

This suggests that he gets himself into dangerous positions on a regular basis, while also showing a keen eye for goal given how many shots he has on target.

This is exactly the type of player Clement is after as he looks to improve his side’s attacking output. With this in mind, Brekalo could be the player to get Danilo finally firing in a Rangers jersey.

Danilo’s Rangers statistics

The 25-year-old was Michael Beale’s most expensive summer signing in 2023, costing the Light Blues around £6m from Dutch side Feyenoord.

A fee of this size naturally put pressure on the striker to deliver and, despite breaking his cheekbone in September, Danilo scored six goals in his first 21 matches, of which only ten came in the starting XI.

The centre-forward suffered a serious knee injury against Hearts prior to Christmas, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

It wasn’t exactly the debut campaign that Danilo was hoping for, especially considering the size of the fee involved in his transfer.

In the first five games of 2024/25, he played just 45 minutes, in the League Cup clash against St Johnstone, offering little in the way of attacking input, albeit before netting his first of the season in the thumping win against Ross County.

Of course, it will take him weeks to get back up to speed again, but having someone like Brekalo playing out wide could inspire plenty of confidence in the former Ajax striker.

The winger loves to work his way into the opposition box regularly, which indicates his desire to get into the most dangerous positions to not only have a shot at goal, but to also set up chances for his teammates.

Once Danilo scores a couple of goals and gains more minutes in his legs, confidence will start to flow, and a dream partnership could be formed.

Clement must act swiftly, as there are just days remaining of the 2024 summer transfer window. Not only that, but it looks as though a few players will need to leave before any signings are made.

Matondo is the obvious candidate given interest from down south in the winger, but there are a few others in the current squad who must be moved on so the Belgian can sign the talented Brekalo.

Contact made: Rangers in talks to sign young defender seen as future star

Rangers could be about to add to their promising crop of players.

By
Brett Worthington

Aug 23, 2024

Bruno Fernandes says he is "upset" by Manchester United's inconsistency after a spirited 2-2 draw against Premier League leaders Liverpool.

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• Man Utd draw 2-2 at Liverpool
• Bruno "upset" at team's results
• Says United have to perform "everywhere"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Devils put in one of their best performances of the season as they fought back to claim a point at Anfield on Sunday. Despite this much-improved display, exasperated United captain Fernandes lamented why his side couldn't play this way "every week" and warned that his team-mates need to maintain this "level" going forward.

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  WHAT BRUNO FERNANDES SAID

  He told Sky Sports: "We have been criticised and fairly. Our position in the table says it all, we have lost too many points. Even today we can't be happy with a point. We need the points and we could've won the game at the end, but it's a fair result. Both teams played good football. I'm pretty upset. If we show this level at Liverpool, first in the league, why can't we do this everywhere? It frustrates me. Also, finally I did a proper performance. We said we need much more from ourselves to get more from this season. Being 2-1 [down] then scoring it's good to get a point but we need more. Now we have an FA Cup tie at Arsenal and it is going to be very tough but we want to get to the final again. We know how tough it is to play against Liverpool. Today we put in a real effort to the game, playing with some passion and heart is what is going to give you something from the game. You have to put in effort and that's why we took something from today. It can't stop here, We have to bring this frustration to the next game to understand this has to be the level. If we can do it an Anfield, we have to do it everywhere. It can't stop here, We have to bring this frustration to the next game to understand this has to be the level. If we can do it an Anfield, we have to do it everywhere."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  United are still 13th in the Premier League and they were close to registering a fourth-straight league defeat – something they have not done since 1979. Ruben Amorim's team now need to kick on from this result but if they don't, the new head coach could be under pressure again.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United take a break from league action next weekend when they travel to Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup.

Aston Villa have been forced to rely heavily on Ollie Watkins since the start of last season as the Englishman only has Jhon Duran for competition.

It hasn’t exactly hampered his performances, as the Englishman scored 27 times last term, which steered Villa to a top-four finish in the Premier League, thus qualifying for the Champions League.

Duran has stepped up this season despite the continued interest shown in him during the summer transfer window, as the Colombian has netted twice in just three league matches so far.

While the 20-year-old is potentially a player to build around for the future, could Unai Emery have another Watkins brewing in the academy?

Why Rory Wilson could be Ollie Watkins 2.0

The 18-year-old striker has certainly impressed since moving to Villa from Rangers back in the summer of 2022.

In The Pipeline

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

The Scot scored a remarkable tally of 49 goals during the 2021/22 campaign for the Gers youth teams, which naturally led to interest from down south.

James Grady, a Scotland youth coach, even described Wilson as being “obsessed with becoming the best” and it was perhaps no surprise that Steven Gerrard brought Wilson down to the Midlands ahead of his first full season in charge.

Since then, the youngster has exuded similar qualities to that of Watkins, finding the net on a regular basis by showcasing his incredible finishing skills.

During the U18 Premier League campaign, Wilson scored 16 goals in just 13 appearances, before making the move up to the Premier League 2, finding the back of the net three times in 13 games.

He has kickstarted the current campaign off with a goal already. Could he stake a claim for a first team berth in the coming months? Especially with games coming thick and fast for Emery.

Why Wilson could be Villa’s biggest talent since Jack Grealish

Not since Jack Grealish made his breakthrough at Villa nearly ten years ago has there arguably been so much hype over a single youth player, with the teenager currently attracting interest from the likes of Inter Milan and RB Leipzig.

The current Manchester City gem made over 200 appearances for the Midlands side before joining City for £100m in 2021, with the move turning out to be a stunning piece of business conducted by the club.

It's safe to say Grealish hasn’t quite had the best of times under Pep Guardiola, scoring just 14 times for the club and there was even some talk regarding him moving back to his boyhood club during the summer.

Despite only being 18, Wilson has made a couple of appearances for the Scotland U21 side, clearly demonstrating how ahead of the curve he is. If the young talent continues to score for fun for Villa’s own U21 outfit, Emery surely cannot ignore him for much longer.

Indeed, with Watkins and Duran the only senior centre-forwards in the first-team squad, an injury to either could potentially see the Scot given an unlikely opportunity.

Should this happen, Wilson has the ability to make an impression for the first team, without a shadow of a doubt, with the hope that he can follow in Grealish's footsteps before him.

Worth more than Grealish: Aston Villa hit gold on "dangerous" Smith signing

The club have conducted excellent business in recent years.

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 6, 2024

Newcastle United have enjoyed a solid start to the 2024/25 campaign, going undefeated over their opening four matches.

Two wins and a draw in the Premier League has the club currently sitting in fifth place on seven points, while Eddie Howe also saw his side prevail over Nottingham Forest in a penalty shootout to reach the next round of the EFL Cup.

This start comes amid arguably one of the most disappointing transfer windows in recent times for the Magpies, as they failed to sign any marquee names to bolster their squad.

Perhaps the main thing was keeping hold of those key players who could spur the club back into the top four of the Premier League, securing qualification back to the Champions League in the process.

The likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordan and Joelinton will all have vital parts to play under Howe, while Alexander Isak is the main man in front of goal.

The Swede has been a wonderful signing for the Magpies. Can he take things up a notch this season?

Alexander Isak’s Newcastle record

After scoring 44 goals for Real Sociedad during a productive spell in Spain, Newcastle splashed out a club-record fee of £63m to bring him to the club in the summer of 2022.

It was clear Howe was attempting to build a team which could threaten the Premier League elite, and they went on to finish that season in fourth place.

Isak was impressive when he featured for the Magpies, scoring ten goals in 27 appearances that term, but it was last season in which he really delivered on his potential.

If his debut campaign was about him finding his feet at Newcastle, then last year saw the 24-year-old really come into his own.

Not only did the centre-forward find the back of the net 24 times in all competitions for the club, but he also helped himself to two assists.

Additionally, Isak also created five big chances, averaged 0.9 key passes per game while succeeding with 1.4 dribbles each match – a success rate of 60% – in the Premier League last term.

The Swede did manage to miss 21 big chances, however, which means if he was more clinical in the opposition penalty area, then the former Borussia Dortmund man could have scored over 30 league goals for the club.

Regardless, it was still an excellent season on a personal level for him and Isak will be hoping for more of the same throughout 2024/25.

His performances have seen his market value grow, as at the time of writing, Isak is currently worth €75m (£63.3m), as per Transfermarkt, and this will only continue to rise should he maintain his recent form.

Indeed, Isak is the second-highest valued player in the entire Newcastle first-team squad, yet more evidence of his importance to Howe.

The club did sell someone a few years ago now, however, who would have been worth twice the valuation of the Swede in 2024 money – Andy Carroll.

Andy Carroll’s Newcastle statistics

The Englishman began his career with the Magpies, making his debut during the 2006/07 campaign, but it wasn’t until two years later that he scored his first goal for the senior side.

Despite Newcastle suffering relegation during 2008/09, Carroll notched three Premier League goals in 14 games, indicating that he had the potential to lead their charge to secure promotion from the Championship in 2009/10.

Indeed, the youngster helped the Magpies make a swift return to the top flight with 17 goals in 39 games, adding another 12 assists, emerging as one of the finest young strikers the club had produced in years.

Returning to the Premier League with experience certainly aided Carroll, who helped himself to 11 goals during the first half of the season, as Alan Pardew not only aimed to keep the side up, but to crack the top half of the table.

It was clear that one day, Carroll would be making the move elsewhere, especially displaying this kind of form, yet I doubt even Pardew expected him to leave that season.

Towards the end of the January transfer window in 2011, Liverpool came calling and made an offer the club couldn’t refuse…

How much Newcastle sold Andy Carroll for

The Anfield side had already secured the signature of Ajax striker Luis Suárez for a fee in the region of £22.7m having lost Fernando Torres to Chelsea.

The Reds weren’t finished there, however, as a bid of £35m was submitted to Newcastle in order to bring Carroll to Merseyside, which was a then British-record transfer fee that sent shockwaves around the country.

There was no way Pardew could have rejected the offer, especially considering the profit Newcastle were going to make on the striker.

Adjusting for inflation, this fee in 2024 would see Carroll valued higher than some of the best players in the world right now.

How much Andy Carroll would be worth in 2024

In 2024, money, however – with Totally Money having adjusted for inflation over the years – this £35m transfer fee would be worth a staggering £101m if he made the same move today.

This is just over £40m more than what Isak is currently valued at and shows just how much Liverpool paid to bring him to the club 13 years ago.

There is no doubt that they overpaid, as the Englishman scored just 11 goals for the Reds during his brief spell there.

Newcastle hit the jackpot by moving him on for such a high fee, however, paving the way for Pardew to use the money wisely that summer in order to strengthen his first team squad.

The 2011/12 season saw the Magpies secure a top five finish, which allowed them to qualify for Europe the following campaign.

Carroll failed to live up to this £35m fee back in 2011, yet he did shine for Newcastle during his time on Tyneside.

Sold for £500k: Newcastle must rue losing ace who's worth more than Tonali

The club certainly made a mistake in allowing him to leave.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Sep 6, 2024

Real Madrid are reportedly plotting a bid for Bournemouth teenager Dean Huijsen as Carlo Ancelotti seeks defensive reinforcements.

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• Huijsen making a name for himself at Bournemouth
• Has scored against both Man Utd & Spurs
• Real Madrid are tracking the defender

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since signing for the club from Juventus last summer, the Dutch-born centre-back has delivered standout performances, helping the Cherries climb to seventh in the Premier League table. Huijsen has started Bournemouth's last six matches, playing a key role in their back-to-back clean-sheet victories over Manchester United and Tottenham. Not only has he been solid defensively, but he has also contributed offensively, scoring crucial goals in both encounters.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to European champions Real Madrid have reportedly been monitoring Huijsen for some time. Club scouts have been impressed by his maturity and seamless transition to the Premier League, prompting speculation about a potential move. Huijsen’s Spanish nationality adds another layer of appeal for Madrid. Though he was born in Netherlands, the defender moved to Spain at the age of five and has represented the Under-21 national team, with many tipping him for a senior call-up in the near future.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The need for defensive reinforcements has become more pressing for Real Madrid after Eder Militao suffered a long-term injury at the end of last year. Ancelotti is believed to be prioritising defensive additions, and Huijsen has emerged as a prime target for the Spanish giants apart from Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While Bournemouth is aware of Madrid's interest, the club is unlikely to entertain offers for Huijsen in the January transfer window. Sources suggest that any potential move would be more feasible during the summer. The young defender has reportedly told friends that he remains fully committed to Bournemouth, emphasising his focus on helping the team achieve their goals this season.

Arsenal have been tipped to make a mega-money move next summer as they look to add world-class talent to Mikel Arteta’s squad to usher in a period of Premier League dominance.

Arsenal keep powder dry this summer

Arsenal had been expected to spend big this summer, but after strong links with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, they opted not to sign a forward permanently, only moving in the final hours of the transfer window to sign Raheem Sterling on loan, a deal which even Edu admitted surprised the club.

Arsenal nearly signed 'the new Henry' for £0, now he's a £152m phenomenon

Arsene Wenger came close to signing a Ballon d’Or nominee in the making.

By
Matt Dawson

Sep 9, 2024

Both Sesko and Williams are likely to return to the transfer market next summer alongside a host of other names, and it appears that Arsenal have opted to keep any mega-money signings for then, with the club ending the transfer window with a net spend of just £4m according to Sky Sports.

It is a decision that may well reap rewards going forwards, with Arsenal having banked plenty of financial fair play goodwill over the summer, and now they could spend heavily next summer. Indeed, they may have already identified their main target.

Arsenal line up mega money move for Premier League marksman

That comes as one transfer insider has linked Arsenal with an audacious move to sign Newcastle’s Alexander Isak next summer. Arsenal have long been linked with a move for the Swedish striker, even reportedly tabling a bid during his time at Real Sociedad, only to be told he would cost £75m to prise out of the Basque region in January 2022.

Instead, Newcastle pounced and reaped the rewards of his mercurial talent. The 24-year-old took to the Premier League like a duck to water, scoring on his debut against Liverpool and going on to rack up 10 goals in his debut campaign, following it up with a 21 goal season last time around, which marked him out as one of the Premier League’s top strikers.

That has led to repeated speculation that he may have been Arsenal bound over the summer, though they made no move to sign him. That is set to change next time though, according to transfer insider teamnewsandtix, who expects Arsenal to seriously push for Isak in 2025.

“I’ve been told Alexander Isak will be very, very high on Arsenal’s list — He’s definitely someone I expect them to revisit next summer”, he explained. “If Newcastle don’t get Europe, you’d imagine he’d be angling for a move.”

They will be met with stiff resistance from Newcastle though, with Eddie Howe’s side having reportedly slapped a massive £150m price tag on the Swede’s head as they look to ward off interest from interested parties and keep their talisman at St James’ Park.

Still just 24 and under contract until 2028 as things stand, they will be in no rush to sell and should Isak not push for a move, it would likely take a ludicrous sum to persuade them to part ways with him.

Cristiano Ronaldo put out a cheeky message on Instagram after he fired Al-Nassr to victory in the first Saudi Pro League game of 2025.

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• Al-Nassr secured a 3-1 win over Al-Akhdoud
• Ronaldo was on target from the spot
• Took to Instagram after grabbing the victory

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo was on target from the spot as Stefano Pioli's men secured a 3-1 victory over Al-Alkhoud. However, Sadio Mane stole the limelight from the Portuguese superstar as he bagged a goal in each half and also earned the penalty that Ronaldo converted.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo has been sensational form this campaign as he has 11 goals and two assists from 13 league appearances. It was an important three points for Al-Nassr as they continue to chase down leaders Al-Ittihad who are eight points ahead and have a match in hand.

• WHAT RONALDO SAID

  After emerging victorious, Ronaldo took to Instagram and shared a carousel of pictures along with a caption. The first photo showed Ronaldo cheekily poking out his tongue with the caption: "Best way to start the year 😜."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  Ronaldo will be back in action for Al-Nassr's next league game against Al-Taawoun on January 17.

Gary Neville has responded to Des Lynam's suggestion that he is the right man to 'save' Manchester United amid their ongoing struggles.

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• Neville reacted to Lynam's comments
• Lynam says Neville is right man to 'save' Man Utd
• Man Utd take on Fulham on Sunday

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  United's 2024-25 campaign hit another low point after they suffered a humiliating 3-1 defeat at Old Trafford against Brighton last weekend. It was the club's fourth home defeat in six games since Ruben Amorim took charge as head coach in November and their 10th Premier League defeat in the current season. After the Brighton debacle, veteran broadcaster and former BBC Match of the Day host Des Lynam wrote in his column for that he believes Neville is the right candidate to 'save' the Red Devils.

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• WHAT GARY NEVILLE SAID

  Reacting to Lynam's claim on his podcast on , Neville said: "I love Des Lynam. I met Des Lynam in 2002. My first ever punditry gig was 22 years ago. I broke my foot before the World Cup in Japan and South Korea and ITV asked me to be a pundit. I had the most incredible time, it was the moment that I recognised I wanted to go into punditry because of the people I was surrounded by.

  "The fellow pundits on that panel were Bobby Robson, Terry Venables and Paul Gascoigne. I totally don't belong in that panel from the point of view of football greatness and coaching. What I could give them was the current understanding of what was happening in that dressing room."

  He added: "Des Lynam was the doyen, the God of hosts and presenters in that era. Someone with an unbelievable voice, great delivery, great humour. I always got on with Des but if you could please stop putting me forward as the manager of Manchester United it would be quite helpful. I understand where you're coming from, I do understand the club, I do love the club, I do believe I can communicate well. However, I don't want to go back into coaching number one, number two I don't believe that I'm the best man for the job by a long way."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-England defender also revealed that he has been mocked by fellow pundit Jamie Carragher ever since Lynam expressed his opinion as he added: "It gives my friends and colleagues, particularly Mr James Carragher, the opportunity to giggle quite a bit on a Thursday afternoon when he sees the headline. I love Des to bits but I'm pretty sure he's not right on that one. I feel bad to tell him he's not right because he's someone with such vast experience."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?

  After a morale-boosting win over Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday, Amorim's United side will be back in action on Sunday as they take on Fulham in the Premier League.

Wolves are still searching for their first win of the season, currently sitting rock bottom of the Premier League, having only earned one point so far in a handful of matches played.

Their one point came in a 1-1 draw to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, and their run of games isn’t going to get any easier, with Gary O’Neil’s side set to face Liverpool next.

Wolves have conceded the joint highest number of goals after five games, conceding 14 goals, and have only scored five. O’Neil’s men have given up on average 14.2 shots per game (the ninth worst in the division), and their defensive record will have to improve if they want to stay up.

Sadly, that is unlikely to improve after a blow to Yerson Mosquera.

Yerson Mosquera's injury blow

Wolves have confirmed Yerson Mosquera’s injury is a serious one, after being stretched off in the second half of their 3-1 loss to Aston Villa at the weekend.

Phil Hayward, Wolves’ head of high performance confirmed injuries to the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Mosquera is set to undergo surgery in the next two weeks and will face a long time on the sidelines, with Hayward saying it is unlikely the 23-year-old will feature again this season.

The Colombian defender started all five of their Premier League games this campaign, playing 442 minutes, and trying to replace him will be a tough task for O’Neil, especially as pressure is already building, with Wolves sitting bottom of the Premier League.

A potential Mosquera replacement

In order for Wolves to address this issue, one option would be to look at the free agents available with one potential option that of James Tomkins, once of West Ham and Crystal Palace.

However, it just so happens that an ex-Premier League defender, once dubbed as “world-class” by Jürgen Klopp, is available, in the shape of Joel Matip. He certainly represents a much more convincing option than Tomkins.

The 33-year-old made 201 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 11 goals, providing six assists, and totaling 16,190 minutes played. Matip could be the perfect option for Wolves, to add experience at the back, and replace Mosquera on a short-term basis this season.

Matip would help to replace the towering Mosquera, who stands at 6 foot 2, and wins 2.24 aerials per 90. Matip stands at 6 foot 5, winning 3.15 aerials per 90, and adds a real physical presence, paired with a high understanding of the game, allowing him to be in the right place at the right time.

The 33-year-old would also add extra ball progression, via both carrying and passing. Having played in a top Liverpool side, the Cameroon centre-back is very composed on the ball and will look to break the lines, getting the ball into the feet of Wolves best players, and allowing them to shine.

Matip could be the perfect replacement for Mosquera, helping to solve their defensive issues, by adding extra experience at the back, leadership, and even a set piece threat with his colossal frame.

Wolves had the "Cantona of his generation" on loan, now he's worth £50m

He’s now shining in the Premier League…

By
Joe Nuttall

Sep 25, 2024

Ousmane Dembele is in fine form at Paris Saint-Germain and Kylian Mbappe has claimed he is the 'number one supporter' of his former teammate.

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• Dembele in fine form at Paris Saint-Germain
• Mbappe is Dembele's 'number one supporter'
• Mbappe urges Dembele not to set any limits

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dembele has failed to live up to the heights that his career had promised during his rise at Borussia Dortmund. Injuries and attitude issues affected his Barcelona career with a number of stop-start stints that showcased his immense talents. Still, Dembele's lack of consistency meant he was not favoured at the Catalan club and ended up joining Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After a typically lacklustre first season under Luis Enrique, Dembele has finally hit a vein of form that has been expected of him this season as the 27-year-old has scored 19 goals and provided six assists in 26 games. Dembele made Les Parisiens history this week as he became the first player to score back-to-back hattricks for the club as he did so against Stuttgart and Brest. Mbbape has now opened up on his friend and former teammate's run of form and urged him to 'not set any limits'.

• WHAT MBAPPE SAID

  Speaking to L'Equipe, Mbappe said: "No, I'm not surprised. I'm his number-one supporter. I've known his qualities since we were 14. I also think he's had a mental breakthrough which means he's more relaxed in front of goal. He's a top player! His room for improvement also depends on what his coach expects of him in this position. I think he's doing very well and he's PSG's main attacking player. Given the form he's in at the moment, he can't set himself any limits, he has to continue like this and he'll finish the year with a lot of wins (laughs)."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DEMBELE?

  For the first time in his career, Dembele looks like the kind of player he was destined to be. Regardless of whether the form is due to the trust being placed in him by Enrique or the change in position this season as he has been playing through the middle of the attack, Dembele will surely be looking to prove his doubters wrong.