All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

They might not be top of the table at the moment, but Arsenal should feel supremely confident about their chances of finally ending their two-decade title drought come May.

Mikel Arteta’s side have already played Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Manchester City away, and with a kinder run of league fixtures to come over the next month or so, they should still be near the top come Christmas.

However, the next game on the agenda is a home Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, and given the congested nature of the fixture list, Arteta should look to rest one of his stars and hand Ethan Nwaneri his first start in Europe.

Why Nwaneri should start

So, while Nwaneri’s simply unreal record of 27 goals and ten assists in 52 youth team games should be reason enough to give him a chance tonight, his recent form for the first team makes his case impossible to ignore.

So far this season, the 17-year-old gem has made three appearances for Arsenal, and while his start in the League Cup, in which he bagged a brace, has understandably catapulted him into the spotlight, his two substitute appearances in the league have also been just as revealing.

For example, when the Gunners were 1-0 up in the North London Derby a few weeks ago, and the clock was ticking down, Arteta turned to the Hale Ender and not another defender to come on for the last ten minutes or so.

While some youngsters would be overawed by such an intense match, the Enfield-born star looked utterly unphased, played his game, and looked like a threat from his very first touch.

Something similar happened on Saturday as well. With the score level in the 85th minute, instead of turning to the infinitely more experienced Gabriel Jesus, the manager once again threw the talented midfielder on, and while he couldn’t score, he came incredibly close to doing so and offered more in his short cameo than some players do in entire games.

Overall, it’s certainly a lot to ask of a youngster to start in a game against Paris Saint-Germain, but as the old saying goes, if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, and there can be no doubting now, that Nwaneri is certainly good enough.

Why Thomas Partey should be rested

Okay, so if Nwaneri is going to come into the starting lineup tonight, someone has to make way, and that player is Thomas Partey.

This will allow Declan Rice to start as the six and potentially Jorginho or Leandro Trossard to fill in as the left-eight, depending on how aggressive the manager plans on being.

Now, with that said, while we are dropping the former Atlético Madrid star from the starting lineup, it is not due to his performances, as while he’s had a few off-games this season, he’s also reminded fans of how good he can be in the games against City, Tottenham, and Villa.

In fact, even though he picked up a 6/10 for his display against Leicester City from football.london’s Kaya Kaynak, the “sensational” midfielder, as dubbed by La Liga expert Gerry Armstrong, put in a decent performance in the first half, and by the time he was taken off in the 85th minute, he had taken 107 touches, completed 87 of 96 passes, completed 100% of his long balls and made four tackles.

However, he did start to tire in the second 45, which is entirely understandable as, aside from the match against Bolton, he has started every game so far this season, and when you take into account his injury record, that is a lot of football in a short space of time.

2020/21

3

81

21

2021/22

3

152

19

2022/23

2

29

6

2023/24

2

143

34

Total

10

430

80

Across his entire Arsenal career, the Ghanaian superstar has missed 80 games for club and country due to ten different injuries, and due to his seeming importance to the team this season, Arteta cannot afford to lose him for an extended period.

Therefore, while it’s an important game, Partey should be given the chance to rest tonight, as a midfield of Rice, Jorginho or Trossard, and the incredibly exciting Nwaneri should be enough to get the job done at home, especially if Arteta goes full strength elsewhere in the team.

Arsenal's "innovative" Hale End gem is the perfect White & Timber rival

The exciting prospect could be yet another sensational talent to come out of the Gunners’ famed academy.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 28, 2024

Chelsea’s momentum in the Premier League was curbed before the October international break, with Nottingham Forest holding the Blues to a feisty draw at Stamford Bridge to end a three-match winning run.

Enzo Maresca deserves plaudits for taking the reins from Mauricio Pochettino and lifting the club closer to the limelight. It’s going to take several campaigns, but the Londoners are starting to look like they could be serious competitors sooner rather than later.

There’s been plenty to praise regarding the transfer activity from the market just gone, with a wealth of quality brought in, but it’s been particularly pleasing to see the immense Cole Palmer joined by some of his partners from last season in stepping up to the plate.

Noni Madueke got himself on the scoresheet against the Tricky Trees, with his rise really starting to take shape.

Noni Madueke continues to shine

Madueke has been a part of the Chelsea project since signing from PSV Eindhoven in a deal worth £29m, but the 22-year-old joined the cause at a turbulent time and has only recently started to showcase that he can be a leading figure as Chelsea continue to raise the bar.

After losing against Manchester City in a tough season opener, the newly-blooded England international wreaked destruction at Molineux as Chelsea defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 6-2.

Having been a regular feature on the right flank this term, Madueke came up clutch once again last weekend as he fired past Matz Sels after beating the stricken Alex Moreno for a fourth time. It took the winger’s tally to five goals from eight matches in all competitions in 2024/25.

Minutes played

89′

Goals

1

Assists

0

Touches

57

Shots (on target)

7 (2)

Accurate passes

27/32 (84%)

Key passes

3

Dribbles (completed)

5 (3)

Tackles

3

Interceptions

1

Total duels (won)

14 (8)

Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london’s Rob Guest awarded Madueke with an 8/10 score, praising his energy and influence across the match, playing his part even if the Blues failed to defeat Forest on home turf.

He wrote: ‘Shot wide following some good movement early on and wasn’t too far off not long after with a curling effort following a sharp turn. Chelsea’s brightest player in the first half with some excellent play down the right and deservedly got his name on the scoresheet with a low effort 12 minutes after the restart. Strong showing from the winger.’

Chelsea have plenty of quality in the final third, but it’s a measure of Madueke’s performances that he’s keeping the likes of Joao Felix, Christopher Nkunku and Pedro Neto at bay, playing with gusto and impact.

It was his fine goal that spared the blushes – to a degree – of another Chelsea star over the weekend. Indeed, Nicolas Jackson’s brilliant start to the campaign was stifled, for he flattered to deceive before the October international break.

Nicolas Jackson's performance vs Forest

Jackson has come on leaps and bounds already in 2024/25. He was hardly ‘poor’ during his maiden year in London, joining from Villarreal on an eight-year deal in July 2023 after a fee in excess of his £30m release clause was paid.

He bagged 14 Premier League goals across 34 matches last year, which is an impressive feat for a young centre-forward stepping into English football for the first time – and at a club that had been suffering from harsh climes besides.

With 24 big chances missed, however, it was clear that much work was needed. For reference, Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins scored 19 times and only missed 22 big chances.

This season has been a different tale, with the Senegalese striker reaping the rewards of a refined sense of fluency at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are not quite so reliant on Palmer’s brilliance anymore.

Jackson has posted four goals and three assists across his opening seven Premier League matches of the term, although he struggled to add to his efforts against Nuno Espirito Santo’s expertly woven low block, with the aforementioned Guest far more displeased with his display, branding him with a 5/10 match rating and commenting on his ‘frustrating afternoon’ with ‘very little’ falling his way.

Indeed, the 23-year-old was well-marshalled, taking just one shot all game – hitting the woodwork – and taking just 30 touches, as per Sofascore, which was even fewer than that of the hosts’ shot-stopper Robert Sanchez (39).

Forest also had him covered in the air, with Jackson winning only one of his four contested aerial battles.

It’s a reminder that he’s not yet the finished article, and that, with such an array of talent at Maresca’s clutches, he perhaps shouldn’t start every single week.

Why Maresca must consider dropping Jackson

Nkunku missed a glorious opportunity to win it for Chelsea after being introduced, taking Jackson’s place, with ten minutes on the clock, but the France international’s dynamic and breezy style of play might have had an effect in unlocking an iron-willed and bullish Forest backline, had he had longer to apply his instruments.

We all know of Jackson’s quality, and that he’s one of the most talented young forwards in the Premier League. After all, he’s claimed seven goal contributions from as many matches to kick off his second year in England.

But he’s not infallible. Jackson got lost in the forest on Sunday afternoon and proved to Maresca and the Blues fanbase that he’s got much to learn before he reaches the apex of his potential.

With the likes of Nkunku, Felix and Guiu waiting in the wings, it’s simply a reminder that Maresca has an embarrassment of attacking riches at his disposal, and must rotate beyond flicking the switch as his team jumps between Conference League and top-flight football.

For now, Chelsea stand in fourth place in the Premier League after seven matches – only four points behind table-topping Liverpool. Jackson will continue to play his instrumental part in the term, but Maresca must make sure to shuffle the pack and remind stars that they are always apt to lose their starting berth if they falter.

Chelsea star who was a 5/10 vs Nottingham Forest is now droppable

Chelsea man has now become droppable ahead of the Liverpool game

ByConnor Holden Oct 7, 2024

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is not short of options when it comes to the wide areas, that’s despite the summer sales of Jadon Sancho to Chelsea on a loan-to-buy deal, and Facundo Pellistri to Greek side Panathinaikos.

The Red Devils’ Dutch manager has tended to favour Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo on the left-wing and right-wing respectively this season, and his trust has been repaid.

Rashford has three goals and one assist in six games, while Amad has one goal and assist apiece in the same number of outings. Alejandro Garnacho has even more, with four goals and three assists in six games.

However, there is one United winger who has not really got much of an opportunity this season and has really found his best form at United. That player is Antony.

Antony’s record for Man United

The Brazilian winger joined the English giants from Ajax towards the end of the summer transfer window in 2022, signing for a whopping £81.3m. Sadly, he has not been able to live up to such a price tag and has failed to show the form he did at Ajax.

The winger, who won an Olympic Gold medal at Tokyo 2020 with Brazil, had a great record during his time in Amsterdam. The 24-year-old played 82 times for the Dutch giants, scoring 24 goals and grabbing 22 assists. Not only that, the Sao Paulo youth product was famed for bringing Brazilian flair to the Eredivisie, and was known to have bags of tricks, including his famed spin.

However, his form in England has been a far cry from what he showed in Amsterdam, both in terms of his goals and assists and the skilful side of his game. He has scored just 12 times and has five assists in 84 games, with three goals and two assists coming in 38 games last term.

Despite this poor form, he has scored some crucial goals for the Red Devils. That includes a winner against Barcelona in the 2022/23 Europa League and a strike against Liverpool in last season’s legendary FA Cup quarter-final.

With that being said, it has not really worked out for the winger at Old Trafford. In fact, just two years before signing him, the Red Devils released an academy graduate who has been producing better numbers than the Brazilian.

Man United's mini Vinicius

The player in question here is Leeds United and Belgian winger Largie Ramazani. He made the move to Elland Road and United’s big rivals Leeds this summer, who bought him from Spanish outfit UD Almeria.

Since departing Old Trafford in 2020, the attacker has been superb, seeing success in the second tier of Spanish football before performing well in La Liga. Last term, he actually outscored Antony, scoring four goals and five assists in 31 appearances in all competitions.

2020/21

La Liga 2

23

4

1

2021/22

La Liga 2

30

8

1

2022/23

La Liga

33

3

2

2023/24

La Liga

29

3

5

Having sensationally been described as a “mini-Vinicius” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, he is a direct winger who loves to drive at defenders and beat them in one-vs-one situations, similar to Real Madrid’s Vini in that sense. Last term, the Carrington graduate completed an average of 1.1 dribbles per game in La Liga, as per Sofascore.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

United may well regret allowing the Belgian to leave the club on a free transfer back in 2020. Had he agreed a new deal, they could have given him one or two loan deals before integrating him into the first team, thus meaning they saved money on Antony.

United fans and the board at Old Trafford alike may well look back on this deal regretfully. They might well wish they had kept someone who could have added great depth out wide and been the next great Carrington graduate.

Man Utd thought they had the next CR7, now he's worth even less than Antony

The talented international just could not make it work at United, and now he’s playing outside of Europe entirely.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 18, 2024

Liverpool supporters will know that Arne Slot’s debut season in charge will likely be more of a success than Jurgen Klopp’s was, as their beloved now former boss had a lot on his plate when arriving to Anfield back in 2015.

In his first campaign as manager, the ex-Borussia Dortmund figure would achieve an eighth placed finish – which would be a disastrous position for Slot’s side to finish in by 2024’s standards – before slowly but surely bringing success to the Merseyside giants over a number of campaigns.

Unlike Slot, who has taken on the reins after Klopp’s exit with a strong squad already in place, the now unemployed 57-year-old had to get rid of some deadwood on his arrival, which included giving notable Reds dud Luis Alberto the boot initially on two separate loan deals, before letting him eventually head out the door permanently a year into his post.

Alberto would just never settle at Anfield, costing the Reds a fee of £6.8m in 2013, but is now completely forgotten about 11 years on.

Luis Alberto's time at Liverpool

The Spanish attacking midfielder, who has since carved out a successful career path for himself since his underwhelming stint in England, very much goes down as a dud from yesteryear when recounting his tough time playing for Liverpool.

The now 31-year-old would only ever make 12 appearances for the Reds in total before being sent packing under the early days of the Klopp regime, helping himself to just one assist too when donning his Liverpool colours back in 2013, when then manager Brendan Rodgers masterminded a 5-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

With zero goals under his belt, whilst also playing in the Premier League, Alberto’s time at Liverpool would undoubtably go down as a major flop, with the top-flight titans selling Alberto on for a loss at £4.3m to Lazio to bring his time at the club to an unsurprising end.

Luis Alberto's career since Liverpool

However, Alberto would find a new lease of life away from his subdued playing days at Liverpool out in Italy, with his current form for new employers Al-Duhail SC even bettering Mohamed Salah’s start to the Premier League this campaign.

As can be seen watching the clip above, Alberto looked a different player altogether lining up for Lazio over his quiet beginnings at Anfield, with sumptous strikes like this one versus Sampdoria commonplace throughout his time in Serie A.

The Spaniard would amass a mightily impressive 52 goals and 79 assists from 307 games in total for the Italian giants, before seeking out pastures new in Qatar, where he hasn’t slowed down with his output.

Stat

Luis Alberto

Salah

Games played

5

4

Goals scored

1

3

Assists

6

3

Sourced by Transfermarkt

Looking at the table above, for his new Saudi employers, Alberto actually boasts one more goal contribution than his Egyptian counterpart this season so far, having actually helped himself to an astounding three assists in just one clash when Al-Duhail emphatically beat Al-Rayyan SC 4-0.

Of course, the difference in quality is there as Salah has managed to put together six goal contributions in the hustle and bustle of the Premier League Alberto couldn’t handle, but the 31-year-old has certainly not allowed his poor time with the Reds at the start of his career to negatively impact him moving forward.

Salah didn’t help his own cause by having a rare off-day against Nottingham Forest last time out, as Nuno Espirito Santo’s underdogs walked away from Anfield with a shock three points, but he will know he has plenty more in the tank for Slot’s men as the season goes on.

Alberto will just hope he can keep up his own blistering start, eager to make sure he sees out his playing days in style, after shirking off his label of being a Reds reject.

Liverpool star was worth £1m when Salah joined, now he's worth 5800% more

He might even be Arne Slot’s best player…

1 ByAngus Sinclair Sep 15, 2024

Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Dusan Vlahovic, with Il Messagero reporting that the striker is keen on a move to Stamford Bridge should a deal materialise between the clubs.

How many goals has Dusan Vlahovic scored for Juventus?

The 23-year-old has only been with Juventus for two seasons, but has already bagged plenty for the Serie A side. In 2022/23, the striker managed a total of ten goals and two assists in just 22 league starts for the Italian outfit, which was impressive considering the Turin side could manage only a seventh placed finish during a campaign filled with turmoil on the pitch and off it. Prior to that, he had seven in 12 during his first campaign with the club.

The Serbian then has not slowed down since his switch from Fiorentina. Bursting onto the scene with La Viola as an 18-year-old, he managed a haul of 27 goals before turning 20. He ended up leaving the side with a final total of 44 goals in 69 league starts over four seasons with his old club – a record that prompted Serie A title challengers Juventus to stump up the cash to bring him in.

He's continued to hit the back of the net on a regular basis despite the change in scenery, but he could be off this summer it seems, with the Old Lady in FFP hell.

Man United have already held talks with the player's agent over a potential transfer to the Premier League and Chelsea have also held an interest in a deal, with the Blues adding him to their transfer wanted list. Now, it appears that the London outfit have the upper hand in their pursuit of the striker – but no offer is on the table yet.

Are Chelsea signing Dusan Vlahovic?

According to a report from Il Messagero, Vlahovic is personally tempted to move to Stamford Bridge should a deal be agreed.

It appears he is not averse to leaving Juve and heading to England this summer, but it adds that a potential transfer may only happen based on other events at Chelsea. That's because the Blues still have Romelu Lukaku on their books, meaning there isn't a whole lot of room in their strikeforce right now. Should the Premier League outfit be able to offload the Belgian, who cost them £97.5m, then they will formalise their interest and "attack" a deal for the 6 foot 3 Serbian.

It's unclear how much the striker may cost the English outfit should they launch a bid, but Transfermarkt suggest his value is around the 70 million Euros (or £60m) mark. However, that would be nearly £10m less than what the Turin side originally paid for him (81.6 million Euros/£69.9m) so they would likely want more than that amount as part of any potential deal as they look to balance their books.

Vlahovic is viewed as a very solid option up front, with football journalist Josh Bunting calling him "clinical" and "aggressive". He even added that he is a "consistent goalscorer" and is a "killer in the box". These are all big compliments for the attacker, and it shows how excellent he has been in front of goal to draw such praise.

Arnaut Danjuma is hoping for a move back to the Premier League this summer, with Crystal Palace among his potential suitors, according to Jack Rosser of The Sun.

The London club will need to find a way to replace the impact of Michael Olise after the winger suffered an injury blow that will see him miss the start of the Premier League season.

Crystal Palace transfer news – will they sign Arnaut Danjuma?

With Danjuma keen on a move back to the Premier League, a move to Crystal Palace could be on the cards this summer.

The Villarreal winger spent the second half of last season on loan at Tottenham Hotspur, but struggled to ever really gain an influential role in a struggling side, playing just 162 minutes in the league – the equivalent of just under two games.

As per Rosser, Villarreal want £25m for Danjuma this summer, but are open to another loan move in which could be positive news for Palace.

Would Arnaut Danjuma replicate Olise's quality?

Without Olise, Palace are undoubtedly a worse side. Last season, the Frenchman was involved in 13 goals for the London side, with 11 assists to his name.

Replacing that quality will be no easy task at the start of the season, but Palace will be left with no choice after his recent injury. And that's where Danjuma could come in.

Although he struggled to make the desired impact at Spurs, the 26-year-old has previously shone in England for Bournemouth, where he scored 15 times in the Championship, earning a move to Villarreal.

It was his debut season in Spain when Danjuma really burst into life, scoring 16 goals in all competitions, including six in the Champions League as the Yellow Submarine reached the semi-final stage.

So, the quality is certainly there, it's just about unlocking it. It could be said that around more unorthodox players such as Eberechi Eze, the winger could rediscover his best form.

When compared, both Danjuma and Olise are glaringly similar at their best when it comes to output. The reported Palace target completed more take-ons per 90 at his best for Villarreal in his debut season, whilst also enjoying a better take-on success percentage.

So, the ability to take players out of games in one-on-one situations that Roy Hodgson would lose without Olise can be gained by bringing Danjuma to Selhurst Park this summer.

In the Netherlands winger, you wouldn't be getting a player who assists as often as his French counterpart, but you would be getting a more natural goalscorer. And, given that Palace's top scorer last season was Eze with ten goals, another player who knows where the back of the net is wouldn't go amiss.

Speaking on Danjuma's quality, Kevin Phillips told Football Insider back in 2022: "On his day he is a nightmare for defenders. He can create and score goals. He can hurt any defence with his pace and directness.

“I know it was in the Championship but he’s proved he can perform in this country. I think he’d be available for reasonable money as well. I don’t think he’d cost the world.

“He is a player who can hurt any defence on his day. He’s shown that countless times. Players like him are a rarity in this day and age.”

With that said, it is clear that, if Palace do sign Danjuma, they'd be getting themselves a solution to their enforced Olise absence.

Glasgow Rangers have had to resort to finding some bargains from south of the border over the last few years in order to limit lavish spending, and there have been a few gems unearthed by Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale.

In January, Todd Cantwell was signed for just £1.5m having struggled at Norwich City during the early stages of last season, yet he sparked into life upon joining the Ibrox side, registering 11 goal contributions in just 20 matches.

His rise to prominence in the SPFL is reminiscent of Calvin Bassey, who arrived in Glasgow for a compensation fee of just £230k in 2020, and having amassed 65 appearances in his two seasons at the club, he was sold for a remarkable £23m to Ajax last summer, turning out to be an excellent signing in terms of profitability.

Could Beale perhaps repeat that masterclass by making a move for Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell during the summer transfer window?

According to Football League World, the Gers recently had a bid rejected for Cresswell, yet this shouldn’t stop Beale from pursuing the youngster.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

The Ibrox side have a plethora of central defensive options, with Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Leon King in the first-team squad, although there has been some interest shown in Davies from the English Championship, and if he did move on, Beale will require another defender in his squad.

Cresswell could certainly follow in Bassey’s footsteps should he make the move to the Premiership, as he has the ability to shine in Scotland and potentially secure the Light Blues a decent profit should he depart after a few years.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign at Millwall during 2022/23 while on loan from Leeds, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.13/10 for his 28 appearances while adding four goals, suggesting he could be a goal threat.

Across the whole season, he ranked second in the Millwall side for overall rating, accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1), while also finishing in the top three for interceptions per game (1.3), implying that he could have the maturity to shine in the senior ranks at such a young age – and by moving to a club like Rangers, not only will he challenge for honours, but he may also have the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

The £2k-per-week starlet was lauded as a player who has “amazing attributes” by Gary Rowett, and with Bassey making the move from Leicester City to Rangers and grabbing his opportunity with both hands, Cresswell could soon represent another stroke of genius by the Ibrox side.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Heung-min Son will “want to help Tottenham bounce back” in the Premier League next season, believes transfer insider Dean Jones.

The winger has recently been linked with a move to the free-spending Saudi Pro League, but Jones gets the impression that he will want to remain in North London and help the club rediscover its form next year.

What is going on with Heung-min Son at Tottenham?

Reports from journalist Ben Jacobs revealed last week that the South Korean international is a transfer target for the Middle Eastern league and “legwork” is “already underway” on a potential deal.

The “world-class” winger, as described by former manager Antonio Conte, has struggled to find form this season, scoring just 10 goals in the league.

However, with just two years left on his current deal, any move away from N17 won’t be cheap, with Transfermarkt valuing the 6 foot forward at €60m (£51m).

Despite the clear connection between the Chuncheon-born player and Spurs faithful, a bumper pay packet could tempt him away from European football, especially since he will be turning 31 this year, and retirement could be on his mind.

With his current wages estimated to be £192k-per-week, the example of Karim Benzema earning a massive £200m a season might be just too alluring.

What did transfer insider Dean Jones say about the stories linking Heung-min Son with a move away from Tottenham Hotspur?

Jones gets the impression that despite the links away from the club, especially the ones to recent headline makers, the Saudi Pro League, Son will want to remain with the Lilywhites for at least another year.

Speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: “I’d be surprised if he went there. He’s not the sort of player that’s just looking for a payday he’s been very committed to Tottenham.

“I think he’s going to continue to be important to them next season. I think he’ll want to help Tottenham bounce back from that disappointing season.”

Has Heung-min Son’s season really been as bad as everyone seems to think?

There is no denying that the South Korean’s season in the Premier League has been somewhat underwhelming compared to previous years.

However, you’d think from the way people talk about the player that he has been cataclysmically bad, which isn’t the case.

According to WhoScored, the former Leverkusen man has averaged a fairly respectable rating of 6.95 across his 33 games in the league.

His performances in Europe have also been fairly consistent, seeing him earn an average rating of 6.8 across eight games in the Champions League.

His underlying numbers were also better than expected.

According to FBref, who compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, Son was still within the top 16% for non-penalty expected goals per 90, despite his slender return in the league.

With all that considered, it might be fairer to view this season as simply a dip in form, one he should recover from.

Jarrod Bowen etched his name in West Ham United folklore when firing in the winning goal in last week's Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina.

That 90th-minute strike earned United a 2-1 win in Prague and ended the club's 43-year wait for a major trophy, while at the same time helping to cover the cracks of a poor Premier League campaign.

Bowen is not the only player West Ham have signed from a Championship club, having brought the forward in from Hull City for around £20m three-and-a-half years ago, and they may be about to repeat the trick.

According to the Daily Mail, the Hammers are in the running to sign Alex Scott from second-tier side Bristol City, though they face competition from Premier League rivals Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Is Alex Scott ready for the Premier League?

Scott is still aged just 19, yet he has already racked up 81 appearances for City in the Championship, almost half of those (40) coming in the 2022-23 season.

The ten yellow cards Scott collected in the league last season – the most of any City player – gives a rough indication of what the England U20 international is all about.

However, the Guernsey-born youngster – who can play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder and even out wide – particularly thrives in terms of beating his opponents and getting the ball forward.

Indeed, with 2.34 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the past year, Scott ranks in the top 22% of his positional peers, as per FBref. He is also in the top 17% when it comes to successful take-ons.

Scott's impressive midfield game at such a young age earned him the ultimate compliment earlier this year when Pep Guardiola described him as an "unbelievable player" following Manchester City's 3-0 win at Ashton Gate in the FA Cup fifth round.

The Robins' reported £25m valuation is said to be putting prospective buyers off making a move but, as was the case with Bowen, there is value to be had from signing players from the Championship.

Like Scott, Bowen had only been a Championship regular for two full seasons before being given a Premier League chance by West Ham.

As pointed out by transfer insider ExWHUEmployee on The West Ham Way podcast, the Hammers are "looking at players in the Championship" this summer with the belief that they will adapt to the Premier League quicker than a foreign import, such as big-money recruit Gianluca Scamacca last year.

Bowen is not West Ham's only success story when recruiting players from further down the ladder, with the likes of Michail Antonio, Flynn Downes and Aaron Cresswell all making an impact. Last season, those four players made a combined 120 appearances in the Premier League alone.

The lure of European football next season, plus a sizeable sum of up to £100m incoming for Declan Rice, means West Ham can lure a higher calibre of player to the London Stadium this summer.

But it may well be that a player such as Scott ticks all the boxes for David Moyes as he looks to repeat the success of previous windows.

It might not be as straightforward now in Manchester United's pursuit of Kim Min-jae, with Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg reporting that Bayern Munich have entered the race for the player.

Is Kim Min-jae joining Manchester United?

The defender has really burst onto the scene this season thanks to an incredible year in Italy with Napoli that has seen the club claim the Serie A title. The 26-year-old played a key part in that success, featuring on 35 occasions in the league for the side and even bagging two goals and two assists along the way. It marks his first season in the country but he already looks right at home in the centre of that Napoli defence.

In addition, he's proven himself as having a superb ability to take the ball with his feet and to play out from the back with ease. With a 90.2% pass completion rate, he ranks amongst the top 10% of players in his position amongst the Men's 'Top Five' big leagues for example. It shows that not only is he a standout talent in his domestic league but is one of the best at doing so in Europe.

It's led to big interest in his services from Man United in the Premier League, who have been keen to get a deal done. It had looked like a move was all but completed too, with a report suggesting that he would link-up with Erik Ten Hag's side on July 1, with the Red Devils agreeing to pay his 60 million Euro (£51m) release clause and already agreeing personal terms.

However, according to a report from Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, there is now competition for his signature. Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on the situation and could launch their own bid for the centre-back. The German giants are seemingly "aware" of United's eagerness to snap up Kim and the Red Devils are now "pushing" to get a deal over the line with this new twist in the race to sign the player.

How many games has Kim Min-jae played?

The Napoli man is an experienced head already, despite being only 26. As well as his 35 league showings for Napoli this campaign, he also featured heavily for Fenerbache in Turkey, playing 31 times for the title-chasing club. Prior to that, he also had three seaons with Beijing Guoan and two with Jeonbuk. It means that he has now accumulated 157 league games worth of action in his career already.

That has led to him becoming the player he is today, with the defender now earning the nickname of "monster" because of his performances. If United can get a deal done then, they would be getting a player who certainly appears capable of slotting straight into their backline.