You do wonder if this is a case of ‘small club syndrome’.
Whereby he’s getting ignored just because he doesn’t play for one of the more fashionable or ‘big clubs’.
That’s the situation that Dean Henderson finds himself in having been left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad.
He is joint top of the Premier League in terms of clean sheets, sharing that honour with Manchester City’s Ederson, and the Blades have one of the better defences in the league, having only conceded eight goals.
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It’s not like you can give the defenders like Jack O’Connell and Chris Basham the credit for all the results either, or they’d be included in the squad ahead of him.
But it’s Henderson that Sheffield United fans were most annoyed about being excluded as they took to social media to call out the England boss for leaving him out.
Perhaps he’s still being ‘punished’ for his error against Liverpool back in September, in which case he’s going to have to keep up the good work in order to make people forget about it.
This article is part of Football FanCast’s The Chalkboard series, which provides a tactical insight into teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…
Liverpool prevailed against Genk in the Champions League on Tuesday, winning 2-1 thanks to goals from Georginio Wijnaldum and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Their tactical switch shows Jurgen Klopp has a plan B up his sleeve should he need it.
On the chalkboard
The Reds were dominant against the Belgian side, having 27 shots at goal and eight on target compared to six and three respectively.
With Manchester City coming up at the weekend, Klopp rotated his side, making six changes to the team that beat Aston Villa last Saturday. There was a tactical switch, as well.
False 9
If you looked at the match reports from this game, you would have seen Oxlade-Chamberlain in the striker position and would probably have asked yourself what the former Borussia Dortmund manager was up to?
However, it was part of the 52-year-old’s cunning scheme.
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The 33-time England international actually played in a false nine position as the heatmap below shows. As he is not a natural striker, it made more sense for him to take up an overall deeper role.
As such, this forced the midfield to be more proactive going forwards. You can see from the two heatmaps below the effect it had on their offensive play.
The first, against Aston Villa, shows Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and Wijnaldum sitting further back in the midfield. On Tuesday, though, the trio of the latter, Fabinho and Naby Keita were more advanced, and it paid dividends as the Netherlands international opened the scoring from inside the six-yard box.
Wijnaldum, who moved to Anfield from Newcastle in 2016 for £25m, has played for Liverpool mainly in central midfield, but it was his performances as either a left-midfielder or an attacking midfielder for PSV and the Toon that caught the six-time European champions’ eye. His offensive contribution has been restricted on Merseyside, though – he has scored just four more goals for the Reds than he did in 116 less games for the north-east outfit.
Here, however, a false nine allowed him to be more adventurous, and the goal he scored was proof of that. Whilst Roberto Firmino will continue to play as the main forward – and rightly so, considering Klopp and co have won 1o of their first 11 Premier League games with him in the side – here is a plan B that could be used to great effect if needed.
Tottenham Hotspur boss Ange Postecoglou has suggested this week that an esteemed member of his squad isn’t actually fully fit, with an all-important and tough away game against Man United on the horizon this Sunday.
Man United v Tottenham – team news and preview
The Lilywhites will be without both Richarlison and winger Wilson Odobert for their trip to Old Trafford tomorrow as the Spurs duo nurse long-term injury problems.
Club tell England star they could sell him as Tottenham declare interest
The Lilywhites are on alert over the situation.
ByEmilio Galantini Sep 28, 2024
Son Heung-min also faces a late assessment to determine his fitness, but apart from that, Postecoglou will have all of his key senior players available for the clash as the Australian hopes to make it four wins on the trot in all competitions.
The north Londoners haven’t looked back since tasting defeat in their 1-0 derby loss to Arsenal a fortnight ago. Since then, wins over Coventry City in the EFL Cup, Brentford in the Premier League last weekend and Qarabag in midweek mean Spurs go into this game in a solid run of form.
Man United vs Tottenham
Tomorrow
Brighton vs Tottenham
October 6
Tottenham vs West Ham
October 19
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham
October 27
Tottenham vs Aston Villa
November 3
Brennan Johnson was forced to delete his social media channels after being subjected to online abuse in the wake of their defeat to Arsenal, but the Wales international has since scored in each of their last three matches – showcasing an elite mentality to silence his doubters.
In the build-up to this encounter, Postecoglou has praised Son for elevating his teammates behind the scenes and revealed that goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario comes in on his days off to train.
However, he also urges Spurs not to underestimate Man United despite pressure surrounding managerial counterpart Erik ten Hag.
“There’s always some manager under pressure,” said Postecoglou on Man United and Ten Hag.
“I think it must be one of those spinning boards with all our faces on it and whatever it lands on, he cops it for a week or two. I think Erik in a real tough job has done really well. He keeps mentioning he’s won two trophies and he has. I don’t think that’s insignificant. People keep telling me that’s what I have to do, but it’s obviously not all you have to do, because even when you do that, there’s more.
“There’s always more and I think he’s done a great job in a difficult job. At Old Trafford, it’s tough there. You look at their record and irrespective of the managers, it’s still a fairly compelling record and they’ve got some real quality players. We had a really good game there last year. It was 2-2 and a cracking game. One we’re going to be ready for.”
Postecoglou reveals Solanke is still working to full fitness
Speaking after their win over Qarabag in midweek, Postecoglou also commented on Dominic Solanke following the striker’s run of two goals in two games.
He claimed that Solanke isn’t actually fit after returning from his ankle injury and is still working towards reaching his physical peak, making his recent goalscoring impact all the more impressive.
“Dom has been great for us,” said Postecoglou.
“Not just his goals, but his general link-up play, he is a strong lad and keeps the ball really well for us. He is a typical striker always on the move. He’s still working his way to full fitness but strong performance.”
The summer signing, brought in for £65 million including add-ons, has tough shoes to fill – with Solanke looking to take Harry Kane’s previous mantle as their chief goalscorer.
Manchester United and Erik ten Hag have identified a new position they would like to strengthen in 2025, and they're willing to spend a "considerable sum", according to a new report. Ten Hag was heavily backed during the summer transfer window, as the club brought in five new players and shifted 13, but it hasn’t all come to plan yet, as they have won just one of their opening three league games.
Man Utd and INEOS looking at free move to sign 28 y/o "battleship" in 2025
Manchester United already have their eye on one player they would like to sign in 2025.
ByBrett Worthington Sep 12, 2024 Man Utd transfer rumours
The transfer window has been shut for nearly two weeks now, but it hasn’t stopped the transfer gossip from flying around, especially when it comes to United. Despite adding five players to the squad over the summer, it appears as though there are still a couple of areas that they would like to strengthen.
One area is adding more depth in central defence, as both Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans are in the final years of their contracts, with it unclear if Maguire will be offered a new deal and Evans likely to retire come the end of the campaign.
Therefore, the Red Devils are looking at potential replacements, and according to a recent report, Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah is a player under consideration. United are said to be keen on signing Tah for free in 2025, as the defender is in the final year of his contract with the Bundesliga champions.
The 28-year-old doesn’t wish to extend his stay beyond this season, meaning he will become a free agent next summer. But while the Red Devils are keen on signing the centre-back, they also face competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea..
Man United plotting move to sign possible Andre Onana replacement
According to a report from Spain relayed by Manchester World, Manchester United are “very interested” in signing Unai Simon from Athletic Bilbao. The 27-year-old has just come off the back of an excellent European tournament with Spain, playing a crucial role in his country’s success.
Those performances are said to have impressed English sides, and according to this report, United are among the teams interested in signing the goalkeeper. It goes on to add that the Premier League outfit are willing to pay a “considerable sum” to sign the Spaniard, who ranks in the 97th percentile for penalty saving percentage, stopping three out of every four spot kicks he faces (FBRef).
Simon, who is said to earn €82,308 per week, which is roughly £69,000, is first choice at Bilbao, so this report states that United would have a task on their hands to convince the player to leave Spain for Manchester.
Apps
195
Goals conceded
202
Clean sheets
66
The goalkeeper is under contract at Bilbao until the summer of 2029, but he has been backed to earn a “big money” move to another club next year.
Arsenal have endured an interesting start to their Premier League campaign this season.
Mikel Arteta's side beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home, came away from Villa Park with all three points, and then looked on target to make it three from three against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.
However, a second yellow for Declan Rice put the Gunners under immense pressure, and they were forced to settle for a single point, but with 35 games to go, there is plenty of time to recover.
Moreover, with the North London Derby the next game on the horizon, Arteta's side have the perfect opportunity to bounce back, and considering one of the club's most important players is worth more than James Maddison and Son Heung-min combined, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see them win a third match in a row at Spurs.
Maddison and Son's valuation in 2024
So, after spending a considerable amount of time in the Midlands playing for Leicester City, Maddison joined Spurs for £40m last summer, and it would be fair to say that he endured a mixed campaign in North London.
For example, in his first 11 league games for the club, he scored three goals and provided five assists, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.37 games, but after coming back from the ankle injury he sustained in that 11th match, he could only muster one goal and four assists in his final 17 league appearances, equating to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.4 games.
This middling season from a player expected to help take the North Londoners to the next level has understandably impacted his valuation, with Football Transfers now pricing him at around €28m, which is about £24m, or £16m less than he cost last summer.
On the other hand, Son had a barnstorming year for Postecoglou in 23/24 and proved that while he's getting older, he can still be just as effective in attack.
For example, in his 36 appearances for the Lilywhites, the South Korean superstar scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, meaning he managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement once every 1.33 games, which was also unsurprisingly enough to make him the club's most productive player.
Spurs striker Heung-min Son
However, while he was incredible, the fact he's 32 and has just a year remaining on his contract has clearly impacted his valuation, with Football Transfers pricing him at just €28m – £24m – as well, which means that even when combined with Maddison, the pair have a lower valuation than one of the Gunners' most important players.
Martin Odegaard's valuation in 2024
Yes, the Arsenal star in question is captain fantastic himself, Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegian wonderkid first joined the Gunners on a six-month loan spell in January 2021, and while he didn't blow anyone's socks off with his performances, he impressed Arteta and Edu, who brought him back in August of the same year for a fee that's sure to hit £34m with add-ons.
Since his move was made permanent, the former Real Madrid prospect has gone from strength to strength in N5, and while there was a discussion among the fanbase in 2021 about whether the club should sign him or Maddison, you'd be hard-pressed to find a fan who'd swap the 25-year-old for the Spurs ace today.
In all, the midfield "wizard", as dubbed by former footballer Babayele Sodade, has scored 35 goals and provided 25 assists in just 156 appearances for the Red side of North London, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.6 games.
However, he was particularly impressive last season, racking up 11 goals and 11 assists in 48 matches, meaning he maintained an even more impressive average of a goal involvement once every 2.18 games.
Price Signed for
£34m
£40m
£22m
Current Value
£62m
£24m
£24m
Value Change
+£28m
-£16m
+£2m
Age
25
27
32
So, with an impressive track record in England and a trajectory suggesting he's only going to keep getting better, it should come as no surprise to see his valuation has increased as well, with Football Transfers now pricing the Norwegian at around €74m, which converts to about £62m, or £14m more than Maddison and Son combined.
Ultimately, while there were a few question marks around Odegaard when he moved to Arsenal over three years ago, there can be no doubt that his transfer has been a roaring success and that he's now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Arteta.
Arteta must regret selling £37m Arsenal man who's now a Ballon d'Or nominee
The brilliant international has thrived away from North London.
Manchester City are readying a late move for Napoli centre-back Kim Min-jae, whose £50m release clause becomes active in July, according to a report from Football Insider.
Are Man City signing a centre-back?
With Ilkay Gundogan on his way to La Liga champions Barcelona, one of Pep Guardiola's main priorities is likely to be a replacement for his captain, and West Ham United's Declan Rice has recently emerged as a key target.
However, Man City have also been linked with moves for a number of centre-backs, including RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, with a recent report indicating the Croatian has fully agreed personal terms.
If the Sky Blues miss out on Gvardiol, The Athletic reports they could turn their attentions to Villarreal's Pau Torres, who has been on their list of targets for quite some time, though West Ham United and Aston Villa have also registered their interest.
Another potential option for City is Kim, with Football Insider reporting they are readying a late move for the Napoli defender, who has a £50m release clause included in his contract, which is set to become active this July.
However, there is likely to be huge competition for the South Korean's signature, with Bayern Munich currently said to be in pole position, while he is also a target for rivals Manchester United.
Despite his side securing a historic treble last season, Pep Guardiola is keen to improve his squad even further this summer, and a top centre-back is of particular interest, meaning Aymeric Laporte's time at the club is likely to come to an end.
Who will Kim Min-jae sign for?
At the moment, it appears likely the 26-year-old will be on his way to Bayern Munich, with Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg detailing the German club want to finalise a deal in the next few days.
However, if Man City were to make a late swoop for the centre-back, it would certainly give him a lot to think about, given that a move to the Etihad Stadium is likely to provide him with a great chance of competing for the top prizes.
If City do manage to win the race for Kim, they could have a top player on their hands, considering he has been lauded as "extraordinary" by teammate Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who also branded him "one of the best in the world".
The South Korea international could be an ideal fit for a Guardiola side, given his very impressive distribution, ranking in the 90th percentile for his pass completion rate per 90, and in the 97th percentile for passes attempted over the past year.
That said, a move for Gvardiol appears to be much more plausible at present, with journalist Rudy Galetti claiming City are "on the verge" of agreeing a long-term contract with the defender.
During the transfer window, a picture really can paint a thousand words. At least, in the minds of supporters…When a current player is pictured with another star elsewhere, minds begin racing, future strike partnerships begin to formed, and endless trophies are imagined. All of us enter dreamland.The brutal reality is far from dream-like, though, as a picture is usually just that. A picture between two friends.Arsenal fans have been the latest fans to get sucked into the hype of a photo, with young striker Folarin Balogun pictured with Paris Saint-Germain mega star Kylian Mbappe, leaving a number of fans dreaming over a potential link-up.Balogun enjoyed an excellent season last time out whilst on loan at Stade Reims, scoring 22 goals in 29 appearances. And, now, he returns to Arsenal hoping to finally get his chance in the first team.Given the Gunners’ place in the Champions League next season, too, they will need all the help and squad depth that they can get. Having Gabriel Jesus, Eddie Nketiah and the former Reims loanee as options would represent three strikers more than capable of hitting double figures in goals.Arsenal fans have been busy getting excited at the thought of another striker at the Emirates, however.
What is the latest on Kylian Mbappe?
Whenever the transfer window opens, an Mbappe transfer saga seemingly begins. This summer, the Frenchman has been linked with a move away from PSG once again after he revealed that he does not plan on extending his current contract and will, therefore, become a free agent next summer.
This means that if the Ligue 1 champions want to make some money from their star man, they will need to make a transfer happen either this summer or in January.
According to ESPN, Real Madrid, though cautious over a move, are hopeful that a deal could finally be done this summer. And The New York Times suggest PSG may be forced into selling their star this summer as to not lose him for free – so he’s essentially transfer listed and on the market, though would demand a fee of over £157m.
Meanwhile, Arsenal have been urged to drop their summer plans and go all out for Mbappe by Forbes’ Graham Ruthven. The forward could have ended up in North London as a youngster, as revealed by Arsene Wenger, who wanted him at Arsenal many years ago.
Whilst it would be a full circle moment for the Gunners to finally land Mbappe, however, it is Madrid in pole position.
Arsenal fans react to Balogun with Mbappe
The image was initially posted on the USMNT star’s official Instagram before it was quickly circulated on social media.
Taking to Twitter to react to Balogun’s picture with Mbappe, Arsenal fans reacted with hopeful glee, which you can see below:
Fulham’s midfield was arguably the strongest point of their team last season on their way to a top-half finish following their promotion from the Championship, and it could get even better.
Fulham have made James Ward-Prowse one of their top targets for the summer window, per The Independent.
The England midfielder looks set to leave Southampton following their relegation from the Premier League in 2022/23, and the Saints captain is interested in continuing his Premier League career at Craven Cottage.
Fulham transfer news – James Ward-Prowse
According to Nick Mashiter, the relegated Saints are likely to ask for around £30m for their free-kick specialist midfielder.
Ward-Prowse reportedly believes Marco Silva’s style of football is a good fit for his game as he look to return to England’s top division.
Silva will look to pair him with Joao Palhinha in the Fulham midfield, although the Portuguese midfielder is a transfer target for West Ham given the interest of top 6 teams in securing the services of their captain Declan Rice this summer.
Ward Prowse and Palhinha is the midfield combo to have Fulham firing for Europe
Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse.
If Fulham did secure the services of the Southampton legend, he would bring with him a wealth of Premier League experience.
The 28-year-old has made 409 top-flight appearances for the Saints, providing 55 goals and 53 assists for the south coast side.
His club form has earned him 11 England caps and the player has scored twice for his country in those appearances.
Fulham’s star midfielder Palhinha was key for the Whites in his debut season in England.
The 27-year-old was signed from Sporting Lisbon last summer for a fee believed to be around £20m. The 6ft2 workhorse averaged a 7.00 match rating in his 35 games for Fulham in 22/23, per Sofascore.
Manchester United legend-turned-pundit Gary Neville was full of praise for Fulham’s midfield man during the season, and was stunned at the value Fulham had achieved through the signing. Speaking on The Overlap, he stated:
“I think Palhinha to be honest with you, he’s absolutely fantastic him.”
Pairing a player so highly rated with the Premier League experience of Southampton’s captain could be the duo that helps Marco Silva and his Fulham side make a strong push for the European qualification spots next season.
A former teammate of Ward-Prowse at Southampton in Charlie Austin believes the England international is a "phenomenal" player.
Speaking to talkSPORT, Austin said "His set-pieces and that are brilliant. He's probably going to beat David Beckham's record but, the nuts and bolts of his game, running hard, winning the ball back, and leading his team are phenomenal.
"He's come throught the academy at Southampton and has been there for so many years. I just think that it hasn't been the right opportunity.
"I think now is the time for him to move.”
Fulham made some stellar signings last summer, including midfielder Andreas Pereira and centre-back Issa Diop. Both players featured regularly for the Whites, with the Brazilian playmaker notching four goals and six assists in his 33 Premier League games and the French centre-back scoring once in his 25 league games.
Despite their success, Palhinha was the signing of the summer.
If the club do get the England maestro from Southampton, he will surely be their best piece of business since signing their workhouse midfielder from Sporting.
This situation is likely to develop quickly, and could all hinge on who West Ham grabs as their Declan Rice replacement, but a Ward-Prowse and Palhinha combination in Fulham’s midfield would be a major coup heading into the new season
Wolverhampton Wanderers will look to resolve the future of midfielder Matheus Nunes in the near future at Molineux, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
What's the latest transfer news involving Matheus Nunes?
As per The Liverpool Echo, Liverpool have held an interest in Nunes for a period of time; however, their attraction towards the Portugal international has 'cooled' in recent weeks.
The report claims that Liverpool may move on to other targets, with the likes of Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach enforcer Manu Kone being linked with a switch to Anfield.
According to Football Insider, Manchester United are also keen on Nunes and have placed him on a shortlist of potential midfield additions as Erik Ten Hag demands midfield reinforcements.
Barcelona and Newcastle United are two other potential destinations for Nunes this summer, though it is unclear exactly what the future may hold for the £85k-a-week ace in the transfer window, as per Relovo.
Nunes joined Wolves from Sporting Lisbon last year for a fee in the region of £42.2 million and became a key player in their eventually Premier League survival bid.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Romano has stated that we won't need to wait too long to find out where Nunes may find himself come the end of the transfer window.
Romano said: “For Matheus Nunes, there's a lot of interest but still nothing advanced or concrete. So, we have to wait on that one. I think this is something for later in the window, towards the end of June or July.”
How did Matheus Nunes fare for Wolverhampton Wanderers during 2022/23?
Nunes enjoyed a decent debut campaign in the English top-flight with Wolves and helped them to maintain their place in the division despite being in a relegation dogfight for large portions of the season.
In 2022/23, the Portuguese midfielder amassed 42 appearances in all competitions for the Old Gold, registering two goals and two assists in the process, as per Transfermarkt.
Wolves midfielderMatheus Nunes
WhoScored shows that Nunes is also an effective ball carrier from the centre of the pitch and managed to complete an average of 1.3 dribbles per match in the Premier League.
FBRef also reflect the notion of Nunes being able to drive his side forward from midfield, detailing that he successfully performed 59 shot-creating actions across the season.
Of course, Wolves will be keen to keep hold of Nunes if possible; nevertheless, it looks like it will be a waiting game at Molineux to see if he is still there come the close of play in the market.
Everton will need to add some quality new additions to avoid another Premier League relegation battle next season and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.
What's the latest on Everton's interest in Harry Maguire?
According to Football Transfers, Everton are one of the clubs interested in securing the signing of Manchester United defender Harry Maguire.
As per the report, Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa joining the Toffees in their interest in signing Maguire and will need to pay £35m to snap up his services this summer.
It is claimed that Maguire is desperate for first-team football ahead of Euro 2024 next summer, so is assessing his options with both Premier League and European clubs at present.
Would Harry Maguire be a good signing for Everton?
There is no doubt that the Blues are crying out for some quality in their squad after suffering their second consecutive relegation scrap at the bottom of the table this season.
The Toffees finished 17th with just two points sparing them on the final day from a drop into the Championship for the first time in Premier League history and now Sean Dyche will head into his first summer transfer window at Goodison Park with a number of key areas to address.
Indeed, the signing of prolific forwards will be Everton's highest priority this summer, however, finding a worthy partner to join James Tarkowski to form a dream centre-back partnership would be hugely advantageous in their pursuit of competing more comfortably moving forward.
As a result, the signing of Man United skipper Maguire could be exactly what Dyche needs to bring in a player who has a wealth of Premier League experience and the profile to fit perfectly into the former Burnley boss' footballing philosophy.
harry-maguire-man-united-everton-transfers
Despite finding himself largely out of favour this season at Old Trafford, the England ace still ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for aerial duels won, blocks, touches and progressive carries, outlining his ability as a bullish but modern centre-half.
Not only that, Maguire has tallied up an 87% pass completion rate and successfully completed 67% of his dribbles over 16 top-flight appearances this season, as well as averaging 2.6 clearances, 42.4 touches, and winning 2.4 duels, all while only averaging 49 minutes per game.
The 30-year-old misfit may be having a tough time competing for a starting spot under Erik ten Hag but has still drawn high praise from his Dutch coach after his performance in the Europa League a few months ago:
"He's more dominant and dictating, he's taking more initiative on the training pitch and I think also in the Real Betis game, he showed leadership, especially in those aspects of initiative and dictating of the game."
With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Everton to strike up a deal to sign Maguire this summer, as the centre-back could bring some great assets and match the quality of Tarkowski in the back-line.