All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool have been strongly linked with signing Crystal Palace midfielder Cheick Doucoure this summer and a new update has revealed what their plans are for the Mali star.

What is Cheick Doucoure's salary?

The £47,000-a-week-earning Mali international has been an instant hit for the Eagles since arriving at Selhurst Park last summer, proving to be an influential performer in front of the defence.

Doucoure's performances certainly haven't gone unnoticed, with Liverpool eyeing him up as Fabinho's replacement in the defensive midfield role, having missed out on both Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia to Chelsea. Palace are clearly desperate to retain the services of one of their most important players, however, so only a sizeable bid has a chance of being accepted.

Wataru Endo may have already joined from VfB Stuttgart, but there is still a feeling that one more midfielder is required in the summer transfer window, considering Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain have all moved on.

It looks as though Liverpool are still pushing to sign Doucoure before deadline day arrives, following a new update regarding his future.

What's the latest on Cheick Doucoure to Liverpool?

According to Football Insider, FSG do not plan to stop after the capture of Endo, seeing the Palace ace as a primary target, and £70m could be enough to get him:

"Liverpool are keen to follow the signing of Wataru Endo with the capture of Crystal Palace star Cheick Doucoure, sources have told Football Insider.

"Football Insider exclusively revealed news of the Reds’ interest in the midfielder earlier this summer (17 July) as they prepared to lose Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

"Both players have since departed, while Endo, 30, was announced as a new Liverpool player on Friday (18 August). But Doucoure remains high on the Merseysiders’ list despite the Japan international’s arrival."

Doucoure should be considered Liverpool's best option to bring in this summer, with fellow target Ryan Gravenberch also a good choice, but someone who is less adept at shining in the No.6 role in comparison to the Malian.

The 23-year-old started 34 of Palace's 38 Premier League matches last season, showing what an important figure he was, and he averaged 2.3 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 1.4 clearances per game in the competition, outlining his defensive brilliance. He also impressed on the opening day last weekend, completing three key passes in the Eagles' 1-0 victory away to newly-promoted Sheffield United.

With Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai perfect additions in slightly more attack-minded midfield roles, Doucoure could be a great foil for the pair, making Liverpool a strong defensive unit and knitting things together nicely in the middle of the park.

Last Sunday's 1-1 draw away to Chelsea highlighted the need for a proper defensive midfielder to come in – Endo has to be seen as a squad player, considering he is 30 years of age and not exactly a high-profile addition – and the Palace hero has the potential to star at the base of the midfield for years to come, having been praised for being a player who can "do everything" by Seko Fofana.

Liverpool may have taken their time, and had plenty of moments to forget along the way, but eventually, they got their midfield rebuild done. If you cast your minds back, they got things underway fairly quickly, with the early arrivals of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, but Jordan Henderson and Fabinho's exits threw a spanner in the works.

The Reds' need for midfield reinforcements became an open secret, and their public failure to sign both Moises Caicedo – who they had reportedly agreed a deal with Brighton & Hove Albion for – and Romeo Lavia looked set to end their summer on a disastrous note. But things soon changed.

First, in came Wataru Endo to at least give Jurgen Klopp an option in defensive midfield. Then, to complete the rebuild, in came Ryan Gravenberch from Bayern Munich.

Now, the Reds have been told that they can begin talks to sign another option in the middle of the park for January, and one that they missed out on in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Liverpool transfer news?

Given Thiago Alcantara's injury history, as well as Curtis Jones' fitness woes, Liverpool may feel as though they can never have too many midfielders. And, with that, they could turn their attention back towards Andre Trindade from Fluminese.

The Premier League giants did make contact with the Brazilian club over signing the 22-year-old, but had their attempts rejected, as revealed by Fluminese president Mario Bittencourt.

On a positive note, though, Bittencourt welcomed the idea of Liverpool opening talks for his midfielder ahead of a potential January move. He said, via Paul Gorst: "LFC's chief executive contacted me directly. I replied to him: 'My friend, I don't sell players now. If you want to buy now to take in January, we can start talking, or if you want to wait until December."

With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see whether Klopp and co pursue the Brazilian once again come the winter transfer window.

Should Liverpool sign Andre Trindade?

Liverpool may have solved their midfield problem in the short term, but given that Endo is 30-years-old and yet to show he really has what it takes at the top level, the addition of Andre in January could be crucial.

The Brazilian, compared to Endo, is just 22-years-old, and has plenty of potential to become an important part of Klopp's side. Statistically speaking, Andre has impressed at Fluminese, too.

According to FBref, the midfielder is in the top 99 percentile for pass completion rate, with 93.3%, as well as the top 93 percentile for take-ons completed, completing 1.66 per 90. Meanwhile, Andre also makes 5.57 progressive passes per 90, which is more than current Liverpool man Endo managed for Stuttgart last season.

So, it wouldn't exactly be a bad piece of business if Liverpool did sign Andre in January. It could be argued that, with his arrival, their midfield problems would be solved once and for all.

For now, Klopp's focus will be on ensuring that his side continue their good start to the Premier League season, having won three of their first four games.

FA Registered Intermediary Paul O'Keefe has shared some very interesting news out of Tottenham Hotspur on Son Heung-min's future at the club.

Latest Tottenham news

New manager Ange Postecoglou's reign at Spurs has begun rather promisingly, with the north Londoners scoring 11 goals in their last four games whilst winning three out of a possible four.

Tottenham put an opening day draw away to Brentford behind them with impressive victories over the likes of Bournemouth, Man United and Burnley just prior to the international break.

Players like Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr, previously outcasts under Antonio Conte, have thrived in Postecoglou's new-look, attacking Spurs system.

Summer signings like James Maddison have also performed unbelievably, with the England international bagging two goals and two assists in the Premier League already.

As a result, Postecoglou is proving a popular figure in north London and has been showered with praise for his exceptional start to life in the English capital.

Doubts had surrounded the 58-year-old's appointment given his lack of experience in elite European divisions, but he's so far put those concerns well and truly to bed.

Speaking to Sky Sports last month, Postecoglou explained his philosophy in detail and the need to play exciting football for the fans.

"That's the beauty of our game," Postecoglou said.

"The beauty of football is that there are so many ways you can have success, so many ways you can set up your team, so many ways you can counteract the opposition.

"I'm probably at one extreme and there are others at the other extreme and we can both have success in this game.

"I think especially with a football club like this, that has consistently looked for that in their teams, they've loved the entertainers, there's a connection there with that kind of football."

What's been said about Son Heung-min?

Another player who's seriously loving life under Postecoglou right now is Son, who recently bagged a sensational hat-trick during their 5-2 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.

The South Korea international endured a pretty tough campaign over 2022/2023, but after being given the captaincy to replace Harry Kane, he's now looking to replicate his 21/22 form.

Agent O'Keefe, taking to X on Friday night, has shared some news on Son's future at N17.

It is believed the 31-year-old, whose contract expires in 2025, could be rewarded with fresh terms as Spurs seek to tie him down with an extension.

"Tottenham are looking to extend captain Sonny’s contract with some informal talks already taken place." wrote O'Keefe

He later added that Son is a "commercial goldmine".

How good is Son Heung-min?

Scoring three goals in four matches so far this season, Son has been praised by Postecoglou as a member of his three core Tottenham leaders – which also includes Cristian Romero and James Maddison.

"Sonny, whether he’s playing central or wide, has got all the characteristics," said Postecoglou.

"He can play in any system, but the way we play, he’s ideal.

"Those three I’ve thrust into leadership positions and the way they’ve embraced that responsibility with not only words but actions, not just on game day but on a daily basis — that’s as encouraging for me as anything."

Tottenham Hotspur are now readying a fresh approach for a player Ange Postecoglou was keen on signing in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

With Harry Kane departing to join Bayern Munich back in the summer, Tottenham could look at bringing in a new forward, and Celtic's Daizen Maeda has now been named as a potential option, alongside Brentford and England striker Ivan Toney.

Gent forward Gift Orban was of interest to Spurs in the previous window, and scouts were "convinced" the club should have signed the 21-year-old, but the €30m (£26m) asking price proved to be prohibitive, with Spurs being "scared off" at the end of the summer.

However, Orban remains keen on the move, and plans to prove he would justify a £26m outlay ahead of the January transfer window, at which point he is hoping he is able to leave the Belgian Pro League and join a top club.

As yet, it is unclear whether the Lilywhites would be willing to reignite their interest in the Gent star, but Football Insider report there is one summer target they are already considering a return for, with Conor Gallagher reemerging as an option.

Tottenham are long-term admirers of the midfielder, and are now readying a new approach, having seen their deadline day deal blocked by Chelsea, but the Blues could be willing to change their stance in the January transfer window.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are now well-stocked in central midfield, with Moises Caicedo, Romeo Lavia and Lesley Ugochukwu all heading to Stamford Bridge, meaning Gallagher's future at the club could be in doubt.

A potential exit for the Englishman will be dictated by the financial situation at Chelsea, who would consider a sale if the right offer were to arrive, as his departure would be recorded as pure profit for Financial Fair Play reasons.

How good is Conor Gallagher?

Former Spurs man Jermaine Jenas has made it clear he is a big fan of the Chelsea midfielder, saying: “I think he is a game-changer aswell Conor Gallagher. He’s the type of player that you bring on and he has an impact on the game.

“He presses, gets himself in the box and creates chances."

Not only is the England international a threat on the front foot, but he is also very much capable of pitching in defensively, ranking in the 94th percentile for blocks, and the 77th percentile for tackles and interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

The only concern over signing the central midfielder is that Chelsea are likely to hold out for a huge asking price, with talkSPORT revealing the Blues slapped a £50m price tag on him back in the summer, amid interest from West Ham United.

The 23-year-old is yet to justify that sort of outlay, having amassed just three goals and one assist in 35 Premier League games last season, but he could still be a good addition if Spurs were able to negotiate a lower fee with their rivals.

Arsenal are back in action this afternoon after their Champions League win against PSV Eindhoven in midweek, as the Gunners host fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur in what is guaranteed to be an enthralling match-up.

The north London derby is always an occasion to grab the attention of the footballing world, with today’s contest showing all the signs that Mikel Arteta’s side will be tested by the visitors, with both teams level on points in the table.

Ange Postecoglou’s men have showcased some impressive football so far this campaign, with an intensity matched by Arsenal who will feel confident going into the fixture based on history alone.

The Gunners haven’t lost at home to the Lilywhites since 2010, sparking inspiration for Spurs and motivation for Arteta’s side to keep the tradition running.

What is the latest Arsenal team news?

There aren’t any injuries to report on since Wednesday night’s 4-0 win over PSV, as it’s expected that Gabriel Martinelli will remain away from the action after sustaining a hamstring injury against Everton.

Arsenal are yet to discover the extent of the Brazilian’s blow, however Doctor Rajpal Brar speculated that at first glance the injury looks to be one that would typically keep a player out for two weeks.

Leandro Trossard stepped in for the 22-year-old to make his Champions League debut, which he marked with a goal to add to his sensational winner at Goodison Park last weekend.

Another change that could be made to the Premier League squad is the player who is selected to lead the line, as Gabriel Jesus got the nod over Eddie Nketiah midweek, scoring a fabulous goal to cap off a delightful performance.

Should Gabriel Jesus start against Tottenham?

Previously lauded as “exquisite” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Jesus was at his best at the Emirates on Wednesday night, as he looks to have regained full fitness after missing the start of the season due to a knee injury.

Against PSV, the 5 foot 9 Brazil international scored and registered three shots on target, along with one key pass, causing havoc to the opposition with his energy and desire to get forward, via Sofascore.

Spurs centre-back Cristian Romero suffered nightmares after failing to contain the 26-year-old last time the two sides met at the Emirates, where Arsenal’s number nine scored and the Argentine recorded a dire 5.9 Sofascore match rating.

If restored to the Premier League starting eleven, Jesus could repeat history and trouble the hot-headed 25-year-old – who has been dubbed a "reckless teenager" in the past by journalist Sam Dean – once again in front of a home crowd.

Despite performing to a good standard for the Gunners, Arteta could cause Spurs more of a threat by unleashing Jesus over Nketiah, with the Brazilian performing so well in midweek and bringing more energy to the front line with his playing style.

The four-time Premier League winner dubbed himself as a player who likes to “create chaos” on the pitch, which is a statement supported by his numbers over the past year, with the striker averaging 3.79 shot-creating actions per 90.

Such a figure ranks the £265k-per-week earner in the top 8% of forwards in Europe's top-five leagues, reinforcing the danger that the Arsenal whiz can bring in the final third in any given moment.

If the 26-year-old can replicate his performance against PSV this afternoon, it could be a tiring afternoon for the likes of Romero in Spurs’ defence.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy could not have had a worse start to his tenure in charge of the club after losing for the third match running on Sunday.

The Hoops were beaten 3-1 by St Mirren in the League Cup final at Hampden Park, which means that the French boss has lost all three of his opening games.

It is the first time in Celtic history that a new manager has lost their first three games. In fact, Nancy was also the first manager to lose his first two matches after the 3-0 loss to Roma in the Europa League.

Why Wilfried Nancy should already be under pressure

As crazy as it may seem at face value, the Hoops head coach is already under pressure at Parkhead because of his historically bad start and the way that the games have unfolded.

Losing to Scottish Premiership title rivals Hearts, at home, and as favourites in the League Cup final is tough to take. The Roma game could be excused due to the quality of the opposition, but the other two results were abject.

The drastic change in formation has also come under fire from supporters and pundits. Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin questioned why Sebastian Tounekti is at wing-back and why Daizen Maeda is playing as a number ten in his punditry for the cup final.

Nancy’s 3-4-2-1 system is a big departure from what supporters at Parkhead and what the players at the club have been used to in recent seasons.

Wilfried Nancy

3-4-2-1

Martin O’Neill

4-2-3-1

Brendan Rodgers

4-3-3

Ange Postecoglou

4-3-3

Neil Lennon

4-2-3-1

Brendan Rodgers

4-3-3

Ronny Deila

4-2-3-1

Neil Lennon

4-2-3-1

Celtic, as you can see in the table above, have traditionally been a four-at-the-back side, and that is what their squad was built to play, yet Nancy has ripped that up and endured the worst start a manager has ever had at Celtic.

Whilst it may seem incredibly reactionary, the system being implemented and the results so far suggest that Nancy is not a good fit for the Hoops, which is why they should already consider quickly ending this nightmare start by hiring Nicky Hayen.

Why Celtic should hire Nicky Hayen

The longer you watch and analyse football, the more you realise that it is less about ‘good’ and ‘bad’ managers and players and more about the fit and how well suited they are to the environment at that club.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Nancy has come through the door at Parkhead with no experience in Europe as a manager, either domestically or in European competitions, and plays a system that does not appear to suit the squad, given Goodwin’s questions and the dismal results.

Nicky Hayen was reportedly a contender for the Celtic job last month, and Football FanCast suggested that he would have been a better option than Nancy, because he has proven himself domestically in Europe with Club Brugge, as well as in European competitions.

The Belgian boss has subsequently been sacked by Brugge, though, for losing three of his last four Pro League matches in charge of the club, in a ruthless move by their board.

That sacking should not dissuade Celtic, however, because that poor run of form does not reflect the overall job he did at the club. Hayen won three trophies in 102 matches in charge of Brugge, including one Pro League title, per Transfermarkt.

Meanwhile, Nancy won three trophies in 215 matches in the MLS and missed out on a chance to add to his silverware against St Mirren on Sunday.

Matches

4

17

Wins

2

6

Draws

1

3

Losses

1

8

Points per game

1.75

1.24

Best finish

Semi-finals

Last 16

As you can see in the table above, the former Club Brugge boss also has an eye-catching record in European competitions, given the size of the club he managed, reaching the last 16 in the Champions League and the semi-finals of the Conference League.

Whereas Nancy had not managed a single match on the European stage before his move to Parkhead, and lost 3-0 in his first Europa League outing against Roma.

Hayen, who was described as “tactically unbeatable” by one analyst on X, also prefers a 4-2-3-1 formation, per Transfermarkt, which suggests that he would be more suited to the way that Celtic’s players and supporters are used to.

Therefore, bringing the recently sacked Belgian to Parkhead to quickly end the Nancy nightmare could be a surprising yet brilliant move by the board, because he has the domestic and European experience behind him to suggest that he could be a success, whilst also playing a style that is a good fit for the club.

Worse than Scales: Nancy must drop 4/10 flop who cost Celtic the trophy

Wilfried Nancy must drop this Celtic flop who was even worse than Liam Scales against St Mirren.

2 ByDan Emery 2 days ago

Of course, it would be completely understandable if Celtic decide to back their man and give Nancy time, including a transfer window, but his dismal start to life in Glasgow may already be creating doubt over his suitability for the role.

Arsenal have been told that a gem of theirs could get even better very soon as Mikel Arteta's side start this Premier League campaign with serious title aspirations.

Arsenal fixtures and results

The Gunners are currently enjoying one of their finest ever starts to an English top flight campaign, winning six out of their opening eight league matches while remaining unbeaten.

Arsenal are currently joint-top with league leaders and north London rivals Tottenham, boasting a similar record to Ange Postecoglou's high-flying Spurs side. Arteta, just prior to this international break, guided Arsenal to a statement 1-0 win over current champions Man City, courtesy of a late, deflected effort from super sub Gabriel Martinelli. Speaking after the vital win, Arsenal's head coach was full of praise.

"A great feeling obviously, you could sense it’s been so many years without beating them and today we have beaten in my opinion without a question of a doubt the best team in the world," said Arteta to Arsenal's official website.

"We've done it in a great way. There were moments we had to suffer, but as well moments we showed real determination, desire and belief to beat them, so really happy. Certainly sends a message to the team, keep believing in what they are doing, they are a fantastic group of players.

"The way they try, the understanding, the chemistry that they have between them you sense it and you need it to beat that, today again really proud, I was proud on Wednesday when we lost the game, and I am really proud again today as well to be part of that team."

Arsenal have taken on Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Man United, Everton, Tottenham, Bournemouth and Man City. They next face off against London neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, which will make for a very interesting encounter.

Declan Rice news

A fixture of Arteta's starting eleven after his £105 million move from West Ham, star midfielder Declan Rice has become an important player at the Emirates Stadium. The 24-year-old gem has started every single Arsenal league game, even getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 win over Man United. Rice is already endearing himself to club's fanbase with some imperious performances, and has attracted praise for his start to life in an Arsenal shirt.

The sky appears to be the limit for West Ham's former captain, with Sky Sports pundit Kevin Campbell now telling the Highbury Squad YouTube channel that he has "levels to go" yet.

“A lot of people weren’t sure how good Declan Rice would be. Are you surprised by how good he is? Because, you know what, I think he has levels to go in this side. This is just him shaking off West Ham. He’s going to get much better."

Passing

None

Long shots

Data from WhoScored

Interceptions

As if there wasn't enough Declan Rice praise, he's also been called "sensational" by members of the press, and he's certainly starting to prove his worth so early on in his Gunners career.

While Everton may be an exception to the rule, when comes it to the Premier League, players who up and leave the Netherlands for pastures new in the English top flight often succeed.

Obvious examples from the past of Dennis Bergkamp at Arsenal and Ruud van Nistelrooy at Manchester United show Dutch talents taking to the pressures of English football like a duck to water, whilst the modern day sees figures such as Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch, Micky van der Ven and more excel away from their homeland when clubs such as Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur swoop in.

Still, other players from Holland haven't quite taken to Premier League life quite so swimmingly, as those at Goodison Park have found out in the recent past.

When did Davy Klaassen join Everton?

Davy Klaassen would join the Toffees before the 2017/18 season commenced, purchased by the then-Everton manager – and his compatriot – Ronald Koeman for a £24m transfer fee.

Klaassen had been a consistent performer for Ajax in the Eredivisie before Everton purchased the midfielder, scoring 43 goals for the Amsterdam-based giants over four seasons.

During the 2016/17 campaign, Klaassen would notch up double digits in the league for Ajax which must've alerted the Merseysiders into signing him – assisting ten goals, on top of scoring 14.

These goal contributions wouldn't be enough for Ajax to lift the Eredivisie title, however, pipped to the league crown by one point with rivals Feyenoord champions.

He would join Everton therefore to test himself outside of his native Netherlands, a move that turned out to be disastrous for the attacking midfielder.

How many goals did Davy Klaassen score for Everton?

Klaassen barely featured for the Toffees after joining the club, only managing 249 minutes in total playing in the Premier League for the Merseysiders.

Everton changing manager from Koeman to Sam Allardyce saw Klaassen frozen completely out of the team, whilst Marco Silva's introduction as boss didn't make things any better for the Dutchman – the ex-Ajax man not playing a Premier League match at all between 22nd of September 2017 to the 10th of March 2018.

In his troubled time with the club, Klaassen wouldn't register a single goal or assist.

Werder Bremen would come in and save the midfielder from Liverpool by purchasing him in the summer of 2018, Everton taking a hit in the process by selling the midfielder for a reported fee of £12m.

Where is Davy Klaassen now?

Joining Werder Bremen saw Klaassen rebuild his career in the immediate aftermath of his dire spell with Everton, scoring five goals and assisting five goals in his first season with the German outfit.

He would better this in his second and final season in Bremen, scoring seven times and assisting six goals.

A reunion with Ajax would come up after this, rejoining the Dutch club in 2020 and performing to the peak of his powers once more on home soil.

It's here where the attacking midfielder further rescued his somewhat faltering career in the wake of the doomed move to the Toffees, scoring a further 38 goals for Ajax to cement himself as a true great at the Johan Cruyff Arena.

Turbulent times at the Amsterdam club recently – which has seen matches abandoned due to crowd trouble and the Dutch superpower drop to 16th in the Eredivisie – has also seen the 30-year-old move on again.

This time, he's opted for the Serie A with Inter Milan – having now racked up 54 goals and 25 assists since departing Goodison just over five years ago.

It'll be interesting to see if the 30-year-old can perform under pressure now in Italy, but there's no doubting the fact he's resurrected his career since everything went pear-shaped in Merseyside.

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to cash in on an experienced player who is struggling for form in January, with a fresh report revealing that he’s emerged as a top target for an admirer overseas.

Who is leaving Spurs?

Over the summer, Harry Kane, Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Lucas Moura all departed the club on a permanent basis, whilst Djed Spence, Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga were sent out on loan for the remainder of the season.

The Lilywhites exits might not stop there with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg attracting interest from Juventus ahead of the new year, not to mention that Hugo Lloris, Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Brandon Austin have also been name-checked as players who could be heading for the door (Spurs exit links).

Ange Postecoglou hasn’t yet handed an opportunity to Eric Dier following his arrival in the dugout, with the centre-back having played zero minutes in the Premier League so far this season (WhoScored – Dier statistics), which shows just how much he has fallen significantly out of favour in North London.

The England international will additionally be out of contract at the end of the current campaign (Tottenham contracts), so with the upcoming window set to be the final chance for chiefs to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free, the 29-year-old is another squad member on the chopping block.

Eric Dier transfer update

According to Italian outlet Tuttosport (via Corriere Giallorosso and Sport Witness) who have shared a transfer update on Eric Dier, Spurs’ defender is a “favourite name” of Jose Mourinho at AS Roma.

The Serie A manager is plotting a reunion with his former stalwart and he is therefore at the top of the list of his options ready to pursue in January. The Tottenham star is “ready to leave” the capital due to his worrying lack of game time and it’s believed that he would “welcome” the move to Italy.

What happened to Eric Dier?

Since joining from Sporting CP back in 2014, Dier has largely been a consistent performer over the years, but it’s obvious to see that his levels have recently dropped, especially last season as he failed to make any kind of positive impact for Spurs.

The Cheltenham-born talent ranked as the club’s 14th best-performing defensive player out of 29 squad members having averaged just 0.9 tackles per game in the top-flight (WhoScored – Tottenham statistics), and was regularly criticised by fans and media alike.

Standing at 6 foot 2, Postecoglou’s outcast is also currently pocketing £85k-per-week – which is the same as Pedro Porro and more than the likes of Brennan Johnson and Micky Van De Ven – so it’s certainly not fair that he is earning the same amount of some of the boss’ genuine first-team stars (Tottenham salaries).

Therefore, Dier, who has been labelled “dreadful” by journalist Josh Bunting, should be removed from the books as quickly as possible so that the board can use the extra cash to generate funds for new signings either at the start of next year or later in the summer.

Chelsea look like they have turned a corner in recent weeks as Mauricio Pochettino looks to continue their good run of form with a win against Brentford today.

The Blues have not lost since a 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in September and while it has taken the Argentinian a few months to assert his authority on the squad, it looks as though it is working.

Chelsea have vastly improved in recent weeks

After that loss, the Blues rebounded by defeating in-form Brighton and Hove Albion in the EFL Cup before claiming comfortable wins over Fulham and Burnley in the Premier League in the space of five days, and they headed into the match against Arsenal riding the crest of a wave.

The Stamford Bridge side went two goals up and looked set for their most important win of the season, yet the Gunners fought back to claim a 2-2 draw, and upon reflection, it was still a positive result.

The Blues struggled for goals during the early weeks of the season, scoring just seven in their opening seven matches, yet since the aforementioned loss to Villa, Pochettino’s side netted two or more across three of their four matches.

Brentford have endured their struggles this term, yet they could be tough to play against and the former Paris Saint-Germain coach may look to rejig his side ahead of the match.

Nicolas Jackson could make the difference vs Brentford

The 6 foot 1 forward arrived at the club during the summer transfer window from Villarreal having scored 12 La Liga goals during a breakthrough season with the senior side.

The Senegal international can play across the front three, yet operating in a more central role is perhaps his strongest position and this is where he can be the most effective for Chelsea.

Indeed, he has already scored three times for the club, leading the scoring charts alongside Raheem Sterling, yet he had to make do with a place on the bench for the tie against Arsenal.

Across the Chelsea squad in the Premier League, he currently ranks first for shots on target per game (1.1), while also ranking seventh for key passes per game (0.8) and second for successful dribbles per game (1.6), indicating a decent start to life at the club.

If he had been a bit more clinical in front of goal, Jackson would have certainly scored more as he has missed seven big chances which ranks him first across the squad.

The more he plays, the better he could get, and the 22-year-old was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig following his 2022/23 La Liga seas, who said it was “the beginning of something extraordinary” and this is high praise indeed.

He deserves a chance to start against the Bees and given the good run of form that the club are on, everyone appears to be full of confidence.

Jackson could terrorise Thomas Frank's side if he is able to use his dribbling and shot-taking attributes to constantly make things happen at the top end of the pitch, if his finishing is of the requisite quality this afternoon.

The former Villarreal starlet could get better under Pochettino and by securing another vital win today, the Blues will continue their march up the league table.