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The reigning European champions are currently without Alex Greenwood, Georgia Stanway and Lauren James, with it unclear when any will return…

Hopeful. That's the word England boss Sarina Wiegman has been using for several months now when asked about the situations of Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Georgia Stanway. None have kicked a ball in a competitive fashion in 2025, but all three are crucial for a Lionesses side that will be out to defend their European Championship title in little over two months' time. Will they be ready for that tournament? "I hope they’ll be back," Wiegman said earlier this month. "I can’t give any timings. We just have a lot of hopes that they’ll be back and performing and healthy, and be able to train."

On Sunday, England were given a real boost in that department when Nick Cushing, Manchester City's interim boss, confirmed that Hemp will be in the squad to face Leicester City in the Women's Super League this coming weekend. The flying winger was the first of that aforementioned trio to undergo knee surgery, back in November. It was expected that she would be back by now, but that she will return before the season is out, and thus hopefully be able to get some minutes under her belt, is a real positive.

However, that her anticipated comeback has coincided with the news of a hamstring injury for Lauren James leaves England almost exactly where they were – with three huge players on the sidelines as the Euros moves closer and closer. Is it time for Wiegman and the Lionesses to be seriously worried?

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  Race against time

  As it stands, it's unclear whether Greenwood and Stanway, who had knee surgeries in December and January, respectively, will follow in the footsteps of Hemp and return to action before the season is out. Greenwood's Man City have just three games left in their season, which concludes at home to Crystal Palace on May 10, while Stanway's Bayern Munich will play the final of their four remaining matches the following day. If they're going to make those comebacks, there are not many games left for them to get minutes under their belts in.

  England's next games come in the international break that begins at the end of May, with Portugal visiting Wembley on May 30 before a trip to Barcelona to take on Spain comes on June 3. Given what is at stake in those matches, as the final two fixtures of the Nations League group stage, they will likely be occasions that require full strength XIs and a need to win, rather than opportunities to get players up to speed.

  And then there is just one pre-Euros friendly lined up for the Lionesses, against Jamaica on June 29. Given the number of key players England have that are likely to need minutes in their legs before the tournament begins, it is a bit of a surprise that another official match hasn't been arranged, as those could have been crucial for players like Greenwood, Stanway and James.

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  Curtailing important experiment

  One could argue that Greenwood's absence is the biggest at the moment for England, given she presented a potential solution to the ongoing left-back issue when Wiegman experimented with her and Jess Carter in a fluid, interchangeable left side of defence back in November. At that time, Niamh Charles was sidelined, meaning the Lionesses were without their go-to starter. She is back now, though she is struggling for starts at Chelsea ahead of an in-form Sandy Baltimore.

  Former City head coach Gareth Taylor expected Greenwood to be back after the February international break, at some point in the month of March. Yet, as the final three fixtures of the club's season approach, she is still not in line for an imminent return. Charles' availability softens some of the blow for England here, but there's no doubt Wiegman would like to have been able to experiment more with Greenwood and Carter ahead of the Euros. Charles' struggles in the recent defeat to Belgium certainly served as a reminder of the lack of depth in that position, too.

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  Positives and negatives in midfield

  In midfield, Grace Clinton's impressive performances have helped to limit the negative impact of Stanway's absence, though never entirely. The Bayern Munich star is one of the best box-to-box players in the women's game, and to be without her has been a blow for the German champions, who were handily beaten by Lyon in their Champions League quarter-final last month.

  England will hope they can count on Stanway as their European competition comes around, though her turnaround from surgery in late January is the tightest. Wiegman has started to look at other options in the deeper midfield roles, where the Lionesses are not blessed with as much depth, while injuries to promising youngsters Laura Blindkilde Brown and Ruby Mace have only added salt to England's wounds in this department.

  Fortunately, Clinton has stepped up well, adapting to a slightly different role and delivering some good performances. Still, the Lionesses would certainly like to let the relatively inexperienced 22-year-old go into the Euros without too much pressure on her shoulders in that midfield, while welcoming back a top-quality player, in Stanway, who has played a key part in recent successes.

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  Game-changers absent

  When it comes to James – and Hemp, who still needs to build her fitness back up after five months on the sidelines – a lack of positional depth isn't really a factor. Their absences do hit hard, though, because of their game-changing qualities and remarkable talent. Of course, this also applies to Stanway and Greenwood, but if we're talking about tight games against the best teams in Europe, it's players like James and Hemp that can provide moments that make the difference in a result.

  England would still go into this summer's tournament with some top quality wide players even if Hemp and James, whose hamstring injury there is little detail about, weren't available. Chloe Kelly has been superb since her January switch to Arsenal, club-mate Beth Mead has provided some stand-out moments in recent weeks and Aggie Beever-Jones is impressing more and more as a Lioness.

  But most would argue that James and Hemp go into England's strongest XI. Stanway would also fit in there and plenty would assert that Greenwood should, too. That's three or four key starters for the Lionesses that might not be at the top level when the Euros begin.

Brighton are now expected to progress in a deal to sign a new defender for Fabian Hurzeler as they look to bolster their ranks ahead of rivals Crystal Palace.

Brighton planning for the future

After their heavy summer spending, it is little surprise to see Hurzeler’s side having a quiet January despite their inconsistent Premier League form.

The Seagulls fell to a 1-0 defeat to Everton in their most recent outing, their fifth defeat of the campaign. However, they have also drawn 10 games, which leaves them 9th in the Premier League as things stand and six points outside a European place.

Wins over Manchester United and Ipswich suggested a revival was imminent after a run of eight games without a win, but their most recent defeat has seen that hope evaporate.

However, their transfer business so far this month has been firmly with eyes on the future rather than players capable of an instant impact. So far, they have only confirmed the addition of 21-year-old midfielder Diego Gomez from MLS side Inter Miami, and they are also keen to complete a deal to sign Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra with the club having reportedly already made a verbal offer to sign him ahead of rivals.

Instead, outgoings have been the focus with Julio Enciso joining Ipswich Town on loan, while Evan Ferguson could also depart before the end of the transfer window.

Now, it seems that Brighton have one more deal to try and complete in the next week.

Brighton could complete £15m+ signing ahead of Crystal Palace

That comes as the agent of defender El Hadji Malick Diouf has reportedly explained that Brighton could seal a deal to land his client in what would be a record sale for Slavia Prague.

Diouf has been the subject of intense interest this winter, and Crystal Palace made an offer to sign the fullback earlier in the window, only for it to be rejected. Now though, it is Palace’s rivals who seem to have managed to seal a deal, which will come as a delight to the Seagulls faithful.

According to Africa Foot, the Senegalese defender may well be on his way to the Amex, and his agent has disclosed the details of a potential deal. It is claimed that Brighton are ready to offer “€16m plus €2m in bonuses” (£15.1m), while “a five-year contract worth €4m net per year”, roughly £63,000 per week after tax is waiting for Diouf.

Brighton now discussing £11m deal to sign talent who has wowed their scouts

They face significant competition for his signature, but may have just won the race.

By
Ben Browning

Dec 23, 2024

Left-back has been a problem position for the Seagulls, with Valentino Barco having failed to impress either at the Amex or on loan with Sevilla this season, leaving no natural alternative to Pervis Estupinan in Hurzeler’s ranks.

Diouf may well fix that issue, while the 20-year-old could also prove the long-term successor to the Ecuadorian on the south coast.

Rio Ferdinand believes Lamine Yamal could be a legitimate Ballon d'Or contender if Barcelona conquer Europe this season.

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• Yamal helped Barcelona secure vital Inter draw
• Spanish teenager has taken world by storm
• Ferdinand makes Ballon d'Or prediction

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rio Ferdinand has heaped praise on Barcelona's 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal after his stunning performance in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Inter Milan on Wednesday night. The teenager scored Barca's first goal of the evening and was a persistent thorn in the side of both Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni, and Ferdinand has suggested Yamal should be right in contention for the Ballon d'Or prize if the La Liga leaders win the competition.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Yamal burst onto the scene last season, quickly becoming a key player for Barcelona and Spain and breaking numerous records. His dribbling ability, vision and impact on games have drawn comparisons to a young Lionel Messi. The Ballon d'Or conversation is intensifying, with the likes of Raphinha, Ousmane Dembele and Mohamed Salah among those harbouring hopes of winning the gold.

• WHAT FERDINAND SAID

  Speaking on Rio Reacts, Ferdinand said: "I was sitting there watching him and every time he got the ball and every time he engaged the defender, he always had two against him normally. I was just more impressed with the amount of times that he changed the angle.

  "If Barcelona win the Champions League…what if [Yamal]'s the difference in Milan in the second leg? What if he's the difference in the final? Can we make a legitimate case now that he wins the Ballon d'Or?

  "I think at the moment I don't know if there's anyone more exciting to go into a stadium and watch right now.

  "The biggest compliment you can pay him as well is that when you watch Barcelona play, whether it's [Frenkie] de Jong or Pedri in possession in central midfield, their first look is to the right to see whether they can get the ball to him."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL AND BARCELONA?

  Yamal will be crucial to Barcelona's chances in the second leg of their semi-final against Inter Milan and fans will be hoping he continues his mesmerising form. A strong performance in the return fixture, coupled with a significant contribution in a potential final, would undoubtedly boost his Ballon d'Or credentials significantly.

Cristiano Ronaldo is reportedly set to work under a fifth coach in two-and-a-half years at Al-Nassr, with Stefano Pioli facing sack threats.

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• Ronaldo opened Saudi adventure in 2023
• Has won just one trophy in the Middle East
• Italian coach to be replaced in the summer

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The five-time Ballon d’Or winner completed a trend-setting move to the Middle East on the back of his commitments with Portugal at the 2022 World Cup, making his debut for new employers in January 2023.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo is working on the most lucrative contract in world football, but has found tangible success hard to come by. Despite maintaining remarkable individual standards, with 97 goals recorded through 108 appearances, just one trophy has been landed with Al-Nassr.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  They are poised to end the current campaign empty-handed, as they sit third in the Saudi Pro League and suffered an AFC Champions League semi-final defeat to Kawasaki Frontale. Italian coach Pioli is set to pay the price for those failings with his job.

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  TELL ME MORE

  According to , Pioli will be relieved of his coaching duties at the end of the season. There is a break clause in his contract, which was due to run until 2027, that can be triggered this summer.

Newcastle United have less than a week left to do any business that they would like to do to bolster their squad before the January transfer window officially slams shut.

The Magpies are set to lose a player from their first-team squad, however, as Miguel Almiron is poised to complete a permanent transfer to Atlanta United in the MLS.

Meanwhile, Eddie Howe’s side were recently linked with an interest in Barcelona centre-back Eric Garcia, who previously played for Manchester City in the Premier League.

Newcastle could also have a forward on their agenda before the window slams shut, with a recent report suggesting that they are looking at several attackers.

Newcastle considering Bundesliga striker

According to the Daily Mail, the Magpies have internally discussed the prospect of a late swoop for RB Leipzig centre-forward Benjamin Sesko, in their piece on potential transfers before the deadline.

Transfer Focus

The report claims that they have also looked at Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha and Lille marksman Jonathan David, and spoken, internally, about the merits of each option with a view to deciding on who to target.

It states that Premier League rivals Arsenal are also interested in all three players, as well as Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, whose £120m asking price has put off Mikel Arteta’s side for now.

Sesko, who reportedly has a £63m release clause, is among the list of striker targets being considered by the Magpies, per this latest report, and the club could repeat the blinder they played with Papiss Cisse by signing the Slovenia international.

Why Sesko could be Cisse 2.0

In the January transfer window in 2012, Newcastle swooped to sign Cisse from Bundesliga side Freiburg after he had scored nine goals in 17 league matches during the first half of the season.

The Senegal international hit the ground running on Tyneside with a staggering return of 13 goals in his first 14 appearances in the Premier League, going on to end his career at St. James’ Park with 44 goals in 131 outings.

Sesko, 21, could follow in Cisse’s footsteps and arrive at Newcastle as another young marksman from the Bundesliga with the potential to make a big impact in the final third.

The Slovenian ace, who was once described as a “menace” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored 61 goals in 148 matches for Leipzig and Salzburg at first-team level in his career, which shows that he has offered a reliable goal threat over numerous seasons, despite his age.

As you can see in the table above, Sesko has been incredibly ruthless in front of goal in the German top-flight this term with a return of eight goals from just 4.68 xG, which suggests that he has the ability to score goals at an efficient rate for the Toon Army.

The youngster, who has consistently been available for Leipzig, could come in as a replacement for Callum Wilson, who has made four Premier League appearances this season and missed 112 games through injury since he moved to the club in 2020.

Newcastle now looking to seal £16m signing of "fantastic" ace within days

The transfer could even happen within days.

By
Henry Jackson

Jan 26, 2025

It is now down to the board to get a deal over the line for the Bundesliga marksman, who has the quality and potential to be a Cisse repeat for the Magpies.

There has been a big twist regarding the future of a “sensational” Rangers player, with the club set to open contract talks with him over an extension.

Latest Rangers news

Philippe Clement will know the importance of his Gers side enjoying an improved second half of the season, as he seeks to keep his job beyond the current campaign amid a turbulent time at Ibrox.

They currently trail Celtic by 13 points in the Scottish Premiership title race and were recently dumped out of the FA Cup by Championship outfit Queen’s Park, so there is a huge amount of work to do.

However, there is hope that Rangers can do something of note in the Europa League, with the Gers automatically through to the last 16 following a dramatic final round of league phase fixtures.

When it comes to transfer news at Ibrox, Aaron Anselmino emerged as a target late in the January transfer window, with the Argentinian on loan at Boca Juniors from Chelsea earlier in the year, before being recalled last month.

In terms of summer outgoings, Cyriel Dessers is reportedly expected to leave Rangers at the end of the season, with his contract expiring at the end of the 2026/27 campaign. Now 30, the club may feel that it is the right time to cash in on him before his value starts to diminish.

Rangers set to open contract talks with player

According to a new report from Football Insider, Rangers are “set to enter contract talks” with Ianis Hagi over an extension at Ibrox in the coming weeks.

The update states that the 26-year-old “was expected to leave in the summer”, but instead a “contract wrangle” got in the way of him sealing a move away from the club. Now, a twist has seen him on the verge of committing his future to the Gers.

The Romanian has chipped in with three goals and five assists in the Scottish Premiership this season, taking his overall tallies to 19 and 26 respectively in 116 appearances for the club. Former Romania winger Ilie Dumitrescu lauded him following January’s Old Firm victory over Celtic, saying:

“Ianis Hagi had a sensational match. He hit a very good shot that managed to surprise a goalkeeper as excellent as Kasper Schmeichel. But he was superb for the whole game.”

Granted, it looked as though Hagi was going to leave last summer, suggesting that he was happy to move on, but he has knuckled down this term and should be considered an important player moving forward.

Rangers now expect "great" player Clement just praised to leave this summer

He’s fallen down the pecking order…

By
Tom Cunningham

Feb 8, 2025

At 26, there is still so much more to come from the 44-cap and five-goal Romania international, so losing him at this stage of his career would be a blow for Rangers. For that reason, the idea of him extending his stay and being a key part of Clement’s plans for the foreseeable future is exciting.

Everything you need to know about Josko Gvardiol's salary at Manchester City

Josko Gvardiol was signed by Manchester City in the summer of 2023 following a string of impressive performances for Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and a standout showing with the Croatian national team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where he helped his side reach the semi-finals, ultimately losing to eventual champions Argentina.

Since arriving in Manchester, the defender has become a regular starter, primarily featuring as a left-back in Pep Guardiola’s setup. In addition to his solid defensive contributions, Gvardiol has shown a knack for scoring, often netting important goals for the Premier League side.

Gvardiol is currently under contract with Manchester City until 2028, and he is handsomely rewarded for his performances.

But exactly how much does he earn?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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• Josko Gvardiol's wages at Man City in numbers

  Under Gvardiol's current five-year contract with City, the Croatian international earns a weekly income of £200,000 ($268,181), and his annual wages total £10.4 million ($13.9m).

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Josko Gvardiol	Croatian	£200,000	$268,181	£10,400,000	$13,945,388

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  Top earners at Manchester City

  Erling Haaland is Manchester City's top-paid player, with Kevin De Bruyne next. Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva share the third position, earning the same salary, while Omar Marmoush is fifth among the club's highest earners.

  Player	Nationality	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Erling Haaland	Norwegian	£525,000	$703,974	£27,300,000	$36,606,644
  Kevin De Bruyne	Belgian	£400,000	$536,361	£20,800,000	$27,890,776
  Jack Grealish	English	£300,000	$402,271	£15,600,000	$20,918,082
  Bernardo Silva	Portuguese	£300,000	$402,271	£15,600,000	$20,918,082
  Omar Marmoush	Egyptian	£295,000	$395,566	£15,340,000	$20,569,447

• Top 5 earners in the Premier League

  Erling Haaland is the highest-paid player at Manchester City and in the league, with a nine-year contract until 2034. Kevin De Bruyne follows, and Mohamed Salah is third. Casemiro is Manchester United's only entry at fourth, and Virgil Van Dijk from Liverpool is fifth.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages in GBP	Weekly wages in USD	Annual wages in GBP	Annual wages in USD
  Erling Haaland	Manchester City	£525,000	$703,974	£27,300,000	$36,606,644
  Kevin De Bruyne	Manchester City	£400,000	$536,361	£20,800,000	$27,890,776
  Mohamed Salah	Liverpool	£400,000	$536,361	£20,800,000	$27,890,776
  Casemiro	Manchester United	£350,000	$469,316	£18,200,000	$24,404,429
  Virgil Van Dijk	Liverpool	£350,000	$469,316	£18,200,000	$24,404,429

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  Highest paid players in the world

  Although Premier League salaries are high, neither player is among the top earners in global football.

  The highest earner is Cristiano Ronaldo, the top scorer in the Champions League, now with Al Nassr. He is followed by Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate.

  Riyad Mahrez, formerly of Manchester City, is third, with Senegalese players Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly in fourth and fifth places, respectively.

  Player	Club	Weekly wages GBP	Weekly wages USD	Annual wages GBP	Annual wages USD
  Cristiano Ronaldo	Al Nassr	£3,270,519	$4,385,050	£170,066,890	$228,022,620
  Karim Benzema	Al Ittihad	£1,635,259	$2,192,525	£85,033,490	$114,011,310
  Riyad Mahrez	Al Ahli	£853,605	$1,144,498	£44,387,482	$59,513,904
  Sadio Mane	Al Nassr	£654,104	$877,010	£34,013,396	$45,604,524
  Kalidou Koulibaly	Al Hilal	£567,435	$760,806	£29,506,621	$39,561,925

Scott McTominay has received a nomination for the 'most valuable' Serie A midfielder award for his outstanding performances in his debut season.

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• McTominay one of Napoli's most impactful players
• Has been dominant from midfield
• Former United player nominated for Serie A Midfield MVP

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  McTominay has been named among the nominees for the Serie A Most Valuable Player award in midfield, capping off a remarkable debut season with title-chasing Napoli. The former Manchester United midfielder has impressed in Italy with a string of standout performances, quickly establishing himself as a key figure in the heart of the Partonopei midfield and playing a vital role in the push to win the Scudetto.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  McTominay made a big move to the Serie A last summer, with Napoli paying around €30 million (£26m/$35m) for his services. The Scottish international quickly established himself as the differential player in Antonio Conte's side. Indeed, McTominay has scored 11 goals in 33 games in the league. Napoli have battled hard with Inter and Atalanta for the Serie A title, and hold a slender one-point lead over the Nerazzurri ahead of the final matchday.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  McTominay is not the only player who has received a Serie A MVP nomination. Centre-back Alessandro Buongiorno is also in contention to win the award for defenders, contesting for the prize with Inter's Alessandro Bastoni and Lazio's dynamic left-back Nuno Tavares.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NAPOLI?

  Conte's troops are on course to win their second league title in three seasons. All they need is a win in their final league encounter, in which they will lock horns with 14th-placed Cagliari at home on Friday, May 23.

Manchester City’s mass overhaul of their squad has well and truly begun.

The Citizens spent £180m in the January transfer window on five new recruits which, as noted by Philip Buckingham of the Athletic, is a bigger outlay than all other 19 Premier League clubs combined.

Abdukodir Khusanov and Omar Marmoush were thrown in the deep end for their debuts against Chelsea last month, Nico González appeared for the first time at Leyton Orient on Saturday, while we’re yet to see either Vitor Reis or Juma Bah, the latter having been sent out on loan to Lens.

Thus, the Sky Blues are set to continue this strategy come the summer, but for one problem position in particular, did they already have the perfect future first-team starter on their books that they have just agreed to sell?

Manchester City's right-back issue

Back in early January, following the 8-0 hammering of Salford in the FA Cup, Pep Guardiola dropped a major bombshell, revealing that club captain Kyle Walker had asked to leave the club and “explore options abroad”.

Well, a few days later, having made 319 appearances for the Citizens, Walker departed for AC Milan on loan, starting all four of I Rossoneri’s matches since, including Wednesday night’s 1-0 Champions League defeat to Feyenoord at De Kuip.

Former Everton and Man City defender Joleon Lescott believes Walker is the “Premier League’s greatest right-back”, but the England international had indisputably not been at his best this season, with Oliver Kay of the Athletic noting that his “speed and athleticism”, attributes that had defined him for so long, were on the decline.

Nevertheless, with no direct replacement signed, Guardiola has been trialling Matheus Nunes at right-back, starting seven successive fixtures in that position, prior to the weekend’s FA Cup tie, with his manager believing the Portuguese international is making a lot of progress as a full-back.

On the contrary, Michael Cox of the Athletic describes Nunes as an “uncomfortable… makeshift right-back”, while Graham Ruthven of Forbes adds that he “doesn’t have the defensive instincts of a natural full-back”.

With 20-year-old Rico Lewis also seemingly out of favour, not starting any of the last seven Premier League or Champions League matches, the Citizens are still searching for the long-term heir to Walker’s throne, but did they just sell the perfect player for this role?

Manchester City's latest transfer blunder

Man City supporters, you have probably never heard of Yan Couto, which is fair enough considering he’s never made a first-team appearance for the club, coming closest in the 2021 FA Community Shield against Leicester, when he was an unused substitute.

Instead, he has spent his five years on Man City’s books out on loan, partially at Braga but mainly with fellow-CFG owned club Girona, spending three seasons in Catalonia, most notably helping Blanquivermells qualify for the Champions League for the very first time during the most recent campaign.

As a result, the 22-year-old was called up to the Brazilian national team for the very first time, debuting in World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay, before remaining on the bench throughout last summer’s Copa América, although this only after a dispute with the CBF, who demanded he change his “signature pink hair”, Couto later stating “they said the pink was a bit stupid”.

His performances in La Liga last season earned widespread praise, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labeling him a “superb talent”, while Spencer Mossman of Breaking the Lines claims he is “up there with the best full-backs in the world”.

This attracted the attention of Borussia Dortmund, who signed him initially on loan last summer.

Well, a few months later, die Schwarzgelben agreed to make the move permanent for a fee of €30m (£25m), which represents a massive profit for Man City, who initially paid just £5m for his services from Coritiba.

So, was this a piece of masterful business from the Citizens, or will they regret selling Couto before ever giving him a chance?

Let’s see how the Brazilian compares to Walker, the man he would’ve been replacing.

As the table outlines, Walker is more defensively solid, albeit Couto has played the majority of his football since the start of last season as a wing-back, with the Brazilian more of a threat going forward as a result, underlined by his 11 assists.

As noted by OptaFranz on Twitter, Couto carried the ball 286 metres in La Liga last season, the second-highest of any player in the division on a per-90 basis, behind only Frenkie de Jong; third on that list, none other than Savinho.

Still only 22-years-old, the Brazilian clearly has great potential, no defender in La Liga last season provided more assists, so Couto could prove to be the latest in a long line of players Man City may regret selling.

He's outscoring Diaz: Man City may rue selling Pep's "incredible" winger

One of Manchester City’s best-ever wingers continue to perform, even after being sold, so do the Sky Blues regret selling the attacker 2 years ago?

By
Ben Gray

Feb 12, 2025

Shifting their focus towards the summer transfer window, Chelsea are now reportedly in pole position to sign a Bundesliga talent worth £37m as they look to reinforce Enzo Maresca’s frontline once again.

Chelsea transfer news

The wheels are threatening to fall off of Chelsea’s season, which initially saw them get off to an excellent start under new manager Maresca. Defeat over Southampton was not enough to get their place back in the top four and as Manchester City look to avoid a nightmare of their own in a campaign to forget, the Blues could face an uphill battle.

Failure to qualify for the Champions League doesn’t look set to change Todd Boehly’s spending habits, however, with the transfer rumours already coming thick and fast at Stamford Bridge.

The likes of Dean Huijsen have been among those linked with a move to the London giants in recent days and it must be said that the defender would be making a deserved move. Following an excellent debut season at Bournemouth, the centre-back looks destined for great things with or without Chelsea this summer.

He’s not the only one on the Blues’ radar though. According to Caught Offside, Chelsea are now leading the race to sign Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund this summer.

Not satisfied with the arrivals of Jadon Sancho and Pedro Neto last summer, the Blues are seemingly in the market for another winger to add to a list of attacking options already filled to the brim with recent arrivals.

Agents drive Chelsea transfer for attacker as BlueCo ready imminent talks

The west Londoners are poised for “face-to-face” discussions.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 27, 2025

Like Neto and others, Adeyemi wouldn’t come cheap. The Dortmund star has reportedly been valued at as much as €45m (£37m) by the German club as he sets his sights on the Premier League. Alas, money is rarely an obstacle for Chelsea, which could see them add yet another winger to Maresca’s side this summer.

Adeyemi would face same struggles as Neto and Sancho

If Chelsea are to sign another winger, then they simply cannot pursue mediocrity yet again. Whoever arrives must have a Cole Palmer-like impact and represent an instant upgrade on the likes of Neto and Sancho. Adeyemi, as harsh as it is, simply does not tick that box. In fact, the stats suggest that the 23-year-old would only face similar struggles to those before him in West London.

Adeyemi’s struggles in front of goal come as quite the shock given how he looked likely to kick on at the beginning of the campaign, earning praise from Jacek Kulig for a “superb” week on U21 international duty in November.

Since then though, the German has only edged closer to the exit door at Dortmund and has failed to become the threat that they’ve so desperately needed at times. With just nine Bundesliga starts to his name too, it’s becoming clear that he should move on this summer.