All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Being the super club they are, Manchester United have been blessed with countless sensational footballers over the years.

The likes of Éric Cantona, Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney have all graced the Theatre of Dreams in the last thirty years, and depending on who you ask, they could add another handful of names to that illustrious list.

However, like any club, the Red Devils have also signed their fair share of flops over the years, with perhaps the most extreme example in recent years being Donny van de Beek.

Moreover, what makes that signing even worse is that, just a few months later, the club were pushing to sign a future superstar but ultimately backed off, potentially believing they already had a player good enough in the Dutchman.

Van de Beek's United nightmare

In the summer of 2020, United agreed a £35m deal with Dutch giants Ajax for their incredibly impressive young midfielder Donny van de Beek, who just the summer prior had helped the Amsterdam side to a Champions League semi-final and had agreed personal terms for a move to Real Madrid.

Unfortunately for all involved, while it looked like a brilliant deal at the time, it now looks like one of the worst transfers the Red Devils have agreed to in recent history.

For example, in the four seasons he was contracted with the club, the Dutchman made just 62 appearances, scored two goals, provided two assists, went on two short-term loan moves, and spent a whopping 375 days sidelined with injury.

Appearances

62

Goals

2

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.06

To top it all off, the 27-year-old was also earning £120k-per-week for most of his stay at the club and was sold for just £400k to Girona this summer, meaning it was a disastrous move on the pitch and the spreadsheets.

Overall, while United have signed worse footballers in the past, few transfers have worked out quite as poorly as Van de Beek’s did.

This makes it all the more maddening that the club then passed on a youngster who could have been the perfect upgrade in the January after he signed.

United's pursuit of Moises Caicedo

Yes, the youngster who could have replaced Van de Beek in the team had United stuck to their guns and signed him back in January 2021 is Ecuadorian international Moises Caicedo, who completed his £115m move to Chelsea last summer, becoming the most expensive transfer in the competition’s history in the process.

However, before he joined the Blues and Brighton & Hove Albion, the Santo Domingo-born star was on the Red Devils’ radar and could have been another addition to the young and exciting squad Ole Gunnar Solskjær was trying to build at that time.

The Norwegian icon confirmed the club’s interest in the Chelsea midfielder in an interview with the Athletic last year, revealing that a fear of the youngster’s inexperience prevented the deal from proceeding.

However, a report from the Manchester Evening News at the time claimed that United pulled out of the deal due to too many intermediaries making the negotiations ‘messy,’ which could explain why Fabrizio Romano claimed the potential €5m – £4m – fee was not seen as a stumbling block in December 2020.

Ultimately, whether it was a concern about his perceived lack of experience or the involvement of too many hands in the deal, United decided against signing Caicedo for a minuscule fee in January 2021 and were left with Van de Beek as their shiny new midfielder that season, which has to go down as a massive transfer mistake.

"Phenomenal" 3-5-2 manager liked by Ratcliffe to replace Ten Hag at Man Utd

Potential Erik ten Hag replacements continue to be linked.

ByHenry Jackson Sep 24, 2024

Glasgow Rangers returned to Ibrox with a bang over the weekend as they secured progress to the semi-finals of the League Cup for the fourth season in a row.

Hampden Park wasn’t the best hunting ground over the first few games of the season and a return home could reinvigorate Rangers.

It was a relatively straightforward 3-0 victory for Philippe Clement’s men over Dundee, as Cyriel Dessers scored either side of a James Tavernier penalty which sets up the Light Blues nicely for the Europa League tie against Malmö this week.

A first start was handed to Nedim Bajrami, who delivered an inch-perfect cross for Dessers to score his second and, despite playing outside his comfort zone on the left flank, it was a positive start for the Albanian.

For once, there wasn’t much to complain about as Clement got his tactics spot on. After drawing a blank in his previous two matches, Dessers returned to the scoresheet against the Dens Park side.

Despite the criticism he has faced in the past, a return of seven goals from just nine matches this term has certainly proven that he can now be relied upon to score on a regular basis.

It marks a major difference to how poor he was during the first half of the 2023/24 campaign, as there was plenty of criticism directed at his direction…

Dessers' numbers in the 2023/24 season

Michael Beale sought to improve his attacking options last summer following Alfredo Morelos’ departure, which led to the Englishman signing Dessers for a fee of £4.5m as a replacement.

The Nigerian centre-forward had scored ten goals during the 2022/23 season, hardly a clinical marksman that the club required to prise the Premiership title back off Celtic.

He managed to open his account against Servette in the Champions League qualifying stages, before grabbing two assists against PSV Eindhoven in the next round. He went scoreless in the first four league matches, however.

Between August and the start of January, Dessers found the back of the net just six times, while missing a host of big chances in the process, hardly a suitable replacement for Morelos.

The nadir came during the second Old Firm clash of the season against Celtic, a game which the Light Blues lost 2-1.

Metric

Premiership

Europa League

Goals

16

1

Assists

4

1

Goal conversion percentage

16%

33%

Big chances missed

27

0

Big chances created

8

0

He played the full 90 minutes in the defeat, failing to register a single shot on target while winning just three of his 14 contested duels as the striker was bullied during the match.

What Chris Sutton said about Cyriel Dessers

If he was more clinical in front of goal, the Light Blues might have snatched a point from that game, and his performance was criticised by former Celtic striker Chris Sutton after the game.

The Englishman discussed Dessers performance when talking to Sky Sports, saying: “Dessers killed Rangers today.

“He had opportunities, wasn’t decisive enough and it’s not like his link up play is up to much as well. Rangers need to address that situation – they may have already done in Fabio Silva, who wasn’t a phenomenal goalscorer for Wolves but is a young player.

“There’s been a lot of money spent on him in recent times. But there’s an opportunity for him to be the main man for Rangers.”

After that defeat, the 29-year-old scored 13 goals in all competitions, yet the club came up short in both the Scottish Cup and Premiership.

The criticism from Sutton clearly saw the player return to some sort of goalscoring form and, while there was interest in him during the summer transfer window, but nothing materialised as he remained at the club.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Cyriel Dessers’ statistics this season

After failing to sign key target Albion Rrahmani during the summer window, Clement only added one centre-forward to his squad – Hamza Igamane.

It was clear he was going to take a few weeks to build up his match fitness, however, which meant Dessers was tasked with being the main option for Clement, especially with Danilo taking baby steps after his knee injury.

An equaliser against Dynamo Kiev in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier certainly boosted his confidence, no doubt, and this was followed by goals against Motherwell in the League and against St Johnstone in the League Cup.

He has certainly started the campaign much better compared to his maiden season at the club. Given his stature as the number one choice to lead the line, Clement clearly still trusts him to score often.

While he may be scoring on a more regular basis, he could still be much more clinical in the opposition box.

Across five matches in the Premiership this term, the attacker has missed four chances, but his goal conversion rate currently stands at 25% at the time of writing. This will certainly decrease as the season goes on, but it certainly proves that he has improved in front of goal.

The striker has also demonstrated his all round game too, registering one league assist along with creating two big chances, averaging 0.8 key passes per game and succeeding with 0.8 dribble attempts each match.

Dessers will have some competition in the coming weeks from Igamane, who is slowly building up his match fitness and could prove to be a very positive signing for the Light Blues.

Until such a time comes, however, the 29-year-old will be tasked with leading the line, both domestically and in Europe, as Clement chases more silverware with the Gers.

The season is still young, but if Dessers can continue his current scoring rate, there is no doubt that he will surpass the 22 goals he registered throughout 2023/24.

The onus for him will be to start finding the net in the big matches, against Celtic, for example. If he can do that, then the former Feyenoord forward could endear himself to the fans, that’s for sure.

Rangers starlet who left Ibrox for £0 is now a star of European football

The Ibrox side have a history of letting talented players depart for nothing…

1 ByRoss Kilvington Sep 22, 2024

Manchester City have just received a big transfer boost in their pursuit of finding a successor to Kevin de Bruyne, according to a new report. The Blues are back in Premier League action this weekend as they welcome Brentford to the Etihad, and Pep Guardiola will be hoping his side can make it four wins from four.

Man City have already sold Alvarez 2.0, he's now outperforming Grealish

They sold him for double their money

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 8, 2024 Man City transfer news

Man City had a very quiet and uneventful summer transfer window, as they brought just two players to the club, with İlkay Gündoğan already a known entity as well, returning after a season at FC Barcelona.

The transfer window is now closed, but that isn’t stopping the transfer speculation from continuing. Midfielder Rodri has been linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent days, despite the fact that he still has three years left to run on his contract, and City are looking to tie him down to a new deal to fight off that interest.

Striker Erling Haaland is also being linked with a move to Madrid, with the European Champions keen on signing him at the end of this season. According to the report, Real Madrid are willing to pay the striker’s £19.5 million salary he earns at City now, as President Florentino Perez is a huge fan of the Norwegian and has made him one of their top targets for next summer.

It is claimed a clause in the striker's contract would allow him to leave the Premier League side for a reasonable price, but after a few worrying rumours in recent weeks, City have just been given a boost in their pursuit of a top signing.

£100m+ De Bruyne successor now open to joining Man City

According to Manchester City insider Tolmie’s Hairdoo on X, relayed by City Extra, Bayern Munich and Germany international Jamal Musiala is open to joining Man City in 2025. The report states that the 21-year-old has delayed contract talks with the German giants, which means he will have just one year remaining on his contract at the Allianz from next summer.

Despite that, Munich will still demand a hefty fee, looking to get at least £100 million for the youngster if a new deal cannot be agreed. This comes as Kevin de Bruyne is in the final year of his contract at the Etihad, and even though he has said talks will be held over a new deal, he won’t have long left at the top level.

City have been linked with a move for Musiala before now, with reports stating that Guardiola has been “dreaming” of signing the Germany international.

Apps

24

Apps

18

Goals

10

Goals

4

Goals per game

0.4

Goals per game

0.2

Shots per game

2.4

Shots per game

2.4

Assists

6

Assists

10

Big chances created

12

Big chances created

21

Key passes per game

1.8

Key passes per game

3.3

Filling the shoes of de Bruyne would be very difficult for Musiala, but both players have very similar backgrounds, with them both starring in the Bundesliga after struggling to break through in England as a youngster. The 21-year-old is still in the early stages of his career, but he isn’t that far behind the quality that de Bruyne shows week in and week out, as the pair are both excellent at creating chances for their teammates.

The current international break comes at a bad time for Unai Emery’s side, as his Aston Villa look to build on the victory achieved at Leicester City last weekend.

Goals from Amadou Onana and Jhon Duran secured the win for the Villans, as they sit seventh in the Premier League after the first three outings of the new campaign.

The Spaniard has overseen two wins and a loss during the opening three matches, as his side attempt to replicate last season's feat, in qualifying for the Champions League.

Villa have strengthened in key areas to give themselves the best possible chance of making this season another one to remember, but one player who was previously at the club could give them the edge in their hunt for another successful campaign.

Emiliano Martínez’s stats and market value

After joining the club for £20m from Arsenal back in September 2020, goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has gone on to achieve unthinkable things for club and country – making him worth every penny that the club spent to win the race for his services.

The Argentinian won the World Cup back in 2022, while playing a key role in Emery’s side last season, keeping eight clean sheets in the Premier League and making 95 saves in 34 league appearances.

However, this season, he’s struggled to replicate his form, failing to keep a single clean sheet in any of the first three outings – whilst coming under fire for his inability to prevent the two goals in the defeat against Arsenal at Villa Park last month.

Despite his recent failings, he still possesses the quality and experience that could prove vital in the latter stages of the campaign, a huge quality if the club are to enjoy a successful stint in Europe during the 2024/25 season.

As a result of his previous impressive displays in claret and blue, the 32-year-old has seen his market value soar, with Martinez now valued at £23.5m as per Transfermarkt.

However, he’s still valued lower than one fellow first-team member who’s seen his value rise massively over the last couple of years.

Jacob Ramsey’s market value in 2024

After coming through the club’s academy and costing them absolutely nothing, midfielder Jacob Ramsey has become a key part of Villa’s first team in recent years – making over 100 appearances after his breakthrough a couple of years ago.

He may have endured an injury-hit 2023/24 campaign, but his best season to date came in the season prior, where the 23-year-old registered 13 goal contributions in the league during his 35 appearances.

Ramsey has enjoyed a decent start to the new season, registering one assist in the 2-1 victory over West Ham, teeing up fellow substitute Duran for the winner.

2020/21

22

0

0

2021/22

34

6

1

2022/23

35

6

7

2023/24

16

1

1

2024/25

3

0

1

As a result, the “terrific” talent, as described by former boss Steven Gerrard, has seen his own market value skyrocket, with the former England U21 international now worth a staggering £29.4m – an example of how successful the club’s academy can be.

His value is higher than teammate Martinez, showcasing how impressive he’s been in recent seasons, with Ramsey a huge part in the club’s recent success under Emery.

This season is a huge one for the youngster, as he looks to put his injury issues behind him and return to the levels that he produced just a couple of years ago.

First and foremost he will be aiming to avoid any setbacks, but he will also be wanting to secure a regular starting role under the Spaniard, helping the club have a successful campaign in the greatest club competition in world football.

Aston Villa's deadline day hijack for Leander Dendoncker replacement fails

The Villans are set to lose one of their experienced heads, but attempts to secure a replacement have failed.

ByBen Goodwin Aug 30, 2024

Nottingham Forest have tabled a proposal in the hope of bringing Strasbourg defender Alexander Djiku to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Alexander Djiku?

Djiku is a centre-back who currently plies his trade at Stade de la Meinau having moved there from SM Caen back in 2019, where he’s since gone on to become a regular feature of the first-team having started 31 out of the 38 Ligue 1 games last season.

However, the 28-year-old’s contract is set to expire this Friday, and despite the French outfit wanting to retain his services beyond that, he’s currently set to depart as a free agent having not yet committed himself to extending his stay.

Football Insider have recently reported that Steve Cooper is looking to bolster his defensive ranks to avoid another relegation battle next season, and having established himself as his side’s overall third best-performing player with a WhoScored match rating of 6.92, the Ghana international has made it onto the radar at The City Ground.

Are Nottingham Forest signing Djiku?

According to French outlet L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Nottingham Forest have sent Djiku a “proposal” and are “eyeing up” the opportunity to land him on a free transfer. Strasbourg are believed to be using “fresh money” to try and convince him to stay, but whether he will be tempted by improved wages or a new adventure elsewhere yet remains to be seen.

Could Djiku be a good addition for Cooper?

Nottingham Forest’s summer budget is currently unknown so it’s likely a safer option to be targeting the free agent market, and having been hailed a “wonderful” centre-back by journalist Ayishatu Zakaria Ali, Djiku would be an absolute bargain to land for quite literally nothing.

The AFCON participant averaged 4.8 clearances and three aerial wins per league game last season, via WhoScored, so was a real rock at the heart of the backline, not to mention that he also won 36 out of his 53 tackles made, which was the highest success rate throughout the whole of his squad.

Ghana’s 2022 Footballer of the Year, who provided two assists and scored one goal during the previous term, is additionally a versatile operator with his ability to play at left-back, right-back and higher up in defensive midfield alongside his usual role, so should a deal be able to get over the line, it would be a steal for Evangelos Marinakis.

West Ham United have "asked" about a deal to bring Juventus star Denis Zakaria back to the Premier League, according to reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Who is Denis Zakaria?

Zakaria is a defensive midfielder who first arrived at the Allianz Stadium back in January 2022 from Borussia Monchengladbach, but having made just 15 senior appearances, he was sent out on a season-long loan to Chelsea.

The Switzerland international’s spell didn’t go as well as hoped however, having made just five top-flight starts, and there were numerous occasions that he was either an unused substitute or wasn’t named in the matchday squad altogether.

The Irons will know that they are likely to lose captain Declan Rice this summer with Arsenal, Manchester City and Manchester United all chasing him, so David Moyes could enter the market for replacements, and despite his unsuccessful period in England, the 26-year-old has been highlighted as a potential successor.

Are West Ham signing Zakaria?

Taking to Twitter, Romano revealed that West Ham have enquired about Zakaria to discover his availability as they weigh up whether to make an official offer ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He wrote:

"Understand West Ham are among clubs interested in signing Denis Zakaria. He’s back to Juventus after Chelsea loan. #WHUFC West Ham asked for informations on conditions of the deal — but there are many clubs in the race. Zakaria is not in Juventus plan for next season."

Could Zakaria be a good addition for Moyes?

West Ham will not only know that Zakaria didn’t receive enough game time to prove himself at Chelsea but also that he’s much stronger in the defensive aspect of his play having scored just one goal in SW6, and whilst he’s not someone supporters will see romping forward and providing goals, he could be a risk worth taking.

Standing at 6 foot 3, the £52k-per-week colossus last season ranked in the 95th percentile for pass completion, which has seen him hailed “sharp” by journalist Josh Bunting, and the 89th percentile for most clearances, so his precision in possession and ability to get rid of the danger is hugely impressive.

Zakaria, who represented his nation at the 2022 World Cup, is a versatile operator having been deployed in four various positions since the start of his career, including at centre-back and slightly higher up in central midfield alongside his number six role, so he is an individual who could flourish more than you’d imagine under the leadership of Moyes.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could be allowed to leave the club by Ange Postecoglou this summer, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

According to SPORT BILD journalist Christian Falk, Tottenham midfielder Hojbjerg has emerged as a target for his former club Bayern Munich this summer, as the journalist said on Twitter: "True. FC Bayern discussed a Transfer of Pierre Emile Hojbjerg."

As per Football London, Hojbjerg is keeping his cards close to his chest regarding his future and spoke before his native Denmark's EURO 2024 qualifying match against Slovenia on Monday, stating:

"What's lucky is that we plan an international match tomorrow (Monday)," he said.

"So my focus is there. What comes next is fortunately not in my hands. "What I can focus on is what needs to be done tomorrow. I have spoken about before about my time in Munich, but right now I have nothing to say about it."

talkSPORT understand that Tottenham would be willing to listen to offers for the £100k-a-week ace this off-season as he is not guaranteed a starting berth under Postecoglou next term.

Hojbjerg has two years left on his present terms in north London and may well be set for a new challenge following three years at the Lilywhites.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Jones has signalled that he thinks Hojbjerg will leave Tottenham this summer and he also has his doubts over the future of Eric Dier, who could also move on this summer.

Jones said: "In terms of Dier and Højbjerg, I don't know about Dier. I don't know enough about that, but Højbjerg, for sure, seems like his future is in doubt. And I think it's probably unlikely that he stays at Tottenham."

Should Tottenham Hotspur let go of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg?

All things considered, Hojbjerg is an experienced operator in the engine room, though he may be moved on this summer as Postecoglou looks to stamp his authority on his squad in the transfer market.

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison is being heavily courted by Tottenham this window, potentially indicating that a changing of the guard in the middle of the park may be a key part of Postecoglou's plans in north London.

In 2022/23, Hojbjerg made 44 appearances in all competitions during the campaign, registering five goals and seven assists in total, as per Transfermarkt.

The 27-year-old was also a comfortable presence in possession across the season and maintained a pass success rate of 88.6% in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

In the next few weeks, Hojbjerg's future at Tottenham will become clearer; nevertheless, it does feel like now may be the right time for both parties to go their separate ways ahead of 2023/24.

Chelsea are going to "push very hard" for the signing of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo this summer, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Caicedo leaving Brighton this summer?

The future of the 21-year-old has been a big talking point in recent weeks and months, with a move away from the Amex Stadium expected soon.

Caicedo's Brighton teammate Alexis Mac Allister has already sealed a switch to Liverpool and it would be a big surprise if he hadn't also completed a transfer sooner rather than later.

Chelsea are one of numerous top Premier League clubs who are reportedly in the mix to sign the £15,000-a-week Ecuadorian – Arsenal arguably appear to be the favourites to snap him up – but given the level of interest in him, it won't be easy for the west Londoners to get their man.

It certainly looks as though they are not going to give up without a fight, however, with a fresh update offering encouragement to Blues supporters.

Are Chelsea going to sign Caicedo?

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jacobs claimed that Chelsea are going to really try to sign Caicedo before the start of the new season:

"We know that they tried for Ugarte before pulling out. Caicedo will be a high priority, as he was in January, and Chelsea bid £55million back then. I expect Chelsea to enter the race for Moises Caicedo and push very hard on that front because he has been a long-standing target.

"He is exactly what Chelsea need – a number six with strong defensive qualities and, on top of that, the ability to get box-to-box. But they will want one more, for sure."

Caicedo, who was called an "old school" player by Garth Crooks, could be an absolutely superb summer addition by Chelsea – he has been hailed as "fantastic" by former Brighton and Blues manager Graham Potter – at a time when N'Golo Kante has sealed a move to Saudi Arabia, and Mateo Kovacic could also move on.

The 30-cap Ecuador international clearly isn't going to be available on the cheap, but he could be worth every penny, having averaged 2.7 tackles in the league in 2022/23, which was a higher tally than any other Brighton player.

There is also the issue of Chelsea not having any European football to offer Caicedo, following a dire domestic campaign, which has the potential to work against them, considering some of their rivals than offer him playing time in the Champions League. They must do all they can to get him, though, in what would be such a significant piece of business.

West Ham United have made contact to enquire about a deal to bring Corinthians striker Yuri Alberto to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Yuri Alberto?

Alberto is a Brazil international who currently plays his football at the Neo Quimica Arena having completed his permanent move there on a free transfer from Zenit St. Petersburg in January following a successful loan spell, as per Transfermarkt.

Across both periods, Vanderlei Luxemburgo’s forward has clocked up a total of 56 appearances to date and having only joined in the new year, his contract still has another four years to run.

The Brazilian Serie A star’s performances, however, have grabbed the attention of David Moyes, and it’s not the first time that he’s been identified as a target with UOL Esporte reporting last summer that the Irons had entered the running to sign the 22-year-old before he linked up with Corinthians.

Are West Ham signing Alberto?

Now, according to Goal Brasil (via Sport Witness), West Ham are ready to take a second bite of the cherry and have “joined the race” to sign Alberto ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. The London Stadium outfit have “shown interest” in striking a deal and have already “got in touch with his staff” to gain the necessary information and discover what it would take to get a move over the line.

The E20 side are “still to make a bid” for the striker, but it’s stated that “could be done” following the celebrations from the Europa Conference League final victory.

Where would Alberto fit in under Moyes?

Danny Ings has publicly admitted that he hasn’t fully settled into life yet at West Ham since joining from Aston Villa so he could be looking to secure a move elsewhere in the summer, and should he depart, Alberto would be the perfect replacement for Moyes.

The Nike-sponsored centre-forward, who earns £13k-per-week, has posted 11 goal contributions (six assists and five goals) in 28 appearances throughout all competitions this season, form which has previously seen him hailed a “clinical” finisher by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Alberto, who offers excellent versatility with his ability to operate in four different positions, including anywhere across the frontline, has also so far recorded the second-highest number of shots throughout the whole of his squad, as per FBRef, so he would be a prolific addition and one that would massively improve the boss’ attacking ranks.

The Mauricio Pochettino era is underway and Chelsea’s chaotic summer is set to commence.

The underperforming and bloated squad must be trimmed, but the arrivals are just as important as the former Tottenham Hotspur coach will need to pinpoint the right blend of experience and youth.

CBS reporter Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT that the Argentine has emphasised the importance of signing “Premier League proven quality” players at Stamford Bridge to try and reverse the club’s dismal slump into midtable mediocrity.

One player who fits this profile and has been recently linked with Chelsea is Wilfried Zaha, whose reputation and pedigree could massively benefit Pochettino.

What’s the latest on Wilfried Zaha to Chelsea?

According to football.london, the Blues and Arsenal are keeping tabs on the uncertain future of the Palace legend.

However, it's said that the respective parties are now in a battle to sign him, amid interest in his services from Atletico Madrid, per the Daily Mail.

The 30-year-old’s contract is due to expire on 30 June, and he’s been offered a new deal of £200k-per-week, an upgrade on his current terms of £130k-per-week. However, he is yet to put pen to paper in what would surely end the dream of ever playing Champions League football.

Although the West London outfit isn’t competing in European competitions in the upcoming season, the mind-boggling spending power of the new ownership and the plethora of youth talent available means that the club could forge a new bid to get back into the top six.

Would Zaha be a good fit at Chelsea?

The Ivorian has recorded 111 goal contributions in 305 Premier League appearances across his career and has established himself as a formidable asset of a consistently mid-table league outfit, who looks destined to make the step-up in his career.

The forward is a player brimming with effervescence and quality, showcased by the fact that he ranks in the top 13% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 and the highest 20% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.

The 2021 Champions League winners have desperately lacked quality from wide areas this term and under Pochettino’s stewardship, the Eagles star could emerge as the 51-year-old’s next Son Heung-min.

Between 2016 and 2018, with Pochettino at the helm, the South Korean sensation notched 41 goal involvements in 71 outings – he was relentlessly efficient, tricky, and pacey – deploying the same wing play that Zaha uses to terrorise defenders.

This season, Zaha has averaged two dribbles per game, and last year, when Son finished as the division’s top scorer, he managed 1.9 dribbles per game, as both players possess a ruthless directness.

These figures are definitely something that the former Manchester United starlet could replicate, especially with Ben Chilwell consistently overlapping on the attack.

Hailed as “outstanding” by Ally McCoist and given the strategy that Pochettino is aiming to implement, Zaha would be a welcome addition to the squad.