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This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets… 

When Harry Maguire made his £80m arrival at Manchester United – a world-record fee for a defender – the club were no doubt hoping that he could help transform a back-line that had conceded 54 goals in the Premier League last season.

Speaking at the announcement of his signing, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer declared the Red Devils have snared one of the elite defenders in football.

“Harry is one of the best centre-backs in the game today. He is a great reader of the game and has a strong presence on the pitch, with the ability to remain calm under pressure. He will fit well into this group both on and off the pitch.”

Despite only arriving in the summer, the 26-year-old has already captained the club on occasion this season, most notably forgetting the pre-match coin toss when he had the armband on for the Europa League clash against Partizan Belgrade. It was a truly comical moment, but one that perhaps perfectly symbolises his early struggles at Old Trafford on-the-pitch. If United thought all their defensive worries would disappear with his arrival, then they have sorely been proven otherwise.

In his time at former club Leicester, he was an authoritative presence, taking charge of situations, as evidenced by his one tackle and 4.9 clearances per game. At United however, both those key defensive numbers have taken a sharp drop, with his tackling stat halving. Against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, Michy Batshuayi’s equaliser provided a snapshot of Maguire’s indecisiveness. He looked to challenge the Belgian for the ball, and when he lost out, he failed to bring his man down and simply watched him power his way through for the equaliser.

Speaking back in the summer, the England international’s ex-teammate at Hull, Michael Dawson, remarked: “What makes him an £80m player is his distribution. He can bring the ball out from the back, he is comfortable in tight areas, he gets out of trouble. That is what makes him an elite player.”

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Unfortunately at Old Trafford, that has very much been a rarity. Maguire has completed 0.4 dribbles less than he did last season in the Premier League, and that perhaps comes down to a confidence issue. He simply hasn’t been his natural self, and in fact, one of the main assets of the 6 foot 4 man’s game is his prowess in the opposition box.

He struck three times for the Foxes the previous year, but this campaign has been littered with missed opportunities from set-pieces – most notably against Arsenal and Newcastle, when finding the back of the net could have been the difference between securing a win or avoiding a defeat respectively.

How much money could you make busking for a week as a freestyle footballer? Find out in the video below…

All in all, Maguire hasn’t enjoyed the impact many would have initially hoped for him at Old Trafford. Though it may be early stages yet in his United career, the 26-year-old has to dramatically improve his form to make the club’s £80m investment in him seem worthwhile.

This article is part of Football FanCast’s In Numbers series, which takes a statistical look at performances, season-long form and reported transfer targets…

Manchester City’s trip to Liverpool was billed as the biggest game of the season and victory for the Reds has put them in a magnificent spot to snatch the title.

In truth, any defensive unit selected by Pep Guardiola to face Jurgen Klopp’s men was going to struggle, as Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane have now racked up 21 goals between them. Plus, whoever occupied the left-back spot up against the Egyptian was set for an almighty task, whether it had been Benjamin Mendy or Oleksandr Zinchenko.

However, it was the inexperienced Angelino who stepped in for this vital clash, and unsurprisingly, the Spaniard struggled against the Golden Boot holder. Throughout the game, the left-back was exposed defensively and failed to get Salah under his control.

The former PSV Eindhoven man signed for City for £5.3m and was playing in just his ninth game for the Premier League champions.

However, going forward, the left-back showed serious attacking intent throughout. Although he lost possession 28 times and completed just one of nine crosses, Angelino was consistently threatening Trent Alexander-Arnold.

The 22-year-old managed to create one big chance and made three key passes. So although he lost the ball 28 times, it is important to remember he troubled Liverpool often enough to worry the Anfield faithful.

Angelino also registered a shot which struck the woodwork for City on Sunday, and proved to Guardiola that he can be a valuable attacking weapon this season. Mendy’s troublesome record with injuries and Zinchenko’s current layoff may force in Angelino in on a more regular basis, and his display against the Reds suggested there was promise to be nurtured there.

Just because he couldn’t get hold of Salah doesn’t mean he can’t be a great asset for the champions moving forward. In truth, very few defenders struggle to contain the Egyptian.

It was another impressive attacking display from the left-back and it is important to assess his statistics in the context of the magnitude of the occasion from both an individual and collective perspective.

Following a disappointing start to the campaign, Leeds United are reportedly set to be handed a major injury boost for their trip to Cardiff City this weekend, with four stars in line to return.

Leeds injury news

Just when it looked as though Daniel Farke’s side were back on course after earning victories over Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City, Farke’s side were brought back down to reality in a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Burnley. Two sides in pursuit of Championship promotion, Leeds will be left feeling frustrated once again.

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Farke recently spoke on his side’s poor start to the campaign amid criticism over his side’s system, telling reporters via Leeds Live: “The style of football is quite normal. When you are attacking with passes and combinations, a good stricture, clear principles, if you do not win, it’s where is Plan B.

“I never hear the team parking the bus, nobody asks for Plan B. It’s always normal. We are happy if we win. It is not like figure skating. You do not get marks for beautiful posture, it is bringing the ball over the line. If you do not win with our style, or City’s or Marcelo’s, it is called not a proper style and you need to go 4-4-2.”

It’s something that the former Norwich City manager will now be out to prove against Cardiff in a game that will at least feature some much-needed injury boosts. As relayed by Leeds Live, Farke confirmed that as many as four Leeds stars are in line for a return against Cardiff this weekend, with Max Wober, Joe Rodon, Junior Firpo and Joe Rothwell all training and potentially featuring in Wales.

Farke confirmed the news, telling reporters: “Rodon missed two sessions due to some hip problems or glute problems. Firpo struggling with MCL. Manor Solomon with some back problems. Rothwell rolled his ankle. A few concerns, but I am carefully optimistic all of them will be available.

“Biggest question mark behind Manor with his back problems. Max Wober back in training from today, light session. Wait to see how he reacts tomorrow. Late decision.”

Now or never for Wober at Leeds

Arriving from Red Bull Salzburg in January of 2023, earning a reported £35k-a-week in the process, Wober opted to join Borussia Monchengladbach on loan instead of battling in the Championship last time out. Now, he is back and must make an impact.

Still just 26 years old, Wober could still play a vital part as a player who has the quality to play in the top flight, as shown on loan at Gladbach in the Bundesliga. Carlton Palmer even believes that the central defender could play a “key part” under Farke this season, perhaps starting with Cardiff this weekend.

His return should be a major boost for Farke, as will be the potential returns of Firpo, Rodon and Rothwell. Aiming to get back to winning ways, Leeds must turn their poor early season form around.

Everton’s start to the season hasn’t gone exactly to plan, as Sean Dyche has plenty of work to do once the domestic season resumes this weekend..

Much is expected of several new signings as the Toffees bid to kickstart their campaign, while they may rue the departure of Amadou Onana, who offered so much in the heart of the midfield.

They received a fee of £50m for the youngster, ensuring the club made a decent profit on the Belgian, a sale that proved crucial to PSR. Regardless of how he performs for Aston Villa, the Goodison Park side have certainly hit the jackpot considering he initially signed for £30m in 2022.

Another move that certainly helped their financial situation was the decision to cash in on Moise Kean.

Moise Kean's numbers at Everton

The forward signed for Everton for £29m in 2019 from Juventus, signifying a big statement of intent by the club.

Aged just 19, Kean had made waves at the Italian outfit, scoring six times in just 13 Serie A matches in the season prior to his arrival on Merseyside, emerging as one of the most promising teenagers on the continent.

Four goals for the Toffees in just 18 months proved otherwise, however, as he struggled to live up to the hype during his time in England. The youngster was sent out on loan to Paris Saint-Germain for the 2020/21 campaign, scoring 17 goals in all competitions.

Thomas Tuchel even hailed the striker for being “courageous” as his form looked to have returned, seeing him join his old club on a temporary spell between 2021 and 2023.

In March 2023, Juventus signed Kean on a permanent deal for a fee in the region of £25m, which has now turned out to be an excellent piece of business considering his recent form.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Moise Kean's transfer valuation in 2024

Last season saw the Italian make just 20 appearances for the Old Lady, yet he failed to score or even grab a single assist.

He joined Fiorentina ahead of the current campaign and has already notched three goals in all competitions for the club.

Now, according to Transfermarkt, his valuation currently stands at just £12m, representing a massive drop from the £25m fee Everton sold him for.

Goals

1

Key passes per game

0.7

Big chances created

0

Successful dribbles per game

0.7

Total duels won per game

4.7

Shots per game

3.3

While the Merseyside outfit may have taken a small hit by selling him for less than what they paid in 2023, it is now clear that they may have offloaded him at precisely the right time, judging by his recent value.

Of course, if Kean continues to score for Fiorentina over the next few weeks, this could increase rapidly and establish the player as one of the better forwards in Serie A.

His spell in the Premier League was dismal though, as the 24-year-old failed to demonstrate his true talents for the club during his stay.

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The summer transfer window officially slammed shut for business on Friday night and Celtic ended it with only one major sale from their first-team squad.

Central midfielder Matt O'Riley departed from Parkhead after a return of 18 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances in the Scottish Premiership last season.

Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion swooped in to sign the Denmark international for a Scottish record transfer fee of more than £25m.

This comes after the Premiership champions had equalled the record sale when they cashed in on one of their star players in the previous summer window.

How much Celtic sold Jota for

Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad swooped in to sign Portuguese wizard Jota from the Hoops for a reported fee of £25m, which was the joint-most expensive sale in Scotland's history at the time.

The impressive winger had only joined Celtic on a permanent basis from Benfica in the summer of 2022, after his return of ten goals and ten assists in 29 Premiership matches during his loan spell in the 2021/22 campaign.

Appearances

33

Goals

11

Assists

11

Big chances created

13

Key passes per game

1.9

As you can see in the table above, Jota followed up on his impressive loan stint in Glasgow with an even better return in front of goal in his second season at Parkhead.

The 25-year-old star, who Benfica youth coach Joao Tralhao claimed has "star quality", racked up 21 goals and 21 assists in just two league seasons with the Bhoys, which convinced Al Ittihad to splash £25m on him last summer.

Whilst it may have been seen as a blow at the time, due to his contributions on the pitch, Celtic struck gold by selling Jota as his value has plummeted over the past 12 months.

Jota's current market value

The right-footed attacker completed a move to Ligue 1 side Rennes at the end of the summer transfer window after a difficult year in Saudi Arabia.

Fabrizio Romano reported that the French outfit agreed a fee of around €8m (£7m) and that is a staggering fall from the £25m he went for last year, with his value plummeting by a staggering £18m.

The former Celtic star only played 25 games in his year at Al Ittihad, producing five goals and one assist, and made just 16 appearances in the Pro League.

Jota failed to force his way into the team on a regular basis and, within 12 months, the Saudi Arabian side decided to take a huge hit on him by selling the forward to Rennes for £18m less than what they paid the Bhoys for him.

This shows that the Scottish giants hit the jackpot when they negotiated a £25m deal with the Pro League side ahead of the 2023/24 campaign, as they cashed in on him at his peak value and have now watched on as he has struggled elsewhere.

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Meanwhile, Celtic won the Premiership title again and secured the SFA Cup, which shows that the team's performance on the pitch was not hugely affected by his exit.

Manchester City have made enquiries to Real Madrid over the possible signing of midfielder Fede Valverde, per TEAMtalk.

Manchester City transfer news – Fede Valverde

The arrival of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid has meant English clubs including City have checked in on the potential availability of the Uruguay star.

TEAMtalk claim that the Premier League champions, as well as Chelsea and Liverpool, have all made enquiries with the LaLiga giants about Valverde and to those close to the player, but the message that Valverde does not want to leave, and that Real do not want to sell either.

Valverde has won a haul of trophies with Los Blancos, including LaLiga twice and the Champions League once. He also added the Copa Del Rey to his trophy cabinet this season.

This season, his game time was split almost equally between a central midfield role and one on the right wing.

With the potential for City to lose both Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva this summer, Valverde could be a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola and with newfound competition in the engine room at the Bernabeu, this rumour is surely likely to rumble on throughout the summer.

Valverde could be the perfect Bernardo Silva replacement

Valverde has been crucial to Real Madrid in recent years, this includes an assist for Vinicius Jr’s Champions League final-winning goal against Liverpool in 2022.

The 24-year-old machine joined Los Blancos' academy in 2016 from Uruguayan club Penarol for a mere £4.5m, and it is now worth an estimated €150m (£129m), according to CIES Football Observatory

England and Chelsea legend Joe Cole spoke glowingly of Valverde’s quality on BT Sport as he compared him to the incoming Bellingham.

“He’s at the top of the young players alongside Jude Bellingham, and he’s about to become the best," the pundit said. “We talk a lot about Bellingham in England, but this kid is as good as he is.”

Silva has been linked with moves away from the Etihad this summer, most notably to clubs in Saudi Arabia. Gundogan, meanwhile, is closing in on a move to Madrid's rivals Barcelona, meaning Guardiola will have a lack of options in midfield.

If the Spaniard does lose a player of Silva’s quality, Valverde would be one hell of a replacement.

It’s hard to understate the importance of Silva since his arrival at the Etihad Stadium from Monaco in 2017. The winger has played over 300 games for the Citizens, contributing as many as 55 goals and 59 assists, per Transfermarkt.

The wide-man has also made 82 appearances for his native Portugal, and has won almost all there is to win in English football during his time at the Etihad Stadium. Silva is a five-time Premier League winner, two-time FA Cup winner, and four-time League Cup winner. Now after defeating Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul, he is also a Champions League and treble winner with the Citizens.

If Silva does leave, Valverde must be a top priority, given the similarities in playing position and statistical profile.

As per FBref, the Madrid maestro ranks among the top 5% of all midfielders across Europe's top-five divisions over the last year for non-penalty expected goals and assists, averaging 0.39 per 90. This is actually more than Silva in Guardiola's squad. Both are in the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, with the City man just getting the nod.

Having been lauded as an "absolute machine" by journalist Raj Chohan, the Uruguyauan star poses clear and obvious qualities that will be of interest to Guardiola and his coaching staff and if Silva were to leave the Etihad, then this tentative interest must be revisited with a firmer force.

If any club right now has the pulling power to change Valverde’s mind, it’s Man City and Guardiola.

Manchester United have made an enquiry for West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, according to reports.

What’s the latest Declan Rice transfer news?

Rice’s future has been a hot topic of conversation during the transfer window, with a move to Premier League rivals Arsenal seemingly his preferred destination.

The 24-year-old, who former West Ham defender James Collins has hailed as "outstanding" and "incredible", allegedly agreed on personal terms over a move to the Emirates Stadium at the beginning of the month, however, shaking hands on a transfer fee has proven tricky.

The Gunners have had two offers for the West Ham star turned down already, the second of which was worth an initial £75m fee plus a further £15m in add-ons.

Premier League champions Manchester City also appear to be in the race for the central midfielder, and it looks as if those at Old Trafford have made their first move for Rice.

The Daily Mail’s Chief Football Reporter Sami Mokbel shared an update regarding Rice’s future on Thursday evening, where the Red Devils received a mention.

He claimed that Man United have made an enquiry for Rice in recent days and are considering offering a £40m fee plus defender Harry Maguire and winger Anthony Elanga. The reporter adds that United are outsiders in the race, with Arsenal in pole position for the England international’s services.

Are Mason Mount and Declan Rice best friends?

The Red Devils appear to be closing in on signing Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount in a deal worth £60m after further talks between the two clubs.

The England international has agreed on a five-year deal in Manchester worth £200,000-a-week, and it looks as if United officials are now looking into bringing Mount’s best friend to Old Trafford.

Mount and Rice have been boyhood best friends since the age of 12 after coming through the academy at Chelsea but have only been able to play in the same side at senior level when representing England. Therefore, should United’s ambitious move for Rice come off, you’d expect the pair could feature heavily in midfield under Erik ten Hag on a weekly basis.

However, United still have a lot of work to do before that materialises with Rice and West Ham, and you’d expect that the Hammers may want more than £40m, even if a potential move included Maguire and Elanga after turning down a £90m offer from Arsenal, making this one to watch.

Leeds United are setting up for a transformative summer with the 49ers takeover completed and the new owners keen to quickly fix the many issues at Elland Road to ensure a rapid return to Premier League football.

The Whites are still without a manager and a sporting director at present which will be an increasingly pressing concern for the club as they need to invest as much time as they can into rebuilding the squad, especially with a number of departures expected after suffering relegation last month.

Leeds are keen on a number of managerial candidates including Scott Parker, Brendan Rodgers, Daniel Farke, Steven Gerrard and Carlos Corberan, but are yet to put a foot firmly forward for one of them as they continue to deliberate.

Whilst the new manager will likely play a huge part in the recruitment over the summer transfer window, the lack of a leading figure has not stopped Leeds from being linked with a number of players who could become part of the new chapter at Elland Road.

One player who was linked to a move to West Yorkshire last week is Fenerbahce ace Bright Osayi-Samuel; a versatile talent who could become a huge asset to the club in their Championship campaign next season.

Who is Bright Osayi-Samuel?

The 25-year-old talent is no stranger to the second tier after rising through the ranks of Blackpool's youth academy before making the move to Queens Park Rangers where he spent four years.

Now, Osayi-Samuel is plying his trade in the Süper Lig with Fenerbahce where they finished second this season and just yesterday the Istanbul-based club won the Turkish League Cup.

The Nigeria international has a wealth of experience on the right flank – whether that be right midfield, right-back or right wing – offering huge flexibility in positioning which could be massively beneficial to the next Leeds manager when setting up his team over a very long Championship campaign and ensuring there is enough depth in key positions.

Not only that, the 25-year-old whiz – who has a reported price tag of €10m (£9m) – could be the ideal heir for Luke Ayling if he can step into the 31-year-old's shoes comfortably in the deeper right-sided position.

A need for a long-term replacement for Ayling is a real priority as the Englishman "just isn't good enough" – according to journalist Tomi Oladipo – with the former Bristol City dud having recorded an average match rating of just 6.60 in 2022/23, according to Sofascore, ranking him 20th among the current Leeds squad.

Over 23 league appearances, Osayi-Samuel – by contrast – has shown glimpses of his talent, despite limited game time, with an 85% pass completion rate and the majority of his duels won (51%), as well as averaging 39.4 touches and 20.2 accurate passes per game.

Before heading to Turkey, the Nigerian was the subject of high praise from his former QPR manager Mark Warburton, who highlighted some of the player's assets following a strong performance against Cardiff City:

"He was outstanding. He's got that sheer pace which terrifies defenders and when he uses it wisely like he did today he looks a real handful."

With that being said, an opportunity to return to England will surely be an attractive prospect for Osayi-Samuel and if Leeds can secure a cheap deal this summer there is no reason why he could be a valuable squad member next season, providing competition for Ayling next season and potentially developing into his successor.

Tottenham Hotspur are dreaming of signing Galatasaray's Nicolo Zaniolo, who could be on the move this summer, according to recent reports from Italy.

Which midfielders could Tottenham sign?

Tottenham have their eye on a new attacking midfielder this summer, having now opened talks with Leicester City's James Maddison, with Ange Postecoglou giving the green light to make a move for the England international.

Sporting CP's Pedro Goncalves has also been linked with a move to north London, while Postecoglou could look to raid his former club for Celtic's Reo Hatate, who he signed for the Hoops back in December 2021.

Zaniolo told AS Roma he wanted to leave back in January, amid interest from Spurs, however after signing for Galatasaray for an initial €16.5m (£14.1m), the Italian could already be on the move again this summer.

According to a report from TuttoJuve (via Sport Witness), the Lilywhites are battling Aston Villa for the 23-year-old, and he has an offer on the table from the Premier League, although it is not specified which club has made a bid.

The midfielder has a €35m (£30m) release clause included in his contract, and the interested clubs will have to work out whether they are willing to match that, or they may try and persuade Galatasaray to do another deal.

AC Milan and Juventus would like to propose a loan move, or potentially a swap deal, however the price tag is unlikely to pose as much of an issue for Tottenham.

Is Nicolo Zaniolo leaving Galatasaray?

Although he has only been a Galatasaray player for a matter of months, and he is contracted until 2027, the release clause in the Italy international's contract means he could be on the move this summer, if the interested clubs are willing to shell out £30m.

Since making the move to Turkey, the former Roma man has been very impressive, scoring five goals in ten Super Lig games, however he did not perform quite as well for his previous club prior to his departure.

With an average WhoScored match rating of just 6.21, the maestro was ranked among the worst-performing players for Roma in the Serie A last season, registering just one goal contribution in 13 games.

Zaniolo's performances in Turkey indicate that he clearly has quality, however his failure to produce in Italy this season should be a worry for Postecoglou, as it suggests he may not be ready to make the step up to the Premier League.

Manchester United have done what they set out to do this season by securing qualification for the 2023/24 edition of the Champions League in what has been an impressive debut campaign in charge for Erik Ten Hag.

The Dutchman has also achieved Carabao Cup glory this term. He will have the chance to bag a second piece of silverware this weekend when the Red Devils take on bitter rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium.

Once the dust settles following a long season for Manchester United, their attention will turn towards sizing up potential additions in the summer transfer window.

As per 90min, Manchester United were keen on bringing Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong to Old Trafford and even made an offer to try and secure his services.

Mundo Deportivo via The Daily Express have given the Red Devils some fresh hope of reviving their interest in the Netherlands international, detailing that Barcelona may try to renegotiate De Jong's terms at Spotify Camp Nou amid rumours that the Catalan giants may have to recoup £176 million in the off-season before being able to sanction their transfer business.

Why is Frenkie De Jong so highly rated and should Manchester United pursue him?

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Dean Jones thinks that De Jong would be a sensible signing from Manchester United that would fit Ten Hag's vision at the club more than someone like Neymar, who the Red Devils have been linked with recently.

Jones told FFC: "De Jong is a better signing than Neymar for Manchester United because he fits with the ethos of what and how he's actually trying to build. If you sign Neymar, it's not fixing any of the problems that you've got and it's also changing the dynamic of the dressing room in a way that might end up being negative."

ESPN reported earlier this year that Manchester United are not completely closed off to 'reigniting their interest' in De Jong and shared quotes from manager Ten Hag praising the player, as the 53-year-old stated: "Frenkie is an incredible player and for every club in the whole world he will strengthen the squad because he has a unique quality. "If you can get him in the squad your team will be stronger. In Spain he became even better. He's a fantastic player, plays out from the back, he always has time and it was a pleasure to work with him."

In 2022/23, the 26-year-old has made 42 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona and managed to register two goals and four assists, as per Transfermarkt.

There is an argument to say that De Jong could be a perfect partner in crime for Casemiro, potentially playing in a double-pivot style system with Bruno Fernandes helping to support attacking phases of play slightly higher up in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 variation, which can sometimes be Ten Hag's go to, as per SPORF.

WhoScored shows that by comparing Casemiro and De Jong not to see who is better but rather looking at how they have both become consistent assets for their respective sides, you will find that they have achieved the exact same average match rating of 7.17 this term for their exploits on the pitch.

De Jong, who could cost around £63 million, ranks highly in his pass success rate, standing at 91.3%, which could bring some added composure in midfield and let Casemiro deal with winning duels. On the ground, the Brazil international who earns £350k-a-week at the Red Devils has snapped into 3.2 tackles per match across the campaign.

FBRef illustrates that De Jong is also a competent figure when it comes to providing chances to his teammates, having successfully carried out 109 shot-creating actions in La Liga in total.

Cited by Barca TV via The Manchester Evening News, Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo heaped praise on the former Ajax man in an interview, stating: "Here is the best midfielder in the world, Frenkie de Jong!"

With Manchester United known to be in the market for several additions this summer, bringing in £622k-a-week earner De Jong would be a masterstroke by Ten Hag and would potentially create a dynamite duo by fielding him beside Casemiro at Old Trafford.