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Yet to reach a breakthrough in pursuit of Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes, West Ham United have now reportedly set their sights on signing a former Premier League alternative.

Latest on West Ham's Fernandes move

In truth, it’s been a fairly quiet summer for West Ham. Ahead of Graham Potter’s first full season in charge, the Hammers have lost Mohammed Kudus and welcomed El Hadji Malick Diouf, Callum Wilson, Kyle Walker-Petrers and Mads Hermansen with the hefty fee that Tottenham Hotspur paid for their winger.

Even after four incomings, however, there remain question marks over whether those at the London Stadium can improve on last season’s disappointing 14th-place finish. Whether the final two weeks of the transfer window answers those questions remains to be seen too, especially given the latest update on West Ham’s chase to sign Fernandes.

After discovering Southampton’s £50m valuation, West Ham have reportedly decided against submitting an improved offer for Fernandes. The Hammers seemingly believe that their £30m offer should have been enough to secure the midfielder’s signature.

Forced to search elsewhere for midfield reinforcements, just where West Ham go from here is the big question. The likes of Harvey Elliott are still on the market and given that he is likely to struggle for minutes even more than last year following Florian Wirtz’s Liverpool arrival, a deal could certainly be there to be done.

Meanwhile, West Ham have also got some talented options outside of the Premier League – including a Bundesliga talent.

West Ham eyeing Aleix Garcia

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, West Ham are now eyeing a move to sign Aleix Garcia from Bayer Leverkusen. The Hammers could offer the Spaniard a route back into the Premier League for the first time since leaving Manchester City in 2020. Since that departure, he has featured for FC Dinamo, SD Eibar, Girona and joined Leverkusen last summer.

Now 28 years old and with plenty of experience under his belt, Garcia could prove Pep Guardiola right years on from the manager’s initial praise. The Man City boss described the midfielder as “outstanding” in 2016 before he opened the exit door for his departure.

Minutes

1,455

2,935

Goals

3

2

Assists

4

4

Key Passes

32

35

When compared to Fernandes, it’s clear to see why Garcia is on West Ham’s radar in the event that they miss out on the Southampton star. In terms of output, both enjoyed similar seasons and both had an eye for a key pass.

Their new Bowen: West Ham submit bid to sign "dangerous" forward for £34m

West Ham are targeting a former Real Madrid star to provide competition for Jarrod Bowen.

ByWill Miller Aug 14, 2025

What makes Garcia’s numbers all the more impressive is the fact that he played just 1,455 minutes of Bundesliga action last season. The stats suggest that with more game time, he would have outperformed Fernandes.

England captain Harry Kane struggled to hold back the tears in an emotional speech to Djed Spence after his ex-Tottenham team-mate earned a first Three Lions cap to become the country's first openly Muslim player. The crushing 5-0 victory over Serbia in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night was about far more than the scoreline. For Spence, it was the moment dreams became reality.

Spence makes historic England debutKane delivers emotional tributeBreakthrough moment for British Muslim footballersFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED?

Spence came on in the 69th minute, replacing Chelsea’s Reece James, and in doing so, made history as the first Muslim player to represent England at senior level. For Spence, the appearance marked the culmination of years of persistence, setbacks, and unrelenting belief in his talent.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Spence’s path to international recognition has been anything but straightforward. Having started out at Middlesbrough, he secured a move to Tottenham in 2022 with high expectations. But the transition proved far from smooth. His persistence was rewarded last season when he played a key role in Spurs’ Europa League triumph, a turning point that put him back in the spotlight. Fast forward to Belgrade, and the full-back is now a fully-fledged England international, something that once seemed far-fetched.

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WHAT KANE & SPENCE SAID

Kane, who played alongside Spence  during those early Spurs years, presented him with his England legacy cap. Struggling to hold back tears, Kane told his team-mates: "We have a new debut today. I asked to do this because I saw this player three, four years ago at Tottenham. He had to go through a lot, he had to keep his head up, he had to work hard, and now he’s an England player. I’m a little emotional because I know how tough it was for you. Credit to you, your family, everyone involved. You deserve this one."

The man of the hour was understandably lost for words. Spence simply said: "I’m grateful to make my debut. Over the moon. It’s been a long journey but I finally made it. It feels great, man, thank you."

Speaking to the media later, Spence added: "I was surprised because I didn't know I was the first [Muslim], so it's a blessing. It's good to make history and hopefully inspire young kids around the world that they can make it as well. They can do what I am doing."

This season feels like a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side ended last season in spectacular fashion by securing Champions League football and winning the Conference League, and now there is an expectation they’ll at least challenge in the Premier League.

Fortunately, this summer has gone about as well for the Blues as could have, as they won the Club World Cup and are undefeated in their pre-season clashes.

Moreover, the board have made some smart additions to the team, and are now being linked with an upcoming star who has been compared to Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal.

Chelsea target a Bellingham & Yamal hybrid

Chelsea have really made the most of the transfer window this summer, as on top of making a pretty penny on the likes of Noni Madueke, Djordje Petrovic and Lesley Ugochukwu, they’ve seriously strengthened Maresca’s squad.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The likes of Liam Dealp, Joao Pedro and Jamie Gittens should bring a mountain of goals to the team, while Jorrel Hato looks like he could be one of the next great defenders in world football.

Yet, with the window still open, the Blues appear keen on adding more talent to their already impressive squad, and in this case, a player who has been compared to both Bellingham and Yamal.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Athletic, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s concrete interest in Xavi Simons.

In news that should reassure fans, the report has revealed that the West Londoners are still in talks with RB Leipzig over the incredibly talented Dutchman.

A potential price is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this summer have claimed that the German outfit want £61m for the dynamic attacker.

While that may seem like a lot, it’s probably fair for a player of his talent, especially as he’s been compared to Bellingham and Yamal.

How Simons compares to Bellingham & Yamal

So, there are a number of fairly surface-level similarities you can point to between Simons, Bellingham, and Yamal, such as them all being relatively young stars who are full internationals, play in Europe’s top five leagues, and are capable of creating chances out of nothing.

However, with FBref, we know that there are also plenty of quantifiable statistical similarities between them, as they looked at all attacking midfielders and wingers at last summer’s European Championships and concluded that the Real Madrid ace was the tenth most similar to the Leipzig star, and the Barça gem ranked as the sixth most similar.

You can gain a better understanding of how these comparisons were made by examining the underlying numbers in which the Dutchman ranked closely to the two international superstars.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals

0.11

0.09

Passing Accuracy

82.6%

85.7%

Passes into the Final Third

3.60

3.78

Tackles + Interceptions

2.60

2.57

Ball Recoveries

3.40

3.65

When it comes to the former Borussia Dortmund star, these metrics include things like non-penalty expected goals, passes into the final third and ball recoveries per 90, suggesting that the former PSV Eindhoven ace could be as dangerous in the right situations.

Interestingly, one of the standout similarities with Barcelona’s teenage sensation is their goal-creating actions per 90, which encompasses the two most critical offensive actions that precede a goal, which is a great metric to share with someone as effective as Yamal.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.79

0.89

Live Passes

35.4

33.6

Goal-Creating Actions

0.79

0.72

Tackles Won

1.00

1.07

Carries

31.8

34.8

However, while comparisons to two of the most exciting players in world football are undoubtedly encouraging signs, there are other clear reasons why the Pensionsers should be all over the 22-year-old “game-changer,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him.

For example, in just 33 appearances last season, totalling 2763 minutes, the Amsterdam-born dynamo scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

In other words, the sensational talent, who one analyst has dubbed “one of the best 10s in the world,” managed to average a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 144 minutes.

Ultimately, while he will cost a pretty penny, Chelsea should be doing all they can to secure Simons’ services as soon as possible.

Dream Colwill fix: BlueCo prepare bid to sign £43m "beast" for Chelsea

The incredible international could help solve Chelsea and Maresca’s most significant problem…

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 13, 2025

Phil Foden dedicated victory to late boxing legend Ricky Hatton after Manchester City beat local rivals Manchester United 3-0 in the derby just hours after it was announced that the famous City fan had passed away aged just 46. Foden scored on his first start to the season and claimed the tragic news gave his side extra motivation to win the derby.

Foden stars alongside Haaland in emotional victory

Foden scored the opener with a perfectly-placed header on 18 minutes, appearing to have a spring back in his step as City were too good for their visitors. Erling Haaland then stole the show with two ruthless finishes in the second period. A touching tribute was held for Hatton with a minute's applause prior to kick-off and City were inspired to an emphatic victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHatton inspires Foden to return to form

Foden struggled last season after enjoying the best year of his career so far the campaign prior. Pep Guardiola spoke prior to the game about his hopes for Foden to get back to his best and the England international appeared to be listening. For a local lad, the chance to shine in a Manchester derby in the memory of a club hero such as Hatton will no doubt have given him an extra push to succeed.

Foden's tribute to Hatton

Foden said to Sky Sports at the full-time whistle: "I had extra motivation going into the game, it was for him and his family and for the people suffering right now. The lads gave everything. It wasn't a pretty match but it was all for him."

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Getty Images SportFoden and City must take "extra motivation" forward

It is important for Foden that he continues to take such inspiration into the rest of the season as he hopes to nail down a starting spot in Guardiola's side. City fans and players alike are no doubt still grieving over the loss of Hatton and tributes are likely to continue around the club in his name.

Marizanne Kapp rocked the top order with three wickets Tahlia Wilson and Anika Learoyd steadied the chase

AAP20-Nov-2024Sydney Thunder are one win away from their third WBBL grand final, after scratching home to a tense final-over victory against Melbourne Stars.After Hannah Darlington starred with the ball to keep the last-placed Stars to 108 for 9, she was forced to hit the winning runs late with two balls and four wickets to spare.The win means if Thunder beat the second-placed Melbourne Renegades in their final-round match on Saturday, they will finish first. That would automatically qualify them for the final on December 1, and giving them hosting rights as the top-ranked team.Related

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A loss to Renegades would likely mean they finish second or third, and have to go through at least one knockout match in order to reach the final.Wednesday’s result continued a horror season for Stars, who have won only two of eight matches and sit last on the ladder.But the match was not as easy as it first appeared it would be for Thunder on a difficult Drummoyne Oval wicket. They slumped to 15 for 3 in the third over of their chase with Marizanne Kapp bagging all three wickets to leave Thunder in serious troubleThunder then fell to 38 for 4 after eight overs, before Tahlia Wilson and Anika Learoyd steadied the ship. The pair got the equation down to 23 off 20 balls, before Wilson got too aggressive and was caught trying to take on Kim Garth on 33.Stars then had chances to run Learoyd out and have her caught on the boundary, but missed both and eight runs were eventually required off the last over. Learoyd hit the first ball for two and the next for four, before a single allowed Darlington to finish the job for the hosts.Darlington had earlier claimed figures of 3 for 26 from her four overs, with four of those runs coming from an overthrow. She cramped a cutting Meg Lanning and bowled her with a smart off-cutter for 12, and also had Kapp sky a ball to cover next over.Athapaththu was also miserly with her 2 for 12 from four overs and also produced a direct-hit run out in the field to remove Tess Flintoff. Ultimately that helped set up the win as Thunder close in on their first grand final since their 2020 title success.

While they might not always be the biggest spenders, Arsenal have made some huge signings over the years.

For example, Viktor Gyokeres’ arrival earlier this summer felt like it could be a needle mover; Declan Rice, a couple of years ago, was, and then, while he didn’t cost as much, Alexis Sanchez was a real coup when he joined.

However, when it comes to headline-grabbing transfers, none can claim the top spot off of Mesut Özil, as his arrival in 2013 is still one of the most memorable moments in the club’s modern history.

So, fans should be delighted that it now looks like Mikel Arteta is about to sign his own Ozil.

Arsenal target their new Özil

So far, it would be fair to say that Arsenal are having a great summer regarding transfers, as so far, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has made six first-team additions.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Moreover, while the Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi are the most exciting signings thus far, the Italian has made sure to fill in the gaps in the rest of the squad, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.

However, instead of calling it quits there, the club now look set to make potentially the most exciting signing yet, one that could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil moment.

At least that is according to a recent report from The Standard’s Dom Smith, who has reaffirmed the news that Arsenal are now in pole position to secure Eberechi Eze.

In fact, Smith has revealed that the club-to-club details are “all agreed” and that the Crystal Palace star, who is an Arsenal fan, is now set to have his medical and sign his contract at some point on Friday, despite looking set to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday afternoon.

Having previously been in the Gunners academy until he was 13, at which point he was released, this is quite the sequence of events for a player who loves Arsenal.

It looks like the Englishman will cost Arsenal around £60m, and while that is a lot, it’s probably fair value for someone as talented as Eze, especially as he could be Arteta’s Ozil.

Why Eze could be the next Ozil

While fans will be hoping Eze’s Arsenal career ends in a better way than Ozil’s did, there are some significant similarities between them.

The first one relates to their transfers, as, despite being a world-class player at the time, fans had little to no idea that the German was moving to the Emirates until it was announced outside the stadium on Sky Sports News, much to the delight of the delirious fans that had gathered around the reporter to hear the news.

Now, the Crystal Palace star hasn’t officially been announced yet, but there was a similar euphoric reaction from the fans to David Ornstein’s surprise report that the club were after him last night.

That delirium was only intensified by Fabrizio Romano’s ‘here we go’ and the simple fact that Berta and Co look to have successfully hijacked the international star from Spurs.

On top of the nature of the transfer being similar to the former Real Madrid star’s, there is also a similar sense that the 27-year-old has the talent to be just as much of a game-changer for the Gunners.

Appearances

43

Minutes

3303′

Goals

14

Assists

11

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

132.12′

For example, despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.

In other words, the £100k-per-week superstar managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

That’s not all though, as the former QPR gem has also proven he can handle the biggest games and the biggest stages, as he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of Palace’s triumphant FA Cup run last season.

Ultimately, while he isn’t the exact same type of player, the incredible way in which Arsenal secured his signature and the impact he could have on this team mean Eze could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil.

The new Havertz: Arsenal weighing up late move to sign £80m star after Eze

The big-money star could be just what Arsenal need following Kai Havertz’s injury.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 21, 2025

Luke Shaw has admitted that Roy Keane’s fierce criticism of his performance in the Manchester derby was justified, even if it "hurt" to hear. The Manchester United defender was called out for "getting away with murder" by the outspoken ex-captain, but has vowed to show more consistency after bouncing back with a strong display against Chelsea.

Shaw criticised by Keane for Man City display

Shaw was heavily criticised after United’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, where he was at fault for two goals. Keane slammed his display and pointed to his long history of injuries since joining the club in 2014. The left-back, however, responded with a much-improved performance in the Red Devils' 2-1 win over Chelsea, where he set up Casemiro’s decisive goal.

AdvertisementGettyShaw admits 'I need to be consistent'

“I think sometimes you just have to take it on the chin,” Shaw said. “He's got a lot of experience. He was one of the best captains ever for Man United. Of course it hurts. I think criticism is part of being a football player. I listen to it. But for me, I think he was right. I think that last week, I wasn't at my level at all. I don't need Roy Keane to tell me. I think after the game, I knew that. I knew that, but of course it hurts.

“I'm not getting any younger now and I need to be consistent. I've had a lot of ups and downs, but for me now, it's about keeping that consistency at a high level. I know I can do that. The most important thing is knowing how good I can be. The manager knows that. I think the managers who I played with in the past know that. I'm always in the team and I'm always playing, so there must be something that the managers believe in.

“Last week hurt me a lot, because that's not my level. And I think the criticism is what people understand. But like I said, I take it on the chin and listen to it and move on.”

Shaw's injury-disrupted Man Utd career

Shaw’s words highlight his determination to avoid slipping into old habits and prove his worth to United boss Ruben Amorim. Injuries have disrupted much of his Manchester United career, but the full-back is currently enjoying a run of starts in a new role at centre-back. With United struggling for consistency, Shaw’s leadership and reliability could be vital in the weeks ahead.

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Getty Images SportVital games against Brentford & Sunderland up next

United will hope Shaw stays fit and continues to build rhythm after several stop-start seasons. He will be in line for a key role again in Amorim's plans for United's next two games against Brentford and newly-promoted Sunderland.

“It’s a complex situation with what’s going on but the biggest positive can be that group of women being talked about,” the England captain said

Valkerie Baynes11-Jan-2025Heather Knight has urged the cricket community to lend its voice to the Afghanistan women’s team amid concerns that the group had been largely “forgotten” until a row broke out last week over the England men’s team playing Afghanistan at the Champions Trophy.England are due to play Afghanistan in Lahore on February 26 in their second match of the tournament and the ECB has faced calls from UK politicians to consider boycotting the match. UK prime minister Keir Starmer and ECB chief executive Richard Gould have called upon the ICC to show leadership on the issue.Women’s cricket in Afghanistan has effectively been outlawed since the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Further restrictions have included banning the sound of women’s voices from being heard in public.Related

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Some 22 women contracted by the Afghanistan Cricket Board before the Taliban took control fled to Australia and are now based in Melbourne and Canberra. A number of them will play for an Afghanistan Women’s XI against a Cricket Without Borders XI in a T20 match at Melbourne’s Junction Oval on January 30, the same day England and Australia begin their Women’s Ashes day-night Test at the MCG.Knight, England Women’s captain, plans to meet a number of exiled players, who are now based in Melbourne, when they attend the second Ashes ODI at Junction Oval on Tuesday.”I think it’s a really good thing that people are talking about it and it’s been in the news again because honestly, I think it’s been forgotten a lot which is a really bad thing,” Knight said. “Obviously, it’s a really complex situation with what’s going on but I think the biggest positive can be that group of women being talked about.”They’re playing a game at Junction the first day of our Test match so I’d love to see that broadcast far and wide. Let’s get that voice out there that those women are playing cricket, which is a really cool thing. I think that could be a really positive message from a pretty heartbreaking situation going on in their home country.”

Former British Gymnastics performance director named as successor to Gavin Larsen

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Feb-2025Warwickshire have raided English football’s Premier League to fill their vacant performance director position. James Thomas, who is currently director of performance services at Manchester City, will make the move into cricket in June, succeeding Gavin Larsen in the role at Edgbaston.Thomas, who played rugby union professionally, was previously performance director at British Gymnastics for five years, and oversaw the sport’s push for medals at the Tokyo Olympics.His appointment comes in the wake of Warwickshire carrying out a high-performance review during the offseason, which led to the departure of men’s head coach Mark Robinson. In a new integrated structure, Thomas will have overarching responsibility for Warwickshire men, Bears women and the Birmingham Phoenix teams.Related

Birmingham Phoenix appoint Shane Bond as men's head coach

Robinson departs role as Warwickshire coach

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Warwickshire’s chief executive, Stuart Cain, said that Thomas’ expertise would be utilised to “create something special” at the club.”James is recognised in high performance sport as a real talent and has demonstrated ability to cross sports and quickly grasp what’s important in order to deliver success,” Cain said.”We wanted someone with real strategic experience of creating world-class, successful performance environments. He’s done that in football, arguably one of the toughest performance environments in world sport, and been equally successful with individual athletes in high-pressure Olympic sports.”He’s proved that he can move in to a new sport and quickly create a successful performance environment that leads to medals and trophies by developing the facilities and structures needed to create world-class players and teams.”The cricket leadership team has more than 200 years of technical cricket experience and 75 years’ experience of being a Bear. Combining this with James’ expertise will create something special.”He knows how to build teams as well as individuals that can handle high-pressure situations and deliver success. This was one of the areas of improvement identified in the recent high performance review.”Having worked globally, he also understands the impact of other leagues on domestic structures, something we really need to get our head around as franchise cricket develops.”The review also demonstrated our need to modernise the way we recruit and prepare for games with greater use of data and analysis. James has some really interesting ideas and plenty of experience in this space which will help us build more accountability and structure in to how we bring in and develop players, as well as create winning teams.”He’s also used to working with multiple coaches working across different disciplines in men’s and women’s sport. Another important consideration as he will be accountable for success across three different teams playing four different formats of the game.”I think James’ desire to become a Bear illustrates how the world of cricket is changing and professionalising as a global sport to rival football.”Although Thomas does not make the switch to Edgbaston until the summer, Warwickshire said he would spend time with the men’s and women’s squads in pre-season “as well as other leading names from the world of cricket” to prepare him for the role.Thomas said: “I am delighted to take on the role of performance director at Warwickshire County Cricket Club. Throughout the recruitment process I was impressed by the club’s desire to retain and celebrate its proud Bears culture, whilst embracing the opportunity to evolve and build a high-performance environment that’s capable of achieving sustained, long term success.”I am excited to meet the players, coaches and wider staff, as we look to work together to achieve extraordinary cricket performances in the future.”

In a shock to nobody, it’s been another busy summer of transfer activity for Chelsea this year.

The Conference League champions have backed Enzo Maresca in a significant way so far, offloading players deemed no longer good enough and replacing them with a host of exciting talents.

The likes of Jamei Gittens, Joao Pedro, Jorrel Hato and Liam Delap could all develop into world-beaters in West London, and with a few days left until the window slams shut, the Blues are closing in on even more signings, like Alejandro Garnacho.

Yet, if reports are to be believed, Chelsea are looking at bringing in another young attacker, someone the Argentine will love playing with.

Chelsea target dream teammate for Garnacho

Of all the transfer sagas Chelsea have been involved with this summer, the one that has felt like it’s dragged on the longest concerns Garnacho.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, after months of stories touting the Manchester United ace for a move to Stamford Bridge, it is finally happening, with a report revealing that his medical was planned to take place earlier today.

The 21-year-old might not be the final signing the West Londoners make this summer, though, as they’re now being heavily linked with another young talent, someone Garnacho will love playing with.

At least that is according to a recent report from Ben Jacobs, who claims that Chelsea are still very interested in Fermin Lopez.

In fact, the journalist has revealed that the Blues are now in “further talks” with the player’s camp, and that “initial club-to-club contact has also taken place.”

However, to sell the young attacker, the Spanish giants want a fee in excess of €60m, which is approximately £52m.

Yet, for a player as talented and promising as Lopez, that may be a fee worth paying, especially as he could be the perfect teammate for Garnacho.

Why Garnacho will love Lopez

It might sound rather simplistic, and it probably is, but one of the most significant reasons Garnacho will love playing with Lopez at Chelsea is his output.

Despite being just 21 years old for almost the entirety of last season, the Spanish ace was impressively effective for the Catalan giants.

For example, in 46 appearances, totalling just 2039 minutes, “creative” star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided ten assists.

Appearances

46

Minutes

2039′

Goals

8

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.39

Minutes per Goal Involvement

113.27′

That means he managed to average a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 113.27 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for someone his age.

Moreover, it highlights the fact that he’s more than capable of providing plentiful goal-scoring opportunities for his teammates, which will be music to the ears of the United ace.

More than that, though, it also makes it clear that he can be an effective goalscorer himself, which in turn could help improve the Argentine’s assist tally.

In addition to his raw output, another reason the Madrid-born gem will love playing with the 22-year-old is his positional versatility.

The reason is twofold, as on the one hand, the El Campillo-born phenom’s ability to play in midfield and on the wing means he’ll have plenty of opportunities to form a partnership with his potential new teammate.

On the other hand, it means he’ll be able to cover for him when he needs a rest.

Finally, the fact that the “spectacular” midfielder, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, is practically the same age as the former Atlético Madrid prospect means they’ll be able to grow and develop alongside one another, further cementing the potential partnership they could build.

Ultimately, while the price might be a little on the high side, Lopez looks like he could be an excellent signing for Chelsea and a brilliant teammate for Garnacho.

He'll be unreal with Pedro: Big-money star to sign for Chelsea on Friday

The big-money dynamo will be incredible with Joao Pedro at Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 29, 2025