All posts by h716a5.icu

The January transfer window is just around the corner and it will be interesting to see what Manchester United decide they need to do with their squad.

They may look to bring players in to bolster Ruben Amorim’s squad for the second half of the season, but they may also decide to offload some of the players on the fringes of the group.

Kobbie Mainoo, for example, is one star whose future at Old Trafford has been thrown into doubt due to his lack of minutes on the pitch this season, with zero Premier League starts, per Sofascore.

The latest on Kobbie Mainoo's future at Manchester United

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea and Bayern Munich are leading the race to sign the England international from Manchester United in the January transfer window.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

The report claims that there are at least 12 teams in the race to sign the 20-year-old starlet next month, but it is Chelsea and Bayern who are at the front of the queue at the moment.

Despite that, CaughtOffside adds that Napoli is where Mainoo would like to go the most, as he wants to go somewhere where he will start games on a regular basis, after struggling for minutes under Ruben Amorim.

CaughtOffside, however, does not reveal whether a loan or a permanent move is in the offing, or how much money the Red Devils would want for the central midfielder.

Amorim could give INEOS the green light to cash in on Mainoo by unleashing Sekou Kone in the first-team to show that they have an option already in the building who can step up and take his place.

How Sekou Kone could end Kobbie Mainoo's Man Utd career

The 19-year-old star, who joined the academy in the summer of 2024, missed the start of this season with a fractured eye socket, per Transfermarkt, but made his return to action last month.

Kone scored two goals in two games for Mali’s U22 side in the last international break, after playing against Notts County in the EFL Trophy for United’s U21s, and this means that he could be in contention for a first-team call-up, as he is fit and available for selection.

Last season, the teenage midfielder scored two goals and provided one assist in 15 appearances for United’s academy in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and made the bench for three Premier League games, which shows that he has been in Amorim’s thoughts.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described Kone as a “hidden gem”, which seems apt given his injury lay-off this season, and he could come out of almost nowhere to take Mainoo’s spot in the squad.

As aforementioned, the England international has not started a single Premier League match for the Red Devils this term, coming off the bench in all ten of his appearances.

25/26 All comps

26.4

25/26 Premier League

20.0

24/25 All comps

56.4

24/25 Premier League

66.2

23/24 All comps

76.0

23/24 Premier League

80.8

As you can see in the table above, Mainoo’s minutes on the pitch per game has gone down each season since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, in all competitions and in the Premier League.

This illustrates how the appointment of Amorim has affected the central midfielder’s career at Old Trafford, and why he now has a role that could suit a player like Kone.

The Mali youth international is a 19-year-old talent who has plenty to learn and little exposure to first-team football, which is why playing a role as a back-up midfield option who rarely, if ever, starts could be the perfect spot for him this season.

Whereas, Mainoo played regular senior minutes earlier in his career at Old Trafford and should be looking to find a club where he can get back to that, which is why he is wasted in his current role at United.

Analyst and Como scout Ben Mattinson claimed that Kone has “ball-winning prowess” and an “engine” that would make him ideally suited to Amorim’s pressing structure in the left-sided central midfield position.

Mattinson added that the youngster is “silky” on the ball to go along with his defensive qualities and high physical “ceiling”, which could make him an interesting player to use alongside Bruno Fernandes, who can push further forward with Kone playing as a deep-lying midfielder.

Forget Mbeumo: "Pogba-esque" Man Utd star looks like INEOS' best deal yet

INEOS’ best deal to date at Manchester United may have come from an unlikely source.

ByRobbie Walls 3 days ago

Whilst the academy star is unproven at first-team level, unleashing Kone in the first-team in the coming weeks and months could provide United with the cushion that they need to end Mainoo’s career at the club, amid interest from 12 teams, as they would have a player who can step into his role.

The legspinner was sent home within the first few days of the tour of New Zealand having been diagnosed with a partial stress fracture in his lower back

George Dobell10-Jun-2018Mason Crane is to have a scan on Monday having experienced a recurrence of pain in his back.Crane, the 21-year-old leg-spinner who made his Test debut in the final Test of the Ashes in Sydney, was sent home within the first few days of the tour of New Zealand having been diagnosed with a partial stress fracture in his lower back. The England camp felt they had caught the problem earlyHe made his comeback for Hampshire a couple of weeks ago but, after seven Royal London Cup games, he felt further discomfort in his back and was not included in the side for the Championship match against Surrey which started on Saturday.While it is understood that Hampshire and England are taking a cautious approach with Crane, there will be concern that he has experienced any further discomfort so soon and after a relatively light bowling load.Toby Roland-Jones was also forced to miss a Test tour over the winter – he was ruled out of the Ashes due to a stress fracture – and then aborted his comeback in the early days of this season after a recurrence of the problem. He is not expected to play again this season.

A flat pitch with little pace in it always made the draw the likeliest result but young Surrey offspinner Virdi continued to impress

ECB Reporters Network07-May-2018
ScorecardScott Borthwick’s unbeaten 82 guided Surrey to a comfortable Specsavers County Championship draw against Worcestershire at the Kia Oval, with the home side reaching 173 for 3 in their second innings to finish the match 81 runs in front.For Worcestershire, who began the game at the bottom of Division One table with three defeats from their first three fixtures, an 11-point haul – and seeing their batsmen pile up 526, the county’s highest first-class total at the Oval – will do much for morale. In truth, however, a flat pitch with little pace in it always made the draw the likeliest result after Surrey had themselves totalled 434 in the first innings of the match on Friday and Saturday.The final day’s play, from a Surrey perspective, was notable not just for Borthwick’s runs – which underlined his excellent start to the new season after the misery of a poor summer in 2017 – but also for Amar Virdi’s 6 for 105.The impressive 19-year-old offspinner now has 14 Championship wickets from his three appearances this season, at an average of 18.85. His latest wicket-haul followed up the 4 for 79 he took against Hampshire and then 4 for 80 against Lancashire, and was the best return of his six-match-old first-class career.Amar Virdi has had a prolific start to his County Championship season•ESPNcricinfo LtdVirdi took all four wickets to fall in the morning session after Worcestershire had resumed on 469 for 6, having Ben Twohig caught at mid-on for 9 and Joe Leach at extra cover for 18, before catching both Josh Tongue (9) and Ed Barnard, who converted his overnight 42 into a 135-ball 66, off his own bowling. He also saw Leach dropped at short leg from the first ball he faced.Surrey openers Mark Stoneman and Rory Burns got through to lunch at 35 for no wicket, but both fell early in the afternoon session – Stoneman leg-before to Charlie Morris for 20 and Burns held low at deep square leg for 30 as he swept at Twohig’s left arm spin.Stoneman’s six Championship innings this season have now brought him only 105 runs at an average of 17.50 and a top score of just 29. The England Test opener needs to show some form in Surrey’s next match, at home to Yorkshire, ahead of the two-match series against Pakistan which starts on May 24.From 74 for 2, Borthwick was then joined by Ryan Patel in a stand of 62 to ensure no further alarms and all but ensure the draw. Patel, however, was caught at midwicket for 25, pulling at Morris, in the last over before the tea interval.Ben Foakes kept Borthwick company until hands were shaken at 4.50pm, with Surrey’s in-form wicketkeeper-batsman ending up on 11 not out. Borthwick, who played some lovely strokes through extra cover and has now scored 250 runs at an average of 50 in this embryonic four-day campaign, faced 154 balls and hit seven fours.

It might be a tired cliché, but last night felt like a game of two halves for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou’s side played host to Manchester City, and set out to pick up their fourth Premier League win on the bounce.

Unfortunately, a goal from the recently returned Erling Haaland made sure that didn’t happen, and while the visitors could have been three or four up in the first half, the Lilywhites had bountiful chances of their own in the second 45.

0

Goals

1

1.12

Expected Goals

2.09

55%

Possession

45%

2

Big Chances

4

11

Total Shots

12

8

Corners

3

512

Passes

412

However, while there were several players who put in solid shifts for the North Londoners, there were still some who let themselves down, such as Pedro Porro, who the manager should never have started.’

Why Postecoglou shouldn't have started Porro

After starting the game against Ipswich Town over the weekend on the bench, there would’ve been hope among some of the Spurs faithful that Postecoglou would keep Porro there for last night’s game.

Unfortunately, the Australian decided to start him at right-back, and to the surprise of very few, it turned out to be a sizeable mistake, as even while he might have a great pass on him, time after time this season, he has proven himself incapable of defending.

It might sound harsh, but it’s an opinion shared by journalist Mitch Fretton, who described him as a “familiar” problem while football.london’s Alasdair Gold gave him a 5/10 match rating at full-time, writing that he ‘had a tough night’ against Jeremy Doku, which is quite the understatement.

The Belgian turned the former Sporting CP ace inside out all night, and if it wasn’t the tricky winger giving him problems, he was creating them himself.

For example, in his 90-plus minutes of action, the 25-year-old endeavoured to give the ball away 12 times and did so for Haaland’s disallowed goal at the end of the game.

Overall, it was another horror show for the error-prone full-back, and it’s clear that Postecoglou made a massive mistake in starting him over the player who started there on the weekend.

The Spurs star who should've started against City

With Archie Gray starting at centre-back alongside Kevin Danso and the lack of other defensive options, it will come as no surprise that the player Postecoglou should have started over Porro last night was Djed Spence.

The former Middlesbrough full-back has been a revelation since breaking into the first team this season – as evidenced by the crowd’s roar upon his arrival last night – and considering how dismal the Spaniard has been for much of the campaign, he should have been in from the first whistle.

Not only can he help out in the final third – he already has four goal involvements in 20 appearances this year – but he’s also far more secure and reliable when it comes to the defensive side of the game, which, even in the modern game, is incredibly important for a full-back.

Tackles

3.02

2.31

Tackles Won

2.50

1.67

Tackles + Interceptions

4.06

3.50

All Blocks

1.77

1.62

Shots Blocked

0.73

0.60

Passes Blocked

1.04

1.03

Aerial Duels Won

1.15

0.43

For example, when we compare their underlying numbers, the “unbelievable” Englishman, as dubbed by Ian Wright, comes out ahead in the majority of relevant defensive metrics, including but not limited to tackles, tackles won, all blocks, shots blocked, passes blocked, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Lastly, on top of having the better defensive numbers on paper, the £20m titan also appears to be far better at anticipating the movements of opposition wingers, as unlike Porro, he rarely seems to find himself on the floor after mistiming a tackle.

Ultimately, while the team certainly weren’t dreadful last night, Postecoglou got it very wrong not starting Spence, and we can’t see him making the same decision in the Europa League next week.

A £70m star in the making: Spurs hit gold with "incredible" Ange signing

The ever-improving ace has become an essential player for Spurs this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 25, 2025

Paul Coughlin impressed with England Lions this winter but a shoulder injury suffered in the final match of their Caribbean tour needs an operation

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Mar-2018Nottinghamshire’s delight in pulling off one of the transfer coups of the season when they signed the Durham allrounder Paul Coughlin has been marred by the news that he will miss much of his debut season because of a shoulder injury.Coughlin will have an operation on Wednesday in Manchester to repair the right shoulder – his bowling shoulder – that he damaged while on England Lions duty.He joined Nottinghamshire on a three-year deal in September amid an outcry from Durham, whose president, Sir Ian Botham, called for greater compensation for counties losing players produced by their academy system.Notts hailed Coughlin’s international potential and that immediately became evident when he won England Lions recognition and impressed on tour in Australia before Christmas and in the Caribbean in February and March.But in the Lions’ final unofficial One-Day International against the West Indies, he was forced off the field after diving for the ball and landing awkwardly and dislocating his shoulder.Notts’ head coach Peter Moores conceded that Coughlin will now miss “a big chunk” of the season. It is a blow for Notts, who won both limited-overs trophies last season and regained their First Division status in the Championship and had regarded Coughlin’s all-round talents as important in re-energising a squad hit by several batting departures in the past year.”He has been assessed and is going to have an operation on Wednesday,” said Moores. “It’s obviously a very serious injury and we are not going to see him for a while, but in physio James Pipe and all the medical staff he’s in the best hands, and hopefully the surgery goes well.”He’s got a fairly long journey back to fitness and we all feel for him because he’d just joined a new club and made a really good impression in terms of his ability and how he’s been around the other lads.”I’m sure he will commit everything to the rehab which he will have to do, and realistically there is going to be a big chunk of the season which he is going to have to miss.Moores said of the injury: “He’s gone full length to try to get to a ball and with sport there’s always a chance of an injury. The commitment he showed in going for that ball is the way he plays his cricket – and why we were so excited to get him.”

TalkSPORT pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor says one potential Tottenham signing could seal Ange Postecoglou a top four Premier League finish.

Who have Tottenham signed 2023?

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, young centre-back Ashley Phillips, defender Micky van de Ven, midfielder James Maddison, winger Manor Solomon, striker Alejo Veliz and forward Brennan Johnson all joined Spurs over the 2023 summer transfer window.

In a major N17 rebuild, ex-superstar striker Harry Kane, Sergio Reguilon, Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Harry Winks, Alfie Devine, Troy Parrott, Dane Scarlett, Davinson Sanchez and Tanguy Ndombele all moved elsewhere either on loan or permanently.

However, there are areas of the squad which Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy couldn't quite strengthen before deadline day; regardless of their best efforts.

Spurs had been weighing up a late bid for Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly, but the move ultimately failed to materialise, with Gent striker Gift Orban also linked towards the latter stages of this summer.

Brentford striker Ivan Toney has also been tipped as a possible replacement by sections of the media, who claim Tottenham are one of the contenders for his signature alongside Arsenal and Chelsea.

Will Spurs sign a striker?

Postecoglou's side have enjoyed a rip-roaring start to this campaign; scoring 13 goals with only Brighton and Man City scoring more than them so far. That is without a recognised centre-forward, as Tottenham's fluid new system under Postecoglou has allowed the likes of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and others thrive.

However, talkSPORT's Agbonlahor believes that Spurs simply must need a new centre-forward of Kane's ilk – and not doing so could cost them a top four place. Speaking to Football Insider, the former Aston Villa striker has claimed Toney would be perfect – urging Spurs to get a deal done as soon as possible.

"If I’m Spurs, I’m wanting this done now," said Agbonlahor. "They should get it all done, agreed today – and then he comes in on 1 January and plays towards the end of the month.

“Spurs need an out-and-out striker. Johnson and Richarlison aren’t the answer, they are players who can fill in on the left and right. Toney is an outstanding player, and imagine the service he’d get – especially from Maddison.

“They’ve got to make sure this happens because look out there – who else is available? It could be what costs them top four in the end, not having a top striker.”

How good is Ivan Toney?

The Englishman bagged 20 league goals at Brentford last season before his ban for gambling breaches, with Bees boss Thomas Frank calling him a "remarkable" and "amazing" player.

“Ivan is amazing in many, many aspects,” Frank said. “The way he copes with pressure and distractions is amazing. He’s been scoring goals, performing for the team and driving the team. He’s remarkable.

“Ivan trains well and he’s clearly the number two striker in England, that’s proven by his goals and performances."

Glasgow Rangers have made it back-to-back wins under Michael Beale for only the second time during the 2023/24 campaign and the latest of those, a 1-0 victory over Real Betis at Ibrox in the Europa League, will give the club a massive confidence boost.

The game saw yet another solid performance from goalkeeper Jack Butland, who made four saves during the encounter and demonstrated how comfortable he is on the ball by taking 45 touches throughout the tie.

The Englishman has arguably been the standout among the summer arrivals as Beale has yet to get a proper tune out of some of them, Cyriel Dessers included.

How has Cyriel Dessers performed at Rangers?

The forward joined the Gers from Serie A side Cremonese during the transfer window on a four-year deal as Beale looked to replace the departed Alfredo Morelos and Antonio Colak in the Gers first team.

The Nigerian international had scored six goals in the Italian top flight during the 2022/23 season and while this wasn’t exactly prolific by any stretch of the imagination, Beale had clearly seen something in the player.

So far, however, he has failed to sparkle at the Light Blues, netting only two goals, with none of them coming in the Premiership.

The 28-year-old has missed four big chances in the league so far while succeeding with only 0.3 successful dribbles per game and losing possession 8.8 times per game as he has still to adapt to the Scottish game.

Could the 43-year-old perhaps have signed another striker who would have been a better option than Dessers? As the Ibrox side were linked with youngster Petar Ratkov earlier this year.

Did Rangers nearly sign Petar Ratkov?

Not long after Beale took charge of the club, he went and brought in Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin during the January transfer window, bolstering his squad in the process.

A few weeks later it appeared as though the manager was planning ahead for the future, keeping tabs on Ratkov, according to Football Insider.

The promising talent was playing for Serbian outfit FK TSC, and they had already rejected bids from Parma and Anderlecht during the January transfer window, indicating that the Gers had some serious competition to potentially secure his signature.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig had profiled the player in 2022, stating that he was a “target man” while adding that his strengths were “finishing” and “link-up play” and his goalscoring abilities were never in question as he scored 14 goals and grabbed five assists across 40 games for his club side and this was an impressive return rate considering he was only 19-years-old.

The Gers were looking at a player who could turn into a long term heir for Alfredo Morelos, who looked closer and closer to departing Glasgow, yet Beale missed out on a youngster who he looks set to follow a path similar to that of Erling Haaland.

Why didn't Rangers sign Petar Ratkov?

Despite the early interest, the Gers eventually fell down the pecking order and the Serbian gem ended up signing for Red Bull Salzburg for a fee of €4.5m (£3.9m) which was a more than affordable figue of the Light Blues.

Haaland moved from Molde to Salzburg back in 2018 having shown immense promise at the Norwegian side, and it was at the Austrian outfit that he truly emerged as one of the biggest young talents on the continent.

Across just 27 games, Haaland scored a staggering 29 goals and grabbed seven assists, leading to a big-money move to Borussia Dortmund in January 2020.

His goalscoring exploits have established the 23-year-old as arguably the finest striker on the planet and Ratkov will be hoping to follow in these footsteps without a shadow of a doubt.

The 20-year-old – who, like the Manchester City man, stands at an impressive 6 foot 4, shares similar attributes to Haaland such as his finishing abilities and athleticism, and he has plenty of time on his side to make an impression in Austria.

Indeed, Ratkov has already scored once for his new club and the early signs look promising that he can be the next breakout star.

Is Petar Ratkov better than Cyriel Dessers?

With Dessers not exactly shining so far for the Gers, could Ratkov have perhaps been a better choice for Beale?

Last season, the Serbian not only scored more league goals (13 to six), but he also had more shots on target per game (0.9 to 0.5), created more big chances (five to two) and scored more often (every 189 minutes to every 265 minutes) and this indicates that he was by far the better performer for his club side during the 2022/23 campaign.

It is still early in his career and judgement shouldn’t be made on Dessers so quickly, especially with a hectic run of fixtures to come for the club until Christmas as they aim to balance domestic football with European competition.

If he doesn’t start finding the back of the net on a regular basis however, questions will soon be asked if he was the correct signing, and it doesn’t take long for new signings to feel the heat in the pressure cooker environment that is Ibrox.

Ratkov has already scored 26 goals in his professional career in just 92 matches and this should only increase having made the move to a bigger club in a much bigger league.

Although Morelos was at times temperamental and often inconsistent, his goal record was one that will take some beating, and it’s evident that the club miss his presence in the opposition penalty area.

While Ratkov wouldn’t have been a like-for-like replacement for the Colombian, he is already shining on the continent and given his similarities to Haaland, he could have turned into a key player for the club in the near future.

Dessers will need to show more in the next few months and given he has netted 113 career goals, there is no doubt that he has the talents that could allow him to blossom in Scotland.

The ability is there, now it is a case of displaying it.

Hales’ decision to become a white-ball specialist has been rewarded with a Sunrisers contract which will mean he misses at least two Royal London Cup matches for Notts

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Mar-2018Notts Outlaws batsman Alex Hales has been signed by Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement for David Warner. The former Australian vice-captain was set to captain the franchise, but resigned and was then banned by the BCCI from playing in the tournament for his part in the ball-tampering scandal that emerged in South Africa this week.Sunrisers’ move for Hales means that his gamble to become a white-ball specialist despite missing out in the IPL auction has paid off – stressing his availability in the event of any replacements being needed. He was bought for his base price of INR 1 crore (USD 154,000) from the available player pool list.Hales’ failure to win a spot in the initial auction caused some surprise in England. He remains the only England player till date to score a T20I century and is also the only England batsman to feature in the top-10 list of the ICC T20I rankings.Hales, 28, had recently signed a two-year deal to play only white ball cricket for Notts Outlaws, but as is common these days, it included a clause stating his right to sign an IPL deal if offered one.Notts director of cricket Mick Newell said: “Although Alex missed out in the IPL auction, we knew there was a chance he could be signed up as a replacement, given his excellent record in the T20 Blast last summer and with England.””Clearly, we would have loved Alex to be around for the whole of our own 50-over campaign, but we still go into that competition with a very strong squad and his absence for a period opens up opportunities for others.”Hales will miss two Royal London One-Day Cup matches, and maybe more if Sunrisers reach the playoff stage in late May. Hales will miss the fixtures against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford and against Northamptonshire at Welbeck.He will leave for India as soon as possible. The IPL begins on April 7, while Sunrisers’ first match is on April 9 against Rajasthan Royals.Sunrisers will now be captained by New Zealand’s Kane Williamson, another consequence of the ball-tampering fallout.Hales said: “I’m excited to be given this opportunity. While it’s disappointing to miss matches for Outlaws, when I return to England I will be match-hardened and ready to give my all to their cause.”

The visitors piled up 9 for 375 on a free-scoring first day at the WACA

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2018Victoria 9 for 375 (Dean 111, White 57, Stoinis 3-63) v Western Australia
Scorecard
A patient hundred from Victoria opener Travis Dean was an outlier on a freewheeling day of scoring for the Bushrangers against Western Australia at the WACA.Dean made 111 from 195 balls with 18 fours and one six to help the Bushrangers to a strong position midway through the first day after Aaron Finch won the toss and chose to bat. Dean and Marcus Harris put on 113 for the opening wicket. Glenn Maxwell made an entertaining 47 from just 52 balls to push the score to 1 for 193 after 50 overs of play.But Maxwell, Will Pucovski and Dean were dismissed in the space of 12 overs to halt Bushrangers’ momentum. Dean fell to a stunning diving catch from Simon Mackin at mid-on. Cameron White steadied with his fourth consecutive 50-plus score. Wicketkeeper Sam Harper played a late cameo to push the total to 9 for 375 at close.The Warriors used seven bowlers, all of whom conceded more than 3 runs per over.

Newcastle United splashed the cash once again in the summer transfer window, welcoming exciting arrivals like Sandro Tonali and Harvey Barnes. The reinforcements were made to ensure that the Magpies would be capable of competing on all fronts – so far this season, they have struggled to make an impact in the Premier League.

Eddie Howe's side got off to the perfect start against Aston Villa, brushing Unai Emery's side aside with a dominant 5-1 victory. Things went downhill from there, however, as Newcastle suffered a narrow defeat against Manchester City, before conceding two late goals to lose against Liverpool at St James' Park, before an Evan Ferguson hat-trick saw Brighton & Hove Albion defeat the Magpies in convincing fashion.

Their weakness has come in the backline, with their lack of depth in the centre-back role becoming more and more apparent. This is a problem that Newcastle are well aware of, and, according to reports, they made an offer for a potential solution late on in the summer transfer window.

What's the latest Newcastle United transfer news?

Newcastle's lack of depth in central defence was exposed for all to see against Liverpool when Sven Botman was forced off through injury, and Dan Burn was forced to come across to fill in. It was then Burn who was unable to catch Darwin Nunez for the Reds' late winner.

The left-back was then forced to fill in again against Brighton, resulting in a 3-1 loss, as Ferguson ran riot. Given the fact that Newcastle spent a reported €153m (£131m) on reinforcements in the summer transfer window, one of those arrivals should have been a centre-back early on.

Instead, the Magpies waited until it was too late. According to reporter Wayne Veysey of Football Insider, PIF failed with a late bid for Joachim Andersen of Crystal Palace, which was reportedly in excess of £30m.

Howe was personally keen to strengthen his defensive options, but as the window closed, was forced to settle for the options that he currently has at his disposal in his backline.

Should Newcastle have pushed the boat out for Andersen?

Whether it was Andersen or another option, Botman's injury – even though it wasn't long-term – should have resulted in a centre-back coming through the door at Newcastle.

If they want to compete on all fronts, then attempting to shoehorn Burn into central defence is unlikely to do Newcastle any favours, as already proved against both Liverpool and Brighton.

Andersen would have been an ideal option, too. Statistically speaking, the Palace defender even outperformed Botman in certain areas last season, as per FBref.

Player

Progressive Passes

Progressive Carries

Clearances

Joachim Andersen

105

16

188

Sven Botman

87

8

126

It's clear that by signing Andersen, Howe wouldn't just have depth in his defence, he would have someone capable of pushing both Botman and Schar for a starting place. For now, however, he remains a Crystal Palace player who Newcastle simply failed to sign.

When January arrives, though, if the Magpies are still in need of a defender, then turning to Andersen once more could be the way forward.