From landing a dream NWSL move to making her Australia debut in Sam Kerr's iconic jersey, it's been some year already for the 24-year-old
There are whirlwinds and there is Kaitlyn Torpey’s 2024. When the year kicked off, she was still playing in her native Australia, still waiting for the right offer to take her career overseas and still pushing for that first Matildas call-up. In the space of just nine days in February, that all changed. Now, she can call herself a team-mate of stars like Alex Morgan, Caitlin Foord, Jaedyn Shaw and, when she returns from injury, Sam Kerr.
“It still doesn't really feel real,” Torpey tells GOAL from San Diego, having signed for the Wave, the 2023 NWSL Shield winners, earlier this year. “It still hasn't really hit me where I am. It's been great. I don't know when it will actually feel like, 'Okay, this is real life and this is happening'. It's been a whirlwind and I'm just living my dream and that's all I can ask for.”
Things are set to get better yet, too. Having boxed off her first title with the Wave in March with the Challenge Cup, despite only having five caps to her name, Torpey has secured a spot on the plane to France for when Australia flies out for the Olympic women’s football tournament this summer. It’s just another sprinkle of surrealism on top of six sensational months.
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Big move
The catalyst for it all came just before Christmas when Torpey heard that a club in the U.S. was interested in her. “I had no idea what team or whether it was even in the top league or anything,” Torpey tells GOAL. At that point she was a seasoned A-League Women’s player, in her eighth campaign in Australia’s top-flight, but was still playing National Premier League football during the off-season, that the regional second-tier, still waiting for her big move abroad.
“I think that I was ready for it,” she remembers. “I didn't want to leave just for a mediocre offer, a not-as-good overseas club or league to play in. But this opportunity, I felt like I couldn't say no. It was such a big league, it's one of the top two leagues that I wanted to go to in the world. Wave won it last year so they are an amazing team with amazing facilities and everything. For me, there was no hesitation to leave. It's obviously, personally, a massive move, it's my first move overseas, but I was ready to go the next step and push myself and push myself for the national team as well.”
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Faultless first impression
One of the biggest reasons this move was seen as a no-brainer was Wave head coach Casey Stoney. After speaking with the former England star for the first time, Torpey said to her agent: “I can't see anything that's wrong with this. I can't see a fault in this move.”
“The one thing I really loved about her is that she said, straight away, 'Okay, I know where your strengths are, but I also know where your weaknesses are and what we want to work on'. And she named them,” the 24-year-old recalls. “And that's what's happening now. I felt straight away, 'Okay, I'm going to improve as a player under an amazing coach like Casey'.
“I think the best thing about her is that you don't have to be playing for her to give you her full attention. Even when I don't play or don't get as many minutes, she will sit with me through game film each week if I want to, and then we'll do extras after training and we work on really specific things just for me. It's not like she's just handing me over to an assistant coach or anyone else. She's like, 'No, you and me are going to do this' and she always makes time for me. That's been one of the biggest things that I love about working with her.”
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Learning from the best
As a former defender, Stoney has been able to give Torpey, who can play full-back or winger on either side, a few pointers – and the players she comes up against every day in training also help, without even knowing it. Torpey remembers her first session with the Wave and going up against Shaw, the exciting young United States women’s national team star. “I was like, ‘Okay, this is where you know where the standards are’,” she says.
“She's obviously an amazing player, but everyone [is]. If you make one mistake, it can lead to a goal in training and that's why it's so good because you learn so much. In the last two to three months, I've probably learned more than I ever have on the football side of the game. Casey's a big reason for it, but it's also because the players around me are world-class and everyone has a name and everyone's got a bit of fame here. It's great. I'm learning so much and that's exactly why I wanted to come here.”
In Sofia Jakobsson and Kyra Carusa, Torpey has been coming up against two forwards who played at last year’s World Cup, and there is no introduction needed for Morgan, the captain of this team who was also at that tournament. The two-time world champion has a great reputation with nurturing young forwards and there are ways she has been able to aid a promising defender like Torpey, too.
“She’s said a few things that have really helped, but it's also just having a quality player like that running at you,” the Australia international explains. “Yesterday in training we were going at it and I had to tackle her a few times and she was so class with everything. She's such a hard player to mark. She doesn't even need to say anything for me to learn from her, just defending her is enough.”
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Bringing plenty to the table
There is plenty of star quality in San Diego on the defensive side as well, with a World Cup winner in Abby Dahlkemper and the exceptional Naomi Girma, and their direction has been useful for someone with Torpey’s skillset. The 24-year-old can be thrown into a number of positions, so having players like that around her as she settles into a match in a different role is a bonus.
“It's been so helpful when I sub into games to have leaders at the back like Abby and Naomi, they've been massive. As soon as I step onto the field, I feel like, 'Okay, I'm covered either way', whether it's covered from the wing or covered from my center-backs,” Torpey says. “They talk to me so much and that's one of the biggest differences I've felt. In this team, everyone communicates and everyone's a leader so it makes it so easy to just slot right in and feel at home straightaway.”
Constantly being able to switch positions is something Torpey admits can be a lot of work, requiring extra study, film and time with the coaches to go through how it changes her set-pieces roles, for example. However, she loves that, she’ll “do anything” to get on the pitch and she recognises that such versatility is “one of the best assets” she has.
Aston Villa have simply been phenomenal this season with Unai Emery’s side sitting second in the Premier League, just three points behind Liverpool in first.
They've also made it to the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2016 and made it through to the knock-out stages of the Conference League.
Premier League Top Four
Matches
Wins
Draws
Losses
Points
GD
1. Liverpool
20
13
6
1
45
25
2. Aston Villa
20
13
3
4
42
16
3. Man City
19
12
4
3
40
24
4. Arsenal
20
12
4
4
40
17
Despite the success so far, however, the Spaniard is keen to recruit extra bodies in January, with a former Premier League star noted as someone who could strengthen Emery's attack.
Aston Villa want former Premier League star
According to Football Transfers, Villa are looking to bring in Wilfried Zaha this January with an approach having been made for both the Ivorian and Lazio's Felipe Anderson, once of West Ham.
Crystal Palace'sWilfriedZaha
Emery is known to be an admirer of the forward having wanted to sign him when he was at Arsenal, but the Palace fan favourite has only recently joined Turkish giant Galatasaray last summer.
Therefore, a move this month seems unlikely, with Zaha also reportedly happy in Turkey.
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Stay on top of all the latest transfer deals across the Premier League, EFL and SPFL as the January window closes.
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Charlie Smith
Feb 1, 2024
How Wilfried Zaha compares to Leon Bailey
Crystal Palace icon Zaha left the club last summer to seek a new opportunity after playing 458 games for the club, the most appearances in the Eagles’ history. Over the years, he netted 90 goals and registered 76 assists, often playing across the attack in numerous roles.
However, he has mainly featured on the left wing in Turkey, contributing nine goals in 23 starts across all competitions.
Wilfried Zaha's record vs Villa
Games Played
14
Goals
3
Assists
0
Wins
5
Draws
3
Defeats
6
Wins at Villa Park
1
Stats via Transfermarkt.
With Emery’s variant of the 4-4-1-1, Zaha could slot into the side at either right midfield or as a second striker, with the latter being the most likely.
Moussa Diaby has played in that role this season, but the signing of the ex-Palace man could see him move into his preferred wide right position, ultimately reducing Leon Bailey’s minutes, even though he has made 11 goal contributions in 18 Premier League matches this campaign.
Leon-bailey
Nonetheless, the table below shows Zaha’s stats from the 2022/23 Premier League season, with the aim of portraying his playstyle and indicating how he would fair at Villa.
Zaha's 2022/23 Premier League Stats
Stats (per 90)
Zaha
Rank in the PL
Goals
0.28
Top 31%
Successful take-ons
2.16
Top 14%
Shots total
2.52
Top 16%
Touches (Att pen)
5.63
Top 20%
Fouls drawn
3.03
Top 2%
Stats via FBref
Football scout Antonio Mango previously labelled Zaha "frightening," and his relentless approach certainly supports that. The 31-year-old is a player who affects the game via his close dribbling, eagerness to drive at the opponent, and unleash attempts at goal, as highlighted by his touches in the box, successful take-ons, and shots total.
His pace, power, and athleticism make him extremely difficult to stop, and based on his fouls drawn stat, the only way to stop him is to take him down.
This would see Villa win more set pieces, which they are usually dangerous from, given that they have scored the joint-third most goals from those scenarios in the Premier League this season.
Wilfried-Zaha-Crystal-Palace
The former United ace isn’t exactly the most prolific goal scorer, but given that he was the focal point in a Palace team that wasn’t dominant, his potential has been harnessed.
However, if he were to sign for Villa, who are the joint-second-highest goal scorers in the Premier League this campaign, Emery would be confident of turning him into a machine, potentially replacing Bailey in the process.
Ella Toone got some Hollywood treatment as the Lionesses star was honoured by Wigan Council with a star on their walk of fame.
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Toone and Keely Hodgkinson receive special honour
Got a star on Wigan’s Walk of Fame
Man Utd star posed with family
WHAT HAPPENED?
Toone and Keely Hodgkinson, both prominent athletes from the Wigan area, have been honoured with stars on the Walk of Fame. The announcement, which was made during a council meeting last March ahead of International Women’s Day, has finally seen the light of day.
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The concept closely echoes that of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is a landmark in California, containing 2,777 five-pointed terrazzo-and-brass stars of actors, directors, producers, musicians and others embedded on the pavements of 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street. Toone was seen posing with the star on the hallowed pavement and later took pictures along with friends and family.
WHAT'S WRITTEN ON THE STAR
The massive black star has a special inscription at the centre of it. It reads: "Ella Toone. Lioness and European Championship Winner."
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DID YOU KNOW
In addition to her star on the Walk of Fame, Toone has another legacy in Wigan – a football pitch named in her honour. The Ella Toone Pitch was unveiled as part of a £7.6 million ($9.66m) investment from the Premier League, The FA, and the Government’s Football Foundation. This pitch is one of 23 new facilities named after the Lionesses, celebrating their EURO 2022 victory and encouraging females to participate in football.
In truth, the Manchester United faithful will just want this disaster of a season to end already.
However, Sir Jim Ratcliffe hasn't given up hope of Erik ten Hag's team turning their campaign around and sneaking into a Champions League spot by the end of the campaign.
Therefore, the Red Devils will look to bring a new addition to the club by the end of the month.
The fix to United's attacking woes
According to Fabrizio Romano, via GiveMeSport, United have been discussing Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting internally.
The transfer expert mentioned that the 34-year-old is "appreciated" by the English club.
However, any move for the Bayern player will be a short-term loan deal till the end of the season, with financial fair play restrictions preventing United from splashing the cash.
The news comes amid talk of a rather more staggering move potentially being in the pipeline with reports suggesting the Red Devils have held talks over a move to sign Karim Benzema following Anthony Martial's injury.
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Luke Randall
Feb 1, 2024
The stats that show Choupo-Moting could revive Antony
Life as a Man United player for Antony has been far from a memorable period. The Brazilian followed in Ten Hag's footsteps from Ajax to Old Trafford last season, coming with a whopping £86m fee and huge expectations. Fast forward to today, and the 23-year-old has failed to register a goal contribution all season while also being labelled as last year's 'flop of the season' by talkSPORT's Tony Casacrino.
Despite the left-footed winger being a frustrating player to watch, he has been a tad unfortunate this season, with just the output missing from some decent performances. The environment for him to succeed has also not been provided, which is more of a recruitment issue than the player's fault.
However, Choupo-Moting could provide the perfect profile for Antony to finally flourish in a United shirt. The table below shows a handful of the striker's stats from the last year that proves why.
Choupo-Moting's Stats
Stats (per 90)
Choupo-Moting
Percentile
Goals
0.54
Top 21%
Touches (Att pen)
6.86
Top 7%
Passes received
31.23
Top 11%
Pass completion %
79.7%
Top 9%
Key passes
1.53
Top 12%
Stats via FBref
Antony isn't a player that boasts blistering pace or power to make a run in behind and beat a man like Marcus Rashford on the opposite flank, but he does thrive when in a settled attacking shape where he can combine with those around him. This is shown by his rank in the top 6% and top 1% for passes into the penalty area and touches in the attacking third during Ajax's 2021/22 Champions League campaign, as per FBref.
Choupo-Moting has been described as an "out-and-out centre forward" by former Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann, and his ability to link play is excellent, as shown by his high passes received, key passes, and high pass completion percentage. The addition of the £116k-per-week Cameroon star would make Antony far less isolated on the right and allow him to drift inside onto his left foot much more often.
Man United winger Antony
That side of Antony's game is yet to be seen, with United lacking a true number nine last season and Rasmus Hojlund rarely showing for the ball, as shown by the fact he ranks in the bottom 13% and bottom 4% for passes attempted and touches in the Premier League, according to FBref.
The Brazilian also ranked in the top 6% for xA during that competition, therefore, having a finisher in the box like Choupo-Moting would give him a constant target to aim for and allow his creativity to shine through.
Forget about a certain aforementioned Benzema, it is clear that Choupo-Moting could just save Antony's career at Man United.
Arsenal, like much of the Premier League, had an extraordinarily quiet transfer window last month, and not even the madness of deadline day could get Edu and Co spending.
In fact, the only transfer completed at the club involved several youngsters going out on loan, the termination of Alex Runarsson's contract, the sale of Bradley Ibrahim to Hertba Berlin and one more deal which could prove to be very costly.
The Gunners have generally been quite savvy in recent transfer windows, with both the incomings and outgoings generally panning out. Still, this latest sale could backfire massively and bears an undeniable resemblance to Ashley Cole's exit all those years ago.
The Gunners fumble their full-back future
Before he was running up and charging up and down the pitch in the blue and white of Chelsea, Cole was a beloved member of arguably Arsenal's greatest-ever team, The Invincibles.
He debuted for the club in November 1999 against Middlesbrough, but he established himself in the side following an injury to Silvinho early in the 2000/2001 campaign.
What followed is well remembered by Arsenal fans as potentially the most significant period in the club's history. However, a shock move to the Blues in the summer of 2006 – allegedly over pay – tarnished his legacy with the north Londoners, and fans had to watch him lift every trophy there was with one of their biggest rivals.
The sale of arguably the "best to ever play in this country" in his position – according to pundit Darren Bent – the 107-cap former England international will always be one the worst decisions the Gunners have ever made, and unfortunately for fans, the transfer of Lino Sousa to Aston Villa on Deadline Day could pan out similarly.
Why Arsenal could regret selling Lino Sousa
It was amid the Deadline Day mania – well, maybe not this year – that Arsenal announced the permanent transfer of talented full-back Sousa to Premier League rivals Aston Villa – who then sent him on loan to Plymouth Argyle – and while many simply shrugged their shoulders, there were a few shocked by the news.
Data analyst Ben Mattinson was one of them, explaining that he was "gutted" due to his belief that the 19-year-old "might make it" in the first team and had a genuine shot at becoming "England's future LB" – sound familiar?
Now, comparing a teenager with Cole could be seen as hyperbole or as setting the youngster up for failure, but with how the Lisbon-born, England youth international performed for the Arsenal academy and with how he is spoken about by those who have seen him play, it might not be as far-fetched as you'd first assume.
In his 74 appearances across his time as a youth player for both Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion, the talented youngster scored seven goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 7.67 games.
Lino Sousa's Youth Statistics
Club
Arsenal
West Bromwich Albion
Appearances
52
22
Goals
5
2
Assists
3
1
Goal Involvements per Game
0.15
0.13
All Stats via Transfermarkt
While that might not sound outrageously impressive, Cole's 21 goals and 73 assists in his 701 professional games mean he averaged a goal involvement every 7.45 games.
Arsenal may already have their own Douglas Luiz in "special" teenager
The youngster has been tipped for great things in North London.
By
Jack Salveson Holmes
Feb 2, 2024
Ultimately, a comparison to one of the all-time greats is always going to invite pressure, but with Mattinson's convictions combined with Argyle manager Ian Foster's claim that he possesses "huge potential" and his impressive youth record to back it up, Sousa looks set to achieve big things in the game – away from the Emirates.
A report has revealed the reason why Crystal Palace star Michael Olise has chosen to join Bayern Munich over Chelsea.
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Olise picked Bayern Munich over Chelsea
Held talks with manager Vincent Kompany
Chelsea identify an alternative
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to The Telegraph, the primary reason why the Crystal Palace star picked the Bavarian club over the Blues was the temptation to play in the Champions League next season. The striker met the club officials and new manager Vincent Kompany where he was briefed about the Belgian's vision for the team. He reportedly did not opt to move to Germany for financial reasons but was attracted to the rich history of the Bundesliga giants.
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Along with the West London side, Manchester United were also keen on securing the 22-year-old's signature as they look to bolster their attack ahead of the 2024/25 season. The player is now on the verge of finalising his move as Kompany's side are looking to reach an agreement with The Eagles soon.
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite missing the majority of the 2023/24 campaign due to a hamstring injury, Olise performed consistently for the English side in all the 19 appearances he made for them in the league. He netted 10 times and contributed with six assists.
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WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?
After missing out on signing their primary attacking target, the Blues are now reportedly eyeing a move for Athletic Club winger and Spain international Nico Williams.
Southampton would cruise through to the next round of the FA Cup on Tuesday night, an unfamiliar Saints side to the one that Russell Martin usually plays week in week out in the Championship still managing to do the job in a 3-0 win.
Martin could well have bemoaned the fact that his side had to endure a replay – only piling on more fixtures to the ever-busy Southampton calendar – and decided to freshen things up as a result by dropping the likes of Adam Armstrong and Taylor Harwood-Bellis to utilise his full squad.
Known for having a fruitful Academy on the South Coast, with the likes of Gareth Bale and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain going on to have distinguished careers after coming through at the second-tier club, the youngsters Martin selected for this tie with the Hornets shone with one defender in particular catching the eye.
Jayden Meghoma's numbers at youth level
Starting in the original match at Vicarage Road before this replay back on home turf, Saints youngster Jayden Meghoma is certainly one to keep tabs on from a Southampton perspective when it comes to their conveyor belt of impressive youth players.
Making 28 appearances for the Southampton U18s and U21s to date, after joining the club from Tottenham Hotspur in 2022, Meghoma has a single assist next to his name from those games played.
Now a five-time England U18 international also, the 17-year-old breakout star will just aim to keep his feet planted firmly on the ground despite all the hype that surrounds him.
The teenager didn't look out of his comfort zone playing against the Hornets in either game when pushing through to make an impact already in the senior fold, with Martin even openly praising Meghoma this campaign when selected.
Meghoma's numbers at senior level
That glowing appraisal from his manager came after Meghoma's senior debut versus Walsall in the cup, Martin going on to state that the 17-year-old's performance was "outstanding" versus the visiting Saddlers.
His first-team opportunities wouldn't just dry up after this, however, with Meghoma now onto four appearances in total which included a standout display in the 1-1 draw at Vicarage Road before last night's thumping win.
In that initial tie, the Southampton number 29 would show tremendous defensive resilience for a teenage talent – winning 100% of the duels that came his way up against Valerien Ismael's side.
Meghoma's numbers vs Watford away
Minutes played
90
Touches
59
Accurate passes
39/41 (95%)
Key passes
2
Duels won
2/2 (100%)
Stats by Sofascore
Moreover, the talented 17-year-old would notch up two key passes in a Saints back four that prides itself on playing out from the back with unerring composure.
There could well be similarities between Meghoma and Kyle Walker-Peters, with both full-backs coming through at Tottenham before switching allegiances to the Saints.
Likewise, both are expressive defenders who aren't just content at sitting back and fulfilling their standard defensive duties.
Walker-Peters showcased this during Southampton's big 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday last month, registering a shot on goal venturing forward with pace to burn alongside notching up two key passes.
Meghoma is still some way off from breaking into the Southampton first-team fold and staying there, but the teenager could do far worse than attempting to replicate Walker-Peters' career journey.
With talk that Walker-Peters could be off from St Mary's in the near future owing to significant transfer interest in the entertaining defender, Martin will hope the likes of Meghoma can soften the blow of any first-team departures by blossoming into a new exciting star for the St Mary's masses to cheer on.
More and more famous faces are buying into British football, and Harry Redknapp considers the presence of Ryan Reynolds and Tom Brady to be positive.
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Stars from sport & screen investing in British game
Results have been mixed amid big ambition
Promise of more funds & documentaries to come
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Wrexham and Birmingham are two of the sides to have embraced investment from those that have made their money elsewhere, with Hollywood superstars and NFL legends now in their boardrooms. The likes of Leeds and Burnley are now tied to Will Ferrell and JJ Watt respectively, while several clubs in the United States have stars from sport and screen on their ownership teams.
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WHAT REDKNAPP SAID
Vastly experienced former Tottenham, West Ham and Birmingham boss Redknapp has – speaking in association with the free to play fantasy game at that will see him compete with supporters for bragging rights at Euro 2024 this summer – told GOAL when asked if celebrity investors can become a distraction: “I don’t think so. Birmingham as a team, they have hovering around that [relegation into League One] for years. It may be the best thing to happen to them – go down, have a rebuild, get a new manager in. I’m sure they will invest in the summer and they will come back strong. They will improve, do some work at the ground as well, improve around the place. They have got lots of money. It’s been proved over the years that the teams with the money – the Man Citys of this world – they have the deepest pockets and then you’ve got a chance.”
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Redknapp added on the benefits of having someone like Brady around, with the seven-time Super Bowl winner knowing what it takes to perform under pressure: “I wouldn’t think he’s that involved. He’s put his money in and it’s nice to see him turn up watching the games and taking an interest. Is it good? Yeah, I think it’s good for the players to have someone they look up to. We have all watched Tom Brady over the years, an incredible sportsman, one of the world greats, to do what he did with so many Super Bowls. In America, he’s a superstar. A lot of the players will watch American football and know all about Tom Brady. I think to have him around the place is good. I don’t think it’s a distraction – it’s what they do on the pitch. With the players they had this year, they weren’t quite good enough. They will improve in the summer and come back stronger.”
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DID YOU KNOW?
Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have dominated the famous owner scene at Wrexham, with Redknapp saying of why that pair have been so successful why drawing up the blueprint for others to follow: “They bought good players, a good manager. They gave themselves a real chance. The lad [Paul] Mullin, they got him playing in non-league, dropped down from playing in the League to go and play in the National League because they could pay that sort of money. They have done great. It’s a good set-up. It’s great to see what they are doing for Wrexham – the people having such a great time with their football club, it has brought great publicity to the area. The manager is good, Phil Parkinson has done well wherever he has been. They are in a great place and could go through again next year and get another promotion. I think Birmingham will come back stronger as well.”
Manchester City are on the verge of sealing a transfer for Brazilian wonderkid Savinho from Troyes.
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Man City set to complete first transfer of the summer
Savinho join on a five-year deal
Played on loan at Girona last season
WHAT HAPPENED?
According to The Athletic, the 20-year-old is all set to be the first signing of the summer for the Premier League champions. The club have already communicated to the player that he will be an integral part of Pep Guardiola's first-team squad. The winger will put pen to paper on a five-year deal.
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The young Brazilian started his professional career at Atletico Mineiro before joining the City Football Group in 2022 when he signed for Troyes. The player, however, never played for the French side and instead went out on back-to-back loan moves to PSV Eindhoven and Girona respectively.
DID YOU KNOW?
The attacker was an integral part of the Girona side that secured a third-place finish in La Liga last season and booked their berth in the Champions League. Savio appeared in 41 matches across all competitions scoring 11 times and contributing with 10 assists.
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WHAT NEXT FOR SAVINHO?
The player currently remains focused on his Copa America journey. He scored his maiden goal for the Selecao in their last group game against Paraguay and is likely to be next seen in action on Wednesday against Colombia.
When Daniel Farke walked into Leeds United, they had just been relegated from the Premier League to the Championship, so it was natural that they lost a number of big names. A few players were snapped up by sides who remained in the top-flight, with Tyler Adams joining Bournemouth and Luis Sinisterra following him to the south coast on an initial loan that has just been made permanent. Jack Harrison may also end up signing for Everton long-term at the end of the campaign if a release clause is activated.
Everton's loan forward Jack Harrison.
Elsewhere, Robin Koch left to join Frankfurt (and has agreed pre-contract terms ahead of the end of his Leeds deal), while there were loans for Max Wober (Borussia Monchengladbach), Marc Roca (Real Betis) Brenden Aaronson (Union Berlin) and Rasmus Kristensen (Roma).
Leeds are fighting for an immediate return to the Premier League and are just a point shy of the automatic places right now after a six-game winning streak (albeit having played a game more than Southampton), but there's still a prospect of them losing one of their top talents this summer.
Ex Summerville team-mate hints at exit
In a recent Instagram post, Crysencio Summerville celebrated Leeds' 3-0 win over Rotherham at the weekend, sharing a photo of he and his team-mates celebrating one of his two second-half goals.
Underneath the post, Feyenoord right-back Lutsharel Geertruida commented "yes, leaving very quickly in the summer!", and this could be significant because of the pair's prior relationship. They were team-mates for the Netherlands' Under-21 side during qualification for last year's European Championships as well as playing together at Feyenoord's academy.
Summerville is too good for the Championship
As you can see in the table below, Summerville has by far the strongest case to be named the best player at Leeds this season. He leads the way for goals scored, overall goal involvements, chance creation and accurate crosses, terrorising Championship defences in a number of different ways.
Crysencio Summerville
2023/24 Championship Stats
Leeds Rank
Minutes played
2,249
6th
Goals
14
1st
Assists
7
2nd
Goal involvements
21
1st
Chances created per game
3
1st
Accurate crosses per game
1.7
1st
Dribbles per game
2.4
2nd
Where could he go if he does leave? Well, it's previously emerged that title-chasers Liverpool are showing an interest, while Champions League contenders Aston Villa regard him as a "long-term target" and Europa League outfit Brighton are keen too.
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By
Dan Emery
Feb 13, 2024
All of those clubs, especially Liverpool, could carry a real allure for Summerville regardless of whether Leeds are promoted, but it still seems like they need to go up to have any chance of keeping him. The 22-year-old has shown this season that he's quite frankly too good for the Championship, and he surely won't fancy spending another year playing second-tier football when he has the opportunity to launch his career elsewhere.
Summerville remains under contract until the summer of 2026, and Leeds may push for an extension to try and ward off his circling suitors.