Perfect Alvarez replacement: Man City must rue selling "battering ram"

Manchester City were unusually active during the recent January transfer window in reaction to the club’s disappointing performances on the pitch this season.

City are 20 points off Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table, they have already been knocked out of the League Cup, and they exited the Champions League before the last 16 stage.

Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, and Vitor Reis were all added to Pep Guardiola’s side to bolster his squad ahead of the second half of the season, and beyond.

Marmoush, who arrived from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of £59m, was the headline addition of the window and announced himself to The Etihad crowd with a stunning first-half hat-trick against Newcastle United in the Premier League.

The Egypt international scored 15 goals in 17 matches in the Bundesliga during the first half of the season and will be hoping to continue to impress in front of goal with the Cityzens.

He could, potentially, be viewed as the eventual replacement for Argentine centre-forward Julian Alvarez, who moved on from The Etihad last summer.

How much Man City sold Julian Alvarez for

The Premier League champions decided to cash in on the World Cup winner at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and raked in a reported fee of £82m from Atletico Madrid for his services.

Guardiola revealed that the 24-year-old star had asked to move on from the club as he wanted a “new challenge”, and had potentially become frustrated by playing second-fiddle to Erling Haaland in the centre-forward position, which often forced him to play in a deeper position.

julian-alvarez-manchester-city-tottenham-hotspur-academy-postecoglou-mikey-moore

It was a blow for Manchester City, though, because the Argentina international had just come off the back of a haul of 19 goals and 13 assists in 54 appearances in all competitions last season.

That came after the young marksman had found the back of the net 17 times in all competitions during his debut campaign with the Premier League side, after his move from River Plate for a modest fee of £14m.

Alvarez made the move to Atletico Madrid to play under Diego Simeone and has, so far, enjoyed a strong first season with the Spanish side in the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Manchester City centre-forward has racked up 20 goals and five assists in 39 appearances in all competitions, including six goals in eight outings in the Champions League.

Julian Alvarez for Atletico Madrid.

Guardiola may, now, have some regrets about cashing in on the young attacker, instead of trying to convince him to change his mind about wanting to move on from The Etihad, as he lost a terrific striker who offered a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch as an alternative to Haaland.

However, a sale the Spanish head coach may rue even more was the one that saw Liam Delap move on from the club, after his impressive progression in recent years.

Liam Delap's progression at Manchester City

The England U21 international joined City from Derby’s U18s in the summer of 2019 and immediately hit the ground running with a return of seven goals and six assists in 11 U18 Premier League matches during the 2019/20 campaign.

Delap was handed a huge chance to impress in the first-team against Bournemouth in the League Cup at the start of the 2020/21 season and scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win for City.

He dropped back down to the academy, however, after that goal and ended the campaign with an exceptional return of 24 goals in 20 Premier League 2 games for the U21s.

Liam Delap’s Man City career

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

U18

17

11

7

Youth League

2

0

0

U23

36

35

9

First-team

6

1

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Delap was incredibly prolific at youth level for City and showed promise in the first-team set-up, with one goal in six matches.

Where Are They Now

The English forward also spent time on loan in the Championship, playing for Stoke City, Preston North End, and Hull City. It was his form with the Tigers – a return of eight goals in 31 league matches – that earned him a move to Premier League side Ipswich Town.

Why Manchester City must rue selling Liam Delap

City and Guardiola allowed Delap to join the Tractor Boys for a reported fee of £20m, with £15m guaranteed, and they should rue selling him as he could have been the perfect Alvarez replacement.

The Cityzens were left with Haaland as their only natural centre-forward option when the Argentine forward moved on last summer, but they already had a fantastic young number nine on their books who could have come into the squad, without costing City a penny.

Ipswich Town'sLiamDelapapplauds fans after the match

Delap, who FBref have as a statistically similar player to Jean-Philippe Mateta, Moise Kean, and Benjamin Sesko, has caught the eye in the Premier League for Ipswich this season.

The 22-year-old marksman has scored ten goals and provided two assists in 26 appearances in the top-flight for the struggling side, who currently sit in the relegation zone.

He has been a shining light in a dismal campaign for Kieran McKenna’s team, as he has proven that he has the quality to be a reliable goalscorer at Premier League level.

24/25 Premier League

Liam Delap

Appearances

26

xG

7.95

Goals

10

Conversion rate

20%

Big chances created

3

Assists

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Delap has been ruthless with the chances that have come his way in front of goal, as the young gem has outperformed his xG by roughly two goals.

The “one-man battering ram,” as described by Opta Analyst, has also won 44% of his aerial duels and completed 1.2 dribbles per game, which shows that he can also offer a physical and front-foot presence at the top end of the pitch.

Alvarez scored 11 Premier League goals last season and is currently on nine in LaLiga for Atletico, which suggests that Delap – given his return of ten top-flight strikes already this term – can provide a similar goalscoring threat.

Man City hit the jackpot on £76m ace who has genuine Ballon d'Or potential

The Man City star has been brilliant this season

1 ByJoe Nuttall Feb 28, 2025

Therefore, Man City should rue cashing in on the 22-year-old forward before they provided him with a chance to stake a claim for a regular place in the first-team squad, as he could have been the perfect – homegrown and free – replacement for Alvarez.

Liderança e recurso na saída de bola; conheça o volante Marlon Freitas, encaminhado no Botafogo para 2023

MatériaMais Notícias

Com os investimentos de John Textor, o Botafogo está preparado para ser protagonista na próxima janela de transferências. Neste sentido, o clube já se antecipou e encaminhou uma contratação para 2023. Trata-se do volante Marlon Freitas, destaque do Atlético-GO nas últimas três temporadas.

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Para analisar o momento e as características do atleta, oLance!conversou com Arthur Barcelos, da Rádio Sagres e TV Serra Dourada, um afiliada do SBT em Goiânia. O jornalista ressaltou o poder de liderança de Marlon Freitas no Dragão.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro

– A principal característica do Marlon no Atlético é a liderança técnica e comportamental. Ele tem uma liderança muito grande sobre o time, e isso passa muito pelo protagonismo que tem nas saídas de bola e na construção das jogadas. Os passes decisivos são quase sempre dele, seja uma inversão de jogo, um passe longo, uma enfiada de bola e até a assistência, o passe final – disse, e emendou:

– Defensivamente, ele até melhorou um pouco a média em desarmes e interceptações, mas normalmente é um jogador que não se destaca por ter bons números defensivos. Um outro problema é a parte comportamental, porque às vezes perde um pouco o equilíbrio e fica exaltado – completou.

Revelado nas categorias de base do Fluminense, Marlon Freitas chegou a disputar 27 partidas com a camisa tricolor, mas não conseguiu se firmar. Ele também teve passagens peloSTK Samorin, daEslováquia, noFL Strikers, dos Estados Unidos, e por Criciúma e Botafogo-SP.

+Sem variação tática, desfalques e mais: o que pode explicar a sequência negativa do Botafogo

Mas foi no Atlético-GO, a partir de 2020, que o jogador começou a deslanchar na carreira. Com a camisa rubro-negra, o volante já atuou em 135 jogos, com 12 gols e 16 assistências. Números que mostram a importância do atleta no meio de campo goiano, mas que pode ainda melhorar se finalizar mais, segundo Arthur Barcelos.

– Técnica/taticamente, talvez falte um pouco mais de presença dele na zona de finalização, porque é um jogador com bom chute e tomada de decisão, mas é que ele também é muito importante atrás da linha da bola no Atlético – frisou.

Arthur salientou que Marlon Freitas pode se adaptar ao Rio de Janeiro, por ser local onde nasceu, e tornar-se um dos rostos do novo projeto do Botafogo. O volante tem qualidades para se firmar e ser importante nessa reconstrução.

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Na temporada, Marlon é o atleta com mais assistências pelo Dragão (3, no total), segundo dados do “Footstats”. Ele também lidera os números de passes certos, viradas de jogo e desarmes da equipe, sendo um expoente do meio de campo atleticano.

– Eu até imaginei que o Marlon fosse dar um salto ainda maior que o patamar do Botafogo hoje, em um time que já está na Libertadores agora. Mas obviamente que, através da nova direção, o Botafogo tem condições de voltar a esse nível e o Marlon pode, inclusive, ser um dos rostos desse projeto. Imagino até que ele enxergue assim também, além de ser o Rio, onde ele cresceu – pontuou, e disse em seguida:

+Botafogo anuncia Pedro Moreira como novo Gerente de Futebol

– Ele sempre foi muito respeitado pela torcida do Atlético pela liderança e participação em alguns momentos decisivos do time nos últimos anos, mas ele até chegou a ser vaiado recentemente por um ou outro erro. Mas foi só uma parte, a grande maioria gosta bastante dele, e será uma figura difícil de substituir não só em campo, mas também fora. Ele foi, provavelmente, o melhor jogador do futebol goiano desde que chegou ao Atlético. Ninguém teve a consistência dele nesses três anos – concluiu.

خاص.. الزمالك يعاقب أحمد حمدي بسبب منشور الـ"1700 يورو"

قرر مجلس إدارة نادي الزمالك، توقيع عقوبة على أحمد حمدي، لاعب وسط الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بعد ما نشره عبر حسابه على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي إنستجرام.

ونشر حمدي، خلال الساعات القليلة الماضية عبر خاصة الاستوري في انستجرام: “محتاج حد في بنك قناه السويس أسأله هل دخل حسابي 1700 یورو”.

طالع.. خاص | تطورات “صليبي” أحمد حمدي مع الزمالك

وفسر البعض، عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي، أن اللاعب يقصد السخرية من مجلس إدارة النادي بسبب خلافات مالية.

وأوضح مصدر خاص لـ بطولات أن الزمالك قرر توقيع عقوبة مالية على أحمد حمدي بسبب ما نشره عبر حسابه الشخصي على إنستجرام.

وأكد المصدر أن سفر اللاعب إلى المانيا جاء على نفقة النادي وليس كما يدعي البعض بأن حمدي هو من تكفل بتكاليف السفر.

وأشار إلى أن القياسات الطبية التي خضع لها حمدي في ألمانيا ليست الأولى وسبق وسافر للإمارات وقطر والدليل مشاركته بعد عودته لكنه تمسك بالسفر لألمانيا للخضوع لقياسات طبية تحت إشراف الطبيب الذي أجرى له العملية.

Worth even more than Piroe: Leeds must regret selling "sensational" star

With just 11 games to go in the Championship campaign this season, Leeds United currently sit three points clear of Sheffield United in their hunt to secure promotion – but doing so whilst winning the title.

The Whites’ form has been superb for large parts of the campaign, losing just three games to date, whilst also remaining unbeaten since the beginning of December.

Daniel Farke deserves a huge amount of credit for keeping the side competitive after numerous key departures over the summer after the play-off final defeat at Wembley.

The German will be looking to make it three second-tier title wins in England in the coming months, adding to the two he claimed during his time in charge of Norwich City.

However, if he is to achieve such a feat, he will likely rely on one player who’s so often produced the goods in the final third over the last couple of months.

Joel Piroe’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25

The striker role at Elland Road has been one that has brought about conversation over recent years, with numerous players struggling to fill the void in Yorkshire.

However, over the last few months, Dutchman Joel Piroe has nailed down the starting role in Farke’s side, repaying the boss for the faith shown in him to lead the line.

The 25-year-old has already netted 16 times in his 35 appearances, already scoring outscoring his tally from his debut campaign at the club following his £10m move in 2023.

However, Piroe hasn’t had his success without his doubters, often coming under fire for his displays, but it’s safe to say the supporters are reaping the rewards with his recent form in the final third.

Despite his impressive run for the Whites in recent times, he’s still valued lower than one player who the club may regret offloading after his form away from the club.

The former Leeds star who’s worth more than Piroe

Before their recent success over the last couple of years, Leeds found themselves in a tricky financial situation, which saw them offloading numerous first-team players to balance the books.

Lewis Cook was just one example who departed his boyhood side for just £6m, now starring for Bournemouth in the Premier League and potentially featuring in Europe amid the Cherries’ recent form.

Former Leeds midfielder Lewis Cook

However, another player who previously plied their trade in Yorkshire but is now playing in the top flight is winger Jack Clarke, who made his breakthrough for the Whites back in the 2018/19 season.

The now 24-year-old departed in an £8.5m deal to join Tottenham Hotspur after his breakthrough campaign but failed to make a single Premier League appearance during his time in North London.

He’s since recaptured his form at Sunderland, registering 28 goals and 21 assists for the Black Cats, leading to Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley dubbing him “sensational” for his time at the Stadium of Light.

He’s since moved to Ipswich Town, once again joining a Premier League outfit, but has struggled to carry his excellent form to Portman Road, registering three goals and five assists to date – but has still seen an increase in his market value.

Jack Clarke’s stats since joining Sunderland permanently

Season

Team

Games

Goals

Assists

2021/22

Sunderland

20

1

3

2022/23

Sunderland

50

11

13

2023/24

Sunderland

42

15

4

2024/25

Sunderland

2

1

1

2024/25

Ipswich Town

26

3

5

Total:

140

31

25

Stats via FotMob

Clarke is now valued at £12.4m by Transfermarkt, a figure that is higher than that of Piroe, who’s only valued at £11.5m despite his excellent goalscoring record this campaign.

Given the increase and recent form in England’s second tier, Leeds must regret parting ways with Clarke, potentially having another dimension in attack had they kept hold of the youngster.

Undoubtedly, he left at a time when financial problems were present in Yorkshire, but his ability in the final third could’ve provided the added cutting edge in their quest for promotion in the coming months.

Thorp Arch has an amazing 16-year-old who could end Bamford's Leeds career

Leeds United could finally move on from Patrick Bamford by unleashing this talent.

1 ByDan Emery Mar 4, 2025

BCB says TV umpire was correct following controversial ADRS decision

With the regular DRS unavailable, a pared-down system has been in use, triggering multiple flare-ups

Mohammad Isam15-Jan-2023The BCB has backed TV umpire Tanvir Ahmed after he was involved in a contentious lbw call during the BPL game between Comilla Victorians and Fortune Barishal on Saturday. After umpire Morshed Ali Khan had given Jaker Ali out lbw in the 14th over of the Comilla innings, the batter reviewed, only for Tanvir to uphold the on-field decision despite replays seeming to suggest the ball had pitched outside leg stump.The BCB has explained that part of the ball did pitch within the “pitching zone” that is in line with the stumps.BPL match officials use a technology called the Alternate Decision Review System (ADRS) instead of the standard DRS. On the eve of the tournament, BCB chief executive Nizamuddin Chowdhury said the board had not been able to secure the personnel from Hawkeye to run the DRS, even though the BCB has the technology available at the Shere Bangla National Stadium.To make decisions via the ADRS, the TV umpires have to go by a blue line for a pitching zone to depict the line of the stumps to make lbw decisions. They have also used zoomed-in camera angles to judge edges or whether the ball has hit bat or bad first. For picking up noise, they use stump mic audio provided by the broadcasters. It is far from a foolproof system, considered inferior to the DRS, and many players and coaches have already questioned its use during the BPL.The decision on Saturday left Jaker looking shocked while the TV commentator said at the time that he was “lost for words”. Comilla coach Mohammad Salahuddin expressed his frustration with the call during the post-match press conference, after which the BCB released its statement.”The point of pitching [pitching zone] of the ball is indicated with the help of a stump to stump pitch mat in the Alternative Decision Review System [ADRS] being used in the ongoing Bangladesh Premier League T20. In Appendix D1 of the tournament’s Match Playing Conditions, it is stated that a ball will be considered to have pitched ‘In-Line’ in the ADRS if ‘Any part of the ball was inside the Pitching Zone’.”In accordance with this interpretation of the related rule, the TV umpire upheld the LBW [image showing the point of pitching of the ball attached] decision by the on-field umpire against Comilla Victorians batsman Jaker Ali in Comilla’s match with Fortune Barishal at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdury Stadium in Chattogram today.”With regular DRS unavailable, third umpires have used the Alternative Decision Review System [ADRS] during BPL 2023•Bangladesh Cricket Board

Salahuddin said the tournament may be better off without the ADRS, *which earned him a fine of 50% of his match fees and three demerit points.”I think it is better not to have ADRS,” he said. “It is better to give what the [on-field] umpire gives. The ball pitched totally outside the leg stump… I think a couple of [questionable] decisions… one decision was bad in the first match, and today too.”Salahuddin said he didn’t want to make a stronger comment as he could be punished by the BCB. “I don’t know… their rules might include something new,” he said. “Perhaps there was a shadow [of the ball in line with the stumps]. I would have been happy if the [on-field] umpire had given the [final] decision.”At the moment I can’t really say anything. There is a lot of debate about it. I said at the beginning that one or two decisions will decide the game. What we see with the naked eye is not out, but the third umpire gives it out. Then we have nothing to do.”Do you want us to shout on the field? That will only lead to suspension. There is no use in protesting. There is no point in writing or protesting. Our hands and feet are tied, there is really nothing to do.”There have been couple of flashpoints during this season’s BPL with the use of the ADRS. First, Soumya Sarkar argued with the umpires after both the on-field and TV umpire on January 7. A second review by the umpires suggested that the lbw decision against him didn’t stand as the ball had hit his gloves. It was the same replay when the TV umpire had adjudged him out a few minutes earlier.Three days later, Anamul Haque argued with the umpires but to no avail when he didn’t agree with an lbw decision in a match against Rangpur Riders. He was given out lbw by the TV umpire but Anamul didn’t want to leave the field, and was later fined for the offence.The BCB has said that the regular DRS will only be available during the knockout phase of this season’s BPL.

Diante do São Paulo, Ceará tenta manter 100% na Sul-Americana

MatériaMais Notícias

Se no Campeonato Brasileiro o Ceará patina, na Copa Sul-Americana a história é bem diferente.

O Alvinegro venceu todos os jogos que disputou e, se credencia como um dos favoritos a ficar com a taça.

Nesta quarta-feira, o desafio de Marquinhos Santos e cia é complicado, já que eles precisam segurar o São Paulo, no Morumbi.

O campo do Tricolor costuma ser difícil para qualquer adversário e o Alvinegro sabe que não pode dar bobeira.

Um bom resultado fora de casa, deixa a vida mais tranquila para a próxima semana, na Arena Castelão.

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Raza and Shahrukh deliver for Punjab Kings in Shikhar Dhawan's absence

Punjab Kings rise to No. 4 in the points table, as Lucknow Super Giants suffer their first defeat at home this season

Shashank Kishore15-Apr-2023
Sikandar Raza’s maiden IPL gig at the age of 36 was reward for his compelling performances with bat and ball at the T20 World Cup last year. But three games into this season, his rich form seemed to elude him.The delayed arrival of Liam Livingstone and a subsequent niggle meant that Raza had a fourth chance to impress. And he didn’t miss a beat, at least for the most part.Needing to turnaround Punjab Kings’ chase of 160 from a precarious 45 for 3 on a sluggish surface in Lucknow, Raza held the middle order together for much of the innings. But when he picked out Marcus Stoinis at deep backward square leg on 57, with Kings needing 21 off 13 balls, there was another twist.But Shahrukh Khan wasn’t giving up.At one end, he had to contend with Mark Wood’s ferocious pace and hard lengths. At the other, there was Ravi Bishnoi’s wrong’uns. Another tightrope of a finish loomed, and Shahrukh held on to finish unbeaten on 23 off 10 balls to seal victory with three balls to spare.For Kings, the victory was particularly heartening because they were without their regular captain Shikhar Dhawan, who missed the game with a shoulder niggle. There was also the matter of trying to arrest a slide of two consecutive defeats, which they did to rise to No. 4 in the points table.Lucknow Super Giants will look back on the last five overs of their batting innings, where they lost 4 for 48 after KL Rahul had played anchor once again with 74 off 56 balls.Sikandar Raza took his chance in Liam Livingstone’s absence•BCCI

Kyle Mayers gives LSG a startOn a surface that had a smattering of grass amid barren patches, the ball was doing all sorts of things. Offspinner Matt Short got it to turn, Arshdeep Singh was able to zip it through, and Kagiso Rabada rapped Rahul with a lifter from a length.Kyle Mayers wasn’t too fussed and threw his bat at anything in his zone. If the ball was drifting onto his pads, he swung hard. If there was room, he fearlessly lofted through the line. If it was bowled into the pitch, he flat batted it. But his daredevilry didn’t last long as he picked out deep square leg when he could have hit Harpreet Brar’s half-tracker wherever he liked on the leg side. Kings had broken LSG’s flourishing half-century opening stand in the eighth over.Rahul drops anchorIn the next over, Raza had Deepak Hooda lbw with a skiddy delivery, but Rahul fed off Krunal Pandya to keep the innings ticking in third gear. His knock had its moments – like the outrageous loft to the cover boundary off Kagiso Rabada – but his mellowed-down tempo during his half-century meant that LSG were always searching for acceleration.Captain Curran delivers at the deathLSG lost their way when Kagiso Rabada struck twice in the 15th over. He first had Krunal caught at deep midwicket and then, after a failed caught-behind appeal that was called wide down the leg side, he had Nicholas Pooran out first ball, pulling to deep midwicket.Sam Curran, who was leading the Kings in Dhawan’s absence, then picked up the huge wicket of Marcus Stoinis, convinced the batter had gloved a glance to the keeper and successfully overturning the on-field decision. Curran bowled his cutters into the pitch effectively and picked up two more wickets in the final over to finish with figures of 3 for 31.KL Rahul put in a full-stretched dive to remove Jitesh Sharma•Associated Press

Yudhvir’s dream startYudhvir Singh made a special debut for LSG. In his first over, he dismissed fellow debutant Atharva Taide, and then flattened Prabhsimran Singh’s off stump with a rocket of a nipbacker in his second over. Matt Short, however, put Punjab’s chase back on track with a counterattack.He found support in Harpreet Singh, who was playing his first IPL game in nearly 11 years. Harpreet played the anchor’s role until it got to a point where he had to attack. And after a few missed attempts, he picked out deep square for a run-a-ball 22. At 75 for 4, Kings weren’t out of trouble yet.Raza to the rescueAfter playing himself in and scoring his first 20 at nearly a run a ball, Raza went after Krunal, taking 17 off the 13th over to reduce the equation to 61 off 42 balls.Rahul held back his legspinner Ravi Bishnoi until the 15th over, which meant that he would not be able to complete his full quota of four overs. He struck with his third ball to dismiss Sam Curran. Now, it was down to Raza, and he brought up his maiden IPL half-century off 34 balls. But there was another twist when Rahul pulled off a diving catch to his left at mid-off to dismiss Jitesh Sharma, and Raza also picked out Stoinis at deep backward square leg soon after.Shahrukh takes on WoodWith 38 runs needed off 25 balls, Shahrukh smashed his first delivery – off Wood no less – over the long-on boundary. And then, with 18 to get off 11, he went hard at Wood again. This time the top edge flew off the attempted pull and cleared the boundary behind the wicketkeeper At the start of the final over, Punjab needed only seven runs, and Shahrukh muscled Bishnoi to the wide long-off boundary to spark off celebrations in his dugout.

Man Utd have hit gold on "phenomenal" ace who cost even less than Heaven

Over the years, Manchester United have made some questionable additions in the transfer market, forcing the club into some serious budget cuts since Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s arrival.

Midfielder Mason Mount joined the club in a £60m deal from fellow Premier League side Chelsea back in the summer of 2023, but injuries have massively hampered his time at Old Trafford.

The 26-year-old has only featured 33 times across all competitions since his big-money transfer, only scoring a single goal and notching just one assist to date.

Amorim has previously shown faith in the former England international, praising him endlessly after his appointment, with the hope that he can get his promising career back on track.

However, not all of their additions have been a failure, with one of the manager’s first additions in Manchester already showing glimpses of the talent he possesses.

Ayden Heaven’s stats since joining United

Centre-back Ayden Heaven joined United in a £1.5m deal from fellow English side Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Chido Obi, who moved six months prior.

The 18-year-old was originally seen as a player for the academy setup, featuring a couple of times, but the current injury crisis in the North West has catapulted him into Amorim’s first-team setup.

He’s already featured in the FA Cup, Premier League and the Europa League – claiming his first start in yesterday’s triumph over Real Sociedad, cementing a place in the quarter-finals.

During his 90-minute display, he won 100% of the duels he entered, making four clearances and two interceptions, playing a vital role in the backline and staking his claim for a regular starting role.

However, one other member of the Red Devils squad joined for a figure lower than that of Heaven, with his market value rising as a result of his stellar displays in recent years.

The United player who cost even less than Heaven

Numerous players in United’s current first-team squad have cost a fortune to bring them to Old Trafford, having various levels of impact since their arrivals.

Alejandro Garnacho is one player who was a bargain given his impact, arriving in Manchester for just £420k from Spanish side Atlético Madrid back in 2020, originally linking up with the academy side.

The Argentine would catch the eye at various youth levels with his pace and direct dribbling, qualities that would allow him to register 27 goals over an 18-month period.

He would get his first-team chance in 2021/22, making just two substitute appearances, before becoming a regular member of the senior setup just a few months later.

Garnacho has since made over 30 appearances in every season since, including 44 in the current campaign, registering a total of 23 goals and 17 assists at the age of just 20.

The winger, who’s previously been dubbed “phenomenal” by one analyst, has seen his market value soar as a result of his impressive displays in the North West, showcasing what a superb signing he’s been.

Alejandro Garnacho’s stats for United in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

27

Goals & assists

4

Pass accuracy

83%

Shots taken

3.4

Touches in opposition box

7.5

Successful dribbles

1.1

Recoveries made

4.9

Stats via FotMob

He was valued at £55m by the club in January after interest from elsewhere, a figure that presents a 13000% rise on the fee forked out for his services less than five years ago.

In a period where the club have often pursued big-money targets, a deal for Garnacho represents the rewards you can expect should you decide to invest in young talent for the future and allowing them to develop.

Heaven will be hoping to follow a similar trajectory at the Theatre of Dreams, hopefully cementing his place in the side, with his start to life at the club demonstrating he has huge potential to succeed.

11 duels won, 100% dribbles: Man Utd ace is now as undroppable as Fernandes

Manchester United booked their place in the next round of the Europa League last night.

1 ByEthan Lamb Mar 14, 2025

لويس فيجو عن صفقة برشلونة المحتملة: لاعب جوهرة

أشاد البرتغالي لويس فيجو، أسطورة ريال مدريد، بصفقة برشلونة المحتملة موضحًا أنه لاعب جوهرة وستكون صفقة مربحة.

ويقترب برشلونة من حسم صفقته الثانية خلال فترة الانتقالات الحالية بالتعاقد مع جناح أتليتك بلباو ومنتخب إسبانيا الأول نيكو ويليامز خلال فترة الانتقالات الحالية، في ظل رغبة النادي الإسباني في تعزيز الفريق استعدادًا للموسم المقبل.

وحصد برشلونة بقيادة المدرب الألماني هانز فليك، الثلاثية المحلية الدوري، وكأس الملك، والسوبر، مع الوصول إلى نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا والخروج من إنتر ميلان الإيطالي بعد سيناريو مثير.

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وأجرت صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية حوارًا مطولًا مع الأسطورة البرتغالية فيجو، بمناسبة مرور 25 سنة على التتويج بالكرة الذهبية وذهابه إلى ريال مدريد، وعن الصفقة التي يرغب في التعاقد معها قال: “هناك العديد من اللاعبين الذين يعجبونني. سأوقع بالتأكيد مع نيكو ويليامز”.

وأضاف: “إنه لاعب مميز، كما أن سعر التعاقد معه مقبولًا للغاية بالنظر إلى ما ندفعه اليوم، نظرًا لجودته وصغر سنه وموهبته الكبيرة أعتبره جوهرة”.

وبسؤاله عن وجود تشابه في أسلوب لعبهما أتم: “لا، نحن لاعبان مختلفان، إنه لاعب أحبه كثيرًا لكنني لم أكن سريعًا مثله، أتمنى لو كنت كذلك، أتحدث من منظور سوق الانتقالات ومن حيث القيمة والسعر، أعتقد أنه صفقة رابحة.

لابورتا يتحدى أتليتك بلباو: لن نتراجع عن التعاقد مع ويليامز.. وهذه تطورات تجديد عقد دي يونج

أوضح خوان لابورتا، رئيس نادي برشلونة، أنه لن يتراجع عن التعاقد مع لاعب أتلتيك بلباو، حتى بعد البيان الذي أصدروه أمس، الخميس.

ويرغب نادي برشلونة في التعاقد مع نيكو ويليامز، جناح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي اتلتيك بلباو، في ظل رغبة الألماني هانز فليك، في تعزيز تشكيلته استعدادًا للموسم المقبل.

وينوي النادي الإسباني في تفعيل الشرط الجزائي لـ ويليامز والمقدر بحوالي 62 مليون يورو.

وأصدر نادي أتلتيك بلباو بيانًا يقول فيه إن مالك النادي ومجلس الإدارة اجتمعا مع خافيير تيباس، رئيس رابطة الدوري الإسباني للبحث عن مصدر المال الذي يتعاقد به برشلونة مع صفقاته ومدى الالتزام بضوابط اللعب المالي النظيف.

وفي ضوء ذلك، قال لابورتا خلال تواجده مع كومان في بطولة خيرية للجولف والبادل تابعة لمؤسسة كرويف، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “برشلونة مستعد للقيام بكل ما يلزم لتفعيل الشرط الجزائي”.

وأكمل: “بما أنه ليس لدينا ما نخفيه، فلا مشكلة في البحث والتدقيق، لكننا نريد أن تتم معاملة الجميع بنفس المعيار الذي تتحدث عنه، لا نشعر بالأذى أو الاضطهاد، نحن نؤدي أعمالنا فقط”.

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وأضاف: “ما يفعله برشلونة يخصه، والرابطة تدرك أن حسابات النادي تخضع لمستوى عالي من السرية، نحن نمتثل لجميع متطلبات رابطة الليجا وقواعد اللعب النظيف لنتمكن من الاستفادة من فرص السوق”.

وتطرق لـ تجديد عقد دي يونج وقال: “تجديد عقده يسير على الطريق الصحيح، نريد أن يبقى فرينكي هنا لسنوات عديدة، إنه لاعب أساسي في الفريق، آمل أن يبقى، فهو يريد ذلك، وأعلم أنه سعيد جدًا في برشلونة، لا أرى الكثير من المشاكل في ذلك”.

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