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Manchester United admit they are at risk of punishment for breaking Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) and may raise ticket prices next season.

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• United may face punishment
• Post losses over £300m
• Fans may pay the price

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United have posted severe losses in the last three years, worth £312.9 million ($386m), which place them at serious risk of a PSR breach. While they will not be punished for the past year, they have written to a fan group and have refused to rule out further price rises when it comes to tickets. Earlier this season, INEOS, spearheaded by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, introduced a flat rate of £66 per ticket, with no prior consultation with supporters.

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  United currently appear to have a plan to navigate the potential PSR breach, with both Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo, two homegrown players, placed up for sale. The winger is nearing a move to Chelsea, and the latter has been linked with Bayern Munich. Their delicate finances mean previously untouchable players may now be available, purely because of the balance sheet.

• WHAT UNITED SAID

  In their letter, they said: “We are determined to ensure that our current fans can continue to afford to attend games and that tickets are accessible for future generations of fans.

  “As previously communicated, we are however currently making a significant loss each year – totalling over £300 million in the past three years. This is not sustainable and if we do not act now we are in danger of failing to comply with PSR/FFP [financial fair play] requirements in future years and significantly impacting our ability to compete on the pitch.

  “We will get back to a cash positive position as soon as possible and we will have to make some difficult choices to get there. That has included a significant reduction to our workforce as well as cuts across many areas of spend across our club.

  “None of this has been easy, but we believe it is essential to restoring financial sustainability to the club which will underpin us as we work to get back to the top of English and European football.

  “We do not expect fans to make up all the current shortfall – but we do need to look at our ticketing strategy to ensure we are charging the right amount, and offering the right discounts, across our products for our fans.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  United play Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday evening. They then face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday in the Premier League. Despite their inability to guarantee ticket prices, United can guarantee being in the bottom half come Sunday night, as they sit 13th with just 26 points from 22 games.

Following his exceptional start to the season, it is believed a star player is being offered bumper fresh terms, but he’s stalling on the deal amid interest from Arsenal.

Arsenal targeting new striker for 2025

Over the summer window, despite links to a host of centre-forwards, Edu Gaspar and co elected not to sign a new striker and instead keep faith with Kai Havertz – who has repaid them with an excellent start to the new Premier League season.

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It could even be longer.

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By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 8, 2024

The German’s six goals across 10 appearances in all competitions highlight that Mikel Arteta and Edu were justified in that call, but his recent injury scare also suggests that Arsenal need a quality alternative when he’s unavailable.

Reports over the summer claimed that Arteta wanted a young partner for Havertz, and they did attempt to sign one in RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko during the early stages of the window.

Arsenal made an offer for Sesko, alongside Premier League rivals Man United and Chelsea, but the 21-year-old chose to stay in his current surroundings and further his development in the Bundesliga.

That isn’t to say Sesko won’t be leaving in the near future, though, as Fabrizio Romano shared that the player has a “gentleman’s agreement” with Leipzig that he can leave in either 2025 or 2026.

It is believed Arsenal are still targeting Sesko ahead of a potential 2025 move, alongside a host of other strikers, as Edu weighs up the possibility of bringing in an extra target man at the turn of the year.

Another striker target who has emerged on their radar in the last fortnight is fellow Bundesliga ace Omar Marmoush, with the Egypt striker starting this campaign in excellent fashion.

Indeed, Marmoush boasts nine goals and six assists over just nine appearances in all competitions so far, prompting interest from England. West Ham have drawn fresh plans to sign Marmoush, and Arsenal have been linked as well.

Marmoush "hesitating" on new contract amid Arsenal interest

According to reports out of Germany recently, it is believed that Marmoush “dreams” of joining Arsenal or Liverpool, with the Gunners potentially contending for his signature next year.

Now, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has shared an update on his future amid Arsenal’s links to the player. He writes that Marmoush is now “hesitating” to sign a new deal with Eintracht, despite the prospect of a higher salary on offer.

The African, who will reportedly cost around £40 million, is unlikely to leave in January, though, so Arsenal may have to wait until next summer if they hope to pounce on his uncertain future.

The USWNT veteran and versatile attacker has signed for the Parisian club, having also previously played for Chelsea

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• Crystal Dunn signs for PSG
• U.S. international left Gotham earlier this week
• Signed deal through 2027

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  U.S. international Crystal Dunn signed for French side PSG on a free transfer Friday after the veteran and Gotham FC mutually agreed to terminate her contract earlier this week.

  Upon her departure from the , Dunn posted an emotional farewell on social media, saying that she was "incredibly sad" to leave after just one season with the NJ/NY club. At PSG, the 32-year-old signed a deal through the 2027 season.

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  At PSG, she will link up with fellow U.S. international Korbin Albert, while also playing in the same league as U.S. captain Lindsey Horan.

  "I'm very happy to be joining Paris Saint-Germain, an ambitious club with an incredible city," Dunn said. "I can't wait to start, meet my teammates and give my best to help the team achieve its goals. I can't wait to start this new adventure!"

  For the USWNT, Dunn has made 154 appearances, scoring 25 goals and providing 20 assists. She is a FIFA World Cup winner with the program, as well as a bronze medalist at the 2020 Olympics and a gold medalist at the Paris 2024 Games.

  Fellow U.S. internationals Naomi Girma and Jenna Nighswonger also left the NWSL for Europe this January, with Girma signing for Chelsea and the Nighswonger with Arsenal in the WSL.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Dunn previously played for English side Chelsea FC from Dec. 2016 through the beginning of 2018. She made 24 appearances for the Blues, helping lift the English League title.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR DUNN?

  PSG return to the pitch on Saturday against Strasbourg, before a two-week break. Then, they are back on Feb. 15 when they clash with Montpelier.

A “special” player is likely to leave his club in 2025, despite only just signing a new contract, and it is believed he could join Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs' transfer plans for next year as Lange works behind-the-scenes

It has been a testing start to the season for manager Ange Postecoglou, with Spurs blowing hot and cold over their opening fixtures of the campaign.

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He’s a very wanted man.

By
Emilio Galantini

Oct 16, 2024

Recently, Postecoglou’s side went on an impressive five-game winning streak in all competitions, with Wales winger Brennan Johnson front and centre of it, as he enjoys quite a purple patch right now.

However, that run unceremoniously ended with a dramatic 3-2 defeat away to Brighton. Spurs were two goals up at half-time, but they ultimately capitulated at the Amex, with Yankuba Minteh, Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck cementing their fate.

“You never know if it [the international break] is good or bad. Maybe for the players it was good, but I don’t like sitting on a loss,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s 3-2 defeat to Brighton.

“There can be a tendency to over-analyse things. It wasn’t a good one. The first half was unbelievable, but I didn’t like the second half and what we looked like. It wasn’t the loss, it was the manner I wasn’t comfortable with. I’ve been sitting on it for 10 days, I’m ready to explode once they get back in the building and that will be my therapy.”

As Postecoglou unleashes on his current squad, just before they take on West Ham in a fierce London derby clash this weekend, technical director Johan Lange and the Lilywhites recruitment team are working to bolster the Australian’s options in January.

Indeed, it is believed Tottenham are targeting Espanyol winger Javi Puado, with his deal set to expire next summer, so the La Liga side could be forced to cash-in on the cheap this winter. Spurs are chasing Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov as well, as Lange and co weigh up alternative attacking midfield options to James Maddison.

Patrick Dorgu could join Tottenham despite new contract

Another rumoured target for Postecoglou’s side is Lecce youngster Patrick Dorgu.

The Dane has been impressing in Serie A, with Dorgu attracting interest from Spurs among other elite Premier League sides. The teenage full-back recently penned a new deal with Lecce, committing his future to the club until 2029 and warding off potential suitors.

However, this apparently may not be the case, as Fiorentina News write that Dorgu is still likely to leave Lecce in 2025, with Spurs at the front of the queue for his services alongside London rivals Chelsea.

The fresh terms will hand Lecce an opportunity to garner more funds from Dorgu’s departure, according to Fiorentina News, which means the north Londoners will have to pay more than his previously reported £25 million fee.

“You can just say that with some players it can go incredibly fast,” said Denmark Under-21s coach Steffen Højer to bold.dk.

“He has already had a lot of playing minutes in Serie A with Lecce, and he has done really, really well. What is special about him is that he is a quiet and calm guy, but things are just incredibly natural for him on a football pitch.

“When he is put on a field, and it doesn’t matter which team, he just fits in, and he just makes incredibly many good choices for such a young player He has clear qualities, and then there is a lot of work that needs to be done in relation to both being part of the U21s, but also eventually making the national team.”

Manchester United reportedly dealt a huge blow alongside Newcastle and Aston Villa as Premier League's PSR rules remain for the 2025-26 campaign.

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• Clubs were ready to replace existing PSR rules
• Latest developments indicate that might get delayed
• Trouble brewing for Man Utd and others

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the Premier League clubs had initially agreed to implement new financial regulations, which were set to replace the widely debated PSR framework. One of the most notable changes under consideration was the introduction of a Squad Cost Ratio, which would have placed a limit on clubs spending more than 85% of their revenue on wages, transfer fees, and agent costs. However, this proposed rule has now been postponed, leaving clubs subject to the current system for another year.

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  Additionally, the "anchoring" system, which aimed to cap spending relative to five times the income of the lowest-earning club in the league, was also on track for implementation. However, a recent vote by Premier League clubs resulted in a decision to push back its introduction until the 2026-27 season.

  The decision to hold off on financial rule changes appears to have been influenced by Manchester City's latest legal battle concerning Associated Party Transactions (APT). The reigning champions recently challenged amendments to APT regulations, seeking an arbitration hearing to contest new rules imposed by the Premier League. City scored a significant legal victory when an arbitration panel ruled that certain elements of APT regulations were "unlawful". However, the Premier League quickly responded by introducing modifications to the rules, which were subsequently passed by a majority vote among member clubs.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has also expressed strong opposition to the proposed anchoring system, warning that it may take legal action against the Premier League if the rule is introduced. While 16 clubs initially backed the idea of anchoring, Manchester United, Manchester City, and Aston Villa were among those who voted against the proposal, while Chelsea abstained from the vote.

  Under the current Premier League financial regulations, clubs are permitted to incur losses of up to £105 million over a rolling three-year period. However, several clubs, including Aston Villa and Newcastle United, have pushed for raising this threshold in order to allow for greater financial flexibility. Aston Villa had previously suggested increasing the loss allowance to £135 million over three years, but this idea has yet to gain enough support to be implemented.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Despite ongoing concerns about PSR compliance, the Premier League has not issued any charges against clubs for breaching spending rules in the 2023-24 accounting period. A formal decision was reached last month, ensuring that no team would face immediate penalties under the current financial regulations. However, with the PSR framework staying in place for another year, teams like Manchester United, Newcastle, and Aston Villa will have to exercise caution in their transfer dealings and wage structures to ensure compliance.

Yassine Cheuko, who acts as full time security for the Ballon d'Or winner, took to social media to criticize stadium staff for their poor work

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• Messi's bodyguard took to Instagram to call for enhanced stadium security
• Claimed that security staff 'are not fully focused on their duties'
• Has repeatedly tracked down pitch invaders during Inter Miami preseason tour

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lionel Messi's private security, Yassine Cheuko, took to Instagram to call for heightened security around stadiums following an outbreak of successful pitch invasions of avid fans towards the eight-time Ballon d'Or Winner. Cheuko, who has been thrust into the spotlight since Messi's high-profile move to Miami, claimed that most security staff "are not fully focused on fulfilling their duties."

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• WHAT CHEUKO SAID

  The former MMA fighter released a lengthy statement highlighting his desire to be out of the spotlight: "I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the stadium security teams in Honduras and Peru for their professionalism and assistance, which have been truly invaluable to me.

  "It is not my role to apprehend fans who invade the field. That is the responsibility of the stadium security staff. But let’s be honest: most of them — and I emphasize most, without generalizing — are not fully focused on their duties. Instead of ensuring security, they are more occupied with watching the game or taking photos and videos. And because they are not paying attention, I made the decision, on my own initiative, to step in and handle the situation in case of an intrusion.

  "Please, gentlemen of the security staff, I ask you with all the respect and seriousness this deserves: stay vigilant. Do the job you are paid to do. The safety of the stadium, the players, and the fans depends on you. I will always be there to support you, always ready to intervene when needed. But if you do not do your part, this mission becomes very difficult for me to handle alone.

  "I am not a celebrity, and I have no ego. I don’t make 3 millions of dollars a year , as some media may claim. I am simply a worker, like millions of others, giving my best every day to accomplish my mission with dedication and honor. My role is to ensure the safety of the people I work with and to harm no fans., and for that, I am ready to do whatever it takes.

  "I am ready to run across the field in sneakers. To fall face down in front of thousands of people. To get tackled, shoved, and humiliated if necessary. None of that matters to me. Because my image doesn’t count—only my mission matters. And if one day I have to give my life to fulfill my duty, I will do it without hesitation.

  Because beyond what others think, beyond the struggles, beyond the sacrifices—what truly defines me is my commitment. My purpose. Thank you all. Take care. May God bless and protect you, for He is the true protector."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Cheuko has been in the headlines recently after failing to apprehend an invader during Miami's preseason clash with Panamanian side Sporting San Miguelito. The MMA enthusiast slipped on the pitch and allowed a fan to hug the great Argentine before he could be dragged away.

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  WHAT'S NEXT FOR CHEUKO AND MESSI?

  wrap their preseason slate with a clash against in-state rival Orlando.

Real Madrid have made somewhat of a habit of buying Tottenham’s star players over the years, having previously splashed out on both Luka Modric and Gareth Bale.

Now, they’ve got their eyes on more Spurs stars. One of those is defender Cristian Romero, according to reports last month. A Spanish outlet reported that Madrid had sent their chief scout Juni Calafat to watch both Romero and Arsenal defender William Saliba play in the North London Derby.

The Frenchman came out on top, with Mikel Arteta’s side winning 1-0 on the day thanks to a second-half goal from Gabriel. The Spanish giants consider both Romero and Saliba to have “enormous potential” and believe they “could fit into the Real Madrid project.”

Real Madrid interested in Porro as well as Romero

Romero isn’t the only Spurs player Madrid currently have their eyes on. According to The Mirror, the 15-times European Champions are also interested in signing full-back Pedro Porro. The Spanish defender joined Spurs from Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth around £40 million in January 2023 and has since established himself as one of the Premier League’s top full-backs and a key player in Ange Postecoglou’s side.

The Mirror add that Porro “remains a focal part of Postecoglou’s plans and Daniel Levy is expected to drive a hard bargain, should Los Blancos come calling”.

The Athletic’s Mario Cortegana previously stated that while Madrid admire Porro, Spurs chairman Levy could be a roadblock in luring the former Manchester City defender to the Spanish capital in the near future.

“The most significant obstacles to any potential move are that he has a contract until summer 2028 and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is known to be a tough negotiator — something executives at the Bernabeu are well aware of, with Madrid having previously signed Luka Modric and Gareth Bale from the north London club,” he explained.

Porro open to Real Madrid move

While Spurs fans will no doubt be hoping they can keep hold of Porro, comments from the player himself suggest that they might not be able to if Madrid came knocking. Speaking with Relevo last week, Porro was asked how it feels to be linked with Madrid.

He replied: “It fills you with excitement, doesn’t it? You have to focus on your work, but the fact that Real Madrid is interested in you is because you are doing things well. That’s how I think about it on a day-to-day basis.”

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“Well, if that moment has to come, it will come. And if it doesn’t, well, I’ll just keep working as I have been doing,” he added.

Asked if he sees himself playing for Los Blancos one day, Porro, on £85,000-a-week with Spurs, said: “Yes. Obviously, because as I told you, I try to work and give my best every day. If I get the chance to make that leap tomorrow, I’ll be prepared.”

The Premier League watched with bated breath. Surely, this was to be the game that would unravel the Arne Slot revolution at Liverpool, who would collapse against the first test of significance?

Chelsea were impressive and their fans should be excited by the promise that has hatched from Enzo Maresca’s tactical implementation, but Slot has trumped the Italian at this stage, shaping Anfield into a force to be reckoned with.

Curtis Jones gave birth to a new level of quality and control as he scored and won both of Liverpool’s awarded penalties, albeit the latter being overturned by VAR.

The 23-year-old’s performance showcases Liverpool’s strength of depth and comments on Slot’s chances of winning silverware this season.

It wasn’t a perfect performance: Chelsea had plenty of success in midfield and succeeded in taking a foothold across portions of the Anfield clash. Dominik Szoboszlai produced an indifferent performance once more and must be sweating over his starting berth going forward.

Dominik Szoboszlai's performance vs Chelsea

Alexis Mac Allister lost his place in the starting line-up for this one, with Slot wary of overexerting his South American coterie, who had only days before returned from their home continent after the October international break.

It meant Jones was handed the opportunity to impress, and he took his chance superbly. Szoboszlai, however, has done little to shake off his detractors after leaving plenty to be desired with the technical facets displayed against the Blues.

Aside from squandering a promising chance in the first half, the 2023 recruit from RB Leipzig also failed to move away from anonymity, with his metrics from the afternoon depicting a bland, colourless canvas.

Not great. It’s pretty damning that Liverpool’s thrusting midfielder failed to win any of his seven contested duels or even win a tackle, while also unable to attempt, let alone complete, a dribble, despite all his running. And moreover, his 49 touches yielded not one key pass.

His movement and presence did help to wrest control from Chelsea in moments, but it wasn’t enough to colour his performance in a positive light.

Luckily, Jones’ wonderful effort allowed Liverpool to grab the three points. Maybe on another day, Liverpool wouldn’t have seen the affair sway in the way it did, and Slot might be tempted to bench Szoboszlai for the next one.

Why Dominik Szoboszlai must be dropped

Szoboszlai’s high-class ability is indisputable, but it’s safe to say that he’s not applying himself correctly in crucial moments, appearing hesitant, and circumspect. Fans can likely draw several instances from 2024/25 alone when the Hungary captain should have thumped the ball against the netting.

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With Jones thriving, perhaps it’s time to relegate Szoboszlai to the bench for a couple of matches, probing him to harness that abundant talent and bring it together to give Liverpool the goals that they need from deep. Mohamed Salah and his forwards are excellent, but there will be a time when another dimension is needed to secure the points.

Against Chelsea, the 23-year-old certainly caught onlookers’ attention, with inews writing of Szoboszlai’s shortcomings in their post-match ratings: ‘Didn’t do well enough with a great chance on 37 minutes and was otherwise anonymous.’

Szoboszlai is a tireless runner but sometimes to a fault. His endless gas tank provides Slot’s engine with the energy it needs to outwork opponents, create space, maintain fluidity within passing passages.

It meant that he was handed a 4/10 match rating, and with Alexis Mac Allister starting from the bench after jetting halfway across the world, you worry about his starting place going forward.

Not least because Jones was so brilliant, so confident, so dynamic. Against Arsenal at the Emirates next weekend, perhaps Slot will value Szoboszlai’s energy and athleticism. But Jones’ movement and silencing of Cole Palmer suggest his form must be preserved. The former Leipzig man needs to be dropped.

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Liverpool just about did enough to beat Chelsea 2-1 back in Premier League action.

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England boss Sarina Wiegman is 'very proud' at the strides made in the women's game but believes more progress should be aimed for.

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• Wiegman proud of progress in women's football
• England boss still wants more
• Face Portugal in Nations League on Friday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Lionesses will take on Portugal in the Nations League on Friday evening at a sold out Estadio Municipal de Portimao, as they aim to tune up ahead of their European Championship defence this summer. Wiegman believes that stadiums being filled around Europe is a huge step in the right direction but does not want the game to stop pushing for more.

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  Wiegman has overseen a remarkable few years for England, who won Euro 2022 and are now supported in huge numbers wherever they play. She is pleased to see other nations are following a similar path ahead of this summer's tournament.

• WHAT WIEGMAN SAID

  Wiegman said at a press conference: "We talk about development a lot of course and we have taken a lot of steps forward but we also need to take a lot more steps forward. I think that countries are all in different stages of their development. Portugal are in another stage of their development. A good thing is that we sold out the stadium quite quickly, which is going to be full tomorrow, and hopefully that helps this country when we play a good game and they can move forward, which is exciting as a whole for women's football."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ENGLAND AND WIEGMAN?

  England have six Nations League fixtures against Portugal, Spain and Belgium to come this spring before the European Championship kicks off in July. They play Spain at Wembley on Wednesday after their Portugal clash.

Everton once had a talent, and his name was Ross Barkley. He was the very embodiment of Goodison Park, a homegrown hero with quality to fit.

Barkley has led a wandering career with plenty of peaks and valleys, but his time on Merseyside will always be remembered fondly, even if he did leave to join Premier League rivals Chelsea in a deal worth £15m plus add-ons.

So began the interminable years of inconsistency and fallen expectations. The England international’s move to Stamford Bridge did not go to plan, but he left in 2022 to try his hand in France with OGC Nice, before moving back to his homeland and making quite the impression with newly-promoted Luton Town.

So began the resurgence.

Ross Barkley's return to English football

Luton might have fallen straight back into the second tier last season but they gave a very good account of themselves, and Barkley was the centrepiece, even said to be “not far off player of the season” by Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson.

He started 30 Premier League fixtures for the Hatters and made quite the impression, with his metrics highlighting the robust and dynamic nature of the craft.

Indeed, as per Sofascore, Barkley averaged 1.5 tackles, 2.1 dribbles, 6.3 ball recoveries 6.1 successful duels and 1.4 key passes per game.

Looking at his performance level from another angle, the nomadic player also ranked among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 16% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions and the top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Now, the 30-year-old is back at Villa Park, and this time for good. An industrious and multi-faceted midfield star, he’d be just what Sean Dyche’s side need at present, battling as they are against relegation.

Oh, how Everton must wish they could have enticed him back to his home city, and how they must regret failing to nurture the perfect successor, with Kieran Dowell looking like the next version of Barkley at one stage.

Everton fumbled their next version of Ross Barkley

Everton have suffered their fair share of transfer mishaps over the years, but efforts were exhausted in eking out Dowell’s talents and sadly, he simply wasn’t able to bring about the requisite level for a nailed-down role in the Merseysiders’ first-team squad.

Now plying his trade for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, the 27-year-old Dowell has enjoyed a good career; he hasn’t fallen by the wayside. Still, success at Everton was not something that he achieved, even though the attacking midfielder had once been viewed among the club’s prized talents.

Dowell joined Everton in 2005 when he was a youth seeking to go beyond that nascent level of football and realise a dream carried by incalculable children across the globe.

And he succeeded in reaching the top, breaking into Everton’s senior system and starring during pre-season preparations, learning across several loan spells designed to inculcate within him the many facets needed to become a first-class player.

Dowell actually played five competitive matches for the Toffees, though this does stand as the fewest appearances for any side that he has performed for across the duration of his career so far.

His ability to collect and turn, weave into space and rifle a strike beyond a hopeless goalkeeper had led to a measure of fanfare, with his short-term stint with Nottingham Forest across the 2017/18 campaign particularly eye-catching, as was the strike you can see just above.

This expectation was heightened – though, in hindsight, more apt wording would be ‘compounded’ – through previous claims, via talkSPORT in this instance, that Dowell was set to be Everton’s latest version of Barkley, for they operated across similar parameters and both carried dribbling prowess and excellent ball-shooting skills.

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Such potential was echoed through former Tricky Trees boss Aitor Karanka, who said that he was “sure that he will be an amazing player in the future because he has everything. He is powerful, he has technique, he is a good kid.”

Indeed, Dowell’s successful stint with Forest proved to be his most productive, which is hardly beneficial when considering it was the first of four terms away with other sides.

In 2020, having stepped out of the maiden stage of his career, it was patent that Dowell was not going to find a role of any significance at Goodison Park, and so he was sold to Norwich City in a deal worth only £1.5m.

This was two-and-a-half years after Barkley had left for Chelsea, and so Dowell truly had plenty of time to prove himself worthy as the Blues home hero’s successor.

For a player who was tipped to follow Barkley and Rooney to the limelight at Everton, Dowell must look back on his time with the club ruefully. The ability was certainly there, but perhaps he was a fortune of the chequered fortunes that can breed from numerous loan spells that make it difficult at a young age to form a flowing line of consistency.

Presently, Everton await the next top-talented forward to emerge from their academy. It could have been Dowell, but ultimately, it’s one that fans will have turned their emotions away from for much time by now.

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