Under-fire Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou defended his injury-hit squad after stinging criticism for their meek League Cup semi-final exit to Liverpool.
Former Spurs midfielder Jamie Redknapp claimed he had never seen a side “in my lifetime go down with less of a fight”.
Defeat ramped up the pressure on Postecoglou, whose future is uncertain with Tottenham languishing in 14th in the Premier League.
The Australian promised earlier in the campaign to maintain his record of winning a trophy in his second season at multiple clubs.
However, Spurs have not lifted any silverware since 2008.
Next up they face a tough trip to Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round.
“I get the pile-on at the moment, it’s really easy for people to stick their boots in and question the players but I don’t question,” said Postecoglou.
“We were disappointed last night didn’t go the way we wanted and we didn’t perform at the levels – but that doesn’t define this group of players in my eyes.
“We’ll go out there on Sunday and put out more of a performance that reflects where we’re at. I have a great deal of belief in these players and what they’re going through and how they’re dealing with it.”
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Postecoglou’s mitigation for a dreadful run of results has been a lengthy injury list that has deprived him of a number of key players.
Guglielmo Vicario, Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie, James Maddison, Brennan Johnson and Dominic Solanke were among those to miss the defeat to Liverpool, while Richarlison hobbled off in the first half at Anfield.
Postecoglou confirmed that none of those will return for the tie at Villa Park, but is hopeful the injury situation will improve for their next Premier League game against Manchester United in nine days’ time.
“Every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s usually been an oncoming train,” added Postecoglou.
“We’re still hopeful we’ll get two or three back for the Manchester United game.
“We’ve got two full weeks of training and we should get the majority of these players back with a bit of luck, providing we don’t lose anyone else.”
Villa could unleash new signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio for their debuts on Sunday after securing loan moves from United and Paris Saint-Germain respectively in the final days of the transfer window.
The Premier League winter transfer window closes at 10am (AEDT) and a host of clubs are still scrambling to bolster their squads to close out this season.
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Catch all the latest transfer news below!
ANGE’S SPURS BACK IN TEL EQUATION
After initially rejecting a move to Tottenham, Ange Postecoglou’s club have reportedly made strides in their attempts to sign French young gun Mathys Tel.
According to ESPN, the 19-year-old travelled to London on deadline day after a breakthrough in negotiations.
Tel will reportedly join Spurs on loan from Bayern Munich, however it remains to be seen how his contract will be structured.
It looms unlikely there will be an option or an obligation for the North London club to buy the rising star once the load period ends.
Chelsea and Manchester United were also reportedly interested in Tel’s services after he was seeking a move away from the German giants due to a lack of game time.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy had previously flown to Munich, but was unable to convince the winger to make a permanent move to London after a $100m AUD transfer fee was agreed between clubs.
However, he reportedly had a change of heart and remained open to a loan move after speaking with coach Postecoglou.
Spurs are also keen to add more defensive recruits before the window closes.
The BBC reported Crystal Palace rejected a $140m AUD million bid from Tottenham for captain Marc Guehi, who has just 18 months left to run of his contract at Selhurst Park.
Tottenham reportedly won’t make any further bids to sign the English centre back.
Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, applauds the fans after defeating Brentford during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Tottenham Hotspur FC at Brentford Community Stadium on February 02, 2025 in Brentford, England. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Palace previously turned down a host of bids in the summer, with the final offer tabled by Newcastle at the time sitting at $130m AUD.
Their resistance to let their captain go comes after injuries in their defensive ranks, with only three fit centre backs currently in their squad.
Chelsea’s Axel Disasi has been linked with a move across London, while Spurs also completed the signing of centre-back Kevin Danso from Lens on Sunday.
CITY MAKE MOVE FOR FOURTH SIGNING
Manchester City are closing in on the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto before Monday’s transfer deadline.
City’s midfield frailties without Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the season due to a serious knee injury, were exposed in a 5-1 thrashing at Arsenal on Sunday.
Pep Guardiola’s men find themselves in a battle just to qualify for next season’s Champions League, with the defending champions sitting fourth in the Premier League, 15 points behind leaders Liverpool.
City could also use reinforcements for a blockbuster Champions League playoff round tie against holders Real Madrid later this month.
Former Barcelona midfielder Gonzalez, 23, will reportedly arrive for a fee of $100m AUD.
City have already splashed out more than $240m AUD million in January on Egypt forward Omar Marmoush and young defenders Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov.
Premier League: Spurs win, City smashed | 02:45
WEST HAM SECURE NEW MARKSMAN
West Ham on Monday signed Brighton striker Evan Ferguson on loan until the end of the season.
The 20-year-old Ireland international will be reunited with Graham Potter, who replaced Julen Lopetegui as manager at the London Stadium last month.
Ferguson has made 13 Premier League appearances for the Seagulls this season, but most of those have been off the bench.
Brighton boss Fabian Huerzeler said the loan would give the highly rated Ferguson much-needed game time.
“Evan has had a frustrating 12 months with injuries and for him to get back to the level he’s capable of and to continue his development, he really needs to be playing regularly,” he said.
“This loan gives him that opportunity, and under a manager he knows well. We are looking forward to watching Evan’s progress over the next few months, and we wish him well.” Ferguson has made 80 appearances in all competitions for Brighton since his debut as a 16-year-old in the League Cup under Potter, scoring 17 goals.
He will boost West Ham’s attacking options in the absence of Michail Antonio and Niclas Fuellkrug, both of whom are injured.
“It feels good to be here. Seeing the stadium and being here today, I’ve got a very good feeling,” Ferguson told West Ham TV.
“I can see and know how big West Ham United is. It was a big opportunity for me to come here. I know the gaffer well and look forward to working under him again.” Potter said Ferguson had “plenty of quality attributes” that would help the team, currently 15th in the Premier League.
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Here is what is being said after a remarkable 2-0 win at Brentford, which featured a makeshift central defensive pairing of Archie Gray and Ben Davies, plus a starring role from fullback Djed Spence.
Writing for The Times, Gregor Robertson said that the pragmatic defensive display bore little resemblance to Postecoglou’s preferred MO of high-octane attacking football.
“Spurs made sure of the win when (Pape Matar) Sarr, a substitute, prodded in a second on the break with three of the 90 minutes left to play, but the buccaneering early days of Ange-ball felt like a distant memory in the intervening hour, during which Brentford largely laid siege to the Tottenham penalty area,” Robertson wrote.
“Spurs were still without nine players through injury, of course, and Postecoglou will have been proud of the way his patched up back four repelled Brentford’s early onslaught and barrage of crosses in the second half.”
Writing for The iPaper, Oliver Young-Myles surmised: “Well, that wasn’t very Angeball-y.
“A first Premier League win for Tottenham in almost 50 days brings some respite for Ange Postecoglou. And what was notable about the performance at Brentford was how different it was to the rinse-and-repeat style Spurs have played throughout the Australian’s reign.
“They were gritty; sat deep for virtually the whole second half; scored a scrappy goal from a corner; managed the game maturely and sensibly. An accusation against Postecoglou is that his team can only play one way. Here was evidence that they can mix it up. Here’s their Anfield blueprint for Thursday.
“Perhaps Postecoglou compromised, although he insisted that wasn’t the case.”
Postecoglou said the game style was an unavoidable result of circumstances, rather than a major philosophical change.
“They’re human beings, not robots,” he said of his players, who had come off a Europa League win three days earlier.
“People want to dismiss it. They want to talk about excuses but that’s the reality. I know the reality. These guys are giving everything.
“We knew we couldn’t go out there and dominate. Brentford had a week to prepare. We had 50-something hours. With the same group of players. With that context, the performance was outstanding.”
Writing for The Sun, Tom Barclay said: “This was not Ange Ball, but, frankly, who cares?
“Certainly not Tottenham fans, who were genuinely starting to worry about being sucked into a relegation battle and were singing “We are staying up” come the end. And probably not Ange Postecoglou either, whose need for this reviving win was becoming desperate.
“The Aussie’s position has been coming under more and more scrutiny after a bleak winter culminating in one win in 11 league games. He has been able to point to a crippling injury crisis as a mitigating factor and progress in the cups as a reason to believe.
“But make no mistake, the 59-year-old needed this victory and will have taken any means necessary to get it.”
Ange Postecoglou celebrates victory with Spurs captain Son Heung-Min.Source: Getty Images
Tottenham were boosted before the match with the signing of Kevin Danso from Ligue 1 club Lens, boosting their central defensive stocks.
Yet writing for The Telegraph, Matt Law noted the remarkable defensive effort that came from a thrown-together line-up.
“Kevin Danso’s arrival was announced on Sunday morning, but Postecoglou, while Tottenham waited for the defender’s international clearance, named a team with no recognised centre-backs,” Law wrote.
“It looked like a recipe for another Spurs disaster and yet Archie Gray, who is naturally a midfielder, and Ben Davies, who is normally a left-back, stood up to the task manfully – as did Djed Spence, a right-back filling in at left-back.
“Despite Tottenham’s two-goal winning margin, it was the brave defending of Spence and Co that got Spurs over the line, as Postecoglou waits for more reinforcements that could still include Chelsea’s Axel Disasi and players to return to fitness. Tottenham have agreed a deal to sign Disasi on loan, but the Frenchman had agreed terms with Aston Villa, who have been unwilling to meet Chelsea’s conditions. Talks were continuing into Sunday evening.”
Relief for Ange but more work ahead | 01:09
Writing for The Guardian, Nick Ames said that Postecoglou may be feeling more optimistic about his future after the result.
“Disciplined, unfussy, a little scrappy and garnished with a dollop of luck. Tottenham have rarely known afternoons such as this under Ange Postecoglou but they summoned a textbook away performance, rolling up their sleeves and putting a halt to the previous seven weeks’ freefall.
“Spurs had not won a league game since 15 December, and that was against the flimsy proposition of Russell Martin’s Southampton. This time they dealt with one of the division’s most exacting physical examinations and there was no doubting the importance to their manager, who leapt off his seat and punched the air when Pape Matar Sarr put matters beyond doubt late on.
“It will not remove the unease around Tottenham, which was demonstrated by regular chants from the away section demanding that Daniel Levy step down. But they had to start somewhere and, with the Austria defender Kevin Danso arriving from Lens and a move for Axel Disasi in their sights before the transfer deadline on Monday, Postecoglou might feel cautious optimism that the darkest hour has passed.”
Goal-scorer Pape Matar Sarr celebrates victory with Ange Postecoglou.Source: Getty Images
Spurs’ performance was something of a surprise, with Brentford above them on the ladder and a particularly dangerous goalscoring threat at home this season.
As is turned out, Postecoglou’s men burned one of his media sparring partners. Liverpool great Jamie Carragher predicted pre-game that they would be soundly beaten.
“I’ll be absolutely shocked if Tottenham win there today,” Carragher said on Sky Sports. “When I look at that back four, they’ve been decimated.
“I thought (Micky) Van de Ven was going to be involved today. Obviously they’ve lost their goalkeeper, they’ve brought one in [Antonin Kinsky], but when you actually look at that Tottenham back four, if they concede less than three today, I will be surprised.
“I’m not criticising them – they’re young kids; Ben Davies is in there, he’s not a centre-back, he’s a left-back. Archie Gray’s done brilliantly for them, he’s an 18-year-old kid – to go away to Brentford, set pieces, long balls, what you’ve got to deal with as a centre back…”
The Mirror concluded that Spurs had put “Jamie Carragher’s pre-match prediction to shame”.
Tottenham has snapped a seven-game Premier League winless run with a 2-0 victory at Brentford that eases pressure on Ange Postecoglou, who chose to depart from ‘Angeball’ tactics for the crucial win.
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Spurs banished fears of being dragged into a relegation battle and eased the pressure on Postecoglou’s job thanks to Vitaly Janelt’s own goal and a late Pape Sarr strike to move 10 points clear of the bottom three.
The Bees were left to rue a number of missed chances against an injury-ravaged Tottenham defence.
Yoane Wissa’s header came off the bar as Brentford pushed for an equaliser. But Spurs picked them off on the counter-attack when Pape Sarr prodded through Valdimarsson’s legs from Son’s pass.
Victory lifts Tottenham to 14th and 10 points clear of the relegation zone.
The win came with Postecoglou ditching his trademark ‘Angeball’ style with the Australian finally adopting a more defensive approach for his injury-ravaged, and fatigued squad.
“Difficult place to come, difficult place to win at and difficult place to keep them out,” Postecoglou said.
“The lads were brilliant. Our second goal was outstanding and we were always a threat when we had it.”
Speaking about what happened to Angeball, he added: “They’re human beings, not robots.
“People want to dismiss it. They want to talk about excuses but that’s the reality. I know the reality. These guys are giving everything.
Relief for Ange but more work ahead | 01:09
“We knew we couldn’t go out there and dominate. Brentford had a week to prepare. We had 50-something hours. With the same group of players. With that context, the performance was outstanding.”
Tottenham can now concentrate on a huge week in the domestic cup competitions. They travel to Liverpool defending a 1-0 lead in the second leg of their League Cup semi-final on Thursday, before a visit to Aston Villa in the FA Cup fourth round.
The club announced the signing of centre-back Kevin Danso from Lens before Sunday’s game and are expected to make further additions on the final day of the transfer window.
“It’s the same group of players who have to play Thursday and Sunday and you can’t get away from the fact that playing Thursday and Sunday consistently without being able to rotate takes a toll,” said Postecoglou.
“The Premier League is relentless and you’re meeting teams who’ve had seven days’ break and we’ve had 48 hours.
“From that perspective the pleasing thing is that we had Micky (Van de Ven) back on Thursday, Djed (Spence) in today and we’ve signed Kevin. The group now are getting encouragement and energy from getting some help and I have no doubt they’ll assist us in addressing our position in the league.”
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Spurs hijacked a deal Wolves had in place to sign Danso, who joins initially on loan with an obligation to buy at the end of the season for 25 million euros (£21 million, $42 million).
Postecoglou’s first-choice centre-backs Van de Ven and Cristian Romero have missed a large part of the season, while their backup Radu Dragusin is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines with a serious knee injury.
Chelsea’s Axel Disasi is also reportedly on the verge of a move across London before Monday’s transfer deadline.
“It’s great to get Kevin in, we desperately needed a defender,” added Postecoglou.
“Getting him is great because he’s a great fit for us. He’s had a strong career and he’s at an age now (26) where he wants to kick on and he has all the attributes we look for. We’re really pleased and it will be a lift for the whole group.”
The 2023-24 summer transfer window has drawn to a close, with some clubs nailing their business while others have fallen well short of the mark as financial regulations heavily influence the Premier League’s spending habits.
Unlike windows of the past, where the Premier League attracted some of the biggest names in Europe, this year has felt a little different, with clubs focused more on ensuring safer financial practice as opposed to nailing their big money signings.
We saw less deals akin to the ones that brought Erling Haaland to Manchester City and Romelu Lukaku to Chelsea in recent seasons, and more like Elliot Anderson’s to Nottingham Forest and Conor Gallagher’s to Atletico Madrid: transfers done to appease accountants more than managers.
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‘It’s not like I am Harry Potter’ | 00:22
The strict Premier League crackdown on its Profit and Sustainability rules in recent seasons, exemplified by Everton and Forest’s respective points deductions, appear to have frightened clubs.
This was highlighted in the 10 days preceding the June 30 accounting deadline when six clubs – Forest, Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton, Aston Villa and Leicester – sold 15 players for a grand total of £323 million ($631.8 million AUD) in a late attempt to meet PSR requirements.
According to a report from The Athletic, those 15 deals accounted for 16% of the Premier League’s spending this window, with some of those clubs enacting creative accounting to ensure their books comply and a costly points deduction is avoided.
Though this did not slow Premier League spending, with 14 clubs parting with over $150 million on players during the window, but did create a strange spending environment that will surely become a mainstay in the coming seasons.
Changed spending conditions have coincided with changing spending habits, which have been on show throughout the window and go in part to explaining the business of some sides.
The average age of the league’s 10 most expensive signings this season is 23.3 years old, highlighting how clubs are targeting younger players with high potential and resale value, as opposed to proven products in the prime of their careers.
Foxsports.com.au rates every Premier League team’s summer dealings in our Transfer Report Card!
Arsenal
Biggest signing: Riccardo Calafiori ($81.3m from Bologna)
Total spend: $186.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m to Fulham)
Total income: $161.4 million (AUD)
Having finished second last season, Mikel Arteta’s side needed a strong transfer window to strengthen their side and solidify their title push. They did just that.
Riccardo Calafiori arrives after a strong season with Bologna and a good Euros campaign with Italy to strengthen one of Arsenal’s problem areas last season – left back, with the Italian’s ability to seamlessly invert into midfield key to Arteta’s tactical shape. Mikel Merino provides midfield strength, and allows Arsenal to push Declan Rice into a deeper role whenever required, while the move to permanently sign David Raya, and sell Aaron Ramsdale, cleared up one of the biggest clouds over the club’s 2023-24 season.
Raheem Sterling’s deadline day arrival from Chelsea is a great move, providing cover on both wings as well as title-winning experience. If Arteta can get the Englishman to perform at his best, like he did when the pair were at Manchester City, it’ll provide Arsenal with an additional goal scoring threat this season and afford Bukayo Saka a chance to rest his legs after an intense year.
Fighting off interest in Leandro Trossard from the Saudi Pro League is shrewd too given the Belgian’s impact off the bench and versatility, which will come in handy given Gabriel Jesus’ recent injury record.
Crucially in modern football the sales of Emlie Smith-Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, which will appear as pure profit on the club’s books, ensure they remain compliant with the Premier League’s strict PSR rules.
Where some feel Arsenal’s window missed the mark is their failure to bring a world class No.9 in, with Victor Osimhen and Ivan Toney but avoided for various reasons. Arteta has faith in Kai Havertz, who scored eight goals in 13 games as striker last season, with Trossard, Jesus and Sterling as cover.
Grade: B+
Arsenal’s Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori challenges for the ball with Brighton’s Paraguayan attacker Julio Enciso during a English Premier League match between the Emirates Stadium.Source: AFP
Aston Villa
Biggest signing: Amadou Onana ($96.8m from Everton)
Total spend: $295.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Diaby ($97.7m to Al-Itthad)
Total income: $271.2 million (AUD)
Villa were dealt a massive blow this window in losing Moussa Diaby and Douglas Luiz, two of their strongest performers last season.
The club signed Belgian holding midfielder Amadou Onana from Everton, with the 23-year-old already hitting the ground running by scoring twice in his first three games. Onana adds size, power and strong ball-winning skills to Villa’s midfield, though lacks the passing range and set-piece threat of Luiz.
Not to worry Villa fans, given the club already possesses Youri Tielemans, one of the Premier League’s strongest passers and a set piece specialist to rival the best of them.
Ian Maatsen, who was key in Dortmund’s run to last season’s Champions League final, gives good depth at left back, though there are concerns about the drop off between right back Matty Cash and his understudy, particularly with injuries in central defence not allowing Ezri Konsa to shuffle across.
Diaby’s loss is massive, even if the Frenchman’s performances tailed off at the end of last season, but Unai Emery already has the pieces to compensate for his departure.
Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barenechea, both signed from Juventus as part of the deal to send Luiz the other way, are young and unproven but could become integral cogs in the Villa machine once they return from their respective loans.
Villa haven’t just signed Ross Barkley is an underrated piece of business. The former Chelsea man provides Emery with experience and brilliant midfield cover following an impressive Premier League season with Luton Town.
Omari Kellyman, Tim Iroegbunam and Cameron Archer’s sales will go towards balancing the club’s books, even if the latter was re-signed from Sheffield United before being sold to Southampton, while Philippe Coutinho’s loan move to Vasco da Gama lightens the club’s wage bill.
Grade: B
LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 17: New signing Ian Maatsen acknowledges Aston Villa fans after the team’s victory against West Ham United FC (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Bournemouth
Biggest signing: Evanilson ($61.3m from Porto)
Total spend: $172.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Dominic Solanke ($106m to Tottenham Hotspur)
Total income: $110.3 million (AUD)
There was no more important player to Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side last season than striker Dominic Solanke, who finished the campaign with 19 goals and three assists.
Brazilian striker Evanilson joins for a club-record fee having scored 13 Portuguese league goals last season for 3rd placed Porto.
An unknown quantity in England, Evanilson has all the makings of a well-rounded striker and joins a side that had more shot creating actions last season than Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, though it will be hard for the striker to have link up play as exceptional as Solanke.
First-choice goalkeeper Neto joins Arsenal on loan, with Kepa arriving from Chelsea to replace the Brazilian, marking a significant downgrade in the club’s goalkeeping ranks. The Spaniard is a gamble for Iraola’s side given his failure to set the Premier League alight, weak shot stopping and shortcomings when competing for crosses.
19-year-old Spanish-Dutch defender Dean Huijsen has all the makings of a serious transfer coup, with multi-Premier League winning manager Jose Mourinho once describing the centre back as “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football at this age level.”
Grade: C-
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND – AUGUST 25: AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson during the club’s Premier League match against Newcastle United. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Brentford
Biggest signing: Igor Thiago ($58m from Club Brugge)
Total spend: $169.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Ivan Toney ($77.4m to Al-Ahli)
Total income: $129.7 million (AUD)
Sometimes a transfer window is less about what you gain and more about what you lose.
In letting Ivan Toney walk, Brentford offloaded a player who evidently did not want to be at the club for some time, at a significant fee that allowed them to invest in the future of their club by bringing several talented youngsters in, such as Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Gustavo Nunes.
Not only does Toney’s transfer have significant financial benefits for the Bees, but it should also create a harmonised Brentford squad this season.
Igor Thiago was signed as Toney’s replacement after 29 goals in the Belgian league last season but is currently sidelined with a knee injury. Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa have led Frank’s line brilliantly to begin the season, with the club’s ability to hold on the latter arguably their most important piece of business.
Keep an eye on teenage left back Jayden Meghoma, viewed by many good judges as one of England’s brightest young prospects. Injuries could pave the way for the flyer to break into Thomas Frank’s side at left back at some point this season.
Grade: B
Brighton
Biggest signing: Georginio Rutter ($77.4m from Leeds United)
Total spend: $381.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Deniz Undav ($49.7m to VFB Stuttgart)
Total income: $90.4 million (AUD)
Only Chelsea spent more money than Brighton, which comes as a surprise given the South Coast club’s highly successful ‘moneyball’ style tactics in recent years.
Those tactics are still at play, with the club not splashing huge cash on a big name signing this summer. Instead, they’ve picked up several highly promising footballers who add to 31-year-old coach Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Georginio Rutter, Matt O’Riley, Mats Wieffer, Ferdi Kadioglu and Brajan Gruda all have the makings of quintessential Brighton signings and will no doubt be sold for triple their purchase price in 18 months.
Over the opening three games of the season, fresh faced winger Yankuba Minteh has been incredibly impressive, playing with little fear and plenty of creativity and drive, frightening opposition left backs with his relentless attack.
Billy Gilmour’s deadline day move to Napoli weakens the club’s holding midfield stocks, which took a hit earlier in the window with Pascal Gross’ departure to Dortmund. Hurzeler has said as much in recent days, noting the club “don’t have enough players at (No.) six.”
Grade: B
Right winger Yankuba Minteh during Brighton’s Premier League win against Everton. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Chelsea
Biggest signing: Pedro Neto ($104.6m from Wolves)
Total spend: $400.6 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Conor Gallagher ($65.9m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $303 million (AUD)
Deep breath in. And another. 11 players arrived at Stamford Bridge over the summer, bloating Enzo Maresca’s first team squad out to a whopping 30, with a further 12 out on loan.
“You want to ask about where Joao Felix is going to play, I’ve got another question – where’s he going to get changed at the training ground?” Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher questioned.
“How are all these players in one dressing room? How are you putting on a training session?”
The Conor Gallagher and Raheem Sterling sagas were sour, and typified the current Chelsea regimes cold, and seemingly senseless, approach to business, but the deals to offload Ian Maatsen, Romelu Lukaku, Lewis Hall and Omari Hutchinson were savvy moves that will go towards balancing the club’s books.
In amongst the madness of moving on Sterling and Gallagher, uncertainty around Trevoh Chalobah’s future, the lack of resolution around Ben Chilwell’s situation, and signing three left wingers, there is some small semblance of method.
Chelsea have made their intentions clear with their business; they are backing Maresca in the market and signing players whose profile fits his needs.
There is little risk to the Jadon Sancho deal, while Joao Felix’s signing could be viewed differently if the Portuguese star hits the heights expected of him when he burst onto the scene six years ago.
And yet, despite these faint glimmers of hope there is still the overwhelming sense of restlessness at the Bridge, not only given the way the club has conducted business this summer, and the enormous squad size, but also given the club spent more money than any other Premier League side while failing to address their widely perceived problem area: striker.
Toney and Osimhen were both on the table, though moves for either failed to materialise, with finances key to this. A lack of depth in holding midfield remains a concern for Maresca with Romeo Lavia’s injury history meaning the club are a Moises Caicedo injury away from a near unpluggable hole in their midfield.
Grade: B-
New signing Jadon Sancho is presented to the Chelsea fans before his side’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Crystal Palace
Biggest signing: Eddie Nketiah ($48.3m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $130.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Michael Olise ($87m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $174 million (AUD)
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace shocked the Premier League at the back end of last season, winning six of their last seven from 14th to 10th.
The pre-season expectation was for them to build on this, even with Michael Olise’s big money move to Bayern Munich removing one of the stars of last season from the fold.
Joachim Andersen left for Fulham not long after, and things could’ve gone from bad to worse if Newcastle’s aggressive pursuit of captain Marc Guehi paid off.
It didn’t, and Palace’s defence was stronger for it. Trevoh Chalobah arrived on loan from Chelsea, while the promising French Maxence Lacroix joined from Wolfsburg, further strengthening Glasner’s backline.
Japanese international Daicha Kamada and Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr strengthen his frontline, so too does the signing of Eddie Nketiah – who just feels like a Crystal Palace player.
While they’re yet to reap the rewards on the field, Palace have had one of the better windows in the Premier League, defined not so much by who they brought in as much as who they didn’t lose – Guehi, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton.
Grade: B+
Everton
Biggest signing: Jake O’Brien ($33m from Lyon)
Total spend: $83 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Amadou Onana ($96.8m to Aston Villa)
Total income: $133.6 million (AUD)
Much like Palace, Everton’s best bit of business in the summer window was not allowing their most important defensive cog to leave the club.
That Jarrad Branthwaite remained at Everton is a massive win for Sean Dyche, even if the defender has missed the opening games of the season through injury.
The 22-year-old was ranked sixth for clearances and seventh for interceptions last season and was a key reason behind Everton keeping 13 clean sheets, second only to Arsenal.
However, the Toffees lost Amadou Onana to Everton, denting their midfield stocks for perhaps the most important Premier League campaign in the club’s recent memory.
Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Harrison and Jesper Lindstrom headline a suite of creative signings that have their work cut out for them in trying to inspire a side that scored just 40 goals last season.
There’s no doubting Everton have made some smart additions. Whether they’ll be what’s needed to keep them away from the relegation fight is a question only time has the answer for.
Grade: D+
Amadou Onana traded Everton for Aston Villa this transfer window. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Fulham
Biggest signing: Emile Smith Rowe ($65.8m from Arsenal)
Total spend: $173.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Joao Palhinha ($81.9m to Bayern Munich)
Total income: $112.9 million (AUD)
One of the smaller Premier League clubs who executed a smart summer window that leaves their squad stronger this year than when it ended last season.
Of course Joao Palhinha’s departure to Bayern Munich leaves a massive hole in Marco Silva’s midfield – no player made more than his 152 tackles last season. Not signing a replacement may come back to bite them, though Harrison Reed, Sasa Lukic and new signing Sander Berge are more than capable in that role.
At the back Joachim Andersen rejoins from Palace, softening Tosin Adarabioyo’s departure, while Jorge Cuenca offers Silva an additional left footed centre back following Tim Ream’s departure.
In attack, Fulham’s have invested plenty in Emile Smith Rowe, a brilliant attacking talent who’s been stifled by injuries and falling out of Mikel Arteta’s favour in recent years. The winger/attacking midfielder has hit the ground running, scoring in Fulham’s 2-1 win over Leicester City, and could be viewed as a bargain in coming seasons if he can match, or exceed, the 10 goals he scored for the Gunners in 2021-22.
Reiss Nelson provides depth out wide following Willian’s departure for Olympiakos and could potentially push Alex Iwobi into a central midfield role he excelled at for Everton a few seasons ago.
While their business hasn’t set the world alight, it’s quietly done what it’s needed to do: make up for their outgoings and strengthen where possible.
Grade: B-
Fulham attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe joined the club this summer for $65.8 million from Arsenal. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Ipswich Town
Biggest signing: Omari Hutchinson ($42.6m from Chelsea)
Total spend: $205 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: George Edmundon (loan to Middlesbrough)
Total income: N/A
Only two players contributed more than Omari Hutchinson’s 16 goals in Ipswich’s promotion campaign last season. A deal to bring the England youth international back to the club is massive towards their bid to stay up, with the attacking midfielder showing lots of promise in the season’s opening games.
Jack Clarke, Jacob Greaves and Liam Delap all have the potential to be great signings, especially for the price tag they were collected at, and could all benefit from Kieran McKenna’s brilliant management, while signing last season’s Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics for just over $17 million is smart business.
This quartet are good enough to cut it in the Premier League, but also have the added benefit that, in the event of relegation, Ipswich can extract a high resale value or utilise their talents to earn promotion back to the top flight.
The deal to bring Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City has rocks or diamonds potential. At his best Phillips is a brilliant defensive midfielder with an exceptional passing range and wonderful ability to bait and beat opposition presses. At his worst he is injury riddled, just ask Manchester City, and error-laden, just ask West Ham.
Ipswich will be praying he’s more of the former, especially considering the 28-year-old’s experience keeping freshly promoted sides in the Premier League.
Grade: C
Omari Hutchinson during Ipswich’s Premier League match against Liverpool FC. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Leicester City
Biggest signing: Bilal El Khannouss ($38.7m from Genk)
Total spend: $153.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall ($58.1m to Chelsea)
Total income: $58.1 million (AUD)
A few seasons ago the Foxes had a reputation as one of the savviest market operators in Europe. Deals for N’Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, Youri Tielemans, Wilfred Ndidi, Wesley Fofana and Ricardo Pereira were struck with little interjection from other clubs and to great benefit for Leicester.
Relegation zapped that reputation. And while it will be hard to replicate their previous market success there are at least several positives to take from Leicester’s transfer window.
Bilal El Khannouss arrives from Genk as the Belgian league’s Young Player of the Season and an Olympic Bronze medallist who was involved in nine goals last season. The Moroccan’s stats may fail to flatter, but he’s a highly technical and intelligent footballer who glides across the park and could provide some necessary creative spark.
That creative spark takes on greater importance without Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, the attacking lynchpin around which the club won promotion last season. Dewsbury-Hall’s move to join Enzo Maresca is the club’s only major outgoing – a big plus in their bid to keep their top-flight status intact.
Dewsbury-Hall’s is also major for Leicester given the fee he collected will register as pure profit on the clubs’ books, an important factor given they had significant financial restraints throughout the window.
Elsewhere, Oliver Skipp is a reliable Premier League footballer signed at a good price, while making Abdul Fatawu’s loan permanent is savvy too. Both will be crucial for Steve Cooper this season.
Where their window fell short is really strengthening at striker, especially considering Jamie Vardy’s age and recent injury history and the departure of Kelechi Iheanacho to Sevilla.
Odsonne Edouard has Premier League experience, and was once a prolific goalscorer at Celtic, yet found the net just 21 times in his 103 Palace games. Given the importance of reliable goalscoring in staving off relegation.
Grade: C
Liverpool
Biggest signing: Federico Chiesa ($19.4m from Juventus)
Total spend: $19.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Fabio Carvalho ($43.7m to Brentford)
Total income: $102.6 million (AUD)
This summer always loomed as the end of an era at Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp’s time at the club had drawn to a close, with Dutchman Arne Slot taking the reins of Anfield.
Immense change was expected, with new personnel viewed as a guarantee in order to assist Slot’s transition in the Liverpool managerial role.
Yet, for much of the window Liverpool were the only club in Europe’s top five leagues to have not signed a single player. That was until Giori Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia before being immediately loaned back to Spain, while a bargain move for Federico Chiesa is as risky as it is promising given the Italian’s recent injury history.
Their lack of market activity has not significantly impacted Liverpool, who have begun the season brilliantly.
Even more impressive is the club’s failure to panic once Martin Zubimendi informed them he would remain at Real Sociedad. The Spaniard, who impressed in the Euro final, was billed as the No.6 the Reds desperately needed, with many doubting who would be shoehorned into the role in his place.
Enter Ryan Gravenberch, who has done so seamlessly, bringing a unique profile into the defensive midfield role and justifying Liverpool’s lack of panic in the market.
Fabio Carvalho, Sepp van den Berg and Bobby Clark all left for good deals given their experience, while Stefan Bajcetic’s loan to RB Salzburg will be beneficial to the club in the coming seasons.
Thiago retired and Joel Matip was released, with the club opting not to dip into the market to replace the experienced Cameroonian centre half. A move for Frenchman Castello Lukeba never materialised, meaning the club only have four recognised central defenders, which could prove their Achilles heel down the line.
Liverpool great Jamie Carragher believes the club “are still short – not in terms of numbers but maybe in terms of quality – at centre-back and in holding midfield,” though credited them for not panic buying, which rarely ever works.
Grade: C+
(FILES) Liverpool new signing Federico Chiesa celebrates scoring a goal for Juventus. (Photo by Marco BERTORELLO / AFP)Source: AFP
Manchester City
Biggest signing: Ilkay Gundogan (Free from FC Barcelona)
Total spend: $40.7 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Julian Alvarez ($125m to Atletico Madrid)
Total income: $264.6 million (AUD)
When Julian Alvarez traded Manchester for the warmth of Madrid and the intensity of Diego Simeone, there was a sense that this may be the season City finally trips up.
At times filling in for both Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, the Argentine World Cup winner played the fifth most minutes for Pep in the Premier League last season, scoring 11 and creating eight.
Where exactly would City find a player capable of filling in for both their striker and chief creator? The answer, it seems, had been hiding in plain sight.
Released from the final two years of his Barcelona contract, former City captain Ilkay Gundogan has been deployed as a false nine many times for Guardiola but is naturally a brilliant creative midfielder. There is arguably no better Alvarez replacement in world football.
The German headlines a quiet summer of incomings for City, which includes tricky Brazilian winger Savinho – who joined from Girona and has already shown what a delight he is with the ball at his feet. Both are smart additions that boost an already exceptional squad.
Even still, City enter the campaign without a recognised back up striker on their books.
For any other side this would be deeply concerning. For City, it’s a problem, given Haaland’s relatively good injury record, without yet being a major issue, yet.
Pep noted as much, stating the club’s choice not to replace Alvarez could be a “problem” that may turn into a “mistake” but believes the club have enough players in house who can fill in for Haaland, including Gundogan, Phil Foden and youngsters James McAtee and Oscar Bobb.
Where City were smart this window is their ability to offload unwanted, but talented, academy products for strong fees that allow them to clean their books.
Liam Delap, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Tommy Doyle all permanently moved away from the Etihad. Offloading Joao Cancelo’s contract from the club’s books can also not be understated.
Grade: B-
lkay Gundogan re-joined Manchester City from FC Barcelona on a free transfer this summer. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Manchester United
Biggest signing: Lenny Yoro ($101.4m from LOSC Lille)
Total spend: $354.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Scott McTominay ($49.9m to Napoli)
Total income: $164.5 million (AUD)
As has been the case for the last decade, it’s incredibly hard to get a read on whether or not United’s transfer window has been good.
On paper they’ve brought in good players. Lenny Yoro has massive wraps on him and may just be the best centre back at his age group, Joshua Zirkzee is a unicorn of a striker as capable of dropping deep and creative as many attacking midfielders, and Manuel Ugarte appears the kind of no-nonsense midfield anchor they’ve been crying out for.
Matthijs De Ligt was once Europe’s finest young centre half but has failed to impress at two of the continent’s biggest clubs. He arrives with a major question mark. While at just over $25 million, Noussair Mazraoui has all the makings of a bargain.
And yet there is an element of groundhog day about this window. United have had good windows in the past. Remember 2021, When the club signed Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo? Or 2022, when Casemiro, Antony and Lisandro Martinez arrived at Old Trafford? Or last year, when Mason Mount, Andre Onana and Rasmus Hojlund joined?
All of these windows were rightly perceived as great windows on face value of the signings. And the same can be said for this window. All of United’s deals look good on paper, but that matters for very little if the club’s form doesn’t turn around.
Where United, and their restructured footballing ownership, deserve credit is offloading Mason Greenwood to Marseille, clearing the club of the winger’s baggage. Allowing Aaron Wan-Bissaka to move to West Ham is also smart given he doesn’t fit the profile of an Erik Ten Hag fullback.
At nearly $50 million, the club would have been foolish to reject Napoli’s offer for Scott McTominay, though his passion and versatility could well be missed dearly.
Grade: B-
Manchester United’s new signings (L to R) Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro (using crutches due to a metatarsal injury), Joshua Zirkzee and Noussair Mazraoui acknowledge the fans prior to United’s clash with Fulham. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Newcastle United
Biggest signing: Lewis Hall ($54.6 million from Chelsea – loan move made permanent)
Total spend: $74.2 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million to Nottingham Forest)
Total income: $132.8 million (AUD)
Arguably no Premier League club had their hands tied behind their back by financial constraints more than Newcastle United.
Manager Eddie Howe described it as “challenging,” before sharing his hopes the club’s minimal business helps them strengthen in future windows.
Out went Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh, both of whom would have pushed for a place in Howe’s squad, and potentially starting XI, with Anderson’s move to Forest facilitated purely for financial reasons.
The club’s financial constraints meant they were limited in their ability to dip into the transfer market, with Lewis Hall’s loan move being made permanent and William Osula’s signing the only two the club splashed cash on.
Lloyd Kelly adds much-needed defensive depth, and will be a valuable squad player once everyone is fit, but is hardly a signing to set the world alight.
It would be harsh to judge Newcastle’s incomings too severely due to the club’s financial constraints, though questions need to be asked about their failed pursuit of Palace centre back Marc Guehi, as well as their inability to offload Kieran Trippier – who begins the season as Howe’s right back deputy.
Clearly the money was there, just not used in ways that strengthen the players at Howe’s disposal. What did strengthen Howe’s side was keeping Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak, which is about the only commendable business Newcastle conducted.
At best, Newcastle will reflect on this window as one that boosted their squad and brought in two fine young talents. At worst, it will be seen as a failure that failed to achieve anything other than balance the club’s books.
Grade: D+
Nottingham Forest
Biggest signing: Elliot Anderson ($68.3 million from Newcastle United)
Total spend: $175 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Moussa Niakhate ($52.8 million to Lyon)
Total income: $88.9 million (AUD)
Dare we say it… did Forest have a strong transfer window?
Considering the club have had an even more scattergun approach to transfers in recent years than even Chelsea, their activity was measured, geared towards strengthening Nuno’s squad as opposed to signing as many players as possible.
Elliot Anderson is a wonderful footballer, Nikola Milenkovic has been impressive in recent seasons for Fiorentina, Jota Silva has massive wraps as an elusive winger with goal scoring nous, while James Ward-Prowse’s loan adds depth, experience and set piece threat to Nuno’s midfield.
Murillo, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga remain at the City ground, highlighting how their astute incomings came without expensive outgoings.
Given the club targeted seven goalkeepers throughout last season, and current No.1 Matz Sels had the lowest save percentage (57.4%) of all 25 goalkeepers in the Premier League last season, not bringing in a new goalkeeper is the one glaring negative against Forest’s window.
The club lagged in their attempt to sign Aaron Ramsdale, who joined Southampton instead, saw their advances for Neto knocked back, missed out on Sam Johnstone to Wolves, failed in their attempt to bring French international Brice Samba back to the club and were unwilling to meet Liverpool’s valuation for Ireland international Caoimhim Kelleher.
Another clear area the club were attempting to strengthen but failed to do is up front, with their pursuits of Eddie Nketiah, Yoane Wissa, Omar Marmoush, Evanilson and Santiago Gimenez all ending in nothing.
While this is disappointing for Forest fans, their manager reportedly has no qualms with Sels as first choice keeper, while New Zealand international Chris Wood has begun the season in red-hot scoring form.
What isn’t disappointing for Forest fans is the fact their club didn’t panic buy when missing out on their targets and instead stuck the course with what they had and trusted Nuno to get the best out of them.
Grade: B-
Elliot Anderson joined Nottingham Forest from Newcastle just before the June 30 PSR deadline. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Southampton
Biggest signing: Aaron Ramsdale ($35.2 million from Arsenal)
Total spend: $205.4 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Carlos Alcaraz ($29.7 million to Flamengo)
Total income: $82.5 million (AUD)
For much of the window, Southampton seemed to sign players with one eye on remaining in the Premier League and another on gaining promotion in the event they’re relegated this season.
Given last season’s promoted contingent – Burnley, Luton Town and Sheffield United – all went straight back down at the end of 2023-24, this business approach is as smart as it is sad.
Aaron Ramsdale’s signing late in the window shows the hunger is there for Russell Martin’s side. He headlines a savvy window for the Saints, who also made Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Flynn Downes’ loan moves permanent, while Ben Brereton-Diaz should add goals.
Goals will be a problem for Southampton this season given Adam Armstrong’s never scored more than two Premier League goals in a single season, and Brereton-Diaz has the potential to provide a threat upfront after scoring six times in 14 Premier League games on loan at Sheffield United last season.
There is hope Cameron Archer can blossom into a reliable Premier League striker, which is why the Saints paid Villa $29 million for his services, even if he’s scored more than 10 goals in a season once in his career.
At the very least, should Southampton fail to find the goals they’ll need to survive, their signings this window have a high enough ceiling to serve them well in the coming years.
Grade: C-
Ange bullish wins will come soon | 00:25
Tottenham Hotspur
Biggest signing: Dominic Solanke ($107m from Bournemouth)
Total spend: $234.8 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Oliver Skipp ($39 million to Leicester City)
Total income: $114.6 million (AUD)
12 months after Harry Kane moved to Bayern Munich, Spurs have finally landed on their replacement for the England captain.
In Dominic Solanke, Ange Postecoglou has a striker moulded similarly to Kane as you can get on the market. A career-high 19 goal haul last season is the headline figure for the former Bournemouth man, but his link up play and ability to drag opponents out of position and bring teammates into play is among the best in Europe.
An early injury setback following a disappointing debut has soured the early weeks of Solanke’s time at Spurs but Postecoglou has made it no secret that he feels the 26-year-old will succeed at the club.
“He is a presence and scores different types of goals. I think the way we play suits him,” the Spurs coach said.
Elsewhere, the club brought in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert and Lucas Bergvall in, all three of whom are fine young footballers with the potential to grow into exceptional players around which Spurs’ side can be constructed.
18-year-old Gray in particular marks a significant transfer coup, with the 2023-24 Championship Young Player of the Season already a fine holding midfielder, and capable right back, who was highly-rated by former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Last season, Gray led Leeds in tackles, was ranked third in tackles and won possession back more often than just about anyone at the club.
Away from new signings, Spurs were able to offload several high-wage, low performance players, namely Tanguy Nbombele, and find new homes for footballers who don’t suit Postecoglou’s style, such as Eric Dier, Emerson Royal and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
For his part, the Australian described the club’s activity as a “real positive” but noted there were shortcomings with their activity.
“We know there’s still some areas where I look at squad management and we can improve. Again, it’s got to be the right person, the right player and right person,” Postecoglou said, before hinting at potential reinforcements joining the club in January.
One area the club are undoubtedly assessing depth options for is defence. Last season, Spurs’ campaign was derailed by injuries and suspensions to Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero and Destiny Udogie.
At present, Spurs have just four centre backs on their books, with one of those being Ben Davies – who began his career at left back. Depth in this area is a must if Spurs are to blossom in the coming seasons, with a potential January defensive signing on the cards, one in a similar mould to Radu Dragusin.
Grade: B
Spurs record signing Dominic Solanke joined Spurs from Bournemouth during the summer window for $107 million. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
West Ham
Biggest signing: Max Kilman ($78.2 million from Wolves)
Total spend: $247.5 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Flynn Downes ($35.2 million to Southampton)
Total income: $81 million (AUD)
It’s almost impossible to ignore West Ham’s business and suggest the club aren’t the winners of this year’s summer transfer window.
And the fact they’re the winners is not because they’ve signed a lot of players (nine). If that were the case Chelsea would’ve won by many country miles.
No, it’s the type of players the Hammers have brought in. Good players, with a clear place in the squad, that add value to Julen Lopetegui’s side while coming at largely affordable prices.
Picking up Max Kilman from Wolves is such astute business; only three players made more clearances last season and only four won a higher percentage of their tackles.
He is one of several defence reinforcements joining the Hammers, alongside Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who’s defensive excellence compensates for his offensive limitations, and Jean-Clair Todibo, who joins on a loan with an obligation to buy.
Given the two-time French international was on the radar of many clubs, including Manchester United, West Ham’s ability to sign him represents a significant transfer coup.
Last season’s Championship Player of the Season Crysencio Summerville bolsters an already stacked attack line. The Dutchman’s importance could grow depending on the outcome of an FA investigation into Lucas Paqueta’s potential betting breaches.
Spanish international Carlos Soler and Argentinian midfielder Guido Rodriguez provide depth to Lopetegui’s midfield too, especially with James Ward-Prowse’s loan to Forest.
West Ham’s smart signings have been counteracted with necessary outgoings, including Said Benrahma, Thilo Kehrer, Maxwel Cornet and Nayef Aguerd, all of whom had rather forgettable spells with the Hammers.
Grade: A+
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Biggest signing: Andre ($41 million from Fluminese)
Total spend: $120.3 million (AUD)
Biggest exit: Pedro Neto ($104.6m to Chelsea)
Total income: $192 million (AUD)
Club captain, gone.
Best player, gone.
Fair to say, it hasn’t been the best window for Gary O’Neil’s Wolves. Max Kilman left for West Ham and Pedro Neto for Chelsea, significantly weakening the manager’s defensive and creative options.
“Those guys, we need to replace them,” O’Neil told Sky Sports. That they didn’t could prove damning for the club, even if they have faith in the in-house options they have to make up for their two big losses.
Andre, signed from Fluminese, shapes as smart business, with the ball-winning midfielder a wild success in his homeland. He adds to a strong midfield contingent at the club.
Tommy Doyle’s return is positive after he impressed on loan last season, with Jorgen Strand Larsen has already shown his immense presence up top.
Sam Johnstone is a fine goalkeeper, but is he better than Jose Sa? While question marks remain about the rest of the clubs’ signings, many of whom have high ceilings while lacking Premier League experience.
Speaking to Sky Sports, O’Neil indicated earlier in the window that the club needed to look at bringing in players capable of helping them win now.
“Recruitment has been asset-driven and we are hopeful that we can balance that slightly, to get some that are Premier League ready,” he said.
For the large part the club didn’t, and if their start to the season is anything to go by that strategy will do more short term harm than long-term good.
The Australian manager of Premier League side Tottenham wanted a new star striker, 12 months on from the departure of legendary club and England captain Harry Kane.
Now Spurs are on the brink of signing their number one target – Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth – according to widespread reports.
Solanke has a £65 million ($A126m) release clause, but a deal could be struck for slightly less according to some reports. Regardless, it will smash Bournemouth’s club record.
Solanke, a Chelsea academy product who struggled to impress at Liverpool, enjoyed the finest season of his career, with 19 Premier League goals seeing him unlucky to miss out on an England call-up for the Euros.
Just as impressive as his goalscoring form was his link-up play, crucial to Postecoglou’s free-flowing attacking approach.
Ange Postecoglou has landed his top target.Source: Getty Images
Postecoglou said on Friday: “I have always felt that if you get the recruitment right then whoever it is hits the ground running.
“We signed Mickey van de Ven three days before the first game last year against Brentford and we threw him straight in. He literally hit the ground running.
“We are trying to identify players who fit into our style of football. There will be a bit of adjustment but hopefully they will already have those qualities to come into the group and contribute straight away.
“That is my expectation when we sign someone. They will be ready to contribute from the moment they arrive.”
Yet he emphasised that any new signing would not bear the weight of replacing club legend Kane.
“We showed last year that we were still a threatening team going forward without Harry. We are talking about a generational talent here, he was never going to be replaced, but invariably there will always be comparisons,” Postecoglou added.
“It’s pretty evident from the way we play that we are never going to be reliant on one player. When we are up and running we can score from many different areas.
“Hopefully the striker, when he is playing in our system, is a beneficiary of that as well as a contributor.”
Meanwhile, Chelsea’s overfull squad looks set to be stretched even farther with the club set to sign winger Pedro Neto from Wolves.
Neto is excellent in one-on-one situations against fullbacks.Source: Getty Images
It would be their ninth arrival of the window, with the club desperately needing to offload some of their almost 45 contracted players.
Chelsea reportedly agreed a deal worth up to £54m ($A105m) for Neto, and are also closing in on the signing of striker Samu Omorodion from Atlético Madrid for a reported £34.5m.
24-year-old Portuguese international Neto has struggled with injuries over the last three seasons but boasts plenty of talent and impressed at the Euros.
A Socceroo could be off to a recent Serie A champion while Manchester United’s Sir Jim Ratcliffe is wasting little time in making his mark in the transfer market.
Catch up on the biggest transfer whispers doing the rounds in the latest edition of the Rumour Mill!
AUSSIE ACE LINKED WITH SHOCK MOVE TO ITALIAN GIANTS
Australian defender Alessandro Circati enjoyed his best season yet as he played a starring role in helping Parma secure promotion to Serie A, the top flight in Italy.
The 20-year-old defender also closed out the campaign with a clean sheet for the Socceroos as he started the 5-0 thrashing of Palestine in Perth.
According to Di Marzio, Napoli — who won the Serie A league title in 2022/13 — are interested in the Aussie youngster.
However, Napoli would only move for Circati should they fail in their pursuit to sign Torino’s Alessandro Buongiorno.
Napoli are coming off their worst league season since 2008/09 having finished 10th but will no doubt expect more having appointed Antonio Conte as their new manager.
Circati enjoyed his best season yet. (Photo by Janelle St Pierre/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
$81M REUNION ON THE CARDS AS NEW MAN UTD BOSS MAKES HIS MARK
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe now in charge of Manchester United’s sporting operations, many expect the Red Devils to spend big to turn their fortunes around.
A position United desperately need an upgrade in is at centre back and according to the latest rumours, Ratcliffe is well aware.
An official approach is yet to be made, with Plettenberg claiming Bayern value De Ligt at $AUD81 million.
Should De Ligt end up at Old Trafford, he would be reunited with United boss Erik ten Hag as the two worked together at Dutch giants Ajax.
De Ligt isn’t the only centre back on United’s shortlist as the Premier League giants had a $67 million bid for Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite rejected, per The Athletic.
Also on United’s lengthy list of transfer targets is young Dutch talent Xavi Simons.
A $96 million fee had reportedly been agreed between the Red Devils and Paris Saint-Germain for the 21-year-old last summer but the deal did not come to fruition as Simons spent the season on loan at RB Leipzig.
However, French outlet L’Equipe report United are going back in for the Netherlands international, who scored 10 goals and chalked up 15 assists for Leipzig last season.
Xavi Simons is wanted by Manchester United. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP)Source: AFP
BLUES’ SHOCK PLAYER SWAP FLOATED FOR FRENCH ACE
Chelsea’s spending is showing no signs of slowing down as they once again look to bolster their attacking ranks.
The Sun reports Chelsea are preparing a bold offer for Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, who has a $115 million release clause.
However, reports claim that Olise’s release clause can only be triggered by Champions League clubs, which Chelsea is not.
Instead, the Blues could offer cash and players moving in the other direction, with The Sun claiming Trevoh Chalobah and Noni Madueke may be used as a sweetener.
Olise struggled with injuries last season but lit up the league when fit, registering 10 goals and six assists from 19 games.
The 22-year-old is no stranger to Chelsea either having spent seven years in their academy before he left at age 14 to join Manchester City.
When Ange Postecoglou sat down for his first press conference as Tottenham manager last July, he revealed his vision for his new team.
Aside from being “successful”, Postecoglou wanted Tottenham “to be an aggressive team, a dominant team, a team who takes the game to every opposition home and away”.
With Postecoglou’s debut season as a Premier League manager in the rear-view mirror, it’s hard to argue the Australian hasn’t delivered on his plan, especially the desire to show no fear against Spurs’ opponents.
However, the same pundits who lauded Postecoglou’s bravery and ingenuity for the style of play at the start seemed to turn on him just as quickly once results began to slide.
It was a predictable discourse and one Postecoglou has faced at almost every stop in his managerial career.
However, one game – and one specific moment – proved that no matter what the pundits said, the Australian would not waver from his beliefs.
This is how Postecoglou silenced the doubters, at least for now, and guided Tottenham back to the bright lights of European football, all without the club’s record goal scorer.
Postecoglou laid out his ambitions for Tottenham in his first press conference. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE REVEALS GREAT SPURS ‘HOPE AND DESIRE’ AMID GLARING $157M HOLE
Along with an outline of what he wanted from Tottenham during games, Postecoglou made it abundantly clear it would be no overnight transformation.
But, at the very least, he wanted fans to see the foundations for what was to come.
“We had a massive rebuild at Celtic but at the beginning, even though the results weren’t there, the supporters could see what we were trying to do and get behind us,” Postecoglou said.
“I don’t know whether it’s going to be a rocky start or a good start for us but my hope and desire and what I’m going to try to do is give supporters hope that we’re going to embark on something special.”
What made Postecoglou’s rebuild all the more difficult was the drawn-out transfer saga surrounding superstar striker Harry Kane.
In the 2022-23 campaign, Kane accounted for 43 per cent of Tottenham’s 70 league goals but he was so much more than just a goalscorer. Kane was Tottenham.
Kane left Tottenham to go to Bayern Munich. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
Kane was sold to Bayern Munich for $157 million on the eve of Tottenham’s Premier League opener against Brentford, although Postecoglou insisted he planned for the superstar’s exit.
It’s impossible to replace Kane directly, so Postecoglou opted to upgrade several positions across the squad prior to Kane’s departure.
Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro’s temporary deals became permanent while Guglielmo Vicario, James Maddison, Mickey van de Ven and Brennan Johnson all arrived in the summer, with Johnson joining on deadline day.
With the loss of Kane coupled with the squad needing to adapt to Postecoglou’s methods, the Australian was reluctant to set any expectations for the season ahead, at least externally.
“Again, from the outset what’s important is that we try and establish some key principles of who we want to be first of all,” Postecoglou said.
Well, if Postecoglou didn’t want to vocalise any concrete goals, the stunning unbeaten run to start the season gave fans plenty of reason to dream.
Maddison was one of Postecoglou’s first signings. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
POP ICON GETS BEHIND ANGE AS SPURS DARE TO DREAM
In Postecoglou’s first season at Celtic, a draw and three losses in the first seven league games — including a defeat to bitter rivals Rangers — had some sections of the fanbase already doubting his credentials.
It was the complete opposite at Tottenham.
Postecoglou oversaw a pulsating 2-2 draw against Brentford to start and the results that followed led to a tidal wave of positivity and optimism from Spurs supporters.
Tottenham went on a staggering 10-game unbeaten run featuring victories over Manchester United and Liverpool, albeit the latter result was dripping in controversy as the Reds were wrongly denied a goal.
Not even bitter rivals Arsenal could stop Tottenham as the first north London derby of the season ended 2-2.
Yet the one game in this dizzying run that truly united the fan base was a 2-1 victory over lowly Sheffield United.
Tottenham celebrate after scoring a late, late winner to beat Sheffield United. (Photo by Stephen Pond/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The Blades looked set to escape north London with a highly valuable victory and were ahead as late as the 97th minute.
Just 180 seconds later, Kulusevski scored what proved to be the game winner as the stadium erupted in a chorus of joy.
Tottenham sat in first with 26 points from a possible 30, Postecoglou was constantly serenaded to the tune of Robbie Williams’ Angels — with the pop icon even signing the amended version himself — and fans dared to dream of what could be.
But Tottenham supporters were quickly brought crashing back to earth in the club’s 11th game of the season as a reporter’s prediction about how Postecoglou’s first season would unfold came true.
Postecoglou laps up the support from the adoring Tottenham fans. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW EERIE PREDICTION CAME TRUE AS LOSS SPARKS GREAT DEBATE
In early November, Tottenham welcomed a Chelsea team stuck in mid-table having won just three of their opening 10 games.
Postecoglou’s side began brightly as Kulusevski scored in the sixth minute and looked a threat every time they went forward against Chelsea’s fragile backline.
But the contest flipped on its head in the 33rd minute when Tottenham defender Cristian Romero got sent off and Cole Palmer buried the resulting penalty to equalise.
It went from bad to worse for Tottenham when star duo Van de Ven and Maddison were forced off with significant injuries just before half time.
If that wasn’t grim enough, Destiny Udogie’s second yellow in the 55th minute reduced the hosts to just nine men.
Much to the surprise of the wider football community — except those who have followed Postecoglou’s career closely — Tottenham refused to park their nine men behind the ball and continued to pour numbers forward in attack.
Yes, it meant Chelsea’s speedy wingers got behind Tottenham’s defensive line with ease, but it is not the Postecoglou way to simply roll over and accept defeat.
An iconic image emphasised how wedded Postecoglou is to his philosophy and also proved The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare correct in his pre-season prediction.
“I think there will be quite a tedious debate,” Eccleshare told The View From The Lane podcast in August.
“The way this will pan out is that Postecoglou will get a lot of plaudits early on because he plays attacking football.
“But there will come a point at which they lose badly to a team they’re expected to beat because they play in this certain way.
“There will be a lot of pundits saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m all for good football but there comes a time you’ve got to shut up shop. I don’t care who you are, you’ve got to show more respect to the opposition.’”
Despite going down to nine men, Postecoglou still used a high defensive line against Chelsea. Picture: SuppliedSource: Supplied
Those critical pundits came out swinging after the Chelsea defeat.
“I have to say, there was a bit of an arrogance about not changing it,” former Chelsea defender and talkSPORT pundit Jason Cundy said, adding Postecoglou’s stubbornness was “naive”.
Ex-Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson was equally critical.
“I’d never seen anything like it,” Merson told Sky Sports.
“But Ange Postecoglou should have changed tactics. It was very easy. If that was Man City playing Tottenham, it would have been 10-1 at least.”
Even Tottenham legend and former England manager Glenn Hoddle was stunned at Postecoglou’s refusal to adapt.
“If Tottenham keeps playing that high, near the halfway line, then I think it’s footballing suicide with 10 men,” Hoddle told Premier League Productions during the halftime break.
“They had defenders in there that they’ve had it work, but it seems to me they haven’t changed their tactics. They’ve got to change.”
Unsurprisingly, Postecoglou was peppered with questions as to why he did not change his approach with nine men on the park.
“It is just who we are mate,” Postecoglou said in his post-match press conference.
“It is who we are and who we will be for as long as I am here. If we go down to five men, we will have a go.”
Only Postecoglou could have the ability to make Tottenham fans view a 4-1 defeat to a rival team through an optimistic lens.
However, the debate slowly turned against him as results became harder to come by in the second half of the season.
Postecoglou’s approach against Chelsea had pundits questioning his bold tactics. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ANGE’S BRUTAL VERDICT AS ‘WORST EXPERIENCE’ LEAVES AUSSIE SEETHING
After the Chelsea defeat, Tottenham failed to win any of their next four games as Postecoglou grappled with a mounting injury list that exposed a worrying lack of depth, especially in defence.
Tottenham ultimately kept just one clean sheet from the Chelsea clash on November 6 through to the 4-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on March 10.
Conceding goals off of set pieces also proved to be problematic, with Tottenham shipping the fifth-most (16) throughout the season.
There were calls from the external world for Postecoglou to appoint a specialist set piece coach to combat the issue but the Aussie refused, insisting his assistant coaches Ryan Mason and Mile Jedinak were well-equipped at the role.
“There are far more important things that we need to concentrate on at the moment in terms of the team we’re building,” Postecoglou said.
Although Tottenham’s form in the second half of the season was patchy, the 4-0 victory over Villa had many believing a top four finish was achievable.
But Postecoglou’s side won just four out of their final 11 games as the Champions League dream slipped further and further away.
Granted, Tottenham had to face Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City in their final seven games.
Tottenham’s form dropped off a cliff at the end of the season. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
The defeat to City proved to be especially bruising — and eye-opening — for the Aussie boss.
Tottenham had to win if they were to remain in the mix for the Champions League, but victory would have also put Arsenal in the box seat to win the Premier League title.
Lose or draw that match and they could kiss the Champions League goodbye for another season.
Sections of the Tottenham fan base made it clear they weren’t terribly fussed about losing to City, especially if it robbed their bitter rivals of a first league title in 10 years.
When asked before the game about the supporters being okay with defeat, Postecoglou bristled and responded: “I understand rivalry, but I have never, and will never, understand if someone wants their own team to lose.”
Tottenham would lose 2-0 to City amid a subdued atmosphere within the stadium as Postecoglou delivered an explosive post-match press conference where he criticised the club’s “fragile foundations”.
The defeat to Manchester City left Postecoglou with a bitter taste in his mouth. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
It left The Telegraph’s Matt Law believing either Postecoglou or Tottenham had to fully adapt to the other and could not maintain their stubbornness.
“In many respects Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur are a match made in heaven,” Law wrote.
“But if the marriage is not to ultimately end in another messy divorce, then something will have to give.
“Put simply, either Tottenham have to change or Postecoglou does because the last three months have demonstrated that stubbornness from both sides will grow into something much more damaging.”
A few days after the game, the Aussie boss conceded it was “probably the worst experience” he’s had as a manager during a match and “got it wrong” in terms of what he expected the atmosphere and the fans’ sentiments to be.
Postecoglou and Tottenham managed to end the season on a high as a comfortable 3-0 win over Sheffield United ensured a spot in the Europa League for next season.
Tottenham qualified for the Europa League. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
HOW PL VACUUM COULD GIVE SPURS BIG BOOST AS HISTORY ON ANGE’S SIDE
Although some may look back on Tottenham’s season wondering what could have been, Postecoglou’s debut Premier League campaign should fill supporters with optimism.
Objectively it was a better season than the 22/23 one: under Postecoglou, Tottenham finished with more points, won more games, scored more and conceded less.
Let’s not forget Postecoglou did all of this without Kane’s goals.
Another cause for a positive outlook is how Postecoglou traditionally fares in his second season at a club.
During his stints with the Brisbane Roar, Yokohama F. Marinos and Celtic, the 58-year-old averaged more points per game in his second season.
The summer window will give Postecoglou another chance to shape the squad further into his mould and ship out those who he does not believe can play his high-octane brand of football.
There could also be a serious vacuum at the top of the ladder which opens the door wide open for Postecoglou and Tottenham to return to the top four.
With Jurgen Klopp no longer at the helm for Liverpool, new boss Arne Slot will hope to avoid the slump attached to those replacing long-term managers.
There’s plenty to look forward to in Postecoglou’s second season at Tottenham. (Photo by Barrington Coombs/PA Images via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
David Moyes couldn’t do it at Manchester United after he replaced Sir Alex Ferguson and Unai Emery struggled at Arsenal as Arsene Wenger’s successor, so there’s every chance Slot and Liverpool slide down the ladder.
Chelsea will also have a new manager in Enzo Maresca as the Blues parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino despite the latter leading the club to a sixth-place finish.
There’s also a chance Aston Villa take a slight tumble as they contend with the club’s first Champions League campaign in 41 years.
A return to Europe’s elite club competition next season would represent yet another improvement for Postecoglou.
So too would winning a trophy, something Tottenham have not done since 2008.
Bayern Munich’s long search to fill their vacant head coaching position is over with the German giants naming Vincent Kompany as manager in a shock move on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Belgian, a surprise choice with his Burnley side relegated from the Premier League this season, has penned a three-year deal at the Allianz Arena.
Normally in contention for the biggest names in the business, Bayern have been searching for months but have been knocked back by several candidates after their first trophyless season for 12 years.
After failed attempts to lure Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann and Austria’s Ralf Rangnick, Bayern tried to hold onto Thomas Tuchel, who had agreed in February to leave in the summer.
Tuchel however announced in May he “couldn’t agree on terms” to stay with the club and would “stick to the agreement we had in February”.
Instead, Bayern have decided for Kompany, taking a risk on an inexperienced yet promising candidate in one of the biggest jobs in football.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern. It’s a great honour to be able to work for this club – FC Bayern is an institution in international football,” said Kompany in a club statement.
“I’m now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow.”
Burnley will reportedly receive £10 million in compensation for allowing their manager to leave.
“We understand the allure and prestige of a club like Bayern Munich and respect Vincent’s ambition to explore new opportunities,” Burnley said in a statement.
After a successful playing career where he captained Manchester City and the Belgian national team, Kompany returned to his first club Anderlecht to begin his managerial career.
He moved to Burnley in 2022 and took them to the Premier League as second-division champions, before crashing back to earth over the past 12 months.
Yet, he crucially retained the support of his old coach at City Pep Guardiola, who advised his former club to go for Kompany due to his leadership qualities and determination to play an attacking brand of football.
“As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character,” added Kompany. “I love having the ball, being creative – but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.”
It’s been a tough year for Bayern Munich.Source: Getty Images
Coaching instability has been a feature at Bayern over the past decade and a half, despite their consistent on-field success.
Guardiola, whose three-year spell in Bavaria ended in 2016, was the last Bayern coach to complete at least two full seasons.
Used to poaching the best talent from their Bundesliga rivals, Bayern were shunned by Alonso, as he decided to take Leverkusen into the Champions League next season.
However, recreating the Spaniard’s success in Germany looks to have been on the minds of the Bayern board.
Like Alonso, Kompany is a disciple of Guardiola and speaks German thanks to his spell at Hamburg as a player.
But his transition into coaching has not been as smooth as the Leverkusen boss. He finished third and fourth in his two full seasons at Anderlecht before overseeing Burnley’s lowest ever points tally in the English top-flight to finish second bottom of the Premier League this season.
Kompany, who is the same age as Bayern captain Manuel Neuer, now has a mammoth task ahead of him in reviving Bayern’s on-field fortunes, not to mention navigating the club’s complex backroom politics, which have derailed more experienced coaches.
Mauricio Pochettino has left Chelsea after just one season in charge by mutual consent, the English club announced on Tuesday.
The Blues finished sixth in the Premier League thanks to a fine run towards the end of the season but missed out on Champions League qualification and a trophy.
“Chelsea FC can confirm that the club and Mauricio Pochettino have mutually agreed to part ways,” Chelsea said in a statement.
In just two years under the ownership of an American consortium fronted by LA Dodgers co-owner Todd Boehly and private equity group Clearlake Capital, Chelsea have spent over £1 billion ($AUD1.9 billion) on new players.
The vast majority of that was spent on rising stars and Pochettino pointed to a lack of experience and a lengthy injury list for failing to achieve consistent results.
Chelsea lost the League Cup final 1-0 to Liverpool after extra-time and pushed Manchester City all the way before losing in the FA Cup semi-finals by the same score.
But there had been signs that Pochettino’s project was coming together in a run of five consecutive wins to end the campaign that ensured Chelsea will be in Europe next season.
They will qualify for the Europa League if Manchester United lose to City in the FA Cup final and the Conference League if the Red Devils shock the English champions.
“Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and sporting directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club’s history,” said Pochettino.
Pochettino’s stint at Chelsea is over after just one season in charge. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP)Source: AFP
“The club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come.” Chelsea sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: “On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season.
“He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career.”
Pochettino is the fourth manager to depart under Boehly’s regime after Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Pochettino met Boehly for dinner on Friday before his departure was confirmed after an end-of-season review with Stewart and Winstanley.
The 52-year-old arrived in west London with the task of getting Chelsea back on track after they finished 12th in the 2022/23 Premier League season.
The Argentine had to bed in another influx of new signings as Chelsea broke the British transfer record to buy Moises Caicedo for £115 million.
Pochettino guided Chelsea to sixth place in the Premier League. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
He suffered a difficult start as they won just three of their opening 10 Premier League games.
But led by the stunning form of Cole Palmer, only City, Arsenal and Liverpool picked up more points than Chelsea in the second half of the season.
According to reports Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness, Girona boss Michel, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Enzo Maresca of Leicester are among those in contention to be next in the Stamford Bridge hot seat.
Pochettino began his coaching career at Espanyol before shining in a short spell at Southampton.
That earned him a move to Tottenham, where he established Spurs as regulars at the top end of the Premier League and took the club to a first ever Champions League final in 2019.
Pochettino was sacked by Tottenham just months later before joining Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, where we won one Ligue 1 title and French Cup in 18 months in charge.
