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Victor Osimhen: Napoli and Galatasaray confirm loan deal for Nigeria striker
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen joins Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli.
www.bbc.co.uk
How bizarre.
Clearly not as good as that one golden season suggested.
Never seen the fuss about Osimhen. He's had one great season in his career, and he's not 21. Not to say he's not a very good striker. But definitely comes with baggage.
Victor Osimhen: Napoli and Galatasaray confirm loan deal for Nigeria striker
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen joins Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli.
How bizarre.
Clearly not as good as that one golden season suggested.
The European wndow was closed.
He did have a great season, the one before last, but still a goal every two in all his other seasons. So it wasn’t a huge outlier.Victor Osimhen: Napoli and Galatasaray confirm loan deal for Nigeria striker
Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen joins Galatasaray on a season-long loan from Napoli.
How bizarre.
Clearly not as good as that one golden season suggested.
But very strange he’s ended up there.
Reckon he was the missing piece for Woolwich
There not slaves. And Fulham should count themselves as lucky because you don't want an employee this unhappy in your workplace .
Under-the-radar transfers: 10 intriguing deals from this summer’s window
Thom HarrisThe summer of 2024; the one when Brighton broke the bank, Mbappe moved to Madrid, and one of the world’s most coveted strikers joined Galatasaray on loan.
Yes, it was a predictably wild transfer window once again, and while Premier League clubs spent slightly less than last season’s record-breaking splurge, there’s been no shortage of interesting pick-ups across the continent.
As the dust starts to settle, The Athletic’s Thom Harris picks out 10 statistically promising signings who might have slipped through your observational net.
Vangelis Pavlidis: AZ Alkmaar to Benfica
If you like your niche footballing trivia, Pavlidis is a name that might stand out as one of three different Greek strikers to have won the Eredivisie Golden Boot in the five years since Covid-19 brought domestic football to a halt. A bustling centre-forward with a sixth sense for a tap-in, chances follow the 25-year-old wherever he goes.
(Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Starting his career in Germany, Pavlidis’ reputation has blossomed year-on-year in the Netherlands. He formed a brief but prolific partnership with Alexander Isak in his first half-season for Willem II, with four of his five goals assisted by the current Premier League star, before stepping up to become the starting No 9 once his talented strike partner moved on.
His progress soon caught the eye of AZ Alkmaar, where he went on to rack up 80 goals in all competitions across three seasons. He netted almost half of those last campaign — including 29 in the league — with every single one of those finishes falling inside the box.
Able to adjust quickly and connect with both feet and more than prepared to throw himself at a loose ball, finishes were scrappy and spectacular in equal measure.
Despite those close-range instincts, Pavlidis is very involved in build-up for a goal-poaching forward, having averaged 44 touches per game last season.
At the top of a possession-heavy side, his movement across the width of the pitch helped to unsettle the low-block defences he frequently faced, as against Zwolle below, where his drift to the left flank drags centre-back Bram van Polen out of position.
Pavlidis then latches onto the channel ball, flicks it through the defender’s legs, before powering into the box and finishing smartly to drag his side back into the game.
Pre-season is shaky ground when it comes to making judgements, but eight goals in just over 600 minutes represents a promising start at Benfica for Pavlidis, still brimming with confidence from a prolific season in front of goal.
And even if his red-hot finishing form starts to fade, his varied attacking runs and consistent connection with left, right and head will see plenty more chances fall his way.
Osame Sahraoui: Heerenveen to Lille
Another exciting Eredivisie export, Sahraoui gets spectators off seats in a different way to Pavlidis — as a reliable source of freestyle dribbling on the flanks.Slippery and slight, Sahraoui uses his diminutive frame to duck and weave through challenges, his low centre of gravity allowing him to squirm out of tight spaces. Able to chop onto either foot, there’s an unpredictability to his game, too, quick to change direction and tip-tap around outstretched legs.
Often pulling out to the left, the 23-year-old tries to receive passes in space before venturing inside with the ball at his feet, relishing the challenge of a one-vs-one. As the scatterplot below illustrates, his 9.5 attempted take-ons per game was clear of most top European wingers last season, while his season total of 259 is the most on record in the Dutch top flight since that level of data collection began.
Last season was Sahraoui’s most fruitful in front of goal, with eight goals and four assists, preferring to drive the ball across the goalkeeper wherever he can. Creatively, his pass selection is quickly improving, with a varied collection of clipped crosses and cutbacks last season, something Jonathan David is sure to appreciate as their understanding gets stronger.
At 23, he will need time to adjust in Ligue 1, but there have already been flashes of his dribbling brilliance and positivity in a smattering of cameo appearances. Sahraoui is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for seasons to come.
Andre: Fluminense to Wolves
Wolves left their business late on transfer deadline day, but a deal for one of South America’s most intriguing young players shouldn’t be lost in the last-minute flurry.Andre brings a unique skill set to the table, having spent his formative years at the heart of one of Brazil’s most tactically daring sides.
Under Fernando Diniz, he became the anchor of the Fluminense midfield as they looked to embrace an extreme variety of ‘relationist’ football, an ultra-fluid approach that prioritises creating numerical advantages across the pitch over traditional positional play.
As a result, Andre took more touches, attempted more passes, and completed more carries than any other player in the Brazilian top flight last season, and it was not uncommon to see him march into dangerous situations like below, arriving as the extra man and helping his team build out from the back with opposition players snapping at his feet.
Inviting such pressure onto themselves, Fluminense often relied on Andre’s awareness and composure on the ball to help them escape. A stocky frame allows the 23-year-old to absorb contact, but it’s quick decision-making that usually keeps the possession safe.
Using data from SkillCorner, the plot below shows that Andre was pressed more than most Brazilian Serie A midfielders last season, but maintained a pass completion rate of 93.5 per cent under pressure, pointing to his unerring ability to keep the ball moving.
Such experience means Andre won’t be fazed by much as he completes a life-changing move to the Premier League. Without possession, his aggression and physicality in defensive duels should also stand him in good stead.
Set to become the national team’s next No 6, a €22million (£18.5m; $24.4m) deal looks a fantastic investment for a player whose value is only going to rise.
Aleix Garcia: Girona to Bayer Leverkusen
On the more creative end of the midfield spectrum, Garcia’s move to defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen is just reward after three stellar seasons in Spain.Struggling to find his place after his brutal release by Manchester City, Garcia was fighting a losing battle for minutes in Romanian football four years ago. Since then, the 27-year-old has flourished in a deep-lying playmaker role for Girona, helping the Catalan side back into La Liga before orchestrating a top-four charge last campaign.
(Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Speaking to The Athletic in March, former coaches of the midfielder remarked upon his “natural” ability to strike the ball with both feet. Only Rodri completed more long passes in Europe’s big five leagues last season, while his 87 switches of play dwarf the next-highest tally of 53.
Those raking passes out wide can be seen from his distribution graph below, while his 110 forward passes into roaming No 8 Ivan Martin illustrate his ability to break defensive lines from deep.
Garcia faces stiff competition in the Bayer Leverkusen midfield, but it’s hard not to draw comparisons between his expansive midfield play and that of his new manager, Xabi Alonso.
In a team that dominated with short, sharp passing last season, it’s a move that gives Alonso options to mix up their approach play, with flying wing-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo potential targets for Garcia to hit.
Sprinkle some set-piece brilliance on top and it’s easy to see the appeal.
GO DEEPER
How Aleix Garcia's Beckham-style set pieces are pushing Girona towards Europe
Matias Soule: Juventus to Roma
In case you were wondering, only two players across the big five leagues completed at least 75 take-ons, picked out over 75 key passes, and took over 75 shots last season. Both were born within six days of each other, in April 2003, and both did so out on loan; Xavi Simons and Soule.That Juventus have sold Soule after such an impressive season is a cause of contention in Turin, particularly having shone so brightly so close to home. The 23-year-old was at times the sole attacking spark for Frosinone last campaign, with his 188 shot-creating actions leaving him clear of every player in Serie A, despite playing for one of the three ultimately relegated sides.
Primarily from the right, Soule is a do-it-all winger with ideas spilling out of his ears. Only Savinho (now at Manchester City) ran at defenders more often than Soule last season and he’s a player not afraid to use his fast feet and agility to dribble his way into dangerous spots.
But what makes Soule such an exciting prospect is his ability to mix up his attacking game. One of his tricks is to stand up his full-back, before bursting into life with a decisive action while defenders are flat-footed, wondering what he is about to do next.
Against Udinese in the relegation decider, for example, Soule picks up the ball deep and approaches Lazar Samardzic, throwing in step-overs, dummies and two drops of the shoulder to keep the defensive player guessing while he retreats closer and closer to his own goal.
That gives Soule time and space for his creative instincts to kick in, slipping the ball through his marker’s legs and into Marco Brescianini, who fires just wide from inside the box.
Soule’s enthusiasm transmits to his defensive game, too. A willing presser from the front, his 15 tackles in the attacking third was only bettered by three Serie A players.
High-volume… everything, Juventus’ loss will surely be Roma’s gain.
Kevin Stoger: Bochum to Borussia Monchengladbach
If you had to guess which player created the most chances for his team-mates last season, a different Kevin might have sprung to mind.Not De Bruyne, but Stoger’s 127 key passes topped the charts across Europe’s big five leagues for the 2023-24 campaign, also breaking a Bundesliga record since at least 2004-05, when that level of data collection began.
Another key attacking cog in a relegation-threatened side, Stoger played a heroic role in Bochum’s great escape last season, assisting twice and scoring a nerveless penalty in the shootout to complete a miraculous turnaround against Fortuna Dusseldorf, 3-0 down from their relegation play-off first leg.
Stoger is a dead-ball specialist, but there is more to his game than just set pieces, always taking the opportunity to drift into deep areas on the left-hand side — as illustrated by his touch map below — before looking for long passes down the line or into the penalty area.
In the Bochum squad, not only did he create over five times as many chances as the next best, but his 283 progressive passes were more than double anybody else.
Alongside striker Tim Kleindienst, 31-year-old Stoger seems an astute buy who guarantees instant impact. The two combined for the equaliser against Bayer Leverkusen on the opening day, while both were a constant threat as they swept aside Bochum eight days on.
After four seasons away, they are set to provide the creative thrust to return Monchengladbach to Europe.
Dean Huijsen: Juventus to Bournemouth
There was a clip of Huijsen doing the rounds on social media in the summer; picking up the ball just inside his own half, striding into midfield, before cutting onto his right foot and curling into the far corner for his first Serie A goal.Dig a little deeper and you’ll find another example of him doing much the same a year prior, this time sending the ball careering off the crossbar with his left.
For any centre-back to display such technical ability is one thing, but for one who stands at 6ft 6in (198cm) and is still just 19 years old, it warrants a closer look.
Huijsen’s unique profile represents an evolution of the modern central defender, combining his physicality and height with two-footed progressive play.
Not only capable of breaking the first defensive line with both feet, he can hit long passes and switches of play on either side, opening up plenty of solutions when faced with a high press, or a narrow defensive setup that leaves spaces to hit on the flanks.
His new head coach, Andoni Iraola, often encourages his centre-backs to go long, aiming to get the opposition back-tracking and opening up space for his creative players to pick up the second balls. The distance and accuracy Huijsen routinely hits should be called upon straight away.
With only a handful of minutes at the highest level, he is not immune to the occasional giveaway, sometimes too eager to move the ball forward, but the early signs look promising. Huijsen even managed to win nine aerial duels on his debut at Nottingham Forest, the most by a teenager in the Premier League in any of the last 10 campaigns.
Jose Mourinho called Huijsen “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football” back in January. It will be exciting to see how he navigates this first bold step.
James Rodriguez: Free agent to Rayo Vallecano
This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has joined a team in Madrid off the back of an impressive international tournament, but a lot has changed in the decade that’s passed since he became a Galactico.Now 33, Rodriguez joins Rayo Vallecano as a free agent having been released by each of his last three clubs. In fact, his last three full 90-minute matches in domestic football have come on three different continents, for Olympiacos, Al-Rayyan and Sao Paulo, across a timespan of two and a half years.
While his club career has wandered, however, Rodriguez has reached new highs on the international stage, reinvigorated by his positive relationship with Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo. At the tip of a dynamic midfield diamond, with a solid defensive structure behind him, he was given free rein to drift into pockets of space and combine with team-mates at the Copa America, letting his technical ability do the work.
Ending the tournament with six assists, Rodriguez inspired Colombia all the way to the final against Argentina, where Lorenzo’s men fell to an agonising extra-time defeat. From set pieces alone, he created 14 chances throughout the competition, more than double that of any other player.
While he still clearly has the magic touch, consistent match fitness is the next hurdle, joining a team in Rayo Vallecano who like to press from the front. Sharing the creative burden with Oscar Trejo, with the 2026 World Cup firmly in his sights, this could be just the motivation Rodriguez needs.
Zeno Debast: Anderlecht to Sporting Lisbon
Sporting pulled off one of the deals of the window this time last year, as Viktor Gyokeres crashed home 29 goals to fire Ruben Amorim’s side to the second domestic title of his reign. Debast’s arrival won’t be so dramatic, but it’s another surefire statement of intent.Still just 20 years old, the centre-back arrives in Lisbon with 10 senior international caps and two full seasons of experience at Anderlecht, forming a formidable defensive partnership with club legend Jan Vertonghen. At 6ft 3in (190cm), he is surprisingly mobile and does not shy away from a foot race if the ball is played in behind.
(Jan De Meuleneir / Photo News via Getty Images)
With the ball, Debast’s qualities will be given plenty of opportunity to shine on the right side of defence in Amorim’s possession-dominant 3-4-3. He is a rangy ball carrier, happy to stride forward with the ball at his feet, having averaged 27.8 carries per game in the Belgian Pro League last season. According to Opta, that was the fourth-most of all defenders in Europe’s top 10 divisions.
Debast loves a long pass from defence, too, having already assisted Gyokeres with a searching ball down the flank. With time and space to pick out his team-mates in his new wide centre-back role, expect to see plenty more pinpoint switches and raking long balls.
Joining up alongside Ousmane Diomande (20) and Goncalo Inacio (23), this is an exciting move for Debast, with both Champions League football and another title charge on the horizon.
Arnaut Danjuma: Girona from Villarreal (loan)
We wanted to avoid loan moves on this list, but one as strategic and as tactically compatible as Danjuma’s last-minute switch to Girona deserves a mention.Following two underwhelming, wantaway seasons in the Premier League, it finally looked as if things were getting back on track for the Dutchman at Villarreal, with two goals in the opening two games of the La Liga season harking back to his best days in their distinctive yellow shirt. Both, including his crisp opening-day strike against Atletico Madrid below, showcased the running power and heavy-hitting finishing that made him such a favourite under Unai Emery in 2021-22.
But Danjuma has rarely seemed settled since that breakout campaign and his ambition to return to the biggest stage helped to facilitate a deadline-day loan to Champions League-bound Girona. Not only is it a move that strengthens Michel’s side, adding explosive power to a varied front line, but it takes a key player from a direct rival for the top four.
Looking back at his 16-goal season with Villarreal — six of those on an unprecedented run to the Champions League semi-final — it’s his headstrong style that stands out. Despite starting on the left, only two players — Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema — averaged more touches in the penalty area per game in La Liga in that campaign, while only three wingers carried the ball into the box more often.
Of all his carries, 28.5 per cent were progressive, the seventh-highest proportion of attacking players in the league. When Danjuma receives the ball, he nearly always looks to attack.
Despite early concerns, Girona’s new-look forward line is starting to shape. With the inventiveness of Viktor Tsygankov and new-signing Yaser Apsrilla off the left, Danjuma could thrive as the thunderous runner in behind.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Mental article with James Rodriguez and Danjuma in it.
Under-the-radar transfers: 10 intriguing deals from this summer’s window
Thom Harris
The summer of 2024; the one when Brighton broke the bank, Mbappe moved to Madrid, and one of the world’s most coveted strikers joined Galatasaray on loan.
Yes, it was a predictably wild transfer window once again, and while Premier League clubs spent slightly less than last season’s record-breaking splurge, there’s been no shortage of interesting pick-ups across the continent.
As the dust starts to settle, The Athletic’s Thom Harris picks out 10 statistically promising signings who might have slipped through your observational net.
Vangelis Pavlidis: AZ Alkmaar to Benfica
If you like your niche footballing trivia, Pavlidis is a name that might stand out as one of three different Greek strikers to have won the Eredivisie Golden Boot in the five years since Covid-19 brought domestic football to a halt. A bustling centre-forward with a sixth sense for a tap-in, chances follow the 25-year-old wherever he goes.
(Gualter Fatia/Getty Images)
Starting his career in Germany, Pavlidis’ reputation has blossomed year-on-year in the Netherlands. He formed a brief but prolific partnership with Alexander Isak in his first half-season for Willem II, with four of his five goals assisted by the current Premier League star, before stepping up to become the starting No 9 once his talented strike partner moved on.
His progress soon caught the eye of AZ Alkmaar, where he went on to rack up 80 goals in all competitions across three seasons. He netted almost half of those last campaign — including 29 in the league — with every single one of those finishes falling inside the box.
Able to adjust quickly and connect with both feet and more than prepared to throw himself at a loose ball, finishes were scrappy and spectacular in equal measure.
Despite those close-range instincts, Pavlidis is very involved in build-up for a goal-poaching forward, having averaged 44 touches per game last season.
At the top of a possession-heavy side, his movement across the width of the pitch helped to unsettle the low-block defences he frequently faced, as against Zwolle below, where his drift to the left flank drags centre-back Bram van Polen out of position.
Pavlidis then latches onto the channel ball, flicks it through the defender’s legs, before powering into the box and finishing smartly to drag his side back into the game.
Pre-season is shaky ground when it comes to making judgements, but eight goals in just over 600 minutes represents a promising start at Benfica for Pavlidis, still brimming with confidence from a prolific season in front of goal.
And even if his red-hot finishing form starts to fade, his varied attacking runs and consistent connection with left, right and head will see plenty more chances fall his way.
Osame Sahraoui: Heerenveen to Lille
Another exciting Eredivisie export, Sahraoui gets spectators off seats in a different way to Pavlidis — as a reliable source of freestyle dribbling on the flanks.
Slippery and slight, Sahraoui uses his diminutive frame to duck and weave through challenges, his low centre of gravity allowing him to squirm out of tight spaces. Able to chop onto either foot, there’s an unpredictability to his game, too, quick to change direction and tip-tap around outstretched legs.
Often pulling out to the left, the 23-year-old tries to receive passes in space before venturing inside with the ball at his feet, relishing the challenge of a one-vs-one. As the scatterplot below illustrates, his 9.5 attempted take-ons per game was clear of most top European wingers last season, while his season total of 259 is the most on record in the Dutch top flight since that level of data collection began.
Last season was Sahraoui’s most fruitful in front of goal, with eight goals and four assists, preferring to drive the ball across the goalkeeper wherever he can. Creatively, his pass selection is quickly improving, with a varied collection of clipped crosses and cutbacks last season, something Jonathan David is sure to appreciate as their understanding gets stronger.
At 23, he will need time to adjust in Ligue 1, but there have already been flashes of his dribbling brilliance and positivity in a smattering of cameo appearances. Sahraoui is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for seasons to come.
Andre: Fluminense to Wolves
Wolves left their business late on transfer deadline day, but a deal for one of South America’s most intriguing young players shouldn’t be lost in the last-minute flurry.
Andre brings a unique skill set to the table, having spent his formative years at the heart of one of Brazil’s most tactically daring sides.
Under Fernando Diniz, he became the anchor of the Fluminense midfield as they looked to embrace an extreme variety of ‘relationist’ football, an ultra-fluid approach that prioritises creating numerical advantages across the pitch over traditional positional play.
As a result, Andre took more touches, attempted more passes, and completed more carries than any other player in the Brazilian top flight last season, and it was not uncommon to see him march into dangerous situations like below, arriving as the extra man and helping his team build out from the back with opposition players snapping at his feet.
Inviting such pressure onto themselves, Fluminense often relied on Andre’s awareness and composure on the ball to help them escape. A stocky frame allows the 23-year-old to absorb contact, but it’s quick decision-making that usually keeps the possession safe.
Using data from SkillCorner, the plot below shows that Andre was pressed more than most Brazilian Serie A midfielders last season, but maintained a pass completion rate of 93.5 per cent under pressure, pointing to his unerring ability to keep the ball moving.
Such experience means Andre won’t be fazed by much as he completes a life-changing move to the Premier League. Without possession, his aggression and physicality in defensive duels should also stand him in good stead.
Set to become the national team’s next No 6, a €22million (£18.5m; $24.4m) deal looks a fantastic investment for a player whose value is only going to rise.
Aleix Garcia: Girona to Bayer Leverkusen
On the more creative end of the midfield spectrum, Garcia’s move to defending Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen is just reward after three stellar seasons in Spain.
Struggling to find his place after his brutal release by Manchester City, Garcia was fighting a losing battle for minutes in Romanian football four years ago. Since then, the 27-year-old has flourished in a deep-lying playmaker role for Girona, helping the Catalan side back into La Liga before orchestrating a top-four charge last campaign.
(Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
Speaking to The Athletic in March, former coaches of the midfielder remarked upon his “natural” ability to strike the ball with both feet. Only Rodri completed more long passes in Europe’s big five leagues last season, while his 87 switches of play dwarf the next-highest tally of 53.
Those raking passes out wide can be seen from his distribution graph below, while his 110 forward passes into roaming No 8 Ivan Martin illustrate his ability to break defensive lines from deep.
Garcia faces stiff competition in the Bayer Leverkusen midfield, but it’s hard not to draw comparisons between his expansive midfield play and that of his new manager, Xabi Alonso.
In a team that dominated with short, sharp passing last season, it’s a move that gives Alonso options to mix up their approach play, with flying wing-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo potential targets for Garcia to hit.
Sprinkle some set-piece brilliance on top and it’s easy to see the appeal.
GO DEEPER
How Aleix Garcia's Beckham-style set pieces are pushing Girona towards Europe
Matias Soule: Juventus to Roma
In case you were wondering, only two players across the big five leagues completed at least 75 take-ons, picked out over 75 key passes, and took over 75 shots last season. Both were born within six days of each other, in April 2003, and both did so out on loan; Xavi Simons and Soule.
That Juventus have sold Soule after such an impressive season is a cause of contention in Turin, particularly having shone so brightly so close to home. The 23-year-old was at times the sole attacking spark for Frosinone last campaign, with his 188 shot-creating actions leaving him clear of every player in Serie A, despite playing for one of the three ultimately relegated sides.
Primarily from the right, Soule is a do-it-all winger with ideas spilling out of his ears. Only Savinho (now at Manchester City) ran at defenders more often than Soule last season and he’s a player not afraid to use his fast feet and agility to dribble his way into dangerous spots.
But what makes Soule such an exciting prospect is his ability to mix up his attacking game. One of his tricks is to stand up his full-back, before bursting into life with a decisive action while defenders are flat-footed, wondering what he is about to do next.
Against Udinese in the relegation decider, for example, Soule picks up the ball deep and approaches Lazar Samardzic, throwing in step-overs, dummies and two drops of the shoulder to keep the defensive player guessing while he retreats closer and closer to his own goal.
That gives Soule time and space for his creative instincts to kick in, slipping the ball through his marker’s legs and into Marco Brescianini, who fires just wide from inside the box.
Soule’s enthusiasm transmits to his defensive game, too. A willing presser from the front, his 15 tackles in the attacking third was only bettered by three Serie A players.
High-volume… everything, Juventus’ loss will surely be Roma’s gain.
Kevin Stoger: Bochum to Borussia Monchengladbach
If you had to guess which player created the most chances for his team-mates last season, a different Kevin might have sprung to mind.
Not De Bruyne, but Stoger’s 127 key passes topped the charts across Europe’s big five leagues for the 2023-24 campaign, also breaking a Bundesliga record since at least 2004-05, when that level of data collection began.
Another key attacking cog in a relegation-threatened side, Stoger played a heroic role in Bochum’s great escape last season, assisting twice and scoring a nerveless penalty in the shootout to complete a miraculous turnaround against Fortuna Dusseldorf, 3-0 down from their relegation play-off first leg.
Stoger is a dead-ball specialist, but there is more to his game than just set pieces, always taking the opportunity to drift into deep areas on the left-hand side — as illustrated by his touch map below — before looking for long passes down the line or into the penalty area.
In the Bochum squad, not only did he create over five times as many chances as the next best, but his 283 progressive passes were more than double anybody else.
Alongside striker Tim Kleindienst, 31-year-old Stoger seems an astute buy who guarantees instant impact. The two combined for the equaliser against Bayer Leverkusen on the opening day, while both were a constant threat as they swept aside Bochum eight days on.
After four seasons away, they are set to provide the creative thrust to return Monchengladbach to Europe.
Dean Huijsen: Juventus to Bournemouth
There was a clip of Huijsen doing the rounds on social media in the summer; picking up the ball just inside his own half, striding into midfield, before cutting onto his right foot and curling into the far corner for his first Serie A goal.
Dig a little deeper and you’ll find another example of him doing much the same a year prior, this time sending the ball careering off the crossbar with his left.
For any centre-back to display such technical ability is one thing, but for one who stands at 6ft 6in (198cm) and is still just 19 years old, it warrants a closer look.
Huijsen’s unique profile represents an evolution of the modern central defender, combining his physicality and height with two-footed progressive play.
Not only capable of breaking the first defensive line with both feet, he can hit long passes and switches of play on either side, opening up plenty of solutions when faced with a high press, or a narrow defensive setup that leaves spaces to hit on the flanks.
His new head coach, Andoni Iraola, often encourages his centre-backs to go long, aiming to get the opposition back-tracking and opening up space for his creative players to pick up the second balls. The distance and accuracy Huijsen routinely hits should be called upon straight away.
With only a handful of minutes at the highest level, he is not immune to the occasional giveaway, sometimes too eager to move the ball forward, but the early signs look promising. Huijsen even managed to win nine aerial duels on his debut at Nottingham Forest, the most by a teenager in the Premier League in any of the last 10 campaigns.
Jose Mourinho called Huijsen “one of the highest-quality prospects in European football” back in January. It will be exciting to see how he navigates this first bold step.
James Rodriguez: Free agent to Rayo Vallecano
This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has joined a team in Madrid off the back of an impressive international tournament, but a lot has changed in the decade that’s passed since he became a Galactico.
Now 33, Rodriguez joins Rayo Vallecano as a free agent having been released by each of his last three clubs. In fact, his last three full 90-minute matches in domestic football have come on three different continents, for Olympiacos, Al-Rayyan and Sao Paulo, across a timespan of two and a half years.
While his club career has wandered, however, Rodriguez has reached new highs on the international stage, reinvigorated by his positive relationship with Colombia coach Nestor Lorenzo. At the tip of a dynamic midfield diamond, with a solid defensive structure behind him, he was given free rein to drift into pockets of space and combine with team-mates at the Copa America, letting his technical ability do the work.
Ending the tournament with six assists, Rodriguez inspired Colombia all the way to the final against Argentina, where Lorenzo’s men fell to an agonising extra-time defeat. From set pieces alone, he created 14 chances throughout the competition, more than double that of any other player.
While he still clearly has the magic touch, consistent match fitness is the next hurdle, joining a team in Rayo Vallecano who like to press from the front. Sharing the creative burden with Oscar Trejo, with the 2026 World Cup firmly in his sights, this could be just the motivation Rodriguez needs.
Zeno Debast: Anderlecht to Sporting Lisbon
Sporting pulled off one of the deals of the window this time last year, as Viktor Gyokeres crashed home 29 goals to fire Ruben Amorim’s side to the second domestic title of his reign. Debast’s arrival won’t be so dramatic, but it’s another surefire statement of intent.
Still just 20 years old, the centre-back arrives in Lisbon with 10 senior international caps and two full seasons of experience at Anderlecht, forming a formidable defensive partnership with club legend Jan Vertonghen. At 6ft 3in (190cm), he is surprisingly mobile and does not shy away from a foot race if the ball is played in behind.
(Jan De Meuleneir / Photo News via Getty Images)
With the ball, Debast’s qualities will be given plenty of opportunity to shine on the right side of defence in Amorim’s possession-dominant 3-4-3. He is a rangy ball carrier, happy to stride forward with the ball at his feet, having averaged 27.8 carries per game in the Belgian Pro League last season. According to Opta, that was the fourth-most of all defenders in Europe’s top 10 divisions.
Debast loves a long pass from defence, too, having already assisted Gyokeres with a searching ball down the flank. With time and space to pick out his team-mates in his new wide centre-back role, expect to see plenty more pinpoint switches and raking long balls.
Joining up alongside Ousmane Diomande (20) and Goncalo Inacio (23), this is an exciting move for Debast, with both Champions League football and another title charge on the horizon.
Arnaut Danjuma: Girona from Villarreal (loan)
We wanted to avoid loan moves on this list, but one as strategic and as tactically compatible as Danjuma’s last-minute switch to Girona deserves a mention.
Following two underwhelming, wantaway seasons in the Premier League, it finally looked as if things were getting back on track for the Dutchman at Villarreal, with two goals in the opening two games of the La Liga season harking back to his best days in their distinctive yellow shirt. Both, including his crisp opening-day strike against Atletico Madrid below, showcased the running power and heavy-hitting finishing that made him such a favourite under Unai Emery in 2021-22.
But Danjuma has rarely seemed settled since that breakout campaign and his ambition to return to the biggest stage helped to facilitate a deadline-day loan to Champions League-bound Girona. Not only is it a move that strengthens Michel’s side, adding explosive power to a varied front line, but it takes a key player from a direct rival for the top four.
Looking back at his 16-goal season with Villarreal — six of those on an unprecedented run to the Champions League semi-final — it’s his headstrong style that stands out. Despite starting on the left, only two players — Vinicius Junior and Karim Benzema — averaged more touches in the penalty area per game in La Liga in that campaign, while only three wingers carried the ball into the box more often.
Of all his carries, 28.5 per cent were progressive, the seventh-highest proportion of attacking players in the league. When Danjuma receives the ball, he nearly always looks to attack.
Despite early concerns, Girona’s new-look forward line is starting to shape. With the inventiveness of Viktor Tsygankov and new-signing Yaser Apsrilla off the left, Danjuma could thrive as the thunderous runner in behind.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Technically not a transfer but this still deserves being posted just for the effort.
View: https://x.com/RealBetis/status/1833837922207883663
View: https://x.com/RealBetis/status/1833837922207883663
Sadly NDombele did not do likewise
Nice its finally gone through, he was in total limbo otherwise, being contracted but unable to play.
He's had one great season but he's also had several good ones, 13 in 27 in the league for Lille in his solitary season there, his one "great season" was 26 in 32 which is a phenomenal return really, but that season was even sandwiched by 14 in 27 prior and 15 in 25 after. Any striker who can consistently provide a just over 1 in 2 strike rate in top European divisions is definitely good, however I don't think he's quite good enough to command the kind of fee that Napoli would be looking for, that fee however likely to come down at the end of this season since a season out in Turkey is highly unlikely to add much to his value, if anything at all. I'll be honest I think we'd currently be much better off up front if we'd have put the Richy and Solanke money into one pile and given it to Napoli, he's incredibly clinical and his ability to drop off his defender and find himself in acres of space is very impressive, he's a very intelligent striker. He might not thrive so much against the numerous low blocks we play against but he would certainly find himself in space enough to get a good return for us I've no doubt.
Manchester United and Manchester City interested in signing Viktor Gyökeres - Get French Football News
According to L'Équipe, Manchester City and Manchester United are both interested in signing Viktor Gyökeres (26) in the summer transfer window.
www.getfootballnewsfrance.com
Im actually quite happy having solanke tbh. Suits us much better