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Chelsea look as if they could have another gem on their hands in Ian Maatsen, as the 21-year-old left-back is helping inspire Burnley to promotion from the Championship.

Although Graham Potter already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella available to him at left-back, the Dutchman's fantastic performances so far this season suggest that he could be an excellent heir to the Englishman as a starter at Stamford Bridge.

Who is Ian Maatsen?

Chelsea would sign Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2018 after scouting him for the Eredivisie side and with the U16 Netherlands national team.

After impressing with the Blues' academy sides, the young defender would sign his first professional contract in March 2019 and later made his senior debut when he was just 17, featuring in Chelsea's 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

He has since enjoyed loan spells with Charlton Athletic in League One and Coventry City in the Championship, before returning to the second tier again last summer to sign for Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

During his time at Coventry, the Chelsea youngster would earn a huge amount of praise from teammate Simon Moore, in his interview with The Athletic.

He said:

"In Maats’ case, the good certainly outweighs any bad. It says a lot about how good he is that even a slightly off day stands out as exceptional. It is not normal.

“The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up."

He has certainly proven himself as ready to play in the Premier League with his displays at Burnley this season, as the Dutch defender boasts four goals and six assists in 31 league appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 7.04 rating for his performances in the second tier.

With Kompany's side almost nailed on to win the title, it would not be a surprise to see them try to sign Maatsen permanently in the summer but Potter must ensure that he remains at Stamford Bridge, as his performances suggest that he could be the ideal long-term heir to Chilwell.

Could Maatsen replace Chilwell at Chelsea?

The former Leicester City man has struggled with injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge but is enjoying a strong run of form with the Blues at the moment, with two goals and two assists to his name in 15 appearances.

However, he has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit in recent weeks and Cucurella's disappointing performances since joining from Brighton suggest that the Spaniard might not be the ideal replacement in Potter's squad.

Therefore, with Maatsen showcasing his attacking qualities with the likely Championship title-winners, Potter should look to integrate him into Chelsea's first team in the summer, ahead of what will hopefully be a much-improved 2023/24 campaign for the Blues.

Moises Caicedo has taken to social media to talk about his dreadful debut for Chelsea after he gave away a penalty on his first outing for the club.

How much is Caicedo worth?

With new manager Mauricio Pochettino now calling the shots at Stamford Bridge, the good "vibes" are expected to return to West London and should be aided by some exciting summer arrivals.

Most notably, Caicedo has arrived to bolster the midfield after Chelsea agreed to pay Brighton and Hove Albion a whopping British-record fee of £115m – which is an awful lot more than his Transfermarkt value of £64.13m. While they also handed the Ecuadorian an eight-year contract.

However, it appears that change for the better won't simply happen overnight. Indeed, having drawn 1-1 against Liverpool in their first game of the Premier League season, the Blues then followed that up with a disappointing defeat away at West Ham United.

Nayef Aguerd opened the scoring after just seven minutes but Carney Chukwuemeka levelled things before half-time. Enzo Fernandez did have the chance to put his side 2-1 up but failed to convert his penalty.

Against the run of play, Michail Antonio then scored a fine goal to instead give the Hammers the lead and Caicedo was soon called upon by Pochettino to make his debut.

Coming off the bench, however, the 21-year-old failed to have a positive impact – even though Aguerd was sent off with plenty of time still left on the clock.

In fact, not only did Caicedo not change the game in Chelsea's favour, he actually made things worse as he gave away a late penalty, allowing Lucas Paqueta to seal a famous 3-1 win for West Ham against their London rivals.

Now in the aftermath of the defeat, the young midfielder took to Instagram to express his feelings, writing: "It wasn’t the debut that I expected but I’m happy to get my first minutes with this big club

"We’ll keep working hard to put this team where it deserves. Thanks to the fans who are supporting me."

View this post on InstagramA post shared by Moisés Caicedo23 (@moises_caicedo55)

A few Chelsea players responded with messages of support for their new teammate. For instance, Enzo Fernandez said: "This is not how it starts, but how it ends. Let's go all out brother! We will all work together."

New club captain Reece James also chimed in with: "Together as one." And fellow summer signing Romeo Lavia added: "In this all together mi hermano."

Carney Chukwuemeka, Christopher Nkunku and Marc Cucurella also posted messages of support.

How bad was Caicedo on his Chelsea debut?

As per Staman Dave – a football analyst sometimes seen on Sky Sports – Caicedo truly had a nightmare debut. In just 38 minutes on the pitch, the midfielder finished the game having lost the ball eight times, made one error leading to a shot, and made two fouls – one of which was the penalty he conceded.

Read the latest Chelsea transfer news HERE…

In the player ratings for 90min, journalist Jude Summerfield slammed his efforts with a 2/10 rating and wrote: "Gave away a penalty to compound a poor day for Chelsea."

Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mail wasn't any kinder either, as he wrote: "Moises Caicedo was booed when he entered the field just after the hour for his Chelsea debut. His crime? Seemingly his price tag, after his British-record £115million move. It was a debut to forget for the Ecuadorian who conceded the penalty from which West Ham sealed their win in injury time."

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag could look to make a surprise swoop for one of the most prolific strikers in English football, according to reports.

Who is coming to Manchester United?

According to reports, Manchester United are looking to enact a January swoop to bring in Brentford striker Ivan Toney after having discussions with the England international over a move to Old Trafford before flying out to the United States for pre-season.

The update from FootballTransfers claims that the Red Devils are 'prepared to wait' until the January transfer window to sanction a move for the £46k-a-week ace as Ten Hag aims to add further strength to his frontline following the acquisition of Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta.

Of course, Toney is currently under the restriction of a football ban from the authorities relating to 232 breaches of the Football Association's betting regulations; however, he will be free to resume his career upon the expiration of his banning order, as per Sky Sports.

Speaking on The Diary Of A CEO podcast, Toney has given an insight into his frustration at not being able to train with his Brentford teammates, stating: "Right now, not being around the training ground, it does hurt me. I just know when I'm at the training ground, I train harder. It's not a nice feeling. Not being allowed at the training ground is baffling to me. I'm counting down the days until I can be training and around the boys. It's like being in football prison at the moment."

Toney can return to participating in training activities on September 17th; however, he is ineligible to take part in matches until January 17th 2024, according to BBC Sport.

Both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are also believed to be keen on Toney and could steal a march on Manchester United in their attempts to land the former Newcastle United frontman, according to various sources.

Would Ivan Toney be a good fit for Manchester United?

Unquestionably, Toney has a knack for scoring goals at the elite level that makes him stand out from the crowd and he would be a sound investment by Manchester United if they were willing to wait until his ban expires.

Last term, the England international performed admirably for Brentford, registering 21 goals and five assists in 35 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

According to WhoScored, Toney was a constant menace for opposition defences in 2022/23, averaging around 2.8 shots per match in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old led the line with efficiency over the duration of last season, fashioning 39 shot-creating actions in the English top-flight, eight of which directly resulted in goals, as shown on FBRef.

Back in 2021, Brentford boss Thomas Frank predicted his rise to prominence in an interview cited by The Evening Standard, as he stated: "He’s coming across so fantastically: he’s humble, calm, but with a mindset of a lion. I think for every person or player the sky’s the limit, then we will see in the future where they go."

Looking ahead, it will be intriguing to see where Toney may potentially end up if he can re-establish his consistent displays at Brentford before his ban materialised.

Leeds United are in desperate need of reinforcements ahead of their imminent return to the Championship next weekend, and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Francis Amuzu?

According to Belgian journalist Pieter-Jan Calcoen, Leeds are interested in signing Anderlecht winger Francis Amuzu this summer.

Calcoen revealed on Twitter:

"Francis Amuzu of #RSCA is high on the wish list of #Leeds , #LutonTown and #OGCNice . There is no concrete offer yet, but at least one of the three clubs is preparing one."

Who is Francis Amuzu?

The 23-year-old has risen through the ranks of Anderlecht's academy to become a first-team regular for the Belgian giants over his career so far, as well as earning a spot in the Belgium U21s in the past – tallying up 14 caps and two goals.

Over 203 appearances in all competitions, Amuzu has scored 20 goals and registered 28 assists whilst being deployed predominantly on the left wing, proving that he is a consistent contributor for the club and a player who could be a real asset to Daniel Farke next season.

Since being relegated in May, Leeds have seen a number of their Premier League players depart from Elland Road including several attacking talents including Rodrigo and Brenden Aaronson, whilst Italian talent Wilfried Gnonto's future hangs in the balance.

The 19-year-old enjoyed a promising debut campaign in English football last time out after scoring four goals and providing four assists in 28 games in all competitions, although after just a year at the club, it looks like the teenager's future could lie elsewhere.

It has been reported by Football Insider this week that Everton are in pole position to sign the Leeds star this summer and it was further noted that a £20m bid from the Merseysiders would be enough for the Whites to part ways with their winger.

As a result, the signing of Amuzu could ease the blow of losing Gnonto should the West Yorkshire outfit find themselves unable to hold onto their youngster this summer, as the Ghana-born forward is more than capable of making an impact in the final third.

Over 32 Belgian Pro League appearances last season, he scored three goals, registered six assists and created four big chances, as well as averaging 1.4 shots on goal, 35.3 touches, 17.4 accurate passes and 3.7 duels won per game, according to SofaScore.

Not only that, as per FBref, the Anderlecht star – hailed "quality" by former boss and Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany – ranked in the top 30% of his positional peers in the Men's Next Eight Competitions for assists, pass completion, progressive passes, progressive passes received, interceptions and clearances.

Indeed, it would be advantageous for Farke to retain as many of his best assets as possible for the promotion battle in the second tier next season, however, looking at their options will be a necessity over the final weeks of the transfer window, to ensure they are not caught short when they return to action next month.

With that being said, Amuzu would be a great prospect to explore as a potential replacement for Gnonto this summer and if his price tag of €10m (£8.5m) reported last year still stands, it would be a financially viable move for Leeds to secure his signature.

A very wholesome video of the Royale Union Saint-Gilloise squad being told they’re playing Liverpool in the Europa League has emerged online, while Alexis Mac Allister received a message from his brother.

Who are Liverpool playing in the Europa League?

The Reds will not be playing in the Champions League this season and instead will have to settle for a place in the European competition one tier below after finishing fifth in the Premier League last term.

As a result, however, this has afforded them the opportunity to come up against some teams they wouldn't usually play.

And as footballing fate would have it, the draw threw out a rather interesting match-up when the groups were revealed this week.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Indeed, having only just arrived at Liverpool in the summer – signing from Brighton for an initial £35m – Mac Allister will be coming up against his brother Kevin when the two teams meet later this year.

Indeed, Kevin is one year older, plays for Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, and has already sent a message to his sibling in footage shared on the Belgian club's official Twitter account.

As you can see, it's a lovely moment as all the players celebrate with glee upon hearing the news, before the camera pans to the older Mac Allister who says to his brother: "See you soon bro!"

🤩 pic.twitter.com/rE33oESNhH— Royale Union Saint-Gilloise (@UnionStGilloise) September 1, 2023

TNT Sports also shared LASK reacting to the draw, proving that Royale Union Saint-Gilloise weren't the only one to be excited about the prospect of a trip to Anfield.

The full draw will see LASK, Union SG and Toulouse meet Liverpool in Group E of the 2023-24 Europa League.

How old is Alexis Mac Allister?

Liverpool's Mac Allister is 24 years years of age, born 24 December 1998, while his older sibling, Kevin, is 25 and born almost a year earlier on 7 November 1997.

Incidentally, their father, Carlos Mac Allister, was also a professional footballer and played for Boca Juniors in the late '80s and early '90s – even sharing the pitch with Diego Maradona at one time.

In an interview with The Athletic, the Argentine revealed his family roots, saying: “According to our family, we came from Ireland, rather than Scotland.

“We came to Argentina, to a place called Pergamino, but that was three or four generations ago, and later my father and mother married and moved to a different place — Santa Rosa in the Province of La Pampa, which is where Alexis was born.

“Now, when we get together, they always say that our ancestors came from Ireland. I don’t know whether the ones before them were from Scotland, and went to Ireland from Scotland, and then our ancestors came here. But we say that we came from Ireland.”

After completing a move to Liverpool in the summer, Mac Allister has made an okay start to life at his new club, playing in all three Premier League games so far but his red card (ultimately overturned) and lowly 6.54 WhoScored average match rating (the 11th lowest in the squad), suggests there is room for improvement.

It will certainly be fascinating to see how he and his brother get on when the Reds play Royale Union Saint-Gilloise home and away in Europe later this year.

Glasgow Rangers bounced back to winning way after two straight defeats in all competitions with a 2-0 win over St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Who scored in Rangers' win over St. Johnstone?

Brazilian centre-forward Danilo was given the nod through the middle of the pitch as the starting number nine ahead of Nigeria international Cyriel Dessers and certainly proved his worth in the 16th minute.

James Tavernier produced a perfect cross from the right flank and the summer signing from Feyenoord found the back of the net with a brave header, which resulted in him needing to be substituted due to a fractured cheekbone.

Substitute Rabbi Matondo then sealed the three points in the second half as Tom Lawrence sent him through on goal to slot the ball into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

How good was Danilo against St. Johnstone?

Whilst Danilo may get the plaudits for his excellent headed goal and the bravery shown to risk an injury in order to find the back of the net, Michael Beale's shining light throughout the match was Belgian central midfielder Nicolas Raskin.

The former Standard Liege star was outstanding in midfield and made his presence felt with important contributions at both ends of the pitch for the Light Blues.

Danilo's game in numbers vs St. Johnstone

7 touches

50% duels won

67% pass accurary

7.3 Sofascore rating

As shown in the table above, Danilo did not have enough time on the pitch to make a major impact outside of his goal, whereas Raskin was a consistently impressive figure during the fixture.

How good was Nicolas Raskin against St. Johnstone?

Defensively, the 5 foot 10 star won ten of his 16 duels (62.5%) and that included nine of his 13 battles on the ground, which resulted in four tackles won for the central midfielder, as per Sofascore.

Evidently, the 22-year-old was a solid force in midfield for the Scottish giants and was able to dominate the opposition from a physical perspective.

The £1.7m signing also caught the eye with his play on the ball. As per Sofascore, Raskin, who recorded a rating of 7.7, completed an impressive 94% of his attempted passes and 100% of his dribbles (3/3) to go along with one chance created for his teammates.

His dribbling ability was vital for the second goal as the talented gem skillfully glided past a challenge with his quick feet in the middle of the park in order to tee up Lawrence to thread the ball through for Matondo's goal.

He only gave possession away eight times from 84 touches of the ball, which was once every 10.5 touches on average. Whereas, for example, James Tavernier lost the ball once every 4.96 touches from right-back.

The Belgian talent clearly made an impact at both ends of the pitch and was important to what Rangers did on and off the ball, to help them score twice and keep a clean sheet to secure all three points after the international break.

Hopefully, the central midfielder will be able to carry this performance into the clash with Real Betis in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Over the last five matchdays, Tottenham Hotspur have failed to win a single game, which has ultimately put them in fifth place in the Premier League.

Throughout this spell, it has been glaringly obvious that the gap in quality between the starters and the replacement players is huge. Unfortunately for Ange Postecoglou, he has had to deal with numerous setbacks due to injuries and suspension.

The central defender position is particularly light at the moment due to the injury of Micky Van de Ven and with that in mind, the boss may look to reinforce his defensive options in the transfer market.

Tottenham Hotspur transfers latest – Marc Guehi

According to Sky Sports, Spurs are interested in signing Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, alongside two other centre backs, and have made him one of their priority targets as he is 'high' on their list of potential recruits.

The Eagles’ star has started 14 Premier League games this season and his partnership with Joachim Andersen is vital to the way Palace play.

Guehi may want to prioritise game time ahead of the 2024 Euros and Crystal Palace value the defender at around £60m.

How Marc Guehi compares to Cristian Romero

Prior to the long-term injury that he picked up in the 4-1 loss to Cheslea, Van de Ven was proving himself as one of the most complete central defenders in the Premier League. The Dutch star ticks every box for a modern defender, he has incredible recovery speed, composure on the ball, and proactivity.

Cristian Romero remains the first-choice right centre back, but he does not have much competition. There is no questioning that the Argentine is a quality defender, but his erratic nature often puts his side in danger, as shown by his three yellow cards and one red this season.

On the other hand, Guehi is a much more disciplined individual, only being shown a yellow card once in 14 matches, which was due to an argument.

Availability is key with the busy schedule in modern day football and the England international’s injury history is amongst the best in the Premier League. The 24-year-old has only missed three games in his entire career due to an injury that occurred in 2021. Romero on the other hand has suffered six separate setbacks since joining Spurs, keeping him out for 34 games since 2021.

From a stats perspective this season, Romero wipes the floor with Guehi but it is vital that team context is taken into consideration. The positive for Guehi is that he can operate on both sides of the defence, meaning that he can start or provide cover with ease. His performances versus Manchester City in the 2021/22 season showcased just how brilliant Guehi is at defending, which led to Football Talent Scout, Jacek Kulig, describing his influence as “Beast mode”.

Guehi has more than enough quality to play for a side that competes in Europe consistently and he would instantly make Spurs a team with class and quality in depth. With Romero’s lack of reliability and availability over the years, purchasing another dominant defender would send a statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League.

The right-footed Palace defender could provide perfect balance with the left foot of van de Ven in possession, as Romero does currently, which is why they could be an ideal pairing.

Tottenham Hotspur chiefs are set for talks over signing Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet at their friendly on Tuesday, with both sides hoping to find a resolution to the transfer.

Who will Spurs sign?

New Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is buoyed by the imminent arrivals of both Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven and Rosario Central striker Alejo Veliz, who both look set to sign from their respective clubs.

They appear likely to join goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, defender Ashley Phillips, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon as confirmed transfers of the summer window.

It could be a busy final month at the club, with reports suggesting they could add another star centre-back to their ranks alongside van de Ven.

Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba is among the most likely options, as some media sources say chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to offer the African a long-term contract.

Postecoglou, speaking to the media last month, highlighted the importance of Spurs securing a new defender to fix one of the glaring weaknesses in their squad.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said the Spurs head coach on bringing in new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Tottenham have also been linked with a move to re-sign former defender Lenglet after his 2022/23 loan spell, and some reporters believe he prefers Spurs above other suitors like AC Milan.

Sharing an update on the matter, Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims Tottenham chiefs want to hold talks over the Frenchman with Barca chiefs on Tuesday – when the two sides meet for a pre-season friendly.

The two clubs are hopeful of finding a resolution, as Barca may be eager to rid themselves of Lenglet's reported £204,000-per-week wages.

The report said: "The interest of Tottenham persists and in Barça they hope to unblock their situation taking advantage of the fact that the English club disputes the Joan Gamper Trophy on August 8 in Montjuïc.

"There are other interested clubs. There is Milan, but they do not want to assume all of their high record. Naples has also joined in the last few hours. He is looking for a new centre-back and Lenglet blocks them."

How did Clement Lenglet play for Tottenham last season?

The 28-year-old made 26 league appearances for Spurs last term, bagging two assists in the process, and he could be useful for Postecoglou as a ball-playing centre-half (WhoScored).

Lenglet also averaged a cool 87.5% passing accuracy out from the back, with Cristian Romero being the only Spurs defender to better that number during the 2022/23 campaign (WhoScored).

Whether Postecoglou will opt to the defender back to north London, however, remains to be seen.

Celtic are reportedly closing in on their seventh new addition of the summer transfer window as Brendan Rodgers attempts to bolster his playing squad.

Who have Celtic signed this summer?

The Hoops head coach has already been able to snap up Odin Thiago Holm, Marco Tilio, Hyeok-kyu Kwon, and Hyun-jun Yang all on permanent deals to add to his midfield selection.

Central defenders Maik Nawrocki and Gustaf Lagerbielke have also been brought in to strengthen the defensive side of the team, which needed to be addressed after Carl Starfelt's move to Spanish outfit Celta Vigo.

Aris left winger Luis Palma is now said to be on the verge of completing a switch to Parkhead after the club agreed a £3.5m deal with the Greek side.

The Honduras international appears set to improve Rodgers' options at the top end of the pitch after his impressive performances in Greece throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

How good is Luis Palma?

Based on his form for Aris last season, the 23-year-old wizard has the potential to come in as a big upgrade on current Hoops winger Daizen Maeda.

The exciting dynamo showcased his ability as both a scorer and a creator of goals, with the former being his biggest strength. Palma racked up an impressive 11 goals in 20 league starts in the Greek top-flight, which also included nine substitute appearances.

Only Kyogo Furuhashi (27) scored more league goals for Celtic during the Scottish Premiership campaign last term and the £3.5m-rated talent's tally of 11 was also three more than Maeda managed in 35 matches for the club.

The incoming Hoops signing could, therefore, provide a greater goal threat than the Japan international if he is able to translate his form over to Scottish football and deliver a similar level of production in the final third.

Palma also displayed his creativity with 1.4 key passes per game for his teammates throughout last season.

Only two current Celtic players (Matt O'Riley and Anthony Ralston) produced more per outing than the Honduras international and Maeda ranked 15th within the squad with 0.8 per clash.

This suggests that the 5 foot 10 maestro could offer more than the 25-year-old winger when it comes to being a playmaker for his fellow attackers, as he has the quality to regularly split open the opposition's defence to create opportunities in front of goal.

Palma's superiority was also reflected in his average Sofascore rating as he ended the season with a score of 7.12, which was considerably better than the current Hoops forward's rating of 6.78 and would have placed him within the top ten in the squad.

The Aris star, who was praised for his “brilliant” goal contributions last term by agent Paulo Hernandez, has also started the current campaign in fantastic form with two goals and three assists in five matches in all competitions, whilst Maeda has zero goals and one assist in four outings so far.

These statistics over the last 12 months or so suggest that Palma has the quality to be a big upgrade on the Japanese marksman with his average performance level and his goal contributions at the top end of the pitch, which is why this could be an excellent signing for the club.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have made some questionable signings over the years, with some talents proving to be big hits, and others being quickly forgettable.

This summer sparked change to the familiar squad at Molineux, with players needing to be offloaded and sold in order to balance the books with reference to the Financial Fair Play (FFP) restrictions in place.

Players such as club captain Ruben Neves and last summer’s blockbuster signing Matheus Nunes were sold to generate funds during the break, with the two sales accumulating £100m – £47m and £53m respectively.

While it was pivotal that business was efficient during the break due to tight financial pressures, transfers haven’t always been as smart for Wolves, as visible in the current members of the squad. Goncalo Guedes is one of the primary examples.

How much did Wolves sign Goncalo Guedes for?

Signed last summer from Valencia, winger Guedes made the £27.5m move to Molineux to join a host of Portuguese talent already in the Midlands.

At the time of his arrival, chairman Jeff Shi described the player as being “well suited to the Premier League”, insisting that the club had “been patient” to ensure they got the “right player."

Just over a year down the line and the 26-year-old has made only 18 appearances for the Old Gold, scoring on two occasions during his time associated with the club so far. It's safe to say that Fosun and Co picked the wrong player here.

What happened to Goncalo Guedes?

Earning £90k-per-week, Shi’s claims that the winger was ready to play in the Premier League proved to be false, with the former La Liga forward wasting his time at Wolves away.

Signed in August 2022, Guedes was shipped on loan to Benfica by January, and is yet to make another appearance for the side with his future looking to be far away from Molineux.

Former manager Julen Lopetegui explained that the £27.5m man was “not happy” at Wolves after his loan move to the Eagles, as he returned to the Lisbon-based club this summer on a season-long loan spell.

After just 18 appearances, it would be assumed that the attacker’s time is over in the Premier League, with him failing to adapt and wanting away from England as he continues to seek sanctuary in Portugal.

Journalist Nathan Judah didn’t hold back on his opinion of the winger, saying he has “zero interest in rotten apples” following his second loan move to Benfica last month.

While the disappointment of the transfer is understandable considering the price paid to obtain his services just a year ago, the 26-year-old was poor in Portugal, scoring just once in the league during his half-season loan with the Eagles.

Wolves have dodged a bullet by loaning the dud, however considering their recent financial problems, the money spent to sign the want-away has proven to be a complete waste of funds.

It’s likely that the Old Gold will permanently offload the forward in the near future as Gary O’Neil continues to build his favoured squad, although his dip in form will be damaging to the Midlands side, who are unlikely to make a profit in the instance of his sale.

As per CIES Football Observatory, the Portuguese international is valued at €20m (£17m), showing a dip of almost £10m in relation to the price the Premier League side paid for him just last year.

There remains hope that the 26-year-old can rediscover his form in Portugal to bolster his value, however, circumstances won't change the fact that the market move was a low for Wolves.