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Silly season is right around the corner, and while their fans will still be getting over another hard-fought but ultimately failed Premier League title bid, Arsenal will be hard at work looking to secure the perfect transfers – just like last year.

Mikel Arteta welcomed Kai Havertz, David Raya, and Declan Rice to the club last summer, and based on the last ten months, it would be hard to describe their moves as anything other than successes.

However, in terms of bang for buck performance, a player they signed in January of last year takes the cake: Leandro Trossard.

The Belgian was unreal this season, racking up 19 goal involvements in all competitions, and based on recent reports, he could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of a big-money transfer that looks close to happening.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal have maintained their interest in RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško, and in positive developments, the player is now 'favouring a move' to the Emirates.

The story revealed that cross-city rivals Chelsea had recently made the Slovenian their 'top priority' for new manager Enzo Maresca, but the long-term interest from the Gunners has led to the player preferring a move to North London.

However, the player's desire to don the red and white of Arsenal doesn't mean this will be a cheap deal to complete, as the report confirms that his release clause stands at £55m.

That said, for a 21-year-old forward who has shown genuine promise in one of Europe's top five leagues, that might prove to be a bargain in years to come, and his presence up top could supercharge Trossard.

How Šeško could supercharge Trossard

Last season, Trossard ended the campaign with one goal and ten assists for Arsenal in 22 games, whereas this year, his goal tally has skyrocketed to 17 in 46 games, but his haul of assists has come down to just two.

Appearances

22

46

Goals

1

17

Assists

10

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

0.41

Now, this must be in part due to instructions from Arteta to take more shots himself, and in that regard, it's been a brilliant tactical change. However, according to Understat, the Belgian has underperformed his expected assists figure in the league by 2.25, and while that's not an enormous number, it is noticeable.

Moreover, his reluctance to play creator this season could also indicate his lack of trust in his teammates' abilities to finish gilt-edge chances, which is borne out in their goals-to-expected goals figures, also per Understat.

For example, while Havertz's return of 13 league goals from an expected figure of 13.47 isn't bad, it isn't outstanding either, and Gabriel Jesus' haul of four league goals from 7.29 is simply not good enough – which is where Šeško comes in.

In his 42 games for Leipzig this season, he scored 18 goals, 14 of which came in the Bundesliga, and according to Understat, from an expected goals figure of just 8.60.

Šeško

8.60

14

Havertz

13.47

13

Jesus

7.29

4

This means the Slovenian "machine man", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, overperformed his xG by a massive 5.4 goals this year, and while it would be surprising to see him maintain such an enormous overperformance in the long term, it's a clear indicator of his finishing ability.

So, it's quite simple, really: if Arteta signs and starts the former Salzburg ace next season as the team's number nine, Trossard and the other creators on the side can reliably expect their assist tallies to rise. He might not be the finished product overall, but Šeško's ability to put away chances cannot be questioned after this season.

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A £57,000-per-week player wants to join Arsenal this summer, with manager Mikel Arteta personally eyeing a young attacker to partner Kai Havertz.

Kai Havertz praised for excellent Arsenal debut season

The Germany international, signed for around £65 million from Chelsea last summer, endured a slow start to life at the Emirates Stadium and was subject to criticism from both supporters and pundits alike.

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His lack of output was a cause for concern at the beginning of 2023/2024, but as time wore on, Havertz started making much more of a contribution as Arteta utilised the former Bayer Leverkusen sensation in a makeshift attacking role.

He finished the campaign with 14 goals and seven assists in all competitions for Arsenal, with Gunners legend Martin Keown heaping praise on Havertz for his development towards the back-end of last term.

Kai Havertz's Arsenal stats for 2023/2024 in all competitions	The numbers (via Transfermarkt)
Appearances	51
Goals	14
Assists	7
Minutes per goal	274
Minutes played in total	3,827

"It was one of those where I looked at it when he came in and I thought ‘I’m just going to hold up my opinion.’ I wasn’t sure at the beginning," said Keown to TNT Sports.

"In the Community Shield, he played as a centre-forward and I didn’t see the work rate or the running into the channels, and [Eddie] Nketiah came in the next game and I saw that change. Then they moved him into midfield. Now he’s in his proper position as a front player. [He’s] very definitely [at his best there].

"He’s so intelligent; he ghosts through. As a centre-half, you want someone to mark, but when he keeps disappearing into midfield all the time you get a bit nervous, and suddenly he’s there with two or three other players, so he can be really effective and that’s working for Arsenal."

The 24-year-old has found a new lease of life across London after a regrettable spell at Chelsea overall, despite winning the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel and scoring their final-winning goal against Man City.

Arteta now wants to sign a young attacking partner for Havertz, and it is believed that RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is firmly on the Spaniard's radar. There have been suggestions that Sesko could be tempted by a transfer to Arsenal, and this was elaborated on further by The Mirror this week.

Sesko wants to join Arsenal as Arteta eyes Havertz partner

Indeed, it is believed Arsenal is now Sesko's preferred destination this summer, despite interest from other Premier League sides like Chelsea and Man United. The Slovenia international has admirers in Italy as well, but it appears Hale End is in his sights after a great season at Leipzig.

The £57,000-per-week forward bagged 18 goals in all competitions last term, and his £55 million release clause is another enticing draw for Edu Gaspar and Arteta given prolific strikers are often at a much more extortionate premium.

Chelsea are reportedly planning talks with yet another manager after sacking Mauricio Pochettino, it has emerged, with Todd Boehly eyeing up a potential move.

Chelsea working through manager shortlist

It has been quite the week for Chelsea fans. After ending the Premier League season with a fifth straight win against Bournemouth, Mauricio Pochettino parted ways with the club by alleged mutual consent following an end-of-season review, before Manchester United shocked the footballing world to lift the FA Cup against heavy favourites Manchester City.

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The result bumped Chelsea down from Europa League football to a pair of August fixtures to qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League, Europe's third-tier competition won by West Ham in 2023 and set to be contested by Fiorentina and Olympiacos this time around.

All the while, speculation has been flying as to who may arrive in the Chelsea hot seat come the new season, with the Boehly-led ownership now looking for their fourth permanent manager in their two-year stint in charge of the club.

Chelsea managers under Todd Boehly

Thomas Tuchel

Graham Potter

Mauricio Pochettino

Bruno Saltor

Games managed

7

31

51

1

Win %

43%

38.7%

53%

0%

Points per game

1.43

1.42

1.78

1

The likes of Kieran McKenna, Jose Mourinho, Thomas Tuchel, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi have all been considered and discarded, while Leicester City's Enzo Maresca has also held positive talks over the weekend and is now close to a Stamford Bridge move. However, a new candidate has emerged, and it could be the most bizarre one yet.

Chelsea keen on Xavi

That comes courtesy of a report from Portugal, which claims that the Blues will hold talks with former Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez to "evaluate the possibility" of him becoming the new man in the dugout at Stamford Bridge.

It had been expected that Xavi would remain Barcelona boss after finally making a U-turn in his decision to leave the club, a stance he had initially outlined midway through the season.

However, in a shock twist, the club then decided to sack the Spanish coach, and are on the verge of appointing Hansi Flick to the vacant Camp Nou role in place of the 44-year-old.

Xavi, who has a reputation for being an attacking coach, would certainly fit the criteria for the new Chelsea boss, with the Blues owners "determined to snare the next big thing in coaching and help steer that eventual manager to the top", something that they deemed Pochettino unfit for.

But it seems an altogether unlikely move given the Spaniard's recent difficulties with the Barcelona board, for which he ultimately paid with his job. The Blues may be on the hunt for a more calm presence in the Chelsea dugout who is happy to work in the head coach rather than manager role, with Maresca seemingly the favourite to take charge as it stands.

Celtic ended their 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign in style on Saturday as they came from behind to beat St Mirren 3-2 at Parkhead on the final day.

The Hoops were then able to lift the top-flight trophy, which they secured with a thumping 5-0 win over Kilmarnock earlier in the week, after the match.

However, the season is not done and dusted yet as the Scottish giants have an SFA Cup final clash with their closest rivals at Hampden Park this weekend.

Brendan Rodgers has the opportunity to win two trophies in his first year back at Paradise and will have his focus on that match, before he can start to think about the upcoming summer transfer window.

One player who will need to be replaced ahead of the 2024/25 campaign is veteran goalkeeper Joe Hart, who is set to retire from football upon the expiry of his contract at Parkhead this summer.

His pending retirement means that Celtic will need to be in the market for a new number one to play between the sticks in Glasgow next term, and they reportedly have their eye on a player who has just been relegated from the Premier League.

Celtic's interest in Burnley star

According to The Scottish Sun, the Hoops are considering a swoop to sign Burnley shot-stopper Arijanet Muric to bolster their options in goal in the window.

The report claims that Rodgers wants to sign a new first-choice, rather than bringing through a current player to replace Hart, and that the Clarets star has emerged as an option for the club.

However, it does not state how much it would take to snap him up from the soon-to-be-Championship side, who have just been relegated from the English top-flight.

The Scottish Sun also do not reveal whether or not the Kosovo international would be interested in ditching English football to be the number one in Glasgow.

This means that it remains to be seen whether the Hoops can convince him to join up with Rodgers' squad to take over from Hart ahead of next season.

The outlet did, however, add that Real Madrid's Andriy Lunin and Southampton's Alex McCarthy had also been linked with possible moves to Parkhead, which shows that Muric is not the only goalkeeper on the club's radar ahead of the summer transfer window.

If Celtic can land a deal to sign the Burnley colossus, though, then they could secure an exceptional replacement for Hart, who has been a regular starter throughout the current campaign.

Joe Hart's last season at Celtic in numbers

The former England international, who was signed from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, has been the undisputed first-choice for Rodgers this term.

He has racked up 48 appearances in all competitions, with a 49th to come against Rangers at Hampden Park on Saturday, and played over 4000 minutes in total.

The 37-year-old titan started all six of the club's matches in the group stages of the Champions League and failed to step up to the mark in that competition.

Hart ranks within the bottom 1% of goalkeepers in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for percentage of crosses stopped (1.2%) and defensive actions outside of his penalty area per 90 (0.17), which shows how little he commanded his box in Europe.

He also ranks within the bottom 8% for post-shot xG minus goals allowed per 90 (-0.28), which essentially means that the veteran goalkeeper let in too many poor quality efforts on his goal.

Appearances

37

Save success rate

68%

Goals conceded

29

Clean sheets

14

Pass accuracy

88%

As you can see in the table above, Hart did enjoy a successful season in the Premiership, though, as he only conceded 29 times in 37 appearances in total.

The former Manchester City star ended his final league campaign with 14 clean sheets to his name and, hopefully, supporters will remember that, rather than his struggles in the Champions League earlier in the season.

His poor form in Europe does, however, suggest that there is scope for the Hoops to land an upgrade on him this summer, and that is exactly what Muric could be, based on his form for Burnley.

Why Ari Muric could be an upgrade on Joe Hart

Rodgers could land an exceptional signing to replace Hart by landing the Clarets star, as the £25k-per-week titan is a dominant goalkeeper who is also a fantastic shot-stopper.

Over the last 365 days in the Men's Big 5 Leagues and European competitions, Muric ranks within the top 1% of goalkeepers for percentage of crosses stopped (14%), defensive actions outside of his penalty area (3.10), and average distance of his defensive actions (17.2 yards) respectively.

These statistics show that the Burnley giant has been one of the most commanding goalkeepers in Europe over the last year, as he is sublime at coming off his line to clear danger and coming out to collect crosses to alleviate pressure on his defence.

Muric, who journalist Josh Bunting hailed as "exceptional" with his distribution, has also caught the eye with his shot-stopping quality in the top-flight.

Post-shot xG minus goals conceded

-0.28

+0.66

Save percentage

60.5%

80.8%

Touches

44.9

63.40

Percentage of crosses stopped

1.2%

14%

Defensive actions outside the penalty area

0.17

3.10

Average distance of defensive actions

5.9 yards

17.2 yards

As you can see in the table above, the Kosovo international has prevented 0.66 xG per 90 in the Premier League, whereas Hart let in 0.28 more than expected per 90 in the Champions League.

In just ten top-flight appearances for Burnley, Muric prevented a staggering 6.09 xG with his sensational shot-stopping. This meant that he ended the season with the second-best xG prevented tally in the division, second only to Wolves star Jose Sa's 8.45 prevented.

These statistics suggest that Celtic could land a major upgrade on Hart by completing a swoop to sign Vincent Kompany's number one, due to both his shot-stopping ability and his impressively dominant and front-footed command of his box.

أعرب أحمد عبد الرحيم “إيشو” لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك عن سعادته بمساعدة فريقه في الفوز بمباراة بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي، والتي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات الكونفدرالية.

ونجح الزمالك في الفوز على بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي بهدفين دون رد في أول مباريات دور المجموعات للمسابقة المحلية.

طالع | ترتيب مجموعات كأس الكونفدرالية بعد انتهاء الجولة الأولى

وقال إيشو في تصريحات صحفية عقب المباراة: “سعيد بالفوز وبالهدف الذي سجلته لصالح الزمالك، سيكون دافع لي لمواصلة الإجادة مع الفريق في الفترة المقبلة”.

وأضاف: “البداية لم تكن جيدة بشأن المستوى الفني ولكن نجحنا في الفوز وحصد الثلاث نقاط”.

واختتم: “افتقدنا اليوم جماهير الزمالك التي نلعب من أجلها، وهي الداعم الأول للفريق”.

يذكر، أن غياب جمهور الزمالك عن مباراة اليوم جاء بسبب قرار الاتحاد الإفريقي بحرمان القلعة البيضاء من جماهيرها بسبب وجود مخالفات خلال مباراة نهائي الكونفدرالية بالموسم الماضي أمام نهضة بركان.

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Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal “will definitely start” as openers in the three-ODI series in New Zealand, maybe as early as in the first game on Wednesday, while KL Rahul will continue to keep wicket and bat at No. 5 to give him more time to settle into his new role, Virat Kohli confirmed at a press conference a day before the game in Hamilton.Kohli was speaking before Agarwal had been named in the 50-over squad as the injured Rohit Sharma’s replacement, but did say that the team management had asked for another opener. Sharma will now return to India to treat his calf injury.”No, we are looking to stick to that same plan,” Kohli said when asked of the possibility of Rahul opening in Sharma’s absence. “It’s an unfortunate situation that Rohit can’t be a part of this series. In all formats, he’s on the list first and the impact he’s had is there for everyone to see.ALSO READ: Chopra – Having Rahul keep and bat low isn’t viable in the long term“We don’t have any one-day tournaments to look forward to so it’s an ideal time for him to go away and rectify this as soon as he can. He played the T20I series, so from the team’s balance perspective heading into a World Cup year, it doesn’t hamper combinations.”Prithvi’s in the team and will definitely start and whoever the replacement is [Agarwal] – we’ve asked for an opener. KL will play in the middle-order, we want him to get used to that role at No. 5 and keep as well.”Kohli also emphasised the need to respect the 50-over format even in what is a T20 World Cup year.”We’ve had five T20Is already, so it’s not like we don’t have a lot of T20 cricket (coming up),” he said. “We have the IPL as well, so we’ll probably utilise that (to prepare for the World Cup). Last year, we didn’t have much opportunity to prepare ourselves (for the 50-over World Cup) except for the games in front of you.”But T20s is very different, IPL is the most competitive T20 tournament you can ask for as a collective, and guys will look to get into the frame of mind in that tournament and not this early in a 50-over format because you don’t want to play in a different manner.”You have to respect the format and play to the pace of the 50-over game, and as I spoke of the combination Rahul playing in the middle-order, it’s about guys settling in their roles and repeating that game after game. These things are all about creating good habits for different formats and then being able to switch. We’re not looking at preparing for the T20 World Cup through this series. IPL will be the right platform (for that).”Looking ahead to the ODI series, where New Zealand will be without Kane Williamson for at least the first two games, Kohli said India’s immediate priority would be to up their fielding, which was “disappointing” in recent times.”We have recognised it,” he said of the efforts in the field in the T20Is, which India won 5-0. “The average age is 27 max, so we should be fielding way better than what we have. The standards in the last series overall wasn’t that good from either side. It can happen in T20 cricket because it’s fast-paced. And once you get into a nervous zone, it’s difficult to get out of it because the ball keeps coming to you invariably.”But even in one-day cricket, we’ve had fielding performances which we’re not proud of and there’s no hiding from it. We’ve spoken about it, we certainly expect a bunch of young guys who’re good fielders to do the job collectively, not just focus on batting or bowling. It’s about taking all three skills seriously and committing to all three completely, like we do towards bowling and batting. Sometimes in fielding when it’s not a matter of execution or result immediately, things can be taken for granted. That’s something we want to stay away from.”

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou wakes up this morning with one eye fixed on Aston Villa's trip to the Etihad Stadium to clash against champions Manchester City in the Premier League.

Villa are on the edge of top four, one place ahead of Spurs, but the fifth-placed side may yet rue the attacking bluntness that prevented them from securing all three points against West Ham United the day before, on Tuesday evening.

Whether it's a point gained or two points lost will be defined later down the line. Manchester United trail by nine points in sixth, albeit with a game in hand. The fifth spot in the Premier League may yet cement a Champions League spot through new UEFA co-efficient rankings, though that means rooting for rivals like Arsenal and the Hammers on the continent.

It was that man Brennan Johnson who got on the scoresheet to give Spurs a fast start to match his lightning pace, having turned in from close range after good work from loanee Timo Werner to get in behind and pump through a low cross.

Brennan Johnson's game vs West Ham in numbers

Johnson has not always found a starting berth easy to come by during his maiden campaign with the club, but Postecoglou clearly trusts the pacy Wales international and he has been rewarded with some stellar showings on the wing of late.

Minutes played

89'

Goals

1

Touches

50

Accurate passes

26/35 (79%)

Key passes

1

Dribble attempts

2/2

Duels won

2/6

Possession lost

17x

Against the Hammers, he was effective, continuing a promising run of form that is fast shaking off the doubters following his £47.5m move to Spurs from Nottingham Forest on transfer deadline day in August.

Now with four goals and three assists from ten top-flight matches (just five starts) since the new year, the 22-year-old is proving himself a valuable option and did so once again despite a lukewarm Lilywhites performance.

It left much to be desired heading into the business end of the campaign, with James Maddison one of the chief culprits after yet another indifferent display.

James Maddison's performance vs West Ham

Maddison has now entered a poor patch of form but he has showcased his high-level ability on enough occasions this term to quickly allay any fears that he is falling by the wayside in the final stretch of the season.

Postecoglou has previously hailed Maddison as one of the club's biggest "leaders" and this is reflected through both his conduct and quality on the field. Though he has definitely dipped recently and will need to pick himself back up quickly with so much on the line.

As per Sofascore, the 27-year-old completed 89% of his passes against West Ham, taking 72 touches, succeeding with two of his three attempted dribbles and winning five ground duels, also precisely placing all three of his crosses.

Despite this, the £170k-per-week phenom created just one key pass all evening, solemnly summing up the struggles his side were faced with at the London Stadium, having also lost the ball on 13 occasions.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london's Alasdair Gold branded him with a 5/10 match rating and said: 'Some nice little turns and touches but another game he has struggled to grab by the scruff of the neck as he was doing earlier in the season.'

Something needs to change soon if Tottenham are to beat Aston Villa to that fourth and potentially final Champions League qualifying spot, and while it might seem unthinkable to some, Postecoglou might be inclined to drop his elite playmaker.

Why James Maddison could be dropped

It's dangerous territory when a player cultivates an air of invincibility, and that's not meant by performance on the pitch. Maddison is a wonderful midfielder, he's been the free-flowing machine behind Postecoglou's attacking verve.

In the Premier League this season, the England international has chalked up four goals and seven assists from 20 matches, completing 87% of his passes, creating nine big chances and averaging 2.3 key passes and 5.6 successful duels per game.

Moreover, he ranks among the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 9% for passes attempted and the top 1% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.

It's fair to say that there's no one quite like him down the N17, but that doesn't make him undroppable.

West Ham (A)

1-1 draw

5/10

Luton (H)

2-1 win

5/10

Fulham (A)

3-0 loss

3/10

Aston Villa (A)

4-0 win

8/10

Crystal Palace (H)

3-1 win

7/10

For example, Giovani Lo Celso has qualities that allow him to succeed in an attacking midfield position, but the best-placed stand-in would be Dejan Kulusevski, who has been out of sorts himself recently but brings energy and athleticism that could charge Tottenham's attack and sculpt it back into shape.

Admiring the Sweden international's distinctive attributes, Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir said: "Dejan Kulusevski really is a special special player. Works so hard, covers every blade of grass. Hell of an engine on him, and just so much heart."

Kulusevski has also created 12 big chances from 28 Premier League matches this term, crisp with an 82% pass success rate and also averaging 2.0 key passes and 4.1 ball recoveries per fixture.

While Kulusevski is principally a wide midfielder, barrelling up and down the right flank to send defenders in a spin and puncture backlines to open up space – space that, usually, allows Maddison to thrive through his playmaking prowess – he has filled in at No. 10 on occasion.

Maddison was positively electric after completing his £40m transfer from Leicester City last summer, winning the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August and leading those such as the Times' Henry Winter to describe him as a "nightmare for defenders."

But he's waned following a several-month-long ankle injury suffered back in November, understandably. Back in his absence, Kulusevski featured centrally, bagging a goal and assist apiece in matches against Manchester City and Nottingham Forest back in December.

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He's not quite the elite creator that his English teammate is but there's no question that Kulusevski has skills that make him a good fit for life in the centre of the park – again – pushing and prodding into the final third.

This would also allow fleet-footed flankers Werner and Johnson to wreak chaos, with dynamic striker Heung-min Son bringing it all together, supplemented from behind by Kulusevski. It might just work out.

West Ham United are enjoying a far better season than what was on show last term. Triumph in the Europa Conference League eradicated any noise surrounding a lacklustre campaign, sure, but it papered over cracks that would have been glaring otherwise.

A 14th-place Premier League finish was honestly a fair reflection on the domestic front, and with Declan Rice sold to Arsenal for £105m soon after the campaign's conclusion, David Moyes and the board needed to get it right during the off-season.

Thankfully, get it right the Irons did. With Edson Alvarez, Mohammed Kudus and co arriving to replenish the squad, currently seventh in the league table and into the quarter-finals of the Europa League, pitted against indomitable-looking Bayer Leverkusen.

The first team is firing and hopeful of sustained success in a position of promise, but the academy is the bedrock of a football team and it wouldn't hurt to have another exciting talent emerge.

That might just be the case with Oliver Scarles on the up.

Oliver Scarles' season in numbers

Scarles only turned 18 years old back in December but he is already stretching his boyish avidity into the senior set-up, having perched on the bench in the Premier League five times since the new year.

A versatile player, Scarles is principally fielded as a left-back but has played at left wing, central midfield and central defence as he finds his feet ahead of a desired breakthrough to the West Ham first-team.

Left midfield

12

2

3

Right midfield

2

0

1

Left-back

2

0

0

Central midfield

1

0

0

Left wing

1

0

1

He has been particularly eye-catching in the EFL Trophy, bagging a goal and two assists from five matches for the Young Hammers against senior opposition, also averaging two tackles and clearances, 6.6 ball recoveries and 4.6 successful duels per game.

He's a real talent and now appears to be on the cusp of prominence at the top level. He might just be the biggest talent since Rice, surpassing fellow academy stars such as Divin Mubama.

Mubama is admittedly an exciting young striker and actually scored in the Europa Conference League last season, but his progress has somewhat stagnated this year and the 19-year-old has featured just five times in the Premier League, with two goals from five matches in the development top-flight.

Why Oliver Scarles could be West Ham's Rice replacement

Like Rice, Scarles was released from Chelsea's Cobham academy as a youth, since picked up by West Ham and provided with a platform to grow into his skin.

He might not be positionally identical to Rice but there are parallels to be drawn, with both players blessed with dynamism and flexibility that has seen them used in midfield as well as their typical defensive role.

Moreover, Moyes has remarked that Scarles is "stylish on the ball", with a natural grace and presence that strengthens the argument that the Irons are nurturing their next version of Rice.

To put it in a nutshell, Scarles has further development ahead if he wishes to emulate a fellow academy graduate in Rice and make an impression under Moyes' wing, but the Scotsman has spoken of his admiration for the young talent and this is reflected through his recent features in the Premier League matchday squad.

The next step in his flowering career will be telling, but the signs point toward success.

Daniel Farke, who has brought through Archie Gray and Mateo Joseph as first-team regulars, is not the first Leeds United manager to place his faith in young players.

Former Whites tactician Marcelo Bielsa was willing to lean on academy talent in times of need to come in and do a job if injuries or other circumstances meant that they were needed.

The Argentine boss handed professional debuts to 17 young players during his time in Yorkshire, with current first-team gems Jamie Shackleton and Pascal Struijk among them, along with Championship stars Leif Davis and Jack Clarke.

Not every one of those 17 starlets has gone on to enjoy successful careers at the top level, though, unfortunately, and goalkeeper Will Huffer is one who has had to drop down to the lower leagues.

Will Huffer's Leeds United career

The English shot-stopper came up through the youth ranks at Thorp Arch before an injury crisis in the goalkeeper position provided him with an opportunity to impress.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Jamal Blackman, who were the two first-choice options in that area of the pitch, were both injured ahead of a clash with Bristol City in the Championship in November 2018.

Just days before his 20th birthday, Huffer was handed his first-team debut for the Whites against the Robins and produced a solid performance between the sticks, as you can see in the table below.

Will Huffer

Against Bristol City

Saves

1

Goals conceded

0

Punches

3

High claims

2

Duel success rate

100% (1/1)

Stats via Sofascore

The 6 foot 4 titan kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win for Leeds in the second tier but it, unfortunately, turned out to be his only senior appearance for the club.

He made the bench, as an unused substitute, in eight matches throughout the rest of the Championship season. However, Huffer did not play a single match in any competition for the Whites before being released in the summer of 2020.

The young gem suffered from wrist and hip injuries ahead of his contract expiring that year, which meant that he did not have much of a chance to prove that there was a future for him in Yorkshire.

Where Will Huffer now plays

At the time of writing (14/03/2024), Huffer currently plays in the seventh tier of English football with Carshalton Athletic in the Isthmian Premier Division.

After being released by Leeds in 2020, the giant shot-stopper, who was brought through under Bielsa, spent six months in Non-League with Bradford Park Avenue before he secured a short-term deal with Bradford in January 2021.

However, he did not make a single appearance for the League Two outfit in any competition before being released at the end of the 2020/21 campaign.

Huffer then spent time with Stalybridge and Burgess Hill in Non-League before his move to Carshalton Athletic on a free transfer ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Now 25, the former England U17 and U18 international still has time to work his way back up the footballing pyramid, whether that is up to the top tiers of Non-League – in the National League North/South or Premier or back to the EFL.

Hopefully, if it is what he wants to achieve, the former Leeds starlet will progress in the years to come and forge a successful career for himself between the sticks before he retires.