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West Ham United may have knocked back Arsenal's first bid for Declan Rice, rumoured to be in the region of £80m with add-ons, but it is becoming increasingly likely the central midfielder will not be at the London Stadium next year.

Losing Rice will be a major blow for West Ham given the England international's qualities on the field, including what he brings in terms of leadership.

The good news for the Europa Conference League winners is they have time on their side to bring in new players, and potentially a lot of cash to help strengthen in other areas.

While not strictly a like-for-like replacement, The Telegraph reported last week that West Ham were leading the race to sign Harvey Barnes from Leicester City following the Foxes' relegation to the Championship.

Should Rice's departure be confirmed in the coming days, Leicester could do with getting a deal over the line for Barnes – supposedly valued at £40m by Leicester – to help keep the feelgood factor around the club alive.

What can Harvey Barnes bring to West Ham United?

Barnes' best efforts were not enough to keep Leicester in the Premier League, with his team-high 13 goals and one assist proving to be in vain. With 0.43 goals per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, the Englishman was on par with Ollie Watkins and Cody Gakpo.

In short, then, Barnes can add some goals to a West Ham side that managed just 41 of them last season across their 38 matches – a worse tally than relegated pair Leicester (49) and Leeds United (45).

As pointed out by WhoScored owner Martin Laurence, Barnes "combines pace and intelligent movement", while also being a "decent finisher". Indeed, that is backed up by his combined goals and assists stats across the past four seasons: 14, 13, 16 and 13 from 2019-20 through to 2022-23.

It is quite apparent that Barnes can bring something to United that they otherwise lack. The 25-year-old found the target from 47.2% of his shots last season – a huge increase on West Ham's best-performing attacking player in that area, with Said Benrahma doing so 33.3% of the time.

Barnes also averaged 24.4 carries per 90 minutes last time out. To put that in perspective, Jarrod Bowen – who could be under threat by Barnes' arrival – averaged 20.4.

As Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp put it two years ago: "Barnes is probably one of the biggest talents. I'm not sure if he is respected or appreciated as much as he should be. He is an unbelievable player."

The world is now more aware of Barnes' talents, as reflected by his fairly sizable valuation, but if West Ham mean business this summer then they must soften the Rice blow by bringing in a new exciting homegrown asset; that of Barnes.

Arsenal could be set to add another midfield general to their ranks, following on from the expected capture of their top target.

What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?

That's according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to issue an update on the Gunners' pursuit of Romeo Lavia.

Having been relegated with Southampton, the young star showed more than enough in his first year in senior football to merit widespread interest.

With the Premier League runners-up one of the teams interested, the Italian journalist expanded upon this:

"Understand Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Roméo Lavia. Negotiations ongoing with Southampton and player’s camp, still no official bid."

Manchester City, his former club, do retain a £40m buy-back clause which would expire should he make the switch to north London.

Would Romeo Lavia be a success at Arsenal?

The 19-year-old "diamond" – as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig – may have suffered the drop in just his first campaign in the top flight, but many would argue that his performances did not deserve such a fate.

He was the ever-present heartbeat of a struggling Saints side, forming a fine partnership with James Ward-Prowse in the engine room.

His workmanlike exploits allowed the English maestro to push on and shine in a more advanced role, and in the end, the 28-year-old recorded 16 goal contributions with Lavia as the catalyst for such success.

Should the £25k-per-week Belgian now opt to move to the Emirates, he could once again strike up a similar partnership if Mikel Arteta manages to get his hands on Declan Rice too.

After all, recording 1.1 interceptions and 2.1 tackles per game in the league offer this defensive foundation, whilst Lavia marries this with an 86% pass accuracy and 68% dribble success rate too, via Sofascore.

He is as press resistant as he is solid, and is only set to grow with age too. This makes for a scary prospect, given that journalist, Benjy Nurick already views him as a "monster".

He could soon be one of the best defensive midfielders in the division, which could allow West Ham United's captain to flourish into a true creative threat too, something Ward-Prowse was able to do for the Saints despite their relegation.

The West Ham skipper did manage to record four goals and two assists last term, alongside his 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and one key pass per game in the league, via Sofascore.

It is the former figures that Arteta will be keen to help stand out, given he is set to lose the 14 goal contributions that Granit Xhaka offered with his expected exit.

To think that Rice did all this beside Tomas Soucek, with someone like Lavia in his place and the qualities of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and more to supplement him, this midfield hero could soon be set to explode into an imperative cog that helps to topple Pep Guardiola's current monopoly on English football.

Rangers remain in talks with Cremonese to sign striker Cyriel Dessers as they close in on a season-long loan deal for Brighton's Abdallah Sima, according to journalist Derek McGregor.

Who else will Rangers sign?

Michael Beale has reportedly spearheaded this entire transfer window for the Gers so far amid their lack of a sporting director, following the exit of club chief Ross Wilson to Nottingham Forest.

The Glasgow giants have done well thus far, sealing four confirmed signings in Jack Butland, Dujon Sterling, Kieran Dowell (on free deals) and Sam Lammers for £3 million from Atalanta (Transfermarkt).

However, despite their flurry of activity, reports indicate that Beale isn't done with the aforementioned quartet and more arrivals could follow ahead of the 2023/2024 Scottish Premiership season.

Most recently, Rangers have become very heavily linked with a temporary deal for centre forward Sima from Brighton, who is yet to make a single appearance under Roberto De Zerbi.

Sima has gone out on loan to Angers and Stoke City in that time with the Gers potentially offering him a similar route.

They're believed to closing in on a loan deal for the ex-Slavia Prague sensation, but according to The Sun's reporter McGregor, he isn't the only player Rangers are in talks for.

Indeed, writing in a piece, the journalist claims Beale's side are "also still negotiating" to sign Cremonese forward Dessers despite their imminent move for Sima.

However, there is a complication, as Rangers appear to be "growing frustrated" over the Serie B club's asking price for their attacker.

"Rangers are also still negotiating to buy Cremonese forward Cyriel Dessers," wrote McGregor for The Sun.

"But it’s understood they are growing increasingly unhappy with the valuation from the club who were relegated from Serie A."

Who is Cyriel Dessers?

The Nigerian forward was one of Cremonese's shining lights in their relegation campaign, chipping in with more attempts at goal per 90 than any of his teammates in the Italian top flight (WhoScored).

Dessers also finished 22/23 with their joint-highest number of goal contributions (six goals, two assists), and with numbers like these, ex-Heracles Technical Director, Tim Gilissen, has been vindicated in his praise for the "exemplary" player back in 2020.

"Cyriel has been the absolute eye-catcher this season and has been a very important player for the team," said Gilissen.

"Cyriel has shown that being a professional footballer means more than just football. He is an exemplary professional and enjoyed participating in many social projects."

Manchester United have made the signing of a new striker one of their top priorities this summer and now a new update has emerged on a strongly linked transfer target.

Will Man United sign Rasmus Hojlund?

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are holding talks to sign Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund this summer.

As per the report, the acquirement of a new centre-forward is something that Erik ten Hag wants to be resolved before pre-season training commences and the club's hierarchy are continuing to hold discussions for their main targets for the position with Hojlund named alongside Randal Kolo Muani.

How many goals has Rasmus Hojlund scored?

It is no secret that Ten Hag has been a long-term admirer of Harry Kane and reportedly has had the Tottenham Hotspur striker as his top transfer target since he arrived at Old Trafford last summer.

Indeed, the Red Devils have been continuously linked with the England captain, however, it is looking extremely unlikely that Spurs will be willing to part ways with their superstar before his contract expires at the end of next season.

As a result, Ten Hag must turn his attention to targets that are more of a realistic prospect and Hojlund would definitely be a worthy alternative to Kane.

The Danish youngster burst on the scene of Italian football with Atalanta and has already made his mark on the Denmark national team with six goals scored in just five appearances.

Over 42 appearances in all competitions last season, the 20-year-old star – who has a reported price tag of €60m (£52m) – scored 16 goals and registered seven assists, which is a fantastic output with only Marcus Rashford scoring more (30) in the Man United team.

To compete with the likes of Manchester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and Newcastle United next season for a spot inside the top four and to potentially become a title contender, it will be absolutely essential for Man United to acquire the services of a striker who can make an instant impact in the Premier League.

One player who has had a record-breaking start to life in the Premier League is Erling Haaland, a striker who has often been named as a similar profile of goal-scorer to Hojlund, with Atalanta manager Gian Piero Gasperini boasting about the similarities between the pair in an interview:

"Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also the technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too.

"He has very similar characteristics to Haaland. He is so quick, he’s under 11 seconds over 100m and that’s not even trying very hard. Considering his height, he has a low centre of gravity. I am convinced he’ll have a great career, he just gets stronger every day."

With all considered, there is no doubt that Hojlund would be an exciting prospect for Man United to sign this summer and if he can adapt to the English top flight to a similar standard that Haaland has set, his impact on the team and the future of the club's success would be priceless.

Tottenham Hotspur are also targeting Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi this summer but face competition from a host of Premier League clubs.

Who are Spurs signing?

The north Londoners, boosted by new manager Ange Postecoglou's official arrival last weekend, have already made some serious summer moves.

Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro have put pen to paper on permanent deals from Juventus and Sporting Lisbon respectively, while the likes of Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison joined them from elsewhere this window.

Maddison, who signed for £40 million from Leicester City, has ended Tottenham's long-wait for a playmaker in the mould of Christian Eriksen – while Vicario's arrival could allow long-serving number one Hugp Lloris to depart.

Former Fulham loanee Manor Solomon is also said to be having a medical today ahead of a proposed free transfer to Spurs, coming after a FIFA ruling which allows the Israeli to depart Shakhtar Donetsk before the actual expiry of his contract.

It is widely believed that the signing of a star centre-back will follow these transfers, with the Lilywhites enduring a woeful 2022/2023 season in terms of goals conceced.

No other top flight side above 15th leaked more at the back than Spurs last season, a fact Postecoglou will be fully aware of as he seeks to bring back faith in the Tottenham cause.

Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba, Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo and Clement Lenglet from Barcelona are the centre-backs most heavily linked with a move to north London as of now.

However, according to Football Insider and journalist Pete O'Rourke, coming from a "well-placed source", Tottenham chiefs firmly have their eye on Guehi of Palace as well.

The England international, who impressed under both Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park last campaign, is also attracting interest from Newcaste, Liverpool and north London rivals Arsenal.

Spurs are among the sides ready to battle for Guehi, as this report suggests, but a deal could be hard to do given the Eagles could demand in excess of £60 million.

What's been said about Marc Guehi?

As per WhoScored, the 22-year-old was a mainstay for Palace last season, having featured over more league minutes than any other Palace player.

Guehi averaged the highest passing accuracy (85.5%) of any Palace player too, indicating he could fit into Postecoglou's system as a brilliant ball-playing defender.

The defender averaged their joint-highest rate of blocks per 90 and second-highest number of clearances on average, just behind fellow centre-half Joachim Andersen (WhoScored).

Guehi's quality isn't lost on Club Brugge keeper Josef Bursik, who called him an "absolute tank" when asked to pick the strongest player in England's Under-21 squad a couple of seasons ago.

"Easy, Marc Guehi. He’s an absolute tank,” Bursik said.

“It’s like having a brick wall in front of you, he’s massive.”

Meanwhile, Hodgson has also praised Guehi for his ball-playing ability and composure on the ball.

“Marc Guehi and (Joachim) Andersen are very good players," Hodgson explained.

“They’re good defenders and good on the ball, which is very useful because it helps you start attacks, switch play and develop the composure you need to build attacks up.

“They’re both very useful to the club and would be to any club because they’re good players.”

Glasgow Rangers officially completed their sixth signing of the summer transfer window on Thursday as they announced the arrival of Cyriel Dessers.

The Nigerian international has joined on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee from Italian side Cremonese to bolster Michael Beale's attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

He follows Kieran Dowell, Abdallah Sima, Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, and Sam Lammers through the door at Ibrox, with the Light Blues wasting no time in attempting to improve their squad.

The Gers failed to win a single trophy last season and they will be hoping that their moves in the transfer market this summer allow them to compete for major silverware over the next 12 months.

Another player who has been linked with a move to Glasgow is Bayern Munich attacking midfielder Malik Tillman. He spent last term on loan from the German giants and it has been reported that Rangers remain in the race to land him on a second deal, although they face competition from Premier League teams.

How much will Malik Tillman cost?

The Light Blues would only need to cover his wages, which are reportedly £13k-per-week, alongside a possible loan fee if they were to sign the American international on another temporary deal.

Although, it has also been claimed that Bayern would demand at least £10m, which is twice the value of the option-to-buy the Gers previously had in their loan contract, in a permanent transfer for the exciting gem.

Beale must push for Rangers to sign Tillman again as the 21-year-old magician's exceptional performances in midfield could make Dessers better next season, with his creative quality out wide and in the middle of the park.

The former Cremonese ace scored six goals in 19 Serie A starts this season, while he only missed five 'big chances'. This suggests that the 28-year-old gem did not get quality service from his teammates, which prevented him from finding the back of the net on a regular basis.

Dessers racked up an outstanding 19 goals in 16 starts for Feyenoord, along with 14 'big chances' missed, during the 2021/22 Eredivisie and Europa Conference League campaigns, whilst James Tavernier was Rangers' top league scorer with 16.

This shows that the Nigerian finisher is capable of being a prolific scorer when his colleagues are able to provide him with excellent opportunities in front of goal.

Therefore, Tillman could be perfect for him as the Bayern prospect was an excellent creator for the club last season. The 21-year-old wizard created a whopping 12 'big chances' on his own for his teammates in the Scottish Premiership, which was more than Fashion Sakala (seven), Todd Cantwell (five), and Ryan Kent (nine) managed.

This shows that the terrific youngster, who was lauded as "phenomenal" by John Lundstram, is an outstanding creative presence in midfield. He has the ability to open up opposition defences on a regular basis and this could allow Dessers to thrive in the box as the latest signing has proven himself to be a reliable goalscorer with the right service.

Therefore, Beale must swoop to bring Tillman back to Ibrox as his return could make the former Genk centre-forward unplayable over the coming months.

Glasgow Rangers have made seven summer signings under Michael Beale, however, the summer overhaul could now see a few players departing the Ibrox side during the transfer window and Glen Kamara appears to be attracting interest.

Will Glen Kamara be a Rangers' player next season?

Transfer insider Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT that “it does look like he will finally leave” amid the growing interest in Kamara from teams such as Southampton, Sheffield United, Stade Rennais and OGC Nice.

With the Gers reportedly slapping a £5m price tag on him ahead of any potential departure, according to Christopher Jack of The Herald, Beale stands to make millions on the midfielder who arrived at the Light Blues for a fee of just £50k back in January 2019, turning an impressive profit on the player.

According to Turkish outlet Sozcu, Besiktas are in the chase for the 27-year-old midfielder and the report claims that Kamara has asked to travel to Istanbul in order to thrash out a deal with the club.

Judging by the sheer volume of clubs who are interested in him, it certainly appears that he will finally depart the Gers after four and a half seasons at Ibrox.

What happened to Glen Kamara at Rangers?

The former Arsenal youngster was seen as one of Steven Gerrard’s finest signings when he arrived for the aforementioned £50k four and a half years ago from Dundee, adding some steel into the midfield at a bargain price.

After 18 months of bedding into the side, he became a key member of the team that went on to secure the 2020/21 Premiership title in record-breaking fashion, going the entire season unbeaten and conceding just 13 goals in 38 matches.

Although Kamara was impressive domestically, he took his game to the next level when appearing in Europe, and during the 2021/22 campaign, he was excellent in the stunning run to the Europa League final, ranking in the top ten across the squad for accurate passes per game, interceptions per game and key passes per game.

His form was already slipping domestically towards the end of that season, however, with Rangers Review journalist Joshua Barrie having dubbed him as “terrible” and he struggled again during 2022/23.

He made just 11 Premiership starts all season, falling out of favour with Giovanni van Bronckhorst and then the returning Beale, whilst his Champions League performances were a major disappointment given how solid he had been on the road to Seville.

Kamara was the worst player in the squad in Europe’s premier club competition with regard to overall Sofascore rating (5.9) and also ranked 15th for accurate passes per game, seventh for interceptions per game and key passes per game, clearly proving he was out of his depth at this level.

The £21k-per-week liability must now make the move away from Ibrox in order to get a fresh start to his career elsewhere. The talent is certainly there, displaying it across his first three years at the club, however, he doesn’t quite fit Beale’s tactical system.

Generating £5m for the midfielder would allow Beale to pursue other targets and significantly boost his squad for the challenges ahead next term.

West Ham United will not overpay for players this summer, Paul Brown has told FootballFanCast.

The club recently sold club captain Declan Rice to Arsenal for a record fee, and are expected to delve into the market to strengthen with them funds.

What have West Ham done so far in this window?

It has been a slow start to this window for the Hammers.

The transfer involving Rice took dragged on and on, taking 17 days to be announced after the deal was agreed in principle on June 28th. During that time, the Irons were not able to agree any deals for players, with clubs waiting to see how much money the London side would have to work with.

Fulham's Joao Palhinha has been a key target for the club, with the Conference League winners wanting the Portuguese player as one of their replacements for the outgoing Englishman. However, there is a massive discrepancy between the two club's valuations of the player, with the Cottagers valuing their player of the year at £90m, whilst the Hammers only value the midfielder at £45m, which Fulham rejected.

The club also pursued a potential deal for Leicester City winger Harvey Barnes, however, due to the Rice sale dragging on, Newcastle United and Eddie Howe swooped in and managed to convince the forward to head to Tyneside this summer.

According to David Ornstein, the Hammers are also set to submit an offer for Ajax defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez. The Mexican was heavily linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund earlier on in the window, however, that move collapsed, opening the door for David Moyes and West Ham to swoop in and make their move.

According to Brown, Moyes and owner David Sullivan refuse to pay over the odds for players this window despite selling Rice.

What did Paul Brown say about West Ham this window?

Speaking to FootballFanCast, Brown stated: "Yeah, the Rice deal does mean that clubs are going to be asking West Ham to pay a premium for their players because everyone knows that suddenly they have a vastly increased budget.

I don't think West Ham are going to be in a position to pay over the odds for anyone in this window. I don't think David Sullivan or David Moyes will allow that to happen."

Who will West Ham sign this window?

West Ham have to make at least two signings in their midfield this summer to replace Declan Rice's output.

Alvarez would be a really smart signing, especially if the fee is in the region of £35m as was reported. The Ajax man has some incredibly impressive defensive numbers in the midfield, excelling as a "progressive thief" according to @SawkurGod. The former Chelsea transfer target also is an incredibly impressive passer, with his 83.91 passes attempted and 88.7% passes completed being elite-level numbers.

Palhinha would be another strong, experienced option for the Hammers. The Portuguese man led the league in tackles made with 147. That was ahead of second-placed Moises Caicedo who could only manage 100 last campaign. The defensive midfielder has disappointing passing numbers, however, should the club manage to bring in Alvarez, they could have an incredibly balanced midfield pivot, who complement each other's games perfectly.

With a Europa League campaign on the horizon, the Hammers will hope to get their business right this season to build on the incredible high of last season.

Arsenal's talks to sign Gremio forward Bitello "will close" this week for a fee of around €8 million (£6.8m), according to reports out of Italy.

Who will Arsenal sign?

Mikel Arteta's side have made some serious, marquee signings so far this summer – spending north of £200 million as they prepare to mount another title challenge.

Arsenal missed out to imperious treble-winners Man City last season, with sporting director Edu strengthening the squad in response. Kai Havertz first joined in a £65 million deal from Chelsea, followed soon after by England international Delcan Rice's record-breaking £105m move from West Ham.

The north Londoners also signed versatile defender Jurrien Timber from Ajax, with Artera professing his joy after the Dutchman put pen to paper on a long-term contract.

“We’re really excited that Jurrien has joined us," said Arteta.

"He is a versatile young defender, who will fit into our system and provide our squad with so much added quality. Jurrien is a young player, but has already achieved so much.

"He has experienced what it’s like to go to a major international tournament on more than one occasion, as well as the trophies he has won with Ajax. We look forward to welcoming and integrating Jurrien into the squad.”

For the time being, reliable media sources have suggested that the main focus will be on outgoings, with Sky Sports presenter Tom White saying as much live on air.

Folarin Balogun is attracting serious interest from Champions League finalists Inter Milan, but White also says not to rule out further additions either in the forward areas or in midfield.

"We’re told that the focus at Arsenal remains on departures for now," said White on Sky.

"That’s following the club’s £200 million outlay on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber. In terms of outgoings, Inter continue to push for a deal for the striker Folarin Balogun. One source claims they will make a formal bid in the coming days.

“As for arrivals, Mikel Arteta hasn’t ruled out more signings but it will depend on departures.

“A right-sided forward is one of the positions Arsenal have wanted to strengthen for a while and we’re told not to rule out another midfielder if there is a departure.”

Journalist Dimitri Conti, writing for TUTTOmercatoWEB, has a pretty big scoop for Arsenal supporters in regards to more summer signings.

Indeed, the Italian journalist writes that Arteta's side are set to sign Bitello from Gremio. Arsenal's talks for the 23-year-old "will close" this week, according to Conti, and his transfer will amount to around £6.8 million.

Who is Bitello?

Praised by members of the media as Gremio's "main player" alongside former Liverpool star Luis Suarez, Arsenal could be about to make a very exciting addition from South America.

The forward has stood out as one of Gremio's best-perfoming regulars by average match rating this season – chipping in with three goals in 14 league starts (WhoScored).

Bitello also ranks in their top three for shots at goal and key passes made per 90 in the final third – making him quite a threat in the forward areas and somebody who can give Arteta yet another option (WhoScored).

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in LaLiga machine Guido Rodriguez, as Julen Lopetegui desperately seeks reinforcements this summer.

The Spaniard has admitted that he is “worried” going into the new season with his current squad, as the Old Gold continue their financial battle despite making numerous sales.

Despite money being inaccessible of late, the Midlands club could still make moves this window.

What’s the latest on Guido Rodriguez to Wolves?

As reported by journalist Rudy Galetti via GIVEMESPORT, Wolves have made contact over the availability of Real Betis midfielder Rodriguez.

Following the first report of interest last week via journalist Cesar Luis Merlo, Galetti said that there have been “some contacts” over the 29-year-old, adding that there is “nothing concrete” to report at this stage.

The Betis star has one year remaining on his current contract at the club and is valued by FootballTransfers around the €20m (£17m) mark.

How good is Guido Rodriguez?

Once lauded as being “brutal defensively” by analyst Marcus Bring, the World Cup winner has been one of Betis’ most important players in the Spaish top-flight.

Last season, the midfielder ranked in the top three of the club’s best-performing players via Sofascore, averaging a match rating of 7.07 in the league.

Deployed in deep midfield, the 29-year-old has a keen eye for fulfilling the defensive duties in the engine room, as highlighted by him winning a monstrous 60% of his total duels in LaLiga, averaging 7.2 per game, via Sofascore.

For Wolves, the contract scenario regarding the Argentine could play into Lopetegui’s favour, as Betis face the decision of whether to extend his contract or cash in this summer to avoid a free transfer next year.

The Spaniard is at a point of desperation to install upgrades at Molineux this window, with the squad not meeting the standards to compete in the Premier League to his beliefs, as per his words during Wolves’ pre-season festivities.

Following the colossal £47m sale of captain Ruben Neves to Al-Hilal earlier this summer, the Old Gold are yet to replace the talent of the Portuguese gem, which is where Loptetegui could seek treasure in Rodriguez.

As two deep-lying midfielders, the duo share similar qualities to their playing style, as highlighted by their numbers accumulated in their respective 2022/23 campaigns via FBref comparisons.

Described as a “monster” by Bring, the Argentine excelled defensively in similar ways to Neves, making 3.60 tackles and 1.32 interceptions per 90 to the former Wolves skippers’ 2.36 tackles and 1.49 interceptions per 90 in the Premier League.

The 26-year-old’s most prominent attribute at Molineux was his assured passing ability in the middle of the park, in which he maintained an average completion rate of 82.1% per 90, succeeded by Rodriguez in LaLiga with 86.7% per 90.

While the Portuguese star came out on top in terms of his progressive play with 6.50 progressive passes per 90 to the Betis sensation's 3.85 per 90, the evidence is there to portray that the 29-year-old could follow such paths as a dominating presence in midfield.

If the finances can locate a path to increase the possibility of reaching common ground with Betis to sanction a move for Rodriguez, Lopetegui could finally locate his heir to Neves and a player that could significantly strengthen the squad’s spine.