Tottenham chiefs have held recent talks over signing a forward who is highly rated by Man City boss Pep Guardiola, as Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou seeks further attacking additions.

Spurs target more forward signings after Timo Werner

Chairman Daniel Levy's first order of business this summer was sealing a season-long loan extension for Timo Werner, who impressed in flashes under Postecoglou last term with his burst of speed and versatility.

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The German racked up two goals and a further three assists over 13 Premier League appearances for the Lilywhites during the second half of 2023/2024, helping them to qualify for the Europa League and motivating Levy to strike a new arrangement with RB Leipzig.

Werner will now remain at Spurs until the end of next season, and they have the opportunity to sign him permanently from Leipzig next summer for around £8.5 million. Undoubtedly prudent business by the north Londoners, reliable media sources maintain there will be more attacking signings after Werner.

Tottenham are targeting an out-and-out replacement for Harry Kane, while technical director Johan Lange is also believed to want another quality winger. Spurs maintain an interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze as one option, and reports have even claimed that Levy is willing to pay the entirety of his £60 million release clause.

Stat

Total (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

31

Goals

11

Assists

6

Minutes per goal

208

Minutes played

2,285

Cheaper options from abroad come in the form of Galatasaray winger Baris Yilmaz, who started every game for Turkey at Euro 2024. Turkish media have stated that Spurs are ready to lodge an official bid for Yilmaz, but it remains to be seen if this comes to fruition.

Postecoglou may prefer an option with proven Premier League experience, though, and his club are said to be firm contenders to sign Wolves star Pedro Neto. The Portuguese is a key player for Gary O'Neil at Molineux when fit and available, having racked up 11 assists in 24 appearances across all competitions last season.

The biggest issue with Neto is his questionable injury record, with the former Lazio winger missing a combined total of 108 games since joining Wolves in 2019.

Tottenham hold recent talks over signing Pedro Neto

According to HITC, this hasn't stopped Spurs from entering into discussions for the 24-year-old. Indeed, the outlet reports that Tottenham have held talks over signing Neto in recent weeks, but face competition from Newcastle United who've done the same. Wolves value the £50,000-per-week forward at around £60 million, the same value as Eze's release clause, so it will be interesting to see which player Levy ultimately moves for.

Arsenal and Liverpool, who boast good relationships with Neto's agent Jorge Mendes, are contenders as well. Chelsea, meanwhile, are the latest side linked with a move as they monitor the forward's situation.

Neto has been called "incredible" by City boss Guardiola and is highly rated among other big-name figures like Anfield legend and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher, who branded the player a "superstar".

Arsenal sporting director Edu Gaspar could table a new bid to sign one former Gunners player "this week", as the club look to speed up their transfer business before their pre-season summer tour of the U.S. kicks off on July 24.

Arsenal wait goes on for second signing after David Raya

Thus far, manager Mikel Arteta has only seen David Raya sign in a permanent £27 million transfer from Brentford, which was widely seen as a formality anyway.

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The north Londoners are yet to make an outfield signing this summer and have been one of the least-busy Premier League sides of the window, with Edu and Arsenal chiefs looking to change that with a potential deal for Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori.

Talks have been ongoing to sign the 22-year-old for nearly a fortnight. Fabrizio Romano shared news that Arsenal opened talks with Bologna to sign Calafiori around 13 days ago, with the Italian international already agreeing personal terms on a five-year contract at the Emirates.

Fresh reports out of Italy today have claimed this deal is being held up by the 50 per cent sell-on clause due to FC Basel. Indeed, newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport states that Bologna are pushing Basel to lower Calafiori's sell-on clause before they sell to Arsenal, so this will be an intriguing one to watch.

Statistics

Calafiori

Gabriel

Games

29

34

Goals & assists

7

4

Progressive carries

28

13

Pass accuracy

90%

89%

Tackles won

37

28

Interceptions

56

31

Aerials won

71%

55%

Arsenal face off against Bournemouth for their first pre-season friendly of the USA in around six days, and Arteta would surely like Calafiori or any other major acquisition through the door before then, as he prepares his squad for another Premier League title challenge.

Arsenal also want to sign a new goalkeeper for Arteta, despite Raya's permanent deal, with current number two Aaron Ramsdale widely tipped to find a new club in the coming weeks after losing his place in the starting eleven.

Edu could table new Arsenal bid to sign Daniel Bentley this week

According to The Athletic, Wolves keeper and former Arsenal academy gem Daniel Bentley is still well and truly on their radar.

Arsenal had an opening bid rejected for Bentley last week, but the reliable media source claims that they may well go back in with an improved proposal imminently. The Athletic state that Edu could table a new Arsenal bid to sign Bentley this week, despite sealing a deal for highly-rated young shot-stopper Tommy Setford from Ajax.

Wolves snubbed Arsenal's first bid of around £50,000, so it appears Arteta's side will need to aim much higher. Gary O'Neil has called Bentley "excellent" for some of his performances when called upon, and the 30-year-old's experience is said to be a draw.

Liverpool need to strengthen this summer. Arne Slot has allayed fears that FSG are going to hold off on bolstering the Anfield first team by confirming during his first interview as head coach that he is in constant communication with sporting director Richard Hughes.

Jurgen Klopp has left Liverpool in a strong position, with a talented and expansive squad buoyed by winning the Carabao Cup and returning to the Champions League with a third-place Premier League finish last season.

But there's little question that reinforcements are required across a range of positions. Chiefly, central defence could do with some work, for Virgil van Dijk stands alongside only the up-and-down Ibrahima Konate and young and talented Jarell Quansah after Joel Matip's contract expired this month.

Leny Yoro is FSG's No. 1 target but there is an acceptance that the Lille prodigy will wind up at Real Madrid. There are, however, some interesting alternatives emerging.

Liverpool eyeing new centre-back

According to Football Insider – as reported earlier this week – Liverpool are in the mix to sign Nottingham Forest defender Murillo, with the Brazilian valued at £40m.

Liverpool will look to exploit the Tricky Trees' need for compliance with PSR, and given Murillo's left-footedness and modern-tailored skill set, he could be an impactful addition.

Chelsea are also known admirers and have recently made checks on completing a deal, as per The Telegraph. Liverpool will need to ramp up their intrigue if they do wish to sign the 21-year-old this summer.

Why Liverpool should sign Murillo

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp claimed that Murillo "turns into prime Roberto Carlos" in the Forest rearguard, with his sparkling skills and technique placing him in a distinct category.

With a wand of a left foot and a robust approach to his play, he ranks among the top 15% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for successful take-ons and the top 3% for clearances per 90, as per FBref.

While Murillo only completed 78% of his passes in the Premier League last term, he also averaged 1.6 tackles, 4.6 ball recoveries and 5.8 clearances per game, as per Sofascore, impressing on many occasions, including when Liverpool won at the City Ground in March, with Darwin Nunez's last-gasp header breaking the deadlock.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

51

Accurate passes

30/40 (75%)

Long balls

3/11

Dribble attempts

1/1

Duels won

3/4

Tackles

2

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

2

Sliding in on the left of Liverpool's central defence, Murillo could prove to be a perfect fit for Slot's Liverpool, with his progressive, "bullish" style – as noted by scout Antonio Mango – even making him the perfect alternative to Konate, who is highly talented but prone to bouts of inconsistency, with his nosedive in form at the end of the 2023/24 campaign evidence of this.

Moreover, Konate made two errors for Liverpool last term, whereas Murillo avoided a single direct error across his 32 Premier League appearances, which is a testament to his character and composure in difficult conditions at the City Ground at times.

By signing Murillo, who has barely scratched the surface of his exciting Premier League career, Liverpool would secure a unique talent and a player who could see Van Dijk shift onto his favoured right side.

FSG must ensure that he is welcomed this summer, providing the depth and dynamism to ensure success.

Liverpool in contention for "monster" signing who's better than Fabinho

An elite mix of clubs are all considering a move for this high-profile star.

ByAngus Sinclair Jun 24, 2024

The 28-year-old was front and centre of his club and country's triumphs last season, and the incredible role he plays has rightly been acknowledged

"The best holding midfielders don't appear on the front pages of newspapers," said Pep Guardiola in February 2021. "They hide behind the team, but when the team plays well it is because they are outstanding." The Manchester City coach was referring to Rodri, who had only been in his side for one-and-a-half seasons at the time.

Those quotes came shortly after a rare fallow period for City, who had been left way behind Liverpool in the previous season's title race and had made a poor start to the 2020-21 campaign, dropping 16 points from their first 12 games. But they had since got back to their irresistible best, securing a 10th consecutive league win by thrashing Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield. And Rodri had been a key reason why.

Guardiola valued his work, but at the time the Spaniard's influence on City was understated. Indeed, Guardiola perhaps did not fully appreciate him either, as he left the Rodri on the bench for the Champions League final defeat by Chelsea at the end of that campaign.

But fast-forward almost four years and Rodri has been on the front pages of newspapers around the world. He might not get the same level of praise as team-mates Erling Haaland or Phil Foden, but his influence on Manchester City and Spain is now universally appreciated.

He does not "hide behind the team"; he is front of centre for club and country and last season won two of the most prestigious prizes in football, the Premier League title with City and the European Championship with Spain. And on Monday he got the true recognition he deserves by winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or.

• Getty
  

  Serious contender before

  Rodri was a serious contender for the 2023 Ballon d'Or, and he would well have deserved it after winning the treble with City and scoring the only goal in the Champions League final over Inter, the perfect response to being benched in Porto two years previously.

  But his contribution was somewhat overshadowed by Haaland's 52 goals in 53 games, meaning he was not even the highest-ranked City player, coming in fifth while the Norwegian came second.

  Lionel Messi secured his eighth Ballon d'Or instead as he was still enjoying his year-long lap of honour for winning the World Cup with Argentina. Messi's iron grip on the award is, however, finally over now, and it's Rodri who has taken the crown.

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• Getty
  

  74 games unbeaten

  Rodri's contribution to the treble did not count towards this year's Ballon d'Or, which is judged on achievements in the 2023-24 season and summer tournaments. But that mattered little, as he was in even better form last season.

  He ended the Premier League campaign without losing a single game, with all three of City's defeats coming when he was suspended. The last time he lost a league match was all the way back in February 2023.

  Rodri also didn't lose a Champions League game last season, with City being eliminated by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals on penalties after two draws. The only match he was defeated in was the FA Cup final against Manchester United, which ended a record-breaking unbeaten run with City, lasting 74 games in all competitions and 475 days.

  It did not spoil his season though, as City secured an incredible fourth-consecutive league crown, the first team to do so in 135 years of English football. Haaland was still City's top scorer and Foden was just behind him on his way to being named Premier League Player of the Season, but Rodri's contribution to this historic achievement was equally important.

• Getty
  

  Increased attacking output

  Rodri's game has never been about goals and assists, and yet he struck eight times over the league season, including in City's first game of the season at Burnley and in their title-clinching victory against West Ham. He set up a further nine goals, too.

  He contributed to 17 Premier League goals in total, two more than Bernardo Silva and three more than Kevin De Bruyne, accounting for 17 percent of City's total output. It made him the 21st-biggest contributor to goals in the league, and we cannot stress this enough: He is a holding midfielder.

  Rodri's main role was to guide City through games and he did that to perfection, running the show from the first whistle to the last. It was no coincidence that they lost all three of the matches he missed between September and October after getting sent off against Nottingham Forest for putting his hands around Morgan Gibbs-White's neck.

  That game led to a very rare rebuke from Guardiola, who urged his player to learn to "control himself and his emotions". Rodri took that on board, and if there was a word to describe his effect on City over the past five years, it is 'control'.

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• Getty Images
  

  'A Rolls Royce'

  Take what Luton Town's captain Tom Lockyer said after facing Rodri. Luton's game with City last December would prove to be Lockyer's last before suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch against Bournemouth just six days later, but he spoke glowingly of coming up against the ex-Atletico Madrid man, even though City had come from behind to beat his side 2-1.

  'Rodri… Honestly that guy man, it's just a joy to share the football pitch with him. You don't say that about a lot of players, but he was certainly one of them where you come off the pitch and you're like 'wow'," Lockyer told

  "He's literally just a Rolls Royce, he was just controlling the midfield, he dictated everything, everything went through him. When you thought you had him pressed and you were gonna nick the ball, he was just teasing you in, so his next pass had more time on the ball. The types of games he plays, it's very rare he gets caught on the ball, he dictates everything Man City try and do."

Run rates in excess of four an over, but opener still anticipates tough battle in fourth innings

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Dec-2020The SuperSport Park pitch is not as batsmen-friendly as the scores suggest, according to South Africa’s opener and top-scorer so far, Dean Elgar.Despite the teams piling on 713 runs over two days at a rate of more than four runs an over, Elgar suggested it has been tough going, especially against the quicks.”You’d think it’s actually quite flat but it’s not. There’s been quite a lot of assistance for the bowlers in the last two days,” Elgar said. “I don’t think the scores are a reflection on how the wicket is playing. It’s been a combination of good batting and poor bowling.”Both teams are fielding inexperienced pace packs. Sri Lanka’s is depleted by the loss of Kasun Rajitha, who bowled 13 balls before leaving the field with injury, and the bowlers on both sides are still working out the best approach on a surface with good carry but occasionally variable bounce.Sri Lanka’s and South Africa’s bowlers alike have learned that pitching it up is better than dropping it short and, for Elgar, the key is precision.”At SuperSport Park, for bowlers, the margins are so small,” Elgar said. “If you miss your mark, you are going to go for runs. If you bowl a fourth-stump line, you are going to have a bit of reward. We know the nature of the wicket at SuperSport Park – it’s a good place for bowlers to bowl. There’s quite a lot of assistance for the seamers.”Related

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For that reason, Elgar was particularly pleased with the way both he and Aiden Markram negotiated the new ball to post South Africa’s first opening century stand in three years.The pair play their domestic cricket at this venue and have had three first-class fixtures here in the last month, with Markram scoring three centuries and a 75 and Elgar chipping in with a 52. Although he hasn’t been as prolific as his partner, Elgar believes his preparation has been put to good use.”We have been batting quite well domestically in the last couple of months,” he said. “It’s good to know I have put into play internationally what I have done domestically. There has been a lot of hard work building up to this.”South Africa’s opening stand was helped by several boundary-balls from the Sri Lankan attack and their own refined approach, labelled as “aggressive, but smart,” by coach Mark Boucher.Elgar explained it as “controlled aggression”, which is determined by the situation as much as it is by the team’s philosophy. “You can’t just go out and smack from the first ball, you have to be calculated. We had a good day with the bat, set up by the openers, as we are supposed to do. Of late, Boucher hasn’t spoken about being overly aggressive. He knows we still need to apply ourselves.”Especially as the pitch changes. After two sunny days and with more heat expected, this surface usually breaks up towards the latter stage of the match, which may make run-scoring more difficult in the fourth innings.

MatériaMais Notícias

O sub-15 e sub-17 do São Paulo seguem invictos no Campeonato Paulista das categorias. O time juvenil aplicou uma goleada por 6 a 0, enquanto o infantil bateu o adversário por 2 a 0. Ambos os jogos foram disputadosno estádio Prefeito José Liberatti, em Osasco.

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O técnico Lucas Macorin não comandou o sub-15, por suspeita de Covid. Em seu lugar, Menta, técnico do Sub-17, dirigiu o time. O Tricolor abriu o placar aos 17 minutos. Karlos passou para Hugo abrir o placar. E aos 30 da etapa final, Wellington garantiu o resultado, após receber assistência de Henrique.

Depois, foi a vez do sub-17.Eduardo abriu o placar logo aos 6 minutos. Mateus Amaral ampliou aos 15 e Newerton fez o terceiro gol aos 22. Caio, aos 29, marcou o quarto gol e Ythallo fez o quinto, aos 40, ainda no primeiro tempo. E na etapa final, Luiz Henrique fechou o resultado aos 10.

CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA E SIMULE OS JOGOS DA COPA DO BRASIL

As equipes lideram o Grupo 5 de suas categorias, com 12 pontos. Na próxima rodada, o Tricolor enfrenta o SC Brasil, no sábado, no estádio Hermínio Esposito, em Embu das Artes em ambas as categorias.

Manchester City are reportedly willing to sell a "very popular" player in the summer transfer window, as Pep Guardiola makes a big decision over his future.

Man City transfer news

Guardiola is a manager who is forever looking for perfection, and for that reason, he will want new players this summer despite his side's continued domestic dominance, in order to mount another genuine quadruple bid next season.

According to one new update, City have made their first move to sign Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, as they look to pip Premier League rivals Liverpool to his signature. The 23-year-old is believed to be valued at a whopping £70m, however, with the Magpies desperate to keep hold of one of their most important players.

Highly-rated young Benfica and Portugal midfielder Joao Neves is also a rumoued target for Guardiola's reigning Premier League champions, as they look to snap up a long-term replacement for the legendary Kevin De Bruyne. The 19-year-old is arguably considered one of Europe's most exciting young players in his position, appearing twice for his country at Euro 2024.

This could also be a summer that sees City lose some influential figures, with goalkeeper Ederson recently linked with a move away. He is far from alone in that respect, and Bernardo Silva has continually been backed to join Barcelona, too.

Pep Guardiola could sell "very popular" Man City ace

Now, a new update from Football Insider says that Manchester City are "willing to sell" Jack Grealish before the start of next season, feeling that now is the right time to let him go.

The Englishman's "partying" nature is seen as a big reason for this decision, with Guardiola potentially feeling that the 28-year-old lacks professionalism. While the winger is described in the report as "very popular" in the dressing room, that may not be enough to see him stay on beyond the summer.

Grealish's City career has been a curious one overall, with endless trophy success coming his way, but his performances rarely standing out as anything close to world-class.

While Guardiola has arguably taken some of the flair out of the £300,000-a-week England international's game, certainly compared to his more flamboyant, maverick style at Aston Villa, a lack of end product has been a constant issue. A tally of 14 goals and 18 assists in 125 appearances is a poor return, considering he has been playing an attacking role for possibly Europe's best club side since he arrived.

Grealish personality is undoubtedly likeable, so it is understandable why he is such a popular presence at the Etihad, but there are question marks about both his ceiling and dedication as a player, which means cashing in on him this summer could make sense.

Jack Grealish's 2023/24 Premier League stats

Total

Appearances

20

Starts

10

Goals

3

Assists

1

Key passes per game

1.3

Shots per game

1.1

Dribbles per game

0.9

Guardiola is not someone who will put up with a player who isn't as focused as possible, and following a disappointing season on a personal level – one that saw him miss out on the Euros with England – it would not be a surprise to see Grealish dispatched.

يستعد فريق برشلونة، مساء الأربعاء، لخوض مباراة في بطولة كأس السوبر الإسباني ضد خصمه أتلتيك بلباو في المملكة العربية السعودية.

ويستضيف ملعب “الجوهرة المشعة” مباراة الفريقين في إطار منافسات نصف نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني، 2025.

ويشارك برشلونة في تلك البطولة بصفته وصيف النسخة الماضية من بطولة الدوري الإسباني، 2023/24.

طالع.. فيديو | برشلونة يهزم أتلتيك بلباو بثنائية ويتأهل إلى نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني

في حين أن أتلتيك بلباو هو بطل النسخة الماضية من بطولة كأس ملك إسبانيا.

ويلتقي الفائز من تلك المباراة مع الفائز من لقاء ريال مدريد وريال مايوركا، في نهائي يوم الأحد المقبل. موعد مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيك بلباو اليوم في كأس السوبر الإسباني

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 9 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة، 10 بتوقيت السعودية. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة برشلونة وأتلتيك بلباو اليوم في كأس السوبر الإسباني

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناتي: إم بي سي مصر 2، SSC HD. معلق مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيك بلباو اليوم في كأس السوبر الإسباني

سيعلق فهد العتيبي وأحمد النفيسة على المباراة.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.

The broadcaster has claimed that starting the BBL in the state was “commercially irrational”

Daniel Brettig02-Dec-2020

A general view as the sun sets at the Blundstone Arena in Hobart•Getty Images

Tasmania’s state government has emphatically denied allegations from Channel Seven that it provided financial inducement for Cricket Australia to play the opening rounds of the BBL in a hub in the island state.In an affidavit lodged with the Australian Federal Court on Monday, Seven’s head of sport Lewis Martin sought to outline the network’s claims that CA has breached its broadcast contract by not prioritising the broadcaster’s interests at every turn of a year that has been overturned in planning terms by Covid-19.Among the claims was that CA had scheduled the opening matches of the BBL in Tasmania, a decision Martin described as “commercially irrational unless CA were otherwise incentivised, presumably by arrangement with the government of Tasmania, to do so”.ALSO READ: Seven sues CA for not being centre of cricket universeCA has stated that commencing the BBL in Tasmania gave it far greater flexibility to travel elsewhere once the tournament gets underway, due to the state’s low instances of Covid-19 and low risk status with other state health authorities as a result.”It appears to me that CA’s scheduling decisions may have been motivated by CA’s broader interests in relation to the BCCI, Foxtel and also a positive incentive given to CA by the State of Tasmania,” Martin wrote. “If my belief is well-founded I expect that Seven’s damages claim may be for many millions of dollars given the significance of cricket coverage to Seven’s advertising revenue and the magnitude of the scheduling changes made by CA.”The Tasmanian premier, Peter Gutwein, was quick to respond to the allegations on Tuesday night. “The Government welcomes the BBL games being played in Tasmania, in view of the COVID-safe nature of our state and to provide opportunities for Tasmanians to experience world-class cricket. We are thrilled to host the 10 world-class games, which is a huge win for Tasmanians and puts our state on a global stage,” he said in a statement.”The Tasmanian Government continues to provide funding to Cricket Tasmania to support cricket development and the hosting of Big Bash League and Women’s Big Bash League matches in the state, but there were no incentive payments made.”Andrew Gaggin, the long-serving Cricket Tasmania chairman, followed up on Wednesday, referring to Seven’s allegations as “Trump-like” in their distortion. “The Trump-like allegations concerning the Tasmanian State Government are patently absurd and untrue,” Gaggin said. “The Tasmanian Government has certainly provided an incentive. Its proactive and responsible Covid-19 policies have ensured that Tasmania is one of the world’s safest places and the perfect location to host the start of the Big Bash.”However, let it be clear that no financial incentive was provided by the Tasmanian Government to Cricket Australia for BBL matches to be played in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Government continues to be a great supporter of all cricket in Tasmania.”Tasmania has long been the grassroots champion of Australian cricket, having provided a host of great players and the current Test captain. It is pleasing that Cricket Australia has acknowledged this and we look forward to an amazing start to the tournament.”Cricket Tasmania is an equal owner of Australian cricket and will continue to push for world class content to be played in this State. Tasmania has successfully hosted international cricket for over 30 years and will continue to do so.”

Birmingham City were somewhat mocked for retiring Jude Bellingham's number 22 strip when he left the Blues behind in 2020, exiting his boyhood club as a teenager with lots still to prove, ahead of a major move to Borussia Dortmund.

The rest, of course, is history now, with the 20-year-old playing with the world at his feet, having scored for England in their recent Euro 2024 opener against Serbia to steer the Three Lions to a slim 1-0 win, alongside lifting the Champions League with Real Madrid at the end of the last campaign.

The ever-improving boy wonder will thank Birmingham for beginning this path to stardom, with another midfielder in the St. Andrew's ranks currently aiming to be the club's very next superstar over time, as he looks to head for the exit door this summer.

Birmingham's next big midfield sale

Rumoured to be leaving the West Midlands side this off-season, with the likes of Atalanta and West Ham United eyeing up his services in January, it looks to be a tall order for the relegated Blues to keep hold of Jordan James ahead of a new League One season to come.

With BirminghamLive speculating that the interested Italian party will likely come back in for the promising 19-year-old soon, new Blues manager Chris Davies will be planning for a future without the tenacious midfield star as a result, after he stood out as a constant bright spark even during Birmingham's disappointing relegation campaign.

With a £10m price-tag reportedly placed above his head when interest was heating up mid-way through the Championship season, it will be intriguing to see what fee the Blues will now deem acceptable to part ways, with Birmingham losing Bellingham to Germany for £25m in 2020.

It is unlikely that James will end up donning a Real Madrid strip anytime soon like the world-class 20-year-old, but the sky will still be the limit for the next top young product Birmingham have managed to produce, having impressed those in Blues quarters over the last few campaigns now.

James' numbers for Birmingham

Making his senior debut for Birmingham at the tender age of 17 in 2021, the agile Wales international has never looked out of his depth when performing in the senior ranks, mirroring Bellingham's rapid ascent into the senior mix at St. Andrew's, making his own debut at just 16 years of age.

James has amassed a mightily impressive goal and assists return since emerging into the first team as a youthful livewire, picking up ten goals and two assists from 105 games, with eight of those strikes coming during the 2023/24 season.

James (23/24) vs Bellingham (19/20)
Stat	James	Bellingham
Games played	42	41
Goals scored	8	4
Assists	0	2
Shots*	1.0	1.2
Big chances missed	2	3
Touches*	27.8	40.8
Stats by Sofascore. * = per game

Matching Bellingham in a number of respective areas, when comparing James' own breakthrough season last time out to Bellingham's 2019/20 season at St. Andrew's, James will hope if an attractive move to Atalanta gets off the ground that he can become the Serie A club's next hero.

He would be surrounded by elite talents playing in Europe, instead of battling it out in League One, on the way to his own rise to unbelievable stardom.

Described as being a player who has "got everything" in his game to be a success, according to his international team boss in Wales manager Rob Page, the 19-year-old will pray a major move comes his way soon, even if Birmingham will be desperate to keep a grip on their homegrown gem for as long as they can.

Birmingham hit gold with free transfer who can help Davies win promotion

Birmingham City are reaping the rewards of this bold purchase now.

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 17, 2024