Crystal Palace are in the market for a defensive player before the transfer market closes for business on September 1st.

What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?

According to 90min, Palace are one of several ‘admirers’ of Tottenham Hotspur defender Eric Dier.

Monaco, Celtic, and a number of Bundesliga sides are also keen on acquiring his services.

Dier’s nine-year stint in North London could be drawing to a close as this outlet revealed that he is not in the ‘immediate plans’ of new head coach Ange Postecoglou.

The 29-year-old was left out of the club’s matchday squad for their Premier League opening day draw against Brentford, with the manager stating that it was not due to injury:

“He’s working hard in training and available for selection”, said Postecoglu. “ My decisions then are what I think will give us the best chance of success for any given game and then we reassess the week after.”

Dier has also reportedly been omitted from the manager’s new-look leadership group and with just one year left on his current deal, the chance of an exit is looking increasingly likely with Selhurst Park touted as a destination.

Is Eric Dier better than Marc Guehi?

The Englishman has been at Spurs since 2014 and as his career has progressed he has transitioned from a defensive midfielder into a centre-back.

Over the last three years, Dier has been exclusively deployed as a centre-half but his awareness, intelligence, and decision-making have often been questionable.

As a central defender, these traits boil down to a player's solidity and ball-playing competence, but Dier is lacking in both departments. Over the past 365 days compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, the 49-cap international ranks in the lowest 41% for progressive passes and progressive carries per 90. Then defensively, he resides in the bottom 31% for tackles and interceptions.

The second statistic is a particularly chastening indictment of Dier’s level as under Antonio Conte, the club played an extremely, defensive, disciplined and rigid style, so there would be an expectation that players would score impressively for those types of metrics. However, Dier has failed to deliver, and it raises questions if he would be suitable for a team such as Palace.

The £85k-per-week mishap has been branded as “terrible” by commentator Jim Beglin and someone “nowhere near the required level” to bring success by journalist Ryan Taylor.

From an Eagles perspective, for that wage and his quality, he is unlikely to be considered a better option than either Marc Guehi or Joachim Andersen. Last term, this pair started 37 and 32 Premier League games respectively, and Palace’s sturdy mid-table status is built upon these pillars of reliability.

In the club’s opening day 1-0 victory over newly-promoted Sheffield United, both players were in imperious form. Andersen registered six clearances, three tackles, ten accurate long balls, and won ten duels, as per Sofascore. Guehi followed a similar pattern, recording 89% pass accuracy, two clearances, two blocks, two interceptions, and winning 100% of his ground duels.

The signing of Dier would only make sense if one of these titan’s left or if the former Sporting CP man was intended to be a backup. However, it is unlikely that Dier is willing to migrate between substitute benches, so Palace can surely find a more exciting alternative to create more meaningful competition.

Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to make a move for Southampton's James Ward-Prowse, with Ange Postecoglou viewing the midfielder as an ideal addition to his squad, according to a recent report from The Daily Star.

Who are Tottenham signing this summer?

Tottenham are set to have a very busy August, with Football Insider reporting they expect to complete at least six more signings before the transfer window slams shut, amid the uncertain futures surrounding both Pierre-Emille Hojbjerg and Harry Kane.

If the duo leave before deadline day, Postecoglou is expected to bring in immediate replacements, and the Spurs boss is still looking at strengthening other areas of his squad, with another new centre-back in line to join, alongside Micky van de Ven and Ashley Phillips.

The Lilywhites are in the advanced stages of talks to sign Rosario Central forward Alejo Veliz, while they are also set to target a new midfielder, as they will not sanction Hobjerg's departure until a replacement is brought in.

Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE

According to a report from The Daily Star, one of the midfield targets that Tottenham have in mind is Ward-Prowse, and they are now ready to make their move for the Southampton midfielder, who is valued at around the £40m mark by his current employers.

West Ham United have already made an offer in excess of £25m for the Englishman, but Spurs could be poised to hijack the deal, as they would be willing to table a bid far closer to the Saints' asking price if the deal is wrapped up quickly.

With Tanguy Ndombele on the cusp of a move to Galatasaray and Giovani Lo Celso's future also in doubt, Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his midfield, and he believes the Southampton captain would be an ideal addition to his squad.

Having spent his entire career on the south coast, the 28-year-old will not push for a move, but the Saints are pragmatic about sanctioning his departure, following their relegation from the Premier League last season.

How many free-kick goals has James Ward-Prowse scored?

The England international has developed a reputation for being a set-piece specialist, having scored 17 free-kick goals in the Premier League throughout his career so far, just one short of David Beckham's record of 18.

Not only is the Southampton star impressive from set-pieces, but he also poses a considerable attacking threat, scoring nine goals in the top-flight last term, following up a 2021-22 campaign in which he scored ten league goals for the first time ever.

The Portsmouth-born midfielder is clearly a very well-rounded player, ranking in the 84th percentile for interceptions per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers, indicating he could take on some of Hobjerg's responsibilities, with the Dane placing in the same percentile.

Lauded as "sensational" by members of the media, Ward-Prowse has proven that he is more than capable of making the step-up to a "big six" club, and Tottenham should undoubtedly look to hijack West Ham's deal in the coming days.

Reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold has shared a transfer update on Tottenham Hotspur as they eye Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Who will Spurs sign next?

New manager Ange Postecoglou, after an entertaining pre-season where Spurs supporters caught a glimpse of his free-flowing, attack-minded style, could now lose star striker Harry Kane.

Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, after weeks of pushing for the England superstar, have agreed a deal worth over £86 million to sign Kane this summer – giving Postecoglou a major headache ahead of Brentford on Sunday.

Kane had entered the final 12 months of his Spurs deal, leaving chairman Daniel Levy with a huge decision to make in regard to the player's future. Indeed, it appears the north London club have opted to sell before he can leave as a free agent next year.

Attention may now turn back to incomings at Tottenham, given the £86m financial windfall which may be heading their way, but replacing Kane will be a near-impossible task.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

Postecoglou, speaking to the media recently, hinted at the possibility of another centre-back signing after Spurs completed a deal to sign Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg.

Meanwhile, in the event of midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's possible departure to Atletico Madrid, there have been reports that Tottenham could target another midfielder.

Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, who Tottenham have reportedly held talks for, is one name to have been mentioned – with reliable reporter Gold sharing an update on Palace's attacking midfield ace Eze.

The 25-year-old dazzled under both Patrick Vieira and Roy Hodgson last term, alerting Spurs, as they're apparently monitoring his situation at Selhurst Park.

This is especially due to midfielder Bryan Gil's injury, with the Spaniard recently undergoing surgery on a groin problem which could keep him out for the foreseeable.

As well as Eze, Gold shares to football.london that Tottenham's late-window shortlist contains Gift Orban, Brennan Johnson, Perr Schuurs and Gallagher.

Interestingly, Eze is a CAA Base client, an agency which represents the likes of Richarlison, Son Heung-min and new summer signing James Maddison.

How good is Eberechi Eze?

The attacker seriously impressed as, arguably, Palace's standout performer over the 2022/2023 season.

As per WhoScored, Eze was a mainstay for the Eagles, featuring in all of their top flight encounters whilst finishing the campaign with 14 goal contributions (10 goals, four assists).

The former QPR star also ranked in Palace's top two for attempts at goal, key passes made and successful take-ons per 90 in the final third – showcasing his real creative talent (WhoScored).

Former Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, speaking to Football Insider after Newcastle United were previously linked with Eze, claimed he would be a "fantastic" signing.

"It would be a really good signing," said the pundit.

“He’s completely different to Conor Gallagher – he’s a million times better.

“He can run with the ball at speed, change direction with skill, he’s adding goals to his game, can play in the number ten or off the wing – it’s a fantastic signing.

“If I’m Newcastle, I’m going for him and Maddison. You’d then have competition that can take Newcastle to another level. I love Eze and I think there’s going to be a lot of clubs after him.”

The New Zealand captain emphasised that conditions could not be used as an excuse for the side’s fielding lapses

Sidharth Monga in Delhi02-Nov-2017Three nights after a heart-breaking loss, New Zealand experienced another defeat they will hate. Kane Williamson, their captain, said in Kanpur that they had to accept the result and move on, but it will be difficult to move on from this one. In the first T20I of the series, in Delhi, they lost primarily because of their fielding, which is a matter of pride for them. Three catches went down, and all three batsmen – Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli – went on to hurt New Zealand bad.”We were outplayed in all the areas, fielding included, which is something we pride ourselves on and something we need to be much better at in Twenty20 cricket,” Williamson said. “That made the difference as we saw today. That proved to be vital in a lot of ways. Guys went on to score big scores for their side in the Indian team, and 200 on that surface was a very big total.”The conditions underfoot were wet even in the first innings. It seemed the fielders struggled to adjust to the dew, but Williamson refused to accept that as an excuse. “They [these conditions] are tough to prepare for exactly but given the experience within our side we’re certainly not using that as an excuse,” he said. “Most of the time when you come here and play in the evening, there’s dew as there is on a number of other grounds that guys have played at. Not going to sugarcoat it but we were below par and came up against a what is a very good Indian side that played very well in all the areas.”It’s hard to put your finger onto one thing [for catches going down]. Often, it’s a flow and effect from other areas that perhaps aren’t going so well. We were put under pressure with the ball, and I suppose that’s the frustrating thing. But you do want to make a difference in the park when our bowlers were struggling against guys that were in good form and hitting the ball really well. That will be a focus for us. It’s what we pride ourselves on. We were disappointing today in the park. Dew is part of the challenge. Guys have experienced dew many times, so, it’s not an excuse. It’s something that you’re aware of and you need to adapt just like I suppose the batter on a surface that’s going to be variable. Something we are aware of and need to be better.” Mitchell Santner, whose bowling has been impressive all tour long, was one of the fielders who missed catches in Delhi. Even in the first ODI, he had reprieved Kohli, who went on to score a hundred. The fielding has not been the usual top-class variety you associate with New Zealand. It can be difficult to make the adjustments required on a non-stop tour, but Williamson felt this was more about the mental set-up.”The one-dayers I think we were fairly good in the field,” Williamson said. “We weren’t good tonight. You don’t become a bad fielding unit overnight, so I suppose it’s a mindset when guys are engaged every ball. And that is challenged when you are under pressure on the field as we were tonight but we need to be better than that to be able to improve what’s happening on the scoreboard and iron your position, so I suppose when the opportunity comes it makes a difference.”The message for his team was clear: it is when the bowlers are under pressure that the fielders are really tested, and that they can’t afford to keep failing like they did in Delhi.

Tottenham Hotspur have recently made an enquiry about the availability of Evan Ferguson, and a new report has detailed whether Brighton & Hove Albion would be willing to sell the striker.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

After Harry Kane's £100m move to Bayern Munich, Ange Postecoglou will now have to work on signing a replacement during the latter stages of the summer transfer window, and contact has already been made with Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.

Although he would prefer to move abroad, a deal for Lukaku is a real possibility, with the Blues said to be holding out for a fee of €45m (£39m), amid interest from Italian giants Juventus.

In a recent report from TEAMtalk, it is detailed that Elye Wahi, Gift Orban and Jonathan David have all been linked in recent days, with Totttenham clearly keen on bringing in a young forward, and they have now made their first move for Ferguson.

Read The Latest Tottenham Transfer News HERE

TEAMtalk sources claim that Spurs have made an enquiry to see whether Brighton would be willing to sell the Irish striker this summer, with intermediaries making contact over his potential availability.

However, it will seemingly be a very difficult deal to orchestrate, as the Seagulls have no interest in selling the 18-year-old, who penned a long-term contract to commit his future to the club back in April.

The Lilywhites are doing their "due dilligence" on options, with just two weeks remaining to bring in a replacement for Kane, and their enquiry follows up a post from Gary Lineker on X, with the Match of the Day host urging his former club to make a move for Ferguson:

"Evan Ferguson scores in Fergie time. He’s a born goalscorer. If I was in charge of recruitment at @SpursOfficial I’d take a punt on him as Kane’s replacement. Apologies to @OfficialBHAFC fans."

How good is Evan Ferguson?

As highlighted by Lineker, the starlet is already off the mark in the Premier League this season, scoring Brighton's final goal in their comfortable 4-1 victory against Luton Town on Saturday afternoon.

The Republic of Ireland international burst onto the scene with the Seagulls last season, scoring ten goals in all competitions, despite being just 18-years-old, indicating he could go on to be a top Premier League player.

Sky Sports reporter Melissa Reddy has labelled the youngster a "potential £100m phenom", while Roberto De Zerbi clearly believes he has what it takes to go right to the very top, saying:

"He's already a great player, I think he will become one of the best players, the best strikers in the Premier League."

However, the Brighton forward is currently tied down to a £20k-per-week contract, which is not due to expire until June 2028, meaning his current club are under no pressure to sell him, and it appears as though Tottenham will miss out.

Ferguson could be a perfect replacement for Kane, having likened himself to the England captain because of the way he is able to drop into midfield, but Tottenham may have to turn their attentions to other options this summer.

The India allrounder felt he needed time off to manage a few niggles and get “super fit” for the South Africa tour in January 2018

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Nov-20170:54

Chopra: It makes sense to rest Pandya

Last week, India’s selectors decided to rest allrounder Hardik Pandya from the first two Tests against Sri Lanka. A BCCI media release said the decision was taken in consultation with the team management to help reduce the chance of injury. On Monday, Pandya revealed that he had requested the time off himself.”To be honest, I asked for it, because my body was not alright,” he told . “I want to play cricket when I’m totally fit and I’m giving my 100% and I was not able to give that because of a few niggles here and there, which is bound to happen because of the amount of cricket which I have played over this one year.”Since the start of the Champions Trophy, Pandya has played 30 of 33 matches for India, across formats. In fact, over the past five months, no one has bowled more than his 147.2 overs in ODI cricket. The burden of such a workload took a toll on him, Pandya said, especially in light of his limited experience in the game.The 24-year old had only played 13 first-class, 10 List A and 28 T20 matches prior to his elevation to international cricket. Although he did quite well to shoulder a frontline allrounder’s responsibilities – Pandya scored a century on his first Test tour and won the Player-of-the-Series award in the ODIs against Australia – it was also difficult.”I have played 30 ODIs, 25 T20Is and three Test matches in one-and-a half-years,” he said. “I have not played this much cricket in my total cricketing career in such a short time. As an allrounder, it’s difficult. I do my bowling, I do my batting, I do fielding as well, and managing my workload is very important right now because I have not played much cricket in my life.”In the weeks he will spend away from the Indian team, Pandya hopes to better his fitness and also prepare for the tour of South Africa that begins with the New Year’s Test on January 5. “I’m lucky that I got this rest. Actually, rest means I’m going to train in the gym and improve my fitness and again come back properly fit. I’m pretty excited for the South Africa series. I wanted that break to get super fit for the South Africa series and then I can bounce back quickly.”People keep on talking about away series. People keep on talking about England tours, South Africa tours, Australia tours, which is important, which is hard. I like these kinds of challenges I keep on getting in my life. That keeps me going all the time. It may be an important thing for me, important to have an allrounder who can contribute in bowling and batting both. I might be the difference, let’s see. I’ve never played in South Africa. I’m pretty sure we’re going to do well.”There has been some criticism, though, with regard to why a young player, only starting out his international career, was being handled so delicately. Pandya, however, isn’t paying any mind to that. “Let’s be honest. It doesn’t matter what they think. What matters is what the management thinks and what I think is important for me.”

Naik Cricketers cruise in middling chase

05-Nov-2017Batting first, the Scorpions had a flying start, scoring 17 runs in 2 overs. The openers gave a start but couldn’t capitalize on the situation, by the end of 4th over, they were down to 36 runs for 3 wickets. Wickets kept falling in regular intervals due to aerial shots and run outs due to miscommunication between batsmen.Naik Cricketers controlled the runs from the 6th over, making the batsmen play defensive shots and hold their wickets. They ended their innings at 50 for the loss of 8 wickets.Chasing a gettable target of 51, Naik batsmen ensured to finish the match as early as possible, the opening batsmen played aggressive to reach 30 runs in 3 overs for the loss of 1 wicket.Dhanuka & Mandar ensured the runs kept ticking on the board. Usman who was the only bowler to take two wickets from Scorpions managed to take the partners out in the 5th over but by then the game was already over, a four hit by Imran ended the match and Naik winning comfortably.

Summer signing Jurrien Timber sustained a serious injury on his home Arsenal debut and is set to spend a significant spell out on the sidelines and now the Gunners must work out how to replace him – we've got some ideas.

Is Jurrien Timber injured?

Indeed, the Dutch right-back, who arrived from Ajax, was signed in a deal reported to be in the region of £38m but lasted just 50 minutes into his first Premier League appearance – a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest – before coming off with a knee issue.

Sadly, the North London club have since confirmed the severity of the injury, releasing a statement saying: "Further to detailed assessments with consultant specialists since Saturday, we can confirm that Jurrien Timber has sustained an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

"Jurrien will undergo surgery in the coming days and will be out of action for a period of time."

With that in mind, Football Fancast has decided to figure out who will be best suited to take his spot in the team.

Of course, though, it won't just be as simple as trying to find depth at left-back, as Timber was able to cover centre-back and right-back as well; meaning William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Ben White will hope to stay fit or else Rob Holding could soon be straight back into the starting team.

Oleksandr Zinchenko

Zinchenko is obviously the first name that comes to mind as he played left-back for the Gunners 27 times in the league last season.

Still, he had some fitness struggles too and has carried that into the new season, having not been fit enough to be involved against Forest or Manchester City in the Community Shield before that.

The good news, however, is that Zinchenko has been spotted in training this week on Arsenal.com, so he could be nearing a return to full fitness shortly.

Takehiro Tomiyasu

With Zinchenko recently out, Tomiyasu was the player asked to come on off the bench for Timber against Nottingham Forest last Saturday and may well start there this Monday away at Crystal Palace.

Still, the Japan international has also had some fitness issues in recent times. Having missed 107 days of action last term, he too can't be fully trusted to remain healthy for a full campaign.

What's more, Tomiyasu isn't a natural left-back either, having only played there nine times in his career (via Transfermarkt), as he tends to play right-back or centre-back more frequently.

Of course, the same can be said about Timber – who wasn't signed to be a left-back, having spent very little time (eight games before joining) in that position before – so the Japanese defender may need to cover multiple areas of the pitch, leaving a gap on the left side of the defence.

Jakub Kiwior

The Polish defender arrived last January and while his first three starts in the Premier League saw him play at centre-back, Arteta moved him to left-back for the final two games of the season.

Such versatility may come in handy now, especially as Kiwior is left-footed and so may be a more natural fit than the right-footed Tomiyasu.

It's interesting to note that Kiwior was trusted to finish the season at left-back last term, despite Kieran Tierney being available – who we'll come onto now.

Kieran Tierney

The Scottish left-back would be a first name on the team sheet for many teams across Europe but he just doesn't seem to fit into Mikel Arteta's plans.

After all, having started 22 league games in the 2021/22 season, Tierney started just six last term as he well and truly lost his spot in the team to Zinchenko.

As a result, it seems quite likely that he will be sold this summer. And what's more, as per a report in the Daily Mail, the expectation, despite Timber's injury, is for Tierney to be sold – provided the Gunners receive a suitable fee.

However, if Arsenal don't receive an acceptable offer, perhaps it will make more sense to hang on to the Scot for the time being.

Transfer targets

In that same report, Manchester City's Joao Cancelo is named as a known target – although reports in Spain have strongly linked Barcelona with the fullback as well.

In less glamorous news, according to the Daily Express, Arsenal could turn to Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters or Leicester City's Timothy Castagne before the summer transfer window shuts.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

While Tom Canton of football.london has mooted Mohamed Simakan and Benjamin Henrichs, who both play in the Bundesliga with RB Leipzig and have been linked with the English club in the past.

There is certainly plenty to consider for Arteta and with the transfer window closing in just a matter of weeks, he may have to make a big decision soon.

Everton manager Sean Dyche is preparing another bid for a touted transfer target as he looks to get the Goodison Park side up and running for the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

What's the latest Everton transfer news?

According to inews, the Toffees are putting the blocks in place for a third bid for Leeds United's Wilfried Gnonto, with the teenage talent making his stance clear throughout: he wishes to leave Elland Road this summer.

Read the latest Everton transfer news HERE…

The report states that Everton have already seen two bids knocked back, the latter of which, with the Whites believed to be holding out for a fee of £25m for the Italy international, one of their season's shining lights as they bowed out of the English top-flight hot under the collar.

As per Fabrizio Romano, personal terms have already been agreed, but with fresh reports that Tottenham Hotspur have the 19-year-old on their radar, Dyche will now need to act incisively.

How good is Wilfried Gnonto?

The Italy international would be an astute addition to an Everton side looking to rise from the rubble and create some solid framework from which Dyche can craft a solid team with tightly-laced shooting boots.

This just hasn't been synonymous with a Toffees team over the past few years. Last term, Everton finished as the Premier League's second-lowest scorers as they narrowly avoided relegation; last weekend, Everton fell to a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park against Fulham, taking 19 shots to no avail.

Neal Maupay missed two big chances and looks increasingly unlikely to lead the line after scoring just once last season, and while Gnonto would not revolutionise the prolificness of the Merseyside outfit, his dynamism and energy could be just what is needed to revitalise his attack-minded peers.

Having signed for Leeds from Swiss side FC Zurich for £4m last summer, Gnonto scored four goals and supplied four assists across all competitions for Leeds, hailed as an "absolute nightmare for defenders" by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Indeed, he ranks among the top 18% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons and the top 8% for blocks per 90 (FBref), illustrating his marauding presence and ability to beat his man with ease, also tenacious in recovery and a valuable asset for any side looking to climb the league ladder.

His prospective arrival could work a treat, he is a real "rocket" – as praised by pundit Tam McManus – down the wing and has even been entrusted with a regular role with the Italian national team, earning 12 caps and scoring his first strike, and given that his former Leeds teammate Jack Harrison has just penned a deal with the Goodison Park side, he might now be convinced to make the move.

Harrison scored six goals and supplied ten assists for his Yorkshire-based side last season, and has been remarked as a player who can "bring goals" to Dyche's outfit by journalist Ryan Taylor, having created 1.5 key passes per game in the 2022/23 Premier League, hailed for his 'flair and intelligence' by one analytical report.

Harrison brings a variegated approach to his work, and given his own eye for goal to complement his creativity, it might prove a successful move to combine two of Leeds' most effective and cohesive attacking talents together in a new setting.

In successive matches last season, Gnonto teed up Harrison to unleash a net-bulging strike, assisting his teammate against Brighton & Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Also heralded for his "electric pace" by Kulig, there is clearly a burgeoning partnership in the making here, and securing Gnonto's signature must be a priority for Everton as they look to finally cast aside the cobwebs of the past few years and limber up for an exciting year on Merseyside.

Manchester United will be looking at making further progress this season under Erik ten Hag, especially with Champions League football gracing the Old Trafford pitch once again.

Summer signings include Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund, as the Dutchman has strengthened in key areas.

The one thing missing is another defender, yet it appears as though the Red Devils have launched a move for Barcelona centre-back Andreas Christensen in a bid to bolster their backline.

Could Manchester United sign Andreas Christensen?

According to reports in Spain (via Football 365), United have made an offer for Christensen in order to lure him back to the Premier League this summer.

Read the latest Man United transfer news HERE…

Ten Hag is said to have made a bid of €50m (£43m), albeit with that bid including certain add-ons and 'variables'. The La Liga side are open to selling the Danish defender for €50m, however they want the entire sum to be fixed and this could potentially derail any move.

It’s clear that United need at least another centre-back this summer, especially with Harry Maguire set to depart the club before the transfer window shuts.

Will Harry Maguire leave Manchester United?

The Englishman endured a difficult campaign during 2022/23, making just eight Premier League starts under Ten Hag. He ranked in a lowly 18th position across the whole squad for tackles per game (0.5), while also ranking eighth for interceptions per game (0.8), suggesting that even when he did play, his influence clearly waned.

He even endured a rant from Onana during pre-season having made a poor pass which presented Borussia Dortmund with a chance to score. Everton are showing interest in the 30-year-old, while Tottenham Hotspur also appear to be keen on signing him and a potential move for Christensen is certainly bad news for Maguire.

The Dane has plenty of Premier League experience, making nearly 100 appearances in the competition during his stint at Chelsea and having won the Champions League while at the Blues, Ten Hag will be signing a player who seemingly has a winning mentality.

His 94% pass success rate was the highest out of any player across the Barcelona squad and this could give him an advantage if he joined United, with Ten Hag looking for his defenders to be able to play out effectively from the back.

Indeed, the 27-year-old ranks in the top 1% when compared to positional peers for pass success percentage (93.7%) and also ranks in the top 10% for progressive passes per 90 (4.95) and top 17% for progressive carries per 90 (0.99).

In comparison, Maguire relies on a more physical approach, failing to rank in the top 40% compared to positional peers for pass completion percentage (85.2%) and slipping outside the top 50% for progressive passes per 90 (3.09), a major drop-off from the figures Christensen registered.

It’s evident that the Barcelona star fits into Ten Hag’s ideologies a lot more than the former Leicester City defender, and he has even been dubbed “underrated” by his former Chelsea teammate Cesc Fabregas.

£43m might sound a lot on the surface, yet with the qualities he would bring to Ten Hag’s side, it is a no-brainer if United wish to secure more silverware this term.