Newcastle United are perhaps ruing their decision to sell academy graduate Elliot Anderson last summer to Nottingham Forest. The England international, who was only capped for the first time last week, moved down to the East Midlands from his boyhood club for reasons relating to PSR.

Yet, he has gone from strength to strength at the City Ground, a testament to his ability that Newcastle fans no doubt saw at St James’ Park, too. That talent has been summed up by Thomas Tuchel, handing the youngster his England debut against Andorra last week.

Having Anderson alongside midfield options like Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes, and Joelinton would have been excellent depth for Eddie Howe. With that being said, it gives the chance for a new academy star to break through, after someone like Lewis Miley.

Miley’s Newcastle career so far

It is easy to forget that England under-1 international Miley is just 19 years of age. He’s been in and around the first team frame at St James’ Park for a number of years, since first making his debut in the 2022/23 campaign.

In total, the Stanley-born midfielder has played 49 games for his boyhood club.

He’s managed to get himself on the scoresheet three times and has chipped in with four assists along the way, too.

Of course, it has not been easy for Miley to establish himself in the Magpies’ midfield with the aforementioned quality they have. However, his versatility may work in his favour, given he’s played as a number six as well as in his preferred number eight role.

The youngster has also struggled with injuries, missing the back end of the 2023/24 campaign and the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Since then, he has been unable to break into the side under Howe.

It remains to be seen if Miley can become Newcastle’s new Anderson, but, for now, it doesn’t seem likely that he can establish himself in the starting lineup. Instead, another teen star at the club might be the person Newcastle turn towards to replace Anderson.

Newcastle’s next Elliot Anderson

There must be something in the air at Newcastle to have developed Anderson and Miley, two young academy midfielders. Well, next on that list could be 19-year-old Alfie Harrison, a versatile midfielder who hails from Manchester.

Described as a “star in the making” by football writer Thomas Hammond, Harrison has shone for the Magpies’ youth team at under-21 level, after originally coming through the ranks at Manchester City.

After playing under-21 football in 2023/24, Harrison had his best campaign yet last season. The Mancunian midfielder, who has the first-team number 44 at St James’ Park, played 20 games in the Premier League 2, scoring three times and assisting seven.

He has also excelled in the EFL Trophy, too. The 19-year-old created three chances in his first game of the competition this season against Huddersfield Town, and also won two ground duels and one tackle, showing great all-round ability.

One of the standout features of his game is the versatility he offers. Whilst he is a midfielder by trade, Harrison can also operate out wide, which will teach him plenty of skills to add to his craft in the middle of the park.

Central midfield

15

6

Attacking midfield

8

6

Right-wing

4

1

Right midfield

2

2

(min 45 mins played)

Losing Anderson was certainly a huge blow for the Magpies, but perhaps Howe will decide to unleash a player with the creative talent of Harrison at some stage this season.

He will certainly add quality on the ball, just like their former midfielder.

In The Pipeline

Miley is certainly a great option for Howe to have in and around the squad, but perhaps a player with the skill of Harrison will be able to leapfrog him and become the new Anderson soon enough.

Anderson repeat: Newcastle must regret selling a "monster" for just £500k

Have Newcastle repeated their Elliot Anderson mistake?

ByWill Miller Sep 9, 2025

Finalists last year, both teams were eliminated early this time

Sreshth Shah24-May-20253:33

Should KKR change their captain next season?

Big picture: Both teams look to end with a winIt has been a while since Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), last season’s finalists, were eliminated from IPL 2025. Their mid-season woes were too much to make up for, even with KKR winning two of their last three completed games and SRH three of their last four.However, a win in their final match could give some respite – on the points table, at least – as they can finish sixth. That’s the motivation for both sides as they meet at a neutral venue, Delhi, looking to finish their campaign on a positive note.SRH have lost their last five games against KKR. But form is on their side. They dispatched Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) by 42 runs, and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by six wickets, with ten balls to spare. KKR’s last completed game was 17 days ago, with their match against RCB rained out without a ball bowled, and they may need to shake off some rust as they look to extend their streak against SRH.Form guideKolkata Knight Riders: LWWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Sunrisers Hyderabad: WWLWLIn the spotlight: Eshan Malinga and KKR’s middle orderEshan Malinga was picked up for INR 1.2 crore by SRH after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals (RR). He has stepped up late in the season with ten wickets in six games, having struck at least once in every match he has played. Considering Mohammed Shami’s high price tag of INR 10 crore, Malinga could be a tempting retention option for SRH moving into IPL 2026, with his electric fielding efforts having uplifted the team too.2:29

Kumble: SRH need to find an experienced spinner

KKR’s middle-order struggles have been well documented this season. KKR were meant to be among the most destructive of the ten teams this season, but ended up among the worst. Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh have had forgettable seasons, while Andre Russell and Rinku Singh have blossomed too late. This led to KKR having the worst run rate (7.8) in overs 7-16 as well as the lowest average runs per wicket (20.8) of all teams. Sunday will be one last chance for them to show they’re still a winning combination come next season.Team news and likely XIIsRovman Powell and Moeen Ali are not available for KKR. Venkatesh could be back in place of Manish Pandey if he has recovered from his hand injury. Luvnith Sisodia, the explosive opener, could also get a debut in place of Rahmanullah Gurbaz, with one eye on IPL 2026.Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Rahmanullah Gurbaz/Luvnith Sisodia (wk), 2 Sunil Narine, 3 Ajinkya Rahane (capt), 4 Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 5 Venkatesh Iyer/Manish Pandey, 6 Rinku Singh, 7 Andre Russell, 8 Ramandeep Singh, 9 Harshit Rana, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Varun Chakravarthy, 12 Vaibhav Arora.Will Zeeshan Ansari find a place in SRH’s side?•BCCI

Delhi has aided spinners, so Zeeshan Ansari and Rahul Chahar are potential options in the SRH XI. Otherwise, they could continue with their winning side from the game against RCB.Sunrisers Hyderabad: 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 5 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Harsh Dubey, 9 Pat Cummins (capt), 10 Harshal Patel, 11 Eshan Malinga, 12 Jaydev Unadkat.The big questionShami didn’t play IPL 2024 with an ankle injury. But he has always been great at making comebacks, and SRH were hoping for the same when they signed him for INR 10 crore at the auction. But with only six wickets in nine games, he was left on the sidelines. SRH will have to decide whether Shami, who will be 35 by the time the next IPL comes along, is part of their future plans. If he is, does he play against KKR?Pitch and conditionsThe average first-innings score at the Arun Jaitley Stadium this season has been 191, with results going 3-2 in favour of the chasing side. Scores of 200 have happened only three times in six matches, while spinners (31 wickets at 31.5, with an economy rate of 8.9) have outbowled the quicks (29 wickets at 43.9, with economy of 10.3). It should be a dry evening.Key stats Travis Head averages only 2 against Vaibhav Arora, having fallen early to him both times they have faced off. Ishan Kishan struggles against Vaibhav too, averaging 5 and striking at 77 with two dismissals in four innings. Jaydev Unadkat has traditionally kept Sunil Narine quiet: five innings, 19 runs, three dismissals, average of 6.3, and a strike rate of 86. KKR and SRH have had contrasting spin fortunes. KKR have the lowest economy rate (7.4) of all teams while SRH (10) have the highest. It has been a disappointing season, by their high standards, for Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma. Last year, Travishek averaged 49.4 as a partnership and had a strike rate of 224. This season, it’s 27.1 and 154, respectively. Abhishek (68), Heinrich Klaasen (54) and Narine (49) are three of the top six six-hitters in the IPL over the last two seasons. SRH have only a 31% win record against KKR, losing 20 of the 29 contests between the two sides.

David Moyes will face off against his former West Ham United side on Monday night, hungry to pick up another positive result at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Indeed, while Everton are in a very stable position currently with Moyes at the helm, the Hammers are now entering into the unknown after sacking Graham Potter, with Nuno Espirito Santo the chosen man to replace Potter to try and get the East London side out of their early relegation mire.

Having failed at Tottenham Hotspur before, it will be intriguing to see how the Portuguese boss does in another pressurised dug-out in London, with Iliman Ndiaye hopeful he can make his debut in the hot-seat an uncomfortable one by putting in another blistering attacking display for the Toffees.

Ndiaye's rise at Everton

It’s safe to say now that Ndiaye is a much-loved figure if you swear allegiance to the blue half of Merseyside.

From 38 Premier League games for a resurgent Everton, who could be just one point shy of fourth if they get the better of the Hammers on Monday night, the Senegal international has a whirlwind 11 strikes next to his name, which has led to Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp hailing the ex-Sheffield United attacker as “dynamite” to watch.

Having cost just £15m to pick up from Marseille in the summer of 2024, Moyes and Co will now surely be laughing at how little it cost to bring such a sparkling performer back to English shores, considering he also bagged 22 goals in total in South Yorkshire.

He will hope he can push on and score even more exhilarating goals in the games to follow, but – unfortunately – Everton haven’t always struck instant gold with their attacking purchases like this example.

Instead, the Toffees have just been left with an unbearable sense of regret, with one former attacker, who cost just £11m to bring in once upon a time, becoming a world beater away from the shackles of Merseyside.

Everton flop is now worth more than Ndiaye

While picking up Ndiaye does clearly show Everton have a knack for unearthing some serious gems, other glaring examples also point in the direction that the Toffees are susceptible to notable blunders as well.

Ademola Lookman’s brief stay at Goodison Park is one transfer that sticks out in this regard, with the 27-year-old forward going on to prove himself in Italy after his stifling 48-game experience at Everton.

From those 48 games, Lookman would only chip in with four goals and two assists, with just one of these bleak contributions falling in the Premier League.

In stark contrast, last campaign in Serie A with Atalanta, the Nigeria international would set the high-intensity division alight with 15 goals and five assists tallied up, which also led him down the path to Ballon d’Or recognition, among the nominees for the 2024 award.

Arguably, with these impressive numbers under his belt, it could be said that “world-class” number 11 – as he has been glowingly labelled by the BBC’s John Bennett – is even better than man of the moment Ndiaye.

Consequently, Everton are now surely left with a lingering agony of wanting to turn back time to get the maximum out of a player who only ever struggled on Merseyside.

Games played

119

Goals scored

52

Assists

25

Value when signing

£13m

Value now

£52m

Everton’s regret is very much Atalanta’s jubilation, however, with the Serie A side continuing to reap the rewards of the £13m deal they signed off on three years ago, considering Lookman has since amassed a stunning 77 goal contributions and counting in Bergamo, which as per Transfermarkt, has seen his valuation soar to £52m.

To the Toffees’ relief, somewhat, they did at least manage to ship Lookman off to RB Leipzig for a fee around the £22.5m mark in 2019, right after his subdued Everton exit. Still, however, with Lookman now worth around £30m more, it’s undoubtedly a blunder nonetheless.

Yet, with Ndiaye and Jack Grealish at Moyes’ disposal right now, it’s not as if Lookman-style attackers aren’t littered throughout the current squad, as Everton attempt to continue to get the very best out of this pairing and their other forwards to potentially meet Lookman’s Atalanta in European competitions down the line.

Earns more than Ndiaye: Moyes must cash in on "incredible" Everton talent

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ByAngus Sinclair Sep 28, 2025

Chelsea ran out 2-1 winners over Premier League champions Liverpool on Saturday despite fielding a weakened side, and Sky Sports pundit Micah Richards says a previously struggling player shined alongside Moises Caicedo.

Chelsea battle to dramatic 2-1 win over Liverpool

After what was a difficult last few weeks in the build up to their clash at Stamford Bridge, with reports even suggesting tension between Enzo Maresca and Chelsea’s board (Simon Phillips), the Blues couldn’t have gone into the international break on more of a high.

Supporters perhaps feared the worst, knowing that Maresca had precious few options to pick from defensively, with Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Tosin Adarabioyo all forced to miss Liverpool through injury or suspension.

Maresca elected to start youngster Josh Acheampong alongside Benoit Badiashile at the heart of Chelsea’s defence, and the duo managed to keep Arne Slot’s side fairly at bay as the West Londoners sealed a dramatic victory.

Caicedo opened the scoring with one of the goals of the season so far, thundering a long-range strike past Giorgi Marmadashvilli just 14 minutes into the keeper’s Premier League debut.

Cody Gakpo managed to grab one back for the visitors, but it was exciting teenage sensation Estevao Willian who scored next deep into added time — securing all three points as the delighted Maresca was sent off for his jubilant celebrations.

Caicedo and Estevao grabbed most of the headlines for their obvious contributions on an afternoon to remember for Chelsea, but a few other star performers deserve a worthy mention.

Star right-back Reece James was impeccable against Liverpool, and Chelsea will be praying the Englishman’s shin problem isn’t too serious after he withdrew from the England squad with Man City’s Nico O’Reilly replacing him.

Statistics

James

Match rank

Tackles

5

1st

Defensive actions

10

1st

Blocks

1

1st

Interceptions

2

2nd

Key passes

2

4th

Accurate passes

50

2nd

Duels contested

10

3rd

Duels won

8

1st

Aerial duels won

2

1st

Touches

83

1st

SofaScore rating

7.2

5th

As well as the aforementioned, redeemed star Enzo Fernandez once again proved very capable in his more advanced midfield role.

The Argentina international was struggling to justify his mammoth price tag around this time last year after a difficult start to life in London, but he’s since become a mainstay of Maresca’s midfield as Fernandez also attracts serious rumoured interest from Real Madrid.

Micah Richards says Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez now has "everything"

Speaking on The Rest is Football Podcast, Richards was effusive in his praise for the 24-year-old after Liverpool — saying Fernandez now has “everything” after becoming a “leader” at Chelsea.

Even taking into account the odd sub-par performance this season, Maresca has made it clear what he thinks of Fernandez, with the Italian underlining his plan to utilise the ex-Benfica star in an attacking midfield role more often than not.

Chelsea have built a team full of brilliant game-changers over the last few years, but it’s still clear who their most important player is: Cole Palmer.

The Englishman joined the club from Manchester City just two years ago and is already considered by many to be one of the best players in the Premier League, and it’s not hard to see why.

In 98 appearances, the 23-year-old has scored 43 goals and provided 29 assists, resulting in a goal involvement every 1.36 games.

However, as with every club, Chelsea have also let a number of sensational talents leave too early, including one who’s even better than Palmer.

Chelsea's biggest transfer regrets

It would be fair to say that Chelsea have made their fair share of regrettable sales over the years, with Kevin De Bruyne being one of the most notable examples.

The Belgian joined the club in January 2012 for a fee of around £7m, but remained with Genk for the rest of that season and then joined Werder Bremen on loan the following year.

Unfortunately for the Blues, then manager José Mourinho didn’t take to the future icon, and after just nine competitive appearances for the club, he was sold to Wolfsburg for £18m in January 2014, where he would go on to produce 57 goal involvements in 73 games, win the DFB Pokal and secure a big money move to Manchester City in August 2015.

We all know what happened next, as the world-class midfielder went on to make 422 appearances for the Sky Blues, scoring 108 goals, providing 177 assists, and winning everything there was to win, including six league titles, two FA Cups, five League Cups, and the Champions League.

While not as successful, another player the Blues surely wish they never sold is the man of the moment, Marc Guehi.

The combative centre-back left the West Londoners for Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021, and did so for only £18m.

Since then, he’s made 161 appearances for the South Londoners, in which he’s scored nine goals, provided four assists and most crucially, led them to a historic FA Cup triumph.

His impressive development at Selhurst Park has also seen him brought into the national team setup and now, with 24 caps to his name, is arguably England’s best centre-back.

Yet, while Chelsea surely regret selling both of these players, there is another international superstar, someone who is better than Palmer, that may be their biggest regret.

The former Chelsea star better than Palmer

With Palmer being one of the best attackers in the Premier League, the player in question has to be truly exceptional to be in with a shout of being better than him, and Mohamed Salah is undoubtedly that.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

The Egyptian legend joined the West Londoners in a £11m move from Basel in January 2014, going on to make his debut for the club in a game against Newcastle United the following month.

However, after just 19 appearances over the following year, he moved to Fiorentina on loan in January 2015, where he produced 13 goal involvements in 26 games and caught the eye of AS Roma.

The Italian giants signed the future legend on a season-long loan with an option to buy that summer, an option that was activated for just £12m the following year.

During his time in Rome, the Nagrig-born game-changer racked up a brilliant tally of 34 goals and 21 assists in 83 appearances, totalling 6588, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.50 games, or every 119.78 minutes.

Unsurprisingly, such an incredible run of form started to turn heads back in the Premier League, and in June 2017, two and a half years after he left England, Liverpool spent around £34m to bring him back to these shores.

To say he’s been worth that outlay would be a monstrous understatement.

In the seven years since, he has racked up an astronomical haul of 246 goals and 114 assists in 405 games and played a pivotal role in two Premier League winning campaigns, a Champions League triumph, and the winning of several domestic cups.

How did he stack up to Palmer last season, though?

Palmer vs Salah in 24/25
Players	Palmer	Salah
Appearances	52	52
Minutes	4247′	4501′
Goals	18	34
Assists	14	23
Goal Involvements per Match	0.61	1.09
Minutes per Goal Involvement	132.71′	78.96′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Well, the Englishman scored 18 goals and provided 14 assists in 52 appearances, totalling 4247 minutes, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.62 games, or every 132.71 minutes.

In contrast, the “world-class” Reds star, as dubbed by Roy Keane, scored 34 goals and provided 23 assists in 52 appearances, totalling 4501 minutes.

In other words, he averaged 1.09 goal involvements per match, or one every 78.96 minutes – a mind-blowing rate of return.

Ultimately, Chelsea have a brilliant squad and in Palmer a genuine world-beater, but it would be fair to say selling Salah was one of the club’s biggest mistakes.

The Chelsea academy star turning Maresca's head after Nicolas Jackson praise

Chelsea’s manager is keeping a close eye on him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Sep 11, 2025

Manchester United have switched their attention to Elliot Anderson after failing to sign Brighton's Carlos Baleba, as Ruben Amorim eyes a midfield overhaul. The 22-year-old Nottingham Forest dynamo has become one of the most sought-after names in English football following his breakthrough into the Three Lions squad. United had already been monitoring Adam Wharton of Crystal Palace and revisiting interest in Baleba, but it is now being reported that Anderson has emerged as the standout target.

• Amorim sets sights on Forest talisman

  At United, Amorim has pinpointed a reimagining of the midfield as his next priority. The Portuguese coach believes the area lacks both physical balance and creative spark. With Bruno Fernandes attracting interest from abroad and Casemiro’s contract due to expire next summer, a major restructuring is expected. United spent heavily last summer, over £200 million ($266m), reinforcing their attack with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, and Benjamin Sesko. But their inability to secure Baleba before the transfer window closed meant that a gap remains unfilled. Anderson can operate across multiple roles, fitting Amorim’s template for a dynamic midfielder, and United are now weighing a swoop, as revealed by

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Anderson already a Tuchel favourite

  Anderson’s rapid rise to prominence has been nothing short of spectacular. Having only made his England debut in September, he has already collected four senior caps and is being tipped as a serious contender to start in next year’s World Cup. His tactical maturity has impressed England boss Thomas Tuchel, who has publicly lauded the Forest midfielder’s all-around game. 

  "He’s just a very, very good football player," Tuchel said after the 2-0 qualifying win over Andorra. "He has the physicality, he’s very mobile at No 6. He has the body, he loves to defend, he loves to put his body inside to duels. He loves passing, he loves to break the lines, he’s very mobile in this game. It was a pleasure to see.

  "I think the team around him made it as easy as possible for him and he had a very strong performance. I think he showed today that he adapts to the situation. Can he show what he showed in training? Can he show what he showed with Nottingham and the under-21s? He played with a lot of freedom. He was very quickly in the flow. I think he has the physicality and he has the mindset to play in more difficult games."

• A painful loss for Newcastle

  For Newcastle, Anderson’s success elsewhere still stings. The midfielder, a product of their youth academy, was sold to Forest for £35 million ($47m) in 2024. It was a move forced by the club’s need to comply with Profit and Sustainability Rules. But that decision continues to haunt manager Eddie Howe, who has opened the door to his return.

  “I don’t know (if the move will happen), but certainly from my perspective I would love him to,” he said. “It is very regretful a player from the academy who had given so much, and the club had given so much to for him not to be utilised here is a real shame. We had no choice but to make the sale, but it was not one we wanted to do. It didn’t sit right with me then and doesn’t sit right with me today.”

  Speaking about his versatility, Howe added: "It is very difficult to define one position for him. There are not many players I can say that about. He has got unique strengths. He is very good deeper, but I can definitely see him playing higher up as an 8 or a 10, because he is very good in central areas.  But he's also good wide, like he was for us at wide left. He's a very talented technical player and can do anything he wants with the ball. Those players are very precious."

  Despite the transfer noise, Anderson himself has remained grounded. In a recent interview with , he outlined his personal goals for the season.

  "My biggest aim this season is to add some numbers [goals and assists] to my performances, that will probably take me to the next level," he said. 

  "I’m focusing on the next game and then the game after that, to try and make an impact. But obviously, all eyes are on the World Cup."

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  Can Forest hold on to Anderson?

  Forest, meanwhile, have every intention of holding on to their prize asset. Anderson has been indispensable this season, playing every minute of Forest’s 10 fixtures. His current deal runs until June 2029, and his value has skyrocketed to around £75m ($100m), a fee that would make him one of the most expensive English midfielders ever. The club are well aware of the growing interest from top sides. Manchester City, Chelsea, and now Manchester United are all monitoring his situation closely. City are considering long-term midfield reinforcements as Rodri continues to struggle for full fitness, while Chelsea are being aggressive again in their pursuit of young English talent. 

MatériaMais Notícias

Campeonato Italiano, La Liga eBrasileirão Série Bsão os principais destaques desta segunda (27) de futebol.Confira onde assistir ao vivo e os horários das partidas.

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Manchester City are rebuilding, and while Pep Guardiola’s current iteration of talent isn’t quite as complete and devastating as years past, there’s a sense this team might be capable of challenging for a slice of silverware or two this term.

It’s been a stop-start few months in the Premier League, but City have claimed ten points from 12 and their 15-goal haul after seven matches eclipses every other side in the division.

Erling Haaland’s brilliance cannot be put into words, and Gianluigi Donnarumma has been immense between the sticks so far. Pep’s team is populated with talented individuals, and there’s enough there to make this a special year.

However, Rodri remains a way below full fitness after his long-term anterior cruciate ligament injury at the start of last season, having been forced off at the weekend, a number of setbacks inflcited on him already.

Rodri's Man City future

Rodri is 29 and has been at Man City since arriving from Atletico Madrid for a club-record £63m fee in 2019. He has bloomed over the years and become one of the greatest midfielders of his generation and a pillar of Pep’s legacy. In 2024, he was the Men’s Ballon d’Or winner.

He hasn’t been at his best so far this season, and that marks the key point of difference for the Sky Blues as they fight to reclaim their Premier League title.

Efforts have been made to package the midfield with more quality, differing skills and a presence which aligns with Rodri’s own.

Nico Gonzalez joined City from Porto for £50m in February as Guardiola fought to rewrite his team amid an abject decline. However, the Spaniard, 23, remains an enigma, clearly talented but not quite bringing it all together in the Premier League.

Many aspiring midfielders have risen through the youth ranks in recent years, most finding their way elsewhere. Romeo Lavia would be a case in point, but injuries have ruined his two-year star at Chelsea.

Lavia had initially left for Southampton, and there he thrived. Saints have had their issues over the past year, but they have struck gold through the £15m signing of Shea Charles in 2023.

The former Citizen prospect looks to be one who got away.

Man City may regret selling Shea Charles

Charles is still only 21, but he’s showing all the skills of a high-level midfielder in the making. Southampton may actually regret their decision to loan him out to Sheffield Wednesday last term; his robust midfield style might have been useful in the Premier League.

But he developed his skillset across the 2024/25 campaign, and he received praise from Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill for his progress last year, with the coach saying he “blows players away” with his quality on the ball and his skill in progression.

We are young into the campaign, but the Green and White Army talent is showing faculties that are perfect for Pep’s Man City side. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 17% of midfielders in the Championship this term for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for pass completion, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 10% for successful take-ons per 90.

And the table below emphasises the rising star’s defensive qualities and his combative side. This level of completeness and athleticism underlines his potential, for sure, with EFL expert Ali Maxwell tipping him to become a “£60m player” in the future, should he keep going from strength to strength.

Matches (starts)

9 (9)

Goals

0

Assists

0

Touches*

67.7

Accurate passes*

42.9 (86%)

Chances created*

0.9

Dribbles*

1.1

Tackles + interceptions*

3.4

Duels (won)

7.7 (59%)

Rodri is irreplaceable, but here is a midfielder who shares the Spain superstar’s tactical outlook, and under Guardiola’s wing, he might become an elite player indeed, certainly capable of thriving in the Premier League.

Hailed by one Southampton content creator for being a “Rolls-Royce” of a player, City chiefs may well be casting their gaze back to the buyback rights inserted when he was sold a few years ago.

For him to return to the Etihad in the near future wouldn’t be the greatest surprise in the world.

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