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Tottenham Hotspur are revelling over a Spurs teenager's quality behind-the-scenes, with the player currently waiting to make his full debut under Ange Postecoglou.

Tottenham prepare for Liverpool in Carabao Cup second leg at Anfield

Lucas Bergvall's late first leg Carabao Cup semi-final winner handed injury-ridden Spurs a crucial advantage heading into their second leg at Anfield on Thursday evening, but it is a tough ask for Postecoglou's side to come away from Merseyside unscathed.

Arne Slot's Premier League frontrunners are England's standout side right now, and they haven't got the array of player selection dilemmas currently facing Tottenham amid their ongoing injury crisis.

Postecoglou, though, has benefited from the late January window arrivals of Kevin Danso from RC Lens and, most notably, Bayern Munich sensation Mathys Tel on a season-long loan.

Radu Dragusin is out for a lengthy period after suffering a serious ACL injury, while both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are working their way back to full fitness, so Danso's addition is pivotal.

Postecoglou relied on youngsters to get Spurs through their first leg against Liverpool, with Bergvall putting in an impressive display, Antonin Kinsky dazzling on his debut in goal and Archie Gray performing excellently as a makeshift centre-back.

"I haven't lost sight of the fact that we've got two 18-year-olds, one who's playing at centre back (Archie Gray), it's not even his position," said Postecoglou after Tottenham's first leg win over Liverpool.

"I just don't think people really understand the level of performance that these young guys are giving us at the moment. We had a goalkeeper (Antonin Kinsky) on debut. Djed (Spence) is playing left-back, unbelievably well. Lucas is just growing all the time. He's got that ability as a footballer to create space for himself.

"He's got the quality, but he works awfully hard for the team as well. Like I said, we've been dealing with some adversity for sure, but we've had some growth in that, I've got no doubt about that. That's been masked by poor results and poor form, for sure. I've got no doubt that when we get our players back, the foundations are really strong, with a group of players we can really grow with."

Tottenham privately hailing "generational talent" Mathys Tel

Now, with another young starlet set to play a crucial role under Postecoglou in Tel, journalist Graeme Bailey has revealed that those within the club are privately hailing the 19-year-old.

Tel performed a major U-turn over joining Tottenham, originally rejecting their advances before Postecoglou and Harry Kane swayed him into changing his mind, and now the French starlet is set to bolster Spurs' ranks as they look to finish the campaign strongly.

According to Bailey, Tottenham are convinced they've got a "generational talent" in Tel, who's awaiting to make his debut for the club, as supporters anticipate what he'll bring to the table.

"Tottenham are already celebrating behind the scenes in regards to the signing of Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich," said Bailey, via X. "Spurs believe Tel to be a 'generational talent'."

The versatile forward racked up 10 goals and bagged a further six assists in all competitions for Bayern last term, and if he can replicate those numbers in England, Spurs would surely be tempted to trigger the rumoured £50 million buy-option clause in his loan deal.

Tottenham Hotspur made one of the most ambitious attempts of January's transfer window with a £70 million bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, but what is the likelihood of Spurs succeeding with a summer approach?

Crystal Palace reject £70 million bid from Tottenham for Marc Guehi

A story which took everyone off-guard was Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's swoop for the England international, and he was even willing to break the club's transfer record in a dramatic late move.

Guehi has just under 18 months left on his Selhurst Park contract, so you can make a very serious case that £70 million is a very generous offer, but it is one that still didn't tempt Palace chairman Steve Parish into doing business midway through the campaign.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge was left stunned by the news on deadline day, praising Palace's solidarity in rebuffing such a mammoth bid considering Guehi's contract situation.

"There's always a story out of nowhere, and the story we are getting now - first called by David Ornstein of The Athletic - is that Crystal Palace have rejected a bid of £70million for Marc Guehi, the Crystal Palace captain and England international," said Bridge (via GiveMeSport).

"That is a major development, and of course, that's major, major money as well that Crystal Palace have reportedly turned down. Given his contract length, that's a real show of solidarity and support from Palace's side in keeping Guehi.

"What we brought to you last summer about the four rejected bids from Newcastle, and as we said in our transfer show, Guehi wanted to stay and was happy to stay."

While Guehi will remain a Palace player until the end of the season at least, there is every chance the 24-year-old departs south London this summer, and there could be reason to believe that another marquee offer from Spurs will be more tempting.

Will Tottenham sign Guehi this summer?

However, unfortunately for Ange Postecoglou and co, they may have missed the boat when it comes to striking an agreement for Guehi's services.

According to journalist Dean Jones, speaking on the GiveMeSport YouTube channel, Guehi is actually more likely to join Chelsea than Tottenham.

“I had some scepticism when I first saw they went in for him. I’d heard nothing about it. At Tottenham I have some reasonable contacts, but it wasn’t something I’d heard before all of this,” Jones said.

“They probably sensed that this was their big chance to go and do it because the likelihood is that Marc Guehi would choose to go to Chelsea, I’ve heard that for a long time now, and that will probably still be the case if Guehi leaves Crustal Palace at the end of the season then that’s where he ends up.”

It would be fair to say that, so far, this season has not gone to plan for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou's side have faced several problems this year, and while a sometimes wasteful frontline and inconsistent midfield are undoubtedly some of them, the most pressing issue has been the number of injuries they've had to deal with in the backline.

So, it wasn't all that surprising to see the club go into the market last month and sign Antonín Kinský from Slavia Prague and Kevin Danso from RC Lens, although given the extent of their injuries, some would argue that wasn't enough.

That must've been an opinion held by the club, as on deadline day, they made an attempt to sign a number of other defenders, including Axel Disasi, and while they failed, they can rest easy knowing that they already have a defensive stalwart worth millions more than the Frenchman.

Tottenham's defensive search

The objective coming into January was relatively straightforward for Daniel Levy and Co: sign at least one centre-back.

They achieved that with the signing of Danso on a short-term loan with an obligation to buy for around £20.9m, and while the Swiss international's arrival is undoubtedly a welcome one, there is a feeling from some that it might not be enough.

It could be argued that the club feel similarly, as even after the deal was announced, links to other prominent defenders began appearing, the most notable being Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi.

According to the BBC, the North Londoners made an astounding £70m bid for the Englishman, which the Eagles rejected on deadline day, and while he would have been an incredible addition to the Lilywhites squad, they made the understandable decision not to increase their offer this window.

However, the 24-year-old wasn't the only London-based centre-back Spurs were interested in, as according to a report from the Daily Mail, the North Londoners reignited their interest in Chelsea's Disasi on Monday.

The story claimed that Levy and Co were keen to bring the Frenchman to N17 on loan despite the player initially rejecting them just a few days earlier.

Unfortunately, as we now know, nothing came from Tottenham's renewed interest in the 26-year-old, whom Football Transfers values at up to €39m, which is about £32m, and he ended up moving to Aston Villa.

However, while missing out on another defender is far from ideal for Postecoglou, he can at least rest easily, knowing he already has a player worth millions more in that position.

The Spurs star worth millions more than Disasi

So, while there are a couple of defenders who fit the bill, the Spurs ace we are talking about is none other than Micky van de Ven.

The Dutch international joined the North Londoners from VfL Wolfsburg for £43m during Postecoglou's first summer and has gone from strength to strength and, according to Football Transfers, is now worth up to €68m, which is about £57m, or £25m more than Disasi.

Now, that's certainly a lot of money, especially for a defender who has endured his fair share of injury setbacks in the last year and a half, but it just shows how good he is when he's playing.

The 24-year-old titan has been described as a "complete & dominant" defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, and while that sounds like awfully high praise, it's more than backed up by his underlying numbers.

For example, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the Premier League, he sits in the top 1% of centre-backs for assists and ball recoveries, the top 2% for medium passes completed, expected assists and goal-creating actions from live passes, the top 4% for carries and more, all per 90.

On top of that, the Wormer-born monster is outrageously fast, setting a Premier League record for the fastest sprint speed when he reached 37.38km/h against Brentford last January, which is also why he is such an essential part of Posetcoglou's ultra attacking style of play.

Ultimately, bringing Disasi in on deadline day would have certainly helped to alleviate some of the pressure on Spurs' injury-prone backline.

However, with Van de Ven in the squad, the club already have one of the best defenders in the league.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to be without an "excellent" player for the rest of the season due to another long-term injury, according to a report.

Injury crisis continues at N17

Prior to the 2-0 victory at Brentford, Tottenham had been on a very poor run of form, but their campaign has been badly affected by the sheer number of players ruled out with injuries.

Speaking about the injury crisis at N17, manager Ange Postecoglou said: "Every time I've seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it's usually been an oncoming train.

"We've had to deal with a real extreme situation, which unfortunately once we got hit with what we got hit with, it is then very hard to rectify on the run.

"We obviously got some significant injuries early on, which hampered our progress, and then we had to rely on a small group of players to get us through and that then burdened them."

The likes of Dominic Solanke, Cristian Romero, Guglielmo Vicario and Destiny Udogie have been unavailable in recent weeks, and another player has now joined the ever-growing list of absentees.

According to a report from The Athletic, Radu Dragusin is set to miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury, which he sustained in the victory against Elfsborg in last week's Europa League tie.

The £85k-per-week defender is set to undergo an operation, which will rule him out for a considerable period of time, with Spurs hoping he will recover for the beginning of the 2025-26 season.

No respite for Postecoglou on the injury front

Tottenham have been forced to endure an injury crisis this season, which has undoubtedly played a big part in their struggles, currently sitting in just 14th place in the Premier League.

However, Jamie Carragher has little sympathy for Ange, given that the manager experienced similar problems during his time at Celtic, while the Sky Sports pundit also claming the Spurs boss rushed Micky van de Ven back from injury too quickly.

"It almost feels like this whole team is built on the centre-backs, especially with van de Ven at the back. But to bring them back so quickly in that game against Chelsea, the two of them went off injured, that has to be down to the manager or the medical staff.

“It’s not just unlucky with injuries. That goes down to how you train and how your team play. It’s a bit of luck now and again. It’s not a real mitigating factor if you know you are going to get injured with the way a manager plays and he has a history of getting those injuries.”

It is logical to assume Ange's style of play may be the root cause of some of Tottenham's issues, given his high-pressing style, which is why it was vital to bring in extra reinforcements before deadline day.

Tottenham Hotspur are now set to pursue a summer move for a "special" England international who will be available for free at the end of the season, according to a deadline day report.

Frantic deadline day for Spurs

It has been far from an ideal season for Tottenham up to this point, and Ange Postecoglou was determined to try and rectify his side's issues by bringing in multiple new signings on an extremely busy deadline day.

Mathys Tel's U-turn was perhaps the biggest twist of the day, with the Bayern Munich forward ultimately opting to move to north London, despite previously making it clear he had no interest in the move.

Postecoglou will be glad to have strengthened in some key positions in the latter stages of the January transfer window, having also signed Lens defender Kevin Danso after hijacking Wolverhampton Wanderers' move, but he did not get a new central midfielder through the door.

One player on the list of targets is Lille's Angel Gomes, who is set to stay at Lille for the remainder of the season, before leaving as a free agent in the summer upon the expiration of his contract.

Rather than making a transfer deadline day move, Gomes has decided to see out the remainder of his deal with the French side before making a decision about his future in the summer, and he is unlikely to be short on options.

Spurs and West Ham United want to sign the midfielder for free in the summer, taking the opportunity to complete a bargain move for a four-time England international.

What Gomes could offer Tottenham

The English midfielder has most commonly been utilised as an attacking midfielder since his days in the youth team at Manchester United, and he has amassed 52 goal contributions in 107 games from that area of the pitch.

Lauded as "special" by French manager Jocelyn Gourvennec, the former United man has also impressed with his passing ability for Lille, ranking in the 97th percentile for his pass-completion rate per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

The £11.3k-per-week midfielder's emergence on the international stage is a real indication of his quality, and having been a key player for Lille for a number of years now, he could now be ready to take the next step in his career by signing for a big Premier League club.

Gomes being available on a free transfer is an added bonus for Tottenham, and Postecoglou will be hoping his winter transfer window additions can help his side turn the corner, to stand them in good stead to attract the highest calibre of player this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur bolstered their defence during the final days of the transfer window, hijacking a move to sign defender Kevin Danso from French side Lens.

It looked as though he was set to join Wolverhampton Wanderers, but it is Spurs who have secured his signature on an initial loan deal, which includes an option to buy in the summer for a fee of around £21m.

Ange Postecoglou moved onto defensive targets due to his current injury crisis at the back coupled with a series of poor performances that only stopped with their win over Brentford on Sunday afternoon.

That said, Danso wasn't the only player to arrive in the last couple of days of the window...

How Tottenham signed Mathys Tel on deadline day

Last week, Spurs were keen on signing the Bayern Munich forward in a bid to bolster their squad ahead of the final few weeks of the season.

According to Sky Germany – as per Sky Sports – the two clubs had agreed on a deal worth £50m for the transfer of the Frenchman, but he initially turned a move to the club down.

This was certainly a big blow for the club, especially as they aim to improve on their recent poor form and a big signing like Tel would have given Spurs a major boost.

Fortunately, in dramatic circumstances on transfer deadline day, the French teenager reversed his decision and decided to sign for the Lilywhites on loan after a personal phone call with Postecoglou.

Nevertheless, despite their poor form, the manager has plenty of players who can cause chaos in the final third alongside Tel. Indeed, one of them is worth even more than the Bayern centre-forward…

Worth more than Tel: Ange has struck gold on Spurs star

Brennan Johnson joined Spurs on deadline day in 2023, moving from Nottingham Forest in a deal worth £47.5m. He had scored eight times for the club the previous season as they remained in the top flight, and it looked like Johnson would be a good signing for Spurs.

Five goals and ten assists in the top flight for a more than promising return for the right-winger in his first season at his new club, even being hailed by pundits and media alike, including Palace podcast HLTCO, who said:

"Johnson is such an exciting player to watch. He’s got frightening pace and directness; constantly looking to make something happen, it must be an absolute nightmare to defend against him."

He has certainly improved this season - notably scoring seven goals in seven consecutive games. Not only does the Welshman now already have 12 goals to his name across all competitions, but the 23-year-old has also recorded three assists for Spurs.

The winger has also created three big chances in the top flight while succeeding with 56% of his dribble attempts.

Such performances for Spurs have seen his market value rise since making the move to London. According to the CIES Football Observatory, Johnson is currently valued at €80m (£66.5m), which is proof of just how much the player has improved at Spurs.

Not only that, but they have also hit gold on the winger, who coincidentally is worth millions more than Tel.

It’s no secret that Tottenham Hotspur have been in the transfer market for numerous defenders in recent days as the hierarchy looks to provide Ange Postecoglou with the tools he needs to succeed.

Injuries have decimated his squad, with Radu Dragusin the latest player to suffer a long-term issue, after it was confirmed that the Romanian tore his ACL - subsequently ruling him out for around nine months.

Marc Guehi was on their radar first thing this morning after it emerged that Spurs had a £70m bid for the Crystal Palace ace rejected, which has seen them since move on to different targets.

Axel Disasi is another name who’s been mentioned as of late, but it remains unclear whether the Frenchman would be interested in a move to North London before tonight’s deadline.

As a result, they’ve shifted their focus onto another potential target, submitting a late offer for one player who could move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the coming hours.

Spurs submit late £20m bid for French talent

According to journalist Loic Tanzi, Spurs have submitted a late £20m bid to sign Burnley star Maxime Esteve before the 11pm transfer deadline.

The Frenchman joined the Clarets 12 months ago from Ligue 1 side Montpellier but was unable to stop them from suffering relegation back to the Championship at the end of last season.

However, he’s since starred in England’s second tier, being part of a backline that has conceded just nine times in 30 matches - currently enjoying an eight-game streak without conceding a goal.

Tanzi confirmed that the bid had been made for the 22-year-old who’s started every league game this campaign, but that Scott Parker’s side are demanding £30m to part ways with the youngster before the end of the window.

Any deal could allow Postecoglou’s side to forget about a move for Disasi, with Esteve undoubtedly the better option out of the pair for the current Spurs first-team squad.

Why Esteve would be a better option than Disasi for Spurs

Both aforementioned options would provide the cover needed in North London, especially after Dragusin’s latest injury setback, but if they are to progress as a club, the right addition needs to be made.

Kevin Danso arrived over the last couple of days, with the club finally landing the reinforcement they’d been craving, but he was yet another right-footed option, with Micky van de Ven the only left-footed centre-back in the ranks.

However, a move for Disasi would see yet another right-footed player join, with Esteve having the chance to offer a more balanced option for Postecoglou, especially in the absence of the Netherlands international.

When comparing the Burnley star’s stats with the Chelsea ace from the ongoing campaign, Esteve has massively outperformed him, having the potential to improve further given his tender age.

Esteve, who’s previously been dubbed a “quality left-footed CB” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has won more of the tackles he’s entered, whilst winning more aerials - making him the better defensive option out of the pair.

He’s also made more blocks and interceptions per 90, having the all-round skill set to be a key member of the squad, even upon the regular starters return to action.

Whilst £30m may seem like an expensive addition for a player in the second tier, Esteve has the ability to make the jump and star at the heart of the defence, having the chance to improve further in the years ahead.

Given his impressive stats compared to Disasi, it would be a no-brainer, with the Burnley star able to slot in and make an immediate impact given the huge difference in minutes played - offering a consistent figure, something which has greatly been lacking of late.

Tottenham Hotspur have now restarted talks to sign an "exceptional" defender on loan, and his own club are pushing for the move, according to a report.

Tel deal back on as Spurs seek double deadline day signing

At one stage, it looked as though Tottenham's hopes of signing Mathys Tel were fading away, with the Bayern Munich forward previously making it clear he was unwilling to make the move to north London, despite Daniel Levy travelling to hold talks. However, Tel has now reconsidered his stance and is en-route to London to complete a medical ahead of a loan deal until the end of the campaign.

The 19-year-old has been pictured on a plane with agent Gadiri Camara, with the transfer saga taking a major twist over the past few hours, but he is not the only player Spurs want through the door before the 11pm deadline.

Ange Postecoglou's side had a £70m bid for Crystal Palace's Marc Guehi rejected earlier today, with the manager keen to bolster his struggling defence, while there has also been interest in Chelsea's Axel Disasi.

At one stage, the deal for Disasi looked like it was off, but The Boot Room report Tottenham have restarted talks to sign the defender, and there is seemingly a decent chance he completes a move across the capital. That is because Chelsea are now pushing hard for the centre-back to join Spurs, rather than Aston Villa, despite the player himself previously making it clear he would rather make the move to Villa Park.

The Blues expect the 26-year-old to leave before the transfer deadline, and they would rather ship him out on loan to their London rivals, as they view Villa as direct competition for the Champions League places.

Despite an impressive victory at Brentford, Postecoglou's side are still languishing in 14th and unlikely to push for the European places.

Not an ideal situation for Spurs

Tottenham chiefs have already found themselves in a position where a player has been uninterested in joining, before making a U-turn, with Tel now set to complete a move despite a lack of interest just a few days ago.

It seems as though a move to N17 is also a second-choice option for Disasi, which is far from ideal for Spurs, and they should be sure to only pursue a move if he is definitely committed, rather than simply finding himself forced out at Chelsea.

If the Lilywhites get the best version of the Chelsea man, there are clear signs he could help shore up their leaky backline, having previously been lauded as "exceptional" by members of the media.

Tottenham Hotspur have been working tirelessly to try and land new players this month to try and combat the injury crisis currently affecting Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Kevin Danso arrived from Lens in the last couple of days, looking to add reinforcements at the back after the injuries suffered by the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven and Radu Dragusin.

However, Marc Guehi was also a target for the Lilywhites on deadline day, but it was confirmed that Crystal Palace had rejected a £70m bid from Spurs for the England international.

A deal does seem to be edging ever closer for Mathys Tel though, with the Frenchman flying to the UK to complete a loan deal after previously rejecting a proposal to move to North London on a permanent basis.

He could be joined at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium by one of his compatriots, as the pair look to resurrect what has been a dismal Premier League campaign to date for the club.

Spurs leading the race for defensive star

According to journalist Ben Jacobs, Spurs are now leading the race in a move for Axel Disasi after previously exiting the race for his signature.

It was reported that the 26-year-old was not interested in a move to join Postecoglou’s men, but after Aston Villa, his preferred option, pulled out of the race, it’s handed the Lilywhites a boost in their pursuit.

Jacob’s confirmed that they are now trying to revive a move after Unai Emery’s side exited the race, with fresh hope now handed their way in their pursuit of the Chelsea outcast.

It would allow the club to finally solve their defensive option, offering the perfect alternative to Guehi after their rejected bid earlier this afternoon on deadline day.

Why Disasi would be the perfect Guehi alternative for Spurs

Guehi would undoubtedly be a phenomenal addition for the club after his exploits over the last few months which have seen him rise into becoming a full England international and starring under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024.

However, if the hierarchy are already having bids rejected of around the £70m mark, it could be a deal that would be way too expensive and one that is unrealistic - leaving the door open to potential alternatives.

Numerous names have been touted in recent days including Fikayo Tomori, but it appears that Disasi is now the player of choice, especially after Villa’s withdrawal from the race.

He’s failed to impress current Blues boss Enzo Maresca, making just six league appearances in 2024/25 - leading to his potential exit - but he showcased last season that he’s capable of thriving in England’s top flight.

The Frenchman matched or bettered Guehi in multiple key areas, highlighting what a phenomenal addition he would be for Spurs - plus being a much cheaper alternative than the Englishman.

Disasi, who’s previously been dubbed “dominant” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, managed to complete more progressive passes whilst posting a higher pass completion rate than the Palace star - making him a better fit for Postecoglou’s possession-based philosophy.

A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.

He also managed to win more of the aerial battles he entered, whilst posting a higher tackle success rate, showcasing his all-round defensive qualities - something which the Lilywhites have lacked during the various injury lay-offs of the first-team stars.

Whilst it’s unclear if any move for the Frenchman would be permanent or on loan, he would be a phenomenal addition, having all of the tools to a lot seamlessly into the current backline.

Given the difference in figures between him and Guehi from last season, he would be saving them a small fortune, offering a brilliant option for Postecoglou as he looks to build on the recent win at Brentford.

We are mere hours away from the transfer window slamming shut, and as teams around them look to change their squads, Tottenham Hotspur look ready to add more quality to theirs.

There have been a number of headline-grabbing moves in the last couple of days, from the Lilywhites' imminent capture of Bayern Munich gem Mathys Tel to Manchester United finally getting hold of Patrick Dorgu, but perhaps the most eye-catching of them all has been Marcus Rashford's loan to Aston Villa.

The Manchester-born superstar was completely frozen out of the Red Devils' first team by Ruben Amorim, and while he's not been at his best for some time, we know what he's capable of, and in that sense, the Villans could have a real game-changer on their hands.

However, the Englishman's move to Villa Park could, in turn, help Spurs, as recent reports have linked one of his new teammates with a move to N17, a teammate who has won comparisons to the high-profile loanee and could be brilliant alongside Tel.

Tottenham target Aston Villa forward

According to a recent report from GIVMESPORT, Tottenham are interested in signing Villa's dynamic winger, Leon Bailey.

The report has revealed that the Birmingham outfit have made the Jamaican dynamo available in the closing hours of the transfer window, which has caught the attention of Spurs Technical Director Johan Lange.

The Dane played a 'key role' in bringing the former Bayer Leverkusen star to Villa Park when he worked behind the scenes there and is now spearheading the North Londoners' pursuit of the £120k-per-week winger.

It's unclear how much a transfer would cost the Lilywhites, but given how much they need reinforcements for the right wing and the potential partnership with Tel off the left, it's a deal worth pursuing, even if comparisons to Rashford concern some fans.

How Bailey compares to Rashford and why Spurs should sign him

So, before looking at his potential partnership with Tel and why Spurs should go out and get Bailey, let's examine this comparison with Rashford and where it has come from.

In this case, it primarily stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions in Europe's top five leagues, the Champions League and the Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, has concluded that the Englishman is the tenth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Jamaican star.

The best way to see how this conclusion has been reached is by looking at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, passing accuracy, key passes, passes into the final third, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

However, unlike the United ace, the last time the Kingston-born maestro was at his dangerous best was only last season, so there is a reasonable chance that in a new environment and under the incredibly positive style of Postecoglou, he could get back to tearing teams asunder.

For example, in just 52 appearances for the Claret and Blue, totalling 3197 minutes, the "unplayable" game-changer, as dubbed by The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell, found the back of the net on 14 occasions and provided 14 assists for good measure, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 1.85 games, or every 114.17 minutes.

Now, just imagine that level of output off the right of Dominic Solanke, and then Tel off the left, who in just 41 appearances last season, totalling 1406 minutes, scored ten goals and provided six assists, which comes to an average of a goal involvement every 2.56 games, or every 87.87 minutes.

If this deal were to pan out, Postecoglou would have two incredibly dynamic wingers to choose from and some brilliant competition for the likes of Brennan Johnson and Son Heung-min to ensure neither of their levels dropped.

Ultimately, while comparisons to Rashford might put some fans off of this transfer, it shouldn't, as, unlike the Englishman, Bailey was at his electrifying best only last season, and a front three with him and Tel on either flank is a front three that could give any defence a real game.