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Chelsea are starting to see their staggering investments in the transfer window pay dividends on the pitch.

In the 4-1 victory over rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Nicolas Jackson plundered in a second-half hat-trick to lead his side to victory against nine men, preceding a penalty from Cole Palmer – two players who were brought to the club in the summer from Villarreal and Manchester City, respectively.

On Sunday, that duo played a pivotal role once more, getting their name on the scoresheet in an enthralling encounter with City that ended 4-4, with Palmer smashing a penalty past Ederson in the 95th minute, equalising proceedings against his former employers.

Throughout that captivating fixture, it wasn't just the new boys who starred. Chelsea's current longest-serving player, Reece James, put in a monstrous performance down the right flank for the Blues.

Reece James' statistics against Manchester City

A fully fit and firing James is arguably the best right back on the planet, as hailed on several occasions by many, including Ian Wright.

“He’s easily one of the best right-backs in the world at the minute,” Wright said on Match of the Day after James scored twice against Newcastle United in November 2021.

Since that outstanding 2021/22 campaign, in which he recorded five goals and nine assists in the Premier League – the joint most goal contributions from a full-back in the division – the Englishman has seen injuries hamper his progression further.

A series of knee and hamstring issues saw him only make 16 appearances in the top flight last term but since returning from his latest injury, which saw him miss nine games at the start of this campaign, the 23-year-old has been nothing short of phenomenal.

He's captained the side in the Carabao Cup win over Blackburn Rovers, victory against Spurs and draw with Man City, but it was the latter of those performances that impressed the most.

Not only did he assist Raheem Sterling for his goal, but he also made the most tackles in the match (5) and pocketed the dangerous Jeremy Doku, won six of his nine ground duels and accurately placed three of his four long balls, as per Sofascore.

Lauded as "sensational" for his performance against the champions by journalist Felix Johnston as Doku struggled to get past a seemingly immovable object, James provided a searing indication of his qualities.

Yet, it seems remarkable that a fellow right back, currently plying his trade in Chelsea's youth setup, has also sparkled of late and could well be a future heir to the Englishman's crown.

Josh Acheampong's statistics this season

Aspiring to break into the first team as James did, Aceampong is a 17-year-old right back who joined the development centre programme as an U8 and has the capabilities to play in multiple positions across the back line.

While he's operated as a centre-back on numerous occasions – as James can also do – the teenager boasts the explosive pace and power that has seen him flourish as an attacking wing-back.

At the age of 16, he stepped up to Chelsea's under-18's last term, making ten appearances in Premier League 2 – scoring three goals from right back – including a thunderous match-winner against rivals Tottenham in November 2022.

It's this outstanding form, especially in attack, that has seen him feature a further five times for the under-18s, grabbing one assist, while his rapid rate of development rewarded him with a call-up to the England U17 World Cup, where he played a starring role in the tournament opener.

The Young Lions demolished New Caledonia 10-0 and the Chelsea starlet, who was dubbed by journalist Antonio Mango as "sensational" for his performance, scored and assisted in a near-faultless display.

Goals

1

Assists

1

Accurate passes

98%

Key passes

2

Long balls (acc.)

3 (3)

Aerial duels (won)

2 (1)

Interceptions

2

All stats via Sofascore

With a fixture against Brazil to close out the group phase, it will be interesting to see how the youngster performs against opposition with much more quality, but on current evidence, the future is certainly bright for Chelsea's latest homegrown full-back phenomenon.

Tottenham are said to be eyeing moves for two exciting young players to bolster one area of the squad, with manager Ange Postecoglou keen on more options.

Spurs short in key areas

Ahead of the January transfer window, Spurs are reportedly looking to strengthen certain positions where they're seen as very light in numbers. One of them is at left centre-back, as an injury to star summer signing Micky van de Ven has exposed Tottenham's lack of quality alternatives to the Dutchman.

Postecoglou isn't helped by Cristian Romero's suspension either, with the Argentine and van de Ven's once budding partnership sorely missed during Spurs' recent 2-1 defeat to Wolves at Molineux.

Ben Davies and the previously out-of-favour Eric Dier filled in for the pair but couldn't quite muster their same star quality, with Spurs now targeting a host of central defensive options for the winter window. Uruguay star Sebastian Caceres, Everton's Ben Godfrey, Crystal Palace ace Marc Guehi, Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah and Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly have all been linked with moves to Spurs as a result.

Elsewhere in the squad, there have been reports that the Lilywhites want to add a left-winger to their ranks. Indeed, this has lead to Tottenham holding a serious interest in signing Jota from Al-Ittihad – a player Postecoglou knows very well from his time at Celtic.

Another exciting winger linked with a move to north London is Juventus ace Samuel Iling-Junior, with journalist Pete O'Rourke sharing an update on the Englishman and another apparent attacking target.

Tottenham eyeing Nusa and Iling-Junior after Ange demand

Writing for Football Insider, the reporter claims Spurs are eyeing Illing-Junior and Antonio Nusa, as Postecoglou is very eager to add more quality on the flanks. This comes after injuries to Manor Solomon and Ivan Perisic, with Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson and Bryan Gil currently their only fit options right now.

Son Heung-min has thrived in a more central role after the departure of club legend Harry Kane over the summer, so the South Korea international will be staying right where he is. To bolster their attacking options, Spurs have Illing-Junior and Club Brugge sensation Nusa, who will apparently cost around £30 million according to O'Rourke, on their transfer target list for January.

Key passes

Dribbling

Aerial duels

Defensive contribution

The 18-year-old Nusa has two goals and two assists in nine Jupiler Pro League matches for Brugge this season, while Illing-Junior has been likened to AC Milan star Rafael Leao.

“Iling Junior is a very quick player, who loves to take on opposing full-backs and attack the vertical spaces, in a very direct way,” said journalist Michele Neri to TNT Sports.

“He is a left winger who can also play as a right winger if needed. He has a great sense for dribbling and a speed from a standing start that other Juventus players do not have.

“In these qualities you can absolutely see shades of Rafael Leao when the AC Milan superstar was a bit younger. Of course he is certainly less impactful today than Leao is and has a long way to go to reach the Portuguese’s level."

Kylian Mbappe broke a barren run by scoring the winning goal as PSG held off Rennes with a 1-0 win in the Coupe de France semi-final.

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Mbappe opened scoring in first half after missed penaltyPlayed all 90 minutes after controversial substitution at the weekendParisians will play Lyon in Coupe de France finalGettyTELL ME MORE

Mbappe missed a penalty shortly before half time, but quickly made up for his mistake, providing the opener with a dart down the wing and heavily deflected strike that crept into the bottom corner. Rennes showed some attacking promise after the break, and forced Gianluigi Donnarumma into a few stops, but couldn't find the net. The Parisians will feel they could have put the game beyond doubt, with Marco Asensio and Mbappe both missing good chances. Still, they looked admittedly comfortable and seem well-equipped to play for Luis Enrique's first trophy at the helm.

AdvertisementTHE MVP

It's been a difficult few weeks for Mbappe. The forward, marred by transfer talk, has been well-short of his dominant best, and has been benched a number of times by his often combative manager. Still, here, in a semi-final, he showed just how important he can be. The missed penalty will sting, but Mbappe ultimately grabbed the winning goal, and a couple of neat stops prevented him from bagging two or three. PSG are going to be playing for a trophy soon, and they have Mbappe to thank.

GettyTHE BIG LOSER

It was another puzzling night for Ousmane Dembele, who hasn't quite found a groove in a PSG shirt. The Frenchman did a lot of pretty things – clever turns and deceptive bursts of pace – but he was wasteful when it came to the key moments. Too often, he played the wrong pass, or made an ill-advised decision. For all of his quality, there will always be a nagging feeling that he should be more impactful. Lyon, too, will perhaps be rueing the result. They would have been eager to face Rennes in the final – who will surely present a more beatable opponent for a side enduring a miserable season.

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WHAT COMES NEXT?

The Parisians will continue their campaign with a Ligue 1 clash against Clermont Foot on Saturday. After that, they will host Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.

MatériaMais Notícias

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19h Goiás x São Paulo

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Tottenham Hotspur could move for one "playmaker" striker who's "like" former star Harry Kane if they decide to sign one in 2024, according to a very reliable media source when it comes to football transfers.

Spurs transfer targets for 2024

Ange Postecoglou has now officially overseen the best start made to a Premier League season by any new manager, with the Spurs head coach breaking that record while endearing himself to the Lilywhites fanbase in very quick fashion. Tottenham boast a brilliant seven wins from a possible nine thus far; remaining unbeaten in that time with results against high-flying potential title contenders Arsenal and Liverpool.

The north Londoners have discovered a new lease of under Antonio Conte's replacement, who arrived from Celtic in June after winning a plethora of honours north of the border. There had been doubts over Postecoglou's appointment given his lack of experience in an elite European division like the Premier League, but Tottenham's popular new boss is sharply putting them to bed.

However, there is a real elephant in the room where their current form is concerned – Spurs' lack of depth. Son Heung-min, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven – alongside full-backs Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie – are now pivotal for Postecoglou. There is an argument to be made that serious injuries to any of the aforementioned would be a huge, huge worry for Tottenham, not to mention the fact they're lacking a world-class natural centre-forward after Kane's departure.

As a result, reports in the media have linked them with a centre-back and striker most commonly. Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, Juventus star Gleison Bremer, Bournemouth's Lloyd Kelly and Bayer Leverkusen's Edmond Tapsoba and Chelsea centre-half Trevoh Chalobah have been named as Spurs transfer targets at various points as options to bolster the defensive area. Meanwhile, Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy and Brentford's Ivan Toney could be Tottenham transfer options to replace Kane.

Ivan Toney transfer update

Sharing some news on the latter's future at Brentford this week, reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano suggests that Toney could be a target for Spurs next year, if they do indeed opt to sign one. Romano, writing in a Daily Briefing this week, said (via TEAMtalk):

"We have to [also] see what Tottenham want to do. At the moment they are very happy with the squad but in case they go for a striker, Toney could be an opportunity.”

The 27-year-old marked himself out as one of England's most deadly front men before his ban for alleged gambling breaches this year. Toney scored a brilliant 20 league goals last season, making him one of the country's hottest transfer commodities right now amid widespread interest from up and down the country.

England teammate Declan Rice even likened Toney to Kane while speaking on talkSPORT, hailing the "playmaker" striker.

"I think from the moment he stepped in the Premier League he's taken it by storm," Rice said.

"If you look at what he does for Brentford, how consistent he is and what he does for his team, he's fully deserving of a call-up. He's kind of like Harry Kane in a way where he's not only an out-and-out striker, he's a playmaker as well – his left and right footed passing, the way he picks out his teammates is a special technique to have."

Rangers have now held what is believed to be positive talks with one managerial candidate to take over at Ibrox, according to one report.

Who could be the next Rangers manager?

The Gers are on the search for their third permanent manager in the space of two years after parting ways with Michael Beale over the weekend. A 3-1 home defeat to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership proved to be Beale’s last game in charge in Glasgow, with the 43-year-old ending his time as manager with 31 wins, four draws and eight defeats from 43 games.

Multiple managers, both in and out of work, have already been linked with the vacant role, including Frank Lampard, Kevin Muscat, Chris Wilder, Graham Potter and Ryan Lowe just some of the names to have been mentioned in recent days. The club look set to take their time when it comes to finding a long-term successor to Beale, with Steven Davis in interim charge of the side.

However, it looks as if Ibrox officials have already made a start when it comes to talks with a possible replacement. According to TEAMtalk, Rangers and Lampard have now held positive talks over a possible deal, with the former Chelsea boss extremely keen on taking charge. The report adds that further discussions are expected to take place between the two parties.

Is Frank Lampard a good manager?

Lampard likes to play an attacking 4-3-3 system, as per Transfermarkt, but so far, has had his struggles as a manager. During his time as Derby, Chelsea and Everton boss, the Englishman hasn’t won any honours and has won 83 of a possible 196 games, losing 73 of those. The 45-year-old does have two victories over Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers on his CV, though, something which could come in handy if he takes over at Ibrox as the club already look to close a seven-point gap on their rivals at the top of the table.

However, talkSPORT host Simon Jordan has been left concerned at the possibility of Lampard coming in at Rangers, believing it ‘makes no sense’.

“I’m not sure that Frank Lampard would be the right fit. I’m trying to work out on what basis would I be looking at Frank Lampard as a fit for Rangers.”

Jordan then went on to add:

“The only reason you put Lampard in the conversation is because it’s Frank Lampard the player. You don’t put him in the conversation because it’s Frank Lampard the manager, that’s why it makes no sense to me. Lampard is just a figure of people’s imagination right now, he needs to go away and regroup and become a football manager.”

The recent report states that Ibrox supporters have also made it clear that Lampard is not their preferred candidate, but by the looks of things, it appears that there is a real possibility of that happening following initial talks, making this one to keep an eye on in the coming days.

Champions League group-stage football is due to return to Parkhead under the lights this evening as Celtic host Serie A side Lazio in Glasgow.

The Hoops come into the match on zero points in their group after they lost 2-0 to Feyenoord in their first match in the competition this season and are up against a struggling side.

Lazio are currently 16th in the Serie A and have only won two of their seven league games this term, whilst they also recorded a draw against Atletico Madrid in their first group stage outing.

Brendan Rodgers' side will be hoping to build on the positive momentum that was started with a dramatic win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership last Saturday.

The Bhoys won 2-1 away from Paradise as Matt O'Riley scored a 97th-minute winner for the Scottish giants, after the home side had equalised and looked set for a point in the 95th minute.

What's the latest Celtic team news?

Rodgers has confirmed that central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will not be available for selection against Lazio as he continues to recover from his hamstring injury.

The Hoops will also be without two players who were sent off against Feyenoord in the Netherlands, as they are now suspended for tonight's clash.

Odin Thiago Holm was shown a straight red card and will not be in the mix to start in central midfield, whilst centre-back Gustaf Lagerbielke is also out after being sent off for two bookable offences.

This means that there is an opening for a player to come in at the heart of Celtic's defence after the Sweden international started the win over Motherwell.

Will Nat Phillips start against Lazio?

Rodgers must now unleash Liverpool loanee Nat Phillips from the start as Lagerbielke, Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki, who did not make the Champions League squad list, are all unavailable.

The Swedish summer signing started alongside Liam Scales on the right side of the defence at the weekend and this is the perfect position for the English titan, who is right-footed, to come in and take.

Therefore, the Northern Irishman should start the 6 foot 3 stopper for the first time in Europe this season since his temporary move to Parkhead from the Premier League side.

Celtic are facing a minor crisis at centre-back with so many options out of action, including Stephen Welsh, who is set to be out for three to four months, but Phillips has the quality to put in an excellent performance tonight to ease any fears from supporters.

He is set to be up against legendary Lazio forward Ciro Immobile, who has scored 198 goals in 305 matches for the club, and will be in for a tough evening. However, the 26-year-old defender has experience at this level and has shown that he has the ability to excel against the best of the best.

How many Champions League appearances has Phillips made?

The central defender played five Champions League matches during his time at Liverpool with those games coming against AC Milan, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, and RB Leipzig. Tough opposition indeed.

His side won three of those clashes and only conceded four goals, three of which came in a 3-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium against Real.

Phillips averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across three games against Real and Leipzig combined during the 2020/21 campaign and caught the eye with a dominant 71% aerial duel success rate.

The English centre-back, who made 3.7 tackles and interceptions combined per match, has the potential to dominate Lazio and Immobile, who happens to have lost 75% of his Serie A aerial battles this season.

Celtic's central defender has consistently showcased an ability to win the physical battle with the opposition and the Italy international has struggled with that side of the game this season.

How many goals has Immobile scored this season?

Immobile has registered two goals in eight games for the Italian side throughout the 2023/24 campaign to date and is coming off the back of 14 goals and seven assists in 38 matches last term.

The 33-year-old, who has scored nine goals in 16 Champions League career matches, had also netted a a whopping 32 goals in 40 matches in all competitions during the 2021/22 campaign.

He has proven himself to be an exceptional goalscorer for Lazio over the course of a number of years, with only two goals needed to reach a double century of strikes for the club, but his physical play has been less-than-impressive this term.

Immobile has lost 66% of his ground duels and 75% of his aerial battles across seven Serie A outings this season which suggests that Phillips could be able to dominate him.

How good is Phillips in the air?

The English brute was once described as a "monster" in the air by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and this is backed up by his statistics over the years.

Phillips won 66% of his aerial contests across 17 Premier League appearances during the 2020/21 campaign and then caught the eye on loan with Bournemouth the following term, coming out on top in 69% of those duels in 17 Championship games for the Cherries.

Therefore, the Reds loanee has the potential to dominate Immobile, who has started seven of Lazio's eight games in the Serie A and Champions League, with his outstanding ability when the ball is off the ground.

The Hoops enforcer has consistently proven himself to be a dominant force and by contrast, the Italy international has struggled to deal with those situations, which could allow Phillips to impose himself on the veteran finisher this evening.

That's not to suggest his impact is limited to those situations, however. Indeed, the £65k-per-week gem, who was once dubbed "immense" by Klopp, could also make an impact in possession as he ranked among the top 7% of centre-backs for progressive passes per 90 (seven) during the 2020/21 Champions League campaign.

This essentially means that he was one of the best players in his position at progressing the ball through the thirds to start attacks for his side from centre-back on a regular basis.

Phillips could help Celtic to build play out from the back to create chances which paired with his aerial prowess, could well set Rodgers' men on the way to an unlikely result.

Joe Root’s Test and ODI workload threaten to undermine the development of a player who ought to be central to England’s World T20 plans in 2020

Andrew McGlashan in Dunedin05-Mar-2018Joe Root admits he is stuck between a rock and a hard place when it comes to his T20 career. Though he is desperate to play more of the format, fearing he will get left behind in the fastest-growing version of the game, he was rested for the recent tri-series in Australia and New Zealand and also overlooked for an IPL deal.Prior to missing out at the auction in late January, Root himself had admitted unease at how it might look after he was withdrawn from England’s T20 squad amid workload concerns, while still eyeing his first trip to the IPL.However, he is more worried about his development in a format that is often the one to make way when his international commitments are trimmed back, given that he is Test captain and vital to the one-day side at No. 3. Furthermore, his England duty limits his T20 Blast time with Yorkshire: since 2012 he has played just five T20 matches for his county. But despite this, in T20Is he averages 39.10 with a strike-rate of 128.76 – only two players who have had at least 20 innings have a better average than Root.”The reason I wanted to go out there was to play more T20 cricket, it wasn’t to go and earn as much money as possible,” Root said. “I’m not in that position. I’m looking to try and develop my white-ball game as much as possible. The amount of T20 cricket I’m available to play at the moment is minimal and there’s a World T20 in a couple of years’ time and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get some good experience in a fantastic tournament.”It was disappointing but it’s also very understandable. Sides have a clear idea of what they want the make-up of their team to look like and they build around that. For me, I wasn’t going to fit into any one of those teams, which is slightly disappointing, but there’s not really much you can do.”There were likely to have been other factors in Root’s non-selection for the IPL, not least the fact that he wouldn’t have been available for the closing stages of the tournament due to England’s Test series against Pakistan. It’s not until 2020, and the new structure to the English season, that England’s red-ball players will get a free run at the IPL.From a cricketing point of view, Root did not believe there was anything else he could do. “It’s hard to do that without playing,” he said. “It’s completely out of my control. All I can do is when I play T20 cricket is just make sure I’m firstly doing everything I can to win and score as many runs as possible.”I’m not going to go into any game thinking ‘If I play well here I could get an IPL deal at the end of it’. I’m going into that game to do the best job I can to win the game of cricket. If, down the line, I get opportunities that would be great – I’m sure I’d benefit from it. But if that’s not to be then so be it.”Root needed some persuading to miss the recent tri-series, having rebuffed Trevor Bayliss’s initial suggestion of a rest to be included in the squad. In the end, though, Bayliss had his way and Root returned home for two weeks before flying back out for the one-day series in New Zealand.”It was a long discussion about that tri-series and I was desperate to play because of that very reason – I want to make sure I’m playing as much as possible in that format so that I’m giving myself the best chance when that World T20 comes around,” he said. “But also, I’m mindful of the amount of cricket we have got coming up and, with the World Cup coming up next year in 50-over cricket and being Test captain now, it seemed like the right time to have a small break and ensure I didn’t burn out over the course of what is going to be a very busy summer and back end of this winter.”Root, a player who, on merit, would be involved in all three formats, is a prime exhibit for the ongoing debate about workload and schedules. He does not have a magic solution but, even amid a debate about his T20 career, is concerned that whatever way the game heads, it protects red-ball cricket.”You need to make sure you’re making red-ball cricket really exciting to watch, whether that’s at the ground or on telly and making it as appealing as possible to bring people to watch it,” he said. “That’s especially the case in Test cricket now, so it doesn’t lose its edge and wilt away.”

The swing bowler may have problems getting a work permit due to not having played for Australia but would likely enjoy English conditions

George Dobell08-Feb-2018Chadd Sayers, the Australian swing bowler, has emerged as a potential signing for Sussex.Sayers revealed on the radio show in Adelaide that he was hoping to sign for the club in the coming days with a view to gaining experience of English conditions ahead of the 2019 Ashes tour.While it is unclear how Sayers would qualify for a work permit – he has not played international cricket, does not receive a central contract from Cricket Australia and is not a regular member of the Australia squad – his interest to Sussex does make sense.Not only would his style of bowling probably prove highly potent on early-season English wickets, but Chris Jordan and Jofra Archer are unavailable due to their IPL commitments and Jason Gillespie, a new addition to the Sussex coaching staff and the Adelaide Strikers coach, has seen a good deal of Sayers in action in Adelaide, where he plays his first-class cricket. A first-class bowling average of 23.56 is testament to Sayers’ control and skill.Sussex would only confirm that they are looking “at a number of options for the early part of the season” and insisted “nothing has been confirmed.”In other county news, Allan Donald has finally been granted the work permit which will allow him to take up the role of assistant coach at Kent. Donald, who has as British wife and has previously coaches with both England and Warwickshire, was due to join the county for the 2017 season but was unable to gain the required permit as his Level 2 coaching qualification was deemed inadequate.He has subsequently gained the required qualifications and been granted the work permit. He is in Antigua with the first team squad involved in the Regional Super 50 competition.Meanwhile, Hampshire are understood to have won the fierce competition to sign Sam Northeast, whose relationship with Kent has deteriorated since he expressed his reluctance to commit his future to the club.

Newcastle United have not started the 2023/24 campaign with the same level of imperiousness that was the foundation of the English outfit's tremendous exploits last season.

The Premier League side have suffered three league defeats in succession – against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion – after a resounding 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa to kick the term off.

While the club is not in crisis mode – far from it, in fact – it is a concerning start to the season that has left Eddie Howe's side moored in 14th place, albeit after just four games.

Qualifying for the Champions League with a top-four finish last year was an unexpected triumph, and failing to repeat the feat would not be a doomsday scenario, but the club will need to start winning and ensuring that they at least challenge for a place at the upper echelon of the top-flight.

Who did Newcastle sign this summer?

Seeking to bolster a cohesive, gelled outfit with astute acquisitions this summer, Howe and technical director Dan Ashworth welcomed Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall to the fold, having seen Allan Saint-Maximin as the only notable departee.

Howe, rightfully, opted to tinker away at his squad rather than issue wall-to-wall changes, with the St. James' Park side built on players signed shrewdly, playing for each other and fighting fiercely for the badge.

Tonali, an “extraordinary” playmaker – as has been said by his former manager Eugenio Corini – has been acquired to strengthen a formidable midfield, while Barnes is a counterweight of sorts to Anthony Gordon, with the wide men – both 2023 signings – ensuring a meld of qualities aptly restores the loss of Saint-Maximin.

Barnes is a proven Premier League star and United fought off competition from the likes of Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United to secure his signature from Leicester City for £38m, but despite his talents, perhaps a better move could have been made, with Newcastle opting to sign the £80k-per-week talent instead of a now-thriving Premier League star.

What are Harvey Barnes' strengths?

While Leicester suffered the disrepute of falling into the Championship last season – ending an illustrious spell in top-flight football that secured a Premier League title, FA Cup trophy and impressive Champions League run to the quarter-finals – Barnes was among the select few to emerge relatively unscathed.

While many Foxes hung their heads in shame, Barnes stood tall and proud after scoring 13 goals and providing one assist from 34 Premier League matches last season, earning praise from WhoScored's Martin Laurence for combining "pace with intelligent movement".

The one-cap England international actually ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals per 90 (FBref), and demonstrated the incisiveness that Howe and co paid the big bucks for with a goal and assist apiece off the bench on his debut against Aston Villa.

With a penchant for making a difference in attacking moves, Barnes boasts a cutting edge that has already demonstrated its worth to the fast-rising club, but given that Newcastle were interested in signing Moussa Diaby this season, perhaps Howe should have signed the Frenchman instead.

Did Newcastle want to sign Moussa Diaby?

Newcastle should take great pride in their remarkable 2022/23 season, making an emphatic rise to prominence and now preparing for Champions League football for the first time in two decades, with a tantalising group draw containing Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund awaiting.

But the Tyneside team are not the only Premier League outfit to have basked in glory last season, with Aston Villa also shaking off the early-season disgruntlement that resulted in Steven Gerrard's dismissal to appoint trophy-specialist Unai Emery, who spearheaded a climb up the table and clinched a spot in this term's Europa Conference League.

A momentous achievement for both sides, especially considering the likes of Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur were left mired in mediocrity lower down the league ladder, and as a result of Villa's success, Diaby was signed from Bayer Leverkusen for £52m in an impressive display of intent.

The 24-year-old had just concluded a prolific campaign in Germany, plundering 14 goals and 11 assists across all competitions and being heralded for a "supernatural, divine gift" by Morade Djeddi, the president of the ace's first club Esperance Paris 19e.

Newcastle may well kick themselves in the future after failing to follow up on their interest this summer, with Football Transfers even claiming in the early days of July that Ashworth had made his signature a transfer priority having been dissuaded by Leverkusen's asking price the prior summer.

Ranking among the top 13% of positional peers for goals per 90, as per FBref, the £37k-per-week phenom also ranks among the top 27% for assists and the top 22% for progressive carries per 90, impressing in the embryonic stage of his career on English shores, scoring two goals and supplying an assist for the Lions.

There is a seamless grace to his gliding presence on the pitch, marauding the wings and utilising his dynamism to great effect, and given his promising start to life at Villa Park, he could well blossom into one of the Premier League's most frightening forwards.

Proclaimed to be a "dangerous" attacking weapon by former Freiburg striker Nils Petersen, Diaby matches Barnes for goalscoring – actually outscoring his positional peer by a singular strike last season – but remarkably outperforming the one-time West Bromwich Albion loanee in creativity.

This multi-functional tool kit would have been perfect for Howe's side and system, looking to implement swift transitions and devastating counter-attacking ability.

The argument for Diaby's inclusion in this Magpies squad does not negate Barnes' ability, far from it; the Englishman is a fantastic footballer and will prove to alight St. James' Park on numerous occasions this year and beyond, but given the affluence and pursuit of prominence at the very highest level, Diaby would have been a tailor-made fit.

Barnes will score goals for Newcastle, but he will not provide the creative spark that Diaby would have brought to the fold.

For such an all-encompassing star to have joined a direct divisional rival could possibly come back to sting Howe's side – indeed, Diaby netted on his debut against the Toon team, albeit in a 5-1 defeat.

Only time will tell whether such a transfer failure will create a rueful air in Newcastle, but given Diaby's start to life with Aston Villa and his burgeoning rise over the past several years, he may well prove to be a massive loss in the future.