Eddie Howe will hope his up-and-down Newcastle United side can now go on a winning run in the Premier League.

Indeed, the Toon have recently collected two straight victories in the punishing division against Burnley and Crystal Palace, with the 2-0 win over the Eagles labelled as a “victory for willpower” by journalist Luke Edwards, as the Magpies had to keep grinding away to clinch three points.

Still, this season has seen Newcastle’s Jekyll and Hyde tendencies come to the forefront regularly, as Howe hunts down some January reinforcements to ensure his team continues to look up the standings, as opposed to down.

Newcastle make £52m star a top target

Amazingly, Newcastle’s clean sheet against Palace was the first time the Toon had kept a clean sheet in 12 games, as Howe potentially looks to add in some more defensive bodies to his camp this month.

The leaky Magpies have been regularly linked with a move for rising Toulouse star Dayann Methalie in the left-back spot, while further rumours have also tipped them to make an £8m swoop for versatile Celta Vigo defender Óscar Mingueza.

Moreover, Newcastle’s ongoing interest in AZ Alkmaar midfield sensation Kees Smit shows no signs of dying down, with The Athletic stating that the Dutchman has now been made a top target for Howe and Co.

The report does further clarify that a bid for Smit, who is valued around the £52m mark, will likely depend on Joe Willock departing the building in January, as Newcastle also go about offloading some personnel across the chaotic month.

With Howe working his magic this season on the likes of Lewis Miley, Newcastle will see this as an opportunity to land another very exciting talent for the future, with the 19-year-old potentially going down as the Magpies’ next Elliot Anderson.

How Smit could become Newcastle's next Anderson

Newcastle very much dropped the ball when they lost Anderson for a measly £35m in July of 2024.

The full-blooded Englishman is now a £100m-rated performer for Nottingham Forest, and is on the extensive shopping list of Manchester City this month.

With a jaw-dropping 8.3 ball recoveries this season per Premier League contest, on top of winning 7.7 duels per game, Anderson would completely transform their midfield ranks, which are in dire need of some reinvention, owing to Sandro Tonali and Joelinton consistently falling short of their best.

Smit’s league numbers for AZ

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

24/25

25/26

Games played

18

14

Goals scored

0

2

Assists

0

2

Touches*

38.8

62.7

Accurate passes*

23.3 (85%)

42.7 (89%)

Key passes*

1.3

1.8

Big chances created

3

3

Ball recoveries*

3.3

5.7

Total duels won*

2.9

3.3

Stats by Sofascore

It doesn’t look feasible, unfortunately, that Anderson will be dramatically returning to St James’ Park anytime soon, with Smit perhaps considered the next best thing, based on the table above.

While he does fall short of Anderson in his own ball recovery numbers and duels won tally, it’s clear that the 19-year-old has come on leaps and bounds in such a short space of time in the Eredivisie, as he potentially explodes into life even more in the Premier League, with most of his numbers improving this season for AZ, after a breakout offering during the 2024/25 campaign.

He will be very much a work in progress, but Anderson didn’t sensationally become an £100m-level talent over-night, as Newcastle are all too aware, with Smit’s ability to fire home a blistering rocket such as this strike for the Netherlands U20s further backing up claims that he is a “superb” asset for his age, as he was labelled by a Premier League scout via TeamTALK.

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Newcastle will also feel less reliant on Bruno Guimaraes to deliver the goods if Smit can put away some audacious strikes for Howe’s men, with the teenager already dubbed a “difference maker” for his Dutch outfit by analyst and content creator Spencer Mossman.

Landing Smit and turning him into a top-flight-ready performer will finally soften the ongoing blow of Anderson leaving St James’ Park prematurely, with the Forest number eight getting ready for another next big step with Pep Guardiola’s men, away from embarking on a surprising reunion on Tyneside.

Snapping up the much-talked-about Dutchman will also see Howe refresh his ranks for the better, as 2026 goes down as being a potentially positive year for his inconsistent side.

Related Bad for Miley: Newcastle could see £8m bid accepted to sign "complete" star

Newcastle will look to add fresh quality to Howe’s squad in the January transfer window.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

It says something of Mikel Arteta’s insatiable hunger for success that he hopes Arsenal will ring a few changes in the January transfer window, despite the remarkable progress that his side have made this season.

The Premier League table-toppers spent a bucketload last summer, Arteta and the club’s new technical director Andrea Berta having added to an elite crop after three years of finishing second in gruelling title battles.

However, Viktor Gyokeres has flattered to deceive at number nine, while £67m recruit Eberechi Eze has only impressed in flashes.

More sharpness is needed from the Gunners, with Manchester City (and Aston Villa) breathing down their neck.

Arsenal could sign Champions League forward

Manchester City have Erling Haaland as their striker. He has scored 19 times in the Premier League this season, eight more than Igor Thiago behind him. Arsenal’s top scorer is Leandro Trossard with five goals.

Arsenal are in a fantastic position, and Arteta cannot allow any slip-ups this season. With this in mind (and with Man City on the verge of signing Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth), it might be worth using the winter window to the Londoners’ advantage.

Arteta has already confirmed the Emirates side are “actively looking” at potential deals this month, so perhaps they should consider AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, a long-term target who is riding the crest of a wave in Italy.

Last month, it was made known that Arsenal had made the Portugal international a top target ahead of 2026, though any deal will fall into the ballpark of £75m.

Electric-paced and versatile, Leao has recently reinvented himself as a prolific number nine, and he could help dynamise the Gunners frontline, said to even be keen on a move to north London if the opportunity arose.

Why Leao would be an upgrade on Gyokeres

Long have Arsenal been linked with Leao, whose efforts in Italy over the past several years have established him as “one of the best left wingers in the world”, as has been asserted by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Rafael Leao – AC Milan Career

Season

Apps

Goals + Assists

25/26

13

7 + 1

24/25

50

12 + 13

23/24

47

15 + 14

22/23

48

16 + 15

21/22

42

14 + 12

20/21

40

7 + 6

19/20

33

6 + 2

Data via Transfermarkt

But he’s developed under Massimiliano Allegri this season, placed in a central striking berth. This has led to seven goals and an assist from only 13 matches in all competitions, with the manager saying that his talisman “has genius” in his play, and that his predatory instincts in the final third make him an interesting central option.

Leao is still a physical and athletic force, ranking among the top 5% of strikers in Serie A this season for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

Arsenal have Gyokeres at the spearhead, but the Swedish striker has left much to be desired since moving to the club from Sporting Lisbon, losing 66% of his duels and 79% of his dribbles in the Premier League, as per Sofascore.

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Former Milan coach Stefano Pioli once remarked that Leao is like “the early Thierry Henry”, starting his career out wide before drifting into a focal goalscoring role, one which has paid dividends this season.

Henry, of course, is one of the greatest players in Premier League history, and probably the most iconic Arsenal star of all time. His fleet-footed running and incredible close control married up with deadly finishing that led Arsene Wenger to riches.

If Arsenal and Arteta can land even half the player in Leao, then there’s plenty of reason for fans to get excited.

For now, we wait for any developments in Arsenal’s January transfer plans, but the interest in this snappy star is genuine, and he would surely be interested in moving to north London and becoming a leading man for one of the most exciting projects in Europe.

Related Not just Gyokeres: Arsenal's "one-dimensional" star shouldn't be starting

Arsenal secured their fifth Premier League win on the bounce against Bournemouth on the south coast.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

Chelsea have now identified an “incredible” manager as their top target to replace Enzo Maresca, after parting ways with the Italian on New Year’s Day.

Blues searching for new manager after Maresca exit

Following Maresca’s departure, BlueCo aren’t planning to waste any time when it comes to appointing a new manager, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who said: “Chelsea will appoint a new manager very soon, not gonna take weeks or a long time. The club is now working on it.

“Liam Rosenior, highly rated internally after an excellent job at Strasbourg, is among the contenders.

“Decision to be made in days, won’t take long.”

The Blues have got a busy month ahead, with eight more fixtures penciled in before the end of January, starting with a difficult trip to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City on Sunday.

As such, they could do with appointing a new manager quickly, and Rosenior may be an exciting option, given the job the Englishman has done at Strasbourg, leading the French side to the Europa Conference League last season.

However, the 41-year-old isn’t the first choice option, according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea have now identified Gareth Southgate as their top target to replace Maresca, with the search for a new manager already underway.

The former England boss is the leading candidate for the role, with the board particularly impressed by the job he did with the Three Lions, during which time he displayed an ability to handle pressure from the media.

Not only that, but Southgate’s ability to develop young players is also valued, with the 55-year-old clearly ticking a lot of boxes for BlueCo.

Related Chelsea could finally sack Maresca & hire "one of the best coaches ever"

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Posts ByKelan Sarson "Incredible" Southgate could be risky appointment for Chelsea

The Englishman has received praise for the job he did with the Three Lions, with Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman saying: “What he has done for English football is just really incredible. Of course, they made the final again, they made the final at the last Euros too. I think he can be very, very proud of himself. I think England is very proud of him and me as a Dutchie, I’m very proud of him too.”

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Indeed, Southgate led England to two European Championships finals, but they ultimately failed to get over the line, despite having home advantage against Italy back in 2021.

Moreover, the former Middlesbrough boss’s experience at club level is limited, having not managed any team other than England since leaving the Riverside Stadium back in 2009.

Having suffered relegation with Boro, the ex-England manager would be a risky appointment for Chelsea, and they could probably do a lot better, given that Champions League football is on offer at Stamford Bridge.

While Fosun have been rather proactive when it comes to spending money on new players to join Wolves during the previous transfer windows, they have also seen quite a number of players leave the Midlands club.

One player that left Molineux in recent years for a rather hefty fee was winger Diogo Jota, who signed for fellow Premier League club Liverpool back in September 2020 in a deal worth a reported fee of £41m, making him their record departure.

Wolves originally signed the Portuguese international on loan from Spanish club Atletico Madrid in the 2017 summer transfer window before securing him on a permanent deal a year later for a reported fee of £12.3m.

Before making the move to Anfield, the 25-year-old racked up 44 goals and 19 assists in 131 appearances across all competitions.

Since joining the Merseyside club, Jota, who has been described as being a “pressing monster” by Liverpool assistant coach Pep Lijnders has gone on to make a total of 62 appearances with an impressive number of 30 goals under his belt.

A few months before leaving Molineux, Transfermarkt had his market value listed as £25.2m, whereas it now stands at £54m, highlighting just how impressive he has been on the pitch since joining Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Also, having earned himself an overall performance rating of 7.24/10 from WhoScored this season, which would comfortably make him the highest-rated player at Molineux by the same metric, there’s no denying his talents and capabilities.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that Fosun made a big error by allowing the winger to leave the Midlands club and strengthen one of the clubs above them in the league table.

Labelled as an “exceptional” player by Klopp, Jota could have been a vital player for Bruno Lage this season had Wolves not sold him to the Reds given how the Old Gold have only scored 24 goals in 25 league games this season.

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Moving forward, if Lage’s side are able to secure European football by the end of the season, they should be looking to the upcoming summer transfer window to bring in some attacking reinforcements that can help the team be more clinical in front of goal and forget about Jota.

In other news: Forget Traore: Lage must finally axe barely-seen Wolves outcast, he’s “miles off” – opinion

David Moyes’ West Ham United side crashed out of the FA Cup on Wednesday evening, with Southampton running out comfortable 3-1 winners at St. Mary’s Stadium.

However, with the Hammers still well in contention for a top-four finish in the Premier League this season, as well as participating in the knockout stages of the Europa League, the 58-year-old manager may be quietly pleased that his side now have one less competition to compete in over the remainder of the current campaign.

Having said that, considering the starting XI the Scot fielded, perhaps this is a slightly naive take, as, aside from Issa Diop’s start ahead of Aaron Cresswell on the left of the Irons’ back three, the West Ham lineup was as strong as it could have possibly been on Wednesday night.

And, when taking into account the fact that Ralph Hasenhuttl made nine changes from the side that defeated Norwich City last Friday, the manner of the loss is sure to have disappointed Moyes – as will the performances of a number of his players, with Jarrod Bowen, Said Benrahma and Craig Dawson all having games to forget on the South Coast.

However, it will undoubtedly be the latter of this trio most frustrated with his display, as the 31-year-old centre-back had something of a nightmare on Wednesday evening.

Lost 62% duels

Indeed, over the course of his 90 minutes on the pitch, Dawson endured an extremely torrid time on the right of West Ham’s back three, with Armando Broja, Moussa Djenepo and Romain Perraud running riot down Southampton’s left flank.

In terms of his personal statistics from the game, the £2.7m-rated defender was rather wasteful in possession, completing just 34 of his 44 attempted passes, finding his man with only four of his 11 attempted long balls and ceding possession of the ball on 14 separate occasions.

In a defensive capacity, the £52k-per-week centre-back also had something of a shocker, committing the foul on Broja which saw James Ward-Prowse restore Southampton’s lead from the spot, as well as being beaten by an opponent once and losing eight of his 13 duels – a failure rate of 62%.

These returns saw the player who Roshane Thomas once dubbed “shaky” earn an extremely disappointing SofaScore match rating of just 5.9 – with no player from either side receiving a lower rating than the former England U21 international.

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As such, while hindsight is a wonderful thing, considering the below-par performance from a number of his first-team regulars, in addition to the Hammers’ hectic fixture schedule, exactly why Moyes did not choose to hand a valuable senior start to the likes of Aji Alese, Pierre Ekwah, Dan Chesters, Armstrong Oko-Flex and Sonny Perkins – all of whom were on the bench – on Wednesday night does appear a rather strange move.

Indeed, the performance of Dawson – who it is certain would have appreciated a rest against Southampton – only further proves that Moyes got his team selection wrong for the cup clash – something that could well come back to haunt the Irons both at Liverpool this weekend and Sevilla next week.

In other news: GSB heading for West Ham catastrophe as deal agreed for “invaluable” £62k-p/w “leader”

Manchester City will have officials in Italy to watch Torino central defender Gleison Bremer this weekend, according to a report from Tuttosport [via Sport Witness].

The lowdown: A wanted man

The 24-year-old Brazilian has been at the forefront of plenty of speculation over the last 18 months with teams across Europe linked, perhaps most notably Liverpool.

Despite being uncapped at the international level, Bremer has caught the eye with a host of impressive performances in Italy.

The powerful defender has earned an outstanding 7.11 average Sofascore rating from 25 Serie A outings and was recently dubbed an ‘animal’ by teammate Mergim Vojvoda.

The latest: Pep and Txiki eyeing move

The Italian newspaper, as translated by SW, claims that Pep Guardiola is personally keen on the defender and will send officials to monitor him ahead of a possible summer swoop.

Furthermore, it’s claimed that ‘everyone is crazy’ for the former Atletico Mineiro ace, and the Cityzens, led by director of football Txiki Begiristain, are certainly among the chasing pack.

Not short on potential suitors, Bremer is said to have been ‘promised’ to a Premier League club.

The verdict: Bolstering the defence

At present the squad at the Etihad is blessed in the defensive department, however, Nathan Ake, John Stones and Aymeric Laporte have all been rotated regularly by Guardiola.

Should the Spanish boss be in the market for an established first-choice partner for Ruben Diaz, at 6 ft 2 and with an 81 per cent passing accuracy this season (Sofascore), Bremer would appear to possess the attributes to fit the bill.

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Valued at £18million and under contract in Italy until 2024 (Transfermarkt), bringing the Brazilian to Manchester would be a wholly affordable venture in the summer transfer window.

In other news: Sky Sport drop huge Man City transfer claim as striker pursuit goes on! Find out more here.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl has been dealt a setback ahead of tonight’s crunch Premier League clash with Newcastle United as an injury update emerges.

The Lowdown: Saints in 2022 form…

Hasenhuttl’s men have started 2022 in fine fashion, losing just two matches out of 11 in all competitions, including impressive results against the likes of Man City, Tottenham and Man United in the Premier League and West Ham in the FA Cup (Transfermarkt).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/southampton-latest-developments/” title=”Southampton latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

However, after their most recent result, a dismal 4-0 defeat away to Aston Villa, the Saints will be looking to immediately get back on track with a solid result against the resurgent Newcastle United.

Southampton could be boosted by the potential return of defender Mohammed Salisu who is back in contention after missing the last two games with a hamstring problem.

Although, it appears Hasenhuttl must do without one bright attacking option in Nathan Tella alongside defender Lyanco who is also still unavailable.

The Latest: Tella still absent…

Indeed, Tella won’t feature in Southampton’s clash at St. Mary’s this evening despite his appearances in training recently.

In a setback for Hasenhuttl, as relayed by the BBC, the 22-year-old is still not ready regardless of his return to the grass.

Tella, as a result, will miss the Newcastle game alongside Lyanco.

The Verdict: Setback for Ralph…

As the Magpies travel south on a hot streak of form, Southampton’s efforts to halt their momentum tonight would have been boosted by having Tella as an option.

Alas, with the starlet still unavailable, Hasenhuttl won’t be able to count on his dynamism or bright attacking play off the bench.

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According to WhoScored, the Englishman has attracted more fouls per 90 than any Saints player in the Premier League on average whilst also completing more dribbles per 90 than regulars like Nathan Redmond or Che Adams.

Often proving a challenge for defenders when given the opportunity, Hasenhuttl previously lauded Tella as a ‘big threat’, but Southampton don’t stand to benefit from it today.

In other news: ‘It is true’…Southampton tipped to target 39-assist ‘star’ by close source! Find out more here.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side continued their incredibly impressive Premiership form on Saturday afternoon, with the Bhoys’ putting four past Ross County in a demolition job at Parkhead.

Indeed, a hat-trick from Giorgos Giakoumakis as well as a first-half Daizen Maeda strike sealed a comfortable win that once again piles the pressure on the Hoops’ Old Firm rivals ahead of their trip to Dundee FC on Sunday.

Speaking about his side’s performance, Postecoglou said: “We had a couple of really tough away games where we’ve done really well but the playing surfaces haven’t allowed us to play our football. Today allowed us to be really good and bright and we were well in control of the game.”

Aside from the positive result, the performance of first-half substitute Matt O’Riley will have also pleased the 56-year-old Bhoys boss immensely, as the midfielder was dominant in the middle of the park – outshining both Tom Rogic and Reo Hatate.

57 touches

Indeed, coming on for the injured Rogic in the 33rd minute of the match, the £1.5m January signing turned in a level of performance that he had struggled to reach in the last few weeks – enjoying 57 touches of the ball, completing 39 of his 47 attempted passes – two of which were key – found his man with three long balls and successfully completed two dribbles.

The 21-year-old also did his fair share of the dirty work in the Celtic midfield, making one interception, blocking one shot and winning four duels, as well as breaking up Ross County’s play by committing two fouls.

These returns saw the Denmark U21 international earn a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.5, ranking him as the fifth-best player to feature in the match – a quite remarkable feat considering he started the game on the bench.

Furthermore, The Athletic’s Kieran Devlin was also clearly impressed with O’Riley’s display on Saturday, stating of the midfielder: “[Reo] Hatate and O’Riley’s best performances in a month which is encouraging too. Very complete performance today, lots to be happy about.”

As such, with a potential title decider against Rangers up next for the Bhoys, the £405k-rated youngster’s display against County will have done him no harm in his bid to secure a starting spot in the Old Firm clash, something that could well present Postecoglou will a major headache ahead of the Glasgow derby.

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Indeed, after this performance, the 56-year-old will struggle to justify leaving the player who John McGinley dubbed a “Harlem Globetrotter” out of his starting XI on April 3.

AND in other news: Forget Doak: Ange can unearth his next prodigy in Celtic gem who’s “ready for it”

Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira has already shown plenty of faith in the younger players in his squad, with Conor Gallagher, Tyrick Mitchell and Marc Guehi all earning call-ups to the England senior squad for the current international break due to their fantastic form for the club.

The likes of Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have both also been regularly utilised by the French manager, who clearly has ambitions for his Eagles squad, and will likely continue down the route of developing youth – particularly if clubs begin targeting his players for transfers.

Vieira also seems keen to rectify a mistake back in 2017 too when one of the club’s finest prospects was allowed to join Chelsea, as he targets the signing of now Brentford B attacker Nathan Young-Coombes.

What’s the news?

According to The Sun, Young-Coombes’ exceptional form for the West-London club’s development side has put not only Palace, but also Southampton, QPR and Bournemouth in the conversation to sign him.

However, Brentford aren’t believed to be wanting to sell one of their most prized assets, and are instead searching for a potential loan destination for him instead – but given the 19-year-old already knows Palace inside and out having been a youth team player there and Vieira’s preference to develop youth, a deal wouldn’t seem implausible at all.

The next Ivan Toney?

After scoring 27 times for Brentford B this season, it’s understandable why the 19-year-old has become one of the hottest properties in England, having spent last season with Rangers, learning from the likes of Alfredo Morelos and Jermain Defoe.

After signing for his current club, the developmental team manager Neil MacFarlane was full of praise and excitement for the teenager’s future, saying: “We know that he has been highly thought of at Rangers and he is the sort of number nine which aren’t easy to find.

“He’s somebody that will play on the shoulder of defenders, and he can also bring other players into the game.

“He possesses a real goal threat and a high level of finishing.”

Combine that with the fact he now plays for the Bees and it’s not beyond the realms of fantasy to compare him to a certain Ivan Toney.

The Brentford striker has been labelled as a £50m player of late while also being dubbed an “exceptional” talent by Barry Fry for the 46 goals he’s netted for the Bees.

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Like Toney, Young-Coombes is clearly a fox in the box and it’s not just the fact they play for the same club where similarities can be drawn as their respective records at beating the goalkeeper are both fabulous.

Should he believe he is ready for first-team football now, he may choose to make the jump across London to Selhurst Park, to play under one of the most exciting managers in the country right now, where he would almost certainly experience Premier League football in the future.

In other news: £13m in the bank: Palace dodged a major transfer bullet on shocking £4.5m-rated flop

Manchester United are stuck in limbo right now when it comes to their managerial saga.

It’s quite apparent that interim head coach Ralf Rangnick will be leaving his post in the summer and moving upstairs, but who will replace him at Old Trafford is anyone’s guess.

What’s the word?

Mauricio Pochettino is still believed to be among the favourites for the job but the man everyone appears to be talking about right now is Erik ten Hag.

The current Ajax boss has reportedly been interviewed by the club but now their pursuit of the Dutchman seems to be going up a notch.

That’s according to Sky Sports who claim that groundwork is being done in order to smooth over an announcement should everything be negotiated sufficiently.

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A report on Wednesday reads: “Sources close to Ten Hag and the Dutch club have suggested that dialogue has taken place over the financial element as well as how to handle a possible announcement – should the process progress that way – in terms of timing and presentation, given Ajax are in a tight title race.”

Great news for Man UnitedAlthough this doesn’t officially confirm whether ten Hag is on his way to the Theatre of Dreams, it does hint that the Ajax manager is considerably high up on their list of managerial targets.If they are already discussing the intricate details as listed above then it can only bode well for their pursuit of the 52-year-old.But why is it good news that they’re targeting him? Well, he’s one of the brightest coaches in the game right now, completing some quite wonderful achievements over the last few years.Possessing a clear winning mentality, ten Hag knows what it takes to win a major trophy, securing the Eredivisie title twice and taking home the nation’s domestic cup competition on two occasions too.Furthermore, he ranked fourth in a list of the best managers in world football for 2019, further demonstrating his enormous potential at the elite level.However, it is in the Champions League where he has arguably caught the eye the most, steering Ajax to the semi-finals in 2018/19 as serious underdogs.They almost made it to the final as well, but for Lucas Moura’s goal in the dying embers of the second leg.Also capable of taking talent to the next level, namely the likes of Hakim Ziyech, Dusan Tadic, Donny van de Beek and Matthijs de Ligt, everything would appear to bode well for a potential move to Man United.AND in other news, “Man Utd will sign..” – Romano drops huge transfer update, supporters surely buzzing…