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Chelsea look as if they could have another gem on their hands in Ian Maatsen, as the 21-year-old left-back is helping inspire Burnley to promotion from the Championship.

Although Graham Potter already has Ben Chilwell and Marc Cucurella available to him at left-back, the Dutchman's fantastic performances so far this season suggest that he could be an excellent heir to the Englishman as a starter at Stamford Bridge.

Who is Ian Maatsen?

Chelsea would sign Maatsen from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2018 after scouting him for the Eredivisie side and with the U16 Netherlands national team.

After impressing with the Blues' academy sides, the young defender would sign his first professional contract in March 2019 and later made his senior debut when he was just 17, featuring in Chelsea's 7-1 win against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

He has since enjoyed loan spells with Charlton Athletic in League One and Coventry City in the Championship, before returning to the second tier again last summer to sign for Vincent Kompany's Burnley.

During his time at Coventry, the Chelsea youngster would earn a huge amount of praise from teammate Simon Moore, in his interview with The Athletic.

He said:

"In Maats’ case, the good certainly outweighs any bad. It says a lot about how good he is that even a slightly off day stands out as exceptional. It is not normal.

“The kid is bright, he’s hugely talented, he wants to learn, and he never gives up."

He has certainly proven himself as ready to play in the Premier League with his displays at Burnley this season, as the Dutch defender boasts four goals and six assists in 31 league appearances, with WhoScored awarding him a strong 7.04 rating for his performances in the second tier.

With Kompany's side almost nailed on to win the title, it would not be a surprise to see them try to sign Maatsen permanently in the summer but Potter must ensure that he remains at Stamford Bridge, as his performances suggest that he could be the ideal long-term heir to Chilwell.

Could Maatsen replace Chilwell at Chelsea?

The former Leicester City man has struggled with injuries during his time at Stamford Bridge but is enjoying a strong run of form with the Blues at the moment, with two goals and two assists to his name in 15 appearances.

However, he has been linked with a Stamford Bridge exit in recent weeks and Cucurella's disappointing performances since joining from Brighton suggest that the Spaniard might not be the ideal replacement in Potter's squad.

Therefore, with Maatsen showcasing his attacking qualities with the likely Championship title-winners, Potter should look to integrate him into Chelsea's first team in the summer, ahead of what will hopefully be a much-improved 2023/24 campaign for the Blues.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a surprise move for Robin Koch ahead of the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Robin Koch to Tottenham?

That's according to Football Insider, who report that Spurs are keeping tabs on the Leeds United defender and have shortlisted the 26-year-old titan as they look for defensive reinforcements.

The north London outfit believe they could snag Koch on a bargain deal, should the Yorkshire side suffer relegation to the Championship at the end of the current campaign.

It's thought that the Germany international is among several key players set to quit Elland Road if they are relegated. By then, Koch, valued at around £16m by Transfermarkt, will have only one year left to run on his £40k-per-week deal.

Leeds reportedly beat Spurs to the signing of Koch in the summer of 2020.

Is Koch a good signing for Tottenham?

This would be a pretty baffling move for sporting director Fabio Paratici to make this summer and while Spurs' defensive problems are obvious, Koch is hardly the answer.

Perhaps surprisingly, Antonio Conte's side are appalling at the back.

The Lilywhites have conceded more goals than any other team inside the top 12 in the Premier League, have been knocked out of the FA Cup by lower league opposition yet again and couldn't get past a struggling AC Milan outfit in the Champions League knockout stages.

Cristian Romero's risky and erratic nature has caused more harm than good since his return from Argentina's triumph at the World Cup, whilst the other two spots in the Italian's back three have been contested by woefully inconsistent stars like Eric Dier, Ben Davies, Clement Lenglet and Davinson Sanchez.

Koch, a regular starter for back-to-back relegation candidates Leeds, is hardly going to be an upgrade on any of the aforementioned players.

Once lambasted for his "horrible to watch" defending by reporter Beren Cross and dubbed "poor" by Jermaine Beckford, the German is part of a backline that has leaked more goals than Tottenham's defensive unit, whilst three of Javi Gracia's centre-backs have averaged a better WhoScored rating than him too.

It means that Conte – or his likely predecessor as his future at the club all but confirmed to be over – will be left with another disappointing option in the £13m dud – and one that is still going to leave a crippling defensive void in N17.

Aston Villa were named as the biggest net spenders in the entirety of Europe over a three-season period back in 2021 and have shown no signs of slowing down ever since with the club ambitiously spending in almost every transfer window.

Over the last two years the club – co-owned by billionaire duo Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens – has splashed the cash on Deigo Carlos (£26m), Phillipe Coutinho (£17m), Lucas Digne (£25m) and a club-record fee set for Emiliano Buendia (£33m) just to name a few.

However, despite the intentions to build a squad that can compete for European football in the Premier League, the Villans have struggled to make their presence known which has resulted in a rapid turnover in managers with Dean Smith replaced by Steven Gerrard in late 2021 and Unai Emery taking charge 11 months later.

With new managers come new expectations, perspectives and philosophies which can often lead to players once considered nailed-on first-team starters quickly becoming bench warmers and the squad at Villa Park have experienced a similar scenario upon the arrival of the former Villarreal boss.

The most drastic and unexpected alterations Emery quickly made just a few weeks into his managerial term was the sale of Danny Ings with the manager sacrificing the striker to allow Ollie Watkins the freedom to reprise his best role up top.

However, one tweak that has gone under the radar – albeit much-needed – has been the signing of Alex Moreno, who has replaced Digne on the left flank and for good reason.

How much has Lucas Digne cost Aston Villa?

The left-back's controversial January move from Everton to Aston Villa back in 2022 was met with high expectations as the former fan favourite at Goodison Park only parted ways with the club due to his fractured relationship with Rafael Benitez.

A fresh start at Villa Park is exactly what Digne was looking for, but has not been the fairytale resolution the player would've hoped for and has ultimately led to him becoming a fringe player.

Initially, the move looked like it was going to be ideal for the Frenchman with 90 minutes played in 13 appearances over the second half of the 2021/22 season under Gerrard.

However, things started to go downhill for Digne after sustaining an ankle injury in September which left the left-back sidelined for 40 days, subsequently seeing his game-time dwindle significantly upon the arrival of Emery in late October last year.

Digne has not completed 90 minutes since New Year's Day and on the pitch has been disappointing on countless occasions which has led to him becoming the ninth lowest-ranked player in the entire Villa squad, falling out of favour with newly-signed Moreno taking his place.

Over 20 Premier League appearances, Digne has been unsuccessful in 92% of his dribbles and has failed to win 49% of his duels, as well as averaging just 24.6 accurate passes and losing possession 11.6 times per game.

Believe it or not, the 29-year-old – who was dubbed "poor" by analyst Luis Miguel Echegaray – is the highest-paid player at Villa Park, earning an astonishing £160k-per-week.

When you combine that with his £25m transfer fee – Digne has cost £34.7m in total over his 61 weeks at the club whilst averaging just 67 minutes per appearance.

It has already been reported that the club could part ways with the player in the summer, despite the fact that his market value has drastically declined compared to what they paid for him just 16 months ago – now worth just £7m according to CIES Football Observatory.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Digne has rinsed Villa over his short spell so far and if the club can find a potential buyer for the player this summer they should jump at the chance to not only offload him but free up the wage bill.

Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim is on Tottenham Hotspur's 'bulging' managerial shortlist to replace Antonio Conte, according to reports.

Who could succeed Conte at Spurs?

Spurs' hunt for a new manager will be one of the most discussed topics in north London for the next few months as chairman Daniel Levy begins the crucial process. Conte was relieved of his duties earlier this week when Tottenham and the Italian agreed to part company by mutual consent, placing Cristian Stellini and assistant coach Ryan Mason in temporary charge until the end of this Premier League season.

As the aforementioned duo oversee Tottenham's chase for a top-four finish, Levy and co are set to work on Spurs' permanent next manager in the background with plenty of names in contention. Mauricio Pochettino, Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique and even Zinedine Zidane stand out as the available coaches linked with joining Tottenham.

Meanwhile, the likes of Oliver Glasner (Eintracht Frankfurt), Roberto De Zerbi (Brighton), Arne Slot (Feyenoord) and Thomas Frank (Brentford) have also been named as potential targets by the media.

Now, as per The Times and journalist Tom Allnutt, Spurs have a 'bulging shortlist' of candidates including some of the names already mentioned and Sporting boss Amorim.

However, while Spurs maintain an interest in the promising young 38-year-old boss, it is believed that Ligue 1 giants Paris-Saint Germain are also targeting him, potentially giving Tottenham something to think about as the future of Christophe Galtier is uncertain.

Should Spurs target Amorim?

We believe the Portuguese is actually a brilliant candidate for the Spurs job and we're surprised he hasn't been mentioned more by members of the press. Similar to Nagelsmann given his young age, Amorim has already enjoyed a phenomenal Sporting career – winning two League Cups, one Super Cup and even a league title (Transfermarkt).

The 3-4-3 tactician deploys a similar system to that of the departed Conte, potentially making the transition to his system a far more easy one for some of Tottenham's squad if Levy were to appoint him.

What's more, Amorim already knows a current member of the Spurs squad very well. Indeed, the coach admitted he has a 'very close' relationship with defender Pedro Porro from their time at Sporting. The Spaniard enjoyed some of his finest career moments to date under Amorim and could well be in favour of Tottenham making a move for him.

Called 'incredible' by members of the media, he would be an astute hire and potentially exciting one.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in Premier League action as they look to get a foothold back on the race for the top four.

On Monday night, a stunning equaliser from Everton defender Michael Keane meant the Lilywhites were condemned to fifth place, heading into this afternoon's encounter with Brighton and Hove Albion.

The north Londoners have home comforts on their side but caretaker manager Cristian Stellini is dealing with a whole host of injury concerns, so what sort of side could we see at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium?

Here's what Football FanCast are predicting…

How will Spurs line up against Brighton?

Between the sticks, club captain Hugo Lloris is set to resume no.1 duties after making a successful comeback from injury at Goodison Park earlier in the week. Perhaps it's unfair on Fraser Forster, who deputised amicably, but the Frenchman is the first choice.

Without stars such as Ben Davies, Ryan Sessegnon and Emerson Royal due to injury, the wing-backs select themselves, meaning Pedro Porro and Ivan Perisic keep their place on either flank, though there could be a change to the back three, with second-half substitute Davinson Sanchez a candidate to replace Clement Lenglet in the starting XI.

The £21.5m-rated Colombian would then join Eric Dier and Cristian Romero in the backline.

In midfield, there are more injuries, with Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma long-term absentees. Oliver Skipp and Pape Matar Sarr are battling for that spot alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, though it's likely that the homegrown talent gets the nod once again.

Spurs have looked fruitless in attack in recent outings and whilst Harry Kane will still be the first name on the teamsheet, he could be joined by January arrival Arnaut Danjuma in what would be a very rare start. It would be the second and final alteration to Stellini's 11.

Heung-min Son has struggled for form, so the introduction of the £28m-rated Villarreal loanee – who is a "nightmare for defenders" according to pundit Kevin Phillips – could give a new lift to their floundering frontline, also joining Dejan Kulusevski as Lucas Moura begins a three-game suspension after his red card on Monday night.

Predicted Tottenham Hotspur XI (3-4-3): Lloris; Sanchez, Dier, Romero; Perisic, Hojbjerg, Skipp, Porro; Danjuma, Kulusevski; Kane

As Manchester United prepare to take on Sevilla in the Europa League this evening at Old Trafford, one man who will no doubt be hoping to remain in the starting lineup is club captain, Harry Maguire, with the England international having produced a solid display against Everton last weekend.

The 30-year-old seemingly looked like a "different" player in that win over the Toffees, according to manager Erik ten Hag, with the towering centre-back having been "dominating his opponent" and showing "so much initiative".

Despite that strong showing, however, it would appear that the former Leicester City ace remains among those who could be allowed to depart Old Trafford this summer, having fallen way down the pecking order under the ex-Ajax boss.

The £190k-per-week man – who was branded "woeful" earlier in the campaign by pundit Lianne Sanderson – has notably made just two starts in United's European run thus far, with it set to be no surprise if teammate Raphael Varane takes his place once again alongside Lisandro Martinez.

Will Maguire start vs Sevilla?

There may also be bad memories among Red Devils supporters regarding Maguire's performance when the Old Trafford outfit took on today's opponents in the Europa League semi-final back in 2020, with the Sheffield native having somewhat cost his side in that disappointing 2-1 defeat.

The £80m man was seemingly culpable as the Spanish outfit drew level midway through the first half in that meeting, bizarrely allowing the ball to run across the box and find former Liverpool winger Suso at the back post, rather than attempting an interception.

The central defender also appeared somewhat out of position as opposition forward Luuk de Jong struck what proved to be the winning goal late on, with club legend Paul Scholes having been particularly critical of Maguire and the rest of the backline:

"You can almost blame the whole back four for this goal. Firstly, [Brandon] Williams doesn’t get to the ball. Where Maguire is, I’m not too sure, he has to drop in, surely."

While much of the blame was undoubtedly placed on his centre-back colleague Victor Lindelof for failing to stay with his man, Maguire's inaction epitomised what was a disappointing individual display, as he lost possession on 11 occasions and won just six of his ten total duels.

The skipper also came in for criticism from Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst, with the respected insider awarding the struggling asset a measly 5/10 match rating, while writing:

'Let the captaincy go to his head with some pointless protests which led to Maguire losing his focus and being admonished by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.'

That "leggy" outing from Maguire – as per pundit Danny Murphy – certainly did not help his cause, even if the one-time Hull City ace wasn't the only villain on the day, with Ten Hag likely hoping to avoid a repeat scenario occurring this time around.

For all the positive strides that the 6 foot 4 dud made against Sean Dyche's men last Saturday, the calming presence of multiple Champions League winner, Varane, could be what is needed in the backline tonight.

Tottenham Hotspur have been a side in disarray of late, and although they might have won at the weekend, it was hardly a performance to write home about.

Many have argued that Cristian Stellini’s side came away from the clash very fortunate, as their slender 2-1 victory hides the two questionable handball decisions and dismissed penalty shout, the latter of which the PGMOL has since apologised for.

It was a game that truly had everything, with VAR drama spilling over into the dugout, where both managers were sent off. Again the officials came under fire, as Stellini’s lack of involvement in the touchline fracas still earned him a red.

The main takeaway for the Lilywhites however was the fine strike that came from Heung-min Son, which finally brought the 30-year-old’s Premier League tally up to 100.

In curling in the opener, he became the first Asian to hit such a mark in the division's history.

However, this performance again papers over the cracks of what has been an abhorrent season for the South Korean speedster.

Typically keen to oversee the goalscoring burden alongside Harry Kane, it seems this season the £190k-per-week wide man has shirked his duty on numerous occasions.

After 28 league games, he has just seven goals to his name, whereas the last two campaigns had commanded tallies of 17 and above.

This in turn led journalist Jason Lee to take to Twitter to admit that the forward had been “underperforming”.

One goal should not expunge a season of disappointment, and such poor displays should give way to the youth talent who have instead earned their spot. One such name that springs to mind is Oliver Irow, a player hoping to make a breakthrough in the coming years.

Who is Oliver Irow?

Listed as part of a “bright” future for the Lilywhites by journalist Sohail Shamsudeen, the 16-year-old sensation has been tearing it up for the U18s outfit this season and is certainly one to watch at Hotspur Way.

The teenage gem already boasts four goals across 13 appearances, having finally burst into the youth side as a versatile attacker.

Clearly a goalscoring winger just like Son, to boast such a fine proficiency in front of goal at such a tender age marks him out as a truly valuable asset, one who could dislodge the South Korean once his career in north London comes to an end.

Indeed, to fast-track him into the seniors could be vital in offering the teenager that key experience to help him dominate the various youth levels, encouraging growth at a rapid rate.

Given how his potential predecessor in that role has underwhelmed this campaign could only ease such a surprising entry into the first team, allowing the youngster the platform to catapult himself into the stratosphere.

Arsenal's campaign has been near-faultless under Mikel Arteta, with the Spaniard having masterminded a turnaround that has seen last year's fifth-place finishers challenge for the title.

However, with Manchester City, the crucial part of the claim is that it has nearly been so. Unless a team attains perfection, Pep Guardiola will always be there waiting to strike, keeping his immense group of world-class players motivated until the final ball is kicked on the final day of the season.

It takes something truly special to topple this side; something which Liverpool could only manage on one occasion for all their talent and accolades.

Whether this season brings the trophy they so desperately desire back to the Emirates or not, to continue at this level the squad must be bolstered. The stars of this year cannot allow complacency to set in, and as such Edu must secure adequate back-ups to ensure they retain their levels.

Leandro Trossard already stands as an impressive addition to an already firing front line, but in Samuel Chukwueze, Bukayo Saka could truly have a test on his hands in keeping his spot in the side. Premier League full-backs wouldn't know what had hit them if they had to face one or both of these tricky customers.

Arsenal are reportedly 'going crazy' over his signature, however, Villarreal are allegedly holding out for a mouth-watering €80m (£71m) fee.

How has Samuel Chukwueze played this season?

Boasting a wicked left foot to cut off his right flank, already the Nigerian boasts keen similarities with Arsenal's number seven.

However, this trademark also draws comparisons to the legendary Arjen Robben, who he mentioned revering in an interview: "He’s the king, to me. He’s the perfect player. I watch so many YouTube clips of him, and there are so many things I can learn from watching him.

“On the way to games, even now, I will still stick on clips of Robben and watch his goals, his dribbling. He’s my inspiration, one of the greatest. I like to be me, and of course you have to be yourself, but you need to learn from people like him. What a player."

The Dutchman would certainly be proud to see how the 23-year-old is thriving under his phantom tutelage, as this season he boasts 13 goals and 11 assists for Villarreal.

Having recently scored twice to defeat Real Madrid, further outlining his pedigree, manager Quique Setien was quick to praise the winger: "He is a boy who is a great footballer. He is in a moment of fantastic inspiration. He has the desire to improve, is responsive and is a hard worker."

It is this fine form that likely has caught the attention of numerous clubs, with the Gunners headlining such a list.

Despite Saka having recorded similar numbers, with 14 goals and 11 assists from the same role, it seems like these two would offer a like-for-like solution should one be out of form.

However, if Chukwueze is to trade Spain for north London and continues his fine scoring record, Arteta will have quite the selection headache on his hands; a nice problem for someone seeking to do battle with the Cityzens for the foreseeable future.

Everton’s hopes of another great escape took a catastrophic blow in midweek as they surrendered one of their precious remaining home games in a 4-1 loss to Newcastle United.

While Sean Dyche inherited a squad bereft of quality, it seemed that Thursday night marked a true culmination of years of failure.

Despite a strong start which allowed the fans to feed off the players' energy, that hard work was sapped away after a lapse in concentration allowed the visitors to open the scoring. From that moment, it seemed like there would only really be one winner.

The Magpies were relentless in their second-half exploits, completely dominating in every area of the game with more possession, shots, corners and big chances (via Sofascore).

However, where they earned particular success was down their left side, targeting the out-of-position Ben Godfrey.

Whether he is a natural right-back or not, few could excuse the dreary defensive display of the 25-year-old, who was left ravaged by full-time by half of Eddie Howe’s squad. It seemed like they all took turns turning him inside and out.

How did Ben Godfrey play vs Newcastle?

Starting ahead of Nathan Patterson, the £75k-per-week centre-back endured a long night under a floodlit Goodison Park.

It is a testament to his underperformance that Sofascore handed him the worst match rating of anyone on the pitch (5.3), even lower than Jordan Pickford (5.7), who shipped four goals.

This was mainly due to the fact that many of the goals came down that problematic right flank, as the former Norwich City ace was dribbled past five times. Of the 13 duels he would compete in, the hulking defender won just three.

What only compounded a miserable night was the lack of technical quality he showed when on the ball. As someone clearly uncomfortable under pressure, his 67% pass accuracy led to him losing possession 10 times from just 39 touches (via Sofascore).

Defensively inept and offensively anonymous, journalist Matt Guy took to Twitter to claim about Dyche: “Watching Ben Godfrey die a slow death there and doing *nothing* about it is probably a sackable offence in itself.”

Having been heralded as a remarkable signing after his £20m move from the Canaries, such an impressive defensive prospect was surely destined for the top.

However, since that first campaign under Carlo Ancelotti, where he maintained an average rating of 7.03, his career has only spiralled downwards.

It has now struck an all-time low, with his most recent embarrassing showing almost feeling like a long time coming for the disappointing Godfrey. Fans are now being shown the true version of this defender, as he was hung out to dry on a dreadful night.

Liverpool are plotting a summer raid to sign Alexis Mac Allister, with The Times journalist Paul Joyce reporting that the Reds have made the player one of their main targets.

What is the latest on Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool?

The Reds have struggled to get going this campaign, already losing four times more games in the Premier League this season than they did for the entirety of the last one. Despite coming close to claiming a second ever Premier League title last time out, they have laboured to even finish in the Champions League places this year.

They're currently sat in fifth and a large part of their issues have come down to their midfield. Arthur Melo was added to boost the club's ranks in the centre of the field back in the summer but has spent months on the sidelines with a thigh injury. In addition, Thiago has struggled to keep himself fit and is now sidelined for the rest of the season while Stefan Bajcetic is another long-term absentee.

Those who have been fit for Liverpool have also faltered in form. Jurgen Klopp has admitted that Fabinho has not been "flying" this season and Jordan Henderson has also managed just 20 Premier League starts this campaign.

The Reds are therefore "preparing" deals for midfielders, says Joyce, revealing that Mac Allister is one of their main targets this summer for such a move, with the player set to be "high up" on their wanted list.

He could cost the side up to £70m in transfer fees but with Klopp's side struggling in that area, they could still splash that amount to bring him in.

Would Mac Allister be a good signing for Liverpool?

Liverpool are crying out for more options in the middle of the park – especially ones that have a knack for getting the ball forward and driving their team towards the opposition box – and Mac Allister fits the bill.

He's been outstanding for Brighton this season, managing eight goals and one assist, with a WhoScored rating of 7.03. Only two other Seagulls players have a better score than him this campaign. He's also proven he can cut it on the international stage too for Argentina, emerging as one of their best players during the World Cup with a rating of 7.11.

That led to high-praise from La Albiceleste legend Sergio Aguero, who admitted that Mac Allister is an "intelligent" player who has "great ball handling" ability. This is proven by his 51 progressive carries this campaign – his best total yet – and his take on success rate of 60.4% (via FBRef).

Mac Allister is continuing to grow and get better as a player and is now playing without fear – and that is something Liverpool need to add to their team during the summer.